Woodson Moves Closer to Hawks’ Coaching Job

Mike Woodson agreed Tuesday to coach Atlanta after working as the top assistant last season for NBA champion Detroit.

“They have offered the job and hopefully everything will be wrapped up sometime today and I’ll be on a plane [tonight] or Thursday morning for Atlanta,” Woodson said.

Woodson said he was completing negotiations with the Hawks but considered the final details minor.

He said he agreed to a four-year deal to replace Terry Stotts, who was fired May 6. The Hawks finished 28-54 last season and have not reached the playoffs for five consecutive seasons.

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New Orleans signed J.R. Smith, the No. 18 selection in the NBA draft, to a three-year contract.

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Eddie Gill was put on waivers by New Jersey. The 6-foot guard was acquired June 24 from Portland in exchange for the rights to Russian forward Viktor Khryapa and $3 million.

College Football

Miami recruit Willie Williams was put on probation for the second time in two weeks under conditions that his lawyers believe will help him get admitted to the school.

Williams must perform 250 hours of community service while on probation for three years for violating probation for a store burglary and is banned from drinking alcohol and taking any unprescribed drugs.

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Everett Baker, a Florida International player, was charged with attempted murder for firing into an occupied car during an on-campus robbery attempt. He also was charged with two counts of armed robbery, possession of a weapon on school grounds and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, all felonies.

Two other players, Randy Arnold and Diamos DeMerritt, were charged with six felonies for the weekend attempted robbery.

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Air Force running back Matthew Ward and linebacker Overton Spence Jr., along with two other cadets, are facing steroid charges and a possible court-martial.

Soccer

Ramon Ramirez, a veteran midfielder of Mexico’s 1994 and 1998 World Cup teams, said he will play for Chivas USA, the expansion Major League Soccer team that will share the Home Depot Center with the Galaxy next season. Ramirez said he will play the 2004 Apertura season in Mexico before reporting to Chivas USA in January.

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Dick Advocaat quit as coach of the Dutch national team, a week after leading the Netherlands to the semifinals of the European Championship.

Miscellany

Swin Cash had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Detroit ended a four-game losing streak with an 82-63 WNBA victory over Houston at Auburn Hills, Mich.

In other games:

Becky Hammon scored a season-high 26 points as New York defeated Sacramento, 73-66, at New York.... Nykesha Sales’ shot at the buzzer gave Connecticut a 79-77 overtime victory over Indiana at Uncasville, Conn.

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Wimbledon champion Roger Federer routed Germany’s Tomas Behrend, 6-1, 6-1, in the first round of the clay-court Swiss Open at Gstaad.

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Ohio State’s search for a men’s basketball coach continues, with Kevin Stallings of Vanderbilt and Willis Wilson of Rice reportedly visiting campus to talk with university officials.

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Hicham El Guerrouj won the 1,500 meters on a fast, new track in the Athletissima Super Grand Prix at Lausanne, Switzerland.

El Guerrouj won in 3 minutes 32.30 seconds

Passings

A memorial service for Rodger Ward, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, will be held Sunday at 5 p.m. at the San Diego Automotive Museum, 2080 Pan American Plaza, No. 12, Balboa Park.

Ward died at a hospice in Anaheim from complications of diabetes. He was 83.

Donations in Ward’s memory are requested to be made to the American Diabetes Assn. Cards and letters can be sent to Sherrie Ward, his widow, at 24701 Raymond Way, No. 29, Lake Forest, Calif., 92630.