Broncos’ Lynch Is Fined $75,000 for Illegal Hit

Denver Bronco safety John Lynch was fined $75,000 by the NFL on Tuesday for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Indianapolis Colt fullback Dallas Clark on Sunday.

A league spokesman said Lynch, a 12-year veteran with a reputation as a hard hitter, received the harsh penalty because this was his fourth fine for unnecessary roughness since 2001.

The first three each cost him $7,500.

The Broncos were off Tuesday and Lynch was unavailable for comment.

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Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider his lawsuit challenging the NFL’s draft eligibility rule. The NFL has 30 days to respond, and a decision on whether the case will be heard probably would come soon after that response.

A lower court judge ruled last year that Clarett was eligible for the draft, saying that the NFL violated federal antitrust laws with its rule barring eligibility until a player was three years out of high school.

But a three-judge appeals panel blocked him from the 2004 draft, saying federal labor policy allows NFL teams to set rules for when players can enter the league.

Then, on the eve of the draft, Clarett filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, but two justices turned him down.

Clarett will be eligible for this April’s draft no matter what happens in court.

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Indianapolis Colt defensive tackle Montae Reagor avoided arrest after showing up 6 1/2 hours late for a court hearing on a harassment charge in Littleton, Colo.

Reagor is charged with harassing and making telephone threats to a former girlfriend who lives in the Denver area. He was released on $1,000 bond after his arrest Saturday and played in Sunday’s 33-14 loss to the Broncos.

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As expected, Nick Saban was introduced as the Miami Dolphins’ new coach in Davie, Fla.... The Chicago Bears fired offensive coordinator Terry Shea.... Jacksonville Jaguar offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave was fired.

Baseball

Shortstop Pokey Reese agreed to a $1.2-million, one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners, a deal with a club option that could make it worth up to $4.45 million over two seasons.... Free-agent infielder Ramon Martinez agreed to a one-year contract with the Detroit Tigers worth $1,025,000.

Tennis

Cell phone maker Sony Ericsson agreed to become the global title sponsor for the WTA Tour in a deal worth $88 million over six years, a tennis source told Associated Press.

The renaming of the women’s pro tennis circuit to “The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour” will be announced today, the source said.

Under the new deal, the season-ending event will be called The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships, and the sponsor presumably will have a say in where it’s played in future years.

The tournament has been at Staples Center since 2002.

French Open champion Gaston Gaudio was upset by top-ranked junior Gael Monfils of France, 6-4, 7-6 (4), in the Qatar Open’s first round at Doha.

Three-time finalist Paradorn Srichaphan saved two match points and scraped through with a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory over Christophe Rochus to reach the second round of the Chennai Open at Madras, India.

Miscellany

The coach of the ABA’s Orange County Crush said he and his players have not been paid in two weeks and the team appears in danger of folding.

Coach Earl Cureton canceled practice because team owners did not show up as promised to inform players when they would be paid again.

Crush General Manager Kevin Copeland said the team is facing severe financial problems but is not ceasing operations.

Catherine Machado of West Los Angeles, who in 1956 became the first Latina athlete to represent the United States in the Winter Olympics, was elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame and will be inducted Jan. 14, during the U.S. championships.

Also scheduled to be honored is the late Mary Louise Wright, who was a competitor, judge and U.S. team leader at international competitions.

Canada won the world junior hockey championships for the first time since 1997, routing Russia, 6-1, in Grand Forks, N.D., for its 11th overall title. The Czech Republic defeated the United States, 3-2, in the third-place game.

Undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins (45-2-1, one no-contest, 32 knockouts) will face Howard Eastman (40-1, 34) the World Boxing Council’s mandatory challenger, on Feb. 19, perhaps at Staples Center.

Negotiations are continuing between Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, winner of the purse bid for the fight, and Staples officials. Former super-welterweight champion Shane Mosley may also be on the card.

Mark Wells, the Chaminade point guard whose late free throws helped secure one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history, was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds two days after being accused of sexual assault, authorities in Wailuki, Hawaii, said.

Wells’ three free throws over the final 46 seconds helped Chaminade, an 800-student NAIA school, to a 77-72 victory over then-No. 1 Virginia and 7-foot-4 Ralph Sampson on Dec. 23, 1982.

Wells, who was homeless, was not charged after his arrest on the sexual assault accusation.

Sixty-four players will be vying for more than $50,000 in prize money in the United Poolplayers Assn.’s pro tour championship starting today at Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens. The tournament will continue through Sunday and is open to the public.