NBA Labor Deal May Be Finalized as Soon as Today

Just days after NBA Commissioner David Stern said the players’ union may be making a “tragic mistake of epic proportions” and union chief Billy Hunter declared that the NBA may be sounding its “death knell” with what could become mutually assured destruction, the two sides could come to an agreement as soon as today on a new six-year collective bargaining agreement.

Word leaking out from both sides Monday was that they seem to have finalized details in a deal that has been simmering for about two months. It appears to be not much different from one the parties believed they were close to in April until tempers and egos interrupted.

Essentially, it is a compromise on key issues with an age minimum of 19 years old, an increased salary cap, reduced contract lengths and a more stern drug policy.

Another meeting is scheduled for today, and the sides have talked about a news conference and announcement. The players are prepared for their annual meeting and a ratification vote in Las Vegas next week to ward off the embarrassing possibility of a lockout when the current six-year deal ends June 30.

Officials from the league and union declined to comment.

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College Baseball

Baseball Coach George Horton intends to remain at Cal State Fullerton, Athletic Director Brian Quinn said after a two-hour meeting with him.

Texas A&M;, which is reportedly willing to pay its next coach up to $500,000 a season, received permission last week to discuss its job with Horton. The Aggies have made overtures to several top college coaches since Athletic Director Bill Byrne fired 21-year veteran Mark Johnson last month after Texas A&M; failed to qualify for the Big 12 Conference postseason tournament.

Horton’s base salary is $115,764. With incentives, he made about $160,000 in 2004 when Fullerton won the College World Series. This past season, the Titans won the Big West Conference and a four-team NCAA regional before falling to Arizona State in a super-regional.

Horton, 51, has not responded to phone messages, but Quinn said the coach “absolutely” wanted to stay at Fullerton. “This is his home, and this is where his family is,” Quinn said.

Quinn also acknowledged Fullerton couldn’t win a bidding war with a deep-pocketed Division I-A football school. “We just don’t have those kinds of resources,” he said. “George isn’t asking for that.”

Texas set a record with its 75th College World Series win, riding the strong pitching of Kyle McCulloch to a 5-0 victory over top-seeded Tulane at Omaha.

Texas passed USC’s mark of 74 victories.

The Longhorns advanced to a Wednesday night game at Rosenblatt Stadium against the winner of Tuesday night’s Tulane-Baylor elimination game.

Earlier Monday, Baylor extended its first CWS appearance in 27 years by at least one day with a 4-3 victory over Oregon State in 10 innings.

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Horse Racing

Three jockeys fined and suspended for wearing unapproved advertising on their clothing during the Kentucky Derby have appealed the penalties imposed by stewards at Churchill Downs.

Stewards suspended Jeremy Rose, Kent Desormeaux and Corey Nakatani from riding for seven days and fined the jockeys $5,000 each.

The suspensions, announced Friday, were to begin Monday, but the penalties will be stayed until the appeal is heard by the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, Executive Director Jim Gallagher said.

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High Schools

The condition of Danny Williams, a three-time All-City basketball player from Los Angeles Fremont, has been upgraded from critical to serious at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Williams suffered a head injury last Tuesday in an automobile accident north of Barstow.

Geri Campeau has resigned as girls’ basketball coach at Mater Dei to pursue other interests. She will remain at the school as an English teacher.

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Miscellany

The race team of the late Dale Earnhardt said it had reached a settlement with an insurer who had refused to pay the stock-car driver’s life-insurance policy, ending a nearly monthlong trial.

Richard Childress Racing had sought $3.7 million from United of Omaha Life Insurance Co., the amount for which the team had insured the popular driver. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Dee Brown, who recently broke his foot at an NBA pre-draft camp, said that he would return to Illinois for his senior season after having made himself available for the June 28 NBA draft.... Stanford point guard Chris Hernandez decided to pull out of the NBA draft to return to play a final season in Palo Alto.

UCLA track star Monique Henderson is one of five finalists for the Honda Broderick Award to be given to the nation’s top collegiate female athlete on June 29.

The other finalists are Stanford volleyball player Ogonna Nnamani, Texas softball pitcher Cat Osterman, Auburn swimming star Kirsty Coventry and Louisiana State guard Seimone Augustus, who won the women’s Wooden Award as the top basketball player.

NBC’s large-market television ratings for the final round of the U.S. Open fell 8% as Michael Campbell beat Tiger Woods by two strokes to win the second major golf tournament of the year.

The telecast drew 5.8% of viewers in the 56 largest U.S. media markets, according to Nielsen Media Research Inc.

In other ratings, ABC earned a 10.1/18 overnight rating for Game 5 of the NBA Finals involving the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons, down 34.4% from the 15.4/24 for Game 5 of the Lakers-Pistons last season.