Suns Lose Stoudemire for About Four Months

Eight days after signing a five-year, $73-million contract extension, Phoenix Sun standout Amare Stoudemire underwent left knee surgery Tuesday and will be sidelined about four months.

The extent of the injury to the Phoenix Suns’ young all-star forward was determined during “diagnostic” surgery by team doctor Thomas Carter, who then proceeded with microfracture repair, Sun President Bryan Colangelo said.

Colangelo said the team knew of Stoudemire’s knee problem during contract negotiations but was not aware of the severity. Colangelo added that it would not have affected Stoudemire’s signing.

“Whatever is in the best interest of Amare is in the best interest of the Suns,” Colangelo said.

Stoudemire is expected to return around the All-Star break, Feb. 17-21.

Stoudemire, who turns 23 next month, talked about soreness six to eight weeks ago, Colangelo said. After it worsened during last week’s training camp in Tucson, he sought the opinions of three doctors before giving Carter the go-ahead for arthroscopic surgery.

The Suns said Carter repaired a joint surface defect roughly one centimeter in diameter on the inside of his left knee.

Considered the cornerstone of the franchise, Stoudemire was rookie of the year in 2003 and was fifth in the league in scoring at 26 points a game last season while leading the Suns to an NBA-best 62 victories.

Stoudemire averaged 30 points in the playoffs, 37 in the Western Conference finals against Tim Duncan and the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.

Coach Mike D’Antoni said the team probably would go small more often without Stoudemire, with Shawn Marion going back to power forward and Kurt Thomas probably starting at center.

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WNBA

Westhead Takes Style

to Phoenix Mercury

The Phoenix Mercury hired Paul Westhead as coach to bring his high-speed style to the WNBA.

The former coach of three NBA teams, including the Lakers, and at Loyola Marymount has been an assistant for the Orlando Magic the last two seasons. He said at a news conference that he expected his run-and-gun style to work in the women’s game.

“There isn’t any reason women can’t be very good at the speed game and defensive pressure,” Westhead said. “Who knows? They may be better.”

Westhead succeeded Carrie Graf, whose contract was not renewed after a 16-18 season.

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PRO FOOTBALL

Financial Plan OK’d

for the NFL in L.A.

The Los Angeles City Council and the Community Redevelopment Agency approved a financing proposal considered a significant piece in a plan to bring the NFL back to the Coliseum.

The City Council voted, 13-0, to approve the wording of a city ordinance needed to implement a law signed last year by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that would help finance various infrastructure improvements around the Coliseum. The agency’s vote was also unanimous, 5-0.

The action follows approval last week of Coliseum redevelopment plans by the city planning department.

“This has win-win written all over it,” said Assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles), author of the state law, adding, “The state legislature has done its job. The governor has done his job. The City Council has done its job. Now it’s time for the NFL to do its job.”

The league has for months indicated intent to consider proposals from the Coliseum and Anaheim at a meeting Oct. 25-27 in Kansas City. The Los Angeles area has been without pro football for more than a decade.

Last week, however, the league signaled it was unlikely to take firm action on a Los Angeles-area stadium at that late October meeting. The focus instead probably will be on the league’s collective bargaining agreement with NFL players and other financial issues.

Nonetheless, Councilman Bernard Parks said he intended to make an appearance in Kansas City: “It’s smart to go,” he said. “Because you’re ever-present in their minds.”

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PRO HOCKEY

Crosby’s Jersey

Recovered at Airport

A jersey worn by No. 1 draft pick Sidney Crosby in his first NHL game was found at Pittsburgh International Airport, two days after it vanished from luggage checked onto a flight by his father, a US Airways spokesman said.

The shirt was found wrapped in plastic at the foot of a stairway used to load luggage onto planes by a US Airways employee.

It was unclear whether the shirt had fallen out of the luggage or was removed.

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AUTO RACING

Champ Car Plans

to Switch Chassis

The Champ Car World Series will switch from the Lola chassis to the American-built Panoz in 2007 to reduce costs and attempt to attract additional teams.

Built by Elan Motorsports Technologies of Braselton, Ga., the Panoz is one of the two chassis now used in the rival Indy Racing League, whose contracts with Elan and Italian manufacturer Dallara expire after the 2006 season. The initial agreement between Elan and Champ Car will run for three seasons, series President Steve Johnson said.

The switch to the same chassis manufacturer used by the IRL was not a signal the two racing series might be moving toward a merger, Johnson said.

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BASEBALL

Leyland’s Hires

Have Pittsburgh Feel

New Detroit Manager Jim Leyland, exercising his Pittsburgh connection, filled out his coaching staff with former Pirates.

Like Leyland, two of them -- Lloyd McClendon and Gene Lamont -- are former Pittsburgh managers. McClendon will run the bullpen and Lamont will be the third base coach.

Former Pirate players Rafael Belliard, Don Slaught and Andy Van Slyke also were hired as coaches. Belliard was added as infield coach, Slaught as hitting coach and Van Slyke as first base, outfield and baserunning coach.

Leyland was hired Oct. 4 to succeed Alan Trammell, fired after three seasons.

Mike Flanagan will replace Jim Beattie as the Baltimore Orioles’ executive vice president for baseball operations. Flanagan, a former Cy Young Award winner, had been vice president of baseball operations.

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TENNIS

Kuznetsova Returns

With an Easy Victory

Playing for the first time since losing in the first round in defense of her 2004 U.S. Open title, Svetlana Kuznetsova beat qualifier Emmanuelle Gagliardi, 6-0, 6-4, and advanced to the second round at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Qualifier Samantha Stosur upset seventh-seeded Alicia Molik, 6-3, 6-2.

In the men’s draw, Paul Goldstein defeated qualifier Mikhail Ledovskikh, 6-2, 6-4.

Defending champion Thomas Johansson edged 18-year-old Ervin Eleskovic, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), to reach the second round of the Stockholm Open in Sweden.

Third-seeded Radek Stepanek reached the second round of the BA-CA Trophy by beating Luis Horna, 6-7 (2), 6-0, 6-3, in Vienna. No. 5 Tommy Robredo beat Ricardo Mello, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, and Ivo Minar ousted beat Kevin Kim, 7-6 (0), 6-3 .... Antonella Serra-Zanettiy upset fourth-seeded Shinobu Asagoe, 7-6 (2), 6-4, in the inaugural Thailand Open in Bangkok. Shenay Perry defeated Ana Timotic, 7-6 (4), 6-1, but Mashona Washington lost, 6-2, 6-3, to Saori Obata and Jamea Jackson fell to Gisela Dulko, 6-4, 7-5.

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HORSE RACING

Hurricane Run

Out of Breeders’ Cup

Hurricane Run, winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, won’t run in the Breeders’ Cup because of a cough.

Trainer Andre Fabre said in Paris that his 3-year-old colt, considered the favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at New York’s Belmont Park on Oct. 29, wasn’t in top form.

“I felt he wasn’t doing too well,” Fabre said. “He coughed for two days last week. We’ll have to wait until next year.”

Hurricane Run, owned by Michael Tabor, is the second highly regarded horse to drop out of the Breeders’ Cup. Afleet Alex, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner, was declared out Monday because a leg injury hadn’t fully healed.

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SOCCER

U.S. Will Go Young

Against Panama

Having already qualified for next year’s World Cup, the U.S. (6-2-1) will take a look at its younger players tonight against Panama (0-7-2) in Foxborough, Mass., in little more than a friendly. Panama failed to qualify for the World Cup.

Police will escort Bosnian fans from the border, then stand guard in riot gear to keep them separated from the Serbians when Serbia and Montenegro plays host to Bosnia-Herzegovina today in a key World Cup qualifier. Banners and firecrackers will not be allowed in the game between the nations that engaged in a bloody civil war a decade ago.