Vote Keeps Coliseum on Track for the NFL

The California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, meeting Tuesday in Sacramento, approved by a 4-0 vote a key financial plank in a plan to lure an NFL team to the Coliseum.

The bank approved the wording of a city ordinance needed to implement a law signed last year by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to help finance various infrastructure improvements around the Coliseum.

The vote Tuesday keeps Coliseum officials on track to deliver to the NFL the framework of a deal by a league meeting Oct. 25-27 in Kansas City. The league is also considering a potential site in Anaheim.

The L.A. market has been without pro football since after the 1994 season, when the Rams left Anaheim for St. Louis and the Raiders the Coliseum for Oakland.

The Los Angeles City Council is to review the ordinance Friday.

“We’re pushing forward now, baby,” its author, Assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles), a former councilman and longtime Coliseum proponent, said after Tuesday’s vote.

Alan Abrahamson

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Hockey

Mighty Duck left wing Petr Sykora is expected to sit out tonight’s exhibition game at home against Vancouver because of stiffness in his lower back, Coach Randy Carlyle said.

Sykora didn’t practice Tuesday but did spend time on a stationary bike and received some massage therapy. Carlyle says he expects Sykora to be available for Friday night’s home exhibition against the Kings.

Carlyle also said that goalie Steve Shields worked out but remains day to day because of a strained upper body muscle. Shields hasn’t practiced since last week.

Eric Stephens

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A day after their dressing room was cleaned and disinfected as a precaution, the flu-ridden Columbus Blue Jackets returned to the ice on wobbly legs.

About three-quarters of the 39-man roster complained of fever, aches and pains, headaches, dizziness and upset stomachs last weekend. Because of the number of sick players, the dressing room was closed Monday.

Chris Bourque, son of retired All-Star defenseman Ray Bourque, was among five forwards the Washington Capitals assigned to their AHL affiliate.... The Carolina Hurricanes signed 19-year-old rookie forward Andrew Ladd, the team’s 2004 first-round pick, to a three-year entry-level contract.

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Tennis

Top-seeded David Ferrer lost, 6-2, 6-2, in the first round of the Palermo International at Sicily to Francesco Aldi, a wild card ranked 164th playing before hometown fans.

Defending champion Tomas Berdych was eliminated by Andreas Seppi, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Third-seeded Robby Ginepri bounced back from an unsteady first set and beat Thailand’s Danai Udomchoke, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, in the first round of the Thailand Open at Bangkok. Ginepri rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the second set.... South Africa’s Wesley Moodie upset eighth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, 6-4, 7-6 (2), in the first-round of the ATP Vietnam Open at Hanoi.... Fifth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova defeated Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (2), 6-0, in the opening round of the Fortis Championships at Luxembourg.

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Soccer

Ronaldinho scored three goals to lead Barcelona to a 4-1 victory over Italy’s Udinese in the European Champions League.

Other former champions Juventus, Bayern Munich and Manchester United also won in the second round of Europe’s top club competition.

In Group A, Juventus got goals from David Trezeguet, Adrian Mutu and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a 3-0 victory over Rapid Vienna. Martin Demichelis’ goal in the 32nd minute lifted Bayern Munich to a 1-0 win over FC Brugge of Belgium.

Manchester United got a goal from Ruud Van Nistelrooy in the 85th minute to pull out a 2-1 win over Benfica of Portugal.

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Pro Basketball

The Charlotte Bobcats re-signed forward Gerald Wallace to a three-year contract. Wallace averaged 11.1 points and 5.5 rebounds last season.... The Seattle SuperSonics re-signed restricted free-agent guard Ronald “Flip” Murray to a one-year contract.

Former Detroit assistants Phil Ford and Dave Hanners rejoined Coach Larry Brown when they were hired as New York Knick assistants.

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Miscellany

NASCAR fined Nextel Cup crew chief Joe Garone and Busch Series crew chief Charlie Lewis $1,000 each for violations last weekend at Dover International Speedway.

Russia’s Buvaaysa Saitiev won his sixth world title in the 163-pound freestyle class, beating Arpad Ritter of Hungary in the wrestling World Championships at Budapest, Hungary. Joe Williams of the United States defeated Alexandru Burca of Moldova for the bronze medal in the 163-pound division.

Jim Murray, Times Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, will be posthumously inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in ceremonies Nov. 19 at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. Murray, who died in 1998, is one of 13 in this year’s class.

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Passings

Byron “Mex” Johnson, a shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro leagues and Satchel Paige’s traveling team, died Saturday at 94 of prostate cancer.