Tagliabue Hears Parks’ Pitch for the Coliseum

In the coming weeks, NFL owners will get an in-depth look at the two competing stadium proposals for the Los Angeles market. But Commissioner Paul Tagliabue received an informal preview Thursday of the Coliseum’s pitch in a breakfast meeting with L.A. City Councilman Bernard C. Parks in Orlando, Fla.

The meeting was a coup for Parks, who spent nearly two hours discussing a range of issues with Tagliabue. Until now, members of the Coliseum Commission met almost exclusively with NFL staff working on the negotiations, not directly with Tagliabue.

Tagliabue, in Orlando for league meetings that concluded Wednesday, plans to retire in July. He has pinpointed L.A. as one of the top issues on his remaining agenda, and the league is considering stadium concepts at the Coliseum and in Anaheim.

“When you go back three, 3 1/2 years ago, one owner compared working on the Coliseum to putting lipstick on a pig,” said Parks, who represents the 8th District, which includes the stadium. “... To come from that locale to where we are now -- we believe in our minds that we’re in the No. 1 position -- and to be in a position where the commissioner is willing to sit down and talk personally, one-on-one, shows that we’ve made tremendous progress.”

Among the issues the two discussed, Parks said, were Assembly Bill 2805, legislature that would provide tax funds to help offset the cost of infrastructure for a rebuilt Coliseum; the future MTA line serving USC and Exposition Park; the parking situation at the stadium; and a breakdown of the league’s estimated cost of $800 million to complete either project.

Representatives from both groups are expected to make presentations in late April or early May to the league’s L.A. stadium working group, which this week was expanded from six to 11 members.

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-- Sam Farmer

The New York Jets signed unrestricted free-agent cornerback Andre Dyson. Dyson, 26, played last season with the Seattle Seahawks.

He started 10 regular-season games and three postseason games, including the 21-10 Super Bowl loss to Pittsburgh.

The New Orleans Saints signed receiver Chris Horn to a two-year contract and re-signed defensive tackle Cedric Woodard to a one-year deal. Horn has mostly been a reserve in three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.

TENNIS

Sharapova Advances

but Draws Boos

Maria Sharapova lost a big lead, drew boos for taking a bathroom break and won only when opponent Tatiana Golovin was forced to retire in tears because of an ankle injury.

The hollow victory earned Sharapova a berth in the final at the Nasdaq-100 Open ay Key Biscayne, Fla.

Sharapova failed to convert four match points in the second set and played for another 75 minutes before Golovin twisted her left ankle and fell chasing a shot in the corner. She played one more point, then called it quits with Sharapova serving and leading, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 4-3.

The fourth-seeded Sharapova’s opponent in the final Saturday will be No. 12 Svetlana Kuznetsova, who advanced by upsetting top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo, 6-1, 6-4.

Andy Roddick hit another bump in his bid to shake an early-season slump, losing to David Ferrer, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, in the men’s quarterfinals.

Roger Federer rallied from a break down in the opening set and beat ninth-seeded James Blake, 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten will not return to the court for at least another month because of a hip injury and could skip Roland Garros.

Mary Pierce has withdrawn from the 2006 Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S.C., because of a persistent problem with her right foot. The event is scheduled to begin April 8.

COLLEGES

Attorneys Say Duke Players Are Innocent

The lawyers for Duke men’s lacrosse players said that police and an outraged community will owe the team an apology after DNA tests are completed -- tests they said will prove no one on the team raped an exotic dancer.

Four attorneys representing nearly all the 46 players forced to give samples protested what they said was a presumption that their clients attacked the dancer or kept quiet about what happened. No one has been charged.

“We believe that the DNA will show that this not true. We believe that a full and complete and fair investigation will show that it is not true,” lawyer Joe Cheshire said.

Investigators are still collecting evidence, but District Attorney Mike Nifong has said in recent days that he already believes a crime occurred. Even if the state crime lab’s DNA analysis proves inconclusive or doesn’t provide a match for any of the athletes, Nifong has said he’ll have other evidence.

MISCELLANY

WBC Orders Rahman

to Fight Maskaev

The World Boxing Council ordered Hasim Rahman to fight Kazakhstan’s Oleg Maskaev in defense of his heavyweight title, with the winner to face James Toney.

Rahman, handed the WBC belt when Vitali Klitschko retired last November, had a draw with Toney in his first defense on March 18. Toney wanted a rematch, but the WBC didn’t agree.

It set a May 1 deadline for agreement on the bout.

Senior Katie Oakes, a midfielder who led the Woodland Hills El Camino Real girls’ soccer team to the last four of its six consecutive City Section championships, is The Times’ girls’ soccer player of the year.

Mary DeScenza of Georgia has been chosen as the 2006 recipient of the Honda Award for swimming and diving, signifying the senior as the nation’s top collegiate female swimmer.