Pacers’ Jackson Issues Apology

Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson is “happy to be alive” after being punched in the mouth and hit by a car during a fight at a strip club in which police say he fired a gun in the air.

“I want to apologize to my teammates, to the fans and to this organization,” Jackson said in Indianapolis on Tuesday after his first practice since the fight early Friday. “It was a very unfortunate incident. I definitely take responsibility for my action and everything I’ve done.”

Team President Larry Bird said he was disappointed, especially because the Pacers are trying to win their fans back after the brawl with Detroit Pistons fans two years ago. Jackson was suspended 30 games for his part in the brawl.

“This is a tough one, there’s no question about it,” Bird said. “We’re not very happy with what happened, but we’ve got to move on and really concentrate on the season.

“It hurts. You care about this franchise and you’re a part of it, it’s got to hurt.”

Indianapolis police Tuesday arrested 23-year-old Deon Willford on felony counts of criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, and a misdemeanor count of driving without a license in connection with the fight.

Willford drove a car that hit Jackson, sending him tumbling over the hood, said Indianapolis police spokesman Matthew Mount. Police said Jackson fired a gun in the air in apparent self-defense during the fight.

Jackson has stitches in his lip and other scrapes and bruises.

“I’m definitely blessed to be here today,” he said in his first public comments since the fight. “I didn’t really think I’d be up the next day after I got hit by a car and be walking. But I’m definitely blessed. I’m glad to be on the court. I’m happy to be alive and be able to be with my teammates and my family.”

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The Denver Nuggets exercised their option on the contract of Coach George Karl, keeping him with the club through the 2009-10 season.

Under Karl, 55, the Nuggets have enjoyed their best stretch since joining the NBA in 1976. He was hired Jan. 27, 2005, leading the team to a 76-46 regular-season record and .628 winning percentage.

TENNIS

Federer Turns Down Offer to Pair With Nadal

Roger Federer, the top-ranked player, declined an invitation from world No. 2 Rafael Nadal to form a doubles pairing at the Madrid Masters next week, the event organizer said.

“I don’t think Federer likes doubles much and he didn’t accept,” Gerard Tsobanian, general director of the tournament, said in an interview. “Nadal may play with another partner.”

Federer, the nine-time Grand Slam champion, is ranked 370th in doubles after winning three of six games with Yves Allegro this year to earn $10,300. Federer got more than $6 million from singles in 2006.

“It was a nice idea,” Federer told Eurosport’s website. “But I just never play doubles at the end of the season and if I did it would be with Yves.”

Nadal, who beat Federer in six of their eight meetings, will defend his singles title at the Madrid Masters. Federer sat out the 2005 edition because of an ankle injury.

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Defending champion Ivan Ljubicic defeated Agustin Calleri, 7-6 (3), 6-2, in the first round of the BA-CA Tennis Trophy at Vienna, Austria.

Second-seeded David Nalbandian also advanced after beating Juan Ignacio Chela, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2.

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Playing in his first ATP tour event since being eliminated in the U.S. Open quarterfinals in September, Nadal beat Raemon Sluiter, 6-4, 6-2, in the first round of the Stockholm Open in Sweden.

Nadal will take on wild-card Joachim Johansson in the second round. Johansson beat Davide Sanguinetti, 6-4, 6-4.

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Nikolay Davydenko blanked an ailing Jiri Vanek, 6-0, 6-0, a 37-minute rout that sent the top-seeded Russian into the second round at the Kremlin Cup at Moscow.

Philipp Kohlschreiber upset third-seeded Mikhail Youzhny, 6-2, 7-5, and fourth-seeded Fernando Verdasco retired while trailing Daniele Bracciali, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 0-1.

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Meghann Shaughnessy defeated an erratic Sania Mirza, 6-4, 6-4, to reach the second round of the Bangkok Open in Thailand

HORSE RACING

Valenzuela Is Switching Agents

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela has changed agents again, switching to Jim Pegram after telling Tom Knust he couldn’t represent Valenzuela and Corey Nakatani, the rider Knust picked up during Valenzuela’s recent absence from the racetrack.

“Tom knows, and anybody who has had my book knows, I like to have an agent represent me and solely me,” Valenzuela said, describing the parting as amicable.

Knust said he and Valenzuela “will remain friends” but he decided to represent Nakatani, whose regular mounts include Lava Man.

-- Robyn Norwood

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Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro’s right hind leg has a new cast, a new shoe and is healing well, while his left rear hoof is “gradually” improving from laminitis, according to a doctor in Kennett Square, Pa.

The cast was changed for the first time in six weeks, and Dean Richardson said he was “pleased” with the progress in the leg that was shattered when Barbaro took a horrible misstep at the start of the Preakness on May 20.

Barbaro’s left hind foot, which had laminitis, continues its slow healing process.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Washington Freshman to Have Knee Surgery

Washington’s heralded freshman center Spencer Hawes will have arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose particle in his right knee and is expected to miss two to four weeks.

Hawes was the centerpiece of Washington’s recruiting class, and was rated the No. 2 prospect in the country by some recruiting services.

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North Carolina State’s Andrew Brackman plans to sit out this basketball season to focus on baseball.

The 6-foot-10 junior would have been one of the Wolfpack’s top returning players. Brackman, a pitcher, was 1-3 with a 6.35 earned-run average last season.

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Dayton junior forward Norman Plummer, 22, has been convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence after pleading no contest.

Plummer was cited Sept. 30 after he struck a utility pole with his car and failed a field sobriety test, police said. His blood-alcohol content was 0.149%, above the state’s legal limit of 0.08%, according to a university police report.

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Georgia women’s player Tasha Humphrey will be suspended for the first six games after being charged with underage possession of alcohol.

Humphrey, who averaged 20.1 points and 9.1 rebounds last season, will sit out key games against national powers Stanford and Rutgers.

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Haris Charalambous, the Toledo basketball player who collapsed during conditioning drills, died of a ruptured blood vessel to his heart, according to preliminary autopsy results.

MOTOR RACING

Reutimann Moving to Waltrip Racing

David Reutimann, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular this season, will move up to the Nextel Cup series in 2007 with the new Michael Waltrip Racing team.

Reutimann will join Waltrip and Dale Jarrett on the three-car Toyota team.

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Jimmie Johnson’s anger toward teammate Brian Vickers had not subsided two days after Vickers wrecked Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final lap at Talladega Superspeedway.

“I got a message from him, but that was about it,” Johnson said. “I don’t have much to say or much to talk to him about.”

Earnhardt was leading on the final lap, with the two Hendrick Motorsports drivers running second and third. Johnson attempted to pass Earnhardt and Vickers followed to help push him into the lead.

But Vickers hooked the back of Johnson instead of pushing him, and the contact sent Johnson spinning into Earnhardt. Vickers darted by both to win.