Schwartz to coach Lions KNOCKED OUT

The Detroit Lions agreed on a four-year deal Thursday with Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to be their coach.

Schwartz will try to lead a turnaround for the NFL’s first 0-16 team. The Lions fired Rod Marinelli two weeks ago.

“After an extensive search that included several highly qualified coaches, we are thrilled that Jim Schwartz will become our team’s head coach,” President Tom Lewand said in a statement.

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The New Orleans Saints hired Gregg Williams to fill their vacant defensive coordinator’s post. . . . Interim coach Jim Haslett has been eliminated from consideration for the Rams’ coaching job. . . . Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has a sprained right shoulder that might keep him out of Sunday’s AFC championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

BASEBALL

Youkilis, Red Sox agree to four-year deal

A baseball official told the Associated Press that the Boston Red Sox and first baseman Kevin Youkilis have agreed to a four-year contract that would reportedly guarantee Youkilis about $41 million. Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein did not respond to e-mails seeking comment.

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David Eckstein and the San Diego Padres agreed to a one-year contract, and he is expected to play second base for San Diego. Eckstein batted a combined .265 in 94 games with Toronto and Arizona in 2008. . . . Michael Young said he will accept the Texas Rangers’ decision to move him to third base. . . . The Atlanta Braves finalized their $60-million, four-year contract with Derek Lowe after the right-hander passed a physical. . . . The Chicago White Sox and pitcher Bartolo Colon agreed to a $1-million, one-year contract.

GOLF

Maruyama (65) leads in Honolulu

Shigeki Maruyama shot a five-under-par 65 in the wind and occasional rain for a one-shot lead in the Sony Open at Honolulu.

Maruyama, who failed to keep his tour card last year for the first time this decade, took the outright lead with a five-foot birdie on the par-three 17th.

That knocked Geoff Ogilvy off the top of the leaderboard for the first time this year. Ogilvy, coming off a wire-to-wire victory in the Mercedes-Benz Championship last week, opened with a 66, tied with four others.

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Three-time major champion Vijay Singh had surgery on his right knee and is expected to sit out the next three weeks on the PGA Tour.

TENNIS

Serena Williams loses to Dementieva

Top-seeded Serena Williams lost, 6-3, 6-1, amid a flurry of errors against Elena Dementieva in the Sydney International semifinals at Sydney, Australia.

Dementieva will face third-ranked Dinara Safina for the Sydney title.

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Monica Seles has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The nine-time major champion will be inducted July 11.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Harvin going, Spikes staying at Florida

Florida receiver Percy Harvin is leaving school early to make himself available for the NFL draft, but linebacker Brandon Spikes will return for his senior season. . . . Defensive back Donald Washington is the latest Ohio State player to give up his final year of eligibility for the NFL. He joins tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells and wide receiver Brian Hartline among Ohio State juniors who will make themselves available for the draft. . . . Oregon cornerback Jairus Byrd will enter the NFL draft. . . . Quarterback Andrew Hatch is leaving Louisiana State to return to Harvard.

ETC.

Bonds seeks to bar testimony

Barry Bonds is seeking to bar a former mistress from testifying at his March trial about alleged rages and physical changes caused by steroids.

In a court filing, Bonds also sought to block much of the government’s known evidence against him, including urine and blood samples that allegedly tested positive for steroids.

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Georgia women’s basketball Coach Andy Landers got his 800th win when the Bulldogs routed Savannah State, 74-28. . . . Former world champion Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico will fight British lightweight Amir Khan on March 14 in London. . . . Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon was expected to resign from the soccer team today after a Spanish newspaper revealed that he manipulated a general assembly vote.