Javaris Crittenton pleads guilty to misdemeanor gun charge

Washington Wizards guard Javaris Crittenton has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge -- 10 days after teammate Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge.

Crittenton pleaded guilty Monday afternoon to possession of an unregistered firearm. Prosecutors are expected to drop a second misdemeanor charge of attempted carrying of a pistol without a license.

Prosecutors say they won’t oppose a sentence of probation.

Crittenton’s lawyer, Peter H. White, says Crittenton brought a legally owned, unloaded handgun to Washington “only because he legitimately feared for his life.” He says the player accepts responsibility for his conduct.

Arenas pleaded guilty Jan. 15 to a felony gun charge connected to a locker room argument that is believed to have involved Crittenton.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Carlisle to leave USC

Chris Carlisle, USC’s strength and conditioning coach for the last nine seasons, will join former Trojans coach Pete Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks, USC announced.

Carlisle is the fifth member of USC’s staff to follow Carroll to the NFL, joining former assistant coaches Jeremy Bates, Ken Norton and Brian Schneider. Matt Capurro, who was the director of football operations, also was hired by the Seahawks.

Jamie Yanchar, who has worked at USC since 1990, will serve as interim head strength and conditioning coach as the school begins a search for Carlisle’s replacement.

-- Gary Klein

BASEBALL

Loretta is done playing

That walk-off single in Game 2 of the National League division series for the Dodgers? That was the last hit of Mark Loretta’s career. He announced his retirement and accepted a position as special assistant in the San Diego Padres’ baseball operations department. “I feel extremely fortunate and thankful to have had this career,” Loretta, 38, said in a statement. He ended his 15-year career with a .295 average.

Loretta, who attended St. Francis High in La Cañada and Northwestern University, played for the Padres for three seasons.

In 2004, as the Padres’ second baseman, he hit .335 with 16 home runs, earning an All-Star berth and Silver Slugger award and finishing ninth in most-valuable-player voting.

-- Bill Shaikin

ETC.

Kerrigan’s father dies

Daniel Kerrigan, who rushed to his sobbing daughter Nancy and carried her into the locker room after an attack at a skating competition nearly derailed her Olympic dreams, died after what authorities said was a violent struggle with his son in the family home.

Mark Kerrigan, 45, pleaded not guilty Monday to assaulting his 70-year-old father at the home in the Boston suburb of Stoneham, where he had been living with his parents. He did not speak at his arraignment but at one point put his head in his hands and wept.

Family members said Daniel Kerrigan’s death was not related to the argument with his son early Sunday.

PGA Tour rookie Rickie Fowler, David Duval, Rocco Mediate and Shigeki Maruyama were given the final four sponsor’s exemptions into the Northern Trust Open, to be held at Riviera Country Club on Feb. 4-7. Phil Mickelson is the two-time defending champion.

World champion sprinter Allyson Felix will receive the 2009 sportswoman-of-the-year award at the fifth annual L.A. Sports Awards, to be held Feb. 19 at the new JW Marriott at LA Live.

The L.A. Sports Awards are presented annually by the Los Angeles Sports Council to celebrate the greatest moments of the year in sports in the Los Angeles/Orange County area.