Pittsburgh fires new football coach Mike Haywood after his arrest
Pittsburgh fired football coach Mike Haywood on Saturday, a day after he was arrested at his home in South Bend, Ind., on a domestic violence charge.
Haywood was released Saturday from St. Joseph County Jail on $1,000 cash bond, said an officer at the at the jail who declined to give her name, after the charge was upgraded from a misdemeanor to felony domestic battery in the presence of a minor.
Within hours of his release, Pittsburgh put out a statement from Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg, saying Haywood had been dismissed, “effective immediately.”
Pittsburgh hired Haywood away from Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 16 to replace Dave Wannstedt, who resigned under pressure.
Before the firing was announced on Saturday, Haywood told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “It isn’t fair. The truth will eventually come out.”
Haywood was arrested about 3 p.m. Friday after a custody issue developed with a woman with whom Haywood has a child, police said. The unidentified woman told police that Haywood grabbed her by the arm and neck and pushed her as she tried to leave.
Assistant St. Joseph County Police Chief Bill Redman said the woman had marks on her neck, arms and back.
Haywood led Miami (Ohio) to a 9-4 record and the Mid-American Conference title in his second season with the RedHawks. Previously, he worked as an assistant at Notre Dame, his alma mater, under Charlie Weis.
London team wants to borrow Beckham
David Beckham could be on his way back to England’s Premier League — for a little while.
Tottenham, where Beckham trained as a schoolboy before signing for Manchester United, wants to sign the former England captain on loan from the Galaxy until the Major League Soccer season starts in March.
Beckham has said he would like to return to the Premier League after more than seven years away and Spurs Coach Harry Redknapp thinks the 35-year-old midfielder’s experience could be invaluable for a team challenging for a second straight top-four finish and doing well in its Champions League season.
“He just said that he would like to come and play here at Tottenham,” Redknapp said after Tottenham beat Fulham 1-0 on Saturday to stay fifth in the Premier League.
“I’ve left it to the people at the club. I’ve passed it on to them. They’re talking to whoever they have to talk to at his club.”
Beckham spent the last two winters in Italy on loan at AC Milan, while his Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan did the same last year at English club Everton.
Beckham is said to want to join a European club on a short-term loan to boost his chances of being recalled to the England team. He made the last of his 115 international appearances against Belarus in October 2009 and missed last year’s World Cup because of an Achilles’ tendon injury.
Beckham has said the only Premier League team he would consider playing for was Manchester United, which he left in 2003 to join Real Madrid. But the north London club hopes to exploit Beckham’s connection to the capital, where the player was born and raised.
With a Champions League knockout round meeting with Milan to look forward to in February, Tottenham would appear well-placed to offer Beckham the sort of profile he is used to.
“He’d be a good influence to have, the type of lad you want at your club, and he’d give the whole place a lift,” Redknapp said. “He’s been a fantastic player and he is someone the players would look up to and respect.
Rooney injures ankle
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney could be out of action for two weeks after injuring his left ankle in a 2-1 Premier League win at West Bromwich Albion.
Rooney scored in the third minute for his first goal from open play since March but hobbled off late in the match after he was hurt in a tackle by Chris Brunt.
Rooney limped back onto the field for the final few minutes because United had used all its substitutes.
Nadal defeats Federer
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal started 2011 with a win over rival Roger Federer, beating the Swiss 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) Saturday to defend his title at the World Tennis Championships exhibition tournament at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Both players held serve throughout the match, and Federer had the early momentum in the first tiebreaker, hitting a couple of blistering forehand winners to go up 3-0. But Nadal won the next five points and clinched the set when Federer hit a forehand long.
In tournament play, Nadal has a 14-8 record against Federer. The Swiss won their most recent meeting, a three-set victory in the final the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
Henin, Hewitt win in comebacks from injury
Former No. 1 Justine Henin and Lleyton Hewitt made winning comebacks from injuries as Australia beat Belgium 2-1 in the Hopman Cup at Perth, Australia.
Henin beat Alicia Molik 6-4, 6-4 in her first singles match since hurting her elbow at Wimbledon in June and Hewitt beat Ruben Bemelmans 6-4, 6-3 in his first singles match since injuring his right hand in September.
Hewitt teamed with Molik to beat Henin and Bemelmans 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8) in the mixed-doubles decider of the Group A match.
Henin was making her debut in the opening match of the annual mixed-teams tournament that leads up to the Australian Open.
Buffalo re-signs Merriman
The Buffalo Bills have re-signed linebacker Shawne Merriman despite a nagging Achilles’ tendon injury that prevented him from playing a game for the team over the final two months of the season.
The Bills acquired the former star pass-rusher off waivers Nov. 4 after he was released by the San Diego Chargers. Merriman didn’t make it through his first practice with the Bills before aggravating an Achilles’ tendon injury.
He was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Nov. 27.
Spring Style wins at Santa Anita
Spring Style won the $150,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes for fillies and mares by a nose at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Spring Style ran 1 1-8 miles on the turf in 1:51.08, the slowest running of the race in 18 years. Spring Style paid $15.80 and $3.60.
Harmonious returned $2.10 as the shortest priced favorite ever in the race at 3-10 odds. Go Forth North was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third. Powerofvoodoo was fourth. There was no show betting because of the small field.
