Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 27

SPORT Wednesday May 31, 2006 floridatoday.com SPORTS EDITOR RALPH R01T0N, rroutonflatoday.net or 242-3798 WCT rankings TENNIS Area surfers rule waves in Fiji Damien Hobgood latest to win event mm or "v.Arj. I BY HILLARD GROSSMAN FLORIDA TODAY Tropical plants, crystal blue water and thousands of colorful fish await visitors to the South Pacific series of the Fiji islands. Lately, it's certainly been a paradise for the flashy trio of Brevard County surfers on the World Championship Tour. Satellite Beach's Damien Hobgood captured the $280,000 Globe WCT Fiji late Monday by defeating Australian rookie Shaun Cansdell 15.40-10.50, becoming the third consecutive local surf er to win the event. "This was truly a blessing," said Hobgood, who missed last year's contest after injuring his shoulder in the previous event in Tahiti.

"It was hard watching back then, but things happen for a reason and I was just praising the Lord to be back here in this beautiful place again." The win at the popular reef break known as "Cloudbreak" was worth $30,000 to Hobgood, who not only celebrated with a cup of kava and a victory lap on a personal watercraft but also gave his wife, Charlotte, an early baby gift. Charlotte, who is expecting July 31, was likely making her last road trip. See WAVES, 7D Kelly Slater (after 4 of 12 events) 1. Kelly Slater 3,501 2. Bobby Martinez .....3,408 3.

Damien Hobgood ..2,942 4. Andy Irons 2,940 5. Taj Burrow ..2,774 6. Taylor Knox 3,358 7. Joel Parkinson 3,376 8.

Shaun Cansdell 2,399 9. C.J. Hobgood 2,296 Karen Wilson, aspworldtour.com 'Sick' ride. Damien Hobgood scored a 15.40 in the finals to win the Globe WCT Fiji. It was Hobgood's first win of the season.

10. Bruce Irons 2,152 m-4 i lay Billy Donovan's highlights Took over as head coach of the Florida Gators in 1996. Led the 2005-'06 Gators to their first NCAA Championship. Has compiled a 226-98 record with Florida, including 98-62 in the Southeastern Conference. Has made eight straight NCAA Tournament fields, making it to the finals twice.

Named ESPN.com National Coach of the Year in 2001, leading the Gators to a 22-9 record. EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL Game 5 Miami at Detroit 8 p.m. ESPN Heat relish chance ASSOCIATED PRESS IP on for Billy Not much has changed for coach since UF won title Andy Roddick Roddick quits in third set at French Open. Andy Roddick was once again out of the French Open in the first round. This time, a sore ankle forced him to retire, trailing Alberto Martin 6-4, 7-5, 1-0 on Tuesday.

It is the third time in six appearances he was ousted in the first round and has a 4-6 record at Roland Garros. More coverage, 5D COLLEGE SPORTS NCAA rules panel approves football, basketball revisions. The NCAA will allow a football coach to challenge one ruling by officials per game and have it reviewed by replay, provided his team has an available timeout. Under a proposal approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, if a coach's challenge is successful, no timeout will be charged. The panel also approved a revision of the rule on the length of halftime in football.

The recommended time is 20 minutes, but it may be lengthened or shortened with the consent of both schools. Among basketball proposals, the panel approved a requirement that Division II and Division III schools have game clocks that display lOths of a second and shot clocks mounted on backboards, starting with the 2010-11 season A proposal barring a player from calling a timeout while falling out of bounds or into the backcourt also was approved. BASEBALL Minor-league umps reach agreement, end strike. Minor-league umpires settled their season-long strike, ratifying a six-year contract Tuesday that calls for a $100 monthly salary increase. Umps had said their salaries previously averaged $15,000 at Triple-A, $12,000 at Double-A, $10,000 in full-season A-ball and $5,500 in rookie leagues.

MIAMI Heat owner Micky Arison talked to Alonzo Mourning in the parking garage after Miami took command of the Eastern Conference Finals with a Game 4 win. The message was simple, and it struck Mourning deeply. "He said, 'Make sure you remind those guys how they celebrated last year on our home Mourning said. "That was it. I think enough was said in that alone.

And I haven't forgotten. Our owner hasn't forgotten. For him to bring that up and remind me, obviously that's been on his mind for a while." On Wednesday, the Heat who lead this season's rematch 3-1 get a chance at comeuppance. They watched helplessly last year as the Detroit Pistons celebrated winning the East championship on the Heat's home floor. Those memories Larry Brown leaping on the sideline, Richard Hamilton hugging Lindsey Hunter as Chauncey Billups danced nearby with one finger aloft are still fresh.

But with a win against the Pistons in Game 5 at The Palace, Miami could experience the flip side of that moment. And, more important, it would give the Heat an NBA Finals berth for the first time. "When the game gets closer and closer, there's something See HEAT, 3D i I TzLyit I Ee5 hif I v- -i. BY DAVID JONES FLORIDA TODAY DESTIN Billy Donovan needed a drink. Strep throat was making it tougher and tougher to answer about the 100th question he was confronted with Tuesday afternoon at the Southeastern Conference's spring meetings.

"I almost didn't make it. My wife (Christine) was kind of hoping I would stay home," Donovan said. "She had a little cake and all that other stuff. But every year I'm always here, and it's on my birthday." While coaches' families enjoy the afternoon around the hotel pool or the strip of white sand along the Gulf Coast, league officials meet each May to discuss changes ahead in rules and regulations. But Donovan spent much of his time outside of meeting rooms shaking hands from SEC friends and foes as the first coach to lead the Gators to a national title in men's basketball.

Even Steve Spurrier, who guided Florida to its only national championship in football, paid tribute to Donovan. When both men were ushered into a special banquet room set aside for some interviews, Spurrier burst out: "Is this where the Billy Donovan show is?" Donovan, battling the throat problem and skipping his own 41st birthday celebration to be at the meetings, allowed a tiny smile to emerge from the corner of his mouth then continued to answer yet another question. Spurrier even warned some media he wouldn't answer any questions until Donovan was done. Of course, as the interview session grew longer and longer, even Spurrier finally gave up watching and started his own media gathering. Two months after cutting down the nets at the RCA Dome See LIFE, 3D As part of the new deal, per diems rise $3 to 38 at inpie-A, $25 at Double-A and $23 at Class A.

They will rise gradually to $40 at Triple-A in 2011, $3o at Double-A and $30 at Class A. Umpires will return to work by June 12. They had been on strike since minor league seasons be gan April 6. GOLF The series Detroit vs. Miami Miami leads series, 3-1 Game 1 Miami 91, Detroit 86 Game 2 Detroit 92, Miami 88 Game 3 Miami 98, Detroit 83 Game 4 Miami 89, Detroit 78 Game 5, tonight Miami at Detroit, 8 p.m.

Game 6, Friday Detroit at Miami, 8 p.m. necessary Game 7, Sunday Miami at Detroit, 8 p.m. if necessary 1 'i ri. V. Tiger Woods Tiger Woods says he's prep- ping for U.S.

Open. Tiger Woods is preparing to play in the U.S.ODen. AP file photos No rest for Donovan. Florida head coach Billy Donovan still hasn't had time to even sit down and watch the tape of his big win. Instead, Donovan has been busy recruiting, finding an assistant coach and answering fan mail.

Woods was at the Alotian Club outside of Little Rock, making his first public golf-related ap pearance since the Masters. His SUNS GET EVEN. Phoenix needed a win and came out strong, postingthe 106-86 victory over Dallas, 3D Online at: floridatotlnycom Take an in-depth look at Florida's head basketball coach Billy Donovan. Check out FLORIDA TODAY'S photo gallery for images of Donovan's national-championship season. father, Earl, died May 6, and Woods hasn't played since he tied for third at Augusta National on April 9.

But he played a round at Wineed Foot in Mamaroneck, Dolphins expect big things from Crowder N.Y.. on Saturday, an indication he will be back there June 15-18 fortheU.S.Open. INSIDE Check out our baseball analysis "He's a nasty player, and that's what you need from a defensive linebacker." Thomas, known around the NFL as one of the smartest linebackers in the game, has talked on and on about how complicated Miami's defensive system is under second-year coach Nick Saban. Heading into his 1 1th season, Thomas has seen a lot of yovng See CROWDER, Id was his job to make defensive calls. Thomas doesn't plan on relinquishing his post any time soon, but he's very comfortable playing alongside Crowder.

"He's only going to get better," Thomas said. "Right now, we're real comfortable playing side by side. We help each other out. And we only make each other better. That's one thing that makes it a lot easier on me, up like that.

BYCARLKOTAIA FLORIDA TODAY DAVIE He turned out to be a real steal in the 2005 NFL Draft. So how much better can Chan-ning Crowder be in 2006? "1 think I can be a lot better," the Miami Dolphins second-year linebacker said. "Pretty much the whole first half of Cast) season I was just learning. I made some athletic plays sad tried to run around, but now I Know I can make a lot more calls this year." For a guy who was just running around much of last year, Crowder certainly let opponents know he was there. The former Florida Gator was second on the Dolphins with 90 tackles and had two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four passes defensed.

Though he played mainly on the outside, two of Crowder's 14 starts came at midi'e linebacker in place of injured Zach Thomas, where it Check out the baseball blog with Channing Crowder Miami linebacker The former Gator had a big rookie season for the Dolphins, finishing with 90 tack- les and two forced fumbles. FLORIDA TODAY baseball writer Scott Brown, who is catching up with Milwaukee slugger Prince Fielder, a former Bre'ird prep star, at www.floridatcfday.com.