Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 19

www.greenbaypressgazette.com Green Bay Press-Gazette Saturday, February 19, 2005 C-3 Sports -7 i nwi "-x yiwn 1 In brief White Sox start without Thomas BASEBALL f-fv notebook For more baseball coverage from The Associated Press, go to www.greenbaypressgazette.com Press-Gazette wire services The Big Hurt is still hurt. Frank Thomas hasn't recovered from ankle surgery and will not report to the Chicago White Sox in Tucson, along with other position players on Monday as expected. Trainer Herm Schneider said Friday that the team has "no real timetable" for Thomas' return. The two-time American League MVP had a bone graft and two screws inserted on Oct. 6 to repair a partial stress fracture of his left ankle, which he injured while fielding a grounder June 17.

Red Sox: Boston kept up the attacks on the New York Yankees, with Bronson Arroyo joining in the criticism of Alex Rodriguez. Arroyo said the Yankees' third baseman "was out of line" when Arroyo hit him with a pitch on July 24 and his reaction helped spark a brawl. Catcher Jason Varitek said, "I don't need to boast" about workout habits. That's what Rodriguez did in an interview last month. Meanwhile, owner John Henry said the Red Sox may give players their World Series rings at a separate ceremony rather than before their home opener April 11 against the Yankees.

That New York is the opponent isn't a factor, another team official said. Yankees: Manager Joe Torre all but said Randy Johnson will start the season opener against Boston on April 3 at Yankee Stadium, a game that could match Johnson against former Arizona teammate Curt Schilling. Cubs: Shortstop Nomar Gar-ciaparra got a raise to a base Kentucky Colonels center Artis Gllmore, top, battles beneath the basket with Denver Nuggets guard Chuck Williams during the 1976 ABA All-Star Game in Denver. A team of all-stars were matched against the league-leading Nuggets in the game. FileThe Associated Press Dunks are back in Denver Dunks, but no dunks: James will sit out tonight's dunk contest.

His absence leaves a less- Brewers sign 2 pitchers, open spring training today College soccer Preble's top defender commits to Parkside KENOSHA Amanda VandenAvond, a defender from Green Bay Preble High School, has committed to play soccer at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside next season. VandenAvond, widely consid ered the best defender in Northeastern Wisconsin, is a two-time first-team selection to the Press-Gazette's all-area soccer team. She twice has been the Hornets' most valuable defen sive player. Parkside has won the last two Great Lakes Valley Conference titles and played in the last two NCAA Division II tournaments. Fishing 70 sturgeon speared; season will continue OSHKOSH Spearers landed 70 sturgeon from Lake Winnebago on Friday, up slightly from earlier in the week, but not enough to trigger an end to the season.

Friday's harvest included 42 females (25 adults and 17 juveniles) and 28 males. Over seven days, spearers have taken 1,033 sturgeon. Of that total, 344 were taken during a one-day season on upriver lakes a week ago. The season is likely to continue through Sunday and could go into next week, said Ron Bruch, a senior fisheries biologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. High school basketball Ticket sale is set for Arena sectionals ASHWAUBENON Three-game ticket packages go on sale at 10 a.m.

Feb. 28 for the WIAA Divisions 1 and 2 boys basketball sectional tournaments at the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena. The Division 2 semifinals are at 6 and 8 p.m. March 10. The Division 1 semifinals are at 6 and 8 p.m.

March 11. Finals in both divisions are March 12, with Division 2 at 1:30 p.m. and Division 1 at 6:30 p.m. The $9 package is for all three Division 1 games only or all three Division 2 games only. They will be sold at the Resch Center ticket office and must be picked up there by March 7.

Single-game tickets will be available on game days. Students can buy general-admission tickets at their schools. Press-Gazette Ved. Fri. Best Perch in Town $5.95 Shrimp, Cod, Salmon $5.95 Choice Potato, Baked Beans, Rye Bread, Cole Slaw Ved Sun.

Steak Your Claim 6 oz. Tenderloin or 6 oz. Chicken Breast, Choice of Potato Dinner Roll $3.95 COACHES CRWER next to holiday inn city centre free parking at holiday inn parking lot Grffm Rw435-5W UW-Green Bay 9. i.u ii ivipn Kaw pmaii Vs. Nationally Televised ESPN Game Ticket prices start at just $6.00 in the Pepsi Family Section.

For tickets call 920494-3401 www.uwgb.eduatiiletics than-stellar cast for the dunk contest: Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns, Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks and J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen of the New Orleans Hornets. He's back: Nuggets guard Voshon Lenard, who is rehab-bing a torn Achilles' tendon, will try to defend his title in tonight's 3-point-shooting contest. It could wind up as his only real action of the season Labor update: Michael Curry, the president of the NBA play ers union, emerged from a col lective bargaining session and said he's optimistic a new labor agreement will be reached by the end of the regular season. The league is seeking a reduction in the maximum length of long-term contracts, a minimum age of 20 and a reduction in the annual pay increases allowed in long-term deals.

The union is seeking reductions in the so-called escrow and luxury taxes designed to place a drag on the growth of player salaries. The current seven-year agreement expires at the end of June. salary of $8.25 million this year, up from the $8 million deal he agreed to in December. As part of the reworked contract, he will be able to earn $2.75 million in performance bonuses instead of $3 million. Reds: Right-hander Ramon Ortiz agreed to a one-year, $3.55 million contract with Cincinnati, avoiding the last scheduled salary arbitration hearing of the year.

Steroid update: Washington Nationals manager Frank Robinson, a Hall of Fame slugger, said he believes steroids have created a "cloud over baseball" and that new penalties against their use aren't strong enough. St. Louis manager Tony La Russa told a large media contingent at the Cardinals' spring training complex in Jupiter, that he suspected slugger Jose Canseco was using the illegal substance in the early 1990s. Detroit's Ivan Rodriguez denied Canseco's claims in a new book that he showed the catcjer how to use steroids after he was traded to Texas in 1992. Rodriguez reported to the Tigers' camp in Lakeland, weighing 193 pounds, 22 pounds lighter than last season.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Wilson Alvarez also denied similar allegations by Canseco. Speaking in Vero Beach, Alvarez said his 6-foot-l, 255-pound body, with a bit of a pot belly, is evidence enough that he never used steroids. Dnnmrnp Dncvvcno notebook For more baseball coverage from The Associated Press, go to www.greenbaypressgazette.com the Internet, but only nine on their statewide radio network. It's the first time the Brewers have offered the spring webcasts, which will be free. The first webcast will be the March 4 spring opener against the Seattle Mariners.

To listen, go to www.milwaukeebrewers.com. Games aired on the Brewers' radio network won't be aired on the Internet. Only three other teams the Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays offer webcasts of spring games. Racing notebook Today's events Final Daytona 500 practice, 10:30 a.m., FX Busch race, noon, Fox (Channel 11, Green Bay), WCUB (980 AM) and WOWN (99.3 FM) ed both and told them to get their problems ironed out and fast. By Friday, after sitting down alone for a 20-minute meeting in Johnson's motor home the night before, both said things were fine again.

Wallace, Nemechek and Blaney all pulled out their backup cars and by rule will have to start the race at the rear of the field. Kasey Kahne, who crashed in the first qualifying Staff, wire service reports The Milwaukee Brewers, who open spring training today when pitchers and catchers report to camp in Maryvale, agreed Friday to one-year contracts with right-handers Mike Adams and Matt Wise. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed. Adams, 26, was 2-3 with a 3.40 earned-run average in 46 games with the Brewers last season. Wise, 28, was 1-2 with a 4.44 ERA in 30 games with Milwaukee last season.

The Brewers have reached agreement with 32 of the 39 players on the 40-man roster. Media: In a move reflecting changing demands from fans, the Brewers will broadcast 19 spring training games over HI Press-Gazette wire services DENVER The events surrounding this weekend's NBA All-Star Game still might be limited to one day if it weren't for a halftime show during the ABA All-Star Game 28 years ago. The ABA put on a dunk contest the first of its kind during halftime of its All-Star Game in 1976 at McNichols Arena. The events before the NBA All-Star Game have since grown to be almost as big as the game itself. The NBA followed the ABA's lead and introduced the dunk contest in its 1984 All-Star Game at Denver.

Some of the 1976 dunk contestants David Thompson, George Gervin, Artis Gilmore, Julius Erving and Muhsin (formerly known as Larry Kenon) will be the judges for tonight's dunk contest at the Pepsi Center. Back then, Thompson did a 360-degree dunk and had a spectacular dunk in which he brought the ball down to his knees before a powerful reverse slam, but he was outdone by race, also was forced into his backup. Mark Martin sat out practice while his crew worked feverishly on his car. He said he'd be willing to miss today's final practice if it meant getting his car back. "The other car is OK," he said, "but it's not special and it's not going to be special.

This car appears to be special." Busch: Nemechek grabbed the pole for today's NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Hershey's Take 5 300, qualifying his No. 87 Chevrolet at 182.542 mph. He'll start 34th in Sunday's Daytona 500. Kyle Busch, who qualified 19th for the 500, was second fastest to Nemechek. He ran 182.216 mph in his No.

5 NBA notebook Erving's dunk from the free-throw line. That memorable dunk in which Erving counted off his steps before turning around in the backcourt, running to the free-throw line and hanging in the air to dunk it with his right hand is the signature move from the event. The kids are all right: Denver's Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points to lead the sophomores to a 133-106 victory over the rookies in an exhibition between the top stars from the two classes on Friday night. Teaming with LeBron James for the first time since the Olympics, Anthony wound up with five dunks, including three straight early in the second half while the game was still competitive. Recuperating from an injured left ankle and a bout with the flu, James had 20 points.

Miami's Dwyane Wade added 12 points and eight assists. Boston's Tony Allen and Al Jefferson and Chicago's Luol Deng led the rookies with 17 points each. Craftsman trucks: Bobby Hamilton was declared the winner of Friday night's Florida Dodge Dealers 250 after a multi-truck crash on the final lap as Hamilton was passing leader Jimmy Spencer. Spencer's truck sat first in victory lane, but was pushed out when Hamilton was announced as the winner after a video review of the finish. IROC: Martin became the International Race of Champions' all-time winner in a 40-lap race that had only seven of the 12 starters left at the finish.

Martin passed defending series champion Matt Kenseth on a restart after a crash with four laps to go and then held off Martin Truex Jr. at the finish to notch his record 12th IROC win. Kenseth finished fourth. IROC drivers Scott Pruett (01) and Sebastien Bourdais (2) collide in Turn 2 during Friday's Crown Royal International Race of Champions at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Mark Martin won the race.

The Associated Press Harvick, Johnson settle differences At the Resch Center Saturday, Feb. 19 p.m. h4 Press-Gazette wire services DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. In the aftermath of Thursday's crash-marred Daytona 500 qualifying races, five teams were forced to bring out different cars while NASCAR leaned on chief protagonists Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson to show up Sunday with different attitudes. Harvick touched off the seven-car pileup in the second Gatorade Duel that totaled not only his car but those of Rusty Wallace, Joe Nemechek and Dave Blaney.

The chain-reaction crash began when Harvick rear-ended Johnson, the race leader. After Johnson went on national TV and said Harvick should be fired, NASCAR scold-.