Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • Page 32

C4 Daily Record. Morris County, Tuesday, November 23, 1999 SPORTS Yankees out to sign Rhodes; Cone may go elsewhere said Dan Horwits, Rhodes' Bever- like to stay with Baltimore, but Armando Benitez and Mike Tim- The New York Mets, Orioles, Translation: Cone's desi ly Hills, agent said the other teams are attractive to lin. Cleveland and Boston are the be- remain with the Yankees yesterday. him. He's very interested in the Horwits said some teams are lieved competition for Cone, and tested by better offers.

TU.i'ff Ralti. TVio laL- rf ovailahlp start this Yankees. He wants to for him to listen to Syd Thrift, Translation: Cone's desire remain with the Yankees The lack of available to contemplating using as a play a team that has a chance to win, Baltimore's director of player personnel, if the Yankees don't move off Hopefully, we can get wrapped up in the next couple of days." Horwits said the monetary value of the package, the length of the deal, the caliber of the team, the role offered him and the proximity to his Baltimore home are all factors. "Nobody's moved ahead of anybody. I'm just waiting to hear from Arthur," Horwits said.

"If it can be worked out, he'd one year, they could lose him. "We're paying attention to the ones who are available, but there aren't very many," Thrift said. "The laws of supply and demand somewhat makes it in the seller's favor. There's a very small number of starting pitchers. They know it and their representatives know it." Feds want monitor to oversee IBF By John Delcos Gannett Newspapers NEW YORK The New York Yankees continue discussions aimed at improving their bullpen with negotiations to sign Baltimore Orioles left-hander Arthur Rhodes to a set-up role.

Rhodes, who has received offers from the Orioles, Yankees, Boston and Seattle, is seeking a four-year, $12-million package, and hopes to reach a decision by Thanksgiving. "There is no set timetable," Avalanche hits Stars in OT Associated Press DALLAS Adam Deadmarsh's rebound goal 34 seconds into overtime gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 overtime victory over the Dallas Stars last night. Rookie Martin Skoula, who scored a second-period goal, took the first shot, which was stopped by goalie Ed NHL Belfour. But Deadmarsh put in the rebound for his sixth goal of the season. Rookie Brenden Morrow scored his first NHL goal in the second period to give the Stars a 2-1 lead.

But the Avalanche tied it at 2 with 10-30 left in regulation on Stephane Yelle's fourth goal, a sharp-angled slap shot from the bottom of the right circle that eluded Belfour. Dallas is winless in its last five games (0-3-2) and has scored only seven goals in the last five games. The Stars (8-10-3) lost their 10th game last season on Feb. 7 en route to winning the Stanley Cup. Colorado, eliminated by Dallas in seven games in the Western Conference Finals last season, had been 1-3-1 in its previous five games.

The Stars took a 1-0 lead 38 sec- nnfa dftor ho nnaninir fananff run a fluke goal, with defenseman Derian Hatcher getting credit for his first of the season. The puck was sitting on the pads of Avalanche goalie Patrick and Roy accidently knocked it in -himself, with Hatcher the nearest Dallas player. Dallas scored first for only the second time in its last 12 games. Colorado got the tying goal at 6:24 of the second period on Skoula's first, a wrist shot from the high slot on an Avalanche power play. Morrow, playing his third NHL gave Dallas a 2-1 advantage 35 seconds later, knocking a rebound 1 past Roy.

Thrashers 6, Canucks 3 ATLANTA -Dean Sylvester scored the first three goals of his career and i the Atlanta Thrashers beat the Van-1 couver Canucks. Sylvester, playing in his third game with the Thrashers, also had an assist for the struggling expansion Thrashers, who had lost six of their last seven. Atlanta's six goals were the most in their brief history. Mike Stapleton added a goal and two assists for Atlanta and Andrew Brunette, the Thrashers leading scorer with 20 points, added three assists. VT Ifc 7 By Jeffrey Gold Associated Press NEWARK Contending that the IBF is corrupt, federal prosecutors yesterday asked a judge to appoint an overseer for the organization, one of boxing's major governing bodies.

The monitor would replace IBF president Robert Lee who was indicted on criminal bribery charges early this month. A civil racketeering lawsuit filed yesterday against the IBF seeks to ban Lee and his criminal codefen-dants from boxing. The IBF would become the first sports group and one of only a dozen entities, mostly labor unions to be placed under court control through the 20-year-old Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Cleary.

The indictment and RICO lawsuit "will be a devastating one-two combination that we hope will knock out the cycle of corruption that has plagued the IBF virtually since its inception," said Cleary, whose office has been investigating the East Orange-based IBF for several years. The IBF rankings, which play a large role in a boxer's economic success, have been "bastardized" in nearly all weight classes, Cleary said. Cleary said the former U.S. attorney for Brooklyn, N.Y., Zachary W. Carter, is his office's choice to become the IBF monitor.

Carter left that office this summer after six years in which he prosecuted police in the Abner Louima assault. Prosecutors will ask a federal judge today to approve Carter as monitor, and grant him subpoena powers. They are also asking that he be granted the power to hire, fire, change bylaws, file lawsuits and refer matters for possible criminal prosecution. Although he has no experience in boxing, Carter was chosen because of his integrity and his investigative and management ability, Cleary said. Carter, 49, who now works in Manhattan as a ranking member of the Dorsey Whitney law firm of Minneapolis, said his contact with boxing has come through watching occasional fights on television.

He said he has never attended a prizefight. If named, Carter will be able to bring in experts in boxing and accounting to operate the IBF and rehabilitate it so it can eventually be returned to its owners. The government is seeking to force Lee to divest himself of his majority ownership. Chris O'Meara associated press Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Zac Blerk, right, grabs a deflection off the stick of the Philadelphia Flyers' John LeClalr, left, during the first period last night. The Lightning zapped Philly 4-1.

will be starters is best realized by the demands of Anaheim Angels lefty Chuck Fin-ley whom the Yankees have talked with for $26-million over three years. And, Finley will be 37 when the season starts the same age as Cone. Meanwhile, Yankees free-agent lefthander Allen Watson, who can start or relieve, is reportedly close to a deal with Cleveland. BOXING Lawyers for the IBF and Lee said they would oppose the installation of a monitor. "Never before has the federal government tried to take over a company in the entertainment industry," said IBF lawyer Linda Torres, adding that boxing is not a regulated industry, like trash hauling or unions, and there have been no allegations of mob connections.

Lee lawyer Gerry Krovatin said it was a "gross over-reach" by prosecutors and, "There is no basis to justify removing Bob Lee from managing an organization which he founded and has run successfully for over 15 years." The request for a monitor was applauded by boxing promoter Dan Goossen of America Presents Boxing. "This is a way to establish a comfort level for all the IBF participants, the champions and contenders, to proceed until Bobby Lee has his day in court," Goossen said. Rep. Mike Oxley, R-Ohio, who is among those pushing boxing reform measures through Capitol Hill, said he could think of no comparable goy-ernment action "since Judge (Kenne-saw Mountain) Landis basically took over the reins of Major League Baseball after the Black Sox scandal of 1919." "I think it's a strong indication that the prosecutors feel very strongly that not only the leadership but the entire IBF is rife with corruption," said Oxley, whose bill includes provisions for sanctioning groups to make financial disclosure. Lee and others in the IBF were indicted on charges they solicited $338,000 in bribes over the past 13 years to fix IBF rankings.

They have pleaded innocent, and their trial could start as early as Jan. 11. The IBF has been under a cloud much of the year since word got out of the federal grand jury investigation that led to the 32-count indictment against Lee. That investigation began even before a New York state investigation of the judging in the March Evander Holyfield-Lennox Lewis fight, which ended in a draw but was widely believed to have been won by Lewis. IBF-appointed judge Eugenia Williams of Atlantic City, scored it for Holyfield.

WBC judge Larry OlConnell of Britain called it a draw; WBA judge Stanley Christodoulou of South Africa scored it for Lewis. FAST BREAK mental league with headquarters ih Phoenix. Jagr may play tonight HOCKEY: Jaromir Jagr's sore right thigh improved following acupuncture treatments over the weekend and he might try to play tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jagr, the NHL's leading scorer, played only three shifts Nov. 16 against Buffalo before leaving with a thigh injury.

He played a team-high 29 minutes two nights later against Tampa Bay but was not effective, and he sat out Saturday's loss at Florida. Martin undergoes back surgery AUTORACING: NASCAR driver Mark Martin underwent successful lumbar fusion surgery yesterday, intended to relieve most of the back pain he has dealt with for years. Martin, 40, suffered from a condition called spondylolisthesis, in which part of the bone in the back is broken, creating instability and causing the bone below it to slip. Kimanl, Palmer win titles CROSS COUNTRY: South Alabama freshman David Kimani and Wisconsin sophomore Erica Palmer won individual titles yesterday at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, while the Arkansas men and BYU women captured team titles. I closer, and at least one is thinking about him as a starter.

While Rhodes could be determined this week, it appears the David Cone negotiations will be more drawn out. Cone wants a two-year contract, but the Yankees are offering one year and considering one year with an option for a second that kicks in after a certain number of innings or starts. son and Vincent Lecavalier snapped a six-game point drought with a third period power-play goal as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers. Tampa Bay has won five straight at home for the first time since Feb. 20-March 1, 1997.

The franchise record is six, set during the 1995-96 season. Blues 3 Predators 2 ST. LOUIS Mike Eastwood's second goal of the game, with 2:21 remaining in overtime, gave the St. Louis Blues a win over the Nashville Predators. Roman Turek, who started the season with three straight losses, extended his unbeaten streak to six games and faced only 10 shots.

Turek has allowed 10 goals during the stretch in which the Blues are 4-0-2. The Predators were held to an franchise-low nine shots in regulation. Their previous low was 14 against Dallas last Dec. 28. Nashville, out-shot by St.

Louis 37-10, had only one shot in the third period. Rusty Kennedy associated press the 76ers' George Lynch to score last night's game. Barros hit a 3-pointer with 7:54 left to break a 69-69 tie and put Boston ahead to stay, He hit two more 3-pointers dur- ing the 19-4 Celtics run that gave them an 83-73 lead with 3:47 to play. and the Yankees are the best." Rhodes began his career as a starter with the Orioles in 1991, then moved to the bullpen in a set-up role under then-manager Phil Regan in 1995. Rhodes has always wanted a chance to be the closer, but over the last five years the Orioles chose to give the role to Lee Smith, Doug Jones, Randy Myers, Carolina, trying to achieve a home-ice advantage in its new arena, had been unbeaten in four games and had home wins over Tampa Bay, Ottawa and Dallas coming into the game.

Boston allowed only 13 shots on goal. The Bruins snapped a 1-1 tie early in the third period. Allison pushed the puck from the right side of the goal line by a defender and shot it high past goaltender Arturs Irbe for his second goal of the season. Boston had tied the score at 1 at 17:06 in the second period on Dave Andreychuk's 14th goal of the season. Andreychuk came from near the left face-off circle to pick up Shawn Bates' pass and slipped the puck by Irbe.

Martin Gelinas' first goal of the season at 7:42 in the first period gave Carolina the lead. Byron Ritchie passed the puck from behind the net to Tommy Westlund in front of goal-tender Byron Dafoe, and Gelinas flicked the puck into the empty left side of the net. Lightning 4, Flyers 1 TAMPA, Fla. Zac Bierk stopped 30 shots in his first game of the sea The Spurs' David Robinson goes over two of his 19 points in the first half of points. Celtics 95, Pacers 85 BOSTON Dana Barros scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter as the Boston Celtics beat Larry Bird's Indiana Pacers for the first time.

U.S. rugby player arrested after Disney World brawl Malone, Stockton cage Timberwolves Kelly Buchberger had his third goal of the season for Atlanta and Johan Garpenlov added an empty-net goal with 47 seconds left. Sylvester gave the Thrashers a 1-0 lead 6:44 into the game, then scored only 1:29 later for a 2-0 lead against Canucks goaltender Garth Snow. After Stapleton scored his first goal of the season on a power play 47 seconds into the second period for a 3-0 Atlanta lead, Vancouver scored twice within three minutes to get within 3-2. Donald Brashear scored his fourth goal 7:15 into the period and Alexander Mogilny added his ninth at the 10:16 mark.

Sylvester broke the Canucks' momentum with his third goal of the night and the crowd of 15,208 tossed about a dozen hats onto the ice to celebrate the first hat trick for the Thrashers. Boston 2, Hurricanes 1 RALEIGH, N.C. Jason Allison scored at 3:40 of the third period as the Boston Bruins snapped the Carolina's Hurricanes' three-game home winning streak. NBA found Malone darting through the lane for two late baskets and dished to Russell on another. Russell, on his bottom after a mid-court scramble for the ball, also found Malone for a dunk that gave the Jazz a 104-93 lead with 1:29 to play.

Malone, who scored a season-high 40 points in Saturday's victory at Milwaukee, seems back in the form that helped him win his second league MVP award last season. The Jazz, meanwhile, have won five straight at the Delta Center after a season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Spurs 94, Sixers 91 PHILADELPHIA Tim Duncan had 26 points and 17 rebounds, and David Robinson had 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Philadelphia 76ers. On a night when the Spurs overwhelmed the Sixers with their size, getting a season-high 15 blocks, the decisive basket came from the shortest player on the court. Five-foot 10 Avery Johnson scored on a layup off a pass from Duncan to give the Spurs a 90-89 lead with 29 seconds left Robinson then blocked a shot by Larry Hughes, and Duncan grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws to make it 92-89 with 14 seconds left.

Allen Iverson led the 76ers with 35 Associated Press A member of the American World Cup rugby team was arrested early yesterday after a drunken brawl at Walt Disney World. Anthony Fabri, 26, of Hawley, apparently spit on the new bride of Brad Wesiaway, 24, of Banksmeadow, Australia, sparking a fight in the parking lot of Disney's Pleasure Island, said Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Solomons. Police responding to another fight nearby saw Fabri and Westaway sparring and separated the men. A crowd had gathered. Both men were charged with disorderly conduct and were booked into the Orange County Jail on $250 bond.

Fabri was treated at a hospital for his wounds. The fight between Fabri and Westaway followed a night of scrums among members of the rugby teams from Italy, America and Lebanon who were hanging out and drinking at Pleasure Island, an area of several nightclubs, police said. Robinson declines Cub job BASEBALL: Frank Robinson has decided not to join new manager Don Baylor's Chicago Cubs coaching staff. Robinson, 64, would have joined Billy Williams as the second Hall of Fame player on the staff. Robinson was baseball's first black manager with Cleveland in 1975.

He currently is a special assistant to commissioner Bud Selig and director of the Arizona Fall League, a develop- Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY Their bodies might be aging, but Karl Malone and John Stockton continue to produce an act that never grows old. Malone had 34 points and 11 rebounds, and Stockton added 12 points and 15 assists without a turnover as the Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-93 last night. Malone, who scored 19 points on 6-of-16 shooting in an 89-84 loss to the Timberwolves on Friday in Minneapolis, scored 23 points and had seven rebounds by halftjme this time out. The Timberwolves were pesky, rallying from a 69-54 halftime deficit to trail 86-80 entering the fourth quarter. But Malone scored eight points down the stretch and the Jazz held Minnesota scoreless over the last 3:17.

Utah held Kevin Garnett, fourth in the NBA with a 26.1 scoring average, to 20 points. Garnett also came in leading the league in rebounding, averaging 14.3 per game, but the Jazz held him to seven boards. Terrell Brandon led the Timberwolves with 21 points while Malik Sealy had 15 and Radoslav Nesterovic added 11. Bryon Russell scored 14 points and Jeff Hornacek had 12 for Utah. Minnesota cut the margin to 98-93 on a shot by Sealy but didn't score again.

Stockton took control late and.