The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 82

E2 THE BOSTON GLOBE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2000 ericaOne is 1 win away Sports Log Colleges Miami QB may opt to play pro baseball '1 i 3 A3'J usa ei i -V, charges were filed after campus police were called to a fraternity party late Saturday night Harvard junior forward Dan Cle-mente, sidelined for nearly two months after having surgery to repair a detached retina in his right eye, has been cleared to play and should return to action in tonight's home game against Cornell. Cle-mente, a former Ivy League Rookie of the Year and among the nation's scoring leaders (21.2 points per game) was originally expected to miss the remainder of the season A basketball arena and ice rink planned for the University of Rhode Island will cost millions more than expected. The latest estimate is $66 million, $104 million higher than the original figure, The Providence Journal reported. 1 -i University of Miami quarterback Kenny Kelly, unhappy that he had to share playing time at the end of last season, might give up football to concentrate on baseball with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Kelly, a second-round draft pick by the Devil Rays in 1997, is seeking a four-year deal.

"If we accomplish that, 111 be leaving school right now to play baseball," Kelly told the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale yesterday Mississippi freshman quarterback Eli Manning was jailed briefly in Oxford, after his arrest last weekend for public drunkenness. Manning, 19, is the son of former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints star Archie Manning and the brother of Peyton Manning, quarterback of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The Names' Rodman signs with Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up their courtship of Dennis Rodman, signing the controversial power forward to a contract. Rodman passed a physical earlier in the day, and the Mavericks issued a press release that said only, "Seven-time NBA champion Dennis Rodman has 1 lull Tin IMH' ll mum timn ll mi -M-rni-a minim llfT II -T-" Til imliii ilM-iUnlliir AmericaOne (left) sails away from Prada on the first leeward leg en route to a 4-3 series lead. BASEBALL US boat gets jump-start and rolls to 1:06 victory By Tony Chamberlain GLOBE STAFF AUCKLAND, New Zealand AmericaOne burst away from the starting line yesterday, burying Prada so deeply and so quickly that the Italian team would have needed an Alitalia ticket to get back into the race.

Paul Cayard and John Kos-tecki used perfect tactics against the indecisive Prada afterguard of Francesco de Angelis and Torben Grael and opened up a 14-length advantage on the first leg. After that, AmericaOne's only job for the next two hours was to keep between the Luna Rossa and the mark ahead. AmericaOne won by 1 minute 6 seconds and leads the best-of-nine series, 4-3. A win today would advance AmericaOne to the America's Cup finals against Team New Zealand. That series begins Feb.

19. Prada, which had led the series, 3-1, was back on its heels after two consecutive and decisive AmericaOne wins. During yesterday's five-minute prestart sequence, Cayard looped around Prada savagely. De Angelis tried to keep up, but wound up stopping Luna Rossa dead in the water, allowing AmericaOne to take Prada's stern and nearly forcing the Italians over the line early. But then, with 25 seconds remaining, Cayard peeled to the right and nailed the start exactly at the gun.

AmericaOne powered up to a full 9Vfe knots off the line to the favored right side of the course. Prada took the left, and the two boats sailed a split first leg. At first, Luna Rossa took a 2-length lead as the wind veered left Halfway up the mark, the two were about even as Luna Rossa tacked to the right and matched AmericaOne on port tack. But then Grael did something inexplicable. Instead of keeping Luna Rossa in the middle of the course, with AmericaOne sailing a straight line up the right side, the Italians sailed away back to the left side of the course even as the wind was making a 25-degree shift to the right.

After that, it was simply too late for Prada to make any move except sail its line and hope the wind veered back to the left But there was no such luck for the silver bullet with the scarlet trim. Kostecki called for two tacks onto port lay line and the dark gray boat was around the mark and flying her lime green spinnaker 73 seconds ahead of Luna Rossa. Sailing relaxed and conservatively and applying only loose cover the remaining five legs became the only relaxed sailing Cayard Co. have had in the seven races sailed thus far. Even their big win in Race 2 was nerve-wracking be- Houston INU: Signed Chris Holt to a one-year contract.

Kansas City IAU; Signed Edwin Hurtado to a minor league contract. New York (AL): Signed SS Derek Jeter to a one-year contract. Oakland IAU: Signed Eric Du-Bose, Leo Vasquez, Kevin Gregg, Brett Laxton, Justin Miller, Luis Vizcaino, INF Jose Ortiz, OF Bo Porter, and OF Ter-rence Long to one-year contracts. San Diego (Nl): Signed 3B Ed Sprague to a minor league contract St Louis NL: Signed INF Shawon Dunston, OF Brian McRae, IB Eduardo Perez, and Rick Wil-kins to minor league contracts. I signed today I with the Dallas the right and that's how it happened.

It went right about 10 degrees, and we had such a huge split it was a big lead." When Cayard found his team down, 3-1, after "the weekend from hell," he called on his long experience, especially in the 1992 Cup. As skipper of Italy's II Moro, he was also down, 3-1, but came back to win that best-of-seven challenger series, 4-3. "Like the saying goes, 'I seen this movie said Cayard. "Hopefully, it's going to play out the same way." Asked why he allowed such an unusual separation in such a high-stakes race, Grael said, "Before the race, the wind was going left, and we thought that would be the best side." Grael, a Brazilian who has won gold, silver, and bronze Olympic medals in Star Class, is known for making dramatic separations that pay off in big gains. Yesterday on the foamy green waters of Hauraki Gulf, Grael's inspiration may have cost Prada a shot at the America's Cup.

"No," said de Angelis. "It is OK. We will win tomorrow." To our readers: Because New Zealand is IS hours aiiead of US East Coast time, all action takes place a day ahead (ie. a Sunday noon race tliere is taking place Saturday evening here). To amid coyifiision, all time references in America's Cup stories will reflect when the emits took place according to Eastern Standard Time.

cause the winds were so fluky across Hauraki Gulf. With the boats so far apart, the only action in the middle of the race came when, just after Mark 3, Luna Rossa went hunting. Cayard had swung around the mark and set for the run to the bottom, when Prada left its course to the mark and sailed directly at the midships of AmericaOne to try and force a possible foul. That desperate move was not only questionable seamanship, but it also cost Luna Rossa another 4 lengths as it finally rounded the mark 2V minutes astern. AmericaOne, meanwhile, was able to step away from the attack easily and continue its loose cover over Prada.

The other nonscripted action came during the set on Leg 6 when Jeeward trimmer David "Moose" McClintock got his thumb caught in a sheet wrap on the primary winch. McClintock, in obvious pain, finished the race at his post AmericaOne's big advantage was caused in part by Prada's extra riches. Prada had two boats out to warm up Luna Rossa. The No. 2 boat sailed up the course, reporting wind shifting left Since breaking its mast in Race 3, AmericaOne hasn't had its second boat to warm up with and sails out to the course alone.

Thus, its weather information comes from other sources. Meanwhile, Cayard credited Kostecki and his own weather team. "At first there was more pressure on the left as the stronger wind filled in," said Cayard on the ride back into harbor. "But we thought it had gone as far as it would and would come back to BASKETBALL Mavericks." Rodman plans to take a week off to get in shape or maybe fly to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. "He should be back cm D.RODMAN Will play soon Dallas (NBA): Signed Dennis Rodman.

Los Angeles (NBA): Fired Chris Ford, coach; named Jim Todd interim coach. New York (NBA): Named Frank Layden basketball consultant FOOTBALL Arizona (NFC): Signed OL Ethan Brooks to a one-year contract. Atlanta (NFC): Signed TE Brian Saxton. Chicago (NFC): Signed WR Marcus Robinson to a four-year contract. New Orleans (NFC): Named Jim Haslett coach.

Tampa Bay (NFC): Fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula. HOCKEY Williams likes the possibilities By Larry Whiteside GLOBE STAFF and ready to play" Wednesday against Seattle, Mavericks coach-general manager Don Nelson said. Rodman has been out of the NBA since playing just 23 games last February and March for the Los Angeles Lakers Cleveland Cavaliers rookie guard Trajan Langdon will be out for the remainder of the season after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Langdon played in just 10 games before being sidelined in November with bruised cartilage in the knee Minnesota Timber-wolves guard Terrell Brandon is out indefinitely with a left ankle injury. Brandon suffered the injury in Saturday's 96-94 win over Utah Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt is following the lead of John Brodie and Ralph Terry.

The former Philadelphia third baseman will make his Senior PGA debut in the Royal Caribbean Classic in Key Biscayne, Fla. A veteran golfer ho has made more than $100,000 a year the past nine years on the Celebrity Players Tour. Schmidt, 50, would like to join former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brodie and former New York Yankees pitcher Terry as exempt players on the Senior Tour Denver Avalanche forward Peter Forsberg will be sidelined for up to 10 days following a hard check by Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi Tuesday. Forsberg, who sustained a mild concussion and a cut near his right eye that required seven stitches, will miss Sunday's All-Star Game in Toronto. Boston (NHL): Suspended Joe Murphy indefinitely for insubordination; recalled Cameron Mann from Providence (AHL).

Nashville INHL): Acquired John Namestnikov from NY Rangers for RW Jason Dawe; assigned Namestnikov to Milwaukee (IHL); acquired 0 Stewart Malgunas from Washington for a 2001 conditional draft pick. NY Islanders (NHU: Recalled Chris Ferraro from Providence (AHL). Phoenix (NHL): Signed LW Benoit Hogue to a one-year contract; recalled 6 Robert Esche from Springfield (AHL). St Loots (NHL): Assigned Bryan Helmer to Worcester (AHL); recalled LW Ladislav Nagy from Worcester. Toronto (NHU: Assigned Kris King to the minor leagues; activated Gerald Diduck.

SOCCER Colorado (MLS): Acquired 0 Scott Vermillion and a 2000 second-round draft pick from Kansas City for Peter Vermes, MF Matt McKeon, and a 2000 second-round draft pick. TV-radio, Page Ell Today's schedule, Page E12 have Buddy on the bench. He managed a lot in the past. You want to put people where they help us the most and you have to start somewhere." Having two coaches with backgrounds as hitting instructors also is hardly a problem for Williams, especially because Rice and Harper were Red Sox teammates for a short time in the '70s. "They get along very well," said Williams.

It's always good for players to have someone else to communicate with and believe in. We all try to help and do things. I don't know everything." Bailey, in effect now takes the coaching spot left by Little, who now is in Cleveland, and Williams sees immediate benefits. "Buddy has done a lot of scouting in the last couple of years," said Williams, "and that should help a lot. He's familiar not only with the big league level, but he's seen quite a few players coming up through other teams' systems.

Certainly, he has baseball knowledge. It won't take him long to adjust" As for his players, Williams wants them to pick up where they left off last year. "They already know the race is a marathon, not a sprint" he said. "To win, you still must play the season one game at a time. Our team exemplified that in coming back from two games down against Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs.

A lot of players contributed to winning last year. We're going to try like hell again." One new player he wants to see, added Williams, is outfielder Marty Cordova, the former Minnesota Twin who signed a minor league contract last week as a free agent and will report to the big league camp. With the departure of Butch Huskey, the team is in need of a righthanded bat with power. "I think Marty is a good find," said Williams. "I remember how hard he hit the ball against us last year.

His numbers are pretty good. What position? He plays the outfield so you have to see how things go. He gives you an option, another player on the roster to evaluate. This guy is already a good major league hitter." 'No. 1, we have to start again.

I like our roster. We have a lot of good players. But you still have to go play the JIMY WILLIAMS elude Pedro and Ramon Martinez, newcomer Jeff Fassero, and Wakefield. There could be a spot for Brian Rose, who was a starter coming out of Fort Myers a year ago, but tired and pitched just once after July 20. "You have Pedro, and you're hopeful that Ramon will continue what he's doing," said Williams.

"We have Fassero, who is lefthanded but had a tough time in 1999. You can't have a great year every year. Look for him to come with a positive attitude. He's a veteran pitcher who knows how to pitch. "We used Wakefield in so many ways last year.

He started 17 games and had 15 saves. I've already talked to Tim about this. He's got to come back and start for us." Williams moved yesterday to keep the coaching situation from becoming contentious. According to Williams, Bailey had been told he'd be the first base coach. And when Harper was hired a week ago, it was announced that he would work primarily with outfielders and base runners.

Hitting instructor, Harper's job for seven years in Montreal, already is well manned by Jim Rice. General manager Dan Duquette left it to Williams to sort out the assignments; yesterday, he said first base would be manned by Harper. "I'm glad we have Tommy Harper," said Williams. "I think he's going to help us a lot It makes a lot more sense to have him as our first base coach with those runners over there. It helps to Nobody runs a club quite like Red Sox manager Jimy Williams.

With spring training just two weeks away, he's already making decisions and finding roles for all. Most of the moves he was talking about in yesterday's conference call from his Dunedin, home were cosmetic and won't seem significant once pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers Feb. 20. But you could tell he was serious about using the entire six weeks in Florida to build a pitching staff strong enough to challenge the New York Yankees and earn his team a playoff berth for a third straight season. Of course, change is a Red Sox constant Tommy Harper, who didn't have a job 10 days ago, will be the first base coach.

And Buddy Bailey, who replaced last year's first base coach, Dave Jauss, now will replace Grady Little as bench coach. And without it ever becoming an issue, Tim Wakefield is back in the starting rotation. When Wakefield lost his spot on the Red Sox roster for the American League Championship Series against the Yankees, there were many who thought Wakefield might never pitch again in a Boston uniform. And that won't be Williams's biggest pitching decision. The whispers from the Dominican Republic tell him that Ramon Martinez really is ready, and that Juan Pena might be.

It's a given that Tom Gordon (elbow surgery) and Bret Saber-hagen (rotator cuff surgery) won't be. Williams rolls with the setbacks. "I look at reality for what it is," he said, answering the same questions he will in two weeks. "No. 1, we have to start again.

I like our roster. We have a lot of good players. But you still have to go play the games. We have a job to do, and you know you've got to perform." Still, Williams's answers, as always, were interesting. The starting rotation will no doubt in- Miscellany Wrestling guru unveils real, fun football ca's Vuyani Bungu at London's Olympia March 11.

It will be Hamed's first appearance in London since he stopped Juan Cabrera in two rounds at Wembley Arena in July 1997. Hamed, who has been training in Tenerife, Canary Islands, will be making the 14th defense of the title he took from Steve Robinson in September 1995. Hamed was originally scheduled to meet American challenger Junior Jones March 11, but the bout was called off after a contract dispute. Bungu, 32, gave up the IBF super-bantamweight crown after his 13th defense to challenge Hamed The Ivory Coast's soccer team left an army base where the military government had detained the players after their elimination in the African Nations Cup. The team had been held at Zam-bakro, about 20 miles east of the central capital Yamassoukro, since Tuesday.

The government claimed it was for the team's own "protection" from irate fans, but there were no protests or threats. Many of the players belong to European teams that had been pressing for their release. Yankees' Jeter signs $10 million, 1-year contract It will be real. And it will be real fun. It's football as envisioned by World Wrestling Federation mastermind Vince McMahon, who unveiled his latest creation: the XFL, a new pro football league set to open in February 2001.

No scripts. No sideshows. Just football. The football league, McMahon said, will be real. "The WWF is 100 percent entertainment," McMahon said.

"But the XFL is 100 percent sports." McMahon said the startup costs for the eight-team league will run him "somewhere south of $100 million." There are already teams in New York, Miami, Orlando, Washington, Los Angeles, and San Francisco Sam Schmidt, an Indy Racing League driver paralyzed in a testing accident last month, began rehabilitation in a St. Louis hospital. Schmidt was released from the intensive care unit of Barnes-Jewish Hospital after functioning for three days without assistance from a ventilator, a spokeswoman for his racing team said. He was injured Jan. 6 in Orlando, Fla Britain's Naseem Hamed will defend his WBO featherweight title against South Afri ASSOCIATED PRESS With George Steinbrenner still unsure whether to finalize a long-term deal, the New York Yankees agreed yesterday to a $10 working on a record $118.5 million, seven-year contract But Steinbrenner was worried that he would be criticized for raising the bar for the highest average salary and total package.

By agreeing to a one-year deal, Steinbrenner can finalize the rest of the contract as an extension, hoping that Juan Gonzalez and the Detroit Tigers go first with the $140 million, eight-year contract they've been Jeter, who had won $5 million in arbitration last year, had asked for $10.5 million and the Yankees had offered $9.5 million. His deal is the second-highest ever for a one-year contract trailing only the $12 million contract Yankees pitcher David Cone agreed to in December. Cardinals ink four Shawon Dunston and Brian McRae were among four free agents who agreed with the St Louis Cardi nals on minor league contracts. First baseman Eduardo Perez and catcher Rick Wilkins also agreed to deals. All four were invited to spring training, which starts Feb.

17 at Jupiter, Fla. Righthander Ariel Prieto, who hasn't pitched in the major leagues since April 1998, lost his salary arbitration case and will get $300,000 instead of the $500,000 he was asking from the Oakland Athletics. Prieto's previous contract was for $210,000. million, one-year contract with shortstop Derek Jeter. The sides, scheduled for an arbitration hearing next week, had been.