The News and Observer from Raleigh, North Carolina • D4

DESIGNER MIKE 4917 FINAL EDITION FILM Sports NFL4D THE NEWS OBSERVERMONDAY, AUGUST 2, 2004 4D, Monday, August 2, 2004 BRIEFS Soccer exec resigns amid sex scandal LONDON The chief executive of the England Football Association resigned Sunday over the han- dling of an internal sex scandal which also involves national team coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. Mark Palios tendered his resig- nation early Sunday evening, and it was accepted immediately by FA chairman Geoff Thompson, the Football Association said. Ex- ecutive director David Davies was put in charge on an interim basis. position came under more pressure Sunday with news- paper reports that FA officials attempted to protect him at the expense of Eriksson over their affairs with the same secretary. am very sad that I feel this is said Palios, who took the job July 1, 2003.

I do not accept that I have been guilty of any wrongdoing. it has become clear to me that my action tonight is essential to enable the Football Association to begin to return to The FA has scheduled a meeting for Thursday to discuss an inquiry into how two office romances among unmarried people turned into a public relations nightmare. Davenport wins third straight title Three weeks, three titles for Lindsay Davenport. Davenport defeated French Open champion Anas tas ia Myskina 6-1, 6-1 in the Acura Classic final in Carlsbad, on Sunday, extending her winning streak to 14 consecutive matches. She also completed a Califor- nia slam for the second time in her career, equaling her feat of 1998, when she won hardcourt tourna- ments at Stanford, Carlsbad and Los Angeles before winning her first U.S.

Open title. feel like I totally deserve everything happened to she said. proven a lot to myself the last three TENNIS MASTERS CANADA: Roger Federer won his third straight tit le Sunday, beating Andy Roddick 7-5, 6-3 in the final of the $2.5 million event in Toronto. The top-ranked Federer, who won his eighth event of the year, extended his winning streak to 23 matches and raised his career record against the No. 2-ranked Roddick to 7-1.

sorry you win another said Federer. in the future sure play many, many more great matches and get your fair share of SERENA WITHDRAWS: Serena Williams withdrew Sunday from the $1.3 million Rogers Cup because of a left knee injury she sustained at the Acura Classic. Capitals sign three to one-year deals WASHINGTON The Capitals re- signed forward Stephen Peat, goaltender Maxime Ouellet and defenseman Dwayne Zinger to one-year contracts on Sunday. Peat played in 64 games for Washington last season, recording career highs with five goals and 90 penalty minutes. Ouellet split time between the Caps and Portland (AHL).

Zinger played seven games for the Caps last season and had one assist. Beard, Melvin step up for Mystics WASHINGTON The Washing- ton Mystics are filling the void left by Chamique Holdsclaw, who has missed three of the past four games with an undisclosed med- ical condition. Former N.C. State star Chasity Melvin scored 17 points and rookie Alana Beard of Duke added 16 points and eight rebounds Sunday to lead the Mystics to an 82-62 win over the Phoenix Mercury. The Mystics have won two straight games without Holdsclaw, the second-leading scorer.

Washington moved games behind first-place New York in the tight Eastern Conference. Beard, the No. 2 pick in the WNBA draft, went 3-for-3 from 3-point range. is Alana said Stacey Dales-Schuman said. seen her do some things in the last couple of games that I seen a lot of women do, honestly.

phenomenal. getting everybody involved and the mark of a great THE ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. advances to basketball final The United team ad- vanced to the gold-medal game at the FIBA Americas USA World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Tournament, topping host Canada 86-63 Saturday in Halifax, Canada. Wake Forest standouts Justin Gray and Chris Paul scored 18 and 19 points, respectively. Raleigh native P.J.

Tucker, who plays at Texas, scored nine points and added five rebounds, and Sean May added nine points and eight rebounds. U.S. soccer tops China The U.S. national team put together a sparkling perform- ance in its final match before the 2004 Olympics, defeating China 3- 1 on goals by Aly Wagner, Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach in front of 15,093 fans at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. TEAM USA WINS BASEBALL GOLD: Center fielder Drew Stubbs hit a game-winning two-run triple in the fifth inning as the USA Base- ball national team came from be- hind to defeat Japan 4-2 to win the gold medal in the FISU II World University Baseball Championship Sunday in Tainen, Taiwan.

The victory capped a perfect 8-0 run through the tournament. Japan had swept Team USA, which ended the summer 18-7, in a five- game series last month. Luke Hochevar earned his first decision of the summer, giving up two runs and three hits in the first inning, but settled into a groove to retire 18 straight bat- ters. Hochevar scattered five hits and struck out seven in seven in- nings. N.C.

State reliever Joey Devine, Cesar Ramos and closer J. Brent Cox sealed the win with two combined scoreless innings. USA WOMEN TRIUMPH: Laura Purser-Rose threw the USA Base- ball national first complete game as the Americans defeated Australia 5-1 at the IBAF World Cup of Baseball in Edmonton, Alberta. STAFF REPORTS Alana Beard, a Duke graduate, blocks a shot by Shereka Wright (50) in the 82-62 win. AP PHOTO BY KEVIN WOLF Delhomme now in his element Panthers quarterback is unquestioned leader BY DARIN GANTT THE (ROCK HILL, S.C.) HERALD A a a a a Carolina training camp, he walked in unsure of how much play or what i would be.

This year, for the first ime ince college, he came in sure of those things, and in turn, more sure of himself. circumstances have changed, but his personal- ity really still humble, still able to laugh at himself and still not absorbed with the culture of celebrity that follows an NFL starting quarterback. But he does seem to have grown into his role, and he has begun to get comfortable with the new identity. He was a question mark a year ago, but now the un- questioned leader of the team. think he knows now his football team, and his confidence is tremendously high right veteran wide receiver Ricky Proehl said Sunday in Spartan- burg, S.C.

Panthers coach John Fox has seen the subtle change and knows his team only can benefit as the once-unknown, yet natural leader gets more experience. a Fox said when asked i Delhomme seemed more comfortable this year. saw more comfort as the season went on last year. A lot of this game is mental, more than people recognize. He definitely has a better comfort level, a better understanding of what doing and the people around him he knows his teammates better.

anticipate steady improve- ment as we progress on this Because team lost Super Bowl XXXVIII, and because he stood and watched the New England Patriots celebrate before retreating to the lonely locker room, he takes only conditional joy in his breakout season. In fact, one of his favorite parts of last playoff run was the extra five weeks of prac- tice time it earned the Panthers, time he viewed as a chance to work ahead. thought it was he said. was the most intense preparation you ever have to do in your life as an NFL player. playoff time.

To go through those extra weeks of practice, not just for myself but for the younger guys, to be in that situation and see what it took week in and week out that was great. other team can catch up that time, because only so much time you have. So Perhaps, but when Delhomme reported to Wofford College this summer, he still was talking about unfinished business. have a different feeling this year than last he said. I was still the new guy, still trying to learn, trying to come in, know who was going to be the starter.

But now I feel comfortable. lucky to be on this team with the coaches and teammates I have. can we get back to where we need to be? Now can we win our division again? Can we get in the playoffs? Can we make another run at it? easy to say, but hard to GETTING STARTED: Rookie cornerback Chris Gamble went through his first practices Sun- day, and not being eased in. In base defenses, Gamble has lined up with the second team opposite Terrance Shaw, with Artrell Hawkins and Ricky Manning Jr. running with the first team.

But in nickel situa- tions, Hawkins moves inside to the slot, with Manning and Gamble on the corners. got good footbal Fox said of his first- round pick. picked every- thing up pretty well. not had a very long look at him, so got a lot more to INJURY UPDATE: Offensive tackle Adam Meadows was held out of Sunday practice after complaining of tenderness in his shoulder. Fox said keeping Meadows out was and he anticipate it being a long absence.

Several other players were shaken up at different points of the spirited, fully padded after- noon session, but there were no other injuries of note. EXTRA POINTS: Offensive line- man Bruce Nelson said Sunday leaving today for Pittsburgh, where have surgery Tues- day to repair the torn labrum in his left hip. miss at least the first six regular-season games and has lost a chance to com- pete for a starting guard job. With Nelson out, the Pan- thers are down to 14 offensive linemen in camp, and they may sign a spare body in the coming days to fill out the practice lines. They brought former Miami guard Jamie Nails in for a visit Saturday but sign him after he came in at least 20 pounds heavier than advertised.

If they sign a lineman soon, likely to be a younger player rather than a veteran. While Steve Smith is ex- pected to continue to return punts, some other players got a look. Wide receiver Eugene Baker and cornerbacks Hank Poteat and Gamble fielded punts Sunday, though Gamble let his first attempt bounce off his thighs. Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme says practicing for five weeks during last playoffs gave him and the Panthers an edge entering training camp. AP PHOTO BY CHUCK BURTON Proving he still can be a starter Testaverde wants to lead Cowboys BY JENNIFER FLOYD ENGEL KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS OXNARD, Calif.

are just like Not exactly a compliment. Not before relative unknown Danny Williams pummeled enig- matic boxer Mike Tyson on Fri- day. Certainly not afterward. So you will be shocked to learn Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Par- cells said those words to Vinny Testaverde, his 40-year-old quar- terback who was sought and signed this off-season because of faith in him. told differ- ence between myself and Tyson is he has to fight and I want to Testaverde said.

And there you have it, probably the best explanation for why Tes- taverde is putting himself through his 18th NFL training camp. Testaverde is putting his body through two-a-days, running sprints after practice with quar- terbacks half his age and being chewed out by Parcells because that is what you do when you want to be a starting quarterback. you really want to an incredulous reporter asked Tes- taverde on Saturday. is the Testaverde said, either not catching the in- credulity or ignoring it. Parcells said Friday he did not believe in incumbents, contra- dicted himself Saturday by say- ing incumbent Quincy Carter had a leg up, but finished with what has become his mantra: Whoever is best will play.

Parcells does not know if Tes- taverde can still be a 16-game starter in the NFL. really Parcells said. guys got to show me they can still do it, that they want to still do it, that it is still important to them and challenging to them, and that they are willing to pay the price to be Testaverde already answered that question, every morning at 7:30. He lifts weights in his base- ment for two hours. Then he goes to a local field and throws 60 passes.

Then he runs sprints for speed, jogging for endurance. Only then does he do off-season stuff such as playing with the kids and playing golf. So what convinced Testaverde in the off-season that he wanted to try to be that guy one last time? ask myself three Testaverde said. I happy? Am I healthy? And can I still do He answered which is why he is here. How Parcells an- swers the latter will determine if he starts.

Dallas quarterback Vinny Testaverde takes a breather during training camp. AP PHOTO BY TONY GUTIERREZ Williams signs five-year deal with Lions THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Receiver Roy Williams agreed to a five-year contract with the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The seventh overall pick in the draft out of Texas, Williams was the lone Lions player who did not report when the team began train- ing camp Friday. He remained in the area while the deal was being negotiated, however, and arrived at camp Sunday afternoon. He spent the remainder of the day in orientation meetings.

were able to get this done in about 48 Detroit chief operating offi- cer Tom Lewand said. happy we were able to get it done and get it done Williams will be in uniform today when the Lions resume practice. Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but the five-year deal is a year shorter than those given to quarterback Joey Harrington and receiver Charles Rogers, the top picks in the 2002 and drafts. TURLEY GETS BACK CHECKED: One day after re-injur- ing his surgically repaired back, St. Louis Rams offensive tackle Kyle Turley is leaving training camp to get further tests, and concerned the situation could be career threatening.

Turley underwent an MRI exam Saturday night, and on Sunday he drove back to St. Louis. He also talked of possibly meeting with a back specialist in Los Angeles. CHARGERS INK OLSHANSKY: The San Diego Chargers signed sec- ond-round draft pick Igor Ol- shansky on Sunday, and he arrived at camp for afternoon practice. CARDINALS RELEASE KENDALL: Arizona released center Pete Kendall on Sunday, less than three weeks after new coach Den- nis Green installed the eight-year veteran as a starter.

BELL HAS SURGERY: Denver Broncos running back Tatum Bell had surgery Sunday, a day after breaking his finger in his first day of training camp. Williams will be in uniform today. PANTHERS NOTEBOOK.