IN BRIEF
DANIA BEACH, Fla. — A Japanese man is being credited with tying the 77-year-old world record for catching the biggest largemouth bass.
The International Game Fish Association announced Friday that it had confirmed the 22-pound, 4-ounce fish caught by Manabu Kurita. The Florida-based group said Kurita caught the fish July 2 on Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake.
Kurita's fish tied the record of George Perry, who caught his bass on Georgia's Montgomery Lake on June 2, 1932.
Kurita used 25-pound test line and a live blue gill as bait.
ADAMS TWP — Mars boys soccer coach Chris Knauff and senior forward Ryan McKenzie were honored recently by the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association.Knauff was named Coach of the Year after leading the Planets to a 22-2 record and a second consecutive WPIAL championship in 2009. His teams are 61-9-3 since 2007.McKenzie was honored for being the first Mars soccer player to be named to the all-state team. He had 78 goals and 45 assists in his career and intends to play at the University of Pittsburgh next year.McKenzie, midfielders Christopher Karns and Tim Vandall, defenders Jack Leslie and Tanner Panza were all-WPIAL selections.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bring on Bill Cowher.With the Bills in the midst of a coaching search, that's the message fans intend to send team owner Ralph Wilson on a billboard to be displayed in Buffalo.Organizer Patrick Moran said Thursday an Internet campaign has raised more than the $1,125 needed to rent an electronic billboard for a week, starting Monday. It would feature the words, "Dear Mr. Wilson, we want this guy," superimposed over a picture of Cowher.The Bills have not commented on their coaching search since firing Dick Jauron in November. But Cowher, the former Steelers coach, has been widely speculated to be a candidate.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs hired former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator Friday.Weis, who was offensive coordinator for New England's Super Bowl teams, will be reunited with Chiefs head coach Todd Haley. The two are longtime friends going back to the time when they shared an office as assistant coaches for the New York Jets.
KAPALUA, Hawaii — U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover had another big stretch of birdies Friday on his way to an 8-under 65 that gave him the lowest 36-hole score at Kapalua in five years and a three-shot lead in the SBS Championship.Glover was losing ground until a two-putt birdie on the fifth hole, the start of a six-hole stretch he played in 6 under. He needed all those birdies — along with one eagle — to keep ahead on a pristine day for scoring along the Maui coastline.Glover was at 15-under 131 going into the weekend.John Rollins (66) was three shots behind, and defending champion Geoff Ogilvy (66), Sean O'Hair (67), Matt Kuchar (68) and Martin Laird (68) were 11 under.
WASHINGTON — Four Washington Wizards players were fined $10,000 apiece Friday for making fun of a serious situation. Coach Flip Saunders has banned gambling on the team plane.Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee, Nick Young and Randy Foye were docked by the team for their lightheaded participation when Gilbert Arenas pointed his index fingers at teammates as if he were firing a pair of guns during an on-court huddle before Tuesday night's game at Philadelphia. A photo shows most of the Wizards players smiling or laughing, but the four players were deemed the worst offenders.
HAUS IM ENNSTAL, Austria — Skier Lindsey Vonn won her third straight World Cup downhill Friday and regained the lead in the overall standings from Maria Riesch of Germany.The reigning World Cup downhill and overall champion raced down the Krummholz course in 1 minute, 38.84 seconds to beat Anja Paerson of Sweden by 0.35 seconds. Riesch finished third, 0.39 seconds behind the American star.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl dismissed forward Tyler Smith from the team Friday, a week after his arrest with three other players on misdemeanor gun and drug charges.Pearl had indefinitely suspended Smith, guard Cameron Tatum, center Brian Williams and point guard Melvin Goins following the Jan. 1 arrest.
TAMPA, Fla. — South Florida fired football coach Jim Leavitt Friday after a school investigation concluded he grabbed one of his players by the throat, slapped him in the face and then lied about it.A letter hand delivered to the coach and released along with a report on the three-week probe said the university's findings were based on "independently corroborated statements of persons found to be in the best position to observe your conduct."Reached by telephone, the only coach in the program's 13-year history told The Associated Press he was "disappointed" and the allegation was "absolutely false."
