Associated Press
NEW YORK ó Wizards rookie John Wall has been suspended one game without pay and two Miami Heat players were fined for their actions in Wednesday nightís game at Washington.
NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Stu Jackson announced the penalties Thursday in a statement.
In addition to Wallís suspension, Heat forward Juwan Howard was handed a $35,000 fine and teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas was fined $25,000 following a scuffle in the second quarter of the Heatís 123-107 win over the Wizards.
Wall was playing tight defense on Ilgauskas, who while protecting the ball appeared to elbow Wall in the face at least once. Wall then swung his right hand at Ilgauskas.
CHARLOTTE ó Charlotte Bobcats backup center Joel Przybilla will miss the remainder of the season with continued pain in his right knee.
The Bobcats on Thursday announced Przybilla will undergo another procedure to remove wires inserted in the knee after he twice tore his patella tendon. Przybilla has not played for Charlotte since March 7. He was acquired from Portland in a Feb. 24 trade that sent Gerald Wallace to the Trail Blazers.
NFL
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. ó Saying ěthis fight was brought to us,î New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees felt it was the right thing to do to put his name on an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL.
ěI understand the sacrifices that guys made before me, veteran players, retired players, former players. and I feel that it is my responsibility to represent not only those guys, not only current players, but future players and the future of this league,î Brees said Wednesday.
ěI canít tell you how many guys have come up to me and say how much they appreciate having a quarterback, having a guy like me, to stand up for them and represent them. That means so much to me because Iím not doing it for any other reason other than I feel like itís right, I feel like itís fair, and I feel like Iíve been charged with that responsibility. And Iím fine with that.î
Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and six other current NFL players joined Brees in filing an antitrust suit in federal court in Minneapolis. NFL owners responded by locking out the players, putting the 2011 season in jeopardy.
MIAMI ó Hard-luck quarterback Chad Pennington tore an anterior cruciate ligament in a pickup basketball game and will undergo surgery next week.
Penningtonís agent, Tom Condon, said in a news release Thursday that Pennington will have the operation April 7 and well-known surgeon Dr. James Andrews will perform it. The release did not say which knee Pennington injured.
The former Jets and Dolphins quarterback is now a free agent.
MLB
SAN FRANCISCO ó Tears streaming from her eyes, Barry Bondsí former personal shopper became the first and only one of the governmentís 23 witnesses at his federal trial to say she saw the all-time home run leader getting an injection from his trainer.
Kathy Hoskins was the first eyewitness to testify that Bondsí personal trainer ó Greg Anderson, who was later convicted of dealing steroids ó injected the slugger. She said Thursday that the scene unfolded at Bondsí well-appointed Bay Area home in 2002. As part of her job, she packed the baseball starís clothes for road trips.
Anderson came into the bedroom as she was filling a suitcase.
BENBROOK, Texas ó Two Texas high school baseball players accused of sacrificing chickens in a superstitious ritual to end their slump have been charged with cruelty to livestock animals.
Benbrook Police Sgt. John Van Ness said Thursday the case has been turned over to a Tarrant County juvenile court, where a decision will be made on whether to prosecute the teens, whose names are not being released.
Police in the Fort Worth suburb said the 15- and 16-year-old ěengaged in acts that caused the death of two baby chickensî on the Western Hills High School baseball field during spring break two weeks ago. Police said superstition about a slump in baseball performance could have played a part.
WOMENíS HOOPS
INDIANAPOLIS ó Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer feels as if sheís coming home to the womenís Final Four.
She played at Indiana, coached at Ohio State and won four Big Ten titles before turning Stanford into one of the most prestigious programs in womenís basketball.
Even her college coach, Bea Gorton, plans to be around for the games in Indianapolis.
Now, thatís a Hoosier welcome.
ěSheís actually in assisted living and will come down to go to the game,î VanDerveer said Wednesday. ěThat was a long time ago. Itís very exciting and it does have a little special feel to it ó and I love the arena.î
VanDerveer isnít the only one eager to get inside Conseco Fieldhouse this weekend.
Two-time defending national champ Connecticut, 2001 champion Notre Dame, first-time Final Four participant Texas A&M and VanDerveerís team, which has finished second twice in the past three years, are all ready to play for a national title.
Three of the schools have strong ties to Indiana.