Associated Press
NEW YORK ó Isiah Thomas will finish the season as the Knicksí coach, but needs a good explanation for why things went so horribly wrong for any chance to last beyond that.
New president Donnie Walsh said Wednesday he plans to meet soon with Thomas, and he wants to know why a team he thought could be good instead will finish as perhaps the worst in franchise history.
Walsh insists he hasnít decided on Thomasí future with the team, but the Knicksí 23-56 record.
Whoever the coach is, Walsh would like him in place by the June draft.
Thatís just one step in a rebuilding process that fans have made it clear to Walsh, a native New Yorker, wonít be easy.
Asked what they are saying to him, Walsh replied: iHey, good luck. Youíve got a hell of a job.î
NFL
CLEVELAND ó Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najeh Davenport was acquitted of a misdemeanor domestic violence charge Wednesday in Cleveland Municipal Court.
Davenport had been accused of slapping and punching Anita Person, the mother of his 5-year-old son, at her Cleveland home in October. He was also acquitted misdemeanor child endangering and unlawful restraint.
GULFPORT, Miss. ó If the Green Bay Packers are ravaged by injuries this season, Brett Favre might consider returning should the team reach out to him.
iIt would be hard to pass up, I guess,î he told the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald. iBut three months from now, say that presents itself, I may say, you know what, Iím so glad I made that decision. Iím feel very comfortable in what Iím doing and my decision.
iYeah, I can probably be up there doing that and playing, but again, I donít know. Itís only speculating.î
But if Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury?
iAaron has fallen into a great situation,î Favre said. iAnd if that opportunity presented itself and they did call, it would be tempting. And I very well could be enticed do it.î
BUFFALO, N.Y. ó Kevin Everett is recovering after having minor surgery this week to relieve pain in his neck, which was related to the severe spinal cord injury that nearly left the Buffalo Bills tight end paralyzed last September.
TENNESSEE
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.ó Sheís dished out plenty of glares this season and openly questioned her teamís motivation to win.
Standing behind her eighth national championship trophy on Wednesday, Tennessee coach Pat Summitt had nothing but praise for the Lady Volunteers a day after they beat Stanford 64-48 for the title.
Nearly 5,000 fans celebrated the Lady Volsí return to Knoxville in a ceremony at Thompson-Boling Arena, where seven banners hang from the rafters.
Jan Simek, the chancellor of the Knoxville campus, joked heíd have to find some room for the eighth.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
GREENVILLE ó Former East Carolina offensive lineman Dwayne Ledford is back with the Pirates, this time as an assistant coach. Coach Skip Holtz named Ledford to his staff Wednesday to replace Paul Troth, who left for a coaching job in Europe.
TENNIS
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. ó Lindsay Davenport defeated Jill Craybas 6-1, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Bausch & Lomb Championships and escape a Wednesday filled with upsets.
Venus Williams will miss another tournament next week in Charleston, S.C., as she undergoes tests for a medical issue that her agent said Wednesday isnít serious.