Sports Briefs October 19, 2010
Football
Former NFL star linebacker Junior Seau drove off a cliff and was hospitalized in Carlsbad, Calif., with minor injuries Monday, less than nine hours after he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.
The 12-time Pro Bowler's white Cadillac SUV was found on the beach about 100 feet below the roadside, said Carlsbad police Lt. Kelly Cain. Cain said it wasn't a sheer cliff, but was a significant, rough slope. Seau was taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital in San Diego.
Seau's 25-year-old live-in girlfriend told authorities that Seau assaulted her during an argument Sunday night at his Oceanside home, according to Oceanside police. She appeared to have minor injuries and did not require medical treatment.
• Eastern Washington linebacker J.C. Sherritt was named Big Sky Conference defensive play of the week after posting 14 tackles, a sack and an interception as Eastern Washington rallied for a 35-28 win over Northern Colorado on Saturday.
NAU quarterback Michael Herrick won the offensive award after passing for 281 yards and three touchdowns in the Lumberjacks' 34-7 upset of then-No. 9 Montana State.
Baseball
Tony La Russa ended the usual postseason suspense, agreeing to a 16th season as St. Louis Cardinals manager.
The team announced a deal that included a mutual option for the 2012 season. Financial terms were not disclosed on the new contract, finalized 15 days after the end of a disappointing season that left the 66-year-old La Russa wondering if he'd worn out his welcome.
Bullpen coach Marty Mason will not be retained, but the rest of coaching staff will be offered contracts this week. The team said it would fill the bullpen coach vacancy from within.
"We are excited to have Tony returning and are looking forward to 2011," chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said. "He has guided the team in one of the greatest eras in Cardinals history and we are pleased that he will continue that leadership next season."
La Russa has a franchise-record 1,318 wins since joining the team as manager in 1996 and is third on the major league career victory list, needing 126 wins to pass John McGraw for second place. He has managed 4,935 games, second on the list.
Basketball
Magic Johnson sold his small ownership stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, possibly clearing the way for the Hall of Famer to own a bigger portion of another NBA team in the future.
Johnson bought shares representing about 4.5 percent of the Lakers in June 1994 for a reported $10 million. Johnson said the sale was strictly a "bittersweet business decision," but the five-time league champion has long been interested in taking a larger ownership role in an NBA franchise.
Johnson spent his entire 13-year playing career with Los Angeles, including a 32-game comeback in 1996 nearly five years after his retirement. He has been a successful businessman since leaving the sport, excelling in commercial real estate ventures including movie theaters, restaurants and health clubs.
Skiing
Fresh off a successful Olympics, Bode Miller is back for another World Cup season and unlike a year ago he has a full summer of training behind him.
Last year, Miller took the entire summer off while he considered retirement, then rejoined the U.S. Ski Team after racing independently for two seasons. Peaking in midseason, he won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Vancouver Games in super-combi, super-G and downhill.
The 2010-11 season opens this weekend with men's and women's giant slaloms on the Rettenbach glacier in Soelden, Austria.
- The Associated Press