Blazers suspend Wells for 2 games

11/19/2003

Portland Trail Blazers guard Bonzi Wells was suspended for two games without pay by the team yesterday for cursing his coach after being taken out of the game. Wells also was stripped of his cocaptain's title for his behavior during Monday night's 105-98 loss at Dallas. Coach Maurice Cheeks said yesterday that Wells cursed him after being removed from the game in the third quarter. "It just gets old. I'm sick of it," Cheeks said. "I'm sick of always saying he didn't mean it and all that. Players have to be accountable for what they do and what they say." It's the second disciplinary action taken by the team against Wells, who earlier this month was fined for making an obscene gesture at a fan during a loss to Philadelphia. Wells is averaging 14 points and 5.0 rebounds this season . . . Chicago Bulls forward Marcus Fizer was activated from the injured list and rookie Linton Johnson was put on the list with a sprained ankle. Fizer averaged 4.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in the season's first five games, but he went on the injured list Nov. 7 with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee . . . The Phoenix Suns activated center Scott Williams and placed Cezary Trybanski on the injured list because of back spasms. Williams, 35, injured his left thumb during the first week of training camp and underwent surgery Oct. 4. Trybanski, acquired as part of a trade with Memphis Sept. 30, played in two games this season . . . Reserve point guard Anthony Carter was activated from the injured list by the Spurs after missing nine games because of tendinitis in his left knee. The Spurs placed forward Sean Marks on the injured list, also with left-knee tendinitis . . . The New Jersey Nets activated forward Rodney Rogers from the injured list and placed forward Tamar Slay on the list with a strained groin. Rogers has not played since cutting his left thumb in the season opener against the Toronto Raptors Oct. 29. Slay averaged 2.8 points in four games.

Miscellany

Neuheisel goes on the attack

Fired Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel launched a pre-emptive strike at his former employer, claiming he was wrongfully terminated for gambling on the NCAA basketball tournament while the university ignored $5 gambling pools by assistant coaches. Neuheisel's lawyer, Robert Sulkin, released a 38-page statement, responding to an investigation by Pac-10 officials, arguing that the university failed to properly educate its staff regarding NCAA rules and authorized activities that violated those rules, including gambling pools and a boat trip for recruits to Neuheisel's home on Lake Washington that was captained by a Washington booster. Later yesterday, the University of Washington announced disciplinary action against 12 athletic department employees, including football coach Keith Gilbertson and compliance officer Dana Richardson, for participation in gambling pools on college basketball . . . South Carolina has extended football coach Lou Holtz's contract by one year through 2008, giving Holtz five years on his deal, worth about $800,000 a season. Holtz is 27-31 since taking the job in 1999 . . . Central Florida suspended cornerback Marcus Glover and defensive lineman Dwight Perkins for the remainder of the season for violating team rules. UCF has suspended eight players in the last two weeks . . . Los Angeles Kings center Derek Armstrong will miss 6-8 weeks after breaking the ring finger on his left hand during Saturday's loss to the St. Louis Blues . . . Terry Gale shot a 6-under-par 66 to take the first-round lead in the Champions Tour qualifying tournament in Coral Springs, Fla. Gale had a one-stroke lead over Mark James, Mark McNulty, Rafael Navarro, and Bobby Walzel . . . Bob Carmichael, a top-10 tennis player in 1970, died in Melbourne at 63 . . . Vermont women's soccer coach Jodi Kenyon and assistant coach Wendy Elles resigned.