Pacers' Williams pulled over, arrested

September 12, 2007

Pacers forward Shawne Williams was arrested on marijuana possession and other charges, the third incident in less than a year involving Indiana players. Team president Larry Bird said the organization was "extremely disappointed" by Williams's arrest. "Although the legal process needs to be followed, we will not accept Shawne putting himself in this position, regardless of innocence or guilt," Bird said in a statement. The Pacers' first-round draft pick last year from Memphis, Williams was booked into the Marion County Jail early yesterday on charges of possession of marijuana, driving without a license, driving with an expired license plate, and failure to signal a lane change, police said. In addition, an unidentified back-seat passenger was arrested on charges of carrying a gun without a license and theft. According to Indianapolis police, an officer found a smoldering cigar-sized marijuana cigarette in the vehicle's ashtray . . . Anucha Browne Sanders, the former New York Knicks executive who filed a $10 million sexual harassment lawsuit against coach Isiah Thomas, testified during the first day of the civil trial in Manhattan that the NBA legend repeatedly called her "bitch" and "ho" in private conversations before abruptly switching gears and professing his love . . . The ownership of the Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers remained in limbo after a Maryland court of appeals tossed out rulings that would have permitted Boston businessman Steve Belkin to buy out his fellow owners at cost and take over the teams. The case was returned to the Montgomery County (Md.) circuit court . . . Justin Reed of the Rockets was cleared of misdemeanor marijuana charges because others submitted affidavits claiming the drugs, his attorney said . . . Greece clinched a berth in the quarterfinals of the European Championship in Madrid with an 85-67 win over Portugal, while Croatia advanced despite an 83-70 loss to Russia. Spain, led by Pau Gasol's 26 points, rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to beat Israel, 99-73.

Baseball management and players are considering adding fertility drugs such as Clomid and Nolvadex to their banned list because they can be used to stimulate testosterone production after steroid use. Clomid usually is used as a female fertility medication and Nolvadex is a breast cancer treatment . . . Manager Ozzie Guillen, who led the White Sox to a World Series title in 2005, was given a contract extension through 2012 - even though the team started the day tied for the majors' worst record. "The problems that we are having right now, I simply do not believe that they are problems that are with our coaching staff or with our manager," general manager Ken Williams said . . . Frank Coonelly, a top labor lawyer in the commissioner's office, has been selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates to become their team president, according to Chuck Greenberg, the only other known finalist for the job . . . Former Astros general manager Bob Watson interviewed for his old job, along with current assistant GM David Gottfried. Watson, vice president of on-field operations in the commissioner's office, was Houston's GM from 1993-95 . . . The Reds began to overhaul their minor league system by firing, among others, field coordinator Tim Naehring. They also decided not to renew the contracts of a number of minor league instructors, including Rick Burleson . . . Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells will have surgery after the season to remove a cyst caused by a torn labrum in his left shoulder . . . Yankees outfielder Shelley Duncan returned to New York, where he was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam today on his lower abdomen. His brother, Chris, a St. Louis outfielder, will be sidelined for at least 10 days with a hernia that likely will need surgery. Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen had surgery to clean out his left shoulder . . . Rookie lefthander Neal Musser will miss the remainder of the season after breaking his right little finger punching a chair in the Royals' clubhouse Monday.

Boston College's hockey team, which made it to the NCAA championship game in April, will open its 36-game regular season Oct. 12 against Michigan at the Ice Breaker Tournament in St. Paul. The Eagles will open at home Oct. 19 against North Dakota in a rematch of their NCAA semifinal . . . Experts in turf and sports stadiums will be at Rentschler Field in East Hartford this week to determine whether the field needs be dug up and resodded. The $90 million stadium, which opened in 2003, was in noticeably bad shape Saturday for Connecticut's football home opener against Maine . . . Kia Vaughn, the Rutgers women's basketball player who filed a defamation lawsuit last month against Don Imus and CBS Radio over his reference to the team as "nappy-headed hos," has withdrawn her suit.

Horse of the Year candidate Lawyer Ron led 34 nominees for the 65th Massachusetts Handicap, to be run Sept. 22 at Suffolk Downs. Lawyer Ron, who won the Whitney Handicap and Woodward Stakes, is one of four horses entered by trainer Todd Pletcher for the $500,000 Grade 1 race . . . The New York Racing Association hasn't paid $1 million it promised federal prosecutors in a 2004 deal that deferred, and ultimately avoided, a criminal prosecution, a spokesman for US Attorney Roslynn R. Mauskopf said . . . World champion Tyson Gay pulled out of the Van Damme Memorial and will not face world record-holder Asafa Powell in Friday's 100-meter race in Brussels. Gay won gold in the 100, 200, and the 400 relay at the recent world championships in Japan. Powell finished a disappointing third in the 100 at the worlds but bounced back with a world-record run of 9.74 seconds in Italy Sunday . . . US Open champion Roger Federer will play for Switzerland in its Davis Cup match against the Czech Republic in Prague Sept. 21-23 . . . Japan's Cabinet approved Tokyo's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, paving the way for its formal application with the International Olympic Committee before tomorrow's deadline. Rio De Janeiro officially submitted its bid yesterday.