Iverson apologizes for taking holiday

Allen Iverson apologized yesterday for skipping a Detroit Pistons practice on Thanksgiving and insisted it won't happen again. The standout guard was the only player who didn't show up when the Pistons worked out Thursday. "First of all, I have no excuses," Iverson said. "It was a personal matter, but I just handled it the wrong way. I didn't call and let them know what was going on." Coach Michael Curry said Iverson would be hit with a "heavy" fine. The Pistons acquired Iverson from Denver for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb Nov. 3. Rodney Stuckey started against Milwaukee last night. Iverson entered the game with 2:24 left in the first quarter and scored a team-high 17 points in Detroit's 107-97 win.

LeBron James reacted strongly to Charles Barkley's comments that the Cavaliers star isn't showing respect for Cleveland fans and his teammates by discussing his possible free agency following the 2010 season. "He's stupid. That's all I've got to say about that," James said. James, under contract for two more seasons, was bombarded with questions about his future when the Cavaliers visited New York to play the Knicks Tuesday night. The Cavaliers can offer him an extension as early as July 1, 2009. There has long been speculation James will end up in one of the NBA's larger markets.

Former NHL agent David Frost was acquitted of sexual exploitation while coaching in a junior league in Canada. Frost was charged with four counts of sexual exploitation from his time as a coach of the defunct Junior A Quinte Hawks in eastern Ontario in 1996 and 1997. A judge found him not guilty on all four counts. Frost was the target of a murder-for-hire plot by one of his clients and former junior hockey players, ex-St. Louis Blues forward Mike Danton. Danton was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison for his role.

While Spaniards Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal were dreaming about breaking 60, the other teams were just trying to survive in the World Cup of Golf in Shenzhen, China. The Spaniards settled for a 9-under-par 63, a remarkable score in the difficult foursomes format. The two-day total of 17-under 127 was good enough for a four-shot lead over Australia (68) and first-round leader Germany (69). Sweden (67) was five back, and the United States (69) and Ireland (68) were six off the pace of Spain, which opened with a 64 Thursday playing the easier fourball . . . Jeong Jang and Candie Kung beat Annika Sorenstam and Angela Stanford, 3 and 2, to help Asia split the six opening alternate-shot matches in the Lexus Cup in Singapore. Sorenstam, set to end her Hall of Fame career next week in the Ladies European Tour's Dubai Ladies Masters, is the International team's playing captain.

Lindsey Vonn expects to race at this weekend's Aspen (Colo.) Winternational despite a harrowing spill during practice last week. The Winternational starts today with the giant slalom and concludes tomorrow with a slalom race. Vonn, the downhill and overall World Cup champion last season, bruised her left knee when she lost a ski and crashed after hitting a bump at Colorado's Copper Mountain Nov. 19. Doctors were concerned she may have damaged cartilage, but an MRI found no structural damage . . . The Dorchester Eagles defeated the Boston Raiders, 13-12, in Worcester to capture the New England championship in Pop Warner's midget division. The Eagles advance to the national championships Dec. 7-14 at Disney World, but they need to raise $70,000 to finance the trip. Donations may be made to the Dorchester Eagles at Members Plus Credit Union, 494 Gallivan Blvd., Dorchester, MA 02122.