Paterno urges Carter to turn pro
COSTA MESA, Calif. - Penn State coach Joe Paterno urged running back Ki-Jana Carter to pass up his senior season to enter the NFL draft.Paterno said NFL sources told him Carter, who finished second to Colorado's Rashaan Salaam in voting for the Heisman Trophy, would go high in the draft. Paterno planned to meet with Carter and his family to discuss the decision.
NFL reprimands Carolina Panthers
NEW YORK - The NFL fined the expansion Carolina Panthers $150,000 and stripped them of two draft choices for talking to Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dom Capers about their coaching job.
Jones gives Switzer vote of confidence
IRVING, Texas - Dallas coach Barry Switzer got a vote of confidence from owner Jerry Jones heading into the playoffs with a continuance of his five-year rollover contract.
Nelson rejoins Warriors
OAKLAND, Calif. - Golden State's Don Nelson returned for the Warriors' 91-86 loss to San Antonio after missing seven games because of viral pneumonia.
Nelson rejoined the team Monday night during a practice that also featured the return of forward Chris Mullin, who could play by next week after being sidelined since the preseason with a left knee injury.
MacLean out 6-8 weeks
LANDOVER, Md. - Washington forward Don MacLean, already on the injured list with tendinitis in both knees, will miss 6-8 weeks after breaking his right thumb during an altercation in a restaurant.
Baseball owners look to replacements
NEW YORK - Baseball officials turn their attention to replacement players today, and some government officials turn their attention to the 146-day-old strike.
While baseball's operations committee meets by telephone and discusses how to set up replacement ball, the 104th Congress opens. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y., and Rep. Michael Biliarkis, R-Fla., planned to introduce legislation to remove the sport's 73-year-old antitrust exemption.
NHL officials meet again
CHICAGO - NHL vice presidents Jeffrey Pash and Brian Burke met with union representatives Bob Riley and John McCambridge for the third consecutive day.
The discussions, which lasted for about 81/2 hours, were scheduled to resume today, league spokesman Arthus Pincus said.
Still on the sidelines were NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who has said Jan. 16 is the latest the league could resume playing and complete a 50-game schedule, and union chief Bob Goodenow.
Rams still waiting on Lubick
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick is making athletic director Tom Jurich nervous.
Jurich is anxious for Lubick, who led the No. 16 Rams to a 10-2 record and their first Holiday Bowl, to sign a five-year contract extension through 2002.
Lubick, 57, said he would sign when the team returned from the Holiday Bowl last week, but he left on a recruiting trip Tuesday after meeting with Jurich.
"Nothing happened," Jurich said. "We've just got to wait on him. Everything is positive. He's just got to feel comfortable."
Phillips plans on coaching again
DENVER - Wade Phillips is so confident he will land another NFL job in 1995 that he plans to put his house in the Denver suburbs up for sale.
"I plan on coaching," said Phillips, fired by the Denver Broncos last week after going 16-16 in two seasons. "Somebody will hire me. I'll be in the NFL. I'm sure."
Phillips said he has not ruled out a head coaching job at the college level.
Rider completes community service
MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota Timberwolves guard Isaiah Rider completed his 35-hour community-service sentence, just a few days ahead of a court-imposed deadline that could have sent him to jail.
Rider arrived in the team's locker room barely an hour before Tuesday night's game against Denver, straight from his final stint of janitorial and housekeeping work at a Plymouth detox center.