Hockey
LEMAIRE OUT AS DEVILS COACH: Robbie Ftorek, the New Jersey Devils' top assistant the past two years, will replace Jacques Lemaire as coach, The Associated Press learned today.
The Devils had no official comment on the report, but a source close to the team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Ftorek had the job.
Team spokesman Mike Levine said a news conference was scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT at the Continental Airlines Arena.
Colleges
USU ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SEARCH: Utah State has announced the five finalists from a field of 59 who all sought to replace Chuck Bell as the school's athletic director. Bell took a similar position at San Jose State last winter.
The finalists are Marc Amicone, University of Utah assistant AD for marketing and former Salt Lake Golden Eagles (pro hockey) general manager; Craig Angelos, University of Miami senior associate AD; Vale Hale, BYU assistant AD for external operations; Bruce Van DeVelde, University of Missouri associate AD for development; and Terry Wanless, Uni-ver-si-ty of North Dakota athletic director.
The group was chosen by a seven-member committee.
Finalists are expected to spend two days each on campus for further interviews, with the selection to come some time in June.
Football
NFL TO HELP PAY FOR BRONCOS' RINGS: Denver Broncos players and coaches will get some help from the NFL in paying for their Super Bowl rings, believed to be the most expensive in league history.
The NFL said Wednesday it will reimburse the Broncos between $4,500 and $5,000 for each championship ring. The Super Bowl Policy Committee recommended the move during the NFL's spring meetings in Coral Gables, Fla. Next year the minimum will increase to $5,000.
"It reflects the increase in cost of rings, and it (means) they can continue to be of the quality of previous Super Bowl rings," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.
The total cost of the Broncos' rings hasn't been disclosed. However, they are believed to be among the most expensive in Super Bowl history.
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen will present the players with the rings at team headquarters on June 5.
OLD VIKING BIDDERS BACK: The same bidders who tried three months ago to buy the Minnesota Vikings were back in the running after novelist Tom Clancy withdrew his $200 million bid.
Clancy's financial adviser, Marc Ganis, was trying to put together a deal with other investors. At least two of the Vikings' 10 co-owners said the team may be better off waiting until the postseason to find a new owner.
San Antonio businessman Red McCombs, who finished third among three bids received in February, put himself back in the running and expects to win.
Also mentioned as possible bidders were Vikings co-owner Roger Headrick, Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad, Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider and Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor.
MORE INSTANT REPLAY: The NFL will again experiment with instant replay in the preseason, but it will not carry over when games count.
Club owners voted replay down for regular-season use at a March meeting in Orlando. The replay will be used sparingly and cover only 11 exhibition games televised by networks.
Each team will be allowed two challenges a game at the coach's discretion.
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue also announced the NFL will allow its teams to purchase Arena League teams in their territories.
UCONN LINEBACKER SUSPENDED: University of Connecticut linebacker Charles Adams, charged with pointing a gun at a woman volleyball player during last month's spring weekend melee, was indefinitely suspended from the team.
The 21-year-old senior from Reading, Pa., was charged May 9 with first-degree reckless endangerment, threatening and breach of peace. His suspension is in effect until the outcome of his case, continued to June 2.
Basketball
NCAA OKS MICHIGAN SANCTIONS: The NCAA accepted Michigan's self-imposed penalties on its basketball team, stemming from an investigation that resulted in the firing of coach Steve Fisher.
Among Michigan's self-imposed penalties was the reduction of official recruiting visits.
The basketball team was not placed on probation and won't lose any postseason berths, scholarships or television appearances.
Michigan was found guilty of three violations between Sept. 1, 1994 and Feb. 17, 1996, all involving Detroit booster Ed Martin.
Tennis
WORLD TEAM CUP: At Dues-sel-dorf, Germany, the United States was eliminated from World Team Cup by the Czech Republic as Petr Korda beat Michael Chang 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 6-3, and Slava Dosedel routed Jim Courier 6-3, 6-1.
The Americans won the meaningless doubles, with Richey Reneberg and Todd Martin defeating Daniel Vacek and Cyril Suk 6-4, 6-4.
RAIFFEISEN GRAND PRIX: At St. Poelten, Austria, top-seeded Marcel Rios of Chile beat Germany's Marc-Kevin Goellner 6-4, 6-3 in the second round of the Raif-feisen Grand Prix ATP tournament.
Rios, who won the championship in 1996, advanced to the quarterfinals against seventh-seeded Galo Blanco of Spain, who ousted Swede Tomas Nydahl 6-3, 7-5.
VILLA DE MADRID: At Madrid, Spain, Chanda Rubin advanced to the quarterfinals of the Villa de Madrid with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Israel's Anna Smashnova.
In other second-round play, top-seeded Sandrine Testud of France defeated Spain's Maria Antonia Sanchez 6-4, 6-4; second-seeded Dominique Van Roost of Belgium ousted Spain's Gala Leon 7-5, 6-1; third-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland beat German Meike Babel 4-6, 6-0, 6-2; fourth-seeded Austrian Barbara Schett defeated Germany's Jana Kandarr 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), and eighth-seeded Kimberly Po was upset by Dutchwoman Kristie Boogert 4-6, 6-0, 6-2.
STRASBOURG OPEN: At Strasbourg, France, top-seeded Amanda Coetzer edged China's Fang Li 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals of Strasbourg Open.
In other second-round play, third-seeded Nathalie Tauziat of France beat Venezuela's Maria Alejandra Vento 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7-0), and eighth-seeded Slovakian Henrieta Nagyova outlasted France's Sarah Pitkowski 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Soccer
REGIS EYEING U.S. TEAM: After David Regis passed his exam to become a U.S. citizen, he ran down the hallway of the federal building in Los Angeles and hugged his wife, Nikki.
Then his thoughts turned to his next goal: making his new country's World Cup team.
As Tab Ramos was officially selected for the U.S. team, Regis put himself in line for the final spot by acing his citizenship test. Regis, a Martinique-born French citizen whose wife is American, answered all 10 oral questions correctly. As a final exercise, he was asked to write a sentence in English.
He had no trouble with the one chosen for him: "Today is a nice day."
The 29-year-old defender, expected to play in Sunday's exhibition game against Kuwait, scored five goals this season for Karlsruher SC in Germany's Bundesliga. Regis is expected to be chosen by coach Steve Sampson for the final spot on the United States' 22-man World Cup roster.