Nevada's Fazekas heading to NBA
RENO, Nev. - Nevada's all-time leading scorer is leaving school to get a head start on the NBA's 2007 draft.
Nick Fazekas is withdrawing and will not finish this semester, coach Mark Fox said on Thursday.
Fox said he was disappointed that the 6-foot-11, 240-pound senior won't graduate and he urged him to stay in school for his final few weeks. He said he was optimistic that Fazekas would finish his education eventually.
Fazekas could not immediately be reached for comment.
Fazekas finished his career with 2,464 points and was Nevada's No. 2 career rebounder with 1,254.
The Arvada, Colo., native led the Pack to a 29-5 record this season and the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Memphis.
Fazekas became a starter midway through his freshman season and helped Nevada get to the NCAA Tournament four times. Before his arrival, the Pack hadn't played in the NCAA Tournament since 1985.
Fazekas averaged 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds, one of only three players that averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds in Division I this season.
He was a three-time Western Athletic Conference player of the year and was a second-team selection by The Associated Press this year.
Panthers come to terms with Carr
A month after he was released by the Houston Texans, David Carr agreed Friday to a two-year deal to play for the Carolina Panthers.
Carr, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft, will serve as Jake Delhomme's backup.
"It's a case where we were obviously looking for someone to come in back up Jake and the opportunity to get a quarterback the caliber of David in free agency is unique," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "We thought it was a good situation and a good opportunity for us."
Carr was a five-year starter for the expansion Texans. He completed 60 percent of his passes, but threw 65 interceptions and was sacked 249 times. Carr completed a career-high 68.3 percent of his passes last season, but was released by the Texans after they obtained Matt Schaub in a trade from Atlanta and anointed him as their starting quarterback.
Williams applies for NFL reinstatement
NEW YORK - Ricky Williams, the former NFL star who played in Canada last season after being suspended for a year for substance abuse, has applied for reinstatement.
Williams' agent, Leigh Steinberg, said the running back, who will turn 30 in May, had sent a letter asking that he be allowed to return to the Miami Dolphins.
The NFL confirmed that Williams had sought reinstatement, for which he will be eligible after April 27, when he will have been suspended for a year. Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said the team had no comment because Williams is not yet eligible for reinstatement.
Williams, a former Heisman Trophy winner at Texas, was originally drafted by New Orleans when then-coach Mike Ditka gave up all his picks in the 1999 draft to get his rights. He was traded to Miami for two first-round draft picks after the 2001 season and rushed for 1,853 yards for the Dolphins in 2002 and 1,372 the next season.
But he abruptly retired shortly before training camp in 2004, then returned in 2005 to back up rookie Ronnie Brown. Williams rushed for 743 yards and a 4.4 yard average that year.
Imus apologizes for Rutgers remarks
NEW YORK - Radio host Don Imus apologized Friday for calling the Rutgers University women's basketball team "nappy headed hos" on his nationally syndicated program.
The National Association of Black Journalists demanded his immediate firing after the man known as "Imus in the Morning" put his foot deep in his mouth Wednesday. Imus questioned the players' looks, describing them as tattooed "rough girls." His producer compared the team - which has eight black members - to the NBA's Toronto Raptors.
Near the start of Friday's show, Imus said he wanted to "apologize for an insensitive and ill-conceived remark we made the other morning referring to the Rutgers women's basketball team."
"It was completely inappropriate, and we can understand why people were offended. Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, and we are sorry."
Gregory Lee, an NABJ officer and senior assistant sports editor at The Boston Globe, said the mea culpa did little to atone for the comments.
"You can apologize, but what does that mean when you have a history of making disparaging remarks about people?" Lee asked about the acid-tongued Imus. "This kind of behavior must be punished. I hope the company and sponsors he has take some sort of action ... to educate him."
Lewiston youth makes state hockey club
Emily Jade Coulthard, a 13-year-old Lewiston youth, has been selected to be on the Idaho State girls' hockey team.
Coulthard, a member of pee wee division of the L-C Lightning hockey team, will be one of 22 girls throughout the state on the club. Their first tournament will be the Big Sky Showdown in Billings, Mont., next weekend.
Coulthard in a seventh-grader at Jenifer Junior High. Her parents are Verne and Renee Coulthard.
Tribune and wire reports
