Retired NBA star Alonzo Mourning has flown to Haiti to assist relief workers in earthquake-ravaged Port-au-Prince, while he and former Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade (left) - the former Richards High School star - are trying to recruit other pro athletes in an effort to raise funds for the recovery.
Mourning and Wade are calling their venture the "Athletes Relief Fund for Haiti."
Speaking from Houston, where the Heat was playing the Rockets on Friday night, Wade said he thought the immediate effort to enlist other NBA players to help was "going pretty good."
"I know so many players want to do something but don't know exactly what, so we're trying to reach out to everyone," Wade said. "The main thing we ask is for people to give, whether it's a full-game salary, a half-game salary, whatever's in your heart to give. We want to make sure all athletes get together, because there's strength in numbers."
Numerous other athletes, leagues and organizations also have offered quick responses to the Haitian crisis since the earthquake struck Tuesday, causing the deaths of up to 50,000 people by Red Cross estimates.
Tiger Woods plans to help with relief efforts by supporting groups that provide resources to children. Greg McLaughlin, president of the Tiger Woods Foundation, said the foundation staff was evaluating "the most appropriate role" to help the Haitian people.
The NFL and the players' union announced Friday they would donate $500,000 each to the American Red Cross and Partners In Health. The NBA and its union said it will contribute $1 million toward relief efforts.
Major League Baseball already has pledged $1 million, while the NHL donated $100,000.
NBA
Arenas pleads guilty to handgun charge
Straight-faced and subdued, Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge connected to a Dec. 19 locker room argument about a card game, leaving his All-Star career in limbo and his freedom in doubt.
Arenas won't know whether he must serve jail time until his March 26 sentencing. He remains free until then. The government indicated it will not seek more than six months, although the judge can give Arenas anywhere from probation to the charge's maximum term of five years.
Arenas, suspended indefinitely without pay by NBA commissioner David Stern, was averaging 22.6 points per game.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Loyola holds off UIC
Geoff McCammon scored 26 points, going 6-of-7 from 3-point range, to lead Loyola to a 55-50 victory in its crosstown rivalry with Illinois-Chicago.
McCammon won a shootout with Robo Kreps, who led Illinois-Chicago with 20 points. No other player on either team hit double figures.
Courtney Stanley had seven assists for the Ramblers (12-5, 3-4 Horizon League), who broke a three-game losing streak. Brad Birton grabbed 10 rebounds for the Flames (5-12, 1-6), who lost their fourth in a row.
The Ramblers held edges of 42.9 percent to 30.5 percent in shooting and 41-31 in rebounding.
Loyola led 42-34 with 13:03 left. UIC tied it 46-46 on Kreps' 3-pointer with 8:41 to go. But the Flames went scoreless over the next 5:57, with eight missed shots and two turnovers.
UNC's Zeller out for 4 to 6 weeks
North Carolina coach Roy Williams said 7-footer Tyler Zeller will miss four to six weeks because of a stress fracture in his right foot. The sophomore is averaging 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench for the 12th-ranked Tar Heels.
College football
Tennessee taps Dooley
Tennessee's whirlwind search for a new coach ended with the Volunteers hiring Derek Dooley away from Louisiana Tech. The son of former Georgia coach Vince Dooley, Derek Dooley went 17-20 in three seasons at Louisiana Tech.
• Heisman Trophy runner-up Toby Gerhart announced he will enter the NFL draft instead of staying at Stanford for a fifth season. Gerhart ran for a school-record 1,871 yards and a nation-leading 28 touchdowns this past season.
Golf
Palmer leading in Sony
Ryan Palmer shot a 4-under 66 at the Sony Open in Honolulu, taking a one-shot lead over a group that included Chad Campbell.
Campbell birdied his last two holes for a 64 and was tied for second with Robert Allenby and defending champion Zach Johnson, who overcame a triple bogey on the 17th hole for a 67.
Palmer was at 9-under 131.
NFL
49ers to play Broncos in London
The San Francisco 49ers will play the Denver Broncos next season at Wembley Stadium, the fourth straight year the NFL will stage a regular-season game in the British capital. The 49ers will be listed as the home team for the Oct. 31 game.
The NFL has played games at Wembley for the last three seasons, with more than 80,000 fans at each game.
Posts
