Sports briefs for October 24, 2003

Friday, Oct. 24, 2003 | 10:45 a.m.

The president of ESPN and ABC Sports is confident that an agreement can be reached with cable operator Cox Communications to keep carrying the company's sports channels.

"I'm optimistic," George Bodenheimer said during an appearance Thursday at the National Press Club in Washington.

Executives of Cox, which is the leading cable-television provider in the Las Vegas region, have said that the ESPN and Fox Sports channels have become too expensive for the cable operator's basic cable packages.

Cox chief executive Jim Robbins said the cable operator could be forced to make the ESPN and Fox Sports channels premium content because they accounted for 8 percent of Cox's cable viewers and 32 percent of its costs.

"Ripping ESPN out of expanded basic service will only hurt Cox cable customers, not help them," Bodenheimer said.

Cox is the nation's fourth-largest cable operator. The company's contract with Fox Sports expires at the end of the year, and its contract with ESPN runs through the first quarter of 2004.

Nolan Ryan buys team

The Round Rock Express, owned by Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan and his family, announced it will buy the Edmonton Trappers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and move the team to Texas for the 2005 season. The Triple-A club will take the Round Rock Express name and will stay in the Pacific Coast League.

Se Ri Pak makes cut

LPGA star Se Ri Pak, the latest in a series of female golfers to play against the men this season, shot a 2-over-par 74 today and made the cut at 2-over 146 after two rounds of the $250,000 SBS Super Tournament at Yongin, South Korea. Pak was tied for 29th place, six strokes behind leader Cho Hyon-joon.

Bobcats hire Curry

Dell Curry was hired as the director of basketball relations for the expansion Charlotte Bobcats. Curry will be part of the Bobcats' community relations, public relations, sales and marketing efforts and be an adviser and scout.

Wranglers go for two

The Las Vegas Wranglers will try for their second consecutive victory at the Orleans Arena tonight when they play host to the Idaho Steelheads. The Wranglers went 1-1-1 in the ECHL season-opening series last weekend at Idaho.

Price suit thrown out

The remainder of Mike Price's $20 million lawsuit over his firing as Alabama's football coach was thrown out, with a judge in Birmingham, Ala., dismissing claims against the university president.

Rebels advance

UNLV's Henner Nehles and Romain Massaro advanced to the round of 16 in the ITA Mountain Region Championships with second- and third-round victories at UNLV.

Spadafora arrested

Former IBF lightweight champion Paul Spadafora was arrested early today when officers spotted him urinating on a downtown Pittsburgh street. He was charged with public lewdness and intoxication.

UNLV men fall at home

Randy Poggio's two goals gave first-place San Jose State (9-3-2, 4-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) a 2-0 win at UNLV (4-10, 1-2).