Sports briefs for December 21, 2004

Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2004 | 9:30 a.m.

Pistons fan files suit against the Pacers

A Pistons fan who was charged with trespassing during the brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills filed suit Monday against the Indiana Pacers and players Jermaine O'Neal and Anthony Johnson.

O'Neal and Johnson already face assault and battery charges for allegedly attacking Charles Haddad during the Nov. 19 fight between Pistons fans and Pacers players. The charges carry up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court by Haddad, a 21-year-old Pistons season-ticket holder. Prosecutors charged him with violating an Auburn Hills ordinance barring fans from the court. He could get up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine.

In his suit, Haddad said Indiana's Ron Artest knocked him down while fighting with another fan.

"Before he could get up, and while he was still face-down, (Haddad) was jumped upon by ... Johnson and pounded repeatedly in the back of his neck, head (and) kidneys," the suit said.

Cowboys ranked 3rd

Oklahoma State received its highest ranking in more than 12 years, moving up one spot to No. 3 in the Associated Press college basketball poll while Illinois and Kansas were the top two teams for the third consecutive week. The Cowboys were No. 2 for two weeks in February 1992. In the latest poll, Oklahoma State replaced Georgia Tech, which dropped to ninth following its first loss of the season. LSU remained a unanimous No. 1 in the women's poll.

Koreans argue bid

A meeting to select a South Korean bidder for the 2014 Winter Games was disrupted today when angry residents protested the International Ski Federation's negative review of their town. The Korea Olympic Committee called the meeting to choose between Pyeongchang and Muju as the bidder for the Winter Games. But 110 Muju residents barged into the meeting room, the national news agency Yonhap reported. Muju's Olympic dreams were dealt a blow last week when the FIS said it could not accept "excessive impact to the terrain" to be caused by Muju's planned Olympic ski courses in its Dokyu Mountain.

San Jose State hires AD

San Francisco 49ers executive Tom Bowen was hired as San Jose State's athletic director. Bowen, a 43-year-old Bay Area native, has worked at California, Saint Mary's and De La Salle High School. He replaces Chuck Bell, who resigned Dec. 1 after 1/2 years on the job. Bowen was the 49ers' director of community affairs and the executive director of the 49ers Foundation, overseeing all fund-raising for the club's charities. He joined the 49ers in 2002 after two years as an assistant athletic director at Cal.

Miller extends lead

Canadian Thomas Grandi won his second World Cup giant slalom in three days today, while American Bode Miller extended his lead in the overall standings with a third-place finish in Flachau, Austria. Grandi overtook first-round leader Didier Cuche of Switzerland with a superb second run, finishing in a combined two-leg time of 2 minutes, 15.90 seconds. Grandi, 31, had never won a World Cup race before Sunday in Alta Badia, Italy. His previous best was second in a slalom in Kitzbuehel last season and third in a giant slalom in Park City, Utah, in 1997-98.

Star's killer convicted

A man accused of shooting and killing a University of Nebraska women's soccer star was found guilty of second-degree murder Monday. Lucky Iromuanya, 23, faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 24. A jury convicted Iromuanya of second-degree murder in the death of Jenna Cooper, attempted second-degree murder for injuring student Nolan Jenkins, and two counts of using a firearm to commit a felony.