Sports briefs for December 30, 2004

Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004 | 10:56 a.m.

Phelps gets probation in drunk-driving case

Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months' probation after pleading guilty in a Salisbury, Md., court to drunken driving.

Judge Lloyd O. Whitehead granted Phelps probation before judgment, meaning his record will be expunged if he follows the terms of probation. Phelps pleaded guilty to driving while impaired, and prosecutors dropped charges of driving under the influence, underage drinking and failure to stop at a stop sign.

"I recognize the seriousness of this mistake," Phelps told the judge in a packed courtroom. "I've learned from this mistake and will continue learning from this mistake for the rest of my life."

Phelps, 19, was fined $250, must attend a meeting sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and must give speeches to students at three schools by June 1, advising them about making choices and warning them about the dangers of alcohol.

Whitehead also ordered Phelps to abstain from alcohol and illegal drugs during his probation.

"The past few months have been extremely hard," said Phelps, who was stopped by a state trooper Nov. 4 after running a stop sign near Salisbury University, about 85 miles southeast of Baltimore. "I'm looking forward to getting back into the water and getting back to a normal routine."

Phelps recently moved to Michigan and is scheduled to enroll in January at the University of Michigan, where his longtime coach Bob Bowman is the new men's swimming coach. As a professional, Phelps cannot compete for Michigan.

U.S. juniors lose

The United States was unable to rally from a four-goal deficit and lost 5-3 to Belarus in roundrobin play at the World Junior Championships in Grand Forks, N.D. The U.S. team had won eight consecutive games in the tournament since a loss in the bronze medal game to Finland two years ago.

Super Bowl ads up

Fox television network is charging a record average of $2.4 million for the 30-second commercial slots during its broadcast of the Super Bowl on Feb. 6 and Anheuser-Busch, maker of Budweiser and Bud Lite beer, said it would purchase 10 of the 58 available slots. Fox's ad rate marks a 6.7 percent increase over last year when CBS charged an average of $2.25 million for the Super Bowl's 30-second commercial spots.

Solo record on course

Just past the halfway point in her 25,000-nautical mile voyage, British yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur was nearly two days ahead of the round-the-world solo record pace. She left Ushant, France, in her 75-foot boat on Nov. 28 and passed the halfway point at Cape Leeuwin off Australia's southwest coast on Tuesday. She must get back to Ushant by Feb. 9 to set the record.

Jackson suspended

The New Orleans Hornets suspended Jim Jackson indefinitely for not reporting to the team two days after he was acquired in a trade with the Houston Rockets.