Sports briefs for June 11, 2004

Friday, June 11, 2004 | 10:48 a.m.

Report: Feds met with Jones' ex-husband

Federal investigators met this week with the former husband of Olympic champion Marion Jones, the San Jose Mercury News reported today on its Web site.

The newspaper, quoting two anonymous sources familiar with the situation, said the investigators met with C.J. Hunter, a former shot putter who tested positive for steroids four times in 2000 -- when he was married to Jones.

Representatives for Jones, who won an unprecedented five track medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and has hinted she may try to match that this summer at the Athens Games, declined to comment this morning.

Musgrave earns pole

Ted Musgrave earned his first pole, running a qualifying lap of 180.971 mph, for the NASCAR Truck series O'Reilly 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Robert Huffman and Bill Lester took the next two spots on the grid. Huffman went 180.965 mph, Lester 180.826.

Kobe lawyers lose bid

The judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case on Thursday rejected arguments by the NBA star's attorneys that the state's rape-shield law is unconstitutional.

Defense attorney Hal Haddon had argued that the law, when applied in combination with another law, violated Bryant's right to equal protection under the law.

Armstrong confident

Lance Armstrong knows he's not riding the way he needs to win a sixth consecutive Tour de France. Still, there's three weeks before cycling's premier race and Armstrong is confident he'll be ready.

Armstrong finished an unimpressive fifth Thursday in a time trial in the Dauphine Libere race -- a key mountain test before the Tour de France.

Burress skips workouts

The Pittsburgh Steelers ended their offseason workouts with an unhappy wide receiver. Plaxico Burress finished the sessions in the same place he started them during the team's May 7-9 minicamp: anywhere but Pittsburgh. He skipped every workout for undisclosed reasons, which probably centered around his lack of a contract beyond this season.

Roddick hits 153

Top-seeded Andy Roddick broke his own record for fastest serve today, hitting a 153-mph ace in his 6-3, 6-3 quarterfinal victory against Paradorn Srichaphan at the Queen's Club grass court event in London.

Platform title decided

Laura Wilkinson and Kimiko Soldati were beaten by Sara Hildebrand and Cassandra Cardinell in synchronized 10-meter platform at the U.S. diving trials in St. Peters, Mo.