Sports briefs for March 25, 2004

Thursday, March 25, 2004 | 10:48 a.m.

IOC president Jacques Rogge today said he was confident Athens will overcome construction delays and be ready for the start of the Olympics Aug. 13.

"All our experts are saying now there is still enough time to finish everything for the opening ceremony," Rogge said after attending the Olympic flame-lighting in Athens.

The city has been beset by constructions delays so serious that Juan Antonio Samaranch, Rogge's predecessor, warned in 2000 that the Games were in trouble.

Rogge had given the Greek government about two weeks to make major decisions on several stalled Olympic project. That deadline has passed and IOC officials are in Athens to begin two days of talks with the organizers to review progress.

Celebration penalties

The NFL's Competition Committee recommended 15-yard penalties instead of fines against the offending players as a way to curb excessive celebrations. NFL owners will consider the proposal at their spring meetings, which begin Sunday in Palm Beach, Fla.

MLS champs out

The MLS champion San Jose Earthquakes were knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup despite beating LDAlajuelense 1-0 on Brian Mullan's 90th-minute goal. The Earthquakes were eliminated because they lost the first leg of the quarterfinals 3-0 at Costa Rica last week. Alajuelense advanced to a semifinal with CF Monterrey, which beat FAS of El Salvador 4-1 on Wednesday.

Tyson case ends

Charges were dropped today against Samuel Velez and Nextor Alvarez-Ramos, the men accused of threatening Mike Tyson last year after he refused them an autograph. Tyson, who was also charged, made a plea deal last month and did not plan to testify against them. Without that, there was no way to prove he was threatened.

UNLV-BYU switched

UNLV's game at BYU has been switched to Oct. 8 to accommodate a Friday night national telecast on ESPN. This will be UNLV's seventh Friday game, but first on the road.

Furyk has surgery

U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk had surgery in New York to repair cartilage in his left wrist and was expected to miss three months.