Sports briefs for March 31, 2004

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 | 9:32 a.m.

Hornung tells Irish: 'Get the black athlete'

Paul Hornung, one of Notre Dame's all-time stars, told a Detroit radio station that his alma mater needed to lower its academic standards "to get the black athlete."

"We're going to have to ease it up a little bit," Hornung told Detroit's WXYT-AM in an interview before the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame banquet. "We can't stay as strict as we are as far as the academic structure is concerned because we've got to get the black athlete."

Neither Hornung nor Notre Dame athletic director John Heisler returned phone calls this morning.

Hornung has previously been critical of the school's academic requirements and how they hinder the football team.

"We open up with Michigan, then go to Michigan State and Purdue," he said Tuesday. "Those are the first three games, you know, and you can't play a schedule like this unless you have the black athlete today."

Rebels falter in ninth

UNLV let a one-run game turn into a runaway in the ninth inning as 12th-ranked UC Irvine scored six times to take home an 11-4 victory.

Stevens won't be back

Jockey Gary Stevens, winner of the Santa Anita Derby a record nine times, isn't expected to ride unbeaten favorite Rock Hard Ten in Saturday's 67th edition of the race. David Flores will get the mount. Stevens left California recently to ride exclusively for trainer Andre Fabre in France.

Williams defense rest

The defense rested today in the Somerville, N.J., manslaughter trial against former NBA star Jayson Williams when he said he would not take the stand in his own defense. Judge Edward Coleman said closing arguments could begin Tuesday.

Gardner OK after crash

U.S. champion and Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner escaped serious injury when he was thrown from his motorcycle after hitting a car at Colorado Springs, Colo. He was treated for abrasions.

Burns wins 500th

New Jersey's Pat Burns became the ninth NHL coach to reach 500 victories when his Devils beat the New York Rangers 5-0.