Sports briefs for January 11, 2005

Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005 | 11:03 a.m.

Rehired umpires will get back pay

Five umpires' long battle to get back pay from Major League Baseball is over.

The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear an appeal of a lower court ruling, largely ending nearly 5 1/2 years of litigation resulting from the resignation by 22 umpires late in the 1999 season.

Gary Darling, Bill Hohn, Larry Poncino, Larry Vanover and Joe West will receive back pay for September 1999 and the 2000 and 2001 seasons. The five were rehired as part of a partial settlement of their suit in February 2002, a deal that left the issue of back pay to be decided by the courts.

Six of the other umpires have been rehired by baseball. Bruce Dreckman, Sam Holbrook and Paul Nauert gave up their right to back pay when they were rehired in August 2002, and Bob Davidson, Tom Hallion and Ed Hickox will be brought back under an agreement reached last month in which they agreed to drop any claims.

Syracuse hires coach

Texas co-defensive coordinator Greg Robinson was expected to be named the new coach at Syracuse

Paz charge dropped

Former fighter Vinny Pazienza will lose his driver's license, but the charge of resisting arrest was dropped at a hearing in Providence, R.I. Pazienza was arrest Dec. 16 -- his 42nd birthday -- for allegedly swerving on the road and going twice the 30-mph speed limit. Pazienza, who struggled as officers tried to handcuff him that night, on Monday called the incident a misunderstanding.

Kings-Magic trade

The Orlando Magic acquired guard Doug Christie from the Sacramento Kings in a trade for guard Cuttino Mobley. The Kings also received forward Michael Bradley, who is on the injured list with a strained right hamstring.

Union says no

Players rejected the U.S. Soccer Federation's offer to send their labor dispute to arbitration and instead proposed that mediation be used in an effort to get the regulars on the field for next month's World Cup qualifier at Trinidad and Tobago.

Armstrong unsure

Lance Armstrong said he plans to compete in several of the European spring classics this year, but is still uncertain about trying for a seventh consecutive Tour de France title in July.

Cross country titles

Andrew Johnson and Rebecca Dussault won pursuit races in sloppy conditions, the final day of the U.S. Cross Country Championships at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.

Myskina upset

French Open champion Anastasia Myskina was upset by qualifier Peng Shuai 6-1, 6-3 today in the second round of Sydney International in Australia.

Rogge urges Africa

In Nairobi, Kenya, today on his first visit to Africa since his election as IOC president, Jacques Rogge urged African nations to bid for the 2106 Olympics.