Sports briefs for January 27, 2005

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005 | 9:40 a.m.

Referee admits fixing matches in Germany

A German soccer referee admitted to fixing games and said Thursday he was ready to cooperate with prosecutors to clear up the sport's biggest scandal in the country in more than 30 years.

"The accusations made against me in the public are true," referee Robert Hoyzer said in a statement issued by his lawyer.

The German soccer federation accused Hoyzer of manipulating the outcomes of at least five games in Germany's lower divisions and the German Cup after betting on them. He initially denied the charges.

Ex-prep coach says he got Alabama payoff

A former high school football coach told a federal jury in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday that he got offers of money, a job and free law school for his wife before he accepted a $150,000 payoff to steer his best player to sign with Alabama.

Lynn Lang, the former head coach at Trezevant High School, testified for the second day at the trial of Logan Young, a Memphis millionaire who is on trial on federal bribery and money laundering charges.

Lang is awaiting sentencing on a guilty plea to racketeering conspiracy. He said he took the money to persuade defensive lineman Albert Means to sign with the Crimson Tide in 2000.

In testimony Tuesday in U.S. District Court, Lang said that coaches at two other Southeastern Conference schools, Kentucky and Georgia, gave him money. He also testified that Tennessee, Mississippi, Michigan State and Arkansas offered money for Means but never paid.

Nationals triumph in ECHL all-star game

Two goals by Brent Robinson of Trenton led the National Conference to a 6-2 win against the American Conference in the 2005 ECHL All-Star Game played in front of a sold-out crowd of 6,747 on Wednesday at Reading, Pa. The combined eight goals were the fewest scored in the 13 years of the ECHL All-Star Game, eclipsing the mark of 10 goals set in 1993 andtied in 2003. Idaho goaltender Frank Doyle was named Most Valuable Player of the game after stopping 20 of 21 shots in the second period to pick up thewin. Las Vegas' Dana Lattery had an assist for the winners.