Sports Briefs

Pro Basketball

Ex-Wildcat Turner signs withCBA's East Kentucky Miners

Former Kentucky point guard Wayne Turner has signed to play for the East Kentucky Miners of the CBA. Coach Kevin Keathley made the announcement Monday in Pike-ville, where the team is located.

The 6-foot-2 Turner played in three consecutive national championship games (1996-98) and won two NCAA titles ('96 and '98) with Kentucky. He holds the NCAA record for games played (151) and is UK's all-time steals leader. He is fourth on UK's career assists list.

Turner, who played in Australia's National Basketball League last season, said he was anxious to play for the Miners.

"This is definitely a good opportunity to get back in Kentucky and play professionally," Turner said. "Kentucky is home for me. I'll always be a Wildcat — and now I'm a Miner."

Keathley said the addition of Turner "is the biggest signing for us as an organization. When you think of Wayne Turner, the first thing that comes to mind is 'winner.' He is a proven leader on the basketball court and is a true lead guard in every sense of the word."

Turner will be the first former Wildcat to play with the Miners, who joined the CBA last season. The Miners' regular season runs from Nov. 16 to March 6.

UK Sports

Volleyball team ranked No. 25

The University of Kentucky volleyball team has a 12-match winning streak and something even more impressive: its first top-25 ranking in 15 years. The American Volleyball Coaches Association poll released Monday ranks the Cats No. 25 in the nation. UK hasn't been ranked since ending the 1993 season at No. 12. UK (15-2, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) is off to its best start in the SEC since going 7-0 in 1988. The Cats can take sole possession of first place with a win Friday at No. 9 Florida.

NBA

Mavericks hire Westphal

Former NBA head coach Paul Westphal was hired as the Dallas Mavericks' executive vice president of basketball operations on Monday. Westphal, a Dallas assistant coach last season, will assist General Manager Donnie Nelson and work in scouting.

Knicks: Center Eddy Curry practiced for the first time this season after he was sidelined last week because of a bacterial infection. Curry said his temperature reached 104 degrees during the week and he needed six IVs during his last trip to the hospital. "The week off hurt him, but if you're sick, you're sick," Coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Horse Racing

Curlin works at Santa Anita

Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin worked an easy half-mile in 52.80 seconds over Santa Anita's synthetic main track Monday, his first timed workout since winning the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup. Curlin is being considered for a defense of his title in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita. "I don't think there was any decision to be made today," trainer Steve Asmussen said. "We're going to show Curlin the patience he deserves, and we're going to do what we think is right." The 4-year-old Curlin has never raced on a synthetic track.

Tour de France

Two more riders fail drug tests

Italian cyclist Leonardo Piepoli twice tested positive for a blood booster during the last Tour de France, officials said Monday, and German cyclist Stefan Schumacher's team suspended him for suspected use of the same substance. The two became the second and third riders to test positive for CERA, an advanced version of the blood booster EPO, during the July Tour. If found guilty of doping, Piepoli would face a two-year ban. Germany's cycling federation said it would move to take action against Schumacher.

Soccer

New World Cup bidding in works

FIFA president Sepp Blatter will propose new World Cup bidding rules that would dash the hopes of the United States to host the 2018 tournament. Blatter said Monday he wants to avoid the World Cup staying in the Americas after Brazil stages it in 2014. He said there were enough strong candidates to organize the world's biggest sports event in 2018 that some countries should be spilled over into the 2022 bidding process. Germany hosted the World Cup two years ago. The competition will go to South Africa in 2010.

Golf

Ballesteros hospitalized

Seve Ballesteros was admitted to a hospital Monday after feeling dizzy and fainting. Ballesteros, 51, the winner of three British Opens and two Masters, was taken to La Paz hospital in Madrid, Spain, after briefly losing consciousness. His condition was stable, and he was undergoing diagnostic tests, the hospital said.

The last word

The Dallas Cowboys are 4-1, but their fans and the local media aren't satisfied with mere victories, defensive tackle Tank Johnson is finding out.

"It sounds so easy: 'Just blow a team out.' But those guys over there ain't playing for free."

"I don't think it's sunk in yet. You just keep building. Granted now it's going to be 101 years of building. Our time will come."

"Some of the demands they ask me to do, I just don't meet. Maybe I have a problem with time or something, I don't know. I haven't been able to quite put my finger on it."