MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Former West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart, who was hailed as Rich Rodriguez’s successor but wound up leaving the school in a messy split, died Monday of what athletic department officials said was an apparent heart attack. He was 59.
Former WVU football
coach Bill Stewart dead at 59
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Former West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart, who was hailed as Rich Rodriguez’s successor but wound up leaving the school in a messy split, died Monday of what athletic department officials said was an apparent heart attack. He was 59.
Stewart’s family notified the university and said Stewart had been out golfing with the longtime friend who hired him as head coach, former athletic director Ed Pastilong. West Virginia spokesman Michael Fragale said he had no further details, and Pastilong couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
The West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association held its annual golf tournament Monday at Stonewall Jackson Resort in Roanoke.
Ryan Crook of Beckley said he was playing in the tournament behind a group that included Stewart and Pastilong. Crook said he saw Stewart collapse on the 16th hole. Members of Crook’s group drove their carts to Stewart’s side, and ambulances were called, Crook said.
Calls to the resort and to tournament organizers weren’t immediately returned.
Manning looks good
in Broncos’ first OTA workout
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — His passes were hitting receivers in stride and right between the numbers, not skipping off the ground or whizzing behind their heads like so many of Tim Tebow’s.
The Denver Broncos got their first real taste of Peyton Manning on Monday with a spirited, fast-paced workout, the four-time MVP’s first full practice in more than 16 months.
Monday also was the first chance for the media to get a look at the progress Manning has made since a series of neck operations sidelined him all of last season and led to his release from the Indianapolis Colts.
And Manning looked great, showing zip and accuracy on his passes, comfort under center, complete command of his offense and no ill effects from the nerve injury that caused weakness in his throwing arm.
Manning became the most prized free agent in NFL history following his release from the Colts after 14 seasons. His signing in Denver led to Tebow’s trade to the New York Jets, despite a thrilling run to the playoffs guided by the younger QB.
Rain washes out day’s
play at Open de Nice
NICE, France — Heavy rain washed out all play at the Open de Nice clay-court tournament on Monday.
Because of the delay, 12 first-round matches are scheduled for today.
On Sunday, only one match was started and it was later stopped in the second set with Belgium’s Xavier Malisse leading 7-5, 1-0 against Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun.
Paszek into 2nd round
of Strasbourg
STRASBOURG, France — Tamira Paszek overcame a second-set blip to beat Alberta Brianti of Italy 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 in the first round of the Strasbourg International on Monday.
The eighth-seeded Austrian player constantly pressured Brianti’s serve but could only convert four of her 15 breakpoint chances and dropped her own serve five times.
French pair Pauline Parmentier and Stephanie Foretz Gacon advanced in straight sets and next play each other. Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei rallied to beat Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1.
Parmentier beat Sabine Lisicki of Germany 6-4, 6-4, and Foretz Gacon downed Britain’s Elena Baltacha 6-4, 6-0.
Nadal beats Djokovic
to win 6th Italian Open
ROME — Rafael Nadal showed he’s still the man to beat on clay, defeating Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-3 Monday in a rain-delayed final to win his record sixth Italian Open and regain the No. 2 ranking.
After losing to Djokovic in seven straight finals — including Rome last year — Nadal has now won two straight against the top-ranked Serb after also capturing the Monte Carlo Masters on clay. Nadal also moved ahead of Roger Federer in the rankings with the French Open starting Sunday.
“I don’t think I played that well. I can do better,” Nadal said. “When you are not serving 100 percent perfect then you are in trouble, because he returns hard. I am trying to play more aggressive, and I am hitting the ball better than last year.”
Djokovic, drained in Monte Carlo after the death of his grandfather, made 41 unforced errors in this match. His double-fault on the last point gave Nadal his 49th career title and his 35th on clay.
Fish and Petkovic pull
out of French Open
PARIS — Tenth-ranked Mardy Fish and women’s No. 16 Andrea Petkovic are among several players who pulled out of the upcoming French Open on Monday.
Fish has not played a match for more than a month, and organizers said the big-serving American has fatigue. Petkovic of Germany has a right ankle problem.
They are being replaced by Canada’s Frank Dancevic and Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.
Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay (knee) and Spain’s Pere Riba (left leg) also pulled out of the men’s tournament and were replaced by Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia and Italy’s Simone Bolelli.
In the women’s draw, Agnes Szavay of Hungary (back), Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova (left foot) and Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky (abdominal) were replaced by Mathilde Johansson of France, Spain’s Laura Pous-Tio and Argentina’s Paula Ormaechea.
Judge refuses to
delay Jerry Sandusky’s trial
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The June child sex-abuse trial of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky will not be delayed, a judge ruled Monday.
The one-sentence order by Judge John Cleland did not explain his reasons, but it means the case will very likely begin with jury selection inside a central Pennsylvania courthouse in barely two weeks.
By wire sources