Division II Bball coach fired for racial epithet

Western New Mexico University men's basketball coach Joe Mondragon was fired Monday after players alleged he directed bigoted remarks towards six black players.

Following an 11-poin t loss at Adams State last Monday, players alleged that Mondragon ordered all non-black players off the team bus. According to junior guard David Harris, he proceeded to rant that his six black players were "acting like a bunch of niggers" Mondragon said that his tirade was sparked by a Western New Mexico player who used the slur during the game.

"I do not have a prejudiced bone in my body," said the coach, "I've coached umpteen black kids ... I have tried to work with every one of these kids."

Western New Mexico Athletic Director Scott Woodard said the school dismissed Mondragon based on the findings of faculty athletics representative Roland Shook, who met with the six players shortly after the incident.



Lebron's next game may be in NBA uniform



The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is currently conducting an investigation that could result in high school basketball phenom Lebron James' ouster from Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary Prep.

James, a Sports Illustrated coverboy widely regarded as the country's top amateur basketball player, is taking heat for accepting a Hummer H2 sports utility vehicle.

The SUV, which was reportedly obtained through a bank loan by James' mother Gloria, was shipped from California equipped with three televisions, as well as computer game hookups.

Thanks to James, who scored 25 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in St. Vincent-St. Mary's latest triumph (an 11-point win over Ohio rival Akron Buchtel), the Irish are ranked number one in the nation with wins over perennial powers Oak Hill Academy and Fairfax High (Los Angeles, Calif.). ESPN has also televised two of their games.

If the OHSAA decides to strip James of his amateur status, the 17 year-old would be ineligible for the remainder of the season.



Agassi captures fourth Australian Open title



On Sunday, 32-year-old tennis legend Andre Agassi defeated German Rainer Schuettler 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 en route to his eighth Grand Slam title.

Early in the tournament, Agassi, who became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam singles crown in 31 years, announced that with an Aussie Open win his wife, female tennis great Steffi Graf, would be his mixed doubles partner at the French Open.



Filet of ear anyone? Tyson plans on a June return



On Monday, World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis pulled out of a fight with Ukranian-born challenger Vitali Klitschko scheduled for April.

Reuters reports that Lewis has already signed a contract with HBO to fight former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on June 21. The fate of a Lewis-Tyson rematch depends on Tyson's success next month against Clifford Etienne.

Tyson, whose infamy in the pro sports world is unmatched, was thoroughly dominated by the 37-year-old Lewish in their last matchup. That fight was preceded by a press conference that turned violent when Tyson slapped Lewis over the head and was subsequently tackled by a knife-toting member of Lennox's vast entourage.

Before that first meeting in 2001, Tyson challenged Lewis during a crazed rant in which he promised to devour a number of the champion's internal organs as well as his children (Lewis still has no offspring to speak of). "He's talking about eating my heart, eating my babies," said Lewis at the time. "He's got to eat my right and left hand first."

One can only imagine the antics to come as the summer of 2003 approaches.