European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 24, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 38 stars and stripes saturday March 24 2007 Kentucky Smith off to Minnesota by Jon Krawczynski the associated press Minneapolis with Ken Tucky fans dogging him after an other disappointing finish Tubby Smith is bolting the Bluegrass for Minnesota Smith will be introduced As the 46th coach of the Golden gophers at a noon press conference Fri Day ending a 10year tenure in Lexington that seemed to be near ing an end even before Minnesota contacted Hun the wildcats went 2212 this season and made it to the Mcaa tournament but lost to top seed de Kansas in the second round turning up the heat on the coach of College basketballs winning est program Smith led Kentucky to the nation Al championship in his first season i 1998 but the wildcats Haven been Back to the final four since their longest drought since the Mcaa tournament began the team has lost 10 or More games in a season five times under in the last eight years prompting the demanding fan base to nickname him 10loss Tubby on behalf of the University of Kentucky id like to express sin Cere appreciation to Tubby Smith his family and his staff Ken Tucky athletic director Mitch barn Hart said in a statement we wish him the very Best at the University of Minnesota they Are getting a solid coach and a great person Minnesota was 922 this sea son the most losses in the 111year history of the program and averaged just 606 Points a game its lowest in 56 years former coach Dan Monson was forced to resign seven games into this season with a 118106 record in eight seasons thursday morning Minnesota asked for barn arts permission to talk to Smith said Kentucky basketball spokesman Scott Stricklin Smith never was Able live up to the Standard set by the Man he re placed at Kentucky Rick pit incr became an icon in Lexington leading the wildcats to three final fours including the 1996 National title and the 1997 championship game wildcats fans grew even More restless when Pitino returned to the state of Kentucky leading rival Louisville to the 2005 final four Smith was due a million loyalty Bonus at the end of the sea son and he has received the Bonus Stricklin said he has four years left on his Kentucky con tract and is trading one tenuous situation for another the gophers have plummeted from a program that once was annually competitive in the big ten to a perennial Doormat under Tubby Smith Monson who was handcuffed by severe Mcaa sanctions after a massive academic fraud scandal rocked the school Clem hastens presided Over that period which resulted in the gophers 1997 final four appear Ance being wiped from the books in 10 years at Kentucky Smith won five Sec titles five Sec tournament titles and had a 26383 record he is 387145 in his coach ing career Barnhart said he will immediately Start an exhaustive comprehensive and focused search for the next coach Kentucky holds a special place in College basketball barn Hart said we have the Best facilities and tradition in the sport but most importantly us has a fan base which for decades has committed immense financial and emotional resources into Wildcat basketball in confident we can find the right person to embrace this tradition and Lead Ken Tucky basketball into the future a sports writers will Graves in Louis Ville and Nancy Armour in St Louis contributed to this report new Mexico hires Iowa Alford the associated press Des Moines Iowa Iowa coach Steve Alford told his play ers during a team meeting thurs Day that he is leaving to take Over at new Mexico things came up and this is the decision he had to make senior guard Mike Henderson said Hes going to new Mexico Alford a former Star at Indi Ana had a 152106 record in eight reasons at Iowa he led the Hawk eyes to three Mcaa tournament appearances but Iowa won just one Mcaa tournament game under his leadership last season the Hawk eyes were upset by 14thseeded Northwestern state in the opening round Iowa finished 1714 this season missing out on postseason play athletic director Gary Barta said last week next years team just needed to be better than we were this year coach has a great Opportunity to go somewhere else its a great move on his behalf i know Hes Happy and excited senior guard Adam Haluska said it sounds like the Best move for him and his family right now Iowa players said Alford wanted a new Start after eight seasons in Iowa City Bucks Bogut Villanueva out Milwaukee Milwaukee Bucks Center Andrew Bogut and sports briefs Forward Charlie Villanueva will miss the rest of the season be cause of injuries Bogut missed a game for the first time in his career wednes Day night against the los Angeles clippers because of a sprained left foot the Bucks announced that neither player would return this season Villanueva also a second year player has developed recurrent right shoulder pain that will re quire arthroscopic surgery Mcroberts declares for Aba Durham no Duke for Ward Josh Mcroberts declared himself eligible for the Aba draft thursday several online draft projections have Mcroberts one of two soph Omore team captains for Duke As an Earl to midair Stroud pick the draft is june 28 in new York Mcroberts averaged 13 Points and a Tea leading 79 rebounds for the Blue devils sonics without Allstar Allen Seattle Ray Allens sea son May be headed for an Early conclusion Seattle Allstar guard sat out wednesday night because of continued pain and discomfort from Bone spurs in his left ankle and indicated before the game against Washington that surgery is be coming More of an option surgery to remove the spurs is the Likely solution to Allens pain and that May happen before the season ends Miller agrees to contract Extension with Xavier Cincinnati Xavier mens basketball coach Sean Miller agreed to a contract Extension that runs through the 201516 sea son the school said thursday no further details were re leased the 38yearold took Over the program in 2004 after Thad Malta took the head coaching Job at Ohio state Miller has led the team to two straight 20win sea sons Xavier finished 259 this sea son and won the Atlantic 10 regu la season title Schaub in Carr out Houston David Carr is out As the starting quarterback of the Houston texans the texans acquired Matt Schaub in a Trade with Atlanta on thursday and said for the first time publicly that Carrs five year tenure As the starter is Over Matt is our starting Quarter Back general manager Rick Smith said were trying to help David find another place were trying to Trade him today maybe the next couple of Days Experiment Over sox name Papelbon closer the associated Clearwater a Jonathan Papelbon conversion from Boston red sox closer to starter didst last Long Papelbon is heading Back to the bullpen to fill a major void Al though Hes int doing it because an injury to Mike Timlin left the red sox without a closer i Haven been sleeping Well because theres been that feeling deep Down in my heart that i wanted to close Papelbon said after Philadelphia and Boston played to a 44 tie in 10 innings on thursday Papelbon is coming off a sensational Rookie season i which tie had 35 saves arid an 092 Era the 26yearold right hander was slated to become a starter but the red sox need a reliable closer be cause the 41yearold Timlin has a strained Side muscle and int going to be ready for the season Papelbon talked with manager Terry Francona earlier this week after consulting with his family and Catcher Jason Varitek Hes unique Francona said Hes at the top of the list of relievers in baseball he impacts the game like no other in thrilled we have a Young Guy that feels enthusiastic about doing a Job Papelbon allowed one run and two hits in three innings against Philadelphia Karim Garcias rib single in the seventh off Papelbon tied the game at 4 Julian Tavarez will take Over As Bostons fifth starter behind a staff that includes Curt Schilling Josh Beckett Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield Papelbon opened last season with 20 consecutive saves after taking Over for injured closer Keith Foulke he blew six of his last 21 chances and he was shut Down for the final month with shoulder problems Overall Papelbon Rookie year was one for the Ages Papelbon shoulder injury led the club to switch him Back to the starting rotation because the Rou Tine of having to be prepared to pitch every Day and being in games two or three consecutive have caused some stress this is something i want to do for the rest of my career he said it has nothing to do with Tim Lins health or us not having a closer or my shoulder i broke into the league As a closer they drafted me As a closer in College i Learned to pitch in the bullpen its where my heart is la Russa charged with dui Jupiter Louis cardinals manager Tony la Russa was arrested thursday on a Drunken driving charge after police said they found him asleep in Side his running sport Utility vehicle at a Stop Light the 62yearold la Russa gave two breath samples and had a blood alcohol Content of 0093 per cent Jupiter police said in a state ment Florida Legal driving limit is 008 percent undercover officers saw la Russas Sun partly in an intersection around Midnight and not moving despite two Green lights police said officers knocked on the vehicles window and la Russa did not initially respond the Sun was in drive and run Spring training Ning with la Russas foot on the Brake police said when he eventually woke up the officers asked him to get out of the car la Russa was booked into the Palm Beach county jail on the Misdemeanour count about four hours later according to police and jail records he was released about am after posting Cash Bond said Paul Miller a Palm Beach county sheriffs of fice spokesman Yankees wont extend Arod Tampa Fla the new York Yankees dont intend to offer Alex Rodriguez a contract Exten Sion leaving him the option of opt ing out of his Deal after the season and becoming a free agent Alex has a significant con tract the most significant in base Ball history Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said wednesday he has a decision to make its in his contract its a right Hes earned Rodriguez has four seasons left in the record million 10year agreement he signed with Texas before the 2001 season under the terms of the Deal Rodriguez can terminate it after this season he also can stay for 2008 and have the right to opt out of the final two seasons if the Yan Kees dont boost his salary to million annually if he exercises it Hes a free agent if he Doest Hes not Cashman said wed love to have him stay with us Furcal injures ankle Vero Beach Fla los an Geles dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal injured his left ankle thursday in the first inning of an exhibition game against the Balti More orioles and was taken to a Hospital for rays Corey Patterson opened the game by hitting a Fly Ball to Short Center Furcal and Jason Repko both went for the Ball and after Repko Dove for it Furcal made the catch leaping Over the Center fielder Furcal landed awkwardly and grabbed his ankle we do know that its a sprained left ankle team spokes Man Josh Rawitch said he went to the Hospital and were awaiting an update twins Mauer sidelined Minneapolis Minnesota twins Catcher Joe Mauer has a stress reaction in his left leg the team said thursday the twins described the injury As a precursor to a stress Frac Ture they discovered the injury after Mauer complained of sore Ness in the leg Mauer last seasons american league batting Champion Hurt his left knee in his Rookie season in 2004 Mauer was to be treated with a Bone stimulator and physical ther apy and was to be reevaluated sunday twins spokesman Mike Herman said basically All that we know right now is they caught it Early obviously before it turned into a stress fracture Herman said there shutting him Down until sunday