Belichick to Join Parcells at New England

Bill Belichick was hired by the New England Patriots on Friday as assistant head coach, reuniting the fired Cleveland coach with Bill Parcells.

Parcells and Belichick were assistants with the New York Giants from 1981 to ’82. When Parcells was hired as Giant coach in 1983, he chose Belichick as his defensive coordinator and the two won two Super Bowls together.

“Bill Belichick is one of the most respected defensive coaches in the game today,” Parcells said. “He was an instrumental part of my staff for eight seasons in New York and helped build one of the premier defenses in the league at that time.”

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NFL free agency began with Neil O’Donnell, who led the Pittsburgh Steelers to the AFC championship and Larry Brown, who was the Super Bowl most valuable player for Dallas, available. So were Marcus Allen, one of the game’s greatest running backs, and Art Monk, the holder of several major receiving records.

The bidding wars are expected to be for 49er cornerback Eric Davis and Cardinal cornerback Aeneas Williams, Steeler tackle Leon Searcy, Bear receiver Jeff Graham and Saint receiver Quinn Early.

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The Oakland Raiders re-signed tailback Harvey Williams to a contract he says will allow him to retire with the Raiders. . . . The 49ers extended the contract of safety Tim McDonald through 1999. . . . The St. Louis Rams, who have been after cornerback Maurice Hurst for months, finally signed the former Patriot. . . . Six-time Pro Bowl tackle Gary Zimmerman has signed a one-year $2.4-million contract with the Denver Broncos, ending speculation that the 34-year-old veteran would retire.

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The city council has given Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White three weeks to secure financing for a proposed domed stadium and convention center. If White fails to meet the deadline, several council members said, the agreement with the NFL to restore football in Cleveland may be in jeopardy. To persuade city officials to let Brown owner Art Modell move his team to Baltimore, the NFL pledged up to $48 million to bolster an existing stadium financing package.

Winter Sports

Picabo Street won the downhill portion of the women’s combined at the World Alpine Skiing Championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain, but is expected to falter in Monday’s slalom. The same goes for Americans Megan Gerety, who was fourth, and Hilary Lindh, who was seventh.

The combined is expected to be won by a strong slalom racer such as Austria’s Renate Goetschl or teammate Anita Wachter.

Colette Brand of Switzerland earned her fourth victory of the season as she won an freestyle skiing aerial World Cup competition at La Plagne, France. Sebastian Foucras of France won the men’s event over Eric Bergoust of the United States.

Tennis

Jennifer Capriati, whose tennis comeback was aborted by injury last week, has accepted a wild-card entry to the Faber Grand Prix in Essen, Germany, next week. Capriati, 19, hasn’t played on the women’s tour since November 1994. She announced her comeback at last week’s Paris Open but strained a hip muscle while practicing on the day of the match and withdrew from the tournament.

“My leg feels much better now than it did earlier in the week,” Capriati said. “Hopefully, it will be 100% by next week. I’m looking forward to my first match.”

Julie Halard of France handed Anke Huber her first loss before a final since last November, beating the German, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (10-8), in the quarterfinals of the Paris Open. Top-seeded Iva Majoli of Croatia survived a first-set scare to advance to the semifinals by defeating Nathalie Dechy, a 16-year-old French qualifier, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Jurisprudence

Steffi Graf’s father, taken into custody six months ago to keep him from fleeing a tax evasion investigation, will remain jailed, a court in Karlsruhe, Germany ruled. . . . Warren Moon’s wife testified that the Minnesota Viking quarterback grabbed and choked her during a bedroom fight that began in an argument over credit cards and money. . . . Tommy Barnhardt, formerly a punter for the New Orleans Saints, must pay 17% of his income in child support, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled.

The Western Athletic Conference penalized a Wyoming player and coach and a Texas El Paso player and coach for their participation in an altercation during Thursday night’s basketball game in El Paso.

The WAC office said Wyoming freshman center Derek Washington and UTEP assistant coach Luster Goodwin would be suspended for one-half game and UTEP freshman Sharif Fajardo and Wyoming assistant coach Reggie Rankin must serve one-game suspensions.

Louisville center Samaki Walker violated no NCAA rules by using a car purchased by his father, a university report said. . . . Jesse Pate, Arkansas’ leading scorer, and Sunday Adebayo, the club’s leading rebounder, will be held out of Saturday’s game against Auburn because of eligibility questions.

Miscellany

Douglas County officials decided to cancel the live horse-racing meet at AKsarben, Nebraska’s flagship track. It will be the first time without thoroughbred racing at the track since 1944.

Names in the News

Dirk Koetter, a Boston College assistant, was hired as offensive coordinator at Oregon. . . . Louisiana State guard Randy Livingston, hobbled by recurring injuries to his knees and legs, has withdrawn from school to give full attention to rehabilitation. . . . Al Geiberger shot an even-par 71 on a cold, windy day for a one-stroke lead over Buddy Allin and Calvin Peete in the opening round of the Suncoast Classic senior tournament in Florida. . . . The LPGA Tour has chosen Judy Rankin to be captain of the U.S. Solheim Cup team after JoAnne Carner stepped down because of her husband’s health.