Lawyer: Clarett Wants to Play for Ohio State

Suspended Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett wants to play for the Buckeyes next season, even if he wins a lawsuit making him eligible for the NFL draft.

“I know he wants to play with Ohio State next season,” his attorney, Percy Squire, said.

Squire explained Clarett always has wanted to return to the Buckeyes but filed the lawsuit because he did not know whether he would be allowed to play for them again.

“The development of other options by Maurice has been a reaction to the impression that has been given that his return to Ohio State wasn’t welcome,” Squire said.

Ohio State suspended Clarett from the team for the season, but not from school, for accepting improper benefits from a family friend and lying about it to investigators.

Clarett, who helped the Buckeyes win the national championship in 2002, will be allowed to join the team for winter conditioning workouts next week.

But the university does not expect to contact the NCAA about possibly reinstating Clarett until after the spring quarter starts in late March, athletic department spokesman Steve Snapp said.

The decision to let Clarett work out does not change his suspended status, Snapp said.

“There are certain criteria he has to meet before he can return,” he said. “Now that the season is over, I think the plan always was to let him back for these [workouts].”

Clarett filed a federal lawsuit in New York on Sept. 23 challenging the NFL rule that says a player must be out of high school for at least three years before he can be eligible for the draft. Under that rule, the sophomore would have to wait at least one more season before entering the draft.

U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin said she hoped to rule on the case by Feb. 1.

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Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer secretly provided damaging information about Alabama to the NCAA, according to a lawyer for two former Crimson Tide football coaches suing the organization.

Court documents show Fulmer twice called NCAA staffer Rich Johanningmeier, who was looking into alleged wrongdoing at Alabama in 2000, and gave him information implicating the Crimson Tide in rules violations, according to attorney Tommy Gallion.

Gallion, a Montgomery lawyer who represents former Alabama assistants Ronnie Cottrell and Ivy Williams, contends that the NCAA ignored violations at Tennessee in exchange for Fulmer’s help in the case against Alabama.

Auburn President William Walker resigned after enduring criticism for the way he botched a football-coaching search.

Walker, Athletic Director David Housel and two trustees secretly flew to meet with Louisville Coach Bobby Petrino on Nov. 20, two days before Auburn played Alabama.

Neither Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville nor Louisville officials were informed of the trip.

Tennis

Todd Woodbridge won his ATP Tour-record 79th doubles title today, teaming with Jonas Bjorkman for a 7-6 (3), 7-5 victory over Bob and Mike Bryan in the Adidas International at Sydney, Australia.

Woodbridge broke the mark he shared with Tom Okker.

“It’s a pretty special moment for me. I was nervous about today. I played pretty well and I’m happy,” said Woodbridge, who closed the match on serve.

“It couldn’t be a better script for us. I tied the record in Stockholm last year in Jonas’ hometown.

“To pass the record here in my hometown is magnificent.”

Seventh-seeded Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the final after his opponent, eighth-seeded Martin Verkerk, quit during the second set of their match.

Verkerk played only two games after returning to the court following a two-hour rain delay.

He lost the first set, 6-2, before complaining of dizziness and telling officials he was too ill to continue.

Hewitt will face third-seeded Carlos Moya, who defeated Wayne Ferreira, 6-2, 6-1.

In the women’s draw, third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo advanced to the final by beating Francesca Schiavone, 6-3, 7-6 (2), in a rain-delayed match.

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Amy Frazier won the Moorilla International at Hobart, Australia, beating sixth-seeded Shinobu Asagoe, 6-3, 6-3, for her seventh WTA Tour title.

Winter Sports

Renate Goetschl won a World Cup super-giant slalom at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, for her fourth victory of the season, and moved closer to overall standings leader Anja Paerson.

Goetschl was timed in 1 minute 10.59 seconds. Martina Ertl was second, .33 of a second behind. Hilde Gerg finished third, .43 of a second back. The top American was Kirsten Clark of Raymond, Maine, who finished ninth in 1:11.77.

Goetschl moved within 72 points of Paerson, who finished 14th. Paerson has 781 points, followed by Goetschl at 709.

Goetschl was backed by fans from nearby Austria who blew airhorns into the crisp mountain air.

She was skiing with an injured thumb after crashing during a super-giant slalom in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, on Sunday.

Miscellany

U.S. Figure Skating announced it was recommending that a new, computer-based points system be used at the 2005 world championships, a big step toward widespread acceptance of the scoring method.

The federation said the new system should be used on a “probationary” status next year at senior Grand Prix events and championships staged by the International Skating Union.

If the system is successful, U.S. Figure Skating said it would recommend it be used at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy.

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Tickets for the Masters, among the most difficult to get in sports, are increasing 40% this year to $175, Augusta National Golf Club said.

The four-day pass, which cost $125 last year, is the least expensive of golf’s four major tournaments. Tickets to the U.S. Open cost $350, while the British Open charges about $285 and the PGA Championship costs $375.

Passings

Gus Suhr, a first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates who set the National League record of 822 consecutive games played, a streak that ended in 1937 when he attended his mother’s funeral, died in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Thursday. He was 98.

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Duane Sweeney, who served as starter for the Indianapolis 500 from 1980 to 1996, died Thursday at his home in New Berlin, Wis. He was 81.