Chivas USA gets Guevara
Chivas USA on Monday acquired three-time Major League Soccer all-star and 2004 most valuable player Amado Guevara from the New York Red Bulls.
Guevara, 30, is captain of the Honduran national team and, as an attacking midfielder, has scored 34 goals and assisted on 37 others in 111 MLS regular-season and playoff games during his four years in the league. To get Guevara, Chivas gave up its designated player spot -- in other words, the player clubs can sign outside the salary cap under the so-called Beckham rule -- as well as a third-round pick in January’s MLS draft.
Guevara joined MLS in 2003 after playing for Olimpia and Motagua in Honduras, Real Valladolid in Spain, Tigres UANL and Zacatepec in Mexico and Saprissa in Costa Rica.
Guevara received his U.S. green card in March and therefore does not count against Chivas USA’s foreign player limit.
-- Grahame L. Jones
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Curt Onalfo was hired as coach of the Kansas City Wizards after spending the last four years as an assistant on the U.S. national soccer team.
Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro won the Golden Ball award, the first defender in 10 years selected as Europe’s best player.
Cannavaro, who played for Juventus last season but moved to Real Madrid after helping Italy win the World Cup, got 173 points in France Football magazine’s poll of 52 journalists from around the world. Juventus goalie Gianluigi Buffon was second with 124 points, followed by Arsenal striker Thierry Henry with 121. FC Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho was fourth with 73.
HORSE RACING
Valenzuela injures ribs,
out at least three weeks
Jockey Patrick Valenzuela suffered three broken ribs Sunday at Hollywood Park when he was kicked by Gotta Getcha, the horse he was scheduled to ride in the fifth race. The incident occurred in the walking ring minutes before Valenzuela was to climb aboard the first-time starter.
Valenzuela was taken to nearby Centinela Hospital Medical Center. Jim Pegram, Valenzuela’s agent, told racing.bloodhorse.com that he expected Valenzuela, 44, to be sidelined at least three weeks.
-- Bob Mieszerski
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The California Horse Racing Board granted one-year license renewals to horse racing and wagering network TVG and to advanced deposit wagering providers XpressBet and YouBet.
The board’s decision clears the way for the three to accept bets from California residents in 2007.
The board, which met in Arcadia, also discussed a one-year experiment that would allow TVG to televise races during the Santa Anita winter meeting, which begins Dec. 26.
-- Larry Stewart
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MISCELLANY
Venus Williams
testifies in lawsuit
Tennis star Venus Williams testified during a breach-of-contract case at West Palm Beach, Fla., that her father was never her manager and had no authority to enter her into an agreement for a 2001 “Battle of the Sexes” event.
“My dad was my coach. My dad was my dad. My dad supported me all my life, but he was not my manager,” Williams told jurors.
Promoters Carol Clarke and Keith Rhodes allege that Williams’ father, Richard, committed his daughters to play in the match, and that they failed to live up to the agreement. The promoters are suing Venus and Serena Williams, their father and his company, Richard Williams Tennis & Associates, seeking unspecified damages. Serena Williams was expected to testify today.
Bank of America announced that it has entered into a multiyear agreement with NASCAR, beginning with the 2007 season.
Under the five-year agreement, Bank of America will be NASCAR’s exclusive partner for banking and related financial services and will have the rights in this category to use NASCAR in marketing and advertising promotions through 2011.
A smaller aquatics center is planned for the 2012 Olympics in London in an effort to cut spiraling costs.
The original project had threatened to double its $142.5-million budget.
Former heavyweight champion Greg Page, 48, was hospitalized in Louisville, Ky., because of pneumonia. It is the second time this year that Page, who briefly held the World Boxing Assn. heavyweight title in 1984, has been hospitalized. Page, 48, was listed in stable condition, according to a Jewish Hospital statement.
