WEDNESDAY, JULY 16,2003
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 21
FOOTBALL
Chiefs sign latest draft picks; begin training camp this week
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — With three more draft picks signed, the Kansas City Chiefs now have three to go, but only days left before training camp gets under way.
The Chiefs on Monday signed linebacker Kawika Mitchell, offensive lineman Jordan Black and defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson to three-year deals. Five of the Chiefs'eight draft picks are now under contract. Terms of the contracts were not made available by the Chiefs.
The Chiefs are in negotiations with first-round pick Larry Johnson, who led the nation with 2,655 all-purpose yards at Penn State last year. Offensive tackle Brett Williams, the Chiefs' fourth-round selection, and defensive tackle Montique Sharpe, the first of two seventh-round picks, have also yet to sign.
The Chiefs open training camp in River Falls, Wis., on Sunday.
BASKETBALL
Prosecutors gather information in Kobe Bryant sex assault case EAGLE, Colo. (AP) — Prosecutors say
they want more information before deciding whether to charge Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant with sexual assault.
A 19-year-old woman accused Bryant of attacking her June 30 at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in nearby Edwards. Hotel officials have confirmed Bryant stayed there from June 30 through July 2.
Bryant's attorneys, who said he was in Colorado for knee surgery at a Vail clinic, say he's innocent and expects to be exonerated.
Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert released a statement last Thursday saying a decision on whether to charge Bryant will not be announced this week.
CYCLING
Armstrong encounters peril of street protesters in France
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Crashes, fatigue and sweltering heat are the usual perils. Lance Armstrong was presented with a new hazard yesterday at the Tour de France—street protests.
The disruption cost him and other riders precious time, but his overall lead was safe on a day when organizers said temperatures soared to 115 along the 136 mile route.
"It's definitely the hottest Tour that most of us can remember," said Armstrong, who is trying to match Miguel Indurain's record of five straight Tour victories. "We've always had hot days but never so many in a row."
Armstrong was stuck in a pack of riders briefly blocked by demonstrators, and he completed the 10th stage in a group that finished more than 20 minutes behind winner Jakob Piil of Denmark.
Armstrong, riding one day after he skidded off course to avoid a fallen rival, was in 45th place in the ride to this port city.
BASEBALL
Paper names top 15 players of all time from Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Most of the best baseball players who ever put on a Kansas City uniform had nothing to do with the Royals, according to an all-star team put together by The Kansas City Star.
Only three of the 15 named to the newspaper's All-Time Baseball Team were members of the Royals, and all three of them played when Kansas City won the World Series in 1985.
The rest of the team — compiled by the Star and officials at the Negro Leagues
Baseball Museum consists of seven Monarchs, two Athletics, one Cowboy, one Blue and even a Blue Stocking.
AUTORACING
Seat belt manufacturer drops lawsuit about Earnhardt blame
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Safety manufacturer Bill Simpson dropped his lawsuit yesterday alleging NASCAR wrongly blamed his former company's seat belt for the 2001 death of Dale Earnhardt.
The $8.5 million suit was filed last year in Indianapolis and was set to go to trial in September, but Simpson and NASCAR representatives met Monday in Indianapolis and resolved their differences.
"Simpson and NASCAR are happy to announce that they agree that it is in the best interest of racing that they direct their time, energy and resources away from litigation and toward their joint goal of improving safety for professional racing drivers," the two sides said in a statement.
Simpson, the former owner of Simpson Performance Products, has always maintained that he wanted an apology not money for NASCAR putting suspicion on his seat belt for the cause of Earnhardt's death.