8B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY OF BABY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
BIG TEN
Ohio State tailback sentenced to 3.5 years
BY RUSTY MILLER ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBUS, Ohio — His mother crying in the courtroom behind him, Maurice Claret stood before a judge as a common criminal in the town where not so long ago he was a king.
Gone was the glory of having led Ohio State to a national championship as a freshman tailback, along with the can't-miss prospect of an NFL career.
In their place stood a prison term of at least 31/2 years, the product of a plea deal Clarett took Monday as he was about to be tried on allegations that he robbed two people at gunpoint.
"He was up here," Clarett's attorney, Michael Hoague, said minutes later, raising his arm up to eye level. "He got down here," he said, lowering his arm to his waist. "And he's going to be back up here again."
Clarett was sentenced to 7 1/2 years with release from prison possible after 3 1/2 years. He also agreed to serve five years of probation for the robbery outside a bar early on New Year's Day and carrying a concealed weapon.
"It's in a range that will allow him to get his life back together after his release," Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said.
For Clarett, still just 22, the plea
bargain preserved the chance he could one day resurrect a career he had tried to keep going until the night last month that he led police on a highway chase in a sport utility vehicle with four loaded guns. Officers had to spike the tires to stop him and use pepper spray and handcuffs to subdue him when his bulletproof vest stymied their stun guns.
"There are institutions in Ohio that actually have opportunities to work out and train for football and other athletics." Hoague said. "We're hoping he can do that, and stay in shape and be focused on that."
"I'd like to apologize for my behavior, and I accept the time that was given to me," Clarett said in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
After the judge accepted the deal, Clarett looked over at his mother in the first row of the gallery. She sobbed and held his 8-week-old daughter while sitting next to his girlfriend.
A bearded Clarett, wearing handcuffs and jail-issued clothing, remained expressionless throughout the hearing.
As a true freshman, Clarett led Ohio State to the 2002 national championship, scoring the winning touchdown in the second overtime in the title game against Miami.
That was the last time he played for the Buckeyes.
Royals lose 5-2 to Angels in home game Tuesday Kansas City takes third straight last-place finish in American League Central
MLB
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas City Royals right fielder Emil Brown reaches out but can't get a glove on a ball hit by Los Angeles Angels' Howie Kendrick in the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo. Kendrick's double score Tommy Murphy.
Ed Zurga/ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Robb Quinlan and Vladimir Guerrero homered to back rookie Joe Saunders, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 Tuesday as they tried to gain ground in the AL West.
The Angels, who have 11 games left, began the night 6 1/2 games behind division-leading Oakland.
Saunders (6-3) struck out a career-high eight in seven innings, allowing one run and seven hits, and Angels rookie starters improved to 18-5 this season. He escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth when he struck out Emil Brown and Ryan Shealy.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 43rd save in 47 chances.
Kansas City clinched its third straight last place finish in the AL Central, the first time that's happened in the history of the franchise. The Royals (58-93) must win five of their last 11 games to avoid their fourth 100-loss season in five years.
Guerrero put the Angels ahead 2-1 in the sixth, reaching 30 hom-
Jose De La Rosa (3-3) allowed four runs, four hits and four walks in 62-3 innings. The Angels have won 12 of their last 14 games in Kansas City.
the Angels ahead in the second, but Paul Phillips tied the score with a bloop RBI single in the bottom half.
Quinlan's two-out homer put
ers for the third straight season and eighth time overall. Los Angeles added a pair of runs in the eighth when Howie Kendrick hit a two-out RBI double and scored on Mike Napolit's single.
Garret Anderson added a two-out RBI single in the eighth against Ryan Braun.
Angel Berroa singled in a run off Scott Shields in the bottom half.