Arena deal reported for Penguins to stay

The Pittsburgh Penguins have reached a deal with city, county and state officials on financing for a new arena, Pittsburgh

radio station KDKA reported Monday night.

The station, citing unidentified sources, said the deal is "done" and will be announced before tonight's game against the Buffalo Sabres at Mellon Arena.

A spokesman for Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said he knew nothing of a deal. A spokesman for Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell refused to confirm the deal.

RODDICK ADVANCES Andy Roddick served 18 aces, one clocked at 147 mph, on his way to a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) victory against Olivier Rochus in the third round of the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif.

Julien Benneteau bounced James Blake out of the tournament with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) victory in their third-round match.

Guillermo Cañas, who a day earlier upset Roger Federer to end the Swiss star's winning streak at 41 matches, was ousted 6-4, 6-4 by Carlos Moya.

MARSHALL MAKES MOVE Ron Jirsa is out as the Marshall men's basketball coach after a 13-19 season. Jirsa has coached the men's team the past four seasons. His overall record at Marshall was 43-74.

RAHE HONORED Weber State's Randy Rahe, a former Colorado State assistant who guided the Wildcats to the Big Sky Conference championship in his first season, was named the men's basketball coach of the year in a vote of league coaches.

SEEDS HOLD Ohio State, Kansas, Florida and North Carolina - the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament - held the top four spots in the final Associated Press men's basketball poll.

BLUE DEVILS ON TOP Duke led the final AP women's basketball poll, receiving 46 of 50 first-place votes from a national media panel.

PATRIOTS RETOOL AT RECEIVER Former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Kelley Washington has agreed to a contract with the New England Patriots.

SHARON CHARGED Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Charles Sharon was charged with stealing a handgun that Tampa, Fla., police said was found under the seat of the player's sport utility vehicle during a drug-related search.

SMITH GETS NEW JOB Former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith has been hired by

ESPN as a studio analyst for its NFL pregame coverage.

AVENGERS WIN Sonny Cumbie threw a 9-yard touchdown to Rob Turner to give the Arena Football League's Los Angeles Avengers a 44-37 overtime victory against the Orlando Predators.

IDITAROD STRETCH Lance Mackey maintained his lead in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race but just by minutes.

Mackey was the first musher to arrive in Koyuk, Alaska, taking about a three-hour rest. He and his 13 dogs left Koyuk at 12:13 p.m. ADT (2:13 p.m. MDT), 14 minutes before Paul Gebhardt arrived.

NO INDICTMENTS The investigation that shook cycling ended without indictments when Spanish Judge Antonio Serrano said he could not charge anyone because the nation's new doping law was not in place when the case broke in May.

NICE START French sprinter Jean-Patrick Nazon won the first stage of the Paris-Nice cycling race. David Millar retained the overall lead he had gained Sunday in the race's prologue.

COACH BAN Track coach Remi Korchemny agreed to permanently stay out of elite-level coaching, marking the first time a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency case has led to a coach being banished for doping violations.

The 74-year-old formerly coached sprinters Kelli White and Dwain Chambers, both of whom tested positive for banned substances and subsequently were suspended.

SWIMMER RETIRES Four-time Olympic swimming champion Inge de Bruijn retired, saying there were "no more challenges" left.

TAPIA HOSPITALIZED Five-time world boxing champion Johnny Tapia, 40, was hospitalized in critical condition after an apparent cocaine overdose, the latest episode outside the ring in the Albuquerque fighter's turbulent life.

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