Overtime

NBA

Sacramento fined for negative images

In New York, the Sacramento Kings were fined $30,000 by the NBA on Monday for showing derogatory images of Detroit on video screens before their home opener against the Pistons.

When the Pistons were introduced Nov. 8, the Arco Arena scoreboard flashed pictures of abandoned buildings, burned-out cars, piles of rubble and other negative images of Detroit. The Pistons won the game 102-88.

The Kings apologized that night and owners Joe and Gavin Maloof bought full-page ads that ran in The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, expressing "great respect for Detroit's long and rich tradition as a landmark American city and the incredibly positive impact the Motor City has made over the course of our country's history."

Major League Baseball

Maddon looks to be Devil Rays manager

In St. Petersburg, Fla., six weeks after beginning their search for a new manager, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays appear to have decided Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon is the right man for the job.

The team did not confirm Maddon's hiring as Lou Piniella's successor. However, the St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune reported in Monday's editions that the team selected Maddon over incumbent Devil Rays bench coach John McLaren.

"I'm very happy, excited, eager, all those things, Maddon told the Times. "It's a great situation and I'm really looking forward to it."

The Devil Rays scheduled a news conference for today. Maddon, 51, would inherit a team with a promising nucleus of young talent that made the job attractive.

Andrew Friedman, Tampa Bay's new executive vice president of baseball operations, interviewed nine candidates and also had discussions with former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine.

The selection of Maddon over McLaren brings yet another fresh face to the Devil Rays, who have undergone a massive overhaul in the front office in the past six weeks. He has been a coach with the Angels for the past 12 seasons, with much of that time spent as manager Mike Scioscia's right-hand man.

Other candidates included Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, former Detroit manager Alan Trammell and Atlanta batting coach Terry Pendleton.

- In Jackson, Miss., former Boston Red Sox pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd surrendered to federal agents in Tupelo to face charges he threatened a former girlfriend.

John G. Raucci, special agent in charge of the FBI in Mississippi, and U.S. Attorney Jim M. Greenlee said in a statement that Boyd allegedly made five telephone calls in which he threatened to harm the ex-girlfriend, who also was his business associate, and possibly her son.

Boyd was indicted by a federal grand jury in Mississippi earlier this month.

The 45-year-old Meridian native, now lives in East Providence, R.I., and plays baseball for the Brockton Rox, an independent minor league team in the Canadian-American League.

If convicted, Boyd could receive up to 25 years in prison, three years' supervised release and up to $250,100 in fines.

- In Los Angeles, Texas Rangers executive John Hart has withdrawn as a candidate for the Los Angeles Dodgers' general manager's job.

The 57-year-old Hart resigned as GM of the Rangers on Oct. 4. He had talked with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt in early November.

Current Dodgers assistant GM Kim Ng and assistant San Francisco Giants GM Ned Colletti are believed to be the leading candidates to succeed Paul DePodesta, fired as general manager of the Dodgers on Oct. 29.

Weight Lifting

Meyers victorious in deadlift event

In Atlantic City, N.J., Hephzibah's Tee "Skinny Man" Meyers won the deadlift portion of the World Natural Powerlifting Federation's World Championships this past weekend.

The 49-year-old lifted 722 pounds to win both the open and over 40 divisions.