Overtime

Olympics

Weather disrupts Turin flame lighting

In Ancient Olympia, Greece, the curse of the Winter Olympics struck again, with heavy clouds over the birthplace of the ancient games frustrating efforts Sunday to light the flame for Turin using the sun's rays.

Bad weather also disrupted the ceremony for the Sydney 2000 Summer Games, as well as the past two Winter Olympics - in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Nagano in 1998.

Officials had to make do with a backup flame lit during Saturday's rehearsal beside the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera in this lush, riverside sanctuary in the western Peloponnese. Greek soap opera actress Theodora Siarkou, in the white gown and sandals of an ancient high priestess, lit that backup flame by using a concave mirror to focus the sun's heat on a silver torch.

In a cypress tree-ringed clearing where the heart of modern Olympics founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin is buried, Siarkou handed the flame to the first in a chain of more than 10,500 torchbearers.

The 8,300-mile relay through Greece and Italy - with forays into France, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia - ends at the Turin Olympic Stadium for the Feb. 10 opening ceremony.

The first torchbearer was 19-year-old Greek pole vaulter Costas Filippidis.

College Football

Two Vols assistants canned by Fulmer

In Knoxville, Tenn., Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer fired offensive assistants Jimmy Ray Stephens and Pat Washington after the Volunteers' first losing season since 1988.

Stephens, 51, was the offensive line coach and had been at Tennessee for three years. Washington, 42, was wide receivers coach and had been with the program for 10 years.

"I appreciate everything Jimmy Ray and Pat have done for Tennessee over the years," Fulmer said in a statement. "This was a difficult decision to make, but I feel it is in the best interest for the future of our football program."

The moves come about a month after offensive coordinator Randy Sanders resigned during a season in which the Vols' offense struggled. Tennessee finished the season with a 27-8 win over Kentucky on Saturday to go 5-6.

Fulmer said the next offensive coordinator will select replacements for the two fired coaches.

Former Vols offensive coordinator and Mississippi head coach David Cutcliffe is believed to be the front-runner to take over the team's offense next season.

Skiing

Miller's slip gives Svindal 1st victory

In Lake Louise, Alberta, Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal won the men's season-opening super giant slalom for his first career World Cup victory, taking advantage of a big slip by Bode Miller.

Miller had his second straight disappointing day at the spot where, a year ago, he swept downhill and super-G races for his first career victories in those speed disciplines.

The reigning overall World Cup champion appeared on his way to a repeat in the super-G, leading by .04 at the top interval.

But Miller, who also is the reigning World Cup champion, fell on his right hip and skidded before making a remarkable recovery, bouncing up and getting back into his tuck. The mistake left him in 18th place, though, 1.31 seconds behind Svindal.

The 22-year-old Svindal sped down the men's Olympic course in 1 minute, 26.04 seconds.

Austrian Benjamin Raich, who finished second to Miller in the World Cup overall standings last season, finished second in 1:26.11, and American Daron Rahlves was third in 1:26.12.