Chick hoopsters hit tournaments next week

Chickasha’s varsity basketball teams will host Deer Creek next Tuesday then play in tournaments that weekend.

The girls travel to OKC for the Millwood Falcon Invitational, and the boys will head west to the Harrah Panther Classic.

The Lady Chicks open with the host Lady Falcons at 4 p.m. Dec. 10. The loser will play the loser of the Roosevelt-Boynton game at 12:25 p.m. Dec. 11 and the winners will play at 7 p.m Dec. 11.

The Fightin’ Chicks open with Northeast at 12:25 p.m. Dec 10. The loser will play the loser of the Claremore-Choctaw game at 3:15 p.m. Dec. 11, and the winners play at 6:05 p.m. Dec. 11.

DIRECTIONS: Millwood’s campus is located at 6718 N. Martin Luther King Blvd in OKC. To get to Harrah HS, take I-40 east to Exit 172 (Harrah/Newalla Road) and go north approx. eight miles to town. Take a left onto Harrison Street and follow it south to the campus.



FOOTBALL

Security stepped up

for Fla. football trifecta

MIAMI (AP) — The rollout has begun for stepped-up security measures at Miami's three major postseason football events: the Orange Bowl, Pro Bowl and Super Bowl No. 44.

Law enforcement and security officials were showcasing bomb squad robots, portable X-ray machines and armored SWAT vehicles Thursday at Land Shark Stadium.

The Super Bowl is annually designated as a special security event and is considered a potentially high-value terrorist target.

Officials wanted to emphasize the ability of federal, state and local agencies to cooperate and communicate.

The joint security plan is being put into effect for college football's Orange Bowl on Jan. 5. That's followed by the Jan. 31 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl on Feb. 7.



GM/Prez Ruskell done

running Seattle Seahawks

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Tim Ruskell has resigned as president and general manager of the Seattle Seahawks.

Ruskell announced his resignation Thursday, weeks before his five-year contract with the team ends.

The team's ownership gave Ruskell full authority to shape the franchise soon after he arrived before the 2005 season. Seattle made its only Super Bowl that season.

Since then, he has presided over decisions including failed top draft choices, expensive free-agent busts — and the awkward ouster of popular coach and former GM Mike Holmgren at the end of his contract this past January.

Ruskell brought in his own coach for 2009, Jim Mora. The 4-7 Seahawks are on their way to a second straight season without a playoff berth.



BASEBALL

Ex-Ranger Buechele to manage Frisco team

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Former Texas Rangers infielder Steve Buechele (boo-SHEL') has been hired as manager of Double-A Frisco.

The Rangers on Thursday also announced former Frisco manager Mike Micucci has been promoted to be a roving instructor, as field coordinator.

Buechele made his managerial debut with High-A Bakersfield last season, leading the team to its first playoff appearance in eight years.

Buechele's 11-year major league career began in 1985 and included seven seasons with the Rangers.



BASKETBALL

Ex-NBA player Kirk Snyder ordered back to jail

LEBANON, Ohio (AP) — Southwest Ohio authorities say former NBA player Kirk Snyder has been transferred to a mental health facility after being ordered back to jail for allegedly removing an electronic monitor.

Snyder pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in April to felonious assault and aggravated burglary charges stemming from a home break-in. The 26-year-old was wearing the device while awaiting trial.

Warren County authorities say Snyder is accused of cutting off the device Nov. 23 and was arrested. Authorities would not say why he was transferred Wednesday to the facility.

A message left for Snyder's attorney wasn't immediately returned.

Snyder was the 16th player taken in the 2004 NBA draft. He played for four teams — the Jazz, Hornets, Rockets and Timberwolves — from 2004 through 2008.

Kansas St gives Deb Patterson new contract

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Deb Patterson, the all-time winningest coach in Kansas State history, has agreed to a new five-year contract.

The deal will run through the 2014 season. She is 267-150 in 14 seasons, has won two Big 12 championships and made 11 appearances in the NCAA tournament.

The school said the contract is retroactive to April 15 and will pay Patterson a base salary of $485,000 in the 2009-10 contract year. It will escalate to $525,000, $550,000, $575,000 and $600,000 in succeeding years.

Performance incentives could reward Patterson up to an additional 32 percent of her base salary for each year.

BOXING

Muhammad Ali attends opening of Parkinson's center

PHOENIX (AP) — Muhammad Ali made a rare public appearance when he attended the opening of a newly expanded Phoenix institute that treats Parkinson's disease.

Officials at the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center said Thursday the facility is now the most comprehensive in the nation for the treatment of the brain disorder that causes tremors, slowed movement and muffled speech.

The former heavyweight champ, who lives with his wife Lonnie in the Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley, put one hand on a pair of giant scissors to cut the red ribbon and officially open the expanded center.

He then toured it with Lonnie and his sister-in-law holding his hands, stopping frequently to look at memorable images of himself in large frames along a hallway.

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