College Athletics
Texas takes its new AD from Arizona State Sun Devils
AUSTIN, Texas – New Texas athletic director Steve Patterson said Thursday he doesn’t intend to “make change just for the sake of making change” at the nation’s wealthiest athletic department, and he didn’t discuss specific Longhorns’ sports during his job interview.
Patterson doesn’t yet have a contract and won’t until at least next week when the university’s board of regents is expected to approve him as the replacement for DeLoss Dodds, who built Texas into one of the most powerful athletic departments in the country over the last 32 years.
Patterson, 55, was hired away from Arizona State, where he had led the Sun Devils’ athletic department for less than two years. Before that, he had executive roles with the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA and the Houston Texans in the NFL. He also earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Texas.
MLB
Chicago makes it official: Renteria is the manager
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs hired Padres bench coach Rick Renteria as their new manager Thursday, bringing in a 51-year-old, first-year skipper they hope will develop their young talent and help establish the long-suffering franchise as a regular postseason contender.
Renteria was given a three-year contract, with club options for 2017 and 2018. Terms were not disclosed.
He has spent the last six seasons in San Diego, the last three as bench coach. Renteria also coached in the Florida Marlins organization and in March managed Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. He replaces Dale Sveum, who was fired after two losing seasons.
The Cubs were 127-197 under Sveum and finished in last place in the National League Central Division for the first time in seven years.
Monfort’s alcohol level was three times above limit
WINDSOR – Police said Colorado Rockies co-owner Charlie Monfort had an alcohol concentration level more than three times the legal limit when he was pulled over for speeding Monday in Windsor.
The Greeley Tribune reported that Monfort submitted to a breath test and recorded a breath alcohol concentration level of 0.284.
According to an arrest affidavit, Monfort first told police that he had two beers and wouldn’t be under the legal limit of 0.08, then admitted to having more than two.
Monfort apologized for his arrest and is scheduled to enter a plea in Weld County court Nov. 19.
Tennis
Djokovic joins Nadal in the ATP Finals’ semifinals
LONDON – Defending champion Novak Djokovic joined top-ranked Rafael Nadal in the ATP World Tour Finals semifinals, overcoming Juan Martin del Potro on Thursday.
Djokovic, undefeated in last year’s finals, improved to 2-0 in Group B with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over the hard-hitting Argentine.
Djokovic beat Roger Federer in his opening match.
Federer made light work of Richard Gasquet for his first round-robin win, beating the Frenchman 6-4, 6-3 to boost his chances of making the semifinals for an 11th time.
Nadal qualified from Group A on Wednesday when he beat Stanislas Wawrinka to clinch the season-ending No. 1 ranking for the third time in his career.
World No. 1 doubles pair Bob and Mike Bryan saved one match point to beat Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Jean-Julien Rojer 7-6 (3), 1-6, 14-12 to get their campaign back on tracks after their opening loss at the finals.
The three-time former champions claimed their first win Thursday after a tense fight of 1 hour and 39 minutes and stayed in contention for a semifinal spot.
The Bryans’ win in Group A sent Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo to the last four after the No. 3 seeds improved to 2-0 with a 6-3, 3-6, 10-2 win over former finalists Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski.
Associated Press
