Byline: Seattle Times news services
NBA
Former Spurs forward Bowen retires after 12 seasons: Former San Antonio Spurs forward Bruce Bowen, 38, retired Thursday after 12 seasons and a reputation as one of the league's most menacing defenders, hounding opponents with a tenacity that some players groused was more dirty than dogged.
He called it quits after being waived this summer by Milwaukee, where the Spurs dealt him in a veteran dump-off for swingman Richard Jefferson -- a decision Bowen said he understood.
Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili get most of the glory for bringing three NBA championships to San Antonio this decade. But Bowen gladly did the dirty work, relishing his role as the pesky lockdown defender who covered the other team's best player.
Asked about the likely reaction to his retirement from stars like the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and the Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash, Bowen chuckled, 'I'm sure a lot of people are happy.'
Bowen was named eight times to the NBA's all-defensive team. He finished runner-up three times in defensive player of the year voting.
Bowen acknowledged only one play in which he purposely kicked another player: Ray Allen in a March 2006 game against the Seattle SuperSonics, a scuffle that earned him a $10,000 fine.
'That play, I remember and I regret because of me intentionally doing that,' Bowen said.
Attorney says Nowitzki's ex-fiancee not pregnant: Prison medical records show Dirk Nowitzki's former fiancee is not pregnant, the Dallas Mavericks forward's attorney said.
Cristal Taylor, 38, is serving a four-year prison sentence in Missouri after her May 6 arrest at Nowitzki's Dallas home on a probation violation.
Webster cleared for training camp: Portland Trail Blazers forward Martell Webster from Seattle Prep has been cleared for all basketball-related activities and will be ready when training camp opens later this month.
The 2005 first-round pick missed all but one game last season after fracturing a bone in his left foot during an exhibition game.
Webster started 70 games the season before last and is expected to compete against Nicolas Batum for the starting small forward job.
Laimbeer, Theus join Timberwolves staff: Kurt Rambis, the new Minnesota Timberwolves coach, made it official: former bad-boy rival during their playing days, Bill Laimbeer, will join his staff as an assistant coach.
Also joining the staff is former Sacramento head coach Reggie Theus and former Celtics assistant GM Dave Wohl.
Auto racing
Labonte gets ride for Atlanta: Bobby Labonte is listed on the entry list for this weekend's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Yates Racing said earlier this week that sponsorship issues forced the team to pull Labonte in seven of the final 12 races this season, beginning with Sunday's event at Atlanta.
But Labonte is now listed on the official entry list as the driver for TRG Motorsports' No. 71. It will allow Labonte to continue his streak of 568 consecutive starts, second among active drivers only to Jeff Gordon's 569 starts.
Edwards will race despite broken foot: Carl Edwards will race this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway despite breaking his right foot playing frisbee.
Edwards is on crutches but was cleared to race by doctors from the University of Missouri. He is from Columbia, Mo., and was injured in a hometown game Wednesday night.
Fisichella joins Ferrari, replaces Badoer: Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella left Force India to join Ferrari for the rest of the Formula One season, replacing Luca Badoer.
Soccer
FIFA gives Chelsea one-year transfer ban: Chelsea was banned from signing any new players for a year because it encouraged a teenager to break his contract with a French team and sign with the English power.
The sport's governing body barred Chelsea from taking part in the next two transfer windows -- January 2010 and the next offseason. The next time the Premier League team would be able to sign a new player -- nationally or internationally -- would be January 2011.
Chelsea called the penalty 'without precedent' and 'totally disproportionate' and said it would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Liverpool stadium plans on hold: Liverpool's new stadium will not be built until the global recession ends and credit becomes available to finance the $800 million project.
Rapids' Mastroeni suspended two games: Colorado Rapids midfielder Pablo Mastroeni has been suspended two games and fined $1,250 for endangering the safety of an opponent.
Track and field
Appeals tribunal clears sprinter: Jamaican sprinter Sheri-Ann Brooks has been cleared of doping by an appeals tribunal because her backup sample was tested without her knowledge.
Former Olympian Budd to run in college meet: Former track sensation Zola Budd will take part in South Carolina's cross-country meet in Columbia. Budd is a former world champion and record holder at 5,000 meters. She lives in Myrtle Beach and is an assistant coach for Coastal Carolina.
Cycling
Greipel wins fifth stage of Spanish Vuelta: Germany's Andrei Greipel won a second straight stage at the Spanish Vuelta in Vinaros to take the overall lead. Wenatchee's Tyler Farrar finished fourth in the stage and is fourth in the standings.
Seattle Times news services
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