Briefs | WNBA: Sparks coach lauds Parker-Leslie combo

WNBA

Ex-Laker Cooper passes out superlatives: Coach Michael Cooper of the Los Angeles Sparks couldn't help but get a little carried away talking about rookie Candace Parker's arrival and center Lisa Leslie's return.

"This is 'Showtime' at its best," said Cooper, a former defensive ace who helped the Los Angeles Lakers win five NBA titles in the 1980s. "This is Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar], Magic [Johnson] and [James] Worthy all together."

The 6-foot-4 Parker, the top choice in Wednesday's WNBA draft, and 6-5 Leslie met reporters Friday.

Parker, 21, joins the Sparks after leading Tennessee to its second consecutive NCAA championship. Leslie, 35, the league's career scoring and rebounding leader, returns after taking maternity leave last season.

"We're going to get it up and down the court and we're going to let it fly," Cooper said. "We're looking to get back to where we belong, and that's the race for the championship."

Swimming

Five records fall in one day: Swimmers attacked the record book again at the short-course world championships in Manchester, England. Five more world records were set on the third day of the meet, raising the total to nine.

Duje Draganja of Croatia established a new mark in the men's 50-meter freestyle and Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe set a best time in the women's 200 backstroke for her second world record of the meet, as did Ryan Lochte of the United States by taking the men's 200 individual medley.

Felicity Galvez of Australia established a world mark in the women's 50 butterfly, and the U.S. team of Margaret Hoelzer, Jessica Hardy, Rachel Komisarz and Kara Denby set a record in the women's 400 medley relay.

Since Speedo's LZR Racer swimsuit was introduced in February, there also have been 19 long-course world marks set. All but one of them have come with swimmers wearing the LZR.

Emily Silver of Bainbridge Island finished eighth in the 100 free, won by Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands.

College football

Player reportedly showed signs of distress before collapse: Four teammates of Ereck Plancher, 19, a Central Florida player who died last month, say he showed signs of distress before collapsing after an intense workout, The Orlando Sentinel reported.

Briggs suspended: Sophomore cornerback Arnold Briggs has been suspended for violating team policies, Montana State coach Rob Ash said.

Soccer

Fire executive Guppy exits: The Chicago Fire announced John Guppy, president and general manager, has left the Major League Soccer team. In a statement, Fire officials said the sides "agreed to part ways."

Olympics

Congressmen write USOC: Two Democratic congressmen from Michigan, John Dingell and Bart Stupak, want the U.S. Olympic Committee to try to get the International Olympic Committee to reverse its decision to keep women's ski jumping out of the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Skiing

Randall is diagnosed with disorder: American Kikkan Randall, 25, has a disorder that increases the risk of blood clots; the cross-country standout might have to take blood thinners for the rest of her life.

Nicoletta dies in crash: John Nicoletta, 26, of Aspen, Colo., died in an accident at the U.S. World Free Skiing Championships at the Alyeska Resort in Alaska. He went off a steep embankment and fell about 100 feet onto rocks, apparently dying instantly, state troopers told the Anchorage Daily News.

College hockey

Porter is honored: Michigan senior Kevin Porter won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the nation's outstanding player.

Curling

Scotland beats Canada: Scotland rallied in the final two ends to upset Canada 7-6 in the world-championship playoffs in Grand Forks, N.D.

Scotland will play either Canada or Norway in Sunday's final.

Seattle Times news services