Sports Briefs

UCLA tailback Foster out with broken hand

LOS ANGELES (AP) - DeShaun Foster, UCLA's leading rusher, will be sidelined 2-6 weeks because of a broken hand.

Foster was injured in the second quarter of the 16th-ranked Bruins' 38-31 victory over Arizona State on Saturday night. He gained 30 yards on nine carries before the injury.

Foster was examined at UCLA Medical Center on yesterday. Doctors determined he did not need surgery. Foster's right hand is in a cast. Foster, a 6-foot-1, 217-pound junior, has rushed for 501 yards on 123 carries and scored six touchdowns in five games.

Sosa wants to remain a Cub for seven more years

CHICAGO (AP) - Sammy Sosa says he wants to hit home runs at Wrigley Field for a long, long time.

Seven more seasons to be precise.

Sosa said he's asking Chicago Cubs president and general manager Andy MacPhail for a six-year contract extension. He won't talk about the money, but it has been widely reported that he's expected to demand at least $16 million per season.

That would push the value of a six-year extension near $100 million.

"I'm looking for six years, no doubt about that," Sosa told the Chicago Tribune. "With the one more year that I have, that's seven years and I know my body can do it. After that I'm going to go home."

Sosa won this year's major league home run title with 50. He's under contract through next season at a salary of $12 million.

A seven-year deal would be unusual for the Cubs. MacPhail prefers shorter-term contracts, in the three-year to four-year range.

Belle compares himself to Jackie Robinson

BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore Orioles outfielder Albert Belle says he knows how Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron must have felt.

In an opinion/editorial page piece published Sunday in The Baltimore Sun, the Orioles slugger compared himself to other notable black players who faced prejudice in their careers.

"I have never received prestigious accolades, been acclaimed as a hard worker, winner, or team player and have received unwarranted treatment that only Jackie Robinson, Curt Flood and Hank Aaron could have experienced," he wrote.

"Yeah, although it's nice to consider football, I made a decision to play baseball many years ago and each day I am blessed for the better," he said.

Belle, 34, who earns $13 million per year, batted .281 this season with 23 homers and 103 RBI. It was

his ninth consecutive season with 100 RBI or more, a record surpassed by only three players in

baseball history.

Showalter, McKeon and Lamont red

PHOENIX (AP) - Buck Showalter was fired yesterday as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks after a disappointing season that saw the team go from division champions to third place.

Showalter, the only manager in the team's history, was hired in November 1995, two years before the Diamondbacks started play and one month after he led the New York Yankees to their first playoff berth in 14 years.

"We think that it's time to move in another direction. Kind of time to work on what we need to do to move on," owner Jerry Colangelo said. "The decision to hire Buck was the right decision five years ago. Five years is an eternity in pro sports for a coach, for a general manager, for a manager," he said. "Buck had five years with us and I owe him a great debt of gratitude."

Showalter was the third manager to be fired yesterday. Cincinnati's Jack McKeon and Pittsburgh's Gene Lamont lost their jobs earlier in the day.

Owens apologizes for 'mistakes' made at Dallas

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Terrell Owens returned to the San Francisco 49ers on yesterday, somewhat chastened by his week-long suspension for his infamous touchdown celebrations in Dallas.

Owens didn't apologize for his flamboyant actions at Texas Stadium on Sept. 24, but for the first time he admitted he made "mistakes."

Coach Steve Mariucci suspended his top receiver for a game and fined him $24,294 after Owens twice caught touchdown passes, ran to midfield and celebrated on the Cowboys' star logo.

"What I did against the Cowboys, it was excessive," Owens said.

"I never really get a chance to sit back and watch from a fan perspective," Owens said. "It was neat to see those guys go to work."

Owens returns to an offense playing at its highest level since Steve Young's career ended with another concussion early last season. Mariucci praised quarterback Jeff Garcia and receivers Jerry Rice, J.J. Stokes and Tai Streets for their performances against Arizona.