SPORTSLINE
FIRST WORD
It’s going to be a long road and a lot of work. But we are bound and determined for the Champ to make a comeback!!!’’
Brenda Spinks in a statement to USA TODAY confirming her husband, onetime heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks, is suffering from prostate cancer that has spread to his bladder. Spinks, 66, was diagnosed in May and on New Year’s Eve was discharged from a Las Vegas hospital, according to Brenda Spinks, who said the boxer has returned to the couple’s home in
Henderson, Nevada. Spinks, famous for his gaptoothed grin, won the undisputed heavyweight world title in 1978, beating Muhammad Ali by split decision.
LAST WORDS
He definitely should have something named after him. Either if it’s an award, or, I don’t know, a day? During the course of an NBA season, there’s a ‘David Stern Day.’ I don’t know. We can figure it out.”
LeBron James, talking about ways to honor former NBA commissioner David Stern, 77, who died Wednesday.
You don’t live in Cleveland.”
Then-Bengals coach Sam Wyche on the PA system chiding Cincinnati fans for throwing snowballs during a game toward the visiting Seahawks. Wyche, 74, died Thursday, the team confirmed in a statement. “Sam was a wonderful guy,” Bengals president Mike Brown said. “We got to know him as both a player and a coach. As our coach, he had great success and took us to the Super Bowl. He was friends with everyone here, both during his tenure as head coach and afterwards. We not only liked him, we admired him as a man.” Wyche coached the Bengals for eight years, leading the team to Super Bowl XXIII. They lost to the 49ers 20-16 in Miami after Joe Montana led a game-winning drive.