Arkansas' McFadden Is Doubtful to Play USC - Los Angeles Times
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Arkansas’ McFadden Is Doubtful to Play USC

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From Times Staff and Wire Reports

Arkansas running back Darren McFadden -- the 2005 Southeastern Conference freshman of the year -- underwent surgery on his toe Saturday morning after an overnight bar fight and is doubtful for the Razorbacks’ season opener against USC.

According to a police report, McFadden was involved in a disturbance at 4:20 a.m. Saturday at a private club in Little Rock. When officers arrived, a fight was taking place in the parking lot while a crowd watched. McFadden told officers he didn’t know the person he was fighting with, the report said.

Arkansas said in a release that McFadden will be sidelined several weeks, and that the first-team All-SEC selection is doubtful for the Razorbacks’ game against the Trojans on Sept. 2 in Fayetteville.

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“We are all disappointed that Darren won’t be able to join us for the start of fall camp,†Coach Houston Nutt said in the release.

“I know that no one is more disappointed with what has happened than Darren. “

The release said McFadden had an open dislocation of his left big toe. He had surgery to repair the capsule surrounding a joint. Also, a small pin was inserted in the joint to stabilize it.

McFadden rushed for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, becoming the seventh freshman in Southeastern Conference history to run for 1,000 yards.

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TENNIS

Clijsters Reaches Stanford Final Again

Top-seeded Kim Clijsters overcame her inconsistencies to defeat Nicole Vaidisova, 7-5, 6-2, to reach her fifth consecutive championship match at the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford.

Clijsters, the world’s No. 2 player coming off her 400th career singles victory in Friday’s quarterfinals against Vera Zvonareva, won her 11th consecutive match in the tournament and is seeking her second straight Bank of the West title and fourth overall. She hasn’t lost in the tournament played on Stanford’s campus since 2002.

Clijsters will face second-seeded Patty Schnyder, a 7-6 (4), 6-1 winner over unseeded Tatiana Golovin to set up the first final between the top two seeded players in two years.

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Ninth-seeded Agustin Calleri defeated fifth-seeded Fernando Verdasco, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, and seventh-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela beat eighth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, to set up an all-Argentine final at the Generali Open in Kitzbuehel, Austria. The matches were delayed for four hours because of to rain.

Fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic upset four-time champion Carlos Moya, 6-1, 7-5, to advance to the final of the Croatia Open at Umag. Hours before beating the fifth-seeded Moya, he completed a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 quarterfinal victory over Jiri Vanek that had been suspended by rain the day before with Djokovic leading, 6-1, 1-2. He will play Stanislas Wawrinka, who defeated eighth-seeded Filippo Volandri, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4

Eighth-seeded Anna Smashnova beat Martina Muller, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals of the Budapest Grand Prix in Hungary, moving a step closer to becoming the first repeat champion in the tournament’s 11-year history. She will play fifth-seeded Lourdes Dominguez Lino, who beat second-seeded Michaella Krajicek, 6-3, 6-4.

The Newport Beach Breakers continued their surprising run in the World TeamTennis playoffs at Palisades Tennis Club in Newport Beach, coming from behind to beat the top-seeded Sacramento Capitals, 19-18, in the semifinals.

The Breakers advanced to today’s 1 p.m. championship match against the Philadelphia Freedoms, who defeated the New York Sportimes, 23-17.

CYCLING

LeMond Urges Landis to Tell Truth

Three-time Tour de France champion Greg LeMond says the doping charges against this year’s winner, Floyd Landis, could be “what cycling has needed for many years†in order to discourage cheating.

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“If he is confirmed positive, I hope he has the courage to tell the truth,†LeMond said in an interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche released on Saturday. “He alone can change the face of the sport today. His example could be a symbol of change.â€

In a veiled reference to seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, long dogged by doping allegations, LeMond added: “I hope that [Landis] won’t do what another American did: Deny, deny, deny.â€

LeMond, who won cycling’s premier event in 1986, 1989 and 1990, urged a mass crackdown on doping, involving all cycling regulatory bodies, governments and health ministries.

MISCELLANY

Knicks Sign Jeffries to Offer Sheet

The New York Knicks signed Washington forward Jared Jeffries to an offer sheet believed to be for about $30 million over five years, according to published reports. Washington will have seven days to match the offer and keep Jeffries, who averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 77 games last season.

Former NBA agent Dwight Manley signed a contract Friday to serve as national manager for the Jockeys’ Guild, under which he will loan the financially troubled organization at least $500,000 and earn a percentage of potential future licensing and marketing revenue.

-- Robyn Norwood

*

Westlake Village Oaks Christian linebacker Casey Matthews, the son of former USC and Cleveland Browns linebacker Clay Matthews, has committed to Oregon. Defensive end Michael Ebbitt, a teammate of Matthews, has committed to Texas A&M.; They are the fifth and sixth players from Oaks Christian to announce their college intentions this summer.

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-- Eric Sondheimer

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