Sports briefs
February 7, 2009 at 4:49AM
Vonn disqualified from super-combi Lindsey Vonn began her Friday with Austrian TV cameras trained on her as she left the U.S. team hotel in early light. She then headed to the course as the overwhelming favorite in the super-combi at the world championships.
All was going according to plan in Val d'Isere, France, when Vonn led the downhill portion of the race. Hours later, she was disqualified from the slalom for splitting a gate.
"I've been feeling so great this week that to come down hard like that today is hard to take," the Minnesota native said. "I was really confused for a while and really frustrated. That's the thing with slalom. Anything can happen."
Vonn began her slalom leg with a 1.48-second advantage but made two big errors on the upper section of the course. She appeared to split the gate in an effort to regain time.
Austria's Kathrin Zettel was the surprise winner.
"A pretty disappointing day all in all," said Vonn, who was trying for her fourth victory in a week and will be the favorite in Sunday's downhill.
SWIMMING
Phelps says his suspension is fair Michael Phelps says it's fair for USA Swimming to suspend him for three months, the latest fallout from a photo showing the Olympic great inhaling from a marijuana pipe.
Phelps was back training at his Baltimore pool Friday, a day after his suspension.
"It's not my decision," Phelps said of USA Swimming's punishment. "... It's something that USA Swimming came up with. It's fair. Obviously, for a mistake you should get punished."
AROUND THE HORN
Auto racing: Paul Menard started the first wreck of the 2009 NASCAR season. The polesitter for tonight's exhibition Budweiser Shootout got sideways during practice at Daytona International Speedway and crashed with NASCAR rookie Scott Speed, a former Formula One driver. If team officials can't fix the damage, Menard would have to switch cars and start from the back of the 28-car field.
College football: Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin, 37, was named as the eventual successor to Ralph Friedgen, who has not indicated when he will step aside.
Winter sports: American Erin Hamlin won the women's race at the Luge World Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y. ... Shauna Rohbock of Provo, Utah, won her fourth medal of the bobsled World Cup season, taking gold in British Columbia.
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Their 28-point lead got trimmed to two late, but they held on in a Western Conference finals rematch that missed an injured Luka Doncic after halftime.
