Sex allegations in Pitino extortion case

LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 14 (UPI) -- Rick Pitino's lawyer dismissed a woman's allegations against the Louisville basketball coach as an attempt to deflect blame in her alleged extortion case.

The Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal Tuesday said, according to a prosecutor, Karen Sypher went to the Louisville police sex-crimes unit last week seeking an investigation of Pitino for an alleged offense that was not revealed.

Sypher is the estranged wife of a Louisville team manager who was indicted in May on charges of trying to extort money from Pitino by threatening to go public with criminal allegations.

Pitino's attorney, Steve Pence, released a written statement accusing Sypher of trying "create a defense."

Cavendish wins third Tour de France stage

ISSOUDUN, France, July 14 (UPI) -- Mark Cavendish again held off a sprinting Thor Hushovd and won his third stage of this year's Tour de France, taking Tuesday's 116.7-mile Stage 10.

Cavendish also won the second and third stages, edging Hushovd in the third stage finish as well. The winner finished the relatively flat course from Limoges to Issoudun in 4 hours, 46 minutes, 43 seconds. Fifty-two riders were given the same finishing time.

Hushovd was second, his second runner-up stage finish to go with a Stage 6 victory this year. Tyler Farrar was third.

Overall tour leaders Rinaldo Nocentini, Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong were among the pack finishing in the same time as Cavendish. Nocentini remains six seconds ahead of Contador and eight seconds ahead of Armstrong in the overall standings.

Andreas Kloden and Levi Leipheimer, Astana teammates of Contador and Armstrong, are in fourth and fifth place, respectively, 54 seconds off the pace.

Wednesday's Stage 11 is a 115.2-mile run from Vatan to Saint-Fargeau over a relatively flat course in central France. The Tour de France continues through 21 stages, ending July 26 in Paris.

Blackhawks replace Tallon with Bowman

CHICAGO, July 14 (UPI) -- The Chicago Blackhawks have fired general manager Dale Tallon and replaced him with assistant general manager Stan Bowman, hockey sources said.

Tallon built the Blackhawks into a Stanley Cup contender after being named general manager in 2005.

He came under fire recently, however, for sending qualifying offers to restricted free agents late, causing them to be delivered after the deadline set by the league's collective bargaining agreement, The Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday.

Tallon played for the Hawks from 1973 to 1978 and served as the Hawks' color analyst for broadcasts for 16 years before joining the front office as director of player personnel in 1998.

Bowman has been with the Blackhawks for eight seasons, including the last two as assistant general manager. Bowman's father is the legendary coach Scotty Bowman, a senior adviser to the Blackhawks, the Arlington Heights Daily Herald reported Tuesday.

Panthers linebackers' classic car stolen

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 14 (UPI) -- Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis said someone stole his classic car, which bears his photo and a football on its steering wheel.

Davis told police the 1975 Chevrolet Caprice Classic was stolen early Saturday from his Charlotte, N.C., home in the Providence Plantation community, the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer reported Tuesday.

Davis estimated the value of the car, which contains numerous upgrades including a custom steering wheel and tires, at $136,000.

The vehicle's license plate reads HA73SN.

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