Muhammad Ali released from the hospital
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has been released from the hospital after being admitted last month with a severe urinary tract infection, a family spokesman said on Wednesday.
Spokesman Bob Gunnell said Ali, who was released on Tuesday night, appreciates the “outpouring of support and continued well wishes” and was looking forward to celebrating his 73rd birthday with family and friends.
The three-time world heavyweight champion was admitted to an undisclosed hospital on Dec. 20 with what had been believed to be a mild case of pneumonia. Doctors, however, later determined Ali was actually suffering from a severe urinary tract infection, Gunnell said.
Ali, nicknamed “The Greatest,” was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease about three years after he retired from boxing in 1981 with a 56-5 record.
Maple Leafs name Horachek interim head coach
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Peter Horachek as interim head coach in hopes that he can breathe new life into what has been a disappointing season, the NHL team said on Wednesday.
Horachek had been serving as the team’s assistant coach since last July and replaces Randy Carlyle, who was fired on Tuesday after spending parts of four seasons behind the Maple Leafs bench.
Horachek takes over a Toronto team that have lost seven of their last nine games and are clinging to the final wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Boston Bruins.
Georgia hires Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator
The Georgia Bulldogs hired veteran NFL assistant coach Brian Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Wednesday.
Georgia head coach Mark Richt announced the hiring of Schottenheimer, who served as offensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams during the last three seasons after holding the same position with the New York Jets from 2006-2011. The Rams finished the regular season ranked 28th in total offense (314.7 yards per game) and 21st in scoring (20.3 points per game).
Schottenheimer also has held positions as quarterbacks coach with the San Diego Chargers (2002-05) and Washington Redskins (2001).
Giants fire two assistant coaches
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin informed defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and cornerbacks coach Peter Giunta that they would not return next season.
The news comes nine days after the Giants finished a disappointing 6-10 season in which the defense was 29th overall in the league.
“No one person is responsible for what happened in this year,” Coughlin said in a statement. The Giants’ defense fell apart no matter what Fewell did.
Perhaps the most disturbing statistic working against Fewell was the Giants were outscored by opponents 230-169 in the second half of games, suggesting that perhaps Fewell was unable to make adjustments.
49ers’ Kaepernick to train with Warner
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick will train with retired two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner this offseason.
The Sacramento Bee reported Kaepernick wants to study with Warner and quarterbacks coach Dennis Gile on film, board work, drills and mental aspects of the game at EXOS in Phoenix, which is where numerous college players prepare for the draft.
Kaepernick, 27, is scheduled to arrive in Phoenix next week and will train at EXOS until the 49ers’ offseason program begins in March.
Warner, 43, is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and MVP of the 2000 Super Bowl with St. Louis. He retired after the 2009 season.