Soccer

Manchester City officials

apologize to Man U for sign

Manchester City officials apologized to Alex Ferguson after City player Carlos Tevez held up a placard taunting the Manchester United manager Monday.

During City's parade to celebrate winning the English Premier League title, Tevez held a sign with the phrase "R.I.P. Fergie" high over his head as he rode in an open-top bus that traveled by an estimated 100,000 in Manchester.

Tevez, 28, left United to make the rare move across Manchester to City in 2009 after being unhappy at his lack of playing time under Ferguson.

Manchester City officials said in a statement "the creation of the tasteless material is in itself reprehensible and in accepting and brandishing it, Carlos has made a significant error of judgment."

They added City "wishes to express its sincerest apologies to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United Football Club for any offense or distress caused."

Tevez said, "I got carried away in the excitement of the moment and I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to Sir Alex Ferguson, who I admire as a man and a manager."

City won its first title at England's highest level in 44 years. It has three league championships, compared with 19 for Manchester United.

"The history of our club stands us aside," the 70-year-old Ferguson said. "We don't need to worry about that. I think we have a rich history, better than anyone and it'll take them a century to get to our level of history."

Ferguson revealed midfielder Paul Scholes, 37, will play one more season for United.

College basketball

Stewart's roommate

is convicted of murdering her

A jury convicted the roommate of Middle Tennessee player Tina Stewart of second-degree murder in the athlete's stabbing death.

Jurors spent about two hours deliberating before reaching a verdict against 19-year-old Shanterrica Madden in the March 2, 2011, stabbing of Stewart, 21, at an off-campus apartment they shared in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Madden also was convicted of tampering with evidence for trying to hide the knife used in the stabbing.

The 4-foot-11 Madden could face 15 to 60 years in prison for the murder conviction at sentencing, scheduled for July 16. She acknowledged stabbing the 5-7 Stewart but claimed she acted in self-defense. Prosecutors argued for first-degree murder when they said Madden's action was premeditated and intentional after Stewart reported her roommate for smoking marijuana.

"We hope it brings some type of closure for the Stewart family and our basketball team," coach Rick Insell said of the verdict in a statement.

College football

Florida State's Barron mulls

ACC-versus-Big 12 issue

Eric Barron, president of Florida State University, contends moving the athletic program from the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Big 12 would have several drawbacks.

Barron sent an email to those who have asked him about the possibility of the Seminoles switching conferences.

Barron said negotiations between the school and Big 12 officials are not taking place. He makes a strong case for staying in the ACC, where the Seminoles have competed since 1992.

Detmer heads Hall class

Former Brigham Young quarterback Ty Detmer, who won the 1990 Heisman Trophy, has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and will be inducted in December along with 13 other ex-players and three former coaches.

The rest of the class will be revealed Tuesday.

Golf

Woods announces plans

Tiger Woods said he is playing in the Memorial Tournament, which starts May 31 in Dublin, Ohio, and the Greenbrier Classic, which starts July 5 in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

Elsewhere

• Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski indicated this year's London Olympics will be his last Games coaching the U.S. team. Krzyzewski guided the Americans to the gold medal in 2008.

• Hansen, North America's champion 2-year-old male Thoroughbred of 2011, will not race in Saturday's Preakness at Pimlico in Baltimore.

Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another and Derby runner-up Bodemeister are expected to run in the Preakness.

• Spanish cyclist Francisco Ventoso of the Movistar team won the ninth stage of the Giro d'Italia and Canadian Ryder Hesjedal of the Garmin-Barracuda team retained the overall lead.

• Liquigas-Cannondale cyclist Peter Sagan of Slovakia has won both stages of the Tour of California.

Australian Heinrich Haussler of Garmin was runner-up for the second consecutive day.

• The father of light-welterweight boxer Nick Casal said he considers his son lucky to be alive after getting several deep cuts to his head in an attack last weekend in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Calling his son "blessed," Ray Casal said Nick is conscious and recovering at a hospital. Doctor expect him to make a complete recovery, the father said.

Seattle Times news services