LOCAL

LOCAL
Westminster places two on all-region team
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Two players on the Westminster College men's soccer team earned 2004 Mid-Atlantic All-Region Honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
Senior midfielder Sebastian Driver-Salazar earned first team honors, while freshman defender Stefan Weitzel was tabbed for second team laurels.
REGION
Gund in talksto sell Cavaliers
CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund is in "serious" negotiations to sell the NBA franchise, which has enjoyed a dramatic financial turnaround since the arrival of LeBron James.
Gund, who for the past few years had denied interest in selling the Cavaliers, released a statement Thursday night in which he said he is currently involved in talks with a potential buyer.
"We are engaged in serious negotiations to sell the Cleveland Cavaliers to a new principal owner," Gund said. "A potential buyer is presently verifying information about the Cavaliers. If matters go forward beyond this stage, we will enter into a formal contract subject to NBA approval."
Citing unidentified sources, the New York Daily News reported that the club is on the verge of being sold to Dan Gilbert, a Michigan businessman, for $375 million. Gilbert, chief executive of Livonia, Mich.-based Quicken Loans, previously tried to buy the Milwaukee Brewers.
Pete Franklindead at 76
CLEVELAND -- Pete Franklin, whose career as a radio talk show host in Cleveland, New York and San Francisco spanned decades, died Nov. 23 in California after a long illness, KNBR in San Francisco said on Thursday.
He was 76. It was not immediately clear where in California Franklin died.
Franklin, who used the on-air nickname "The King," worked at WWWE in Cleveland in the 1970s and '80s before heading to New York to join WFAN, according to Ray Davis, program director at WTAM, formerly known as WWWE.
Franklin later worked at KNBR in San Francisco and returned to WWWE briefly in 1998 when the station landed the Cleveland Indians broadcasts, Davis said. Franklin did shows for WWWE from San Diego on nights when the Indians didn't play, Davis said.
NATION
Klitschko and Williams break weight record
LAS VEGAS -- Vitali Klitschko's fight with Danny Williams will be the biggest heavyweight fight ever -- at least in the ring.
Klitschko weighed 250 pounds Thursday to 270 for Williams, breaking the record for combined weight in a heavyweight title fight.
Williams also tied the mark for heaviest title fighter ever, set in 1934 by Primo Carnera, when he outpointed 184-pound Tommy Loughran.
Together, Klitschko and Williams weigh 520 pounds, breaking the old mark of 504 1/2 set by Klitschko and Lennox Lewis when Lewis won on cuts after six rounds in June 2003.
Klitschko defends his WBC heavyweight title Saturday night for the first time since winning it against Corrie Sanders in April. Williams got his chance against Klitschko after stopping Mike Tyson in the fourth round in July.
The weights are not out of line for either fighter. The 6-foot-1 Williams weighed 265 pounds against Tyson and Klitschko, who stands 6-7, weighed 248 against Lewis.
Notre Dame maytalk to Weis
BOSTON -- Count Charlie Weis among the coaching candidates at Notre Dame.
The New England Patriots offensive coordinator could be interviewed by the Irish as soon as early as Friday or Saturday, The Boston Globe reported on its Web site Thursday night.
Baylor on noticefrom NCAA
WACO, Texas -- Baylor received its expected notice of allegations Thursday from the NCAA about infractions in its men's basketball program discovered after the death of player Patrick Dennehy.
"We are pleased to have the formal notice, which initiates the final phase of the NCAA process," said Bill Underwood, a Baylor law professor and member of Baylor's compliance investigation committee. "There is nothing unexpected in the notice of allegations."
In August 2003, former basketball coach Dave Bliss and athletic director Tom Stanton resigned amid revelations that Bliss paid up to $40,000 for two players' tuition, and that staff members did not properly report some athletes' failed drug tests.
The resignations came after former Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson was accused in Dennehy's death in June 2003.
The notice informs the university of the alleged NCAA rules violations that were found during an initial inquiry. It comes after Baylor submitted a self-report of rules violations to the NCAA earlier this year.
Baylor has 90 days to respond to the allegations, but can request additional time.
Underwood said he expects the university to complete the process with a hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions in April.
Vindicator staff/wire reports