LITTLE ROCK — FOOTBALL Saints hire Ryan
New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton has chosen Rob Ryan as his new defensive coordinator, hoping New Orleans can overhaul a unit that was historically bad last season. Ryan, the brother of New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan, spent the past two seasons as Dallas’ defensive coordinator. He was fired after last season, when his defense ranked 19th. Just days after returning from his season-long suspension in connection with the NFL’s investigation of the Saints’ cash-for hits bounty program, Payton fired defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and said he would switch New Orleans’ defensive scheme from a 4-3 alignment (four down linemen, three linebackers) to a 3-4. The Saints yielded 7,042 yards last season, the worst single-season total in NFL history. Ryan has run 3-4 schemes for years. He worked as a linebacker coach in such defenses in New England, where he was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams. He then spent five seasons as defensive coordinator in Oakland (2004-2008), followed by two seasons in Cleveland before moving to Dallas in 2011. Now the 50-yearold Ryan takes his fourth defensive coordinator job since 2004 while becoming Payton’s fourth defensive coordinator since 2006.
BASEBALL Liriano deal complete
The Pittsburgh Pirates have completed a one-year contract with Francisco Liriano that was delayed after the left-hander injured his nonpitching arm over the holidays. Pittsburgh had agreed to a $14 million, two-year contract with Liriano in December, pending a physical. But then Liriano got hurt, putting his status with the Pirates in jeopardy. The 29-year-old Liriano is 53-54 with a 4.40 ERA in seven major league seasons. He went 6-12 with a 5.34 ERA in 2012 while splitting the season between the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox.
TENNIS Americans tie Fed Cup
American Varvara Lepchenko won in her Fed Cup singles debut to lift the U.S. team to a 1-1 tie against Italy on Saturday in Rimini, Italy, after Sara Errani beat Jamie Hampton 6-2, 6-1. Lepchenko rallied past Roberta Vinci 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 after the Italian struggled with a leg cramp in the final set, which featured seven breaks of serve. The doubles today will feature Melanie Oudin and Liezel Huber against Nastassja Burnett and Karin Knapp. Lepchenko will play Errani in reverse singles. Lepchenko, who is originally from Uzbekistan, moved to the U.S. in 2001 and claimed political asylum. She officially became a U.S. citizen in 2011 and was part of the team at the London Olympics.
Top-seeded Marin Cilic will face Jurgen Melzer in the Zagreb (Croatia) Indoors final today. Cilic rallied past defending champion Mikhail Youzhny 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 Saturday, while Melzer defeated Robin Haase 7-6 (2), 6-3.
Richard Gasquet will face Benoit Paire in an all-French final today at the Open Sud de France in Paris. Gasquet defeated Jarkko Nieminen of Finland 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 Saturday, while Paire overcame Michael Llodra 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
SOCCER Sermanni wins debut
Tom Sermanni coached the U.S. women’s soccer team to a 4-1 victory over Scotland on Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla., making the most of two first-half goals by Christen Press. Sermanni was born in Scotland and spent the last eight years as Australia’s coach, He was hired by the U.S. Soccer Federation in October.
HORSE RACING Animal Kingdom beaten at Gulfstream, heading to Dubai
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom finished second in what might have been his final U.S. race, the Grade I $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap on Saturday.
Point of Entry, ridden by John Velazquez, won the 1 1/8-mile race by 1 1/4 lengths over Animal Kingdom, who was ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario. The winning time was 1:47.
In another Grade I race on the card, Graydar, making his fourth career start, went wire to wire with jockey Edgar Prado to win the Grade I $500,000 Donn Handicap, completing 1 1/8 miles on dirt in 1:48.25.
Animal Kingdom, a 5-year-old chestnut colt, is expected to run in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 30 and possibly the Royal Ascot in England in June.
Animal Kingdom is scheduled to stand at stud in September at Australia’s Arrowfield Stud, which recently purchased a majority interest in his breeding rights.
Point of Entry paid $6.20, $2.60 and 2.10. Animal Kingdom paid $2.40 and $2.10.
Animal Kingdom rushed up along the rail to battle leader Salto leaving the backstretch, then gained the advantage midway of the far turn.
Point of Entry took the lead at the eighth pole and held off Animal Kingdom as they raced to the finish line.
“I think Joel was worried the speed was a little slow, so he moved a little early, which cost us the race,” trainer Graham Motion said. “Joel made a split-second decision and I’m not going to second-guess him for it. If he won, he would have been looked like a hero.”
It was Animal Kingdom’s second consecutive runner-up performance. He finished second to Wise Dan in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last November.
“He was beaten by a very good horse, under very awkward circumstances,” said Motion, alluding to Rosario’s early move. “I was a little concerned that maybe he got tired, but actually it looked like he galloped out with the winner.”
In the Donn, Graydar beat Bourbon Courage by 3 lengths with a winning time of 1:48.25.
Graydar paid $13.40, $6.80 and $4.80. Bourbon Courage paid $4.60 and $3.40. Take Charge Indy paid $4.20. The exacta paid $57.00.
Sports, Pages 24 on 02/10/2013