BASKETBALL Ramsay dies at 89

Jack Ramsay served his country in World War II, coached Portland to the NBA title, was enshrined in the basketball Hall of Fame and became one of the game’s most respected and revered broadcasters. His life was, by any measure, complete. “Our father led the greatest life that one could lead,” the Ramsay family said in a statement released Monday, hours after the man that just about everyone in basketball called “Dr. Jack” died in Naples, Fla., at the age of 89. No cause of death was announced, but Ramsay had fought several forms of cancer for many years and more recently was diagnosed with a marrow syndrome. Ramsay ended his broadcasting career with ESPN last year because of health problems and word came last week that he had been placed into hospice care. “From his coaching tenure to his broadcast work, Dr. Jack left an indelible mark on every facet of our game and on every person he came in contact with, including me,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. Ramsay coached in the NBA for parts of 21 seasons before embarking on a second career as an NBA analyst, eventually working for ESPN. He was diagnosed with melanoma in 2004 and later battled growths and tumors that spread to his legs, lungs and brain, as well as prostate cancer. Ramsay also spent several years late in his life caring for his wife, Jean, who was diagnosed in 2001 with Alzheimer’s disease. She died in 2010. John T. Ramsay was born Feb. 21, 1925, in Philadelphia and enrolled at Saint Joseph’s in 1942, eventually becoming captain of the basketball team for his senior season. He earned a doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania in 1949, which explains the “Dr. Jack” moniker. Ramsay began coaching Saint Joseph’s in 1955. He was wildly successful there, going 234-72 and taking the Hawks to the NCAA Tournament seven times and the Final Four in 1961. He was a founding father of sorts for the growth of the Big 5, the annual Philadelphia basketball series involving Saint Joseph’s, La Salle, Penn, Villanova and Temple. Ramsay became coach of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1968, joined the Buffalo Braves in 1972 and brought his craft to Portland in 1976. With a team featuring Bill Walton, Lionel Hollins and Maurice Lucas, he delivered an NBA championship in his first season, beating the 76ers in six games for the title. He also coached the Indiana Pacers. Ramsay was 864-783 in his NBA career. Ramsay’s funeral is Thursday.

FOOTBALL

Seahawks extend Thomas

Safety Earl Thomas is the latest member of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks to be locked up for the future. Thomas and the Seahawks reached agreement Monday on a $40 million, four-year contract extension with just over $27.7 million guaranteed, according to two people with knowledge of the agreement. They spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because there had been no announcement from the team. The agreement was first reported by NFL.com. Thomas, 24, a two-time first-team All-Pro, could have gone into the 2014 season with free agency on the horizon. Instead, Seattle made sure to keep the most important cog of its defense through the 2018 season. It’s the latest move in a strong offseason for the defending champions. While there were losses in free agency and difficult roster decisions with expensive veterans released, Seattle re-signed defensive end Michael Bennett before free agency began, then locked up Coach Pete Carroll with an extension through 2016. The debate was whether Seattle could get a long-term deal done with either Thomas or cornerback Richard Sherman before either became a free agent after the 2014 season. Thomas’ deal is finished and the Seahawks can turn their attention toward trying to get a deal done with Sherman and solidifying three-fourths of the top secondary in the NFL for years to come. Strong safety Kam Chancellor is already signed through the 2017 season. Thomas was Seattle’s second first-round pick in the 2010 draft, the first with Carroll and General Manager John Schneider leading the franchise. He has 15 career interceptions in the regular season and two more in the playoffs. His new deal expires after the 2018 season.

The Seattle Seahawks have hired former Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland as a consultant for the team through the 2014 draft. Seattle announced the hiring on Monday. Fox Sports reported the move over the weekend. Ireland was the Dolphins’ general manager for six seasons before he left the team in January following a tumultuous 2013 season for Miami, which was rocked by a bullying scandal and a December collapse that cost the team a playoff berth. Ireland, a protege of Bill Parcells, was hired as general manager in 2008, and the Dolphins won the AFC East in his first season. The Seahawks did not say whether Ireland would remain with the franchise following the draft.

The St. Louis Rams have exercised the fifth-year contract option on All-Pro defensive end Robert Quinn, keeping one of the NFL’s top pass rushers in the fold through 2015. Quinn set a franchise record with 19 sacks last season, second most in the NFL. He has 29 1/2 sacks the last two seasons, also the second-highest total in the league in that span. Quinn was a first-round pick in 2011 from North Carolina and was also a first-time Pro Bowl selection last year. As part of the CBA, all first-round draft picks get four-year contracts with a fifth-year option for the team that must be picked up after the player’s third season. The deadline to exercise the option is Saturday.

Former NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar pleaded no contest Monday to a reckless operation charge after blaming knee and ankle surgeries for not performing a field sobriety test during a traffic stop last year. Kosar, 50, had been charged with drunken-driving in September, but he entered a plea to the lesser charge and received a $750 fine and suspended jail sentence. He was pulled over for speeding in suburban Cleveland, and officers said they smelled a strong odor of alcohol.Kosar told an officer he couldn’t perform the standard one-leg stand or walk and turn tests as he had undergone several surgeries on his knees and ankles because of his playing days. Attorney George Simon says they’re pleased with how the case was resolved. A police report said Kosar was driving 74 mph on a 50-mph limit street. According to the report, Kosar had slurred speech and difficulty speaking.

HOCKEY

Treliving new Flames GM

A league official familiar with the deal says the Calgary Flames will name Phoenix Coyotes assistant general manager Brad Treliving as their next general manager. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Flames had yet to make an announcement. He will replace Jay Feaster, who was fired on Dec. 12. Treliving, 44, spent the past seven seasons as an assistant under General Manager Don Maloney. The Flames finished 35-40-7 and were 13th in the Western Conference with 77 points to miss the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

Sports, Pages 18 on 04/29/2014