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Sports Briefs

■ Football
Eskimos win Grey Cup
Sean Fleming made a 36-yard field goal in the second round of overtime to help the Edmonton Eskimos beat the Montreal Alouettes 38-35 in the 93rd Grey Cup in Vancouver, British Columbia on Sunday. "We persevered. We fought back. I absolutely love these guys," said Eskimos coach Danny Maciocia, the seventh coach in CFL history to win the Grey Cup in his first season. "This is the best football team I've ever been associated with." In only the second overtime game in Grey Cup history, Montreal's Anthony Calvillo threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Dave Stala on the first possession, and Edmonton's Ricky Ray countered with an 11-yarder to Jason Tucker. Ray, selected the MVP, set a Grey Cup record with 35 completions in 45 attempts. He finished with 367 yards and two TDs. "What a game!" Ray said. "This has been an unbelievable year for this team." In the only other Grey Cup decided in overtime, Winnipeg beat Hamilton 21-14 in 1961 in Toronto.

■ Rugby
Kiwis sweep awards
New Zealand received more accolades for a magnificent 2005 when flyhalf Daniel Carter, coach Graham Henry and the All Blacks earned the major prizes as expected at the International Rugby Board awards in Paris on Sunday. Carter, hailed as the world's premier flyhalf, gave what is regarded as one of the world's best-ever performances for his position in the second test against the British and Irish Lions in July at Wellington, where he scored two tries and made nine of 10 goalkicks to help the All Blacks clinch the series with an individual 33-point record haul against the Lions. He broke his leg during a 30-13 win over Australia in August at Sydney, but recovered in time to make this month's successful Grand Slam tour of the British Isles. The All Blacks were easily the year's outstanding team. In winning 11 of 12 tests, they smashed the Lions 3-0, won back the Tri-Nations, retained the Bledisloe Cup from Australia, and became the second All Blacks side in a century to sweep Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland on a single tour.

■ Soccer
Chivas fires Azcargorta
Fan-favorite Chivas of Guadalajara fired Spanish coach Javier Azcargorta on Sunday, a day after his squad fell 3-0 to Toluca and missed the Mexican league playoffs. Chivas general director Juan Jose Frangie said in a statement that Azcargorta would not be back next year because of strategical disagreements. He did not announce a replacement. Depending on translation, Azcargorta's full name is often written as Xavier Azkargorta, but the team's statement modified the spelling. In August, Chivas attracted Azcargorta from Spain after suddenly firing coach Benjamin Galindo, who guided the team to an unspectacular start three games into the Mexican season.

■ Tennis
Hawk-Eye to get trial
Instant replays will be used to help umpires on disputed line calls for the first time at tennis' elite level when Hawk-Eye technology is installed for next month's Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia. The International Tennis Federation has agreed that the technology can be used in this official competition starting Dec. 30 in Perth, using a system that allows players to challenge point-ending line calls, Tennis Australia said Monday. Hawk-Eye uses cameras to track a tennis ball's trajectory to help check disputed line calls.

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