■ Football
Falcons sack Mora
The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Jim Mora on Monday after two disappointing seasons in a row. Mora, 45, compiled a 26-22 regular season record during his three seasons as the Falcons' head coach. "This was an extremely difficult decision for us," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. "We had the highest hopes and aspirations for a long run with Jim as our coach, but we feel this decision is in the best long-term interests of our franchise." Atlanta finished a 7-9 season on Sunday with a 24-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and missed the playoffs after finishing in third place in the NFC South.
■ Basketball
Shaq may be back Jan. 15
Miami's superstar center Shaquille O'Neal is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation from knee surgery and could return for a Jan. 15 clash with his former National Basketball Association team, the Lakers. "He's ahead of schedule," Heat coach Pat Riley said on Monday after the team's practice. "He has been on the bike and the treadmill. He has really worked to be ready and now the test is when he starts to pound up and down the court. But now, we're in the stage of `He's back. Thank you God.'" Miami have lost 15 of 26 games this season without O'Neal, who hurt the knee on Nov. 2.
■ Boxing
US boxer killed
Kemal Kolenovic, a middleweight boxer who emigrated from Montenegro to the US, was killed outside a New York bar when he was struck by a car that drove onto the sidewalk, police and witnesses said. The 28-year-old fighter was pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital, police said. Kolenovic was at a restaurant at 4am on Sunday when several other men got into an argument about their native Eastern Europe. Kolenovic followed the men outside. According to his uncle, Kolenovic was trying to placate the other men. One of the men involved in the quarrel got into a sport-utility vehicle and drove it onto the sidewalk, hitting Kolenovic, witnesses and police said. The driver then fled.
■ Hockey
Swiss win Spengler Cup
Andres Ambuhl assisted on the equalizer and then scored the winner with 11 minutes remaining to give host HC Davos a 3-2 victory over Canada on Sunday and the 80th Spengler Cup title. It was the second straight year the North Americans were denied in the title game and the 14th time Davos has won its home exhibition event, which this year also included Mora IK of Sweden, Russia's Khimik and Germany's Berlin Eisbaeren. Mario Scalzo and Jason Doig staked Canada to a 2-0 lead before Robin Leblanc scored for Davos. Ambuhl set up Eero Somervuori on a power play just over three minutes into the final period to tie the game and then scored the winner to earn man-of-the-match honors.
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