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New York (AFP) - Retired Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson, the US Air Force Academy’s first woman superintendent, was named Thursday as the NBA’s new senior vice president and head of referee operations, the league announced.

Johnson, a top women’s basketball player for Air Force before her 1981 graduation, will report to league operations president Byron Spruell when she begins work Monday, a day before the NBA’s 72nd season tips off.

“My love for basketball and the opportunity to help shape the direction of a key operational group within the NBA made this position incredibly appealing to me,” Johnson said.

Johnson will lead referee recruitment, training, development and evaluation as well as oversee the NBA Replay Center for video oversight of certain calls and have a key role in the officiating advisory council.

“Michelle has decades of experience successfully leading large, highly professionalized organizations and spurring growth through innovation,” Spruell said.

“With a disciplined, analytical approach to problem solving and a proven track record of building consensus and acting with the utmost integrity, Michelle has the qualities to maximize the effectiveness of our officiating program.”

She replaces Mike Bantom, a 28-year NBA executive who will become a senior advisor on development initiatives with the league after five years in the post.

“Mike has represented the best of the NBA during his nearly 30 years of service,” Spruell said. “His passion and diligence are reflected in the strength of our officiating program.”

Johnson retired in August after four years as the Air Force Academy superintendent in Colorado. She had been the first woman cadet wing commander, first female Rhodes Scholar (1981-83) and first woman inducted into the Air Force Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

“In the military, I always embraced the challenge of using all available resources to design and implement an ambitious agenda,” Johnson said. “I look forward to applying that experience to further elevate the NBA’s officiating program.”

A command pilot with more than 3,600 flight hours, she was the Air Force aide to US Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton from 1992-94. She also spent two years as NATO’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Intelligence (2011-13).

New York (AFP) - Retired NBA legend Michael Jordan has warned that the “superteam” era will create a league with 28 “garbage” clubs that will struggle.

Jordan, who sparked the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s, addressed the topic in an interview with Cigar Aficionado magazine unveiled Thursday on its website.

He also talked about his pal Tiger Woods, a 14-time major champion golfer struggling to return after multiple back operations, and said he himself might not have “survived in this Twitter time.”

Jordan’s toughest talk was on the state of the NBA, where several teams have stockpiled talent to try and dethrone the reigning champion Golden State Warriors, who last season united stars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry to forma dominant squad that claimed a second title in three seasons.

In the past few months, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder have added star talent to their rosters.

“I think it’s going to hurt the overall aspect of the league from a competitive standpoint,” Jordan told the magazine. “You’re going to have one or two teams that are going to be great and another 28 teams that are going to be garbage, or they are going to have a tough time surviving in the business environment.”

Jordan, 54, also said he lacks the patience to be a coach, saying his biggest problem is the focus level of today’s players.

“For me to ask an individual to focus on the game the way I played would, in some ways, be unfair and if he didn’t do it, there’s no telling where my emotions would be,” Jordan told the magazine.

Regarding Woods, whose major total ranks second to the 18 won by Jack Nicklaus, Jordan said the injured star is in a transitional phase perhaps made more difficult by today’s social media.

“I don’t know if I could have survived in this Twitter time where you don’t have the privacy that you would want.”

- Tiger, Jack both great -

Jordan would not be drawn into a comparison of Woods and Nicklaus in the Greatest of All Time debate.

“That’s more for stories and hype,” Jordan told the magazine. “Jack and Tiger never played against each other. They never played with the same equipment.

“I never played against Wilt Chamberlain. I never played against Jerry West. To now say that one is greater than the other is being a little bit unfair.

“How much did each one impact, change or evolve the game? Obviously Jack won more during the time he played. Tiger evolved it to where it crossed a lot of different boundaries, where it’s not just a white guy’s sport – black guys, African-Americans, all minorities play the game.

“He played it at a level to where it generated so much interest financially that it grew the game from a financial standpoint. Now does that constitute him being the greatest? To say he’s any less than Jack, I think, is unfair.”

- Jordan on Rory: ‘Truly amazing’ -

Jordan moved the Nicklaus-Woods win argument to the NBA level, comparing his title total to the record 11 won by former Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell.

“Yeah, Jack has got 18 majors and Tiger has got 14. And that’s how people are judging certain things,” Jordan said. “I won 6 championships. Bill Russell won 11. Does that make Bill Russell better than me? Make me better than him? No because when you try to compare different eras and equate who is better than the other, it’s an unfair parallel, an unfair choice.”

Jordan also praised Northern Ireland star Rory McIlroy, saying he admires him but has yet to play a round with him.

“Very talented. Never played golf with him yet,” Jordan said. “Seen him on the range. We’ve talked. I’m a big fan. For someone that small to generate that much power is truly amazing.”

London (AFP) - Britain’s troubled former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury said Thursday he will return to the ring in April and is looking forward to “three big fights” in 2018.

The 29-year-old has not fought since his shock defeat of Wladimir Klitschko to win the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles in November 2015.

Fury had his licence suspended last October when he admitted he was using cocaine and struggling with depression, and last week said he would not apply for a new one.

But he wrote on Twitter on Thursday that he would “be ready to fight in April 2018 in a great fight”.

He added he would then take part “in the summer in a mega fight” and return again at the “back end” of the year.

Fury, who twice postponed rematches with Klitschko, had hoped to return to the ring earlier this year but that plan was scuppered when his UK Anti-Doping hearing was adjourned in May.

He was at ringside last month when his cousin Hughie Fury came up short in his bid to take the WBO heavyweight title from champion Joseph Parker in Manchester.

Los Angeles (AFP) - The wildfires ravaging Northern California could affect Sunday’s scheduled NFL game between the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers.

“We continue to monitor air quality conditions in the Bay Area and are in close communication with both the Raiders and Chargers, as well as local authorities,” NFL spokesman Michael Signora said on Thursday. “At this point, the game remains scheduled for Sunday in Oakland.”

At least 27 people have died in blazes that have burned 191,437 acres (77,500 hectares), and gusting winds on Thursday were hampering fire-fighting efforts.

A pall of smoke has reached south to Oakland, where the Raiders cut their training short for a second straight day on Thursday because of poor air quality. Some players wore masks under their helmets as they practiced.

The Raiders hold their pre-season training camp in Napa, north of Oakland, one of the areas hit by fire.

“My heart really goes out to the families,” Oakland quarterback Derek Carr said. “When something like that happens and then someone tells you what it really is, you just sit there and think you’re fortunate, you’re blessed.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families that have lost houses, loved ones. That kind of stuff, that’s real life. That’s hard.”

New York (AFP) - World super welterweight champions Erislandy Lara, Jermell Charlo and Jarrett Hurd defend their crowns Saturday in New York in a triple-header pitting American title-holders against elite US challengers.

The battle for bragging rights in the 154-pound weight class at Barclays Center features Charlo (29-0 with 14 knockouts) facing southpaw Erickson Lubin (18-0 with 13 knockouts) in a matchup of unbeatens for the World Boxing Council crown.

Undefeated Hurd, the International Boxing Federation king of the division at 20-0 with 14 knockouts, meets southpaw and former world champion Austin Trout (30-3 with 17 knockouts).

Cuban-born US southpaw Lara, the World Boxing Association champion at 24-2-2 with 14 knockouts, takes on unbeaten 2012 US Olympian Terrell Gausha, 20-0 with nine knockouts.

“This is a display of the top 154-pounders in the world,” Hurd said. “All the fans should expect fireworks.”

It will be the first defense by Hurd, 27, of the vacant title he took by stopping compatriot Tony Harrison in February.

Trout, 32, lost title fights to Lara, Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez and 17 months ago to Charlo’s brother Jermall in his most recent bout – all by decision.

“I’m feeling great,” Hurd said. “I really want to go out here and make a statement and be the first to stop Austin Trout and send him into retirement.”

Hurd, however, has never been past the 10th round.

“You know this man isn’t going to last 12 rounds,” Trout said. “I’m going to drown this kid. We’re taking him into deep waters. This is unchartered territory for him.”

Charlo, 27, makes his second defense of the vacant crown he won by knockout from US Virgin Islander John Jackson in May 2016 and retained by knocking out countryman Charles Hatley in April at the Barclays Center.

“There are so many positive things coming from this fight card,” Charlo said. “It’s going to do a lot for boxing and the 154-pound division.”

Charlo had some trees at his Houston home flattened by Hurricane Harvey last month and he hopes to provide extra inspiration for a city still suffering from the floods brought by the storm.

“It’s so important for me to bring a world title back to Houston,” Charlo said. “It’s not about the world title. Because my city needs it. My family needs it. My son loves it. Therefore, I’ve got my life on the line.”

Lara, 34, has won five fights in a row since a 2014 loss to Alvarez and makes his fifth title defense with an eye toward unification and downing his rival champions later.

“I have to be a smart boxer to win this fight. I’m going to have to show a little bit of everything: show my boxing, and show my power,” Lara said.

“Absolutely I want to unify. That’s what I’m here for – to win all the belts. After this fight, hopefully one of these young guns will step up to the plate and fight me. I will show everybody I’m the best in the 154-pound division and I’m here for a long time.”

And he also calls Houston home.

“It’s very important to bring this world title back to the people of Houston,” he said. “There has been a lot of tragedy in Houston and I hope with this win it brings just a little bit of joy to my fans and people going through a hard time.”

Sydney (AFP) - Boxer Jeff Horn’s stunning upset of Filipino great Manny Pacquiao has earned him one of Australia’s top sporting honours as the most inspirational athlete of the year.

The unheralded 29-year-old stunned the boxing world with a unanimous 12-round decision over Pacquiao in Brisbane on July 2 in a hotly contested result that rattled the Philippines

In recognition, he walked away with ‘The Don’ award at the annual Sport Australia Hall Of Fame dinner in Melbourne on Thursday evening.

Named after cricketer Donald Bradman, prior winners of the prize include swimmer Ian Thorpe, runner Cathy Freeman, cyclist Cadel Evans, hurdler Sally Pearson, golfer Jason Day and last year’s recipient jockey Michelle Payne.

“It is massive,” Horn said, calling it a career highlight.

“I can remember growing up being inspired by previous winners such as Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe.

“To know I am potentially inspiring the future generation of athletes like these guys have done for me is an incredible feeling.”

Horn said he still sometimes found it hard to believe he took down one of the world’s greatest ever fighters, who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions.

“Many days I have thought to myself, did that really happen? It’s been very hectic since the win but recognition and awards like this certainly help,” he said.

Pacquiao pulled out of a planned rematch in Australia later his year, with Horn close to finalising another opponent to defend his World Boxing Organisation welterweight title.

Englishman Gary Corcoran is shaping up as the most likely challenger, with the fight expected to be in Brisbane in December, local reports have said.

Madrid (AFP) - The biggest game of the La Liga season so far is shrouded in political tension as Barcelona visit Atletico Madrid on Saturday in their first trip to the Spanish capital since a Catalan independence referendum marred by violence.

Barca played their last match behind closed doors as the October 1 referendum, deemed illegal by the Spanish government, took place amid chaotic scenes as police seized ballot papers and clashed with voters leaving 92 injured, among nearly 900 who sought medical attention.

“It was one of the worst moments we’ve experienced,” Barca captain Andres Iniesta told Catalunya radio this week. “It was a bit surreal.”

Iniesta, 33, signed a first ever “contract for life” at Barca last week, a day after calling on both sides of the political spectrum to negotiate.

However, deep divisions remain despite Catalonia president Carles Puigdemont’s decision to suspend the effects of a unilateral declaration of independence on Tuesday.

“It has reached a point which isn’t good for anyone,” added Iniesta. “Those in charge have to resolve it.”

Only 250 tickets have been made available to away fans at Atletico’s new 68,000 capacity Wanda Metropolitano.

However, many Atletico fans have taken to social media to encourage supporters not to politicise the match by waving Spanish flags by using the hashtag “our flag is red and white” on Twitter.

- Pique ‘admirable’ -

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has been outspoken in his call for Catalonia’s right to self-determination, although he has never publicly backed independence for the region.

Pique was jeered when playing for Spain in Alicante last week, but he received support for his willingness to speak out from Atletico defender Filipe Luis.

“I am a fan of Pique even if at times I don’t agree with what he says,” the Brazilian told El Mundo.

“He puts himself out there, he doesn’t hide behind his fame to not say what he thinks.

“It is admirable and I wish more footballers were like him.”

Despite a series of distractions, including the loss of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain and calls for Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu to resign on top of the Catalonia crisis, Barca have started La Liga with a perfect record after seven games.

That spectacular form has been thanks to Lionel Messi’s 14 goals in 11 appearances for Barca this season, and the five-time World Player of the Year also rescued Argentina’s floundering World Cup qualifying campaign with a stunning hat-trick against Ecuador on Tuesday to ensure their place in Russia next year.

“Messi is so good he can win La Liga himself with a mediocre team, which isn’t the case,” added Luis.

“Barca have remained at the top for so many years thanks to him.”

Atletico have yet to beat Barca in 11 La Liga meetings since Diego Simeone took charge in 2011.

However, Barca are often vulnerable immediately after an international break with the likes of Messi and Luis Suarez only returning to training in Barcelona on Friday.

“We are coming from the national team and they are an opponent that demands 200 percent from you,” added Iniesta.

“If we are not at the level required, we don’t stand a chance.”

Iniesta is, though, expected to be fit after missing Spain’s final World Cup qualifiers with a hamstring strain.

Real Madrid are seven points adrift of Barca, but can close the gap at the top earlier on Saturday when they travel to Getafe.

However, Real coach Zinedine Zidane will have to cope without the injured Gareth Bale, Keylor Navas, Dani Carvajal and Mateo Kovacic.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Espanyol v Levante (1900)

Saturday

Athletic Bilbao v Sevilla (1100), Getafe v Real Madrid (1415), Alaves v Real Sociedad (1630), Atletico Madrid v Barcelona (1845)

Sunday

Eibar v Deportivo la Coruna (1000), Girona v Villarreal (1415), Malaga v Leganes (1630), Real Betis v Valencia (1845)

Monday

Las Palmas v Celta Vigo (1900)