Chris Smith

Yahoo testimony: An article in Wednesday's Section A about executives testifying on Capitol Hill about Yahoo Inc.'s role in the arrest of a Chinese journalist did not give the first name of a member of Congress who urged Yahoo to settle the case to show that it cared about the families involved. The comment was made by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.).

Chris Smith came to Los Angeles to study writing and acting and break into the entertainment industry, which he did. But it was his work as a teacher that helped put at least two young writers on a path from South Los Angeles to Hollywood success. Smith, 46, died April 21 in San Diego after complications from cancer surgery. Smith, a Seattle native, attended USC's theater school as an undergraduate and went on to sell several screenplays, although none was produced.

After reviewing a sideline-clearing brawl between players from Miami and Florida International, officials from both schools and their conferences on Sunday announced the suspension of 31 players -- 13 from the Hurricanes, and 18 from FIU. Each suspended player must sit out his team's next game for taking part in the ugly melee that marred the teams' Saturday matchup. Miami plays at Duke on Saturday; FIU plays at Alabama on Oct. 28.

When Chris Smith was in college, he read a play by Sam Shepard and noted that the production was sponsored by the Magic Theatre. Twenty years later Smith finds himself in the middle of his second year as the acclaimed artistic director of San Francisco's renowned theater incubator. "In school I had developed this utopian vision of the Magic as a place where writers and plays were born," Smith says. Utopia needs new carpeting.

The Blue Monster's signature hole has teeth again. And they're sharper than ever. Just about everyone struggled on the beefed-up 18th hole in the first round of the Ford Championship at Doral on Thursday. Chris Smith was nine under par after 17 holes, but he closed with a double bogey for a seven-under 65 and a one-shot lead over Joe Durant at Miami. Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen and Scott Verplank were two shots back. Smith, Mickelson and Verplank all found the water on the par-four 18th.

Chris Smith became interested in the subject matter of his latest project, "Home Movie," about 10 years ago. "I went to visit an artist in Georgia named Howard Finster," Smith recalls. "He had a thing called Paradise Garden, and we went to visit his house and were completely taken with the world that he had created." To his wish list of "must-do" films, Smith added "a film about people that have created universes that they [also] live in."

Chris Smith wrapped up two long journeys with a breakthrough victory in the Buick Classic. Smith, 33, playing the last of six consecutive tournaments, won his first PGA Tour title Sunday, shooting a one-under-par 71 for a two-stroke victory. "It's an awesome feeling," said Smith, tears welling in his eyes as he walked off the 18th green. "I've struggled all year. My putter held me in there." Smith had a 12-under 272 total on the Westchester Country Club's West Course. The five-time Buy.

After a generation of spurts and starts, the British film industry is firing on all cylinders. A backlash against Hollywood blockbusters has contributed to successful runs of modestly budgeted British movies such as "Sense and Sensibility," "Trainspotting" and "The Full Monty." Although British talent has always enjoyed Oscar recognition, recent commercial successes have got the new Labor government thinking of ways to expand its movie-making machinery.

Is Chris Smith ill? In a perverse way, maybe we should hope so. What other logical reason can there be for his inconsistent play this season and his horrendous offensive play Wednesday night? The University of Connecticut defeated Boston College in its Big East opener 96-70 little thanks to Smith. Watching Smith flounder, it was hard to believe this was the same player who was MVP of last season's Big East Tournament. Check that. It was impossible to believe.