Sabbatical

Landon Donovan 's self-imposed sabbatical from soccer will extend until late March, the Galaxy said Sunday, meaning the U.S. national team's all-time leading scorer will be unavailable for crucial World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico next month. Citing physical and mental exhaustion after a dozen years of top-flight soccer, Donovan, 30, walked away from the game after helping lead the Galaxy to its second consecutive Major League Soccer title on Dec. 1. At the time he said he was strongly considering retirement.

Bob Cooper will take a one-season sabbatical from the Hoover High baseball team next year, citing a need to temporarily escape the rigors of coaching. Assistant Randy Tiffany will coach the team during the hiatus. In 15 seasons under Cooper, Hoover has won three Pacific League and three Foothill League titles, and has made the Southern Section playoffs 11 times. Cooper, 49, who has a career record of 415-219, also coached at Harvard, Elsinore and Lee Vining.

What's the latest baby boomer status symbol? Consider the empty desk calendar. Although their numbers still may be small, there's no question that more and more boomers--as they edge closer to, or pass beyond, 40--are taking sabbaticals, waving goodby to corporate life, 60-hour weeks, and switching temporarily to slower tracks.

What's the latest "baby boomer" status symbol? Consider the empty desk calendar. Although their numbers still may be small, there's no question that more and more boomers--as they edge closer to, or pass beyond, 40--are taking sabbaticals, waving goodby to corporate life, 60-hour weeks, and switching temporarily to slower tracks.

It appeared a case of school property defacement, likely the work of a prankster. Years ago, an assistant coach at Claremont McKenna College came upon an old desk while cleaning out a weight room in the athletic department. The culprit had carved into the wood, the way lovebirds might scrawl a heart into a tree. Except this inscription was curious: it read "I Love This College" and was signed "John Zinda." The assistant reported what he thought was an act of mockery to the football coach.

Spain gave Judge Baltasar Garzon, who is leading high-profile investigations of Islamic militants, permission to take nine months' leave to give classes about terrorism in the U.S. Garzon, who failed to win extradition of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1998, wants to do research and teach at New York University School of Law.

Roger See, in his 14th season as the Fullerton men's basketball coach, said Tuesday he will take a one-year sabbatical starting next fall. Tim Sweeney, an assistant coach in his third season at the school, will replace See. See, who has been head coach or an assistant for the last 27 seasons, said he plans to spent more time with his wife and two daughters as well as be a visiting scholar at Cambridge University in England in the spring of 1996.

There was good news and bad news on the Landon Donovan front Sunday. The good news is that the Galaxy captain, who was strongly considering retirement, will return to training with the two-time defending Major League Soccer champions in late March, ending a self-imposed sabbatical to deal with physical and mental burnout. The bad news is that Donovan's return won't come until after the U.S. national team's crucial World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico next month. Donovan, the national team's all-time leading scorer and arguably the best American player ever, missed the U.S.' first two games this season and the team played listlessly without him, failing to score in a draw with Canada and losing, 2-1, to Honduras in the first match of the final round of qualifying for Brazil 2014.

Golden West women's basketball Coach Dick Stricklin got his 600th career victory Friday as the Rustlers beat Riverside, 68-54, in an Orange Empire Conference game in Huntington Beach. Stricklin then announced he will take a sabbatical next season. Stricklin has a mark of 449-99 and three State titles in 18 seasons with the women's program at Golden West. He had a record of 151-192 in 12 seasons as the men's coach. There was no announcement on Stricklin's replacement.