Thunder

Geologic change is usually measured in millimeters and takes place over millenniums. But Alaska's Bering Glacier, the largest on the North American continent, is fracturing, retreating and sometimes surging at record speeds.Its skittishness may be a sign that the planet is in for a rough ride.In the past few years, the Bering -- roughly the size of Delaware -- has triggered mammoth floods, carved away hillsides, bulldozed bird colonies and calved icebergs as large as small islands. The cause of all this instability is simple: This enormous glacier is shrinking.

Lawmakers oppose United stadium soccer A Prince George's County Council committee recommended Tuesday that the county oppose legislation that would launch planning for a new stadium for D.C. United. In a 5-0 vote, with two abstentions, the council's General Assembly committee recommended withholding support for a bill that would authorize the Maryland Stadium Authority to study the site and financing methods for the project, slated to cost $180 million to $195 million. Though all nine council members also are members of the committee, Council Chairman Marilynn Bland said that the action does not reflect the council's final position on the legislation.

Opponent: Rochester KnighthawksSite: Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, N.Y.Time: 7: 35Radio: WCBM (680 AM)Outlook: Losing three of its last four games, the Thunder (6-3) has slid into a tie with Rochester (6-3) for first in the National Lacrosse League. Despite the skid, the Thunder can clinch a playoff spot with a victory tonight. The Knighthawks are the NLL's hottest team, winning four straight, including a 17-11 victory at Buffalo.Pub Date: 3/27/99

As anyone who knows cliches knows, it's awfully tough to beat a team three times during a season.The abbreviated National Lacrosse League playoffs begin this weekend -- Philadelphia plays in Toronto tonight and the Thunder plays host to the Rochester Nighthawks tomorrow (7: 30 p.m.) -- and that's the situation the home forces face.The Thunder slugged Rochester, 20-13, to open the season at the Baltimore Arena on Jan. 2 and repeated over the Hawks, 14-11, a couple of weeks ago on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Trying to stop the Thunder man-to-man can prove rough at times. But give the Thunder an added advantage and prepare to take cover.Scoring eight times on power plays, the Thunder made an excellent first impression this season, pounding the Rochester Knighthawks, 20-13, before 4,123 at the Baltimore Arena last night.The Thunder (1-0), the National Lacrosse League runner-up last season, outshot Rochester, 65-43, and found its offensive niche late with eight fourth-quarter goals. The Knighthawks (0-2)

Although Toronto was a late arrival last night, the Thunder made certain it was an early exit for the Rock.Blindsiding Toronto with an 8-2 run, the Thunder built an eight-goal lead early in the third quarter and coasted to a 21-10 win over the Rock before 5,738 at the Baltimore Arena.Toronto, making its National Lacrosse League debut, never seemed to be in sync after arriving only an hour before game time because of fog at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.Gary Gait registered another one-man assault with a personal-best 10 goals and four assists.

The Thunder is bolting to Pittsburgh with more of a whimper than a boom.Baltimore's professional indoor lacrosse team, which has played here since 1987, is moving 220 miles northwest because of apathetic fan support and an inadequate arena, club general manager Jim Ulman announced yesterday. Baltimore and Philadelphia are the only two cities in the country to have had indoor lacrosse teams for the past 13 years.The National Lacrosse League team failed this decade to restore the once-rabid following here, playing before a half-empty Baltimore Arena most nights.

TORONTO -- Take the two best teams in the National Lacrosse League, put home-field advantage through the postseason on the line, mix in a nearly full house at storied Maple Leaf Gardens, and you'd have every right to expect a feverish matchup played at playoff-intense boil.Which is what the 13,230 paying customers, plus a Canada-wide television audience got in last night's Thunder-Toronto Rock hookup.Toronto's Colin Doyle thrilled them all with his game-winner with just 7 seconds remaining, giving the Rock a 16-15 victory.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Defense and Gary Gait gave the Thunder a 14-11 victory over the Rochester Knighthawks last night at Blue Cross Arena, keeping it tied for first place in the National Lacrosse League."

Kip Fulks got a step on the field with the score tied and the Thunder and Philadelphia Wings battling before 10,125 delirious fans last night when he got a lead pass from Rod Tapp.A shot and a goal, and the Thunder had a sensational 18-17 victory to run its record to 5-0 while handing the defending league champion Wings their fourth straight defeat. For better and worse, both are franchise records.Chris Sanderson, who had a strong second half in goal for the victors, had just made a stop and pushed the ball ahead to Tapp when Fulks got free.

The weather seemed heaven-, or Hollywood-, sent: threatening skies spitting light rain. The surroundings seemed too perfect as well: campers playing tennis and basketball at Howard County's Centennial Park. The only thing missing at Wednesday's announcement of the county's participation in a National Weather Service campaign on how thunder is "nature's early warning system" for the dangers of an impending lightning strike were a few loud claps of thunder. "When it comes to thunder, it used to be a judgment call, somebody's mom or dad calling them in," said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman.

Lawmakers oppose United stadium soccer A Prince George's County Council committee recommended Tuesday that the county oppose legislation that would launch planning for a new stadium for D.C. United. In a 5-0 vote, with two abstentions, the council's General Assembly committee recommended withholding support for a bill that would authorize the Maryland Stadium Authority to study the site and financing methods for the project, slated to cost $180 million to $195 million. Though all nine council members also are members of the committee, Council Chairman Marilynn Bland said that the action does not reflect the council's final position on the legislation.

Leitao resigns as Virginia coach col. bask. Dave Leitao resigned yesterday as the Virginia men's basketball coach after the team's worst season in decades. Leitao will be paid about $2.1 million, athletic director Craig Littlepage said. Virginia finished 10-18 this season, 11th in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It was the Cavaliers' worst record since they went 9-17 in 1967-68. Leitao won the ACC Coach of the Year award in 2007, when Virginia shared first place in the conference with North Carolina.

1 This is it: This has to be a win, right? The Wizards host the NBA's only team with a worse record, the Thunder (7 p.m., Comcast SportsNet). 2 Under the hood: If it's cold at the Meineke Car Care Bowl (North Carolina-West Virginia, 1 p.m., ESPN), do you wear a muffler? 3 Difference is U: And if you cost your team the game in the Champs Sports Bowl (Florida State- Wisconsin, 4:30 p.m., ESPN), does that make you the Champs chump? 4 Spicy game: One more: When you make a big hit in the Emerald Bowl (California-Miami, 8 p.m., ESPN)

Emeka Okafor had 29 points and 18 rebounds, and the host Charlotte Bobcats (10-19) pulled away in the fourth quarter for an 80-72 victory over Washington last night, sending the reeling Wizards to a 4-22 start, their worst in franchise history. Celtics 110, 76ers 91: : Boston (27-2) set a franchise record with its 19th consecutive victory, getting 18 points apiece from Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo to beat visiting Philadelphia (12-16). Cavaliers 99, Rockets 90: : LeBron James scored 27 points - 18 in the second half- and Mo Williams added 23 as Cleveland (24-4)

Pacers@Wizards 7 p.m. [Comcast SportsNet] Here's the good news for the Wizards: The Pacers won't be playing for a new coach, unlike in Washington's last loss in Philadelphia. The Wizards have the worst record in the Eastern Conference, but at least can look down at the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Quentin Richardson had 34 points and 12 rebounds in one of his best games since coming to New York, and the short-handed Knicks held on to beat the visiting Washington Wizards, 122-117, last night. Antawn Jamison had 29 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, who dropped their fifth straight and fell to 1-10, the franchise's worst start since the 1966 Baltimore Bullets also opened 1-10. Caron Butler finished with 23 points, 19 in the second half. Richardson made seven three-pointers and fell a point shy of his highest-scoring game since the Knicks acquired him from the Phoenix Suns in June 2005.

Radcliffe runs down NYC Marathon title No. 3 running Paula Radcliffe defended her title at the New York City Marathon yesterday to become the second woman to win the race three times. Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil won the men's race for the second time in three years, passing Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco with about a mile left. Unlike Radcliffe's tight victories in 2004 and 2007, the world-record holder from Great Britain pulled away from Ludmila Petrova in the 22nd mile to win comfortably in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 56 seconds.

Thunder Hill Elementary students will soon receive hands-on knowledge about the banking industry through a new partnership that will set up a miniature bank in the school. The Oakland Mills branch of Columbia Bank will teach students the importance of personal financial planning while helping them gain an appreciation for how math is used in daily life, said Mary Schiller, manager of the school system's Partnerships Office. "Now we hear more and more about financial literacy," Schiller said.

Lions' R. Johnson says Bell stole his luggage nfl Detroit running back Rudi Johnson said yesterday that the player who was waived to make room for him on the Lions' roster - Tatum Bell - took his luggage from team headquarters. Johnson said he was shown surveillance footage Tuesday afternoon that captured the theft. Johnson said a woman returned the bags to the practice facility Tuesday evening but that the contents were gone. Johnson said he is missing "a bunch of my underclothes," credit cards, his ID and about $200 in cash, but he said he did not plan to involve the authorities.