Malone, Stockton to run torch

By Tim Buckley Deseret News sports writer

The Olympic torch is back in Karl Malone's hands. Jazz owner Larry H. Miller, speaking Sunday night on KSL-TV, Ch. 5's SportsBeat show, said he learned "in the past 48 hours" that both NBA No. 2 all-time scorer Malone and all-time assists leader John Stockton will carry the flame as it passes through Utah later this week. Miller said he will tote the torch as well, passing it off to his wife, Gail, on Friday, prior to opening ceremonies later that night for 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake. Stockton was long-expected to be a torch bearer.

There had been much doubt as to whether Malone would be, however, primarily because of a flap between him and officials of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Malone said suggested he would like to participate if he could carry it somewhere high profile, such as the Olympic Stadium itself, but not through "the desert." As a war of words escalated, SLOC officials said there were never any plans for Malone to enter the stadium. Now it seems peace has been reached, though Miller did not reveal details of precisely where Stockton and Malone will run.