Nevin Shapiro and a second source said this photo was taken in October of 2003 at Japanese steakhouse
Benihana, during a birthday celebration for Tavares Gooden. From left to right are Shapiro, Gooden (standing) and Devin Hester (seated). Shapiro and the second source said the booster paid the bill for this dinner.
KEARNY,
N.J. – Nevin Shapiro once lived in a $6.1 million, 6,432-square foot mansion on North Bay Road in Miami Beach. It came
complete with views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline from the Spanish-themed pool.
If he grew bored with that,
he’d take out his $1.6 million Riviera yacht. Or just hit his usual South Beach haunts – Prime 112 or Mansion
nightclub or the Mercury Hotel, where he occasionally threw wild, hooker-fueled parties. On more casual days maybe he’d
hang out with a local celebrity such as Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade or any number of current or former Miami Hurricanes,
the program he once loved and now may destroy.
Signed photograph of Nevin Shapiro with Shaquille O’Neal in 2005. (Special to Yahoo!
Sports)
In the mid-2000s, amidst the decadence and fake money of the
Miami real estate boom, Nevin Shapiro became the unlikely king of South Beach, the epitome of consumption at all costs. He
chased status, celebrity and cash. And Shapiro’s favorite extravagance came in the millions of dollars he said he spent
on athletes at the University of Miami, the largest known lavishing of extra benefits in college athletics history.
“I
was the fastest guy in the fastest town,” Shapiro said.
On this day last February he’s sitting
inside a small, concrete meeting room of the Hudson County (N.J.) Correctional Center. He wears dull green prison garb. Upstairs
he shares a cramped cell with a bank robber. He fears that when he returns to his tier he’ll run into a fellow prisoner
so intent on fighting him that it can’t be avoided. Even if he wins, he’ll get sent to solitary.
He barely
eats in an effort to avoid gaining weight on his 5-foot-5 frame. Last winter, he went more than four months without stepping
outside, even into the prison yard; drawing not a single breath of fresh air. In June, he was transferred to a detention center
in Brooklyn, where on the high security eighth floor he shared one big room, just rows of bunk beds with 120 murderers, terrorists
and the other assorted worst of the worst.
“People who say I should go to hell, well, I’m here,” Shapiro,
now 42, said.
There is no lack of people who say such a thing. Shapiro pled guilty in September 2010 to running
a $930 million Ponzi scheme that cost investors $82.7 million. Shapiro said he “never set out to rip people off,”
it just turned into fraud when his real estate business collapsed.
His plea agreement says otherwise. He financially
crushed investors, including some retirees. He’s no sympathetic figure. He’s been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He’s currently in the process of being transferred to a more hospitable federal facility outside Miami, yet even with
that improvement the mere thought of a lengthy sentence is almost too much to bear.
A view from Shapiro’s waterfront mansion. (Special to Yahoo! Sports)
In more than eight months of communicating with him, whether during lengthy in-person visits,
over the phone or through email and letters, he’s vacillates between depressed, disgusted and at times suicidal. In
an instant he can go from pacing with anger around a meeting room like a caged animal to slumping back in a chair despondent
at his fate. The good moments are fleeting.
“If I died, I wouldn’t be upset,” he said. “Sometimes
I float outside my body, look back down and say, ‘I can’t believe I’m in prison. I can’t believe this
is my life.’ ”
It’s from this state of mind that a rage was born.
Nevin Shapiro knows exactly
what he’s doing in ratting out the Miami athletic department and dozens of players and coaches he aided through the
years. He knows the stakes of these tales of payouts to athletes, illegal recruiting meetings and hush-hush deals with coaches
eager to tap his cash and connections.
His admission of eviscerating the NCAA rulebook with either the clear or tacit
knowledge of so many Miami leaders will create one of the biggest scandals in college sports history. Last March he chose
to contact the NCAA by mail. By May, enforcement staffers, with a court reporter in tow, were spending days hearing his testimony
and sorting through his documented proof. On Monday they hit the U of M campus in Coral Gables.
As Shapiro tells it,
for much of the 2000s Miami football was a de facto professional team and he was the owner. He said the NCAA investigators
he’s been working with have compared it to the 1986 case against Southern Methodist, which led to the only “death
penalty” punishment in history.
“They said it’s the biggest thing they’ve ever seen,”
Shapiro said.
The NCAA cited its policy of declining comment on any potential investigation.
Why’s he doing
it? Why is one of the most passionate Miami fans willing to kill Miami? Because he’s in here, his old friends (players,
coaches, administrators) are out there and almost none of them will take his call anymore.
Let there be no mistake about his motivation to talk – he’s bitter and wants to
inflict pain anyway he can.
They were once his friends, he said. They were once eager to accept his help out of trouble,
drink his booze and fish off his boat. Now they won’t acknowledge him. They won’t help him. They won’t support
him, financially, emotionally or anything else. He’s threatened some of them that he’d bring this story to light
if they didn’t step up, a move some will consider extortion or blackmail.
Shapiro doesn’t care. He can’t
be hurt any more than he already is.
“We always said we were family,” Shapiro said. “Be consistent
with me. Don’t take my money when you need help and then turn your back when I need help. This is what boys do for each
other.”
So he sits in this hellhole and it all boils over.
Hell
hath no fury like a one-time rich guy on the Alpha 5-East tier.
What do you
want to happen to Miami football, Shapiro is asked in one of his calmer moments? The actions he’s detailed should create
devastating consequences for the program.
“That particular question is a tough one to answer,” he said.
“I’m really at a crossroads with my conscience. Obviously I am affecting a lot of people and [an] outlet for their
joy – and I know that because I felt that way about Miami football. I lived it.
“But I just can’t
get past the fact these players turned their nose at me. I just want the story to be out there. What happens then, I can’t
control. I really need to close this chapter of my life. It’s painful.”
When it came to Hurricane players,
Shapiro said he hosted opulent parties, handed over payouts, even set up his own professional sports agency to represent his
friends, all while coaches, staffers and administrators either knew or should have known. Shapiro provided years of credit
card statements, bank records, phone bills, emails and thousands of photos. Yahoo! Sports tracked down dozens of corroborating
witnesses to back up his claims.
Shapiro was the program’s sugar daddy, nicknamed “Lil’ Luke”
by Canes players because his largesse – not physical stature – matched the infamous Miami fan and hip-hop star
Luther Campbell.
It was a title Shapiro basked in. He didn’t just routinely host Campbell at his luxury box at
Land Shark Stadium. He even kept up Campbell’s tradition of offering cash bounties of up to $1,000 to Cane players who
knocked certain opponents out of games with injuries.
For all the ugliness, Shapiro has a natural gift for gab and a
convincing, likeable, overwhelming personality. He’s a smart guy. He’s funny. He didn’t draw in all those
sucker investors by accident.
Brooklyn born, he grew up in a middle-class home in Miami Beach, raised mostly by a single
mother after a divorce. His stepfather was himself later busted for participating in a multi-million dollar fraud.
He
attended the University of South Florida but never lost his boyhood allegiance to the Hurricanes, who he followed as a kid.
By
the turn of the century Shapiro had started Capitol Investments USA, which bought expiring food at wholesale and shipped it
to more lenient overseas markets at high prices. He ran it out of South Beach and soon used his relentless personality to
befriend major moneymen who brought in more major moneymen, all seeking to invest in his business. He promised sizeable interest
payments, between 10 and 26 percent, according to federal authorities.
By 2009, it all began to crack. The grocery business
was barely operating. Federal prosecutors would later allege in court documents that starting in 2005, it “had virtually
no income-generating business” and “in fact, Capitol conducted virtually no legitimate business transactions.”
Old investors had to be paid with new investors, a classic Ponzi scheme. Coupled with the collapse of the South Florida real
estate market, everything fell apart. Shapiro survived through the year almost exclusively on his ability to hold off investors
who sensed trouble and openly asked him if he was a Bernie Madoff-type.
The feds alleged in court documents Shapiro
used the millions to fund his lavish lifestyle. On April 21, 2010, Shapiro flew to New Jersey and self-surrendered to authorities.
He expected to post bail and return to Florida. Instead he went in and hasn’t seen a moment of freedom since.
“Nevin
Shapiro used other people’s money to live a fantasy life built on false promises to unsuspecting victims,” U.S.
Attorney Paul J. Fishman said.
Shapiro spent like the money would never run
out. He had every conceivable toy. He spent $400,000 for floor seats to the Miami Heat. He said he gambled more than $5 million on sports, including huge sums on the Hurricanes. He ate at the finest restaurants,
drank in VIP rooms till dawn and hosted huge poolside, celebrity-rich parties at his home. He loved the working girls, the
strippers and hookers who provided an extra dash to his gatherings. He never married and never had any children. Even into
his late 30s he saw nothing unusual about partying with college kids.
The Miami NewTimes dubbed him the city’s
“Caligula” and pegged him as South Beach’s own Jay Gatsby.
Nothing equaled his passion for the Hurricanes.
He didn’t just want to be a fan; he wanted to be the program.
He joked that he was the Canes chief recruiter and
eventually assistant coaches just started bringing players and their parents over to his fabulous waterfront property or encouraged
him to put them up in upscale Miami hotels.
He was a walking NCAA violation. Of all the laws he was breaking, the NCAA
was the least of his worries. The guy is a world-class con man; he didn’t fear some ivory tower infractions committee.
“I never thought they’d catch me,” he said. “And they never did.”
He knew all along he
was breaking the rules. He said everyone at Miami either did also or did everything they could to not know. They gladly took
his money and put his name on a student lounge. They let him lead the team out of the tunnel – twice. They let him fly
on the team plane for a road game. They gave him sideline access and honored him during games.
The players, meanwhile,
counted on him for favors big and small, money here, help with the local cops there, or a decadent party to wrap it all up.
Shapiro saw his friendships with the players as real. He gave advice. He picked them up when they were down. He bristles at
the suggestion he was some star-struck “hanger-on.”
Part of it is his massive ego. Part of it is, in the
swirling party-circles of South Beach, he was actually as big of a figure as they.
“The hanger-on is an unfair
quote,” he said. “I got great joy seeing their success and seeing that success at a school I love. I can never
be compared to a fan or a groupie.
“You have to realize who I was in South Beach at that time. I wasn’t
hanging out with them for celebrity; I was a celebrity. I wasn’t calling them to go out; they were calling me. I wasn’t
looking to put liquor on their tab, to buy jewelry with their money; they were doing that to me.”
What he saw as genuine, though, others apparently didn’t. Little is real in South Beach,
and even Shapiro, its ultimate creature, now understands it’s “a fake life” even if, like some of his old
investors, he can’t come to grips with the idea that something he was led to believe was true actually wasn’t.
Once
the party ended, everyone went home and tried to forget the hangover. Many players did the wise thing and ran from a hard-partying
criminal. Shapiro deeply believes all those old Hurricanes were wrong to abandon him. There’s no convincing him otherwise.
Prison
life is hard, frustrating and powerless. Shapiro, for all his faults, is an industrious go-getter. He once lived his life
100 miles an hour and, had he chosen, could have been a success on the honest side of the law. Now he is stalled out, surrounded
by two-bit drug dealers, thugs and gang bangers.
And so here comes the revenge. He isn’t afraid to admit his motivation
– he wants to hurt the people who hurt him. It isn’t a pretty sight. Shapiro can go on long rants about how this
one player or that one administrator deserves particular shame. It often doesn’t make sense.
He sits behind bars
day after day after day, his rage growing, his frustrations mounting. Why won’t they call him back? Why won’t
they send some money? Why won’t they help? Where are the players, where are the administrators who once leaned on him
for so much? Why won’t anyone even pretend to care?
He simply won’t allow himself to be played like that.
He won’t be cast away in some cage to die.
“It’s bittersweet,” he says during one prison visit.
“These guys were my boys. Then they did me dirty.”
On another visit, the sweetness is gone. He’s just
bitter.
“There’s a man’s code of ethics and that’s all out the window with the way these guys
have responded to me.
“I could give a [expletive] what anybody says to me. I don’t give a [expletive], [expletive].
I could give a [expletive] what happens to that place.”
Keegan Bradley: From mountaintop to major champion
By PAUL NEWBERRY,
AP National Writer
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. (AP)—Keegan Bradley was 12 years old, standing on top of the mountain in the middle of another brutal Vermont winter.
Like any New England
kid, he loved to ski. Got pretty good at it, too. But, with the sleet pounding his face and the cold piercing through his
bones, he decided there was a better way down.
“This is not as much fun as golf,” he told himself. “I
love golf so much more.”
Good call. Bradley won a major championship on his
very first try Sunday, and if that wasn’t extraordinary enough, look at the way he did it.
The 25-year-old trailed
Jason Dufner by five strokes with three holes to play in the PGA Championship, his chances seemingly snuffed out when he dumped his ball
in the water at the 15th hole and made triple bogey.
But the youngster pulled himself together, made two straight birdies,
and wound up in a three-hole playoff when Dufner bogeyed three in a row.
From there, Bradley took control. Considering
what he faced on a mountaintop, Atlanta Athletic Club was a breeze.
He made a birdie at the first extra hole, drilling
a laser of an approach to 4 feet on No. 16 after Dufner nearly holed out. He safely cleared the pond at the par-3 17th and
went another stroke up when Dufner three-putted. Then, one last bit of bravado at the 18th—a gutty 5-iron that cleared
even more water to set up the clinching par.
The Wanamaker Trophy was his.
“I can’t believe this thing
is sitting next to me,” he said, looking at the gleaming silver cup.
Considering his pedigree—his aunt,
Pat Bradley, is an LGPA Hall of Famer— this wasn’t so improbable at all.
“I grew up going to Pat’s
tournaments and totally idolizing her and wanting to be like her,” the nephew recalled. “I remember as a kid going
to her tournaments and literally staring her in the face and … she was so into it, she would not even recognize me.
And I thought that was cool.”
Dufner will join those heart-wrenching players who let a major championship slip
away, his meltdown remembered alongside Scott Hoch blowing that 18-inch putt at the Masters and Jan Van de Velde throwing away that three-shot lead on the 72nd hole of the
British Open.
The 34-year-old journeyman had never won a tour event, much less a tournament of this magnitude. But he
played rock-solid for nearly all of four days, hitting more fairways than anyone, avoiding the water and sand and rough lurking
at every turn. Tiger Woods couldn’t do it. Neither could defending PGA champion Martin Kaymer. They were among the big names sent packing before the weekend.
Showing little emotion, Dufner arrived at the 15th
tee on Sunday with a commanding four-stroke lead. The last four holes at Atlanta can be a killer, but he had played them at
a cumulative 3 under over the first three days.
No problem, right?
Wrong.
Suddenly, the guy who had been
unflappable couldn’t hit it straight. He put his tee shot at 15 in the water and made bogey. He put his approach at
16 in a bunker and made another bogey. Finally, he needed three putts to get down at 17 — a third straight bogey.
Playing
up ahead in the next-to-last group, Bradley bounced back from his triple bogey with two straight birdies. When a 35-foot putt
disappeared into the cup at the 17th, he broke into a Tiger-like celebration—the left hand holding up his club, the
right hand delivering a furious fist pump.
Dufner was watching all that from the elevated tee box. He sensed his title
might be slipping away.
When it was done, he seemed more numb than disappointed. It might take a while for this one
to sink in.
“I’m so new at this situation, I don’t know if I appreciate it as much as I will,”
Dufner said. “Maybe when I look back in 15 or 20 years, I’ll be disappointed if I don’t get another chance.
But I have a feeling I’ll have more chances in a major to close one out.”
That’s probably what Hoch
and Van de Velde thought.
Their second chance never came.
For Bradley, the future looks brighter than ever. He’s
always been a guy who stayed out of the limelight, even with his famous name and impressive rookie season. He already had
a win, capturing the Byron Nelson in a playoff back in May.
Even so, everyone touted guys such as Dustin Johnson and Anthony Kim as the future of American golf in a world no longer dominated by Woods.
Well, make room for another. Bradley was the
one— not Johnson or Kim—who ended the longest American drought of the modern Grand Slam era, a winless stretch
covering six straight majors since Phil Mickelson won the 2010 Masters.
“Ever since I was 10 years old, I’ve kind of flown under the radar,” Bradley
said. “I had what I thought was a pretty good college career (at St. John’s), but I never really got noticed.
Same in junior golf and kind of the same out here. I’ve been having a good year, and that’s just the way it happens
with me, which is fine. I’m happy with it.”
He knows life is about to change, and he’s happy with
that, too.
“It’s cool to be thought of as one of those guys now,” Bradley said. “I’ve
always wanted, growing up, to win tournaments and win majors.”
He doesn’t intend to be a one-major wonder,
either. There’s been plenty of those, especially at the PGA, everyone from Shaun Micheel to Rich Beem.
“I don’t want to be one of the guys that kind of disappears,” Bradley said. “I don’t
plan to.”
As he posed on the 18th green with his glittering prize, the improbable winner on a sweltering day in
the Deep South, that snowy mountaintop in Vermont must’ve seemed so far, far away.
“That was the moment
that I realized I wanted to golf instead of ski,” he said. “I was sitting on top of that hill, freezing, having
no fun, and I said, ‘You know what, I want to be a golfer.”’
Not just any golfer, either.
A
major champion.
Follow Paul Newberry at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963
The most frequent question we've ever gotten in our Monday Night live
chats came in the 2008 season, when we were asked constantly what that "GU" patch/helmet sticker stood for.
It was, of course, in honor of the recently deceased Gene Upshaw, the Raiders great and
former head of the NFLPA. Here, via a "SportsCenter" tweet comes a look at the special commemorative patches that will be on NFL uniforms and helmets this year.
The first three are pretty self-explanatory, but here's a little background on the others you'll
be seeing.
Myra Kraft: As far as NFL involvement goes, Myra Kraft was best known as the wife of Patriots
owner Robert Kraft, but her life's work was as a philanthropist. She passed away this offseason from cancer at the age of 68.
No. 34, Joe Perry: Perry was a fullback
for the 49ers between the years of 1948 and 1963 (one year in there, he spent with the Baltimore Colts), and when he retired,
was the NFL's all-time rushing leader. That record would next be broken by a fellow named Jim Brown. Perry was inducted into
the Hall of Fame in 1969 and was on the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team. He passed away in April of 2011 at the age of 84.
No.
35, John Henry Johnson. Along with Perry (and Hugh McElhenny and Y.A. Tittle), Johnson was a part of what was dubbed
the "Million Dollar Backfield" in San Francisco (though none of them, even combined, made anywhere near a million
dollars). Also a fullback, Johnson made four Pro Bowls and twice was selected as an All-Pro. He passed away in June of this
year at the age of 81.
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Former NFL star Bubba Smith, who went from feared defensive end on the field to endearing giant
in his successful second career as an actor, died Wednesday. He was 66.
Los Angeles County coroner’s spokesman
Ed Winter said Smith was found dead at his Baldwin Hills home. Winter said he didn’t know the circumstances or cause
of death.
Police spokesman Richard French added the death does not appear to be suspicious.
The top overall pick
in the 1967 draft after a sensational career at Michigan State, the 6-foot-7 Smith spent five seasons with the Baltimore Colts
and two seasons each with Oakland and Houston. He won the 1971 Super Bowl with the Colts.
“I’m saddened
by it. I remember my first training camp in 1972 in Golden, Colo. I spent a lot of time with him there. He was a great guy.
He was a giant, the biggest player on the field,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said.
One of the best pass rushers in
the game, Smith often drew two blockers, yet was effective enough to make two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team. His best work,
though, came in college, and Smith was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
“He was simply
a good guy,” former Michigan State teammate Robert Viney said in a statement released through the university. “His
size made him an intimidating figure, but he was a real gentleman. He was a helluva player.”
As an actor his most
memorable role was playing Moses Hightower, the soft-spoken officer in the “Police Academy” series. He also appeared
in such television series as “Good Times,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “Half Nelson,”
and was a regular in the ground-breaking Miller Lite commercials featuring retired players.
Born Charles Aaron Smith(notes), he played in high school for his father, Willie Ray Smith, in Beaumont, Texas, before heading to Michigan State,
where he was an All-American in 1966.
“`Bubba’ Smith was a great Spartan,” Michigan State athletic
director Mark Hollis said in a statement. “As both a football player and later as an actor, `Bubba’ was a great
ambassador for the University. It’s only fitting that beginning this fall the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year
Award bears his name.”
At Michigan State he played on some of the school’s greatest teams under coach Duffy
Daugherty and was one of its best players. Fans in East Lansing, Mich., would chant, “Kill, Bubba, Kill” during
games and his No. 95 jersey was retired in 2006.
“I will shed some tears tonight because I’ve lost a great
friend,” Viney said. “He never sought the spotlight. He was a humble man. As I remember him, I recall the chants
of “Kill, Bubba, Kill” from the crowd in Spartan Stadium. He will be missed.”
Smith was part of two
of the most famous football games ever played. In 1966, he was at Michigan State when the Spartans and Notre Dame, both undefeated,
played to a 10-10 tie. Michigan State finished second behind the top-ranked Fighting Irish that season.
In 1965 and
’66, Smith helped Michigan State go 19-1-1 and win consecutive Big Ten titles.
“Bubba was definitely a game
changer as a defensive end,” former Michigan State teammate Gene Washington said. “You simply didn’t see
guys with his size and quickness coming off the defensive line. His ability spoke for itself. He was a great teammate and
a great leader. Bubba never had to say much because he led by example.”
In 1969, Smith played for the Colts against
the New York Jets in the Super Bowl. Led by Joe Namath, the Jets of the AFL upset the NFL champion Colts 16-7 in Miami.
WASHINGTON (AP)—NFL owners and players agreed early Monday to the terms of a deal
to end the lockout, and players were expected to begin their voting process later in the day, two people familiar with the
negotiations told The Associated Press.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was supposed
to remain secret and no formal announcement had been made.
Members of the NFL Players
Association’s executive committee met at the group’s headquarters in Washington and were presented with the finalized
agreement. NFLPA president Kevin Mawae(notes) arrived shortly after 9:30 a.m., and a conference call for player leadership began at about 11 a.m.
Owners overwhelmingly
approved a proposal last week, but some unresolved issues still needed to be reviewed to satisfy players; the owners do not
need to vote again.
The sides worked through the weekend and wrapped up the details Monday morning on a final pact that
is for 10 years, without an opt-out clause, one of the people told the AP.
Owners decided in 2008 to opt out of the
league’s old labor contract, which expired this March. That’s when the owners locked out the players, creating
the NFL’s first work stoppage since 1987.
“We have every reason to believe it’s going to be a good
day,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to the AP on Monday.
If players sign off on the agreement, a
tentative timeline would allow NFL clubs to start signing 2011 draft picks and rookie free agents on Tuesday. Conversations
with veteran free agents also could start Tuesday, and signings could begin Friday.
Under that schedule, training camps would open
for 10 of the 32 teams on Wednesday, 10 teams on Thursday, another 10 teams on Friday, and the last two teams on Sunday.
Should
the players’ executive committee vote to accept the deal, it then would go to the 32 team representatives to approve,
perhaps later Monday. The 10 named plaintiffs in the players’ lawsuit against the league—including Tom Brady(notes),Peyton Manning(notes) and Drew Brees(notes)—must officially inform the court in Minneapolis of their approval, too.
Even after that, while training
camps would be opened, a formal collective bargaining agreement can’t be fully set in place until the NFLPA re-establishes
itself as a union. The NFLPA said it was rejecting its union status in March and becoming a trade association; that allowed
the players to file their antitrust suit.
All 1,900 players will need to vote to OK re-forming the union even as the
sides put the finishing touches on a deal. Legal protections will be put in place so the NFLPA can start negotiating such
items as the league’s personal conduct policy and drug testing as soon as Monday.
The major economic framework
for the deal was worked out more than a week ago.
That included how the more than $9 billion in annual league revenues
will be divided (about 53 percent to owners and 47 percent to players over the next decade; the old CBA resulted in nearly
a 50-50 split); a per-club cap of about $120 million for salary and bonuses in 2011—and at least that in 2012 and 2013
— plus about $22 million for benefits; a salary system to rein in spending on first-round draft picks; and unrestricted
free agency for most players after four seasons.
Fendrich reported from Washington; Wilner reported from New York.
Follow
Howard Fendrich at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich
Follow Barry Wilner at http://twitter.com/wilner88
AP Sports
Writers Joseph White in Washington, Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis, Chris Duncan in Houston, and Richard Rosenblatt in New
York contributed to this report.
Fantasy Football '11 registration is now open
Sign up today!
Williams: Wasted 2 years being loyal to Woods
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)—Steve Williams says he wasted the last two years of
his life standing by Tiger Woods through injuries and eruptions in the golfer’s private life.
In frank interviews about his dismissal published
Friday in his native New Zealand, the 47-year-old caddie said he had lost “a tremendous amount of respect” for
the game’s biggest star.
Williams told the New Zealand Herald “realistically I could look back, and I’ve
wasted the last two years of my life because he’s played infrequently, he’s been injured and played poorly.”
“I
was prepared to hang in there through thick and thin,” Williams said, “so I find the timing extraordinary.”
Williams
said he had no idea he was going to be fired after a dozen years as Woods’ caddie until Woods called him to a meeting
at the AT&T National tournament two weeks ago.
“Sometimes you get an inkling that something’s going
to happen … And I basically didn’t have much to say with him. I was somewhat in a state of shock, but I just
listened to what he thought,” Williams told the Herald. “I didn’t agree with what he was telling me but
at the end of the day that wasn’t going to make a difference so I just took it on the chin.”
Williams told
the newspaper he was not upset at being fired, but at its timing and after his staunch loyalty to Woods’ during the
upheaval in his private life.
“I understand that’s part of the game … To be let go after staying
incredibly loyal during the most difficult time in his life and then for him to decide that he needs a change, I think that
the timing has been very poor,” he said. “When Tiger went through the Tiger scandal, as it’s known, I was
obviously very disappointed in him, as everyone was. Obviously I lost a tremendous amount of respect for him … and
I told him that he had to earn back my respect. Whatever respect he may have earned back, he’s just lost.”
Williams
said he had not spoken to Woods since their working relationship was terminated.
In a separate interview with Television
New Zealand, Williams said he felt his loyalty to Woods had not been repaid.
“I’m a very big stickler for
loyalty and I stuck with Tiger through his difficult period when a lot of people thought I should have left his side,”
he said. “That was the most difficult period that I’ve ever been through in my life. I’m pretty hardheaded
and took it probably a lot better than my wife and family did, but there’s no way that I should have been put through
that.”
Williams said he felt like he’d been considered guilty by association after sticking with Woods during
the scandal.
“My name should have been cleared immediately. It wasn’t and that’s what makes it even
more disappointing what’s transpired.” he told TVNZ. “I never really got pardoned from that scandal so the
timing of it is extraordinary. You could say I’ve wasted two years of my life.”
Williams also repeated his
previous assertions he had no knowledge of Woods’ extramarital affairs.
“I had no idea what was going on
and that was the hardest part … it was a difficult time,” he told the New Zealand Herald. “I’m a
straight-up person, I’m a loyal person—if I knew something, then I’d say I did.”
Williams is
often described as New Zealand’s highest-paid sportsman—a definition stretched to encompass the caddie who may
have banked around $9 million during his association with Woods. He operates a charitable foundation which makes regular donations
to an Auckland children’s hospital and is highly respected by New Zealanders.
FRANKFURT, Germany – Abby Wambach’s brow creased as she shook her head in disbelief. Hope Solo’s expression
smoldered with anger and frustration. Alex Morgan could not hold back a few tears – a moment of glory that should have
belonged to her and her teammates was somehow stripped away.
The amazing ride was over for the United States women’s
soccer team, a week of drama and thrills and what seemed like a pre-written tale of destiny instead turned out to be one of
heartache.
Yet what stung the most for the USA in those pained moments after its penalty
shootout defeat to Japan in Sunday’s World Cup final was that this was a game, and a tournament, that it had within
its grasp
Not once but twice the Americans let a goal advantage slip, first towards the end of regulation and then with
four minutes remaining in extra time. That meant goals from Morgan and Wambach counted for nothing in the end, and once the
U.S. missed its first three kicks in the shootout, Japan had the unlikeliest of tournament victories in the bag.
However,
it should never even have gotten that far. A catalogue of missed chances was what really denied the USA its first Cup final
since 1999, with a dominating first-half performance somehow failing to result in any goals.
Wambach, Lauren Cheney,
Megan Rapinoe and a string of others all had opportunities to put the Americans ahead early but could not find the net. Wambach
came closest, rattling the crossbar with a fearsome left-footed drive that would have been the goal of the tournament if it
had been a couple of inches lower.
“You don’t explain this,” U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage said. “You can’t.
We could have put it away and we didn’t. We created a lot of chances and we could not put them away. It is a final and
there are small differences between winning and losing so you can’t afford that.”
When the USA eventually
got on the scoreboard, thanks to Morgan running onto Rapinoe’s long ball forward and firing into the bottom corner after
69 minutes, it looked as though the side was on course for the triumph that seemed so likely ever since it squeezed past Brazil
in the quarterfinals and survived France in the semis.
But a dreadful mix-up between Rachel Buehler and Ali Krieger
allowed Aya Miyama to pounce for the equalizer and force extra time with nine minutes to go.
Wambach produced yet another
crucial header near the end of extra-time’s first period, deflecting Morgan’s cross into the net, and once more
the Americans were within touching distance of the Cup. However, player of the tournament – Homare Sawa – produced
a goal for the ages with four minutes left, striking the ball past Solo with the outside of her right boot from a Miyama corner.
It
was a goal worthy of a final, and worthy of a champion. This was arguably the best World Cup final – men’s or
women’s – since 1966, what with the drama and emotion and sheer twists and turns of it all.
Just like Wambach’s
goal against Brazil late in injury time, Sawa’s desperation equalizer shifted momentum and set the tone for the shootout.
Shannon Boxx and Tobin Heath had their penalties saved, Carli Lloyd blasted her shot over the bar and Solo could only stop
one Japanese effort.
“We worked so hard and we all believed in each other,” Wambach said. “This is
going to hurt for a while.”
And so, an extraordinary ride came to an end in a way that few could have predicted.
All the incredible events of the past week served to propel the USA into the hearts of a nation back home, and that won’t
be forgotten even when the public eye moves swiftly onto something else.
For now, it will share the heartbreak of the
players – America’s pain for America’s team.
You knew that at some point, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison(notes) was going to have to do some fairly major damage control regarding the interview he gave to Men's Journal magazine for its August issue. In that interview, Harrison called NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "stupid,"
a "crook," and a "devil," among other things, concluding his soliloquy on the Commish with the trenchant
though that if Goodell were on fire, Harrison wouldn't stop to urinate on him. He also threw Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger(notes) and running back Rashard Mendenhall(notes) under the bus, and took shots at NFL player Brian Cushing(notes) and former player Rodney Harrison(notes) for alleged steroid use. Throw in a cover shot in which Harrison posed with two guns, and the occasional gay slur
... all in all, it was quite the little blowup.
"James
is speaking for thousands when he issues those remarks," Solotaroff said. " ... I got to James in May of this year
(for the interview), so let's count backwards. He'd had about eight months to seethe and stew about having been made the poster
boy of the NFL concussion syndrome … Here's a guy who never comes off the field, who played the entire 2010 season
with two ruptured disks, couldn't push off his right leg, had no strength, very little explosion, and had 10 sacks and finished
third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. If they [the Steelers] want to cut bait with James, there's this portly
fellow in New York -- Ah, what's his name? Oh yeah, Rex Ryan -- who would be able to find a place for him at right outside
linebacker. James is going to land on his feet."
In the end, Harrison had to resort to the only thing that may
get him off the hook to any degree with the league, and that was the [relatively] well-crafted public apology, which he posted on his Facebook page. You can read the full text of the apology after the jump; I'll just add that I wish Harrison would find better ways to communicate
what he has to say. I think he has some very valid points about the way the league hands out on-field discipline, but he's
putting those thoughts out there in ways that make him impossible to be taken seriously.
In any case, here's the latest:
I'll start by offering my apologies for some of the words that I said during the four days in May that Men's
Journal was invited to my house to discuss what the NFL has recently been portraying as their attempts at 'player safety'
rules and regulations, and to cover my everyday workout routine.
I did make comments about my teammates when I was talking
about the emotional Super Bowl loss, but the handful of words that were used and heavily publicized yesterday were pulled
out of a long conversation and the context was lost. Obviously, I would never say that it was all Ben's or Rashard's fault
that we lost the Super Bowl. That would be ridiculous. Both Ben and Rashard are great players and great teammates. Clearly
the entire team bears responsibility for the loss, me included. It was a team effort and a team loss. My teammates know me
well, and hopefully understand the things I said were not meant to accuse them of the loss. We all have discussed several
things that went wrong in the Super Bowl since that day. What I do apologize for and take full responsibility for is for speaking
in such a candid manner to someone outside the team.
I also need to make clear that the comment about Roger Goodell
was not intended to be derogatory against gay people in any way. It was careless use of a slang word and I apologize to all
who were offended by the remark. I am not a homophobic bigot, and I would never advocate intolerance of gay people.
As
far as the photo that was shown on air yesterday, collecting guns is a hobby of mine, and I advocate the responsible use of
firearms. I believe in the right to bear arms. I like to go to the shooting range. I like to hunt. I like to fish. I could
just as easily have posed with my fishing poles but it obviously wouldn't be an interesting picture for the magazine. I am
not promoting gun violence by posing for that photo. There are also other photos in the magazine story that were not shown
on air yesterday — including me with my sons, with my mom and as a kid.
Unfortunately, the above items and other
comments have detracted from the original purpose of the story — a position I have been advocating for some time now.
If player safety is the NFL's main concern, as they say it is, they are not going about it in an effective manner. There's
nothing about extending the season or issuing exorbitant fines on defensive players that makes any shift toward the prevention
of injury to players.
I believe that the league may have been feeling increasing pressure about injuries and concussions
last year, and that they panicked and put rules in place that weren't fully thought out. I'm not advocating more flags and
fines, I'm just saying that the current rules are not completely fair, and I don't believe in the way that the league is handling
their position as overseer of the NFL and the well-being of its players.
As far as the character and reputation hits
I may suffer as a result of my comments in the article, I'll take those hits and more if it brings increased attention to
the re-examination and installation of rules and regulations that would create a real impact on player safety.
Thousands expected for funeral of fan who fell
By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer
BROWNWOOD, Texas (AP)—Hundreds
of friends, family and well-wishers have gathered in Brownwood, Texas, for the funeral of 39-year-old Shannon Stone, who fell
to his death trying to catch a souvenir baseball at a Texas Rangers game.
More than three dozen Patriot Guard Riders stood quietly across from the First United Methodist Church, holding
American flags while the private memorial got under way Monday.
The program called for 10 fellow firefighters to carry
Stone’s casket to a lone fire engine parked in front of the church. Hundreds of law enforcement personnel, black tape
covering their badges, were expected to join the procession to a cemetery.
Stone took his 6-year-old son, Cooper, to
a Rangers game in Arlington on Thursday night. They stopped to buy the boy a glove, and sat in left field. Cooper’s
favorite player, Josh Hamilton(notes), tossed a foul ball into the stands but Stone fell about 20 feet onto concrete as he caught the ball. He died a short
time later.
The closest I came to catching a baseball at a major league stadium was the year SkyDome
opened. I was 9. Mauro “Goose” Gozzo, a rookie pitcher for Toronto, was trolling around the outfield during batting
practice when a man standing next to me shouted for him to throw him a ball for his son. Goose obliged and fired a strike.
Emboldened, I asked Goose for a souvenir, too. His next throw didn’t quite reach the stands, even with my lean over
the rail. My mom extracted me before Goose could try again.
There is something magical about a baseball, a 5¼-ounce
orb made of rubber, cork, yarn and leather, that excites grown men as much as it does children. People catch balls while holding
babies, sacrifice $10 beers in pursuit of them, fight and claw for their possession. Everyone in the stands who catches a
ball thrusts it into the air. It’s a trophy. Sometimes the applause is polite. Other times the whole crowd cheers. The
pursuit of a ball inside a stadium is noble.
It’s especially so when a father tries to fetch a ball for his child,
like the man next to me at SkyDome did, and like a man at Rangers Ballpark did Thursday night. His name was Shannon Stone.
He was a firefighter from Brownwood, nearly a three-hour drive from the stadium in Arlington. He wore a white T-shirt and
a blue Texas Rangers hat. His young son wore a red T-shirt and a red Rangers hat. They sat in the left-field bleachers together.
In
the second inning, Oakland A’s outfielder Conor Jackson(notes) hit a screaming foul ball down the left-field line. It caromed toward Josh Hamilton(notes), the Rangers’ left fielder. Hamilton picked it up and threw the ball toward the stands. Players do this hundreds
of times in a season. It’s part of baseball’s charm. Show up to a stadium, take home a piece of the game.
Hamilton’s
toss came in short. It didn’t stop Shannon Stone from stretching to grab it. I’m almost certain, in fact, that
the moment before Shannon Stone fell 20 feet and suffered injuries that would kill him, he was indescribably happy. He was
going to grab a baseball from Josh Hamilton, a man who hauled himself from the depths of drug addiction to not only return
to baseball but win the American League MVP award last season. Once Stone had that baseball, he was going to hand it to his
son. And for the rest of his life, his son would have a story to tell about the time his daddy reached over a railing and
snagged a bad throw from Josh Hamilton, one of the most talented players ever to wear a baseball uniform.
Instead, he watched his dad die. He saw Shannon Stone secure the ball in both hands but lose his balance
in the process. The man next to Stone reached, in vain, to grab his leg. Stone fell head first 20 feet. When paramedics arrived
to stabilize Stone and take him to a hospital, the relief pitchers in the A’s bullpen overheard the conversation.
“Please
check on my son,” Stone said.
This is unfair. It’s so very unfair. It’s unfair to Josh Hamilton, a
decent man and a father to three daughters. He tried to do a good deed. That’s all he tried to do. It’s unfair
to Shannon Stone, a firefighter for 18 years who just wanted to make his kid’s night. It’s most unfair to that
son. He will grow up without a father.
I have a son. He is 3. I’ve taken him to a few ballgames. He likes the
hot dogs and fireworks. He wants to know the players’ names. He asks who is nice and who is mean. And when I’m
going down the scorecard, answering his questions, he interrupts me and asks to get ice cream.
One night on the walk
back from the ice cream shop at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., my son asked to sit in a seat down the right-field line.
We moved to the front row. A foul ball ricocheted toward us. My son loves foul balls. When one goes into the upper deck, he’ll
crane his neck behind him in case it falls. He always asks me to get one for him, and I tell him I’ll try, and here
was my chance. Someone closer beat me to it. That always happens.
The next time we go to a stadium, I’ll try again.
Maybe for the first time in 30 years I’ll get lucky and a ball will come toward me or a player will toss it in my direction.
If I have to lean a little to grab it, so be it. When I pass it to my son, and he lifts his prize, and the crowd around us
applauds, his smile will light up the stadium.
He’ll know it was a gift from a dad who loves him more than anything,
a gift fathers hand to their sons at ballparks every day. A gift Shannon Stone, a dad who caught a foul ball for his son,
never got to give.
Novak Djokovic tastes victory at Wimbledon
By CHRIS LEHOURITES, AP Sports Writer
WIMBLEDON, England (AP)—Kneeling on the Centre Court grass a few minutes after becoming the Wimbledon champion for
the first time, Novak Djokovic wanted to really taste victory.
Djokovic won his third Grand Slam title by beating
defending champion Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 in Sunday’s final at the All England Club. Then, savoring his success and basking in the moment,
the second-seeded Serb dropped to the ground and pulled out a few blades of grass and ate them.
“I
felt like an animal,” said Djokovic, who had already guaranteed himself the No. 1 ranking just by reaching the final.
“I wanted to see how it tastes. It tastes good.”
Djokovic has been on quite a run this year. He started
the season by winning 41 straight matches, including the Australian Open title. His 43-match winning streak, dating to last
year’s Davis Cup final, and perfect season came to end against Roger Federer in the French Open semifinals, but he is now 48-1 in 2011.
“In a sentence, I lost my fear. I believed in my abilities
more than ever,” said Djokovic, who won his first grass-court title Sunday. “Australia was one of the best tournaments
I played in my life.”
This year’s Wimbledon can’t be far behind.
Shortly after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semifinals to secure the top ranking from Nadal, Djokovic knew he would be up against a man he has dominated this
season.
Before this year, Nadal had won 16 of the 23 matches he played against Djokovic in their careers, including
all five in major tournaments. But Djokovic beat Nadal in four finals in 2011 heading into Wimbledon, including two on clay.
“I
had that in back of my mind,” Djokovic said. “I was trying to take myself back to those matches and really perform
the same way that I performed those days in those matches: aggressive, taking my chances, not giving him opportunity to take
over the control.”
Nadal had his own streak to rely on, however. The 10-time Grand Slam champion had won 20 straight
matches at the All England Club, including two of the previous three titles. He missed the 2009 tournament because of injury,
but was playing in his fifth Wimbledon final in six years.
The latest loss to Djokovic was Nadal’s first in a
major final to a player other than Federer.
“He’s doing great. He’s doing a few things fantastic,”
Nadal said. “But I had to play better to win, and I didn’t today. I played little bit less aggressive.”
Djokovic’s
quick movement and precise placement were the keys Sunday as the Serb consistently landed shots while taking advantage of
any slight miscues from Nadal. The first and biggest of the first set came in the final game, when Djokovic hit a forehand
winner down the line.
Nadal followed that with a pair of unforced errors, and Djokovic won the set on the first break
point of the match.
“He played better than me,” said Nadal, who has won each Grand Slam tournament at least
once in his career. “For that reason, he is the champion here.”
Djokovic dominated the second set, breaking
Nadal twice while holding serve easily. It wasn’t until the second game of the third set that Nadal finally managed
to do something with Djokovic’s serve, breaking for a 2-0 lead when the Serb dumped a backhand into the net.
Nadal
broke again and eventually won the set, and the two traded service breaks early in the fourth. But after Djokovic held to
4-3 in the final set with four straight points, Nadal double-faulted for the first time. He lost the next two points and soon
was broken again when he sent a backhand long.
Sitting in the Royal Box along with several former champions was Serbian
President Boris Tadic, and when Nadal sent a backhand long on match point, Djokovic turned to face them and dropped to the
turf, laying on his back with his arms spread wide.
“I will definitely come for some more Wimbledons, more Grand
Slam trophies. I mean, this is what I’m born for,” said Djokovic, who tossed several of his rackets into the crowd
before accepting the championship trophy. “I want to be a tennis champion. I want to win more Grand Slams.”
Cavaliers take Irving with No. 1 pick in NBA draft
By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer
NEWARK, N.J. (AP)—Kyrie Irving probably secured his spot atop the NBA draft when he went to Cleveland and beat his
future coach in a shooting contest.
Yet even surrounded by family and friends from his nearby hometown, Irving couldn’t
relax Thursday night.
“When David Stern came up there and said that the Cleveland Cavaliers have five more minutes on the clock, that felt like the longest five minutes of my life,” Irving said.
Imagine
how Jimmer Fredette felt.
The sweet-shooting NCAA player of the year had to wait about 2 1/2 hours from the time he
was picked by Milwaukee to the time he officially became a member of the Sacramento Kings after being involved in the biggest trade of draft day.
“It took a long time, but it’s something you’ve
got to do,” Fredette said. “They just wouldn’t let you out of the room until the trade was official, and
I wish it could have been a little bit earlier. I have friends and family that I’m going to go see and hang out with
after this, so that’s what happens sometimes.”
It happened for plenty others in a draft that was considered
a dud talent-wise but certainly wasn’t dull, thanks to a flurry of trades that including veterans and picks.
There
was no chance the Cavs would deal Irving, confident his foot is healthy enough to lead the rebuilding effort that follows
LeBron James’(notes) departure and no doubt impressed when the Duke point guard beat Cavs coach Byron Scott in a shooting contest during
his workout.
Loudly cheered not far from where he starred at St. Patrick’s High School in Elizabeth, Irving showed
no signs of the toe injury on his right foot that limited him to 11 games last season as he walked up the stairs to shake
hands with Stern.
“I didn’t have any doubts about going to No. 1. I was looking to the organization to
pick who they felt was the right choice,” Irving said. “But now to this moment, from being a fan of the NBA draft
and now being drafted, it’s a special feeling in my heart and knowing that my friends and family were together, it’s
a memory I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”
A three-team trade that included Charlotte, Milwaukee
and Sacramento that had been agreed to earlier in the day wasn’t approved until midway through the second round, forcing
Fredette to wait around for his NBA destination to be determined after he was taken with the No. 10 pick.
“Took
a little while waiting back there, but it’s a great moment for me and for my family, and for the Sacramento Kings organization,”
he said. “Hopefully their fan base is excited because I’m really excited to get out there and start the season
with them and have a great year.”
A draft that included a record four international players who didn’t
play at a U.S. college selected in the lottery soon became dominated by deals, which the NBA was still hustling to approve
and announce as the second round wound down.
The deals spiced up what was thought to be a lackluster draft, which was missing
its usual buzz with the NBA perhaps a week away from a work stoppage.
Three of the first six players taken were from
Europe, capitalizing on the absence of some American college players who might have gone in their spots and made this a stronger
draft.
Even Irving has international ties. He was born in Australia while his father, Drederick, played professionally
there and said he might be interested in playing for the Australian national team.
After grabbing him with their first
No. 1 pick since taking James in 2003, the Cavs used the No. 4 selection on Texas forward Tristan Thompson. They were the
first team since the 1983 Houston Rockets with two top-four picks.
The Minnesota Timberwolves took Arizona forward Derrick Williams with the No. 2 pick. The Utah Jazz then took Turkish big man Enes Kanter third with their first of two lottery selections.
The league’s uncertain
labor situation hung over the draft, and likely weakened it. Potential top-10 picks such as Jared Sullinger of Ohio State
and Harrison Barnes were among those who decided to stay in school, without knowing when their rookie seasons would have started.
Stern, who could lock out his players next week if a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement is not reached, was
booed when he came onto the stage at the Prudential Center, which is hosting the draft while its usual home, Madison Square
Garden, is undergoing summer work.
New Yorkers made the trip across the river to join the crowd of 8,417, cheering
loudly when Kemba Walker and Fredette were taken in the top 10 and booing when the Knicks made Georgia Tech guard Iman Shumpert
the No. 17 selection.
The draft was filled with little-known European players. Kanter hasn’t played competitively
in a year, forced to sit out last season at Kentucky after being ruled ineligible for being paid to play in Turkey. Lithuania’s
Jonas Valanciunas went fifth to Toronto and Jan Vesely of the Czech Republic was taken sixth by Washington.
“Basketball
in my country is not so popular, but after this night, I think — I hope—that the basketball will be more popular,”
Vesely said. “I will do my best to help that.”
Bismack Biyombo of Congo went seventh as one of six international
players who went in the first round, three short of the record set in 2003. The 18-year-old forward moved to Charlotte as
part of a three-way deal.
Kentucky’s Brandon Knight went eighth to Detroit as casual fans finally heard a name
they recognized again. He was followed by Walker of national champion Connecticut, who wiped away tears on the draft stage
after he was taken by Charlotte, and Fredette.
“It’s been like a movie. This whole year has been magical,
honestly,” Walker said. “So many different, crazy things have been happening to me, and you know, I just feel
lucky.”
Irving became the third point guard taken first in the last four years, following Derrick Rose(notes) in 2008 and John Wall(notes) last year. Rose was the NBA’s MVP this season, ending James’ two-year reign.
Irving insists he’s
not trying to replace James—whose highlights were booed when showed on the overhead screen—in a different manner
now.
“I’m looking forward to getting to Cleveland,” Irving said. “It’s a big sports town
and I cannot wait to embrace all of the fans there and the fan support. I can’t wait.”
Kansas twins Markieff
and Marcus Morris went with back-to-back picks to round out the lottery. Phoenix took Markieff at No. 13 and Marcus followed
to the Rockets.
Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney.
Fantasy Football '11 registration is now open Sign up today!
Riley lauds Heat season, says he won’t coach again
MIAMI (AP)—Pat Riley expects better days are ahead for the Miami Heat.
Speaking Tuesday, more than a week after the Heat season ended with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA finals, Miami’s team president said that not winning the title was a disappointment—but insisted the
season still had plenty of successes.
“I’ll say it. I’m not afraid to say it,” Riley said at
his annual end-of-season availability. “We are going to be multiple contenders, OK? I have no problem saying that. We
will contend. That’s all it’s about. When you have a team that can contend for a championship, that’s what
you want, because then you have a shot at winning.
“I know what everybody expected here, but it didn’t happen,”
Riley added. “But we had a great season.”
He also said Erik Spoelstra would coach, shooting
down any notion that the Hall of Famer was considering a return to the bench.
“No, I’m not going to,”
Riley said.
Riley ended his Hall of Fame coaching career in 2008, before tapping Spoelstra as his replacement. Spoelstra
has a 148-98 record in three regular seasons, along with a 18-15 mark in postseason play.
“It doesn’t mean
that I don’t have the fire,” Riley said. “But we have a great young coach here and I want to support him
and hope that he can grow like I did. This is just his third year.”
Riley said he expects Miami’s so-called
“Big 3” to get better during the offseason as well, noting that Bosh will likely add some bulk in the weight room
and that James wants to do more to round out his game, which has already earned him two MVP awards.
“He’s
the most unique player in the NBA and we’re blessed to have him,” Riley said of James, adding that too much of
the criticism for the team’s loss to Dallas in the NBA finals went his way.
Riley called the way last summer
went, when he helped convince the three All-Stars to team up in Miami, one of the highlights of the season for both Miami
and the NBA.
“The greatest thing in the history of South Florida sports was those guys coming together,”
Riley said. “With the exception of the (undefeated 1972) Dolphins. Maybe.”
And he does expect that Miami,
which has the first pick in the second round, No. 31 overall, can get better in Thursday night’s draft.
“My
take on it is that we’re going to pick 31,” Riley said. “I’m not so sure we’re going to spend
$3 million to move up.”
Last week, I recounted the
bizarre travel drama of Deshon Marman, the New Mexico safety who was hauled off a plane the day after his best friend's funeral for refusing to pull up his pants resting somewhere "below his buttocks but
above the knees" and subsequently arrested for resisting authorities. At the time, I noted that it was quite possibly
"the dumbest incident ever recorded on this site." As it turned out, Marman's arrest was also the most-read incident
ever recorded on this site, by quite a wide margin. Obviously, the evolving eccentricities of urban fashion remains a permanent
cultural flash point, even those that aren't nearly as fashionable as they used to be.
So, as a kind of response
to the 60-plus emails on the subject I haven't quite had the stomach to open, here's Marman defending himself — and
offering an apology to fellow passengers — over the weekend on Albuquerque television:
And just to check his work, here's a bit of passenger video of Marman refusing to leave his seat when asked by the crew,
an encounter which began contentiously enough to compel a random flier to pop out his camera phone, but hardly escalated
into anything resembling an in-cabin riot:
Admittedly, as a piece of "evidence,"
not much happens there, and certainly nothing that will convince anyone to see anything they weren't already inclined to
see when they hit "play." Marman's attorney told the San Francisco Chronicle that "nothing was visible" when his client was seated and "the issue should have been over" after he
was allowed to board the plane. (The passenger who shot the video more or less agreed: "When I first saw him coming
down the aisle, I was like, 'Come on man, really?' But after he sat down, you couldn't see anything.") What you don't
see on the passenger-shot video, according to a US Airlines spokesman who spoke to the Associated Press, is Marman's "repeated refusal earlier to follow a boarding agent's advice and pull up his pants," or the alleged
resistance when he was forcibly removed from the plane that led to additional charges for battery and resisting arrest.
"He's refusing to get off," the spokesman said. "The captain's thinking, 'What if he refuses something else
in the air?'"
Marman didn't get the chance, because he was tossed in the San Mateo County Jail instead. He was
released on $11,000 bond a day later. Prosecutors have until July 18 to decide whether to press charges in this gripping
criminal drama.
BETHESDA, Maryland (AP)—The proof of Rory McIlroy’s remarkable resiliency was the U.S. Open trophy at his side on Sunday and the pages of a record book that he rewrote
over four mind-boggling days.
For his father, it was a phone call right after a crushing collapse at Augusta National
two months earlier, when McIlroy shot an 80 in the final round to blow a big lead.
Gerry McIlroy, who worked three
jobs to support his son’s junior golf, was home in Northern Ireland when the phone rang some 20 minutes after it was
over.
“I said, Rory, are you OK, son?’ Because you always fear for your kids,” the father said Sunday.
“And he says, ‘Dad, I have no problem with it at all. I hit a few bad shots. And if you play golf, then you’ll
understand that.”’
Fast forward to Sunday, and a flag-draped Gerry was in the thick of a momentous celebration
at Congressional, outside Washington.
The 22-year-old McIlroy buried that Masters memory the way he buried his competition
in a breathtaking performance filled with the promise of more majors to come.
“I felt like I got over the Masters
pretty quickly. I kept telling you guys that, and I don’t know if you believed me or not. But here you go,” McIlroy
said, gesturing to the shiny prize on the table. “Nice to prove some people wrong.”
Four days of flawless
golf finally ended when McIlroy polished off a 2-under 69 to shatter U.S. Open records that simply defy logic at the major
known as the toughest test in golf.
The combined scores of the previous 10 U.S. Open champions were 14-under par.
McIlroy was 16 under.
He finished eight shots ahead of Jason Day, whose score of 8-under 276 would have been enough to win 26 of the past 30 U.S. Opens.
“It’s just phenomenal
golf,” Day said. “He lapped the field, and for such a young age, how mature he is. Golf right now is in a really,
really good spot where Rory McIlroy is right now.”
McIlroy nearly holed an impossible putt from the front of
the 18th green to within a foot, and it was then he finally saw his father. He smiled and shook a clenched fist, and after
tapping in for par, walked off the green and into his arms.
“Happy Father’s Day,” McIlroy told him.
It was the second straight U.S. Open title for Northern Ireland, and defending champion Graeme McDowell walked back across the bridge to the 18th green to embrace the new winner.
“You’re a legend,” McDowell
told him.
Not many would dispute that now, not after a week like this.
Golf had been looking for a star ever
since Woods’ personal life and formidable game spiraled out of control 18 months ago. This was supposed to be the “U.S.
Wide Open” because parity had taken over.
McIlroy, who goes to No. 4 in the world, now stands above everyone
going into the final two majors of the year.
“Nothing this kid does ever surprises me,” McDowell said.
“He’s the best player I’ve ever seen. I didn’t have a chance to play with Tiger when he was in his
real pomp, and this guy is the best I’ve ever seen. Simple as that. He’s great for golf. He’s a breath of
fresh air for the game, and perhaps we’re ready for golf’s next superstar.
“And maybe,” he
said, “Rory is it.”
This was more than just one major. It was the way McIlroy decimated the field with
a golf swing so pure that he made had only four holes worse than par all week.
McIlroy finished at 268 to break the
U.S. Open record by four shots. That record 12-under par by Woods at Pebble Beach? McIlroy matched it in the second round
and kept right on rolling.
“I couldn’t ask for much more, and I’m just so happy to be holding this
trophy,” McIlroy said. “I know how good Tiger was in 2000 to win by 15 in Pebble. I was trying to go out there
and emulate him in some way. I played great for four days, and I couldn’t be happier.
“Going back to Augusta
this year, I felt like that was a great opportunity to get my first major. It didn’t quite work out,” McIlroy
said. “But to come back straightaway at the U.S. Open and win, that is nice. You can always call yourself a major champion,
and hopefully after this, I can call myself a multiple major champion.”
Since the Masters began in 1934, McIlroy
is the second youngest major champion next to Woods.
“What a performance from start to finish,” Woods said
in a statement. “Enjoy the win. Well done.”
Day, a 23-year-old from Australia, closed with a 68 and was
runner-up for the second straight major. Unlike the Masters, however, Day didn’t have a chance. No one did this week.
McIlroy opened with a three-shot lead, stretched it to six shots after 36 holes and eight shots going into the final round.
No one got any closer over the final 18 holes.
Nicklaus invited McIlroy to lunch last year in Florida and talked to
him about how to close out tournaments. He apparently wasn’t listening when he took a four-shot lead into the final
round of the Masters, only to implode on the back nine and shoot 80.
“I didn’t think it was going to happen
again, and it hasn’t,” Nicklaus said by telephone to NBC Sports. “This kid’s going to have a great
career. I don’t think there’s any question about it. He’s got all the components. He’s got a lot of
people rooting for him. He’s a nice kid. He’s got a pleasant personality.
“He’s humble when
he needs to be humble, and he’s confident when he needs to be confident.”
Among the records he set in a
U.S. Open unlike any other:
— The 72-hole record at 268.
— The 54-hole record at 199.
—
The 36-hole record at 131.
— Most under par at any point at 17 under.
— Quickest to reach double
digits under par—26 holes when he got to 10 under in the second round.
McIlroy also tied Woods’ record
for a six-shot lead at the halfway point, and he joined Lee Janzen in 1993 and Lee Trevino in 1968 as the only players to post all four rounds in the 60s.
Some of that had to do with Congressional, which was
softened by rain and cloud cover. There were 32 rounds under par on Sunday. The previous record was 18 final rounds under
par, at Baltusrol in 1993.
But there is no denying that one guy played far better than anyone else— eight shots
better. McIlroy became the first player since Woods in 2002 at Bethpage Black to go wire-to-wire in the U.S. Open without
ties, and his best might still be ahead of him.
“He’s still growing, and it’s just scary to think
about it,” said Y.E. Yang, who played in the final group for the last two days.
Amid the celebration of McIlroy came growing concern about the
state of American golf. For the first time since the Masters began in 1934, Americans have gone five majors without winning.
They were on the verge of being shut out of the top three for the fourth time in the past five majors until Yang made bogey
on the last hole for a 71.
“The Americans struggle a little bit,” PGA champion Martin Kaymer said. “Since Tiger has been on a—how you do say?—little down, nothing has really happened. We’ve
just become so much stronger.”
The game also is getting much younger.
McIlroy became the fourth straight
player in his 20s to win a major, the longest such streak since 1897.
Boston Bruins win Stanley Cup, beat Vancouver 4 - 0.
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP)—While the Boston Bruins beelined across the ice to mob him at the buzzer, Tim Thomas(notes) tapped both goalposts, sank to his knees and rubbed the ice in front of his empty goal.
Thomas drew a virtual
line in his crease throughout these crazy, contentious Stanley Cup finals, and Boston’s brilliant goalie just wouldn’t
allow the Vancouver Canucks to cross it whenever it really mattered.
After 39 years without a championship, the Bruins ripped the Cup—and
several thousand hearts—out of a Canadian city that has waited four decades itself for one sip.
Thomas was just
too good, and the Bruins are the NHL’s best.
The Cup is headed back to the Hub of Hockey.
The 37-year-old
Thomas made 37 saves in the second shutout of his landmark finals performance, Patrice Bergeron(notes) and rookie Brad Marchand(notes) scored two goals apiece, and the Bruins beat the Canucks 4-0 Wednesday night to win their first NHL championship since
1972.
“I think I went even further than I thought,” Thomas said. “I was scared, I won’t lie.
I had nerves yesterday and today, and I faked it as best as I could, and I faked it all the way to the Stanley Cup.”
Nice try, Tim. There’s nothing fake about Thomas, who limited the NHL’s highest-scoring team to eight goals
in the seven-game finals, blanking Vancouver in two of the last four—including Game 7, the only win by a road team in
the series.
The oldest Conn Smythe Trophy winner in NHL history stopped a jaw-dropping 238 of the Canucks’ 246
shots in the finals for a .967 save percentage. That’s even better than his .940 mark and 1.98 goals-against average
for the entire postseason.
“If I was going to do it any way, it would have to be the hardest way possible,”
said Thomas, who played overseas and in the minors before finally getting his NHL break in 2005. “Three Game 7s in the
playoffs, and to have to win it on the road in the final.”
The Bruins are the first team in NHL history to win
a Game 7 three times in the same postseason, and Thomas posted shutouts in the decisive game of the Eastern Conference finals
and the Stanley Cup finals. The Bruins’ postgame celebration centered around Thomas, who carried them through long stretches
of a perilous postseason that began with two home losses to Montreal.
The postgame celebration in downtown Vancouver
was uglier, with fans setting cars on fire, throwing bottles, trashing cars and staging bonfires while riot police dispersed
them with truncheons and shields. The crowd appeared bigger than the estimated 100,000 fans that gathered for Game 5, and
the riot raged for hours after the Bruins raised the Cup.
Bergeron stunned the Vancouver crowd with the first goal,
getting the eventual game-winner in the first period. His short-handed score late in the second period put the Bruins up 3-0,
turning the third period into a virtual wake for the Canucks, who have never won the Stanley Cup in nearly 41 years of existence.
“We got the first goal, and we knew that would be important coming here,” said 43-year-old Mark Recchi(notes), who plans to retire after winning the Stanley Cup with his third franchise. “If they got any chances, Timmy
was there, and it was just scary how good he was.”
Zdeno Chara(notes), the Bruins’ 6-foot-9 captain, nearly slipped under the Stanley Cup’s weight when he skated away from
Commissioner Gary Bettman. And the shiny silver trophy eventually got a lift from Nathan Horton(notes), the injured Boston forward whose Game 3 concussion on a late hit irrevocably swung the series’ momentum to
Boston.
Horton traveled to Vancouver for Game 7 and worked to give the Bruins a home-ice advantage, pouring a bottle
of Boston water onto the ice in front of the Bruins’ bench 90 minutes before warmups.
“I was just trying
to get some Garden ice here and make it our ice,” Horton said. “I was trying to be sneaky about it.”
Luckily for the Bruins, their goalie is cooler than ice. Boston dropped the first two games in Vancouver, but became just
the third team since 1966 to overcome that finals deficit.
“Their goaltender was real tough to beat,” Vancouver
coach Alain Vigneault said. “The way they played in front of him was real tough to beat. We had some Grade A chances,
and we were unable to score.”
Thomas thoroughly outplayed and outclassed his Vancouver counterpart: Star goalie
Roberto Luongo(notes) gave up 18 goals in the last five games of the finals. Despite a pregame walk on the Vancouver seawall in his special
mind-clearing ritual, the enigmatic netminder capped a brutally inconsistent series by allowing Bergeron’s crushing
short-handed goal to slip underneath him late in the second period.
Roberto Luongo (L) congratulates Tim Thomas after Game 7. (Getty Images)
“We’re devastated as a team,” Luongo said. “We worked all year to
get to this point. To fall short like that is a tough one to take … but we’re a good team, and we’ll be
back.”
Game 7 was another heartbreak for the Canucks and their stunned fans, who stayed by the thousands just
to get a glimpse of the trophy. A Canadian club still hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since 1993.
“Anybody in
our situation right now would feel real disappointed, whether you’re the favorite or not,” Vigneault said. “We
battled real hard. We gave it our best shot. This one game, they were the better team. It’s that simple.”
Bergeron added a Stanley Cup ring to his gold medals from the Olympics and the world championships with his biggest game
of a quiet series. He scored his first goal of the finals late in the first period on a shot Luongo saw too late, and Marchand
added his 10th goal of the postseason in the second before Bergeron’s short-handed goal.
Game 7 capped a spectacular
collapse by Luongo, who backstopped Canada to Olympic gold medals on this same ice sheet a year ago. Luongo was pulled from
the Canucks’ last two games in Boston after giving up 15 goals on the road, and he was fatally shaky in Game 7.
Luongo praised his own positional game earlier in the series, but he didn’t recover in time to stop Marchand’s
second-period goal. Five minutes later, he couldn’t close his legs on a slowly sliding puck on Bergeron’s goal—the
seventh allowed by Luongo on the last 21 shots he faced dating back to Game 4.
But Luongo wasn’t alone in deserving
Vancouver’s blame: The Sedin twins are the NHL’s last two scoring champions, but they capped a disastrous finals
by being on the ice for all four of Boston’s goals. Captain Henrik Sedin(notes), last season’s MVP, scored just one goal in the series, while Daniel Sedin(notes) had two goals and two assists, scoring in just two of the seven games.
“It’s the hardest thing
I’ve ever done in my life, and to lose made it even harder,” said Vancouver center Ryan Kesler(notes), a 41-goal scorer who managed just one assist in the finals while struggling with an obvious injury.
Boston
overcame more than the Vancouver crowd and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning team to claim this Cup. Starting in the first
round, when the Bruins rallied past Montreal after losing the series’ first two games at home, this team has showed
a resilience and tenacity that hasn’t been seen much in the self-professed Hub of Hockey in four decades.
The
Bruins failed in their five previous trips to the finals since Bobby Orr led them to championships in 1970 and 1972, losing
every time. Remarkable players such as Cam Neely came and went without a Cup, while Ray Bourque had to go to Colorado to get
his only ring 10 years ago.
Both teams opened Game 7 at a fantastic pace. After both teams’ top lines missed
decent early scoring chances, Bergeron put the Bruins ahead with a one-timer in the slot on a sharp pass from Marchand, the
rookie who has emerged remarkably in the finals. Luongo couldn’t be blamed for his teammates’ soft checking when
Bergeron’s shot caught the goalpost and ricocheted home.
Bergeron, who won a gold medal with Canada on this same
rink last year, hadn’t scored a goal in Boston’s last nine playoff games, including the entire finals.
Marchand
hit Luongo’s crossbar early in the second period, and he scored from behind the net several minutes later with ample
help from the diving Luongo, who knocked the puck into the net after getting pushed by his scrambling teammate, Daniel Sedin.
Rogers Arena deflated with that score, and the Canucks’ suddenly problematic power play allowed Bergeron essentially
to finish them off. He got a loose puck at his blue line and outskated two Canucks toward Luongo, and the puck skittered underneath
the goalie while Bergeron went to the ice.
Thomas was unflappable in the third period, and Marchand added an empty-net
goal with 2:44 to play.
NOTES: The Rogers Arena crowd vociferously booed Bettman when he stepped on the ice, but the
fans cheered wildly for Vancouver native Milan Lucic(notes). … Chara is the second European born-and-trained captain to raise the Stanley Cup, joining Detroit’s
Nicklas Lidstrom(notes). … Bruins D Dennis Seidenberg(notes) had two assists. He is the second German to earn a spot on the Stanley Cup, joining Uwe Krupp. … The NBA finals
ended before the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 2002, when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Detroit Red Wings to their respective titles.
Nowitzki named MVP of NBA Finals
MIAMI (AP)—Dirk Nowitzki(notes) has been named Most Valuable Player of the NBA finals for his huge role in leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first championship.
Although the German star struggled in the Mavericks’ Game 6 victory on Sunday,
he certainly put them in position to win it all, overcoming injury and illness to power fourth-quarter comebacks from deficits
of 12, nine and four points in Dallas’ previous wins.
Nowitzki won Game 2 with a left-handed layup despite having
torn a tendon in his left middle finger in Game 1.
He scored 10 of his 21 points in the final period of Game 4 despite
playing with a fever because of a sinus infection.
And in Game 5, his driving dunk in the final minutes put Dallas
ahead for good.
Wade said he really did cough and turned it into a generic joke because cameras were rolling.
He and James blamed others for trying to make a big deal out of it.
The video taken by the CBS affiliate in Dallas-Fort
Worth shows Wade walking alongside James following a shootaround the morning of Game 5 of the NBA finals. Wade coughs, then
says, “Did you hear me cough? Think I’m sick.”
Nowitzki was coughing and sniffling throughout Game
4 because of a sinus infection that also left him with a 101-degree fever. He played anyway and led Dallas to a victory over
the Miami Heat that evened the series at two games each. The Mavs also won Game 5, sending them into Game 6 on Sunday night with a chance
to be crowned champions.
The video of Wade’s cough spread across the Internet on Friday, when both teams were
traveling. So it became a popular topic at news conferences Saturday.
“First of all, it wasn’t fake coughing,”
Wade said. “I actually did cough. And with the cameras being right there, we made a joke out of it because we knew you
guys were going to blow it up. You did exactly what we knew. We never said Dirk’s name. I think he’s not the only
one in the world who can get sick or have a cough. We just had fun with the cameras being right in our face about the blowup
of the incident, and it held to be true. You blew it up.”
Said James: “If you guys want to feed into everything
that not only myself or D-Wade or the Miami Heat do, I think that’s a non-issue. There’s bigger issues in this
series than that.”
The video clip runs 26 seconds. After Wade coughs, he and James laugh and tug their collars
over their nose and mouth, as Nowitzki did during his interview following Game 4.
Nowitzki clearly didn’t see
anything humorous about it. He considered them implying he may not have been sick.
“I’ve been in this league
for 13 years. I’ve never faked an injury or an illness before,” Nowitzki said. “But (the video) happened.
It’s over to me. It’s not going to add anything extra to me. This is the NBA finals. If you need an extra motivation,
you have a problem.”
Mark Jackson thinks the Golden State Warriors will make the playoffs in 2011-12, because this is a perfect encapsulation of Mark Jackson the NBA analyst now articulated
on record by Mark Jackson the NBA head coach. Deary, me.
The less said about Mark Jackson, the better. C.A. Clark
of Silver Screen and Roll has already penned a perfect evisceration of Jackson the soon-to-be former TV "analyst,"
and I'll let his work stand for itself.
Jackson's analytical stylings are like a cross between Hubie Brown and Scotty Brooks, except if you
were to remove any indication whatsoever that the speaker has ever even seen the game of basketball. No more phrases
that make no sense within the context of basketball, like "Mama, there goes that man". No more phrases that
make no sense within the context of the English language, like "Hand down, man down." Really, it is impossible
to get excited enough about this.
Now that Mark has become the coach of the Golden State Warriors …
(Excuse me. I just silently stood up from my chair and walked around the living room, wordlessly, for 27 minutes. Burned
140 calories, but it still wasn't worth it.)
Now that he's become coach of the Golden State Warriors, Jackson has
set to nearly promising a postseason appearance for the team, a group that has made the playoffs just one time since 1994.
This is from Tuesday's introductory press conference:
"I fully expect, put it in bold letters, the Golden State Warriors to be a playoff team next year.
If I did not expect that, I would not have taken the job, and I won't minimize it with just being a playoff team. We are
looking to turn the Bay Area upside down."
First off, don't do anything to the Bay Area. It's just
fine the way it is. Budget concerns, sure, but beyond that let's leave the entire Area untouched. Thanks.
Secondly,
stop telling me what to put in bold letters. My website, my fonts, my choice.
Also, playoffs? Go on with your bad self.
Might as well expect it. Golden State is a young team with good talent and a strong upside. The team has tradeable options
and a group of youngsters that appears willing to learn. They suffered through Don Nelson, they were uninspired by Keith
Smart, and they still have a chance for a strong leader to be the difference between the 36 wins Golden State managed last
year, and the 46 (or possibly more) it would take to grab the eighth seed in the West next season.
And that's as optimistic
as I can get without laughing myself into yet another 27-minute walk. Because Jackson, who forged a 17-year NBA career out
of smarts, guile and a deft touch with his hands, has infuriated NBA fans by the thousands with his insufferable work on
ESPN and ABC broadcasts over the last few years. It would have been millions, but those people just don't tune in anymore.
Jackson's a big reason why. He consistently ruins the tone of the game by choosing to pass on analyzing the contest in front
of him in favor of going over insipid, barroom or sports talk radio-level conversations. Rankings and unwritten rules and
posturing and all that. Just fine, when you have three hours to kill in an afternoon's radio gig, but not cool when the
Mavs and Heat are locked into yet another one-possession game.
He was given the ABC job after a short, and admittedly
not bad, stint as New Jersey Nets analyst; so this means he had way more experience before his terrible time with Disney than he'll have as an NBA coach
before taking on what is a huge (no, I won't put it in bold letters) task in turning these Warriors into playoff
contenders. Golden State has talent, but it has a system to develop to make up for the myriad holes in the team's rotation,
and overall complexion. This is a team full of endearing goofballs that could be putty in the right man's hands, and I will
not end this paragraph with a "hand down, man down" reference BECAUSE THAT PHRASE MAKES NO SENSE.
Acquiring the well regarded Mike Malone to lead Jackson's staff will help. Actually, it says a lot about how little most regard Jackson's potential coaching capabilities that the first
question at his introductory press conference had to do with Malone.
QUESTION: Mark, could you talk about the significance of hiring Michael Malone as your lead assistant,
and what you hope he'll bring to the table for you?
MARK JACKSON: Well, first and foremost, it's a great day.
Ouch.
Understand that all these shots come from people that want Jackson to succeed. I'm not pandering when I tell
you that Golden State Warrior fans, and this was obvious when I was watching Rick Adelman or Dave Cowens flail away as Warrior
coaches, know the game and deserve a consistent winner. And though most of us still have misgivings with the Monta Ellis(notes)/Stephen Curry backcourt (if not those players on an individual basis), this is still a roster that we like very
much. And save for his mind-numbing turns as ABC/ESPN analyst, we've always been fond of Jackson. Both as a player and in
his initial turn with the Nets.
We want Jackson to succeed, and we like the brio. Just understand that if the same
leanings that made up Mark Jackson the ABC/ESPN analyst start to work in Golden State, then this team is in trouble.
If he starts humble -- which is tough to do for a guy who never had to be an assistant coach and jumped quickly to the
top position in his television field -- though? If he lets Malone guide him and falls in love with the grind (this was the
guy, remember, that quit his gig with the Nets in order to watch less basketball and only work for ABC/ESPN; even
while Marv Albert is still calling every game he can) and the growth? Then it can work.
So can a lot of things, I
suppose.
Pryor calls end to Ohio State career
By RUSTY MILLER, AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—The NCAA took the first five games of Terrelle Pryor’s senior season. Now he’s given
up the rest.
The Ohio State quarterback announced through his attorney Tuesday that he would not play for the Buckeyes
this upcoming season. He had already been suspended through September for breaking NCAA rules by accepting improper benefits
from the owner of a tattoo parlor.
Pryor was reflective about his decision to quit the college game, said his lawyer,
Larry James.
“You know how sometimes you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and then something like
this takes a little bit off?’ James said. “He’s still only 21.”
The most likely next step for
Pryor would be an NFL supplemental draft.
“I would hope so. Also, he would hope so,” said James, who said
Pryor was not speaking publicly. “But he’s going to take the next couple of days to get his head together.”
The Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported Pryor’s announcement.
It was news that was met with surprisingly
happy faces by downtrodden Ohio State fans. After coach Jim Tressel’s forced departure last week, Pryor has served as
a lightning rod as the NCAA looked into all aspects of the once-glittering program.
In addition to the acknowledged
violations—cash and tattoos to players— are rumors of cars deals for athletes and other potential violations.
And Pryor has been in the middle of all that swirling controversy.
Pryor’s announcement comes just eight days
after Tressel was forced to resign for knowing about the players’ improper benefits, but not telling any of his superiors.
“(Pryor) did not want to be a distraction to his teammates,” James said. “This is something he came to
consider after much thought.”
Ohio State will go before the NCAA’s committee on infractions on Aug. 12.
With Pryor no longer a college football player, he is not obligated to meet with the NCAA. James would not comment on whether
Pryor would continue to cooperate with the sanctioning body of college sports.
Ohio State’s athletic director
Gene Smith quickly issued a statement wishing Pryor the best.
“We understand Terrelle’s decision and wish
him well in this next phase of his life,” Smith said. “We hope he returns to The Ohio State University one day
to finish his degree.”
Luke Fickell, who will serve as Ohio State’s interim head coach in place of Tressel
this fall, found out about Pryor’s decision on Tuesday night.
“I was notified this evening that Terrelle
has decided to pursue a professional career,” Fickell said. “I wish him the best in his pursuits.”
Later
Wednesday night, ESPN reported that a former friend of Pryor’s, who requested anonymity, claimed he saw the quarterback
signing autographs for money a minimum of 35 to 40 times and that Pryor made between $20,000-$40,000 last year for doing so.
The former friend told ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” that Pryor was paid $500 to $1,000 each time he signed
mini football helmets and other gear for a Columbus businessman and freelance photographer, Dennis Talbott.
ESPN reported
Talbott twice denied that he ever paid Pryor or any other active Buckeyes student-athlete to sign memorabilia.
Pryor
came to Ohio State in March 2008, from Jeannette, Pa., as the most acclaimed high school quarterback prospect in the country.
His career will be remembered in his adoptive home state for his three victories in as many tries against archrival Michigan, and victories in the Rose and Sugar bowls.
But it will also be remembered for a series of missteps and controversies
that seemed to follow the 6-foot-6, 233-pound quarterback.
On the field, Pryor was a winner. He had a 31-4 record as
a starter (starting one bowl game as a wide receiver), rushed for an Ohio State-record for a quarterback 2,164 yards and passed
for 6,177 yards. He was often at his best in big games, holding the school record with seven games with at least 300 yards
of total offense and 22 games with at least 200.
But there were other moments that kept him from becoming a fan favorite.
He wore “Vick” on an eyeblack patch in honor of Michael Vick in 2009, after the NFL quarterback had been involved
in a dogfighting operation. Pryor then infuriated many by saying, “Not everybody’s the perfect person in the world.
I mean, everyone kills people, murders people, steals from you, steals from me, whatever. I think that people need a second
chance.”
After Wisconsin beat the Buckeyes in October, handing them their only loss last season, Pryor petulantly
said that Ohio State could beat the Badgers nine out of 10 times.
He also has called former Ohio State quarterback
and current ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit “a fake Buckeye” for questioning Pryor’s emotional
sideline behavior.
Few NFL draft experts consider Pryor to be a ready-for-the-NFL quarterback. With his speed and size,
he might be a better fit as a big wide receiver in the mold of Plaxico Burress.
Despite the NFL labor problems, a supplemental
draft could still be held this summer, although no one has yet committed to entering it. Former Ohio State star Cris Carter
went that route after he lost his senior season due to NCAA infractions involving an agent and he went on to a stellar NFL
career.
The Buckeyes have several choices to take Pryor’s place. The most experienced player is fifth-year senior
Joe Bauserman, with Kenny Guiton, Taylor Graham and talented freshman Braxton Miller competing for the job.
All four
got plenty of snaps in spring practice while Pryor missed all the April workouts after having surgery on his right ankle in
January. So, Ohio State has already had some time to imagine what its offense will be like without Pryor.
Rusty Miller
can be reached at http://twitter.com/rustymillerap
Obviously Shaquille O'Neal's(notes) cheerful retirement announcement, provided on Wednesday, wasn't enough. The larger-than-life former MVP and four-time NBA champion had to go out with a bigger microphone in front
of him, and Friday's retirement press conference provided the stage he deserved. Speaking from his home in Orlando, O'Neal
delivered in a hilarious turn, retiring all his former nicknames while taking a funny (if completely petty and unnecessary)
shot at Orlando Magic All-Star Dwight Howard(notes).
Howard, who grew up idolizing O'Neal, turned into a combatant for the retiring star in his later years due
mainly to Shaquille's insecurity at being usurped as the biggest bad guy around. Howard's biggest indiscretion, in Shaq's
eyes, was taking on the "Superman" persona that O'Neal championed during his time in Orlando, and initial years
with the Los Angeles Lakers, long before he decided to award himself several other nicknames.
At the end of the press conference, O'Neal touched
on both aspects:
"In light of today, I am retiring all my nicknames. The Big Aristotle, Shaq-Fu,
The Big Shamrock, The Big Cactus, The Diesel, and finally, the one and only, original, never to be duplicated or replicated
… Superman.
"From now on, you can call me The Big AARP. Association for the Advancements of Retired Persons."
It's actually the American Association of Retired Persons, but who gives a rip when everyone in the room is laughing?
O'Neal's quick delivery and pointed wit fell right in line with an NBA career that started nearly 19 years ago. Not only
did he pile up the All-Star appearances and high-percentage shots, but O'Neal also made every media interaction ("I
have really enjoyed my relationship with the media," Shaq pointed out at the news conference) interesting, no matter his mood. Friday's delivery was no different.
Disarming as ever, the 53 percent career free-throw shooter relayed that he's
"really going to miss the free throws," before letting the assembled media know that "I've acted in award-winning
movies such as 'Kazaam,'" which is just about the best shot at a movie by the lead actor in a movie since the time
Eddie Murphy announced on "Saturday Night Live" that "'Best Defense' sucked."
Don't weep for The Big AARP just yet, though. He ended his presser with one final promise:
"I
do plan on entertaining you for the next 19 years. Whether it's TNT, ESPN, CNN; whoever wants to hire me, my offices open
up on Monday."
How many words per minute do you type, Shaq? Any interest in a BDL byline? We're
terrible at free throws, too.
Shaq says on Twitter: ‘I’m about to retire’
By JIMMY GOLEN, AP Sports
Writer
BOSTON (AP)—He was a prolific producer of rebounds and record albums. And nicknames, too, as if at 7-foot-1 and 350
pounds he was too big for the simple “Shaq” that made him an instantly recognizable, one-name star in all of his
endeavors.
Shaquille O’Neal(notes) had more than 28,000 points and almost 4 million Twitter followers. He appeared in six NBA finals, three times as
the MVP, and seven feature films, twice in a starring role.
A 15-time All-Star, four-time champion and the 2000 NBA
Most Valuable Player, the 39-year-old O’Neal announced his retirement on Twitter on Wednesday after spending most of
his 19th season on the Boston Celtics bench, in street clothes because of leg injuries.
Along with a mid-afternoon tweet saying, “im retiring,”
O’Neal included a link to a 16-second video of him saying, “We did it; 19 years, baby. Thank you very much. That’s
why I’m telling you first: I’m about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon.”
An inveterate prankster
who gave himself a new nickname—or several—in each of his six NBA cities, O’Neal did not notify his latest
team, leaving it wondering about his plans. He played just 37 games this season, the first of a two-year deal at the veteran’s
minimum salary, making just three brief appearances after Feb. 1.
“He’s a giant,” commissioner David
Stern said Wednesday at the NBA finals in Miami. “He’s physically imposing; he has an imposing smile. In the game,
he imposed his will, and he has done it for quite a long time. It’s been a great run, and we’re going to miss
him greatly. We hope we can find ways to keep him involved in the game.”
O’Neal, 39, retires fifth all-time
with 28,596 points, 12th with 13,099 rebounds, and a .582 field goal percentage that is second only to Artis Gilmore among
players with more than 2,000 baskets. His free throw percentage of .527— well, now is not the time to dwell on that.
“I’m a little bit sad,” said Heat president Pat Riley, who also coached O’Neal when he won a title
in Miami and watched Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning(notes) when they retired. “It’s been an honor to be part of coaching great, great players. And he will go down
as one of the greatest of all time.”
Appropriately, O’Neal’s retirement became the No. 1 trending
topic on the social networking site he embraced by early evening, and his former teammates and opponents took to Twitter to
wish him luck.
“Shaq not only dominated the game of basketball but also dominated off the court w/ his big personality.
Hes 1 of the greatest entertainers,” Magic Johnson said. “Thank you Shaq for leading the Lakers to 3 titles. We
loved every minute of it!”
O’Neal spent three years at Louisiana State and was the big prize when the Orlando Magic won the 1992 draft lottery and selected him first overall. He took them from the lottery to the playoffs in two years, and
then led them to the NBA finals in his third year before they were swept by the Houston Rockets.
O’Neal signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 and had his greatest success there, winning three titles alongside Kobe Bryant(notes) and coach Phil Jackson. But amid tension between O’Neal and Bryant after a loss to the Detroit Pistons in the finals, O’Neal was traded to the Heat in the summer of 2004.
“I often wonder how many they would’ve
won if he stayed,” said Johnson, the Lakers Hall of Famer.
Lakers owner Jerry Buss, who decided to break up the
tandem and keep Bryant, thanked O’Neal for a “long and amazing career, with a huge impact both on and off the
court.”
“His contributions were significant to the entire NBA, but we specifically appreciate what he did
with and what he meant to the Lakers during his eight years with us,” Buss said. “We have three championships
that we wouldn’t have won without him, and we will forever be grateful for his significant contributions to those teams.”
At each stop, he endeared himself to the fans and his new teammates with his effervescent smile and playful
attitude, including the habit of adopting a new nickname he felt embodied his role with his new team. In Phoenix he was the
“Big Shaqtus”; in Boston, the “Big Shamroq.”
“What a career for Shaq Diesel!!”
James wrote on Twitter. “The most dominating force to ever play the game. Great person to be around as well. Comedy
all the time!!”
O’Neal connected with more than 3.8 million followers of his Twitter account, keeping them
informed of his “random acts of Shaqness”—like sitting in Harvard Square, pretending to be a statue, or
going out in drag on Halloween.
But his off-court persona couldn’t disguise the fact he was getting old, and
while he showed he could still play with younger opponents, he couldn’t manage to stay on the court with them. He missed
a week in November with a bruised right knee, a week in December with a calf injury, and another in January with a sore right
hip.
He returned for three games—a total of about 34 minutes—before missing the next 27 games with what
the team called a sore right leg. Although the injury was originally expected to keep him out just a few games, his absence
stretched to more than two months.
He returned to play in one more regular-season game, but lasted just 5 minutes,
29 seconds before reinjuring the leg and limping off the court. He missed Boston’s entire first-round series against
the New York Knicks and made two appearances against Miami, a total of 12 minutes, and scored two points.
In all, O’Neal averaged
just 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 20.3 minutes this season—all career lows.
“I’m glad that he retired.
I think it was time,” former guard Tim Hardaway said. “He was hurting his legacy. You don’t want to see
anybody hurt their legacy when they’re going out. I think a lot of people are happy he didn’t go through that
pain of waiting too long. And I think it was tough for everybody to watch Shaq when he was playing hurt like that at the end
of this season.”
And that left O’Neal in the market for a new nickname.
After announcing his retirement,
he asked fans to give him a nickname that befit his retirement. He reported at about 5 p.m. that “The Big 401K”
was the leader.
“I know you can do better, though,” he said in another video. “I’m here all
day. I’m retired.”
AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney and AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to
this report from Miami.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP)—Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter was diagnosed Tuesday with a malignant brain tumor called a glioblastoma
and will treat it with chemotherapy and radiation.
Doctors at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University
say the location of the tumor makes it difficult to remove through an operation. Carter was returning home to Florida to begin
the next part of his treatment.
“Mr. Carter’s youth, strong physical condition and fighting spirit will
be to his advantage as his treatment commences,” said Doctors Allan H. Friedman and Henry S. Friedman, the co-deputy
directors of the center.
“The outpouring of support for Mr. Carter has been incredible and we trust that his many
friends and fans will join us in continuing to pray for him and his family.”
The 57-year-old Carter, who just
completed his second season as Palm Beach Atlantic University’s baseball coach, announced May 21 that an MRI had revealed
four small tumors on his brain. The Duke Medicine release mentions a single tumor.
Carter hit .262 with 324 homers
and 1,225 RBIs in 19 seasons in the majors. The 11-time All-Star played his last game with the Montreal Expos in 1992 and
was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.
“While we are saddened by the news we received today, we take comfort
in the overwhelming support and prayers that have been extended to our family during this difficult time,” Carter’s
family said in the Duke Medicine release. “We have boundless faith and hope knowing that the Lord will help see us through
the challenging weeks and months ahead.”
The effervescent Carter, nicknamed “Kid,” is perhaps best
known for helping the Mets win the 1986 World Series. He had 24 homers and 105 RBIs that year, then drove in 11 runs in the
postseason.
Several former teammates have expressed their concern and offered their support since Carter announced
the results of the MRI. During their game Tuesday night at Citi Field, the Mets again played a reel of Carter’s career
highlights in New York with a message that followed on the big video board: “Our thoughts are with you Gary. From your
millions of fans and the New York Mets.”
“Gary is getting the best care possible and is blessed with an incredible support network including
family, friends and loyal fans,” his family said. “Gary was always a fierce competitor on the baseball field and
that same tenacity will help him not only fight but win this battle, so please join Team Carter and continue to pray with
our family.”
Jim Tressel resigns as Ohio State’s football coach
By RUSTY MILLER, AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—Jim Tressel, who guided Ohio State to its first national title in 34 years, resigned Monday amid NCAA violations and mounting revelations that sullied the image
of one of the country’s top football programs.
“After meeting with university officials, we agreed that
it is in the best interest of Ohio State that I resign as head football coach,” Tressel said in a statement released
by the university. “The appreciation that (wife) Ellen and I have for the Buckeye Nation is immeasurable.”
Luke
Fickell will be the coach for the 2011 season. He already had been selected to be the interim head coach while Tressel served
a five-game suspension.
Ohio State spokesman Jim Lynch said he was unaware of any buyout or severance package. He added
that Tressel had returned from vacation Sunday night and met with athletic director Gene Smith, who then met with staff. Tressel
typed his resignation and submitted it to Smith, he said.
Tressel’s downfall came with public and media pressure
mounting on Ohio State, its board of trustees, President E. Gordon Gee and Smith.
“We look forward to refocusing
the football program on doing what we do best—representing this extraordinary university and its values on the field,
in the classroom, and in life,” Smith said in a statement. “We look forward to supporting Luke Fickell in his
role as our football coach. We have full confidence in his ability to lead our football program.”
Tressel and
Ohio State were to go before the NCAA’s infractions committee Aug. 12 to answer questions about the player violations
and why Tressel did not report them. For more than nine months, he denied knowledge of improper benefits to players until
confronted by investigators with emails that showed he had known since April 2010.
In the main event at UFC 130, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson won a unanimous decision over Matt
Hamill with a fight that showed off his defensive prowess and drew boos from the crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After
the fight, Jackson said he was fighting with an injured hand.
Jackson stuffed a takedown attempt early in the first
round, setting the tone for the rest of the bout. Hamill used snapping leg kicks throughout the first round, as Jackson
punished with strikes every time Hamill came in close. In the last 30 seconds of the round, Jackson teed off, pushing Hamill
against the cage and landing a bevy of strikes. There wasn't enough time for Jackson to finish, but Hamill was definitely
damaged from the late onslaught.
Hamill came out with an immediate head kick in the second, but Jackson easily answered
with strikes. Jackson continued to methodically hold off every one of Hamill's attacks, landing knees and short jabs along
the way. Hamill seemed frustrated with his lack of ability to take Jackson down or generate any offense. Again, in the last
minute of the round, Jackson tagged Hamill with an uppercut and body shots, but again, it was too late.
The third
round featured more counterfighting from Jackson, and more frustration from Hamill. Both fighters appeared to be tired as
the round wore on, and neither were capable of throwing any big moves.
After the 30-27 on all three judges cards was
announced, Jackson said that his hand was injured.
"I came into this fight with a fractured hand, and I apologize.
I wasn't able to put on the fight I wanted to," Jackson said. A big smile appeared on his face as UFC commentator Joe
Rogan pointed out that Jackson hadn't given up a takedown.
"I didn't get taken down? Good. Matt Hamill is tough."
With a win, Jackson was expected to get a title shot. His counterfighting style was enough to win the fight, but it was hardly an endorsement of what a great fighter Jackson
is. Instead of the knockouts that Jackson is capable of delivering, this fight resembled Jackson's win over Keith Jardine,
where Jackson won the bout with big flurries at the end.
Hamill was also expected to be in the running for the title
shot with a win, but showed that he still isn't at the elite level of the stacked light-heavyweight division. He falls to
10-3, while Jackson's record improves to 32-8.
In a tournament this wide open and unpredictable, being named the new favorite is probably the last thing Maria Sharapova wants. After all, she was on the brink of disaster on Thursday, down a set and two breaks to a 17-year-old wild card before
rattling off 11 straight games to advance to the third round. Her serve, though improved, is still a mess. Now she's favored to win four more matches and take home the lone Grand Slam that's eluded her during her career?
That's
what the oddsmakers say. With losses to Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur, they've installed Sharapova as the co-favorite, along with Victoria Azarenka, to hoist the trophy next Saturday.
If it sounds like wishful thinking, perhaps it is. Sharapova's status as favorite
has every bit as much to do with her star power than it does her game. She's playing her best tennis in years, but there's
been a slight overvaluation of her recent clay court exploits considering that her biggest wins in Rome, a tournament she
won, were over the aforementioned Wozniacki and Stosur. In Madrid, Sharapova struggled to beat Arantxa Rus and Ekaterina Makarova. She only beat Victoria Azarenka in Rome after Azarenka retired from the match. This is the new favorite?
Why not?
The main question regarding Sharapova's Grand Slam chances were whether she could keep her serve from going off the rails
in seven straight matches. And, if she couldn't, would she survive it? Against Caroline Garcia, the answer was yes. Maybe she got it out of her system. Maybe the comeback, in addition to the win in Rome, gave Sharapova
the subtle confidence boost she needed to have confidence while standing on the baseline. Possible upcoming opponents like
Agnieszka Radwanska, Yanina Wickmayer or Maria Kirilenko won't be as forgiving as Garcia, but they have flaws too. So do Azarenka, Francesca Schiavone, Vera Zvonareva and Petra Kvitova, for that matter.
The tournament is up for grabs. It's Maria Sharapova's for the taking.
Rivera hits milestone in Yanks’ 7-3 win over Jays
By DAVE SKRETTA, AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP)—Joe Girardi remembers the first time he caught Mariano Rivera(notes), before the start of the 1996 season, back when he was still a player.
“I was like, ‘Who is this
kid?”’ Girardi recalled. “I’m like, ‘Man, this kid is special.”
Girardi is the Yankees’
manager now. Rivera is no longer a kid.
He’s still something special, though.
The 41-year-old Rivera became
the first player in major league history to make 1,000 appearances with the same team on Wednesday, cleaning up the ninth
inning of a 7-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on a sun-splashed afternoon in the Bronx.
But once the game reached the ninth and “Enter Sandman” played
over the loudspeakers at Yankee Stadium, the crowd of 43,201 knew that the day would forever belong to Mo.
“You
have to be old to do that,” Rivera said with a smile. “You’ve got to have the right combination, I guess,
an organization willing to keep you around and you doing your job.”
The 11-time All-Star is the 15th player to
reach 1,000 appearances, during that time helping the franchise to 15 playoffs and five World Series titles.
Next up
on the list for Rivera is former Yankee Goose Gossage, who appeared in 1,002 games during his career.
Jesse Orosco
is the all-time leader with 1,252 appearances.
“He’s never really fooled people,” Girardi said, musing
about Rivera’s cut fastball. “Mo has said, ‘Here it is. It’s going to cut, it’s going to sink
and I’m going to throw it where I want, and try to do something with it.’ And I can’t think of another pitcher
who’s done that.”
Jones homered in the second inning and Teixeira in the third off Jo-Jo Reyes(notes) (0-4), who matched a major league record by making his 28th consecutive start without a win.
Jones, who went
3 for 3, also hit a rocket off Luis Perez(notes) over the center field wall in the sixth inning. It was Jones’ 41st multihomer game and first since May 1, 2010,
when he went deep twice at Yankee Stadium as a member of the Chicago White Sox.
“They left a couple of pitches over the plate and I took advantage of them,” Jones said.
The homer
binge helped Girardi pass current Orioles skipper Buck Showalter for eighth place on the Yankees’ managerial wins list.
Girardi has 314 victories in pinstripes.
Reyes never really gave himself
a chance to earn a win, allowing back-to-back doubles by Derek Jeter(notes) and Curtis Granderson(notes) to start the game. The run that Jeter scored pushed him past Cap Anson (1,712) for 23rd place on baseball’s
career runs scored list.
By the time Reyes left after the third inning, the Blue Jays trailed 5-0 and the left-hander
was assured of another frustrating afternoon without a victory.
“I’m not worried about that streak,”
he said. “When I step on the rubber, all I’m worried about is executing the pitch.”
He hasn’t
done that enough. At least, not for quite a while.
Reyes hasn’t been the winning pitcher since June 13, 2008,
when he beat the Los Angeles Angels as a member of the Atlanta Braves. His 28-game winless stretch matches that of Matt Keough, who didn’t win a game for the Athletics from Sept. 6, 1978,
to Aug. 8, 1979.
“Jo-Jo wasn’t as sharp as he’s been. He didn’t have a consistent location
or a consistent command and it cost him,” Toronto manager John Farrell said. “Regardless if it’s a guy coming
off of the bench for them, like Jones, they have a potent lineup.”
NOTES: Keough tossed a complete game in his
next start, a 6-1 win over Milwaukee on Sept. 5, 1979. … Toronto caught Granderson asleep at second base in the first
inning. Bautista made a diving grab in right and chased Teixeira back with a throw to first. Granderson was still at third,
so Juan Rivera threw to second for the rare 9-3-6 double play. … Yankees setup man Rafael Soriano(notes) could be out two months after a visit Wednesday with Dr. James Andrews confirmed he has an inflamed ligament in his
right elbow, GM Brian Cashman said.
Hines Ward part of a string of ‘Dancing’ athletes
By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment
Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP)—It’s become a proud athletic tradition: Winning “Dancing With the Stars.”
When Hines Ward(notes) took home the mirrorball trophy on the hit show Tuesday, he joined its winningest group of alumni: Athletes. Professional
athletes have taken the “Dancing” title six times in the past 12 seasons.
Since the show premiered stateside
in 2005, three Olympians, two football stars and one race-car driver have been named “Dancing” champs. Three other
NFL stars and an Olympic skater finished the popular show in second place.
Ward, a Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and former Super Bowl most valuable player, credits his professional dance partner, Kym Johnson, with their
dance victory. He plans to keep his new mirrorball right next to his Super Bowl trophy.
“It’s special,”
the 35-year-old said, glittery trophy in hand. “With football, it takes all 53 guys. With this mirrorball, it was just
Kym and I together in the studio putting in the hours. I’m just glad I didn’t let her down.”
Ward
consistently posted high scores throughout the 10-week competition, and judges praised his showmanship and dedication.
“We’ve had some great footballers on `Dancing With the Stars,’ but I don’t think any compare with
Hines Ward,” head judge Len Goodman said during the season finale.
Ward was up against Kirstie Alley and Chelsea
Kane for the season 12 title. The actresses finished second and third respectively.
His commitment was especially evident
after Johnson suffered a serious neck injury during rehearsals two weeks ago. The couple triumphantly returned to the dance
floor, earning perfect scores for their performance and drawing tears from Ward, Johnson and judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
“I’m
so impressed with you, the way you partnered with her through that routine,” Inaba said. “The connection was beyond
what we ask for in a dance routine.”
Through misty eyes, Ward said, “I was just elated that she was out
there dancing three days after that horrific injury that she just had.”
The couple earned five perfect scores
for their final six dances.
Besides Ward, the other athletic “Dancing” champs are NFL star Emmitt Smith,
speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and gymnast Shawn Johnson.
Football stars Jason Taylor(notes), Warren Sapp and Jerry Rice were runners-up on the show, as was Olympic skater Evan Lysacek.
Professional athletes
actively use their bodies for their work, so they have the mental discipline and physical fitness to train and adapt to the
challenges of competitive dancing. They’re also more likely than other candidates to avoid over-training, said casting
director Deena Katz.
The professional dancers on “Dancing With the Stars” are “world-class athletes,”
said “Sport Science” host John Brenkus, so it follows that their fellow professional athletes might be able to
keep up.
But not all can. Legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and pro wrestler Chris Jericho were dismissed from the
show last month.
ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.
Online:
http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars
Sandy Cohen can be reached at http://twitter.com/APSandy
MIAMI (AP)—Joakim Noah(notes) says he believes the NBA’s decision to fine him $50,000 for directing an anti-gay slur toward a fan is fair.
Speaking Tuesday morning as the Chicago Bulls prepared to face the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, Noah again acknowledged making a mistake in his back-and-forth with the fan.
The
NBA announced the fine Monday afternoon, one day after television cameras caught Noah using a profanity, followed by the slur,
after returning to the Chicago bench midway through the opening quarter of Game 3 in Miami.
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Police flooded Los Angeles with drawings and descriptions of the suspects in the Dodger Stadium
beating of Bryan Stow, including new billboards put up just last week. They took in hundreds of tips.
But it was a
lead from inside law enforcement that led them to the man they say was the main aggressor in the grisly beating.
A
tip from a parole officer late last week gave detectives the break they’d sought for seven weeks, and on Sunday they
arrested 31-year-old Giovanni Ramirez, the key suspect in the attack on Stow, a San Francisco Giants fan brutalized in the parking lot after the rival teams’ season opener on March 31.
Ramirez was detained in an
early morning raid by detectives and SWAT team members with a search warrant for an East Hollywood apartment building in what
Police Chief Charlie Beck called a “huge step” in the investigation.
The Los Angeles man was booked for
assault with a deadly weapon and was being held on $1 million bail, police said in a statement.
Beck choked back tears
as he described getting a call at 7 a.m. Sunday from Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger, after putting 20 full-time detectives
on the case who worked for more than 6,000 hours.
“He said the words I’ve been waiting for, for seven weeks,”
Beck said. “He said that we had Bryan’s assault suspect in custody.”
Ramirez was among several people
detained for questioning after police served search warrants and seized evidence in two places, the apartment building and
a home, police said in a statement. All but Ramirez were expected to be released, the statement said. Beck did not know if
Ramirez had hired an attorney.
Police also seized evidence from both places.
A second warrant was served at
a home, police said, but provided no further details. They also seized evidence from both places.
Beck said Ramirez
had become familiar to many in Los Angeles as “Suspect 1” from flyers and billboards. They described the man as
having a bald head, goatee, and tattoos on his neck. Both men were wearing Dodger jerseys during the attack. Rewards totaling
$250,000 have been offered for information leading to arrests.
Two other suspects remained at large: Another man who
took part in the beating and a woman who drove the two men from the stadium, police said.
Bryan Stow was transported via ambulance to Bob Hope Airport for his flight to San Francisco. (AP)
Stow, a 42-year-old paramedic and father of two, was transferred to
San Francisco General Hospital after he was initially treated at Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical
Center, where doctors put him in a medically induced coma to help prevent seizures.
Doctors recently reported that
Stow has been able to open his eyes, but he remained in critical condition.
His mother Ann Stow said she knew police
in Los Angeles would catch someone, and praised both their work and the way they dealt with her family.
“They
were so compassionate with our family, and reached out to us, and made a promise that they were not going to rest until they
got these guys,” she told KCBS radio. “So that’s how I put it out of my mind. I didn’t think about
it, I knew it was going to be taken care of, and obviously they did what they promised.”
San Francisco Mayor
Ed Lee said after hearing the news Sunday he called Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to express his thanks for authorities’
efforts and to congratulate him.
Giants fan Les Wong, 37 of San Francisco celebrated the news as he headed to the game.
“It’s good to hear that they caught someone. That kind of thing doesn’t belong in sports,” said
Wong, who was wearing a Giants hat and Giants t-shirt.
Following the attack, Beck beefed up security at Dodger Stadium
to deal with fights that had been breaking out at games in recent years and complaints from fans of opposing teams of verbal
abuse and threats.
Beck said Sunday that the new security is working.
“This is the safest stadium in this
country here in these past series, and it will continue to be so,” the chief said.
Associated Press writers Christopher
Weber and Thomas Watkins in Los Angeles and John Marshall and Antonio Gonzalez in San Francisco contributed to this report.
After the crying stopped, a 10-year-old boy had an awful decision to make.
Dugan Smith had cancer in his thigh bone.
He was going to die without extreme measures. His dad had an opinion on what to do. So did his mom. But they decided to
ask their son, who would hopefully be able to live with whatever came next.
Dugan needed an amputation. That was certain.
But there were three options after that. The first was a cadaver bone to replace the cancerous thigh bone. The second was
a metal bone with a mechanical knee. Dugan's father, Dustin, figured that was the way to go. It would give his son some
pain, but decent mobility.
"Nope, I don't want that," Dugan told his parents, "because I can't play
sports."
The third choice was extremely rare. It was a procedure done maybe a dozen times a year in the U.S.
It's called rotationplasty. Dugan's lower leg would be detached, turned 180 degrees, and reattached higher. That would allow
his ankle muscles and ligaments to do the job of his knee. Basically: his ankle would serve as a backwards knee. So his foot
would be at the end of his thigh, and he could place it into a prosthetic and have more control over it.
Dugan lit
up. "I want that one," he said.
The boy didn't seem to care about the risks, which were several. He didn't
care about the recovery time, which would be long. And he didn't care about the possible awkwardness, both physically and
emotionally.
Dugan wanted to play baseball.
"It wasn't a question in his mind," Dustin says.
Dad wasn't quite ready to take yes for an answer. He was Dugan's coach, and he didn’t want a charity case on his
hands.
"I'm going to be pushing you," he told his only boy. "You're not going to like me very much."
Dugan didn't care. The decision had been made: Baseball or bust.
***
It's hard not to wonder if Dugan would be alive
without baseball. He was a 10-year-old fourth grader on his dad's sixth grade team in suburban Columbus, Ohio when he slid
into second and felt a pinch of pain.
The pain only grew over weeks. Dugan got an X-ray and his parents, now divorced,
thought it was bursitis. He was a tall kid, stretching toward 6 feet tall as a preteen. So maybe there was extra pressure
on that knee.
Doctors put Dugan on crutches and told him to stop playing baseball. His parents got him an old wheelchair
as well, to help him get around. But two days before the end of the fourth-grade school year, his friends were wheeling
Dugan to Dairy Queen and he fell out of the chair and broke his leg.
ThePostGame
brings you the most interesting sports stories on the web.
Follow
us on Facebook and Twitter to read them first!
Doctors did a biopsy. Dugan had a form of cancer so rare that only 400 American children get
it every year. He had a tumor the size of a softball in his leg. Dugan was placed in a half-body cast up to his waist. He
chose Disney World for his Make-A-Wish trip.
The surgery would be brutal. It took a total of 25 hours. There was so
much swelling that doctors had to leave the leg wide open and Dugan could actually see his muscles flex as he tried to recover.
He spent two weeks in the ICU. Then chemo. Then the pain of adjusting to the first prosthetic leg. Then four more prosthetic
replacement legs after that.
You'd think, just once, Dugan would say, "Enough." Maybe during one sleepless
night or one agonizing moment, he'd give up.
Nope.
"Never," says Dustin. "Not once. We knew what he'd be able to do and what he wants to
do. He wants to play."
***
Dugan is now 13. He's a member of his junior high school baseball team. And he's not
a DH or a pinch-hitter. He pitches. He plays first base. And he has a regular spot in the lineup. It's been that way for
more than a year now.
Yes, he limps noticeably. His left leg is designed to be longer so his right leg can grow to
match it.
Most teens and adults would have just gone with a traditional amputation. Mayerson, the surgeon at Ohio
State Medical Center, is considered an expert in rotationplasty and he's only done three. But Dugan is a special case, and
a special kid.
"The reason we do these is for a very young child who has a lot of growing to do," says Mayerson.
"Dugan was perfect. His dream was to play baseball. He said, 'Do whatever you need to do, but I need to play baseball.'"
Dugan's chances of recurrence are slim. The cancer is out. The bat is back in the boy's hands.
And now Dugan has
another dream.
He wants to play football.
Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, 74, dies of cancer.
By DAVE CAMPBELL, AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Harmon Killebrew earned every bit of his frightening nickname, hitting tape-measure home runs that
awed even his fellow Hall of Famers.
Yet there was a softer side to “The Killer,” too.
The balding
gentleman who enjoyed a milkshake after each game. The fisherman who was afraid of bumping into alligators. The MVP who always
had time to help a rookie.
Killebrew, the big-swinging slugger for the Minnesota Twins and the face of the franchise for so many years, died Tuesday at age 74 after battling esophageal cancer.
“It’s
a sad day. We lost an icon. We lost Paul Bunyan,” former Twins star Kent Hrbek said.
The team said Killebrew
died peacefully at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz., with his wife, Nita, and their family at his side. He announced his diagnosis
just six months ago, and last week Killebrew said he was settling in for the final days of his life with hospice care after
doctors deemed the “awful disease” incurable.
At Target Field, the scoreboard showed a picture of a smiling
Killebrew and his retired No. 3 was etched in the dirt behind second base. Plus, there was a more personal tribute—the
Twins’ ground crew slowly lifted home plate and put under it a plastic-encased, black-and-white photo of Killebrew.
The picture, believed to be from the 1960s, will stay beneath the plate the rest of the season. It shows, naturally, the
compact Killebrew poised to go deep.
And boy, could he take a big cut.
His 573 home runs still rank 11th on
the all-time list. His uppercut swing formed the silhouette that inspired Major League Baseball’s official logo.
“You shake his hand, still at 70-some years old, and he’d crush your hand. You can see where he got that power,”
Twins slugger Justin Morneau(notes) said.
Along with a statue in Killebrew’s likeness outside Target Field, there’s a giant bronze
glove where fans pose for snapshots—the glove is 520 feet from home plate, fittingly the distance of his longest home
run.
Much farther away, Killebrew was on the minds of current major leaguers.
“We were just talking about
him this morning,” Atlanta star Chipper Jones(notes) said after the Astros-Braves game. “He looked like one of those big strong, country horses. You don’t
see guys like that anymore. He was a guy who really overpowered the baseball.”
But he wasn’t always
the tough guy. Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel became friends with Killebrew and Bob Allison during his first spring training with the Twins and
often fished together in a Florida lake.
“There were some alligators in there, otters and things like that in
there that would bump up against your leg,” Manuel said. “They would get scared. So I would take the fish chain
and hook it to the boat, and I’d wade and pull the boat. That was part of being a rookie.”
Whether as an
18-year-old with the Washington Senators in 1954 or playing for Kansas City in his final season in 1975, Killebrew carried
himself the same unassuming way.
“He never walked around with his nose in the air. Never, ever. He used to go
out after every game and get a milkshake. A super guy,” said former Royals second baseman Frank White, a youngster who
played with Killebrew that final year.
The Twins played at Seattle on Tuesday night. Manager Ron Gardenhire said it
was a somber clubhouse.
“A lot of guys out there are really sad. We’re all honored that at least we had
the chance to hang out with him a little and get to know him. He touched a lot of lives out there, not just on the baseball
field, but the way you should handle yourself and a little bit about respect,” Gardenhire said.
Hrbek’s
suburban home was mere blocks from old Metropolitan Stadium, a future Twins first baseman who became Minnesota’s next
true home-run hitter after being inspired by all those trips to the left-field bleachers to watch No. 3 bat fourth and aim
for the fence, and beyond.
“You didn’t ever leave the ballpark if the Twins had the chance to tie the ballgame
or win the ballgame and Harmon was making it to the plate,” Hrbek said.
He joined five other former Twins players
at Target Field on Tuesday to share memories of Killebrew. Jack Morris, the 1991 World Series MVP and another native of the
Twin Cities, grew up cheering for Killebrew during his heyday in the late 1960s.
“I lost a hero today,”
Morris said, his voice cracking and his eyes watering.
“To remember the innocence of being a young kid who just
looked up to a guy he didn’t know because of what he did as a baseball player, something that you hoped that maybe some
day you could be like,” Morris said. “But as a grown man, I look back at him now not as that guy, but as the guy
who tried to show me that you don’t have to be angry. You don’t have to be mad. You can love and share love. We’re
all going to miss him, and we’re all going to love him forever.”
Killebrew was the American League MVP
in 1969 at age 33 with 49 homers and 140 RBIs. His eight seasons with 40 or more homers still are tied for second in history
to Babe Ruth.
Twins President Dave St. Peter said the team will wear a No. 3 patch on the uniforms for the rest of
the season. A replica of his smooth, eloquent signature — Killebrew chided current Twins player Michael Cuddyer(notes) earlier in his career for a sloppy autograph—will be printed on the outfield wall. The team also planned a public
memorial service, likely for May 26.
“I’m 32 years old. I never got to see him play. The majority of the
people now never did get to see him as a baseball player,” Cuddyer said. “But the reason he has made such an impact
on the world is because of who he was outside of baseball, the 30-plus years after he retired from baseball. He continued
to be an ambassador not just of baseball but of life in general.”
With strong competition from Kirby Puckett
in the generation that followed him, Killebrew will go down as perhaps the best-loved Twins player ever, possibly in all of
Minnesota sports. Killebrew Root Beer is sold at Target Field, and there’s a Killebrew Drive next to the mall where
Metropolitan Stadium once stood in suburban Bloomington.
Killebrew spent most of his first five seasons in the minors,
then hit 42 homers in his first full season in 1959. The Senators moved to Minnesota in 1961, and Killebrew hit 190 homers
in his first four years there, including 49 in 1964.
The Washington Nationals included him in the Ring of Honor at their ballpark and hosted him for a game at Nationals Park last year.
“We
shall long treasure that evening and the gentlemanly impression left by Harmon,” Nationals principal owner Ted Lerner
said.
Former Twins owner Calvin Griffith used to call Killebrew the backbone of the franchise.
“He kept
us in business,” Griffith once said.
Behind their soft-spoken slugger, a native of Payette, Idaho, the Twins
reached the World Series for the first time in 1965 and back-to-back AL Championship series in 1969 and 1970. Killebrew was
elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984, the first Twins player to be enshrined. Killebrew’s No. 3 jersey was retired in
1975.
That easygoing demeanor contrasted starkly with his intimidating standing.
“I didn’t have
evil intentions,” Killebrew once said. “But I guess I did have power.”
Killebrew never worried much
about his short game, preferring instead to swing for the fences. He had a career .256 average.
On June 3, 1967, Killebrew
hit the longest home run in Met Stadium history, a shot that reached the second deck of the bleachers in the old park, some
500 feet from home plate.
Killebrew and his wife had nine children. In retirement, he became a businessman in insurance,
financial planning and car sales. He also traveled the country with baseball memorabilia shows and returned to the Twin Cities
regularly, delighting in conversations with fans and reunions with teammates.
Former teammate Tony Oliva traveled to
Arizona over the weekend to see Killebrew one last time. Paul Molitor, yet another Twin Cities native who became a big league
star, also visited.
“I’m glad that God brought him home after the suffering he’s been through the
last few months,” Molitor said, his eyes watering. He added: “I was very appreciative of the man he was and how
I was able to learn from him. I picked the guy that you would want to pick to be your idol.”
AP Sports Writers
R.B. Fallstrom, Howard Fendrich, Jon Krawczynski, Paul Newberry and Doug Tucker contributed to this report.
Cause of Boogaard's death may be unclear for weeks.
By AMY FORLITI, Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—It may be weeks before authorities know exactly how and why New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard(notes) died, although foul play was not immediately suspected.
The 28-year-old player was found dead Friday in his
Minneapolis apartment. Few details were available, but the news rippled across the NHL, where the 6-foot-7 Boogaard was a
fan favorite and one of the game’s most feared fighters. He missed most of last season because of a concussion and shoulder
injury from a fight.
“I don’t think we have any answers as to what happened or why it happened,”
Ron Salcer, Boogaard’s agent, said Saturday.
Authorities received a report of a man not breathing shortly before
6:15 p.m. Friday, Minneapolis police Sgt. William Palmer said. Minneapolis fire officials were the first to arrive and determined
he was dead.
Palmer said authorities do not suspect foul play at this point, but the police department’s homicide
unit and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating. Palmer said the medical examiner will decide
the cause of death.
An autopsy was being conducted Saturday, but county spokeswoman Carol Allis said results probably
will not be released for at least two weeks.
She said in cases with no obvious signs of physical trauma or an obvious
immediate cause of death, it takes time to receive results of laboratory tests. Allis said the medical examiner’s office
doesn’t anticipate releasing preliminary autopsy findings until all results are in.
“The news that we have
lost someone so young and so strong leaves everyone in the National Hockey League stunned and saddened,” NHL Commissioner
Gary Bettman said in a statement. “The NHL family sends its deepest condolences to all who knew and loved Derek Boogaard,
to those who played and worked with him and to everyone who enjoyed watching him compete.”
Rangers captain Chris Drury(notes) said in a statement that Boogard was “a great friend and a great teammate” whose death is a “tragic
loss for the hockey community.”
Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto(notes) said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that Boogaard was “always joking and having fun.”
“Anytime
anything happened or if you needed anything, Boogy was always there,” he said. “He was always a pleasure to be
around.”
Added Rangers forward Brandon Prust(notes) on Twitter: “At a loss for words. I’ll miss my roomy Derek Boogaard. You will be missed by everyone. Great
friend and teammate.”
Fans, meanwhile, flocked online to express their sadness. For years, fans have been going
to YouTube to watch “The Boogeyman” do battle.
His final game was Dec. 9 at Ottawa when he fought Matt Carkner(notes) and sustained a concussion and shoulder injury. That was the 70th fight of his NHL career, and by midday Saturday
more than 80,000 people had watched replays of that fight on YouTube.
Boogaard signed a four-year, $6.5 million deal
with the Rangers in July and appeared in 22 games last season. He had a goal and an assist to go with 45 penalty minutes.
Boogaard was out for the last 52 games of the regular season because of his injuries and did not play in the playoffs.
He didn’t skate again until about three months after the concussion. He was sent home to Minnesota late in the season
to work on conditioning.
In several player polls, Boogaard was voted as the league’s most intimidating player.
When the Rangers signed him last summer, Sather said the decision was made because Boogaard was “the biggest and toughest.”
He had seven fights with the Rangers. His lone goal of the season came at home against Washington on Nov. 9. That ended
a drought of 234 games without a goal, dating to Jan. 7, 2006. It was the longest such streak in the league.
Boogaard
began his NHL career with Minnesota and appeared in 255 games with the Wild from 2005-10. He missed four games with the Wild
because of a concussion. With Minnesota and the Rangers over six seasons, he had three goals and 13 assists and 589 penalty
minutes.
“Every player on our team felt a little bit more safe with him on
the ice with us,” Bouchard said in a phone interview. “He was really tough on the ice, but outside the ice he
was a great guy.”
Wild media relations coordinator Ryan Stanzel first met Boogaard when he was working the ECHL
and Boogaard was assigned to Lafayette, La., in 2002.
“I remember the first day he was on the ice, he was larger
than life,” Stanzel said. “He was so much bigger than everybody in that league. He certainly wasn’t the
best skater in the world, but he worked 45 minutes to an hour every day after practice with the coaches on his footwork.”
San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan coached Boogaard for two years in the minors in Houston.
“He was a lovable guy that everybody
liked,” McLellan said. “Obviously mean and nasty on the ice. He’ll be sorely missed.”
Born
in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Boogaard was drafted by Minnesota in 2001 in the seventh round, the 202nd choice. He drew notice
in 2007 when he and brother Aaron ran a hockey-fighting class in Saskatchewan. Some voiced concern about such a camp. Boogaard
insisted he wasn’t teaching kids how to hurt each other, but rather how to protect themselves so they don’t get
hurt on the ice.
This is the second death of a player in the Rangers organization in the past three years. Alexei Cherepanov,
drafted in 2007 but never signed by New York, died at 19 in Chekhov, Russia, in 2008, after collapsing on the bench during
a game.
Roman Lyashenko, who briefly played with the Rangers several years ago, was found dead in a hotel in Turkey
in 2003. His death was believed to be a suicide.
AP Hockey Writer Ira Podell in New York and AP Sports Writers Josh
Dubow in San Jose, Calif., and Colin Fly in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. delivered a fight night taunt to Manny Pacquiao by claiming he would tune in to
a Lady Gaga concert instead of watching the Filipino star’s easy victory over Shane Mosley.
While Pacquiao was
cruising to a comfortable points victory at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in a Showtime pay-per-view telecast broadcast, Mayweather
was at his Las Vegas home watching Lady Gaga on rival network HBO – and urging his fans to do the same.
“Everyone
watch Lady Gaga tonight on the best network in the world, HBO,” Mayweather said on his Twitter account.
Only
Mayweather and his family knows if he really did watch the music special from Madison Square Garden instead of the showdown
in the ring just a few miles from his home. Yet either way, his apparent ambivalence to Pacquiao’s win appears to
suggest that a superfight between the pair – a bout that all boxing fans crave more than any other – is further
away than ever.
Attempts to set up a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight collapsed in January, 2010, with the primary sticking
point being Mayweather’s insistence on Olympic-style drug testing. Talks were set up again in July, but fell through
once more, with Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum and Mayweather’s representatives at Golden Boy Promotions failing to reach
common ground.
“For me I don’t care about that fight,” Pacquiao said. “I am satisfied with
everything I have done in boxing. I want to fight because the people want the fight.”
A fight between the two
biggest names in the sport would generate huge pay-per-view revenues and potentially give boxing a much-needed boost amid
an increasingly tough sports marketplace.
Arum is in no doubt about what would be the outcome. “He would beat
Floyd, I guarantee it,” Arum said. “You are watching a phenomenon. You are watching the greatest fighter I have
ever seen. Nobody can compete with it. He will take every single fighter out of their game plan.
“The guy who
knows that best is a real student of boxing named Floyd Mayweather Jr. He knows us and how we do things, if he had any desire
to fight Manny he would call us. Mayweather has said that if he comes back he wants a tune up fight first. If he took that
it wouldn’t be until next year that he was available.”
Pacquiao is instead likely to fight Juan Manuel
Marquez next, although his continuing domination may be in danger of turning off some fans. Indeed, the champ was so confident
of beating Mosley that he committed to performing in a concert at Mandalay Bay just a few hours after Saturday night’s
bout.
US kills Osama bin Laden decade after 9/11 attacks
AP Photo/Al-Jazeera/TV, file
This file television image broadcast on Qatar's Al-Jazeera TV is said to show Osama bin Laden, at the wedding
of his son in January of 2001. More photos »
By KIMBERLY DOZIER and DAVID ESPO, Associated Press Kimberly Dozier And David Espo, Associated Press – 1 hr 21 mins ago
WASHINGTON –
Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with
elite American forces Monday, then quickly buried at sea in a stunning finale to a furtive decade on the run.
Long believed to be hiding in caves, bin Laden was tracked down in a costly, custom-built hideout not far from
a Pakistani military academy. The stunning news of his death prompted relief and euphoria outside the White House and around
the globe, yet also deepening fears of terrorist reprisals against the United States and its allies.
"Justice has been done," President Barack Obama said late Sunday from the White House in an announcement that
seemed sure to lift his own political standing.
The military operation took mere minutes, and there
were no U.S. casualties.
U.S. Blackhawk helicopters ferried about two dozen troops from Navy SEAL
Team Six, a top military counter-terrorism unit, into the compound identified by the CIA as bin Laden's hideout — and
back out again in less than 40 minutes. Bin Laden was shot in the head, officials said, after he and his bodyguards resisted
the assault.
Bin Laden's death marks a psychological triumph in a long struggle that began well before the Sept. 11
attacks. Al-Qaida was also blamed for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 231 people and the 2000
attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in Yemen, as well as countless other plots, some successful and some
foiled.
"We have rid the world of the most infamous terrorist of our time," CIA director
Leon Panetta declared to employees of the agency in a memo Monday morning.
He warned that "terrorists
almost certainly will attempt to avenge" the killing of a man deemed uncatchable. "Bin Laden is dead. Al-Qaida
is not," Panetta said.
Retaliatory attacks against the U.S. and Western targets could come from
members of al-Qaida's core branch in the tribal areas of Pakistan, al-Qaida franchises in other countries, and radicalized
individuals in the U.S. with al-Qaida sympathies, according to a Homeland Security Department intelligence alert issued Sunday
and obtained by The Associated Press.
While the intelligence community does not have insight into
current al-Qaida plotting, the department believes symbolic, economic and transportation targets could be at risk, and small
arms attacks against other targets can't be ruled out.
In all, nearly 3,000 were killed in the Sept.
11 attacks nearly 10 years ago, the worst terror assault on American soil.
As news of bin Laden's death
spread, hundreds of people cheered and waved American flags at ground zero in New York, the site where al-Qaida hijacked
jets toppled the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Thousands celebrated all night outside the White House gates.
As dawn came the crowd had thinned yet some still flowed in to be a part of it. A couple of people posed
for photographs in front of the White House while holding up front pages of Monday's newspapers announcing bin Laden's death.
"It's a moment people have been waiting for," said, Eric Sauter, 22, a University of Delaware
student who drove to Washington after seeing TV coverage of the celebrations.
The development seems
certain to give Obama a political lift as the nation swelled in pride. Even Republican critics lauded him.
But its
ultimate impact on al-Qaida is less clear.
The greatest terrorist threat to the U.S. is now considered to be the
al-Qaida franchise in Yemen, far from al-Qaida's core in Pakistan. The Yemen branch almost took down a U.S.-bound airliner
on Christmas 2009 and nearly detonated explosives aboard two U.S. cargo planes last fall. Those operations were carried
out without any direct involvement from bin Laden.
Three adult males were also killed
in the raid, including one of bin Laden's sons, whom officials did not name. One of bin Laden's sons, Hamza, is a senior
member of al-Qaida. U.S. officials also said one woman was killed when she was used as a shield by a male combatant, and
two other women were injured.
The U.S. official who disclosed the burial at sea said it would have
been difficult to find a country willing to accept the remains. Obama said the remains had been handled in accordance with
Islamic custom, which requires speedy burial.
"I heard a thundering sound, followed by heavy
firing. Then firing suddenly stopped. Then more thundering, then a big blast," said Mohammad Haroon Rasheed, a resident
of Abbottabad, Pakistan, after the choppers had swooped in and then out again.
Bin Laden's death marks a psychological
triumph in a long struggle that began well before the Sept. 11 attacks. Al-Qaida was also blamed for the 1998 bombings of
two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 231 people and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors
in Yemen, as well as countless other plots, some successful and some foiled.
"We have rid the
world of the most infamous terrorist of our time," CIA director Leon Panetta declared to employees of the agency in
a memo Monday morning.
He warned that "terrorists almost certainly will attempt to avenge"
the killing of a man deemed uncatchable. "Bin Laden is dead. Al-Qaida is not," Panetta said.
Retaliatory attacks against the U.S. and Western targets could come from members of al-Qaida's core branch in the tribal
areas of Pakistan, al-Qaida franchises in other countries, and radicalized individuals in the U.S. with al-Qaida sympathies,
according to a Homeland Security Department intelligence alert issued Sunday and obtained by The Associated Press.
While the intelligence community does not have insight into current al-Qaida plotting, the department believes
symbolic, economic and transportation targets could be at risk, and small arms attacks against other targets can't be ruled
out.
In all, nearly 3,000 were killed in the Sept. 11 attacks nearly 10 years ago, the worst terror
assault on American soil.
As news of bin Laden's death spread, hundreds of people cheered and waved
American flags at ground zero in New York, the site where al-Qaida hijacked jets toppled the twin towers of the World Trade
Center. Thousands celebrated all night outside the White House gates.
As dawn came the crowd had thinned
yet some still flowed in to be a part of it. A couple of people posed for photographs in front of the White House while
holding up front pages of Monday's newspapers announcing bin Laden's death.
"It's a moment people
have been waiting for," said, Eric Sauter, 22, a University of Delaware student who drove to Washington after seeing
TV coverage of the celebrations.
The development seems certain to give Obama a political lift as the
nation swelled in pride. Even Republican critics lauded him.
But its ultimate impact on al-Qaida is less clear.
The greatest terrorist threat to the U.S. is now considered to be the al-Qaida franchise in Yemen, far from al-Qaida's core
in Pakistan. The Yemen branch almost took down a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas 2009 and nearly detonated explosives aboard
two U.S. cargo planes last fall. Those operations were carried out without any direct involvement from bin Laden.
Indians go extras, win 12th straight home game
Pacquiao impresses trainer with dynamite camp
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP)—When trainer Freddie Roach says Manny Pacquiao is having his best training camp, Shane Mosley had
better pay attention.
Pacquiao is in the final stages of preparation in Hollywood for his bout with Mosley at the MGM
Grand Garden in Las Vegas on May 7, and the Filipino congressman hasn’t been so singularly focused on boxing for quite
a while.
“He hasn’t lost a step. He’s working at a higher pace than ever,” Roach said Wednesday
in his Wild Card Gym. “He’s not in the same condition as the last fight. He’s in better condition than I’ve
ever seen. He isn’t going to get caught underestimating anybody.”
Roach fretted about Pacquiao’s focus
and fitness throughout a rocky camp heading into last fall’s win over Antonio Margarito, calling it the worst training
session of their careers. Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) was newly elected to office, which added another responsibility to the
usual pandemonium swirling around the Philippines’ most famous man.
This time around, Roach and strength-and-conditioning
coach Alex Ariza have been downright floored by the eight-division champion’s determination to knock out Mosley (46-6-1,
39 KOs), who has never been stopped.
“It’s the complete opposite side of the spectrum this time,”
said Ariza, who’s in charge of Pacquiao’s fitness. “I’ve never seen Manny more motivated. I thought
(the camp before Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel) Cotto was the perfect blueprint for a training camp, but this has surpassed
it.”
On their first day of workouts, Pacquiao did his running in the mountains, skipping the usual warmup days
on the flats in Baguio, his Filipino base. He spent just three weeks training amid the innumerable distractions back home
before starting his more monastic five-week session in Hollywood, reversing the schedule of last fall’s camp.
Pacquiao
already is solidly near the bout’s 67-kilogram (147-pound) limit, and his sparring sessions already have exceeded 12
rounds, with Roach marveling at Pacquiao’s sharpness and speed.
“When you take five or six months off like
that, you get re-motivated,” Ariza said. “He found something in his DNA that motivated him again to get going.
He had so much of the political stuff wearing him down last time that he didn’t have it in the ring. That’s not
going to be a problem now.”
In yet another sign of his commitment, Pacquiao showed up to Wednesday’s interview
session just 15 minutes late—which qualifies as extremely early in Manny’s wild world.
Pacquiao doesn’t
acknowledge any special focus on this fight, but the congressman has been juggling more balls than most people could even
carry for a long time now. He acknowledges needing an adjustment period to his legislative duties, which are getting easier
to manage.
“I learned to rely on certain people to do my job,” Pacquiao said. “It’s different
this time (around). I’ve been training, and I’ve set aside all work. … I never distract myself. I never
think I was distracted. I was focused on the fight, focused on the training.”
Yet the Pacquiao circus is still
among the most entertaining shows in sports. The successful singer is releasing another single—a cover of Dan Hill’s
syrupy 1977 ballad, “Sometimes When We Touch”—and he recently inked an endorsement deal to put his face
on every bag of broccoli sold by one of the world’s largest vegetable distributors as part of an overall endorsement
of healthy eating and green practices.
Pacquiao doesn’t share some fans’ disappointment with Top Rank’s
choice of his latest opponent. Mosley, who turns 40 in September, has been unimpressive in his past two fights against Floyd
Mayweather Jr. and Sergio Mora.
“I’m not going in confident, or underestimating him,” Pacquiao said.
“He’s a pound-for-pound champion, a good fighter. I’m just going to be in condition and ready to fight.
… He can still fight. Compared to Margarito or somebody else, he’s fast. Maybe this time, he trains hard for
this fight, and he can do a lot of things.”
Pacquiao also still holds out the slightest hope Mayweather will
end his self-imposed exile and step in the ring with him. The former superstar hasn’t fought in nearly a year and has
no plans on the horizon after turning down a megafight with Pacquiao and refusing to explain why.
“I don’t
know,” Pacquiao said with a wink when asked if he thought Mayweather would ever step in with him.
“For
me, there’s still a chance,” Pacquiao said. “It’s up to him if he wants to fight. I’ll just
do my job and make the fans happy.”
You know those scenes in an action movie where Arnold Schwarzenegger is outnumbered by the villains, so he knocks out
one of the thugs and uses him as a human shield to absorb the attacks? This was the hockey goal equivalent.
Legwand lost his stick on the play, leaving him exposed and helpless, and Ryan capitalized by —
to use a basketball term — posterizing him.
"He had no stick so he's a little vulnerable, I guess,"
Ryan said. "I didn't have a whole lot of speed and he did, so I just tried to cut back as many times as I could. I
avoided the poke-check and got a little lucky in that I could get it up over his (Rinne's) pad."
What
makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs so intensely exceptional is that all of the NHL regular-season trappings — stats, highlights,
individual achievement — are so clearly secondary to two things: victory and survival.
So while Bobby Ryan
acknowledged it was a fantastic goal after the game, the bottom line is that Nashville now has a 3-2 Western Conference
quarterfinals lead following its 4-3 overtime win. From Ducks Blog:
"It would have been a great goal to have in a win," Ryan said. "But,
you know, 20 minutes later, it's a nonfactor. So I won't even think about it again."
Understandable.
But there's no doubt that hockey fans will think about it when the final tally for goal of the year is taken.
Lawrence Taylor declared low-risk sex offender
By JIM FITZGERALD, Associated Press
NEW CITY, N.Y. (AP)—Former pro football star Lawrence Taylor, who pleaded guilty in January to sexual misconduct
and patronizing a 16-year-old prostitute, was declared a low-risk sex offender on Tuesday, meaning there will be no photo
of the former New York Giants linebacker on public online sex-offender registries.
Rockland County Court Judge William Kelly said Taylor was not
targeting children and was unlikely to commit the same crime.
“He would be awfully foolish to go out and do this
again,” the judge said. As to a posted photo, he said, “I don’t see how that’s going to make the public
any safer.”
Taylor has said the girl told him she was 19. The former NFL standout, who lives in Florida, did not
attend the hearing.
Kelly designated Taylor a Level 1, or low-risk, sex offender. Rockland County prosecutor Patricia
Gunning had argued for a Level 2 label. Using established guidelines, she said Taylor scored 80 points on a scale that says
a sex offender has to be below 75 to get a Level 1 designation.
Twenty of the points were based on the girl’s
age. But defense attorney Arthur Aidala said Taylor “wasn’t targeting a young child. He was trying to get some
female companionship for that night.”
He also said it was irrelevant to count Taylor’s conviction in a
tax-return case against him in a sex-crime case. And he argued that because of Taylor’s fame, “Putting his picture
on the Internet damages him so much more than the average person.”
Kelly disagreed, saying, “My God, there’s
been so much publicity already” that a posted photo wouldn’t matter much.
In the end, the judge took 20
points off Taylor’s score. But he laughed at some of Aidala’s arguments. When Aidala said Taylor was a victim
of a scheme to defraud him, the judge said, “I’m trying to keep a straight face.” And when the lawyer talked
about how Taylor helped the girl by giving her $300, the judge said, “This was a philanthropic endeavor?”
Taylor was sentenced last month to six years’ probation.
The teenager made a surprise appearance at the sentencing
hearing, eager to declare that he should be behind bars, but she wasn’t allowed to speak in court. Speaking outside,
she denied she was a prostitute, and said Taylor should have been able to tell she had been beaten by a pimp and that she
was underage when they met in a hotel room in May.
Aidala said Taylor would be relieved to hear, “He’s
not going to be plastered all over the Internet.”
“This chapter of Mr. Taylor’s life is closed,”
he added.
In New York, Level 1 offenders aren’t posted on a public website, but anyone who calls the state Criminal
Justice Services Division can find out if a person is a sex offender. Aidala said the system was similar in Florida, where
Taylor will be supervised.
Taylor was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He redefined the linebacker
position and was selected to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.
In 2009, he competed in ABC’s “Dancing
With the Stars.”
Kobe Bryant fined $100,000 for gay slur
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP)—The NBA fined Kobe Bryant(notes) $100,000 on Wednesday for using a derogatory gay term in frustration over a referee’s call.
NBA Commissioner
David Stern issued a swift disciplinary ruling after the Los Angeles Lakers’ five-time NBA champion guard cursed and used the homophobic slur when referee Bennie Adams called a technical foul
on him during the third quarter of a victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
“Kobe Bryant’s comment during last night’s game was offensive and inexcusable,” Stern said.
“While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated.
… Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have
no place in our game or society.”
Stern’s action drew praise from gay-rights organizations that had demanded
a fuller apology from Bryant and condemnation of his words by the Lakers. Bryant, the sixth-leading scorer in NBA history,
issued a statement earlier Wednesday saying his words came strictly out of anger and shouldn’t be taken literally.
“We applaud Commissioner Stern and the NBA for not only fining Bryant but for recognizing that slurs and derogatory
comments have no place on the basketball court or in society at large,” Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese
said. “We hope such swift and decisive action will send a strong and universal message that this kind of hateful outburst
is simply inexcusable no matter what the context.”
Solmonese said Bryant also personally called him to apologize.
“He told me that it’s never OK to degrade or tease, and that he understands how his words could unfortunately
give the wrong impression that this is appropriate conduct,” Solmonese said. “At the end of a difficult day, I
applaud Kobe for coming forward and taking responsibility for his actions.”
Bryant’s words and actions
were captured by TNT’s cameras during the network’s national broadcast of the Lakers’ regular-season home
finale.
Bryant punched his chair before taking a seat on the bench, throwing a towel on the court near his feet in
frustration after picking up his fourth foul in the third quarter. He got his 15th technical of the season for arguing the
call, one shy of the cumulative trigger for a one-game NBA suspension.
“What I said last night should not be
taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period,” Bryant said in a statement
issued through the Lakers. “The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and
were NOT meant to offend anyone.”
The 32-year-old Bryant is a former league MVP, a 13-time All-Star, the leading
scorer in Lakers franchise history and sixth on the NBA’s career list after passing Moses Malone last month. He was
the MVP of the last two NBA finals while leading the Lakers to back-to-back titles.
Bryant has been among the NBA’s
most popular players worldwide for most of his 15-year career, spent entirely with the Lakers, even after he was arrested
and accused of sexual assault in 2003 in a case that was later dropped. He has several lucrative endorsement deals with companies
ranging from Sprite to Turkish Airlines.
His No. 24 jersey was the league’s best-selling uniform among fans during
each of the past two seasons, and Bryant’s jersey finished second to LeBron James’(notes) new Miami uniform in the NBA’s annual rankings released earlier Wednesday.
“It’s unfortunate
he got caught saying something like that. It came in the heat of the game. He made his apology, and we move forward,”
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said before his team faced the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
Gay-rights groups quickly denounced Bryant’s actions against Adams. Jarrett Barrios, president
of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, saw an opportunity to put a spotlight on the unacceptable nature of
anti-gay slurs and later praised the NBA for taking action against Bryant.
“When such a prolific cultural institution
like the NBA speaks out against hateful words, we are reminded that fair-minded Americans are siding with equality for all,”
Barrios said.
Known as a fierce competitor with a nasty edge, Bryant has ranked among the NBA’s top 10 accumulators
of technical fouls during each of the past six seasons, and he has edged right up to the line of serious NBA discipline this
spring. He ranks second only to Orlando’s Dwight Howard(notes) in technical fouls this season, mostly for arguing with referees.
Bryant was called for an additional technical
foul that was rescinded Monday. If Bryant gets another T in the Lakers’ season finale at Sacramento on Wednesday night,
he would be suspended for the first game of next season, not for a playoff game.
The Lakers will open the playoffs
this weekend at Staples Center.
AP Sports Writer Antonio Gonzalez in Sacramento, Calif., contributed to this report.
It didn't look good when Josh Hamilton(notes) had to leave the Texas Rangers' game after a headfirst slide on Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, the worst fears were confirmed shortly after the Rangers'
5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
What was initially diagnosed as a strained right shoulder turned out to be a much worse injury for the reigning
AL MVP. Hamilton suffered a non-displaced fracture of the humerus bone (at the top of the arm), and will miss six to eight weeks.
Hamilton hurt the shoulder on a head-first slide into home plate during the first inning. He was tagged out on the
play, running on a foul pop-up when third base coach Dave Anderson told him to go for the score. It's not a decision that
Hamilton agreed with.
"I listened to my third-base coach," Hamilton said. "That's a little too aggressive.
The whole time I was watching the play I was listening. [He said], 'Nobody's at home, nobody's at home.' I was like, 'Dude,
I don't want to do this. Something's going to happen.' But I listened to my coach. And how to you avoid a tag the best,
by going in headfirst and get out of the way and get in there. That's what I did."
Hamilton came
up holding his back and left the game. He told reporters he heard two pops when he made the slide and felt a "dull
pain" in the shoulder. Initial X-rays showed no fracture, and team doctors believed there was no separation or dislocation.
Hamilton even took a few swings in the batting cage before telling manager Ron Washington that he couldn't go back in.
But a subsequent MRI exam revealed a small fracture. That leaves the defending AL champs without their best hitter for
up to two months. Hamilton won't be able to swing a bat for four weeks, but the Rangers are preparing for the worst.
Texas currently holds the best record in the majors at 9-2, which has already established a 3-1/2 game lead in the AL
West. But general manager Jon Daniels seems confident his team can sustain success while Hamilton is out, saying "we built the club to deal with injuries like this."
Still, the team's depth is about to be tested. First baseman Chris Davis(notes) was called up from Triple-A Round Rock to take Hamilton's spot on the roster. Lone Star Ball thinks it's curious that another outfielder, especially one that could play center field, didn't get the call. But Davis'
hot start (.429 average, four home runs) may have swayed the decision. David Murphy(notes) is expected to get the majority of time in left field, with Mitch Moreland(notes) also getting some time in the outfield.
Schwartzel wins the Masters
after a wild day
By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP)—Charl Schwartzel should’ve known it was going to be a very good day at the very first hole.
After spraying his second shot far
right of the green, he pulled out a 6-iron, chipped the ball off a patch of trampled-down grass, and watched it roll and roll
and roll—right in the cup for an improbable birdie.
Think that was unexpected? The South African was just getting
warmed up. He drilled his tee shot at No. 3 into the middle of the fairway, then holed out with a wedge from 114 yards for
eagle.
Not a bad start.
It didn’t even compare to the finish Sunday.
Schwartzel became the first
champion in Masters history to close with four straight birdies, the capper to a final round like no other at Augusta National.
Tiger Woods charged. Rory McIlroy collapsed. And just about everyone else seemed to have a chance to win on the back nine.
“There’s so many
roars that go on around Augusta,” Schwartzel said. “It echoes through those trees. There’s always a roar.
Every single hole you walk down, someone has done something.”
Especially on this day.
At one point or
another, eight different players had at least a share of the lead. The list included Woods, making a fist-pumping, swaggering
charge up the board. And Adam Scott, deftly carving up the greens with that long putter of his. And Jason Day, a Masters rookie who played like he owns the place. And Geoff Ogilvy, ripping off five birdies in a row on the back side. And Luke Donald, hitting the flag stick with a shot off one leg, then chipping in from the front of the green with his final swing.
The
top six finishers each posted scores in the 60s on a steamy spring day.
The hottest one of all was a 26-year-old carrying
on South Africa’s proud golf tradition, winning on the 50th anniversary of countryman Gary Player becoming the first international winner at the Masters.
“I am absolutely delighted for Charl and South Africa.
Congratulations and very well done to him. That is how you finish like a champion!” Player said on Twitter.
One
by one, all the challengers for the green jacket fell aside as Schwartzel birdied 15 … and 16 … and 17 …
and, finally, 18—even though all he needed at that point was an easy little two-putt to win.
“You know,
I always thought if there was one (major) that I would win, it would be this one,” Schwartzel said. “This is the
sort of golf course that suits my eye.”
He was sure dialed in on those last four holes.
Schwartzel got
up-and-down from behind the 15th green for birdie to briefly tie for the lead, only to have Scott stuff his tee shot within
2 feet up ahead on the par-3 16th. Schwartzel answered with a 15-foot birdie to catch Scott atop the leaderboard again.
Then came the pivotal 17th, where Scott hit into a pair of bunkers and had to work hard just to make par. Schwartzel came
along next and was dead solid perfect with his first two shots, setting up a 10-footer for birdie. When it dropped, he had
the lead all to himself for the first time all day.
He finished it off in style, curling a putt from 20 feet into the
side of the cup for a 6-under 66, the best closing round at the Masters in 22 years. Schwartzel finished two strokes ahead
of Scott and Day, a pair of Aussies who valiantly bid to be the first player from Down Under to win the green jacket.
Scott closed with a 67. Day shot 68. Neither score was good enough to beat Schwartzel’s 14-under 274.
“I
couldn’t do any more than what I just did,” Day said. “Me and Adam played wonderful golf out there today,
but Charl played even better.”
Schwartzel had played in only one previous Masters—he tied for 30th a year
ago—but he got a very helpful tutorial from a guy who’s won more green jackets than anyone.
After finagling
a lunch with six-time winner Jack Nicklaus at a charity function, he deftly broke the ice with one of their shared interests
beyond the golf course.
Tiger Woods reacts after an eagle putt on the eighth hole during the final round. (David
J. Phillip/AP)
“I’ve never met Jack. I was really excited,” Schwartzel
recalled. “I knew he sort of liked hunting a little bit. That’s the way I got the conversation going, just by
talking about hunting.”
Of course, the talk soon turned to Augusta National.
And, boy, did the Golden
Bear open up.
“I’m thinking it’s going to be just a vaguely quick little thing, and he actually took
the time to take me through all 18 holes,” Schwartzel said. “The way he used to think around Augusta. The way
he used to play it, which flags he used to attack.”
Schwartzel sure put those lessons to good use Sunday. It
was the sort of finishing kick that Nicklaus turned in a quarter-century ago for the last of his Masters wins.
For
a while, Woods was the one rekindling memories of ’86. Mired in the longest winless streak of his career and still tarnished
by an embarrassing sex scandal, he ripped through the front nine with a 5-under 31 that erased his daunting seven-shot deficit
coming into the round.
He made the turn with four birdies and an eagle on his card, the place in an uproar as they
pondered the possibilities going to the decisive back nine.
Woods got through the 10th and the always-troublesome 11th
with pars, setting himself to really attack the course through the heart of Amen Corner.
Instead, the course bit back.
After a long delay waiting to putt at the 12th, Woods missed a short one and took bogey. At the next hole, he wasted a
perfect tee shot along the creek line and settled for par on a hole that played easier than any other all week.
The
real backbreaker, though, came at the last of the par-5s. Woods gave himself a perfect look at the 15th with a tee shot to
the top of the ridge, then jammed his approach within 5 feet of the cup for an eagle try that would’ve given him the
outright lead.
The putt lipped out. He settled for birdie. And everyone sensed that Woods, playing several groups ahead
of the other contenders, had squandered his final chance. He limped to the finish with three straight pars for a 67 that left
him tied for fourth with Ogilvy and Donald, four shots behind the winner.
“I got off to a nice start there and
posted 31,” Woods said. “And then on the back nine, I could have capitalized some more.”
At least
he didn’t finish like McIlroy.
The seemingly unflappable 21-year-old from Northern Ireland was leading through
each of the first three days, and went into the final round with a four-stroke edge on the field. Even after a shaky front
nine, the youngster made the turn still one shot ahead.
Then he fell apart.
McIlroy yanked his tee shot at the
10th into the trees left of the fairway, the ball ricocheting to a spot between two of the club’s famous cabins. He
pitched out through the fairway, knocked his next shot over by the scoreboard left of the green, hit another tree trying to
get on and wound up with a triple-bogey 7.
Three-putts at the next two holes finished him off, though his misery lasted
right to the end. He drove into a creek, missed two more short putts and signed for an 80—the worst final round by a
54-hole Masters leader since Ken Venturi in 1956.
“I just hit a poor tee shot on 10 and it unraveled from there,”
McIlroy said. “I just sort of lost it … and I couldn’t get it back.”
Schwartzel had it all
the way.
From start to finish.
Tiger gives the kids a run
at the Masters
By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP)—Tiger Woods was just hacking along, closer to the cut than the lead.
Then, suddenly, he turned into the Tiger of old.
Before
the sex scandal, the ruined marriage, the tawdry jokes. Before he fiddled with his swing yet again and stopped making all
the big putts.
On one of golf’s biggest stages, with everyone watching, Woods found his swing, his touch, his
bravado.
The Tiger of old, indeed.
“I’m right where I need to be,” he said, sounding as confident
as ever after his best round at Augusta since his last win in 2005.
Woods shot a 6-under 66 to close within three shots
of the lead heading to the weekend, chasing a 21-year-old hotshot from Northern Ireland who shows all the signs of being the
game’s next big thing.
Bring it on.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Woods said.
“It’s going to be fun.”
Rory McIlroy finished third in the last two majors of 2010, and he’s put together superb rounds over the first two days at Augusta
National.
A 69 on the heels of an opening 65 pushed McIlroy to 10-under 134 at the midway point. He was two shots ahead
of Australia’s Jason Day—only 23 himself and playing in his first Masters—with Woods and K.J. Choi another stroke back.
Except for Woods, none of those guys has won a major title. He’s got 14 of ‘em. And
if his play over the last dozen holes of Friday’s second round is any indication, he’s a definite contender for
No. 15.
Woods made seven birdies during that stretch and just missed another after a brilliant tee shot over the pond
at the par-3 16th. He also rolled in a tricky par-saving putt that kept the momentum going—no small consideration for
a guy mired in the longest winless streak of his career.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” he said. “There’s
so many guys with a chance to play themselves into the tournament.”
Indeed. Former U.S. Open champ Geoff Ogilvy and long-hitting Alvaro Quiros were at 138. The group five shots behind included talented young American Rickie Fowler, 51-year-old Fred Couples, surging Lee Westwood and 2009 PGA champion Y.E. Yang, the only guy who’s ever rallied to beat Woods on the final day of a major.
McIlroy was looking forward to the challenge. He learned a tough lesson at
last year’s British Open, where he opened with a 63 and soared to an 80 the next day. He rallied from that debacle to
finish third, claimed that spot again at the PGA Championship and helped Europe win the Ryder Cup.
He might be a freckle-faced
kid with an unruly head of hair, but he’s shown a maturity beyond his years. There’s nothing to indicate he’ll
melt away in the spotlight of the lead.
“As we all know, he’s got an inordinate amount of talent,”
Woods said. “It was just a matter of time before he started to play like this in major championships.”
McIlroy
went the first 29 holes of the tournament without a bogey. He finally stumbled with an errant tee shot into the bunker at
No. 12, and didn’t look quite as sharp the rest of the way. A delicate chip at No. 15 nearly rolled back into the water.
A couple of good birdie chances didn’t drop.
“I gave myself a lot of opportunities. I just didn’t
make as many putts as I would’ve liked on the back nine,” McIlroy said. “But I can’t really complain.
I’m in the lead going to the weekend at the Masters.”
Day is another up-and-comer, and he showed no respect
for a course he’s playing for the first time this week. He made eight birdies for the best round of the tournament,
a 64 that sent him surging up the leaderboard.
McIlroy and Day played with another member of the kiddie corps, the
22-year-old Fowler. He shot a 69, giving that group a combined 14-under total Friday.
“It was fun playing with
Rory and Rickie out there,” Day said. “I can’t even remember shooting 8 under. It was just a lot of great
golf and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
While the focus at this Masters has been on youth, let’s
not forget the older guys.
Couples, the 1992 champion, got himself into contention for the second year in a row. Even
with a balky back, he strolled around the course as though he owns the place on the way to a 68.
“I know the
course more than most people,” he said, “and that helps.”
The defending champ has a lot of work to
do. Phil Mickelson muddled through a 72 that left him eight shots off the lead.
“I left too many chances out there,” he said.
“We’ve got the weekend to look forward to, and fortunately, I’m not in that bad of a spot. If I can shoot
a good round, I can get back in it.”
Woods made his move Friday, even though it didn’t start out that way.
His very first shot landed in a bunker, and he wound up with bogey. He flubbed a wedge at No. 3, the shortest par-4 on
the course, and took another. When he three-putted at No. 7, he was 1 over for the day and even for the tournament, nowhere
close to those at the top of the board.
A birdie at the par-5 eighth was nothing special, but a sand wedge to 15 feet
on No. 9 sent him around the turn with two straight birdies. At the 10th, he made it three straight with an 8-iron to 3 feet.
The Augusta patrons began to sense something special.
The cheers got louder. The fist pumps became more frequent.
Woods strung together three more birdies starting at No. 13, then finished up with one more on the last hole after driving
under the trees. He whacked it out with an 8-iron, twisting his body the way he wanted the ball to go, and watched it stop
10 feet right of the hole.
When that putt dropped in, Woods pumped his fist one more time. He hasn’t gone this
low at the Masters since he shot 66 in the second round of the ’05 tournament, which he went on to win by beating Chris DiMarco in a playoff.
“I was just being patient, just plodding myself along,” Woods said. “Just stay in
the present and stay in the moment and make a few birdies when I had the opportunities. If I made a mistake here and there,
which I did early, just play the next shot. That’s it.”
He made it sound so easy.
Of course, we
all know it’s not.
Woods has gone 20 tournaments over 17 months without a win. One brilliant round is a good
start to a comeback. Now he must show he can do it again. And again.
“I’m three back,” he said. “I
played myself back in the championship. We have still 36 more holes.”
If the absence of traditional powers UConn, Tennessee and Stanford caused would-be viewers not to watch Tuesday's
women's national title game, those folks should be kicking themselves right now.
They missed a heck of a game.
Upstarts Texas A&M and Notre Dame waged a back-and-forth battle that had all the drama and shot-making the lackluster
men's title game lacked 24 hours earlier. In the end, the second-seeded Aggies held off the Irish 76-70, parlaying their relentless pressure defense and superior interior scoring into their first championship in program history.
It's difficult to pinpoint one hero for Texas A&M because so many players combined to bring the title to a school
that didn't even admit women until 1963.
All-American center Danielle Adams scored 22 of her game-high 30 points
in the second half, scoring the bucket that broke a 66 all tie on a put-back and continuously exploiting her size advantage
on the low block.
Guard Tyra White added 18 points for the Aggies, none bigger than her 3-pointer at the shot clock
buzzer that extended Texas A&M's lead to 73-68 with 1:07 left.
And guard Sydney Colson bounced back from first-half
foul trouble to serve as the catalyst for a second-half defensive surge that helped the Aggies rally back from an seven-point
deficit and take control late in the game.
The brilliant performance from Texas A&M was a fitting conclusion
to a magnificent season for a program that had previously been an afterthought among women's basketball's elite.
When coach Gary Blair left Arkansas in 2003 to come to Texas A&M, his first Aggies team went 9-19 overall, 2-14 in the Big 12 and showed little hope of
ever becoming competitive at the national level. Blair has gradually built Texas A&M into a power since then, taking
the Aggies to six straight NCAA tournaments and finally breaking through this spring with the program's first 30-win season
and first trip to the Final Four.
As the Aggies hugged and cried tears of joy amid the falling confetti on Tuesday
night, the Irish walked off the court lamenting a missed opportunity. Notre Dame toppled No. 1 seeds Tennessee and UConn
in back-to-back games to advance to the national title game for the first time in 10 years, but the Irish ran out of magic
on Tuesday night.
After star point guard Skylar Diggins capped a 9-2 Notre Dame run with a jumper in the lane
that tied the game at 66 with four minutes to go, the Irish scored just one more field goal the rest of the way. Diggins
scored a team-high 23 points on 7-for-19 shooting in a losing effort and teammate Devereaux Peters had 21.
In the
buildup leading up to Tuesday's title game, the primary question was whether some new blood could help women's basketball
in the long run. Either Tennessee or UConn had captured 12 of the previous 16 national titles, creating a fierce rivalry
yet also a sense of predictability that hindered the growth of the sport.
It remains to be seen how Tuesday's game
fared TV ratings-wise, but one thing is certain: Those who did tune in witnessed a high-quality game between two up-and-coming
programs likely to be heard from again.
HOUSTON – Jeremy Lamb leaned back in a chair in the Connecticut locker room late Monday night, a string of clipped net hanging from his right ear, a freshly minted ballcap with the words
“No. 1” emblazoned on the back, titled catcher style on his head.
The freshman swingman had just helped
the Huskies rally from a brutal first half and a three-point deficit to capture the third national championship in school
history with a 53-41 victory over Butler.
Along with the Wooden National Championship Trophy, a torch may have been passed to this lanky 6-foot-5 kid from Norcross,
Ga.
“I think in the future you are going to see Jeremy Lamb become one of the best players in all of college
basketball,” coach Jim Calhoun said.
What a journey the 2010-11 season has been for Lamb and UConn. Fittingly,
it ended with the ball in Lamb’s hands as the clocked ticked down. He tossed it high into the Reliant Stadium stratosphere
as the horn sounded.
Lamb and Huskies superstar Kemba Walker rushed to the rescue when the team needed them most,
bouncing back from shooting woes over the first 20 minutes to make sure this one didn’t get away.
Scoreless
in the first half, missing the only two shots he took, Lamb came to life, finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds and a
block to cement the win. He made 4-of-6 attempts from the field to close, knocked down a pair of free throws and drilled
a 3-pointer to help UConn pull away. His defense also was key as the Bulldogs shot a preposterous 18.8 percent from the
field.
Lamb said a YouTube-worthy tirade from Calhoun at halftime helped inspire the comeback. The youngster responded
with aplomb to the motivational ploy.
“I was playing timid,” Lamb said. “[Calhoun] said, ‘Pick
it up, pick it up, pick it up.’ We had 20 minutes to do what we knew we could do. People encouraged me, and I came
out aggressive.”
Walker also saved his best for last, collecting 16 points and pulling down nine boards after
having just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting and five rebounds early.
The junior guard, expected to be a first-round
pick in the NBA draft, was named the Final Four’s most valuable player. His days in Storrs are likely numbered.
Kemba Walker racked up 16 points as he teamed with Lamb to spark the Huskies' winning run. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Lamb could become the Huskies No. 1 scoring
option next year. His time as the face of the program may just be beginning. The maturation he’s made over the past
five months has impressed many.
Calhoun for one. Walker as well.
“Jeremy’s grown a lot throughout
the season,” Walker said. “Early, he didn’t have much confidence. He didn’t know his role on his
team. As things started getting tough for me, I started to tell Jeremy, ‘You’re going to have to score.’
“Once he realized that he was going to get open shots, that I was going to find him, he started to find the right
spots and he started to make shots.
“He’s a hard worker. He would have a bad game and go straight to
the gym. All his hard work is paying off.”
Lamb and Walker starred for the Huskies during an 11-game winning
streak to end the season. Along the way came a five-game run in New York to capture the Big East tournament. Next came their
jaunt through March and April, taking down Bucknell, Cincinnati, San Diego State, Arizona, Kentucky and Butler to bring home the ultimate prize.
Lamb, who averaged 11.1 points and 4.4 rebounds during the regular season,
rose for 15.3 points and 4.5 rebounds during the conference and NCAA run. Walker, a player of the year candidate, was the
player of the NCAAs, netting 23.5 points and six boards during the madness.
The ninth-place team in the Big East is
now the No. 1 team in the land.
The veteran Walker is probably bound for bright lights and big money in the Association.
The young Lamb is poised to become the lead lion for a defending national champion.
“It’s pretty amazing,”
Lamb said.
And pretty evolved.
Gerry Ahern is the Managing
Editor/Colleges for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter. Send Gerry a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
As it was 25 years ago when the Detroit Pistons drafted him out of a small college in Oklahoma, Dennis Rodman didn't come to Detroit this week as much of a basketball player.
He had spent a good portion of the week doing what Dennis Rodman does now -- making personal appearances at product releases,
in casinos, surrounded by filtered libations, flashing lights and flirting lasses. Prior to Friday's ceremony to retire
his No. 10, Rodman took part in a pregame news conference sporting a hat with a clothing manufacturer's logo prominently
featured. He's a pro at this now, to use one of his favorite words, "bro."
Something changed on Friday,
though. Perhaps it was the shot of a young Rodman on the marquee outside the Palace at Auburn Hills, unfettered by jewelry
or skin-and-ink artistry. Maybe it was the Palace setting itself -- the building was rightfully hailed as years ahead of
its time when it debuted in 1988, but now even some of its gaudier elements seem quite tame. Perhaps it was the nostalgia,
which has a way of both humbling and enervating even the person that's being paid tribute to. For whatever reason, as it
was 25 years ago, the Detroit Pistons turned Dennis Rodman into a basketball player again on Friday night.
Detroit couldn't help it. They'd seen from afar the tattooed Rodman, the guy with the crazy hair and outlandish (for
the 1990s, at least) style who courted Madonna and posed nude on the cover of his bestselling books as he played for the
Spurs and Bulls. But Detroit never knew that guy. No, they knew the shy and sensitive Rodman that sheepishly made his way
onto the Pistons roster as a 25-year-old rookie in 1986.
The quiet, do-it-all forward who rarely received the credit he deserved as a cog in a championship Pistons machine featuring
Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Mark Aguirre and Bill Laimbeer. This suited Dennis just fine, initially. But though Rodman won
two titles, two individual awards as the Defensive Player of the Year and nationally-televised endorsements (Dennis was
among many that Reebok Pumped it up, back then), this relative anonymity eventually led to the resentment that forced his way out of Detroit.
By 1991,
the Bulls had supplanted the Pistons as champions, Detroit coach Chuck Daly was entering his final year with the team, Rodman
had just turned 30 and was seemingly past his athletic prime. Dennis was still regarded league-wide as the pest that came
off the bench to check whoever had the hottest hand, whether they worked on the perimeter or in the post. That sort of defensive
brilliance helps win games, but the effort behind such work often doesn't show up in the box score, and box score stats
act as currency to the casual fan. Because Dennis sought both recognition and a million-dollar contract, he decided to start
focusing his efforts intently on the glass.
What was once a sterling defensive player who did quite well on the boards
suddenly turned into a still-sterling defensive player who planted his formidable skills and basketball IQ on the weak side
to gobble up rebound after rebound. In his last two seasons with Detroit, Rodman averaged 18.7 and 18.3 rebounds per game,
shocking numbers for a wiry guy who probably wasn't any taller than Clyde Drexler.
This was all part of the downfall,
though. With Daly gone in 1992-93, Dennis found little joy in coming to work. The Pistons were more than happy to deal Rodman
to San Antonio, where he discovered hair dye and Madonna's Motorola number. Outside of coming back to Detroit as a player,
he lost all contact with the area, and his former identity. Rodman admitted last night that the last time he'd been in the
Detroit area was during his final season with the Chicago Bulls, in January 1998.
It was the realization that, in his words, he "should have done more" in Detroit that
led Dennis to break down in tears at that pregame news conference on Friday. "I didn't fully understand the value that I had for this organization."
Unsolicited, Rodman brought up
the recent passing of Daly, Pistons owner Bill Davidson and former Pistons president of public relations Matt Dobek in the
news conference. He talked wistfully about seeing longtime Palace arena workers for the first time in years. He sloughed
off questions about Scottie Pippen and John Salley's recent remarks about the Bulls-Pistons rivalries as just two competitors, "good guys," playing the part. When asked about the
possibility that he'll make the Basketball Hall of Fame next week, Rodman pointed out that he has a lot on his plate. Not
casino appearances or cologne launches, but his children's birthdays, his upcoming marriage anniversary and his own birthday.
"In four weeks I'll be 50 years old," he pointed out. "I can't believe I've made it this far."
It was a touching about-face for a man who has mostly lived on the fringes of your cable dial for the last 13 years, decked
out in party-guy finery, cigar in hand and bottle service at the table. Regarding the Pistons' video tribute the team had
planned for him at halftime, Dennis admitted that "this is going to be the first time [my children] get to see a video
of their father doing something positive with his life."
That video was, indeed, something else. And there wasn't
a tattoo or stray blond hair to be found in it. And another thing was mostly missing, as well.
The greatest rebounder
in NBA history didn't have many rebounds show up in his tribute video, mainly because Detroit never knew him that way. Detroit
never saw him as Dennis Rodman, Rebounder for Hire. The montage mainly featured shots of Rodman the defender, the energizer,
locking up point guards, shooting guards, small and power forwards, and the occasional hulking center with six inches on
the guy.
And for the first time in years, the name "Dennis Rodman" evoked memories of a basketball player,
and not some late-1990s cultural touchstone. More Hall of Fame, than Hootie.
Rodman pointed out on Friday night that
he'd been asked to go to Houston on Monday, to take part in the announcement that he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame
this September. He said it not to brag, but as more of a "can you believe all this?" add-on to what was a remarkable
night.
Well, yes, we can believe all this. Dennis Rodman was, pound-for-pound, the greatest defensive player of all
time. Forgetting height and weight, he pulled in more available rebounds than any other player in NBA history. He was a whip-smart, if reluctant, offensive player. He was as good as teammates came, even if he came late to practice.
He was a five-time champion and, as was pointed out by Rodman last night, a role model for college scorers who might have
to temper their instincts and focus on the other end of the court should they want to succeed in the NBA.
Above all,
as was reinforced last night, Dennis Rodman was a basketball player, and not a C-list celebrity. And for the second time
in 25 years, he has the Detroit Pistons to thank for that.
The NBA announced that Bynum will miss Sunday’s game against Portland and Tuesday’s meeting with
Phoenix.
Bynum was ejected after committing a flagrant
foul during the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 106-98 win over the Timberwolves on Friday night. Bynum turned his shoulder
and sent Beasley crashing to the court in a mid-air collision when Beasley drove the lane.
Timberwolves coach Kurt
Rambis said after the game that he wasn’t sure about the call. But after seeing the replays over the weekend, Rambis
said he thought the Flagrant-2 ruling was the correct one.
“He made no play on the ball,” Rambis said Sunday
before the Wolves hosted Sacramento. “It’s unfortunate that things like that happen in basketball, but it was
the right call.
“Michael’s relatively lucky he didn’t get more hurt than he did.”
Beasley
was injured on his hip and shoulder and left the game. He’s playing in Sunday’s game against the Kings.
The
Lakers starting center has raised his game considerably since the All-Star break, getting at least 10 rebounds in 10 of the
last 12 games while averaging 2.58 blocks.
Ichiro Suzuki(notes) still hasn't offered any public comment about the ongoing crisis in Japan, but the message he sent on Friday will
certainly go a lot further than any press conference remarks or a prepared statement of concern ever would.
The Seattle Mariners great will donate 100 million yen to the relief efforts stemming from last week's earthquake and tsunami. Using today's conversion rate, the amount equates
to about $1.23 million — or roughly 7 percent of the $18 million he'll make playing baseball in Seattle this year.
In usual Ichiro fashion, he hasn't said anything about his impressive support with his checkbook and he likely won't.
Helping out his homeland in a time of great need seems to be enough for the right fielder — as it was last month,
when he quietly donated 10 million yen to relief efforts following the volcano eruption in the Miyazaki Prefecture.
His gesture reminds me of the 2001-02
NBA season, when Michael Jordan donated his entire $1 million salary to Sept. 11 efforts. And just like in that great time
of need, Ichiro isn't alone in his generosity. The Mariners also announced on Friday that they'll be matching any front office or fan donations made over the regular-season's first game homestand at Safeco
Field with a minimum of $100,000 guaranteed. The San Francisco Giants also announced their plans to offer aid earlier this week.
On August 26,
1939, Major League Baseball made its TV debut. What classic ballpark housed the event?
A. Ebbets Field B. Yankee Stadium C. Fenway Park
D. Wrigley Field
Hard-hitting former Raider Jack Tatum dies at 61
By RUSTY MILLER, AP Sports Writer 2 hours, 6 minutes ago
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—Jack
Tatum seemed proud of his nickname: “Assassin.”
Tatum died Tuesday at age 61 in an Oakland hospital.
The cause was a massive heart attack, according to friend and former Ohio State teammate John Hicks. Tatum had battled diabetes
and other health problems for years, Hicks said.
After starring for Ohio State under coach Woody Hayes, Tatum was drafted
in the first round by the Raiders in 1971. In nine seasons with Oakland, he started 106 of 120 games, had 30 interceptions
and helped the Raiders win the 1976 Super Bowl. He played his final season with the Houston Oilers in 1980.
In his
third book, he wrote, “I understand why Darryl is considered the victim. But I’ll never understand why some people
look at me as the villain.”
Tatum grew up in Passaic, N.J. and had little interest in organized sports until high
school. He grew to love football and was offered a scholarship to Ohio State.
Recruited as a running back, Tatum would
sneak over to the defensive side to play linebacker. In time, the Ohio State coaches—particularly secondary coach Lou
Holtz—recognized that Tatum was a natural on defense.
Tatum was a part of the “super sophs” class
that led Ohio State to an unbeaten season and the national championship in 1968. He stole the headlines in the Buckeyes’
showdown with No. 1 Purdue early in the season, shadowing All-American running back Leroy Keyes in Ohio State’s 13-0
upset of the Boilermakers.
In his three years as a starter, Tatum’s teams went 27-2 and won two Big Ten titles.
JOHN ROBERT WOODEN
(Oct 14, 1910 - June 4, 2010) R.I.P
10 NCAA Championships - 4 Undefeated seasons Voted "Greatest Coach of All Time" by Sporting News, 2009.
John
Wooden lived and died using his "7-point Creed", given to him, by his father. He was a member of the Basketball
Hall of Fame, both as a player, and a coach. Kareem Abdul Jabar, Bill Walton, James Worthy, were just a few, of the
players he coached, and that loved him. Coach Wooden, died Friday, in a hospital in LA. Funeral arrangements,
will be announced.
FIVE (5) SPORTS EVENTS I'D LIKE TO SEE:
1. Tiger Woods win Masters, British Open signs sponsorship deal, with 50-cent, open string of Genlemen's Clubs.
2. Ron Artest and Gilbert Arenas, pre-fight card, for Mayweather/Pacquico Title Match.
3.
Andy Roddick FINALLY Wins a MAJOR, and reveals secret affair with Serena.
4. Cris Bosh and
LeBron James, sign with Celtics.
5. Cleveland "Clowns" meet St Louis "Ewes"
in 2011 Super Bowl
The new Decade is here, everyone is picking their team of the decade. Here's my TEAM of SPORTS BIGGEST
KnucleHeads of the DECADE:
1. Barry Bonds - most notorious
'non-user'!!
2. Roger Clemens - can be interchanged with Barry.
3.
Isiah Thomas - Mr. "Sexy", or Magic, take your pick.
4. Mike Tyson - Robin Givens,
"The Bite", Cocaine.
5. Josh Hamiton - Meth addiction.
6.
Marion Jones - Lost of GOLD Medal, prison.
7. Donte Stallworth - DUI, NFL Suspension
8. Maurice Clarett - Cut by Broncos. turns Armed Robber
Mark Jackson thinks the 
Jackson's a big reason why. He consistently ruins the tone of the game by choosing to pass on analyzing the contest in front
of him in favor of going over insipid, barroom or sports talk radio-level conversations. Rankings and unwritten rules and
posturing and all that. Just fine, when you have three hours to kill in an afternoon's radio gig, but not cool when the
Mavs and Heat are locked into yet another one-possession game.
By 
By 
