NBA Veteran Center Jason Collins Comes out as Gay

NBA Veteran Center Jason Collins Comes out as Gay

NBA veteran Jason Collins set aside years of worry and silence to become the first active player in one of four major U.S. professional sports leagues to come out as gay. In a first-person article posted Monday on Sports Illustrated's website, Collins begins: "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay." Collins has played for six teams in 12 seasons, most recently as a reserve with the Washington Wizards after a midseason trade from the Boston Celtics. He is now a free agent and wants to keep playing in the NBA. "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, 'I'm different,'" Collins writes. "If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand." Saying he had "endured years of misery and gone to enormous lengths to live a lie," Collins immediately drew support for his announcement from the White House, former President Bill Clinton, the NBA, current and former teammates, and athletes in other sports. Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant tweeted that he was proud of Collins, writing: "Don't suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others," followed by the words "courage" and "support." Jason Collins Comes Out.JPEG "We've got to get rid of the shame. That's the main thing. And Jason's going to help that. He's going to help give people courage to come out," said Billie Jean King, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame who confirmed she was gay after being outed in the early 1980s. "I guarantee you he's going to feel much lighter, much freer. The truth does set you free, there's no question. It doesn't mean it's easy. But it sets you free," King said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. The Wizards, whose season ended April 17, issued a statement from President Ernie Grunfeld: "We are extremely proud of Jason and support his decision to live his life proudly and openly. He has been a leader on and off the court and an outstanding teammate throughout his NBA career. Those qualities will continue to serve him both as a player and as a positive role model for others of all sexual orientation." Collins' coach with the Celtics, Doc Rivers, drew a comparison between Monday's announcement and Jackie Robinson's role when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 as the first black player in Major League Baseball. "I am extremely happy and proud of Jason Collins. He's a pro's pro. He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite 'team' players I have ever coached," Rivers said. "If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept. It will be society who has to learn tolerance." Collins says he quietly made a statement for gay rights even while keeping his sexual orientation a secret. He wore No. 98 with the Celtics and Wizards — 1998 was year that Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming, was killed, and the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization, was founded. Momentum has been building toward this sort of announcement from a pro athlete in a top league. NFL players Brendan Ayanbadejo and Chris Kluwe were outspoken in support of state gay-marriage amendments during last year's elections. President Barack Obama spoke about his support for gay marriage during his re-election campaign.

News Source :  abcnews.go.com

Police name RCR crewmen arrested in assault on Piquet Jr.

Police name RCR crewmen arrested in assault on Piquet Jr.

Police have released the names of two Richard Childress Racing crew members arrested for an alleged assault on driver Nelson Piquet Jr. and one other individual at Richmond International Raceway late Friday night. Michael A. Scearce, 50, and Thomas F. Costello, 35, were taken into custody after a postrace incident spilled over to the driver/owner motorhome lot. The assault injured one of the two adult male victims, whose names were not released. But Turner Scott Motorsports confirmed in a Saturday afternoon statement that Piquet was one of the individuals involved. None Michael A. Scearce, 50(Photo: Handout) "Several members of another race team confronted a group that included Nelson Piquet Jr., resulting in the arrest of two individuals from the other race team," the Turner Scott statement said. "TSM will have no further comment on the incident as the matter is an active case with the Henrico Police Department." Scearce and Costello are both members of RCR's No. 2 team, which fields cars for Brian Scott. Scott was kicked in the groin by Piquet following Friday night's Nationwide Series race. The crews also scuffled on pit road. PREVIOUSLY: Piquet Jr. gets it where it hurts INVESTIGATION: RCR looking into incident Scearce (two counts of assault) is listed as a mechanic on the RCR website; Costello (one count of assault) is an interior specialist. Both men were charged with misdemeanors and released early Saturday morning, according to Henrico County police Lt. Linda Toney. A court date for both will be determined at a later time. "I didn't witness what took place last night outside of the race track," team owner Richard Childress said in a statement. "Our team members were walking to their cars and words were exchanged with members from another team, which led to an altercation. "I am still learning all the exact details and, because it did happen outside of the track, local authorities became involved. We are working with them to resolve this matter. We are now concentrating on winning the Sprint Cup race tonight." NASCAR spokeswoman Kristi King said the sanctioning body does not comment on police investigations. "As far as team members being involved, we are still in the process of gathering the facts and will address them once we get all of the information," she said. 

News Source : www.usatoday.com

Nova’s Injury Isn’t as Bad as He Feared

Nova’s Injury

The seemingly star-crossed Yankees, who have been hit with a glut of long-term injuries to start the season, received good news Saturday when a magnetic resonance imaging test on pitcher Ivan Nova revealed only inflammation of the right triceps. Enlarge This Image Adam Hunger/Reuters The Yankees placed Ivan Nova on the 15-day disabled list. Bats Keep up with the latest news on The Times's baseball blog. Go to the Bats Blog Major League Baseball Live Scoreboard Standings | Wild Card Stats | Injuries Yankees Schedule/Results Roster | Stats Mets Schedule/Results Roster | Stats Nova, who left his start on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning because of elbow pain, was placed on the 15-day disabled list. The Yankees expect him to return once he is eligible to be activated. “First you think it’s something negative,” a relieved Nova said. “And this is negative, but it’s not that bad.” Nova is expected to rest for at least a few days before he throws a bullpen session. To replace him on the roster, the Yankees called up pitcher Vidal Nuno from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. David Phelps, who has been pitching in relief, will take Nova’s place in the rotation. Nuno, who had a 1.54 earned run average at Scranton this season, will become the Yankees’ long man in the bullpen. To make room for Nuno on the 40-man roster, the Yankees placed shortstop Derek Jeter on the 60-day disabled list. The team also said catcher Francisco Cervelli had successful surgery on his right hand to repair a broken bone. He was hurt in the first inning Friday when Toronto’s leadoff hitter, Rajai Davis, fouled a ball off his throwing hand. Cervelli is expected to miss at least six weeks. To replace Cervelli, the Yankees called up Austin Romine, a 24-year-old catching prospect, who was hitting .333 for Scranton. Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said Romine would split time with the veteran backup Chris Stewart, who was in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Blue Jays. To help familiarize himself with the pitching staff, Romine caught bullpen sessions on Saturday morning with starters Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda. “It will depend on how he performs,” Girardi said of Romine’s playing time. “One thing about our jobs is that it’s performance-based.” The Yankees also received a boost Saturday when Kevin Youkilis, who had not played since April 20 because of back spasms, returned to the lineup. 

News Source : www.nytimes.com

Stephen Curry leads Warriors past Nuggets 131-117

Stephen Curry

DENVER — Stephen Curry had 30 points and 13 assists and the Golden State Warriors handed the Denver Nuggets their first loss at home in more than three months, a 131-117 stunner Tuesday night that evened their playoff series at a game each. Jarrett Jack added 26 points, Harrison Barnes 24 and Klay Thompson 21 as the sixth-seeded Warriors wrested homecourt advantage from the NBA's best home team as the series shifts to Oakland for Game 3 Friday night. The third-seeded Nuggets were an NBA-best 38-3 at home during the regular season but needed Andre Miller's last-second shot to beat Golden State by a basket in the opener and extend their franchise-best winning streak to 24 games. The Warriors became the second road team to win the postseason following Chicago's win at Brooklyn on Monday. With Golden State losing All-Star power forward David Lee to a torn hip flexor and the Nuggets getting top rebounder and energizer Kenneth Faried back from a sprained ankle, this one looked like a mismatch. And it was, only not the way the Pepsi Center crowd anticipated. Even without their All-Star, the Warriors outrebounded the Nuggets 36-26 and shot a sizzling 64.6 percent. The best anybody shot against Denver during the season was 54 percent, by the Los Angeles Lakers way back on Nov. 20, and the most points the Nuggets had allowed was 126 at San Antonio on Nov. 17. Ty Lawson and Corey Brewer each scored 19 points for Denver and Andre Iguodala and Miller both had 18. Lee led the league in double-doubles with 56 and had another before getting hurt in the fourth quarter of the series opener on Saturday. He was averaging 18.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists. “We can't replace him,” Warriors coach Mark Jackson declared after the MRI confirmed fears of a serious injury. “He's an All-Star power forward who's had an incredible year. But we have some guys on our bench that can do some things to cover up his absence.” The Warriors were 3-18 without Lee over the last three seasons, but Jackson mixed and matched his lineup to make up for his All-Star's absence on this night, when Lee cheered on his teammates from the bench. The Nuggets were hoping the return of Faried would help them reverse their 10-point disadvantage on the boards in Game 1. But he was rusty and the same problems that plagued Denver in the opener — missing too many open shots, getting outmuscled on the glass and giving up open 3s — haunted them once again. Curry scored 15 points in the second quarter and hit four jumpers during a 14-5 run the Warriors used to grab control and take the air out of the Pepsi Center as they cruised into halftime with a 61-53 lead that would never be threatened in the second half. Curry swished another sweet jumper to start the third quarter and the Warriors opened up a 17-point lead they would stretch to 20 in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets pulled to 76-69, but Thompson hit a 3-pointer from the right corner and Curry a 3 from the left to make it 82-69. Both were wide open as Denver's defenders were again running ragged trying to keep up with the Warriors, who handled the altitude just fine. Every time the Nuggets made a run, the Warriors had an answer, whether it was Curry's jump shots or reverse dunks by Barnes. Denver got its deficit down to 115-105 but this time it was Jack's turn to make a wide-open 3 with the Nuggets defenders scrambling around. 

News Source : www.latimes.com

Mike Brown hiring is big for Cleveland now USA Today

Mike Brown

It was three summers ago that the Cleveland Cavaliers fired coach Mike Brown in a last-ditch effort to persuade LeBron James to stay. Fast forward to Tuesday, and Cleveland finally let go of the past, figured that the future will take care of itself and decided to focus on winning. Now. But the rehiring of Brown as the Cavaliers coach has left one question: What does this do to Cleveland's chances at persuading James to return when he can become a free agent in the summer of 2014? LEBRON LEADS HEAT: Miami takes 2-0 lead vs. Bucks NBA DRAFT: Order and lottery odds That answer isn't clear just yet. The truth from the Cavaliers' perspective is that they made this move because of what Brown could do for them now more than what it might mean for the future. For all the detractors of the job he did in five seasons in Cleveland and one-plus seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and general manager Chris Grant decided to right what they clearly saw was the wrong move from before. And if James' reaction was any indication, there was no reason to think the strain that existed at times between him and the coach remained. "I'm happy for him, very happy for him," James told news reporters in Miami before Game 2 of the Heat's first-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. "I think he's a really good coach, a very defensive-minded coach. It will be good for those young guys they have." COACHING CHANGE: Bobcats dismiss Dunlap NBA PROSPECTS: Big decisions loom for NCAA players Brown, whose winning percentage (.653, 314-167 record) will be fourth best in the league once his hiring and expected five-year, $20 million-plus deal is made official, is the guy they wanted to turn a woeful team around. And to say they're ecstatic to have him back would be an understatement. Time will tell if he can take first-time All-Star Kyrie Irving to the next level after the 24-58 season that led to Byron Scott's firing. Or if the Cavaliers defense that was so staunch during Brown's time there with James can lose the bottom-five status it has had since they both left. Or if Brown can finally lose his reputation as a coach who is sorely lacking in offensive creativity. But the Cavaliers brass is convinced that those two final seasons in Cleveland — two consecutive finishes as the fourth-most efficient offense in the league after ranking 19th in the two seasons before — were more than enough evidence that he will get it done on both ends. Cleveland gave Brown his first head coaching job before the 2005 season and, two years later, the Cavaliers advanced to their first NBA Finals in franchise history. They lost to the San Antonio Spurs in four games. In 2010, the Cavaliers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in the second round and became the first team in NBA history to win 60 games in back-to-back seasons without making the Finals. 2013 PLAYOFFS: Who can make the most money? Brown was fired by the Cavaliers after the 2009-10 season and hired by the Lakers before the 2011-12 season. In his first season, the Lakers went 41-25 and lost in the conference semifinals. He was fired five games into this season but had two years and $11 million left on his contract. The Lakers have been informed they would get some relief from the $6.5 million-$7 million they owe Brown over the next two years. It was unclear how much it would be, but it was not expected to the full amount. One of the main factors in Brown's decision to come back to Cleveland was that he had already planned to move his family back to the area, long before Scott was fired. Brown is also close friends with Grant. Brown met with Gilbert and Grant on Sunday in Detroit and negotiations intensified. He wasn't the only candidate for the Cavaliers, as there was an attempt to reach out to Phil Jackson that went nowhere when it was obvious that the 11-time NBA champion coach had no interest in job, so the search quickly zeroed in on Brown, who was the only candidate to be interviewed.

News Source : www.usatoday.com

Al Michaels arrested for DUI in California

Al Michaels arrested for DUI in California

Sources told TMZ that Michaels, 68, was just over the state’s legal limit of .08 — he blew a .08 and .09 in two breathalyzer tests following a field sobriety test — when he was stopped at a checkpoint in Santa Monica around 10 p.m. Friday night. By Bernie Augustine / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Sunday, April 21, 2013, 3:31 PM 2 4 0 Print ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 06: Owner of the New England Patriots Robert Kraft (L) walks on the sidelines with NBC Sunday Night Football announcer Al Michaels before the Pittsburgh Steelers play against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium on February 6, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) Doug Pensinger Al Michaels is arrested for DUI in California on Friday night. Do you believe in designated drivers? Al Michaels, the broadcaster behind the legendary “Do you believe in miracles?” call of the U.S. hockey team’s upset of the Soviets in the 1980 Winter Olympics, was busted for DUI in California Friday night. Sources told TMZ that Michaels, 68, was just over the state’s legal limit of .08 — he blew a .08 and .09 in two breathalyzer tests following a field sobriety test — when he was stopped at a checkpoint in Santa Monica around 10 p.m. Friday night. Michaels was taken into police custody and was released at 4:15 a.m. Saturday morning, the website reported. Michaels, the play-by-play voice for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” was extremely cooperative with police, Sgt. Ryan Gradle told CNN, which reported that Michaels is due in Los Angeles Municipal Cout on June 26. Michaels was charged with misdemeanor DUI. 

News Source :  www.nydailynews.com

Juan Pablo Montoya says speed there for NASCAR rebound

Juan Pablo Montoya

Juan Pablo Montoya mired in slump with mechanical problems, but has shown speed JPMKansas (Photo: Jeff Zelevansky Getty Images) Story Highlights 'We're making too many mistakes as a team,' says Juan Pablo Montoya Part failures, accidents have trumped speed No. 42 has shown Driver made the Chase for the Sprint Cup in 2009 KANSAS CITY, Kan. – During last month's Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Juan Pablo Montoya estimates passing Brian Vickers, who finished sixth, at least a half-dozen times under green. On each restart, Montoya's No. 42 Chevrolet roared away from the field around the 0.533-mile oval. It seemed a recipe for the stirring performance Montoya needs to end a slump that is in its third season. BLAME GAME: Penske penalties stir accusations, denial But the kicker was a busted fuel pump already had put him 13 laps down. Though he possessed top-five speed, his results again wouldn't indicate it – just as has been the case with either mechanical woes or being caught in wrecks in five of the first seven races this year. "We're making too many mistakes as a team, and when you make that many, you can't expect to have that many decent results," Montoya said after a news conference to promote a special paint scheme honoring the 100th anniversary of Clorox for the May 5 race at Talladega Superspeedway. "The speed's there. We're qualifying well. But when you're 13 laps down, you're going to finish 30th." It happened again last week at Texas Motor Speedway, where Montoya qualified 10th but finished 20th because of a loose wheel. His Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team has tried to correct the pit shortcoming this week by replacing the front tire changer on his team, and he showed promise Saturday, posting the fastest speed (190.671 mph) in the first of two practices for Sunday's STP 400. He was third in the final session. "Things are good," said Montoya, who won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 and seven times in Formula One before moving to NASCAR in 2007. "We worked a lot over the winter and built really good race cars. The Hendrick engines are good. It's just hard when you don't have anything to show for it. The potential is there, but you have so many problems." He can find some encouragement in the performance of teammate Jamie McMurray, who is ranked 12th in points with two top 10s in seven races with his No. 1 Chevrolet – one fewer than he had in 36 races last year. Without the misfortune of the No. 42 Chevy, McMurray believes Montoya would be matching his results and further validating a team restructuring that began in 2011 but has needed two years to take root. McMurray said team owner Chip Ganassi also has reinvested heavily, noting the switch from Earnhardt Childress Racing engines to Hendrick Motorsports horsepower was a significant increase. After winning the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in 2010, McMurray said his cars are better three years later. "Unfortunately the No. 42 has been on the receiving end of having the parts failures," McMurray said. "The parts that they've broke are kind of one-off's. I don't think it's a quality control issue. Unfortunately it's just been really bad luck for them. Both our cars have been very similar, performance-wise." Montoya believes they are strong enough to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which he qualified for in 2009 while posting 18 top 10s in 36 races. He's notched only 24 top 10s in 115 starts since. "The speed we have now, if we make good calls, we'll have chances to win races," Montoya said. "The road courses, we have a great chance. If we win a couple of races, we can make the Chase. There are a lot of races coming that are good for us. If we play the cards right, we can change the season around in a heartbeat." 

News Source: www.usatoday.com

 

Boston stronger: Sox pay tribute to victims

 Boston stronger

BOSTON -- The Fenway Park video screen had just finished its tribute video for the Marathon bombing victims, the crowd had just finished singing the national anthem, and everyone involved with the pregame ceremonies on Saturday began to exit the field. Except David Ortiz. On the day he was making his triumphant return from the 15-day disabled list, Ortiz grabbed the microphone. "All right," he said. "All right, Boston." The crowd erupted, but Ortiz had more. "This jersey that we wear today," he said, "it doesn't say Red Sox. It says Boston. We want to thank you Mayor [Tom] Menino, Gov. [Deval] Patrick, the whole police department for the great job they did this past week. "This is our f------ city and nobody is going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong." The fans laughed and roared as Ortiz walked toward the dugout and smacked the microphone into the hands of a club employee. Baseball returned to Boston on Saturday afternoon. "I think everyone is feeling something different," catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said before Saturday's game against the Royals. "A lot of anger. A lot of sadness. It's just going to be one of those things where it's going to hit us but we're going to come together and pull through it." A little after 1 p.m. ET, the video scoreboard at Fenway displayed a tribute to the Boston Marathon victims. With the song, "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley playing over the loudspeaker, the video scoreboard scrolled through photos of happy Marathon runners at first. Cheers erupted. Then came the photos everyone has seen all too much of over the last week, with the image of the first explosion coming first, then the instantly-famous shot, featured on the front of Sports Illustrated this week, of three Boston Police officers standing in front of the chaos as a man lay on the ground. After a display of the Watertown sign caused another eruption in cheer, photos from Friday's manhunt and eventual capture of the second bombing suspect wrapped up the video tribute. Victims of Monday's bombing were brought on the field to throw ceremonial first pitches alongside members of the Boston Police and Watertown Police departments, Patrick and police commissioner Ed Davis. A Green Monster-sized American flag fell from the left-field wall and the national anthem was sung by the crowd. Finally, it was time for baseball. "That's what we're here for," Saltalamacchia said. "It makes it all better just being able to go to a hospital and talk to kids when they're sick, talk to people when they're sick, and just for that minute they can forget about what they're going through and be happy. "That's what we're here for. It's our duty just like everyone else's to come together." About 10 players made it to Fenway Park on Friday afternoon, with the city on lockdown and a suspect still at large after killing a police officer Thursday night. Before Friday night's game was postponed, the players huddled together around televisions, just like everybody else. They worried, just like everybody else. "It was weird to look out the window and not see any cars, see any people. It was like a ghost town," said third baseman Will Middlebrooks. "It was pretty scary to know it was just a couple miles away. I'm glad it's over." Outfielder Shane Victorino said he was touched when he saw the "We Stand United" sign at Yankee Stadium, with the Red Sox logo and Yankees logo side by side. Kansas City pitcher Wade Davis gave a reminder that Red Sox fans come to the park and "let you know they're Boston fans." But the Royals didn't seem to care about that on Saturday. "I think this is good for the fans, now that this is all over, that they're going to be able to get out and enjoy themselves and not really have to worry about it," said Kansas City reliever Tim Collins, who is from Worcester, Mass. Even the players had to get their cars searched Saturday. The security all around Fenway Park was noticeably tight. There were Army vehicles near Kenmore Station and uniformed soldiers positioned outside the park, with metal detectors at all the entrances. "Who hasn't got a speeding ticket and hated a police officer for a couple minutes?" said outfielder Jonny Gomes said. "But with that being said, they're here for the right reasons and they definitely showed it the last couple days. I think they should all be honored with the utmost respect." The Red Sox said a win or a loss hardly seemed to matter for Saturday's game. The way Boston has been able to pick up the pieces after a tragedy-filled week will surely last beyond the emotional pregame ceremonies. Late in the season, if there's a playoff run, this feeling will chase them. "I think it was so awesome to see the people partying in the streets last night," Gomes said. "You would think one of these teams up here won a championship. I guess you can argue the police officers, they did. That is like the World Series or Super Bowl to accomplish what they accomplished. No other civilians got hurt, and when you talk about how dangerous those people were, we definitely have to treat them like champs." 

News Source: www.mlb.com

Documents reveal Oregon football committed 'major' violations

Documents reveal Oregon football committed 'major' violations

The NCAA’s on-going investigation into the Oregon football program appears to be crawling toward conclusion. It may still be months before a final verdict is rendered, but documents released Monday reveal the NCAA and the school concluded “major” violations were committed. The parties do not agree on the severity of the violations, which will necessitate Oregon appearing before the Committee on Infractions sometime this spring or summer. Oregon has proposed two years probation with a reduction of one scholarship each of the next three seasons. The case centers on Oregon’s alleged improper alliance with a scouting service operated by Texas-based Willie Lyles. The school paid Lyles $25,000 for recruiting services, from 2008 to 2011. A key factor in Oregon’s favor is the school is not being charged with “lack of institutional control” or unethical conduct. The school has been charged with the less severe "failure to monitor." Most of the violations described in the summary deposition occurred under former Coach Chip Kelly, now with the Philadelphia Eagles. "I am aware of the recent reports and of the ongoing investigation being conducted by the NCAA and the University of Oregon,” Kelly said in a statement released by the Eagles. “While at Oregon, I know we were fully cooperative with all aspects of the investigation and I will continue to contribute in any way that I can. But until the NCAA rules on the matter, I will have no further comment.” ALSO: Patriots' Danny Amendola will donate for every catch, drop Boston bombings: Ex-Patriot Joe Andruzzi carries woman to safety London Marathon reviews security after Boston Marathon bombings.

News Source: www.latimes.com

Patriots submit offer sheet on Steelers' WR Sanders

Patriots submit offer sheet on Steelers' WR Sanders

The Patriots are going through a bit of a rebuilding mode with their receiving core, as they have let Brandon Lloyd and Wes Welker - they're two leading receivers in 2012 - leave New England. They now find themselves with a depleted receiving core that features the talented but oft-injured Danny Amendola starting on one side, with "Molasses" Mike Jenkins on the other. There is a strong need for improvement of the receiver group in New England, especially considering the fact that Rob Gronkowski's Week 1 status is now uncertain. While it seemed likely that they would address their need through the draft, they are now taking an uncommon approach to adding a talented pass catcher before then. The Patriots have reportedly submitted an offer sheet on Steelers' wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who is a restricted free agent. Restricted free agents are tendered at a certain level that correlates with a round in the draft. For example, Mike Wallace was a restricted free agent last offseason and was tendered at the first-round level. If a team wanted to sign Wallace to an offer sheet, they would have had to give the Steelers their first-round draft pick. However, the Steelers would have had the right to match any offer that Wallace received and automatically retain him. Blog Photo - Patriots submit offer sheet on Steelers' WR Sanders The cap-strapped Steelers only tendered Sanders at the original draft status level. Sanders was originally a third-round pick, so that is the draft pick a team would have to give up to sign him. By tendering a player at that level, teams leave themselves vulnerable to other clubs looking to acquire a quality player in return for a mid-round pick. Considering the Steelers have less than $3 million in cap room, there is serious cause for concern that they may be losing Sanders to the Patriots. If the Steelers really want Sanders back, they would have to restructure contracts of other players to free up the money for Sanders, which would hurt their long-term cap situation. If Sanders ends up with the Patriots, he'll likely take Brandon Lloyd's role in the offense, while Danny Amendola plays the Wes Welker role. Sanders is a speedy, talented playmaker who is coming off the best year of his career (44 catches, 626 yards). Only 26 years old, it's reasonable to expect plenty more statistical improvement when he takes a bigger role in a better offense. Acquiring Sanders would allow the Patriots to focus on needs other than receiver with their first pick in the draft, but I'd expect them to address the position at some point, especially considering Sanders' unproven starting potential and Amendola's lengthy injury history. The Patriots have much more cap room than the Steelers and could front-load a contract that will make it very difficult for the Steelers to match. As of now, it looks like Emmanuel Sanders will be heading to New England for the 2013 season. Advertisement 

News Source: www.faniq.com

MLB hopes to invigorate African-American participation

MLB hopes to invigorate African-American participation

Major League Baseball, with a record low 7.7 % of African-Americans on opening-day rosters this season, announced the creation of a task force Wednesday in hopes of reversing the 20-year decline. "As a social institution, Major League Baseball has an enormous social responsibility to provide equal opportunities for all people, both on and off the field," Commissioner Bud Selig said in a prepared statement. "I am proud of the work we have done thus far with the RBI program and the MLB Urban Youth Academies, but there is more that we must accomplish. "We have seen a number of successful efforts with existing MLB task forces, and I believe we have selected the right people to effectively address the many factors associated with diversity in baseball." The African-American percentage in baseball this season is the lowest since the Boston Red Sox became the final team to integrate its roster in 1959, according to a USA TODAY study, that includes major-league players on the opening-day disabled lists. It's a drop from 8.05% last season, a dramatic decline from 1995 when 19% of the rosters were African-American, and far from the peak of 27% in 1975. MORE: Historic low number of African-American players "Bud is right on the spot,'' veteran agent Scott Boras told USA TODAY Sports. "We've got to get these athletes back into baseball. But I don't think anything will change until Major League Baseball and the NCAA wakes up. "Until we get this remedied, the Jackie Robinsons of the world aren't going to come to college to play baseball.'' Boras, who founded the Boras Baseball Classic to help gain exposure to high school players, recommends that MLB subsidizes college baseball scholarships. There are only 11.7 scholarships for college baseball programs, compared to 85 in football and 13 in basketball. "If you're a high school athlete coming from a single-parent home that doesn't have the money to go to college,'' Boras said, "you're going to go to the sport where you can get a full scholarship. This needs to change if we want to get the best athletes in baseball.'' The dearth of African-Americans can be seen even at the high-school level, Hall of Fame executive Pat Gillick says. "At the high-school level,'' Gillick told USA TODAY Sports, "the coaches get these kids in revenue-driven sports, and take them away from baseball. There's so much pressure on these kids to even play spring football. "We need to get the African American players back in the game, which I think would make it not only a better game, but more exciting and entertaining for everyone.'' Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg owners will head the committee, with Detroit Tigers vice president Dave Dombrowski as the vice president. The other committee members include: Hall of Famer Frank Robinson; MLB vice presidents Tom Brauswell, Wendy Lewis, Jonathan Mariner, Kim Ng and Darrell Miller; Tony Clark of the players association; Chicago White Sox vice president Kenny Williams; Roger Cador, coach of Southern University; Dennis Gilbert, special assistant to Chicago White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf; Larry Dolan of the Cleveland Indians; Derrick Hall, president of the Arizona Diamondbacks; former manager Jerry Manuel; Frank Marcos of the MLB scouting bureau; and Pat O'Conner, president of minor league baseball. Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan hopes the committee will help, but also believes that baseball needs to improve its representation in the front offices and the field. There are three African-American managers -- Dusty Baker of Cincinnati, Ron Washington of Texas and Bo Porter of Houston -- and Mike Hill of the Miami Marlins is the only African-American general manager. "There has to be more involvement to attract athletes to come to baseball,'' Morgan told USA TODAY Sports. "I thought the NFL was worse, with the way they handled all of their jobs, and that none were given to African-American coaches. Truthfully, we can't go in that direction and hope this things turns around.'' Major League Baseball launched its RBI program (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) in 1989, and has built four urban academies with three others being developed. There have been more than 200 RBI participants drafted, including 14 in last year's draft. There were also seven African-American athletes selected in the first round of last year's June Draft, the most since 1992. 

News Source: www.usatoday.com

Harrison Ford takes on different role as Branch Rickey

Harrison Ford takes on different role as Branch Rickey

Harrison Ford's latest role is a pretty significant change of pace. The actor, who has starred as Han Solo and Indiana Jones, took on the role of wily baseball executive Branch Rickey in the upcoming film, 42. The film recounts the Jackie Robinson's rise as the first African-American baseball player to make the major leagues. Rickey is the former general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. His transcendent affect on the game came when he fought for Robinson to sign with the Dodgers despite intense scrutiny against breaking baseball's color barrier. Prior to the film, Ford had limited experience with baseball, though he recalls admiring the green grass of Wrigley Field with his family during his childhood. The acting legend discussed his latest role with USA TODAY Sports. *** How crucial is this film, in the sense of having Jackie's story told in a big budget film? It's one of those stories that deserves a retelling and we had the opportunity. It may be something that kids are taught in school, it may be a footnote in history of civil rights and American history. But in a film, you have the opportunity to reach kids emotionally, viscerally, and give them the opportunity to feel the experience Jackie Robinson had with the kind of behavior that was prevalent as he was going through this experience. What drew you to this role? It was a part different from anything I'd played before in a film that I thought had something powerful to say with a filmmaker that I admired. It was a good script, good role, and it has the chance to be a good and important movie. What did you know about Branch Rickey and his role as an innovator before taking on the role? I didn't know anything about Branch Rickey until I read the script. Having read the script, I began to do a little bit of research prior to meeting anybody involved with the film. When I saw what Branch Rickey looked like and had an opportunity to observe his personality with all the stuff that's available online, I became even more fascinated with how much fun it could be for me to be a part of the movie. One of the most powerful images in the movie comes from Jackie Robinson holding in emotion amidst a slew of racial slurs from Phillies manager Ben Chapman. After he escapes to the dugout, he finally lets out all the pent-up anger with Rickey looking on. What impact does that scene have on the film? That scene with Ben Chapman and the abuse that he delivered in public, on the field, is certainly a very emotional scene and I think one of the scenes that will have the greatest impact on the audience. To you, was that one of the more poignant scenes? I think there are many poignant scenes, including the ones between Jackie and Rachel (Jackie's widow). I think the whole film, each scene is a part of a puzzle that comes together to tell the whole story. I don't think one scene is more important than another. It's the story overall that I found fascinating. What do you look for when deciding on a role to take? Any more sports movies on the horizon for you? I don't look for films in light of whatever genre they're a part of. I look for good characters and good people to work with. So I don't know if there will be another sports film that will come my way like this. What do you think the differences are between being a baseball executive back then versus now? I wouldn't be the man to tell you (laughs) – it's probably a much bigger business than it was back then. You grew up in Chicago, what are your memories of the Cubs or White Sox? I remember Wrigley Field and that particularly vibrant little square green in the middle of Wrigley Field and how improbable and exciting that place is. I remember the field and the green, green grass probably more vividly than the games that I saw. It was rare for our family to go to a baseball game but I remember it well. 

News Source: www.usatoday.com

Sport Sedan Challenge tests key cars for premium brands

Sport Sedan Challenge tests key cars for premium brands

ONTARIO, Calif. — Luxury automakers love sport sedans, such as the six in our latest face-off, the Cars.com/USA ODAY/MotorWeek $46,000 Sport Sedan Challenge. These cars yield big profits. As entry-premium sedans, they draw new buyers to the upscale brands. And the cars' size and drivetrains generally deliver better mileage than others in the lineup, helping makers meet fuel-economy rules. "They solve multiple problems for automakers," says auto consultant Rebecca Lindland at Rebel 3 Media. German automakers forged their standing in the U.S. with sport sedans such as the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-class. On that foundation, European premium makers have captured more than 6% of the U.S. market, a lot for brands with nothing much priced lower than $30,000. Story, photo gallery: And the winner is: Challenge car-by-car results with scores, key features, prices and what the judged liked -- and didn't -- and a photo gallery of the entries and the testing. Story: Meet the Challenge consumer judges and get their views after testing the cars -- they even surprised themselves. These cars are "terribly important, because they make these brands approachable. You might not walk into a BMW dealership if all it had were 5s and 7s," says Gary Stibel, CEO of New England Consulting Group, referring to BMW's bigger, higher-price models. "These cars are an opportunity to create a relationship, and if they manage it well, it's an opportunity for a lifetime relationship." The cars now mainly target a group born in the 1980s and 1990s called Millennials, and described in a Pew Research study as "confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change ... more ethnically and racially diverse than older adults." In Lindland's view, there is another key attribute: "They have grown up with a premium mindset," the children of a generation that made its way before the recent recession. They don't see owning a luxury-brand car as special — though perhaps starting with used models and only now are working into new ones.

News Source: www.usatoday.com

Unitas grandson: Flacco is 'embarrassing choice' to play NFL great in movie

Unitas grandson: Flacco is 'embarrassing choice' to play NFL great in movie

A grandson of Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas has added more fuel to a nasty family feud by calling Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco an "embarrassing choice" to play his late grandfather in the upcoming film about his life. Flacco has agreed to play Unitas, the former Baltimore Colts quarterback, in the final scenes of the film, "Unitas We Stand," expected to hit theaters in 2014. "If you want a real movie, hire a real actor," wrote J.C. Unitas on Facebook. Added the 24-year-old former Villanova quarterback: "My grandfather and his legacy deserves only the best, and this is not it. Has Baltimore forgotten that Trent Dilfer also won a Super Bowl while playing for Baltimore?" J.C.'s father, John Unitas Jr., calls Flacco a "goofball." "If you want a quarterback, go with Peyton Manning," John said. "My father was just like that. This is a joke." A call to Flacco's agent for comment was not immediately returned. The film, based on a book written by Tom Callahan, is being produced by Johnny's son, Joe, from the quarterback's second marriage. Joe's mother, Sandra Unitas, unsuccessfully sued John Jr., Johnny's eldest son from his first marriage, over control of Unitas Management, which owns the rights to the family name. John Jr., who was a ball boy for the Colts during his father's playing days in Baltimore, is considering legal recourse against Joe if he profits from his father's name. "It is awful. The guy's a turd," John Jr. told USA TODAY Sports. "He never talked to me. He never talked to any of the first five children. He's a guy that's just making money off of my father." When reached by USA TODAY Sports, Joe Unitas declined comment. Joe Unitas told the Baltimore Sun the projected budget for the film is $12.8 million, and he's seeking "sponsorships" from individual fans to produce the film based on the life of Johnny Unitas, the Hall of Fame quarterback who retired from football in 1973 and died in 2002. He said part of the proceeds will go to charity. "It disgusts me that one of the son's of my grandfather would put his hands out and ask for donations to make a movie based off of a book that was mostly built off of non-factual events in my grandfather's life," J.C. writes. "Moreover, a movie of my grandfather conceptualized by a son who never saw my grandfather play a down of football. "The Unitas family is a family that never asked for handouts, although it appears there is a hand out, shaking a proverbial soup can for money to fund a movie." John Jr., 57, says he's denied his half brother's request to sell t-shirts bearing the name. "They're trying to do anything on the coattails of my father's name," John said. "It's like prostituting yourself. My father would have nothing to do with it. It makes me angry, but there's nothing I can do about it until they slip up. If they start selling some things with Johnny Unitas on it, then I have legal recourse." 

News Source: www.usatoday.com

St. Louis 1, Detroit 0: Red Wings drop one point behind Blues in standings

St. Louis 1, Detroit 0: Red Wings drop one point behind Blues in standings

Detroit Red Wings center Henrik Zetterberg (40) carries the puck near St. Louis Blues goalie Brian Elliott (1) in the second period April 7, 2013. / Paul Sancya / Associated Press By Helene St. James Detroit Free Press Sports Writer Filed Under Sports Detroit Red Wings Joe Louis Arena Jimmy Howard Henrik Zetterberg Pavel Datsyuk Niklas Kronwall Related Links Red Wings getting a look at Riley Sheahan against Blues Red Wings, Maple Leafs sweaters for Winter Classic revealed It's a challenge keeping Red Wings' Johan Franzen pumped up The Red Wings held on, stuck together, and got good goaltending. The one thing they didn't get was a goal, even through three power play opportunities, and that left them shortchanged, 1-0, Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena. • Box score | NHL scoreboard | West standings The loss to Central Division rival St. Louis dropped the Wings a point behind the Blues, who play seven of their last eight games at home. With just nine games remaining in the regular season, the Wings are anxious to secure a spot, and to enter the playoffs on a good roll. At least one among their personnel got a playoff-like workout: When a sizable octopus plopped onto the ice during a second intermission break, and Al Sobotka showed playoff form with a spirited overhead swing. It was the second straight time the Wings were coming home from a road trip and faced with a matinee a day later. A week after a disastrous start against Chicago left the Wings embarrassed by a 7-1 loss, they held up much better against the Blues. Jimmy Howard was especially strong, making several good saves among 11 total in the first period to keep his teammates in the game. Jakub Kindl had the best chances of the stretch for the Wings. Few Wings besides Kindl, in fact, were able to get many pucks at Brian Elliott, even during a power play late in the second period. The Wings skated better as the game wore on, but the Blues kept attacking and grabbed a 1-0 lead late in the second period after the puck slid into Howard's crease during a rush. Before any Wing could clear the puck, Chris Porter had poked it into Detroit's net. The Wings had a power play bridge 1:16 into the third period, but the closest they came to a scoring chance was Henrik Zetterberg sending the puck wide from the right side of the crease. The Blues were so aggressive on a third Detroit power play, swarming lanes and swinging sticks to prevent passes, that the Wings didn't get any good chances. A furious flurry with four minutes to go resulted in Nyquist just sending the puck wide and Pavel Datsyuk foiled on a shot from the lot slot. David Perron and Zetterberg, meanwhile, go so tangled up with one another that both ended up in the penalty box. Niklas Kronwall went off with 2:08 remaining for concealing the puck with his hand, nullifying any chance of getting an extra attacker.

News Source: www.freep.com

Why did Tiger's Masters dominance turn to drought?

Tiger Woods will win more Masters than Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer combined. That's what Nicklaus said after playing a practice round with Woods in 1995. Nicklaus' prediction was a tall order — he and Palmer combined for 10 Masters titles — but based on what soon followed, it didn't seem that crazy. Woods dominated in 1997 as a 21-year-old, then won in 2001-02 and again in '05, securing four green jackets by the age of 29. MEMORABLE SHOTS: Jack Nicklaus, 'Yes, sir!' Eight years later, Woods is still stuck on four, and Nicklaus might need to demand a recount. PLAYERS TO WATCH: Bubba Watson And for Woods, the Masters drought isn't the only one. He has been stuck on 14 majors since the 2008 U.S. Open, and the more important number associated with Nicklaus is his record of 18. "I still think (Woods) can do it," Nicklaus said recently of the overall majors record. "But that said, he has still got to do it. He hasn't won one in five years. He had better get with it if he's going to." What happened? •For one, Phil Mickelson happened. The perennial runner-up broke through in 2004 and leads Woods 3-1 in green jackets in the last nine years. •The course has changed over the years, certainly. Rough was added, and it was lengthened significantly — the so-called Tiger-proofing. Woods did win after the first couple of major changes but not after the one that came after 2005, 155 yards added to four holes. •In 2007 and 2008, cold, windy conditions worked against everyone. •Woods also has struggled with injuries, baggage following his infidelity scandal in 2009, and, perhaps, a lack of confidence. •He's not as accurate off the tee as he was when he was at his best. •His putter has not been as reliable. •He has a new coach and another swing change, which was still evolving as of last year. •And the talent level around him has never been better. Even for the best player of his generation, the margins at majors are so narrow. Add all of these together, and you get 0-for-7 at Augusta. GALLERY: TIGER WOODS' 77 PGA TOUR VICTORIES Tiger Woods has won 77 times on the PGA Tour, five short of the all-time record held by Sam Snead. Here, on June 15, 2008, Woods makes a birdie on the 18th green to force an 18-hole playoff with Rocco Mediate at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Woods won that playoff the next day for his 65th victory and 14th major. Now, take a look back at all 77 of Woods' victories. Tiger Woods has won 77 times on the PGA Tour, five short of the all-time record held by Sam Snead. Here, on June 15, 2008, Woods makes a birdie on the 18th green to force an 18-hole playoff with Rocco Mediate at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Woods won that playoff the next day for his 65th victory and 14th major. Now, take a look back at all 77 of Woods' victories. Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen Tiger Woods has won 77 times on the PGA Tour, five short of the all-time record held by Sam Snead. Here, on June 15, 2008, Woods makes a birdie on the 18th green to force an 18-hole playoff with Rocco Mediate at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Woods won that playoff the next day for his 65th victory and 14th major. Now, take a look back at all 77 of Woods' victories. Victory No. 1: 1996 Las Vegas Invitational. Oct-3-6, 1996. Victory No. 2: 1996 Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic. Oct. 17-20, 1996. Victory No. 3: 1997 Mercedes Championship, Carlsbad, Calif. Jan. 9-12, 1997. Victory No. 4: 1997 Masters at Augusta National. April 10-13, 1997. (Woods gets help with his first green jacket from Nick Faldo. Woods, at 21, set scoring records and won by 12 shots.) Victory No. 5: The 1997 Byron Nelson Classic in Irving, Texas. May 15-18, 1997. Victory No. 6: 1997 Motorola Western Open at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Ill. July 3-6, 1997. Victory No. 7: The 1998 BellSouth Classic in Duluth, Ga. May 7-10, 1998. Victory No. 8: 1999 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Feb. 11-14, 1999. (Woods, with Corey Pavin, Davis Love III and caddies in the first round on the North Course.) Victory No. 9: 1999 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. June 3-6, 1999. Victory No. 10: 1999 Motorola Western Open at Cog Hill in Lemont, Ill. July 1-4, 1999. Victory No. 11: 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill. Aug. 12-15, 1999. (Woods shakes hands with Sergio Garcia, who chased him to the wire.) Victory No. 12: 1999 WGC-NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron Ohio. Aug. 26-29, 1999. (Woods and his swing coach at the time, Butch Harmon.) Victory No. 13: 1999 National Car Rental Golf Classic at Disney in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Oct. 21-24, 1999. Victory No. 14: 1999 Tour Championship at Champions Golf Club in Houston. Oct. 28-31, 1999. Victory No. 15: 1999 WGC-American Express Championship at Valderrama, Spain. Nov. 4-7, 1999. Victory No. 16: 2000 Mercedes Championships, Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. Jan. 6-9, 2000. (Els and Woods both made eagle putts on 18 to force a playoff, which was won by Woods.) Victory No. 17: 2000 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, Calif. Feb. 3-7, 2000 (Monday finish). (Woods and Clint Eastwood.) Victory No. 18: 2000 Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando. March 16-19, 2000. Victory No. 19: 2000 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio. May 25-29, 2000 (Monday finish). Victory No. 20: 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, Calif. June 15-18, 2000. Victory No. 21: 2000 British Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. July 20-23, 2000. Victory No. 22: 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. Aug. 17-20, 2000. (Woods embraces Bob May, who he defeated in a playoff.) Victory No. 23: 2000 WGC-NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Aug. 24-27, 2000. Victory No. 24: 2000 Bell Canadian Open at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ontario. Sept. 7-10, 2000. Victory No. 25: 2001 Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando. March 15-18, 2001. (Woods gets some help from the King.) Victory No. 26: 2001 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. March 22-25, 2001. Victory No. 27: 2001 Masters, Augusta National. April 5-8, 2001. (2000 winner Vijay Singh helps Woods into his second green jacket. It was the fourth consecutive major title for Woods, the so-called Tiger Slam.) Victory No. 28: 2001 Memorial Tournament, Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. May 31- June 3, 2001. Victory No. 29: 2001 WGC-NEC Invitational, Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio. Aug. 23-26, 2001. Victory No. 30: 2002 Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando. March 14-17, 2002 Victory No. 31: 2002 Masters, Augusta National. April 11-14, 2002. Victory No. 32: 2002 U.S. Open, Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y. June 13-16, 2002. Victory No. 33: 2002 Buick Open, Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc, Mich. Aug. 8-11, 2002. Victory No. 34: WGC-American Express Championship, Mount Juliet Golf Course, Thomastown, Ireland. Sept. 19-22, 2002. Victory No. 35: 2003 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in San Diego.Feb. 13-16, 2003. (Woods watches Phil Mickelson putt on the ninth green in the final round. Mickelson was part of the chase pack that day.) Victory No. 36: 2003 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif. Feb. 26-March 2, 2003. Victory No. 37: 2003 Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando. March 20-23, 2003. Victory No. 38: 2003 Western Open at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Ill. July 3-5, 2003. Victory No. 39: 2003 WGC-American Express Championship, Capital City Club in Woodstock, Ga. Oct. 2-5, 2003. (Woods competes against with then-Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick at the American Express Presents Tiger In The Park exhibition before the tournament.) Victory No. 40: 2004 WGC-Accenture Match Play Champiionship at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. Feb. 25-29, 2004. (Woods with Davis Love III, his victim in the championship match.) Victory No. 41: 2005 Buick Invitational, Torrey Pines in San Diego. Jan. 20-23, 2005. Victory No. 42: 2005 Ford Championship at Doral. March 3-6, 2005. Victory No. 43: 2005 Masters at Augustan National. April 7-10, 2005. (2004 champ Phil Mickelson does the honrs with the green jacket.) The chip shot on the 16th green in the final round of the Masters, Woods' 43rd victory. Victory No. 44: 2005 British Open at the Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotland. July 14-17, 2005. Victory No. 45: 2005 WGC-NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Aug. 18-21, 2005. Victory No. 46: 2005 WGC-American Express Championship at Harding Park in San Francisco. Oct. 6-9, 2005. Victory No. 47: 2006 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Jan. 25-28, 2006. (Woods shakes hands with Jose Maria Olazabal after defeating him on the second playoff hole.) Victory No. 48: 2006 Ford Championship at Doral. March 2-5, 2006. Victory No. 49: 2006 British Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Course in Hoylake, England. July 20-23, 2006. Victory No. 50: 2006 Buick Open atWarwick Hills Golf and Country Clubin Grand Blanc, Mich. Aug. 3-6, 2006. Victory No. 51: 2006 PGA Championship at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill. Aug. 17-20, 2006. (Woods with Phil Mickelson, one of his playing partners for the first two rounds.) Victory No. 52: 2006 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Aug. 24-27, 2006. Victory No. 53: 2006 Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. Sept. 1-4, 2006. Victory No. 54: 2006 WGC-American Express Championship at The Grove in Watford, England. Sept. 28-Oct. 1, 2006. Victory No. 55: 2007 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Jan. 25-28, 2007. Victory No. 56: 2007 WGC-CA Championship at Doral Resort and Spa in Doral, Fla. March 22-25, 2007. (Woods walks along the fairway during the pro-am with tennis star Roger Federer.) Victory No. 57: 2007 Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte. May 3-6, 2007. (Woods with Michael Jordan in the pro-am before the tournament.) Victory No. 58: 2007 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Aug. 2-5, 2007 (Here, Woods for his ball in the crook of the folded arm of spectator Rudy Wittensoldner on the ninth green during the final round. Woods got a free drop and made par.) Victory No. 59: 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa. Aug. 9-12, 2007. Victory No. 60: The 2007 BMW Championship at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Ill. Sept. 6-9, 2007. Victory No. 61: The 2007 Tour Championship, East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta. Setp. 13-16, 2007. Victory No. 62: 2008 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Jan. 24-27, 2008. (Woods poses with his winner's trophy and children from the Tiger Woods Learning Center.) Victory No. 63: 2008 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, The Gallery at Dove Mountain, Marana, Ariz. Feb. 20-24, 2008. Victory No. 64: 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando. March 13-16, 2008. Victory No. 65: 2008 U.S. Open, Torrey Pines in San Diego. June 12-16, 2008. (Woods and Rocco Mediate after Woods won their Monday playoff.) Victory No. 66: 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando. March 26-29, 2009. Victory No. 67: The 2009 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. June 4-7, 2009. (Woods and tournament host Jack Nicklaus.) Victory No. 68: 2009 AT&T National, Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. July 2-5, 2009. (Here, Woods poses with Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo.) Victory No. 69: 2009 Buick Open, Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Mich. July 30-Aug. 2, 2009. Victory No. 70: 2009 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Aug. 6-9, 2009. (Paidrag Harrington dueled with Woods in the final round.) Victory No. 71: 2009 BMW Championship, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Ill. Sept. 10-13 2009. Victory No. 72: The 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando. March 22-25, 2012. Victory No. 73: The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio. May 31-June 3, 2012. Victory No. 74: 2012 AT&T National, Bethesda, Md. June 28-July 1, 2012. Victory No. 75: The 2013 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Jan. 24-28. Victory No. 76: World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, at Doral, Fla. March 7-10. Victory No. 77: 2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Orlando. March 21-25, 2013. Next Slide "It's been one of those things where I've been close there so many times on that back nine on Sunday, and I just haven't won," Woods says. "I've been in the mix. I've been right there with just a few holes to go, and it just hasn't happened. Hopefully this year it will be a different story, and I'll put myself there and hopefully have Bubba put the jacket on." Woods has talked all along about continuing the process of getting his game back to where he wants it to be. He thinks he's getting there. He won three of his first five events this year — the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. All three wins came on courses he loves. Like Augusta. Woods says his game his getting where he wants it to be, and his competition noticed. "He's been playing like this for quite some time," says Mickelson, who tied for third at Doral. "He's pretty strong. He's playing at a very high level week in, week out." Steve Stricker is seeing the same thing. "His attitude and what I saw this week and his belief in himself again looks very similar to when he was, you know, in the early 2000s, or you can pick any year, I guess, when he was playing great," Stricker said. "He just seems in a better place mentally. He seems to be having fun. And he seems to have a lot of confidence in himself and his game." None Tiger Woods celebrates on his way to victory in 2005.(Photo: Jeff Haynes, AFP/Getty Images) Graeme McDowell got an up-close look. He played with Woods in the third and fourth rounds of the Cadillac Championship. "He's got the ball under control now," McDowell said. "He knows exactly what his golf swing is going to produce. His iron play was stunning. Short game, obviously he putted really well this week. He's just playing very, very well." One significant adjustment showed up clearly at Doral and Bay Hill: The putting stroke was true. Woods needed 100 putts, a career low, in his 72 holes at Doral; at Bay Hill he made 12 putts between 10 and 20 feet and needed only 110 putts overall. Woods credited the improvement to a bit of advice he got from Stricker on the putting green on the eve of the Cadillac Championship. "Whatever he says, I'm going to do. He's one of the best putters that has ever lived," said Woods, acknowledging Stricker helped him with his posture. "He can see the things that are off a little bit, because he knows my stroke so well. Did it help me? Yes, it did." Stricker on his tips: "He was talking a little that a couple of putts were bothering him, and you know, I always hate to interject anything with him. But he was open to it, and you know, you don't want to screw a guy up, either. But when I left him, he was really excited and it looked like he was rolling it really good then. So you know, but you never know. You could hurt the guy, giving him a tip or two, or you could help him out." Woods just wants to continue the process of improving. His confidence jumped last year when he won at Bay Hill, Muirfield Village and Congressional. Now with his three wins this year, his confidence is soaring. "I felt that toward the end of last year, that I was heading in the direction where things were becoming better," Woods said. "My short game, game-wise, came around. I thought my swing was getting better. My short irons got better," Woods added. "Lo and behold, I won a few tournaments this year." None Tiger Woods hears the cheers as he walks off the 18th green in 2005.(Photo: Jack Gruber, USA TODAY) USA NOW $136,000 for an SUV?! | USA NOW video Apr 05, 2013 More Stories: USA Today SportsFrom Around Our Network In emerging Fox-ESPN rivalry, changes in MLB coverage Sports | 20 hours ago Natalie Piscopo: Would You?BNQT Masters shots to remember: Arnold Palmer and Amen Corner Sports | 1 day ago Idaho Twins Dakota and Dylan Gonzalez Are Headed to Kansas, and Might Be the Next Big Thin…Big Lead Sports Wie: Sorenstam apologized for magazine comments Sports | 20 hours ago 20 Hot Pictures of Audris RijoRant Sports sponsored content Bettencourt, Tomasulo share Texas Open Lead Sports | 18 hours ago 5 Most Overrated Exercises You Can Stop DoingDaily Health Post

News Source: www.usatoday.com

Midfielder Katidis penalised further for Nazi salute

Midfielder Katidis penalised further for Nazi salute

AEK Athens midfielder Giorgos Katidis has been banned for five-matches, fined 1,000 euros and forbidden to enter any sports stadiums after his Nazi-salute goal celebration, the Greek Football Federation (EPO) announced on Friday. Since the 20-year-old has already been suspended by his club until the end of the Super League season, the five-game ban handed by the EPO on Friday was only symbolic. In an earlier hearing, Katidis was handed a lifetime international ban by the EPO for making the gesture after scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 Super League victory over Veria last month. "AEK Athens footballer Giorgos Katidis is disqualified for five matches, banned from entering sports stadia for three months and is ordered to pay a fine of 1,000 euros due to the incidents in the Super League match AEK-Veria," the EPO said in a statement. Katidis, who has apologised and called his actions "totally unacceptable", had already asked to be dropped from AEK's first team. 

News Source: in.reuters.com

The Line Between a Tough Coach and an Abusive One

The Line Between a Tough Coach and an Abusive One

Two years ago Mike Rice sat in Terry Henderson’s living room and asked him to entrust his son to the basketball program at Rutgers University. At the time, Terry Jr. was a talented player at Neuse Christian Academy in Raleigh, N.C., with scholarship options, and his father was trying to decide which college coach would get “the keys to my son.” The Quad Stay on top of all the news, on and off the court, on The Times's college sports blog. Go to The Quad Blog Men Schedule and Results A.P. and Coaches Poll Standings Statistics Women Schedule and Results A.P. and Coaches Poll Standings Statistics Enlarge This Image David Smith/Associated Press Terry Henderson was recruited by the former Rutgers coach Mike Rice but chose to play for Bob Huggins at West Virginia. Terry Jr. was impressed by how passionate Rice was about turning Rutgers’s downtrodden men’s basketball team into a winner. “I thought he was a pretty cool coach,” he said. His father was taken with Rice’s energy, but he did not feel the coach was properly grounded. “You could tell he wanted certain things out of his kids,” he said. In the end, the Hendersons chose West Virginia and Bob Huggins, who with 700 victories and 21 N.C.A.A. tournament appearances has inspired loyalty from his players despite a reputation as a taskmaster and who was forced out at Cincinnati after being arrested and charged with drunken driving. Neither father nor son thought about the fine line that separates a beloved coach from a bully until a video surfaced Tuesday of Rice berating players during practice, throwing basketballs at them, kicking them and taunting them with vulgar language, including homophobic slurs. “I saw him throwing the ball at the players, and I was stunned,” said the younger Henderson, who completed a successful and happy first season at West Virginia. “I was kind of sad, too.” Shock and revulsion to Rice’s actions have reverberated through all levels of sports. LeBron James of the Miami Heat was among nearly a dozen current N.B.A. stars who took to Twitter to weigh in on the controversy. “If my son played for Rutgers or a coach like that he would have some real explaining to do and I’m still gone whoop on him afterwards! C’mon,” he wrote on Twitter. But the incident also has prompted some soul-searching within the coaching ranks, especially among college basketball coaches who have seen some of their colleagues toe the line between fiery motivation and abuse. In February, Mike Montgomery, the basketball coach at California, shoved one of his star players, Allen Crabbe, in a game. In November, Morehead State Coach Sean Woods pushed guard Devon Atkinson in the back as he came off the floor for a timeout, then chastised him nose-to-nose as he took a seat on the bench. 

News Source: www.nytimes.com

Bracket Briefing: 25 most important players in the Final Four

Bracket Briefing: 25 most important players in the Final Four

USA TODAY Sports provides your March Madness therapy 04-04-13-burke-impt-final4 (Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images) None Michigan guard Trey Burke (3) is congratulated by Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) in the second half against the Florida Gators during the South Regional final of the NCAA tournament at Cowboys Stadium.(Photo: Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports) Story Highlights Kevin Ware might be one of the most important players in the Final Four because of his inspiration Michigan has committed the fewest turnovers in D-I. How will Syracuse's zone change that? Wichita State's Gregg Marshall addressed coaching somewhere else by saying 'we have a good life, man.' Welcome to another session of Bracket Briefing, our attempt to provide you with essential information on the Big Dance — highlighting the Florida Gulf Coasts of the college basketball world, and forecasting the Wichita State moments before they happen. Soundtrack: Before you read any more, take a listen to this morning's jam of the day. It's dedicated to Wichita State. Teams left in the field: 4 PREVIOUS BRIEFING: Best moments of '13 Dance PREVIOUS BRIEFING: Most stunning Final Fours At the water cooler: There's no right way to break down the best players who are still playing in the NCAA tournament. Do we go off NBA potential or just statistics? That's boring and no fun. When we pick 50 of the most important, well, then we're opening debatable topic. There's a reason some of the best players are watching the rest of the tournament from home. But best and most important take two different meanings. So without further ado, the Final Four's 25 most important players. Kevin Ware, Louisville. This is not a joke. Ware's presence on the sidelines at the Final Four will be just as inspiring as his "go win" courageous direction to teammates after he suffered one of the most traumatic sports injuries to date in the Cards' Elite eight win over Duke. Please Read: How Louisville teammate touched Kevin Ware's heart. Trey Burke, Michigan. Floor general is the engine to Michigan's offense, averaging 18.8 points and 6.8 assists per game. Russ Smith, Louisville. The do-everything guard has gone on a tournament tear, scoring 23, 27, 31 and 23 points. Cleanthony Early, Wichita State. Main offensive catalyst for defensive-minded Shockers. Menace on the glass. Brandon Triche, Syracuse. When one of the Orange's elite scorers (13.7 points per game) goes cold, so do they. Michael Carter Williams, Syracuse. He orchestrates the offense and was nation's top assists man, stuffed the stat sheet in Orange's last win —12 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan. His long-range shooting is pivotal for the Wolverines' dynamic backcourt and high-octane offense. Averages 14.6 points per game. Peyton Siva, Louisville. When the Cards' pass-first point guard goes scoreless or isn't productive offensively, Louisville's offense is subject to fall into lulls. Malcolm Armstead, Wichita State. The Oregon transfer will draw a tough matchup against Siva, but should be ready for the challenge. His poise under Louisville's pressure will dictate WSU's tempo. Mitch McGary, Michigan. The 6-10 freshman erupted for 25 points and 14 points in a win against Kansas. His breakout performances aren't always needed, but they can certainly prove to be the difference maker. 

News Source: www.usatoday.com