Tony Stewart wins at Pocono

Stewart conserves fuel for first points win in own car.

By The Associated Press
June 7, 2009
06:53 PM EDT

LONG POND, Pa. -- Tony Stewart has won his first Cup points race as a team owner, coming from the rear of the field to win at Pocono Raceway.

The Sprint Cup points leader had to start at the back of Sunday's race because of a practice accident forced him into his backup car. Then Stewart gambled he could drive the final 41 laps without a pit stop and it paid off, helping snap a 19-race winless streak dating to last season.

Pocono 500
Results

Pos. Driver Make

1. Tony Stewart Chevrolet
2. Carl Edwards Ford
3. David Reutimann Toyota
4. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet
5. Ryan Newman Chevrolet
6. Marcos Ambrose Toyota
7. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
8. Juan Montoya Chevrolet
9. Jeff Burton Chevrolet
10. Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge

Stewart won the All-Star Race last month for Stewart-Haas Racing, and this victory only stamped himself as a true threat to win his third Cup title.

"It's just a little different when you're the one that's got to be accountable," Stewart said.

Stewart is the first owner/driver to win a points race since Ricky Rudd at Martinsville in 1998. Carl Edwards was second, followed by David Reutimann, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman.

"I didn't think he was going to be a factor," Edwards said of Stewart. "I was sure he was going to run out."

The first Cup points race with double-file restarts finished without a problem. The drivers meeting lasted nearly 30 minutes as last-minute questions were answered on the new restart rules that line up the 43-car field following a yellow.

After a caution, Stewart led the field to the green flag with 45 laps to go in the 500-mile race. His 6-second lead over Edwards with 10 laps left kept getting whittled away as Stewart eased off the breaks and didn't push his car to save fuel.

With a lead in the points standings and a spot in the Chase for the championship all but assured, Stewart could afford to take a risk.

The two-time Cup champion sure knows about taking risks -- and having them work out.

He's destroyed all expectations in his first season as owner and driver for SHR. It was the first points victory since he left Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of last year after 10 successful seasons to become co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing.

This was the first points victory for the team since their 2002 debut as Haas CNC Racing.

When rain washed out qualifying on Friday, Stewart automatically sat on the pole as the points leader. He called this season one big dream and hoped he didn't wake up and realize it was time to get ready to go to Daytona.

Stewart wrecked his car in practice Saturday, then took some of the fastest laps of the day in his backup. He joked that if he knew the backup was that strong, he would have crashed the first one right away.

Edwards is still looking for his first victory of the season.

"I'll probably be happy later [Sunday], but man, to be that close to victory and not win, that was frustrating," he said. "The points are great though. I'll definitely take something good out of this."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a tough second week with crew chief Lance McGrew and was 27th. Jimmie Johnson ran out of fuel at the end and finished seventh.

"At the end, we were just playing the fuel game and I didn't play it hard enough," Johnson said.

Big Unit gets 300th win on first try

Johnson becomes 24th pitcher, sixth lefty to achieve feat

By Chris Haft / MLB.com


06/04/09 11:34 PM ET

WASHINGTON -- Randy Johnson would have been excused Thursday night if he wanted to let down his guard a little, loosen or lighten up, or just plain relax.

Instead, he remained the quintessential Big Unit -- figuratively keep his foot on the competitive accelerator -- in the aftermath of securing his 300th career victory in the San Francisco Giants' 5-1 decision over the Washington Nationals in the first game of a doubleheader.



Johnson, who no-hit Washington for four innings and ultimately allowed an unearned run and two hits in six innings, flashed his sense of humor in a postgame news conference. But even his gags carried a hint of the fire that drove him to this point and still stokes him.

"It sounds funny, but I've played 21, 22 years, I'm 45 and I've come upon 300 wins, and I'm thinking, 'I only have 211 more to catch Cy Young,'" Johnson said, prompting laughter.

Unless Johnson finds a time machine that fits his 6-foot-10 frame and reclaims some of his youth, he's no threat to catch Young, baseball's all-time leading winner. Nevertheless, Johnson's list of accomplishments is enviable, and it grew longer with his latest triumph.

He not only became the 24th Major Leaguer to ascend to the 300-win level but also established himself as the sixth left-hander in that group.

He's the first pitcher to win his 300th game on his first try since Tom Seaver, then with the Chicago White Sox, did so in August 1985. The next six -- Phil Niekro, Don Sutton, Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine -- needed multiple attempts.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Johnson also became the second-oldest pitcher to reach the 300 mark -- behind only Niekro, who achieved the feat when he was 46 years and 188 days old on Oct. 6, 1985. Johnson is 45 years and 267 days old.

Johnson's the seventh pitcher in Giants history to win 300 games while pitching for the franchise at some point in his career. He's the fourth to hit that plateau as a Giant, joining Tim Keefe, Mickey Welch and Christy Mathewson.

Johnson secured his milestone victory against a fitting opponent -- the Nationals, who launched his professional career by drafting him in the second round in 1985 when they were known as the Montreal Expos. By coincidence, the Nationals also were San Francisco's opponent when Barry Bonds hit his record 756th home run.

"I think I'm satisfied, but I've never been content," said Johnson, who bruised his throwing shoulder as he fell while scrambling for a comebacker to open the sixth yet finished the inning. "That's probably why I never really got caught up in the ... personal things because I always tried to excel and continue to do that."

Still, the five-time Cy Young Award winner clearly appreciated the enormity of his feat. "I think I'm actually more nervous now than I was pitching," he said.

Johnson has been cited by numerous observers as possibly the last 300-game winner, due to the five-man rotation which reduces the number of appearances a starter can make and the scarcity of pitchers able or willing to play long enough to win an appreciable number of games.

But, having been dismissed by many experts as the next to win his 300th when Glavine did so two years ago, Johnson pointedly said, "Don't overlook Jamie Moyer" -- the Philadelphia left-hander who ranks second among active pitchers with 250 victories.

Johnson's latest triumph affirmed what baseball people have long known and what he has maintained about himself: He's all about winning.

Following a 36-minute rain delay -- a watery reminder of Wednesday's downpour that delayed his start overnight -- Johnson (5-4) retired the first 10 batters in a row while his teammates scored twice in the second inning to give him the requisite lead.

Fred Lewis singled and Travis Ishikawa doubled with one out off rookie right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (2-3) before Juan Uribe's groundout delivered a run. Emmanuel Burriss singled to center field on an 0-2 pitch, scoring Ishikawa.

The next 19 Giants hitters went down in order before they gave themselves and Johnson a cushion by adding three runs in the ninth. Aaron Rowand singled leading off against Joel Hanrahan and Edgar Renteria doubled before both scored on Randy Winn's double. Bengie Molina's single finished Hanrahan and moved Winn to third, from where he scored on pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval's sacrifice fly.

Performing under light rain and before a sparse crowd that included close to 20 of his relatives and friends, Johnson lost his no-hitter when Elijah Dukes led off the Nationals' fifth with a single up the middle. Johnson yielded just one other hit, Nick Johnson's sixth-inning RBI double.

Randy Johnson received ample support from his defense. Rowand robbed Nick Johnson, Washington's second batter of the game, by plunging to the turf to snare a sinking liner in left-center field. Second baseman Burriss made a glittering play in the fifth by making a diving stop of Ronnie Belliard's one-hopper up the middle and shoveling the ball from his glove to shortstop Renteria to start a double play.

Brian Wilson, who escaped a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the eighth inning by retiring Adam Dunn on a disputed called third strike, pitched the ninth to notch his 13th save and preserve Johnson's triumph.

Johnson's triumph marked the culmination of what in some ways has been an unlikely ascent. He didn't record his first Major League victory until he was 25, and he had won only 64 games upon turning 30 in 1993. But, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, Johnson's 236 victories since turning 30 are the fifth-most in Major League history.

"I'd say anything's possible as long as you stay healthy and are driven and continue to succeed," Johnson said.

Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

NBC tries new approach to Sunday Night Football with ex-coach Dungy

By Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY
NBC's NFL Sunday night studio show this season will feature a former coach for the first time.

NBC announced Wednesday that Tony Dungy, who coached teams to the NFL playoffs in each of the last 10 years, will join the show's cast. Also joining the show: Rodney Harrison, retiring from the New England Patriots after playing 15 NFL seasons.


RODNEY HARRISON TOO: Joins Dungy on NBC's NFL show

NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol said that he realized not having an ex-coach on the show was a "glaring weakness."

Ebersol added that he's seen other weaknesses in the show that he hopes to correct this season. "We failed to clear out enough time to discuss football," he said. "And we've been too locked in on showing highlights for every game." Part of the pregame show's "new agenda," he said, would also include focusing on Sunday night games NBC was airing.

Ebersol says he has "no fear" about whether Dungy and Harrison, who were included in NBC's Super Bowl coverage last season, would be sufficiently "freewheeling" with their opinions." Harrison, on a conference call, suggested he won't be afraid to criticize players on-air: "Sometimes, you have to be brutally honest."

Other changes coming to NBC's coverage will include moving Cris Collinsworth from the studio show to game coverage — replacing the retired John Madden — and dropping studio analyst Jerome Bettis. For the studio show this season, Tiki Barber will report from game sites around the NFL.

Dungy said part of his motivation in taking the NBC job is that he's been assured it will only require his time on Saturdays and Sundays.

Wednesday, Dungy offered his first opinions as a sportscaster. On whether he'd want to sign Michael Vick if he were still coaching: "He deserves a second chance and could be very inspiring to young people who make a mistake. … I would definitely give him an opportunity if I needed a quarterback. I wouldn't be afraid of his past."

Article Courtesy of USA Today

Earnhardt Jr., crew chief build rapport, hit ground talking

By Gary Graves, USA TODAY

DOVER, Del. — The news wasn't that Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked about how his Chevrolet performed during Sunday's Autism Speaks 400, just how much he talked.
His first Sprint Cup race with interim crew chief Lance McGrew was downright gabby compared to the laid-back radio rapport he had with predecessor Tony Eury Jr., his cousin, reassigned a week ago in Hendrick Motorsports' shakeup of the No. 88 team. As Earnhardt and McGrew warned against reading too much into that, their exchanges were significant because communication is one important aspect to building a team.


TEAM NOTES: Three sides to the story at Pocono

"It was hard to be (talkative) with Tony Jr.," Earnhardt said after finishing 12th at Dover International Speedway. "It wasn't his fault. Me and him were too cool to talk that much to each other; I don't know how you love somebody so much and carry so much pride around them, but that's the way we were.

"It's real easy to talk to Lance. It's only one race. We'll see how we communicate in two months and see if we're at each other's throats then or not. I think it's a good start."

As with midseason coaching and managerial changes in other sports, the impact of a new crew chief can be immediate or gradual.

Pat Tryson hooked up with Kurt Busch a month after Greg Erwin joined Greg Biffle in May 2007, and the pairings mined differed results. Busch won consecutive starts at Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway that August and made the Chase for the Sprint Cup, finishing seventh. Biffle missed the 10-race title run but won at Kansas Speedway, laying the groundwork for last year's Chase berth and third-place finish.

"Our goals were of a longer stretch," recalled Erwin, who had to set up the former and next-generation models of Roush Fenway Racing's No. 16 Ford in addition to learning Biffle. "It took several months to get my arms wrapped around how they get things done here.

"The adjustment was me not knowing Greg, and I had to focus on the car. Once that developed, our relationship started to grow. I try to keep it straightforward, but (now) I can tell what he's going to say when he steps out of the car."

Thirteen starts leave time for Earnhardt to make up 215 points and climb from 18th into contention for the 12th and final Chase spot, but much depends on how quickly he and McGrew jell. Sunday was encouraging as Earnhardt finished 10 spots higher than his start.

Afterward he told his crew, "We're building Rome," which might suggest a long-term outlook if not for the fact that McGrew — a 10-year Hendrick employee — carries an interim tag with quick-gain expectations. Plus, they worked three Nationwide Series races together last year.

"I was a little shocked by that, because interim usually means temporary," said Fox analyst and former crew chief Larry McReynolds, who won the Daytona 500 with Davey Allison and Dale Earnhardt. "But I guess because he came from within the organization it takes some of the pressure off. The way Hendrick operates, crew chiefs are promoted from within. … I think (McGrew) is comfortable in the position, because he knows how it operates and he's had more than a year to watch this develop."

But McReynolds, like many around the Cup garage, can't predict where it will lead, because Earnhardt's team has many concerns to address, from pit stops to performance. Foremost is that delicate driver-crew chief relationship requiring time and interaction, particularly when the former is an enigma with rock star status.

All of which made Brad Keselowski's absence at Dover on Sunday significant. The plan was for McGrew to guide him in that race and relieve Brian Whitesell with Earnhardt this weekend at Pocono Raceway, but when Keselowski didn't qualify Hendrick accelerated his ascent one week.

All came away hopeful yet cautious after the last-minute switch, and McGrew's initial reticence about the spotlight gave way to an attitude of "bring it on" when it came to him and Earnhardt learning each other.

"This is a sport about trust," he said. "I have to trust the guys that are working on the car doing everything right, the driver has to trust in me for making the right decisions, and that's just how it is. Until we get that relationship, there'll be second-guessing here and there. I think we made a big step forward for him to get the trust in me. I've got the trust in him.

"It was fun. If it wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it."

Article Courtesy of USA Today

Serena ousted, Federer advances at French Open

Posted: June 3, 2009



PARIS (AP) -- Serena Williams, of all people, got a case of the jitters.

That was her explanation, anyway.


The 10-time Grand Slam champion kept finding herself in, then out of, trouble in the French Open quarterfinals Wednesday, until running out of stamina and strokes down the stretch of a 7-6 (3), 5-7, 7-5 loss to Svetlana Kuznetsova that ended Williams' 18-match winning streak at major tournaments.

"I had an opportunity, and I got really tight, and I pretty much gave it to her," said the second-seeded Williams, who blew a 3-1 lead in the third set. "It was like, 'Here. Do you want to go to the semis? Because I don't.' She was like, 'OK."'

The seventh-seeded Kuznetsova's semifinal opponent Thursday is No. 30 Samantha Stosur of Australia, who defeated Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-1, 6-3. The other women's semifinal is No. 1 Dinara Safina of Russia against No. 20 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.

If Stosur-Cirstea was as onesided as could be, Kuznetsova-Williams was hyper-competitive and superbly played. Until, at least, Kuznetsova (kooz-NET-so-vah) took eight of the last nine points, breaking Williams in the final game.

"Honestly, I think I lost because of me," Williams said, "and not because of anything she did."

Williams denied she felt fatigued, blaming nerves instead.

How could that be?

"Maybe I put some expectations on myself that I didn't put on myself initially," she said.

Roger Federer spoke about dealing with nerves Wednesday, too, although his problems came before he began playing 11th-seeded Gael Monfils of France.

"We're all nervous at this stage of the competition. I felt it. Yesterday I felt it, and I felt it again today in the warmup," said Federer, who knows this might be his best chance to win the only Grand Slam tournament missing from his resume. "I was tired, I was nervous, and I didn't feel really good. Then once out on court, you know, I get my act together."

There's an understatement.

Federer beat Monfils 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-4 to close in on completing a career Grand Slam and earning a 14th major title to tie Pete Sampras' career record.

Next up for Federer is No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who eliminated No. 16 Tommy Robredo in straight sets. Friday's other men's semifinal will be No. 23 Robin Soderling -- the man who upset four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal in the fourth round -- against No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez.

Federer is 26-1 against the other semifinalists, including 5-0 against del Potro.

"Doesn't mean because I have a great record against all the players left in the draw that, you know, I'm going to win this," Federer said, "but I'll definitely try everything I possibly can to do it."

He is into his 20th consecutive major semifinal, extending his own record; del Potro is in the first of his career.

"We all know how he plays," the 20-year-old del Potro said, "and we all know what he wants to achieve here now that Rafa is no longer here."

The women's semifinalists might very well be relieved to know that 2002 French Open champion Williams is gone, because she was by far the most accomplished of the remaining players.

Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion, is the only member of the remaining quartet to have won a major title. Neither Stosur nor Cibulkova has won any singles title on tour.

Still, Kuznetsova has something of a reputation as someone who is capable of folding at key moments of tense matches, including a loss to Williams at the Australian Open in January after serving for the match in the second set.

"Same scenario," Kuznetsova said.

Just about.

The Russian led 3-0 in each of the first two sets Wednesday, before allowing Williams to come back. Then Kuznetsova was a point from taking a 5-2 lead in the second set when she twisted her right ankle and tumbled to the court. She wound up caked with clay, from her head to her socks.

Kuznetsova recovered from that, though, and served for the match at 5-3 in the second set. Williams broke there, and again at 5-5, then served out the second set with a 114 mph ace.

Williams broke yet again to open the third set and appeared in control at 3-1. But leading 3-2, 40-love, she got broken back, contributing three unforced errors, including an ill-advised and poorly executed drop shot that landed wide to make it 3-all.

Williams leaned over and rested her forehead on the end of her racket. She came to the French Open without a lot of recent work, because of a bothersome left knee and a career-worst four-match losing streak, and that began to show.

"Not a lot of preparation," said her mother and coach, Oracene Price. "She did the best she could do."




Copyright 2009 Associated Press.

Article Courtesy of Associated Press 2009

Braves release Glavine, who's mulling future

Posted: June 3, 2009
ATLANTA (AP) -- Tom Glavine wanted to end his career with the Braves.

If this is the end, it wasn't on his terms.


Atlanta released the winningest active pitcher in the big leagues on Wednesday, a stunning move just when it seemed he was ready to return to the Braves.

The 43-year-old Glavine, who was coming back from shoulder and elbow surgery, threw six scoreless innings in a rehab start for Class-A Rome on Tuesday night and proclaimed himself ready to pitch in the majors again.

Instead, the Braves cut him, another move that figures to draw the ire of Atlanta fans after the team failed to re-sign John Smoltz during the offseason.

Glavine described himself as "very surprised" in a text message to The Associated Press. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox called it "the hardest thing I've ever been through."

The players were most shocked by the timing of the decision: Why was the 305-game winner allowed to make three rehab starts, then told he wouldn't be pitching anymore for the Braves? BUSY DAY IN THE ATL


"We all would have preferred to see it happen sooner because he worked so hard to rehab," third baseman Chipper Jones said. "Right when he's saying he's ready to come back, he finds out that it's not going to be here."

For those who attributed the move to finances, general manager Frank Wren said it had nothing to do with a $1 million bonus Glavine would have received for being placed on the major league roster. Instead, the team felt it had a better chance to win with a younger pitcher in the rotation.

"This was not a business decision," Wren said. "This was a performance decision."

Top prospect Tommy Hanson will be called up Saturday to start against Milwaukee. Glavine, meanwhile, hasn't decided whether he wants to try to hook on with another team.

"Not sure about pitching," he said in his text.

Glavine was still trying to deal with what appeared to be another bitter split from the Braves.

"We gave him the option, 'If you want to retire, you can retire as a Brave,"' Wren said. "He asked us to release him."

The rest of the team learned the news when players returned to the clubhouse after batting practice. Everyone was caught off guard.

"None of us saw it coming," Jones said.

The Braves made another major move Wednesday, acquiring All-Star center fielder Nate McLouth from Pittsburgh for three prospects: outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and pitchers Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke.

Wren said Glavine's impressive performance in the minors had no impact on the team's assessment of his ability to pitch in the big leagues.

"We've been evaluating him the last four weeks and everyone felt we had a better chance to win at the major league level with one of our younger pitchers," Wren said. "The pitching line is irrelevant when you're pitching in low A-ball."

Glavine got the news after being summoned to a meeting at Turner Field with Wren, Cox and team president John Schuerholz.

"I think he was taken aback a little bit," Wren conceded.

Glavine has a career record of 305-203 and returned to Atlanta last season intent on finishing his career with the Braves, his original team, after five years with the New York Mets.

"It would have been a storybook ending if he got it here," Jones said. "Emotionally, we all wanted to see Glav come in here and finish up. He's not going to be allowed to do that."

Smoltz thinks that's a shame.

"That ain't right. I just feel bad for a teammate of mine that I had for a long time," Smoltz said in Detroit, where his Boston Red Sox teammates beat the Tigers.

"It's not how you treat people. He didn't have a chance to fail at that level, if that was the issue or concern. It's just too bad for a guy. First time working his way back and he pitched fairly well. They talked about his velocity being kind of funny, but no one's ever talked about his velocity before."

Glavine pitched his first 16 seasons for the Braves, then signed with the New York Mets before the 2003 season after negotiations with Atlanta turned contentious.

The left-hander reconciled with the Braves, returning to Atlanta with a one-year deal in 2008. At the time, he said he would have retired if not for the chance to play again for his original team.

Glavine pitched only 13 games, however, his season ending with an elbow injury that required surgery -- the first major injury of his career. He also had some minor work done on his shoulder, and negotiations on a return to the Braves dragged on beyond the start of spring training.

Glavine finally signed a $3.5 million deal that included a $1 million bonus when he was placed on the active roster and $1.25 million each for 30 and 90 days on the active roster.

He never made it back -- at least not with Atlanta. Jones, for one, expects to see Glavine in another uniform before he finally calls it quits, on his terms.

"He feels he can still pitch. He feels he can still get people out," Jones said. "And he's probably got a little bit of a sour taste in his mouth and wants to go pitch somewhere."

Shortly before his first scheduled start in Atlanta this season, Glavine began feeling pain in his shoulder, a strain apparently caused by swinging the bat. Two weeks of rest left him feeling much better. He made two rehab starts for Triple-A Gwinnett, throwing five shutout innings in his second appearance, and added to his scoreless streak at Rome.

Wren said the numbers didn't matter.

"The comeback was not working," the GM said. "Our evaluation was he would not be successful."




Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Mickelson plans PGA TOUR return at St. Jude Classic

Jun. 1, 2009
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

Phil Mickelson plans to return to competition on the PGA TOUR next week, sources close to the world's No. 2 golfer have confirmed.


His return may be brief as his wife Amy weighs treatment options after being diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks ago. But Mickelson has decided to play in next week's St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn., as well as the U.S. Open the following week.

Mickelson, who was the defending champion at last week's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, had suspended his schedule indefinitely after learning of his wife's diagnosis.

But he said in a statement on his Web site last week that doctors think the cancer was caught early, and more tests are scheduled. Originally, Mickelson had said that surgery was scheduled within two weeks but that has now been delayed.

How his wife's treatment progresses will certainly dictate how much Mickelson plays this summer -- and whether he will be in the field at Turnberry for the British Open, the season's third major championship, in July.

Mickelson, a two-time winner already this year who ranks fifth in the FedExCup standings, certainly will be among the favorites at Bethpage Black, where he finished second to Tiger Woods in the 2002 U.S. Open. The runner-up finish was one of four he's had in the U.S. Open.

In fact, the three-time major champion has not finished lower than fourth in any Open held in the New York area. He's particularly popular in the Big Apple, where he is a member at Liberty National and frequently takes his family to visit.

Mickelson has not played in Memphis since he missed the cut in 2001. He likes to play the week prior to a major championship, though, and has not played competitively since tying for 55th at THE PLAYERS Championship.

"We heard there was a possibility he would play," St. Jude Championship tournament director Phil Cannon told the AP. "That would be great."

The Mickelsons met in 1992 and were married four years later. The couple has three children, and Amy is among the most visible of TOUR wives. The former Phoenix Suns cheerleader can often be spotted in her husband's gallery interacting with his fans.

Her diagnosis struck home -- not only in the PGA TOUR community but also with Mickelson's fans, as a result. Saturday's "Pink Out" celebration at Colonial was only one aspect of a groundswell of support for the vivacious blonde.

Players, caddies, wives and fans alike wore pink to promote awareness for breast cancer research. Fans at Colonial were able to donate to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation and sign a banner at the 13th hole that was to be shipped to the Mickelsons.

In a statement on her husband's Web site, Amy Mickelson said Saturday was a "very humbling day" as she watched the telecast with her family.

"Every time we see a player, caddy, announcer, or fan wearing pink we are overwhelmed by the love and support we feel," Amy said. "The 11 days since we received the diagnosis have been very difficult, but this incredible gesture helps us feel so much stronger.

"We are determined to overcome this. Today's 'Pink Out' will help all people, whether they're fighting breast cancer or helping a loved one, know that they are not alone."

LeBron has procedure

By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine
Archive

LeBron James was playing with a health issue through the end of the season and the playoffs that has now been taken care of.



The Cleveland Cavaliers star underwent successful surgery on Tuesday at Cleveland Clinic to remove a benign growth in his mouth, the team said. Specifically, Dr. Frank Papay performed a five-hour procedure on James' parotid gland, which produces saliva. Surgery for such conditions often takes time because of the numerous nerves and blood vessels in that area of the jaw.


The Cavaliers released a statement saying doctors were "pleased with the outcome of the procedure, and at this time, are confident that no further treatment will be needed as LeBron is expected to make a full and complete recovery."

James and his family have been aware of this medical issue for several months but, with the clearance of the treating doctors and medical staff, decided to wait until the conclusion of the Cavaliers season to undergo the procedure.

James is recovering comfortably at the Cleveland Clinic and will soon be returning home.

The 24-year-old James was the league MVP this season after leading the Cavs to 66 regular-seasons wins and their second Central Division title. He averaged 38.5 points, 8.3 assists and 8.0 rebounds in Cleveland's series against the Magic, who won in six games.

James caused a minor controversy after Game 6 for not shaking hands with Orlando's players and skipping the postgame news conference.




Chris Broussard covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Toews, Kane Finish Impressive First Postseasons

The 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs were a coming-out party for Chicago’s Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, but it was also a learning experience.

Making their first appearances in the postseason after just two years in the League, the Blackhawks’ dynamic duo acquitted themselves quite well. Kane had 9 goals and 5 assists in 17 games, good for 10th in the League in points after three rounds, and Toews posted 7 goals and 6 assists in 17 games.

Against the Red Wings, however, the sledding was tougher.

Toews had three goals in the five games in the Western Conference Finals, which isn’t too shabby. But the Blackhawks’ captain was a minus-3 in the series and had just 12 shots on goal.

Kane's series against Detroit was even harder, posting just one goal (albeit a backhander beauty to tie Game 5 late in the third period) and one assist in the five games. He was a minus-6 for the series with a mere six shots on goal.

Toews simply chalked it up to what happens when you’re playing against the best, and marveled at the fact they were held in check by the Red Wings without Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk for most of the series.

"They're a good team. We knew that all along," said Toews. "I think it’ll help us (down the road) quite a bit. It speaks to the depth of their organization, with two of their best players (Lidstrom and Datsyuk) not playing. Other guys step in and they don’t miss a beat. They're a great team. We knew that before the series and we still know it now."

Toews, 21, and Kane, 20, still put together fantastic postseasons despite receiving a tough lesson from the defending-champion Red Wings. Just imagine what they can do in the future. You know that's what Chicago fans are thinking.

Contact Dave Lozo at dlozo@nhl.com



Author: Dave Lozo | NHL.com Staff Writer

2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Official Driver Standings-after Food City 500 @ Bristol

RANK +/- DRIVER POINTS BEHIND STARTS POLES WINS TOP 5 TOP 10 WINNINGS
1 -- Jeff Gordon 794 Leader 5 0 0 3 4 1,148,810
2 +1 Kurt Busch 718 -76 5 0 1 2 3 878,388
3 -1 Clint Bowyer 715 -79 5 0 0 2 3 1,159,910
4 +3 Kyle Busch 709 -85 5 1 2 3 3 1,417,950
5 -1 Carl Edwards 665 -129 5 0 0 1 2 970,128
6 +3 Kasey Kahne 639 -155 5 0 0 1 2 913,738
7 -1 Tony Stewart 633 -161 5 0 0 0 3 868,988
8 +6 Denny Hamlin 631 -163 5 0 0 1 2 806,913
9 +4 Jimmie Johnson 627 -167 5 0 0 1 3 981,378
10 -5 Matt Kenseth 610 -184 5 0 2 2 2 2,304,850
11 +1 David Reutimann 607 -187 5 0 0 1 1 877,863
12 -4 Kevin Harvick 584 -210 5 0 0 2 2 1,846,090

13 +2 Jeff Burton 579 -215 5 0 0 1 2 975,953
14 -3 Brian Vickers 553 -241 5 1 0 1 3 864,638
15 +6 Juan Montoya 546 -248 5 0 0 0 1 831,013
16 +4 A.J. Allmendinger 532 -262 5 0 0 1 1 1,178,840
17 -- Elliott Sadler 530 -264 5 0 0 1 1 922,913
18 -8 Greg Biffle 526 -268 5 0 0 1 2 833,113
19 +5 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 518 -276 5 0 0 0 1 749,468
20 -1 Martin Truex Jr. 508 -286 5 1 0 0 1 838,573
21 -5 Michael Waltrip 506 -288 5 0 0 0 1 776,688
22 +4 David Stremme 502 -292 5 0 0 0 0 834,448
23 -- Bobby Labonte 500 -294 5 0 0 1 1 851,503
24 +4 Marcos Ambrose 495 -299 5 0 0 0 1 714,498
25 -- Casey Mears 488 -306 5 0 0 0 0 743,113
26 -4 David Ragan 487 -307 5 0 0 0 1 807,818
27 +5 Ryan Newman 475 -319 5 0 0 0 1 770,768
28 -10 Jamie McMurray 475 -319 5 0 0 0 1 781,113
29 -2 Reed Sorenson 457 -337 5 0 0 0 1 874,878
30 -1 Robby Gordon 442 -352 5 0 0 0 0 735,748
31 +3 Mark Martin 441 -353 5 2 0 0 1 694,988
32 -1 Sam Hornish Jr. 398 -396 5 0 0 0 0 714,468
33 -3 John Andretti 397 -397 5 0 0 0 0 651,393
34 -1 Joey Logano* 370 -424 5 0 0 0 0 873,528
35 +2 Scott Speed* 335 -459 5 0 0 0 0 681,745
36 -1 Aric Almirola 335 -459 5 0 0 0 0 645,913
37 -1 David Gilliland 331 -463 4 0 0 0 0 342,050
38 -- Paul Menard 326 -468 5 0 0 0 0 789,928
39 +1 Travis Kvapil 292 -502 4 0 0 0 0 520,708
40 -1 Regan Smith 206 -588 2 0 0 0 0 382,821
41 +2 Joe Nemechek 165 -629 4 0 0 0 0 341,878
42 -1 Bill Elliott 149 -645 2 0 0 0 0 358,965
43 -1 Scott Riggs 143 -651 2 0 0 0 0 356,838
44 +2 Dave Blaney 111 -683 3 0 0 0 0 235,918
45 -1 Jeremy Mayfield 104 -690 2 0 0 0 0 348,938
46 -1 Terry Labonte 91 -703 1 0 0 0 0 273,963
47 +1 Todd Bodine 89 -705 2 0 0 0 0 167,565
48 -1 Max Papis* 55 -739 1 0 0 0 0 85,400
49 -- Brad Keselowski 49 -745 1 0 0 0 0 105,563
50 +7 Sterling Marlin 43 -751 1 0 0 0 0 83,550
51 -1 Mike Bliss 34 -760 1 0 0 0 0 70,141
52 -1 Tony Raines 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,413
53 -1 Mike Garvey 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,163
54 -1 Mike Wallace 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,563
55 -1 David Starr 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 0
56 -1 Geoffrey Bodine 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,138
57 -1 Carl Long 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,463
58 -- Kirk Shelmerdine 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,363
59 -- Kelly Bires 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,363
60 -- Derrike Cope 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,288
61 -- Dexter Bean* 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 0
62 -- Norm Benning 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,238
63 -- Boris Said 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,113
64 -- Mike Skinner 0 -794 0 0 0 0 0 21,113

* Denotes Rookie