All About Sports

Pujols gives Cardinals 5-4 win over Cubs

2011-06-04T18:42:00.001-06:00

By R.B. FALLSTROM, AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP)—Albert Pujols(notes) hit his second homer of the game with two outs in the 12th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.

Pujols had his ninth game-ending homer of his career and first since Aug. 16, 2009, against the Padres on a 2-1 pitch from Jeff Samardzija(notes) (3-2) as the Cardinals prevailed in 95-degree heat. He has 41 career multihomer games, two of them this season, and has homered three times the last two games to emerge from a power funk.

St. Louis relievers retired 17 in a row to end it, with Eduardo Sanchez(notes) (2-1) striking out two in two perfect innings. The Cubs have lost eight of 10 and didn’t get a hit after Carlos Pena’s infield single with one out in the seventh.

This was only Pujols’ second game with multiple extra-base hits of the season, and he drove in four runs. Pujols hit a two-run shot off Randy Wells(notes) in the fourth and his RBI double chased Wells in a two-run sixth that tied it.

Pena hit a two-run homer in the Cubs’ four-run sixth against Kyle Lohse(notes). Kosuke Fukudome(notes) had three hits, two of them doubles, with an RBI.

St. Louis had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth before the Cubs went to Carlos Marmol(notes), who struck out Lance Berkman(notes) and got Tony Cruz(notes) on a flyout. Pujols, who led the National League with 38, 44 and 34 intentional walks the last three seasons, drew only his fourth this year in the ninth.

Marmol worked around a hit batsman and infield hit in the 11th and has thrown 25 1-3 consecutive scoreless innings on the road, a franchise best for Cubs relievers, according information provided by the Cubs from the Elias Sports Bureau.

Kyle Lohse gave up a season-high 11 hits and four runs, all in the sixth to match a season worst, and failed to last at least six innings for the first time in his 12 starts this season. He’s 1-4 with a 6.51 ERA in 11 starts against the Cubs.

Pena’s two-run homer was one of three extra-base hits in the sixth that erased a 2-0 deficit, with Tony Campana(notes) and Kosuke Fukudome also driving in a run apiece.

Pujols’ RBI double cut the deficit to one and chased Wells. Berkman singled on an 0-2 count against Sean Marshall(notes), who had held opponents to 3 for 21 with runners in scoring position, to tie it.

Like Lohse, Wells gave up four runs and lasted 5 2-3 innings, but the Cardinals needed only three hits. In two starts since coming off the 15-day disabled list from a forearm injury, Wells has allowed nine runs in 9 2-3 innings.

Wells had won his previous two starts against St. Louis, both last season, allowing one run in 15 innings.

Cardinals leadoff man Ryan Theriot(notes) singled in the sixth and walked and has hit in a career-high 18 games, also the longest active streak in the majors.

Notes: Cubs manager Mike Quade said 3B Aramis Ramirez(notes), who has missed three starts with a cut on his lip after getting struck in the face diving for a grounder, could return to the lineup Sunday. … RHP Matt Garza(notes) (elbow) is set to return from the DL on Monday and start at Cincinnati and Quade said RHP Rodrigo Lopez(notes) could start Tuesday. … 3B Matt Carpenter made the defensive stop of the game in his major league debut, diving to his right to rob Darwin Barney(notes) of a hit in the third, and doubled for his first hit in the ninth. … Attendance of 43,195 was the Cardinals’ third sellout of the season. … Theriot’s hitting streak is the Cardinals’ longest since Juan Encarnacion and So Taguchi(notes) also hit in 18 straight in 2007. He has 20 RBIs without a homer, the most since Willie McGee had 20 in 1999. … Kerry Wood(notes) gave up a double and hit a batter in a season-high two innings with two strikeouts. It was his only his second outing over one inning. … Warren Brusstar (1983) and Lee Smith (1982-83) each worked 23 2-3 consecutive scoreless innings on the road for Chicago.

Li Na tops Francesa Schiavone for title

2011-06-04T15:25:00.002-06:00

Associated Press

PARIS -- As China's Li Na tossed the ball while serving at match point in the French Open final, a cry from a fan in the stands pierced the silence at Court Philippe Chatrier.

Distracted, Li stopped and let the ball drop. The words of support were in Mandarin: "Jia you!" -- which loosely translates to "Let's go!" After so many years of "Come on" and "Allez" and "Vamos," there's a new language on the tennis landscape.

Li became the first Chinese player, man or woman, to win a Grand Slam singles title by beating defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-4, 7-6 (0) at Roland Garros on Saturday. The sixth-seeded Li used powerful groundstrokes to compile a 31-12 edge in winners, and won the last nine points of the match, a run that began when the fifth-seeded Schiavone was flustered by a line call she was sure was wrong.

"China tennis -- we're getting bigger and bigger," said Li, who is projected to rise to a career-best No. 4 in Monday's new WTA rankings.

She already was the first woman from that nation of more than 1 billion people to win a WTA singles title, the first to enter the top 10 in the rankings, and the first to make it to a Grand Slam final -- she lost to Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open in January.

Thinking back to that defeat, Li said: "I had no experience. I was very nervous. For my second time in a final, I had the experience. I knew how to do it. And I had more self-confidence."

She broke away from the Chinese government's sports system in late 2008 under an experimental reform policy for tennis players dubbed "Fly Alone." Li was given the freedom to choose her own coach and schedule and to keep much more of her earnings: Previously, she turned over 65 percent to the authorities; now it's 12 percent. That comes to about $205,000 of the $1.7 million French Open winner's check.

"We took a lot of risks with this reform. When we let them fly, we didn't know if they would succeed. That they have now succeeded, means our reform was correct," said Sun Jinfang, an official with the Chinese Tennis Association. "This reform will serve as a good example for reforms in other sports."

At her news conference, Li wore a new T-shirt with Chinese characters that mean "sport changes everything," and offered thanks to Sun.

"Without her reform, then possibly we wouldn't have achieved this success," Li said.

When a reporter mentioned the June 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square and asked whether her victory could spark a sports revolution, Li said she's "just" a tennis player and added, "I don't need to answer ... this question."

Her tennis game, filled with flat forehands and backhands, looks better-built for hard courts, rather than the slow, red clay of Paris. Indeed, Li never had won a clay-court tournament until Saturday. She lost in the third round in three of her previous four French Opens, including against Schiavone a year ago.

But Li's movement on clay is better now, Schiavone explained, saying: "She slides a little bit more."

Li repeatedly set up points with her backhand, then closed them with her forehand, and she finished with 21 winners from the baseline, 15 more than Schiavone. Only after Li controlled the first set and the early part of the second did Schiavone begin working her way into the match.

"I tried to push more, to risk more," Schiavone said.

She broke to 4-all in the second, and held to lead 6-5. The 12th game was pivotal.

Serving at deuce, Li smacked a backhand that landed near a sideline but initially was called out by a line judge, which would have given Schiavone a set point. But Li began walking up to take a closer look at the mark left in the clay by the shot, and chair umpire Louise Engzell climbed down to examine it, too. She told Schiavone the ball touched the line. Schiavone leaned forward and pointed at the spot in question, discussing the ruling with Engzell; the restless crowd began whistling and jeering, as French Open spectators often do when a player vigorously questions a call. Engzell's call stood, and eventually she returned to her perch.

Schiavone wouldn't win another point.

"That ball was out," she said later. "Sure, you get angry. ... So what do you do? You're playing tennis, you have to go back to playing tennis and think about what you need to do. Obviously, I think it was a big mistake. But it's up to the tournament and others to watch that match again and evaluate the call."

Li is 29, and Schiavone turns 31 later this month, making for the oldest combined ages of French Open women's finalists since 1986. Perhaps that's why neither appeared to be too shaken by the stakes or the setting -- until the latter stages.

"The young people, they just play 100 percent all the time. (Li and Schiavone) are more selective. They know when to play the big points and not use too much energy when it's not really necessary," said Li's coach, Michael Mortensen. "They use their brains more than the young ones are doing."

Serving while ahead 4-2, Li missed four forehands in one game to get broken for the only time all match. Schiavone, as demonstrative an athlete as there is, leaned over, punched the air and shouted, while the vocal support group in her guest box launched into one of its many songs saluting her in Italian.

Schiavone then held for a 5-4 lead. In the next game, she moved within two points of tying the match at a set apiece by hitting a backhand return that skipped off the baseline oddly, producing a swing-and-miss whiff by Li. All told, there were five times when Schiavone was two points from winning the second set -- but she never got closer than that.

The fifth time came on that call she didn't like. Schiavone put a backhand into the net on the next point to make it 6-all. In the tiebreaker, two of Li's points came on volley winners, and one from a passing shot she hit that Schiavone volleyed into the net. The other four tiebreaker points ended with return or groundstroke miscues by the Italian.

When Schiavone's backhand sailed long on match point, Li fell to the court, covering the back of her white shirt with rust-colored clay.

Schiavone was the fourth consecutive top-10 seeded player that Li beat, including three-time major champion Maria Sharapova in the semifinals.

There's nothing subtle about Li's style of play: Essentially, she pounds the ball hard, pushing opponents back near the baseline, and hopes to outswing them. Li never let Schiavone get comfortable, never let her employ the all-court, net-rushing strategy that worked so well for what had been 13 consecutive victories at Roland Garros.

In 2010, Schiavone became Italy's first female Grand Slam champion. This time, it was Li who bit her lower lip when accepting the tournament trophy, and who mouthed the words while China's national anthem was played and its flag was raised at the stadium for the first time. Chinese players had won three women's or mixed doubles Grand Slam titles in the past. But none at the French Open. And none in singles.

"Amazing," Li said. "I got a text message from my friend. They said they were crying in China because they saw the national flag."

The Associated Press

HELLO!!...I'm BACK!

2011-06-04T15:05:00.002-06:00

Hey Gang...this is Double D and as you can tell...I am BACK!!!...been off for quite sometime...family problems and just life in general...anyway, I will be coming back on here soon with a NEW page and some exciting new options, so stay tuned...it's going to be a BUMPY ride...lol...have a GR88T day and God Bless

DD

2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX-Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200

2010-02-06T13:00:00.002-06:00

Qualifying
2010 ARCA Racing Series by RE/MAX and Menards Event #1
Daytona Int'l Speedway, Daytona Beach FL, 2-6-10
Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200

February 5, 2010 / 1:02 PM

POS NO DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM & CAR TIME SPEED
1 51 James Buescher/Plano TX Phoenix Construction Toyota 49.575 181.543
2 25 Mikey Kile/Westlake LA TAG Heuer Eyewear Toyota 49.653 181.258
3 16 Joey Coulter/Miami Springs FL Rip It Energy Fuel Chevrolet 49.770 180.832
4 22 Dakoda Armstrong/New Castle IN Cunningham Motorsports Dodge 49.782 180.788
5 11 Bryan Silas/Stuart FL Rockingham Speedway-American Custom Yachts Ford 49.952 180.173
6 66 Mark Thompson/Cartersville GA Phoenix Air Toyota 49.956 180.159
7 6 Nelson Piquet/Brasilia Brazil ESR Toyota 49.966 180.122
8 5 Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA Lucas Oil Slick Mist Chevrolet 50.029 179.896
9 35 John Wes Townley/Watkinsville GA Zaxby's Toyota 50.036 179.870
10 55 Steve Arpin/Fort Frances ON Venturini Motorsports Toyota 50.043 179.845
11 60 Patrick Sheltra/Indiantown FL PowerTrac Machinery Dodge 50.059 179.788
12 7 Danica Patrick/Roscoe IL GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 50.059 179.788
13 44 Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN Ansell-Menards Ford 50.064 179.770
14 4 Ricky Carmichael/Tallahassee FL Monster Energy Toyota 50.065 179.766
15 32 Justin Marks/Rocklin CA Construct Corps Toyota 50.075 179.730
16 1 Nick Igdalsky/Long Pond PA ModSpace Ford 50.096 179.655
17 52 Bill Baird/Sturgis KY Saturn Machine Chevrolet 50.101 179.637
18 29 Jesse Smith/Wildwood MO Hormel Foods-Child's Tire Dodge 50.174 179.376
19 15 Alli Owens/Daytona Beach FL ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevrolet 50.227 179.186
20 09 Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL BeasleyAllen.com-Roush Yates Performance Ford 50.241 179.137
21 30 Terry Jones/Amherstburg ON Jones Group Dodge 50.303 178.916
22 68 Steve Blackburn/Prestonsburg KY Harley-Davidson & Honda of Prestonsburg Dodge 50.338 178.791
23 77 Tom Hessert/Cherry Hill NJ Cunningham Motorsports Dodge 50.345 178.767
24 0 Butch Jarvis/Blountville TN Steris Corporation Dodge 50.361 178.710
25 59 Leilani Munter/Rochester MN GREENandSAVE Dodge 50.402 178.564
26 83 Sean Corr/Goshen NY Empire Racing LLC Ford 50.410 178.536
27 28 Chris Cockrum/Conyers GA Accu Tech-Mohawk Cable Chevrolet 50.453 178.384
28 95 Tommy Joe Martins/Como MS Tommy Joe Martins Racing Ford 50.506 178.197
29 12 Russ Dugger/Owasso OK Accell Construction Chevrolet 50.514 178.168
30 14 Chase Mattioli/Long Pond PA Big Machine Records Ford 50.761 177.301
31 58 Chad Hackenbracht/New Philadelphia OH Tastee Chocolate Apples Chevrolet 50.775 177.253
32 36 Robb Brent/Shelby Township MI Orchard Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dodge 50.780 177.235
33 85 Lance Fenton/Tyler TX Team Gill Racing Dodge 50.984 176.526
34 97 Matt Lofton/Mooresville NC Strutmasters.com Chevrolet 51.002 176.464
35 99 Josh Richards/Shinnston WV Presta Chevrolet 51.066 176.243
36 90 Milka Duno/Caracus Venezuela Stringer Motorsports Toyota 51.128 176.029
37 38 Greg Sarff/Powell OH Great Dane Trailers Dodge 51.255 175.593
38 42 Scott Stenzel/Alexandria MN Yellow Stripes Making The Driver Ford 51.313 175.394
39 21 Jennifer Jo Cobb/Kansas City KS Bowsher-Mooi Motorsports Chevrolet 51.514 174.710
40 06 Barry Fitzgerald/Sykesville MD TheBusPlace.com Ford 51.987 173.120
41 23 Frank Wilson/St. Marys WV Drug Testing Centers of America-Lifeguard Medical Chevy 52.073 172.834
42 80 Brad Lloyd/Napa CA Stadelhofer Construction-Matt Cardeiro Enterprises Ford 52.120 172.678
43 75 Chuck Walker/Stanley NC Bob Schacht Motorsports Chevrolet 52.145 172.596
44 26 Brad Smith/Shelby Township MI ApplianceZone.com Ford 52.455 171.576
45 76 Jerick Johnson/Faribault MN American Legion-David Law Firm Dodge 52.767 170.561
46 48 Jill George/Cedar Falls IA Radon.com Dodge 52.827 170.367
47 34 Darrell Basham/Henryville IN Anti-Monkey Butt Powder Chevrolet 53.306 168.837
48 17 Hal Martin/Galliano LA Mark Gibson Racing Dodge 0.000 0.000
49 31 Tim George Jr./New York NY RCR Development Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
50 81 Craig Goess/Greenville NC Greenville Toyota of NC Toyota 0.000 0.000
51 43 Kyle Martel/Lebanon PA Hanover Cold Storage-Finish Line Express Chevrolet 0.000 0.000

Earnhardt out front again and wants to stay there

2010-02-06T12:55:00.002-06:00

By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Here's something you haven't read in a while: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in first place.

OK, so it was only two laps. And it was a rain-shortened practice at Daytona International Speedway - the place where Earnhardt is, well, kind of good.

Still, in a season in which Earnhardt is facing a new round of intensifying questions about his lack of on-track success, it's better to be fast than slow even if it doesn't count toward anything. Earnhardt led two of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates to the top of the speed chart in Friday's abbreviated practice session, and it could be the first sign that he's back on the right track after the worst season of his career.

"His heart really, really, really is in it," said teammate Mark Martin. "He's incredibly driven to have the success, and his team is behind it. I think you'll see a spectacular year for him."

Boy, does he need one.

NASCAR's most popular driver had his confidence shattered in a winless 2009 season. He failed to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, his crew chief was fired midseason and he managed just five top-10 finishes all year.

His teammates, meanwhile, combined for 13 victories and swept the top three spots in the final season standings.

The lack of production increased the already-bright spotlight on Earnhardt, who found there was little escape from the scrutiny on his lack of performance. At the halfway point of the season, he revealed a fear of not being strong enough to handle the strain of another trying season.

"I can't have another year like this. I can't mentally. I can't physically. I don't want to put the people around me through this," Earnhardt admitted. "When we were really, really struggling, everybody in the family was upset. Crying and carrying on. All the women were crying, the men we're cussing. I'm serious.

"We can't put anybody through this (stuff) again. We've got to get this right."

Team owner Rick Hendrick agreed, and made fixing Earnhardt's No. 88 team the top offseason priority at Hendrick Motorsports.

It became all hands on deck as Hendrick leaned on Martin crew chief Alan Gustafson to help Earnhardt's team. Gustafson allowed two of his crew members - including his lead race engineer - to move over to the No. 88, and he agreed to work with Earnhardt crew chief Lance McGrew to create a partnership similar to the one Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon have used with smashing success.

Johnson, who displays the trophies from his four consecutive championships in his office above the shop floor where Earnhardt's cars are built, believes Hendrick has executed the best possible plan for Earnhardt to succeed.

"It's been tough on him. I think his confidence has been beat down some, and I think the unification between the 88 and the 5 is very good for him," Johnson said. "He looks up to Mark. He seems to respond very well to folks that have been around the sport for a long time. Mark is more than willing, especially if Junior engages himself and asks the right questions."

But, Johnson cautioned, it's going to take a willingness for Earnhardt to open up more to his teammates.

"He can't do it on his own. He's been more internal and to himself on cars, setups, kind of been on his own little island," Johnson said. "If he really embraces the teammate standpoint and is right there alongside with Mark day in and day out, they'll get it figured out.

"It may take changes in driving style, a lot of things that aren't familiar to him, but he's gonna have every opportunity and we're making sure he does."

Earnhardt disagreed with Johnson's assessment.

"You know, I think I'm kind of shy at times, but I've never really been against really working together and trying to take two teams and be stronger," he said.

His first chance to prove it comes Saturday night in the exhibition Budweiser Shootout, a race he's won twice before, including in his 2008 debut with Hendrick Motorsports. He followed that win with a victory five days later in one of Daytona's twin qualifying races, setting the stage for a potential sweep with a win in the 500.

He came up short with a ninth-place finish, but it raised expectations for the pairing of the popular driver with NASCAR's most successful team.

It never happened.

Earnhardt won just once that season - his only points-race victory since joining HMS - and hit a slump when the Chase began. He never contended for the championship and finished last in the 12-driver field.

It only got worse last season, when he opened the year with a sub-par showing at Daytona, where he's won 12 races spanning NASCAR's top two series.

He wants to be back out front again, badly. He was for two laps Friday, and hopes to parlay that into a lot more.

"I'd like to be able to get back out there and start doing some of the things I should be doing and should have done last year. Should have done the year before," he said. "Win some races, be a prominent fixture in the top five every week. Win some more races."

Story courtesy of: 2010 The Associated Press.

Starting Order for the 2010 Budweiser Shootout was shown on SPEED

2010-02-06T12:34:00.002-06:00

#99-Edwards, Ford, chose 5th, starts 1st/POLE
#29-Harvick, Chevy, chose 15th, starts 2nd
(Harvick was ill, so crew chief Gil Martin chose the bottle)
#83-Vickers, Toyota, chose 4th, starts 3rd
#39-Newman, Chevy, chose 6th, starts 4th
#16-Biffle, Ford, chose 10th, starts 5th
#5-Martin. Chevy, chose 2nd, starts 6th
#31-Burton, Chevy, chose 22nd, starts 7th
#17-Kenseth, Ford, chose 13th, starts 8th
#1-McMurray, Chevy, chose 21st, starts 9th
#34-Andretti, Ford, chose 23rd, starts 10th
#88-Earnhardt Jr., Chevy, chose 17th, starts 11th
#71-Labonte, Chevy, chose 14th, starts 12th
#14-Stewart, Chevy, chose 9th, starts 13th
#82-Schrader, Toyota, chose 16th, starts 14th
#51-Waltrip, Toyota, chose 20th, starts 15th
#48-Johnson, Chevy, chose 1st, starts 16th
#18-Busch, Toyota, chose 24th, starts 17th
#75-Cope, Dodge, chose 19th, starts 18th
#9-Kahne, Ford, chose 7th, starts 19th
#42-Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevy, chose 10th, starts 20th
#20-Logano, Toyota, chose 18th, starts 21st
(since Logano is not 21 years old, crew chief Greg Zippidelli chose the bottle)
#2-Busch, Dodge, chose 12th, starts 22nd
#24-Gordon, Chevy, chose 2nd, starts 23rd
#11-Hamlin, Toyota, chose 8th, starts 24th/last

Ryan embraces offseason to fulfill potential

2010-02-01T15:30:00.002-06:00

ST. LOUIS -- Brendan Ryan took some big steps in the past year. He earned an everyday job, played Gold Glove-caliber defense and was more consistently effective at the plate than he'd ever been before in the Major Leagues.

Then the offseason came, and Ryan really made progress.

Long known within the clubhouse as likable and excitable, but not always reliable, teammate, Ryan did something remarkable this winter. Not only did he regularly attend new hitting coach Mark McGwire's hitting sessions in Southern California, he showed up on time. Every single time. For some players, this may not be a big deal. For Ryan, it's a breakthrough. And it's another sign of the maturing of a very promising player.

"I don't think he's ever hit this much in the offseason [before]," said double-play partner Skip Schumaker. "I don't know if he even hit in the offseason before the last couple weeks of spring [in previous years]. He hasn't been late one time, which is more incredible than anything I think. He's done a great job. McGwire's been working hard with him, and it's hard not to like Brendan Ryan. He's a good kid, works hard and I think there's going to be some nice improvements."

It's telling that Schumaker still uses the word "kid," even though he's only two years older than Ryan. The shortstop's development as a teammate has been a gradual process. The thing is, it really seems to be taking. Ryan gets it more every year. And if he can take the kinds of steps on the field in 2010 that he did in '09, the Cardinals will have a fantastic player on their hands.

Jimmy Rollins won the Gold Glove in the National League, and he's an outstanding defender. But it's hard to argue that he's a better defensive shortstop than Ryan. That part of Ryan's game is already there. His offense is coming. He believes that working with McGwire will help it get all the way there.

"I think if I take one percent of what he's given me, I'll be that much better," Ryan said. "I'm eager to get to the finish line, but with each swing, I think we're getting closer to where he'd like me to be. We're taking batting practice out at Saddleback Junior College, and I can see the backspin off the bat. It's not where I'd like to be, but we have all of Spring Training. But it's encouraging. I'm getting a lot of backspin on the ball. I'd like to repeat better swings more often."

Ryan, like most of his teammates, declined to weigh in on the controversy surrounding McGwire's admission of the use of steroids during his playing career. Instead, he repeated again and again his regard for McGwire as both a coach and a friend. He also pointed to another St. Louis slugger as a model for what he's trying to accomplish.

"I battle changing my stance every week," Ryan said. "So the first thing was, let's find a batting stance and let's stick with that. The funny thing is, I had a hard time finding out who I am. So I just kind of started doing what Albert [Pujols] did, and I started taking good swings. So I'm going to hit like Albert this year -- at least batting stance-wise. I'm going to try. That's what we've been doing. It feels good. He's got a pretty darn good swing obviously. If I can do an impersonation of that and fall just short, then I should have a pretty good swing too."

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

02/01/10 12:31 PM EST

McCarron refuses to back down

2010-02-01T15:26:00.001-06:00

SAN DIEGO (AP)—Scott McCarron is not backing away from his accusation that Phil Mickelson and other players are cheating if they use the Ping-Eye 2 wedges with square grooves.

McCarron issued a statement Monday in which he wanted to clarify that while he believes “it’s cheating” for Mickelson and anyone else to use the Ping wedges, “I never called Phil Mickelson a cheater.”

“That being said, I want my fans, sponsors and most importantly, my fellow players, to know that I will not be silenced and I will continue my efforts to get the groove issue resolved,” McCarron said.

Mickelson said over the weekend that he was “publicly slandered,” and he hinted at legal action if the PGA Tour does not discipline McCarron for his choice of words.

Square grooves no longer are allowed on the PGA Tour because of a new USGA policy effective this year that requires grooves in irons to be more a more shallow V-shape, which generate less spin.

However, the Ping-Eye 2 wedges made before April 1, 1990, are approved for competition because of a lawsuit that Ping settled with the PGA Tour and USGA some 20 years ago.

It has not been proven whether the grooves of a 20-year-old golf club— Mickelson played them in college at Arizona State and found this wedge in his garage—spin more than V-shaped grooves made with today’s technology.

John Daly and Dean Wilson were the first players to use the Ping wedges this year, at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Mickelson, who finished 19th at the Farmers Insurance Open, said he was not sure the Ping wedge was more effective than his new wedges from Callaway.

Mickelson, however, has been angry with the USGA since the groove policy was announced. He claims he submitted wedges under the new rules that the USGA did not approve, yet he was allowed to use a Ping wedge with square grooves that are not conforming.

“I understand black and white,” Mickelson said Friday. “And I think that myself or any other player is allowed to play those clubs because they’re approved—end of story.”

McCarron said to use the Ping wedges violated the spirit of the rule.

On Monday, he directed some of his frustration at the USGA and the PGA Tour for knowing the potential for this controversy before it blew up on them last week at Torrey Pines.

“Instead of addressing the matter, the tour chose to put the onus to comply on its players,” McCarron said. “Unfortunately, a handful of players have chosen not to comply, and that is what has led to this current ordeal. In my opinion … the tour must now put a rule in place to protect the field and ban these wedges.”

McCarron said the focus should shift from a small number of players using the Ping-Eye 2 wedges to the majority of players “who chose to do the right thing.”

“I am still appalled by the fact that any player would make the choice to put this controversial wedge in play, and I stand by my previous comments,” he said.

The only apology he offered was to the Farmers Insurance Open for the distraction it caused.

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem is to meet with players Tuesday in Los Angeles to discuss the wedge dispute.

Story courtesy of: DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer

Bears hire Martz to be their offensive coordinator

2010-02-01T15:16:00.001-06:00

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Monday hired Mike Martz to be their offensive coordinator.

Martz, 58, worked with Bears coach Lovie Smith in St. Louis, operating an explosive Rams offense that was dubbed “The Greatest Show on Turf.” The unit featured quarterback Kurt Warner, running back Marshall Faulk, and wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.

As offensive coordinator under head coach Dick Vermeil in 1999, Martz helped the Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV by directing an offense that recorded the first of three straight 500-point seasons, an NFL record.

In his first year as a starter, Warner passed for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Martz replaced Vermeil as head coach in 2000 and went on to compile a 56-36 record in five and a half seasons in that role. The four coaches who have followed Martz have combined to go 18-51 since he left.

Martz hired Smith to be his defensive coordinator in 2001. In their first year together, they helped lead the Rams to their second Super Bowl in three seasons, cruising to a 14-2 record, including 8-0 on the road.

After departing St. Louis, Martz served as offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions in 2006-07 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2008. In his first season with the Lions, unheralded quarterback Jon Kitna passed for a career-high 4,208 yards at the age of 34.

After serving as an offensive assistant at Arizona State from 1983-91, Martz coached quarterbacks and receivers with the Rams from 1992-96. He left St. Louis to become quarterbacks coach with the Washington Redskins in 1997-98 before returning to the Rams in 1999.

With the addition of Martz, Smith now has three former NFL head coaches on his staff. The other two are defensive line coach Rod Marinelli and new offensive line coach Mike Tice.

Check ChicagoBears.com later for expanded coverage.

Story courtesy of: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 2/1/2010 2:43 PM

Roger Federer wins 16th major, prolongs British drought

2010-01-31T09:28:00.002-06:00

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Roger Federer felt awkward for a moment, celebrating his 16th Grand Slam title while Andy Murray cried for Britain.

Federer timed his run to perfection at the season’s first major, beating fifth-seeded Murray 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (11) in the Sunday night final to collect his fourth Australian Open title.

This time last year, Federer was sobbing after a five-set loss to Rafael Nadal at Melbourne Park. He’d missed a chance to equal Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slams, compounding an emotional few weeks.

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Andy Murray of Britain reacts …

In the intervening period, he has won on clay at the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam of all four majors and equal the Sampras record. Then he regained his Wimbledon crowd to get the record in his own right at 15. He also became a father of twins.

This time, Murray was on the verge of tears after missing a chance to become the first British man since 1936 to win a major.

The pressure on the 22-year-old Scot had intensified after he’d beaten Nadal in the quarterfinals.

“I thought he was actually doing fine until he told me, ‘I think there will be some tears,”’ Federer said of Murray. “I’m like, ‘Don’t worry, it will be all right.’ And he actually did.

“In a way it was hard to watch, but at the same time I like seeing players who care for the game. It’s nice to see, you know. So you wish only the best for him.”

Federer enjoys making history. This was his 22nd Grand Slam final, his 18th in the last 19. He compared this triumph with his win last year at Wimbledon, when he earned the record for most majors in his own right.

“This felt similar in a way, because all of a sudden it was over and it hit me,” he said. “It was very much a rollercoaster with the emotions. I guess the match point was over, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, this is it. It was great.”

Murray was on the verge of tears, drawing deep breaths as he apologized for failing to end a 74-year-old drought for British men.

“Firstly, congratulations Roger, his achievements in tennis are incredible,” he said. “He was a lot better than me tonight.

“Hopefully, one time I can come back and win here,” he added, his voice breaking. “I got great support back home the last couple of weeks. Sorry I couldn’t do it for you tonight but …”

Murray could barely finish his thank you, explaining: “I can cry like Roger; it’s just a shame I can’t play like him.”

Federer, who had to be consoled by Nadal last year, offered Murray some reassurance.

“Well done for your incredible tournament; you played it fantastic,” Federer said. “You’re too good of a player not to win a Grand Slam, so don’t worry about it.”

Federer dropped serve only twice in the match and hit 46 winners. He said he felt as good as ever.

“I’m over the moon winning this again. I think I played some of my best tennis in my life these last two weeks,” he said.

Federer saved five set points and wasted two match points in the tiebreaker with some uncharacteristic shot selection before clinching it when Murray netted a backhand after 2 hours, 41 minutes.

Murray was desperate to become the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win one of the four tennis majors, but seldom had the answers to Federer’s unrivaled finals experience. He set a record for British men just by reaching two major finals in the Open era.

“I don’t feel great,” Murray said. “I think it was more the way the end of the match finished … Obviously, it was pretty emotional end to the match.

“If it was a complete blowout, if I lost 3, 4, and 2, you know, it probably wouldn’t have happened. But I had my chance to get back into the match. That was probably why I was upset.”

Federer also beat Murray in straight sets in the 2008 U.S. Open final, the only previous meeting between the pair at a Grand Slam.

Murray still holds a 6-5 advantage over Federer in career head-to-heads— one of only four players who can boast such an advantage—but has lost the last three.

Last year, Federer had just discovered—unknown widely at the time—that he was to be the father of twins.

The emotions bubbled over after his loss to Nadal. But he recovered from that defeat to win at the French Open.

He won Wimbledon before his twin daughters were born. Federer reached his fourth Grand Slam final of the year at the U.S. Open, only to lose in an upset to Juan Martin del Potro.

Federer ensured no recurrence of the upset here, though, adding the 2010 title to his wins at Melbourne Park in 2004, 2006 and ’07, becoming only the fifth man to win four Australian titles.

American Andre Agassi, who won the last of his four here in 2003, was the last father to win a Grand Slam title.

“It’s also very special the first Grand Slam as a father,” Federer said as his wife, Mirka, smiled and clapped from the stands, almost crying herself. “You get the best out of me.”

Federer got on top early, taking a 2-0 lead. But Murray broke back immediately with consecutive passing shots—one which the Swiss star even had to applaud.

Federer had to save three break points in the fifth game before holding with back-to-back aces. He then broke Murray in the eighth game, lifting his intensity in perfect time so that he could serve for the set.

Federer dominated the second set after breaking Murray’s serve in the third game, but his intensity dropped slightly in the third.

Murray pounced, taking a 5-2 lead before Federer rallied again, winning four of the next five games to force the tiebreaker.

After saving three set points, Federer missed his first chance to finish it off when his curling forehand just missed the line.

His unusual decision to try a drop shot at 10-9 backfired when Murray surged to the net and put a winner over Federer’s head.

The Swiss saved another set point, then converted his third match point.

In the mixed doubles final, Leander Paes and Cara Black beat Ekaterina Makarova and Jaroslav Levinsky 7-5, 6-3 for the Australian title.

The top seeds fared well at the Australian Open, with Serena Williams defending her singles title over Justine Henin and combining with her sister Venus Williams to win doubles—the sisters were seeded No. 2.

Another set of American siblings won the men’s doubles, with twins Bob and Mike Bryan beating Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic.

Story courtesy of: John Pye, AP Sports Writer

Mickelson not taking “cheating” accusation lightly

2010-01-31T09:22:00.001-06:00

SAN DIEGO (AP)—Phil Mickelson hinted at legal action for being accused of “cheating,” saying on Saturday that if the U.S. PGA Tour did not do something about him being “publicly slandered,” then he would let others handle it.

Mickelson didn’t mention Scott McCarron by name in a series of interviews after his third round at the Farmers Insurance Open.

McCarron was quoted in The San Francisco Chronicle on Friday as saying about Mickelson using the Ping-Eye 2 wedges with square grooves, “It’s cheating, and I’m appalled Phil has put it in play.”

The U.S. Golf Association has a new rule this year that irons have V-shaped grooves. However, the Ping-Eye 2 wedges that were made before April 1, 1990 remain approved for play through a Ping lawsuit that was settled 20 years ago and takes precedence over new regulations.

Mickelson is using one of those wedges this week after reading about John Daly and Dean Wilson using them in Hawaii.

When asked on Friday about McCarron’s quote about him cheating, Mickelson declined to get into what he referred to as “name-calling.” Instead, he suggested that McCarron was upset with the new rule on grooves.

But after a 70 in the third round put Mickelson within four shots of the lead, he made it clear he would not go quietly.

“We all have our opinions on the matter, but a line was crossed and I just was publicly slandered,” Mickelson said. “And because of that, I’ll have to let other people handle that.”

Asked if he was contemplating a lawsuit, Mickelson said, “I’m not going into specifics what that meant.”

Still, it was clear that his message reached U.S. PGA Tour headquarters. The tour released a statement during the third round explaining why the Ping-Eye 2 wedges with square grooves were approved for play.

“Public comments or criticisms characterizing their use as a violation … are inappropriate at best,” the statement said.

Told about the tour’s statement, Mickelson paused before saying it was “cool if they put that out there.”

“Again, everybody has their opinions and so forth, and it’s healthy to talk about it,” he said. “But when you cross that line and slander someone publicly, that’s when the tour needs to step in—or someone else.”

McCarron, who missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, could not be reached for comment. He did not back off his criticism on Friday of Mickelson using the wedges, although he used “bending the rules” instead of “cheating” in his comments.

He maintains that Mickelson, and others using the Ping wedges, are violating the spirit of the new rule.

Mickelson has been feuding with the USGA, in particular senior technical director Dick Rugge, since last summer when it became clear the new grooves would be effective this year.

He said he was not even certain that 20-year-old wedges spun the ball more than his new wedges, yet offered no apologies because the clubs are approved for play.

“I understand black and white,” Mickelson said on Friday. “And I think that myself or any other player is allowed to play those clubs because they’re approved—end of story.”

Instead, the story might just now be starting.

McCarron, who was on the 16-man Players Advisory Council, said the wedges would be discussed on Tuesday at a PAC meeting in Los Angeles with tour commissioner Tim Finchem.

Story courtesy of: Doug Ferguson, AP Golf Writer

Walker a winner in mixed martial arts debut

2010-01-31T09:18:00.002-06:00

SUNRISE, Fla. – Herschel Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner, won his professional mixed martial arts debut on Saturday at the tender age of 47, but he proved one thing: He’s a better football player than a fighter.

The one-time Dallas Cowboys star stopped a totally ineffective Greg Nagy at 2:17 of the third round on Saturday at the BankAtlantic Center on a Showtime-televised Strikeforce card.

Walker took Nagy down in each of the three rounds and tried to punish Nagy on the ground. He landed a few punches and seemed as if he were going to go for a submission at several points, but he was unable to do anything dramatic.

Walker, who has long been a martial artist, was pleased with the win and thanked Nagy for the opportunity.

“It’s kind of tough to fight an old man,” Walker said.

Nagy had no offense and spent most of the fight on his back, trying to fend off Walker, who trained at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., under the guidance of the renowned Javier Mendez.

Walker’s endurance was sensational, but he looked stiff in his standup game and didn’t have a good concept of what he was doing on the ground. According to CompuStrike, Walker landed 77 of 106 strikes overall, an amazing 73 percent. He connected on 69 of 91 on the ground. Nagy landed just seven punches.

“This was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Walker said.

Robbie Lawler scored one of the best knockouts in a long time after taking a beating from Melvin Manhoef for most of their fight. Manhoef was stalking Lawler, raking him with punches and hard kicks and seemed on the verge of an impressive victory.

Lawler checked a kick and as Manhoef rushed to him, Lawler ripped a straight right that landed on the temple. Manhoef went down quickly. Lawler landed a quick punch on the ground before he was pulled off and the bout was stopped at 3:33 of the first.

“This guy is a killer and he was coming after me,” Lawler said. “I knew I was going to catch him and I just didn’t want to get overextended.”

Bobby Lashley, who still is a professional wrestler, improved to 5-0 as a mixed martial artist by dominating late replacement Wes Sims. Lashley quickly took Sims down and pummeled him on the ground, forcing referee Troy Waugh to stop it at 2:06 of the first.

Sims, a former cast member of “The Ultimate Fighter,” admitted he hadn’t trained for the fight as Strikeforce struggled to find an opponent for Lashley. Sims was paunchy around the middle, while Lashley had a bodybuilder’s rugged physique.

It was no contest, as Sims accomplished nothing other than picking up a paycheck.

Story courtesy of: Kevin Iole for Yahoo! Sports

Dansby's 17-yard return on first OT drive sends Cards to second round

2010-01-11T17:26:00.002-06:00

Associated Press
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Old master Kurt Warner and playoff newcomer Aaron Rodgers staged a passing duel to rival any the NFL has seen. And when the highest-scoring postseason game in league history ended abruptly in overtime, Rodgers flung his helmet to the sideline in disgust.

Game for the Ages
Sunday's defense-optional clash between the Packers and the Cardinals became the highest-scoring playoff game in NFL history when Arizona's Karlos Dansby returned an overtime fumble for the winning score.

Date Winner (pts) Loser (pts) Total pts
Jan. 10, 2010 Cardinals (51) Packers (45) 96
Dec. 30, 1995 Eagles (58) Lions (37) 95
Jan. 16, 2000 Rams (49) Vikings (37) 86
Jan. 2, 1982 Chargers (41) Dolphins (38) 79
Jan. 3, 1993 Bills (41) Oilers (38) 79

He can blame the Arizona defense for his misery.

Karlos Dansby returned Rodgers' fumble 17 yards for a touchdown to give the Cardinals a 51-45 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Rodgers, intercepted on the game's first play but marvelous after that, was stripped by Michael Adams. The ball careened off Rodgers' foot and into the hands of Dansby, who ran untouched for the score.

"He made a sack, the ball went in the air, I just made a play on the ball," Dansby said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Packers' loss to the Cardinals was their season in microcosm, and in the end, they simply didn't have enough gas to climb out of the hole they'd dug themselves, Kevin Seifert writes. Blog

The reigning NFC champion Cardinals (11-6) rushed the field to celebrate.

"That's probably one of the best games ever played in the playoffs," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

Incredibly, Warner had more touchdown passes (five) than incompletions (four).

"We knew how tough it was going to be on our defense with all the weapons they have offensively and how they've been playing," he said. "It was just one of those games where I felt great. I loved our playing. I felt like I was seeing everything well and it accumulates to 51 points."

Warner, who improved his playoff record to 9-3, finished 29 of 33 for 379 yards with no interceptions. The five TDs matched the 38-year-old's career best.

Fast Facts

• Karlos Dansby's 17-yard fumble return for the winning score came just 1:18 into the extra period, making this the second-quickest finish to an OT playoff game in NFL history.

• It's also the second playoff OT to end on a defensive TD out of 26 games which have reached overtime. The other? Al Harris with a 52-yard interception return for the winning score in the 2003 NFC Wild Card game for the Packers.

• Kurt Warner threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns, his second career five-TD postseason game. He joins Daryle Lamonica as the only players with a pair of games with at least 5 passing TDs.

• Larry Fitzgerald had a pair of TDs, giving him nine in the postseason for his career. That's the highest total in NFL history through any player's first five playoff games.

• This was just the second time in the Super Bowl era in which both QBs threw for at least 300 yards and four pass TDs in the same game, and Kurt Warner was involved in both. The other was the 1999 Divisional playoff game against Jeff George and the Vikings.

• Aaron Rodgers set a Packers single-game postseason record with 422 pass yards, and Green Bay scored its highest points total in a postseason game.

Rodgers, in his first playoff start, was 28 of 42 for a Packers postseason-record 422 yards and four TDs. All but two of Rodgers' yards came after the first quarter.

"It's clearly one of the toughest losses I've been a part of," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. "I'm very proud of our football team and fight. This is a hard game to swallow."

The previous high for combined points in a postseason game was 95 in Philadelphia's 58-37 win over Detroit on Dec. 30, 1995.

"Whew," Warner said at his postgame news conference, "anybody else tired?"

The NFC West champion Cardinals play at New Orleans on Saturday.

It was the most points scored and allowed by the Packers (11-6) in their storied 41-game playoff history.

Dansby started and ended the game with big plays. He broke up Rodgers' opening pass and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted. The next time the Packers got the ball, Dansby stripped Donald Driver and Arizona's Alan Branch recovered.

With Anquan Boldin sidelined with ankle and knee injuries, Warner threw two touchdown passes to Larry Fitzgerald, two to Early Doucet and one to Steve Breaston, who caught seven passes for 125 yards.

The previous playoff game to end on a defensive touchdown was Jan. 4, 2004, when Al Harris returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown in Green Bay's 33-27 win over Seattle.

Neil Rackers missed a 34-yard field goal at the end of regulation for Arizona.

The teams combined for 1,024 yards. Arizona had 531, including 156 rushing, against a Packers defense ranked No. 2 overall, No. 1 against the run. The 13 touchdowns was an NFL playoff record.

Green Bay entered winners of seven of its last eight, including a 33-7 victory against the Cardinals on the same field a week ago.

But the team with the fewest turnovers in the NFL (16) started the game with two of them and ended it with another.

In between, Green Bay rallied from a 21-point second-half deficit to twice tie the game.

"The game was so back and forth, it was unbelievable," Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk said.

After Rackers missed the field goal, the Packers won the toss. Since Arizona hadn't stopped them since the first half, it didn't look good for the home team.

But on third-and-6 at the Green Bay 24, the 5-foot-8 cornerback Adams came through on a blitz and stripped Rodgers. On a bad bounce the Packers will remember for a long time, the ball caromed off Rodgers' foot and right to Dansby.

"We had the play called earlier, but we missed the sack," Dansby said. "With the game on the line, we called it again. ... See you in New Orleans, baby."

Rodgers said he should have just taken the sack.

"I was trying to unload it," he said. "I should have held on to the ball. I was looking at the front side for Driv [Driver]. It looked like he was getting grabbed a bit. Then I was looking for James [Jones] and they were driving in on him as he was running a little in cut, so I kind of pulled the ball back and someone hit my arm."

The Cardinals took the second-half kickoff and drove 80 yards for a touchdown to go up 31-10, Warner throwing 33 yards to Fitzgerald, who has nine TD catches in his five playoff games, at least one in each contest.

But nobody could stop anybody in this one.

After Rodgers' 6-yard pass to Greg Jennings cut the lead to 31-17, the Packers caught Arizona off guard with an onside kick, then drove for another score. Rodgers' 10-yard pass to Jordy Nelson trimmed the deficit to seven.

Arizona got another score on Fitzgerald's diving grab of an 11-yard pass, but the Packers scored two more in a hurry, tying it at 38 on John Kuhn's 1-yard run with 10:57 to play.

Each team scored again, Green Bay tying it at 45 when Rodgers threw 11 yards to Spencer Havner with 1:52 to play.

That was plenty of time for Warner to drive the Cardinals downfield, but Rackers -- 16 of 17 for the season and 10 of 10 inside 40 yards -- booted it well left of the upright.

Green Bay called "tails" and won the toss. Three plays later, it was over.

"Man," Warner said, "what a football game."

Warner took a victory lap around the field, leading some to wonder if all that speculation about his impending retirement was true.

"Everybody relax," he said. "That was my way of saying thanks to the fans because we're not coming back here this year."

As for retirement, Warner said that decision would be made later. He has a year left on his contract.

"I don't think you ever want to stay too long, but you never want to go out before it's time," he said. "The hard part is trying to figure that out, but right now it's about another playoff game. It's about New Orleans and then we'll go from there."

Game notes
Rodgers completed passes to 10 receivers, Warner to seven. ... Arizona's Beanie Wells rushed for 91 yards on 14 carries, 6.5 per attempt, outgaining Green Bay's Ryan Grant, who had 65 on 11 attempts. ... The Packers' playoff passing record was 332 yards by Lynn Dickey at Dallas on Jan. 16, 1983.

Story courtesy of:

Associated Press

Mark McGwire admits to steroid use

2010-01-11T17:12:00.002-06:00

By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

01/11/10 5:02 PM EST

ST. LOUIS -- Mark McGwire ended more than a decade of speculation on Monday, acknowledging that he used steroids during much of his Major League playing career, including in 1998, when he broke Major League Baseball's single-season home run record.

McGwire made the revelation in a statement issued to news outlets on Monday afternoon. McGwire will address the situation further in an interview with Bob Costas on MLB Network at 7 p.m. ET on Monday. The program will be simulcast on MLB.com.

"I used steroids during my playing career, and I apologize," McGwire said in the release. "I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989-90 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the '90s, including during the 1998 season. I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."

The Cardinals announced in October that McGwire would be the team's hitting coach for the 2010 season, and in three separate statements on Monday, club representatives pledged their continuing support for him. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig likewise issued a statement in support of the retired slugger.

"I am pleased that Mark McGwire has confronted his use of performance-enhancing substances as a player," Selig said. "Being truthful is always the correct course of action, which is why I had commissioned Senator George Mitchell to conduct his investigation. This statement of contrition, I believe, will make Mark's reentry into the game much smoother and easier."

According to McGwire's statement, his usage of PEDs spanned a large portion of his career, which included parts or all of 16 seasons. His first full season in the Majors was 1987, so he acknowledges beginning to use after his third full season. The 1993 campaign was the first in which he played fewer than 139 games, as he was limited by foot injuries.

After missing large chunks of the 1993, 1994 and 1995 seasons, McGwire returned to form with a vengeance in 1996, hitting a then-career-high 52 home runs and batting .312 with a .467 on-base percentage. He followed that up with a big 1997, and was traded to St. Louis that year, then broke Roger Maris' single-season homer record when he hit 70 in 1998.

Tony La Russa, who was McGwire's manager for the vast majority of his career, came to his friend and teammate's defense.

"No one on the teams I managed worked harder or better than Mark," La Russa said in a statement issued by the club. "And now, his willingness to admit mistakes, express his regret, and explain the circumstances that led him to use steroids add to my respect for him."

McGwire's full statement reads as follows:

"Now that I have become the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, I have the chance to do something that I wish I was able to do five years ago.

"I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come. It's time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used steroids during my playing career, and I apologize. I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989-90 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the '90s, including during the 1998 season.

"I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.

"During the mid-'90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years. I experienced a lot of injuries, including a rib-cage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries, too.

"I'm sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn't take any and I had bad years when I didn't take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn't have done it and for that I'm truly sorry.

"Baseball is really different now -- it's been cleaned up. The Commissioner and the Players Association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I'm glad they did.

"I'm grateful to the Cardinals for bringing me back to baseball. I want to say thank you to Cardinals owner Mr. [Bill] DeWitt, to my GM, John Mozeliak, and to my manager, Tony La Russa. I can't wait to put the uniform on again and to be back on the field in front of the great fans in St. Louis. I've always appreciated their support and I intend to earn it again, this time as hitting coach. I'm going to pour myself into this job and do everything I can to help the Cardinals hitters become the best players for years to come.

"After all this time, I want to come clean. I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my Congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it. I'll do that, and then I just want to help my team."

Story courtesy of:

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

Nearly flawless Sanchez leads Jets past mistake-prone Bengals

2010-01-09T22:33:00.002-06:00

Associated Press

CINCINNATI -- One playoff game into his career, Mark Sanchez is giving a pretty good off-Broadway performance.

So are the rest of the New York Jets, who are no longer an overlooked team after dismantling the AFC North champions twice within a week.

Any more doubters?

Four downs
» The Jets became the first team with a rushing TD by a rookie and a passing TD by a rookie in the same playoff game since 1934.

» The Jets have won six of their last seven games and four straight on the road, including the playoffs.

» The Jets have not committed a turnover in their last three games.

» The Bengals have lost their last three playoff games; They have not won a playoff game since the 1990 wild card game vs. the Houston Oilers (longest active playoff win drought in NFL).

With their rookie quarterback playing mistake-free, the Jets turned their surprising playoff appearance into a long-running production Saturday. Sanchez threw a touchdown pass, and the NFL's top running game took it from there, setting up a 24-14 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

"It's pretty special," Sanchez said. "It's got nothing to do with me."

Actually, the Jets' first playoff win since 2004 had everything to do with him.

Playing in single-digit wind chills against a defense that tried its best to put the game in his hands, Sanchez went 12 of 15 for 182 yards and a stratospheric passer rating of 139.4.

Considered the Jets' weakest link heading into the playoffs, he became their focal point, getting his first playoff win ahead of Carson Palmer, his boyhood idol.

"He had the eye of the tiger today and he was ready to get out there and throw it around," coach Rex Ryan said. "I see him getting better and better each day on the practice field. What a job he's done. I think he's tired of hearing he's the weak link on this football team."

He wasn't the only rookie making plays under pressure for New York (10-7). Third-round pick Shonn Greene ran for 135 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, leading a running game that churned out 171 yards for a rare back-to-back sweep of the Bengals (10-7).

Cedric Benson ran for a Bengals-record 169 yards in a playoff game, but Cincinnati managed little else. Its streak without a playoff win reached 19 years and counting.

The Jets?

"They might have a chance to make a move," said Palmer, who was off-target and under pressure most of the game. "Their defense is that good."

Take Palmer's word for that.

Cincinnati went to the Meadowlands six days earlier and got turned into road kill. The Jets ran for 257 yards, and the Bengals managed a total of 72 yards, with Chad Ochocinco getting shut out. Little changed the second time around -- Ochocinco had two catches for 28 yards in the rematch.

"This was a great team effort," said Ryan, who won in his playoff debut as a head coach. "We're a good football team. If people don't believe that, they soon will."

No one should count the Jets out now, not the way their coach did two weeks ago. Ryan thought the Jets were out of contention following a 10-7 loss to the Falcons that was set up by Sanchez's three interceptions. Then, everything lined up in their favor.

The Colts pulled their starters a week later, allowing the Jets to rally for a win, while four other playoff contenders lost. Then, the Bengals showed up at the Meadowlands and lost 37-0 with little at stake.

Ryan's father, Buddy, was the defensive line coach for the '69 Jets, who won the Super Bowl title that Broadway Joe Namath had guaranteed. These Jets came into the playoffs as an off-Broadway show, lacking a star quarterback who could deliver a win.

Until Saturday.

Sanchez looked like a playoff pro, joining Shaun King, Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger as rookie quarterbacks to win postseason starts. At times, Sanchez found himself on the sideline soaking it all in.

"It just blows your mind," he said. "It's unbelievable. I hope I have this feeling next week."

Sanchez was by far the lowest-ranked passer in the playoffs, throwing 20 interceptions in his rookie season -- second-most in the league. The Bengals wanted to put the game in his hands. Playing without a glove on his passing hand in an 8-degree wind chill, the kid from Southern California handled it without a bobble.

Afterward, the team presented a game ball to owner Woody Johnson, whose daughter, Casey, was found dead in her Los Angeles home on Monday. Johnson's eyes were red as he left the locker room.

The Jets also had a scare at the outset when punter Steve Weatherford was ruled out because of dizziness and an elevated heartbeat. Kicker Jay Feely punted for the first time in his NFL career, averaging 31 yards on seven kicks. He also made a 20-yard field goal with 5:47 to go that put Cincinnati too far behind.

"I was so happy that I was kicking a field goal (then) instead of punting," Feely said. "That was great."

The Jets pulled ahead 14-7 by halftime with two big plays off Sanchez's hand. He faked a handoff and made a perfect pitchout to Greene, who needed only one block to find open space for a 39-yard touchdown run, the longest of his career.

In the second quarter, Sanchez caught the Bengals off-guard. He rolled to his right and found tight end Dustin Keller running uncovered beyond the secondary. The throw was perfect, and Keller kept his balance for the last 15 yards while safety Chinedum Ndukwe vainly tried to knock him out of bounds.

At halftime, Sanchez was 7 of 10 for 94 yards with a passer rating of 132.9. It could have been even better -- Braylon Edwards let a pass slip through his hands in the end zone.

Sanchez led an eight-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in Thomas Jones' 9-yard run for a 21-7 lead late in the third quarter. Benson broke a 47-yard touchdown run -- the longest in Bengals playoff history -- that got Cincinnati within a touchdown, but Sanchez and Greene turned it on again.

The game ended with a little more Jets serendipity. Shayne Graham, the Bengals' franchise-tagged player, missed two field goals in the second half, including a 28-yarder with 3:49 to go that essentially sealed it.

Notes: Greene was the third rookie since 2000 to rush for 100 yards in a playoff game. ... Feely had one punt in college and didn't punt in high school. ... Bengals LB Rashad Jeanty broke his left leg on the opening kickoff. ... Bengals WRs Laveranues Coles (thumb) and Andre Caldwell (ankle) suffered injuries in the second quarter, but returned in the second half. ... Palmer said he'll have surgery on his left (non-throwing) thumb, which he injured in the fifth game of the season. He wore a removable brace for the rest of the season.

Story courtesy of:

The Associated Press

With Holliday signed, focus turns to Pujols

2010-01-08T17:29:00.002-06:00

Cards first baseman could hit open market after '11 season

By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

01/08/10 1:00 AM EST

ST. LOUIS -- As the Cardinals introduced Matt Holliday as their newest re-acquisition, an air of celebration filled the press conference room at Busch Stadium. In under 24 hours, though, the club's front office gets back to work on matters large and small -- one of them bigger and potentially even more difficult than retaining Holliday's services for seven more years.

By locking up Holliday to a seven-year, $120-million deal, the Redbirds cleared their last major bit of business as far as assembling their 2010 roster. They may yet add a third baseman, or a fifth starter, or help for their bullpen or bench, but Holliday was the biggest piece. Any remaining moves will be complementary.

However, another task looms. Albert Pujols is two seasons away from free agency, and now that Holliday's services are secured, the Cardinals may soon look to re-up their signature player.

"I would say in the not-too-distant future," said the team's principal owner, Bill DeWitt Jr. "He does have two years left, so it's not like he's about to enter Spring Training in his last year. I think the pace will be dictated somewhat by how he feels about it, how he sees things shaping up, and his representatives."

General manager John Mozeliak emphasized that the Cards didn't necessarily have to finish dealings with Holliday and his agent, Scott Boras, before moving on to negotiating with Pujols and his representatives from the Beverly Hills Sports Council. But given that Pujols himself has indicated that the club should square away Holliday before turning to him, it was clear the order in which things would happen.

"I've said this all along on this one," Mozeliak said. "It's going to be something that Albert and his agents and I, we'll know when the time is right. Frankly, when it is right, nobody is going to know about it anyway. It's just going to be something that we would privately want to discuss."

Holliday's deal is worth $17 million in each of the seven guaranteed seasons. However, $2 million of that will be deferred to the years 2020-29, so the present-day value is closer to $16 million a year. That's still a lot. But the Cardinals believe they can carry that salary plus whatever it will take to lock up Pujols long-term -- and it will surely be more than Holliday is making.

"We look at the AAV a little differently than just the gross number, because obviously when you defer, you [reduce] present value and it's a lesser number," DeWitt said. "We think it's a number that we can live with, re-sign Albert and have a really strong, contending team around those cornerstones."

That doesn't mean it will be easy. Any estimate, even a conservative one, places an average salary on a new Pujols deal at somewhere north of $20 million per season. Mark Teixeira makes $22.5 million a year, and Alex Rodriguez averages $27.5 million. They are the two closest analogs for Pujols among currently-signed players.

Thus, if the Cardinals remain at an annual player payroll of close to $100 million, they would be committing 40 percent or more to two players.

"It doesn't really expose you, it just changes your flexibility in certain areas," Mozeliak said. "But it's no different than other years where you've had resources tied up in different positions. This is perhaps 20 percent more dramatic, but it's still something that if you operate under [those] assumptions, you still have 50-plus million to allocate and to complement your club. That's a lot."

As the long, slow dance between the Cardinals and Boras ground through December, the agent specifically tied Holliday to Pujols. He told reporters during baseball's annual Winter Meetings that he believed re-signing Holliday would increase the Cardinals' chances of retaining Pujols. He softened that connection a bit on Thursday, but didn't dismiss it entirely.

"I always felt that the signing of Matt Holliday would help keep any St. Louis Cardinals player, not just Albert Pujols," Boras said.

"[Holliday] is part of the matrix for success for a team. The important thing about what players consider is that Matt is such a, he's just synergistic to what most players want to do, and that's to win and succeed."

That is, in fact, exactly what Pujols has repeatedly said he wants to do. Every time he has answered questions about his contract, he has been consistent. He wants to play for a winner. While it's possible the Holliday contract will hamstring the Cardinals down the road, it surely indicates that the organization is willing to spend money in an attempt to compete.

"Getting a chance to play with the guys on this team that I got a chance to play with for two months, obviously Albert's a huge part of that, but there's other players and people that were part of that decision," Holliday said. "Getting a chance to play and watch Albert, be on the same team with Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, the list goes on and on. All those guys, and Albert particularly, did weigh in that decision. Hopefully he'll be here for the rest of his career and we can do some damage."

Story courtesy of:

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

Gilbert Arenas indefinitely suspended by NBA

2010-01-07T10:45:00.002-06:00

NEW YORK (AP)—Some of his teammates laughed when Gilbert Arenas(notes) pointed his index fingers at them, as if they were guns.

David Stern didn’t.

Stern hasn’t found any of Arenas’ behavior funny lately, so on Wednesday he handed down a punishment he wasn’t expected to deliver until much later.

Arenas was suspended indefinitely without pay by the NBA commissioner, who determined the Washington Wizards guard was “not currently fit to take the court.”

AP - Jan 6, 5:07 pm EST
A day after Arenas made the gesture with his fingers toward his teammates who encircled him before a game in Philadelphia, Stern warned the former All-Star that his conduct will “ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse.”

Arenas is under investigation by federal and local authorities after admittedly bringing guns to the Wizards’ locker room. Stern said he intended to wait for that to be completed before taking action, and directed the Wizards to do the same.

He changed his mind a day after the Philadelphia game, when Arenas said he feared Stern more than the authorities because the commissioner was “mean.”

“Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game,” Stern said in a statement. “Accordingly, I am suspending Mr. Arenas indefinitely, without pay, effective immediately pending the completion of the investigation by the NBA.”

Though Arenas first apologized Monday for his poor judgment and promised “to do better in the future,” he also joked on Twitter about the incident and the media firestorm it created.

That was the wrong tact for Stern, whose league has taken another public relations hit.

“The possession of firearms by an NBA player in an NBA arena is a matter of the utmost concern to us,” Stern said.

With each game he misses, Arenas will lose about $147,200 of the $16.2 million he will earn in the second season of a six-year, $111 million contract. The punishment came on his 28th birthday.

“I feel very badly that my actions have caused the NBA to suspend me, but I understand why the league took this action,” Arenas said in a statement through his attorney. “I put the NBA in a negative light and let down my teammates and our fans. I am very sorry for doing that.”

Arenas added that he had called Stern to apologize.

“While I never intended any harm or disrespect to the NBA or anyone else, my gun possession at the Verizon Center and my attempts at humor showed terrible judgment,” he said. “I take full responsibility for my conduct.”

Arenas said he brought four guns to the Verizon Center because he wanted them out of his house after his daughter was born. But two officials within the league who have been briefed on the investigation have told The Associated Press that the incident stemmed from a dispute over card-playing gambling debts and a heated discussion in the locker room with teammate Javaris Crittenton(notes). The New York Post reported that the two teammates drew weapons on each other.

Arenas said in a statement Monday that he took unloaded guns from his locker in a “misguided effort to play a joke” on a teammate.

“Joke or not, I now recognize that what I did was a mistake and was wrong,” Arenas said. “I should not have brought the guns to DC in the first place, and I now realize that there’s no such thing as joking around when it comes to guns—even if unloaded.”

Stern said members of the Wizards organization are still being interviewed by authorities.

“Some are scheduled for appearance before the grand jury and the investigation is proceeding with the intensity that one would expect for such a serious incident,” Stern said.

The story could get worse. The Washington Post, citing two firsthand accounts of the confrontation, reported on its Web site that Crittenton brandished his own gun and loaded a clip of ammunition into it. Arenas spoke to the district attorney about Crittenton’s loaded gun, a person with knowledge of Arenas’ testimony told the Post.

Crittenton told the Post in a series of text messages that the account was “false.”

“I have done nothing wrong. Let the investigation process take its course and you will see that,” Crittenton told the Post. “My name is dying in this situation.”

Arenas has been suspended once before because of a gun-related matter. He sat out Washington’s season opener in 2004 because he failed to maintain proper registration of a handgun while living in California in 2003 and playing for the Golden State Warriors.

The Wizards supported Stern’s decision in a statement attributed to president Ernie Grunfeld and the Pollin family, which owns the team. The late Abe Pollin changed the team’s name from the Bullets because of the violent connotation.

“Strictly legal issues aside, Gilbert’s recent behavior and statements, including his actions and statements last night in Philadelphia, are unacceptable,” the statement said. “Some of our other players appeared to find Gilbert’s behavior in Philadelphia amusing. This is also unacceptable.”

Union executive director Billy Hunter said the players association will wait until the investigation is complete before taking any action.

Since the firearms language was strengthened in the 2005 collective bargaining agreement, NBA players are subject to discipline if they bring guns to the arena or practice facility, or even an offsite promotional appearance. That gave Stern the option of taking action now instead of waiting until the completion of the criminal case, as he usually does.

Arenas’ suspension deprives the Wizards of their top scorer and on-court leader. After Arenas left the team in Cleveland, the Wizards fell to 11-22, last in the Southeast Division, with a 121-98 loss to the Cavaliers.

AP Sports Writers Howard Fendrich and Joseph White in Washington, an AP freelance writer Jason Lloyd in Cleveland contributed to this report.

Updated 7 hours, 37 minutes ago

Story courtesy of:
Brian Mahoney, AP Basketball Writer

Bears Coach Lovie Smith to return, but Turner among those who won't be back

2010-01-07T10:28:00.002-06:00

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 1/5/2010 9:47 PM

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo will remain in their respective positions, but other significant changes will be announced today at a 2 p.m. news conference that will be streamed live on ChicagoBears.com.

The moves begin on the offensive side of the ball, where coordinator Ron Turner has been relieved of his duties. Others who won’t return include position coaches Pep Hamilton (quarterbacks), Harry Hiestand (line) and Rob Boras (tight ends), and assistants Luke Butkus and Charles London.

Ron Turner replaced Terry Shea as Bears offensive coordinator in 2005.
The changes come after the Bears went 7-9 and failed to make the playoffs for the third straight season. Since reaching Super Bowl XLI in 2006, Smith has compiled a 23-25 record.

Acquiring Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler in a blockbuster trade in April created euphoria both inside and outside of Halas Hall. But Cutler struggled with interceptions and didn’t get much help from an inconsistent defense and an unproductive running game.

The Bears followed a promising 3-1 start by losing eight of 10 games before closing the season with back-to-back victories over the NFC North champion Vikings and the hapless Lions. In those two contests, Cutler became the first quarterback in Bears history to pass for at least four touchdowns in consecutive games as the offense racked up 73 points, 781 yards and 41 first downs.

But the late surge wasn’t enough to save Turner’s job. In his five seasons in his second stint as Bears offensive coordinator, the offense ranked 29th, 15th, 27th, 26th and 23rd in total yards. Turner’s best year was in 2006 when he helped the Bears reach the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman at quarterback. This season a unit that had six new starters ranked 29th rushing and 17th passing.

Smith has compiled a 54-46 record in six seasons as coach. He led the Bears to the NFC North title in 2005 before repeating that accomplishment en route to the Super Bowl the following season.

If Smith is able to guide the Bears back into the playoffs in 2010, he wouldn’t be the first NFL coach to experience a three-year drought between post-season appearances with the same team. Bill Cowher did it in Pittsburgh, as did Mike Holmgren in Seattle and Jeff Fisher in Tennessee.

Story courtesy of:

Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 1/5/2010 9:47 PM

Shanahan signs five-year contract to coach Redskins

2010-01-07T10:22:00.002-06:00

The last time Dan Snyder went looking for a coach, he used a whole month, exhausted his entire list of candidates and settled for a novice who yielded little power, didn't always receive his due respect and went 12-20.

This time, the Washington Redskins' owner needed one day to land his No. 1 target: Mike Shanahan, who brings two Super Bowl rings and a reputation for wanting the final say.

The franchise's major overhaul after a troubled season will take another step Wednesday when Shanahan is introduced as coach at a 2 p.m. ET news conference that will be streamed live on NFL.com and also air on NFL Network. Shanahan signed his contact Tuesday, according to the team's Web site.

David Zalubowski / Associated Press
Mike Shanahan compiled a .599 winning percentage
in 14 seasons with the Broncos and becomes the second-winningest active coach behind Bill Belichick.

Shanahan's career as Broncos coach
Seasons 14
Regular-season W-L 138-86
Playoff W-L 8-5
Winning seasons 9
Losing seasons 2
Playoff appearances 7
Division titles 3
Super Bowl wins 2

"We needed a guy like Mike Shanahan," Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. "We needed a proven leader, a proven winner. He's definitely going to get these guys motivated and get the most out of all of them."

Shanahan received a five-year contract, a source with knowledge of the situation told NFL Network's Jason La Canfora. The hire came less than 48 hours after the Redskins fired Jim Zorn and less than three weeks after front-office chief Vinny Cerrato resigned and quickly was replaced by general manager Bruce Allen.

In less than a month, the Redskins have gone from an organization that revolved primarily around Snyder and yes-man Cerrato to one that includes two established decision-makers.

Citing a league source, La Canfora reports that Shanahan will hire his son, Kyle, away from the Houston Texans to be the Redskins' offensive coordinator. The Redskins also are prepared to interview Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer for the same position should his team lose at home to the New York Jets in an AFC wild-card playoff game Saturday, according to a league source.

Should Shanahan not hire Zimmer, former New Orleans Saints coach Jim Haslett is another possibility, league sources indicated to La Canfora. Haslett recently coached in the UFL, and there are rumblings in coaching circles that Shanahan isn’t averse to going with a 3-4 defense in Washington.

The Redskins are 82-99 since Snyder bought the team, missing the playoffs in eight of 11 seasons. Shanahan will be Washington's seventh coach since Snyder came along in 1999 -- a stretch that has included just two playoff victories for a team that proudly displays three shiny Super Bowl championship trophies in the lobby of its practice facility.

The toll of mediocre records and accompanying fan unrest left Snyder little choice but to hire established names and put them in charge. The messy 2009 season managed to spill over into yet another day Tuesday, when quarterback Jason Campbell and running Clinton Portis traded barbs about leadership in separate interviews on the radio and the Internet.

Shanahan won the Super Bowl title twice in 14 seasons with the Denver Broncos, but he was fired a year ago after they missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Shanahan made the playoffs in half of his seasons in Denver and had just two losing seasons -- 6-10 in 1999 and 7-9 in 2007. His greatest successes came early, winning consecutive Super Bowls after the 1997 and '98 seasons with a team led by quarterback John Elway.

Shanahan's career regular-season record is 146-98, including 138-86 with the Broncos from 1995 to 2008 and 8-12 with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1988 and 1989. Shanahan's playoff record is 8-5.

Zorn lost 18 of his last 24 games after a 6-2 start in 2008. Some Redskins players spoke Monday -- the day the first-time head coach was let go with a year left on his contract -- about a lack of discipline this season and preferential treatment given to some players.

Now there's someone with a solid track record in charge -- and players didn't have to wait a month for him to arrive.

"You always wonder what's going to be happen. You don't want to be on pins and needles," defensive end Andre Carter said. "When we had the team meeting with Bruce Allen, he told us something would happen hastily. He wasn't joking when he said that."

Story courtesy of:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Holliday agrees to mega-deal with Cards

2010-01-07T10:01:00.003-06:00

Guaranteed $120M over seven years, richest in club history-

01/05/10 8:46 PM EST

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals got their man. Matt Holliday got his contract.

Holliday announced on Tuesday that he is coming back to the Cardinals on a seven-year deal with an option for 2017, agreeing to a guaranteed $120 million -- the richest contract in club history. He announced his decision on ESPN Radio.

Negotiations between the team and agent Scott Boras were lengthy, and at times difficult, but in the end, both sides got what they wanted. The Cardinals secured the services of a player they paid dearly to acquire, and Holliday got a long and lucrative contract.

"Sometimes when you take a big-picture look at things, it's overwhelming," Holliday told Doug Gottlieb on ESPN Radio. "Obviously my wife [Leslee] and I feel like we're very blessed. It is a tremendous amount of money. When you're a little kid growing up who hopes to be a professional baseball player and hopes to play in the Major Leagues, I don't think you ever think about the money. Now that you look at it and it's that kind of money, it's a little overwhelming."

Finalization of the deal is pending a physical exam. The Cardinals confirmed in a statement that an agreement is in place, however. The club said that a formal announcement regarding Holliday will come within the next 48 hours.

Boras confirmed that the guaranteed value of the seven-year contract is worth an even $17 million per year, including a full no-trade clause. The latter provision tends to be a major point of emphasis for Boras.

HOT STOVE'S BIG DEALS
Matt Holliday's new deal, worth a guaranteed $120 million over seven years, ranks as the biggest contract of the offseason so far.

Player Team Deal Yrs. Avg.
Matt Holliday STL $120M 7 $17.1M
John Lackey BOS $82.5M 5 $16.5M
Jason Bay NYM $66M 4 $16.5M
Chone Figgins LAA $36M 4 $9M
Randy Wolf MIL $29.75M 3 $9.9M

The contract includes a $17 million vesting option for 2017, which will kick in if Holliday finishes in the top 10 in National League Most Valuable Player voting in 2016.

The Associated Press reported that the buyout on the vesting option is worth $1 million, making the total guaranteed value of the pact $120 million. If the option vests, Holliday will receive $136 million over the life of the pact. However, The AP also reported that the contract includes some deferred money, which would lower the present-day value of the contract to $16 million per year.

The deal gives Holliday the longest guarantee of any current Cardinal and the largest contract in club history, surpassing Albert Pujols' seven-year, $100 million contract.

Boras said that Holliday's choices with other clubs included shorter contracts with a higher average annual value.

"There were options," Boras said. "Matt gave me direction to pursue some options in advance of others. But certainly it was a process for him where he really had an opportunity to choose a direction that was most given to his and Leslee's needs."

Holliday spent the first five years of his Major League career with Colorado. After the Rockies determined they would be unable to sign him once he reached free agency, they traded him last winter to Oakland.

The A's then shipped Holliday to St. Louis in July for a package of prospects headed by burgeoning offensive talent Brett Wallace. He thrived upon arrival, hitting .353 with a .419 on-base percentage and .604 slugging percentage as a Cardinal.

However, Holliday struggled somewhat in the Cards' Division Series loss to Los Angeles, going 2-for-12 and famously dropping a ninth-inning fly ball in Game 2. Still, his overall experience with the Cardinals was a positive one, and he remembered that when it came to be decision time.

"The way Cardinal fans treated me the entire time I was there, from the first at-bat until the last at-bat, I definitely think that's something you consider, and something I did consider," Holliday told Gottlieb. "I was obviously very appreciative of the way I was treated there. Those things do weigh into your decision-making. I think every player wants to be appreciated for playing hard and playing well, and I think they definitely do that."

With Holliday back in the fold, the Cardinals have committed approximately $80.5 million in salaries for 2010. Salaries for arbitration-eligible and pre-arbitration players have yet to be determined, but will likely take the total up to around $93-94 million.

Assuming the Cardinals come in with a payroll of approximately $100 million, that means they still have some leeway to sign another player or two. The club has interest in a starting pitcher, a bat or two off the bench, and possibly a third baseman and a right-handed reliever.

Story courtesy of:

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

Tony Stewart wins at Pocono

2009-06-07T16:57:00.002-06:00

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

2009-06-04T22:56:00.002-06:00

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

2009-06-04T09:07:00.001-06:00

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

2009-06-04T09:02:00.001-06:00

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

2009-06-04T08:56:00.001-06:00

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

2009-06-04T08:41:00.001-06:00

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

2009-06-03T07:52:00.002-06:00

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

2009-06-03T07:44:00.001-06:00

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

2009-06-03T07:39:00.001-06:00

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

2009-03-23T13:25:00.002-06:00

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

Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Eury: He is the only crew chief for me

2009-03-23T13:04:00.002-06:00

Driver says he's to blame for slow start to 2009 season

By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM
March 21, 2009
12:40 PM EDT

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. can handle the criticism. If you want to blame someone for his rather underwhelming first 40 races at Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR's most popular driver urges you to point the finger squarely at him. But attacking his crew chief? That's going a little too far.

Yet Earnhardt hears it, on a regular basis -- fans, reporters and opinion-makers all blaming crew chief Tony Eury Jr. for the struggles of the No. 88 team, which has won once since Earnhardt moved to Hendrick at the beginning of last year. His reaction is a shake of the head and more solid support for his cousin, who's been on the pit box in some capacity for all but one of the driver's 18 career Cup victories.

“
I'd rather be crucified than him, because every time I read in the paper that people are on his case, I feel like people are sending my brother to jail for a crime I committed.
”
DALE EARNHARDT JR."I've said it 100 times, and it just doesn't seem to make a dent, but the guy that I feel bad for is Tony Jr., because he gets criticized so badly. And everyone in this [media] room, some of you have criticized him yourselves, know how smart a guy he is, truly know that he's a good mechanic and a solid crew chief. He just wanted to do this for a living, just like I do. I'll take the fall. I'd rather be crucified than him, because every time I read in the paper that people are on his case, I feel like people are sending my brother to jail for a crime I committed," Earnhardt said Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"I feel bad for him, because he just wants to work and have fun and just wants to race. That's what everybody in the garage wants to do, they just want to race. But I understand that I need to run better, I understand y'alls point of view when y'all say, 'What gives? Where's the results?' I understand that, and I'm out there busting my butt trying to make it happen. And that's my goal until nobody will employ me in this sport. That's my goal, to make it happen. I just wish it was an easier job for him."

Right now, that job is far from easy. Although Earnhardt snapped a 76-race winless streak last year at Michigan and returned to the Chase in 2008 after a one-year absence, the breakthrough many expected when he moved to Hendrick has yet to occur. It's all been exacerbated by a slow start to this season, where a blown engine at California and pit-road mistakes at Daytona have relegated him to a 24th-place position in points. Even top-11 finishes in his last two races haven't stopped the wolves from howling. (Continued)

Eury, who has engineered two race wins since becoming Earnhardt's crew chief in September of 2005, often bears the brunt of it. But there are no indications that Earnhardt and his crew chief will be separated anytime soon.

"You see certain drivers and you know what they need for a crew chief, and I think it was all unanimous, and still to this day is unanimous, that Tony Eury Jr. is the guy for Junior, and possibly the only guy for Junior," said Jeff Gordon, Earnhardt's Hendrick teammate. "There is a tremendous amount of expectations and pressures that come along with being Dale Jr., as well as being Dale Jr.'s crew chief. There just aren't many guys in the garage area that could withstand that kind of crucifixion that comes along when things aren't going well, and Tony Eury Jr. is one of them. Plus, the uniqueness of their relationship and how they communicate is second to none."

The Junior effect
Despite just one win in the last 102 Cup races, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a one-man economic powerhouse. But why?

That communication is sometime unorthodox -- the two cousins sniping at one another, and then making up. Splitting them up, Earnhardt believes, might ultimately do more harm than good.

"There are risks between every driver and every crew chief, and they either work it out or they don't. I think me and Tony Jr. do a pretty good job of working it out. Obviously, through everything we've been through, we still love each other to death and we'd do anything for each other. I don't dread seeing him when I get to the race track. I can't wait to see him when I get to the race track. We really do enjoy working together," Earnhardt said.

"I like racing with my cousin. Whether we are the perfect combination or not, that doesn't mean anything to me. I just like racing with him. That's what I want to do for the rest of my life. I like working with him. Whether I get to do that or not, I don't know. I like racing with him, and maybe we're not the best combination out there, but I think if we're both on our A game and doing what we should be doing and get a little bit of luck and a break here and a break there, we'll be just as good as anybody out there."

Ultimately, Earnhardt said, it comes down to two sides. There's the side with sponsors and teams where the only goal is performance, and it's all about winning races and championships. And then there's the side of the driver, who's been going to the track with his buddies since his days running late models, and doesn't want to give that up. That's the way Earnhardt feels about Eury.

"You just want to have fun, because you did this for fun and people decided to pay you to do it. That's where I'm at," Earnhardt said. "It's up to all the professionals and experts to decide what we need to do to be a winning race team. We'll make the changes, and we have made changes. But I like working with the guy. We trust each other. We go through a lot of crap together, and I know where he's at and he knows where I'm at. We just have a bond."

2009 Unofficial Race Results : Food City 500

2009-03-23T12:54:00.001-06:00

FIN ST CAR DRIVER MAKE SPONSOR PTS/BNS LAPS STATUS
1 19 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Snickers 195/10 503 Running
2 24 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Express 175/5 503 Running
3 3 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 170/5 503 Running
4 10 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 160/0 503 Running
5 5 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser 155/0 503 Running
6 1 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet Carquest / Kellogg's 155/5 503 Running
7 2 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet U.S. Army 151/5 503 Running
8 40 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Caterpillar 142/0 503 Running
9 12 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet Target 138/0 503 Running
10 13 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota Little Debbie / Kingsford / Clorox 139/5 503 Running
11 32 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 130/0 503 Running
12 6 00 David Reutimann Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine 132/5 503 Running
13 31 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet BB&T 124/0 503 Running
14 34 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet National Guard / Amp Energy 121/0 503 Running
15 38 99 Carl Edwards Ford Aflac 118/0 503 Running
16 26 44 A.J. Allmendinger Dodge Charter Comm. 115/0 503 Running
17 15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet Office Depot / Old Spice 112/0 502 Running
18 17 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Golden Corral 109/0 502 Running
19 29 12 David Stremme Dodge Penske Racing 106/0 502 Running
20 22 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Best Buy 103/0 502 Running
21 35 7 Robby Gordon Toyota SPOT 100/0 501 Running
22 36 96 Bobby Labonte Ford Academy Sports + Outdoors 97/0 501 Running
23 7 43 Reed Sorenson Dodge Paralyzed Veterans of America 94/0 501 Running
24 37 07 Casey Mears Chevrolet Jack Daniel's 91/0 501 Running
25 42 98 Paul Menard Ford Johns Manville / Menards 88/0 501 Running
26 20 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 85/0 501 Running
27 41 6 David Ragan Ford UPS 82/0 500 Running
28 11 82 Scott Speed * Toyota Red Bull 79/0 500 Running
29 27 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 76/0 499 Running
30 30 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil 73/0 499 Running
31 25 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge Mobil 1 70/0 499 Running
32 21 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA 72/5 497 Running
33 33 17 Matt Kenseth Ford Dewalt 64/0 497 Running
34 39 34 John Andretti Chevrolet WindowWorld.com 61/0 495 Running
35 18 8 Aric Almirola Chevrolet Champion Apparel 58/0 494 Running
36 14 171 David Gilliland Chevrolet Capital Window 55/0 493 Running
37 9 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal 52/0 491 Running
38 23 20 Joey Logano * Toyota The Home Depot 49/0 490 Engine
39 4 16 Greg Biffle Ford 3M 46/0 326 Engine
40 43 09 Sterling Marlin Dodge Phoenix Racing 43/0 91 Steering
41 28 187 Joe Nemechek Toyota NEMCO Motorsports 40/0 82 Rear End
42 16 64 Todd Bodine Toyota Fred's Hometown Discount Store 37/0 58 Accident
43 8 66 Dave Blaney Toyota Prism Motorsports 34/0 33 Steering

* Denotes Rookie

Chicago BlackHawks Look Sharp In Win Over Kings

2009-03-23T12:23:00.001-06:00

CHICAGO (AP) -Getting forward Patrick Sharp back in the lineup and getting a lead helped the Chicago Blackhawks snap their longest winless streak of the season.

Sharp and Martin Havlat each scored two goals, Nikolai Khabibulin made 14 saves, and Chicago defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Sunday to end an 0-3-2 slump.

Sharp skated in his first game after missing 16 with a left knee injury. After opening the scoring during a power play midway through the first period, Sharp helped set up Havlat's first goal early in the second to put Chicago ahead 2-0.

"I just wanted to come in and play a strong game; not necessarily worry about scoring goals and making plays, but just play hard and with energy," Sharp said. "Luckily a couple of pucks went in."

"It was great to have him (Sharp) there," Havlat added. "His first goal was a beautiful shot. You can see we create more offense with him in the lineup. We need him."

The Blackhawks, 4-7-3 in their past 14, opened the scoring for only the second time in their past nine games.

"The biggest thing is we didn't give up any early goals," Chicago's Duncan Keith said. "It's tough when you fight for the momentum and then give up an easy goal. Tonight we didn't do that."

Sunday's victory moved the Blackhawks into fourth place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of idle Vancouver.

"We needed a win badly," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "I don't want to say a number, but I still think our motivation is to finish fourth in our conference."

Khabibulin lost a bid for his second shutout this season and 40th of his career when the Kings' Drew Doughty scored a power-play goal with 3:06 left in the third.

Khabibulin earned his first win since a 3-1 victory in Atlanta on Feb. 11, when he suffered a groin injury that sidelined him for a month. Khabibulin, who was activated from injured reserve on March 11, has started four of Chicago's past five games.

"It was our best defensive game in some time," Quenneville said. "Khabby was solid and very confident in his positioning. He was good the whole game long and handled the puck well."

Los Angeles' Jonathan Quick made 28 saves as Chicago dominated for most of the game and outshot the Kings 32-15.

"Quick was really good for us," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "In a situation like this, when you've got a lot of desperation basically from both sides, Chicago played well. They beat us to pucks.

"We didn't generate a lot because they we're good."

The Kings, playing the third game of a six-game road trip, saw their playoff hopes dwindle further. Los Angeles is seven points behind eighth-place Nashville in the Western Conference and the postseason cutoff with 10 games remaining.

Los Angeles lost its second straight and is 1-4-1 in its past six.

On Sunday, Quick held the Kings in the game. Doughty's goal cut it to 2-1 before Sharp and Havlat each scored empty-net goals in the final 1:06.

"We played well enough to get by and kept it a close game," Quick said. "We almost pulled off something when we got it to within one goal. A couple of empty-net goals later and the game was over."

Chicago had a 5:35 power play including a 25-second 5-on-3 early in the first set up by a double-minor to Los Angeles' Justin Williams and a minor to Sean O'Donnell.

Sharp opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 9:46 and with 54 seconds left in the long advantage. He beat Quick on the glove side with a rising shot from low edge of the left circle to complete a 2-on-1 break.

Havlat made it 2-0 at 4:21 of the second when he completed a give-and-go with Sharp with a one-timer from the right edge of the crease. Havlat dished to Sharp in the right circle; Sharp then slid a pass back to Havlat after Havlat cut across the crease.

Doughty scored a power-play goal on a screened shot from the right wing with 3:06 left in regulation to cut it to 2-1.

Sharp banked a shot into an empty net with 1:06 remaining to make it 3-1. Havlat added empty-net goal with 18 seconds left to complete the scoring.

Notes: Sharp was leading the team in goal scoring with 23 when he was injured on Feb. 13 in the opening minute of a home game against St. Louis. ... Blackhawks LW Ben Eager sat out the first game of a three-game suspension. Eager was suspended elbowing Edmonton's Liam Reddox in the head in the third period of Chicago's 5-4 shootout loss to the Oilers. Eager didn't receive a penalty on the play, however. ... Chicago D Cam Barker sat out with an undisclosed injury. D Jordan Hendry was recalled from Rockford of the AHL and replaced Barker on Sunday. ... Los Angeles D Denis Gauthier missed his second game with an upper-body injury.

Associated Press
Three star selections:
1st: PATRICK SHARP
2nd: MARTIN HAVLAT
3rd: BRENT SEABROOK

Winning Goaltender:
Nikolai Khabibulin

Losing Goaltender:
Jonathan Quick

Rays' Longoria, Cubs' Soto win rookie of year awards

2008-11-10T19:58:00.000-06:00

NEW YORK -- The rookie races were all but over by July, when Evan Longoria and Geovany Soto gave an All-Star glimpse of things to come.

Longoria won the American League Rookie of the Year award in a unanimous vote and Soto ran away with the NL honor Monday, capping impressive seasons that included All-Star appearances for both players at Yankee Stadium.

Pretty rare stuff for a pair of first-timers -- but these were no ordinary freshmen.

"I had a great year, bar none," Longoria said. "I know I have the ability to do more."

Following a season of breakthroughs for the AL champion Rays, Longoria became the first Tampa Bay player to win a national award from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The power-hitting third baseman received all 28 first-place votes, making him the league's first unanimous rookie winner since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997.

Rookie of Year voting

AL voting Player 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Longoria, Rays 28 -- -- 140
Alexei Ramirez, White Sox -- 18 5 59
Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox -- 7 5 26
Others receiving votes: Mike Aviles, Royals, 9; Armando Galarraga, Tigers, 9; Joey Devine, A's, 3; Denard Span, Twins, 3; Nick Blackburn, Twins, 1; Joba Chamberlain, Yankees, 1; Brad Ziegler, A's, 1.
NL voting Player 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Soto, Cubs 31 1 -- 158
Joey Votto, Reds 1 21 8 76
Jair Jurrjens, Braves -- 6 16 34
Others receiving votes: Edinson Volquez, Reds, 9; Jay Bruce, Reds, 7; Kosuke Fukudome, Cubs, 4.

Soto, the steady catcher with pop who helped the Cubs win the NL Central, got 31 of 32 first-place votes. The other went to Cincinnati's Joey Votto.

"It's kind of surreal. It really hasn't sunk in yet," Soto said on a conference call from Puerto Rico.

Called up from the minors in April, Longoria batted .272 with 27 homers and 85 RBIs despite missing five weeks after breaking his right wrist Aug. 7. Confident at the plate and splendid on defense, he was a big reason for the Rays' stunning surge to the World Series after 10 straight losing seasons.

"I definitely felt some awe most of the time during the season. I kept that to myself," Longoria said on a conference call from his California home. "I didn't start the year in the big leagues. I struggled all the way through high school ball and college ball. The journey that I went through as a baseball player -- to be sitting here means a lot."

Chicago White Sox second baseman Alexei Ramirez was the runner-up after receiving 18 second-place votes. Boston outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury finished third.

Soto hit .285 with 23 homers, 35 doubles and 86 RBIs. He became the first catcher to win Rookie of the Year in either league since Mike Piazza of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993.

The previous winner from the Cubs was pitcher Kerry Wood 10 years ago.

"I just didn't want to put extra pressure on myself. I just wanted to do my job as the team required," Soto said.

The Rays were so sure Longoria would become a big star that they gave him a $17.5 million, six-year contract after only six major league games. The deal could be worth up to $44.5 million over nine seasons.

So far, he's delivered.

Past five AL winners
2008 Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay
2007 Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston
2006 Justin Verlander, RHP, Detroit
2005 Huston Street, RHP, Oakland
2004 Bobby Crosby, SS, Oakland

Tampa Bay started play in 1998 and had never won more than 70 games until Longoria helped lead the Rays to 97 wins this year and the AL East title. He also hit a tying double with two outs in the eighth inning during the July 15 All-Star Game in New York.

Soto became the first National League rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game. In addition to his productive hitting all season, he did a nice job handling a Cubs pitching staff that compiled a 3.87 ERA, third-best in the NL. He even caught a no-hitter by Carlos Zambrano.

Soto credited backup catcher Henry Blanco and other veteran teammates for giving him advice and pep talks that guided him through a "roller coaster" year.

"That's what helped me have a strong season all the way around," Soto said. "I did try to act very sure about myself, very secure. But I had doubts."

Past five NL winners
2008 Geovany Soto, C, Chicago
2007 Ryan Braun, 3B, Milwaukee
2006 Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida
2005 Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia
2004 Jason Bay, OF, Pittsburgh

After his injury, Longoria, who turned 23 last month, returned in time for Tampa Bay's playoff run. He homered in his first two postseason at-bats against the White Sox, then connected four times against Boston in the AL Championship Series to set a rookie record with six homers in one postseason.

But his offensive tear ended in the World Series, when Longoria went 1-for-20 with nine strikeouts and two RBIs as the Philadelphia Phillies beat Tampa Bay in five games.

"Obviously, I would have loved to play well and help the team," Longoria said. "I was still pretty content that we had a great year."

The 25-year-old Soto had a disappointing October after his team compiled the best regular-season record in the National League. Bothered by a nagging hand injury, he went 2-for-11 (.182) with no RBIs as Chicago was swept in the first round by the Dodgers, leaving the Cubs without a World Series title since 1908.

Balloting for BBWAA awards is conducted before the postseason. Votto garnered 21 second-place votes and 76 points to Soto's 158. Atlanta pitcher Jair Jurrjens came in third.

"I worked really, really hard in past years," Soto said. "I feel very, very special right now. It's a very good moment in my life."

The NL Cy Young Award will be announced Tuesday.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Addressing pass defense a top priority for Bears

2008-11-10T19:48:00.000-06:00

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 11/10/2008 6:58 PM

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – With a NFC North showdown against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers looming Sunday in Green Bay, the Bears are more determined than ever to fix their porous pass defense.

In Sunday’s 21-14 loss to the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field, Kerry Collins became the fourth straight Bears opponent and fifth this year to pass for a season high in yards with 289.

Justin Gage beat Nate Vasher for a 12-yard TD reception in the Titans' win over the Bears.

The 35-year-old followed the Falcons’ Matt Ryan (301), the Vikings’ Gus Frerotte (298) and the Lions’ Dan Orlovsky (292), not exactly the Mount Rushmore of NFL quarterbacks.

“We’ve got to just work on the technique-type things and just go back to the drawing board this week at practice and try to tighten some things up and hopefully things will work out for us,” said veteran cornerback Nate Vasher. “We definitely have to make some more plays.”

While they go back to the drawing board and make some adjustments, coach Lovie Smith won’t radically change a defensive system he strongly believes in.

“I’ve heard a lot about switching up schemes and different things like that,” Smith said Monday at Halas Hall. “Our scheme is good. We have to execute better; it’s as simple as that.

“We’ve had success with this defense and we’re not going to change up, but we’ll always tweak it. We tweak our defense each week and it’s not like we play the same call each play. We do it all, but you still have to execute when it’s called.”

There’s a misconception among some fans and media that the Bears line up in their cover-two defense in most passing situations. The truth is that they mix up their looks and were in the cover-two on only about a dozen of Tennessee’s 41 pass plays Sunday.

While the Bears held the Titans’ third-ranked rushing attack to just 20 yards on 29 carries, Smith denied that loading up against the run automatically makes the defense vulnerable to the pass.

“We don’t sell out, period, against anything,” said the Bears coach. “If you just look at our defense as a whole, most of the time we’ll have two safeties or we’ll have one safety.

"What can you do on the outside? You can play a form of cover-two, play a form of cover-three, or man. That’s basically it, and blitz. We do all of the above. So, yes, we would like to stop the run. But just because you’re stopping the run doesn’t mean that you’re putting yourself in a position where you can’t stop the pass. You can do both.

“We do it all, so it’s just not a question of changing up and all problems are solved. Even with changing it up, you still have to get in position to make a play and make it from time to time.”

When asked about a pass rush that produced just one sack against the Titans, Bears defensive linemen expressed frustration after the game about how Collins was releasing the ball quickly.

“That’s what everybody does on us,” said veteran end Alex Brown. “They take three steps and they throw the ball. Hopefully we figure this out soon. I mean, it’s not changing. They max protect and throw the ball.

"I know they didn’t run the ball a whole lot. But we still gave up 7-yard passes, 10-yard passes. We’ve got guys coming free, unblocked, but can’t get there. Why? I don’t know.”

Defensive tackle Tommie Harris also took issue with a reporter who questioned why the Bears weren’t able to generate much pressure on Collins.

“How long was he in the pocket?” Harris said. “How long did he hold the ball? He was quick throwing the whole time, so something has to give. It has nothing to do with pressure. We’re not Superman. If he drops back and he’s patting the ball like that, then you talk to us about pressure. But we’re doing our job. All of us have to do it better.”

Smith doesn’t think that Brown or Harris were criticizing the Bears’ defensive system.

“No players are questioning our scheme and we’re not going to change up the scheme,” Smith said. “If they’re a football player here, that’s what we’re going to play. They know that. They all have confidence in the scheme. You’re disappointed when you don’t play well, but none of our players are questioning our scheme.”

Smith stressed that all three levels of the Bears defense can improve against the pass.

“They’re not three-step dropping every time,” he said. “They are throwing it quick sometimes, but this was a typical game. You have some three-step drops, some play-action and some regular drop-back passes.

“Sometimes the defensive line will have time to get there, sometimes they won’t. But it’s not just the defensive line, it’s not just the linebackers and it’s not just the secondary. It’s a combination of all. You go through spells like this sometimes where teams can pass the ball a little bit more on you. You go through spells where teams will be able to run the football a little bit more than you’d like. But you just stay the course and things will be OK.”

Blackhawks 6, Flames 1

2008-11-10T19:43:00.000-06:00

If there was any question about how the Blackhawks would respond to their long time off, the question was answered loud and clear on Sunday night as the Hawks beat Calgary 6-1 in their first game in six days.

“It was a dangerous game coming into it,” said Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville. “We were strong. I like how we looked.”

Despite being a man down for eight minutes in the first period, the Hawks opened with two goals in the period, including a power play goal from Martin Havlat. The Flames went 0-for-8 on the power play.

“Our penalty killers did a great job in the first to get us into the game,” said Quenneville. “Coming out of [the first period] with a lead was important, and we got better as the game went on.”

After the teams traded goals in the second period, Jonathan Toews scored his first goal of the season 54 seconds into the third, ending his scoring drought at 12 games.

“It’s a good feeling,” Toews said. “I’ve been telling myself that the team’s playing great and that’s the most important thing. If we were losing and things weren’t going well as a team, there’d be a little bit more pressure when pucks aren’t going in, but they did tonight. Hopefully, that means there are going to be a lot more to come.”

“Now he can just play,” said linemate Patrick Kane, who had a goal and two assists on the night. “It’s good for the whole team. Get it out of the way and now we go play.”

Kris Versteeg added another goal 28 seconds later to end the shift, the second of the three-goal period for Chicago. Versteeg currently ranks second among all NHL rookies in points (12), behind only Columbus' Derrick Brassard.

Troy Brouwer added a late power play goal to cap the scoring.

Cristobal Huet stopped 22 shots in the game, allowing only Dustin Boyd’s second-period goal.

The Blackhawks welcome the Boston Bruins to the United Center Wednesday night following a pregame ceremony retiring the sweater of Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson.

Brad Boron | chicagoblackhawks.com
Three star selections:
1st: PATRICK KANE
2nd: MARTIN HAVLAT
3rd: JONATHAN TOEWS

Winning Goaltender:
Cristobal Huet

Losing Goaltender:
Miikka Kiprusoff

Cubs' latest failure is worse than ever

2008-10-05T20:07:00.003-06:00

I had to post this...mainly because I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan and I absolutely hate the Cubs...I truely feel sorry for ANY Cub fan on the this planet, mainly because you CHOOSE to continue rooting for a team that "chokes" every year...once again Cub fans, I guess you'll have to wait until next year...have a nice, long cold winter...

It wasn't a collapse. "Collapse" is too nice a word. A collapse would mean the Chicago Cubs actually showed up for the National League Division Series.

It wasn't a choke. A choke is what happened in 2003, when the Cubs were exactly five outs away from their first World Series in seven decades. A choke is when you blame someone sitting in Section 4, Row 8, Seat 113 of Wrigley Field.

No, in some ways this latest Cubs playoff zombie film is worse than 2003's, and it's definitely worse than last year's October three-and-out. The 2003 choke produced anger and tears. The 2007 postseason losses produced disappointment, but with them came a weird, wait-'til-next-year optimism.

Next year just came and went. The Cubs have become playoff-irrelevant, which is the cruelest thing you can say about a team. They simply don't matter once the leaves change.

Nine postseason losses in a row. Nine. The Cubs haven't won a playoff game since Oct. 11, 2003.

The Los Angeles Dodgers just eliminated them in three games. Check that. Only one of those Dodgers-Cubs games -- Saturday night's 3-1 loss -- was actually competitive. The first two were embarrassments for the Cubs.

[We pause here to give the Dodgers their every prop. They bear-hugged the playoff moments.

A little more than a month ago they were five games below .500 and losers of eight in a row. Now they're drying out their swim goggles and unis from the champagne and beer clubhouse showers. Their right-handed starting pitching Saran Wrapped the Cubs' predominantly right-handed lineup.

Liner Notes
I've got them somewhere in my desk: Cubs World Series tickets for 2008 (bleacher seats, $125 per), for 2007, for 2004, and, sigh, for 2003. They're useless, of course -- just perforated strips of what could have been.

I woke up Sunday morning and looked at the NLDS stats. The Dodgers' James Loney had as many RBIs as the entire Cubs team during the series. No Cubs starting pitcher lasted longer than 6 1/3 innings (Ryan Dempster 4 2/3, Rich Harden 4 1/3, Carlos Zambrano 6 1/3). Five of the eight Cubs position players hit .200 or worse. No one was more brutal to watch, with the exception of those mind-numbing "Frank TV" promos, than Alfonso Soriano (.071), but Lou Piniella never talked about benching him. Instead, Kosuke Fukudome (.100), who at least can play defense, was the one who sat at the beginning of Game 3.

Anyway, the numbers are only part of the story. The real question is this: Why did the winningest team in the National League (97 victories) assume the fetal position as soon as the playoffs started? The Cubs did it last year too.

The Cubs are living proof that playoff baseball requires a special kind of player, a special kind of nervous system. I don't blame Mark DeRosa for stating the obvious -- that Game 2 of the Dodgers series was do or die. It was do or die. What I don't understand is how almost an entire team could belly flop again.

I think it was Cal Ripken Jr. who said it on the TBS postgame show: The winningest team isn't always the best team. He's right. The Cubs won lots of regular-season games, but they switched to fragile mode once October arrived. They lacked the mental toughness of the Dodgers, or even of the less-talented White Sox, who grinded their way into the postseason. The Cubs' body language screamed, "We're doomed."

You only get so many chances at greatness. This was the Cubs' chance, maybe their best chance. And like Soriano, they whiffed.

The year began with Dempster saying the Cubs were going to win it all. It ended with the Cubs not even able to win an NLDS game.

-- Gene Wojciechowski
So now the Dodgers advance to the NLCS. Nothing against the remaining playoff teams, but can you imagine what will happen if Manny Ramirez's Dodgers, led by a former New York Yankees manager, somehow face the Boston Red Sox, the team Manny couldn't wait to leave, in the World Series? Just think: At least two games, possibly four, of Manny back in Fenway?

We now return to our previously scheduled skin peel of the Cubs.]

The Cubs deserve every rip job they get. Winning 97 games during the regular season means zilch if you lose every time you reach the postseason. It means less than zilch (negative integer zilch?) if you waste the precious home-field advantage in a best-of-five NLDS. At least in last season's playoff sweep to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Cubs started the series on the road.

The Dodgers had a lot to do with what happened earlier in the week at Wrigley and Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium. To mention Billy Goat curses, black cats and priests sprinkling holy water in the Cubs' dugout is to insult what Joe Torre's team did in the NLDS.

But there is a 100-year weight (and wait) around this franchise's neck. It isn't what made Alfonso Soriano finish the Dodgers series 1-for-14. (Fittingly, his check-swing, Game 3-ending strikeout came on a toe-high pitch.) It isn't what made Aramis Ramirez finish 2-for-11 or Geovany Soto 2-for-10.

But the failed history of the Cubs, combined with the expectations for this postseason, overwhelmed them. If they couldn't deal with the past, how were they going to deal with the present?

Torre said afterward that the Cubs felt the pressure of opening the series at Wrigley. If so, these Cubs are exactly where they belong: out of the playoffs.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella can pretend the 100-year World Series drought isn't a factor, but the numbers say otherwise. The Cubs reach October and suddenly need barf bags. Seven walks issued by Ryan Dempster in the Game 1 loss to the Dodgers. Four Cubs errors in the Game 2 loss. Rich Harden lasts only 4 1/3 innings and the Cubs leave nine runners on base in the Game 3 defeat.

The Cubs were outscored 20-6. They might as well have been waving rhythmic gymnastics ribbons at the plate. By the way, Soriano and the holes in his swing are signed through 2014. Enjoy.

Some of Piniella's decisions deserve scrutiny, too. He started the struggling Kosuke Fukudome in right field for the first two games and got an 0-for-8 out of him. He slotted Ted Lilly, who had won his last four starts in September, in the No. 4 spot of the playoff rotation. Lilly never threw a pitch. Piniella also tinkered with the lineup.

None of it worked. And almost none of the Cubs produced, not even against Game 3 Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda, who was making his first playoff appearance after 11 years in the Japanese leagues and one year in the majors.

Strange. The Cubs are done, but former Cubs Greg Maddux and Nomar Garciaparra play on for the Dodgers. I wonder whether they sneaked a peek into the Cubs' dugout during the celebration.

Before this series began, there was a rally in downtown Chicago for the Cubs. A documentary film crew was assigned to follow the Cubs during the postseason. Back in 2004, another year the Cubs were favored to reach the World Series, an MLB film crew shadowed the team. The Cubs had a meltdown and missed the playoffs.

Nobody at that rally, including White Sox honk Mayor Richard Daley, thought the Cubs' last game at Wrigley would be played Oct. 2, nor that the season would be done by Oct. 4. But it is. Wrigleyville is a quiet, subdued place today.

"It's Gonna Happen." That was the unofficial slogan of the Cubs this year. And it did. Another failed October. Another sweep. Another long, cold winter of what-ifs.

Gene Wojciechowski is the senior national columnist for ESPN.com. You can contact him at gene.wojciechowski@espn3.com.

Edwards' crash takes out teammates and Chasers

2008-10-05T19:46:00.003-06:00

Pushes Biffle too hard creating 11-car pileup in final laps

By Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM
October 5, 2008
09:23 PM EDT

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Standing outside the trackside medical center, the tension between Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards was palpable; their faces were sullen.

Edwards caused Talladega Superspeedway's infamous Big One with 14 laps to go collecting teammates Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle as well as three other Chase drivers.

Carl didn't mean to do it, it wasn't his fault. He caused it, but he was just trying to help and he pushed me all the way down the back and did everything he could to help.

-- GREG BIFFLE-Dejected, Edwards was all apologies however Kenseth was silent. Greg Biffle was sympathetic, but no less upset.

"Carl didn't mean to do it, it wasn't his fault. He caused it, but he was just trying to help and he pushed me all the way down the back and did everything he could to help," Biffle said. "We knew we were probably going to wreck here, because we've been in so many wrecks before."

Recounting the wreck from his vantage point, Kenseth said Edwards turned Biffle and he pulled his No. 17 Ford as far left as he could but was unable to miss the wreck. Kenseth looked up and saw the nose of Biffle's car pointed at his door.

"You knew it was going to be crazy, but I actually felt like we were almost home free. Biffle got wiped out and he wiped me out somehow," said Kenseth, who finished 26th while Biffle finished 24th and Edwards came home 29th.

Uncertain if his No. 16 Ford was moving down or if Edwards' No. 99 was moving up, Biffle explained, "Maybe when he came down to push a little bit it just instantly slid. I had my foot in the gas and it just spun the tires and went around and that's all she wrote."

Heading into Sunday's Amp Energy 500, Edwards was admittedly nervous but confident he would execute the right strategy with the help of his crew chief Bob Osborne.

Playing it safe for most of the race, he ran mid-to-back of the pack. Edwards was running his own race. Aside from a spin on pit road, he and Osborne were seemingly on their way to a clean run.

With about 20 laps to go, Edwards was ready to make a move although it may have been a much too aggressive move in hindsight.

Trying to push Biffle to the front, Edwards spun the No. 16 machine entering Turn 3 causing a chain reaction smash-up that took out 11 cars -- five of which were Chase drivers including Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Edwards admitted he could've backed off Biffle's bumper slightly in Turn 3, but he thought he could get Biffle clear of [race winner] Tony Stewart.

"You do the best you can to move as far forward as possible. I was just pushing Greg as hard as I could. It's my fault and I apologize to everybody caught up in that wreck. We just got in exactly the wrong spot there going into [Turn] 3 and [Biffle] got real loose and that was just the way it went," Edwards said. "It's my fault."

Two weeks ago at Dover International Speedway the Roush Fenway Racing drivers stole the show and finished 1-2-3. Biffle won the first two Chase races of the season. That said, Talladega is the proclaimed "wild card" race of the Chase and is known for producing heart-breaking moments.

Plus, Roush Fenway Racing, historically, has performed poorly at Talladega, according to team owner Jack Roush.

"We've won twice here in 22 years with multiple cars," Roush said. "We don't have much of an average."

As for Edwards' strategy and execution in the draft, Roush said, "Carl wound up pushing harder on Greg than he could stand. NASCAR had set that up by allowing people to push all day. It was real clear to me and I think it was clear to everybody, including Carl, that if you weren't willing to push the car in front of you, then you couldn't advance as well as somebody else would that was doing the pushing. But he pushed too hard ..."

Edwards managed to maintain his second-place position in the Chase; Biffle held on to third and Kenseth remains in the ninth position.

Still, the Roush Fenway Racing Fords had the power to win -- David Ragan was proof of that. He finished third, the second-year driver's best finish at Talladega.

"I felt like we had a car that could have won and basically there at the end I just didn't have any teammates. For that matter, we didn't have any Fords on the racetrack, I think, so I was kind of at my own mercy," Ragan said.

Edwards, who arguably just tried too hard, might feel the same way.

"I was worried about the idiots here," he lamented, "and I was the guy that caused that one."

Orton's career-high 334 yards lead Bears' blowout in Detroit

2008-10-05T19:41:00.001-06:00

DETROIT -- Kyle Orton looked like a star against the Detroit Lions.

Again.

Orton set career highs in yards passing, completions and quarterback rating while throwing two touchdowns to lead the Chicago Bears to a 34-7 win over Detroit on Sunday.

Fast Facts

• Bears QB Kyle Orton had career highs in passing yards (334 yards), completion percentage (70.6) and touchdown passes on the road (2).

• The Lions fell to 0-4 for the third time this decade and second time in the last three seasons.

• Bears rookie running back Matt Forte had 61 yards from scrimmage, with a TD both rushing and receiving to increase his touchdown total this season to four.

-- ESPN research

He was 24-of-34 for 334 yards and had a 121.4 rating, improving to 3-0 against Detroit.

Like many NFL players, Orton loves playing the Lions.

"Yeah, I do for some reason," he acknowledged.

Orton surpassed his previous bests of 22 completions and 268 yards passing -- both of which he reached last month against Tampa Bay -- and a 103.3 rating, which he set in a 38-6 win over the Lions at home in 2005.

Chicago (3-2) broke a first-place tie with the Green Bay Packers, who lost at home to Atlanta, to lead the lackluster NFC North with about one-third of the season completed.

"If we stay there, we get to the playoffs," safety Mike Brown said. "If we don't, it's going to be a battle.

"Our goal is to stay there."

It will be surprising if the Lions (0-4) don't stay in the basement of the division, because they might have trouble winning any time soon. The move to fire team president Matt Millen appears to be moot because of the mess he left behind in seven-plus seasons in charge.

Instead of chanting, "Fire Mil-len!" at Ford Field, the fans simply booed early and often before filling the aisles and heading for the exits early in the third quarter.

Now, the focus has turned to the possible firing of Rod Marinelli, who is an NFC-worst 10-26 since becoming a head coach for the first time in 2006.

"I don't look in the future," said Marinelli, who seemed beleaguered at his news conference. "I'm going to get up tomorrow and go to work."

Lions executive vice president Tom Lewand was asked if Marinelli could turn the team around and he dodged the question by saying he had tremendous respect for Marinelli.

"We had an awful game today, but it's an organizational loss," Lewand said. "It's not on any one individual."

Chicago built a 31-0 lead, a familiar start for Detroit, before rookie Kevin Smith scored midway through the third.

The Lions trailed 21-0 in their first two games and 21-3 in the third, leading to Millen's firing during a bye week that ended his era with an NFL-worst 31-84 mark since 2001. Detroit has been outscored 38-0 in the first quarter this season.

"I'm very frustrated," receiver Roy Williams said. "We are an 0-4 ballclub, but we aren't an 0-4 ballclub in my eyes. We're better than that."

Detroit played fourth-year quarterback Dan Orlovsky in the third quarter for the first time in his career because Marinelli said Jon Kitna had back spasms.

Orlovsky was 13-of-23 for 97 yards -- all career highs -- and threw an interception. Kitna was 8-of-16 for 74 yards and fumbled on the Lions' fourth possession after they had minus-4 yards of offense on their first three possessions.

"From the first drive, shutting them down and making them punt, really kind of got it started for the day," Chicago coach Lovie Smith said. "The defensive line put pressure on the quarterbacks all day. We were able to shut down their run and just make plays."

Chicago had four sacks and held Detroit to 54 yards rushing.

The Bears scored only three points in the first quarter before turning the game into a rout with 14 points in both the second and third quarters.

Rookie Matt Forte scored on a 9-yard reception to make it 10-0 in the second quarter, and his 1-yard run early in the third made it 24-0.

Orton connected with Devin Hester for a touchdown late in the second quarter and Charles Tillman intercepted a pass that went off Williams' hands and returned it for a score, giving the Bears a 31-0 lead early in the third.

Chicago finished with its most lopsided win on the road against the Lions since winning 42-14 in 1948.

"It's the best we've played as a team," Smith said.

Detroit has given up 82 points in its first two games at Ford Field, matching a franchise record set in 1958 for points allowed in its first two home games.

"We're not executing," Marinelli said, "it's clear as a bell."

Game notes
The Bears were without CB Nathan Vasher (wrist) and DT Tommie Harris (team suspension) and lost LB Nick Roach (shoulder) during the game. ... Kitna (back), Orlovsky (ankle) and TE Casey FitzSimmons (elbow) were banged up for the Lions.

Buckeyes have no answers for Sanchez, Trojans' offense

2008-09-14T10:17:00.001-06:00

LOS ANGELES -- Southern California turned the game of the year into another Trojans' victory march.

Mark Sanchez threw four touchdown passes, Joe McKnight rushed for 105 yards on 12 carries, and the top-ranked Trojans crushed No. 5 Ohio State 35-3 Saturday night in a matchup of two of college football's most successful programs.

Pac-ing It In

USC has won eight straight games against the Big Ten -- all by double digits and by an average of 25 points. And these aren't cupcakes. The last five have all been in BCS games.
USC vs. Big Ten
Last 8 games Season Opponent Results
2008 Ohio State W by 32
2007 Illinois W by 32
2006 Michigan W by 14
2003 Michigan W by 14
2002 Iowa W by 21
2000 Penn State W by 24
1998 Purdue W by 10
1996 Illinois W by 52

On this pleasant summer night, one looked like champion, the other ordinary.

"It worked out beautifully for us," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "Over the years, when we prepare this well and we have our guys, we're hard to beat. It doesn't matter who we play when we do that. This is what we're capable of doing, we didn't do anything out of the ordinary to get there. We had a nice night."

Ohio State played without star tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells, sidelined with an injured right foot. But moving the ball wasn't the Buckeyes' biggest problem before the Trojans made it a rout. Instead, they were done in by a handful of crucial mistakes.

A holding penalty nullified a touchdown in the second quarter, and an errant throw by Todd Boeckman was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Rey Maualuga.

Bad Memories

The Buckeyes' blowout loss Saturday against USC was one of the worst the team has suffered in the last 20 years. Here's a look at some not-so-memorable games for Ohio State.
Ohio State, Worst Losses In Last 20 Seasons Score Opponent Year
63-14 at Penn State 1994
42-3 at USC 1989
35-3 at USC 2008
28-0 vs. Michigan 1993
31-3 at Michigan 1991

And with that, the outcome was all but decided by halftime.

"We played as well as we could, with or without Beanie," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "We played against a great team tonight. We were never able to take control on offense or defense. We must now roll up our sleeves and realize we can't play like this and win."

By the time it was over, the only question left was: Can anybody left on USC's schedule beat these Trojans (2-0) and keep them from playing for a national championship in January for the fourth time this decade?

"If we can keep this momentum going and we can keep our playmakers showing up, we're going to be really tough," said Carroll, who led USC to national titles in 2003 and '04. "This game is a nice win, but it doesn't mean more than another game. Our players understand that. I think that's why they prepare properly."

And that's what makes the Trojans so scary good.

Ohio State (2-1), a decisive loser in the last two national championship games, probably won't have to worry about another BCS title game failure. Getting there for a third straight year after this beating will be a long shot, no matter how well the Buckeyes do in the Big Ten.

Ohio State had the ball for more than 20 minutes in the first half and gained 177 yards to USC's 172, but left the field trailing 21-3. Sanchez threw two touchdown passes to Damian Williams in the third quarter to put the Buckeyes away.

Once they fell behind, the Buckeyes were helpless against Maualuga and the swarming Trojans. Ohio State gained only 30 yards in the second half.

At one point late in the third quarter, the right-handed Boeckman tried a desperation left-handed pass as he was being tackled by Kyle Moore. The result was an intentional grounding penalty. Everson Griffen sacked Boeckman on the next play.

The Trojans won for the 39th time in their last 40 home games before a partisan crowd of 93,607 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. In the first game between the storied programs since 1990, USC won its sixth straight against Ohio State and eighth in a row against the Big Ten.

Sanchez finished 17-for-28 for 172 yards with one interception in three-plus quarters of work.

Fast Facts

• USC spotted Ohio State a 3-0 lead before scoring 35 unanswered points. Trojans QB Mark Sanchez threw four TDs while Buckeyes QB Todd Boeckman threw for just 84 yards and had two interceptions.

• This was Ohio State's worst loss since 1994 and its worst non-conference loss since 1989 at USC. It was the first time the Buckeyes were held without a touchdown since 1996 against Michigan.

• USC, which has won six straight against Ohio State and eight straight against the Big Ten, held OSU to just 35 secod-half yards.

-- ESPN research

McKnight carried only five times for 22 yards in the second half, spending most of his time on the sideline with a migraine. But he wasn't needed.

"He's so explosive," Sanchez said of McKnight. "When he's got time, when he's got a little space, anything can happen."

Boeckman completed 14 of 21 passes for 84 yards with two interceptions. Freshman Terrelle Pryor, who split time at quarterback, provided some spark and had to leave some Buckeyes fans wondering if their quarterback of the future may soon be Ohio State's starter.

"We were a little surprised that he played that much," USC linebacker Brian Cushing said. "He's going to be real good."

The highly touted Pryor went 7-of-9 for 52 yard and also gained 40 yards on 11 carries. Dan Herron, filling in for Wells, led the Buckeyes in rushing with 51 yards on 11 carries.

USC sacked Boeckman four times and Pryor once.

"Tough team, and we did not execute very well at all," Pryor said. "We did not pick up their blitzes very well. Tonight, we beat ourselves. I still feel like we have the best defense in the country."

The Buckeyes certainly missed Wells, who ran for over 1,600 yards last season. It's doubtful even the he would have made that much of a difference.

Ryan Pretorius kicked a 29-yard field goal on Ohio State's second possession, capping a 69-yard, 17-play drive that ate up nearly 8 1/2 minutes. But keeping the Buckeyes out of the end zone only seemed to get the Trojans riled up.

USC moved 74 yards on seven plays, scoring on a 35-yard pass from Sanchez to fullback Stanley Havili for a 7-3 lead.

After the Buckeyes went three-and-out, Sanchez threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to freshman Blake Ayles. McKnight provided the big play with a 24-yard run.

Ohio State moved deep into USC territory on its next possession, but the Buckeyes stopped themselves by committing two holding penalties -- the first nullifying a gain to the USC 3, the second a touchdown pass by Boeckman. Pretorius then missed a 46-yard field goal.

"Had we got it to 14-10, it would not have ended up 35-3," Tressel said. "I don't know what would have happened."

The Trojans made it 21-3 with 2:49 left before halftime when Maualuga stepped in front Brian Hartline for his fourth career interception and returned 48 yards for his first touchdown.

"I turned around, saw the ball, took it," Maualuga said. "I was hoping the receiver wouldn't catch me. It looked like I was Marcus Allen, with my Heisman skills and 4.2 speed."

Sanchez threw a 34-yard scoring pass to Williams with 6:02 left in the third quarter and a 17-yarder 4 1/2 minutes later. The rest was garbage time.

And Ohio State went home with yet another humbling loss on a big stage.

Triple H retains his title at The Great American Bash

2008-07-21T22:28:00.001-06:00

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Edge approached Sunday’s WWE Title Match against champion Triple H as a desperate man, and, as he himself admitted: “When I’m desperate, I’m dangerous.”

Unfortunately for the Ultimate Opportunist, a man with nothing left to lose has never been much of a match against a woman scorned. That was the case Sunday night as well when a wild turn of events led Edge to spear his wife, Vickie Guerrero, and lose the match to Triple H.

The trouble all started last Friday night on SmackDown when Triple H offered his wedding gift to Edge and his Vickie Guerrero during their reception. As the newlyweds looked on, The Cerebral Assassin unspooled a video of Edge sharing a passionate kiss with wedding planner Alicia Fox.

The damning footage ruined the couple’s nascent marriage and sparked a concentrated hatred in the jilted bride.

The first flash of that animosity shown brightly Sunday night. It looked like Edge had finally gained an advantage in the match when Fox entered ringside and tried to hand him the WWE Title to use, presumably, as a weapon. Guerrero, however, charged down after her, leveling the homewrecker with a stiff clothesline.

The two women battled into the ring, where both men were exhausted and flat on their backs. As the referee tried to separate Fox and Guerrero, the Ultimate Opportunist rushed the ref, who dodged his spear at the last moment. What happened next was stunning.

The R-Rated Superstar speared his wife, slamming her frame to the canvas. The stunned former champion could hardly believe what he had done and stood in silence for several moments.

As Edge wandered about the ring in an effort to compose himself, Triple H overcame his exhaustion and managed to administer a match-ending Pedigree to ensure his title reign continue.

It was a wild conclusion to an already rowdy night, costing Edge his chance at the WWE Title and possibly sabotaging any hope of a reconciliation with Guerrero. It also allowed Triple H to retain his WWE Championship, keeping The King of Kings nestled upon his throne.

Urlacher to get raise with revised contract

2008-07-21T22:26:00.001-06:00

By Michael Smith
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: July 21, 2008, 7:45 PM ET

The face of the Bears can smile now, because Chicago is about to make Brian Urlacher one happy middle linebacker.

According to sources, Urlacher and the Bears have come to terms on a revised contract, which includes a one-year extension, thus ending their offseason contract squabble.

Urlacher, 30, had four years and approximately $25.5 million remaining on his contract. Under the terms of the upgraded deal, Urlacher will receive a $6 million signing bonus along with a $1 million bump in salary each of the next four years. The sides also have agreed to extend the pact into 2012, at a salary of $7.5 million. Urlacher can earn an additional $500,000 in a workout bonus in 2012.

That's a total of roughly $43.5 million over the next five years, with $18 million in new money for the six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All Pro.

The Bears arrive at training camp in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Tuesday, when Urlacher is expected to sign the new contract. Urlacher's status had been a hot topic throughout the offseason. He believed he had outperformed the nine-year contract he signed in 2003. He missed some voluntary workouts but did not miss any mandatory team activities while agents Pat Dye Jr. and Bill Johnson negotiated with the Bears. Urlacher may not have landed the megadeal he had in mind, but his new contract's average approaches the $9 million-per-year range, placing him among the league's highest-paid defensive players. With Urlacher under contract for four more years, the Bears weren't obliged to redo his deal and he understood their position. But the Bears clearly understood what he means to the franchise, and the sides were able to come to a compromise on the eve of camp.

Uracher is coming off a 2007 season in which, despite back and neck pain that required minor offseason surgery, he started all 16 games for the third consecutive season and sixth time in eight NFL seasons.

Michael Smith covers the NFL for ESPN.

Junior has enough fuel at MIS to end winless streak

2008-06-15T16:47:00.001-06:00

First win for Earnhardt since Richmond race in 2006

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended his 76-race winless string Sunday, coasting to victory at Michigan International Speedway under a caution flag with little but fumes left in his gas tank.

NASCAR's most popular driver gave his new boss, Rick Hendrick, only his second victory of the season as he somehow squeezed enough gas out of his last fill-up to go three laps beyond the regulation finish in the LifeLock 400.

LifeLock 400
Unofficial Results

Pos. Driver Make

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet
2. Kasey Kahne Dodge
3. Matt Kenseth Ford
4. Brian Vickers Toyota
5. Tony Stewart Toyota
6. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
7. Carl Edwards Ford
8. David Ragan Ford
9. Elliott Sadler Dodge
10. Jamie McMurray Ford

A spin by Patrick Carpentier on Lap 203 brought out the final caution and probably saved the victory for Earnhardt, who ran out of gas moments after crossing the finish line behind the pace car.

"It is what it is, man," the jubilant Earnhardt said. "We were going to stay out there no matter what."

Asked if he could have made it if the green flag had stayed out, Earnhardt said: "We were going to stumble to the finish and probably not win the race. We weren't going to finish. The yellow saved us.

"They can write what they want, but we won one."

After leaving the team his late father founded to drive for Hendrick's juggernaut this year, Earnhardt began the new phase of his career with two non-points victories at Daytona in February. But, despite running well so far this season, that promising start did not lead to any victories in the first 14 Cup races.

"We started out and he won the [Budweiser Shootout] and the 150 [qualifying race] and we said, 'we don't have to worry about winning a race now.' Then nobody counted it because it wasn't a points race," Hendrick said in Victory Lane. "We've been waiting for this -- been so close."

It was a typical Michigan race, coming down to who saved the most gas at the end.

As the laps wound down, driver after driver was forced to pit for a splash of gas. But Earnhardt, whose last victory came on May 6, 2006, at Richmond, wasn't about to stop.

Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. kept telling his driver to slow down and try to conserve gas.

It was still a big gamble with more than two laps to the scheduled 200-lap finish when former IndyCar champion Sam Hornish Jr. brought out a caution flag with a spin. That extended the race to overtime and, by the time the green flag waved again on Lap 202, Earnhardt and his team had no idea if he could make it to the finish.

He did, barely.

Kasey Kahne, coming off a victory the previous week in Pocono, finished second, followed by Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers, Tony Stewart and two-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

France defends NASCAR in former official's lawsuit

2008-06-14T16:54:00.001-06:00

Reiterates that plaintiff did not register any complaints
By Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM
June 14, 2008
04:25 PM EDT

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Brian France, chairman and CEO of NASCAR, visited the media center at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday and attempted to give a broader defense of his company in the wake of a $225 million lawsuit filed against it by a former employee last Tuesday.

France's impromptu news conference came after two Nationwide Series officials were placed on indefinite leaves of absences by NASCAR as part of the organization's ongoing investigation into the claims of racial and sexual discrimination by the plaintiff in the lawsuit, Mauricia Grant.

France stressed that the suspensions of the two officials should not be construed as any admission of wrongdoing on their part or the part of NASCAR.

Former official sues
Mauricia Grant is suing NASCAR for $225 million, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination.

Two officials suspended
"We haven't completed our investigation. It is still ongoing," France said. "Obviously we found some violations of our policy. I would not jump to conclusions to assume that all of the allegations that were made over the many months that the plaintiff has made against us are accurate. I would be very, very cautious in making a leap of faith, even if we take action on any official in this investigation."

Grant, 32, is black. In her lawsuit, she cites 23 specific incidents of sexual discrimination and 34 specific incidents of racial or gender discrimination. She also is suing for wrongful termination in her lawsuit after being fired from her job as a technical inspector responsible for certifying cars in the Nationwide Series.

Grant was employed from January of 2005 through October of 2007, when NASCAR terminated her employment, citing poor work performance. France declined to elaborate on the specific reasons behind her termination Saturday, but Grant has claimed it was done in retaliation for complaints she had made about the way she was being treated in the workplace.

The problem is, according to France, that the ongoing internal investigation by NASCAR has turned up no evidence of any such complaints ever being made by Grant.

"The most disappointing thing to me is that we found out about these alleged claims after you did in the media via a national lawsuit that seeks a lot of money," France said. "That's very disappointing because if any of those claims turn out to be accurate and have substance, we would have liked to have known about that two years ago so that we could have reacted and done something about it -- because it's inconsistent with anything, from a policy standpoint, about how a work environment for our officials should be."

France insisted that all NASCAR employees are repeatedly schooled in the company's policies regarding proper conduct in the workplace. That includes procedures for reporting incidents of alleged discrimination, he said, that were never followed by Grant.

"Some of these claims go back years or longer in the past," France said. "So here again, it is very, very disappointing that was not brought to our attention -- if these claims actually happened. If they would have been brought to our attention right when they happened, we could have investigated it right then and taken any action that we needed to.

"It just didn't happen. She chose to make this about money and about a lawsuit -- and we'll deal with that. That's the nature of the court system."

The crux of the lawsuit appears to center around the difference of opinions concerning Grant's claims that she reported several incidents of alleged harassment, and NASCAR's claims that it has been unable to uncover any evidence that she ever did. France repeatedly insisted the latter was the case on Saturday.

"She just didn't report anything to anybody," France said. "It was quite the opposite. She was very pleased with her colleagues and most of the comments that we have heard are that she liked her job, enjoyed being there, liked the camaraderie with the other officials. We just haven't had anyone who reported a claim [being made by Grant]. We have not found it yet.

"The other reality is there is a very clear process that you go through if you feel there is any discrimination by NASCAR. And everybody in the company knows what it is. They have been trained to observe it and make sure that the proper officials within the company are notified. Any employee who has an issue can e-mail me directly. They can certainly go to HR [the human resources department]. There are dozens of ways to report such an incident, and it just didn't get reported."

Big Brown appears OK day after Belmont defeat

2008-06-08T20:05:00.001-06:00

Updated: June 8, 2008, 9:11 PM ET

NEW YORK -- The morning after the Belmont Stakes, Big Brown stopped to pose for photographers as if he had won the Triple Crown. Everyone except the horse knew otherwise.

Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. was a no-show, leaving questions and few answers about what happened to Big Brown in Saturday's 1½-mile Belmont. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was eased up by jockey Kent Desormeaux in the stretch, ending up last, beaten by eight other horses.

The bay colt faced the cameras alone Sunday, except for exercise rider Michelle Nevin -- and she wasn't talking.

Outwardly, Big Brown appeared no worse for wear. He got his morning bath outside Barn 2, playfully nipping at a leather lead held by Nevin. Then she led him in circles around the inside of the barn, with Big Brown walking perfectly on his patched left front hoof.

Co-owner Michael Iavarone said Big Brown had a thorough examination after the race and again Sunday morning.

"There's nothing physically that's shown up," he said, speaking by cell phone from his daughter's soccer game on Long Island. "I'm as confused as anybody. The only thing we're resorting to right now is the track might have been too deep for him and he didn't like it out there."

Iavarone said Big Brown's problem feet, other than a loose left hind shoe, were not an issue.

"We're perplexed," he said. "Nobody can figure this one out."

Without any obvious answers, it might take blood work and diagnostic testing, including X-rays, to figure out Big Brown's poor performance.

Dutrow was criticized after acknowledging he used an anabolic steroid on Big Brown, then said last week that the horse hadn't had a dose of Winstrol since April. It's known to increase appetite and promote weight gain and healing. The drug is legal in the three states where the Triple Crown races are run.

"I doubt if that comes up to be the answer," Larry Bramlage, the on-call veterinarian, said after the race. "It's not that kind of situation where it's going to be a stimulant for him. The anabolic steroids keeps him eating and keeps him happy and keeps him aggressive, all of which he showed all week long."

Horse racing's national regulatory authority has proposed a steroid ban, and so far 10 states have adopted it. It's under consideration in 11 others.

"By this time next year, steroids will be banned from horse racing competition," Alex Waldrop, president and chief executive of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, said Sunday. "The Big Brown campaign only underscores the need to act to ensure the safety of the horses and to remove any suspicion concerning steroid involvement with our stars."

Big Brown was running on a quarter crack in his left front hoof that wasn't patched until Friday, but Dutrow insisted all last week that it was a "non-issue."

Nevertheless, it cost the colt three days of training between the Preakness and the Belmont. Big Brown wasn't trained very hard leading up to the longest and toughest of the three classics, either.

Desormeaux said afterward that Big Brown "was in no way, shape or form lame or sore."

On the advice of Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, Dutrow had said he was going to reduce Big Brown's dose of electrolytes, which are salts such as sodium, chloride and potassium that help prevent dehydration. It wasn't clear whether he followed through on that plan before the Belmont.

Dutrow didn't immediately return a phone message left Sunday by The Associated Press.

Big Brown ran on Lasix, a legal anti-bleeding medication that can cause a horse to become dehydrated. Highs were in the 90s and there was oppressive humidity Saturday. Several horses throughout the day were sweating excessively and needed to be cooled off with buckets of water and sprayed with hoses after they ran.

Iavarone said that unless something shows up, Big Brown will maintain his training schedule and be pointed toward the Travers Stakes in August at Saratoga.

"I love this horse," he said. "I've grown tremendously attached to this horse emotionally. I wanted him to know he could run dead last or first and we would still love him."

Big Brown, of course, is worth millions to Iavarone and his other two owners. They've already locked up an estimated $50 million deal for his breeding rights with Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky.

Like everyone else, rival trainer Nick Zito could see that Big Brown didn't show up on racing's biggest stage.

"He wasn't making his move," said Zito, who saddled 38-1 long shot Da' Tara to a 5 1/4-length upset. "Especially the way Ricky talks, I knew I was in pretty good shape."

Dutrow had spent the five weeks between the Derby and Belmont bragging about Big Brown's superiority and telling everyone how weak the competition was. He proclaimed that it was "a foregone conclusion" his colt would win the Belmont and become racing's first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.

"I saw why he said that in the Derby and the Preakness," Zito said. "He knew he had something on his hands that was really tremendous."

In a sport built on baloney, no one dished it better than Dutrow. But his bluster came back to bite him.

"If I could give him one thing that he could change, just don't say anything about the horse," Zito said. "Say something about me or somebody else or whatever. But don't say nothing about the other horses, because that will get you in trouble."

Casino Drive, the Japanese horse considered to be Big Brown's main rival, was scratched the morning of the Belmont because of a bruised left hind hoof.

"He looks OK. He's still not 100 percent," said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for the colt's owner and trainer. "He's being careful when he steps. He's getting well, but we have to be careful."

Tada said undefeated Casino Drive would be put on a 14-hour flight back to Japan on Tuesday, and likely return in the fall to run in the Breeders' Cup Classic in California, where steroids are outlawed.

"I hope many people here remember Casino Drive," Tada said.

Dutrow may be hoping for the same thing about vanquished Big Brown.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Keselowski gets first career victory with late-race pass

2008-06-08T09:03:00.001-06:00

LEBANON, Tenn. -- After narrowly missing victories on multiple occasions this season, Brad Keselowski claimed his first career Nationwide Series win on Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway, taking the lead from points leader Clint Bowyer with five laps remaining in the Federated Auto Parts 300.

Federated Auto Parts 300
Unofficial Results

Pos. Driver Make

1. Brad Keselowski Chevrolet
2. David Stremme Chevrolet
3. David Reutimann Toyota
4. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet
5. David Ragan Ford
6. Mike Wallace Toyota
7. Scott Wimmer Chevrolet
8. Kelly Bires Ford
9. Landon Cassill Chevrolet
10. Greg Biffle Ford

• Results | Keselowski led early in the event, staying on track on Lap 79 when then-leader Joey Logano led other lead-lap cars down pit road. That set the stage for the evening, putting Keselowski on a different pit strategy than most of the leaders. With his counterparts opting to make their final stop of the night with 77 laps remaining, Keselowski, under the guidance of crew chief Tony Eury Sr., made his final stop of the night 41 laps from the finish.

It initially appeared that David Reutimann would run away with the race (though he was pushing it on fuel mileage), but a caution flag fell with just 10 laps remaining after Brad Teague spun off of Turn 2. That bunched the field back up behind Reutimann for a restart on Lap 217 of 225.

On that restart, Reutimann was ambushed by Bowyer and Kyle Busch. Bowyer took the lead after contact with Reutimann but only temporarily, as Keselowski dropped his No. 88 Chevrolet to the inside of Bowyer's No. 2, taking the position.

"That's what we needed to catch back up to the 99 [Reutimann]," Keselowski said. "For some reason, David didn't go. I got behind him, took the air off of him and the next thing I knew I got by David and next was taking on Clint," Keselowski said.

"I feel like I paid some dues," he added after hoisting his first Nationwide trophy, which came in the form of a Gibson Guitar.

"To catch that break like I did with Dale [Earnhardt] Jr. and this Navy Chevrolet, it vindicates it. I've got a team that just keeps getting better every week, and I keep getting better every week. I felt like this was just a matter of time."

As Keselowski drove toward the checkered flag, things got dicey behind him. Reutimann continued to get pushed around, as he dropped back to third as David Stremme slid into the second position.

Bowyer also had contact with Stremme, dropping him to fourth at the finish.

David Ragan closed out the top five finishers.

Reutimann, Bowyer, Ragan, Busch, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Jason Leffler all flew to Nashville to compete in Saturday's race after taking part in Sprint Cup Series final practice at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., earlier in the day.

Pole-sitter Logano led 64 laps in what marked his second series event. The early favorite to win, the 18-year-old was the victim of a four-wide race through Turn 4 on Lap 89. His No. 20 Toyota got clipped by Biffle's Ford, sending him sideways into Busch's machine before shooting up track and into the outside wall. He ended the event 31st.

Biggest LAN Racing Event in History

2008-06-04T15:53:00.003-06:00

If there is anyone out there who loves Sim racing, and I know there is, this is THE place to go online and either race or watch. There are a few NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who frequent this website on a regular basis, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., A. J. Almendinger and a few others. The racing is VERY exciting and you will probably even make a few "cyber friends" on there too. So, check out OnlineRacin.com for a night of Great Sim racing.

OnlineRacin.com, who has been in business since 2000, will be holding their first LAN tournament in several years. Back in the glory days of sim racing, LANs were quite common around the sim community. As Papyrus closed their doors and many sim racers dropped off, LAN racing became a much rarer event. This year OLR looks to revive the LAN racing scene by offering one of the biggest LAN events in the history of sim racing. We have held 3 of the most successful sim racing LANs ever being Myrtle Beach, Richmond, and Charlotte. This year we have the resources secured to host over 200 members in an attempt to break the record number of LAN participants for a sim racing event. We would love to hold the biggest racing LAN ever to boost interest in the sport and attract sponsorship opportunities which mean better prizes and even bigger events. This LAN will be dedicated to Papyrus and will be a farewell tribute to this wonderful game. Whoever wins this event will be crowned the OLR Papyrus Champion for all time. Also don’t forget that now through May 31st the registration fee has been slashed to from $79 to $49; don’t miss out on this great opportunity to solidify your name in Sim Racing History. We already have 26 people signed up in our first week.

Braves' Smoltz to have season-ending shoulder surgery

2008-06-04T15:32:00.002-06:00

Updated: June 4, 2008, 4:45 PM ET

ATLANTA -- John Smoltz knew the pain was too intense to keep pitching this season.

Now, the Atlanta Braves right-hander hopes to add one more comeback to his remarkable career.

Smoltz will undergo season-ending surgery on his ailing right shoulder next week, but the 41-year-old is not ready to concede that his next move will be retirement.

"I've pulled off a lot of miracles," Smoltz said Wednesday at a hastily called news conference before the Braves' game against the Florida Marlins. "I probably shouldn't have played this long. I'm looking forward to seeing if I can extend it."

The only pitcher in baseball history with 200 wins and 150 saves already has returned from four operations on his elbow, but it's highly improbable for someone his age to come back from a major procedure.

No wonder the news conference took on the tenor of a retirement announcement.

"This is a sad day for us in many ways," general manager Frank Wren said. "We don't know the outcome of the surgery, whether it will allow him to come back and pitch, or just allow him to go on with his life."

Still, Smoltz has defied the odds before.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he came back as a left-handed pitcher," said Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez, a former Braves coach.

Now that he's headed for shoulder surgery, it could mean the end of John Smoltz's likely Hall of Fame career, Jayson Stark writes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The road to recovery could be too tough for John Smoltz to want to consider, Stephania Bell writes.

Smoltz's shoulder began hurting nearly a year ago during a start in Milwaukee. He's been on the disabled list three times since then and tried all sorts of radical solutions to cope with the pain.

He came up with a new routine at spring training, spending most of his time on the back fields pitching against minor leaguers. When the discomfort persisted through his first five starts, he decided to return to the closer role he held from 2001 to 2004, believing that fewer innings would help him get through the season.

But one inning against the Marlins on Monday night convinced him that it was futile to continue.

"I certainly was prepared for it. I never had two days in a row where I felt good," Smoltz said. "I realized it the next day. Actually, I realized an hour afterward that the pain was just too great and I couldn't continue."

Initially, the injury was diagnosed as severe inflammation; Smoltz isn't sure what the real problem is. He'll put his future in the hands of Dr. James Andrews, the noted sports surgeon who will perform the arthroscopic procedure in Birmingham, Ala.

From Start to Finish

John Smoltz's career can be compared with that of Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley, who also began primarily as a starter, then moved to the bullpen.

Eckersley Smoltz
Wins 197 210
Saves 390 154
ERA 3.50 3.26
K's per 9 IP 6.6 8.0

"We won't know until they get in there," Smoltz said. "I'm sure when I wake up, the first question I'll ask is, 'What did you find?' I'll have no problem with whatever they tell me."

If nothing else, he's hoping for a better quality of life. Smoltz said it's been difficult to sleep, play with his children or just do ordinary chores around the house because of his aching shoulder.

"We're talking about enjoying life a little bit more than I've been able to enjoy it," he said. "It's very difficult. A shoulder is like a lower back problem; it puts you in a pretty bad mood. You use your shoulder for everything."

After those five starts -- in which he became the 16th pitcher in history to reach 3,000 strikeouts -- Smoltz hoped to make it through the rest of the season as a closer, using a new three-quarters throwing motion. He came off the disabled list Monday and immediately got a chance for his first save since 2004.

He couldn't hold a 4-3 lead, giving up three hits and two runs. Smoltz said his poor outing had nothing to do with the decision to have surgery.

"If I had struck out the side, we would still be having this press conference," he said. "It was just too much."

His loss is a huge blow to an Atlanta team already dealing with a rash of injuries to its pitching staff. The Braves went into Wednesday's game 3½ games behind Philadelphia in the NL East.

"Not having him at all for the rest of the season is devastating, flat out devastating," third baseman Chipper Jones said. "Going into this season, I said there's one guy on this club we cannot do without. That's John Smoltz."

The Braves already lost Peter Moylan for the season; Mike Hampton has yet to pitch in a game after suffering yet another injury; and Mike Gonzalez is still on the mend from elbow surgery that kept him out most of 2007. Still, Atlanta has the NL's lowest team ERA with a 3.58.

"We have a lot of good pitching on this team," manager Bobby Cox said. "You never replace a Hall of Famer. You just can't do it. But we can put guys in there who can help us win."

Smoltz won the NL Cy Young Award in 1996 and has more postseason wins (15) than any other pitcher.

But he's been plagued by injuries throughout his 21-year career. Smoltz had his first elbow operation after a strike ended the 1994 season, and another arthroscopic procedure limited him to 26 starts in 1998.

Then, he missed the entire 2000 season recovering from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery. After experiencing a setback, Smoltz switched to the bullpen midway through the following season, believing it would relieve the stress on his elbow.

He had 154 saves during his three-plus seasons as the closer, including an NL-record 55 in 2002.

Then, after yet another arthroscopic operation on his elbow, another change.

Deciding that pitching every fifth day would be better for his arm, Smoltz returned to the starting rotation. He pulled off the unprecedented move, going 44-24 the past three seasons. But the shoulder began hurting during a May 29, 2007, start at the Milwaukee, and the pain never went away.

Smoltz began this season on the DL, then pitched extremely well in his first four starts. But he lasted only four innings against the New York Mets on April 27, giving up seven hits and four runs.

That would be his final start of the season -- and possibly the last one of his career.

If Smoltz's career is over, he has no complaints. He got to spend his entire big league career with one team, and nearly all of it playing for the same manager.

"I gave it everything I had every single time I went out there," he said. "Whether I was 70 percent or 100 percent, I gave it everything I had."

Official Story by The Associated Press

WWE Monday Night Raw News

2008-06-04T15:26:00.002-06:00

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Fresh off his victory over Randy Orton at One Night Stand, WWE Champion Triple H found out who his challenger would be at Night of Champions, the one night of the year where every title is defended. That man is John Cena.

At One Night Stand, both Cena and Jeff Hardy walked away triumphant and believing they should be the one to challenge The Game. With no clear choice readily apparent, Mr. McMahon set a match that had never been seen before: John Cena vs. Jeff Hardy, with the winner going on to face Triple H for the gold. Although both Cena and Hardy were exhausted and battered from their matches on Sunday, it was John Cena who stood tall, securing his spot at Night of Champions. (WATCH)

Cena has been angling for the WWE Championship ever since his return at Royal Rumble. Now, in just four short weeks, the Chain Gang Commander will have his opportunity to obtain championship gold.

Intercontinental turmoil
Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho encouraged a dazed Shawn Michaels to continue his Stretcher Match at One Night Stand against Batista, only to see The Animal brutalize HBK. Just one night later on Raw, Y2J vowed to defend his Intercontinental Championship as often as possible. He started with JBL in a match Y2J dedicated to the recovering HBK.

Y2J defended the gold ferociously and JBL ended the match with a disqualification by bringing a steel chair into the ring. Jericho attempted to counter his attack, picking the chair up and preparing to clobber the Longhorn Loudmouth. But before the chair was swung, he changed his mind, casting the weapon away, and walking away.

Smashmouth siblings
Two weeks ago, Mr. Kennedy ended William Regal’s tyrannical GM reign over Raw in a Loser Gets Fired Match. Last week, the Green Bay Loudmouth was confronted by the Burchill siblings, Paul and Katie Lea, who claimed that by getting Regal fired, Kennedy made “a very powerful enemy,” in Paul Burchill.

On Raw this week, Kennedy hoped to settle his quarrel with Burchill, but found that the English Superstar had arranged for Umaga to take his place. In a quick, but vicious match that ended with the Samoan Bulldozer smashing into the announce table, crushing his already-wounded ribs, Umaga lost via count-out. Before Kennedy could celebrate his victory, however, Paul Burchill rushed to the ring, brutalizing the victor and escaping to the locker room.

But that wasn’t the only time we saw the Burchills’ viciousness. Katie Lea teamed with Beth Phoenix against WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James & Melina. Despite their championship pedigree, Mickie & Melina had trouble, with Melina only wanting to exact revenge on The Glamazon after their “I Quit” Match at One Night Stand. Melina’s distraction allowed Katie Lea to pin Mickie James for the win. After the match, Paul Burchill walked down to the ring to celebrate with his sister, but Mr. Kennedy rushed out and retaliated against Paul, sending him and Katie Lea into a hasty retreat.

Flirting with victory
After her losing match against The Glamazon and Katie Lea, WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James found solace with John Cena, who she has been seen with quite a bit lately. The two discussed the rumors swirling about them, and Cena returned an undergarment that James had “left behind.”

Tag team tension
Speaking of titleholders, World Tag Team Champions Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes lost a match to Santino Marella & Carlito. Though it wasn’t a title match, Holly was angry at Rhodes for the loss, especially since he kept the match’s guest time-keeper a secret. Rhodes brought out WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper to keep time, but even with Piper’s interference, Santino managed to pin Holly.

After Holly chastised Rhodes backstage, the second-generation Superstar was approached by Raw’s newest member, Ted DiBiase. The “simply priceless” young Superstar warned Rhodes that he was only three weeks away from finding a partner, and becoming one-half of the new World Tag Team Champions.

After his victory over Holly, Marella chatted with Todd Grisham backstage. The Italian Superstar was quick to point out that even with Piper’s help, he is still too powerful an opponent for Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s Cousin Sal, who he claims he will defeat on this Friday’s SmackDown.

Friend is a four letter word
Three weeks ago, Lance Cade turned on his long time partner Trevor Murdoch with two powerful punches. In a WWE.com exclusive, Lance Cade explained that Trevor Murdoch was only holding him back. On Raw, the two squared-off to settle their score, with Cade dominating his former friend. The team of Cade and Murdoch was a powerful one. The two became World Tag Team Champions on three occasions – will they be as dominant as singles competitors?

Here comes the money
It was a big night on Raw, but what excited WWE fans the most was the details that WWE’s Chairman revealed about McMahon’s Million Dollar Mania. Starting next week, Mr. McMahon will give away $1 million on Raw – he even had the full amount with him in cash this week as a show of good faith. Mr. McMahon explained that by registering on WWE.com, fans will be eligible to receive an on-air phone call from the Chairman himself, and if those lucky fans remember the code shown on the screen earlier that night, they can win his money.

WWE News: Edge banishes Undertaker from the WWE

2008-06-04T15:21:00.001-06:00

SAN DIEGO – Edge came to San Diego intent on taking the vacated World Heavyweight Championship and ending Undertaker’s career in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match. And at One Night Stand, the Rated-R Superstar lived up to his promise – winning his fifth World Championship and banishing The Phenom from WWE.

In a brutal confrontation, the Ultimate Opportunist used his vast, victorious experience in TLC Matches to his advantage, climbing the ladder to claim the “richest prize in the game.” And while Undertaker proved that he could more than hold his own in the contest, Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder made sure The Phenom couldn't capitalize. The duo attacked the former champion, leaving an opening for Edge to take control, but Undertaker fought back and delivered a Last Ride through two tables. But "The Family" attacked, and as it appeared the gold was The Deadman's, Edge shocked the world, pushing the ladder and crushing Undertaker's hopes – ascending the rungs to take back the gold.

With Undertaker effectively gone from WWE, can anybody step up to challenge the new World Heavyweight Champion Edge and “The Family”? Will any Superstar want to go head-to-head with the “master manipulator” and his fiancée, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero, after seeing how they eliminated The Deadman from WWE with their schemes over the past few months?

One thing is certain, it won't be Undertaker. A career worthy of WWE Hall of Fame induction has been ended by the plans of a title-hungry Edge and his lover – a fate no Superstar wants to repeat.

Terry Labonte to Drive for Petty

2008-05-12T15:43:00.001-06:00

Terry Labonte will be a teammate to his brother Bobby at Petty Enterprises starting next month, pending sponsor approval. Terry (and Chad McCumbee) will drive the #45 when Kyle Petty gets out for the summer. Petty is scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 and then miss the next seven races (one for his daughter's wedding and the other six to work as an analyst for TNT). McCumbee likely will drive at Dover and Chicago. Terry Labonte likely will drive in the other five races. Labonte's addition is key for Petty Enterprises because the #45 car is not in the top 35 in car owner points. Labonte's second of his two titles came in 1996 -- that makes him the most recent champion not in the top 35 since Bill Elliott's title came in 1988. Thus, Labonte would be guaranteed a starting spot each time he starts, while the Wood Brothers would lose that even with Elliott in the seat. This would be the second time the Labonte brothers have run as teammates. Terry Labonte drove in five races for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2005 when Bobby Labonte was there. Terry Labonte ranks fourth in series history with 851 career starts. He won 22 races.(Roanoke Times)(5-11-2008)

Cardinals topple Cubs in rubber match

2008-05-04T21:28:00.001-06:00

Kennedy and Pujols knock in two runs apiece

By Nate Latsch / Special to MLB.com

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals closed out the longest homestand of the season on Sunday against the rival Chicago Cubs in front of a sellout crowd of 44,969 at Busch Stadium and a national television audience on ESPN.

It turned out to be a strong homestand for the National League Central-leading Cardinals, who defeated the Cubs, 5-3, to win the three-game series and finish the nine-game homestand with six wins.

The Cubs scored twice in the second inning off Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer. Catcher Geovany Soto doubled and scored on center fielder Reed Johnson's double to left. Second baseman Mike Fontenot, who had walked, scored on left fielder Alfonso Soriano's RBI sacrifice fly.

The Cardinals answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning with four consecutive hits off Cubs right-hander Jason Marquis.

Wellemeyer and shortstop Cesar Izturis had one-out singles. Right fielder Skip Schumaker and second baseman Adam Kennedy followed with back-to-back RBI singles to tie the score.

The Cardinals took a 4-2 lead in the fourth when first baseman Albert Pujols smacked a two-run double down the left-field line to score Izturis and Kennedy.

Wellemeyer tossed five innings. He allowed two runs on three hits, struck out four and walked four. He threw 95 pitches, with 57 for strikes.

The Cubs loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh but only scored one run on an RBI sacrifice fly by right fielder Kosuke Fukudome.

Nate Latsch is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Was Earnhardt Jr. robbed of Richmond win?

2008-05-04T20:37:00.002-06:00

RICHMOND, Va. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. was frustrated that he didn’t bring a top-three car home in at least the top three.

But, hey, he wanted a win. And wanted one bad.

Two years past his last victory, Earnhardt Jr. was turned on lap 398 by Kyle Busch as they battled for the lead between turns 3 and 4 in the Crown Royal 400 Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.

“He gave me room off the outside of [Turn] 2, so I wouldn’t say that was intentional going into 3,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Because if he had wanted to, he could have just thrown me in the fence off 2. We had been racing each other earlier and had no problems.

“I have done that before, that is what happens if he got loose underneath me. The worst part about it is that I have been priding myself on running good all year and I was in position for a win. I ran hard and got wrecked.”

With the crash, Earnhardt Jr.’s winless streak extended to 72 races.

“I’m out there trying to win and you saw it tonight, I came in with a wrecked race car and finished 15th,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I could have let Kyle go. He was faster and finished second or third or whatever. But I would have got a lot of bad press for that.

“I was trying to run hard and trying to hold him off and trying to win the race we’ve been trying to win every week.”

While he hasn’t won this year, Earnhardt Jr. is third in points and has a 235-point edge on 13th-place Jeff Gordon with 16 races left before the Chase is determined after the fall race at Richmond.

“I’ll have to find some satisfaction in getting 15th-place points when we should have got in the top three,” said Earnhardt Jr., who didn’t make the Chase last year at Dale Earnhardt Inc. “I hate losing points. I don’t want to be on the bubble or anywhere near that bubble when we come back to Richmond. I want to be solidly in the Chase before we ever come back here.”

Earnhardt Jr. also would like to try to avoid controversy and the media glare for one weekend.

“I’ve been in the media all year, and I’m ready for a break,” said Earnhardt Jr., who raised the ire of Gordon last week for not helping him at Talladega. “I just want to race for a couple of weeks, and it just seems like if I ain’t involved in one thing, I’m involved in another.

“I thought we was going to end the winless streak tonight and celebrate and be happy. We’ll have to keep running good like we are and try somewhere else.”

So what does he do now? Does he go talk to Busch?

“If I want to talk to Kyle, I’ve got to get in line,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I’m sure we will. We’ll probably talk about it. … There was quite a reaction from what happened tonight. It was unfortunate that it had to happen. I don’t know what happened exactly. Maybe I’ll have a better opinion about it some other time.”

Earnhardt Jr. did have an opinion about Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, who stopped on the track and was penalized for intentionally bringing out a caution, which set up the restart that allowed Busch to get to Earnhardt Jr.’s bumper

“Everybody knows the deal on that one,” said Earnhardt Jr., who was once penalized for that infraction. “Everybody knows that’s wrong. Y’all know what to write. I ain’t writing it for you.”

At least Earnhardt Jr. left the track thinking he had the best car at the end of the race.

“We’re running good every week, and this night was a night we should have won and it got took away,” crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said. “I told all these boys to keep their chins up. This isn’t the last time we’ll be going for a win this year, I promise you that.”

By Bob Pockrass - Associate EditorSunday, May 04, 2008

Schumaker powers Cards past Cubs

2008-05-02T22:42:00.001-06:00

ST. LOUIS -- Skip Schumaker's two-run walk-off home run in the 11th inning gave the Cardinals a dramatic and hard-earned 5-3 win over the Cubs on Friday night.
Pinch-hitter Aaron Miles opened the inning with a bloop single into left field, and took second base on a wild pitch. Brendan Ryan bunted Miles over to third, and Schumaker hit the game-ender.

Ron Villone got the win for 2 1/3 perfect innings of relief. Villone escaped a two-on, two-out jam when he relieved Jason Isringhausen, who struggled once again. Isringhausen took his third blown save of the year, allowing a two-run homer to Alfonso Soriano in the top of the ninth.

Cubs starter Rich Hill walked four of the six batters he faced and didn't make it out of the first inning, but the Cardinals could muster only one run in the top of the first. They added another tally in the second when Brendan Ryan singled home pitcher Adam Wainwright.

After that, however, it was tough going against a string of Chicago relievers. St. Louis didn't score another run until the seventh, when an error and two Alfonso Soriano misplays led to a tally. Yadier Molina was credited with an RBI double when Soriano simply failed to glove his flyball to the warning track.

Wainwright turned in a fine game, pitching 6 1/3 innings of four-hit, one-run ball. He struck out five and walked one. Coming off a career-high 126-pitch effort six days ago against Houston, Wainwright pitched fewer than seven innings for the first time this year.

The Cardinals have won three straight and five out of six to improve to 19-11 on the year. They lead the second-place Cubs by 1 1/2 games in the National League Central.

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

Dolphins, Rams take Jake, Chris Long; Falcons go with Ryan

2008-04-26T23:38:00.001-06:00

NEW YORK -- Forget the intrigue at the top of the draft. The NFL invited a half-dozen players to the draft Saturday, and they went in the first six picks.

Then things went a bit crazy.

The shortened NFL draft immediately went long when the Miami Dolphins officially selected Michigan tackle Jake Long, then the St. Louis Rams grabbed Virginia defensive end Chris Long, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long.

At No. 3, Matt Ryan of Boston College, who could solve the quarterback problems in Atlanta, went to the Falcons.

"I had an open mind about it. I knew when you guys knew," Chris Long told reporters.

Following a long-standing tradition, the Oakland Raiders, at No. 4, went for the gamebreaking threat in Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, prompting the fans in Radio City Music Hall to boo loudly. Many wanted the All-American to fall to the New York Jets at No. 6.

All-American defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey of national champion LSU was taken by the Kansas City Chiefs with the fifth pick in what was becoming a somewhat predictable opening to the draft.

At No. 6, the New York Jets took defensive end Vernon Gholston from Ohio State, who must now learn to play in the 3-4 alignment the team prefers.

"I'm looking forward to going up against Jake Long twice a year," he said of what will be a revival of their Big Ten rivalry.

At No. 7, the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints swapped first-round picks, and the Saints chose USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. The Patriots slide to No. 10, and in addition, the Patriots will receive a third-round pick, and the Saints will get a fifth-round pick.

After the Ellis pick was announced, another trade was announced: The Jacksonville Jaguars, who had the No. 26 overall pick, moved way up the board to take the No. 8 spot, held by the Baltimore Ravens.

With that pick, the Jaguars selected Derrick Harvey, defensive end out of Florida, who was the 2007 national championship game MVP.

To pick Harvey, the Jaguars also sent the Ravens two third-round picks (Nos. 71 and 89 overall), plus a fourth-round pick (No. 125 overall.

At No. 9, the Cincinnati Bengals selected USC outside linebacker Keith Rivers.

Rounding out the top 10, with the pick obtained in the swap with the Saints, the New England Patriots chose Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo, a first-team All-SEC selection.

At No. 11, the Buffalo Bills picked 5-10, 190-pound cornerback Leodis McKelvin out of Troy.

The Denver Broncos picked Boise State offensive tackle Ryan Clady with the 12th overall pick.

At No. 13, Jonathan Stewart, a running back out of Oregon, was selected by the Carolina Panthers.

The Chicago Bears, with the 14th pick, chose Vanderbilt offensive tackle Chris Williams, a 2007 first-team All-SEC selection who allowed just two sacks in two seasons.

It was hardly a surprise when Jake Long, right, was selected No. 1 overall in the NFL draft on Saturday.

The Kansas City Chiefs, in a trade with the Detroit Lions, swapped first-round picks and took Virginia offensive guard Branden Albert at No. 15. The Chiefs also got a third-round pick (No. 76 overall). The Lions moved down to No. 17, and get a third-round pick (No. 66) and a fifth-round pick.

The Arizona Cardinals selected Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at No. 16, a cornerback out of Tennessee State.

The No. 17 spot, acquired by the Lions in the trade with the Chiefs, was used to select Boston College tackle Gosder Cherilus. After the pick, some in the audience chanted "FIRE MILLEN" in reference to Lions president Matt Millen.

The Ravens apparently didn't want to wait for their No. 26 spot to roll around, so they traded with the Houston Texans to take the No. 18 spot, with which they took Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco.

Flacco is the highest drafted Delaware player since quarterback Rich Gannon was taken in the fourth round of the 1987 draft by New England.

In the trade, Baltimore sent the 26th pick as well as its third-round pick (No. 89) and sixth-round pick (No. 173) for the Texans' first-round pick.

The trade bug apparently bit the Panthers, too, who worked a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to move up and choose Pittsburgh offensive tackle Jeff Otah with the 19th pick. The trade was costly for Carolina, as it gave up its second-round pick (No. 43), its fourth-round pick (No. 109) and its 2009 first-round pick to move up.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, owners of the No. 20 pick, selected Kansas' cornerback Aqib Talib.

To help protect their new quarterback, the Falcons pulled off a trade with the Washington Redskins to acquire the 21st pick and selected USC offensive lineman Sam Baker. Baker, a first-team All-America in 2006, is the son of Arena Football League commissioner David Baker.

In the Falcons-Redskins deal, Washington traded the No. 21, 84 and 154 picks to Atlanta for two second-round picks (No. 34 and 48) and a fourth-round pick (No. 103).

After the Falcons selection of Baker, there was a three-pick run on running backs.

With the first of their two first-round picks, the Dallas Cowboys chose Arkansas running back Felix Jones with the 22nd pick to add to a backfield that already features Pro Bowler Marion Barber.

The Steelers also boast a Pro Bowl running back in Willie Parker, but that didn't stop Pittsburgh from selecting Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall with the 23rd pick.

With the No. 24 pick, the Tennessee Titans wrapped up the running back run by selecting East Carolina star Chris Johnson.

The last time a running back was selected with three consecutive picks was in 1995, when Tyrone Wheatley (No. 17, Giants), Napoleon Kaufman (No. 18, Raiders) and James Stewart (No. 19, Jaguars) were picked back-to-back-to-back.

Seattle had the No. 25 pick, but sent that choice to the Cowboys in exchange for the No. 28 pick, the 163rd overall pick and the 235th overall pick. Dallas then chose South Florida cornerback Mike Jenkins, who became the first Bulls player to be selected in the first round.

Baltimore, which acquired the No. 26 pick in an earlier trade with Houston, chose Virginia Tech offensive tackle Duane Brown. He is the first offensive lineman ever taken in the first round by the Texans.

San Diego, only months removed from its loss in the AFC Championship Game, chose to bolster its defense by selecting cornerback Antoine Cason with the 27th pick.

The No. 28 pick, acquired by the Seahawks in a trade with the Cowboys, was used to pick USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson.

Coming off a dismal season, the San Francisco 49ers used their lone first-round pick to beef up the defense by selecting North Carolina defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer with the 29th pick.

The New York Jets traded their way into the first round by swinging a deal with Green Bay for the No. 30 pick. The Jets sent their second-round pick (No. 36 overall) and fourth-round pick (No. 113) to the Packers for the right to pick Purdue tight end Dustin Keller.

With the final pick of the first round, the defending champion New York Giants added some depth to their defensive backfield by choosing Miami's Kenny Phillips with the No. 31 pick.

In all, 14 of the 31 first-round selections -- New England forfeited its own spot because of the Spygate scandal, but had a pick acquired last year from San Francisco -- were involved in trades.

After Miami took Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling with the 32nd pick to kick off the second round, the first receiver of the day was chosen one pick later by the Rams. The University of Houston's Donnie Avery was the No. 33 pick in the draft, marking the first time since 1990 and only the second time since 1967 that no wide receivers taken in the first round.

Some other notable names went in the second round including Rutgers running back Ray Rice (No. 55 overall to Baltimore), Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm (No. 56, Green Bay) and Michigan quarterback Chad Henne (No. 57, Miami).

After Gholston's selection, all six players invited to the draft had been chosen in the top half-dozen spots.

"It's great to see the green room empty," Chris Long said.

Dorsey patted his heart as he held up a No. 1 Chiefs red jersey that was so small he, frankly, could never fit into it.

Jake Long signed a five-year contract with the Dolphins this week worth $57.75 million, $30 million of it guaranteed. After commissioner Roger Goodell announced Long's name at Radio City Music Hall, the St. Louis Rams went on the clock.

The NFL cut the first round from 15 minutes per pick to 10, and the Dolphins used only a few seconds to hand in their card. The Rams and Falcons didn't take much longer, but the Raiders used almost their entire time, as did Kansas City.

Jake Long became the first top overall pick from Michigan since Tom Harmon in 1941. He was accompanied by several family members onstage as he donned a Dolphins hat.

Then came another Long, who proudly held up a Rams jersey and pointed to the fans in the upper deck of the hall.

Chris Long is the second straight defensive lineman selected in the opening round by St. Louis, following Nebraska's Adam Carriker last year. Carriker likely will move to DT to open a spot for his new teammate.

"I knew I was in the running, but all the guys here were great players and they could have chosen anyone," Chris Long said. "It came down to needs."

Ryan has an open course to starting in Atlanta, with Michael Vick in prison on dogfighting charges, and only journeymen Chris Redman and Joey Harrington to compete with.

"I have to go down and gain the respect of my teammates, do everything I can do to get on the field next year," Ryan said.

Asked about replacing Vick in Atlanta and whether he expected to play or watch as a rookie, Ryan added: "I'll go down there to do all I can to be successful, try to not be distracted, try to win. ... There's not a right or wrong way to do it. I want to get there and learn the offense so I have a chance to play."

McFadden joins a crowded backfield in Oakland, where Justin Fargas recently signed a new contract and Dominic Rhodes and LaMont Jordan are on the roster.

"The time I talked to the Raiders coaching staff, they tell me they're missing a playmaker from their offense," McFadden said. "I feel I can add to that with my big-play ability."

Dorsey will be a building block for the Chiefs, who are revamping their roster this offseason. Gholston could do the same for the Jets, who have lacked a true pass-rushing threat since trading away John Abraham.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Wainwright goes the distance for win

2008-04-26T23:28:00.001-06:00

Schumaker delivers game-winning RBI single in the ninth
By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

ST. LOUIS -- After 8 2/3 innings and 119 pitches, with two men on base and a dangerous hitter at the plate, Adam Wainwright finally found his pitch. It's probably one you've seen before.

For the crowning moment in what turned out to be the first complete-game win of his career, Adam Wainwright threw seven straight sliders to Hunter Pence in the top of the ninth inning on Saturday. The last one finally finished Pence off, and half an inning later, Skip Schumaker's one-out single brought home the decisive run in a 4-3 Cardinals win over the Astros.

Wainwright, establishing himself more clearly every week as the Cardinals' pro tempore ace, pitched his second Major League complete game. He saw a new high with 126 pitches thrown, but still finished it off in style. The at-bat recalled the final out of the 2006 World Series, when Wainwright dusted off Detroit's Brandon Inge with an all-slider at-bat to cinch the title.

"In that situation, I'm making him hit my pitch," Wainwright said. "I'm not giving in right there, trying to throw a strike, and all of a sudden he hits a gapper and two guys score. [I] can't take that chance. I was just going to make him hit my pitch, my location. And if he did it, tip my hat."

By his own admission, Wainwright was never quite right on Saturday. His command was shaky within the strike zone, a dangerous proposition for any pitcher, and it led to three home runs. Yet he didn't issue a walk until the ninth inning, and never allowed a hit with a runner on base.

He entered the ninth inning of a tie game already past the 100-pitch mark, but Wainwright seemed to be gaining some steam at that point. He got Kaz Matsui to fly out in a two-pitch plate appearance. He battled Miguel Tejada to a full count before Tejada grounded out for the second out.

With the middle of the order coming up, though, Wainwright decided that discretion was the better part of valor. He walked Lance Berkman on five pitches, choosing not to give in rather than to allow a third homer to the switch-hitter. He issued another walk to Carlos Lee, again staying well out of the hitting zone.

"Those are their two guys that can go deep in any situation -- Tejada also, if you think about it, but you can't walk all three of them," Wainwright said. "I was just trying to pitch them really tough, trying to make them hit my pitches. I didn't quite throw my pitches. I was kind of all over the place, but I missed out of the zone. Those two guys were not going to beat me in that situation. Berkman had already beaten me twice today, and it just wasn't going to happen again."

He was willing to walk Pence as well, but his sliders were good enough and close enough that the outfielder swung and missed at three of them. And with the tie preserved, the Cardinals offense got to the business of making sure their man got a win.

Brian Barton led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk against Dave Borkowski. Wainwright was unable to advance him with a bunt attempt, reaching first base on a force play instead. Brendan Ryan singled, putting men on first and second, and Schumaker's first hit of the game scored pinch-runner Cesar Izturis.

"I'm looking for a pitch to drive," Schumaker said. "I put a good swing on it. I'd been rolling over some balls lately and wearing [second baseman] Matsui out. I didn't want to hit it to him again, that's for sure. I was just trying to get a pitch out over the plate and it worked out for me."

Wainwright pitched the first Cardinals complete game of the year, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out six. The right-hander didn't issue a walk until Berkman and Lee drew free passes in the ninth. Wainwright outlasted Houston ace Roy Oswalt, who permitted three runs over six innings.

It was the second time in Wainwright's career that he gave up three home runs in a game. He also allowed three on June 7, 2007, against the Reds. More impressively, the game marked only the third time in Wainwright's career that he allowed even two homers in the same game.

St. Louis took an early lead with a three-run third inning. Albert Pujols hit a two-run double off Oswalt, and Troy Glaus added a sacrifice fly that gave the Cardinals a 3-1 advantage.

The game was briefly delayed in the top of the third inning when both benches and bullpens cleared. Half an inning after Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue was hit by a pitch, Wainwright threw behind Astros catcher Brad Ausmus with the first pitch of the third inning. Ausmus was clearly irritated and had words for the Cardinals. The exchange never escalated from verbal to physical, however.

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

Stewart enjoying his time in a new kind of spotlight

2008-04-26T09:37:00.002-06:00

Two-time Cup champion is this year's Dale Earnhardt Jr.

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Usually this is the public side of Tony Stewart reserved for only after race victories.

All smiles. Cracking jokes. Actually appearing to have a good time as he talks with the media.

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Yet that was the Tony Stewart on display the last two days at Talladega Superspeedway. Heck, he met with hordes of media on consecutive days and pleasantly endured mostly all the same questions -- smiling and laughing during every answer along the way.

Clearly, Stewart is enjoying himself. This is Tony's time in the spotlight, and he is not only willing but eager to embrace it.

This is the Dale Earnhardt Jr. contract saga of 2007 all over again, but this time with Stewart in the starring role instead of Earnhardt.

Stewart's current contract to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing expires after 2009. Will he stay or will he go? Either way, it's obvious that his life will never be quite the same.

After word leaked Wednesday that Stewart talked with Haas CNC Racing about possibly becoming a driver and at least part-owner of the team, Stewart's future has been the talk of the Sprint Cup garage. Other owners have taken notice, too, with two of them -- which Stewart would not identify -- rushing forward during the last 48 hours with new offers of their own.

Stewart admitted Friday that it is an exciting time. He stressed that it wasn't his idea to come forward and make his future possibilities a public spectacle, but he also sees no need to offer an apology for the fact that it is now so.

"We didn't really go public with it. Somebody else went public with it, and then we had to go public with it," Stewart said. "You guys [in the media] have been around this sport long enough. It's hard to keep secrets. This was a secret that was kept a lot longer than most in this business.

"We were all surprised the discussion we're having today didn't happen a month or two ago. It's like I've said -- there is nothing broke, there is nothing that needs to be fixed where I'm at. It just got out that an offer had been made to us, and with that it's made us have to talk about it. Honestly, you're excited as a driver about it. We even had an offer come to us this morning. We've had two offers in the last two days come up. So to me, it's very humbling and I feel very honored to be in the situation I'm in where that many organizations are interested in me as a driver." (Continued)

More than a driver
Of course Stewart wants to be more than a Sprint Cup driver. In fact, he already is. He has owned a World of Outlaws team since 2001 and has headed up a USAC program since 2002.

But more than all that, he is a highly marketable name. He is a living icon in racing.

It could be argued that there are perhaps only two other drivers in Sprint Cup who carry the kind of sponsorship clout that he does. One is the aforementioned Earnhardt. The other is Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports.

When the names involved are Earnhardt, Gordon or Stewart, the public almost can't get enough. This puts Stewart, who like Earnhardt has yet to win a Cup points race this season, squarely back in the spotlight he so enjoys.

Tony Stewart acknowledged that he had received offers to drive for other teams, with ownership options included.

That's what makes this such big news. Having gone through it a year ago, when he made the painstaking decision to leave the company founded by his own father, Dale Earnhardt Inc., and eventually signed with Hendrick, Earnhardt probably understands what is going on right now with Stewart more than anyone else on the face of this planet.

Earnhardt said he simply hopes that Stewart will sift through all his offers and make an intelligent decision in due time -- and that there won't be too much of a media feeding frenzy on the subject in the interim. He also said he realizes that's not likely to happen.

"I want to sit down at this table and eat, but I don't want to eat at it for a year and a half," Earnhardt said. "I want to read what you've got to say and I want to know what happens. But is it necessary for us to really begin the coverage at this point?"

Well, yes, it is. Now that the word is out and Stewart is talking publicly about it, let the coverage commence. No one but Stewart could stop it now, and he said that he is going to take his sweet time mulling everything over.

"We're going to take as much time as we need to in order to make sure that we explore all the options thoroughly," Stewart said. "We're going to be smart about it. It's no different than what Dale Jr. did last year."

It is obvious that the idea of possibly owning a team -- whether it be a fourth car at JGR (possibly driven by the upcoming phenom Joey Logano) or for an organization where Stewart's input would be even more dominant -- is what intrigues the driver the most.

"The idea that I could be in a position like a Richard Childress or a Rick Hendrick, somebody that's driven in this sport and at the end of their career stayed involved and stayed with it and stayed a player in the sport, and didn't just get done driving and be done ... it's been a unique opportunity and one that has sparked our interest," Stewart said. "It's been exciting to know that even though I may hang up the helmet one day, that it doesn't have to end there."

Hold the analysis
There are many e-mailers and self-proclaimed Smoke experts out there who are insisting this is about a long-time Chevrolet man trying to escape the shackles of his new Toyota brand -- which JGR switched to last offseason amid much controversy. But this is not as simple as that.

This is more about Stewart being in a very unique point in his lifetime -- one that isn't going to be repeated anytime soon and very likely never again at all. This is his chance to define the next phase of his life as a racer and, perhaps, as a racecar owner at the highest level of stock-car racing.

He finds it intoxicating, and why shouldn't he? It's heady stuff.

"There have been items that have been brought up that I didn't even realize could be options. We're still trying to figure out what is that perfect scenario," Stewart said.

There are other "experts" who will say that Stewart is putting his No. 20 team in a terrible spot with too much of the 2008 season left to race, to mention nothing of 2009 when he will remain under contract to JGR as well. He scoffs at that.

"If you look at the history of this race team in particular, we've battled through all kinds of stuff that have been strains," Stewart said. "I'm a strain to begin with, so if they can make it nine and a half years with me, then I think they can make it through anything."

There it was again. The self-deprecating humor. The fun interaction with the media.

When it comes to Tony Stewart these days, he's all about letting the good times roll. And why not? He's in the spotlight and likely to stay there for a good while.

He is this year's Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Now if NASCAR could just get one or both of them to actually win a race, the sport would be set for a summer public-relations boon of epic proportions. Until one of those moments actually occurs, this will have to do.

Stewart just guaranteed that we'll all stay tuned in.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

Earnhardt earns pole at Texas, now trying to give Hendrick first ‘08 victory

2008-04-04T20:19:00.001-06:00

Earnhardt earns pole at Texas, now trying to give Hendrick first ‘08 victory
By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer
1 hour, 48 minutes ago

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)—Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the third Hendrick driver to earn a pole this season. Now maybe he can be the first to win a race.

Earnhardt, the Hendrick newcomer and the team’s most consistent finisher with four consecutive top 10s, ran a fast lap of 190.907 mph Friday at Texas Motor Speedway to earn the pole for the Samsung 500. It is his first pole in 22 races, since Pocono in August.

“The car handled really good,” Earnhardt said. “The car is as good and as comfortable … It could be a good weekend for us.”

The qualifying run came on the 10th anniversary of Earnhardt’s first NASCAR victory, a Nationwide race at Texas. Earnhardt also got his first Sprint Cup victory at the 1 1/2 -mile high-banked track in 2000.

Starting beside Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet on the front row will be Carl Edwards, who ran a lap of 189.487 in his Ford. It is the first time Edwards, the only driver with two Cup victories this season, has started better than 10th at Texas, where he won the 2005 fall race.

Kyle Busch will start third, followed by Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson. Points leader Jeff Burton qualified 35th.

Qualifying was stopped for more than an hour after rookie driver Michael McDowell was involved in a horrific tumbling crash. McDowell walked away virtually unscathed, but track officials had to make temporary repairs to the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier that McDowell hit.

McDowell was going into the first turn of his second lap when his No. 00 Toyota got loose, then slammed almost headfirst into the barrier. The car ricocheted off the wall and onto its roof, then rolled at least eight times before finally coming to rest at the bottom of the high-banked track.

“I feel great, nothing broke,” McDowell said. “I didn’t lose consciousness. I felt every roll down the hill.”

A Hendrick driver has won the pole at four of the five tracks where qualifying hasn’t been rained out. Two-time defending Cup champion Johnson was the polesitter at Daytona, and Jeff Gordon won the last two poles determined on the track.

But Hendrick Motorsports, which won 18 races last season, is still looking for its first victory this year. And Earnhardt is trying to break a 68-race winless streak that dates back to Richmond in May 2006.

“I think a majority of the people are as hungry as I am for a win,” Earnhardt said. “The thing that I’m trying not to look past or under-appreciate is how much better I’m doing in my career, in this position I’m in this year, and how much a better situation I’m in and how much happier I am as a person.”

Earnhardt finished ninth at Daytona, but since a 40th-place finish at Fontana has been sixth or better the last four races.

“I want to go out there and get a win, get that out of the way,” Earnhardt said. “But how much better everything is for me right now is overwhelming in a sense.”

Gordon, who hasn’t won a race at Texas, will start 18th, four spots ahead of Casey Mears, the other Hendrick driver.

Dario Franchitti, Chad McCumbee and Burney Lamar didn’t qualify. It is the first Cup race that Franchitti, last year’s IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, will miss for Chip Ganassi.

McDowell made his Cup debut last week at Martinsville. A developmental driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, he was promoted to the Cup level to fill a hole in the lineup created when Dale Jarrett retired. The 23-year-old McDowell finished 26th there and will start 40th at Texas on owners points.

EARNHARDT JR. TO MAKE FIRST NATIONWIDE SERIES START AT TMS SINCE 1999

2008-03-31T17:25:00.001-06:00

Mar 27: NASCAR Nationwide Series EARNHARDT JR. TO MAKE FIRST NATIONWIDE SERIES START AT TMS SINCE 1999 IN NEXT WEEK’S O’REILLY 300... Earnhardt Jr.’s Start Also Will Mark 10-Year Anniversary Of His First Career Nationwide Series Win That Came At Texas Motor Speedway FORT WORTH, Texas (March 27, 2008) – Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s entry in next week’s O’Reilly 300 will mark his first appearance in a Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway since he captured the 1999 series championship. Earnhardt Jr. will be driving the No. 5 Go Daddy Chevrolet for Junior Motorsports in the O’Reilly 300, which will feature more than a dozen NASCAR Sprint Cup stars pulling double duty for the Samsung 500 race weekend on Saturday, April 5. Earnhardt Jr. has made two Nationwide Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, including one that resulted in a career milestone, and both came during his run to consecutive championships in that series. En route to his title in 1998, Earnhardt Jr. captured his first career Nationwide Series victory at TMS and followed with a 10th-place finish at “The Great American Speedway!” during his 1999 championship run. “It’s been a while since I’ve raced at Texas in the Nationwide Series, so I’m looking forward to getting back there,” said Earnhardt Jr., whose first career Sprint Cup Series win in 2000 also came at TMS. “It’s hard to believe that first win came 10 years ago – time goes by pretty quick. Texas is a special track to me and it would mean a lot to win there next weekend – and it would be cool to win in both series. We’re also so close to winning on the Cup side, so it would be nice to close the deal at Texas.” The O’Reilly 300 will nearly mark the 10-year anniversary of Earnhardt Jr.’s first Nationwide Series victory to the day. He won the then-Coca-Cola 300 on April 4, 1998 by 0.178 of a second over Elliott Sadler. It currently is the second-closest Nationwide Series finish in Texas Motor Speedway history, and remains a great memory for Earnhardt Jr. (PR-Texas Motor Speedway) (03-27-08)

Dixon opens new era of open wheel with victory

2008-03-29T22:49:00.001-06:00

Updated: March 30, 2008, 12:21 AM ET

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- New American open-wheel era or not, it was pretty much business as usual Saturday night in the IRL IndyCar Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

A Target Chip Ganassi Racing entry, this one driven by former series champion Scott Dixon, won the season-opener for the third straight year. He took the lead late in the 200-lap race when Tony Kanaan, another former champion, ran out of luck.

Scott Dixon won the season opener for the third straight year.

And, while none of the newcomers making the transition from the Champ Car World Series to the newly unified IndyCar series were able to compete with the leaders, forecasts of disaster proved wrong and the newcomers generally stayed out of the way of the faster cars and out of trouble.

Dixon, the New Zealand driver who lost the IRL IndyCar Series championship to Dario Franchitti when he ran out of fuel on the last lap of the 2007 season, got off to a great start with the victory in the Gainsco Auto Insurance Indy 300.

But it didn't look like his race to win.

Kanaan came out of the last round of green flag pit stops in the lead and appeared well on the way to a victory until Ernesto Viso, a rookie driving for one of the former Champ Car teams that just joined the IRL, punctured a tire and spun on the 193rd of 200 laps.

As Viso slid broadside across the track, Kanaan tried to duck around him and almost made it. But Kanaan hit Viso's car with the right front of his Dallara Honda, knocking his tire askew.

Kanaan stayed out front for several laps behind the pace car, with his damaged tire barely touching the ground. But he slowly drove his damaged car into the pits as the green flag waved on lap 197, giving up the lead to Dixon, who won for the second time on Homestead's 1.5-mile oval.

While Kanaan received condolences from his team, Dixon celebrated his 11th IndyCar victory.

"We were catching [Kanaan] quick and that was the best part about it," Dixon said. "It would have been close at the end.

"This is fantastic. I think it's four wins in a row for Ganassi cars at Homestead," added Dixon, who led 67 laps.

Kanaan was philosophical.

"This was a misfortune, yes," the Brazilian said. "But how many times have I won races because some other guy was lucky? With 10 laps to go I was looking around and I was thinking, 'This looks too easy.'"

Marco Andretti, who led a race-high 85 laps, finished second, about five car-lengths behind the winner. Andretti, the son of Andretti Green Racing team co-owner Michael Andretti and grandson of longtime racing great Mario Andretti, led from lap 122 until he got caught behind a lapped car and watched Kanaan race past on lap 161.

Second was a big accomplishment for Andretti, who broke a halfshaft and finished 15th at Homestead as a rookie in 2006, then had to park an ill-handling car and finished last in last year's race after he said he scared himself on the track.

"I'm a competitor and I want to win races but, after my luck here in the past, I'll gladly take second. You get a sense of a little bit of accomplishment," Andretti said. "Coming from last year, our goal was just to try to finish this race. We worked very hard to come up with a setup that works here and the car was very solid, very stable and we had some good speed."

Dan Wheldon, who had won the last three Homestead races, one for Andretti Green Racing and the last two for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, started at the rear of the 25-car field after crashing in Friday night's qualifying. He quickly moved up among the leaders and eventually led nine laps before finishing third, just ahead of Helio Castroneves, the last driver on the lead lap.

Ed Carpenter, who also had to start from the rear after both he and Vision Racing teammate A.J. Foyt IV were penalized when their cars failed post-qualifying inspection, finished a lap off the pace in fifth. Danica Patrick was sixth.

The race was run almost exactly a month after the announcement that the two rival American open-wheel series would become one under the banner of the IRL. Of the eight former Champ Car entries, Oriol Servia was the top finisher in 12th.

It was tough on the newcomers, who got their IRL cars within the last three weeks and had very little preparation time or testing.

"The car ran well to the end and that was the first goal," Servia said. "We'll get better. We've been better every time we go out. ... It was good fun and I can only imagine when we get up to speed how much fun it's going to be."

Despite the fact that most of the newcomers had little or no oval racing experience, there were only three caution flags in the race.

Before Viso spun, the only cautions were brought out by debris on the track and then when Milka Duno spun and hit Ryan Briscoe as he tried to squeeze by near the top of the banking.

"You could tell these were good, solid professional drivers out there," Wheldon said. "They're going to be tough before this season is over."

There was one more incident, with former Champ Car stars Will Power and Justin Wilson banging together on an early restart. A bent suspension ended Power's race in last place, but Wilson, who punctured a tire, was able to continue after pitting and finished 15th, seven laps behind Dixon.

"I'm very pleased we completed our first IndyCar Series race," said Wilson, who made his first start for eight-time CART/Champ Car champion Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing. "I'm a lot more confident. I think our race pace is a lot better than our qualifying pace.

"I know we have a lot to do, but this gave us something to build on for the future."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Reyes, Washington make the cut

2008-03-29T22:17:00.001-06:00

Reliever, infielder last to make it onto Cards 25-man roster

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. --

Anthony Reyes and Rico Washington are in. Kelvin Jimenez, Brendan Ryan and D'Angelo Jimenez are out.

The Cardinals may not submit their roster to Major League Baseball until at least Sunday, but the decisions have been made on which 25 players will suit up at Busch Stadium on Monday. Washington will be on a big league roster for the first time as a utility infielder, while Reyes will get the last spot in the bullpen.

"Words can't really describe how I feel right now," said Washington, who has been playing pro ball since 1997. "I just can say that it's a moment I've been waiting for throughout my career, and today is a special day. I just want to cherish it and go there and do the best that I can."

D'Angelo Jimenez will be assigned to Memphis, while Ryan will be placed on the disabled list due to discomfort in the area of his rib cage -- officially an intercostal muscle strain. Kelvin Jimenez, who at one time looked like a front-runner for a bullpen job, will be optioned to Triple-A Memphis.

The club had tipped its hand regarding the infield spot on Friday, but Washington was not notified until Saturday morning.

"It hasn't sunk in," Washington said after Saturday's exhibition game, in which he hit a home run. "I'm just glad to be a part of this team. No. 1, I just want to thank God, and thank these guys for actually welcoming me into this team. ... I'm still breathless right now, taking it all in."

The Cardinals had steadfastly insisted that no decision had been made on the last pitching job until Saturday. Reyes has made only five relief appearances in his professional career, three of them as a rookie September callup in 2005. But he offers protection as a true long reliever, something otherwise missing in the St. Louis bullpen.

"He could go in there and give us four, five, six innings," manager Tony La Russa said. "Plus, it's a statement of the improvement he continues to make."

Reyes entered spring as a competitor for an open spot in the St. Louis starting rotation, and at least arguably pitched well enough to win one of the two jobs. However, he was passed over in favor of Brad Thompson, who also enjoyed an outstanding spring, and Todd Wellemeyer -- whose Grapefruit League numbers were inferior to Reyes'.

Still, while Reyes hoped to crack the rotation, he would rather relieve in St. Louis than start at Memphis.

"It's kind of nice, with all the hard work I put in this offseason, and what I went through last year, I was able to bounce back," he said. "I'm looking forward to this season. It's nice all the hard work is paying off. Every time I went out, things started to click and I started to feel more and more like my old self."

Kelvin Jimenez put up a respectable spring, posting a 3.86 ERA in 14 innings with seven strikeouts and four walks. He will provide depth at Memphis for another season, and would likely get a callup if and when the team needs short-term relief help.

Washington made an early appearance in camp as a non-roster invitee, but was reassigned to the Minor Leagues on March 5. Ryan, meanwhile, had been a sure thing for the sixth infield spot before he came down with the intercostal injury.

When Ryan first was sidelined, D'Angelo Jimenez became the favorite to take his spot on the roster until he returned. But the club was reluctant to commit to a full-year contract for Jimenez when he might only be on the roster for a few days.

Jimenez is out of options, so he could not be removed from the Major League roster without being waived. Additionally, once he is added to the roster, he will be guaranteed a Major League salary for the remainder of the year whether he was in St. Louis or Memphis. By contrast, Washington can be optioned to the Minors as soon as Ryan is ready to play again.

Regardless of the reasons, though, Washington is a remarkable story. A former third-round pick of the Pirates, Washington -- who will be 30 May -- has played 1,134 professional games and taken 3,980 Minor League at-bats but has never appeared in a big league game.

"They say good things come to people who wait," he said. "I've been waiting a long time."

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

Order On The Court

2008-03-29T21:50:00.001-06:00

Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- This time, North Carolina got to celebrate instead of heading to the locker room to wait for next year. Tyler Hansbrough and his top-seeded Tar Heels just wouldn't be denied a trip to the Final Four again.

Hansbrough had 28 points and 13 rebounds Saturday night to help the Tar Heels hold off Louisville 83-73 in the East Regional final. Playing in front of a partisan home-state crowd, they reached the national semifinals for the first time since winning the championship in 2005.

The Tar Heels (36-2) advanced to play the Kansas-Davidson winner next Saturday at San Antonio.

Ty Lawson added 11 points -- including a key 3-pointer with about 5 minutes left -- for North Carolina. The Tar Heels blew a 12-point halftime lead, then broke away from a tie at 59 to earn their 17th trip to the Final Four.

It was a reversal of last year's regional final in which the Tar Heels fell apart down the stretch, wasted a double-digit lead in the second half and lost to Georgetown in overtime.

Last year, nobody could hit a shot when the Tar Heels needed one most against the Hoyas in a loss that had stayed with them all season. But this time, Hansbrough and Lawson came through with the three biggest shots of the season to maintain North Carolina's tenuous second-half lead.

Battling against David Padgett in physical contest inside, Hansbrough finished 12-for-17 from the floor in 38 minutes. Meanwhile, Lawson had nine assists while operating as a one-man press break against the third-seeded Cardinals (27-9) and their full-court pressure all night.

Jerry Smith scored 17 points to lead Louisville, which shot 53 percent and gave the Tar Heels all they could handle in front of a blue-clad crowd. But ultimately, North Carolina proved it had learned the lessons from last year.

First, with the Tar Heels clinging to a 68-64 lead, Lawson came around the baseline and knocked down a 3 from the corner in front of his bench that pushed the margin to seven. Then, after a basket from Earl Clark inside, Hansbrough knocked down a straightaway jumper over the 6-foot-11 Padgett to make it 73-66 with 2:27 to play.

Hansbrough essentially closed the door on Louisville on the next possession. The 6-9 junior got the ball on the left wing with the shot clock winding down, then pump-faked to get Clark up in the air and step in for another jumper over Padgett. The ball swished cleanly through while Hansbrough was knocked to the ground, pushing the lead to 75-66 with 1:33 left.

The Tar Heels went 8-for-8 at the foul line to seal it in the final minute.

(3) Louisville 73, (1) North Carolina 83

Cardinals' rotation filled with lots of problems

2008-03-23T12:50:00.001-06:00

Updated: March 22, 2008

JUPITER, Fla. -- Several St. Louis Cardinals can be seen walking around camp in T-shirts with the old U.S. Marines motto, "The More You Sweat in Training, the Less You Bleed in Battle.'' The shirts, which come in navy blue and institutional gray, were the brainchild of staff ace and former Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter.

Chances are the guy who coined the phrase didn't have Tommy John surgery, rotator cuff repairs, simulated games and endless rounds of long toss in mind.

St. Louis' pitchers haven't been through boot camp or stormed any beaches lately, but they've spent their fair share of time lying on a table under the influence of anesthesia. Matt Clement, Mark Mulder and Carpenter have all undergone major surgery since the fall of 2006, and they're well-acquainted with the ups and downs of the rehab process.

Adam Wainwright will likely be the Cardinals' starting pitcher on Opening Day.
Pitching aside, the Cardinals have found some reasons for optimism while coming off their first losing season since 1999. Albert Pujols, Rick Ankiel and Troy Glaus are having productive springs, and the Cards have been impressed with outfielder Brian Barton, a Rule 5 pick from Cleveland who looks like a lock to make the team.

The starting rotation? Let's just say it's in a state of flux.

St. Louis' Grapefruit League rotation consists of Adam Wainwright, Braden Looper, Brad Thompson and Todd Wellemeyer. Kyle Lohse, who arrived in camp just nine days ago, made his Florida debut on Saturday and allowed two runs on six hits in five innings pitched in a game against the Twins.

After that, it's a matter of waiting, monitoring and hoping. Joel Pineiro, who felt some shoulder discomfort early in camp, should return by mid- to late April. The Cardinals are hoping for contributions from Clement in early May, Mulder in mid-May and Carpenter sometime after the All-Star break.

That's some cavalry. While manager Tony La Russa is never comfortable with the idea of treading water under any circumstances, he's aware that the Cardinals have a chance to get better as the season progresses.

"I've had situations where there have been pitching issues and you don't see the help coming,'' La Russa said. "In a way this is a more positive situation than some of the other ones, where you're kind of strapped and you have to mix and match and hope a young guy comes up from Triple-A and helps you.''

Nevertheless, the amount of help the veterans can provide is subject to debate. Carpenter underwent Tommy John surgery on July 24, so chances are remote that he'll regain his old Grade A form this season. And baseball observers are withholding judgment on Mulder and Clement.

"Yeah, they might come back,'' one scout said, "but Mulder might be throwing 86 [mph], and Clement hasn't pitched in a game since 2006. Can you really count on these guys for significant innings and quality starts?''

As always, the Cardinals are putting a lot of faith in pitching coach Dave Duncan's ability to maximize strengths and get the most out of a staff. Duncan has justifiably earned a reputation as Mr. Fix-It in a dozen seasons coaxing big efforts from the likes of Kent Bottenfield, Garrett Stephenson, Dustin Hermanson and Jason Simontacchi. We also can't forget Jeff Weaver's memorable turn as Mr. October in 2006.

But Duncan can't always whip up a sumptuous buffet from a few cans of Spam. Kip Wells was a disaster last season, Jason Marquis wore out his welcome in St. Louis before doing the same thing in Chicago, and the consensus is that Anthony Reyes needs a change of scenery and a fresh start somewhere else.

Meet The Cardinals
The Cardinals' projected starting rotation for the 2008 season:

Adam Wainwright, RHP
Kyle Lohse, RHP
Todd Wellemeyer, RHP
Braden Looper, RHP
Brad Thompson, RHP

Duncan's most intriguing new project is Lohse, who fell into the Cardinals' laps in early March. At the start of the Hot Stove season, Lohse and Carlos Silva were considered the top two free-agent starters available. But after Silva signed a four-year, $48 million deal in December, Lohse endured a lengthy and mysterious wait to find a job.

In mid-February, Lohse left his home in Arizona and worked out near agent Scott Boras' offices in Southern California. When the Cardinals grew desperate three weeks into camp, general manager John Mozeliak tossed out a $4.25 million lifeline and landed a bargain.

Why was Lohse available for so long? Baseball sources said the Mets and Phillies were both prepared to offer Lohse three-year deals for $8 million to $9 million annually. But the Mets viewed Lohse as a fallback in the event they couldn't land Johan Santana in a trade, and the Phillies shifted gears and spent their money on Geoff Jenkins, Pedro Feliz and Kris Benson when it became apparent that Lohse was beyond their price range.

One baseball official with knowledge of the situation said Boras was looking for a "Gil Meche deal'' -- which means five years and $55 million. Lohse, for his part, said he wasn't even seeking a deal like the one Silva got.

"Some teams said they were going to do some things, and they never materialized,'' Lohse said. "I know a lot of people talked about how I turned this and that down. I'm not going to get into what was really going on, but I think a lot of people heard a lot of rumors and assumed they were true.''

An Internet rumor briefly made the rounds that Lohse had fired Boras, but it proved baseless. Client and agent are still together, although Lohse somewhat cryptically suggests that he has a year to "figure out what happened.'' That's a clear reference to next winter, when Lohse goes back on the market at age 30 with no desire to wait around for a cut-rate deal.

"You never say you're going to be together forever,'' Lohse said of his relationship with Boras, "but things are good now. He's done well for me up until this point. This offseason was kind of a tough thing to take. The market was there -- that's all I can say.''

While Lohse has a reputation as an underachiever, he pitched some huge games for the Phillies in a pennant race last summer. Lohse lasted six innings or more in seven of his past 11 starts before giving up a grand slam to Colorado's Kaz Matsui in Game 2 of the Division Series.

The challenge now is breaking through the ceiling of unfulfilled expectations. Lohse, a career 63-74 with a 4.82 ERA, is free from those overpowering American League lineups and cozy parks in Cincinnati and Philadelphia, so the Cardinals have reason to hope he will spread his wings and fly.

In a way this is a more positive situation than some of the other ones, where you're kind of strapped and you have to mix and match and hope a young guy comes up from Triple-A and helps you.
--Cardinals manager Tony La Russa on the state of his team's pitching

Clement, who signed a three-year, $25.5 million contract with Boston in December 2004, was serviceable at the outset before going progressively downhill. He took a Carl Crawford line drive off the head in July 2005, and there were rumblings that he was faking an arm injury until Dr. James Andrews went in for a look and found significant damage to his shoulder.

"You can question whether my slider is any good, whether I'm able to pitch inside -- I don't care,'' Clement said. "Just don't question whether I'm willing to take the ball. That's the one thing I've always taken pride in.''

Clement was a workhorse before his injury -- making 30 or more starts in seven straight seasons -- and he's taken a dogged approach in his rehabilitation. It's a comfort when he can seek out the counsel of Carpenter, a veteran of multiple elbow and shoulder surgeries. When Carpenter tells him, "Don't worry about your velocity -- just worry about how the ball is coming out of your hand,'' Clement files the observation away for future reference. Carpenter has quickly evolved into his benchmark and his personal oracle.

In a best-case scenario, Clement and his fellow wounded warriors will return as scheduled, the Cardinals will hang around the NL Central lead and Mozeliak will have enough surplus pitching to make a trade or two at the deadline. If not, the Cardinals will rely too much on Pujols yet again, and that 78-win season of a year ago will look like a fun fest.

"When you deal with a specific aspect of the game, whether it's hitting or pitching, you come to realize exactly just how long the season is,'' Duncan said. "Once that's the case, it gives you a lot more patience.''

The Cardinals have patience in abundance. Only time will tell if they have enough arms.

Jerry Crasnick covers baseball for ESPN.com.

Happy Easter Everyone...

2008-03-23T12:43:00.001-06:00

hope everyone has a GR88T Easter 2008...

LOVE and God Bless...

Cup Point Standings-Top 12

2008-03-19T21:34:00.001-06:00

Cup Point Standings
1 Kyle Busch 782 0
2 G. Biffle 752 -30
3 K. Harvick 749 -33
4 J. Burton 745 -37
5 D. Earnhardt Jr 686 -96
6 K. Kahne 674 -108
7 T. Stewart 656 -126
8 R. Newman 635 -147
9 Clint Bowyer 606 -176
10 Kurt Busch 605 -177
11 Matt Kenseth 604 -178
12 M. Truex Jr 595 -187

Jr. fights hard for fifth-place finish at Bristol

2008-03-19T21:31:00.001-06:00

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s fifth-place finish in the Food City 500 didn’t come easy.

Earnhardt Jr. started 15th in Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, but the handling on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was off early in the race.

But Earnhardt and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. worked to make the car better, making changes on several pit stops. In the final 100 laps, the car got better, and Earnhardt Jr. methodically moved toward the front.

And though he didn’t win, Earnhardt Jr. was the top Hendrick driver for the fourth time in five races of 2008.

"Well, we need to start the race a little bit better than we did,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “We worked really hard today. I am pretty proud of my team.”

Earnhardt Jr. said his car was “pretty good” in Saturday’s practices, and after working his way to the top 10 on Sunday, he ended the weekend wanting more.

“To start where we did, work as hard as we did, to not get tires there at the end to try and win the race, I am a little disappointed,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I have to give it to Tony Jr. and the guys for working so hard and dialing this car in. I give those guys a lot of credit, they built me a good race car and I am real proud to drive it.”

By SceneDaily Staff Monday, March 17, 2008

St. Louis Cardinals sweep past Brewers 7-28-07

2007-07-28T23:08:00.000-06:00

ST. LOUIS -- Anthony Reyes got in the win column, Scott Rolen was a power source, and the Cardinals enjoyed a sniff of contention. Things felt an awful lot like 2006 for a few hours at Busch Stadium on Saturday.

Hours after they stood on the cusp of hopelessness, the Cardinals may have reason to believe again. St. Louis completed a doubleheader sweep of first-place Milwaukee with a 5-2 win on Saturday night, pulling within seven games of the Brewers in the National League Central. It's the closest the Redbirds have been to the division lead since they were 6 1/2 back on the morning of June 18.

Reyes, called up from Triple-A Memphis for a spot start, pitched six excellent and efficient innings for his first regular-season win since Sept. 3, 2006 -- a span of 17 starts and 12 decisions. Reyes received a three-run lead in the first inning and never relinquished it. He allowed two runs on two hits over six innings, striking out four with one walk.

"I figured it might be a one-way deal," said Reyes, "so I kind of used that. There might be no tomorrow, so I just kind of left it all on the field."

Reyes did it all while facing the specter of an immediate demotion. At the same time Reyes was activated, the Cardinals had reliever Andy Cavazos in the clubhouse, ready to take his roster spot on Sunday. However, after Reyes' performance, manager Tony La Russa said that plan may be in doubt.

"You get what you earn," La Russa said, "and he definitely earned a big game for us tonight. ... It's the same old deal we talk about, we pick the five best. And this guy tonight looked like he might be one of the five best."

As for Rolen, his two-out, first-inning double put the Cards ahead by a run, and he added a second double six innings later. That made three two-baggers on the day, and five extra-base hits since he received a cortisone injection in his shoulder on July 18. Rolen had five extra-base hits in his previous 112 at-bats.

"I feel like I'm in a good position right now and swinging the bat well," Rolen said. "I'm getting the bat head out. I certainly hadn't done that for a while. Probably the coincidence is too striking not to make something of it."

Jim Edmonds followed Rolen in the first by rapping a two-run single to make it 3-0. Milwaukee pulled closer, and trailed by only a run in the seventh, when Albert Pujols and Juan Encarnacion hit consecutive run-scoring singles to stretch the advantage back out again.

The Cards bullpen made the lead stick. Ryan Franklin tossed two innings with only a hit batter as a blemish, and Jason Isringhausen pitched the ninth for his 20th save. For the day, St. Louis relievers pitched nine innings and allowed one hit.

The victory completed a striking turnaround for the Redbirds. They entered the ninth inning of the opening game facing a two-run deficit, but rallied for three in their last at-bat. At 2:30 p.m. CT, St. Louis was facing the very real possibility of a 10-game deficit. By 10 p.m., the gap stood at seven, and shrinking.

"I think it's a big swing," Rolen said. "It was obviously a very big win this afternoon, when we were able to come back and put ourselves in a better position. [Sunday is] a big game also."

Reyes needed a mere 67 pitches to get through six innings, and might well have stayed in the game longer if his spot had not come up in the batting order. He threw his fastball often -- and for strikes -- allowing him to be more effective with his curveball and changeup.

With Mike Maroth struggling and Brad Thompson dealing with a blister, Reyes' game may have been more of an audition than anyone expected beforehand. His latest exile to Memphis may finally have served as the tonic to right a pitcher whose ability is undeniable.

"I went down there and figured out some things, and just kind of worked on mechanics a little bit," he said. "I tried to get back to some of the mechanics I had in years prior. It feels like it's coming together a little bit. I've still got some things to work on, but it felt a lot better today."

Credit for story to: Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com.

My Baseball Thoughts: The Season, so far and Josh Hancock and The St. Louis Cardinals

2007-04-30T22:22:00.000-06:00

I am at a loss. Plain and simple.

My favorite team, The 2006 World Series Champions, St. Louis Cardinals, are not playing like World Champs right now. They have starting pitcher problems, no one is hitting, except for a couple guys, their relievers are doing good, Rolen, Pujols and Edmonds are starting to come around BUT you can't win ball games when you can't score a lot of runs. Good thing this season lasts 162 games. They are going to need them.

And now this.

On Sunday, April 29th, 2007, Relief Pitcher Josh Hancock was driving his SUV, on his way home, and crashed into a flat bed tow truck sitting on the side of the road on Highway 64 in St. Louis.

Hancock's 2007 Ford Explorer hit a tow truck at approximately 12:35 a.m. CT and the pitcher died at the scene, possibly at the moment of impact. It's the second time in a five-year span that the Cardinals have lost an active player. Darryl Kile passed away on June 22, 2002.

He was killed instantly.

He was not married, had no kids but leaves behind a grieving mother and father. Also left behind were his fans and several friends and colleagues, namely The St. Louis Cardinals.

His baseball team.

Now I never met Josh. I did see him play. Not live, just on TV. The guy could pitch. He helped this team win The 2006 World Series. From what I've read, he didn't gripe about what his role on the team was, but accepted it with every fiber in his body.

Here are some quotes from StlCardinals.com:

Cardinals principal owner Bill DeWitt Jr., general manager Walt Jocketty, manager Tony La Russa and Mokwa addressed the media at Busch Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

"The pain our organization feels today is unspeakable," said DeWitt. "Josh was a great competitor with a strong will to win. His fellow Cardinals will tell you that Josh was a consummate teammate with a terrific spirit that served him well on the mound and in the clubhouse."

Hancock joined the Cardinals in February 2006. He quickly became a valuable member of the St. Louis bullpen, pitching 77 innings in his first season with the Cardinals. He performed a variety of roles for the Cardinals, from occasional short relief to sometimes less desirable jobs like long relief in games that threatened to get out of hand.

"The respect that we all had for his ability to take the significant or the save-our-staff type of role was a real measure of him personally and professionally," said La Russa. "He was a lot of fun and a terrific teammate. So trust me when I tell you this is brutal to go through."

Hancock appeared in eight games for the Cardinals in 2007, posting a 3.55 ERA, and pitched three innings in Saturday afternoon's game against the Cubs. He was well-liked as a fun-loving, easy-going person.

"Josh had a lot of friends in that clubhouse," Jocketty said. "You talk about it being a family, and it is a family. And it's very difficult."

Team members assembled in the clubhouse prior to the news conference to share thoughts and memories of their late teammate.

"One of the things that's really painful here is that Josh, in this town, his family was his teammates," La Russa said. "We know a little bit about his brother and sister, and mother and dad. But here's a guy that really enjoyed and was a very strong part of the family here at the ballpark and away from the ballpark. So that's a big miss, a big hole that's going to be there."

On Sunday afternoon, I cried. Even now, I feel like crying. OK, I am. I have been a Cards fan for quite some time now. Over 30 years. I have watched them win and lose. I have watched them LIVE and on TV. I have been there through the good days and I have been there through the bad days. I cried almost 5 years ago when Darryl Kile passed away on June 22, 2002. As of that time, he was my favorite player on that team. He had a 12-6 curve ball that literally fell off the table and disappeared when he threw it. I still have my Cards hat with the #57 on it. Now I have had to add another one. #32

I honestly believe that The St. Louis Cardinals CAN make it through all of this. They are, as of this date, currently 10-15, 5 1/2 games out of first.

They need time to get through this. Unfortunately, they won't have the time to really grieve about his death. They are going to have a memorial for him on Thursday, May 3rd, on their off-day. That will be their grieving day.

Then, Friday, it's back to baseball and back to work.

I can't really begin to put my feelings down on this blog because I just don't have the time to do it. I would be here to infinity if I did that.

All I can say is: Josh will NEVER be forgotten. His jersey hangs in their dugout and in their locker room for the rest of the season.

Guys, remember your friend, your buddy and your colleague. Play the rest of this season for him and yourselves. Go out each day and play ball to the best of your abilities. Win or Lose, ALL of your fans will be behind you 100%. Don't sweat the small stuff. Life is too short to worry about everything.

To everyone or anyone who read this, hug your family and tell them you love them, each and every day because you never know what is going to happen in life.

It's going to be a long season.

Josh,
Godspeed and God Bless.

Sincerely,

Double D- A St. Louis Cardinals Fan for LIFE.

Peace Out and God Bless

Spring is Here?...

2007-04-06T14:22:00.000-06:00

I thought that a few days ago Spring had actually arrived here in East Central Illinois but after the last couple of days, I guess I was wrong. Last Monday I grilled outside for the first time this "new" season. It was sunny, 80 degrees, shorts and t-shirt, flip-flops on my feet, cold Budweiser in my hand, along with my brand new grilling utensils, ready to be used for the first time, beer brats, hamburger patties and hotdogs ready to be cooked to the delight of my stomach and my family and friends. We had a great time. We ate too much, drank too much but had a great time.

I got to listen to people mowing their lawns for the first time, I worked on my mower but still didn't use it. I'm stubborn when it comes to mowing the grass that first time of the year. I got to sit down and watch baseball as that season started on Sunday night, even though my 2006 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals didn't win and are starting off a little slow but there is still 159 games to go. That seems so LONG ago.

Two days later, I had to turn my furnace back on, close the windows that have been open for a week or so, dig out my winter clothes again and put on socks so my feet didn't freeze. The temps dipped down into the 20-30 degree area, a freeze warning went out for my area and now yesterday I actually saw snow flakes again. I was hoping not to see them until December but that is the way the weather is here in East Central Illinois.

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a great Spring so far. Don't fret peeps...SPRING will be back, it's just taking a bit of a nap right now...

Kick back, watch some baseball, root for your favorite teams and remember...just because it's cold doesn't mean you can't grill out...just wear a little more clothing while doing it....

Have a gr8 week...and see ya next week...Peace Out and God Bless...

Later,
Double D

MLB NEWS: Matsuzaka's arrival becomes an international incident

2007-02-16T11:24:00.000-06:00

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The things we really need to know about Daisuke Matsuzaka, we can't learn at a Feb. 15 news conference in an otherwise-empty ballpark lined with palm trees.

The things we really need to know, we won't learn until it's April 29 in Yankee Stadium. Or it's Vladimir Guerrero, standing 60 feet away, with the tying run on third. Or it's Game 6 of the ALCS, and the only thing riding on every pitch is the future quality of life for the entire populations of New England and greater metropolitan Tokyo.

But there will be time for all that. Lots of time.

Thursday, however, was a different time.

It was a time for 150 or so members of a worldwide media mob to descend on exotic City of Palm Parks, the home ballpark of a team that wasn't even scheduled to start working out for three more days.

Let's just say they weren't there to see if Runelvys Hernandez had arrived at spring training yet.

It was a time for one of the most intriguing figures ever to set foot on an American baseball field to flash his smile, work on his multilingual quips and do his best to perpetuate the illusion that there really is such a thing as a gyroball.

As here-I-am, spring-training-arrival press gatherings go, it sure beat the heck out of "Mr. Bonds Arrives in Scottsdale, 2005 edition."

Daisuke Matsuzaka's next appearance in Fort Myers will be in a Red Sox uniform.We have no idea yet whether Matsuzaka will be able to rise to the moment the first time he faces A-Rod with the bases packed. But he definitely rose to this very special meet-the-media moment.

At one point, for instance, he was asked an innocuous question about which of his six pitches he expected to unfurl for his first pitch in the big leagues. It was the kind of question one of his less imaginative, or more combative, future friends in uniform would have trampled all over, with your basic one-word, you're-boring-me-pal answer.

Not Matsuzaka-san.

After announcing that he would "love to pitch a fastball [for] my first pitch," an unexpected gleam erupted in Matsuzaka's eye. Whereupon he added:

"And I'd like my first batter, if he's listening, to please try not to hit the ball."

Well, if that first batter was listening, there was a good chance he was listening a lot closer to Tokyo than to Fort Myers -- because this little performance was broadcast live on Japanese TV, on four different networks, in morning drive time.

So apparently, there's a slight fascination with this guy on that side of the Pacific.

Then again, there has been since he was 17 years old.

"As we were going through this process," said Craig Shipley, the Red Sox's vice president for international scouting, "I kept telling people … 'Look, this guy's different. He's different than all the people who came [here] before him.' And the reason he's different is because of what he did in Koshien."

Koshien isn't a word that registers on the American radar screen. But it was Koshien -- the annual site of Japan's riveting national high school baseball tournament -- that turned Daisuke Matsuzaka into a legend. When he was still just a high school senior.

You might have heard this tale someplace before. But if not, we'll sum up what Matsuzaka did in the final three games of that tournament as succinctly as possible:

A 250-pitch, 17-inning complete game in the quarterfinals. Followed by a save in the semifinals the next day. Followed by a no-hitter in the finals the day after that. All on national TV.

Pretty good weekend.

"I don't think many people in this country can comprehend what Koshien is about," Shipley said. "But it's like the biggest sporting event in the country. It's like the Final Four, only ramped up. And it's high school. And it's tradition. And it's purely for the love of the game. And the whole country stops. …

"So believe me. This guy is used to the spotlight. He's had it since Koshien."

Which might explain why he looked so comfortable in that spotlight almost nine years later Thursday, even though he was a continent away from home and many of the questions came hurtling at him in a language he didn't speak.

He is a 26-year-old walking media event. And, with his $52-million contract piled on top of his team's $51.1-million posting fee, he is a source of massive fascination in two nations. But if any of that is fazing this guy, let's just say you would hate to find yourself playing poker with him.

You think that contract and that posting fee have turned up the jets on his pressure cooker? Eh, there's zero sign of that. His answer to a question about the money: "The scale on the contract does not determine how I play baseball. I feel the responsibility a little bit, but not pressured."

Pressure? He hasn't felt it yet. In his rearview mirror, he has seen nothing but success and domination. There was Koshien. There were 108 wins in eight seasons with the Seibu Lions, with 300 fewer hits allowed than innings pitched. There were sub-2.00 ERAs in the both the 2004 Athens Olympiad and last year's epic World Baseball Classic.

But now there's a whole new chapter. Now there's this.

Now there's this dramatic entrance into a totally foreign universe, where nothing matters more in five northeastern states than How The Sawx Did Last Night. How can we possibly make him comprehend that?

"I actually saw my first 'Dice-K Mania' shirt the other day," Matsuzaka's new teammate, Kevin Youkilis, reported Thursday. "The first day I got into Fort Myers, I saw a 'Dice-K Mania' shirt -- with 18 on the back. It was weird, man, seeing a Red Sox shirt with No. 18 without Johnny Damon on the back."

But he'd better get used to it. And Damon had better get used to it, too, for that matter -- because there's no telling how many of those shirts are going to be sold in the next six months. The over-under, based on early trends, might be one billion.

"From a baseball standpoint, you don't begin to put those kinds of expectations on a young guy. But in the offseason, it's fair to let the imagination run wild. As soon as [Matsuzaka] puts on the uniform and the spikes and starts throwing, the game will humble you. He knows that. And it's all going to come down to physical, mental and spiritual ability."

-- Dr. Charles Steinberg, Red Sox VP of public affairsDoreen Arsenault, the Red Sox's merchandising manager, said Thursday that she made the mistake of ordering a mere 288 of each of the four Matsuzaka T-shirts that are for sale in the team gift shop in Fort Myers. A week after those shirts arrived, one style was sold out completely -- and if you wanted one of the others, you had to be a fan of double-extra-large. And remember, spring training hasn't started yet.
"Historically, we haven't done real well here with T-shirts with names and numbers," Arsenault said. "That's why I said, initially, 'I think I'll be a little bit conservative.' But if I'd known there would be this much excitement about him, I'd have ordered 1,000 to start with, of each one."

Well, those 1,000 of each ought to be arriving any day now. And there will be several trillion more Matsuzaka items where that came from.

But understand something very important here. This isn't just going to be a New England phenomenon.

After all the dollars and all the yen and all the fascination with what pitches this man does and doesn't throw, we might very well be about to witness an international baseball phenomenon unlike anything we have witnessed before. Or, at the very least, anything witnessed since Fernando Valenzuela.

Of course, these are the Red Sox. So we also might be about to witness a guy blowing out his rotator cuff in the next 15 minutes.

"In your wildest dreams, you hope for Fernando-mania," said Dr. Charles Steinberg, this team's executive vice president for public affairs. "In your wildest dreams, you hope for the innocence of a silent, happy pitcher who no one in your town or in your market had heard of. But that's your wildest dreams.

"From a baseball standpoint, you don't begin to put those kinds of expectations on a young guy. But in the offseason, it's fair to let the imagination run wild. As soon as he puts on the uniform and the spikes and starts throwing, the game will humble you. He knows that. And it's all going to come down to physical, mental and spiritual ability."

From the way Daisuke Matsuzaka handled himself on a podium atop the home dugout Thursday, there is every reason to think he has the mental and spiritual part of this down. The physical part is another story.

Who the heck knows when the time bomb ignited by those 250-pitch high school complete games will go off? There already has been one elbow issue, which cost him half a season in 2002. And the transition from a six-man rotation to Japan to a five-man rotation here could be another monumental physical adjustment.

But that's just one more reason to pay attention, one more source of intrigue. There are many, many adjustments ahead for this man. And the cameras and eyeballs will be pointed at every darned one of them.

Then again, he's not the only one who needs to start adjusting.

"I've gotta get used to bowing," Youkilis said with a laugh, after meeting Matsuzaka and his countryman, Hideki Okajima. "I felt pretty awkward, man. Nobody ever bowed to me like that before."

Somehow, we have a feeling there will be many bows ahead for Daisuke Matsuzaka. But it was his final bow of this fascinating day that caught our eye.

He had finished his big press conference. He had tossed a congenial "Thank you very much" to his new media pals -- in perfect English. He was about to disappear down the dugout tunnel and into the Florida night.

But first, he turned and bowed one last time -- to the empty ballpark spread out before him. This was one statement no one needed an interpreter to comprehend.

Credit for story to :Jayson Stark, senior writer for ESPN.com.

LPGA NEWS: Natalie Gulbis continues march toward victory

2007-02-16T11:20:00.000-06:00

Forget Ray Romano: Everybody loves Natalie Gulbis -- fans, tournament sponsors, pro-am partners and, perhaps most remarkably in the cliquish world of the LPGA, pretty much all her fellow competitors.

She is a bright, amiable woman who was Cristie Kerr's maid of honor in December and shared a house with Annika Sorenstam at the Weetabix Women's British Open in August 2006. That Gulbis is close to two women with such different personalities says a lot about her.

She is a comfortable bridge connecting the many islands that comprise the LPGA: an attractive, articulate spokeswoman for a tour that needs such exposure. Now, if she could only win a tournament.

Gulbis, who has been called "the American Anna Kournikova," a reference to the Russian sex symbol who has sold a lot of products but has not enjoyed nearly as much success on the tennis court, is entering a crucial phase of her career in which she must prove she is not just another pretty face. She is one of the most visible LPGA players, with her own Web site, a calendar so provocative the USGA banned an autograph session for it at the U.S. Women's Open, a reality show on the Golf Channel and more than a half-dozen endorsement deals, including a rather saucy television spot with John Daly and Butch Harmon for Winn Grips. Still, she enters her sixth season without an LPGA victory.

Steve Levin/WireImage.com
Gulbis has played 135 career events without a victory.It is possible, however, the ultimate comparison that applies to Gulbis will be to Kerr, not Kournikova. Except for the fact Gulbis attended the University of Arizona for one year while Kerr turned pro right out of high school, they are remarkably similar. Turning pro at 18, Kerr played 135 LPGA events before getting her first victory in her sixth season at age 24. Gulbis, who turned 24 Jan. 7, became a pro at 19 and enters 2007 having played 135 LPGA events without a win. Kerr's first victory at the 2002 Longs Drugs Challenge opened the floodgates -- she now has nine wins -- and removed doubts about her ability to close tournaments. Gulbis faces that same challenge.

"I'd like to have a few wins under my belt, that's for sure," Gulbis said by cell phone at 6 on a January morning from Southern California as she heads to a workout session. "I won in college, and my first year I wanted to win events. I'd say I'm a little disappointed from that standpoint. Actually, I won't say 'a little,' I am disappointed from that standpoint. You want more of yourself, more of your game."

Gulbis, who experienced her first white Christmas with her family in the mountains near Flagstaff, Ariz., had a typically hectic offseason. She was grand marshal of the Fiesta Bowl, did a daylong photo shoot for TaylorMade as well as spent three days at its testing center getting fitted for its new r7 irons and TP Black ball. Gulbis also made time for several sessions with her instructor Harmon, adding shots to her short game and working on improving her 158th ranking in sand saves. They also focused on her driving, hoping to add a little more consistency.

"I think with the iron swing we have it where we want it, but I fall into bad habits just like everyone else," Gulbis said. "I'm always working on my driver. It's probably the most exaggerated of my issues and my tendencies. If I could swing my driver like I swing my 7-iron … "

Two years ago she abandoned cross-handed putting for the Hammy with its split grip, which she said keeps her from being too handsy with her stroke.

"I'm still putting well [with the split-grip]," she said of her T-11 performance in 2006 on putts per GIR, when asked if she plans to stick with the unorthodox method.

Kerr believed Gulbis will find success when she learns to limit her off-course obligations.

"Her problem is the opposite of mine," Kerr said. "I had to learn to say yes, and she has to learn to say no. You can't win when your mind is on a million other things. She needs to put herself in a position to win more often -- top three -- and it will happen, it will be her time."

Gulbis agreed with both of Kerr's assessments.

"The players who win finish in the top 10 every single week," said Gulbis, who has 19 top-10s in the last two seasons after only six in her first three. "Every year it gets tougher [to win]. That's what's so fun about sports. People get better, and you have to get better, too. You have to outwork everybody and outplay everybody."

For Gulbis, that time has come.

Credit for story to: Ron Sirak, Executive Editor of Golf World magazine.

NHL NEWS: Predators acquire Forsberg from Flyers

2007-02-16T10:55:00.000-06:00

Acquiring Forsberg 'a huge deal' for Preds-Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Since their expansion start in 1998, the Nashville Predators have been hearing that they needed to spend money on some quality talent to win.

Scott Burnside's take

With the Peter Forsberg deal, David Poile may have not only saved the Predators franchise, but he also may have become one of the gutsiest GMs in the business, Scott Burnside writes. Burnside
They took their biggest gamble yet Thursday, swapping two young players and two top draft picks to Philadelphia for star center Peter Forsberg, a former NHL MVP.

"This is a huge deal for our franchise," general manager David Poile said in a conference call Thursday night from St. Louis, where the Predators play Friday.

"It's certainly, I think, a clear message also to our community that we are aiming to be the best that we can be, and we certainly hope this translates to ... more fan support in our community."

The Predators have lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. They were 39-16-3 going into Friday and atop the Western Conference, a point ahead of Detroit in the Central Division and a point behind Buffalo for the overall NHL lead.

But winning hasn't translated into more fans in the seats.

Nashville has had five sellouts this season. Less than 700 tickets remained available for Saturday night's home game against Minnesota, when Forsberg is expected to make his debut after flying into Nashville on Friday.

A game Feb. 24 against Detroit also is sold out. This trade should help with 14 home games left and then the playoffs, which the Preds couldn't sell out last season.

Philadelphia could not get a firm commitment from the 33-year-old Swede on a contract extension. Forsberg has thought about retiring when the season ends because of his painful right foot, which feels crooked in his skate even after offseason surgery to repair loose ligaments.

His two-year, $11.5 million contract was winding down. He had 11 goals and 29 assists in 40 games this season, but the Flyers chose to add bodies for rebuilding.

Elias Says
The Flyers traded Peter Forsberg to the Predators on Thursday night. Forsberg's career average of 0.90 assists per game is the fourth highest in NHL history, behind only the three players widely considered the best of the expansion era -- perhaps of all time: Wayne Gretzky (1.32), Mario Lemieux (1.13) and Bobby Orr (0.98). Elias Says

"We didn't want to do it, he knows we didn't want to do it, but at the end of the day we had to do it," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said.

This move allows Forsberg to reunite with Paul Kariya, a teammate in Colorado, and chase another Stanley Cup.

"It's not a fun day, even though I'm going to a good team," Forsberg said after being a late scratch in Philadelphia's 4-2 loss to Toronto. "I'm sure I'm going to be OK in a couple of days, but today is not a good day. I didn't sign here two years ago to stand here today."

The Predators have no guarantee Forsberg's foot, which has kept him out of 16 games this season, will hold up. He has three goals and nine assists in nine games since visiting a foot specialist in Sweden during the All-Star break.

"It was my understanding that Forsberg would not agree to be traded if he did not feel he could commit and be as healthy as possible to a new team. So I believe Peter Forsberg's an honorable guy," Poile said. "I believe his foot, his skate, is in the best condition that it can be. Certainly in watching the last several games, I think he's played well."

From the moment the NHL granted Nashville a franchise in 1997 and Poile was hired later that year, the Predators have built from the ground up through the draft, stockpiling as many picks as possible and even trading away fan favorites for more selections.

But owner Craig Leipold helped negotiate the NHL's current labor deal, with revenue sharing that is very friendly to small-market teams. He has spent money since the lockout ended, signing Kariya to a two-year deal in August 2005 and adding center Jason Arnott last summer.

As talented as the Predators have been in their eighth and best season, their postseason experience remains thin.

"We have only one player who has won a Stanley Cup, and that's Jason Arnott," Poile said. "This is a huge addition with Peter Forsberg the player and Peter Forsberg the Stanley Cup champion."

Forsberg has won the Cup twice, both with Colorado in 1996 and 2001. A seven-time All-Star, he was the NHL's Most Valuable Player in 2003 while with the Avalanche.

The Predators gave up Scottie Upshall, a 23-year-old forward who has struggled with some injuries this season and been limited to 14 games. Ryan Parent, 19, is a 6-foot-2 defenseman and Nashville's first-round pick in 2005, and he helped Canada win the 2006 and 2007 world junior titles.

Add in their first- and third-round draft picks later this year.

"Clearly, we have paid a high price for this," Poile said.

Winning the Stanley Cup helped Tampa Bay even going into the lockout and Carolina last year -- two teams in Southern, nontraditional hockey markets just like Nashville. That made the decision easy, plus the chance to keep Forsberg away from top rivals in the West.

Forsberg won't talk about signing a new contract until after the season. That could make him a very high-priced rental player. Poile noted he gambled last season, swapping a top pick and a minor-league forward for defenseman Brendan Witt.

That fizzled when the Predators lost 4-1 to San Jose in the first round after injuries to goaltender Tomas Vokoun, forwards Steve Sullivan and Scott Walker and defenseman Marek Zidlicky. But it didn't stop Poile from taking a chance on Forsberg, who has 162 points in 139 playoff games.

"Arguably, has there ever been a better player traded at the trade deadline than Peter Forsberg?" Poile asked.

"My answer to that is probably not, and the price we paid was very high. We did it because we believed it was a necessary ingredient to give us that much better a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup, and we were comfortable with doing that."

Credit for story: The Associated Press

NASCAR NEWS: Daytona 500 full of newcomers, past victors and cheats

2007-02-16T10:28:00.000-06:00

The time for the Daytona 500 finally has come, the 49th running of NASCAR's season-opening gala in which the starting lineup has as many past winners as drivers who have been caught trying to circumvent the rules -- six.

Rookie David Gilliland, a bright spot in an otherwise bleak beginning to the 2007 season, will lead the grid to green Sunday some two hours after FOX comes on the air at 1 p.m. ET for pre-race pomp and circumstance.

Gilliland spotlights an all-Robert Yates Racing front row, with freshly unretired Ricky Rudd starting on the outside.

A pair of former Cup champions looking for redemption in '07 start on Row 2. Tony Stewart, who has won everything but the Florida state lottery in the year's early going, is third alongside Kurt Busch, who begins his second season in the No. 2 Dodge. Neither has ever won the Daytona 500.

Jeff Gordon has, but a fourth victory might be hard to come by after his car failed inspection following his win Thursday in the second Gatorade Duel. Gordon will start next-to-last in the 43-car field.

Seems Gordon picked the wrong day to get caught. Another former 500 winner, Michael Waltrip, whose team committed the most serious of infractions among the six offenders, raced his way into the field in the first twin qualifier -- in the backup car of Michael Waltrip Racing driver David Reutimann.

Despite having his qualifying time disallowed, Matt Kenseth will start 10th.

One driver void of car ill-tampering has been Dale Earnhardt Jr., a former winner who will start fifth.

"I couldn't be happier with my crew," Earnhardt said. "I really like all of the guys around me and we're all really focused on the racecar and motivated to go out and win another of these [Daytona 500s].

It's a race we all look forward to for months and months, and I'll be glad to get in the racecar and let it all hang out. We won the 500 in 2004, and it really set the tone and the attitude for the rest of the season."

Jimmie Johnson overcame a cheating scandal at last year's Daytona 500 to win the race, then cooly proceded to win the Cup championship.

"Our chances are good but this year's 500 is a lot different than last year's," said Johnson, who will start 21st. "The car that I would really like to have is sitting over in Daytona USA right now.

"We have been working on trying to get our car to handle but we lost too much straight-away speed in the process. So we have to find a happy medium."

Newcomer Toyota will have four cars in the Daytona 500, three of which belong to Michael Waltrip Racing. The other is the Bill Davis Racing No. 22 Camry, with driver Dave Blaney putting up the manufacturer's most consistent times in preseason tests.

"Our Toyota Camrys were fast, and we feel very confident in what we'll be able to do not only in Daytona, but for the entire season," Blaney said. "We're excited about this year, and we think we have the chance to really improve the performance of this race team right from the start of the year."

Four drivers will be making their first Daytona 500 start: Gilliland, Reutimann, Juan Montoya and David Ragan, who replaces Mark Martin after 19 years in the No. 6 Ford.

"I think we are ready for Daytona. I have mentally and physically prepared myself for this race," said Ragan, who will start 35th. "This is one of the biggest races of the season if not the biggest and I want to finish every lap and improve every lap.

"I know I have the resources to get the job done so I am going to take advantage of that and do the very best I can."

Credit for story:NASCAR.com

NBA NEWS: Anthony snubbed when All-Star reserves announced

2007-02-01T23:38:00.000-06:00

NEW YORK -- One bad night may have overshadowed all the good Carmelo Anthony has done this season.

The NBA's leading scorer was not among the seven reserves announced Thursday night for the Western Conference team that will play in the NBA All-Star Game.

2007 NBA All-Stars

Announcing reserves filled out the rosters for the All-Star Game in Las Vegas. Commissioner David Stern will name the replacements for injured players.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Player, Pos. Team
Gilbert Arenas, G* Washington
Chauncey Billups, G Detroit
Chris Bosh, F* Toronto
Caron Butler, F Washington
Vince Carter, G New Jersey
Richard Hamilton, G Detroit
Dwight Howard, F Orlando
LeBron James, F* Cleveland
Jason Kidd, G New Jersey
Jermaine O'Neal, F Indiana
Shaquille O'Neal, C* Miami
Dwyane Wade, G* Miami
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Player Team
x-Carlos Boozer, F Utah
Kobe Bryant, G* LA Lakers
Tim Duncan, F* San Antonio
Kevin Garnett, F* Minnesota
Allen Iverson, G Denver
Shawn Marion, F Phoenix
Tracy McGrady, F* Houston
x-Yao Ming, C* Houston
Steve Nash, G Phoenix
Dirk Nowitzki, F Dallas
Tony Parker, G San Antonio
Amare Stoudemire, F Phoenix
* -- Starters. x -- Injured.

Denver teammate Allen Iverson was chosen, extending his streak of All-Star appearances to eight. He started the last seven games while playing for Philadelphia. Anthony, who is averaging 31.3 points but missed 15 games while suspended for his role in the brawl at Madison Square Garden, was the most obvious omission.

Earlier Thursday, Anthony said he hoped his suspension wouldn't prevent him from earning his first All-Star spot.

"I hope no one holds that over my head over anything," he said. "Things happen. One incident like that is held over one person's head, life ain't fair.

"I did my punishment. I could've easily kept my name out there by appealing it and doing other stuff about it, but I just did my 15 games suspension and hopefully put that behind us."

Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion were all chosen from the Phoenix Suns, the league's highest scoring team. Suns coach Mike D'Antoni will lead the West.

"It will be great to be able to go with our coaches and teammates," said Nash, the two-time NBA MVP. "It will be great to have them there and have them be recognized, too."

Stoudemire, averaging 18.6 points and 8.9 rebounds, made it after sitting out most of last season because of knee surgery.

"It was a goal of mine," he said. "I told you guys that before the season started, back in training camp, that I was planning on making it. So I was really striving for it.

"The past two years have been tough for me and it's definitely paid off. There may be people who doubt you but you can never doubt yourself."

Dirk Nowitzki was the only player picked from the Dallas Mavericks, who have the league's best record. The Mavericks had been hoping Josh Howard would be selected as well.

"I think Dallas having the best record and only one guy, I thought that was surprising," D'Antoni said.

Detroit and New Jersey had multiple reserves picked for the Feb. 18 game. Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, who both made their first appearances last season, are going back, and Jason Kidd and Vince Carter will represent the Nets in the game at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center.

"I'm happy that Rip made it, too, because he's having a career year," Billups said. "If I only made it, a piece of me would've been disappointed. I've always felt like we're a package deal."

Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal and first-timers Dwight Howard of Orlando and Caron Butler of Washington round out the East reserves.

The seven reserves were voted on by the head coaches in their respective conferences. Coaches couldn't vote for their own players, and had to select two forwards, two guards, a center and two players regardless of their position.

The remainder of the West reserves were San Antonio guard Tony Parker and Utah forward Carlos Boozer.

The starters were announced last Thursday. LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Gilbert Arenas were picked in the East. Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant were voted in by fans to start for the est.

Anthony still has a chance to play in Las Vegas. NBA commissioner David Stern will choose a replacement for Yao, who is recovering from a broken bone under his knee, and Boozer also could be unavailable because of a hairline fracture in his left leg.

He's expected to miss a few weeks, but said Thursday he hopes to return in time for All-Star weekend. He doesn't know when he would need to resume running for that to happen.

"Hopefully if everything works out, it will be right on time," he said. "I'll put it like that."

Anthony and Josh Howard are the most likely choices, but could face competition for those spots from Seattle's Ray Allen, Portland's Zach Randolph, the Clippers' Elton Brand and another Denver player, Marcus Camby.

Stern said he expected to make his decision in the next few days, and that when doing so he wouldn't consider the suspension he gave Anthony for the punch the Denver star hit the Knicks' Mardy Collins with on Dec. 16.

D'Antoni will lead the West squad, since Dallas' Avery Johnson is ineligible after coaching last season. The same three Suns were chosen as reserves to the 2005 game.

"I'm sure they'll be out there at some time but I haven't thought about it," D'Antoni said. "I'm thinking about San Antonio and Utah and everyone else in between."

Washington's Eddie Jordan clinched the East's coaching spot on Thursday night when Cleveland lost to Miami. That ensured the Wizards will have the East's best winning percentage through games of Feb. 4.

Butler's career year has been key to Washington's success. The forward is averaging 20.6 points and 8.0 rebounds, both career highs.

"Coach Jordan gave me more and more freedom and I really thought I had a chance," Butler said. "I dedicated my time last summer and look what came out of it. I couldn't be happier with this, but I know there is still work to be done."

Credit for story to: The Associated Press

Men's CBB: Virginia uses late shot to level No. 10 Duke in OT

2007-02-01T23:35:00.000-06:00

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) -- Sean Singletary tied the game with a jumper late in regulation, then hit a falling, one-handed floater with a second left in overtime Thursday night, lifting Virginia past No. 8 Duke 68-66.

The Cavaliers (14-6, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who trailed 59-51 with 3:42 left in regulation, pulled even on Singletary's 15-footer with 24.8 seconds left, his first basket in nearly 16 minutes. Duke's Josh McRoberts missed a driving attempt in the final seconds of regulation, and Singletary and the Cavaliers never trailed in the extra period.

It was Virginia's fifth victory in a row, and second straight that required a dramatic comeback. They erased a 16-point deficit in the last nine minutes at Clemson on Saturday, winning on a tip-in by Jason Cain with 15.5 seconds to play.

Duke (18-4, 5-3) lost for the first time in its last 10 meetings with Virginia, but not until Greg Paulus' 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounced off the back rim.

The Blue Devils had their five-game conference winning streak snapped, and fell out of a tie for fourth place with Virginia at the midpoint of the ACC schedule.

J.R. Reynolds led the Cavaliers with 25 points -- 20 in the second half. Singletary added 17 despite making only 6 of 16 shots, and Mamadi Diane had 14 points.

McRoberts led Duke with 19 points, DeMarcus Nelson had 12 and Paulus 10.

In the overtime, Duke called a timeout with the score tied at 66, 8 seconds left on the shot clock and 30.2 seconds left in the game. On the inbound, they got the ball to Jon Scheyer, who got stuck in the corner with Solomon Tat defending and forced a shot that hit off the side of the backboard. Virginia rebounded with 17 seconds left.

Singletary did the rest, driving at the basket from the right side, pulling up and almost falling down as he flicked the ball up over the defense and in.

When Paulus' try for the victory missed, hundreds of fans rushed the court.

The Cavaliers trailed 59-51 with 3:42 to play, but Reynolds scored their next eight points -- six on as many free throw attempts -- and Singletary tied it with a 15-footer.

The Blue Devils didn't call time, and when McRoberts tried to take Jason Cain off the dribble in the final seconds, his shot rolled off the rim and time ran out.

Cain had six points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in overtime.

The Cavaliers trailed almost all game, but drew even at 49 on three free throws by Reynolds with 7:14 to play. But the Blue Devils immediately went on a 10-2 spurt.

McRoberts started it with a basket inside and Scheyer hit a 3-pointer.

After Reynolds made a floater for Virginia, he lay on the court with an apparent cramp, but play continued, and Nelson made a 3-pointer from the left corner. Another basket by McRoberts inside made it 59-51 with 3:42 to play, but Virginia wasn't done.

Credit for story to: ESPN.com

MLB NEWS: Concussion symptoms force Matheny to retire

2007-02-01T23:33:00.000-06:00

SAN FRANCISCO -- Mike Matheny's decision to retire was made for him. His doctor refused to clear the longtime catcher to play in 2007 after a concussion sidelined him for the final four months of last season.

Matheny's announcement Thursday that he is hanging up his catching gear after 13 major-league seasons came as no surprise. He didn't play again for the San Francisco Giants after May 31 following a series of foul tips he took in the mask -- and doctors warned him that he was more susceptible to even further damage if he received another blow.

"This is not a shoulder, a knee or an elbow," Matheny said on a conference call. "We're talking about the brain. ... I didn't expect this. I don't think anybody did."

In early December, Matheny underwent another extensive battery of tests at the Sports Concussion Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to determine if his symptoms had subsided. They had not. He said that on Dec. 28 he tried to exercise and after his heart rate had been elevated he experienced the same troublesome symptoms for a day and a half, such as fatigue, memory problems and a tough time focusing and seeing straight.

The 36-year-old Matheny played his last full season in 2005, his first year with San Francisco, and earned his fourth NL Gold Glove award. He owns a .239 career batting average with 67 home runs and 443 RBIs in 1,305 games for Milwaukee (1994-98), Toronto (1999), St. Louis (2000-04) and the Giants (2005-06).

Matheny is known as a fierce competitor who was often the first to show up at the stadium during spring training, sometimes at 6 a.m. He will miss his relationship with pitchers the most.

"As my catcher and as a person he just meant so much to me," said Giants pitcher Matt Morris, who also threw to Matheny in St. Louis. "On the field he taught me how to be a professional. Off the field he taught me to be a man and a respectful person. He's going to be sorely missed by everybody.

"Unfortunately through his head trauma and concussions, it's just ending a little abruptly to him. He was a guy so hard-nosed and he wanted to play every day, so for it to end this way is unfortunate. After the blows to the head, he wasn't the same. We want the old Mike Matheny back, baseball player or not," he said.

Now, Matheny will spend more time at home with his wife and their five children.

"It's been a fun ride," he said. "The finality of it just kind of hit today as I was signing the papers. I have been blessed beyond what I could have imagined. For me it's all been kind of a fantasy ride the whole time."

When the Giants acquired Bengie Molina during the winter meetings in December, general manager Brian Sabean said he had spoken to Matheny.

Matheny told Sabean he understood the team had to move forward with its plans for next year, with or without him.

Sabean said at the time that it made him "sick to my stomach" to replace Matheny, but San Francisco did get a front-line catcher in Molina.

"I think it's safe to say while we knew this day was going to come, you're never really prepared for the finality of it all," Sabean said Thursday. "We wish him the best. We're going to sorely miss him as an individual and as a baseball player."

Athletes sustain an estimated 300,000 concussions nationwide each year, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's concussion program. Most recover fully, but experts believe a person who suffers a concussion is more prone to one in the future.

The concussion center in Pittsburgh developed a computerized test called ImPACT that puts the brain to work and derives data about points of trauma -- measuring attention, memory, processing speed and reaction time.

Matheny hopes his case shows that concussions happen in baseball, too, and such testing could be beneficial.

"I think all of baseball is going to learn from it," Sabean said.

Matheny plans to take it easy and has promised his family he will give himself time to heal. Doctors have told him it could still be six or nine months until he's fully recovered.

"I know Little League is probably going to be my arena right now," he said.

Credit for story to: The Associated Press

Racing NEWS: Montoya, Pruett give Ganassi back-to-back wins

2007-01-28T15:37:00.001-06:00

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Juan Pablo Montoya gave his team the lead and Scott Pruett kept it until the finish Sunday for a victory in the Rolex 24 sports car endurance race.

Joined by Mexican driver Salvador Duran, Montoya added his first sports car title in the Daytona 24-hour race to a CART championship, the 2000 Indianapolis 500 win and seven victories in Formula One. Pruett, a veteran road racer, earned his second Daytona win.

Montoya will be back in this city in three weeks to begin his first full NASCAR season in the Daytona 500.

This is the second straight year that Chip Ganassi's team has won this event. Former IRL champions Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon combined with NASCAR driver Casey Mears to win the 2006 race in one of the team's sleek Lexus Riley Daytona Prototypes.

"This was just a total team win," said Ganassi, the first team owner to win this race back-to-back since Al Holbert in 1986 and 1987. "Al was somebody I wanted to be like when I was growing up and I'm going to think about that for a long time."

The winning car covered 668 laps and 2,378 miles. The race was slowed by 13 full-course caution flags and a 78-minute red flag stoppage at the halfway point after a GT class car knocked down 80 feet of guardrail.

Pruett and Duran avoided the big pitfalls that hurt other teams in the twice-around-the-clock event. The race was hotly contested, with two cars finishing on the lead lap. With only three hours to go, three cars were nose to tail for the lead, with Montoya third and battling Scotland's Ryan Dalziel and Italy's Max Angelelli.

"It's amazing," Montoya said in the tumultuous Victory Circle. "It's incredible after 20 hours there are three cars on the same lap. It was like qualifying every lap. Very exciting."

Dalziel, who will be a rookie in the Champ Car World Series this season, held off the two veterans until he pitted during the 24th hour. That gave the lead to Angelelli, but the former Daytona winner was quickly passed by Montoya and the eventual winners led the rest of the way.

During the 25th hour, Pruett, who added the overall win here in 2004 to five other class victories, took over the cockpit from his Colombian teammate, while Dalziel gave up his seat in the Pontiac Riley prototype to longtime open-wheel racer Patrick Carpentier and road racing ace Jan Magnussen took over the third-place Pontiac Riley for Angelelli.

Magnussen managed to put the car also shared by two-time Daytona winner Wayne Taylor and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon into second place. But he wound up third, two laps down, after brake problems sent him on an off-course excursion and forced a long pit stop during the final half hour.

It was still a great showing considering their problems. The team had no clutch for most of the race and had to be push-started by the crew after every pit stop.

Carpentier, also co-driving with Darren Manning and Milka Duno, one of only two women in the 70-car race, finished second -- 1 minute, 14.749 seconds behind the winners.

Credit for story to: The Associated Press

Racing NEWS: Montoya, Pruett give Ganassi back-to-back wins

2007-01-28T15:37:00.000-06:00

MLB NEWS: Selig vows Mitchell will get clubs' cooperation in probe

2007-01-18T22:42:00.000-06:00

PHOENIX -- Baseball owners heard a clear warning from former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell on Thursday.

Mitchell, who is investigating steroid use in the sport, said the chances of government involvement will "significantly increase" if they don't cooperate with him.

Speaking to owners on the final day of baseball's quarterly meetings, Mitchell said he intends to interview active players and raised the possibility that Congress or other government authorities could compel testimony.

"I believe it will be in your best interests, and the best interests of baseball, if I can report that I have received full cooperation from your organizations, and from others, in conducting this investigation," Mitchell said in remarks that were released to reporters.

Mitchell cited last week's Hall of Fame vote to underscore the importance of his investigation. Mark McGwire was picked on 23.5 percent of ballots -- far below the necessary 75 percent needed for induction. The vote was viewed by many as the first referendum on how history will judge an age when bulked-up players came under suspicion of using performance-enhancing drugs. Baseball didn't ban steroids until after the 2002 season.

"If nothing else, the results of the Hall of Fame voting last week, and the reaction to it, offer fresh evidence that this issue will not just fade away," Mitchell said. "Whether you think it fair or not, whether you think it justified or not, Major League Baseball has a cloud over its head, and that cloud will not just go away."

Mitchell cannot compel testimony. He warned the clubs that Congress or other federal or state authorities that do have subpoena power could get involved.

"I believe that a report that is not credible and thorough will significantly increase the possibility of action by others, especially if it's the result of a lack of cooperation by the clubs or by anyone else who is or has been involved with baseball," Mitchell said.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a series of hearings on steroids and pro sports in 2005 and 2006.

"The use of steroids in professional sports continues to be an issue the committee is interested in, and we are looking forward to learning more about the progress Senator Mitchell has made in his investigation," said Rep. Henry A. Waxman, the California Democrat who chairs the committee.

Keith Ausbrook, Republican general counsel for the committee, said he's almost certain Mitchell has not been in contact with the panel recently about this issue.

"We've certainly been very interested in his investigation and what the results are going to be," Ausbrook said. "If he's not getting anywhere, we'll certainly consider whether to re-engage in it."

The players' association declined comment, spokesman Greg Bouris said.

Mitchell did not speak to reporters after addressing owners. He was hired by commissioner Bud Selig last March following more than a year of allegations against Barry Bonds, McGwire and other stars. No timetable was set for Mitchell's report.

Bonds is under investigation by a federal grand jury as to whether he perjured himself when he testified in 2003 in the BALCO steroid distribution case that he hadn't knowingly taken any performance-enhancing drugs.

The San Francisco Giants are negotiating a contract with Bonds, who needs 22 home runs to surpass Hank Aaron's mark of 755. Speaking to reporters at a golf tournament in the Dominican Republic this week, Bonds declined to discuss ongoing negotiations with the Giants or his reported positive test for amphetamines last year. Giants owner Peter Magowan declined to answer questions about Bonds.

Selig also spoke to the owners about Mitchell's investigation. Asked if he had urged the clubs to cooperate with Mitchell, Selig said, "Urge is probably not strong enough."

"Look, some clubs have been more cooperative than others, but at this stage, I'm not concerned about that," Selig said. "He will have cooperation."

Selig would not say which clubs are lagging in their cooperation. Mitchell acknowledged that teams aren't used to dealing with "large-scale document discovery," which can be time-consuming. But he said his investigation would move faster if clubs cooperated more quickly.

"Many have asked when my report will be completed," he said. "The pace of this investigation is dictated by the rate at which information is received."

Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane said the owners weren't surprised by Mitchell's remarks.

"It's a process that's very complicated, and it's just going to take time to complete," McLane said. "The steroids issues continue to emerge, and the public wants to know. For some reason they want to know more about baseball on steroids than they do football or basketball. So it's certainly focused on this."

During the meeting, Selig also spoke about the free-agent market and singled out the Giants and Chicago Cubs, among others, for their spending, one official at the meeting said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the remarks during the session were not intended to be made public. Selig also mentioned the Toronto Blue Jays, the official said.

Selig wouldn't specify what he said to owners about the game's economics.

"We discussed some things, but we do that at every meeting," Selig said.

Credit for story to:The Associated Press

MLB NEWS: Zambrano, Morneau among players seeking big raises as arbitration figures exchanged

2007-01-17T07:02:00.000-06:00

NEW YORK — Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano asked for a raise to $15.5 million while batting champions Joe Mauer and Freddy Sanchez also sought big hikes in salary arbitration Tuesday.
AL MVP Justin Morneau and Florida star Miguel Cabrera looked to cash in, too, as 56 players exchanged figures with their teams.

Zambrano went 16-7 for the Cubs last year and made $6.65 million. He was offered $11,025,000 by Chicago and is eligible for free agency after the season. Both his request and the club's offer were the highest numbers traded this year.

Cabrera, eligible for arbitration for the first time, asked for a raise from $472,000 to $7.4 million and was offered $6.7 million by the Marlins. The three-time All-Star hit .339 with 26 homers and 114 RBI last year, his third straight season with more than 110 RBI.

He is on track to get the largest one-year contract for a player eligible for arbitration for the first time, topping Alfonso Soriano's $5.4 million in 2004.

Mauer, who hit .347 to become the first catcher to win the AL batting title, requested a raise from $400,000 to $4.5 million, and the Minnesota Twins offered $3.3 million.

Morneau, who batted .321 with 34 homers and 130 RBI, asked the Twins for a raise from $385,000 to $5 million. He was offered $4 million.

Sanchez hit .344 for Pittsburgh to win his first batting crown and asked the Pirates to increase his salary from $342,000 to $3.1 million. Pittsburgh offered him $2.15 million.

If players and teams don't settle, three-person arbitration panels will select their salaries next month. Management won four of six cases that went to hearings last year and leads players 269-200 since arbitration began in 1974.

Overall, players in arbitration averaged a 109% increase last year.

On the free-agent front, Sammy Sosa and the Texas Rangers were negotiating a minor league contract that would allow the former slugger to attempt his comeback in the town where he began his career.

Sosa, who hasn't played since the 2005 season, had a second workout for the Rangers on Monday, then dined with general manager Jon Daniels and other team officials. An agreement appears likely.

"We've had productive discussions," Sosa's agent, Adam Katz, said Tuesday.

Sosa hit .221 with 14 home runs and 45 RBI in 102 games in 2005, his only season with the Baltimore Orioles. His major league debut came in 1989 for the Rangers, when he played in 25 games before being traded to the Chicago White Sox.

"This is about giving a guy a second chance," Daniels said.

The 38-year-old Sosa started training last month at home in the Dominican Republic in hopes of returning to the majors. He said then that he had received calls from teams interested in signing him.

Fifty players settled before the arbitration exchange, including 40 on Tuesday.

Among those reaching agreements were Los Angeles Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez ($7 million), Houston reliever Brad Lidge ($5.35 million), Detroit outfielder Craig Monroe ($4,775,000), Chicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede ($4.94 million), Colorado outfielder Matt Holliday ($4.4 million), Philadelphia center fielder Aaron Rowand ($4.35 million), Texas outfielder Brad Wilkerson ($4.35 million), Colorado pitcher Rodrigo Lopez ($4,325,000), Cincinnati pitcher Kyle Lohse ($4.2 million) and Oakland outfielder Milton Bradley ($4 million).

Zambrano's $4,475,000 gap was the largest, followed by Arizona and left-hander Doug Davis at $2.25 million. The smallest difference was $90,000 between outfielder Alex Escobar ($590,000) and Washington ($500,000), a case that likely would cost more to take to a hearing than the difference between the sides.

Washington had a big difference with right-hander John Patterson, who was offered $850,000 and asked for more than twice as much at $1.85 million. Patterson was 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA in eight starts last year. He missed much of the season because of a strained right forearm.

The Phillies had a wide gap with All-Star second baseman Chase Utley, who asked for $6.25 million and was offered $4.5 million after he made $500,000 last year.

Cubs pitcher Mark Prior, limited to nine starts last season, was offered a cut from $3.65 million to $3.4 million and asked for $3,875,000. Pirates outfielder Jody Gerut, who missed most of the last two seasons with knee injuries, was offered a cut from $875,000 to $800,000 and asked for $925,000.

After the exchange, Kansas City and outfielder Emil Brown agreed to a $3.45 million, one-year contract.

Credit for story to: The Associated Press.

Men's CBB: No. 14 Oklahoma State pens No. 23 Texas 105-103 in thrilling triple OT contest

2007-01-17T06:51:00.000-06:00

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Mario Boggan turned to Texas phenom Kevin Durant in the third overtime, smiled and told him, "Let's go, Showtime."

The fantastic finish that followed will go down in Oklahoma State history.

Boggan set career highs with 37 points and 20 rebounds and hit the game-winning three-pointer with 3.2 seconds left in the third overtime to lift the 14th-ranked Cowboys to a 105-103 victory over No. 23 Texas on Tuesday night.

"When it left my hand, I knew it was going to go in. It felt like it was going in," said Boggan, a senior forward who is 6-for-37 from three-point range this season. "Not to be just saying that, it actually felt good coming off my hand."

BOX SCORE: No. 14 Oklahoma State 105, No. 23 Texas 103

Durant, the Big 12's leading scorer and rebounder, put Texas on top with a three-point play with 10.5 seconds left, but there was still time for Boggan.

He took the ensuing inbounds pass near midcourt and fought through defenders to launch a 3 from the left wing. He fell to the floor and was joined by celebrating teammates after Texas' A.J. Abrams was called for traveling with 0.2 seconds left to clinch the win for the Cowboys.

"Mario's performance was, I thought, the best I've ever seen," Oklahoma State coach Sean Sutton said.

JamesOn Curry added 28 points and nine rebounds, Terrel Harris scored 16 points and Byron Eaton had 11 for Oklahoma State (16-2, 2-1 Big 12), which also won a double-overtime game against Pittsburgh earlier this season. Before Tuesday's win, Oklahoma State had lost its last seven games when a buzzer-beater was involved.

"This is our year, man," Boggan said. "Last year, it was the other way. This year, it's this way. But we work hard for it."

Durant, a freshman, tied his career best with 37 points and had 12 rebounds for the Longhorns (13-4, 3-1). D.J. Augustin added 19 points, Justin Mason had 18, Abrams 13 and Damion James had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Oklahoma State scored the first five points of the third overtime but Texas tied the game at 100 on Connor Atchley's three-pointer from the left corner.

Curry followed with two free throws to make it 102-100 and the teams both had empty possessions before Texas got the ball with 18 seconds to play.

Abrams drove the lane, and Durant was able to grab his missed runner and put it back while getting fouled by David Monds. He stepped to the line and drilled his free throw to give Texas the short-lived lead.

Fans rushed the court after the game finally ended — a rare sight at Gallagher-Iba Arena, where the Cowboys rarely lose.

"I don't know if I'll ever be involved in another one like that," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "We got down and kept digging ourselves a hole, but we worked our way back in it and they had the ball at the last and they made the last play.

"I guess it's kind of what you thought the game was going to end like."

What was the difference?

"It's toughness, man. It's all about loving the game," Boggan said. "That's all it is, wanting your team to win, being competitive."

By the end, Oklahoma State had lost two starters to foul trouble and had another player, Kenny Cooper, sidelined by a stomach virus. That left walk-on Tyler Hatch playing throughout the overtimes.

"In this building, I always believe that we can do anything," Sutton said.

Even Sutton was ailing. He slipped and fell on the ice a night earlier, and had to be held up by assistants during a timeout late in regulation.

"Towards the end, it felt like there was a knife stuck in my back. I don't think I was going to pass out," Sutton said. "The pain was pretty bad, but I'm doing better now."

Texas kept staying alive largely because of Durant.

He helped lead the Longhorns back from a five-point deficit in the final minute of regulation, scored seven points in the first overtime and made two crucial defensive plays and a fast-break dunk to force the third extra period.

"Every time we scored, Durant would come back and make a play," Boggan said.

Sutton called Durant's performance the best he'd ever seen by an opposing player at Gallagher-Iba.

"He's an unreal talent," Sutton said.

Texas hadn't played a double-overtime game since 1995, and hadn't played three extra periods since it lost 95-94 to TCU in four overtimes on Jan. 7, 1961, in the longest game in Southwest Conference history.

Oklahoma State hadn't played more than two overtimes since winning 96-91 at Colorado on Feb. 5, 1983.

This time, it all came down to Boggan.

"On a shot like that, who knows what way it would have went? If I wouldn't have knocked the shot down, they would have won," Boggan said. "It still would have been a hard-fought game both ways, but luckily it went our way tonight and I feel much better."

Credit for story to: The Associated Press.

NFL NEWS: London wins right to host first NFL game outside N. America

2007-01-17T06:35:00.000-06:00

LONDON -- London will hold the NFL's first regular-season game outside North America, the start of an international campaign to take American football to a global audience.

"There's great history of NFL football in London, and British fans have been great fans of football over the years," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday. "We're confident that this game is going be a great success in London and will be a great foundation to play more games there going forward."

The opponents for the 2007 contest have yet to be announced, but the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants are believed to be front-runners for the game. The Dolphins, but not the Giants, are one six NFL teams the league identified as potential home teams; they would give up a home game in Miami to host the contest in London.

"They are two of the teams that have expressed an interest and we'll narrow it down to which two teams will generate the most enthusiasm for the fans in London and the broader U.K.," Goodell said.

The most likely venue is the new 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium, which will open this spring after years of delays. The other candidate is 82,000-seat Twickenham, home of English rugby.

"We're looking at both venues in terms of their readiness," said Marc Waller, vice president of NFL International. "It's important that we understand terms of readiness of both stadiums and then a financial bidding process will also ensue."

The game will be held somewhere between late September to mid-October.

Goodell will announce the teams, venue and date before the Feb. 4 Super Bowl in Miami.

NFL owners voted in October to play up to two games outside the United States every season for the next five years. The London game will be the only overseas contest in 2007.

Germany, Canada and Mexico have been identified as the other top markets for NFL games outside the United States.

"We eliminated Toronto after agreeing with the Canadian Football League that we wouldn't go there because it was already hosting the Grey Cup," Goodell said. "Mexico was discussed, as well as Duesseldorf and Hamburg."

The NFL staged its first regular-season game outside the United States in 2005. The Arizona Cardinals played the San Francisco 49ers before a crowd of 103,467 in Mexico City.

London hosted several NFL American Bowl preseason games in the 1980s and 1990s. The city also had the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football -- now NFL Europe -- but the team folded.

Goodell said fans have reacted positively to the league's overseas plan, even though it means some teams will lose a scheduled home game.

"There are fans here that we think will like the idea and respond to it because it puts your city on a global stage and the city will be showed as a world class city itself," he said.

Credit for story to: The Associated Press