Latest Sports Buzz

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• Homers Back Ervin Santana’s Solid Outing; Angels Rout Royals
• Nadal Holds Off Gritty Bellucci, Reach French Quarters; Jankovic Wins
• AHN At The Ballpark: Barton RBI Double Helps A’s Forge 2-0 Lead Over Tigers
• Marlins Use Seven-Run Sixth To Rip Brewers
• NBA Teams Wait While LeBron Remains Silent On Future Plans
• Lalit Modi hits defamation notice on ECB Chairman
• Flyers’ Pronger Pushes Back Against Underdog Role
• Adidas Defends World Cup Ball ‘Jabulani’ In Light Of Goalkeeper Complaints
• Japanese Woman, 18, Makes Impressive Debut For Independent Pro Team
• India Takes Steps To Rein In Cricket Groups After IPL Fiasco

Homers Back Ervin Santana’s Solid Outing; Angels Rout Royals Posted: 31 May 2010 11:11 PM PDT Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO, United States (AHN) – Juan Rivera, Maicer Izturis and Mike Napoli all belted home runs, while Ervin Santana pitched seven solid innings, as the Los Angeles Angels opened a season-long 14-game road trip with a 7-1 thrashing of the Kansas City Royals on Memorial Day at Kauffman Stadium. It was the fourth straight win for the Angels right-hander, who received early offensive help. Rivera pounded his seventh homer of the season, followed by Napoli's single and a double from Howard Kendrick for a 2-0 Angels lead in the second. Izturis then had a solo blast in the third, hiking L.A.'s advantage to 3-0. Kansas City pulled within 4-1 with Alberto Callaspo, who led off the fifth inning with single, scoring the Royals first and only run of the game. Napoli, who ended 3-for-3 with three runs scored, capped the scoring in the eighth with a two-run blast, as the Angels take the opener of a four-game series. Santana (5-3) held the Royals to a run and scattered seven hits with six strikeouts for the Angels, who have won five of six overall. Kansas City's Luke Hochevar (5-3) took the loss after yielding five runs on nine hits over seven innings. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Nadal Holds Off Gritty Bellucci, Reach French Quarters; Jankovic Wins Posted: 31 May 2010 11:10 PM PDT Paris, France (AHN) – Four-time champion Rafael Nadal shrugged off a gallant stand by Thomaz Bellucci Monday with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 win over his Brazilian foe to reach the quarterfinals of the French Open. It was the 200th win on clay for the second-seeded Nadal, who is bidding to become the second man to win five French Open titles. Tennis great Bjorn Borg holds the record with six. The former world No. 1 Spaniard lost serve four times in the match, but was able to hold off the spirited challenge by Bellucci to improve to 35-1 at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament. In the quarterfinals, Nadal is set to face fellow Spaniard No. 19 Nicolas Almagro, who stunned seventh seed Fernando Verdasco, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. In women's play, fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic wrapped up her fourth-round assignment Monday in straight sets against No. 23 Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova. The former world No. 1 Jankovic overcame 11 unforced errors and blasted her opponent 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals. She is set to face unseeded Yaroslava Shvedova, who conquered Australia's Jarmila Groth 6-4, 6-3. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

AHN At The Ballpark: Barton RBI Double Helps A’s Forge 2-0 Lead Over Tigers Posted: 31 May 2010 11:08 PM PDT Comerica Park, Detroit, MI, United States (AHN) – Oakland batters collected three straight hits to open the ballgame Monday against Detroit’s Justin Verlander and have taken a 2-0 lead after the first five innings at Comerica Park. Rajal Davis opened the inning with a single and was doubled home by Daric Barton. Ryan Sweeney’s single put runners at the corner, and Sweeney scored on Kurt Suzuki’s double-play bounceout. Oakland pitcher Trevor Cahill allowed four hits in the first five innings while fanning three batters. Verlander, after a shaky start, settled down, allowing just one hit and walking one since the first inning. Detroit’s Brennan Boesch tried to score from second base on Brandon Inge’s two-out single but was tagged out on a play at the plate by Oakland catcherSuzuki. The game started more than 2 1-2 hours later than originally scheduled due to thundershowers. Oakland entered the game at 27-24 with a 2-1 lead in the four-game series with Detroit. The Tigers, who broke a four-game losing streak Sunday with a 10-2 win, are 26-23. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Marlins Use Seven-Run Sixth To Rip Brewers Posted: 31 May 2010 11:07 PM PDT Miami, FL, United States (AHN) – The Florida Marlins defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 13-4 Monday afternoon, scoring seven runs in the sixth inning to put the contest away at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida Right fielder Cody Ross and center fielder Cameron Maybin homered for the Marlins, who tacked on four more runs in the seven to blow things open. Maybin recorded an inside-the-ball-park homer when he connected off the pitch of Brewers pitcher Marco Estrada in the decisive seventh inning. Marlins pitcher Nate Robertson was solid on the mound for the Marlins, allowing four runs with three strikeouts over 5 1-3 innings. Brewers right fielder Corey Hart homered for the Brewers, whose pitching was knocked around throughout. Brewers pitcher Chris Narveson also struggled in the game, surrendering five runs and two walks. With Monday's home victory, the Marlins improved their record to 25-26 (14-14 at home), just four games below NL East leader the Philadelphia Phillies (28-21). Meanwhile, the Brewers dropped to 21-28 (13-13 on the road), 8 games behind NL Central leader Cincinnati Reds (30-21). Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

NBA Teams Wait While LeBron Remains Silent On Future Plans Posted: 31 May 2010 11:06 PM PDT Cleveland, OH, United States (AHN) – It’s Cleveland’s version of the famous scene from an Elvis Presley concert where fans are left waiting and wondering whether their hero will play an encore. Finally, a message blares through the sound system. Ladies and gentlemen … Elvis, er, LeBron has left the building! You get the feeling that’s the vibe across the Cleveland area right now, especially in the wake of LeBron James’ first public appearance since the Cavs were ousted from the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in Game 7. Like Elvis, James also is nicknamed “King” and seemingly attracts intrigue wherever he goes. James’ latest sighting? He was a judge at a local amateur dunk contest, and reportedly had significantly less interaction with fans than Elvis ever did. Apparently, a few people shouted out and begged James to stay, but mostly fans were afraid to say anything to their home-grown star. Then again, saying anything that can be construed as directed at LeBron can cost money. Already, two team owners were fined in May for making comments deemed as tampering by the NBA. The Atlanta Hawks’ Michael Gearon parted with $25,000 for talking about James coming to his team, joining Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban, who was hit for $100,000. So will it be Chicago? Dallas? New Jersey? New York? Phoenix? Atlanta? An owner might well consider getting fined for so-called “tampering?” To land LeBron, consider it the cost of doing business. James hasn’t left the building — yet. But the countdown is in full digital swing. The ESPN.com LeBron Tracker — which also includes running hours, minutes and seconds — has hit 30 days until his July 1 free agency. Cavs fans might have to endure, er, enjoy the drama until then. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Lalit Modi hits defamation notice on ECB Chairman Posted: 31 May 2010 10:29 PM PDT After giving his answer to the 2nd showcause notification issued by the BCCI, Lalit Modi (suspended IPL chairman) has delivered an opposition hit by registering an insult notification against Jiles Clarke, (ECB Chairman). Modi’s defamation notification has Clarke’s e-mail to Shashank Manohar (BCCI President), where the ECB boss had allegedly blamed Modi of seeking to float a revolt league in England, terminating ICC rules. The notice apparently has Modi asking for an apology from the ECB Boss, and dismisses all charges against the suspended chairman. Yet, the query is whether the ECB Boss will pay attention to the notice or submit more evidence to undermine Modi’s favor.

Flyers’ Pronger Pushes Back Against Underdog Role Posted: 31 May 2010 10:59 AM PDT Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – After being pushed around in a 6-5 loss, Philadelphia Flyers’ defensemen would understandably be a bit testy. That mood is likely to carry into Monday night’s Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. Especially if you ask Chris Pronger, who predictably took personal offense (or maybe defense?) to questions about the Flyers’ play in Game 1. The media had him bristling about his team being heavy underdogs to the favored Blackhawks. “Favorite to who? To you guys?” Pronger said at his press conference Sunday. “This crew in here? All that matters is what we think in that locker room. And that’s it. Whether the world is picking them as favorites, we’ve all seen probably one of the most heavily favored Super Bowls, St. Louis against the New England Patriots (in 2002). That didn’t turn out very well, did it? A lot of people lost money on that one.” “I don’t really buy into the favorites, underdogs, all that. I think from the get-go we believe we can beat that team. Do we need to tighten up a few things and play better defensively? Absolutely. That’s why it’s a best-of-7 series,” he added. Pronger’s matchup with Blackhawks forward Dustin Byfuglien was one of several subplots for the Flyers defense to address. Byfuglien had his goal streak stopped at five games, but the Flyers learned they need to pay more attention elsewhere across Chicago’s lines. “There was a lot of talk,” Pronger said. “You guys had a lot to say about him. So I guess we needed to calm that down real quick. I have played in the West for 14 years. I played against him a lot. So it’s not like I’ve been out East for my whole career and never played against the guy. That may have been blown out of proportion.” Ditto for the Flyers’ goaltender situation. After some speculation that he would be replaced for Game 2, Coach Peter Laviolette announced Michael Leighton would be back between the pipes after allowing five goals and being replaced by Brian Boucher in the opener. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Adidas Defends World Cup Ball ‘Jabulani’ In Light Of Goalkeeper Complaints Posted: 31 May 2010 10:58 AM PDT Johannesburg, South Africa (AHN) – Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar and Spain keeper Iker Casillas recently complained that the ball called “Jabulani,” designed by Adidas for the 2010 World Cup, was too lightweight, making it difficult to control. Adidas retorted by defending the ball, blaming the lack of control on the altitude. Casillas called Jabulani, which was released in Dec., a “beach ball” after a 3-2 loss to Saudi Arabia over the weekend. Company spokesman Thomas van Schaik insisted the ball has been tested thoroughly and given praise by most soccer professionals. Schail told reporters Monday he believes all balls move erratically at high altitude, where several matches will be played in the competition. Other players, specifically Adidas spokesmen like Kaka, Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard, have praised the ball’s design and playability. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Japanese Woman, 18, Makes Impressive Debut For Independent Pro Team Posted: 31 May 2010 10:52 AM PDT Chico, CA, United States (AHN) – It might be seen as a publicity stunt, but Eri Yoshida’s performance for the Chico Outlaws proved she could pitch — and hit — against men Saturday night. Yoshida, an 18-year-old right hander from Japan, was rocked a few times by opposing batters from Los Cimarrones de Tijuana, giving up four runs in three innings. But she started impressively, getting outs against 7 of the first 10 she faced. Yoshida had one at-bat, too, and delivered a bases-loaded single to drive in a run for the Outlaws, part of the Independent Golden League in which teams are not affiliated with major league clubs. . She mostly tries to baffle batters with a knuckleball, according to various media reports, and was the first woman to play in an American professional baseball game since Ila Borders in 2000. She’s listed at 5-foot-1, 115 pounds. Yoshida has said she learned to throw the knuckleball by watching the Boston Red Sox's Tim Wakefield, At 16, she became the first female drafted by a Japanese pro team. She played against men in Japan last year, but the league folded, and she took her game to the Arizona Winter League, before making her debut with the Outlaws. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

India Takes Steps To Rein In Cricket Groups After IPL Fiasco Posted: 31 May 2010 10:51 AM PDT New Delhi, India (AHN) – More than a month after the Indian Premier League cricket controversy rocked the country’s favorite sport, the government has decided to start legislative action against cricketing organizations such as the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI). The government is contemplating this severe step to make such organizations more accountable under the Societies Registration Act. It is widely believed that the government came away looking impotent when the controversy broke out over financial dealings that took place within the purview of IPL right when its third season was about to conclude. Minister for Corporate Affairs Salman Khursheed told the Indian Express, "I am looking at whether it is possible to have a central registry for societies that are registered for all-India purposes." The ministry also plans to set up an expert group to carry out a study to facilitate any changes that might result from creation of a registry. The Societies Registration Act, dating back to 1860, is a model act that was adopted by the states to help them govern the organizations supervising different fields of the society. Khursheed also informed that the government might also think of changing the Act but all the stakeholders need to reach the same level to realize that. The need for a further probe into IPL franchisees arose in April when then-IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi was suspended on corruption charges. Since then, the Registrar of Companies has submitted reports on the 10 IPL franchisees to the ministry, which is reviewing the reports. The reports contain information on the bidding process, memoranda of organization, sweat equity and franchise agreements. Depending upon its analysis of the reports, the ministry could decide whether or not to go for further inspection of the franchisees. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

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Latest Sports Buzz

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• Franchitti Returns To Victory Circle At Indy 500; Wheldon Runner-Up
• Pujols Powers Cards Past Cubs; Slugger Blasts Three Homers
• Lehman Prevails In Playoff For PGA Senior Title
• Back From Ban, Basso Wins Giro D`Italia Stage Race
• Lauren Jackson Powers Storm In Toppling Silver Stars
• Currie, Langhorne Fuel Mystics Surge Past Sun
• Germany Suffers Another Blow; Defender Westermann Breaks Foot
• Zach Johnson Returns To Winner`s Circle At Colonial; Shot Tourney Record 21-Under
• NFL`s Goodell Confident New Collective Bargaining Agreement Will Be Reached
• Millions Pouring Into Santa Clara Vote Over 49ers Proposed Stadium

Franchitti Returns To Victory Circle At Indy 500; Wheldon Runner-Up Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Edward Lewis – AHN Sports Reporter Indianapolis, IN, United States (AHN) – After a failed venture into NASCAR just a couple of years ago, Dario Franchitti returned to the place that catapulted his career on Sunday when he won the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Franchitti led early, developed a severe vibration and had to conserve fuel down the stretch to win his second Indy 500 in the last four years. Franchitti, who took the checker flag under caution after an incident between Turns 3 and 4, became the eighth two-time Indy winner. “I now know what guys like Al Unser Jr. have been talking about. What a racetrack,” said Franchitti. “These boys nailed it. I just looked that it was a Bristish 1-2-3.” Former Indy winner Dan Wheldon took runner-up honors as Panther Racing took second for the third straight year. Wheldon was followed by Alex Lloyd, Scott Dixon, Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti and Justin Wilson. “The car was great in the last few laps so I was really happy with it,” said Wilson, who finished seventh. “I just have to thank the team for all they’ve done. The guys did a great job.” A total of 14 drivers finished on the lead lap in a race that saw more than its share of black flags and horrific crashes. Arguably, the most horrific of the incidents was when Mike Conway made contact with another car and Conway’s ride went airborne, tore out the catch-fence and disintegrated. Conway did wave to the crowd and was helicoptered to a nearby hospital with what early reports indicated was a broken left leg. Will Power ran into some issues and had to settle for eighth while former champion Tony Kanaan rallied from barely making the race to a finish of 11th. “I’m happy that this team is as strong as it was before,” said Kanaan.” I’m not happy with the result, but that’s racing.” Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Pujols Powers Cards Past Cubs; Slugger Blasts Three Homers Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – Albert Pujols hit three homers to finish four RBI and Adam Wainwright dealt seven innings of one-run ball as the St. Louis Cardinals won their first series at Wrigley Field in three years Sunday with a 9-1 clubbing of the Chicago Cubs. David Freese batted 3-for-5 with three RBI while Jason Motte and Kyle McClellan closed the door by pitching two innings of scoreless ball for the Cards. St. Louis went up 6-0 before Geovanny Soto put the Cubs on the board with a solo shot in the seventh. Pujols added the final of his three homers, a solo shot in the ninth that restored the six-run lead, and Freese hit a two-run shot later in the inning to provide the final margin. Chicago (24-27) fell six games behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central. St. Louis (29-22) climbed to one game behind the Reds. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Lehman Prevails In Playoff For PGA Senior Title Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Tom Edrington – AHN Sports Reporter Colorado Golf Club, Denver, CO, United States (AHN) – Tom Lehman is a man of great faith and conviction. He had one major championship during his regular PGA Tour career, now he has one to jump start his senior days. Lehman prevailed Sunday in a wild finish at the Colorado Golf Club that saw Fred Couples nearly steal the title after suffering a Saturday putting lapse and a 36-hole rally by David Frost that brought him from 12 shots off the halfway pace and into a three-man playoff. Lehman, Couples and Frost all finished at seven-under 281 for the regulation 72 holes. Frost got there with two incredible weekend rounds, a course-record 65 on Saturday and a closing 67. “I was thinking Tim Clark,” Frost said, referring to his South African countryman who shot two great weekend rounds to win the players championship last month. Couples, who had major putting problems on Saturday, got himself right in the mix Sunday at the 15th and 16th holes, back-to-back par fives. Couples, who was called “Boom Boom” during his regular tour days, made his first boom at 15 with an approach shot to six feet for a three, then made another boom with his second shot at 16, another gem to seven feet for a second straight eagle. The latter completed Couples jump from three-under and seemingly out of the competition to a chance for victory at the final hole. At 18, Couples ripped another long drive and hit his pitching wedge from 136-yards seven feet from the hole. His putt for victory stayed on the high side. Frost was already in and Lehman birdied 15 and 16 then parred 17 and 18 to make it a three-way playoff. The trio went back to 18 where Lehman laced a perfect drive. Then disaster struck not once, but twice for Couples and Frost. Frost drove his ball left into a menacing bunker, too close to a steep lip. Couples’ drive was worse, right of that bunker and into a thick bush. Couples took an unplayable lie, Frost tried a desperation shot at the green that again went left, into a scrub brush. Couples third shot finished short of the green while Lehman stood over his ball, with only about 130 yards left. A simple wedge shot left him 12 feet, hole high and staring at victory. Frost and Couples both ended up with double-bogeys and Lehman’s birdie putt stopped on the lip, leaving him a simple tap-in for the win. “I feel so blessed,” Lehman said afterward. “This is a wonderful tour.” As he held the giant trophy he smiled and said, “I’m so proud of it. This means a great deal.” Lehman was the steadiest player in the field, the only man with all four rounds under par (68-71-71-71). He stayed in touch with the lead all day. Jay Don Blake, who grabbed the early lead Sunday, fell apart with a 40 on the inward nine, and finished tied for eighth at 286. Mark O’Meara finished solo fourth at 283, five-under while Nick Price’s closing 70 earned him the fifth spot at 284. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Back From Ban, Basso Wins Giro D`Italia Stage Race Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter Verona, Italy (AHN) – Home favorite Ivan Basso secured a second Giro d’Italia title despite a win by Gustav Erik Larsson of Sweden in the 15-kilometer final stage in the time-trial around Verona. Basso, 32, got the win following an 18-month doping ban for his involvement in the Operation Puerto doping scandal. Spain’s David Arroyo finished in second place and Basso’s Liquigas teammate Vincenzo Nibali squeezed by Italian compatriot Michele Scarponi for third. Basso finished in 87hrs 44mins 1sec ; Arroyo: 1min 51secs behind ; Nibali: 2mins 37secs behind. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Lauren Jackson Powers Storm In Toppling Silver Stars Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX, United States (AHN) – Lauren Jackson poured in 27 points with four boards and one assist, leading the Seattle Storm to a 84-56 thrashing of the San Antonio Silver Stars Sunday at AT&T Center. The two-time WNBA MVP also had a steal and one block shot for the Storm (5-1), who completely dominated San Antonio to bounce back from their lone setback in five contests against Chicago Thursday The Storm shot 47.1 percent overall (32-of-68), including 7-of-19 from the three-point area. Defensively, Seattle held San Antonio (2-3), which entered the tilt with the league’s top field-goal percentage, to 32.7 percent shooting. The Storm also dominated the boards, 38-29. Swin Cash added 14 point and hauled in eight rebounds, while Tanisha Wright and Sue Bird each had nine points for the victors. Roneeka Hodges was the lone player to reach double digits for the Silver Stars, scoring 12 off the bench. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Currie, Langhorne Fuel Mystics Surge Past Sun Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter Verizon Center, Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Monique Currie scored 18 points to go along with 16 rebounds and Crystal Langhorne added 17 as the Washington Mystics took care of the Connecticut Sun 69-65 Sunday afternoon. Washington outscored the Sun 20-13 in the opening quarter and gave up 22 points in the fourth quarter, but the Sun never got closer than three points behind as the game ended. Nakia Sanford scored 11 and Marissa Coleman had 10 for the Mystics, who never trailed and led by as much as 18. Tina Charles scored 13 points for Connecticut (4-2) and Renee Montgomery finished with 10. The Sun trail Atlanta by 1.5 games for first in the East. Washington sits third, 2.5 behind the Dream. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Germany Suffers Another Blow; Defender Westermann Breaks Foot Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter Budapest, Hungary (AHN) – Just weeks after losing captain Michael Ballack and midfielder Christian Traesch, Germany now will be without the services of defender Heiko Westermann, who has been ruled out of the 2010 World Cup after suffering a broken foot in a 3-0 friendly win over Hungary. “Heiko would have played a key role in our team. He would have been important for us because of his polyvalence,” Germany coach Joachim Loew told FIFA.com. “He showed remarkable form in training.” Westermann, 27, appeared in 27 games this past season for Schalke, which finished in second place in the Bundesliga table. Germany will open its World Cup June 13 against Australia. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Zach Johnson Returns To Winner`s Circle At Colonial; Shot Tourney Record 21-Under Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Tom Edrington – AHN Sports Reporter Fort Worth, TX, United States (AHN) – This hasn’t been a great season on the PGA Tour for Zach Johnson. That all changed Sunday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, hadn’t finished in the top 10 in a PGA Tour event this year. He did something about it on the final day of the Colonial Invitational. The 2007 Masters champion birdied the first two holes of the day and never looked back. He went into the final round a stroke behind Brian Davis and Bryce Molder, two players looking for their first PGA Tour win. The leaders found out the hard way that birdies can be harder to come by Sundays as the pair could only muster one birdie between them on the final nine. Johnson’s putter and accurate iron shots, meanwhile, produced five birdies that gave him a 31 coming home for a second straight 64 and a tournament record-setting score of 21-under par 259. “I love it,” Johnson said of the Colonial layout. “The course does suit me as far as the shot-making.” He made the shots, but more importantly, he made the putts. He used his putter only 26 times in that final round. Davis finished a runnerup for the sixth time. He finished with 68 and a solo second at 262, 18-under. Jeff Overton and Ben Crane were next at 17-under while Molder fell back into a fifth-place finish with an even par 70 on the day that put him at 264, 16-under, with Scott Verplank. Johnson was able to keep his momentum over the final nine holes despite two weather delays, the first one lasting nearly an hour. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

NFL`s Goodell Confident New Collective Bargaining Agreement Will Be Reached Posted: 30 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor Boston, MA, United States (AHN) – NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly expressed confidence that the 2010 season will not be impacted with the current labor issue. Goodell indicated that a new collective bargaining agreement will eventually be completed. Though there was “no specific update” on the labor negotiations between the league and its union, there are meetings scheduled in the next few weeks, Goodell said during a press conference Sunday following his commencement address at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduation. There have been no talks between the two sides for quite some time. Goodell confidently stated, as reported by the Boston Globe on its website, that there was still “a lot of football to be played, so we’re going to be playing this season with absolutely no interruption and it’s not unusual that we are where we are.” He stressed that there was still work to be done, but added that “there will be an agreement.” Goodell received an honorary doctorate with his brothers on behalf of their late father. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Millions Pouring Into Santa Clara Vote Over 49ers Proposed Stadium Posted: 30 May 2010 04:05 PM PDT Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor Santa Clara, CA, United States (AHN) – The campaign for a proposed new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers to be built in Santa Clara, CA, in time of the 2014 NFL season, is reportedly getting millions in financial support. It could even shatter local spending records for a political campaign, In an effort to drum up support for the stadium campaign, the Niners are pulling out all the stops, including a reported $3 to million to $4 million in funds. The target – - no more than about 25,000 Santa Clara registered voters, expected to cast ballots in the special election that could give way to a new 68,500-seat football stadium, where the 49ers will be the primary tenant. The staggering amount for the campaign, which has gone primarily for television and radio spots in recent months, could reportedly equate a single-day admission tickets to Great America theme park or more than 60,000 tickets to a 49ers contest. It is reportedly in the process of outspending a number of other well-finance political campaigns on the South Bay record books, including the more than $1 million allotted on the transportation measure to extend BART to San Jose. At the same time, the said campaign is poised to overtake three other major political campaigns to build pro sports facilities in the Bay Area in terms of budget, including the vote to approve an area for the Sharks in 1988. Meanwhile, the financial support for the 49ers campaign is said to be about 180 times more than what the opponents of the ballot initiative designated “Measure J” could muster, Mercury News.com reported. The ballot initiative, which will decide whether to allow the stadium to be built on a parking lot adjacent to Great America, will be voted on June 8. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

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Latest Sports Buzz

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• Suns’ Nash Promises Game 6 Win Over Lakers
• Giants Young Ace Cain Fires One-Hit Shutout To Snap Three Start Skid
• Retired Point Guard Mark Jackson To Interview For Hawks Job
• Nick Diaz Submits Hayato Sakurai, Wins DREAM 14 Main Event
• With Three Homer Game, Tigers’ Cabrera Chasing Triple Crown
• Seahawks Release LenDale White; Back Reportedly Facing Drug Suspension
• Pierce Big Reason Celtics Headed Back To Finals; 31 Points In Clincher
• Fred Couples Moves To Top Of Senior PGA Field
• Nate Robinson guides Boston to victory
• Injuries Turning `Ultimate Fighter` Into Last Man Standing Competition

Suns’ Nash Promises Game 6 Win Over Lakers Posted: 29 May 2010 12:11 PM PDT Phoenix, AZ, United States (AHN) – Two-time MVP Steve Nash is adamant in promising his Phoenix Suns will take down the top-seed Los Angeles Lakers Saturday to force a Game 7 back in L.A. The Suns barely lost Game 5 on a buzzer beater from Ron Artest to fall behind 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals. "I just said we're going home and win Game 6 and come back in Game 7," Nash told the Los Angeles Times after practice Friday. “I didn’t say guarantee,” Nash said Friday. “But, I have no problem with that.” Artest indicated he felt the comments showed "no respect," and promised he and his teammates will do their part to prove Nash wrong. Artest took a Kobe Bryant air ball out of mid air and banked home a game-winning buzzer beater, shocking Phoenix after the Suns recovered from a 16-point deficit to tie the game with seconds left. The home team has won every game so far in the series, though Game 5 was the closest either team got to stealing one away from home. Nash, 36, is averaging 17.0 points and an amazing 12.4 assists per game in the conference finals, both above his season averages of 16.5 points and 11.0 assists. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Giants Young Ace Cain Fires One-Hit Shutout To Snap Three Start Skid Posted: 29 May 2010 12:10 PM PDT San Francisco, CA, United States (AHN) – The San Francisco Giants are flush with pitching talent. While Tim Lincecum may have the Cy Young awards and Barry Zito the big-number contract, young ace Matt Cain can hold his own among one of the best rotations in the majors. Cain bounced back from losses in his last three starts to pitch a one-hit shutout in a 5-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday. The 25-year-old flamethrower improved to 3-4 and is 10th in the National League with a 2.50 ERA. Cain's repertoire includes a 93-98 MPH fastball, dizzying changeup, devastating slider and sinking curve. The 6-foot-3 righty was selected by the Giants in the first round (25th overall) in the 2002 MLB Draft out of Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee. Nicknamed "Big Sugar," Cain honed his skills and made his debut Sep 4, 2005, allowing two runs in five innings in his first big league start. Cain went on to post a sub-4.15 ERA while starting at least 32 games for four consecutive seasons. He is coming off the best season of his career, earning an All Star nod and posting a 14-8 record with a miniscule 2.89 ERA in 2009. The Giants (25-22) are third in the NL West, just 2.5 games behind the surprising first-place Padres. They continue their three-game set against the cellar-dwelling Diamondbacks with Game 2 Saturday at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Retired Point Guard Mark Jackson To Interview For Hawks Job Posted: 29 May 2010 10:56 AM PDT Atlanta, GA, United States (AHN) – Former All-Star point guard and current ESPN analyst Mark Jackson is set to interview for the head coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks. Jackson, 45, has no head coaching experience since retiring in 2004. The team has already conducted second interviews with former Mavs coach Avery Johnson and current Dallas assistant coach Dwane Casey. The New York native was previously an NBA analyst for The YES Network’s New Jersey Nets games and currently works as a commentator for ESPN and ABC alongside his former coach Jeff Van Gundy and announcer Mike Breen. Casey may have an edge because of Atlanta general manager Rick Sund's time as a general manager in Seattle when Casey was an assistant under Nate McMillan. Jackson, the 18th pick of the 1987 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, played in 1,296 games (13th most all time) and sits third all time in assists (10,323). He compiled 12,489 points and 10,334 assists in his 17-year career. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Nick Diaz Submits Hayato Sakurai, Wins DREAM 14 Main Event Posted: 29 May 2010 10:55 AM PDT Saitama, Japan (AHN) – Nick Diaz made quick work of Hayato Sakurai, winning by armbar submission in the first round of the main event of DREAM 14 in Saitama, Japan Saturday night. Working on his back out of guard following a Sakurai takedown, Diaz tied up Sakurai's arm. He then flipped his Japanese opponent over into the armbar, getting a tapout submission at 3:54 of the first round. Sakurai came out strong at the opening bell, landing a leg kick and combination of punches. He then threw a kick to the body that Diaz was able to catch and turn into a single leg takedown. After landing a few blows from top position, Diaz then spent close to a minute in Sakurai's guard, trying to avoid upward punches to the head. The referee warned Sakurai on several occasions for landing blows to the back of Diaz's head. The two fighters returned to their feet, and after taking a few Diaz jabs, Sakurai took the fight to the ground again with a double leg, which soon led to the submission. Diaz won his seventh straight bout to move to 22-7, recording his seventh career submission. He moved to 2-0 in DREAM matchups. He knocked out Katsuya Inoue at DREAM 3 in Saitama in May, 2008. Although Diaz is the reigning Strikeforce Welterweight champion, the bout was a non-title affair. Sakurai fell to 35-11-2 with his third straight loss. The loss was the fastest in Sakurai's career, beating by two seconds a knockout at the hands of Takanori Gomi in 2005. Ralek Gracie earned a unanimous decision victory over veteran Kazushi Sakuraba in a bout that featured controversy near the end. Gracie was fighting in only his third career bout, and for the first time in two years. The 40-year old Sakuraba was billed as the "Gracie Hunter," having gone 4-1 against Gracie's uncles Royce, Ryan, Renzo and Royler. Sakurai controlled the action in stand-up, landing punches and opening an early cut over Gracie's left eye. Gracie, however, was able to control the bout through takedowns. He scored at least one takedown in each round, and spent the last minute and a half of the first round and much of the second on top of Sakurai. After Gracie took down Sakurai in the third round, the veteran caught him in a kimura, the same move that gave Sakurai victories over Renzo and Royler Gracie in 1999 and 2000. Sakurai wouldn't get the chance to submit the nephew in the same manner however. As he was sinking the hold, the referee stepped in to adjust Gracie's shorts, which were sliding down. The procedure took more than 30 seconds, and the referee spent a great deal of time repositioning the fighters' limbs before restarting the action. After the restart, Gracie was able to quickly reverse the hold and trapped Sakurai in an armbar as time expired. Sakurai fell to 26-13-1, while Gracie moved to 3-0, going the distance for the first time in his career. Hiroyuki Takaya earned a first-round knockout over Joachim Hansen. While Hansen did most of the stalking, Takaya was more active with striking, landing punches and leg kicks. Each fighter fending off a takedown attempt by the other, Hansen with a sprawl and Takaya by pressing back into the cage. After the fighters stalemated against the cage, the referee brought them back to the center to restart the action. Takaya and Hansen had a brief exchange of punches, ending when Takaya was able to get a right hand through Hansen's guard. The blow dropped Hansen to one knee. He quickly returned to his feet, and Takaya landed a straight right that ended the bout at 4:27 of the first round. Takaya notched his tenth career knockout, snapped a two-fight losing streak, and moved to 13-8-1. Hansen lost his third straight, falling to 19-10-1. The loss was the first in his career by knockout. Norifumi Yamamoto knocked out American Federico "Kiko" Lopez in the first round. Lopez struggled to make weight the day before, but it didn't seem to affect his energy. Lopez came out throwing kicks, missing on a wild head kick at the opening bell that sent him falling to the canvas. Lopez's aggressiveness would be his downfall. After a series of kicks, Lopez landed a looping right that seemed to stun Yamamoto. He charged in to take advantage and ran into a short right hand from Yamamoto that knocked him out. The end came at 1:41 of the first. Yamamoto snapped a two-fight losing streak and moved to 18-3 with his thirteenth knockout. Lopez fell to 4-3 with his third straight loss and second straight by knockout. In preliminary action, Akiyo Nishiura knocked out Hideo Tokoro at 2:51 of the first round. Kazuyuki Miyata won a split decision over Takafumi Otsuka. Kenji Osawa won a split decision over Yoshiro Madeda. Depsite being outweighed by 135 pounds, Ikuhisa Minowa defeated 330 pound Imani Lee by rear naked choke submission at 4:16 of the first round. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

With Three Homer Game, Tigers’ Cabrera Chasing Triple Crown Posted: 29 May 2010 10:24 AM PDT Detroit, MI, United States (AHN) – Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera is in the hunt for a rare Triple Crown after blasting three homers in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Cabrera, a four-time ML B all-star, continues to boast his Triple Crown possibilities with a three homer game against the A's Friday at Comerica Park. Cabrera, a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, leads the league in RBI with 44, places third in homers with 13 and is sixth in batting average .341. In spite of Cabrera's brilliance, the Tigers still dropped the game due to the erratic pitching of Dontrelle Willis. Willis, two-time MLB all-star, allowed three runs on nine hits and five strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings. The loss pulled the Tigers (25-21) back one game behind American League Central leader Minnesota Twins (26-20). Baseball followers believe Cabrera will have to significantly raise his batting average to have a serious shot at the Triple Crown. Cabrera (.341) still trails Twins first baseman Justin Morneau (.372) by .31 points in batting average and Toronto Blue Jays utility player Jose Bautista (15) by two homers. If he keeps hitting at this level, anything is possible for Cabrera. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Seahawks Release LenDale White; Back Reportedly Facing Drug Suspension Posted: 29 May 2010 06:14 AM PDT Seattle, WA, United States (AHN) – The Seattle Seahawks reportedly released LenDale White Friday, one month after they dealt draft picks to the Titans for the veteran running back. Reports indicated the Seahawks released White for his inability to meet the expectation of team head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider. White, who played for Carroll at USC, is reportedly in the best shape of his career, shedding his weight to 220 pounds. However, rumors circulated the Seahawks were disappointed by the running back's lackluster performances at workouts. The Seahawks acquired White from the Tennessee Titans by dealing their fourth and sixth-round draft selections in April. Schneider said White was not ready to be part of the Seahawks and the decision was for good of both sides. “It became apparent at this time that LenDale was not ready to be a member of the Seahawks. It just did not appear to be the right fit at this point in our program. We wish LenDale all the best with his future.” Schneider told Yahoo sports. The Seahawks also denied speculation they are iffy about White's potential four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. White, who has been dealing with work ethic issues throughout his career, joined the increasingly irrelevant free-agency market after several big names already signed with their respective teams. White rushed for 2,349 yards and 24 touchdowns over four seasons with the Titans. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Pierce Big Reason Celtics Headed Back To Finals; 31 Points In Clincher Posted: 29 May 2010 05:25 AM PDT Boston, MA, United States (AHN) – With 31 points in the game six Eastern Conference final clinching win over the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce is playing better than ever. The 11-year-veteran added 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals to help the C’s return to the NBA Finals. Pierce was superb in the third quarter, connecting on three-pointers that helped the Celtics build a 21-point lead. Pierce missed six three-point attempts in a game four loss, but recovered to drill 6-of-9 attempts in the last two contests. Boston now awaits the winner of the Pierce’s hometown Lakers-Suns series. It has been a long time since Pierce was a prep basketball star who went on to flourish at Kansas. In many ways, however, the 32-year-old plays as young as ever in almost daring opposing defenses to stop him. The problem is, they often can’t. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Fred Couples Moves To Top Of Senior PGA Field Posted: 29 May 2010 04:04 AM PDT Denver, Colorado, United States (AHN) – The best of the best in senior golf is Fred Couples. It would be tough to argue that point. Couples moved into a position he has found most comfortable this season, the top of the leaderboard at a senior event. This senior event is the 71st PGA Senior Championship, first major of the season for Couples and those who have grown used to pursuing him. Couples went out late at the Colorado Golf Club Friday, paid little attention to the blustery winds and put together the day’s lowest round, a four-under par 68 that sent him into the second round lead. Couples’ 137 total, seven-under par, put him a shot in front of one major champion and two shots ahead of another. Tom Kite, the 1992 U.S. Open champion, carded his second straight 69 for a 138 total and has been the steadiest player in the field. Kite hit 13 of 14 fairways Friday, 14 of 18 greens. Ho hum. Former British Open champion Tom Lehman finished earlier in the day, as Kite did. Lehman added a 71 to his opening 68 and is alone in third at 139, five-under. Two lesser-known players, Jay Don Blake and Chien Soon Lu of Taiwan, were in at four-under, 140. First round co-leader Bernhard Langer, playing with Couples, struggled most of the day but saw his round fall apart on the final two holes. Langer hit his tee shot long and over the green at the 201-yard par three 17th. His ball went into thick brush and he ended up with a double-bogey five, then bogeyed the par four 18th for 75 and fell into a tie at 141, three-under with Nick Price (70-71) and the other first round co-leader, Robin Freeman (66-75). The Bill Coore-Ben Crenshaw design continued to plague most of the field. The 36-hole cut, which came at 7-over-par, reflected the difficulty of this scenic layout. Brisk wind continued to swirl and cause difficulties for virtually all the players. The weekend forecast calls for more high winds. Not what the remaining field was hoping for. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Nate Robinson guides Boston to victory Posted: 29 May 2010 12:51 AM PDT Nate Robinson The game 6 in the Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic playoff series saw Nate Robinson shouldering the responsibility of taking his team to a victory. Desperate for a win after the previous two losses, the Celtics managed to increase their lead through the explosive player. With Rajon Rondo sitting on the bench after getting hurt, the onus naturally shifted to Robinson to rescue the team. Within eight minutes and 46 seconds, Robinson smashed 13 points to gain a considerable lead over the opponents. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy commented that the Celtics proved to be a good team despite the absence of Rondo. He also appreciated Robinson for his timely performance. Robinson however preferred not to get overconfident but admitted his feelings – "I was like Atlas. It felt like the whole world was on my shoulders". He also seemed happy at the thought being getting appreciated by his kids – Nahmier and Ny'ale Cameron Robinson, who had been constant critics of his performances. Meanwhile, the credit also goes to Celtics coach Doc Rivers who was consistently motivating Robinson to step up his game for quite some time. Though the player remained clue less about his aspirations and intentions he went ahead with the orders. Now, after the sixth game, he could realize the significance of his mentor's directions. He had won a game for Celtics, as was hopefully predicted by Coach Rivers.

Injuries Turning `Ultimate Fighter` Into Last Man Standing Competition Posted: 29 May 2010 12:13 AM PDT Shawn Krest – AHN Sports Correspondent Las Vegas, NV, United States (AHN) – Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter may turn into a Last Man Standing competition. Injuries have plagued both the competitors and coaches all season long. The show welcomed an all-time high of 28 competitors, and has gone deep into the roster to keep the ranks of the elimination tournament full. Four fighters have had to withdraw from the competition thus far, including quarterfinalist and one of the favorites Nick Ring. Ring was the latest to leave last week, suffering a knee injury that required surgery. Team Punishment coach Tito Ortiz pulled out of his coaches’ fight with Chuck Liddell this week, and his firing from the show appears scheduled for next week’s episode. Three of the four spots in the semifinals have been filled. In addition to resolving the Ortiz drama, next week’s show will feature the last quarterfinal bout and announce the pairings for the semis. Barring injury, the last semifinal spot will be filled by either Jamie Yager or Josh Bryant. Yager started the season as the house’s bad boy, following in the rabblerousing footsteps of Chris Leben, Junie Browning, Josh Koscheck and others. From his wild haircut to his pair of first-round knockouts, Yager has attracted attention to himself from the opening moments of the show. He defeated Ben Stark in 26 seconds with a brutal head kick to earn a spot in the house, then did an acrobatic celebration in the cage. Once in the house, Yager quickly made his presence known, waking the other fighters with air horns in the middle of the night, rooting for fighters on the opposite team, and accusing housemates of stealing his clothes. Yager appeared on B.E.T.’s Iron Ring series two years ago, and has limited MMA experience as a professional, with a 2-1 record. His opponent, Josh Bryant, has substantially more experience, although he’s flown beneath the radar on the show. He was 10-0 in his pre Ultimate Fighter career, but has kept out of controversy in the house. He earned a spot in the house with a majority decision over Greg Rebello and won his first-round bout over Kris McCray by unanimous decision in a bout that needed a third round to render a verdict. The winner will join the other three fighters that emerged from the quarterfinals. Kris McCray, who lost to Bryant in the first round, got a new lease on life when he was chosen as one of the wild card fighters. He defeated fellow wild card Kyacey Uscola by submission in the second round to earn a spot in the quarters. McCray then took a decision over Kyle Noke to get to the semifinals. McCray appeared to dominate the first two rounds, and UFC president Dana White told the round-card girl holding the Round Three sign that the fight was over. Shockingly, the fight was ruled a draw, but McCray dominated round three as well to get the victory. McCray also has the honor of the fastest bout of the season, winning in 15 seconds to earn a spot in the house when Cleburn Walker injured a shoulder. During training, McCray injured another fighter, James Hammortree, on a throw. McCray is undefeated in five fights in his pre-TUF career with four submissions and a knockout. He is, thus far, the only member of Team Ortiz to make the semifinals, and it appears he will outlast his coach on the show. However Ortiz’s red team is also represented by Yager. Brad Tavares scored a 37 second knockout to earn a spot in the house, and earned a hard-fought three round decision over James Hammortree in the first round. Tavares earned a spot in the semis by a controversial decision. After arguably losing the first round to Seth Baczynski, Tavares was kicked in the head while on all fours. He was out on his feet and could not recover between rounds, which resulted in a disqualification victory and a near riot by the coaches and members of both teams. Tavares is a partner in crime with Yager. He accompanied Yager and McCray on their air horn stunt one of the first nights in the house. He was also the Team Liddell fighter that Yager drew criticism for supporting during the opening-round bout. He is undefeated in four bouts with two knockouts, two submissions, and three first-round stoppages. The final spot is filled by Court McGee, who UFC president Dana White proclaimed a “dark horse” in a recent episode. McGee beat Seth Baczynski by unanimous decision to earn a spot in the house. He then lost a first-round bout to Nick Ring, only to earn a quarterfinal spot when Rich Attonito withdrew with a broken hand. McGee dropped a controversial majority decision that led to a tantrum by coach Chuck Liddell. When he was re-entered in the tournament, he was given a quarterfinal rematch with Ring, only to have his opponent drop out due to injury. Instead, McGee submitted Hammortree in the second round. McGee is 8-1 with his only loss to MMA veteran Jeremy Horn. The drama in the cage may pale in comparison to the coaching soap opera. Ortiz announced that he needed neck surgery and withdrew from a planned bout with Chuck Liddell. Instead, Liddell will face Rich Franklin at UFC 115 in June. Thus far, no mention has been made of Franklin replacing Ortiz as coach on the show, and Ortiz appears to be cage-side in previews of next week’s show. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

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• Roethlisberger Cleared For Workouts With Team
• Phil Mickelson Flounders, Misses Cut At Colonial
• Umpire Joe West Faces Punishment For White Sox Ejections
• Raiders Want $10 Million Back From Quarterback JaMarcus Russell
• UConn Men’s Basketball Team Cited For Eight Violations; Two Assistants Step Down
• Federer, Nadal Roar Past Foes At French Open; Serena, Venus Victorious
• Dodgers Star Ethier Could Return From Finger Injury Monday
• Bear’ Bryant: Kobe Uses Anger To Propel Lakers Past Suns
• NHL Set To Announce Outdoor Games For Early 2011
• Favre Surgery Has Hopes High On Return To Vikings

Roethlisberger Cleared For Workouts With Team Posted: 28 May 2010 12:15 PM PDT Pittsburgh, PA, United States (AHN) – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell cleared Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger Friday to participate in next week's team activities. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello posted a statement on his Twitter account, announcing an end to Roethlisberger's behavioral evaluation period. “Commissioner Goodell has advised Steelers & Ben Roethlisberger that he is cleared to return to team activities next week.” Aiello posted Thursday. The NFL commissioner slapped Roethlisberger with a six-game suspension without compensation and prohibited him from participating in team activities for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Roethlisberger was charged following an alleged sexual assault incident in Georgia, but prosecutors dropped the case due to lack of evidence. In spite of the decision, Goodell can still lessen or lengthen Roethlisberger’s suspension period next season. Steelers president Art Rooney II also recognized the commissioner's decision and released a statement in connection to the matter. “Commissioner Goodell informed us today that based on the information he received from the clinical evaluations, he has cleared Ben Roethlisberger to return to the Steelers’ facility to take part in both meetings and practices. We look forward to having Ben rejoin his teammates on the practice field,” Rooney said in his statement released Friday. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Phil Mickelson Flounders, Misses Cut At Colonial Posted: 28 May 2010 12:14 PM PDT Fort Worth, Texas, United States (AHN) – Phil Mickelson was honest about his opening round performance at the Colonial Invitational Thursday. “I drove it sideways and hit terrible iron shots,” is how the world’s No. 2 player assessed his play. After his round he sought input from instructor Butch Harmon but it had little positive results Friday. Mickelson struggled mightily again and missed the 36-hole cut. He played the back nine first and found himself 2-over for the tournament with nine holes to play and the cut looking like it would come at 1-under par. He needed to make something happen in a hurry. Instead, things got worse, a lot worse. It all came crashing down at the three-hole stretch on Colonial’s front nine, Nos. 3-5, known as the “Horrible Horseshoe.” He went bogey-bogey-bogey and that was it for Lefty. He finished at 3-over 73 for a 144 total. The tournament that created a “Pink Out” day for its third round last year to honor Mickelson’s wife Amy, who’s in the midst of battling breast cancer, will be held without Mickelson on the weekend for the second straight year. While the tournament lost one major draw, another stepped up. John Daly shot a second-straight sub-par round and found himself 5-under par at the halfway point. Daly’s 69 would have been better had it not been for a double-bogey 6 at his final hole of the day, the par-4 ninth. Still, it marks a big step forward for Daly and his comeback campaign. It will be the first time he’s made the cut at Colonial, a course that had been previously unkind to him. He missed three cuts here and withdrew in another try. He’ll be around this time. Phil Mickelson won’t. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Umpire Joe West Faces Punishment For White Sox Ejections Posted: 28 May 2010 12:12 PM PDT Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – Umpire “Cowboy” Joe West might soon have some extra time to record a few tracks for his country western music CD. Several media outlets reported Major League Baseball is investigating West’s ejection of Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and pitcher Mark Buehrle Wednesday, an incident that could lead to West’s suspension. Yahoo! Sports already reported MLB has reprimanded West in a phone call, and that combined with previous controversial comments about the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, the veteran umpire had crossed a line and will be suspended. “I didn’t do anything confrontational,” West said Thursday during an interview with ESPN 1000 radio in Chicago, adding that he didn’t use profanity when arguing with Guillen and Buehrle. West tossed Guillen after the manager came onto the field following a balk call on Buehrle. One inning later, West called another balk on Buehrle, who threw down his glove in disgust and also was thrown out. “Ozzie came out to protect his pitcher, which was probably a good idea at the time, because Buehrle was drawing lines in dirt on the mound (to show he’s not moving his leg past where the rules stipulate), and he was about to get ejected then,” West said on the radio show. “Ozzie even said he was out there not to argue the balk but to protect his pitcher, which he should come out in that situation. I said, ‘Everything is OK now, Ozzie, you can go back to the dugout.’ And he got mad, because I told him you can go back. He used a few profanity-laced lines and that got him ejected.” In April, West sparked a controversy by calling the Yankees and Red Sox “pathetic and embarrassing” because both teams take a long time to play their games. West, a country music singer and songwriter, apparently now awaits his own ejection of sorts from MLB. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Raiders Want $10 Million Back From Quarterback JaMarcus Russell Posted: 28 May 2010 12:10 PM PDT Oakland, CA, United States (AHN) – You figured at some point the Oakland Raiders would cut their losses and dump quarterback JaMarcus Russell. Admit they made a mistake drafting him as the No. 1 overall pick and write him off like a non-performing loan on a bank’s balance sheet. Hey, these are cashed-strapped economic times, and the Raiders apparently need the money more than Russell — $9.55 million to be exact. Yahoo! Sports reported the team has begun the process to take back approximately $10 million in salary advances for the 2010-12 seasons. “We have filed a grievance against JaMarcus Russell and that’s all we’re going to say at this time,” Raiders general counsel Jeff Birren was quoted as saying in a statement released through the team. Given Russell’s play, the Raiders certainly have grounds for a grievance. He’s already pocketed a reported $36.4 million in his three seasons, during which he was 7-18 as a starter, throwing only 18 touchdowns with 23 interceptions. Russell’s representative, of course, claims the money was guaranteed. Fully, his agent Eric Metz, emphasized. “That is why JaMarcus was forced to hold out and miss all of training camp as a rookie. The Raiders know that and this is our only comment,” he said in the report. If it comes down to money earned vs. money owed, expect Russell to lose another game. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

UConn Men’s Basketball Team Cited For Eight Violations; Two Assistants Step Down Posted: 28 May 2010 10:31 AM PDT Storrs, CT, United States (AHN) – The University of Connecticut men’s basketball program was cited for eight violations Friday by the NCAA ranging from giving recruits improper benefits to Coach Jim Calhoun’s failure to “promote an atmosphere of compliance.” The school didn’t announce any self-imposed sanctions after releasing the infractions letter and declined comment. UConn officials are expected to respond to the NCAA infractions committee at an October meeting. The basketball program forced two assistants to resign Thursday, according to the Hartford Courant, a move seen as a response to recruiting violations about to be leveled. The paper identified assistant coach Pat Sellers and director of basketball operations Beau Archibald as the two who resigned. Other violations cited by the NCAA included improper phone calls and text messages to recruits. Calhoun recently received a contract extension for at least four more seasons. The 15-month investigation centered around the recruitment of Nate Miles, who was kicked off the the team in 2008 after only two months. Miles had been arrested for violating a restraining order made by a female student. Last year, Yahoo!Sports detailed the allegations of NCAA rule violations in Miles’ recruitment. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Federer, Nadal Roar Past Foes At French Open; Serena, Venus Victorious Posted: 28 May 2010 10:30 AM PDT Paris, United States (AHN) – Top seeds held serve and raised their games as the French Open gathered steam toward the later rounds this weekend. World No.1 Roger Federer remained on track for his second straight French Open title, defeating German Julian Reister in straight sets 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 Friday at Roland Garros. Federer blasted 6 aces and produced 34 winners of 94 total points to offset his 18 unforced errors in the match. He will face the winner of the Stanislas Wawrinka-Fabio Fognini third round match Friday. Meanwhile, four-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal set up a third-round showdown with Australian Lleyton Hewitt with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over Argentine Horacio Zeballos. The second-seeded Nadal overpowered Zeballos with 23 winners of 93 points and committed just 12 miscues in the match. Nadal, gunning for a fifth French Open title, will be expecting a tougher foe in the third round, when he faces 28th-seed Hewitt. In the women's draw, the Williams sisters also reigned supreme, as Venus and Serena accomplished their initial assignments. Venus moved into the fourth round after beating last year's semifinalist Dominika Cibulková 6-3, 6-4, while Serena blasted German Julia Goerges 6-1, 6-1 in their second round match Friday. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Dodgers Star Ethier Could Return From Finger Injury Monday Posted: 28 May 2010 08:32 AM PDT Los Angeles, CA, United States (AHN) – Outfielder Andre Ethier could suit up for the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday, when they open a 13-game homestand, beginning with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Ethier could play for the Dodgers Monday after being placed on the 15-day disabled list with a broken bone in his right pinkie. Ethier is expected to participate in a two-game rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque at Memphis. Torre said he will rest Ethier Sunday and could place him back in the roster depending on his right fielder's condition. Los Angeles Lakers trainer Gary Vitti, who also helped Lakers star Kobe Bryant with his pinkie injury, recommended Ethier wear a small splint on the finger. The splint appeared not to bother Ethier during batting practice Tuesday and Wednesday. Although he remains atop in batting at .392, Ethier lost his lead in the other Triple Crown categories in the National League. He also hit 11 home runs, has 38 RBI, and scored 25 runs this season. Ethier, who has 140 plate appearances, would quickly qualify again for the Triple Crown race if he's able to return Monday. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Bear’ Bryant: Kobe Uses Anger To Propel Lakers Past Suns Posted: 28 May 2010 08:31 AM PDT Los Angeles, CA, United States (AHN) – Kobe Bryant aka the Black Mamba strikes again. When Bryant gets lathered up like he did after Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns it's a good bet he's coming out to take charge the next game. And he did. Bryant, the Lakers resident-in-house superstar, torched Phoenix with another jaw-dropping performance, scoring 30 points, snatching 11 rebounds and handing out nine assists in a pivotal Game 5 performance Thursday night at STAPLES Center. Bryant scored 13 of his 30 points in the first quarter, setting a tone for the Lakers, as he has done all season, that playtime is over. The Lakers would need all of those 30 points and a little bit extra in this game as Phoenix rallied from a 17-point first half deficit to tie the game at 101 with 3.5 seconds left in the contest after Jason Richardson knocked down a 3-point shot. Phoenix's problem was that they left too much time on the clock. Considering that the Lakers have a rich history of executing and making game-winning shots that was a bad omen for Phoenix who outscored Los Angeles 29-25 in the final quarter. Bryant's heave from behind the three-point arc was straight but fell short of its goal of reaching the basket, turning into an airball attempt. But Bryant and the Lakers received the biggest reprieve they've had in this postseason when Ron Artest grabbed the ball and banked in the game-winning shot with the clock struck at zero. Game over. "I could see him coming," Bryant said. "I felt I had a good look. Grant Hill stuck his hand in there in the last second, forced me to double-pump. Other than that I was going to shoot over Steve (Nash). And once I released the ball, I saw Ron streaking in. I was just hoping he got it off in time." For his part, Artest said his aggressive play over the final two quarters of the game carried over to the Lakers' last possession, which ended up giving Los Angeles a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. "Just gotta continue to play," Artest said. "I was kind of not playing my game from the beginning of the game, and It kind of carried over. So in the second half, I was finding my way a little bit, made some good passes and good steals and got some tough rebounds. So I guess that aggressive play can carry over into that last possession." Bryant has kept up his play of attack basketball during the postseason, averaging 29 points, nearly five rebounds and just over six assists a game throughout the playoffs. Last year's NBA Finals MVP is playing like the best player in the playoffs. Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Bryant's performance was spectacular. "I thought we were going a little bit too reliant on him at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but that will happen at times," Jackson said. "But he played a stellar game tonight." Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

NHL Set To Announce Outdoor Games For Early 2011 Posted: 28 May 2010 06:14 AM PDT Pittsburgh, PA, United States (AHN) – The National Hockey League will reportedly announce Friday the scheduling of two outdoor games for next year. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will hold a press conference Friday to confirm the 2011 Winter Classic game between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The second game he’ll discuss is the Montreal Canadiens and the Calgary Flames outdoor showdown. The much anticipated Winter Classic showdown between the Penguins and the Capitals will be held on Jan 1 at Heinz Field. The New Years Day hockey game will be the second hockey match to be held in a football stadium since Ralph Wilson Stadium staged the original Winter Classic match between Penguins and Buffalo Sabres game on Jan. 1, 2008. With Heinz Field's seating capacity of over 66,000, this hockey match is expected to generate huge buzz and ticket sales in the coming months. The match will also feature the tussle between two of the most established stars in the league: Penguins' star Sidney Crosby and Capitals standout Alexander Ovechkin. Meanwhile, the Canadiens-Flames match will be held at at McMahon Stadium in Calgary the weekend right after CBC's "Hockey Day in Canada" in February. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Favre Surgery Has Hopes High On Return To Vikings Posted: 28 May 2010 04:48 AM PDT Eden Prairie, MN, United States (AHN) – Brett Favre’s ankle surgery has gone a long way in assuring some the legendary quarterback will return to the Minnesota Vikings for the 2010 season. Renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrew repaired the ankle that was hurt during the 2009 NFC Championship Game against the New Orleans Saints. “This is to confirm that I did have a procedure to remove some scar tissue and bone spurs from my ankle which had been bothering me for a period of time. I appreciate your concerns,” said Favre on his website officialbrettfavre.com. Favre, 40. underwent shoulder surgery before signing a two-year pact with the Vikings prior to the 2009 season. He went on to post one of the best seasons in his Hall-of-Fame career, 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. The Vikings hung tough before falling in the NFC Championship to the Super Bowl champion Saints. “When I decided to return to the NFL to play my 19th season, I did so with some trepidation”, said Favre. “After all, I was joining a new team in a new city, for the archrivals of the "green and gold." And I'm not getting any younger.” “I couldn't be happier about my decision. The coaches, staff, and especially teammates who joined me in the season's journey are true professionals, and better yet, friends. I felt completely comfortable from day one as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, and it's a tribute to the entire organization that accepted me with open arms. It was truly an amazing experience to be a part of the Minnesota Vikings this past season” Favre is an 11-time Pro Bowler and owns the NFL career passing (69,329) and touchdown (497) record. Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

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