Monday, May 3, 2010

Latest Sports Buzz

Latest Sports Buzz

Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, Sri Lankans Won by 14 Runs, Read Both Team’s Game-Playing

Posted: 03 May 2010 10:58 PM PDT

Zim vs Sri Lanka

Zim vs Sri Lanka

In the ICC T20 World Cup 2010, in 7th match of Group B, Sri Lanka defeat Zimbabwe by 14 runs as per the D/L method at Providence. Sri Lankans scored 173 runs at the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs whereas Zimbabwe scored 29 runs with a single loss in 5 overs.

In the Providence, the pitch was very slow and the batting was anticipated not easy on a slow & low pitch but an amazing player from Sri Lanka, Mahela Jayawardene glittered with a Century, 4th batsmen to score a Twenty20 hundred and took Sri Lanka to 173. A heavy rainfall later 1over into cricket game left Zimbabwe required 104 runs from 11 overs initially, but again raining resulted in the elimination of the match later 5 overs. Thus, Sri Lanka won as per D\L method as Zimbabwe mere scored 29 runs for 1wicket when gaining score should be 43.

Sri Lankan Counterpart : The opening batsmen from the Sri Lankan side were Jayawardene & Dilshan. Jayawardene scored highest 100 whereas Dilshan was out at only 2. Among other players, Perera scored 23, Sangakkara scored 3, Chandimal made 9, Mathews made 4, Kapugedera made 3 runs and two players was not out who were Jayasuriya at 3 and Malinga was at 2 runs.

Zimbabwe Counterpart: From the Zimbabwe side, Masakadza scored mere 4 runs. Then Taibu and Taylor made 23 runs both, Taibu scored 12 and Taylor made 11 runs. Malinga took the only 1 runs. Then the rain pours interrupted the match of T20 live cricket.

Due to D/L method at Providence, Sri Lanka won the match by 14 runs and defeat Zimbabwe team in the 7th match of Group B in the ICC World Cup 2010.

West Indies vs England, Celebration Time for West Indies, Decision as per D/L Method

Posted: 03 May 2010 10:25 PM PDT

West Indies vs England

West Indies vs England

In the 8th live cricket match of Group D in ICC T20 World Cup 2010, West Indies won the match by 8 wickets with a single ball left against England by Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method at Providence. Thus the home-team reserved their game-playing in the Super Eights Group.

Toss : West Indies Captain, Chris Gayle won the toss and took the correct judgment to bowl first with an amazing but brief innings of 25 runs from 12 balls, which proved enough, as per the rules of Duckworth-Lewis, to carry West Indies to a revised aim of 60 in mere 36 bowls, after England had created debatably their nice batting performance in the format’s prior record to apply a challengeable target of 191runs for 5.

England’s loss should not become expensive in the long way, so long as they conquer over Ireland in their 2nd group match on Tuesday, but it was yet an unlucky manner for a brilliantly poised competition to loosen & for England it was a subject matter of history repeating itself, later West Indies removed them from World Twenty20 2009 in a same situation at The Oval.

The outcome was more or less an expected closing when the D/L instruments were seen into the pitch. D/L is the best way to sort out easily rain disruptions in 50-over cricket; it seems not good in 20-over live cricket.

West Indies Counterpart: From the West Indies side, Gayle scored 25 runs, Pollard was out at 0 and Chanderpaul and Fletcher were not out. Both wickets were taken by Swann. But it was the rain which favored the hometeam and they won the match by 8 wickets.

England Counterpart : Instead, Gayle’s short intercession made it clear enough to remove England’s high anticipations after a highly influential batting. Eoin Morgan scored highest 55 in only 35 deliveries. The opening batsmen MJ Lumb scored 28 runs, Kieswetter 26, Pietersen made 24, Collingwood made 6, Wright scored 45 and TT Bresnan did not make a single and thus the whole team 191 runs in 20 overs. From the West Indies side Gayle, Miller, Sammy & Bravo took the wickets.

Final Words: Although England lost the match but they will anticipate the total of 191 runs as a great indicator in the ICC T20 World Cup 2010. Congratulations to West Indies for their consecutive wins in the T20 World Cup this year.

Indian Cricket Board Order: All Official Papers Stay In Office

Posted: 03 May 2010 09:33 PM PDT

Yamini Kaul – AHN News Contributor

Mumbai, India (AHN) – Almost a week ago the president of the Indian Cricket Board, Shashank Manohar, admitted that a number of official documents were missing from the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as well as the offices of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Now, in a move to avoid further embarrassment of this kind, the BCCI has issued orders that none of its members carry home any official documents. The strict guideline also applies to the office bearers of the board as well as the IPL.

The Board took the decision at its working committee meeting Sunday.

A top BCCI official told Indian Express, “It is just a precaution. We have learnt our lesson from the Modi episode. And after being embarrassed during the IPL issue, we have taken this action in order to prevent a repeat in the future.”

It was Manohar himself who proposed the idea to the working committee, which unanimously agreed to it. The Board aims to keep all the documents “properly” so they could be located whenever the need arises.

Meanwhile, suspended IPL Commissioner, Lalit Modi is ready to hand over the documents related to IPL’s franchise bids and media rights, which are in his possession. A letter written to Modi by BCCI Secretary N. Srinivasan asked for the “missing documents.”

The documents are to be handed over BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty, who is looking into the issue. In lieu of the missing documents, Modi has asked for a proof of receipt from the authorized person.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Welch Resigns From Basketball Post At Hofstra; Follows Drunk Driving Charge

Posted: 03 May 2010 09:33 PM PDT

Matt Aug – AHN Sports Editor

Hempstead, NY, United States (AHN) – Just three days after he was arrested and charged with drunk driving for an alleged incident in Long Island, Tim Welch stepped down as the new men’s basketball coach at Hofstra University.

“The university accepted the resignation in the best interests of the university and of the men’s basketball program,” Hofstra said in a brief statement announcing the move.

The university suspended Welch without pay following reports Friday the former Providence coach was charged with driving while intoxicated. He was later arraigned.

Welch may not have wanted to become a distraction after the incident.

Hofstra will be looking for another big-name coach to fill the void left by Welch, hired after Tom Pecora left to take Fordham’s coaching post.

Welch guided the Friars to the NCAA tournament in 2001 and 2004 and compiled a record of 160-143.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Mickelson Approaches World No. 1; Players Championship Win Could Dethrone Tiger

Posted: 03 May 2010 09:33 PM PDT

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

United States (AHN) – On the heels of a win at The Masters and a second-place finish at Quail Hollow, Phil Mickelson is approaching the world No. 1 golf ranking.

Mickelson could dethrone Tiger Woods with a win at this weekend’s Players Championship, as long as Woods doesn’t finish in the top five.

Woods missed the cut at last weekend’s Quail Hollow Championship, but did finish tied for fourth at the Masters.

Mickelson may have placed first at Quail Hollow had it not been for PGA rookie Rory McIlroy, who shot a final-round 62 to overtake Mickelson.

Woods has held the No. 1 ranking for 258 weeks, even through an injury that forced him to miss six months and a personal hiatus to deal with personal matters concerning his marital infidelities.

Mickelson’s three Tour wins over the past six months puts him in prime position to finally overtake Woods.

The Players Championship, sometimes referred to as the “fifth major” in golf, tees off Thursday at TPC Sawgrass.

The event has the highest purse of any event on the Tour (this year, $9.5 million) and awards the most points towards the world ranking for a first-place finish (80).

Rankings released today have Woods at No. 1 with 11.17 average points and Mickelson at No. 2 with 9.66.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Heat Extend Team President Riley`s Contract; Coaching Comeback Possible

Posted: 03 May 2010 09:33 PM PDT

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Miami, FL, United States (AHN) – The Miami Heat recently extended team president Pat Riley’s contract, and the legendary basketball mind has not ruled out a return to coaching.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the six-time NBA champion and three-time Coach of the Year is expected to be in Miami for the foreseeable future.

When asked about a return to coaching, Riley did not deny the possibility. Two years ago, when he retired, he claimed he would never return, but recent inquiries have fell short of inspiring such a claim.

Riley, 65, groomed former assistant Erik Spolestra to take over for him back then.

Spoelstra, 39, has accumulated a 90-74 record and back-to-back playoff appearances at the No. 5 seed.

The Heat were eliminated for the second straight year in the first round this season, but Riley put his support behind Spoelstra.

Miami is in the midst of a pivotal free agent offseason, with its priority being the re-signing of superstar Dwyane Wade.

The right moves could bring Miami back to a championship, like in 2006, when Wade and Riley helped lead the Heat to a 4-2 series win over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Reports: Firing Of Bulls Coach Del Negro Imminent

Posted: 03 May 2010 09:33 PM PDT

Matt Aug – AHN Sports Editor

Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – Reports out of Chicago indicate the firing of Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro is imminent and could come as soon as Tuesday.

Despite leading the team to the playoffs for consecutive seasons, Del Negro did not see eye-to-eye with team management and his leadership skills were questioned.

ESPN Chicago is reporting the hammer will fall on Del Negro Tuesday as the franchise looks to move on from a tumultous season that included a tussle between the coach and GM John Paxson over Joakim Noah’s playing time.

Despite concerns about Del Negro’s leadership skills the Bulls did play solid basketball for most of the season, and went 9-2 in one key January stretch.

Del Negro, a gritty player with a deft three-point touch in his playing days with the Sacramento Kings, is a quality individual who gives back to the community.

He may have been, however, an odd choice for a pressure-cooker job that has been led by bigger names like Doug Collins and Phil Jackson in the past.

That pair, along with names like ex-Nets/Hornets coach Byron Scott and ex-Knicks/Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy may be available and interested in the Windy City post.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Bordering On `Best Ever` Status

Posted: 03 May 2010 04:03 PM PDT

Shawn Krest – AHN Sports Correspondent

Las Vegas, NV, United States (AHN) – Floyd Mayweather is the best fighter in history. If you don’t believe it, just ask him.

“I got respect for Sugar Ray Robinson. I’ve got respect for Muhammad Ali,” said Pretty Boy Floyd before his dominating unanimous decision victory over Sugar Shane Mosley last Saturday. “But I’m a man just like they’re men. I put on my pants just like they put on their pants. What makes them any better than I am?

“Things change,” Mayweather continued. “It’s out with the old and in with the new. Things change. Like I said, Muhammad Ali is one hell of a fighter. But Floyd Mayweather is the best. Sugar Ray Robinson is one hell of a fighter, but Floyd Mayweather is the best.”

While it’s off-putting for Mayweather to be the one promoting himself, it’s not unprecedented in the “best ever” debate, as Muhammad “I am the Greatest of all times” Ali would attest.

It also may not be as far off the mark as Mayweather’s detractors would like to think.

Here are the arguments in favor of Mayweather as the best ever.

Perfection: Mayweather moved to 41-0 Saturday night, pushing him past George Foreman, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Felix Trinidad, who all suffered their first career losses at 40-0. Still ahead of him are Rocky Marciano, who retired at 49-0, Larry Holmes, who got to 48-0, and Willie Pep, who got to 62-0.

Julio Cesar Chavez also won 88 straight at one point in his career, and Pep had another streak in his career where he went 72-0-1. Joe Calzaghe retired at 46-0.

Of course, a zero in the loss column doesn’t guarantee a spot in the discussion. Dariusz Michalczewski also went 48-0, and Nikolay Valuev got to 46-0.

Perfection (again): Not only is Mayweather’s won-loss record unblemished, often, so is his side of the judges’ scorecards. Mayweather has five “120s” (ten points from a judges in all twelve rounds).

The ten-point must system is relatively new, so fighters like Ali, Pep and Robinson didn’t get the chance to post any 120s. Among his peers, Mayweather is among the shutout leaders. He has more 120s than Bernard Hopkins (4), Manny Pacquiao (2), Winky Wright (4), Shane Mosley (0), and Oscar de la Hoya (3).

However, two fighters that had longer undefeated streaks than Mayweather also posted more 120s. Joe Calzaghe had eight, and Julio Cesar Chavez had six. Pernell Whitaker, a fighter that, like Pep, Mayweather is often compared to for his defensive prowess, had nine.

Dominance: While a second-round shot from Mosley prevented Mayweather from posting a 120 on Saturday, Pretty Boy Floyd won the last ten rounds on all three scorecards. On the 36 round scores the judges posted, Floyd won 32.

In his previous victory over Juan Manuel Marquez, Mayweather won 33 of 36. Against Carlos Baldomir, Mayweather won 34 of 36.

For his career, Mayweather has lost a total of 106 rounds out of nearly 700 that were scored and recorded. (Most boxing records databases have incomplete scores for fights that end in knockouts or fights in preliminary bouts.) That’s a round-by-round winning percentage of nearly 85%. Pacquiao has won less than 70%.

Sugar Ray Robinson won less than 70% of his scored rounds. Muhammad Ali won about 75% (And that’s throwing out about four fights at the end of his career when he was dominated by younger fighters.) Pernell Whitaker won 79% (again, throwing out his career-ending losses).

Joe Calzaghe is the closest fighter to Mayweather’s mark, having won 82% of scored rounds.

The case against Mayweather focuses on two main areas.

Opposition: The most common criticism of Mayweather is that he has ducked many of the top fighters in his weight class. Many of the top names on his resume, say critics, were against fighters that, like Mosley, were past their primes.

However Mayweather knocked out Diego Corrales and Ricky Hatton, both of whom were undefeated at the time they fought him. He also had two tight wins over Jose Luis Castillo.

Mosley is 38, but he’s also the reigning WBA Welterweight champion, with a dominating win over Antonio Margarito, who at the time was considered the best fighter in the division, in his most recent bout (albeit more than a year ago).

De la Hoya was only 34, and he was the reigning WBC Light Middleweight champion at the time of their bout.

Prior to their fight, de la Hoya outweighed Mayweather by twenty pounds for most of the two fighters’ careers, so it’s hard to make a case that Mayweather had been ducking him. Similarly, Mayweather and Mosley didn’t spend much time in the same division during Mosley’s prime.

In addition to Mosley and de la Hoya, Mayweather’s last five opponents included Juan Manuel Marquez, Hatton, and Baldomir, all of whom won or defended world titles in the bout prior to facing Mayweather.

Lack of Power: Like many defensive-oriented fighters, Mayweather is criticized for not trying to put away his opponents. He has only 25 knockouts in his 41 fights.

However, in addition to the above-mentioned knockouts of Corrales and Hatton, Mayweather knocked down Juan Manuel Marquez, something that hadn’t happened since Marquez faced Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather also caused four fighters–Arturo Gatti, Jesus Chavez, Genaro Hernandez, and Carlos Gerena–to quit on their stool mid-fight. While it’s not the same as a highlight-reel knockout, pounding an opponent into submission shows a level of dominance that’s perhaps harder to attain.

Obviously, the specter of Manny Pacquiao hovers over any discussion of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s place in history. Until the two meet, all talk of either fighter as the best ever is premature.

Ali needed Joe Frazier and George Foreman. Sugar Ray Robinson needed Carmen Basilio and Gene Fullmer.

If Floyd Mayweather Jr. beats Manny Pacquiao–either in a mega fight or a trilogy, all talk of his level of opposition goes away. Even if Mayweather-Pacquiao I or II costs him his undefeated record, the end result may push him into the stratosphere of boxing legends.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be one of the best defensive fighters ever. If he faces down the greatest offensive force of his generation, he may take the next step up in the pantheon.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Hornets Sale To Chouest Expected To Get NBA Approval

Posted: 03 May 2010 11:56 AM PDT

New Orleans, LA, United States (AHN) – The sale of the New Orleans Hornets is expected to get quick approval from the NBA, because of Louisiana billionaire Gary Chouest, whose resources were approved by the league before he became a minority owner in 2007.

Chouest, who purchased 25 percent of the team from George Shinn, net worth was not available because his ship manufacturer and offshore vessel company, Edison Chouest Offshore, is not a publicly traded company, according to the published reports.

The franchise now can focus on coaches and player transactions, without worrying about financial concerns for the first time in team history.

It was reported that Chouest has the means to support the team, it was estimated he's worth 10-figures, with a vast amount of resources to breath new life into the Hornets.

Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.

Reports: Ex-Knick/Broadcaster Mark Jackson Could Be Fit For Sixers Job

Posted: 03 May 2010 11:33 AM PDT

Philadelphia, PA, United States (AHN) – The Philadelphia 76ers reached out to former NBA coach and ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy and former player Mark Jackson to coach the team, according to published reports.

Van Gundy reportedly told the organization that he had no interest in returning to coaching. There were no comments from the team about Jackson’s status.

Philadelphia is also scheduled to meet with former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson in Houston. They already met with former 76er and analyst Doug Collins in Scottsdale, Ariz., Saturday.

"The Sixers have to go about their business, and I have to go about mine, finishing the season with TNT,” Collins told the Daily News.

“The Sixers hold a special place in my heart. I was part of a rebuilding program there and eventually went to the Finals with them. The idea of again being part of a rebuilding program there is intriguing.”

Mark Jackson, 45, was reportedly going to meet with president/general manager Ed Stefanski.

Jackson never coached, but played in 1,296 regular-season games and was drafted by the New York Knicks in 1987 before playing with seven different teams.

Van Gundy, 48, has a coaching record of 430-318. He led the Knicks to the playoffs six times, and coached the Rockets from 2003 to 2007.

He was later fired after a first-round loss to the Utah Jazz.

Copyright © 2003 – 2010 AHN – All rights reserved.
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