Thursday, July 22, 2010

Latest Sports Buzz

Latest Sports Buzz

Dallas Mavericks owner all set to bid for Texas Rangers

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 10:56 PM PDT

Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks basketball teams proprietor and super rich business person Mark Cuban who last year revealed his intention and interest in owning the American Baseball team called Chicago cubs is this year probably amongst the top bidders for the Texas Rangers baseball club, which has been put up for a bidding proposal.

Mark Cuban has openly expressed his involvement and interest in this auction, and is looking forward to getting involved either alone or along with a real estate capitalist in Dallas by the name of Jeff Beck.

Since Cuban took over the basketball team in the January 2000, it has emerged out to be one the most victorious and productively successful clubs in the NBA league even though they haven't yet won an NBA title. Mark Cuban is amongst the two anonymous bidders for the Texas Rangers and his name was not mentioned in the court amongst the applicants for this bid. But it was only until Tuesday that he was named to be amongst the two unidentified bidders for this auction.

Certain people led by Nolan Ryan the honorable Pitcher and Rangers President and the lawyer of Pittsburgh; Chuck Greenberg has been backed by MLB as the favored emptor.

The group offered an approximate of $575 million to Tom Hanks the present owner of the Texas Ranger to own the team along with the area in Ballpark, Arlington.

Michael Lynn the judge on Thursday prevailed that the auction procedure will continue as planned on August 4th without any further delays for adding more bidders.

Langer Tied For Lead At British Senior

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

Tom Edrington – AHN Sports Reporter

Carnoustie, Scotland, United Kingdom (AHN) – Bernhard Langer has a lot of respect for the Carnoustie Golf Links. Respect combined with a lot of skill gave him an opening 67 Thursday, good for a share of the first round lead at the British Senior Open.

Langer found himself at the top of the leaderboard with Jay Don Blake and England’s Carl Mason.

Blake was in the thick of the tournament back at the Senior PGA but saw Tom Lehman emerge the winner there. Mason is well known in Europe, he won two tournaments on the European Tour and has won 21 times as a senior.

Mason got of to a fast start with a 31, five-under on the outward nine. But he suffered a double-bogey six at the 10th hole and finished one-over coming home for his 67.

Bruce Vaughn, winner of this championship in 2008, was a shot back at 68 along with Dan Forsman and Mark Wiebe.

Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin finished two-under at 69 along with Larry Mize and John Cook.

Pre-tournament favorite Tom Lehman opened with an even par effort of 71 while Mark Calcavecchia, who contended after 36 holes last week at St. Andrews, was one-under for his opening round.

“The rough is not quite as long and the fairways a little wider than they were in ’99,” Pavin remembered of his last trip to Carnoustie.

Langer was more emphatic about the course. “I think this is probably the hardest golf course I know that I’ve l played,” he said. “The more I play here, the more I seem to respect it.”

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Alabama`s Saban Calls Some Agents `Pimps`; SEC Commish Welcomes Dooley

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

AHN Sports Staff

Hoover, AL, United States (AHN) – Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban was beyond candid during a news conference Wednesday, comparing some agents to pimps in the wake of another investigation regarding potential NCAA violation.

Saban, 58, lambasted unscrupulous agents in the first day of SEC media day in Hoover, Alabama.

“How are they any better than a pimp?” Saban told reporters Wednesday. “I have no respect for people who do that to young people.”

Saban believed these high-profile NCAA violations – including the recent USC and Reggie Bush fiasco – are products of some agents unwavering greed.

He thinks agents first served as benefactors to these young prospects and afterwards gain more in the end by managing multi-million transactions of their pets in the professional ranks.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive said the conference is pushing for a change in NCAA rules, which would provide much stricter standards on players having improper contact with agents.

Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina are currently investigation for possible NCAA rules violations of their current and former players during their time with the program.

Former Florida Gators and Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey was recently alleged of receiving $100,000 from an agent before he played at Sugar Bowl last January 1.

Nevertheless, Pouncey insistently denied the allegation and believed he did not break any NCAA rules during his time with the Gators.

“I did not accept $100,000, it is an absolutely ridiculous claim. I have completely cooperated with the investigation and answered any and all questions put to me,” said Pouncey who was drafted 18th overall in 2010 NFL entry draft.

Silve added this national problem needs a strategy that would solve the prohibited dealings between agents and players, whom Florida coach Urban Meyer called “predators.”

On a happier note for Slive, he is pleased with new Tennessee coach Derek Dooley, who replaced the unpopular, to some, Lane Kiffin.

“I have a lot of respect for the new coach at Tennessee,” Meyer said Thursday, according to Gannett, when asked about improved relations with Tennessee since Kiffin left for Southern Cal. “He’s a high character guy. That’s nice to see. I have a lot of respect for that coach.”

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Hudson Shuts Down Padres, Braves Claim Best NL Mark

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Atlanta, GA, United States (AHN) – Tim Hudson hurled seven scoreless innings, as the Atlanta Braves blanked the San Diego Padres 8-0 Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game set at Turner Field.

Hudson (10-5), who entered Thursday with a perfect 4-0 mark with a 4.14 ERA in eight contests lifetime against the Padres, continued his dominance over San Diego by yielding only four singles in seven shutout frames.

Recent acquisition Alex Gonzalez continued to swing a hot bat, registering a four-hit game, while rookie Jason Heyward, bouncing back from a thumb injury, added a pair of hits and a RBI for the victors.

Chipper Jones went 3-for-5 with a RBI for the Braves (56-39), who took the series and claimed from San Diego (55-39) the best record in the National League.

San Diego’s Clayton Richard (7-5) was saddled with the loss after getting tagged for nine hits and four runs in six innings for the Padres, coming off a come-from-behind 6-4 win Wednesday over Atlanta.

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Reports: NCAA To Conduct Inquiry On Georgia Football

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

AHN Sports Staff

Athens, GA, United States (AHN) – The NCAA is reportedly conducting an inquiry at University of Georgia, prompting speculation of a possible violation committed by the Bulldogs football program.

Georgia confirmed Wednesday that NCAA would conduct an inquiry, seeking to find out if the school observed the general guidelines of the national athletic body.

Georgia Football head coach Mark Richt said the school would provide full cooperation for the entire process of the inquiry.

After the NCAA dropped down a hammer on Southern Cal last month, SEC football programs — Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina – are also undergoing investigations to see if their players had improper contact with sports agents.

The allegation surrounding Georgia top football cog and pro prospect A.J. Green could be the reason for an inquiry by the NCAA.

Reports circulated Green attended a party organized by sports agents in Miami, but the Bulldogs wide receiver denied his presence at the said event.

It has been a rough couple of months for Georgia’s athletic department, following the arrest of several football players and the DUI conviction and eventual resignation of former athletics director Damon Evans.

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Spurrier Sounds Off On Several Topics At SEC Media Days

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Hoover, AL, United States (AHN) – South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier addressed several issues Thursday, including allegations against tight end Weslye Saunders.

At the SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala., Spurrier, who enters his sixth season as head coach of the Gamecocks, reportedly indicated that the embattled Saunders told him he did not do anything wrong.

This is in reference to his attendance at an agent’s party in Miami this summer.

On the current issue hounding Saunders, Spurrier said: “We’ll see how it plays out.”

In the previous reports, Saunders indicated being interviewed by NCAA probers for allegedly receiving illegal benefits in relation to attending the said party in South Beach.

Also Thursday, Spurrier confirmed the departure of reserve offensive lineman Nick Allison.

He also stated that freshman OL Ronald Patrick, Trammel Williams and A.J. Cann could see action this year.

While Spurrier is not pleased with his 35-28 record in five seasons at South Carolina he likes his program’s academic work and lack of off-the-field trouble.

“Things are going well, academically. … I never thought I’d get a bigger bonus for our guys graduating than I did for the Bowl game, but that’s what I did this year. I got a bigger bonus for our APR [Academic Progress Rate] improvement and our graduation and so forth,” Spurrier commented.

“[Also] “I don’t think we’ve had but one player arrested in about two years, and those charges were dropped. That’s pretty good nowadays, as we know.”

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Delahoussaye Brings Clemson Flavor To Canadian Open

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

Tom Edrington – AHN Sports Reporter

Toronto, ON, Canada (AHN) – Brent Delahoussaye?

French or French-Canadian?

No, the first round leader of the Canadian Open is a former Clemson Tiger.

Delahoussaye, who shot an amazing 28 on the front nine at the St. George’s Golf and Country Club on Thursday, parlayed that into an eight-under par 62 and the first round lead.

Sixty two shots on a tough golf course, only 24 of those were putts for Delahoussaye.

His 62 tied the course record and was a career round for the PGA Tour rookie. The Louisiana native was a teammate of tour player D.J. Trahan at Clemson and this is his first time in the limelight.

He is an unlikely leader. His best performance for 2010 was a tie for 64th at the Booz Allen Classic.

But there were other standouts on opening day. Vance Veazy and Brock Mackenzie, two other players who are hardly household names, were two shots behind the leader with six-under par 64s.

To find a big name, one would have to look at the 67s to see former U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen and former Masters champion Trevor Immelman.

There were 74 players under par in the first round, a huge number considering that many felt this was a very difficult course, a strong test.

“It’s a tough golf course,” said Canadian hero Mike Weir, a former Masters champion who could only manage a two-over par 72 and found himself tied for 119th.

Fred Couples, the dominator on the Champions Tour, was a shot worse at 73.

But perhaps it was the first hole for the leader Delahoussaye, that gave an indication of what was to happen.

Instead of starting on the 10th hole, the half of the field that would normally start there, went off on the par five ninth instead.

Delahoussaye started with an eagle three and ended up with the lead.

He was as surprised as anyone. “I made a bunch of putts,” is how he described his effort. “But I am shocked. I mean, I knew I was playing well and I didn’t even really know how many under I was at one point.”

At the end of the day, it was eight -under.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Pedro Won`t Pitch In 2010, But Not Ready To Retire

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

AHN Sports Staff

Philadelphia, PA, United States (AHN) – Three-time CY Young Award winner Pedro Martinez won’t return for the 2010 MLB season to spend more time with his family, multiple sources reported Wednesday.

Martinez, considered one of the finest pitchers of the modern era, will not attempt another comeback this year, though he remains optimistic of retuning for the 2011 MLB season.

The 38-year old Martinez made an unexpected return last season after agreeing on a one-year, $1 million deal as backup man for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Last season, Martinez still showed glimpse of his old self in several occasions, going 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA, 37 strikeouts, and 8 walks.

Martinez also played a significant role in the Phillies’ second consecutive NL championship series and World Series campaign, though he surrendered four runs in four innings in a Game 6 loss to the New York Yankees.

Reports indicated the Phillies were planning to sign Martinez for another one-year deal, but the pitcher’s recent announcement had certainly shot down that possibility.

An eight-time all-star, Martinez had a .617 (219-100) winning percentage with a 2.93 ERA, 3,154 strikeouts and 760 base on ball over 17 seasons with the Dodgers, Expos, Red Sox, Mets, and Phillies.

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Paul Loves New York; Guard Interested In Joining Knicks

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

New Orleans, LA, United States (AHN) – Chris Paul reportedly wants out of New Orleans before the start of this season, with the New York Knicks as the first team on the star point guard’s wish list of clubs he would like the Hornets to trade him to.

The demands by the 25-year-old All-Star come following the overhaul within the Hornets coaching staff and front office.

Paul, selected fourth overall by New Orleans in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft, said in recent reports that he would like to continue playing for the Hornets if the club becomes an immediate contender.

A report by ESPN.com, citing sources, indicated that Hornets have scheduled a face-to-face meeting with their star player Monday in New Orleans.

Apart from the Knicks, the Magic, Mavericks and Trail Blazers are also reported on the “preferred” teams by Paul, who cannot opt out of his contract for two years.

According to ESPN.com, sources differ on whether the reigning NBA champions Lakers are also on the 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year’s list

Many view Paul’s pronouncements have been triggered by NBA stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, who have changed the league forever without ever actually playing a game together.

Paul is reportedly motivated in defying the newly formed Miami Three, who were all free agents, with a possible super trio in New York.

The Hornets’ three-time All-Star point guard and Nuggets Carmelo Anthony could wind up in New York to team up with Amar’e Stoudemire.

Last season, the Hornets finished with a miserable 37-45 record and missed the playoffs after reaching the postseason the previous two seasons.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Mavs` Owner Cuban Reportedly Interested In Purchasing Texas Rangers

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:24 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Fort Worth, TX, United States (AHN) – Dallas Mavericks owner and billionaire businessman Mark Cuban, who expressed interest in buying the Chicago Cubs last year, may reportedly be among the bidders for the Texas Rangers baseball club, which is set to be auctioned off.

The outspoken Mavs owner has reportedly considered getting involved, either on his own or together with Jeff Beck, a Dallas real estate investor, according to MLB.com.

Though Dallas has yet to win an NBA title under Cuban, the Mavericks have emerged as one of the most successful clubs in the NBA since Cuban took over the team in January 2000.

Cuban had not previously been officially named in court as among the parties interested on the baseball franchise, but his name was reportedly mentioned Tuesday as one of two unnamed bidders.

A group led by Hall of Fame pitcher and Rangers president Nolan Ryan and Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg, has long been endorsed by the MLB as its preferred buyer.

The said group reached an agreement on Jan. 23 to buy the Rangers and land around the Ballpark in Arlington for about $575 million from current owner Tom Hicks.

On Thursday, bankruptcy judge Michael Lynn ruled that the Rangers auction will proceed as scheduled on Aug. 4, rejecting lender’s requests to delay it to allow more buyers to put up together bids.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved
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