Thursday, September 16, 2010

Latest Sports Buzz

Latest Sports Buzz

Ottawa Gets Nod To Host 2012 NHL All-Star Game

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

AHN Sports Staff

NY, NY, United States (AHN) – The National Hockey League NHL Wednesday announced the selection of the Ottawa Senators and the city of Ottawa as hosts of the 2012 National Hockey League All-Star Celebration. The league’s midseason showcase will take place Jan. 28-29 at Scotiabank Place.

The 2012 NHL All-Star Game will mark the first time Ottawa has hosted the NHL All-Star activities. The city has been host to other major NHL events in the past, as the Senators hosted the Stanley Cup Final in 2007, and the NHL Entry Draft in 2005 and 2008.

The league is extremely pleased that Ottawa and Scotiabank Place will behome to the events of All-Star weekend 2012, said Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner.

“Ottawa and the Senators have distinguished themselves in hosting the Stanley Cup Final and two NHL entry drafts, and I have no doubt they will provide an outstanding welcome for our fans, guests, media and business partners.”

“The Ottawa Senators and our hockey fans couldn’t be more excited at the opportunity to host and showcase the NHL’s top players in 2012,” said Senators owner Eugene Melnyk. “We will create a once-in-a-lifetime, weekend long celebration of all that is great about hockey, the NHL and our city.”

Further details on the 2012 NHL All-Star Celebration, including information on tickets, special events and television broadcasting will be released at a later date.

The Carolina Hurricanes and the city of Raleigh will host the 2011 National Hockey League All-Star Celebration, including the Honda NHL SuperSkills competition and the 58th NHL All-Star Game Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30.

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Heisman Trophy Winner Ingram To Play This Week

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

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Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Tuscaloosa, AL, United States (AHN) – Alabama standout running back Mark Ingram, who has practiced all week, is reportedly ready to make his return this Saturday against Duke.

According to the Tuscaloosa News.com Wednesday, Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said that the reigning Heisman Trophy winner has been running and cutting well in practice, and is “ready to go.”

Saban, however, indicated to reporters Wednesday, that he was not sure exactly what Ingram’s role would be against the Blue Devils following the impressive performance by Trent Richardson during his absence.

Richardson, a sophomore, started in Ingram’s place, as the latter missed the seasons’ first two contests, both wins over San Jose State and Penn State, following an arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

Ingram, who became Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy winner last year as a sophomore, helped the Tide to the national title.

Ingram “needs to play” Saturday to boost his “development in terms of coming back and rehabilitating himself from a confidence standpoint,” Saban reportedly told the paper.

Alabama is set to open Southern Conference play at Arkansas Sept. 25.

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With Stafford Injured, Lions Show Faith In Hill At Quarterback

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

Detroit, MI, United States (AHN) – The Detroit Lions are taking a necessary leap of faith.

With quarterback Matthew Stafford suffering a shoulder injury during Sunday’s loss vs. the Chicago Bears, Shaun Hill could take the lead against Philadelphia Eagles Sunday.

Hill could be a help despite completing just 9 of 19 pass attempts for 88 yards Sunday, but he is moving up the depth chart and the Lions are throwing their confidence behind the Parsons, Kansas native.

“We have a lot of confidence in Shaun,” coach Jim Schwartz told reporters this week.

Hill was inked to a one-year deal July 12, and was touted by Schwartz as being “one of our biggest offseason acquisitions.”

Hill, 30, spent time with Minnesota Vikings (2002-2005), Amsterdam Admirals with NFL Europe in 2003.

He played for the San Francisco 49ers for the last three seasons, where he went 10-6 as a starter and was a successful backup in 2007 and 2008.

“Obviously, my job is to step in and pick up where [Stafford] left off,” Hill told the Detroit News. “That’s the job of the backup and I feel like I’m very qualified for that.”

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Poll: LeBron Doesn`t Feel The Love; King`s Popularity Sinks

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

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Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Miami, FL, United States (AHN) – The backlash against LeBron James, criticized for his recent decision to move to South Beach this offseason and play for the Heat, continues as evidenced by a poll showing the popularity of the NBA superstar has plummeted.

According to results of a Q Scores Company poll of the general population that were reported by CNBC Tuesday, James is viewed in what the company considers a negative light by 39 percent of the general population.

It translated to a 77 percent decline in popularity over the same measure in January 2010 while he was still a Cleveland Cavalier.

The two-time reigning NBA MVP, on the other hand, garnered only a 15 percent positive score.

According to The Q Score Company, James was viewed by 24 percent of the people positively in January, while 22 percent had negative opinions.

The latest “Q Scores” put the six-time All-Star and former NBA scoring champ at sixth place in the most dislike athlete lists behind Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco and Kobe Bryant.

Meanwhile, James new teammates Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh also saw their popularity dipped.

Wade, the Heat’s first-round pick in the 2003 Draft, saw Q Score fall from 21 in January to 15 at this point in time.

Bosh, who along with James joined the Heat during the free agency, had his negative score of 21 percent in January rise to 35 percent.

According to the report, the average sports personality has a 15 percent positive score and a 24 percent negative score.

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South Carolina Boots Weslye Saunders Off Football Team

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

Columbia, SC, United States (AHN) – The South Carolina Gamecocks booted tight end Weslye Saunders off the football team- multiple media outlets reported Wednesday.

“Weslye Saunders is no longer part of our football program,” Gamecocks athletic director Eric Hyman wrote in a statement released on the school’s web site. “Beyond that, I will have no further comment.”

Saunders was suspended since Aug. 23, and is reportedly at the heart of the NCAA investigations regarding an alleged agent contact at a party in South Beach, Fla. during the spring.

Steve Spurrier sidelined the senior for undisclosed team violations last month, although the coach stated that it was unrelated to the NCAA probe.

Saunders stands at 6-foot-6, 270-pounds, and had 32 catches with 353 yards for three touchdowns for South Carolina last season. He has 60 career catches for 718 yards over his career with South Carolina.

The Gamecocks are 2-0 take on Furman Saturday.

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Giants` Boss Won`t Play Sunday Against Indianapolis

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

East Rutherford, NJ, United States (AHN) – New York Giants tight end Kevin Boss, who was carted off the field and did not return in team’s season-opener, has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against Indianapolis with a concussion.

Boss, 26, suffered his second concussion in less than a year during the Giants’ 31-18 win over the Panthers last Sunday.

The fourth-year pro was hurt after taking a blow to the head in the first quarter of the tilt.

Boss, who helped the Giants win Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots, suffered a concussion last Thanksgiving vs. Denver.

With only one healthy tight end in Travis Beckum, the Giants inked tight end Bear Pascoe off the practice squad this week.

Against Carolina, Giants coach Tom Coughlin was forced to use tackle William Beatty at tight end.

Beatty, on the other hand, will be sidelined indefinitely as he undergoes surgery Thursday to address a broken bone in his foot.

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Ex-Southern Cal Back Bush To Forfeit Heisman; Trophy To Stay Vacant

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Metairie, LA, United States (AHN) – Former USC standout Reggie Bush announced Tuesday he will forfeit the Heisman Trophy he won in 2005 following a four-year NCAA investigation that saw the university heavily penalized.

It will mark the first time college football’s top award was returned by a recipient.

In a statement released on the Saints’ website Tuesday, the New Orleans running back, who considers winning the illustrious award as “one of the greatest honors of his life,” said that relinquishing it was a “difficult decision”.

He stressed that each winner “carries the legacy of the award”, however.

Although short of making an admission of guilt, Bush further stated that he would begin turning “a negative situation into a positive one.”

He also indicated that he would like to work with thetrustees to establish an educational program to help prevent other student athletes and their families from making “some of the mistakes I made.”

USC had previously returned it copy of the Heisman Trophy after Bush, who became the seventh Trojan to be recognized with the award, was found to have received illegal benefits during 2004 and 2005 following an NCAA probe.

A Yahoo! Sports report last week, citing sources, indicated that the Heisman Trophy Trust would strip Bush of the trophy by the end of September.

But the trust denied the report Tuesday.

The Trust reported later Wednesday the trophy would remain vacated.

“It was a difficult decision to return the Heisman Trophy and he exhibited great character in acknowledging his mistakes and accepting the consequences,” the Heisman Trophy Trust said in a statement.

“As a result of Reggie Bush’s decision to forfeit his title as Heisman winner of 2005, the Trustees have determined that there will be no Heisman Trophy winner for the year 2005,” the statement continued.

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Djokovic To Play In Davis Cup Semis

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Belgrade, Serbia (AHN) – Novak Djokovic, who failed to derail Rafael Nadal’s quest for a career Grand Slam sweep in New York Monday, will play for his native country Serbia in its Davis Cup semifinal tie this weekend.

Djokovic, who climbed back to the No. 2 ranking in the world following his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open finale, clinched the tie for Serbia against Croatia in the quarterfinals.

He posted a 2-0 mark in singles against his Croatian counterparts, Ivan Ljubicic and Marin Cilic.

The 26-year-old Djokovic, whose lone Grand Slam title came at the 2008 Australian Open, is undefeated in four Davis Cup matches this year.

Serbia will be vying to reach the final for the first time when it hosts the Czech Republic in the semifinals slated in Belgrade from Sept. 17-19.

Djokovic will headline the Serbian squad comprising of Viktor Troicki, Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic.

The Czech Republic, which will be meeting Serbia for the first time, will be represented by Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych, Radek Stepanek, Jan Hajek and Ivo Minar.

Berdych and Stepanek both missed the quarterfinal against Chile due to injuries.

Both countries, who were then playing under the flags of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, have met each other nine times with the Czech having the 5-4 series advantage.

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Marquardt Scores First Round KO At UFC Fight Night 22

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

Shawn Krest – AHN Sports Correspondent

Austin, TX, United States (AHN) – Nate Marquardt leapt back into the Middleweight title picture with a first-round knockout of Rousimar Palhares in the main event of UFC Fight Night 22 in Austin, Texas Wednesday night.

Palhares shot in early in the round for a takedown attempt. After a brief scramble, Palhares ended up on top and attempted to catch Marquardt in a heel hook submission, the move that has provided five of his eight career submissions, including his last two bouts.

Marquardt easily slipped his leg out of the hold, however.

Instead of getting into position to defend himself, Palhares stayed on his back and gestured to referee Herb Dean to check Marquardt’s leg for excess grease.

Marquardt took advantage of Palhares’ lapse in attention and dropped a huge right hand on the downed fighter. The punch stunned Palhares, and Marquardt followed with a furious ground and pound attack that ended the fight at 3:28 of the first round.

“I saw an opportunity and jumped on it,” Marquardt said.

As Palhares protested the result, the ringside doctor and referee checked Marquardt’s leg and found no foreign substances.

“They checked it before the fight, too,” Marquardt said. “The thing is, I came out really warm. I wanted to get a good sweat. I wanted to be slippery.”

Palhares lost for the first time since September, 2008 and fell to 11-3. Marquardt won for the first time in more than a year, moving to 30-9-2 and notching his eighth knockout.

Undefeated 20-year old Charles Oliveira got his 14th pro victory over former Ultimate Fighter winner Efrain Escudero.

Escudero failed to make weight, tipping the scales at four pounds over the 155 pound limit.

Oliveira came out the more active fighter, throwing a variety of kicks to the head and body. In the second round, Oliveira aimed his kicks lower, damaging Escudero’s legs late in the round.

Both fighters suffered low blows in the third round, with Oliveira taking a solid shot to the groin that caused a significant delay. Once he recovered, Oliveira was able to catch a Escudero kick and score a takedown.

As Escudero scrambled to his feet, Oliveira jumped onto his back and caught him in a rear naked choke from a standing position.

Escudero tapped out at 2:25 of the third round.

The victory marked the seventh submission of Oliveira’s career and dropped Escudero to 13-2 with his second loss in three bouts.

In a lightweight bout, Jim Miller won a unanimous decision over Gleison Tibau. Scores were 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. AHN’s unofficial scorecard had it 29-28.

Miller won his fifth straight and is 18-2. Tibau is 21-7.

In a lightweight bout, Cole Miller upset Ultimate Fighter winner Ross Pearson with a second-round submission.

Miller caught Pearson with a solid right hand, then followed with a flying knee. A left hook put Pearson on the ground, and Miller finished with a rear naked choke.

The end came at 1:49 of the second and dropped Pearson to 11-4 with his first UFC loss. Miller improved to 17-4.

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Reports: Rangers Extend Defenseman Marc Staal`s Contract

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 05:15 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

New York, NY, United States (AHN) – The New York Rangers and Marc Staal reportedly agreed to a five-year contract, making the young defenseman the latest unrestricted free agent to agree to a deal following Bobby Ryan’s pact with the Ducks Tuesday.

According to reports, the deal with the 23-year-old Staal, who has established himself as one of the league’s top shut-down defenders, is worth a total of $19.875 million.

Staal has emerged as one of the game’s best young defenseman since being selected in the first-round of the 2005 NHL Draft by the Rangers.

Last season, Staal was paired with Dan Girardi as the Rangers’ shutdown tandem against select opposing top lines.

That partnership could once again be used by the Blueshirts this year.

There is also the possibility of seeing Staal work with Michal Rozsival, one of four Rangers players who have already locked up the team’s four blue-line spots.

Staal and Girardi are also assured of a spot in the Rangers blue-line.

Staal, entering his fourth season, was one of four Rangers to skate in all 82 contests last season, registering career highs in goals (eight) and assists (19).

Last year, Staal also logged 44 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating.

In 244 NHL career games, Staal has compiled 13 goals, 39 assists and 150 penalty minutes.

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