Friday, October 8, 2010

Latest Sports Buzz

Latest Sports Buzz

India`s Women Paddlers Beat England, Books First Final Appearance

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

New Delhi, India (AHN) – India’s women’s table tennis team assured themselves of a medal after trouncing England in the semifinals Thursday at the 2010 Commonwealth Games at the Yamuna Sports Complex.

The Indian women routed second-seeded England 3-0 to advance to their maiden final appearance at the Games.

It is the best performance so far by the women’s team, who won the bronze at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games after making their debut in the 2002 Games in Manchester, where they placed sixth.

Shamini Kumaresan, considered a major thorn against the English and Australian side, had a shaky start but was able to find her winning form in the first singles against England’s Kelly Sibley, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6.

Mouma Das, the highest ranked Indian on the ITTF circuit at 211, bounced back from Wednesday’s loss to Fang Jian Lay of Australia by dominating Joana Parker, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7.

Poulomi Ghatak sealed the victory and India’s final berth.

India will collide with the highly-touted Singapore team in Friday’s finale.

Meanwhile, India’s men’s paddlers booked a spot in the final four after prevailing over South Africa, 3-1.

India, the defending champions, will square off against England in the semi-finals Friday.

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Shaq Wants Nets In `Jersey; Offers To Run Team After Retirement

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

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Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

East Rutherford, NJ, United States (AHN) – Boston Celtics’ Shaquille O’Neal would like to see the New Jersey Nets continue to play in the Garden State for years to come.

O’Neal, 38, was born in Newark, and desires the team to remain despite the fact the Barclays Center in Brooklyn is projected to open in 2012 as the team’s new home.

The Nets will have two more seasons in his home state, and the vocal O’Neal wants the Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek to keep the team in New Jersey.

Shaq reportedly said Thursday he offered to broker a deal to run the team and keep them at the Prudential Center after he retires.

“I would have liked to see the new owner get with the guy who built the arena and keep the Nets there,” O’Neal said. “I don’t want to see the team go to Brooklyn. Maybe the two heads can get together, they can do that and I can come down there and become general manager.”

O’Neal recently attended an UFC event at Prudential Center and said it was “one of the top three arenas in the country.”

He contends the Nets current ownership is solid and the team doesn’t need to move to Brooklyn.

Shaq Daddy or Superman is what he’s crowned himself, so it makes sense that the outspoken center would throw his hat into the mix, remarking he would save the owners millions.

He added he would love to be annointed the new GM in the future, a post currently held by Billy King.

“We got a great owner, a great arena, let’s keep it where it’s at,” O’Neal said. “Not only that, I’m saving the owner money so he doesn’t have to pay another $300 million to build this new arena in Brooklyn. I know he has it. Hopefully he’ll stay and hopefully he’ll make me general manager because I will be available in 745 days.”

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Rollins Superb At Sea Island With Opening 63

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

Tom Edrington – AHN Sports Reporter

Sea Island, GA, United States (AHN) – Scoring at the seaside course at Sea Island is an uncomplicated proposition.

When the wind blows, it’s a tough place to play. When there’s no wind, scores can get low, very low when you turn a field of PGA Tour players loose.

John Rollins took advantage of a picture perfect day Thursday at the McGladrey Classic and shot a bogey-free round of 63, seven-under par. Rollins’ great start put him a shot in front of rookie Troy Merritt and former PGA champion David Toms.

“I hit the ball well all day,” Rollins said afterward. “Played really good and got myself out of a couple jams early. If the wind doesn’t blow, I suspect the scores will stay pretty low,” said Rollins, who hasn’t played in four weeks after not qualifying for the BMW Championship in Chicago.

Toms was tied with Rollins with one hole left, the ninth, but finished with bogey for his 64. “I started with a bogey [10th hole] and finished with one. The rest was pretty good golf. I made some nice putts,” said Toms, who is making his last appearance of the season.

Merritt was pleased with his effort. He had only one bogey on the day, the 18th, his ninth hole of the round. Merritt is 123rd on the money list and a good week can secure his playing privileges for 2011. “It’s nice to have a chance to keep my card,” said Merritt, whose best finish this season was a third place finish in New Orleans.

Matt Kuchar, the leading money winner on tour and a new resident of Sea Island, got off to a great start when he ran off four straight birdies starting at the fourth hole.

He added another at 15 and looked to join the leaders but his tee shot at the par four 16th failed to clear the marsh area and he took a double bogey and finished with 67.

He played in an all-resident paring with Davis Love III and fellow Ryder Cupper Zach Johnson. Love and Johnson finished with even par rounds of 70.

Bill Haas, last week’s winner of the Viking Classic, was tied with Kuchar at 67.

Joe Durant, Rich Barcelo and Michael Letzig were two shots off the lead with 65s.

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Forward Graves Dismissed From Tar Heels Basketball Team

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

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Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

United States (AHN) – Senior forward Will Graves was sent packing from UNC’s basketball team for not complying with team rules Thursday.

“This is 100 percent not related to any NCAA matters on campus,” coach Roy Williams said in a statement from the university. “I hate this for Will. He worked extremely hard this summer to get himself physically in the best shape he’s been in years, but he did not do everything he needed to do to be a part of our basketball program.”

“This is a huge blow to our team, but an even bigger blow for Will. Playing for the Tar Heels meant so much to him.”

Graves was suspended in the 2008-09 season for noncompliance, although the team would not comment if it’s related to his permanent exit.

After Graves was red-shirted during the 2006-07 campaign, he went on to play 92 games over the last three seasons, proving to be quite a scoring threat.

The forward collected 513 points with the Tar Heels overall, averaging 9.8 points per game becoming the team’s third-leading scorer.

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Todd Collins Starts For Bears As Cutler Deals With Concussion

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – The Chicago Bears have ruled out quarterback Jay Cutler for Sunday’s clash at Carolina, turning to veteran Todd Collins to start in his place.

Cutler was diagnosed with a concussion at halftime after receiving an NFL-record nine sacks in Sunday night’s 17-3 drubbing courtesy of the Giants. He completed 4-of-11 passes for 36 yards and an interception in the loss.

Cutler, wearing a helmet, took part in a limited role in Wednesday’s practice after undergoing examinations from the Bears’ medical personnel and an independent physician following NFL rules on players returning from concussions.

The Bears plan to allow the 28-year-old Cutler to participate in practice Thursday and Friday before re-evaluating his status early next week.

The Bears are hoping that Cutler would be back and ready to start vs. the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field.

In the meantime, the Bears will be relying on career journeyman Collins, who has not had significant playing time since leading the Redskins to four victories to conclude the 2007 campaign.

During that season, Collins recorded his last career start in the Redskins’ wild-card setback to Seattle.

Collins has logged 20 career starts also suffered a stinger after replacing Cutler in Sunday’s loss to the Giants, but indicated he is fine.

After a seven-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, Collins was inked to a two-year, $2.5 million contract on March of 2006 by the Redskins, his third NFL team.

Washington released Collins in March this year and was signed by the Bears to a one-year deal in August.

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Pettitte Tosses Gem To Lead Yanks Over Twins

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Minneapolis, MN, United States (AHN) – Andy Pettitte extended his Major League-record playoff win total to 19 with seven innings of two-run ball and Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 with two RBI to lift the New York Yankees to a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins Thursday.

The Minnesota Twins took an early lead, but, for the second-straight night, the Yankees responded.

Minnesota went up 1-0 on a Danny Valencia sac fly in the first and tied it at 2-2 when Orlando Hudson homered in the sixth.

But that would be all the Twins would get, with Kerry Wood and Mariano Rivera combining to deal the final two frames for the second-straight night.

The Twins Carl Pavano gave up four runs in six innings against his former team, coughing up 10 hits, including a solo shot to Berkman.

That homer in the fifth broke a 1-1 tie and Berkman’s clutch RBI double in the seventh gave New York the lead for good.

Curtis Granderson exploded for three hits and an RBI. Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter each knocked in a run for the Yanks.

New York heads home with a chance to advance to its second-straight American League Championship Series Saturday.

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Flyers Top Penguins In Season Opener, Spoil Pittsburgh`s Big Opening Night

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Pittsburgh, PA, United States (AHN) – Three players scored a goal each, including Claude Giroux, who tallied the game-winner, as the Philadelphia Flyers spoiled the Pittsburgh Penguins’ big opening night with a 3-2 victory Thursday in the season-opener.

The Pens, who dominated last year’s season series against Philadelphia, winning five of the six tilts between the clubs, were hoping to carry the momentum in their first official game at their new home at Consol Energy Center.

But the Flyers, who wrested the Eastern Conference title last year from back-to-back winners Pittsburgh (2008-09), had other plans.

In the second frame, Danny Briere drew first blood for Philadelphia following a power play before Blair Betts hiked the advantage to 2-0 in the quarter.

Giroux then found the back of the net with an unassisted shorthanded shot that shattered a 2-2 deadlock and gave the win to Philadelphia.

Rookie goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who started in the net for the injured Michael Leighton, finished with 29 saves on 31 shots in his NHL debut for the Flyers.

The Penguins, who last played at Mellon Arena, their home since entering the league for the 1967-68 season, got a goal each from Tyler Kennedy and Alex Goligoski.

Marc-Andre Fleury, who finished last year’s regular season 37-21-6, but became the goalie who was pulled from games more times than any other goalie in the league, ended with 24 saves in the setback.

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MacArthur Tally Difference In Maple Leafs Season-Opening Win Over Canadiens

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (AHN) – Clarke MacArthur’s goal early in the third period proved to be the difference as the Toronto Maple Leafs opened their 2010-11 NHL season with a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens Thursday.

Tim Brent and Phil Kessel also scored for Toronto, which took a 2-1 lead into the final frame.

Dustin Boyd scored unassisted and Jeff Halpern cut it to 3-2 with over 17 minutes left in the game, but Montreal couldn’t secure the tying goal despite several solid attempts.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 16 saves for Toronto and Carey Price stopped 15 shots for Montreal.

The Canadiens (0-1) look for their first win at Pittsburgh Saturday. Toronto (1-0) hosts Ottawa Saturday.

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Pronger Skips Flyers Season Opener In Pittsburgh; Recovering From Knee Surgery

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Pittsburgh, PA, United States (AHN) – Flyers veteran defenseman Chris Pronger, who logged only two full practices as the season approached, skipped Philadelphia’s season-opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins Thursday as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery.

Though he admitted feeling pain in his right knee, Pronger, who turns 36 this week, practiced Tuesday, his only second practice in preseason.

After practicing again Wednesday, it was decided that the six-time NHL All-Star would have to sit out Thursday’s game at Pittsburgh.

Pronger, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in the offseason, is beginning his 17th NHL season.

Last season, he recorded 10 goals and 55 points in all 82 regular-season games with Philadelphia. In the playoffs, he logged four goals and 14 assists in 24 contests for the Flyers, whose impressive Stanley Cup run earned them the Eastern Conference title.

Philadelphia succumbed to eventual champions Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Flyers went on to take their season-opener against the Penguins, 3-2.

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Taylor Martinez Rushes For Four Scores; Nebraska Devastates K-State

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 04:54 PM PDT

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Manhattan, KS, United States (AHN) – Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez had 15 carries for a thrilling 241 yards and four touchdowns as the Cornhuskers dismantled the Kansas State Wildcats 48-13 Thursday night.

Martinez also went 5-for-7 in the air for 128 yards, most of which came on a 79-yard touchdown pass to Kyler Reed.

Nebraska led 17-3 at the half, exploding for three touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game away early. Martinez started the second-half rout with an 80-yard touchdown run and Roy Helu Jr., added a 68-yard scamper just a few minutes later.

Nebraska gained a total of 587 yards, including 450 rushing, and went 4-for-9 on third down while maintaining possession for a total of 34:25.

Carson Coffman went 13-for-21 for 90 yards, a touchdown and an interception behind center for the Wildcats.

Kansas State (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) will face the Jayhawks Thursday Oct. 14.

Nebraska (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) hosts the Texas Longhorns in another Big 12 battle Saturday, Oct. 16.

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