Saturday, November 20, 2010

Latest Sports Buzz

Latest Sports Buzz

FC Dallas Midfielder Ferreira Named MVP Of MLS

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:26 PM PST

AHN Sports Staff

NY, NY, United States (AHN) – FC Dallas playmaker David Ferreira was named MVP by MLS in a Friday announcement.

Ferreira is enjoying a superb season, scoring 8 goals with 13 assists in the regular season and another goal and three more assists in the playoffs.

The postseason goal was clutch, proving to be the match-winner vs. the L.A. Galaxy in the Western Conference title match.

His teammates appreciate having such a durable star on the squad.

“He’s done an amazing job of playing every game this season,” FCD captain Daniel Hernandez said during a pre-MLS Cup press conference Friday. “Not only playing every game, but he’s been at 100 percent in every game of the season. That is amazing.”

Voting by MLS players, coaches, GMs and media members went as follows:

1. David Ferreira FCD 20.0 percent

2. Edson Buddle LA 18.3 percent

3. Chris Wondolowski SJ 14.6 percent

4. Landon Donovan LA 11.9 percent

5. Sebastien Le Toux PHI 8.9 percent

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Tennessee Men`s Coach Pearl Suspended Eight Games For Violating NCAA Rules

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:26 PM PST

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Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Knoxville, TN, United States (AHN) – University of Tennessee men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl was suspended by league Commissioner Mike Slive for the Volunteers’ first eight Southeastern Conference games after violating NCAA rules and misleading investigators.

“The suspension from coaching duties has been imposed after a careful review of the facts established during the NCAA’s investigation and reported to the SEC office,” Slive said in a news release.

“I am extremely disappointed in the nature of the violations involving Coach Pearl and the Tennessee men’s basketball program. The penalty applied to this circumstance is significant, which is consistent with the directive approved by the SEC membership in 2010 granting the Commissioner authority to act in such cases.”

Pearl will be replaced by associate head coach Tony Jones for all conference matches and practices associated with those games from Jan. 8 to Feb. 5. Pearl will coach a non-conference game against Connecticut during that time.

“While disappointed in the severity of commissioner Slive’s additional punishment, we respect that he is acting on the authority that the league’s athletic directors, presidents, and chancellors granted him earlier this year to address matters of his nature,” UT Athletic Director Mike Hamilton and Chancellor Jimmy Cheek said in a statement.

“As we move forward, we are hopeful the Tennessee family will now rally behind Coach Pearl, his staff and particularly our student-athletes as they focus on the 2010-11 season, and we advance toward bringing this matter to conclusion over the next several months.”

Slive took into account Pearl’s candid admittance on misleading investigators when deciding not to suspend him or his staff further.

Pearl is one of only six active coaches with 10 or more NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances to his credit along with Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino and Roy Williams.

The 50-year-old Boston native is 126-46 at Tennessee and 443-130 overall. He will miss key games against Florida and Alabama, but will return in time for a marquee matchup against Kentucky.

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Bucs Rookie Receiver Mike Williams Charged With DUI

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:26 PM PST

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Florida, Tampa, United States (AHN) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Mike Williams was arrested and charged with driving under the influence early Friday morning.

Williams, who is still expected to play Sunday pending an investigation by the NFL, leads the team in receiving with 40 catches for 627 yards and five scores.

“Williams was pulled over for going 57 mph in a 45-mph zone and weaving in and out of lanes,” said Hillsborough sheriff’s spokesman Larry McKinnon. “He agreed to a sobriety test and deputies found signs of impairment.”

The Buffalo native was charged despite a blood alcohol level (.06) under the legal limit (.08), but urine tests are pending. When the results come back in three to six 6 weeks, prosecutors will decided whether or not to pursue charges, which would range from DUI to reckless driving.

Williams was released from Orient Road Jail at 8 a.m. after posting $500 bail.

“It’s always a tough decision when you have to make those types of decisions about mistakes made and errors made,” Bucs coach Raheem Morris said when asked about his decision to play Williams. “You’ve got to make those tough decisions. I’ve got my normal process that I go through and I’ve done it.”

Williams, who is still subject to an investigation by the NFL, leads the team in receiving with 40 catches for 627 yards and five scores after being selected in the fourth round.

The first-round talent slipped in the draft because of character issues that included academic suspension at Syracuse for cheating on a test and a one-game suspension in 2009 for breaking team rules.

The Bucs (6-3) are surprising contenders in the NFC South after winning just three games in 2009. Tampa heads to San Francisco to take on the 3-6 Niners Sunday.

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China Aims To Sweep Table Tennis Gold At Asiad

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:25 PM PST

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AHN Sports Staff

Guangzhou, China (AHN) – Chinese fans are expected to fill up Guangzhou Gymnasium Saturday, when their paddlers gun for an emphatic sweep in all table tennis events at the 2010 Asian Games.

After nabbing the gold in team and doubles events, China is once again poised to dominate the men’s and women’s singles tourney, as top-rated paddlers Ma Long, Wang Hao, Guo Yue, and Li Xiaoxia set their sights on another golden finish.

Ma, ranked No.1 in the world by ITTF, will try to secure a finals spot against South Korea’s Joo Sae-Hyuk, while Wang will face Japan’s Jun Mizutani in the other men’s semifinal pairing.

Partners Guo and Li, who already won two gold each in the team and doubles event, will battle Japan’s Ai Fukuhara and South Korea’s Kim Kyung-Ah, respectively, in the women’s singles semis.

China has been superior in the past week of table tennis competition, hauling five gold and two silver to lock up the overall crown.

South Korea is second with one gold and two bronze, while another table tennis power Singapore only managed silver in the women’s team event.

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Still Winning In San Antonio; Aging Spurs Among Best In West

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:25 PM PST

Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

Salt Lake City, UT, United States (AHN) – The red-hot Antonio Spurs take on the solid Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City Friday amidst off-court distractions while gelling a group of veterans and youngsters.

Veteran Tony Parker shined after his celebrity wife Eva Longoria filed for divorce Wednesday.

That night Parker, who allegedly cheated on his wife of three years with an ex-teammate’s spouse, recorded 21 points with seven assists in the win over Chicago.

Parker along with veterans Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, and Parker are all healthy finally. Ginobili also cashed in 20 points and five assists Wednesday in a typically well-rounded effort.

Duncan is closing on an incredible all-time franchise record of 20,790 points, held by David Robinson. He’s just 12 points short, going into Friday night’s game.

San Antonio, which is 9-1, has not won nine straight games since the 11-game streak that was sparked from February to March 2008. The last time the Spurs visited the Western Conference finals was in 2007-08.

Coach Gregg Popovich is also calling upon his younger core to help take his team on another deep playoff run.

The trio of Gary Neal, 26, James Anderson, 21, and Tiago Splitter, 25, are the rookies breathing life into the aging team.

“We were really pleased with Gary Neal’s confidence taking shots,” Popovich told USA Today.

Neal tallied 16 points and hit four of his eight three-point plays Monday, while Splitter can distribute the ball very well with solid passing.

“Tiago getting those minutes showed he knows how to play. He’s a hell of a passer,” Popovich said. “He didn’t look like a fish out of water at all. He looked like he’d been here for a while.”

Guard Anderson is averaging 7.7 point a game for the Spurs.

Parker reflected on the revamping of the team with the youth movement.

“For so many years we had so many vets and I think it’s time for us to rebuild,” Parker told the newspaper. “They have to throw them on the fire like he did (with) me when I first came in.”

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`Skins Clinton Portis` Groin Injury Healing, Back Could Play Sunday

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:25 PM PST

Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis said “it’s going to be another close call” if he will play at Tennessee Sunday after suffering a groin injury last month, according to reports.

Portis tore his groin on Oct. 3 against Philadelphia and said he pushed himself too much in hopes of playing against the Eagles Monday night.

“Last week, I came back, we came back from the bye, and [I] was like, eager to push and show, like, ‘Yeah I’m ready,’” Portis told The Washington Post Thursday. “We just have to see. It flared up. It swelled up. It took a couple days to calm down. This week, so far so good.”

But Portis knows all too well about being injured.

The 29-year-old missed five games and eight games last season after suffering from a concussion. In the process Portis realized he might have to prepare for retirement after this year.

“It’s rough, it’s tough,” Portis said. “But at the same time, you get the appreciation of football. You get the appreciation of being around your teammates, and you get the idea that this don’t last forever, so enjoy it and make the best and make some good business decisions and be prepared. If they ever call and it’s time to step away, be prepared to step away.”

Portis said he’s not getting rusty and he’s participating in drills when he can.

“I can’t do everything that I want to do,” he said. But … you’re talking about 10 days so far of…practicing and going through drills without really just exploding and participating. That’s what they want to see. They want to see all of that, so therefore when I step back on the field, I feel like it’s going to be good enough that they see the rust gone.”

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Tight End Zone Forces Limitations For Northwestern-Illinois Tilt At Wrigley

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:25 PM PST

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – Due to space limitations, only one end zone will be used for offense during Saturday’s match between the Northwestern Wildcats and Illinois Fighting Illini at Wrigley Field.

All offense will head to the west end zone because of a possibly dangerous wall that rises abruptly outside the east end zone. Officials voiced fear players may be injured by the wall on end zone plays.

“Though it’s not ideal, it’s the right thing,” Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips told ESPN 1000′s The Waddle & Silvy Show . “We’ve been planning for this for a while, there were no surprises. The field came out the way we thought, it ended up maybe being a little closer with some of the padding. We looked the visual aspect of it this week, we just felt there was a low probability that something would happen.”

“The more we thought about it, the more we talked about it, we looked at it, we just felt like this was something we needed to do.”

Chicago Cubs team president Crane Kenney released a statement to the press concerning the matter.

“The Chicago Cubs are surprised by the Big Ten’s last-minute statement regarding changes for tomorrow’s Northwestern-Illinois football game at Wrigley Field,” Kenney said. “Let there be no doubt: the safety of the student-athletes has been — and remains — the number one priority since the concept of this game was first discussed more than a year ago. All parties have gone to complete lengths to ensure student-athlete safety for this contest.”

All kickoffs will be kicked toward the east end zone and, after every change of possession, the ball will be repositioned for the offense to head toward the west end zone.

“Both Illinois and Northwestern did significant due diligence over the past 18 months,” said Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany in a statement. “But after seeing the actual layout of the field, all parties felt that it was appropriate to adjust the rules to further enhance the safety of our student-athletes.”

Northwestern (7-3, 3-3 Big Ten) comes into the game ranked No. 25 in the ESPN/USAToday Coaches’ Poll after a huge win over former No. 13 Iowa Saturday.

Both teams are battling for bowl eligibility, with the Fighting Illini (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) on the fringe of missing out.

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Demetri McCamey Scores 20 Points; Illinois Edges Maryland

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:25 PM PST

Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

NY, NY, United States (AHN) – Senior Demetri McCamey poured in 20 points with eight assists, as the Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the Maryland Terrapins 80-76 in the 2K Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic Friday night.

First in The Big 10, Illinois held a slim margin going into the half with a 40-36 lead.

D.J. Richardson’s three-point jumper on a crisp pass from McCamey at 18:29 made it a 46-38 edge for the Illini in the second.

McCamey hit a three with 17:35 left, and continued his offensive mastery of Maryland.

Less than three minutes later, McCamey was behind the arc to pull his team ahead just by two points, 49-47.

Maryland (3-2) was very much in the game, challenging Illinois as Terrell Stoglin, Adrian Bowie, Dino Gregory and Jordan Williams cashed in to make it close.

But Illinois (4-1) hit eight 3s in 10 attempts to wrap up the game in the second half.

With 12:21 left in regulation Williams’ tip-in made it 59-46 Illinois. Stoglin’s 3-pointer with nine seconds left in the game made it a two-point game, but Maryland fouls gave Illinois the ball, for the decision.

Williams led the Terrapins with 15 points and 20 boards.

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Drayton McLane Puts MLB`s Astros Up For Sale

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:25 PM PST

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Houston, TX, United States (AHN) – Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane recently retained New York investment firm Allen and Company to serve as brokers in the sale of his Major League Baseball franchise.

McLane announced the impending sale to Astros employees Friday before holding a formal press conference at the team’s ballpark.

The now 74-year-old bought the franchise in 1992 for $103 million, leading the most successful 18-year stretch in the history of the 1962 expansion team.

Houston grabbed four NL Central titles and two wild card berths from 1997-2005, but has failed to make the playoffs since being swept by the White Sox in the 2005 World Series.

Their has been no announcement of an asking price, but Forbes estimated the franchise as the 11th most valuable in MLB at $453 million in its April report.

The Texas Rangers were sold in August for a reported all-time MLB record $593 million prior to their run to the World Series.

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Yanks Hire Cubs Pitching Coach Rothschild To Take Over For Eiland

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 02:25 PM PST

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

New York, NY, United States (AHN) – After firing Dave Eiland following a poor playoff performance on the mound, the New York Yankees put their hopes and pitching staff in the hands of Chicago Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild Friday.

The Yankees signed Rothschild to a three-year contract for about $2 million after the coach dissected a video of stalled big money pitcher A.J. Burnett.

“I do a lot of video work during the season, so it was nothing new,” Rothschild told MLB.com. “As far as an interview process, it was something that I’ve never thought of, never seen and never heard of.”

Rothschild beat out bullpen coach Mike Harkey, Triple-A pitching coach Scott Aldred and Athletics pitching coordinator Gil Patterson.

The now 56-year-old never earned in a win pitching in the majors from 1981-82, but went on to a long and successful career in the dugout.

The Chicago native won a World Series ring in 1990 as the Reds bullpen coach and another in 1997 with the Marlins as a pitching instructor.

Rothschild posted a 205-294 record as the manager for the expansion Devil Rays from 1998-2001 and was hired as the Cubs pitching coach in 2002.

To replace Rothschild, the Cubs will look within their organization at minor-league pitching coordinator Mark Riggins, bullpen coach Lester Strode, Triple-A pitching coach Mark Mason and Double-A pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn.

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