Eric Cheney Alessio Chiodi Jaromir Cizek Guy Cooper Paul Cooper
Monday, February 28, 2011
Man Has $50,000 Puck Shot Overturned? It Must Be a Movie
by Greg Couch
That's how Jackie Moon, played by Will Ferrell in the movie Semi-Pro, made the introduction.
You know how Ferrell movies are just too ridiculous? How they could never come true?
Think again.
"Ladies and Gentlemen,'' he said. "I want you to welcome this man that's going to attempt the impossible, the $10,000 free throw from the other side of the court. The moonshot.''
That was the movie, about a fictional and fledgling team from the old ABA, running ridiculous stunts and promotions to try to stay alive.
This is real life: On Saturday night, the Indianapolis Ice of the United States Hockey League held its own impossible-shot promotion. Shoot the puck the length of the ice into the far net, which was blocked off entirely except for a three-inch slot at the bottom.
Filed under: Sports Business, Sports Business and Media
"All right everybody, let's hear it for Tropical Time and let's hear it for Bush Bavarian. If you're going to drink a beer, you might as well make it Busch Bavarian.''That's how Jackie Moon, played by Will Ferrell in the movie Semi-Pro, made the introduction.
You know how Ferrell movies are just too ridiculous? How they could never come true?
Think again.
"Ladies and Gentlemen,'' he said. "I want you to welcome this man that's going to attempt the impossible, the $10,000 free throw from the other side of the court. The moonshot.''
That was the movie, about a fictional and fledgling team from the old ABA, running ridiculous stunts and promotions to try to stay alive.
This is real life: On Saturday night, the Indianapolis Ice of the United States Hockey League held its own impossible-shot promotion. Shoot the puck the length of the ice into the far net, which was blocked off entirely except for a three-inch slot at the bottom.
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Tim Ferry Ashley Fiolek Ernesto Fonseca Lauris Freibergs Paul Friedrichs
Monday Postgame: Freakish Week 13
This was Week 13 of the MLS offseason, so maybe we shouldn?t have been surprised that it delivered raging sandstorms, torrential rain and a freak injury to a young star.
There were also some underwhelming preseason results, and a hot-blooded scrimmage that produced nine cards and two apparent injuries.
Gert van Doorn John Dowd John Draper Doug Dubach Ryan Dungey
Bahrain F1 Race Canceled Due to Unrest
Filed under: Formula One
MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) -- The crown prince of Bahrain called off Formula One's season-opening race Monday, handing another victory to protesters aiming to break the ruling dynasty's stranglehold on power in the Gulf kingdom.Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa owns the rights to grand prix and serves as commander of the armed forces in an island country were at least eight protesters have been killed in a week of unrest. Angry protesters, who see the Bahrain GP as particularly meaningful to him, wanted the March 13 race dropped.
Facing more demonstrations around an event that draws a worldwide TV audience of around 100 million in 187 countries, the crown prince told F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone by telephone that the race would not go ahead.
"We felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date," Bahrain's crown prince said in a statement.
After launching deadly attacks on protesters at a landmark in the capital city of Manama, the nation's security forces pulled back Saturday under international pressure and allowed demonstrators to occupy Pearl Square. The protesters have now established a tent city there.
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Jimmy Button Michael Byrne Antonio Cairoli Trey Canard Håkan Carlquist
Aaron Baddeley Holds off Singh, Couples to Win First Tournament in Four Years
Filed under: PGA
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Aaron Baddeley returned to his old swing and a title he hadn't seen in four years -- a PGA Tour winner.In a battle of generations Sunday at Riviera, the 29-year-old Baddeley played mistake-free over the final six holes to hold off Vijay Singh and deny a fairy-tale finish for 51-year-old Fred Couples.
Baddeley closed with a 2-under 69 for a one-shot victory over Singh, who turns 48 on Tuesday.
It was the third career PGA Tour win for Baddeley, whose game had slipped so much that he had plunged to No. 224 in the world. This isn't enough to get back into the top 50, but at least he can book a trip to Augusta National in April for the Masters.
Singh, who only three weeks ago had fallen out of the top 100 in the world for the first time in more than 21 years, had his highest finish since he won the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2008 on his way to the FedEx Cup. Despite back-to-back bogeys on the back nine, he gave himself a chance to the end and closed with a 69.
Singh said it was the best week with the putter in his career, which would include his 2000 Masters victory. He took only 105 putts for the week, including just one three-putt in the second round.
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Mike Bell John van den Berk Marnicq Bervoets Fritz Betzlbacher Dave Bickers
Kyle Busch Wins Nationwide Race, Goes for Weekend Sweep Sunday
Filed under: Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Nationwide Series, Sprint Cup, Joe Gibbs Racing, NASCAR
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Kyle Busch became the first driver in a national NASCAR race to win wire-to-wire in nearly eight years.It wasn't as easy as it looked, not with his car getting loose and Carl Edwards bearing down over the final few laps.
Busch dominated from the pole early and held off Edwards late, maintaining the lead the entire way in the Nationwide race Saturday to set up the chance for a perfect weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.
"It came down to the end of the race and Carl was alongside of me and we were racing really hard trying to beat each other, and I was like, 'Man, just beat him back to the start-finish line, man, just beat back to the start-finish line,"' Busch said. "I was just trying to hold on for as long as I could."
The Nationwide opener last weekend was a nail-biter, with Tony Stewart nipping Clint Bowyer by .007 seconds for the series' closest finish ever at Daytona. Busch had race No. 2 looking like a walkover until Edwards pulled beside him three times in the final 20 laps.
Busch never let him get around, though, fighting a car that had lost some handling after the final pit stop to lead all 200 laps around Phoenix's bumpy mile oval. He's the first green-to-checkers winner in any NASCAR series national race since Dale Earnhardt Jr. did it during a Nationwide race at Daytona in 2003.
Mets Reportedly Received $20 Million in Aid From Major League Baseball
Filed under: Mets, MLB Biz, Sports Business and Media
The New York Mets have received a minimum of $20 million in assistance from Major League Baseball as they continue to fight a lawsuit brought against them by victims of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme, according to a report in the New York Times.Irving H. Picard, the trustee of the victims in the suit, is seeking close to $1 billion from the Wilpon family and Saul Katz -- the owners of the Mets -- further straining an ownership group that already is carrying $400 million in debt on the team.
The Times report claims that the Mets have already exhausted MLB's $75 million standard line of credit, which is made available to clubs for a number of reasons over the course of each year, forcing commissioner Bud Selig to step in and provide further aid to fund the team's day-to-day operations.
Selig signed off on $40 million in loans to the Texas Rangers last year as they went through a drawn-out sale of the club from Tom Hicks to a group led by Chuck Greenberg.
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Gunnar Johansson Peter Johansson Rick Johnson Gary Jones Mark Jones
Tiger Woods Falls Short With 3-Over Final Round in Dubai
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Tiger Woods stumbled in a bid for his first victory in 15 months Sunday, leaving Alvaro Quiros to win the Dubai Desert Classic with a wild round that included a hole-in-one and triple bogey.The 70th-ranked Quiros shot a 68 to finish at 11-under 277, one stroke ahead of Anders Hansen of Denmark (70) and James Kingston of South Africa (67).
Woods had a 75 to end tied for 20th at 4-under 284.
"There were quite a few positives this week but a couple of glaring examples of what I need to work on," Woods said.
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Victor Arbekov Les Archer Nicolas Aubin Rene Baeten David Bailey
Former FSU Star John Wyche Now Tackling the Cleaning of Garbage Cans
Filed under: Florida State
Miami policeman John Wyche is committed to keeping residential streets clean of bad guys. Wyche is also committed to keeping residential trash cans and commercial garbage dumpsters clean of hazardous bacteria and fungi.Both can be dirty jobs but, hey, somebody's got to do them, right?
Wyche, a former collegiate and professional football player, loves both his jobs.
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Andrew McFarlane Brett Metcalfe Heikki Mikkola Auguste Mingels Marty Moates
Luke Donald Tops No. 1 Martin Kaymer at Match Play Championship
MARANA, Ariz. (AP) -- Luke Donald spoiled Martin Kaymer's rise to No. 1 in the world by winning the Match Play Championship on Sunday with a performance so dominant he never played the 18th hole all week.Not even the snow and sleet could stop Donald.
On a bizarre final day in the high desert, which began with snow covering the fairways, Donald pulled ahead for good with a birdie on the par-5 11th and a par on the next hole, eventually closing out Kaymer on No. 16 for a 3-and-2 victory.
The consolation prize for Kaymer is going to No. 1 in the career, which he assured by reaching the championship match.
Donald was in more dire need of this trophy, however.
It was his first win in America in five years, and it was only his second win worldwide since he captured the 2006 Honda Classic. The 33-year-old Englishman had done just about everything right except win.
He took care of that in a week like no other in the 13-year history of the Accenture Match Play Championship. Donald played only 89 holes in six matches and never trailed in any of them. In fact, he led after 81 of those holes.
"It feels amazing," Donald said. "I had a bit of a monkey on my back. I hadn't won in the U.S. in five years."
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Josh Coppins Cody Copper Gordon Crockard Craig Dack Roger De Coster
Brandon Jacobs Might Play Bigger Role in Giants' Offense in 2011
INDIANAPOLIS -- Brandon Jacobs isn't at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine.
But there seems little question the New York Giants running back probably likes what he hears from Indianapolis this week.
On Friday, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he'd like to get the seventh-year veteran more involved in the offense after he averaged 5.6 yards on 147 carries last season, rushing for 823 yards and nine touchdowns.
"You look at the end of the year numbers, you'd want him to have a few more carries," Coughlin said. "Brandon was fresher than he's ever been, healthier than he's ever been and probably needs to carry the ball a little bit more."
On Saturday, Giants general manager Jerry Reese agreed.
But there seems little question the New York Giants running back probably likes what he hears from Indianapolis this week.
On Friday, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he'd like to get the seventh-year veteran more involved in the offense after he averaged 5.6 yards on 147 carries last season, rushing for 823 yards and nine touchdowns.
"You look at the end of the year numbers, you'd want him to have a few more carries," Coughlin said. "Brandon was fresher than he's ever been, healthier than he's ever been and probably needs to carry the ball a little bit more."
On Saturday, Giants general manager Jerry Reese agreed.
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John DeSoto Tony DiStefano Jamie Dobb Gert van Doorn John Dowd
Mike Shanahan Addresses Albert Haynesworth, Donovan McNabb Drama
Filed under: Redskins, NFC East
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, who spent much of 2010 in wars of wills with his richest players, quarterback Donovan McNabb and defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth, has still declined to reveal whether either is definitely finished in Washington although the former ended the season third-string and the latter on suspension.In his first media session since his Redskins debut season ended with a 6-10 thud, Shanahan on Friday said that he and six-time Pro Bowl quarterback McNabb, for whom he gave up second- and fourth-round draft picks to acquire last April, haven't spoken in the seven-plus weeks since the end of Washington's season.
The coach finally talked with McNabb's agent, Fletcher Smith, on Wednesday for 90 minutes but wouldn't elaborate on their discussion other than to say the quarterback's future with the Redskins won't be decided until after this April's draft.
"I was able to address questions he had and I thought the conversation went well," Shanahan said. "I think over the next few weeks we'll get the chance to talk again, and then we'll make a decision right after the draft of the direction we'll go."
With only McNabb and the unproven John Beck under contract at quarterback -- although journeyman Rex Grossman who finished 2010 as the starter could well be back -- Shanahan is believed to be strongly considering choosing quarterbacks Cam Newton of Auburn or Blaine Gabbert of Missouri with the 10th overall selection.
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Neil Hudson Ryan Hughes Georges Jobe Gunnar Johansson Peter Johansson
Starter or not, McTavish ready to lead at DC
After going through an extreme roster makeover this offseason, it seems as though D.C. United have more new faces than those returning from previous seasons.
Devon McTavish is one of those holdovers from 2010. The unheralded, versatile player enters his sixth season in DC and is looking to further cement his role in a changing squad.
However, for the duration of his D.C. United career, McTavish has primarily been known as a reserve player, and time will tell if that is the same way he fits in with this year?s team.
Mike Bell John van den Berk Marnicq Bervoets Fritz Betzlbacher Dave Bickers
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Tennessee Receives NCAA Notice of Allegations; Lane Kiffin Cited
The NCAA has cited former Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin with a failure to monitor charge in a Notice of Allegations letter released by the University of Tennessee on Wednesday. Overall, the school was charged with 9 major violations, two in football -- both tied to Kiffin -- and seven in basketball.The story was first reported here by FanHouse earlier this month.
Kiffin has also been hit with a failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance charge. The levying of these two charges against the former coach rather than the Vol program represents a last-minute appeal by Tennessee to avoid the saddling of the program itself with the penalties. Instead, Tennessee deftly stepped aside and served up the head of Kiffin to the NCAA.
Meanwhile Bruce Pearl, head basketball coach of the University of Tennessee was cited by the NCAA for, per the UT release, "impermissible contact with prospective student-athletes during an unofficial visit, acting contrary to the principles of ethical conduct, failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance, and failure to monitor the activities regarding compliance of all assistant coaches within the men's basketball program."
The majority of these charges stem from Pearl's lying about having junior recruits over to his house for a barbeque. Hosting juniors at the home of a head coach is a secondary violation, but Pearl's lie made the matter a major violation that led to a dock in pay, an eight-game SEC suspension, and more punishment to come, potentially, from the NCAA.
While Tennessee declined comment other than posting the letter, Pat Haden, the athletic director at USC, released this statement in support of Kiffin:
"We have received from the NCAA a notice of allegations against Lane Kiffin pertaining to his tenure as the head football coach at Tennessee. The NCAA enforcement process provides for Tennessee and Lane to address those charges. Until that process is completed, it would be unfair and premature for me or USC to comment on this matter."
"However, I will say this: Since his return to USC last year as our head football coach, Lane has been vigilant in making sure he and the football program follow the NCAA's rules and compete the right way. Lane has my support as our head football coach."
For his part, Kiffin, who declined comment when FanHouse broke this story, released the following statement: "On the advice of my legal counsel, we cannot comment other than to say we look forward to working through the process with the NCAA."
Tennessee will have 90 days to respond to the NCAA's notice of allegations and then will appear before the Committee on Infractions in early June.
Follow Clay Travis on Twitter here. With All That and a Bag of Mail back on a weekly basis, you can e-mail him questions at Clay.Travis@gmail.com.
Oak Trees Deliberately Poisoned at Toomer's Corner in Auburn
Filed under: Auburn, SEC, General CFB Insanity
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) -- Auburn University says someone deliberately poisoned trees at Toomer's Corner, and that the live oaks likely can't be saved.The university said in a statement Wednesday that a herbicide commonly used to kill trees was applied "in lethal amounts" to the soil around the trees. Toomer's Corner has long been a site where Auburn fans celebrate big wins, including the football national championship on Jan. 10.
City police are investigating the incident.
The use of Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron, is also governed by state agricultural laws and the Environmental Protection Agency. The university says it doesn't use the herbicide.
The university says a caller to a syndicated radio show on Jan. 27 claimed he had applied the herbicide. Soil samples taken the next day and were tested at Mississippi State to determine the type of poison.
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Nicolas Aubin Rene Baeten David Bailey John Banks Mark Barnett
Preseason match 6: United vs Chivas USA
MATCH SUMMARY
D.C. United completed its 2011 preseason training camp in California with a friendly against Chivas USA on Friday, February 25 at 3:00 PM ET on the training fields of The Home Depot Center. Both teams used over ten substitutes and played to a scoreless draw. Despite the lack of scoring, the Black-and-Red took plenty away from their first contest against Major League Soccer opposition in 2011.
Pierre Renet Marc de Reuver Michele Rinaldi Joël Robert Ken Roczen
Mark Wilson Leads Final Round of Phoenix Open, to Finish Monday
Filed under: PGA
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)-Mark Wilson had a two-stroke lead in the Phoenix Open when play was suspended Sunday because of darkness.
Wearing a yellow visor and green shirt in support of his beloved Packers, the Wisconsin player broke a tie with Tommy Gainey with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 12th. Gainey three-putted the hole for a bogey.
"I birdied some tough holes," Wilson said. "The 4-iron I hit on 12 was the best swing of the day and I rolled in that putt. Just felt good.
"Been a long ride. I mean, four holes the first day, 28 holes the next day and then four holes and now 31 holes, and we'll do five more tomorrow and see what happens."
Wilson and Gainey were facing 20-foot birdie putts on the par-5 13th when they decided it was too dark to finish the hole.
"I was thinking about putting it, but it's hard to read and it's a goofy little putt," Wilson said. "It'll be a lot easier tomorrow morning.
"Someone was screaming in my head saying, `Don't putt this tonight!' So, when I heard that voice, I said, `Let's mark it."'
Wilson was 18 under. Gainey was tied for second with Vijay Singh and Jason Dufner. Singh shot a 5-under 66, while Dufner had four holes left.
The start Sunday was delayed a half-hour because of frost. About nine hours of playing time has been lost to frost and frozen turf, forcing the Monday finish.
Wilson completed a 68 in the third round Sunday and was 2 under through 12 holes in the final round. On the amphitheater 16th in the third round, Wilson and caddie Chris Jones donned cheeseheads and led the rowdy fans in Packers chants.
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Alex Salvini Donny Schmit Fritz Schneider Darrell Schultz Tommy Searle
Armchair Analyst: Cup, Shield a perfect combo
Way, way back in the primordial ooze out from which MLS crawled, the league?s powers that be conceived of a format where the yearly campaign was merely a prelude to the playoffs. Eight of 10 teams qualified for the postseason, the regular-season champion wasn?t recognized outside of a No. 1 seed, and some fans threw a snit.
Traditionalists cried foul, making one of two arguments: that MLS should do things more like they?re done in Europe, the birthplace of the game (bad argument); or that the playoffs devalue regular-season accomplishments (good argument).
Sylvain Geboers Broc Glover Rui Goncalves Josh Grant Billy Grossi
BYU Quarterback Jake Heaps Comes of Age After Tough Freshman Year
Filed under: Brigham Young
BYU starting quarterback Jake Heaps admits that when it comes to last season, there are parts that he'd rather forget -- the quarterback controversy, the 2-5 start, the first loss to Utah State since 1993.But Heaps knows all of the experiences from his freshman year -- good and bad -- helped shape the quarterback that he ultimately became by the end of the season. The Cougars won five of their last seven games, including a 52-24 win in the New Mexico Bowl and Heaps proved, despite early doubts, that he could be the leader of BYU's football team.
"In my mind, I really don't remember the first half of the season. I almost kind of like to forget that it even happened," said Heaps, who played in every game for the Cougars his first season and started 10. "I think the hardest thing was at the beginning of the season, it wasn't just me, it was both me and (quarterback) Riley (Nelson) and there were two voices instead of just one. And that's always hard to do. It's almost kind of impossible, especially as a quarterback, to try and reach a team. There were times when it was really hard. After that loss to Utah State -- I was the first quarterback to lose to Utah State in I don't know how many years -- and that was a real low point.
"We really had a point on our team where we could have let the season fall and just accept the fact that we were a losing team or we were going to do something about it and make something out of the season and we ended up really coming together and being able to finish off a strong year."
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Zach Osborne Trampas Parker Travis Pastrana Gautier Paulin David Philippaerts
Kyle Busch Wins Nationwide Race, Goes for Weekend Sweep Sunday
Filed under: Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Nationwide Series, Sprint Cup, Joe Gibbs Racing, NASCAR
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Kyle Busch became the first driver in a national NASCAR race to win wire-to-wire in nearly eight years.It wasn't as easy as it looked, not with his car getting loose and Carl Edwards bearing down over the final few laps.
Busch dominated from the pole early and held off Edwards late, maintaining the lead the entire way in the Nationwide race Saturday to set up the chance for a perfect weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.
"It came down to the end of the race and Carl was alongside of me and we were racing really hard trying to beat each other, and I was like, 'Man, just beat him back to the start-finish line, man, just beat back to the start-finish line,"' Busch said. "I was just trying to hold on for as long as I could."
The Nationwide opener last weekend was a nail-biter, with Tony Stewart nipping Clint Bowyer by .007 seconds for the series' closest finish ever at Daytona. Busch had race No. 2 looking like a walkover until Edwards pulled beside him three times in the final 20 laps.
Busch never let him get around, though, fighting a car that had lost some handling after the final pit stop to lead all 200 laps around Phoenix's bumpy mile oval. He's the first green-to-checkers winner in any NASCAR series national race since Dale Earnhardt Jr. did it during a Nationwide race at Daytona in 2003.
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Jeremy McGrath Andrew McFarlane Brett Metcalfe Heikki Mikkola Auguste Mingels
College Basketball Poll Is Just a Sham
by Kevin Blackistone
In 1869, in Cardiff, N.Y., -- just south of Syracuse's Carrier Dome where this week's 17th-ranked men's college basketball team plays -- some farmers digging a well announced they found petrified remains of a giant man. (No, he was not the first big stiff Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim recruited.) He was 10-feet tall. And the fellow who spoke for the discovery, a cigar maker named George Hull, started charging 50 cents to see the Cardiff Giant turned to stone.
But a Yale paleontologist, who inspected the find, debunked it as nothing more than a tall tale after finding it was made of gypsum. The would-be amateur anthropologists confessed to fashioning fiction.
Yet, people continued to flock to see the hoax and -- now at the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., -- still do.
After all, we love fakes. Elvises. IDs. The Colbert Report.
How about the college basketball poll?
Filed under: NCAA Basketball, Sports Business and Media, college-sports
In 1869, in Cardiff, N.Y., -- just south of Syracuse's Carrier Dome where this week's 17th-ranked men's college basketball team plays -- some farmers digging a well announced they found petrified remains of a giant man. (No, he was not the first big stiff Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim recruited.) He was 10-feet tall. And the fellow who spoke for the discovery, a cigar maker named George Hull, started charging 50 cents to see the Cardiff Giant turned to stone.
But a Yale paleontologist, who inspected the find, debunked it as nothing more than a tall tale after finding it was made of gypsum. The would-be amateur anthropologists confessed to fashioning fiction.
Yet, people continued to flock to see the hoax and -- now at the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., -- still do.
After all, we love fakes. Elvises. IDs. The Colbert Report.
How about the college basketball poll?
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Cody Copper Gordon Crockard Craig Dack Roger De Coster Ken De Dycker
Source: 'We're Nowhere' on NFL CBA Talks
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Analysis, NFL Labor Negotiations
INDIANAPOLIS -- NFL players' union chief DeMaurice Smith addressed agents in an annual meeting here Friday at the scouting combine. But several agents who were in the meeting said Smith didn't get into the specifics of the mediated collective bargaining negotiations that took place over the previous seven days in Washington, D.C. One reason Smith withheld specifics was his concern that agents would leak the information to the media. But the more important reason is that, in spite of speculative optimism that emerged from the fact that the two sides were actually meeting, there just isn't very much to update.
"The truth is, we're nowhere," a person who'd been briefed on the talks told FanHouse on condition of anonymity. "Nothing has changed."
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Ricky Carmichael Danny Chandler Eric Cheney Alessio Chiodi Jaromir Cizek
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Coming to North America Was No-Brainer For Top Prospect From Sweden
Filed under: NHL Draft, NHL Rumors, International Hockey, Minor League Hockey, Junior Hockey
KITCHENER, Ontario, Canada -- A steely resolve came over Gabriel Landeskog's face when he was asked whether he did the right thing by moving to Canada in his mid-teens to play major junior hockey and possibly take a shortcut to the NHL.Landeskog (in yellow uniform in photo, right) is in his second season with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League and the skills he used to become one of the youngest players ever in the Swedish Elite League a couple of years ago have also vaulted him to the top of the NHL's rankings of skaters in North America for the NHL Draft in June.
If selected first overall, Landeskog will be the first Swede to go that high since Mats Sundin went to the Quebec Nordiques in 1989.
"I thought it would be the best thing for my development," says Landeskog about coming to this side of the Atlantic Ocean. "I didn't want to be a guy playing five minutes a game in the Swedish Elite League. This is the junior NHL. It's the best junior league in the world and that's why I wanted to come here.
"And I also wanted to show the Swedish kids back home that this is a path you can take. It is a great life and it is a great experience. This is an experience you would never get in Sweden."
It was at the world under-18 championship in April 2009 when Landeskog first caught the attention of Kitchener coach Steve Spott, who was an assistant coach with Canada. After Landeskog scored a power-play goal, he skated by the Canadian bench and stared the Canadians down.
Spott, who is also the general manager of the Kitchener Rangers, made a mental note to himself to find out whom that kid was "because he's got a lot of moxie."
Jeremy van Horebeek Kent Howerton Neil Hudson Ryan Hughes Georges Jobe
Playoff and TV Uncertainty Overshadow MLS Schedule Announcement
Filed under: MLS
There will be an MLS schedule on Thursday, finally. But don't expect all the confusion to be cleared up, and don't expect the pressure on the league to decrease.The list of dates and opponents MLS unveils will leave a host of unanswered questions about the upcoming season, as well as the more distant future. And of course, it will be subject to change.
The regular season begins in five weeks (the Los Angeles Galaxy will visit the Seattle Sounders on March 15, and the rest of the clubs will kick off four days later), and the fact that clubs and fans still don't have a full fixture list to work with has been a source of frustration and embarrassment.
That discontent reached the league's Fifth Avenue headquarters.
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Doug Henry Broc Hepler Rob Herring George Holland Jeremy van Horebeek
Power Rankings: Phil Mickelson Primed to Shine in Hollywood
Filed under: PGA
The PGA Tour travels down the California coast to Los Angeles for the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club. Surprisingly, the weather won't be perfect this week, but that's nothing new for this season. Forecasts call for a chance of rain everyday but Sunday, which might help soften and slow down the greens.It's another strong field, with a number of players making their 2011 debut. Here's how we see the week shaking out, beginning with our favorites:
1. Phil Mickelson -- He's regaining confidence in his game and no one has earned more money at the Northern Trust Open, which makes him the easy choice this week. While it would be nice to see Lefty close out an event, we won't pick against him as he tries to become the first three-time winner at this even since Arnold Palmer did it in 1967.
2. Steve Stricker -- Last year's winner mainly makes it on track record. Stricker took this tournament off for three years before returning to finish T11, second and first the last three years. In his only two starts this year, Stricker finished T4 and T9. It's hard to argue that anyone has played as well as the him the last two years -- five total wins and back-to-back runner-up finishes in the FedEx Cup standings. A win this week would make a great birthday gift for the man that turns 44 next week.
3. Matt Kuchar -- Don't forget about Kuchar, who took the last three weeks off. He opened the year with three straight top 10s, where he only shot two rounds outside of the 60s (both of those were only 70). You won't find a flaw in the three-time Tour winner's game right now. He ranks inside the top five on Tour in driving accuracy, greens in regulation, birdie average, and all-around.
4. Bill Haas -- Haas must have taken the AT&T off to work on his game after falling all the way down to a T29 finish at the WMPO. All kidding aside, you could argue that he's played the best golf on Tour this year. A final-round 76 in Scottsdale kept him from his fourth straight top 10 to start 2011. You can ignore his missed cuts the last two starts here because his game is solid.
5. Luke Donald -- The Northern Trust Open is a great place for Donald to begin his 2011 campaign. He's notched three straight top 10s at Riviera, including a runner-up finish in 2010. There shouldn't be much rust to shake off either. When we last saw Donald at the end of the year, he had recorded a top-three finish in four of his final six starts.
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Rex Staten James Stewart Jr Brian Stonebridge David Strijbos Kevin Strijbos
Erik Christensen Headlines Parade of Rangers Contributors Against Capitals
Filed under: Rangers
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Prior to Friday night's game against the Washington Capitals, some of the New York Rangers spoke of how "hungry" their young teammates are to be successful and make an impact on the ice. However, it was a not-so-young player that made a huge impression in the Rangers' 6-0 thrashing of the Washington Capitals, scoring and assisting twice en route to a career-best four-point night.
Twenty-seven-year-old center Erik Christensen, who was sidelined with a sprained MCL for 16 games in January and returned on Feb. 5, had not recorded a point in 11 consecutive contests for the Rangers. On Friday, he not only broke out of his slump, each of his linemates, Brian Boyle and Vinny Prospal, recorded a goal and an assist, as the line exploded for four of the team's six goals on the night.
"A big part of our team is getting contributions from different guys because we don't have our superstar (Marian Gaborik) in the lineup and we're not the real skilled team up front," said Christensen. "Getting different guys contributing every night is big for us to maintain our position in the standings."
The Blueshirts are three points ahead of Carolina for seventh place in the East and they trail the Capitals, who have one game in hand, by four points for fifth place.
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Alessandro Puzar Gaston Rahier Steve Ramon Tyla Rattray Chad Reed
NHL Trade Deadline: Los Angeles Kings
Filed under: Kings, Western, Trade Deadline
The Kings went into last offseason looking for a big-time scorer, they missed out on Ilya Kovalchuk, and they head toward the deadline still on the lookout for an elite goal scorer.
And yet Los Angeles has pretty much gotten used to the idea that it's a grind-it-out group without a big superstar, and the Kings can get along just fine like that. At this point, obtaining a star scorer is pretty much of a stretch.
"The way we're set up, we're not a one-man show, anyway," said Justin Williams (photo above), who is one of three Kings with 20 goals. "We don't have a guy who's going to score 50 goals or put the team on their shoulders. We're more a team that plays together, everyone chips in and we'll work to shut you down."
Wouldn't a big-time scorer look nice in that purple uni, though?
"Certainly adding a 30- or 40-goal scorer, you might want that, but it's tough to find those," Williams told FanHouse with a laugh. "I don't know where you'd find that, but if the front office did that, great and if not, we're going to keep on doing what we do best."
Williams has been on the other side, twice traded before the deadline, and he said that this can be an unusual time for a player who's on the block. He learned about both deals through the TV, before the team called to inform him.
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Ken Roczen Stephane Roncada Gerard Rond Jean Sebastien Roy Alex Salvini
Teal Bunbury: A Striker For The Next Generation
Filed under: MLS, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team, Kansas City Wizards, New York Red Bulls
It was a modern phenomenon befitting a very modern player.Within minutes of converting a penalty kick against Chile in the U.S. national team's Jan. 22 friendly outside Los Angeles, Teal Bunbury had gone viral.
He had his composure from 12 yards and Telefutura announcer Pablo Ramírez to thank. Bunbury, normally rather reserved, celebrated his first international goal with a little dance near the corner flag.
That's when Ramírez' impromptu Black Eyed Peas-inspired call transformed a mundane penalty into an iconic moment, a forgettable friendly into a celebration and "Boonbooree" into both a trending topic and a t-shirt.
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Mike LaRocco Jason Lawrence Ron Lechien Jeff Leisk Victor Leloup
Man Has $50,000 Puck Shot Overturned? It Must Be a Movie
by Greg Couch
That's how Jackie Moon, played by Will Ferrell in the movie Semi-Pro, made the introduction.
You know how Ferrell movies are just too ridiculous? How they could never come true?
Think again.
"Ladies and Gentlemen,'' he said. "I want you to welcome this man that's going to attempt the impossible, the $10,000 free throw from the other side of the court. The moonshot.''
That was the movie, about a fictional and fledgling team from the old ABA, running ridiculous stunts and promotions to try to stay alive.
This is real life: On Saturday night, the Indianapolis Ice of the United States Hockey League held its own impossible-shot promotion. Shoot the puck the length of the ice into the far net, which was blocked off entirely except for a three-inch slot at the bottom.
Filed under: Sports Business, Sports Business and Media
"All right everybody, let's hear it for Tropical Time and let's hear it for Bush Bavarian. If you're going to drink a beer, you might as well make it Busch Bavarian.''That's how Jackie Moon, played by Will Ferrell in the movie Semi-Pro, made the introduction.
You know how Ferrell movies are just too ridiculous? How they could never come true?
Think again.
"Ladies and Gentlemen,'' he said. "I want you to welcome this man that's going to attempt the impossible, the $10,000 free throw from the other side of the court. The moonshot.''
That was the movie, about a fictional and fledgling team from the old ABA, running ridiculous stunts and promotions to try to stay alive.
This is real life: On Saturday night, the Indianapolis Ice of the United States Hockey League held its own impossible-shot promotion. Shoot the puck the length of the ice into the far net, which was blocked off entirely except for a three-inch slot at the bottom.
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Josh Coppins Cody Copper Gordon Crockard Craig Dack Roger De Coster
Warriors Re-Sign Jeff Adrien From NBA D-League Following Trade Deadline Deals
Filed under: Warriors, NBA Transactions, NBA D-League, NBA Free Agents, Erie BayHawks, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
The Golden State Warriors have signed power forward Jeff Adrien from the NBA Development League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Adrien announced on his Twitter account.The move comes following Wednesday's trade of Brandan Wright and Dan Gadzuric to the New Jersey Nets for Troy Murphy. Murphy is expected to be bought out of his contract, leaving the Warriors with less than the minimum of 13 players needed to be in compliance with NBA roster regulations.
Adrien, a 6-foot-7 power forward, began the season with the Warriors before being released on Dec. 9 so the team could sign Acie Law. In 15 games with Golden State, Adrien averaged 2.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in just over 10 minutes of playing time per contest.
Tiger Tees it Up in Dubai with Serviceman
Lt. Col. Michael Rowells, a nine handicap, found himself shanking balls from the rough and dropping shots into the water Wednesday in Dubai. The serviceman was nervous and rattled by his surroundings.The reason? His playing partner was Tiger Woods.
Rowells beat 16,000 other golfers in a draw and was given the opportunity to play with Woods. Stationed in Afghanistan, Rowells had to scramble in order to get a passport and borrowed a set of golf clubs from Emirates Golf Club.
"I came in wanting to play decent and I really didn't," Rowells said. "But it didn't matter. The experience was so far beyond what my score would have been. The time with Tiger, and the time here at Emirates Golf Club, has just been tremendous regardless of how many balls I put in the water."
Though his overall game was lacking, Rowells was able to cozy up a few approach shots and drain some long par putts during the round, drawing some praise from one of the world's top golfers.
Woods is familiar with the military, as his father did a couple of tours in Vietnam, so the two spoke mainly about Rowells' service.
"He understands the services, and that is always a plus," Rowells said. "A lot of people don't quite understand what we do. I think he has decent respect for the military and that is always nice. We spoke a little about his dad, some of the places he had been, like Fort Bragg, where I'll be ending up in the next year and a half or so."
Overall, Rowells with smitten with the experience and left impressed by the golfer, who has been dealing with some trying circumstances over the past year.
"I played with a Tiger that struck the ball very well, was a complete gentleman, a class act, easygoing and put me at ease," he said. "One of the larger-than-life figures was very down to earth and very accommodating to somebody that came in to do this."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report
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Tommy Searle Gary Semics Andrew Short Shaun Simpson Joël Smets
Michael Vick Cancels Oprah Appearance
by FanHouse Newswire
CHICAGO (AP) -- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will not be appearing on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" after all.
A show spokesman said Wednesday representatives of the NFL star called late Tuesday to cancel his appearance for personal reasons. The daytime talk show host's interview with Vick was set to air Thursday, Feb. 24.
The interview was to cover Vick's time in prison, his work with the Humane Society and his return to the NFL.
Vick missed two seasons and served 18 months in federal prison for a dogfighting operation based on his property in Surry County, Va.
He was reinstated to the NFL for the 2009 season and has been doing public service work, including with the Humane Society.
Filed under: Eagles, NFL Media Watch, Sports Business and Media
CHICAGO (AP) -- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will not be appearing on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" after all.A show spokesman said Wednesday representatives of the NFL star called late Tuesday to cancel his appearance for personal reasons. The daytime talk show host's interview with Vick was set to air Thursday, Feb. 24.
The interview was to cover Vick's time in prison, his work with the Humane Society and his return to the NFL.
Vick missed two seasons and served 18 months in federal prison for a dogfighting operation based on his property in Surry County, Va.
He was reinstated to the NFL for the 2009 season and has been doing public service work, including with the Humane Society.
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Paul Cooper Josh Coppins Cody Copper Gordon Crockard Craig Dack
Unrest Forces Cancellation of February USA-Egypt Friendly
Filed under: U.S. Men's National Team
The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced the cancellation of the national team's Feb. 9 friendly against Egypt in Cairo, a city that has been wracked by political demonstrations and violence over the past several days.The federation said it "explor(ed) other options" for a game that day, but no replacement venue or opponent was arranged.
"We were excited about the opportunity to play against Egypt, but due to the current situation all parties agreed it was best to cancel the match. We appreciate the efforts of the Egyptian Football Association and the U.S. State Department as we worked through this situation," U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said.
The match against the seven-time African champions was scheduled on a FIFA international match day and was going to be coach Bob Bradley's first opportunity to call in his full team in since early October. Now he'll have to wait until March, when the U.S. is scheduled to face Argentina (March 26 at the New Meadowlands in New Jersey) and Paraguay (March 29 at LP Field in Nashville).
U.S. defeated Egypt, 3-0, at the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa in a wild match that catapulted the Americans to their now legendary semifinal against Spain. Since then, the Egyptians have won a third consecutive African Nations Cup title but suffered a fifth straight failure to qualify for the World Cup.
The senior U.S. national team has not visited the Arab world since November, 1999, when it lost to Morocco, 2-1, in Marrakech (Eric Wynalda scored the goal that day).
Considering the positive public relations impact that the U.S. national team seems to have when it travels, the decision represents a significant lost opportunity for American soccer and, perhaps, the country as a whole. But canceling the Cairo friendly was the only option as the chaos in Egypt continues.
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Thomas Hahn Torsten Hallman Bob Hannah Donnie Hansen Torlief Hansen
Friday, February 25, 2011
Broncos, Cardinals, Redskins Struggled to Pick Up Blitzes
Filed under: NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis
There's nothing scarier for a quarterback than an unblocked pass rusher.
If you were a quarterback for the Broncos, Redskins or Cardinals in 2010, you had plenty of reasons to be frightened.
Denver, Washington and Arizona were the only NFL teams to reach double digits in unblocked sacks.
There are a couple of ways that a blitzer can pick up the easiest of easy sacks. The simplest explanation is that confusion along the offensive line (or among running backs assigned for blitz pickup) lets someone come free even though the blocking scheme should have accounted for him. On other plays, especially if the defense calls a corner blitz, the unblocked blitzer is the responsibility of the quarterback and wide receivers -- the quarterback has to recognize it and the receiver has to break off his route so that the QB can get rid of the ball before the blitzer arrives.
Travis Pastrana Gautier Paulin David Philippaerts Mickael Pichon Jim Pomeroy
Daytona 500: Driver Breakdown
Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona Int'l Speedway
(AP) -- A look at drivers competing in the 2011 Daytona 500, in order of starting position:No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
DRIVER: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
BORN: Oct. 10, 1974
HOMETOWN: Kannapolis, N.C.
CREW CHIEF: Steve Letarte
SPONSOR: Mountain Dew/AMP Energy/National Guard
NOTES: NASCAR's most popular driver won the Daytona 500 pole, then wrecked in practice on Wednesday. Now, he'll start Sunday's race at the back of the field. Earnhardt was a non-factor on the track for the fourth consecutive year in 2010. Earnhardt finished 21st in points. With teammates Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon also struggling, owner Rick Hendrick shook up most of the four-car team. Will another new crew chief and a shop change be enough to overhaul Junior's fortunes?
No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
DRIVER: Jeff Gordon
BORN: Aug. 4, 1971
HOMETOWN: Pittsboro, Ind.
CREW CHIEF: Alan Gustafson
SPONSOR: Drive To End Hunger/DuPont
NOTES: After a winless season, Gordon was one of three drivers shuffled at Hendrick Motorsports. He moved out of the 24/48 shop into the building now known as the 5/24 shop. The four-time series champion is paired with crew chief Gustafson.
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David Strijbos Kevin Strijbos Bengt Åberg Greg Albertyn Jeff Alessi
Senators Urge MLB to Ban Tobacco Use
by Jeff Fletcher
Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.), right, and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sent a letter to commissioner Bud Selig and MLB Players Union head Michael Weiner urging them to ban the use of smokeless tobacco in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement.
MLB has come under growing scrutiny over the past year for allowing its players to use smokeless tobacco, which presents a health risk and also may encourage use among kids.
"The use of smokeless tobacco by baseball players undermines the positive image of the sport and sends a dangerous message to young fans, who may be influenced by the players they look up to as role models," wrote Lautenberg and Durbin.
Last year the House Energy and Commerce Committe convened a hearing to explore a potential ban on smokeless tobacco in the majors. Also, a consortium of 10 heath agencies wrote a letter to Selig and Weiner pushing for a ban in November.
Baseball had banned the use of smokeless tobacco, commonly called "dip" in the minor leagues, but any similar action in the majors would require approval by the union. The current CBA expires in December.
Filed under: MLB Biz, Sports Business and Media
Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.), right, and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sent a letter to commissioner Bud Selig and MLB Players Union head Michael Weiner urging them to ban the use of smokeless tobacco in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement.MLB has come under growing scrutiny over the past year for allowing its players to use smokeless tobacco, which presents a health risk and also may encourage use among kids.
"The use of smokeless tobacco by baseball players undermines the positive image of the sport and sends a dangerous message to young fans, who may be influenced by the players they look up to as role models," wrote Lautenberg and Durbin.
Last year the House Energy and Commerce Committe convened a hearing to explore a potential ban on smokeless tobacco in the majors. Also, a consortium of 10 heath agencies wrote a letter to Selig and Weiner pushing for a ban in November.
Baseball had banned the use of smokeless tobacco, commonly called "dip" in the minor leagues, but any similar action in the majors would require approval by the union. The current CBA expires in December.
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Shaun Simpson Joël Smets Jeff Smith Marty Smith Steve Stackable
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