Maria Sharapova & Victoria Azarenka have an emerging rivalry
For what seems like years, fans of women’s tennis have been looking for a legitimate rivalry at the top of the game. They may finally get their wish with the compelling rivalry emerging between the top two players in the world, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova.
It was difficult to label head-to-head a rivalry given Azarenka’s dominance of Sharapova this season. However, the Russian finally turned the tables this weekend , for one match at least, in the final at Stuttgart to capture her 25th career title to match the birthday she celebrated a few weeks ago. The two had met twice already in championship matches this year and at least one of them has played for the title at all of the major tournament thus far in 2012.
Sharapova’s run to the Stuttgart crown was rather impressive, particularly on clay. She defeated Samantha Stosur, Petra Kvitova and Azarenka in consecutive matches, including a ...
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Monday, April 30, 2012
WWE News: Star of 'The Marine 3' Revealed
After weeks of rampant speculation surrounding the identity of the wrestler who will star in WWE Studios' upcoming action movie The Marine 3, it looks like we have an answer at long last.
According to PWI, former WWE Champion The Miz will be starring in the flick, the latest installment of WWE's popular Marine franchise, which is due to start filming in June in Vancouver, British Columbia.
While he may seem like an unusual choice for the role, Miz has previous acting experience: he recently guest-starred in an episode of popular USA Network show Psych and has a role in the film The Campaign, an upcoming comedy starring Will Ferrell and Zack Galifianakis.
WWE had initially cast Randy Orton on the movie, but he was pulled after members of the US military expressed their unhappiness with his casting due to the star's controversial past. In real-life, Orton was dishonorably discharged from the Marines in 1999 after going AWOL on two occasions and disobeying a command from a company officer.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1167024-wwe-news-star-of-the-marine-3-revealed
Stacy Lewis leads Mobile Bay LPGA Classic
Stacy Lewis birdied five of her final nine holes for a 5-under 67 and a one-stroke lead Friday after the second round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic.
Lewis, the Kraft Nabisco winner last year, had three straight birdies and a two-stroke lead, but missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole en route to her first bogey of the week. She had a 9-under 135 total on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex.
Karin Sjodin tied the tournament course record with a 64 to finish a stroke back along with Lindsey Wright, So Yeon Ryu and rookie Sydnee Michaels. Ryu shot 67, Michaels 68, and Wright 69.
Lewis, the Kraft Nabisco winner last year, had three straight birdies and a two-stroke lead, but missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole en route to her first bogey of the week. She had a 9-under 135 total on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex.
Karin Sjodin tied the tournament course record with a 64 to finish a stroke back along with Lindsey Wright, So Yeon Ryu and rookie Sydnee Michaels. Ryu shot 67, Michaels 68, and Wright 69.
Pietrangelo injury could be big loss for Blues
ST. LOUIS - Few teams in the NHL suffered as many key injuries as the St. Louis Blues did during the regular season. Saturday night in a 3-1 loss to the L.A. Kings in Game 1 of the second round, the Blues may have taken their biggest hit yet.
Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues leader in ice time in both the regular season and playoffs, left with 1:13 to play in the second period after didn't return following a head first hit into the boards by the L.A. Kings' Dwight King.
King was assessed a two-minute boarding penalty on the play after checking the 22-year-old from behind. Pietrangelo hit chin-first into the boards and fell to the ice, eventually skating off under his own power as a stream of blood dripped from his chin.
The 6-3 Pietrangelo never returned for the third period and wasn't available for comment after the game. His status for Monday's Game 2 is up in the air with what coach Ken Hitchcock seemed to indicate was a possible concussion.
"He's our key guy back there so it's tough to lose him," said defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. "Especially when you're down a goal in a game like that, you want to have all the offensive fire power you can back there and he's someone who we look to in those situations. It's tough not having him."
The second-seeded Blues went on the power play following the hit with a chance to take the lead late in the second period. They instead suffered a disaster scenario, giving up a shorthanded goal to Matt Greene to enter the locker room trailing 2-1.
The Blues were shorthanded for eight minutes in the third period, including a period of nearly six straight minutes as they attempted to overcome the loss of Pietrangelo and tie the game. They were unable to do so, giving up an empty netter late to drop Game 1 at home for the second straight series.
"He controls the game," said Blues captain David Backes. "He's our best defenseman and probably our best player so if you're missing that, you're missing a lot. But we have other guys that need to step up and take more responsibility and get the job done."
Of gaining a two-minute penalty while losing Pietrangelo for the remainder of the game and possibly longer, Backed added, "That's not a very good trade for us."
Some thought the hit deserved more than a two-minute penalty, but it appeared Pietrangelo lost his balance just as the hit occurred. Referees apparently missed a cut on his lip, which would have automatically resulted in a five-minute major.
"He got off the ice, there was no visible blood," said NHL supervisor of officiating Kay Whitmore. "If it was running down his forehead or his cheek, it's automatic. It's a major game-misconduct. In this instance, they didn't see it initially right away.
"It was a hit, he was in a vulnerable position, but they didn't deem it violent enough to call a major."
Pietrangelo was the fourth overall pick by the Blues in the 2008 draft. He made his NHL debut later that year at age 18, appearing in eight games and logging one point.
Just four years later he's evolved into one of the top defenseman in the league at 22 years old. He was fifth among all defenseman with 51 points in the regular season, which was also good for third most on the Blues.
He became the youngest player in club history to record back-to-back 40-point seasons and was the second defenseman in Blues history to have six game-winning goals and six power-play goals in the same season.
The 6-3 Pietrangelo logged an eye-popping 26:15 per game in the first round against San Jose. He had three assists in the first round and took the shot Saturday that was deflected by Backes for the Blues first goal of the night.
Safe to say the Blues would take a serious hit should the rising star not be able to play in Game 2 on Monday.
"He's obviously one of our best players and you can't replace him," said forward Andy McDonald. "We're going to need guys to step up and elevate their play. I don't know his condition but if he can't play next game, we have to find a way to replace him."
Added Hitchcock, "If he's not in, then somebody else gets to jump up. That's just the way it is in the playoffs. It's not a six-month season. It's a six-week season, so somebody will have to step up and elevate their game. That's what people do."
The Blues did a remarkable job overcoming injuries in the regular season, finishing just two points shy of the President's Trophy despite missing more than 300 man games due to injury.
Already trailing 1-0 in the best of seven series, the Blues' resolve might be put to the test yet again.
Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues leader in ice time in both the regular season and playoffs, left with 1:13 to play in the second period after didn't return following a head first hit into the boards by the L.A. Kings' Dwight King.
King was assessed a two-minute boarding penalty on the play after checking the 22-year-old from behind. Pietrangelo hit chin-first into the boards and fell to the ice, eventually skating off under his own power as a stream of blood dripped from his chin.
The 6-3 Pietrangelo never returned for the third period and wasn't available for comment after the game. His status for Monday's Game 2 is up in the air with what coach Ken Hitchcock seemed to indicate was a possible concussion.
"He's our key guy back there so it's tough to lose him," said defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. "Especially when you're down a goal in a game like that, you want to have all the offensive fire power you can back there and he's someone who we look to in those situations. It's tough not having him."
The second-seeded Blues went on the power play following the hit with a chance to take the lead late in the second period. They instead suffered a disaster scenario, giving up a shorthanded goal to Matt Greene to enter the locker room trailing 2-1.
The Blues were shorthanded for eight minutes in the third period, including a period of nearly six straight minutes as they attempted to overcome the loss of Pietrangelo and tie the game. They were unable to do so, giving up an empty netter late to drop Game 1 at home for the second straight series.
"He controls the game," said Blues captain David Backes. "He's our best defenseman and probably our best player so if you're missing that, you're missing a lot. But we have other guys that need to step up and take more responsibility and get the job done."
Of gaining a two-minute penalty while losing Pietrangelo for the remainder of the game and possibly longer, Backed added, "That's not a very good trade for us."
Some thought the hit deserved more than a two-minute penalty, but it appeared Pietrangelo lost his balance just as the hit occurred. Referees apparently missed a cut on his lip, which would have automatically resulted in a five-minute major.
"He got off the ice, there was no visible blood," said NHL supervisor of officiating Kay Whitmore. "If it was running down his forehead or his cheek, it's automatic. It's a major game-misconduct. In this instance, they didn't see it initially right away.
"It was a hit, he was in a vulnerable position, but they didn't deem it violent enough to call a major."
Pietrangelo was the fourth overall pick by the Blues in the 2008 draft. He made his NHL debut later that year at age 18, appearing in eight games and logging one point.
Just four years later he's evolved into one of the top defenseman in the league at 22 years old. He was fifth among all defenseman with 51 points in the regular season, which was also good for third most on the Blues.
He became the youngest player in club history to record back-to-back 40-point seasons and was the second defenseman in Blues history to have six game-winning goals and six power-play goals in the same season.
The 6-3 Pietrangelo logged an eye-popping 26:15 per game in the first round against San Jose. He had three assists in the first round and took the shot Saturday that was deflected by Backes for the Blues first goal of the night.
Safe to say the Blues would take a serious hit should the rising star not be able to play in Game 2 on Monday.
"He's obviously one of our best players and you can't replace him," said forward Andy McDonald. "We're going to need guys to step up and elevate their play. I don't know his condition but if he can't play next game, we have to find a way to replace him."
Added Hitchcock, "If he's not in, then somebody else gets to jump up. That's just the way it is in the playoffs. It's not a six-month season. It's a six-week season, so somebody will have to step up and elevate their game. That's what people do."
The Blues did a remarkable job overcoming injuries in the regular season, finishing just two points shy of the President's Trophy despite missing more than 300 man games due to injury.
Already trailing 1-0 in the best of seven series, the Blues' resolve might be put to the test yet again.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Azarenka, Sharapova Gain Stuttgart Final
Sunday will see the battle between WTA No. 1 and No. 2 in Stuttgart when Victoria Azarenka faces Maria Sharapova.
Azarenka took care of business against Agnieszka Radwanska, taking out the Pole 6-1, 6-3. It?s the fifth straight time this year that Azarenka has defeated Radwanska. After the match Radwanska said she was suffering from a back injury and would head home to Poland to heal.
?Clay is not my favorite surface, but playing against same player all the time isn?t really fun,? Radwanska said.
?Every time I play her I know I have to bring out my best ? in a kind of ironic way, she brings out the best in me when I play her, Azarenka said.
In the second semifinal Maria Sharapova stopped Petra Kvitova?s 27-match indoor win streak with a 6-4, 7-6(3) victory over the Czech. Kvitova was not without chances ? she was 1-11 on break point opportunities and head a set point in the second set which she failed to convert.
?I had a lot of chances ? it...
Azarenka took care of business against Agnieszka Radwanska, taking out the Pole 6-1, 6-3. It?s the fifth straight time this year that Azarenka has defeated Radwanska. After the match Radwanska said she was suffering from a back injury and would head home to Poland to heal.
?Clay is not my favorite surface, but playing against same player all the time isn?t really fun,? Radwanska said.
?Every time I play her I know I have to bring out my best ? in a kind of ironic way, she brings out the best in me when I play her, Azarenka said.
In the second semifinal Maria Sharapova stopped Petra Kvitova?s 27-match indoor win streak with a 6-4, 7-6(3) victory over the Czech. Kvitova was not without chances ? she was 1-11 on break point opportunities and head a set point in the second set which she failed to convert.
?I had a lot of chances ? it...
NHL Playoffs 2012: Does Any Team in the East Have a Chance to Beat the Rangers?
Heading into the second round of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, one would most likely assume that the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers would eventually meet in the third round, the Eastern Conference finals, as they are the two teams most favored in the East this postseason.
After the first games of both Eastern Conference semifinal matchups, it is clear that none of the three remaining teams—the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals—have the firepower or deep enough teams to overpower the New York Rangers.
The Rangers have to be the favorite in the Eastern Conference to represent the East in the 2012 Stanley Cup finals. They are the most complete team from their top line through to their sixth defenceman and backup goaltender.
Although it isn't always the most complete team that wins the Stanley Cup, and anything can happen in the NHL playoffs, on paper the New York Rangers appear to be the Stanley Cup favorite in the East.
With that being said, you can essentially knock the Washington Capitals off the list of potential teams who can beat the New York Rangers in a seven-game series and narrow it down to either the New Jersey Devils or Philadelphia Flyers.
The Flyers and Devils just closed out Game 1 of their series with the Flyers, winning it in overtime, 4-3. These two teams are pretty evenly balanced and the series could go either way.
A matchup between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers means another chapter in the Battle of the Hudson.
The Devils simply just don't have the depth to keep up with the Rangers. The Rangers' speed and defensive responsibility would kill the Devils.
Although the Devils have veteran presence throughout their lineup in the likes of Martin Brodeur, Patrick Elias and Petr Sykora, and added youth of an Adam Henrique and Stephen Gionta, they do not have enough to roll with all four of the Rangers lines.
Travis Zajac, Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk are formidable weapons, but the defensive core of the Rangers is too strong and with Henrik Lundqvist backstopping the team, he would get the better of Martin Brodeur in a seven-game series.
The Rangers, like the Devils, have a lot of scoring prowess and having three lines that can put the puck in the back of the net at any given time along with a defence that can jump up and provide offense would prove too much for the Devils to handle.
For the Philadelphia Flyers, the aspects of their game that could hurt them against the New York Rangers include their inexperience in their lineup by way of seven rookies, not enough depth on the back end and inconsistent goaltending in Ilya Bryzgalov.
Philadelphia's physical game, however, could be beneficial against the Rangers and provide them with an opportunity for victory. The Rangers' game is too complete for the Flyers to defeat them in a series, however, and if anything, King Henrik Lundqvist could steal the series for the Rangers.
The Rangers are also able to keep up in the physical aspect of the game and their shot-blocking ability would limit any second chances the Flyers had for goals.
The Rangers have shown they can win by just one goal several times, and this series would be no different.
The New York Rangers just have an answer to anything and everything any remaining teams in the East can throw at them. The opposition has a strong goalie, the Rangers have Henrik Lundqvist. The opposition has two of the top scorers in the postseason, the Rangers have blocked the most shots in the playoffs and have three scoring lines. The opposition loves the physical game, the Rangers do too.
At this point in time, it looks as though the New York Rangers are unbeatable on their run to the Stanley Cup finals. Sure, they are beatable in the sense that they could lose some games, but it doesn't appear as though they will be losing a series in the Eastern Conference playoffs right now.
John Bain is a Bleacher Report Featured Columnist
Follow John on Twitter: @JohnBainSports
Nadal tops Ferrer for 7th Barcelona title
Rafael Nadal became the first player in the Open Era to win two tournaments seven times after beating David Ferrer 7-6 (1), 7-5 in Sunday's Barcelona Open final.
The second-ranked Nadal's 21st straight victory on clay followed up his eighth straight win in Monte Carlo, as Nadal won the 10th all-Spanish ATP final for a 48th career win.
The sixth-ranked Ferrer lost his fourth Barcelona Open final to Nadal, who saved 12 of 15 break points for a 34th straight victory at Barcelona.
Nadal skipped toward the net in celebration after hitting a backhand winner on match point. The six-time French Open champion displayed his normal resilience and steady play to overcome Ferrer in a match marked by grinding rallies and spectacular shot making more reminiscent of a major final.
''This is the hardest match I had on clay court this season, David always takes you to the limit,'' Nadal told Spanish state TV. ''A bit of it was lottery, luck fell on my side today.''
With a warm sun bearing down, the players exchanged early breaks before settling into a slugfest of powerful groundstrokes with long rallies often won by magnificently struck winners to the line.
Neither player let a shot go unchallenged with the rhythm only disrupted in the fourth game when both players stopped as medical staff helped an unwell spectator out of the stands.
Nadal saved seven of eight break points in the first set, including five which were set points for Ferrer in the 12th game. He fired an ace to save the last before holding for the tiebreaker, and Ferrer's doublefault allowed Nadal to get ahead 4-1 as he took the first set in a grueling 93 minutes.
Ferrer saved a triple-break point but then handed Nadal a 3-1 second set lead when his forehand sailed long.
Nadal showed a dip in concentration on his next service game as he was forced to save a triple-break chance before netting on the fourth opportunity to let his opponent back in.
Ferrer converted another break point when Nadal double-faulted to lead 5-4, but then hit wide on serve to be broken after Nadal's incredible scramble had set up the break chance.
After serving to love to lead 6-5, Nadal's superb crosscourt forehand winner put him ahead as he broke Ferrer for the fourth time to pick up the ?300,000 ($400,000) winner's cheque in 2 hours, 41 minutes.
''Like always, Rafa,'' said Ferrer, who has three wins already this season. ''I've lost four times but four times against a great.''
Only Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have beaten Nadal in a clay court final.
The second-ranked Nadal's 21st straight victory on clay followed up his eighth straight win in Monte Carlo, as Nadal won the 10th all-Spanish ATP final for a 48th career win.
The sixth-ranked Ferrer lost his fourth Barcelona Open final to Nadal, who saved 12 of 15 break points for a 34th straight victory at Barcelona.
Nadal skipped toward the net in celebration after hitting a backhand winner on match point. The six-time French Open champion displayed his normal resilience and steady play to overcome Ferrer in a match marked by grinding rallies and spectacular shot making more reminiscent of a major final.
''This is the hardest match I had on clay court this season, David always takes you to the limit,'' Nadal told Spanish state TV. ''A bit of it was lottery, luck fell on my side today.''
With a warm sun bearing down, the players exchanged early breaks before settling into a slugfest of powerful groundstrokes with long rallies often won by magnificently struck winners to the line.
Neither player let a shot go unchallenged with the rhythm only disrupted in the fourth game when both players stopped as medical staff helped an unwell spectator out of the stands.
Nadal saved seven of eight break points in the first set, including five which were set points for Ferrer in the 12th game. He fired an ace to save the last before holding for the tiebreaker, and Ferrer's doublefault allowed Nadal to get ahead 4-1 as he took the first set in a grueling 93 minutes.
Ferrer saved a triple-break point but then handed Nadal a 3-1 second set lead when his forehand sailed long.
Nadal showed a dip in concentration on his next service game as he was forced to save a triple-break chance before netting on the fourth opportunity to let his opponent back in.
Ferrer converted another break point when Nadal double-faulted to lead 5-4, but then hit wide on serve to be broken after Nadal's incredible scramble had set up the break chance.
After serving to love to lead 6-5, Nadal's superb crosscourt forehand winner put him ahead as he broke Ferrer for the fourth time to pick up the ?300,000 ($400,000) winner's cheque in 2 hours, 41 minutes.
''Like always, Rafa,'' said Ferrer, who has three wins already this season. ''I've lost four times but four times against a great.''
Only Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have beaten Nadal in a clay court final.
NASCAR: Kyle Busch skates by Stewart, Wins at Richmond
Okay, so let?s fast forward to 15 laps to go. Tony Stewart, defending Series Champ, driver of the 14 Mobile 1 car, is leading the race. He?s just cruising along, making his way through lap-traffic, basically just having some fun and waiting for the checkers to drop. When we get down to�12 laps to go, the unbelievable happen?s to the 3-time champ Stewart. The caution flag iss waved. What for? Who knows. Well, supposedly it was for ?debris?. But whatever it was, it allowed Kyle Busch to catch up to the 14 and later pass him during�pit-stops.
The win was Kyle?s 4th straight in the April race at Richmond International Raceway. In 15 races at the track, Kyle owns twelve Top 5?s, and 4 victory?s.
Tony Stewart watched his 4th career win at Richmond slip right out of his moist fingertips, while �?Wild Thing? �took zero chances. Busch pulled away with 9 to go on the restart, locking up his fourth�consecutive�victory in the April r...
The win was Kyle?s 4th straight in the April race at Richmond International Raceway. In 15 races at the track, Kyle owns twelve Top 5?s, and 4 victory?s.
Tony Stewart watched his 4th career win at Richmond slip right out of his moist fingertips, while �?Wild Thing? �took zero chances. Busch pulled away with 9 to go on the restart, locking up his fourth�consecutive�victory in the April r...
Lewis leads Mobile Bay LPGA Classic
Stacy Lewis birdied five of her final nine holes for a 5-under 67 and a one-stroke lead Friday after the second round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic.
Lewis, the Kraft Nabisco winner last year, had three straight birdies and a two-stroke lead, but missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole en route to her first bogey of the week. She had a 9-under 135 total on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex.
Karin Sjodin tied the tournament course record with a 64 to finish a stroke back along with Lindsey Wright, So Yeon Ryu and rookie Sydnee Michaels. Ryu shot 67, Michaels 68, and Wright 69.
Lewis, the Kraft Nabisco winner last year, had three straight birdies and a two-stroke lead, but missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole en route to her first bogey of the week. She had a 9-under 135 total on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex.
Karin Sjodin tied the tournament course record with a 64 to finish a stroke back along with Lindsey Wright, So Yeon Ryu and rookie Sydnee Michaels. Ryu shot 67, Michaels 68, and Wright 69.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/golf/article_external/lewis_leads_mobile_bay_lpga_classic/10665413
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Philadelphia Phillies: Ryan Howard to Start His Rehab Journey
According to Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Ryan Howard is starting to get back into the swing of things both literally and figuratively.
The power-hitting first baseman has been cleared for baseball activities and will be heading to Florida on Sunday.
Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said that Howard will begin simply by fielding some ground balls and building up his strength.
"He probably won't start hitting for at least a few days because he wants to get his legs under him and doesn't want to get in any bad habits."
Nevertheless, this is an incredibly encouraging sign.
Last season, Howard hit 33 home runs and drove in 116 runs. Over the six complete seasons that he has played in the City of Brotherly Love, he has averaged almost 133 RBI a year.
Even though his batting average is not the greatest and he strikes out far too much, no one can deny that he's one of the best run producers in baseball today.
The Philadelphia Phillies have been struggling to produce any offense this season, so his return will be especially vital. In fact, only the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates had scored fewer runs than Philadelphia in all of Major League Baseball.
Howard is not expected to be back in Philadelphia for quite a while yet, and Amaro would not even commit to a timeline, but progress is definitely a good thing and a sign of encouragement for a team that is underachieving at the moment.
Whether you think I know everything or nothing about Major League Baseball, you should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook and keep in touch. I love hearing what you all have to say!
Barbeque In Daytona Beach With Tony Stewart And Ryan Newman One Lucky Race Fan Will be a VIP Guest of Stewart-Haas Racing and Aspen Dental at the July 7th Race in Daytona Beach
One race fan will enjoy the experience of a lifetime ? a chance to spend time with drivers Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman at a private barbeque ? courtesy of a partnership between Stewart-Haas Racing and Aspen Dental.� The lucky winner will receive a trip for him- or herself and five friends to the July 7 race in Daytona Beach, Fla. and enjoy an off-site barbeque the night before the race with the two drivers.
As a VIP guest, the winning fan will receive:
A visit from Tony and Ryan at an exclusive barbeque for the winner and guests on July 6, 2012
VIP Garage Credentials for the race in Daytona Beach, Fla. on July 7, 2012
Round-trip airfare
Two nights hotel accommodations
Ground transportation
Fans can read the official rules and enter to win at www.facebook.com/aspendental or www.aspendental.com between now and June 10.
Aspen Dental will be the primary sponsor of SHR's No. 39 Chevrolet with Newman at the July Sprint Cup race at Daytona (Fla.) Internati...
As a VIP guest, the winning fan will receive:
A visit from Tony and Ryan at an exclusive barbeque for the winner and guests on July 6, 2012
VIP Garage Credentials for the race in Daytona Beach, Fla. on July 7, 2012
Round-trip airfare
Two nights hotel accommodations
Ground transportation
Fans can read the official rules and enter to win at www.facebook.com/aspendental or www.aspendental.com between now and June 10.
Aspen Dental will be the primary sponsor of SHR's No. 39 Chevrolet with Newman at the July Sprint Cup race at Daytona (Fla.) Internati...
Twins' Baker coming to grips with surgery
MINNEAPOLIS Beforethe anesthesia kicked in, Scott Baker didn't know what he was about to endure.
Baker, Minnesota's best starting pitcher in 2011, went to see Dr. David Altchek in New York earlier this month to have his flexor pronator tendon in his right elbow repaired. But when Baker woke up from surgery, he had a new ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, thanks to Tommy John surgery.
Baker said Dr. Altchek told him there was a 20 percent chance that the UCL would need to be replaced. It wasn't until doctors opened up Baker's elbow that the extent of the damage was truly known.
"I knew there was a chance, but I guess you never think about it. I guess you think you're never that guy to have Tommy John until you have it," Baker said Friday, the first time he addressed the media since having the surgery. "There was no definitive tearing or detachment but he said what he performed was called a pickup. Basically you pick up a pair of tweezers and see how loose the ligament is. And he said it was a black and white issue to him that the ligament was too loose. It was not a good ligament. That's probably, in his opinion, the reason why the tendon was unable to recover."
When Baker woke up still groggy from the anesthesia, he was understandably emotional when he heard the news that he had Tommy John surgery instead of the less invasive surgery he was anticipating.
"Once it wore off and I kind of came to, I was in the right frame of mind and I talked to the doctor and he explained to me what was going on I was O.K. with it," Baker said. "I guess the way he made it sound was if we were to go into here and repair the tendon and we would not have repaired the ligament, you can't make any guarantees but he was fairly certain that the ligament would have gone shortly after."
Baker has had elbow issues throughout his career and again had the problem flare up during spring training this year. A season ago, he was placed on the disabled list numerous times with a right flexor strain.Despite the discomfort, Baker has tried to pitch through it. But no matter what he did, no matter how much time he took off, something just wasn't right with his elbow."I knew I wasn't crazy," Baker said. "I knew there was some speculation that maybe I was babying it or taking it easy, but good grief. I did everything I possibly could to get better and to try to pitch with it. But that just wasn't going to happen."
With the originally scheduled surgery that would have prepared his flexor pronator tendon, Baker would have missed six months, meaning his 2012 season was done before he ever threw a pitch. With Tommy John surgery, however, the rehab process can range from nine months to a year. Baker said he'll remain in the Twin Cities to do his rehab. But with how long the entire rehab process takes, it means there's a chance Baker won't be ready for the start of next season, either.Where he pitches next year remains an uncertainty. The Twins have a club option on Baker for 9 million next season, but it's unlikely the team will pick it up given Baker's recent surgery. The 2012 season would have been considered a contract year for Baker, but he'll instead enter the offseason without his fate in his own hands."As far as contract status, gosh, why worry about it? There's nothing I can do about it," said Baker, who has spent his entire seven-year career with Minnesota. "You obviously think about it. I like being here, I like playing for the Twins. I mean, there's no guarantee that I'll throw another pitch for the Twins, but it's kind of all I know.Follow Tyler Mason on Twitter.
Baker, Minnesota's best starting pitcher in 2011, went to see Dr. David Altchek in New York earlier this month to have his flexor pronator tendon in his right elbow repaired. But when Baker woke up from surgery, he had a new ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, thanks to Tommy John surgery.
Baker said Dr. Altchek told him there was a 20 percent chance that the UCL would need to be replaced. It wasn't until doctors opened up Baker's elbow that the extent of the damage was truly known.
"I knew there was a chance, but I guess you never think about it. I guess you think you're never that guy to have Tommy John until you have it," Baker said Friday, the first time he addressed the media since having the surgery. "There was no definitive tearing or detachment but he said what he performed was called a pickup. Basically you pick up a pair of tweezers and see how loose the ligament is. And he said it was a black and white issue to him that the ligament was too loose. It was not a good ligament. That's probably, in his opinion, the reason why the tendon was unable to recover."
When Baker woke up still groggy from the anesthesia, he was understandably emotional when he heard the news that he had Tommy John surgery instead of the less invasive surgery he was anticipating.
"Once it wore off and I kind of came to, I was in the right frame of mind and I talked to the doctor and he explained to me what was going on I was O.K. with it," Baker said. "I guess the way he made it sound was if we were to go into here and repair the tendon and we would not have repaired the ligament, you can't make any guarantees but he was fairly certain that the ligament would have gone shortly after."
Baker has had elbow issues throughout his career and again had the problem flare up during spring training this year. A season ago, he was placed on the disabled list numerous times with a right flexor strain.Despite the discomfort, Baker has tried to pitch through it. But no matter what he did, no matter how much time he took off, something just wasn't right with his elbow."I knew I wasn't crazy," Baker said. "I knew there was some speculation that maybe I was babying it or taking it easy, but good grief. I did everything I possibly could to get better and to try to pitch with it. But that just wasn't going to happen."
With the originally scheduled surgery that would have prepared his flexor pronator tendon, Baker would have missed six months, meaning his 2012 season was done before he ever threw a pitch. With Tommy John surgery, however, the rehab process can range from nine months to a year. Baker said he'll remain in the Twin Cities to do his rehab. But with how long the entire rehab process takes, it means there's a chance Baker won't be ready for the start of next season, either.Where he pitches next year remains an uncertainty. The Twins have a club option on Baker for 9 million next season, but it's unlikely the team will pick it up given Baker's recent surgery. The 2012 season would have been considered a contract year for Baker, but he'll instead enter the offseason without his fate in his own hands."As far as contract status, gosh, why worry about it? There's nothing I can do about it," said Baker, who has spent his entire seven-year career with Minnesota. "You obviously think about it. I like being here, I like playing for the Twins. I mean, there's no guarantee that I'll throw another pitch for the Twins, but it's kind of all I know.Follow Tyler Mason on Twitter.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/twins_baker_coming_to_grips_with_surgery/10665017
Creamer sticks with her tried and true
Every week on the LPGA tour, there are a handful of players who generate the same handful of questions. Different city (or country), same lingering storylines.
Paula Creamer came into the media center on Wednesday (despite not having a top-10 finish this year) at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic for two reasons:
1) She's Paula Creamer.
2) She won here in 2007.
Creamer was asked off the top to talk about her 2012 season, and she told the handful of reporters in the room that she's not satisfied. Actually, she has been frustrated since 2010, when she failed to follow up that impressive US Women's Open victory at Oakmont with another title. It marked the end of "Why haven't you won a major?" and the beginning of "Why haven't you won since?"
"I think about it every day," Creamer said. "I want to win too bad."
Creamer flew home from Hawaii, where she tied for 18th, and met with her coach, David Whelan, who has looked after her swing since she was 16. For the past few weeks, her team has talked about re-evaluating her goals. Creamer, 25, feels stagnant.
While most players on tour change their "surroundings" on a regular basis, Creamer has had the same team in place since she turned professional. Her caddie, coach, agent and confidants (her parents) remain her nucleus. Only her dog has changed.
"That's not the issue," said Creamer, who then quoted the old Indian-not-the-arrow adage. It's neither the people nor the equipment, she said.
Creamer often goes home to Orlando and puts the Odyssey 2-ball putter back in her hands. She won LPGA Q-School back in 2004 and at least three LPGA titles with that model. She has had a number of different putters during the past couple of years, most recently putting a TaylorMade Raylor Ghost in the bag last March in Phoenix. She's not interested in changing putters again, but she and Whelan are trying to go back to what worked as an amateur.
"I was getting so slow," Creamer said.
As doubts crept into her mind, Creamer let her routine slip out of control. Information overload. She has tried to quicken the pace and square up her putting stroke. She ranks 52nd in putts per green in regulation and 46th in birdies. Creamer has made 64 birdies in 2012; top-ranked Yani Tseng has 130.
"She's pushing me," Creamer said of Tseng, who isn't in the field this week at the RTJ Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove Crossings Course. "I work harder now than I ever have, and I think it's because I want (to be) where she's at."
Creamer's strength always has been her iron play. But that swing didn't translate to distance off the tee. Since last year, she has worked hard to try to hit the ball on the way up. When pulled off properly, she says, she gains 30 yards off the tee.
"When I don't, I'm back farther," she said.
Creamer's golf idol is Juli Inkster. Creamer wants a long, successful career, with Inkster-like results. Creamer has nine LPGA titles to date, and most would agree that's not enough. So she made changes to her swing, trying to make it tighter and stronger by using more big muscles, putting less pressure on a thumb that required surgery two years ago.
Perhaps this is the week the questions change. Creamer has loved Robert Trent Jones tracks since her junior days. She feels comfortable here.
"Nobody ever wants to have change, that's for sure," Creamer said. "But when it's good, it's really good."
Paula Creamer came into the media center on Wednesday (despite not having a top-10 finish this year) at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic for two reasons:
1) She's Paula Creamer.
2) She won here in 2007.
Creamer was asked off the top to talk about her 2012 season, and she told the handful of reporters in the room that she's not satisfied. Actually, she has been frustrated since 2010, when she failed to follow up that impressive US Women's Open victory at Oakmont with another title. It marked the end of "Why haven't you won a major?" and the beginning of "Why haven't you won since?"
"I think about it every day," Creamer said. "I want to win too bad."
Creamer flew home from Hawaii, where she tied for 18th, and met with her coach, David Whelan, who has looked after her swing since she was 16. For the past few weeks, her team has talked about re-evaluating her goals. Creamer, 25, feels stagnant.
While most players on tour change their "surroundings" on a regular basis, Creamer has had the same team in place since she turned professional. Her caddie, coach, agent and confidants (her parents) remain her nucleus. Only her dog has changed.
"That's not the issue," said Creamer, who then quoted the old Indian-not-the-arrow adage. It's neither the people nor the equipment, she said.
Creamer often goes home to Orlando and puts the Odyssey 2-ball putter back in her hands. She won LPGA Q-School back in 2004 and at least three LPGA titles with that model. She has had a number of different putters during the past couple of years, most recently putting a TaylorMade Raylor Ghost in the bag last March in Phoenix. She's not interested in changing putters again, but she and Whelan are trying to go back to what worked as an amateur.
"I was getting so slow," Creamer said.
As doubts crept into her mind, Creamer let her routine slip out of control. Information overload. She has tried to quicken the pace and square up her putting stroke. She ranks 52nd in putts per green in regulation and 46th in birdies. Creamer has made 64 birdies in 2012; top-ranked Yani Tseng has 130.
"She's pushing me," Creamer said of Tseng, who isn't in the field this week at the RTJ Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove Crossings Course. "I work harder now than I ever have, and I think it's because I want (to be) where she's at."
Creamer's strength always has been her iron play. But that swing didn't translate to distance off the tee. Since last year, she has worked hard to try to hit the ball on the way up. When pulled off properly, she says, she gains 30 yards off the tee.
"When I don't, I'm back farther," she said.
Creamer's golf idol is Juli Inkster. Creamer wants a long, successful career, with Inkster-like results. Creamer has nine LPGA titles to date, and most would agree that's not enough. So she made changes to her swing, trying to make it tighter and stronger by using more big muscles, putting less pressure on a thumb that required surgery two years ago.
Perhaps this is the week the questions change. Creamer has loved Robert Trent Jones tracks since her junior days. She feels comfortable here.
"Nobody ever wants to have change, that's for sure," Creamer said. "But when it's good, it's really good."
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/golf/article_external/creamer_sticks_with_her_tried_and_true/10643095
Dufner takes Zurich Classic lead
Jason Dufner positioned himself for yet another shot at his first PGA Tour title, shooting a 7-under 65 on Friday to take the second-round lead in the Zurich Classic.
Dufner, who lost a playoff for last year's PGA Championship and has three runner-up finishes in 163 winless starts on the PGA Tour, capped his bogey-free round with an eagle on the par-5 18th to reach 12 under at TPC Louisiana.
Russell Knox, John Rollins and Ken Duke were tied for second. Knox shot 64, Rollins 66, and Duke 68. Greg Chalmers also had a 64 to join Steve Stricker and Ernie Els at 10 under. Striker and Els shot 68.
Defending champion Bubba Watson had his second straight 71 to make the cut by a stroke in his first tournament since his playoff victory in the Masters.
Second-ranked Luke Donald was 6 under after a 65.
Dufner, who lost a playoff for last year's PGA Championship and has three runner-up finishes in 163 winless starts on the PGA Tour, capped his bogey-free round with an eagle on the par-5 18th to reach 12 under at TPC Louisiana.
Russell Knox, John Rollins and Ken Duke were tied for second. Knox shot 64, Rollins 66, and Duke 68. Greg Chalmers also had a 64 to join Steve Stricker and Ernie Els at 10 under. Striker and Els shot 68.
Defending champion Bubba Watson had his second straight 71 to make the cut by a stroke in his first tournament since his playoff victory in the Masters.
Second-ranked Luke Donald was 6 under after a 65.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/golf/article_external/dufner_takes_zurich_classic_lead/10665191
Friday, April 27, 2012
Kurt Busch to run Iowa Nationwide race
NASCAR Sprint Cup regular Kurt Busch will run the Nationwide race at Iowa Speedway on May 20.
Busch confirmed he'll race in Iowa for the first time. He will be the first Sprint Cup champion to run on Iowa's 0.875-mile oval.
Danica Patrick, Sam Hornish Jr., Austin Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won both Nationwide races at Iowa in 2011, are also slated for the race.
The May event will be the first of four Nationwide and Camping World Trucks series races in Iowa this season. The track will also host an IndyCar race in June.
Busch confirmed he'll race in Iowa for the first time. He will be the first Sprint Cup champion to run on Iowa's 0.875-mile oval.
Danica Patrick, Sam Hornish Jr., Austin Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won both Nationwide races at Iowa in 2011, are also slated for the race.
The May event will be the first of four Nationwide and Camping World Trucks series races in Iowa this season. The track will also host an IndyCar race in June.
UNC wanted to cut down nets at Duke
The Duke-North Carolina rivalry is the best rivalry in college basketball. No doubt about it. I'm not crazy about either one but you can't deny that fact. In the 2011-2012 season Duke beat the Tar Heels in a thriller in Chapel Hill. Carolina went down to Durham and returned the favor. After the game in Durham the rivalry nearly went into another stratosphere. Tar Heel players wanted to cut down the nets at Cameron Indoor Stadium. And coach Roy Williams nearly allowed it. During the Tar Heel Tour, which is a Carolina media blitz, Williams answered questions and brought up the issue of cutting down the nets. Williams called this past season “hard”. Despite the 32-6 record, Williams said the team never “had the chance to celebrate” aside from the victory over Duke to end the season. However, the team thought about cutting down the nets in Cameron Indoor Stadium, but Williams thought it “might cause a scene.” Cause a scene? It would've caused a riot. Although I probably would've taken great joy in seeing that happen. That would've been worse than the Ohio State football players tearing down the "Go Blue" banner before the Michigan game in 1973.
Dallas Cowboys Snatch Up Morris Claiborne in Shocking Trade
Dallas Cowboys Snatch Up Morris Claiborne in Shocking Trade
Jerry Jones loves his drama. And he just destroyed mock drafts all over the country.
People saw a number of trades coming, nobody saw this one coming. Dallas demonstrated that they were tired of people running and more to the point, throwing all over their defense.
Dallas saw the chance to improve their secondary and jumped at it. Claiborne is a quality draft pick and he has the possibility to shut down one side of the field.
But at the end of the day, I think this is going to be a trade the Cowboys regret. This is not to say that Claiborne will be a bust, but I don't expect there to be a significant difference between the two. And this trade could not have come cheap.
Safeties tend to cover more of the field. While Claiborne could possibly shut down one side of the field, Barron could affect all of it.
So enjoy the moment, Dallas. You've tricked us all. But once again, I think this turns out to be all fl...
Jerry Jones loves his drama. And he just destroyed mock drafts all over the country.
People saw a number of trades coming, nobody saw this one coming. Dallas demonstrated that they were tired of people running and more to the point, throwing all over their defense.
Dallas saw the chance to improve their secondary and jumped at it. Claiborne is a quality draft pick and he has the possibility to shut down one side of the field.
But at the end of the day, I think this is going to be a trade the Cowboys regret. This is not to say that Claiborne will be a bust, but I don't expect there to be a significant difference between the two. And this trade could not have come cheap.
Safeties tend to cover more of the field. While Claiborne could possibly shut down one side of the field, Barron could affect all of it.
So enjoy the moment, Dallas. You've tricked us all. But once again, I think this turns out to be all fl...
Roberto Luongo open to a trade
Trade rumors have swirled around Roberto Luongo for the bulk of the 2011-12 season. These rumors culminated in the playoffs when the Canucks opted to use goaltender Cory Schneider over Luongo as soon as the team found themselves in an 0-2 hole. This move all but assured a fact most fans have known for quite some time - Cory Schneider is the goalie of the future for Vancouver.
As the Canucks bowed out of the first round at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings, the question was asked - would Luongo waive his no-trade clause if he was asked to?
TSN.ca reports that Luongo would be willing to waive his clause if he was asked to do so. He was quoted as saying that he wants to do whatever is best for the team and if it means he would be dealt to a new team, so be it. Luongo said he knows Schneider will be an elite netminder for years to come and that he is clogging the path between the young netminder and stardom.
At age 33, Luongo recently completed just the second year of his mammoth 12...
As the Canucks bowed out of the first round at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings, the question was asked - would Luongo waive his no-trade clause if he was asked to?
TSN.ca reports that Luongo would be willing to waive his clause if he was asked to do so. He was quoted as saying that he wants to do whatever is best for the team and if it means he would be dealt to a new team, so be it. Luongo said he knows Schneider will be an elite netminder for years to come and that he is clogging the path between the young netminder and stardom.
At age 33, Luongo recently completed just the second year of his mammoth 12...
Rolen back in full swing after rough start
CINCINNATI If there is one thing a major-league baseball player seeks for himself, other than a big, juicy raise and a long-term contract, it consists of one word: consistency.
And Cincinnati Reds third baseman Scott Rolen is no different and, in fact, during the first three weeks of the season he has found it.
"I've been really very consistent," he said. "I've been consistently terrible."
When the Reds began their 18th game this week, Rolen was taking a bat to home plate for no apparent reason. His average was .175 and he had no home runs. And he said he felt as comfortable in the batter's box as a guy strapped into the electric chair.
On Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants, Rolen had a late-game two-run double during a 9-2 win to break a power outage longer than anything New York's electric supplier ever endured.
"I did not feel it coming around and it was a long road getting to that double," he said. "It wasn't fun getting to that double. But you go home 1 for 4 with two RBIs and you'll take that any time. You are driving in runs, but in the back of your mind while you are at home, you say, 'Can I repeat it tomorrow?' At that time, I knew I couldn't repeat that swing and that approach. I haven't been able to get into position to repeat that swing."
And, sure enough, when he took batting practice before Wednesday's game, "It was horrendous, just awful and I was thinking, 'How is this going to work again?' I just wasn't able to repeat swings, good swings."
His problems early may be the by-product of something he tried during spring training. And while it worked during spring training, he wasn't able to carry it into the season, "So I crap-canned it, tossed it all in the waste basket six weeks of work. I was asking more from my swing than I was able to produce for where I was physically."
After his frustrating batting practice session Wednesday, Rolen met with batting coach Brook Jacoby before the game and decided, "Just shorten things up. We made some adjustments," he said.
So Rolen came to bat in the seventh inning Wednesday night, his team gasping for life, trailing Barry Zito, 2-0. Rolen worked the count to 3-and-2, then drove his first home run of the season into the left field seats, torching a four-run inning that carried the Reds to a 4-2 victory.
Manager Dusty Baker gave him the Thursday afternoon off, but Rolen was part of a double switch late in the game and when he came to the plate he drove a 429-foot home run into the left field seats, a run that gave the Reds a three-run lead in the seventh inning. But closer Sean Marshall was crushed by a one-out 1-and-2 three-run home in the ninth by the Giants' Angel Pagan for a 6-5 San Francisco victory.
"I just simplified everything and from my first at-bat Wednesday I could feel a difference," he said. "I was seeing the ball better than I had, seeing it great. I felt things that I want to feel, especially with my hands. I was to the point where I wanted to get back to the plate instead of dreading it."
After his home run Wednesday, a television interviewer asked Rolen, "Was that like getting a monkey off your back?" Said Rolen, "He was trying to be nice because I've struggled so bad, and he tried to word it nicely with the TV camera on, so I said, 'No, no, no. It's not a monkey off my back. It's a career-saver.'"
Rolen is a 37-year-old veteran who has been through grinders before and survived, but they haven't occurred at the start of the season when the numbers are so glaringly awful.
"It isn't like in mid-season when you have a bad spell for 50 at-bats in August and your average drops from .290 at the end of July to .274," he said. "When you start slow at the beginning of the season, the numbers are ugly.
"It does bother you," said Rolen. "The numbers you see are a killer. They can help you or hurt you in arbitration and in contract negotiations."
Rolen, though, had a novel idea.
"I'd love to see what the game might look like without the statistics," he said. "Then the team's would have to decide without numbers and statistics, 'Who do we need, who are our best players?' That's not the real world because you are judged by numbers."
Rolen said he felt something like this during the 2004 playoffs when he was with St. Louis. He hit .310 during a seven-game League Championship Series against Houston, then went 0 for 15 in the World Series against Boston.
"I couldn't get a hit," he said. "You play for seven months and you bust your butt and you are swinging and swinging and swinging and all of a sudden you see zeros everywhere and you say, 'Whoa, wait a minute.'" During those seven months, Rolen hit .314 with 34 home runs and 124 RBIs.
So with the chalk talk with Jacoby and the home run, Rolen hopes he is Back to the Future, the start of his season is ancient history and his future is more like what he has been during his career consistent. Consistently good.
"If I can take strong swings, be balanced in the lower half of my body, I will take my chances," he said.
And Cincinnati Reds third baseman Scott Rolen is no different and, in fact, during the first three weeks of the season he has found it.
"I've been really very consistent," he said. "I've been consistently terrible."
When the Reds began their 18th game this week, Rolen was taking a bat to home plate for no apparent reason. His average was .175 and he had no home runs. And he said he felt as comfortable in the batter's box as a guy strapped into the electric chair.
On Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants, Rolen had a late-game two-run double during a 9-2 win to break a power outage longer than anything New York's electric supplier ever endured.
"I did not feel it coming around and it was a long road getting to that double," he said. "It wasn't fun getting to that double. But you go home 1 for 4 with two RBIs and you'll take that any time. You are driving in runs, but in the back of your mind while you are at home, you say, 'Can I repeat it tomorrow?' At that time, I knew I couldn't repeat that swing and that approach. I haven't been able to get into position to repeat that swing."
And, sure enough, when he took batting practice before Wednesday's game, "It was horrendous, just awful and I was thinking, 'How is this going to work again?' I just wasn't able to repeat swings, good swings."
His problems early may be the by-product of something he tried during spring training. And while it worked during spring training, he wasn't able to carry it into the season, "So I crap-canned it, tossed it all in the waste basket six weeks of work. I was asking more from my swing than I was able to produce for where I was physically."
After his frustrating batting practice session Wednesday, Rolen met with batting coach Brook Jacoby before the game and decided, "Just shorten things up. We made some adjustments," he said.
So Rolen came to bat in the seventh inning Wednesday night, his team gasping for life, trailing Barry Zito, 2-0. Rolen worked the count to 3-and-2, then drove his first home run of the season into the left field seats, torching a four-run inning that carried the Reds to a 4-2 victory.
Manager Dusty Baker gave him the Thursday afternoon off, but Rolen was part of a double switch late in the game and when he came to the plate he drove a 429-foot home run into the left field seats, a run that gave the Reds a three-run lead in the seventh inning. But closer Sean Marshall was crushed by a one-out 1-and-2 three-run home in the ninth by the Giants' Angel Pagan for a 6-5 San Francisco victory.
"I just simplified everything and from my first at-bat Wednesday I could feel a difference," he said. "I was seeing the ball better than I had, seeing it great. I felt things that I want to feel, especially with my hands. I was to the point where I wanted to get back to the plate instead of dreading it."
After his home run Wednesday, a television interviewer asked Rolen, "Was that like getting a monkey off your back?" Said Rolen, "He was trying to be nice because I've struggled so bad, and he tried to word it nicely with the TV camera on, so I said, 'No, no, no. It's not a monkey off my back. It's a career-saver.'"
Rolen is a 37-year-old veteran who has been through grinders before and survived, but they haven't occurred at the start of the season when the numbers are so glaringly awful.
"It isn't like in mid-season when you have a bad spell for 50 at-bats in August and your average drops from .290 at the end of July to .274," he said. "When you start slow at the beginning of the season, the numbers are ugly.
"It does bother you," said Rolen. "The numbers you see are a killer. They can help you or hurt you in arbitration and in contract negotiations."
Rolen, though, had a novel idea.
"I'd love to see what the game might look like without the statistics," he said. "Then the team's would have to decide without numbers and statistics, 'Who do we need, who are our best players?' That's not the real world because you are judged by numbers."
Rolen said he felt something like this during the 2004 playoffs when he was with St. Louis. He hit .310 during a seven-game League Championship Series against Houston, then went 0 for 15 in the World Series against Boston.
"I couldn't get a hit," he said. "You play for seven months and you bust your butt and you are swinging and swinging and swinging and all of a sudden you see zeros everywhere and you say, 'Whoa, wait a minute.'" During those seven months, Rolen hit .314 with 34 home runs and 124 RBIs.
So with the chalk talk with Jacoby and the home run, Rolen hopes he is Back to the Future, the start of his season is ancient history and his future is more like what he has been during his career consistent. Consistently good.
"If I can take strong swings, be balanced in the lower half of my body, I will take my chances," he said.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Kevin Durant`s Slam Leads Wednesday`s Top Ten Plays
 | Kevin Durant headlines the Top 10 when he posterizes JaVale McGee in the paint. Visit www.nba.com for more highlights. | From: NBA Views: 86697   545 ratings |
| Time: 02:30 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o14WTVGSQ84&feature=youtube_gdata
2012 NFL draft: Possible selections for the Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks have been busy during free agency including the resigning of Marshawn Lynch and addition of Matt Flynn. While it may be an open competition at the quarterback position it is Flynn?s job to lose. Seattle believes they may have found their quarterback of the future. The Seahawks draft number 12 during the
Kurt Busch to run Nationwide race in Iowa
NASCAR Sprint Cup regular Kurt Busch will run the Nationwide race at Iowa Speedway on May 20.
Busch confirmed he'll race in Iowa for the first time. He will be the first Sprint Cup champion to run on Iowa's 0.875-mile oval.
Danica Patrick, Sam Hornish Jr., Austin Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won both Nationwide races at Iowa in 2011, are also slated for the race.
The May event will be the first of four Nationwide and Camping World Trucks series races in Iowa this season. The track will also host an IndyCar race in June.
Busch confirmed he'll race in Iowa for the first time. He will be the first Sprint Cup champion to run on Iowa's 0.875-mile oval.
Danica Patrick, Sam Hornish Jr., Austin Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won both Nationwide races at Iowa in 2011, are also slated for the race.
The May event will be the first of four Nationwide and Camping World Trucks series races in Iowa this season. The track will also host an IndyCar race in June.
NBA Playoffs 2012: Stars Who Will Shine Brightest on the Biggest Stage
True NBA legends are made in the playoffs, and these guys will further cement their legend with sparkling postseason performances.
The three following players are stars for a reason, and they will prove it once again. For two of them, age has brought them close to their last chance at true domination.
The other has a few more years in the tank, but he is going to have a much harder time leading his team to a deep run to showcase his talents.
Kobe Bryant
The Black Mamba is nearing the end of his championship window. He knows it, and he is not going to go quietly into that good night.
Kobe has had a fantastic season. Sure, his shooting percentage is low, but with as big a burden that he has to carry on the offensive end, it is slightly more acceptable.
Compared to recent seasons, Bryant enters these playoffs as the picture of perfect health. His knee appears to have held up well, and the shin issues that caused him to miss a recent stretch of games is not only gone, but it gave him a nice little break just before the playoffs.
Kobe is going to come up big on offense and defense in these playoffs, and he gave us all a little taste of that in their big win against the Thunder last week.
Kobe struggled with his shot almost all game, and then he buried the Thunder in true Mamba-closing style. He also played great D on Russell Westbrook.
That is the Kobe we will see in the playoffs, only he won't struggle with his shot for three quarters every game.
Kevin Garnett
KG's days of domination are even closer to an end than Kobe's. But that will mean very little in the short window that is the playoffs.
The Celtics have had a nice late-season resurgence. At one point, they were in danger of not even making the playoffs.
They have turned things around, and KG is a big reason. He has shown flashes of the old KG, and he likes to do that in big games. In the Celtics' win over the Heat on April 10, Garnett had 24 points on 11-14 shooting in that contest. He also chipped in nine boards.
He has sat out the Celtics' last two games with hip issues, but that is likely a lot more precautionary than serious.
Garnett is just getting ready for one last hurrah.
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony is going to have an excellent playoffs, and he is going to have to if the Knicks want to last more than four games.
They are headed for a matchup with the Miami Heat in the first round, and what a first-round matchup that will be: Carmelo vs. LeBron.
This matchup has always brought out the best in Melo, and these playoffs will be no different.
He certainly won't be hurting for touches. The Knicks are going to have to rely heavily on his scoring to have a chance.
I honestly do not expect the Knicks to advance past the first round, but they will win a couple and make it interesting, and all along the way, Carmelo will be filling up the stat sheet.
2012 NFL Draft: Don't Be Surprised If Trent Richardson Plummets in the Draft
There is are two major ways of looking at drafting. Do you pick purely based on talent, regardless of position? Or do you pick based on team needs?
Trent Richardson is probably a top five prospect purely based on skills alone. I have no doubt that if he can stay healthy that he will be a great back in the NFL.
After the two quarterbacks come off the board, it is between him, Matt Kalil and Morris Claiborne for the best player available. I have a strong feeling that Claiborne and Kalil are going to go before Richardson.
The fact is that no matter how good he might be, Trent Richardson plays the most disposable position in all of football, the running back.
The reasons for this are numerous. First of all, running backs take a lot of abuse doing what they do. Secondly, most modern NFL teams are doing a running-back-by-committee program, where two or more rushers tote the rock. You can get the same production from two backs that you can get from one, and you can help keep both players healthy. Third, and most importantly, how long has it been since having a franchise running-back meant you were going to win a title?
Look at the last few Super Bowl winners. The Giants had two decent backs when they made their run, but it was Eli's offense. The Packers won the Super Bowl because Aaron Rodgers got hot. The Pack's running game was atrocious that year. Ditto for the 2009-2010 season champs, the Saints.
We're in a passing league now and on both sides of the ball, the most valuable players are the ones that contribute most to the passing game. There is the quarterback (obviously) the men who protect him (offensive lineman, specifically left tackle), men who go after the quarterback and men who try to disrupt the receivers (corners).
There is a lot to be impressed with as far as Richardson goes. Some GM out there will see him and think that they absolutely must have him. However, I don't know if that is necessarily a good thing for him.
He might hate to hear this, but Trent Richardson might have a better career if he ends up falling to a team with an established quarterback. Great running backs are no longer must haves in this league. They are just nice to have to help make your offense more rounded.
It might sound harsh, but I mean it with all my heart. I would rather take a top-two or three prospect in the cornerback, quarterback, tackle and defensive end positions over the top running-back prospect any day.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Kings to open next round of playoffs Saturday
The Kings will open their Western Conference semifinal playoff series against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday in St. Louis. Game 2 will follow Monday.
The Kings then head home for Game 3 and 4, which will be Thursday, May 3, and Sunday, May 6, respectively, at Staples Center.
Games 5 to 7 and game times for the entire series have not been announced and will not be until the entire first round of the playoffs end.
The other Western Conference semifinal, featuring Phoenix and Nashville, will open Friday at Phoenix. Game 2 will be Sunday at Phoenix, with the series moving to Nashville for Game 3 (Wednesday) and Game 4 (Friday, May 4).
--Houston Mitchell
The Kings then head home for Game 3 and 4, which will be Thursday, May 3, and Sunday, May 6, respectively, at Staples Center.
Games 5 to 7 and game times for the entire series have not been announced and will not be until the entire first round of the playoffs end.
The other Western Conference semifinal, featuring Phoenix and Nashville, will open Friday at Phoenix. Game 2 will be Sunday at Phoenix, with the series moving to Nashville for Game 3 (Wednesday) and Game 4 (Friday, May 4).
--Houston Mitchell
Coyotes, Predators to open on Friday
The Coyotes will open their Western Conference semifinal playoff series against the Nashville Predators on Friday night at Jobing.com Arena.
Game 2 will be Sunday, April 29, at Jobing.com, with Games 3 and 4 in Nashville on Wednesday, May 2, and Friday, May 4. Game times, the remainder of the schedule and television information will not be announced until after the conclusion of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs on Thursday night.
Game 2 will be Sunday, April 29, at Jobing.com, with Games 3 and 4 in Nashville on Wednesday, May 2, and Friday, May 4. Game times, the remainder of the schedule and television information will not be announced until after the conclusion of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs on Thursday night.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/coyotes_predators_to_open_on_friday/10643152
Paterno family turns down stadium name offer
The family of Joe Paterno turned down an offer from Penn State, which wanted to rename Beaver... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Champions League: Can Barcelona Rebound From 1-0 Deficit Against Chelsea?
Chelsea beat Barcelona 1-0 at home in the first leg. It?s not a result Barcelona can?t overturn, but not allowing an away goal could prove crucial.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Clemmensen Appears To Be Starting Tonight For Florida
from Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice, Former Devil Scott Clemmensen said he?s ?fully expecting? to get the start in net tonight for the Florida Panthers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Devils at Prudential Center.
Clemmensen said he was told Monday morning that there was a potential ?situation? with Jose Theodore, who posted a 30-save shutout in a 3-0 win in Game 5 Saturday, and to prepare to get the start.
?They told me to be ready over the past day or so,? Dineen said. ?Other than that we?re going to take it as it comes. I?m fully expecting to make the start tonight and that?s how it is. I?ll be ready, but I known it was a possibility for a day or so.?
Panthers coach Kevin Dineen, as has been his practice all series, would not confirm that Clemmensen will start and said it is still possible that Theodore will play.
continued
Clemmensen said he was told Monday morning that there was a potential ?situation? with Jose Theodore, who posted a 30-save shutout in a 3-0 win in Game 5 Saturday, and to prepare to get the start.
?They told me to be ready over the past day or so,? Dineen said. ?Other than that we?re going to take it as it comes. I?m fully expecting to make the start tonight and that?s how it is. I?ll be ready, but I known it was a possibility for a day or so.?
Panthers coach Kevin Dineen, as has been his practice all series, would not confirm that Clemmensen will start and said it is still possible that Theodore will play.
continued
Maradona threatens to leave Al Wasl after season
Diego Maradona has again threatened to leave Al Wasl after this season, saying he plans to meet with the club's chief executive next week and demand more money to buy players that would allow him to ''compete.''
Maradona, who took up the Al Wasl job in May on a two-year contract, said he has no other offers but felt that the club had broken promises to provide him with half a dozen players of his choosing. As a result, the club hasn't won any silverware and is likely to miss out on an Asian Champions League spot next season.
Sounding at times as if he had decided to leave, Maradona told reporters how he would be ''sad'' to leave Dubai and would someday return as a tourist. Should he quit, Maradona said he might spend his time helping care for his grandson Benjamin.
Maradona, who took up the Al Wasl job in May on a two-year contract, said he has no other offers but felt that the club had broken promises to provide him with half a dozen players of his choosing. As a result, the club hasn't won any silverware and is likely to miss out on an Asian Champions League spot next season.
Sounding at times as if he had decided to leave, Maradona told reporters how he would be ''sad'' to leave Dubai and would someday return as a tourist. Should he quit, Maradona said he might spend his time helping care for his grandson Benjamin.
Starace, Kubot, Bachinger win at Romanian event
Potito Starace of Italy defeated ninth-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France 6-3, 6-0 in the opening round of the Nastase Tiriac Trophy on Monday.
Seventh-seeded Lukasz Kubot of Poland saved nine of 10 break points in a 6-2, 6-3 win against Gabriel Moraru of Romania, and Matthias Bachinger of Germany served nine aces in rallying to beat Filippo Volandri of Italy 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Gilles Simon of France, the 2007 and 2008 winner, is the top-seeded player in the tournament. Defending champion Florian Mayer of Germany is seeded No. 2.
Seventh-seeded Lukasz Kubot of Poland saved nine of 10 break points in a 6-2, 6-3 win against Gabriel Moraru of Romania, and Matthias Bachinger of Germany served nine aces in rallying to beat Filippo Volandri of Italy 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Gilles Simon of France, the 2007 and 2008 winner, is the top-seeded player in the tournament. Defending champion Florian Mayer of Germany is seeded No. 2.
Paterno family turns down stadium name offer
The family of Joe Paterno turned down an offer from Penn State, which wanted to rename Beaver... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Monday, April 23, 2012
Watson spoke to Bieber, girlfriend after Masters win
During an interview with Jason Kennedy of E! News prior to Tim Tebow’s charity golf tournament last weekend, Masters champion Bubba Watson revealed that following his dramatic playoff victory on Easter Sunday, the only person he talked to on the phone was none other than tween pop sensation, Justin Bieber. For real. “Justin Bieber is [...]
Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron a Selke Trophy Finalist; Should He Win It?
If Patrice Bergeron is one of the top two runners-up for the 2012 Frank J. Selke Trophy, Boston Bruins fans can only hope he does not lose to a Detroit Red Wing whose candidacy is needlessly helped by past success.
Boston captain Zdeno Chara―or, more accurately, his apologists―ought to know that feeling. As one of three Norris Trophy nominees in 2010-11, Chara lost to Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom, who collected the seventh top defenseman laurel of his career.
This despite the fact that Chara had a career-high, league-best plus-33 rating, whereas Lidstrom finished with a negative rating (minus-two) for the first and only time in 20 NHL seasons.
Let’s be honest, Lidstrom only beat Chara and Nashville’s Shea Weber because he had the otherworldly resume and reputation. There was that and the fact that he had tallied 62 points, the second-most among all NHL blueliners that year.
Funny, this author thought the Norris was bestowed annually upon the top defenseman of the year. Kind of thought that, accordingly, the nominees and eventual winner should be judged, first and foremost, by how they did their day job in their own zone within that particular season.
If there is any justice, that will not happen again. Detroit pivot Pavel Datsyuk, who joined Bergeron and St. Louis Blues’ forward David Backes as this year’s Selke finalists on Monday, should not be rewarded just for winning it three times before.
Likewise, the fact that Datsyuk (67 points) exceeded both Bergeron (64) and Backes (54) in terms of offensive output should have little, if any, bearing on the final ballot.
Just a reminder that the Selke is supposed to go to the league’s best defensive forward. By definition, the topmost emphasis should be placed on a forward’s defensive performance in even-strength action and on the penalty kill.
In that regard, come June 20, the Selke should be welcoming a first-time recipient in either Bergeron or Backes. This should be a two-man footrace determined by their respective teams’ defensive campaigns and their individual influence.
St. Louis finished seventh in NHL penalty killing with an 85.8 percent success rate. Bergeron’s Bruins placed No. 11 under that column at 83.5 percent. Detroit was tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for No. 17, having survived 81.8 percent of their infractions.
Bergeron and Backes each had a hand in three shorthanded goals for their respective teams. Datsyuk had zero despite collecting more points overall than either of his fellow finalists.
Backes and Bergeron are leaned upon more when their defensive side is most critically needed, namely when their team is shorthanded.
Over the 2011-12 regular season, Datsyuk placed second among Red Wings forwards in total ice time per night at 19:34. But Darren Helm, Drew Miller, Danny Cleary and Justin Abdelkader all saw more action on the penalty kill. They each saw an average of anywhere from 12 to 64 additional seconds of shorthanded action per night.
Backes, who had a plus-15 rating on the year and is the most physical of the three finalists, averaged 19:59 total ice time per game to lead all St. Louis forwards. But his average shorthanded ice time was exceeded by two other Blues forwards in T.J. Oshie and one-time Bruin Vladimir Sobotka.
Bergeron led all Bruins forwards in penalty-killing time with an average of 1:48 minutes per game as well as total ice time with a nightly median of 18:34.
And he not only led the league with a plus-36 rating, but also helped sophomore linemates Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin finish in the 30-range. And he did that while dealing with the first-, second- and fourth-most potent strike forces from Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Ottawa, respectively, more often than Backes had to.
In terms of defensive forwards, Bergeron was plainly the most reliable on a team that finished sixth in the league with 2.43 goals-against per night. Backes was virtually the same on a Blues team that led the NHL with only 1.89 opposing strikes per game.
But are the Bruins and Blues this defensively stingy because of Bergeron and Backes, respectively, or is it the other way around?
Well, Boston finished first or second in team defense each of the previous three seasons after Bergeron came back from his 2007-08 concussion. Backes stood alone last year with a plus-32 rating on a non-playoff team that finished in a tie for No. 17 and then helped them improve to regal status, downturn to plus-15 aside.
Safe to say that, in both cases, the team owes its success a little more to the individual than vice versa. Although, Backes’ defensive transcript grew less radiant this year even while the team has grown collectively stingier.
In the 2011-12 regular season, Oshie tied Backes’ plus-15 rating, while fellow Blues forwards David Perron and Alexander Steen eclipsed him at plus-19 and plus-24, respectively.
Assuming Datsyuk is this year’s decisive third-rate Selke candidate, as he should be, the size of the fish in Boston and St. Louis’ ponds could be the tiebreaker.
Bergeron is not only this year’s plus/minus leader among all NHL skaters, but of the three finalists, he is the only one to lead all forwards on his team in that category. Even while Boston finished behind St. Louis in even-strength and shorthanded defense, Bergeron is arguably owed a greater percentage of credit for his club’s success than Backes.
Rooney's father cleared after betting scam probe
The father of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will face no further action following his arrest as part of an investigation into betting irregularities.
Rooney's father was arrested with eight other men in October last year on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud after a police investigation into suspicious betting patterns at a Scottish Premier League match.
His solicitor, Anthony Barnfather, says in a statement released Monday that his client ''has always vigorously denied the allegations and maintained his innocence throughout the investigation.''
Richie Rooney, the England striker's uncle, was also arrested as part of the investigation, which focuses on Motherwell's home match against Hearts at Fir Park on Dec. 14.
Rooney's father was arrested with eight other men in October last year on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud after a police investigation into suspicious betting patterns at a Scottish Premier League match.
His solicitor, Anthony Barnfather, says in a statement released Monday that his client ''has always vigorously denied the allegations and maintained his innocence throughout the investigation.''
Richie Rooney, the England striker's uncle, was also arrested as part of the investigation, which focuses on Motherwell's home match against Hearts at Fir Park on Dec. 14.
Miley to start in place of Hudson against Philly
For a pair of teams struggling offensively, facing Cliff Lee and Daniel Hudson wasn't a best-case scenario.
It's entirely possible they'll have better luck against Kyle Kendrick and Wade Miley.
With the original scheduled starters on the disabled list, the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks hope to get their respective offenses in gear Monday night at Chase Field in the opener of a three-game set.
This game was supposed to feature an intriguing pitching matchup between Lee and Hudson, who combined for 33 wins last season. However, both starters were placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday. Lee has a strained left oblique and Hudson a right shoulder impingement.
Kendrick (0-0, 1.93 ERA) will take Lee's place for Philadelphia (7-9), while Miley (1-0, 3.12) gets the nod for Arizona (8-8). Both will be making their first starts of the season after working exclusively out of the bullpen.
"I feel comfortable with Kendrick," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told his team's official website.
Neither Kendrick nor Hudson will have to worry about facing a hot offense. The Phillies - still missing Ryan Howard and Chase Utley - rank near the bottom of the NL in runs scored (43), batting average (.239) and homers (7) and have totaled 10 runs while losing four of six.
Philadelphia is 8 for 51 (.157) with runners in scoring position over the last six games.
"We have to stay strong within and keep pushing, keep attacking and keep believing that we are going to hit better than we are hitting," said Hunter Pence, hitless in his last 15 at-bats.
Manuel's club won the first two games of its series in San Diego but was held to one run in each of the final two, both losses. The Phillies didn't help themselves by making a season-high three errors in Sunday's 6-1 defeat after beginning the day with the fewest errors (6) and best fielding percentage (.990) in the league.
"The last two nights were just bad games," Manuel said. "(Sunday), it got a little bit sloppier. It's been a while since we played this bad. I look at it like this is a test. It's a test for the coaching staff, the manager and the players. I see guys who are trying too hard. They just need to relax and play like we can."
Arizona's offense has been better than Philadelphia's, just not by much lately.
Helped by Gerardo Parra's grand slam, the Diamondbacks ended a five-game skid with Sunday's 6-4 win over Atlanta and scored more than two runs for the first time in five games.
"This feels pretty good," manager Kirk Gibson said. "It makes you smile. It's been a while since we've shaken hands after a game."
Arizona has batted .197 over its last five contests.
Kendrick went 5-4 with a 3.14 ERA in 15 starts last season - none against Arizona. He made his most recent appearance at San Francisco on Tuesday, tossing two scoreless innings in a 4-2 loss.
The right-hander has no record and a 4.56 ERA in five career appearances - four starts - against the Diamondbacks.
Arizona catcher Miguel Montero is 4 for 6 with a homer and a double off Kendrick.
Miley pitched seven scoreless innings in his first two appearances, but was tagged for three runs and five hits over 1 2-3 innings Thursday in a 10-2 loss to the Braves.
The left-hander went 4-2 with a 4.15 ERA in seven starts last season, winning his only two decisions at Chase Field.
Miley has never faced the Phillies.
It's entirely possible they'll have better luck against Kyle Kendrick and Wade Miley.
With the original scheduled starters on the disabled list, the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks hope to get their respective offenses in gear Monday night at Chase Field in the opener of a three-game set.
This game was supposed to feature an intriguing pitching matchup between Lee and Hudson, who combined for 33 wins last season. However, both starters were placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday. Lee has a strained left oblique and Hudson a right shoulder impingement.
Kendrick (0-0, 1.93 ERA) will take Lee's place for Philadelphia (7-9), while Miley (1-0, 3.12) gets the nod for Arizona (8-8). Both will be making their first starts of the season after working exclusively out of the bullpen.
"I feel comfortable with Kendrick," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told his team's official website.
Neither Kendrick nor Hudson will have to worry about facing a hot offense. The Phillies - still missing Ryan Howard and Chase Utley - rank near the bottom of the NL in runs scored (43), batting average (.239) and homers (7) and have totaled 10 runs while losing four of six.
Philadelphia is 8 for 51 (.157) with runners in scoring position over the last six games.
"We have to stay strong within and keep pushing, keep attacking and keep believing that we are going to hit better than we are hitting," said Hunter Pence, hitless in his last 15 at-bats.
Manuel's club won the first two games of its series in San Diego but was held to one run in each of the final two, both losses. The Phillies didn't help themselves by making a season-high three errors in Sunday's 6-1 defeat after beginning the day with the fewest errors (6) and best fielding percentage (.990) in the league.
"The last two nights were just bad games," Manuel said. "(Sunday), it got a little bit sloppier. It's been a while since we played this bad. I look at it like this is a test. It's a test for the coaching staff, the manager and the players. I see guys who are trying too hard. They just need to relax and play like we can."
Arizona's offense has been better than Philadelphia's, just not by much lately.
Helped by Gerardo Parra's grand slam, the Diamondbacks ended a five-game skid with Sunday's 6-4 win over Atlanta and scored more than two runs for the first time in five games.
"This feels pretty good," manager Kirk Gibson said. "It makes you smile. It's been a while since we've shaken hands after a game."
Arizona has batted .197 over its last five contests.
Kendrick went 5-4 with a 3.14 ERA in 15 starts last season - none against Arizona. He made his most recent appearance at San Francisco on Tuesday, tossing two scoreless innings in a 4-2 loss.
The right-hander has no record and a 4.56 ERA in five career appearances - four starts - against the Diamondbacks.
Arizona catcher Miguel Montero is 4 for 6 with a homer and a double off Kendrick.
Miley pitched seven scoreless innings in his first two appearances, but was tagged for three runs and five hits over 1 2-3 innings Thursday in a 10-2 loss to the Braves.
The left-hander went 4-2 with a 4.15 ERA in seven starts last season, winning his only two decisions at Chase Field.
Miley has never faced the Phillies.
Bubba Watson Shows Off Green Jacket For Infant Son
Bubba Watson has had quite the past month or so. In addition to winning his first major championship at the Masters, he & his wife also adopted a baby boy, Caleb. Tonight, Bubba tweeted some pictures if a tiny green jacket made for his son. He later confirmed that it was a gift from an [...]
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Brandon Weeden Goes Hunting on Sports Science
Shooting clay pigeons is usually reserved for those hunting enthusiasts who'd like to work on improving their accuracy. Who says an NFL quarterback prospect can't benefit from the same thing?
Former Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden gave it a try attempting to knock out a few clay pigeons which were moving through air at about 43 MPH. They also happen to be a bit smaller than your average NFL wide receiver.
Weeden tweeted that it took him seven tries before he hit his first one, but after he got warmed up, he hit 4 out of 5 at one point?
Former Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden gave it a try attempting to knock out a few clay pigeons which were moving through air at about 43 MPH. They also happen to be a bit smaller than your average NFL wide receiver.
Weeden tweeted that it took him seven tries before he hit his first one, but after he got warmed up, he hit 4 out of 5 at one point?
Los Angeles Lakers: Does Metta World Peace Deserve the Chance to Play?
Today is the 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day here in the States, and it is also the day that Metta World Peace relapsed and transformed himself back into the Ron Artest that we all hated so very much.
Instead of maintaining his one step forward-type process, World Peace took 100 steps backward, and with his infamous past, this incident isn't going to blow over easy.
Just before the half, World Peace had Euro-stepped his way past multiple Thunder defenders and ended with a vintage Artest left-handed dunk that not only left Laker fans stunned, but World Peace himself. As he pounded his chest, acting like a gorilla during mating season, he caught James Harden with an ill-advised elbow that could have caused an earthquake. Ironically, we saw the good vintage Artest with the dunk, and at the same time, we saw the bad side of the vintage Artest as he nailed Harden with that elbow.
It was as if we could all hear, "Down goes Harden! Down goes Harden!"
After watching the replay in slow-mo one too many times, it became obvious that Artest, I mean World Peace, had purposely hit Harden with his elbow. With the reputation that World Peace has, it was clear to the referees and everyone that had seen the play that an ejection was in order, and with the severity of the situation, it wouldn't be a surprise if we don't see World Peace for the remainder of the regular season heading into the playoffs.
As World Peace headed to the locker room, hopefully comprehending what he had just done not only to himself, but to the playoff hopes of his teammates, one question came to mind.
Does Metta World Peace deserve to play for the remainder of the season/playoffs?
The man has come so far, and to see him break down in a matter of seconds was not easy to see. But optimism won't be of any help today or tomorrow. World Peace was way out of line, and when a player's safety comes into play, no player should be allowed to play in a sport that has done nothing but give him more chances.
As the buzzer went off to start the second half, everyone's eyes were on James Harden. Lisa Salters calmly came out and reported that he was good to go and that he had passed all baseline tests for a concussion. This sounded great and all at the moment, but it all became irrelevant once Harden headed back into the locker room after experiencing a headache early in the third quarter.
But why did World Peace lose control of actions right now? The Lakers had been playing solid in the later portions of the season, and this was strongly due to the fact that World Peace had been playing like his old self as of late. Now the momentum has come to a halt, and so has the Lakers' chance to compete for another title.
World Peace is in an unwinnable situation, and he would need more than a miracle to come back and play in the playoffs. Even if World Peace comes back in time for the playoffs, the Lakers would have a tough time competing even in the first round without World Peace's defensive presence and solid outside shooting that he has showcased in recent games. There is no guarantee, especially with World Peace in an unstable mental state, that he will play the way he has in this stretch of good play and that will be the biggest concern heading forward.
We all remember how hard it was for Ron Artest to climb the Palace of Auburn Hills; just imagine how hard it will be for Metta World Peace to reach the top of Beverly Hills. It is a confusing situation for all involved, and all we can do is just wait and see if we will see Ron Artest in these coming weeks or if we will see the Metta World Peace we all love to root for.
This situation will go based on what World Peace decides to do. Hopefully, it will at least be sensible.
Arkansas hints at naming in-house interim coach
Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long is leaning toward naming someone on the current Arkansas Razorbacks staff as an interim coach very soon.
“I'm hoping to make this decision in days rather than weeks at this point,” Long said.
Long fired head coach Bobby Petrino on Apr. 10, after Petrino hired his ex-mistress to work for him and gave her $20,000 to buy a car. That much needed firing created a cloud of uncertainty over who would lead one of the best college football programs in the country.
“I'm hoping to make this decision in days rather than weeks at this point,” Long said.
Long fired head coach Bobby Petrino on Apr. 10, after Petrino hired his ex-mistress to work for him and gave her $20,000 to buy a car. That much needed firing created a cloud of uncertainty over who would lead one of the best college football programs in the country.
Patriots host RBs Joseph Addai, Tim Hightower and Ryan Grant
The Patriots have been quite busy in the past few days, bringing in three free agent running backs in for visits.
Former Colt Joseph Addai is going on his seventh season. However, his last two have been hampered by various injuries, only playing in 20 games in that span.
Tim Hightower suffered a torn ACL last October while playing with the Washington Redskins.
Former Colt Joseph Addai is going on his seventh season. However, his last two have been hampered by various injuries, only playing in 20 games in that span.
Tim Hightower suffered a torn ACL last October while playing with the Washington Redskins.
Joe Johnson Drops 30 On the Celtics
 | Joe Johnson scores 30 points, dishes six dimes and grabs five boards in the Hawks 97-92 win over the Celtics. Visit www.nba.com for more highlights. | From: NBA Views: 10306  110 ratings |
| Time: 00:33 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lck6Xl1SH6g&feature=youtube_gdata
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Fleury the difference for Pens in Game 5
The Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury had a career-best season with 42 wins, just one shy of most in the NHL. He's the owner of a Stanley Cup ring, robbing the Detroit Red Wings in the final seconds of Game 7 in 2009 to preserve his team's place in hockey history.
Outside of Pittsburgh, however, the 27-year-old who is nicknamed "Flower" doesn't often get mentioned among the NHL's elite netminders. And, in the first few games of this first-round playoff series between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, he didn't particularly look like one.
But things started to change for Fleury Wednesday in Philadelphia, when he showed signs of regaining his confidence as the Penguins romped to a 10-3 win to stave off elimination in Game 4. And, back home in Pittsburgh for Friday's Game 5, he was the difference between the Penguins starting an early, disappointing offseason and living to fight another day.
On the backs of Fleury and a gritty, energetic third line centered by Jordan Staal, the Penguins pulled out a second consecutive win, edging the Flyers 3-2 and sending the series back east for Game 6 Sunday.
Both of Philadelphia's goals came in the first period on its lethal power play, which has now racked up 11 goals in the series. But Pittsburgh held the Flyers without an even-strength goal for the second consecutive game, and the Penguins' penalty kill came through when it mattered most - in the second and third periods as they held that slender, one-goal lead.
And their best penalty killer was the man between the pipes, who turned aside 24 of the 26 shots he faced, including 14 in a third period where the ice was largely tilted in the Flyers' favor. Seven of those stops came on a Flyers power play at 7:37 of the final frame that might have been the turning point of the game.
"He was on, and he made some huge ones," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. "It's this time of year when you need those, and he came up big for us."
"Flower played an unbelievable game," Staal said. "Our bench has always been confident in him, and he came up with a huge effort for our team. He was on the ball, you could tell right away, and it's a good feeling when you have a guy with that talent backing you up. It makes you feel you can play a lot more confident."
Staal is playing with plenty of confidence. With a goal in Game 5, he now has six in the playoffs to lead the NHL. His line also combined on what proved to be the game-winning goal, with Staal and Matt Cooke setting up Tyler Kennedy's second-period blast.
"A big goal for us; the old boy knows how to shoot," Staal said. "That's what you need in the playoffs; you need the whole team. As cliche as it sounds, you need everyone on board and playing their best if you want to win. A lot of guys in the last few games have really stepped up for our team."
The 3-2 final was the lowest score so far in a series that set an NHL record with 45 combined goals through its first four games. And, in the waning minutes of the contest, the Penguins transitioned into their most defensive-minded posture yet, protecting the one-goal lead by keeping things simple and chipping pucks out of danger.
"I think, in the first few games, we've been playing to try to outscore the other team," Staal said. "[Tonight] we knew we were up and were just trying to play as solid of a game as we could. I don't think we went back into a [defensive] shell, but we were definitely more aware of their speed."
The Penguins think they can do an even better job of taking the burden off of their defense and goaltender, as Game 5 saw the Flyers get plenty of sustained offensive pressure in the final 10 minutes as they tried frantically to tie it up.
"I think we're at our best when we're attacking," said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette. "We'd like to play all 60 minutes like that, but sometimes the opponent dictates [that] as well."
"[In Games] 1, 2 and 3, we had spurts when we were playing well, but it wasn't 60 minutes," Cooke said. "I don't think tonight was 60 minutes; I think we can push a little harder. They pushed hard the last 10 minutes, and we need to push back a little to play in the offensive zone and not spend so much time in their end."
Because they started the series by putting themselves in an 0-3 hole, the Penguins continue to face elimination in every game. Given that, they said, they can't afford to think about whether the momentum has started to shift in their favor.
"We're in the same situation going to Philadelphia," Crosby said. "Our story doesn't change; it's still desperation mode."
"It's still do or die for us," Staal said. "It's our mentality of playing it one game at a time, just five minutes at a time. Just keep chipping away."
With Fleury returning to form, they've got a better chance of doing just that.
"He won them the game," the Flyers' Scott Hartnell said. "Plain and simple."
Outside of Pittsburgh, however, the 27-year-old who is nicknamed "Flower" doesn't often get mentioned among the NHL's elite netminders. And, in the first few games of this first-round playoff series between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, he didn't particularly look like one.
But things started to change for Fleury Wednesday in Philadelphia, when he showed signs of regaining his confidence as the Penguins romped to a 10-3 win to stave off elimination in Game 4. And, back home in Pittsburgh for Friday's Game 5, he was the difference between the Penguins starting an early, disappointing offseason and living to fight another day.
On the backs of Fleury and a gritty, energetic third line centered by Jordan Staal, the Penguins pulled out a second consecutive win, edging the Flyers 3-2 and sending the series back east for Game 6 Sunday.
Both of Philadelphia's goals came in the first period on its lethal power play, which has now racked up 11 goals in the series. But Pittsburgh held the Flyers without an even-strength goal for the second consecutive game, and the Penguins' penalty kill came through when it mattered most - in the second and third periods as they held that slender, one-goal lead.
And their best penalty killer was the man between the pipes, who turned aside 24 of the 26 shots he faced, including 14 in a third period where the ice was largely tilted in the Flyers' favor. Seven of those stops came on a Flyers power play at 7:37 of the final frame that might have been the turning point of the game.
"He was on, and he made some huge ones," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. "It's this time of year when you need those, and he came up big for us."
"Flower played an unbelievable game," Staal said. "Our bench has always been confident in him, and he came up with a huge effort for our team. He was on the ball, you could tell right away, and it's a good feeling when you have a guy with that talent backing you up. It makes you feel you can play a lot more confident."
Staal is playing with plenty of confidence. With a goal in Game 5, he now has six in the playoffs to lead the NHL. His line also combined on what proved to be the game-winning goal, with Staal and Matt Cooke setting up Tyler Kennedy's second-period blast.
"A big goal for us; the old boy knows how to shoot," Staal said. "That's what you need in the playoffs; you need the whole team. As cliche as it sounds, you need everyone on board and playing their best if you want to win. A lot of guys in the last few games have really stepped up for our team."
The 3-2 final was the lowest score so far in a series that set an NHL record with 45 combined goals through its first four games. And, in the waning minutes of the contest, the Penguins transitioned into their most defensive-minded posture yet, protecting the one-goal lead by keeping things simple and chipping pucks out of danger.
"I think, in the first few games, we've been playing to try to outscore the other team," Staal said. "[Tonight] we knew we were up and were just trying to play as solid of a game as we could. I don't think we went back into a [defensive] shell, but we were definitely more aware of their speed."
The Penguins think they can do an even better job of taking the burden off of their defense and goaltender, as Game 5 saw the Flyers get plenty of sustained offensive pressure in the final 10 minutes as they tried frantically to tie it up.
"I think we're at our best when we're attacking," said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette. "We'd like to play all 60 minutes like that, but sometimes the opponent dictates [that] as well."
"[In Games] 1, 2 and 3, we had spurts when we were playing well, but it wasn't 60 minutes," Cooke said. "I don't think tonight was 60 minutes; I think we can push a little harder. They pushed hard the last 10 minutes, and we need to push back a little to play in the offensive zone and not spend so much time in their end."
Because they started the series by putting themselves in an 0-3 hole, the Penguins continue to face elimination in every game. Given that, they said, they can't afford to think about whether the momentum has started to shift in their favor.
"We're in the same situation going to Philadelphia," Crosby said. "Our story doesn't change; it's still desperation mode."
"It's still do or die for us," Staal said. "It's our mentality of playing it one game at a time, just five minutes at a time. Just keep chipping away."
With Fleury returning to form, they've got a better chance of doing just that.
"He won them the game," the Flyers' Scott Hartnell said. "Plain and simple."
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/fleury_the_difference_for_pens_in_game_5/10607932
Shoulder issue lands D-backs' Hudson on DL
The Diamondbacks, already playing without star outfielders Justin Upton and Chris Young, announced Saturday that right-hander Daniel Hudson has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with an "impingement" in his pitching shoulder. The move was made retroactive to Thursday, when Hudson made his last start.
The D-backs recalled right-hander Jonathan Albaladejo from Triple-A Reno to take Hudson's spot on the roster. Albaladejo, 29, was 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and seven strikeouts in eight relief appearances with Reno. He limited opponents to an .087 average (2 for 23).
The 6-foot-5 right-hander spent the entire 2011 season with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League, going 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA and two saves in 46 games. Albaladejo is 6-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 63 career MLB relief appearances with the Nationals (2007) and Yankees (2008-10).
Hudson, 25, is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts this year. He was hit hard in a loss in Colorado last week before bouncing back on Thursday at home against the Pirates, allowing two runs on six hits in 7 23 innings but taking the loss. He made no mention of shoulder pain after that start or any of his previous outings this year, including during a strong spring training.
Hudson will be eligible to come off the DL on May 4.
The D-backs recalled right-hander Jonathan Albaladejo from Triple-A Reno to take Hudson's spot on the roster. Albaladejo, 29, was 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and seven strikeouts in eight relief appearances with Reno. He limited opponents to an .087 average (2 for 23).
The 6-foot-5 right-hander spent the entire 2011 season with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League, going 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA and two saves in 46 games. Albaladejo is 6-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 63 career MLB relief appearances with the Nationals (2007) and Yankees (2008-10).
Hudson, 25, is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts this year. He was hit hard in a loss in Colorado last week before bouncing back on Thursday at home against the Pirates, allowing two runs on six hits in 7 23 innings but taking the loss. He made no mention of shoulder pain after that start or any of his previous outings this year, including during a strong spring training.
Hudson will be eligible to come off the DL on May 4.
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