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Friday, February 24, 2012
Video: Pat Knight rips seniors during presser
I want a show of hands of who knew Pat Knight was the men's basketball coach at Lamar before reading the title. Knight, the son of legendary Indiana University coach and current ESPN analyst Bobby Knight, hasn't fallen far from the tree and I don't say that because he adores sweaters. He's a jerk. Don't get me wrong, father Bobby was one of the best coaches ever to walk a hardwood sideline. But, son Pat is nowhere close. After four-plus years at Texas Tech and 25 games this season at Lamar, he holds a 66-70 overal record as a head coach. That alone should give him no barring to spout off about his current seniors the way he did tonight after a loss to Stephen F. Austin.One of Knight’s players was addressing the media when Knight pulled the plug on the interview by telling the player, “Alright, let’s go. You don’t have a clue about what it takes to win. Let’s go.” And then he took over - ripping his seniors on everything f...
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Darvish drawing attention to other Rangers
SURPRISE, Ariz. Ryan Strausborger got to join a growing group of Texas Rangers gaining newfound fame Thursday afternoon.
Strausborger, who played in Class A in 2011, spoke to an overflow crowd of reporters after Thursday's workout of the Texas Rangers. His name will appear in papers in Japan and he'll likely be on highlight clips in two countries the United States and Japan.
The reason for his newfound fame? He was the first Texas hitter to face Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish. On the first day of workouts for pitchers and catchers, Strausborger put one ball in play fair, hitting a weak grounder to shortstop off the end of his bat.
In the new world of media surrounding the Texas Rangers, Strausborger's day got him a press conference alongside superstar prospect Jurickson Profar, who also got into the cage against Darvish but didn't swing at a pitch. They joined a growing crowd of Texas personnel who have been swept up in Yu-mania.
"I was excited to hear I was facing him and the first one out there," said Strausborger, who hit .270 at Myrtle Beach in 2011. "It was definitely a pretty good experience seeing somebody who's coming over here. He's the big talk right now and it's good to see a good arm and somebody with all the movement he has."
Also drawing a press conference for their association with Darvish Thursday were pitching coach Mike Maddux, who took questions alongside Triple A pitching coach Terry Clark. Clark was on the field when Darvish threw batting practice.
Texas catcher Mike Napoli, who caught Darvish in his bullpen session and well as batting practice, also talked about the day. His press conference came with Derek Holland, who warmed up with Darvish. Both pitcher Justin Miller and catcher Luis Martinez have also been the subject of several interviews. Miller's claim to fame is he has a locker next to Darvish in the Texas clubhouse. Martinez caught Darvish in the bullpen Tuesday.
The attention the club has received in the wake of the Darvish signing was expected. The postseason runs the last two years have also helped the Rangers deal with the added spotlight.
"It's a little postseason pandemonium here in spring training," said Maddux. "The media attention that we're gathering, not only for us being a repeating championship team, but adding some high-caliber players. A lot of guys are well known but sometimes you run across a guy who's famous. That's what we're dealing with is somebody who's famous."
Texas has its share of stars already. Josh Hamilton is already one of the biggest names in baseball. Michael Young is a perennial All-Star. Team president Nolan Ryan, who had his Darvish-related presser Wednesday, is one of the greatest pitchers in the game.
Darvish said Thursday he's used to the paparazzi-like treatment from his playing days in Japan. The Rangers just want everyone who's watching the team now to know there are 58 other players in camp and 24 others who will be with Darvish when Texas plays the Chicago White Sox Opening Day.
"It seems like people forget about the rest of the team," said Holland, who jokingly acted like a photographer when he left the field alongside Darvish. "We've got a lot of other guys talented enough out there to be talked about as well. Yu is a good pitcher. Don't take that away from him but don't forget about the rest of the guys we've got on the squad."
Holland, who was one of the first Rangers to befriend Darvish, wasn't taking a shot at his new teammates. But he also knows that for most of the people in Surprise this week, the Rangers are also a one-man team.
But not everything in camp is Darvish related and the Rangers are the reason. Texas was already national news because of the success on the field before they ever signed him. Now they're international news and trying to take all of that in stride.
"I guess this comes with success," said Texas manager Ron Washington, whose normal pre-practice update was noticeably different because of the number of Japanese reporters outside the dugout. "People are interested in the Texas Rangers so I guess we've got to deal with it."
The good news for Washington is that he won't have to deal with it alone. Certainly not this spring.
Strausborger, who played in Class A in 2011, spoke to an overflow crowd of reporters after Thursday's workout of the Texas Rangers. His name will appear in papers in Japan and he'll likely be on highlight clips in two countries the United States and Japan.
The reason for his newfound fame? He was the first Texas hitter to face Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish. On the first day of workouts for pitchers and catchers, Strausborger put one ball in play fair, hitting a weak grounder to shortstop off the end of his bat.
In the new world of media surrounding the Texas Rangers, Strausborger's day got him a press conference alongside superstar prospect Jurickson Profar, who also got into the cage against Darvish but didn't swing at a pitch. They joined a growing crowd of Texas personnel who have been swept up in Yu-mania.
"I was excited to hear I was facing him and the first one out there," said Strausborger, who hit .270 at Myrtle Beach in 2011. "It was definitely a pretty good experience seeing somebody who's coming over here. He's the big talk right now and it's good to see a good arm and somebody with all the movement he has."
Also drawing a press conference for their association with Darvish Thursday were pitching coach Mike Maddux, who took questions alongside Triple A pitching coach Terry Clark. Clark was on the field when Darvish threw batting practice.
Texas catcher Mike Napoli, who caught Darvish in his bullpen session and well as batting practice, also talked about the day. His press conference came with Derek Holland, who warmed up with Darvish. Both pitcher Justin Miller and catcher Luis Martinez have also been the subject of several interviews. Miller's claim to fame is he has a locker next to Darvish in the Texas clubhouse. Martinez caught Darvish in the bullpen Tuesday.
The attention the club has received in the wake of the Darvish signing was expected. The postseason runs the last two years have also helped the Rangers deal with the added spotlight.
"It's a little postseason pandemonium here in spring training," said Maddux. "The media attention that we're gathering, not only for us being a repeating championship team, but adding some high-caliber players. A lot of guys are well known but sometimes you run across a guy who's famous. That's what we're dealing with is somebody who's famous."
Texas has its share of stars already. Josh Hamilton is already one of the biggest names in baseball. Michael Young is a perennial All-Star. Team president Nolan Ryan, who had his Darvish-related presser Wednesday, is one of the greatest pitchers in the game.
Darvish said Thursday he's used to the paparazzi-like treatment from his playing days in Japan. The Rangers just want everyone who's watching the team now to know there are 58 other players in camp and 24 others who will be with Darvish when Texas plays the Chicago White Sox Opening Day.
"It seems like people forget about the rest of the team," said Holland, who jokingly acted like a photographer when he left the field alongside Darvish. "We've got a lot of other guys talented enough out there to be talked about as well. Yu is a good pitcher. Don't take that away from him but don't forget about the rest of the guys we've got on the squad."
Holland, who was one of the first Rangers to befriend Darvish, wasn't taking a shot at his new teammates. But he also knows that for most of the people in Surprise this week, the Rangers are also a one-man team.
But not everything in camp is Darvish related and the Rangers are the reason. Texas was already national news because of the success on the field before they ever signed him. Now they're international news and trying to take all of that in stride.
"I guess this comes with success," said Texas manager Ron Washington, whose normal pre-practice update was noticeably different because of the number of Japanese reporters outside the dugout. "People are interested in the Texas Rangers so I guess we've got to deal with it."
The good news for Washington is that he won't have to deal with it alone. Certainly not this spring.
Blake Griffin`s Top 10 Plays
 | Check out the top plays form western conference All-Star Blake Griffin. Visit www.nba.com for more highlights. | From: NBA Views: 18158   302 ratings |
| Time: 03:02 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY236fmzgIQ&feature=youtube_gdata
Auto Racing Package: Hamlin has 2011 behind him
(Eds: With AP Photos.) By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer Denny Hamlin is just fine, but thanks for asking.
Of course, nobody really believed that Hamlin was OK after losing the 2010 championship to Jimmie Johnson in the season finale. He moped for a good while, and, although he's quiet by nature, he seemed withdrawn. When his mood never really improved, and his results on the race track slipped significantly, people began to openly wonder about Hamlin's psyche.
As he starts a fresh season with a new crew chief, Hamlin is determined to show he's not a head case and can win a Sprint Cup title. Although he admitted late last season to working with noted sports psychologist Bob Rotella, Hamlin said he's got everything under control.
''People make a big deal out of this whole Bob Rotella thing. I saw him twice. Twice. In a two-hour period,'' Hamlin said. ''It's not like I'm seeing the guy weekly and I've got serious problems. But, basically, it was how excited am I supposed to be? Or, how am I not supposed to hang my head when we run like absolute (junk)?
''I'm embarrassed. I wanted to be invisible. I didn't want to be seen because I viewed myself as pathetic last year the way we ran.''
Indeed, 2011 was a steep drop-off from his near-championship run.
Hamlin won eight races in 2010 and took a 15-point lead over Johnson into the season finale. But he admits now he didn't have a shot at winning the title, largely because of a devastating result the week before at Phoenix.
Hamlin dominated in the desert and seemed headed to a victory that would have likely put the nail in Johnson's reign of four straight titles. Instead, a miscalculation on fuel forced him to make a late pit stop. He finished 12th, Johnson was fifth, and Hamlin never recovered.
He was a nervous wreck the entire weekend at Homestead - Johnson and fellow title contender Kevin Harvick openly mocked Hamlin's perceived fragility - and it showed in a poor qualifying effort, an early on-track incident, and a flat, 14th-place finish.
Hamlin ultimately lost the title by 39 points.
''In Homestead, for sure I knew that we were in trouble. Even with the point lead - people never get over that Game 6 where they lost,'' he said. ''I never felt it. You know you feel like, `OK, this is it, this is our day to win the championship?' Just something about it (race day morning) and I never felt it.''
That hangover carried into 2011. Hamlin won just one race and barely made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He finished ninth in the final series standings, and crew chief Mike Ford was replaced a few weeks later by Darian Grubb, who had just led Tony Stewart to the championship.
Three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip likened Hamlin's plight to his 11-point loss to Richard Petty in the 1979 title race. Although Waltrip won five races the next year, he finished fifth in the standings and changed teams in 1981.
''Denny Hamlin had to get another crew chief. It is hard on you mentally, it really takes its toll when you invest everything you've got - energy, emotion - in trying to win the championship, and you come up short,'' Waltrip said. ''It drains you. And you don't always get over it in one winter. You don't get over it in 90 days. Sometimes to bounce back and be a factor the next year is one of the hardest things a driver ever has to do. A driver and a team.''
But Hamlin insists he's doing just fine now, and every indication is that he indeed has finally bounced back to his old self.
He spent seven weeks during the offseason in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he worked on his golf game - Hamlin said he was a 20 handicap a year ago, and has it down ''in the single digits now'' - and truly lived on his own for the first time in his life.
Hamlin doesn't want his time in Arizona to be characterized as a time for self-discovery or healing. Even so, he returned to Daytona International Speedway a different person. He's smiling again, his confidence is back, and after taking a big step back from Twitter, where he was one of NASCAR's most engaging drivers, he's conversing with fans again on the social media site.
''I think Scottsdale was good. I had daily chores that I had to do. I picked up after myself. You don't realize how messy you are until you don't have somebody walking right behind you picking up your clothes,'' he said. ''I thought about racing very little for like a month and a half. Then two weeks (ago) I was like, `Alright, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go back to work.'''
No matter his mind-set, Hamlin's success will depend largely this year on the strength of Joe Gibbs Racing and how quickly he can establish a strong line of communication with Grubb. Ford was the only crew chief Hamlin had, as the two were paired in Hamlin's 2006 rookie season. They won 17 races together and made the Chase every year.
But JGR as a whole was off last season. Although Kyle Busch won four races and went into the Chase as the top seed, he faltered out of the gate and never challenged for the title. Joey Logano also struggled, and Hamlin ultimately was the highest-finishing JGR driver in the final standings.
So he feels confident that he alone was not to blame for the performance of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota.
''If Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are out-running me every single week, then it's time I look in the mirror,'' Hamlin said. ''If they don't, then we need to figure out what about our cars we need to work on to get better because we have, in my opinion, some really good drivers that should be winning and leading a lot of laps.''
''But I feel like there's new hope this year. We have a new crew chief. I listen to the way he does things, listen to what he did to his cars versus what we do to our cars, and I'm like, `Yeah that sounds like a good direction.' I believe in that. I've got new optimism.''
Of course, nobody really believed that Hamlin was OK after losing the 2010 championship to Jimmie Johnson in the season finale. He moped for a good while, and, although he's quiet by nature, he seemed withdrawn. When his mood never really improved, and his results on the race track slipped significantly, people began to openly wonder about Hamlin's psyche.
As he starts a fresh season with a new crew chief, Hamlin is determined to show he's not a head case and can win a Sprint Cup title. Although he admitted late last season to working with noted sports psychologist Bob Rotella, Hamlin said he's got everything under control.
''People make a big deal out of this whole Bob Rotella thing. I saw him twice. Twice. In a two-hour period,'' Hamlin said. ''It's not like I'm seeing the guy weekly and I've got serious problems. But, basically, it was how excited am I supposed to be? Or, how am I not supposed to hang my head when we run like absolute (junk)?
''I'm embarrassed. I wanted to be invisible. I didn't want to be seen because I viewed myself as pathetic last year the way we ran.''
Indeed, 2011 was a steep drop-off from his near-championship run.
Hamlin won eight races in 2010 and took a 15-point lead over Johnson into the season finale. But he admits now he didn't have a shot at winning the title, largely because of a devastating result the week before at Phoenix.
Hamlin dominated in the desert and seemed headed to a victory that would have likely put the nail in Johnson's reign of four straight titles. Instead, a miscalculation on fuel forced him to make a late pit stop. He finished 12th, Johnson was fifth, and Hamlin never recovered.
He was a nervous wreck the entire weekend at Homestead - Johnson and fellow title contender Kevin Harvick openly mocked Hamlin's perceived fragility - and it showed in a poor qualifying effort, an early on-track incident, and a flat, 14th-place finish.
Hamlin ultimately lost the title by 39 points.
''In Homestead, for sure I knew that we were in trouble. Even with the point lead - people never get over that Game 6 where they lost,'' he said. ''I never felt it. You know you feel like, `OK, this is it, this is our day to win the championship?' Just something about it (race day morning) and I never felt it.''
That hangover carried into 2011. Hamlin won just one race and barely made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He finished ninth in the final series standings, and crew chief Mike Ford was replaced a few weeks later by Darian Grubb, who had just led Tony Stewart to the championship.
Three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip likened Hamlin's plight to his 11-point loss to Richard Petty in the 1979 title race. Although Waltrip won five races the next year, he finished fifth in the standings and changed teams in 1981.
''Denny Hamlin had to get another crew chief. It is hard on you mentally, it really takes its toll when you invest everything you've got - energy, emotion - in trying to win the championship, and you come up short,'' Waltrip said. ''It drains you. And you don't always get over it in one winter. You don't get over it in 90 days. Sometimes to bounce back and be a factor the next year is one of the hardest things a driver ever has to do. A driver and a team.''
But Hamlin insists he's doing just fine now, and every indication is that he indeed has finally bounced back to his old self.
He spent seven weeks during the offseason in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he worked on his golf game - Hamlin said he was a 20 handicap a year ago, and has it down ''in the single digits now'' - and truly lived on his own for the first time in his life.
Hamlin doesn't want his time in Arizona to be characterized as a time for self-discovery or healing. Even so, he returned to Daytona International Speedway a different person. He's smiling again, his confidence is back, and after taking a big step back from Twitter, where he was one of NASCAR's most engaging drivers, he's conversing with fans again on the social media site.
''I think Scottsdale was good. I had daily chores that I had to do. I picked up after myself. You don't realize how messy you are until you don't have somebody walking right behind you picking up your clothes,'' he said. ''I thought about racing very little for like a month and a half. Then two weeks (ago) I was like, `Alright, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go back to work.'''
No matter his mind-set, Hamlin's success will depend largely this year on the strength of Joe Gibbs Racing and how quickly he can establish a strong line of communication with Grubb. Ford was the only crew chief Hamlin had, as the two were paired in Hamlin's 2006 rookie season. They won 17 races together and made the Chase every year.
But JGR as a whole was off last season. Although Kyle Busch won four races and went into the Chase as the top seed, he faltered out of the gate and never challenged for the title. Joey Logano also struggled, and Hamlin ultimately was the highest-finishing JGR driver in the final standings.
So he feels confident that he alone was not to blame for the performance of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota.
''If Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are out-running me every single week, then it's time I look in the mirror,'' Hamlin said. ''If they don't, then we need to figure out what about our cars we need to work on to get better because we have, in my opinion, some really good drivers that should be winning and leading a lot of laps.''
''But I feel like there's new hope this year. We have a new crew chief. I listen to the way he does things, listen to what he did to his cars versus what we do to our cars, and I'm like, `Yeah that sounds like a good direction.' I believe in that. I've got new optimism.''
Red Wings bring back Quincey
DETROIT -- Kyle Quincey is headed back to the Red Wings.
Detroit traded prospect Sebastien Piche and its 2012 first-round pick to Steve Yzerman's Tampa Bay Lightning for the 26-year-old defenseman Tuesday. The Lightning acquired Quincey from the Colorado Avalanche for Steve Downie earlier in the day.
Quincey had five goals and 18 assists in 54 games this season for the Avalanche.
The trade brings Quincey, a big-hitting defenseman, back to the organization that drafted him in the fourth round in 2003. After finishing his junior career, he spent most of three seasons in Grand Rapids, playing just 13 regular-season games with the Red Wings.
His most memorable stint with Detroit came in the 2007 playoffs. Even though he had only played six games in the regular season, injuries to Brett Lebda and Mathieu Schneider forced Quincey into the postseason lineup. He played 13 playoff games before the Red Wings were knocked out in the conference finals by San Jose.
That set him up for a shot at the 2007-08 roster, but he broke his hand in training camp and ended up back in Grand Rapids. He failed to stick on the roster again before the 2008-09 season and was claimed on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings.
In his first full NHL season, Quincey had four goals and 34 assists in 72 games, but was traded during the offseason to Colorado. He had six goals and 23 assists for the Avalanche in 2009-10, but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
Piche, 24, had three assists in 24 games for Grand Rapids this season.
Detroit traded prospect Sebastien Piche and its 2012 first-round pick to Steve Yzerman's Tampa Bay Lightning for the 26-year-old defenseman Tuesday. The Lightning acquired Quincey from the Colorado Avalanche for Steve Downie earlier in the day.
Quincey had five goals and 18 assists in 54 games this season for the Avalanche.
The trade brings Quincey, a big-hitting defenseman, back to the organization that drafted him in the fourth round in 2003. After finishing his junior career, he spent most of three seasons in Grand Rapids, playing just 13 regular-season games with the Red Wings.
His most memorable stint with Detroit came in the 2007 playoffs. Even though he had only played six games in the regular season, injuries to Brett Lebda and Mathieu Schneider forced Quincey into the postseason lineup. He played 13 playoff games before the Red Wings were knocked out in the conference finals by San Jose.
That set him up for a shot at the 2007-08 roster, but he broke his hand in training camp and ended up back in Grand Rapids. He failed to stick on the roster again before the 2008-09 season and was claimed on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings.
In his first full NHL season, Quincey had four goals and 34 assists in 72 games, but was traded during the offseason to Colorado. He had six goals and 23 assists for the Avalanche in 2009-10, but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
Piche, 24, had three assists in 24 games for Grand Rapids this season.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/red_wings_bring_back_quincey/10044301
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Woods gets Spaniard in 1st round
Defending champion Luke Donald faces Ernie Els in the first round of the Match Play Championship. Tiger Woods is to play Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.
The seeding for the first World Golf Championship of the year is based on the world ranking released Sunday.
Donald, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westood and Martin Kaymer are the top four seeds. Woods, a three-time winner of the Match Play is the No. 19 seed, the first time he has played this event without being among the top three seeds.
The 64-man field begins Wednesday at Dove Mountain. Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey are not playing.
The Donald-Els match is the highest-profile for an opening round since Woods played Nick Faldo in the inaugural event in 1999.
The seeding for the first World Golf Championship of the year is based on the world ranking released Sunday.
Donald, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westood and Martin Kaymer are the top four seeds. Woods, a three-time winner of the Match Play is the No. 19 seed, the first time he has played this event without being among the top three seeds.
The 64-man field begins Wednesday at Dove Mountain. Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey are not playing.
The Donald-Els match is the highest-profile for an opening round since Woods played Nick Faldo in the inaugural event in 1999.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/golf/article_external/woods_gets_spaniard_in_1st_round/10010134
Novak Djokovic's body is worth $100 million dollars
Lloyd's of London Insurance Company is in the business of insuring body parts of celebrities. Mariah Carey famously had her legs insured by the company to the tune of $1 billion dollars (yes you read that correctly) and David Beckham also had his legs insured for $70 million dollars. Other weird interesting body parts that have been insured include singer Celine Dion's vocal cords, actress America Ferrera's smile, 'Girl's Next Door' Holly Madison's breasts, actress/singer Jennifer Lopez's bottom, and NFL star Troy Polamalu's locks.
So the question begged to be asked, "How much would the number 1 player in the world, Novak Djokovic's, body be worth?" and a Serbian website contacted Lloyd's to find out the answer.
So the question begged to be asked, "How much would the number 1 player in the world, Novak Djokovic's, body be worth?" and a Serbian website contacted Lloyd's to find out the answer.
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