Rafael Nadal won a three-set struggle with Novak Djokovic to protect his No. 2 ranking Saturday and advance to the Hamburg Masters final against the world's top-ranked player. Nadal will face No. 1 Roger Federer in Sunday's final, a rematch of last year's championship match in which Federer won his fourth Hamburg title and ended Nadal's' 81-match winning streak on clay -- his only win over the...
Strong-armed Vernon Wells fielded back-to-back singles in the bottom of the ninth and fired home both times. The center fielder's first throw cut down the potential winning run. His second was a split-second late, allowing Manny Ramirez to slide home safely and give the Boston Red Sox a 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.
Greg Maddux stomped off the mound, took his glove off and nearly slammed it to the ground. He was agitated a pitcher got a hit off him. Cole Hamels frustrated the San Diego Padres even more with his arm. Hamels pitched 7 1-3 impressive innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Padres 7-4 Tuesday night, denying Maddux his 350th career victory.
David West hardly said a word the last two days. That meant trouble for the Dallas Mavericks. West let out his pent-up frustration over a poor Game 3 with a determined effort in Game 4, scoring 10 of his 24 points in a quick stretch early in the second half to help the New Orleans Hornets pull away for a 97-84 victory Sunday and a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.
Philadelphia Flyers coach John Stevens was so excited about Game 7 against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals that he skipped the team bus and took the 40-minute walk from the hotel to the rink. Stevens' players were so calm and collected despite seeing a 3-1 series lead evaporate that about a half-dozen gathered for their traditional pregame soccer ball juggling outside their locker room,...
The Pittsburgh Penguins are enjoying their chance to pay back Ottawa for last season's playoff pounding. Sidney Crosby, Jordan Staal and Marian Hossa scored in the third period to lift Pittsburgh to a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night, and leave the Penguins a victory away from a first-round playoff sweep.
NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony was arrested early Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, hours after his worst game of the season. The Denver Nuggets forward was arrested on Interstate 25, police said. He was alone in the car and pulled over for weaving and not dimming his lights.
As hard as it is to imagine, Memphis keeps getting better just when it matters the most. The Tigers claimed their piece of history Saturday, beating UCLA 78-63 in the NCAA men's semifinals to become at 38-1 the winningest team ever in a single season. Now they have a chance to do what the other 37-win teams -- Duke, Illinois and UNLV -- couldn't do: cap it off with a national championship.
George Karl loves watching his players put up big offensive numbers. He just wishes they would play a little more defense. One game after scoring 168 points in a rout of Seattle, Karl's Denver Nuggets added 120 more against the defensive-minded Detroit Pistons. The problem? They gave up 136. "We have a defensive personality that is a little scary right now -- we're giving up a lot of points to...
The Detroit Red Wings got back into the postseason and tied an NHL record. Pavel Datsyuk had two goals and an assist, and Detroit became the first team to secure a playoff spot this season with a 5-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night. It was the fifth straight win for the NHL-leading Red Wings, who reached 100 points for a league-record tying eighth straight season.
Brett Favre finally met the one person who could stop him. Himself. He won a Super Bowl and three MVPs. He set every record worth having for a quarterback in the NFL -- most career touchdown passes, most career yards passing, most career victories by a starting quarterback. In an age when few quarterbacks could last a whole season, Favre went almost 16 years without missing a single game, an...
Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco savored a rare win over the Detroit Red Wings. Turco made 28 saves for his 32nd career shutout and second victory in 16 tries against Detroit, and Niklas Hagman scored as the Stars handed the Red Wings their season-high sixth straight loss, 1-0 on Sunday. "That team's had my number so it was satisfying to beat them," said Turco after registering his 201st...
Annika Sorenstam waited 17 months to collect a T-shirt from her sister and a bottle of wine from a friend with No. 70 proudly displayed on them. "It's probably dusty," she said. "I'm ready to collect it now." Sorenstam won the season-opening SBS Open for her 70th LPGA Tour title and first since September 2006, birdieing two of the last three holes Saturday for a 3-under 69 and two-stroke victory.
Jerel McNeal scored 17 points and Ousmane Barrow scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Marquette to a 72-54 win against No. 22 Pittsburgh on Friday night. Marquette (18-6, 8-5 Big East) went on a 17-0 run early in the second half to take control and cruised to a victory. Pittsburgh (19-6, 7-5) wasted the return of junior guard Levance Fields, who had missed a dozen games with a broken...
Adrian Peterson stood in front of the car he'd just won as MVP of the Pro Bowl. He wiggled the keys, leaned against the red roof and soaked in the acclaim. Quite a way to finish off a rookie season. Peterson ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns, and Terrell Owens made up for early sloppiness with two TD receptions in the NFC's 42-30 comeback victory over the AFC on Sunday.
Tim Herron was so frustrated that he changed putters for the first time in seven years at a tournament renowned for having some of the most unpredictable greens on the PGA Tour. Desperation slowly gave way to satisfaction Friday in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am when Herron shot a 3-under 69 at Poppy Hills and emerged with a one-shot lead in a tournament loaded with possibilities.
John Brady was fired as LSU's basketball coach Friday with his team struggling at 8-13, a dismissal that left him in tears at a farewell news conference. "I've coached in the best league in the country and I've coached a lot of great guys," Brady said during the afternoon news conference with LSU athletic director Skip Bertman.
The Detroit Tigers could have kept Curtis Granderson around for a while, retaining his talents with one-year deals until he became eligible for free agency after the 2011 season. The Tigers, though, don't just wait around to make moves these days. Granderson and baseball's busiest team agreed Monday to a $30.25 million, five-year contract that includes a club option for 2013 that could make the...
Not one of Roger Clemens' flat-out denials about using steroids or human growth hormone was delivered while he spoke under oath. Now he gets that chance. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner is scheduled to give a deposition to lawyers from a congressional committee behind closed doors Tuesday, one day after his former New York Yankees teammate and workout partner Andy Pettitte delivered sworn...
Roger Clemens' meeting with a congressional committee investigating steroids in baseball was pushed back until Feb. 5. Clemens originally was asked to appear Saturday for a deposition or transcribed interview with staff members from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. That panel has called a Feb.
Even without Gilbert Arenas and another injured starter, the Washington Wizards never imagined they would be as bad as the franchise ever has been. So after opening 1-10 to match the worst start in team history, the Wizards fired coach Eddie Jordan and his top assistant Monday and gave director of player development Ed Tapscott his first NBA head coaching job.
With Tony Romo scrambling, Terrell Owens kept chugging down the sideline. Once the pass went up, Owens went to work. He caught the ball and turned upfield, getting pushed out of bounds after a 52-yard gain. Then he kept going, drawing more attention. With all eyes and TV cameras on him, Owens stretched his arms out to form a T, then curled them over his head to form an O.
A suburban police chief likened the conflicting accounts of an accidental overdose at Isiah Thomas' home to a "cover-up" and rebuked the former New York Knicks coach Saturday for saying it was his teenage daughter who required treatment. "It wasn't his daughter," Harrison Police Chief David Hall told The Associated Press.
Not far from the unoccupied locker of suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, receiver Roy Williams talked excitedly Wednesday about coming home to play for the Dallas Cowboys. The still-frustrated Terrell Owens, who has struggled to get open and is without a 100-yard receiving game this season, spoke nearby.
Winning creates a rivalry, the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays claim, rather than years of testy relations between the teams. That was the message coming out of the AL championship series Thursday, with both sides trying to play down a history of brawling that's adding spice to the buildup. "Bad blood?" smiling Boston slugger David Ortiz said.
Anthony Kim wore a red shirt, fired at flags and made birdies on almost half of his holes. So much for that Ryder Cup hangover. The way Kim played Thursday in the opening round of the Tour Championship, it was almost as if the Ryder Cup never ended. Four days after Kim humbled Sergio Garcia, he beat 29 players just as badly at East Lake with a 6-under 64 that gave Kim a four-shot lead over Masters...
CC Sabathia sizzled on short rest, and the Milwaukee Brewers pulled even with the New York Mets in the NL wild-card race. Sabathia gave up four hits over seven innings while striking out a season-high 11 and the Brewers rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Wednesday night. The Brewers entered the day one game behind the Mets, who lost 9-6 in 10 innings to Chicago on Wednesday.
The glow from Don Haskins' greatest triumph was mostly a memory when Disney decided to take another look. Then came the movie "Glory Road" and a whole new generation learned what Bob Knight already knew about his old friend's career -- and legacy. "Don got more out of his teams and players than any coach who has ever coached college basketball," Knight said.
A.J. Pierzynski found himself in the middle of another strange play, and once again the umpire involved was Doug Eddings. This time, the chaos followed a rundown between second and third, not a third strike. "It's just a funny coincidence, I guess," said Pierzynski, whose bizarre trip around the bases in the 10th inning Sunday capped a 6-5 victory for the Chicago White Sox over the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Carolina Panthers have returned to training camp without top receiver Steve Smith, who sustained a concussion in the preseason opener. Smith did not practice Monday morning. Coach John Fox said only that he's day-to-day. Smith was shaken up after making a leaping 19-yard catch in the first quarter of Saturday's 23-20 overtime win against Indianapolis.
The PGA Championship had been building a reputation as the major to make birdies. That gave way Thursday to the reputation of Oakland Hills. Round one went to The Monster. "It was a real beast today," Ernie Els said. Only seven players from the 156-man field were under par when darkness covered Oakland Hills with 18 players unable to finish their round because of a 90-minute thunderstorm delay.
Carlos Pena admits there is a growing sense that Tampa Bay might be destined for big things this season. That said, the Rays are trying to stay calm about their success. Pena's three-run homer capped a six-run rally in the ninth inning that carried the Rays past the Cleveland Indians 10-7 Wednesday for one of their most thrilling victories in a wondrous season.
Justin Morneau's bases-clearing double capped a five-run fifth inning and helped the Twins rally from four runs down to beat the Chicago White Sox 6-5 Tuesday night. The win moved the Twins to within a half game of Chicago, which has been atop the AL Central since May 17. Minnesota can move into first place for the first time since May 14 with a win in the third game of this four-game series...
John Lackey nearly pitched baseball's third straight no-hitter at Fenway Park. And that wasn't the only exciting thing the Los Angeles Angels did Tuesday. Hours after the AL West leaders acquired slugger Mark Teixeira in a trade, Lackey came within two outs of a no-hitter to lead Los Angeles past the Boston Red Sox 6-2.
Looking for an upgrade at third base as they make a push for the playoffs, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Casey Blake from the Cleveland Indians for two minor leaguers Saturday. The Indians, who also sent cash to the Dodgers as part of the trade, received catcher Carlos Santana and right-hander Jonathan Meloan.
Even Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy isn't quite sure how the Brett Favre unretirement saga will play out over the next few days. But he does know this much: Favre or no Favre, Aaron Rodgers is his starting quarterback. In his season-opening news conference at Lambeau Field on Saturday, McCarthy strongly affirmed the team's commitment to Rodgers and reiterated that players and coaches spent...
Jerry Manuel was curious to see how his New York Mets would respond after a heartbreaking loss to Philadelphia. They answered with two big wins. Carlos Delgado hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth inning and Oliver Perez stifled the Phillies again, helping the Mets earn a 3-1 victory Thursday that gave them sole possession of first place in the NL East.
After 16 years, maybe Brett Favre's past is finally starting to pass Cheesehead country by. On Saturday, fewer than half the fans who responded to an unscientific newspaper poll said they wanted to see the legendary quarterback return to the Green Bay Packers. The next day, a rally drew fewer than 200 supporters to Lambeau Field.
Tim Lincecum the cover boy soon could be Tim Lincecum the All-Star starter -- or at least All-Star. And in his second big league season no less. Lincecum increased his National League-leading strikeout total to 122 with eight Ks in six innings and also singled in a run and scored from first, helping the San Francisco Giants salvage a four-game split with an 8-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on...
Manager Ozzie Guillen reversed the question as soon as it was asked. Where would the Chicago White Sox be without Carlos Quentin? "He's played great for us. He's gotten big hits and shown a lot of people out there," Guillen said. "At the same time, where would Quentin be without us?" Maybe still trying to find his way with the Arizona Diamondbacks where he dealt with injuries and lost his starting...
One moment, Felix Hernandez was rounding the bases in glee after hitting the first grand slam by an American League pitcher in 37 years. A few innings later, he was spiking his cap to the ground in frustration after being injured. Hernandez hit a stunning grand slam off Johan Santana, then departed with a sprained ankle before he could qualify for a win in the Seattle Mariners' 5-2 victory over the...
The Toronto Blue Jays dipped back into their past to shake up a last-place team that has looked overmatched at times in the competitive AL East, firing manager John Gibbons on Friday and replacing him with two-time World Series winner Cito Gaston. The Blue Jays, as the Mets and Mariners did earlier in the week, decided it's far easier to fire the manager than it is to overhaul a disappointing team...
John Smoltz had the labrum in his right shoulder repaired on Tuesday, and the Atlanta Braves said it will be months before the pitcher knows if his career can resume. Dr. James Andrews and an associate performed the arthroscopic procedure in Birmingham, Ala. Smoltz said last week he expected to get a definitive word on his comeback hopes immediately after the operation, but no such announcement was...
With the clock on the large television monitor ticking down to zero and a cluster of fans chanting from the balcony, commissioner Bud Selig stepped to the podium and announced that the Tampa Bay Rays had selected high school shortstop Tim Beckham with the No. 1 pick in the baseball draft. Oh, how times have changed.
John Maine on the mound facing essentially a Triple-A lineup. It appeared to be the perfect pick-me-up for Mets manager Willie Randolph. Aaron Cook and Seth Smith would have none of it. The Colorado Rockies beat New York 4-1 Sunday when Smith hit his first major league homer, a three-run shot to back an impressive start by Cook (7-3).
New Orleans Saints defensive end Charles Grant has been indicted on a charge of involuntary manslaughter stemming from a February altercation at a nightclub. Grant, who was stabbed in the neck during the fracas, was charged by an Early County grand jury that also charged Laquient Macklin with felony murder and feticide in the shooting death of Korynda Reed, 23.
Johan Santana made the Yankees pay for passing on him last winter. The two-time Cy Young Award winner pitched efficiently into the eighth inning, and the New York Mets got home runs from Jose Reyes and David Wright to top the Yankees 7-4 Saturday in the opener of a rain-shortened Subway Series. "I think we showed today how to play as a team," Santana said.
Sharks captain Patrick Marleau thought he had pushed the puck too far ahead. Maybe it was too much to expect another short-handed goal. Instead, in an eerie replay for the Dallas Stars, Marleau managed to finish the play with a short-handed goal for the second straight game. This one came in Wednesday night's 2-1 victory that kept San Jose from being swept in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Detroit Pistons might have won Game 5 more than an hour before it started. Music wasn't rattling the locker room. Eyes were locked on the big-screen TV showing the previous matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. Chauncey Billups scored 21 points, Richard Hamilton had 20 and Rasheed Wallace added 19 to lift Detroit to a 98-81 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday night and a 3-2 lead in the...
The Boston Celtics were supposed to be resting up by now, getting ready for the next round of the playoffs. Instead, they're headed back to Beantown all tied up with the lowly Atlanta Hawks, who are starting to believe -- really believe -- they can shock the world. Joe Johnson scored 35 points, 20 in the fourth quarter, and Josh Smith added 28 points and seven blocks for Atlanta, which surprised...
With Walt Jocketty, the question was when. When would the Cincinnati Reds decide to switch general managers and give Jocketty the chance to turn them into winners? The answer: 21 games into the season. Off to their worst start in five years, the Reds fired Wayne Krivsky on Wednesday and replaced him with Jocketty, who built consistent winners during 10 seasons running the Oakland Athletics and 13...
Ronny Cedeno found out 30 minutes before the first pitch he'd be starting instead of sitting. Felix Pie, who has spent more time in the batting cage than on the field recently, entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth. After Carlos Zambrano and Aramis Ramirez helped the Cubs take a precarious one-run lead after seven innings, it was reserves Cedeno and Pie who sparked a five-run eighth as...
