Just when the slumping New York Yankees got Alex Rodriguez back, Derek Jeter went down with an injury that nearly led to a brawl with Baltimore. Adam Jones hit a three-run double during Baltimore's seven-run first inning against Mike Mussina, and the Orioles routed New York 12-2 Tuesday night in a testy game that included a late homer by A-Rod in his return from the disabled list.
For the second time in eight years, the Atlanta Falcons opened the vault and dropped a ton of cash on a franchise quarterback. Matt Ryan, the No. 3 pick in last month's draft, signed a $72 million, six-year contract Tuesday. The announcement of the new deal came with smiles, confident talk of the future and no mention of Michael Vick, the first pick in 2001 who signed a $130 million extension, the...
There is a reason the Detroit Pistons have been to five consecutive Eastern Conference finals. They proved it on Saturday, even without their All-Star point guard to hold things together in front of a hostile crowd. Richard Hamilton scored 32 points and Hedo Turkoglu missed a layup with time running out as the Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 90-89 to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference...
The Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic cut down the trash talk and just played, combining for a riveting playoff game. Too bad a disputed play is what will be most remembered. Chauncey Billups made the 3-pointer in question at the end of the third quarter and Detroit went on to beat Orlando 100-93 Monday night, taking a 2-0 lead in their second-round series.
Johan Franzen outscored the Colorado Avalanche by himself. Franzen's second hat trick in three games fueled the Detroit Red Wings' 8-2 rout Thursday night that completed a sweep of the injury-riddled Avalanche. Franzen's nine goals in the series matched Colorado's total, and his three goals in Game 4 made him the first player with two hat tricks in one series since Jari Kurri did it for Edmonton in...
Danny Briere made Montreal wish he was on its side one more time. Whether spurning a free agent contract offer or scoring the winning goal in a playoff game, Philadelphia's star center finds a way to stick it to the Canadiens. Now Briere and the Flyers are one win from ending Montreal's season. Briere scored the winner on a power play with 3:38 left and Martin Biron stopped 36 shots to lift...
Frank Thomas won in his return to Oakland. Rajai Davis got three hits in his Athletics debut. Yet it was Donnie Murphy who delivered all the power. With two new and familiar faces in the starting lineup, the A's jumped on Minnesota starter Francisco Liriano for six runs in the first inning on the way to an 11-2 victory over the Twins in the rubber game Thursday.
Four years ago this week, Jared Allen was an unknown defensive lineman at Division I-AA Idaho State projected to be little more than a long snapper in the NFL. On Wednesday, the former fourth-round draft pick became the richest defensive player in the league, and is viewed as one of the missing pieces that could propel the Minnesota Vikings into the NFC's elite.
The only thing that felt awkward for Alex Rodriguez was wearing a red New York Yankees cap. A-Rod certainly wasn't bothered by hearty boos he heard in his first game in Texas since admitting earlier this year that he used steroids while playing for the Rangers. Even while insisting there was no extra motivation, Rodriguez had the perfect response: matching a career high with five hits and driving...
Trailing by 10 runs, Victor Martinez told his Cleveland Indians teammates they could win. Martinez, in an 0-for-18 slump, backed up his words by lining a two-out, two-run single to cap a seven-run ninth inning that gave the Indians an 11-10 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. "You never know what's going to happen," Martinez said after his hit off Jason Isringhausen (0-1) ruined the Rays...
After putting together one of the best freshman seasons ever, Michael Beasley is headed to the NBA. Kansas State's All-American freshman announced Monday that he will skip his final three seasons to enter the June 26 NBA draft, where he could be the No. 1 overall pick. "It's time to take my game to the next level," Beasley said as his family and several teammates looked on.
Tom Glavine has made 672 starts in the majors. Twice, 19 years apart, he failed to record an out. The second time came Sunday against the reeling Washington Nationals, when the Atlanta Braves' 42-year-old lefty departed with a strained right hamstring and was charged with two runs. The reliever who replaced him, Jeff Bennett, walked in two other runs, then hit a batter who scored, too.
After four days of standing ovations, two pregame ceremonies to honor him and a week's worth of reminiscing, Torii Hunter is ready to go home. For the first time in 10 years, home does not mean Minnesota. He's headed back to Los Angeles with the Angels after a draining opening series against his former team, but he made sure to leave Twins fans with a little something to remember him by.
Pat Summitt's 100th NCAA tournament win followed the same old formula Tuesday night. Start fast, play suffocating defense, and roll into the regional semifinals with another blowout. Two days after Summitt publicly challenged her team to play harder, the Lady Vols responded with a dominant defensive effort, a crisper offense and a 78-52 rout of host Purdue that gave Summitt the distinction of being...
Manny Pacquiao's rematch victory over Juan Manuel Marquez was worth every minute of the four-year wait. Pacquiao won a narrow split decision to claim Marquez's WBC 130-pound title Saturday night in a sensational fight that left two of the world's best boxers bloody and triumphant. Though Marquez landed more punches at a higher percentage, Pacquiao (46-3-2) knocked down Marquez (48-4-1) in the third...
A little tough love from coach Phil Martelli has Saint Joseph's on the verge of returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years. Martelli was blunt with his team on the eve of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament, telling them to win or pack their bags. There was going to be no NCAA or even an NIT bid if the Hawks didn't run the tournament.
Sitting by himself on an airplane ride up to Green Bay on Thursday morning, Brett Favre struggled to find a sincere and graceful way to say he was finished with football. In the end, his tears told the story. "It's been a great career for me, and it's over," Favre said, his voice cracking with emotion during a news conference at Lambeau Field two days after he announced his retirement.
Talk about a comeback. Ben Roethlisberger signed an eight-year extension Monday with the Pittsburgh Steelers that is worth $102 million and makes him one of the league's top-paid players. "He's a Steeler and he'll always be a Steeler," team chairman Dan Rooney said. The agreement comes after Roethlisberger re-established himself as one of the NFL's best quarterbacks last season, and nearly two years...
The Anaheim Ducks' road to the White House was paved with three big goals on a Super Tuesday for the Stanley Cup champs. Teemu Selanne rejoined the lineup after sitting out the first 56 games and chipped in an assist on the first goal. That helped the Ducks snap a long scoreless drought and carried them to a solid 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders, ending a six-game losing streak Tuesday...
With the Super Bowl on the line, look who had the perfection thing down pat: Eli Manning and the road-conquering New York Giants. And what a beauty their 11th straight road victory was, a 17-14 Super Bowl win Sunday that shattered the New England Patriots' unblemished season. In one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, Manning, New York's unlikely Mr.
Teemu Selanne returned to the Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks on Monday after missing the first half of the season while contemplating retirement. The unrestricted free agent signed a one-year deal and then practiced with the team before it departs Tuesday for an eight-game, 15-day road trip. "It was a pretty hard practice.
Kevin Garnett has moved on. The championship trophy he earned with Boston last season made it all too easy to put 12 years of mostly mediocre basketball in Minnesota behind him. The Timberwolves are trying to move on as well without the only star the franchise has ever had. They have jettisoned all but four of his former teammates in the last 16 months, changed the look of their home court and...
The Florida Panthers are finding ways to win. The same can't be said for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bryan McCabe scored twice in regulation and Nathan Horton had the lone goal in a shootout for the Panthers, who beat Tampa Bay 4-3 on Tuesday night. Tomas Vokoun made 49 saves, and David Booth added a goal for Florida, which has won three of four following a six-game losing streak.
The crowd backed him with its money and its mouth, bellowing on tiptoes as Curlin took the lead at the top of the stretch. Too soon it was over as this Breeders' Cup was about long shots, a new surface and European imports, not America's best horse. Curlin was upset in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Saturday, demoted to a fourth-place finish behind 13-1 long shot Raven's...
Fabian Brunnstrom scored three goals in his NHL debut to match the league record, Mike Modano had two goals and the Dallas Stars beat the Nashville Predators 6-4 on Wednesday night for their first victory of the season. Brunnstrom broke a 4-4 tie with 3:25 left when he struck from close range off a feed from Brad Richards.
Omar Minaya is staying as general manager of the New York Mets. Jerry Manuel is likely to remain as manager. Players, however, could be on the move. Following the Mets' second straight September collapse, fans are angry with the team, the front office and the players. "They all work hard. They all prepare.
Mets ace Johan Santana had arthroscopic surgery on torn cartilage in his left knee Wednesday and is expected to be ready for spring training. News of the injury came as a surprise. Santana pitched a three-hit shutout on short rest Saturday against Florida to pull the Mets into a tie for the NL wild card.
Jim Zorn will go down in history as the only Washington Redskins coach with a perfect regular-season record at Texas Stadium. Better yet, the Redskins are going into October as a legitimate contender in the NFC East. Jason Campbell threw two touchdown passes and Clinton Portis ran for 121 yards, leading Washington to a 26-24 victory Sunday that gave the Dallas Cowboys their first loss and made the...
Birdie putts kept falling, one on top of the other, until the Americans finally secured a Saturday lead in the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1995 to set up a final day that finally matters. The last hour defined the pressure and passion of the Ryder Cup, so intense that players on both teams were emotionally exhausted.
Serena Williams flung her racket aside and jumped for joy, looking like someone who had just won her first Grand Slam title. Nope. It sure had been a while, though. Displaying the talent and tenacity that helped her dominate tennis earlier in the decade, Williams outlasted Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 Sunday night in a thrill-a-minute match chock full of marvelous strokes and momentum swings to win her...
Serena Williams wound up and smacked a shot directly at Dinara Safina early in the second set of their U.S. Open semifinal. The ball hit Safina near her shoulder, ending the point, and she quickly turned her back to the net, muttering as she walked away, ignoring Williams' attempts to apologize. Not much later Friday, Williams tried again to say "Sorry," except this time both players were standing...
Ana Ivanovic raised her racket, ready for an easy overhead slam in what was shaping up as an easy match. Then she somehow spiked the ball right into the net from just a few feet away. Out of whack lately because of an injured right thumb, the world No. 1 was suddenly out of sorts. Ivanovic recovered in time Tuesday to avoid becoming the first top-seeded woman to lose in the first round at the U.S.
Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora injured his left knee in the second quarter of the New York Giants' preseason game against the New York Jets, but coach Tom Coughlin said that early indications are that he did not suffer ligament damage. X-rays taken during the Jets' 10-7 win were negative. An MRI is planned on Sunday.
Ken Griffey Jr. thought it was just a matter of time. His first home run with the Chicago White Sox was still a pretty sweet sight for manager Ozzie Guillen. Griffey hit one of Chicago's four homers to move into a tie with Sammy Sosa for fifth on the career list and the surging White Sox routed the Seattle Mariners 15-3 on Wednesday.
The Mets got big hits with the bases loaded and their bullpen was outstanding, for a change. If they keep that up, they'll have a much better chance of hanging on in the NL East. Carlos Delgado hit a go-ahead double off the left-center fence to end New York's long stretch of bases-loaded futility, and the Mets broke loose in the eighth inning to rally past Atlanta 7-3 Tuesday night.
Johan Santana's goal was to give the struggling New York Mets bullpen a break. Turned out, those relievers got the entire day off. Santana pitched a three-hitter for his fifth career shutout and the streaking Mets got home runs from Brian Schneider and Carlos Beltran in a 4-0 victory Sunday over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Josh Beckett missed his spots early and the Blue Jays made sure he didn't last long enough to find his control. Alex Rios had five hits, matching a club record with four doubles, and Toronto chased Beckett in the third inning of a 15-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. "He just made some mistakes early in the game and the guys hit him," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said.
Cameras flashing by the dozens, a wide-eyed Brett Favre took his first steps into the New York spotlight. "Just like home," the Jets' newest quarterback said Friday with a deep breath and a sheepish grin. Get used to it, Brett. This is only the beginning. "Time will tell, but I don't want to say 'Be patient,"' Favre said Friday at a City Hall news conference.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi must have figured something was up when he walked into his office after New York finished off the Baltimore Orioles. There was general manager Brian Cashman, ready to talk -- and not about Bobby Abreu's two home runs or another strong start from Joba Chamberlain. The Yankees shored up the catcher spot by acquiring 14-time All-Star Ivan Rodriguez from the Detroit Tigers...
Pedro Martinez couldn't remember the last time he didn't get his way. Turns out Jerry Manuel can be just as stubborn. The Mets manager pulled Martinez after four innings on Saturday because of tightness in his right shoulder, but New York's resilient relievers held the Colorado Rockies without a hit the rest of the way in a 3-0 victory.
Sweep revenge for the White Sox against the Cubs. Carlos Quentin, Brian Anderson and Jim Thome homered to back Mark Buehrle's seven strong innings Sunday night as the White Sox completed a three-game sweep at U.S. Cellular Field by beating the Cubs 5-1. The White Sox won three straight at their home park, one week after the Cubs took three in a row across town at Wrigley Field.
Rick Dutrow is still wondering what went wrong with Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes. He's also wondering why everyone seems to be ganging up on him. In his first news conference since Big Brown's failed Triple Crown attempt three weeks ago, the trainer said Friday he's been inundated with calls about "negative stuff" and wishes it would stop.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it's "ridiculous" to reward untested rookies with lucrative contracts, and wants the issue addressed in contract talks. "There's something wrong about the system," Goodell said Friday. "The money should go to people who perform." Goodell referred to Michigan tackle Jake Long's five-year, $57.75 million contract -- with $30 million guaranteed.
The focus fell to golf's biggest stars, with fans crammed together a dozen deep in spots at Torrey Pines to see how Tiger Woods dealt with a tender knee and whether Phil Mickelson could overcome so much U.S. Open heartache in his hometown. The lead belonged to the obscure. Kevin Streelman and Justin Hicks, neither among the top 600 in the world ranking, each shot 3-under 68 on Thursday to borrow the...
The Chicago Bears thought Cedric Benson would be their next great running back. He'll instead go down as one of their biggest disappointments. The Bears waived Benson on Monday after his second alcohol-related arrest in a month, ending a rocky three-season tenure in which he failed to live up to expectations after starring at Texas.
Joba Chamberlain mixed in some curveballs and changeups and moved one step closer to getting past the pitch-count limits that have held him back in his first two starts. All Dan Giese got Sunday was the lineup card and a souvenir ball from a game he'll never forget. Chamberlain bounced back from a disappointing first start with the Yankees, pitching into the fifth inning to help New York beat the...
In her rookie year on the LPGA Tour, playing in only her third major championship, 19-year-old Yani Tseng felt lucky to become the youngest winner of the LPGA Championship on Sunday. After the day she had at Bulle Rock, that was hardly the case. First, she went 18 holes with Lorena Ochoa and closed with a 4-under 68 in searing heat, denying the No.
Even in grass up to her knees, Lorena Ochoa never panicked. Trying to become the fourth woman to win three straight majors, Ochoa wanted to get off to a strong start Thursday in the McDonald's LPGA Championship, and instead had nowhere to go in the rough left of the 13th fairway. She eventually had to walk 50 yards back to play her next shot and took double bogey.
John Smoltz returned to the Atlanta Braves as a closer, hoping the role he had from 2001-04 will help him cope with an aching right shoulder and extend his career. His first appearance didn't go like he wanted: Coming on in the ninth inning with a 4-3 lead against the Florida Marlins, he gave up a two-out, two-run single to Jeremy Hermida to blow the save Monday night.
Jack Nicklaus always envisioned the Memorial as a northern version of the Masters, from the superb course conditions to super slick greens, from caddies wearing white coveralls to grounds so immaculate that nary a cigarette butt is to be found. He got his wish Thursday, at least with the greens. Mathew Goggin spent as little time on them as possible, taking only nine putts over his final nine holes...
Jeff Francoeur was glad Randy Johnson was out of the game in the ninth inning. "He might not throw the ball 95, 96 (mph), but his slider, when you think it's going to get over the plate, it comes in and bites you," Francoeur said. "He's phenomenal." Francoeur hit a game-ending, two-run homer off Chad Qualls in the ninth, and the Atlanta Braves overcame a sparkling 10-strikeout performance by...
