Thursday, June 30, 2011

Bucs CB Talib faces assault trial in March, attorney says

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Boston Celtics 76ers Celtics Heat Pistons

Penguins offer Jagr 1-year contract (AP)

PITTSBURGH (AP)?The Penguins have offered former NHL MVP Jaromir Jagr a one-year contract, and expect to hear a decision from Jagr?s agent on Wednesday.

Jagr, 39, was a Pittsburgh draft pick in 1990, and helped lead the Penguins to two Stanley Cup championships. The franchise?s hope is that he accept the offer, play at least one season in Pittsburgh, and then retire with the team he started with.

The deal is worth a reported $2 million.

Jagr, who played 17 seasons in the NHL with the Penguins, Capitals and Rangers, has played the past three years in Russia?s Kontinental Hockey League. The 6-foot-3, 243-pound forward has 1,599 career points in the NHL, to go along with the 1999 Hart Trophy for the league MVP. He was a Hart finalist five other times, and is an eight-time All-Star.

Jagr?s agent is former NHL player Petr Svoboda.

On Monday, Penguins coach Dan Bylsma addressed the media on several topics, including Jagr.

?I?ve been on record a few times with the media about the attributes of Jaromir Jagr, (and they) are still really good,? he said. ?There are things that I think he could add to our team.?

The Penguins finished with 106 points last season, and lost out on the Atlantic Division title due to a tiebreaker with Philadelphia. Pittsburgh, playing without injured stars Sidney Crosby(notes) and Evgeni Malkin(notes), then blew a 3-1 series lead to Tampa Bay, and was eliminated in Round 1.

?If Jaromir Jagr hypothetically were to fit in, I don?t think we?d have to change everything drastically for him to able to fit in,? Bylsma said. ?If you watched Jaromir play in the World Championships, his play down low (was) outstanding. We?re a team that wants to play in the offensive zone. There?s a speed part to our game, but it really lies largely in playing in the offensive zone and wearing teams down.

?I don?t think he has missed much of a beat in that regard to his game. Hypothetically speaking, that?s where I see him fitting in.?

Jagr, a Czech native, won an Olympic gold medal in 1998 and a bronze in 2006. He also won two Ice Hockey World Championships in 2005 and 2010. He has already played in 806 games in a Penguins uniform.

He has 646 career NHL goals, and if he returns to the league, his career point total would make him the active leader.

Svoboda, a former defenseman for the Canadiens, Sabres, Flyers and Lightning, has been actively shopping Jagr, and the Red Wings and Penguins showed the most interest, among others.

However, the Pittsburgh offer is believed to be the only one that has been made.



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Superdome's post-Katrina rebuild brings pride to New Orleans

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players association David Stern Cliff Lee Shaun Rogers Michael Vick

Connecticut guard sprains already injured knee

STORRS, Conn. (AP) � Connecticut guard Caroline Doty has reinjured her left knee after missing last season with a third torn ligament in the same joint.

UConn issued a statement Wednesday saying that Doty sprained the knee while playing in a half-court basketball game last week.

Dr. Tom Trojian, UConn's team doctor, says there is no new tear in the knee and the goal is to have Doty ready to play by the start of the basketball season.

Doty posted on Twitter Wednesday night that she is fine and "still loking forward to stepping on the court in August in that husky blue!"

Doty first blew out her knee in high school, and has suffered two more tears while in college. She has two years of eligibility left at UConn.

UConn has a 10-day training camp planned for August, followed by a tour of Italy and Greece.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Irish WR Floyd gets 1 year of probation for DUI

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Suspended Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor drunken driving and was sentenced to a year of probation.

St. Joseph County Magistrate Brian Steinke gave Floyd a one-year jail sentence that was suspended as part of a plea agreement. He also said Floyd cannot drive for 90 days and once when he does, he must have an ignition device installed on his vehicle for six months that won't allow it to start if his blood-alcohol level is too high.

The 21-year-old Floyd was fined $200 and ordered to attend a victim impact panel to hear from people whose family members were killed in drunken driving accidents.

Floyd, who has had two previous incidents involving alcohol, left court quickly after the hearing and declined to comment. He only spoke briefly during the hearing, answering "yes" to several questions from the judge. He had not been in court for two previous hearings.

Floyd was arrested at 3:18 a.m. local time March 20 after running a stop sign a block from the school's main entrance. Prosecutors say a breath test showed Floyd had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 percent, more than double Indiana's legal limit for driving.

Floyd's attorney, William Stanley, told reporters after the hearing that his client accepted full responsibility from the start.

"Never once did he ever try to give an excuse as to his actions or ever try to mitigate the seriousness of the offense," he said.

Coach Brian Kelly suspended Floyd, Notre Dame's leading receiver last season, after his arrest. Earlier this month, the coach said Floyd would be allowed to participate in voluntary workouts with the team this summer and strength and conditioning exercises supervised by staff.

Kelly said Floyd still had steps he must take to be reinstated to the team, but didn't specify what those steps were.

Brian Hardin, Notre Dame's director of football media relations, said Kelly would have no comment on Floyd's plea agreement and Stanley said he doesn't know Floyd's status with the team.

"That's Coach Kelly's decision," he said.

Stanley said Floyd went through alcohol counseling at Notre Dame.

Floyd was cited for underage consumption of alcohol on May 15, 2009, in his home state of Minnesota, and pleaded guilty through a hearing officer a month later.

Floyd was also cited for underage drinking in Minneapolis on Jan. 8, 2010. Floyd and Minnesota running back Shady Salamon, who were former Cretin-Derham Hall prep teammates in St. Paul, Minn., were cited after police were called to a fight involving six to 10 people.

Stanley said Floyd performed more than 32 hours of community service in Minnesota when he went home at the end of the school year even though he wasn't required to, saying he has also talked to students about the importance of academics.

"I think he did it for his own well-being," Stanley said. "I think he understood he had to give a little to get something back."

Floyd holds the school record for touchdown catches (28) and ranks second in school history in catches (171) and third in receiving yards (2,539).

Floyd had faced a maximum sentence of a year in jail. A charge of running a stop sign was dismissed.


Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press



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Donald Driver Super Bowl XLV Big Ben Cowboys Stadium LeBron James

Goodell, Smith to resume negotiations (AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)?Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith took their new buddy act on the road Wednesday, creating a buzz among rookies in Florida then returning to Minnesota for talks to try and end pro football?s labor impasse.

The NFL commissioner and the players? boss took questions from rookies at an orientation symposium in Sarasota, Fla., where recent draft picks were glad? and relieved?to see their two surprise guests.

?Guys are hurting for money right now,? said quarterback Christian Ponder(notes), a first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings. ?It?s a crazy time, especially with the uncertainty of when we?re going to start and get some money in our pocket.?

?It?s big for them to come together. I thought that was pretty cool,? he said. ?It looks like they have a pretty good relationship.?

Smith and Goodell certainly seem closer than when the lockout began in March. Whether that will translate into a new collective bargaining agreement is the big question. Training camps are scheduled to open in just over three weeks with the Hall of Fame game on Aug. 7.

The latest round of negotiations between the two sides?the fifth since they began hopping from city to city for clandestine meetings?kicked off Tuesday in Minneapolis with Goodell, Smith, their attorneys and staffs in the room but no owners or players. People familiar with the situation said owners and players planned to join the talks Thursday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the discussion are not being released.

The location is significant because Minneapolis is where the players filed an antitrust suit against the owners and the sides tried and failed to strike an agreement through court-ordered mediation under U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan.

Smith invited Goodell to the orientation session for rookies?put on by the players? association after the NFL canceled the event?and the pair flew down to Florida on Tuesday night. After a joint breakfast Wednesday, they talked for an hour with 155 rookies.

?We felt it was important to be down here with the players,? Goodell said. ?This is an important few days. We?re going to get back to work.?

Owners and players are seeking a deal that would divide revenues for the $9 billion business?the biggest hurdle to clear?and guide league activities for years to come.

Goodell and Smith didn?t have a direct answer when asked by the rookies when the impasse will end so they can meet their coaches and start their careers. Still, their joint appearance was seen as a positive sign.

?That?s really the significance of this,? NFL Players Association spokesman George Atallah said. ?There?s a lockout happening now, but we?ve got to look forward and consider the necessity to have a positive working relationship with the league.?

Ponder said Goodell urged the rookies to be ready, whenever the lockout is lifted.

?The biggest thing he hammered home is we really have no idea when this thing is going to end,? Ponder said. ?But us rookies have to prepare for it. It?s going to end at some point. As rookies it?s our job to be prepared. Yeah, we?ve missed some practices, but we can?t change that.?

Smith said both sides are ?continuing to work hard? to keep the 2011 season intact. He called the question-and-answer session with rookies ?important to ensure our young men appreciated how important we think these few days are. I?m thrilled Roger could come down with us and talk to the rookies in a very good, direct way.?

This spring, current players were joined in their legal fight against the league by a group of retirees led by Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller, who has been actively trying to organize and unite retired players in a quest to secure better benefits and medical care from the league.

Eller and his attorneys were part of the court-ordered mediation sessions? six days, in all?in Boylan?s chambers in April and May, and Eller met with Goodell and some owners in Chicago earlier this month.

Shawn Stuckey, one of the attorneys for Eller?s group, said the retirees, while trying to be patient, also have been disappointed to not be more involved, citing the ruling by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson that the two cases be combined.

?We want football, and we want this to come to an amicable resolution,? Stuckey said. ?We don?t want to be in the way of an agreement. We?re well within our rights to object and say these mediation sessions are not consistent with what Judge Nelson ordered. However, we feel one of the best ways to get a resolution is to let the active players reach a resolution, and then we can reach a resolution on our issues.?

Stuckey indicated, however, that Eller?s group doesn?t want to be left out.

?If the active players and the league are serious about getting football under way soon, they?ve got to start negotiating with the retirees. Even the slight chance that the season could be delayed should be sufficient enough to motivate those guys to work with the retirees, if they?re serious about actually getting football played and getting it played fast.?

AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner and AP Sports Writers Larry Lage, John Wawrow and Steven Wine contributed to this report.



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Sam Bradford Eric Berry Tim Tebow Kyle Orton Demaryius Thomas

NDSU's Bohl accepts five-year contract extension

FARGO, N.D. (AP) � Football coach Craig Bohl and North Dakota State University have agreed to a five-year contract extension that pays a base salary of $196,668 plus incentives for wins in the conference and the playoffs.

Bohl enters his ninth season with the Bison with a 61-30 career record. In 2010, the Bison made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision I (FCS) playoffs.

NDSU opens the 2011 season at home Sept. 3 against Lafayette College.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Mavericks Knicks Magic NBA NFL

Djokovic beats Tomic to reach Wimbledon semifinals

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Six-time champion Roger Federer was eliminated in the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the second straight year, wasting a two-set lead before losing 3-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France.

Federer looked to be heading for another routine victory on Centre Court after dominating the second-set tiebreaker. But the Frenchman broke once in each set to level the match, and broke again to start the fifth.

Federer never recovered and must wait another year for a chance to equal Pete Sampras' record of seven Wimbledon titles. The third-ranked Swiss lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals last year.

In other men's action, Novak Djokovic overcame his protege, holding on to reach the semifinals for the third time in his career with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over 18-year-old Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic.

Djokovic has been practicing with Tomic on-and-off since the two became friends last year in Australia. This was the first meeting between the two in a competitive match.

Later Wednesday, defending champion Rafael Nadal was to face Mardy Fish, while No. 4 Andy Murray was scheduled to take on Feliciano Lopez.

At the start on Court 1, Djokovic appeared to have little to worry about, rolling through the first set and on his way to a fifth straight major semifinal. But Tomic didn't quit, instead breaking Djokovic to take a 3-1 lead in the second set and eventually evening the match.

Tomic again went up a break in the third, but that's when Djokovic got going. The two-time Grand Slam champion won five straight games to take the third set, and then won the first two games in the fourth. Although Tomic got back on serve at 2-2 and was two points from winning the set at 5-4, Djokovic soon broke to take a 6-5 lead and held for victory.

Djokovic started the 2011 season by winning 41 straight matches, but that came to an end with a loss to Federer in the French Open semifinals. If the Serb reaches the final at the All England Club for the first time this year, he will guarantee himself the No. 1 ranking. He can also claim the top ranking if Nadal fails to defend his title.

Tomic was the youngest man to start in the men's draw this year, and the youngest to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals since Boris Becker defended his title in 1986.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



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NFL Players Association Mike Tomlin Super Bowl Green Bay Packers Packers

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Sizzling Mets scoring at record pace

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NYM@DET: Hairston clears the bases with a triple

DETROIT -- The sudden offensive juggernaut continued rolling Wednesday night at Comerica Park, this time in a 16-9 Mets victory over the Tigers. For the fourth consecutive game, the Mets plated at least eight runs, matching the longest such streak in franchise history. They recorded a total of 52 runs over that span, exceeding a franchise record set in 1990.

And, of most importance to the Mets, they moved to a season-high two games above .500 for the first time since April 5.

It was Jose Reyes who sparked the Mets as usual, singling and scoring on a wild pitch in the first. But it was Scott Hairston who provided the most significant early blow, tripling home three runs against Tigers starter Phil Coke with two outs in the first. Hairston, who started at designated hitter in the American League ballpark, had not tripled in nearly two years.

The Mets added an additional run on Angel Pagan's RBI single in the third inning, before chasing Coke with four consecutive hits to open the fifth. That rally included an RBI double from catcher and cleanup hitter Ronny Paulino and a run-scoring single from Jason Bay, all with no outs.

Bay, who snapped the team's two-year grand slam drought in Tuesday's victory, walked three times and added a single.

Though Mets starter Chris Capuano was sharp early, holding the Tigers to two solo home runs over his first five innings, Miguel Cabrera knocked him out of the game with a three-run home run -- his second homer of the game -- in the sixth. Estimated at 445 feet, the shot snapped a streak of four consecutive quality starts for Capuano, who nonetheless won for the fourth time in his past five decisions.

Jhonny Peralta and Andy Dirks later homered in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, each time drawing the Tigers within two. It was not until Daniel Murphy hit matching two-out, two-run singles in the seventh and eighth innings that the Mets finally managed to exhale.

Jason Isringhausen and D.J. Carrasco recorded the final six outs, with Isringhausen allowing a run.

The Mets now rank fourth in the National League in offense, and first by a significant margin in the month of June. Passing the Yankees in monthly offense, the Mets now trail only the Red Sox in runs since June 1.



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Georgia notifies NCAA about eligibility concerns

ATLANTA -- Georgia's athletic department has contacted the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference regarding the eligibility of football player Jarvis Jones and incoming basketball player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

In a report Sunday by the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer, Jones and Caldwell-Pope were linked to a Columbus parks and recreation director under police investigation for misusing public funds.

In a statement released Monday, Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said the school, Jones and Caldwell-Pope will cooperate with the NCAA and SEC.

"No further comments will be available until the matter is resolved," the statement read.

Jones, who went to Carver High in Columbus, transferred to Georgia last year from Southern Cal. He is expected to start at outside linebacker this year for the Bulldogs.

Jones and Caldwell-Pope were members of the Georgia AAU Blazers, a basketball team funded by the city of Columbus, sponsored by Nike and overseen by parks director Tony Adams and associate Herman Porter.

Caldwell-Pope was a McDonald's All-American guard at Greenville (Ga.) High School. He signed with the Bulldogs in November.

The Ledger-Enquirer reported that police records show Adams and Porter used an unauthorized bank account to pay for Jones' flights to and from Los Angeles and to cover cell phone costs of Caldwell-Pope's mother.

Georgia basketball coach Mark Fox told reporters during an SEC teleconference Monday that he was "just made aware of that" Sunday.

"Obviously, we'll cooperate with the process," Fox said. "I really can't speculate on what penalty there will be if there is one."


Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press



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Jent leaves Cavs for post at alma mater Ohio St

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) � Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Chris Jent is leaving the team to take a similar position at Ohio State, where he played for four seasons.

Buckeyes coach Thad Matta announced the move Wednesday. Jent replaces Brandon Miller, who resigned to spend more time with family.

Jent was a Cavaliers assistant since 2009, joining the organization in 2006 as director of player development. He played at Ohio State from 1988-92, scoring more that 1,000 points in 123 games.

The Sparta, N.J., native played two years in the NBA, with the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

He served as interim head coach and an assistant coach for Orlando in 2004-05, and as an assistant coach/player development for Philadelphia in 2003-04.

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Troy Polamalu Mike Wallace Hines Ward Ben Roethlisberger Lawerence Timmons

Roger Goodell, DeMaurice Smith in midst of whirlwind day of meetings



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S. Carolina sweeps up second straight CWS title

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After posting a 1.17 ERA over five CWS starts in South Carolina's two title runs, junior pitcher Michael Roth will celebrate by going to ... Spain, writes Diamond Leung. Story



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McCann leads Braves' comeback in Seattle

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ATL@SEA: McCann goes 4-for-5 with two RBIs

SEATTLE -- Brian McCann already seems positioned to be elected to serve as the National League's starting catcher at this year's All-Star Game. But if he needs a few more votes before the balloting concludes Thursday night, there's a good chance he could find a few more in the Seattle area.

Playing in Seattle for the first time in his career, McCann has spent the first two games of this week's series proving why he is widely considered the game's top offensive catcher. At the same time, the five-time All-Star catcher has served as a true leader behind the plate.

On the way to matching a career-high four hits during the 5-4 win the Braves claimed over the Mariners at Safeco Field Tuesday night, McCann produced the decisive two-out, two-run single in the seventh that rewarded Tommy Hanson's ability to shake off some early rust and display some of his normal composure.

"Things are going well," McCann said. "I'm seeing the ball well. I'm getting good pitches to hit and I'm working counts. I'm being patient. When I have those things going, I feel confident, I can get hits."

With a ninth-inning single, McCann notched a career-high four hits for the seventh time. He has accounted for seven of the 13 hits the Braves have tallied while winning the first two games of this series and batted .386 with 10 homers dating to his previous four-hit game on May 28.

McCann's decisive seventh-inning single gave the Braves a necessary two-run cushion and provided a win for Hanson, who allowed three earned runs and lasted six innings while pitching for the first time since the Braves put him on the disabled list earlier this month with right shoulder tendinitis.

"I thought [McCann] did a terrific job of handling Tommy today," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Tommy just hung in there for six innings. We were able to get the lead and hold it. For him not to pitch as sharp as we've seen him and get the 'W' was outstanding."

Pitching for the first time since recording a career-high 14 strikeouts against the Astros on June 12, Hanson made a mistake by thinking he could simply sneak a first-pitch fastball past Ichiro Suzuki, but Ichiro drilled the delivery over the right-field wall to account for his first homer of the season.

Jack Cust's RBI double accounted for the only run the Mariners scored in a potentially disastrous second inning that began with three hits in a span of four at-bats. Cust then took advantage of a hanging changeup when he hit a fourth-inning solo homer that provided a three-run advantage to Michael Pineda, who allowed just one hit -- McCann's fourth-inning single -- through the first four innings.

The Braves began reducing their early three-run deficit against Pineda in the fifth and sixth innings. But they did not deliver their crushing blow until after the 6-foot-7, 260-pound right-hander walked three of the four batters he faced in the seventh inning.

Jordan Schafer greeted Aaron Laffey with a game-tying single to right that gave him just his fifth hit in 35 at-bats against left-handed pitchers. After a Jason Heyward strikeout, McCann shot his single through the right side of the infield.

"That's something we haven't done a lot of this year, come back from a three-run deficit against a pitcher like that," McCann said. "We battled and came up with some big hits."

McCann also provided a key contribution in the bottom half of the inning when he alertly made a strong pinpoint throw to second base to retire Adam Kennedy on a double-steal attempt. With first base open, the Braves took advantage of the opportunity to have left-handed reliever George Sherrill walk switch-hitting first baseman Justin Smoak.

Still, the Mariners' left-handed-hitting second baseman Dustin Ackley followed with an RBI single before Scott Proctor entered and ended the inning with a strikeout of catcher Chris Gimenez, who replaced Miguel Olivo (hamstring cramps) but was unable to swing because of a strained oblique he suffered in the fifth.

The Braves were able to rest Scott Linebrink and Eric O'Flaherty, who had both pitched each of the previous three days.

Jonny Venters notched a couple loud outs, including one that Heyward made crashing into the right-center-field wall, during a scoreless eighth that set the stage for Craig Kimbrel's 22nd save and allowed Hanson to notch his ninth win.

Hanson, whose 2.62 ERA ranks fourth in the NL, started to feel more relaxed in the third inning and retired the final seven batters he faced. More important, he did not have any problems with his shoulder.

"It felt good," Hanson said. "I didn't feel anything. Hopefully I'll come in tomorrow and it will feel the same way. Once I was out there, I didn't feel anything. My body and arm, everything felt really good."

Dan Uggla began the Braves' comeback with a fifth-inning homer. The solo shot over the left-center-field was the struggling second baseman's 12th of the season and third in his past six games.

Pineda retired the next four batters he faced before Heyward sent a two-out, sixth-inning liner whistling past the mound on its way to center. After McCann followed with a single to put runners at the corners, first baseman Smoak bobbled Chipper Jones' routine grounder and allowed Heyward to score easily.

"We hung around, and you've got to give a lot of credit to Tommy," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.



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NFL Draft Quarterback Running Back MVP home run

Woman arrested after allegedly asking Titans' Williams for bribe

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Demaryius Thomas Ndamukong Suh Brad Childress Colt McCoy NFL Lockout

Crowder says he didn't sell jerseys as Gator

Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder clarified comments he made on his radio show about "hypothetically" selling his jerseys when he played at the University of Florida, telling ESPN he did not sell any of his Gators uniforms while he was a college player.

"I was playing off the whole Terrelle Pryor thing where businessmen were buying his stuff," he said Tuesday in an interview with "SportsCenter."

Crowder created a media stir when he discussed the subject during the debut of his new two-hour weekly talk show on WQAM radio in Miami.

"I'll say hypothetically I don't have any more of my Florida jerseys," Crowder said Sunday. "There were some Jacksonville businessmen that really hypothetically liked my play."

However, he told ESPN on Tuesday he was just trying to make a point.

"When I was at Florida I made No. 5 a relevant jersey number at Florida, so why couldn't I sell my jersey while I was there with my name on the back?" he said.

He made it clear, however, that he didn't actually sell his jerseys while he played for the Gators. He was drafted by the Dolphins in 2005.

"I have all four of them," he said, referring to his home and road jerseys from the 2003 and 2004 seasons. He said his mother has two and he has the other two.

The University of Florida declined comment when contacted by The Associated Press on Monday.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.



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Sam Bradford Eric Berry Tim Tebow Kyle Orton Demaryius Thomas

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Calipari's new contract at Kentucky worth $36.5M

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) � The University of Kentucky has given men's basketball coach John Calipari an extension that makes his contract worth $36.5 million and will keep him coaching the Wildcats through 2019.

In his first two seasons at Kentucky, the Wildcats have gone 64-12 and last season earned their first trip to the NCAA Final Four in 13 years. They are 33-0 at home in Rupp Arena under Calipari.

"The people of Kentucky have embraced our family as one of their own and we love being here and there is no other place we'd rather be," Calipari said in a university statement.

UK added two years to Calipari's current contract and reworked the compensation so that he is guaranteed $3.8 million for the next eight seasons and retention bonuses of $1 million in five of the next eight years and $1.1 million in the final year. He is also eligible for up to $850,000 in annual incentives, based mostly on the team's performance in postseason tournaments.

"What John Calipari has done on and off the court in the past two years to reunite and rejuvenate this fan base has been magical," Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart said in the statement. Barnhart said Calipari "wants to be at Kentucky for a long time."

Calipari will turn 60 in 2019, the last year of the current contract. He said during a conference call with Southeastern Conference coaches Monday that he's "not going to be coaching in my 70s."

"I'm not going to have my win-loss record on my tombstone," Calipari said. "I'm not coaching to try to win more games than so-and-so. I don't care about that."

University president Lee Todd said the coach has "led a remarkable turnaround of our basketball program, bringing it back to unquestioned national prominence and in a position to compete for championships on a regular basis."

Calipari's smashing success in two seasons at Kentucky has kept his name in the headlines when coaching vacancies open in the NBA. When he was linked to the Chicago Bulls opening last year, Calipari responded that Kentucky fans would likely hear his name linked to NBA jobs every year.

"I have the best coaching job," Calipari told a university-sponsored blog on Sunday. "Financially I'm rewarded very handsomely. So why would I leave?"

Nine of Calipari's Kentucky players have been selected in the NBA draft, including 2010 No. 1 overall pick John Wall.

The new contract includes a base salary of $400,000 and $3.4 million in media and endorsement money.

Calipari's former contact reduced his pay to $2.85 million over its remaining three years, which ended in 2017. The new contract brings his annual compensation up to $3.8 million each year through the 2018-2019 season, along with the million-dollar retention bonuses. He would earn a bonus totaling $700,000 for winning the NCAA championship in any of those years.

Calipari's former contract guaranteed the coach $31.65 million over eight years, ending in 2017.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Demaryius Thomas Ndamukong Suh Brad Childress Colt McCoy NFL Lockout

Woman arrested after allegedly asking Titans' Williams for bribe

Source: http://www.nfl.com/goto?id=09000d5d82083ac7

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Purdue AD: Hope on solid ground

CARMEL, Ind. � Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke gave football coach Danny Hope a mulligan before heading out to the golf course.

Burke said that Hope wouldn't be blamed for last year's 4-8 finish because the Boilermakers suffered a rash of injuries.

"You've got to take that year and kind of just wipe it out," Burke told The Associated Press on Monday as he prepared for the Youthlinks Indiana Charity Golf Tournament.

Burke doubts the team's bad luck will continue, so he expects more this year.

"I think this team ought to be back in postseason," he said. "That's the next step. I think last year, we would have been back."

Purdue entered last season with optimism. Robert Marve transferred from Miami and was expected to seamlessly fit into the school's quarterback tradition, but he was lost early in the season with an ACL injury. His backup, Rob Henry, played hurt in several games after cutting the index finger on his throwing hand, and the Boilermakers went all the way down to Sean Robinson, a true freshman who had expected to redshirt.

Purdue also was without top running back Ralph Bolden and top wide receiver Keith Smith during Big Ten play because of knee injuries. Smith led the Big Ten in receptions in 2009, but only played in two games last year. Bolden led the team in rushing in 2009 and was a quality receiver, but hurt his knee and never played in 2010.

Add injuries to receivers Justin Siller and O.J. Ross, and the offense changed dramatically.

"All of those skill guys were at the core of what's going to create the offense for you." Burke said.

Burke said the talent existed at the beginning of the season for the team to reach a bowl game. At one point, the Boilermakers were 4-2. Eventually, the lack of depth caught up.

"I just think we need to be healthy," Burke said. "I really believe last year, had we been relatively healthy, they would have had a much more productive season."

Last year, Hope agreed to a one-year contract extension through the 2014 season.

Burke said he thinks Hope has the program moving in the right direction. He believes a move away from junior college talent has helped.

"I think the recruiting is much better than people think, but they can't see it yet," Burke said. "I can see it on the practice field. The fans can't see it yet, but it's coming."

Burke said he understands why fans are on edge. The team went 5-7 in Hope's first year, then went 4-8 last year. But Burke remembers that basketball coach Matt Painter went 9-19 his first year, and he has been to the NCAA tournament five consecutive years since.

"They were all questioning that decision, asking is Matt Painter the right guy. I said, 'Yeah, he's on the right track, the recruits are coming.' I feel the same way about this one."

----

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Los Angeles stadium developers alter pitch to city

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The developers proposing an NFL stadium for downtown Los Angeles tweaked their pitch to the city on Monday.

AEG's Tim Leiweke told a town hall meeting that he would ask the city to issue less than $300 million in bonds as part of the deal, down from $350 million. The debt would be repaid by sharing advertising revenue and with property taxes, in addition to stadium ticket surcharges and new venue-related revenue from city-owned parking lots, Leiweke said.

Los Angeles officials overseeing stadium negotiations said this month that city rules would permit only 50 percent of new city revenue to go toward bond payments.

The debt would be used to finance the demolition and relocation of the convention center hall displaced by the stadium.

Leiweke also vowed to post a bond to pay for the project's completion in case AEG had financial troubles that keep it from finishing the work. The bond would be posted after ground is broken on the new convention center building, he said.

Leiweke said the company was completing a full environmental review, but conceded that it was talking to state lawmakers about how to protect AEG from what he characterized as frivolous legal challenges to its environmental clearance. He said he hoped the deal with lawmakers is one that environmental groups would support.

AEG's $1 billion plan for a 72,000-seat stadium on part of the city's convention center campus is one of two competing proposals to bring pro football back to Los Angeles, 15 years after the Rams and Raiders left the nation's second-largest market within months of one another.

Warehouse magnate Ed Roski has permits in place to build a separate 75,000-seat stadium about 15 miles east of Los Angeles, in the city of Industry, but also hasn't secured a team.

Both camps have said they hope to recruit a franchise - and possibly two - from among those in the league that need a new stadium but are unable to get one built in their current locations. The San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars are among the teams often mentioned as possible candidates.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



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NFL Pre Season NFL Draft Quarterback Running Back MVP

Titans OC: Film study shows Locker's toughness, 'personality'

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Woman arrested after allegedly asking Titans' Williams for bribe

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NBA owners, players plan deadline talks to avoid lockout

In less than a week, the status of the 2011-12 NBA season will officially be on the clock.

  • National Basketball  Players Association  President Derek Fisher, left, listens as the union's executive director, Billy Hunter,  speaks during a news conference Thursday in New York.

    By Bebeto Matthews, AP

    National Basketball Players Association President Derek Fisher, left, listens as the union's executive director, Billy Hunter, speaks during a news conference Thursday in New York.

By Bebeto Matthews, AP

National Basketball Players Association President Derek Fisher, left, listens as the union's executive director, Billy Hunter, speaks during a news conference Thursday in New York.

Players and owners must come to an agreement on a collective bargaining agreement by Thursday to prevent a work stoppage.

Owners will convene in Dallas on Tuesday to discuss their options, which could include authorizing a lockout. Both sides will meet together Wednesday or Thursday, hours before the expiration date.

Negotiations have stalled because the sides are far apart on the salary cap, which was a "soft" $58 million for the 2010-11 season. Fifty-seven percent of basketball-related income is designated for players' salaries.

Owners want to reduce that to about 50% to help control expenses and institute a firmer cap system that won't have various exceptions that allow teams to exceed it. The league claims 22 of its 30 teams lost money last season. The NBA champion Dallas Mavericks had a payroll of more than $90 million.

Players declined to present a new economic proposal to owners Friday. Owners had hoped for another proposal from the union, but players felt they had gone far enough after offering a $500 million reduction in salaries over five years early last week, a move NBA Commissioner David Stern termed "modest."

"Why did we not make one? Because we felt that the one that we made previously was sufficient," union executive director Billy Hunter said.

Owners, who also are exploring an expanded form of revenue sharing, have backed off their insistence on non-guaranteed contracts and moved from a hard cap with no exceptions to a flex cap that would allow some. Players rejected that, too.

"There's still such a large gap, we feel that any move for us is real dollars we'd be giving back from where we currently stand, as opposed to where our owners have proposed numbers that in our estimation don't exist right now," union President Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers said. "They're asking us to go to a place where they want."

Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, the NBA's lead negotiator, said it would be "premature to talk about where we're going to find ourselves next week."

Hunter said there was enough good dialogue between owners and players that any lockout action might be unnecessary.

"The nature of the discussion today was such that they may find it difficult to pull the trigger," Hunter said. "Even though we didn't make any progress, maybe they felt that the energy and the attitude in the room was such that it might necessitate further discussion."

Stern remains optimistic both sides can come to an agreement after a banner 2010-11 season.

"The one thing we don't want is a lockout," he said. "We have told the players that."

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MetLife Stadium? Jets, Giants' home might be called just that

Source: http://www.nfl.com/goto?id=09000d5d82081e38

Clay Matthews Charles Woodson Greg Jennings Donald Driver Super Bowl XLV

Monday, June 27, 2011

Team first: Kaepernick skipping rookie event to work out

Source: http://www.nfl.com/goto?id=09000d5d82081df4

David Stern Cliff Lee Shaun Rogers Michael Vick Terrell Owens

Sources: WR Owens had surgery to repair ACL

Terrell Owens, who has placed himself among the NFL's all-time leading receivers with plans to play a 16th season, has undergone surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees following a previously undisclosed injury this offseason, according to sources familiar with the injury.

Owens, 37, was unavailable for comment but sources said the surgery by noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews occurred within the past month.

One source said Owens was hurt while on site taping a television show for VH1.

Another source said Owens tore the ACL during a personal workout but other sources could not confirm the cause of injury. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, also was unavailable for comment Sunday evening. His brother and partner in the agent business, Jason Rosenhaus, said, "I don't like to deny stories or confirm or deny anything. It's really something for Drew (to address)."

Rosenhaus issued a denial to an ESPN inquiry last month about Owens' injury. Other sources close to Owens ignored specific inquiries Sunday night.

Owens has never made reference to an ACL injury on Twitter, where he has an active account.

Owens' 2010 season for the Cincinnati Bengals came to an end when he tore meniscus cartilage in his left knee Dec. 19 against the Cleveland Browns in week 14. Dr. Andrews surgically repaired Owens' meniscus on Dec. 20.

Sources said while Owens did tear an ACL with the new injury, he suffered no other damage to the knee in question and with intensive rehab he conceivably could return within six months, or around mid-to-late November, in a best-case scenario.

Owens has said he intended to play a 16th season in 2011 after catching 72 passes for 983 yards and nine touchdowns for the Bengals, who signed him to a one-year, $2-million contract last year. He will be a free agent when the NFL lockout ends but his injury status clearly places his season, and perhaps his career, in question.

Career-wise, Owens ranks behind only Jerry Rice in all-time receiving yardage and is third behind Rice and Randy Moss in receiving touchdowns.

Chris Mortensen is ESPN's senior NFL analyst.



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Roethlisberger can't rule out foot surgery despite progress

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T.O. undergoes knee surgery, shelved until at least November

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Fashion forward: Bills unveil brand-new uniforms for 2011

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Bills player rep Wilson 'definitely optimistic' about labor talks

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The top potential free agent quarterbacks

When will NFL free agency commence? Nobody knows for sure. But there have been reports that unsigned players who have accrued at least four years in the NFL will be eligible. With that in mind, here's a look at the quarterbacks likely to be available whenever free agency begins.

All right, so we all know he's going to be re-signed by the Colts. The four-time NFL MVP is about to be the highest-paid NFL player ever by Indianapolis, but whether that's via a franchise tag or a new contract is yet to be determined.



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Ravens Bengals Browns Patriots Dolphins

The top potential free agent quarterbacks

When will NFL free agency commence? Nobody knows for sure. But there have been reports that unsigned players who have accrued at least four years in the NFL will be eligible. With that in mind, here's a look at the quarterbacks likely to be available whenever free agency begins.

All right, so we all know he's going to be re-signed by the Colts. The four-time NFL MVP is about to be the highest-paid NFL player ever by Indianapolis, but whether that's via a franchise tag or a new contract is yet to be determined.



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Kevin Durant Amare Stoudemire King James Cavaliers Paul Pierce

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Tseng wins LPGA Championship by 10 shots (AP)

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP)?Yani Tseng wasn?t satisfied with merely winning the LPGA Championship and, at 22, becoming the youngest to win four LPGA majors.

Once she made the turn with a 10-stroke lead Sunday, the best female player in the world set her sights on making a little more history.

?I was like, what?s a new goal for me?? Tseng said. ?And that?s why I told myself I wanted to set a record, to make 20 under.?

She missed by one stroke in what was the only minor blemish in one of the most dominating performances to date from Tseng.

In closing with a 6-under 66 to finish at 19-under 269 at Locust Hill Country Club, Tseng matched the LPGA record low at a major, most recently by Cristie Kerr a year ago when she shot the same score to win the tournament by 12 strokes. Dottie Pepper (1999 Kraft Nabisco) and Karen Stupples (2004 Women?s British Open) also finished at 19 under.

There is one mark Tseng can claim as her own by bettering Se Ri Pak, who was 24 when she won her fourth major. By comparison, Tiger Woods didn?t win his fourth until he was 24. And Tseng?s well ahead of her idol, Annika Sorenstam, who was 24 when she won the first of her 10 majors?the 1995 U.S. Women?s Open

?It?s very special,? Tseng said. ?Now I?m thinking about a grand slam.?

It?s one step at a time for the top-ranked Tseng, who won her second LPGA Championship and has won three of the tour?s last six majors. The only major she?s missing is the U.S. Women?s Open title, which she?ll have an opportunity to complete her career slam in two weeks at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Morgan Pressel (71) finished second. Kerr (69), Suzann Pettersen (67) and Paula Creamer (69) tied for third at 8 under.

?Pretty unbelievable,? said Kerr, who rallied late with a birdie on No. 16 and an eagle on 17. ?Yani?s doing what I did last year. Obviously, it?s hard to beat. I?m not surprised. Yani?s a great player.?

Pressel initially thought she?d have an outside chance to catch Tseng before the final round began. Pressel dropped that hope once she dropped a shot with a bogey on No. 2.

?It?s definitely a dominating performance,? Pressel said. ?She didn?t make many mistakes out there.?

Tseng didn?t, in claiming $375,000 at the $2.5 million event. Wearing a smile for much of the day, Tseng raised her arms and tipped her hat as she was greeted by the gallery upon arriving at the 18th green.

After a bogey on No. 1, which she chalked up to nerves, Tseng reeled off five birdies on her next seven holes to run away from the field. Tseng added three more birdies on the back nine, while bogeying 13, and had a chance to get to 20, before missing a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 18.

?The birdie on No. 2, it felt like a turning point for me because I bogeyed the first hole,? Tseng said. ?It was huge for me.?

Tseng went wire-to-wire as the tournament leader after opening with rounds of 66, 70 and 67. In holding one-shot leads after each of the first two rounds, Tseng began running away from the field on Saturday in building a five-shot edge.

Tseng finished with 27 birdies, six bogeys and a double bogey. She hit 38 of 56 fairways and 57 of 72 greens in regulation.

No one else was close. Tseng?s playing partner, Cindy LaCrosse, unraveled. She was 5 over on Sunday to tumble into 14th.

Pettersen had the best round among those at the top of the leaderboard, getting to 9 under for the tournament before a bogey on No. 18.

?I think I started too late in this tournament,? Pettersen said, while also acknowledging Tseng?s performance. ?You take her out of consideration and I think the rest of us were fighting for second and third.?

For the star from Taiwan, it was her eighth career LPGA Tour victory, second in a row and third of the season. She has three other victories this year, sweeping the Australian Open and Masters and winning in Taiwan.

With four majors, she moved into a tie for 15th among women with four majors, joining a group of six others, including Laura Davies and Meg Mallon.

?She?s only 22,? Kerr said, noting she played with Tseng in South Korea about seven years ago. ?We knew she was going to be good. I didn?t know she would be this good. She is pretty dang good.?

Tseng is good friends with Sorenstam, and even bought the retired star?s home in Florida two years ago.

Sorenstam paid tribute, calling Tseng ?The new face of the LPGA,? in a phone interview with Golf Channel during the final round.

Tseng noted she received a text from Sorenstam earlier in the day.

?She texted me, `Great playing. Bring the trophy home,?? Tseng said. ?I was smiling, saying, `Yeah, I will.??



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Charles Woodson Shaq Derek Jeter Kyle Busch Dario Franchitti

Southeastern Conference showdown lasts all the way to Omaha

OMAHA � When Ray Tanner became head coach at South Carolina in 1997, he took a realistic look around the Southeastern Conference and decided most of the teams were circling the Gamecocks on their schedule as a series they should win handily. Within a few years, Tanner had built his program to the point where he was looking at other schools the same way. Not any longer.

  • Hudson Randall, who started Florida's College World Series opener vs. Texas, will get the call again Monday to open the title series against South Carolina.

    Brace Hemmelgam, U.S. Presswire

    Hudson Randall, who started Florida's College World Series opener vs. Texas, will get the call again Monday to open the title series against South Carolina.

Brace Hemmelgam, U.S. Presswire

Hudson Randall, who started Florida's College World Series opener vs. Texas, will get the call again Monday to open the title series against South Carolina.

"There's nobody to play ? everybody's good," he said. "As one of our (SEC) coaches said, our league tremendously exciting but very dangerous. You can go from first to worst. You can be a pretty good team and not feel very well at the end of the year."

When No. 4 seed South Carolina meets second seed Florida in their best-of-three championship series beginning Monday, it will be first time since 1998 that schools from the same conference have played for the title. The Gamecocks are trying to become only the sixth school with back-to-back championships.

Florida is going for its first crown. If the Gators succeed, they will join the Gamecocks and LSU in 2009 to become just the second trio of schools from the same league with consecutive titles.

Seven of the SEC's 12 schools reached the NCAA tournament and three (Vanderbilt was seeded sixth) reached the CWS this year. Their record in Omaha is 8-2 with the only losses coming in Florida's wins against Vandy.

South Carolina, Florida and Vanderbilt all play in the SEC East Division, and their competition was so tight, all three tied for the regular-season title with 22-8 conference marks.

"I think that's what separates this league from most," Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan said of the conference's depth. "The places you have to play, there's no let-up from any weekend to weekend."

There might have been no separation between Florida and South Carolina during the year, but they begin the championship series as virtual strangers. The Gamecocks won two of three games in Gainesville during the regular season, but that came three months ago.

"It's been quite awhile, things change and personnel changes," Tanner said." But one constant is that both of us have remained consistent. We've been in the hunt."

The finals have been evenly divided between two-game sweeps and three-game series since the format was adopted in 2003. South Carolina needed only two games to knock off UCLA for last year's title.

Both teams advanced through bracket play unbeaten. Florida hasn't lost consecutive games since early May, and the Gamecocks have had back-to-back losses only twice all season, suggesting this Series could go the limit. If so, the Gators are set up more advantageously on the mound.

Hudson Randall will start the opener, followed by freshman Karsten Whitson, the ninth overall pick in last year's major league draft. Left-hander Alex Panteliodis would be available for a third game. All three have started games in Omaha and have teamed to allow three earned runs in 161/3 innings.

South Carolina closer Matt Price went a season-high 52/3 innings and threw 95 pitches Friday in the Gamecocks' 13-inning victory against top seed Virginia. He won't be available Monday.

"I wish they'd played a little longer," O'Sullivan said.

Gamecocks ace Michael Roth, 13-3 with a 0.98 ERA, went the first seven innings in that game, throwing 90 pitches. He would have to go on three days' rest if he started Tuesday.

"If it's a situation where we feel like Michael gives us the best opportunity, we'll run him out there," Tanner said. "But we want to make sure we do the right thing physically.

"If you just go on paper, they may be set up a little bit better than us right now. But it's a short series. Anything can happen. It's one play, one pitch, that kind of thing."

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