CLEVELAND (AP)?Austin Carr fondly remembers his glory days playing guard for
the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1970s.
Under coach Bill Fitch, they didn?t have as much talent as many other teams,
but those wine-and-gold expansion Cavs had something special.
?We were 12 men deep,? Carr said as he helped the Cavs unveil new uniforms
for 2010-11. ?You knew every night we were going to play 100 percent. Nobody
was going to quit.?
Realizing he had taken a shot at former Cavaliers? star LeBron James(notes), Carr
raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders.
At this point, what else can be said?
Long before James announced he was leaving as a free agent for Miami, the
Cavs planned to wear new uniforms next season and Tuesday they presented their
?updated? look, a throwback to their early years in the NBA.
The uniforms include a ?deeper? wine and ?brighter? gold hue than the
team?s previous uniforms. They also include the word ?Cleveland? written in a
block-style lettering as opposed to the script of the past.
On Monday, owner Dan Gilbert said jokingly that the new uniforms would
include the Comic Sans font. It?s the style he used in his infamous letter to
Cleveland fans on July 8 after James announced he was leaving Cleveland.
The Cavs insist they are trying to move on, but James was again in the news
being quoted in an upcoming GQ interview that he feels Gilbert never cared about
him and his hatred for Cleveland dates back to his days as a kid growing up in
Akron.
Carr, who was the league?s No. 1 overall draft pick in 1971 and Cleveland?s
first bona fide hoops star, remains disappointed in James? departure. The
two-time MVP announced his decision in a prime-time TV special, breaking the
hearts of his biggest fans.
?As an ex-player, I might have left myself,? said Carr, a color analyst
for the team. ?So I don?t begrudge him for that. But the way he did it was
unprofessional and uncalled for.?
After James announced his decision, Gilbert fired off his impassioned letter
ripping James for being ?narcissistic? and predicting the Cavs would win a
championship before ?the self-titled former king.? Later, he told the
Associated Press that he felt the superstar quit in this year?s playoffs.
Although it seems the Cavs are trying to move on, James? magazine interview
has reopened the issue. He?s the one who can?t seem to let things go.
?That?s his problem,? said Carr, who cried unashamedly the night the Cavs
won the NBA draft lottery and the rights to draft James. ?Not ours.?
Carr was joined by former teammate Campy Russell at a launch party for the
new uniforms. Both players laughed at the length of the shorts compared to the
tight-fitting ones they wore.
?We wore Daisy Dukes,? Carr said.
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Sunday, August 29, 2010
Team USA Notebook: Center No Big Deal for Versatile Lamar Odom
Filed under: Lakers, FIBA, USA Basketball, FIBA World ChampionshipISTANBUL -- Not that he's a candidate yet to replace Phil Jackson, but Lamar Odom let it be known Friday what he hopes one day to do.
"That's why I'll be a great coach,'' said the Lakers and Team USA stalwart about what his versatility will mean when his playing days are over.
Odom, you see, has played every position on the basketball court, a claim not many can make. So perhaps it's no surprise Odom, who is mostly a power forward during his day job with the Lakers, has emerged as the starting center for the Americans, who open the FIBA World Championship here Saturday against Croatia.
"In high school,'' Odom, 30, said of his tenure at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in New Britain, Conn., being the last time he was a starting center. "A lot of us were the tallest man on the court at some point (in life and played center). But it makes no difference, center or power forward. I'm a basketball player. Wherever you put me, I fit in.''
The 6-foot-10 Odom has played shooting guard and small forward before. He said he's even had stints in his career as one of the world's tallest point guards, a tribute to his agility.
"That's why I'll be a great coach,'' said the Lakers and Team USA stalwart about what his versatility will mean when his playing days are over.
Odom, you see, has played every position on the basketball court, a claim not many can make. So perhaps it's no surprise Odom, who is mostly a power forward during his day job with the Lakers, has emerged as the starting center for the Americans, who open the FIBA World Championship here Saturday against Croatia.
"In high school,'' Odom, 30, said of his tenure at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in New Britain, Conn., being the last time he was a starting center. "A lot of us were the tallest man on the court at some point (in life and played center). But it makes no difference, center or power forward. I'm a basketball player. Wherever you put me, I fit in.''
The 6-foot-10 Odom has played shooting guard and small forward before. He said he's even had stints in his career as one of the world's tallest point guards, a tribute to his agility.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Caroline Wozniacki Grabs Third Title of Summer at Pilot Pen
Filed under: U.S. Open, WTA
Two-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki won her third consecutive title at the Pilot Pen on Saturday by defeating eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia in three sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. It is Wozniacki's second straight WTA tournament title and her third this summer on hard court.
Wozniacki enters Flushing Meadows as the U.S. Open's No. 1 seed, having won 14 of 15 matches since Wimbledon. The 20-year-old Dane finished runner-up at last year's Open and looks to claim her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows this year.
It will be interesting to see if fatigue factors into the Dane's performance in Flushing. The U.S. Open will be Wozniacki's fifth tournament in five weeks.
tweetcount_src = 'RT @FanHouseTennis:'; tweetcount_via = false; tweetcount_size = 'small'; tweetcount_background = 'FFFFFF'; tweetcount_border = 'CCCCCC'; tweetcount_api_key = '1cf4e3b7f7f20406a9dd9d1b1edc0e41b4fc20d1b21cb19a6f169387c696d333'; The Dane had trouble closing Petrova out on Saturday and must be more aggressive if she is to roll through the field at the Open. Petrova generated 12 aces against Wozniacki, but Wozniacki's groundstrokes were more consistent, winning 15 more points than her Russian opponent.
Two-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki won her third consecutive title at the Pilot Pen on Saturday by defeating eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia in three sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. It is Wozniacki's second straight WTA tournament title and her third this summer on hard court.
Wozniacki enters Flushing Meadows as the U.S. Open's No. 1 seed, having won 14 of 15 matches since Wimbledon. The 20-year-old Dane finished runner-up at last year's Open and looks to claim her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows this year.
It will be interesting to see if fatigue factors into the Dane's performance in Flushing. The U.S. Open will be Wozniacki's fifth tournament in five weeks.
tweetcount_src = 'RT @FanHouseTennis:'; tweetcount_via = false; tweetcount_size = 'small'; tweetcount_background = 'FFFFFF'; tweetcount_border = 'CCCCCC'; tweetcount_api_key = '1cf4e3b7f7f20406a9dd9d1b1edc0e41b4fc20d1b21cb19a6f169387c696d333'; The Dane had trouble closing Petrova out on Saturday and must be more aggressive if she is to roll through the field at the Open. Petrova generated 12 aces against Wozniacki, but Wozniacki's groundstrokes were more consistent, winning 15 more points than her Russian opponent.
The Curious Case of Andrea Collarini
Filed under: Davis Cup, ATP, Sports Business and MediaIf you can't beat 'em, buy 'em. Is that what we're down to in American tennis? Is that the American Way?
The U.S. Open starts Monday, just two weeks after a historic low in U.S. tennis, when no American men were ranked in the world's top 10. It's the great fall of U.S. tennis. And word now isn't just that no one is on top, but that no one is coming, either. The U.S. doesn't know how to develop players at all.
The best place to learn the art and nuance of the modern game is on clay, but Americans can't play on the stuff. It's not easy to find red clay courts in America, where hard courts suit the U.S. style of power and dominance.
But working through the minors now is an 18-year-old American left-hander, a clay court specialist who has been called "the chosen one.''
That's right, Andrea Collarini (pictured) reached the final of the junior French Open in May on the slow, red clay. He'll play juniors at the U.S. Open next week.
So how do you explain him?
"I have to use the expression,'' a spokesperson for the Argentine tennis federation, AAT, told me, "they are stealing a player.''
The U.S. Open starts Monday, just two weeks after a historic low in U.S. tennis, when no American men were ranked in the world's top 10. It's the great fall of U.S. tennis. And word now isn't just that no one is on top, but that no one is coming, either. The U.S. doesn't know how to develop players at all.
The best place to learn the art and nuance of the modern game is on clay, but Americans can't play on the stuff. It's not easy to find red clay courts in America, where hard courts suit the U.S. style of power and dominance.
But working through the minors now is an 18-year-old American left-hander, a clay court specialist who has been called "the chosen one.''
That's right, Andrea Collarini (pictured) reached the final of the junior French Open in May on the slow, red clay. He'll play juniors at the U.S. Open next week.
So how do you explain him?
"I have to use the expression,'' a spokesperson for the Argentine tennis federation, AAT, told me, "they are stealing a player.''
Tiger Woods Struggles in Second Round at The Barclays
Filed under: PGAPARAMUS, N.J. (AP) -- Jason Day can't get a straight answer from doctors on the mysterious health issues sapping away at his energy. He at least knows exactly where he stands after two rounds of The Barclays.
A tournament that once looked as though it might belong to Tiger Woods shifted late Friday to the hands of the 22-year-old Australian, who showed some of his great promise with three late birdies for a 4-under 67 and a one-shot lead.
Nine players had at least a share of the lead at some point during the second round until Day's late surge. He was at 8-under 134, one shot clear of Kevin Streelman (63) and Vaughn Taylor (70) going into the weekend of the FedExCup's first playoff event.
"I just tried to stay as patient as possible, and it just kind of fell in my lap, which was really good," he said.
Woods didn't so much lose his patience as much as his putting stroke. Part of that was playing in the afternoon on greens that became bumpy under foot traffic and a day of blazing sun, as Woods expected.
More: Barclays Leaderboard | Photos
He wasn't planning on missing a 20-inch par putt on the fifth hole, or failing to make a single birdie on the easier front nine.
"I didn't hit it bad at all," Woods said. "I hit it really good. As I said, I didn't putt really well. I hit it as good as I did yesterday. If I don't make putts, I don't score."
He wound up with a 73, eight shots worse than his opening round.
A tournament that once looked as though it might belong to Tiger Woods shifted late Friday to the hands of the 22-year-old Australian, who showed some of his great promise with three late birdies for a 4-under 67 and a one-shot lead.
Nine players had at least a share of the lead at some point during the second round until Day's late surge. He was at 8-under 134, one shot clear of Kevin Streelman (63) and Vaughn Taylor (70) going into the weekend of the FedExCup's first playoff event.
"I just tried to stay as patient as possible, and it just kind of fell in my lap, which was really good," he said.
Woods didn't so much lose his patience as much as his putting stroke. Part of that was playing in the afternoon on greens that became bumpy under foot traffic and a day of blazing sun, as Woods expected.
More: Barclays Leaderboard | Photos
He wasn't planning on missing a 20-inch par putt on the fifth hole, or failing to make a single birdie on the easier front nine.
"I didn't hit it bad at all," Woods said. "I hit it really good. As I said, I didn't putt really well. I hit it as good as I did yesterday. If I don't make putts, I don't score."
He wound up with a 73, eight shots worse than his opening round.
Leinart defends himself, questions Cards starting Anderson
Derek Anderson, it's your turn. And Matt Leinart isn't happy about it. The Arizona Cardinals' quarterback situation is up in the air after coach Ken Whisenhunt decided to shake up a struggling offense and start Anderson over Leinart in the third preseason game, against the Chicago�Bears on Saturday night. It's not clear if the move announced Thursday is permanent, but Leinart defended himself in interviews with The Arizona Republic and the Cardinals' official Web site Friday. "I've done everything to this point that they've asked me to and more," Leinart told The Republic. "I've worked hard and been a leader. I'm trying to be that guy in this new role. I have high expectations for myself."
Leinart, the 10th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, said his performances on the field have been "efficient." "I've been accurate. I haven't turned the ball over," Leinart told the newspaper. "I don't know how we judge performance when you have 13 pass attempts to the other guy's 40. I'm not going to sit here and complain and point the finger. I have to get better, and I'm going to get better." Asked if there were some underlying issues between him and Whisenhunt, Leinart said: "I don't know. I don't really know." "It seems like every preseason, there is something I'm trying to get through," Leinart said. "I don't really know what's going on and why decisions are being made. I've worked extremely hard to get to this point. I hope everyone has seen that." Penciled in as Arizona's starter after Kurt Warner retired, Leinart has yet to lead the offense to a score this preseason and couldn't even record a first down in the three series that he played against the Tennessee Titans in a 24-10 loss Monday. That's right -- three-and-out on all three series. Leinart, a Heisman Trophy winner at USC, was 4-of-6 passing for 28 yards at Tennessee and is 10 of 13 for 77 yards in Arizona's first two preseason games. His longest completion is a 16-yarder. So the Cardinals (1-1) are giving a start to Anderson, who competed with Brady Quinn in Cleveland and was brought in by the Cardinals after spending his first five NFL seasons with the Browns. "I think I've made big strides since the spring," said Anderson, who has completed 24 of 41 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. "Feel good with it. We've been pretty basic in the preseason for the most part, learning every single day." No matter who is behind center, this hasn't been an easy preseason for the Cardinals. Not with all those injured receivers. Pro Bowl pick Larry Fitzgerald (sprained right knee), Early Doucet (abdominal strain), Darren Mougey (broken hand) and Andre Roberts (shoulder) are all banged up. Fitzgerald, who was injured during the preseason opener against the Houston Texans, increased his workload Thursday, but the Cardinals are aiming to have him ready for the Sept. 12 season opener at St. Louis. Doucet was back at practice Thursday and might be ready to play against the Bears. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stephen Strasburg Has 'Significant Tear' in Elbow Ligament, Will Need Surgery
Filed under: Nationals, MLB InjuriesStephen Strasburg's captivating rookie season is finished.
The Nationals announced Friday morning that their phenom will not pitch again this season after testing Thursday revealed a "significant tear" in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He will get a second opinion but the Nationals anticipate he'll undergo Tommy John surgery, which generally sidelines pitchers for 12 to 18 months.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said the team's medical staff believes Strasburg's injury was "acute" and happened on one pitch.
"As you can imagine he was initially upset by the news, but he has really turned himself from being upset to being focused on his rehabilitation," Rizzo said. "He's determined to get after this, get the surgery done and get to the process of rehabilitation."
The Nationals announced Friday morning that their phenom will not pitch again this season after testing Thursday revealed a "significant tear" in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He will get a second opinion but the Nationals anticipate he'll undergo Tommy John surgery, which generally sidelines pitchers for 12 to 18 months.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said the team's medical staff believes Strasburg's injury was "acute" and happened on one pitch.
"As you can imagine he was initially upset by the news, but he has really turned himself from being upset to being focused on his rehabilitation," Rizzo said. "He's determined to get after this, get the surgery done and get to the process of rehabilitation."
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