The Working Title

Edwin Rodriguez Resigns

2011-06-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Florida Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez has resign amidst the team's current nine-game losing streak.

The 32-39 Marlins are in last place in the NL East. Bench coach Brandon Hyde will replace Rodriguez for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay while the club looks for an interim manager.

The Manlins have gone 1-17 in June and have not won consecutive games since sweeping the San Francisco Giants on May 24-26.

Rodriguez's resignation comes almost a year to the day he was promoted to replace current Atlanta Braves coach Fredi Gonzalez. The Marlins and Rodriguez agrees to a one-year contract to keep him on as the manager for this season.

Florida traded star second baseman Dan Uggla to Atlanta during the offseason and their two other star players, shortstop Hanley Ramirez and pitcher Josh Johnson have struggles thus far this season.

Ramirez is batting a pedestrian .204, much lower than his career .306 average, and recently came off of the disabled list.

Johnson is 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA, however, he has not played in over a month due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder.

Along with Hyde, former Marlins skipper Jack McKeon and Washington third base coach Bo Porter are considered the favorites to take over the open position.

HEAT FALL TO MAVS IN GAME 6

2011-06-12T21:20:00.000-07:00

By Matthew Klein,

When the Lebron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade had their big celebration last summer, they expected to win an NBA championship. Maybe they will one day, but it did not happen in year one as they fell to the Mavericks 105-95 in game six. This was the Mavericks first championship in franchise history.

Lebron, who had become the most hated player in the NBA last offseason might have decided to take his talents to South Beach but he must have forgotten to take them to the fourth quarter. For the first three quarters in the six games you were watching the best player in the game but once that fourth quarter came he was a total different player. He had only a total of 21 points in the fourth quarter in the six games in the series.

On the other side this is a great story for Dallas. Many people had them getting eliminated in the first round. It is especially special for players like Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd. Kidd, who has been in the league for 17 years has been waiting for this moment. He got there with the New Jersey Nets back in 2002 and 2003 but fell to the Lakers and the Spurs.

Dirk Nowitzki was named the MVP of the series. Another veteran who has been waiting his whole life for this. "I still really can't believe it" Nowitzki said to reporters after the game. Even on an off night where he only scored 21 points, 10 of those came in crunch time to close the deal. Jason Terry coming off the bench scored 27 points.

With the uncertainty of there being a season next year, the Miami Heat will have a while to think about this loss. One thing's for sure this is just the first of many postseasons they will go through with each other.

MLB May Realign Leagues

2011-06-11T20:47:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Four sources have told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that the MLB and the player's union are discussing a possible realignment between the National and American Leagues. If the realignment does occur, both leagues would foster 15 teams. Currently, the National League has 16 teams while the American League only has 14.

The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in December. One major change is already set in the new CBA, which is the addition of one more playoff team in each league.

The league could also eliminate the six divisions, making a 15-team race for the five playoff spots based on a club's record. In 2008, the New York Mets failed to maked the playoffs despite winning 89 games because the Los Angeles Dodgers won their division with a 84-78 record.

One part of the negotiation that is stalling the realignment from happening is the schedule. Since both leagues will feature an odd number of teams, at least one team will have an interleague foe at all times, which could make a difference for a team struggling to make the playoffs late in the season.

The one team that has been named as the possible suitor for the American League is the Houston Astros since they would be able to create an inter-state rivalry with the Texas Rangers.

Chamberlain Possibly Out for Season

2011-06-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

New York Yankees relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain has been placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday, but the team fears he may be out for the season.

Chamberlain, 25, has a torn ligament in his throwing elbow which may require Tommy John Surgery. a dye contrast MRI that was taken Thursday on Chamberlain's arm will be sent to the office of Dr. James Andrews to determine if the surgery is necessary. Typical expected recovery time from Tommy John Surgery for a pitcher is between 10-14 months.

The Yankees entered the season with one of the strongest bullpens in the MLB, but injuries have taken their toll and the Yankees now find themselves shorthanded.

Last month, set-up man Rafael Soriano was placed on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation. Chamberlain took over the role as the eighth-inning man when Soriano went down.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that David Robertson will replace Chamberlain for now. Chamberlain was 2-0 this season with a 2.83 ERA and 24 strikeouts.

A's Fire Bob Geren

2011-06-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Oakland Athletics have fired manager Bob Geren with the team in the middle of a nine-game losing streak.

Geren, 49, will be replaced by interim manager Bob Melvin.

Oakland (27-36) won a season-high four consecutive games before entering their current skid.

Despite having the fourth-best ERA in the majors, the team has been out of contention in a wide-open AL West because of their lack of a strong offense. Their best hitter, Coco Crisp, is only batting .261 and the team ranks in the bottom five of nearly every major offensive category in baseball, including home runs, which Oakland ranks 30th with just 34.

Melvin has also managed the Seattle Mariners and most recently the Arizona Diamondbacks. This past offseason, Melvin was interviewed the Milwaukee Brewers and the New York Mets for their coaching vacancies.

Oakland begins a three-game series tonight against the Chicago White Sox with Trevor Cahill (6-3) taking the mound.

Shaquille O'Neal Retires

2011-06-01T19:11:00.002-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Boston Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement on Wednesday on social media network Tout, putting an end to the career of a man who's was not only one of the biggest men in the league, but was also one of the biggest personalities.

O'Neal, 39, was the oldest active player in the NBA this past season and signed a two-year deal with Boston last summer. Injuries slowed down O'Neal and he was only able to play in 37 games this season. O'Neal was told that his Achilles tendon, which was injured on Christmas Day, would require surgery if he wanted to play which needed a nine-month recovery time. Instead of putting the Celtics in a state of limbo as they awaited his return, he instead decided to retire.

O'Neal was the first major superstar to play for the Orlando Magic, who drafted him first overall in 1992 out of LSU. Along with Penny Hardaway, O'Neal led Orlando to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1995 where they were swept by the Houston Rockets.

In 1996, O'Neal left Orlando and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won three NBA Championships between 2000-02. All three seasons he was named the Finals MVP and he also won the league MVP in 2000.

In 2004, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat where he promised the fans that he would bring them their first ever league championship. He made good on his promise, teaming up with Dwyane Wade to win the league title in 2006.

After O'Neal and the Heat struggled in 2008, Miami traded O'Neal to Phoenix. O'Neal spent a season there before playing a year in Cleveland and Boston.

O'Neal ends his career fifth in the most points scored in NBA history with 28,596, 12th in NBA history with 13,099 rebounds and seventh in blocks with 2,732. He trails only Artis Gilmore in career field goal percentage with a 56.3% accuracy.

Along with his three NBA Finals MVP awards and his league MVP, O'Neal has also been named to 15 All-Star games and won the Rookie of the Year award in 1993.

O'Neal will most likely be a first ballot Hall of Famer, however, it is unclear as to which team O'Neal will be enshrined with.

NHL to Return to Winnipeg

2011-05-31T18:26:00.002-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Fifteen years after the Winnipeg Jets bolted south to become the Phoenix Coyotes, the heart of Canada will have a hockey franchise return to them.

Atlanta Thrashers majority owner Michael Gearon has sold the franchise to True North Sports and Entertainment for $170 million. True North will relocate the franchise to Winnipeg and the league will split a $60 million relocation fee.

Atlanta becomes the first city in NHL history to be lose two franchises due to relocation. The Flames relocated to Calgary in 1980.

The 11-year-old franchise only made one postseason appearance, which was in 2007 after winning the Southeast Division title. The were swept by the sixth-seeded New York Rangers in the opening round of the playoffs.

The deal is still pending league approval. The vote will take place on June 21 at the NHL Board of Governors meeting. In order for the sale to be accepted, it needs three-quarters of a majority vote while the vote for relocation simply requires a majority vote.

The team name will most likely change. Former owner Ted Turner named the Thrashers after Georgia's state bird. No name has been decided upon yet, but the Jets could be used.

The NHL will not re-align the divisions after the relocation, meaning that Winnipeg will still be forced to played in the Southeast division, traveling as much as 2,300 miles for an away game within their division.

The Thrashers finished their final season in Atlanta with a fourth-place finish in the division, going 34-36-12. Only the New York Islanders and the Coyotes had lower home game attendance than Atlanta this season.

Jim Tressel Resigns as Ohio State Head Coach

2011-05-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Jim Tressel has resigned as the head coach at Ohio State according to the Columbus Dispatch, ending an era that began with winning the National Championship and ending with a scandal.

Assistant head coach Luke Fickell will serve as the interim head coach for the upcoming season.

Tressel, 58, was hired by Ohio State in 2001 to replace John Cooper. In 2002, Tressel led the Buckeyes to their seventh National Championship and their first since 1970. Ohio State also made it to the 2007 and 2008 National Championship games, where they lost to Florida and LSU.

Ohio State has gone 106-22 under Tressel, the second-best winning percentage by a Buckeyes head coach. The Buckeyes have also dominated their rivalry with Michigan under Tressel, going 9-1 including a current seven-game winning streak.

While Tressel may be known for returning Ohio State to prominence as well as the sweater vest he routinely wore during his tenure, he ends his career under scrutiny. Just before the Sugar Bowl, the NCAA discovered that several players were selling autographed jerseys or one of their Big Ten championship rings to tattoo parlor owner Edward Rife, who has been arrested by the FBI for drug trafficking. The NCAA later found out that Tressel knew of the players activity and suspended him for two games and fined him $250,000. The five players, most notably quarterback Terrelle Pryor, will be forced to sit out the first five games this season.

Before coming to Ohio State, Tressel served as the head coach of Youngstown State, where he won four Division I-AA National Championships.

Buster Posey Breaks Ankle

2011-05-26T09:22:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey has suffered a broken ankle and will be out indefinitely.

Posey, 24, suffered the injury during a home-plate collision with Florida Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins in the 12th inning of a 7-6 Florida win.

Posey will also undergo a MRI on Thursday to determine whether of not he has also suffered ligament damage. For the season, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year is batting .284 with four homers and 21 RBIs.

Jeff Berry, Posey's agent stated on Thursday morning that he will contact Joe Torre, the leader of on-field operations in the MLB, about changing rules about plays at home plate.

San Francisco is expected to place Posey on the disabled list and call up Brandon Belt from Triple-A Fresno.

Source: Mike Brown to be Next Lakers Coach

2011-05-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Sources have told ESPN that former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown is the top candidate to replace Phil Jackson as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Brown, 41, was fired by the Cavaliers last season after they failed to advance past the semifinals of the playoffs despite having the league's best record for two consecutive seasons.

Jackson announced a year ago that this would be his final season. The two-time defending champion Los Angeles were swept by the Dallas Maverick in the conference semifinals this season.

Under Brown, the LeBron James-led Cavaliers made the finals in 2007, only to be swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

An offer has allegedly been given to Brown and a deal could be agreed upon as early as Wednesday. Though no figures have been officially released, Brown is looking for security in his contract, which would feature a good amount of years and money. Several sources have reported that the Lakers are offering a four-year deal worth between $16-19 million. Jackson made $8 million last season and Los Angeles is trying to cut back on salaries.

Without Brown and James, Cleveland stumbled to a 19-63 finish and hold the first and fourth-overall picks in the upcoming draft.

Angels Lose Morales for Remainder of Season

2011-05-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim first baseman Kendrys Morales will be out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on his left ankle.

Morales, 27, has not played since breaking his ankle after celebrating a walk-off grand slam on May 29, 2010 against the Seattle Mariners. The switch-hitter was hoping to be on the Angels opening day lineup this season, but has faced several setbacks in his rehabilitation process.

The procedure will "clean up" scar tissue and bone cysts around the damaged ankle.

Rookie first baseman Mark Trumbo has replaced Morales this season at first base, hitting .270 with six homers and 17 RBIs.

Anaheim has performed well in the absence of Morales, their .271 team batting average this season leads the majors and they are first place in the AL West.

If the surgery is successful, Morales is expected to need six months to recover.

Alan Faneca Retires

2011-05-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Rather than face the uncertain future of the upcoming NFL season, Arizona Cardinals guard Alan Faneca has called it a career.

Faneca, 34, announced his retirement on Tuesday, putting an end to a career of one of the league's premier blockers.

Faneca spent most of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him in the first round of the 1998 draft out of LSU. Faneca spent 11 years with Pittsburgh before signing with the New York Jets in 2009 and Arizona in 2010.

Faneca was name to nine consecutive Pro-Bowls between 2001-09, the second-longest streak in the NFL at the time, behind only Baltimore's Ray Lewis. In 2010, Faneca was named to the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team.

Faneca ends his career playing 144 consecutive games and won two Super Bowls with the Steelers.

Bynum Hit Hard by NBA

2011-05-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The NBA has suspended Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum five game at the beginning of the 2011-12 season for his flagrant foul on Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea late in the Mavericks series-clinching 122-86 win.

Bynum, 23, threw an elbow into Barea's ribcage as he drove in for a layup. Referee's immediately ejected Bynum, who is not only a foot taller than Barea, but also weighs 110 more pounds than him. Bynum promptly took off his jersey before leaving the court.

The NBA also fined Bynum $25,000 for "removing his jersey and the manner in which he left the court."

Bynum will not be paid for the five games he is suspended for, causing him to lose a grand total of $702,272.

Before being fined on Tuesday, Bynum apologized for his actions and to Barea for the foul. Bynum also said that he was "glad that he (Barea) was not seriously injured in the event."

Bynum was also suspended in March for a flagrant foul on Minnesota's Michael Beasley.

Mariners Designate Milton Bradley

2011-05-10T07:22:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Seattle Mariners cut outfielder Milton Bradley on Tuesday, ending the 33-year-old's run in Seattle.

The Mariners designated Bradley for assignment, giving the team 10 days to either trade, release or demote him to the minors.

In the past week, Bradley was suspended for a game for making contact with an umpire, ejected from another for arguing a called strike and booed by home fans. Bradley is making $13 million this season.

A former All-Star, Bradley is batting just .218 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. He has also struck out 31 times.

Bradley will now be looking for hit ninth team to play for. Carlos Peguero was called up from Triple-A Tacoma to replace Bradley.

MLB Wants to Discipline Players for DUI Offenses

2011-05-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

With the current collective bargaining agreement expiring on Dec. 11, the MLB is looking to include a new discipline for players.

Commissioner Bud Selig is looking into adding discipline for players who are involved in alcohol-related incidents.

Six player have been arrested this season for driving under the influence, Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, Atlanta's Derek Lowe, Cleveland's Shin-Soo Choo and Austin Kearns, Oakland's Coco Crisp and Seattle's Adam Kennedy. Under the current CBA, the MLB is unable to discipline any of these players.

The current CBA, however, can suspend or require players to undergo counseling if they are linked to "drugs of abuse."

Nothing has been stated yet as to how Selig would suspend the players.

Mario Williams to Convert to OLB

2011-05-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Houston Texans defensive end Mario Williams will play outside linebacker next season under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme.

Williams, the first overall pick by Houston in the 2006 draft, has 48 career sacks and has been a cornerstone on the Texans defense.

Phillips was hired in December after Houston fired former coordinator Frank Bush. Houston was picked by many to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Instead, the Texans finished 30th in the league in yards allowed and ended the season with a 6-10 record.

Injuries also took their toll on defense. Williams missed three game and linebacker DeMeco Ryans missed the final ten games of the season. Brian Cushing was also suspended the first four games of the year after testing positive for a banned substance. The three combined players have made five Pro Bowl appearances and are all 26 or younger.

Phillips compared Williams to Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware, whom he coached last season.

The Houston Chronicle first reported this story.

Uncle Mo Scratched from Kentucky Derby

2011-05-06T08:09:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Uncle Mo has been officially scratched from the Kentucky Derby on Friday morning after owner Mike Repole told reporters that the stomach ailement the colt has been suffering has not recovered enough for him to run a 1 1/4 mile race.

Uncle Mo was the second choice on Friday morning's line with 9-2 odds. Dialed In is the current favorite with 4-1 odds.

No racehorse will replace Uncle Mo, leaving the 137th Kentucky Derby with 19 horses.

Repole has a second horse in the field, Stay Thirsty.

Uncle Mo was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal tract infection after he was examined after the Wood Memorial. Suspicions rose at the Wood Memorial, where Uncle Mo lost his first career race, finishing third, when Uncle Mo was not eating after the race.

There is still a possibility for Uncle Mo to run in the Preakness on May 21. If not, he will be shelved until the Saratoga in July.

Osama Bin Laden Killed by U.S. Soldiers

2011-05-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Almost 10 years after one of the most devastating attacks on America, the man behind the attack has finally been caught.

On Sunday night, U.S. President Barrack Obama announced that the U.S. soldiers have killed Osama bin Laden in a mansion in Pakistan.

Bin Laden, who was the leader of an Afghanistan-based terrorist organization, Al Qaeda, organized an attack on the U.S. on September 11, 2001 and has since openly declared war on America.

Bin Laden, 54, hid around the Middle East for nearly 10 years, sending the U.S. videos and voice recordings over the years in order to end rumors that he had died.

The Joint Special Operations Command abducted bin Laden's corpse and brought it to the U.S. DNA samples from bin Laden's corpse was matched with his deceased sister to determine that it was him.

Prior to the 9/11 attacks, bin Laden was already an enemy to America. Bin Laden played a major role in the 1998 bombing of two U.S Embassies in Africa as well as the Oct. 200 attack of the U.S.S. Cole on a port in Yemen.

Bin laden is the son of a Saudi billionaire who was killed in a 1967 place crash which was piloted by an American who misjudged the landing. In the early 1980's, bin Laden began terrorist activities and inherited his family's wealth.

Operation on the mansion began last week and no civilians or Americans were harmed in the firefight.

Thibodeau Wins Coach of the Year

2011-05-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Chicago Bulls rookie head coach Tom Thibodeau was named the NBA's Coach of the Year on Sunday, the first Bulls coach since Phil Jackson in 1996 to win the award.

Under Thibodeau, Chicago went 62-20, their best record since the 1997-98 season, when the won their most recent NBA Championship.

Chicago's 62 wins are the most by a rookie head coach since the Paul Westphal-led Phoenix Suns went 62-20 and lost to the Bulls in the NBA Finals.

Thibodeau, 53, served as the Boston Celtics assistant between 2007-10 before being hired by Chicago. The Bulls made the playoffs in former head coach Vinny Del Negro's two years with the team, but never made it out of the first round, posting a 41-41 record each season.

Thibodeau, credited with being the defensive mastermind in Boston, created a new scheme in Chicago and the Bulls flourished, allowing the second-least amount of point per game this season after the Bulls ranked 13th just a year ago.

Point guard Derrick Rose also responded to Thibodeau's system well, reaching a career high in points, steals, blocks, assists and rebounds per game along with both free throw and three-point percentage. If Rose wins the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award, as many expect him to, the coach and player will become just the 12th tandem to win both awards on the same season.

The award for the NBA's MVP will be announced later this week.

Pablo Sandoval Out 4-6 Weeks

2011-04-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is expected to miss four to six weeks after breaking a bone in his right wrist.

Sandoval, 24, underwent a MRI exam on Saturday morning which revealed the broken bone in his throwing hand. San Francisco is expected to call up Ryan Rohlinger from Triple-A Fresno when Sandoval is placed on the disabled list.

Sandoval is batting .313 with five home runs and 14 RBIs this season for the defending World Series Champions.

The Giants have struggled in their title defense, including losing six of their last eight games. San Francisco is currently 12-13 and 4 1/2 games behind division-leader Colorado.

Shortstop Miguel Tejada started at third base for the Giants in Saturday's game against the Washington Nationals. Mike Fontenot started at shortstop.

Halladay Goes the Distance, Phillies Top the Mets 2-1

2011-04-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

John Mayberry Jr. hit a solo home run that sparked a seventh inning rally as Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the New York Mets 2-1.

Halladay (4-1) allowed one run off of seven hits and struck out eight batters while only walking one.

New York (11-16) took an early lead when Halladay allowed three straight singles in the fourth innings. Carlos Beltran made a clean hit to shallow center field that allowed Daniel Murphy to score.

Jonathon Niese (1-4) escaped several jams early, but gave up a leadoff homer to Mayberry in the seventh that tied the game. Placido Polanco hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly to put the Phillies (18-8) in the lead for good.

Halladay walked David Wright to start the ninth inning, but then shut down the reaming three batters. Ike Davis grounded out to end the game.

Mayberry, who started in place for an ineffective Raul Ibanez, went 2-for-4 in the game. His homer was his first of the season.

Jason Bay, Davis and Josh Thole, the Mets 5-6-7 hitters, combined to go 0-for-11 with four strikeouts in the game.

The Mets will attempt to salvage the series tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Cliff Lee (2-2, 4.18 ERA) will take the mound for Philadelphia against Chris Young (1-0, 2.65) Young's only win this season was on on April 5 against the Phillies.

GAME NOTES: Phillies general manager Ruber Amaro Jr. told reporters that he expects to hear from Roy Oswalt on Saturday to see when he will return to the team. Carlos Ruiz sat out of Saturday's game with tightness in his lower back, but has not been placed on the disabled list. Dane Sardinha started in Ruiz's place.

Phillies Place Joe Blanton on the DL

2011-04-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Philadelphia Phillies have placed right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday with a medical impingment in his throwing elbow.

The move is retroactive to April 24, which mean Philadelphia can reactivate the 30-year-old as early as May 9.

Blanton, who was scheduled to start in the series opener against the New York Mets on Friday, is 0-1 this season with a 5.92 ERA and 17 strikeouts.

Philadelphia has called up right-hander Vance Worley to start in Blanton's place for the time being. Worley, 23, is 2-2 this season with a 2.78 ERA for the Phillies Triple-A club, the Leihigh Valley IronPigs.

Last season, Worley appeared in five games for the Phillies, two of which he started, and went 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA and 12 strikeouts to just four walks.

Blanton is just the latest member of the Phillies to find himself on the disabled list, joining fellow pitchers Brad Lidge, J.C. Romero and Jose Contreras along with Chase Utley, Brian Bocock and Dominic Brown.

Golden State Fires Keith Smart

2011-04-27T19:16:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Golden State Warriors fired head coach Keith Smart on Wednesday after his only season with the team.

Smart, 46, was promoted to head coach after the Warriors fired Don Nelson, the NBA's all-time leader in wins.

Golden State improved from their 2009-10 campaign in which they went 26-56. The Warriors went on to win 36 games this year, but failed to make the playoffs for the third straight season.

Smart was an assistant for Golden State for seven years before his promotion.

Last year, Golden State was purchased by Joe Lacob, Peter Guber and a group of investors who promised to make changes to an organization who has only made the postseason once since 1994.

Two names have already surfaced as potential replacements for Smart: former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and former New York Knicks coach and current analyst Jeff Van Gundy.

Peyton Hillis to be on the Cover of Madden 2012

2011-04-27T18:19:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Thirteen months ago, an unknown Peyton Hillis was traded from the Denver Broncos to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback Brady Quinn.

Quinn went on to be the Broncos third-string quarterback while Hillis went on to take the NFL by storm.

After a breakout season in which Hillis rushed for 1,177 yards and 13 total touchdowns, Hillis has been named the cover-boy for EA Sports videogame Madden 12.

Fans voted for the next person to grace the cover on ESPN.com. All 32 NFL teams had a player on their team whom people could vote on, except for the Seattle Seahawks, who were represented by their fans, known as "The 12th Man."

Hillis defeated Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who was on the cover of Madden 2004, in the final round. Hillis won by a landslide 66-percent of the votes. Over 13 million people voted in the poll, including one million people in the final round.

Hillis, the 10th seed in the bracket, ousted Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers along with Vick on his road to victory.

The Cleveland Browns, who finished 6-10 last season, will become the first team to have a losing record and manage to have a player grace the cover of a Madden videogame. Hillis will become the first running back to be on the cover of the game since Shaun Alexander in Madden 07.

Chauncey Billups to Return to New York

2011-04-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The New York Knicks announced on Wednesday that the team will pick up the $14.2 million option of point guard Chauncey Billups.

Billups, 34, was acquired by the Knicks last February in a deal with the Denver Nuggets that also brought forward Carmelo Anthony to New York.

The Knicks had until Friday to either pick up Billups' option or pay the former NBA Finals MVP a $3.7 million buyout.

"Chauncey, Amare [Stoudemire] and Chauncey [Billups] are a great nucleus, as we continue to look to improve our team going into the offseason," Knicks president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh said in a statement. "Chauncey is an extremely talented and experienced point guard...we are very happy to have him back."

In 21 games with the Knicks last season, Billups averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 assists per game.

New York made the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season, but were swept by the Boston Celtics. Billups, who has played in the conference finals every year between 2003-09 with both the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets, said he wants to stay and see the return of championship-caliber basketball in New York.

Tornadoes Cause Oswalt to Leave Phillies

2011-04-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Last year, right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt took a leave of absence from the Houston Astros when his parent's home was destroyed by a tornado.

Nearly a year later, Oswalt is again leaving his team.

Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. confirmed on Wednesday that Oswalt left the team to check on his family in Mississippi. There have been several deaths as well as property damage near his home.

Oswalt had his worst start of year on Tuesday night, allowing five runs off of six hits in just three innings in the Phillies 7-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Oswalt was not present after the game and ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reported that Oswalt was seen on the phone for a long period of time before the game, something extremely uncommon and normally unallowed by clubs.

There is no timetable for Oswalt's return, however, the Phillies are hoping he will return by his next start.

Sports Recap 4/17/11

2011-04-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Hafner, Sizemore and Santana all homer in Cleveland's 4-2 win over Baltimore
Logan Morrison error causes Phillies to bring in go-ahead run as the Marlins lose 3-2
Jon Lester's strong outing gives the Red Sox a 8-1 win over Toronto
Andrew McCutcheon's late RBI helps the Pirates sink the Reds 7-6
Minnesota drops the Rays to end foun-game losing streak
Tommy Hanson can't shut down the Mets as the Braves lose 3-2
Haren dominates again as the Angels top the White Sox 4-2
Espinosa, Rodriguez and Desmond all homer to lift the Nations over Milwaukee 8-4
Rookie Pineda stellar again as the Mariners top Kansas City 3-2
San Diego's eighth inning rally helps them edge Houston 8-6
Another poor outing by Brad Penny gives Oakland the 5-1 win over the Tigers
Rockies score four runs in the eighth inning to break a tie game, sink the Cubs 9-5
Granderson, Cano, Martin all homer to help the Yankees nip Texas 6-5
Matt Kemp hits a two-run walk off homer as the Dodgers knock off the Cardinals 2-1
Stephen Drew's walk off single in the 12th inning helps Arizona top San Francisco 6-5
Hairston and LaRoche both homer as the Nationals sweep the double header over Milwaukee 5-1

NBA:
Chris Paul drops 33 points as the Hornets halt the Lakers 109-100 (New Orleans leads series 1-0)
Ray Allen hits a go-ahead three late to give the Celtics the 87-85 win over New York (Boston leads series 1-0)
Grizzlies win first playoff game in franchise history, drop the Spurs 101-98 (San Antonio leads series 1-0)
Kevin Durant's 41 points give the Thunder a 107-103 win over Denver (Oklahoma City leads series 1-0)

NHL:
Rangers rally in the third period, drop the Capitals 3-2 (Washington leads series 2-1)
Teemu Selanne's two goals not enough as Nashville beats Anaheim 4-3 (Nashville leads series 2-1)
Luongo stops 30 shots as the Blackhawks lose to Vancouver 3-2 (Vancouver leads series 3-0)

Sports Recap 4/16/11

2011-04-17T05:20:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Marlins vs. Phillies game postponed due to rain
Cabrera, Choo both homer to give the Orioles their sixth straight loss in Cleveland's 8-3 win
Brewers vs. Nationals game postponed due to rain
Teixeira, Cano, both hit two-run homers as the Yankees top Texas 5-2
Ramon Hernandez hits a grand slam as the Reds rout the Pirates 11-2
Josh Beckett strikes out nine and allows only three hits in seven innings as the Red Sox beat Toronto 4-1
Atlanta takes both games in a double-header to send the Mets on a seven-game losing streak
Kansas City scores five runs, three unearned off Felix Hernandez to drop the Mariners 7-0
Joe Inglett pinch hits a go-ahead single as the Astros bead the Padres 5-3
Kendrick, Conger both homer to lift the Angels over the White Sox 7-2
Ben Zobrist's ninth inning home run sparks another rally as the Rays top Minnesota 4-3
Soriano, Castro both homer as the Cubs end the Rockies seven-game winning streak 8-3
Dallas Braden pitches five strong innings before leaving with shoulder stiffness as the A's beat Detroit 6-2
Barry Zito injured, but the Giants still beat Arizona 5-3
St. Louis bats come alive late to pummel the Dodgers 9-2

NBA:
Dwight Howard's 46 points aren't enough as the Hawks beat Orlando 103-93 (Atlanta leads series 1-0)
Bulls rally late to drop the Pacers 104-99 (Chicago leads series 1-0)
Chris Bosh scores 25 points as the Heat halt Philadelphia 97-89 (Miami leads series 1-0)
Dirk Nowitzki scores 18 points in the fourth quarter to give Dallas the 89-81 win over Portland (Dallas leads series 1-0)

NHL:
Detroit nips Phoenix 4-3 behind Pavel Datsyuk's goal and three assists (Detroit leads series 2-0)
Philadelphia's offense outlasts Buffalo, takes the 5-4 win (Series tied 1-1)
Carey Price's 34 saves helps Montreal beat Boston 3-1 (Montreal leads series 2-0)
Quick, Doughty help the Kings pummel San Jose 4-0 (Series tied 1-1)

NHL Suspends Anaheim's Ryan 2 Games

2011-04-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The NHL has suspended Anaheim Ducks winger Bobby Ryan for two games after Ryan stomped on the skate of Nashville Predators defenseman Jonathon Blum in Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs.

The incident occurred in the final 3:30 of the Ducks 5-3 win. Ryan and Blum were battling behind the Predators goalpost when Ryan slammed his skate in Blum's ankle. Blum walked away from the play uninjured.

No penalty was called on the play and Ryan, 24, scored an empty-net goal two minutes later to seal the 5-3 win and Anaheim ties up the series at one game apiece.

Ryan will miss Game 3 and 4 of the series, both of which are at Nashville.

Sports Recap 4/15/11

2011-04-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Greg Dobbs bats in two runs against his former team as the Phillies fall to Florida 4-3
Braves vs. Mets game postponned
Justin Masterson silences the Orioles bats, Indians walk away with 8-2 win
Yankees ninth inning rally falls short as the Rangers top New York 5-3
Jayson Werth's legs lift the Nationals over Milwaukee 4-3 in 10 innings
Toronto tops Boston 7-6, drops the Red Sox to 2-10
Charlie Morton goes the distance in the Pirates 6-1 win over Cincinnati
Rays top the Twins 5-2 ,win four games in a row
Padres three-run seventh inning helps San Diego nip Houston 4-2
Adam Dunn's two-run homer not enough as the White Sox fall to the Angels 4-3
Mattt Garza againt can't get it done for the Cubs as the Rockies win 5-0
Hochevar, Francouer both homer as the Royals get by Seattle 6-5
Giants win their third straight game behind Pablo Sandoval's homer 5-2 over Arizona
Detroit's offense explodes for seven runs in the 10th inning to beat Oakland 8-4
Berkman, Pujols both homer twice as the Cardinals pummel the Dodgers 11-2

NHL:
Tampa Bay bounces back from poor Game 1 to even series over Penguins 5-1 (Series tied 1-1)
Neurvirth shut down Rangers as Capitals win 2-0 (Washington leads series 2-0)
Bobby Ryan scores twice to help Ducks even series with Predators 5-3 (Series tied 1-1)
Daniel Sedin scores twice as the Canucks beat Chicago 4-3 (Vancouver leads series 2-0)

Phillies Bullpen Fails to Secure Lead, Lose to Marlins 4-3

2011-04-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Roy Oswalt pitched six quality innings, but the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen could not preserve the 3-2 lead as the Florida Marlins came back to win 4-3.

Oswalt earned a no decision after pitching six innings, allowing two earned runs off of four hits while striking out six batters. Philadelphia (9-4) went to the bullpen, however, in the seventh inning after Oswalt began to suffer from back spasms.

J.C. Romero replaced Oswalt and allowed his only batter, Logan Morrison, to reach first base off of a single in the outfield. Danys Baez replaced Romero and immediately walked Gaby Sanchez. John Buck was able to load the bases with a single to shallow center field and former Phillie Greg Dobbs entered the game to pinch hit for Edward Mujica with one out.

Dobbs hit a line drive to shallow center field to drive in Morrison and Sanchez to give Florida the go-ahead run.

Ryan Webb, Randy Choate, Clay Hensley and Leo Nunez allowed only one batter to reach base in the final three innings. Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco both popped out to left field after John Mayberry Jr. was walked in the ninth inning to end the game.

Javier Vazquez started for Florida (8-5), pitching five innings and allowing three earned runs off of five hits with four walks and one strikeout.

Philadelphia has now lost four consecutive series openers this season. All four of the series have been against NL East division opponents.

The two teams battle again on Saturday with Cole Hamels (1-1, 5.59 ERA) will pitch for Philadelphia against Florida's Anibal Sanchez (0-1, 6.97.)

Shogun to Fight Griffin in Rio

2011-04-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Less than a month after losing to Jon "Bones" Jones in his defense of the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has booked his next opponent.

Rua will fight Forrest Griffin for the second time as UFC: Rio on Aug. 27 in Rio De Janeiro.

Griffin, 31, made Rua submit in Rua's debut UFC fight at UFC 76 in 2007. In July 2008, Griffin won the Light Heavyweight title, but also lost it in his first title defense, just five months later, when Rashad Evans won by TKO.

Rua, 29, is just 3-3 in UFC fights, but boasts a 19-5 career mixed martial arts record, including 16 knockouts.

Griffin has won his last two fights, a split decision over Tito Ortiz and a unanimous decision over Rich Franklin, to make his overall record 18-6 with seven wins by submission.

UFC: Rio will be the first UFC event hosted in Brazil since 1998. The only other fight currently scheduled is the Middleweight Championship bout between champion Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami.

Sports Recap 4/14/11

2011-04-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Cliff Lee strikes out 12 in Phillies 4-0 win over Washington
Rockies take both games in double header against the Mets, sweep the four game series
Johnny Damon's walk-off homer in the 10th inning caps the Rays rally over the Twins 4-3
Nick Swisher's sac fly lifts the Yankees over Baltimore 6-5 in 10 innings
Wilson Betemit homers in Kansas City's 5-1 win over Seattle in a rain shortened-game
Phil Coke allows three hits in seven innings as the Tigers shut out Oakland 3-0
Randy Wolf strikes out 10 as the Brewers top the Pirates 4-1
McCann, Uggla both homer, but it's not enough as the Braves fall to Florida 6-5
Strong pitching by Houston helps blank the Padres 1-0
Pujols homers as the Cardinals cruise past the Dodgers 9-5

NHL:
Gionatta scores twice and Price notches 31 saves as the Canadiens blank the Bruins 2-0 (Canadiens lead series 1-0)
Ryan Miller stops 35 shots as the Sabres nip the Flyers 1-0 (Sabres lead series 1-0)
Joe Pavelski scores in overtime to lift the Sharks over the Kings 3-2 (Sharks lead series 1-0)

Cliff Lee Goes the Distance, Strikes Out 12 in Phillies 4-0 Win Over Washington

2011-04-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Cliff Lee bounced back from a poor outing against the Atlanta Braves and allowed only three hits while striking out 12 batters in the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 win over the Washington Nationals.

Lee (2-1) and Nationals ace Jordan Zimmermann battled one another as only one hit, a double by Danny Espinosa, was allowed by either pitcher through the first five innings.

Zimmermann (1-2) actually had the Nationals bidding for a perfect game until he began to fall apart in the sixth inning. Carlos Ruiz took an 0-1 pitch deep to left field for his second home run of the year to give Philadelphia not only their first hit, but a 1-0 lead.

Philadelphia (9-3) would score again that inning when Placido Polanco reached on an infield single. Shane Victorino crossed home plate after John Hairston Jr. made a wild throw to try to get the out against Polanco. Washington (5-7) recorded six total errors in the three game series.

Zimmermann was pulled in the eighth inning after the Espinosa committed his second error of the game, a fielding error on a bunt by Lee to load the bases. Drew Storen came in, but allowed back-to-back singles by Polanco and Jimmy Rollins to bring in two more runs.

Unlike Roy Halladay's performance the night before, Lee was able to shut down the Nationals offense in the ninth inning. Jesus Flores found a gap in the outfield to get the lead off single, but then Lee retired the rest of the side, ending the game with former Phillie Jayson Werth grounding into a fielder's choice.

Rollins' RBI in the eighth inning was the first one of the year for him. Ryan Howard and Ben Francisco combined to go 0-8. Werth went a combines 3-for-11 with four strikeouts and a home run in his first series against the Phillies.

Sports Recap 4/13/11

2011-04-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Roy Halladay survives Nationals rally, Phillies win 3-2
Brandon Inge's walk-off homer lifts the Tigers over Texas 3-2
Royals offense comes alive in their 10-5 win over the Twins
Orlando Hudson's walk-ff single puts the Padres on top of the Reds 3-2
A's score three runs in the 10th innings to halt the White Sox 7-4
Kevin Correia takes a no hitter to the sixth inning, but melts down after in Brewers 6-0 win over the Pirates
Jose Bautista ignites Blue Jays rally with homer in the eighth inning, beat the Mariners 8-3
Freddie Freeman breaks up Josh Johnson's no-hit bid in the eighth inning, but the Marlins roll the Braves 5-1
Jeff Mathis' sac fly in the 12th innings give the Angels the 4-3 victory over Cleveland
Troy Tulowitzki's three-run homer sinks the Mets in Colorado's 5-4 win
A-Rod, Posada both homer in the Yankees 7-4 win over Baltimore
Carlos Zambrano hits a home run in the Cubs 9-5 victory over Houston
Rays-Red Sox game postponed due to rain
Lance Berkman hits a grand slam as the Cardinals pummel Arizona 15-5
Sandoval, Fotenot both homer in Giants 4-3 win over the Dodgers

NBA:
Orlando's defense suffocates the Pacers 92-74
Boston top the Knicks 112-102 in playoff preview
Chicago clinches the league's best record in 97-92 win over the Nets
Cleveland finishes season winning four of their finals six games, top the Wizard 100-93
Dallas throttles New Orleans 121-89, but have to settle for no. 3 seed
Houston pounds the Timberwolves 121-102 behind Chade Budinger's 35 points
Detroit finishes season beating playoff-bound 76ers 104-100
Milwaukee beats a resting Thunder team 110-106 in overtime
Gordon Hayward's 34 points lifts the Jazz over the Nuggets 107-103
Despite resting their big three, Miami torches Toronto 97-79
Charlotte finishes season upending playoff-bound Atlants 96-85
Golden State thrashes the Trail Blazers 110-86 in season finale
Blake Griffin scores 31 points as the Clippers end season by beating Memphis 110-103
San Antonio can't clinch league's best record, falls to Phoenix 106-103
The Lakers top Sacramento 116-108 to clinch no. 2 seed

NHL:
Alex Ovechkin's controversial goal helps surge the Capitals over New York 2-1 in overtime (Washington leads series 1-0)
Detroit scores three goals in the second period to take a 4-2 win over Phoenix (Detroit leads series 1-0)
Marc Andre-Fleury stops 32 shots as the Penguins shut out the Lightning 3-0 (Pittsburgh leads series 1-0)
Luongo records 32 saves as the Canucks drop defending champion Chicago 2-0 (Vancouver leads series 1-0)
Mike Fisher's two goals propels the Predators over Anaheim 4-1 (Nashville leads series 1-0)

Halladay Survives Scare, Pitches Phillies to 3-2 Win Over Washington

2011-04-13T21:15:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Roy Halladay stopped a late rally by the Washington Nationals and pitched a complete game as the Phillies beat Washington 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Halladay (2-0,) looked unhittable in the first eight innings of the game, allowing only two hit while striking out six batters off of 98 pitches. In the ninth inning, however, it looked like he was about to have a meltdown.

The Nationals (5-6) recorded four hits in the ninth and were able to put two runs on the board before Halladay found his second wind and retired Matt Stairs and Ivan Rodriguez. Halladay finished the game with 123 pitchs (88 strikes) and nine strikeouts.

The Phillies (8-3) got on the board in the fourth inning when Jimmy Rollins reached first base off of an error by Ian Desmond. Desmond then committed a second error against Rollins in the inning when he interfered with Rollins while Rollins was running towards third base during a ground out by Ryan Howard. Ben Francisco grounded out to bring Rollins in.

Philadelphia scored two more runs in the fifth inning when Placido Polanco hit a single in the outfield with a man on first and third base. Wilson Valdez was able to score and the Phillies loaded the bases when Jimmy Rollins found a gap in the infield to reach base. Nationals pitcher John Lannan had Howard on a 1-2 count when he hit Howard on the arms with an inside pitch to bring in another run.

The Phillies and Nationals conclude the series Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. Cliff Lee (1-1, 7.84 ERA) will take the mound against Washington's Jordan Zimmerman (1-1, 3.18)

Carlos Delgado Announces Retirement

2011-04-13T13:29:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Major League Baseball first baseman Carlos Delgado announced on Wednesday that he will retire from the league after being unable to make a comeback.

Delgado, 38, has not played since May 2009 with the Mets due to injuries. Prior to the 2010 season, Delgado underwent hip surgery to repair a torn labrum.

Last August, the Boston Red Sox signed Delgado to a minor league contractwhile he attempted a comeback. Delgado was only able to play for five games befre suffering a setback with his hip.

Delgado began his career in 1993 with the Toronto Blue Jays. After 12 years with the Blue Jays, Delgado spent the 2005 year with the Florida Marlins before spending his final four years in the major with New York.

Delgado has a career average of .280 with 473 home runs and 1,512 RBIs. Along with first base, Delgado has also spent time as an outfielder and a designated hitter. He has posted 11 season with 30 homers, including three years where he cracked 40. In 2000 and 2003, Delgado was named to the All-Star team.

Sports Recap 4/12/11

2011-04-13T05:55:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Jayson Werth hits a home run and a double in first game against the Phillies as Nationals win 7-4
Cabrera's walk-off single give the Tigers a 5-4 win over Texas
Yankees vs. Oriolas game postponned due to rain
Brewers vs. Pirates game postponned
Rockies vs. Mets game postponned
David Price outduels John Lester as the Rays beat Boston 3-2
McCann and Heyward both homer to give Atlanta a 5-0 win over Florida
Alexei Ramirez hits two homers, including one in the 10th inning to give the White Sox a 6-5 win over Oakland
Danny Valencia's RBI single in the 10th gives the Twins a 4-3 win over Kansas City
Astros pummel the Cubs 11-2 behind Myers' strong pitching
Dan Haren one-hits the Indians, end their eight-game winning streak as the Angels take a 2-0 victory
Arizona scores in six consecutive innings, beat the Cardinals 13-8
Michael Pineda wins first career game as the Mariners nip Toronto 3-2
Cincinnati offense generates six runs in the 11th innings to give the Reds an 8-2 win over San Diego
Brian Wilson gets first save of the season as the Giants beat the Dodgers 5-4

NBA:
Bulls end the Knicks win streak, take 103-90 victory
Portland takes no. 6 seed with 102-89 win over Memphis
Lakers lose Andrew Bynum in 102-93 win over San Antonio

Rangers Lose MVP Hamilton for 6-8 Weeks

2011-04-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Texas Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton has broken his upper right arm while sliding towards home plate on Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Hamilton, 29, won the American League Most Valuable Player Award last season and was a key member in the Rangers run to their first ever World Series appearance. So far this season, Hamilton has batted .333 with 7 RBIs.

Hamilton broke towards home plate after catcher Victor Martinez vacated the area to field a pop fly. Martinez quickly ran back to make the tag and Hamilton dove head-first to the plate, but was tagged-out.

Hamilton was directed to run towards home plate by third base coach Dave Anderson after he saw that Tigers pitcher Brad Penny did not move to cover home plate. After the game, Hamilton, who was wearing a sling, called the play "stupid" and said that he "shouldn't have done it."

Texas placed Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list after the game. Hamilton will be allowed to begin swinging a bat in a month, but he will out the lineup for the next 6-8 weeks.

Chris Davis from Triple A Round Rock will be called up to play in Hamilton's place.

Kemba Walker Declares for the NBA Draft

2011-04-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

University of Connecticut point guard Kemba Walker has declared himself eligible for the 2011 NBA Draft during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Walker, 20, had one year of eligibility left at UConn, but instead decided to go pro, where many experts project him as a top-three pick in the draft, which will be held on June 23.

The 6-foot-1 Walker was the star player on the national champion Huskies, averaging 25.3 points per game along with 4.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds.

Walker is expected to be the second guard taken in the draft behind Duke's Kyrie Irving, who declared for the draft last week.

Walker has not hired an agent, but has said he has been talking to several of them and that there is "no chance" of him coming back.

Prior to Walker's declaration, UConn placed Walker in the school's "Huskies of Honor" wall in the Gampel Pavilion. The wall includes a banner with Walker's name, jersey number and years spent at the school. Though Walker did not declare for the draft when the banner was hung, it was still listed that Walker's final year at the school was in 2011. Walker is the 14th player entered into the wall of honor and the only player to make the wall while still enrolled at the school. Any player who wants to wear Walker's jersey no. 15 will now have to seek his permission.

Sports Recap 4/11/11

2011-04-12T05:59:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Texas continues strong start, beats Detroit 2-0
Tampa Bays bats finally come alive, thump Boston 16-5
Troy Tulowitzki's eighth inning homer lift Colorado over the Mets in a shootout 7-6
Hall, Sanchez both homer in the seventh inning to give Houston a 5-4 victory over the Cubs
Kurt Suzuki's home run give the A's a 2-1 victory over the White Sox in 10 innings
Lance Berkman hits two home runs as the Cardinals cruise past Arizona 8-2
Mitch Talbot shuts out the Angels as the Indians win their eighth straight game 4-0
San Diego scores two runs early, but cant offer anything else in 3-2 loss to Cincinnati
Seattle rallies from a 7-0 deficit to shock Toronto 8-7
Giants can't solve Clayton Kershaw, lose to the Dodgers 6-1

NBA:
Howard, Nelson both score 19 points in Orlando's 95-85 win over Philadelphia
Miami clinches no.2 seed with 98-90 win over Atlanta
D.J. Augustin scores with 1.1 second left to give the Bobcats a 105-103 win over the Nets
Allen, Pierce rest in Boston's 95-94 overtime loss to the Wizards
Charlie Villanueva, Ryan Hollins scuffle, get ejected in Cleveland's 110-101 win over the Pistons
Utah cruises past New Orleans behind Harris and Miles 90-78
Milwaukee's defense steps up in their 93-86 win over Toronto
Dallas moves ahead of Los Angeles for the no. 2 seed with 98-91 overtime win over Houston
Nuggets score 130 again, blow out Golden State 134-111
Channing Frye scores 33 points in Phoenix's 135-127 overtime win over Minnesota
Durant's 32 points powers the Thunder over the Kings 120-112

Final Bout Added for UFC 130

2011-04-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

A final match has been added for UFC 130, which will be hosted at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 28.

The lightweight bout, which will most likely be on the untelevised portion of the event, features former "The Ultimate Fighter" star Cody McKenzie and Bart Palaszewski, formerly of the WEC and IFL.

Palaszewski (35-14) will fight for the first time with the UFC, which absorbed the WEC last December. In the last WEC event on Dec. 16, Palaszewski lost a split decision to Kamal Shalorus.

McKenzie (12-1) is coming off of his first career loss, a technical submission by Yves Edwards at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 on Jan. 22.

Headlining UFC 130 is the Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard rematch for the lightweight championship.

Sports Recap 4/10/11

2011-04-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Cole Hamels bounces back from first outing, helps the Phillies shut out Atlanta 3-0
Royals force Detroit to commit four errors in a 9-5 victory
Beltre, Kinsler both hit homers in the Rangers 3-0 victory over Baltimore
Mets can't put away the Nationals, lose in the 11th inning 7-3
Rays off to worst start in franchise history, lose to the White Sox 6-1
Mike Cortta issues bases-loaded walk to give Colorado a 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh
Twins rally falls short, lose to the A's 5-3
J.A. Happ's pitching, batting helps the Astros pummel Florida 7-1
Jered Weaver strikes out 15 batters as the Angels top Toronto 3-1
Fielder, Braun, McGhee all hit two-run homers as Milwaukee beats the Cubs 6-5
Cleveland wins seventh straight game, beat the Mariners 6-4
Lundwick, Maybin, Hundley all homer in Padres 7-2 win over the Dodgers
Yankees can't provide run support for CC Sabathia, lose to Boston 4-0
Matt Holliday returns to the lineup, helps the Cardinals trump San Francisco 6-1
Arizona rallies in the eighth, beats Cincinnati 10-8

NBA:
Chicago edges a Dwight Howard-less Orlando squad 102-99
Miami pummels Boston 100-77, takes control of no. 2 seed
Nets rally too little too late, lose to Toronto 99-92
Memphis beats New Orleans 111-89, both clubs now tied for seventh seed
Detroit tops Charlotte 112-101, ends 11-game road losing streak
Carmelo Anthony gives the Knicks the lead with four-seconds remaining, beat the Pacers 110-109
Dallas routs Phoenix 115-90, stays alive for no. 2 seed
Monta Ellis injured in Sacramento's 104-103 win over Golden State
Lakers losing streak now at five, lost to Thunder 120-106

NHL: Devils beat Boston 3-2 in season finale
Blackhawks clinch final playoff spot despite loss to Detroit
David Jones scores in overtime as Colorado tops Edmonton 4-3
Penguins end regular season by pounding the Thrashers 5-2
Minnesota eliminates Dallas from playoffs in 5-3 win

Florida Fires Peter DeBoer

2011-04-10T21:44:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Florida Panthers have fired head coach Peter DeBoer after the team finished in last place in the Eastern Conference.

DeBoer, 42, has been with Florida for three seasons, all of which he failed to help lead the team to the postseason. Florida has gone 103-107-36 in the past three seasons, including 30-40-12 this year.

In the 2008-09 season, DeBoer's first year with the team, the Panthers just missed the playoffs after losing a tiebreaker with the Montreal Canadiens. Florida has not made the playoffs since 2000.

Prior to joining the Panthers, DeBoer had a decorated career in the Ontario Hockey League. DeBoer was twice named the coach of the year in the OHL and led the Kitchener Rangers to a Memorial Cup win in 2003.

Florida was able to end their season on a high note. The Panthers halted a 10-game losing streak to beat the Washington Nationals 1-0 in the season finale.

Sports Recap 4/9/11

2011-04-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Carlos Ruiz hits first career grand slam as the Phillies top the Braves 8-2
Tony Gwynn Jr. hits go-ahead single against his former team as the Dodgers beat San Diego 4-2 in 11 innings in first game of the double header
Russell Martin hits two homers as the Yankees beat Boston 9-4
White Sox stop the Rays rally to take home a 4-2 win
Ryan Raburn's ninth inning homer too little too late as Kansas City beat the Tigers 3-1
Rangers finally lose as the Orioles come up with a 5-0 win in first game of double header
Greg Dobbs' homer helps the Marlins beat Houston 7-5
Colorado scores three runs in the eighth inning to beat Pittsburgh 6-4
Brewers pound Matt Garza, beat the Cubs 6-0
Gio Gonzalez tosses six shutout innings as the A's squeeze out a 1-0 victory
Carlos Beltran blasts two homers as the Mets beat Washington 8-4
Rangers pound Baltimore 13-1 in the second game of the double header
Bronson Arroyo pitches six strong innings as the Reds beat Arizona 6-1
Maicer Izturis hits a walk-off single in the 14th inning to put the Angels over Toronto 6-5
Justin Masterson strikes out nine as the Indians get by the Mariners 2-1
Miguel Tejada hits a walk-off two-run double as the Giants prevail over St. Louis 3-2
Hiroki Kuroda can't finish the game but the Dodgers still shutout the Padres 4-0

NBA:
Haws drop fourth straight game, get blown out by Washington 115-83
Blake Griffin only manages 13 points as the Rockets crush the Clippers 99-78
John Salmons scores 32 points in Bucks 108-101 victory over Cleveland
Despite resting players, San Antonio still wins their fourth straight game, top Utah 111-102
Ty Lawson makes 10 consecutive three pointers as the Nuggets demolish Minnesota 130-106

NHL:
Rangers in playoffs after smacking rival New Jersey 5-2
Tim Thomas records 31 saves as the Bruins skate past Ottawa 3-1
Tampa Bay crushes Carolina and their playoff chances with 6-2 win
Hartnell, Meszaros both score twice as the Flyers pound the Islanders 7-4
Canadiens clinch the no. 4 seed in the East with a 4-1 win over Toronto
Panthers nip Washington 1-0 to end season with 30 wins
Kristian Huselius two goals not enough as the Blue Jackets lose to Buffalo 5-4
Jaroslav Halak records shutout, 24 saves in the Blues 2-0 win over Nashville
Ducks takes no. 4 seed from the Kings with a 3-1 win
Canucks beat Calgary 3-2 in overtime, win a club-record 54 games
Sharks capture no. 2 seed in the West with 3-1 win over Phoenix

Sports Recap 4/8/11

2011-04-09T04:10:00.001-07:00

MLB:
Braves get to Cliff Lee, hand the Phillies a 6-3 loss
Red Sox pick up season's first win, beat rival Yankees 9-6
Rain delays bottom of ninth innings until Saturday in Dodgers vs. Brewers game, score remains at 2-2
Victor Martinez hits a three-run double to lift the Tigers past Kansas City 5-2
Twins rally in the eighth inning to take a 2-1 win over Oakland
Jordan Zimmerman hits a two-run single to list Washington over the Mets 6-2
Rangers vs. Orioles game suspended due to rain
Aaron Rowand hits a bases-loaded single in the 12th inning to give the Giants a 5-4 win over St. Louis
Rays score five runs in the ninth inning to earn first win of the year, beat White Sox 9-7
Marlins stop Houston's rally, squeeze out a 4-3 win
Jayson Nix hits a home run in the eighth to put the Blue Jays on top of the Angels 3-2
Jose Tabata's RBI double give the Pirates a 4-3 win over Colorado in 14 innings
Indians score 10 runs in the fourth inning, pound Seattle 12-3
Jeff Baker hits a three-run homer as the Cubs knock off Milwaukee 7-4
Diamondbacks combine for three homers over two innings to crush Cincinnati 12-2

NBA:
Danny Granger puts up 28 points as the Pacer top Atlanta 114-102
76ers top the Raptors 98-93 to end a three-game drought
Rajon Rondo dishes out 14 assists as Boston beats the Wizards 104-88
Bulls clinch home-court advantage, beat Cleveland 93-82
Brandon Jennings 31 points not enough as the Bucks fall to Detroit 110-100
Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade both score 27 points as the Heat best the Bobcats 112-103
Willie Green torches the Suns with 33 points off the bench as New Orleans prevails 109-97
Knicks crush the Nets 116-93 to clinch their first non-losing season since 2004
Thunder beat the Nuggets 104-89 in playoff preview
Grizzlies clinch final playoff spot with 101-96 win over Sacramento
Mavericks beat the Clippers 107-96 to snap four-game skid
Lakers fail to clinch no. 2 seed, lose to Portland 93-86

NHL:
Islanders late rally not enough as the Penguins win 4-3 in a shootout
Thomas Vanek's overtime goal clinches playoff spot for Buffalo, beats the Flyers 4-3
Red Wings fall behind 3-0 in the first period, lose to Chicago 4-2
Panthers lose 10th straight game, fall to Tampa Bay 4-2
Hurricanes pummel Atlanta 6-1 to close in on playoff berth
Nashville clinches playoff berth, tops Columbus 4-1
Koivu, Bouchard, both dish out three assists as the Wild beat Edmonton 3-1
Brandon Yip's two goals not enough as the Avalache lose to Dallas 3-2
Phoenix beats San Jose 4-3, clinches playoff berth
Teemu Selanne notches two goals as the Ducks beats Los Angeles 2-1 to clinch a playoff berth

Manny Ramirez Retires

2011-04-08T19:53:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

One of the most feared slugger in Major League Baseball, Manny Ramirez, suddenly announced his retirement on Friday, ending his 20-year career.

Ramirez, 38, was informed by the MLB that he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during spring training and would face a 100-game suspension by the league. Instead of taking the punishment, Ramirez instead decided to hang it up.

In 2009, Ramirez violated the same policy and served a 50-game ban while he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. MLB rules require second-time offenders to serve a 100-game sentence.

Ramirez signed with the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason in a move that reunited him with former teammate Johnny Damon. In five games with the Rays, Ramirez only had one hit, an RBI single against the Orioles on April 2, in 17 at bats.

Ramirez won nine Silver Slugger Awards in his career, including eight straight between 1999-2006 and is a 12-time All-Star, including 11 straight nominations between 1998-2008.

In 2004, Ramirez helped the Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since 1918. For his efforts, Ramirez was named the World Series MVP.

Ramirez ranks 14th all time with 555 home runs. In his career, Ramirez has a .312 batting average and 1,831 RBIs. His 547 doubles also rank 24th all time.

Sports Recap 4/7/11

2011-04-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Phillies offense comes alive again as the Mets get pounded 11-0
Base running error give the Indians a 1-0 victory over Boston
Houston wins first game of the year, dropping undefeated Reds 3-2
Trevor Cahill strikes out seven, allows three hits as the A's win a pitcher's duel over Toronto 2-1
Soriano protects lead as the Yankees edge Minnesota 4-3
Esmil Rodgers shuts down Pirates offense as the Rockies win 7-1
Ryan Braun's homer gives Milwaukee early advantage as they beat the Braves 4-2
Edwin Jackson strikes out 13 as the White Sox top Tampa Bay 5-1
Baltimore scores five runs in the seventh inning, beat Tigers in a shoot out 9-5
Adam LaRoche homers in the 11th to give the Nationals a 5-3 win over Florida

NBA:
Gerald Wallace scores 29 points as the Trail Blazers top Utah 98-87
Bulls defense halts the Celtics 97-81

NHL:
Atlanta beats the Rangers 3-0, freeze New York's playoff hopes
Filip Kuba's overtime goal gives the Senators the 3-2 win over Montreal
Brad Richards has a goal and an assist in Dallas' 4-2 win over Colorado
Ryan Kessler's hat trick helps the Canucks pound Minnesota 5--0

Gerald Wallace Scores 29 Points as the Trail Blazers Top Utah 98-87

2011-04-07T22:01:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Gerald Wallace scored 29 points and Portland never trailed as the Trail Blazers beat the Utah Jazz 98-87 in the EnergySolutions Arena on Thursday night.

Portland (46-33) led by seven points at halftime, much in part to Nicolas Batum, who scored 13 of his 21 points in the first half. Batum started the game due to center Marcus Camby being out with a neck injury.

The Trail Blazers began to put a strangle-hold on the game in the third quarter, going on a 7-0 run to but Portland up 63-52. Utah (37-42,) however, would not go down easy as Devin Harris knocked down three three-pointers withing 1:27 as Utah pulled within four points. Portland, however, responded by going on a 10-0 run to keep the game out of Utah's reach. Harris scored 14 of his 26 points in the third quarter.

Wallace came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 points to help preserve the Trail Blazer's lead, including three shots from beyond the arc.

With the loss, Utah has officially suffered through their second losing season in 28 years. Portland now leads New Orleans by a half game for sixth place in the standings in the Western Conference with the win.

Sports Recap 4/6/11

2011-04-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Yankees-Twins game postponned
Phillies halt Mets rally to take 10-7 victory
Dan Haren shuts down winless Rays as Angels take 5-1 win
Neil Walker hits solo home run as the Pirates top St. Louis 3-1
Rangers bats keep them 6-0, beat Seattle 7-3
Royals, White Sox again battle 12 innings as Chicago gets payback 10-7
Chris Young's two RBIs lift the D-Backs over the Cubs 6-4
Helton and Tulowitzki both homer as Colorado beats the Dodgers 7-5
Tim Lincecum strikes out 13, allows one run in seven innings as San Francisco beats the Padres 8-4
Justin Verlander nearly goes the distance, hands Baltimore their first loss in the Tigers 7-3 win
Red Sox remain winless as Cleveland takes 8-4 victory
Dallas Braden can't stop Toronto's offense as Blue Jays beat the A's 5-3
Cincinnati blows out winless Astros 12-4, remain undefeated
Marlins combine for six runs between the fifth and six innings to beat the Nationals 7-4
Prince Fielder drives in three runs as the Brewers top the Braves 5-4

NBA:
Charlotte out of playoffs after losing to Orlando in overtime 111-104
Indiana clinches playoff berth, blows out Washington 136-112
Knicks pull to 6th place in the east, beat 76ers 97-92
J.J. Hickson scores 28 points, 10 boards as the Cavaliers top Toronto 104-96
Lopez's career-high 39 points not enough as the Nets lose to Detroit 116-109
Chris Paul helps Hornets clinch playoff berth in 101-93 win over Houston
Milwaukee beats Wade-less Heat 90-85
Suns hand Timberwolves their 11th straight loss with a 108-98 win
Blake Griffin's 35 points not enough as the Thunder edge the Clippers 112-108
Denver hands falling Mavericks their 4th straight loss
San Antonio clinches top-seed in the West with 124-92 beat down on Sacramento
Lakers drop third straight game, lose to Golden State 95-87

NHL:
Ilya Kovalchuk scores goal no. 30 as the Devils drop the Maple Leafs 4-2
Boston reached the 100-point plateau after beating the Islanders 3-2
Cam Ward notches 42 saves as the Hurricanes shut out Detroit 3-0
Capitals inch closer to the top-seed in the East, pummel Florida 5-2
Jonathan Toews scores in overtime to lift the Blackhawks 5-4 over St. Louis
Jarome Iginla get hat trick as the Flames pummel Edmonton 6-1
Corey Perry's hat trick the difference in the Ducks 6-2 win over San Jose
Jonathan Quick remains undefeated as the Kings nip Phoenix 3-2

Garcia Suspended by South Carolina

2011-04-07T06:26:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The South Carolina Gamecocks have suspended quarterback Stephen Garcia indefinitely.

Though there has been no official release from the school citing the reason why he was suspended, sources have told ESPN.com that Garcia was loud and disruptive at a mandatory team leadership meeting last Tuesday. When approached by coaches, Garcia had alcohol on his breath.

This is the fifth suspension for Garcia, and second this spring, since joining South Carolina in 2007. Less than two weeks ago, Garcia vowed to not get in trouble again.

Garcia has been the starting quarterback for South Carolina since the 2009 season. Last year, he led the Gamecocks to their first ever Southeastern Conference Championship game and to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, where they lost to Florida State.

Last season, Garcia completed 224 of 349 passes for 3,059 yards with 20 touchdown and 14 interceptions.

Head coach Steve Spurrier, a former quarterback for Florida, has not set a timetable for Garcia's return, but did say that he, athletic director Eric Hyman and University President Harris Pastedes would meet after the spring to decide when Garcia should return.

Duke PG Kyrie Irving to Enter NBA Draft

2011-04-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Duke University point guard announced on Wednesday that he will forgo the rest of his collegiate eligibility and enter the upcoming NBA Draft.

Irving, 19, missed 26 games this season while battling a sever ligament injury in his right toe. The injury, which Irving suffered on Dec. 8, caused him to miss the rest of the regular season.

Irving returned in time for the NCAA tournament and was a force for the Blue Devils, scoring 28 points off of the bench in the Blue Devils season-ending loss to Arizona in the Sweet Sixteen.

In 11 collegiate games, Irving averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 assists per game and Duke was 10-1 in game that Irving played. He is the one of the highest rated prospects in the nation for the upcoming draft.

Along with Irving, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, both seniors, will also not be with the program next season.

Adam Dunn Out After Undergoing Appendectomy

2011-04-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Chicago White Sox designated hitter has been sidelined for at least five days after undergoing an appendectomy late Tuesday night.

Dunn, 31, played in Tuesday night's 7-6 12-inning loss to the Kansas City Royals, but needed a pinch runner in the final inning. For the season, Dunn is batting .286 with one home run and 5 RBIs.

Chicago closes out their two-game series with Kansas City on Wednesday before their home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

There has not been an announcement as to who will replace Dunn as the DH.

Sports Recap 4/5/11

2011-04-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

NCAAW:
Danielle Adams scores 30 points as Texas A&M beats Notre Dame 76-70 to win the National Championship

MLB:
Mets score six runs in the 3rd to drop Philadelphia 7-1
Cubs holds off Diamondbacks 9th inning rally to take 6-5 victory
Adam Harang tosses six shutout innings as the Padres top San Francisco 3-1
Jered Weaver continues strong start as the Angels drop Tampa Bay 5-3
Boston drops to 0-4, lose to Cleveland 3-1
Rafael Soriano allows the Twins to score four runs in the 8th inning as the Twins make a 5-4 comeback win in 10 innings
Yunel Escobar his walk-off two-run homer in the 10th as the Blue Jays beat Oakland 7-6
Reds offense pummels J.A. Happ, take 8-2 win over the Astros
Donnie Murphy hits a walk-off RBI single as the Marlins edge Washington 3-2 in 10 innings
Alexi Ogando allows two hits in six innings as the Rangers shut down Seattle 3-2
Melky Cabrera hits a walk-off RBI single in the 12th inning to give the Royals a 7-6 win over the White Sox
Yovani Gallardo pitches a complete game shutout, allows two hits as Brewers top Atlanta 1-0
Albert Pujols two RBIs lift the Cardinals over Pittsburgh 3-2
Jhoulys Chacin outduels Clayton Kershaw as the Rockies take 3-0 victory over the Dodgers

NBA:
Orlando clinches no. 4 seed in playoffs with 78-72 win over Milwaukee
Tony Parkers 26 points help San Antonio stop Atlanta 97-90
Bobcats postseason hopes look slim after losing to Cleveland 99-89
Deron Williams 21 assists help the Nets take a 107-105 victory over Minnesota
John Wall's 26 points help Washington beat the Pistons 107-105
Celtics blowout the 76ers 99-82 to move into 2nd place in the East
Knicks beat Toronto 131-118 to earn fourth straight victory
Bulls now have three game lead for the top seed in the East with 97-94 win over Phoenix
Clippers hold Memphis to 13 fourth quarter points to take an 82-81 win
Dalembert, Cousins both record double-doubles as the Kings clip the Rockets 104-101
Kevin Durant scores 32 as Thunder earn first road victory over Denver in franchise history
Trail Blazers clinch playoff spot desppite being blown out by Golden State 108-87
Jazz snap six-game losing streak, upset the Lakers 86-85

NHL:
Pascal Dupuis scores two goals as Pittsburgh trumps the Devils 4-2
Thomas Vanek nets hat trick as the Sabres cruise past Tampa Bay 4-2
Washington clinches Southeast division with 3-2 shootout win over Toronto
P.K. Subban scores in overtime to lift Montreal over Chicago 2-1
Philadelphia drop out of first place in the East with 5-2 loss to Ottawa
St. Louis bests Colorado 3-1 in first meeting since Feb. 19 trade
Jordan Tootoo and Sergei Kostitsyn both score two goals in Nashville's 6-3 blowout of Atlanta
Kari Lehtonen nabs 23 saves as the Stars shutout Columbus 3-0
Devan Dubnyk halts 26 shots as Oilers again trump first-place Vancouver 2-0

Callahan Breaks Leg, Out Indefinitely

2011-04-05T20:17:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The New York Rangers announced on Tuesday that right winger Ryan Callahan will miss the remainder of the season and will be out indefinitely after breaking his right leg in Monday's dramatic comeback win against the Boston Bruins.

Callahan had an assist in the 5-3 Rangers win, but his leg was fractured when he blocked a slapshot by Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara late in the game.

Through 60 games, the 26-year-old Callahan has 23 goals and 25 assists and his 48 points is the second most on the team. He is also fifth in the NHL among forwards with 77 blocks, which is a big reason why New York is second in the NHL with 672 blocked shots.

Callahan was sidelined for 19 games earlier this season after breaking his hand blocking a shot by Penguins defenseman Kris Letang in December. New York has gone 10-7-2 without Callahan in the lineup this season.

Mets Shell-Shock Hamels, Hand Phillies First Loss

2011-04-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The New York Mets offense exploded for six runs in the third inning and the Philadelphia Phillies were unable to get their offense rolling as New York won 7-1 to hand the Phillies their first loss of the season.

The Mets (3-1) sent former San Diego Padres pitcher Chris Young to the mound in his first Mets start. Young threw five and 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out seven, but his bat will be talked about more than his pitching.

Young became the first pitcher in Mets history to record two hits in the same inning when New York broke the game open in the third inning. After Cole Hamels pitched his way out of a jam in the first inning, he was unable to conjure up the same magic as New York went through their entire rotation in the third and Hamels was pulled from the game by manager Charlie Manuel.

Young got on base with a single down the left side of the infield and was put into scoring position after Jose Reyes safely bunted. Hamels walked Angel Pagan to load the bases and David Wright hit a two-RBI single just out of Jimmy Rollins' reach to put the Mets on the board.

Pagan crossed home plate after Carlos Ruiz was unable to field a pitch delivered by Hamels. Back-to-back singles by Ike Davis and rookie Brad Emaus drove in two more runs and Young hit another single down the left side of the infield to drive in the Mets final run of the inning.

Placido Polanco hit an RBI double in the fifth inning to put Philadelphia on the board, but the Mets quickly responded with an RBI single to deep left field by Scott Hairston.

Hamels pitched just two and 2/3 innings, allowing six earned runs off of seven hits and three strikeouts as the Phillies (3-1) failed to open the season 4-0. Kyle Kendrick, one of the Phillies starting pitchers last season, relieved Hamels as Philadelphia relied on their bullpen to bail them out.

Game two of the three game series goes on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Joe Blanton is expected to make his first start of the season against the Mets Mike Pelfrey (0-1, 10.38 ERA)

Sports Recap 4/4/11

2011-04-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

NCAAB:
Butler's offense goes cold as UConn wins the National Championship 53-41

MLB:
Prado, Uggla both hit homers in the eighth as the Braves edge Milwaukee 2-1
Baltimore off to best start since 1997, drop the Tigers 5-1
A-Rod and Posada hit homers as the Yankees beat the Twins 4-3
Arizona can't capitalize on a bases-loaded eighth inning as the Cubs walk away with a 4-1 victory
Andrew McCutchen returns, hits a homer in Pirates 5-4 win over St. Louis
Cruz, Andrus hit homers as Texas wins 6-4 over Seattle

NHL:
Rangers score three goals in the final three minutes to shock Boston 5-3
Six different Sharks score as San Jose blows out the Kings 6-1

Sports Recap 4/3/11

2011-04-04T05:50:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Ryan Howard hits a three-run homer as the Phillies complete the sweep of Houston 7-3
Indians turn triple play, crush White Sox 7-1
Miguel Cabrera hit a pair of two-run homers in Detroit's shootout win over the Yankees 10-7
Joe Nathan records first save since 2009 as Twins edge Blue Jays 4-3
Ryan Hanigan blasts two home runs as Cincinnati routes Milwaukee 12-3
Ike Davis and Willie Harris hit homers as the Mets beat Florida 9-2
Brian McCann records four RBIs in Braves 11-2 beat down on the Nationals
Rookie Zach Britton tosses six scoreless innings as Baltimore sweeps the Rays 5-1
Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz homer again in the Rangers 5-1 win over Boston
Matt Treanor his a three-run homer in the 13th innings to lift the Royals over the Angels 12-9
Jaime Garcia dominance proves the difference in St. Louis' 2-0 win over San Diego
Pittsburgh scores two runs in the ninth to edge the Cubs 5-4
Arizona-Colorado game gets postponed due to weather
Mark Ellis' three RBIs give the A's their first win as Oakland beats Seattle 7-1
Dodgers stop Giants rally in the ninth, with 7-5

NBA:
Raptors snap six-game losing streak in their 102-98 victory over Orlando
Spurs rout the Suns 114-97 to snap a six-game losing streak
Nuggets win sixth straight game, stop the Lakers 95-90
Shaq injured again in Boston's 101-90 win over the Pistons
The Heat clinch the Southeast division with 108-94 win over New Jersey
Knicks clinch playoff berth with 123-107 win over Cleveland
Jazz continue to suffer without Deron Williams, lost to Kings 106-97
Wizards earn rare road victory in 97-91 win at Charlotte
Hornets hold off Pacers rally, win 108-96
Kevin martin scores 35 points in Rockets 114-109 win over Atlanta
Portland beats Dallas 104-96 in possible playoff preview

NHL:
Rangers get much needed two points in 3-2 shootout win over the Flyers
Red Wings clinch the Central Division with 4-2 win over Minnesota
Marc Andre-Gragnani scores in overtime to lift Buffalo over Carolina 2-1
Patrik Berglund scores twice in Blues blowout win over Columbus 6-1
Mike Smith shuts out Chicago in Tampa Bay's 2-0 win
Calgary stays alive in the playoff race with 2-1 victory over the Avalanche
Ducks fail to clinch playoff berth, beat Dallas 4-3

NCAAW:
UConn shocked by Notre Dame 72-63
Tyra White makes layup with 3.3 seconds left as Texas A&M upsets Stanford 63-62

Sports Recap 4/2/11

2011-04-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

NCAAB:
Butler advances to second straight NCAA Championship game after knocking off VCU 70-62
UConn edges Kentucky 56-55, Jim Calhoun seeks third title

MLB:
Cliff Lee strikes out 11 in the Phillies 9-4 win over Houston
White Sox score early and often again, beat Cleveland 8-3
Cubs score all their runs in the eighth inning, rally past the Pirates 5-3
Rick Ankiel hits a home run in Washington's 6-3 win over the Braves
Kyle Drabek allows one hit in seven innings as the Blue Jays get the best of Minnesota 6-1
Royals rally in the eighth for 5-4 victory over the Angels
Yankees score six runs in the first two innings to beat Detroit 10-6
Aubrey Huff and Freddy Sanchez drive in six runs as the Giants pummel the Dodgers 10-0
Chase Headley hits home run in Padres 11-3 rout of St. Louis
Francisco Cordero stops the Brewers rally as the Reds again edge Milwaukee 4-2
Mets scored three runs in the 10th to beat Florida 6-4
Chris Tillman holds Tampa Bay hitless for six innings in Baltimore's 3-1 win
Rangers hit four home runs, crush Boston 12-5
Diamondbacks can't solve Jorge De La Rosa, lose to Rockies 3-1
Ichiro Suzuki becomes Mariners all-time hits leader in Seattle's 5-2 win over the A's

NBA:
Derrick Rose scores 36 points in the Bulls 113-106 victory over Toronto
Grizzlies hand Memphis their 10th straight loss with a 106-89 win
Brandon Jennings scores nine points in overtime as the Bucks upend Philadelphia 93-87
Monta Ellis drops 32 points on Dallas and the Warriors win 99-92
Blake Griffin scores 26 points, grabs 16 rebounds in Clippers 98-92 win over Oklahoma City

NHL:
Canadiens end Devils season with 3-1 win
Bruins clinch division with 3-2 victory over Atlanta
Lighting bounce the Wild from postseason play with 3-1 win
Red Wings score four unanswered goals to topple Nashville 4-3 in overtime
Kings score two goals in the third period to beat Dallas 3-1
Hurricanes within a point of the eighth seed with 4-2 win over the Islanders
Leafs hold on to playof hopes with 4-2 win over Ottawa
Ovechkin scores in oveertime to place the Capitals back in first place in a 5-4 win over the Sabres
Panthers drop their eighth straight as Pittsurgh prevails 4-2
Oilers end losing streak in 4-1 win over the Canucks
Sharks out duel Ducks 4-2 in possible playoff preview

Sports Recap 4/1/11

2011-04-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

MLB:
Phillies rally in the ninth to beat the Astros 5-4
Neil Walker his grand slam to lift the Pirates over the Cubs 6-3
White Sox score eight runs in the fourth to breeze past Cleveland 15-10
David Murphy's two-run double in the eighth helps the Rangers beat the Red Sox 9-5
Matt Lindstrom's wild pitch proves to be deadly for Colorado as the Diamondbacks win 7-6 in 11 innings.
Blue Jays hit four homers in 13-3 rout of the Twins
John Buck hits grand slam in the Marlins 6-2 victory over the Mets
Damon, Ramirez combine to go 0-8 in team debut as the Rays lose to Baltimore 4-1
Kila Ka'aihue hits walk-off home run to held the Royal beat the Angels 2-1
Felix Hernandez throws five-hitter as the Mariners topples the A's 6-2
Dodgers score three runs in the sixth to drop San Francisco to 0-2 in a 4-3 win

NBA:
Dwight Howard scores 26 points and picks up 14 rebounds as Orlando beats Charlotte 89-77
Pacers edge Bucks 89-88, hold on to eighth seed in playoffs.
76ers clinch playoff berth as they blow out the Nets 115-90
Jordan Crawford records triple-double as the Wizards beat Cleveland 115-107
Bulls upend Detroit 101-96 despite Hamilton's 30 points
Hawks rally in the fourth quarter to beat the Celtics 88-83
Grizzlies now in tie with New Orleans for seventh seed in playoffs as the beat the Hornets 93-91
Miami's big three combine for 83 points in their 111-92 win over Minnesota
Rockets beat Spurs 119-114 in OT to give San Antonio their sixth straight loss
Suns beat Clippers without Steve Nash 111-98
Aldridge scores 32 points in Portland's 98-91 win over the Thunder
Raymond Felton scores 14 points in the fourth quarter and Denver beats Sacramento 99-90
Utah fails to hold onto 17-point lead, lose to the Lakers 96-85

NHL:
Patrick Elias has a hat trick in the Devils 4-2 win over Philadelphia
Stalberg shootout goal gives the Blackhawks the 4-3 win over Columbus
Iginla scores his 1,000th career point in Calgary's 3-2 win over St. Louis
Colorado upsets Phoenix 4-3 in a shootout

Chad Pennington Tears ACL Playing Basketball

2011-03-31T21:55:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Free agent quarterback Chad Pennington has torn an anterior cruciate ligament in a pickup game of basketball and will undergo surgery.

According to Pennington's agent, Tom Condon, Pennington will undergo surgery on April 7 and the renowned Dr. James Andrews will perform it. It is not known which knee was injured.

Pennington, 34, has played 11 seasons in the NFL with both the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. Pennington is one of only two players who has won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award twice, both times.

After the Jets released Pennington just hours after acquiring Brett Favre in 2008, Pennington signed with the Miami Dolphins and turned around a franchise that went 1-15 the previous year. Miami went 10-6 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

In 2009, however, Pennington re-injured his right shoulder and was forced to undergo surgery for the third time. Backup quarterback Chad Henne took over and was named the starting quarterback in 2010.

Pennington returned to Miami last season after signing a one-year deal to be Henne's backup. He started one game, but left after just two plays and again injured his right shoulder, prompting him to undergo another surgery.

Pennington's 66.0 completion percentage is the highest amongst quarterbacks with at least 1,500 passing attempt in NFL history.

Knicks Rally in Fourth Quarter, Beat Nets 120-116

2011-03-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Carmelo Anthony scored 39 points and the New York Knicks rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the New Jersey Nets 120-116.

New Jersey scored a season-high 68 points in the first half, including 22 of Brook Lopez's 26 points and led by 10 at halftime.

The Knicks came alive in the third quarter, however, going on an early 10-0 run to cut bring the game within one point until the Nets made back-to-back-to-back three pointers by Deron Williams and Anthony Morrow.

The Knicks continued to chip away at the Nets lead, relying on Anthony, who scored 19 points in the third quarter.

Williams helped the Nets tie the game at 107 apiece after making a layup and drawing a foul. The teams traded shots until Williams failed to make a jumper with five second left to tie the game.

Williams, who is playing in his first game since Mar. 18 with a right wrist injury, fell to the floor while attempting that late shot, scaring both fans and coaches that he may have re-injured his wrist. He got up moments later, showing he was hit in the stomach, not his wrist.

Chauncey Billups added 33 points for New York and Amar'e Stoudemire had 23.

The Nets drop to 0-3 against the Knicks this season, with the series finale on Apr. 8. New York's magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now three.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Back in the Spotlight

2011-03-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Former California governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger will re-enter show business according to Entertainment Weekly, but this time it won't be on the silver screen.

The action star will become a cartoon superhero known as "The Governator."

"When I ran for governor back in 2003 and I started hearing people talking about ‘the Governator,’ I thought the word was so cool," Schwarzenegger told Entertainment Weekly in his first interview since leaving office last January.

The 63-year-old former star of such movies as "The Terminator" and "Total Recall" came to America in 1968 from Austria in order to pursue a bodybuilding career. In the 1970's Schwarzenegger then got into acting.

Along with the cartoon, a comic book will also be made of Schwarzenegger. "The Governator" will be created by none other than Stan Lee, who is credited with creating "X-Men" and "Spider-Man."

The cartoon will combine elements of Schwarzenegger's career in acting, bodybuilding and his career in office. The Governator will be a crime fighter and former politician who has high-tech gadgets along with his own cave and a myriad of suits.

The cartoon will have it's slew of villains, including the maniacal coalition Gangsters Imposters Racketeers Liars & Irredeemable Ex-cons (or G.I.R.L.I.E. men.)

There is no news yet on which network will air the show.

Jamie Moyer to Join "Baseball Tonight"

2011-03-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Unable to play in the upcoming season, Jamie Moyer, the oldest active player in the MLB, will join ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" as an analyst during the 2011 season as he attempts a comeback for 2012.

Moyer, 48, played with the Philadelphia Phillies last season, but missed the second half of the season with a strained UCL in his left elbow. For the season, Moyer went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA.

Moyer re-injured his elbow last Nov. while pitching in the Dominican League. In December, Moyer underwent Tommy John surgery.

The Phillies quickly replaced Moyer, whose contract expired at the end of the season. Philadelphia acquired Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros at the trade deadline and signed Cliff Lee this offseason.

Moyer has a career record of 267-204 with a 4.24 ERA . Last season, Moyer became only the third pitcher in MLB history to win 100 games after turning 40.

Moyer will make his debut with "Baseball Tomight" on Thursday, the opening day for the MLB.

Warrant Issued to Bucs Cornerback

2011-03-30T06:53:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib is in legal trouble again as a Dallas-area suburb has issued a warrant for the 25-year-old's arrest for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Talib is being accused, along with his mother, of firing a gun at his sister's boyfriend on March 21. The man was not injured in the incident.

Talib's mother, Okolo, turned herself in on Monday. Police say Talib is expected to turn himself in later this week. According to the Garland Police Department, Talib's bail will be set at $25,000.

A spokesman for the Garland police told Tampa station WDAE (620 am) that detectives met with Talib last week and did not charge him until they finished their investigation. If convicted, Talib faces prison sentence between five to 20 years.

Talib was suspended for the first game of the 2010 season after being arrested following an altercation with a cab driver in 2009.

Though the NFL and the players are in a lock out while the labor situation is resolved, commissioner Roger Gooddell stated last week that all players must still adhere to the league's personal conduct policy and he will discipline players once a collective bargaining agreement is made.

Phillies Closer Lidge Out 3-6 Weeks

2011-03-30T06:25:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Philadelphia Phillies right-handed closer Brad Lidge will miss the first three to six weeks of the season while recovering from a right shoulder injury he suffered in spring training.

Jose Contreras will take the role as the closer while Lidge recovers. Ryan Madson is also expected to fill in.

Lidge, 34, will not require surgery after undergoing an MRI on Tuesday.

Injuries have began to take it's toll early on the Phillies roster. Along with Lidge, right fielder Dominic Brown and All-Star second baseman Chase Utley will also most likely begin the season on the disabled list. Third baseman Placido Polanco has been slowed down during spring training with an elbow injury as well, but is expected to play on opening day.

Matt Painter to Visit Missouri Officials

2011-03-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Purdue head coach Matt Painter will meet with Missouri athletic director Mike Alden on Tuesday to discuss the Tigers head coaching vacancy according to ESPN.com.

Painter, 40, was hired by the Boilermakers in 2004 as a coach-in-waiting for Gene Keady who was retiring following the season's end. Since taking over the team in 2005, Painter has won the Big Ten Coach of the Year award three times, including this season and has a career record of 155-66, including a 130-61 record with Purdue.

Purdue has also made two Sweet Sixteen appearances under Painter and has four consecutive seasons of 25 or more wins.

Former Tigers head coach Mike Anderson left the team last week to become the head coach at Arkansas, where he spent 17 years as an assistant.

Missouri is reportedly willing to offer Painter a seven-year, $14 million contract, similar to the offer they gave to Anderson in an attempt to keep him with Missouri.

Nyjer Morgan Traded to Milwaukee

2011-03-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Washington Nationals have traded outfielder Nyjer Morgan to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations and minor league infielder Cutter Dykstra.

Morgan, 30, batted .253 for the Nationals last year and only had 24 RBIs. He did, however, manage to steal 34 bases.

Dykstra is the son of former 3-time All-Star Lenny Dyksra. Last year, he hit .312 with 39 RBIs and 27 steals while playing third base for Wisconsin's low Class A Midwest League.

Dykstra will most likely remain in the minor leagues, Ryan Zimmerman is the Nationals third baseman.

Morgan will be a reserve player in Milwaukee. After the trade, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said that Carlos Gomez's job at center field is not in jeopardy.

Nets May Shut Down Williams

2011-03-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley.

The New Jersey Nets may shut down star point guard Deron Williams for the remainder of the season according to the Bergen Record.

Williams, who was acquired by the Nets last month in a last-minute trade with the Utah Jazz, is averaging 14.3 points and 13.7 assists in seven games with the Nets.

The 26-year-old All-Star has a strained right wrist which was aggravated in Friday night's 105-95 loss to Milwaukee. Despite the injury, which was suffered in the third quarter, Williams remained in the game.

Williams missed two games last week to be present for the birth of his son. He returned to help the Nets upset the Boston Celtics, however, he has shot only 9-for-36 from the field, including a 1-for-12 outing against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. In those three games, Williams has scored a combined 39 points, but he has still been able to dish out nearly 10 assists per game.

Williams suffered the injury in January while still with Utah. While he insists he has been told by team doctors that he only needs 3-4 weeks rest to heal the injury, Nets head coach Avery Johnson, a former point guard with the San Antonio Spurs, told the Associated Press that he feels the injury would need "4-6 weeks."

Williams is under contract with the Nets until 2012.

Durant Scores 29 as Thunder Stop Heat

2011-03-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Miami's Big Three were held to 23 points in the second half as the Thunder beat Miami to end the Heat's three-game winning streak 95-86.

Miami took the lead to start the game, but found themselves behind halfway through the first quarter when Oklahoma City went on a 8-0 run with back-to-back three-pointers by Durant and Thabo Sefolosha.

The Thunder were able to extender their lead to 11 by the second quarter until the Heat came rumbling back, going on a 10-0 including back-to-back dunks by LeBron James, to tie the game at 43 apiece.

Eric Maynor hit a shot from beyond the arc, his only field goal of the game, to put the Thunder back in the lead permanently just before halftime.

Miami only trailed by five points for nearly the entire third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter until Oklahoma City went on a 10-2 run and extended the lead to 78-66.

Kendrick Perkins, who played in just his second game with Oklahoma City since being traded to the team last month, has just four points and five rebounds before fouling out of the game in the fourth quarter.

The game featured three of the top four scoring leaders in the NBA in Durant, James and Dwyane Wade. Wade scored 21 points while James had 19. It is just the second time in the last 15 games that James did not score over 20 points.

Durant also earned his first victory over James after losing the previous seven match-ups against the reigning league MVP. The Thunder have now won eight of their last nine games.

Wade and Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra were both given technical fouls for arguing a non-foul call by the referees in the fourth quarter.

Ochocinco Gets MLS Tryout

2011-03-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City has given Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco a four-day tryout with the team beginning Tuesday.

Ochocinco, formerly known as Johnson, has played soccer since the age of four, but gave up the sport in high school to follow football.

"I'll be playing on the MLS team @SportingKC on march 22nd, thank everyone involved especially coach Vermes," Ochocinco said on Wednesday, via Twitter.

Ochocinco has also told the Associated Press that he uses a soccer ball to warm up during NFL games and practices.

The receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson isn't the only NFL player to pursue a different sport while the labor situation is taken care of. Baltimore Ravens safety Tom Zibikowski, a former boxer while at Notre Dame, returned to the ring for the first time since 2006, winning by knockout in just 1:45.

Sundance Film Festival Goes to London

2011-03-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Sundance Kid himself, Robert Redford, has brought the renowned independent film festival overseas.

At a press conference on Tuesday in London, Redford announced that Sundance London will officially debut from April 26-29 2012.

The event will be held at London's O2 Arena, which is owned by German-based company AEG, and will feature musical performances along with screenings of independent films, discussion panels and classes.

"It is our mutual goal to bring to the U.K. the very best in current American independent cinema," said Redford.

Redford, 74, won an Academy Award for Best Director in 1980 for "Ordinary People." He has also received nominations for his role in "The Sting" and for directing "Quiz Show."

Redford founded the film festival in 1978 and it has since become a mainstay in American cinema, hosting a festival every January for American Independent films.

Screening at the inaugural festival in London will include films shown in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Pronger Out 3-4 Weeks

2011-03-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Philadelphia Flyers discovered last Sunday that defenseman Chris Pronger has a fracture on his right hand that will require surgery.

The alternate captain will be out 3-4 weeks and will undergo the procedure on Thursday.

The defending Eastern Conference champions currently lead the conference in points with 91, but have seen their lead cut down to one point due to the resurgence of the Washington Capitals, who are currently on an eight-game winning streak.

Pronger had 25 points in 50 games and a plus-minus rating of seven.

Philadelphia kicks off a three-game road trip on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.

2011 March Madness Preview

2011-03-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

By Brian Harris

Another national pastime is about to take over as on Tuesday, March Madness begins. With the addition of three more play-in games, four more teams get to go to the Big Dance. This year’s college basketball season has shown quite a bit of parity amongst the major conference landscape. If there was a year for a mid-major to finish the job that Butler started and came within an inch of finishing the job, this year is it. Here now is my region-by-region breakdown of this year’s Mens’ NCAA Tournament.

East
This region is Ohio State’s to lose. This will not be a complete cakewalk for the Buckeyes, as I see both George Mason and definitely Kentucky giving OSU some early-round agita. The real story of intrigue is in the bottom half of the bracket where Xavier and Washington will make a lot of noise by beating teams like Syracuse and a younger than usual North Carolina. But in the end, OSU’s season-long success will be too much for Washington to handle.
Winner-Ohio State

West
Another year, another walk-in-the park type of bracket for Duke and I’m saying this as a Duke fan. Apart from Temple exposing San Diego St. as a one-hit wonder and UConn continuing their buzz saw-like run for a couple of more wins, this will be a slip-n-slide for the Blue Devils into the Final Four in Houston.
Winner-Duke

Southwest
This is the region that will, for the most part, fall in line with conventional wisdom. The one and two seeds, Kansas and Notre Dame, are the two best teams in the region and will face each other in the regional finals, with Kansas eking out a close. What will be the most interesting thing to come out of this bracket is USC being the first team to make it to the Sweet 16 out of a play-in game. On a minor note, look for the Richmond Spiders to also make it to the Sweet 16 and St. Peter’s to upset Purdue.
Winner-Kansas

Southeast
This region is chockfull with bracket-busting mines all throughout. Also factor in two weak top seeds in Pitt and Florida and what you get is a nightmare for those millions of people who spend hours mulling over picks. One thing that I learned over the years when it comes to March Madness is to never count out Tom Izzo and the Spartans of Michigan State. I foresee another run for of State, in which they will finally shut up the Jimmer Fredette bandwagon on their way to beating K-State, who will dispatch the underwhelming Pitt Panthers. I would love to have St. Johns go over Gonzaga but the loss of DJ Kennedy is way too much to counterbalance.
Winner-Michigan State

So my Final Four is Ohio St., Duke, Kansas and Michigan St. Duke has been a little shaky at times this year and I feel that OSU can hold on against Smith, Singler and company. On the other side of the bracket, yet another feel-good run by Michigan State will be snuffed out at the Final Four courtesy of Kansas. The final will be an absolute barnburner and slugfest, but this is where OSU’s dependence on its freshman star Jared Sullinger will hurt them as Kansas outlasts the Buckeyes and makes it two titles in the last three years, making up for last year’s shocking early exit.
National Champion-Kansas

If you still haven't filled out your bracket yet,a copy of the bracket has been made for the Working Title courtesy of Brigitte Volochinsky and is available here

Oklahoma Fires Jeff Capel

2011-03-14T11:39:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Two years ago, the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball program went 30-6 and found themselves in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

Today, the program is an embarrassing 14-18 and according to reports, head coach Jeff Capel is out of a job.

The Sooners ended their season last weekend with a blowout 74-54 loss to conference rival Texas in the Big XII tournament. In five years, Capel has compiled a 96-69 record, but in the last two seasons, Oklahoma has gone a combined 27-36, including 9-23 in the Big XII.

One of the biggest reasons that Oklahoma has failed to build on their 30-win season is due to the departure of Blake Griffin. The forward left the Sooners after his sophomore year and went on to become the first-overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Griffin won the Oscar Robertson Award in 2009 as the nationa's top basketball player.

Capel is the second head coach in the Big XII to lose his job in the past week. Texas Tech fired Pat Knight a week ago.

"Hereafter" Pulled from Japan Theaters

2011-03-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

Clint Eastwood's latest film "Hereafter" has been pulled from over 180 theaters in Japan following the country's recent natural disaster, according to the Associated Press.

"Hereafter" recreates a tsunami in the film and Warner Entertainment Japan, Inc. official Satoru Otani said the images depicted in the film were "not appropriate" after the disaster.

Japan suffered a series of earthquakes over the weekend which triggered a 33-foot tsunami along the Pacific coast of the country. Waves traveled as far as six miles inland. About 20 countries, including the entire Pacific coast of North and South America has been placed on tsunami warnings and evacuations.

"Hereafter," which starred Matt Damon, made $33.8 million in America. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

Japan was slated to show the film for the next month. The movie will be released in America on DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday.

Ohio State Awarded No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament

2011-03-13T21:10:00.001-07:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Ohio State Buckeyes were given the first-overall seed and the Big East sent 11 teams in the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament.

Defending national champions Duke, Kansas and Pittsburgh were also given top seeds for their region. Duke will attempt to become the first team since Florida in 2006-07 to win back-to-back national titles.

This year's tournament will also feature three more at-large bids for the first time, expanding the bracket from 65 teams to 68. The "first four" games in the inaugural season of the new bracket include Texas-San Antonio vs. Alabama State, USC vs. Virginia Commonwealth, UAB vs. Clemson and North Carolina-Asheville vs. Arkansas-Little Rock.

Ohio State went 32-2 this season to secure the top seed and will try to win their first national championship since 1960.

Second seeds include Notre Dame, North Carolina, San Diego State and Florida.

The opening round of the tournament begins on Wednesday. A copy of the bracket has been made for the Working Title courtesy of Brigitte Volochinsky and is available here.

Phillies Extend Charlie Manuel

2011-03-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Philadelphia Phillies and manager Charlie Manuel have agreed on a two-year extension. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Manuel, 67, has led the Phillies to four consecutive division titles. In 2008, the Phillies won their second World Series in franchise history.

Last year, the Phillies had the best record in the MLB, going 97-65 before falling to eventual World Series champions San Francisco in the NLCS.

The expectations are high this season in Philadelphia, much in part to their All-Star pitching rotation which features Cy Young-award winners Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee as well as 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton.

Manuel is now the longest-tenured skipper in the NL East after the retirement of Atlanta's Bobby Cox. Manuel is 544-428 in his six years with Philadelphia, the best in the National League. The Phillies have also never finished lower than second place in the division under Manuel.

Manuel will make $2.4 this season, the final year of his initial contract. The new deal is set to expire in 2013.

CBS Looks to Replace Charlie Sheen

2011-03-09T06:10:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

In an article posted on People.com, CBS is reportedly looking into replacing Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men."

CBS fired Sheen due to his recent drug abuse as well as his actions in the media. Sheen has said that he will be seeking legal action for breach of contract.

Producers have reportedly been talking to "Parks and Recreations'" Rob Lowe about the vacancy. Former "Full House" heartthrob John Stamos has also been brought up.

People.com also fingered Steve Carell, who's contract with "The Office" ends this season and he has already announced that he will not return.

Lowe, 46, will also play a role in the upcoming season of Showtime's "Californiacation." It is unclear as to whether or not Sheen's replacement will actually overtake Sheen's role or if a new character will be created.

Production of the current season was put on hold last month due to Sheen's condition. Sheen has checked into a rehab facility three times in the past year.

Tiki Barber to Make Comeback

2011-03-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber has filled papers with the NFL to come out of retirement and attempt a comeback.

Barber last played for the Giants in 2006, a team he has spent his entire career with and is the franchise's all-time leader in rushing yards. Since retiring as a player, Barber has worked as a broadcaster on NBC's "Today" program. The network did not renew his contract last year.

The Giants still hold Barber's rights, however, the team has already stated that they will not retain the 35-year-old. Barber fell out of favor with Giants fans after his critical comments about head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning's leadership skills. The Giants won the Super Bowl in 2007, their first season without Barber.

Barber's twin brother, Ronde, has spent his entire 14-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will return next season. In his final season, Barber ran for 1,662 and five touchdowns.

Texas Tech Fires Pat Knight

2011-03-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Texas Tech has fired Pat Knight after three season at the university, according to ESPN.com.

The Red Raiders are 13-18 this season, including 4-12 in the Big 12 conference. Knight will coach the team through the Big 12 tournament and step down after.

Knight, who was given the job after his father, Bob Knight, retired in 2008, has a 46-53 career record at Texas Tech and only one winning season. The Red Raiders started the 2009-10 season off 9-0, but quickly faded before being knocked out of the first round of the NIT by Ole Miss, finishing the season with a 19-16 record.

Texas Tech travels to Kansas City to face no. 24 Missouri in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament on Wednesday.

Dominic Brown Breaks Hand, Return Uncertain

2011-03-06T06:07:00.001-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Philadelphia Phillies rookie outfielder Dominic Brown broke his hand while swinging at a pitch in the Phillies 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

Brown swung at the first pitch in his first at-bat in the game and was hit by the ball. He remained in the game and went on to hit a single. After the game, X-rays confirmed Brown had a fracture. Surgery could be required and according to general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., Brown could be sidelined anywhere from three to six weeks.

Ben Francisco will most likely replace Brown in the lineup. Francisco, a reserve player since arriving to Philadelphia in 2009, has already hit two home runs this spring.

Brown batted .210 with two homers and 13 RBIs after being called up by the Phillies last season. He was expected to start at right field this year after All-Star Jayson Werth inked a $126 million deal with the Washington Nationals.

Philadelphia also officially announced their starting rotation on the mound. Roy Halladay will start on opening day for the second consecutive year, followed by Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton.

New Superman Film Lands Diane Lane

2011-03-03T10:52:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Warner Bros. announced on Thursday that Diane Lane has accepted the role of Martha Kent in the upcoming Superman film.

"Superman: Man of Steel," which will be directed by Zack Snyder (300) is expected to be released in December 2012 in theaters and IMAX.

Lane, 46, is the second person to commit to the film. Henry Cavil was given the role of Clark Kent/Superman in January.

Warner Bros. is attempting to reboot the series that fell flat after "Superman Returns" hit theaters in 2006. Though Snyder is directing, much of the creative input is coming from Christopher Nolan, who revived the Batman franchise with "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." The third and final Batman film from Nolan, "The Dark Knight Rises," is scheduled to be released in July 2012.

Lane received nominations for an Academy Award, ad Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2002 for her portrayal of a wife involved in a tryst in "Unfaithful."

Lindsay Lohan and Kevin Costner have also been rumored to join the film.

A.J. Hawk Re-Joins Green Bay

2011-03-03T10:08:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The divorce between the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers and linebacker A.J. Hawk last less than 24 hours.

On Wednesday, the Packers released the 27-year-old, who was due $10 million in 2011. Thursday, the two sides agreed to a five-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Green Bay drafted Hawk with the fifth-overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft and he has been a starter from day one. Last season, Hawk had 111 tackles, the most since his rookie season, along with 0.5 sacks and three interceptions.

Green Bay also released tight end Donald Lee and safety Derrick Martin.

Niemi Signs Four-Year Extension

2011-03-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The San Jose Sharks have extended the Antti Niemi era for at least another four years.

San Jose and the reigning Stanley Cup-winning goaltender have agree to a four-year $15.2 million extension on Tuesday. Niemi, 27, is 23-15-3 this season with a .919 save percentage and a 2.44 goals against average. As a rookie last season, Niemi became the first Finnish goaltender to win a Stanley Cup.

Chicago failed to retain Niemi last summer after an arbitrator ruled in favor of Niemi over a salary dispute. The Blackhawks were unable to afford Niemi due to the ruling and had to walk away from the deal, bringing in former Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco.

Niemi was quickly scooped up by the Sharks, who signed him to a one-year deal to replace longtime goalie Evgeni Nabokov.

Carson Palmer Wants Out of Cincinnati

2011-03-01T20:08:00.001-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Carson Palmer still wants out of Cincinnati.

Nearly two months after Palmer requested a trade, an unnamed source has said Palmer has not had a change of heart.

"I have $80 million in the bank. I don't have to play football for money. I'll play it for the love of the game but that would have to be elsewhere. I'm prepared to live my life," Palmer allegedly said in a report from WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. Palmer also said he "would never set foot in Paul Brown Stadium again."

Bengals owner Mike Brown declined Palmer's trade request last January, stating that Palmer is crucial to the team's plans.

Palmer, 31, has spent his entire career in Cincinnati, who drafted him first-overall in 2003. Last season, Palmer passed for 3,970 yards with 26 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

Despite improved numbers by Palmer from the 2009 season, Cincinnati went 4-12 last season and suffered a 10-game losing streak. Cincinnati won the AFC North in 2009 after going 10-6, including 6-0 in the division.

Palmer may not be the only quarterback to leave the team. If Palmer is removed, it seems unlikely that the team would keep backup quarterback Jordan Palmer, Carson's younger brother, on their roster.

Jason Arnott Traded to Capitals

2011-02-28T22:59:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals have swapped centers in a last-minute trade.

Washington will receive Jason Arnott in exchange for David Steckel and a 2012 second round draft pick.

Arnott is famous amongst Devils fan for scoring the game-winning goal in the second overtime of Game Six of the 200 Stanley Cup, which clinched the series for the team. The Devils re-acquired the 36-year-old last summer from the Nashville Predators.

Arnott has scored 24 points in 62 games this season. For his career, Arnott 396 goals and 501 assists in 1161 career games.

Steckel, 28, has only 11 points this season, but is more known for his tenacity and for being a hard hitter.

New Jersey is nine points away from being the eighth seed in the playoffs with 15 games left in the season.

Golden State Buys Out Murphy's Contract

2011-02-28T10:09:00.001-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Troy Murphy will now be looking for his fourth home in 12 months.

The Golden State Warriors have agreed to buy out the remainder of Murphy's contract according to ESPN. The Warriors acquired the 30-year-old power forward from the New Jersey Nets last week in a three-team trade involving Utah.

New Jersey traded for Murphy last summer, however, they have used him as a trading piece in a effort to bring in Carmelo Anthony. When that failed, they quickly shipped him to Golden State and received Deron Williams from the Jazz.

Several teams have expressed interest in Murphy, including the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. The Portland Trailblazers have also expressed interested, however, it is believed Murphy is choosing between the two Eastern Conference powers.

Boston is looking to add size to their roster after trading center Kendrick Perkins. The other centers on their roster include Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal, both of whom are injured, and Nenad Krstic. The Celtics have three open spaces on their roster.

Miami is looking to add size and depth to their team. In last week's loss to the Bulls, Miami was outrebounded 53-39 and their bench only scored two points. Miami has a full roster and would need to release a player to make room for Murphy.

Murphy has only played in 18 games this year, all with the Nets, and has not played since Jan. 7. He is averaging 3.6 points and 4.2 rebounds while playing off the bench. As a starter for the Pacers last year, Murphy averaged 14.6 points and 10.2 boards per game.

Murphy began his career with the Warriors and played with them between 2001-07.

Penguins Trade for Kovalev

2011-02-24T20:45:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Ottawa Senators winger Alexei Kovalev for a conditional draft pick.

The pick is initially good for a seventh-round pick in the upcoming draft, however, if the Penguins advance to the second round of the playoffs and Kovalev is active in at least half of the first round games.

Kovalev, waived his no-trade clause to complete the deal. The 38-year-old has 27 points this season and is in the final year of his contract.

Pittsburgh has been furiously trying to trade for almost any healthy body. The Penguins are missing 12 major contributors, including Evgeni Malkin, who is out for the season with a torn MCL and ACL, and Sidney Crosby, who has not played since Jan. 5 due to a concussion.

This will be Kovalev's second stint with the Penguins. He first played in Pittsburgh between 1998-2003 before they traded him back to the Rangers, whom he won a Stanley Cup with in 1994.

In his career, Kovalev has 426 goals and 591 assists in 1,282 career games.

Luol Deng Sinks Three-Pointer to Lift Bulls over Heat

2011-02-24T19:39:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Luol Deng sank a three-pointer with 16 seconds left to break an 89-89 tie as the Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat.

Miami had a big game out of both LeBron James (29 points, 10 rebounds) and Dwyane Wade (34 points, eight rebounds,) however, their third big man stuggled. Chris Bosh ended a four-game 20-point streak after going 1-for-18 from the field and only managing to score seven points.

The Heat bounced back from an early 7-2 deficit by going on a 13-2 run which began with back-to-back dunks by James. Miami continued to pressure Chicago, relying on fast break points and perimeter shooting to pad their lead. Miami led by as much as 11 until the Bulls rallied back in the third quarter, going on a 15-2 run with Deng scoring eight points. During the run, Wade was given a technical foul for arguing with an official.

Ronnie Brewer made a jumper to put the Bulls up 80-71, their largest lead of the night, until the Heat rallied back. Wade and James combined for the first 24 points by the Heat to start the second half until Bosh made a pair of free throws halfway through the fourth quarter.

With the entire Bulls defense focused on Wade, the shooting guard found a wide open Mario Chalmers, who calmly made a three-pointer to put the Heat back up 82-80.

Chicago responded with a three-pointer of their own when Kyle Korver made one from beyond the arc to begin a 9-0 run which put the Bulls back in the lead until James drew a foul on Derrick Rose after making an eight-foot jumper. James made the free throw to tie the game.

Rose dished the ball to Deng, who was left alone outside the arc to sink the Heat.

Chicago was able to keep the game close due to their control of the glass. The Bulls out-rebounded Miami 53-39 and their bench outscored Miami's 22-2. Wade and James combined for 63 points.

The win clinches the best of three series for Chicago, who also bested Miami 99-96 on Jan. 15.

Oklahoma City Acquires Kendrick Perkins

2011-02-24T16:17:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Boston Celtics shipped one of their big men, and their smallest man, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a four-player deal.

Oklahoma City will receive center Kendrick Perkins and 5-foot-9 guard Nate Robinson. Boston will receive forward Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic in return.

Green was originally drafted by Boston in 2007, however, the Celtics immediately traded away his rights to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Ray Allen. Seattle moved to Oklahoma City following Green's rookie season.

Despite being one of the shortest players in the NBA, Robinson has developed a reputation for being able to dunk. He is the only three-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion.

Perkins returned to Boston last month after missing the first half of the season with a torn MCL and PCL which he suffered in Game Six of the 2010 NBA Finals. The Celtics quickly brought in replacements during the offseason, signing both Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal, however, both have been unable to stay healthy during the season.

Krstic, 27, is expected to start at center for now. For the season, Krstic is averaging 7.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while coming off the bench.

Green, 24, will come off the bench while playing behind team captain Paul Pierce. As a starter in Oklahoma City, Green averaged 15.2 points per game.

In 12 games, Perkins is averaging 7.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Boston has gone 8-4 with Perkins in the lineup.

The deal is one of three that Boston completed before the trade deadline. Marquis Daniels and rookies Luke Harangody and Semih Erden were also dealt today.

Clippers Ship Baron Davis to Cleveland

2011-02-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

With the trade deadline just hours away, the Los Angeles Clippers have traded point guard Baron Davis to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon.

Cleveland will also receive the Clippers 2011 first-round draft pick.

Davis, 31, joined the Clippers in 2008 much due to the fact that he longed to be closer to home. Davis was a star at UCLA and the Crossroads School in Santa Monica.

For the season, Davis is averaging 12.8 points and 7.0 assists.

The Cavaliers are struggling so far in the post-LeBron era. They snapped a 26-game losing streak earlier this month when they defeated the Clippers in overtime and are 10-47 for the season.

Wlliams, also a point guard, has posted nearly identical stats as Davis, with 13.3 points and 7.1 assists, but he is also only 28 and comes at a much cheaper price. Williams was also named to the All-Star team in 2009.

Deron Williams Traded to Nets

2011-02-23T08:55:00.001-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

During the summer, the Miami Heat beat them in pursuit of LeBron James. Two days ago, the Knicks beat them to acquire Carmelo Anthony. Today the New Jersey Nets finally land a star.

The Nets have acquired All-Star point guard Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a disgruntled Devin Harris and rookie Derrick Favors.

Golden State will also be involved in the trade. The Nets will ship Troy Murphy to the Warriors in exchange for Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright.

The Jazz will receive $3 million and two first-round draft picks from the Nets as well.

Williams fell out of favor in Utah after the sudden resignation of head coach Jerry Sloan. Many felt Williams was at fault due to the fact that the player and coach were in an altercation the night before. Williams has denied those comments.

"Anybody who thinks I can force coach Sloan to resign is crazy," said Williams on Feb. 10 after Sloan's retirement.

Williams, 26, has averaged 21.3 points and 9.7 rebounds this season, both career highs. His contract expires in the summer of 2012, however, he will be able to sign an extension in July after the 2011 season ends.

Harris and Favors have both been on the trading block all season as the Nets have attempted to acquire Anthony. There was reportedly an offer on Wednesday morning for the Harris to return to his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, in exchange for Caron Butler, but the Nets declined the trade.

The trade is pending a physical and could be completed as early as Wednesday night. Williams could report for the team as early as Friday, when the Nets travel to San Antonio.

Wainwright May Need Tommy John Surgery

2011-02-23T06:22:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright may require Tommy John surgery, according to ESPN.

Wainwright, 29, has left the Cardinals spring training facility in Florida to return to St. Louis in order to have his elbow examined.

The righty went 20-11 last season with a 2.42 ERA and 213 strikeouts. He was named to his first All-Star appearance last year as well.

While Wainwright has been relatively healthy in his career, he has had a history of elbow problems. He missed the final start of last season due to elbow soreness and had several elbow problems in 2004.

The recovery time from Tommy John surgery for a pitcher is between 12-18 months, which means if the surgery is required, Wainwright will miss the 2011 season.

Wainwright has finished in second place for the Cy Young award in both 2009 and 2010.

Knicks Acquire Carmelo Anthony

2011-02-21T22:46:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

After months of rumors, speculations and battling their cross-river rivals, the New York Knicks have finally acquired their second super star.

The Denver Nuggets have agreed to trade small forward Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks for guard Raymond Felton, center Timofey Mosgov, and forwards Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler as well as the Knick's first-round pick in 2014 and two second round draft picks.

The Knicks will also receive guard Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter and forwards Renaldo Balkman and Sheldon Williams.

Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Corey Brewer will also join the Knicks in exchange for center Eddie Curry and Anthony Randolph.

Anthony is a four-time NBA All-Star who is averaging 25.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He is the second All-Star to join the Knicks, Amar'e Stoudemire signed with New York this offseason and has helped lead the Knicks to a 28-26 record.

One thing that will be different for Anthony is his jersey number. Anthony has worn no. 15 since winning a national title with Syracuse, however, the Knicks have retired that number, twice, in honor of Earl Monroe and Dick McGuire. While no definite answer can be confirmed, rumors have has Anthony wearing either no. 13 or 30.

The Knicks were initially not going to offer as much as they did, however, they were forced to up the ante once the New Jersey Nets re-entered trade talks with a deal centered around rookie Derrick Favors. The deal stalled, however, when Anthony was mum on agreeing to a three-year extension with the Nets.

Anthony was expected to be a free agent this season, however, he has accepted a three-year $65 million extension in order to be traded.

New York has long been the favorite for a new home for Anthony. The 26-year-old is a Brooklyn native and has openly said he would sign an extension if he was traded to the Knicks.

Kings Looking at Relocation

2011-02-19T22:09:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Sources have told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Sacramento Kings are seriously considering moving the franchise south to Anaheim.

If they franchise does intend to move, they will need to apply for a relocation with the league by the March 1 deadline.

The Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985, moving away from Kansas City. The franchise has also called Rochester and Omaha their home.

The King's are the only professional sports franchise located in Sacramento. It is also a more populated area than Anaheim. Anaheim has two other professional sports franchises residing in the city, the NHL's Ducks and baseball's Angels.

One reason the team may be looking at relocation is due to the fact that they are unable to fill their seats. The Kings rank 29th in the NBA in attendance, only the New Jersey Nets rank lower. The Nets will be relocating to Brooklyn in 2012.

Sacramento has also failed to secure a new stadium for the Kings. If the team was to relocate, they would play in the Honda Center, where the Ducks also play.

Sacramento is currently 13-40 and is on pace to miss their fifth consecutive postseason.

Blues, Avalanche Complete Blockbuster Trade

2011-02-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues have completed a trade involving four players and two draft picks on Saturday morning centered around Erik Johnson.

Johnson, 22, as the first-overall pick in the NHL Draft in 2006. He will go to Colorado along with forward Jay McClement. The Avalanche will also receive a first-round draft pick.

St. Louis will receive winger Chris Stewart, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and a second-round draft pick.

Of the four players, only McClement, 27, is older than 23 and all four players were former first-round draft choices.

Johnson has scored 19 points in 55 games this season and is a blue line defender.

McClement had a career-high 28 assists in the 2006-07 season, but has declinced in production since. This season, McClement has six goals and 10 assists.

Stewart started the season off on a tear, scoring 16 points in the first month of the season before being sideline in November after breaking his hand in a fight against Minnesota Wild center Kyle Brodziak. Since his return, he has scored only two goals in three assists in 13 games.

Shattenkirk has seven goals and 19 assists in his rookie campaign.

This is the second trade in as many days for St. Louis. On Friday, the Blue traded captain Eric Brewer to Tampa Bay.

Colts Release Sanders

2011-02-18T21:11:00.001-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

When he was on the field, he was a force of defense, especially when defending the run.

The problem, however, is he was rarely on the field.

The Indianapolis Colts have released safety Bob Sanders on Friday. Sanders played in the season opener last year, but missed the rest of the year after suffering a torn biceps tendon.

In his seven-year career, Sanders has never played a full NFL season and has missed 64 games due to injury.

Sanders, 29, was a key component of the Colts defense in the 2007 postseason. After missing all but four games during the regular season, Sanders showed up healthy in time for the playoffs and helped lead the Colts to a Super Bowl victory.

The following season, Sanders was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year after posting 96 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks and two interceptions in 15 games.

After winning the award, Sanders quickly inked a five-year, $37.5 million contract, but only played in a combined nine games in the next three seasons.

Indianapolis could use the cap room created by releasing Sanders on Peyton Manning, whom the Colts want to make the NFL's highest paid player in league history.

Raiders Make Seymour Highest Paid Defenseman

2011-02-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

The Oakland Raiders and defensive end Richard Seymour have agreed to a two-year extension.

The value of the contract will not be reported until Seymour, 31, signs it, however, sources have told ESPN.com that it will make Seymour the highest paid defensive player in the league. Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers held that title last season after signing with the Bears in free agency.

Seymour was acquired by Oakland in 2009 in a trade with the New England Patriots. In exchange, the Patriots received Oakland's first round pick in the upcoming draft (17th overall.)

When Oakland initially acquired Seymour, he refused to report to the team, claiming the trade "blindsided" him. He did eventually report to the team and has started every game since then.

The Raiders used their franchise tag on Seymour last year, which was worth $12.4 million.

Last season, Seymour was named to his sixth Pro Bowl after posting 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He has also been named to the All-Pro team three times in his career.

Forsberg Ends Comeback After Two Games

2011-02-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

By Justin Worsley,

Colorado Avalanche center Peter Forsberg has decided to retire after attempting a comeback to the league that lasted only two games.

Forsberg, 37, returned to the NHL after a three-year hiatus in order to attempt a comeback with the Avalanche, with whom he won two Stanley Cups.

Forsberg, a Swedish native, began training with the Avalanche on January 21. Two weeks later, he signed a contract for the remained of the season with Colorado and made his season debut against Columbus last Friday.

In two games, Forsberg failed to score and posted a minus-four rating. Neither game was at home.

In his career, Forsberg has scored 249 goals and 636 assists in 708 games.