Tiger Woods Loses No. 1 Ranking: Tiger Woods has lost his No. 1 ranking to British golfer Lee Westwood after holding the top spot since 2005. Westwood, 37, is the 13th golfer to hold the ranking since the system began in 1986. His only victory this season was the St. Jude Classic, but he was second at the Masters, second at the British Open and had three other top-10 finishes.

posted by rcade to golf at 06:00 PM - 6 comments

No. 1 (to Humans) Oregon Dismantles USC: The Oregon Ducks went to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and ran over the USC Trojans 53-32 Saturday, strengthening their hold on the No. 1 position in the AP and USA Today polls. Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas threw for four touchdowns, running back LaMichael James ran for three and wide receiver Jeff Maehl caught three. Though humans believe they are the country's best team, the Ducks trailed eight teams in the computer rankings employed by the Bowl Championship Series prior to this weekend -- putting the Auburn Tigers atop the BCS rankings. "Besides strength of schedule, the main reason Oregon looks weak to the computers is that the computers are blind to margin of victory," explains ESPN's Ted Miller.

posted by rcade to football at 04:47 PM - 7 comments

Panoramic Photos of Playoff Game Fans: At every playoff series this year, Major League Baseball had a 596-megapixel panoramic picture taken that can be zoomed and tagged on Facebook. I'm the meditating grayhair at game 2 of the Rangers/Rays series with a cluster of Rangers employees in team gear. The female Rays fan over my right shoulder brought a sign security asked her to put away: "I Love a Good B.J. Upton."

posted by rcade to baseball at 02:42 PM - 4 comments

Baseball Tries to Chill Champagne Celebrations: Major League Baseball has issued new guidelines for dousing your teammates with alcoholic beverages after a playoff series win. Champagne must be limited, a non-alcoholic version must be offered, beer and other types of alcohol are banned and teams can't bring the drinks on the field. "I think the celebrations are unattractive in large measure because they involve alcohol," former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent told the New York Times. "It's ritualized, and I think it's silly. ... The sadness is that no one thinks this is very important."

posted by rcade to baseball at 11:49 AM - 12 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments

Rangers Win Game 3 Over Giants: A three-run home run by first baseman Mitch Moreland and a 7 2/3-inning, five-hit, two-run outing from starter Colby Lewis led the Texas Rangers to a 4-2 win over the San Francisco Giants Saturday night in the World Series. The Giants' lead has been cut to 2-1 with two more games at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

posted by rcade to baseball at 10:12 PM - 4 comments

The Hoser's NFL Picks 2010 -- Week Eight: NFL picks that wish they could have attended the Rally to Restore Sanity.

posted by wfrazerjr to football at 05:02 PM - 7 comments

Allen Iverson Takes His Talents to Istanbul: Eleven-times NBA All-Star guard Allen Iverson has signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Besiktas ColaTurka. BallinEurope has his introductory press conference. "I have a lot of basketball left in me," said Iverson, 35, who did not get an offer from an NBA team this off-season. "Hopefully this can be as positive as I want it to be."

posted by rcade to basketball at 03:40 PM - 10 comments

Kansas High School Player Dies After Tackle: A Kansas high school football player who suffered a concussion earlier this month died Thursday night after a hard tackle during a game. Nathan Stiles of Spring Hill High School collapsed on the sideline after telling a coach, "my head is really hurting." He was the school's homecoming king and had run for 65- and 18-yard touchdowns in the game, which his team won 99-72.

posted by rcade to football at 01:26 PM - 7 comments

Stern Wants 5 Teams in Europe by 2020: NBA Commissioner David Stern said Friday that he hopes there will be a five-team European division within the league in the next 10 years. "[T]he Heat will play in Boston one night and then they'll go to Paris and spend a couple days on the Champs-Elysses shopping and relaxing. And then they'll go and play five teams. And when they finish that, they'll play them again. Then they'll come home, having had a nice trip to Europe and they'll be finished with their European obligations."

posted by rcade to basketball at 12:25 PM - 5 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments

College Football Announcer Flips Out on Air: After Florida Atlantic quarterback Jeff Van Camp was hit helmet-to-helmet as he went into a slide during last Saturday's loss to Arkansas State, team play-by-play announcer Dave Lamont lost his head, banging on the window and screaming at the officials and threatening to fight the people in the press box. "Apparently the team is not the only one melting down here," he said.

posted by rcade to football at 05:14 PM - 3 comments

Cliff Lee's Wife Angry at Yankees Fans: One reason to think Cliff Lee won't be ending up in pinstripes: New York Yankees fans were saying abusive things, throwing beer and spitting from an upper deck on Texas Rangers family members during the American League Championship Series, his wife Kristen Lee told USA Today. "The fans did not do good things in my heart," she said. "When people are staring at you and saying horrible things, it's hard not to take it personal."

posted by rcade to baseball at 08:13 AM - 15 comments

Giants Win Game 2 in a Laugher: An eighth inning Texas Rangers bullpen collapse turned a 2-0 game into a 9-0 rout, sending the San Francisco Giants to Texas with a 2-0 World Series lead. Matt Cain preserved his 0.00 postseason ERA in 7 2/3 innings. Rangers relievers walked four batters in a row in the eighth inning, then gave up a double and triple to complete the eight-run two-out rally that sealed the win.

posted by rcade to baseball at 08:11 AM - 16 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments

Tennis Player Makes Comeback Bid at 43: After 11 years away from the ATP men's tour, Thomas Muster is making a comeback attempt at the age of 43 and will play the upcoming tournament in Vienna. The Austrian won 44 singles titles from 1986 to 1997 and has played at least two tournaments this year. "He's slightly nuts," said former player Mats Wilander, 46.

posted by rcade to tennis at 12:10 PM - 2 comments

Organizer Blames Overexertion for Swimmer's Death: Although the death of American open water swimmer Fran Crippen has yet to be fully investigated, the organizer of the event in which he died has already decided overexertion is to blame. "We are sorry that the guy died, but what can you do?" UAE Swimming Association executive director Ayman Saad said in a statement. "This guy was tired and he pushed himself a lot." The water in the 10-kilometer race Saturday was reportedly 85 degrees. The winner of the race, Thomas Lurz of Germany, said, "There were many swimmers who had serious problems in the water."

posted by rcade to Olympics at 11:18 AM - 6 comments

Ronaldo Targeted by Laser Again: Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo was targeted by a laser during the goalless King's Cup draw at Nueva Condomina stadium against Murcia, an incident photographed by the Spanish sports paper Marca. Lasers have been pointed at Ronaldo by fans at Barcelona's Nou Camp, Marseille's Stade Velodrome and Lyon's Stade Gerland.

posted by rcade to soccer at 10:32 AM - 5 comments

I Shaved My Balls for This?: A fan sitting right behind the Pittsburgh Penguins bench during Saturday's game against the St. Louis Blues is approaching Ryder Cup Cigar Guy levels of fame because of the words on his sweatshirt. The shirt has been seen elsewhere.

posted by rcade to hockey at 07:56 AM - 10 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

Giants Beat Rangers in Game 1: The San Francisco Giants handed Cliff Lee his first postseason loss, defeating the Texas Rangers in game 1 of the World Series 11-7. The game matched up two Cy Young Award winners in Lee and the Giants' Tim Lincecum, but it was Juan Uribe's three-run home run and Freddy Sanchez's three doubles that were more decisive than pitching. The game 1 winner has won six of the past seven World Series championships.

posted by rcade to baseball at 11:47 PM - 5 comments

CFL Pick 'Em, Week 18: Did you score any points this week? Only if you were in Ontario, or possibly tied for third in the West division. Otherwise you're just outta luck with time running out. Spruce up your fortune and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 09:51 PM - 19 comments

Rolling Thunder: how Oklahoma City has shaped the Thunder.

posted by yerfatma to basketball at 10:02 AM - 3 comments

Paul the World Cup Octopus Dies: Paul the Psychic Octopus is dead. The English-born octopus shot to fame this summer by successfully predicting the results of World Cup matches. Tributes are flooding in (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to soccer at 09:48 AM - 8 comments

Heat Lose Opener to Celtics: Facing chants of "overrated" on the road, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade lost their season opener to the Boston Celtics, 88-80. James scored 31 points and offered this reason for the defeat: "When you have so many options, it's something I'm not accustomed to, having that many threats out on the court at the same time."

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:20 AM - 30 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments

Fire in Babylon: Probably the greatest sports team you've never heard of: the story of the West Indies cricket teams of the 1980s, who ruled the planet with 'an enlightened despotism' (apparently). Now told as a feature documentary.

posted by owlhouse to other at 03:08 AM - 6 comments

Soccer Player Has Heart Attack During Game: Second-division Spanish soccer player Miguel Garcia collapsed on the pitch Sunday after suffering a heart attack (video, warning on content). The 31-year-old is in stable condition at a Salamanca, Spain, hospital.

posted by rcade to soccer at 07:03 PM - 3 comments

Square Gets the Circle: the fastest way to get around a baseball diamond? Running in a circle. Almost.

posted by yerfatma to baseball at 03:44 PM - 24 comments

Naismith's Basketball Rules Up for Auction: The two typewritten pages on which Dr. James Naismith wrote the 13 original rules for "basket ball" are being auctioned Dec. 10 by Sotheby's and are expected to sell for at least $2 million. The proceeds will benefit the non-profit Naismith Foundation. Rule No. 14: Don't make a big production out of your decision to leave your hometown team in free agency.

posted by rcade to basketball at 03:06 PM - 0 comments

The 20 Greatest Football Managers of All-Time: and Phil Brown.

posted by yerfatma to soccer at 08:24 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments

Tony Romo out with a broken collarbone: Romo looks to be out 8 to 10 weeks, and the Cowboys look to be done for the year.

posted by dviking to football at 11:29 PM - 21 comments

Raiders Lay Historic Hurting on Broncos: The Oakland Raiders edged the Denver Broncos 59-14 Sunday, scoring the most points in franchise history -- and doing it on the road in the Mile High city no less. Darren McFadden scored four touchdowns on 165 yards rushing. Backup quarterback Jason Campbell threw for two touchdowns and 206 yards. "During the past 50 years, has there ever been a darker football Sunday in Denver?" asks Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla. "Only Tebow can save McDaniels now."

posted by rcade to football at 06:41 PM - 5 comments

LeBron James' New Nike Commercial: 'Should I Be Who You Want Me To Be?' : LeBron James turned the negative feedback he received from his decision to sign with the Miami Heat into the theme of his new Nike commercial.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 05:59 PM - 22 comments

Graphic: Why Eric LeGrand is Paralyzed: "The two players exert 833 pounds of force on each other -- more than the resulting force of a 150-pound world class sprinter running at top speed into a brick wall." The Star-Ledger has produced an infographic analyzing the tackle that left Rutgers player Eric LeGrand paralyzed. More coverage from the paper.

posted by rcade to football at 02:47 PM - 8 comments

NFL Sideline Official Hospitalized After Player Collision: A member of the chain crew was clobbered by a player during a punt in the New Orleans Saints-Cleveland Browns game Sunday. Al Nastasi Jr. is conscious and in stable condition at a New Orleans hospital, his son said video). Adding insult to injury, Courtney Roby, the Saints player who accidentally ran into Nastasi after being blocked out of bounds, was flagged 15 yards on the play for not trying to get back on the field.

posted by rcade to football at 01:02 PM - 2 comments

MLB Post-Season Pick 'Em, World Series Edition: So it's yet another year in which the big-money, big-market teams slug it out in a star-studded, payroll-dominated, Tim McCarver-loving—wait, what?

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 11:18 AM - 24 comments

You Will Believe a Punter Can Fly: Cleveland Browns punter Reggie Hodges ran 68 yards on a fake punt in the team's 30-17 upset of the New Orleans Saints, racing down the middle of the field and reaching the Saints' 9-yard line in the second quarter. "I was shot. I didn't have anything left," said Hodges. See the video.

posted by rcade to football at 10:54 AM - 8 comments

Just tap it in...: It was getting dark and starting to look like the three-way play-off for the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open was going to have to be finished on Monday. Jonathan Byrd, Martin Laird and Cameron Percy agreed to play one more hole, the 204 yard par three 17th, but mutually agreed that any one of them could call it off if they couldn't read their putt. Byrd decided to save them all the trouble and holed his six iron tee shot to claim the title [video]. Several hours earlier, Italian Matteo Manassero became the youngest ever winner on the European Tour. The former British Amateur champion, who turned pro at the Italian Open this year, isn't sure what he's going to do with all the money he's won so far as he's not yet old enough to drink or drive and he hasn't got a girlfriend.

posted by JJ to golf at 08:12 AM - 2 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments

Fumble Call Helps Steelers Defeat Dolphins: The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Miami Dolphins 23-22 Sunday with a little help from the zebras. A late fumble by Ben Roethlisberger near the goal line was originally ruled a touchdown. It was overturned by replay, but officials couldn't determine which team recovered the ball in the end zone. Jeff Reed kicked a field goal after the call to put the Steelers ahead. See the video.

posted by rcade to football at 05:32 PM - 18 comments

Want to help a charity? Think again.: Unbelievable.

posted by cheemo13 to general at 10:27 AM - 8 comments

Unheralded Giants Reach World Series : Unheralded but undaunted, the San Francisco Giants concluded an improbable run to the World Series on Saturday, stunning much of the baseball world by reaching the sport’s ultimate stage with a ragtag roster filled with players other teams had cast off. But with a formidable pitching staff and a fearless attitude, the Giants persevered to win their division and their first-round playoff series, then overcame the Philadelphia Phillies, the two-time defending league champions, in the National League Championship Series.

posted by tommytrump to baseball at 07:55 AM - 12 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments

Should We Watch Football?: "Is it morally defensible to watch a sport whose level of violence is demonstrably destructive?" Michael Sokolove asks in the New York Times. "What if the brain injuries are so endemic -- so resistant to changes in the rules and improvements in equipment -- that the more we learn the more menacing the sport will seem?"

posted by rcade to football at 06:24 PM - 18 comments

The Hoser's NFL Picks 2010 -- Week Seven: NFL picks that hope to have better luck picking pumpkins this Sunday with the little Hoserites.

posted by wfrazerjr to football at 06:11 PM - 3 comments

U.S. Swimmer Fran Crippen Dies During Race: Fran Crippen, a 26-year-old open water swimmer on the U.S. national team, died during the FINA Open Water 10-kilometer World Cup in Fujairah, south of Dubai, Saturday. After he did not finish a race in which he told his coach he wasn't feeling well, Crippen was found in the water two hours later.

posted by rcade to Olympics at 05:04 PM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments

Texas Rangers World Series Bound: For the first time in the 49-year history of the franchise, the Texas Rangers are going to the World Series, thanks to a 6-1 defeat of the defending champ New York Yankees at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Colby Lewis threw an 8-inning three hitter and Vladimir Guerrero had three RBIs. I need to lie down.

posted by rcade to baseball at 11:27 PM - 30 comments

The NBA Season in Comic Books: ESPN the Magazine previews the 2010-11 NBA season by collaborating with Marvel Comics artists to produce comic book covers for each NBA team. The covers, which range from goofy to badass, were drawn by a team that includes "virtually a who's who of who's hot in comic books right now." Hi-res jpgs available for your downloading pleasure. [via] "When the Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN, bought Marvel Entertainment last year, our reaction was quick: "Sweet!" Not because we thought we'd be invited to the opening of "Iron Man 2." (Didn't happen.) We just realized that now we could e-mail the guys who draw Spider-Man, The Hulk and Captain America and put a whole new spin on the idea of synergy -- which is exactly what we did. Result? A pairing of Marvel's ability to create iconic images with our season preview of the NBA, the league that trumps all others in producing larger-than-life superstars" (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to basketball at 04:27 PM - 6 comments

Runner Banned for Using Penis Enhancer: The bad news? Olympic gold medalist runner LaShawn Merritt has been barred through July 2011 for using a banned substance found in the male enhancement product Extenze. The good news? The arbitration panel admires his candor enough to shorten his punishment by three months. Merritt "was exemplary and demonstrated tremendous character in making what had to be a painful and humiliating confession," they wrote.

posted by rcade to Olympics at 04:15 PM - 11 comments

UFC Heavyweight Title Fight Breakdown: Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez: Little did we know then that an age of superheavyweights was upon us, led by the arrival of Brock Lesnar. So Saturday night's UFC 121 championship fight marks the inevitable clash between the man who would be king, and the king himself.

posted by BornIcon to other at 10:24 AM - 13 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 14 comments

Tiger Woods 'Much Better, Much More Grounded': With only a few chances left to avoid a year without a single tournament win, Tiger Woods believes that things are starting to look up. "My game is coming around," he said. As for his personal travails, he said, "I think that I come from a much better place, much more grounded place now than I ever have before."

posted by rcade to golf at 02:19 PM - 19 comments

Great Sports Calls, Chosen by Posnanski: Greatest calls in sports is a selection of 32 great calls in broadcast sports, chosen by Joe Posnanski, obviously US-centric but featuring some good choices. Want some elation this Friday? Some nice discussion at Baseball Think Factory. Does it have to be a great moment, or could a routine moment be elevated to the list by a great call? I would be interested if anyone has examples of this; I had a hard time coming up with examples (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:40 AM - 13 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments

CFL Pick 'Em, Week 17: Close games across the board mean that we may, just may, have a challenger for the title. Is it you? Spell "irregardless" and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 09:39 PM - 24 comments

Rypien suspended indefinitely by NHL: Vancouver Canucks forward Rick Rypien has been suspended indefinitely for grabbing a fan on Tuesday night. The incident happened while Rypien was on the way to the visiting dressing room in Minnesota after being assessed a double minor for roughing, and a 10-minute misconduct.

posted by jjohn24680 to hockey at 02:19 PM - 12 comments

Refs Ask NFL Coaches to Call More Timeouts: During the game Monday night between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars, referees asked both head coaches to call more timeouts for TV purposes, Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "[Referee] Mike Carey came across and said, 'Here's the deal. We're two short.' And I said, 'Mike, I can't help you. I'm trying to get a first down and I'm gonna kneel on it.'"

posted by rcade to football at 01:43 PM - 15 comments

Punter Arrested After Swimming While Intoxicated: Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee took a pre-dawn swim in a canal in an Indy nightlife district and was arrested for public intoxication (mugshot). When asked by a police officer how much he'd had to drink, McAfee responded, "A lot 'cause I am drunk."

posted by rcade to football at 11:34 AM - 18 comments

Football Team Attacks Spectators in Ontario: Near the end of an amateur Ontario Football Conference game between the Hamilton Hurricanes and St. Leonard Cougars last weekend, a large group of Cougars players climbed into the stands and began assaulting fans, a brawl filmed by a local cable channel. One fan, the father of a Hurricanes player, was knocked unconscious and is hospitalized with a severe concussion. "I’ve been involved in football for 17 years and that was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen in my life," said his wife Cathy Brady. St. Leonard coach Jeff Rached said fans had been throwing bottles and insulting players. "You can’t have people pulling that s*** back there and have nothing happen," he said. "These aren’t professional players that realize, 'Oh, if I do something, they can sue me for millions.'"

posted by rcade to football at 11:16 AM - 10 comments

Why Can't Stars Be Hit in the NHL?: A story on hockey concussions in Tuesday's New York Times describes this February TSN commentary by Bob McKenzie as a "landmark column." McKenzie challenged the unofficial rule that tough hits against a star player must be avenged, no matter how clean. "I must be getting old. I've never fully embraced or understood the concept of not being able to hit a star player on the other team," he writes. "I am not sure when the game fully changed on this. It was probably in the 1980s when Wayne Gretzky earned special status with the Edmonton Oilers."

posted by rcade to hockey at 08:09 AM - 6 comments

Rangers Take 3-1 ALCS Lead Over Yankees: Bengie Molina hit a three-run homer and the Texas Rangers scored five more in late innings for a 10-3 win over the New York Yankees in game 4 of the American League Championship Series. The Rangers take a 3-1 series lead into this afternoon's fifth game. A.J. Burnett had pitched the Yanks to a 3-2 lead before Molina's home run.

posted by rcade to baseball at 07:12 AM - 29 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 14 comments

The NFL will begin suspending players for "dangerous and flagrant" hits: NFL football operations executive Ray Anderson announced on ESPN Radio that the league intends to enforce a "strict liability" standard for illegal hits to the head and neck, and will suspend players for dangerous and flagrant hits, particularly those involving helmet-to-helmet contact. ESPN's Gregg Esterbrook comments on the fact that the solution is merely the enforcement of existing rules, and what that says about the culture in and around the NFL.

posted by lil_brown_bat to football at 12:30 PM - 26 comments

Once Brothers: ESPN screened this great documentary about the rise of the Yugoslavian basketball team in the late 80s, and the breakdown of relationships within the team, in particular Vlade Divac and Drazen Petrovic, as the country disintegrated in the '90s (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:55 AM - 5 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 13 comments

Cliff Lee Strikes Again as Rangers Defeat Yankees: Cliff Lee continued his postseason mastery, striking out 13 New York Yankees in 8 innings as the Texas Rangers won 8-0 at Yankee Stadium. Texas now leads the American League Championship Series two games to one. Lee becomes the first pitcher to strike out 10 or more batters in three games in one playoffs.

posted by rcade to baseball at 11:42 PM - 21 comments

High School Girl Kicks 43-Yard Field Goal, Sets National Record: Her kick came with two seconds left in the first half. "Everybody went nuts," Coach Tim Flossie recalled. "She trots off and says, 'Coach, I told you so.'"

posted by DudeDykstra to football at 09:24 PM - 2 comments

FIFA versus South Africa: a total victory: FIFA: US$3.5 billion in profit: "the most profitable in FIFA history." South Africa: $2.9 billion net loss. The meat of the article is in a 14 page PDF. An another data point against building for sports.

posted by kokaku to soccer at 02:58 PM - 6 comments

Junior Seau Drives Off Cliff: Former NFL linebacker Junior Seau drove his SUV off a Carlsbad, Calif., cliff Monday morning, hours after being released from jail over a domestic violence arrest. He was treated for cuts and bruises at a hospital.

posted by rcade to football at 02:20 PM - 29 comments

Rutger defensive tackle suffers spinal cord injury.: Rutgers junior defensive tackle Eric LeGrand suffered a spinal-cord injury in the Scarlet Knights' 23-20 overtime win over Army on Saturday and is paralyzed below the neck, the school announced Sunday.

posted by sgtcookzane to football at 09:55 AM - 8 comments

NBA Refs Will Call More Technicals on Complainers: The NBA says that more technical fouls will be issued this season to players who complain about the officiating during games. Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett got two quick technicals in Wednesday's preseason game against the New York Knicks, resulting in his ejection. "To the extent the harsher treatment from the referees leads to a stifling of the players' passion and exuberance for their work, we fear these changes may actually harm our product," protested NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter.

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:41 AM - 6 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments

Rooney to leave Manchester?: After losing his place in the team and a mystery/imaginary ankle injury, Wayne Rooney has informed Manchester United that he has no desire to sign a new contract and intends to leave Manchester for another club as soon as possible, likely during the January transfer window. The most interesting possible destination may involve him not even leaving Manchester: "Insane as it is . . #MCFC are very much in the melting pot #Rooney #MUFC #thingsIthoughtIwouldneverwrite" -via Daniel Taylor of the Guardian on Twitter

posted by boredom_08 to soccer at 05:40 PM - 13 comments

Another QB controversy in Philly?: After Kolb's three-touchdown, 326-yard day against the Atlanta Falcons, the quarterback question is back in Andy Reid's court.

posted by roberts to football at 04:51 PM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments

Giants Take Game of 1 of NLCS 4-3 Over Phillies: Tim Lincecum outduels Roy Halladay in highly anticipated matchup.

posted by justgary to baseball at 02:18 AM - 8 comments

Rangers even ALCS with 7-2 victory over Yankees: Texas bullpen rebounds to hold early lead. Game 3 is Monday night

posted by justgary to baseball at 02:05 AM - 3 comments

Fifa officials 'offer to sell 2018 World Cup bid votes': Two Fifa officials have offered to sell their votes in the contest to host the 2018 World Cup, according to a Sunday Times report. One wanted 500,000 pounds while the other wanted money for a soccer academy. I know nothing has been proven yet but it did have me ponder which of the global sports is the most corrupt?

posted by jc to soccer at 09:28 PM - 5 comments

The Hoser's NFL Picks 2010 -- Week Six: NFL picks that are wishing Mrs. Hoser a happy sixth anniversary.

posted by wfrazerjr to football at 05:51 PM - 10 comments

Scientists Deny Existence of Breaking Curveball: There's no such thing as a breaking curveball, claim researchers Arthur Shapiro of American University and Zhong-Lin Lu of the University of Southern California. The ball looks like it drops sharply, but it follows a smooth arc from pitcher to catcher. "It's always going to follow a parabolic path," Shapiro said. "But from a hitter's point of view, an approaching ball can appear to break, drop or do a whole range of unusual behaviors."

posted by rcade to baseball at 05:20 PM - 6 comments

Washington's Drug Woes Brought Texas Together: The best season in Texas Rangers history is owed in part to the team's decision not to fire Manager Ron Washington after he took cocaine and failed a drug test in mid-2009. The team closed ranks around the manager they call "Wash" after he revealed his mistake. "It's been amazing to watch the way that team has pulled together and come this far," said Nick Swisher of the New York Yankees.

posted by rcade to baseball at 04:20 PM - 0 comments

Stars Spoil Modano's Returns to Dallas: The top line of Brad Richards, Loui Eriksson and James Neal each had goals as the Dallas Stars beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 in Mike Modano's first trip back to Dallas.

posted by rcade to hockey at 03:06 PM - 0 comments

ESPN Launching New Brand for Women: ESPN is rolling out espnW, a new brand for women that's a Twitter account and Facebook page today and may become a channel in the future. Women make up 44 percent of football fans, 45 percent of baseball fans and 36 percent of professional men's basketball fans. Sports blogger Julie DiCaro has slammed the idea, calling it "the broadcasting equivalent of making something pink and putting sparkles on it."

posted by rcade to general at 02:33 PM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 1 comment

NY stuns Texas in Game One of the ALCS: Ranger bullpen fails to hold early lead as Yankees score 5 runs in the 8th to win 6-5.

posted by justgary to baseball at 01:41 AM - 10 comments

83 Videos Teach Fundamentals of Running: The New York Road Runners, the group that stages the city's famous marathon, has created A Running Start, 83 free instructional videos that teach the fundamentals of running. "We saw a huge gaping hole in youth athletics starting 10 years ago," Road Runners president Mary Wittenberg told the New York Times. "We saw that kids weren't moving enough." The group is giving 10 $1,000 grants to running teams, schools and other non-profits that subscribe to its newsletter.

posted by rcade to other at 03:11 PM - 1 comment

Ron Artest Ranks Top 2 NBA Players: The NBA's biggest free agent signing this summer when the Oklahoma Thunder re-signed Kevin Durant, asserted Ron Artest of the Los Angeles Lakers. "He's the second best player in the NBA," said Artest, who rates Kobe Bryant first and said his lower weight of 260 pounds was motivated by Durant. "He was a hard cover for me last year. I was a little bit afraid he would average 40 on me if I came in 270 [again]."

posted by rcade to basketball at 02:39 PM - 2 comments

Portland tried to land CP3 in a Carmelo mega-deal: Remember that one time Chris Paul was almost traded? And remember that one time where Carmelo Anthony was/is going to be traded? Well it all almost came together in one huge, super-duper mega-deal.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 01:04 PM - 2 comments

Parachuting Into Michigan Stadium with the 101st Airborne Division: Sgt. Adam Sniffen from the 101st Airborne Division delivers the game ball via parachute before the Michigan vs. MSU game at Michigan Stadium on Oct. 9, 2010 (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to football at 12:58 PM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments

'Black Power' Olympic Saluter To Sell Gold Medal: But not, he insists, because he needs the money. Tommie Smith, the Olympic sprinter whose political display got him expelled from the 1968 Olympic Games, is selling the gold medal that started the whole controversy.

posted by AaronGNP to olympics at 02:55 PM - 6 comments

Transgender female sues to play on LPGA: Lana Lawless, who until 2005 was a man, is suing the LPGA in an effort to gain access to its qualifying tournaments. The LPGA has a "female at birth" rule in place. Lawless won the Long Drivers of America women's championship in 2008, but is now LDA ineligible since that group adopted the same "female at birth" standard.

posted by wfrazerjr to golf at 01:29 PM - 51 comments

Atlanta Braves Name Gonzalez as Manager: The Atlanta Braves unveiled Fredi Gonzalez as their new manager on Wednesday to replace Bobby Cox, the skipper who won five pennants and a World Series during an illustrious 25-year tenure. Gonzalez coached the Florida Marlins for four seasons, finishing no higher than second.

posted by rcade to baseball at 01:15 PM - 4 comments

Yankees, Rangers Payroll Gap Largest in Playoff History: The disparity in payrolls between the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers is $152 million, the largest for playoff opponents in Major League history. You could add the entire New York Mets team to the Rangers and they'd still trail the Yankees. "The Rangers could triple every current player's salary, sign Mark Teixeira away from the Yankees, and still have a lower payroll," observes Gossip Sports.

posted by rcade to baseball at 12:46 PM - 23 comments

Arenas Fined for Faking Injury: Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas has been fined an undisclosed amount by his team after telling reporters he faked an injury before a preseason game. "It's just like dealing with your kids," said coach Flip Saunders. "Your kids make mistakes and you deal with them. It doesn't mean you love them any less."

posted by rcade to basketball at 11:51 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments

CFL Pick 'Em, Week 16: East sweeps West! Home splits home! Other hackneyed sports phrases! Give it a hundred and ten percent and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 05:31 PM - 17 comments

You'll Never Walk Alone, Sweet Caroline: It has been a dramatic start of the season for Liverpool Football Club both on and off the pitch. A new manager has struggled to maintain his team, losing players to drama and injury and dropping games they should have won at a time they can't afford to lose points, putting the once perennial champions down in the standings and at risk for relegation. Meanwhile, off the field, the clubs two hated American owners have until this Friday to pay back the club's massive debt or risk going into administration and taking a further 9 point penalty like what befell Portsmouth last season. Last week, light was seen at the end of the tunnel when New England Sports Ventures, owners of the Boston Red Sox, offered to buy the club for roughly 300 million pounds, wiping out its debt and putting plans in place to either restore historic Anfield or build a new stadium. Though the club's board is in favor of the deal, the current owners are not, claiming that the estimated sale price of 300 million pounds undervalues the club. They then moved to replace members of the club's board with family and employees in order to block the sale. The case went to high court and today it was announced that the sale could go through. However, a new wrinkle developed this week when a Singapore businessman (and owner of several Manchester United themed bars) upped his own bid for the footbal club. The reconstituted board meets tonight to assess the offers on the table, but the NESV purchase is looking more and more inevitable. But can a mashup of "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Sweet Caroline" really work? (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to soccer at 04:05 PM - 10 comments

MLB Post-Season Pick 'Em, LCS Edition: After a fairly pedestrian LDS in which nothing much of note happened, we can now look forward to the ALCS and NLCS and the intriguing possibility of Carl Crawford being traded to the Yankees in mid-series. Hedge your bets and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 03:17 PM - 27 comments

Wheelchair-Bound Player Scores Touchdown: Manila [Ark.] High School football player Dylan Galloway, who has cerebral palsy and is confined to an electric wheelchair, was allowed to score a touchdown against Rivercrest High last weekend. See the video. "He had been after me all year in the hall, at lunchtime and during the school day, and kept telling me he wanted to score a touchdown," said head coach Toby Doke.

posted by rcade to football at 01:59 PM - 6 comments

Why Colorado Switched to the PAC-10: USA Today offers a nice cogent explanation of why the Colorado Buffaloes moved from the Big 12 to the PAC-10: Colorado's $47.4 million athletic budget is competitive with a majority of league members (they were nearly three times smaller than Texas), a potential Pac-10 TV network could double their conference revenue and more than 35,000 Colorado alumni live in the current Pac-10 states, compared with 11,000 in Big 12 states outside of Colorado. "This will do us a great deal of good," university president Bruce Benson said.

posted by rcade to football at 11:52 AM - 12 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 11 comments

Cliff Lee Leads Rangers to ALCS: The Texas Rangers have won a playoff series for the first time in franchise history, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 in a deciding fifth game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. Cliff Lee pitched a complete game six hitter, striking out 11. The Rangers meet the New York Yankees Friday in game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

posted by rcade to baseball at 01:03 AM - 28 comments

Confessions of a former NFL Agent: Josh Luchs gives us a revealing look at the dark side of the agent and player business relationship.

posted by Goyoucolts to football at 12:07 AM - 4 comments

Captain: Cowboys Playing 'Stupid Football': In a year when the Super Bowl is coming to their $1.15 billion stadium, the Dallas Cowboys are 1-3 and off to their worst start since Troy Aikman retired. Despite an offense producing 421.5 yards per game -- second in the NFL -- the Cowboys are drawing numerous penalties. "You can't play stupid football," said defensive captain Keith Brooking.

posted by rcade to football at 03:49 PM - 8 comments

College Lineman Loses Fingertip, Keeps Playing: Virginia Tech offensive lineman Greg Nosal had the tip of his left pinkie torn off during Saturday's game against Central Michigan when his hand got caught in an opponent's facemask. He kept playing and they reattached it in the fourth quarter after finding it in his glove. "I was more shocked about seeing my bone and the yellow fat in the finger," Nosal said. "I kind of knew this wasn't the most normal cut."

posted by rcade to football at 01:23 PM - 5 comments

Giants Defeat Braves, Send Cox into Retirement: The San Francisco Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-2 Monday night, advancing 3-1 to the National League Championship Series to play the Philadelphia Phillies. Braves manager Bobby Cox bid a tearful goodbye after his final game. His lifetime record as manager is 355-292 with one World Series title and four National League crowns.

posted by rcade to baseball at 10:16 AM - 7 comments

Lions Cornerback Alfonso Smith Does a Carlton: "When I was in eighth grade, I told my friends that if I ever scored in the NFL I was going to do the Carlton Banks dance," said Detroit Lions cornerback Alfonso Smith. On Sunday, he picked off a Sam Bradford pass for a touchdown and kept his promise.

posted by rcade to football at 10:04 AM - 12 comments

Bruins Extend Chara for $45.5 Million: Four-time All-Star Zdeno Chara has signed a $45.5 million, seven-year contract extension with the Boston Bruins, the richest contract in team history. Chara and teammate Marc Savard are now signed through the 2018-19 season.

posted by rcade to hockey at 08:14 AM - 2 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments

Yankees' Bleacher Creatures Sing 'Why Are You Gay?': A Minnesota Twins fan was outraged by an intensely homophobic song that was sung by the Bleacher Creatures, fans in Section 203 of Yankees Stadium who've become infamous for their merciless heckling of opposing fans. The song, performed when the grounds crew dances to "YMCA," is called "Why Are You Gay?" Video from 2007. "I couldn't believe my ears," said the fan. "What an embarrassment for Yankees fans and New York City."

posted by rcade to baseball at 12:19 PM - 26 comments

My Mother the Yankee Fan: Jane Heller tells the story of her twice-widowed mother, who grew up in the Bronx and once met Babe Ruth but didn't become a New York Yankees fan until her 80s. "Now, at 93, she is as addicted to the Yankees as I am," Heller writes. "'How come you never get angry at them?' I asked during my most recent trip east. 'Because they're the Yankees,' she said with conviction. 'They always try to come through and do their best. You of all people should know that, dear.'"

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:56 AM - 4 comments

Phillies Hold Reds to 4 Runs in Sweep: The Philadelphia Phillies held the Cincinnati Reds to 11 hits, a .124 average and four runs, sweeping them out of their first playoff trip since 1995. Cole Hamels pitched a five-hit shutout in the 3-0 clinching win. "This series showed just how devastating the Phillies' trio of starting pitchers can really be for a playoff opponent," writes Phil Sheridan.

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:09 AM - 2 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments

Deadspin: Two Women Claim Lewd Favre Texts: Two massage therapists who did work for the New York Jets say they received sexual texts from quarterback Brett Favre while he played for the team, the sports blog Deadspin claims. "First, they want to talk to the NFL and the Jets," writes site editor A.J. Daulerio. "They gave me permission to pass along their info to the team, which I did." Favre's alleged actions towards team reporter Jenn Sterger are "actionable under the law," writes Clay Travis, an attorney who has investigated sexual harassment claims.

posted by rcade to football at 07:48 PM - 57 comments

Little Brother 34, Big Brother 17: After Michigan defeated Michigan State 28-24 in 2007, Wolverines senior running back Mike Hart made a comment that's become a part of state football lore: "Sometimes you get your little brother excited when you're playing basketball and you let him get the lead. Then you come back and take it from him." Since then, Little Brother hasn't lost to Big Brother in football or basketball -- including Saturday's 34-17 victory. "They kind of brought it upon themselves," Spartans senior linebacker Greg Jones said.

posted by rcade to football at 06:51 PM - 8 comments

The Sporting World's Dark Secret: Everyone Poops: Though you may recall a few incidents involving marathon runners, shit happens in football, auto racing, basketball and surfing too, according to ESPN the Magazine. Ironman triathlete Julie Moss became legendary for what happened on the final hill of the 1982 race in the black mountains of Kona, Hawaii. "The torrent breached her dainty, light-blue running shorts and moved down her legs, where the hot, acidic fecal matter stung her skin and the putrid stench tattooed the inside of her nostrils."

posted by rcade to general at 05:30 PM - 7 comments

Yankees Crush Twins in Three-Game Sweep: The New York Yankees continued their postseason mastery of the Minnesota Twins, completing a three-game sweep in the first round of the American League playoffs with a 6-1 win Saturday night at home. The Twins have lost nine consecutive postseason games to the Yankees and 12 overall, the second longest playoff losing streak in MLB history. "The Twins embarrassed themselves in front of the nation this week," writes Minneapolis Star-Tribune sports columnist Jim Souhan. Another Minnesotan had a gentler response. "It's all redeemed by the fact that we're in the midst of this glorious fall here in Minnesota that just makes everything golden," said Garrison Keillor.

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:12 AM - 9 comments

The Hoser's NFL Picks 2010, Week Five: NFL picks that are later than Michelle Duggar usually is.

posted by wfrazerjr to football at 09:11 AM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments

Soccer Player Removes Shorts After Goal: Montenegro striker Mirko Vucinic celebrated his goal in Friday's 1-0 win over Switzerland in a Euro 2012 qualifying match by removing his shorts and running around the pitch in his tidy whities.

posted by rcade to soccer at 06:54 PM - 6 comments

Charlie Davies Says He Lied About Speeding: American forward Charlie Davies, currently playing for the French club Sochaux, said he was not the driver of a car stopped for going 125 mph last weekend but told French police he was to protect a teammate. His Sochaux teammate Jacques Faty asked him to tell police he was driving because Faty thought his license was still suspended, claimed Davies, who was nearly killed in a car accident last year. "I knew he was driving a little fast but didn't know he was driving as fast as he was," he said. "Then I saw a blue flash from a police car."

posted by rcade to soccer at 05:08 PM - 1 comment

Tony Gwynn Has Parotid Cancer: Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn, 50, has cancer in a salivary gland and will soon begin radiation and chemotherapy treatments, he told the San Diego Union Tribune. "The doctors have told me they feel they caught the cancer early and there was not much of it there," said Gwynn, currently the head coach of San Diego State's baseball team.

posted by rcade to baseball at 04:40 PM - 2 comments

$5 Bettor One Win Away from 15-Team $100,000 Parlay: If the San Francisco 49ers plus 3 are a winner against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, an unnamed Delaware bettor will hit all 15 teams in a $5 parlay bet and collect $100,000 in winnings. The odds for that parlay are 32,000 to 1, but the bettor can hedge bets and guarantee a $50,000 payday.

posted by rcade to football at 09:55 AM - 11 comments

Stern Hopes CBA Will Save 'Doomed' Franchises: NBA Commissioner David Stern would like to change the rules affecting lengthy contracts and guaranteed salaries in the next collective bargaining agreement. He says the current system leaves some teams "doomed by their past mistakes for inordinate lengths of time, so the fans can have hope." As you might have guessed, he's referring primarily to one team.

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:29 AM - 1 comment

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments

Roberto Alomar Faces HIV Accusation from Wife: Roberto Alomar's wife is alleging in divorce papers that the former baseball star "knew prior to his first sexual contact with [her] that he was HIV-positive." Maria Del Pilar Rivera Alomar, 33, married him in 2009. She claims to have "conclusive proof" of his HIV positive status, which he has publicly denied. Last year, she denied similar claims made by another ex.

posted by rcade to baseball at 01:02 PM - 1 comment

Was Tim Lincecum's Performance Better than Halladay's?: The New York Times and Joe Posnanski take a look at which of the two postseason gems thus far is most impressive.

posted by holden to baseball at 12:55 PM - 16 comments

Soccer Player Fails to Tap Female Referee: German soccer player Peter Niemeyer of Hertha Berlin meant to tap female referee Bibiana Steinhaus on the shoulder during a match Monday. His no-look attempt was a bit low, to the delight of the commentators.

posted by rcade to soccer at 09:48 AM - 6 comments

NFL Will Flag Jared Allen's Sack Celebration: The sack celebration Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has been performing the past seven years is now illegal, the NFL has informed him, because the league prohibits players "from engaging in any celebrations while on the ground."

posted by rcade to football at 08:37 AM - 23 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 16 comments

Who Stole All The Runs In Major League Baseball?: Freakonomics Radio looks at the possible causes of the 18 year low in runs scored during this year's MLB regular season. Possible suspects include the end of the steroids era and a new emphasis on strong fielding skills.

posted by ursus_comiter to baseball at 05:41 AM - 3 comments

Brent Musburger: Steroids Might Be OK: There may be a place in sports for pro athletes under a doctor's supervision to use steroids to improve performance, broadcaster Brent Musberger told a group of college students at the University of Montana. "Here's the truth about steroids: They work," he said. "I've had somebody say that, you know, steroids should be banned because they're not healthy for you. Let's go find out. What do the doctors actually think about anabolic steroids and the use by athletes? Don't have a preconceived notion that this is right or this is wrong."

posted by rcade to general at 12:09 PM - 18 comments

Raiders Draw Worst Crowd Since 1967: The Oakland Raiders lost to the Houston Texans last weekend before a crowd of 32,218, half the capacity of the Oakland Coliseum and the smallest non-strike crowd to see the team since the AFL days in 1967.

posted by rcade to football at 09:51 AM - 3 comments

ESPN Launches the Heat Index: ESPN.Com has assigned 13 reporters to the Heat Index, a new section of the site devoted to Patrick Beverley, James Jones, Shavlik Randolph and the other members of the Miami Heat. Features include Chase for 72, "an automated, daily forecast of how many games the Heat will win."

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:17 AM - 11 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 13 comments

CFL Pick 'Em, Week 15: Abbreviated edition. Make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 10:20 PM - 21 comments

Doctober: With his second no-hitter of the season, the good Doctor joins Don Larsen as the only men in the history of baseball to throw no-hitters in the post-season.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey to baseball at 07:50 PM - 23 comments

NHL Teams Return to Classic Uniforms: Some NHL franchises are dumping their modern uniforms and logos and going back to more traditional designs. The Buffalo Sabres are dropping their "Buffaslug" logo for the old buffalo and sabres, the New York Islanders are returning to their old colors and the Philadelphia Flyers are getting back to orange and white. "We don't know how we did this to ourselves, but somehow, our black jerseys, which started as our third jerseys, became our regular uniform," said Flyers president Peter Lukko.

posted by rcade to hockey at 07:45 PM - 9 comments

Drill and Kill: How Americans Link War and Sports. Sports and war have been closely linked in the minds of Americans for generations, which many Europeans find unusual.

posted by rumple to culture at 11:34 AM - 7 comments

Liverpool Football Club board agree sale: The board of Liverpool has agreed to sell the club to the US owners of the Boston Red Sox baseball team despite protests from owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

posted by Ricardo to soccer at 06:15 AM - 24 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 17 comments

Vikes close to acquiring Moss: The Minnesota Vikings are attempting to pull off their biggest blockbuster since acquiring Brett Favre.

posted by BornIcon to football at 11:44 PM - 33 comments

Dwane Jarrett arrested for DWI....again. : Carolina Panthers cut Ex USC star, Dwane Jarrett after his second DWI in less than three years. Jarrett has only 2 catches for 40 yards for the Panthers in 2010.

posted by sgtcookzane to football at 07:32 PM - 3 comments

Ben Johnson, about to launch his autobiography, is interviewed:: Usain Bolt, however, is spared any insinuations. "I've not got any bad thing to say about Bolt. I'm happy for him. If I was born 22 years later it would've been great to race him. And I don't think he would have beaten me." Johnson laughs, suggesting he could have run faster than Bolt's 9.58 if he had raced on modern tracks – and free of steroid abuse.

posted by rumple to olympics at 06:41 PM - 7 comments

Pirates fire manager John Russell, retain G.M. : The Pirates responded to one of the worst seasons in franchise history Monday by firing manager John Russell and retaining general manager Neal Huntington. Russell, 49, was hired Nov. 5, 2007, and finished 186-299, a .383 winning percentage that was ninth-worst of any manager in Major League Baseball history over three years.

posted by tommytrump to baseball at 03:49 PM - 8 comments

Macha Out as Manager for Brewers: The Milwaukee Brewers are not picking up the option on manager Ken Macha, he confirmed to the media Sunday. He was 157-167 in two seasons running the team. "Considering the pitching staffs he managed during his two years at the helm, Macha never had much of a chance to win," the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

posted by rcade to baseball at 03:14 PM - 1 comment

Cutler Sacked Nine Times in One Half: Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was sacked an NFL-record nine times in the first half against the New York Giants Sunday, leaving the game at halftime with a concussion. The Bears lost 17-3. "I don't know what happened, but he didn't go back in, so it's probably not good," Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said.

posted by rcade to football at 02:34 PM - 5 comments

Bolivian President Racks Opponent During Soccer Friendly: Bolivian President Evo Morales kneed a player in the groin during a soccer match Sunday among political rivals. Morales said he'd been hit by Daniel Gustavo Cartagena's cleats while he had the ball before the incident. His security detail tried to arrest Cartagena after the match.

posted by rcade to soccer at 12:35 PM - 1 comment

Humbled Vick taking his second chance and running with it: The Michael Vick who takes the field Sunday for the Philadelphia Eagles won't be the same Michael Vick who made three Pro Bowls in six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. And that, he says, is a good thing. Vick told NFL Network analyst Jim Mora, who coached him in Atlanta from 2004 to 2006, that before he spent 18 months in federal prison on dogfighting charges, "my whole life was a lie."

posted by gfinsf to football at 08:08 AM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 13 comments

Dutch Drop De Jong After Leg Break: The Netherlands has dropped midfielder Nigel de Jong from the national team after he broke Hatem Ben Arfa's leg with a tackle during his Manchester City match against Newcastle Sunday. See the video. This isn't the first rough play from de Jong, who flying ninja-kicked Xabi Alonso in the heart in the World Cup final and fractured U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden's right leg in March. "I have a problem with the way Nigel needlessly looks to push the limit," said coach Bert van Marwijk.

posted by rcade to soccer at 02:51 PM - 8 comments

Why CONCACAF Is Killing the Best Rivalry in North America: They're killing the most important rivalry in American soccer. That's [Grant Wahl's] unavoidable conclusion after speaking to Chuck Blazer, the general secretary of CONCACAF, who confirmed that he expects FIFA to approve a new regional qualifying format for World Cup 2014.

posted by bender to soccer at 02:30 PM - 5 comments

Europe Wins Ryder Cup: On the 17th hole in the last match, Graeme McDowell won over Hunter Mahan, giving Europe the Ryder Cup over the United States in the event's first-ever Monday finish. The Americans nearly completed a massive comeback with final-day wins from Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton and Steve Stricker.

posted by rcade to golf at 01:00 PM - 9 comments

Titans Coach Flips Bird at Refs: Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil gave a one-fingered salute to the officials during the team's 26-20 loss to the Denver Broncos Sunday. Unlike Titans owner Bud Adams last season, Cecil did not follow it with a "you, yes, I mean you."

posted by rcade to football at 11:33 AM - 7 comments

Ron Artest Knocks American Player Limits: While in London preparing for a preseason game Monday at the city's O2 Arena, Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest said that international leagues are being unfair to American players. "There are only like two to a team while Europeans can come to America like the whole San Antonio Spurs team -- a whole American team can be full of Europeans," he said. "It's not fair that a lot of American players can't come to China or can't come to Europe to play with as many players as they want, so there's no balance."

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:54 AM - 20 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

MLB Post-Season Pick 'Em, LDS Edition: David Eckstein fails to grit-n-hustle the Padres into the playoff picture, and our matchups are set. Games start Wednesday, so pick up your Postseason.TV package and make your picks inside.

posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 07:31 PM - 19 comments

Alabama Rolls Over Florida in 31-6 Win: Before a crowd of 101,821 in Tuscaloosa, the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide crushed the No. 7 Florida Gators 31-6 Saturday. Alabama scored on its first four drives to build a 24-0 halftime lead and its top-ranked scoring defense held Florida to two field goals. "Might as well fast forward to Jan. 10 in Glendale, Ariz," writes Dennis Dodds of CBS Sports. "I know one team that's going to be there."

posted by rcade to football at 05:00 PM - 1 comment

Tremendous Machine: Secretariat: The Movie opens next week in the US. A feminist or a Christian angle might wring some suspense out of one of the least underdoggy sports stories ever filmed, but at least it's an excuse to watch Secretariat's three perfect Triple Crown races again. The Kentucky Derby, relentless come-from-behind classic. For a sense of the speed -- the unfortunate Sham, coming in two lengths behind, is also breaking the track record. The unique backstretch run in the Preakness Stakes, may well be the fastest a horse has ever moved. If you watch one race, it should be the transcendent Belmont Stakes. With Inspirational Soundtrack! A fine stride-by-stride 15 minute documentary covering all three races was done a few years ago by CBS -- Part 1, Part 2), with interviews with many of the principals including Penny Chenery and Ron Turcotte. His phenomenal abilities may be explained by his freakish greyhound-like stride angle, and his giant mutant heart. 12-year-old Big Red, bombing around a field for the heck of it (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to other at 12:19 PM - 3 comments

McNabb Makes First Return to Philly: The quarterback who owns Philadelphia Eagles franchise records for wins (92), passing touchdowns (216) and passing yards (32,873) returns to the city today for the first time as an opponent. "I just hope I walk out of the right tunnel," said Donovan McNabb whose stats thus far have been mixed as Washington went 1-2.

posted by rcade to football at 11:43 AM - 4 comments

Photographer Makes Golf Shot of a Lifetime: During the final hole of Ryder Cup play Saturday, Mail on Sunday photographer Mark Pain got a shot of Tiger Woods that has to be seen to be believed.

posted by rcade to golf at 10:47 AM - 21 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments

3-Team Playoff Possible in NL: If the San Diego Padres win today and Sunday in San Francisco and the Atlanta Braves win one of two games against Philadelphia, it would force a three-team playoff. The Padres and Giants would play Monday for the NL West in San Diego and the loser would travel to Atlanta to play for the wild card.

posted by rcade to baseball at 04:42 PM - 12 comments

Reds' Victory Cigars Reported to Health Department: The Cincinnati Reds and their owner are under investigation for lighting victory cigars in their locker room following the team's NL Central title-clinching win Tuesday. Five viewers called a statewide smoking ban complaint hotline.

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:33 AM - 6 comments

Coach Suspended for Taking in Homeless Player: St. Cloud (Fla.) High School coach Bill Buldini has been suspended and faces thousands of dollars in fines for letting a homeless player live with him. "If you need a home, if you get kicked out, then you should have a home to stay. You shouldn't be left on the streets," student Kristi Lakin said.

posted by rcade to football at 08:40 AM - 1 comment

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments

NHL Players: Put Team in Quebec City: The Hockey News asked 90 NHL players what city most deserves its own franchise. The leading vote getters were Quebec City (37 percent) and Winnipeg (20 percent), followed by Las Vegas, Hamilton and Seattle.

posted by rcade to hockey at 05:24 PM - 4 comments

High School Team Lets Special-Needs Player Score: With a minute remaining in last Friday's game and a lead of more than 30 points, Menomonie [Wisc.] High coach Joe LaBuda called a timeout and approached the referees and the Superior High coach with a special request: Would it be OK if one of his players caught a pass, and would Superior's players would take it easy tackling him?

posted by rcade to football at 03:47 PM - 3 comments

The Hoser's NFL Picks 2010 -- Week Four: NFL picks that are totally stoked about staying at a hotel with a Cracker Barrel in the parking lot.

posted by wfrazerjr to football at 09:38 AM - 9 comments

Brandon Marshall Disses Sterling Sharpe: After Sterling Sharpe and another NFL Network analyst criticized his effort in last Sunday's game, Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall had this response: "I don't honestly think those guys were elite players, including Sterling Sharpe. I've got to turn on the film and see what he was able to do. I know he did some good things, but my understanding is he's not a Hall of Fame guy."

posted by rcade to football at 08:00 AM - 5 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments