Bocanegra: 'We Feel Like We Can Beat Anybody': Carlos Bocanegra, the captain of the United States soccer team, said the team will play without fear at the World Cup. "When it hits the knockout stages it's a one-off game, and who knows what can happen?" he asked. "[W]e feel like we can beat anybody." U.S. Coach Bob Bradley is still deciding on the final 5-7 roster spots for the team.

posted by rcade to soccer at 02:21 PM - 10 comments

China Stripped of 2000 Bronze for Underage Gymnast: China has been stripped of a bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics for fielding an underage female gymnast, giving the women's team medal to the United States. Dong Fangxiao was only 14 at the games, the International Olympic Committee determined. The minimum age for gymnasts to compete is 16.

posted by rcade to olympics at 01:19 PM - 4 comments

Can Billy Beane Bring Moneyball Back to Oakland?: The start of the Oakland A's has USA Today revisiting Moneyball again, seven years after the book made General Manager Billy Beane's legend. But these days, only Eric Chavez, Mark Ellis and Justin Duchscherer remain from the era described in the book, and Beane hasn't been able to rely on his old tricks. "[N]ow that major leaguers with high on-base-plus-slugging percentages are priced out of his budget, he's on to new ways of trying to maximize resources," Jorge L. Ortiz reports.

posted by rcade to baseball at 10:23 AM - 5 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

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

The human equivalent to Zippy Chippy: Robert Dee knows he's not the world's best pro tennis player, but when a London newspaper wrote that he's the worst, he wanted the world to know it wasn't true.

posted by Demophon to tennis at 02:04 PM - 2 comments

Brothers in... Hoodies?: Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, both noted for dressing down on the field of play, are getting their friendship on. Belichick sent Maddon a personalized Patriots hoodie complete with "J.M." on the front, and Maddon plans to return the favor.

posted by boredom_08 to culture at 01:18 PM - 2 comments

Cleveland Indians: Most hated team in baseball.

posted by justgary to baseball at 01:12 PM - 15 comments

Greatest Grudge Game Ever: November 9, 1912 - Collum Field, West Point, N.Y.
The sky was ugly. The temperature hovered around freezing all day, and black angry clouds were swirling over the Hudson River, threatening at any minute to drop a torrent of sleet on the crowd that had gathered to watch the greatest grudge game in football history.

posted by mjkredliner to football at 11:21 AM - 9 comments

The Agony: Of Being Greinke

posted by Ufez Jones to baseball at 09:30 AM - 5 comments

There is No Joy in Zagreb: In the NLB League playoffs Sunday, the Croatian team Cibona and its coaches were hugging and jumping for joy in a wild on-court celebration after sinking a last-second, go-ahead shot against the Serbian team Partizan. But it wasn't quite the last second. Watch what happened.

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:29 AM - 5 comments

US Paper Publishes Article on Celtics & Rangers: and a fight breaks out. Who would have thought the fans of these team would take their pugilism to another country?

posted by yerfatma to soccer at 08:46 AM - 6 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

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

What The Halak !?!?: Led by Jaroslav Halak's spectacular, acrobatic goaltending, the Montreal Canadiens slowed Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the Washington Capitals' high-powered offense to complete an unlikely comeback from down 3 games to 1 and eliminate the NHL's best regular-season team in the first round.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 09:53 PM - 18 comments

2010 NHL Playoff Pickem Round 2: How about them Habs? Get your picks in...

posted by MeatSaber to fantasy at 09:44 PM - 42 comments

Bjorn Borg Returns to Competitive Tennis: Bjorn Borg will play competitive tennis in the United States for the first time in a decade at the Staples Champions Cup this week in Boston. If he beats Mikael Pernfors in the opening round Thursday, he'll meet the winner of a match between John McEnroe and Mats Wilander. "[McEnroe] has been trying to convince me to come for the last two or three years," Borg said.

posted by rcade to tennis at 04:20 PM - 3 comments

South Korean Woman Climbs 14 Highest Peaks: By reaching the summit of Annapurna in Nepal, Oh Eun-sun of South Korea has become the first woman to climb the 14 highest mountains in the world. Oh, 44, took 13 years to accomplish the task. She carried a photo of rival Ko Mi-young, a fellow South Korean who fell to her death last year descending Nanga Parbat.

posted by rcade to extreme at 01:27 PM - 2 comments

Player Rejects NFL Offers Because He Wasn't Drafted: New Hampshire running back Scott Sicko has received several offers from NFL teams to sign as a free agent, including the Dallas Cowboys, but he's decided to quit football because he wasn't drafted. "For me, it's one of those things that if a team had drafted me, I feel they would have been more committed to me," said Sicko, who will instead go to graduate school to study either education or history.

posted by rcade to football at 11:04 AM - 23 comments

What He Left Behind: A Mets fan gets to know a fellow traveler from his earthly belongings.

posted by yerfatma to baseball at 09:36 AM - 7 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments

Among job interview questions I'd hate most, : Miami Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland asked Dez Bryant if his mother "was a prostitute". Bryant's mother, Angela, was fifteen years old when he was born, and has admitted to selling drugs to provide for her family. Yahoo columnist Mike Silver has written a scathing column condemning Ireland.

posted by Ufez Jones to football at 09:07 PM - 22 comments

Jorge Posada Ranks the 170 Yankee Pitchers* He's Caught: "Hideki Irabu had a very good curveball. Just a straight up and down, swing-and-miss curveball. John Wetteland had a very good curveball. He threw it for a strike, too, in any count, any situation. But, he really didn’t use it much. He didn’t want to throw it. He wanted to throw fastball-slider. I would say Irabu. El Duque had a very good curveball."
* Figure includes pitcher-like substances (Wade Boggs).

posted by yerfatma to baseball at 03:46 PM - 5 comments

He Felt His Teeth Shatter: Eric Belanger of the Washington Capitals defines "never give up" attitude by getting hit in the face, losing several teeth (including pulling one out with his bare hands), and returning to the ice to finish out the game (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to hockey at 11:58 AM - 8 comments

Roethlisberger Won't Appeal 6-Game Suspension: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Monday that he won't appeal the six-game suspension given him for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy and issued a statement apologizing for his actions. "The commissioner's decision to suspend me speaks clearly that more is expected of me. I am accountable for the consequences of my actions," he said. "Though I have committed no crime, I regret that I have fallen short of the values instilled in me by my family."

posted by rcade to football at 10:36 AM - 9 comments

Former Golden State Warriors Owner Dies: Franklin Mieuli, the owner of the Golden State Warriors for 24 years, has died at age 89. After buying a partial share of the team in 1962, he became the majority owner shortly thereafter. His tenure included the Rick Barry-led 1975 team that won the NBA title while the team played in Oakland. On the night the Warriors won the title, Mieuli missed some of the locker room celebration. "I left and got in this queue that I thought was on the way to the locker room," he said. "Turned out it was on the way to the men's room. When I finally got to the locker room, everybody was still celebrating, but I'd missed the TV cameras and most of the Champagne pouring."

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:18 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

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

French World Cup Players Linked to Prostitute: Karim Benzema, Sidney Govou and Franck Ribery, three of the top players on France's national soccer team, have been questioned for allegedly hiring an underage prostitute. None has been charged, but the investigation is dogging the team less than two months before the World Cup.

posted by rcade to soccer at 04:22 PM - 18 comments

The Ethical Implications of Performance Enhancers in Sports: There are no consequences for buying these points. You're not subjected to any sort of "testing" and no flag appears by your name for having bought or used these points. There's no suspension for being "caught" . . . You're not even violating the game itself; it's entirely legal within the construction of the game, deliberately put there by its developers. But it absolutely presents the ethical dilemma of advancing through hard work or taking a shortcut to it.

posted by yerfatma to culture at 12:33 PM - 4 comments

Pirates' Chris Jakubauskas 'lucky' after liner to head: His parents flew from California to watch the inaugural Pirates start by a son who used to throw Independent League games, for $175 a week, down the road from Pittsburgh in the Washington Wild Things' ballpark. A dozen pitches later, they feared for his life, no matter the career.

Houston Astros first baseman Lance Berkman, who smacked the frightening line drive that struck him behind his right ear and still had enough force to ricochet back to home plate, visited him in his Methodist University hospital bed later that night.

Video in following article: Chris Jakubauskas struck in head by line drive.

posted by tommytrump to baseball at 11:55 AM - 2 comments

The understated elegance of the Yankees' Rivera.: “For what he does, he’s maybe the most dominant athlete other than Bill Russell that I know,” [Reggie] Jackson said. “But it’s also in the way he does it. Quiet. Humble. Mariano is regal, baseball royalty.”

posted by mr_crash_davis to baseball at 10:09 AM - 7 comments

Oklahomans Train Greyhounds to Hunt Coyotes: In Oklahoma, the use of greyhounds to catch and kill coyotes goes back several generations. John Hardzog, a cattle rancher, has 40 greyhounds trained only for the hunt who kill 270 to 350 coyotes a season. "When you get the dogs running in a dead run after a coyote, now that's a sport," he said.

posted by rcade to general at 09:11 AM - 9 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 18 comments

Relief Pitcher's Book Hits Best-Seller List: Relief pitcher Dirk Hayhurst's new autobiography The Bullpen Gospels, which documents his life in the minors and majors, has reached the New York Times best-seller list and is getting comparisons to Jim Bouton's infamous Ball Four. He changes names to protect the guilty. "I don't bury any teammates, and I'm proud of that," writes Hayhurst, an interesting character who creates mythical animals and has taken a vow of celibacy before marriage. Keith Olbermann calls the memoir "one of the best baseball books ever written."

posted by rcade to baseball at 02:43 PM - 2 comments

Cowboys Give Dez Bryant Michael Irvin's 88: Dez Bryant, the Oklahoma State wide receiver the Dallas Cowboys moved up to draft in the first round, has been given jersey 88, the number once worn by Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin. The 6-foot-2 receiver share's Irvin's height and outweighs him by 18 pounds.

posted by rcade to football at 01:21 PM - 4 comments

College Football Adds Bowls 34, 35: Seventy out of 120 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision will reach college bowl games over the next four years, now that the Dallas Football Classic and New Era Pinstripe Bowl in New York have been approved by the NCAA as the 34th and 35th bowls.

posted by rcade to football at 08:49 AM - 6 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

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

Jimmy Clausen Falls to Panthers as 48th Pick: Projected as a top-10 pick by many analysts -- Mel Kiper Jr. rated him No. 4 -- Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen fell all the way to the 48th spot and the Carolina Panthers. Mike Freeman of CBS Sports claims that Clausen's cockiness was the reason. "Clausen's smirk may have cost him $20 million," he writes. Clausen has been trying to live down his reputation ever since announcing his arrival at Notre Dame by exiting a stretch limo in front of the College Football Hall of Fame. "Some people say I'm cocky," he said. "They say I'm not a good leader, I'm not a good teammate. The people who are saying those things don't know me."

posted by rcade to football at 05:18 PM - 4 comments

HDTV is Ruining the 'Neighborhood Play': The high-definition cameras shooting Major League Baseball games are eliminating the neighborhood play, the allowance by umpires that a middle infielder only has to get "in the neighborhood" of second base when turning a double play. "They'll say, 'You've got to give him that,'" umpire Tim Tschida said. "Yeah? Well what do you have to give me?"

posted by rcade to baseball at 02:21 PM - 4 comments

A-Rod Crosses Mound, Makes Pitcher Cross: After running from first to third base for a hit that drifted foul Thursday, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez went back to first by crossing over the pitcher's mound -- incurring the wrath of Oakland As pitcher Dallas Braden. "Get off my [expletive] mound!" he yelled.

posted by rcade to baseball at 08:49 AM - 36 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

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

Passan: Baseball Should Drop the Divisions: Instead of another realignment, Major League Baseball should go back to a divisionless two-league format, Jeff Passan argues on Yahoo Sports: "Get rid of divisions. Get rid of unbalanced schedules. Get rid of inequality."

posted by rcade to baseball at 04:34 PM - 9 comments

Jets-Pats tape lawsuit: Two attorneys who are suing the New England Patriots from when they taped New York Jet coaches' signals.

posted by jjzucal to football at 01:32 PM - 4 comments

Colts' Eric Foster Accused of Sex Assault: Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Eric Foster has been sued by a 22-year-old college student who claims that he sexually assaulted her before the AFC Championship Game. The woman, a front desk clerk at the hotel the team stayed at before the game, reported the alleged crime the day of the game, police said.

posted by rcade to football at 01:16 PM - 1 comment

City of Brotherly Uuuhhhhggggg: Sports fans in Philadelphia have a bad reputation. They booed when their long-time star quarterback Donovan McNabb was drafted. (Something he took personally for years.) They booed and threw snow balls at Santa Claus. They booed when Michael Irvin lay motionless on the field with a neck injury that would end his career. They fought so much at football games that, for a time, their stadium had its own criminal court. Adding to this glorious legacy, at Wednesday night's Phillies game, a man allegedly stuck his own fingers down his throat and intentionally projectile vomited on a father and his two daughters who were cheering for the Washington Nationals (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to general at 12:21 PM - 21 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments

Bradford, Suh Lead NFL Draft's First Round: Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh were selected first and second overall to start the 2010 NFL Draft in primetime Thursday night.

posted by rcade to football at 08:28 PM - 34 comments

NCAA signs $10.8 billion basketball tourney TV deal: And expands to 68 teams. The 14-year broadcast, Internet and wireless rights deal runs from 2011 to 2024, with games to be shown on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV networks.

posted by billsaysthis to basketball at 03:36 PM - 5 comments

Why Do Men Fight?: What is it about the Celtics that makes Quentin Richardson so angry that he wants to take it off the court? Is it because KG has turned into a dick in Boston? Why is that?
And why did this make me think of Carbon Silicon?

posted by yerfatma to basketball at 01:50 PM - 3 comments

White Draft Prospect Asked About Race: Stanford running back and Heisman hopeful Toby Gerhart said that he was asked an unusual question by one NFL team preparing for today's NFL Draft. "They asked if it made me feel entitled, or like I felt I was a poster child for white running backs. I said, 'No, I'm just out there playing ball. I don't think about that.' I didn't really know what to say."

posted by rcade to football at 12:48 PM - 8 comments

Bisexual Players Too Straight for Gay Softball World Series: Three bisexual men have filed a federal lawsuit against a national gay-sports organization, claiming they were unfairly deemed not gay enough to play in the 2009 Gay Softball World Series. During the championship game, play was stopped several times when one team complained that the other had more than two heterosexual players. Steven Apilado, LaRon Charles and Jon Russ claim that after the competition, they were taken before a hearing in front of 25 people and asked "highly personal and intrusive questions" to determine their sexuality, then disqualified for being "nongay." Their team was stripped of its second-place finish.

posted by rcade to general at 11:27 AM - 43 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

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

Player Flips Over Catcher to Score Run: Brian Kownacki of Fordham College scored a run against Iona College by borrowing a move from Major League's Willie Mays Hayes.

posted by rcade to baseball at 06:39 PM - 6 comments

That Which Does Not Kill Me Makes Me Stranger:
Jure Robič goes crazy during his endruance biking races.

Literally.

In a 2004 race, he turned to see himself pursued by a howling band of black-bearded men on horseback. "Mujahedeen, shooting at me," he explains. "So I ride faster."’

posted by grum@work to extreme at 05:55 PM - 6 comments

NFL Suspends Roethlisberger for Six Games: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be suspended for six games and must undergo "comprehensive behavioral counseling," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Wednesday. The suspension could be dropped to four games pending a review. "There is nothing about your conduct in Milledgeville that can remotely be described as admirable, responsible or consistent with either the values of the league or the expectations of our fans," Goodell told him in a statement.

posted by rcade to football at 02:23 PM - 47 comments

Newsday to Sportswriters: 'Just the Facts, Ma'am': Newsday is telling sportswriters to leave the insults and sarcasm at home, resulting in at least one columnist, Wallace Matthews, quiting the paper for ESPNNewYork. "They don't want sarcasm in the paper. What they want is straightforward analysis of why they're having problems. You can't have fun with it."

posted by yerfatma to culture at 01:22 PM - 12 comments

No. 1 LPGA Golfer Lorena Ochoa Retiring: Lorena Ochoa, the number 1-ranked female golfer since April 2007, is retiring from competitive golf after 27 LPGA victories and two major championships and will announce the reason Friday, according to Golfweek. Only 28, Ochoa would be the first player from Mexico to reach the World Golf Hall of Fame, given her victories, but she's two years short of amassing the years of service to qualify. "It's never good news for a golf tour to have its top player retire," writes Garry Smits.

posted by rcade to golf at 12:14 PM - 19 comments

Is Rhodes Scholar Myron Rolle Too Smart for Football?: After leaving Florida State to pursue a Rhodes scholarship for one year at Oxford, safety Myron Rolle finds his reputation among NFL scouts has suffered because he's too smart. "You look at the opportunities away from football that Myron Rolle has," said Mel Kiper. "You wonder about the dedication to football. These teams want the guy to be a 24-hour, 365-days-a-year football player."

posted by rcade to football at 08:30 AM - 15 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments

NHL Playoffs Better Than The NBA?: Adrian Dater thinks so.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia to hockey at 07:13 PM - 14 comments

Colorado Rockies president found dead in Salt Lake City: "Words cannot describe the level of shock and disbelief that we all are feeling this morning at the loss of Keli," team owner Charlie Monfort said. "Our thoughts, our prayers are with (McGregor's wife) Lori and the entire family as we all try to cope and understand how such a tragic loss could occur with such a wonderful man." McGregor was named president of the Rockies on Oct. 18, 2001. He was beginning his 17th season with the organization. McGregor, 48, was a two-time All-American tight end at Colorado State. He was drafted by the Broncos in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 1985 NFL draft. He played for the Broncos, Indianapolis and Seattle before retiring. McGregor ranks third on CSU's single-season reception list (69) and stands fifth on the all-time reception list with 153. He was voted to the school's All-Century Team in 1992 and was inducted into the CSU's Hall of Fame in 1996.

posted by tommytrump to baseball at 02:28 PM - 6 comments

2 Players, 25 Countries, 1 Game: In the new documentary Pelada, American collegiate soccer players Luke Boughen and Gwendolyn Oxenham took a road trip to 25 countries playing pickup games in places that included Tehran, Iran; a Nairobi slum; and a prison. Pelada is a Brazilian term for "bare bones" street soccer. "[S]occer has been sort of their passport to a whole different experience which isn't just about soccer," said cinematographer Rebekah Fergusson.

posted by rcade to soccer at 01:06 PM - 3 comments

Former AD: The BCS Conferences Will Leave the NCAA: The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Pacific-10 and Southeastern Conference will form 16-team conferences and leave the NCAA, killing the Big East and other conferences and leaving "utter turmoil," the former athletic director of Syracuse predicts. "If you look at the history of what's been going on for the last decade, I think it's leading in that direction," said Jake Crouthamel, who led Syracuse from 1978 to 2005 and helped create the Big East.

posted by rcade to football at 11:34 AM - 10 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

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

Sharks Lose to Avalanche on Overtime Own Goal: Fifty-one seconds into overtime, Dan Boyle of the San Jose Sharks scored an own goal to give the Colorado Avalanche a 1-0 win and 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. See the video.

posted by rcade to hockey at 02:45 PM - 12 comments

33-Year-Old Marine Hopes to Be Drafted: One of the college football players hoping to be drafted Thursday, Ball State defensive lineman Brandon Crawford, is 33 years old. His path to the NFL wound through a high school arrest involving a stolen car, a factory job and a stint in the Marines. "As long as there is a little crack in the door, he'll try to push through it," said Ball State coach Stan Parrish.

posted by rcade to football at 09:53 AM - 3 comments

Volcano prevents runners from Boston Marathon: Boston Marathon officials say based on their database, more than 500 runners could be affected by the volcano that has grounded planes around Europe. On Sunday an elite runner who competed in the 10,000 meters in the Olympics confirmed that they would not arrive in time to compete. Other sports are having issues too, including a Japanese MotoGP event and the London Marathon.

posted by Demophon to other at 09:33 AM - 5 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments

NFL Scouts: Tim Tebow's a Third Rounder: In a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel survey of 21 NFL scouts and personnel executives on Tim Tebow, the consensus on the Heisman Trophy winner is that he's a third-round pick. "You take away the leadership and all that manufactured [expletive], I don't think he has any quarterback skills and he's not a good enough athlete to play another position," an NFC executive told the paper.

posted by rcade to football at 07:11 PM - 18 comments

Boxer Edwin Valero Suspected of Wife's Murder: Former lightweight champion Edwin Valero was detained Sunday in Venezuela on suspicion of killing his wife. Jennifer Viera, 20, was found in a hotel dead Sunday morning from several stab wounds. Valero, 28, is the former WBA super featherweight and WBC lightweight champion.

posted by rcade to boxing at 06:22 PM - 3 comments

Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez Throws No-Hitter: Ubaldo Jimenez threw the first no-hitter in Colorado Rockies history Saturday, a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field in Atlanta.

posted by tommytrump to baseball at 11:04 AM - 13 comments

BYU Rugby Team Will Forfeit Sunday Playoff Game: If Brigham Young's women's club rugby team advances to Sunday's Round of 16 in the playoffs, it will forfeit the game for religions reasons. All 35 team members are practicing Mormons. BYU, a private university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, does not allow its athletic teams to play on Sundays.

posted by rcade to other at 08:26 AM - 1 comment

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

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

NCAA Bans Eye-Black Messages: Eye-black with messages will be banned from college football this fall. The NCAA's Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the rules change along with a new rule against taunting that could take points off the board and a rule against wedge blocking. Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Tim Tebow popularized the use of eye-black as a communication medium in recent years. Tebow's use for biblical citations generated millions web searches. His eye black even launched its own web site last season.

posted by rcade to football at 01:32 PM - 11 comments

Jose Guillen's Offseason Surgery Life-Threatening: Kansas City Royals designated hitter Jose Guillen said that he nearly died in the offseason because of complications from surgery. "I almost died last year from blood clots in my legs," he told the Kansas City Star. "The doctor started talking about dying. I didn't even know what a blood clot was."

posted by rcade to baseball at 12:22 PM - 5 comments

New York Times Tracks Four New Baseball Statistics: The New York Times has begun reporting four new baseball statistics every Friday: Batting Runs, ERA+, Total Zone and SRS. Baseball-Reference.Com founder Sean Forman explains them in today's paper. "Traditional statistics like batting average, runs batted in, wins, losses and earned run average certainly give us some of the picture," he writes. "But they do not present the whole picture."

posted by rcade to baseball at 11:19 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 09:54 AM - 22 comments

American Owners Put Liverpool Up for Sale: Liverpool's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett put the Premier League club up for sale Friday, three years after acquiring it in a leveraged takeover that left it $364 million in debt. Gillett sold the Montreal Canadiens last year and Hicks is selling the Texas Rangers.

posted by rcade to soccer at 09:48 PM - 14 comments

Jerry Jones Rips Bill Parcells in Bar Video: A drunken-sounding Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was caught on a cellphone video ripping Bill Parcells and dismissing the possibility of drafting Tim Tebow. When asked if he'd draft Tebow if he owned the Jacksonville Jaguars and needed to sell more tickets, Jones replied, "That's the only reason I brought in Bill Parcells. Bill's not worth a shit. I love him. ... So to get this fuckin' stadium, I need to bring his ass in."

posted by rcade to football at 11:05 AM - 8 comments

Man Intentionally Vomits on Fans at Phillies Game: A 21-year-old New Jersey man, Matthew Clemmens, intentionally vomited on an 11-year-old girl and her father in the stands during Wednesday night's Phillies game, police said. Clemmens allegedly made himself vomit on an off-duty police captain and his family after a friend was ejected from the park for unruly behavior.

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:59 AM - 30 comments

Jay-Z Sues Big Papi: Jay-Z has built an empire centered around his name. His influence reaches everything from music to fashion and everything in between. One of his best known business ventures is his chain of 40/40 club sports bar lounges. Well, David Ortiz thinks that it’s such a great idea that he’s launched his own club – Forty/Forty.

posted by BornIcon to other at 09:49 AM - 10 comments

How Do You Punish Lying in Baseball: FanGraphs asks the question in response to a Rob Neyer post about all-around good guy A.J. Pierzynski pretending he got hit during a no-hitter. Neyer followed up with a response.

posted by yerfatma to baseball at 09:07 AM - 8 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments

Kevin Durant youngest ever to win NBA Scoring Title: At 21 years old Durant is the youngest NBA scoring title champ in league history.

posted by sgtcookzane to basketball at 07:16 PM - 5 comments

Roethlisberger Accuser Claimed Forced Sex in Bathroom: The Smoking Gun has obtained the investigative documents from Georgia police related to the Ben Roethlisberger nightclub incident, which ended without police pursuing charges. In the documents, Roethlisberger's accuser told police that he followed her to a nightclub bathroom "with his penis out of his pants" and raped her after she told him "no, this is not OK." A friend of the accuser told police that she was prevented from going to her friend during the alleged incident by Roethisberger's bodyguards. "My friend is back there with Ben she needs to come back right now," Ann Marie Lubatti told police in a written statement.

posted by rcade to football at 06:21 PM - 49 comments

Why Hasn't Someone Bought Everton: ?

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

Meet the New Boss,Kasey Kayne signs with Hendrick's Motorsports: For Kasey Kahne, It was a matter of when, not if, he would leave Richard Petty Motorsports. He joins Gordon, Johnson and Dale Earnhardt in 2012.

posted by texpat to auto racing at 01:32 PM - 0 comments

How Soccer is Won and Lost: Following on from Jonathan Wilson's excellent column The Question (previously), Zonal Marking illustrates and explains how a soccer match is won and lost, often with same-day analysis and emphasis on individual players. Of special note: their list of the 20 teams of the decade is ranked by tactical innovation and interest, although it finds time to include the usual suspects; and ten ways tactics changed in the 2000s (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to soccer at 12:23 PM - 7 comments

Mariano Rivera is Baseball's Final 42: As Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson Day, there's just one active player who regularly wears his uniform number 42 -- New York Yankees closer and certain Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. When the league retired the number in 1997, it grandfathered active players who had it. Rivera's the last one left. "Being the only one carrying the number right now, and forever, this means a lot to me," Rivera said.

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:56 AM - 18 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 26 comments

Congress Looks into Smokeless Tobacco in Baseball: A House subcommittee on health is holding a hearing today on the use of smokeless tobacco by Major League Baseball players. One-third of players use it, according to research, despite the fact that the league claims it discourages the practice. "Like many generations of Major League baseball players, I started using spit tobacco because I saw other players doing it and I thought it was part of being a Major League player," Joe Garagiola testified. "I would like to see the Major League players agree to the terms of the Minor League Tobacco Policy, which bans Club personnel from using and possessing tobacco products in ballparks and during team travel."

posted by rcade to baseball at 02:05 PM - 23 comments

How to go from equipment manager of your college team to Triple A outfielder: in just 10 easy steps. The story of Daniel Nava, Pawsox starting left fielder.

posted by yerfatma to baseball at 10:28 AM - 1 comment

Everyone has a cousin in Miami, now they have a Marshall too: Brandon Marshall is heading to Miami for a second-round pick in next week's NFL draft and what league sources say is an additional second-round pick in 2011.

posted by Demophon to football at 08:21 AM - 8 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 20 comments

NCAA May Screen Athletes with Sickle Cell: Out of the 21 college athletes who collapsed and died during training the past decade, eight had the sickle cell trait, a genetic disorder that can become fatal unexpectedly during exercise. An NCAA proposal to test for the trait is being resisted by the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, which fears it could cost the afflicted athletes the chance to compete. "A lot of the kids who have died, they've known they have sickle-cell trait and they still run them to death," said Dr. William Roberts, coauthor of recommendations for preseason physicals. "It should just be a change in the training program to protect everyone and not just the kids with sickle."

posted by rcade to general at 11:11 AM - 5 comments

Dangerous Dan Dawson: a veteran (and reigning MVP) of the National Lacrosse League with the Boston Blazers, but a rookie in his real job with the Brampton Fire Department.

posted by yerfatma to other at 09:56 AM - 0 comments

US Olympian Charged with HIV-Related Offense: A former Olympic equestrian rider faces trial in Florida on a felony charge of having sex with someone without disclosing that he has HIV. Darren Chiacchia, a bronze medalist in 2004, faces up to 30 years in prison. His former lover claims he did not find out about Chiacchia's HIV-positive status until he found medical documents in his home. Chiacchia sent him an email explaining the omission: "I could not share with you and have you leave me with this information about me."

posted by rcade to olympics at 08:50 AM - 6 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

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

DA Says Roethlisberger Won't Be Charged: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will not be charged with a crime in connection to an alleged incident at a Milledgeville, Ga., nightclub, district attorney Fred Bright said in a Monday press conference.

posted by rcade to football at 02:23 PM - 21 comments

Screenwriter Takes on Hanson Brothers: Slap Shot screenwriter Nancy Dowd has sent her lawyer after the actors who played the Hanson Brothers to stop them from making appearances in character. "What they do in these shows, those are not the Hansons," Dowd said. "I created the Hansons. The Hansons were innocent goons. Not some dirty old guys in wigs. They tell dirty-old-man jokes. I find it offensive." Dave Hanson's response: "I don't know what dirty-old-man jokes she means. When we come out, we talk to kids about how they're doing in school and how their grades are."

posted by rcade to hockey at 12:05 PM - 5 comments

Former Giants Outfielder Admits Steroid Use: Back in town for a team reunion Sunday, a former San Francisco Giants outfielder was asked by an AP reporter whether he used steroids during his career. "Yes, I did," he said. "It was what it was. I did some stupid things. I should have never done them. At the time you think you're doing the right thing for the right reason, then you realize you made a mistake and it's too late and you can't take it back."

posted by rcade to baseball at 10:30 AM - 5 comments

Last NHL Playoff Spot Decided by Shootout: The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers decided the NHL's final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference Sunday with an overtime shootout. See the video.

posted by rcade to hockey at 10:23 AM - 1 comment

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments

Alberta Gold: No, not oil---it's curling: Edmonton's Kevin Koe follows up his Canadian championship win at his first-ever Brier appearance last month by winning gold at the World Championships in Italy.

posted by Spitztengle to other at 02:39 AM - 1 comment

2010 NHL Playoff Pickem: The dust has settled, the lines are drawn, get your picks in for this year's race for the Cup...

posted by MeatSaber to fantasy at 07:35 PM - 50 comments

Phil Mickelson Wins Third Masters: Phil Mickelson shot a five-under 67 to win his third Masters Sunday, three strokes ahead of Lee Westwood and four past Anthony Kim. Tiger Woods finished in a tie for fourth.

posted by rcade to golf at 07:23 PM - 34 comments

Japanese Female Knuckleball Pitcher Joins Minor League Team: Eri Yoshida, a female knuckleball pitcher from Japan, has signed a contract with the minor league Chico Outlaws and could become the first female pro since Ila Borders. Yoshida, 18, became Japan's first female pro baseball player last year, making 11 appearances with the Kobe Cruise 9. She learned the knuckler by watching video of Boston Rex Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield.

posted by rcade to baseball at 08:02 AM - 3 comments

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 18 comments

Game-changing sex-abuse cases mean new rules for nation's coaches : Windsor soccer coach Larry Palazzi makes his rules clear: He does not drive his players home alone. In team meetings or in hotel rooms at tournaments, he makes sure another adult is present – what sports teams call the “two-deep rule.” High-fives are okay, but not victory hugs. For parents and coaches such as Mr. Palazzi, Graham James is a reminder of the need to know what's going on when your kids play sports. Last week, news broke that the disgraced junior-hockey coach had received a pardon three years ago from the National Parole Board for sexual abuse against two young players, even as more of his former team members, including Calgary Flames and New York Rangers veteran Theo Fleury, came forward with new allegations.

posted by tommytrump to culture at 08:31 PM - 6 comments

Sideline Reporter Misses Red Card, Makes Broadcasting History: Last week, sideline soccer reporter Chris Kamara was asked live on Sky Sports at the Portsmouth-Blackburn game why a player was sent off for a red card. He didn't know.

posted by rcade to soccer at 12:52 PM - 8 comments

Profile of Usain Bolt: He's had to work to overcome some of his sloppy starting habits. For example, he has a tendency to brush his left toe along the ground during the explosive burst from the blocks, generating counterproductive friction. He's gotten better, and usually manages to avoid doing that now, but he does it today, the front of his left shoe scuffing the track as he whips his leg forward to take his second stride. The shoe also happens to be untied, a sloppy mistake, no excuse.

posted by rumple to olympics at 12:09 PM - 3 comments

16-Year-Old Italian Amateur Makes Masters Cut: Italian amateur golfer Matteo Manassero, 16, became the youngest player in Masters history to make the cut at Augusta National with a two-round score of 147, right above the cut line. The youngest player to reach the weekend had been South African Bobby Cole, 18, in 1967. Last year, Manassero tied for 12th at the British Open and became the youngest winner in the history of the British Amateur. He turns pro next month.

posted by rcade to golf at 10:21 AM - 1 comment

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

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

Chicago Cubs Most Expensive Ticket in Baseball: The Chicago Cubs have overtaken the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox for the highest-priced regular tickets in the major leagues, according to an annual survey by the Team Marketing Report. The fan cost index in the league -- the average cost of two adult tickets, two child tickets, two small draft beers, four small soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking, two programs and two adult caps -- is $195.08. The same things cost $330 at Wrigley Field.

posted by rcade to baseball at 03:10 PM - 9 comments

EA Sports, Nike Play Up Tiger Woods Sponsorship: As Tiger Woods returns to competitive golf at The Masters, the only sponsors to time any marketing to accompany the event are Electronic Arts and Nike, which uses audio of his late father Earl Woods to admonish a somber-looking, speechless Tiger. New York Times videogame reviewer Seth Schiesel explains why EA continues to back the golfer: "Electronic Arts, with voluminous market research on its side, has determined that the 40-year-old male office worker and golfer who is the target consumer for Tiger Woods Online simply does not care about Mr. Woods's serial infidelity -- or doesn't care enough that the drumbeat of tawdry revelations will stop him from buying the game."

posted by rcade to golf at 01:24 PM - 10 comments

Classic Clasico! : This weekend el Clasico may decide whether the Spanish title goes to Madrid or Barcelona. Today, the Guardian looks at six of the best from past years, (with Youtube links where possible).

posted by Mr Bismarck to soccer at 10:25 AM - 2 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments

Spectator with Front-Row Seats to All Three Red Sox/ Yanks Games Complains About Game Length: ESPN sees it as a sign of things to come, Charlie Pierce disagrees slightly.

posted by yerfatma to baseball at 07:44 PM - 32 comments

Carmelo Anthony collapses on the floor in the middle of a game, and play goes on: Strange incident in Oklahoma City. More details.

posted by phaedon to basketball at 06:01 PM - 12 comments

Goalie Martin Brodeur Earns 600th Win: New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur got his 600th career win with a 3-0 shutout of the Atlanta Thrashers. It's his league-leading ninth of the season and the 110th of his career. Brodeur has more regular season wins than any other goalie in NHL history, 49 ahead of Patrick Roy.

posted by rcade to hockey at 02:05 PM - 7 comments

Rams Drop Bulger, May Draft Bradford: The St. Louis Rams have released quarterback Marc Bulger, a move that's leading to speculation that it will take Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford with the first overall pick. Bulger, a two-time Pro Bowler, played eight seasons with the Rams, leading the team to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs in 2004 and 2005.

posted by rcade to football at 12:17 PM - 2 comments

The World Series Won by a Swastika: John Rocker was pretty bad. And their name/uniform/tomahawk chop is considered offensive by some. But before Hank Aaron, or even Babe Ruth hit his 714th home run with the Braves, there was the miracle team of 1914. Their secret? A lucky (not-at-all-racist) swastika (via MetaFilter).

posted by rcade to general at 11:06 AM - 4 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 18 comments

Phillies fans infiltrate Nationals Park.: Who knew the Phillies home opener would be in Washington?

posted by Ying Yang Mafia to baseball at 09:21 PM - 11 comments

Five from Kentucky declare for NBA draft: Four freshmen and one junior express their interest in entering the NBA draft.

posted by jjzucal to basketball at 07:48 PM - 10 comments

Shaun Rogers' Gun Had Bullet in Chamber: The gun Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Shaun Rogers tried to carry through airport security was cocked with a bullet in the chamber, according to a police report. There were another seven bullets in the magazine and the semi-automatic Kimber Ultra II was in safe mode, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.

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

Navratilova Being Treated for Breast Cancer: Tennis great Martina Navratilova is being treated for breast cancer and her prognosis is good, she said Wednesday on Good Morning America. The 53-year-old, who played competitively until three years ago, said that a ductal carcinoma in situ (DICS) was first detected during a mammogram in early January. "The bad news is it's cancer," she said. "The good news is that it hasn't spread."

posted by rcade to tennis at 10:54 AM - 2 comments

Arena League Purposely Avoided California: Now that it has returned to play after a year's hiatus, the Arena Football League is avoiding a return to California partially due to the state's workers compensation system, which allows retired players to receive $100,000 or more for claims. The AFL's insurance covers all of its 15 teams, but had a California franchise been added, "California brings such high and uncertain liability for football-related injuries that an ownership group there would probably have to absorb most of the insurance cost for all the teams itself."

posted by rcade to football at 10:45 AM - 44 comments

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 28 comments

Connecticut wins NCAA Women's Tournament: 78 consecutive wins. Two consecutive undefeated seasons.

posted by Joey Michaels to basketball at 10:36 PM - 4 comments

Frozen Flashback: After 21 years, the puck will finally drop for the "Greatest Game Never Played". In 1989, the New Jersey State Ice Hockey Championship between Delbarton School of Morristown and St. Joseph's School of Montvale was cancelled due to a measles outbreak. The teams were declared "Co Champions" by the NJSIAA. As one of the most highly anticipated hockey championships in State history, this game generated great debate over who would have won. On April 3rd, 2010, the debate will end. Both teams have reassembled and will battle it out one last time for Charity.

posted by BoKnows to hockey at 09:55 PM - 3 comments

Security Hunts for Tiger Woods' Mistresses at Masters: In an incident reported by Steve Elling of CBS Sports, as Tiger Woods played his first practice round at The Masters Monday, a member of his security detail approached a woman at the fifth tee and pulled out a sheet of paper with pictures of Woods' reported mistresses. He then asked her, "Ma'am, are you the stripper?"

posted by rcade to at 12:52 PM - 27 comments

Boston College to hire Steve Donahue: explaining who will coach their basketball team next year. Still-unanswered is why it won't be Al Skinner anymore.

posted by yerfatma to basketball at 12:18 PM - 4 comments

Kenyon Martin Flips Out Over Popcorn Prank: After former Denver Nuggets ballboy Laquan Johnson took player Kenyon Martin's car keys out of his locker and filled his Range Rover with buttered popcorn as an April Fool's joke, Martin was steaming mad when he saw what it did to the car's white interior. "I'm going to find out who did it ... put my [expletive] hands on one of y'all," Martin yelled in a locker-room tirade. "How 'bout if I don't play in the playoffs until somebody tells me who did it."

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:31 AM - 18 comments

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

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

Duke wins National Championship in a thriller over Butler: The too-perfect basketball story with the too-perfect ending is still available on DVD. The real celebration for the new national champion — that's taking place on Tobacco Road.

posted by dviking to basketball at 12:18 AM - 11 comments

700 NFL Players Pursue Workers Comp Cases in California: A worker's compensation case filed by the wife of former NFL offensive lineman Ralph Wenzel, who lives in an assisted-living facility in Maryland at age 67 suffering from dementia, demonstrates how receptive the state of California's laws are to former NFL players. The New York Times reports, "California's workers' compensation system provides a unique, and relatively unknown, haven for retired professional athletes among the 50 states, allowing hundreds of long-retired veterans each year to file claims for injuries sustained decades before. Players need not have played for California teams or be residents of the state; they had to participate in just one game in the state to be eligible to receive lifetime medical care for their injuries from the teams and their insurance carriers."

posted by rcade to football at 09:06 PM - 5 comments

Daughter Catches Dad's Love of Baseball: Sportscaster and lifelong White Sox fan Dave Revsine has a rabid baseball fan in his house -- his eight-year-old daughter Meredith. "A part of me always envisioned sharing that wisdom with my son, but the X and Y chromosomes had other ideas," he writes. "Our Sox viewing has gone beyond the TV. She has accompanied me to several games with her pride and joy, hand-printed signs with slogans like 'Hit It High, Jermaine Dye,' 'Hit a Homey, Jim Thome' and 'This Girlie Loves Buehrle.'"

posted by rcade to baseball at 03:52 PM - 6 comments

Former NBA star Abdul-Rauf has kept the faith: Its been 14 years since Mahoud Abdul-Rauf set off a firestorm of criticism by refusing to stand for national anthem before NBA games.

posted by yzelda4045 to basketball at 03:33 PM - 2 comments

Nets to Offer Mike Krzyzewski $12 to $15 Million a Year: If Mikhail Prokhorov has his way, Mike Krzyzewski will be coaching his last collegiate game Monday night against Butler. Al Iannazzone reports that Prokhorov will waste no time once approved later this month and offer the Duke coach a contract worth between $12 and $15 million a year. Under one scenario, Krzyzewski would serve as both head coach and general manager. A contract on that scale would make Krzyzewski the highest paid coach in any sport. Phil Jackson currently makes $10.3 million.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 08:16 AM - 15 comments

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 19 comments

Ex-coach Graham James pardoned for sex abuse that rocked NHL : Graham James, the junior coach convicted of sexually abusing his players in a case that rocked the hockey world from house leagues to the NHL, has been pardoned by the National Parole Board of Canada. Though the pardon was granted 3 years ago, it comes to light only now as a result of a previously unknown accuser contacting Winnipeg police. The Prime Minister's Office, notified of the pardon by The Canadian Press, called it a “deeply troubling and gravely disturbing” development that demands an explanation from the parole board. Mr. James, now 58, pleaded guilty to sexual assault after 2 of his former teenaged players, including ex-NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, came forward with their stories of abuse at his hands from 1984 to 1995. In 1997, Mr. James was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. A pardon does not erase a person's criminal record, but it means the information is kept in a separate file and doesn't show up on checks of the Canadian Police Information Centre, a key law-enforcement database used by the RCMP and other police forces. In the case of someone convicted of serious sex offences, the criminal record is kept apart from others, but the name is flagged in the CPIC system. According to the parole board, that means details of the person's conviction would be discovered by a check that takes place if they apply to work with children, the disabled or other vulnerable people.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 10:12 PM - 3 comments

Eagles Trade McNabb to Redskins: The Washington Redskins have acquired quarterback Donovan McNabb from the Philadelphia Eagles for a second-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft and a fourth-round pick in 2011.

posted by BornIcon to football at 08:23 PM - 20 comments

Drogba's Goal Sends Chelsea Over Man United: Helped by a controversial goal by Didier Drogba, Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-1 to move into first place in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson blasted the officiating afterwards: "What I can't understand is the linesman's directly in front of it," he said. "He has no one near him and he gets it wrong."

posted by rcade to soccer at 07:23 PM - 4 comments

'Tennis Girl' Photographer Dies: Martin Elliott, the photographer whose bare-bottomed "Tennis Girl" photo of his 18-year-old girlfriend Fiona Butler in 1976 became an iconic poster that sold two million copies, has died at age 63. Over the years, Tennis Girl has been recreated by Kylie Minogue, Amanda Holden, Raving Rabbids and other celebrities; has appeared in LEGO bricks; and was recently featured in a tennis stars of yesteryear ad campaign.

posted by rcade to tennis at 02:46 PM - 2 comments

Huggins Hugs Injured Da'Sean Butler: As senior Da'Sean Butler writhed on the floor in pain from a knee injury suffered during last night's Final Four loss to Duke, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins looked more like a parent than a coach as he leaned down and cradled the athlete's head in his arms, talked to him and wiped away his tears. See the video. "He said don't worry, and I love you," Butler said afterwards about what the coach told him.

posted by rcade to basketball at 11:29 AM - 8 comments

Hopkins wins Jones rematch: Bernard Hopkins avenged his defeat to Roy Jones Jnr 17 years ago with a unanimous points victory at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The two future Hall of Famers finally faced each other again after they went their separate ways following Jones' victory in 1993 for the vacant IBF middleweight title.

posted by BornIcon to boxing at 09:15 AM - 1 comment

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

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

Butler Advances to National Championship: The Bulldogs defeated Michigan State 52-50 on Saturday night, surviving a second half in which they only shot 24%. They move on to the national championship on Monday evening against the winner of the Duke-West Virginia game tonight. They'll get to play another game in the friendly confines of the Lucas Oil Stadium, a mere 6.4 miles and one turn from their home fieldhouse.

posted by boredom_08 to basketball at 09:01 PM - 4 comments

California Surfing Pioneer Kit Horn Dies: Kit Horn, a surfer whose exploration of new surf spots along the California coast in the 1940s and 1950s helped the sport grow from a subculture to an international pastime, has died at age 80. Horn continued surfing at Beacon's Beach in his hometown of Encinitas until last year. He's the subject of a legendary story among surfers about big-wave surfing in 1963 using an inner tube and a bottle of wine in Lunada Bay. A custom surfboard maker in Leucadia, Calif., blogged about Horn when he visited the shop in January: "Kit Horn comes by the factory every couple of months and checks out all the boards like a stoked gremmie."

posted by rcade to other at 06:04 PM - 3 comments

Writer: Michelle Wie Needs to Learn the Rules of Golf: "We know Michelle Wie is the future face of the LPGA, if she isn't already. We know she has an unbeatable combination of beauty, athleticism, personality and charisma. Regardless of how much the LPGA wants and needs Wie to be its star, it doesn't absolve her from continual problems with not only a lack of knowledge about the rules and little apparent desire to improve that, but her petulant, litte-girl whining when she gets caught." -- golf writer Garry Smits

posted by rcade to golf at 04:43 PM - 5 comments

Notre Dame Recruit Dies in Balcony Fall: Matt James, an acclaimed 17-year-old Ohio football player recruited to play for Notre Dame this fall, died Friday night after falling from a hotel balcony in Florida during spring break. James appeared to have been on the fifth floor of the Days Inn in Panama Beach, Fla., before he fell, the Panama City News Herald reported. Four vacationers have fallen from balconies in the city this year and two of them died.

posted by rcade to football at 03:15 PM - 11 comments

Video: Spring in South Bend, from Rockne to 'we stink': This is spring football at Notre Dame circa 1930, when the concept was still viewed as something of an oxymoron, like a "four-sided triangle":

posted by gfinsf to football at 10:59 AM - 1 comment

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

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

96-Team NCAA Tournament Increasingly Likely: The NCAA appears to be on the verge of expanding the men's basketball tournament to 96 teams, according to CBS Sports. Under the current proposal, the tournament would add 32 teams and give the top 32 teams a first-round bye.

posted by rcade to basketball at 04:31 PM - 18 comments

LaDainian Tomlinson: My 2009 Stats Are Misleading: "The things that happened in San Diego, everything was taken away from me. There wasn't an emphasis on running the football anymore, my best fullback was gone, the linemen were pass blocking and it was a passing quarterback and a passing coach. So, the situation's kind of misleading when you look on film." -- LaDainian Tomlinson, now with the New York Jets

posted by rcade to football at 03:38 PM - 11 comments

Weber Fails to Make Yankees Roster: Jon Weber, a 32-year-old outfielder whose quest to make the New York Yankees roster has been covered widely in the New York media, has failed to make the cut despite leading the team in hitting over the spring. "I had Joe Girardi, all the coaches, everyone, telling me to stay ready in case something happens," said Weber, who has never reached the bigs in 11 professional seasons. He's been sent to Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

posted by rcade to baseball at 02:34 PM - 1 comment

MLS Teams Can Now Sign Three Beckhams: Major League Soccer has expanded the "Beckham rule" to allow teams to sign up to three designated players in excess of the league's salary cap. The original rule, which allowed for one, enabled the LA Galaxy to add David Beckham. There are currently six players signed under the rule.

posted by rcade to soccer at 12:12 PM - 5 comments

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

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

Rock Jocks: 20 People Who Made the Cut in Both Music and Sports: "Joe Frazier could pack a punch as a boxer, but he was hitless as a singer. Deion Sanders was great at baseball and football, but he dropped the ball as a hip-hop act -- and let's never speak of the rapping of basketball's Shaquille O'Neal and soccer's Andy Cole. In contrast, these 20 people have had notable forays in music and athletics, proving that as hard as it is to make it in one, it's even harder to succeed in both."

posted by mr_crash_davis to culture at 11:26 PM - 7 comments

Are Athletes Becoming More Entitled?: "A big part of this current culture of athletic entitlement has been stoked and enforced from very early ages. We all know of the stage parents and the culture of youth sports, which is affecting and infecting these kids at a much younger age than it used to. Now it's all about club sports and making the traveling team and parents wanting to get their children into position to secure a college scholarship earlier." -- David Carter of the University of Southern California Sports Business Institute

posted by rcade to general at 03:34 PM - 3 comments

New York Times Sells Boston Red Sox: The New York Times Co. has sold a 1.18 percent share in the company that owns the Boston Red Sox, reducing its ownership stake in the team to 16.6 percent.

posted by rcade to baseball at 02:36 PM - 3 comments

Warren Moon: Donovan McNabb Can't Get No Respect: Hall of Famer Warren Moon, who was traded by the Houston Oilers in 1994 after a 12-4 season so they could start Cody Carlson and Billy Joe Tolliver at quarterback, is not happy about the way the Philadelphia Eagles are treating Donovan McNabb in a similar situation. "It's mind-boggling they would put Donovan in this position," Moon said. "He's hearing about things second hand, which I don't think shows him a lot of respect."

posted by rcade to football at 01:33 PM - 10 comments

Twins' Denard Span Hits Mother with Foul Ball: During a spring training game Wednesday, Minnesota Twins outfielder Denard Span was batting in the first when he fouled off a pitch that struck his mother as she watched near the third base dugout. See the video. She was examined at the game and not seriously hurt. "As soon as the ball was in the air, I realized it was going after my mom," said Span, who left the game to check on her. "When I saw her go down, I couldn't do anything but just run after her and make sure she was OK."

posted by holden to baseball at 11:30 AM - 6 comments

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

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