Wednesday, December 31, 2014
LONZO'S SPORTS GEAR APP
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Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Source: Kenyon Martin to work out for Bucks
Veteran free-agent forward Kenyon Martin is scheduled to work out for Milwaukee Bucks coach and former teammate Jason Kidd on Tuesday, a source told Yahoo Sports.Martin was headed to Cleveland on Tuesday morning to meet with Kidd a day before the Bucks face the Cleveland Cavaliers, a source said. The Bucks have had injury issues at the forward position, especially with rookie forward Jabari Parker out for the season because of a knee injury. The Bucks have not offered a contract to Martin, who has not played this season. Free agents cannot be signed to 10-day contracts until Jan. 5.Kidd and Martin were a formidable duo with the New Jersey Nets from 2001-04, helping the team reach the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. They were also teammates with the New York Knicks during Kidd’s final season in 2012-13. Martin’s lone All-Star season in 2004 came while playing with Kidd.
AP Male Athlete of the Year: Madison Bumgarner
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner sat in the outfield alongside Jake Peavy before Game 7 of the World Series and told his teammate exactly what needed to happen: Tim Hudson would work a few innings and get the ball to Bumgarner, who would hand it off to the bullpen to finish the championship.
Peavy quickly offered his own prediction that Bumgarner would end it himself.
That's exactly what MadBum did, following up a pair of World Series wins with a save at Kansas City to close out San Francisco's third title in five years and cap a brilliant postseason that made him a household name — or, at the very least, a household nickname. He is the 2014 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.
"I was sitting in the outfield with Madison and he was asking me how I thought this game was going to play out," Peavy recalled this month. "I said to him: 'Madison, when you get the ball, you're not coming out of the game. You're the best guy we've got.' ... He said, 'Man, that's exactly what I hoped you would say' and exactly what he wanted. He just needed some confirmation, somebody to believe in him as well. I said, 'Fight for that ball, man,' and what he did will go down in the ages as the best ever."
Friday, December 19, 2014
Former Angels No. 1 pick Ryan Bolden killed in fight over candy
In a tragic end to a baseball life that once showed promise, Ryan Bolden, a former first-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels, was shot and killed Wednesday night.
Bolden was just 23, and hadn't played baseball since 2013. He was drafted out of Madison Central High School in Mississippi by the Angels as the 40th overall pick in the 2010 amateur draft. His life ended after an argument broke out in an apartment complex in College Park, Ga.Bolden's baseball career, by all accounts, was a bust. He played in parts of four seasons, never advancing past rookie ball and never hitting above .200. In 2013, he played just seven games with the Orem Owlz of the Pioneer League, before retiring because of back issues.
Darko Milicic loses kickboxing debut, still declares his invincibility
I'm going to tread lightly here, since any one of the multitude of kicks and punches Darko Milicic threw opposite fellow Serbian Radovan Radojcic would knock me the hell out, but the NBA's failed former No. 2 overall pick lost his kickboxing debut, and that presents plenty of opportunity for jokes.
Famously picked by the Pistons immediately behind LeBron James and ahead of future All-NBA players Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in the 2003 draft, Milicic earned a bust label after playing for six teams over 10 seasons. His kickboxing career is off to a similarly inauspicious start.
As first reported by the Associated Press and later evident in video of the defeat, Milicic suffered a nasty cut on his left leg that forced officials to call the World Kickboxing Association fight in the second round. The man who once suggested he'd "kill someone on the court" if he had to couldn't do so in the ring.
Kendrick Perkins: Rajon Rondo wanted out of Boston
OAKLAND, Calif. – While Rajon Rondo continued to say publicly he was committed to staying with the Boston Celtics, Rondo's former teammate and close friend, Kendrick Perkins, knew he truly felt different.
"He wanted out, but he would never say that though," Perkins told Yahoo Sports.
Perkins and Rondo were teammates with the Celtics from 2006-11 and still remain close. Perkins said Rondo expressed his excitement about his trade to the Dallas Mavericks in a brief phone conversation on Thursday.
"Going to nice weather, a contender," Perkins said. "Hopefully, he will do what he got to do in terms of his contract extension. It's a great opportunity. I'm happy for him. I'm not happy he is in the West, but I'm happy for him. His time was probably up in Boston. He did his due.
"He was cool, happy. He was excited. He's going to a contender. He's 29 [years old] so rebuilding is out of the question now."
Thursday, December 11, 2014
College Football Playoff unveils national championship rings
For the vast majority of professional athletes, the ring is the thing. One of the spoils of winning a championship these days is being able to don some oversized bling on your finger, complete with an excessive amount of diamonds, as a symbol of the hard work that goes into capturing a title. But the pros aren't the only ones that get to enjoy the over-the-top hardware.
'Big 4' will be hard to topple in Champions League
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- With nine different winners in the last 11 years, no one could ever accuse the Champions League of being predictable.
It does appear, however, that an established ''Big 4'' has been created in Europe's premier club competition - and this year's group stage backs up the theory.
Barcelona, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, the last four winners of European soccer's top prize, were the top teams in group play, which finished Wednesday. In each of the last three seasons, at least three of that quartet has reached the semifinals of the Champions League. Madrid and Barcelona did so in 2011, too.
So, heading into the knockout stage that kicks off in February, it would be a big surprise if this season's champion didn't come from this small pool of juggernauts - teams who currently are playing football at another level to the rest.
Kevin Harvick named Driver of the Year
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick has been named Driver of the Year by a panel of broadcasters and journalists.
Harvick won the final two races of the season to earn his first career Sprint Cup title. He won five races in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing, and it included three in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Harvick received 13 of the 16 votes cast by motorsports journalists who vote for just one driver. IndyCar champion Will Power, Nationwide Series champion Chase Elliott and World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz all received one vote each.
The Driver of the Year award is in its 48th season and encompasses all racing series in the United States. There are 17 journalists eligible to vote.
Tour to reduce volatility in FedEx Cup playoffs
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- The PGA Tour is slightly reducing the volatility in the FedEx Cup playoffs by making those tournaments worth only four times more than the regular season.
It was the first change to the system since 2009. The value of playoff events previously was five times great.
The points will be reset going into the Tour Championship so that all 30 players have a mathematical chance to win the $10 million bonus, and the top five only have to win the tournament to claim the FedEx Cup.
Another change approved by its policy board this week was to eliminate the 54-hole cut during the playoffs. The 54-hole cut is used when more than 78 players advance to the weekend. That came into play at both full-field playoff events this year.
Wild's Ballard has facial fractures, concussion
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota Wild defenseman Keith Ballard has been released from the hospital, diagnosed with multiple facial fractures and a concussion after a collision with the boards.
The Wild announced Wednesday that Ballard will be out indefinitely.
Ballard was hurt Tuesday when he tried to turn away from Matt Martin as the New York Islanders left wing charged toward him. Ballard was driven face-forward into the dasher board, and his head bounced hard on the ice after he fell. At one point, Ballard appeared to be convulsing back and forth as medics hustled out a stretcher, but he was able to get up after a few minutes and walk slowly to the locker room with assistance.
The Wild recalled defenseman Justin Falk from their AHL affiliate in Iowa to fill in.
NBA reaches commercial deal with Brazilian league
SAO PAULO (AP) -- The NBA has reached a commercial partnership with Brazil's top basketball league, taking over its marketing, advertising and licensing deals.
The deal announced Thursday is expected to give a huge boost to the sport in Brazil and should help the NBA continue expanding its presence in the South American nation of more than 200 million people.
The NBA and Brazil's National Basketball League said the partnership has the ''long-term goal of increasing the popularity of basketball in Brazil.''
They said the leagues will work together - with the support of the Brazilian basketball confederation - to ''attract more fans and bring in new business ... through marketing strategies that will focus on enriching the product of basketball.''
Brazilian basketball officials said the partnership is the first of its kind for a sports league in Brazil.
''The partnership can expand in the upcoming years to include new areas such as basketball operations and player development,'' the local league said in a statement.
Financial details of the deal were not immediately disclosed. The length of the contract also wasn't available, although both sides said it was a ''long-term'' agreement.
''Basketball is very popular in Brazil and one of the fastest-growing sports in the country,'' said Arnon de Mello, the NBA's managing director in Brazil. ''The NBA is very happy with this partnership. It allows us to dream bigger. We will help with the growth and the development of the sport.''
A few NBA executives were in Sao Paulo for the official announcement, which comes two months after the league was in Rio to host a high-profile preseason game between the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers of LeBron James. It was the second year in a row that the NBA was in the country. The Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards played in the first-ever NBA game in Brazil in 2013.
The NBA has a significant number of fans in Brazil, to the point that it's common for local tourism agencies to offer travel packages that include tickets for games in cities such as Orlando, Miami and New York. There are seven Brazilian players in the NBA this season, the most ever.
Women's groups blast NFL's new personal conduct policy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women's advocacy groups on Thursday excoriated NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's changes to the league's personal conduct policy, saying it does not do enough to help victims and hold players who commit domestic violence accountable.
National Football League owners voted on Wednesday to accept Goodell's revised program, hoping to stem criticism that has tarnished the league's image.
"It's an exercise in public relations," National Organization for Women President Terry O'Neill told Reuters. "Roger Goodell's idea of leadership is to fake out the public.
"And he thinks if he can fake it long enough, the spotlight on this issue will go away. That's his whole plan."Under the new policy, Goodell will no longer make initial ruling in misconduct cases but will remain in charge of appeals.
Goodell's toughened disciplinary guidelines announced in August for domestic violence were maintained: six games for a first offense and a lifetime ban, subject to review after one year, for a second.
O'Neill wants economic support for the victim and a system to correlate the danger of the offense with the length of the suspension.
"This is not one-size-fits-all," she said. "The automatic six-game suspension might be dangerous. Where's the commitment to the victim and the dangerousness of the situation?"
Marlins GM Dan Jennings deals pitcher Dan Jennings
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Dan Jennings traded Dan Jennings.
On the final day of the winter meetings, the Miami Marlins sent Jennings, a 27-year-old left-handed reliever, to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday for 26-year-old right-hander Andre Rienzo.
Dan Jennings, the Marlins' 54-year-old general manager, laughed about the deal.
''On the road, sometimes he'd get to the room and say to me, 'I think I got the wrong room. They put wine in my room,''' the GM said.
The pitcher was 3-6 with a 2.43 ERA and 84 strikeouts over 100 innings in 116 relief appearances with the Marlins from 2012-14.
''When it happened, I had to question which Dan Jennings we were trading,'' said Mike Hill, Miami's president of baseball operations.
The two men aren't related.
''We used to have running jokes, he and I,'' the general manager said. ''A box would come in and it would go upstairs to me. Different mail would come in and go to the wrong guy.''
The GM, who joined the team in 2002 as vice president of player personnel, said the Marlins' Manny Colon would be a beneficiary of the trade.
''Our traveling secretary is certainly glad it happened, because it was a mess on the road,'' the elder Jennings said.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Messi yellow card appeal rejected by Spanish federation
MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona's appeal against Lionel Messi's yellow card for time wasting after he was hit on the head by a plastic bottle in Sunday's La Liga game at Valencia has been rejected by the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF).
Messi was celebrating Barca's 94th-minute winner with his team mates near the corner flag at the Mestalla stadium when the bottle was thrown from the stands.
Messi was examined by a member of Barcelona's medical staff after the final whistle and did not appear to be injured, giving the thumbs-up as he walked off the pitch.The RFEF's competition committee confirmed the caution in a statement published on the federation's website (www.rfef.es) on Wednesday, rejecting the appeal Barca lodged on Tuesday.
The referee said in his match report the card was shown because Messi "delayed his return to his half of the pitch after the goal was scored with the intention of wasting time".
Valencia vowed to ban the bottle-throwing fan from the Mestalla for life once the person had been identified.
Barca's 1-0 win kept them hard on the heels of leaders Real Madrid who are two points clear of their arch-rivals after 13 matches thanks to Saturday's 2-1 victory at Malaga.
Tony Stewart has 4th surgery on right leg
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Tony Stewart has undergone a fourth surgery on the leg he broke last year during a sprint car race in Iowa.
Stewart was released from a hospital on Wednesday. He was then headed to Las Vegas to celebrate Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick's championship.
Stewart broke the tibia and fibula in his right leg during the Aug. 5, 2013, crash and underwent two surgeries immediately after the accident, including one to insert a metal rod inside the tibia.
A third surgery last year was to close a wound on his shin. Stewart spokesman Mike Arning called Monday's surgery in Charlotte, North Carolina, the equivalent of routine maintenance.
Tiger signs four-year deal with India company
Tiger Woods is no longer the world's top endorsement moneyspinner, but the golf star's backing remains solid enough to land a four-year deal announced Tuesday with India's Hero MotoCorp.
The world's largest maker of motorcycles and scooters with 6.3 million sold in the 2013-14 business year will rely upon Woods as a pitchman as it tries to expand its brand globally, into Europe late next year and the United States in 2016.
"It gives me extreme pleasure and pride to associate our brand with Tiger Woods," said Pawan Munjal, Hero's chief executive officer. "We believe Tiger's brand, Tiger's recognition, Tiger's attributes will also lift and make the brand Hero as recognizable as Tiger."
Woods, a former world number one and 14-time major champion, was the world's highest-paid athlete from 2001 to 2011 according to Forbes magazine, based largely on his endorsement deals.
But in 2009, at the same Isleworth gated community where the Hero World Challenge tees off Thursday, a traffic accident involving Woods set off a chain of events that unveiled Woods' secret sex life with multiple mistresses. That would lead to his divorce from wife Elin and the destruction of his once-perfect image as a corporate endorser, several firms dropping him in the wake of the sex scandal.
Since then, Woods has rebuilt his brand name with such backers as Nike standing beside him. Last June, in the latest Forbes rankings, Woods ranked sixth in athlete income with $61.2 million (49.4 million euros), 90 percent of it from endorsements.
Munjal calls Woods "an icon for millions around the world" and adds, "He is indeed a phenomenon, a symbol of humility in victory and grace in adversity. An achiever par excellence, Tiger's appeal and charisma spans across continents cutting through barriers of geography, age, language and nationalities."
Woods met Munjal at Isleworth at a dinner following the Tavistock Cup, a showdown between private country club teams of golf stars. That led to Woods playing at Delhi GolfClub and to the latest partnership, which benefits Woods' charity foundation that supports youth educational opportunities.
TCU jumps Florida St into 3rd in playoff rankings
The top four in the College Football Playoff rankings going into the final weekend of the regular season is as follows: Alabama, Oregon, TCU and Florida State.
The question is: Short of a loss by one of those teams, is there anything a team on the outside can do to get in on Sunday when the final rankings are announced and the field for the first playoff is set?
''We're at the point, we're waiting for results now,'' selection committee chairman and Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said Tuesday night. ''We're waiting for teams to complete their body of work. Again, we don't project out. We've all seen games that have different outcomes than we expect.
''We focus on what has been accomplished to this point, and with that regard, the top four teams to this point are ranked where the committee believes they should be.''
LA Kings sign Alec Martinez to 6-year extension
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to a six-year, $24 million contract extension with Alec Martinez, the defenseman who scored two series-ending overtime playoff goals last June.
The Kings announced the deal Wednesday with Martinez, signing another two-time Stanley Cup champion to a long-term deal.
Martinez is a dependable defenseman who became an NHL playoff folk hero with two clutch goals last summer.
His Game 7 overtime goal off Nick Leddy's torso sent the Kings past the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference finals, and his shot into an open net in Game 5 against the New York Rangers handed the Kings their second Stanley Cup title in three years.
Ellis, Mavericks outlast Bulls in double overtime
CHICAGO (AP) -- Normally, taking 35 shots to score 38 points is not a production level that any NBA coach would embrace.
Game Leaders
But no one in the Dallas Mavericks' locker room had a problem with Monta Ellis' line in the boxscore Tuesday night.
''His shooting numbers were a little unusual, but every time we needed a big shot or a big play, he made it,'' Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.
Ellis hit three free throws with 1.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie it, then made his only 3-point shot of the game for a go-ahead basket in the second overtime that lifted the Mavericks past the Chicago Bulls 132-129.
Ellis finished with 38 points, including his trio of free throws to make it 108-all. He was fouled by the Bulls' Kirk Hinrich soon after crossing half-court, and kept the Mavs in the game.
''I saw out of the corner of my eye that he was about to do it, so I went into shooting mode,'' Ellis said. ''He ended up grabbing me and they called a foul.''
Because the Mavericks had no timeouts at the end of regulation, the Bulls wanted to foul intentionally - just not in that spot.
Longtime MLB umpire Dale Scott comes out as gay
NEW YORK (AP) -- Dale Scott figures he'll hear plenty of foul language from angry hitters next season. Such is life for a Major League Baseball umpire.
''They'll still yell at me when a 3-2 slider doesn't break their way,'' he told The Associated Press. ''But they'll be yelling at me because they didn't like my call, not because I'm a gay umpire.''
Two weeks after Jason Collins retired as the NBA's first openly gay player, Scott added his name Tuesday to a growing list of gay and lesbian sports figures taking similar public steps. St. Louis Rams draft pick Michael Sam, NBA official Violet Palmer and WNBA star Brittney Griner are among those who have come out in recent years.
Scott didn't want to make a huge announcement heading into his 30th big league season.
The trade magazine Referee did a profile on the veteran crew chief in October, and didn't mention his sexuality. But the 55-year-old Scott wanted to share an important part of his life, and made the choice to include a picture of himself with partner Michael Rausch. They've been together for nearly three decades and married in November 2013 in Palm Springs, California.
The caption in Referee said: ''He and his longtime companion, Michael Rausch, traveled to Australia for the 2014 season opener between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers.''
Twins announce $10.5M deal with Torii Hunter
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- When Torii Hunter first came up to the major leagues in 1997, Paul Molitor was bringing a Hall of Fame playing career to a close with his hometown Minnesota Twins.
Molitor could still swing the bat, and the impression he made on a talented group of youngsters, including Hunter, helped lay the foundation for the long-struggling team's renaissance.
Almost two decades later, Hunter is returning to Minnesota, his home away from home, to play for Molitor and return the favor.
''This is where I needed to be,'' Hunter said Wednesday after signing a $10.5 million, one-year contract with the Twins. ''This is home for me.''
Hunter spent the first 11 years of his career with the Twins. He was a first-round draft pick as an 18-year-old in 1993 and looked up to Kirby Puckett and Molitor, among others, as he made his way up through the system.
He watched how Molitor, who hit .341 in 161 games as a 39-year-old designated hitter with the Twins in 1996, went about his business, studying opposing pitchers for weaknesses and pouncing on blunders in the outfield to take an extra base.
New Falcons stadium now to cost $1.4 billion
ATLANTA (AP) -- The cost of the new Atlanta Falcons stadium has climbed to $1.4 billion.
The initial cost of the retractable-roof facility, which will replace the Georgia Dome in 2017, was estimated at $1 billion. That was later raised to $1.2 billion.
Now, it's gone up again by $200 million. The final budget was approved Tuesday by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. NFL ownership is expected to follow suit next week.
The new budget includes $1.078 billion in construction costs, with the remainder going to design, development and other non-construction costs.
''More detailed design plans allowed us to more accurately budget the cost of the stadium,'' said Greg Beadles, the team's chief administrative and financial officer. ''At the same time, construction costs across the board continue to increase as the economy improves and demand grows. ''
Sunday, November 30, 2014
BK Racing co-owner apologizes for Cole Whitt tweet
BK Racing minority owner Anthony Marlowe apologized for a tweet he made about Cole Whitt, who drove for the team in 2014.
Marlowe referenced Whitt driving the No. 34 for Front Row next season. David Ragan drove the No. 34 in 2014 and won in the car last year at Talladega. On Wednesday, FRM issued a statement that said it expected Ragan back in the No. 34 car in 2015.
“I did not intend for it to make national news,” Marlowe told Motorsports Talk “Aside from it being smart alecky, it was just a tweet congratulating a friend, and current supplier of driver services on his ride for next year.
“We could have had someone else drive the 26 car this year at BKR, but my new partners and I felt (Whitt) deserved a full season after his past NASCAR teams were not committed to him for the long term, along with his auspicious start to the 2014 season. That mission was accomplished.
Jordan Spieth impresses with 6-shot Australian Open win
An American hadn't won the Australian Open in 21 years. In windy conditions on Sunday at the Australian Open, naturally, it was a Texan who ended that skid.While the rest of the field was blown away by windy conditions at The Australian Golf Club, Jordan Spieth dominated the course to shoot a final-round, 8-under 63 and win the Aussie Open by six shots over Rod Pampling.
Spieth came into the tournament miffed he hadn't broken through in his second season as a pro. But that 63, a tournament best by two shots, capped off a very consistent year with the win he sought.
"It would be a lie if I didn't say that it was eating at me a little bit," he said.
The 21-year-old walks away from the trip Down Under not only with a win, but a victory over his weekend woes. On the PGA Tour in 2014, Spieth was ranked 112th in third-round scoring and 62nd in final rounds.
Gordie Howe comfortable as he recovers
DETROIT (AP) -- Gordie Howe is comfortable as he makes a long recovery from two strokes, but the hockey great can't walk and has limited speech, one of his sons said Sunday.Mark Howe said his 86-year-old father's vital signs are good and he's aware of the reasons for his condition. He added that an epidural reduced pain stemming from spinal surgery last summer.
''He's unable to walk and his speech is very minimal,'' said Mark Howe, like his father a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. ''After his first stroke, within a week, he was up to walking 40 to 50 feet.
''They did his first physical therapy after the epidural. He tried standing twice over 20 minutes and it took every ounce of energy he had and totally drained him.''
Gordie Howe suffered what his children called a serious stroke in late October and another in early November. He's been staying at his daughter's home in Lubbock, Texas.
Raptors All-Star DeRozan has torn groin tendon
TORONTO (AP) -- Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan is going to be out an indefinite period with a torn tendon in his left groin.
The durable All-Star was injured during the third quarter of Friday night's 106-102 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He was diagnosed with the injury Saturday.
DeRozan remained on the court for several minutes before being helped to the dressing room. He originally was diagnosed as having a strain.
DeRozan is averaging a team-high 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and a team-best 33.6 minutes in 16 games this season for the Raptors, who are off to their best start at 13-3.
Johnny Manziel enters, immediately leads Browns to TD
Finally, the Cleveland Browns let Johnny Manziel play.
Manziel, the Browns' first-round pick and the talk of the NFL through the offseason, had barely played through the first 12 weeks. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner saw a handful of snaps in special situations, but Brian Hoyer's play and the Browns' winning ways with Hoyer had kept him off the field.
But with 12:01 left in the fourth quarter and the Browns in serious need of a spark on offense as they trailed Buffalo 20-3, Manziel got the call. The Browns benched Hoyer, who had just thrown an interception, and Manziel entered.
Ohio State's Kosta Karageorge found dead
Ohio State defensive tackle Kosta Karageorge was found dead.
Karageorge was reported missing on Wednesday by his family. A body was found Sunday afternoon near his apartment and Columbus (Ohio) Police confirmed it was Karageorge. He was 22.Karageorge was a walk-on for the Ohio State football team and also wrestled. According to a police report, Karageorge's mother said he struggled with sports-related concussions and his sister said he had suffered one a month prior. His mother said he texted her Wednesday referencing the concussions and apologized for being an "embarrassment."
Ohio State held a moment of silence for Karageorge before Saturday's game against Michigan and a missing poster was displayed on the scoreboard at Ohio Stadium. After the game, coach Urban Meyer called Karageorge's disappearance "unbelievable" and said "All you can do is grab a knee and play hard."
"I know there's a lot of prayers on the team because a lot of the guys are friends with Kosta," Meyer continued. "He was only with us since August, so I didn't know him that well but talked to his mom a few times. Just come home safe, man."
The school released a statement Sunday afternoon.
"The Ohio State University Department of Athletics was shocked and saddened to learn today of the death of student-athlete Kosta Karageorge, a senior from Columbus," the statement said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Karageorge family, and those who knew him, during this most difficult time."
Kostageorge's family became worried for him when he left his apartment without any identification at approximately 2 a.m. on Wednesday. He hadn't been seen since.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM
LONZO'S SPORTS GEAR FAMILY
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
NASCAR Illustrated: Getting Comfortable with Eric Christian Olsen
Star of 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (Mondays, 8 p.m. ET/PT) on Jeff Gordon and more
Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, Eric Christian Olsen had just finished his freshman year of college in Michigan when, to help pay the bills, he moved to Los Angeles to try and get work in commercials.
It wasn't long before Olsen's studies were put on hold to make room for acting gigs, not in commercials, but in big productions like "Not Another Teen Movie," "Dumb And Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd" and "The Thing."
A 2010 guest spot on the CBS drama "NCIS: Los Angeles" led to a full-time spot for Olsen on the show, playing detective Marty Deeks, and the show's sixth season kicked off Sept. 29.
An avid surfer, the 37-year-old actor lives in L.A. with his wife, actress Sarah Wright, and the couple's 1-year-old son, Wyatt.
Ko closes out amazing rookie year with big payday
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — The biggest challenge facing Lydia Ko is how she can top a rookie season like this one.The 17-year-old from New Zealand sat next to a pair of crystal trophies Sunday evening. At her feet was a glass box that was stuffed with cash to symbolize the $1 million bonus she picked up on an historic end to the LPGA Tour season.
She was an instant millionaire when she closed with a 4-under 68 to get into a three-way playoff in the CME Group Tour Championship. She already had finished high enough to clinch the inaugural "Race to CME Globe" and its $1 million bonus.
Then, she collected another trophy by winning the Tour Championship with a par on the fourth extra hole to pick up an extra $500,000. Only the tournament earnings count toward the money list, and it made Ko the first rookie to surpass $2 million in a year.
Tiger Woods Hired An Unknown Graduate Student As His New Coach, And People On Tour Think It's A Mistake
YouTube Chris Como became one of the most famous golf coaches on the planet on Saturday when Tiger Woods announced that he hired him as a swing "consultant."
Only the hardest of hardcore golf nerds knew who Como was before Tiger announced the hire. He's a 37-year-old based in Plano, Texas who's finishing a Master's degree in biomechanics at Texas Woman's University. The three professional golfers he has worked with — Aaron Baddeley, Trevor Immelman, and Jamie Lovemark — are hardly household names.
Golf Digest put him on their "Best Young Teachers" list in 2014, noting that he charges $1,500 for a half-day lesson at Gleneagles Country Club near Dallas.
Como is regarded as a sports science expert. His biomechanics degree has involved co-authoring a paper called, "Assessment of planarity of the golf swing based on the functional swing plane of the clubhead and motion planes of the body points."
That's basically all that the golf world knows about Como, and some people around the game are leery that this is the right move for Tiger.
Messi sets Champions League record with 72nd goal
(AP) -- Barcelona's Lionel Messi has set a new Champions League goalscoring record by taking his tally in the competition to 72 on Tuesday.Messi struck in the 38th minute against APOEL in Group F to give Barcelona a 2-0 lead after Luis Suarez had opened the scoring,
It was Messi's 91st match in Europe's top club competition. The former Real Madrid and Schalke striker Raul took 142 matches to set the previous record of 71.
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 70 goals, gets his chance to break Messi's new record when the Spanish champions face Basel away on Wednesday.
George and Barbara Bush made the Kiss Cam at Texans game
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Flare-throwing fans halt Italy-Croatia qualifier, referee orders players to leave field
A perfectly riveting Euro 2016 qualifier between Italy and Croatia was abruptly (and somewhat predictably) interrupted in the 75th minute when Croatian fans began throwing flares onto the San Siro pitch on Sunday.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was the apparent target of the Croatian supporters' madness, which halted play for roughly 11 minutes before order could be restored. The Vine below captures the beginning of the flare-fest.As the stadium became engulfed in smoke, referee Bjorn Kuipers had no choice but to order the players to leave the field to ensure their safety. Things got so out of hand in the stands that riot police had to disperse the flare-tossing throng and, out of nowhere, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt began pleading with the traveling supporters to keep the peace (actually, it was Gordon-Levitt's doppleganger, Croatia coach Niko Kovac).
Gordie Howe 'not doing well at all'
Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe is apparently not doing very well after a stroke two weeks ago.
His son, Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Howe talked with Ken Campbell of The Hockey News and gave this grim outlook on his father, fondly known as "Mr. Hockey."
“Things are definitely headed in the wrong direction,” Mark said.
The younger Howe, in fact, sent an email out to family and friends last week telling them that Gordie Howe’s condition has been in rapid decline and that it might be time to consider hospice care for him. "Father Time and all Dad’s illnesses are pains are catching up with him rapidly," he wrote.
There were reports a week ago that the 86-year-old was improving, but sadly that seems to not be the case. As has been the mantra for the last several weeks, Get Well Gordie.
Cavs make first 11 3-pointers, beat Hawks 127-94
The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to go 9 for 9 or better from behind the arc in a quarter, according to information provided to the team by the Elias Sports Bureau.
James, who scored a season-high 41 points Friday in Boston, hit three 3-pointers in the period and scored 11 points in the opening 3:34.
''Coming off a back-to-back I didn't want us to have a slow start,'' James said. ''I feel like the guys feed off my energy and I wanted to go out and be aggressive and see where it takes us. It got us to a huge lead.''The Cavaliers, who have won four straight, scored 41 points in first quarter. James, who didn't play in the fourth, was 13 of 20 from the field. Kyrie Irving added 20 points.
Giancarlo Stanton playing a dangerous game: believing in the Marlins
You can’t turn down $325 million. Over the next 13 years, if Giancarlo Stanton breaks his leg or falls victim to a voodoo curse or develops a crippling case of sesquipedalophobia or happens upon any other sort of unfathomable malady, the Miami Marlins still will owe him that $325 million, a sum greater than any franchise has owed any individual in the history of organized sports.
And with that out of the way, and Stanton’s signature soon to dry on a contract that guarantees him this ungodly sum, comes the answer to a question philosophers and paupers alike have asked for eons: Apparently, the price of a soul is $325 million.What Robert Johnson did with a guitar, Giancarlo Stanton does with a bat, and in order to preserve that in Miami, Jeffrey Loria promised Stanton just shy of what he spent on his entire team’s combined payroll for the first eight seasons he owned it. This is a staggering deal, a monumental deal, the sort of deal in years and dollars that fits the New York Yankees’ or Los Angeles Dodgers’ or Boston Red Sox’s bailiwick.
DEA stages surprise drug probe on at least two NFL teams
Federal drug-enforcement agents conducted surprise inspections of at least two NFL teams on Sunday as part of an investigation into claims of abuse of prescription drugs, according to multiple reports.
At least two teams' medical staffs were questioned Sunday: those of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who played the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field, and the San Francisco 49ers, who played the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
The Associated Press is reporting the investigation is connected to former players' claims that teams have mishandled prescription drugs.The Washington Post added that the inspections included bag searches and questioning of team doctors by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents in cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration.
Christina Kim wins Lorena Ochoa Invitational
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Christina Kim won the Lorena Ochoa Invitational on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title in nine years, beating Shanshan Feng in a playoff after losing a five-stroke lead.
Kim won with a tap-in par on the par-4 18th on the second extra hole at Club de Golf Mexico.
''This is the greatest win in my life, without a doubt,'' Kim said.
The 30-year-old American celebrated with an exuberant dance and jumped up and down on the green. Kim hugged caddie T.J. Jones, boyfriend Duncan French and friend Michelle Wie, with Wie wiping away tears after embracing the winner. French is Wie's caddie.
''I can't put into words how I'm feeling right now. Kim said. ''I'm still riding so many emotions. It feels surreal. I can't explain. I'm so overwhelmed right now. I'm so proud and honored to be a champion for such an incredible tournament.''
Kevin Harvick wins 2014 NASCAR title
HOMESTEAD, Fla. - NASCAR promised drama in its newest incarnation of the Chase, and Sunday's season-ending EcoBoost 400 delivered exactly that, beyond any of the sport's wildest dreams.
Kevin Harvick held off a powerful charge from his three challengers, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, winning the season finale to claim the 2014 Sprint Cup championship in definitive fashion.
"I really don't know what to say," Harvick said after getting out of his car, celebrating with his team. "It's really special for everybody."
NASCAR created the new Chase in advance of the 2014 season with the express intent of creating a so-called “Game 7 moment” – everything on the line, win-or-go-home, Hail Mary, you get the idea. The new Chase is thus a Frankenstein’s monster built from the parts of other championships: the NCAA’s college hoops bracket, the World Series’ Game 7 dramatics, the Super Bowl’s grand pomposity.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Heisman Watch: Dak Prescott is slipping, but opportunity awaits
For the first time this season, the Dr. Saturday Heisman Watch has the same players as it did the week before. The order, however, has changed a bit.
Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott, who was once the clubhouse leader for the Heisman, has fallen to fourth in our rankings simply because his play against his last two SEC opponents hasn’t been great and scoring a few touchdowns against Tennessee-Martin didn’t do much to raise his standing, especially while the players above him excelled against tougher competition.
It's a good thing Prescott has a couple tough games coming up to regain his spot on the Heisman list.
Here’s a look at Dr. Saturday’s Heisman Poll heading into Week 12:
Harvick attempts to get inside Logano's head
DORAL, Fla. – Joey Logano takes it as a compliment. Single out the one you perceive to be your toughest competition and try to get inside his head.
One team owner said not so fast, instead describing it as "going after the low-hanging fruit."
But the verbal jabs Kevin Harvick lofted Logano's way during Wednesday's Championship Media Day at Trump National Doral Miami had more to do with what has already taken place than what might unfold this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
It's all about karma, Harvick said. It'll catch up with you.
"I told him that after Talladega," the Stewart-Haas Racing driver said. "… He knows I wasn't joking."
Harvick, Logano (Team Penske), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Ryan Newman (Richard Childress Racing) have survived nine weeks of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and one of the four will walk away from Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 (ESPN, 3 p.m. ET) bearing the title of 2014 Sprint Cup champion.
At Talladega in October, Brad Keselowski pulled off a victory that sent him into the Eliminator Round. It was Harvick's contention that Logano held up the outside lane on a final restart, enabling Keselowski to collect the victory.
And Harvick was quick to reference the situation during Wednesday's initial interview session.
Why Adrian Peterson, Vikings need to go in separate directions
Adrian Peterson is ready to move on from the past few months. He said as much last week as he exited a courthouse in Texas. In a stairway convoy with his wife, parents and led by his wing-tipped attorney, the conversation turned to moving on … away from his legal issues … forward as a father … back to his career.He'll eventually get there as a professional – perhaps next week, when the NFL and players' union hash out his inevitable reinstatement. And presumably he'll go back to the Minnesota Vikings and finish out this season. But in a few months, when the offseason arrives, the inevitable should sink in.
Phil Mickelson now 'interim assistant coach' at Arizona State
From trying to sell his California home for the millionth time to being a part of the 11-man PGA of America Ryder Cup task force, Phil Mickelson has plenty to do. But somehow Mickelson has apparently found time to become an interim assistant coach for the Arizona State golf program.
Mickelson is helping out his brother, Tim, who is at the helm of the Sun Devils program. The opportunity came about when assistant coach Joe Prince left the program in September, according to Golfweek.As the title suggests – and Mickelson's schedule dictates – this won't be a permanent position for Lefty, who has a PGA Tour life to resume come 2015. However, the assistant coach isn't taking the job lightly, recently making a recruiting call to a highly touted amateur player on behalf of the Arizona State program.
Clippers star Griffin faces battery charge
Los Angeles (AFP) - Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin faces a charge of misdemeanor battery from an incident last month in a Las Vegas nightclub, court records showed.
The former NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion was charged following an alleged altercation with a man using a camera last October 19, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Griffin was reportedly annoyed at camera flashes in his face at the Venetian resort's Tao nightclub.
Griffin, 25, is due to be arraigned on December 8 in Las Vegas. He faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Last month, Clippers coach Doc Rivers expressed support for Griffin.
"He's a great kid. We'll figure it out and get through it," Rivers said. "I can't say much but I feel very confident things will work out."
Griffin is averaging 24.3 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Clippers, who are off to a 4-3 start this season. He scored a career-high 24.1 points last season.
Russia, Qatar reportedly will keep World Cup after FIFA 'investigation'
FIFA is set to release a summary of its "investigation" Thursday into how the bidding process that awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar were so corrupt that … well … it awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
To the surprise of no one, nothing significant is expected to come of it, according to multiple reports in the British media. The 2018 and 2022 World Cups will still be held in Russia and Qatar, respectively.Perhaps this "investigation" will help FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his global web of cronies to sleep well at night, able to rectify that they picked a country (Qatar) that is currently trying to fend off allegations that it allows funding to ISIS, has such a loathsome track record of human rights that homosexuality is illegal and, by its own government findings, is on pace for 5,000 poor, migrant workers to die constructing opulent stadiums and outrageous infrastructure.
Oh, and it gets into the 120s Fahrenheit in the summer there, which means the conditions aren't conducive to high-level play, or athlete safety, and the only solution appears to be moving the tourney to the winter months that would upset most of the world's major professional leagues.
Other than that, FIFA did a great job with the bidding process.
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