Sugar Ray Leonard

Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard, who rose to prominence when he won a gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, says in his forthcoming autobiography "The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring" that he was sexually abused by an Olympic coach.

The 55-year-old Leonard, who retired in 1997 with a 36-3-1 record, told the NY Times that the coach, who he called "prominent" but did not name, abused him twice. First, the ex boxer wrote, the coach accompanied Leonard, then aged 15, to a tournament in Utica, NY. The coach had Leonard and another young boxer take a bath together, while he watched them. Leonard termed that situation "inappropriate." He told the Times that years later, the same man sat in a car with Leonard and performed oral sodomy on the young fighter.

This disclosure is sure to set in motion a desire to learn the name of the alleged abuser. The head coach at the 1976 Games was Pat Nappi, who was also the head coach in 1980 and 1984. He died at age 75 in 1993. Tom "Sarge" Johnson was an assistant to Nappi at the 1976 games. He died in the 1980 plane crash which killed 14 US boxing team fighters and eight support personnel. The squad was in Poland for a set of matches and their plane crashed near Warsaw International Airport.

An August 9, 1976 Sports Illustrated story by Pat Putnam refers to Nappi and Johnson as the sole coaches for their squad. "They prayed together often, the fighters and their coaches—Pat Nappi, a quiet Italian-American from Syracuse, N.Y. and Tom Johnson, a gregarious black man from Indianapolis...," Putnam wrote in his take on the superlative '76 crew, which took home five gold medals.

It goes without saying that Nappi and Johnson should not be implicated in the Leonard abuse situation; the situation occured a quarter century ago, and there were possibly other coaches who had access to Leonard at the time and were affiliated with the USA boxers. But the shocking revelations by the ex boxer cast a shadow on everyone who fits the description of the alleged abuser.

Leonard's book, which comes out June 6,  will also shed light on his substance abuse issues, which mushroomed when he stepped away from the ring, and found himself with an excess of free time, and a lack of direction.

Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James knows the Cleveland Cavaliers and the likely No. 1 pick in next month's draft, Duke's Kyrie Irving, and he feels they'll be a good fit for each other.
The Cavs won the NBA's draft lottery Tuesday night, putting the team in position to draft a franchise player to replace James a year after he left in free agency. James said he was glad the way it turned out.
"I'm happy for the franchise and happy for the fans," James said after the Miami Heat's shootaround Wednesday morning as they prepared for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls. "I think it is a good step for them."
James has known Irving for the last three years, as Irving has been a regular at James' summer Nike camps. James, who has also has a close relationship with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, feels that Irving can be an impact player.

"If the Cavs pick him it'll be a great pick for them," James said. "He's a true point guard who can score, in this day and age in the NBA it is a point guards' league. If they decided to take him, which it looks like, they'll have a good one."
James said he knows that Irving will have certain expectations of him because of the situation he may be coming into, helping step into the shoes that James left as the Cavs' last No. 1 overall pick in 2003. He said Irving shouldn't face the same pressure.
"If it's Kyrie, I don't think you automatically place the franchise tag on him, but he's good enough where, if he continues to work hard, he could be that guy for that team," James said. "It's a tough situation for anyone to be given the franchise tag coming out of college, but I think he's one of the kids who is up for the challenge."

Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki

Unless you got frustrated by another lackluster Phillies offensive effort and changed over to the NBA playoffs Tuesday night, you missed one of the most uniquely spectacular performances in NBA history.

Spectacular because Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 48 points.

Unique because he only needed 15 shots to do it.

We rounded up the By the Numbers staff from vacation to take a closer look at Nowitzki’s remarkable evening in the Mavs’ 121-112 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of their Western Conference finals series.

Here’s what we learned:

• Nowitzki’s 48 points are the most in NBA history on 15 or fewer shots – playoffs or otherwise. The most points anybody had ever scored in the playoffs on 15 or fewer shots was 40 – that was Portland’s Terry Porter, who was 12 for 14 from the field, 4 for 5 from three and 13 for 14 from the line for 41 points in a win over Utah in 1992. The regular-season record was Alonzo Mourning’s 43 points on 13 for 14 from the field and 17 for 24 from the line in the Heat’s win over the Nets in 2000.

• Nowitzki needed 11 fewer field goal attempts than anybody in NBA history to score 48 points in a playoff game. The previous fewest shots by a player scoring 48 or more points in the postseason was 26 by ... Nowitzki in a 50-point game against Phoenix in 2006. So nobody else in NBA history has scored 48 points in the playoffs on fewer than 27 shots. And Nowitzki has done it twice.

• Nowitzki is only the third player in the last 20 years to score 45 or more points in a regular-season or postseason game while shooting 80 percent or better from the field. Dana Barros of the Sixers and Amare Stoudemire of the Suns did it in the regular season – Barros in 1995 against the Rockets on 81 percent for 50 points (21 for 26, 6 for 8, 2 for 2) and Stoudemire on 81 percent for 49 points against the Pacers in 2008 (17 for 21, 0 for 2, 15 for 15).

• Nowitzki – who has attempted more than 3,000 three-pointers in his career – became the first NBA player in 11 years to score 45 points in a playoff game without attempting a single three-pointer. The last was Shaq, who had 46-point playoff games in 1997 and 2000 without attempting a three.

• Nowitzki’s 24 free throws without a miss are the most ever in a regular-season or playoff game. The most foul shots anybody had ever made without a miss in the playoffs was 21 – Paul Pierce of the Celtics was 21 for 21 against the Pacers in 2003. Dominique Wilkins of the Hawks had the regular-season mark at 23 for 23 against the Bulls in 1992.

• Let’s not forget OKC’s Kevin Durant, who had a pretty amazing game himself with 40 points on 10 for 18 shooting from the field, 2 for 5 from the field and 18 for 19 (95 percent) from the foul line. In the previous seven years, nobody had scored 40 points in a postseason game while shooting 95 percent from the line. Tuesday night, two guys did it in the same game.

• Durant’s 40 points on just 18 shots is pretty amazing in itself. It had been 10 years since any NBA player scored 40 points in a playoff game while taking fewer than 20 shots – then Nowitzki and Durant did it in the same game. So Durant has the second-lowest shot total by a 40-point scorer in the playoffs in the last decade, even though Nowitzki scored more points on fewer points in the same game.

• The last time two guys scored 40 points in a playoff game Nowitzki was also involved. He had 44 and Carmelo Anthony – then with Denver – scored 41 in the Mavs’ 119-117 win on May 11, 2009.

• Durant already has three 40-point games during the 2011 postseason. Nobody in NBA history has had more 40-point games before his 23rd birthday than Durant. LeBron James and Stoudemire also had three.

• In the last 20 years, only Ray Allen, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan have scored more points in a playoff game than Nowitzki after their 32nd birthday. Allen had a 51-point game at 33, Malone scored 50 for Utah at 36 and Jordan had a 50-point game when he was 36 and a 55-point game when he was 34.

Derrick Williams

There have already been quite a few Minnesota Timberwolves 2011 NBA mock drafts posted in this Storystream, but one that most haven't happened upon yet is probably Tom Ziller's creation over at the SB Nation mothership.
In Ziller's post-Lottery mock draft, the basketball savant projects David Kahn and the Wolves to select Arizona Wildcatsforward Derrick Williams with the second overall pick (as has been the case by everyone else). He then throws a bit of a curveball, however, with Minnesota selecting Texas Longhorns wingman Jordan Hamilton with their second pick (20th overall) in the first round of the NBA Draft.
The Williams' selection isn't too tricky to reason, though Ziller does allude to the fact that the Wolves might be better off with the second pick (as written about here Tuesday night) rather than winning the Lottery.
The Wolves would have been in a nearly impossible position with the No. 1 pick, given the team's continued lust for Ricky Rubio. There's a small issue here, too: Michael Beasley is the incumbent small forward, and All-Star power forward Kevin Love isn't going anywhere. Williams could serve as the third forward, or Minnesota could offload Beasley. Or David Kahn could take a point guard, like Kemba Walker.

As far as the selection of Hamilton is concerned, the 6-foot-7 shooter makes quite a bit of sense for Minnesota's offense even if his shot selection currently does not.
This selection is made with a big ol' wink to my friend David Kahn. You think the draft lottery being fixed is a problem? Wait until Hamilton is shooting from midcourt five times a game.
This wouldn't be a disappointing way for everything to go down when the NBA draft date of June 23 rolls around as the Wolves desperately need shooting and can't pass up drafting a talent like Williams with the No. 2 pick.

Lions

Test hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau will make his return to Super Rugby this Saturday when the NSW Waratahs take on the Lions.
Polota-Nau will bring his physical game to the Sydney Football Stadium having missed the round 12 victory over the Western Force and more time resting through last week’s bye.
His appearance on Saturday will be three weeks from the match with the Melbourne Rebels in which he was forced to leave the field after suffering a head knock.
Saturday’s match also sees the return of Damien Fitzpatrick as the reserve hooker.
Fitzpatrick was forced out of the round eight clash with the Western Force after injuring his knee in the captain’s run the day before the match.
He has spent the past six weeks on the sideline and replaces John Ulugia who performed strongly in the absence of Polota-Nau and Fitzpatrick.
Pat McCutcheon has joined Phil Waugh on the sidelines after injuring his ankle in the final play of the NSW Waratahs’ last match against the Force.
His injury sees Chris Alcock move from the bench and into the starting XV.
The backrow place on the bench will be filled by Eastwood captain Hugh Perrett (profile below) who could make his Super Rugby debut almost six years after earning his first state cap against Auckland.
Head coach Chris Hickey said that despite more injury-enforced changes he is confident the NSW Waratahs can turn in an impressive display against the Lions.
“It seems to be the story of our season that even if we win there’s a price to pay and last time around that price was Pat McCutcheon,” said Hickey. “That said, Chris Alcock is more than capable of filling in and Hugh Perrett gets an opportunity that is probably well overdue.
“To have Tatafu back this week is great news. There are some players that bring a unique skill set or irreplaceable quality to a team and Tatafu is certainly one of those players.”
Hickey said that continuity in the backline was starting to show good signs with all indicators pointing to a strong attacking game against the Lions.

“We’ve had to chop and change a lot this year in the backline with Drew Mitchell, Rob Horne and Berrick Barnes all out at various times,” said Hickey. We have had talented players moving in and out of the backline all year but this will be the third match in a row with this combination and that consistency will be a key.
“The forecast is fairly clear right through to Saturday and given the way the Lions played against the Brumbies last week I think fans can expect an exciting game on Saturday.”
Players will be added to the match-day 22 to form a provisional South African touring party that will be announced later this week. The touring party will be confirmed following Saturday night’s match.
NSW Waratahs: 1 Benn Robinson, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Dean Mumm (c), 5 Sitaleki Timani, 6 Dave Dennis, 7 Chris Alcock, 8 Ben Mowen, 9 Luke Burgess, 10 Berrick Barnes, 11 Sosene Anesi, 12 Tom Carter, 13 Ryan Cross, 14 Lachie Turner, 15 Kurtley Beale. Reserves: 16 Damien, 17 Al Baxter, 18 Kane Douglas, 19 Hugh Perrett, 20 Brendan McKibbin, 21 Daniel Halangahu, 22 Tom Kingston.
2011 Super Rugby Season - Round 14:
NSW Waratahs vs Lions
Sydney Football Stadium
Saturday night, May 21
Kick-off: 7:40pm (AEST).
Live coverage available on Fox Sports from 7:30pm (AEST). Check local guides for more information. Tickets are now on sale starting at just $20 for adults and $10 for kids.
Fans can also purchase a Two-Game Super Pass to the next two matches at the SFS against the Lions this weekend and then the Highlanders on June 11. Passes start at just $35 for adults and $20 for kids.
Saturday’s clash with the Lions will celebrate rugby in the bush with a ‘Country Party’. The curtain raiser will feature the NSW Country Cockatoos taking on the NSW Suburban rep team for the inaugural Maher-Ross Cup, while there will be a number of other country-themed activities and events surrounding the match.

NBA Mock Draft 2011

Chad Ford, basically the Adam Schefter of professional basketball, has all but declared Kyrie Irving a Cleveland Cavalier. He said last night on the ESPN NBA Draft Lottery special that barring a medical check (foot) Irving would be the top pick to the Cavs. He is already getting excited about the possibility in his latest mock draft on ESPN.com:
What a big win for Cleveland — it trades away Mo Williams and gets back No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving. Yes, the Cavs have Baron Davis, but he’s not a big part of their future plans. Irving can come in and immediately give them a backcourt foundation to fit withJ.J. Hickson and the No. 4 pick.
Ford also has the Cavs taking Turkish center and former Kentucky basketball player Enes Kanter with the fourth overall pick. He believes Kanter, while raw, can bring some much needed toughness and an inside-out game to the Cavaliers’ offensive attack:
Few teams watched Kanter play during the past year unless they saw a Kentucky practice, so they are projecting Kanter’s potential largely on the strength of a stellar performance at the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit. But if Kanter plays the way he did at the Hoop Summit and in workouts in Chicago (where I saw him for several days last week), he’s a good fit for the Cavs and worthy of this pick.

Kanter is tough, can play inside and out, rebounds the basketball and has a higher basketball IQ than most other players his age. While a bit undersized for a center, his toughness in the paint would be very welcome in Cleveland.
Stay tuned, as SB Nation Cleveland will have all major NBA Mock Draft updates from around the web for your viewing enjoyment. If you believe what you hear, it’s all but a lock that the Cavs will take Kyrie Irving with the first pick, but the 2nd pick—at least according to Ford—is where things could get really interesting. Who the Cavs wind up with at number four overall is anyone’s guess.

NBA Mock Draft

DraftExpress is the leading source for awesome NBA Mock Drafts on the web; ESPN's Chad Ford is right there, but has a lot of his work by the four-letter's Insider paywall. So bloggers? We love DraftExpress. And DX has put out its pre-lottery mock draft, the first of the season taking into account team needs.
There's no question Toronto needs guards, and that Walker is either the second- or third-best guard in the draft. (Kyrie Irving is almost unquestioned at the top, and Brandon Knight is next in line behind or in front of Walker.) This is a big man draft, but the Raptors start shooter-and-nothing-else Andrea Bargnani at center, and hope to have banger Ed Davis at power forward going forward.

That, mixed with Toronto's severe need for a young point guard, could definitely make Kemba the choice. But keep in mind that as we get closer and closer to the draft in late June, the more big men rise and undersized guards fall. We're past the era of the unproven, you-can't-teach-7-foot big men going No. 1 overall. But there is an institutional bias toward size over skill, and Walker is 100 percent skill over size. Don't count out a raw big man -- especially, in Toronto's case, a European big man like Jonas Valanciunas or Donatas Motiejunas or Enes Kanter -- showing just enough touch to squelch concerns and overtake Walker.
Other highlights from DX's mock:
* Bismack Biyombo at No. 7. This is real. This is happening.
* Jimmer Fredette sliding to No. 20. Past the Jazz ... twice!
* Jeremy Tyler makes the second round.

Washington Nationals

Danny Espinosa hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning as the Washington Nationals topped the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-2, Monday in a matchup of two of the worst offenses in baseball.

Jerry Hairston Jr. homered and Wilson Ramos had an RBI single for Washington, which has won two straight following a three-game losing streak.

Steve Pearce had an RBI single and Andrew McCutchen added an RBI triple for Pittsburgh, which has lost six straight. The Pirates were just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, which led to another hard-luck loss for Paul Maholm (1-6). He has received just 14 runs of support in his nine starts.

Washington regained the lead in the seventh after Pittsburgh tied the game 2-2 in the top half. Mike Morse hit a one-out single, which chased Maholm. Espinosa then deposited the first pitch he saw from Jose Ascanio into the right field seats for his fifth homer of the season.

That came after McCutchen tied the game with an RBI triple off Cole Kimball (1-0), who relieved Washington starter John Lannan in the seventh. Kimball stranded McCutchen at third by retiring the final two hitters to earn his first-career win.

Sean Burnett got the final two outs of the eighth and Drew Storen worked out of a first-and-second jam in the ninth to remain perfect in nine save opportunities.

Maholm allowed three runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. His counterpart, Lannan, allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Avram Grant

WEST Ham United sacked manager Avram Grant today, less than an hour after being relegated from the Premier League.
"The club can confirm that Avram Grant is no longer the manager of West Ham United," said a statement" released on the club website.
"First-team coach Kevin Keen will take charge of the team for the final home match of the season against Sunderland on May 22."
The east London club's owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, and vice-chairman Karren Brady  acted swiftly after watching West Ham relegated as Grant's team squandered a two-goal lead in their 3-2 defeat at fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic.
With only one league game to play, West Ham - who sit bottom of the table and six points from safety - are condemned to play in English football's second tier for the first time since 2006.
They had led through two goals from Demba Ba, but Charles N'Zogbia led Wigan's fightback and scored twice, including a 90th minute winner after a mistake from Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green.
Gold, Sullivan and Brady were at the DW Stadium and called Grant into a meeting straight after the final whistle to announce the Israeli would be sacked.
Speaking at his post-match press-conference, Grant said: "It is a very sad day for me, I think the most sad day since I started in football almost 40 years ago.
"I came (to the club) with a lot of desire and belief that we could do something here.
"I knew the financial problems and that the team was saved from relegation because the league was weak last year.
"I still thought that we could do better, but maybe this game is the story of our season."
The financial cost of relegation will be huge for West Ham, who already reportedly have the eighth highest wage bill in the Premier League.
Top-flight football is worth around $140 million a season in revenue and the likes of England internationals Green, Scott Parker, Carlton Cole and Matthew Upson are all likely to be sold to make up some of the shortfall.
West Ham are also due to move from Upton Park to the Olympic Stadium once it is revamped as a combined football and athletics venue after the 2012 London Games.
Brady insisted this week the move would still go ahead regardless of whether West Ham stayed up or not.
Grant's sacking marks the end of another depressing league campaign for the former Chelsea boss, who had taken charge at Upton Park last year after leaving Portsmouth in the aftermath of their relegation from the Premier League.
But Grant, who was handed a four-year contract to replace Gianfranco Zola, endured a miserable season from start to finish and his relationship with his employers quickly became strained as West Ham struggled to climb away from the relegation zone.
Although he led the Hammers to the League Cup semi-finals and the FA Cup quarter-finals, Grant won just seven of his 37 Premier League matches this season.
It was reported that West Ham offered Grant's job to Martin O'Neill in January but the former Aston Villa manager rejected the approach.
Grant's side briefly sparked hopes of avoiding the drop when they won three of five Premier League games from February 2 to March 5, including a memorable 3-1 home victory over Liverpool.
But the loss at Wigan was a sixth in seven league matches and Grant was always likely to pay the price.

QPR manager Neil Warnock could be a potential replacement for Grant, while former Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce would be another candidate.

Rome Masters 2011

Novak Djokovic maintained his unbeaten record in 2011 and landed his seventh title in an already astonishing year by defeating Rafael Nadal in the final of the Rome Masters on Sunday evening.

The Serb has now won 39 consecutive matches – 37 this year – and will head to Roland Garros for the French Open in a week's time as overwhelming favourite to add to the Australian Open crown he won in January.
He beat Nadal 6-4, 6-4 in Sunday's final.
Nadal fought valiantly but he has now lost in four finals this year to Djokovic – in Indian Wells, Miami and, last week, on clay in Madrid, as well as Rome.

Maria Sharapova

Women's tennis desperately wants Maria Sharapova to do well – never more so than on the eve of the French Open – and, need it be repeated, not exclusively for reasons to do with the clean swing of her racket.
She played competently enough at the Foro Italico to beat the Australian Sam Stosur for the ninth time in a row and take the Rome Masters title, but it was a grinding performance in a dull match.
At a press conference last week, a journalist remarked that her tumble in a match particularly excited males in the crowd, a remark so crass the player could only play it down with sarcasm. She is well used to it. "I've done many things in my life. I love shoots and I love fashion, to get away from reality," she said. "Then you come home and you're in your pyjamas in front of the TV."
Here in Rome, after two hours' delay for rain, the crowd in the Campo Centrale tried hard to create excitement around the error-littered action, to no avail. The 24-year-old Russian, moving with well‑drilled ease, bobbed and grunted and barely broke sweat in seeing off an opponent who had clearly left her best tennis in the semi-finals, and won 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 23 minutes.
She has obviously recovered from the illness that kept her out of three tournaments in February, and, after reaching the final in Miami and re-entering the top 10 in April, her season is looking up.
It was her first title in four finals since her last trophy, the 22nd of her career, in Strasbourg last year. Among active players, only Venus Williams (43), Kim Clijsters (41) and Serena Williams (37) have won more.

Stosur, the first Australian to reach this final since Lesley Hunt in 1976, will have to rediscover her A game before Roland Garros, where she lost in the final to the vibrant Italian Francesca Schiavone. She has concentrated on her clay tennis to the point where it is now her favourite surface. Stosur beat Schiavone here in three sets on Thursday in the quarter-finals, and looked even better defeating China's Li Na, 7-6, 6-0 to reach the final.
Yet, but for some resistance in the second set, she did not much trouble the world No8 when it mattered. Sharapova had to do little remarkable to go 4-0 in the first set and an Italian optimist inspired mocking laughter when he shouted before Stosur's next serve, "Come on Samantha, you can do it."
She did get back to 4-1, and Sharapova double-faulted for 4-2 – but these were illusions of parity.
Fluffed ground strokes and grit were the stuff of the second set. There was much better tennis in the women's championship than this, memorably Schiavone's rousing comeback to beat the Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova in the third round. And Stosur, too, showed glimpses of her undoubted class. It was a pity such form was not seen in the final. Nonetheless, the sponsors will be ecstatic. Sharapova is rehabilitated and ready for her close-up.

Jorge Posada

David Ortiz [stats] knows something about being a franchise icon, and he believes the New York Yankees are disrespecting one of theirs.
When the Yankees dropped longtime catcher Jorge Posada to the bottom of the lineup before last night’s game, Posada told manager Joe Girardi he didn’t want to play. General manager Brian Cashman met the media during the game and said Posada isn’t injured. Posada, meanwhile, insisted his back was bothering him, prompting a team-said, player-said Bronx controversy.
But Ortiz criticized the Yankees for turning Posada into a full-time designated hitter this season and attempting last night to drop him to the No. 9 spot for the first time since 1999.
“You want me to tell you what I think? They’re doing that guy wrong,” Ortiz said. “They’re doing him wrong. Because that guy, he’s legendary right there in the organization.”
Posada has spent his entire 17-year career with the Yankees, winning five World Series.
Ortiz discussed the challenges of being a designated hitter, especially for someone who is used to playing a position for so many years. Posada, batting only .165, said not playing defense has affected him at the plate.
“DHing sucks,” said Ortiz, who didn’t condone Posada’s decision to take himself out of the lineup. “From what I heard, they told him from the very beginning he’s not even going to catch bullpens. That, straight up, starts messing with your head. You’re going tell me Posada can’t catch a game out there? Come on, man. I guarantee you, they throw him out there once in a while, mentally, it’s going to help him out.
“Because he’s just not thinking about hitting. When you just think about hitting and you’re not hitting, it sucks. He’s a guy that, he’s a good hitter. I don’t care what anybody says. He’s going through what he’s going through right now, but he’s a good hitter.”
Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek [stats] has played nearly as long as Posada. And while he said he “respects what the man has done behind the plate for many, many years,” he didn’t want to comment on the situation.
In 2009, Varitek accepted a backup role after the Red Sox [team stats] traded forVictor Martinez. This year, he’s splitting time with Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
“I believe that we have a chance to win ballgames,” Varitek said. “You can moan or you can provide what you can to aid a team in winning, and we want to win here.”
Jenks getting close
Right-hander Bobby Jenks, sidelined with a right biceps strain, indicated he has felt better for the past few days. But the Red Sox won’t clear the reliever to throw until he’s symptom-free, and according to a strength test administered Thursday, that is not yet the case.
“I’m very close,” Jenks said. “It is probably about a 3 right now on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst. The only problem is they want it down to zero before I pick up a baseball.
“Right now, I feel I can go out there and throw and do my job. But on the smart side of things, it’s like a pulled hamstring. You don’t want to go out and start running on it too soon and make it worse.”
Jenks, eligible to be activated before Tuesday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, doubts he will need a minor league rehab assignment before he returns. In 11 appearances, he has posted a 9.35 ERA, but he believes he has made mechanical adjustments to improve his command.
Reliever Dan Wheeler (left calf strain) allowed one hit and struck out three in 12⁄3 innings for Triple-A Pawtucket last night.
Lack on track
After throwing a bullpen session yesterday, struggling John Lackey remained on track to start Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
Lackey has surrendered 17 earned runs in his last 102⁄3 innings, leaving his ERA at 8.01. After Wednesday night’s game in Toronto, he said “everything in my life sucks right now,” but declined to elaborate. Lackey’s wife reportedly is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, but he hasn’t discussed her condition.
Per team policy, manager Terry Francona won’t talk about Lackey’s personal life. Asked about the right-hander’s state of mind, Francona indicated pitching is a welcome distraction.
“That’s actually one of the things he looks forward to a lot,” Francona said.
Youkilis sore

Third baseman Kevin Youkilis [stats], who made a stellar diving stop in the sixth inning to rob Russell Martin of a hit, was lifted in the ninth in order to rest his left hip, which has been sore over the past few weeks.
“As the game progressed, he got a little tight,” Francona said. “I don’t think it’s anything that’ll keep him out (tonight).” . . .
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia [stats] went 3-for-4 to raise his average against the Yankees to .650 (13-for-20). Pedroia is batting .190 (24-for-126) against every other team.

Manchester City

Manchester City

As Saturday afternoon beckoned, both Manchester Unitedand Manchester City were on the verge of glory as thePremier League and the FA Cup came to a head.

United needed just a point at Blackburn Rovers to seal their 19th league title at lunchtime, whilst City went up against Stoke shortly after the United game ended at Wembley Stadium.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side looked like making hard work of it at Ewood Park when they fell behind to Brett Emerton's strike in the first half. United were frustrated by strong performances from Chris Samba and Phil Jones, before controversy struck as Javier Hernandez went over Paul Robinson.

Referee Phil Dowd consulted his assistant before awarding a penalty to the visitors, which Wayne Rooney swept home. United held on to claim their 19th title and Sir Alex Ferguson was proud of his side.

"It was a fantastic performance by the lads and the supporters and for everybody connected with the club it's a great day today," he told Sky Sports."The players worked their socks off to get the result we needed. It wasn't an easy game, we went 1-0 down having given them a bad goal but we kept on and we don't give in.
"It was a big challenge. In the 80s, it was Liverpool's time. But when I came down, I never thought we could achieve what we've achieved, but getting that first one opened the doors.
"It looked like it was not going to be our day, we've always had it difficult here."
Just 25 minutes after United celebrated, Manchester City kicked-off at Wembley looking for their first trophy in 35 years.

Stoke City proved to be resilient opposition but a Yaya Toure strike a little more than 15 minutes from extra-time put the seal on the FA Cup for the Blues as another trophy began its journey towards Manchester.

Manager Mancini revelled in City's success and praised both his players and the fans, tellingITV Sports: "They deserve this celebration after many years. I can say congratulations to my players because this afternoon they played a fantastic game.

"We deserved to score in the first half but were perhaps unlucky. We always had the game under control but in football everything can change in one moment."

WAC

Utah State senior distance runner Eric Larson won the 1500m with a time of 3:49.95 on Friday, the final day of the 2011 WAC Outdoor Championships in Honolulu.
The scores remain tight with a little over a handful of events for each the men and women to claim the 2011 WAC Outdoor Championship title. With 13 events scored for the women and 14 for the men, Nevada leads the women with 91 points followed closely by USU at 87 and Louisiana Tech at 83 while Boise State sits at No. 1 with 113 and the Aggies at 105 in a clear two team race.
Larson remained undefeated in the 1500m throughout the outdoor season as well as earning his second first-team all-WAC honor after finishing second at last year's championships. He also earned second-team all-WAC honors in 2008 when he finished fifth in the 1500m.
Events that finished after 10 p.m. on Thursday have been included in this release.
Due to the four-hour time difference, Utah State Athletics has only included the events that finished before 10 p.m. (MT) Friday, in order to accommodate media outlets deadlines. All events that took place after 10 p.m. will be included in a release on Saturday.
USU placed athletes in the top three, earning first-team all-WAC honors, in eight events including seniors Ashlee Cannonin the 100m hurdles (13.96, second) and Shannon Prince in the discus with a toss of 47.94m (157-03, third) along with junior Kim Quinnin the 10,000m (37-02.58, third).
Senior Hunter Nelson finished third in the 1500m (3:51.78) as freshman Kyle McKenna and his older brother Brian McKenna, a junior, finished second and third in the 10,000m with times of 30:26.13 and 30:46.65, respectively. The men's 4x100m relay team finished second (41.05) as the team consisted of sophomore Silas Pimentel, senior Armahd Lewis and freshman Mikey Payne andTanner Hunt. Pimentel also placed third in the 100m (10.59).
For Nelson, this is his second first-team all-WAC honor and third overall all-WAC honor as he is a two-time second-team all-WAC honoree. For the McKenna brothers, this is Kyle's first all-WAC honor and the fifth for Brian, all of which have been first-team accolades.The Aggies also had athletes earn 17 second-team all-WAC honors for finishing fourth through sixth.

The USU men are the two-time defending WAC Outdoor Champions, while the Aggie women have placed fourth each of the last three years. The Utah State women look to avenge their one-point loss to Louisiana Tech earlier this year in the indoor season.
Live results can be found at www.utahstateaggies.com or on www.wacsports.com.
Fans can follow Utah State Athletics, including USU track and field, at http://twitter.com/USUAthletics.com or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.

Stoke

Almost three years after Sheik Mansour's takeover transformed City into one of the richest clubs in the world, his £300million investment has now produced Champions League qualification and an FA Cup triumph in the space of a week.
It was somehow fitting that semi-final hero Yaya Toure - reportedly the highest paid player in the Barclays Premier League on £185,000 a week - was the match-winner again today against Stoke, whose 148-year wait for FA Cup glory goes on.
City had not won the cup themselves since 1969 but the Potters had not even been to a final and were the only surviving founder members of the Football League never to lift the trophy.
The 1-0 defeat was also a double-whammy for manager Tony Pulis, whose last Wembley final saw his Gillingham side lose the 1999 Second Division play-offs to City.
The build-up to cup final day had been dominated by talk of the competition being further devalued by the scheduling of today's game.
Manchester United clinching the Barclays Premier League title minutes before kick-off did not help matters, and neither therefore did a rather unfortunate pre-match rendition of 'We are the Champions'.
But try telling that to the tens of thousands of City and Stoke fans crammed into Wembley this afternoon for what was the first cup final for both clubs for more than a generation.
And try telling it to the managers, who each gambled on the fitness of key players as Carlos Tevez, Matthew Etheringtonand Robert Huth all started.
City captain Tevez soon set about proving manager Roberto Mancini right, forcing a fine parry from Thomas Sorensenfrom 25 yards.
It was a sign of things to come as Mancini's men belied their reputation for caution in a utterly dominant first-half display.
Ryan Shawcross almost put into his own net and Toure drilled just wide from long range.
And City would have been ahead midway through the half but for a world-class save from Sorensen, who somehow clawed behind Mario Balotelli's top-corner-bound curler.
It was looking like Sorensen's lucky day after he kept his place as Stoke's FA Cup goalkeeper ahead of Asmir Begovic.
He survived being beaten to a long ball by Tevez and got away with spilling Vincent Kompany's tame long-ranger.
His luck continued when Tevez brilliantly played in Balotelli and Sorensen beat the ball down straight to David Silva, who rifled a shot into the ground and over the crossbar.
Stoke had gone some way to shattering their own reputation in their free-flowing semi-final demolition of Bolton.
But when Huth's forearm connected with Balotelli's jaw, it was an early indication they had reverted to type.
Long throws and set-pieces were once again the order of the day, although they did fashion a chance in open play when Vincent Kompany threw his body at Kenwyne Jones' close-range shot.
Emerging from what can only have been harsh words at half-time, Stoke tore into City early in the second half, Jermaine Pennant playing through the pain of a first-half ankle injury to lead the charge.
But they were unable to produce the finishing touch and were almost caught on the break when Tevez squared for Silva, who hesitated just long enough for Shawcross to nick the ball away.
Joe Hart had been a spectator all afternoon but he came to City's rescue just past the hour mark when Jones beat Joleon Lescott to a long ball before poking his finish too close to the keeper.
Etherington, who had looked less than fully fit, was immediately withdrawn for Dean Whitehead.

Mancini responded to City's second-half slump by throwing on Adam Johnson for Gareth Barry and it immediately paid off.
City won the ball on the edge of the area and Balotelli exchanged passes via Huth, with the Italian's shot blocked by Marc Wilson straight to Toure to blast home.
Desperate defending and a fine save twice prevented Silva wrapping up victory, with Stoke throwing on John Carew in a bid to keep their dream alive.
Mancini finally went defensive when he withdrew Tevez for Pablo Zabaleta but despite late Stoke pressure, City deservedly hung on.

Maria Sharapova

Caroline Wozniacki was dumped out of the Rome Masters by Maria Sharapova after a bruising semi-final encounter.
The seventh-seeded Sharapova edged an enthralling first set but looked to be fading as the world number one Dane hit back to lead 3-1 in the second set.
With both struggling to hold serve, it was the Russian, 24, who produced a brutal and relentless response.
Five games in a row stunned Wozniacki and the 7-5 6-3 win set up Sunday's final with Sam Stosur, who beat Li Na.
Stosur's 7-6 (8-6) 6-0 triumph was the Australian's third straight sets win to maintain her unbeaten record against China's world number four.
After breaking in the first game and then building up a 5-3 lead, it was a surprise to see Stosur looking so rattled as she tried to wrap up the first set.
Having been taken to a tie-break after wasting set points, the Australian kept her cool to finally decimate her Chinese opponent in a one-sided second set.
On the prospect of playing for the Italian title nearly a year after being runner-up in the French Open, Stosur said: "I'm looking forward to it. I haven't played a final for a year now, it will be a very exciting day."
The second semi-final between Wozniacki and Sharapova was the contest of the day though.
Despite the service breaks by both players, it was an intriguing and pulsating encounter that lasted 1 hour 50 minutes with the Russian overcoming an opponent she hadn't beaten since the Australian Open in 2008.
Sharapova broke the Dane's serve in the second game of the first set and seized the initiative to take it with a service hold at 7-5 after four breaks in a row.
Wozniacki, winner of three titles this year, battled back with a stunning combination of defence and the occasional forehand firework, to lead 2-0 in the second set.
The tide seemed to be turning at the end of that second game as Sharapova lay face down in the Italian clay after a crushing return from the Dane recovered a seemingly lost cause with the Russian at the net.

But despite trailing 3-1, the three-time grand slam champion simply increased her power as she reeled off five successive games to shock the 20-year-old.

FA Cup Final

Joe Hart 7
Limited in his involvement as Manchester City dominated possession, but was still alert to smother a second-half shot when Kenwyne Jones got behind the defence.
Micah Richards 6
Missed an early headed chance and, with Matthew Etherington offering only a very limited threat down the left, was able to frequently push forward in support of David Silva.
Vincent Kompany 7
Made an important first-half block to deny Jones and, such was City’s initial dominance, he also offered an attacking threat. Weakly side-footed one good chance into Thomas Sorensen's arms.
Joleon Lescott 6
Initially a spectator but looked defensively suspect when Stoke did impart some pressure. Was easily shaken off the ball as Jones muscled his way into a goalscoring position during the second-half.
Aleksandar Kolarov 6
Pushing forward at every opportunity and produced one first-half cross which was almost deflected in by Ryan Shawcross. Got into good positions, but often wasteful with his delivery.
Nigel de Jong 7
Helped Manchester City generally control the midfield and also produced several defence-splitting passes. Only occasionally got forward and skewed one good chance wide.
Gareth Barry 6
Quietly kept possession and rarely wasted a pass, although unable to inject any pace or incision into City’s play. Substituted mid-way through the second-half.
David Silva 6
Wasted one especially inviting chance when he volleyed into the ground and over with the goal at his mercy, but played an important part in the winning goal.
Yaya Toure 7
Almost scored one of the great FA Cup final goals with 30-yard shot that fizzed inches wide and was then clinical in blasting the winner past Sorensen.
Mario Balotelli 8
Excellent in both his link-up play and final ball. Forced an outstanding save from Sorensen with curling first-half shot and began the move for Manchester City’s winning goal.
Carlos Tevez 7
Quickly eased any doubts about his fitness by cutting inside and forcing an early Sorensen save. Frequently dropped deep and was the catalyst for much of City’s best attacking play.
SUBSTITUTES
Adam Johnson provided a far more direct threat when he replaced Garry Barry, while Pablo Zabaleta and Patrick Vieira were also introduced as City showed poise and experience in effectively protecting their lead.
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STOKE CITY
Thomas Sorensen 7
Made an exceptional first-half save to deny Mario Balotelli and was also alert to deny both Carlos Tevez and Aleksandar Kolarov. Could do little to prevent Yaya Toure’s powerful finish.
Andy Wilkinson 5
Had an especially difficult afternoon against the movement and quality down City’s left, although did briefly lift Stoke with a full-blooded tackle on Kolorav.
Robert Huth 6
Extremely fortunate not to attract more severe punishment for a stray first-half elbow on Balotelli. Was later deservedly cautioned for a challenge on Micah Richards.
Ryan Shawcross 7
Almost sliced one attempted first-half clearance into his own goal but held the Stoke defence together admirably for long periods of sustained Manchester City pressure.

Marc Wilson 6
Largely got the better of Silva down Manchester City’s right, but was partially culpable for the decisive goal after missing a half-chance to clear the danger.
Jermaine Pennant 7
The only Stoke player who offered a genuine first-half threat. Took several knocks to his foot and ankle but lasted the full 90 minutes and offered continual threat.
Rory Delap 5
Stoke were initially camped inside their own half, leaving little opportunity for Rory Delap to unleash the trademark long-throw. Was eventually sacrificed as Tony Pulis searched in vain for an equaliser.
Glenn Whelan 6
Stoke were completely overrun in midfield throughout the first-half, although Glenn Whelan’s resistance and impact did increase as the match wore on.
Matthew Etherington 4
Pulis gambled on Etherington's selection to offer some added creativity down the left but he was clearly not match fit following a hamstring injury and his impact was minimal.
Kenwyne Jones 6
With Pennant, he was the only Stoke player who really threatened the City goal. Forced crucial blocks either side of half-time from Vincent Kompany and then Joe Hart.
Jonathan Walters 5
Worked hard, but saw precious little of the ball as City out-manoeuvred Stoke in midfield. Created a half-chance for Jones but was otherwise anonymous.
SUBSTITUTES
Dean Whitehead came on for Etherington and John Carew replaced Delap, but Stoke lacked sufficient creative quality from the bench to alter the pattern of the match and knock Manchester City out of their stride.

Brock Lesnar

Yesterday, the UFC announced that Brock Lesnar was once again suffering from diverticulitis, the swelling of abnormal pouches called diverticulum in the intestinal wall. The disease's return has forced Lesnar to withdraw from a showdown with Junior dos Santos at UFC 131 in June.Shane Carwin has stepped up on roughly 30 days notice to maintain a solid main event match-up on the card, but it's far from a fight that would create the pay-per-view buys that Lesnar would bring.
Lesnar stated during the conference call yesterday afternoon that he believes this isn't the end of the road for him in the sport. Dana White and the UFC are probably happy to hear the determination by their former champ to continue fighting. Unfortunately, the outlook is grim on whether the UFC will be able to squeeze a few more main events out of the 33-year-old NCAA champion wrestler.
Much of the speculation surrounding the initial bout with diverticulitis revolved around steroids and their connection with gastrointestinal illnesses. Others felt Lesnar's physical gifts, massive size, and enormous diet were a combination that bred life-long problems with health. Nobody knows for sure exactly why Lesnar is suffering, and I'm not willing to pin his illness on steroid use. What we do know is diverticulitis is an ailment that can be life threatening if perforations, bleeding, or blockages occur. Lesnar had a perforation that leaked fecal matter into his abdomen when the illness was first discovered, making this sudden relapse a major concern for his future in the sport and in life.
In various studies, vigorous physical activity was proven to decrease the complications of the disease. But as Lesnar stated yesterday during the conference call, he's not a normal human being. He's a freak of nature who is pushing himself physically in training every day. Whether or not those studies are accounting for the relentless training that Lesnar and many other athletes go through on a daily basis is unknown.
What's the outcome to this saga? Many fans are claiming this is the end of the Lesnar era in mixed martial arts, an era that saw a massive crossover superstar bring huge revenue to the UFC. It's an easy prediction to make considering the evidence. The disease can be life-threatening, and Lesnar, who has already made millions from his professional wrestling career and years in the UFC, doesn't need to press his luck by fighting. Lesnar alluded to the notion that he probably wasn't 100% in both the Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez fight, and he may never be at 100% again. The illness could plague him for the rest of his life.

Diet is one of the major improvements one must make to subside the symptoms of diverticulitis, and I have my doubts as to whether the diet to maintain a hulking 265 lb. mountain of a man runs parallel with a high fiber, soothing diet that will stifle these problems. There is also something to be said for his training regiment. While studies show that all of this vigorous activity should help the situation, it's hard to believe an overexerting workout routine for a heavyweight mixed martial artist with previous problems helps. But I'm not a doctor.
Surgery was an option brought up during the conference call, and in my opinion -- I think Brock may be leaning toward that solution as it will cut out portions of the intestine that are filled with those abnormal pouches. He stated on multiple occasions during the call that he wanted to fix this and get back to business. That seems like a logical choice considering the initial treatment never cured the problem.
How long will surgery sideline the former champion? We don't know. And we don't know if it will cure his illness, nor do we know if he'll continue to be plagued with this potentially life-threatening disease. Perhaps this is the end for Brock Lesnar. In my mind, I think we'll see Lesnar return by next year, but I don't think he'll be in the sport much longer, especially if he will never be able to convince himself that he's 100% when he steps into the cage.

Bryce Harper

On the day Bryce Harper walked into the eye doctor’s office, he was, he would say later, “blind as a bat.” Keith Smithson, the Washington Nationals’ team optometrist, asked Harper to read an eye chart, then looked at him with astonishment and said, according to Harper: “I don’t know how you ever hit before. You have some of the worst eyes I’ve ever seen.”
That was on April 19. The next night, fitted with a new pair of contact lenses, Harper, batting just .231 at the time for the low-Class A Hagerstown Suns of the South Atlantic League, had a double and a single against the visiting Hickory Crawdads. The next night, he homered. And the night after that, he singled, doubled, homered and drove in six runs.
“It was like I was seeing in HD,” Harper said.
Suffice it to say Harper’s hi-def vision is a huge upgrade over standard-def. In 20 games since his visit to the eye doctor, Harper is hitting .480 (36 for 75) with a .547 on-base percentage and an .893 slugging percentage — with 7 homers, 10 doubles and 23 RBI. For the season, he is hitting .395/.473/.702, leading the league in all three “slash-line” categories.
Oh, and lest you forgot, he’s only 18 years old, the youngest player in the “Sally” League. His next closest pursuer in OPS (on-base plus slugging), first baseman Matt Curry of the West Virginia Power, is almost 23. Harper’s classmates at Las Vegas High — the ones he left behind after sophomore year to earn his GED and enroll in a junior college in order to speed up his draft eligibility — are preparing for their senior prom.
Harper’s offensive rampage, which includes a 16-game hitting streak that he continued Thursday night with a third-inning single against visiting Delmarva, raises two important questions:
How did Harper become the top amateur player in the nation in 2010, as well as arguably the greatest hitting prospect in Major League Baseball draft history, when he was “blind as a bat” prior to his being fitted with contacts?
And secondly, what in the world is he still doing here in Hagerstown?
To the first question, Harper merely shrugs and says, “I don’t know” — apparently being too modest to tell the truth, which is: That’s just how good he was.
“I needed [the contacts] in college,” he said. “But I tried them for a while in high school, and they gave me headaches really bad. So I just got by without them. But these are a new kind [of lenses], and they really help. The difference [in vision] is huge.”
The second question — why is Harper still in Hagerstown — is a bit more complicated. A promotion to high-Class A Potomac is almost certainly coming — just not soon enough to satisfy to legions of Nationals fans who want to see him promoted (ideally to Washington) today, if not yesterday.
“We haven’t had any discussions about moving him at all,” said Doug Harris, the Nationals’ farm director. “I know everyone wants to speculate about that. But he’s with a good group [of teammates]. He’s learning. Going through a league a second or third time — that’s a good challenge for a player.”
Pressed about Harper’s offensive numbers — and whether they might suggest he isn’t being challenged by Sally League pitching — Harris said: “I think there’s more to it than just statistics in this instance. He’s making great strides in all phases of the game. Offense is just one component of the game.”
Indeed, when you watch Harper play — as opposed to simply reading box scores or following his at-bats online — it becomes apparent he is still raw and prone to forehead-smacking mistakes on defense and on the base paths.
Over the course of two games earlier this week, Harper made a series of outstanding catches in right field (he is also seeing extensive action in center field), but also airmailed a throw to the plate that sailed into the netting behind the plate, some 15 feet above the ground. He also tried to throw behind a runner making a turn at first base following a single — even though the first baseman was some 20 feet from the bag.
The base paths provide another setting for adventure. On Tuesday, after singling to left field, Harper saw the left fielder bobble the ball momentarily and took off for second — only to be thrown out by 20 feet. It wasn’t the first time this season that Harper has been guilty of playing “Little League” baseball on the base paths — defined as running until someone tags you out.
“The hardest thing [for Harper] is realizing all these other players are better than what he’s played against before,” Hagerstown Manager Brian Daubach said. “And some of the risks he could take on the bases before don’t work here, and are not going to work at [the higher levels]. By no means do we want to take away his aggressiveness. It’s much easier to reel someone in than to try to get a passive player to be that aggressive. He’ll learn.”
As he has pretty much his entire playing career, Harper is also dealing with the scrutiny of opponents who want to show him up and hostile fans who want to get into his head. On one recent road trip, he barreled into an opposing catcher when caught in a rundown, causing the upended catcher — who had held onto the ball — to jump up and get in Harper’s face. Another near-brawl started when Harper exchanged words with a pitcher who had just struck him out.
“I’m not going to back down from anybody,” Harper said. “I’m always going to have my teammates’ backs, no matter what. I’ll be the first one out there swinging, if I have to. I’ve always been that way.”

In West Virginia, Harper also endured the taunts of one particularly obnoxious fan who peppered him all series with, among other things, vulgarities pertaining to his mother and sister — stuff that was described by one person who was there as “the most vile things I’ve ever heard anyone say, on or off a baseball field.”
Asked about that experience, Harper acknowledged having heard all of it. But then he shrugged again and said, “It’s just getting me ready for Philly.”

Azlan Shah Hockey 2011

Azlan Shah Hockey 2011

India squandered a first half lead to suffer an embarrassing 1-3 defeat against arch-rivals Pakistan in a crucial match of the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Ipoh on Wednesday.

For India Rupinder Pal Singh (20th minute) scored the lone goal, while Umar Butta (49th), Mohammad Imran (55th) and veteran Sohail Abbas (57th) found the net for Pakistan in a high-voltage encounter between to the two traditional rivals.

India started the game on a positive note and created numerous scoring chances in the opening half but could not sustain the tempo.

Rupinder Pal Singh, the find of the tournament, capitalised on one such opportunity and increased his personal tally, handing India the lead in the 20th minute with a powerful dragflick from their second penalty corner.

However, it was a completely different scenario after the change of ends as, trailing by a goal, Pakistan came out all guns blazing and launched continuous raids on the Indian citadel.

Their efforts bore fruit in the 49th minute when Butta capiotalised on Diwakar Ram and Gurbaj Singh's defensive lapse to equalise for Pakistan.

Imran made it 2-1 in the 55th minute converting a penalty corner and two minutes later it was Abbas' turn to slam home the ball from another short corner to literally take the game away from the Indians.