Emmert: Grant not a lean towards "pay for play" (AP)

HOUSTON-NCAA President Mark Emmert, said Thursday that leaders University across the country "adamant" about never allowing a student to pay to play and dispute the suggestion that a maximum of $2,000 to add sports scholarships a step in this direction.

Emmert took the floor Thursday to the Economic Club of Houston, a week after the Division I Board of Directors approved a series of far-reaching reforms. On the move included an option for conferences up to $ 2,000 per year to add athletic scholarships.

The allocation of critical pocket money considered as the first step to finish paying students to compete. Emmert, said money is just intended to bridge the gap between a scholarship - which covers education, pension and books - and the "total cost of attendance," in what other miscellaneous expenditures by athletes who go over their seasons. "".

The sum of $2,000 was a "compromise" between the members of the Council, said Emmert. Some thought that the total amount must have been higher, but Emmert, said that the Council report you a reasonable amount that he felt that all schools will be able to afford.

"It could have been higher, it could have been lower," he said. "But it was the number that everyone is agreed was a good place to be."

Emmert, says that the allocation does not compare to the provision of a salary to a student-athlete, essentially making him an employee of the University.

"We are still supporting their as students, but not as someone who we pay to play a game," said Emmert, former President of the University of Washington. "When you this model to a model where games are students who have not paid more, well now you student athletics." We already have is the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball.

"Everyone in Interuniversity Athletics under the direction is completely inflexible on this issue," he said. "I know there are a lot of debate out there to pay for the game, but it is not yet open to discussion.". This is in contradiction with what is in college athletics. »

Apart from the conflict philosophical Emmert said that another fundamental flaw with the idea of "pay for play" is to know how to implement.

He has said "That would have established pay?". "". It would be the same for all players? This would be the same for all sports? Paid volleyball team? Female athletes get paid? A holder quarterback paid more than the third-string offensive lineman? It is the same wage for each school in the country?

"We are the only nation as intercollegiate Athletics," said Emmert. "" "". It is a unique American tradition. Turning it into professional athletes are not the solution to the challenges that we are now. »

Emmert took the NCAA in November 2010, and the Agency has faced a rash of major scandals in the past year, especially on programs of football in the State of Ohio and Miami.

More than a dozen of Buckeyes were suspended for a series of violations, most of these incorrect benefits involving-related tattoo salon. Jim Tressel had resigned as coach and the school offered compensation is 12-1 record in 2010.

Password Ohio State NCAA sanctions, and for his last Emmert would not say when that might be announced.

"It would be inappropriate for me to speculate," he said.

Emmert, says that the NCAA is still collecting information in the case of Miami, where more than 70 players have received additional benefits provided by the former of make-up and convicted Ponzi scheme architect Nevin Shapiro. Major sanctions be expected when the research stimulated by a presentation by Yahoo Sports, is completed.

"The case of Miami is it yet, said Emmert." "". We always work with the University to know the facts as much as possible. The University of Miami, very cooperative and we are happy with it.

Emmert has also taken to the Agency in the first waves of realignment of the Conference. He said that schools should reserve the right to choose their leagues, but he cares about how changes will affect the student-athletes.

While Texas A M & the transition from the big 12 Conference of South - East add not many kilometres to the Aggies, output road, spoke on the addition of the Big East Boise State, Navy and the air force only for football, SMU and Houston and Central Florida for all sports.

And that could lead to some travel very disturbing over long distances, Emmert said.

"If you are flying to halfway across the country for them a mid week volleyball-game play and they ' ve got to return to class in 09 the next day, what is the reality of this. Emmert said. "What that is the reality of the cost of flying teams across the country, and that eliminates all the economic benefits of a part of this Conference?"

Emmert also ask what is motivate some schools to their moves.

"They make decisions because they have good information as to what actually happens?" he said, "or do fear and reactivity, and concerns about what may happen somewhere other than what is happening actually is?"

"Long as reversed the process, deliberation is and focus on student-athletes, how they are affected, then they can do what they want to do," said. "My job is to look at intercollegiate Athletics as a whole and to remind them that they should pay attention to these things."

Posters for London 2012 Olympics unveiled (AP)

LONDON – A nude Paralympic cyclist, an abstract take on Big Ben and two birds kissing.

Olympic officials on Friday unveiled the posters for the London 2012 games, which highlight 12 different takes on how to celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic games.

Leading British artists including the controversial Tracey Emin and Turner Prize-winner Martin Creed designed the posters, joining a tradition that dates back to 1912 and has showcased the works of others such as Andy Warhol and David Hockney.

Emin, whose most famous works include a recreation of her disheveled bed — complete with soiled clothing and empty vodka bottles — and an appliqued tent entitled "Everyone I Have Ever Slept With," described her poster as a "love letter" to the Paralympic games and its athletes.

The image features two kissing birds sitting on a branch above the words "You inspire me with Your determination And I love you."

Fellow artist Fiona Banner also paid tribute to the Paralympic games with "Superhuman Nude." Her poster of a nude Paralympic cyclist is adorned with the words "piercing rod of muscle," "steel buttock" and "absurdly muscly."

Overlapping Olympics-colored rings that resemble marks left by drinking glasses grace Turner-Prize winner Rachel Whiteread's work, while Sarah Morris used grids in her abstract take on London's iconic landmark, Big Ben.

Members of the public will be able to buy posters of the 12 images for 7 pounds ($11.20) or as limited-edition prints.

A set of the images has been given to Queen Elizabeth II for the Royal Collection and they will be displayed at Prime Minister David Cameron's residence, 10 Downing Street, in 2012.

The posters also will be shown in a free exhibition at the Tate Britain museum as part of the London 2012 festival.

The giant arts festival will take place in conjunction with the 2012 Olympics, which run July 27-August 12, 2012.

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Online:

http://www.london2012.com/festival

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Cassandra Vinograd can be reached at http://twitter.com/CassVinograd

Pavelec pitches shutout in Jets win over Islanders (AP)

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Ondrej Pavelec stopped all 34 shots he faced, and Evander Kane provided all the offense the Winnipeg Jets needed in a 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday night.

Johnny Oduya and Alexander Burmistrov also scored for the Jets, who have won three of four. Winnipeg will continue its tour of the New York metropolitan area with a game at New Jersey on Saturday and one against the Rangers on Sunday.

Oduya gave the Jets an insurance goal with 3:56 left when he fired an in-close shot past goalie Rick DiPietro. Burmistrov added an empty-netter with 2:16 remaining.

DiPietro made 23 saves for the Islanders, who have lost six straight (0-4-2). New York went 0 for 3 on the power play and didn't give up a man advantage to Winnipeg.

The Jets took a 1-0 lead 4:21 into the game when Kane poked in a rebound for his fifth goal this season. Kane had a chance to double the advantage at 9:13 when he was awarded a penalty shot, but his wrister hit the post.

The second period was scoreless, despite the Islanders having a 19-6 edge in shots.

NOTES: The Jets have won three of four on the road. ... Al Montoya served as DiPietro's backup.

Scott Bradley, go for big finish in Shanghai (AP)

SHANGHAI-Adam Scott can join rare company with a second World Golf Championship. Keegan Bradley still has hopes of player PGA winning Tour of the year. Paul Casey believes that his PGA Tour card had disappeared and has a shot to resume.

Champions of the HSBC, the semi-official end of the PGA Tour and the beginning of a great finish on the PGA European Tour, offers a little of both players.

Scott Bradley, and Casey put themselves in the running Friday at a wet day and cloud Fredy International. They hunted Fredrik Jacobson, who held six birdies from his card for a rattled and error 6-under 66. Jacobson's record for the tournament 11-133 and attached to a shot under the direction of about Scott and Louis Oosthuizen go towards the end of week.

Jacobson, a Swede who lives and who plays primarily in America, won his first title on the PGA Tour this year Championship travellers and believes that his game has improved to the point that it can reflect on his first Ryder Cup team.

It is still 10 months.

There are several immediate goals for others to Shanghai, not just the diversity of the PGA Tour.

US Open Champion Rory McIlroy always has the best chance of Luke Donald of racing on the European tour money list, although it might need to win HSBC Champions and the estate of the tariff in Hong Kong in a real game for three weeks. McIlroy spitting along Friday a day of high, birdies with a bogey for a 69 trade too many left behind him six shots.

"I just wanted to still play captures," McIlroy said. "I feel as in past two days, I have a few shots left." It is one of those things. I have to try and they make up this weekend.

"I need something doing well enough at the end of week if I want to try to win this tournament."

Scott has been after nine birdies in his 18 holes and a single green in his round of 65 missing in much better shape.

As always, Scott looks more like he could have done this year, although it would not trade that a victory on the Bridgestone Invitational. A victory this week would him for Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as the only players to win multiple World Golf Championships in the same year. Woods made five times, while Mickelson won at Doral and HSBC in 2009.

"This would be a very good year," said Scott. "Overall, I feel like I played really well this year, and I would not say that I regret only to win a tournament of the year.". But I feel like I played pretty well and a few other times in a position and take advantage of the step yet taken. I could be in position late Sunday and see if I can edge here on the ground.

"And then to win two Championships in the world of Golf..." These are the tournaments you want the sum at the end of your career. »

He raised the task while playing with Bradley and Lee Westwood, a trio who combined for 16 birdies and an eagle to make their required carefully Gallery distracted. Westwood wound up with a 68 and was four shots of the lead.

Scott opened the way to take effect of four straight birdies at the start of his tour, capped off the coast by a 7-iron from 190 yards to 3 feet on the sixth by-3. It seemed that he could be five in a row until he tried to ram in a 12-foot birdie putt, only to run it about 5 feet by the hole and three-launcher for bogey. He bounced back with two birdies more close his front nine and enter hunting.

Bradley may have the most at stake this week. A victory would be the International Fredy PGA Tour leader third victory of the year and with two of those who the PGA and WGC Championships, it would be sufficient to be elected player of the year.

Currently, Bradley was still in the game.

It was even by on the back and grateful for it. On two holes, leaving Bradley and 12 feet for par, itself 10 metres and the two times he has pierced the putt. He missed his last four tee shots, hit a sand wedge to 5 feet for birdie on the last hole to save a 70 and only two shots to Midway to stay behind.

"The birdie on 18 was great," said Bradley. "Today could easily have been same by, and I have 2 sub.". I'm only two shots back. I'm in a really good place. I know that I could make some really good on this course. »

Winner of the Malaysia Bo Van Pelt had a 69 in his under 31 - it is six rounds of the Asian adventure - and was three shots behind. Participate in him was Casey, suddenly a chance for a happy ending for a year by otherwise austere.

Treated Casey party of the year with an injury to the foot who obtained its sync swing. His season PGA Tour domestic ended on the island of the sea, a few weeks, when he missed the cut, and it is wound up no. 136 on the list of money to lose his business card.

However, as for Bradley, a victory over the HSBC Champions would count as official members of the PGA Tour. This means that Casey, who had little State when he moved to Shanghai, an official could return home with a victory and a three-year exemption.

"The season not on yet, although I feel kind of like I work next year, said Casey." And the golf I played today is the wave that I remember game. »

Negotiations of NBA setting; accreditation speak surfaces (AP)

NEW YORK--to speak of a backdoor cut.

The announcement Thursday to resume negotiations to that end, the NBA lockout was followed by news that some players are studying the possibility to cancel the Union.

NBA players Union said it may enter into negotiations with the owners Saturday, maintain that the players are unified as they try to put an end to the lockout.

Members of the Union President Derek Fisher, Executive Director Billy Hunter and the Executive Committee, said after meeting for about three hours Thursday that there is no truth to reports of a rift between them was.

"We had no problems and it is the reality," said Hunter.

Hunter said that they spent no more than 10-15 minutes total on a conference call earlier this week and discussed at the meeting on Thursday, challenging allegiances of Fisher reports.

"The fight is not in our Union," guard Keyon Dooling dollar said. "Derek Fisher is President better that our Union has never seen." We are members of the Commission-I am the first Vice President and I support him. "

Not all players do.

About 50 disgruntled players held a telephone conference with an antitrust lawyer about the possibility of the dissolution of their Union.

A person has informed the presence service told the Associated Press Thursday that small groups of players - including some of the greatest stars of the game - were informal talks on the concept of set aside for some time. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the calls to keep data private actors should be.

Thirty percent of the players will be required to sign a petition and then would have a majority of vote for revocation of certification. But only the players can give certification side leverage in negotiations.

The person also confirmed that Boston's Paul Pierce, Orlando Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade of Miami among those take part in the appeal Thursday, although no details on who were the person has provided the major part of the word and what has been said.

"This is an option," said the person of players eventually opt for depopulation. "We are not asking for it." We want to play. If this gets it, I am all for it, because we must act. "

The New York Times reports that disgruntled players want to insist on the dissolution of the Union and labor negotiations this weekend have not or are invited to what was considered an unwanted agreement.

On Wednesday, the Federal Judge Paul Gardephe had NBA close that the NBA lockout will not be considered as an antitrust violation if the dissolution of the Union players. Gardephe seemed skeptical as to the closed immediately, but not by the lawyer of the League, Jeffrey Mishkin arguments made.

Owners and players have not yet met since talks broke off last Friday. Hunter said the Federal Ombudsman George Cohen earlier this week on any contact with him again in the negotiations. The conversation led to Hunter called Commissioner David Stern on Wednesday the resumption of the negotiations, but it has not been determined or will be involved Cohen.

Hunter said officers Union warned the players who had spent the last days the still very distant parties on many issues in the system, therefore the completion of an agreement were not as simple as a compromise the income has been divided.

"Our guys are in a position that they still want us to negotiate a fair deal," said Fisher. "They gave us this power." They gave us this support.

"Obviously, we will have individual members in individual sets of circumstances who want to return to play." We want to play back. But we understand that the ramifications of agreeing to a bad deal at this time. ... This particular collective agreement will affect for always conditions of NBA basketball players. We do not rush to an agreement that we believe is a bad deal just save this season. »

Lock, which began July 1, has already led to the cancellation of a month of the regular season. The parties met for three days last week, but negotiations stalled again when they turned income splitting.

It gets back to Saturday, although neither party appears to be moves its position.

"It is not sensible or wise is not for us, or leave huge gaps of time go ahead and let the clock run and are not, because we are more than just anchored in our respective positions," said Hunter. "At least if we can something happen around the table;" I cannot predict if something will. »

Hunter said he said Fisher after negotiations broke down Friday: "you see the kind of friend, I have and will continue."

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Sports journalist of AP Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.

Rachel Cohen follow on http://twitter.com/RachelCohenAP

Steelers corbeaux veulent venger, Jets de regarder pour aller haut (Reuters)

(Reuters) - the Pittsburgh Steelers are out of vengeance against the Baltimore Ravens in their AFC divisional North confrontation Sunday packed with intriguing match-ups in the National Football League.

The season is at the stage to Midway and any good that defence beats in Pittsburgh, the week of nine highlights include the shock of the CFA is between the Buffalo Bills and the Jets and New York and only undefeated team in the League, the Green Bay Packers, the San Diego Chargers.

But it is always fierce rivalry between the Steelers (6-2) and the Ravens (5-2), to provide, with the compulsive view of Pittsburgh, looking to their week to avenge a 35-7 loss to Baltimore.

"It is one of these games than players who you really want to be part of,", said the Steelers Hines Ward receptor.

"It seems that it always ends by once and for us, they our tails the first time we have now a chance to recover some of the cream whipped - and hopefully get to the North of the AFC,"added Ward."."

Both teams come into play on the back of morale boosting WINS, the Ravens overcame a 21-point deficit to beat the Arizona Cardinals 30-27 in the greatest return in the history of the franchise.

Pittsburgh has relaunched their credentials for the playoffs by beating the New England quaterback 25-17 with Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 365 yards and two touchdowns.

Lead Steelers a series of 18 victories for 13 Ravens Joe Flacco quaterback and hope that is also precarious, as it was before the return against Arizona.

Defend the return of Super Bowl champions won the Green Bay of the bye-week looking to extend their franchise-record 16 straight.

BACK IN CALIFORNIA

Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers led to their best start since 1962 and he stands at the top of the ranking of NFL quarterback with 20 touchdowns and the unprecedented 71.5% completion percentage.

The match against a team of San Diego, returning from three games on the road, the brand Chargers a first start of the NFL in California for a Rodgers who was born in Chico, Northern California, played his University football at the University of California and now his off-season home in the South of the State.

"It's always nice to return to California." It is fun to play in San Diego, you have a large field, a nice fast track and it will be nice to see some friends and family, "he said.

The Jets (4-3) can move forward in the AFC is if they can manage the Bills (5-2) that are linked at the top of the Division with the New England Patriots.

New York has also comes back fresh to a pass, but won their last two trips, while the annual accounts of Buffalo beat Washington 23-0 in a match in Toronto.

"We know we have the right of the opportunity for us, try to win our Division and we have." "We understand that and we will be ready," said Jets Rex Ryan head coach.

"Our guys are cool but mentally we must be sharp and focused and understand that it will be a physical game," said.

The New Orleans Saints, upset defeat suffered by the Rams in St - Louis, last week, have a difficult test against rivals of the Tampa Division.

Tampa beat the Saints 26-20 in Florida last month and New Orleans desperately need improve their start of the season 5-3.

"It was a bit of back and forth." But we know the standard, we know how we can, and now it is a matter of no excuse, "said quarterback for Drew Brees."

(Edit by Julian Linden)

Female horses can stars on day 2 of Breeders' Cup (AP)

LOUISVILLE, KY - a filly and Mare can crush the predominantly male second day of the ends of the world, with the Grace Havre Cup season and Goldikova strong contenders in their breeders Cup matches against boys.

Havre de Grace (HA ' - vur - duh-grays) will face 11 males in Cup Classic protection of new varieties of $ 5 million on Saturday. The filly was mentioned on 3-1 on the morning line behind favorite Uncle MB of 5-2.

Just prior to the classic, 7-5 favorite will go for a win record fourth consecutive Goldikova miles $ 2 million on the grass, the final race of the European star before retirement.

Friday, the opening of the Breeders' Cup in six races in Churchill Downs features, starting with the new young Sprint $ 500,000 for boys followed by five races for fillies and mares only.

Marquez seeks vindication from third fight with Pacquiao (Reuters)

(Reuters) – Vindication is the buzzword for Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez as he prepares for the concluding chapter in his trilogy of bouts with Manny Pacquiao next week.

On November 12, the two fighters will step into the ring at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas where Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title will be on the line, along with final bragging rights from their encounters.

The boxers have met twice before, fighting to a draw in May 2004 before Marquez lost his WBC super-featherweight title to the Filipino in a controversial split decision in March 2008. On both occasions, though, Marquez felt he had triumphed.

"Now it's time to shed doubt over who the best fighter is," Marquez said on a conference call Wednesday while wrapping up his training camp in Mexico. "I want to win this fight because I believe I won the first two fights.

"We are not the only ones saying that we won those first two fights. A lot of people out there, a lot of fans and a lot of the media, agree. So we will be ready and prepared."

Marquez gave southpaw Pacquiao extra motivation for the fight by wearing a T-shirt bearing the legend: "We Were Robbed" when their November 12 showdown was promoted recently in the Philippines.

While Pacquiao claims he was insulted by that fashion statement, Marquez believes he has just as much incentive for their third and final meeting.

"It is personal for me too," said the 38-year-old Mexican, who has a career record of 53-5-1 with 39 knockouts said. "If he is upset about me saying that I won the first two fights, I am upset that I haven't got the decisions.

"I am just as motivated as he is. We all have our opinions. That's his opinion and my opinion is that I didn't get the decisions that I deserved. I think this fight is going to be great because we both want it so bad."

Marquez, a three-division world champion, is in the twilight of his glittering career and will go into next week's bout as a 9-1 underdog against one of the best offensive fighters of all time.

ODDS MEANINGLESS FOR MARQUEZ

"(Odds) don't do anything for me," said the Mexican, who recovered from three knockdowns in the opening round to earn a draw when they first clashed in May 2004.

"People can bet what they want, people can put the odds how they want them. If they like the 9-1 odds, that's fine with me. It has nothing to do with the fight.

"I am just going in with the mentality that I have to win the rounds. If the opportunity comes, if I hurt him, then I will go for the knockout. I am not going to hesitate if the opportunity is there to go for it."

Pacquiao, who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions, has become a far superior fighter to the somewhat raw, all-action Filipino who faced Marquez in 2004 and 2008.

"Pacquiao has definitely become a better technical fighter than he was," said Marquez's trainer Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain. "He has become a more complete boxer.

"His punches are now more clinical, he is not as wild as he used to be. He looks like he knows what he is doing and that's directly the effect that Freddie Roach, his trainer, has had. He has learned a lot of techniques and a lot of new things and he is doing them better, especially the right hook."

Beristain knows Marquez can no longer simply focus on the Filipino's lethal left hand.

"When we fought the first couple of times, his (Pacquiao's) left hand was always the big one, the one we had to worry about, the one that we tried to nullify," Beristain said.

"We see that he has a better right hand now. I think you just go up into the ring with the mentality that you must be ready for both, stay focused on what you need to do.

"We have always won the 'comeback zone', as I like to call it. It's important that we do it again but we know it's not going to be easy. We have to be smart enough to know how to do it and when to do it. That's what Juan is capable of doing."

(Editing by Julian Linden)

Colts QB Manning still waiting for the neck to cure (AP)

INDIANAPOLIS-Peyton Manning and Jim Irsai agree on one thing: the era Manning not in Indianapolis.

Crew, said Thursday he hopes to return to the practice of this year and yet sticks of hope to play as doctors say it is finally cured of his 8 September neck operation. Irsai, the owner of the team, said he expected that the MVP of the NFL four times has a few good years in the right arm.

There are some big questions looming in Indy.

The Colts (0-8) must determine if you choose the contract of five years of Manning, or a bonus of $ 28 million to keep the list. And if they have a project up to choose next year, will also decide whether Indy to take Manning the heir, someone as bad luck Andrew or Landry Jones.

"This is some thing that you have and scenarios, which may behind Peyton and how long you want him to sit down and how much money you have committed quarterbacks," said Irsai. "I think that in theory, you could have Peyton for two or three more good years and then have someone behind him, but it is theoretical."

Manning is not played since having surgery to repair nerve damage this weakness in his throwing arm. It is his third proceeding of the neck to 19 months, a series of operations that forced the Colts fans discuss when - or if - Manning will return.

"I think that it is too early to bury this era," Irsai, said in an interview of 40 minutes. "I think that Peyton is performed and the time is over, for me, average prematurely." I always kind of known the time would be decided when Peyton is here. "But I do not feel like the time is made."

A few hours earlier, Manning made his second appearance of cloakroom improvised season, told journalists that he spends each day in rehabilitation and he hopes to practice with his teammates in December and play a game later this season.

But it is not disabled for football activity by physicians. Irsai said there are less than 50% chance Manning would appear in a game this season.

"We still expect for the merger will take place, the still slow with that and we have still a few problems with the nerves and the regeneration of the nervous," said Manning. "" "". It is really not a calendar, a time line where I am. »

Doctors were not said Manning surgery is probably two or three months before the Indy franchise quarterback returns to practice, which is in danger with the Manning comments line.

Without their franchise quaterback, Colts are 0-8 for the first time since 1997, and many believe that it would be stupid to bring some games season without meaning for Manning.

Manning is not yet.

"Miss me playing, I really do.". If I deleted get to play and I'm good enough, I play? Absolutely, "he said." "". I would like because that's how I'm wired, it's my job and I love my job.

"If the doctor says that you can go, then I want to do," Manning added later.

Crew discussed a variety of subjects, call coach Jim Caldwell, a "friend", rejection of speculations on the No. 1, choose and even discuss the option clause in his contract.

The Colts signed Manning to a five year contract of $ 90 million at the end of July, when it seemed as if it would be ready to play this season. The annual average of $ 18 million is Tom Brady New England for the richest League agreement. See in action crew think Colts, if possible, before making their decision.

"This is a contract of one year with an extension of four years," said Manning. "The team has the right to know where you are physically and where is your health."

Irsai said he has no intention of releasing Manning and the social partners could work on a new deal if the quarterback was still not healthy.

Proximity is Manning back to?

No one knows.

"Is what you want to see for him to continue to make progress, to return to the point where you can say that he made all the throws and doing the things he needs to do", said Irsai. "The truth is it is a slow progression and to say that it is a ceiling on 15 December or January 1 would hit and it is not better is really uncertain.".

Health workforce and to find a successor are only a part of the equation.

Some foreigners want a complete overhaul - get rid of Caldwell, vice President Bill Polian or Director General Chris Polian.

Irsai has told reporters he wants to give up not on the, which the franchise of a loser Polians transformed into a competitor of the Super Bowl, because eight eternal loss. He also expressed his support for Caldwell, saying: "not just another guy" could have the Colts to the title of the AFC two years or four consecutive wins to win the AFC South last year.

Manning hopes to have more answers next month.

"If I am disabled at a level where I practice, then the most important place to see where you are on the scope of practice," said Manning.

Irsai pleads for patience until then.

"We have not had this much uncertainty in a long, long time, but I think it's exciting," said Irsai. "I am more interested to get back to the magnitude and have a chance to support it." I am not interested in mediocre 8-8 or 9-7 and sneak in the playoffs for the next decade. "

Bobby Rahal's team will run Honda engine in 2012 (AP)

INDIANAPOLIS – Bobby Rahal will be back in the IndyCar Series next season with Honda engines and it could be with a full-time team.

The 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner is trying to finalize sponsorship deals for a two-car team for Rahal Letterman Lanigan, team spokesman Eric Mauk said in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Thursday.

Rahal has been eagerly trying to get back into the series since losing his primary sponsor after the 2009 season, and the reunion with Honda has rekindled some fond memories. Rahal's team was the first to use Honda in the now-defunct CART series, and Buddy Rice gave Honda its first victory at Indianapolis in 2004 when he drove for Rahal.

"We are pleased to once again be partnering with Honda," Rahal said in the news release. "We have a storied history with Honda and respect its tradition of excellence in motorsports. In putting together our plans for 2012, we felt that having the full support of a proven winner such as Honda would aid us in building the strongest program possible, and we intend to represent Honda in the best manner possible."

Rahal has not yet announced any drivers for next season.

The team has run a part-time schedule the last two years, and competed in only four races — Indy, Texas, Kentucky and Las Vegas — in 2011.

But the team is already taking shape.

About three hours before the engine deal was confirmed, Rahal's team announced it had hired IndyCar veteran Tom Anderson as its president of racing operations.

Anderson was the managing director for Ganassi's team when it won four consecutive CART titles from 1996 to 1999. In December 2009, Michael Andretti hired Anderson to run his team. But after the four Andretti Autosport drivers struggled in May and Danica Patrick, the series' glamour girl, was nearly left off Indianapolis' starting grid, Andretti fired his competition director.

He wound up landing with Rahal, the fourth owner to choose Honda, the sole IndyCar engine supplier since 2006. Chip Ganassi Racing, A.J. Foyt Racing and Sam Schmidt Motorsports also have signed on with Honda. Rahal's son, Graham, drives for Ganassi's team.

Penske Racing, Andretti Autosport and KV Racing Technology have announced they will use Chevrolet engines next season.

Michael Shank's new IndyCar team will use Lotus.

"We're looking forward to continuing our long and successful relationship with Rahal Letterman Lanigan as IndyCar begins a new era of multi-manufacturer competition in 2012," said Erik Berkman, president of Honda Performance Development.

Four-time series champion Dario Franchitti tested the Honda engine in a closed practice at Indy on Wednesday. Rain postponed Thursday's test session. Franchitti and Tony Kanaan, of KV Racing, are scheduled to resume testing Friday at Indy.

Anti-trust gambit could hold key to ending NBA lockout (Reuters)

(Reuters) – National Basketball Association (NBA) owners have launched a "pre-emptive strike" by commencing legal action they hope will end the labor dispute, an anti-trust lawyer said.

With negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement stalled, the NBA this week launched an anti-trust lawsuit against itself, asking the U.S. Second District Court to decide if the lockout was legal under anti-trust laws.

The players' lawyers responded by asking the court to throw out the case because the union has yet to decertify and bring any action against owners.

Michael Keeley, an anti-trust and litigation lawyer for Axinn, Veltrop and Harkrider, told Reuters the owner's actions were designed so they could pick the time, the place and the court for the key legal battles ahead.

"It is a pre-emptive strike," Keeley said.

"They are saying, "I know you are going to hit me with this anti-trust lawsuit and I want to pick the court and the time.

"It's like I sued you over the possibility you might crash your car into my house. You haven't crashed your car into my house so there is no case to hear yet.

"But there is law that, even when there is a dispute that has not happened yet, gives a court jurisdiction to hear a case."

By seizing the initiative, the NBA may have gained home field advantage by filing their lawsuit in the Second District Court, which Keeley says, has traditionally been favorable to the ownership side on issues.

"The threat of decertification and a lawsuit by the players gives them some degree of leverage," said Keeley. "The owners are trying to defuse that by bringing their own lawsuit.

"They are sort of lancing a boil."

The NBA contends the players association has been using the threat of decertification and anti-trust lawsuits as leverage in negotiations and the owners are keen to remove that threat.

Keeley believes the NBA players association is approaching the anti-trust option with caution having watched the National Football League (NFL) survive a similar challenge during collective bargaining negotiations earlier this year.

Shortly after the NFL lockout began the union decertified and players launched individual lawsuits against the league.

The case was initially supported by the district court but then unsuccessful before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Once the Eighth Circuit sided with the league, the parties returned to the table and struck a deal.

"One might assume it was because they (NBAPA) saw what happened with the NFL players that they thought it was more valuable to have the threat of decertifying and bringing a lawsuit rather than actually suing," explained Keeley. "The (Second District Court) judge is deciding should this case be confronted right now or is it premature.

"He could say, I'm tossing this out, come back to me when the players decertify.

"But if he rules I'm willing to hear the case then you have basically an anti-trust lawsuit like you had in Minnesota with the NFL."

While the legal wrangling may seem tedious to fans, a decision by the courts may be the quickest way to getting players back on the courts.

"This is all designed to give one side more or less leverage over the commercial negotiations," said Keeley. "If you are a basketball fan the hope is that this gets resolved by the courts because you look at the NFL case.

"As soon as the court ruled one way or another, the parties got together and they struck a deal.

"The NFL players had built their whole strategy around getting this (anti-trust) lawsuit and when they lost it was time to come to the table."

(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto, editing by Julian Linden)

Another game for the ages looms in Tuscaloosa (AP)

Johnny Rodgers remembers a day when the two best teams in the land played a game for the ages. Forty years later, he can go over the winning drive as if it happened yesterday.

Gino Torretta can still feel the hits he took in a different game. They were harder than most, and didn't necessarily end when the whistle blew.

For Ara Parseghian, the most vivid memories are of Super Bowl-like hype before there was even such thing as a Super Bowl, leading to a showdown that demonstrated the enormous potential of No. 1 vs. No. 2.

All were key figures in a so-called Game of the Century, those landmark contests that helped define the sport. And all will be tuned in Saturday night to catch the latest chapter in this ongoing saga: top-ranked LSU vs. second-ranked Alabama.

"Absolutely," said the 88-year-old Parseghian, who guided Notre Dame to a pair of national championships during his coaching career. "That's exactly what you want to see."

While 1-2 matchups have become commonplace in the Bowl Championship Series, they're a rarity in the regular season. This will be the first scheduled matchup of the top-ranked teams in The Associated Press poll since 2006, when No. 1 Ohio State defeated No. 2 Michigan 42-39 in their traditional season finale.

In fact, since the AP poll was launched in 1936, there have been only 22 regular-season games pitting the two best teams as determined by a panel of media voters. If history is any indication, the 23rd could very well be a classic.

More often not, the game lives up to the hype, from a banged-up Torretta leading Miami to a 17-16 victory over Florida State that became known as "Wide Right," to Parseghian's must-debated call to settle for a 10-10 tie with Michigan State, to perhaps the greatest 1-2 showdown of all — Nebraska's 35-31 victory over Oklahoma that will forever be remembered for Rodgers' thrilling 72-yard punt return.

"We played pretty much a flawless game," Rodgers recalled, "and it still went right down to the wire. We didn't make mistakes in those days."

LSU and Alabama will try to heed that example, because Saturday's game could very well come down to which team makes the fewest errors. "Pressure," Rodgers said with a chuckle, "makes you dumber."

Rodgers certainly looked as cool as that crisp Thanksgiving Day in 1971 when he hauled in a punt at his own 28, bounced off Oklahoma star Greg Pruitt and took off for the game's opening touchdown.

Still, Oklahoma fought back for a 31-28 lead in the fourth quarter. The Cornhuskers never blinked, moving it methodically down the field on a 12-play, 74-yard drive that required only one completed pass. Jeff Kinney won it on a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:38 remaining.

"You have to want it, but you don't worry about it. You just go get it," said Rodgers, a star flanker for the Cornhuskers who would win the Heisman Trophy the following year. "That's what I take pride in about our team. We didn't make mistakes. We didn't get nervous."

Even though there were still two games to go, Nebraska felt like a champion when it left the field in Norman, Okla. The Cornhuskers routed Hawaii in a regular-season finale that was little more than a vacation, then blew out Alabama 38-6 in the Orange Bowl, a much less dramatic 1-2 matchup against the team that moved up after the Sooners lost.

"We knew Alabama wasn't the team that Oklahoma was," Rodgers said. "The real championship game had already been played."

In 1966, Notre Dame claimed a national title by playing it safe. Rallying from a 10-0 deficit against a Michigan State team that featured Bubba Smith and three teammates who would go in the top eight picks of the next NFL draft, the Fighting Irish were happy to settle for a 10-10 tie — even when they got the ball back with just over a minute remaining.

Parseghian has steadfastly defended his decision to run out the clock, saying he didn't want to take a chance against Michigan State's fearsome defense when his injury depleted team was missing its starting quarterback and top runner. It worked out just fine for the Irish, who routed USC the following week and were voted No. 1. The Spartans finished No. 2.

The significance of the game was undeniable, starting with the buildup. Incredibly, it wasn't even supposed to be nationally televised, but ABC made sure everyone at least got a chance to see the game on tape delay after receiving tens of thousands of angry letters.

"It was exhausting getting ready for it," Parseghian said. "It was like the Super Bowl, it was incredible. We had press conferences after every practice and by the end of the week, I didn't know what to say."

For all the debate and disappointment over the outcome, he points to that game as planting the seed that eventually resulted in the BCS, which is designed to ensure the top two teams meet for the national championship at the end of the season.

"It encouraged people to look at being able to put 1 and 2 together," Parseghian said. "The emphasis that's placed on it and the amount of attention from the press, the present Bowl Championship Series came from that."

A quarter-century later, there was no lack of hype when No. 2 Miami traveled to Tallahassee to take on top-ranked Florida State. The Seminoles were 10-0 and averaging more than 40 points a game, but the Hurricanes held on for a 17-16 victory when Gerry Thomas missed a 34-yard field goal in the final minute.

Wide right, of course.

Torretta, who was Miami's quarterback, remembers the brutal hits more than he does the missed kick.

"I was running out of bounds toward their side of the field and I got hit significantly out of bounds and jacked my ankle up pretty good," the 1992 Heisman Trophy winner said. "I realized then that it was a little different game. They were going to hit harder, and it might be a touch after the whistle."

While coaches preach over and over about keeping everything the same, no matter who they're playing, it's only natural to take a different mindset when so much is on the line. Even the trainers get hyped up.

"I came to the sideline and my ankle was pretty bad," Torretta said. "So they retaped around my shoes, then said, `Give me your other shoe, we're going to tape that.' I asked them why, and they were like, `We don't want them to know which ankle it is.'"

While the winner Saturday night will have the inside track to the national title game, there's no guarantee that a Game of the Century will actually settle things.

In 1993, top-ranked Florida State lost to No. 2 Notre Dame late in the season, but the Fighting Irish were upset the following week by Boston College. The Seminoles got a second chance to claim coach Bobby Bowden's first national title.

Even so, that lone defeat stings a bit.

"We've still got our rings," said William Floyd, who was a fullback at Florida State. "But we have that one blemish we'd like to wash off."

Top-ranked Florida also got a do-over after losing to the second-ranked Seminoles in 1996. Due to a fortunate turn of events, they got a rematch in the Sugar Bowl and romped to a 52-20 victory over then-No. 1 Florida State to claim their first national title.

With that in mind, former Gators coach Steve Spurrier isn't so sure the LSU-Alabama loser will necessarily be out of the picture.

"I keep reading there's going to be no rematch for these two teams," said Spurrier, who now coaches at South Carolina. "I'm not sure if that's the truth or not. I'm not so sure there won't be a rematch if they both win out the rest of the way through. And there's nothing wrong with that."

But Rodgers said the winner Saturday will likely walk off the field feeling the same way Nebraska did 40 years ago.

"We've got the two best teams already playing in the regular season," he said. "They know if they win this one, it will be their toughest game."

___

AP Sports Writers Nancy Armour in Chicago, Eric Olson in Omaha, Neb., Larry Lage in Detroit, and Rusty Miller in Columbus, Ohio, and Associated Press writer Brent Kallestad in Tallahassee, Fla., contributed to this report.

Thousands of UK soldiers sought for 2012 Olympics (AP)

By ROB HARRIS and DANICA KIRKA, Associated Press Rob Harris And Danica Kirka, Associated Press – 1 hr 36 mins ago

LONDON – Thousands of British soldiers are likely to be posted at Olympic venues after a security review for the 2012 London Games showed that authorities may need to double the number of guards at stadiums and other Olympic sites.

Discussions with the Ministry of Defense are under way after studies suggested that the 10,000 security guards contracted for the games would not be enough. Some 6,000 soldiers are being considered to protect the games, a government official familiar with the plans said Friday.

"The planning was done a few years ago," said the official while speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information. But the official said the threat had been "underestimated" when it came to looking at the "devil of the detail."

Britain's Home Office issued a statement saying that the government, the Olympic organizing committee and the security company, G4S, were working together to finalize security arrangements and make "the best and most appropriate use of available resources."

British authorities had already planned to have the country's military help secure the games. However, this role was to be limited to certain specialized events, such as patrolling the perimeter of the sailing venue at Weymouth.

But large numbers of soldiers being considered to help out at the venues suggests that Olympics officials will be taking every precaution possible. It is unusual, though not unheard of, to ask the U.K. military to take part in civilian tasks.

However, bringing in soldiers would not necessarily be free of extra costs. The Financial Times reported that Britain's military, which has been hard hit by budget cuts and a dramatic austerity program, wants any use of troops to be paid from games funds.

The 600 million-pound ($965 million) Olympics security budget has been protected from spending cuts and won't be affected by the tough measures aimed at reducing Britain's budget deficit. But the potential of doubling the security force raises questions about where the money will come from to pay the additional personnel.

Security for the Olympics has been a critical — and costly — issue for the games ever since the slaying of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches at the 1972 Summer Games in Munich. The London Games are seen as a high security threat as the Olympics offer a ready platform for any terror group intent on wreaking havoc at events broadcast live worldwide.

London and its Olympics have already been hit by terrorism. Homegrown suicide bombers attacked London's transit network in 2005, killing 52 commuters the day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympic games.

The British government is planning for the national terror threat to be "severe" during the Olympics, meaning an attempted attack is highly likely.

Two of the major security contracts have been awarded to G4S, a global security company providing everything from security personnel to monitoring systems, and Rapiscan Systems, headquartered in Torrance, California, which will be providing security equipment and other scanning systems.

About 12,000 police officers will be on duty each day of the July 27-Aug. 12 games.

Nationals' Morse helps MLB stars beat Taiwan 6-2 (AP)

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Washington Nationals first baseman Michael Morse hit a towering home run over the center field wall to lead the MLB All-Star team to a 6-2 win Friday over the Taiwan national team.

The MLB All-Stars lead 3-0 in the five-game series.

Morse doubled in a run in the first inning before hitting the solo shot in the third in the central Taiwanese city of Taichung.

Kansas City Royals right-hander Felipe Paulino started the game for the All-Stars and scattered three hits over four innings.

The teams close out the series over the weekend with two games in the southern city of Kaohsiung. Pitching star Chien-Ming Wang is expected to start for the Taiwanese.

Outdated confrontation LSU - Alabama (AP)

Confrontation TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The LSU and Alabama promises to be a throwback to the old school of football.

Both the Tigers of the head and barely tested, and not. 2 and usually undisputed Alabama is built on power and defence run-stuffing a time spread offenses are popular and small Committee meetings are optional.

"If you want to see the 1970s, smashmouth," Alabama tight end Michael Williams said, "so this is what you want here."

Yes, the Saturday evening game will be a retro to it.

Vintage philosophies make this a reminiscence of a collision with an old Oklahoma-Nebraska or Alabama-Penn State. And if these teams, the edition of the tide and the Tigers - the two 8-0 with five azure accumulated victories double-digit Conference WINS.

But Alabama Nick Saban or LSU's Miles leads them the new Wishbone to fashion.

Knock and hit hard, well, which is certainly allowed. Even mandatory.

"It is a kind of game that... not necessarily also often today, you see" offensive lineman LSU T - Bob Hebert said. "" "". It is a little more old school, so I guess that this will be something fun to look at for the fans. »

The LSU Jarrett Lee - the Jordan Jefferson more mobile - and sophomore AJ McCarron Alabama more effective quaterbacks the prior leagues two offences high rating of the page. However, the Alabama class 66ème at the national level in the transition from the LSU offence, 99th.

The Tigers, who, five past seven visits to Bryant-Denny, won. have a great deep threat receiver Rueben Randle. Elements of the tide with more than one capture-and-run-type in rapid Marquis maze.

We will see this as the fans:

• A test of wills. Compact and powerful back-Trent Richardson, Alabama and LSU Spencer Ware will be between the tackles in defensive fronts which usually limited land.

• Play makers on defense. A defender of the stars are great choices, forces a timely turnover or simply pose a resounding on some unsuspecting player success. At Alabama, likely candidates include whose ' Hightower and Courtney Upshaw linebackers and safety All - America Mark Barron. For LSU, Tyrann Mathieu could be cornerback ball-stripping, colleague or researchers Morris Mingo Barkevious or Sam Claiborne Montgomery pass.

• Coaching eruptions. It may come from the ultrastrong, Saban angry or miles with his penchant for making abandoned apparently strange to repay.

With both teams come from open data, the hype surrounding the game are alienated. Williams Alabama heard lots of friends and family.

He said "of course, 1 vs 2 game of the century and that sort of thing". "You got shut down mental disorder".

That is not to say Williams did not adopt the hype, even if some teammates minimized the with this spiel "just another game".

"It is that avoid you Alabama", said the tight end. "Great opportunity for some players." I know that the atmosphere will be mad. This is what you want to play. It will be one of the age. »

It focuses on a community that was devastated by a deadly tornado in April, but received a regular alarm clock from Saturday the tide this fall.

"Whenever we have an important event, I think it makes people feel more and more normal on the way things are going," said Saban.

This is certainly admissible if important.

If the game up to the billing of life and the narrow ends, which lost the national championship aspirations cannot be completely reduced. Match instead of January a gun New Orleans, which is really.

Km is not thought that he is happy to now benefit from a massive decline Saturday night when temperatures should soak in the forty. It is almost poetic about it.

"It is wonderful in University football, you have two teams of quality than two large institutions with their best effort for the field to something that is hard and clean and pure as represent a competition," Miles said. "".How it's wonderful to be able to look to the region and take advantage of time of celebration of hard work and team values.

"The victories of the school, the victories of the team and the victories of the State." It is a wonderful time. "

And fans will have a menu of the star to enjoy.

There is a Heisman Trophy candidate in Richardson, who has 18 Touchdown on a team that produced a third of this total.

Mathieu withdrew early Heisman buzz, too. The 5 - foot - 9, 180 pounds with a strange talent for large parts in an attacks nine record for career LSU forced just two seasons.

Rear corner bookends Claiborne and the maze of Alabama are also two of the SEC more dangerous kick returners.

With which kind of talent on the field predicted Saban that the game will probably come to turnover or special teams.

No team made mistakes, but LSU makes tedious - hardly a period. The Tigers did a not commit a turnover in October and 18 forced this season. they scored a touchdown on half of the stations resulting.

"Their turnover ratio is off the charts, in terms of their defence and their ball-hawking of game style," said Saban. "They have many guys on the defence which plays."

What Alabama. The LSU Hebert said that it is more difficult for a team on his desire to impose a such physical opponent.

"It is a kind of style where if you can physically not up to you will find very hard succeed," he said. "And this is what is so special about this next game is that the two physical teams of the game against each other very well."

UFC set for Macau, Singapore amid Asia expansion (Reuters)

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Reuters) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship comes crashing into the homes of mainstream America next week when its TV network deal kicks into life and, while U.S. revenues remain the UFC's lifeblood, CEO Lorenzo Fertitta is banking on global growth to secure the long-term future of the organization.

In an interview at the UFC's headquarters in Las Vegas, Fertitta told Reuters that the mixed martial arts titan would be heading to Macau in China next year and Singapore in 2013 as it bids to build its brand across Asia.

"We've really been doing a lot of work in China and that's going to be a longer-term investment but we are going to dip our toe in the water with an event in Macau," said Fertitta, who with his brother Frank co-owns the Las Vegas-based Station Casinos.

"It's just a matter of finding the right date that works with our television deals around the world. That should be happening in 2012.

"Singapore is another market that we have been focusing on. We know it's a growing market .... so a UFC event there probably in 2013," he said, adding that the Marina Bay Sands casino-resort was being eyed as the venue.

Once banished to broadcasting backwaters, the UFC now beams to more than 130 countries worldwide, while the seven-year multi-media deal with Fox signed in August will net it between $90-100 million in rights annually.

Fox will air the heavyweight title clash between champion Cain Velasquez and Brazil's Junior dos Santos on November 12 as its first live event under the agreement.

Crucially, the landmark deal represents an opportunity for the UFC to show the 'extreme makeover' it has undergone since the Fertitta brothers bought the struggling company for $2 million in 2001.

For some, mixed martial arts still evokes negative images of bloodlust and unfettered violence thanks to the early events, which the previous owners had marketed as more spectacle than sport, said Fertitta.

"Tune in to see someone get hurt" was how he described their approach. Several U.S. states, including New York, still refuse to sanction MMA.

"When we bought the UFC in 2001 it was basically a broken business, on the verge of going away," he said. "It was probably one of the most tainted brands out there and when we bought the company all of our advisers thought we were crazy.

"But while it was tarnished, there was still a broad awareness of what the UFC was and we thought it was still a very valuable brand."

CHINESE CHAMPION?

Ten years on, the belief shown in the UFC by the Fertittas and its effusive president Dana White appears to have been justified.

"When we started the company back in 2001 we had four employees. Now we have close to 300 in offices in Las Vegas, Toronto, Beijing and London and we're looking to add offices in Sao Paolo and potentially Mumbai over the next year," said Fertitta.

"We were doing 30,000-40,000 pay per views annually when we bought the UFC, now we're the biggest PPV provider in the world, we'll do around closer to seven million now.

"So obviously the business has grown exponentially."

While Fertitta rates the 55,000-sellout at Toronto's Rogers Center and their Rio de Janeiro debut this year as the UFC's most successful international events, he said Asia had the potential to deliver similar success.

"Our goal is to have revenues split 50-50 between North America and the rest of the world in the next five years," he said. "We have explosive growth in Brazil, and that has now become our number three market, but we are looking to Asia to have that same explosive growth."

Cracking China's complicated market could prove difficult, despite the country's long history of martial arts.

However, China's interest in the NBA skyrocketed with the rise of Yao Ming and the UFC would undoubtedly get a shot in the arm if a Chinese fighter emerged to challenge for titles.

"In China I think that is going to be the spark that we need to move that market," said Fertitta, adding that the UFC was working to foster talent there.

"One of the things we're doing is bringing a handful of Chinese fighters over here for a month to train in Las Vegas, giving them access to the gyms and other resources here.

"Among a population of a billion people there's got to be someone that can fight," he added with a laugh. "And it's our job to find him."

(Editing by Nick Mulvenney)

Snedeker has surgery on right hip (AP)

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Brandt Snedeker will be out of golf the rest of the year as he recovers from hip surgery.

Snedeker, who won The Heritage in April and nearly earned a spot on the U.S. Presidents Cup team, had surgery Tuesday afternoon to fix a degenerative issue in his right hip. He is not expected to compete again for six to eight weeks.

That affects two players who will replace him in tournaments Snedeker had planned to play.

Rickie Fowler will take Snedeker's spot in the Chevron World Challenge, played Dec. 1-4 at Sherwood Country Club in California. Snedeker will be replaced by Bo Van Pelt a week later at the Shark Shootout in Florida.

Action group: Ex-Olympic boxer injured in Syria (AP)

Beirut - a Syrian boxer who won a medal at the Olympic Winter Games of 2004 was injured with at least 20 others Monday under the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad has swept through several towns and cities to crush an uprising was, said activists.

Nasser al-Shami, a champion who shared bronze in Athens, was in stable condition after being hit by pellets shotgun in the city of Hama, said Rami Abdul Rahman, the Syrian human rights observatory Director London-based. Abdul Rahman said he had spoken to the physician who treated the athlete.

Tanks and troops Syrian Hama closed and blocked roads, in an apparent attempt to crush the growing dissent and return to the city in a month after the withdrawal of security forces. About 300,000 demonstrators held huge protests against the regime at Hama last week, a sign that the city has escaped all control of the Government.

"There is a kind of a seat on the city." "They close all the roads leading to Hama," said based on the Syria of the human rights activist Mustafa Osso.

Hama, who has a history of Islamic militancy against the Assad regime, there is a suppression of Government almost three decades. In 1982 deceased ordered Assad father and predecessor, Hafez Al-Assad, his troops to crush an uprising by Sunni fundamentalists, killing between 10 000 and 25 000 people, human rights groups say.

Monday, said activists also Syrian security forces opened the fire on the people flee in nearby Turkey, injuring a mother and her young son.

Thousands of Syrians have refuge in refugee camps in Turkey, a source of deep embarrassment to Damascus. To the South, on the outskirts of Damascus, of Dumair, armoured tanks rolled in after that all communications were cut, said an activist in the region.

The activist, who spoke condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said soldiers and police officers from the patrol at random were all men from teenagers to people 60s containment.

The revolt against Al-Assad has lasted almost four months despite a deadly government crackdown led to international condemnation and sanctions. Al-Assad is the most serious challenge to his family of four decades of domination by Syria.

Activists say the security forces have killed more than 1 400 people - most of them in hands naked demonstrators - since mid-March. The regime does toll "armed" and the conspirators to blame for the unrest.

The Syria has banned almost all foreign media and the media attention limited, making it almost impossible to independently verify events on the ground. But, evidence, including interviews with refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries, provide a brutal crackdown on the protest movement.

___

Bassem Mroue follow on http://twitter.com/bmroue

Work of the NFL: paperwork lawyers reprocess (AP)

NEW YORK - counsel for the NFL Players Association and reclassification of language of the contract and the details that could accelerate the process of a new collective agreement.

A person with knowledge of the situation told Associated Press that lawyers began meeting for a second day running Wednesday in a firm headquarters of Manhattan.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a judge has ordered that the details of the Court ordered mediated negotiations may not be transmitted.

Commissioner of the NFL Roger Goodell and head of the COORS DeMaurice Smith should resume negotiations Thursday with the players and the different owners.

76ers Top nets 115-90, and hang the playoffs (AP)

Philadelphia-Thaddeus Young has 22 points, Elton Brand had 21, and the Philadelphia 76ers winning a playoff with a 115-90 on the New Jersey NET win Friday night.

Jrue Holiday registered 17 points and Andre Iguodala had 14 lead the Sixers to the playoffs after an absence of one year. The Sixers won 27 games the season last as Eddie Jordan and long rebuilding process appeared on the horizon.

Enter coach Doug Collins. He is out of the TNT broadcast booth the Sixers in winners. The Sixers were up 37-23 since the beginning of a 3-13 and may end up with a positive sheet for the first time since 2004-2005. Philadelphia has not won a series of playoffs since 2003.

Brandan Wright had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the net, who lost their fifth straight game.

Mark is set for its first playoff since it for the Clippers played in 2005-2006. He signed an $ 80 million, five year contract with the summer 2008 as the anticipated missing piece that would change the Sixers in suitors. Instead, he missed most of his first season in Philly with a shoulder injury and has not played in the loss of their game in Orlando.

Winger gets his chance now with a team of the Philadelphia currently have seed No.. 6 of the Conference is.

The Sixers of care they do not play in the team. A roster led by 20 usually has a topic of growing confidence in the playoffs.

Nets top Avery Johnson called Young, one of the sixth coach in the NBA, MVP of the Sixers. It would be difficult to argue the winger who has grown under Collins. There are at least 21 points marked in each of the last three games and home of the play of the game in the third.

Connected Iguodala a pass in transition to a young streaks for the alley-oop and a advance 80 - 59. Lou Williams hit a 3 on the next possession and retirement was booming.

Iguodala has led the Sixers with a point 12 of the first quarter. He shook the left knee tendinitis and hamstring woes to have his best season in the individual general competition. Against the net, Iguodala got his points at the beginning, and then let his teammates to treat most of the notation. He had also seven assists.

The Sixers erased the nets in the first half strong shooting (54%) and only three rotations. By the fourth, the minutes of garbage-time became a dunk contest for the deep reservations. This group included starter night Jason Kapono opening and 2010 No. 2 overall draft Evan Turner. Turner is buried at the Bank and should not play in the playoffs.

Turner was drafted to team with holiday for a rear lines to help the Sixers to respectability.

Unlike Turner, made his day of the party. He had seven assists and 6 rebounds, and the Sixers are marked fire had on the 60 per cent of the floor deep mark in the fourth quarter.

It was a terrible night for the net. Deron Williams scored only four points in 23 minutes.

Notes: the Sixers were 43-39 in 2004-2005. ... The Sixers had winning records in each of the past four months (December_March), their longest streak since the season 2000-01. ... Mario West became the 22nd player to play for the nets this season, the team of. Record of New Jersey for most of the players used in a season is 23.

Fredette BYU, Notre Dame de Brey get awards AP (AP)

Jimmer Fredette-HOUSTON was a star of a single name in his last season at BYU.

The country in scoring position helped on a team from the second half of the season ranked in the top 10.

Friday, Fredette - excuse me; Jimmer - was selected Associated Press player of the year.

"It is quite a turn and it is very fun and I would not repeat anything, Fredette a."I had quite the career at BYU."" "There were many ups and downs, but there were many more ups this year".

The Cougars won the title in the regular season Mountain West Conference and San Diego State lost in the last tournament. A seed of no. 3 in the NCAA tournament, they lost to Florida in overtime in eighths and is finished with a record of 32-5.

"I knew from the beginning we can be a very good year with the boys to come back, and it is one of the most talented teams that I've ever played on," said Fredette, who was averaging 28.5 points. "When we started to play well and beat Arizona, and I knew from there that we could be a force." This is what has happened because we stayed hungry throughout the year, and it is that we separated from the other teams. »

Our Lady of Mike Brey was selected coach of the year as he led the Irish in fighting a second place finish in the Big East and not. 5 ranking in the last survey.

"The personality of this group was so stable or it is a great victory or a loss, they have remained stable," said Brey, who spent eleven seasons at notre-Dame. "When she had great victories no change." If they had a heavy loss do not change. "Stable is the word".

Fredette received 48 votes in the 65-member national media panel which selects the weekly Top 25. Right to vote was made before the NCAA tournament.

Kemba Walker of Connecticut was second with 11 votes. Nolan Smith of the Duke had five and Jared Sullinger in the State of Ohio one.

"To see the Jimmer progress and a leader of his team that his legacy will be basketball," said BYU coach Dave Rose. "It is pushed not only the best player, it may be, but is how he has helped his teammates to win." He has always found a way. This is what I remember most.

Fredette is the first BYU player to win the award and the first West of the mountain since Andrew Bogut for Utah in 2005.

Next to the project of Fredette NBA 6-foot-3.

"I have the impression that, as long as I get in a good situation can I can succeed, but this is the situation", he said. "I hope, if I were in this situation I will prove that I can play and the respect of my teammates, coaches and General Manager, worldwide involved and I hope that playing well for them.".

BREY in the fight against the Irish 27-7 record, their victories of second most in a season. Their brand of 14-4 in Big East tied their record for Conference WINS. Notre Dame has been a seed No. 2 Florida State, NCAA tournament lost in the third round.

BREY attracted by 28 votes, 14 more than finalist Steve Fisher of San Diego State.

BREY is the first Notre Dame coach to win the award, and it is the second straight Big East coach to obtain after Jim Boeheim of Syracuse last year.

A tournament early in the season in Orlando, Florida, so-called Brey that he had the makings of a good team.

""I made sure that cut us nets in Orlando and said Disney people"We Don ' t" I said ' do you this year. "Get a scale". As independent for as long that we do not have many chances to break down the nets. The large image and for this year. Boost was enormous confidence. »

Larry Dixon leads qualifying (AP) the top fuel

Champion high season of fuel of the LAS VEGAS - protection Larry Dixon has led to the lead Friday qualifying in nationals SummitRacing.com NHRA at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Dixon, which led to one of its twelve season victories on the work of last year, had a second 3.904 run lead mph 312.78 eligible order in the category of 7,000 horsepower.

Cruz Pedregon led the funny car field and Mike Edwards topped the Pro Division of Stock.

Pedregon edges season 15-time champ John Force for the first place with a race, 306.19 located in his Toyota Camry. Winning defensive event that was second to 4169 and 304.25 in a Ford Mustang.

Edwards took a down nearly 205.63 in a Pontiac GXP.

Penn, fight Fitch to draw on UFC 127 (AP)

SYDNEY-BJ Penn and Jon Fitch fought a draw of majority Sunday to cfu 127, second major of the UFC Show in Australia.

Michael Bisping arrested English Middleweight Jorge Rivera at the beginning of the second series event with a whirlwind brutal punches, intimidated co-main subsequently his opponent pinned Acer Arena.

The former champion of the division of the two Penn (16-7-2) spent most of the fight fighting near the cage with Fitch, who has only lost once in the past seven years. Fitch (26-3-1) is specialized in grinding of the victories, and he posted a third round dominant after injured Penn Fitch the nose in the second round.

Two judges scored the bout as a tie, a third favourite of Fitch 29-28. The two fighters say they open for a revenge.

"I came back and ready to go out on top," said Fitch. "I think I have enough at least to win a split decision.". ... I was looking for him to be, counterbox and counterwrestle. It was a great game plan, and he threw me. It was not until the second round to go together. »

Veterans spend most of the first two rounds nearly on the struggle of the Octagon, but Penn appeared to get the best out of most of the exchanges. Penn that also Fitch bloody nose with an elbow in the second round.

Fitch took Penn on the Web within seconds of the opening of the third, and then spent every round punches Regents in the custody of the Penn. Calls the monotonous action huées of the crowd, but the grinding victories are the specialty of Fitch, based in San Jose.

Penn is a world weight welterweight back after losing his lightweight title to Frankie Edgar last year. Penn recognized with visible frustration on his face that he expected to lose a decision.

"I believe that I have some a dominant position in the first and the second, but he struck my ass in the third," Penn said. "I think that I was not really what I was going to do with my career that I lost this luttemais given that the gods were nice to me and gave me a draw with the fate, if he wants to do again"I think we do it again. »

The bolt was unsatisfactory that the second draw in a major event of the UFC in less than two months, the following Edgar draw with Gray Maynard in a lightweight title on the day of new year's end.

Bisping (22-3) lost about his fight by disqualification in the first round after illegally kept give knee Rivera (18-8) in the face while his opponent on the canvas knelt.

Silver light German Dennis surprised the crowd of Sydney with a unanimous decision on George Sotiropoulos the Australia, which is unbeaten in eight UFC fighting.

UFC 127 took place Sunday afternoon in Sydney for a Saturday night of broadcast in North America. The map was the second sellout UFC in the arena, the current heavyweight Cain Velasquez champion victory in February last the UFC 110.

Bisping and Rivera landed in the days before their end, almost come beating on the roads to and refuse to touch their combat gloves. After Rivera twice in the opening minutes, shaken Bisping Rivera with a patently illegal knee with 2: 15 left in the round, Rivera directing to the Octagon.

Although Rivera have resumed in the fight, he fought to follow Bisping packaging and combinations.

While Rivera still on the canvas after the battle, Bisping has tried to confront him again, shouting, "Apologize!" for what felt disparaging Bisping about his father.

"I am a sensitive boy, so I apologize for losing control, perhaps," said Bisping. "I never said anything bad on it, but it came with all of these things."

SOTIROPOULOS had the home crowd firmly behind him, but Silver (18-7) hit him several times in the first round, in particular, he senseless dropping back with a left hook. SOTIROPOULOS (14-3) survived and came back strong in the second round, but money based in Mannheim has more damage in a convincing decision, General win 30-27, 30-28, and 29-28.

SOTIROPOULOS had not lost since October 2006, when he was disqualified for a strike at 5 seconds in a bolt in the promotion of Shooto. It is not to extend its series of new fighting in the UFC, which would have been the second longest streak in the history of the UFC.

"It was very strong," Sotiropoulos said. "He threw a few shots heavy has argued that, and I felt that their.". My plan was to continue to fight and take them down, but he defends well. His defence was really good, and the leg was a little slippery at the time, it was difficult to get a good grip on it. »

Earlier, Kyle Noke beat Chris Camozzi with a rear naked choke just 95 seconds in the first combat on the diffusion of television in the map of the Australia and Brian Ebersole won his UFC debut after more than 60 fighting previous prodisrupt Chris Lytle UFC veteran with a unanimous decision.

Winners of Houston Kim, Wagner camps again (AP)

Humble, Texas-course knowledge is important in the Houston Open.

Rookie PGA Tour Chris Kirk shot a 3-under 69 Friday to take a stroke a cerebral advance on defending champion Anthony Kim and winner 2008 Johnson Wagner after two rounds at Redstone.

Kirk was 9 - under the by and played his last few holes as the wind picked up in the afternoon and makes it difficult to mark.

Kim and Wagner took advantage of calm morning conditions and their background used on the route to move the submission. Kim shot a 64, the lowest round of the day, and Wagner had a 67.

"I have very good feelings as soon as I step on the property here," said Wagner.

Padraig Harrington, first round leader Jimmy Walker and Josh Teater were two back shots at 7 under.

Organizers provided the course of the tournament at Redstone to simulate conditions that will see players to master the next week, and the establishment has attracted many of the best players in the world in Houston.

Phil Mickelson (70) and Lee Westwood (72) were part of a large group 4 slots and Ernie Els (72) and Fred Couples (72) were among the players to 1.

Kim tries to be the first winner, back to back of the event as Vijay Singh won in 2004 and ' 05, the last two years he played on one side of the course members.

The tournament-course host was in 2006, and Kim had almost every visit.

Before he turned Pro, Kim was the only player to break by winning an event collegiate here in 2006. It is fifth in the Houston Open as a rookie in 2007 Tower and fired three shells of sub - 70 year last to win her third career victory.

"It helps," said knowing that I was playing well before, knowing that I made a few rolls when it mattered, it. "I had a few shots that are similar, some rolls that I are very similar, so I try to remember these things and play.

64 Of Kim was four strokes better than his lower tower when he won last year.

From the back nine, Kim made six birdies in his first 10 holes, including the chip-ins on our 12 and 16. He needed only 22 rolls on equal lowest turn since January.

Before the tournament, Kim said that its major re-engineering required swing and that he spent a few days in collaboration with Adam Schreiber coach for changes. Happy Kim work already produced results.

"It feels a lot of this sense of confidence and to go, a few good golf swings and perhaps a few wraps after that, said Kim."

Wagner feeling a more emotional connection with Redstone, after obtaining his first victory of the tour here three years ago. He needs to win this week to qualify for the Masters, but says major next week has defended sentence.

A resident of Charlotte, Wagner is the tournament at Quail Hollow near his house and everything important that every year, he played Houston event.

"There are a few events regular tour that I love", he said. "Houston and Charlotte will be always my two events preferred that we play."

Kirk has general information on Redstone, too. He played for the Georgia and participated in the collegiate even event Kim won in 2006.

"I think he loves the course," said Kirk. "I shot a lot of 74 s or SW, nothing very memorable."

Second, Kirk, birdied on the list of money Nationwide Tour last year, two of his last three holes the pure and simple shows the way to a double bogey on the by-5-4.

"I made a bad swing off the tee, and it is not yet really bad," Kirk said. "One of these things." Any measure you play, that kind of thing sometimes happens. »

Harrington was also threatened, after briefly Binder for lead early Friday. He made three straight bogies on the back nine to withdraw, then reached the 8th by-5 in two shots to set up an eagle to go back to 7 below.

"Just I fell asleep," said Harrington, sporting a beard this weekend because he has forgotten to seize a razor. "I really the type of road down the hatches for the last few holes, trying not to make too many mistakes after I lost my way."

Note average for players who started in the morning (71.46) has been more than two shots better than the average for players who are late in the day (73.78 CertainTeed).

"As the wind picked up, the ground got really powerful," Kirk said. "You need to be a little more cautious, do really think your way".

Former President George H.W. Bush considered first a golf cart handles and welcomes the Mickelson and couples as they left Greens. Bush regularly attends major sporting events in Houston, where he lives.

Lewis extends lead to hot tour at Kraft Nabisco (AP)

RANCHO MIRAGE, California – Stacy Lewis persevered with more desert heat to shoot a 3 - under 69 at Kraft Nabisco Championship Friday, an advance of three-stroke on Yani Tseng, Brittany Lincicome and Jane Park open.

Lewis was 9 - slot after several big rolls in the cool second round, meet halfway to first major position of the LPGA Tour to hunt for his first victory.

Michelle Wie shot a 67, matching best round of the day. She is six back shots in the running for his first major title.

Tseng, the title and player of head of the world champion, shot a 68.

All leaders can thrive dry, green fast for a day in the second place without wind in Mission Hills, with temperatures topping 100 degrees in the afternoon.

Get defensive of the target for the two Butler, VCU (AP)

HOUSTON - that Butler and VCU proudly wear the same small Conference, lovable underdog tag is easily recognizable.

Less clear is their dedication shared the non-sexy practice of ruthless, aggressive defence - since long a game trade mark Butler, but much more than a surprising end season of operation development, award of Rams.

"This is what has brought us here." For five consecutive matches, play great defense "LCA before Jamie Skeen said Friday." "" If we major defence against play Butler once more, we can probably come with victory. »

Eighth seed Butler (27-9) plays VCU, from "first four" Final oven national semifinal Saturday night.

"It is more challenging because you everyone looks their defence knows, although they are, said the leader of the LCA Joey Rodriguez." "" We want to come and try to prove to people that we can defend as they play.

Virginia Commonwealth (28-11) dream team is a shooter, a complete list of guys who think that they are in range which, once the bus approaching the arena. (It is no coincidence TV analyst Steve Kerr for the Rams for a competition of shooting during training last weekend southwest regional.)

The Rams this year 895 3-pointers were launched - no, this is not a fault of printing - and shot an incredible 44% of long distance only to the NCAA tournament. They have finished with 12 3 s on three of its five games, with Brandon Rozzell doing six on its own against Georgetown and Bradford Burgess is similarly against the State of Florida.

But not error LCA for the Globetrotters.

The Rams are available exactly of Wisconsin, ranking 238th (from 336 teams) in the defence field goal and 134e in defence scoring. They 298th in the margin to rebounds. They are still in the Final Four because they cut off the Southern California, Georgetown, Florida State and Purdue before carry Kansas seeded at the top of the page.

The Jayhawks, the head of the country team, once managed just 61 points during the filming of 35.5 General and 9.5% of 3 points throughout the season lows. After not by more than two points behind the whole tournament, abandoned Kansas with 17 for the rest.

Overall, Virginia Commonwealth is therefore an average of 62 points less than their season average in the tournament, almost five. They hold opponents to 39 percent shooting, well below their average season of 44%.

"They keep balance teams," said Matt Howard, Butler leading scorer and rebounder. "Need to prepare for the multiple looks." They will print. They play a little of the area. So, they have a good cyber war. I think that when you are really mark the ball really well, also, that gives you the defensive energy. I think that you can make an argument that they scored as well as anyone.

"When you are able to enter these different defenses and mark, I think that really helps their defence."

If anyone knows that it is Butler.

The Bulldogs are one of the fundamental teams healthier in the game - these are the guys in the gymnasium where "hoosiers play" was filmed, after all. They can learn, and they do very well. Howard shoot 49%, while Andrew Smith, a nearly 9 points a game average is 62% shooting.

But they came within 2 points of the Championship year last thanks to frankly unpleasant defence. Butler is closed off the coast of the K-State Jacob Pullen final regional, he questioned in 4-of-13 shooting and four turnovers. The State of Michigan in 16 turnovers in the final four harassed and zero allowed - nada zilch, zip, - fast break points.

And when the season Bulldogs was on the edge of this year with three straight and four or five games landslide losses, defence, not attack, these things turn around.

"We've really focused on the defensive end of the word," said Howard. "We were not guarding the way which us had normally, and I think it was really important for us to come back to that.".

Butler now has 13 best straight, one past four teams won. He was give a unfortunate points 59.6 during stretch, an average of almost eight points better than the average through the first 23 games of the season. Only two teams have obtained 70% or more from Butler, both in the NCAA tournament streak.

Also outrebounded the Bulldogs Old Dominion, best team of the nation on the glass, 32-29 in the second round.

"Butler is probably the defensive team more difficult we will give all year, said Burgess.".

What can I say something, consider that the LCA Florida State, leave the country in field goal defense, in the South West regional semi-finals played.

"Butler is much more healthy. "They are going to each type of defensive mistakes," said coach Shaka Smart LCA. "We have to get in the paint and not always to turn the ball." We came to touch the paint. We need the additional password on the circumference. We should use shot fakes. You end up with force.

"Something that large defensive teams all have in common is that they are very physical, they aggressively." If you are not the fight to take, then you'll be in for a long night. »

The first one to 60 get to play for the title.

Calhoun, Calipari has never really see eye to eye (AP)

HOUSTON person-will dispute that they are great coaches and the most recent evidence is located in the teams that they have led to the Final Four this year.

No one will argue that John Calipari and Jim Calhoun Saints, either.

Men on the sidelines for the Final Four of Kentucky-Connecticut confrontation have had their share of problems - with others, the programs they run and the NCAA.

They are a microcosm of what is right and wrong in NCAA - a game based on the coach where good leaders programs and players to a new level may raise, but road to product success often its just part of the cringeworthy deal.

Calipari leads the fourth seeded Wildcats (29-8) against Calhoun and third-seeded Huskies (30-9) in the second semifinal Saturday. The two coaches convinced a reversal of their teams of young people, who have difficulties in unexpected trip to the biggest stage of the game, the third and fourth for Calipari for Calhoun.

On the eve of the game have their history as dynamic a topic as the success of their teams.

One of the first questions that Calipari fielded was the Friday or it is the former coach Jerry Tarkanian UNLV 2000 version, a coach which many win at his time, but he made with his phone number is firmly anchored on the dial of the speed of the NCAA.

The question dragged the Wildcats bus also gently as good Kentucky bourbon.

"I respect all Jerry done - his children, how they played, all these things," Calipari said. "But, no, I think that I 2011 John Calipari.". I don't know what that means, and I hate to speak in the third. "But I am who I am."

Unlike Calhoun Calipari has no qualms about how many of its players were surprisingly short career and, indeed, to see that somehow a feather in his Cap. Recruits there best players, just as quickly - replaces goodbye John Wall, Hello Brandon Knight - and gets to accept different roles, sometimes uncomfortable work in a team.

He is back in Houston, where three years ago, he won two races on the Memphis regional lead to the Final Four, only to leave school a year later, just as the program was conducted in the problems of NCAA relating to the recruitment of Derrick Rose.

First visit Final Four of the Calipari, with Massachusetts in 1996, was also washed by the NCAA. That led to another ironic question: How does it feel to be coaches in your first Final Four?

"I deal with that," said coach of 52 years, who four years in the NBA between UMass and Memphis stays. "We are here three times." These players play played and did what they should. I am so proud of what they have done.

He says that without excuse. Its schools suffering, Calipari was not found on the debt to one of the probes of the NCAA.

The so-called problems between Cal and Cal began in this UMass days, while at the top of the other coaches were in neighbouring States - one trying to protect its turf and the other trying to cut its own. Things are are strained during the recruitment of Marcus Camby, UMass wound up choosing and issues of school which eventually landed at his trial.

Both coaches agreed that the relationship had a difficult start.

"I want to say, Northeast, you are so tight, you are right at the top of the other, that there is a competitive environment," said Calipari. "Our emissions of radio and tv-shows are in the other country, in our cities." That is how it is there. »

The 68-year Calhoun airy resumed the complaints he raised more than a decade ago on Calipari - a Pittsburgh native, trying to muscle its way through the New England - but made clear hostility calmed as the year passed.

"The generational perspective on the fact that John was really trying to claim new England,"said Calhoun with its counterpart in the absence of a genuine friendship. "

Then, he influenced his Boston accent better: "he could never say it pahked in Casa Hahvahd Yahd, he did not know what was really the clam chowder." I took (shading) to it, but I take (shading) many things. »

As magic this season has been - Kemba Walker the emergence as a star of the NBA-bound, five victories as five nights in the Big East tournament, then four wins more and unexpected Final Four travel - it is also a drain on Calhoun.

UConn Huskies this season has been played in the shadow of an NCAA investigation into the recruitment of Nate miles, a player of liquidation have expelled from the school before never play a game with the name.

The probe - ugly, but the first 25 years at Calhoun of UConn Huskies - led sanctions which Calhoun of suspension for the first three games of next season. If, that is to say, the coach decided to return. He has a lot of health problems in the past eight years and now enjoys spending time with his grandchildren as much as the players that he coaches.

"I am comfortable with my University, how they dealt with is, how the NCAA treated," said Calhoun. "I did not say that I agree with everything." But I was responsible for the program, program errors made, and I think that everyone had their chance to speak of a period of two years. When it was evaluated, it was assessed, and it is on for me. »

Always at the same time, the saga of Cal vs Cal hang, although in a light much less angry now 15 years ago.

Earlier in the week, Calhoun referred to its three final four homologous coaches and it was called, "my three sons - my two sons over my problem child," in reference to the years 1960 Classic TV show that Fred MacMurray played.

Calipari picked which one Friday: "I told him that I knew Fred MacMurray," he said, "and Mr. Calhoun, you are not a" Fred MacMurray.

Nadal beats Federer in Key Biscayne, Florida (AP)

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. - Rafael Nadal usually obtain a trophy when he defeated Roger Federer. This time, is pay a chance to play Novak Djokovic in the final Sunday at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Advanced Nadal Friday evening, with an incredible ease before an arbitrary Federer 6 - 3, 6-2.

Spanish has never lost serve, four of five break point opportunities and non-forced errors committed only 10 to 31 for Federer.

The first clash of the United States in six years between Rafa and Roger was a clapped-out instead of a classic, a capacity crowd who tried in vain to inspire a comeback Federer singing his disappointing name. They met before the final of the tower for the first time since 2007 because Federer has recently slipped from second to third in the standings and landed at Nadal half of the draw.

Now, no. ranked 1 Nadal and not. Djokovic 2 will play for the Championship. Djokovic won the tournament in 2007, while Nadal is looking for his first Key Biscayne title.

Djokovic extended his series of victories in 25 consecutive matches by Mardy Fish in the other semi-final, 6-3, 6-1 defeat. Three-time champion Grand Slam Maria Sharapova tries his first title in Key Biscayne Saturday when they play Victoria Azarenka 2009 champion.

Nadal vs Federer generated the vortex of a final, with tickets shortly before the game to recover hundreds of dollars. But Federer came out flat, committing four errors not forced to lose serve and scramblers 2-1.

That was part of a room in which Nadal won 13 of 15 points to take control. He lost two only of 18 points on his service in the first series.

The agitated crowd began chanting "ro - ger!" in the second series, but some fans would answer with a competition "Ra - fa! Din do not change the course of the game.

Federer had problems of adaptation with the speed of Nadal of features of soil, shanking of half a dozen photos, including a match point to reach. Federer then put a prudent forehand in the net, and it was completed after only 75 minutes.

Improved Nadal, 15-8 against Federer. Nadal is 16-8 against Djokovic but lost when she was two weeks ago in the final at Indian Wells.

It is one of the three titles that Djokovic won this year, including the Open of Australia. His 23-0 record in 2011 is the best record to start a year since Ivan Lendl 25-0 has begun in 1986.

Despite this, Djokovic says the role of underdog Sunday.

He said "I obviously wouldn't can't feel like a favorite". "For me to win, I'll be should be at the top of my game."

Fish, who received the No. 1 ranking in the United States its run this week, suspended with Djokovic for a time, but he was 0 for 6 break points. Djokovic erased three ACEs and one with a service winner.

The Serbian service is its greatest weakness, only a year ago, but it is much improved since. It must be still 40 service games at Key Biscayne, erase all 15 break points he faced to be broken.

"I don't feel invincible," Djokovic said. "I don't feel that I can't lose on the right." What I feel, is the great confidence. What I feel is that I am playing the best tennis of my life. »

Djokovic also dominates long events, another reason, it has only 18 games in five lost rounds.

"It will be better than now, no doubt about it, the hard court," said Fish "it is now his playground."

Rain stopped the match 2 - all 54 minutes and Djokovic said that it is less windy conditions more favourable to the game resumed. He thrust his chest after winning a grueling basis of rallies to break a 4-2 lead.

Fish the best chance to return to the game came three games later, but he did not put away a volley to break point station and Djokovic served to all.

It was a runaway from there.

"I win one of the big points," said Fish "none of them." I left many shots here today. That is what is disappointing.

His consolation: he'll be ahead of fellow American Andy Roddick uphill to a career-best 11th in the rankings next week.

Trainer Gil Clancy, dies at 88 (AP)

LYNBROOK, n.y. - trainer Gil Clancy, who helped lead weights welterweight Emile Griffith and Middleweight titles, died. He was 88.

Clancy died Thursday at the start to an installation of assisted living on Long Island, according to his daughter, Patricia Houlahan.

"He lived a good life," said Houlahan. "I'll take it."

Born in Rockaway Beach, N.Y., boxed Clancy to the College and the army. He holds a Masters degree in education at the University of New York and tuition fees paid by fighters of the training.

Finally, Clancy fame as a man has increased and has also worked with corner Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Oscar De La Hoya and Ken Buchanan. But he is best known for his 20 years with Griffith association.

Griffith has captured the world weight welterweight title from Benny "The Kid" Paret in April 1961 with a series of 13 knock out. Six months later Griffith lost the title to Paret, in a narrow split decision, in a match controversial with Paret in 1962.

With Clancy shouting encouragement to the corner, Griffith hit Paret unconscious and Paret is remained consolidated against the ropes while Griffith struck repeatedly during a few seconds before referee Ruby Goldstein stopped the fight. Paret never repeated consciousness and died 10 days later.

It was my birthday, "said Houlahan." "" It was obviously a really difficult thing they went through. It was very bad, a tragedy. Papa do not talk that much because it was so bad. "My father was the kind of guy who likes it inside".

Clancy, chosen in 1993 to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, was also a matchmaker for Madison Square Garden 1978-81 and 1988 to 2006's award-winning boxing analyst.

"Today we are deeply saddened by the death of our friend,", said Dan Ronayne, executive vice president and general manager, MSG networks. "His death leaves a hole in the community of boxing, and with the family of the Madison Square Garden.". Our thoughts and our prayers are with his family. »

The Hall of Fame on the road, N.Y., lowered its flag at half-mast in honor of Clancy's.

"Gil Clancy was one of the great minds of boxing," said the Director-General of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Edward Brophy.

Clancy is survived by five children and grandchildren of great 19 18 grandchildren. His wife, Nancy, died 16 months ago. Funeral arrangements were incomplete, said of the family.

Donations can be in honour of Clancy for boxers veteran Association of New York, Inc. in Long Island City, New York (http://www.ring8ny.com).