Looking for help: New Orleans' Greivis Vasquez passes the ball against Washington's Kevin Seraphin in the first half on Thursday night. The Wizards beat the Hornets 99-89. APThe Blazers have lost seven of their last 10 games to fall out of the Western Conference playoff race. Portland (20-23) is in 12th place in the West and last in the Northwest Division.The firing was part of an overhaul that included releasing former No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden and trading veteran center Marcus Camby to the Houston Rockets and versatile forward Gerald Wallace to the New Jersey Nets."The moves that we made . . . today really set us up for this summer with the draft and with free agency to really be able to move in the direction that we want to move in and make this team better," Blazers president Larry Miller said in a news conference.Assistant coach Kaleb Canales will be the interim head coach."Hard to see coach Nate go," All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge tweeted. "He was my coach since day one and I've grown a lot under his coaching."McMillan went 266-269 in over six seasons as coach of the Blazers and led them to the playoffs in the previous three seasons. But the Blazers failed to make it out of the first round in each of those trips to the postseason, and the warning signs started to pop up early that this season was going to be rough.General manager Rich Cho was abruptly fired in late May, just weeks before the NBA draft. Once the lockout was lifted in December, Brandon Roy, the heart and soul of the team, was forced to retire because of ongoing knee problems, Aldridge was slowed in camp by a heart condition and Oden had yet another season end early because of knee surgery.The chemistry in the locker room, and on the court, seemed to disintegrate as well.Portland traded Camby to the Rockets for center Hasheem Thabeet and point guard Jonny Flynn and Wallace to the Nets for center Mehmet Okur and forward Shawne Williams.NEW ORLEANS — John Wall had 26 points and 12 assists, and the Washington Wizards won hours after making a multiplayer deal at the trade deadline, 99-89 over the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday night.Earlier in the day, Washington traded guard Nick Young and centers JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver as part of a three-team deal. Mavericks 101, Bobcats 96In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and the Mavericks rallied from 14 points down in the second quarter. Thunder 103, Nuggets 90In Denver, Kevin Durant scored 24 points, Russell Westbrook had 23 and Oklahoma City beat the short-handed Nuggets. Jazz 111, T-Wolves 105 (OT)In Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward scored 18 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Paul Millsap made a flurry of key plays in the final minute to lead Utah past Minnesota. Suns 91, Clippers 87In Los Angeles, Shannon Brown scored a season-high 21 points, including four free throws in the final 1:33, to help short-handed Phoenix end a four-game road losing streak.With the Suns playing the middle game in a stretch of three in three nights, coach Alvin Gentry had Steve Nash and Grant Hill both sit out in street clothes.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Trail Blazers clean house, fire McMillan, release Oden
PORTLAND, Oregon — The Portland Trail Blazers fired coach Nate McMillan on Thursday, one day after a 42-point loss to the New York Knicks.Looking for help: New Orleans' Greivis Vasquez passes the ball against Washington's Kevin Seraphin in the first half on Thursday night. The Wizards beat the Hornets 99-89. APThe Blazers have lost seven of their last 10 games to fall out of the Western Conference playoff race. Portland (20-23) is in 12th place in the West and last in the Northwest Division.The firing was part of an overhaul that included releasing former No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden and trading veteran center Marcus Camby to the Houston Rockets and versatile forward Gerald Wallace to the New Jersey Nets."The moves that we made . . . today really set us up for this summer with the draft and with free agency to really be able to move in the direction that we want to move in and make this team better," Blazers president Larry Miller said in a news conference.Assistant coach Kaleb Canales will be the interim head coach."Hard to see coach Nate go," All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge tweeted. "He was my coach since day one and I've grown a lot under his coaching."McMillan went 266-269 in over six seasons as coach of the Blazers and led them to the playoffs in the previous three seasons. But the Blazers failed to make it out of the first round in each of those trips to the postseason, and the warning signs started to pop up early that this season was going to be rough.General manager Rich Cho was abruptly fired in late May, just weeks before the NBA draft. Once the lockout was lifted in December, Brandon Roy, the heart and soul of the team, was forced to retire because of ongoing knee problems, Aldridge was slowed in camp by a heart condition and Oden had yet another season end early because of knee surgery.The chemistry in the locker room, and on the court, seemed to disintegrate as well.Portland traded Camby to the Rockets for center Hasheem Thabeet and point guard Jonny Flynn and Wallace to the Nets for center Mehmet Okur and forward Shawne Williams.NEW ORLEANS — John Wall had 26 points and 12 assists, and the Washington Wizards won hours after making a multiplayer deal at the trade deadline, 99-89 over the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday night.Earlier in the day, Washington traded guard Nick Young and centers JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver as part of a three-team deal. Mavericks 101, Bobcats 96In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and the Mavericks rallied from 14 points down in the second quarter. Thunder 103, Nuggets 90In Denver, Kevin Durant scored 24 points, Russell Westbrook had 23 and Oklahoma City beat the short-handed Nuggets. Jazz 111, T-Wolves 105 (OT)In Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward scored 18 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Paul Millsap made a flurry of key plays in the final minute to lead Utah past Minnesota. Suns 91, Clippers 87In Los Angeles, Shannon Brown scored a season-high 21 points, including four free throws in the final 1:33, to help short-handed Phoenix end a four-game road losing streak.With the Suns playing the middle game in a stretch of three in three nights, coach Alvin Gentry had Steve Nash and Grant Hill both sit out in street clothes.
Looking for help: New Orleans' Greivis Vasquez passes the ball against Washington's Kevin Seraphin in the first half on Thursday night. The Wizards beat the Hornets 99-89. APThe Blazers have lost seven of their last 10 games to fall out of the Western Conference playoff race. Portland (20-23) is in 12th place in the West and last in the Northwest Division.The firing was part of an overhaul that included releasing former No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden and trading veteran center Marcus Camby to the Houston Rockets and versatile forward Gerald Wallace to the New Jersey Nets."The moves that we made . . . today really set us up for this summer with the draft and with free agency to really be able to move in the direction that we want to move in and make this team better," Blazers president Larry Miller said in a news conference.Assistant coach Kaleb Canales will be the interim head coach."Hard to see coach Nate go," All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge tweeted. "He was my coach since day one and I've grown a lot under his coaching."McMillan went 266-269 in over six seasons as coach of the Blazers and led them to the playoffs in the previous three seasons. But the Blazers failed to make it out of the first round in each of those trips to the postseason, and the warning signs started to pop up early that this season was going to be rough.General manager Rich Cho was abruptly fired in late May, just weeks before the NBA draft. Once the lockout was lifted in December, Brandon Roy, the heart and soul of the team, was forced to retire because of ongoing knee problems, Aldridge was slowed in camp by a heart condition and Oden had yet another season end early because of knee surgery.The chemistry in the locker room, and on the court, seemed to disintegrate as well.Portland traded Camby to the Rockets for center Hasheem Thabeet and point guard Jonny Flynn and Wallace to the Nets for center Mehmet Okur and forward Shawne Williams.NEW ORLEANS — John Wall had 26 points and 12 assists, and the Washington Wizards won hours after making a multiplayer deal at the trade deadline, 99-89 over the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday night.Earlier in the day, Washington traded guard Nick Young and centers JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver as part of a three-team deal. Mavericks 101, Bobcats 96In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and the Mavericks rallied from 14 points down in the second quarter. Thunder 103, Nuggets 90In Denver, Kevin Durant scored 24 points, Russell Westbrook had 23 and Oklahoma City beat the short-handed Nuggets. Jazz 111, T-Wolves 105 (OT)In Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward scored 18 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Paul Millsap made a flurry of key plays in the final minute to lead Utah past Minnesota. Suns 91, Clippers 87In Los Angeles, Shannon Brown scored a season-high 21 points, including four free throws in the final 1:33, to help short-handed Phoenix end a four-game road losing streak.With the Suns playing the middle game in a stretch of three in three nights, coach Alvin Gentry had Steve Nash and Grant Hill both sit out in street clothes.
Tendulkar reaches 100 centuries
DHAKA — Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries on Friday.Tendulkar, who had been stuck on 99 centuries for a year, reached the milestone in the Asia Cup when he hit to square leg and ran a single against Bangladesh.He hardly celebrated, with the Bangladesh fielders seemingly more excited than the "Little Master" as they congratulated the best batsman of the modern era. He was finally out for 114, to a great over-the-head catch at long off by Mushfiqur Rahim.Tendulkar already holds most of the major batting records, including most runs and centuries in both five-day tests and one-day internationals.Tendulkar's batting prowess has often led to comparisons with Australian great Donald Bradman, who retired with an average of 99.94 runs.
Drug use rampant in bj-league, claims Saitama's Flowers
Saitama Broncos forward John Flowers, who played for West Virginia in the 2010 NCAA Final Four, told a CBS Radio show in Pittsburgh that drug use in the bj-league is widespread.Those comments came three days after Osaka Evessa star Lynn Washington's arrest on Tuesday for suspicion of importing a package of marijuana into Japan, a violation of the Cannabis Control Law. Washington's wife, Dana, was arrested last month by Osaka Prefectural Police. The case is ongoing."I could name at least two people on every team that smoke marijuana out here," Flowers said in an interview with "The Fan Morning Show" on 93.7 FM before West Virginia lost to Gonzaga in an NCAA tournament game on Thursday.Flowers, who's tied for fifth in the league in scoring (20.6 points per game), said his overall experience in Japan has been miserable. He described his residency, provided by the Broncos, as living in a "jail cell."After Washington's arrest and the abrupt announcement that the bj-league, which relies on foreign players to fill about 60 percent of its starting positions, will now begin immediate drug testing before this weekend's games, Flowers said numerous players are stunned by the news. He described it as "something astronomical happened out here."Flowers said, "A lot of players in the league are real shook right now. . ."
Terry's influence crucial for Chelsea
LONDON — Maybe it was Roman Abramovich's instruction to the players to improve.
One glance at the Chelsea owner's Wikipedia page would no doubt encourage anyone to shift up a gear when told.Perhaps it was the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas, who paid the price for trying to move on the old guard. Or the increasingly successful interim appointment of former West Bromwich discard Roberto di Matteo, who has registered three consecutive wins.Whatever inspired Chelsea to a storming 4-1 extra-time win over Napoli on Wednesday worked. Led by John Terry, as inspirational as he is controversial, with Didier Drogba turning back the years and Frank Lampard proving he is still the man for the big occasion, Chelsea was terrific.Its pulsating performance left us wondering why things had stagnated so badly under AVB, though the attitude of the players must also be called the question. Once a team crosses the white line it should be motivated enough regardless of who the manager is, but this clearly didn't apply with Chelsea.Terry had denied player-power was behind AVB's departure — as if he was going to say "yes, we got rid of him" — but Chelsea's players displayed irresistible power against an enterprising Napoli team that was eventually blown away by the rampaging Blues on a night to remember.This was a huge result and a brilliant display by a side where Terry is clearly more than a captain. It is difficult to recall a more influential player than Terry.Whether that is a good thing many will doubt, but even the defender's critics — effectively just about everyone who doesn't support Chelsea — would have to admit that while his off-field behavior leaves much to be desired, he is Mr. Chelsea.As Abramovich walked across the pitch after the match he indulged in high-fives before giving a more positive speech to the players."What he said stays in the dressing room," said di Matteo earning maximum diplomacy points. "But I guess Roman was happy because we won."Realistically Chelsea will not win the Champions League, but it proved there is life in the old guard yet. But the best penny spent would be on the thoughts of AVB.Having secured its place in the last eight of the Champions League, Chelsea turns its attention to the F.A. Cup sixth round, which offers some intriguing possibilities even though the absence of Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal may have taken some gloss off the quarterfinals for the power brokers of sponsorship and television.It could be Tottenham vs. Chelsea or Everton vs. Liverpool in the final. The bad news is that the 2012 final may also see Leicester City play Bolton Wanderers, not a matchup Budweiser had in mind when it signed its lucrative deal to have its name on the tournament.Leicester, the lone survivor from the Championship, has never won the F.A. Cup and is a dangerous underdog, but it is difficult to see it ending the interest of Chelsea, which will be oozing confidence after its midweek triumph. Verdict: Chelsea.Everton manager David Moyes would love to celebrate 10 years in charge of the Toffees with his first major managerial honor, though whoever writes Martin O'Neill's scripts would no doubt have ended the season with Sunderland winning the cup. Verdict: draw.If Spurs reach Wembley, it would be a grand finale for Harry Redknapp should England call. Bolton may complete an ignominious cup/relegation double. Verdict: Spurs win.Liverpool, underachieving in the league, is on course to win the domestic cup double but Stoke, beaten finalists a year ago, is in with a chance to make up for its disappointment in 2011. Verdict: Liverpool.* * *SIR DAVE RICHARDS, chairman of the Premier League, is known as the silent knight, happy to leave everyone else to speak to the media. Despite his ?291,000 salary, the man who rose without a trace stayed in the shadows.This week, it became easy to understand why Richards was English football's Marcel Marceau, and rather than be critical of this, we should be grateful. Richards was in Doha for a Sports Security conference and decided to give Qatar some advice ahead of the 2022 World Cup.One can only assume no Premier League spin doctor was around because Richards showed the subtlety of a charging rhino. Oh, and he also fell into a pool.Richards said: "In our country and in Germany we have a culture. We call it 'we would like to go for a pint and that pint is a pint of beer.' "At this point the assembled gathering must have been thinking it was a Sir Dave Richards lookalike, but the real thing continued: "It is our culture as much as your culture [in Qatar] is not drinking. There has to be a happy medium."And then this gem. "If you don't do something about it, you are burying your head in the sand."Qatar . . . sand . . . desert. No he wasn't joking and to complete displaying the PR skills honed at the George W. Bush academy, he ended his rant with: "You might be better off saying don't come."Next in his sights was FIFA and UEFA which he accused of "stealing football," blissfully unaware that the Premier League stole 22 clubs from the Football League 20 years ago.Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for Sir Dave Richards.Silence.While urging another country to relax its attitude toward alcohol, Richards himself was not dry for long. Having put his foot in it as he spoke, while walking to the official dinner he inadvertently tumbled into a small water channel by a fountain — "only knee deep" claimed an eye witness with a tinge of regret.Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.
One glance at the Chelsea owner's Wikipedia page would no doubt encourage anyone to shift up a gear when told.Perhaps it was the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas, who paid the price for trying to move on the old guard. Or the increasingly successful interim appointment of former West Bromwich discard Roberto di Matteo, who has registered three consecutive wins.Whatever inspired Chelsea to a storming 4-1 extra-time win over Napoli on Wednesday worked. Led by John Terry, as inspirational as he is controversial, with Didier Drogba turning back the years and Frank Lampard proving he is still the man for the big occasion, Chelsea was terrific.Its pulsating performance left us wondering why things had stagnated so badly under AVB, though the attitude of the players must also be called the question. Once a team crosses the white line it should be motivated enough regardless of who the manager is, but this clearly didn't apply with Chelsea.Terry had denied player-power was behind AVB's departure — as if he was going to say "yes, we got rid of him" — but Chelsea's players displayed irresistible power against an enterprising Napoli team that was eventually blown away by the rampaging Blues on a night to remember.This was a huge result and a brilliant display by a side where Terry is clearly more than a captain. It is difficult to recall a more influential player than Terry.Whether that is a good thing many will doubt, but even the defender's critics — effectively just about everyone who doesn't support Chelsea — would have to admit that while his off-field behavior leaves much to be desired, he is Mr. Chelsea.As Abramovich walked across the pitch after the match he indulged in high-fives before giving a more positive speech to the players."What he said stays in the dressing room," said di Matteo earning maximum diplomacy points. "But I guess Roman was happy because we won."Realistically Chelsea will not win the Champions League, but it proved there is life in the old guard yet. But the best penny spent would be on the thoughts of AVB.Having secured its place in the last eight of the Champions League, Chelsea turns its attention to the F.A. Cup sixth round, which offers some intriguing possibilities even though the absence of Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal may have taken some gloss off the quarterfinals for the power brokers of sponsorship and television.It could be Tottenham vs. Chelsea or Everton vs. Liverpool in the final. The bad news is that the 2012 final may also see Leicester City play Bolton Wanderers, not a matchup Budweiser had in mind when it signed its lucrative deal to have its name on the tournament.Leicester, the lone survivor from the Championship, has never won the F.A. Cup and is a dangerous underdog, but it is difficult to see it ending the interest of Chelsea, which will be oozing confidence after its midweek triumph. Verdict: Chelsea.Everton manager David Moyes would love to celebrate 10 years in charge of the Toffees with his first major managerial honor, though whoever writes Martin O'Neill's scripts would no doubt have ended the season with Sunderland winning the cup. Verdict: draw.If Spurs reach Wembley, it would be a grand finale for Harry Redknapp should England call. Bolton may complete an ignominious cup/relegation double. Verdict: Spurs win.Liverpool, underachieving in the league, is on course to win the domestic cup double but Stoke, beaten finalists a year ago, is in with a chance to make up for its disappointment in 2011. Verdict: Liverpool.* * *SIR DAVE RICHARDS, chairman of the Premier League, is known as the silent knight, happy to leave everyone else to speak to the media. Despite his ?291,000 salary, the man who rose without a trace stayed in the shadows.This week, it became easy to understand why Richards was English football's Marcel Marceau, and rather than be critical of this, we should be grateful. Richards was in Doha for a Sports Security conference and decided to give Qatar some advice ahead of the 2022 World Cup.One can only assume no Premier League spin doctor was around because Richards showed the subtlety of a charging rhino. Oh, and he also fell into a pool.Richards said: "In our country and in Germany we have a culture. We call it 'we would like to go for a pint and that pint is a pint of beer.' "At this point the assembled gathering must have been thinking it was a Sir Dave Richards lookalike, but the real thing continued: "It is our culture as much as your culture [in Qatar] is not drinking. There has to be a happy medium."And then this gem. "If you don't do something about it, you are burying your head in the sand."Qatar . . . sand . . . desert. No he wasn't joking and to complete displaying the PR skills honed at the George W. Bush academy, he ended his rant with: "You might be better off saying don't come."Next in his sights was FIFA and UEFA which he accused of "stealing football," blissfully unaware that the Premier League stole 22 clubs from the Football League 20 years ago.Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for Sir Dave Richards.Silence.While urging another country to relax its attitude toward alcohol, Richards himself was not dry for long. Having put his foot in it as he spoke, while walking to the official dinner he inadvertently tumbled into a small water channel by a fountain — "only knee deep" claimed an eye witness with a tinge of regret.Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.Bills give Williams record $100 million contract for defender
Jackpot: Defensive end Mario Williams poses with Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey (right) and general manager Buddy Nix on Thursday after signing a six-year, $100 million contract with the team. APNEW YORK — Megatron and Mario, the richest players in the NFL.When linebacker-end Mario Williams signed a six-year contract Thursday with the Buffalo Bills worth $100 million, $50 million guaranteed, he became the highest-paid defensive player in league history. Williams' mega-deal followed by one day the $132 million contract the Detroit Lions gave their star receiver, Calvin Johnson.Johnson's haul is the most for any NFL player at any position.Other than Peyton Manning, whose search for a new team continues, Williams was the most sought free agent in this year's class; Johnson already was under contract in Detroit."It's one of those things you don't get many chances like this, and opportunities to come in and be the guy who can help the team get across the hump," said Williams, who was in Buffalo since the free agency period opened Tuesday, having been flown in from his home in North Carolina. "And that's definitely what I'm here for. My whole intention is to come here, work with guys like Kyle (Williams) and (Marcell) Dareus and make this thing happen."The first overall draft pick by Houston in 2006, Williams became a pass rushing force and all-around standout at end before moving to linebacker in the Texans' new 3-4 alignment last year. But he played only five games in 2011 before a torn chest muscle sidelined him.Buffalo targeted Williams to upgrade a defense that ranked 26th overall and 28th against the run. The Bills had only 29 sacks last year; Williams has 53 for his career.Earlier Thursday, guard Ben Grubbs agreed on a five-year, $36 million contract with New Orleans, where he will replace All-Pro Carl Nicks, who left the previous day for NFC South rival Tampa Bay. Grubbs gets $16 million guaranteed, including a $10 million signing bonus."Ben comes to us from an offense in Baltimore that experienced a lot of success, both running the football and in pass protection," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said. "He was a big part of that and we believe that he can come right in and fit into our program without missing a beat."Nicks is considered one of the league's best pass blockers and was a key part of the Saints' record-setting offense. Grubbs made the Pro Bowl last season with the Ravens.Another offensive lineman switching teams was Steve Hutchinson, a five-time All Pro with seven Pro Bowls who left Minnesota for Tennessee. Hutchinson changed teams as a free agent once before, in 2006 when he left Seattle for the Vikings. The Seahawks gave him a transition designation, but then couldn't match the deal he got with Minnesota, which included stipulations the Seahawks couldn't handle under the salary cap."I still see him playing at a high level, even in his 11th NFL season," said Titans coach Mike Munchak, himself a Hall of Fame guard. "He brings experience and success to our line and into the locker room."Kansas City agreed to a three-year, $9 million deal with tight end Kevin Boss, who spent one season with Oakland after four with the New York Giants. The Chiefs' starter at the position, Tony Moeaki, missed all of 2011 with a torn left knee ligament.San Diego bolstered its receiving corps by adding Eddie Royal in a three-year agreement.Baruto remains on course for promotion
OSAKA — Estonian behemoth Baruto stayed in the hunt for promotion to sumo's top rank of yokozuna with a routine defeat of winless Kyokutenho on Friday, the sixth day of action at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.The former nightclub bouncer was never in any danger in the day's next-to-last bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, getting both arms around the Mongolian and spinning him around and down with a "shitatenage" underam throw to sit one win behind lone yokozuna Hakuho.Hakuho, seeking his 22nd title, remained undefeated alongside in-form sekiwake Kakuryu as he wrapped up the day's action with a hard-fought win over No. 2 maegashira Yoshikaze.Hakuho looked in all sorts of trouble as he was twice driven up against the ring's edge, but the yokozuna's pedigree eventually proved the difference as he sent Yoshikaze (1-5) packing with an armlock throw.Baruto and fellow ozeki Kotooshu are among a group of six wrestlers at 5-1.Mongolian trickster Kakuryu, who stunned Baruto on Wednesday, showed nifty footwork to draw in Tochiozan (3-3) and slap the komsubi down to stay tied at the top as the first week of the basho draws to a close.Ozeki Kotoshogiku cemented his place among the chasing pack by dismantling Myogiru with a frontal push down, sentencing the No. 1 maegashira to his fifth defeat of the tourney.Kotooshu claimed European bragging rights in a meeting with Georgian komusubi Gagamaru (0-6), the Bulgarian prevailing with a textbook overarm throw. Kisenosato (3-3) followed suit in the next bout, the Naruto stable star rebounding from Thursday's defeat with a shove that forced Aminishiki (3-3) to lose his footing and step over the straw ridge.Harumafuji repeatedly thwarted Tochinoshin (1-5) and countered to tip the Georgian No. 3 maegashira over with a hooking inner thigh throw to stay in touch with the front-running duo.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Darvish wild in start
Settling in: Rangers starter Yu Darvish pitches to Cleveland's Choo Shin Soo during a spring training game on Tuesday. APGOODYEAR, Arizona — Yu Darvish is no one-pitch wonder for the Texas Rangers.Unable to command his lively fastball, Darvish delivered devastating breaking balls to work out of trouble during the first three innings of the Rangers' 8-8 tie with the Cleveland Indians in 10 innings Tuesday."I didn't feel that good and could not command my fastball," Darvish said through interpreter Joe Furukawa to the media throng after walking four and allowing two runs and three hits.Darvish limited the damage by getting Choo Shin Soo to ground into a double play. Texas catcher Yorvit Torrealba helped by throwing out two would-be basestealers."If Torrealba is not catching, I think I'd give up 10 runs today," Darvish said. "Some of my pitches were so bad I don't think any hitters would swing at them."Rangers bullpen coach Andy Hawkins wasn't so sure about that."His secondary pitches were as sharp as can be," Hawkins said. "With the bases loaded, he got two ground balls. One bounced through; the other was a double play. You like to see guys get nothing but outs, but he worked out of things today."Yangervis Solarte's two-run homer off Indians starter Josh Tomlin helped Texas take a 7-0 lead after three.Asdrubal Cabrera, Jason Kipnis and Lou Marson had 2 RBIs apiece for Cleveland, which went ahead 8-7 against the Rangers' bullpen."He's got good stuff," Kipnis said of Darvish. "He's got life on his fastball and looks comfortable out there. He struck me out with a good split-finger."Darvish walked the first two hitters he faced. Torrealba erased both trying to steal second. The right-hander yielded a single to Jose Lopez in the second, then fanned Kipnis and Fred Lewis, before running into a jam in the third.Jack Hanrahan reached on a double when center fielder Craig Gentry stumbled trying to make a running catch. Gentry left with a sprained left wrist. X-rays were negative.Darvish then walked Marson and Michael Brantley and allowed a two-run ground ball single by Cabrera. He got Choo to bounce into the double play and finished off his second spring start by getting Travis Hafner on a fly ball to center."He got out of it with minimal damage," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "Just because he didn't command it today doesn't mean he's an erratic pitcher. He works off his fastball, but when it is not there you go somewhere else. When you are a pitcher, you find a way. He did."If this was a regular game he stays in and maybe he finds it and puts up zeros and suddenly you're in the seventh inning. That's what good pitchers do and he's a good pitcher."Darvish is learning to adapt to baseball, American-style."Usually in Japan, when struggling, a pitcher is allowed to play catch while his team is hitting," he said. "They don't do that here. I'm going to have to adjust."Darvish said his only surprise thus far had been a pleasant one — the work ethic of his teammates."It is amazing how much time players put in before and after games," he said.Non-roster invitee Greg Miclat's RBI single in the ninth tied it at 8.TAMPA, Florida — Bobby Valentine smiled his big, wide smile, surrounded by media, talking about the Red Sox and the Yankees.Baseball's hottest rivalry gets a new provocateur this year."The intensity will be interesting. Looking forward to it? Who knows?" he said.Valentine stood in the third base dugout at Steinbrenner Field before his Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 1-0 Tuesday night in the first of two meaningless spring training meetings that serve as an appetizer for the 18 bitter, tense and often lengthy games during the regular season."It will be more than I expect and probably some of what I felt from the outside," he said. "I've been in both Joe Girardi's office and Tito's (Terry Francona's) office during the rivalry. I've seen their faces. I've heard their voices, so I get that. I've seen the fans. I've read the newspapers. I've heard the talk shows and the TV casts, and I'm looking forward to it."Japan punches ticket to London Olympics
Japan booked its ticket to the London Olympic men's soccer tournament with a 2-0 win over Bahrain on Wednesday night.
See you in London: Hiroshi Kiyotake scores Japan's second goal against Bahrain on Wednesday at National Stadium. KYODOThe Under-23 team went into the match at National Stadium needing only a draw to make sure of its place at this year's Summer Games, but goals from Takahiro Ogihara and Hiroshi Kiyotake early in the second half allowed Takashi Sekizuka's side to top qualifying Group C in comfort.This summer's July 26-Aug. 11 tournament will be Japan's fifth successive Olympic appearance, with a bronze medal in Mexico City in 1968 the high-water mark to aim for.Japan could have qualified even in defeat with a strong goal difference providing a buffer from nearest rivals Bahrain and Syria, but Sekizuka was taking no chances as he fielded an experienced lineup. Full internationals Kiyotake and Genki Haraguchi took their places alongside Borussia Monchengladbach striker Yuki Otsu, but it was Omiya Ardija midfielder Keigo Higashi who almost opened the scoring when he hit a rasping shot from outside the box with only two minutes on the clock.Bahrain managed to keep Japan quiet until Haraguchi headed straight at goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla in the 21st minute, but the visitors grew in confidence as the first half wore on and Hiroki Sakai was lucky not to gift them the lead when he headed over his own bar shortly before the interval.But with Japan still struggling to find any fluency as play resumed after the break, Ogihara made the breakthrough. Haraguchi made a smart cutback from the left in the 53rd minute, and the 20-year-old Cerezo Osaka midfielder opened up his body to coolly side-foot the ball past Lutfalla.The impact was immediate. Kiyotake added a second six minutes later as Japan clicked into gear, rifling a shot from the edge of the area after Higashi had shredded the Bahrain defense again down the left wing.Kiyotake hit the post soon after as Japan threatened to run riot, but not even the substitute appearance of livewire striker Kensuke Nagai could conjure up another as the home side eased down toward the final whistle.The draw for the 16-team final tournament will take place on April 24. Nadeshiko Japan have already qualified for the women's competition.WARSAW — Japan will play five-time world champion Brazil in a friendly international in the Polish city of Wroclaw on Oct. 16, Reuters reported Tuesday.Reuters quoted Wroclaw mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz as saying on the city stadium's official website, "Japan and Brazil want to play in Europe and we are lucky enough to be (located) right in between.""We bet that after the Euro emotions in June there will still be hunger for more spectacular matches," he said.Wroclaw is one of the four cities in Poland that will stage matches during Euro 2012.LONDON — Germany striker Mario Gomez scored four goals, leading Bayern Munich into the Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday with a 7-0 rout of FC Basel.A week after Lionel Messi became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match, Gomez became the eighth to hit four as Bayern overcame a 1-0 first-leg deficit to advance 7-1.Arjen Robben also scored twice for Bayern, which was joined in the next round by Marseille despite the French club's 2-1 defeat at Inter Milan.
See you in London: Hiroshi Kiyotake scores Japan's second goal against Bahrain on Wednesday at National Stadium. KYODOThe Under-23 team went into the match at National Stadium needing only a draw to make sure of its place at this year's Summer Games, but goals from Takahiro Ogihara and Hiroshi Kiyotake early in the second half allowed Takashi Sekizuka's side to top qualifying Group C in comfort.This summer's July 26-Aug. 11 tournament will be Japan's fifth successive Olympic appearance, with a bronze medal in Mexico City in 1968 the high-water mark to aim for.Japan could have qualified even in defeat with a strong goal difference providing a buffer from nearest rivals Bahrain and Syria, but Sekizuka was taking no chances as he fielded an experienced lineup. Full internationals Kiyotake and Genki Haraguchi took their places alongside Borussia Monchengladbach striker Yuki Otsu, but it was Omiya Ardija midfielder Keigo Higashi who almost opened the scoring when he hit a rasping shot from outside the box with only two minutes on the clock.Bahrain managed to keep Japan quiet until Haraguchi headed straight at goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla in the 21st minute, but the visitors grew in confidence as the first half wore on and Hiroki Sakai was lucky not to gift them the lead when he headed over his own bar shortly before the interval.But with Japan still struggling to find any fluency as play resumed after the break, Ogihara made the breakthrough. Haraguchi made a smart cutback from the left in the 53rd minute, and the 20-year-old Cerezo Osaka midfielder opened up his body to coolly side-foot the ball past Lutfalla.The impact was immediate. Kiyotake added a second six minutes later as Japan clicked into gear, rifling a shot from the edge of the area after Higashi had shredded the Bahrain defense again down the left wing.Kiyotake hit the post soon after as Japan threatened to run riot, but not even the substitute appearance of livewire striker Kensuke Nagai could conjure up another as the home side eased down toward the final whistle.The draw for the 16-team final tournament will take place on April 24. Nadeshiko Japan have already qualified for the women's competition.WARSAW — Japan will play five-time world champion Brazil in a friendly international in the Polish city of Wroclaw on Oct. 16, Reuters reported Tuesday.Reuters quoted Wroclaw mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz as saying on the city stadium's official website, "Japan and Brazil want to play in Europe and we are lucky enough to be (located) right in between.""We bet that after the Euro emotions in June there will still be hunger for more spectacular matches," he said.Wroclaw is one of the four cities in Poland that will stage matches during Euro 2012.LONDON — Germany striker Mario Gomez scored four goals, leading Bayern Munich into the Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday with a 7-0 rout of FC Basel.A week after Lionel Messi became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match, Gomez became the eighth to hit four as Bayern overcame a 1-0 first-leg deficit to advance 7-1.Arjen Robben also scored twice for Bayern, which was joined in the next round by Marseille despite the French club's 2-1 defeat at Inter Milan.Opening day gives hint of things to come in 20th season
Help wanted: Cerezo Osaka's Kim Bo Kyung (7) tries to dribble through the Sagan Tosu defense on Saturday. KYODOThe future is hardly set in stone after one round of matches, but as the J. League kicked off its 20th season on Saturday, there were some tantalizing glimpses of what lies ahead.The day began with a poignant meeting between two teams who were temporarily displaced from their stadiums after last year's March 11 disasters, with Vegalta Sendai beating Kashima Antlers 1-0 thanks to a typically robust header from new signing Taikai Uemoto. Vegalta defied expectations with a best-ever fourth-place finish last season, and after deftly handling an experienced Kashima side, Makoto Teguramori's men may well prove to be more than just a flash in the pan.Ambitious Vissel Kobe put their money where their mouth is with a 3-2 win over Gamba Osaka, for whom the defensive frailties of previous manager Akira Nishino's reign were as pronounced as ever under new man Jose Carlos Serrao, despite the presence of star signing Yasuyuki Konno.There was no such goal flurry in Consadole Sapporo's match against Jubilo Iwata or Sagan Tosu's clash with Cerezo Osaka, but with Consadole and Sagan both feeling their way into the first division following promotion last year, both will be happy with 0-0 draws.A solitary point will not be enough to satisfy Nagoya Grampus over the months to come, however, with manager Dragan Stojkovic blaming eight draws for the 2010 champions' failure to retain their title last season. A 1-0 win over Shimizu S-Pulse took care of that on Saturday, and the fact that the winner came courtesy of a Josh Kennedy penalty suggests efficiency is very much Nagoya's watchword this year.And so to Sunday, where Kashiwa Reysol began the defense of their title with a 3-3 free-for-all draw with Yokohama F. Marinos, leaving Reysol manager Nelsinho in bullish mood despite Hiroyuki Taniguchi's injury-time equalizer."I'm not satisfied with the result but I'm satisfied with my players' attitude," said the Brazilian. "I think you could see that we will again be aiming for the top."After staking an early claim on the opening weekend, others will believe they can do the same.* * *A slow start is becoming something of an unwanted habit for Urawa Reds.The 2006 champions began the new campaign with a 1-0 loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Saturday, making it five years in a row that Urawa has tasted defeat on the opening day of the season.New manager Mihailo Petrovic had extra motivation to break that cycle at Hiroshima Big Arch, having joined Reds after 5? years in charge of Sanfrecce, but the Austrian knows his new team's fortunes are not going to change overnight."The players showed their fighting spirit," he said. "If we have that, then through more games and more training we will be able to play some good, attacking football."* * *It had to happen sooner or later, but Consadole Sapporo defender Tatsuki Nara made history on Saturday when he became the first player born after the J. League had kicked off its inaugural season to appear in the first division.Nara, who was born on Sept. 19, 1993, made his debut for Consadole in J2 last year, but his presence in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Jubilo Iwata marked a symbolic moment on the first day of the J. League's 20th season.Nara may not recall Yokohama Marinos' 2-1 win over Verdy Kawasaki that ushered in a new era back on May 15, 1993, but the defender is more concerned with 2012 and keeping Consadole in the first division."I want to build up my body and increase my stamina," he said.* * *Quotable: "It was good reanimation from the medical staff. We gave him life elixir and now he is young again." — FC Tokyo manager Ranko Popovic explains how 33-year-old striker Lucas — who came out of retirement to help the club win the second division last season — was able to score the match-winning goal against Omiya Ardija on Saturday.BYU completes largest rally in tourney history
DAYTON, Ohio — With his team in the midst of the biggest comeback in NCAA tournament history, BYU coach Dave Rose caught the look in his players' eyes and was reassured.A rally for the ages was in the making.Noah Hartsock scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half and the Cougars came back from 25 points down to beat Iona 78-72 in the first round Tuesday night.During a timeout after the Cougars had pared the lead to single digits midway through the second half, Rose saw something he'll never forget."The look in our players' eyes at that time was, 'Game on. We've got a chance here,' " Rose said. "And we were able to finish it off."Brandon Davies added 18 points and Damarcus Harrison 12 for the 14th-seeded Cougars (26-8), who advanced to play third-seeded Marquette on Thursday.It marked the biggest comeback in an NCAA tournament game, the organization said. Previously, the largest deficit overcome was 22 points in 2001 when Duke fought back to beat Maryland 95-84 in the national semifinals.Hartsock was a little hurt that President Barack Obama, who watched the early game in Dayton, wasn't around to see the fireworks."I started looking around and didn't see him," Hartsock said with a grin. "But I'm sure he had some important things to take care of."DAYTON, Ohio — So many things happened in those five final, furious minutes that Western Kentucky coach Ray Harper had trouble taking it all in."Wow," he said, his face still flush with March emotion. "I don't know where to begin."The only team with a losing record in the NCAA tournament got it started with a classic March comeback — in front of a presidential audience, no less. T.J. Price's three-point play with 33 seconds to go completed the Hilltoppers' rally from a 16-point deficit over the last 5 minutes for a 59-58 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday night.President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron had front-row seats to see the tournament open with a ragged game that had a record ending. It was the biggest margin overcome by a team in the final 5 minutes to win an NCAA tournament game, the organization said."It's a crazy feeling," said Derrick Gordon, who had 11 points. "That's the president of the United States coming to watch our game. We wanted to put on a show. Things didn't work our way for the first 35 minutes, but we came away with the W."
Stamkos hits 50th goal in big win over Bruins
TAMPA, Florida — Once Steven Stamkos scored, there was no stopping him from doing it again.
Heat of battle: Minnesota's Erik Christensen (right) and Dallas' Alex Goligoski compete for the puck during the Stars' 1-0 win on Tuesday. APThe NHL goals leader scored twice to reach 50 in a season for the second time, and the Tampa Bay Lightning jumped out to a big early lead before coasting to a 6-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.The 22-year-old Stamkos, who moved into a tie for the league scoring lead with Evgeni Malkin with 84 points, also scored his 49th and 50th goals in the same game two seasons ago."It was definitely in the back of my mind. It was nice last time I did it to get to 49 and 50 in one game," said Stamkos, the first pick in the 2008 draft. "That was definitely running through my mind."Tampa Bay scored three times in the first five minutes and made it easy for rookie goalie Dustin Tokarski, who earned his first NHL victory.Tom Pyatt, Nate Thompson and Ryan Shannon led the surge that ruined Marty Turco's first start as Boston's backup goalie. The defending Stanley Cup champions have lost three straight for the first time since late October and were limited to two shots in the opening period, 34 overall.Stamkos scored his 49th goal in the second period and added his NHL-best 50th at 11:43 of the third. He is the sixth player in league history to score 50 goals twice before age 23, and Lightning Guy Boucher feels he is capable of more."There's always more. . . . You can always raise your standard," Boucher said. "He's gotten better every year."The Bruins signed Turco on March 5 as a backup for No. 1 goalie Tim Thomas after Tuukka Rask sustained a lower abdomen-groin strain that could sideline him four to six weeks. The 36-year-old Turco played 40 minutes in relief during a 5-2 loss on Sunday at Pittsburgh, becoming the first goalie other than Thomas or Rask to play for Boston in nearly three years.Thomas replaced Turco after Shannon's goal made it 3-0 just 4:31 in, but he didn't fare much better. Bruins coach Claude Julien went back to Turco after Thomas yielded a goal to Victor Hedman late in the first period, then another to Stamkos early in the second.Flyers 3, Devils 0In Philadelphia, Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 17 shots for this third straight shutout.Capitals 5, Islanders 4 (SO)In Uniondale, New York, Matt Hendricks scored in the fourth round of a shootout, and Washington completed a dramatic three-goal comeback.Rangers 4, Hurricanes 2In New York, Brad Richards scored twice and Martin Biron, a last-minute replacement for the ill Henrik Lundqvist, made 27 saves.Stars 1, Wild 0In St. Paul, Minnesota, Jamie Benn's goal early in the third period and Kari Lehtonen's second consecutive shutout gave Dallas a win over the Wild — the Stars' sixth straight victory.Panthers 5, Maple Leafs 2In Sunrise, Florida, Sean Bergenheim scored two goals in the Panthers' win over Toronto.Blackhawks 4, Blues 3 (SO)In Chicago, Patrick Kane had the only goal in a shootout, and the Blackhawks beat NHL-leading St. Louis.Flames 3, Sharks 2 (OT)In Calgary, Matt Stajan scored 4:20 into overtime, and Jarome Iginla reached 30 goals.Kings 5, Red Wings 2In Los Angeles, Drew Doughty had a goal and his first assist in 19 games, Anze Kopitar had a short-handed goal and an assist, and the Kings beat injury-depleted Detroit.
Heat of battle: Minnesota's Erik Christensen (right) and Dallas' Alex Goligoski compete for the puck during the Stars' 1-0 win on Tuesday. APThe NHL goals leader scored twice to reach 50 in a season for the second time, and the Tampa Bay Lightning jumped out to a big early lead before coasting to a 6-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.The 22-year-old Stamkos, who moved into a tie for the league scoring lead with Evgeni Malkin with 84 points, also scored his 49th and 50th goals in the same game two seasons ago."It was definitely in the back of my mind. It was nice last time I did it to get to 49 and 50 in one game," said Stamkos, the first pick in the 2008 draft. "That was definitely running through my mind."Tampa Bay scored three times in the first five minutes and made it easy for rookie goalie Dustin Tokarski, who earned his first NHL victory.Tom Pyatt, Nate Thompson and Ryan Shannon led the surge that ruined Marty Turco's first start as Boston's backup goalie. The defending Stanley Cup champions have lost three straight for the first time since late October and were limited to two shots in the opening period, 34 overall.Stamkos scored his 49th goal in the second period and added his NHL-best 50th at 11:43 of the third. He is the sixth player in league history to score 50 goals twice before age 23, and Lightning Guy Boucher feels he is capable of more."There's always more. . . . You can always raise your standard," Boucher said. "He's gotten better every year."The Bruins signed Turco on March 5 as a backup for No. 1 goalie Tim Thomas after Tuukka Rask sustained a lower abdomen-groin strain that could sideline him four to six weeks. The 36-year-old Turco played 40 minutes in relief during a 5-2 loss on Sunday at Pittsburgh, becoming the first goalie other than Thomas or Rask to play for Boston in nearly three years.Thomas replaced Turco after Shannon's goal made it 3-0 just 4:31 in, but he didn't fare much better. Bruins coach Claude Julien went back to Turco after Thomas yielded a goal to Victor Hedman late in the first period, then another to Stamkos early in the second.Flyers 3, Devils 0In Philadelphia, Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 17 shots for this third straight shutout.Capitals 5, Islanders 4 (SO)In Uniondale, New York, Matt Hendricks scored in the fourth round of a shootout, and Washington completed a dramatic three-goal comeback.Rangers 4, Hurricanes 2In New York, Brad Richards scored twice and Martin Biron, a last-minute replacement for the ill Henrik Lundqvist, made 27 saves.Stars 1, Wild 0In St. Paul, Minnesota, Jamie Benn's goal early in the third period and Kari Lehtonen's second consecutive shutout gave Dallas a win over the Wild — the Stars' sixth straight victory.Panthers 5, Maple Leafs 2In Sunrise, Florida, Sean Bergenheim scored two goals in the Panthers' win over Toronto.Blackhawks 4, Blues 3 (SO)In Chicago, Patrick Kane had the only goal in a shootout, and the Blackhawks beat NHL-leading St. Louis.Flames 3, Sharks 2 (OT)In Calgary, Matt Stajan scored 4:20 into overtime, and Jarome Iginla reached 30 goals.Kings 5, Red Wings 2In Los Angeles, Drew Doughty had a goal and his first assist in 19 games, Anze Kopitar had a short-handed goal and an assist, and the Kings beat injury-depleted Detroit.Bears land Marshall from Dolphins
CHICAGO — Finally, the Chicago Bears can stop looking for a top receiver.They reeled one in Tuesday, landing three-time Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall in a trade with the Miami Dolphins that addressed their biggest need.There was widespread speculation the Bears would go after a high-profile free-agent receiver such as Vincent Jackson, but they filled their biggest hole with a blockbuster deal instead.
Gerrard hat trick fuels Liverpool win
LONDON — Steven Gerrard marked his 400th Premier League appearance with a hat trick on Tuesday, leading Liverpool to a 3-0 win over local rival Everton.Gerrard opened the scoring in the 34th minute by curling a precise shot over three defenders and goalkeeper Tim Howard. The England midfielder then twice profited from good approach work by Luis Suarez, scoring in the 51st and in injury time.Although a top-four place and Champions League qualification looks to be beyond Liverpool, the Reds are now five points clear of Everton."To beat Everton is always special, so to get three goals is a little bit extra," Gerrard said. "It was a great team performance. Everything we wanted from the game, we got it."
Kobe, Bynum make sure Lakers keep Grizzlies at arm's length
Step up the pace: Indiana guard Dahntay Jones dunks during the Pacers' 92-75 win over the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. APMEMPHIS — It took two overtime periods, but the Los Angeles Lakers eventually made sure the Memphis Grizzlies stayed behind them in the Western Conference standings.Andrew Bynum had a season-high 37 points and 16 rebounds, Kobe Bryant scored 22 of his 34 points after halftime, and the Lakers beat Memphis 116-111 in double overtime on Tuesday night.The Lakers entered the game a half-game ahead of Memphis, which had won 12 of 15, for the third spot in the West."They're a young team, they're hot, and they were coming for our spot," Bynum said. "We had to defend it, and we did that."Pau Gasol added 14 points and eight assists for the Lakers, who won their third straight. Bynum and Bryant accounted for the Lakers' last 10 points after Steve Blake connected on a 3-pointer to open the second extra period.Bynum went 15 of 18 from the field. Bryant said Bynum's performance was indicative of a change the Lakers have made in their offensive approach, running more things through the 7-foot (213-cm) center."The big games he had at the start of the season, he was having good games, but he wasn't being featured," Bryant said. "This is different. We're featuring him, and we're looking for him to make plays out of double-teams, and make plays for others, not just himself."Magic 104, Heat 98 (OT)In Orlando, Dwight Howard had 24 points and 25 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson scored 25 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter and overtime.Nuggets 118, Hawks 117 (OT)In Denver, Nene scored 22 points, Ty Lawson had 21 points and seven assists and the Nuggets rallied to beat Atlanta in overtime.Rockets 104, Thunder 103In Oklahoma City, Courtney Lee and rookie Chandler Parsons each scored 21 points, Patrick Patterson blocked Serge Ibaka's point-blank putback attempt in the final 2 seconds, and Houston charged back from an 11-point deficit in the last 3 minutes.Raptors 96, Cavaliers 88In Cleveland, Jerryd Bayless scored 20 points, Andrea Bargnani added 17 and Toronto beat the Cavs for the third time this season.Pacers 92, Trail Blazers 75In Indianapolis, Lou Amundson scored a career-high 21 points to help the Pacers snap a four-game losing streak.Mavericks 107, Wizards 98In Dallas, Dirk Nowtizki scored 27 points, Jason Terry had 24 and the Mavericks got a much-needed victory.Warriors 115, Kings 89In Sacramento, Nate Robinson, David Lee and Brandon Rush all scored 17 points.MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to trade Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson to the Golden State Warriors, a person with direct knowledge of the deal said Tuesday night.The Bucks will receive guard Monta Ellis, forward Ekpe Udoh and center Kwame Brown, the person confirmed to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the deal on its website Tuesday night.The trade represents a parting of ways between the Bucks and Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft who has struggled with injuries. It also allows the Bucks to rid themselves of Jackson, who had fallen out of favor with coach Scott Skiles and now gets to rejoin his former team.The players won't be separated from their respective former teams for very long, as the Warriors host the Bucks on Friday night.Baruto's title chase hits bump
OSAKA — Estonia-born ozeki Baruto saw his bid for yokozuna promotion take a hit Wednesday as he was sent to a shock first defeat at the hands of Mongolian sekiwake Kakuryu on the fourth day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.Baruto's slapdash sumo style reared its ugly head in his first real test of the 15-day meet, when he was toppled onto his back by rival Kakuryu, who improved to a 4-0 mark to share the lead with lone yokozuna Hakuho, ozeki Harumafuji and rank-and-filer Takayasu.In the day's premier bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Baruto and Kakuryu fought to a standstill as they tussled for leverage and the ozeki tried spinning his opponent around violently to reposition himself, only for Kakuryu to deploy a leg trip near the edge for the victory."I am happy that I went on the offense," said Kakuryu, who is hoping to make a run at ozeki with a strong showing at the Osaka meet. "I want to continue fighting in my style for the rest of the tournament."Baruto won the New Year meet with an impressive 14-1 mark, but it is now anyone's guess how his defeat will affect him as he tries to secure promotion — needing to at least remain in the title race over the two weeks of competition.Hakuho, who is gunning for his 22nd career title, was never fooled for a second by winless Tokitenku, who dodged to the side at the face-off before the yokozuna tossed him from the ring with a beltless arm throw.Ozeki Kisenosato picked up his second consecutive victory after losses on the first two days, absorbing a fierce assault by winless Georgian Gagamaru before putting his opponent on the back leg with a salvo of strikes.Ozeki Harumafuji pulled off another win for sumo's second-highest rank, throttling Tochinowaka (1-3) with a throat grab before upending his opponent with a series of shoves to also remain among the unbeaten.
TSPS offering boat license classes
The Tokyo Sail and Power Squadron is offering classes preparatory in English for people seeking to obtain the Class I or II boat operator's license, which allows for operations of vessels up to 20 tons equipped with engines within Japan's shores. The classes will be held on March 26, April 2, 9 and 16, all starting at 7 p.m. The English version of the test will be held April 18. The following day there will be a jetski exam. Contact Tony Whitman at tonyw@gol.com or (03) 3770-1513.
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