INDIANAPOLIS — Chuck Pagano stepped to the podium Monday, hugged his team owner, thanked his family for their support and wiped a tear from his eye.He might, finally, turn out the lights in his office, too.Nearly three months to the day after being diagnosed with leukemia, the Colts' first-year coach returned to a team eager to reunite with a boss healthy enough to go back to work."I told you my best day of my life was July 1, 1989," Pagano said, referring to his wedding date. "Today was No. 2. Getting to pull up, drive in, get out of my car, the key fob still worked. I was beginning to question whether it would or not. When I asked for Bruce (Arians) to take over, I asked for him to kick some you-know-what and to do great. Damn Bruce, you had to go and win nine games? Tough act to follow. Tough act to follow. Best in the history of the NFL. That's what I have to come back to."The comment turned tears into the laughter everyone expected on such a festive occasion.For Pagano and the Colts, Monday morning was as precious as anyone could have imagined when Pagano took an indefinite leave to face the biggest opponent of his life, cancer.In his absence, all the Colts did was win nine of 12 games, make a historic turnaround and clinch a playoff spot all before Sunday's regular-season finale against Houston, which they pegged as the day they hoped to have Pagano back. If all goes well at practice this week, Pagano will be on the sideline for the first time since a Week 3 loss to Jacksonville.Pagano endured three rounds of chemotherapy to put his cancer in remission.That Pagano's return came less than 24 hours after Indy (10-5) locked up the No. 5 seed in the AFC and the day before Christmas seemed fitting, too."I know Chuck is ready for this challenge. In speaking to his doctor multiple times, I know that the time is right for him to grab the reins, get the head coaching cap on and begin the journey," owner Jim Irsay said. "It's been a miraculous story. It really is a book. It's a fairytale. It's a Hollywood script. It's all those things but it's real."The reality is that he's returning to a vastly different team than the one he turned over to Arians, his long-time friend and first assistant coaching hire.Back then, the Colts were 1-2 and most of the so-called experts had written them off as one of the league's worst teams. Now, they're ready to show the football world that they can be just as successful under Pagano as they were under Arians, who tied the NFL record for wins after a midseason coaching change.Pagano also has changed.The neatly-trimmed salt-and-pepper hair and trademark goatee that were missing in November have slowly returned, and the thinner man who appeared to be catching his breath during a postgame speech in early November, looked and sounded as good as ever Monday.He repeatedly thanked fans for their prayers and letters, the organization and his family for their unwavering help and promised to provide comfort and support to other people who are facing similar fights. During one poignant moment that nearly brought out tears again, Pagano even recounted a letter sent to him by a 9-year-old child who suggested he suck on ice chips and strawberry Popsicles in the hospital and advised him to be nice to the nurses regardless of how he felt — and he never even paused."I feel great, my weight is back, my energy is back and again, it's just a blessing to be back here," Pagano said.In the minds of Colts players and coaches, Pagano never really left.
Showing posts with label return. Show all posts
Showing posts with label return. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Nishioka anxious to return to ring
LOS ANGELES — Toshiaki Nishioka said Thursday that after a year without a fight, he is ready to rumble with Nonito Donaire this weekend in their super bantamweight title unification fight."I don't care if it's by decision or by knockout," Nishioka, the left-handed WBC champion said at a prefight news conference. "I'm going to win.""I've been able to study him more (because of my layoff). I'm more motivated. I'm even enjoying this more. I'm going to concentrate and execute my plan and never let up for even an instant."Filipino Donaire, the WBO champion, revealed that he had injured his left index finger playing basketball but that he would be in perfect fighting trim on Saturday.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Gruff Ochiai needs to change if return is in cards
The Pacific League's Orix Buffaloes announced on Sept. 25 manager Akinobu Okada will not return to run the club next season, and speculation about his replacement indicates Japanese baseball Hall of Famer and former Chunichi Dragons skipper Hiromitsu Ochiai is one of the candidates who might be appointed as the Buffs' new field boss.
Attitude adjustment: Hiromitsu Ochiai's surly disposition won him few admirers during his time as a manager. KYODOOrix is scheduled to play its final game of the year on Monday, and Japanese teams usually do not delay in naming new managers, what with the amateur draft coming up in less than three weeks and a fall camp to be run.In considering Ochiai, the Buffaloes — or another Japanese team that might be looking for a new man to run the team, for that matter — will have to weigh his proven success as a manager against a reputation as a media-unfriendly guy who did not appear to emit a positive image as a symbol of the Chunichi ballclub.Sure, in eight seasons (2004-11) at the Dragons' helm, he led them to four Central League pennants and a Japan Series championship in 2007 after finishing second and winning the Climax Series. His Nagoya team narrowly lost last year's Japan Series in seven games to the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and, with that kind of a record, the 58-year-old Ochiai should still be directing traffic from the Dragons bench.However, he was let go, and that decision was made in September of last year, even before Chunichi completed its 2011 season. The said reason for the team's parting with Ochiai was the fact his image was not helping the team's public relations and attendance figures for home games at Nagoya Dome.Having covered Japanese baseball for more than 37 years, I can tell you Ochiai has changed a lot since he broke in as a young infielder with the Lotte Orions in 1979. He soon became a star but would always say hello, pose for a photo if requested, and he was always polite and sociable.After winning three Triple Crowns with the Orions and achieving superstar status, he was traded in 1987 to the Dragons where he continued to perform as one of the best offensive players in Japanese baseball. He maintained his pleasant personality and continued friendly relations with the fans and media.Then he became a free agent and signed with the Yomiuri Giants in 1994, playing as the regular first baseman on that year's Japan Series-winning team. Ochiai seemed at that time to distance himself somewhat from his surroundings.In 1995, he banged out his 2,000th career hit but refused to join the Meikyukai Golden Players Club supposedly because he had been criticized during his career by Masaichi Kaneda, one of the leaders of the GPC. Ochiai wound up his brilliant playing career as a designated hitter with the Nippon Ham Fighters in 1997-98 before retiring as an active player.He later became part of the media himself, serving as a radio-TV commentator before being appointed the Chunichi manager in October of 2003.At the Japan Series that year, played between the Daiei Hawks and Hanshin Tigers, I happened to run into him in the press box at Fukuoka Dome a few days after he got the new job. As I passed behind where he was sitting, I tapped him on the shoulder and offered a few words of congratulations."Omedeto gozaimasu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu," I said, meaning, "Let's have a good relationship from next year."To my surprise, he responded with a backward wave of a hand that seemed to be shooing me away. He did not say anything.Except at press conferences when Chunichi played in the 2007 Asian Series, I never once had the opportunity to speak to him during his tenure as the manager of the Dragons. I often wondered if, by chance, I had passed him one-on-one in a corridor of the ballpark, he would even say hello.Ochiai seemed to make minimum appearances on the field during pre-game batting practice and, when he did come out of the dugout, he would head straight over and stand behind the batting cage, not making eye contact with beat writers and other media members hoping for the chance to ask a question or have a chat.Most Japanese managers "hold court," inviting radio and TV announcers and writers to join them on the bench during the pre-game warm-ups in a sort-of mini-press briefing for 10 minutes or so. I never saw Ochiai do this, but his successor, the current Dragons field boss Morimichi Takagi, does it all the time.For those eight seasons, the media covering Chunichi games must have had it tough, needing to write without being able to get comments from the team leader, and I wonder why Ochiai did not seem to be very cooperative.He is not a bad guy and, if he does get hired as manager by Orix or another Japanese team now or in the coming years, it would be great if he could somehow reverse the change he made several years ago and return to the smiling, amicable Hiromitsu Ochiai I knew as a player with Lotte those many years ago.I would like to congratulate him again if he gets another job and shake his hand. Next time, though, I would hope for a smile and a response on the order of something like, "Thanks, and I'll see you at the ballpark."Contact Wayne Graczyk at: Wayne@JapanBall.com
Attitude adjustment: Hiromitsu Ochiai's surly disposition won him few admirers during his time as a manager. KYODOOrix is scheduled to play its final game of the year on Monday, and Japanese teams usually do not delay in naming new managers, what with the amateur draft coming up in less than three weeks and a fall camp to be run.In considering Ochiai, the Buffaloes — or another Japanese team that might be looking for a new man to run the team, for that matter — will have to weigh his proven success as a manager against a reputation as a media-unfriendly guy who did not appear to emit a positive image as a symbol of the Chunichi ballclub.Sure, in eight seasons (2004-11) at the Dragons' helm, he led them to four Central League pennants and a Japan Series championship in 2007 after finishing second and winning the Climax Series. His Nagoya team narrowly lost last year's Japan Series in seven games to the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and, with that kind of a record, the 58-year-old Ochiai should still be directing traffic from the Dragons bench.However, he was let go, and that decision was made in September of last year, even before Chunichi completed its 2011 season. The said reason for the team's parting with Ochiai was the fact his image was not helping the team's public relations and attendance figures for home games at Nagoya Dome.Having covered Japanese baseball for more than 37 years, I can tell you Ochiai has changed a lot since he broke in as a young infielder with the Lotte Orions in 1979. He soon became a star but would always say hello, pose for a photo if requested, and he was always polite and sociable.After winning three Triple Crowns with the Orions and achieving superstar status, he was traded in 1987 to the Dragons where he continued to perform as one of the best offensive players in Japanese baseball. He maintained his pleasant personality and continued friendly relations with the fans and media.Then he became a free agent and signed with the Yomiuri Giants in 1994, playing as the regular first baseman on that year's Japan Series-winning team. Ochiai seemed at that time to distance himself somewhat from his surroundings.In 1995, he banged out his 2,000th career hit but refused to join the Meikyukai Golden Players Club supposedly because he had been criticized during his career by Masaichi Kaneda, one of the leaders of the GPC. Ochiai wound up his brilliant playing career as a designated hitter with the Nippon Ham Fighters in 1997-98 before retiring as an active player.He later became part of the media himself, serving as a radio-TV commentator before being appointed the Chunichi manager in October of 2003.At the Japan Series that year, played between the Daiei Hawks and Hanshin Tigers, I happened to run into him in the press box at Fukuoka Dome a few days after he got the new job. As I passed behind where he was sitting, I tapped him on the shoulder and offered a few words of congratulations."Omedeto gozaimasu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu," I said, meaning, "Let's have a good relationship from next year."To my surprise, he responded with a backward wave of a hand that seemed to be shooing me away. He did not say anything.Except at press conferences when Chunichi played in the 2007 Asian Series, I never once had the opportunity to speak to him during his tenure as the manager of the Dragons. I often wondered if, by chance, I had passed him one-on-one in a corridor of the ballpark, he would even say hello.Ochiai seemed to make minimum appearances on the field during pre-game batting practice and, when he did come out of the dugout, he would head straight over and stand behind the batting cage, not making eye contact with beat writers and other media members hoping for the chance to ask a question or have a chat.Most Japanese managers "hold court," inviting radio and TV announcers and writers to join them on the bench during the pre-game warm-ups in a sort-of mini-press briefing for 10 minutes or so. I never saw Ochiai do this, but his successor, the current Dragons field boss Morimichi Takagi, does it all the time.For those eight seasons, the media covering Chunichi games must have had it tough, needing to write without being able to get comments from the team leader, and I wonder why Ochiai did not seem to be very cooperative.He is not a bad guy and, if he does get hired as manager by Orix or another Japanese team now or in the coming years, it would be great if he could somehow reverse the change he made several years ago and return to the smiling, amicable Hiromitsu Ochiai I knew as a player with Lotte those many years ago.I would like to congratulate him again if he gets another job and shake his hand. Next time, though, I would hope for a smile and a response on the order of something like, "Thanks, and I'll see you at the ballpark."Contact Wayne Graczyk at: Wayne@JapanBall.comSaturday, September 29, 2012
Ravens hold off Browns as real officials return to field
BALTIMORE — The regular NFL officials returned to action, and the ending of their first game was eerily familiar to the one that hastened the exit of the replacement refs.
Decleated: Baltimore's Morgan Cox tackles Cleveland's Josh Cribbs on a kick return in the first quarter on Thursday night. The Ravens beat the Browns 23-16. APThis time, however, there were no replays or arguments at the end. Just another win by the Baltimore Ravens over the Cleveland Browns, 23-16 on Thursday night.If not for two failed desperation passes into the end zone in the closing seconds, the returning officials might have had to work overtime on their first night back.Cleveland began its final drive with 1:05 to go on its own 10. Rookie Brandon Weeden moved the Browns to the Baltimore 33 before a fourth-down pass into the end zone fell incomplete. But a personal foul penalty on Baltimore linebacker Paul Kruger gave winless Cleveland one more chance.That pass sailed out of the end zone."Too much juice," Weeden lamented.The final sequence was not unlike the controversial ending of Monday night's Green Bay-Seattle game, when a Hail Mary pass was ruled a touchdown. That play, and the furor it created, hastened negotiations that brought the regular officials back.The lockout ended late Wednesday, bringing about the exit of the unpopular replacement refs. And so, finally, the tenured officials were in place for Week 4."I felt so bad for that Green Bay situation," Ravens running back Ray Rice said. "Replacement refs, their families, I can't knock them. The scrutiny they were under. That kind of scrutiny is bad. It's hard going from like Pop Warner to the big leagues."As they walked onto the field hours before this game, the officiating crew received a round of applause and shouts of encouragement from fans in the lower sections. Head linesman Wayne Mackie and line judge Jeff Seeman both tipped their caps to acknowledge the support.Many in the sellout crowd of 70,944 stood and roared their approval.Afterward, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh echoed the sentiment of the crowd."Welcome back to the officials. Good to have them back," he said. "These guys are really good. The communication was good. I didn't agree with every call, but they were excellent."Joe Flacco went 28-for-46 for 356 yards, threw one touchdown and ran for another. Yet, it wasn't until Cary Williams returned an interception 63 yards for a score at the end of the third quarter that the Ravens (3-1) put some distance between themselves and the young Browns (0-4)."I thought our secondary made plays that had to be made, especially at the end there when they were knocking at the door," Harbaugh said.The fans waited until the third quarter to boo the officials. On a 13-yard completion from Weeden to Benjamin Watson, Ravens safety Bernard Pollard was called for a helmet-to-helmet hit. The crowd jeered the call, but replays appeared to confirm the penalty.The 15-yard mark off set up a 51-yard field goal by Phil Dawson that got the Browns within 16-10.Late in the quarter, Williams ambushed an out pattern by Travis Benjamin and took the interception down the right sideline for a 13-point lead.Anquan Boldin caught nine passes for 131 yards, and Torrey Smith had six catches for 97 yards and a score.Weeden went 25-for-52 for 320 yards, but rookie running back Trent Richardson gained only 47 yards rushing on 14 carries.Dawson kicked field goals of 51, 50 and 52 yards, the last one with 4:33 left to make it 23-16.Cleveland played the majority of the game without wide receiver and punt returner Josh Cribbs, who sustained a concussion while returning a kick late in the first quarter.
Decleated: Baltimore's Morgan Cox tackles Cleveland's Josh Cribbs on a kick return in the first quarter on Thursday night. The Ravens beat the Browns 23-16. APThis time, however, there were no replays or arguments at the end. Just another win by the Baltimore Ravens over the Cleveland Browns, 23-16 on Thursday night.If not for two failed desperation passes into the end zone in the closing seconds, the returning officials might have had to work overtime on their first night back.Cleveland began its final drive with 1:05 to go on its own 10. Rookie Brandon Weeden moved the Browns to the Baltimore 33 before a fourth-down pass into the end zone fell incomplete. But a personal foul penalty on Baltimore linebacker Paul Kruger gave winless Cleveland one more chance.That pass sailed out of the end zone."Too much juice," Weeden lamented.The final sequence was not unlike the controversial ending of Monday night's Green Bay-Seattle game, when a Hail Mary pass was ruled a touchdown. That play, and the furor it created, hastened negotiations that brought the regular officials back.The lockout ended late Wednesday, bringing about the exit of the unpopular replacement refs. And so, finally, the tenured officials were in place for Week 4."I felt so bad for that Green Bay situation," Ravens running back Ray Rice said. "Replacement refs, their families, I can't knock them. The scrutiny they were under. That kind of scrutiny is bad. It's hard going from like Pop Warner to the big leagues."As they walked onto the field hours before this game, the officiating crew received a round of applause and shouts of encouragement from fans in the lower sections. Head linesman Wayne Mackie and line judge Jeff Seeman both tipped their caps to acknowledge the support.Many in the sellout crowd of 70,944 stood and roared their approval.Afterward, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh echoed the sentiment of the crowd."Welcome back to the officials. Good to have them back," he said. "These guys are really good. The communication was good. I didn't agree with every call, but they were excellent."Joe Flacco went 28-for-46 for 356 yards, threw one touchdown and ran for another. Yet, it wasn't until Cary Williams returned an interception 63 yards for a score at the end of the third quarter that the Ravens (3-1) put some distance between themselves and the young Browns (0-4)."I thought our secondary made plays that had to be made, especially at the end there when they were knocking at the door," Harbaugh said.The fans waited until the third quarter to boo the officials. On a 13-yard completion from Weeden to Benjamin Watson, Ravens safety Bernard Pollard was called for a helmet-to-helmet hit. The crowd jeered the call, but replays appeared to confirm the penalty.The 15-yard mark off set up a 51-yard field goal by Phil Dawson that got the Browns within 16-10.Late in the quarter, Williams ambushed an out pattern by Travis Benjamin and took the interception down the right sideline for a 13-point lead.Anquan Boldin caught nine passes for 131 yards, and Torrey Smith had six catches for 97 yards and a score.Weeden went 25-for-52 for 320 yards, but rookie running back Trent Richardson gained only 47 yards rushing on 14 carries.Dawson kicked field goals of 51, 50 and 52 yards, the last one with 4:33 left to make it 23-16.Cleveland played the majority of the game without wide receiver and punt returner Josh Cribbs, who sustained a concussion while returning a kick late in the first quarter.Oda solid in return after long layoff
OBERSTDORF, Germany — Nobunari Oda marked his return from injury by taking a commanding lead after the men's short program at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany on Thursday.Skating in his first competitive event since injuring his left knee at the Trophee Bompard in Paris last November, the 25-year-old Oda fell on his opening quad toeloop, but nailed a triple axel and a triple flip-triple toeloop after that to score 79.64 points, well clear of second-place Konstantin Menshov of Russia."Overall the flow of my performance was not bad. I didn't feel any pain whatsoever in my knee," said Oda. "There is not much time until the (Sochi) Olympics so I want to get better and better and show what I am capable of."Menshov scored 69.30 while American Keegan Messing was in third place with 68.56.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Injured Nadal unsure about timetable for return
LONDON — Rafael Nadal still has no timetable for his return from a knee injury, and the 11-time Grand Slam champion isn't sure if he'll play the Australian Open in January.
On the shelf: Rafael Nadal is currently dealing with a knee injury that's kept him sidelined for months. AP"All that is in my mind is to keep working hard to come back," Nadal said in interviews with European newspapers Tuesday. "I cannot think about the future because it's not like if you break your arm and you know you will have a few weeks like this, then a few weeks like that and then you are back."The Spaniard hasn't played since losing in the second round of Wimbledon in June to little-known Lukas Rosol.Nadal is recovering from a partially torn patella tendon in his left knee."This is a day-by-day thing," Nadal said. "I have checks every day to see how I'm improving. I can't predict what will happen."As for the Australian Open, he was quoted in the Daily Mail as saying: "I hope you see me in Australia. That is the biggest goal for me, to come back just before then in Qatar, but I cannot say for sure it is going to happen. The only thing is to recover well. I want to be 100 percent when I come back."Nadal said he played with anti-inflammatories to get through the French Open, which he won for a record seventh time, and took pain-killing injections at Wimbledon.He said he was particularly upset at missing the London Olympics, where he had been scheduled to carry the Spanish flag at the opening ceremony."I was very, very sad for three weeks around then," he said. "It only comes every four years. Missing the U.S. Open was hard, but you think you will have more chances."Nadal praised Andy Murray, who won the U.S. Open for his first Grand Slam title after losing in four previous major finals."He deserves it more than anyone," Nadal said. "I am very happy for him."BANGKOK — Fernando Verdasco offered words of sympathy for injured fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal Tuesday after surviving a scare to reach the ATP Thailand Open second round.The fifth seed and former semifinalist had to figure out a way to win as he rallied past Japanese surprise package Tatsuma Ito 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, eventually advancing at a canter.Afterwards, Verdasco said everyone was behind Nadal, the 11-time Grand Slam winner who has revealed he has no idea when his left knee injury will allow him to return to tennis."He is the best player in history from Spain and everyone cares for him. But only he knows his feelings," Verdasco said. "He is the only one who can decide when he comes back to play. I don't know what more to say really."Ito went off the boil after a torrid start, allowing the court-wise Spaniard to get the job done in the end."He really surprised me. I had never seen him play," said Verdasco.
On the shelf: Rafael Nadal is currently dealing with a knee injury that's kept him sidelined for months. AP"All that is in my mind is to keep working hard to come back," Nadal said in interviews with European newspapers Tuesday. "I cannot think about the future because it's not like if you break your arm and you know you will have a few weeks like this, then a few weeks like that and then you are back."The Spaniard hasn't played since losing in the second round of Wimbledon in June to little-known Lukas Rosol.Nadal is recovering from a partially torn patella tendon in his left knee."This is a day-by-day thing," Nadal said. "I have checks every day to see how I'm improving. I can't predict what will happen."As for the Australian Open, he was quoted in the Daily Mail as saying: "I hope you see me in Australia. That is the biggest goal for me, to come back just before then in Qatar, but I cannot say for sure it is going to happen. The only thing is to recover well. I want to be 100 percent when I come back."Nadal said he played with anti-inflammatories to get through the French Open, which he won for a record seventh time, and took pain-killing injections at Wimbledon.He said he was particularly upset at missing the London Olympics, where he had been scheduled to carry the Spanish flag at the opening ceremony."I was very, very sad for three weeks around then," he said. "It only comes every four years. Missing the U.S. Open was hard, but you think you will have more chances."Nadal praised Andy Murray, who won the U.S. Open for his first Grand Slam title after losing in four previous major finals."He deserves it more than anyone," Nadal said. "I am very happy for him."BANGKOK — Fernando Verdasco offered words of sympathy for injured fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal Tuesday after surviving a scare to reach the ATP Thailand Open second round.The fifth seed and former semifinalist had to figure out a way to win as he rallied past Japanese surprise package Tatsuma Ito 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, eventually advancing at a canter.Afterwards, Verdasco said everyone was behind Nadal, the 11-time Grand Slam winner who has revealed he has no idea when his left knee injury will allow him to return to tennis."He is the best player in history from Spain and everyone cares for him. But only he knows his feelings," Verdasco said. "He is the only one who can decide when he comes back to play. I don't know what more to say really."Ito went off the boil after a torrid start, allowing the court-wise Spaniard to get the job done in the end."He really surprised me. I had never seen him play," said Verdasco.Friday, September 14, 2012
NHL, NHLPA return to negotiating table, exchange proposals
NEW YORK — The NHL and the players' association swapped proposals Wednesday in an effort to head off a lockout scheduled to start this weekend.The NHLPA, led by executive director Donald Fehr, made its presentation in the morning, but that was quickly dismissed by the commissioner, Gary Bettman, who said it wasn't much different than earlier offers.Bettman then met with Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, and Murray Edwards of the Calgary Flames, and a new NHL offer was handed back to the players' association with a shelf life on it."We made clear in presenting the proposal that this proposal was intended to lead to a deal before the weekend," Bettman said after the nearly three-hour meeting, "and that if in fact a deal was not achievable, what we had proposed would be off the table. We were quite clear on that."After not meeting face to face since last Friday, the sides gathered Wednesday at the league office before the NHLPA was to hold player meetings later Wednesday at a New York hotel. The NHL board of governors will convene Thursday with Bettman, while the union holds a second day of discussions with more than 250 players.This was the first formal session since Aug. 31. No new meetings were immediately scheduled, but both sides expected to talk again no later than Thursday after their internal meetings were concluded.Fehr said the union's new proposal was "consistent" with the last one it submitted. The league responded with its time-sensitive counter, and Fehr, despite the developments, admitted he does not "know whether this will lead to anything.""Our proposal was made with the same principles that we have always had in mind and those are that we didn't see any reason — given the seven years of record revenue growth and enormous concessions the players made the last time — to have an absolute reduction in player salaries," Fehr said. "They are prepared to have their share fall over time as revenues grow, and that we hope to partner with the large revenue teams in terms of providing whatever assistance to franchises may be called for generally under revenue sharing."The NHL again came up from its original offer of 43 percent of hockey-related revenues going to the players. In an earlier proposal before Wednesday, the NHL pushed it up to 46 percent, and Bettman said the new offer was even higher without giving a specific number."We actually crafted the proposal after we got theirs," Bettman said. "We concluded that their proposal wasn't going to get us anywhere. With time running short, we actually crafted a new proposal that is different than the other proposals because it is much (more) simplified."In the expiring CBA, the players were given 57 percent of the total. The definition of hockey-related revenues wasn't changed from the current deal."We're not asking for a rollback," Bettman said. "We have said that our proposal — the one that is time-sensitive — would have a phase-in, and while it contemplates the possible reduction in player share, if you use our estimates it would be under 10 percent. If you use the players' association's estimate on revenue growth, it would actually be seven percent."When you factor all of that in, it seems to me that having a work stoppage and damaging (hockey-related revenue) long term really doesn't make a whole lot of sense."
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Gonzalez thrives after recent return to Giants
Edgar Gonzalez is back and he's hit the ground running.
Back to speed: Edgar Gonzalez is getting back into the groove after returning to the Yomiuri Giants from a period of inactivity in the United States. KYODOAfter a long time spent off the diamond in the U.S., Gonzalez, who recently returned to play for the Yomiuri Giants, was essentially ushered off the plane and onto the field upon arriving back in Japan.Not that he's complaining."It's going good," Gonzalez said last week. "I just got back a little while ago and got a couple of games under my belt. I hadn't played in 20-something days before I came here. I played one game in the minors and then I came up. So, it's taking some time, but I feel really good."Gonzalez is hoping to use the experience he gained from his last stint in Japan to his advantage this time around."The adjustment is going to be a lot quicker than it was before," he said. "There's always an adjustment period when you go somewhere else, but it'll be a lot quicker just by knowing the league and being pretty comfortable with it."Gonzalez has appeared in eight games for the Giants this year and is looking more comfortable with each at-bat.He was hitless in his first four games (eight plate appearances), then finished with two hits in each of the next three, driving in three runs over that span. On Tuesday, he homered and finished with three RBIs in Yomiuri's 5-1 win over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.Gonzalez has a .304 average, one home run and six RBIs in the short period of time he's been back in the fold."I'm hoping to help offensively," Gonzalez said. "The team's already got really good pitching. I think with a little bit of offense, this team can go a long way and I hope I can help with that."He also got to see a bit of history not long after his return, having been present for teammate Toshiya Sugiuchi's no-hitter against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on May 30.It wasn't the first no-hitter Gonzalez had been a part of, but it had a decidedly nicer outcome than the last, when he was a member of the San Diego Padres squad that was no-hit by San Francisco Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez on July 10, 2009. Oddly enough, current Yomiuri infielder John Bowker was playing with San Francisco during that game."I came in to pinch hit in the eighth inning, and I hit a ball that was a home run, but (Aaron) Rowand caught it on top of the fence and brought it back," Gonzalez said.Gonzalez is no stranger to Japan or the Giants. He spent the 2010 season with the team, appearing in 100 games and hitting .263 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. He spent most of the next season with Triple-A Fresno (San Francisco Giants), hitting .315 with 14 home runs and 82 RBIs in 137 games.From there he had a brief stint in the Chicago Cubs' organization, but played just nine games for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs before asking for and being granted his release in order to come back to Yomiuri."Everything is pretty much the same," Gonzalez said of being back. "Some of the foreigners are different. They're a really good group of guys, so I'm happy to be back and I'm happy to see that."While familiar with many things in Japan, Gonzalez is aware the robust offensive environment he experienced in 2010 has changed with the introduction of NPB's new ball, which helped send offensive numbers plummeting in 2011.The San Diego native says he's not worried about it having a major effect on his game."I'll just take it how it goes," he said. "Plus, I don't consider myself a home run hitter. I consider myself a singles hitter or a doubles hitter. As long as I keep on doing that, I'll be fine."
Back to speed: Edgar Gonzalez is getting back into the groove after returning to the Yomiuri Giants from a period of inactivity in the United States. KYODOAfter a long time spent off the diamond in the U.S., Gonzalez, who recently returned to play for the Yomiuri Giants, was essentially ushered off the plane and onto the field upon arriving back in Japan.Not that he's complaining."It's going good," Gonzalez said last week. "I just got back a little while ago and got a couple of games under my belt. I hadn't played in 20-something days before I came here. I played one game in the minors and then I came up. So, it's taking some time, but I feel really good."Gonzalez is hoping to use the experience he gained from his last stint in Japan to his advantage this time around."The adjustment is going to be a lot quicker than it was before," he said. "There's always an adjustment period when you go somewhere else, but it'll be a lot quicker just by knowing the league and being pretty comfortable with it."Gonzalez has appeared in eight games for the Giants this year and is looking more comfortable with each at-bat.He was hitless in his first four games (eight plate appearances), then finished with two hits in each of the next three, driving in three runs over that span. On Tuesday, he homered and finished with three RBIs in Yomiuri's 5-1 win over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.Gonzalez has a .304 average, one home run and six RBIs in the short period of time he's been back in the fold."I'm hoping to help offensively," Gonzalez said. "The team's already got really good pitching. I think with a little bit of offense, this team can go a long way and I hope I can help with that."He also got to see a bit of history not long after his return, having been present for teammate Toshiya Sugiuchi's no-hitter against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on May 30.It wasn't the first no-hitter Gonzalez had been a part of, but it had a decidedly nicer outcome than the last, when he was a member of the San Diego Padres squad that was no-hit by San Francisco Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez on July 10, 2009. Oddly enough, current Yomiuri infielder John Bowker was playing with San Francisco during that game."I came in to pinch hit in the eighth inning, and I hit a ball that was a home run, but (Aaron) Rowand caught it on top of the fence and brought it back," Gonzalez said.Gonzalez is no stranger to Japan or the Giants. He spent the 2010 season with the team, appearing in 100 games and hitting .263 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. He spent most of the next season with Triple-A Fresno (San Francisco Giants), hitting .315 with 14 home runs and 82 RBIs in 137 games.From there he had a brief stint in the Chicago Cubs' organization, but played just nine games for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs before asking for and being granted his release in order to come back to Yomiuri."Everything is pretty much the same," Gonzalez said of being back. "Some of the foreigners are different. They're a really good group of guys, so I'm happy to be back and I'm happy to see that."While familiar with many things in Japan, Gonzalez is aware the robust offensive environment he experienced in 2010 has changed with the introduction of NPB's new ball, which helped send offensive numbers plummeting in 2011.The San Diego native says he's not worried about it having a major effect on his game."I'll just take it how it goes," he said. "Plus, I don't consider myself a home run hitter. I consider myself a singles hitter or a doubles hitter. As long as I keep on doing that, I'll be fine."Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Thomas guides Bruins to win in return to D.C.
WASHINGTON — Tim Thomas' return to the nation's capital was less political and more successful.Playing about 10 blocks from the White House — a place he famously avoided two weeks ago — Thomas carried a shutout deep into the third period Sunday as the Boston Bruins snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals.Thomas' no-show, accompanied by a Facebook post about a federal government that he said was "out of control," overshadowed his teammates' day of celebration when the reigning Stanley Cup champions were honored by President Barack Obama on Jan. 23. He didn't play the next day, when the Bruins lost 5-3 to the Capitals.But last year's Vezina Trophy winner and playoff MVP was in fine form for a Super Bowl Sunday matinee, the first time all season he's played on back-to-back days. Among his 35 saves was a quick reflex stop against Alex Ovechkin when the Capitals forward had an open look after a rebound."Tim's capable of doing that for us, and he's done that a lot in the past," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "And I thought he was on top of his game today."Thomas was booed pregame, but there's no telling how much of it was the standard disdain shown by Washington fans for any opposing star player."I think I'm pretty much booed at every arena, wouldn't you say?" Thomas said. "Even before anything happened?"Still, he acknowledged it was good to have a trip back to Washington that was all about hockey."Yeah, yeah, it was. This is more normal," he said. "This is what I'm used to, that's for sure."Canadiens 3, Jets 0In Montreal, Carey Price made 23 saves for his third shutout of the season, Tomas Plekanec had a goal and an assist and the Canadiens ended a three-game losing streak.Max Pacioretty scored his 19th goal in the first and Alexei Emelin made it 2-0 with a short-handed goal 7:20 into the second. Plekanec, who set up Emelin's goal, was credited with his 11th goal on a power play at 11:28.Rangers 5, Flyers 2In New York, Artem Anisimov had a goal and two assists, Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves and the Rangers continued their recent success against the Flyers.Devils 5, Penguins 2In Newark, New Jersey, Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal and two assists, and the Devils extended their winning streak to four.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Valverde happy to return to cycling
Adelaide, Australia — Spanish cycling star Alejandro Valverde said Wednesday that his time away from racing due to a two-year doping suspension has given him new perspective on the sport.Valverde was banned for two years from January 2010 after being implicated in Operation Puerto, a blood-doping ring in Spain involving more than 50 riders. He gave up the No. 1 world ranking in the process.The 31-year-old Valverde makes his return to racing at the Jan. 15-22 Tour Down Under in South Australia, the opening ProTour event of the year. He'll lead the all-Spanish Movistar team."I'm starting to looking at things a little bit differently because I had sort of taken a back seat from cycling," Valverde said through the translator.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Serena makes return, dreading new season
BRISBANE, Australia — After winning the first match she's played since her U.S. Open final defeat last September, Serena Williams admitted she's dreading another season of grueling workouts but still can't live without tennis.
Take it or leave it: Serena Williams hits a shot during her 6-2, 6-3 win over South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers at the Brisbane International on Monday. AP PHOTOThe 30-year-old Williams had her service broken in the opening game Monday before settling in and beating Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa 6-2, 6-3 at the Brisbane International. She needed just 68 minutes to advance, firing seven aces and taking advantage of eight double-faults by Scheepers.She was asked after the match whether her four-month layoff indicated she may have fallen out of love with tennis."It's not that I've fallen out of love . . . I've never really liked sports, I never understood how I became an athlete," Williams said.She added, laughing, that she's never liked working out and "I don't want anything that has to do with working physically."If it involves sitting down or shopping I am excellent at that. I don't love tennis today . . . but I can't live without it so I am still here."Williams has said previously that she plans to cut down on her schedule in 2012."I just want to be able to do other things I am doing and expand on that," she said Monday. "I think that will help keep my motivation up. I have always been preparing myself for life after tennis."Not that the 13-time Grand Slam winner is planning on retiring any time soon. She'll play young Serbian Bojana Jovanovski in the second round in her only warmup tournament before the Jan. 16 start of the Australian Open, a major she has won five times.In other matches Monday, top-seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia, who beat Williams for the U.S. Open title, advanced with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus and sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia defeated Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-4, 6-2.Former No. 1-ranked Ana Ivanovic beat Tamira Paszek of Austria 6-3, 6-3 and American qualifier Vania King defeated Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-3, 6-4.Ivanovic will play Australian Open defending champion Kim Clijsters in the second round.The last time the two met, former French Open champion Ivanovic blew five match points at Miami last March. Ivanovic had three break points when leading 5-1 in the deciding set before Clijsters came back to win 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) and improve her career record with Ivanovic to 4-0.LONDON — Andy Murray has hired eight-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl as his coach.The fourth-ranked Briton will begin working immediately with Lendl as he prepares for the Australian Open next month.Murray says in a statement he hopes Lendl will provide "fresh insight," adding that "Ivan's impact on the game is unquestionable."
Take it or leave it: Serena Williams hits a shot during her 6-2, 6-3 win over South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers at the Brisbane International on Monday. AP PHOTOThe 30-year-old Williams had her service broken in the opening game Monday before settling in and beating Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa 6-2, 6-3 at the Brisbane International. She needed just 68 minutes to advance, firing seven aces and taking advantage of eight double-faults by Scheepers.She was asked after the match whether her four-month layoff indicated she may have fallen out of love with tennis."It's not that I've fallen out of love . . . I've never really liked sports, I never understood how I became an athlete," Williams said.She added, laughing, that she's never liked working out and "I don't want anything that has to do with working physically."If it involves sitting down or shopping I am excellent at that. I don't love tennis today . . . but I can't live without it so I am still here."Williams has said previously that she plans to cut down on her schedule in 2012."I just want to be able to do other things I am doing and expand on that," she said Monday. "I think that will help keep my motivation up. I have always been preparing myself for life after tennis."Not that the 13-time Grand Slam winner is planning on retiring any time soon. She'll play young Serbian Bojana Jovanovski in the second round in her only warmup tournament before the Jan. 16 start of the Australian Open, a major she has won five times.In other matches Monday, top-seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia, who beat Williams for the U.S. Open title, advanced with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus and sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia defeated Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-4, 6-2.Former No. 1-ranked Ana Ivanovic beat Tamira Paszek of Austria 6-3, 6-3 and American qualifier Vania King defeated Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-3, 6-4.Ivanovic will play Australian Open defending champion Kim Clijsters in the second round.The last time the two met, former French Open champion Ivanovic blew five match points at Miami last March. Ivanovic had three break points when leading 5-1 in the deciding set before Clijsters came back to win 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) and improve her career record with Ivanovic to 4-0.LONDON — Andy Murray has hired eight-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl as his coach.The fourth-ranked Briton will begin working immediately with Lendl as he prepares for the Australian Open next month.Murray says in a statement he hopes Lendl will provide "fresh insight," adding that "Ivan's impact on the game is unquestionable."Sunday, December 25, 2011
Wenger ponders Henry loan return
LONDON — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is considering trying to bring Thierry Henry back to the club on a two-month loan from the New York Red Bulls to fill the void left by strikers going to the African Cup of Nations.
Helping hand: New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry (right) could make a short-term return to former team Arsenal. AP PHOTOHenry won two Premier League titles and three F.A. Cups during a hugely successful eight-year spell at Arsenal, establishing himself as the club's all-time top scorer.After leaving London for Barcelona in 2007, Henry moved to New York in 2010 but he has been back at Arsenal to train during the Major League Soccer offseason.Such is the 34-year-old Frenchman's status at Arsenal, a statue of him was unveiled at the Emirates Stadium last month to coincide with the club's 125th-anniversary.But Wenger believes Henry could still have a role to play for the team again. Henry will not be required back in the United States until March and Arsenal will be losing forwards Gervinho of Cote d'Ivoire and Marouane Chamakh of Morocco for up to a month at the end of January due to the African Cup of Nations."I have to think about," Wenger said of Henry returning on loan. "Short term is ideal for us, but I haven't made any enquiry yet. Thierry is not here at the moment. It has never come up in conversation."Jan. 1 is the vital date for us. We have seven days to make decisions and I will make a decision in the next seven days on players."Arsenal has not won the Premier League since Henry was on the team — May 2004. The Gunners are currently fifth in the standings, 12 points behind leader Manchester City.BOLTON, England — Bolton has begun talks with Chelsea about the possible sale of England defender Gary Cahill.Cahill is out of contract at the end of the season when he could leave Bolton for free, and Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas has made his interest in the 26-year-old center back public this week.Bolton manager Owen Coyle confirmed on Friday that "regarding Gary Cahill, there has been dialogue between ourselves and Chelsea."But Coyle says "there's nothing signed and sealed at the moment."MADRID — Atletico Madrid has hired former Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone as its new coach to replace the fired Gregorio Manzano.Atletico said Friday that Simeone has agreed to a contract until the end of the 2012-13 season."The Argentine coach accepted the club's offer on Thursday to take over for the rest of the season and the next," Atletico said in a statement. "He'll arrive on Monday to take charge of the team."Simeone, who played for Atletico during its last championship-winning season in 1996, will be officially presented on Tuesday.
Helping hand: New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry (right) could make a short-term return to former team Arsenal. AP PHOTOHenry won two Premier League titles and three F.A. Cups during a hugely successful eight-year spell at Arsenal, establishing himself as the club's all-time top scorer.After leaving London for Barcelona in 2007, Henry moved to New York in 2010 but he has been back at Arsenal to train during the Major League Soccer offseason.Such is the 34-year-old Frenchman's status at Arsenal, a statue of him was unveiled at the Emirates Stadium last month to coincide with the club's 125th-anniversary.But Wenger believes Henry could still have a role to play for the team again. Henry will not be required back in the United States until March and Arsenal will be losing forwards Gervinho of Cote d'Ivoire and Marouane Chamakh of Morocco for up to a month at the end of January due to the African Cup of Nations."I have to think about," Wenger said of Henry returning on loan. "Short term is ideal for us, but I haven't made any enquiry yet. Thierry is not here at the moment. It has never come up in conversation."Jan. 1 is the vital date for us. We have seven days to make decisions and I will make a decision in the next seven days on players."Arsenal has not won the Premier League since Henry was on the team — May 2004. The Gunners are currently fifth in the standings, 12 points behind leader Manchester City.BOLTON, England — Bolton has begun talks with Chelsea about the possible sale of England defender Gary Cahill.Cahill is out of contract at the end of the season when he could leave Bolton for free, and Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas has made his interest in the 26-year-old center back public this week.Bolton manager Owen Coyle confirmed on Friday that "regarding Gary Cahill, there has been dialogue between ourselves and Chelsea."But Coyle says "there's nothing signed and sealed at the moment."MADRID — Atletico Madrid has hired former Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone as its new coach to replace the fired Gregorio Manzano.Atletico said Friday that Simeone has agreed to a contract until the end of the 2012-13 season."The Argentine coach accepted the club's offer on Thursday to take over for the rest of the season and the next," Atletico said in a statement. "He'll arrive on Monday to take charge of the team."Simeone, who played for Atletico during its last championship-winning season in 1996, will be officially presented on Tuesday.Mao makes spirited return at nationals
KADOMA, Osaka Pref. — Skating just over two weeks after the death of her mother, former two-time world champion Mao Asada put together a courageous Christmas Eve performance to place second after the women's short program at the national championships.
Dazzling return: Mao Asada skates during the women's short program on Saturday at the national championships in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture. Mao is in second place with 65.40 points. KYODO PHOTOMao, appearing in her first competition since her mother Kyoko on Dec. 9 passed away aged 48 after a lengthy battle with liver cirrhosis, sailed through her fluidly composed program, landing all of her jumps cleanly to score a season-best 65.40 points.Seventeen-year-old Kanako Murakami took top spot with 65.56 points while Akiko Suzuki, silver medalist at the Grand Prix Final in Quebec earlier this month, placed third.With the Osaka crowd behind her all the way, Mao kept her emotions in check as she glided around the Namihaya Dome rink to "Sheherazade" by Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov, opening with a double axel and comfortably landing a triple flip-double toe and a triple loop in a skate free of any major errors."I feel relieved. I have had so many messages of support and I really wanted to try hard today. I felt like so many people were watching over me," said the 21-year-old Mao."I felt a different kind of tension but I was able to stay focused. I had a solid skate and hopefully I can build on that in the free program."A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec but made a frantic return to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside.Murakami, who has struggled this season with boot problems and failed to qualify for the Grand Prix Final, landed a triple combo jump and had a clean triple flip and double axel for 65.56 points, her best score of the season."I think I did well. I was confident about my jumps and took care of the rest of my program and it went as well as I hoped," said the former junior world champion."I didn't make any mistakes and I am really pleased. I was hoping to score more than 60 points but I was surprised with my score."Suzuki had her opening triple-triple downgraded and took third with 59.60."I've gained confidence competing in events this season but it's never that easy at the national championships," said Suzuki, winner of the NHK Trophy in Sapporo in November."I want to show how much progress I have made since last season in the free skate."Defending champion and reigning world gold medalist Miki Ando is taking time out of competition this season but was watching Saturday's short program from the stands.Daisuke Takahashi won the men's title with 254.60 total points, followed by defending champion Takahiko Kozuka (250.97) and Yuzuru Hanyu (241.91).The nationals, which double as a qualifier for the world championships in Nice, France, in March, wraps up with the women's free skate on Sunday.
Dazzling return: Mao Asada skates during the women's short program on Saturday at the national championships in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture. Mao is in second place with 65.40 points. KYODO PHOTOMao, appearing in her first competition since her mother Kyoko on Dec. 9 passed away aged 48 after a lengthy battle with liver cirrhosis, sailed through her fluidly composed program, landing all of her jumps cleanly to score a season-best 65.40 points.Seventeen-year-old Kanako Murakami took top spot with 65.56 points while Akiko Suzuki, silver medalist at the Grand Prix Final in Quebec earlier this month, placed third.With the Osaka crowd behind her all the way, Mao kept her emotions in check as she glided around the Namihaya Dome rink to "Sheherazade" by Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov, opening with a double axel and comfortably landing a triple flip-double toe and a triple loop in a skate free of any major errors."I feel relieved. I have had so many messages of support and I really wanted to try hard today. I felt like so many people were watching over me," said the 21-year-old Mao."I felt a different kind of tension but I was able to stay focused. I had a solid skate and hopefully I can build on that in the free program."A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec but made a frantic return to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside.Murakami, who has struggled this season with boot problems and failed to qualify for the Grand Prix Final, landed a triple combo jump and had a clean triple flip and double axel for 65.56 points, her best score of the season."I think I did well. I was confident about my jumps and took care of the rest of my program and it went as well as I hoped," said the former junior world champion."I didn't make any mistakes and I am really pleased. I was hoping to score more than 60 points but I was surprised with my score."Suzuki had her opening triple-triple downgraded and took third with 59.60."I've gained confidence competing in events this season but it's never that easy at the national championships," said Suzuki, winner of the NHK Trophy in Sapporo in November."I want to show how much progress I have made since last season in the free skate."Defending champion and reigning world gold medalist Miki Ando is taking time out of competition this season but was watching Saturday's short program from the stands.Daisuke Takahashi won the men's title with 254.60 total points, followed by defending champion Takahiko Kozuka (250.97) and Yuzuru Hanyu (241.91).The nationals, which double as a qualifier for the world championships in Nice, France, in March, wraps up with the women's free skate on Sunday.Friday, December 23, 2011
Mao awaits emotional return at national championships
OSAKA — Former two-time world champion Mao Asada has vowed to pull out all the stops in what is set to be a highly emotional return to the rink at the national championships getting under way on Friday.
Back to work: Figure skater Mao Asada, a two-time world champion, will compete in the national championships in Osaka Prefecture two weeks after her mother's death. KYODO PHOTOThe 21-year-old has made the brave decision to compete at the event that serves as a qualifier for the world championships in Nice, France, in March, and starts just a fortnight after her mother, Kyoko, passed away at age 48 after a lengthy battle with liver cirrhosis.A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec City earlier this month, but made a frantic dash back to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside."When I came back from the (Grand Prix) final I was so busy and didn't have time to think about competition," Mao told a news conference Thursday."But I had to think after things settled down a bit and I realized I only had about a week before the nationals and thought I ought to start training. I wasn't thinking about pulling out."Mao did not speak about her mother as she stood calmly before reporters at the news conference, but said she has been given words of encouragement by those close to her."People said 'try hard but not too hard as you are already doing your best.' This is the last event of the year so I want to wrap it up with a good performance. It's not about points or positions I just want to show my best skating," she said.Mao failed to win a single event in the worst season of her competitive career in 2010-11, but headed into the Grand Prix Final with confidence sky high after a pair of strong performances in November.She finished second behind Akiko Suzuki at the NHK Trophy in Sapporo before ending a three-year GP title drought at the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, despite leaving out her trademark 3.5-revolution triple axel jump.Mao will be aiming for her first national title in two years and fifth overall. Defending champion and world gold medalist Miki Ando is taking time out of competition this season.NHK Trophy winner Suzuki finished runnerup at the Grand Prix Final and is a strong contender while Kanako Murakami and Haruka Imai are likely to be competing for the third berth.On the men's side, former world champion Daisuke Takahashi, whose strong free skate earned him the silver at the Grand Prix Final, will be battling it out with Takahiko Kozuka and 17-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu, who placed fourth in his Grand Prix Final debut."I made mistakes on my quads (in Quebec) but I have improved in every other aspect," Takahashi said."I have got confidence in my triple jumps. I just have to try and make the quad in both the short and the free programs. Obviously I will be going for victory (at the nationals) but the main thing is getting one of the berths for the world championships."Hanyu said he was hoping to build on the experience of competing against the world's elite skaters."I was so pleased that I was able to get a place among the six skaters at the final," he added.Defending champion Kozuka underperformed on the GP circuit this season and failed to qualify for Quebec. Nobunari Oda will miss the nationals as he continues to recover from an injured left knee.The competition begins on Friday with the pairs and men's short programs. The women's short program is scheduled for Saturday.
Back to work: Figure skater Mao Asada, a two-time world champion, will compete in the national championships in Osaka Prefecture two weeks after her mother's death. KYODO PHOTOThe 21-year-old has made the brave decision to compete at the event that serves as a qualifier for the world championships in Nice, France, in March, and starts just a fortnight after her mother, Kyoko, passed away at age 48 after a lengthy battle with liver cirrhosis.A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec City earlier this month, but made a frantic dash back to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside."When I came back from the (Grand Prix) final I was so busy and didn't have time to think about competition," Mao told a news conference Thursday."But I had to think after things settled down a bit and I realized I only had about a week before the nationals and thought I ought to start training. I wasn't thinking about pulling out."Mao did not speak about her mother as she stood calmly before reporters at the news conference, but said she has been given words of encouragement by those close to her."People said 'try hard but not too hard as you are already doing your best.' This is the last event of the year so I want to wrap it up with a good performance. It's not about points or positions I just want to show my best skating," she said.Mao failed to win a single event in the worst season of her competitive career in 2010-11, but headed into the Grand Prix Final with confidence sky high after a pair of strong performances in November.She finished second behind Akiko Suzuki at the NHK Trophy in Sapporo before ending a three-year GP title drought at the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, despite leaving out her trademark 3.5-revolution triple axel jump.Mao will be aiming for her first national title in two years and fifth overall. Defending champion and world gold medalist Miki Ando is taking time out of competition this season.NHK Trophy winner Suzuki finished runnerup at the Grand Prix Final and is a strong contender while Kanako Murakami and Haruka Imai are likely to be competing for the third berth.On the men's side, former world champion Daisuke Takahashi, whose strong free skate earned him the silver at the Grand Prix Final, will be battling it out with Takahiko Kozuka and 17-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu, who placed fourth in his Grand Prix Final debut."I made mistakes on my quads (in Quebec) but I have improved in every other aspect," Takahashi said."I have got confidence in my triple jumps. I just have to try and make the quad in both the short and the free programs. Obviously I will be going for victory (at the nationals) but the main thing is getting one of the berths for the world championships."Hanyu said he was hoping to build on the experience of competing against the world's elite skaters."I was so pleased that I was able to get a place among the six skaters at the final," he added.Defending champion Kozuka underperformed on the GP circuit this season and failed to qualify for Quebec. Nobunari Oda will miss the nationals as he continues to recover from an injured left knee.The competition begins on Friday with the pairs and men's short programs. The women's short program is scheduled for Saturday.Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Jeter held hitless in return
Beating the tag: Philadelphia's Domonic Brown slides home safely in front of Florida catcher John Buck in the seventh inning on Monday. The Phillies beat the Marlins 1-0. APCLEVELAND — In 10 years, Austin Kearns has just two career hits against A.J. Burnett.He's made them both count.Kearns hit his first homer in 105 at-bats this season, a stunning three-run shot in the seventh inning off Burnett, sending the Cleveland Indians to a 6-3 win and spoiling All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter's return to the Yankees' lineup Monday night.With two on and the Indians trailing 2-1, Kearns, who has been in a slump all season, hit a 1-0 pitch from Burnett (8-7) the opposite way to right for his first homer since Aug. 22, when he wore Yankee pinstripes. Kearns came up batting only .192 with two RBIs in a part-time role.He was only 1 of 11 against Burnett — a grand slam as a rookie in 2002 for Cincinnati."It's a funny game," Kearns said.Jeter was back in his familiar spot at shortstop and again atop the batting order for the first time since June 13, when he went on the disabled list with a calf injury. New York's captain went 0-for-4 and remained six shy of becoming the first Yankees player to reach 3,000 hits."I felt fine, no problems, no issues," Jeter said. "I was nervous at the beginning, almost like it was opening day again. It was just nerves. Three weeks is definitely a long time to be out. I felt better as the game went on."Twins 7, Rays 0In Minneapolis, Tsuyoshi Nishioka doubled in a pair of runs and Brian Duensing went the distance, throwing a six-hit shutout as the Twins blanked the Rays.Minnesota broke out for three runs in the second inning. Danny Valencia, who went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer in the eighth, and Jason Repko singled off David Price and Matt Tolbert walked to load the bases for Nishioka.Nishioka delivered a two-run double before Ben Revere had an RBI groundout."It was a big hit by Nishioka," said Michael Cuddyer, who added a solo homer for the Twins in the third."He took that fastball away, and it kind of started us off. Obviously, (it) started the scoring off, but it also told us we could hit this guy (Price) today."Blue Jays 9, Red Sox 7In Boston, Travis Snider had three doubles and drove in a pair of runs and Aaron Hill homered as Toronto became the latest team to rough up John Lackey.Mariners 2, Athletics 1In Oakland, Michael Pineda and three relievers combined on a three-hitter and Josh Bard hit his first home run of the season for Seattle.Ichiro Suzuki finished 2-for-4 for the Mariners, while Hideki Matsui went 1-for-4 for the A's with a run scored.White Sox 5, Royals 4In Chicago, A.J. Pierzynski scored the winning run on a balk called on Aaron Crow in the ninth.Rangers 13, Orioles 4In Arlington, Texas, Endy Chavez had his first four-RBI game in more than eight years with a long home run and a double.Angels 5, Tigers 1In Anaheim, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells homered and Joel Pineiro yielded five hits over seven solid innings.NATIONAL LEAGUEPirates 5, Astros 3In Pittsburgh, rookie Alex Presley had three of the home team's 14 hits and the Pirates moved three games over .500 this late in the season for the first time in 12 years.Nationals 5, Cubs 4 (10)In Washington, Jayson Werth turned boos to cheers by scoring the winning run on a wild pitch in the 10th inning, and the Nationals snagged another one-run victory.Kosuke Fukudome was hitless in four at-bats for the Cubs.Phillies 1, Marlins 0In Miami, Vance Worley pitched seven sharp innings and Philadelphia scored the only run on a close play in the seventh.Cardinals 1, Reds 0In St. Louis, Chris Carpenter outdueled Cincinnati nemesis Johnny Cueto with eight impressive innings, then watched from the dugout as pinch hitter Mark Hamilton drove in the lone run with an infield hit.Padres 5, Giants 3In San Francisco, Will Venable hit his second home run of the season and San Diego pounced on Tim Lincecum.Diamondbacks 8, Brewers 6In Milwaukee, Chris Young drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the ninth inning and Arizona overcame a grand slam by pitcher Shaun Marcum.Braves 4, Rockies 1In Atlanta, Freddie Freeman homered twice to drive in three runs and Tommy Hanson combined with two relievers on a four-hitter.Mets 5, Dodgers 2In Los Angeles, Angel Pagan, Carlos Beltran and Daniel Murphy had RBI doubles in the sixth.Saturday, May 21, 2011
Strasburg prepared to return to work
NEW YORK — Stephen Strasburg is ready to start throwing off a mound, the next step in his recovery from reconstructive elbow surgery.Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo says Strasburg was in Washington on Tuesday to be examined by the team's orthopedic surgeon. Rizzo says the routine checkup went very well and Strasburg is preparing to throw off a mound "any day now."The 22-year-old pitching phenom had ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow Sept. 3 and it is expected to take 12-18 months for him to return to the majors. He has been throwing on flat ground as part of his rehabilitation program.The top pick in the 2009 amateur draft, Strasburg had 14 strikeouts in his big league debut last June and went 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 12 starts. He struck out 92 batters in 68 innings.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Nishioka's return still on track
BALTIMORE — Minnesota Twins second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka underwent another X-ray on his fractured left fibula Monday and remains on course for a return to action before the end of next month.Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said results of the X-ray show Nishioka's injury is healing properly but nothing has changed as far as his expected return in four to six weeks.
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