jeudi 31 mars 2016
Hoffman takes lead at Houston Open
LeBron passes Wilkins, now 12th on scoring list
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James moved past Dominique Wilkins, aka "The Human Highlight Film," for 12th on the NBA's all-time scoring list Thursday night.
James converted an and-one layup with 3:52 remaining in the first quarter of the Cleveland Cavaliers' game against the Brooklyn Nets, giving him six points for the game and moving him past Wilkins' 26,668-point career total.
"I've been very durable throughout my career and I've played with some great teammates and two great organizations through all my career that allowed me to put the ball in the basket," James said after shootaround Thursday morning when asked about approaching Wilkins on the list.
"They've set screens for me, they gave me passes in transition, they've set me up offensively, and I've been able to come through for my teammates, so this results in that being the case."
The Cavs play the Hawks tomorrow in Atlanta, where Wilkins currently serves as a color analyst for the team's broadcast. The coincidental scheduling prompted a reporter to jokingly ask at shootaround if James would willingly snap his streak of 711 straight games with 10 or more points and purposely score three or less against the Nets to be able to pass Wilkins with him present.
"Nah," James said with a smile. "I'm not allowed to do that. I got to help my team win and me scoring two (points) is not good ingredients for that."
This season, James has moved from 18th in all-time scoring to 12th, passing the likes of Jerry West, Reggie Miller, Alex English, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Tim Duncan and John Havlicek. Next up: Oscar Robertson, who ranks 11th with 26,710 points and, like James, was a multitalented player who spent part of his pro basketball career in Ohio.
"It's a guy I've always kind of looked up to as far as his game and what he stood for off the floor as well," James said of Robertson. "So, anytime I'm linked with the 'Big O,' it's always special for me personally."
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue saluted James for putting his name in the same conversation as Hall of Famers Wilkins and Robertson.
"Any time you can be compared and you can pass two greats, it's always a very good accomplishment," Lue said. "It just shows the hard work that LeBron's put in over his career to get to those points."
LeBron passes Wilkins, now 12th on scoring listValentine edges Hield for AP Player of Year
HOUSTON -- Michigan State senior guard Denzel Valentine is The Associated Press Player of the Year, edging out Oklahoma senior guard Buddy Hield by three votes.
Valentine is the first Spartan to win the award. He accepted the trophy Thursday in Houston.
Valentine received 34 of 65 votes from the national media panel that selects the weekly AP Top 25. Hield was the only other player to receive votes. Hield and Valentine were the only unanimous selections to the AP All-America team.
Valentine, a 6-foot-5 senior, led Michigan State (29-6) to a second-place finish in the Big Ten regular season and was the conference player of the year. He averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists.
The Spartans were ranked No. 1 for four weeks, finished second in the final AP Top 25 and were given a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. They lost to No. 15 Middle Tennessee State in the first round.
Voting was done before the tournament.
Valentine edges Hield for AP Player of YearUFC's Jones accepts anger management class
Former UFC champion Jon Jones appeared before a judge in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Thursday and was ordered to enlist in a driver improvement course, anger management class and 60 hours of community service.
The Bernalillo District Attorney's Office also requested Jones be placed under curfew, however Jones's defense successfully argued against it. According to a court spokesperson, Jones is expected to be released from a local detention center later Thursday.
Jones, 28, was arrested on Tuesday for violating probation. He is currently serving an 18-month supervised probation sentence, which stems from a felony hit and run charge he entered into a plea agreement for last year. In February, Jones was pulled over and received citations for driving without a license, registration or proof of insurance. Those citations did not trigger a violation of his probation, but last week, Jones was pulled over again in downtown Albuquerque and issued a ticket for drag racing.
Originally from New York, Jones has adamantly denied he was drag racing, saying he simply revved the engine of his white Corvette to acknowledge a nearby fan. Footage released by the Albuquerque Police Department shows Jones arguing with the officer who pulled him over, at one point calling him "a f------ liar." Jones has since apologized for those comments but maintains his innocence.
Although Judge Martinez ruled against enforcing a curfew on Jones, he did order the fighter to not drive a vehicle without approval from his probation officer. The judge placed no travel restrictions on Jones as a condition of release, meaning he should be free to travel to Las Vegas for a scheduled title fight against Daniel Cormier at UFC 197 on April 23.
Before Jones left the court room, Martinez stated to Jones, "if you do come back, it won't go well."
Last April, Jones became the first champion in UFC history to be stripped of his title for disciplinary reasons, after he fled the scene of a three-car accident that left a pregnant woman injured. At a press conference earlier this month, Jones said he was sober for the first time in his athletic career. His defense made mention of that during court proceedings on Wednesday as well.
UFC's Jones accepts anger management classmercredi 30 mars 2016
Sorenstam to captain Europe in Solheim
Parker predicts Pop will rest starters vs. Warriors
SAN ANTONIO -- The Spurs face the Golden State Warriors twice more in the regular season, but point guard Tony Parker has predicted that coach Gregg Popovich won't utilize any of the front-line contributors in those meetings.
"I think no one will play [against the Warriors]," Parker said on his French radio show, which was translated by News 4 San Antonio. "To Pop, the most important thing is that the players are rested for the playoffs. As for first place, he does not care. For us, the end of the regular season is a good time to rest. That's why we play hard throughout the season, trying to win the most games possible, to find ourselves in this situation of luxury. We are sure we will be the second seed and we can all rest before the playoffs."
Popovich held out injured forward Kawhi Leonard during Friday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies and rested Danny Green along with reserves Patty Mills and Boris Diaw. Then during a loss at Oklahoma City on Friday, the Spurs hit the court with just 10 active players as Popovich utilized Kyle Anderson, Mills, Diaw, Green and rookie Boban Marjanovic as Parker, Tim Duncan, Leonard and Manu Ginobili didn't even make the trip.
At shootaround Wednesday morning, when asked if Popovich cares about the home record, Parker said, "Are you seriously asking me that? He doesn't care at all."
Headed into the win over the Grizzlies on Saturday, the Spurs knew they needed to capture only one more victory to secure no worse than the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Western Conference playoffs. Throughout Popovich's tenure, the coach starts to rest players once the Spurs secure their postseason seeding.
"This is the earliest [the Spurs have had a seed locked], for sure," Parker said Wednesday. "Me personally, I always like resting. It doesn't bother me. I think Pop does a good job. He's got a good feel for it. I don't think it's going to hurt us."
San Antonio has won 37 consecutive games at home, which ties the 1996-96 Chicago Bulls for the longest home winning streak to start a season in NBA history.
The team announced Monday that Leonard is probable for Wednesday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
"He's smart," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told CSNBayArea.com of Popovich. "They're locked into the No. 2 spot and there's no danger of anybody catching them from behind. And they're not trying to set any records. I will be interested to see if they rest guys at home. Do they want to go undefeated at home?"
Parker predicts Pop will rest starters vs. WarriorsParker predicts Pop will rest starters vs. Warriors
SAN ANTONIO -- The Spurs face the Golden State Warriors twice more in the regular season, but point guard Tony Parker has predicted that coach Gregg Popovich won't utilize any of the front-line contributors in those meetings.
"I think no one will play [against the Warriors]," Parker said on his French radio show, which was translated by News 4 San Antonio. "To Pop, the most important thing is that the players are rested for the playoffs. As for first place, he does not care. For us, the end of the regular season is a good time to rest. That's why we play hard throughout the season, trying to win the most games possible, to find ourselves in this situation of luxury. We are sure we will be the second seed and we can all rest before the playoffs."
Popovich held out injured forward Kawhi Leonard during Friday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies and rested Danny Green along with reserves Patty Mills and Boris Diaw. Then during a loss at Oklahoma City on Friday, the Spurs hit the court with just 10 active players as Popovich utilized Kyle Anderson, Mills, Diaw, Green and rookie Boban Marjanovic as Parker, Tim Duncan, Leonard and Manu Ginobili didn't even make the trip.
Headed into the win over the Grizzlies on Saturday, the Spurs knew they needed to capture only one more victory to secure no worse than the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Western Conference playoffs. Throughout Popovich's tenure, the coach starts to rest players once the Spurs secure their postseason seeding.
"I think the most important thing for [Popovich] is to win the NBA title," Parker said. "The record at home or games against Golden State, is not what interests him."
San Antonio has won 37 consecutive games at home, which ties the 1996-96 Chicago Bulls for the longest home winning streak to start a season in NBA history.
The team announced Monday that Leonard is probable for Wednesday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
"He's smart," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told CSNBayArea.com of Popovich. "They're locked into the No. 2 spot and there's no danger of anybody catching them from behind. And they're not trying to set any records. I will be interested to see if they rest guys at home. Do they want to go undefeated at home?"
Parker predicts Pop will rest starters vs. WarriorsParker predicts Pop will rest starters vs. Warriors
SAN ANTONIO -- The Spurs face the Golden State Warriors twice more in the regular season, but point guard Tony Parker predicted that coach Gregg Popovich won't utilize any of the frontline contributors in those meetings.
"I think no one will play [against the Warriors]," Parker said on his French radio show, which was translated by News 4 San Antonio. "To Pop, the most important thing is that the players are rested for the playoffs. As for first place, he does not care. For us, the end of the regular season is a good time to rest. That's why we play hard throughout the season, trying to win the most games possible, to find ourselves in this situation of luxury. We are sure we will be the second seed and we can all rest before the playoffs."
Popovich held out injured forward Kawhi Leonard during Friday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies and rested Danny Green along with reserves Patty Mills and Boris Diaw. Then during a loss at Oklahoma City on Friday, the Spurs hit the court with just 10 active players as Popovich utilized Kyle Anderson, Mills, Diaw, Green and rookie Boban Marjanovic as Parker, Tim Duncan, Leonard and Manu Ginobili didn't even make the trip.
Headed into the win over the Grizzlies on Mar. 26, the Spurs knew they needed to capture only one more victory to secure no worse than the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Western Conference playoffs. Throughout Popovich's tenure, the coach starts to rest players once the Spurs secure their postseason seeding.
"I think the most important thing for [Popovich] is to win the NBA title," Parker said. "The record at home or games against Golden State, is not what interests him."
San Antonio has won 37 consecutive games at home, which ties the 1996-96 Chicago Bulls for the longest home winning streak to start a season in NBA history.
The team announced Monday that Leonard is probable for Wednesday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
"He's smart," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told CSNBayArea.com of Popovich. "They're locked into the No. 2 spot and there's no danger of anybody catching them from behind. And they're not trying to set any records. I will be interested to see if they rest guys at home. Do they want to go undefeated at home?"
Parker predicts Pop will rest starters vs. Warriorsmardi 29 mars 2016
Keith swings stick at face of Wild player, ejected
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith was ejected for swinging his stick and catching Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle in the face Tuesday night.
Keith was assessed a match penalty for intent to injure and is suspended indefinitely. He was knocked to the ice by Coyle and retaliated by swinging his stick while laying on the ice. Coyle was left with blood dripping down the bridge of his nose.
The penalty, at 9:27 of the first period, left the Blackhawks shorthanded for five minutes, though the Wild did not score during the extended power play. It also left the Blackhawks without two key defensemen; Brent Seabrook missed the game because of illness.
The Wild won the game, 4-1.
Because he was assessed the match penalty, Keith is suspended until the league reviews the play. Keith's case won't be helped by his previous suspension, in the 2013 playoffs, for swinging his stick and hitting Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Carter in the face.
"We miss guys all year long. I'm not worrying about hypotheticals," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said about a possible multiple-game suspension.
The Blackhawks visit the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.
Keith swings stick at face of Wild player, ejectedMelo hungry to play in Olympics as morale boost
After another miserable season with the New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony is looking forward to winning some games with the U.S basketball team this summer.
"From a morale standpoint as a player, if you've been through the things I've been through the past couple of years you want to feel what that success feels like. You want that success," Anthony told reporters in Dallas on Tuesday. "So the Olympics for me is great timing -- especially coming off this season and injuries, and mentally it's good for me to get out there and feel what that feels like again.''
Anthony is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third straight season with the Knicks. The 31-year-old led teams to the postseason in the first 10 years of his career.
Anthony said Tuesday that his Olympic commitment will not waver following his buddy Chris Paul's decision to forgo the games this summer, which will be held in Rio.
Paul played for the U.S. in 2008 and 2012 and could have joined Anthony and LeBron James in trying to become the first players to win three Olympic basketball golds. James has yet to commit to playing this summer.
"If we were all going to do it, I would've loved for (Paul) to be a part of that, especially for this one last time," Anthony said of the Clippers point guard. "If he's not feeling it, his body's not right and not healthy, then no need for him [to play].''
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo says Paul had told him previously he wasn't sure about returning, and finally decided he was definitely out. Colangelo says he understands the decision.
"He's made a major contribution to USA Basketball. I think he was great for us and I think it was good for him to be part of what we did, and we're appreciative of that,'' Colangelo said.
"That's the way it should be when a player gets to a point and makes a decision that it might not be best to push it, to push the envelope as you get on in your career, and so we respect that decision.''
Paul's decision was first reported Tuesday by Sports Illustrated.
It's the second key loss for the Americans. New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis had to pull out because of shoulder and knee injuries.
Melo hungry to play in Olympics as morale boostD-League suspends Harrell five games for shove
CLEVELAND -- The NBA Development League suspended Houston Rockets forward Montrezl Harrell five games without pay for pushing a game official to the floor Saturday.
Harrell will miss the final three games of Rio Grande Valley's regular season and is ineligible to be recalled by the Rockets until his suspension is fulfilled, which likely will mean sitting out the Vipers' first two NBDL playoff games.
Bakersfield forward Derek Cooke Jr. also was suspended one game without pay for pushing Harrell at the final buzzer of Saturday's contest.
Referee Jason Goldenberg got between the players, and Harrell pushed Goldenberg to the ground. Players from both teams and security ran onto the floor, and no further incidents occurred.
The National Basketball Association Referees Association released a statement Monday saying: "Harrell committed a deliberate assault and battery against Referee Goldenberg. Anything less than a multiple game suspension would constitute a green light for violence against officials."
Harrell, a second-round pick out of Louisville, has played in 38 games for the Rockets (one start), averaging 9.8 minutes. He has been assigned to the D-League five times this season. In 12 games with the Vipers, Harrell averaged 24.3 points and 9.3 rebounds.
D-League suspends Harrell five games for shoveMajor time beckons for Spieth and Ko
UFC star Jones arrested for violating probation
UFC former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been booked into jail Tuesday in Albuquerque, New Mexico for violating probation as a result of citations received on March 24 for drag racing and four other violations.
The citations impacted the plea deal he struck last September for the hit-and-run incident he had last year.
The 28-year-old Jones is schedued to return to the Octagon at UFC 197 on April 23 to face Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight championship.
Jones pleaded guilty in September to a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident, but he avoided jail time. He was sentenced to supervised probation of up to 18 months and allowed him to avoid a formal felony conviction provided he met specified conditions.
He fled the scene of a three-vehicle crash on April 26, 2015 in Albuquerque. According to the police report, witnesses said the crash occurred when Jones ran a red light in his SUV. Jones fled the scene on foot, but circled back to retrieve something from his vehicle. A pregnant woman was treated for an arm injury caused by the crash.
The UFC stripped him of his 205-pound title shortly after his arrest.
The former champion also has had issues with substance abuse. In May 2012, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in his native New York. In December 2014, he tested positive for traces of cocaine in a Nevada State Athletic Commission screening. After he fled the scene of the car accident last year, police found marijuana paraphernalia in his vehicle.
At a UFC news conference last weekend in Las Vegas, Jones said he has been sober five months. He added it's the first time he has been able to say that in years.
UFC star Jones arrested for violating probationHarvey to start opener, had blood clot in bladder
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - New York Mets ace Matt Harvey is a go for Opening Day on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.
"It started with a bladder infection and it created a blood clot in the bladder," Harvey said Tuesday morning. "I passed it yesterday. It wasn't a great first day [after] my 27th birthday. But we cleared that. And then we had a little procedure done this morning just to go in and check the bladder and everything was clear.
"I'm cleared to go, cleared to do some minor activities today. And then we'll be back to normal tomorrow."
Harvey originally had been scheduled to pitch Tuesday's Grapefruit League game. He instead will pitch on Wednesday for a couple of innings to try to stay sharp for the opener on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball at Kauffman Stadium in a World Series rematch opposite Edinson Volquez.
Harvey to start opener, had blood clot in bladderSource: Mets' Harvey has blood clots in bladder
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets ace Matt Harvey was scratched from Tuesday's Grapefruit League start with blood clots in his bladder, a source told ESPN.com.
Harvey's start against the Marlins on Tuesday had been slated to be his final tuneup for Opening Day opposite Kansas City Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez at Kauffman Stadium in a rematch of Game Nos. 1 and 5 of the World Series.
General manager Sandy Alderson on Monday declined to specify the issue, other than to say it was not related to an elbow or shoulder or anything else orthopedic. Harvey, who was in camp Tuesday, reported the issue to Mets personnel early Monday after a symptom unexpectedly arose, Alderson added.
"It's way too premature for us to be discussing anything related to Opening Day," Alderson said Monday. "I understand Opening Day is not too far away, but we're dealing with tomorrow, and we should know something more tomorrow -- or the next day. But right now he's not pitching tomorrow. That's kind of where the story ends."
Source: Mets' Harvey has blood clots in bladderMcIlroy to skip Augusta Par 3 Contest
lundi 28 mars 2016
Dunleavy becomes college coach for first time
Former longtime NBA coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. is taking his first college coaching job at Tulane, joining a program that has languished at or below .500 for most of the past two decades since last appearing in the NCAA tournament in 1995.
"I am delighted to have the opportunity to coach the Green Wave and excited to help develop the student-athletes at Tulane into champions," Dunleavy said in a statement.
Dunleavy will be introduced in a news conference Tuesday at Devlin Fieldhouse, the Green Wave's on-campus basketball arena.
The 62-year-old Dunleavy, whose hiring was announced Monday, is a Brooklyn, New York, native who played for South Carolina before a lengthy career as an NBA player and coach. He has been the head coach of four NBA teams, most recently the Los Angeles Clippers from 2003 to 2010. He previously coached the Los Angeles Lakers (1990-92), Milwaukee Bucks (1992-96) and Portland Trail Blazers (1997-2001), being named NBA Coach of the Year in 1998-99.
"His reputation as a great evaluator of talent, master of strategy and teacher of the game defines him today as one of the top basketball minds in the country at any level," athletic director Troy Dannen said in a statement. "His commitment to Tulane athletics is a game-changer for our program."
This marks the second major hire at Tulane for Dannen, who took over as Green Wave athletic director in December. He has also hired new football coach Willie Fritz.
Dunleavy's six-year hiatus from coaching ends as he replaces Ed Conroy, who was fired after six seasons. Conroy finished this season 12-22.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dunleavy becomes college coach for first timePoulter finishes third in Puerto Rico
World number one Ko wins Kia Classic
dimanche 27 mars 2016
More history for Warriors as Green, Thompson shine
The Warriors continued to make history on Sunday night, joining the 1995-96 and 1996-97 Bulls as the only teams to win at least 66 games in consecutive seasons.
In fact, Golden State became the 15th team ever to win 66 and joined the Celtics, Lakers and Bulls as the only franchises with multiple 66-win seasons ever.
This means the Warriors now must go just 7-2 the rest of the way to break the Bulls' record for wins in a season. The Warriors have gone no worse than 7-2 in every nine-game stretch this season and six of their final nine games are at home, where Golden State has now won a record 53 straight regular-season games.
A loss tonight would have been a monumental upset going up against the lowly 76ers, who now have as many road losses (35) as the Warriors have home wins.
In fact, Elias tells us the difference in win percentage entering the game (.903 vs .123) was the largest in a game between teams at least 40 games into a season in NBA history. The 21.5 point spread was the second-largest in an NBA game in the last 20 seasons, trailing a March 2008 Celtics-Heat game in which Boston was favored by 22.
The Warriors did not cover that spread, but they still got their 66th victory faster than any team in NBA history.
Draymond the triple-double machine
Draymond Green extended his single-season franchise record with his 12th triple-double of the season.
This is only the 2nd time in the last 30 seasons multiple players have recorded at least 12 triple-doubles (Russell Westbrook has done so as well this year).
The last time came in 1988-89 when Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan both surpassed that figure.
Green now has 13 career triple-doubles, trailing only Hall-of-Famers Tom Gola and Guy Rodgers in Warriors franchise history, per Elias.
Klay stays hot
Klay Thompson went for 40 in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. He's the first Warrior besides Stephen Curry to do this since Antawn Jamison back in December 2000.
It was also Thompson's eighth 40-point game in the last two seasons. Only James Harden, Curry and Westbrook have more such games in this time.
This was also the fourth time this season the Warriors boasted one player with 40 points and another with a triple-double.
The rest of the NBA has two such games combined. In fact, Elias tells us this is the most such games by any team in a season since Wilt Chamberlain's 1962-63 Warriors also had four.
More history for Warriors as Green, Thompson shineClippers' Griffin starts serving 4-game ban
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin has been medically cleared for all basketball activities and started serving his four-game suspension with Sunday's game against the Denver Nuggets.
He will return April 3 against the Washington Wizards, the team said.
Griffin was suspended for four games by the team and also docked five games' pay of $859,442 for an altercation at a Toronto restaurant on Jan. 23. He suffered a broken right hand during the incident after punching an assistant equipment manager.
Griffin was cleared for contact on Saturday and went through his first workout since partially tearing his left quadriceps tendon on Christmas Day against the Los Angeles Lakers. He had missed the last 41 games due to the quad injury and the broken hand.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said before Sunday's game that the team erred on the side of caution in bringing back the five-time All-Star.
"I kind of thought [Griffin would be ready to play] before, but I still wanted to see him [practice]. That's why I didn't want to say anything," Rivers said. "You know, he wanted to practice the last practice we had [on March 22] and we wouldn't let him. Usually, when a player starts talking that way, you know he's ready to practice and wants to go out. We just felt like the extra three or four days to this practice would help. I think Blake would probably disagree with that -- he thought he should practice the last one. But, he looked great."
It's unclear whether the 27-year-old's return means a spot back in the starting lineup, though.
"[Griffin] had no endurance as far as his wind," Rivers said. "But as far as playing basketball, he looked terrific. ... We figure we have five or six or seven or whatever more days and honestly I don't know if you can get him in the condition to play 35 minutes or 30 minutes right away. My guess right now is we're going to start him.
"The question, more importantly, is not the starting, it's how many minutes in a row can he play. If we went by yesterday, it'd be three."
In 30 games this season, Griffin is averaging 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 34.9 minutes.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Clippers' Griffin starts serving 4-game banBulls players, coaches clear air after loss to Magic
Coming off their most disappointing loss of the season, the Chicago Bulls held a pre-practice meeting between players and coaches and "aired some things out," coach Fred Hoiberg said Sunday.
The Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic 111-89 Saturday, dealing their playoff hopes a serious blow. Chicago is now 36-36 and two games behind the Pistons for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The road doesn't get any easier either. On Monday, the Bulls face an Atlanta Hawks team that is 8-2 in its last 10 games to surge to third in the conference. Bulls forward Mike Dunleavy called this a "do-or-die week," but after Saturday's loss he said there are no easy answers to what ails the team.
"It's just a lot of stuff. To say it's like one thing we're not doing right and that would solve everything, that's just not the case," he said. "It's a bunch of stuff we're struggling with. Not only with effort, but execution and discipline and continuity. You can go through the whole thing. So from that standpoint I can't sit here and say it's one thing, or we're not playing hard enough. We need to do everything better."
Bulls players, coaches clear air after loss to MagicDay beats McIlroy to reach final
Clippers' Griffin to start serving 4-game ban
The Los Angeles Clippers have announced that forward Blake Griffin will beginning serving his four-game suspension with Sunday's game against the Denver Nuggets.
He will return on April 3 against the Washington Wizards, the Clippers said.
Griffin was suspended for four games by the team and also docked five games' pay of $859,442 for the Jan. 23 altercation at a Toronto restaurant. Griffin, who suffered a broken right hand during the incident after punching an assistant equipment manager, was medically cleared to return Saturday.
Griffin has missed the last 41 games with a partially torn left quad tendon and the broken hand.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Clippers' Griffin to start serving 4-game banSources: Pitt hires Stallings to replace Dixon
Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings, whose job security was in question with the Commodores, has agreed to a deal to replace Jamie Dixon at Pittsburgh, multiple sources told ESPN.
The sources said it is a six-year deal.
Stallings, 55, had been the head coach at Vandy for 17 seasons and made the NCAA tournament seven times.
The Commodores were expected to battle for the SEC title this season with a roster that included Wade Baldwin and Damion Jones. However, Vanderbilt finished 19-13 overall and in a three-way tie for third place in the SEC. The Commodores made the NCAA tourney and lost to Wichita State in the First Four.
There was speculation that Vanderbilt was expected to sever ties with Stallings, but he was able to get another job before a decision was made about his future with the help of Todd Turner -- the former Vandy athletic director who hired him. Turner now runs a search firm called Collegiate Sports Associates that has been retained by Pittsburgh to help with the search.
Panthers athletic director Scott Barnes had reached out to several other candidates but was spurned, one source told ESPN.
Barnes came from Utah State less than a year ago and will hire Stallings to replace Dixon, who left last week to return to his alma mater, TCU.
Sources: Pitt hires Stallings to replace DixonEwart Shadoff seven shots off lead
samedi 26 mars 2016
McIlroy beats Kirk to reach last four
Coach K apologizes for postgame comments
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski says he has apologized for his comments to Oregon forward Dillon Brooks and "reacted incorrectly" to an inquiry about the exchange after his team's Sweet 16 loss on Thursday.
Krzyzewski released a statement Saturday that said: "Today, I spoke with Oregon head coach Dana Altman and apologized to him for my remarks to Dillon Brooks following our game. It is not my place to talk to another team's player and doing so took the focus away from the terrific game that Dillon played."
Krzyzewski, who initially had denied making the remarks Brooks attributed to him, also said: "In the postgame press conference, I reacted incorrectly to a reporter's question about my comment to Dillon."
Brooks hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock wound down late in Oregon's 82-68 win over the Blue Devils. Brooks, who celebrated after he hit the shot, said Krzyzewski told him after the game that he's "too good of a player to be showing off in the end." Brooks said he told the coach that he was right.
"I didn't say that," Krzyzewski told reporters when asked about the exchange after the game. "You can say whatever you want. Dillon Brooks is a hell of a player. I said, 'You're a terrific player.' And you can take whatever he said and then go with it, all right?"
Audio of the exchange between Brooks and Krzyzewski from the CBS broadcast was posted on multiple websites Friday night, and it confirmed the Ducks player's account:
"You're too good of a player to do that," Krzyzewski said.
"I'm sorry, Coach," Brooks said.
"You're too good of a player," Krzyzewski said.
On Friday, Brooks said he didn't feel like he did anything wrong, but he expressed remorse for publicizing the details of the exchange.
"Me and Coach K, that conversation should have stayed with us," Brooks said. "But overall, me and Coach K are both professionals, and I have to move on from this situation and focus on Oklahoma."
Oregon coach Dana Altman addressed the controversy with reporters earlier Friday as well.
"At the end of the game, there was a difference in the shot clock and the game clock," Altman said. "I told Dillon to shoot it. So if anybody's got a problem with it, it should be directed at me."\
Krzyzewski ended his statement by saying he had the "utmost respect" for Oregon's program.
"I sincerely hope I did not create a distraction for Coach Altman and his team at this critical time of year," Krzyzewski said. "Certainly, I have the utmost respect for the Oregon program and their tremendous accomplishments."
Information from ESPN's Myron Medcalf and The Associated Press was used in this report.
Coach K apologizes for postgame commentsSpieth knocked out by Oosthuizen
Mavs' Cuban rips referees midgame via Twitter
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mark Cuban has been famously outspoken with criticism of officiating during his tenure as owner of the Dallas Mavericks, but his real-time ripping of a referee Friday night was a first for him.
Cuban fired off a critical tweet after Mavs center Salah Mejri was called for a travel in the second quarter of a 128-120 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Derrick Stafford has mailed it in. That travel was not a travel and the no calls. Rick needs to get a tech
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) March 26, 2016
Cuban, who did not travel with the Mavs on the four-game road trip, followed up with a tweet that criticized the NBA's referee management team.
@NateDuncanNBA @espn_macmahon I want a ref mgmt team that demands quality instead of brain scans and one that doesn't have politicians
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) March 26, 2016
Cuban, who has paid seven figures worth of fines from the NBA office for criticizing officiating over the years, also tweeted several times on the topic after the Mavs' loss Wednesday to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Mavs' Cuban rips referees midgame via Twitter@LandryLocker @haralabob we are paying the price for horrible hiring and training during the Ronnie Nunn Era.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) March 24, 2016
Ewart Shadoff falls behind leader Shin
vendredi 25 mars 2016
Four-minute flurry fuels Notre Dame's rally to Elite Eight over Wisconsin
PHILADELPHIA – The ball bounced hard and high off the rims, unforgiving all night for Notre Dame. Except, of course, this time it slipped back through the net, the 2-point jumper counting for Demetrius Jackson.
Of course it did. This is how Notre Dame wins basketball games, with second-half turnarounds gutted out as much on stoicism as skill, built on sudden bursts of offense that somehow makes you forgive everything that came before.
The Irish had no business beating Wisconsin. Zero. They couldn’t buy a bucket in the first half, Zach Auguste missing more bunnies than you’ll find at an Easter egg hunt this weekend.
And then all of a sudden there it was –four minutes of offense, two brilliant defensive plays and the Irish are back in the Elite Eight, beating Wisconsin 61-56 in a finish that was as stunning as it was unexpected.
How do they do it? Mike Brey insists it is destiny, that his team denied a shot at the Final Four in a heartbreaking loss to Kentucky last year, is due.
That’s a fine, mystical approach. The more realistic one is that Notre Dame simply finds ways to win, manufacturing just enough out of a 40-minute game to leave opponents wondering what happened and fans breathless. They did the same to Michigan. Ditto Stephen F. Austin, wresting victory from the jaws of defeat all the way to the regional final.
Notre Dame trailed 49-44 when Jackson’s got the sweet kiss from the rims, which means the Irish scored 12 points in the final four minutes – or just seven fewer than they managed in the entire first half.
The boxscore will explain the shots a V.J. Beachem 3-pointer, two free throws from Auguste and then Jackson, Jackson, Jackson.
It doesn’t do justice to the improbability of it all.
Jackson, one of the guys who clanked a free throw against Kentucky, wisely went for the 2-for with under 20 seconds left, scoring on a drive with 19.5 seconds left to cut the Irish lead to 56-55.
And then the guy who has had that missed free throw running through his mind for a year erased it with two defensive plays that simply rewrote the book on how did the Irish do that.
He trapped Nigel Hayes on an inbound, ripping the ball out of his hands with a ferocity a year in the making. Fouled on the play, he drained both free throws to give the Irish the lead. When Wisconsin went for its last gasp effort, he did the same to Bronson Koenig, wresting the ball from the guard’s clutches to make sure that Notre Dame would get a return date with destiny.
Luck of the Irish?
More like really good timing.
Four-minute flurry fuels Notre Dame's rally to Elite Eight over WisconsinOdell Beckham Jr. subtweets Josh Norman, who responds
Just when you thought it was safe -- Odell Beckham Jr. and Josh Norman are at it again. Their feud originated on the field when the Carolina Panthers faced the New York Giants in Week 15. It quickly escalated from a hearty dose of trash-talk to a full-blown brawl between the two. And now, three months later, the pair have taken to Twitter to remind us that there's still no love lost.
The latest chapter in the OBJ-Norman saga was sparked by Norman's reaction on SportsNation on Friday afternoon. Norman was shown a picture of Beckham Jr. and asked to give a one-word response. His choice? "OK." While that's not exactly a dis, it didn't sit too well with OBJ, who promptly took to Twitter:
That boy should thank me for all I've done for you !!! Your welcome tho ... Lol
— Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) March 25, 2016
Because what better way to throw shade at a guy you don't like than to hit him with a good old-fashioned subtweet, right? Right.
Fear not, Norman answered back. He saw OBJ's subtweet and raised him a direct reply:
@Obj_3 As your boy @Drake would say "trigger finger turn to Twitter finger's" huh?
I'm not Guna sub Tweet you Ima @ You.
So wassup?— *Joshua R. Norman (@J_No24) March 25, 2016
Yeah guys, wassup? It's hard not to feel that this whole thing could be solved if they just sat in a room with Drizzy for a few hours and sorted out their emotions. Until then, the tweet is in your court OBJ.
Odell Beckham Jr. subtweets Josh Norman, who respondsMcIlroy needs play-off to beat Na
Ewart Shadoff hits 67 to share Kia lead
jeudi 24 mars 2016
Spieth maintains unbeaten record
Ex-NFL, Alabama FB Turner dies of ALS at 46
Former NFL fullback Kevin Turner, who played eight seasons for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, died Thursday after a six-year battle with ALS. He was 46.
Turner was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- also known as Lou Gehrig's disease -- in 2010. According to his foundation, Turner was was surrounded by his family and friends.
"Myra and I lost a great son today. He will be missed so much," his father, Raymond Turner, posted on Facebook. "Thanks to everyone so very much for your support and prayers during this journey. He was ready to go to Heaven, excited he said, Love y'all and God Bless."
Former Eagles teammate Donovan McNabb expressed his condolences on Twitter.
Prayers and blessing go out to a former teammate of mine Kevin Turner, unfortunately he passed away. Great mentor and friend. KT we miss you
— Donovan McNabb (@donovanjmcnabb) March 24, 2016
His quarterback on the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe, also took to Twitter to mourn the loss of his teammate.
Rest In Peace KT. Great teammate. Great friend. https://t.co/zAMIiMTXsW
— Drew Bledsoe (@DrewBledsoe) March 24, 2016
Turner, who starred at Alabama, was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 1992 draft. He played three seasons for New England, registering his best season in 1994 when he had 52 catches for 471 yards and also rushed for 111 yards. He spent the last five years of his NFL career with the Eagles.
After his diagnosis, Turner was active in research looking for links between the degenerative brain disease CTE, ALS and head trauma related to football. He started the Kevin Turner Foundation to raise funds for ALS research.
He said he was sure football contributed to his condition and became a lead plaintiff in the massive lawsuit retired players filed against the NFL regarding concussions.
"Football had something to do with it," Turner said in 2011. "I don't know to what extent, and I may not ever know. But there are too many people I know that have ALS and played football in similar positions. They seem to be linebackers, fullbacks, strong safeties. Those are big collision guys."
Turner said he wouldn't have played had he known the risk.
"If they would have come to me and said, 'I've seen the future. This is what happens.' Of course, I would stop playing immediately," Turner said. "But, as we all know, nobody can see the future. For me, it just falls into a long line of bad decisions."
Turner's struggle was the subject of a 2012 HBO documentary called "American Man" and a music video for the song "Journey On" by Ty Herndon. In 2011, Turner and Herndon presented a $4.3 million check to the ALS Therapy Alliance at a ceremony at Fenway Park.
Turner is survived by his former wife and three children. His son Nolan, 18, committed to play football at Clemson for Dabo Swinney, an Alabama teammate of Kevin Turner.
Ex-NFL, Alabama FB Turner dies of ALS at 46Parents of A&M player left before he hit tying shot
When Texas A&M freshman Admon Gilder made a steal and scored to complete the Aggies' comeback from a 12-point deficit in the last 33 seconds against Northern Iowa, it was the stuff every kid dreams of playing on the driveway back home.
As it turns out, that's where his parents were heading at the critical moment ... home.
"They left with under a minute to go," Gilder told reporters. "They were walking to their car, and somebody said Admon hit the layup to tie it. So they watched the double-overtime in the car on the way back to Dallas. They said sorry they weren't there to see that, and they loved me no matter what."
The Aggies went on to win the NCAA tournament game 92-88 in double overtime, advancing to the Sweet 16. Gilder said his parents missed the moment because they had to work the next day. His mom works in a dental office, and his dad at a Dallas charter school.
Gilder said that his parents wouldn't leave Thursday night's game against Oklahoma "until the clock hits zero," according to the Dallas Morning News.
Parents of A&M player left before he hit tying shotmercredi 23 mars 2016
Calipari: All draft-eligible UK players will declare
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- John Calipari said that every Kentucky player eligible to declare will submit their names for this year's NBA draft.
Calipari posted tweets Wednesday saying Kentucky players of age will declare for the draft, though all might not attend the league's invitation-only combine.
Under new NCAA rules, players declaring for the draft can return to school if they don't sign with an agent, have up to 10 days after the pre-draft combine to withdraw from consideration and can try out with an NBA team.
The new rule states they can submit their name a total of three times. If they choose to withdraw, they have until 10 days after the combine
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
It's a true win-win for the student-athlete.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
Just so you know, having every kid put their name in the draft is about all players getting the right information.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
Players not invited to the combine know what that means. Players invited to the combine and told to to back to school know that that means.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
As I said, it's a win-win for the student athletes. I like the rule.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
Guards Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray and forward Skal Labissiere are considered likely draft choices, but Calipari said walk-ons also will declare. Freshmen Isaac Humphries and Tai Wynyard won't because they will not turn 19 this year.
Kentucky lost to Indiana in the second round of the NCAA tournament Saturday. The Wildcats finished the year 27-9.
Calipari: All draft-eligible UK players will declareInjured Day wins Match Play opener
Legendary MLB announcer Garagiola, 90, dies
Legendary broadcaster and former baseball player Joe Garagiola died Wednesday at the age of 90, the Arizona Diamondbacks confirmed.
We are deeply saddened by the loss of baseball legend and former #Dbacks broadcaster Joe Garagiola. http://pic.twitter.com/ojaWGp05oC
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) March 23, 2016
Garagiola, who was awarded the Ford Frick Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, was the play-by-play voice of baseball for NBC for nearly 30 years, beginning in 1961. He worked alongside Curt Gowdy, Tony Kubek and Bob Costas on the network's "Game of the Week."
After leaving NBC in 1988, Garagiola became the commentator for the California Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks until retiring from broadcasting in 2013.
Garagiola spent nine seasons in the major leagues from 1946 to 1954, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and the New York Giants. The catcher hit 42 career home runs with 255 RBIs and had a .257 batting average.
Legendary MLB announcer Garagiola, 90, dies'Time to go home': A-Rod to retire after 2017
Alex Rodriguez plans on retiring at the end of the 2017 season after playing out his contract with the New York Yankees, the designated hitter told ESPN on Wednesday.
"I won't play after next year," Rodriguez told ESPN on Wednesday. "I've really enjoyed my time. For me, it is time for me to go home and be dad."
It will end what has been a legendary and controversy-filled career for Rodriguez, who turns 41 on July 27. He is signed through next season, which is the final year of his 10-year, $275 million contract.
He enters 2016 with 687 home runs.
The 20-year veteran was certainly one of baseball's most improbable success stories in 2015, turning back the clock in several offensive categories after serving a year-long suspension. Rodriguez, who will turn 41 on July 27, tallied his highest number of home runs (33) and runs scored (83) since 2008, most at-bats (523) and games played (151) since 2007, and his best slugging percentage (.486) since 2010.
'Time to go home': A-Rod to retire after 2017mardi 22 mars 2016
Owners: Browns didn't enable Manziel's antics
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said Tuesday they do not feel the team enabled Johnny Manziel's behavior during his turbulent two years in Cleveland.
"Listen those are tough circumstances," Jimmy Haslam said at the NFL's annual meetings. "You can second guess whether you should have been tougher on discipline or not, etc. I've said before, we've all raised kids that have done things well and not so well. It just didn't work out."
Dee Haslam, a member of the NFL's conduct committee, said Manziel's behavior was "absolutely" disappointing.
"In a perfect world, you want every player to be the perfect leader and the perfect guy, right?" she said. "But it is real life, and these are young, young players. I think, we wish the best for Johnny and [that] he develops into the man he needs to be."
"You can second guess whether you should have been tougher on discipline or not, etc. I've said before, we've all raised kids that have done things well and not so well. It just didn't work out."
Jimmy Haslam on Johnny Manziel
The Browns seem weary of even answering questions about Manziel, understandable given the team released him March 11.
"Honestly, if we can just refrain from those questions," coach Hue Jackson said in the morning. "I don't even want to talk about it; he's in our past."
But an afternoon meeting between the Haslams and the Cleveland media dealt in part with reflecting on how the team handled Manziel, especially since Jackson has emphasized that the team's quarterback has to be the face of the franchise.
"You want your quarterback, just like you want all your players, to represent the organization in a responsible manner," Jimmy Haslam said. "That goes without saying."
Manziel had a turbulent first season with the Browns in 2014, then spent 10 weeks in rehab after the season. The team supported him, but watched as Manziel spent the final weekend of the season in Las Vegas, missing a medical test for his concussion.
A Dallas grand jury now is deciding whether Manziel should be charged for abusing his ex-girlfriend.
"I think part of what we're looking for and optimistic what our new group will do is put systems and processes in place where we make better decisions," Jimmy Haslam said.
That new group includes Jackson, director of strategy Paul DePodesta, vice president of football operations Sashi Brown and vice president of player personnel Andrew Berry.
"I'm not sure how much I want to look backwards," Brown said. "But to your point about what you take from every experience is how we can make better decisions, how to make sure that we stay on plan and strategy.
"How to make sure that the processes we put in place in terms of how we're going to get to decisions on draft day, that we're thorough in doing our due diligence on players and factor in the right things as we're making those decisions."
DePodesta, who came to the Browns from major league baseball, said the team will never be perfect, but it must "figure out what it is that we value when we're making those decisions."
Haslam said he feels great about the new management team. The owner who has fired coaches after one season and two seasons with the Browns said he will be patient with this group.
"They're working together extremely well and we're going to be very patient with them and give them time to develop the plan that we put together," Haslam said.
Owners: Browns didn't enable Manziel's anticsChop blocks outlawed as NFL approves rules
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- NFL owners approved a series of minor rule changes Tuesday and saved their more difficult decisions for Wednesday, the final day of their annual meetings.
Among the approved rules was the elimination of all chop blocks, an expansion of the horse collar rule to include instances in which defenders grab the nameplate of the jersey and a permanent approval of the 15-yard line as the line of scrimmage for extra points.
Left unaddressed, at least for Tuesday, is a proposal that calls for a player to be automatically ejected if he commits two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in one game. The league will also continue discussions on a proposal to move the touchback after kickoffs to the 25-yard line, and there was no vote Tuesday on several proposals to expand instant replay. Further discussions will take place Wednesday, and a vote on one or several of them could take place before owners adjourn at midday.
Several coaches expressed concern about the automatic ejection rule during morning deliberations, according to New York Giants owner John Mara.
"They worry it will lead to more players being ejected," Mara said. "But we don't look at it that way. I think the effect it will have will be, if a player has one, then that might make him think about it before mouthing off to an opponent again in the same game."
Mara added: "I think we have a sportsmanship problem that we have to deal with. This is one option for dealing with it, and it's not dead yet."
At the AFC coaches breakfast earlier Tuesday morning, Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien said he worried about the possibility of opposing teams baiting players after they have been called for one unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
"Let's just say one of your best players is going to get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty," O'Brien said. "Is he going to become a target? Meaning, are they going to go after this guy to try to get him to do something that he gets kicked out of the game? That would be my concern about it, but I'm going to do what they tell me to do."
Also at the coaches breakfast, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh passionately defended his team's proposal to expand replay to include all rulings but a handful of judgment calls. No action was taken on it Tuesday.
"There were five games last year that were determined by non-reviewable calls," Harbaugh said. "[They] determined the outcome of the game. The fans don't understand that. They don't want to look at it and see the official make a mistake [that] everyone saw in real time that the league said, 'It's not reviewable. We can't fix that.' What do you mean, we can't fix it? We can't fix that when we decide not to be able to fix it. We can fix it. Just fix it."
ESPN New York Giants reporter Dan Graziano contributed to this story.
Chop blocks outlawed as NFL approves rulesKubiak: Broncos discussing RG III as possible QB
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak acknowledged Tuesday morning that the reigning Super Bowl champions, who have a rare opening at quarterback, have taken a long look at Robert Griffin III.
Speaking at the NFL owners meetings, Kubiak said the Broncos have evaluated Griffin and that the former Washington Redskins star continues to be part of Denver's conversation for potential replacements to Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler.
"[Griffin] is one of the free guys out there," Kubiak said. "... He's obviously been part of the conversation. We'll see what happens, he's a talented young man."
Kubiak said he wouldn't discuss if the Broncos would bring Griffin in for a visit, but emphasized multiple times that Denver would be "patient" in filling out the quarterback depth chart. The New York Jets and Cleveland Browns also have been linked to Griffin this offseason.
Kubiak also said Tuesday that he believes Mark Sanchez, who was acquired in a trade earlier this month with the Philadelphia Eagles, can flourish in Denver's offense.
"One of the things we feel really good about is we feel good about getting Mark," Kubiak said. "Mark's got 60 starts in this league -- he's started two AFC Championship (Games) ... we feel really good about him, how he fits. He's got some background in what we do."
Sanchez and Trevor Siemian, a seventh-round draft pick in 2015, are currently the only quarterbacks on the Broncos' roster. Griffin, 26, was released by the Redskins after he did not attempt a pass in the 2015 season. The former No. 2 pick of the 2012 draft last started a game in 2014.
Kubiak was asked what Griffin would potentially bring to the table as a player in the Broncos offense.
"He's very athletic, moves around ... another player who's played in some big games," Kubiak said. "Obviously he hasn't played much in the last year and a half ... but he's still young, very young kid, all those things he's got working for him.
"I'm sure he's looking for the best possible opportunity for himself. Guys like that bounce back, they've done good things before and they expect to do good things again."
Kubiak also dismissed the theory that since Griffin had a falling out with former Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, the Broncos would not have interest in Griffin or that the former Heisman Trophy winner may be hesitant to consider Denver.
Kubiak was Shanahan's offensive coordinator with the Broncos between 1995 and 2005.
"I don't like hearing that," Kubiak said. "We're going to do our evaluations, evaluate every player that's out there in free agency."
Kubiak: Broncos discussing RG III as possible QBBelgium soccer cancels practice after attacks
Deadly terrorist attacks in Brussels on Tuesday have prompted the Belgium national soccer team to cancel its scheduled training session.
Multiple explosions rocked the Brussels airport and subway system Tuesday morning, forcing a lockdown of the Belgian capital and heightened security across Europe. At least 28 people were reported dead.
The Royal Belgian Football Federation posted an announcement on the Twitter account for its national team, saying "football is not important today," and that "our thoughts are with the victims."
#tousensemble, our thoughts are with the victims. Football is not important today. Training cancelled.
— BelgianRedDevils (@BelRedDevils) March 22, 2016
Belgium was scheduled to face Portugal in a friendly on March 29.
At least one of the attacks was likely the result of a suicide bomber, the Belgian federal prosecutor reported. He classified the attacks as the work of terrorists.
There were two explosions in the departure hall of the city's Zaventem international airport, according to Prime Minister Charles Michel. There was also an explosion on the rail tracks at the Maelbeek subway station, according to a spokeswoman for Brussels transportation department. Fifteen people were killed in the subway station and 13 at the airport, officials said.
Belgian transportation officials also confirmed that an additional 55 others were injured at the subway blast, including 10 people in critical condition.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attacks, and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said there was no immediate evidence linking key Paris suspect Salah Abdeslam to them. The explosions happened four days after Abdeslam, a prime suspect in the Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people, was arrested in Brussels.
"What we feared has happened," Michel told reporters. "In this time of tragedy, this black moment for our country, I appeal to everyone to remain calm but also to show solidarity."
ESPN FC, ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
lundi 21 mars 2016
Indian Wells CEO resigns after 'coattails' remarks
Raymond Moore has resigned as CEO and tournament director at Indian Wells, owner Larry Ellison announced Monday night.
Moore's resignation comes one day after he said women players ride the coattails of the men. He later apologized, but his remarks drew widespread outrage.
"I think the WTA [Women's Tennis Association] ... you know, in my next life, when I come back, I want to be someone in the WTA because they ride on the coattails of the men," Moore said Sunday before Serena Williams met Victoria Azarenka in the finals of the BNP Paribas Open. "They don't make any decisions, and they are lucky. They are very, very lucky. If I was a lady player, I'd go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born because they have carried this sport. They really have."
Moore, 69, is a former professional player from South Africa who took over as CEO of Indian Wells Tennis Garden in 2012, after being associated with the event for decades.
"Ray let me know that he has decided to step down from his roles as CEO and Tournament Director effective immediately," Ellison said in a statement Monday night. "I fully understand his decision."
Indian Wells CEO resigns after 'coattails' remarks
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