Sports News: 2011

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Rafael Nadal in moving 9/11 tribute

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal paid a moving tribute to victims of the 9/11 attacks, telling 22,000 spectators at the US Open and a global television audience that they'll be in his thoughts on Sunday's 10th anniversary.
"I just want to send all of my support to the families of the victims of September 11th. I have terrible memories of that day," said Nadal to loud cheers from the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court at Flushing Meadows.
The Spaniard, who is the defending champion, was speaking after his semi-final win over Britain's Andy Murray, later vividly recalling witnessing the attacks as a raw 15-year-old.
On September 11, 2001, Nadal was in Madrid, playing in his first professional tournament.
Earlier that year, he had spent a happy family holiday in New York.
"I don't know exactly how to say in English, but the... image (of the Twin Towers falling), what I remember from that moment is probably...unforgettable," he said.

Andy Murray loses to Rafael Nadal in semis

Andy Murray

Andy Murray's hopes of reaching the US Open final came to an end as Rafael Nadal outclassed him in four sets to set up a meeting with Novak Djokovic.

The British number one lost 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 in three hours and 24 minutes to ensure his wait for a maiden Grand Slam title goes on.

Murray was no match for the Spaniard in the first two sets and despite rallying in the third, he wilted in the fourth.

Djokovic beat rojer fedrer and reach Open final

Djokovic

Lightning struck twice against Roger Federer at the US Open.

Once again, Novak Djokovic went for the same kind of hit-and-hope forehand winner on match point down against the Swiss as he did last year.

By any standards this was a classic sporting contest and, in the judgment of TV analyst Patrick McEnroe and others, the match of the year. That Federer ended up losing again, this time by 6-7(7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 was hugely disappointing — not just for the man himself, but also for a 23,000-plus crowd that had been 90 percent behind him throughout the contest.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

No teamwork in NBA lockout talks

NBA commissioner David Stern

The expiration of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement comes in the wake of an absurd postseason that scored some of the NBA’s highest TV ratings since Michael Jordan took on John Stockton and Karl “the Mailman” Malone in 1997-98.

I mean, remember with me: Brandon Roy dropped 18 in the fourth on the Mavs when he should‘ve been in a wheelchair, the street-fight that was the Grizzlies-Thunder series, the Lakers were swept, LeBron reminded everyone how much their lives suck compared to his and — oh yeah — the Lakers were swept.

Well, prepare for the polar opposite, a greed-a-palooza called the 2011 lockout.

“It worries me that we’re not closer. We have a huge philosophical divide,” NBA commissioner David Stern said.

NBA preseason game come to Civic Center

When the Golden State Warriors bought the Dakota Wizards in late June, they said they wanted to bring a bit of the NBA experience.

They may bring that experience on Oct. 25, as the Warriors have scheduled a preseason game against the Utah Jazz at the Bismarck Civic Center, although that game is threatened by the NBA lockout.

They will bring that experience on Oct. 6, when the Warriors are planning a special event in Bismarck that will include an appearance by Jerry West. West, who is a member of the Warriors' executive board, was one of the best players and one of the best general managers in league history. His silhouette was even used for the NBA's logo.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Lockout or not, Jeremy Pargo is NBA-bound

Jeremy Pargo

Jeremy Pargo

Jeremy Pargo rode his speed and athleticism to a breakout season in 2010-11, fueling Maccabi's drive to the Euroleague finals as a hard-to-harness scoring point guard. But the success and resulting interest from the NBA prompted Pargo to opt out of his Maccabi contract earlier this month, meaning that the younger brother of NBA veteran Jannero Pargo must be convinced he'll be offered a good job in the States if he was willing to walk away from a sure thing to wait out the unknown.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

2011 Basketball Hall Of Fame: Could Chris Mullin Succeed In Today's NBA?

Chris Mullin

In recent weeks leading up to his enshrinement, media has honored Chris Mullin glowingly when tracing his archive of hoops stardom. Work-ethic, not athleticism, are what media, quoting his teammates and former coaches, set Mullin aside from his contemporaries. In some ways, these comments could be construed as an indirect slap in the face to the current state of the NBA where potential, defined by out-of-this-world athleticism, continues to matter more than solid fundamentals (this is not an apologia for Mike Dunleavy Jr.).

To Danny Savitzky, contributor to Grantland, Mullin is an "endangered species," a kind of player that has been wiped out by the evolution of hoops athleticism. We often say there will never be another Michael Jordan or a Magic Johnson. But is it possible to say there will never be another Chris Mullin?

Friday, August 12, 2011

Houston lands 2013 NBA All Star Game

It would mark the third time Houston will host the NBA All-Star Game. The last time the city hosted the exhibition match between the top players of the NBA was in 2006 at Toyota Center. The NBA All-Star festivities will kick off two days earlier

Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90056909?Houston%20lands%202013%20NBA%20All%20Star%20Game#ixzz1Uo7Jva94

Houston is expected to gear up for the arrival of NBA superstars and hundreds of basketball fans after it was reported Thursday that city will host the 2013 NBA All-Star game.

According to reports by KRIV-TV and KHOU 11 Sports, the game will played at the Toyota Center on February 17.

The NBA All-Star festivities will kick off two days earlier.

It would mark the third time that the largest city of the state of Texas will host the NBA All-Star Game.

The last time Houston hosted a match pitting the best players voted to the Eastern Conference squad against their counterparts in the Western Conference was in 2006 at Toyota Center.

Houston also was the site of the 1989 All-Star Game at the Astrodome.

Meanwhile, NBA officials nor the Rockets would issue a comment on the report.

The 61st edition of the All-Star Game is slated be played on February 26, 2012 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, home of the Orlando Magic.

LeBron James hopeful about NBA resolution

TAIPEI (Taiwan): Miami Heat star LeBron Jamesremains confident the 2011-2012 NBA season will go ahead, despite the growing pessimism of the players' union. Speaking Friday to reporters in Taiwan, James said "right now I am working toward the NBA season, I believe there will be a season, and hopefully both sides can come together." Players have been locked out of team facilities since July 1 as negotiations continue on a new agreement on pay and conditions. The two sides are split over issues including distribution of revenues and the imposition of a salary cap. Last week, players' union chief Billy Hunter said he was doubtful about the 2011-12 season going ahead. James is on a two-day promotional tour of Taiwan

Flamboyant Rodman set to enter NBA Hall of Fame

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts — Dennis Rodman, who once wore a wedding dress to one of his book signings, is set to enter the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Rodman was known more for his antics off the court but he did find time to win several National Basketball Association championships on Michael Jordan-led teams.

Rodman and two-time Olympic gold medalist Chris Mullin headline the class of 2011 which will be honored at a lavish ceremony at Symphony Hall.

"My job was to go out there and win ballgames, have a good time and take care of my family. As long as the people had a good time, that was my main objective," Rodman said.

Mullin becomes the 11th member of the famed 1992 US Olympic Team to be enshrined as an individual. The list also includes big men Artis Gilmore and Arvydas Sabonis; eight-time NBA champion Tom "Satch" Sanders of the Boston Celtics; coaching great Tex Winter and late Reece "Goose" Tatum of the Harlem Globetrotters. Women's star Teresa Edwards is also going in.

But the spotlight at Friday's news conference was on Rodman, who enjoyed the added attention.

"I shine every damn day," Rodman said. "This is for other people here that don't get to see these famous people that's going to come in this building tomorrow."

Said Winter's son Chris, "I don't know what's more shocking, that they didn't put Tex in 30 years ago, or they didn't make Dennis wait another 30 years."

While he likes to joke around, Rodman was also one of the top defensive players in the league for many seasons. He won an NBA record seven consecutive rebounding titles.

He said others, like Lakers current forward Ron Artest, have tried to follow in his footsteps but they can't pull it off.

"It's hard to be an entertainer and an athlete and try to be a smart basketball player all at the same time. As you can see, some guys try to do it but they don't know how to actually put the game of basketball first," Rodman said.

Last year Mullin was enshrined along with his teammates from the 1992 American Olympic squad. Now he becomes the 11th player from that team to also go in as an individual. Mullin played in five NBA all-star games and scored more than 17,000 points in his career.

The Naismith Hall of Fame is dominated by American players and the only other team to be enshrined is the 1960 US Olympic team.

Sabonis played in his native Lithuania before moving to the USA to play for Portland.

The Hall of Fame is named after James Naismith, a Canadian who is credited with inventing the sport in 1891.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

As NBA Draft is set, Timberwolves GM hints at conspiracy

The NBA Draft has been set and now that the lottery is finished fans are wondering if David Kahn was right when he hinted that the NBA set it so the Cavaliers would get the first overall pick.(CBS/What's Trending) - In the NBA, worst doesn't mean first. So even if you have a 2.8 percent chance of getting the first pick during the NBA Draft, you can still win the prize, which is exactly what happened.

This year's NBA Draft will be the first time the Cavaliers have the first overall pick since they drafted a little known high school player out of Akron -- the same MVP who would later break their hearts when he "took his talents to South Beach" without bringing home a championship. (Okay, he was never little known,and I'm obviously talking about LeBron James.)

Anyway the Cavs are on the clock and can start looking at who to pick number one overall, but now, some people are claiming there is an NBA conspiracy behind the draft pick lottery.

David Kahn, the Minnesota Timberwolves GM, is one of those hinting at some rigging. The Timberwolves had the best odds of winning the lottery with a 25 percent chance. Kahn told reporters after the draft order was announced, "I also felt that when the 14-year-old hit the dias with us we were dead. We were just dead. There was no way... this league has a a habit, and I am just going to say habit, of producing some pretty incredible story lines. Last year it was Abe Pollin's widow, and this year it was a 14-year-old boy and the only thing we have in common is we have both been bar mitzvahed. We were done. I told Kevin: 'We're toast.' This is not happening for us and I was right."

Monday, April 18, 2011

Andy Murray Tennis star

Andy Murray

Andy Murray will have a scan today to determine the extent of the elbow injury that hampered him in Saturday's semi-final defeat by Rafael Nadal at the Monte Carlo Masters.

The Scot is due to play in the Barcelona Open this week, where he is the second seed behind world number one Nadal.

Murray has a bye in the first round and is therefore unlikely to be on court before Wednesday, giving him time to make a decision.

The 23-year-old will certainly hope he is fit enough to face either Juan Carlos Ferrero or Xavier Malisse in the second round after playing some of his best clay-court tennis in Monte Carlo.

Murray, who went into the tournament on a run of four successive defeats, breezed through his opening three matches before becoming the only man to take a set off Nadal as the Spaniard won his seventh title in a row in the principality.

The British number one first felt the elbow problem in his quarter-final win over Frederico Gil and he needed an injection prior to the match against Nadal.

His form in the second set in particular indicated that had done the trick but Murray began to struggle with the injury in the decider, allowing Nadal to pull away.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

IPL rule book rules out Saurav Ganguly for Kochi

Saurav Ganguly

New Delhi: Former India and Kolkata Kinght Riders skipper Sourav Ganguly may have lost a realistic chance of playing in this year's Indian Premier League, according to the IPL rule book.

It was learnt on Friday that the Kochi Tuskers Kerala had made an attempt to rope in Ganguly as a replacement player for Steve Smith. Having been ignored at the IPL-4 auction in January in Bangalore, the only way Ganguly could have come into the IPL was as a replacement player.

With Smith pulling out of injury, Kochi wanted Ganguly as his replacement but the rule book states that, a player can be replaced at the same or lesser price than the player to be replaced. Smith was purchased by Kochi for $200,000 while Ganguly's base price was $400,000.

Surprisingly, Ganguly's base price, initially, was $200,000. But former Indian skipper, along with a few other players, including Rahul Dravid, had increased it to $400,000.

If he had not done that, Ganguly could easily have walked into the Kochi team and fulfilled his dream of playing in the IPL-4.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Strom is Back Tennis Princess Maria Sharapova is back in the top-10 for the first time in more than two years

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova’s driving forehand doesn’t really fill me with wonder and excitement, but I am full of admiration for her drive to succeed.

She burst onto the tennis scene as a 17-year-old in 2004, beating two-time defending champion Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final, but having reached the top of the rankings herself, her career went into decline from late 2008 after a long absence due to injury.

Monte Carlo Tennis: Aisam-Rohan pair in semis

Aisam-ul-Haq

Rohan Bopanna

Aisam-ul-Haq

Rohan Bopanna

Aisam-ul-Haq

MONACO: Pak-Indian tennis duo of Aisam-ul-Haq and Rohan Bopanna continue its successes in the ATP Masters Tennis Championship in Monte Carlo and now it has qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament here on Friday.

Aisam and Rohan outclassed the pair of 2nd seeded Daniel Nestor of Canada and Max Mirnyi of Belarus 6-1, 7-5 in the quarter-final to be placed in the final four.

Earlier, they defeated American Eric Butorac and his partner Roger`Julien 7-6 (7/4),6-3 in the pre-quarters finals of on Thursday.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

NBA - Chicago Bulls take top seed status for play-offs

Joakim Noah

Kyle Korver scored 19 points as the Chicago Bulls closed the regular season with their ninth straight victory, beating the New Jersey Nets 97-92. The Bulls had to wait for San Antonio's result to see who would be seeded No1 for the play-offs – with the Spurs' loss to Phoenix earning them home-court advantage.

Joakim Noah finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds to help the Bulls finish 62-20, equalling their best showing since the 1997-98 championship season. They begin their play-off campaign against the Indiana Pacers.