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Finally, an MVP award for Kobe Bryant.
Regarded as the NBA’s best player for several years but never its most valuable, Bryant earned the honor at last on Tuesday after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference.
He called the award a blessing and an honor and emphasized that he wants another trophy this year.
“It’s Hollywood, it’s a movie script. The perfect ending would be for us to hold a championship trophy at the end of it,” Bryant said at a news conference attended by his teammates, club officials, his wife and two daughters.
“This is an award I couldn’t have won on my own. I can’t thank these guys (his teammates) enough. These are my guys, these are my brothers. Let’s get ready for tomorrow.”
The Lakers try to take a 2-0 lead against Utah in their conference semifinal on Wednesday night. Bryant will receive the MVP trophy from commissioner David Stern before the game.
Bryant entered the season as the league’s two-time defending scoring champion. He had finished as high as third in the MVP voting twice - after the 2002-03 season, when he averaged 30 points for the first time, and last year when Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki won.
“I don’t know anybody who’s ever deserved this trophy more. I don’t know anybody who’s ever worked as hard to accomplish what he’s accomplished,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who had five-time MVP Michael Jordan with Chicago and was at the Lakers’ helm when Shaquille O’Neal won the award in 2000.
Bryant received 82-first-place votes and 1,100 points in the media vote. He was followed by New Orleans’ Chris Paul (28 and 894), Boston’s Kevin Garnett (15 and 670) and Cleveland’s LeBron James (1 and 438).
“I’ve said since two, three years ago that Kobe Bryant is the best player in the league,” James said before the Cavaliers faced the Celtics in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. “He’s been the best player the last five, six years. I’m glad he won it. His team had a great year, finishing first in the West.”
This season there was no denying the Lakers’ 6-foot-6 star. Los Angeles rose to the top of the West despite key injuries and following Bryant’s trade demands last spring when his team was eliminated in the first round by Phoenix for the second straight year.
Bryant averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.84 steals while playing all 82 games despite tearing a ligament in his right pinkie in February. He put off surgery until after the Olympics.
The knock on the 29-year-old Bryant had been that he didn’t make those around him better - not anymore.
“He’s deserving in this particular season with all of the question marks and everything going on coming into the season and the uncertainty,” teammate Derek Fisher said. “Not only did he statistically have an MVP type of season, everybody can reasonably say they were better this year because of what he did. He met the so-called criteria, elevating his teammates’ games.”
Word leaked last Friday night that Bryant had won the award.
Bryant, second in the NBA in scoring behind James, is the first Laker to win the MVP award since O’Neal. Other Lakers to win since the award was first presented in 1956 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson - each three times. Abdul-Jabbar also won three with Milwaukee.
“I didn’t expect this award would come to me,” Bryant said. “I’m surprised. I’ve played pretty well in other seasons. Our team hasn’t been as good. Things just fell into place.”
Bryant and O’Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive championships, from 2000-02, and a berth in the finals in 2004. The Lakers hadn’t won a playoff series since until sweeping Denver in the first round last month.
Bryant and O’Neal were often at odds during their eight years together. Assistant coach Brian Shaw, who played for the Lakers from 1999-03, has noticed a big difference in Bryant.
“He’s a much better teammate now than he was in the championship days. That’s a credit to his maturation. There were definitely times when he was not a good teammate. No one worked harder than he did. The same is true today,” Shaw said.
“In terms of connecting with his teammates off the court, he didn’t do that very much. Now, from what I hear, he goes out to dinner with them all the time. Who knows? Maybe he likes these teammates better than us,” Shaw added with a laugh.
Bryant has said this was his best regular season and his most enjoyable - very different from his feelings last spring. First, he challenged the Lakers to upgrade their roster, then demanded a trade.
Things quieted down and Bryant said all the right things during training camp until Lakers owner Jerry Buss said he would listen to trade offers. That upset Bryant again, but he promised he would focus on basketball once the season began.
And so he did.
After a 9-8 start, the Lakers put it together. The most obvious upgrades were Fisher and Pau Gasol, acquired Feb. 1 from Memphis. The Lakers already had Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic - all former first-round draft choices - when Bryant had his tirade last spring. All three, especially the 20-year-old Bynum, showed great improvement, but the 7-footer hasn’t played since injuring his left knee Jan. 13.
Another talented newcomer, Trevor Ariza, has been sidelined since breaking his right foot Jan. 20. Gasol missed nine games late in the season because of a sprained ankle.
Through it all, led by their MVP, the Lakers kept winning. And now they appear to have as good a chance as any team to win another NBA championship.

via AOL

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kobe Bryant has won the NBA’s MVP award for the first time, the Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site Friday night, citing anonymous sources familiar with the outcome of voting by media members.

The newspaper reported that commissioner David Stern will be in Los Angeles next week to present the trophy to Bryant.

“We have not been told anything by the league,” Lakers spokesman John Black told The Associated Press.

Bryant, who entered the season as the league’s two-time defending scoring champion, had third in the MVP voting twice - after the 2002-03 campaign, when he averaged 30 points for the first time, and again last season, when Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki won the award.

Bryant averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.84 steals while playing in all 82 games despite tearing a ligament in his right pinkie finger in February. A hand specialist recommended surgery, but Bryant decided to put it off until after the Olympics this summer.

He led the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference and a sweep of Denver in the first round of the playoffs.

Bryant, second in the NBA in scoring behind Cleveland’s LeBron James, will be the first Lakers player to win the MVP award since Shaquille O’Neal was a near-unanimous choice in 2000. Other previous Lakers to win the award dating to 1956, when it was first presented, were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, who each won it three times. Abdul-Jabbar also won three with the Milwaukee Bucks.

 
via CNN

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant received the National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player award Tuesday for propelling the team back to elite status after three seasons in the doldrums.

Images: Celebrities In The Crowd

Images: NBA’s Greatest Players

Bryant received the honor during a news conference at the Sheraton Gateway hotel near Los Angeles International Airport. “I really don’t know what to say to be honest with you,” Bryant said. “I think this is such a blessing. It’s such an honor to be here. To receive this award — and I can go through a list of thank yous, starting with my family. They enable me to be the best I can be by training every day. And, you know, they give up so much, you know, sacrifice so much for me to be able to train and prepare and focus on games. I’m just very honored and very blessed for them to be here.”

“This is a beautiful day. It’s a very special day for me and you know, I’m just, I’m just deeply, deeply honored to be here,” Bryant said.

He will receive the trophy Wednesday night from commissioner David Stern before the Lakers face Utah in Game 2 of their conference semifinal. Bryant was followed in the voting Tuesday by Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett and LeBron James.

Bryant was the league’s second-leading scorer after LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bryant averaged 28.3 points per game, helping the Lakers to a 57-25 record, the best in the Western Conference. The Lakers had won 34, 45 and 42 games the previous three seasons.

Bryant is the first Laker to win the MVP award since Shaquille O’Neal in the 1999-2000 season.

“It’s a pleasure to stand here before you and offer my congratulations to Kobe and tell you I don’t know anybody who deserves it more, who’s ever deserved this trophy more,” Laker head coach Phil Jackson said. “I’ve never known anybody that’s worked as hard to accomplish what he’s accomplished in this game as Kobe has.”

The Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs, and defeated the Utah Jazz in the first game of a seven-game series.

“I couldn’t have won this award without the play of my teammates,” Bryant said. “This is a team award. This isn’t an individual award. This is an award that I couldn’t have won on my own. If that was the case, I would have won it when I was averaging 40 (points per game). This gets done because we all do it as a unit. So I can’t thank these guys enough. These are my guys. These are my brothers. We have won MVP. I want to thank everybody for coming out. Let’s get ready for tomorrow.”

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via MSN

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is expected to receive the National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player award Tuesday for propelling the team back to elite status after three seasons in the doldrums. Images: Celebrities In The Crowd Images: NBA’s Greatest Players

An afternoon presentation of an NBA award — the NBA did not specify which award — is scheduled at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport.

The Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site Friday night that Bryant would be named the league’s MVP, citing sources familiar with the voting. An unscientific survey by the Los Angeles Newspaper Group of sportswriters and sportscasters who vote on the award indicated Bryant would win the award handily.

Bryant was the league’s second-leading scorer after LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bryant averaged 28.3 points per game, helping the Lakers to a 57-25 record, the best in the Western Conference. The Lakers had won 34, 45 and 42 games the previous three seasons.

Bryant would be the first Laker to win the MVP award since Shaquille O’Neal in the 1999-2000 season.

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via MSN

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is expected to receive the National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player award Tuesday for propelling the team back to elite status after three seasons in the doldrums. An afternoon presentation of an NBA award — the NBA did not specify which award — is scheduled at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport.

The Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site Friday night that Bryant would be named the league’s MVP, citing sources familiar with the voting. An unscientific survey by the Los Angeles Newspaper Group of sportswriters and sportscasters who vote on the award indicated Bryant would win the award handily.

Bryant was the league’s second-leading scorer after LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bryant averaged 28.3 points per game, helping the Lakers to a 57-25 record, the best in the Western Conference. The Lakers had won 34, 45 and 42 games the previous three seasons.

Bryant would be the first Laker to win the MVP award since Shaquille O’Neal in the 1999-2000 season.

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via MSN

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kobe Bryant, celebrating what is expected to be his first NBA MVP award, did just enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to another postseason victory. Bryant had 38 points, six rebounds and seven assists Sunday, and the Lakers made it five straight playoff wins by beating the Utah Jazz 109-98 to begin the second round.
Game 2 will be played Wednesday night before the best-of-seven series shifts to Utah for Games 3 and 4. Word leaked late Friday that Bryant had won his first Most Valuable Player award and he expressed his joy on Saturday. The NBA has declined comment, but Bryant is expected to receive the MVP trophy from commissioner David Stern before Game 2.
The “MVP! MVP!” chants from the capacity crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center began before the opening tip, with the volume increasing significantly when Bryant was introduced with the other Los Angeles starters.
Bryant scored 24 points to help the Lakers take a 54-41 halftime lead, and although they were on top the rest of the way, there were some anxious moments down the stretch.
Pau Gasol added 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Lamar Odom had 16 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 45 seconds to play, and Sasha Vujacic scored 15 for the Lakers.
Forward Luke Walton, who shot 22-for-31 and averaged 14 points in the Lakers’ sweep of Denver in the first round, played despite an upper respiratory infection and wasn’t at his best, getting five points and three rebounds in 13 minutes.
Mehmet Okur had 21 points and a career playoff-high 19 rebounds for the Jazz, who lost despite outrebounding the Lakers 58-41. Carlos Boozer had 15 points, 14 rebounds and four assists before fouling out with 3:28 left, and Deron Williams added 14 points, nine assists and nine rebounds.

via AOL

LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant made most of the shots that mattered, which he didn’t view as any great accomplishment.

That’s because there was nary a hand in his face when he took them.

Bryant, celebrating what’s expected to be his first NBA MVP award, converted six of his franchise playoff-record 21 foul shots in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Utah Jazz 109-98 Sunday to begin the second round of the playoffs.

Bryant finished with 38 points, six rebounds and seven assists, and the Lakers made it five straight victories to begin the postseason after winning eight of their last nine regular-season games to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

“You’ve got to be able to knock those free throws down. They’re open looks,” said Bryant, who made his first 18 foul shots before missing two of his last five to finish 21-of-23. “It’s my responsibility to knock them down.”

The Lakers shot 38-of-46 from the foul line, while the Jazz went 22-of-30. The teams spent most of the final period going from one foul line to the other, with Los Angeles going 14-of-19 from the line and Utah 10-of-12. Twenty-four of the 60 personal fouls were called in the last 12 minutes.

“It’s an incredible night to have 23 foul shots,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “I know that Utah’s not going to be happy about it. We’ll probably see about half that in the next game, if not less. So for him to do that, it was our biggest scoring threat of the night right there.”

Utah coach Jerry Sloan said he didn’t have a problem with Bryant’s many trips to the foul line.

“They called them, he shot them, that’s fine,” Sloan said. “I can’t do anything about that.”

Regarding his team’s defense, Sloan said: “It was very, very poor at best. (Fouls) are what you do when you try and bail out. I’d say that’s very poor defense.”

There were some other unexpected numbers. For one, the Jazz outrebounded the Lakers 58-41, with 25 of their rebounds at the offensive end. For another, Utah attempted 95 shots to match its regular-season high, but converted only 36 (37.9 percent).

“We had open shots, we couldn’t make them,” Sloan said.

“A lot of it was just their defense,” said Deron Williams, who shot 5-for-18. “They pushed us outside farther than we wanted to go with our offense.”

Derek Fisher, who played with the Jazz last season, guarded Williams for the most part and had a career playoff-high six steals to go with five points and six assists.

“I think probably what confused him was how old I am,” the 33-year-old Fisher said, laughing. “When he fakes, I don’t go for it because I can’t react that fast so I end up stealing it from him.”

Game 2 will be played Wednesday night before the best-of-seven series shifts to Utah for Games 3 and 4. Word leaked late Friday that Bryant had won his first Most Valuable Player award and he expressed his joy on Saturday. The NBA has declined comment, but Bryant is expected to receive the MVP trophy from commissioner David Stern before Game 2.

The “MVP! MVP!” chants from the capacity crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center began before the opening tip, with the volume increasing significantly when Bryant was introduced with the other Los Angeles starters.

Bryant, who shot 8-for-16 from the field, scored 24 points to help the Lakers take a 54-41 halftime lead, and although they were on top the rest of the way, there were some anxious moments down the stretch.

Pau Gasol added 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Lamar Odom had 16 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 45 seconds to play, and Sasha Vujacic scored a career playoff-high 15 for the Lakers.

Forward Luke Walton, who shot 22-for-31 and averaged 14 points in the Lakers’ sweep of Denver in the first round, played despite an upper respiratory infection and wasn’t at his best, getting five points and three rebounds in 13 minutes.

Mehmet Okur had 21 points and a career playoff-high 19 rebounds for the Jazz. Carlos Boozer had 15 points, 14 rebounds and four assists before fouling out with 3:28 left, and Williams added 14 points, nine assists and nine rebounds.

The Lakers went ahead for good late in the first quarter and led 68-49 early in the third period before the Jazz outscored them 15-3 to get back in the game. It was 91-82 before a 3-pointer by Kyle Korver and a jumper by Ronnie Brewer made it 91-87 with 4:44 remaining.

That’s as close as the Jazz would get.

A basket by Odom and a foul shot by Bryant made it 94-87 with 3:28 to go. The Jazz drew within five points on two free throws by Williams, but three baskets by Gasol in a span of 68 seconds put the game out of reach.

Notes:@ The Lakers have a 51-7 all-time record when winning the opener of a seven-game series. … The teams are meeting in the postseason for the fourth time. The Lakers won 4-3 in a second-round series in 1988 a year before Sloan was hired. The Jazz won 4-1 in the second round in 1997 and swept the Lakers 4-0 the following year in the conference finals. The Jazz reached the NBA finals in 1997 and 1998, but lost to the Chicago Bulls 4-2 each time. Jackson was the Bulls’ coach at that time. … Boozer had seven of his team’s 13 turnovers. The Lakers also turned the ball over 13 times.

via MSN

Even before the Olympic flame was lit Monday, a protester of China’s human rights policies disrupted the solemn ceremony, foreshadowing the prospect of demonstrations throughout the 85,000-mile torch-relay route right up to the Beijing Games themselves.
Forecasts of clouds and rain had been considered the main threat to the pomp-filled torch-lighting. But in the end, while the sun sparked the flame to life, it was the protesters who turned the joyful bow to the Olympics’ roots into a political embarrassment for China over its crackdown in Tibet and other rights issues.
Three men advocating press freedom evaded massive security and ran onto the field at the ceremony in Ancient Olympia before they were seized by police. Minutes later, a Tibetan woman covered in fake blood briefly blocked the path of the torch relay.
The incidents came after International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge told The Associated Press in an interview that he was engaged in “silent diplomacy” with the Chinese but wouldn’t intervene in politics to try to change their policies.
“We are discussing on a daily basis with Chinese authorities, including discussing these issues, while strictly respecting the sovereignty of China in its affairs,” Rogge said.
Protests are bound to follow the torch throughout its 136-day route across five continents and 20 countries. China pledged strict security measures to ensure its segment of the relay won’t be marred by protests.
Tibetan activists have already said they plan to demonstrate elsewhere on the route.
“Later we will do protests in London and Paris,” said Tenzin Dorjee, a member of Students for a Free Tibet who protested in Ancient Olympia.
China’s communist leadership has faced a public relations disaster since protests of its rule turned violent March 14 in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, sparking waves of unrest in surrounding provinces. China reported a death toll of 22 from the violence, but Tibet’s exiled government says 80 Tibetans were killed. Nineteen died in subsequent violence in Gansu province, it said.
A rising chorus of international criticism and floated calls for a boycott have unnerved the Chinese leadership, which has turned up efforts to put its own version of the unrest before the international public.
China has blamed the riots on followers of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice again urged China to start talks with him in order to begin a dialogue that “is going to be the only policy that is sustainable in Tibet.”
Edward Friedman, a China specialist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, said he expects Beijing to rally national pride by attacking its critics.
“My speculation would be that the conversation within the ruling group, the first thing they’d likely say is that people are out to tarnish China’s image,” he said. “The speed of this one coming at them makes one worry that this group’s first instinct is not very helpful. … They’re much more likely to be pulling the bridge on the moat and manning the castles and battlements.”
Friedman said he expects China to put pressure on other countries to stay neutral and “to not do things to politicize the Olympics.”
Luciano Barra, deputy CEO of the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, recalled how the torch relay in Italy was dogged by protesters opposed to construction of a rail tunnel. Organizers diverted the route at one stage to avoid the demonstrators.
“It makes me laugh compared to the current problem,” Barra said.
Another potential flashpoint is the route through Tibet. The flame is due to be carried to the summit of Mount Everest in May and pass through Lhasa in June.
“It’s crucial for everyone who works in Tibetan movement to emphasize to the public and get the message to the Chinese government that the Olympic torch should not be allowed to go up Mount Everest and through Tibet,” said Anne Holmes, acting director of the London-based Free Tibet campaign. “The very idea that they will be able to parade the torch through Tibet after the crackdown is obscene given what’s going on in Tibet.”
Tibetan groups have also urged the IOC to keep the relay out of the Himalayan region. Rogge, speaking before the incidents, said there were no plans by Beijing organizers, known as BOCOG, to change the route, but he didn’t rule it out.
“The original torch relay route has been confirmed by BOCOG and Chinese authorities,” Rogge said. “So far, as I speak now, the IOC is in agreement with that. No one can foresee the future.”
China hopes the Olympics will showcase its emergence from developing country into a world power. But as the games approach, various groups have used the Olympics to leverage their causes.
Apart from Tibet, China has come under international criticism for support of Sudan and its role in Darfur. Last month, Hollywood director Steven Spielberg withdrew as an artistic adviser to the opening and closing ceremonies over the Darfur issue.
The IOC has faced calls to take a hard line with China. But Rogge reiterated his long-standing position that the Olympic body is not a political organization and stressed he is involved in private dialogue with Chinese leaders.
“The IOC is engaged in what I call a ’silent diplomacy’ with Chinese authorities since day one of the preparations of the games,” Rogge said.
At Monday’s ceremony, one of the three protesting members of the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders ran behind BOCOG President Liu Qi as he was giving a speech. The protester unfurled a black banner showing the Olympic rings as handcuffs.
“If the Olympic flame is sacred, human rights are even more so,” the French group said. “We cannot let the Chinese government seize the Olympic flame, a symbol of peace, without denouncing the dramatic situation of human rights in the country.”
China state TV cut away from the protest and showed a prerecorded scene, preventing Chinese viewers from seeing the incident. Chinese TV commentators did not mention the demonstration.
The first torchbearer in the relay was Greece’s Alexandros Nikolaidis. After the torch left the stadium, a Tibetan woman covered in red paint or dye lay in the road approaching the village of Olympia while other protesters chanted “Free Tibet” and “Shame on China.”
Japanese runner Haturi Yuuki came within a few feet of the protester, then stopped and ran in place while plainclothes police removed her. They also dragged off a man accompanying her who was waving a Tibetan flag.
Police said the woman and the three members of Reporters Without Borders were being detained. One of the men arrested was Robert Menard, the group’s general secretary.
The three Frenchmen were charged with the misdemeanor count of offending national symbols. They were released pending trial in late May, and said they hoped to return to France on Tuesday.
“We’re asking the heads of government to boycott the opening ceremony,” one of the three protesters, Vincent Brossel, told AP Television News. “We’re not calling for a boycott of the games.”
Marcelle Roux, president of the French association France Tibet, said her group staged a demonstration at the Foreign Ministry in Paris, and planned more soon.
“These are the games of shame,” Roux said. “The Chinese government must have expected this kind of thing.”
Tsering Palden, president of the New York-based Tibetan Youth Congress, said Tibetan activist groups will urge Coca-Cola this week to pull its sponsorship of the Olympic Games.
Coca-Cola Co. spokeswoman Kerry Kerr said the company remained committed to supporting the torch relay. “The Coca-Cola Co. joins others in expressing deep concern for the situation on the ground in Tibet. We know that all parties involved hope for a peaceful resolution,” she said.
China has promised a smooth run-up to the Summer Games and is hoping a successful games will bolster its international image.
“The more determined the Dalai clique is to ruin the torch relay and the Olympic Games, the more hard and good work we need to do on the preparation and the implementation of all aspects,” Yin Xunping, a Communist Party official, was quoted as saying by the Tibet Daily newspaper. Yin is party secretary of the Tibet Mountain Climbing Team, which is participating in the Mount Everest segment of the torch relay.
Meanwhile, Germany rejected calls for an Olympic boycott. Some German athletes had reacted to the Chinese crackdown by supporting boycott calls.
In Nepal, police in the capital of Katmandu broke up at least two separate protests by Tibetan refugees and monks and arrested as many as 475 protesters, officials said.
Chanting “China, stop killings in Tibet. U.N., we want justice,” protesters were marching to U.N. headquarters in Katmandu when police stopped them about 300 feet away and snatched their banners.

via AOL

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) -Protests by press freedom and pro-Tibet groups disrupted the flame lighting ceremony Monday for the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Olympics.

Three members of the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders were detained after running onto the stadium field during the ceremony in Ancient Olympia. Police confirmed they had detained three French nationals.

via CNN

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) -A Tibetan dissident group said Sunday it was planning a protest during the flame-lighting ceremony for the Beijing Olympics.

Students for a Free Tibet spokesman Tenzin Dorjee called on the IOC to remove Tibet from the Olympic torch route. He said allowing China to carry the torch through Tibet would be “adding insult to 50 years of bloodstained injury.”

via CNN

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) -Protesters disrupted the Beijing Olympics flame-lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia on Monday and a Tibetan woman covered in fake blood briefly blocked the path of the torchbearer.

Protesters ran onto the stadium field during the ceremony, evading massive security aimed at preventing such disruptions in the wake of China’s crackdown on Tibet.

via CNN

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The last thing Memphis wanted was a first-round pushover. Good thing. Texas-Arlington, making its NCAA tournament debut, actually led the top-seeded Tigers in the opening minutes. Chris Douglas-Roberts’ layup sparked a 15-2 run that effectively ended any hopes the Mavericks had for a momentous upset, and Memphis cruised to an 87-63 victory Friday night in the first round of the South Regional.
But the Mavericks left an impression on Memphis, not to mention a few bumps and bruises.
“The time off, the body-to-body contact that we hadn’t done in five days, it showed,” Memphis coach John Calipari said. “I think they realize if they do that next game, it’s been a heck of a year. It’s not going to extend.”
Douglas-Roberts led five Tigers in double figures with 23 points, and he also had seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. Derrick Rose and Antonio Anderson added 17 points each for Memphis, which improved to 34-1 with its eighth straight victory.
Next up is eighth-seeded Mississippi State (23-10), which beat Oregon 76-69 earlier Friday night.
“They’re unbelievable,” Texas-Arlington coach Scott Cross said of Memphis. “They have 10 players - their second five could probably start for a majority of the teams in the NCAA tournament.”
That the Tigers are one of the most talented teams in the country isn’t a question. They lost one measly game all year, had the country’s longest winning streak and were ranked No. 1 for five weeks, three as the unanimous choice.
But because Memphis plays in Conference USA and not one of the power conferences, some will always see the Tigers as just a little suspect. This game probably won’t do much to change that.
Memphis shot about 52 percent from the floor, had seven steals and outrebounded the smaller Texas-Arlington 39-29. They were 9-of-20 from 3-point range, including 2-of-2 by Rose. But big ole Anthony Vereen scored practically at will inside, finishing with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and the Mavericks were over 50 percent from the floor for much of the game. Jermaine Griffin had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Rog’er Guignard added 10 points.
Calipari didn’t even send in the scrubs until there were about 20 seconds left.
“They had to play their guys for 40 minutes,” Cross said. “They were playing their top guys, and we gave them everything that we had.”
That’s exactly how the Tigers wanted it, though. They hadn’t played since winning the C-USA tournament last Saturday, and Calipari said the Tigers needed a rough-and-tumble game to get them ready for the rest of the tournament.
“This is the type of game we needed in the first round because this shows how the rest of the tournament is going to be,” Douglas-Roberts said. “The next game is going to be even tougher. I’m glad they came out and challenged us, and they really did compete out there.”
No 16 seed has ever beaten a No. 1, but it doesn’t keep the little guys from dreaming.
Never mind that it took 49 years of play for Texas-Arlington to get to the tournament, or that it plays in the little-known Southland Conference. Or that the Tigers were essentially playing a home game. With Memphis only two hours away, the stands were packed with Tigers fans - right down to the woman in the blue-and-tiger-print shirt who was waving a sign with Calipari’s face.
For a few glorious moments, the Mavericks were actually living the dream.
“It was an unbelievable atmosphere. I’m so happy to be a part of this whole experience and I’ve never been happier or more proud to be a Maverick,” said Cross, who played at UTA.
Texas-Arlington scored the first two baskets of the game and took a 6-3 lead not even three minutes into the game, delighting its small band of faithful. And even when the inevitable happened and Memphis piled on the points, the Mavericks continued playing as if they really believed they could win the game.
When Vereen drew a hard foul on a layup midway through the second half, he turned to the small band of UTA faithful and let out a scream heard all around the arena. The fans - including seven guys who’d painted their chests blue and spelled out U-T-A M-A-V-S in orange - gave him a standing ovation.
“He was a load inside,” Douglas-Roberts said. “He played with intensity. Heart carried him this game.”
But heart only goes so far. Talent eventually wins out.
“It was like pulling teeth a little bit to get our guys going some,” Calipari said. “We needed that, though. It took a couple of our guys in the second half to change, to play differently, to play rougher and we kind of spread it out. When I look at these numbers, they’re all pretty good.”
None more so than the final score.

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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -For a few glorious minutes, Texas-Arlington was living the dream.

After 49 years of playing basketball, the commuter school was not only in its first NCAA tournament, it was actually leading top-seeded Memphis.

Too bad the game was only 3 minutes old.

Chris Douglas-Roberts’ layup sparked a 15-2 run that effectively ended any hopes Texas-Arlington had for a momentous upset, and Memphis cruised to a 87-63 victory in the first round of the South Regional on Friday night. Oh, the scrappy Mavericks hung around longer than most probably expected, getting within 11 early in the second half.

But the outcome was as inevitable as every other 1-16 matchup in tournament history: The big boys are simply too good and too deep.

Douglas-Roberts led five Tigers in double figures with 23 points, and he also had seven rebounds and four assists. Derrick Rose and Antonio Anderson added 17 points each, and Robert Dozier had 12 for Memphis, which improved to 34-1 with its eighth straight victory.

Next up is eighth-seeded Mississippi State (23-10), which beat Oregon 76-69 earlier Friday night.

Anthony Vereen led the Mavericks (21-12) with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Jermaine Griffin had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Rog’er Guignard added 10.

Memphis lost only one game all year, had the nation’s longest winning streak and spent five weeks at No. 1 - three weeks as the unanimous choice. But because Memphis doesn’t play in a traditional power conference, some will always find the Tigers a little suspect.

This game isn’t likely to change that.

The Tigers shot almost 52 percent from the floor, had seven steals and outrebounded the smaller Texas-Arlington 39-29. But Vereen scored practically at will, and the Mavericks were over 50 percent from the floor for much of the game.

Granted, UTA’s 14 turnovers cost it several possessions - and Memphis converted those miscues into 13 points - but the Tigers didn’t dominate the way UCLA and North Carolina did. Coach John Calipari even waited to send in the scrubs until there were about 20 seconds left.

And the Mavericks sure didn’t look that intimidated.

They play in the little-known Southland Conference and had never before been to the NCAA tournament, and their 21 wins this year were a school record. They also were playing what was essentially a home game for the Tigers. Memphis is only a two-hour drive, and the stands were packed with Tigers fans - right down to the woman in the blue-and-tiger-print shirt who was waving a sign with Calipari’s face.

But when Vereen drew a hard foul on a layup midway through the second half, he turned to the small band of UTA faithful and let out a scream heard throughout the arena. The fans - including seven guys who’d painted their chests blue and spelled out U-T-A M-A-V-S in orange - gave him a standing ovation.

That’s about as good as it can get for a 16th seed, though.

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, Lamar Odom had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers ended Utah’s 19-game home winning streak with a 106-95 victory over the Jazz on Thursday night.
Derek Fisher added 11 points and Vladimir Radmanovic scored 13 for the Lakers, who are the first team to win in Utah in 2008. The Lakers missed just once in their first 10 shots and were ahead by 24 early in the second period.

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Jazz end Celtics’ 10-game winning streak

• UTAH 110, BOSTON 92: Deron Williams had 32 points and eight assists, and Carlos Boozer had 17 points and 12 rebounds as the visiting Jazz ended the Celtics’ 10-game winning streak. Boston trailed 93-89 with 5:25 left. But then Williams led the Jazz on a 10-0 run. Kevin Garnett had 15 points, four blocks and six assists for the Celtics,

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BOSTON - Deron Williams had 32 points and eight assists, and Carlos Boozer added 17 points and 12 rebounds Friday night to lead the Utah Jazz to a 110-92 victory over Boston that snapped the Celtics’ 10-game winning streak.

Boston cut a 13-point, third-quarter deficit to three points in the fourth, and trailed just 93-89 with 5:25 left. But Williams led the Jazz on a 10-0 run while the Celtics missed a pair of 3-pointers, committed a pair of charging fouls and threw in a flagrant foul by Kendrick Perkins to fall to their biggest loss of the season.

Williams went 17-of-18 from the line, and hit his only 3-point attempt. Boozer had his 44th double-double of the season, and Mehmet Okur had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Jazz.

Kevin Garnett had 15 points, four blocks and six assists for the Celtics, who had a chance to clinch the Atlantic Division. Instead, they needed another loss by Toronto to earn a top seed in the NBA playoffs.

Boston played three-quarters of the game without Ray Allen, who jammed his left ankle and did not return.

The Celtics went four games without trailing in a game before Seattle scored the first basket on Wednesday night. But the Jazz opened a 12-point lead in the first quarter on Friday night and made it 14 in the second.

Utah held the lead even as Boston cut it to five points, 79-74, at the end of three.

Notes: The Celtics wore green uniforms with gold trim instead of their traditional home whites on Friday because they’re on the road Monday for St. Patrick’s Day. … After the game, there was a concert by Grammy-nominated singer Natasha Bedingfield. … Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was called for a technical foul for arguing with the referee with 4:18 left in the third. … Tony Allen had four breakaways in the first few minutes of the second half; twice he had to pass the ball back out to avoid a blocked shot, once he converted a layup and on the last he made an acrobatic dunk. … Boston’s previous biggest loss was 95-83 on Jan. 9. …Although the Jazz are 28-3 at home — winning 18 in a row — they are just 16-20 on the road.

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FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Fans at City of Palms Park were ready for Boston’s final spring training game in Florida. The Red Sox weren’t.
In an extraordinary move, Boston players voted to boycott a nationally televised exhibition and Wednesday afternoon’s flight to Japan for next week’s season-opening series against Oakland, upset that coaches weren’t going to receive the same $40,000 payments negotiated for players by their union.
A couple of hours later, all was resolved, and the Red Sox took the field one hour late for a 4-3 loss to Toronto before a crowd of 7,868.
Across the country in Phoenix, Athletics players also considered a boycott. They didn’t take batting practice and held five team meetings before following Boston’s lead and deciding to play. An Oakland split squad lost 6-1 to the Los Angeles Angels in front of 7,940 fans before leaving for Tokyo.
“The players just stepped up and they did what I think was right,” Boston bench coach Brad Mills said.
Major League Baseball agreed to pay the managers, coaches and trainers on the trip $20,000 each from management’s proceeds, a person familiar with the agreement said, speaking on condition of anonymity because details weren’t announced. The Red Sox agreed to make up the difference to make the amount equal, and to pay some of the other team personnel making the trip, the person said.
“It was a misunderstanding of what agreement was reached between MLB and the MLBPA,” Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. “We said we would step up and make sure a second pool was created and would seek contributions from all parties.”
It had not yet been determined whether Oakland would make additional payments to its staff.
“Everyone connected with the trip will be fairly compensated,” baseball spokesman Rich Levin said.
Cancellation of the March 25-26 series at the Tokyo Dome would have been a publicity nightmare for Major League Baseball, which already has had enough bad news during an offseason dominated by performance-enhancing drugs.
Managers and coaches were included in the players’ pool payments for baseball’s two previous season-opening trips to Japan, when the New York Mets played the Chicago Cubs in 2000 and the Yankees played Tampa Bay in 2004. But this time, the agreement between MLB and the players’ association called only for payments to 30 players on each club, and left out the coaches.
“They’re just as much a part of this team as anybody,” said Oakland closer Huston Street, the team’s player representative. “Playoff shares, coaches get an equal share. You look at previous Japan trips, coaches have gotten an equal share.”
The initial vote by Boston players set off a series of calls among players from the Red Sox and Athletics, Major League Baseball, the clubs and the players’ association.
“We felt we had to make a stand, and being on ESPN didn’t hurt,” Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell said.
At Phoenix Municipal Stadium, where their game was scheduled to start three hours after Boston’s, A’s players watched coverage of the Red Sox dispute. Oakland players spoke by telephone with their Boston counterparts about boycotting the trip.
“There was a discussion about whether to play the game today. There was a discussion about how the money could potentially be handled. There was a discussion about going to Japan. There was a discussion about how to talk to the media about it,” Street said.
Street said Oakland’s players would be willing to lower what they receive in order to provide for coaches. He said while “everybody is going to be compensated fairly,” he wasn’t certain that “fairly” would mean “equally.”
Lowell said $20,000 payments for the coaches would not have been acceptable given that the players were making $40,000.
“We didn’t think that was correct,” he said. “Giving them half of that is not equal.”
Daisuke Matsuzaka, who had been scheduled to pitch for Boston, left the stadium to pitch in a game against Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate while David Aardsma started in his place. Matsuzaka is scheduled to be the opening-day starter in Tokyo next week against Oakland.
Boston manager Terry Francona spoke twice Wednesday with commissioner Bud Selig about the exhibition against the Blue Jays.
“Mr. Selig was justifiably concerned about playing the game, which I completely understand,” Francona said.
Boston’s Kevin Youkilis stressed the players felt strongly about not going to Japan without a resolution.
“The club’s working on stuff and trying to get money where it needs to get,” he said. “It was definitely an experience of a lifetime, and it ended in a good way.”
Boston catcher Jason Varitek said players thought it was necessary to take a stand on behalf of the coaches and staff.
“They’re the basis of what takes care of us,” he said.
Oakland general manager Billy Beane was happy the trip will go on and expressed desire for additional international play.
“I hope we go to Rome. I hope we go to Paris, Berlin,” Beane said, wearing shorts with a logo of the English soccer club Arsenal.

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FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -The Boston Red Sox refused to take the field for their final spring training game in Florida on Wednesday and threatened to boycott their flight to Japan for their season openers unless their coaches and other staff are paid for the trip.

Fans filled the stadium, the national anthems were sung and the Boston and Toronto lineups were announced, but the game did not begin at its 12:07 p.m. scheduled start.

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FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett will likely miss the team’s upcoming trip to Japan.

Pitching coach John Farrell said Sunday an official announcement will be made by Boston manager Terry Francona.

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FORT MYERS, Florida - The Boston Red Sox ended a threatened boycott of their final preseason game in Florida on Wednesday, resolving a dispute over paying coaches for the season-opening trip to Japan.

The televised game against Toronto started an hour late when players voted unanimously not to play the exhibition or to board Wednesday’s scheduled flight to Tokyo for the two-game series against the Oakland Athletics on March 25 and 26.

Boston players insisted their coaches receive $40,000 (euro25,500) appearances fees for the Japan trip, matching the deal negotiated for players by their union. After a few hours of talks among players from the Red Sox and Athletics, Major League Baseball, the clubs and the players’ association, the sides said the dispute was resolved.

“We felt we had to make a stand, and being on ESPN didn’t hurt,” Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell said.

MLB agreed to pay the managers, coaches and trainers on the trip $20,000 (euro12,750) each from management’s proceeds, a person familiar with the agreement said, speaking on condition of anonymity because details weren’t announced. The Red Sox agreed to make up the difference to make the amount equal, and to pay some of the other team personnel making the trip, the person said.

“The players just stepped up and they did what I think was right,” Boston bench coach Brad Mills said.

It had not yet between determined whether Oakland would make additional payments to its staff.

“Everyone connected with the trip will be fairly compensated,” MLB spokesman Rich Levin said.

Managers and coaches were included in the players’ pool payments for MLB’s two previous opening trips to Japan _ the New York Mets played the Chicago Cubs in 2000 and the New York Yankees played Tampa Bay in 2004. But there was no such provision this time in the agreement between MLB and the players’ association.

In Phoenix, Oakland players watched coverage of Boston’s dispute on television, called a team meeting and confirmed they would make the trip.

“For those guys to take that stance _ they’re veterans. They feel strongly about it, and they brought it to the attention of higher-ups,” Oakland pitcher Alan Embree said. “Coaches deserved compensation. They’re going over there, too, and every little bit counts.”

Daisuke Matsuzaka, who had been scheduled to pitch for Boston, left the stadium to pitch at a game against Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate. Matsuzaka is scheduled to be the opening day starter in Tokyo next week against Oakland.

Boston has exhibition games on Saturday against the Hanshin Tigers and Sunday against the Yomiuri Giants.

___

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP freelance reporter Rick Eymer, both in Phoenix, contributed to this report.

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TAMPA, Fla. — Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka will start the Boston Red Sox’s regular-season opener against the Oakland Athletics in Toyko on March 25.

“I think that will be a ton of excitement,” Boston manager Terry Francona said before Monday’s exhibition game against the New York Yankees. “I know he’s honored.”

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Connecticut is the top seed in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. The Huskies are the top seed in Greensboro.
The Huskies, who went 32-1 this season, will open against No. 16 Cornell on Sunday in Bridgeport, Conn., in the Greensboro Regional. The 64-team tournament begins Saturday.
Connecticut, ranked atop the AP poll for 12 of the final 13 weeks, is hoping to get to the Final Four for the first time since 2004. The Huskies lost to LSU in the regional final last season. The women’s Final Four is April 6-8 in Tampa.
The four Connecticut seniors have never been to the Final Four. If the Huskes don’t get there this year, it will be the first Connecticut class in 20 years not to have played in at least the national semifinals.
For UConn to get to Tampa, the Huskies will have to get by “new” rival Rutgers, the No. 2 seed in the regional. The Scarlet Knights handed Connecticut its lone loss during the season, beating the Huskies on Feb. 5 in a Big East matchup. Rutgers lost in the national championship game last season to Tennessee.
Others games in the regional are No. 8 Texas vs. No. 9 Minnesota, No. 5 Old Dominion vs. No. 12 Liberty, No. 4 Virginia vs. No. 13 UC Santa Barbara, No. 6 George Washington vs. No. 11 Auburn, No. 3 California vs. No. 14 San Diego, No. 7 Iowa State vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech, and No. 2 Rutgers vs. No. 15 Robert Morris.

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Connecticut s four seniors have never been to the Final Four. To get there before their college careers end, the Huskies must potentially get past Big East rival Rutgers in the Greensboro Regional.

The No. 1 seeded Huskies (32-1) will open against No. 16 Cornell on Sunday in Bridgeport, Conn.

The other No. 1 seeds are North Carolina, Tennessee and Maryland.

Connecticut, ranked atop the AP poll for 12 of the final 13 weeks, is hoping to get to the Final Four for the first time since 2004. The Huskies lost to LSU in the regional final last season.

If the Huskies don t get to the Final Four April 6-8 in Tampa, Fla. it will be the first Connecticut senior class in 20 years to not have played in at least the national semifinals.

No. 2 seed Rutgers handed Connecticut its lone loss during the season, beating the Huskies on Feb. 5 in a Big East matchup. Rutgers lost in the national championship game last season to Tennessee.

Defending champion Tennessee is the top seed in the Oklahoma City regional. The Lady Vols bid for back-to-back national championships begins Sunday against Oral Roberts.

Others in the Oklahoma City regional are No. 8 Utah vs. No. 9 Purdue, No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 12 Southern Methodist, No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Illinois State, No. 6 Arizona State vs. No. 11 Temple, No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Murray State, No. 7 Syracuse vs. No. 10 Hartford, and No. 2 Texas A&M vs. No. 15 Texas-San Antonio.

Other games in the Greensboro regional are No. 8 Texas vs. No. 9 Minnesota, No. 5 Old Dominion vs. No. 12 Liberty, No. 4 Virginia vs. No. 13 UC Santa Barbara, No. 6 George Washington vs. No. 11 Auburn, No. 3 California vs. No. 14 San Diego, No. 7 Iowa State vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech, and No. 2 Rutgers vs. No. 15 Robert Morris.

North Carolina earned the top seed in the New Orleans Regional. The Tar Heels open on Saturday against No. 16 Bucknell. The Tar Heels ran through the Atlantic Coast Conference undefeated. Their only two losses came against Tennessee and Connecticut.

Other games in the New Orleans regional are No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Iowa, No. 5 Kansas State vs. No. 12 Chattanooga, No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 13 Miami, Ohio, No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Florida State, No. 3 Oklahoma State vs. No. 14 East Tennessee State, No. 7 Marist vs. No. 10 DePaul, and No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 Jackson State.

LSU has reached the Final Four the past four seasons.

INTERACTIVENCAA Women’s tournament bracket Set your picks for the women’s basketball tournament and print them outDespite losing in the ACC tournament semifinals to Duke, Maryland is the top seed in the Spokane regional. The Terrapins will face Coppin State in the first round on Sunday.

I tell you, we re ecstatic, said Maryland coach Brenda Frese of the No. 1 seed. We obviously feel like you play the entire season for this moment. The fact that our non-conference schedule really prepared us for now, to play in one of the toughest conferences, to go 30-3. I think it s a tribute to our team and to our program, just how hard we worked throughout the course of the entire season.

Frese delivered twin boys in late February, but is back as the Terrapins seek their second national championship in three seasons.

Others in the Spokane regional are No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Xavier, No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 12 New Mexico, No. 4 Vanderbilt vs. No. 13 Montana, No. 6 Pittsburgh vs. No. 11 Wyoming, No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 Fresno State, No. 7 UTEP vs. No. 10 Western Kentucky, and No. 2 Stanford vs. No. 15 Cleveland State.

Stanford is trying to become the first Pac-10 team to make the Final Four in a decade.

I think sometimes it s hard (because) people don t see us play, Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. If the world was fair, it would turn the other way. We have a great team, great leaders. We have great players. We re really excited about playing in the tournament.

ALSO ON THIS STORY Discuss: Sound off on college hoops message boards

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Jeff Burton stole the win at Bristol Motor Speedway by racing past Denny Hamlin on a two-lap sprint to the finish Sunday.
The race seemed to belong to Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin, but Stewart was wrecked by Harvick with three laps to go in the race. It brought out a caution and set up overtime, and Hamlin was out front on the restart.
But Burton raced by him, and Harvick and Clint Bowyer followed for a 1-2-3 finish for Richard Childress Racing.

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In doing so, the team stole a race that was dominated by JGR drivers Tony Stewart, Hamlin and Kyle Busch. The trio combined to lead 372 of the 500 laps, but Hamlin’s sixth-place finish was the best of the group.

Stewart led a race-high 267 laps — 10 more than he did in this event last year — but again fell short of the win. Mechanical problems ruined it for him last season, but it was questionable strategy and contact with Harvick that wrecked his chances this time around.

Stewart was chugging along toward the victory, trying to hold off the hard-charging Harvick and Hamlin, when Brian Vickers crashed to bring out a caution with 11 laps to go. Stewart thought he should pit for tires, but was overruled by crew chief Greg Zipadelli, who wasn’t sure there were enough laps left to warrant changing the tires.

So Stewart stayed out — along with Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. — while everyone else on the lead lap headed to the pits. Zipadelli instantly questioned the call.

“I don’t know if that was right or wrong,” he radioed Stewart, “but it’s in your hands now.”

Stewart jumped out to a huge lead on the restart with five laps to go, but Hamlin quickly chased him down and moved into first. Harvick, who restarted in fourth with fresh tires, also closed quickly on Stewart’s bumper. But as he moved in for the pass, the cars made contact and Stewart went spinning into the wall.

“I just lost it there underneath of Tony. Just made a mistake,” he said. “They can take it for what it’s worth, and move on.”

Stewart, who finished 14th, was livid on his radio after the accident but had calmed by the time he climbed from his car and was taking partial responsibility for the contact.

“I thought I left him enough room,” Stewart said. “I’m sure somehow it was my fault. I’m sorry I got in his way.”

Stewart’s accident set up a two-lap overtime sprint to the finish, with Hamlin now out front and Burton in second. Burton raced past him on the high side of the bullring, and his teammates followed.

Busch, the series points leader and defending race winner, had a strong car most of the day but lost his power steering shortly after moving into the lead. Unable to steer the car as it seemed headed straight for the wall, he instead navigated it into a spin that allowed him to finish the race.

He wound up 17th, but retained his hold atop the standings. He now leads Greg Biffle by 30 points.

Dale Jarrett finished 37th in the final start in a points race of his 24 year career. The former series champion is retiring this season, and will race one last time in the All-Star race in May.

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Five Cuban soccer players went missing Tuesday night after the under-23 team played a key match against the United States, a team official said Wednesday.
The missing men had not yet reported to authorities.
Zachary Mann, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, said it’s unlikely the agency will learn the men’s whereabouts until they come forward.
Under the United States’ “wet foot, dry foot” policy, Cubans who reach U.S. soil are allowed to remain in the country and apply for U.S. residency after one year.
The Cuban team is in Tampa to play in qualifying games for the Beijing Olympics this August, sponsored by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, or CONCACAF.
A CONCACAF spokesman declined comment, saying only that the situation is under review.
The five men, including a goalie and team captain who helped Cuba tie the United States 1-1 Tuesday, are expected to be in Miami by this weekend, said Marcos Ommati, a spokesman with professional soccer team Miami FC.
He said he had not spoken with the players and did not know their whereabouts, but said he had spoken with someone who told him to expect the players.
CONCACAF and team officials did not identify the five missing players. But looking at players’ jerseys Wednesday’s practice revealed those who were absent: Jose Manuel Miranda, 21; Erlys Garcia Baro, Yenier Bermudez, Yordany Alvarez and Loanni Prieto, all listed as 22-year-olds.
Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said the agency had not received any missing persons reports from the team, and officers were not called to the team’s hotel to investigate the disappearances.
A Cuban team leader would not discuss details and said he was most concerned about Thursday’s match against Honduras.
“Tomorrow we have a very important game … and we are concentrating on that,” said Luis Hernandez, president of the Soccer Association of Cuba and the only team official to address the media.
When asked what the team planned to do without the players, Hernandez said, “Win - with the five, without the five - win.”

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By Vanessa Vazquez

TAMPA Five Cuban soccer players participating in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Tampa left their hotel Tuesday night after playing a tie game with the United States, according to ESPNdeportes.com.

The Under 23 national team was staying at the Doubletree Hotel in the West Shore district.

According to ESPNdeportes.com, the coach of the team, Ra l Gonz lez, confirmed the absence of goalkeeper Jos Miranda, captain Yenier Berm dez and Yordany Alvarez, Erlys Garcia Bar and Loanni Cartaya Prieto.

Tournament spokesman Steve Torres told a news agency that they are not going to comment until they have analyzed the situation.

Only 13 players attended Cuba’s practice this afternoon at the University of South Florida soccer stadium. With the departure of Miranda, the team is down to its backup goalkeeper, Arael Arguelles.

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Roger Federer, in his ultra-modern all-black getup, and Pete Sampras, in his old-school all-white outfit, showed off the skills that earned them a combined 26 Grand Slam titles and more than a decade of No. 1 rankings.
It was an exhibition, yes, but Federer still flicked his fancy strokes from all angles, just the way he does on tennis’ grandest stages these days.
Sampras still smacked big forehands and bigger aces, just the way he did back in his day.
Federer is closing in on Sampras’ record of 14 major tennis championships, a mark that truly exists only in black in white, written in a record book. For nearly 2 1/2 hours, before an appreciative and occasionally raucous gathering of 19,690 at Madison Square Garden, these two living, breathing greats of the game shared a court.
Pistol Pete vs. The Federer Express.
The Past vs. The Present.
“Good vs. Evil,” as Sampras said with a snicker earlier in the day.
And, as one might expect, youth was served.
Current No. 1 Federer beat former No. 1 Sampras 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6) in an encounter that certainly doesn’t settle the “Who is better?” debate, given that one participant is 26 and the other is 36, and nothing more than bragging rights was on the line. It did, however, raise tennis’ profile, make both men some money - $1 million for Federer, less for Sampras - and, well, allow people to say they saw Sampras, the best of his generation, face Federer, the best of his.
No one can say they saw Ali face Tyson in a boxing ring. Or Hogan face Woods on a golf course.
Tiger Woods, who happens to be pals with Federer, sat in the front row Monday, part of a sellout crowd that included Donald Trump, Regis Philbin and Anna Wintour. They sat around a blue, hard court, set up where the NBA’s Knicks and NHL’s Rangers play.
“This is maybe why so many people came out: You don’t often get the No. 1 in his prime playing against maybe the greatest player of all time,” said Federer, who recently recovered from a bout of mononucleosis that he thinks contributed to losses in his past two tour matches.
After Monday’s match, Federer referred to Sampras as “my childhood hero.”
It was the fourth Federer-Sampras exhibition; Federer won two of their three encounters in Asia late last year.
“I thought I had him there for a split second,” said Sampras, who led 5-2 in the third set Monday.
The two only played one real match, back at Wimbledon in 2001, when an up-and-coming Federer edged an on-the-way-out Sampras in a five-setter on Centre Court.
That ended Sampras’ 31-match winning streak at the All England Club; he would never add to his seven titles there. Federer would go on to win five consecutive championships at Wimbledon, a streak that he will try to extend this summer.
Sampras retired with 14 Grand Slam singles trophies, the last at the 2002 U.S. Open, the final tournament of his career. Federer’s count is already up to 12, and Sampras acknowledges he fully expects the record to change hands - and that the kid could wind up with 18 or 19 Slams.
On this night, Sampras showed off the serve-and-volley style that carried him to a record six straight years ranked No. 1. And Federer showed off the all-court game that has helped him enjoy a record streak of more than 200 consecutive weeks ranked No. 1.
Both players took things seriously at times. They also took things frivolously at times, such as when Sampras spiked his racket to the court in mock disgust at a line call. He glanced at Federer with a wink and smile and sheepishly continued play.
Moments later, Sampras hit a volley winner and pumped his fist and threw two uppercuts, proudly playing to the crowd in a way he rarely did during a professional career marked by equal doses of excellence and stoicism.
Before the match, Sampras spoke about hoping to find “some old magic” - enough just to keep things interesting. He did that and more, earning his first break point with a cross-court forehand winner that would win a real point in a real match in a real tournament right now.
“You still got it, Pete!” rang a cry from the stands.
And right on cue, as if to remind that spectator and maybe even himself that he enjoys retirement, Sampras proceeded to miss three consecutive shots and lose that game.
“It’s just amazing to see how well Pete still hangs in there,” Federer said afterward.
If there are tennis fans or insiders who harbor doubts or hold debates about which of these two was or is greater, Sampras sure sounded before the match like someone who’s made up his mind. He lavished praise on Federer as they sat elbow-to-elbow during a packed news conference Monday morning at a restaurant across the street from Central Park.
Thinking back on their lone professional encounter, seven years ago, Sampras was quick to point out: “I knew back then that he was special.”
Why?
Sampras nearly ran out of breath as he strung together a series of compliments, one right after the other.
“Roger moves great, he hits the ball great on the run, he serves very well, he can come in if he wants to, stay back. He possesses the best forehand in the game. He’s got the best mind out there,” Sampras said.
Not finished, Sampras continued the fawning moments later: “His movement is incredible - what he’s able to do on the run. I’ve played quick movers before, but he moves great. That’s what separates him from the rest. He has the whole package. There’s nothing he can’t do. It’s really incredible.”

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Roger Federer loves Pete Sampras’ game, even if the old guy last played a real match in 2002.

“He’s so fluent, you know? His whole technique is so smooth,” Federer said. “And it was funny sometimes, because when I played him, it was intimidating. Because he reminded me so much of myself.”

How’s that for a compliment?

Similarly, Sampras loves Federer’s attitude, even if the youngster is fast approaching Sampras’ record for career Grand Slam titles.

“I don’t think he gets too overwhelmed, too worked up,” Sampras said.

Sound familiar?

Sampras, the best of his generation, and Federer, the best of his, bring two eras of excellence together Monday night, when they play an exhibition match at a sold-out Madison Square Garden. It’s the first men’s professional tennis match at the New York arena in a dozen years.

Pistol Pete vs. The Artful Roger.

The past vs. the present: Sampras is 36; Federer is 26.

A total of 26 major singles championships, 14 for Sampras vs. 12 for Federer.

A total of 10 year-end No. 1 finishes in the rankings, a record six for Sampras vs. four for Federer.

Sampras’ serve-and-volley style, something rarely seen these days.

Federer’s all-court brilliance, conjuring up shots rarely if ever seen.

They only played each other once on tour, in the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2001, when Federer beat Sampras in five sets.

That came after Sampras had won the last of his seven titles at the All England Club, and before Federer began his current streak of five consecutive championships there.

“I knew he was extremely talented then - a lot of power, didn’t have holes in his game,” Sampras said. “He figured it out, kind of how I figured it out in my early 20s. Then, the way he started winning majors pretty much with ease, I just accepted that he was going to break my record.”

They have started to get acquainted with each other’s personality and tennis, having played three exhibitions in Asia in November.

Federer won the first two, and Sampras won the third.

Now comes their first matchup in the United States, a best-of-three-sets encounter on an indoor hard court.

“Look, Roger Federer obviously is a huge favorite, just based on the fact that he’s 10 years younger and is playing full-on. He certainly is not going to go out there in front of 19,000 people in New York City and want to lose to Pete Sampras,” U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe said. “And Sampras is going to want to show that he can still play. … Will it have the same intensity as a U.S. Open final? No. But it will be very competitive. Both guys will want to play as well as they can.”

For Federer, Monday’s match might represent an exhibition with no trophy at stake and a guaranteed payday, but it also represents a chance to get in some work.

He’s coming off consecutive losses, in the Australian Open semifinals and the first round of an event in Dubai, so there hasn’t been much activity of late for a guy accustomed to playing all the way to the end of tournament after tournament.

It wasn’t until Friday that word emerged from his camp that Federer was diagnosed last month with mononucleosis, an energy-sapping infection caused by a virus.

“The good news really is to be certain of what has occurred,” Federer said in a posting on his Web site. “The bad news is that I have quite some catching up to do in terms of fitness as I am not in the physical state that I would normally be in at this time of the year.”

via MSN

Pete Sampras was hardly at the height of his powers when he handed Roger Federer the keys to Centre Court at Wimbledon, losing their only head-to-head encounter that counted.

Sampras would go on to win only one more match at the All England Club after that 2001 defeat, never coming close to adding to his seven championships at the grass-court Grand Slam.

Federer, a decade younger, would go on to supplant Sampras at No. 1 in the rankings, assume Pistol Pete’s status as a perennial power at Wimbledon with five consecutive titles there, and begin to chip, chip, chip away at his record for major trophies.

So perhaps fair’s fair, considering that Federer has been, well, rather un-Federer-esque heading into his latest exhibition match against Sampras, which is Monday night at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Yes, Federer actually is on a rare losing streak. The Swiss star was upset in the Australian Open semifinals in January - preventing him from adding to his 12 Grand Slams, two shy of Sampras’ total - and then in the first round of a tournament in Dubai this month.

That’s right. Gasp! Two consecutive losses.

“I think it’s a cause of concern for Federer, to be honest,” U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe said. “To me, it’s really big that these guys go out there and don’t seem to be intimidated by Federer and have sort of figured out that if you play consistently and can run a lot of balls down and make Federer hit a lot of shots, that you can beat him. Certainly, I wouldn’t say it’s a crisis for Federer. But I’d say that his days of utter domination may be coming to an end.”

An explanation emerged Friday, though: It turns out Federer was diagnosed in February with mononucleosis, an infection caused by a virus with symptoms that include fever, sore throat, headaches and feeling tired.

“This gave him a reason for why he wasn’t able to move and why he wasn’t able to recover,” said Federer’s agent, Tony Godsick. “It was annoying for him to not have reasons for why his body wasn’t responding.”

Sampras, who beat Andre Agassi in the 2002 U.S. Open final in his last professional match, paid quite a compliment recently by comparing tennis’ current top player, Federer, to its former standard-bearer, himself.

“He’s got a good perspective. Doesn’t get too high or low on losses or wins. You know, just sort of has that attitude that I had: single-minded focus,” Sampras said. “He just goes out there and wins.”

And make no mistake: While there’s no Grand Slam championship or winner-take-all cash prize on the line Monday, that drive could very well be on display.

“He’s not going to want to lose; I’m not going to want to lose,” Sampras said. “That’s what people are coming to really see. It’s not us doing cartwheels. It’s about me serving 130 (mph) on the line.”

After all, for the two of them, just as for the more than 19,000 people who will be in the arena and however many might be watching live coverage on the Tennis Channel, it represents a rare instance of a “Who would win?” argument coming to life.

Tiger Woods vs. Jack Nicklaus.

Mike Tyson vs. Muhammad Ali.

It just does not happen often.

“There’s going to be a never-ending debate about who is the best or who would have done what against people from the previous era. We can talk about this for days and not come to a conclusion. That’s part of why this match is attracting a lot of attention and a sellout crowd,” said Ivan Lendl, who won eight Slam titles and is helping promote Monday’s event.

“They didn’t get to the top of the field in their time - and most likely top two or three or four all-time - by not being competitive,” Lendl said in a telephone interview. “So, yes, there may be a little lightheartedness, but at the end of the day, I think both will want to win rather urgently.”

So who will win, Ivan?

“If it goes the way I think it will go, in terms of atmosphere and a good match, the winner, in my mind, will be tennis,” he said. “How’s that for avoiding the question?”

The current edition of Madison Square Garden opened in 1968, and has hosted Sinatra, Ali-Frazier, and Knicks and Rangers championship teams. But it’s been a dozen years since a men’s tennis match was played there.

That could be why MSG told the Federer-Sampras promoter, Jerry Solomon, it would be pleased if 2,500 tickets were bought during the first three days of sales in January. Instead, more than 8,000 were gone within 72 hours, Solomon said, and the whole thing effectively was sold out in three weeks.

“There’s just a tremendous interest in these two guys. Pete retired after winning the U.S. Open and then sort of wasn’t around anymore. Roger has not been, until recently, all that high-profile in America,” said Solomon, who worked to promote a tennis event at the Garden at the start of his career in the 1970s.

“So I think there’s just a real fascination with these two guys, who are not only great champions but great people and great ambassadors for the sport. They don’t get in trouble. They’re not throwing rackets. They’re really world-class guys, in addition to being world-class tennis players.”

He hopes it’s enough of a success that it sets the stage for an annual tennis evening at the site.

McEnroe, slated to be on hand Monday for a prematch tribute to his Davis Cup-winning team, agrees the sport benefits from this kind of showcase event.

“The buzz in New York is pretty big. It’s a great idea. They’re giving the people what they want,” he said. “Quite honestly, tennis needs more of this kind of thing. We’re a little behind the ball when it comes to things like this, unique kinds of things. With all the personalities that tennis has, whether it’s current players or former players, it proves that there’s a market for that.”

Federer, 26, and Sampras, 36, faced each other three times in Asia in November, and by all accounts wound up as friends and mutual admirers. Federer took the first match 6-4, 6-3 in Seoul, and the second 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) in Kuala Lumpur, while Sampras claimed the third 7-6 (8), 6-4 in Macau.

Federer came away impressed, saying Sampras’ volleys would match up with the best on tour these days and acknowledging that Sampras’ serve still stings.

“You can wake him up at 2 in the morning,” Federer said, “and he’ll hit a monster serve.”

via MSN