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Valentine leads No. 2 Michigan St. past Ohio St. 81-54

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:37:00 -0800

All Denzel Valentine wanted Friday night was a win at the Big Ten Tournament.

The glitzy numbers didn’t mean a thing.

After finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in an 81-54 blowout over Ohio State in the quarterfinals, the Big Ten player of the year explained what No. 2 Michigan State is really after - a record-tying fifth tourney crown, a No. 1 seed in next week’s NCAA Tournament, and, yes, the school’s third national championship.

“We didn’t accomplish one of our goals, to win the Big Ten championship outright, and we’re kind of mad about it,” Valentine said. “The seniors, me and Matt (Costello) never won a Big Ten championship outright, so we’re kind of mad right now and we’ve got something to play for.”

The motivated Spartans (27-5) are locked in, especially Valentine who could have had a rare triple double if coach Tom Izzo hadn’t put him on the bench for the final 5:28 of the game.

But Valentine knew he could use the rest and spent the rest of the game cheering for his teammates as they rolled to their 11th win in 12 games. Next up is either No. 18 Maryland or Nebraska in Saturday’s second semifinal game.

And in a tournament that has been full of surprises, Valentine and the Big Ten regular-season runners-up look like the closest thing to a sure bet.

Valentine did his part in short, quick bursts Friday.

He scored 10 points in an early 13-3 run that allowed the Spartans to take a 10-point lead less than 6½ minutes into the game. He made a 3-pointer in an 8-0 spurt to open the second half and did all the tidy little things later in a 10-4 run that helped extend the lead to 54-34 with 13:07 to play.

Michigan State pushed the lead to as much as 28 in the second half.

So, naturally, Valentine started looking at the bigger picture.

“Our goal when we got here was to win a national championship and we haven’t accomplished that yet,” Valentine said. “I think we have the perfect team to do it this year, and we’re really hungry to do that this year.”

Their defense looked ready, too.

JaQuan Lyle was the only Ohio State player to reach double figures. He finished with 10, and Michigan State converted 14 Ohio State turnovers into 21 points.

The Buckeyes (20-13) couldn’t get closer than 14 after Michigan State’s initial second-half flurry, and now all coach Thad Matta and his team can do is wait to see if they’ll even get a chance to play in next week’s NCAA Tournament.

Link : http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/11/valentine-leads-no-2-michigan-st-past-ohio-st-81-5/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS

Sammy Sasso doesn't blame anybody but himself for loss to Luke Pletcher

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:30:00 -0800

Sammy Sasso didn’t blame anybody for his 2-1 loss to the Greater Latrobe senior in the most-anticipated PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal in many a moon.
E
xcept himself.

“I’m the only one I blame,” said the Nazareth sophomore after the tense, tight loss

at 138 pounds Friday afternoon at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Fans might want to blame the PIAA non-seeding non-system for the fact that the match was a quarterfinal at all, given the wrestlers. Pletcher is a two-time state champ, three-time place-winner, 41-1 on the season, ranked No. 2 nationally by Intermat, and an Ohio State recruit. Sasso is 45-2, ranked #10 nationally, and a stte runner-up (to Franklin Regional’s Spencer Lee) as a freshman.

But Sasso had said Thursday it didn’t matter to him when he met Pletcher, and when the two butted heads Friday it enthralled the crowd and produced a massive media turnout around the mat.

“I love wrestling in matches like that,” Sasso said. “I live for these kind of matches.”

The match delivered almost everything it promised except, perhaps, for the way the decisive point was scored.

Sasso was nailed for a penalty point in the second period with Pletcher already ahead 1-0 on an escape. The penalty point was assessed for a leg-scissors on Pletcher’s head. The call was correct, though the issue of whether it needed to be called was perhaps more questionable.

“I don’t know,” Sasso said. “My legs were kind of flighty, I guess; I was focusing on grabbing his ankles as we were scrambling.”

The call, which was not vigorously disputed by the Nazareth corner at the time, made it 2-0 Pletcher. In the third period, Sasso earned his escape to trail 2-1 and needed a takedown to win.

And he almost got it.

After Pletcher was warned for stalling with 1:09 left in the third period, which turned the crowd to Sasso’s side, Sasso got in deep on his best shot of the bout and grabbed a leg.

He had Pletcher hopping, he had Pletcher crabbing away near the edge, he had Pletcher and pulled him back in bounds, he had Pletcher sprawling to keep his legs away, but Sasso could never quite cover the second leg.

“I had a good shot and I was trying really hard to finish,” Sasso said. “I had a split second to capitalize on my opportunity and I didn’t. When I was pulling him back in he was so slippery I thought I would lose my grip. Then I dove in and I just didn’t get it.”

Pletcher, to a chorus of boos, survived to meet Upper Darby’s Colin Cronin in Saturday’s semifinal round (9 a.m.).

“I enjoyed the match, though it’s never good hearing boos,” Pletcher said. “I never want a match to be so close. I probably shut down a little bit at the end like you normally do in a big match.”

Sasso bounced back to win his consolation match 18-5 over South Western’s Owen Wherley and reflect on past and present.

“I had to get mind together to come back and take third place,” he said. “Sometimes you have to beat the system and the referee as well as your opponent. But I will learn from this and be back next year.”

Sasso will meet Erie Cathedral Prep freshman Carter Starocci in a consolation match Saturday.

Link : http://highschoolsports.lehighvalleylive.com/news/article/-6432515900703906670/sammy-sasso-doesnt-blame-anybody-but-himself-for-loss-to-luke-pletcher/

76er’s neck scare overshadows Nets’ unspeakably bad loss

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:20:00 -0800

The Nets ran out of time before the 76ers ran out of players.

On a night that the worst team in the NBA shelved its star big man for the season and lost three more players during the game – Robert Covington carried off on a stretcher – the Nets still found a way to lose, falling 95-89 at the Wells Fargo Center.

Jahlil Okafor was ruled out for six weeks to have surgery on his torn meniscus, while Richaun Holmes left with an Achilles injury, Jerami Grant walked off to be evaluated for a concussion and Covington was taken to Jefferson Hospital to be evaluated for a possible neck injury. But the Nets (18-47) trailed by as many as 19, and never got closer than three, at 74-71 in the fourth quarter.

Brooklyn fell behind 17-6 right out of the gate, and the deficit swelled to 52-33 on Ish Smith’s jumper with 2:46 in the half. They went on to lose despite a game-high 24 points from center Brook Lopez, 21 from Thaddeus Young and a near triple-double by Donald Sloan (14 points, nine boards and nine assists).

Philadelphia (9-56) is 2-1 against the Nets and 7-55 against everybody else. Or more to the point, the 76ers had a 13-game losing stretch, bookended by victories against the Nets on Feb. 6 and now Friday night. And as bad as that last loss to Philadelphia was, this was far, far worse.

The 76ers were so desperate they had to dust off venerable Elton Brand. Yes, he’s still in the league; but he’d only logged 19 minutes in two appearances all season. This was a shell of the team Brooklyn lost to, and a squad one could’ve hardly blamed for being distracted and dispirited.

In a chaotic sequence, Philadelphia forward Grant got knocked down and went flying, his foot coming up and kicking teammate Covington square in the face, snapping his neck back. Then as Young stumbled backwards in the mass of tangled bodies, he fell right on Grant’s head.

Play continued upcourt before it was eventually stopped with 9:40 left in the third quarter and Brooklyn trailing 57-47.

Both players were down for some time, before Grant eventually sat up and was able to walk off the court under his own power. But Covington was immobile on the court for roughly 10 minutes, looked after by trainers for both teams, before eventually being put on stretcher and carried off.

Play resumed and the Nets fell even further behind, missed four shots in close and had another blocked as they trailed 66-53.

The Nets clawed within 74-71 with 9:56 when Shane Larkin found Sean Kilpatrick. But that’s where the rally ended.

Okafor will miss the rest of the season with a small meniscus tear in his right knee, but it was news that had the 76ers breathing a sigh of relief. He’ll be able to resume basketball activities in six weeks.

“It’s going to be a 10-minute procedure,” said 76ers coach Brett Brown. “It’s going to restrict him from playing for six weeks, but because of the timing it sounds more dramatic than it probably should that given we’re not going to see him again (this season). But the impact it has on someone is negligible. It’s stuff that you can continue to strengthen and rehab. You do take a deep breath and say that’s not terrible, that’s not bad.”

Link : http://nypost.com/2016/03/11/76ers-neck-scare-overshadows-nets-unspeakably-bad-loss/

Nets help Sixers snap 13-game losing streak with 95-89 loss in Philly

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:12:00 -0800

The Philadelphia 76ers have won a total of nine games this season. Two of them (almost ¼) of their wins have come against the Nets.

Talk about an UGLY game for both sides, an eight-win Sixer team going up against an 18-win Brooklyn team. The 76ers, however, snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 95-89 win over the Nets with their last win coming on February 6... against the Nets.

Brook Lopez did all he could to get the win, but like usual, his help was limited and Nets fell for the 47th time this season. The big fella finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

Thaddeus Young chipped in 21 points and nine rebounds, but the Nets' starting wings finished just 5-of-17 from the floor. Not to mention, the bench (excluding Kilpatrick) finished with five points on 1-of-12 shooting.

Meanwhile, Carl Landry - yes Carl Landry - torched Thaddeus Young and led the Sixers with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Nerlens Noel's presence was felt in the paint, as the Sixers big man tallied three blocks to go along with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Sixers nailed nine three-pointers. The Nets on the other hand, shot just 5-of-17 from three and 38 percent from teh field. Sigh..

Bojan Bogdanovic sat out due to rest tonight and Markel Brown did NOT take advantage of his opportunity. He shot just 2-of-7 from the floor and was taken out in favor of Sean Kilpatrick (10 points, 4-of-7 shooting) down the stretch. Kilpatrick, on his second 10-day contract, notched his third game in double digits in five appearances with the Nets.

The Nets finish the nine-game circus road-trip with a record of 3-6 and will return home this Sunday night to play the Milwaukee Bucks. They couldn't find a way to beat the Sixers, despite Jahlil Okafor sitting out with a torn meniscus. It was a good win for the Sixers, but an unfortunate and scary day overall.

In the third quarter, Jerami Grant was knocked down and inadvertently kicked Robert Covington in the head. Grant was deemed out for the rest of the game and was later checked for a concussion, while Covington was taken off on a stretcher and was later transported to a nearby hospital.

Link : http://www.netsdaily.com/2016/3/11/11209270/NBA-Basketball-Brooklyn-Nets-at-Philadelphia-76ers-Circus-Road-trip

Pittsburgh Penguins Sting The Columbus Blue Jackets

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:06:00 -0800

The Pittsburgh Penguins were across the state line tonight visiting the Columbus Blue Jackets in a match-up of the fourth and eighth place teams in the Metropolitan Division.

It’s getting to that point in the season. The point where each game seems to carry that much more weight.

Where if you are going to make that trip to the playoffs, you have to prove that you are a playoff-caliber team. That’s exactly what the Penguins were looking to do tonight, as they played their division rivals.
The game got off to an inauspicious start for the Penguins with Columbus scoring on a two-on-one at the 5:05 mark of the first. Not the way Pens fans wanted this game to kick-off, particularly when facing one of the best goalies in the league, recently back from injury, in Sergei Bobrovsky.

The Pens weren’t intimidated by who was in the opposite crease though. They were back on the board later in the first with an absolute blast by Kris Letang on a nice feed from Evgeni Malkin. The first period would close out with a 1-1 tie.

The second period saw a flurry of activity which kicked off very early in the period. Just 45 seconds into the first, Chris Kunitz shoveled a loose puck into the net to give the Pens a 2-1 lead.

Just about two minutes later, taking a pass across the neutral zone, Cam Atkinson moved into and through the Penguins’ zone quickly. He made what was really quite a nice move to beat Marc-Andre Fleury and tie the game at 2.

Carl Hagelin, who had missed time recently but was back on the ice after clearing the concussion protocol, gave the Pens the lead at 4:47 of the second, with a backhander that beat Bobrovsky. That lead would hold up through the remainder of the second period.

With under five minutes remaining in the game, and the ice at 4-on-4, Ryan Murray hit the post with a shot, and the Pens were grateful to maintain the one goal lead. Not long after, Fleury denied a one-time taken by defenseman Seth Jones.

The Penguins would be able to hold off the Blue Jackets and get the two points in the standings, winning the contest by a final score of 3-2. Columbus led most of the statistical categories, including hits, faceoff wins, takeaways and blocked shots. However, the Penguins found a way to put the puck in the net one more time than Columbus in the statistical category that matters the most.

Link : http://penslabyrinth.com/2016/03/11/pittsburgh-penguins-sting-the-columbus-blue-jackets/

Seahawks lose Alvin Bailey to Cleveland as offensive-line makeover continues

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 18:56:00 -0800

On Friday, as the third day of the NFL’s free-agent signing period came to a close, how the Seahawks will fill out their offensive line in 2016 appeared as mysterious as when the week began.

The Seahawks have not signed an offensive lineman — one of theirs or from another team — since the free-agent period began Wednesday.

And on Friday, the Seahawks saw another player get away, as Alvin Bailey, a backup and sometimes starter the past three seasons after making the roster as an undrafted free agent in 2013, signed with the Cleveland Browns.

A possible sign that Bailey would not return came Wednesday when the team did not tender him an offer as a restricted free agent by the deadline. That made him an unrestricted free agent, though some observers thought the Seahawks hoped to re-sign Bailey at a lesser amount than the $1.6 million tender.

Bailey started the Super Bowl XLVIII win over Denver as an extra lineman when the team made extensive use of its jumbo packages.

He started five games in the 2014 regular season and in the NFC title-game win over Green Bay. Considered the front-runner to start at left guard entering training camp in 2015, he couldn’t hold the job and became a backup at tackle when the team moved Justin Britt to left guard and Garry Gilliam to right tackle.

Bailey played sparingly before starting three games in the second half of the season in place of injured left tackle Russell Okung. Those starts included the 36-6 win at Arizona that concluded the regular season (he also started at left tackle the previous year at Arizona when the Seahawks gained a franchise-record 596 yards).

Bailey is the second offensive linemen to depart during the free-agent signing period, following guard J.R. Sweezy, who signed with Tampa Bay.

Bailey’s departure also continues a hefty makeover of the Seahawks’ offensive line since the Super Bowl win over Denver.

Four of the five offensive linemen who started in that game are gone — Sweezy, center Max Unger, guard James Carpenter and right tackle Breno Giacomini. Also gone are Bailey and backup guard Paul McQuistan. The other two offensive linemen who were on the active roster for that game are unrestricted free agents — Okung and center/guard Lemuel Jeanpierre. Also gone is tackle Michael Bowie, who was inactive for the Super Bowl but on the 53-man roster.

Okung could be the next one out the door, though his status remains unclear.

A league source confirmed that Okung visited the New York Giants on Friday and will visit the Detroit Lions on Saturday. Okung reportedly also has interest from the 49ers.

The Seahawks hope to retain Okung, and he has not ruled out returning. But Okung, who is representing himself, has been intent on gauging his worth on the open market.

Muddying the waters for Okung is a shoulder injury that required surgery last month. He suffered a dislocation in the Seahawks’ divisional playoff loss at Carolina. Okung is undoubtedly using the visits in part to calm concerns about his health.

If Okung gets away, the Seahawks would explore other options at left tackle. Names linked to Seattle are Oakland’s Donald Penn and Pittsburgh’s Kelvin Beachum, who is expected to visit Seattle on Monday, according to NFL.com. Beachum, 26, played just six games in 2015 after tearing a knee ligament and is considered the best free-agent tackle available other than Okung.

The Seahawks also are talking to a few other offensive linemen, including guard J’Marcus Webb of the Raiders, Arizona guard/center Ted Larsen and Arizona backup guard/tackle Bradley Sowell.

The Seahawks could also wait to see if other linemen become available late (there has been speculation that Denver Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady could be released).

Bailey’s departure leaves the Seahawks with just nine offensive linemen on their roster — centers Patrick Lewis (who was tendered an offer as a restricted free agent but has yet to sign it), Will Pericak,Kristjan Sokoli and Drew Nowak; guards Justin Britt and Mark Glowinski; and tackles Garry Gilliam, Terry Poole and Kona Schwenke.

Link : http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-lose-ol-alvin-bailey-to-cleveland/

Free-agent market finally thaws for David Freese

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 18:51:00 -0800

Los Angeles Angels third baseman David Freese missed the entire month of August after suffering a broken finger when he was hit by a pitch last year. In the 31 games after he returned on Sept. 1, Freese hit .308 with a .486 slugging percentage to head off into free agency.

But that wasn't enough to get Freese into spring training until Friday. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced they had signed the former South Alabama star. Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Freese got a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $3 million.

Despite his late start, Freese likely will begin his eighth MLB season as the Pirates' starting third baseman. Jung Ho Kang played third base for Pittsburgh last season, but he suffered a leg injury late in the year and isn't expected to be ready to return until May. After Kang returns, Pittsburgh reporters already have speculated that Freese could be the right-handed half of a first-base platoon with John Jaso, depending on how he's swinging the bat.

Freese batted .257 with 27 doubles, 14 home runs and 56 RBIs in 121 games in 2015, his second season with the Angels.

Los Angeles got Freese from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade. He was a National League All-Star in 2012 and won the World Series MVP Award during the Cards' victory over the Texas Rangers in 2011. Freese's two-run triple with two outs in the bottom of the ninth sent Game 6 into extra innings, then he won the game with a home run in the 11th.

In 721 MLB games, Freese has a .276 batting average with 301 runs, 133 doubles, five triples, 68 home runs and 348 RBIs. In 51 postseason games, he has a .282 batting average with 15 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and 30 RBIs.

Link : http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/03/free-agent_market_finally_thaw.html

Kyle Busch claims pole for NASCAR race at Phoenix

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 18:40:00 -0800

Joe Gibbs Racing completely dominated Friday’s qualifying for Sunday’s Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Three JGR drivers - led by pole winner Kyle Busch and -- will start in the top three, with Carl Edwards on the outside front row and Denny Hamlin starting third behind Busch. A fourth JGR driver, Matt Kenseth, starts sixth. Even Martin Truex Jr., whose Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota, gets technical help from JGR, was eighth.

Busch’s speed of 138.387 mph in the final round clearly beat Edwards’ 137.515.

“Where are we beating them?” Busch said,. “I think it’s not just a combination of straightaway speed, entry speed, out-turning or out-motoring them, but everywhere.”

The first round was red flagged for a few minutes after smoke came from air intake cowl under the hood of Kasey Kahne’s Chevy. Jimmie Johnson also hit the wall hard in the final round and will use a backup car Sunday.

Notes

▪ Daniel Suarez, a Mexican driver who leads the Xfinity Series points standings, reacted Friday to NASCAR CEO Brian France’s recent endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump by saying “I’m not very big in politics” and “I’m super proud to be Mexican, to be a Latin American driver in the United States.”

Suarez, a product of NASCAR’s Driver For Diversity program, will be among the favorites in Saturday’s Axalta 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. Among Suarez’s financial backers is Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Domit, whose family’s TV production company cut ties with Trump last year after the real estate mogul announced his signature plan to build a wall along the U.S. southern border.

“I’m very lucky to have a lot of support from the United States and from NASCAR in the past four years and what we’ve got for this year so far,” Suarez said. “Who knows, without being Mexican I wouldn’t be here right now because it’s been unbelievable the support I’ve had from NASCAR through the ‘Drive for Diversity’ program and all of these programs to put myself in the right position to get opportunity that I have right now.”

▪ Marcus Lemonis, CEO of two major NASCAR sponsors, told ESPN Radio that he disagrees with France’s endorsing any political candidate.

“When you use a sport like NASCAR, you use a sport like the NFL or the NBA or anything like that where the fans are wildly loyal, and now you’ve essentially given the endorsement of a population that is made up of supporters of lots of different people, that’s a problem,” said Leonis, who is chairman of Truck series title sponsor Camping World and Good Sam, sponsor of Sunday’s Cup race.

▪ Austin Dillon said his testy exchange with crew chief Slugger Labbe last week at Las Vegas was nothing serious. Dillon expressed his anger over the radio after Labbe elected to change four tires instead of two during a mid-race pit stop

“We don’t want to hear another word about that Austin,” Labbe responded. “Team effort. Come on, keep your head in the game.”

“My head’s been in the game!” Dillon said.

“Keep it there,” said Labbe. “Thank you. Focus.”

Dillon said Friday it’s all part of a healthy driver-crew chief relationship.

“When it comes to communication with Slugger, we are like two brothers,” Dillon said. “We are both very aggressive personalities.　 He is not afraid to tell me when he thinks I’ve messed up and I’m not afraid to tell him when I think he has messed up.　It’s a part of being intense. Slugger is really good at being blunt with things and I’ve learned to be able to take it and he can take it too.　That is what I love about him. I can tell him right to his face, ‘Hey this is no good.’ He will go to work on it. Same with me; if he thinks I’m not driving right I will go to work, too.”

▪ Kyle Petty’s 22nd annual Charity Ride Across America begins April 30 in Palm Springs, Calif., and will end May 6 in Beaumont, Texas. Several celebrities will join in the ride, including Richard Petty, NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Hershel McGriff and former racing stars Harry Gant and Donnie Allison.

Petty’s ride has raised $16.5 million for his Victory Junction camp and other children’s charities since 1995.

Link : http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nascar-auto-racing/thatsracin/article65584202.html

Damian Lillard didn't like Steve Kerr saying he played like Steph Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 18:32:00 -0800

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard doesn't want to be compared to anybody, even if it's Stephen Curry. Lillard was upset when a reporter asked him if he was doing a Curry impression after a win against the Indiana Pacers, and he wasn't a fan of Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr saying he "looked like Steph Curry out there" after he scored a career-high 51 points in the Blazers' upset victory over the defending champs.

"I respect Steph Curry," Lillard said Thursday. "Because what he's doing is amazing. But I'm my own man. So don't come to me and say I'm impersonating him. You telling me I'm impersonating somebody by doing well at my job is disrespectful."

"I just think you respect the man as the man that they are," Lillard said. "You can respect what Steph Curry's doing and love what Steph Curry's doing. But that has nothing to do with me. I'm my own man."

"I've got a lot of respect for Steve Kerr," Lillard said. "But when he said I looked like Steph Curry, I didn't like that either. It might seem like a compliment coming from him and how he meant it. But I didn't like that either. If anybody had a good game against us, I don't think coach (Terry) Stotts would go and say, 'He looked like Damian Lillard.' So it depends on how you want to look at it."

Lillard added that he is not "angry" about it, but he and Curry are different people. The two of them will be matched up on Friday in Oakland, and they are both extremely competitive. While the world is marveling at Curry, Lillard has to see him as a peer and an opponent.

If this all comes off as a bit dramatic, it's because Kerr's intent -- and the reporter in Indiana's, for that matter -- was clearly not to insult anybody. Curry is the best player on the planet, and no one has ever done what he's doing this season in terms of efficiency and 3-point shooting. Everybody, Lillard included, knew that the comparison was supposed to be a compliment. (Also, Lillard is the closest thing to Curry sylistically, as he is capable of taking over games and making extremely deep jumpers off the dribble.)

The takeaway here is not that Lillard is mad at Kerr or dismissive of Curry. It's just that he's already made a name for himself, and he doesn't think it's necessary to compare him to another active player, no matter how great that player is. That mentality is understandable, especially considering the long road Lillard has taken to become an elite player and the fact that he has repeatedly missed out on spots in the All-Star Game and on Team USA. The easier thing would be to just take the compliment, but at least Lillard is being honest.

Link : http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25513748/damian-lillard-didnt-like-steve-kerr-saying-he-played-like-steph-curry

Villanova silences Providence stars to storm into Big East final

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 18:21:00 -0800

After going 20 years without a Big East Tournament championship, the top-seeded Wildcats are one win away from claiming back-to-back titles, following Friday night’s 76-68 semifinal win over fourth-seeded Providence at Madison Square Garden.

Villanova (29-4), looking to complete the sweep of both conference championships for the second straight year, awaited the winner of No. 2 Xavier/No. 3 Seton Hall.

Kris Jenkins led the Wildcats with 21 points, while Rodney Bullock scored a team-high 18 points for Providence.

Ryan Arcidiacono (15 points, seven rebounds, four assists) carried over his strong quarterfinal performance, scoring seven of the Wildcats’ first nine before adding a beautiful no-look assist.

The Friars relied entirely on perimeter shooting and trailed nearly the entire first half, settling for 15 of their 25 shots from outside, while Villanova kept attacking the paint, making as many passes as necessary to earn a clean look.

Providence (23-10) only trailed 32-27 at halftime, which was remarkable considering the Big East’s best 1-2 punch were packing cotton instead of concrete.

Kris Dunn (two-time Big East Player of the Year winner) and Ben Bentil (the Big East’s leading scorer) combined for four points in the first half, shooting 1-of-8 from the field and 2-of-5 from the foul line.

Jenkins put Villanova up 11 after opening the second half with a pair of 3-pointers, and soon after, the Wildcats caught a big break, with Bentil – who scored 38 points to match the second-highest scoring mark in Big East Tournament history the previous day – picking up his fourth foul just four minutes into the second half.

The Wildcats, electrified by Arciadiacono’s Derek Jeter-like dive several rows into the stands for a loose ball, soon turned a seven-point lead to 14, as Dunn (nine points, 1-of-8 from the field) failed to assert himself as an alpha dog and Bentil (three points, six rebounds) helplessly sat at the scorer’s table. Providence’s star sophomore came back with 11:47 to play, but fouled out just over two minutes later with the team trailing by 11.

The Friars fared better without their big man this time, locking down defensively and becoming more aggressively offensively to get within two, 55-53, following a Kyron Cartwright 3-pointer with 6:59 remaining.

But Providence’s momentum stalled with three turnovers, allowing Villanova to stretch the lead to nine on back-to-back layups by Daniel Ochefu.

Link : http://nypost.com/2016/03/11/villanova-silences-providence-stars-to-storm-into-big-east-final/

Ohio State basketball holds off Penn State 79-75 to advance to Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:59:00 -0800

The one thing Thad Matta wanted from his Ohio State basketball team was to not let one bad thing boil over and become a bad loss. That's how you get ousted early from the Big Ten Tournament.

In the end, the Buckeyes didn't let that happen. But that didn't mean Ohio State didn't have to sweat one out.

The seventh-seeded Buckeyes held on for a 79-75 win over No. 10 Penn State on Thursday in the second round of the conference tournament. Ohio State's reward for holding off the Nittany Lions is a date with Michigan State in Friday's quarterfinals.

The victory gave Buckeyes coach Thad Matta another 20-win season. He's won at least 20 games in all 16 seasons he's been a head coach.

Ohio State (20-12) trailed at the half, but regained the lead early in the second half with a 14-0 run that was enough to retake the lead, but not enough to pull away. So the Lions hung around, and it was close until the final minutes.

Tied at 67 with 3:48 left, Marc Loving hit a couple free throws to give Ohio State the lead, and the Buckeyes didn't look back. Keita Bates-Diop had 14 points and six rebounds.

Loving finished with a a game-high 24 points. It was his third straight game with at least 20 points. JaQuan Lyle added 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Penn State shot 51 percent in the first half. The Buckeyes held the Lions to 35 percent in the second half.

• Check out our Big Ten Tournament live blog for all of Thursday's action

Ohio State had trouble contending with Penn State's inside-out game in the first half. Preoccupied with Lions forward Brandon Taylor in the post, Ohio State allowed some open looks from 3-point range for Shep Garner and Donovan Jack.

Penn State in total shot 7 for 12 from deep (Taylor hit a couple too) to build a 37-34 halftime lead. The Buckeyes did close the half on some strong defense, holding Penn State to one field goal in the final four minutes of the first half.

That defense carried over to the second half, when the Buckeyes put on that big run to regain the lead.

When it was over

Not until late. Remember, Ohio State had to sweat it out.

Loving blocked a layup by Penn State's Payton Banks with just over a minute left. Ohio State gathered the ball, and Loving was fouled on the ensuing possession. His free throws put Ohio State up 75-68 with 44 seconds left.

Penn State finished the game 3 for 10 from the field.

What it means

Ohio State wasn't going to do anything to help its NCAA Tournament chances with a win on Thursday, but it was completely dead with a loss. Now the real opportunity comes with another matchup against Michigan State.

The 20 wins are probably enough to lock in at least one home game in the NIT, if that's where the Buckeyes end up.

What's next

Ohio State will play second-seeded Michigan State on Friday at 6:30 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. The Buckeyes played the Spartans twice in the final three games of the season, losing both by an average of 17 points.

Link : http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/03/ohio_state_basketball_penn_sta_2.html

Seahawks LT Russell Okung sets visits with Lions and Giants

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:46:00 -0800

While the Seahawks were able to keep receiver Jermaine Kearse in the fold Thursday, they also learned that left tackle Russell Okung will take visits to a couple of other teams as he continues to explore his free agent options.

ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported that Okung will take visits on Friday to the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants.

Detroit could be looking at Okung as either a left or right tackle while the Giants would likely be looking at him more as a right tackle since they have Ereck Flowers at left tackle. A separate report said the 49ers have also reached out to Okung. Okung will reportedly visit the Giants first and then head to Detroit, though those plans could change if he decided to sign with New York while he is there.

Okung is representing himself in free agency and he is having to do the work himself of setting up visits. He also had to wait until Wednesday to begin officially talking to teams since only agents could negotiate during the “legal tampering” period that began Monday or at the NFL combine. Interestingly, Flowers also represented himself last year meaning the Giants could have bookend tackles who each are their own agents.

Also an issue for Okung is his shoulder, on which he had surgery last month after suffering a dislocation in the divisional playoff loss at Carolina. Okung will undoubtedly be using the visits to try to calm any concerns teams may have about his health.

There had been a thought Okung might try to get close to $11 million.

It’s thought the Seahawks have been continuing to talk to Okung and are keeping the lines of communication open with him.

On Wednesday the Seahawks saw starting right guard J.R. Sweezy sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s been thought a goal of the Seahawks throughout the process has been to try to keep at least one of Sweezy or Okung to keep some continuity on the offensive line.

Link : http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/report-seahawks-lt-russell-okung-sets-visits-with-lions-and-giants/

Spurs sign Kevin Martin, release Rasual Butler

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:39:00 -0800

It took several days, but the Spurs have signed Kevin Martin. To make room for the veteran shooting guard, San Antonio waived Rasual Butler.

Martin, 33, agreed to a buyout from the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 1, just moments before a deadline that would allow him to play for another team in the postseason. He then spent a few days deciding on his new landing spot before choosing San Antonio.

However, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical, the Spurs then needed a few days to decide which player they would waive to make room for Martin. On Wednesday, the team opted to keep 35-year-old forward Matt Bonner, who reportedly has good chemistry with Tim Duncan and other Spurs veterans, over the 36-year-old Butler.

Through 39 games in Minnesota, including 12 starts, Martin was having his least effective season since his rookie campaign in 2004-05. The 6-7, 200-pound player averaged 10.6 points on the worst shooting percentage (.377) of his career.

However, Martin had been struggling with a wrist injury for much of the season, and he has proven in the past to be an effective perimeter scorer. His career numbers include a 17.6 points-per-game average, .438 shooting percentage and a .385 percentage on three-point attempts.

Martin will reunite with another veteran guard who was bought out by the Timberwolves earlier this season, Andre Miller. They will both be reserves, along with the likes of Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw and David West, on a Spurs team that, at 54-10, is nearly keeping pace with the Golden State Warriors’ record-setting start.

Link : https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/03/09/spus-sign-kevin-martin-release-rasual-butler/

Resurgent Miami is the only team that can keep LeBron from reaching the NBA Finals

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 19:16:00 -0800

Luol Deng has put lot of hard miles on his 30-year-old body.

The Heat forward has played more than 28,000 minutes in his 12-year career, and at the beginning of his age 30 season, that wear and tear was starting to show on the court.

Deng, who was never the most nimble of players, looked a step behind on the offensive end. Oftentimes, he was stagnant.

The Heat, who were trying to find their identity in their second year of the team's post-LeBron James era, were stagnant too. They were winning games, sure, and no, there was never a question if they were going to make the playoffs, but few would have considered Miami as NBA Finals contenders.
They should now.

Miami has found its mojo again by going back to the tenets that helped the team win two championships with James -- pace and space. Miami's mid-season schematic shift has been so successful that the Heat, not the Raptors or Boston, look to be the team that could keep LeBron and the Cavs from winning the Eastern Conference this year.

And the piece that's making it all work is Deng.

Erik Spoelstra's best lineups for those title-winning Heat teams featured Chris Bosh at the 5. With Bosh surrounded by three shooters and James, the Heat were consistently able to push the tempo to a place where opponents couldn't match up. The Warriors' dominant small-ball lineup with Draymond Green at center? Yeah, the Heat's version was better.

But when James left Miami, so did that style of play. Bosh would play the 5, sure, but it was never the same. How could it be?

For 18 months, Spoelstra searched for a way to get the most out of his new roster. Before a January road trip, Spoelstra, who rose from team's video coordinator to its head coach, had seen enough tape to know what to do. The Heat were going to run.

With 7-footer Hassan Whiteside in the fray, pushing the pace wasn't as simple as sliding Bosh to the 5. Instead, the Heat pushed Deng to power forward and employed a four-out system around the team's enigmatic young center.

The move paid immediate dividends.

But a few weeks later, Spoelstra had to adapt again, as Bosh was shut down Feb. 19 for what's believed to be a recurrence of the blood clots that almost killed the All-Star last year.

To compensate for losing Bosh, who was averaging 19 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, Spoelstra opted to push the pace even more.

The move suits point guard Goran Dragic. Before Bosh was sidelined, Dragic had a PACE factor (possessions per game, extrapolated) of 94.88 and a net rating of plus-2.8. In the 10 games after Bosh was sidelined and Spoelstra asked his team to push it to yet another gear, Dragic's PACE was 101 and his net rating was a gaudy plus-13.7.

You're not supposed to find six extra possessions per game mid-season, but that's exactly what the Heat have done.

Adding Nets castoff Joe Johnson, who provides the Heat a little bit of everything on both ends of the court, helps space the floor, and keeps Dwyane Wade fresh. His addition was critical to the second-wave success as well --€” Johnson averaged 30 minutes and 14 points per game (on 60 percent shooting with a plus-14 rating) in his first five games with the Heat.

In the new system, the enigmatic Whiteside has blossomed too. He's averaging 18 points and 15 rebounds since Bosh was sidelined.

Even Amar'e Stoudemire, long left for dead, has thrived in the new Heat system -- he's seen his net rating go from minus-4.2 to plus-19.4. It's like he's back on the 7-seconds-or-less Suns.

But the real linchpin and beneficiary of the Heat's mid-season transformation has been Deng. The forward is averaging nearly a double-double at 17 points and 9.8 rebounds since Feb. 19, but the real difference is in his movement. For the first time since his Chicago prime, Deng is aggressive in cutting away from the ball, and that, perhaps more than anything, as helped the Heat's offense find its long-lost dynamism.

James and the Cavaliers attempted to have a mid-season renaissance of their own in Cleveland. The team fired David Blatt in January in an effort to move to a more up-tempo style under Ty Lue. Yet the Cavs look almost identical to the Blatt-coached teams and statistically there's little to point to that can prove the change.

The Heat entered Wednesday's game with the Bucks on a five-game winning streak that coincided with the acquisition of Johnson. The streak won't last forever, but it's hard to see the Heat falling back into their slightly better-than-good form for the remainder of the season. Home-court advantage should be presumed and the No. 3 seed probably theirs as well.

And if the Heat can keep their stellar form rolling in the playoffs, there's no question that they'll be on a collision course with James and the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals. Don't be so quick to dismiss the idea that it'll be LeBron's old team, not his new one, that would leave that series with an NBA Finals berth.

Link : http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/miami-heat-lebron-james-free-agency-luol-deng-cleveland-cavaliers-playoffs-nba-finals-030916

Blues-Blackhawks set for Winter Classic at Busch Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 19:09:00 -0800

The NHL said Wednesday night before the St. Louis Blues' game against the Chicago Blackhawks that the teams will play in the Winter Classic at Busch Stadium on Monday, Jan. 2.

Blues chairman Tom Stillman says he initially expected the Blues to host a Stadium Series game, but that changed when the NFL's Rams left for Los Angeles.
"I can tell you for a fact Gary (Bettman, the NHL's commissioner), in making this decision, had the situation in St. Louis and what has happened over the last few months in mind," Stillman said. "It changed late in the game and I think a lot of it had to do with Gary's thoughts about St. Louis."

St. Louis will be the eighth franchise to host the Winter Classic. The game is usually held on Jan. 1, but the league is pushing it back a day as it did in 2012 to avoid going head-to-head with the NFL.

It will be the first outdoor game in Blues history. The Blackhawks will be playing in their third Winter Classic and fifth outdoor game.

Also Wednesday, the NHL said Toronto will host Detroit in the Centennial Classic on Jan. 1 at BMO Field to celebrate the league's 100th anniversary, and Pittsburgh will host Philadelphia on Feb. 18 at Heinz Field in the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series. In another outdoor game, Winnipeg will host Edmonton in the Heritage Classic on Oct. 23 at Investors Group Field.

Link : http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/top-news/blues-blackhawks-set-for-winter-classic-at-busch-s/nqhCg/

Coby Fleener draws New Orleans Saints into free-agent frenzy: Larry Holder

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 19:03:00 -0800

Monster deals kept flying across the computers, phones and TVs at the New Orleans Saints facility the last couple of days. Everyone from Olivier Vernon to Damon Harrison to Chris Ivory to Brock Osweiler received massive contracts.

What were the Saints up to?

They dished out restricted free agent tenders to guard Tim Lelito and tight end Josh Hill. They re-signed tight end Michael Hoomanawanui and created a kicker competition between Kai Forbath and Josh Scobee.

Inexpensive, yet necessary moves for a team walking into this week leading up to free agency with less than $10 million of salary cap space. And just when you thought they would be out from the hot NFL free agency action, tight end Coby Fleener pulled them back in.

Fleener agreed to a five-year deal worth a reported maximum of $36 million with the Saints on Wednesday. New Orleans seemingly each year comes up with some splash of significance in free agency regardless of the financial ledger.

This will be the Saints' 2016 splash.

A deal worth $7.2 million per season doesn't sound all too lucrative given the way NFL teams spent a copious amount of money like it was Armageddon. For the Saints, it seems like they're basically maxing out the credit card they've been trying to pay down by finding change in the couch cushions.

General manager Mickey Loomis and cap guru Khai Harley will used creative accounting to make Fleener's 2016 cap hit with Fleener's figure reportedly only $2.4 million in the first year.

Will the Saints' splash pay off?

I completely understand any apprehension. Deals the last two offseasons have left the Saints with bad contracts for underperforming players like Jairus Byrd, Brandon Browner and C.J. Spiller. Each circumstance has been different, but each deal has hindered the Saints on the field and on the books.

The focus all offseason has pointed to improving the Saints' porous defense. Everyone on Airline Drive would openly admit the flaw. Loomis has. Sean Payton has. So why would the Saints throw a nice bucket of cash at a tight end?

I at least understand the logic behind the Fleener deal.

Tight end became a "must" position to fill once productive veteran Benjamin Watson agreed to terms with the Ravens. Watson, 35, was coming off one of his most productive seasons of his career and it sounds like Baltimore heavily swayed Watson to leave despite interest from the Saints to keep Watson.

In the meantime, the Saints gave Hoomanawanui a three-year deal Tuesday just before the news broke of Watson's departure. I don't know if it was always the Saints' intention to issue Hill a restricted free agent tender. Regardless, the Saints extended the offer to Hill on Wednesday anyone.

The Saints obviously like both of those tight ends, but they viewed those two players as depth guys with specific roles last year. That wasn't going to change in 2016.

New Orleans had a few options to find a tight end they felt secure about as the No. 1 option: target a top-tier player in free agency, settle for an inexpensive veteran and go tight end by committee or unearth their starter in the NFL draft.

We now know the Saints went with option No. 1. I can't blame them.

The Saints last went with the committee in 2007 before the days of clear-cut No. 1 players like Jeremy Shockey, Jimmy Graham and then Watson. Payton and Drew Brees value production from the tight end far too much to go backwards.

Gambling on the draft doesn't seem like a sound plan either. Numerous draft pundits have panned the tight end class outside of maybe three or four prospects. Landing a bonafide starter like Fleener, who turns 28 in September, saves the Saints from drafting a tight end.

The Saints seemed determined to pluck either Fleener or Chargers free agent Ladarius Green. Judging by the contracts between the two players, the Saints were almost hellbent in landing Fleener.

Green received a four-year deal maxing out at $20 million, according to the Houston Chronicle, with a $4.75 million signing bonus. Fleener's deal carries an $8 million signing bonus.

Fleener, a second-round pick by the Colts in 2012, caught 183 passes for 2,154 yards and 17 touchdowns while playing mainly with his college teammate Andrew Luck. You would think Fleener would fit right in with Brees in the passing game.

I'm sure you're wondering about the price. Fleener's $7.2 million average judging by last year's numbers would land him barely in the top half of the league for tight ends. It's the going rate for a solid starter.

Any splash seems risky involving the Saints for a number of reasons. Fleener will be their splash signing in 2016 giving the team's financial state. At least the Saints filled a hole with a viable option.

It's more than what I can say they've done recently at cornerback, defensive end, etc.

Link : http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2016/03/new_orleans_saints_coby_fleene.html

France 0 England 0: Mark Sampson’s Lionesses ensure third place in SheBelieves Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 18:55:00 -0800

MARK SAMPSON’s Lionesses ended their SheBelieves Cup campaign with a goalless draw against France in Boca Raton, Florida.

But the England boss insisted his side’s performances in the United States proved that our women’s side can now compete with the big guns.

England were looking for a first win of the tournament having already fallen to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of World Cup winners USA and a 2-1 loss against European champions Germany.

The draw against France ensured the Lionesses finished third in the round-robin tournament featuring four of the world’s top five sides.

USA and Germany will now battle it out later tonight to decide the winner.

But Sampson insisted: “This England team are growing and getting better. We’re going to crack this lot - we’ll crack France, we’ll crack the States, we’ll crack the Germans.

“We want to win. People connect with this team - they’re honest, they work incredibly hard and play for the jersey. You can see the passion and how much it means to them.”

England were looking for revenge against a French side that subjected them to an opening 1-0 defeat at last summer’s World Cup in Canada.

But it was France who had the best of the first half, with the Lionesses fortunate that Les Bleues failed to put away their chances.

Elodie Thomis twice went one-on-one with Karen Bardsley, first failing to hit the target, before then being denied by the England keeper.

Bardsley was called on again on 21 minutes, saving at her near post to keep out Marie-Laure Delie.

Lyon midfielder Claire Lavogez produced an acrobatic bicycle kick eight minutes later, with only the crossbar keeping the spectacular effort out.

England’s best chance of the half came just before the break, with Demi Stokes played in by Jill Scott. But, after cutting in from the left flank, Stokes’ angled strike was saved by Meline Gerard.

England came out on the front foot after half-time and in the 54th minute Katie Chapman unleashed a long-range strike after dispossessing Kheira Hamraoui - but her effort flew just wide.

As Sampson continued to rotate his squad, who are currently in their Women’s Super League pre-season, Eniola Aluko came on for Toni Duggan to earn her 100th England cap.

On 69 minutes Eugenie Le Sommer - who did the damage in Canada - was left all alone in the box, but England had a let-off as she swiped her shot well wide.

Sub Karen Carney tried another long-range effort for England in the 80th minute, but again the strike was wide of Gerard’s post.

And Arsenal midfielder Jordan Nobbs’ 20-yarder curled just wide three minutes later.

Sampson added: “We got caught out a few times in the first half. But in the second half we were outstanding.

“This tournament has been a really good experience and the team is in a really good place at the end of it. We know we could have won all three games. We’re just a bit short physically at the moment. We’re in pre-season but kept running.”

Link : http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/6989659/France-0-England-0-Mark-Sampsons-Lionesses-ensure-third-place-in-SheBelieves-Cup.html

George Martin: the greatest music producer who ever lived

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 04:42:00 -0800

George Martin was the greatest music producer who ever lived. And perhaps the least likely.

His work alone stands testament to his production genius. He was the man who discovered, nurtured and facilitated the explosive growth of The Beatles, and in so doing he played an irreplaceable part in a cultural revolution that changed the world. Whatever else he did (and he did plenty), those eight years he spent (from 1962 to 1970) as the musical guide, educator, protector and partner to John, Paul, George and Ringo ensure his legendary status. Of all the people who could claim fifth Beatle status, Martin was the closest to making the quartet a quintet. But the really notable thing is, Martin would never ever have laid claim to such a status himself. For Martin was the rarest of things in the music business: a man of humility, whose enormous talent was bounded by a conspicuous lack of ego.

Other great producers have been louder, brasher, more notorious and more obviously brilliant, with signature sounds that remain immediately recognisable today. Whereas Martin was a quintessential English gentleman: a former grammar school boy and Navy pilot, who carried himself with the quiet gravitas of a British officer. He dressed with the modest conservatism of a university academic and spoke with the gentle tones and sophisticated eloquence of a royal equerry. Martin was eminently respectable. In rock and roll terms, he is just about the most improbable revolutionary ever.

Phil Spector, who regularly used to top producer lists until his madness and narcissism took him to jail for murder, developed a style that will always be referred to as Spector’s Wall Of Sound. Like many great producers, Spector dominated the talent he was producing.

But Martin did not have a signature sound. What he had was a pair of ears. He brought things out of the artist he was working with, rather than imposing his own vision. Martin's were a particular blend of musical and personal skills and it was good fortune that the artists he is most famous for working with were able to respond to his gentle touch, an open-minded, open-hearted group of uneducated but preternaturally gifted young men ready to embark on a journey of growth and adventure that would surprise everyone, including themselves.

You could say that Martin was the right person in the right place at the right time. But that is not luck, that is being ready. A self-taught pianist and classically trained oboist and easy-going but hard working professional, he became a respected producer in the EMI set up. There, his work as an arranger and producer ranged across symphonic, choral and chamber music, jazz albums and, quite significantly, comedy records of The Goons which demonstrated Martin's sense of play and openness to experimentation.

At 36 years old, with an incredible array of unusual skills, he was not just ready for The Beatles when they turned up in his studio – he was the only A&R man in the music business to recognise their potential. Martin signed this powerhouse northern combo when everyone else was turning them down. Decca records had the absurdity to tell them guitar groups were on the way out. Martin, significantly, was not of the rock and roll generation. Perhaps this is what allowed him to detect something bigger in the talents and personalities of Lennon and McCartney.

Martin took The Beatles from the simple pop of Love Me Do through the thrill of screaming Beatlemania, the grand experiments of Revolver and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and all the way to the masterful final bow of Abbey Road, which, for my money, is still the greatest album ever made.

He introduced them to old musical ideas, expanding their range of harmony and instrumentation, adding a baroque harpsichord style solo on In My Life (actually a piano played at half speed) and a string quartet to Yesterday. And he was the great enabler when they came to him with their own wild and apparently impossible imaginings: recording instruments backwards on Tomorrow Never Knows, editing two different tempo takes together on Strawberry Fields Forever, and persuading a classically trained orchestra to improvise the apocalyptic conclusion to A Day In The Life.

Martin wouldn’t just say yes to whatever mad notions The Beatles concocted, he was the guy who would work out how to do it. That to me is the mark of a real producer, someone who helps the artist to realise their greatest possible version of themselves.

Of course, Martin produced a lot of other very fine music. It was a mark of his versatility that he made records with artists as varied as Ella Fitzgerald, Cilla Black, Kenny Rogers, Kate Bush, Jeff Beck, Elton John, Jimmy Webb, Celine Dion, Haley Westenra and synth pop band Ultravox. He produced two of the greatest Bond themes, Shirley Bassey’s Goldfinger and Paul McCartney’s Live And Let Die (and composed the classic soundtrack to the latter movie). If The Beatles outweighs them all, well, The Beatles outrank everyone in popular music. And we have effectively lost a Beatle today.

Music is going through a lot of loss at the moment as the elder statesmen of the Sixties and Seventies pop culture explosion shuffle off the stage. But it would be wrong to think of George Martin as a loss to music. He lived a long and full life, and stopped actually producing music at the end of the nineties, when he no longer felt his hearing was good enough to remain at the top of his profession.

But he has left a legacy, not just in those recordings that have become part of history and will be played as long as there are ears to listen, but an actual legacy that is still operating now. His son Giles Martin is a gifted producer in his own right, and has done much to continue, update and extend The Beatles story under his father’s guidance.

Martin also leaves a fantastic recording studio, Air, which he established in 1965 and which remains one of the leading studios in the world, still flourishing as a space where musicians go to physically play instruments in a time when most production has retreated into tiny home studios and involves little more than digital computer technology.

For anyone who has had the pleasure and privilege to meet Martin, one thing that strikes someone is a quality this patrician gentleman (albeit one born to a carpenter in Holloway) had in common with the working class Liverpudlian superstars. He was incredibly approachable, unfailingly polite and charming, with time for everybody.

When I was a young man, I came across him in Air studios, and seized the opportunity to tell him what The Beatles' music meant to me. His response was one of great warmth and patience, and I can still see his smile in my memory, a real smile which expressed pleasure, pride and empathy. “That’s what they meant to all of us,” he said, as if he could take no personal responsibility for their extraordinary genius.

But the world of music, and, indeed, the world at large, knows what Martin did, and will listen to the music he helped make forever.

Link : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/george-martin-the-greatest-music-producer-who-ever-lived/

Janoris Jenkins agrees to deal with Giants, report says

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 04:36:00 -0800

The Giants reportedly have taken a major step toward improving their pass defense by agreeing to terms with Janoris Jenkins, the top cornerback on the free agency market.

ESPN is reporting that the team and Jenkins of the Rams will announce a deal when free agency officially opens at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Jenkins, 27, was a second-round pick for the Rams out of Florida and North Alabama in 2012 and, despite a red-flagged college career that saw him dismissed from the Gators team after two drug charges, he has missed just four games in the NFL.

Jenkins has been a starter all four years in the league with 10 career interceptions, including five which were returned for touchdowns.

Jenkins was pursued to re-sign with the Rams and also was courted by the Raiders during the “legal tampering” period of the past few days. Although the terms of the contract are not yet clear, the Giants and their glut of salary cap space likely outbid the other teams.

Jenkins will be paired opposite Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the Giants’ secondary. The addition of Jenkins means the Giants are unlikely to retain Prince Amukamara, their former first-round pick who will become a free agent Wednesday afternoon.

The Giants’ main focus so far in free agency has been on solidifying their defense. They re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul, made a significant offer to DE Charles Johnson (who ultimately returned to sign with the Panthers for less money), and are expected to be among the teams in hot pursuit of defensive end Olivier Vernon. Vernon received the transition tag from the Dolphins, which allows them to match any offer he receives. Miami’s signing of Mario Williams and their reported interest in keeping Cameron Wake makes their matching any offer less likely.

The Giants finished 2015 ranked last in pass defense and were nearly the first team in NFL history to average 300 passing yards against per game for a full season. They finished allowing 298.9 yards per game. Their 23 sacks ranked 30th in the NFL.

Link : http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/giants/janoris-jenkins-agrees-to-deal-with-giants-report-says-1.11553706

Will Rams spend freely to keep and pursue free agents?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 04:21:00 -0800

It’s time to find out whether the slow-build, draft-and-develop Rams are ready to move into win-quick mode.

Already, this has been a year of transition because of franchise relocation and the Rams, with a young roster, have banked approximately $45 million in salary-cap space. They can spend freely starting Wednesday , when the NFL year officially begins and the free-agent signing period opens.

Under Coach Jeff Fisher and General Manager Les Snead, the Rams have been consistently mediocre, with records of 7-8-1, 7-9, 6-10 and 7-9. Since 2012, though, management has been building a core of young players. Is now the time to complement them with some higher-priced free agents?

“You want to tip and have that winning season,” Snead said recently. “We’ve been on the cusp for a couple.”

Spending for the sake of spending rarely works out well, but the Rams have the ability to target positions in need of an upgrade and the financial flexibility to out-bid competitors in the free-agent market.

First, the Rams must answer internal questions. They enter the day with 11 players who are unrestricted free agents, including six starters: center Tim Barnes, defensive end William Hayes, linebacker Mark Barron, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, safety Rodney McLeod and kicker Greg Zuerlein.

The Rams must also replace three veteran starters they cut last month: defensive end Chris Long, linebacker James Laurinaitis and tight end Jared Cook.

It’s possible that several of the free agents will return. They’ve been able, since Monday, to gauge their value on the open market during what the NFL cheekily calls a “legal tampering” period, during which pending free agents can negotiate with other teams.

The Rams hope several of those players will return, but if not, they face a potentially large restructure.

Defense has been the Rams’ clear strength in recent years, but the decision to cut Laurinaitis and Long meant the team would have to improve its depth among the front seven. Should the Rams also lose Hayes, Barron or backup linemen Nick Fairley and Eugene Sims, the situation would become even more urgent.

The Rams attempted to re-sign Jenkins but could not, then used the franchise-player tag on their other starting cornerback, Trumaine Johnson, and resigned themselves to the idea that Jenkins would hit the open market. He is likely to be a top cornerback target for several other teams.

There’s more certainty for the Rams on offense, where they know what spots need to be filled.

At the oft-discussed quarterback spot, the Rams could make a big splash by going after Brock Osweiler or Robert Griffin III, or go for the lower-profile Ryan Fitzpatrick or Chase Daniel. The Rams’ activity, when it comes to free-agent quarterbacks, could indicate whether they intend to draft one in the first round.

An upgrade at receiver is also possible. Beyond Tavon Austin, the Rams aren’t particularly deep or strong, but then again, neither is the free-agent class of receivers.

The most intriguing option might be Marvin Jones, who played at Etiwanda High in Rancho Cucamonga and Cal. Jones had 816 receiving yards for Cincinnati last season, and it will be interesting to see whether teams view Jones, 25, as a potential No. 1 receiver.

The Rams also must get six restricted free agents under contract – quarterback Case Keenum, running backs Benny Cunningham and Chase Reynolds, offensive lineman Brian Folkerts, linebacker Daren Bates and safety Cody Davis – and the future of backup running back Tre Mason remains uncertain. Mason was arrested Saturday and the Rams have not yet commented on his long-term status.

It’s already been a busy week in the NFL, with teams retaining potential free agents and agreeing to terms with those on other teams during the legal tampering period. Thus far, the Rams have been quiet, but given all the questions they face, that won’t be the case for long.

“Everybody is trying to find out what their realistic value is,” Snead said. “That’s why I do think it is a positive that we have that 48-hour period. … (Potential free agents) can come back and say, ‘This is what we’ve got,’ and you either say yes or no, or they may figure out that what we’ve been offering all along is the best deal.’’

Link : http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-707418-free-agents.html

NBA scores: Trail Blazers snap losing streak in 116-109 win over Wizards

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 04:06:00 -0800

Damian Lillard had 41 points and 11 assists, and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 116-109 overtime victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.

It was Lillard's 15th straight game with 20-plus points, the second-longest streak in the NBA behind Kevin Durant's 48. CJ McCollum added 18 points for Portland, which moved into sixth place in the Western Conference.

John Wall had 20 points and 11 assists for the Wizards, who have lost three straight. Ramon Sessions added 21 points off the bench, while Marcin Gortat had 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Wall hit a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in regulation to give Washington a 104-102 lead, but McCollum hit a pull-up jumper with 5.4 seconds to go to tie it at 104. The game went to overtime when Gerald Henderson swatted away Gortat's attempted layup.

SPURS 116, TIMBERWOLVES 91
MINNEAPOLIS - LaMarcus Aldridge had 29 points and seven rebounds to help San Antonio bounce back from a rare loss.

The Spurs (54-10) led by as many as 26 points in a game they played without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and coach Gregg Popovich. David West scored 18 points as the Spurs shot 55.3 per cent and only turned the ball over nine times.

Andrew Wiggins had 23 points and eight rebounds for the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and nine boards, and Zach LaVine scored 15 points.

The Spurs haven't dealt with much losing this season, and they responded to their 10th defeat of the season with a workman-like dismantling of the Timberwolves defence. Even with their three mainstays out of the lineup and their peerless coach at home tending to a family issue, they didn't miss a beat.

HAWKS 91, JAZZ 84
SALT LAKE CITY - Jeff Teague scored 24 points to lead Atlanta to the road win.
The Hawks moved within 1 1/2 games of idle Miami for the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Jazz fell two games behind Houston for the eighth and final spot in the West.
Teague added six assists, while Paul Millsap finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 22 points, and Derrick Favors scored 16.

RAPTORS 104, NETS 99

TORONTO - DeMar DeRozan had 25 points for Toronto, and Kyle Lowry added 23 points and nine assists.
Brook Lopez had 35 points, one shy of his season high, for the Nets, who lost the season series to the Raptors for the first time since 2009-10.

The Raptors rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit to get back on track at home after their franchise-record, 12-game home win streak ended Sunday against Houston.

The Raptors got within two courtesy of a 22-9 run over the final 5:55 of the third quarter and finally jumped in front on Patrick Patterson's 3-pointer to open the fourth.
LAKERS 107, MAGIC 98

D'Angelo Russell scored 27 points, Jordan Clarkson added 24 and the Lakers won consecutive games for the second time since Jan. 3.

Julius Randle matched his career high with 23 points and had 11 rebounds in the Lakers' first game since their jaw-dropping victory over defending champion Golden State on Sunday.

Los Angeles followed up that shocker with an outstanding group effort from the three key members of the club's young core. Russell, Randle and Clarkson scored 20 points apiece in the same game for the first time.
Victor Oladipo scored 26 points and Evan Fournier had 23 for the Magic, who have lost three straight.
NUGGETS 110, KNICKS 94

DENVER - Kenneth Faried had 24 points and 10 rebounds to help the Nuggets to their eighth straight win over the Knicks at the Pepsi Center.

Nikola Jokic scored eight of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as Denver had six players in double figures.
Carmelo Anthony finished with 30 points against his former team. He is now 0-3 when playing at his old stomping grounds since being traded to New York in February 2011.

New York rookie Kristaps Porzingis was limited to six points in his return after missing a game with a bruised left leg. The Knicks were dealt a blow before the game when forward Lance Thomas hurt his left knee in warmups.

Link : http://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/nba-scores-trail-blazers-snap-losing-streak-in-116-109-win-over-wizards-1.2809641

A puzzling performance by a Red Wings team fighting for a playoff spot

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 03:51:00 -0800

They lacked urgency and their overall effort wasn't nearly good enough, much to coach Jeff Blashill's surprise and dismay.

The Detroit Red Wings, fighting for a playoff spot, turned in their worst performance of the season Tuesday in a 5-3 loss to the cellar-dwelling Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

This one was difficult to explain.

"Not good enough," Blashill said. "It's disappointing, it's frustrating; there's no way that effort is good enough, especially in the first period. So we got to look at ourselves, each individual, and we got to play much better that we did, certainly in the first.

"I thought we played better in the second. We need 60 minutes of that type of effort to have any chance of success. I just think by a man we got to be a lot better."

The Blue Jackets dominated during a first period (16-4 edge in shots) that was scoreless only due to Jimmy Howard's play. The Red Wings improved in the second but penalties (Columbus scored twice during five-on-three power plays) and defensive mistakes put them in a 4-1 hole late in the third period.

Goals 46 seconds apart by Tomas Tatar (15:44) and Andreas Athanasiou (16:30) gave the Red Wings an opportunity to pull out a point or two from this mess, but Cam Atkinson sealed the outcome with his second goal of the game, into an empty net, with 18 seconds remaining.

"Out of the gate the urgency wasn't there but we battled right there to the end and just came up short," Howard said. "It just goes to show you can't take anyone lightly in the league and you've got to show up and go or you're going to get beat."

The Red Wings (32-23-11) have lost three in a row and lead the Philadelphia Flyers by just two points in the battle for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

"We have to be playing with more urgency," Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "We all know what's at stake here and it's getting closer and closer. We've got some games left. We know what we've got to do and we just got to do it."

The start was inexplicable.

"I was certainly surprised, because I know we have winners in our room," Blashill said. "Generally our guys recognize the urgency of the moment. I'm not sure how they had more urgency than us but they did. So we better pick it up here right away."

Said Brad Richards: "They came out hard and whether it surprised us or we weren't ready for it, I'm not sure. But it seemed like we were in quicksand a little bit and they kept coming. Tomorrow's a new day. Nothing's done or over. We can learn from it."

Penalties to Luke Glendening (tripping and hooking) put the Red Wings in a five-on-three disadvantage early in the second and midway through the third.

David Savard made Detroit pay by opening the scoring 35 seconds into the second and Atkinson capitalized to make it 4-1 at 9:14 of the third.

"The first five-on-three, to me, was all because we didn't clear the puck," Blashill said. "We had ample opportunity to clear the puck and we didn't execute. I just think from top to bottom we had too many guys that weren't good enough tonight."

After Justin Abdelkader tied it at 10:24 of the second, David Clarkson scored at 16:36. Boone Jenner's goal 26 seconds into the third was tough to take for Blashill.

"The goal in the third (by Jenner) was crazy, there was no reason for it," Blashill said. "It should have been no problem at all and it wasn't. I look at things all the time, as a coach what we need to work on, what do we need to be better at; have you done a good enough job? I'll be honest with you, in situations like that individual players got to play better. That's an absolute fact, so we got to pick our game up come Thursday."

The Red Wings generated only one shot during their first four power plays. Tatar's goal came during a six-on-four advantage after Howard was pulled. Blashill said the power play was as bad as it's looked in a while.

Columbus also took it to the Red Wings physically.

"They're a big team, they can skate, they can throw the body around and they can score goals," Howard said. "They always play us tough and we knew it was going to be a battle out there and it was."

Athanasiou got into his first NHL fight at 4:25 of the third, exchanging blows with Matt Calvert.

"I thought we played physical," Zetterberg said. "Obviously, they probably have more physical style than we do but I thought we stood up well. It was nice to see AA throwing the mitts and got us going there."

If that sparked the team, they need something like that much sooner.

Link : http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2016/03/a_puzzling_performance_for_red.html

Big Match Feature: Chelsea v PSG

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 02:16:00 -0800

Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea FC meet in the Uefa Champions League knockout rounds for the third successive season. In each of the previous two campaigns, the winners progressed on away goals.

This year's tie looks to be similarly tight, with Edinson Cavani's 78th-minute strike giving Paris a 2-1 victory after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's deflected opener had been swiftly wiped out by John Obi Mikel.

Match Background
Chelsea

They are unbeaten in seven home games against French opposition and have kept five clean sheets. The sole exception before last season's 2-2 draw with Paris was another 2-2 draw, with AS Monaco FC in the 2003/04 Uefa Champions League semi-final second leg, prompting a 5-3 aggregate loss.

The Londoners beat an FC Girondins de Bordeaux outfit coached by Laurent Blanc 4-0 at home on matchday one of the 2008/09 competition before a 1-1 draw in France.

They are looking to book a fourth quarter-final in six seasons, and a seventh in the last 10 campaigns.

Chelsea topped their group for the 10th time in their last 13 attempts, finishing as runners-up twice in that period. They won all three home matches in Group G, against Maccabi Tel-Aviv (4-0), FC Dynamo Kyiv (2-1) and FC Porto (2-0).

After the group stage the Stamford Bridge club appointed Guus Hiddink, coach of PSV Eindhoven when they lifted the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1987/88, as interim manager in place of José Mourinho.

The Blues have won eight of the 13 Uefa competition ties in which they had a first-leg deficit to retrieve at Stamford Bridge, most recently against Paris in 2013/14. They have won two of the three ties in which they lost the first leg 2-1 away – against Fenerbahçe SK in the 2007/08 quarter-finals (2-0 home) and FC Barcelona in the 2004/05 round of 16 (4-2 home) but lost the last such tie, to FC Internazionale Milano – then coached by Mourinho – in the 2009/10 round of 16 (0-1 home).

Chelsea's shoot-out record in Uefa competition is W1 L3:

1-4 v Liverpool FC, 2006/07 Uefa Champions League semi-final

5-6 v Manchester United FC, 2007/08 Uefa Champions League final

4-3 v FC Bayern München, 2011/12 Uefa Champions League final

4-5 v FC Bayern München, 2013 Uefa Super Cup

Paris

Blanc's side are aiming for a fourth successive appearance in the quarter-finals, where they lost to Barcelona in 2013 and 2015.

They enjoyed two thumping away victories in finishing second in Group A, 3-0 at FC Shakhtar Donetsk and 5-0 at Malmö FF, either side of a 1-0 defeat at Real Madrid CF.

The Parisian club have played 11 matches against teams from England with the record W3 D5 L4. Away it is W0 D3 L3.

The Parc des Princes outfit have won 11 of 15 European ties in which they won the first leg at home, although they lost the last such tie – against Chelsea in 2013/14. When the first game finished 2-1, however, they have lost both ties – against SL Benfica in the 2006/07 Uefa Cup round of 16 (1-3 away) and Boavista FC in the 2002/03 Uefa Cup third round (0-1 away, lost on away goals).

Paris's European shoot-out record is W0 L1:

3-4 v Rangers FC, 2001/02 Uefa Cup third round

Previous Meetings
Last term's round of 16 encounter was thrilling with the sides level at 1-1 when they stepped out for the Stamford Bridge return. Paris lost Ibrahimovic to a 31st-minute red card and in a dramatic end to the 90 minutes, Gary Cahill's late goal was wiped out by David Luiz's 86th-minute header.

Eden Hazard put Chelsea back in front with a penalty in extra time only for Thiago Silva to score a second, decisive equaliser with six minutes remaining.

The Stamford Bridge lineups on 11 March 2015 were:

Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires (Drogba 90), Matic (Zouma 84), Fàbregas, Oscar (Willian 46), Hazard, Diego Costa.

Paris: Sirigu, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Maxwell, Pastore (Van der Wiel 28), Verratti (Lavezzi 81), Thiago Motta, Matuidi (Rabiot 81), Cavani, Ibrahimovic.

In the first leg a Branislav Ivanovic header gave Chelsea the lead, Cavani replying for the hosts. The teams also met in the 2014 quarter-finals, Paris prevailing 3-1 at home thanks to goals from Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Pastore either side of an own goal from Luiz, then with Chelsea. Chelsea's sole first-leg response had been a Hazard penalty, which proved crucial as a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge, courtesy of substitutes André Schürrle and Demba Ba, took José Mourinho's charges through on away goals.

The full lineups at Stamford Bridge on 8 April 2014 were:

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Lampard (Ba 66), Willian, Oscar (Torres 81), Hazard (Schürrle 18), Eto'o.

Paris: Sirigu, Jallet, Alex, Thiago Silva, Maxwell, Verratti (Cabaye 55), Thiago Motta, Matuidi, Lucas (Marquinhos 85), Cavani, Lavezzi (Pastore 73).

Chelsea were 3-0 victors in Paris in the 2004/05 group stage, John Terry among the scorers. The return at Stamford Bridge ended goalless.

The lineups at Stamford Bridge on 24 November 2004 were:

Chelsea: Cudicini, Johnson, Gallas, Carvalho, Bridge, Parker, Smertin, J Cole, Lampard (Gudjohnsen 62), Robben (Duff 46), Kežman (Drogba 62).

Paris: Letizi, Mendy, Cana, Armand, M'Bami, Pierre-Fanfan, Rothen, Cissé (Boškovic 83), Pauleta (Pancrate 90), Yepes, Reinaldo (Coridon 77).

Match Facts
Chelsea
Nemanja Matic is available for selection, having been suspended for the first leg.

Chelsea have lost just once – the 2-1 first-leg defeat by Paris – in 17 matches since Mourinho was dismissed on 17 December.

Chelsea appointed Hiddink as interim manager for a second time two days later. The Blues have drawn seven and won eight of his 15 games in charge.

The west Londoners had won their last three league fixtures prior to Saturday's 1-1 draw with Stoke – their best top-flight run since they posted four consecutive victories in March/April 2015.

Terry has not played since sustaining a hamstring injury against Newcastle United FC on 13 February.

Pedro Rodríguez went off with a hamstring problem six minutes into the 2-1 triumph over Southampton FC on 27 February and has not played since.

Kenedy scored after 39 seconds against Norwich – the quickest goal in the Premier League this term. Bertrand Traoré made his first league start for Chelsea in the 2-1 victory at Carrow Road.

Zouma damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the 1-1 draw against Manchester United on 7 February and was subsequently ruled out for six months.

Diego Costa has scored 10 goals since Hiddink took charge, six more than he managed this season under Mourinho.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek signed a new five-year contract on 29 February.

Paris

Serge Aurier, Marco Verratti, Ibrahimovic and David Luiz are a booking away from a ban.

Paris' Ligue 1 record of 36 matches without defeat ended when they went down 2-1 at Olympique Lyonnais on 28 February. It was their first loss in 46 domestic fixtures (not including the French Super Cup, played in Montreal).

Blanc's men returned to winning ways on 2 March, Marquinhos's first goal of the season helping them to a 3-1 victory at AS Saint-Étienne in the last eight of the French Cup. They will play FC Lorient in the semi-finals on 19 April.

Verratti (groin) has not played since 20 February, while Di María (thigh) made his first appearance since then as a starter in the 0-0 draw with Montpellier on Saturday.

Winners of the last two editions, Paris face LOSC in the French League Cup final on 23 April.

Guud Hiddink, Chelsea manager:

"It's always good to have an away goal in a European game, it doesn't make it easy of course. But it's a game between two big names in European football. It will be a match where hopefully Europe will enjoy two adventurous teams.

"Of course Chelsea was anxious to win the Champions League once – PSG are in the same position now, they are anxious to get their first one. They are starting to build up a team, not just individual star players, but as a team they have grown very good in the last few seasons so they are on their way. I hope we can stop them in their project. But they have very experienced players, international players. Look where they have played, they are not a young group of kids not used to this.

"Diego Costa is fit, he had a little bit of a problem at the weekend, that's why we didn't bring him. But he was in training today so we will see. He is now scoring frequently in the Premier League, when before December he and the whole team had trouble scoring. Now we will see if he can start scoring in Europe as well. Pedro is available for selection. He made a good impression today so he will be back in the squad."

Laurent Blanc, Paris coach:

"We need to see if Verratti is able to train. I'm not sure he will definitely be in my squad. I might wait until tomorrow to decide because he is a very important player for us and I hope he is fit.

"I don't know if the previous two years' matches will have an impact on tomorrow. I think every game is different and has its own story. I know [the media] like to draw parallels between past meetings but I don't know how things are going to go tomorrow and neither do you. We know what we plan to do to qualify but Chelsea will do likewise.

"It could be more difficult than the last two seasons for a number of reasons. We have to be careful. We have an advantage which is important. At kick-off time we will be technically qualified, but we have to impose our style of play on Chelsea, which will be a big challenge. We didn't go through the first time against Chelsea but last year we qualified with 10 men. We need to have the right mental approach and we should understand that, because we have been through once, we can do it again.

"Chelsea have a lot of players who allow them to break quickly. They like to soak up the pressure and then break at pace. Willian is one of those players, as is Eden Hazard. They have a lot of attacking players who can be very dangerous over 30, 40, 50 metres and get towards goal, so we need to keep an eye on them because it is very difficult when you give these players space.

"We did very well in the first leg in the first 20 minutes because we kept a high line. It might seem risky but it's important to play a high line because it allows you to avoid their players running at pace. Obviously it's very difficult to maintain that for 90 minutes, physically speaking."

Coach and Player Links
Luiz joined Paris in 2014 after three and a half years and 81 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, scoring six times.

He played the full 120 minutes of the 2012 final against Bayern München, converting his spot kick in the shoot-out. He also featured in the defeat of Benfica in the 2013 Uefa Europa League final in Amsterdam.

Alex also swapped Stamford Bridge for the Parc des Princes; Claude Makélélé, Nicolas Anelka and Mateja Kežman all played for both teams.

Blanc ended his playing days at Manchester United between 2001 and 2003, figuring in both league meetings against Chelsea in his first season – 3-0 victories for the away sides – and a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in his second.

In 2010/11 Hazard helped LOSC Lille beat Paris 1-0 in the French Cup final; a week later he played in a 2-2 Parc des Princes draw which gave LOSC their first French double since 1946. The Belgian lost just one of nine Ligue 1 matches against Paris, scoring in a 2-1 home success in April 2012.

Loïc Rémy represented Marseille between 2010 and 2013, netting in a 3-0 Ligue 1 home win over Paris in November 2011; César Azpilicueta helped set up one of the goals.

Played in England: Ángel Di María, Manchester United (2014/15); Benjamin Stambouli, Tottenham Hotspur FC (2014/15).

International team-mates:

Kurt Zouma, Rémy, Blaise Matuidi and Layvin Kurzawa (France) Silva, Luiz, Lucas, Marquinhos, Oscar and Ramires (Brazil)

Oscar registered in Brazil's 3-0 friendly success over Matuidi's France on 9 June 2013 in Porto Alegre.

Matuidi got both goals in France's 2-1 win against Ivanovic's Serbia on 7 September 2015 in a Bordeaux friendly.

Hazard scored for, and captained, a Belgium side featuring Thibaut Courtois in a 4-3 victory over France in a Stade de France friendly on 7 June 2015.

In Argentina's 1-1 draw with Brazil in Buenos Aires on 14 November 2015 – a Fifa World Cup qualifier – Ángel Di María played for the hosts as did Luiz (later sent off) and Willian for Brazil. Oscar remained on the bench.

Link : http://www.supersport.com/football/uefa-champions-league/news/160309/Big_Match_Feature_Chelsea_v_PSG

Justine Henin, Marat Safin inducted into Tennis Hall of Fame

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 8 Mar 2016 23:19:00 -0800

Set for posthumous induction in July 16 ceremonies at the ATP Hall of Fame Championships are Frenchman Yvon Petra, who died in 1984 at age 68, and England's Margaret Scriven, who died at age 88 in 2001.

Henin, 33, is the first Belgian player inducted into the Hall of Fame. She won 43 career singles titles before retiring in 2011, including the 2004 Australian Open, 2003 and 2007 US Opens and 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007 French Opens.

"It's a big honor," Henin said.

"I was five years old when I started playing tennis and my dream was to become a champion. All of the things that then happened -- all the dreams that came true, all the victories and Grand Slams, and every emotion that I lived in my tennis career -- remain something very important in my life."

Safin, 36, is the first Russian player inducted into the Hall of Fame. He won 15 career titles, including the 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian Open, before retiring in 2009.

"I'm very happy to be inducted into the Hall of Fame," Safin said.

"To be part of a Hall of Fame is every athlete's dream. I am really honored to be inducted and proud to represent Russian tennis alongside the greatest champions of tennis history."

Petra won the Wimbledon men's singles title in 1946, after spending five years as a prisoner of war in Germany, according to the Hall of Fame.

He is the most recent French winner of the men's Wimbledon singles crown.

Scriven won the French title in 1933 and 1934, becoming the first left-handed woman to capture a Grand Slam crown and the only unseeded winner of the French championships.

"Their success is part of the sport's storied history and we're glad to recognise their accomplishments," said Hall of Fame president Stan Smith.

Link : http://www.ibnlive.com/news/sports/justine-henin-marat-safin-inducted-into-tennis-hall-of-fame-1213887.html

Broncos lose Jackson to free agency, could QB Osweiler be next?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 8 Mar 2016 23:09:00 -0800

Baseball hall of famer, Leroy Satchel Paige, once observed: “Don’t look back; something might be gaining on you.”

The Denver Broncos might want to take heed.

Free agency, even though it doesn’t officially begin until Wednesday afternoon, is catching up to the defending Super Bowl champions.

The division rival Oakland Raiders, young and ever-improving, are adding the most sought after offensive lineman, Kelechi Osemele.

Meantime the day after Peyton Manning announced his retirement, the Broncos lost one of the NFL’s best defensive lineman with Malik Jackson, tweeting he’s headed to Jacksonville.

They also face the proposition of now being without their two top quarterbacks of 2015, with the Texans eyeing a bidding war for Brock Osweiler.

The offensive line takes a hit with the release Tuesday of former Pro Bowl right guard Louis Vasquez (saving them $5.5 million in salary cap), while left guard Evan Mathis is set to become a free agent. The post-Super Bowl makeover also includes the release of tight end Owen Daniels and long-snapper Aaron Brewer, freeing nearly $3 million in cap space.

The Broncos losses — the Denver Post reports Chicago is making a big push for linebacker Danny Trevathan — are quickly becoming everyone else’s gains. Free agents can’t officially sign with teams until Wednesday but there is plenty of preparatory discussion.

“What a time to be alive,” tweeted Jackson, who reportedly is getting $90 million from Jacksonville in a six-year deal, with $42 million guaranteed.

Jackson had a career-best 45 tackles for the NFL’s No. 1 defence and knocked down a career-most seven passes. One of Jacksonville’s priorities was to improve a defence that ranked among the league’s worst at rushing the passer in 2015 with 36 sacks. With the return defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks from injury, Jackson’s addition should provide the Jags with a markedly improved defence.

The deal is expected to make Jackson the fourth-highest paid defensive lineman in the NFL; a cost the Broncos simply couldn’t afford under the cap.

Particularly not if they hope to retain Osweiler, who has indicated he’ll test the open market. He’s getting plenty of attention from Houston.

Broncos’ GM John Elway indicated at the Scouting Combine that he believed Osweiler should take less money to stay in Denver where he’s familiar with the offence and where he had his initial success this season. But the Texans might be an intriguing landing spot with owner Bob McNair saying the club wants to find its franchise quarterback.

And, with Sam Bradford and Kirk Cousins cashing in with $17 and $19 million deals, it has pushed Osweiler’s value significantly higher than the $5 million, or even $15 million, Elway was speaking about at the combine.

If the Texans open the vault, by the end of the week the Broncos most experienced quarterback could be Elway — and, only Elway.

That would put them in a precarious position in a tough division, including a Raiders team that will now have Osemele on an offensive line that needed an upgrade to go with its young building blocks including quarterback Derek Carr, receiver Amari Cooper and tight end Clive Walford.

Baltimore had hoped to retain Osemele to protect Joe Flacco’s blind side but the Raiders are reportedly paying $11 million per season, a price the Ravens couldn’t match. Oakland had the second-most cap room in the NFL; the Ravens the second least.

So it’s a good thing the Broncos can celebrate winning Super Bowl this year; because next year just winning the division might be asking too much.

Link : http://www.torontosun.com/2016/03/08/broncos-lose-jackson-to-free-agency-could-qb-osweiler-be-next