columbiatribune.com stories: Sports

Schedule format decision is imminent

Dave Matter — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:00:00 -0500

DESTIN, Fla. — Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive is hopeful this week's spring meetings end with the league's biggest puzzle put together. The league's coaches, athletic directors, presidents and chancellors will continue to explore football scheduling during their stay here with a resolution expected by Friday.

Six Missouri track athletes qualify for NCAA finals

Wed, 30 May 2012 14:00:00 -0500

Six Missouri track athletes qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships over the weekend in regional competition in Austin, Texas.

Mike Anderson says MU rivalry won't be about him.

Dave Matter — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:00:00 -0500

DESTIN, Fla. — Former Missouri men's basketball Coach Mike Anderson returned to Columbia last month to attend the graduation ceremonies for several of his former players. The experience, Anderson said yesterday, spoke to the bond they shared — despite his controversial exit last year.

Alden thinks Missouri is in better place

Dave Matter — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:00:00 -0500

DESTIN, Fla. — As he sat on a plane Monday alongside his wife and teenage son, Missouri Athletic Director Mike Alden found a moment to reflect on what's been a wild year. A year ago this week he was in Kansas City for the Big 12 Conference spring meetings and left there feeling secure about the league's future and Missouri's place there. The Big 12 had survived the 2010 exodus of Nebraska and Colorado and seemed back on solid footing.

TAKE TWO: Goat mistreatment is the least of Cubs’ worries

Joe Walljasper — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:00:00 -0500

Five Chicago Cubs fans and a goat named Wrigley just spent three months walking from Mesa, Ariz., to Chicago in an attempt to break the long-suffering team's Curse of the Billy Goat and raise money for cancer research. Actually, the goat — which was purchased on Craigslist and has little to no interest in the fortunes of the team — was mostly pushed in a stroller. This was presumably to prevent him from delaying the group by eating underwear off clotheslines for the length of Route 66.

Ahead of World Cup qualifying, U.S. faces Brazil

Wed, 30 May 2012 14:00:00 -0500

The nation known for "jogo bonito" — or the beautiful game — poses a unique challenge for the U.S. soccer team. While not as significant as a pair of World Cup qualifiers next month, it is a test for the Americans on how far they've come since Jurgen Klinsmann took over as coach last summer.

TAKE TWO: Late-night replays welcome with new arrival

Steve Walentik — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:48 -0500

I used to wonder why ESPN replayed the night's big game from 2 a.m. until 4 a.m. the next morning. My best guess was that there was simply nothing better to fill the two-hour time slot, because I couldn't think of a regular audience other than the last-call crowd from the local watering hole.

Kahne earns stripes

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:44 -0500

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Welcome to the Hendrick family, Kasey Kahne.

Third time is a charm

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:43 -0500

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Dan Wheldon couldn't win his third Indianapolis 500. Dario Franchitti did it for him.

Big inning costs Royals in 8-5 loss to Indians

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:43 -0500

CLEVELAND (AP) — One bad inning started the Kansas City Royals on a downward spiral yesterday.

Johnson makes mark at Colonial

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:40 -0500

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Zach Johnson had already shared celebratory hugs and kisses with his two young sons and talked about his Colonial victory on television.

Spurs bring 'nasty'

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:38 -0500

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Trailing in the fourth quarter, Gregg Popovich snarled an order in the huddle that the NBA Coach of the Year punctuated with a sharp and angry sweep of his hand.

Nadal opens French Open with easy victory

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:37 -0500

Rafael Nadal began his quest for a record seventh French Open title in style, wearing a pink shirt and pink shoelaces.

Well-rested Kings look to continue reign

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:34 -0500

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Justin Williams remembers every game of the Carolina Hurricanes' 25-game grind through the 2006 playoffs. He knows all about the blood, sweat and exhaustion necessary to raise the Stanley Cup.

Miami puts heat on Boston in opener

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:32 -0500

MIAMI (AP) — The way LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are rolling right now, one bad quarter is hardly too much for the Miami Heat to overcome.

Lynn wins his eighth as Cards beat Braves

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:20 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) — Mike Matheny saw a different edge in Lance Lynn as he approached his second start this year against the Atlanta Braves, the only team to beat him this season.

Phillies sending Halladay to doc with sore shoulder

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:08 -0500

Now all the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans can do is wait. For another day, at least.

Sturgeon heads to Class 1 Championships

Rus Baer — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:50:07 -0500

STURGEON — It was a long fall for the Sturgeon baseball team. Coach Kevin Hicks described his young squad, which suffered through its first losing season in years, as "so-so." Senior center fielder Lane Arends was a bit more blunt.

Dos Santos pounds Mir to retain UFC title

Tue, 29 May 2012 12:00:00 -0500

When a Nevada state athletic commission official asked Frank Mir where he was between rounds, he named the wrong casino. That's a pretty good indication Junior Dos Santos' punches already were doing their job.

Tigers win Big 12 baseball championship

Matt Nestor — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:45:40 -0500

OKLAHOMA CITY — Missouri baseball Coach Tim Jamieson checked the dugout. His Tigers were clinging to a one-run lead, but Oklahoma was threatening in the ninth. Jamieson wanted the commemorative hats and T-shirts to stay boxed up. And out of sight.