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subota, 27.08.2011.

UFC 134: Can lightning strike twice for 'Thunder' Okami?

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's next show gives Yushin "Thunder" Okami a chance to prove the first time wasn't a fluke.

If he scores the upset Saturday at UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro, Okami would be the bookend for either side of middleweight titleholder Anderson Silva's 14-fight win streak. Silva hasn't lost since Okami beat him in 2006.

Okami's victory at that Rumble on the Rock event in Hawaii was a win only in the most technical sense. Silva had his way during the stand-up action before Okami scored a takedown, shortly before officials disqualified Silva for kicking Okami illegally.

"I felt that was just an accident," says Okami, who prefers to dismiss that experience. "I'm focusing on my next fight."

UFC's first show in Brazil since October 1998 marks a return to one of the birthplaces of mixed martial arts. Brazilians have been present in the highest echelons of modern MMA since the Gracie family emigrated to the United States and eventually helped start UFC in 1993.

Despite its role in MMA's development, Brazil as a whole treated the sport as an unsavory spectacle for years even as it grew in the U.S. and Japan. But the expansion UFC has driven mixed martial arts into a bigger spotlight — Saturday's show (6 p.m. ET, online Facebook stream; 8 p.m., Spike TV; 9 p.m., pay-per-view) sold out its allotment of at least 14,000 tickets in 74 minutes, UFC says.

"Brazil has the tradition in mixed martial arts," Silva says. "The sport is from the Gracies ... the Marco Ruases, the Pedro Rizzos. I'm watching these guys for a long time."

Silva has surpassed them. He holds UFC's record for consecutive title defenses, receives accolades as the sport's most explosive and imaginative striker, commands respect as a dangerous submission practitioner and deflects criticism as an occasional clown in the cage.

UFC President Dana White calls Silva the greatest MMA fighter to date, even compared to other icons such as welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. White isn't alone in his effusive praise; Online sportsbooks list Silva as a 4-1 favorite despite the previous loss to Okami.

"The first fight (between) me and Okami, I didn't have the big experience for the fight in the cage," Silva says. "This time, I have experience. I have technique. I have condition."

On paper, Okami has the right skill set to beat the champion. Though he lacks Silva's quickness and creativity as a striker, Okami's boxing has been sound enough to produce a few knockout wins. Perhaps more important against Silva's notoriously subpar takedown defense, Okami can use his striking to set up the wrestling clinches he uses to grind his way to decisions.

He's also trained with the only UFC fighter who has come close to beating Silva, Chael Sonnen, who controlled the champ on the ground for most of five rounds before succumbing to a late triangle choke.

"I have learned many things from Chael's experience," Okami says.

If Silva and his 13 countrymen on Saturday's card represent one crux of mixed martial arts, Japan's Okami represents another. Gracie jiu-jitsu started almost 100 years ago as an modification of Japanese judo, and Japan's contemporary MMA scene has roots in professional wrestling organizations that were operating in the 1980s and early 1990s before the Gracies conceived of UFC.

CO-MAIN EVENT: Rua, Griffin fight to stay in UFC's elite

Several UFC 134 fighters, including Silva, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira, Stanislav Nedkov and Okami, competed in Pride or other Japanese promotions. But critics of the Japanese circuit such as Sonnen and White dismiss some fight records from Japan as overrated and inflated by inferior competition.

To White, Okami is the exception. Okami's 10-2 UFC record is by far the best for any Japanese athlete in the organization.

"Yushin Okami's the best fighter to ever come out of Japan," White says. "This guy didn't come up fighting cans and get this built-up, mythological record. ... This guy hasn't got the credit he deserves."

27.08.2011. u 12:16 • 0 Komentara • Print • #

utorak, 23.08.2011.

Grizzlies' Zach Randolph has home searched by police

A man who went to the Oregon home of Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph to sell marijuana said he was beaten with a pool cue in a dispute over the price of pot.

The man told sheriff's deputies at least three men assaulted him but Randolph was not among them. No arrests have been made, and authorities said none were expected on Monday.

Police identified the victim as 26-year-old James Beasley of Portland.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Sgt. James Rhodes said Randolph was in his home outside Portland when the beating occurred early Saturday. Beasley was treated for head and face injuries and released from a hospital later that afternoon, when he called police, Rhodes said.

Officers served a search warrant early Sunday. They spoke with 10 people in the home at the time and recovered pool cues and blood evidence. They did not find drugs in the home.

Rhodes said the evidence “was consistent with the victim's statement about where and how he was assaulted,” and authorities were trying to figure out who was involved in the assault.

The victim told officers that he recognized Randolph and was certain he wasn't involved in the beating, but he didn't know the names of the people who assaulted him. The victim said there were about 20 people at Randolph's home at the time.

Rhodes said detectives will probably ask Beasley to pick the suspects from a line up.

Randolph has not spoken to the officers based on the advice of his lawyer, Rhodes said. He didn't know the lawyer's name.

Attempts to reach Randolph have been unsuccessful. Nobody answered the intercom system at his gated home in West Linn on Monday. Two sport-utility vehicles drove away, and their occupants did not stop to speak with a reporter from The Associated Press.

The Grizzlies declined to comment.

There was no listed phone number for Beasley.

Randolph averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds per game with Memphis last season. He was drafted in 2001 by the Portland Trail Blazers and played there six seasons before being traded to New York. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, then to Memphis in 2009.

The Grizzlies signed Randolph to a four-year contract extension in April during the first-round of the playoffs. He became only their second All-Star during the 2009-10 season.

Randolph's past troubles also have included an arrest for driving under the influence of intoxicants after a police officer said he smelled marijuana in Randolph's car and a practice fight in which he broke former teammate Ruben Patterson's eye socket.

In 2009, he was suspended for two games for punching a Phoenix Suns player.

23.08.2011. u 03:42 • 0 Komentara • Print • #

subota, 20.08.2011.

NCAA president says he's willing to use 'death penalty'

NCAA President Mark Emmert said he is willing to back up his tough talk about punishing rule-breakers — even using the "death penalty" as a deterrent.

With allegations swirling around Miami's football program, and one week after Emmert joined with university presidents to discuss toughening sanctions against cheating schools, the NCAA's leader said he thought the infractions committee should make the harshest penalty an option.

"If — and I say if — we have very unique circumstances where TV bans and death penalties are warranted, then I don't think they are off the table and I would be OK with putting those in place," Emmert told the Associated Press in a telephone interview Friday.

Emmert later said the "death penalty," which prohibits a school from competing in a sport, should be used only in rare cases. He was quick to distance his comments from the Miami case.

Convicted Ponzi scheme architect Nevin Shapiro has said he provided improper benefits to 72 Hurricanes football and basketball players from 2002 to 2010 and that a handful of coaches in both programs were aware of the infractions. Yahoo Sports first reported the allegations after an 11-month investigation in which it said it audited thousands of business and financial documents and spent more than 100 hours interviewing Shapiro.

The NCAA has already spent five months investigating Miami and calls speculation about penalties for an ongoing case premature.

"I will say that the university is being extremely cooperative and that is extremely helpful," Emmert said. "But if, and I underline the word if, the allegations are true, that's extremely disappointing."

Police are investigating allegations that Louisiana State quarterback Jordan Jefferson and unidentified teammates were involved in a fight outside a Baton Rouge bar early Friday.

Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Donald Stone said witnesses claimed Jefferson and other players were involved in a fight in the parking lot outside Shady's bar around 2 a.m., but investigators hadn't substantiated that allegation or spoken to Jefferson.

LSU Coach Les Miles said some players were present during the incident, but he didn't identify them.

TENNIS

Clijsters withdraws from U.S. Open

Two-time defending champion Kim Clijsters withdrew from the U.S. Open because of a stomach muscle injury. She said she also would pull out of tournaments in Japan and China in September.

"Obviously I'm very disappointed," she said. "I trained very hard this summer and felt in a good shape to play the U.S. Open."

Clijsters' absence leaves Serena and Venus Williams and Sharapova as the headliners in the women's draw of the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 29 in New York.

A weary Rafael Nadal and an off-target Roger Federer were knocked out of the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open at Mason, Ohio, and No. 1 Novak Djokovic had to scuffle to avoid an upset.

Nadal lost, 6-3, 6-4, to Mardy Fish, who had never beaten the second-ranked Spaniard. Federer struggled with his groundstrokes during a 6-2, 7-6 (3) loss to Tomas Berdych, who has won three of their last four matchups. Djokovic survived a match of long rallies and electrifying shots, beating Gael Monfils, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Fourth-seeded Andy Murray also advanced.

In the women's bracket, second-seeded Vera Zvonareva, No. 4 Maria Sharapova and No. 9 Andrea Petkovic advanced in straight sets. Jelena Jankovic moved into the semifinals when Peng Shuai withdrew because of a sore left hip.

Fred Couples shot a five-under-par 66, taking a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Senior Players Championship, the Champions Tour's final major of the season, at Harrison, N.Y.

Couples was at eight under for the tournament and trying for his fifth Champions Tour victory. Peter Senior remained in second at seven under after a 69. Corey Pavin (69) was third at six under and John Cook (68) was fourth at five under.

Tommy Gainey shot a five-under 65 and moved to 12-under 128, taking a three-stroke lead after two rounds of the PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship at Greensboro, N.C.

Ernie Els (66), Webb Simpson (65), Stuart Appleby (67) and Daniel Summerhays (65) were at 131.

Na Yeon Choi double-bogeyed the final hole, but her six-under 65 held up for the first-round lead in the LPGA Safeway Classic at North Plains, Ore. Grace Park (67) was two strokes back.

ETC.

Rangers' Drury retires from NHL

Chris Drury retired from the NHL after 12 seasons, unable to hook up with a new team after the New York Rangers bought out the final year of his contract in June.

Drury's four seasons with the Rangers, including three as captain, were largely disappointing. He got $3.333 million for the buyout that closed the five-year, $35.25-million deal he signed after leaving Buffalo as a free agent in 2007.

In 892 games with Colorado, Calgary, Buffalo and the Rangers, Drury had 255 goals and 615 points. Even more impressive was his knack to make the big play at the key time. Drury scored 47 game-winning goals in the regular season, but he really made his mark in the postseason, where 17 of his 47 goals in 135 playoff games were winners.

Prosecutors in the Roger Clemens perjury case said they made an honest mistake in showing jurors inadmissible evidence and that should not save the baseball star from facing a new trial.

The prosecutors filed arguments in Washington disputing Clemens' position that a second trial would violate his constitutional protection against double jeopardy by making him face the same charges twice.

Clemens had argued the showing of the evidence was a deliberate ploy to invoke a mistrial because the prosecutors' case was going badly. But the prosecutors say their case remains strong and Clemens wants to "gain an unwarranted windfall from this inadvertent error."

Greg Biffle won the pole for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race Sunday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. He posted a qualifying lap of 190.345 mph for his first pole since June 2008. … Local favorite Jacques Villeneuve won the pole for the NASCAR Nationwide race Saturday at Montreal, posting a time of 1 minute 41.80 seconds on the 2.7-mile track named after his father, Gilles.

U.S. sprinter Jeremy Dodson was arrested on suspicion of identity theft in Boulder, Colo., days before he is to leave for the world championships in Daegu, South Korea. He was arrested and released Wednesday after posting a $10,000 bond. His next court hearing is Aug. 26. A condition of his bond is that he surrenders his passport. Dodson is scheduled to run the 200 meters at worlds, an event that begins Sept. 2.

The start of the Spanish league soccer season will be delayed by a strike after league officials and player representatives failed to reach a last-minute deal. Spanish players representing all 42 teams in the top two divisions backed the first work stoppage in 27 years. The season was scheduled to start this weekend.

20.08.2011. u 09:27 • 0 Komentara • Print • #

srijeda, 17.08.2011.

Marmol's blown save gives Astros 6-5 win over Cubs

Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol entered the bottom of the ninth inning of Tuesday night's game against the Houston Astros with a three-run lead and the confidence nine consecutive saves can provide.

It wasn't enough.

Marmol allowed the Astros to load the base before surrendering a grand slam to pinch-hitter Brian Bogusevic for a 6-5 loss that ended the Cubs' three-game winning streak.

"When you're not sharp sometimes you get beat," Cubs manager Mike Quade said of Marmol's performance. "His slider wasn't as good as it usually is, and his fastball command left him."

"One swing can beat you. It's one of those things."

Until the bottom of the ninth inning, the Cubs seemed poised to take the three-game series with a game to spare.

Tyler Colvin hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, and Aramis Ramirez added a solo shot in the eighth as the Cubs built a 5-2 lead. Colvin, who has spent time in Triple-A this season and is hitting just .135, has homered three times in the last 13 games, including Tuesday's blast that landed in the second deck in right field.

Houston starter Brett Myers exited after the seventh inning having yielded six hits and four runs in seven innings and hasn't won since June 17.

The Cubs jumped to an early lead, getting Myers for two runs in the first inning.

Starlin Castro hit a leadoff single followed by a single by Darwin Barney. Ramirez hit the third single of the inning to score Castro and give Chicago a 1-0 lead. Carlos Pena walked before Marlon Byrd grounded into a double play and Barney scored to make it 2-0.

Rookie Jimmy Paredes' RBI double in the bottom of the first inning got the Astros back in it.

But Houston failed to overcome the one-run deficit despite Myers shutting out the Cubs over the next four innings.

Cubs starter Ryan Dempster was partly to blame. Much like Myers, Dempster settled after giving up an early run. He shut out the Astros the next five innings.

By the time the Astros managed to score again — Humberto Quintero's sac fly off Dempster brought home J.B. Shuck in the bottom of the seventh — the Astros had dug themselves in what looked like too big of a hole.

The run again cut the Chicago's lead in half, only this time the score was 4-2 in favor of the Cubs.

Dempster left after the seventh inning having just allowed four hits and two runs, replaced by Kerry Wood, who pitched a scoreless eighth.

"That's a bummer," Dempster said. "We had a chance to win the series. It just didn't work out. The guy came up, swung and missed two fastballs and he hits one out."

Ramirez's 22nd homer came off reliever Wilton Lopez in the eighth inning and pushed the lead to 5-2.

Then came Houston's rally.

Shuck singled with one out in the ninth off Marmol (2-4) before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Clint Barmes singled and Matt Downs drew a walk to load the bases and bring up Bogusevic, who went deep to left center field for first career grand slam.

"Bad day, you know?" said Marmol of his eighth blown save. "I've been pitching good. Hopefully that continues tomorrow and (I) forget about today."

Houston rookie reliever Aneury Rodriguez (1-4) struck out one in 2-3 innings for the win, his first in the majors.

"I was surprised (about Marmol)," Quade said. "We just didn't get it done. We played well. Obviously you never know how many runs you're going to need."