Sports 2
2B | LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD | SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2011
COMING SUNDAY
TWO-DAY
• Day One of the LAGA City Open • Coverage of Sporting KC’s contest against Toronto FC
SPORTS CALENDAR
ROYALS
NFL on hold as players study deal ST. L OUIS (AP) — The courtesy tents are in place all around Rams Park. A couple are for souvenir sales, there’s an information tent, and a large tent reserved for visiting groups, and relatives of players. The bleachers are up. The fences surrounding the practice fields are festooned with blue and gold Rams bunting. Even the “porta-potties” are here and ready to go. Today was supposed to be the start of training camp for the Rams.
But the field sits empty — for how long remains uncertain. That’s because although NFL owners approved terms of a new labor agreement Thursday, the NFL Players Association isn’t there yet. On Friday morning in Atlanta, NFL team executives were briefed on terms of the deal (as approved by the owners) and the mechanics of getting the league year under way. The first step in that process was supposed to be opening all
COMMENTARY
Auburn’Bama rivalry out of hand
team facilities today to the players for voluntary training, conditioning and classroom instruction. But that won’t happen today either, because that gesture was predicated on the NFLPA’s executive board approving the settlement terms. That hasn’t happened and may not happen this weekend. The only official statement from the players association since the owners’ vote came Friday morning from NFLPA president Kevin Mawae.
“Player leadership is discussing the most recent written proposal with the NFL, which includes a settlement agreement, deal terms, and the right process for addressing recertification,” Mawae said. One thing that continued to resonate Friday, however, was that the league owners were too celebratory at the news conference announcing their vote, and that the players felt rushed to OK the deal.
| SPORTS WRAP |
TOE TOUCHES
By Mike Bianchi The Orlando Sentinel
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — So I’m driving through the piney hills of North Alabama earlier this week listening to the immensely popular Paul Finebaum Show on the radio. Finebaum is talking about Bobby from Homewood, an Auburn fan who is a regular caller. Except not anymore. You see, Bobby has been banned from the show after he called last week and reveled the fact that another regular caller — Alabama fan Shane from Centerpoint — was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Bobby, according to a producer on Finebaum’s station, claimed Shane had contracted lung cancer because of cosmic karma created from his anti-Auburn rants of the past. Bobby also let it be known that he hoped the last thing Shane thought about before he died was that Auburn was the defending national champions. Welcome to Alabama-Auburn, where the rivalry sometimes really is more important than life and death. In what other rivalry could you have a deranged Alabama fan arrested for poisoning the majestic and hallowed oak trees at Auburn’s Toomer’s Corner and then calling a radio show and bragging about it before signing off with “Roll damn Tide!” In what other rivalry could you have a wacko Auburn fan rejoicing in the knowledge that an Alabama fan has cancer? It’s no wonder both Auburn coach Gene Chizik and Alabama coach Nick Saban were preaching tolerance, civility and class to their respective fan bases at SEC Media Days this week. For once, the coaches at Alabama and Auburn actually agreed on something. And they were both absolutely right. Auburn-Alabama is the best rivalry in college football, but, regrettably, it has been hijacked by a small minority of morons. We see it in Florida on a much smaller scale with some of the fans at Florida and Florida State, but, honestly, Gators-Seminoles is like a powderpuff pillow fight when compared to the rivalry between Auburn fans and Alabama fans. “There’s nothing else in this state that people identify with like college football,” says former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, who is now coaching the University of North Alabama. “We don’t have a lot people moving south to retire here; they go a little further to Florida. We don’t have a bunch of outsiders; we have a lot of people who have lived here their entire lives. “College football has been our equalizer ever since Bear Bryant. Because of college football, we weren’t just the state that people made fun of because of rednecks and racism and dog riots and all the other negatives that people suggest. In college football, we were equal to or above the rest of the country. It’s been something our state can hang its hat on.” And now more than ever with Alabama and Auburn owning the last two BCS Championships It’s not just a state rivalry anymore; it’s gone national. The poisoning of the Toomer’s Corner trees made the seedy side of the rivalry an international spectacle. But, in the end, maybe those sick trees have made both sides more intolerant of sick minds. A group of Alabama fans — “Tide for Toomer’s” — has raised money to save the trees in Auburn. Likewise, a group of Auburn fans — “Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa” — have helped raise money for the victims of the devastating tornadoes not far from the University of Alabama. At the Wynfrey Hotel on Friday on the final day of SEC Media Days, a huge crowd of Alabama fans waited to catch a glimpse of Tide coach Nick Saban as he walked through the lobby. One of those fans — Eric Blackerby — wore a T-shirt that said, “I Hate Auburn.” “It’s all in fun,” Blackerby said. “It’s not real hate; it’s just good-natured sports hate.” Sadly, among the good people of Alabama, it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference.
Charles Rex Abrogast/AP Photo
2008 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST SHAWN JOHNSON STRETCHES during a workout session for the CoverGirl Classic gymnastics event Friday in Chicago.
Ohio State not charged with failure to monitor The NCAA has told Ohio State that it won’t face the most severe charges possible in the memorabilia-for-cash and tattoos scandal that cost football coach Jim Tressel his job. Investigators said they found no evidence that Ohio State failed to properly monitor its football program or any evidence of a lack of institutional control, according to a letter sent to the university and released Friday. NCAA investigators also said they have not found any new violations. “Considering the institution’s rules education and monitoring efforts, the enforcement staff did not believe a failure to monitor charge was appropriate in this case,” the NCAA said in the letter sent Thursday. The notice clearing Ohio State of the most serious of institutional breaches is a big break for the university, which will meet with the NCAA’s committee on infractions on Aug. 12. That committee could accept penalties Ohio State already placed on itself or could pile on recruiting restrictions, bowl bans and other, stiffer sanctions. The NCAA letter first reported by The Columbus Dispatch said that Tressel was the only university official who knew about the violations involving his players. He didn’t report them to anyone else at the school.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL Miles defends LSU’s operation HOOVER, ALA. — LSU coach Les Miles defended his program’s purchase of videos from a controversial scouting service run by Willie Lyles, saying the Tigers needed the package to see game action of recruits. “The only thing I can tell you is we look for film and video anywhere we can find it,” Miles said. “Those people that provide those services, we need to cover a broad area, and we want to evaluate our guys from a bunch of different spots.” The Tigers are under investigation by the NCAA for their dealings with Lyles, a talent scout whose recruiting videos have been reported to be outdated and incomplete. The NCAA was already looking into the $25,000 fee Lyles charged Oregon for his services. LSU paid $6,000 for Lyles’ junior college package, which Miles said was helpful in scouting junior college quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Asked twice about Lyles specifically, Miles said he couldn’t comment because of the ongoing nature of the NCAA probe.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS Vols self-impose 2-year probation KNOXVILLE, TENN. — The Knoxville News Sentinel is reporting that Tennessee has selfimposed a two-year probation on its athletics department as part of its response to alleged NCAA violations. The probation and other smaller penalties are outlined in the university’s 191-page official response to the NCAA allegations, which was filed in May and inspected by the newspaper. “The University has taken what it believes are meaningful and appropriate steps to address the problems identified in this case,” the response reads. The 12 charges against Tennessee were made by the NCAA in February after nearly two years of investigating basketball coach Bruce Pearl, football coach Lane Kiffin and their coaching staffs. Kiffin had already left Tennessee for Southern California, and Pearl was fired in March.
MLB Two charged in L.A. beating case LOS ANGELES — Two men were charged Friday in the near-fatal beating of a San Francisco Giants fan on opening day at Dodger Stadium. Louie Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30, both of Rialto, were charged with one count each of mayhem, assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, and battery with serious bodily injury, all felonies. The complaint alleged both men personally inflicted great bodily injury on victim Bryan Stow, a paramedic from Santa Cruz. The charges came nearly four months after the beating, and after the arrest of another man who was not charged in the case.
Judge nixes Dodgers financing plan
TODAY •Rays, 6:10 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo. SUNDAY •Rays, 1:10 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY
TODAY •Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. in Kansas City, Kan.
SPORTS ON TV TODAY MLB Detroit v. Minnesota Tampa Bay v. K.C. Chi. Sox v. Cleveland
Time 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m.
Net FOX FSKC WGN
WNBA All-Star Game
Time 2:30 p.m.
Net ABC
Cable 9, 12, 209
Golf Scandinavian Masters Senior British Open RBC Canadian Open
Time 6:30 a.m. 11 a.m. 2 p.m.
Net GLF ESPN2 CBS
Cable 156, 289 34, 234 5, 13, 205
CFL Edmonton v. Calgary
Time 6 p.m.
Net NFL
Cable 154, 230
Softball Canada v. U.S. U.S. v. Japan
Time 1 p.m. 8 p.m.
Net ESPN ESPN2
Cable 33, 233 34, 234
Cycling Time Tour de France stg. 20 7 a.m.
Net VS.
Cable 38, 238
Auto Racing Time Formula One qualifying 7 a.m. Nationwide qualifying 2:30 p.m. Indy Lights Series 3:30 p.m. Nationwide Series 6:30 p.m.
Net SPEED ESPN2 VS. ESPN
Cable 150, 227 34, 234 38, 238 33, 233
Soccer Chicago v. Man. United D.C. v. Everton Toronto v. Sporting KC
Net ESPN2 GolTV KSMO
Cable 34, 234 149 3, 203
Tennis Time German Open 6 a.m. Altlanta ChampionshipsNoon Altlanta Championships6 p.m.
Net TEN ESPN2 TEN
Cable 157 34, 234 157
Horse Racing American Oaks
Time 4 p.m.
Net NBC
Motocross AMA
Time 6 p.m.
Net SPEED
Time 4 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Cable 4, 204 36, 236 16
Cable 8, 14, 208 Cable 150, 227
SUNDAY MLB Seattle v. Boston Tampa Bay v. K.C. Houston v. Chi. Cubs Atlanta v. Cincinnati
Time 12:30 p.m. 1 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 7 p.m.
Net TBS FSKC WGN ESPN
Cable 51, 251 36, 236 16 33, 233
Golf Scandinavian Masters Senior British Open RBC Canadian Open
Time 6:30 a.m. 11 a.m. 2 p.m.
Net GLF ESPN CBS
Cable 156, 289 33, 233 5, 13, 205
DOVER, DEL. — A Delaware judge Friday rejected the Los Angeles Dodgers’ proposed $150 million bankruptcy financing plan, directing the team to negotiate a loan deal with Major League Baseball instead. Judge Kevin Gross said in an eight-page order that the team had failed to show that the terms of its secured financing with hedge fund Highbridge Capital were fair, given the more favorable financial terms in MLB’s unsecured loan offer. The Dodgers previously rejected MLB’s offer and had refused to negotiate with the league, arguing that its financing proposal was simply an attempt by baseball commissioner Bud Selig to take control of the team and force a sale. While acknowledging an “underlying feud” between Selig and Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, Judge Gross said he was basing his decision on debtor-in-possession, or DIP, financing on the narrowest grounds possible.
Auto Racing Time Rolex Sports Car Series Noon IndyCar Series 1 p.m. FIM MotoGP 4 p.m.
Net SPEED VS. SPEED
Cable 150, 227 38, 238 150, 227
Soccer Time Thai All-Stars v. Chelsea5:30 a.m. L.A. v. Manchester City 3 p.m.
Net GolTV ESPN
Cable 149 33, 233
WPS Time Boston v. W. New York 5 p.m.
Net GolTV
Cable 149
Softball U.S. v. Great Britain
Time 4 p.m.
Net ESPN2
Cable 34, 234
Cycling Time Tour de France final stage 38, 238
Net 7 a.m.
Cable VS.
Tennis Time German Open 7 a.m. Altlanta Championships2 p.m. World Team Tennis 4 p.m.
Net TEN ESPN2 TEN
Cable 157 34, 234 157
Rockies send OF Gonzalez to DL
CFL Time Saskatch. v. Montreal 6 p.m.
Net NFL
Cable 154, 230
DENVER — Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has been placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a strained right wrist. Gonzalez missed eight games earlier this month after suffering a deep bone bruise on his right wrist when he crashed into the outfield wall making a catch against Kansas City on July 3. He said Wednesday he was close to 100 percent, and he homered in his first at-bat Thursday against Atlanta before re-injuring his wrist fouling off a pitch later in the game. Gonzalez, last year’s NL batting champ, is hitting .289 with 15 homers, 56 RBIs, 63 runs and 16 stolen bases.
NFL Canton deals with loss of game CANTON, OHIO — Workers assembled the metal framework for outdoor tents in the parking lot of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Friday, getting ready for its big enshrinement weekend — one that won’t include a game for the first time in 45 years. It’s much more than just a lost preseason game for the northern Ohio community with deep football roots. The labor dispute between NFL owners and players forced the league to call off the annual Hall of Fame game between Chicago and St. Louis scheduled for Aug. 7. The enshrinement will still be Aug. 6. It’s a financial blow to the Hall of Fame, which could lose about $1.5 million out of its $20 million annual operating budget.
LATEST LINE MLB Favorite ......................................... Odds ....................................Underdog National League CHICAGO CUBS............................Even-6.......................................Houston CINCINNATI...................................Even-6 .........................................Atlanta PHILADELPHIA................................6-7........................................San Diego St. Louis........................................51⁄2-61⁄2................................PITTSBURGH FLORIDA ........................................51⁄2-61⁄2........................................NY Mets ARIZONA ...........................................6-7..........................................Colorado SAN FRANCISCO.............................6-7.......................................Milwaukee LA DODGERS....................................6-7 ....................................Washington American League NY YANKEES ................................71⁄2-81⁄2........................................Oakland MINNESOTA ..................................51⁄2-61⁄2 ..........................................Detroit CLEVELAND..................................Even-6.............................Chi White Sox LA Angels.....................................Even-6..................................BALTIMORE BOSTON ...........................................10-12............................................Seattle KANSAS CITY ...............................Even-6..................................Tampa Bay TEXAS ................................................7-8 ............................................Toronto Boxing WBA Junior Welterweight Title Mandalay Bay Resort Event Center-Las Vegas, NV (12 Rounds) Z. Judah +400 A. Khan -500 MMA Bellator 47 Casino Rama-Ontario, Canada. R. Mann +130 P. Curran -150 N. Malegarie +180 M. Sandro -200 Z. Jensen +300 N. Grove -400 C. Saunders +350 C. Horodecki -450 Home Team in CAPS (c) 2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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