Did Mayweather Really Say No To The 50/50 Split?

We've all heard reports before from mysterious emails. Who could forget back in Dec of 2009 when Teddy Atlas claimed, "From sources that told me, they said that people in the Pacquiao camp sent a couple of e-mails to the Mayweather camp a few weeks ago, about two to three weeks ago, and the first e-mail was,” 'What would the penalty be if our guy tested positive (for PEDs)?' “And the second e-mail was,” 'If he did test positive, could we keep this a secret for the benefit of boxing?’ The same story was also reported by Tim Smith of the New York Daily News on Dec. 25, 2009. Not many people took these claims very seriously and questioned whether or not the alleged emails were legit.

Think about it; would the Pacquiao camp really be that stupid enough to send out those emails to someone in the press? It just doesn’t add up. Just like the whole alleged email about Floyd Mayweather denying the 50/50 split doesn’t fully add up either. Why were most people so quick to dismiss the alleged Pacquiao emails, but everyone is accepting the alleged Mayweather email as if it’s gospel.

There was also a similar incident a few months back where it was reported that Mayweather had demanded a one hundred million dollar guarantee or he wouldn’t accept the fight. This was taken totally out of context and was blown way out of proportion. These reports never ended up being verified. Floyd’s trainer Roger Mayweather later claimed that he could see Floyd earning a hundred million if he fought Pacquiao. I suspect that’s what Floyd meant, but that’s just my own humble opinion.

One other thing that has been puzzling me is, just a day before the news broke about the email, it was confirmed that Floyd was on the phone with Pacquiao’s manager Michael Koncz and Manny Pacquiao himself. The conversation ended with Pacquiao saying to Floyd, "I said that the 50-50 (purse split) was approved and there's no problem, any time, it's in your hands, we'll just wait if it's OK with you." So if the 50/50 split request was denied by Floyd, don’t you think Pacquiao, Koncz or Arum would have came out right away and said something about it first instead of ESPN? The whole thing seems a little fishy to me.

Until we hear Floyd actually say that he will not agree to a 50/50 split, everything else is just speculation in my opinion and should be treated as such.

Source: http://ropeadoperadio.com/profiles/blogs/did-mayweather-really-say-no-to-the-50-50-split

Bulls suffer 1st home loss

WITH an immaculate 8-0 record entering Wednesday night's game at the United Center in wintry Chicago, the Bulls stood tall and mighty as the only undefeated home team left in this abbreviated season.

But after a physical, action-packed 48 minutes of play, Derrick Rose and company joined the ranks of 29 other NBA teams who have been vanquished in front of their home crowd. They fell to the gritty Indiana Pacers, 95-90.

The Pacers got clobbered in Orlando the night before, 102-83, and when they fell behind 56-46 early in the third quarter, they looked like easy prey for a rampaging Bulls team that was gaining momentum and poised to break the game wide open.

But the Pacers took Chicago's best shot, nibbled at the Bulls lead slowly but surely, before seizing a precarious 75-74 advantage going into the fourth quarter. Indiana kept that slim lead until the final horn, staving off repeated rallies by the Bulls, who got 24 points and 3 assists from league MVP Rose.

Danny Granger paced Indiana with 22 points, including a short jumper that pushed the Pacers 89-82 ahead with just 4:10 left to play. The Pacers also got a huge night from their 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert, who owned the paint with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.

Indiana didn't exactly light up the United Center with their shooting ---- 38 of 80 field goals (47.5 percent) 5-of-10 treys (50 percent) and an abysmal 14 of 21 free throws (66.7 percent).

But the Bulls couldn't do any better, either. They shot a mediocre 36-of-90 from the field (40 percent), 3-of-13 from 3-point range (23.1 percent), and 15-of-21 free throws (71.4 percent).

"We started sluggishly. We weren't sharp. In this league, you get what you deserve. You have to be ready from the start....I didn't think we were as aggressive as we needed to be," a disappointed Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters at the post-game press conference.

Rip Hamilton had 17 points for the Bulls, but he shot just 6 of 20 from the field. Carlos Boozer finished with 11 but the hulking 6-foot-9 power forward missed 9 of 14 field goals. Ronnie Brewer, who took over the injured Luol Deng (sore wrist), played extremely well with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting. He also had 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

The Pacers moved up in the standings with a 12-5 won-lost record, while Bulls fell to 16-4 and lost the league's best record to the 15-3 Oklahoma City Thunder.

MIAMI EKES PAST DETROIT. The star-studded Heat, deemed by many as the team to beat in the tough East, survived a scare and squeaked by the 4-15 Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday night.

The Heat played without All-Star Dwyane Wade, who missed his fourth consecutive game and 9th overall with a sore ankle. No problem. They still had LeBron James. And Chris Bosh.

King James, the ex-Cav who took his talents to South Beach, filled the stats sheet with 32 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists while Bosh was equally spectacular with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Mario Chalmers added 16 points and 4 assists while Mike Miller drilled 10.

Detroit, which missed the services of Ben Gordon (sore left shoulder) and Tayshaun Prince (family matter), got 28 points from Austin Daye and 20 from Greg Monroe.

After a hot and cold start, the Heat are 13-5 in the standings, a mere half a game ahead of the Orlando Magic but just a nose behind the Bulls for the best record in the East.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/columns.php?aid=12&id=65710

Texas formally introduces Japanese pitcher Darvish

Yu Darvish leaned over and looked at his name and the No. 11 on the back of his Texas Rangers jersey. Then he looked up and smiled.

“Excited, that’s all I feel right now,” Darvish said through a translator. “Just excited going forward.”

Japan’s best pitcher is now officially a member of the two-time defending American League champions, with his formal introduction Friday night in Texas coming two days after the right-hander agreed to a six-year contract that guarantees him $56 million.

The 25-year-old Darvish, who exceled in Japan’s Pacific League the past seven seasons, said he wasn’t prepared to go into specifics about the several different reasons why he decided to make the move to United States now.

But he said he felt no pressure and planned to keep an open mind and be relaxed—with his new team and in a new country.

“I have no worries,” he said. “What I’m looking forward to is a different environment, a different league and different hitters. I’m looking forward to it full of excitement.”

There is a lot of excitement in Texas, where fans are hoping Darvish is the missing piece that will help lift the Rangers to their first World Series title.

The Rangers spent more than two years scouting Darvish and getting to know him personally before committing more than $107 million to get him. On top of his contract, they had to pay a record $51,703,411 posting bid to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, Darvish’s team in Japan.

Rangers pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to spring training in Arizona on Feb. 22, and Darvish said he was planning to immediately return home to Japan.

Darvish said he would continue with his offseason workouts there and hold another news conference to express his feelings to fans in Japan.

Joe Furukawa, a Rangers scout in the Pacific Rim and one of their primary contacts with Darvish over the last couple of years, will spend this season with the pitcher to help his transition to the major leagues and the United States. Furukawa sat to his right on Friday night and served as the translator during the bilingual news conference.

Darvish smiled often during the question-and-answer session, though he said he wasn’t prepared yet to say anything in English.

The press conference was broadcast live in Darvish’s homeland, where it was Saturday morning. It was held in a much bigger room that is part of the team’s Hall of Fame area at Rangers Ballpark, instead of the usual interview room down the hall from the clubhouse.

Among those sitting in the front row were Ray Davis and Bob Simpson, the oil-and-gas billionaires who are co-chairmen of the Rangers ownership group, and slugger Josh Hamilton. Simpson smiled when he walked in and saw the room full of international media.

“We’ve had a lot of big moments on the field the last couple of years, in October and the things we’ve accomplished,” general manager Jon Daniels said while introducing Darvish. “There haven’t been many bigger off-the-field moments than what brings us here.”

After the news conference, the 6-foot-5 Darvish donned his new jersey and went on the field, where he stood on the mound and tossed a couple of balls toward the plate.

Highlights of Darvish’s career in Japan were being shown on the huge videoboard high above right field. The two-time Pacific League MVP had a 93-38 record and 1.99 ERA in 167 games.

The electronic ribbon boards around the stadium were lit up with Darvish’s image with his number and name, switching back and forth between English and Japanese.

Darvish’s contract is worth up to $60 million including bonuses and incentives, but there was one thing he apparently didn’t get in his deal after standing on the mound and looking out to the right-center field fence in his only other visit to Rangers Ballpark two weeks ago.

“It seemed a little close, I asked my GM if they could back that up a little bit, not sure where they are on that,” he said.

When asked about that, Daniels laughed and motioned toward Hamilton.

“I don’t think Josh wants us to move them back,” Daniels said. “We’ll let them arm wrestle and figure it out.”

Hamilton was one of his new teammates that he met during his trip to Texas earlier this month.

“He has confidence in his ability and all the things he does as a player,” Hamilton said. “I think he’s going to enjoy it here and is going to have a good time.”

Darvish arrived about three hours earlier at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, where he was greeted by a large group of media cameras and a handful of Rangers fans.

There was a bit of a stir created by the photos of the arrival, when Darvish wore a T-shirt with the phrase “I Will Survive” surrounding the image of a Japanese Maple Leaf, which looks similar to a marijuana leaf.

“In Japan, anything that’s like a T-shirt with English words on it,” he said. “We just tend to wear it, we don’t really actually know what it means.”

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AvmzoW46xzH9UHx7SxYXZacRvLYF?slug=ap-rangers-darvish

Rockies acquire Marco Scutaro, Red Sox free up money to add a free agent pitcher

As Troy Renck of the Denver Post first reported in all three phases of the deal that took a little over 24 hours to complete, the Colorado Rockies have acquired Marco Scutaro from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for right-handed pitcher Clayton Mortensen.

No money changed hands in the deal, which means the Rockies will be on the hook for the $6 million Scutaro is owed in 2012. That pushes their projected payroll to just under the $82 million they paid out last season, and could signal the end to their aggressive offseason.

It also means new Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington — who was willing to settle for a minimal return in Mortensen, and will now roll with Mike Aviles and Nick Punto as his shortstop options — really needed that money to make serious push for a free agent starting pitcher.

To no one's surprise, we're already hearing reports that pitcher will be Roy Oswalt.

Assuming the Oswalt signing takes place, the trade will look like a win-win in the eyes of most. For now, though, it's a definite win for Colorado, because Scutaro immediately fills three needs on their major league roster.

First, it gives them an unquestioned starter at second base for the first time since Kaz Matsui in 2007. Before that you have to go back to Eric Young Sr. to find a steady two-bagger in Denver. Next, it gives Jim Tracy a legitimate number two hitter that can be safely penciled into his lineup six times a week. In 2011, eight different players attempted to fill that slot in the order. And maybe most importantly to general manager Dan O'Dowd, the addition of the 36-year-old infielder fits perfectly into his offseason veteran movement designed to bring more day-to-day consistency and leadership to Colorado after a very disappointing 2011 campaign.

Other veterans added by O'Dowd to carry out this movement include Michael Cuddyer, Ramon Hernandez, Casey Blake, Jamie Moyer, and he also extended the contract of 38-year-old closer Rafael Betancourt on Friday.

Yes, the days of Todd (Helton) and the Toddlers are now behind them. It was an interesting era to be sure. One that alternated between unexpected runs to the playoffs and overwhelming disappointments. But that illustrates exactly what O'Dowd is attempting to change. The core talent is in place. Now he needs to know the talent around Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki can be relied on and won't allow another of their prime seasons to be wasted.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/rockies-acquire-marco-scutaro-red-sox-free-money-013306953.html;_ylt=AqI8SEYg2SVql7xKIJTTy9YRvLYF

Ryan Braun accepts NL MVP Award, rocks velvet tux at BBWAA banquet

For anyone expecting Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun to make big news at the baseball writers banquet Saturday night, well, he didn't.

Unless you count the awesome velvet tuxedo he wore to accept his 2011 NL MVP Award.
In a brief speech spent mostly thanking his supporters, Braun only alluded to the positive drug test that will lead to a 50-game suspension if his appeal is denied. He didn't dramatically decline the MVP award, as some fantasized he might, and he didn't emotionally defend his reputation from revelations that could taint it forever in the eyes of many.

Here's what he said, as quoted by MLB.com:

"Sometimes in life, we all deal with challenges we never expected to endure," Braun told an audience at the Hilton New York in midtown Manhattan. "We have an opportunity to look at those challenges and view them either as obstacles or as opportunities. I've chosen to view every challenge I've ever faced as an opportunity, and this will be no different. I've always believed that a person's character is revealed through the way they deal with those moments of adversity."

Other than his tux, this is the part that appealed to me:

"I've always loved and had so much respect for the game of baseball. Everything I've done in my career has been done with that respect and appreciation in mind. And that is why I'm so grateful and humbled to accept this award tonight."

No matter how this turns out, I believe him. Braun seems genuinely hurt that anyone might think he would try to cheat the game. Now, regardless if the positive test is because of a mistake on his part, an error by the manufacturers of the product he used, or a flaw in the test, he's still probably going to have to serve that suspension. And it's only fair, because that's what the players signed up for to help mollify the anti-steroid crusaders.

But as far as intentions go, Ryan Braun and his velvet tux are OK in my book.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/ryan-braun-accepts-nl-mvp-award-rocks-velvet-093005496.html;_ylt=ApCzfNbO5qtSD0rpOWmQsQURvLYF

San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants

The expected aerial show for the NFC championship has given way to what shapes up as a hard-hitting affair between franchises that were rivals from the past.

The San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants have met seven times in the postseason, and the winner of the latest edition of this classic rivalry Sunday at Candlestick Park will advance to the Super Bowl.

San Francisco and New York sent the high-powered offenses of New Orleans and Green Bay home for the offseason after divisional-round wins last weekend. The 49ers won 36-32 at home over the Saints and the Giants stunned the top-seeded Packers 37-20.

“I think it probably surprised a lot of people that the Giants and the 49ers are in the NFC championship game,” 49ers first-year coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Surprising is the correct word to describe both teams’ surges.

Harbaugh inherited a 6-10 team and guided it to 13 wins and the franchise’s first playoff berth in nine seasons before last Saturday’s dramatic victory on Alex Smith’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis with nine seconds left.

“I think it was a physical, emotional expenditure by everybody that was in that game,” Harbaugh said. “The thing that you’re so proud of is the character of the football team.”

The Giants looked like anything but a contender in splitting their first 14 games before clinching the NFC East by closing the regular season with double-digit wins over the Jets and Cowboys. New York has become the first team to begin the postseason in the wild-card round and win its first two games by at least 17 points.

Ten of the 12 previous teams to win their first two playoff contests by such a margin went on to win the Super Bowl. The Giants are 4-0 all-time in NFC championships.

“We are not going to be denied,” safety Antrel Rolle said. “We are not going to be denied at this point. We understand what we have as a team. It’s not all talent, it’s about chemistry and we are jelling at this point. Coaches and players being on the same page at the same time. We have one mind, to win a championship.”

The Giants’ pass rush has come alive during this four-game win streak with 17 sacks, including four of Aaron Rodgers last Sunday. The emergence of second-year Pro Bowler Jason Pierre-Paul, return of Osi Umenyiora for the Dallas game and the improved health of Justin Tuck have boosted one of the league’s most fearsome units.

The 49ers, meanwhile, had the league’s top rushing defense in allowing 77.3 yards per game as well as a pass rush led by rookie Aldon Smith’s 14.0 sacks. San Francisco earned a reputation for delivering bone-crushing hits while tying for the league lead in creating 38 takeaways.

“We’re not really trying to hurt people,” safety Donte Whitner said. “But when we play physical, people get hurt.”

Trying to attack those defenses will be quarterbacks who have enjoyed vastly different careers since being top overall draft picks one year apart.

The Giants’ Eli Manning, taken first overall in 2004, fell 67 yards shy of 5,000 this year. His play this postseason (607 passing yards, six TDs, one interception) has brought back memories of New York’s 2007 playoff run in which he excelled en route to earning Super Bowl MVP honors.

San Francisco took Alex Smith with the top pick in the 2005 draft, but he never found his footing until playing for his third coach in Harbaugh. Smith guided an offense that had the fewest turnovers in the NFL with 10, and he proved his mettle by leading the Niners to two touchdown drives in the final 2:11 last weekend.

“He has great mental toughness,” Harbaugh said. “He has a way to be focused and loose in the most pressure situations. He’s got that makeup about him that allows him to play and execute.”

Davis finished with seven catches for 180 yards in his postseason debut. He was ecstatic that the Giants’ upset allowed the 49ers to host this contest rather than have to travel to Green Bay.

“We don’t have to go nowhere. We can just go out back, go out back and throw the football around,” Davis said. “The opponents, they come to us. And that’s always good, having home-field advantage, and having the team come to you.”

San Francisco is 4-3 in the postseason against New York, which won the lone championship meeting in 1990 at Candlestick to end the 49ers’ chances of a third straight Super Bowl title.

More recently, San Francisco won 27-20 at home Nov. 13 in a game in which Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw missed due to injury. The Niners’ top receiver in that game, tight end Delanie Walker, has a broken jaw and his status for Sunday is uncertain.

Manning threw for two touchdowns and 311 yards as well as two interceptions to Pro Bowl cornerback Carlos Rogers. His bid to lead a game-tying TD drive ended in the final minute when Justin Smith batted down a fourth-down pass.

“We know what to expect with them,” said Manning, who missed part of Wednesday’s workout with a stomach bug. “They’re a very sound team. They’re very good. They have good players. They play with great energy.”

The Giants held a hampered Frank Gore to no yards on six carries in that contest, and none of his five 100-yard efforts have come since. Smith completed 19 of 30 passes for 242 yards, one score and one interception.

Hakeem Nicks’ last touchdown reception on the road came in that game before he scored twice last week. Nicks has 280 yards receiving and four TDs in the postseason as part of a dangerous group of receivers that includes Victor Cruz, third in the league with 1,536 yards.

“That is a worthy opponent,” Harbaugh said. “That is a scary opponent. We will have to come with every ounce of our ‘A’ game as well.”

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/preview;_ylt=AoHrQJnUTsNzpsLJhI90kq5DubYF?gid=20120122025

Paterno legacy damaged by scandal, but not erased

Truly great leaders are measured by the lives they reached, the people they motivated and the legacy of their lesson that can extend for years to come, like ripples from a skipped stone across an endless lake.

For Joe Paterno, the impact is incalculable, the people he connected with extending far beyond the players he coached for 62 years at Penn State, the last 46 as head football coach. Paterno always tried to be the giant who walked among the everyman both in the school’s greatest moments and, it turns out, in its worst.

Paterno died Sunday at a State College, Pa., hospital, suffering in his final days from lung cancer, broken bones and the fallout of a horrific scandal that not only cost him his job, but also his trademark vigor and a portion of his good name. He was 85 years old.

This is a complicated passing. What was once the most consistent and basic of messages – honor, ethics and education – seemingly lived out as close to its ideal as possible was rocked Nov. 5, 2011, when a grand jury indicted Paterno’s former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, of multiple counts of sexual abuse of children.

Many, including Penn State’s Board of Trustees, believed Paterno could have and should have done more to stop Sandusky, especially after allegations of misconduct arose in 2002. Within days Paterno was fired from the program and school to which he’d become synonymous.

Now, a little more than two months later, he’s gone for good, a bitter, brutal ending for an American original.

He was the winningest college football coach of all time, compiling a 409-136-3 record. He won national titles in 1982 and 1986 and recorded four other undefeated seasons, including consecutively in 1968 and 1969.

He was a bridge from a simpler time to the cutthroat business college football has become, somehow serving as both a progressive force (he believed in players’ rights, a playoff system and welcomed advancements in television) and a stubborn traditionalist (the Penn State uniforms remained basic, he never learned how to send a text message and he still used old-school discipline).

In 2007, when a group of his players got into a fight at a party, Paterno determined it would best if the entire team had to clean Beaver Stadium after home games. “I think that we need to prove to people that we’re not a bunch of hoodlums,” he said at the time.

That was Paterno at his best, this singular figure offering simple lessons. He was the rock. He was the constant. He was the conscience. He was JoePa, his nickname suggesting a fatherly quality to not just his players, not just Penn State students who could still find his number listed in the local phone book and not just Nittany Lions football fans.

He was a larger-than-life figure in the small, bucolic town of State College, and if you wanted to draw something good and decent from college football, well, here’s where you always could. Don’t worry, he’d still be there, as unchanged as ever.

He gave millions of dollars back to the school – the library is named after him and his wife, Sue. He raised millions more at speaking engagements across the country. He encouraged vibrant alumni to take incredible pride in their university, unusual for many state schools in the east. Yet he was still this guy out of Brooklyn, with a thick accent and even thicker glasses. He was humble. He was approachable.

It seemed, for anyone who wanted to believe, that he provided perspective amid the circus.

“We’re trying to win football games, don’t misunderstand that,” Paterno told Sports Illustrated’s Dan Jenkins in 1968, when he was just 41. “But I don’t want it to ruin our lives if we lose. I don’t want us ever to become the kind of place where an 8-2 season is a tragedy. Look at that day outside. It’s clear, it’s beautiful, the leaves are turning, the land is pretty and it’s quiet. If losing a game made me miserable, I couldn’t enjoy such a day.

“I tell the kids who come here to play, enjoy yourselves. There’s so much besides football. Art, history, literature, politics.”

That this attitude would come from the guy who would win the most games ever was part of the charm, as if Paterno was running a ruse on everyone chasing him all those crisp autumns. He was playing chess, they were getting check-mated.

No, the full truth never squares with these kinds of narratives. No, he wasn’t perfect, he wasn’t without fault or selfishness or vanity or difficult moods. He was close enough though. Sometimes, having someone to believe in is enough.

“You know what happens when you’re No. 1?” Paterno said more than 40 years ago to Jenkins. “Nobody is happy until you’re No. 1 again and that might never happen again.”

It would happen again and again and again, actually.

Read More: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news;_ylt=AngzRZ3KapuFozhIax0.3_BDubYF?slug=dw-wetzel_joe_paterno_obituary_012212

Big 12 wrap: OSU, Baylor flip script

The Big 12 had the preseason No. 1 team, and though that team didn’t live up to expectations, the league did have a national title contender and the Heisman winner.

Thus, while the league was hit with more realignment problems, the on-field product – for the most part – remained the over-riding storyline.

While Oklahoma went into the season ranked No. 1, Oklahoma State outshone its in-state rival and was in the national title hunt until it fell to Iowa State on Nov. 18. Even then, the Cowboys had their backers; they ended the season by making a case that they deserved to be No. 1 by beating Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl.

Baylor was in the national spotlight, too. On the first Friday of the season, QB Robert Griffin III led a stirring 50-48 victory over TCU. That was the first of a string of great games for Griffin, who became the first Baylor player to win the Heisman. In addition, he led the Bears to just their second 10-win season ever.

On the flipside, Missouri and Texas A&M left to join the SEC. To counter their defections, the Big 12 announced that TCU and West Virginia were joining the league. But while TCU will be a full-fledged member this fall, it might be a while for WVU. WVU wants to play in the Big 12 this fall, but the Big East is fighting that. Both sides have filed lawsuits, which mean it might be 2013 before WVU is a Big 12 participant.

Here’s a closer look at the Big 12.

Best postseason performance: Oklahoma State. The Cowboys fell behind 14-0 early in the second quarter to Andrew Luck and Stanford, but rallied and ended up winning 41-38 in overtime. They were the beneficiary of extremely conservative playcalling by Stanford coach David Shaw in the final minute of regulation, but they also deserve credit for finding a way to win despite getting shredded for 590 total yards. WR Justin Blackmon went out on an extremely high note, catching eight passes for 186 yards and three TDs in one of the postseason’s best performances.

Worst postseason performance: Iowa State. “Worst” is a relative term. The Big 12 was 6-2 in the postseason (two of the wins were by schools leaving for the SEC), and neither of the losses was a surprise. Iowa State gets the nod here because it didn’t play as well in its loss as Kansas State did in its setback. The Cyclones’ defense couldn’t stop Rutgers’ rushing attack in the Pinstripe Bowl; Rutgers had been mediocre on the ground during the regular season.

Underclassmen turning pro early: Texas RB Jamison Berryhill, Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon, Kansas State RB Bryce Brown, Baylor QB Robert Griffin III, Oklahoma LB/DE Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma State FS Johnny Thomas

Team most hurt by early departures: Baylor. Any time you lose a Heisman winner early, it hurts. But with Griffin’s departure, Baylor also is losing a transformative figure for the program. To make it even worse, Baylor’s leading rusher and leading receiver were seniors, so the Bears have a lot of rebuilding to do on offense.

Coaching change: Charlie Weis in at Kansas, replacing Turner Gill; Weis had been offensive coordinator at Florida.

Key coordinator hire: Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. The former Arizona coach will re-join his brother with the Sooners. For whatever reason, OU has struggled a bit defensively the past few seasons. The hope is that the fieriest Stoops brother will make an instant impact.

Coach on the hottest seat in the fall: None. Texas has underachieved the past two seasons, but Mack Brown isn’t going to get fired. That said, another 7-5 season might lead to a retirement by Brown.

Recruiting storyline to watch: The potential exists for just two league teams to have top-25 recruiting classes. That would be a surprisingly low number. Texas and Oklahoma look like locks for top-10 classes, and the Longhorns having a highly rated class certainly isn’t a surprise. Oklahoma State is coming off its second consecutive 11-win season, but the Cowboys’ class is underwhelming. Kansas State’s on-field success isn’t translating to recruiting success, either, but coach Bill Snyder never seems to have highly rated classes.

Read More: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news;_ylt=Au_2uQxfJVq9lS_btbRGrM4cvrYF?slug=mh-huguenin_big_12_wrap_cowboys_bears_flip_script_012112

Big Ten wrap: Excitement overshadowed

A season of change in the Big Ten turned bad in November.


Joe Paterno's fall at Penn State amid a shocking scandal became the league's biggest story of 2011.
(US Presswire)
This season saw the Big Ten split into divisions for the first time because of the admittance of Nebraska, and that led to the first league championship game.

But it also saw Penn State icon Joe Paterno lose his coaching job in November in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal. Paterno had been at the school as assistant or coach since 1950.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel already had lost his job in the aftermath of an NCAA investigation into rules violations.

The off-field issues overshadowed some exciting football. Michigan rallied to beat Notre Dame in the final seconds in September. Wisconsin lost back-to-back games in October on last-second Hail Marys. Nebraska rallied to win a thriller with Ohio State. Wisconsin outlasted Michigan State to win an exciting league championship game.

And the conference had a relatively successful postseason, too, going 4-6, including a BCS victory and a win over an SEC team in a Jan. 1 bowl.

Here’s a closer look at the Big Ten.

Best postseason performance: Michigan State. The Spartans had been beaten 73-19 in their past two bowl meetings with SEC teams, and when Georgia jumped out to a 16-0 halftime lead in the Outback Bowl, it looked as if Michigan State was in line for another bowl beatdown. But Michigan State held Georgia to 133 yards in the second half and through three overtimes, and the Spartans came away with a 33-30 victory. Michigan State’s defensive line dominated in the second half, and the Spartans finished with four sacks and a staggering 17 tackles for loss against the SEC East champs.

Worst postseason performance: Nebraska. The Capital One Bowl matchup with South Carolina was supposed to be close (the Gamecocks were 2.5-point favorites). It was close – but for just a half. South Carolina dominated the third and fourth quarters and won 30-13. The Huskers had just 253 yards and finished the season 9-4. Instead of their third consecutive 10-win season, the Huskers instead finished with their eighth consecutive season of at least four losses.

Underclassmen turning pro early: Michigan State TB Edwin Baker, Minnesota TE Tiree Eure, Wisconsin C Peter Konz, Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus, Purdue G Ken Plue, Iowa OT Riley Reiff, Michigan State DT Jerel Worthy

Team most hurt by early departures: Michigan State. Worthy, Konz, Mercilus and Reiff were potential All-Americans next season, but Baker’s departure coupled with Worthy’s decision makes the Spartans the dubious winner in this category. Worthy was a first-team Yahoo! Sports/Rivals.com All-America this season, and Baker ran for 655 yards and five TDs. While Baker’s workload decreased as the season progressed, he still was a proven Big Ten back. He ran for 1,201 yards in 2010.

Coaching change: Tim Beckman in at Illinois, replacing Ron Zook; Beckman had been coach at Toledo. Urban Meyer in at Ohio State, replacing interim Luke Fickell; Meyer, the former coach at Florida, spent this season as an ESPN analyst. Bill O’Brien in at Penn State, replacing Joe Paterno; O’Brien had been offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots.

Key coordinator hire: Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman. Herman’s hire probably elicited a yawn from most fans. After all, Herman came from Iowa State, which was far from an offensive juggernaut during his three years as the Cyclones’ coordinator. But Herman did excellent work at Rice, and that’s the key. When he had talent commensurate to the rest of the league – which was the case at Rice but not at Iowa State – his offenses put up huge numbers. He will have elite talent at Ohio State, and in Braxton Miller, he has a quarterback well-suited for a spread offense. The same goes for Wisconsin’s hiring of Todd Canada as offensive coordinator. He is a former coordinator at Indiana, and the Hoosiers’ offense was OK under his watch, considering the talent level. But this season at Northern Illinois, working with players who were among the best in their league (MAC) at their positions, he oversaw an offense that ranked 11th nationally. He will have big-time players with the Badgers.

Coach on the hottest seat in the fall: Purdue’s Danny Hope. While he received a contract extension in December after leading the Boilermakers to a bowl, he wouldn’t survive a three- or four-win season in 2012. No other coach in the league looks to be even remotely feeling the heat.

Recruiting storyline to watch: Despite facing NCAA sanctions, Ohio State is going to have the best class in the league. If folks don’t think Urban Meyer is going to recruit with a vengeance … well, let’s just say those folks aren’t paying attention. When Meyer is focused, he is one of the two or three best head coaches on the recruiting trail. Michigan is recruiting well, too, but the Wolverines’ class won’t be as good as Ohio State’s. Remember that Meyer has been on the job for about a month, and think how good he will be in the next recruiting cycle.

Read More: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news;_ylt=Ahq3N7nSWCohfJuDaimxuc8cvrYF?slug=mh-huguenin_big_ten_scandal_overshadows_excitement_012012

Big East wrap: Struggles on and off field

The Big East made far more headlines for off-field issues than on-field play during 2011.

It was announced in the fall that Pittsburgh and Syracuse were leaving for the ACC in the 2013-14 academic year. West Virginia, meanwhile, announced about a month later that it was leaving for the Big 12. But WVU is trying to join the Big 12 this summer, and the Big East and WVU have filed lawsuits over the proposed move. That means WVU’s departure could be delayed a year.

As a result of the pending defections, the Big East announced in December that Houston, SMU and UCF were leaving Conference USA to become full members and that Boise State and San Diego State were leaving the Mountain West to become football-only members. Those moves also take place in 2013-14.

On the field, the Big East basically was known for its mediocrity – well, at least until West Virginia cranked it up and scored 70 points on Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

Here’s a closer look at the Big East.

Best postseason performance: West Virginia. The Mountaineers’ offense was a well-oiled machine in the Orange Bowl. WVU scored an NCAA bowl-record 70 points in routing Clemson 70-33. WVU’s defense had some issues, sure, but when the offense is that prolific, does it matter? Everything came together for WVU in the bowl game, especially along the offensive line. That group had been criticized for lackluster play during the season, but they played excellent football against Clemson.

Worst postseason performance: Pittsburgh. Panthers players just didn’t look as if they cared when they lost 28-6 to SMU in the BBVA Compass Bowl. The date (Jan. 7) and the coaching turmoil likely played big roles in the uninspired performance. Pitt finished with 10 rushing yards and surrendered seven sacks.

Underclassmen turning pro early: Syracuse WR Dorian Graham, Syracuse DE Chandler Jones, Rutgers WR Mohamed Sanu, USF TB Darrell Scott, Syracuse G Phillip Thomas

Team most hurt by early departure: Rutgers. Sanu was the best wide receiver in the league this season, startling because of the Scarlet Knights’ pedestrian quarterbacks, and no one player on Rutgers’ roster will be able to match his production (115 catches, 1,206 yards, seven TDs).

Coaching change: Paul Chryst in at Pittsburgh, replacing Todd Graham; Chryst had been offensive coordinator at Wisconsin.

Key coordinator hire: Until West Virginia hires a defensive coordinator, we’re going to leave this section unfinished. Pitt made a good hire when it nabbed Bob Bostad as offensive coordinator, but there was a report Thursday morning that Bostad, after less than a month on the job, had left to become the Chicago Bears’ offensive line coach. Bostad came with Chryst from Wisconsin. But Pitt officials said the story was false.

Coach on the hottest seat in the fall: None. The seats under Syracuse’s Doug Marrone and USF’s Skip Holtz could get warm next fall, though. The Orange took a step backward after winning a bowl in 2010. USF, meanwhile, saw its six-season bowl streak end – and end in a season in which the Big East was relatively weak top to bottom.

Recruiting storyline to watch: USF is getting beat in its own state by league rivals Louisville and West Virginia – and maybe Cincinnati, too. USF has some solid in-state prospects committed, but Louisville and WVU have more. That’s not good. Another potential storyline is that no Big East team is going to finish in the top 25 in recruiting.

Read More: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news;_ylt=An8DtvZMuVr0R3vGZ2EwE9gcvrYF?slug=mh-huguenin_big_east_review_change_coming_011912

Offensive Tweets Lead to Expulsion of Star

Yuri Wright, one of the best high school cornerbacks in the country, has spent most of his senior year trying to decide what college to attend.

This weekend - because of his own Twitter account - he has to look for a new high school first.

Wright was expelled from Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep on Thursday after a series of offensive tweets that were sexually graphic and racially insensitive were discovered on his Twitter account.

The remarks forced the hand of the all-boys private school in Bergen County, one that has finished in the Top 10 nationally the past three years, including No. 2 this past season.

"He's a good kid and I think he has a bright college future and I wish him the best of luck," Don Bosco head coach Greg Toal told nj.com. "There is no question Don Bosco had to do what it had to do."

Wright is listed as the No. 85 overall recruit in the country in the final Rivals250 rankings. He is considered the seventh-best player at his position and third-best talent in the state of New Jersey.

At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, he has the size, strength and speed to be a big-time college player. It's the reason schools such as Michigan, Notre Dame, Georgia, Colorado and Rutgers were among his five finalists.

Michigan has pulled its offer - other schools were mulling doing so.

This is just the last example of how social media mistakes can impact teenagers.

"To my knowledge this is the highest profile prospect to be dropped by a college program and expelled from school over Twitter," Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell said.

Wright has not commented since the episode unfolded. But Farrell, who has dealt with Wright personally throughout his high school career, knows how big an impact this is.

"This has ruined Yuri's chance to attend the school he has labeled as his dream school in Michigan and it could cause other schools to back off as well," he said. "Hopefully this example will send a wake-up call to high profile prospects moving forward to watch what they put out in cyberspace."

Not that Wright hasn't been warned.

"I know conversations about Facebook and Twitter occur all the time at high schools, especially at Don Bosco," Farrell said.

In fact, Farrell said, Toal has been preaching personal accountability for more than a decade - and about more than just social media.

"Coach Toal teaches the kids more than just football," Farrell said. "He's always teaching them about representing themselves and their school - on the field, on recruiting trips, on home visits by coaches. Don Bosco is the last place I would expect this to happen."

And Wright one of the last kids.

"I've talked to Yuri many times," Farrell said. "I've seen him at practice, with other kids and he's always been very polite, very respectful. Shy in a lot of ways."

The initial story was first published on Thursday on a Michigan fan site as an explanation for why the Wolverines had stopped recruiting the four-star defensive back. It has been met with some backlash as Wright's comments were pulled from a private - not public - Twitter account and intended for his own personal friends.

That being said, the account had more than 1,500 followers.

Sources close to Wright said he has other scholastic options and graduating from high school will not be an issue.

How it impacts his collegiate destination remains to be seen. It's unclear if Rutgers - which was supposed to host Wright this weekend - will do so.

Farrell, who has been covering recruiting for more than a decade, thinks colleges will come around again after dealing with the initial public relations fallout.

National Signing Day - the point in which recruits can officially sign Letters of Intent to schools - is on Feb. 1. But athletes do not have to declare their intentions on that day. Many wait days, weeks or months before making a decision.

Farrell feels schools will hold a spot for Wright long past signing day.

"From a college recruiting standpoint however, I don't expect this to keep Yuri Wright from being a major college football prospect," he said. "I know that two new schools jumped in on his recruitment Thursday night expecting a few others to drop out and I expect he will be heavily recruited up until Signing Day.

"I've followed kids who have done much, much worse in high school and still ended up earning college scholarships and going on to excellent careers. He did not commit a crime here while others have and still gone on to college. He's a 17-year-old kid who made a mistake and I hope others learn from it and become more responsible on Facebook and Twitter with their comments."

Source: http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1321024

Hagler: Dubai has good chance to host Pacquiao fight

‘Marvelous' Marvin Hagler is the latest high profile name from the world of boxing after Evander Holyfield and Freddie Roach to support Dubai's quest to host the Manny Pacquiao Floyd Mayweather fight.

Speaking exclusively to Gulf News from his home in Milan, Italy, the former undisputed middleweight champion of the world, said: "Boxing has been around for many years and has an established audience, but it's always good to seek a new audience. This could help reawaken the sport if it [Pacquiao - Mayweather] were to be hosted in new markets like Dubai.

"Boxing fans from all over the world remember the ‘Thriller in Manila' and the ‘Rumble in the Jungle' because those fights shocked the world and gave boxing its place at the number one spot in sport at that moment in time."

Dispelling talk of a time-zone disconnect between the emirate and the US' primetime pay-per-view market, Hagler, who fought 67, won 62, 52 by KO, with three losses and two draws, added: "A fight of this nature would be a great deal because the world would be watching no matter what time it is.

"I can't say if money or the time-zone factor will count Dubai out of the equation but regardless I would have thought Dubai has a good chance. You know the name of the game, whoever has the money can host the fight. So ultimately it depends on who can financially host it."

Rumours fight is worth Dh551m

With the fight rumoured to be worth up to $150million (Dh551m) and the promoter needing up to US$50 million (Dh183.655m) in their bank account just to get the contract signed, the only people who can bring the fight to Dubai is the government, according to Emirati boxer Eisa Al Dah.

Roach revealed recently that a group from the emirate has been in negotiations to bring the fight to Dubai. They are apparently in a race with Dallas to stage the fight at an unconfirmed date later this year.

Read More: http://gulfnews.com/sport/other-sports/hagler-dubai-has-good-chance-to-host-pacquiao-fight-1.969343

An NBA Civil War in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES -- It was one of the NBA's most anticipated games in the shortened season thus far: Lakers vs Clippers in a hoops version of Battle Los Angeles last January 14 at Staples Center.

The purple and gold Lakers have 16 championships under their belt, while the red, white and blue clad Clippers have 16 less. But for the first time in ages, this match-up was must-see TV because, finally, the indomitable Kobe Bryant and friends now have stiff resistance from high-flying Blake Griffin, assists-happy Chris Paul and friends.

And PhilBoxing.com had media credentialed seats to the event.

The menu had a Cinco De Mayo feel to it when I fueled up at the media dining room prior to tip-off ---- Grilled lime chili rubbed chicken, cheese enchiladas, Mexican red rice, grilled chayote squash, sweet corn, pico de gallo and salsa. Also lying defenseless on the buffet table were ingredients for a build-your-own salad and tacos.

The main course, of course, was the basketball game. And it did not disappoint.

Kobe Bryant put up a show, the 42-point variety, the kind that won him 5 NBA titles, an MVP award, multiple All-Star appearances and the adulation of millions of fans around the globe.

But it wasn't enough to stop the Clippers from running away with an impressive 102-94 triumph.

The aforementioned Blake Griffin was spectacular with 22 points and 14 rebounds while the 6-foot court general that is Chris Paul towered above the competiton with 6 assists and 33 points. Veteran Chauncey Billups, who left Detroit for L.A. in the off-season, joined the Clippers assault with 19 points while ex-Mavs Caron Butler chipped in 13.

Before a a predominantly partisan crowd of 19,895 at Staples Center, the Clippers made 35 of 85 field goals, 9 of 21 triples, and 23 of 30 free throws. It's not exactly a masterpiece of good shooting percentage, but the Clippers made up for it by outrebounding the Lakers 50-32 and by playing hard and aggressive on both ends of the floor.

Round 2 of the Lakers vs. Clippers rivalry takes place on Jan. 25 with Kobe and company playing host. So far, though, it's the Clippers who are shaping up as the flavor of the month in hoops-crazy Los Angeles.

Either way, the Clippers rise is a boon for Los Angeles sports. This, after all, is a town where David Beckham bends soccer balls, where Albert Pujols will soon will soon light the baseball diamond as an Angel, and where Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao trains for his mega fights at the unpretentious sweat shop that is Wild Card along Vine St.

Mark your calenders for Lakers vs Clippers Part II in just over a week. Until then, a rivalry simmers.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-65343.html

Ali still 'The Greatest' as he celebrates 70th

Rumble, young man, rumble," used to be his battle cry.

But Muhammad Ali is an old man now, ravaged by his years in the ring and his decades of braving Parkinson's disease. The voice that used to bellow that he was "The Greatest" is largely muted now, save for those times in the mornings when he is able to whisper his thoughts.

The face, though, is still that of the most recognizable man on earth. Maybe not as finely chiseled as it was in his prime, but close enough.

"It's not like he doesn't look like himself," said his oldest daughter, Maryum "May May" Ali. "It's the same face, the Parkinson's hasn't affected that.'"

Ali turns 70 on Tuesday, giving Baby Boomers who grew up with him one more reason to reflect on their own advancing years.

He's fought Parkinson's the way he fought the late Joe Frazier, never giving an inch. But it's a fight he can't win, and nearly 30 years of living with it has taken a heavy toll.

His days at home with wife, Lonnie, in a gated community near Phoenix, generally follow the same routine: He gets out of bed and takes a shower before easing into his favorite chair for long hours at a time.

Sometimes he will watch videos of his old fights. The hands will move, eyes will twitch, as he remembers the magnificent fighter and physical specimen he once was.

"I always say the only person who likes to watch old Muhammad Ali fights more than me is him," said John Ramsey, a Louisville radio and television personality who has been a close friend of Ali's for more than 30 years. "His memory is better than mine and he's very sharp. His sense of humor is still there, too."

Through it all he remains a proud man. There are no complaints. No time spent bemoaning his fate.
It is, the devout Muslim would say, God's will.

"He would always just say to his family, 'These are the cards I was dealt, so don't be sad,' " Maryum Ali said. "He never played the victim. There was never any 'Woe is me.' "

Inner strength

That he is still alive so long after being diagnosed with the degenerative disease may be a tribute to the athleticism and inner strength that helped him stop Frazier on a brutally hot morning in the Philippines and helped him knock out the fearsome George Foreman in Africa. Among the heavyweights of his generation he was a big man, standing 6-2 and usually weighing in at around 210 pounds.

He's stooped now and weighs much less. But his arms are those of a younger man, and his body still shows signs of the magnificent sculpting of days gone by. Every Sunday, his doctor in Phoenix makes a house call to make sure he's doing OK.

There are medications to help relieve his symptoms; there is no cure for Parkinson's.

"The Parkinson's has affected him a lot; one of the things he has is a lot of difficulty speaking," said Dr. Abraham Lieberman, director of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center in Phoenix. "But he's never downbeat about it. He's a tremendous inspiration to everyone."

In November, a few days after he traveled to Philadelphia to say goodbye to Frazier, Ali was rushed to a Phoenix-area hospital. His family later brushed it off as nothing more than dehydration.

The fact he was quickly back resting at home didn't surprise those who really know him.

"Ali was always at his best when things were the worst," said Gene Kilroy, his former business manager and good friend. "It's the kind of man he is."

Ali, his daughter says, is in the late stages of Parkinson's now, a time when doctors say patients are particularly susceptible to things that can kill them.

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death among Parkinson's patients, who are also at constant risk for other infections. The increasing inability to swallow can be fatal, and falls are always a major concern.

"He's had a very visible and courageous fight against this disease. He has not given up," said Dr. Blair Ford, a professor of clinical neurology at Columbia University, who specializes in Parkinson's research. "Three decades of Parkinson's is devastating. This is a tougher opponent than anyone he's faced."

How Ali got the disease will never be known, because not much is known about the cause of Parkinson's -- other than it is characterized by increasingly severe tremors and periodically stiff or frozen limbs. What is known is that patients gradually lose brain cells that produce dopamine, a chemical key to the circuitry that controls muscle movement, and the treatment is generally dopamine-boosting medication.

29,000 punches

Ali once calculated that he took 29,000 punches to the head in a career that spanned more than two decades. He fought without headgear as an amateur, and never backed down while trading punches with brutal sluggers like Frazier, Earnie Shavers and Foreman.

By the final stages of his career, he was slurring his words. Not long afterward, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Lieberman says he doesn't believe Ali got Parkinson's because of repeated blows to the head because he doesn't have classic Dementia Pugilista, which afflicted the late Jerry Quarry, whom Ali defeated twice. Ali is coherent and his thought process is still intact, though the Parkinson's forces him to communicate more with gestures and actions instead of words.

Daughter Maryum believes her father's choice of profession had something to do with his fate.

"In my heart, I think it was a combination of Parkinson's and trauma to the head," she said. "He got hit a lot and he fought for a long time."

Indeed he did. Ali's fights often went 15 rounds and he would often stick his head out and dare opponents to land punches just to respond with some flurries and, on a good night, perhaps even do the Ali shuffle.


The stories of his legendary battles with Frazier and Foreman are etched in the fabric of the times, monuments to a sport that has never been the same since he retired. His fights were so big they had names like the "Thrilla in Manila" and the "Rumble in the Jungle."

Back then, no one could have imagined the Ali they see now. He was a towering figure who won over a country with his mere presence when he fought Foreman in Zaire. Bombastic on the stage, he taunted opponents and teased world figures, once telling Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos: "I saw your wife. You're not as dumb as you look."

'Never another like him'

"He was brash. He could shoot off his mouth. He could do things a lot of people want to do but couldn't do, and he backed it up with his fists," said Ed Schuyler Jr., who traveled the world covering Ali's fights for The Associated Press. "He was Muhammad Ali. There will never be another like him."

Other stories came later. Foreman tells how he tenderly helped Ali button his shirt as they prepared for a dinner honoring them in London. It was early in the progression of his disease, and Ali didn't appreciate his old foe having to help him get ready, challenging Foreman to another fight.

Later the world would be shocked at the sight of Ali trembling almost uncontrollably as he stood for what seemed like forever while lighting the Olympic flame in 1996 in Atlanta. It's a moment indelibly etched in time, and it helped turn the final sentiment of public opinion -- some resented his refusal to be drafted -- in his favor.

More recently, Ramsey tells the story of going with Ali to visit a dying boy in the hospital, something Ali has done with regularity since his championship days.

Then, as before, the rule was no cameras, no press. Just Ali and the boy in the room together.

"He just held the boy's hand for a long time and they stared in each other's eyes," Ramsey said. "He didn't say a word; they just connected."

Today, Ali still goes to occasional sporting events, where he is invariably greeted with warm, standing ovations. His oldest daughter joined him last September for one, sitting with Ali and his wife in the owner's suite at Angel Stadium for a baseball game. Ali was taken to the suite in a golf cart, waving and shaking hands as he slowly went by.

"His eyes were bright and he was really enjoying himself," Maryum Ali said. "Lonnie says he functions better when he uses his mind, and I know it makes him feel good when people remember him."

Birthday bash

The festivities for his 70th birthday include a Feb. 18 bash at the MGM Grand arena in Las Vegas, where celebrities and former fighters like Foreman, Ken Norton, Leon Spinks and Roberto Duran will pay tribute to him. Manny Pacquiao may sing a song, and millions of dollars will be raised for brain research.

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Dirk leads Mavs to 90-85 win over Boston

Delonte West dribbled down the clock and then did what a Dallas point guard does: He got the ball to Dirk Nowitzki for the winner.

Nowitzki drove past Kevin Garnett for the go-ahead layup with 5.1 seconds left, scoring 16 points Wednesday night to lead the Mavericks to a 90-85 victory over the Boston Celtics.

"It's a fun situation to be in," said Nowitzki, who also drew a foul and made the free throw to give Dallas a three-point lead. "Everybody's looking at you and your team really depends on you, so I like to be in the position where I can make something happen."

Dallas led most of the game, but Paul Pierce hit a 3-pointer — just his second basket of the night — to tie it at 85 with 25 seconds to play. West, a former Celtic starting because Jason Kidd has been out with a back injury, dribbled the clock down to about 10 seconds before giving it to the reigning NBA finals MVP.

Nowitzki cut to the basket around Garnett and picked up a foul from Brandon Bass while floating the ball into the basket.

"He was up tight on me, and I had to go to the basket," Nowitzki said. "I saw the clock go down, and I really didn't see it go in."

The Celtics had a chance to tie, but Rajon Rondo's pass to Ray Allen behind the 3-point line was too low to handle and went out of bounds.

Rondo scored 24 points for Boston and Garnett had 16 points with 10 rebounds. Pierce finished with five points and Allen had nine for the Celtics, who have lost two straight since winning four in a row.

"This is his (Rondo's) team right now, until everybody else gets it going," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We need him to be aggressive. We need to be a scorer. And attack. That's a change, but that's what it is right now until everybody else gets it going, because they are not."

Brendan Haywood had eight points and 11 rebounds and reserve Jason Terry scored 18 points as Dallas won its third straight game — all without Kidd. Nowitzki also had seven rebounds and four assists as the Mavericks, who swept Boston last season en route to their first NBA title, beat the Celtics for the third time in a row.

Dallas dominated the first quarter and gave it back in the second, but coach Rick Carlisle's ejection early in the third quarter seemed to turn things around.

Carlisle was called for consecutive technicals just 1:26 into the second half when he ran down the sideline, over midcourt, to protest to the referee. Allen hit the two technical foul shots to give Boston a 47-42 lead, but Dallas scored 24 of the next 30 points to take a 66-53 lead on Terry's 3-pointer with 2 minutes left in the third.

"It's my opinion, but Kevin Garnett shouldn't be allowed to bear hug Dirk coming off the screen," Carlisle said after the game. "I wanted to make my point. If it costs me a few thousand dollars so be it."

Boston scored the next six points, then opened the third quarter with Keyon Dooling's 3-pointer and a jumper by Bass to make it a four-point game. Dallas led 74-66 before the Celtics rallied to tie it at 77 on Rondo's layup with 6 minutes left. The teams then went on a scoring drought and it wasn't until Ian Mahinmi scored on a putback of Vince Carter's miss with just over 4 minutes left that the Mavericks retook the lead.

Dallas led 84-79 before Pierce, who had two points thus far, made one of two free throws and then made a nice pass to Garnett to set up a dunk that cut the deficit to two points. After West made one of two free throws, Pierce hit a 3-pointer from the right of the key to tie it at 85.

The Celtics missed their first seven shots of the game and nine of their first 10 while falling behind 10-2 less than five minutes in. West had Dallas' first three baskets.

Notes: Pierce played in his 970th career game; his next will tie him with Kevin McHale for third on the Celtics' list. Only John Havlicek (1,270) and Robert Parish (1,106) are ahead of them. .... Celtics F Mickael Pietrus made his season debut, having missed the first two weeks to rehab his right knee after arthroscopic surgery. ... Boston Bruins forwards Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand watched the game courtside. ... Nowitzki needs three points to reach 23,000.

Source: News.Yahoo

Bryant scores 40 points, Lakers beat Jazz in OT

Andrew Bynum wasn't on the court the first time the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Utah Jazz.

He made his presence felt Wednesday night, with five blocked shots, including a game-saver on Al Jefferson's short jumper with 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime as the Lakers held on for a 90-87 victory.

Kobe Bryant scored 40 points to lead the Lakers, including a pair of free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining for the final margin.

"Andrew kind of made of his own coverage on Al and we tried to keep telling him to get out of it," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "But he didn't listen to us and whatever he did, worked. So I'm going to add it to my defensive package."

Jefferson, who was coming off a season-high 30-point effort against Cleveland on Tuesday, was held to 11 points on 5-of-17 shooting.

Paul Millsap led the Jazz with a season-high 29 points, hitting 14 of 24 shots.
The loss was the first at home for the Jazz this season and halted their five-game winning streak.

The Lakers embarrassed the Jazz in Utah's season-opener, winning by 25 even without Bynum on Dec. 27.

This one was close throughout, with Millsap's tip-in tying it at 78 with 21 seconds left in regulation.

Bryant, coming of a 48-point game Tuesday night at home against Phoenix, missed a shot at the buzzer that would have won it in regulation for Los Angeles.
Millsap then scored the first four points of overtime, but the Lakers fought back, with 3-pointers by Bryant and Pau Gasol.

"Pau's got a green light to shoot the 3," Brown said. "As you can tell, guys trust him. Kobe made a pass to him late in the game at a crucial point. To see him step and knock it down was huge for us."

Seven-foot Bynum came up even bigger.

He made just 5 of 13 shots, but his tip-in with 51 seconds left in OT put the Lakers ahead 88-87.

Millsap brought the Jazz within one, then after Bryant's miss, the Jazz found themselves with a chance to win.

Gordon Hayward had the ball and started toward the lane, only to pass it to Jefferson underneath.

Bynum was there.

"It was just a reaction," Bynum said about his block. "I'm lucky he went for the quick flip."

Hayward said he thought about shooting it himself.

"The clock's winding down, a final scramble and we didn't know what was going on," Hayward said. "There were 8 seconds left, so I got to make a play. Maybe I could have shot a 1-2 pullup, but I thought it was the right play, the right pass. We got a good look. Bynum just made a good play."

Bryant would block a long 3-point attempt by Devin Harris as the Jazz inbounded with 0.7 seconds remaining in OT.

The win was the first on the road for the Lakers (8-4), while Utah (6-4) is 5-1 at home.

"It felt good to get a road win here," Bryant said. "It's a very tough place to play and it was a huge test for us."

But even he wasn't so sure Gasol could knock down the 22-footer from the corner.

"Pau's been shooting them well in practice and coach has been urging me to trust him at the 3-point line," Bryant said. "I thought about passing it to him, it seemed like an eternity. But I said, 'What the hell.'

"You think Tebow prays? When that ball left his hand, I must have said 30 Hail Mary's."

Gasol finished with 14 points. He was just 5 of 14 overall, but hit his only 3-point attempt — his first of the season.

"Tonight was not a very effective game on our part, for the most part," Gasol said.

"But we continued to fight through it. We forgot about everything else and we made two big plays down the stretch with the put-back and the block and I was able to make a couple plays. Hopefully we'll get the bodies that we have injured right now and it will give us a deeper rotation."

If the Lakers were celebrating a little more than usual, they say they earned the right.

"It was a tough game. It's hard to get a win here. Back to back, getting in here late last night, going to bed late. It's something to be proud of as a team," Gasol said. "Hopefully, we'll get some sleep and get ready for another back-to-back."

The Jazz also left feeling pretty good despite the loss, saying they are a different team than the one that faced the Lakers in the opener.

"We kept playing hard, didn't give up," Jefferson said. "It's one of those games at the end of the day we wish we could have won, but we could walk out with our head up. We played hard until the end. We just got to get ready for New Jersey."

The Jazz face the Nets on Saturday in a game that marks the return of Deron Williams for the first time since he was traded away last February.

"We're coming, we're getting better," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We played against a good team tonight. They were a little bit better but our effort was great."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bryant-scores-40-points-lakers-beat-jazz-ot-062002767--spt.html

Donaire Promise to be Sharp as ever vs Vasquez Jr.

Nonito Donaire has gotten the wedding behind him now, so Vazquez Jr. is now the main target, Nonito has been training hard as usual, and he think it's Vazquez Jr. who should be worried, not him. "There is not distractions from me, we are good, focused and I'm going to be sharper than I was in my last fight."

Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. warned him about coming up to the higher weights, guys are hitting a lot harder than the guys at 115. Vazquez Jr. is coming off a lost to Jorge Arce in a fight he had control of then gassed out, in which he said his conditioning for this fight is ahead of schedule and he is ready to fight. Nonito Donaire and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. will face off Feb.4.

Source: http://www.boxingsocialist.com/profiles/blogs/donaire-promise-to-be-sharp-as-ever-vs-vazquez-jr

Manny Pacquiao 48 Hours to Decide If He'll Fight Floyd

Manny Pacquiao could decide today or tomorrow whether he will fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5th -- this according to Manny's trainer.

Freddie Roach just told TMZ Manny and promoter Bob Arum are in the Philippines, figuring out if they can put off several deals to fight other boxers ... to clear the decks for a Mayweather fight in May.

Roach is scoffing at Mayweather's tweet, in which he calls Pacquiao a "punk," saying, "He should look in the mirror. He's been ducking us for 2 years."

As for what weight class Pacquiao will fight Mayweather ... Roach said 147 lbs -- that's the upper limit of welterweight.

Of course, even if Pacquiao can rearrange his schedule, both sides have to agree on a financial deal. Roach says, "We'll do it on even terms."

Source: http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/11/manny-pacquiao-floyd-mayweather-fight-freddie-roach/#.Tw6jYjXrqI8

Bulls hold off pesky Timberwolves

WHEN the Bulls raced to a 51-27 lead with only 5:21 left in the second quarter of their game against the Timberwolves at the Target Center in Minnesota last night , it seemed like their second straight win was a wrap.

But something scary happened on the way to the Bulls' 9th win in 11 games. Thanks to a cluster of timely 3-point shots and the prolific play of guards Ricky Rubio and Luke Ridnour, the Timberwolves clawed back to tie things up at 70-70 at the 3:46 mark of the 3rd quarter.

That's when the Bulls found an unliikely savior in Ronnie Brewer, who rattled five straight points to give Chicago some breathing room with a 75-70 cushion. Playing for the injured Rip Hamilton (groin strain), the 6-foot-7, 227-pound Brewer made the most of his extended minutes and scored 17 on 5-of-10 shooting. A 5-yera pro, Brewer also had four rebounds and three assists.

Luol Deng also played a pivotal role in keeping the Bulls above water in the midst of the Wolves' fiery rally. Deng, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds, drilled a short jumper and a 3 to keep Minnesota at bay 70-62 with still over four minutes left in the third quarter.

The Wolves would keep knocking on the door from that point on, and when Kevin Love made a pair of free throws in the final 1:33 of play, Minnesota had crept dangerously close to within 100-106.

And that's when MVP Derrick Rose put an end to all the drama. Rose, who had 14 of his game-high 31 points in the closing period, calmly drained a back-breaking 3 that put Chicago beyond reach, 109-100 with just 71 seconds remaining.

Despite an arid spell late in the second quarter, the Bulls shot 43-of-81 from the field (53.1 percent) and 11-of-21 from beyond the arc. They also dominated the boards 47-30 and gathered 24 assists against the Wolves' 18. The Bulls, unfortunately, did have 18 turnovers, which allowed the Wolves to mount repeated comebacks.

Ridnour led Minnesota with 22 while big man Kevin Love tallied 22 points and 13 rebounds. But the Wolves struggled from the field, making just 33 of their 78 shots, including 8-of-22 from 3-point territory. The 3-7 Wolves also missed 6 free throws.

The Bulls wrap up their three games in three nights extravaganza with a date against the 1-8 Washington Wizards Wednesday night at the United Center.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/columns.php?aid=12&id=65103

Mayweather's only option for May 5 bout is Canelo Alvarez

He's been the chief adviser to 23 world champions, going back to an era when boxing had fewer world champs than pro rassling does. He's been closely associated with promotional archrivals Top Rank and Golden Boy. And he launched the meteoric ring career of unbeaten Mexican wunderkind Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

His many friends refer to him as the "Mexican Cobra." His name is Rafael Mendoza, better known to me for four decades as "The Godfather." A former sportswriter for huge Mexican daily newspaper Esto, Mendoza still has his pulse centrally locared on boxing as he nears his 75th birthday on April 20.

("I turn 75 on that day and Adolph Hitler turns 110," Mendoza told me Wednesday night from his lavish lair in Guadalajara.)

The veteran fight operative says you can make book on two things right now, one, that Floyd Maytwitter and Manny Pacquiao will not fight in May and that the American will fight Mendoza's ex-protege, the ginger-haired Alvarez, on May 5 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

"Forget about (Robert) Guerrero, they call him 'Ghost" because he's got a a ghost of a chance of landing this fight against Floyd. I know he speaks English and Spanish and Canelo, despite being on HBO seven times or whatever, does not speak any English.

"But Canelo sells tickets. Canelo has a big market and what does Guerrero have? He's from a small town known only for its garlic crop," the former adviser to Mexican KO king Pipino Cuevas said.

"Look at when Canelo fought on the undercard of Mayweather-Mosley at the MGM, they drew 15,000 people. I believe that 14,000 of them were Mexicans who came to see Canelo's Las Vegas debut. Do you think those Mexican fans cared for Mayweather and Mosley? No, because Mexicans do not like how Mayweather fights, the hate his style.

"Canelo is the opponent who fits in for the date of May 5, the big Cinco de Mayo holiday. Most Mexicans know Canelo cannot win but they don't care. They will spend $60 for the pay per view TV and another $60 to buy 10 sixpacks of beer. To them, it will be a good excuse to get drunk.

"In their minds, they won't be paying to see Mayweather, they will be paying to see the Mexican fighter."

Mendoza revealed that Alvarez is embroiled in a lawsuit with Miami promoter Tutico Zabala and that the popular fighter is about to be deposed in that tortious interference case.

Mendoza said that Zabala has also sued Golden Boy.

"The only fighter Mayweather can sell tickets with on May 5 is Canelo so that will be who Floyd fights. Of this, I have no doubt."

Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-national/orange-crush-mayweather-s-only-option-for-may-5-bout-is-canelo-alvarez#ixzz1jEVLD2tc

Ortiz Granted A One-Fight to Face Berto

The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to grant a one-fight conditional license to former welterweight beltholder Victor Ortiz, whose status for his Showtime-televised Feb. 11 rematch with Andre Berto was in doubt as a result of comments he made after September's fourth-round knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

In response to a video interview during which Ortiz claimed that his intentional head butts were an attempt to break Maywearher's nose, Ortiz told the commission that his words were "taken out of context," adding that he was "very embarrassed" by his actions.

"I'm not a dirty fighter," said Ortiz. "I will never do something like this again."

Ortiz's actions occurred at the MGM on Sept. 17, where he is also scheduled to face Berto, from whom Ortiz gained the WBC belt by unanimous decision in April.

At the moment when Mayweather threw the two-punch combination that resulted in the knockout, Ortiz's hands were down at his sides after attempting to apologize -- in the form of a hug -- to Mayweather for a headbutt.

With referee Joe Cortez nearby, Mayweather took advantage of the opening and nailed Ortiz first with a jarring left hook and then a powerful, straight right hand that sent the ex-titleholder sprawling to his back. Ortiz rolled over and tried to get up, but failed to rise in time to beat Cortez's 10-count.

"The commission conditioned the license, but they granted it, which means that it's limited to one fight. So if Mr. Ortiz does anything improper during the fight with Mr. Berto, he may be subject to a discipline, and his rights for the license would automatically expire," said executive director Keith Kizer.

"On the flip side, if he acts properly, then he would be able to apply for a license for the rest of the year administratively, but he would have to go that additional step. So his license is only good for one fight, and thereafter, he'd have to be reviewed either administratively if he does nothing wrong, or he would have to go before the commission if he does do something wrong."

Kizer also said that further investigation will be conducted by the commision over the next 10 days, after which Ortiz could be fined $100,000 from his purse against Berto if that is deemed necessary upon further review of the comments.

"The condition is that $100,000 of his purse would be upheld for the February 11th fight if the executive director [Kizer] and the attorney general's office file a complaint for his actions with respect to the interview," said Kizer.

"I'm going to try to have that completed by the end of next week, and let Mr. Ortiz know one way or the other. So if I do file a complaint, then $100,000 of his purse will be upheld. If I do not, then that condition falls away."

Read More... http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/171055-ortizs-one-fight-license-to-face-berto