http://www.kentucky.com/339/index.xml News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com en-us Copyright 2008 Kentucky.com Other Sports 60 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:59:16 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench webmaster@kentucky.com http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/606777.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/606777.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:32 EST
"Ivan Gazidis was one of the founding executives of Major League Soccer," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. "His 14 years of service to the league and the sport of soccer in America have helped establish Major League Soccer as a legitimate first division sports league in North America and a respected soccer league throughout the world. Major League Soccer's on-field product has marched steadily forward, primarily due to Ivan's thorough understanding of the game and its global market, his impressive reasoning and judgment, and his deep-rooted desire to see soccer grow in North America."

As Deputy Commissioner, Gazidis, who will leave MLS to begin working for Arsenal in January, oversees all aspects of competition and player contracts for MLS.

"I have been privileged in my 14 years with MLS to have worked with and for some of the best sports executives and owners in the world, whose vision, commitment and expertise have taken the league from strength to strength," Gazidis said. "The league is superbly positioned for future growth and this provides me the opportunity to return home after 16 years in the United States. I am delighted to be offered the opportunity to work at Arsenal, a club rich in heritage and tradition, and I will bring all of my experiences at MLS to bear in my new role."

MLS Executive Vice President Todd Durbin and MLS Senior Vice President Nelson Rodriguez will handle Gazidis' duties until a replacement is named. Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner Joe Machnik, Director of Player Programs Alfonso Mondelo and MLS President Mark Abbott will also help out.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/606881.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/606881.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:33 EST
The 10 players selected from the league's other 14 teams will join goalkeeper Kasey Keller, midfielders Freddie Ljungberg and Sanna Nyassi and forward Sebastien Le Toux, who were already inked to contracts with the 2009 MLS expansion club.

"We feel like we got a great mix of players," Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer said. "We got an experienced veteran who has been there in the trenches and played lots of MLS games in Peter Vagenas. We got mid-tier experienced guys in [Jeff] Parke, [Nate] Jaqua and Khano Smith. We're very excited about the young players we were able to select.

"We weighted the draft a little more defensively, rather than the attack. We feel very good about our expansion draft players as they complement our existing four players. Together, they comprise a very solid core."

Six of the new Sounders FC players, who average 24.9 years old, started at least half of their teams' league games in 2008.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604343.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604343.html Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:44 EST
"There are a lot of good players on Kansas Citys roster," Cristman said. "I look forward to learning the system, settling in and making an impact. I am from Virginia and have always lived in coastal towns, but my wife and I look forward to experiencing new things in Kansas City."

Cristman, 23, was originally drafted by the Revolution in the fourth round of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft out of Virginia. In 46 career MLS fixtures, he scored 10 goals while adding five assists.

With the trade, the Revolution now have seven selections in the 2009 draft, including two picks in the first round, two in the second and two in the third.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604382.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604382.html Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:19 EST
"We are excited to have re-signed Jamison. He was a key player in turning Real Salt Lake around this season and we are happy he has decided to make a long term commitment to us," RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey said. "Retaining his physical presence in the center of our defense solidifies a key position as we look to build on the success of 2008 and have an even better 2009 season."

The 27-year-old Olave becomes the second South American player to sign a long- term extension with RSL in the last two months. Argentine playmaker Javier Morales inked a similar, four-season deal in September.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604465.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604465.html Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:04 EST
The other 14 MLS teams had to submit a list of 11 players to protect, with every other player on their roster available for selection by the Sounders. Teams did not have to protect Generation adidas players or designated players unless the player has a no-trade clause. Also, teams were restricted in the number of international players that they had to make available.

Seattle may not claim more than one player from any given team, and four teams will not have a player taken in the expansion draft. After the expansion draft, Seattle will also have priority over players who played professionally in the United Soccer Leagues.

Below is a complete team-by-team list of available players for Wednesday's draft:

CHIVAS USA - Kraig Chiles, Jim Curtin, Eric Ebert, Dejair Ferreira, Jorge Flores, Anthony Hamilton, Dan Kennedy, Gerson Mayen, Roberto Nurse, Daniel Paladini, Lance Parker, Ante Razov, Keith Savage, Claudio Suarez, Carey Talley, Zach Thornton, Lawson Vaughn, Sasha Victorine, Raphael Wicky, Alex Zotinca.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/603362.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/603362.html Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:16 EST
The Columbus Crew, one of the league's original 10 franchises in 1996, won their first MLS Cup Championship, 3-1, vs. the New York Red Bulls on Sunday afternoon at The Home Depot Center.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who was just named the league's most valuable player on Thursday after collecting seven goals and 19 assists during the regular season, collected an MLS Cup record three assists to lead his club to victory.

Alejandro Moreno, Chad Marshall and Frankie Hejduk all scored for the champions, who became the first Supporters' Shield winners since the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2002 to win the cup.

The Red Bulls actually carried the play to the Crew for the first 30 minutes of the game, but were unable to get any of their five shots on goal.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/603405.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/603405.html Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:46 EST
With the honor, he becomes just the third player in league history to win the regular season MVP award and the MLS Cup MVP award in the same year. Goalkeeper Tony Meola was the first, in 2000, when he led the Kansas City Wizards to their MLS Cup championship. Forward Carlos Ruiz did it two years later, leading the Los Angeles Galaxy to their first MLS title after scoring the golden goal in overtime.

While Schelotto's three assists were a record for an MLS Cup Final, Ante Razov holds the playoff record with four assists for the Chicago Fire in a 2000 quarterfinal match against the New England Revolution.

Schelotto had six assists for the entire postseason, tying the league record for one playoff season. Marco Etcheverry set the record with six assists in 1999, matched by Razov the following year.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/601904.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/601904.html Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:42 EST
"The Chicago Fire is pleased to have reached an agreement with Mexican club Santos Laguna for the short-term loan of midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco," said Chicago Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas. "Playing with Santos in the 2008 Apertura playoffs will offer Cuauhtemoc the opportunity to continue to compete at a high level during the MLS off season."

"The organization of Santos Laguna is thrilled," said Daniel Guzman, Technical Director of Santos.

Santos added Blanco to fill in for injured Christian Benitez, who suffered a fracture recently and will miss the postseason.

"We found an ideal reinforcement," said Guzman. "There is no doubt that Cuauhtemoc has a lot to give. We extended the invitation to him and what I am most pleased about was his desire to play soccer wherever he is."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/602261.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/602261.html Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:22 EST
If the Red Bulls win, Mayor Coleman will send a package of Ohio State Buckeye candies and a case of Columbus' finest ale from the Columbus Brewing Co. to the New York mayor.

If Columbus wins, Mayor Bloomberg will send a large John's Special pizza pie in honor of Staten Island native John Wolyniec, a New York forward, from Basille's Restaurant on Staten Island, a large Italian Hero from Leo's Latticini and Mama's of Corona, and a case of Brooklyn Lager from Brooklyn Brewery.

"Winning the Major League Soccer title would be a fantastic and fitting end to the Red Bulls' come-from-behind season," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Soccer fans from Riverdale to Rockaway will tune in [Sunday] to see the team from the country's premier soccer-loving city bring home its first MLS Cup."

"The Crew is the hardest working team in America and the team's excellent players worked harder than ever this season," Mayor Coleman said. "Along with all Crew fans, I can taste victory. I look forward to tasting Mayor Bloomberg's Staten Island pizza as well."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/602240.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/602240.html Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:02 EST
Cooper, who also earned a spot on the league's Best XI team on Saturday, missed most of last season with a broken leg but bounced back to score 18 goals this year. Fourteen of Cooper's 18 goals either tied games or gave Dallas the lead.

He started all 30 games for Dallas - the only player on the team to accomplish that feat - and his 18 goals were second only to Los Angeles' Landon Donovan.

When Cooper scores, Dallas is 19-1-9 all-time. Cooper was a First XI selection for the Sierra Mist MLS All-Star team that beat West Ham, and was twice named the MLS Player of the Week (Weeks 18 and 19). He was also voted the team's Most Valuable Player.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/610607.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/610607.html Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:13 EST
Sosa (34-5-1, 18 KOs), who was coming off a unanimous decision win over Sonny Boy Jaro in September, defended the belt successfully for a seventh straight time. He first won the crown with a win over Brian Viloria in April of 2007.

Rubillar (46-11-7) was drilled by a left hook in the seventh round and the official stop by referee Harold Laurens came with six seconds left in the seventh round.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/609305.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/609305.html Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:18 EST
Linares (26-0, 17 KOs), coming off an eighth-round KO of Gamaliel Diaz last December, powered his way to victory with the bout stopped at the 1:08 mark of round five.

Garcia (20-6, 14 KOs) scored a fifth-round TKO of Armando Rojas in his last fight, in August.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/610502.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/610502.html Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:48 EST
Williams (36-1, 27 KOs) had blood flowing over his eye due to the butt in the first and it seemed to worsen in the second, but he fought back in the third. Williams took over from there and was accurate with his jab and delivered crunching body shots.

That wore down Phillips (42-11-1) and at the end of the eighth round, on advice of the ring doctor, referee Jon Shorle called a halt to the bout.

It was the third straight TKO victory for Williams, who beat Carlos Quintana in June and then topped Andy Kolle in September, with both of those bouts ending in the first round. He relinquished his WBO welterweight title to move up in weight class to fight Phillips, who was coming off a split decision win over Cory Spinks in March.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/606997.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/606997.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:23 EST
The championship jewelry. The recognition. The financial windfall. To name just a few.

But when it comes time in a few years to look back at a successful tour through the heavyweight ranks, he's hoping for the sort of notice that transcends belts, rankings and checkbooks.

"You remember the movie 'Coming to America,' and the scene in the barbershop where they're talking about boxing?" the giggling slugger asked in a FitzHitz phone interview. "I want to be the guys that those guys are talking about. I love that scene.

"Where the one guy keeps saying Rocky Marciano and the other one won't stop talking about Joe Louis. It's the funniest part of the whole movie. And when my career is over, I want to be one of the great ones that guys like that are arguing about. That's really my goal."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/605372.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/605372.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:22 EST
Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) hasn't fought since July 2007 when he lost a unanimous decision against Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas.

"I'm very disappointed about having to pull out of this fight on December 4, and I'd like to apologize to all my fans," said Wright. "I was feeling real sharp in camp and I was looking forward to a great performance before getting hurt. I promise that I'll be back and better than ever in 2009."

The entire Wright-Munoz card, which was scheduled to take place at the Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Washington and be televised by Versus, has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/602540.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/602540.html Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:27 EST
In the fight for the lesser-known IBO light welterweight title, Hatton (45-1) drew blood from under the left eye of Malignaggi (25-2) by landing a solid right in the second round. The "Hitman" continued to apply the pressure throughout the fight as denoted by a 99-25 connect advantage in power punches.

A left hook caught Malignaggi in the eighth round and in the 11th referee Kenny Bayless separated the fighters in the early moments. That's when Malignaggi's trainer came into the ring at the 28-second mark to throw in the towel.

Malignaggi endured a series of painful hand injuries in round two of what ended as a split-decision verdict over challenger Lovemore N'Dou this past May, but he was no match for Hatton.

Hatton, who was coming off a unanimous decision win over Juan Lazcano in May, was left with a big welt under his left eye, but had the victory.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611910.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611910.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:56 EST
Crosby led all NHL scorers this past week with nine points on six goals and three assists as the Penguins went 2-1-0 in that time. The young centerman tallied multiple points in all three games, including his second career hat trick and one assist in a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on November 29. Crosby now has 34 points and only trails teammate Evgeni Malkin (39) for the lead-league in points.

The second star went to Hiller, who posted a 2-0-0 record with a 0.50 goals- against average and a .984 save percentage. Hiller posted a 26-save shutout as the Ducks defeated Chicago 1-0 on November 28. After turning away 36 of 37 shots in a 4-1 victory at Carolina on Sunday, Hiller improved to 6-1-1 with a 1.94 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage and two shutouts in his 10 games this season.

Mason rounds out this week's list after winning both of his starts while stopping 75 of 77 shots for a .974 save percentage as the Blues improved their record to 10-10-2. Mason stopped a season-high 47 shots and two shootout attempts in a 1-0 victory over Nashville on November 25 for his first shutout of the season. He made 28 stops in a 4-2 win over Atlanta on Sunday.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611803.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611803.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:46 EST
The Canucks had won four in a row before being swept in a home-and-home series with the rival Calgary Flames. Vancouver was handed a 4-3 setback Thursday night in the home portion and the Flames followed with a 3-1 decision Saturday at the Saddledome.

David Moss and Matthew Lombardi scored third-period goals to lift Calgary to Saturday's win. The Flames, along with Minnesota, have 29 points and are just one point behind Vancouver for first place in Northwest Division.

Kyle Wellwood got the only tally for the Canucks, while Cory Schneider allowed all three goals on 31 shots in his first career start.

The Canucks have played three games without franchise goaltender Roberto Luongo, who is considered week-to-week with a groin injury. Curtis Sanford started the first two and the rookie Schneider, who was recalled from Manitoba of the AHL last week, had a chance to prove himself on Saturday.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611820.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611820.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:06 EST
The Avalanche haven't won in Minnesota since a 2-1 shootout victory on January 6, 2007. The Wild's success over the Avalanche hasn't been limited to just St. Paul either, as they have won six of their last nine overall versus Colorado.

Colorado lost a 3-1 home decision to the Wild back on November 6. Peter Budaj allowed three goals on 20 shots, as the Avs played without Joe Sakic on that day.

Sakic has missed eight of Colorado's last 11 games due to a lingering back issue. He returned to the lineup on Friday against the Coyotes, but didn't play much and then sat out Saturday's 4-3 win over Tampa Bay. Sakic did not accompany Colorado to Minnesota and is out indefinitely.

The Avalanche scored three first-period goals versus the Lightning on Saturday, getting two from Wojtek Wolski and one from Jordan Leopold. David Jones added what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the third frame.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611804.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611804.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:46 EST
The Sabres ended a five-game losing streak with consecutive victories over Boston and Pittsburgh, but were back in the loss column after dropping Saturday's contest in Montreal.

Buffalo was handed a 3-2 regulation loss by the Canadiens as Andrei Markov netted the eventual game-winner in the second period to lead Montreal.

Thomas Vanek continued his hot start to the season with two goals for Buffalo and is back in the NHL lead with 17 tallies on the year. Philadelphia's Jeff Carter, who has 16 goals, had recently taken over the goal lead, but Vanek regained it with his strong performance on Saturday.

Patrick Lalime, in his sixth start of the season, stopped 31-of-34 shots in a losing effort for Buffalo. Tonight, the Sabres will likely start No. 1 netminder Ryan Miller, who is 10-5-2 on the season.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611821.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611821.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:06 EST
Burke became Toronto's 13th GM in team history on Saturday, replacing interim general manager Cliff Fletcher. Fletcher had replaced a fired John Ferguson back in January.

Burke held previous management jobs with Hartford, Vancouver and Anaheim, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2007. Toronto hasn't won a championship since 1967 and hasn't reached the postseason in any of the last three seasons.

Toronto did not displease its new GM on Saturday, posting a 4-2 win over Philadelphia. The victory halted the Maple Leafs five-game losing streak.

Nik Antropov registered a goal and an assist in the win, while Lee Stempniak, Dominic Moore and Pavel Kubina also scored. For Stempniak, it was his first goal in three games with the Maple Leafs since being acquired in a trade from St. Louis.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/610607.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/610607.html Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:13 EST
Sosa (34-5-1, 18 KOs), who was coming off a unanimous decision win over Sonny Boy Jaro in September, defended the belt successfully for a seventh straight time. He first won the crown with a win over Brian Viloria in April of 2007.

Rubillar (46-11-7) was drilled by a left hook in the seventh round and the official stop by referee Harold Laurens came with six seconds left in the seventh round.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/609305.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/609305.html Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:18 EST
Linares (26-0, 17 KOs), coming off an eighth-round KO of Gamaliel Diaz last December, powered his way to victory with the bout stopped at the 1:08 mark of round five.

Garcia (20-6, 14 KOs) scored a fifth-round TKO of Armando Rojas in his last fight, in August.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/610502.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/610502.html Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:48 EST
Williams (36-1, 27 KOs) had blood flowing over his eye due to the butt in the first and it seemed to worsen in the second, but he fought back in the third. Williams took over from there and was accurate with his jab and delivered crunching body shots.

That wore down Phillips (42-11-1) and at the end of the eighth round, on advice of the ring doctor, referee Jon Shorle called a halt to the bout.

It was the third straight TKO victory for Williams, who beat Carlos Quintana in June and then topped Andy Kolle in September, with both of those bouts ending in the first round. He relinquished his WBO welterweight title to move up in weight class to fight Phillips, who was coming off a split decision win over Cory Spinks in March.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/606997.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/606997.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:23 EST
The championship jewelry. The recognition. The financial windfall. To name just a few.

But when it comes time in a few years to look back at a successful tour through the heavyweight ranks, he's hoping for the sort of notice that transcends belts, rankings and checkbooks.

"You remember the movie 'Coming to America,' and the scene in the barbershop where they're talking about boxing?" the giggling slugger asked in a FitzHitz phone interview. "I want to be the guys that those guys are talking about. I love that scene.

"Where the one guy keeps saying Rocky Marciano and the other one won't stop talking about Joe Louis. It's the funniest part of the whole movie. And when my career is over, I want to be one of the great ones that guys like that are arguing about. That's really my goal."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/605372.html http://www.kentucky.com/536/story/605372.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:22 EST
Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) hasn't fought since July 2007 when he lost a unanimous decision against Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas.

"I'm very disappointed about having to pull out of this fight on December 4, and I'd like to apologize to all my fans," said Wright. "I was feeling real sharp in camp and I was looking forward to a great performance before getting hurt. I promise that I'll be back and better than ever in 2009."

The entire Wright-Munoz card, which was scheduled to take place at the Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Washington and be televised by Versus, has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/607017.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/607017.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:48 EST
Nadal was easily the ATP player of the year, posting a brilliant 82-11 record and piling up a tour-best eight titles. Three of his championships came at three of the sexiest events, as the lefty captured his first-ever Wimbledon title by stunning Federer, secured a fourth straight French Open crown by besting Federer in the final for a third straight year, and also won Olympic gold at the Summer Games in Beijing. He became the first-ever male to win those three events in the same year, and did it on three different surfaces.

So much for him being a one-trick (clay) pony.

FYI, Nadal became the first lefthander to win at least 80 matches in a season since Thomas Muster turned the trick in 1995, and only the third player this decade to win at least 80, joining Federer, who did it in 2005 (81 wins) and 2006 (92), and Lleyton Hewitt (80 in 2001).

The five-time major champion Nadal posted the biggest win of his career by outlasting Federer in arguably the greatest men's final in the history of Grand Slam tennis. It was practically dark at the All England Club when Rafa finally finished off the super Swiss, who fought back from two-sets-to-love down to force a fifth and deciding set, which Nadal ultimately pulled out to capture the world's most prestigious tennis tourney and halt Federer's amazing grass-court winning streak at 65 matches. A series of rain delays also played into the drama at SW19, which wound up staging its longest-ever final that day.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/605475.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/605475.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:52 EST
Nadal was easily the ATP player of the year, posting a brilliant 82-11 record and piling up a tour-best eight titles. Three of his championships came at three of the sexiest events, as the lefty captured his first-ever Wimbledon title by stunning Federer, secured a fourth straight French Open crown by besting Federer in the final for a third straight year, and also won Olympic gold at the Summer Games in Beijing. He became the first-ever male to win those three events in the same year, and did it on three different surfaces.

So much for him being a one-trick (clay) pony.

FYI, Nadal became the first lefthander to win at least 80 matches in a season since Thomas Muster turned the trick in 1995, and only the third player this decade to win at least 80, joining Federer, who did it in 2005 (81 wins) and 2006 (92), and Lleyton Hewitt (80 in 2001).

The five-time major champion Nadal posted the biggest win of his career by outlasting Federer in arguably the greatest men's final in the history of Grand Slam tennis. It was practically dark at the All England Club when Rafa finally finished off the super Swiss, who fought back from two-sets-to-love down to force a fifth and deciding set, which Nadal ultimately pulled out to capture the world's most prestigious tennis tourney and halt Federer's amazing grass-court winning streak at 65 matches. A series of rain delays also played into the drama at SW19, which wound up staging its longest-ever final that day.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/602072.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/602072.html Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:01 EST
Sunday's schedule called for the reverse singles on Day 3 at Mar del Plata, and in the first, and only, rubber of the day, Spain got the huge victory from Verdasco, who was inserted into the lineup in place of an out-of-form David Ferrer. Acasuso also played as a replacement, as he got the call instead of rising 20-year-old star Juan Martin del Potro from Argentine captain Alberto Mancini, but things didn't quite work out for the stunned hosts. Del Potro was unable to go due to a leg strain suffered here on Friday.

The 25-year-old Verdasco needed 3 hours, 56 minutes to outlast a game Acasuso 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, as Acasuso finally ran out of gas in the fifth set. The Argentine required some medical attention for a stomach muscle strain early in the final stanza, one that was dominated by his talented Spanish counterpart.

Acasuso, who was removed from Argentina's doubles lineup in favor of David Nalbandian here on Saturday, also suffered a devastating defeat in a deciding fifth rubber against Russian Marat Safin in the 2006 Davis Cup final in Moscow.

Spain, captained by Emilio Sanchez, captured its third Davis Cup title this decade, with the other wins coming in 2000 and 2004. Spain becomes the seventh nation to win the coveted chalice at least three times.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/600836.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/600836.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:27 EST
The best-of-five championship round got underway when Argentine star David Nalbandian spanked Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, but Feliciano Lopez surprisingly pulled Spain even with a 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 victory over rising world No. 9 Argentine slugger Juan Martin del Potro at Mar del Plata.

The world No. 11 Nalbandian outclassed the 12th-ranked Ferrer in just under two hours on the indoor hardcourt here at Estadio Islas Malvinas.

Ferrer failed to take a lead at any point on Day 1 and was under constant pressure due to some solid serving and tremendous net play by Nalbandian.

The former Tennis Masters Cup champion and former Wimbledon runner-up Nalbandian whipped Ferrer with the help of seven aces, and the gritty Argentine broke the Spaniard's serve a whopping seven times, compared to only two breaks for the eventual loser.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/599528.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/599528.html Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:26 EST
The draw for the best-of-five tie was revealed Thursday at the palatial surroundings of the NH Provincial Hotel.

The world No. 12 Ferrer is 6-3 lifetime against the 11th-ranked Nalbandian, but the Argentine has won two of their last three meetings. The two men have not met this year and have never faced off in Davis Cup play.

Nalbandian-Ferrer will be followed by a rubber between world No. 9 rising Argentine star Juan Martin del Potro and Spanish lefthander Feliciano Lopez on the indoor hardcourt at Estadio Islas Malvinas.

Saturday's doubles bout currently calls for an Argentine duo of Jose Acasuso and Agustin Calleri to meet a Spanish tandem of Lopez and fellow southpaw Fernando Verdasco, while Sunday's reverse singles currently pit the 20-year- old del Potro against Ferrer and Nalbandian versus Lopez.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/607017.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/607017.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:48 EST
Nadal was easily the ATP player of the year, posting a brilliant 82-11 record and piling up a tour-best eight titles. Three of his championships came at three of the sexiest events, as the lefty captured his first-ever Wimbledon title by stunning Federer, secured a fourth straight French Open crown by besting Federer in the final for a third straight year, and also won Olympic gold at the Summer Games in Beijing. He became the first-ever male to win those three events in the same year, and did it on three different surfaces.

So much for him being a one-trick (clay) pony.

FYI, Nadal became the first lefthander to win at least 80 matches in a season since Thomas Muster turned the trick in 1995, and only the third player this decade to win at least 80, joining Federer, who did it in 2005 (81 wins) and 2006 (92), and Lleyton Hewitt (80 in 2001).

The five-time major champion Nadal posted the biggest win of his career by outlasting Federer in arguably the greatest men's final in the history of Grand Slam tennis. It was practically dark at the All England Club when Rafa finally finished off the super Swiss, who fought back from two-sets-to-love down to force a fifth and deciding set, which Nadal ultimately pulled out to capture the world's most prestigious tennis tourney and halt Federer's amazing grass-court winning streak at 65 matches. A series of rain delays also played into the drama at SW19, which wound up staging its longest-ever final that day.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/605475.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/605475.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:52 EST
Nadal was easily the ATP player of the year, posting a brilliant 82-11 record and piling up a tour-best eight titles. Three of his championships came at three of the sexiest events, as the lefty captured his first-ever Wimbledon title by stunning Federer, secured a fourth straight French Open crown by besting Federer in the final for a third straight year, and also won Olympic gold at the Summer Games in Beijing. He became the first-ever male to win those three events in the same year, and did it on three different surfaces.

So much for him being a one-trick (clay) pony.

FYI, Nadal became the first lefthander to win at least 80 matches in a season since Thomas Muster turned the trick in 1995, and only the third player this decade to win at least 80, joining Federer, who did it in 2005 (81 wins) and 2006 (92), and Lleyton Hewitt (80 in 2001).

The five-time major champion Nadal posted the biggest win of his career by outlasting Federer in arguably the greatest men's final in the history of Grand Slam tennis. It was practically dark at the All England Club when Rafa finally finished off the super Swiss, who fought back from two-sets-to-love down to force a fifth and deciding set, which Nadal ultimately pulled out to capture the world's most prestigious tennis tourney and halt Federer's amazing grass-court winning streak at 65 matches. A series of rain delays also played into the drama at SW19, which wound up staging its longest-ever final that day.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/602072.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/602072.html Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:01 EST
Sunday's schedule called for the reverse singles on Day 3 at Mar del Plata, and in the first, and only, rubber of the day, Spain got the huge victory from Verdasco, who was inserted into the lineup in place of an out-of-form David Ferrer. Acasuso also played as a replacement, as he got the call instead of rising 20-year-old star Juan Martin del Potro from Argentine captain Alberto Mancini, but things didn't quite work out for the stunned hosts. Del Potro was unable to go due to a leg strain suffered here on Friday.

The 25-year-old Verdasco needed 3 hours, 56 minutes to outlast a game Acasuso 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, as Acasuso finally ran out of gas in the fifth set. The Argentine required some medical attention for a stomach muscle strain early in the final stanza, one that was dominated by his talented Spanish counterpart.

Acasuso, who was removed from Argentina's doubles lineup in favor of David Nalbandian here on Saturday, also suffered a devastating defeat in a deciding fifth rubber against Russian Marat Safin in the 2006 Davis Cup final in Moscow.

Spain, captained by Emilio Sanchez, captured its third Davis Cup title this decade, with the other wins coming in 2000 and 2004. Spain becomes the seventh nation to win the coveted chalice at least three times.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/600836.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/600836.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:27 EST
The best-of-five championship round got underway when Argentine star David Nalbandian spanked Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, but Feliciano Lopez surprisingly pulled Spain even with a 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 victory over rising world No. 9 Argentine slugger Juan Martin del Potro at Mar del Plata.

The world No. 11 Nalbandian outclassed the 12th-ranked Ferrer in just under two hours on the indoor hardcourt here at Estadio Islas Malvinas.

Ferrer failed to take a lead at any point on Day 1 and was under constant pressure due to some solid serving and tremendous net play by Nalbandian.

The former Tennis Masters Cup champion and former Wimbledon runner-up Nalbandian whipped Ferrer with the help of seven aces, and the gritty Argentine broke the Spaniard's serve a whopping seven times, compared to only two breaks for the eventual loser.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/599528.html http://www.kentucky.com/567/story/599528.html Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:26 EST
The draw for the best-of-five tie was revealed Thursday at the palatial surroundings of the NH Provincial Hotel.

The world No. 12 Ferrer is 6-3 lifetime against the 11th-ranked Nalbandian, but the Argentine has won two of their last three meetings. The two men have not met this year and have never faced off in Davis Cup play.

Nalbandian-Ferrer will be followed by a rubber between world No. 9 rising Argentine star Juan Martin del Potro and Spanish lefthander Feliciano Lopez on the indoor hardcourt at Estadio Islas Malvinas.

Saturday's doubles bout currently calls for an Argentine duo of Jose Acasuso and Agustin Calleri to meet a Spanish tandem of Lopez and fellow southpaw Fernando Verdasco, while Sunday's reverse singles currently pit the 20-year- old del Potro against Ferrer and Nalbandian versus Lopez.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611910.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611910.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:56 EST
Crosby led all NHL scorers this past week with nine points on six goals and three assists as the Penguins went 2-1-0 in that time. The young centerman tallied multiple points in all three games, including his second career hat trick and one assist in a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on November 29. Crosby now has 34 points and only trails teammate Evgeni Malkin (39) for the lead-league in points.

The second star went to Hiller, who posted a 2-0-0 record with a 0.50 goals- against average and a .984 save percentage. Hiller posted a 26-save shutout as the Ducks defeated Chicago 1-0 on November 28. After turning away 36 of 37 shots in a 4-1 victory at Carolina on Sunday, Hiller improved to 6-1-1 with a 1.94 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage and two shutouts in his 10 games this season.

Mason rounds out this week's list after winning both of his starts while stopping 75 of 77 shots for a .974 save percentage as the Blues improved their record to 10-10-2. Mason stopped a season-high 47 shots and two shootout attempts in a 1-0 victory over Nashville on November 25 for his first shutout of the season. He made 28 stops in a 4-2 win over Atlanta on Sunday.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611803.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611803.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:46 EST
The Canucks had won four in a row before being swept in a home-and-home series with the rival Calgary Flames. Vancouver was handed a 4-3 setback Thursday night in the home portion and the Flames followed with a 3-1 decision Saturday at the Saddledome.

David Moss and Matthew Lombardi scored third-period goals to lift Calgary to Saturday's win. The Flames, along with Minnesota, have 29 points and are just one point behind Vancouver for first place in Northwest Division.

Kyle Wellwood got the only tally for the Canucks, while Cory Schneider allowed all three goals on 31 shots in his first career start.

The Canucks have played three games without franchise goaltender Roberto Luongo, who is considered week-to-week with a groin injury. Curtis Sanford started the first two and the rookie Schneider, who was recalled from Manitoba of the AHL last week, had a chance to prove himself on Saturday.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611820.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611820.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:06 EST
The Avalanche haven't won in Minnesota since a 2-1 shootout victory on January 6, 2007. The Wild's success over the Avalanche hasn't been limited to just St. Paul either, as they have won six of their last nine overall versus Colorado.

Colorado lost a 3-1 home decision to the Wild back on November 6. Peter Budaj allowed three goals on 20 shots, as the Avs played without Joe Sakic on that day.

Sakic has missed eight of Colorado's last 11 games due to a lingering back issue. He returned to the lineup on Friday against the Coyotes, but didn't play much and then sat out Saturday's 4-3 win over Tampa Bay. Sakic did not accompany Colorado to Minnesota and is out indefinitely.

The Avalanche scored three first-period goals versus the Lightning on Saturday, getting two from Wojtek Wolski and one from Jordan Leopold. David Jones added what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the third frame.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611804.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611804.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:46 EST
The Sabres ended a five-game losing streak with consecutive victories over Boston and Pittsburgh, but were back in the loss column after dropping Saturday's contest in Montreal.

Buffalo was handed a 3-2 regulation loss by the Canadiens as Andrei Markov netted the eventual game-winner in the second period to lead Montreal.

Thomas Vanek continued his hot start to the season with two goals for Buffalo and is back in the NHL lead with 17 tallies on the year. Philadelphia's Jeff Carter, who has 16 goals, had recently taken over the goal lead, but Vanek regained it with his strong performance on Saturday.

Patrick Lalime, in his sixth start of the season, stopped 31-of-34 shots in a losing effort for Buffalo. Tonight, the Sabres will likely start No. 1 netminder Ryan Miller, who is 10-5-2 on the season.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611821.html http://www.kentucky.com/563/story/611821.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:06 EST
Burke became Toronto's 13th GM in team history on Saturday, replacing interim general manager Cliff Fletcher. Fletcher had replaced a fired John Ferguson back in January.

Burke held previous management jobs with Hartford, Vancouver and Anaheim, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2007. Toronto hasn't won a championship since 1967 and hasn't reached the postseason in any of the last three seasons.

Toronto did not displease its new GM on Saturday, posting a 4-2 win over Philadelphia. The victory halted the Maple Leafs five-game losing streak.

Nik Antropov registered a goal and an assist in the win, while Lee Stempniak, Dominic Moore and Pavel Kubina also scored. For Stempniak, it was his first goal in three games with the Maple Leafs since being acquired in a trade from St. Louis.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/600886.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/600886.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:23 EST
George likes his theory because George really LOVES moving parts, especially if they scamper. He is after all a dog.

George has enunciated his theory in this way by saying "Barf, hack, cough," and then running to the back door.

And when he puts it that way, it's hard not to see his point.

His point is: the Chicago Bears football team has the GREATEST WIDE RECIVERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL. They're so great, says George, that they don't even need to catch the ball to prove how great they are.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/589439.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/589439.html Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:41 EST
Marinatto, who was appointed by unanimous vote by the league's chancellors and presidents, joined the Big East staff in 2002 as senior associate commissioner.

He will assume commissioner duties on July 1, 2009, a day after Tranghese steps down.

"John has helped shape our history, and he is passionate about our future. He already enjoys the trust and respect of our presidents and athletic directors, and is highly regarded within the conference staff," said Mark Nordenberg, chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh and co-chair of the search process. "We know that he will lead the Big East with both wisdom and integrity, and we all look forward to working with him."

As senior associate commissioner, Marinatto has served as the conference's chief operating officer and oversees all administrative operations.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/588704.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/588704.html Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:37 EST
The Big East has a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. (et) on Wednesday to make a "significant announcement concerning the direction of the conference", although no other information was forthcoming.

A few media reports indicated Marinatto, who joined the Big East staff in 2002 would be promoted from his current position as senior associate commissioner.

Tranghese had previously announced his plans to retire on June 30, 2009. He has held the commissioner's position since 1990, was the conference's first employee back in 1979, and was instrumental in the growth of the Big East from a small collection of east coast schools into a multi-sport powerhouse.

Shortly after Tranghese took over for Dave Gavitt in June, 1990, he oversaw the formation of the Big East football conference, which began play in 1991. He pulled together several big name schools to the conference, which quickly gained recognition and entry into the Bowl Championship Series.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/583141.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/583141.html Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:54 EST
Dear Coach,

Pursuant to the terms of my plea bargain agreement and by order of the court, "Number 81" hereby submits this apology to you, to the patrons of Danny's All Night Caf and to the fine ladies of the Buddy's Airport Lounge and Go-Go Barn (home of the $12.99 T-bone-lap-dance combo).

While the words have been crafted on the advice of Number 81's attorney, the sincerity is 110 percent mine. I hope you can tell.

San Francisco 49ers Coach Mike Singletary recently noted: "Accountability is a huge word."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/581212.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/581212.html Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:04 EST
The 42-year-old Johnson, a Democrat, became Sacramento's first African American mayor by defeating two-term Republican incumbent Heather Fargo. Johnson played in the NBA from 1987-2000, spending nearly his entire career with the Phoenix Suns.

Johnson ran on a platform to put more police on the streets of California's capital city, tackle gang violence, improve city schools and launch a multi billion-dollar revitalization of the riverfront.

Wyche, who coached the Bengals for eight years and led the team to the AFC Championship in the 1988 season, won a seat as a Republican on the Pickens County Council in South Carolina.

Former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, a Heisman Trophy runner-up at Tennessee, won on the Democratic ticket soundly defeating Republican Carl Mumpower, in a North Carolina House of Representatives race.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/606777.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/606777.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:32 EST
"Ivan Gazidis was one of the founding executives of Major League Soccer," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. "His 14 years of service to the league and the sport of soccer in America have helped establish Major League Soccer as a legitimate first division sports league in North America and a respected soccer league throughout the world. Major League Soccer's on-field product has marched steadily forward, primarily due to Ivan's thorough understanding of the game and its global market, his impressive reasoning and judgment, and his deep-rooted desire to see soccer grow in North America."

As Deputy Commissioner, Gazidis, who will leave MLS to begin working for Arsenal in January, oversees all aspects of competition and player contracts for MLS.

"I have been privileged in my 14 years with MLS to have worked with and for some of the best sports executives and owners in the world, whose vision, commitment and expertise have taken the league from strength to strength," Gazidis said. "The league is superbly positioned for future growth and this provides me the opportunity to return home after 16 years in the United States. I am delighted to be offered the opportunity to work at Arsenal, a club rich in heritage and tradition, and I will bring all of my experiences at MLS to bear in my new role."

MLS Executive Vice President Todd Durbin and MLS Senior Vice President Nelson Rodriguez will handle Gazidis' duties until a replacement is named. Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner Joe Machnik, Director of Player Programs Alfonso Mondelo and MLS President Mark Abbott will also help out.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/606881.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/606881.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:33 EST
The 10 players selected from the league's other 14 teams will join goalkeeper Kasey Keller, midfielders Freddie Ljungberg and Sanna Nyassi and forward Sebastien Le Toux, who were already inked to contracts with the 2009 MLS expansion club.

"We feel like we got a great mix of players," Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer said. "We got an experienced veteran who has been there in the trenches and played lots of MLS games in Peter Vagenas. We got mid-tier experienced guys in [Jeff] Parke, [Nate] Jaqua and Khano Smith. We're very excited about the young players we were able to select.

"We weighted the draft a little more defensively, rather than the attack. We feel very good about our expansion draft players as they complement our existing four players. Together, they comprise a very solid core."

Six of the new Sounders FC players, who average 24.9 years old, started at least half of their teams' league games in 2008.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604343.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604343.html Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:44 EST
"There are a lot of good players on Kansas Citys roster," Cristman said. "I look forward to learning the system, settling in and making an impact. I am from Virginia and have always lived in coastal towns, but my wife and I look forward to experiencing new things in Kansas City."

Cristman, 23, was originally drafted by the Revolution in the fourth round of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft out of Virginia. In 46 career MLS fixtures, he scored 10 goals while adding five assists.

With the trade, the Revolution now have seven selections in the 2009 draft, including two picks in the first round, two in the second and two in the third.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604382.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604382.html Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:19 EST
"We are excited to have re-signed Jamison. He was a key player in turning Real Salt Lake around this season and we are happy he has decided to make a long term commitment to us," RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey said. "Retaining his physical presence in the center of our defense solidifies a key position as we look to build on the success of 2008 and have an even better 2009 season."

The 27-year-old Olave becomes the second South American player to sign a long- term extension with RSL in the last two months. Argentine playmaker Javier Morales inked a similar, four-season deal in September.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604465.html http://www.kentucky.com/559/story/604465.html Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:04 EST
The other 14 MLS teams had to submit a list of 11 players to protect, with every other player on their roster available for selection by the Sounders. Teams did not have to protect Generation adidas players or designated players unless the player has a no-trade clause. Also, teams were restricted in the number of international players that they had to make available.

Seattle may not claim more than one player from any given team, and four teams will not have a player taken in the expansion draft. After the expansion draft, Seattle will also have priority over players who played professionally in the United Soccer Leagues.

Below is a complete team-by-team list of available players for Wednesday's draft:

CHIVAS USA - Kraig Chiles, Jim Curtin, Eric Ebert, Dejair Ferreira, Jorge Flores, Anthony Hamilton, Dan Kennedy, Gerson Mayen, Roberto Nurse, Daniel Paladini, Lance Parker, Ante Razov, Keith Savage, Claudio Suarez, Carey Talley, Zach Thornton, Lawson Vaughn, Sasha Victorine, Raphael Wicky, Alex Zotinca.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/608746.html http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/608746.html Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:18 EST
The incident happened in the first half of Liverpool's 1-0 win at Anfield as Gerrard was preparing to take a corner in front of the visiting fans.

The Reds captain appeared to be hit by a cigarette lighter thrown from a section of Marseille supporters. The French side will answer the case at a meeting of UEFA's control and disciplinary panel on Dec. 11.

A similar incident occurred when the two sides met at Stade Velodrome in September when Marseille were fined approximately $19,000.

(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)]]> http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/605706.html http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/605706.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:27 EST
The Reds skipper missed last weekend's goalless draw with Fulham with the same groin muscle problem which forced him to pull out of England duty the previous week.

But Benitez has revealed that his talismanic skipper is available to play the full 90 minutes of the Group D encounter should he be required.

"He was training and is available," said the Spanish coach. "He could start and I think he could play 90 minutes, but in the end that depends on the player during the game."

Meanwhile, Benitez has called for focus ahead of the meeting with the French side, with last season's 1-0 group stage defeat to Marseille still fresh in the memory.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/604170.html http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/604170.html Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:06 EST
Van der Sar, 38, played the entire 90 minutes of United's goalless draw with Aston Villa on Saturday evening but is one of six first-team squad members not making the trip to Spain.

The former Netherlands international is believed to have been rested, with either Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak set to step in on Tuesday evening.

Elsewhere, the Red Devils will also be without skipper Gary Neville (groin), Owen Hargreaves, Paul Scholes (both knee), Danny Welbeck (groin) and Dimitar Berbatov (hamstring) for the clash with their main Group E rivals.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo is in line to feature against Villarreal despite limping off at Villa Park with am ankle problem.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/604132.html http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/604132.html Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:11 EST
The French defender said that his teammates were not brave enough, and that they needed to be soldiers and warriors. He also revealed that players were insulting each other during games, all of which earned Gallas a seat on the bench for Arsenal's trip to Manchester City on Saturday.

Gallas' comments obviously fell on deaf ears, as the Gunners proceeded to lose 3-0 to City, dealing Arsenal its second straight loss and leaving the team 10 points back of league-leaders Chelsea.

The defeat is the fifth in 14 games for the Gunners this season, after they dropped just three contests in league play all of last campaign.

Obviously, something needed to be done, and manager Arsene Wenger took care of that, stripping Gallas of the captain's armband and awarding it to 21-year-old midfielder Cesc Fabregas.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/601911.html http://www.kentucky.com/551/story/601911.html Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:02 EST
The U.S., along with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and Trinidad & Tobago, play in the 10-game, round-robin format from Feb. 11 to Oct. 14, 2009.

The top three teams automatically advance to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The fourth-place team will compete in a two-match playoff against the fifth-place finisher in South American qualifying.

Drawn as Team 6 in the final round format, the Americans face a tricky road to South Africa as they open up against their biggest rival in the region at home and never has consecutive home dates.

The United States plays a fairly balanced schedule, bouncing between home and away games, only to have back-to-back away games late in the qualifying stretch for Matches 8 and 9. Venues for the United States' five home matches are yet to be determined.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/600886.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/600886.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:23 EST
George likes his theory because George really LOVES moving parts, especially if they scamper. He is after all a dog.

George has enunciated his theory in this way by saying "Barf, hack, cough," and then running to the back door.

And when he puts it that way, it's hard not to see his point.

His point is: the Chicago Bears football team has the GREATEST WIDE RECIVERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL. They're so great, says George, that they don't even need to catch the ball to prove how great they are.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/589439.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/589439.html Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:41 EST
Marinatto, who was appointed by unanimous vote by the league's chancellors and presidents, joined the Big East staff in 2002 as senior associate commissioner.

He will assume commissioner duties on July 1, 2009, a day after Tranghese steps down.

"John has helped shape our history, and he is passionate about our future. He already enjoys the trust and respect of our presidents and athletic directors, and is highly regarded within the conference staff," said Mark Nordenberg, chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh and co-chair of the search process. "We know that he will lead the Big East with both wisdom and integrity, and we all look forward to working with him."

As senior associate commissioner, Marinatto has served as the conference's chief operating officer and oversees all administrative operations.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/588704.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/588704.html Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:37 EST
The Big East has a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. (et) on Wednesday to make a "significant announcement concerning the direction of the conference", although no other information was forthcoming.

A few media reports indicated Marinatto, who joined the Big East staff in 2002 would be promoted from his current position as senior associate commissioner.

Tranghese had previously announced his plans to retire on June 30, 2009. He has held the commissioner's position since 1990, was the conference's first employee back in 1979, and was instrumental in the growth of the Big East from a small collection of east coast schools into a multi-sport powerhouse.

Shortly after Tranghese took over for Dave Gavitt in June, 1990, he oversaw the formation of the Big East football conference, which began play in 1991. He pulled together several big name schools to the conference, which quickly gained recognition and entry into the Bowl Championship Series.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/583141.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/583141.html Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:54 EST
Dear Coach,

Pursuant to the terms of my plea bargain agreement and by order of the court, "Number 81" hereby submits this apology to you, to the patrons of Danny's All Night Caf and to the fine ladies of the Buddy's Airport Lounge and Go-Go Barn (home of the $12.99 T-bone-lap-dance combo).

While the words have been crafted on the advice of Number 81's attorney, the sincerity is 110 percent mine. I hope you can tell.

San Francisco 49ers Coach Mike Singletary recently noted: "Accountability is a huge word."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/581212.html http://www.kentucky.com/566/story/581212.html Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:04 EST
The 42-year-old Johnson, a Democrat, became Sacramento's first African American mayor by defeating two-term Republican incumbent Heather Fargo. Johnson played in the NBA from 1987-2000, spending nearly his entire career with the Phoenix Suns.

Johnson ran on a platform to put more police on the streets of California's capital city, tackle gang violence, improve city schools and launch a multi billion-dollar revitalization of the riverfront.

Wyche, who coached the Bengals for eight years and led the team to the AFC Championship in the 1988 season, won a seat as a Republican on the Pickens County Council in South Carolina.

Former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, a Heisman Trophy runner-up at Tennessee, won on the Democratic ticket soundly defeating Republican Carl Mumpower, in a North Carolina House of Representatives race.]]>