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FBI seeking to hush Bonds' ex-girlfriend
(AP)
 AP - FBI agents asked Barry Bonds' ex-girlfriend not to cooperate in Major League Baseball's steroid probe while a federal grand jury investigates whether the Giants slugger lied under oath about drug use.
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Delgado stars as Ecuador shuts out Poland
(AP)
 AP - Ecuador found it can win at sea level, too. And at the World Cup, no less.
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Papelbon blows 1st save, Sox get win
(AP)
 AP - Jonathan Papelbon got another chance right away and did what he's been doing all season. The rookie reliever recovered from his first blown save of the season with three strikeouts in the ninth inning to get the win, and Trot Nixon went 4-for-4 with a three-run homer as the Boston Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Friday night.
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Dye comes up big as White Sox down Tribe
(AP)
 AP - Jermaine Dye doesn't seek the spotlight. It's getting tough to ignore him, though.
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No. 1 vs. No. 2 in French Open men's final
(AP)
 AP - Awful at the start, masterful enough later to produce shots that must be seen to be believed, Roger Federer leaned back in his sideline seat and exhaled.
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Rams' RB Faulk considering retirement
(AP)
 AP - St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk is not attending the team's final minicamp this weekend while contemplating retirement because of knees that have been slow to recover from offseason cleanup surgery.
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Heat, Mavs promise to do better in Game 2
(AP)
 AP - Talk about an ugly game. Jerry Stackhouse got a three-stitch gash on his nose as a souvenir from an NBA finals opener that won't win any beauty contests. Of course, neither will the Dallas Mavericks' swingman.
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Mariners' Washburn beats former team
(AP)
 AP - Back at the stadium he called home for eight years, Jarrod Washburn pitched like he traditionally has on the road. The Seattle left-hander beat his former Angels teammates for the second time this year, holding them to one run in his six innings Friday night in the Mariners' 4-1 victory.
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Rapids' Cannon blanks Real Salt Lake
(AP)
 AP - Joe Cannon notched his first shutout of the season and Nicolas Hernandez scored in the 16th minute, lifting the Colorado Rapids past Real Salt Lake 1-0 Friday night.
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Unflappable Ward a Stanley Cup rarity
(AP)
 AP - Cam Ward doesn't talk to the goalposts, a la Patrick Roy. Ward doesn't believe he was reincarnated from a soldier killed during the Spanish Inquisition, which was Gilles Gratton's unique take on life. Ward doesn't throw up before every game, as Glenn Hall did. What's this? A goalie who comes across as .... normal.
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Another Titan tradeoff?
A member of Tennessee's starting backfield could join Steve McNair as a former member of the Titans.
Rams RB Faulk considering retirement (AP)
St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk is not attending the team's final minicamp this weekend while contemplating retirement because of knees that have been slow to recover from offseason cleanup surgery. New coach Scott Linehan said Friday that two weeks ago Faulk, who has undergone numerous such surgeries on both knees, expressed his concerns.
Argos' Williams has key fumble in loss (AP)
Argonauts running back Ricky Williams ran for 46 yards on 11 carries but had a critical fumble as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated Toronto 21-11 Friday night in the final CFL exhibition game for both teams. Williams, who joined the CFL after he was suspended for a year by the NFL for a fourth positive drug test, was more productive than his exhibition debut last weekend, when he had 7 yards on...
Culpepper's first workout draws praise (AP)
Daunte Culpepper did what everyone wanted to see. The new Dolphins quarterback, in his first public workout since joining the Miami Dolphins, dropped back during a morning minicamp session Friday and saw no one open. So he took off running -- looking every bit like his former self. Culpepper, who had surgery in November to repair three torn ligaments in his right knee, sprinted down the field during...
Bills release starting OG Anderson (AP)
The Buffalo Bills released starting left guard Bennie Anderson on Friday. Anderson, who started 15 of 16 games last season, had two years left on his contract. Buffalo signed him as a free agent after he spent time as a starting right guard for the Baltimore Ravens. The Bills were unhappy with the five year NFL veteran's play last season and attempted to replace him midway through the season with...
Air McNair ready to fly with Ravens (AP)
After going up against the hated Ravens for the last 10 years of his NFL career, Steve McNair must have felt a little strange standing between Baltimore coach Brian Billick and general manager Ozzie Newsome. There was McNair, posing for pictures in front of a purple jersey with his name on it. "Well, back in the day, you would have never dreamed I would be here," McNair said.
Titans get cap space, Volek new starter (AP)
Goodbye Steve McNair, hello Billy Volek as the Titans' new starting quarterback. And yes, rookie Vince Young will get his chance to play this season, too. "Let's face it. You're going to see (No.) 10 on the field this year," coach Jeff Fisher said Thursday. "Where and when and how, I can't be specific, but you're going to see him on the field at some time." The Tennessee Titans wished McNair well on...
Cowher criticizes first-rounder Holmes (AP)
Steelers coach Bill Cowher on Thursday criticized No. 1 draft pick Santonio Holmes for his arrest last month in Miami, but said he will not hold the incident against the former Ohio State receiver. Holmes, who missed four weeks of coaching sessions due to NCAA regulations, was arrested in South Beach for disorderly conduct during a Memorial Day weekend crackdown by local authorities.
Feeling the Heat
Is Game 2 too early for a must-win situation in the NBA Finals? If you're the Miami Heat, it isn't.
Heat and Mavs vow to do better in Game 2 (AP)
Talk about an ugly game. Jerry Stackhouse got a three-stitch gash on his nose as a souvenir from an NBA finals opener that won't win any beauty contests. Of course, neither will the Dallas Mavericks' swingman. "I've been opened up quite a bit," Stackhouse said Friday, pointing to a faint patchwork of various long-healed scars near his forehead.
Riley says Heat should be 'disgusted' (AP)
Anger, Pat Riley said, would be the wrong emotion for the Miami Heat. So instead, he offered a couple other suggestions. "They should be disgusted," the Heat coach said Friday. "Disgusted and frustrated." Sure enough, they are. In so many ways, the Heat found their 90-80 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA finals Thursday night to be a complete dud.
Terry's value soaring after big Game 1 (AP)
Jason Terry offered up one heck of a marketing pitch in Game 1 of the NBA finals. Yes, marketing. See, Terry is a free agent after this season and a performance similar to the one he had in the opener can only help draw more bidders and higher bids. Terry scored 32 points for the Dallas Mavericks in their 90-80 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night, propping up the offense in the first half,...
Back in finals, Shaq struggles in Game 1 (AP)
Shaquille O'Neal handled everything the Dallas Mavericks threw his way. He spun past single defenders for dunks. He found open Miami teammates when double-teams came, setting up easy hoops. No, O'Neal's biggest problem -- as usual -- came when no defenders were anywhere near him. His free throw shooting woes reared up again Thursday night, spoiling his return to the NBA finals.
Stern: NBA may look to help pre-college (AP)
David Stern isn't satisfied with just cleaning up play on the NBA courts. His next step might be the secondary school system. Stern hinted at possible NBA involvement at the lower level Friday during his NBA finals remarks to the media, saying the league could step in to protect the players who might someday be playing on its teams.
Finals newcomers no longer feel jitters (AP)
Dwyane Wade is used to the spotlight by now, of course. He's an All-Star, has starred in a number of commercials, been selected to People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful, and so on. But nothing, he said, really prepared him for the spectacle that was Game 1 of the NBA finals. "Leading up to it, before the game, it felt like an All-Star Game, you know, with everything going on," Wade said.
Judge rules for former Hawks owner (AP)
Steve Belkin has the right to take over the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers from his former co-owners, a Maryland judge ruled Friday. The Boston-based Belkin is entitled to buy out the Atlanta Spirit LLC group for the Hawks, Thrashers and operating rights to Philips Arena, Montgomery County (Md.) Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson ruled.
An easy mark
It would be convenient to blame Edmonton's 5-0 loss in Game 2 on Jussi Markkanen. Convenient – but wrong.
G Ward a rarity in Stanley Cup finals (AP)
Cam Ward doesn't talk to the goalposts, a la Patrick Roy. Ward doesn't believe he was reincarnated from a soldier killed during the Spanish Inquisition, which was Gilles Gratton's unique take on life. Ward doesn't throw up before every game, as Glenn Hall did. What's this? A goalie who comes across as ....
Oilers look to turn gray to gold at home (AP)
The raw, damp weather under gray skies reflected the mood of the team and the town as the Oilers returned home Thursday. After upset victories over Detroit, San Jose and Anaheim in the first three rounds of the playoffs, the Oilers remained confident that their 0-2 deficit to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup finals was merely an obstacle and not a killer blow.
Oilers think G Roloson may be back (AP)
The playing status of Dwayne Roloson has gone from definitely out of the Stanley Cup finals to ... you never know. "Doubtful," Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish said Friday in one breath before opening up the door another crack. "I guess there's always a chance." That wasn't the case a few days ago. Roloson injured his right knee late in the series opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday and...
'Canes Wesley began blocking shots early (AP)
Growing up, Glen Wesley got plenty of experience blocking shots. His two older brothers used to take him out in the backyard, stick him in front of a goal and fire tennis balls at him. Little did he know how much that painful experience would pay off down the road. During the Stanley Cup finals, Wesley has been like a second goalie in front of Carolina's Cam Ward, continually throwing his body in...
Isles name Neil Smith GM, Nolan coach (AP)
The New York Islanders are staking their immediate future on two men who have spent the last several years away from the NHL. The team introduced new general manager Neil Smith and head coach Ted Nolan on Thursday, and also announced the hiring of former Islanders Hall of Famer Pat Lafontaine as a senior adviser to owner Charles Wang.
Horcoff, linemates look to produce more (AP)
Shawn Horcoff insists he's forgotten about the two sure goals Cam Ward took away from him with Gumby-like agility. With Carolina's crisp defense, its fearless mind-set to dive in front of flying pucks, and Ward's ability to keep Horcoff's point-blank shots out of the net, the Edmonton Oilers' potent scoring line has been shut down in the Stanley Cup finals.
Owner: Carolina plans to keep Laviolette (AP)
The Carolina Hurricanes would be willing to match any offer to keep coach Peter Laviolette when his contract expires, team owner Peter Karmanos Jr. said Wednesday. "I don't have any conceivable reason why he wouldn't be back," Karmanos said shortly before the Hurricanes faced Edmonton in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals.
Frequent flyers
Buschwhackers face a different challenge this weekend far away from Pocono.
Stewart set to tackle Pocono all by himself (AP)
Even with a bum shoulder and a lengthy race ahead, Tony Stewart is ready to go the distance at Pocono alone.
Bodine overtakes Skinner to win Sam's Town 400 (SportsTicker)
Bodine passes Skinner on last lap to win Texas truck race (AP)
Mike Skinner still hasn't finished out front in Texas.
Hamlin takes pole for Pocono 500 (AP)
Denny Hamlin had never seen Pocono Raceway until he arrived at the triangle track Friday morning.
Grubb back for first race after two-year suspension (AP)
Kevin Grubb has his second chance with NASCAR, and the driver who lost more than two years of his career after failing a drug test doesn't plan on blowing this opportunity.
Hamlin edges Busch for pole at Pocono 500 (SportsTicker)
Vickers, Mears ready for fresh starts with new teams (AP)
Casey Mears and Brian Vickers both remained composed behind sunglasses as they talked of painful decisions, emotional conversations, and optimism for their racing futures.
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