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Mavs make Shaq, Wade disappear in Game 2
(AP)
 AP - Even Mark Cuban's postgame celebration was a bit reserved. The Dallas Mavericks had a decisive two-game lead in the NBA finals — and this easy victory almost felt too easy against the beaten, battered Miami Heat.
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Mets trounce Diamondbacks, complete sweep
(AP)
 AP - The New York Mets' weekend series with Arizona was billed as a showdown between first-place teams.
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Indians hit 4 HR, avoid sweep by White Sox
(AP)
 AP - Run by run, the lead was dwindling. The suspense was building, so the Cleveland Indians turned to Bob Wickman. This time, the closer delivered. Wickman gave up a hit and a sacrifice fly but recorded the final two outs as the Cleveland Indians survived a six-run ninth inning by the Chicago White Sox to hang on for a 10-8 victory and avoid a three-game sweep on Sunday night.
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Resurgent Singh wins 3rd Barclays Classic
(AP)
 AP - Vijay Singh tuned up for Winged Foot with a perfect U.S. Open-style round on the wind-swept Westchester Country Club course.
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Pak stuns with playoff victory over Webb
(AP)
 AP - The shot was spectacular enough, a hybrid 4-iron from 201 yards that held a picturesque line in the air and on the green until it settled 3 inches from the cup to give Se Ri Pak a stunning victory Sunday in the LPGA Championship.
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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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O'Neal fined $10,000 for failing to talk to the media
(Reuters)
Reuters - Shaquille O'Neal has been fined $10,000
for failing to make himself available to the media following
the Miami Heat's 99-85 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday,
the National Basketball Association announced.
Prankster pitcher Moe Drabowsky dies at 70
(AP)
AP - Moe Drabowsky, the prankster pitcher who delighted in putting pythons in teammates' shoes and wound up as a World Series star for the Baltimore Orioles when they won their first championship in 1966, is dead. He was 70.
Roundup: Mexico breaks through vs. Iran
(AP)
 AP - Mexico's grieving goalkeeper kept things close, then the scorers took over at the World Cup. Goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, who flew home Thursday for his father's funeral and rejoined the team in Nuremberg, was tested early by Iran. He held firm, then the highly ranked Mexicans got two second-half goals for a 3-1 victory.
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It's game on after disputed Oilers goal
(AP)
 AP - Nothing gets things stirred up like a disputed goal. It's game on at the Stanley Cup finals after Ryan Smyth won Game 3 for Edmonton by rather questionable means, giving the Oilers a chance to even the series with the Carolina Hurricanes on home ice Monday night.
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Survival of the fittest
HOUSTON – The task of top pick Mario Williams is proving he belongs on the Texans, not Reggie Bush or Vince Young.
Rush win ArenaBowl, top Predators 69-61 (AP)
Mike Hohensee threw the first touchdown pass in Arena Football history, then led his team to the league's inaugural championship game. He lost. Twenty years later, the former Pittsburgh Gladiators quarterback returned to the Arena Bowl, this time as coach of the Chicago Rush. On Sunday, he experienced firsthand what he'd been preaching all those years: It means something to be the best.
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.
Ricky 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 cut starting LG Bennie 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...
A shell of a Shaq
DALLAS – A five-point effort had Shaquille O'Neal looking like a shadow of his former Finals-dominating self.
Mavericks shut down Shaq, take 2-0 lead (AP)
Even Mark Cuban's postgame celebration was a bit reserved. The Dallas Mavericks had a decisive two-game lead in the NBA finals -- and this easy victory almost felt too easy against the beaten, battered Miami Heat. Over on the other bench, Shaquille O'Neal pulled the towel from his head and stalked away from the lowest point total of his playoff career.
Mavs' Stackhouse breaks open close game (AP)
The Dallas Mavericks were bracing for a Shaq attack. Instead, they broke open Game 2 of the NBA finals with a Stack attack. In a span of 79 seconds, Jerry Stackhouse single-handedly turned a close game into a rout, putting together a 10-0 run with a rare 4-point play and two other 3-pointers to close out the first half.
Shaq, Heat fined for missed interview (AP)
Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal was fined $10,000, and the team an additional $25,000, after he did not make himself available for interviews after Sunday night Game 2 of the NBA finals. O'Neal had a career playoff-low five points on 2-for-5 shooting in the 99-85 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The Heat are down 0-2 hole heading to Tuesday's Game 3 in South Florida.
Mavs get two four-point plays in Game 2 (AP)
In the last 25 years, there were only six four-point plays in an NBA finals game. Until Sunday, that is, when Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse and Josh Howard did it -- about 3 minutes apart in Game 2 against Miami, helping the Mavericks to a 99-85 victory and 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Stackhouse's came with 43.5 seconds left in the first half, when he released the ball, got knocked down by...
Wade, Heat face big challenge (AP)
On one of his earliest touches Sunday night, Dwyane Wade dribbled the ball off his foot for an unforced turnover right in front of the Miami Heat bench. From there, things only got worse. Wade missed what should have been an easy layup. He wasn't in sync with Shaquille O'Neal on one of their favorite plays, an alley-oop that went awry.
Mavs expect bounce-back game from Dirk (AP)
A tip-in, a long jumper that beat the halftime buzzer and a pair of 3-pointers. Those were the only baskets Dirk Nowitzki made in the opener of the NBA finals. Chalk it up to championship jitters. Or give credit to the Miami Heat's defense. Just don't expect it to happen again in Game 2 on Sunday night, according to Nowitzki's teammates on the Dallas Mavericks.
Shaq's free throw woes can be fixed (AP)
Shaquille O'Neal walked to the free throw line and released a mechanically flawed shot. The result was all too familiar. CLANG! O'Neal missed eight times -- often badly -- in nine attempts Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA finals, sending the Miami Heat to a 36.8 percent night that was the worst foul shooting performance in finals history.
Ryan's hope
Held without a point in Games 1 and 2, Ryan Smyth crashed the net Saturday to lift Edmonton's Stanley Cup hopes.
Questions surround Oilers' Game 3 win (AP)
The Carolina Hurricanes are tired of talking about Ryan Smyth's disputed goal. Sure, they're still a bit ticked that Smyth's winning score in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals was allowed to stand even though he was in the crease and may have interfered with goalie Cam Ward. No use worrying about it now.
Late goal gives Oilers 2-1 win in Game 3 (AP)
The Edmonton Oilers found out there's more than one way to beat Cam Ward. A deflected shot works. Or simply fling yourself toward the net -- and hope. Ryan Smyth scored a disputed goal off a rebound with 2:15 left in the third period and the Oilers won a game they had to have, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 Saturday night to ensure these teams will be returning to Tobacco Road.
Ward sharp for Hurricanes in loss (AP)
If Cam Ward was nervous in front of the home folks, he didn't show it. The 22-year-old rookie from Sherwood Park, Alberta, was strong Saturday night during his first game on the rink he grew up watching. For the family and friends in section 102, the view must've looked pretty good. Their only complaint would likely be the result.
Staal hopes to turn it around in Game 4 (AP)
The media horde was scattered around the Carolina locker room, interviewing a variety of players after Sunday's practice at the Stanley Cup finals. Then, a team official announced, "We've got Eric Staal available over here." The Hurricanes' star forward emerged from a back room and, suddenly, no one else was worth talking to.
Oilers take break from ice on off day (AP)
One day after their first Stanley Cup finals victory in 16 years, the Edmonton Oilers took a break. Coach Craig MacTavish called for an optional on-ice workout Sunday and most of his players decided to keep their skates in their stalls. "I think it's important after a big night like last night," Edmonton forward Shawn Horcoff said Sunday, the morning after the Oilers cut their deficit in the...
Oil Country thrilled by return to finals (AP)
The Stanley Cup finals used to be an expected rite in this city. There was no need to get worked up until Wayne Gretzky and Co. were taking their victory parade around the ice, the trophy hoisted above their heads. Funny how a 16-year absence from hockey's ultimate series changed Edmonton's perspective.
Oilers' Smyth scores despite ugly shot (AP)
Ryan Smyth scored 36 goals in the regular season, and his coach and teammates have no idea how. "It's a mystery," Oilers forward Ethan Moreau said Sunday. "He has got a horrible shot, terrible stick." Maybe so. But his drive to the net and will to throw himself into the trenches is unmatched. So is his knack for getting a piece of himself on the puck and getting it over the goal line in any way...
Pocono Observations
LONG POND, Pa. – A couple of Gibbs drivers went above and beyond at Pocono, while the SAFER barrier did its job.
Hamlin impresses with win in Pocono 500 (AP)
Denny Hamlin earned some hand-cramping bragging rights in the garage with the way he beats other drivers playing racing video games.
Hamlin captures first career win at NASCAR Pocono 500 (SportsTicker)
Stewart rarin' to go some more after driving all 500 miles at Pocono (AP)
Tony Stewart is done talking about his injured shoulder.
Edwards coasts to victory in Federated Auto Parts 300 (SportsTicker)
Edwards wins Federated Auto Parts 300 (AP)
A year ago, Carl Edwards skipped the Busch race in Nashville because of a rain out, ruining his chances to win a series title.
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.
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