Defending champion Heather Nedohin headlines deep field at Scotties

Several top rinks qualified for 12-team competition next month

The Canadian Press

Posted: Jan 30, 2013 9:47 AM ET

Last Updated: Jan 30, 2013 9:46 AM ET 

 

Alberta's Heather Nedohin is the defending Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion. (Andrew

There will be rising stars, familiar faces and veteran curlers in the field at next month's Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Several top rinks recently qualified for the 12-team competition at Kingston's K-Rock Centre. Alberta's Heather Nedohin is back to defend her title and she'll be challenged by Manitoba's Jennifer Jones, B.C.'s Kelly Scott, Mary-Anne Arsenault of Nova Scotia and Suzanne Birt of Prince Edward Island.

Nedohin, who defeated Scott in last year's final in Red Deer, Alta., said she'll be comfortable with the additional pressure that comes with wearing the Maple Leaf jersey as the Team Canada entry.

"I know what it's like to play against Team Canada — everybody raises their game," Nedohin said Tuesday from Sherwood Park, Alta. "But that also raises our game."

Ontario's Rachel Homan has enjoyed a successful season and will get a boost from the home crowd at the Feb. 16-24 event. The Ottawa skip, who won the national junior title in 2010, will be making her second Scotties appearance.

The Northwest Territories/Yukon entry will be led by Kerry Galusha, who will be competing in her 11th Canadian championship. Kristie Moore will skip the Alberta rink and Allison Ross will guide the Quebec side.

Saskatchewan's Jill Shumay and Newfoundland and Labrador's Stacie Devereaux are also in the field. New Brunswick's entry will be confirmed Sunday.

Shumay is making her tournament debut while Ross and Moore are skipping at the Scotties for the first time.
"I think it's a really good field," Scott said from Kelowna, B.C. "I think it's hard to know how the teams who have never been there before, how they will adapt to that environment.

"But obviously anybody who wins their province and beats the teams within their province, certainly you know they can play."

Jones finished first in the round robin last year but lost to Nedohin in the Page playoff and had to settle for bronze. Nedohin edged Scott 7-6 in the final.

'The game rises'

 

"Once we get to the Scotties, no matter what province or territory we're from, the game rises," Nedohin said. "Everybody is out there to win."

The Alberta skip went on to represent Canada at the Ford world women's curling championship in Lethbridge. She finished third behind Sweden and champion Switzerland.

Nedohin also reached the world championships in 1998 as a third on Cathy Borst's rink.

Jones will be making her 10th appearance at the Scotties. The 2008 world champion has won the national title on four occasions.

The Nova Scotia rink is also loaded with experience.

Arsenault will be playing in her 11th national championship. She has reunited with vice-skip Colleen Jones and second Kim Kelly, who will throw third.

They teamed with Nancy Delahunt to win five Scotties and two world championships. Jones, who will be making a record 21st appearance at the tournament, is the third but will be throwing second.
Jen Baxter is the lead and Delahunt is the fifth player.

"I think they're going to be a hoot, they're going to be so much fun," Scott said. "They'll probably lighten up the field a bit as far as their approach to the game. They're true competitors but they're also a lot of fun."

The winner of the 2013 Scotties will represent Canada at the March 16-24 world playdowns in Riga, Latvia.
In men's play, this year's Tim Hortons Brier is scheduled for March 2-10 at Rexall Place in Edmonton. The winner of that event will represent Canada at the men's world championship March 30-April 7 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria.

Boxing Brandon Rios-Mike Alvarado II set for March 30 in Las Vegas on HBO

By Kevin Iole | Boxing 
yahoosports.com

 

Mike Alvarado (L) and Brandon Rios will meet March 30 in a reprise of their Oct. 13 classic (Getty Images) 

Great news for fans of two men who stand in front of each other and throw haymakers: Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti said Wednesday that a rematch of the great 2012 fight between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado has been signed and is set for March 30 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Rios stopped Alvarado at 1:57 of the seventh round on Oct. 13 in Carson, Calif., in a staggeringly brutal fight. At the time, I called it the best fight I'd seen since 2000. I may have to revise that list in light of Juan Manuel Marquez's knockout of Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 8, but Rios-Alvarado I remains a classic.

"When the bell rings, basically this picks up in Round 7," Moretti said. "That's how these guys are."


 


Brandon Rios (R) cracks Mike Alvarado on Oct. 13 (Getty Images)Top Rank had groomed Rios as a potential opponent for Pacquiao for a year and after Rios stopped Alvarado, it seemed certain that Pacquiao-Rios would occur in April.

Marquez, though, had something to say about that and altered plans when he knocked Pacquiao cold.
"Once Manny lost, and after the kind of fight that was, it made Pacquiao-Marquez 5 a viable fight and a fight that we really needed to make" Moretti said. "And so that left Rios and Alvarado kind of outside there."

A fight with Pacquiao would have meant life-altering money for Rios, who now will have to pick up the pieces and be content with fighting a guy he's always beaten. That would seem to give Alvarado a bit of a boost, but Rios has never been a guy to look ahead too much. Plus, he has to have earned great respect for Alvarado during their first battle, so it's unlikely that he'll look past him.

Moretti said the bout will be broadcast by HBO.

Why Did David Stern Save the Hornets, but Not the Sonics or Kings?

By Patrick Michael | Yahoo! Contributor Network

COMMENTARY | With a new owner, a long-term lease agreement, and the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, there has never been a better time to be a New Orleans Hornets fan. But the Hornets' first 10 years in New Orleans were anything but smooth. Poor attendance, Hurricane Katrina, and more than a year without an owner made the Hornets a prime candidate for relocation.

However, NBA commissioner David Stern stepped in and took over the Hornets until he found a new local owner. Despite fewer obstacles in their respective cities, Stern took no such action to save the Seattle Sonics and Sacramento Kings. Why did Stern keep the Hornets in New Orleans, but allowed the Sonics and Kings to relocate?

The Sonics left Seattle after owner Howard Schultz failed to obtain public funding for either $220 million of improvements to KeyArena or $500 million for a new arena. KeyArena underwent renovations in 1995 and despite its small seating capacity of just over 17,000, the Sonics usually ranked between 15th and 20th in NBA attendance prior to relocation concerns.

What I find most intriguing about the Sonics' relocation is that the franchise had a lease agreement to stay in KeyArena through 2010, which was never enforced. The Seattle City Council voted 8-0 to enforce the lease, but the NBA approved the sale to Clay Bennett knowing the Oklahoma City native would likely relocate the Sonics to his hometown. Bennett did so in 2008-09.

Indirectly, the Hornets are partially responsible for the Sonics' relocation to Oklahoma City. After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, the Hornets played most of the next two seasons in Oklahoma City. Strong ticket sales and enthusiastic fans showed David Stern that Oklahoma City was a viable NBA destination.

While the Sacramento Kings' relocation is not official, NBA insiders consider it a fait accompli. Like the situation in Seattle, the Kings' problems began with their home arena. But unlike in Seattle, the city of Sacramento addressed ownership's concerns on multiple occasions. In the end, the Maloof family seemed determined to sell the Kings and allow them to relocate.

Since the Sonics left Seattle, David Stern has taken a PR beating. Sources also indicate in reports that Stern is unhappy with the Maloof ownership group. The Kings' sale and relocation to Seattle solves both of these problems. The Maloofs will be out of the NBA and the Sonics will return to the NBA. Reportedly, the Kings will play two seasons in KeyArena before moving to the new $500 million arena that Howard Schultz never received.

Many casual NBA fans may not know that the NBA nearly returned to New Orleans in 1994. Only five years after their inception, Minnesota Timberwolves owners sold the team to New Orleans-based Top Rank. However, after concerns arose over the group's financial assets, the NBA voted down the relocation. Eventually, Glen Taylor purchased the Timberwolves and kept them in Minnesota.

Despite the setback, New Orleans worked tirelessly to secure an NBA team and when another arena conflict arose in Charlotte, Stern approved the Hornets' relocation to New Orleans. Unlike in the aforementioned relocations, owner George Shinn moved, but did not sell, his team. Without needing a local owner and the New Orleans Arena already in place, the Hornets relocated to New Orleans for the 2002-03 season.

From the beginning, the biggest complaint about the Hornets' tenure in New Orleans has been poor attendance. The Hornets have never finished higher than 19^th in attendance while playing in New Orleans and they usually languish in the bottom five. As a New Orleans resident, I can attest to the fact that the Big Easy is more rabid about football than basketball.

The already comparatively small population of Metro New Orleans took a major hit after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. However, I believe Katrina helped convince David Stern to keep the Hornets in New Orleans. After Stern's NFL counterpart, Paul Tagliabue, made the bold move to keep the Saints in New Orleans, Stern had no choice but to follow suit. Stern recognized how badly it would reflect on the NBA if a team relocated after a natural disaster.

Stern said, "That's not who we are. There may be good and sufficient reasons to leave a city, but not one that has just had a disaster after having built a building for a team it didn't have and supported it in a first-class way. I always believed we had that obligation to New Orleans."

I also believe that Stern likes having the NBA in New Orleans because of its reputation as a top tourist destination, convention site, and major event host. For sporting events such as NBA All-Star Weekend, New Orleans is world-renowned. It's no coincidence that the Hornets have already hosted one NBA All-Star game in New Orleans and will do so again in 2014.

Commenting on why he chose New Orleans, Stern said, "There is no better place to celebrate and showcase the NBA than in New Orleans, a city with a rich tradition of hosting major events that is second-to-none. Our 2008 NBA All-Star festivities proved a terrific experience for everyone involved, and we anticipate 2014 will be even better."

For NBA fans who wonder why David Stern took the extraordinary step of assuming ownership of the Hornets to prevent relocation, he had no choice. If the Hornets relocated, Stern would be practically admitting that the NBA has twice acted in error by granting New Orleans an NBA franchise. In this instance, Stern's commitment to New Orleans has paid off. The Hornets finally have an outstanding local owner and a new lease agreement through 2024.

If nothing else, the lesson to be learned by the NBA's return to Seattle and New Orleans is that Sacramento fans should someday have a team of their own to cheer for once again.

NHL expansion would mean more young players

By Ryan Kennedy | The Hockey News – 20 hours ago
 

• Nathan MacKinnon is expected to go No. 1 or 2 overall this summer, and to jump right into the NHL. (Getty Images)
  
  

As Markham, Ont., flirts with the idea of building an NHL-capable arena, an interesting storyline has emerged alongside the main attraction. Former NHLPA head Paul Kelly reportedly told members of the suburban city council at Tuesday’s meeting that expansion was high on the NHL’s agenda, pushing membership of the NHL to 32 teams.

I’m not here to judge the merits of expansion. A second team in Toronto and a return to Quebec City wouldn’t help the NHL’s geographic imbalance in the east, but I’m sure owners in the west would be more than placated by the expansion fees and revenues generated in two more Canadian markets.

What does intrigue me, however, is what impact expansion would have on rosters. Not just for the new teams, but league-wide. Would the NHL get even younger?

The past is not the best place to seek answers, though it is worth noting that as soon as Ken Linseman’s legal challenge paved the way for an 18-year-old draft, his next club, the WHA’s Birmingham Bulls, went on a youth spree. Linseman led the Bulls in scoring as a teenager in 1977-78 before leaving for the Philadelphia Flyers the next season. Without him, Birmingham went back to the well, bringing in teen sensations Michel Goulet, Rick Vaive, Rob Ramage and Craig Hartsburg (not to mention goalie Pat Riggin, who made a team-high 46 appearances in net). Sure, the Bulls were the only team in the WHA to miss the playoffs (Indianapolis suspended operations after 25 games), but they were only two points behind Cincinnati in the final standings.

Hop back to the present and you’ll find a hockey landscape where the Kontinental League can offer salaries and opportunities that turn North Americans such as Kevin Dallman and Tim Stapleton into stars instead of depth players, while current NHL team Columbus rolls into the shortened season with a lineup boasting precisely zero players with a 30-goal NHL campaign on their resume.

The problem, of course, is rushing prospects into the league before they’re ready. Don’t take this column as an endorsement of expansion as a means of getting first round draft picks into the NHL sooner; this is merely an exposition.

If any cohort of players could handle the leap, it’s the current generation. It’s practically a given that Nathan MacKinnon and Seth Jones will jump straight to the NHL next year and they don’t even know what sweater they’ll be pulling on. During the summer, both players (who share an agent in Pat Brisson) took a trip to Los Angeles where they had a chance to work with Patrick Kane’s skills coach, Darryl Belfry, and fitness guru T.R. Goodman, the man responsible for helping Chris Chelios cheat time for a decade. And they got worked out by the Athletes’ Performance firm at the same facility where NBA star Derrick Rose was training. But Jones and MacKinnon weren’t the only ones given that chance: fellow 2013 eligibles such as Curtis Lazar, Morgan Klimchuk, Anthony Mantha and Justin Bailey were there, too, soaking it all in. Younger players (most notably 2014 prospect Roland McKeown of the Kingston Frontenacs) also got the star treatment. That’s a far cry from what Guy Lafleur or Denis Potvin did during their summers.

Every year now, a handful of kids go straight from the draft to the NHL. Another handful play some games before heading back to junior, since their teams don’t want to burn the first year of the prospect’s entry level contract. But riddle me this: If the Minnesota Wild, for example, had lost a couple of players to an expansion draft, would Mathew Dumba have been returned to Red Deer or stayed on in the Twin Cities? Same goes for Ryan Strome and the Islanders, who now has two NHL training camps under his belt, but is back in Niagara playing junior.

If the NHL increases to 32 teams, the talent pool is going to have to expand as well. Franchises will be forced to make tough decisions on youngsters.

And if you want to look into the history books when it comes to teens and expansion, just look up Pat Falloon and Alexandre Daigle.

Column: Super Bowl brothers like no others

By TIM DAHLBERG (AP Sports Columnist) | The Associated Press – 6 hours ago

     

• San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Charlie …
  
  
  
  
  
• San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh helps to pose players for a team photo during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, …
  
  

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- John Harbaugh had just finished answering the masked man in front of him when a caped crusader from a children's network swooped in to ask how he really felt about his brother.

''I think that's a very provocative question from Nickelodeon,'' the Ravens coach said, not bothering to hide a smile. ''I'm a little disappointed because I've spent a lot of time watching your network with my daughter over the years.''

Silly stuff at media day for the Super Bowl. Nothing new about that, even if the humor has, by now, grown staler than a day-old French Quarter beignet.

There were no superheroes around younger brother Jim, while he grudgingly held court a short time earlier at a podium on the 43-yard-line of the Superdome. Probably too busy exploring the inner thoughts of Randy Moss or discussing tattoos with Colin Kaepernick.

Or maybe they just knew better than to get the San Francisco coach too wound up. Happened in Detroit last year, if you remember, with a postgame handshake.

The guy who probably charts what he's going to have for breakfast a week ahead of time had his talking points ready for this ordeal. Fidgeting constantly as he sat on the podium, Jim Harbaugh did his best to entertain like his older brother, but it just wasn't going to happen.

''I could make something up,'' he said in response to one question. ''But I'd be making it up. What do you want me to say and we can save you some time and put it right in your story.''

That the Harbaugh siblings are a big story line in this Super Bowl isn't a surprise. They'll be across the sidelines from each other Sunday in the first brotherly coaching confrontation in 47 Super Bowls.

The odds of that happening? About 225-1 if you listen to John; impossible to quantify if you're his younger brother.

''I can add. I can subtract. I can do division and I can multiply. But now you're starting to step in a realm where I get challenged mathematically,'' Jim said. ''Maybe like lightning striking?''

Whatever the odds, brother versus brother makes this a Super Bowl like no other. A sibling rivalry played out on one of the biggest stages in sports, and this time the loser doesn't have to mow the front lawn.

The father they learned so much from about coaching and life will be in the stands watching along with their mother, Jackie. She tends to get upset at referees when calls don't go the family's way, but with a son running each team there is no one to root against in this game.

They're both the same, yet they're both so different. Jim is so intense he often looks like he is about to explode - and occasionally does. John can be so engaging - he got on a media conference call with his parents last week and asked them why they liked his younger brother better than him.

And while Jim acted as if he couldn't wait for his 60 minutes to be up Tuesday, John talked past his allotted time, answering questions with enthusiasm until a team official finally pulled him away. He campaigned for the late Ravens owner Art Modell to be voted in the Hall of Fame, talked about his daughter learning Japanese, and joked about how his parents always did like Jim best.

''I think even I liked Jim more than me growing up,'' he said. ''I wouldn't be surprised if they did.''

The 49ers coach, meanwhile, likes to hold things so close to the vest that he feigned ignorance when asked if he would see his brother in a social setting this week. John, though, let the family secret out, saying there were tentative plans to get together Wednesday night for what figures to be a quiet dinner.

''I can't imagine what we would be able to talk about,'' John said. ''What are you having? I don't know. What are you having? It might not get past the menu.''

They could discuss the kind of things everyone discusses about their little brother. In Jim's case, that would be the umbrage he took at a media member referring to the string around his neck as a necklace, or maybe his appearance in the 1990s sitcom ''Saved by the Bell'' while he was a quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts.

''They asked me to come on and deliver a positive message to the youth,'' Jim said with a laugh. ''And for that I've been scorned and humiliated.''

The big brother stuff isn't quite as funny because it's hard even for Jim to make fun of John. How could he when John said he was sure he would be looking across the field at his brother during the game and thinking about their lives together and how they got to this point.

''There's a lot of commercial time'' during the game, John said. ''There will be some time for personal reflection, certainly.''

They grew up as sons of a football coach, and they're now in an elite place every football coach aspires to be. ''Enthusiasm unknown to mankind'' was one of Jack Harbaugh's favorite sayings while they were growing up, and they've now got some sayings of their own.

The brother thing fits into it so well, in fact, that Jim paraphrased Shakespeare twice when talking about it.

''That's my brother on the other side,'' he said. ''I love him and care about him very much. But they're also my brothers on the sidelines for he who sheds his blood today shall be my brother.''

Slogans won't win football games, though, and someone will lose this one. It's not a prospect either relishes, but a reality they both accept.

They're football coaches, after all. Just like dad.

''We both desperately want to win,'' Jim said. ''But we understand the other side of that.''

Animal shelters are real winners of 'Puppy Bowl'

By SUE MANNING | Associated Press – Tue, Jan 29, 2013 2:42 AM PST

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — There will be a winner and a loser every Super Bowl Sunday. But at the "Puppy Bowl," it's always a win for animal shelters.

The show provides national exposure to the shelters across the country that provide the puppy athletes and the kittens that star in the halftime show, and introduces viewers to the different breeds and animals that need homes, animal workers say. Many shelters see bumps in visits from viewers who are inspired to adopt a pet.

"It raises awareness for our shelter and others that take part," said Madeline Bernstein, president and CEO of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. "It shows dogs in a happy, playful, fun way, which makes people think, 'Gee, I could play with a dog too.' You hope it will also stimulate adoptions, and if not, at least a positive attitude toward dogs, rather than they are just hairy and smelly."

The "Puppy Bowl," an annual two-hour TV special that mimics a football game with canine players, made its debut eight years ago on The Animal Planet. Dogs score touchdowns on a 10-by-19-foot gridiron carpet when they cross the goal line with a toy. There is a Most Valuable Pup award, a water bowl cam, a new lipstick cam (it's in the lips of the toys), slow-motion cameras, hedgehog referees, a puppy hot tub and a blimp with a crew of hamsters. Bios on each puppy player flash across the screen during close-ups of the action, letting viewers know how to find each animal for adoption.

Most of the puppies, however, are usually adopted by airtime since the show is filmed months ahead, said executive producer Melinda Toporoff, who is working on her fifth "Puppy Bowl." But Bernstein said the point is to show that animals just like the ones on the show can be found at any shelter at any time.

"A lot of people have come in during the last year and said, 'I want a dog just like Fumble,'" she said, referring to spcaLA's player entry in "Puppy Bowl VIII" who earned the game's Most Valuable Pup crown.
About 300 puppies and kittens have been featured on "Puppy Bowl" over the last decade, according to Petfinder.com, the country's largest online pet adoption database that helps cast the show's animal stars.

"Shelters and rescues are at capacity, and pet adoption is the responsible way to add to your family," said Sara Kent, who oversees outreach to the 14,000 shelters and rescues that Petfinder works with.

The inaugural "Puppy Bowl," which was promoted as an alternative to the Super Bowl, had 22 puppies and was watched by nearly 6 million viewers. Nearly 9 million tuned in last year and another 1.4 million watched via video streams, Toporoff said. "Puppy Bowl IX" will feature 84 animals, including 21 kittens from a New York shelter for the halftime show, and 63 puppies from 23 shelters.

Only four of the puppies have yet to find new homes, Toporoff said. They include Tyson, Daphne and Sacha — three pit bull mixes from the Pitter Patter Animal Rescue in Silver Lake, Wis., — and Jenny, a terrier mix from the Pitty Love Rescue in Rochester, N.Y.

"I don't know if there's any bigger forum for getting something out on adoption. We make sure the message gets out there. We make clear that these dogs need homes and that all animals have come to us during the adoption process," Toporoff said.

Fumble, last year's MVP winner, was adopted before the show aired. Michael Wright, of New York, said he found out about Fumble's participation toward the end of the adoption process. He planned to watch this year's show to catch any flashbacks of last year's MVP playing his heart out.

"I'm not really a fan of football," he said, adding that he has renamed Fumble to Toby. "He fits the name Toby. He is so cute. I like the name Fumble, but I pictured someone dropping the ball. He wasn't a Fumble," Wright said.

Each year, recruiting for the show is a logistical challenge for Kent and her crew of 80-plus. This year's show was particularly worrisome because taping was scheduled for October 2012 — just after Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast.

"We worried about the puppies, kittens and hedgehogs that may have been directly impacted or unable to travel due to Sandy," Kent said.

The New York studio where the game was supposed to be taped lost power, but the taping couldn't be postponed for too long given how quickly puppies grow. Another studio further uptown that had both power and space was found, and "amazingly, the crew was able to reschedule the shoot for only a week later and all the animals were still able to attend," Kent said.

Bernstein said they try to find rambunctious, energetic puppies to enter in the bowl though even if a dog falls asleep on its way to the end zone, it can be funny. Puppies chosen for the show have to be between 10 and 15 weeks old, healthy and sturdy enough to be on the field with playmates. All breeds are considered because "we try to reflect what's out there in the adoption world. A lot of those breeds are mixed," Toporoff said.

Producers also were trying to find ways to incorporate older animals into the show, since shelters have more trouble finding homes for them than they do puppies and kittens, Toporoff said.

As with all reality TV shows, the behind-the-scenes casting can lead to problems. Viewers often come in seeking a dog just like one on the show, and "then the lawyer brain kicks in, and you have to make sure you let everybody know not every dog plays football," said Bernstein, who is also an attorney. "People will adopt the kind of dog they see in the movie and they'll expect their Dalmatian to know how to use a word processor and not understand that was a cartoon."

"Some dogs like to play more than others. But don't come in thinking every Chihuahua can play football," she said.

The "Puppy Bowl" airs on Feb. 3 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in all time zones and will keep repeating until 3 a.m. The Super Bowl starts at 6:30 p.m. ET and 3:30 p.m. PT.

NBA Power Rankings: Spurs are new No. 1

Marc J Spears
yahoo sports

Point guard Tony Parker (9) and the Spurs are back on top. (Getty Images)

The NBA spotlight isn't shining near the Alamo, and rarely does, but it should right now. 

The San Antonio Spurs have leapfrogged the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers to take over the top spot in the Yahoo! Sports’ weekly NBA rankings. The Spurs currently own the NBA’s best record after winning eight straight games.

Records are through Monday.
1. San Antonio Spurs (36-11, previous ranking: third): All-Star Tim Duncan has been out three straight games with a knee injury. But considering how well All-Star guard Tony Parker and the Spurs are playing without him, they shouldn’t rush Duncan back.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (34-11, previous ranking: first): After losing to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, the Thunder have plenty of time to think about it before a West showdown against visiting Memphis on Thursday night. The Thunder are 19-3 at home.

3. Los Angeles Clippers (33-13, previous ranking: second): Chris Paul has missed four straight games and seven of the past nine because of a knee injury. His replacement, Eric Bledsoe, is averaging 11.9 points, 4 assists and 1.7 turnovers in nine games as a starter.

4. Miami Heat (28-13, previous ranking: fourth): Heat make their first trip to Brooklyn on Wednesday. Had the Barclays Center opened as hoped in 2010, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would have considered playing for the Nets.



5. Memphis Grizzlies (29-15, previous ranking: fifth): Memphis won the first meeting against the Thunder 107-97 on Nov. 14 in Oklahoma City. Since then, the Thunder have only lost once at home to Brooklyn on Jan. 2. Can Memphis get two in Oklahoma?

6. New York Knicks (27-15, previous ranking: sixth): Is it time to put Amar’e Stoudemire back in the starting lineup? Stoudemire has averaged 17.2 points and 6.2 rebounds the past five games. The fear is a change could mess up Carmelo Anthony’s offensive flow.

7. Chicago Bulls (27-17, previous ranking: 11th): All-Star forward Luol Deng returned to the lineup in Monday's win over Charlotte after missing five games with a hamstring injury. Chicago did well without Deng, thanks to solid play by Jimmy Butler.

8. Golden State Warriors (27-17, previous ranking: seventh): Warriors get a lift with the return of Andrew Bogut, who had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in 23 minutes in win at Toronto on Monday. Warriors could challenge for fourth seed with Bogut.

9. Denver Nuggets (28-18, previous ranking: 10th): Center JaVale McGee has left shin soreness and will undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury. Nuggets might be more inclined to keep center Timofey Mozgov.

10. Indiana Pacers (26-19, previous ranking: eighth): The Pacers matched a season-high with three straight losses after falling to Denver on Monday night. Let's see how focused Indiana is Wednesday playing Detroit knowing that Miami will be coming to town Friday.

11. Brooklyn Nets (27-18, previous ranking: ninth): East coaches showed little respect for Brooklyn by not naming a player as an All-Star reserve. The Nets have two candidates to replace injured All-Star Rajon Rondo in Deron Williams and Brook Lopez.

12. Atlanta Hawks (25-19, previous ranking: 13th): Expectations are growing that the Hawks will trade forward Josh Smith, a source said. Smith has averaged 17 points, 8.6 rebounds. 4.7 assists and 2.1 blocks this month despite the trade speculation.

13. Milwaukee Bucks (23-19, previous ranking: 15th): Bucks guard Brandon Jennings doesn't have the New York market like Deron Williams and J.R. Smith, but he is deserving of replacing Rondo as an All-Star.


14. Utah Jazz (24-21, previous ranking: 12th): The Jazz suffered the worst home loss in franchise history, 125-80 on Monday against Houston. After being booed strongly, Utah has two chances to redeem itself at home this week against New Orleans and Portland.

15. Houston Rockets (25-22, previous ranking: 14th): The Rockets rebounded from seven straight losses to win four of their last five. Houston is averaging 122.5 points the past two games and has scored at least 100 points in its last four victories.

16. Portland Trail Blazers (22-22, previous ranking: 17th): The Blazers have dropped seven of their past nine games. The Lakers have their eyes on passing them in the West standings, and Portland has little margin of error if it wants to be a playoff team.

17. Boston Celtics (21-23, previous ranking: 16th): There is not a lot in the free-agent point guard market as options include ex-Celtics Delonte West and Eddie House, Earl Boykins, Anthony Carter and the retired Keyon Dooling, who works for the Celtics.

18. Los Angeles Lakers (19-25, previous ranking: 19th): Lakers finally get point guard Steve Blake back from injury Tuesday against New Orleans. In other point guard news, Steve Nash returns to Phoenix on Wednesday for the first time since leaving the Suns.

19. Dallas Mavericks (19-25, previous ranking: 20th): The Mavericks are showing real life, winning six of their last eight games with losses coming to NBA powers San Antonio and Oklahoma City. It will be odd not seeing Dirk Nowitzki suiting up as a West All-Star.

20. Philadelphia 76ers (18-26, previous ranking: 21st): The Sixers are eager to get out of January, a month in which they have gone 4-9. Good news is injured center Andrew Bynum is expected to begin practicing soon and possibly return after All-Star weekend.

21. Minnesota Timberwolves (17-24, previous ranking: 18th): Tough to have worse back-to-back losses than the Wolves had against the NBA's two worst teams in Washington and Charlotte. At least coach Rick Adelman is back.



22. Detroit Pistons (17-27, previous ranking: 24th): Despite being 10 games under .500, Detroit is only four behind Boston for the final East playoff spot. In light of Rajon Rondo's injury, the Pistons have motivation to make a run at their first playoff spot since 2009.
23. Toronto Raptors (16-29, previous ranking: 23rd): The Raptors are without four potential starters due to injury in forward-center Andrea Bargnani (elbow), rookie center Jonas Valanciunas (finger), forward Linas Kleiza (knee) and guard Kyle Lowry (back).

24. Sacramento Kings (17-29, previous ranking: 22nd): Center DeMarcus Cousins tweeted out, "Pray for me," after a 96-94 win at Washington on Monday. He scored three points in a loss at Denver on Jan. 26 and had 12 points against the Wizards.

25. Orlando Magic (14-30, previous ranking: 25th): The Magic have dropped six straight and have only won twice in January. There isn't much hope for optimism ahead with upcoming road games against New York, Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

26. New Orleans Hornets (15-29, previous ranking: 26th): After an impressive recent stretch, the Hornets have come back to Earth after dropping three of their past five games. New Orleans has a tough back-to-back this week against Lakers and Utah.

27. Phoenix Suns (15-30, previous ranking: 28th): It will be interesting to hear the reception Lakers guard Steve Nash gets in his return to Phoenix on Wednesday. After all, he did win two NBA MVPs with the Suns.

28. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-32, previous ranking: 29th): A testament to how respected guard Kyrie Irving is was that he made the All-Star team despite his team's atrocious record. Center Anderson Varejao had a shot, too, before a season-ending injury.

29. Washington Wizards (11-31, previous ranking: 27th): John Wall will look to make a statement Wednesday against Sixers All-Star guard Jrue Holiday. Rookie Bradley Beal is averaging 15.2 points and shooting 50.8 percent from 3-point range in January.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (11-33, previous ranking: 30th): Losers of nine of their last 11, the Bobcats gave journeyman forward Jeff Adrien his first NBA start on Monday at Chicago. He responded with 14 points and 10 rebounds.




 

Brent Latham: Five reasons Mexico wants to beat Denmark

 
By Brent Latham | Goal.com 

 

Mexico’s Wednesday friendly against Denmark may look like a rather meaningless fixture, given that players in Europe won’t be a part of the match.

But there are several reasons to keep a close eye on the proceedings in Phoenix, and not just because this is a decent Danish B-team that could upset El Tri’s plans to start 2013 off with a bang.

There are many motives for which El Tri could use an emphatic victory when it takes the field for the first time this year, in Phoenix on Wednesday night.

Momentum

Friendlies mean nothing, except when they do. This one isn’t particularly important except that it starts the year off after a long winter break. El Tri will be anxious to impose its will on Denmark to show it retains the winning attitude of recent years headed into a year that could define Mexico’s chances of becoming a world superpower sooner rather than later.

With or without their full team, super powers dominate meaningless friendlies against second rate B-teams. It’s the business-like attitude the best teams bring to every match, spurned on by the ultra-competitive individual search for a spot on the team.

It’s fair to say that Jose Manuel 'Chepo' de la Torre has brought that attitude to Mexico. Wednesday night should be the proof that this year won’t be a letdown.

Dynamics of 2013

This calendar year is among the busiest and most important in the history of the Mexican national team. It starts off a bit quietly, with this tuneup and a relative walkover against Jamaica at home – in theory the easiest match of the entire Hexagonal for Mexico.

But the action ramps up quickly, as Mexico visits Honduras and hosts the United States in March, before a busy summer of action that includes three qualifiers and two international cups before July is out.

That begs for a quick start, as the last thing El Tri needs is an early-year crisis to derail its big plans for 2013.

Confidence for young players

A number of younger players set to play a big role in El Tri’s potential triumphs this year are in Phoenix and likely to see the field against Denmark.

The likes of Diego Reyes, Hiram Mier, Jorge Enriquez and Hector Herrera are sure to play an increasingly important role for El Tri as the year winds on. After qualifiers necessitated veteran lineups for much of last year, leaving the Olympic champions mostly on the El Tri bench, this friendly is their first chance to come into the team as legitimate options, fighting for time.

What the young players need for their confidence beyond playing time is to dominate in the El Tri jersey. Denmark provides the chance to do that.

Point of comparison with Europe

The Danish team is comprised of players who have done very well in what is considered an excellent European stepping-stone league. While Mexicans are starting to garner more and more interest in Europe, they’re still not playing across the Atlantic at nearly the rate they should be.

An impressive performance for Mexico-based players against their counterparts from a middle-of-the-pack European league will further enforce the point of the Liga MX’s quality and depth. Even if Danish teams in particular can’t afford top level Mexicans, crushing the Dane backups will reinforce the notion to clubs scouting the Danes that Mexico continues to be a compelling value, even at these prices.

Big game versus Jamaica

The qualifier versus Jamaica at El Azteca is more important than it looks. The pressure on those second and third Hexagonal games versus the United States and Honduras will mount quickly if El Tri fails to get a resounding result against the Caribbean nation at home.

In turn, a decent performance against Denmark leaves El Tri playing with the confidence it needs against Jamaica. Wednesday’s game might not count for anything, but a good showing makes it all the easier for El Tri to get the result that by all means it can and should in the upcoming game that matters on Feb. 6.

NHL Power Rankings: Top 10 teams, weekly all-stars and games to watch

Fri, Jan 25, 2013 6:56 PM EST

POWER RANKINGS: The NHL’s top 10 teams


 

The 'Hawks have gotten off to a flying start. (AP) 

1. Chicago Blackhawks: The first club to win four games, including three on the road, the ‘Hawks have received great starts from star forwards Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane – and perhaps most importantly, netminder Corey Crawford. 

2. San Jose Sharks: Remember what “Jaws” did to drunken tourists taking ill-advised late-night swims? That’s what the Sharks have done to opposing goalies so far.

3. Ottawa Senators: The Sens surrendered just two goals in three games and Erik Karlsson appears ready to pick up where he left off after winning the Norris Trophy last season.

4. St. Louis Blues: Season-opening 6-0 shellacking of longtime league heavyweight Detroit says plenty about the bona fide Blues (and perhaps something about the Lidstrom-less Red Wings).

5. New Jersey Devils: This perpetual winning machine captured the Stanley Cup the last time the NHL force-fed us a 48-game season &ndash: and with the very same goalie, if you can believe it.

6. Anaheim Ducks: Answered a few off-season questions with a bushel of goals in a pair of road victories.

7. Boston Bruins: If you’re picking a team to come out of the East, the B’s are a good bet.

8. Colorado Avalanche: The young Avs looked impressive in beating the Kings and blanking the Blue Jackets.

9. Minnesota Wild: Zach Parise’s start has been better than Ryan Suter’s – but you’d be tentative, too, if you didn’t have Shea Weber helping you out for the first time in seven years.

10. Pittsburgh Penguins: More superstars per square inch than any other team in the NHL.

Rising Up: Montreal Canadiens
 
The Habs hit the skids last season, finishing last in the East and 28th overall. But they responded to a season-opening stinker against Toronto with convincing wins over Florida and Washington. And they’ll be even better when P.K. Subban re-signs. Or should that be if Subban signs?

Falling Down: Washington Capitals
 
The league’s last winless, pointless team has looked awful in the early going. Another week like this one and it’ll be a battle for the rest of the season just to sneak into the playoffs.

ALL-STAR TEAM OF THE WEEK

 

The Sharks' Joe Thornton is the centerpiece of one of the league's hottest lines. (Getty) 

Center: Joe Thornton, San Jose. The veteran Sharks playmaker had eight assists in three games on a killer line with Patrick Marleau (six goals) and Joe Pavelski (seven assists). 

Right winger: Marian Hossa, Chicago. The last time we saw the Blackhawks star, he was being carted off the ice after the Raffi Torres hit. Hossa served notice that he’s all better, thank you, by starting out with back-to-back two-goal games.

Left winger: Thomas Vanek, Buffalo. Sabres sniper opened the 2013 NHL campaign with a five-point display against Philadelphia.

Defenseman: Erik Karlsson, Ottawa. He makes it happen for the Senators, and has already taken his rightful place among ‘D’ leaders in points, plus-minus and ice time.

Defenseman: Raphael Diaz, Montreal. With five assists – including three on the power play – in three games, he’ll do until Subban returns.

Goaltender: Jaroslav Halak, St. Louis. Two shutouts in three starts, just good enough to meet the minimum expectations of Blues coach Ken Hitchcock. (Correction: We originally had "Two shutouts in two starts" for Halak.)    

Rookie: Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis. Nail Yakupov’s sliding celebration stole the spotlight, but Tarasenko popped four goals in four games. And. Looks. Like. A. Keeper.

GAMES TO WATCH


 

It got heated between the Kings and Coyotes in the West final last spring. (Getty) 

1. Los Angeles at Phoenix, Saturday. The Kings and Coyotes last faced off in a no-holds-barred showdown in the West final. Remember Dustin Brown’s borderline hit on Michal Roszival in the series-deciding Game 5? You can be sure Phoenix does. 

2. Minnesota at St. Louis, Sunday. The Wild want to leap up the standings like the Blues did last season, and a date in St. Louis is good litmus test.

3. Philadelphia at New York Rangers, Tuesday. Two of the big favorites in the East stumbled badly out of the gate, but you can bet the farm that one of them will win this game. Heck, bet two farms.

LAST MINUTE OF PLAY

• Will there be a worse period of play than the Oilers’ opening 20 minutes against San Jose – in Edmonton’s home opener, no less – in which Taylor Hall and Co. found themselves in a 6-1 hole?

• Will there be a more thrilling finish than the Oilers’ final 65 seconds against Los Angeles – in Edmonton’s next home game – in which Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal disallowed on a controversial call before Yakupov scored with five seconds left (and then went for the slide heard ‘round the hockey world)? Sam Gagner closed the deal for Edmonton in overtime.

• Looks like the Coyotes have effectively replaced 40-year-old offensive dynamo Ray Whitney with 38-year-old offensive dynamo Steve Sullivan. The 5-foot-9 Sullivan potted a hat trick against Columbus and followed up with a goal and an assist against San Jose.

• Congratulations to Daniel Winnik, this season’s recipient of the “Fast Start But Unlikely To Keep It Up” award. The Ducks center had four goals in his first two games after scoring 37 times in his previous 366 games. In other words, he’s scoring at 20 times his career pace. Enjoy it while it lasts.

• Tampa Bay has a Steve Stamkos Mini-Me in undrafted rookie Cory Conacher. The 5-foot-8 23-year-old started fast with two goals and five points in three games after lighting it up for Norfolk in the AHL last year.

• The fact that the Kings’ Drew Doughty is leading all NHL defensemen in ice time at nearly 30 minutes per game (29:42) is not a big surprise. The fact that the Isles’ Andrew MacDonald is second (27:57) is, shall we say, somewhat unexpected.

• The St. Louis Blues were outshooting opponents by nearly 14 shots per game (33.2-19.5) through four contests, while the Dallas Stars were at the other end at minus-12 (26.2-38.2). St. Louis limited Nashville to 13 shots in a 3-0 win on Jan. 24 and held Detroit to 14 shots in that 6-0 drubbing on Jan. 19.

• Boston Bruins’ Dougie Hamilton might not get much attention in the NHL rookie race this season – defensemen rarely do – but the 6-foot-5 teenager is playing with Zdeno Chara and earning the trust of B’s coach Claude Julien. And, as any Leafs fan will tell you, he’s the other player in the Tyler-Seguin-for-Phil-Kessel deal.

Double Coverage: Flacco vs. 49ers' defense

By Mike Sando and Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com

Getty ImagesRavens quarterback Joe Flacco will face his toughest challenge in Aldon Smith and the 49ers.

NEW ORLEANS -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is riding one of the greatest postseason runs an NFL quarterback has ever ridden.

Only six quarterbacks have thrown more touchdown passes in a single postseason than Flacco, who has eight in these playoffs.

But the San Francisco 49ers will provide Flacco's toughest test of the postseason. Since Vic Fangio took over as the 49ers' defensive coordinator in 2011, San Francisco has allowed the fewest points (15.7) and second-fewest yards (301.3) on a per-game basis.

NFC West blogger Mike Sando and AFC North counterpart Jamison Hensley break down the matchup between this strong-armed quarterback and stingy defense.

Hensley: Everyone laughed at Joe Flacco when he said he was the best quarterback in the NFL this offseason. Look who's laughing now. I'm not saying Flacco is the best quarterback in the league, but he's playing at a different level right now.

Sando: I know "playing at a different level" sounds like a cliché, but it’s really true. The smart numbers back this up in a big way.

Joe Flacco Postseason Stats

Season	2012	2008-2011
W-L	3-0	5-4
Comp. pct.	54.8	54.3
Yards/att.	9.2	6.2
TD-INT	8-0	8-8
NFL rating	114.7	70.4
Sack pct.	4.0	7.6
Total QBR	77.5	33.3
Source: ESPN Stats & Information

Consider that Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Colin Kaepernick, Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers finished first through fifth, respectively, in Total QBR for the regular season. All posted figures in the 70s or higher, well above the 50-point mark reflecting average contributions to winning.

I think we’d all agree that those guys were very good. Flacco finished 25th with a 46.8 mark. So, unless Flacco somehow defied a system that correctly identified the best and worst quarterbacks in the NFL, there was some reason for skepticism entering these playoffs.

Yes, the Ravens have won playoff games in past seasons with Flacco at quarterback, but he has been much, much better during this postseason -- not just relative to the regular season, but relative to past postseasons as well.

Flacco's eight touchdown passes and zero interceptions tell us as much. So do the advanced stats. Flacco’s Total QBR has spiked to 77.5, third-best in the playoffs. It ranged between 17.6 and 41.9 for him in previous postseasons.

Hensley: The difference with Flacco is his ability to get the ball downfield. He's averaging 16.7 yards per completion by going deep to Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin. I expect a similar game plan from the Ravens, especially after watching how Matt Ryan was able to hit some big plays against the 49ers in the first half of the NFC Championship Game. How does San Francisco go about slowing down Flacco?

2012 49ers vs. Passes 16+ Yds. Past LOS

Weeks	1-17	19-20
Comp.	33	10
Att.	91	15
Pct.	36.3	66.7
Yards	952	264
YPA	10.5	17.6
TD	2	3
INT	6	1
NFL rating	55.7	121.5
Total QBR	69.2	100.0
Source: ESPN Stats & Information

Sando: The 49ers gave up a 46-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones on a blown coverage in the NFC Championship Game. These longer passes have been a bit of problem for the 49ers during the playoffs. That is a concern in this game.

During the playoffs, the 49ers have allowed 66.7 percent completions with three touchdowns and one interception on passes traveling more than 15 yards past the line of scrimmage. The 49ers are allowing 17.6 yards per pass attempt on these throws. The numbers were much more impressive during the regular season (36.3 percent completions, two TD passes, six picks, 10.5 yards per attempt).

The 49ers' pass rush, diminished since Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Smith suffered a triceps injury in Week 15, finished strong in the NFC Championship Game. San Francisco needs to pick up in the Super Bowl where it left off against the Falcons.

Hensley: What has impressed me just as much as Flacco's downfield passing has been his decision-making. He's not chucking the ball downfield any chance he gets. Flacco is waiting for the one-on-one matchups and exploiting them. That's the main reason why he hasn't thrown any interceptions in the playoffs. In fact, Flacco hasn't been picked off since he had an interception returned 98 yards for a touchdown against Denver on Dec. 16. He has gone 19 quarters of play without throwing one, a span of 162 passes. That's an amazing stretch for Flacco, whose previous best streak was 137 passes. A big reason why Flacco hasn't thrown interceptions is he's getting time to throw. If the 49ers can get pressure on Flacco, especially early, he has to continue to take care of the ball.

Sando: The 49ers do not blitz much. They have sent five or more pass-rushers just 6.9 percent of the time in two playoff games, easily the lowest rate this postseason (32.4 percent for everyone else). They really need Aldon Smith and Justin Smith to play well. Neither has dominated for some time. Aldon Smith did get pressure on Matt Ryan as the NFC Championship Game progressed. That was one reason the 49ers put Ryan under duress on six of his final 12 drop backs.

What kind of pass protection should we expect from the Ravens?

Hensley: Based on the playoffs, I would expect a very safe pocket for Flacco. The Ravens made a change on the offensive line and it has totally changed the passing game. Left guard Jah Reid was placed on injured reserve with a toe injury just before the playoffs began. That meant right tackle Kelechi Osemele moved to left guard, left tackle Michael Oher shifted to right tackle and Bryant McKinnie got out of John Harbaugh's doghouse and into the starting lineup at left tackle.

The result: four sacks allowed in three playoff games. The key matchup is McKinnie versus Aldon Smith. McKinnie has given up just one sack in the playoffs, but he has been inconsistent throughout his career. If the 49ers get too much heat on Flacco, look for the Ravens to get the ball to Ray Rice in space whether it's on swing or screen passes. Rice has been quiet in the playoffs as a receiver (four total catches) but he's dangerous in the passing game. Just look at fourth down-and-29 in San Diego.

Sando: If the 49ers could hand-pick two inside linebackers to chase Rice around the field, they would probably pick the ones they’re taking into this game, Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. They should be OK in that aspect of the matchup. But there are no guarantees Aldon Smith, playing with a shoulder injury, is going to consistently win those pass rush battles against Bryant McKinnie.

Yes, McKinnie’s career has been disappointing in recent seasons, but he was the seventh pick of the 2002 draft because he has talent.

McKinnie was at left tackle last season when the Ravens limited the 49ers to zero sacks. We should note that Justin Smith gave McKinnie problems in the running game. Still, though, that 16-6 defeat for the 49ers stands as one of three zero-sack games for San Francisco’s defense over the past two seasons, counting playoffs. The 49ers’ offense scored only 22 points in those three games, however. It’s not like the Ravens were in any obvious passing situations against San Francisco last season.

Hensley: Some Ravens players have told me that the key to their running game is getting linemen to the second level, especially against Bowman, who is getting a lot of respect here in Baltimore. The Ravens need the running game to work early to avoid those obvious passing situations you pointed out, Mike, and set up the play-action, which Flacco uses quite well.

This game is such a role reversal for Flacco after going through Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the AFC gauntlet. He's now the experienced quarterback compared to Colin Kaepernick. After eight playoff games and three trips to the AFC Championship Game, he understands what it takes to win in the national spotlight. He needs to convert third downs, produce touchdowns in the red zone (he already has five touchdowns inside the 20 this postseason) and not make costly turnovers. If the Ravens are going to win, it's going to be because of Flacco.

P.K. Subban gets 2-year contract

ESPN.com news services

Cross Checks Blog

 

MONTREAL -- Defenseman P.K. Subban will be rejoining the Montreal Canadiens after signing a two-year, $5.75 million contract on Monday.

He will make $2 million the first year after having earned $875,000 last season on an entry-level contract.
Subban did not attend training camp and missed the first four games of the regular season while negotiating with the NHL club.

"I'm extremely happy to be at this point now where the past is behind us and I can look forward to being integrated to this team and helping them after such a great start," Subban said.

"The longer this thing holds over our team, the bigger a distraction this comes. I'm so happy this decision has been made."

The 23-year-old led the team in average ice time per game last season at 24 minutes, 18 seconds.
He had seven goals and 29 assists in 81 games and was seventh among NHL defensemen with 205 shots on goal.

In his NHL career, he has 21 goals and 55 assists in 160 games.

Rejuvenated Ernie Els focused for '13

By Bob Harig
ESPN.com




After a lengthy holiday break in which he spent time with family in his native South Africa, Ernie Els changed things up this year by adding two events in the Middle East to give himself an early three-event start to the season.

A tie for 18^th at the Volvo Champions in South Africa followed by a tie for 39th at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship had the reigning Open Championship winner fretting a bit about his form, and hoping to find it this week at the Qatar Masters in Doha.

Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesAt the 2012 HSBC Champions event in China, Ernie Els finished tied for second. That is his only top-10 finish since winning the Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes in July. 

 

 

 

"I'm playing much better than my score is indicating," Els said after the final round in Abu Dhabi. "I want to play better and it's not happening at the moment. But I'm looking forward to a good year. I want to get things moving in the right direction and it's not quite there.

"A little frustrating. It's been a busy week, too. There was stuff to do every night, so my patience is a little short."

Of course, Els was being paid for his appearance in Abu Dhabi, so making himself available is part of the deal. Clearly, however, he is committed to performing better, and wants to build on the surprise major championship victory last summer at the Open Championship, where he won his fourth major title.
That victory got him an exemption into the other majors for the next five years, meaning all the drama that surrounded his run-up to the 2012 Masters is gone. Els had fallen outside of the top 50 in the world and ended up missing out on a trip to Augusta National.

"I'm not [upset] about what happened last year. I'm not angry," he said about not receiving a special invitation to the Masters, where he had played 18 straight years, with six top-10 finishes. "Some people have asked if the win at the Open was sweeter now because  of what happened with the Masters; it really doesn't bear any thought.

"I've played so many Masters, and I should have won it. It didn't happen. I didn't qualify last year and I'm glad they didn't invite me because of the way it all went down. I'm excited like any other player to go the Masters, but like any other player I want to have my game there and I want to feel like I have a chance to compete and win. I just want to try and be ready to play. I just want to play good golf wherever I play."

To that end, Els has a lot of golf scheduled between now and then. After this week's tournament in Qatar (which starts on Wednesday), he'll make his PGA Tour season debut at the Northern Trust Open, followed by the WGC-Accenture Match Play, Honda Classic and WGC-Cadillac Championship.

After that, his schedule is uncertain, although he's likely to play the Arnold Palmer Invitational and possibly the Shell Houston Open. At the least, he'll play eight tournaments, perhaps nine, going into Augusta.

Since winning the Open at Royal Lytham, Els has not had much success. There was a tie for second at the HSBC Champions in China, but that is his only top-10 and one of just three top-20s in 13 tournaments.
"It was my putting again, but I've really worked on my routine a bit now," Els said. "It's not going in the hole and I'm a little frustrated with that. It's not quite where I want to be, but I think it's coming.

"I didn't play a lot of golf at the end of last year. I played the HSBC in Shanghai and one tournament in Malaysia. Other than that I didn't play, I was home, so I should be pretty fresh. I'm looking forward to getting on a bit of roll, playing some tournaments and getting some results."

AFC East Super Bowl connections

By James Walker | ESPN.com

It is Super Bowl week in New Orleans, as the AFC champion Baltimore Ravens and NFC champion San Francisco 49ers take over the bayou.

Obviously, the AFC East will not participate in the biggest game of the season. But there are some Super Bowl connections from this division to keep an eye on.

Here is your handy Super Bowl guide as it pertains to the AFC East:

• Future Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss is back in the Super Bowl for the first time since getting there as a member of the New England Patriots following the 2007 season. Moss recorded a career-high 23 touchdowns that year with Tom Brady and played three seasons total in New England. Moss is now a role player with the 49ers and has 28 receptions this season.
• Baltimore backup safety James Ihedigbo is in the Super Bowl for the second straight year. Last season he made it as a safety for New England. This year’s Ihedigbo is in as a member of Baltimore. Ihedigbo also played with the New York Jets for three seasons.
• Former Buffalo Bills safety Donte Whitner is now a standout player for the 49ers. Whitner is a former Bills first-round pick who spent five seasons in Buffalo. He bolted Buffalo to play with a winning team in San Francisco and now is playing in his first Super Bowl. Whitner also played in last year’s NFC Championship Game.
• Ravens defensive tackle Arthur Jones never played in the AFC East. But he is the older brother of New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones. The two brothers played this year and Arthur got the best of the younger Chandler both times.
• San Francisco wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. is a former first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins. Ginn played three seasons in Miami and was mostly a disappointment. He caught 128 receptions but did most of his damage on kick returns for the Dolphins.

Don't rush Sloane Stephens

espn.com


When asked about reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal, the new future face of tennis, Sloane Stephens, said with that beautiful smile, "Whoa, it wasn't as hard as I thought." The new future face of tennis. Yes, that, among other things, is who Stephens has become over the past two weeks. Her run through the Australian Open has forced the media to dub her as not just tennis' future face, but as tennis' great American hope and next/new/torchbearer/replacement of Serena Williams. (And the race/color aspect of this cannot be ignored. A part of the fascination with Sloane and the rush to replace Serena with her is partially because of the racial connection they share and the fact that they are rarities in the sport. For the damage the pressure of something like that can do to a young African-American tennis player, I have only two words: Donald Young.) America: Slow your roll. The last thing Stephens needs is the outside pressure that historically has played a role in ruining a career before it even gets a true chance to start. The desire to find a savior for American tennis should not come at one player's expense. If we really care about the future of Sloane Stephens, then we need to change the recent direction of her narrative. But we can't, can we? It's not in us to do something like that. Because when it comes to athletics -- specifically in sports, where there's an absurd need to discover or manufacture the next great icon and identify the next level of greatness -- we all have a tendency to put (young) athletes into contexts where they have yet to belong. And in tennis, we got it bad. In tennis there's often a very fine line between the promise of a player's future and a player having a historic run during a tournament. Especially when it happens at a Grand Slam. When players go on runs like Stephens' in Australia, we lose perspective; we think what we are seeing from them in that moment is going to be the prequel to what we are about to see on an every-tournament basis. Especially when it happens during a Grand Slam. In 1978 it was Virginia Ruzici, who after she won the French Open never got past the quarterfinal in any other Slam; in 1997, 19-year-old Iva Majoli won the French Open but never lived up to the expectations placed on her at the time. Same with Anastasia Myskina in 2004 and Ana Ivanovic in 2008, and neither ever seemed to recover. Myskina never made it past a quarterfinal in any other Slam and hasn't played since 2007. Ivanovic is chasing her next title and is ranked No. 13 in the world. In 2011 it was Petra Kvitova. She was 21 and had already been on the tour for five years when she won Wimbledon. Because she was Czech, she was instantly dubbed the "next" Martina Navratilova. Not that she hasn't played well since (last year she did reach the semis of the Australian and the French Opens), but she has fallen from being ranked No. 2 in the world to her current No. 8. That's not ascension. Just three years ago tennis thought it had found another darling, the new "next." During the 2009 U.S. Open, Melanie Oudin did exactly what Stephens just did in Australia: came out of nowhere and shook up the world. The 17-year-old wild card took out Maria Sharapova (and Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova) during an improbable run to the Open quarterfinals. She got feature stories written about her in The New York Times and an appearance on "The Tonight Show." The world wasn't just an oyster to her; it had become a pearl Tiffany bracelet. Seventeen months ago Oudin returned to the U.S. Open with a 9-28 record for 2011, ranked 120 in the world (she finished 2011 ranked 139). Today she's scrambling to just qualify for Slams, sometimes relying on exemptions and losing early. Currently, Oudin's WTA singles ranking is 84 in the world. I write all of this only to say that the game doesn't discriminate, especially when it comes to fresh, young, untested talent that shows us a glimpse of what could be. The game knows we are fiends for what's new; the game knows we are forever and always in search of the new. What we tend to do is forget the role we play in providing prey for the game to prey on. Stephens could be the next great fill-in-the-blank, but we shouldn't make her the game's next victim. With all of the cool, calm, composure, control, discipline and poise she showed in the big moments in Melbourne, it's easy to imagine her playing in the semis in majors for years to come. We too can't be victims. Because just as we watched her upset the No. 3 seed in Serena and force the No. 1 seed (Victoria Azarenka) to indecorously use a 10-minute injury timeout -- which some experts argued was merely to compose herself and keep from choking away the second set -- we must remind ourselves for the sake of Stephens' career that this was the first time she had ever been seeded in a major. We must remember that she still was the 29th seed, that she caught Serena at the perfect time (Williams was playing on a severely bad ankle, she had lost a doubles match the day before in which she tweaked the ankle, her back locked up on her for eight games in the match against Stephens, etc.). And she did have 19 unforced errors in that 6-1 first-set loss to Azarenka. We need the reality check more than she does. There's a difference between a match or tournament that makes people aware of who you are, a match or tournament that says you've arrived and a match or tournament that says you are the next great hope for a sport. That you are the answer to a sport's prayer. We can't assist in making Sloane Stephens tennis' next unanswered prayer. She deserves better than that. We should learn from our past. A little over three and a half years ago, Caroline Wozniacki was where Stephens is now. The up, coming and here-to-stay star. That promising young tennis phenom who grabbed hold of the world of sports and held it captive for as long as she could. The new future face. I'm not saying that Wozniacki has not become a great player or is no longer the face of the women's game, but there's an incompleteness to her career that you wouldn't wish on anyone. We (and the WTA, which vaulted her in 2010 to No. 1, which she held for over a year without ever winning a major, something she still has yet to do) fell in love too soon, put too much pressure on her too soon, expected too much of her too soon. And we are already looking for the next her. Please don't let it be Sloane.