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5597. wabbit - 6/7/2007 9:31:16 PM Patsy, I'll say you are most welcome, as I'm certain that is what Alistair would say - info was in his Message # 5582. 5598. wabbit - 6/7/2007 9:31:44 PM  Maria Sharapova lost her French Open semifinal to Ana Ivanovic, a Serbian teenager who soared to a 6-2, 6-1 victory Thursday to reach her first Grand Slam final. Ivanovic, seeded seventh, neutralized Sharapova's power and kept her on the run. Sharapova was looking to advance to her third consecutive final in a major after winning last year's U.S. Open. Sharapova's defeat was reminiscent of her 6-1, 6-2 loss to Serena Williams in the Australian Open final in January. Playing in her first French Open semifinal, Sharapova struggled to chase down Ivanovic's pinpoint strokes.
ustine Henin beat Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 6-2 in the other semifinal. The Belgian will become the first woman to win three consecutive titles at Roland Garros since Monica Seles in 1990-92 if she defeats Ivanovic on Saturday. In their only previous meeting two years ago, Henin beat Ivanovic in straight sets on clay in Warsaw, Poland. Henin improved to 6-0 against Jankovic head-to-head, including a win in the semifinals of last year's U.S. Open. But it was the first time the Serb had lost in straight sets to Henin, who also won in Paris in 2003.
On Wednesday, Novak Djokovic advanced to the men's semifinals by beating Igor Andreev 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, setting up a match against two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal. Nadal impressed friend and mentor Carlos Moya by winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-0.
Roger Federer lost the second set of his quarterfinal against No. 9-seeded Tommy Robredo of Spain on Tuesday, but quickly returned to his customary level of play for a 7-5, 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory, reaching the semifinals at a record 12th major tournament in a row. Next, Federer takes on No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko, who reached his second French Open semifinal by beating No. 19 Guillermo Canas of Argentina 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.
French Open
5599. wabbit - 6/7/2007 9:32:12 PM  After throwing more than 1,000 pitches in a week to lead Arizona to its eighth NCAA softball title, Taryne Mowatt finally admitted the obvious. "Now that the week is over, I can admit I'm extremely tired now," said Mowatt, who set a Women's College World Series record by pitching 60 innings. "My arm, it's felt better." But it was well worth it.
Mowatt (42-12) finished what she started and Arizona's batters broke loose against Tennessee ace Monica Abbott for a 5-0 victory Wednesday night. The top-seeded Wildcats (50-14-1) lost the opener in the best-of-three championship series, then bounced back to win the final two games. Mowatt (42-12) pitched every inning of the tournament for Arizona. Michigan's Jennie Ritter held the previous record for innings pitched with 53 in the 2005 World Series.
The Tour de France no longer considers Bjarne Riis the winner of the 1996 race after the Danish cyclist admitted using performance-enhancing drugs. "We have removed him from the list" because of the doping admission, Tour spokesman Philippe Sudres said Thursday. "We consider philosophically that he can no longer claim to have won." Riis, now retired, admitted last month that he used the blood-booster EPO from 1993-98, including during his '96 Tour victory.
Sudres acknowledged that the Tour organizers cannot formally revoke Riis' title -- which would be a first in the race's 104-year history. That decision is up to cycling's governing body, the UCI, which said last month the time limits for sanctioning Riis have expired but urged him to return his yellow winner's jersey.
Preakness winner Curlin was made the 6-5 favorite Wednesday for the $1 million Belmont Stakes, with the filly Rags to Riches the third choice at 3-1 in a field of seven 3-year-olds. Curlin will leave from the No. 3 post position under Robby Albarado, and will attempt to become the third horse in seven years to capture the Preakness and Belmont. Point Given in 2001 and Afleet Alex in 2005 won two-thirds of the Triple Crown after failing to win the Kentucky Derby. Hard Spun, second in the Derby and third in the Preakness, was the second choice at 5-2 and took the No. 6 post at Wednesday's post position draw. Rags to Riches will become the 22nd filly to run in the Belmont and the first since Silverbulletday finished seventh in 1999. The Kentucky Oaks winner will be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez, and drew the No. 7 post for Saturday's 11/2-mile race. Two fillies have won the Belmont -- Ruthless took the first running in 1867 and Tanya won in 1905. Also entered are Imawildandcrazyguy, Tiago, Slew's Tizzy and C P West. Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense was pulled out of consideration last week after his Triple Crown chance ended with a loss in the Preakness.5600. wabbit - 6/7/2007 9:32:27 PM .jpg "Captain Scott Niedermayer hoisted his fourth Cup and took home the Conn Smythe Trophy for good measure") The Anaheim Ducks were born on the silver screen and came of age by capturing the shiniest of silver cups. They dropped the mighty from their name, but not their game and skated off with the first Stanley Cup championship in California history.
The 14-year-old Ducks captured the NHL title with a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night, ending the series in five games in front of the home folks again.
For the first time, the Stanley Cup can enjoy an NHL western home, and the Ducks' victory came at the expense of Canada. The cherished trophy was born in Ottawa, but no team north of the border has won it since Montreal in 1993.
NHL Stanley Cup Final
5601. prolph - 6/11/2007 3:00:16 AM as for the belmont--girls rule; patsy 5602. wabbit - 6/11/2007 3:58:14 PM  Rags to Riches is queen for a day. The fabulous filly outdueled Preakness winner Curlin in a breathtaking stretch run and won the Belmont Stakes by a head Saturday, becoming the first of her sex in more than a century to take the final leg of the Triple Crown.
No one was happier with the victory than trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez, who both ended long droughts in Triple Crown races: Pletcher was 0-for-28, Velazquez 0-for-20.
Despite a slight stumble at the start, Rags to Riches turned the Belmont into a sensational showdown -- a true battle of the sexes. When the field of seven 3-year-olds turned for home, four horses were up front, Rags to Riches on the outside and Curlin sneaking in between the other rivals. In an instant, it became a two-horse race -- a quarter-mile to the finish of the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, the longest and most grueling of the Triple Crown races. And when Rags to Riches won, it was a great day for ladies as racing had it's first filly to win a Triple Crown race since Winning Colors took the 1988 Kentucky Derby.
Rags to Riches became the third filly to capture the Belmont -- Ruthless took the first running in 1867 and Tanya won in 1905. Only 22 fillies have tried the Belmont, with Rags to Riches the first since Silverbulletday finished seventh in 1999. Rags to Riches won in 2:28.74, well off Secretariat's track record of 2:24. Rags to Riches was sent off as the 4-1 second choice and returned $10.60, $4.40 and $3.20. Curlin, with Robby Albarado aboard, paid $3 and $2.30. Tiago was third and returned $3.70. Hard Spun finished fourth, followed by C P West, Imawildandcrazyguy and Slew's Tizzy.
Carnations are for girls.
5603. wabbit - 6/11/2007 3:58:47 PM  Randy Johnson knew he had to pitch well to beat Daisuke Matsuzaka. Johnson allowed one run in six innings and three relievers did the rest as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-1 Sunday afternoon to salvage the final game of a three-game series. Matsuzaka (7-5) gave up two runs in six innings, and that was too many against the stingy Diamondbacks staff. Carlos Quentin doubled home the eventual winning run in the sixth inning, and Eric Byrnes had three hits as the Diamondbacks moved within percentage points of first-place San Diego in the NL West.
Joe Torre offered a simple explanation for his team's recent turnaround. "Looseness. These guys are having fun with each other," the Yankees' manager said Sunday after New York's sluggers broke loose in a 13-6 victory over the Pirates. Alex Rodriguez homered twice and drove in five runs, Bobby Abreu went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and the Yankees overpowered Pittsburgh for their sixth consecutive victory. Abreu and Rodriguez each scored four times and Hideki Matsui hit a two-run double, helping the resurgent Yankees (30-31) set a season high for runs in winning for the ninth time in 11 games. It's their longest winning streak since they won six straight last September.
Barry Bonds walked to the plate as the potential tying run with one out in the ninth inning Sunday, the crowd urging him on to deliver one of his famous big hits. Just like the rest of the Giants, Bonds failed to come through. He flied out just in front of the warning track in left field, helping send San Francisco to its second straight shutout loss to the Oakland Athletics. Lenny DiNardo and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, and the Athletics used a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning by Marco Scutaro to complete a three-game sweep of their Bay Area rivals with a 2-0 victory.
MLB scores
5604. wabbit - 6/11/2007 4:02:22 PM  As Roger Federer tried in vain to solve Rafael Nadal in the French Open final, the silver Coupe des Mousquetaires -- the only Grand Slam trophy missing from the No. 1-ranked player's collection -- sparkled in the sun behind a baseline, 10 feet overhead. So successful everywhere else, so superb against everyone else, Federer once more succumbed to Nadal at Roland Garros, one win short of a French Open title, one win short of a fourth consecutive major championship, one win short of a career Grand Slam. Instead, it was Nadal who made a bit of history Sunday, showing true resolve on the biggest points to beat Federer 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and become only the second man since 1914 to win three consecutive French Open titles.
For the fourth time, Justine Henin proved that she's by far the best clay court player of her generation. In another airtight and almost perfect performance, the Belgian won her fourth Roland Garros title with a 6-1, 6-2 destruction of Ana Ivanovic in the final on Saturday. "It's my magic garden and my second home" Henin said of Philippe Chatrier court. "It's the only court in the world where I have such a great feeling. It's amazing."
After double-faulting to be broken in the opening game of the contest, Henin amped up her game and completely suffocated the 19-year-old Serbian, attacking her second serves, launching huge forehands and scurrying about the court retrieving any and all huge shots that Ivanovic threw at her. Henin served big and intelligently to specific areas, moved her high variety backhand around the court and stayed keenly focused during the entire match.
5605. PsychProf - 6/11/2007 8:05:49 PM Best Sports Thread. 5606. wabbit - 6/11/2007 8:55:38 PM Except for yours.
Muaahh! 5607. wabbit - 6/11/2007 8:56:54 PM Hey Prof, I've done a wee bit of updating of our links page - if you have any suggestions, please let me know! 5608. PsychProf - 6/12/2007 8:23:21 PM Thanks Wabbit...it is up at Ozzie's Sports Bar. 5609. wonkers2 - 6/13/2007 2:39:11 AM Lake St Clair Sailboat Race 5610. anomie - 6/13/2007 2:42:48 AM Lots of great pics Wonks, and man that looks like fun. 5611. greystoke - 6/13/2007 2:59:09 AM Verlander pitches no-hitter. I've seen information about the last no-hitter by a Tiger (Jack Morris 1984), the last no-hitter in Detroit (Nolan Ryan 1973), and the previous no-hitter this season (Mark Buehrle). But is this the first inter-league no-hitter. I think so, but I'm not sure. 5612. greystoke - 6/13/2007 11:46:48 AM Nope it was the third interleague no-hitter. 5613. jexster - 6/13/2007 6:30:32 PM Just discovered..
Beefcake Blood Sport
Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COM
5614. wonkers2 - 6/13/2007 11:51:05 PM Thanks, anomie. It was a perfect night or would have been if we had won. But we took second which was better than usual. 5615. wabbit - 6/15/2007 1:40:40 PM  Johan Santana was frustrated yet again by Minnesota's missing offense as well as his removal after seven strong innings. After the ninth inning, he was smiling. Mike Redmond's RBI single capped a three-run rally in the ninth inning against Atlanta closer Bob Wickman, ruining Tim Hudson's strong start and lifting the Twins to a 3-2 victory over the Braves on Thursday night. Santana gave up Brian McCann's solo homer in the fifth, Matt Diaz's RBI double in the sixth, and left trailing 2-0. Atlanta lost for the ninth time in the last 12 games, but it sure wasn't Hudson's fault. Hudson dominated for 7 1-3 innings, yielding only two hits and leaving Rafael Soriano to record the last two outs in the eighth when he felt a knot in the back of his shoulder. But Minnesota hit a bunch of bouncers to scrap together a wild rally in the ninth to hand Wickman (1-2) his third blown save this year.
Joe Torre found his new lucky spot in the dugout, then watched Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte and the rest of the team go to work. Yep, things are falling into place nicely for the New York Yankees. Rodriguez drove in two more runs, Pettitte breezed for eight innings and the Yankees won their ninth straight game, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-1 Thursday. Playing with a fresh bounce in their step, the Yankees finished off another sweep - they brushed aside Pittsburgh last weekend - and extended their longest winning streak since a 10-game run in 2005. Next up, the New York Mets visit for the Subway Series.
With a line-drive grand slam over Fenway Park's Green Monster, Garrett Atkins might have put his slump behind him. Kaz Matsui also had three hits for the Rockies as they sent Josh Beckett (9-1) to his first loss of the season. Jeff Francis (6-5) pitched five shutout innings, allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out two to win for the fifth time in six decisions. Beckett has won just two of his last five starts, a span that included two weeks on the disabled list with torn skin on his right middle finger. He allowed season highs of six runs and 10 hits, with a walk and a strikeout in five innings before leaving down 6-0. Boston's loss, coupled with the Yankees' 7-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks , trimmed the Red Sox lead in the AL East to 7 1/2 games, just about half of the 14 1/2 games New York trailed by just two weeks ago. The Red Sox have lost three of four and scored two or fewer runs in seven of their last nine games.
MLB scores
5616. wabbit - 6/15/2007 1:40:56 PM  Once again, the San Antonio Spurs walked the hallways in champagne-soaked T-shirts. Bruce Bowen carried the Larry O'Brien trophy, one he had cradled before. Tony Parker, wrapped in France's flag, squeezed an MVP award he richly deserved. And Tim Duncan, always the center of everything for his team, recorded every precious moment with a camcorder. This wasn't their first NBA title. But for the Spurs, it's the maybe the one that means the most. Champions for a fourth time in nine years, they're now a dynasty.
Parker scored 24 points, Manu Ginobili had 27 -- 13 in the fourth quarter -- and the Spurs moved in among the NBA's greatest franchises with an 83-82 victory Thursday night for a sweep of the Cavaliers -- court jesters through much of their first finals. With their fourth championship since 1999 -- and third in five years -- the Spurs joined the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls as the only teams in NBA history to win four titles.
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