Big 12 clarifies blog ESPN' draws s Tim Griffin writes about all things Big 12 in his conference blog# 8226& nbsp; Blog network: College Football Nation In a statement to The Associated Press, Burnette apologized and said he made a " terrible decision " to post a text message he received about Obama' s victory that contained a racial slur. He played for four teams in four seasons- the Jazz, Hornets, Rockets and Timberwolves- and spent the past season in the Chinese professional basketball league Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. 26 and missed both of Oral Roberts' exhibition games and its first three regular- season games Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. They overcame Kevin Garnett, their constant bickering with the referees and O' Neal' s horrific 7- for- 20 free throw shooting to win the best- of- seven series. Though his team held its own against one of the league' s best, it was just another loss to Toronto coach Sam Mitchell " In the NBA there are no moral victories " he said " There have been lots of games where we' ve been playing well enough to win. Abreu was acquired Thursday from the Tampa Bay Rays for minor- league right- hander John Meloan and cash. Updated: April 10, 2008, 7: 26 PM ET Zambrano moves up in Cubs' rotation to take ill Marquis' spot Comment Email Print Share Associated Press Zambrano Marquis PITTSBURGH- Chicago Cubs right- hander Jason Marquis won' t make his scheduled start Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies because of the flu, so right- hander Carlos Zambrano is moving up a day to start in his place.

When Walsh signed off on the Randolph trade, he knew that Mobley needed to have more tests on his heart . Oklahoma State officials did not comment on Collins' status with the football team " We are still gathering the details on this case and we are not in a position to make a final decision at this time " university spokesman Gary Shutt said in a statement " We can say this: Chris Collins has been a model student and athlete since arriving at Oklahoma State University " Collins, now 20, was one of four men charged following an after- prom party in May 2004, when he was 17 . The 40 free throws made by the Celtics were the most against the Sixers this season Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press . He came out of it fine " Torre said " Next time he' ll probably go to 60 . Shooting guard Chris Rodgers was dismissed from the team by Olson on Wednesday " It should be noted that Chris has earned his college degree in 3# 189; years " Olson said in a statement in which he said the decision followed " long and serious deliberations " but gave no other details. Frye returned from that meeting saying he was convinced the team would be a mainstay in NASCAR for years to come, but wouldn' t address the offer from Stewart- Haas directly. He shot 7- for- 9 from the field to surpass his previous career high of 13 set three games earlier against Golden State, and Sacramento won for the eighth time in its last nine road games and gained its first victory at Madison Square Garden in nearly a decade " I' m a confident person, and I came here to try to contribute something " said Evans, who has stepped into Bobby Jackson' s role as the Kings' first energy player coming off the bench.

Lakers rookie Adam Parada' s name was spelled Perada on the back of his jersey He played briefly in the third quarter . Hawkins said it would be easy to adapt his computers to track fair- foul calls That is, if baseball asked . Birmingham police officers held onto several Tigers as they walked off the court and toward their dressing room . FBI special agent Pat Villafranca out of the Houston FBI media office said Wednesday as a matter of policy it doesn' t confirm or deny an investigation . But an ESPN investigation discovered that " Nails " either hates to pay his bills or he' s a financial train wreck. Tomjanovich said he' d gotten phone calls from friends in Houston, some wishing him good luck and others bad, against the Rockets " I' d love to see Yao and say hello " he said " I really want to win this game just because we need a win. It' s also fair to say that Hart, over the course of his career, often put up big numbers because Rutgers trailed by such wide margins( and he was tied for the national lead in interceptions last season with 19.

In his e- mail to ESPN, Cuban said he had not yet spoken with anyone from NBA security . Byrd would not comment on the number of tickets available, but he was excited about the potential for fans that never have seen a Bristol race to attend " It' s forced everybody in the industry to re- examine everything we do' Byrd said of the economy " So in a way it' s been a very healthy exercise for us' Bristol has 160, 000 seats, including 197 skyboxes that are almost twice as many as most tracks on the circuit . So far, O' Brien said Iverson has been very unselfish, usually looking for the open man and leading the fastbreak " I' d rather have the ball in his hands than anyone else " O' Brien said . Because I mentioned my stepfather, many people have questioned my sincerity . He bench presses 485 pounds, squats 600 and draws a crowd in the gym whenever it' s time for the Tide strength coaches to measure how much each player can lift. Since Henderson never played in a major league game for all those years, the five- year clock for election to the Hall of Fame continued ticking. Cooper said the team needed a pitcher capable of throwing multiple innings in case of an emergency Tuesday after the bullpen was overextended in a 17- inning loss in Atlanta Sunday.

He has 13 or more victories in each of the past five seasons, including an 18- win campaign in 2004 for Texas He left the Rangers following the 2005 season . Regardless of who is out there, we are still losing ballgames . South Carolina admitted to 10 NCAA violations committed under former football coach Lou Holtz in a report released in July . It wasn' t until another dunk by Gasol with about 2 minutes left in the period that Memphis built the lead to double digits, eventually holding a 68- 58 edge entering the fourth Memphis led 38- 37 at the half, but it wasn' t pretty . Ray Allen said he saw Scalabrine get hit and fall to the ground hard on Tuesday " It just looked like he got hit in the head " Allen said " I know he got hit last game in the head. The Yankees spokesman said the right- hander was scratched because the forecast was for rain and the team wanted to make sure they didn' t waste his start. If the injury is not serious, Santana could have corrective surgery now and presumably be ready for the start of spring training in 2010, barring any setbacks or complications Santana, 30, is 13- 9 with a 3.

Williams is back in Atlanta after meeting with a specialist in Durham, N C The fourth- year player, averaging 14 0 points and 6 . As a result, starting next week Todd Berrier will move to Mears' No . 756, which fetched$ 752, 467 " I was hoping that it would be higher than that " said David Kohler, president of the auction house " If Barry Bonds never plays again, whoever bought this ball has a valuable piece that' s worth seven figures " Kohler said the uncertainty of whether Bonds will return to the field played a factor in the lower price . 50 ERA this season, is scheduled to face San Diego on Friday . New Orleans stayed close for most of the third, but back- to- back dunks by Wallace and Tayshaun Prince put the Pistons ahead 70- 55 late in the period " We were only down eight at the half, but we couldn' t get a stop in the third quarter " P J. Hopefully, we acquired him at the right time " Shapiro said Reyes will get a spot in the Triple- A rotation, and he' s expected to join the Indians at some point this season. McCourt also referred to Boras' s stance as a " side show' a " smokescreen' and a " red herring' Boras issued a statement Sunday refuting some of the charges " We have continued to work with Ned and the Dodgers to do away with the artificial barriers and attempt get a deal completed " Boras said " There is no issue with deferral money being part of any contract; just want to make sure the value is stated accurately and appropriately " Our most recent offer Saturday morning covered two years with some deferred compensation$ 43 5M net present value.

Updated: June 16, 2009, 7: 47 PM ET Crain demoted; Perkins called up Comment Email Print Share Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS- The Minnesota Twins sent struggling reliever Jesse Crain to Triple- A Rochester on Tuesday to make room for starter Glen Perkins Crain was 2- 3 with an 8 15 ERA and 12 walks in 17 2/ 3 innings this season . The president' s bracket will be posted on ESPN, along with those of millions of fans expected to play in ESPN' s Tournament Challenge " President Obama made his picks as a sports fan, not as a politician " Katz said " He was knowledgeable about the teams and was even up to date on the latest injuries involving the contenders . Toronto also announced Tuesday that defenseman Mike Van Ryn will miss the rest of the season because of a torn knee ligament . Updated: November 25, 2006, 12: 46 PM ET Coker fired by Miami after . It sent Busch into the garage for repairs, and even though his crew rebuilt the car and got him back on the track, he wound up 43rd " I saw( McMurray) get high, get loose, and thought he faded back further than he did " Busch said " We broke the mirror trying to adjust it there before the race and couldn' t see anything out my right rear quarter panel So I couldn' t clear myself. Wearing sunglasses and with his famous dreadlocks in a ponytail, the Los Angeles Dodgers' slugger apologized to fans and teammates during a news conference Friday afternoon. The charges stem from accusations by three Palestinian students who said they were beaten by several members of the school' s football team, taunted with racial slurs and called " terrorists " just after midnight Jan 20, according to court documents.

If it was your time to go, you' ve got to go " I watched the replay and thought' How did it happen " he said " But you have to accept the injury and you have to move on . He' s now the head coach at Indiana- Purdue University at Fort Wayne . Hoops Pa in$ 40M Coke Bust " wrote the New York Post the following day . Updated: January 17, 2009, 7: 00 PM ET Miles triggers$ 18M salary hit, cap tax Comment Email Print Share ESPN news services It came and went without fanfare- and presumably fear of retribution . The Blue Devils' injury situation is another variable in the latest installment of the backyard rivalry. But looking deeper, only two of Florida' s seven wins have come against teams with winning records: Louisiana Tech and Georgia. Swelling in Hackett' s back was preventing him from beginning rehabilitation, trainer Bobby Walls said " There' s no timeframe for him to return " Walls said " It could be a week or it could be six weeks " Hackett will miss USC' s game against No.

44 Dodge for six races plus the All- Star Race at Lowe' s Motor Speedway . Marbury said he was not trying to injure Nash " That' s not how I play " he said " I' m not out there to hurt him " Marbury was not bothered by the booing from the crowd of 18, 422 " I guess it' s natural to react that way " he said " If that was to happen in New York, the fans would boo, too " Jamal Crawford had 15 points for the Knicks, and Kurt Thomas grabbed a career- high 21 rebounds . 278 last season- their best average in 71 years- while scoring an NL- leading 855 runs, but they' ve struggled at the plate all season . Barbosa is the fourth Suns' player to win the award, joining Eddie Johnson( 1988- 89, Danny Manning( 1997- 98) and Rodney Rogers( 1999- 00 " It' s good for him and his country " good friend Steve Nash said " and he' s got an incredibly bright career ahead of him . Michigan' s two wins came against Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan of the Mid- American Conference The Wolverines' other loss was to Notre Dame Michigan started the season ranked No 4. 8 points this season, made his All- Star team debut and accepted an invitation to train with USA Basketball in July. He followed it up by beating Mike Bibby on a driving layup to make it 103- 94 Although Bibby' s 3- pointer with 21.

Wright said he isn' t experiencing any post- concussion symptoms and he hopes to take BP on the field Tuesday- but he won' t travel with the Mets during the first part of their upcoming road trip . What' s wrong with that? What' s wrong with him admiring an absolute bomb of a home run he just launched? What' s wrong with him hitting game- winning home run after game- winning home run to help his team get into the playoffs? What' s wrong with having fun playing baseball and actually showing that he' s having fun? What' s wrong with that? Nothing, according to the over four million fans who voted for Braun to play in the All- Star Game this year( he received almost four million votes last year, too The fans like what he does and how he does it He' s fun to watch and he hits bombs It' s a pretty good combination . The Sooners( 9- 2, 6- 1) can make the conference championship game if they beat Oklahoma State and Texas A& M upsets Texas on Friday . The team also purchased the contract of reliever Doug Creek from Triple- A Toledo . Sure, you can watch the television coverage, which will provide plenty of information to satisfy a typical NBA fan. But after he failed to win an ACC crown in 10 seasons with the Tigers, the action itself isn' t, as ESPN' s Ivan Maisel notes. The velocity was not an issue or anything like that, just rust " Daniels said " With more time and innings, he may very well be ready, but he had the out in his contract and he was going to take it " Hernandez last pitched in the majors for the New York Mets in 2007 before toe surgery.

In fact, of their 21 signees, only six were from Virginia . The wholesale fraud- inflating scouting reports to get more money out of the clubs- developed when the size of the bonuses started to swell . 3 Oklahoma( 25- 3, 11- 2 Big 12) lost 87- 78 at home to No 15 Kansas on Monday The Sooners visit Texas Tech on Saturday . On Monday there was always a fraternity boy driving his new convertible on River Road with the top down and music blaring- Boz Scaggs, Barry White, the Bee Gees, ELO . Brooks said the team' s medical staff is unsure of the extent of the injury. William Husak said " I believe our current players and those who will be Lions in the years to come will have the very best LMU experience to develop as basketball players, scholars and people because Max Good will be at the helm " The LMU family wishes Bill continued progress in his comeback from the emotional distress triggered by responsibilities associated with being a head coach " Husak said " Bill Bayno will always be a Lion " The 45- year- old Bayno signed a five- year contract to coach the Lions last April after an eight- year absence from college basketball. He is scheduled to fly to California this weekend for the funeral of his father, Hardy Jones, who died of cancer on Thursday.

That' s when the team' s new ballpark with a retractable roof is scheduled to open following approval of the project Monday night by the Miami- Dade County Commission " I' m so happy for the Marlins " All- Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez said " They' ve been after it for a long time, and finally they got it . Y- No changes yet for the New York Knicks, but check back in a couple of weeks Maybe even in the coach' s seat . Deratany had given the Davises a week to apologize before filing a battery lawsuit against Kendra Davis and a slander suit against her husband " It' s never been our desire to push this forward " Deratany said " It' s always been our hope that we could resolve this amicably and without litigation " The incident sparked memories of last season' s brawl involving fans and players during a game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers, which resulted in lengthy suspensions and criminal charges for Indiana' s Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O' Neal Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press . Once it calms down, I' ll be able to play " Davis said, as he munched crackers in the locker room " It kind of just came on " Davis is hoping to return for the Clippers' next game, against New Orleans on Wednesday . The Division II Lions( 2- 3) will wear Ware' s initials on their helmets and a symbol of " 1 percent " Saturday when they play their homecoming game against Truman State " Because he believed the way you become a giant of a man like he was by getting 1 percent better every day " said assistant coach Keeth Matheny, who will take over as head coach. It doesn' t bother me one bit, OK " Piniella, who led the Cubs to NL Central titles in each of his first two seasons- the first time they reached the postseason in consecutive years in a century- is under contract for 2010 and has said he expects to return. It' s been anything but business as usual this year in Athens, where perhaps winning was taken for granted by the fans.

Yes, Iowa, you' re special, but only because you' ve lost to two conference members( Northwestern and Indiana) who in turn have lost to Division I- AA opponents Oh, right Purdue is 6- 4 . The Knicks are 135- 192 since Jeff Van Gundy resigned as head coach four years ago Thursday . Andrews was encouraged " Cordero will begin a program to build up his shoulder strength designed by Andrews, Bowden said Cordero planned to rejoin the team Wednesday night . 756, now branded with an asterisk, will be a fixture in the Hall of Fame . Vandeweghe, who has one year left on his current five- year deal, declined to discuss specifics. Miami had been mentioned as a possible destination for Iverson, but Riley squashed any hope of a deal that would have brought one of the NBA' s leading scorers to South Florida " We are out of the Allen Iverson conversation " Riley said Monday before the Heat played the New Orleans Hornets " This isn' t going to move forward We have discussed every scenario. All I know is basketball, so I was kind of worried " Brown played only 4 minutes in the opening- round series against Houston but was given more responsibility the first two games this round because starting guard Derek Fisher missed all of Game 1 and most of Game 2 to be with his 10- month- old daughter as she underwent cancer treatment.