Arkansas returns home with momentum
January 31, 2011
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP)—Rotnei Clarke and Arkansas are hoping they canbuild on a rare conference road win when they return home this week for twogames at Bud Walton Arena
Arkansas (14-6, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) shot 57 percent in an 89-78 winat Vanderbilt on Saturday, earning its fifth conference road victory in fourseasons under coach John Pelphrey. The Razorbacks were 4-23 under Pelphrey inSEC road games, but the strong shooting and resurgence of Clarke helped halt thetrend.
Clarke had a season-high 36 points against Vandy, connecting on 12 of 16shots.
The Razorbacks are 12-0 at home heading into this week’s games againstGeorgia and Mississippi.
Kentucky winning with short bench
January 31, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)—John Calipari believes Kentucky can win using asix-man rotation, pointing out he did it at Massachusetts 15 years ago, ridingthe talent of Marcus Camby to a Final Four.
The 10th-ranked Wildcats are winning with a short bench, though at timesfatigue has resulted in sloppy play.
For all their youthful energy, the core of Doron Lamb, Darius Miller,Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones, DeAndre Liggins and Josh Harrellson have shownsigns of exhaustion. They have struggled to put teams away, even though Kentucky(16-4, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) has won four of its last five games headinginto Tuesday’s contest with Mississippi (13-8, 1-5.
“I’m playing these guys so many minutes that they have lapses,” Caliparisaid.
It happened Saturday against Georgia. Kentucky led throughout in a 66-60win, but let a 17-point lead get whittled to six.
Similar problems popped up in a road triumph at South Carolina, when theGamecocks took advantage of some late Kentucky mistakes and turned what was ablowout into a tight game.
After Saturday’s game against the Bulldogs, freshman center Doron Lamb,lounging on a chair with ice bags on both of his knees, admitted he and histeammates were “probably a little tired” because “we always play six guys.”
Calipari acknowledges he is asking a lot. But his advice to the Wildcats isplay through it, because it’s not going to change.
Kentucky’s top six players played 195 of a possible 200 minutes against theBulldogs. Reserve center Eloy Vargas saw five minutes only because Jones raninto early foul trouble.
It’s a gameplan Calipari says he’s going to stick with, feeling the teamdoesn’t really have a choice if it wants to keep pace with Florida in the SECEast.
Though he’s tried working extensively with backups Vargas, Stacey Poole andJon Hood in practice, Calipari didn’t feel comfortable enough to put them on thefloor when it mattered against Georgia despite several late slip-ups by thestarters.
Though Kentucky only turned it over nine times the entire game, the Wildcatsgave it away five times in the final 5 minutes as they tried to protect asizable lead. Tired legs also led to some struggles at the free-throw line,where they made just 16 of 25 shots.
Liggins said Kentucky is “making mental errors and silly mistakes. We justhave to come together as a team and have that mental toughness it takes towin.”
Physical toughness would help. Kentucky answered Calipari’s challenge to bemore aggressive, jumping on the Bulldogs in the first half. Yet the intensitywaned as the lead grew, and when Kentucky tried to turn it back on, it didn’texactly work. If Lamb hadn’t made a pair of jumpers midway through the secondhalf to halt a Georgia surge, things could have gone differently.
Calipari is considering cutting down on the minutes for Miller, who came outblazing against the Bulldogs before hitting a rough patch in the second half.
“He has a spell in the game like ‘why would you revert? Why would you getpushed there?”’ Calipari said. “But I’m just pleased he’s moving in the rightdirection. It’s important for the team he be aggressive offensively.”
And energized at the end of games. Calipari has tasked Miller, Liggins andHarrellson, the team’s three upperclassmen, with carrying the load late in gamesinstead of hoping one of the freshmen bails the Wildcats out.
“You must be the tough guys,” Calipari said he told the trio. “You’ve gotto make the tough plays. You’re not missing a rebound, can’t be … and you’remaking easy plays. And then all of a sudden, you make that big block, you getthat big rebound, you dive on the floor and get the ball and make that charge.”
The Wildcats appeared to get over their road troubles at South Carolina,though their maturity will be tested this week with games at Mississippi andFlorida.
Calipari said a few of his friends from Memphis will make the 90-minutedrive south to watch him lead his new team out there. He believes this group ofWildcats can be as good as the group he left at Memphis two years ago.
If Kentucky puts together a full 40 minutes, Calipari isn’t sure there’s ateam in the country that can beat the Wildcats.
Even if it leaves his players gassed at the end.
“We’ve just got to learn to fight through it,” Knight said. “We can’t letthat be the reason we lose.”
Browns add Whipple as QBs coach
January 31, 2011
CLEVELAND (AP)—The Cleveland Browns hired former Miami offensivecoordinator Mark Whipple as their quarterbacks coach on Monday.
Whipple spent the past two seasons with the Hurricanes, but was fired whenthe school dismissed Randy Shannon before the end of last season. Earlier thismonth, Whipple nearly received Connecticut’s top job, which went to formerSyracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni instead.
The Browns made a formal announcement about Whipple on Monday night. Theyalso announced the additions of Dwaine Board (defensive line), Bill Davis(linebackers), and Mike Wilson (wide receivers) to the staff.
Before Miami, Whipple was an offensive assistant with the PhiladelphiaEagles in 2008. He also spent three seasons (2004-06) as quarterbacks coach ofthe Pittsburgh Steelers.
It’s still not known if new Browns coach Pat Shurmur intends to hire anoffensive coordinator. At his introductory news conference, Shurmur, St. Louis’offensive coordinator the past two seasons, said he plans to call plays nextseason.
Steelers, Packers arrive in Dallas
January 31, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)—Video cameras and cowboy hats were in style as thePittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers arrived Monday at the Super Bowl.
With dozens of fans chanting “Go Pack Go” as the players walked off teambuses, the Packers witnessed Super Bowl frenzy for the first time in 13 years.Many of the players carried video cameras or aimed their cell phones at thecrowd to take pictures before heading to news conferences.
A few of them wore cowboy hats, but none went as far as Steelers veteranreceiver Hines Ward(notes). He took the “True Grit” route, decked out in black cowboyhat, black shirt, belt buckle and jeans.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger(notes) held his mobile phone high, takingphotos of the six-deep pack of reporters at his podium.
“Just taking it in stride, enjoying this opportunity regardless of whatcomes or how it comes,” Roethlisberger said. “Take it all in.”
Taking it all in were the big guys who block for him. They paid tribute totackle Flozell Adams(notes), who spent a dozen seasons as a Dallas Cowboy beforejoining this Pittsburgh team, by wearing his No. 76 Michigan State shirt as theydeplaned.
“It’s special to bring back the throwbacks, for all the guys to wearthem,” Adams said. “They’re all still walking around with them on. … I’mgrateful for it.”
There were plenty of fans in black and gold outside the Steelers’ hotel,some carrying the obligatory Terrible Towels. But they were far outnumbered atthe Packers’ hotel in Irving a few hours later when the NFC champions pulled in.
Maybe that has something to do with Pittsburgh making its third Super Bowlappearance in six years. Not that the players are blase about it.
“It’s always exciting for the opportunity to close up the season by playingin the Super Bowl,” Roethlisberger said. “I don’t think you ever get tired ofthis, so take as much video and pictures as you can.”
Titans interview Munchak for head job
January 31, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—The Tennessee Titans have started their search toreplace Jeff Fisher as head coach by staying in-house for their first interviewwith Hall of Fame lineman Mike Munchak.
The Titans confirmed they completed the interview of the offensive linecoach Monday on Twitter. Munchak is considered the top candidate for the headcoaching vacancy.
Munchak, who turns 51 in March, has worked for Titans owner Bud Adams sincethe then-Houston Oilers made him the eighth overall draft pick in 1982 out ofPenn State. As a player, his career spanned blocking for fellow Hall of FamersEarl Campbell in a pounding run game to the run-and-shoot with Warren Moon.
Offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger also is expected to interview.
Munchak played in 169 games for the then-Houston Oilers before he retired in1994. He became the fifth player from this franchise inducted into the Hall ofFame—the first who spent his entire career with this team.
Munchak had the club record with nine Pro Bowl berths when he quit playing,and Adams retired the lineman’s No. 63 in 1996. Only Earl Campbell, Jim Nortonand Elvin Bethea had that honor previously.
He immediately went to work as an assistant coach, helping the offensivestaff and working as a quality control assistant. He held that job through 1996when Jeff Fisher promoted him to coach the offensive line, a job Munchak hasheld the past 14 seasons.
As offensive line coach, Munchak has been involved with both the running andpassing offenses.
“He is one of the candidates,” Adams told The Tennessean on Sunday beforethe interview. “I think he would be a good coach, but we have to go through aprocedure and interview different coaches and there will be some good ones wetalk to.”
Munchak’s offensive lines are why the Titans lead the NFL with most1,000-yard seasons with 14 since 1996, a span that includes Eddie George, ChrisBrown, Travis Henry(notes), LenDale White(notes) and now Chris Johnson. That includedJohnson’s performance in 2009 as only the sixth man in NFL history to run for atleast 2,000 yards.
Under Munchak, the Titans have had the luxury of spending few high draftpicks on offensive linemen with his ability to groom them into top players.Michael Roos(notes) is the highest lineman drafted, taken in the second round in 2006.All he’s done with Munchak is start every game, sliding from right tackle as arookie to left tackle.
His other starters this season included center Eugene Amano(notes), a seventh-rounddraft pick in 2004, with right tackle David Stewart(notes) a fourth-round pick in 2006who has missed only one start since joining the rotation later that season.
MLK III: Talk of Mets interest premature
January 31, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—Martin Luther King Jr.’s oldest son says any discussion ofhis potential interest in becoming a minority owner of the New York Mets ispremature.
Martin Luther King III said he was contacted Saturday by televisionexecutive Larry Meli, who is interested in putting together a group that wouldinclude former Mets first baseman Ed Kranepool and Donn Clendenon Jr., whosefather was MVP of the Mets’ 1969 World Series victory.
King said he encouraged Meli because it would increase diversity. But Kingalso said he was not actively putting together a group.
“This was blown up way out of proportion,” King said Monday in a telephoneinterview with The Associated Press. “While I’m not leading a group and I’m nothaving direct conversations with the Wilpons, I think it is very important topromote diversity in ownership.”
“I believe in the merit and American value of creating an example, and, ifI personally, or as part of a collective, can advance the vision of a morediverse ownership group in professional sports, domestically or internationally,then, like my father, I am prepared to act in that spirit,” he said.
King runs the King Center in Atlanta.
Mets owner Fred Wilpon and his son, chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon,said Friday that they were considering selling a 20 percent to 25 percentinterest in the team. The announcement came after they were named in a lawsuitfrom the trustee trying to reclaim money for the victims of the Bernard Madoffswindle.
RHP Dickey, OF Pagan agree with Mets
January 31, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—Pitcher R.A. Dickey(notes) has agreed to a $7.8 million, two-yearcontract with the New York Mets and outfielder Angel Pagan(notes) has agreed to a $3.5million, one-year deal.
Dickey, a 36-year-old knuckleballer who revived his career last season, getsa $1 million signing bonus, $2.25 million this year and $4.25 million in 2012under Monday’s agreement. The Mets have a $5 million option for 2013 with a$300,000 buyout.
Brought up from the minor leagues in mid-May, Dickey went 11-9 with a 2.84ERA last year.
Pagan, 29, hit .290 with 11 homers and 69 RBIs, becoming the starting centerfielder while Carlos Beltran(notes) was sidelined.
They were the last Mets in arbitration.
Lakers coming up small vs. NBA’s best
January 31, 2011
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP)—The Los Angeles Lakers have the NBA’s fifth-bestrecord and a huge lead in the Pacific Division. It’s what they don’t have thatmight be cause for concern.
After fading in the fourth quarter of a 109-96 loss to the Boston Celtics onSunday, the two-time defending champions are just 1-4 this season against thefour teams above them in the overall standings.
The Lakers also have seven home losses. That’s the same number they had alllast season.
Some of their fans are panicking after watching Kobe Bryant’s(notes) one-man showfall miserably flat against the Celtics in Los Angeles’ fourth loss in sevengames overall. The Lakers realize they haven’t risen to their biggest challengesthis season, but they believe there’s still time.
Heat G House fined for obscene gesture
January 31, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—The NBA has fined Heat guard Eddie House(notes) for making anobscene gesture during Miami’s 108-103 win at Oklahoma City on Sunday.
NBA Executive Vice President Stu Jackson announced the $25,000 penalty onMonday.
The league says the incident occurred with 22.2 seconds left in the game.
Goodell, Smith meet about labor issues
January 31, 2011
DALLAS (AP)—NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and union executive directorDeMaurice Smith have met in New York about labor negotiations.
According to a joint statement from the league and union, Goodell and Smithspoke Monday about “a range of issues related to a new collective bargainingagreement.”
They agreed to have a formal bargaining session with both negotiating teamsin the Dallas area on Saturday, the day before the Super Bowl. The sides havenot had a full-group negotiation since November.
Goodell and Smith also set up a series of meetings in the coming weeks “inan effort to reach a new agreement by early March,” the statement said.
The current CBA expires at the end of the day March 3, and the union expectsthe NFL to lock out players as soon as the next day.