kimblr.com

The Spurs are in trouble, down 3-1 in the NBA Playoff series after a loss 93-91 on Tuesday night. Kobe Bryant led the way with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 29 points, Brent Barry had 23 off the bench and Tony Parker had 23 points and eight assists. The Spurs got a final possession with 2.1 seconds left. Barry had to force up an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer. There was contact when Barry went for his shot by Lakers Derek Fisher but there was a no call and the Lakers won. You have to respect the Spurs saying all the right things after the game about the no call on the foul. If it was Lebron, it would be " I believe LeBron was fouled at that point. I believe LeBron should be shooting Free Throws." If that was Kobe putting up the last shot for sure he would have got the fouled called. The oddsmakers at sportsbook.com currently have the LA Lakers -8 favorites to San Atonio heading into this NBA Playoff betting matchup.
I'm already thinking conspiracy after they let Joey Crawford ref this game after what happened last year with him getting suspended, maybe having something out for the Spurs and Tim Duncan. Plus it was his decision to make it a no call involving Brent Barry and Derek Fisher at the end of the game. The Spurs are cool losing on the road but Crawford and Stern stole one from them Tuesday night. Why in the wide world of sports would Joey Crawford ever be allowed to ref a Spurs playoff game after all the history between them. The refs are handing the Lakers the series so they can play the Celtics in the championship. David Stern can't wait for that after recent dismal television ratings. If fouls at the end of the game don't count, then I'm sure the Spurs are wondering why Ginobili got called for a foul on Nowitzki in 2006 Western Conference Finals - not only at the end of a game, but at the end of a Game 7 to decide the series, and who went to the NBA Finals.

onlinesportshandicapping.com

Two struggling American League teams will hook up this weekend when the Detroit Tigers play against the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series at Safeco Field.
The Mariners, who have the AL’s worst record at 20-34, can only hope for a better showing than they had last week at Detroit.
The Tigers, with the league’s third worst record at 22-31, swept all three games and outscored Seattle by a combined score of 30-14.
So in an attempt to change things around for the Mariners, Manager John McLaren — who recently received a vote of support from team management — will skip left-handed Jarrod Washburn’s turn in the pitching rotation to start three right-handers against Detroit.
That’s because the Tigers are an AL-worst 15-28 against right-handed pitching, and 7-3 against left-handers this season.
Seattle’s Carlos Silva, who has a 3-4 record with a 5.14 earned run average, is expected to start tonight against Detroit left-hander Nate Roberson, who has a 2-5 record and a 5.88 era.
The Detroit Pistons are listed as six-point favorites over the Boston Celtics for tonight’s Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Pistons, who trail, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series and need a victory to keep their season alive, are 7-3 against the point spread in their last 10 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to six points.
Boston will enter the game with a 5-1 record against the point spread in its last six games as a road underdog of 3.5 to six points, and the Celtics are 5-1 against the point spread in their last six games at Detroit.
But Boston is 1-7 against the point spread in its last eight road games overall and 2-8 against the point spread in its last 10 playoff games.
The over/under combined points total for tonight’s game is 176. The under is 4-0 in the Celtics’ last four road games and 4-1 in Detroit’s last five home games.

latimes.com

Phil Jackson was feeling a bit nostalgic before Game 4 of the Lakers-Spurs NBA playoff series and talked about players’ celebratory styles.
“We started out with low five, and then it became high five,” the Lakers coach said of his days as a Knicks player, “and then it became a variety of things.”
When the Knicks did a Vitalis hair tonic commercial — teammate Bill Bradley declined to participate because it represented a commercial endorsement that he found distasteful even though he was the son of a banker — the players slapped skin.
“This was kind of a symbol of our era that we were getting very hip at giving each other five,” Jackson said. “And now it’s progressed to where you not only give a high five, but you jump in the air and give a chest and do another bump on your way down.”
And what’s next in this realm, the Zen master was asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “But I think the feet will come into play somehow.”
Tickets available for movie about Garrido’s career
Those interested in seeing the sneak preview of the Richard Linklater movie, “Inning by Inning: A Portrait of a Coach,” a biography of Texas baseball coach Augie Garrido, can still buy seats.
Tickets are $15 and can be obtained at Ticketmaster for the June 3 showing at the Paramount Theatre, which holds 1,200 people. The preview begins at 6:30 p.m.
Proceeds from ticket sales for the movie, which will be aired three consecutive days on the various ESPN channels starting on June 15, will go to the Boys & Girls Club.
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Copyright 2008 The Austin American-Statesman. All rights reserved.

statesman.com

The Lakers avoided a Game 7 and now can wine and dine while others tussle to play them. Surgery for Andrew Bynum, however, is another matter.
The team disclosed Sunday that Bynum would undergo arthroscopic surgery Wednesday on his injured left knee.
The rest of the Lakers bought themselves some time with their series clincher over the Utah Jazz on Friday, which meant that the same Wednesday as the surgery would be the start of the Western Conference finals at Staples Center.
That leaves tonight for watching Game 7 between the New Orleans Hornets and San Antonio Spurs in a series that could signify a passing of the torch from the aging to the up-and-coming.
And to the victors, a chance to play the Lakers.
Phil Jackson used Sunday to contemplate each team’s distinctions and drawbacks.
“They’ve been through a lot of heavy battles over the last three years with that group of guys that they are real comfortable with,” Jackson said of the Spurs.
“They’ve got pretty much a known answer to a variety of problems. They’re the oldest team in the league, and that weighs a lot in the experience factor. It also weighs against them in just the recovery aspect of it.
“On the other side, you’ve got a very young team, full of confidence and very capable, very athletic, that has a combination of driving and shooting capabilities. . . . So, we’ve got two teams that are very competent, very proficient.”
The tipping point may be the venue, with the game tonight in the Big Easy. The Hornets are 6-0 there this postseason, and the home-court team is 22-2 in the second round.
The Hornets have run through the Spurs by an average of nearly 20 points in the three games at New Orleans Arena during the series. Hornets forward David West is expected to play after sitting out the end of Game 6 because of a sore back, provided by a Robert Horry pick.

latimes.com

The attitude had life. It possessed a soul. It appealed to the hard-bitten basketball diehards of Detroit and to fringe fans, as well.
It had everything except a name.
“It just came up in discussion,” said Don Sperling of NBA Entertainment, the league’s marketing branch that produced a video of the Pistons’ 1987-88 run to the brink of its first league championship.
“We’re talking about possible titles,” Sperling recalled, “and somebody came up with the phrase ‘Bad Boys.’ And if there was ever an occasion when a concept just immediately clicked, that was it. We thought it was perfect. The Pistons thought it was perfect. But little did anybody realize the staying power it would have — even to this day.
“I still catch hell from people for it.”
But its legacy endures as one of the great sports marketing brands.
“When you stop and think about it,” Joe Dumars said, “it was genius.”
Yet there would be no Bad Boys without the Boston Celtics. The seed was planted in Game 3 of the 1987 Eastern Conference finals on May 23, 1987.
The Celtics won the first two games at history-creviced Boston Garden, continuing a home winning streak against the Pistons. The series moved to the Pontiac Silverdome. The Celtics figured that the Pistons wouldn’t offer much resistance on the path toward their 17th NBA championship.
And then Larry Bird drove the lane, Bill Laimbeer dropped him on his butt and a rivalry ignited.
Bird went ballistic.
If Laimbeer had clocked any other player, the echoes of discontent wouldn’t have reverberated as strongly. But Bird was the Great Savior.
Both were ejected, and Bird was out of control as he departed the Silverdome floor.
Nobody realized it then, but Laimbeer exposed a weakness in the impenetrable Celtics. They weren’t composed of ice water. There was a plentiful well of anger that was available if you were willing to drill deep enough.

freep.com

OREM - The Class 3A state title game was about 15 seconds away from a shootout.
Park City and Morgan tried to out-run, out-shoot, out-hustle each other for nearly 100 minutes and the 0-0 score was indicative of how hard each team played.
But, what happened in those last 15 seconds led to Park City’s 1-0 double-overtime win over Morgan on Saturday to give the Miners their second state title in three years.
A Park City player was fouled in the box as the second overtime period was coming to an end.
Tyler Thomas took the penalty kick for the Miners and he put the ball in the bottom right corner.
Morgan goalkeeper John Haws moved toward the ball and got his hand on it, but the ball had enough behind it to slip right under him.
“I had all the confidence that it would go in,” Thomas said. “It was so tough. Both teams were battling, but I just had the confidence.”
Both teams had their chances to score in regulation.
In the first half, the Trojans utilized their speed, as Daniel Ure had a breakaway opportunity in the 13th minute.
Park City had two good shots at the end of the first half, one when a shot by Tucker Sheppard hit the crossbar and another when Sheppard took a shot that went just right of the goal and Tommy Martin slid toward the goal, just missing a connection with
The Trojans’ best missed opportunity was with about 6 1/2 minutes to go.
Michael Rees passed to Anthony Nelson, who took a shot.
Kyle Walker found himself in front of the goal with the ball within striking distance, but couldn’t capitalize. “I told them, ‘If we get to PKs, I know we’ll win it,’ ” Morgan coach Fritz Backman said. “I have full confidence in us at PKs.”

sltrib.com

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission has chosen Larry Voyles as the new director of the Department, effective this month, to replace Current director Duane Shroufe as he retires (check the Feb. 2008 issue of Hunting Highlights for the complete story).
For those who don’t know, Voyles has been with Game and fish for nearly 35 years and has been supervisor for the Yuma Regional office of Game and Fish for a good number of years handling field operations in southwestern Arizona. He has done a tremendous job for us here in the Yuma area and will be sorely missed. We wish him well.
Voyles joined the department in 1974 as a wildlife manager (game ranger), serving over the next 10 years in the Wellton, Wickenburg and Prescott districts. He then served as the wildlife enforcement program coordinator and as the department’s training coordinator before being promoted to supervisor in the Yuma region in 1988. Voyles holds a B.S. in wildlife biology from Arizona State University.
“You don’t just replace a Duane Shroufe, ” said Voyles. “He led the agency through an amazing period of growth, quality improvement and accomplishment. He set the bar high, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to continue that legacy.”
*Hunter Education: Attend the “free” Hunter Education Course beginning Monday 6-9 p.m. at the Yuma Regional office of Game and Fish, open to anyone wishing to hunt - archery as well as firearms - in Arizona as either a first time learning session or a refresher - mandatory for any youngster 10-14 years of age who wants to hunt big game (great to have Mom or Dad along as well - a great learning experience). It’s first-come, first-served, so plan to arrive early. Call 342-0091.
*Arizona Elk Society: Tickets are now on sale for the March 22nd “7th Annual Banquet” being held at the Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St. - do it quick before tickets are sold out. Visit <stevec@arizonaelksociety.org .

yumasun.com

CORAL GABLES, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The University of Miami has been selected to host the 2009 McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Boys and Girls Games, it was announced today in Milwaukee, site of the 2008 Games. UM was represented by Kirby Hocutt, who will become Athletic Director on June 1.
The Games, scheduled to be played at the BankUnited Center on the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus, will be played April 1, 2009, and will be nationally televised on ESPN.
“We are very excited to host the 2009 All American Basketball Games,” said Alex C. Rodriguez, local McDonald’s owner/operator and chairman of the Miami game. “Seeing the up-and-coming basketball stars and all their fans here next year will be very exciting for South Florida.”
Throughout its history, the McDonald’s All American Games’ primary purpose as a fundraiser for RMHC has been fulfilled alongside its ability to showcase the nation’s top high school basketball players. A portion of the proceeds from the 2009 Game will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida. Since the Game was first played in 1978, more than $5 million has been raised for RMHC and other children’s charities.
“Hosting the Game here in South Florida provides us with an excellent opportunity to not only raise money for our charity, but to increase awareness about all that we do to help local children live happier, healthier and more productive lives,” said Soraya Rivera-Moya, executive director of RMHC of South Florida. “All of our programs directly improve the health and well being of children right here in South Florida.”
The 2009 McDonald’s All American Game will be played April 1 at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. The McDonald’s All American Boys Game will be broadcast live on ESPN and the McDonald’s All American Girls Game will be broadcast on ESPNU. Visit www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com and www.mcdonalds.com for more information on the McDonald’s All American Game.

businesswire.com

Selection Sunday has come and gone, and the Madness is nigh.
For the NCAA tournament selection committee, that madness began early: Sunday’s five conference games had bracket implications, and the 65-team bracket wasn’t done until 20 minutes before CBS began its broadcast. (The biggest drama of the day: Georgia — which otherwise would have gone home — completed its unlikely run through the SEC tournament, beating Arkansas for an automatic bid.)
The bracket was refreshingly free of cries of “Injustice!” Top seed North Carolina is widely regarded as deserving of that honor, and among the other No. 1s — UCLA, Memphis and Kansas — only the Jayhawks came with caveats. (Coulda been Tennessee or Texas.) For the first time since 1980, last year’s finalists will be left out of the tournament. But while Ohio State was a possibility for an at-large spot, defending-champion Florida deserved its trip to the NIT.
The Buckeyes can fuss, at least minimally. So can Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth and Illinois State. The team with the biggest cause for complaint? Arizona State: The Sun Devils beat their archrivals at Arizona twice and then saw the Wildcats grab a No. 10 seed. Still, all in all there were few howls and whines when the bracket was complete.
Maybe that’s because the 2008 field is fairly mediocre, Bob Ryan writes in the Boston Globe, offering sympathy for the selection committee.
• Put down those brackets. If you think you can nail down this year’s Cinderellas and opening-round upsets in the men’s basketball tournament, then take a shot at the Daily Fix NCAA quiz. One entry per person. Entries may be quoted by name. Send your picks to dailyfix@wsj.com by tipoff Thursday, shortly after 12 p.m. ET. (Entries accepted by email only, not in the comments.) The winners get glory, a special Fix prize and a seat in the new annex wing of the Fix Skybox of Champions.
Choose only one answer for each of the first eight questions, as in the case of a tie, any correct answer counts. Correct answers are worth 10 points each unless otherwise noted:
1. Which will be the team with the highest seed number (16 is higher than 1) to win in the first round? (Please respond with a team name, and not a seed number.)
2. Which No. 1 seed will win by the fewest points in the first round?

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UTEP forward Victor Ramalho (50) blocks out Tulsa forward Calvin Walls (4) in the lane in the first half of the Conference USA men’s basketball tournament semifinal at the FedEx Forum, in Memphis, Tenn., Friday, March 14, 2008. Tulsa won 64-62 in overtime. (AP photo)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — UTEP had two problems. One, the Miners were playing uphill all evening. Two, no matter which way they went, there was a lid on their bucket.
Not really, of course. But it seemed so.
UTEP led 2-0 and then began looking uphill as Tulsa tore away to a 14-2 lead. The Miners played catchup the rest of the way, trailing 33-21 at the intermission, trailing 41-30 with 15 minutes to play, trailing 44-37 with 10 minutes to go.
But the Miners continued to chase, always chasing and climbing and despite never getting another lead, despite shooting percentages from the Arctic, they got into overtime.
In the end, though, it was too much … simply too much.
Tulsa played hard, played well, fought off last-minute nerves and survived in this month of survival, edging UTEP 64-62 in overtime Friday night in the semifinals of the Conference USA tournament at the FedExForum. Tulsa now will play Memphis this morning on CBS for the tournament championship, for the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

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