ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The term that manager Eric Wedge kept using after Thursdays 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Mariners sixth straight defeat, was getting over the hump.
He sees a young team that lost four games by a total of five runs against a strong Rays ballclub as being on the verge of competing against the games best.
But hes also realistic enough to know it is having too many maddening breakdowns at key junctures.
Tags: Games
The government is spending millions of dollars to determine whether video games can be designed as instructional tools for intelligence analysts, who help compile reports that US officials use to identify potential threats from emerging foreign powers.
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), research arm of the director of national intelligence, is coordinating the effort by hiring some of the nations largest defense contracting companies. The latest contract, a $9.1 million project awarded to a team led by Boeing Co. for work through December 2015, was issued in April through the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Officials said they view the multiyear research program, known as Sirius, as an effort to improve analyst training for college students, who could become tomorrows analysts.
Tags: Games
Bulls-76ers Preview
By ROB MAADDI
Posted May 05 2012 6:59PM
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Evan Turner sped past a defender for a dunk in the first quarter, and spun around a guy to make an acrobatic reverse lay-up in the second.
Pretty plays, for sure.
But the one that made the difference in the Philadelphia 76ers 79-74 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 Friday night was much uglier.
With the Sixers clinging to a one-point lead in the final minute, Turner drove to the basket and put a shot up in traffic that missed. He grabbed his own rebound and fell to the floor as three defenders, desperately trying to swat the ball away, converged. Turner fought them off, got up, maintained control and put up another shot. It missed, but he was fouled.
I appreciate that (Coach Doug Collins) put the ball in my hands in a key possession, Turner said Saturday. That was the least I can do to keep fighting.
Turner swished both free throws and the Sixers sank the injury-depleted Bulls, taking an unlikely 2-1 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference series.
With reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose out for the season after tearing a knee ligament in the series opener and Joakim Noah doubtful with an ankle injury, the top-seeded Bulls are in trouble.
Game 4 is Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center.
The singular biggest play of the year for us was Evan Turner, the play he made under the basket, Collins said. Evan just fought, fought, fought, got fouled and made those two free throws.
It was beautiful. Evan getting in there and fighting, hes a big-time competitor.
Turners tenacity against the undermanned Bulls has the eighth-seeded Sixers on the verge of pulling off a stunning upset. The injuries are piling up for Chicago, which has to find a way to rally in the series without Rose and probably not Noah.
Hes most likely out tomorrow, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said of Noah.
As for the remainder of the series, Thibodeau said Noah is day to day.
Omer Asik would replace Noah as the starting center. Asik, a 7-footer, averaged 3.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 14.7 minutes per game in the regular season.
I feel we have more than enough, Thibodeau said. Next guy, gotta get the job done.
Noah got hurt midway through the third quarter when he stepped on Andre Iguodalas foot driving the lane and crashed to the court. Noah instantly grabbed his left ankle in pain, though he returned to shoot free throws after a timeout. He also played briefly in the fourth quarter, before leaving the arena on crutches.
Its up to guys to step up, Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. When one man goes down, you have to be ready. This is the NBA and things like this happen.
Whats happening on the other bench is quite remarkable.
On a big stage, Turner is showing why the Sixers chose him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft. Hes had plenty of ups and downs in his two seasons. Heck, he didnt even start Game 1 of this series.
But the Sixers have won two in a row with him starting. Turner had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a 109-92 win in Game 2. He followed that up with 16 points and nine rebounds in Game 3.
The highlight plays he made Friday night earned him style points, but his resilient effort on that play late in the game earned respect.
His will to win was excellent, veteran Elton Brand said. He wouldnt let us lose that game.
Turner hasnt lived up to expectations in his first two seasons, though part of the problem has simply been playing time and adjusting to a different role. Turner was The Associated Press Player of the Year as a junior at Ohio State before heading to the NBA. He averaged 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists while leading the Buckeyes into the round of 16 in the 2010 NCAA tournament.
Turner stepped into the starting lineup as a rookie in Philadelphia, but struggled early and appeared confused on the court at times. He was used to handling the ball in college, but Jrue Holiday is the point guard on the Sixers so the offense runs through him. Turner didnt adapt quickly to becoming a spot-up shooter and was benched after 18 games. At the time, The Sixers were 5-13. With Jodie Meeks, a dependable outside shooter starting at the two-guard spot, Philadelphia went 36-28 the rest of the way and earned a playoff berth.
Turners minutes dwindled, but he showed potential at various points with productive games late in the season. He scored 15 points and 17 points off the bench in two playoff games against Miami, who won the series in five games.
After spending the summer refining his shooting skills with Herb Magee, the Hall of Fame coach at Philadelphia University, Turner figured to open the season as a starter. But Collins stuck with Meeks, because that lineup worked last year.
Turner was relegated to a reserve role again, and the Sixers started 20-9. No reason to make changes.
Then Philadelphia lost 8 of 10, and Turner went back in. He started 18 straight games before going back to the bench after a four-game losing streak. Following a 12-point loss to the Bulls in the playoff opener, Collins switched his lineup again. Turner has made the most of the opportunity.
He is at his best in these kinds of games, Collins said.
Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited
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SEATTLE Joe Mauers two-out RBI single in the seventh inning helped the Minnesota Twins rally for a 3-2 win on Friday night, handing the Seattle Mariners their seventh straight loss.
The Twins snapped a 25-inning scoreless streak when they scored three runs in the seventh inning as Seattles bullpen was unable to hold a 2-0 lead after 6 1-3 strong innings from starter Jason Vargas.
But Vargas was just a spectator while Tom Wilhelmsen (1-1) struggled through four batters in the seventh and made a costly throwing error that allowed the tying run to score. Mauer then followed with a single up the middle that glanced off the glove of shortstop Brendan Ryan and allowed Trevor Plouffe to score. The Twins won for just the second time in 11 games.
Carl Pavano (2-2) needed just 69 pitches to get through six innings and pick up his second victory. He gave up a trio of doubles in the fifth inning when Seattle scored both of its runs, but minimized trouble otherwise. Pavano allowed eight hits, but didnt walk a batter and struck out two.
Brian Duensing and Glen Perkins rolled through the seventh and eighth innings before Matt Capps worked the ninth for his fifth save in as many chances.
Seattle lost by one run for the fourth time in five games.
Vargas pitched into the seventh, leaving after giving up a one-out double to Chris Parmelee. The double that hopped off the wall in center field was Minnesotas first extra-base hit since the eighth inning of Mondays game against the Angels.
Wilhelmsen replaced Vargas and walked Alexi Casilla and Plouffe. Wilhelmsen looked as if he was going to get out of the inning when Denard Span tapped back to the mound, but instead of throwing home, Wilhelmsen threw wide of second. Parmelee scored because of the errant throw, snapping the Twins scoreless streak at 25 innings.
Jamey Carroll followed with a grounder wide of first and the only play was a force out of Span at second, allowing Casilla to score the tying run. That was it for Wilhelmsen, who was showered with boos as he was replaced by Charlie Furbush to face Mauer. On a 3-1 pitch, Mauer grounded back up the middle but it glanced off Ryans stretched glove and trickled onto the outfield grass to score Plouffe.
The Twins had not scored since the eighth inning of Mondays game against the Angels when they scored three times. Minnesota was shut out on Tuesday 4-0, then no-hit by the Angels Jered Weaver in a 9-0 loss on Wednesday.
Slugging rookie Jesus Montero started Seattles fifth-inning rally with a double off the wall in deep left-center field as the pitchers in the Mariners bullpen waved frantically for the ball to carry over the fence. It didnt, but Montero was jogging home one pitch later when Kyle Seager sliced a double into the left-center field gap to give Seattle the lead.
After Justin Smoak flew out to center field, Mike Carp lined a double over Ryan Doumits head in right field to score Seager. Carroll was able to keep another run from scoring when his diving stop held Ryan to an infield single and Carp stopped at third. Dustin Ackley then flew out to end the inning.
Notes: Ackley was 1 for 3 in his first game as the Mariners leadoff hitter. Before Fridays game, manager Eric Wedge announced that veteran Chone Figgins was being benched … Twins manager Ron Gardenhire returned to Minnesota following the series against the Angels to attend the graduation of his daughter Tara from Southwest Minnesota State University. Gardenhire will rejoin the team on Monday.
Tags: Games
The London 2012 Summer Olympics will be peaceful competitions among nations. The original Olympics were recorded to have been held in the 7th Century BC They were based on religious rites and mock battles, and dedicated to the Greek gods who were believed to live on Mount Olympus.
Running In the earliest games, the athletes, all men and usually nude, competed in races that varied in length from 200 to 400 yards. In later Olympics, when there were women#39;s competitions, they ran in 150- to 300-yard races. Women athletes were required to wear toga-like gowns, and married women were forbidden to attend the games. Here#39;s a look at some of the events of the ancient Olympic games:
Discus and Javelin
Use of spears and missiles were part of the battle equipment of ancient Greek warriors, and the weapons were applied in events in the earliest Olympic competitions. The athletic posture of the famed 5th Century BC statue of the discus thrower clearly indicates the event has not changed through all the centuries.
Wrestling and Boxing
These competitions were among the most popular, because they were considered close combat without the use of weapons. They were fought with bare hands or with glove-like leather wrappings. In the earliest Olympics, victory was declared when the losing combatant was disabled or dead.
The Pankration was an even more brutal combination of boxing and wrestling. Because there were no requirements based on weight or experience, some of the events were bloody and deadly encounters. They were very popular with the spectators and, several centuries later, may have been the origins of gladiator games in Rome.
Long Jump
The long jump, which was also called the broad jump, of the ancient Olympics was similar to today#39;s event. As with many other skills, it is believed to have started as part of military training. Because of the mountainous terrain of Greece, soldiers were required to practice jumping over wide spaces between the rocks during combat.
Pentathalon
The pentathlon, based on the Greek word for five, is still an important endurance competition in today#39;s Olympics. The five events in the original games were running, jumping, wrestling, discus and javelin. Aristotle described it as #34;a body capable of enduring all efforts, either of the race or of bodily strength. This is why the athletes in the pentathlon are most beautiful.#34;
Summary
In many ways, the upcoming 2012 Olympics in London will be similar to the original games of 27 centuries ago. As with the Hellenic theme, they will represent the best efforts of the young participants. Additionally, as it resulted in Ancient Greece, they will be greatly admired and honored by their compatriots.
Olympic and sports fan Freddy Sherman grew up in Philadelphia and went to school with two Olympic medal winners, Kim Gallagher and David Wharton. Watching their skill and determination inspired him. You can follow Freddy on Twitter: @thefredsherman.
More from this contributor:
The Five Greatest Female Olympic Gold Medalists
Native Americans Who Won Olympic Gold
Olympic Cities Confirmed Through 2018
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Gaming giant Nintendo has announced a host of new software this week at the Tokyo Game Show.
The companys new handheld gaming gadget, the 3DS, has not gone well, with sales figures disappointing shareholders.
Satoru Iwata, Nintendos president, said Nintendo was soon to launch an unprecedented range of games, in a move some commentators have said was to counter bad initial 3DS sales.
Nintendos classic Mario character will feature in some of the new games whilst other games have been made specifically to tempt women players. The soon-to-be-launched pink 3DS is also aimed at female gamers.
From the end of this year to the beginning of the next, we are planning the kind of extensive line-up that has probably never been seen before in the history of video games, Iwata said at the Tokyo Game Show.
We hope to make it so that, through the release of this new colour and the direction we take our software, that the 3DS will be liked by both men and women as the DS was.
Tags: Games
Its week three of the college football season and we have another huge matchup with national championship implications. No. 1 Oklahoma travels to fifth-ranked Florida State for a prime time matchup.
Also playing at night will be No. 16 Ohio State at Miami (Fla.), which has not played since its loss on Labor Day.
Before then, No. 21 Texas travels to UCLA and No. 15 Michigan State goes to winless Notre Dame along with a host of other intriguing matchups.
Stay tuned to Campus Rivalry all day as we provide updates from across the country.
MORE: Follow Erick Smith on Twitter
11:20 pm: Oklahoma takes a knee twice and finishes off a 23-13 victory. Big win for the Sooners against a tough Florida State squad. Should keep them at No. 1 with a game against Missouri up next. They also got plenty of fight from the Seminoles, who have to be concerned about the healthy of EJ Manuel with a trip to Clemson ahead of them.
11:18 pm: Oklahomas defense closes the door on Florida State, forcing an incomplete pass on fourth down. Sooners take over with 1:18 left and a 23-13.
11:13 pm: Jimmy Stevens kicks a 31-yard field goal with 2:01 left and Oklahoma is ahead of Florida State by two scores. Seminoles will need a huge rally trailing 23-13.
11:10 pm: Oklahoma is grinding out the clock and forcing Florida State to use timeouts. The Sooners are inside the Seminoles 20 with less than three minutes left.
11:04 pm: Javon Harris intercepts Clint Trickett after the pass was deflected by Ronnell Lewis. Oklahoma takes over at the Florida State 46 with 5:44 left. Sooners hoping for a couple first downs to milk the clock with a 20-13 lead.
10:58 pm: A great response by Oklahoma. Landry Jones makes a big third-down pass for 22 yards to Ryan Broyles that moves the chains. On the next play, Jones finds Kenny Stills in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown. Sooners are up 20-13 on Florida State with seven minutes left in Tallahassee.
10:51 pm: And we have a tie game in Tallahassee. On 3rd-and-28, Clint Trickett hit Rashad Greene for a 56-yard touchdown pass after he split two Oklahoma defenders and went the final 30 yards. Florida State 13, Oklahoma 13.
10:47 pm: Oklahoma could only muster four yards on its possession. A short punt gives Florida State the ball on the Sooners 38. Seminoles trail 13-6 with 11:36 left.
10:40 pm: Ryan Broyles makes a mistake by fielding a punt inside the Oklahoma 10 and then a penalty on the return forces to the Sooners to start at their 2 early in the fourth quarter. A stop would be big for Florida State, which trails 13-6.
10:33 pm: Headed to the fourth quarter in Tallahassee. Oklahoma facing a 3rd-and-2 from its 44. Sooners lead Florida State 13-6.
10:30 pm: Al Golden is set to win his first game as Miami. Mike James scores on a 1-yard run to put the Hurricanes ahead of Ohio State 23-6 with less than one minute left. Tough night for the Buckeyes, who clearly lack offensive punch.
10:27 pm: Florida State gets its first points since the first quarter as backup Clint Trickett leads a nice scoring drive. Dustin Hopkins boots a 46-yard field goal to trim Oklahomas lead to 13-6 late in the third quarter.
10:19 pm: An interception by Florida State safety LaMarcus Joyner has given the ball back to the Seminoles. They take over with freshman Clint Trickett at quarterback with EJ Manuel in the locker room.
10:14 pm: Two bits of bad news for Florida State. They get to midfield but are short of a first down and must punt. And quarterback EJ Manuel looks to have hurt his left shoulder after being hit on a running play. Oklahoma has the ball at its 25 with five minutes left in the third quarter. It leads 13-3.
10:11 pm: Miamis defense gets a big turnover by recovering a Braxton Miller. Hurricanes take over on their 31 with a 17-6 lead on Ohio State in the fourth quarter.
10:07 pm: And a defensive stop for Florida State after a Bjoern Werner sack on third down. Oklahomas offense really is being slowed after its impressive start. But Sooners still lead 13-3 in the third.
10:00 pm: Florida State ran three plays on its first possession of the second half. All three went for negative yardage. A great start by the Oklahoma defense to get the ball back quickly. Sooners start on their 30 with a 13-3 lead.
9:55 pm: Reminder that Florida State deferred after winning the coin toss. Seminoles will be on offense first in the second half. Need something positive early as they trail Oklahoma 13-3.
9:44 pm: Jacory Harris commits his third turnover of the game on fumble on a fourth-down run. Ohio State takes over trailing 17-6 in a game where the quarterback play has not been stellar.
9:35 pm: Jovon Harris intercepts Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel and returns its 62 yards to set up Oklahoma inside the Seminoles 5. FSUs defense again gets a big defensive stand. Sooners forced to settle for another short Jimmy Stevens field goal. Its 13-3 at halftime.
9:30 pm: Defenses force punts at the start of the second half between Miami and Ohio State. Hurricanes still lead 17-6.
9:23 pm: A great catch by Kenny Still sets up Oklahoma in Florida State territory. The Sooners reach the Seminoles 2 but are forced to settle for a Jimmy Stevens field goal. They lead 10-3 with 4:32 left in the first half.
9:15 pm: And Oklahoma does its part on defense and holds Florida State without a first down, helped by a holding call on the Seminoles. Sooners will start next possession at their 32.
9:10 pm: Florida State forced a three-and-out against the Oklahoma offense and both defenses seem to be finding some success. Sooners still up 7-3.
9:06 pm: Oklahoma linebacker Tom Wort saves the Sooners with his own interception of Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel. Wort tipped the ball and then caught it to stop a drive that had reached inside the Sooners 15. They led 7-3 early in the second quarter.
8:58 pm.: Miami gets a field goal on the final play of the first half and lead Ohio State 17-6 after 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Florida State wide receiver Kenny Shaw is down after a big hit by two Oklahoma players. Big delay in the game as medical staff attend to him.
8:49 pm: Florida State has the first turnover of the game. Landry Jones has his passed tipped and Nigel Bradham makes a diving interception at the Oklahoma 45. Sooners lead 7-3.
8:45 pm: Dustin Hopkins kicks a 53-yard field goal to put Florida State on the board after EJ Manuel took a third-down sack. Oklahoma leads 7-3. Ohio State trails Miami 14-6 after blowing a golden opportunity to score a touchdown after an interception of Jacory Harris. Buckeyes forced to settle for a field goal.
8:39 pm: Oklahomas defense takes a timeout. Florida State is facing a 3rd-and-10 from the Sooners 24 after a EJ Manuel touchdown pass was turned over by a holding call.
8:34 pm: Ohio State has its first points of the game on a 22-yard field goal by Drew Basil with 6:28 left in the second quarter. Buckeyes still trail 14-3, but seem to have shaken over the early flurry by Miami.
8:30 pm: South Carolina goes ahead of Navy early in the fourth quarter on another touchdown run by Marcus Lattimore. Still time for the Midshipmen to rally from their 24-21 deficit.
8:27 pm: Oklahoma has been known as a passing team, but the Sooners find the end zone on the games first drive with 10 runs on 15 plays, including a 1-yard sneak by Landry Jones. Florida State will have its initial possession down 7-0.
8:21 pm: Timeout on the field in Tallahassee. Oklahoma still driving on the games first possession at the Florida State 14. Mostly short passes and strong running for the Sooners so far.
8:17 pm: Oklahoma off to a nice start offensively with two first downs and the Sooners have cross midfield into Florida State territory.
8:13 pm: Could an upset be brewing in Columbia? Navy intercepted Stephen Garcia deep in its territory then marched 91 yards for a score on a 2-yard run by Alexander Teich. Midshipmen lead No. 11 South Carolina 21-17.
8:10 pm: Florida State won the coin toss and chose to defer its option. Oklahoma will get the ball first. A good test for the Seminoles defense and its plan for the Sooners passing game.
8:03 pm: As they get ready to kick in Tallahassee, Ohio State has its first promising drive of the game ended when backup quarterback Braxton Miller is intercepted by Miami. Hurricanes take over at their 14 with a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.
7:57 pm: A second touchdown connection between Jacory Harris and Allen Hurns has put Miami ahead of Ohio State 14-0 midway through the first quarter. Great start for the Hurricanes, who have a huge speed advantage against the Buckeyes.
7:50 pm: Some interesting news from Tallahassee. Looks like after saying earlier this week he would not play, Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis will give it a go against Florida State despite only five weeks removed from a broken toe.
7:45 pm: Navy is hanging in with South Carolina after 30 minutes. No. 11 Gamecocks only lead 17-14 against the Midshipmen behind 118 yards and two scores from Marcus Lattimore.
7:39 pm: Cant ask for a much better start for Miami. Hurricanes get a three-and-out against Ohio State then Lamar Miller runs 54 yards on the first play from scrimmage to set up a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jacory Harris to Allen Hurns. Its 7-0 Miami.
7:32 pm: About to kick from South Florida. Ohio State will receive first against Miami. Good test for two teams that need a win.
7:24 pm: Matt Elam intercepts Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray to secure a 33-23 win for Florida. A nice start for Will Muschamp at 3-0 and new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis seems to be helping the Gators
7:15 pm: A Nebraska interception has iced things for the Cornhuskers against Washington. But it was a gritty effort by the Hukies, who fell 51-38. Tennessee has got a defensive stop and trails Florida by 10 with still four minutes left.
7:10 pm: Its not over yet in Gainesville. Tyler Bray hits Mychal Rivera for an 18-yard touchdown to pull Tennessee within 33-23 with 4:46 remaining.
7:05 pm: Florida is back up three scores in the fourth quarter on a 42-yard field goal by Caleb Sturgis. Tennessee needs points fast trailing 33-16.
7:03 pm: Lots of scoring but little change in the final result in Lincoln. Washington has pulled within 51-38 of Nebraska on Keith Prices 52-yard touchdown pass to James Johnson. The Cornhuskers recovered an onside kick with just more than four minutes left.
6:58 pm: Notre Dame defense gets another stop, and the Irish will beat Michigan State 31-13. Nice showing by Brian Kellys team after two rough losses plagued by turnovers. Still some things to clean up, though, because Notre Dame had three more giveaways Saturday.
6:50 pm: Its not over in Gainesville. Tennessee kicks a short field goal early in the fourth quarter and the Vols trail Florida 30-16 even though the Gators have dominated the action.
6:45 pm: Notre Dame looks to have sealed its first win of the season. Michigan State was at the Irish 3 when Robert Blanton intercepted Kirk Cousins and returned the ball 82 yards to the Spartans 12. Just over four minutes left and Notre Dame up 28-13.
6:37 pm: Texas will be getting some payback against UCLA. After the Bruins won in Austin last year, the Longhorns lead 42-20 midway through the fourth quarter. A good showing by Case McCoy in his first start.
6:30 pm: Wisconsin has finished off Northern Illinois 49-7. The biggest surprise is that Russell Wilson threw his first interception of the season. But the Badgers are 3-0 heading into its final non-conference game.
6:24 pm: Tennessee gets six points closer to Florida on Tyler Brays 14-yard strike to DaRick Rogers. Vols coach Derek Dooley curiously goes for two and fails. That leaves the Gators three scores ahead at 30-13.
6:20 pm: Nebraskas defense gets a fourth-down stop against Washington late in the third quarter to preserve their 37-17 advantage.
6:16 pm: No change in the scores from Los Angeles or South Bend. Notre Dame out front of No. 15 Michigan State 28-10 and Texas is rolling against UCLA 42-20.
6:10 pm: Florida also scored again when Chris Rainey goes for an 83-yard score off a pass by John Brantley. Gators cruising 30-7 against Tennessee.
6:05 pm: Texas continues slicing up UCLAs defense. Foswhitt Whittaker just scored on a 35-yard run and the Longhorns pad their advantage to 42-20.
6:00 pm: Florida responds to a late touchdown in the first half by Tennessee early in the second half. A 42-yard drive that started after an interception is capped by Jeff Demps 1-yard touchdown run. Gators lead 23-7.
5:57 pm: Nebraska has broken open a close game against Washington. First, the Cornhuskers took its first possession of second half and scored on a 1-yard Rex Burkhead run. Then the Huskies fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Nebraska recovered on the Washington 1. Burkhead scored on the next play and the Cornhuskers lead 34-17.
5:52 pm: The UCLA defense and Case McCoy appear to have been the potion to cure the struggling Texas offense. The Longhorns have scored again when wide receiver Jaxson Shipley threw a touchdown pass. Its 35-13.
5:47 pm: Notre Dame gets a three-and-out against Michigan State and then drives for another touchdown to take a 28-10 lead on the Spartans. Tommy Rees hit TJ Jones for the 26-yard score.
5:41 pm: A nice start to the second half for UCLA as the Bruins get a 49-yard field goal by Brad Locke. Its 28-13 in favor of Texas.
5:35 pm: UCLA got a late field goal to cut Texas lead to 28-10 in the second quarter. Bruins have the ball first in the second half with backup Richard Brehaut still in at quarterback.
5:32 pm: Wisconsin starts the second half with another touchdown drive. Montee Ball does the honors with a 1-yard run to put the Badgers ahead 35-7 against Northern Illinois.
5:25 pm: Virginia Tech got off to a slow start against Arkansas State, but quarterback Logan Thomas appears to have found his stride. The Hokies lead 23-7 in the second quarter with Thomas near 200 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
5:18 pm: Nebraska goes into the locker room with a three-point lead after Brett Maher kicks a 35-yard field goal at the end of the second quarterback. Washington, however, is giving the Cornhuskers a tough test.
5:12 pm: Notre Dames defense stiffens inside its 10 and forces an apparent Michigan State field goal. But after a timeout, Spartans coach Mark Dantonio tries a fake and it is stopped by the Irish, who lead 21-1- late in the first half. It is the opposite result of Dantonios overtime fake against Notre Dame last year that went for a game-winning touchdown.
5:10 pm: A pass interference call on Florida helps set up the first points for Tennessee. Taylor Bray hits Marlin Lane for an 8-yard touchdown. Gators lead cut to 16-7 with less than two minutes left in the half.
5:07 pm: Case McCoys scramble and pass to DJ Grant set up another Texas touchdown when McCoy then hit Grant for a 2-yard score. Longhorns lead UCLA 28-7 in the final minute of the first half.
5:02 pm: Tennessees offense lost star wide receiver Justin Hunter to a knee injury in the first quarter and havent had much success moving the ball against Florida. Gators are out front 16-0 late in the second quarter.
4:56 pm: Notre Dame adds to its lead when Cierre Wood finds pay dirt from 6 yards out on a run around right end. Irish looking good with a 21-10 margin on No. 15 Michigan State with 3:36 left in the second quarter.
4:52 pm: Nebraska goes back ahead of Washington when Taylor Martinez throws 26 yards to Aaron Green early in the second quarter. No. 10 Cornhuskers, though, just lead 17-14.
4:48 pm: UCLA showing signs of life with backup Richard Brehaut in the game. Bruins promptly drive 74 yards and get a 1-yard score by Derrick Coleman. Texas, however, still leads 21-7.
4:45 pm: Wisconsin has taken control against Northern Illinois. James White scores on a 19-yard touchdown run to put the Badgers ahead 28-7. Florida adds its second field goal of the first half to go up 13-0 on Tennessee.
4:38 pm: Oregon is scoring early and often against Missouri State. LaMichael James just broke off a 90-yard touchdown run to put the Ducks up 28-7 in the second quarter.
4:32 pm: Michigan State responds with a touchdown when Kirk Cousins hits Dion Sims on a 6-yard pass. Notre Dames lead trimmed to 14-10. Texas now up 21-0 on a flat UCLA team. Malcolm Brown scored on a 16-yard run.
4:25 pm: Washington marches 54 yards and scores on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Keith Price to Jermaine Kearse. Huskies go out front of No. 10 Nebraska 14-10 early in the second quarter.
4:18 pm: The fireworks continue. George Atkinson returns a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown to put Notre Dame ahead of Michigan State 14-3. Florida has tacked on a field goal to go up 10-0 on Tennessee, and Russell Wilson hits Al Toon for a touchdown as Wisconsin leads Northern Illinois 14-7.
4:15 pm: A strong start for Texas and a disaster for UCLA. The Longhorns have intercepted Kevin Prince twice and converted both into touchdowns. Its 14-0 late in the first quarter.
4:10 pm: Tommy Rees is intercepted by Michigan State and the Spartans take advantage by kicking a field goal. Notre Dame leads 7-3 after its 12th turnover of the season and Rees second in the first quarter.
4:04 pm: Northern Illinois isnt rolling over for Wisconsin. Jasmin Hopkins scored on a 3-yard touchdown run as the Huskies tied things at 7 late in the first quarter.
4:01 pm: And another Notre Dame turnover. Tommy Rees was sacked and fumbled in Michigan State territory. Spartans will take over trailing 7-0 after the 11th giveaway this season by the Irish.
3:55 pm: Its a fast start, too, in Lincoln with Nebraska and Washington each finding the end zone on their first drives. Were all tied at 7 after just three minutes.
3:50 pm: And we have scores in Los Angeles and Gainesville. Texas converts an interception of UCLAs Kevin Prince into a score when Case McCoy hits DJ Grant for a 45-yard touchdown. Floridas John Brantley finds Trey Burton for a 1-yard score. Gators are up 7-0 on Tennessee.
3:48 pm: It didnt take long for Notre Dame to get on the board. The Irish march 76 in 8 plays with Cierre Wood scoring on a 22-yard run. Its 7-0 with Michigan State set to get the ball on its first possession.
3:41 pm: Case McCoy, as expected, takes the first snap for Texas at quarterback against UCLA. Meanwhile, Florida has moved quickly into scoring territory against Tennesse on a Jeffrey Demps run.
3:36 pm: Three interesting games about to kick off with Notre Dame hosting No. 15 Michigan State, Tennessee traveling to No. 17 Florida and No. 21 Texas visiting UCLA.
3:32 pm: Its all over in Clemson and so is Auburns 17-game winning streak. True freshman Sammy Watkins was a star for Clemson, which rolled up more than 600 yards of offense in a 38-24 victory.
3:28 pm.: Clemson still milking the clock against No. 19 Auburn as it has marched to Auburns 21 with 1:42 left. Clemson still up 38-24 against the defending champs.
3:25 pm: West Virginias Eain Smith intercepts Danny OBrien with 1:12 left, and the Mountaineers look to hang on for a 37-31 defeat of the Terrapins after leading 34-10 in the second half.
3:18 pm: Maryland trails West Virginia 37-31 with 3:02 left. Terps facing 4th-and-1 in their own territory have called timeout.
3:15 pm: Clemson converts a third down on a Mike Bellamy run with just more than five minutes left. Tigers have nearly 600 yards of offense against Auburn and lead 38-24 in what would be the first loss since 2009 for the defending champions.
3:10 pm: Iowa has staged a huge rally against Pittsburgh, which previously led the Hawkeyes 24-3. James Vandenberg hit Kevonte Martin-Manley for his third touchdown pass of the fourth quarter to put Iowa ahead 31-27 with just under three minutes left.
3:06 pm: Penn State will avoid an upset bid by Temple … barely. A sack of fourth down by the Lions ends the Owls bid for a game-winning touchdown. Penn State taking a knee with a 14-10 lead in the final minute.
3:00 pm: Momentum has clearly swung in the favor of Maryland. DJ Adams scored on a 2-yard run with just under 11 minutes left and the Terrapins, who trailed 34-10, now is down 34-31 against West Virginia.
2:56 pm: Who says Joe Paterno is conservative? Twice Penn State passed up short field goal attempts to tie Temple and went for first downs. The second was converted by Brandon Beachum on a run from the Owls 3. On the next play, Michael Zordich scored on a 1-yard run to put the Lions up 14-10 with 2:42 left. The clutch drive was set up by a diving interception by Michael Mauti.
2:50 pm: Maryland has crept closer to No. 20 West Virginia with a touchdown late in the third quarter. DJ Adams scored on a 6-yard touchdown run, and the Mountaineers lead is now 34-23.
2:44 pm: A second Tajh Body-to-Sammy Watkins touchdown pass of the third quarter moves Clemson in front of Auburn 35-24. Watkins, a true freshman, has nine catches for 146 yards.
2:39 pm: Penn State got an interception by Chazz Powell, who returned the ball deep into Temple territory. But the Lions had to settle for a 36-yard field goal attempt by Lewis. The boot hit the right upright, and the Owls lead 10-7 with just more than 10 minutes left.
2:32 pm: Auburn has closed within 28-24 of Clemson with a field goal midway through the third quarter of a slow-moving game. Maryland cuts West Virginias lead to 34-16 on Davin Meggetts 20-yard touchdown run.
2:25 pm: Clemson was driving for another touchdown when Mike Bellamy fumbled and Auburn recovered. The Tigers from the SEC now have the ball back and face a 28-21 deficit.
2:20 pm: Heading to the fourth quarter at Temple with Owls clinging to their slim 10-7 advantage on Penn State. Lions have the ball and they hold to avoid their first loss in this series since 1941.
2:13 pm: West Virginias Geno Smith finally hits for his first touchdown pass of the game, finding Stedman Bailey in the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown. Mountaineers cruising against Maryland 34-10.
2:09 pm: Some early third-quarter fireworks for Clemson. Sammy Watkins took a short pass from Tajh Boyd and sprinted through the Auburn defense for a 65-yard touchdown. Clemson leads 28-21.
2:05 pm: Penn State got some momentum with a turnover on a Temple fumble at midfield. But Robert Bolden was intercepted on the next play from scrimmage and the Owls have the back back midway through the third quarter with a 10-7 advantage.
2:02 pm: Michigan has extended its lead on Eastern Michigan on Fitzgerald Toussaints 1-yard touchdown run. Denard Robinson has run for a score and thrown for another as the Wolverines are up 21-3 early in the third quarter.
1:55 pm: West Virginia tacked on a late field goal in the first half against Maryland, and the 20th-ranked Mountaineers are leading 27-10 at intermission. Geno Smith having a big day throwing against the Terrapins defense.
1:50 pm: Early in the third quarter, Temple leads Penn State 10-7. The Nittany Lions did get a stop of the Owls on the first possession of the second half. But its offense needs to get going.
1:45 pm: Headed to halftime at Clemson with the score tied at 21 in a matchup of unbeaten Tigers. Auburn running back Michael Dyer has two scores on the ground while Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd has thrown for two touchdowns.
Tags: Games
The Giants suceeded on both counts Saturday night. They scored four runs in the eighth and then held on to beat the Colorado Rockies 6-5 and extend their winning streak to seven games.
The Giants moved five games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West with 10 games to play after Arizona lost at San Diego. San Francisco has made up 4 1/2 games on Arizona in a week.
The Giants are also five games behind the Atlanta Braves in the wild-card race where they are third and trail the St. Louis Cardinals by a half game.
San Francisco scored once in the sixth to go ahead 2-1 only to have the Rockies take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning. That was the Giants plight in the eighth, when Huston Street came on for the Rockies and Andres Torres led off with a single.
Tags: Games
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut womens basketball coach Geno Auriemma says the school is not doing enough to expand its fan base past the greater Hartford area.
Auriemma, elaborating on remarks he made this week to a group of business leaders in East Hartford this week, said he believes UConn should do more to target fans in Fairfield County, including playing some games in Bridgeport.
The people down there are just incredibly supportive of our program and I dont think we do enough to bring them into the fold, Auriemma said. I dont think we do. We always complain that they dont make the drive up to Storrs or they dont come to the Civic Center, but I dont think we do enough to reach out to them either. I think its a two-way street and I for one am anxious to start that process.
The Hall of Fame coach said he would like to see the Huskies play at least one exhibition game a season in Bridgeport, and would like to see the NCAA put more tournament games in that city.
That was a suggestion Auriemma originally made in March, after fewer than 6,000 fans showed up at the 10,000-seat Gampel Pavilion in Storrs for UConns second-round tournament win over Purdue.
Ive always thought we should play at least one game down there every year, he said this week. I know its difficult to play a regular-season game down there, but certainly we should play an exhibition game down there and the more times we can have first-round, second-round regionals, the more we can have that there, I think it would be fantastic.
Howard Saffan, the president of Harbor Yard Sports and Entertainment, which manages the 9,000-seat Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport said that facility would be honored to host UConn.
We understand the importance of basketball in Fairfield County, he said. Wed love to be associated with the Husky logo and would entertain all opportunities to do so.
Connecticut currently has a contract with the XL Center in Hartford that prohibits any other venue from hosting an off-campus game through the 2012-13 season, without the written consent of the XL Center management.
However, XL Center spokesman Tim Kemp said that could be worked out.
We remain committed to our previous statement that states we would be willing to discuss options with UConn should the situation arise, he said in an email Friday. Obviously, we love having them play here in Hartford and we want to do everything we can to provide continuous support to the program.
Auriemma said he also would like to see the school do more to attract fans to games on campus.
He said the school needs to address problems that include a false perception that tickets are not available; a lack of concession options at Gampel Pavilion; difficulty in finding parking near the arena and excessive wait times to get in and out of the schools parking garages for games.
We have to rethink the entire operation, he told members of the East Hartford Chamber of Commerce. And because of that, you will all come back and watch us play. And its our job to do a better job to make the game experience better for you guys, and I promise you, were going to do that.
Tags: Games
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