Evgenia Medvedeva retained her world title on Friday to make her the favorite for Olympic gold next year. Medvedeva broke her own world record total score with 233.41 points as she became the first woman to win back-to-back titles in 16 years. Mai Mihara rallied from 15th in the short program to finish fifth in […]
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Yusei Kikuchi delivered another strong opening day start and this time got a win for his trouble as the Seibu Lions defeated the defending champion Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 8-1 on Friday evening. Kikuchi allowed a run on four hits and two walks over seven innings. In front of 41,138 at Sapporo Dome, the lefty […]
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The Sendai 89ers found a way to edge the visiting Levanga Hokkaido on Friday night. And it came down to the final second to make it happen. Shooting guard Fumiya Sato came through in the clutch, nailing an outside jumper with a second remaining on the game clock to lift Sendai to a 55-53 victory […]
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There’s a stuffed Giabbit doll headed Lillianne Mikolas’ way. If things go her father’s way, there’ll be whole lot more coming. Miles Mikolas threw seven solid innings, Shinnosuke Abe and Hayato Sakamoto hit two-run home runs, and the Yomiuri Giants made a winning start to the 2017 NPB season with a 6-2 opening day victory […]
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FIFA on Thursday proposed to allocate eight slots for Asia at the 2026 World Cup, an increase from the current 4.5 for the continent when the field expands from 32 to 48. The plan by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his counterparts from six confederations, to be ratified by the FIFA Council on May 9 […]
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Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez’s fiancee testified in his double-murder trial Thursday that she learned to keep her mouth shut and “not to ask any questions” in certain situations. Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez testified against Hernandez under a grant of immunity from prosecutors. She and Hernandez have a 4-year-old daughter. She said she took Hernandez’s last name […]
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Yoshihito Nishioka, who withdrew from the Miami Open after complaining of pain in his left knee, said Friday on his Twitter account that he will be have surgery to repair a torn knee ligament. The 21-year-old, who is ranked 58th in the world, returned to Japan for tests after sustaining the injury while leading 4-2 […]
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FIFA wants to hold a new six-team playoff round in the 2026 World Cup host country to complete the expanded 48-team tournament lineup. The final two qualifying slots would be decided in the proposed mini-tournament played in the November before the World Cup as a test event, a move that puts the Confederations Cup’s long-term […]
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The Indiana Pacers are bringing back Lance Stephenson. More than two years after the brash 195-cm guard left in free agency, the Pacers re-signed Stephenson on Thursday — just in time to fill a gaping hole as they try to make a final playoff push. Stephenson is scheduled to appear at a news conference in […]
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Which is worse — being sworn at or being hit? Being called an obscenity or off work for a few weeks as a result of an injury sustained? Silly question on the face of it and the law in most countries would consider violence of the fist, elbow or foot more serious than violence of […]
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Even though they’re out of the playoff picture, Mark Scheifele and the Winnipeg Jets are still fighting hard to play spoiler. Dustin Byfuglien tied the score with 12 seconds left in regulation and assisted on Scheifele’s 30th goal this season at 3:34 of overtime, rallying the Jets to a 4-3 victory over the playoff-bound Anaheim […]
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Roger Federer’s run at the Miami Open was one point from ending. Down 6-4 in a third-set tiebreaker to Tomas Berdych, the situation was officially dire. Yet even in that moment, Federer still felt some hope. “I had belief I could turn it around, even then,” he said. Somehow, he was right, and his stellar […]
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LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers just might be at their lowest point since the King came home three years ago. Either way, they’ll have to do better than this if they’re going to be crowned again. Nikola Mirotic tied season highs with 28 points and six 3-pointers, Jimmy Butler scored 25, and the Chicago […]
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Rising star Shoma Uno sits in second place behind two-time defending champion Javier Fernandez of Spain after the short program at the world championships onThursday. Yuzuru Hanyu, looking to reclaim the world crown he won in 2014, got off to a slow start, getting a 1-point reduction for not taking his start position on time […]
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LeBron James is having a laugh at his reputation for being a “crybaby.” The Cavaliers’ megastar is featured in a new Intel commercial in which he breaks down and cries after making a game-winning shot. As James hugs a teammate in celebration, and the camera circles in slow motion, the face of a crying baby […]
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A group hoping to attract an MLS team to San Diego says it has gathered more than 100,000 signatures on a petition in just two weeks. If 71,646 signatures are verified by the Registrar of Voters, the proposal will be brought before the City Council to either approve the project or submit it to voters. […]
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Jim Hayford was hired Wednesday as the basketball coach at Seattle, leaving Eastern Washington after six successful seasons for a chance to boost the Redhawks program. He replaces Cameron Dollar, who was fired earlier this month after eight seasons at Seattle during which he led the Redhawks through their transition to full Division I status. […]
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New York Mets All-Star reliever Jeurys Familia accepted a 15-game suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy, discipline stemming from an altercation last October. The suspension, announced Wednesday, is the fifth and least severe under the policy, which was agreed to in August 2015: New York Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman (29 games), Colorado shortstop […]
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Three UNLV players say they are leaving the program after one season under coach Marvin Menzies. The school announced Wednesday that Tony Baxter Jr., Zion Morgan and Jalen Poyser will not return next season. Poyser played for previous coach Dave Rice and stuck around after the hiring of Menzies last year. The sophomore guard averaged […]
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Police in Florida are investigating sexual battery allegations made by a woman against former NFL star Michael Irvin. Fort Lauderdale police confirmed Wednesday that the Hall of Fame receiver’s name was listed on a sexual battery incident report. The report says the alleged encounter involving Irvin took place at a Fort Lauderdale hotel on March […]
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The NHL will play its first games in China this fall when the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks meet in Beijing and Shanghai. The preseason games will take place Sept. 21 in Shanghai and Sept. 23 in Beijing. Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the launch of the NHL China Games at a news conference Thursday […]
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Patrick Kane darted behind the Pittsburgh Penguins net, seemingly intent on trying to bend a wraparound past Marc-Andre Fleury. Halfway there, the Chicago Blackhawks star changed his mind, instead flipping a backhand pass to Artemi Panarin at the left post. Panarin flicked the puck off an unsuspecting Fleury — caught looking the other way — […]
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Golden State was emotionally prepared to shrug off a 22-point deficit during the first quarter in a key showdown with San Antonio. After all, the Warriors have battled the scrutiny of failing to win an NBA championship last year after a record-setting regular season and have fought through a knee injury to Kevin Durant this […]
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The following is the second of a two-part NPB preview beginning with the 2016 Central League champions. In order of predicted finish: Hiroshima Toyo Carp 2016: 89-52-2 (1st) The Carp won the CL by 17½ games last season, doing so with a plus-187 run differential. That’s a wide chasm for the other five teams to […]
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Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva won the women’s short program as figure skating’s world championships got underway on Wednesday. The 17-year-old defending world champion earned 79.01 points, leaving Canadians Kaetlyn Osmond (75.98) and Gabrielle Daleman (72.19) in second and third heading into Friday’s free skate. “I think it was a good performance,” Medvedeva said. “My goal was […]
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World No. 4 Kei Nishikori played through pain but was eliminated by world No. 40 Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals at the Miami Open on Wednesday. On top of the left knee injury he sustained a day earlier in the fourth round, the 27-year-old was bothered by an aching right wrist […]
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Yuki Togashi is one of the most dynamic young basketball players in Japan. He hasn’t reached his prime yet, even though he’s rapidly grown as an all-around player and a floor leader. Now in his fourth season as a pro, Togashi is comfortable in the spotlight as one of the key stars on the Chiba […]
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While the impending start of the world championships created urgency for USA Hockey and the women’s national team to hammer out a deal, the agreement had everything to do with tournaments over the next four years and beyond. The sides finalized an agreement Tuesday night that avoided what would’ve been a historic boycott for the […]
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The Japan Association of Athletics Federations is considering changing the national marathon team selection process for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in a bid to bring more transparency to the procedure, a source close to the situation said Wednesday. Under the envisioned plan, two of Japan’s three spots each for men and women will be filled […]
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The following is the first of a two-part NPB preview beginning with the 2016 Pacific League. In order of predicted finish: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 2016: 83-54-6 (2nd) The Hawks would be within their rights to enter this season feeling as if they should be the defending champs. Really, if not for an inexplicable 22-25 run […]
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Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuyuki Konno, who broke his left toe during Japan’s away World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates last week, will need four to six weeks to recover fully from the injury, the J. League club said Wednesday. Konno filled in for Japan captain Makoto Hasebe, who suffered a knee injury before […]
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The Edmonton Oilers are finally back in the playoffs. Cam Talbot made 34 saves as the Oilers officially earned a postseason berth for the first time in 11 years with a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. “It’s a special feeling tonight, especially seeing how passionate the crowd was and how […]
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Brazil became the first team to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday after beating Paraguay to clinch an eighth consecutive victory as Argentina’s campaign stumbled after the shock suspension of Lionel Messi. Five-time champion Brazil had been left waiting in suspense after goals from Neymar, Philippe Coutinho and Marcelo handed it a 3-0 win […]
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Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors didn’t get much time to celebrate their 60th win, not with a game at San Antonio coming Wednesday night. Curry scored 32 points, Klay Thompson had 25 and the Warriors built a big lead early and held on for a 113-106 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday […]
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Yokozuna Kisenosato, who came from behind to win the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday despite injury, was diagnosed with muscle damage in his left upper arm and needs one month of treatment, a Japan Sumo Association source said Wednesday. Kisenosato, who also won the previous tourney in January and became the first Japan-born wrestler […]
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World No. 4 Kei Nishikori was made to work hard by 57th-ranked Federico Delbonis of Argentina to advance to the Miami Open men’s singles quarterfinals with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory on Tuesday. After taking the first set with ease, Nishikori started making sloppy mistakes in the second as a troublesome left knee started hindering […]
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Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima believes he has repaid his manager’s faith after returning from the international wilderness to steer Japan closer to a sixth straight World Cup appearance with two clean sheets in two qualifying wins. Two-time World Cup veteran Kawashima lost his place in Japan’s starting lineup to Urawa Reds’ Shusaku Nishikawa in the summer […]
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FIFA announced it has opened a disciplinary case against Lionel Messi after TV pictures showed the Argentina forward verbally abusing a match official in a World Cup qualifying game against Chile. FIFA can judge Messi before Tuesday’s qualifier in Bolivia and impose a ban if a red card was justified. The incident was not initially […]
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Man-of the-moment Yuya Kubo scored a goal and set up two more as Japan took a step closer to a sixth straight World Cup appearance with a 4-0 drubbing of Thailand on Tuesday. Gent striker Kubo, who scored his first international goal in his third appearance in Japan’s 2-0 win over the United Arab Emirates […]
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Kosei Tanaka will defend his WBO light flyweight title for the first time when he takes on Angel Acosta of Puerto Rico in May, his Hatanaka Boxing Gym announced Tuesday. The 21-year-old Tanaka will put his title on the line at Teva Ocean Arena in Nagoya on May 20, when he faces top-ranked challenger Acosta. […]
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Everything UConn lost to graduation made another Final Four even more special for Geno Auriemma and his Huskies. Napheesa Collier scored 28 points, Gabby Williams had 25 and the Huskies advanced to the national semifinals for the 10th straight year with a 90-52 victory against Oregon on Monday night. “There were a lot of question […]
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A battle over control of the Los Angeles Lakers is over after an agreement was reached to have Jeanie Buss serve as controlling owner of the storied NBA franchise for the rest of her life, making permanent the arrangement her late father and longtime Lakers owner Jerry Buss said in his will that he wanted. […]
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Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Arijan Ademi has had his doping ban for an anabolic steroid reduced to two years on appeal. The Court of Arbitration for Sport halved Ademi’s initial four-year ban by UEFA because he proved he had not intended to cheat. Ademi, who played for Croatia in friendly matches before switching allegiance to Macedonia, […]
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Fourteen U.S. senators have written a letter to USA Hockey’s executive director over their concerns about the treatment of the women’s national team. Players have threatened to boycott the upcoming world championships in Michigan over a wage dispute. The senators, all Democrats, urged David Ogrean to resolve the matter and ensure the team receives “equitable […]
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Maurice Joseph is sticking around as George Washington’s basketball coach, signing a five-year contract on Monday after one season with an interim title in place of the fired Mike Lonergan. The Colonials went 20-15 this season under Joseph, losing in the quarterfinals of the lower-tier College Basketball Invitational. “Maurice has demonstrated that he is the […]
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Kyosuke Takagi, who re-signed with the Yomiuri Giants after facing a one-year ban for his involvement in illegal betting, restarted his career on Tuesday by extending his apologies to his manager, coaches and teammates. The 27-year-old pitcher showed up in a black suit and bowed deeply to the members of the second and third teams […]
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Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu enters this week’s world championships in Helsinki needing to get a big monkey off his back. It has been three years since Hanyu won his last world title (in 2014 in Saitama) and people are starting to talk. The conversation does not center on the superstar’s ability, which is phenomenal, but […]
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The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next week probably will announce that former Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry Krause will be enshrined later this year. Perhaps it will wait another year. But Krause will be elected to join for his large contribution to the dynasty of the Chicago Bulls, assembling the team around Michael […]
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Andreas Athanasiou chased down the puck in overtime and skated hard toward Carolina goalie Eddie Lack. As Athanasiou scored the winning goal, he crashed into the goaltender — and Lack didn’t get up. In a frightening end to the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-3 victory over Carolina on Monday night, Lack remained down on the ice […]
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Roger Federer took a look around as he entered the stadium court at the Miami Open, already feeling the energy of the crowd. He gave them quite the show. Federer advanced to the fourth round at Key Biscayne on Monday, the No. 4 seed beating Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 6-4 on Monday. Federer, who […]
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The Cavaliers acknowledged having heavy legs, yet there is something far weightier on the minds of the defending NBA champions. Cleveland is in the midst of one of its worst stretches this season and there is little time to fix it. Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points and the San Antonio Spurs dismantled the ailing Cavs […]
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Invoking his father Al’s name, and copying what the Hall of Fame owner did with the Raiders, Mark Davis is moving the franchise out of Oakland. NFL owners approved the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas 31-1 at the league meetings Monday. Miami was the lone dissenter. “My father used to say the greatness of the […]
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Thailand will go for broke against Japan in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier with hopes of reproducing Singapore’s epic draw at Saitama Stadium in the previous qualifying round. “We have nothing to lose,” Thai coach Kiatisuk Senamuang said on Monday. “We have the heart and soul to fight so we will put on a great show. […]
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Nippon Professional Baseball announced the return of Kyosuke Takagi, found guilty of gambling, to professional baseball on Monday, when the reliever’s former club, the Yomiuri Giants, signed him to a developmental contract. Takagi was handed a one-year suspension on March 22 last year after he was found to have bet on a handful of baseball […]
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Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic cracked the whip on Monday and fired a warning shot at his team, ordering his players not to take Thailand lightly in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier. Thailand is last in Group B with just one point from six games, and has little hope of qualifying for next year’s World Cup. Japan […]
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The Philadelphia Flyers are trying to balance desperation and cool heads as they make a last-gasp, late-season run at a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Jakub Voracek and Dale Weise sparked Philadelphia’s four-goal third period and the Flyers finished a four-game road trip with a 6-2 win against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday […]
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James Harden was Houston’s fourth-leading scorer on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, it was clear to everyone that he was the key to Houston’s victory. Lou Williams scored 31 points off the bench, Harden finished with 22 points and 12 assists, and the Rockets never trailed while cruising to a 137-125 victory. “He […]
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Germany, England and Poland all took another step toward World Cup qualification but the Netherlands’ failure to do the same cost national team coach Danny Blind his job on Sunday. The Dutch association fired Blind one day after his team’s humiliating 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria in Sofia — a result that leaves the 2014 World […]
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Yokozuna Kisenosato said Monday the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament will leave an everlasting memory, but he remains humble as he realizes his personal growth as a sumo wrestler will stop the moment he allows himself to rest on his laurels. Speaking at a press conference at his Tagonoura stable a day after defeating ozeki Terunofuji […]
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World No. 4 Kei Nishikori beat Fernando Verdasco of Spain 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (5-7), 6-1 in the men’s singles Sunday to advance to the round of 16 for the sixth straight year at the Miami Open. In the third round of the women’s singles, Risa Ozaki defeated Julia Goerges of Germany 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 to […]
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The final day lasted longer than Dustin Johnson wanted. The outcome was what everyone expected. Johnson, a golfing machine with no discernible weakness and hardly any pulse, won the World Golf Championships Match Play on Sunday for his third straight victory, this one making him the first person to sweep the four World Golf Championships. […]
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Barring an unforeseen obstacle, the Oakland Raiders seem certain to get approval Monday to relocate to Las Vegas. Several team owners have said this week they don’t envision a scenario where Raiders owner Mark Davis doesn’t get the 24 votes to move the team. Chargers owner Dean Spanos, whose team went from San Diego to […]
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South Carolina added a missing piece to its rich basketball history. The school of Frank McGuire, Kevin Joyce, Brian Winters, Mike Dunleavy and Alex English is going to the Final Four for the first time. Add the names Sindarius Thornwell and Frank Martin to the top of the list. Thornwell’s 26 points and the Gamecocks’ […]
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The Chiba Jets shot 90.9 percent from the field in an entertaining first quarter. The Jets couldn’t maintain that remarkable rate for a full 40 minutes on Sunday against the Levanga Hokkaido, but their high-powered offense clicked for most of the game. Chiba defeated Hokkaido 101-90 before a lively packed house (5,218 spectators) at Funabashi […]
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Shinji Kagawa may have returned to the starting lineup for Japan in Thursday’s win over the United Arab Emirates, but the Dortmund midfielder feels far from certain about his place in the first team. Following training on Sunday for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Thailand at Saitama Stadium, the former Manchester United man said he […]
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Evergreen Noriaki Kasai rewrote his own record as the oldest jumper to finish on a World Cup medal podium on Sunday, placing third in the season’s final event at the age of 44 years and nine months. The Japanese jumper leaped 239.0 meters to score 223.9 points before earning a medal with the second round […]
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Two-time World Cup star Keisuke Honda welcomes the competition from Japan teammate Yuya Kubo, vowing to recapture his place on the national team as he searches for a solution to his severe lack of playing time with AC Milan. Kubo again was Vahid Halilhodzic’s preferred choice on the right wing in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier […]
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Taped-up yokozuna Kisenosato came from behind to win the Spring Grand Sumo tournament in dramatic fashion, defeating in-form ozeki Terunofuji twice on Sunday. After suffering a fall on his left shoulder on Friday, Kisenosato was ineffective the following day, when his second straight loss allowed Terunofuji to take the lead. Needing a win on Sunday […]
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LeBron James yanked off the tinted goggles protecting his injured eye and flung them away. His vision was clear. However, there was one blur that wouldn’t go away: John Wall. Washington’s faster-than-fast star scored 37 points, Bradley Beal added 27 and the Wizards again showed they’ll be a handful in the playoffs by beating James […]
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Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish will make the first Opening Day start of his six-year major league career when his team hosts the American League champion Cleveland Indians on April 3. “We feel we have one of the best pitchers in baseball leading off our rotation. He is poised to have a great year,” Texas […]
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Rui Hachimura moved to the United States last year with a big dream to eventually become an NBA player. In order to achieve that, he will have to excel at college level. But who would have thought that he’d play until this deep into his first year? And that he would have a chance to […]
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The Netherlands’ hopes of reaching the World Cup finals suffered a major setback on Saturday when the three-time runner-up slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria. The loss left the Dutch six points behind Group A leader France, which beat Luxembourg 3-1, and down in fourth spot, three back from Sweden and two off […]
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Hideto Tanihara reached the semifinals at his first World Golf Championships Match Play on Saturday after defeating Paul Casey and Ross Fisher of England in the first two rounds of the knockout stage. Tanihara, ranked 60th in the world, overcame world No. 16 Casey 2-and-1 in the round of 16 before cruising past 53rd-ranked Fisher […]
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The Sunwolves remain winless in five games, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying on Saturday, when the Stormers’ power and patience trumped speed and finesse in a 44-31 victory. Trailing 3-0 after conceding an early penalty in the Super Rugby match, the Sunwolves went flat out from the start, overcoming some early mistakes […]
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Injured Yasuyuki Konno, Yuya Osako and Yojiro Takahagi have been replaced by Yu Kobayashi and Wataru Endo for Japan’s World Cup qualifier against Thailand, the Japan Football Association announced Saturday. Konno suffered a broken left toe during Thursday’s 2-0 win over the United Arab Emirates in Al Ain, while Osako bruised the area around his […]
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Veteran shooting guard Masashi Joho delivered a vintage performance on Saturday to lead the Toyama Grouses to a 94-79 victory over the Yokohama B-Corsairs. Joho, a 34-year-old former bj-league MVP, drained 6 of 8 3-point shots and scored a game-high 29 points at Yokohama International Swimming Pool. The Grouses (12-34) outscored the hosts 25-11 in […]
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Tournament debutant Hideto Tanihara defeated Yuta Ikeda 3 and 1 to top his group and reach the last 16 of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play on Friday. Tanihara, who claimed a shock defeat of world No. 6 Jordan Spieth on Wednesday, raced to the lead at Austin Country Club with four consecutive birdies […]
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Injury-hit yokozuna Kisenosato took to the ring but was powerless to prevent his second defeat in two days at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday, when ozeki Terunofuji took the sole lead with one day remaining. Kisenosato’s participation at Edion Arena Osaka was doubtful after he landed on his left shoulder in his Friday […]
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With his chances to pitch for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks this season not looking good, Daisuke Matsuzaka threw seven innings on Saturday in a 1-0 no-hitter over the Hiroshima Carp. Matsuzaka struck out six and walked two, while two more former big leaguers, Ryota Igarashi and Dennis Sarfate, completed NPB’s first preseason no-hitter since 1988. […]
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John Tavares and Anthony Beauvillier scored in the shootout to lead the New York Islanders over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Friday. Beauvillier opened the shootout with a goal, and Tavares snapped a wrist shot past Marc-Andre Fleury in the next round. Sidney Crosby scored in the shootout for Pittsburgh, but Jaroslav Halak, making his […]
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Detroit Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez is expected to miss the beginning of the season with a right foot injury. Martinez sprained his foot last weekend, and manager Brad Ausmus told reporters Friday he is expected to be out three to four weeks. The injury is an early blow to a Detroit team that was […]
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Former San Francisco 49ers lineman Clay Matthews Sr., who was the patriarch of a famous football family, has died. He was 88. The 49ers said Matthews died Thursday. He had been dealing with a long illness. Matthews was a two-way player for San Francisco for four seasons in the 1950s. He played in 45 games […]
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Devin Booker is only 20 and already has a place alongside Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and just a few others in NBA history. Booker scored 70 points, becoming the sixth different player to reach that total, but the Boston Celtics outlasted the Phoenix Suns 130-120 on Friday night. David Thompson, David Robinson and Elgin Baylor […]
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The International Olympic Committee and hockey’s governing body will have to make concessions before the NHL sends the world’s best players to the Winter Games in South Korea next year, commissioner Gary Bettman said on Friday. “As things stand today, you should assume we’re not going,” he said. Bettman made it clear at a breakfast […]
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The Lakers honored Shaquille O’Neal with a bronze statue of the Hall of Fame center who helped them to three consecutive NBA titles in better days outside Staples Center on Friday. With his youngest son pulling a gold braided cord to drop a shiny gold curtain, O’Neal laid eyes upon something bigger than the big […]
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Good show put on by Major League Baseball and the organizers of the 2017 World Baseball Classic Asia rounds held in Seoul and Tokyo earlier this month. With the new Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea, MLB was able to hold its first sanctioned event in that country, and the two rounds held in Tokyo […]
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World No. 4 Kei Nishikori advanced to the third round of the Miami Open after defeating Kevin Anderson of South Africa 6-4, 6-3 on Friday. Second seed Nishikori, who reached the semifinals in 2014 before a runner-up finish last year, only had one ace to eight from Anderson, but didn’t let his 74th-ranked counterpart break […]
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Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Kang Jung-ho, the first player to jump directly from South Korea into Major League Baseball, will not be with the team on opening day, the club confirmed Friday. Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said Kang’s visa application was ongoing and he would not be in the team’s starting lineup for the […]
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With the United States, Canada and Mexico widely expected to bid jointly for the 2026 World Cup, the region’s FIFA vice president believes all three should automatically enter the tournament if chosen as cohosts. Victor Montagliani told AP in an interview at FIFA that it should be a decision for continental soccer bodies, like the […]
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De’Aaron Fox credits some sticky Kentucky defense for the Wildcats’ latest berth in a regional final. Coach John Calipari begs to differ. He points at Fox, the freshman guard who outplayed UCLA phenom Lonzo Ball with one of the best scoring nights in Kentucky’s vaunted NCAA Tournament history. Fox scored a career-high 39 points as […]
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Minoru Ueda is set to step down as the coach for the Japan’s men’s national team, a source told Kyodo News on Friday. The 59-year-old, who assumed the role in December 2012, guided his team that included current world No. 4 Kei Nishikori to the World Group of the Davis Cup in 2013 before securing […]
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Japan’s World Cup qualifying win over the host United Arab Emirates cost it a couple of injuries as midfielder Yasuyuki Konno and forward Yuya Osako headed to the hospital after touching down at Narita airport in Chiba Prefecture on Friday. Konno, who scored the second goal in Thursday’s 2-0 victory in Al Ain, suffered a […]
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Brazil was not intimidated by more than 60,000 raucous fans at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, beating second-place Uruguay 4-1 in South America’s World Cup qualifying group to retain the lead in the standings after 13 matches. Midfielder Paulinho scored a surprising hat trick, with Barcelona star Neymar adding another, to keep their team firmly […]
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Yokozuna Harumafuji sent Kisenosato tumbling down the ring to his first defeat as yokozuna — and might have left him with an injury — on Friday, the 13th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. Ozeki Terunofuji now shares the lead with a 12-1 record. Harumafuji (10-3) left Kisenosato reeling with a strong low charge […]
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Midfielder Hajime Hosogai has completed a permanent transfer to Kashiwa Reysol from VfB Stuttgart, the J. League first-division side announced Friday. The 30-year-old, who signed a two-year contract with the German second-division club in July 2016 after three years with Hertha BSC, will be making his comeback to the J-League after spending seven seasons abroad. […]
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It is a topic that has not, to the best of my knowledge, been debated — that England might fail to qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals. It is not so much a taboo subject, but a general acceptance that England will qualify (because this is what it does, it qualifies for finals) and […]
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Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Makoto Hasebe has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will be sidelined for the rest of the 2016-17 Bundesliga season that ends in late May, the German club said Thursday. The 33-year-old Japan captain was told by doctors at a Tokyo hospital on Wednesday he would need to remain laid […]
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Jake White, the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning coach with South Africa, has been appointed as the new head coach for Toyota Verblitz, the Top League side announced Friday. The 53-year-old joins the side from French club Montpellier, which he has been coaching since 2014. He previously coached the Brumbies and Sharks, following his three-year stint […]
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Laurent Brossoit didn’t get a lot of action when he came into the game, but the backup goalie’s presence sparked a rare third-period comeback for the Edmonton Oilers. Drake Caggiula and Jordan Eberle scored 1:10 apart to break a tie late in the third period, and the Oilers rallied to beat the Colorado Avalanche 7-4 […]
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Tom Brady’s stolen Super Bowl jerseys are back with the New England Patriots. The jerseys worn by Brady during this year’s Super Bowl and the 2015 Super Bowl were returned to Gillette Stadium Thursday, the FBI announced. Brady’s 2017 jersey went missing from the Patriots’ locker room after the team’s win over the Atlanta Falcons […]
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The Japan women’s curling team qualified for next year’s Pyeongchang Olympics on Thursday, its sixth straight appearance at the Winter Games. Results through Thursday at the women’s world curling championship in Beijing secured Japan a place in the top seven of the Olympic qualifying, not counting South Korea, which automatically takes part as host country […]
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Michigan’s loss to Oregon has saved a Las Vegas casino owner $1 million. Golden Nugget owner Tilman Fertitta personally approved a $12,500 bet on Michigan at 80-to-1 odds from Derek Stevens, who owns The D casino. Oregon beat Michigan 69-68 to move on to the Elite Eight. The payout if Michigan had won the NCAA […]
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With a big lead on the back nine, Jordan Spieth put the ball in water again. Gulp. This time, there was no collapse, just a grind-it-out “must win” to beat Yuta Ikeda in Thursday’s second round at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in gusty wind that lived up to the legendary tough conditions of Texas […]
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Down by 15 early, the Toronto Raptors had no reason to panic. Trouble brings out their best. DeMar DeRozan scored 40 points — doing that back-to-back for the first time in his career — and the Raptors clamped down defensively in the final three quarters to beat the Miami Heat 101-84 on Thursday night. Toronto […]
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John Thompson III was fired as Georgetown’s basketball coach Thursday after two consecutive losing seasons at the school his father led to a national championship. Thompson said in a statement released by agent David Falk that he was “honored” to have been the Hoyas’ coach and proud of what his players have “accomplished on the […]
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Jevon Carter fired up two potential tying 3-pointers only to see them go off-target and Gonzaga didn’t allow West Virginia to get off a third. A defensive stop was a fitting way for this offensively challenged Sweet 16 matchup to end. Jordan Mathews hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with under a minute to play and top-seeded […]
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Japan skipper Hiroki Kokubo said Thursday the experience of having managed the national side for 3½ years will be his life’s treasure, even though the team failed to reclaim the World Baseball Classic title. “Of course it’s disappointing that we could not achieve our biggest goal of becoming No. 1 in the world at the […]
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Jumpei Ogura will be the man responsible for directing traffic Saturday as the Sunwolves look to pick up their first win of the 2017 Super Rugby season against the Cape Town-based Stormers. The 24-year-old flyhalf — who has been well nurtured by Rob Penney and Hugh Reece-Edwards at NTT Communications Shining Arcs — makes his […]
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The Japan Skating Federation reiterated its support Thursday for the city of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, to host the 2020 speed skating world championships — even if the tournament merges with the world sprint speed skating championships that year. The federation filed for candidacy to host the world championships last September. The plan for the new […]
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Yokozuna Kisenosato stretched his winning streak to 12 at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday, with ozeki Terunofuji emerging as the only wrestler to stay just one win behind. Kisenosato had to contend with a last-second parry from Arawashi (3-9), but the new yokozuna held his now-familiar composure, leaning in to force the No. […]
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Add another first for Russell Westbrook — a triple-double without missing a shot. Westbrook recorded his 35th triple-double of the season with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists and the Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to a 122-97 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. He did so while making all six of his […]
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Pete Hamilton, a two-time winner at Daytona, died Wednesday. He was 74. Richard Petty Motorsports and NASCAR both announced Hamilton’s death. Hamilton won four career Cup races, including the Daytona 500 in 1970 and a Daytona 500 qualifying race in 1971. He also won twice at Talladega Superspeedway in 1971. Hamilton’s 1970 Daytona victory was […]
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The Yomiuri Giants on Thursday filed an application for the reinstatement of their former reliever Kyosuke Takagi with Nippon Professional Baseball following his one-year suspension for gambling. Takagi, 27, was found to have bet on a handful of baseball games at the urging of a Giants teammate and received a one-year suspension on March 22, […]
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After getting off to a slow start, the New York Islanders rallied with a strong third period to get a big win in their playoff push. Andrew Ladd scored the tiebreaking goal with about 7½ minutes remaining to lift the Islanders to a 3-2 victory over the crosstown-rival Rangers on Wednesday night. Anders Lee had […]
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Debutant Hideto Tanihara, currently 60th in the world rankings, defeated American world No. 6 Jordan Spieth 4 and 2 on the first day of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play on Wednesday. While Tanihara secured a point for the win, compatriots Hideki Matsuyama and Yuta Ikeda both had to settle for halves in their […]
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Lukas Podolski signed off his Germany career in style on Wednesday smashing home the winning goal with his trusty left boot to seal a 1-0 friendly victory over England. It was only fitting that the Galatasaray forward, who joins J. League squad Vissel Kobe next season, should claim his 49th goal in his 130th — […]
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With an eye on promotion to the first division for the 2017-18 season, the Shimane Susanoo Magic have excelled with a unified focus throughout the current campaign. Second-year bench boss Michael Katsuhisa has guided Shimane to 39 wins in the club’s first 46 games, the best record in the 18-team second flight. What’s been the […]
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As a big league pitcher, Dallas Green was pretty mediocre. “I was a 20-game winner,” he would joke, “it just took me five years to do it.” Instead, it was in another role where the imposing, 196-cm Green really made noise. “When you think of big, with that deep voice, that booming voice, he could […]
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The fourth World Baseball Classic title was decided in the nation that spawned baseball, and for once, the title is staying put. Marcus Stroman took a no-hitter into the seventh, Ian Kinsler got an unrelenting lineup started with a home run in the third, and the United States captured its first World Baseball Classic title […]
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Relief pitcher Kyosuke Takagi has told the Yomiuri Giants that he wants to return to baseball following his one-year suspension for gambling, the Central League club announced Wednesday. The Giants could file an application for his reinstatement with Nippon Professional Baseball’s commissioner as early as Thursday. If the team’s request is accepted, the 27-year-old lefty […]
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Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic is confident his players can overcome the loss of captain Makoto Hasebe for Thursday’s vital World Cup qualifier away to the United Arab Emirates. But the Franco-Bosnian coach refused to reveal who would take the captain’s armband when his side goes in search of revenge for its controversial 2-1 loss to […]
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Yokozuna Kakuryu handed surprising sekiwake Takayasu his first loss on Wednesday, the 11th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, while yokozuna Kisenosato remained unbeaten. The newly minted yokozuna survived a scare from No. 4 maegashira Yoshikaze to improve to 11-0 in the 15-day tourney at Edion Arena Osaka. Ozeki Terunofuji and 10th-ranked maegashira Tochiozan […]
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Reveling in his role with the national team, Hertha Berlin forward Genki Haraguchi will be looking to extend his scoring run to five straight World Cup qualifiers when Japan takes on the United Arab Emirates in final-round Group B on Thursday. Haraguchi has netted only once for his Bundesliga side so far this season, but […]
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hicago Jerry Krause, the general manager of the Chicago Bulls during a 1990s dynasty that included six NBA championships with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, has died. He was 77. The Bulls confirmed his death on Tuesday. A Chicago native, Krause spent 18 seasons leading the Bulls’ front office and was a two-time NBA executive […]
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Only one point separates the top four teams at the halfway stage of Japan’s final qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup, and the coming week could make or break the Samurai Blue’s bid to reach a sixth successive tournament. Japan takes on the United Arab Emirates away on Thursday before returning to face Thailand […]
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Former Japan coach Eddie Jones has added another gig to his portfolio, landing a three-year deal with investment bank Nomura. The current England coach will share his insights about coaching successful teams and advise the bank and its clients about leadership, Nomura said Monday. “We are delighted to be partnering with Eddie, who will be […]
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Pharmacies and beauty stores across Puerto Rico are running out of hair dye as a growing number of men go blond in support of the island’s baseball players who bleached their hair as a bonding ritual ahead of the World Baseball Classic. What began as a joke among team members playing in California has spread […]
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For six games, Samurai Japan came up with the big hit, made the important play. But in the crucial stanza of their seventh game at this World Baseball Classic, on a rainy Tuesday night in Southern California, the big play slipped out of their grasp. Brandon Crawford scored the tiebreaking run when Nobuhiro Matsuda couldn’t […]
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Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s offseason “sabbatical” is going to be a little longer than expected. Newton will undergo surgery on March 30 to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his right throwing shoulder, according to team spokesman Steve Drummond. Drummond said Tuesday that Newton will miss minicamp and OTAs, but is expected to be […]
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has denied he has been offered a two-year deal to become coach at Paris Saint-Germain. Speaking to Beinsports channel, the Frenchman said the reports in the British press are “fake news.” Wenger said last week he has reached a decision on whether he will stay at the Premier League club beyond […]
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Jamie Vardy has gone from Premier League champion to a target of hatred. The Leicester striker said he has received death threats amid the bitter fallout from manager Claudio Ranieri being fired by his club last month. Vardy was named as one of the players who had conversations with Leicester’s owners before Ranieri was dismissed […]
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Japan captain Makoto Hasebe said Monday he will fly home for further tests after a right knee injury forced him to withdraw from the national team’s upcoming final-round World Cup qualifiers against UAE and Thailand. The 33-year-old midfielder will depart having only arrived in the Middle East from Germany on Sunday to speak with Japan […]
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The Texas Rangers plan to continue contract talks with right-hander Yu Darvish into the season, general manager John Daniels said Monday. Darvish is in the final year of the contract he signed with the Rangers after being posted by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters following the 2011 season. “Where we left (it) is that either […]
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Relatives of Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers say the Chicago Bears legend has been diagnosed with dementia. His wife, Ardythe Sayers, tells The Kansas City Star that her 73-year-old husband was diagnosed four years ago and she blames Sayers’ football career. He played for the Bears from seven seasons starting in 1965 after […]
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New yokozuna Kisenosato improved to 10-0 on Tuesday, the 10th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, to retain his share of the lead with Tagonoura stablemate Takayasu. With five days left in the 15-day tourney at Edion Arena Osaka, Kisenosato, who won his first grand tournament championship in January, and sekiwake Takayasu, remained one […]
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Former Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Hideo Nomo will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic semifinal between Japan and the United States at Dodger Stadium. His first big league manager, Tommy Lasorda, will catch the ceremonial pitch before Samurai Japan seeks to return to the WBC finals for the first time […]
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Dwight Clark revealed Sunday that he has Lou Gehrig’s disease and suspects playing football might have caused the illness. Clark, 60, announced on Twitter that he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that attacks cells that control muscles. The former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver linked to a post on his personal blog detailing his […]
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NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent a memo to the league’s board of governors Monday, describing the way teams are choosing to rest starters in some games as “an extremely significant issue for our league” and pressing owners to be more involved in the decision-making process. Silver also told the owners that the matter will be […]
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Marin Honda saved her best for last. After struggling through a season in which she admitted that being the reigning world junior champion had created stress for her, Honda responded with two fine programs to earn the silver medal behind Russia’s Alina Zagitova at the world junior championships on Saturday in Taipei. Honda was attempting […]
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Tom Brady’s missing Super Bowl jersey has been found in Mexico six weeks after it vanished from the Patriots’ locker room — but the mystery isn’t over. The NFL said the jersey was found in “possession of a credentialed member of the international media,” and authorities were investigating Monday whether a former Mexican tabloid newspaper […]
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Tim Tebow sat alone in a corner of the New York Mets clubhouse, quietly working his iPhone. In an hour or so, Tebow would make his big league spring training debut against the Boston Red Sox. Amid nationwide hoopla. He looked relaxed enough, considering the situation. So, MAS decided to sashay on over to where […]
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Indiana Pacers guard Jeff Teague looked like a natural playing a leading role Monday night. With Paul George struggling and the Pacers in desperate need of a win, the former All-Star jumped in and didn’t miss a beat. Teague had 21 points, five rebounds and five assists to help Indiana fend off the road-weary Utah […]
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The Puerto Rican players swarmed Eddie Rosario, pushing and pulling, grabbing at his jersey and patting the top his head and the hair he’d dyed blond, like the rest of the team. Behind home plate, Francisco Lindor was off on his own, stripping off his jersey and holding it high, so everyone could see “Puerto […]
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Nazem Kadri called Monday’s game a “must-win” for the Maple Leafs if they were to have any hope of chasing down the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic division. It took until the 58th minute before the Leafs pulled in front, Tyler Bozak scoring the go-ahead power-play goal in Toronto’s 4-2 victory over […]
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Adam Jones on Saturday night in San Diego made the catch heard ’round the World Baseball Classic when he leapt against the wall to rob Manny Machado of a home run. It also was heard around America, where, gradually, the Classic is gaining steam among American baseball fans. “We’ve just got a lot of different […]
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The mystery of Tom Brady’s missing Super Bowl jersey led police all the way to Mexico, and authorities were investigating a former tabloid newspaper executive’s possible role in the case. Police and the NFL announced Monday that Brady’s jersey, which went missing from the locker room after the Patriots’ 34-28 overtime win over the Atlanta […]
The post Brady’s stolen Super Bowl jersey found in Mexico, along with another from win over Seahawks appeared first on The Japan Times.
Japan’s leading female figure skater, Satoko Miyahara, will miss the world championships starting late this month in Finland due to effects of her hip injury, the Japan Skating Federation said Monday. Her absence could make it difficult for Japan to get a maximum three spots in women’s singles for the Pyeongchang Winter Games in February […]
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Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa believes Japan has enough strength in depth to cover for Makoto Hasebe if the national team captain is forced, as expected, to sit out Thursday’s World Cup qualifier away to the United Arab Emirates. Hasebe arrived in the UAE on Sunday, but with knee surgery looming, the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder […]
The post Kagawa confident Japan can cope without Hasebe appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yokozuna Kisenosato and sekiwake Takayasu, both wrestlers of the Tagonoura stable, remained in a share of the lead with 9-0 records Monday at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. Sekiwake Kotoshogiku made a strong charge against Kisenosato, taking little time to bulldoze the new yokozuna to the edge of the ring at Edion Arena Osaka, but […]
The post Kisenosato, Takayasu stay in front at Spring Basho appeared first on The Japan Times.
Jonathan Schoop let the ball bounce off his glove on purpose before catching it. Later, he kicked it to Andrelton Simmons, who tried, unsuccessfully, to dribble it like a soccer ball. When Simmons lost it, another player kicked it back to him. Safe to say the Dutch aren’t feeling any pressure before the World Baseball […]
The post Puerto Rico, Netherlands ready for WBC semifinal appeared first on The Japan Times.
Leicester City striker Shinji Okazaki is hoping to carry his recent club form onto the international stage when Japan takes on the United Arab Emirates in Thursday’s final-round World Cup qualifier in Al Ain. Okazaki is back in favor at the Foxes and his typically energetic performances have helped them turn a corner since the […]
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O’Koyea Dickson hit a two-run, walk-off double with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers came from behind to beat Japan 3-2 in an exhibition game on Sunday. After a Ginjiro Sumitani groundout in the fifth and a Sho Nakata single in the sixth gave Samurai Japan a […]
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Forget the comeback talk. Roger Federer is back. He defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5 to win a record-tying fifth BNP Paribas Open title in an all-Swiss final Sunday to go with his record 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January after missing most of last year with various injuries. “For me, the […]
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The end of a five-game road trip, capped by a back-to-back, is not the usual scenario for someone to have an offensive explosion. Damian Lillard apparently disagrees. Lillard scored a season-high 49 points, tied a career high with nine 3-pointers, and carried the Portland Trail Blazers past the Miami Heat, 115-104 on Sunday night. He […]
The post Lillard on fire as Trail Blazers scorch Heat appeared first on The Japan Times.
Noriaki Kasai finished second in the flying hill individual event in Norway on Sunday to eclipse his own record as the oldest skier to finish on a World Cup podium. At 44 years and 9 months, Kasai, who last rewrote the mark a year ago, earned 448.0 points for his leaps of 239.5 and 241.5 […]
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Mariekson Julius Gregorius is a knight. For real. After helping the Netherlands win the 2011 Baseball World Cup, Gregorius and his teammates were inducted into the Netherlands’ Order of Orange-Nassau. So he’s a knight — Sir Mariekson Julius Gregorius. But you can just call him ‘Didi.’ Or maybe, ‘Sir Didi.’ Gregorius lets out a laugh […]
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Kenley Jansen was back in the stadium he’s called home for his entire MLB career and preparing to go practice with players he’s known for most of his life. The locker room took some getting used to though. Jansen has spent seven seasons pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but on Sunday he was with […]
The post Jansen excited to join Dutch team at WBC appeared first on The Japan Times.
The chief executive of sports streaming service DAZN insists the problems that plagued the much-trumpeted launch of its J. League coverage have been fixed, and remains confident that it can revolutionize the way that Japanese fans watch sports. “We are disrupting, we are breaking new ground,” James Rushton told The Japan Times in an exclusive […]
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Streetball fanatics revel with delight when rattling off names of legends who competed at New York’s famed Rucker Park in the 20th century. Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Earl “The Goat” Manigault, Joe “The Destroyer” Hammond, Connie “The Hawk” Hawkins, Herman “Helicopter” Knowlings and James “Fly” Williams are among the Rucker’s most […]
The post Playground legend ‘Bone Collector’ brings his talent back to Japan appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yokozuna Kisenosato and his junior Tagonoura stablemate, sekiwake Takayasu, secured their seventh wins on Saturday for a share of the lead in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. Kisenosato faced up-and-coming komusubi Mitakeumi (3-4), who was the first to drive forward to get the newly promoted yokozuna against the straw bales. But Kisenosato never lost his […]
The post Unbeaten Kisenosato, Takayasu triumph again, share overall lead appeared first on The Japan Times.
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks pitcher Robert Suarez, who withdrew from the Venezuelan squad at the World Baseball Classic with elbow trouble earlier this week, was diagnosed with a torn muscle in his right forearm, the Pacific League club said Saturday. While there are no indications as to how long it will take for him to fully […]
The post Hawks’ Suarez diagnosed with torn muscle in right forearm appeared first on The Japan Times.
Britain’s Mo Farah and Kenya’s David Rudisha are among the athletes who will compete in the Racers Track Club Grand Prix on June 10, the final Jamaican competition for superstar Usain Bolt, organizers said Friday. The two are part of a star-studded international athletics field who will join the retiring Bolt for the special meeting […]
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Their MVP candidate center, the one that’s not Sidney Crosby, is hurting. Four of their top seven defensemen are in street clothes dealing with a variety of injuries. And yet the Pittsburgh Penguins keep rolling anyway. Their 6-4 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night included the usual dash of brilliance from Crosby […]
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The Sunwolves blew a golden opportunity to pick up their first Super Rugby win of the season, losing 34-21 to the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Friday night. The hosts were forced to play for half the game with 14 men after former Toyota Verblitz flanker Renaldo Bothma was shown a red card for […]
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