Takumi Minamino helps Salzburg defeat Mattersburg

Striker Takumi Minamino scored his fourth goal of the season on Wednesday, helping his Austrian first-division club Salzburg to a 2-0 home win over Mattersburg.Minamino, ...

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Weightlifter Yoichi Itokazu nabs silver at world championships

Yoichi Itokazu won silver in the men’s 62-kg division at the Weightlifting World Championships on Wednesday.Itokazu, who finished fourth in the same weight division at ...

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BayStars sign infielder Yamato Maeda to three-year deal

The Yokohama BayStars on Thursday announced the acquisition of free agent infielder Yamato Maeda.The BayStars signed the 30-year-old Maeda to a three year contract worth ...

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Asian Football Confederation names Reds’ Takafumi Hori coach of the year

Urawa Reds manager Takafumi Hori was named coach of the year by the Asian Football Confederation on Wednesday, while Nadeshiko Japan boss Asako Takakura won ...

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Wakaba Higuchi excited for opportunity to skate in Grand Prix Final

Wakaba Higuchi said Thursday she is relishing the prospect of making her first appearance at the Grand Prix Final.The 16-year-old secured the final spot among ...

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Arizon State on verge of hiring ex-NFL coach Herm Edwards: source

A person with direct knowledge of the plan has told The Associated Press that former NFL coach Herm Edwards is in line to become Arizona ...

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Cumulative stats tell big part of story

There are 12 categories of traditional team statistics that the B. League religiously charts and distributes to the media.Naturally, it begins with wins and losses. ...

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Harumafuji retires with impressive legacy in ring

It was plain from both Harumafuji’s words and body language at Wednesday’s news conference announcing his retirement that he was going under duress and felt ...

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Carlos Beltran latest candidate for new manager with Yankees

Exactly four weeks after winning his first World Series title on his final day as a major league player, Carlos Beltran walked into Yankee Stadium ...

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LaMarcus Aldridge lifts Spurs with 41-point night against Grizzlies

The Spurs are glad to have Tony Parker back, especially LaMarcus Aldridge.Aldridge set his San Antonio high with 41 points and the Spurs spoiled J.B. ...

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Boston’s Tuukka Rask halts four-game losing streak

Tuukka Rask heard the question about personally needing to string together some wins and didn’t hesitate to answer.“I need them. I need them,” he said, ...

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Kawasaki Frontale take J. League title race down to the wire

Kawasaki Frontale sent the J. League championship title race down to the wire with a gutsy 1-0 win away to newly crowned Asian club champions ...

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West Bromwich Albion hires Alan Pardew as manager

Alan Pardew was hired as coach of West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday, securing a return to the Premier League after nearly a year out of ...

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Injured Nozomi Okuhara withdraws from national badminton championships

Reigning world champion Nozomi Okuhara pulled out of the ongoing badminton national championships on Wednesday, citing a knee injury.Okuhara, who beat archrival Pusarla Sindhu of ...

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Harumafuji left with no choice but to retire

Yokozuna Harumafuji announced his intention to retire at a press conference on Wednesday.The decision is the result of a scandal involving the violent beating of ...

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Vahid Halilhodzic recalls Mu Kanazaki for East Asian tournament

Japan boss Vahid Halilhodzic recalled Kashima Antlers striker Mu Kanazaki and brought in several new faces as he named a 23-man squad on Wednesday for ...

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Cavaliers win despite LeBron James ejection

LeBron James lost his cool. Kevin Love and Cavaliers stayed just as hot.Incensed at not getting a foul called on a drive to the basket, ...

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Goal-hungry United routs Watford

So often lauded for its defensive strength, Manchester United issued another reminder of its attacking talent by scoring four goals in a Premier League game ...

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Lightning beat Sabres to snap two-game skid

The NHL’s highest-scoring team leaned on its defense to snap a two-game losing streak.Andrei Vasilevskiy made 34 saves in his second shutout of the season, ...

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Indy 500 trophy leaves U.S. for first time for to visit Japan

The Borg-Warner Trophy that honors the Indianapolis 500 winner left the United States for the first time in its 82 years on Tuesday to celebrate ...

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Giants bench Eli Manning for Geno Smith

The Eli Manning era with the New York Giants may be coming to an end.And if it is, it is ending ugly. The Giants announced ...

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Urawa Reds ready for new chapter after ACL victory

Urawa Reds have gained an unwanted reputation for choking on the big stage in the 10 years since they first won the Asian Champions League, ...

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Hideki Matsui appears on Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for first time

Former big leaguer Hideki Matsui, iron man Tomoaki Kanemoto and former Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo were placed on the 2018 ballot for the Japanese Baseball ...

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Miyahara’s win thickens Olympic team plot

What a difference a couple of weeks makes.After the NHK Trophy in Osaka earlier this month, three-time national champion Satoko Miyahara’s hopes of making Japan’s ...

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Ex-Colombian soccer executive said Qatar had up to $15 million available for bribes, witness claims at trial

The former president of Colombia’s soccer federation testified Monday that a sports marketing executive told him up to $15 million in bribe money was available ...

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Middleweight champ Ryota Murata training for first title defense

Ryota Murata said that the biggest difference since he became a champion is that taxi drivers are surprised to see him when they look at ...

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Pitcher Charlie Morton’s unlikely trip from journeyman to star

Two hours before an exhibition game last March, the Houston Astros clubhouse was vacant save for MAS and ‘Stros hurler Charlie Morton.This, of course, was ...

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BYU axes offensive coordinator Ty Detmer after woeful season

Ty Detmer is no longer the offensive coordinator at BYU.The school announced Monday that the 1990 Heisman Trophy winner “has been relieved” of the offensive ...

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Hisashi Iwakuma, Mariners finalize minor league deal

Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma has agreed to a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners and will report to major league spring training.The deal announced Monday ...

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Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor out for rest of season with neck injury

Kam Chancellor is done for this season. Whether the standout strong safety for the Seattle Seahawks plays again is unknown.Coach Pete Carroll said Monday that ...

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Former ABA All-Star, NBA announcer Steve ‘Snapper’ Jones dies at 75

Steve “Snapper” Jones, the former ABA and NBA player who had a long career in broadcasting, died Saturday after a lengthy illness. He was 75.The ...

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Free agent pitcher Royma Nogami to join Giants: source

Ryoma Nogami, who exercised his domestic free agency option after nine seasons with the Seibu Lions, has decided to sign with the Yomiuri Giants, a ...

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Reeling Grizzlies dump coach David Fizdale

The Memphis Grizzlies fired coach David Fizdale on Monday, with the team at 7-12 and a day after he benched center Marc Gasol for the ...

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Ravens use aggressive defense to down Texans

Take the ball away from the other guys, hold onto it yourself and make sure nothing happens to Justin Tucker.That, apparently, is the formula the ...

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Sidney Crosby’s OT winner lifts Pens past Flyers

Sidney Crosby redirected Jake Guentzel’s shot past Philadelphia’s Bryan Elliott 1:48 into overtime as the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied for a 5-4 victory over the Flyers ...

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Japan loses to Australia in FIBA World Cup qualifier

Japan on Monday suffered its second defeat in as many Asia qualifiers for the FIBA World Cup, a 14-0 final-quarter run allowing Australia to claim ...

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Steelers tip All Blacks great Carter to be big in Japan

All Blacks legend Dan Carter will be an instant hit in Japan after joining Top League club Kobelco Steelers next summer, a senior team official ...

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NPB names former Tokyo Stock Exchange boss Atsushi Saito next commissioner

Former securities exchange executive Atsushi Saito was approved as the next commissioner of Nippon Professional Baseball on Monday.Saito, formerly the CEO of the Japan Exchange ...

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New Hall of Famer Kariya reflects on journey

Paul Kariya defied the odds en route to a Hall of Fame hockey career.He was never one of the biggest or most muscular players. He ...

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Miyahara, Sakamoto top podium at Skate America

Satoko Miyahara and Kaori Sakamoto completed a 1-2 finish for Japan on Sunday at Skate America.Miyahara, who sat out the latter half of last season ...

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Hakuho relieved to finish difficult year on winning note

After a scandal surrounding the national sport ironically drew more attention to the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, tournament champion Hakuho said Monday he was pleased ...

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Rangers edge Canucks in shootout

The Rangers didn’t lead at any point until the seventh round of the shootout. The still managed to earn their fourth straight victory.Jimmy Vesey scored ...

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Manchester City beats Huddersfield to set new Premier League record

Only a third of the way into its Premier League campaign, Manchester City is already making history.Pep Guardiola’s City defeated Huddersfield 2-1 Sunday to equal ...

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Rika Kihira roars back to win Japan Junior Championships title

Rika Kihira hit two booming triple axels in the opening minute of her free skate to rally to victory Sunday night at the Japan Junior ...

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Simovic hat-trick fires Grampus into playoff final

Robin Simovic scored a hat-trick as Nagoya Grampus came from behind to beat JEF United Chiba 4-2 on Sunday to advance to the J. League ...

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Aminishiki steals show at Kyushu Basho

A day after yokozuna Hakuho wrapped up the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament championship, 13th-ranked Aminshiki provided the final day’s drama on Sunday.Back in the elite ...

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Ai Suzuki ends Japanese money title drought on LPGA tour

Ai Suzuki became the first Japanese to top the Japan LPGA Tour’s money list in four seasons after finishing in a tie for seventh in ...

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Frontiers overcome stingy Seagulls to reach Japan X Bowl

Fujitsu quarterback Colby Cameron ran for a touchdown just over two minutes into the game in his team’s first drive of the day.But the two ...

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Cheval Grand denies Kitasan Black in Japan Cup

Cheval Grand overtook race favorite Kitasan Black in a final dash to win the 37th running of the Japan Cup on Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.Kitasan ...

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Auburn tops Alabama, earns SEC title shot

Auburn fans blanketed the field from end zone to end zone just like the last time they got to celebrate a stirring Iron Bowl win.This ...

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Reysol put Antlers’ title celebrations on hold

Kashima Antlers’ title celebrations were put on hold on Sunday as the J. League leaders were held to a 0-0 draw at home against Kashiwa ...

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Manchester United, Chelsea get lucky in Premier League

Manchester United and Chelsea needed fortunate goals to maintain their status as the closest challengers to rampant leader Manchester City in the English Premier League ...

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Urawa breathes sigh of relief after exorcizing demons in ACL final

Urawa Reds lifted the Asian Champions League trophy for the first time in a decade on Saturday — then breathed a sigh of relief that ...

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Japan settles for draw with France

Japan came within inches of a historic win over France on Saturday night as the Brave Blossoms drew 23-23 with Les Bleus at the brand ...

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Resilient Celtics take wind out of Pacers’ sails

Riding a five-game win streak and facing the team with the NBA’s best record, the Indiana Pacers had a chance to make a statement.The Boston ...

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Miyahara takes control at Skate America

Satoko Miyahara led Skate America after the ladies short program on Saturday, a promising sign for the 19-year-old Olympic hopeful following a hip injury that’s ...

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Mitsuki Sumoto, Mako Yamashita are atop leaderboard after first day at Japan Junior Championships

Mitsuki Sumoto grabbed the lead after the men’s short program at the Japan Junior Championships on Saturday with a score of 67.34 points.Last year’s junior ...

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Urawa Reds clinch Asian Champions League title on late goal against Al Hilal

Urawa Reds claimed the Asian Champions League title for the first time in a decade after Rafael Silva scored in the 88th minute to seal ...

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Lionel Messi finalizes new four-year contract with Barcelona

Lionel Messi has finally put Barcelona’s fans at ease by signing a new contract that will keep the star at the Spanish club for four ...

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Wanheng Menayothin retains WBC minimumweight title by unanimous decision over Tatsuya Fukuhara

WBC minimumweight champion Wanheng Menayothin of Thailand defended his title against challenger Tatsuya Fukuhara on Saturday, winning by a unanimous decision.Fukuhara, who lost to compatriot ...

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Hakuho clinches 40th career title

Yokozuna Hakuho clinched the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament championship, the 40th title of his illustrious career, on Saturday.Hakuho began the penultimate day of the 15-day ...

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Steve Smith contributes masterful ton as England cracks in Ashes battle

Steve Smith produced a defiant unconquered century and Josh Hazlewood claimed two wickets to leave England reeling as Australia cracked open the first Ashes test ...

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Mana Iwabuchi lifts Nadeshiko Japan past Jordan in friendly

Mana Iwabuchi’s brace lifted Nadeshiko Japan to a 2-0 away win in a friendly against Jordan on Friday.Iwabuchi scored twice in the first half with ...

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Akito Watabe places third in Nordic combined’s World Cup opener

Akito Watabe finished third in Nordic combined’s World Cup season opener on Friday.Watabe, who won two medals at March’s world championships, was third after a ...

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Unranked Pittsburgh ends second-ranked Miami’s 15-game winning streak

Miami spent the better part of 13 months putting together the nation’s longest winning streak behind a series of comebacks that returned the swagger to ...

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Short-handed Warriors pound Bulls

Two All-Stars down, the Splash Brothers took charge.Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson showed some patience coach Steve Kerr appreciated. They made the perfect pass. They ...

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Cancer survivor Brian Boyles nets goal on emotional night

Brian Boyle has had some misty moments on ice this season for the New Jersey Devils.The first was on Nov. 9 when he cried after ...

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Takuma Asano opens account for Stuttgart

Takuma Asano scored his first goal in the German Bundesliga on Friday, while forward Yuya Kubo’s strike helped seal Belgian club Gent’s 3-1 victory over ...

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David Moyes hails West Ham fans after Leicester draw

David Moyes praised West Ham United’s supporters after a 1-1 draw with Leicester City in the Premier League on Friday, the first match at London ...

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Nathan Chen leads Adam Rippon at Skate America

American skaters Nathan Chen and Adam Rippon gave the home crowd what it wanted Friday night: Chen with a pair of powerful quad jumps, and ...

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IOC chief Thomas Bach warns critics not to pressure him on Russia decision

As four more Russians were disqualified Friday for doping at the Sochi Olympics, IOC President Thomas Bach signaled a possible shift toward barring the country’s ...

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Derrick Rose leaves Cavaliers to handle ‘personal matter’

Derrick Rose’s injuries may have pushed him to a breaking point.The former league MVP, who has been trying to revive his career with the Cavaliers, ...

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Philippines holds off Japan in spirited FIBA World Cup qualifying opener

Japan delivered a gritty performance to bounce back from its early struggles, but wound up losing its opening 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifier.Point guard Jayson ...

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Rika Kihira, Mako Yamashita, Riko Takino in running for coveted Japan women’s junior crown

With Kaori Sakamoto, Marin Honda and Yuna Shiraiwa having moved on to the senior ranks, Japan will crown a new junior women’s queen this weekend ...

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Kei Nishikori cautious, optimistic as he prepares for comeback from injury

Kei Nishikori, who has been sidelined since August with a season-ending wrist injury, is determined to return with a level of fitness and form that ...

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Hakuho stays win ahead of two challengers

Yokozuna Hakuho maintained his lead in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament after surviving a close bout against Takarafuji on Friday.Hakuho (12-1), the lone yokozuna competing ...

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Indispensable leader Draymond Green’s intensity pushes Kevin Durant, Warriors teammates

Draymond Green and Kevin Durant bet on just about anything.“Life,” Gre en explained, “who drives home faster from the practice facility, who gets to the ...

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Ole Miss upsets 16th-ranked Mississippi State in Egg Bowl

A.J. Brown thought the ball was overthrown, but kept sprinting and stuck his arms out as far as they would go. The Mississippi receiver was ...

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Captain Steve Smith rescues Australia from position of peril

Captain Steve Smith frustrated England with a fighting half-century and pushed Australia to 165 for four at the close of a see-sawing day two, rescuing ...

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Canadiens trade Torrey Mitchell to Kings for 2018 conditional draft pick

The Montreal Canadiens traded forward Torrey Mitchell to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday for a 2018 fifth-round conditional draft pick.If Los Angeles makes the ...

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Jason Day, Jordan Spieth head in opposite directions at Australian Open

Jason Day and Jordan Spieth went in opposite directions Friday at the Australian Open.Day had four consecutive birdies on the back nine, including a 30-footer, ...

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Brazil striker Robinho gets nine-year rape sentence

An Italian court sentenced former AC Milan and Brazil forward Robinho in absentia to nine years in prison on Thursday after convicting him of taking ...

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Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel already focused on 2018 Formula One title

Championship rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel are already looking forward to fighting each other for a fifth Formula One title next year.With Hamilton wrapping ...

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Rivers, Chargers feast on fading Cowboys

Philip Rivers was more than comfortable on the Thanksgiving stage for the first time in his 14 NFL seasons.Same with Keenan Allen, who didn’t have ...

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Arsenal advances in Europa League despite defeat to Cologne

Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal secured top spot in Europa League Group H on Thursday despite slumping to a 1-0 defeat at Cologne, while AC Milan reached ...

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Injured Takayasu withdraws from Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament

Ozeki Takayasu has pulled out of the ongoing Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament with three days remaining because of a thigh injury, his stablemaster Tagonoura said ...

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Joseph makes one change as Brave Blossoms prepare to face France

Japan coach Jamie Joseph on Thursday night named his side for this weekend’s test with France, making just one change to the starting XV.The former ...

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Urawa looking to end Japanese drought in ACL final

Urawa Reds will be favorites to exorcise Japan’s Asian Champions League demons when they host Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in the second leg of the final ...

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James Vince establishes Ashes credentials with defiant 83 on first day

James Vince is confident the Australian cricket critics will recognize him after the first day of the Ashes.England came into the series with an unsettled ...

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Russia withdraws bid to host 2023 FIBA World Cup

Russia has withdrawn its bid to host the 2023 FIBA World Cup, saying that international criticism of the country’s athletes was to blame for the ...

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Hakuho back on track with quick victory

Yokozuna Hakuho made up for his previous day’s defeat by beating Mitakeumi at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday, while the two ozeki lost ...

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Young rikishi offer new hope for sumo

With Harumafuji’s assault scandal seeing sumo’s name dragged through the mud once again, a new generation of young wrestlers are looking to lift Japan’s ancient ...

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Lions pluck seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney off waivers from Seahawks

The Detroit Lions have added Dwight Freeney off waivers from Seattle.Detroit acquired the 37-year-old Freeney on Wednesday, a day before hosting the Minnesota Vikings in ...

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Two more Russians stripped of 2014 Olympic medals

Two more Russian athletes were stripped of their Olympic medals from the 2014 Sochi Games on Wednesday, leaving the United States as the country with ...

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Clippers’ Patrick Beverley expected to miss rest of season after having knee surgery

Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley is expected to miss the rest of the season after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.The Clippers said Beverley ...

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Tochigi’s Yusuke Endo leads trio of free-throw sharpshooters

With the game on the line and the potential pressure of a must-make free throw the reality, three B. League players have had the greatest ...

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Anderson nets winner for Blue Jackets in OT

After missing training camp because of a contract dispute, Josh Anderson has performed at a consistently high level for the Columbus Blue Jackets.On Wednesday night, ...

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Barcelona reaches knockout stage

Without Lionel Messi for almost an hour, Barcelona managed to get the draw it needed to reach the Champions League knockout stages. It was drab ...

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Heat snap Celtics’ win streak at 16

Dion Waiters watched his 3-point try bounce off the rim, ricochet off the top of the backboard, then hit the rim again and somehow drop ...

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Cristiano Ronaldo leads Madrid into last 16

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as defending champion Real Madrid thrashed APOEL 6-0 in Cyprus to reach the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Liverpool ...

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USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar pleads guilty to criminal sexual conduct, faces 25-year stretch

Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor, pleaded guilty in a Michigan court on Wednesday to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.In a ...

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Donald Trump labels LaVar Ball ‘ungrateful fool’

President Donald Trump continued to taunt LaVar Ball, whose son LiAngelo was detained for shoplifting in China while on a trip with the UCLA basketball ...

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Lakers rally from 19 down in win

The Los Angeles Lakers’ first half resembled many miserable stretches of the past four seasons. Although the Chicago Bulls have plenty of their own problems, ...

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Hakuho loses perfect record

Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho saw his overnight lead trimmed to one win after suffering a shock first defeat at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday.Hakuho ...

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Harimoto, Hirano qualify for Grand Finals

Teenagers Tomokazu Harimoto and Miu Hirano qualified for the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals as the world governing body of table tennis released the entry ...

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Boeser scores twice as Canucks defeat Flyers

Last summer, following the Vancouver Canucks’ development camp, coach Travis Green sat down with rookie right wing Brock Boeser and, in no uncertain terms, told ...

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Sapporo considers bid to host 2026 Olympics

The city of Sapporo has expressed its interest in bringing the Winter Olympics back to Japan’s northern island in 2026.Now, the Hokkaido capital, and the ...

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Otani expected to sign with MLB team before end of year

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters two-way talent Shohei Otani will sign his first contract with a major league club by the end of the year, a ...

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Paxton Lynch expected to take over at quarterback for Broncos

It’s time to see conclusively if quarterback Paxton Lynch is a bust or just a late bloomer.The Denver Broncos’ former first-round draft pick will make ...

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Pro Football Hall announces semifinalists

First-year eligibles Ray Lewis and Randy Moss are among 27 semifinalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.The hall said Tuesday that all ...

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Joe Morgan pens letter urging voters to keep steroid users out of Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan is urging voters to keep “known steroid users” out of Cooperstown.A day after the Hall revealed its 33-man ...

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Hakuho still two wins up; Kisenosato out

Lone yokozuna Hakuho outlasted fellow Mongolian Ichinojo to maintain his two-win cushion at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday.The only grand champion left in ...

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Thabeet’s massive size proving to be problematic with referees

“When I’m at the helm, I cover the whole realm,” legendary rapper Rakim professed in “Remember That.”Hasheem Thabeet is a towering figure on the basketball ...

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Uno gets job done at Internationaux de France

Shoma Uno qualified for the Grand Prix Final for the third straight season with an uneven performance at the Internationaux de France in Grenoble on ...

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Celtics pick up 16th straight win

Double-digit deficits are becoming just a minor annoyance to the Boston Celtics as they continue their winning ways.Kyrie Irving scored 10 of his season-high 47 ...

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Fighting Brighton salvages point against Stoke

Promoted Brighton’s promising Premier League campaign continued as it twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Stoke City on Monday.The ...

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APBC title gives Atsunori Inaba vital managerial experience on road to Tokyo Olympics

Samurai Japan manager Atsunori Inaba could’ve found himself caught between two worlds in the aftermath of Japan’s championship-clinching victory over South Korea at the Asia ...

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Hideki Matsui named to 2018 Hall of Fame ballot

Former New York Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui was among the 33 players on the 2018 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot that was released Monday by ...

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Trump urges suspension of Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch if anthem protest continues

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch should be suspended by the NFL if he continues to protest during ...

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SoftBank’s Dennis Sarfate, Hiroshima’s Yoshihiro Maru win NPB MVP awards

Dennis Sarfate considers himself a traditionalist, and as such, he might not have cast a ballot for himself, a reliever, in the MVP race.It’s probably ...

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Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna dies at 49

Jana Novotna, who won the hearts of the tennis world by sobbing on the shoulder of a member of the British royal family after a ...

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West Brom pulls plug on manager Tony Pulis

Struggling Premier League team West Bromwich Albion fired manager Tony Pulis on Monday despite his reputation as a virtual guarantee against relegation.The move seemed inevitable ...

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Hakuho stays perfect at Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament

Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho stayed unbeaten at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday to remain on course for a record-extending 40th career championship.Hakuho (9-0) faced ...

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Hisashi Iwakuma says Mariners have offered him new deal

Free agent pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma said Monday he has received an offer to rejoin the Seattle Mariners.The Mariners earlier this month declined the 2018 club ...

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MLB scouts keep tabs on young players at APBC

There were no elite players like Shohei Otani or Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, but the Asia Professional Baseball Championship served as a good showcase for MLB scouts ...

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Gritty Pistons top Timberwolves

Detroit got a bit of everything down the stretch. A gutty performance from Andre Drummond after hurting his elbow. A tough shot from Reggie Jackson ...

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Golden Knights take crown in first matchup with Kings

In the first meeting of what figures to be a fun Pacific Division rivalry, the new guys in Vegas struck first.William Karlsson scored twice, Maxime ...

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Grigor Dimitrov beat David Goffin to win ATP Finals

Grigor Dimitrov’s talent took him to the brink of his biggest career win — but he needed more than that to get over the line.The ...

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Hideki Matsui eager to see how Shohei Otani fares in MLB

Hideki Matsui, special advisor to the New York Yankees’ general manager, held a baseball clinic Sunday, where he also shared his thoughts on the Hokkaido ...

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Kobayashi wins first World Cup

Junshiro Kobayashi claimed the men’s ski jumping title Sunday at the Nordic ski World Cup, topping the podium at the tournament for the first time.Kobayashi, ...

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Saints extend winning streak to eight after rallying past Redskins

Alvin Kamara climbed into the Superdome stands, stood in the first row with his arms folded and soaked in the adulation of fans who were ...

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Japan trounces South Korea in inaugural Asia Professional Baseball Championship final

Samurai Japan’s young players grabbed their manager, Astunori Inaba, and threw him in the air once and then twice, before seemingly needing a few seconds ...

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SeaHorses sail past B-Corsairs for 16th consecutive win

The Boston Celtics aren’t the only pro basketball team that’s had an amazing start this season.Exhibit A: The SeaHorses Mikawa. On Sunday afternoon, the SeaHorses ...

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Hakuho exhibits strength, poise against Hokutofuji

Yokozuna Hakuho extended his spotless record after the eighth day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday, taking down Hokutofuji in a blink.Hakuho is ...

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Brooks Koepka defends Dunlop Phoenix crown; Hideki Matsuyama places fifth

Despite a highlight hole-in-one, Hideki Matsuyama settled for a 2-under-par Dunlop Phoenix final round on Sunday, leaving him 10 strokes back of reigning champion and ...

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Shinji Kagawa among candidates for AFC International Player of Year accolade

Emerging Australian soccer star Aaron Mooy and former winners Shinji Kagawa and South Korean Son Heung-min make up the shortlist for the Asian Football Confederation’s ...

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Harumafuji Incident highlights sumo’s inherent problems

The Harumafuji scandal continues to morph almost daily and at the time of writing appears to be evolving into a pitched battle between stablemaster Takanohana ...

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Persian Knight edges Air Spinel for dramatic triumph in Mile Championship

Persian Knight edged out a victory at the 34th running of the Mile Championship on Sunday at Kyoto Racecourse.The Harbinger-sired colt finished in 1 minute, ...

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Second-ranked Miami recovers from 14-point deficit, pulverizes Virginia

The undefeated season was slipping away, and so was any realistic chance Miami had of getting into the College Football Playoff and competing for a ...

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Akane Yamaguchi cruises past Gao Fanjie to claim China Open title

Akane Yamaguchi won Sunday’s women’s singles at the China Open badminton tournament, beating China’s Gao Fangjie in straight games.Fifth-seeded Yamaguchi cruised past her 19-year-old opponent ...

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Nao Kodaira zooms to 20th consecutive victory at 500 meters

Nao Kodaira continued her imperious form over 500 meters with her 15th career World Cup victory, and 20th straight overall, at the distance on Saturday.Kodaira ...

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Kings’ Johnny Brodzinski notches first NHL goal in triumph over Panthers

It was almost like old times as Los Angeles Kings winger Johnny Brodzinski and Florida Panthers center Nick Bjugstad shared the ice again.They were linemates ...

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Stephen Curry leads charge as Warriors come from behind to beat Sixers

A 22-point halftime deficit was no big deal for the defending NBA champions.Stephen Curry scored 35 points, Kevin Durant had 27 and the Golden State ...

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Uno finishes second in France to secure return to GP Final

World silver medalist Shoma Uno claimed second place after the men’s free program on Saturday at the Internationaux de France, securing a spot in December’s ...

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Defensive-minded Japan blows away Tonga

Japan delivered its best performance under coach Jamie Joseph on Saturday.Going up against a side that qualified for the 2019 Rugby World Cup as the ...

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Urawa earns draw on road in first leg of Asian Champions League final

The J. League’s Urawa Reds took a step toward their second Asian championship and their first in 10 years with a 1-1 draw in the ...

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Samurai Japan southpaw Shota Imanaga baffles Taiwan batters in dazzling 12-strikeout performance

The way Shota Imanaga was pitching with a one-run lead took almost all the mystery out of Samurai Japan’s game against Taiwan. Well, all of ...

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Evessa overpower NeoPhoenix, end five-game slide

The Osaka Evessa dominated on both sides of the ball in Saturday’s series opener against the San-en NeoPhoenix, ending a five-game losing streakThe Evessa pounded ...

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Legendary weightlifter ‘Pocket Hercules’ dies at 50

Turkey’s legendary triple Olympic gold medal-winning weightlifting champion Naim Suleymanoglu, dubbed the “Pocket Hercules” for generating huge power from his diminutive frame, died on Saturday ...

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Yankees conduct interview with Aaron Boone for managerial vacancy

Having never managed or coached at any level, Aaron Boone believes his provenance prepared him to lead the New York Yankees.“I would say in a ...

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Unbeaten Hakuho bulldozes Onosho, improves to 7-0 at Fukuoka Grand Sumo Tournament

Yokozuna Hakuho held on to the sole lead at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, where he defeated Onosho on Saturday to improve to 7-0.The yokozuna ...

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Hideki Matsuya shoots even-par 71, falls eight shots off pace at Dunlop Phoenix

Hideki Matsuyama fell eight strokes off the pace of American Brooks Koepka after Saturday’s third round of the Dunlop Phoenix.Koepka, the defending champion and winner ...

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Dikembe Mutombo spreads positive message as Special Olympics ambassador

As a player, Dikembe Mutombo made a big difference for his teams with his signature shot-blocking skills.Now, eight years after his retirement from the NBA, ...

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Frontale keep title hopes alive

Kawasaki Frontale defender Elsinho scored in the 82nd minute to keep the J. League title race alive for at least another round with a 1-0 ...

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Blue Jackets blank Rangers behind Sergei Bobrovsky’s 21st career shutout

Sergei Bobrovsky made his typical batch of highlight-reel saves to help the Columbus Jackets shut out the potent New York Rangers.Bobrovsky made 36 saves for ...

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Shoma Uno in second place after short program at Internationaux de France

World silver medalist Shoma Uno finished runner-up in the short program on Friday night at the Internationaux de France.Uno earned 93.92 points to sit behind ...

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Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald signs contract extension

Star receiver Larry Fitzgerald has signed a one-year contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals.The team announced the deal Friday. The 34-year-old Fitzgerald leads the NFC ...

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Bulls edge Hornets to end skid

Exhausted and elated following the birth of his daughter this week, new father Justin Holiday had enough left to give one of the best performances ...

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Gracie Gold withdraws from U.S. nationals

Two-time U.S. women’s figure skating champion Gracie Gold has withdrawn from the national championships while she continues to seek treatment for depression, anxiety and an ...

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Nao Kodaira triumphs twice at World Cup meet

Nao Kodaira on Friday won the women’s 500- and 1,000-meter races in the second round of the speed skating World Cup.This boosted her total World ...

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Lee Jung-hoo delivers game-winning triple in sixth inning as South Korea nips Taiwan

Lee Jung-hoo’s father may be one of South Korean baseball’s former stars, but the 19-year-old is making a name for himself as a player in ...

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Marc Trasolini’s all-around spark leads Levanga past Alvark

Veteran forward/center Marc Trasolini’s banner performance ignited the Levanga Hokkaido offense in an 81-76 triumph over the Alvark Tokyo on Friday evening.The Santa Clara University ...

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World champions Ryoichi Taguchi, Hiroto Kyoguchi to defend titles on New Year’s Eve

Ryoichi Taguchi will defend his WBA light flyweight title for the seventh time in a fight on New Year’s Eve against IBF champion Milan Melindo, ...

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Tighthead prop Koo Ji-won set to earn first cap for Japan against Tonga

Japan heads into Saturday’s game with Tonga at Stade Ernest Wallon with a side that shows five changes and two positional switches from the team ...

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Hakuho seizes sole lead after sixth day in Fukuoka

Yokozuna Hakuho improved to 6-0 on Friday, when he seized the sole lead after six days of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.A day after his ...

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Big Ben leads Steelers in rout

Another uninspiring half in the books in a season littered with them for a team that expects to play deep into January and beyond, Ben ...

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10 first-timers among NPB’s Best Nine Award selections

Ten players were named their league’s best at their position for the first time on Friday, when the results of the Central and Pacific leagues’ ...

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Spurs likely to come up short again in title hunt

Such is the standard Manchester City are setting this season, an away draw against a title rival can no longer be considered a good result.Unless ...

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Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta expresses interest in bringing NHL team to Houston

New Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is interested in bringing an NHL team to Houston, a possibility that didn’t exist under the NBA team’s previous regime.Fertitta ...

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Roger Federer outplays Marin Cilic in ATP Finals victory

Roger Federer condemned Marin Cilic to more frustration in London as he repeated his Wimbledon heroics against the Croatian with a 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-1 ...

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Lions bring back Kazuo Matsui after 15 years

The Seibu Lions confirmed Friday they have acquired former major league player Kazuo Matsui, who started his professional career with the club.The 42-year-old outfielder, who ...

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Celtics come back to down Warriors for 14th straight

Hours before the Celtics took the court Thursday night to protect their winning streak against the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, Jaylen Brown was ...

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BayStars unveil plans for Yokohama Stadium expansion, renovation

Since taking over as the operator of Yokohama Stadium before the 2016 season, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars have hammered out a grand plan to transform ...

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Golden Knights skate past Canucks

Two nights after finally looking like an expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights got back to what’s made them successful early in their first season ...

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Jose Altuve, Giancarlo Stanton honored as AL, NL Most Valuable Players

Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros have grown together, enduring an arduous rebuild and coming out the other side among baseball’s best.These days, nobody is ...

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‘Fight Doctor’ Ferdie Pacheco, Ali’s ringside physician, dies at 89

Fernando “Ferdie” Pacheco, “The Fight Doctor” who served as legendary three-time heavyweight Muhammad Ali’s ringside physician, has died. He was 89.Pacheco’s daughter, Tina Louise Pacheco, ...

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Samurai Japan beats South Korea in 10-inning thriller in Atsunori Inaba’s debut as manager

Atsunori Inaba’s first game in charge of Samurai Japan had a little bit of everything. There were big plays, clutch hits and rallies in the ...

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Kazuo Matsui returning to Seibu Lions

Kazuo Matsui, who left the Seibu Lions as a free agent after the 2003 season, will return to his first pro club next season, a ...

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Rugby legend Dan Carter to join Kobe Kobelco Steelers: sources

All Blacks legend Dan Carter is set to finish his career in Japan with Kobe Kobelco Steelers, sources told Kyodo News on Thursday.Media reports earlier ...

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Kotaro Kiyomiya eager to make impact after agreeing to join Fighters

High school slugger Kotaro Kiyomiya, the most sought-after player in last month’s amateur draft, agreed on Thursday to join the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, who ...

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Hakuho whips Tochiozan with display of brute strength

Yokozuna Hakuho improved to 5-0 on Thursday, the fifth day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.Seeking to extend his record for most career championships with ...

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Embiid’s 46 lifts 76ers over Lakers

In a matchup of teams with rising young stars, Joel Embiid stood out above the rest.The 213-cm center scored a career-high 46 points — the ...

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Italy fires coach Gian Piero Ventura fired after team fails to qualify for World Cup

Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura was fired Wednesday, two days after the Azzurri’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.Meanwhile, the refusal of Italian Football ...

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Red Wings trounce Flames in fight-marred game

Luke Witkowski called it old-time hockey. The Calgary Flames called it just plain stupid.The Flames were unhappy with the way Wednesday night’s game against the ...

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Peru defeats New Zealand to snatch final spot at 2018 World Cup

Jefferson Farfan and Christian Ramos scored as Peru defeated New Zealand to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1982 on Wednesday, sealing ...

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UCLA suspends three basketball players for shoplifting in China

Three UCLA basketball players detained for shoplifting at three high-end stores in China publicly apologized Wednesday before coach Steve Alford announced they were being suspended ...

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Grigor Dimitrov punches semifinal ticket with blowout victory over David Goffin

The coaching seemed to have helped, whether Grigor Dimitrov heard it or not.The sixth-seeded Bulgarian made his way into the semifinals at the ATP Finals ...

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D’or Fischer’s rim-protecting skills vital for Shiga Lakestars

The Shiga Lakestars’ rise to playoff contender occurred after a poor start.The Lakestars dropped six of their first seven games, but it wasn’t time to ...

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Terunofuji pulls out of Kyushu tournament with knee injury

Terunofuji pulled out of the ongoing Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament citing a knee injury Thursday, ending the possibility of his immediate return to ozeki status.Terunofuji’s ...

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Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott drops appeal, to serve remaning five games of suspension

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is ending his legal fight with five games remaining on a six-game suspension over alleged domestic violence.Elliott’s agents said ...

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Scherzer, Kulber named Cy Young winners

Max Scherzer heard his name and thrust his arms in the air, shouting and smiling big before turning to kiss his wife.Corey Kluber, on the ...

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MLB hopeful of having new posting agreement in place by early December

Major League Baseball hopes to put a new posting system agreement with Japan in place by early December, a deal that would allow star pitcher-designated ...

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DMM.com takes full ownership of Sint-Truiden in Belgian league

Tokyo-based internet company DMM.com has taken full ownership of Belgian first-division side Sint-Truiden, the soccer club announced Wednesday.The company acquired the final 80 percent of ...

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49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin hopes heartbreak of losing son can help others

The baby’s tiny left hand touches a single finger on the hand of his father, 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin.It’s a heartbreaking photo shared by ...

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Italy’s ‘lost generation’ will lack any World Cup experience

Call them Italy’s “lost generation.”The Azzurri’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup means that a good portion of the squad’s players will not ...

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Australia beats Honduras to punch ticket for World Cup

Mile Jedinak led Australia into next year’s World Cup with a deflected free kick and two penalties in Wednesday’s 3-1 intercontinental playoff victory over Honduras.Jedinak, ...

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Hakuho still perfect after fourth day of tournament

Yokozuna Hakuho stayed unbeaten at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament after manhandling Chiyotairyu, while a pair of ozeki also maintained spotless records to stay in ...

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Samurai Japan ready for Asian test as Atsunori Inaba makes managerial debut

One day before the inaugural Asia Professional Baseball Championship begins, all three participating nations made their final tuneups with high expectations at the tournament venue, ...

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WJBL star Yuko Oga keen to contribute even after retiring from playing

Star player Yuko Oga is bringing the curtain down on her storied career at the end of this season.But she has no feelings of melancholy. ...

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Joe Girardi ‘a little shocked’ that Yankees let him go

Joe Girardi expected to be back for an 11th season as New York Yankees manager.“I was a little shocked,” he said of his dismissal Tuesday ...

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Roger Federer advances to last four of ATP Finals

A day after the ATP Finals lost Rafael Nadal to injury, Roger Federer lifted spirits at the O2 Arena by extending his stay to the ...

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Irving returns as Celtics get 13th straight win

Kyrie Irving really dislikes having to play in a mask.On the other hand, he loves what comes next: Boston putting its 13-game winning streak on ...

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Romelu Lukaku hits winner as Belgium edges Japan

Japan narrowly lost to fifth-ranked Belgium in a friendly on Tuesday as Romelu Lukaku gave the hosts a 1-0 victory.The Manchester United striker headed home ...

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Sunrockers exhibit effective defense in comeback triumph over Levanga

The Sunrockers Shibuya played determined defense in the second half, holding the Levanga Hokkaido to 20 points over the final 20 minutes.And that was enough ...

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Sho Nakata decides to forgo free agency, remain with Fighters

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters slugger Sho Nakata said Tuesday he will return to the team instead of testing domestic free agency.“I didn’t deliver results (this ...

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Hall of Fame second baseman Bobby Doerr, the Red Sox’s ‘Silent Captain,’ dies at 99

Bobby Doerr, the Hall of Fame second baseman dubbed the “Silent Captain” of the Boston Red Sox by longtime teammate and lifelong friend Ted Williams, ...

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Six wrestlers still unbeaten as competition heats up

The two yokozuna competing at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament had positive results on Tuesday, with Kisenosato and Hakuho winning convincingly, while Harumafuji was forced ...

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Good defense has Celtics on 12-game win streak

It wasn’t a great start for them — OK, the Warriors aren’t going 80-2 — but Golden State is back at the top of the ...

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Marlins ready to explore offers for slugger Giancarlo Stanton

For sale: 28-year-old chiseled slugger who led the major leagues with 59 home runs, the most in 16 years.Price: $295 million over a decade. Complication: ...

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Secretariat’s late owner Penny Chenery to posthumously receive Big Sport of Turfdom

Penny Chenery, who owned Triple Crown winner Secretariat, will be presented posthumously with the Big Sport of Turfdom award given to a person who enhances ...

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Satoko Miyahara’s Olympic dream in serious jeopardy

At an event that was massively overshadowed by the injury and subsequent withdrawal of Yuzuru Hanyu, something else was very apparent at the NHK Trophy: ...

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Downhill skier David Poisson dies during training crash

French downhill skier David Poisson, a former medalist at the world championships, died on Monday following a training crash in Canada. He was 35.The French ...

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Cam Newton, Panthers hammer Dolphins

Cam Newton was tired of the Carolina Panthers’ defense getting all of the glory.Newton took it as a challenge when the defense vaulted to the ...

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Flames burn Blues in wild final period

Rookie Mark Jankowski had two goals and an assist, Kris Versteeg scored the winner with 5:31 left and the Calgary Flames scored five times in ...

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Jelena Dokic says father beat, kicked her in new book

Former tennis star Jelena Dokic says from a young age her father regularly beat and kicked her. He would pull her hair, spit in her ...

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Royals skipper Ned Yost ‘glad to be alive’ after farm accident

Ned Yost spent Monday afternoon in a lounge chair at his farm just outside Atlanta, the pain from a shattered pelvis so unbearable that the ...

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LeBron, Korver lead Cavs in rally past Knicks

LeBron James got shoved by the Knicks and then benched by his coach.Neither could keep him down for good. James had 23 points, 12 assists ...

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Rafael Nadal withdraws from ATP Finals after defeat to David Goffin

Rafael Nadal will have to wait another year to win the ATP Finals.The world No. 1 withdrew from the elite, season-ending tournament after losing his ...

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Italy fails to qualify for World Cup

Players from both teams slumped to the ground, the Swedes in exhausted ecstasy, the Italians in losers’ agony.On a starry night in Milan, four-time champion ...

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Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger unanimous picks as Rookies of the Year

The only major question was whether it would be unanimous — and it was.Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger are baseball’s Rookies of the Year, after ...

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Recognized among legends Ali, Robinson, ex-QB Colin Kaepernick named GQ’s ‘Citizen of the Year’

Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who began kneeling during the U.S. national anthem last year to protest police brutality against African-Americans, was ...

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NPB to introduce video challenge system

Starting next season, managers in Japan will be able to request video reviews of calls on the field of play following a decision on Monday ...

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Kisenosato claims first win; Harumafuji stumbles again

Yokozuna Kisenosato displayed his confidence, beating Onosho at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday for his first win since he returned to the raised ...

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Switzerland overcomes Northern Ireland to reach World Cup

Switzerland is going to the World Cup after left-back Ricardo Rodriguez denied Northern Ireland hope in both games of their playoff at either end of ...

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Sanfrecce to part ways with Mihael Mikic

Croatian midfielder Mihael Mikic will leave Sanfrecce Hiroshima at season’s end after playing with the side for nine seasons, the J. League first-division club announced ...

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Fighters acquire Twins reliever Michael Tonkin

The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters have acquired right-hander Michael Tonkin on a two-year deal, the Pacific League club announced Monday.The 27-year-old Tonkin has pitched in ...

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Wood hits hat trick as Devils catch fire to beat Blackhawks

After a slow start, the New Jersey Devils and Miles Wood blitzed their way back against the Chicago Blackhawks.Wood had three goals for his first ...

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Celtics take win streak to 12 games

Al Horford turned back the clock in his return from a two-game absence with a concussion.Horford scored 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting to help the ...

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Miami rises to No. 2 in latest AP poll

The last time things were going this well for the Miami Hurricanes, they were dominating the Big East and playing home games in the Orange ...

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Kei Nishikori to play in Brisbane International

Former winner Milos Raonic and this year’s runner-up Kei Nishikori are set to return to next year’s Brisbane International, organizers said Monday.Nishikori, ranked 22, is ...

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Nao Kodaira completes successful weekend with 1,000 win

Nao Kodaira won three of four individual events she entered in the season-opening round of the speedskating World Cup, finishing off the weekend with a ...

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Falcons defense smothers Cowboys

Adrian Clayborn must’ve thought he was the one replacing Ezekiel Elliott in the Dallas Cowboys’ backfield.Clayborn spent most of Sunday running around back there, making ...

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Roger Federer wins opening match at ATP Finals

One break of serve, and a mini-break, was all Roger Federer needed to win his opening match at the season-ending ATP Finals on Sunday.The 19-time ...

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Chiba’s Yuki Togashi sinks 11 3-pointers in loss to Alvark

Yuki Togashi’s spectacular offensive performance thrilled the mostly partisan supporters that congregated at a jam-packed Funabashi Arena on Sunday afternoon.In the second half, Togashi found ...

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Japan men’s judo coach Kosei Inoue lauds Tokyo 2020 prospects

Kosei Inoue, Japan men’s judo head coach, suggested things were looking up for the 2020 Olympics following the conclusion of the two-day Kodokan Cup on ...

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Kisenosato fluffs lines in comeback to ring

Yokozuna Kisenosato’s comeback got off to a losing start as he fell to Tamawashi on Sunday, the first day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.Kisenosato, ...

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Mozu Katchan captures Queen Elizabeth II Cup

Mozu Katchan, the fifth favorite, won the 42nd running of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Sunday by a neck over Crocosmia.With Mirco Demuro aboard, ...

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Rockets make short work of Grizzlies

After beating Houston in the first two meetings this season, Memphis Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said he expected the Rockets to come out swinging on ...

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Shohei Otani takes first swings off tee since surgery

Slugging pitcher Shohei Otani hit off a tee on Sunday for the first time since having ankle surgery on Oct. 12.The 23-year-old Nippon Ham Fighters ...

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Injured Yuzuru Hanyu out for three to four weeks

World and Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu will be sidelined for three to four weeks due to the ankle injury he sustained in practice for the ...

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Morocco, Tunisia qualify for World Cup

Morocco and Tunisia qualified for the World Cup on Saturday, taking Africa’s last two places.They’ll join Nigeria, Egypt and Senegal as the continent’s five representatives ...

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Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir retain ice dance title at NHK Trophy

World champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada won the ice dance title at the NHK Trophy for the second straight year with a ...

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Miho Takagi wins first 1,500 meters race of World Cup speedskating season

Miho Takagi won the season’s first World Cup women’s 1,500-meter race on Saturday, while compatriots Nao Kodaira and Ayano Sato claimed titles in the women’s ...

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Senators beat Avalanche to sweep Sweden series

Mike Hoffman and the Ottawa Senators made the most of their short stay in Sweden.Hoffman scored two goals to help the Senators beat the Colorado ...

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Brex’s Ryan Rossiter nails game-winning 3 in crunch time to sink Brave Thunders

Ryan Rossiter nailed a 3-pointer with less than 2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter on Saturday afternoon as the Tochigi Brex edged the Kawasaki ...

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Russians Evgenia Medvedeva, Sergei Voronov capture NHK Trophy titles

Two-time world champion Evgenia Medvedeva retained her lead after the short program despite a fall in the free skate to win the NHK Trophy on ...

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V-Varen Nagasaki promoted to J1 for first time

V-Varen Nagasaki earned promotion to the J. League’s first division for the first time on Saturday.V-Varen, competing in the J2 since 2013, sealed a second-place ...

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Judoka Akari Inoue claims first Kodokan Cup title

Akari Inoue won the women’s over-78 kg division on Saturday, the first day of the Kodokan Cup, one of the qualifying events for next year’s ...

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Opportunistic Seagulls dominate defensively, capitalize on Rise’s miscues in X League quarterfinal victory

Obic Seagulls head coach Naoki Kosho had never experienced a game in which his team got eight turnovers. It happened in a favorable moment when ...

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Japan to be placed in lowest-level pot for World Cup draw

Japan will be among the lowest-tier of teams in the draw for next June’s World Cup finals after Senegal claimed a berth in the tournament ...

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New Zealand, Peru settle for 0-0 draw

Oceania champion New Zealand held Peru to a 0-0 draw Saturday in the first leg of their intercontinental World Cup playoff that will decide the ...

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GW’s Watanabe shines in opener

Senior guard Yuta Watanabe, a Kagawa Prefecture native, had 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting, 11 rebounds and seven blocks and George Washington held off a ...

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Japan women set team pursuit world record at Speedskating World Cup

Japan triumphed in the women’s team pursuit event at the Speedskating World Cup on Friday, setting a world record by 0.02 seconds.Miho Takagi, her older ...

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Kisenosato seeks strong comeback at Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament

Yokozuna Kisenosato hopes he can shake off the rust and get back to winning ways when he competes in the upcoming Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament ...

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Thunder star Paul George drops 42 on Clippers

NBAThunder 120 Clippers 111This was the Paul George that Thunder fans had been waiting for.George scored 42 points and Oklahoma City snapped a four-game losing ...

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Brazil rolls by Japan in tune-up

Tomoaki Makino netted a goal against Brazil on Friday but Japan succumbed 3-1 to the South American powerhouse in an international friendly, as both teams ...

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Braden Holtby hits milestone as Capitals beat Penguins

Braden Holtby joined the legendary Ken Dryden in the record books and has the Washington Capitals’ suddenly potent power play to thank for his latest ...

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Shohei Otani speaks of desire to becomes world’s best with move to MLB

After weeks of others speculating about his future, Shohei Otani, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters’ captivating two-way superstar, finally had his say.It’s not money pulling ...

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Evgenia Medvedeva, Carolina Kostner finish 1-2 in NHK Trophy women’s short program

Two-time world champion Evgenia Medvedeva grabbed the lead at the NHK Trophy with a score of 79.99 points in the short program on Friday night. ...

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Hot-shooting Volters overpower Crane Thunders

In a game showcasing two of the top teams in the second division, the Kumamoto Volters ran past the visiting Gunma Crane Thunders on Friday ...

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BayStars sign infielder Neftali Soto, pitcher Edison Barrios

The Yokohama BayStars have acquired infielder Neftali Soto, who has played for the Cincinnati Reds, and pitcher Edison Barrios, formerly with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, ...

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Former Chicago Bears linebacker Joe Fortunato dies at 87

Joe Fortunato, the speedy linebacker who helped the Chicago Bears win the 1963 NFL title, has died. He was 87.Fortunato died Monday in Mississippi, where ...

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Seahawks’ Wilson frustrates Cardinals again

Russell Wilson has been confounding the Arizona Cardinals with his escape antics for a long time.He did it again Thursday night in the biggest play ...

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Jones challenges England to improve against Argentina

England coach Eddie Jones has challenged his players to kick on from their summer series victory in Argentina and show they are continuing to evolve ...

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Fighters grant Shohei Otani’s wish to pursue move to major leagues

The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters said Friday they will allow Shohei Otani to use the posting system this offseason to try to land a deal ...

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Gun that killed former NBA player Lorenzen Wright found, Memphis police say

Police say they believe they have found the gun used to kill former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, whose body was found in a swampy field ...

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Jason Zucker delivers third-period hat trick as Wild halt three-game losing streak

Everything is going in the net for Jason Zucker lately.Zucker scored three goals in the third period and Devan Dubnyk made 41 saves for a ...

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James Harden’s triple-double leads Rockets past Cavaliers

James Harden was quick to say yes when asked if he’s playing at as high of a level as he ever has.The follow up question ...

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Star Yuzuru Hanyu pulls out of NHK Trophy with injury

Defending world and Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu, who sustained injuries to his right ankle and knee during an official practice, will withdraw from the NHK ...

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Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson interviews for manager’s job

Longtime Yankees coach Rob Thomson emphasized his ability to speak with players as he became the first person to audition for the New York manager ...

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Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott loses appeal against six-game ban

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott’s half-season run from his six-game suspension ended Thursday when a federal appeals court refused to let him play while ...

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Northern Ireland fumes, Croatia comfortable after World Cup playoff first legs

Northern Ireland coach Michael O’Neill said he was “staggered and bewildered” by a controversial penalty decision which gave Switzerland a 1-0 win in their World ...

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Veteran big man William McDonald joins Yokohama B-Corsairs

Veteran forward/center William McDonald this week joined the Yokohama B-Corsairs to fill a roster spot vacated by injured center Jason Washburn.The B-Corsairs announced the move ...

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Hawks reliever Dennis Sarfate named Matsutaro Shoriki Award recipient

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks closer Dennis Sarfate on Thursday became just the second player to win the prestigious Matsutaro Shoriki Award in 16 years and the ...

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Yuzuru Hanyu sustains right ankle injury in practice; status unknown for NHK Trophy

World and Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu suffered an injury to his right ankle during afternoon practice for the NHK Trophy at Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium ...

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WBA flyweight champ Kazuto Ioka relinquishes title

WBA flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka relinquished his belt Thursday, his father and gym president Kazunori Ioka announced.The elder Ioka told a news conference his son ...

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Keisuke Honda helps Pachuca advance to Copa MX semifinals

Midfielder Keisuke Honda scored four minutes before the break as fifth-seeded Pachuca trounced No. 13 seed Xolos de Tijuana 4-0 in a Copa MX quarterfinal ...

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Packers part ways with tight end Martellus Bennett

The Green Bay Packers have waived Martellus Bennett, bringing the tight end’s short tenure at Lambeau Field to a surprising end.General manager Ted Thompson announced ...

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Yokozuna Kisenosato ready for comeback in Fukuoka

Yokozuna Kisenosato confirmed Thursday he will compete at the upcoming Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament after missing all or part of the last three meets.A day ...

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Hawks infielders Nobuhiro Matsuda, Kenta Imamiya headline Golden Glove Awards

The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks had the golden touch during the regular season, postseason and Japan Series.So it should be no surprise nothing has changed now ...

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Pyeongchang Olympics chief Lee Hee-beom says ticket sales for less-popular events a problem

Lee Hee-beom, president of the Pyeongchang Olympics’ organizing committee said that coaxing spectators into buying tickets for less-popular events remains a problem three months ahead ...

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Goalie Frederik Andersen shines as Maple Leafs triumph over Wild

Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau pointed to Toronto goalie Frederik Andersen.“He won them the game,” Boudreau said. Anderson made 35 saves to help the Maple Leafs ...

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Rangers, Yankees, Twins hold financial advantage in Shohei Otani sweepstakes

The Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins can pay the most to a young international amateur free agent as highly touted Hokkaido Nippon ...

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LS Kitami claims women’s silver at Pacific-Asia Curling Championships

South Korea defeated Japan’s LS Kitami 11-6 in the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships women’s gold-medal game on Thursday.While the Japan women’s team on Wednesday had already ...

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Bankrupt Samoa Rugby Union faces scrutiny

World Rugby said Thursday it will look at the game’s governance in Samoa after administrators in the Pacific nation admitted they were bankrupt and could ...

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Celtics cruise past Lakers for 10th straight win

The Celtics are piling up injuries almost as quickly as they are victories this season.Aron Baynes matched his career high with 21 points, Kyrie Irving ...

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Cowboys owner Jerry Jones threatens to sue NFL over Roger Goodell’s proposed contract extension: source

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has threatened to sue the NFL over a proposed contract extension for commissioner Roger Goodell, a dispute apparently sparked by ...

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Former pitcher Roy Halladay flew airplane low before crash, witnesses say

Roy Halladay was flying his tiny sport plane low over the Gulf of Mexico shortly before it slammed into the water and killed the retired ...

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Witnesses saw retired pitcher Roy Halladay’s plane maneuvering low before fatal crash at sea

Roy Halladay was flying his tiny sport plane low over the Gulf of Mexico shortly before it slammed into the water and killed the retired ...

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Steve Alford to sit LiAngelo Ball, UCLA players involved in shoplifting incident

UCLA basketball coach Steve Alford will sit the three players involved in a shoplifting incident in China for Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech in Shanghai.Alford, ...

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Rockies star Nolan Arenado earns fifth straight Gold Glove

Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado won his fifth consecutive Gold Glove Award on Tuesday night, while Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton headlined a ...

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Japanese women qualify for curling world championships

Japan claimed a spot at next March’s world women’s curling championship on Wednesday, after LS Kitami secured a top-three finish at the ongoing Pacific-Asia Curling ...

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Roy Halladay remembered for his hard work, generosity

A fierce competitor on the mound, Roy Halladay was generous and gentle away from the field.The eight-time All-Star loved his family, baseball and flying. Halladay’s ...

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Marines pitcher Wakui eyes move to MLB as free agent

Chiba Lotte Marines right-hander Hideaki Wakui filed for international free agency in a bid to continue his career in Major League Baseball, the Pacific League ...

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BayStars to bring back pitchers Joe Wieland, Spencer Patton

Starting pitcher Joe Wieland and reliever Spencer Patton have signed one-year contracts to return next season with the Yokohama BayStars, the Central League club announced ...

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Cavaliers hold off Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks

Kevin Love joked that he might swing by the hospital on his way home.On a recent visit, he got a dose of something that made ...

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Competition heats up as Japan prepares for top-class tests

National team manager Vahid Halilhodzic demanded strong friendly opposition to help prepare Japan for next summer’s World Cup, and this coming week’s two fixtures certainly ...

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Talented Naoki Uto ready to grab long-awaited national team chance

With his exceptional height and confidence, Naoki Uto could add a new dimension to the Japan men’s national basketball team.Standing at 189 cm, Uto is ...

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Oilers sink Islanders in overtime

Connor McDavid stormed down the ice with Leon Draisaitl trailing a step behind. Two slick passes and a one-timer later, and the game was over.McDavid ...

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IOC suspends Frank Fredericks over French corruption charges

The International Olympic Committee suspended Frank Fredericks as a member on Tuesday, four days after he was charged in a French investigation of suspected bribery ...

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Tokyo 2020 cycling route to pass foot of Mt. Fuji

The men’s road cycling race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is expected to cover a 270-km route starting in the Tokyo suburbs of Chofu, going ...

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Storied synchronized swimming coach Masako Kaneko chosen for IOC award

Masako Kaneko, who trained Olympic synchronized swimming medalists such as 1988 Seoul Games double bronze winner Mikako Kotani, has been chosen as recipient of the ...

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Yokozuna Kakuryu pulls out of Kyushu tournament

Kakuryu’s career continues to hang by a thread as his stablemaster Izutsu said Wednesday the Monogolian yokozuna will withdraw from the upcoming Kyushu Grand Sumo ...

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Former star pitcher Roy Halladay killed in plane crash

Roy Halladay had a passion for flying airplanes that nearly matched his love of baseball.Halladay worked tirelessly to become a dominant pitcher, winning a Cy ...

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Retired MLB pitching ace Roy Halladay dies in Gulf of Mexico plane crash at 40

Roy Halladay, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who pitched a perfect game and a playoff no-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies, died Tuesday when his ...

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IOC to give award to Japan’s retired synchronized swimming coach Mikako Kaneko

Japan’s Masako Kaneko, who trained Olympic synchronized swimming medalists such as 1988 Seoul Games double bronze winner Mikako Kotani, has been chosen as recipient of ...

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2020 Olympics men’s road cycling route to pass foot of Mount Fuji

The men’s road cycling race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is expected to cover a 270-km route starting in the Tokyo suburbs of Chofu, going ...

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Shohei Otani selects Nez Balelo as agent

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters star Shohei Otani, who is expected to move to the majors this offseason through the posting system, has chosen Nez Balelo ...

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Five Arrows star Reggie Warren reflects on latest career milestone, basketball heroes

Consistency is a hallmark of Reggie Warren’s successful basketball career.Throughout his career, including a large chunk of it spent in Japan, Warren has consistently produced ...

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Olympic marathon champ Jemima Sumgong receives four-year doping ban

Olympic marathon champion Jemima Sumgong of Kenya has been banned four years for using the banned blood-booster EPO.Sumgong’s ban was announced on Tuesday by the ...

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World Karate Federation presents plan for three weight classes in 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The World Karate Federation has presented the International Olympic Committee with a proposal for three weight classes each for men and women in the sport’s ...

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Wakaba Higuchi robbed of victory at Cup of China

Enough of this nonsense.What am I talking about? Skaters winning competitions and then being given the silver medal.Latest case in point: Wakaba Higuchi at the ...

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Struggling West Ham fires Slaven Bilic; David Moyes taking over

West Ham fired manager Slaven Bilic on Monday following the team’s slide into the English Premier League relegation zone and handed David Moyes the opportunity ...

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Russia eyes civil lawsuits to overturn doping bans

Russia could try to overturn doping bans against its athletes in civil courts, Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko said Monday.The International Olympic Committee banned two ...

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Browns executive says he didn’t nix trade for Bengals QB AJ McCarron

Cleveland Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown dismissed the idea he sabotaged the trade with Cincinnati for quarterback AJ McCarron that fell ...

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West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins OKs four-year extension

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins has agreed to a four-year contract extension.WVU athletic director Shane Lyons on Monday announced the extension, which runs through the ...

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Technical director Michael Emenalo leaves Chelsea

One of the key confidants of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich quit the reigning Premier League champion for family reasons on Monday.Michael Emenalo spent 10 years ...

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Capitals’ John Carlson notches winner in OT against Coyotes

Finally, the Washington Capitals cashed in on a power play at home and not a moment too soon.Alex Ovechkin snapped a home power-play drought and ...

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Kyrie Irving leads way as Celts win 9th straight

Kyrie Irving took charge in a fashion only he can.Dribbling and weaving through the lane and around the perimeter, Irving scored from all over and ...

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Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ousted over communication worries

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman decided it “was time for a new voice and a fresh voice” in New York’s clubhouse after concluding Joe Girardi ...

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Pitcher Madison Bumgarner staying put with Giants

Madison Bumgarner’s $12 million option for the 2018 season has been exercised by the San Francisco Giants, who are determined to keep a talented rotation ...

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Longtime Twins coach Rick Stelmaszek dies at 69

Former Minnesota Twins coach Rick Stelmaszek, who helped the team win two World Series championships, has died of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 69.The ...

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Rekindling gallops to victory in 157th Melbourne Cup

Irish stallion Rekindling stormed home to win the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, overhauling Johannes Vermeer near the finish to give trainer Joseph O’Brien a victory ...

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Stafford, Lions carve up Packers

Matthew Stafford put on a quarterback clinic for the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.Aaron Rodgers could only watch from the sideline. Stafford passed for 361 ...

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West Ham fires manager Slaven Bilic

Slaven Bilic was fired as manager of West Ham on Monday after the team dropped into the Premier League’s relegation zone following another big loss.Bilic ...

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BayStars beaten but unbowed after Japan Series experience

After the final out of the Japan Series, as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks celebrated while glittering, golden confetti rained down from the Yafuoku Dome ceiling ...

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Takumi Minamino bags double for Red Bull Salzburg

Takumi Minamino scored a brace Sunday, including his first goal since the opening match of the season in July, as he helped Austrian Bundesliga champion ...

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Lions grant Kazuhisa Makita’s wish to use posting system

The Seibu Lions will approve of submarine right-hander Kazuhisa Makita’s wish to make himself available to the U.S. market through the posting system, the Pacific ...

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Daisuke Murakami pulls out of NHK Trophy with pneumonia

Figure skater Daisuke Murakami has withdrawn from the upcoming NHK Trophy due to pneumonia, the Japan Skating Federation said Monday.Murakami, who was scheduled to compete ...

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James Harden’s career-high 56 leads Rockets past Jazz

James Harden had just scored a career-high 56 points when he was asked if he knew he had fallen one point shy of the Houston ...

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Keflezighi enchants crowd in final New York City Marathon

Meb Keflezighi left it all on the course in his final New York City Marathon, blowing kisses and giving the thumbs-up to the adoring crowds ...

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Rams continue hot streak

If the last two games are any indication, the Los Angeles Rams are for real — and then some.Jared Goff set career highs with four ...

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City beats Arsenal to move eight points clear

Manchester City is the team to catch in the Premier League, and it’s getting even more challenging.Pep Guardiola’s side moved eight points clear with a ...

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NeoPhoenix beat B-Corsairs to earn series split

Statistical similarities marked the first half of Sunday’s Yokohama B-Corsairs-San-en NeoPhoenix series finale.The second half was a somewhat different story. The NeoPhoenix pulled away in ...

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Japan Series champion Hawks part company with Daisuke Matsuzaka

Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka thanked his fans for their support on Sunday, as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks announced that the Pacific League team will part ways ...

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Struggling Ardija replace manager Akira Ito with Masatada Ishii

Relegation-threatened Omiya Ardija have sacked manager Akira Ito and turned to former Kashima Antlers boss Masatada Ishii to help them escape the drop, the J. ...

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Evergreen Noriaki Kasai claims Nordic nationals ski jump title

Forty-five-year-old veteran Noriaki Kasai claimed the men’s large hill title on the final day of the Nordic ski national championships on Sunday after landing a ...

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Army ends Air Force’s 306-game scoring streak

Army stumped Air Force’s offense like very few have before. Give the Black Knights a trophy for the effort — or the shot at one ...

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Masterful Hawks again soar over baseball rivals

At the end of another NPB season, the Japanese baseball world is again wondering how to beat these Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.After Saturday night’s dramatic 11-inning ...

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Hawks finally prevail after epic Japan Series

The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks wrapped up the 2017 Japan Series at Yafuoku Dome on Saturday by capturing their eighth overall title — fourth in the ...

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Antlers beat Reds to close in on J. League title

Kashima Antlers closed in on a record-extending ninth J. League championship title with a 1-0 win at home to Asian Champions League finalist Urawa Reds ...

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Liverpool thrashes West Ham to continue revival

The only member of the English Premier League’s top six in action on Saturday, Liverpool took full advantage.Juergen Klopp’s side won at West Ham 4-1 ...

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Sharks beat Ducks in shootout

A fortunate bounce and a splendid shootout move are what it took for the San Jose Sharks to finally get some pucks past Ryan Miller.Joonas ...

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Kondo loses to Lipinets in bid for vacant IBF title

Akihiro Kondo failed in his bid to claim the vacant IBF super lightweight title on Saturday, losing to Russia’s Sergey Lipinets on a unanimous decision.Kondo, ...

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Warriors ease past Nuggets to complete successful road trip

The Golden State Warriors took to the road to work out some early-season wrinkles in their overall game.Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Stephen Curry had ...

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Hawks capture Japan Series crown on Keizo Kawashima’s sayonara single in 11th

There will be no Game 7.Seiichi Uchikawa, Dennis Sarfate and Keizo Kawashima made sure of that, and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and their fans breathed ...

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Balanced scoring powers Albirex past Grouses

The Niigata Albirex BB’s offense performed at a high level on Saturday.Six Albirex players scored in double figures, including B League scoring leader Davante Gardner, ...

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Wakaba Higuchi earns women’s runner-up spot at Cup of China; Alina Zagitova claims title

Wakaba Higuchi claimed second place after the women’s free program on Saturday at the Cup of China.Second after Friday’s short program, Higuchi scored 141.99 points ...

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Ski jumper Sara Takanashi soars to victory in Ito Cup

Sara Takanashi claimed the women’s title at the Ito Cup summer jump on Saturday, defeating compatriot Yuki Ito.Pyeongchang Olympic medal hope Takanashi, who won at ...

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Wallabies crush Brave Blossoms

Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Australia handed 2019 host Japan a harsh lesson two years ahead of the tournament with a 63-30 win in Yokohama ...

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Feng Shanshan cards 9-under 63 to take sole lead at Japan Classic

Defending champion Feng Shanshan fired a 9-under 63 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the LPGA Tour’s Japan Classic.Feng ...

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Rafael Nadal withdraws from Paris Masters

Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Paris Masters on Friday because of a right knee injury, putting in doubt his participation in the ATP finals.The ...

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French charge Fredericks in probe

IOC member Frankie Fredericks was handed preliminary charges on Friday in a French investigation into vote-buying around the decision to award the 2016 Olympics to ...

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Uchimura seeks to make comeback in December

Kohei Uchimura said Saturday he hopes to return to competition in December, after an injury forced him to end his bid for a seventh straight ...

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Packers QB Aaron Rodgers hopes to return this season

Aaron Rodgers will not decide whether he will play again this season. His surgically repaired collarbone will make that call.Speaking with reporters Friday for the ...

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Caroline Wozniacki, NBA player David Lee are engaged

Caroline Wozniacki is engaged again and showing off her new ring.The Danish tennis player said on Twitter that she accepted a marriage proposal from David ...

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LeBron erupts for 57 points in victory over Wizards

LeBron James scored 57 points — the second-highest total of his career and an NBA-best this season — and the Cleveland Cavaliers stopped a four-game ...

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Masahiro Tanaka staying with Yankees

Scratch Masahiro Tanaka off the list of potential free-agent pitchers.Tanaka said Friday he will stay with the New York Yankees and not exercise the right ...

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Cerezo claim first title with Levain Cup victory

Cerezo Osaka captured their first major domestic title on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Kawasaki Frontale in the final of the YBC Levain Cup.Japan ...

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Connor McDavid sets up three goals as Oilers double up Devils

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers put it all together against the New Jersey Devils.McDavid had three assists and Edmonton beat New Jersey 6-3 on ...

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BayStars closer Yasuaki Yamasaki embraces pressure of must-win games

The BayStars fans at Yokohama Stadium know what to expect when the team enters the bottom of the ninth inning with a small lead.It’s Yasuaki ...

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SeaHorses hold off Evessa in OT for 11th consecutive victory

Ryoma Hashimoto and J.R. Sakuragi scored six points apiece in overtime and the SeaHorses Mikawa edged the Osaka Evessa 87-86 on Friday afternoon, extending their ...

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Hawks, BayStars get ready for pivotal Game 6

One day after a win that made the Japan Series an actual, well, series, the Yokohama BayStars were back on the field in Fukuoka on ...

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Wakaba Higuchi finishes second in women’s short program at Cup of China

Wakaba Higuchi placed second in the women’s short program on Friday at the Cup of China, the third event of the Grand Prix series.Higuchi, third ...

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Frontale aim to capture first major silverware in YBC Levain Cup final against Cerezo

Perennial underachievers Kawasaki Frontale will be hoping to make it fourth time lucky when they face Cerezo Osaka in the final of the YBC Levain ...

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Sara Takanashi, Junshiro Kobayashi nab national ski jumping titles

Sara Takanashi soared to victory in the women’s ski jumping competition at the Nordic ski national championships on Friday.Takanashi posted jumps of 94 and 93.5 ...

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BayStars skipper Alex Ramirez motivated players by keeping quiet

With the clock threatening to strike midnight on the Yokohama BayStars’ inspired run to the Japan Series, Alex Ramirez backed off.Ramirez didn’t have any special ...

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Mourinho’s strategy not yielding desired results

Jose Mourinho returns to Chelsea on Sunday and it is the safest of bets that Saturday’s press conference will fire the first bullets ahead of ...

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Japan, Australia look for improved performances in test match

Japan and Australia head into Saturday’s test match at Nissan Stadium knowing they both need to put behind them less than average performances against invitation ...

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49ers receiver Pierre Garcon out with a neck injury

The San Francisco 49ers will place leading receiver Pierre Garcon on injured reserve for the remainder of the season with a broken bone in his ...

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Cologne’s Yuya Osako nets pair of goals in rout of BATE Borisov

Halftime substitute Yuya Osako scored a brace and provided an assist in a dominant second half for Cologne, which beat BATE Borisov 5-2 Thursday in ...

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Hall of Famer Tony La Russa joins Red Sox front office

The Boston Red Sox hired Tony La Russa on Thursday to serve as a vice president and special assistant on its baseball operations staff.He will ...

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Twins All-Star third baseman Miguel Sano to undergo leg surgery

Minnesota Twins All-Star slugger Miguel Sano will have surgery for a persistent leg injury that knocked him out for six weeks during the season.Sano’s injury ...

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Dodgers star Yasiel Puig’s home burglarized during World Series

Police say the home of Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig was burglarized while his team was losing the World Series.Police say officers answered a ...

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Mariners hurler Hisashi Iwakuma becomes a free agent

The Seattle Mariners announced Thursday they have declined the 2018 club option on veteran right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, who has been sidelined with shoulder issues since ...

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Thompson’s 27 leads Warriors in rout of injury-riddled Spurs

Klay Thompson scored 27 points, Kevin Durant had 24 and the Warriors overcame a lethargic first half to beat injury-riddled San Antonio 112-92 on Thursday ...

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Nationals hope Dave Martinez can bring World Series title

Rookie Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez certainly knows his audience.Whether his words were intended for the man seated to his left in the Nationals Park ...

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Matt Forte scores two TDs as Jets defeat Bills to end losing streak

There was one team that looked like a playoff contender Thursday. It wasn’t the Buffalo Bills.Buffalo’s pursuit of AFC East kingpin New England was stymied ...

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Wild beat Habs for sixth straight time

The Minnesota Wild have been beset by a bunch of injuries during a sluggish start, including long-term absences for two top forwards.Matt Cullen led the ...

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Brave Blossoms boosted by return of veteran players ahead of Wallabies test

Japan coach Jamie Joseph sprung a surprise Thursday when he named his 23-man squad to take on Australia on Saturday at Nissan Stadium.Harumichi Tatekawa, who ...

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BayStars rally in sixth, stave off elimination with Game 5 victory over Hawks

Anyone who thought the Yokohama BayStars were just going to roll over after going down 3-0 in the Japan Series can think again.These BayStars are ...

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Broncos bench QB Trevor Siemian, promote Brock Osweiler: sources

Brock Osweiler has supplanted Trevor Siemian as the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback, two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.Speaking on condition of ...

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Tottenham, Man City secure knockout spots in Champions League

English clubs shone in the Champions League on Wednesday as Tottenham humbled Real Madrid and Manchester City beat Napoli to secure their places in the ...

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Marinos’ Erick Mombaerts to step down after season

Yokohama F. Marinos manager Erick Mombaerts will leave his post after this season, the team announced Thursday.Under the guidance of the 62-year-old Frenchman who has ...

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Nadal regains No. 1 year-end ranking

Rafael Nadal will finish the year as the top-ranked player for the fourth time, surprising even the fiercest of competitors after a wrist injury and ...

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Wallabies reshuffle lineup for Japan match

Injuries and illness forced Australia coach Michael Cheika to reshuffle his backline Thursday ahead of Saturday’s test against Japan at Nissan Stadium.Bernard Foley, Karmichael Hunt ...

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MLB union threatens to block Shohei Otani posting agreement

The Major League Baseball Players Association is threatening to block a new posting agreement over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters’ posting fee, the New York ...

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Roberts defends decision to start Darvish in decisive game

Yu Darvish’s nightmare World Series came to a miserable end as the Japanese pitcher squandered his opportunity once more to send the Los Angeles Dodgers ...

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Rugby World Cup schedule unveiled in Tokyo

Japan will play the winner of the European qualifying competition in the opening game of the 2019 Rugby World Cup at Tokyo’s Ajinomoto Stadium on ...

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Marleau helps Maple Leafs end skid

Playing on the road against a quality opponent while trying to break out of a losing skid is just the kind of situation the Toronto ...

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Young stars Embiid, Simmons spark Sixers

Joel Embiid was bleeped on TV when Ben Simmons slapped him on the chest during another victorious postgame interview.The highlight reel was hard to watch, ...

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Sunrockers coach Geoffrey Katsuhisa counts on team defense

Early in his career, Geoffrey Katsuhisa had the ideal mentor.Longtime NBA bench boss Bob Hill gave Katsuhisa invaluable advice and showed him the ins and ...

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Astros down Dodgers to capture first World Series title

From laughingstock to lift off.George Springer and the Houston Astros rocketed to the top of the baseball galaxy Wednesday night, winning the first World Series ...

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Rookie pitcher Haruhiro Hamaguchi comes up big to keep BayStars alive in Japan Series

Rookie pitcher Haruhiro Hamaguchi took the ball in what might have been the biggest game of his life and delivered the performance of his life.Because ...

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Evgeni Plushenko backs Yuzuru Hanyu for Olympic title

Four-time Olympic medalist Evgeni Plushenko said that Sochi Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu will defend his men’s figure skating title at February’s Pyeongchang Games, NBC Sports ...

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Sumo needs to tackle cause of rising injuries

Yokozuna Harumafuji, who won his ninth championship in September, edged compatriot Hakuho for top spot in the newly released rankings for the Kyushu Grand Sumo ...

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FC Tokyo promotes teenagers Kubo, Hirakawa to first-team squad

FC Tokyo announced Wednesday that 16-year-old Takefusa Kubo and Rei Hirakawa, 17, will be moved to the top team.The two teenagers will aim to make ...

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PSG, Bayern book spots in last 16; Manchester United moves closer

Layvin Kurzawa scored an unlikely hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain powered into the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday with a 5-0 rout of ...

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Thunder brush aside Bucks

Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder were met with little resistance as they kept attacking the lane.When the reigning NBA MVP didn’t take it ...

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WBC orders Yamanaka-Nery rematch after doping investigation

The World Boxing Council ordered an immediate rematch between Shinsuke Yamanaka and Luis Nery for its bantamweight title on Tuesday, three months after the latter ...

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Rugby World Cup organizers struggling to select training bases

The organizers of the next Rugby World Cup, Japan Rugby 2019, will not announce their candidates to host official training bases for the tournament as ...

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Australia comfortable and confident ahead of Japan clash

Australia assistant coach Stephen Larkham said Wednesday that the Wallabies head into Saturday’s rugby international with Japan at Nissan Stadium knowing they are prepared both ...

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Dodgers force decisive World Series Game 7

Joc Pederson sliced a drive over the left-field wall, pounded his chest and danced around the bases, taking as many twists and turns as this ...

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Yu Darvish says no need for Yuli Gurriel to apologize for racist gesture

Yu Darvish didn’t think it was necessary to meet with Yuri Gurriel after the Houston first baseman’s racist gesture toward the Dodgers pitcher.Gurriel contacted the ...

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