News sport : Padres non-tender Everth Cabrera, who was an All-Star in 2013

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(Getty Images) Ever since Everth Cabrera was named to the All-Star game in 2013 his career has taken a serious nosedive.


He was in the midst of a breakout season with the San Diego Padres, hitting .291/.373/.396 with 34 stolen bases and providing solid defense at shortstop. The Padres thought Cabrera was a foundation piece for their future.


It didn't take long for things to turn for the worse.


Less than a month after the All-Star game, Cabrera was among the players suspended 50 games for their involvement with the Biogenesis clinic. At the time he was leading the National League in stolen bases with 37. He also led the NL in stolen bases in 2012 with 44.


When Cabrera returned to the Padres lineup in 2014 he looked nothing like the player from before the suspension. In 90 games this past year his batting average dropped to .232 and his OBP was a measly .272. He missed much of July, most of August and all of September with a hamstring injury.


While on the DL, Cabrera ran into some legal trouble. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI on Sept. 3 and later charged with resisting arrest.


The latest blow came on Tuesday when the Padres non-tendered Cabrera, making him a free agent. San Diego simply decided to cut ties with a player that didn't produce last season and wasn't worth the headache any longer.


Following the decision Cabrera took to Twitter, pledging to improve his reputation on and off the field:



There are plenty of teams around the league looking for a shortstop, the Dodgers, Yankees, and Mets to name a few. Still only 28, Cabrera might draw interest as an upside signing if those teams are willing to overlook the obvious issues he brings along with him. There's a chance, however small, that he could regain the All-Star form he displayed in 2013.


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News sport : Whose stock is rising and falling in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge?

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The Big Ten has taken a commanding lead on the ACC in its annual challenge so far with five wins in the first five games. Below is a look at whose stock has risen and fallen so far during this year's event. Check back throughout Tuesday and Wednesday night's action because this post will be updated as more games are completed.


STOCK RISING: SPIKE ALBRECHT


The more Spike Albrecht contributes at Michigan, the harder it is to believe the lightly recruited point guard once was headed to Appalachian State before the Wolverines finally showed interest. Albrecht rewarded Michigan coach John Beilein for that decision once again Tuesday night with a brilliant performance in a 68-65 victory over Syracuse. He shredded the Orange's trademark two-three zone for 11 points, 9 assists and 0 turnovers and sank the game's biggest shot, a go-ahead 3-pointer after Syracuse had rallied to tie it at 63 in the final minute. The last time Albrecht played this well on a national stage, he tweeted Michigan native Kate Upton asking her out on a date after the 2013 national title game. As well as Albrecht played Tuesday, don't be surprised if he takes another shot.


STOCK FALLING: SYRACUSE'S BALL SECURITY


How did Syracuse manage to lose a game in which it shot more than 50 percent from the field and held Michigan to under 40 percent? Albrecht's brilliance was a factor as were the Wolverines' 17 offensive boards, but in reality, much of the damage was self-inflicted. Syracuse committed 19 turnovers in its 68-65 loss, none more costly than two in the final seconds with the Orange trailing by just one. First, freshman Chris McCullough rebounded a missed free throw by Michigan's Derrick Walton but threw his outlet pass out of bounds. Then after Caris LeVert also missed the front end of a 1 and 1 to keep the Orange within one, freshman Kaleb Joseph squandered that chance by dribbling into traffic and losing the ball. The sequence was a reminder of what Syracuse lost when Tyler Ennis turned pro after his freshman year. While Joseph will be a fine player in time, he's neither as steady nor as poised as Ennis and the Orange don't have another true point guard on their roster.


STOCK RISING: EMMITT HOLT


One of Indiana's biggest weaknesses so far this season has been the lack of a reliable big man. Hanner Mosquera-Perea hasn't proven reliable enough to make the transition from role player to interior focal point and none of Indiana's young big men seemed ready for that kind of responsibility. That changed Tuesday night when freshman Emmitt Holt enjoyed a breakout night at Pittsburgh's expense. The 6-foot-7 forward scored 15 points on 6 of 6 shooting and added five rebounds and two blocks, helping Indiana to a comfortable 81-69 victory. Holt is a little undersized to be a rim protector and a little raw as a low-post threat, but he showed good hands and touch around the rim when Pittsburgh big men left him free to help on Indiana's slashing guards. If he can do that while also defending and rebounding, he'll be a much-needed backup at worst and perhaps supplant Mosquera-Perea in the starting lineup before too long.


STOCK FALLING: PITTSBURGH'S DEFENSE


The myth that Pittsburgh is a good defensive team hasn't been true for years, but this might finally be the season even those who aren't paying attention finally stop spouting it. The Panthers are so inept on that end of the floor they make bad offensive teams look competent and good ones look unstoppable. Pittsburgh played an extended man-to-man against Indiana in hopes of eliminating the 3-point shot, so the Hoosiers carved up the Panthers off dribble, sinking 17 of 28 shots and scoring 24 points in the paint. Switching to a 2-3 zone did little to help Pittsburgh either in the second half as Yogi Ferrell, Robert Johnson and others continued to find driving lanes. Indiana extended an eight-point halftime lead to as many as 23 en route to an easy 81-69 victory. Poor defense against the hot-shooting Hoosiers wouldn't be alarming if it were a one-time only problem but it's no aberration. A mediocre Hawaii team shot 52 percent from the field in an upset victory over Pittsburgh on Nov. 21. Division II Chaminade shot 51 percent from the field a few nights later. And defense-oriented San Diego State shot an absurd 58.7 percent in a 74-57 rout of the Panthers.


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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!


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Party time for United after fourth win

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Manchester United cemented their place in the top four after surviving a late scare against Stoke City.


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London - Manchester United are finally beginning to look like their old selves at least in terms of results after a sluggish start to life under new coach Louis van Gaal.


They were indebted to keeper David de Gea as they survived some late scares to beat Stoke City 2-1 at home on Tuesday and complete a fourth consecutive win in the Premier League to cement their place in the top four.


There is still a long way to go before United can even contemplate a title challenge, but progress is being made after last season's dismal post-Alex Ferguson spiral into mediocrity.


Marouane Fellaini, an expensive misfit last season, scored United's opening goal - his second of the season - and Juan Mata's free kick earned the victory that put fourth-placed United on to 25 points from 14 games.


Even the absence of Wayne Rooney and Angel di Maria through injury did not disrupt United's resurgence and Van Gaal's usually gruff demeanour was replaced by something more jovial as he chatted after the game.


“I am very happy with the result, it's the fourth victory in a row which is also important and tomorrow is our Christmas party, and it's good we are having one.”


But reverting to type, the Dutchman said he had been disappointed by the first half display.


“I am always more interested in our performance rather than the result, I'm a very crazy coach!” he said.


“I want a better performance. Against Hull City (who United beat 3-0 on Saturday) I liked our performance but today it could have been better.”


United have a home game against third-placed Southampton on Monday and a fifth successive win would fuel the optimism that is slowly returning to the 20-times champions.


While Van Gaal said United could still challenge for the title “if we win every game”, he was not getting carried away.


“I want to wait until after our next match (to assess things), but we're in a very good moment,” he said.


“We've won four matches in a row, which is a very good achievement in the Premier League. I want to see what happens against Southampton - when we win a second consecutive away match, then we'll have great momentum.”


England striker Rooney will have a scan on Wednesday after suffering knee and calf knocks against Hull, while Di Maria had not sustained a “heavy injury”, according to Van Gaal


“We are seeing a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.


Reuters






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News sport : CFP committee reassures TCU with No. 3 ranking, while putting undefeated Florida State on the bubble

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With just one week remaining before the final and definitive College Football Playoff rankings are decided, the playoff committee made a bold statement by putting the nation’s only undefeated team on the playoff bubble.


For the past few weeks, Florida State has watched teams with one loss jump it in the playoff rankings and this week it was TCU. The Horned Frogs, who were No. 5 last week, checked in at No. 3 this week after a sound win against Texas on Thanksgiving night. That effort along with Mississippi State’s loss to Ole Miss and Florida State’s close win against Florida were enough to empower the committee to launch the Horned Frogs up two spots and into a seemingly immovable position. If TCU beats Iowa State this weekend — and wins the way it should — the Horned Frogs are in the playoff.


CFP rankings Week 15 So, is Florida State on the bubble?


Committee chairman Jeff Long suggested that an undefeated Florida State team would not drop out of the top 4, but what if it struggles against Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship this weekend? That’s a very real possibility given that the Yellow Jackets are coming off an upset of Georgia and are playing about as well defensively as any team in the country right now. Also, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston is embroiled in a student code of conduct hearing this week, which could have implications on his eligibility long term and is likely creating a bit of a distraction short term.


However, Georgia Tech isn’t one of the unranked foes with which the Seminoles have struggled. The Yellow Jackets are No. 11, so winning convincingly might not be valued as much as just winning. That said, No. 5 Ohio State and No. 6 Baylor are lurking and both play ranked foes this weekend. Ohio State will face No. 13 Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game without its star quarterback J.T. Barrett, who broke his ankle last week.


Baylor, which struggled with Texas Tech last week, faces No. 9 Kansas State in what could be a defacto Big 12 title game depending on what happens between TCU and Iowa State.


And let’s not forget, both No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Oregon have championship games against No. 16 Missouri and No. 7 Arizona respectively.


So while nothing is guaranteed, it’s clear the committee wanted at least some element of drama down the final stretch. Many thought it would be the tussle between TCU and Baylor, but with the Horned Frogs more or less out the fracas (with a win, of course), the committee seems to be challenging the nation's lone undefeated team to prove that it's beetter than some of its close wins would indicate.


For more TCU news, visit PurpleMenace.com.


For more Florida State news, visit Warchant.com.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!


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News sport : Utah trainer Gary Briggs was hit with a technical foul for helping a player, which was wrong

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Gary Briggs, NBA bad boy. (Getty Images) This is a minor change, but a needed one. NBA trainers shouldn't have to think twice about harming their team, in a five-point game, before rushing to help one of the players they're charged with tending to.


It seems hard to fathom, but in the event of an expected on-court fight between any number of NBA players, a team trainer is forbidden from leaving the bench to aid any players that may have been stricken during the skirmish, while the skirmish is still ongoing in the referees’ estimation.


We were reminded of this on Monday night when Denver Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo violently clotheslined Utah Jazz guard Alec Burks as the latter drove toward the basket.


Neither bench cleared and no Jazz player came through with a retaliation move outside of Enes Kanter getting in Afflalo’s face, thankfully, but Jazz trainer Gary Briggs did rush the court to attend to Burks, who initially writhed on the floor after taking a dangerous fall.


Watch:



You can’t actually see Briggs run out during that clip, as Burke fell on the opposite end of the court relative to the Jazz bench, but because several Jazz players decided to gnash about verbally with some Nuggets, Briggs was technically in violation of an NBA rule, and hit with a technical foul, allowing the Nuggets to tack on an extra point after Ty Lawson nailed a free throw. Burks was awarded with two foul shots and the ball as a result of Afflalo’s Flagrant 2 foul and ejection, but the extra point (which put Denver up by six points) may have made a world of difference in what turned out to be a two-point Denver win.


The rule in this case was pointed out to us by the great Clint Peterson at Fansided’s Purple & Blues:



Section V–Conduct

a. An official may assess a technical foul, without prior warning, at any time . A technical foul(s) may be assessed to any player on the court or anyone seated on the bench for conduct which, in the opinion of an official, is detrimental to the game. A technical foul cannot be assessed for physical contact when the ball is alive.

EXCEPTION: Fighting fouls and/or taunting with physical contact.

b. A maximum of two technicals for unsportsmanlike acts may be assessed any player, coach or trainer . Any of these offenders may be ejected for committing only one unsportsmanlike act, and they must be ejected for committing two unsports-manlike acts.

c. A technical foul called for (1) delay of game, (2) coaches box violations, (3) defensive 3-seconds, or (4) having a team total of less or more than five players when the ball is alive, or (5) an offensive player hanging on his basket ring or backboard, is not considered an act of unsportsmanlike conduct.

d. A technical foul shall be assessed for unsportsmanlike tactics such as:

(1) Disrespectfully addressing an official

(2) Physically contacting an official

(3) Overt actions indicating resentment to a call

(4) Use of profanity

(5) A coach entering onto the court without permission of an official



The NBA did well to implement rules that forbade players from leaving the bench during an altercation in 1995, and even though the rule has frustrated some New York and Phoenix fans over the years, it’s something that the league needs. You don’t have to be a violent knucklehead to want to jump into the fray so as to defend a teammate. It’s a human reaction, to be sure, but sometimes human reactions aren’t the best reactions when emotions are strong and tempers are flaring.


Briggs likely exuded none of this as he came to Burks' side. Alec Burks thankfully got up soon after the foul and finished the game, but he clearly landed hard on his hip, and the play in question looked very similar to the flagrant foul an unknowing Al Horford committed on T.J. Ford in 2007, one that exacerbated Ford’s spinal woes and sent into temporary paralysis:



Burks did not exhibit any signs of that initially, but that’s not the point. It’s a trainer’s job to check in on his stricken player, and he and his team should not be penalized for it. The fact that it happened in a game this close, aiding the team with the aggressor in this situation (Arron Afflalo is not a dirty player, but this was a reckless play), only adds to it. The technical will likely be rescinded and Briggs will have to pay no fine, and the Nuggets may have won without the one-point help, but this hardly matters.


The NBA is completely correct in having quite a few no-tolerance policies tossed into its rulebook. The league needs to make an amendment here, though. If a trainer leaves the bench to confront an opponent or add to the melee, yes, fire the guy.


That sort of reaction, from a trainer, is an outrageous concept, however, and a worst-case scenario. Until it happens, let’s allow the trainers do their job, especially when they’re needed the most.


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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Gregg Popovich wants Kawhi Leonard to dominate because his Big Three is 'older than dirt'

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The defending champion San Antonio Spurs nearly blew a 24-point lead over the hapless and winless Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night before holding on to win.


Actually, mostof the defending champion San Antonio Spurs watched as their team nearly blew a 24-point lead. Tim Duncan (old) and Tony Parker (bruised rib, also old) sat the whole game, and Manu Ginobili was allowed to rest for the entire fourth quarter. Even with those three future Basketball Hall of Famers sitting, though, the Spurs were able to hold off the Sixers by working through Kawhi Leonard down the stretch, as the 23-year old scored six points with two rebounds and a steal in the quarter. His spin move and three-point play, pictured above, was the Sixer-killer with under a minute to play.


To hear Spurs coach Gregg Popovich tell it, though, Leonard would have seen the ball in his massive mitts a whole heck of a lot even if his legendary teammates were roaming with him. From Michael Lee at the Washington Post:



“We’re trying to loosen up a bit and give him more of a green light,” Popovich said. “He’s getting more license. When you’re a young kid, you’re going to defer to Timmy and Manu and [Tony]. Now it’s like, ‘To heck with those guys. The Big Three, they’re older than dirt. To hell with them. You’re the Big One. You’ve got to go do your deal.’ So, we’re trying to get him to be more demonstrative in that regard.”



Then there is this lovely nugget:



Lee reports that the Spurs actually sent him game film of MJ from the 1990s, which makes sense because I was wondering where that big box of VHS tapes from my garage went.


Leonard will never be the sort of scoring swingman that can flatten the floor and consistently beat his defender off the dribble. He doesn’t have poor ball handling skills, far from it, but anyone expecting him to approximate, say, LeBron James’ work from his Cavaliers’ trip to the 2007 NBA Finals would be left wanting.


What Kawhi does have is length, those wonderful hands, great touch, and emerging footwork. He’s not there yet with his back to the basket, but for Popovich to be encouraging this sort of spinning triple-threat play at such an early point in Kawhi’s career is fantastic. He’s not even on his second contract yet, and yet Kawhi Leonard is already perfecting the old man moves.


The Spurs won their 2014 title through ball movement and anticipation. Few plays were called as the rock whipped around the court and either ended up a few feet from the goal, or in the hands of a capable three-point shooter. For them to repeat as champs, they’ll once again have to keep exasperated defenders on their heels with all the extra passing and beautiful spacing.


With that in place, the motion and the movement aren’t always going to be there, and you’re going to need someone to save the day when teammates start bumping into one another.


The Spurs have plenty of options. Tim Duncan is still quite reliable down low, Manu Ginobili appears to be working into shape but he’ll be just fine come spring, and Tony Parker is surprisingly leading the league in three-point shooting (16-24 on the year!).


Leonard can be better than all of them. Not in comparison to their various peaks, but when this season’s playoffs hit. His potential is that great.


Kawhi hasn’t exactly come into 2014-15 with guns blazing, but his per game and per minute shot attempts are up by a couple, and his usage rate has followed suit. His shooting percentages have dropped but everyone starts slowly at the outset of autumn, and he’s getting to the line twice as much per game. His per game averages of 15.1 points and 7.7 rebounds may not seem star-like, but understand that Gregg Popovich is playing him like he was drafted in 1999: Leonard tops off at 31.1 minutes per game.


A swingman or shooting guard in the post is a wonderful thing. It provides myriad scoring options even if the pivotman doesn’t shoot the ball or make the assist that leads to the basket. Leonard is intelligent, athletic, unselfish and talented enough to do some wonderful things from down there.


Even as Tim Duncan and Tony Parker look on. Or even if they’re on the court.


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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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City more confident now - Fernandinho

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Fernandinho is in no doubt Manchester City are brimming with confidence and determined to record a fourth successive victory to keep the pressure on Chelsea.


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Sunderland, United Kingdom – Fernandinho is in no doubt Manchester City are brimming with confidence and determined to record a fourth successive victory to keep the pressure on Chelsea at the top of the Premier League.


The reigning champions have moved to within six points of Jose Mourinho's leaders as they begin to discover a consistency they struggled to find in the early stages of the season.


City went second in the table with a 3-0 victory over Southampton, who were previously unbeaten at home, last weekend and Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho believes that result can serve as a statement of intent from Manuel Pellegrini's team.


“This is a new time for us, and from now until the end of the season I think you will see a different Manchester City,” said Fernandinho ahead of Wednesday's trip to Sunderland.


“We didn't start very well this season but now we're playing much better. Now we need to keep at this quality for the whole year.


“This win was also a very important victory because this week has been quite tough for us, and this title fight is massive. When you win against a team that is above you, it is much better,” he added, with City having leapfrogged Southampton into second place.


“We go into the next game at Sunderland with more confidence, and we are looking to win again.”


City could be without both of their first-choice central defenders for the trip to the Stadium of Light.


Eliaquim Mangala is suspended after being sent off during the victory against the Saints, and captain Vincent Kompany is a major doubt, having left the field injured on Sunday.


Pellegrini revealed the Belgian defender had suffered a hamstring injury but does not yet know the severity of the problem.


The absence of Mangala, the £32 million ($51 million) pre-season signing from Porto, and Kompany would leave City short on options at the heart of their defence.


Martin Demichelis is almost certain to come into the starting line-up in front of another 40,000-plus attendance at Sunderland's Wearside home.


The Argentinian would be partnered by either Bacary Sagna – whose natural position is right-back – or Dedryck Boyata, a 24-year-old Belgian who has made just seven Premier League starts in five years for City.


Fernandinho was confident City would cope with the changes in defence.


“We have two important players out but I am sure the boss will find another player to cover that position.


“The most important thing will be playing as a team, even without two important players.”


Meanwhile Sunderland will hope to remain unbeaten for a fifth straight game.


The Black Cats, beaten by City in last season's League Cup final, earned plaudits for their defensive display in holding Chelsea to a 0-0 draw at the weekend.


But Sunderland's former City midfielder Adam Johnson said they would look to attack Pellegrini's side at every opportunity.


Sunderland have beaten Manchester City 1-0 at home in each of the last four seasons, and haven't lost to them in front of their own fans for more than six years.


“You only have to look at the players they have in their squad to see it will be a difficult game,” Johnson said.


“But we're up for the challenge against them just like we were last season, and maybe we can catch them off guard once again.”– Sapa-AFP






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News sport : UAB officially shuts down its football program

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The University of Alabama-Birmingham announced Tuesday that it will officially shut down its football program at the end of the season.


UAB becomes the first Football Bowl Subdivision/Division I-A school to drop football since Pacific in 1995.


A release by the university cited the results of a review conducted by CarrSports Consulting that said in order to preserve the greater good of the athletic department, UAB needed to end football, bowling and rifle at the end of the 2014-15 academic year.


UAB said it would honor the coaching contracts and player scholarships of those affected. Per NCAA bylaws, players wishing to transfer will not be forced to sit out a season.


Athletic director Brian Mackin has been reassigned from his position as athletic director to the newly created position of special assistant for athletics. Mackin will be tasked with helping the players and coaches affected by this transition process.


"The Athletic Department faces many challenges given the rapidly evolving NCAA landscape and soaring operating costs, which place extreme pressure and a growing financial burden on programs like UAB's. Costs are continuously spiraling upwards driven by cost-of-attendance payments to players, meals, equipment, facilities, coaches, travel and more," the statement said.


"The fiscal realities we face — both from an operating and a capital investment standpoint — are starker than ever and demand that we take decisive action for the greater good of the Athletic Department and UAB," college president Ray Watts said in that statement. "As we look at the evolving landscape of NCAA football, we see expenses only continuing to increase. When considering a model that best protects the financial future and prominence of the Athletic Department, football is simply not sustainable."


Rumors about the program’s demise have been floating around for the past couple months, but started to gain steam after the regular season finale this past weekend. The Blazers finished the year 6-6 and are bowl eligible should they receive an invite.



UAB students and fans tried to protest the move Monday while Watts deliberated about the future of the program. Those protests continued Tuesday before the decision was sent out in an email to students.


In eliminating football, UAB officials said they hoped to reallocate its financial resources to its remaining programs, which include men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, women’s track and field, women’s cross country, sand volleyball and volleyball.


"We are not looking to reduce the athletic budget, but instead to reallocate our resources to remaining athletic programs," Watts said. "This strategic plan will give us our best chance to win championships and national prominence. Many of our programs have been on the cusp, and funds redirected from football can propel them to the next level. The best days for UAB Athletics are yet to come."


UAB said it hopes to maintain it Division I status as well as stay a member of Conference USA, which might be a difficult task without football. Conference USA has not yet commented on UAB’s announcement.


"I want the UAB family to know that this decision was not made lightly; that it has and will continue to be truly agonizing," Watts said. "I know many will be disappointed. As a Birmingham native, UAB alum and sports fan, I am among them. I couldn't be more proud of how well our student athletes and coaches have represented the institution. They have earned our respect and appreciation, which makes this necessary financial decision all the more difficult. This is not easy, but it is the right decision for UAB and our future."


For more UAB news, visit BlazerSportsReport.com.


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News sport : Greg Cosell's Week 13 Analysis: The Packers' counter to the Pats' D

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(USA Today Sports Images) The Green Bay Packers knew, based on what the New England Patriots have shown for most of this season, that their offense would see a lot of man coverage.


And their answer for the Patriots was simple and effective: four-receiver sets, with Randall Cobb as the moveable chess piece aligning all over the formation to counter that man coverage. It was a great plan, to isolate advantageous matchups.


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Perhaps the best example came in the second quarter. Cobb lined up offset in the backfield, something the Packers showed on their first possession (they also had receiver Jarrett Boykin in the backfield on the first possession) and the Patriots stayed man-to-man with cornerback Kyle Arrington on Cobb. Cobb was lined up offset to the bunch side (three receivers lined up close to each other) of the field. My guess, based on seeing the film, is the Patriots rule is that if a back releases outside, then the outside linebacker peels and runs with him. Cobb was lined up as a back. Outside linebacker Rob Ninkovich ran with Cobb. Arrington couldn’t get through the traffic created by the receivers bunched up.


Then, Cobb’s wheel route against Ninkovich is a big mismatch. He gained 33 yards.



(NFL.com screen shot)


(NFL.com screen shot)


(NFL.com screen shot)


There was another great call, based on down, distance and the Patriots’ man coverage tendency late in the first quarter.


On third and 2, Davante Adams lined up from a minus split. He was against cornerback Logan Ryan. Adams ran an out-and-up route against Ryan, who jumped the out part of the route because it was third and short. Adams beat him for a 45-yard gain. It’s a well-designed play.



(NFL.com screen shot)


(NFL.com screen shot)


(NFL.com screen shot)


The plan was good, and Aaron Rodgers did what he normally does as well, which is make plays late in the down and outside of the structure of the offense.


The Patriots are mostly an execution defense. They didn't blitz much against the Packers, relying on a four-man rush with mostly man coverage behind it. They don’t have a ton of multiplicity within the scheme this season, but they execute very well. The Packers had a great plan, and they executed it tremendously at some key times.



- - - - - - -


NFL analyst and NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell watches as much NFL game film as anyone. Throughout the season, Cosell will join Shutdown Corner to share his observations on the teams, schemes and personnel from around the league.






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News sport : The NBA has released startlingly-simple uniform designs for the 2015 All-Star Game

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The stylings of the various NBA All-Star Game uniforms over the last few years have been rather ornate, and unlikely to age well. All manner of fonts, decorations, and ultimately sleeves were placed on the league’s All-Stars in an attempt to liven up what is already a lively-enough game featuring unending alley-oops and a typical over/under of 270 points, usually played in between bouts of musical performances from top 40 acts.


This year’s All-Star patterns are far less outrageous. Released Tuesday, they should go over well with fans:



(Courtesy adidas)


(Courtesy adidas)

The game will be played in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, with the Friday and Saturday events taking place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, so the league has decided to pay tribute to NYC’s five boroughs by placing a star celebrating each borough on the side of the uniforms:



(Courtesy adidas)

According to the league, a taxi-checkered pattern signifies Manhattan, a brick pattern stands in for Brooklyn’s famous brownhouses, Queens’ Unisphere from the 1964 World’s Fair is in their star, a vinyl record gives shout out to the Bronx’s significance in the rise of hip-hop, and waves emanate from Staten Island’s particular star.



(Courtesy adidas)

In addition, players with a historical past of their own will also wear patches with either an NBA champion, Rookie of the Year, league MVP or All-Star Game MVP designation. In LeBron James’ case, he’ll have a very busy left sleeve:


All in all, fine work by the NBA and their corporate clothing partner.


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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : 2014 Driver Reviews: No. 33 Michael Annett

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After doing exit interviews for Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2013, we're turning the tables. We want the drivers to sell themselves. So here are the resumés for all full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2014. Then, at the end, we'll provide a summation of the driver's season in 150 words or less.


Name: Michael Annett


NASCAR Experience: One full year in the Sprint Cup Series and five-plus seasons in the Nationwide Series


Most recent team: Tommy Baldwin Racing


Most recent season finish: 33rd


2014 accomplishments: Finished 16th at Talladega in the spring and got top-20 finishes at Auto Club, Pocono and Kentucky. Just missed finishing in the top 20 at Atlanta and Texas. Had six lead lap finishes for a team that had one full-time sponsor between two cars.


Most memorable moment: Making the final round of qualifying at Talladega in the fall and qualifying 10th. Unfortunately, that didn't translate to a good finish as a crash resulted in a 37th-place finish. But that's why restrictor plate racing is called roulette, right?


Strengths: Sponsor relations and outperformed teammate with significant Cup experience in rookie season.


2015 goals: Turn a top-20 into a top-10 and finish on the lead lap 10 or more times. Outperform teammate once again.


FTM's Take: Annett's path to the Cup Series has been a patient one. He raced in ARCA for parts of three seasons before moving to the Nationwide Series and then the Cup Series. However, his last national series win came in ARCA in 2008. With the continued fraud allegations against Pilot, Annett's sponsor, it's fair to wonder if Annett will be on the outside looking in if Pilot has to drop its NASCAR sponsorship in the future.


Previous reviews: No. 34 Reed Sorenson, No. 35 Alex Bowman


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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Reports: Michigan fires Brady Hoke

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According to multiple reports, Michigan interim athletic director Jim Hackett informed Brady Hoke of his dismissal in a meeting Tuesday afternoon. The school announced that a press conference discussing the state of the football program would be held at 4:30 p.m. ET.


Hoke’s fourth season at the helm ended Saturday with a loss to rival Ohio State, dropping the Wolverines to 5-7 – the first time the program has missed out on a bowl game since 2009.


Overall in four seasons, Hoke’s record at Michigan was 31-20 (18-14 Big Ten).


For more Michigan news, visit TheWolverine.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Todd Gurley whistleblower says he never meant to hurt Georgia

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The man who paid Georgia running back Todd Gurley $400 to sign memorabilia said he never intended to hurt Gurley’s eligibility.


In interviews with ESPN and Sports Illustrated, Bryan Allen detailed his interaction with Gurley, which took place in a car in the parking lot of Gurley’s apartment complex.


In the interview, Allen told the media outlets he went to meet Gurley with a man named Shane Smith. Smith asked Allen to drive and to pony up $250 of the $400 they needed to pay for the autographs.


During the deal, Allen said he sat in the backseat while Smith and Gurley sat up front. Smith would hand Gurley things to sign, Gurley would sign them and they would end up with Allen in the backseat.


However, during the signing, Allen said he started to become suspicious as Smith started taking pictures of the car and of Allen and the memorabilia. Allen said he started to worry he was being set up.


"I'm kinda nervous," Allen said. "I introduce myself to Todd Gurley and sit in the backseat. He [Smith] tells me to hand him the stuff and bag it up. If you want anything special [personalized], tell him.


"They're doing their thing and Shane starts taking pictures of the inside of my car. We're in my car. I have all the money [Allen said Smith told him to put the $400 in his pocket]. Why would he ask me to hold the money? He's done this many times. He's taking pictures of my car. Am I being set up on this? Honest to God, that's what was going through my head. There's no proof of [Smith] being there and [Gurley] could identify me."


Allen said he took (and subsequently showed ESPN and SI) a nearly 5 minute cell phone video detailing the transaction as a way of protecting himself and proving his story.


Allen said six months later, he received a couple phone calls from unknown numbers asking about the transaction and he said that caused him to panic. He said a friend told him he should come clean before someone else tried to tell the story of what happened. So, Allen contacted a couple different Florida media members, Deadspin and ultimately got in touch with Georgia’s compliance department, which led to Gurley’s suspension.


Allen said that panicking and contacting various Florida media outlets was a terrible decision on his part and that if he could take it back, he would.


"I can't change any of that stuff -- any of those emails, me talking to the school, how it was handled -- I can't change any of that," Allen said. "If I could, I would.


"Because I never wanted to screw over Gurley. I never wanted to screw over their fans or anything like that. That was never my intention. I wish I had never even gone down there. It's not worth it."


For more Georgia news, visit UGASports.com.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!


And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook






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News sport : 2014 Driver Reviews: No. 33 Michael Annett

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,

After doing exit interviews for Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2013, we're turning the tables. We want the drivers to sell themselves. So here are the resumés for all full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2014. Then, at the end, we'll provide a summation of the driver's season in 150 words or less.


Name: Michael Annett


NASCAR Experience: One full year in the Sprint Cup Series and five-plus seasons in the Nationwide Series


Most recent team: Tommy Baldwin Racing


Most recent season finish: 33rd


2014 accomplishments: Finished 16th at Talladega in the spring and got top-20 finishes at Auto Club, Pocono and Kentucky. Just missed finishing in the top 20 at Atlanta and Texas. Had six lead lap finishes for a team that had one full-time sponsor between two cars.


Most memorable moment: Making the final round of qualifying at Talladega in the fall and qualifying 10th. Unfortunately, that didn't translate to a good finish as a crash resulted in a 37th-place finish. But that's why restrictor plate racing is called roulette, right?


Strengths: Sponsor relations and outperformed teammate with significant Cup experience in rookie season.


2015 goals: Turn a top-20 into a top-10 and finish on the lead lap 10 or more times. Outperform teammate once again.


FTM's Take: Annett's path to the Cup Series has been a patient one. He raced in ARCA for parts of three seasons before moving to the Nationwide Series and then the Cup Series. However, his last national series win came in ARCA in 2008. With the continued fraud allegations against Pilot, Annett's sponsor, it's fair to wonder if Annett will be on the outside looking in if Pilot has to drop its NASCAR sponsorship in the future.


Previous reviews: No. 34 Reed Sorenson, No. 35 Alex Bowman


- - - - - - -


Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Andre Johnson offers Houston kids an 80-second holiday shopping spree

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Imagine you had 80 seconds in a Toys R' Us to grab whatever you could. Sweet deal, huh? Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson made that dream a reality on Tuesday morning for dozens of kids from the Harris County Department of Family Protective Services.


Per the Houston Chronicle, Johnson gathered together kids at a Toys R' Us near NRG Stadium, and said some of the sweetest words they could have heard there: "You can go through the store and get whatever you want. I’ll pay for it. Have a Merry Christmas."


From there, the kids were off on an 80-second shopping spree, grabbing whatever they could find and loading up their carts. (Johnson noted that video game systems would be available for the kids who wanted them.) Here's the spree in action:



After the 80 seconds were done, Johnson spent 20 minutes going from register to register, paying for each shopping cart with his credit card. Final total: $16,266.26.



This is the eighth year Johnson has spread Christmas joy to Houston-area kids. “Me and my uncle were sitting in the house one day," he said. "And I was like, ‘I want to do something for Christmas.’ And he was just like, ‘Have you ever thought about having kids go through Toys R Us and get what they want?’ And I was just like, ‘Naw, I never really thought about that.’ He was like, ‘Give ‘em 80 seconds to run through the store and let ‘em just get what they want.’ And I was like, ‘That’s not enough time.’ And he was like, ‘They can grab a lot.’"


[Join FanDuel.com's $2.25M Week 14 fantasy league: $25 to enter; top 20,675 teams paid]



Score all the way around.


____

Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.



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