United travel to Preston

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This season's cup competitions are providing Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal with the opportunity to visit some of England's more obscure footballing outposts in his first year in Britain.


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This season's cup competitions are providing Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal with the opportunity to visit some of England's more obscure footballing outposts in his first year in Britain.


After a stunning 4-0 loss at third-tier Milton Keynes Dons in the second round of the League Cup in August, Van Gaal and his team have been sent to two more unheralded lower-league teams in the FA Cup.


United was hardly convincing in eliminating third-tier Yeovil and fourth-tier Cambridge - after a replay - in the past two rounds. Next up for England's biggest club is a trip to Preston North End, which plays in the third division and is the club that United sent David Beckham on loan to as a 19-year-old - before he returned to Old Trafford to begin his illustrious top-flight career.


The draw has been kind to Van Gaal as he looks to claim his first trophy as United manager, and he's also been helped by one of the most stunning set of results in the FA Cup's proud history.


Chelsea, Manchester City, Southampton and Tottenham were all humbled in the fourth round, throwing the cup wide open.


The biggest threats to United are fierce rival Liverpool, which visits Crystal Palace on Saturday in one of three all-Premier League matchups in the last 16, and FA Cup holder Arsenal, which is at home on Sunday to Middlesbrough - the second-tier team that knocked out Man City. United plays Preston on Monday.


Here are some other things to know about the fifth round:


ROONEY'S ROLE


Wayne Rooney hasn't scored in 2015 and has picked up more yellow cards than goals in his last 13 games for Man United. He is on his longest run without a goal for United since 2006.


It comes as no surprise, given that the player who will likely finish his career as the top all-time scorer for United and England is being played in midfield as Van Gaal looks to accommodate all his squad's star attackers.


Rooney has played attacking midfield, right midfield, central midfield -and even as a holding midfielder in the 3-1 league win over Burnley on Wednesday.


“Maybe he can better play in a striker's position,” Van Gaal said, “but then I have a problem in midfield.”


With Daley Blind joining Michael Carrick on the sidelines, Rooney could start at the base of a midfield diamond against Preston, which is a founding member of the football league and won the league-FA Cup double in its inaugural season, in 1888-89.


BALOTELLI DILEMMA


Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers must decide whether Mario Balotelli's late winning goal against Tottenham in the league as a substitute on Tuesday is enough to earn the Italy striker a return to the starting lineup against Palace.


Rodgers may not want to start Daniel Sturridge for the second time in five days because the England international has just returned from five months out injured.


With Raheem Sterling nursing a foot injury, the door could be open for a first start for Balotelli since November. Sturridge raised the possibility of starting alongside Balotelli, which happened once - to great effect in a big away win at Tottenham - before his injury.


“I am sure we will strike up a partnership in the future, I have no doubts about that,” Sturridge said.


MANAGERLESS VILLA


Aston Villa begins life without Paul Lambert in a home match against Leicester, after the manager was fired on Wednesday.


The FA Cup had provided Villa and Lambert with some respite from its miserable campaign in the Premier League, where it is in the bottom three after Tuesday's 2-0 loss at Hull. The team has scored just one goal in eight league games, and Lambert's departure was inevitable.


The first thing that Villa's caretaker coaches, Scott Marshall and Andy Marshall, may do is recall top striker Christian Benteke to the team after the Belgium international was dropped against Hull.


On Saturday, Stoke travels to second-tier Blackburn, West Bromwich Albion hosts West Ham, and a non-Premier League team is guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals when Derby plays Reading.


Bradford was rewarded for beating Chelsea in the last 32 with a home match against Sunderland on Sunday. – Sapa-AP






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Arsenal Cup exit won’t surprise Wenger

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Holders Arsenal will not be surprised if Middlesbrough beat them in the fifth round of the FA Cup, manager Arsene Wenger said.


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London - Holders Arsenal will not be surprised if Middlesbrough beat them in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday after the Championship leaders knocked Manchester City out in the previous round, manager Arsene Wenger said.


The fourth round of football's oldest knockout competition was full of major upsets as League One (third tier) Bradford City knocked Chelsea out before second tier Middlesbrough set up a trip to the Emirates, thanks to a 2-0 win at Manchester City.


“We won't be surprised by them. We don't have the excuse to be surprised as they beat Manchester City in a convincing way,” Wenger told a news conference on Friday.


“That is a good warning for us. Boro are not afraid to take on the big boys. They are well organised, play good football and they are very creative.


“The squad will not be rotated especially because it's the FA Cup. Some players will play who have not played recently, but we treat this game exactly the same as a Premier League game.”


Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka said his side, who top the Championship table by a point from Bournemouth, have what it takes to cause another Cup shock.


“With the result at Manchester City in the last round, people are getting to know about us,” the Spaniard said.


“We've also gone top of the Championship as well, so I don't think there will be any surprises for Arsenal on Sunday.


“Arsenal will of course pose a threat, but we can cause them problems when they don't have the ball. The problem for us is how to keep the ball.


“We've not shown any fear against Premier League sides this season, and it will be the same against Arsenal. We want to show everyone what we can do.”


Karanka will come up against German World Cup winner Mesut Ozil on Sunday, a player he knows well from his time serving as Jose Mourinho's assistant at Real Madrid.


“He's a very good lad. I spent three seasons with him - he's an amazing player and I hope on Sunday he doesn't have his best day,” Karanka said.


“I hope he can rest for the league they have some important games coming up. But it's not just Ozil... They have a lot of (dangerous) players.” – Reuters






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'Continental football not for wimps'

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Kaizer Chiefs begin their 2015 CAF Champions League campaign with a home clash against Botswana's Township Rollers.


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Stuart Baxter believes continental football is not for sissies and the Kaizer Chiefs coach is hoping he has none in his squad as he prepares to lead Amakhosi’s assault on African club football’s biggest prize starting tomorrow.


Chiefs begin their 2015 CAF Champions League campaign with a home clash against Botswana’s Township Rollers at the FNB Stadium tomorrow night amidst a general feeling that they just cannot be bothered with testing their skills against Africa’s best.


And with good reason too given that Chiefs had long lamented the expensive and high demanding nature of the continental competition and often fielded weakened teams as they gave priority to the local game.


After being eliminated early in the premier competition last year, they treated the second-tier CAF Cup with such disdain that Baxter actually did not go to a match, leaving his assistant Doctor Khumalo in charge of the side.


Things seem to be different this year, talk from Naturena regarding the Champions League giving the impression of a side keen on emulating their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates by capturing the title. And Baxter seems to know just what it is that is needed for Chiefs to add that much-coveted star to their jersey. “Obviously there’s no guarantee that you will get it right,” he said of Amakhosi’s being involved in three competitions – the local Premiership, the Nedbank Cup as well as the Champions League “But you tackle the challenges head on and make sure that you don’t have wimps on board for Africa. If you’re going to complain, then don’t be in a team that goes to Africa.”


Given their fantastic performances on the local front this season though, it would appear there are no wimps in the Amakhosi side. And with key players such as goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo and midfielders Mandla Masango having been part of the Bafana Bafana side at the Africa Cup of Nations, Baxter can be confident in the knowledge that he has the warriors to take to the continental battle.


That though will only be proven in the later stages of the competition, with this preliminary clash against neighbours Rollers unlikely to be a true test of Chiefs’ character. And, while in no way underestimating the Botswana side, Baxter hinted as much. “The early stages are not a problem because the journeys are short and the squad still fresh. It is when the competition gets on that you find that you travel ten hours, the hotels are not good and the training grounds are also not good too.”


He was yet to do any research on the opposition, his focus having been on Wednesday night’s league clash at Bloemfontein Celtic. Speaking after that entertaining goalless draw, Baxter said he is likely to change the team slightly for tomorrow’s tie. “We will make some changes but we won’t weaken the team much. The key will be to just get a result and make sure we don’t have a knife on our throat going away for the second leg. So we need to try and score and hope they don’t.”


Meanwhile Mamelodi Sundowns are also in the same competition and are away to St Michel of the Seychelles for their first leg, preliminary tie. - The Star






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When will Rooney question midfield role?

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Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has been asked by Louis Van Gaal to play a midfiled role for a big part of the season so far. Can it really work?


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Four years ago yesterday Wayne Rooney scored one of the best goals of his career, a stunning overhead kick against Manchester City. United won the Barclays Premier League that season.


Rooney’s return of 16 club goals was modest for him, but many of them were important.


He scored against Liverpool, Chelsea (twice), Arsenal and in a Champions League semi-final and final against Schalke and Barcelona respectively.


Today Rooney is having to adjust to changed circumstances at United, and one wonders just how long England’s most celebrated modern centre forward will allow it to last.


The statistics of Rooney’s season are remarkable. He is in the middle of his worst scoring run since 2006, having scored in just one of his last 11United games, and has not managed to have a single shot on goal since the turn of the calendar year.


That last statistic is so startling, Rooney himself was stunned to learn of it. But when he looks back at his latest 90 minutes, against Burnley on Wednesday night, he will begin to understand it.Rooney has not always played as a traditional No 9 at United.


Far from it. In Louis van Gaal’s team, however,Rooney has been asked to perform a conventional midfield role.


On Wednesday, after an injury to Daley Blind, he spent an hour playing in front of his own back four.It was an unedifying sight as United’s most potent forward player scuffled about in the cheap seats simply because Van Gaal, by his own admission, had no one else in his squad he could trust to do it.In the second half he was booked.


Those of us who have watched Rooney recognised the pattern. As his frustration built, he began to niggle at opponents, snipe at the officials. He was eventually cautioned for persistent offending. Classic Rooney.


As always, he did his utmost to drag his team through the game. Up ahead of him, though, the pairing of Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao lumbered through the night like a couple on a rather uncomfortable first date.


Publicly or privately, Rooney has said nothing about his current role. He admires Van Gaal, is impressed by his c.v. and his thoroughness.Be under no illusion, though, this will be irritating the hell out him.


Eventually we can expect the dam to burst and if that happens Van Gaal will have a problem.Still only 29, Rooney remains ambitious and, more importantly, he still sees himself as a centre forward.


The longer Rooney remains stuck 25 goals behind Sir Bobby Charlton’s club record of 249 and the longer United remain detached from title contention, the greater the risk of disenfranchising the player Van Gaal’s team really should be built around.


After all, when he signed his big new contract in February 2014, he did not do so thinking that only a year later he would be spending his time doing a less than convincing impression of Michael Carrick. – Daily Mail






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Chelsea aren’t that good - Nasri

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Manchester City star Samir Nasri has launched an attack on title rivals Chelsea, claiming Jose Mourinho’s team ‘are not special at all’.


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Manchester City star Samir Nasri has launched an attack on title rivals Chelsea, claiming Jose Mourinho’s team ‘are not special at all’ and predicting a slip-up to allow his team back into the title race.


French playmaker Nasri accused Chelsea of being a one-man team in Diego Costa who rely too much on physical strength.


‘I’m a big fan of Mourinho, but I am not impressed with his team, not at all,’ said Nasri. ‘We have played Chelsea twice this season, once with 10 men, and were better than them.


‘When I have seen someof their games, I don’t think they are that fantastic — they are just strong, and have a good striker up front.


‘For me they are not special at all, and I think they are going to make some mistakes. We just have to perform, to win our games, and see what’s going to happen.’


Chelsea stayed seven points clear of City by beating Everton with a late goal from Willian on Wednesday night while Manuel Pellegrini’s side won 4-1 at Stoke. It was City’s first Premier League win since New Year’s Day, with Sergio Aguero scoring his first goals since returning from injury. To add to the feelgood mood, £28million January signing Wilfried Bony and Yaya Toure are now available after helping Ivory Coast to win the Africa Cup of Nations.


‘No-one will win the league 10 games before the end of the season,’ Nasri said. ‘We let other people write us off — we know that the two times we won the league, we were behind at this time of the year.


‘Two months ago we were eight points behind Chelsea and came back and went level with them.


‘We will just try to get as many points as possible and wait for the mistake. We have 42 points to fight for, and if we reach 90 points we will be champions of England.’


Nasri’s optimism has been defiantly echoed by some of the senior players at the Etihad.


Pablo Zabaleta argued: ‘We are Manchester City and we never give up, simple as that.


‘We have 13 games to go to the end. We have belief in the team and if we play like we did at Stoke, we will have a great chance to catch them. We cannot afford to drop points though.’ – Daily Mail






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Kane set for England call up

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Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane is set to be called up by England for the first time when manager Roy Hodgson names his next squad.


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London - Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Burnley's Danny Ings are set to be called up by England for the first time when manager Roy Hodgson names his squad next month for internationals against Lithuania and Italy.


Hodgson, holding a media briefing on Thursday, was full of praise for both players, who have impressed him with a series of outstanding performances for their clubs, and gave the strongest indication that they would be called up.


Kane, 21, has scored 23 goals for Spurs in all competitions while Ings, 22, has hit nine for Burnley, who are battling relegation from the Premier League.


He scored 26 goals for Burnley in the league and cup last season when they won promotion from the second tier.


Hodgson, looking ahead to the March 27 Euro 2016 qualifying tie with Lithuania at Wembley and a friendly with Italy in Turin four days later, also said he had no plans to employ captain Wayne Rooney in the central midfield role he has been playing for Manchester United.


Describing Kane's impact, Hodgson said: “Playing games is important and if you can be a star in a top team like Tottenham at the age of 21 you are doing pretty well - Harry's only problem now is to keep that going for the next 13 years.


“The question might be 'is he worthy of a place ahead of Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck or Daniel Sturridge?'


“Well that is something he will have to prove, and unless I give him a chance in the squad we will never know.”


Hodgson has been aware of Kane's qualities for some time as he has played 10 times for England's Under-21s over the last two seasons.


Yet the manager admitted he has come a long way in that time.


“Eighteen months ago Harry was not a starter in the Under-21s,” he said.


“He came on and he scored if I remember correctly, but there is no doubt he has moved on enormously since then.”


He also said that Ings, who has played seven times and scored four goals for the Under-21s, had impressed him this season.


“We have the best of both worlds,” the manager said.


“Sometimes we have had to split centre forwards... this one is the target and that one isn't much of a target but does run behind the defenders.


“But with Harry and Danny you've got the best of both - both can do both jobs.”


Although they may get their chances next month, Rooney, now England's third highest scorer with 46 goals, remains Hodgson's first choice in attack even though he has been playing for United in midfield for much of this season.


Asked if Rooney would play in a deeper role for England, Hodgson replied: “We will only use him in the position that suits the England team best and I don't know that that would be centre midfield.


“He has been playing there for Manchester United because they think that's where he does his best job for them... but I don't think that would be his best position for us and I don't have any immediate plans to be play him there,” he said. – Reuters






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Chelsea, Everton charged for mass scuffle

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Chelsea and Everton have been charged by the FA after Wednesday's stormy Premier League encounter.


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London - Chelsea and Everton have been charged by the FA after Wednesday's stormy Premier League encounter but Branislav Ivanovic will face no action for his clash with James McCarthy.


“Both Chelsea and Everton have been charged by the FA for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour,” the governing body said in a statement on Thursday.


Tempers flared in the 86th minute of Chelsea's 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge as players from both teams confronted each other and Chelsea defender Ivanovic went unpunished after grabbing Everton midfielder McCarthy in an unseemly tussle.


Serb Ivanovic will face no action, however, after the FA said a three-member panel that reviewed the incident did not agree it was a sending-off offence.


Chelsea, who are seven points clear at the top of the table, have been without striker Diego Costa for the last three matches after he was banned for stamping.


Manager Jose Mourinho was also recently fined by the FA for suggesting there was a “campaign” to influence referees' decisions against his team. – Reuters






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News sport : Winnipeg Jets acquisitions jump into action against Predators

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NASHVILLE – With about four minutes left in Nashville’s 3-1 win over Winnipeg, Predators defenseman Shea Weber wound up and fired his signature slap shot, wired directly for the lower body of Jets defenseman Tyler Myers.


And as the 6-foot-8 blueliner, acquired from Buffalo Wednesday as part of a mega-deal for Evander Kane winced in pain and limped around the ice and struggled to finish his shift, there was a sense of worry and dread for the Jets.


Myers was sort of the big name the Jets got back in the trade – with all due respect to Drew Stafford. And Winnipeg also gave up defenseman Zach Bogosian. With one blast the big deal could have turned into a big dud.


Instead Myers ended up being fine – his only real wound an ice pack in his left knee area after the game. He returned after a brief locker room visit.


“I didn’t really know what to think at the time,” Myers said. “It just went completely dead on me, it was tough to stand. Looking back I maybe should have just stayed down to get a whistle, but try and fight through it. I think it’s OK now.”


Said coach Paul Maurice, “I was glad it was high enough up … (Weber) has such a big bomb back there. It’s not the first time he’s caught somebody and he went down, so he’s going to be fine.”


Besides that near disaster, the game went fine for the two new acquisitions. Myers played 21:23, and probably would have had more ice-time if he didn’t leave after the play to make sure Weber’s shot didn’t sever his lower body.


Stafford mainly tried to play a mistake-free game in 14:25 of action and 3:06 of power-play time.


“Just getting thrown in there and kind of trying to make sure I played my part and tried to work and keep it simple as much as I could,” he said.


But if there was one common theme from both after the game, it was that reality hit that they weren’t in Buffalo anymore. And they were extremely grateful to be somewhere else – at least from a hockey perspective.


No longer did they have to hear the names Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel every two seconds. They didn’t have to deal with losses, questions about ‘perceived’ tanking. They were with a team real NHL-level personnel and in a game that meant something against the NHL-leading Predators – a possible first round opponent for the Jets.


“I mean, I was playing a lot of minutes in Buffalo, and they were tough minutes back there,” Myers said. “Come in here there was a little more time in the offensive zone. Not as hard on the body. I felt pretty good.”


And overall, Winnipeg, which currently resides in the playoffs with 66 points held its own against Nashville in the Predators’ building – where teams not in yellowish gold appear to always lose. They were physical, they were strong, and if not for a standout game by Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne, the Jets could have won. Per naturalstattrick, Winnipeg out-Corsi’d the Preds 42-29 even strength and overall 65-49.


“So far so good. I’m sick of losing,” Stafford said. “But at the same time the atmosphere, the guys, the general confidence, the little bit of swagger that’s around here, they know what’s at stake. They know the type of team they have and they know they have a great chance to do some damage here and make a run at the playoffs.”


One game in February doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of a season. But Stafford and Myers didn’t seem to have a problem fitting in. Especially Myers whose size, mobility and minute-crunching ways will make him a powerful weapon for Winnipeg as it makes its push.


“Just the range Tyler has back there in the corner, he can jump in, and I thought Drew was on the puck really well, really involved in the play,” Maurice said. “These guys have been through a lot, and there’s a lot to learn, and I think as soon as they learn they’re going to be even better.”


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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!


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News sport : PGA Tour player proposes to girlfriend on Pebble Beach's 18th hole

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Pebble Beach is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It makes a great setting for a golf course. It also, apparently, is the perfect setting for a wedding proposal.


PGA Tour player Mark Hubbard got down on one knee behind Pebble Beach's iconic par-5 18th hole on Thursday to ask his girlfriend Meghan to marry him. Since we're posting this, Meghan obviously said yes.



Hubbard is in his rookie season on the PGA Tour, earning his way last season by finishing 18th on the Web.com Tour money list. So far, the 24-year-old has made seven cuts in eight starts this season -- enough money to pay for that rock.


Well done, young man.



Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.







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News sport : Former Tennessee LB A.J. Johnson, current CB Michael Williams indicted in rape case

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Tennessee linebacker A.J. Johnson sits on the bench during an NCAA college football game between Tennessee and Oklahoma. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File) Following an investigation that lasted nearly three months, former Tennessee linebacker A.J. Johnson and current UT cornerback Michael Williams have been indicted in a rape case by a Knox County grand jury.


Attorneys representing both Johnson and Williams confirmed the indictment to the Knoxville News Sentinel.


“I will confirm that I received a notification (from the Knox County District Attorney General’s office) that a presentment had been returned against him alleging rape,” said Williams’ attorney, David Eldridge. “Mr. Williams turned himself in to the Knox County jail and was released on a $40,000 bond.”


Johnson’s attorney told the News Sentinel that he was informed earlier on Thursday.


“We’re making plans for him to surrender,” Dillard said of Johnson.


No specific charges have been revealed.


The indictment stems from a November incident in which a 19-year-old female UT student accused Johnson, 23, and Williams, 21, of rape at approximately 1:45 a.m. during a party at Johnson’s apartment. Johnson was also accused of sexual assaulting another woman in the same incident. The second woman told police in November that she will not pursue charges.


Tennessee head coach Butch Jones suspended both players indefinitely after the news of the allegations emerged and neither played for the rest of the season. Johnson, a 2013 All-SEC selection who was the Vols’ leading tackler at the time, graduated in December. Williams, who is still enrolled at Tennessee, started five games and made 23 tackles for the Vols in 2014.


For more Tennessee news, visit VolQuest.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 : Family suing Canucks may have ended confetti cannons at NHL games

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You know what arenas don’t necessarily need, outside of perhaps championship celebrations and Dec. 31?


Confetti cannons.


Little shreds of paper on the ice. Little shreds of a paper landing on sticky soda-caked floors, so someone making minimum wage that already has to deal with your half-eaten nachos can sweep it up. Little, stupid, pieces of paper.


You may have noticed the absence of confetti cannon at NHL games, if one ever looks for such things, and Rick Westhead of TSN has a reason why: The parents of a then-15-year-old fan who was injured by a confetti cannon at a 2011 game between the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks in B.C. is suing the Canucks, the team’s owners and Hollynorth Production Supply, the company that supplied the air cannons.


From TSN:


The lawsuit, filed in B.C. Supreme Court, alleges the teenager, who was 15 at the time of the alleged incident, has suffered traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic amnesia, and other cognitive issues.


It's unclear whether NHL teams have formally been advised about the incident and the potential dangers of air cannons, or whether news of the accident has spread to other teams through informal word of mouth.


Several Canadian-based NHL teams, including the Oilers, Jets and Canadiens, said they have never used the cannons. A league official said he believed that the use of roof-mounted cannons has been given up.


Yikes, tough to read that about a young fan.


The wrinkle in this, according to Westhead, is that Canucks have been hit with a cross claim from Hollynorth alleging that the team would pay for any damages if the family wins because they allegedly "altered the air cannon, its components and its accessories, by modifying it or moving it, following the proper installation of the air cannon at the premises."


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News sport : Reggie Evans, like the rest of us, can't believe Giannis Antetokounmpo is only 20

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It's nice to know that Reggie Evans, who's seen just about everything there is to see in an NBA career that's spanned 13 seasons with seven teams, has the exact same reaction that most of the rest of us do whenever we look at Milwaukee Bucks wunderkind Giannis Antetokounmpo.


Check out this delightful interaction between Evans, now a reserve big man with the Sacramento Kings, and Antetokounmpo during Wednesday night's meeting between the Bucks and Kings at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, as captured by Eric Buenning of SB Nation Bucks blog Brew Hoop:



[Follow Dunks Don't Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball]


Your full transcript (based on my inarguable lip-reading):


Evans: "How old are you, kid?"

Antetokounmpo: "Twenty."

Evans: "Twenty?"

[Antetokounmpo nods]

Evans: "... Damn."

The box score suggests the second-year man from Greece had a relatively pedestrian outing in the Bucks' 111-103 victory over the listing Kings, putting up numbers (13 points on 4-for-9 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, two turnovers in 35 1/2 minutes) that fall pretty neatly in line with his season averages. But there's nothing really ho-hum about this particular sophomore; watch him for a few minutes at a time, and you're just about assured of seeing something eye-popping.


Case in point: his early-third-quarter explosion of a Sacramento possession, which saw him deflect a cross-court pass intended for Derrick Williams, knock it into the open court, track it down and burst into the open floor before making a trip of about 27 feet with one dribble and throwing down some two-handed thunder:



"Damn," indeed.


Antetokounmpo's remarkable wingspan, massive strides and explosive athleticism are impressive enough on their own. When I watch him unfurl into passing lanes and strike, I find myself thinking of characters like the prawns from "District 9," and when I see him cover the length of the court in just a few steps, I flash on the Hulk clearing counties, because I don't think I've got any actual, non-fictional humans in my memory banks that are that big and cover that much ground. What's made him such a favorite of so many fans across the league, though, is the sheer joy he seems to take in doing what he does:



It's thrilling to see a young man so thrilled by the seemingly unchecked growth — like, literally — in his frame and his game, of all that it already allows him to do and the boundless possibilites it still holds for the future. He's certainly not a finished and polished product — his 3-point shooting has taken a big step backward from Year 1 to Year 2, he's not yet a great ball-handler, he at times makes missteps and misreads in the heat of the moment, etc.


But those shortfalls don't nearly eclipse all the things he already can do — like, for example, guarding all five positions, as Brett Koremenos notes at Grantland — and only really serve to generate further excitement at what Giannis (who, let's remember, was playing in Greece's second division just two years ago) could become once he gains the experience and seasoning that so many young players pick up with increased reps. As SB Nation's Mike Prada puts it, "The NBA has never seen a 6'11 guard that runs and jumps like a gazelle while processing information like a super computer" ... and again, he's only 20.


After helping the Bucks win their 30th game of the season, making them the first team in NBA history to double their prior season's win total by the following All-Star break, Antetokunmpo headed to New York to take part in Friday's U.S. vs. the World Rising Stars Challenge and Saturday's Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, which could provide a launching pad into household-name status for the "Greek Freak" (or, if you prefer, "The Big Feta"). It's still anybody's guess as to what Giannis will look to pull off to wow the judges, but he told SLAM's Adam Figman that he's been watching film of 1984 Slam Dunk Contest champion Larry Nance and eating lots of pancakes, so: competition beware, and get your Ron Simmons clips ready, everybody.


Hat-tip to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.


2015 NBA All-Star Game coverage from Yahoo Sports:



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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!



Stay connected with Ball Don't Lie on Twitter @YahooBDL, "Like" BDL on Facebook and follow Dunks Don't Lie on Tumblr for year-round NBA talk, jokes and more.






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News sport : Robert Griffin III announces on Twitter he's going to be a father

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Robert Griffin III turned 25 on Thursday, and he made sure it was a memorable birthday.


Griffin, the Washington Redskins' quarterback, announced to the world via Twitter that he's going to be a father.



Griffin married Rebecca Liddicoat in July of 2013.


For all of the talk about Griffin's future as a quarterback, his tweet is a reminder that his life is more than just football. Congratulations to the Griffins.


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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Iowa State DL Mitchell Meyers diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma

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Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock, left, fumbles the ball in front of Iowa State defensive end Mitchell Meyers, right, during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa State won 20-17. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads announced Thursday that Cyclones defensive lineman Mitchell Meyers has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.


Meyers a 6-foot-4, 262-pound defensive end, recently finished his redshirt sophomore season at Iowa State.


“Mitchell’s immediate health is our most important concern right now,” Rhoads said in a statement. “I have no doubt that Mitchell will attack this with a positive mindset and strong determination. He also will have 100 percent support from the Iowa State football family and Cyclone Nation.”


According to Iowa State team physician Dr. Marc Shulman, Meyers' diagnosis is “very treatable with a 90 percent curable rate.” He will begin treatment on Friday.


“He is already in the process of beginning chemotherapy treatments,” Shulman said. “More positives for Mitchell is that he is in excellent shape and he has an outstanding support system surrounding him.”


Meyers, a native of The Woodlands, Texas, released a statement through Iowa State:



“I want to thank everyone for the support and encouragement I have received. I am determined to embrace the process and fight this with a positive attitude. I have decided to stay here in Ames for my treatments so I can remain in school and be around my teammates. I have the greatest teammates in the world. It’s been humbling to see their care and words of encouragement. I would love to be able to play football at Iowa State again, but right now my focus is on my health.”



Meyers started all 12 games for the Cyclones in 2014 and had 30 tackles and two tackles for loss. He also had 14 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss as a redshirt freshman in 2013.


For more Iowa State news, visit CycloneReport.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 : Isles' Matt Martin takes photo behind unsuspecting fan wearing his jersey (Photo)

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New York Islanders defensemen Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy were at Roosevelt Field Mall not far from Nassau Coliseum doing an autograph signing Wednesday night. At the same time, their teammates, Matt Martin and Michael Grabner, were doing some shopping, unaware of the event.


While riding an escalator, Martin stood behind an Islanders fan wearing his jersey. The moment was too funny for Grabner to let pass without taking a photo:



From Christian Arnold of Islanders Point Blank:



"I felt bad after, so I sent him a message on twitter,” Martin said. “I think he’s coming to the game tonight, we’ll get him down here and sign his jersey. Say hello. It was funny in the moment and talking about it after we we kind of wish we stopped him, and said hello.”



The fan, Michael Frumento, came across Grabner’s Tweet and expressed his disappointment, noting Wednesday was his birthday. Fortunately for the Isles fan, Martin made it up to him, leaving two passes to get him to the Islanders’ dressing room after Thursday’s game against Toronto.


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