Rodgers targets Arsenal, United

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said he had Arsenal and Manchester United in his sights after his team closed on the Champions League places.


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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said he had Arsenal and Manchester United in his sights after his team closed on the Champions League places with a 2-0 success at Southampton.


A glorious 30-yard strike by Philippe Coutinho put Liverpool ahead in the third minute of Sunday's game at St Mary's and after a number of vain Southampton penalty appeals, Raheem Sterling sealed victory late on.


Liverpool play second-place Manchester City next weekend before tackling fourth-place United and third-place Arsenal over the next six weeks, and Rodgers is confident they can close the two-point gap separating them from the Premier League's top four.


Asked if he was apprehensive about Liverpool's fixture list, which also includes a trip to Besiktas in the Europa League on Thursday, Rodgers replied: “Not at all.


“We might have been at the beginning of the season because of how we were playing. But when the team's in the condition it has been for these last two and a half, three months, then we relish every game we play.


“We have Man City and Man United at home, Arsenal away. For us it was a big step today (Sunday), considering the start we've had to the season. It really shows the consistency the players are at.”


While there was much for Rodgers to savour in Liverpool's smash-and-grab win, he was dismayed by the reception afforded to his former Southampton players Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert, who moved to Anfield last year.


Although Lambert was granted a warm reception by the home fans, Lallana was roundly jeered, and Rodgers was also disappointed that neither player received a tribute in the match-day programme.


“I'm a wee bit disappointed for Adam, I've got to say,” said the Northern Irishman, whose side have gone 10 league games without defeat.


“Adam was captain here for two years and gave an incredible service to Southampton and I know for a fact he could have left here a number of times, and didn't. And to get the reception he got was disappointing.


“I looked in the match programme and there was nothing relevant to his time here and all the time that he's been here since he was a boy.


“And the likes of Rickie Lambert, great servants to here, incredible players who got the club to where it is today, and there was no mention of them, which I thought was sad.”


Filip Djuricic, making his first Southampton start, had penalty appeals waved away by referee Kevin Friend either side of Coutinho's goal and manager Ronald Koeman felt that the second, when the on-loan Serbian forward appeared to be felled by Joe Allen, merited a spot-kick.


Southampton were also aggrieved when Simon Mignolet raced out of his box to repel an attempted lob by Eljero Elia shortly before half-time, in an incident that saw the ball strike the Liverpool goalkeeper on the chest before bouncing up and hitting his arm.


“The situation of Elia, hands or no hands of the goalkeeper, it's difficult to see,” said Koeman, whose side remain fifth, a point above Liverpool.


“I can understand the decision of the referee, but I don't understand the second situation in the game (Allen's challenge on Djuricic) because that's a clear penalty.


“But I'm proud of how the team played today. We know in the last few games we've struggled with scoring goals.


“If you play three times in a row and don't score (at home), it's difficult to win games, but that's part of football.”


Koeman also revealed that Senegalese forward Sadio Mane had started the game on the bench because he had reported late for the team's pre-match meal.


“Everybody can be late one day, in the morning,” the Dutchman said. “But you can't be late at one o'clock when you have to play against Liverpool.” – AFP






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Van Gaal is in denial

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Following Manchester United’s defeat to Swansea, manager Louis Van Gaal declared that they were the dominant team.


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Garry Monk had his first drop of alcohol in almost a year on Saturday evening, yet it was possible to imagine Louis van Gaal reclining with the same smug sense of a job well done.


Such can be the occasional madness of old king Louis, the Manchester United manager who is either desperate to spare his team from public criticism or blind to their glaring shortcomings.


Given his success at the top level, it seems highly unlikely to be the latter, though if he cannot see what most others can then a drama really will become a crisis. His assessment after losing 2-1 to Swansea was that United had been the ‘dominant team’. He was ‘amazed’ they had lost having created ‘so many chances’.


When the points were relayed to Monk, who has twice got the better of Van Gaal this season, the rookie manager smiled and raised an eyebrow.


Truth is, United did not deserve to win. A defeat might have been a touch harsh in light of possession of more than 60 per cent, but it was not ‘dominance’, as Van Gaal put it. Not even close. It was error-strewn, mistakes in all areas.


With Robin van Persie, who left the stadium on crutches, discovering today if the injury to his right ankle is serious, it might prove to be a costly defeat in more ways than one.


But Van Gaal did not see it that way. In his leather document wallet, one can imagine all manner of flattering numbers. He had already decreed this week that United were the ‘best team in the league’ on form. Coming into this one they had lost just once in 19 games in all competitions.


But those numbers also hide performances that have often been sub-standard and unimaginative. He didn’t like Sam Allardyce’s barbs about United being a long-ball team, but when United were 2-1 down and desperate at Swansea, their play reverted largely to high balls to Marouane Fellaini. It did not work.


Another statistic — goals conceded — will show the 26 shipped by United amounts to the fourth-best defence in the Premier League. But again, it conceals the details of a backline requiring major investment.


Inside the first minute Marcos Rojo gave the ball away and conceded a corner. Phil Jones then failed to mark effectively at the set-piece, allowing Bafetimbi Gomis a header that had to be cleared off the line. When Ki Sung-Yueng levelled after Ander Herrera’s opener, it was because Luke Shaw was too slow responding to his run. Those are not the actions of a functioning defence.


And the rest? Van Gaal said United ‘created a chance every two minutes’ in the second half. The truth is they had three shots on goal in the match (Swansea had six, including Gomis’s winner). Wayne Rooney was given his first league game in attack since December and offered little beyond enthusiasm.


Van Gaal still seems unsure of his best combinations, although the side has developed since opening the season with a 2-1 home defeat against the same side. United failed to build on superior possession that day, as well.


Monk enjoyed it, saying: ‘I probably haven’t had a drink in eight or nine months, so I will have a glass of red tonight.’


He has targeted a club record of more than 47 points. ‘We want to make a bit of history,’ he said. For United, the only progress under Van Gaal has been a return to grinding out wins frommediocre performances. Will that be enough in remaining games against Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal?


You would assume they need to find an extra level if they are to finish fourth — the only number that truly matters to Van Gaal.


Super stat: Swansea scored twice at home against United for the first time since January 1982.


Swansea (4-3-3): Fabianski 6.5; Naughton 6, Fernandez 6, Williams 6.5, Taylor 7; Cork 6.5, Shelvey 7 (Amat 90min), Ki 7.5; Sigurdsson 6 (Montero 74, 6), Gomis 6, Routledge 6.


Subs not used: Tremmel, Rangel, Britton, Emnes, Oliveira. Booked: Shelvey


Man Utd (4-1-3-2): De Gea 6; McNair 5 (Valencia 46, 6), Jones 6, Rojo 6, Shaw 5 (Young 59, 6); Blind 6; Herrera 6.5, Fellaini 5.5, Di Maria 6 (Mata 79); Rooney 6, Van Persie 5. Subs not used: Valdes, Smalling, Januzaj, Falcao. Booked: Jones, Fellaini, Rojo, Young.


Referee: Neil Swarbrick 6.5


Man of the match: Ki Sung-Yueng.– Daily Mail






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News sport : Return of San Diego Gulls is family affair for Ducks

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Courtesy of the Anaheim Ducks

In front of 8,500 hockey fans in San Diego, the Anaheim Ducks made it official - the Gulls are returning to the classiest city in the world.


The team, in name alone, has been around on and off since 1966. The last time the San Diego Gulls took to the ice was in the 2005-2006 season as a part of the West Coast Hockey League. Thanks to the growth of hockey in Southern California, the Gulls are back again.


Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli purchased the current Norfolk Admirals franchise as a part of the AHL's coordinated westward expansion with other Pacific Division teams. Aside from the name, what wasn't announced at the time was the inclusion of one other member of the Samueli clan who would act as a co-owner, daughter Jillian Samueli.


Per Ducks PR, Jillian isn't coming into this business without experience. For the past five seasons, she's acted as a coordinator within the minor hockey league operations department for both the Admirals and the Syracuse Crunch.


No other specifics were given as to the share of ownership between Henry, Susan, and Jillian, or how this would impact the decision making process with the franchise. It's to be considered nothing more than 'family owned'.


Family ties when it comes to the Gulls don't stop at the owners. Ducks' senior vice president of hockey operations, David McNab, grew up as a part of the early Gulls franchise. From the San Diego Union Tribune:



"McNab is the son of Max McNab, the first coach of the WHL Gulls. McNab coached the Gulls for six seasons, and David’s brother, Peter McNab, was the first Gulls’ mascot, Sandy Gull.




“I know my father would be proud to know hockey is back in San Diego,” McNab said. “Our family’s connection to the city and this arena has been huge. For my father, these were the best years of our lives as far as hockey was concerned.




“I walked through the building today and literally remembered everything, it was like I walked through a time machine and came back to 1973. This is fantastic.”



The Gulls will play at the Valley View Casino Center, formerly known as the San Diego Sports Arena. According to the website, it's undergone a $2.5-million face lift financed by the Valley View Casino, and AEG, you know, the owners of the Kings. Ironic, no?



Anyway, the Ducks have one of the more promising pool of prospects in the farm system that will be developing just an hour and a half-ish down the freeway from the big club. If you ever needed an excuse to visit San Diego, now you have one.


As always: stay classy, San Diego.


- - - - - - -


Jen Neale is a staff writer for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter!










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Jose queries refereeing standards

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho made a surprise appearance on a British soccer television show on Sunday, to query the standard of refereeing he has seen this season.


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London – Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho made a surprise appearance on a British soccer television show on Sunday, to query the standard of refereeing he has seen this season.


Mourinho, whose side drew 1-1 at home to Burnley on Saturday, was frustrated that referee Martin Atkinson sent off Nemanja Matic in the game for pushing Ashley Barnes after the Burnley striker's aggressive challenge on him.


The Chelsea boss was furious with Barnes' tackle insisting “the consequence for Matic could be end of career” if Barnes had made stronger contact with the Blues midfielder.


“Another club would have the power to appeal Matic's red card,” added Mourinho who expects to be without the Serbian for the League Cup final against Tottenham next weekend.


Mourinho said that referee Atkinson “told me he didn't have the chance to see it on TV.”


He also expressed his disappointment at a number of penalty decisions that have gone against his side this season and called for extra technology to be introduced “to protect the integrity of the referee.” – Sapa-AP






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News sport : Fed up Nebraska coach bans players from locker room after fifth straight loss

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Tim Miles is coaching one of the most disappointing teams in the nation at Nebraska based on preseason expectations of the Cornhuskers. After seeing his team completely fold at home on Sunday in a 74-46 rout to Iowa, Miles had had enough.


Miles, widely known as affable and accessible and a fun follow on Twitter, told reporters after the game he is barring his players from their lavish locker room until further notice. Apparently, Miles believes his team isn't playing at a level worthy of big screen televisions, a pool table and smoothie bar all of which are a part of their accomodations at Hendricks Training Complex.


“There will be chains on the doors locking it from the outside,’’ Miles was quoted by the Omaha World-Herald, “until further notice.’’


Nebraska fell behind 42-16 in the first half Sunday and never really made up ground. The Huskers committed 13 turnovers, produced only eight assists, were outrebounded by eight and made only two of 18 3-point attempts. They also allowed Iowa to shoot 50 percent from the floor and from behind the arc.


Terran Petteway scored 16 points for the Huskers but he needed 15 shots to get them. Nebraska has now lost five straight and seven of its past eight. The Huskers rank 320th in the nation in assists per game (10.6). Nebraska is now one-game under .500 at 13-14 overall and 5-10 in the Big Ten.


“You never want to throw your players under the bus,’’ Miles was quoted by the Omaha World-Herald. “But that was beyond disappointing. That’s not what we represent. . . . We quit easily today, and that’s a great disappointment.’’


Miles not only banned his players from their locker room, he made them off limits for interviews after the game and there is not indication he will allow them to be interviewed any time soon. Assistant coach Chris Harriman tweeted an apology for the team's performance.







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News sport : Jeff Gordon meets Daytona 500 loss with a resigned smile

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - For a guy who'd just lost the last Daytona 500 he'll likely ever run, Jeff Gordon sure looked like a man at peace.


The race had just ended. Some cars were parked out on pit road; others, like Gordon's mangled 24, were already being loaded onto their haulers. As fireworks sounded and race winner Joey Logano celebrated over in victory lane, other drivers walked from pit road back toward their haulers, some alone, some accompanied by a couple of autograph hounds or cameras. All wore a similar expression: exhaustion with more than a tinge of scowling frustration.


All except Gordon. Gordon, who towed a crowd in his wake that grew like an avalanche, wore an absolutely beatific smile.



Of course, why shouldn't Gordon be at peace? He's done everything it's possible to do in the sport. He's won four championships. He's celebrated in victory lane more times than all but two drivers in history. He stood toe-to-toe with The Intimidator as a newcomer, and he's mentored an entire generation of champions as a veteran.


"Being able to race against [Gordon] for the lead in the Daytona 500 is a dream come true for any kid," said Logano, an avowed Gordon fan from way back, in his winners' press conference, "and I'll always remember that."


Yes, acclaim is nice, but let's be honest: trophies are nicer, and for Gordon, Sunday had to be inordinately frustrating. Make no mistake, he still wants to win. Being at peace doesn't necessarily mean being content. Gordon won the pole, and led the most laps (87) all day. The afternoon was setting up as another of those proverbial storybook finishes that Daytona seems to deliver every so often.


But no, it wasn't to be. As the race wore on, Gordon had trouble sticking with the leaders, and he continued to get shuffled back on restarts. By the time the final green-white-checker came around, Gordon was starting ninth, and that left him vulnerable. On the race's final lap, Austin Dillon, who once starred as a child in a television commercial with Gordon, tapped Gordon's left bumper, sent the 24 spinning, and effectively extinguished any last hopes Gordon might have had of winning his final Daytona 500.


Think back to last year at Texas -- just four races ago, schedule-wise -- and recall how furious Gordon was then at Brad Keselowski. The normally placid Gordon unleashed both rage and profanity, knowing what we didn't: that perhaps his last best chance at a championship had just gone spinning.


On Sunday, Gordon wasn't raging. He didn't even seem outwardly particularly upset. He knew his chances for winning had slipped away long before he spun.


"This was an amazing week and an amazing day," he said after the race. "I am just in a different place that is so foreign to me, but so incredible, to just be taking it all in and enjoying every moment."


He then began the hundred-yard walk from pit road to his hauler, picking up more and more autograph seekers with every step. Gordon never stopped moving -- that's an old Richard Petty move, don't let the crowd surround you -- and the fans picked up their pace to stay in step.


"Jeff! You're not quitting, are ya?" one fan shouted. "Tell me you're not quitting!"


Jeff just smiled, not replying. He signed a few more hats and jackets for fans who shrieked with glee, then walked inside the #24 hauler. One race down, just 35 left to go.


____

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



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News sport : NASCAR made the right call throwing the caution flag on the last lap

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – There's no debating that NASCAR should have thrown the caution flag on the final lap of the Daytona 500.


As Joey Logano led Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. down the backstretch and into turn three, they had clear track ahead of them. But behind them on the backstretch chaos was ensuing, as a big crash was collecting a bunch of cars.


The caution officially came out when Logano was in turn three of lap 203, freezing the field at the moment and making him the Daytona 500 winner.


With the green-white-checker restart rule, NASCAR tries anything and everything it can do to ensure that its races can finish under green flag conditions. However, when the caution flag comes out on the final lap of the race, whoever is leading at that point is the winner.


Part of the reasoning behind the rule is that fans deserve to see as many races as possible end under green flag conditions. And sometimes, some may say, that includes the inconsistent application of the caution flag on the final lap.


Two years ago, Jimmie Johnson was leading the Daytona 500 when cars near the back of the lead pack crashed in turns one and two. As Travis Kvapil and Paul Menard crashed (coincidentally collecting Logano), Johnson, Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick and others barreled down the backstretch as the race stayed green.



But watch the crash closely. While the cars involved sustained significant damage, the track was never blocked for cars behind and those involved were able to keep going. It wasn't immediately apparent if the cars involved in Sunday's race would be able to continue on, plus, as you can see from the replays, it happened with many cars behind it as well.



Plus, let's consider this. The 500 came less than 24 hours after Kyle Busch sustained a broken leg when he crashed into an unprotected wall.


Who knows whether or not the deserved criticism from Saturday's incident played a prominent role in a move to to throw the caution flag on the final lap. But just like it's human nature to wonder what would have happened if the race stayed green, it's human nature to have the events of the previous evening fresh, even just subconsciously.


Is it anticlimactic to have a race finish under caution? Sure. But not everything has to be as dramatic as possible. It's incredibly unfair to the riveting racing throughout the entirety of the race to let the fact that it didn't finish with a thrilling highlight overshadow it. And after Saturday, it was imperative to err on the side of safety.


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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 : Bubble breakdown: Oregon flies into the field with upset of Utah

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With less than a month remaining until Selection Sunday, the NCAA tournament bubble is beginning to take shape. Bubble Breakdown is the Dagger's daily look at the results that impact who's in and who's out.


At practice Tuesday, Oregon star Joseph Young shared a bold prediction with members of the media.


"We're going to the tournament," Young said. "I just want to get that out right now. We're going to the tournament."


Young's guarantee suddenly looks a lot more realistic after a two-win week that culminated with Oregon's most impressive victory of the season. Freshman forward Dillon Brooks scored 19 points and Young added 14 to help the Ducks hold off a late rally from ninth-ranked Utah and emerge with a crucial 69-58 victory Sunday in Eugene.


While the road loss drops the Utes a game behind Arizona in the Pac-12 title chase, the outcome is still far more significant for third-place Oregon (20-8, 10-5). It gives the Ducks their third RPI top 50 victory this season to go along with previous wins over Illinois and UCLA.


Those three marquee victories and a dearth of bad losses will likely land Oregon one of the final at-large spots in updated mock brackets. To retain that, the Ducks will need to find a way to finish strong away from home the next three weeks. They're 2-4 on the road so far this season, and their final three games before the Pac-12 tournament are at Cal, Stanford and Oregon State.


That Oregon is in contention for an NCAA tournament at all is remarkable considering the patchwork roster Dana Altman is fielding.


[Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick 'Em: Enter for a chance to win $50K]


Seven of Oregon's nine leading scorers from last season are no longer with the team, three via graduation, one via transfer and three via dismissal after rape allegations. Returners Young and Elgin Cook have been the stalwarts for the Ducks all season while newcomers Brooks, Dwayne Benjamin, Jordan Bell and Ahmad Rorie have gradually grown into their roles. Onetime bench warmer Jalil Abdul-Bassit has also emerged as a capable outside shooting threat.


The result is an Oregon team that is efficient enough on offense to make up for a suspect defense and win six of its last seven games. If the Ducks can sustain that on the road the next two weeks, they'll improbably find themselves in the NCAA tournament for the third straight season under Altman.


BUBBLE TEAMS WHOSE STOCK ROSE SUNDAY


Iowa (17-10, 8-6): It's performances like this that make it baffling how Iowa is even on the bubble at all. The Hawkeyes routed struggling Nebraska 74-46 in Lincoln, inching themselves closer to securing a spot in the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. A sweep of Ohio State and quality wins against Maryland and North Carolina boost Iowa's resume, but the Hawkeyes aren't safe enough to lose focus over their final four regular season games. They host Illinois and visit Indiana and Penn State before returning home to face Northwestern in their regular season finale. Two wins might be enough. Three wins would probably clinch a bid.


BUBBLE TEAMS WHOSE STOCK FELL SUNDAY


None yet. Check back later.


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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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News sport : Dale Earnhardt Jr. fights back to third after dropping through field late in 500

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. felt he had one of the Daytona 500's fastest cars.


But fast cars have to be put in the right positions over the course of a 500-mile race to get a win and Junior significantly attributed his inability to repeat as Daytona 500 champion to a bad move he made with 19 laps to go.


Earnhardt restarted in third, but as the pack slowly got up to speed on the first green flag lap, he found himself without drafting partners.


What the heck happened?


"Jimmie [Johnson] was on my quarter panel," Earnhardt said. "He was in a great spot on the guy in front of me. And I thought if I could get in behind him he was going to shoot past to the lead. I could tuck in on the quarter panel a little bit as soon as I got on that right rear quarterpanel."


However, the thoughts of sidedrafting and working with his Hendrick Motorsports teammate were tempered by a reality that the cars on the outside line were closer to Junior than he realized.


"I didn't think they were that close on the outside line," Junior said. "I thought we had a couple car lengths on the outside line but they were right there.


"You know, just one of them moves. You make some good ones, you make some bad ones, I made a bad one late."


Junior finally slotted into line in 15th position and when the green flag flew for a green-white-checker restart with two laps to go, Junior started in eighth.


"S---, I didn't have nothing going on," he cracked.


Here's where we can go back to the good move/bad move principle. And we'll also make it clear that with eight restrictor plate wins, Junior's good moves overshadow the bad ones.


The low line on the last restart wasn't very organized. Race leader (and eventual winner) Joey Logano got a push from Clint Bowyer, who was being shoved by Kevin Harvick, who had Junior on his bumper. By the time Junior was at the same spot on the track where he started to slide through the field 17 laps prior, he was in third place.


He was still in third behind Logano and Harvick when the caution came out on the last lap. Did he have an opportunity to make a move for the win? Earnhardt isn't so sure and said he wasn't in a good position to think about winning.


"Once we got clear, we sort of strung out," he said. Just not enough laps to form anything. I think even if Kevin backed up, I don't know whether I would have stayed with him or whether Denny [Hamlin] would have stayed with me. You never know what decision you would have made."


With the win, Earnhardt would have been the first driver since Sterling Marlin to win consecutive Daytona 500s. Because of the win-and-in nature of NASCAR's new Chase format, Junior's referenced many times of his team's ability in 2014 to be aggressive knowing that a Chase spot was waiting for them in the fall.


While the first-week virtual Chase guarantee is in Logano's hands this year, Earnhardt tried to look on the bright side of finishing third.


"You don't imagine the 16 guys are going to win races and you want to try to put points together in case you need to lean on that, fall back on that to make the Chase," Junior said. "But there's no guarantees."


"You like to take good cars like we had today and win with them when you get a chance."


- - - - - - -


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 : Joey Logano wins Daytona 500

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Joey Logano, the kid who's had greatness predicted for him since he was 15, won the 57th running of the Daytona 500.


A frenetic final few laps as most of the 43-car field barrelled around the 2.5-mile superspeedway three-wide, injecting some life into what had been a snoozer for most of the first three-quarters of the race.


Justin Allgaier wrecked with three laps to go, setting up a two-lap sprint to the finish. They restarted with Logano in the lead, followed by Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson. Logano got a great restart, held off a charge from Kevin Harvick (2nd) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3rd) before a wreck on the final lap brought out a caution, ending the race.


For the 24-year-old Logano, it marked his first Daytona 500 win.


Sunday’s race marked the end of one of the most chaotic Speedweeks in recent memory. Consider that in just the last few days, NASCAR, its fans, and drivers have dealt with:


• The indefinite suspension of Kurt Busch for an incident of alleged domestic violence, along with the subsequent rejection of two appeals. The second appeal rejection came just 15 hours before Daytona’s green flag.


• A vicious wreck in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race that left Kurt’s brother Kyle Busch with a broken right leg and broken left foot, an accident that set off a new round of debates over the need for SAFER barriers at all walls around the track.


• The pending retirement of NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon. Although Gordon hasn’t revealed the extent of his post-racing plans, he’s been adamant that this was his final Daytona 500.


• An epic anti-NASCAR rant from Clint Bowyer complaining about the qualifying format.


• A desperate pair of Budweiser Duels as drivers sought to punch their ticket for the world’s most lucrative race, an event that included Danica Patrick unloading on Denny Hamlin after very nearly missing the Daytona 500.


Still, the 57th running of the Great American Race began rolling under the best weather, and before one of the largest crowds, in recent race history. Gordon, on the pole, led the first lap, and from there he and his fellow Hendrick drivers Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the majority of the way.


Johnson held control of the race early on until a pit-road penalty forced him deep into the field. NASCAR’s new computerized pit road penalty system ruled that the 48’s crew had leaped over the wall too early, incensing crew chief Chad Knaus. It was one of a surprisingly large number of pit road penalties as a result of the computerized penalty system.


The earliest big-name drama came on lap 43, when Tony Stewart got loose coming out of Turn 4 and caught Matt Kenseth. Stewart, who is still seeking his first Daytona 500 win in a two-decade career, suffered damage to his hood and attempted to return to the race 64 laps down, but eventually surrendered and left Daytona early.


The rest of the race was a relatively calm affair until the closing laps, with only Brad Keselowski exiting the festivities early due to a blown engine. That still left more than a dozen of NASCAR's best all in position to win the season's biggest race.


____

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



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News sport : Tony Stewart's heartbreak at Daytona will continue for another year

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Feb 22, 2015; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart (14) hits the wall during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports) The 1998 Daytona 500 marked the end of one of NASCAR's most ignoble streaks, that of Dale Earnhardt's winless run at the Great American Race. The very next year kicked off another such streak for another championship driver, one that runs right to, and through, today.


Tony Stewart has won three Sprint Cup championships. His 18 wins all-time at Daytona International Speedway rank second only to Earnhardt's 34. But in all those years, Stewart has never won the big one, never won the Daytona 500, and after an early-race incident on Sunday, he wouldn't win this year.


On lap 43, Stewart's car got loose and he clipped forst the wall, then Ryan Blaney and Matt Kenseth. Stewart's car took the worst of it, hitting the wall hard enough to necessitate a new front hood. When Stewart finally returned to the track, he was 64 laps down.


Stewart, of course, has suffered through two brutal seasons. In 2013, he broke his leg during a sprint car race, and one year later, he was involved in a sprint car accident in which driver Kevin Ward Jr. died after being run over by Stewart's car. While the memory of Ward's death will remain with Stewart for the rest of his life, Stewart the driver had appeared to be regaining some of the old swagger that had helped him win 48 races.


Still, Stewart hasn't won a race since June 2013. And now, the one he wants most of all will have to wait until at least 2016.


____

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



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News sport : Dwayne Polee 'back home' on the court 61 days after collapsing during game

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San Diego State forward Dwayne Polee collapsed during a December game against UC Riverside at Viejas Arena because of what was later determined to be a heart condition.


The incident left the fifth-year seniors basketball future in doubt.


But after several months of monitoring and easing back into workouts, Polee returned to the court Saturday on the road at San Jose State. He scored three points with a steal and a turnover in 13 minutes and appears ready to play out the rest of his senior season.


“It was neat to get him home,” SDSU coach Steve Fisher told utsandiego.com. “He’s back home, on the basketball floor. That’s where he’s always been, where he’s always wanted to be. In the locker room (afterward) with the team, we talked about some of the things that we didn’t do and should have done, the nuts and bolts of the game. Then I said that the most important thing about this game is that all of us should be so excited to say, ‘Welcome back, Dwayne Polee.’


“I shook his hand, and they cheered like crazy.”


Polee first resumed light workouts in January and slowly built back up to a level where he was ready for practices and games at the college game's highest level. He received clearance to play earlier in the week, but San Diego State brought a team doctor on the trip to monitor Polee throughout.


The December incident wasn't the first for Polee, the 2013-14 Mountain West Conference Sixth Man of the Year. He endured a similar incident in practice last season and underwent a medical procedure in the offseason and was cleared to play then by doctors. Polee said he felt about 90 percent of the way back after Saturday's victory.


“I’m just grateful for this opportunity to have this second chance to complete the season," Polee told utsandiego.com. "I had a lot of positive people in my corner, my family, my girlfriend, my teammates, the coaches, the whole training staff and my Bible. I just stayed positive through the whole thing, and that’s what got me through.”


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[Kyle Ringo is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at kyle.ringo@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Join us for our 2015 Daytona 500 Live Chat

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It's baaaaack.


Join us for Yahoo Sports' live chat for the 2015 Daytona 500. We'll watch the race together, have some fun, talk about racing and talk about many things that don't have to do with racing. It's the best way to watch a race, especially the biggest race of the season. Come hang with us, won't you? We'll get things going at 1:15 p.m. ET as the race is scheduled to go gree shortly after 1:30 p.m.



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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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Kane strikes late to rescue Spurs

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Harry Kane scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time to rescue a 2-2 draw for the Spurs on Sunday.


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London – Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time to complete a dramatic comeback and rescue a 2-2 draw at home to West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday.


The visitors had taken a deserved 2-0 lead with a goal in each half from Cheikhou Kouyate and Diafra Sakho, while two superb saves from Hugo Lloris prevented them from further increasing their advantage.


A scrappy 80th-minute effort from Danny Rose, however, heralded a late cavalry charge from the hosts and when Alex Song made faint contact with Kane in the area he tumbled to the ground, prompting referee Jonathan Moss to point to the spot.


Kane’s tame first effort was parried by West Ham keeper Adrian but he gobbled up the rebound from close range.


West Ham have now won just one of their last nine matches and are eighth on 39 points, while Tottenham are sixth on 44, three adrift of Manchester United in fourth. – Reuters






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Fringe players deliver for Baxter

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Chiefs’ fringe players made coach Stuart Baxter’s day in the 4-0 Nedbank Cup win over Edu Sports.


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Johannesburg – Kaizer Chiefs’ fringe players made coach Stuart Baxter’s day during a somewhat indifferent performance in the 4-0 Nedbank Cup last 32 round win over fourth-tier minnows Edu Sports at FNB Stadium on Saturday.


“I really can’t say it was a great performance against a team of Edu Sports’ stature and lack of experience,” said the Amakhosi coach.


“After an hour’s play we were only leading 1-0 and struggling to tie up the loose ends to avoid an embarrassing setback.


“Ultimately we got matters right and the Safa-based amateurs ran out of steam for what was a comfortable victory.


“But what really made the day for me was the form of the fringe players who were given the chance to show off their wares and challenge for regular places in the first-choice line-up.


Baxter said Siphelele Mthembu grabbed his opportunity by scoring a hat-trick and Siphiwe Tshabalala, who had been hampered by injuries, had also been impressive.


“But all the fringe players who were in the original line-up and those who came on as substitutes impressed and provided a warning to the regulars not to take their places for granted.


“In addition, with a hectic programme coming up of Premier League, Caf Champions League and Nedbank Cup matches, it was reassuring to know that we have an adequate squad to meet the challenge ahead, make changes when necessary and not over-strain players who might need a break at times.”


Johannes ‘Bricks’ Muda, a former defensive stalwart of both Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns who is now coaching Edu Stars, said his youthful charges from the amateur Castle League had achieved as much as could have been expected coming up against Chiefs for the first time.


“Had the players not understandably begun to tire midway through the second half, we might well have gone on to give Chiefs a real fright,” said Muda.


“In any case, it is our main objective to move forward step-by-step from Safa’s amateur Castle League and in time earn promotion to the PSL’s First Division and even the Premier League in time, and playing against Chiefs will provide valuable experience towards achieving our objectives.”


While Chiefs ultimately gobbled up the Edu Sports minnows, with former Platinum Stars striker Mthembu at the helm with a hattrick, fears that the Premier League leaders confrontation with a team, who are placed no higher than 10th in the amateur Castle League did not materialise.


All four goals recorded were scored with headers, thereby demonstrating the relative inexperience of the team based 25 km from Pretoria in Soshanguve. – Sapa






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