News sport : Jordan Speith crushing the field at the Masters

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Almost everything seemed to go Jordan Spieth's way on Thursday in the opening round of the Masters – even the bad shots.


The result: an 8-under 64, one off the course record at Augusta National. He'll carry a 3-stroke lead into Friday's second round. And the thing is, it could have been even better.


But back to everything going his way …


On the par-3 12th, Spieth walked disgusted toward the hole after stroking his putt, thinking his short birdie bid had missed on the right edge. It went in for birdie to get to 6 under.


A hole later, Spieth flared his tee shot on the par 5 to the right, thinking he would have trouble making a momentum-continuing birdie. Sure enough, a tree ricocheted his ball back into the fairway leading to another birdie.


Then on the 14th, Spieth found himself in trouble off the tee at the only bunker-less hole on the course. No problem. Spieth shaped a shot that hit the green, kissed the flagstick and stopped within gimme range for another birdie.


Spieth slipped on the 15th, bogeying the birdieable par 5. He rallied for a birdie on the tough 18th to put himself at 8-under.






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News sport : Reports: Thabo Sefolosha out for season following an altercation with police

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Atlanta Hawks swingman Thabo Sefolosha will miss the rest of the 2014-15 NBA season with a fractured fibula, the result of an alleged altercation with police following the stabbing of Indiana Pacers forward Chris Copeland on Wednesday morning.


The defensive-minded reserve, in his first season with Atlanta, has a fractured right tibia. RealGM’s Shams Charnia was the first to report the news:



From Chris Vivlamore at the Atlanta Journal Constitution:



Sefolosha had a pronounced limp as he was escorted to a police van to be transported for arraignment. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Sefolosha will be evaluated by doctors for an ankle injury before the team played the Nets Wednesday night.




[…]




According to the police report, officers asked Antic and Sefolosha to clear the area to establish a crime scene six times before they were arrested. The report states the two moved a couple feet away but did not clear the area. The report also states that Sefolosha then charged officers in an “aggressive manner.”




Police officer Johnpaul Giancona wrote: “When I approached the defendant to place him under arrest for the above described conduct, I observed the defendant flail his arms, twist his body, kick his legs, and struggle against me making it difficult for me to place handcuffs on him and complete the arrest. It took four officers to place the defendant in handcuffs.”




Sefolosha and Antic said in a joint statement that they will contest the charges.



It is not yet known which leg Sefolosha injured, and the Hawks have yet to release a statement.


Sefolosha had enjoyed a rebirth of sorts in Atlanta this season, averaging 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in only 18 minutes a contest, playing his typically stellar and versatile defense. He also missed 23 games earlier this season with a right calf strain, with Atlanta going 14-9 without him. The Hawks will finish this season with the best record in the East, and they’ve gone 43-9 without Sefolosha in the lineup.


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


With DeMarre Carroll already in the starting lineup and Kent Bazemore ready to contribute, the Hawks are well stocked at Sefolosha’s position. Sefolosho is the superior individual defender, though, and he has had some success in bothering LeBron James defensively in the past. What his absence does for their overall defensive schemes and potentially their mindset remains in the air.


As far as any lingering frustrations toward either player and/or police is concerned, we should advise ourselves to attempt to let this one breathe. It’s early, and we just don’t know in full what happened in the wee hours on Wednesday. We just don’t know, yet, beyond the sad images of Chris Copeland in peril, and a limping Sefolosha working his way out of the 2014-15 season.


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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 : Kevin Harvick visits Masters, offers up support for playing friend

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Kevin Harvick in golf mode. AUGUSTA, Ga. - At any race track, Kevin Harvick can't walk anywhere without running a gauntlet of fans looking for his autograph. But at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday, Harvick was just a dude in a golf shirt, easily blending in with the thousands of other dudes in golf shirts. (No, he didn't wear his firesuit, but he was sporting a black "Kevin Harvick Foundation" cap.)


Harvick made the short stopover in Georgia en route to Texas to support his friend Scott Harvey, an amateur playing in his first Masters. "It's so cool for him to be here," Harvick said. "I of course wanted to support him."


Harvey isn't a professional golfer; instead, he owns a real estate business and plays as an amateur. Last year, he won the Mid-American Amateur Championship, and on Christmas Eve received the invitation to play in this year's Masters. As the date approached and the pressure mounted, Harvey decided to reach out to Harvick, who knows a thing or two about performing in front of crowds.


"I called him early last week to see how he deals with this every week," said Harvey, who met Harvick while the reigning Sprint Cup champ was learning to play the game. "I was getting calls, texts, tweets, and he helped me keep calm." Harvey finished the day four over par, two strokes out of the lead for the coveted Low Amateur award. (Winning the award will not qualify him for the Chase, however.)


"Calm," meanwhile, is a perfect description of the Augusta National course. Golf seems an unlikely refuge for a NASCAR driver -- if Harvick fired up his ride on one end of the course, you'd be able to hear it all the way on the other -- but quite a few drivers take to the links on their off days. Denny Hamlin came to Augusta three years ago, caddying for eventual Masters champ Bubba Watson in the Wednesday Par 3 contest. Michael Waltrip, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Jarrett all claim at least a touch of game.


Harvick has actually played Augusta; he shot a "91 or 92" a few years back. But this marked his first time as a spectator, and he was clearly enjoying his final few hours of relaxation before flying to Texas.


"It's just amazing here," Harvick said, looking out at Amen Corner and the famed Hogan Bridge. "There's nothing else like this place."


____

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 : Happy Hour: RCR's appeal, the All-Star Race and more

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Throughout the week you can send us your best questions, jokes, rants and just plain miscellaneous thoughts to happyhourmailbag@yahoo.com or @NickBromberg. We'll post them here and have a good time.


Richard Childress Racing released a statement Thursday about its appeal of the penalties levied towards the No. 31 team for tire manipulation at Fontana.


"Our appeal is scheduled for Thursday, April 16. We feel confident we have a very compelling case to present to the appeals panel. We strongly believe in the intent of the rules and the integrity of our own teams while following those same rules. Out of respect for the appeal process, we will have no further comments until after the hearing."


intriguing, isn't it?


We also can't help but think back to RCR's last big penalty. It happened in 2010 when Clint Bowyer's No. 33 team was penalized 150 points after the car's left rear didn't meet template specifications following Bowyer's win at New Hampshire. The penalty essentially ruined Bowyer's Chase.


RCR felt it had a pretty rock-solid case back then, bringing in an accident reconstruction expert to testify how damage from the tow truck that pushed Bowyer to victory lane after he ran out of gas. However, NASCAR's appeals board upheld the penalty and upon final appeal, RCR lost.


We're not saying RCR is going to lose this one too. But we're not optimistic about their chances, especially not knowing the details of the case. Why? NASCAR penalties are upheld far more than they're overturned.


When the news of the All-Star Race's addition of laps came out earlier in the week, we posed a question on Twitter. Does the $1 million purse to the winning team serve as an All-Star Race selling point to you?


We've heard and completely understand the argument that watching multi-million dollar drivers and teams race for $1 million isn't a draw for a lot of us that aren't banking seven figures. But we wanted to know how pervasive the thought was. So here's a sampling of your comments.









We like the charity idea. While fans have been drawn to All-Star Race teams before, why not do it like the Prelude to the Dream was set up? Each team or groups of teams could have a charity and the winning charity gets $1 million.



Here's another issue you can bring up about the marketing of the $1 million. It's a tacit admission that drivers and teams need further incentivization to win. Without the prize, they wouldn't take the race seriously enough to try to win it.


And that's seeped into the NASCAR regular season with the idea that "winning is everything" and drivers and teams would try harder to win races in the current Chase format than they would have otherwise.


It's all garbage. Racers race to win. And if you can't win, you want the best finish possible, especially as we've seen how the points format excruciatingly punishes bad finishes. While the prize money is a nice carrot for participating teams, it should be far from the only reason a team wants to win.



This is an intriguing thought. What if the race was for a bigger winner's purse (like say $2 million) or a Chase spot? Teams and drivers who are in the Chase would have a nice cash reward and it's another way for someone else like Jamie McMurray to get into the Chase.


And if you're going to respond that this idea is gimmicky, save it. Look at the Chase format already.



This was also a common theme. Not only do more short tracks need to be on the schedule, we agree the All-Star Race should be at one too. But which one? It's admittedly an idea much easier said than done.



Oh, we'd jump at the chance to be guest starter. And do we want to ruin our beautiful hair? We're going to have to debate that one. It's still funny every week to see the NASCAR official starter with a helmet and looking like a stormtrooper while the honorary starters have no head protection at all. Why there haven't been any steps to rectify the inconsistency over the first six weeks is quite odd.


We'd go with a Royals helmet, but may also have to support the alma mater too. A football helmet would be fun, especially if we're the guest starter at a race in SEC country. Would have to do some trollin'.


Before we go, we feel obligated to give an update to our Easter candy Power Rankings. We backed up our words and bought a lot of Cadbury Creme Eggs after Easter. So many, in fact, that we reached triple digits. As we type these words, 96, or one eaten per day, are left.


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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 : So does Flip Saunders want his Timberwolves to take three-pointers or not?

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It might be easy to slough Minnesota Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders off as just another old school, hates-the-treys NBA troglodyte. Such was the reaction on Wednesday night when this tweet started to make the rounds:



The quick take is an easy one. Andrew Wiggins should be part of the new NBA vanguard, a swingman that can slash as well as he eventually shoots, and he shouldn’t be shooed away from the three-point line by a coach (and team president) in Saunders that will be charged with developing the Timberwolves’ best chance to get out of their decade-long postseason rut. It’s a new game, Flip Saunders, and you need to get wise!


Right?


Not quite.


On Thursday, the Timberwolves released the full context of Flip’s quote, painting him as a not-at-all unreasonable sort that just doesn’t want his athletic soon-to-be-star out there flinging three-pointers without considering other options first.


Take a look:



The issue here is not that the initial reaction was unjust, because Flip Saunders has a history. He’s not chasing Wiggins away from the three-point line, we don’t have a Byron Scott here, but he has encouraged long two-point shots throughout his NBA coaching career.


The Timberwolves rank dead last in three-point attempts and makes this season. This is partially by design, and partially because the team is made up of still-developing offensive players that just aren’t ready to shoot (and especially make) a ton of three-pointers. Wiggins and fellow rookie Zach LaVine shoot about three and a half per game, combined, and not very well (they’ve combined to make fewer than a third of their attempts).


Kevin Martin’s per-minute three-point attempts actually slightly exceed his (mostly pre-Flip Saunders) career per-minute marks from the outside, though fellow pre-Saunders holdover Chase Budinger’s per-season attempts have gone down in Saunders’ first year back in Minnesota. So is this the personnel, or Flip?


Flip Saunders’ teams have routinely ranked in the lower reaches when it comes to three-pointers taken per game. Not counting partial seasons, his Wizards and Wolves teams are typically perched deep into the 20s in threes attempted per contest.


Saunders’ three-year stint with the Detroit Pistons, however, reversed the trend: Detroit was 19th, 12th, and 10th in attempts per contest – with that top ten season giving the Pistons a top four offensive efficiency ranking. The Pistons finished with the league’s slowest pace twice and second-slowest one time during that run, dimming the attempts per game even more – Detroit really was flinging from out there under Saunders.


Even in the mid to late 1990s, though, when most NBA teams were still loath to let fire from outside Saunders’ Wolves still ranked in the low 20s. This is a trend worth paying attention to, some two decades in.


Saunders relies heavily on a lot of guard-around screens and curls, movement that often sets players up for long two-point shots. Players like Terrell Brandon and Wally Szczerbiak became All-Stars in this system, and Kevin Garnett grew into an MVP. Saunders suited their strengths.


Should Szczerbiak and Brandon have taken more three-pointers, though?


Brandon hit for 40 percent of his treys during 1999-00, but he only took just over two a game. Szczerbiak averaged fewer than two per game in seven Minnesota seasons despite shooting 40 percent. The Wolves searched endlessly for a suitable off guard during Saunders’ initial turn there, as clanger after clanger moved through town, so you can’t blame Flip for falling short at other positions – but it’s possible that the line should have been utilized more often. The Timberwolves routinely ranked near the bottom – and certainly they were the worst of any good team – of free throws earned during that time because of his approach.


It is understand able that Saunders would limit the long looks for his youngsters in 2014-15, especially when someone like Wiggins is capable right out of the bat of scoring against studs in their prime. Especially when Wiggins is shooting less than 32 percent. Let’s give the coach time on this one.


The test comes later, when Wiggins and others develop their three-point strokes – which they will, because the form is nearly there. That is when Flip Saunders is going to have to prove us wrong, as we give his team’s three-point totals the stink eye.


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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 : Maryland's student government joins push to have stadium's name changed

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If student groups have their way, Maryland’s Byrd Stadium could be getting a new name.


A proposal to have the stadium’s name changed was backed by the student government Wednesday night amid protests that the stadium’s namesake held beliefs contrary to the school’s core principles.


H.C. “Curley” Byrd was a former university president from 1936 to 1954, and helped raise funds to get the stadium built in 1950. He also was a well-known racist, who prevented African-Americans from playing sports at Maryland until 1951 and fought for the separation of black and white students.


Because of that, a coalition of student groups, which included the NAACP, the Black Student Union, and other multicultural and Greek organizations, have pushed and even protested in an effort to get the name changed.


The Washington Post printed part of the resolution from the student government from Wednesday’s meeting:


“WHEREAS, Harry Clifton “Curley” Byrd (Byrd) , University President 1936-1954, used university funds to build what is now Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium; and,

WHEREAS, during Byrd’s Tenure he barred blacks from participating in sports and enrolling into the University until 1951 …

“THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED, that the SGA stand in solidarity with the student body in support of changing the name of Byrd Stadium; and,

BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, the University work with students, alumni, faculty/staff, athletics, and Capital One to find a suitable name for the football stadium.”

While student groups may be in agreement that the stadium’s name needs to be changed, the decision ultimately lies with he University System of Maryland Board of Regents.


Mike Lurie, a spokesman for the Board of Regents, told the Washington Post in an email that the regents aren’t yet considering a name change.


“Currently, the Byrd Stadium renaming question is one that, at this time, is being discussed on the UM College Park campus,” Lurie said. “Proposals to name or rename facilities are to be submitted by the institutional president to the chancellor and the board.”


For more Maryland news, visit TerrapinSportsReport.com.


-----


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 : Florida WR Chris Thompson charged with simple battery

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Sep 13, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Chris Thompson (85) works out prior to the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Florida wide receiver Chris Thompson was charged with misdemeanor simple battery (dating violence) by Gainesville police on Thursday.


The charge against Thompson, a junior, stems from an incident that occurred with his former girlfriend on April 1, according to the Gainesville Sun.


According to Gainesville Police, Thompson got into an argument with his ex-girlfriend “over a text Thompson received from another female.”


From the Sun:



While attempting to physically retrieve his phone from the alleged victim, Thompson scratched and bruised her arms and scratched her neck, leaving lacerations, according to the complaint. Thompson was not taken into custody. According to the GPD complaint, Thompson and the alleged victim had been in an “intimate dating relationship” that ended about four months ago.



Thompson has only four catches for 30 yards in the past two seasons, but has been competing for a starting role during spring practice under new Gators head coach Jim McElwain.


The 6-foot, 171-pound Thompson has missed “a couple of practices” since the incident occurred, per OnlyGators.com. Thompson is the first Florida player to face legal trouble since McElwain was hired in December.


The Gators are scheduled to play their spring game on Saturday.


For more Florida news, visit InsideTheGators.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 : VOD: Nebraska uses in-helmet cameras during practice

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It’s been a while since we’ve seen teams using in-helmet cameras during practice, but the technology appears to be alive and well at Nebraska.


The Huskers posted video of quarterback Tommy Armstrong and linebacker Josh Banderas using helmet cam during spring practice this week. It certainly gives fans a unique perspective. Take a look.



It’s really cool to watch Armstrong go through his progression on one end and then to see Banderas surveying the offense from the other side of the line of scrimmage.


According to the Nebraska athletics video department, we’ll see more from helmet cam during the team’s spring game on Saturday.


We’re looking forward to that.


For more Nebraska news, visit HuskerOnline.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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Just the right tonic for Chiefs

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Doctor Khumalo’s Kaizer Chiefs opened up a 10-point lead at the top of the PSL standings with a 1-0 victory over AmaZulu.


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Polokwane - The Doctor Khumalo-led Kaizer Chiefs opened up a 10-point lead at the top of the Absa Premiership standings following their drama-filled 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened AmaZulu in pouring rain at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, in Polokwane, on Thursday night.


With Chiefs head coach Stuart Baxter serving a two-match touchline ban, assistant coach Khumalo was at the helm on the night when his side ended the match with 10 players after goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was carded twice in quick succession some eight minutes ahead of full time.


Referee Phillip Tinyani yellow-carded Khune for time-wasting in the 82nd minute and that sparked a bad-tempered protest from the goalkeeper who was then sent off with a red card in the 85th minute.


With Chiefs reduced to 10 players, reserve goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse replaced Khune between the sticks, and George Lebese was sacrificed in midfield.


Tinyani’s card issuing in the match did not end there as Chiefs’ Matthew Rusike (85th min), AmaZulu’s Robyn Johannes (86) and Chiefs’ Tefu Mashamaite (88) were all subsequently yellow-carded.


The plethora of cards did not detract from the players’ resolve to score in the closing stages and though both sets of defences looked vulnerable the attackers were not equal to the task, and Chiefs’ slender 1-0 lead translated to a 1-0 victory.


Earlier in the first half, AmaZulu’s Mbulelo Mabizela, Sadate Ouro-Akoriko, Tapelo Nyongo, John Arwuah and Sifiso Hlanti were all yellow-card recipients.


The first-half possession was shared but the AmaKhosi always looked the more threatening. Chiefs’ defender Tsepo Masilela fired the best of the early attempts to score but his parting shot from range rolled wide of the posts in the 13th minute.


Five minutes later, however, Chiefs midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala initiated a raid deep into the Usuthu half and striker Bernard Parker rounded off with an 18th minute scoring shot as he punished the defence for losing their markers in front of goal (1-0).


Another Chiefs attack fairly soon afterwards, looked promising until Lebese opted for a long-range effort which flew fractionally wide the posts.


AmaZulu, on the other hand, did not have many chances to hit the target because the Chiefs defence was fairly tight but a low drive from outside the penalty area from Thabiso Dlamini marked Usuthu’s best first-half attempt.


Chiefs now top the log with 57 points, followed by closest rivals Mamelodi Sundowns on 47 points.


ANA






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City told to forget about Wilshere

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has told Manchester City his club no longer need to sell the likes of Jack Wilshere.


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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has told Manchester City his club no longer need to sell the likes of Jack Wilshere while warning no player can be assured of first-team action at the north London giants.


Reports in the British press have linked England midfielder Wilshere with a move to faltering champions City after the end of the current Premier League season.


But Wenger is not in a mood to entertain offers for the 23-year-old, who has been at Arsenal since the age of nine, or indeed anyone else.


Instead the second-placed Gunners, who were hampered financially by the cost of the club's move from their former Highbury home to the Emirates Stadium, aim to rid themselves of a reputation for selling key players, such as now Manchester United striker Robin van Persie.


“We are not in a position any more where we have to sell our best players,” Wenger said Thursday.


“We cannot make a case of any headline in any newspaper in a press conference from things that are not true,” the veteran French manager added.


Wilshere, long troubled by ankle problems, has recovered from a latest bout of surgery and could make his first appearance since the end of November away to relegation candidates Burnley on Saturday.


“Everybody can have a big impact until the end of the season, Jack included,” Wenger said. “Every player who doesn't play is very frustrated when he can not perform – (Abou) Diaby has been out for a year, (Theo) Walcott has been out for a year.


“Wilshere has played many games this year, he was out, but not for as long as Walcott or Diaby.”


Talented playmaker Wilshere appeared in an Arsenal under-21s match against Stoke earlier this week, together with captain Mikel Arteta and midfielder Diaby, who are both on the way back from injuries.


Another encouraging sign for Arsenal is the return of full-back Mathieu Debuchy from shoulder surgery.


“We are all in a fantastic position, but our job is competing,” Wenger said. “You cannot say that you have to accept to compete, if you cannot compete then you have nothing to do in this job.”


He added: “Everybody is rated exactly the same and you respect everybody and want everybody to just contribute to the team.”


Defender Laurent Koscielny (groin) and goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (rib) face fitness tests ahead of this weekend's trip to take on north-west side Burnley.


Arsenal have risen to second place, seven points behind leaders and London rivals Chelsea, who have a game in hand, following a blistering run of form.


Last weekend's comprehensive 4-1 win over Liverpool was Arsenal's seventh successive Premier League victory.


FA Cup-holders Arsenal also have a semi-final against Reading at Wembley next week to look forward to as they bid to retain the knockout trophy.


“The target of the work during the season is that your team becomes stronger and we still have many challenges until the end of the season,” said Wenger.


“It is interesting that we are in good form and it is interesting that we have a good team dynamic.


“Hopefully we can maintain that until the end of the season, then we will see where we stand.


“We look behind us and people are chasing us, in front of us there is quite a big distance with Chelsea, but we will work very hard to reduce that.” – AFP






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News sport : MLB has already sent 10 pace-of-play warning letters to players

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Unlike last season when the big MLB rule change was video replay, the new pace-of-play guidelines haven't been in-our-face the first week of the season. But MLB is watching, you can be sure of that.


The new rules dictate that hitters need to keep one foot in the batter's box at all times, unless one of a handful of exceptions happens — a swing, a passed ball, etc. Violators get warnings, egregious violators get fines. Those fines won't be handed out until May, so players get a little time to adjust.


We haven't seen much drama transpire on the field because of pace-of-play rules, but it's happening behind the scenes. MLB says it has already warned about 10 violators privately.


From The Associated Press:



Major League Baseball has started sending written warnings to players who have violated the new pace of game rules. MLB spokesman Michael Teeven said Wednesday about 10 letters had been sent since the start of the season last weekend.



This sounds fair. Give the players a grace period, let them know when they messed up, help them learn. Fine. But one thing: Written warnings? Really? If the point of all this is to speed things up for the modern audience, then shouldn't the warning come swiftly too? How about Rob Manfred sends a dude a text? Or an e-mail? Or a PDF that players have initial via DocuSign? It's 2015, guys, the options are limitless.


We jest — sort of. It's probably protocol. Maybe you have to formally warn a player before you fine him, something like that. Let's just hope players aren't required to pay their fines by check.


More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:



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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Why didn't Giannis Antetokounmpo play on Wednesday? Jason Kidd won't tell.

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You’d be forgiven if you hadn’t noticed that Bucks wunderkind Giannis Antetokounmpo was sitting on Wednesday evening. There were 13 NBA games on, and the only bit of intrigue surrounding the Milwaukee/Cleveland matchup surrounded the worry that the Cavaliers would somehow give away a chance at securing a Central Division crown and guaranteed second playoff seed.


The Cavs prevailed, by a 104-99 score and, wait, Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t play? Like, at all?


Was he sick?


Injured?


Usually 20-year olds don’t need rest, right?


Yo, Antetokounmpo, what the hell happened?



“He didn’t tell me,” Antetokounmpo answered when asked when head coach Jason Kidd told him he would sit. “No, he didn’t tell me.”




Was the benching for being late to practice? For rest? Because of an injury?




“I don’t know,” Antetokounmpo said after the game. “It was coach’s decision — I don’t know — for me not to play today.”



The second-year forward’s comments came after Jason Kidd went into “you know I was playing in the NBA 23 months ago, right?”-mode while meeting with the press. From Matt Velazquez at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:



Kidd made it clear that sitting the 6-foot-11 second-year forward was his decision. He invoked the phrase "coach's decision" six times during his postgame press conference.




"Coach's decision," Kidd said for the fourth time. "It was a coach's decision. I don't know what, you guys can't hear? ...You guys are smart. How about the game?"




Whatever the reasoning behind Kidd's decision was, it wasn't because Antetokounmpo is injured. The head coach was blunt with his answer when asked if there was a health issue involved.




"No, he was breathing," Kidd said.



Kidd did tell the press prior to the contest that veteran Jared Dudley would be starting in Antetokounmpo’s place on Wednesday, but he didn’t let on that the expected Milwaukee cornerstone would be taking in the first “Did not play – coach’s decision” of the season, and his first since Nov. 2013.


Did Kidd just forget to put Antetokounmpo in the game? Hardly, Giannis is a rather lengthy presence on the bench, and Kidd has turned in one of the best coaching jobs of the season this year with the Bucks. Expected to rank amongst the NBA’s worst teams, Milwaukee has been in the playoff bracket for most the year, despite working mostly without two would-be franchise cornerstones in Larry Sanders and Jabari Parker.


Are Kidd and Antetokounmpo having a tough time getting along? Nothing in their relationship’s past would indicate as much. Kidd is as sullen as Antetokounmpo is goofy, but not appreciating a 20-year old’s idiosyncrasies usually doesn’t merit an NBA benching.


Is Giannis struggling? Not really. He missed nine of 12 shots in the team’s previous game, a loss to the Magic, but lines like those don’t really stick out on a Bucks team that ranks sixth-worst in offensive efficiency this season. Giannis’ defense is one of the biggest reasons the Bucks rank fifth on that end, and he’s acted as one of the few bright spots offensively for Milwaukee over the last month.


Is Jared Dudley the better matchup on LeBron? That’s debatable.


Antetokounmpo has started twice in the contests that James has played against Milwaukee this season, both Cavalier wins. LeBron averaged 27 points, 6.5 rebounds, two and a half steals and eight assists a game against Giannis, because he’s LeBron, making nearly half his shots. Antetokounmpo held his own, however, managing 14.5 points, 7.5 boards and 4.5 assists a contest. Not bad for a kid, one that no doubt had a part in luring LeBron into the 12 turnovers he’d coughed up in two games against the Bucks in 2014-15. Dudley worked 20 minutes in one game and got his own DNP-CD in the other.


Does a 20-year old need rest, especially with the Bucks attempting to right their season after a recent swoon? Hell no.


Did Jason Kidd handle things appropriately after the game? Hell, HELL, no.


Kidd has a right to be upset after a tough loss. The Cavs were never able to turn the corner on the Bucks, and had Milwaukee been able to fully scratch their way to a win the team would have a season-defining conquest to hang their hat on. The team took a huge risk in trading Brandon Knight for Michael Carter-Williams in February, and MCW had his best game as a Buck against Cleveland, notching 30 points and eight assists. To come just short has to burn.


Jason Kidd doesn’t have to like the press that meets with him after these sorts of losses, but he can’t act curt in their presence when the press is asking what every Milwaukee Bucks fan badly wants to know – why isn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo playing? It’s a day later and every Buck fan on a message board and blog wants an update. Bucks fans have been through a lot, and Antetokounmpo represents a giddy future. They understand it’s not the worst thing in the world if there’s a late-season hiccup, there’s no soap opera brewing here, but they’d also like some clarification.


And Bucks fans aren’t allowed an audience with Jason Kidd following a game to ask what happened. The press is, and Kidd chided them for asking the questions they should have asked.


Why didn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo play?


Milwaukee’s next game is on Friday, in New York.


UPDATE, kind of:






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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 : Former Arizona, Texas QB Connor Brewer transferring to Northern Arizona

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Connor Brewer says he is headed to Northern Arizona.


Brewer, a four-star recruit in the 2012 class who started his career at Texas and spent the last two seasons at Arizona, announced his intent to transfer from UA in January. On Thursday, he announced on his Instagram account that he’ll finish his career at FCS Northern Arizona.



“After these wild few years of college, I have officially decided that my last stop will be at Northern Arizona University,” Brewer wrote. “I will pursue my graduate degree and have two more years of football to play. I am excited to get on the field again and to finally show people what I am capable of.”

The 6-foot-2, 206-pound Brewer redshirted in his only season at Texas. He had to sit out the 2013 at Arizona due to the NCAA’s transfer rules and then fell behind Anu Solomon and Jesse Scroggins on the Wildcats’ depth chart last season. He appeared in two games for the Wildcats last season and did not attempt a pass, though he did score a three-yard rushing touchdown against UNLV.


A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Brewer has two years of eligibility remaining and will be able to play immediately.


The Lumberjacks went 7-5 (5-3 Big Sky) in 2014.


For more Arizona news, visit GOAZCats.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 : Braxton Miller will not lose NCAA eligibility after posting AdvoCare photo

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Rest easy Ohio State fans, Braxton Miller’s eligibility is intact.


Three weeks after Miller, one of Ohio State’s quarterbacks, posted a picture of himself and a friend endorsing AdvoCare supplements on Instagram, the NCAA has decided not to level any punishment and the case has been closed.


The NCAA has determined that Braxton Miller’s Instagram post on March 24, 2015, was deemed to be a promotion of a commercial product. The Ohio State University Dept. of Athletics reported the incident to the NCAA, and the NCAA has reinstated Braxton’s eligibility without any conditions. This was considered a minor violation and the matter is now closed.

The caption of the photo included Miller’s name and his email address where potential customers could contact him about purchasing products.


The photo was deleted shortly after it was posted.


NCAA athletes are not prohibited from selling AdvoCare products, but they are prohibited from using their likeness in advertising.


Miller, who missed all of last season after reinjuring his surgically repaired shoulder, has been limited during spring practices while he continues to rehab. When he is ready to participate in drills, he will be involved in a hotly contested race for the Buckeyes starting quarterback spot with J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones.


For more Ohio State news, visit BuckeyeGrove.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 : J.R. Smith videbombing a Cavs sideline reporter: the sequel we've been waiting for

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The Cleveland Cavaliers had plenty of reason to feel good after beating the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. In the big picture, the victory clinched Cleveland's first Central Division title since 2009-10 — a.k.a., the last season LeBron James played in his first stint in Cleveland — as well as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. In the micro sense, they had just finished off a scrappy Bucks squad with some pretty dope plays, including some wizardry from Kyrie Irving:



... and a "good night, y'all, drive home safely" dagger 3-pointer from LeBron James over Milwaukee defender Jared Dudley:



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


Cleveland's now won four straight, eight of nine and 18 of 23 since the All-Star break, coming on strong down the stretch to look like a legitimate threat to win the championship. That's the kind of thing that makes you want to celebrate, and by "you," I mean "J.R. Smith," and by "celebrate," I mean "get all up in the videos like Puffy." Look out, FOX Sports Ohio's Allie Clifton!



Whatever your general feelings about videobombs as A Thing All NBA Players Do Now, it's worth noting that J.R. was out ahead of the curve on it. He turned in one of the classics of the genre back in 2011 as a member of the Denver Nuggets, using pretty much exactly the same moves he deployed Wednesday night:



The primary additions to his posedown? A double gun-show flex and sticking his finger in a reporter's ear. The former: solid. The latter: less so. You don't want to be the next contestant on that Delonte "dry willy" screen, J.R.


Clifton, for her part, didn't seem to mind the interruption:



You can quibble with J.R.'s choice of moves, but it's pretty hard to knock him for being so happy. He went from being a reserve and one of many fall guys on the worst New York Knicks team ever — which is saying a whoooooole lot — to being a starter and hand-in-glove fit as a shot-jacking fourth- or fifth-banana on a championship contender.


His primary job is to shoot 3-pointers at a higher clip than he has in his liberally gunning career — 7.3 long-range attempts per game, hitting 38.9 percent of them — and, so long as they come in the flow of the Cavs' offense on open catch-and-shoot opportunities created by all the attention that defenses give LeBron and Kyrie, nobody's going to get mad at him for chucking even more often than that. It's a pretty good life. Why not smile, pose and dance? It's important to have an attitude of gratitude, gang, and J.R.'s just thankful for getting the chance to ride along with the King and his court.


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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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