Forest Hills Stadium Loses Bid to Be a Landmark

Joshua Bright for The New York Times The derelict former United States Open stadium at the West Side Tennis Club last May.

Its courts were the site of the United States Open tennis championship for 62 years and they hosted the Beatles, Frank Sinatra and the Rolling Stones. But time may be finally running out for the now crumbling West Side Tennis Stadium in Forest Hills Gardens, Queens, one of the world’s most famous tennis arenas.
The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission notified supporters this week that it had decided not to grant landmark status to the dilapidated 50,000-seat stadium where, among other historic accomplishments, Arthur Ashe in 1968 won the Open, becoming the first black man to win a Grand Slam tournament.
The supporters were hoping that the designation would encourage the stadium’s restoration — now they say they worry that without that protection it could be sold for redevelopment or, worse, razed to the ground.
“It is part of the history of tennis and all the greats played there,” said Tony Trabert, 80, the president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame who himself first played at Forest Hills in 1948, at the age of 18, and later won titles there in 1953 and 1955. “I am sad. I have very fond memories of playing at the stadium and from a sentimental point of view I would hate to see it demolished and have a bunch of condos there.”
But city officials said sentimentality had to be weighed against the economic costs of preserving a place whose wooden seats were rotting and whose interior court was unfit for play.
Elisabeth de Bourbon, a spokeswoman for the preservation commission, said the stadium’s disrepair made it an unlikely landmark — for now. “After several visits to the stadium and months of careful study, our staff found that while the stadium does have some architectural, historic and cultural significance, the very architectural features that could render it a landmark are so compromised — with crumbling concrete and water damage — that it can’t be designated a landmark at this time.”
The stadium — which occupies about 2.4 acres within the West Side Tennis Club, a private center in one of the city’s most exclusive enclaves — has already come perilously close to a stark makeover.
In September, members of the club narrowly rejected plans to sell the stadium for about $9 million to a developer, Cord Meyer, which sought to build condominiums and a pool. The plans called for incorporating the stadium’s distinctive arches into the development, but that was little comfort for many nostalgic tennis fans disturbed at the thought of suburbanites watching television or doing dishes over the once-hallowed courts.
The prospect of a sale had prompted furious jockeying by some members to find a benefactor willing to finance the stadium’s restoration. It also fostered a bitter divide between those who say the stadium should rest as it is and others who say it is a white elephant and should be sold to bring in much-needed cash for the tennis club.
Kenneth J. Parker, the club’s president, declined to comment on the decision not to make the stadium an official landmark. But he insisted that the club was financially secure and said it was reviewing its options about the stadium’s future. “We are considering any proposals that come to us,” he said.
Mr. Trabert said one of his most memorable moments at the club was seeing the look on the face of the former Wimbledon champion Dick Savitt when Renée Richards — the former Dr. Richard Raskind — greeted the towering Mr. Savitt with a kiss on the cheek during a game she was attending as a spectator. In 1976, Ms. Richards was famously denied admission to the United States Open tennis tournament in Forest Hills after refusing to take a chromosome test for all women entrants.
From 1915 through 1977, the Open championships were held at the West Side Tennis Club. But by the late 1970s the tournament had become enormously popular and the stadium became too small to handle the crowds. The Open was moved to Flushing Meadows in 1978, which some say heralded the beginning the stadium’s gradual decline.

Sania Mirza will do modeling in lakhani summer collection 2011 - Lawn prints by House of Zunn

Lakhani silk mills is going to launch its lawn catalogue of summer collection by lakhani for 2011.For this they want to hire Indian tennis star Sania Mirza for modeling photo shoot.Sania is in contact with Lakhani silk mills.Shoaib Malik is convincing her for modeling.

Maria Sharapova Romance with her Boyfriend Sasha Vujacic

Romace between Maria Sharapova (Sasha) and her boyfriend Sasha Vujacic(NBA player) is going high now a days because Maria is totally free.Both of them are seeing together in hotels,parks and in dance clubs.Maria said that ''Whenever I got time , I wanna spend it with Sasha Vujacic,and when Sasha Vujacic got time he cames to watch my match.We both love each other.''

Elizabeth Hurley has made it clear that she and her former husband, Arun Nayar, are very much separated

Now that the very happy and single Elizabeth Hurley has made it clear that she and her former husband, Arun Nayar, are very much separated, there’s nothing stopping the British miss from exchanging sweet nothings with alleged boyfriend, and cricketer, Shane Warne.

Twitter has been witness to their fledgling relationship for some time now. Now Liz is in India to support Shane’s Rajasthan Royals’ bid to win this year’s IPL. She’s been updating her Twitter status every few minutes about the “pouring rain,” while following the team around the country.

She’s also calming Shane’s pre-match nervousness. In one such instance, when Shane posted to Liz, “holding hands in dressing room didn’t work last game. Any other tips for tonight’s game? Boys are super excited.” Liz was quick to remark, “See if Shilpa will give them a big kiss if you win?”

Elizabeth Hurley and Shane Warne romance are in media now a days.

ESPN ASIA: Former Sri Lanka skipper Hashan Tillakaratne has vowed to defy death threats to expose match-fixing

The tourists will arrive in England next week surrounded by controversy after Tillakaratne last week claimed fixing was rife in his home country.
Tillakaratne, who played 83 Tests and is now a politician, says the problem dates back to 1992 and has promised to reveal names of Sri Lankan players involved in corruption.
Now he says he will take his evidence to the ICC.
He insisted: "I have been getting a lot of nuisance calls and death threats.
"But I will expose all those who are involved."

Boise State charged with lack of control - USA YESTERDAY

Boise, ID (Sports Network) - The NCAA has charged Boise State with lack of institutional control after finding alleged violations in multiple sports.
Most of the 22 allegations are minor, but the NCAA said that because of the severity of women's tennis violations, it chose to combine all the violations into a major violation. Other sports involved are football, men's tennis, and track and field/cross country.
The school is now required to attend a hearing with the NCAA infractions committee on June 10. The governing body's final report is expected to be released several months after that.
Boise State also responded to the NCAA's allegations Monday.
"Complying with NCAA rules is fundamental to who we are and how we do things at Boise State," said athletics director Gene Bleymaier. "We have addressed the issues and are working with the NCAA to bring this to a close."
The school faces the serious charge because of an alleged violation committed by women's tennis coaches.
A summary of the NCAA's inquiry said that in 2010, the head women's tennis coach and assistant coach provided a prospective student-athlete with "impermissible transportation, cash, lodging, educational expenses and entertainment."
The NCAA also said both coaches conducted illegal practice sessions with the prospect and allowed her to compete before she was enrolled. The coaches, who Boise State said were removed from their posts in November, have been charged with unethical conduct.
This violation, which was self-reported by the school after being committed in October 2010, led the NCAA to charge Boise State with lack of control.
That violation was discovered days before a summary disposition that would have essentially treated the other infractions as unintentional.
Boise State began an investigation in March 2009 at the NCAA's request, and through May 2010 self-reported some secondary violations in preparation for the summary disposition.
Most of the minor infractions center around transportation, housing and meals.
The NCAA alleged that in the summers of 2005-09, assistant football coaches and staff arranged housing and transportation in Boise for 63 prospective student-athletes so they could participate in valid workouts. The arrangements were made for free or at a reduced cost, and the benefits added up to $4,934, a figure determined by the NCAA.
The NCAA also alleged that between 2005-09, 16 prospective student-athletes in the other sports -- men's and women's tennis, and track and field/cross country -- received $718.26 worth of benefits.

Fox News:Serena Williams Not Home During Stalker Arrest

RumorFix has learned that a man accused of stalking Serena Williams has been arrested outside the tennis star's Florida mansion.
Police detained Patenema Ouedraogo on Tuesday morning at approximately 2 a.m. after he was discovered on the grounds of the athlete's plush Palm Beach Gardens estate.
The 40-year-old suspect is an obsessed fan who is well-known to Williams and her security team.
Earlier this year, Ouedraogo allegedly snuck into the star's HSN dressing room by telling security he was her assistant. Williams had him thrown out, but the accused reportedly waited outside the building for the rest of the day.  
Ouedraogo has been charged with stalking and cyber-stalking following Tuesday's arrest after telling law enforcement that he had been monitoring Williams' whereabouts on Twitter. He's currently being held on $25,000 bond.
Luckily for William, she was not home at the time of the arrest. Just hours before photographers captured her attending the star studded MET Gala in New York.

Can anyone beat Nadal on Clay?

There you have it. And the most remarkable aspect of that trivia question is what's left unsaid—that nobody else has beaten Nadal (at least not since he was a mere stripling) on the red clay in Europe before Paris. The only real surprise on that list is Andreev—all the other players are Grand Slam champions and former No. 1-ranked players. Andreev took the measure of Rafa in the quarters of Valencia in 2005, when Nadal was ranked No. 31. But it was just days

It wasn't that Acapulco was such a big event. Rather, it was the overpowering way Nadal blasted his way to the title, taking out (in order), Alex Calatrava, Santiago Ventura, Guillermo Canas, Mariano Puerta and Albert Montanes. It was a kind of Platonic round-by-round for clay-court tennis, all either Spanish or Argentinian men with a preference for the dirt. And Nadal gave Montanes a single game in the final, which he won 6-1, 6-0.

Furthermore, after what looks like an odd, inexplicable glitch against against Andreev, Nadal became the Rafa whom we now know and love (or, in some cases, fear and loathe). He would not lose again in 2005 until his feet touched grass in Halle. Nadal won, in succession, Monte Carlo (d. Guillermo Coria), Barcelona (d. Ferrero), Rome (d. Coria) and Roland Garros (d. Puerta). By the end of that run, he was No. 3 in the world and no longer a question mark in anyone's mind.

Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg Compete in 2011 Champions Series

Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Bjorn Borg, who have a combined 33 Grand Slam singles titles, will compete in the 2011 Champions Series, organized by men’s tennis senior tour.
The Champions Series, which carries a $1 million purse split by its top three finishers, will make 12 stops across the U.S. starting in September, according the senior tour’s website. The season begins on Sept. 22 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and concludes on Oct. 22 in Buffalo, New York.
Each tournament has four players split into a pair of one- set semifinals. The two winners meet that same night in an eight-game pro-set championship match.
Americans Michael Chang, Jim Courier and John McEnroe, and Swede Mats Wilander will also compete on the 2011 tour, which has television partnerships with Fox Sports Net, New England Sports Net and Tennis Channel, according to its website.

Men's Basketball Head Coach Rick Pitino Introduces Coaching Staff

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino met with the media on Tuesday afternoon to introduce the Cardinals' new coaching staff - associate coach Richard Pitino and assistant coaches Wyking Jones and Kevin Keatts - at the Yum! Center.
After Rick Pitino talked about the new staff, his son, Richard, Jones and Keatts spoke with the media and answered questions about coming to Louisville and past coaching experiences.
Richard, an assistant on the Louisville staff from 2007-09, has developed into one of the top young assistants and recruiters nationally, with a reputation as a tireless worker and a comprehensive and detailed scout. He worked at Florida under head coach Billy Donovan, who played under Rick Pitino at Providence for two seasons, including the 1986-87 season when the Friars reached the NCAA Final Four.
In his two seasons with the Gators, Florida was a combined 50-20 with back-to back NCAA Tournament appearances, including reaching the 2011 NCAA Southeast Regional finals before falling to NCAA runner-up Butler. The Gators won the 2011 Southeastern Conference championship and had a 29-7 overall record, ranking 10th in the final ESPN/USA Today poll and 15th by AP.
Jones previously spent two years at New Mexico under head coach Steve Alford. He helped the Lobos produce a combined 52-18 record. The 2009-10 New Mexico team won a school-record 30 games (30-5 record), won the Mountain West Conference Championship and was ranked eighth in the final AP poll.
Before joining the New Mexico staff, Jones spent two years as a basketball travel team manager with Nike Elite Youth Basketball. There, he managed all 45 travel teams and the tournaments that Nike sponsored in its grassroots youth program, while he built key relationships across the nation.
Keatts, through 10 seasons at Hargrave Military Academy in two separate stints as the head coach (1999-2001, 2003-2011), compiled an incredible 262-17 record with two national prep titles (2004, 2008), three runner-up finishes (2005, 2006, 2009) and two additional appearances among the final four prep teams (2007, 2010). He won his second national prep title with a perfect 29-0 record, the school's first undefeated season. His teams lost one or fewer games on six occasions.
Located in Chatham, Va., Hargrave produced 103 players who signed NCAA Division I men's basketball scholarships during Keatts 10 seasons as a head coach -- an average of over 10 a year -- and an additional 18 advanced to play at the Division II level. Among the active BIG EAST Conference players who attended Hargrave are Pittsburgh guard Isaiah Epps and DePaul guard/forward Eric Wallace.

UPDATE: Falls Hires Leffel As Boys Varsity Basketball Coach; Tokoto Staying

Dan Leffel was selected to be the boys basketball coach at Menomonee Falls High School, athletic director Dave Petroff said Monday, and he will have J.P. Tokoto on the team as well for the 2011-12 season.       
Leffel replaces Ben Siebert, who resigned in March. Leffel, who teaches science at  North Middle School, had been the freshman coach at Menomonee Falls.       
The Indians will have two returning starters for next season, forward Tokoto and guard CJ Malone.  Leffel is also counting on contributions from Kevin Meyers, James Ulicki and Brandon Ramey, who were varsity reserves last season.
Tokoto's father told the JSOnline that he would indeed attend next year after considering options such as prep school.
“We will rely on JP and CJ a lot,” Leffel said. “But I’m also excited about trying to develop some of the other players.  We’re also going to count on some of the JV guys. They made great strides last year. They showed me a lot.”
After 12 seasons as an assistant coach, Leffel will get an opportunity to run his own show.
“I’m really excited about getting this opportunity,” Leffel said Monday. “It has been a goal of mine to coach in the same district that I teach in. This is a dream come true.”
Leffel has been a part of the Falls basketball program since 2005. He served as an assistant varsity coach for three years and has spent the last three years as the freshman coach. Before coming to Menomonee Falls, Leffel was an assistant varsity basketball coach at Wauwatosa West High School and an assistant coach at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Leffel, 34, is a 1994 graduate of Greenfield High School and a 1999 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran. He played basketball at both schools.
He takes over a team that started the 2010-‘11 season with high expectations, but ended up a disappointing 11-12 last season.
Leffel said he plans to make some changes both offensively and defensively next season.
“I thought we were a little bit too predictable last season,” Leffel said. “I think we relied too much on the dribble drive. I want to use a motion offense, to use screens and picks to get our guys open.  On defense, I like to play aggressively. We’re going to press full court, whether it’s zone or man to man. We’re going to switch it up a lot more.”
Siebert met with MFHS Athletic and Activities Director David Petroff in March to inform him of his decision to step down as head coach. Petroff said Siebert cited personal reasons as the motivation behind the decision.
Siebert finished with a 47-25 record in his three seasons as coach at Menomonee Falls. That includes a 11-12 record this past season, which included a first-round loss to Waukesha South in the WIAA regional. Siebert teaches math at the high school.

Central Washington University hires women's basketball coach

Shawn Nelson, who has spent the past eight seasons as the head women's basketball coach at Carroll College, has been named the next women's basketball coach at Central Washington University. Making the announcement on Tuesday was CWU director of athletics Jack Bishop.
"I am pleased that, after a comprehensive search, we have had the opportunity to hire such a quality head coach to lead our women's basketball program into the future," Bishop said. "I was most impressed with Shawn's philosophy about practice, offense, defense, and the efficiency with which it appears he handles a basketball program.

"He has shown a great ability to recruit high-quality student-athletes, an ability to recruit the Northwest, and he has a reputation to be able to teach the three-point shot and to attract numerous high school programs and players to camps, where they can learn from his expertise."

"I am very excited to be named the head women's basketball coach at Central Washington University," Nelson exclaimed. "I appreciate the support of the administration and of the search committee. I am excited about the opportunity to build a winning program (at CWU), and to be able to lead the program in the future."

Nelson, 38, compiled a 201-70 win-loss record over his eight seasons at the Helena, Mont., school. His teams won at least 27 games in each of his first five years, finishing ranked among the top 25 in the Division I of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). He also became the youngest basketball coach in the history of the Frontier Conference - men's or women's - to reach the 100- and 200-win plateaus.

Nelson has spent the past 20 years affiliated with Carroll, beginning with his time as a men's basketball player for the Fighting Saints from 1991-95. He graduated from Carroll with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology in 1996, and then spent the next seven years as an assistant men's basketball coach and sports information director at the school. He then began his head coaching career with the Fighting Saints' women's basketball program in 2003-04 and guided them to a 28-7 record and number 23 national ranking.

Over the course of his coaching career with the Fighting Saints, Nelson took his teams to five consecutive NAIA Division I national tournaments, including an appearance in the Elite Eight in 2008. He was a two-time Frontier Conference Coach of the Year, had Carroll ranked among the NAIA top 25 during each of his eight seasons, and coached the nation's top three-point shooting team for four straight years. Two of his former players were named WBCA Kodak All-Americans.

Nelson, who is a member of the Wendy's of Montana-Carroll College Athletic Hall of Fame, is originally from Fallon, Nev., where he attended Churchill County High School. He has been married to wife Laura, a former standout track and field athlete at Montana State University, for nearly nine years. The couple has two sons, Peyton (age 5) and Cooper (3).

Kentucky Mr. Basketball Hickey signs with LSU- ESPN USA

Anthony Hickey will play collegiately at Louisiana State University, Kentucky's Mr. Basketball announced during a ceremony at his school Tuesday, according to The Times Picayune of New Orleans.
Hickey, a senior point guard who led Christian County to the 2011 state championship in Rupp Arena in March, opted for LSU over another Southeastern Conference school, South Carolina. He had also reportedly been considering Dayton, Butler and Western Kentucky.
The 5-foot-10 Hickey averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 steals per game as a senior. He is rated as a three-star prospect by recruiting services Rivals.com and Scout.com.
Moss commits to Florida
Boone County junior Sydney Moss has committed to play college basketball at Florida, according to a report by ESPN.com.
Moss, the daughter of NFL wide receiver Randy Moss, averaged 22.6 points and 10.8 rebounds this past season.
She reportedly chose Florida over Louisville, Dayton, West Virginia, Xavier and Kansas.
Purvis back on the market
Class of 2012 point guard Rodney Purvis, who orally committed to Louisville last December, said Monday he was reopening his recruitment.
Purvis, a 6-foot-4 junior from Raleigh, N.C., told the Raleigh News and Observer that he remains interested in Louisville, along with Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina State.
Purvis said he wanted to re-evaluate after Louisville assistant Tim Fuller, who had handled much of his recruitment, left the U of L program recently.
Purvis, rated one of the top guards in the 2012 class, averaged 25.4 points as a junior.

Suburban West Roundup: Golf Kicks Off Spring Postseason Suburban West Roundup: Golf Kicks Off Spring Postseason

Area golf teams teed it up last week for district tournaments, with the top two teams and top 15 individuals from players outside the top two teams advancing to sectional play.

Parkway South won the Class 4 District 2 Tournament which was held at Persimmon Woods Golf Club in Weldon Spring. The Patriots won with a score of 214, which was six strokes better than CBC, which also qualified for sectionals as a team.

Parkway South's Kyle Weldon was the individual medalist, shooting a two-over par 73. Parkway South's Jack Darland was tied for second with a 77. Wesley Allard, David Arth and Jacob Frericks round out the district champion team.

(Update: After this article was written, Patch learned that long-time Parkway South golf coach, Mark Wade, passed away last Saturday.)

Eureka finished third out of the 11 teams competing at the Class 4 District 2 Tournament. The Wildcats had a team score of 329 and also advanced three golfers to the state sectional meet, which will take place this Wednesday at Old Hickory Golf Course in St. Peter's.

Eureka's Shane Harris and Theodore Jones each shot an 81 to place eighth overall, and Matt Miklas finished with an 83 at 13th place.

Other area Suburban West golfers advancing to sectionals include: Zach Gollwitzer (Marquette), Conner Katsev (Lafayette), Mitchell Porter (Lafayette), William Signaigo (Marquette), Maxwell Charpentier (Lafayette), Michael Becker (Webster) and Charles Owens (Marquette).

Lindbergh was able to qualify as a team with a second-place finish in the Class 4 District 1 Tournament which was held at the Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, MO. Poplar Bluff won the district with a score of 320. Lindbergh shot a 331, which was 10 strokes better than third-place Jackson.

Lindbergh was led by Drew Ervin, who tied for second with a four-over par 78. Justin Stacer, Kyle Young, John Heutel and Jacob Arends were the other members of the Flyers district team.

Oakville finished fourth as a team but will send four individuals (Rylan Smelcer, Ryan Hancock, Cam Crouthers and Kyler Dill) to the sectional meet. Mehlville and Fox also will be represented at sectionals. Justin Komos qualified from Mehlville, while Brock Mueller made it from Fox.

Rain postponed many of the baseball games in the conference last week, but a big series was held Friday and Saturday with league-leader Parkway South and Oakville splitting two games. Parkway South remained undefeated, not only in the conference but overall, with a 15-5 win on Friday. The Patriots scored six runs in the second inning and five in the fourth in the 10-run win. Sean Keeney went 4-for-4 in the loss for the Tigers.

Oakville handed the Patriots their first loss of the season on Saturday as Chad Gendron allowed just three hits in 6 1/3 innings in a 6-1 Tigers win. Dalton Bray had three runs batted in to pace Oakville, which improved to 8-2 in the league. The Tigers are still a game behind Parkway South, which is 9-1.

"The fact that Parkway South was undefeated did not give us any more ambition to win the game Saturday," Oakville coach Rich Sturm said. "We were just trying to get back into the conference race and righting the ship after a very poor performance Friday. We beat ourselves Friday and just did not play good fundamental baseball.

"We had that happen in another game against Vianney, and we came right back and beat them the next game. Saturday we hit the ball better, ran the bases better and just played a better game and, of course, Chad was excellent. I think it just says a lot about the heart and character of the team, the way they have bounced back after big losses to beat two of the better teams in the area."

The Lindbergh girls won the championship in the CYC/Joseph Carenza Soccer Tournament. The Flyers did not allow a goal in the tournament, defeating Pacific 9-0, Webster Groves 1-0 and Collinsville, 3-0, in the championship game. Oakville finished third in the tournament. Lexi Pommer scored three times in a 5-0 win over Webster Groves in the third-place game.

The Mehlville girls soccer team also won a tournament last week as they repeated their title in the Lutheran South Tournament. Kaela Luna scored twice in a 4-1 victory over Affton and added a goal in a 3-1 win over DuBourg. Allison Wade, Kayla Hezel and Shelby Gibson scored goals in a 3-1 win over De Soto to close the tourney.

Patch Suburban West Girls Athlete of the Week

Lindbergh goalkeeper Nina Tzlanos has been named the Girls Athlete of the Week in the Suburban West. She did not allow a goal in last week's tournament and now has nine shutouts for the season for the Flyers, who are 13-2. The junior has allowed just eight goals in 15 games this season for a 0.54 goals against average.

Patch Suburban West Boys Athlete of the Week

Mehlville baseball player Mark O'Moran is the Patch Suburban West Conference Boys Athlete of the Week. O'Moran hit .500 throughout a recent seven-game stretch. Eight of his 11 hits were for extra bases, including a grand slam against league-leader Parkway South. He drove in 14 runs in the seven games and also drew three walks and was hit by a pitch twice. O'Moran also had a home run in an 8-4 win over Northwest on Friday to give the Panthers their first league win.

ROUTERS: 19-year-old sets record as youngest MP; NDPer planned summer job at golf course

MONTREAL — Nineteen-year-old Pierre-Luc Dusseault planned to work a summer job at a golf course if his foray into federal politics didn't work out.
He can forget the links.
The teenage longshot is now headed to Ottawa as the youngest member to ever sit in Canada's federal Parliament, joining dozens of other New Democrats in Quebec who scored unlikely victories on Monday night.
Instead of working his way around the green fairways, he will learn his way around the green parquet of the House of Commons as the new MP for Sherbrooke. His new starting salary is $157,731.
Dusseault ran a grassroots campaign in the university town east of Montreal. He says he always believed he had a chance.
"I did a full-time campaign and I was there to win, I wasn't there to be a figurehead, I was involved in the debates and I was present on the ground," Dusseault said.
"I worked to win and our efforts bore fruit."
Despite the steep learning curve, he said he's ready more than ready to tackle Ottawa.
The political neophyte is co-founder and president of the NDP association at the Universite de Sherbrooke, where he finished his first year as a political science student.
Dusseault is a self-described political junkie who has already been to Ottawa and visited the House of Commons. He also admits to watching a lot of CPAC, the TV channel that broadcasts parliamentary proceedings.
"I know the game," Dusseault said confidently.
Dusseault turns 20 at the end of this month. At 19 years, 11 months, he will be the youngest MP ever to serve in Ottawa. He replaces Claude-Andre Lachance, who has held the distinction for over a quarter-century. Lachance was elected as a Trudeau Liberal in 1974 at the age of 20 years, three months, in a Montreal riding.
Coincidentally, Dusseault was also voting for the first time on Monday. His maiden exercise in democracy was a no-brainer — he simply ticked the circle next to his own name.
"It's not a difficult choice," quipped the Granby, Que., native.
The local campaign started slowly until the university year ended. That's when Dusseault made a push, hitting the streets and parks. He said people in Sherbrooke made it clear they wanted change.
"All the people I met were saying we want a young MP, we want change and the NDP is the new voice of Quebec," Dusseault said.
From 1984 to 1998 the riding was held by then-Progressive Conservative Jean Charest, currently premier of Quebec.
Since 1998, the riding had been held solidly by long-time Bloc Quebecois member Serge Cardin, who'd never received less than 44 per cent of the vote.
Sherbrooke is a riding where the NDP had never finished better than fourth in recent elections, but was among nearly six-dozen seats swept up in Monday's orange tide.
Dusseault said he's thankful the voters in his Eastern Townships riding have given him and, by extension, Canadian youth the chance to represent them. Dusseault said more young people are needed in the House of Commons.
The son of a daycare administrator and a warehouse manager, Dusseault said he would still like to finish his university degree after his political career is over.
But for now, priorities include meeting with other NDP MPs and setting up a riding office. He also will need to pick up a few more suits and he plans to improve his English.
"Maybe some won't take me seriously in the beginning, but I'm ready to work hard and earn my spot," Dusseault said.
"In the coming weeks, months, years, I'll show those who are skeptical that the youth have their place and can get the job done."

O'Hair decides to leave swing coach Foley

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sean O'Hair not only is looking for his game, he's now looking for a new swing coach.

O'Hair, who has missed his past five cuts and has not finished among the top 20 all year, has decided to split with Sean Foley after a relationship that began nearly three years ago in the Canadian Open.

During their time together, O'Hair won the Quail Hollow Championship and played in the Presidents Cup. But whatever had been going right started going very wrong this year, and it was time for a change.

O'Hair fired caddie Paul Tesori at the end of last year, and recently split up with caddie Brennan Little. Foley was next to go.

"He hasn't been happy with how this year has gone, and he feels he needs to make a change in direction with his instruction," Foley said Tuesday. "We had a good run up until the 2011 season. Sean is a good friend of mine. I love the kid. But this is business. I don't look at it from an emotional standpoint but a rationale standpoint.

"He has to do what's good for his career," Foley said. "He'll have my complete support, and I'll always cheer for him."

Foley more famously began working with Tiger Woods in August, and his stable includes Hunter Mahan, Justin Rose and Stephen Ames. For O'Hair, it was not an issue of time with the coach as much as it was wanting to change.

"What worked so well for so long ... you keep doing the same thing and it doesn't work as well," Foley said. "It's like in the NBA. You win a championship one year, two years later the coach gets fired for having a losing record. That's the business."

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NELSON AWARD: Former PGA Tour commissioner Dean Beman has been selected for the Byron Nelson Prize, awarded to a person in golf who embodies the philanthropic spirit for which Nelson was known.

Beman was the architect for the PGA Tour business model, serving as commissioner from 20 years starting in 1974. Under his leadership, nearly all PGA Tour events devoted themselves to charity efforts.

"During my years as commissioner of the PGA Tour, I always pointed to the HP Byron Nelson Championship as the event other sponsors should use as a model in their own communities," Beman said. "Byron Nelson was always held up as the gentleman and golfer who should be emulated by our members. For me, there is no greater honor than receiving a prize which bears his name."

Beman will be honored May 24 at the opening ceremony of the Byron Nelson Championship. The Salesmanship Club of Dallas, which operates the tournament, donates $100,000 to the charity of the winner's choice. Beman has selected The Duvall Home in Florida, which provides residential and day training to those with developmental disabilities.

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WORLD PERSPECTIVE: The European Tour sent out a news release Tuesday on Lee Westwood, the No. 1 player in the world, hopeful of capturing what he considers to be the fifth major. That would be the PGA Championship at Wentworth later this month, not The Players Championship, which Westwood is skipping next week.

Westwood made it clear last year that he doesn't rate The Players Championship among his top five, instead putting the World Golf Championships behind the majors.

Then again, he's not a PGA Tour member.

And he's not alone.

Martin Kaymer of Germany, who is No. 2 in the world and not a PGA Tour member, will be at The Players Championship next week. He referred to it as one of the majors "because of the world ranking points."

But asked if he would rather win The Players or a World Golf Championship, he got even more specific.

"The World Golf Championships, and preferably the one at Firestone because it's a fantastic golf course and a beautiful place," Kaymer said. "It's a small field of great players, and you can call yourself a world champion."

___

FOOTBALL TIME: Back on the PGA Tour for the first time since the Masters, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer played as if they were home in Europe when they arrived for the Wells Fargo Championship.

They were invited to take part in a soccer game against a local club in Charlotte. They were joined by Mick Doran, the caddie for Camilo Villegas, and Stuart Cage, one of McIlroy's managers.

About all that is known is the final score. The Charlotte team won 7-4. Details after that get a little fuzzy.

Kaymer said he scored the first goal for the European side and tried to inspire the team. That brought laughter from McIlroy, who said the German didn't even show up until after halftime.

"It was good, good fun," McIlroy said. "I think four or five players turned up, a few caddies. Played a local team from here who were a lot better than us. It was 4-1 at halftime. We got it back to 4-all halfway through the second half, and then they turned it on at the end and beat us. Luckily, no injury, so we're ready to go for this week."

Doran put it all into perspective.

"They were a good team, passing it beautifully, and we were just sort of chasing after the ball," he said. "I think they let us score a few goals after the half just to make a game of it."

___

DIVOTS: Rory McIlroy spent an hour on the putting green Monday at Quail Hollow while working with Dave Stockton, a two-time major champion and putting specialist who also works with Phil Mickelson. Stockton said he began working with McIlroy on Monday. ... The Seve Ballesteros Foundation will be the charity for Europe's PGA Championship at Wentworth next month, 20 years after the Spaniard's last year of winning on the tour's home course. Ballesteros won the PGA Championship and the World Match Play Championship that year. ... Tommy Gainey already has won more than $1.25 million this year on the PGA Tour with a swing that is not exactly textbook. And that's OK with him. "I don't worry about what people say about my swing. I know it's unorthodox. I know it's ugly. But it works," he said.

___

STAT OF THE WEEK: Of the seven sudden-death playoffs on the PGA Tour this year, four have gone more than one hole.

___

FINAL WORD: "I turn left for a living, and for some reason, my golf ball goes right all the time." — NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson, who has won the past five Sprint Cup Championships.

Shark imparts wisdom on Rory McIlroy - ESPN NEWS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- As he was hitting from between two cabins that nobody ever dreamed were in play or making a mess of the par-3 12th hole at Augusta National or slumping in despair after a wayward tee shot, Rory McIlroy was on his way to Masters infamy.
By squandering a four-shot, 54-hole lead last month at the Masters, the Northern Irishman suffered the biggest meltdown of a third-round leader in 15 years -- since Greg Norman blew a six-shot advantage.
So who better to discuss dealing with such a calamity than the Great White Shark himself.

AP Photo/Chris O'MearaRory McIlroy struggled through his final round at the Masters, probably no where more than his triple-bogey 7 at the 10th hole. But as the Northern Irishman pointed out, he did lead the year's first major for 63 holes.

"I had a good chat with Greg Norman the week after, when I was in Malaysia," McIlroy said.
His advice?
"Don't listen to you guys."
Ah, stay away from the media. McIlroy, 21, smirked, but went on to share Norman's wisdom.
"He sort of just said to me, from now on, don't read golf magazines, don't pick up papers, don't watch the Golf Channel," McIlroy said. "But it's hard not to. Obviously you want to keep up to date with what's going on. But you can't let other people sort of influence what you're thinking and what you should do.
"I've taken my own views from what happened a few weeks ago and moved on, and that's the most important thing."
McIlroy is making his first U.S. appearance since the Masters at this week's Wells Fargo Championship, where he is the defending champion at Quail Hollow Golf Club.
A year ago, it was all good, as McIlroy made the cut on the number, shot a third-round 66 to get back into the tournament, then roared to his first PGA Tour victory by shooting a final-round 62 that included six consecutive 3s to close out his round -- as he won by four.
He was ahead by four at Augusta then saw it all unravel, as a slew of players made a Sunday charge. By the time McIlroy reached the 10th tee, he was still tied for the lead but clearly shaken by some uneven play. His drive that bounded off a tree and into the yard of the Augusta cabins alongside the 10th hole -- it is not out of bounds -- led to a triple-bogey 7. He four-putted the 12th green then hit his tee shot into the creek at the 13th.
McIlroy shot 80 and ended up 10 strokes behind winner Charl Schwartzel.
"First thing, I don't think I was ready," McIlroy said. "That was the most important thing. I displayed a few weaknesses in my game that I need to work on.

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"But I think you have to take the positives. For 63 holes, I led the golf tournament, and it was just a bad back nine -- a very bad back nine that sort of took the tournament away from me, I suppose. But what can you do? There's three more majors this year and hopefully dozens more that I'll play in my career."
Therein lies the huge difference with Norman, 56, who was 41 at the time of his Masters blowup and already had dealt with plenty of major championship heartbreak.
Although Norman didn't shoot as high of a score, he basically had only one player to beat -- Nick Faldo -- and shot 78 to lose by five.
"I knew exactly how he felt," Norman told the Australian Associated Press about McIlroy. "I've experienced it. What is it with golf destiny? Isn't it strange?
"It taps you on the back of your head and it either pushes you ahead or pushes you back. What determines that? It's crazy."
Like Norman in the aftermath of his defeat to Faldo, McIlroy handled his loss with class.
He did several interviews afterward and didn't make excuses. He said he'd be better for it -- and has universally received praise for the way he handled the situation.
Then he got on a plane and made the long trip for a long-ago-made commitment to play the Malaysian Open -- and nearly won. McIlroy finished two strokes back of Matteo Manassero.
It was there that he played the first two rounds with Martin Kaymer, who two weeks ago dropped to No. 2 in the world behind Lee Westwood. Kaymer won the previous major championship, at the PGA, but came from behind to defeat Bubba Watson in a playoff.

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"The big advantage was I didn't have to sleep over it," Kaymer said. "I didn't have to listen to ... how big it would be and all the pressure that you will approach the next day. I didn't have to deal with that.
"You know, he's only 21 years old, and I think it's easy for people to forget ... he's so young and the stuff that he did, the way he plays golf, it's been unbelievable. Yeah, he didn't play well the last round, but that happens. He will win plenty of tournaments, maybe a few majors, but that was probably the biggest difference, that I didn't have to deal with that at the PGA."
Aside from being asked about it, McIlroy said he is doing his best to put the Masters behind him. He has spent some time already this week working with putting guru Dave Stockton Jr. and is looking forward to a busy stretch of golf that will see him return to Europe for two events, including the BMW PGA Championship, before coming back to America for the Memorial and then the U.S. Open.
"I'm fine," he said. "It was a great chance to win a first major, but it's golf. It's only golf at the end of the day. No one died. Very happy with my life, very happy with what's going on, very happy with my game."

Nida Waseem and Palwasha Basheer will do modeling for Rizwan Moazzam new Bridal Collections 2011

Palwasha Basheer

Nida Waseem

Karachi- Sports desk, Pakistan tennis queen Nida Waseem and badminton princess Palwasha Basheer will do modeling for Famous Designer Rizwan Moazzam for his new Bridal Collections 2011.Rizwan Moazzam is in contact with other women sports personalities for his Collections.He said that he would like to present his new Collection through sports celebrities modeling.

We are missing Pakistani Players in IPL - SHAHRUKH KHAN

Kolkata- AP , Indian star Shahrukh Khan said that he is missing Pakistani players in IPL.The charm of IPL without Pakistani players seems colourless.I like Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi very much.They are my hero.If Indian Board allows Pakistan Players in IPL, I 'll definitely took both of them in my team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Shoaib Akhtar is likely to start his film career soon

Shoaib Akhtar with Salman Khan

Islamabad-Routers, Ex-Rawalpindi express Shoaib Akhtar is likely to come in films soon.Shoaib indicated that he will soon in film world.He wants to start his filmy career from lollywood. Shoaib said he loves his country very much and he wants to deliver more to his country.If he can help his national film industry, he will help them.In question about bollywood, he said that I might be in Bollywood in future but first I will definitely do any film in Pakistan if any producer offers me film.He said that Salman khan attracts me as a hero.If I'll do film I 'll definitely took some advice from him.He is my good friend.

Manchester United is going to kick Ryan Giggs after this Champions League Season

Manchester ( Routers) Manu officials is going to kick Ryan Giggs this year after Champions league.Team officials confirmed this news.They said that Giggs has not enough stamina like previous.He is now became Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan cricket team who was involved in injuries in his carrier.We want young blood for the future of our team.We have to come harder against Real Madrid who always bought our key players by paying them huge money.We always make players not buy players.

Ryan Giggs is not happy with his team's decision.He said Sir Alex is mad.He doesn't  care what manchester united will do without senior player.All major clubs respects their seniors but Manchester United didn't care about Seniors.I will make my club after leaving  Manchester United.

West Indies beat Pakistan in fourth ODI of Digicel series - PTV NEWS

Bridgetown, Barbados (Routers) West Indies beat Pakistan by 1 run in 4th ODI of Digicel series by D/L method.Afridi seemed not happy with this rule, he criticizes D/L RULE.He said in presentation ''When Hafeez and Shafiq played well, I thought we could get 275. The newcomers did not get a proper chance, I am happy with the efforts of my team-mates. When we bat first, we need to focus on that, I felt that 248 was a very defendable and good score Lendl Simmons continued his good form with his career best knock of 76.''

Darren Sammy said It was satisfying to finally register a win against a quality opposition. I thought we did well to come back later in the innings during the bowling. Lendl Simmons has been very consistent throughout, I hope he will continue. The six by Dwayne Bravo was very pleasing, Sarwan and young Bishoo were good as well, we will take the positives into the next match.

Mohammad Hafeez is the MoM for his fine knock of 121 
 Hafeez: It is a bit disappointing to lose after scoring a century. It was tough for me when I was dropped, I along with my coach worked hard on my batting technique and that is paying off.
Pakistan lead the 5 match series 3-1 with one to play

England all-rounder and Sussex captain Mike Yardy makes low-key return after treatment for depression

Mike Yardy made his return to competitive cricket on Monday but it could be some time before the England all-rounder is playing on a regular basis again.

Nearly six weeks after he withdrew from England’s World Cup squad in India to receive treatment for depression and two months since his last game against South Africa in Chennai, the 30 year-old made a low-key return as he led Sussex to a five-wicket victory in a Clydesdale Bank 40 game against Holland at Hove.

Yardy took one for 36 and made an attractive 39 from 52 balls, but Sussex coach Mark Robinson said he would not be involved in the County Championship match against Hampshire which starts at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.

Robinson said: “It has been a gradual process for Michael. It’s the same when a player has an injury and you bring him back too early. We don’t want him to suffer a relapse.

“A fortnight ago when we were up at Durham he was on the phone to me two or three times a day to find out what was going on.

"A week ago he targeted one of the two one-dayers we had over the Bank Holiday and has been increasing his workload since then. He was around the squad for the Championship game last week and before we set off for Derby on Saturday he gave a terrific team talk about the importance of one-day cricket this season. But we can’t push him.”
Sussex wanted Yardy’s return to attract as little publicity as possible and he declined the opportunity to talk to the media afterwards. His presence in the team was confirmed only 40 minutes before the start and he was generously applauded on his way back to the pavilion after the toss.
If Yardy felt comfortable in his surroundings there was a reassuring familiarity about his performance too. He brought himself on in the 10th over and was soon into a rhythm with his left-arm spin, despite having to contend with a strong cross-wind.
In his fifth over a crowd of around 2,500 were on their feet when he had Tom Cooper caught down the leg side. His first six overs cost just 23 runs although his figures were spoiled when opener Eric Szwarczynski greeted his return to the attack for a one-over spell by lofting him for a straight six on his way to a maiden one-day century.
Yardy came in at No 5 with Sussex in some trouble at 47 for three chasing a target of 226, but he got off the mark by dispatching his third ball, a leg-stump half-volley, to the boundary and added three more fours before he played on to Berend Westdijk, trying to force off the back foot.
Vice-captain Murray Goodwin, who helped him put on 80 in 15 overs for the fourth wicket on his way to an unbeaten 109, said the squad had done nothing different since Yardy returned to the dressing-room environment.
“It is nice to have a quality player back and I thought he bowled and batted really well today. To be honest, you wouldn’t have known there is anything wrong with him over the last few weeks since he has been around the guys again. He loves the club and is desperate to do well for Sussex but he is also wise enough to know when he is ready to return on a regular basis.”

SONY MAX:Mumbai, Kochi register impressive wins in IPL

Mumbai Indians beat Kings XI Punjab by 23 runs to return to the top of the IPL table on Monday, and Kochi Tuskers thrashed Delhi Daredevils by seven wickets.
Mumbai captain Sachin Tendulkar and Ambati Rayudu each scored 51 and put on a 95-run stand that helped the team total 159-5 after being asked to bat first on a docile Wankhede Stadium pitch. A combined bowling effort then helped restrict Punjab to 136-8.
The win took Mumbai to 12 points from eight games, ahead of the Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals with 11 points from nine matches. Punjab remained on six from seven.
At New Delhi, Delhi Daredevils' 140-6 was overhauled with ease by Kochi, which made 141-3 in only 15 overs.
Kochi reached eight points from nine games while Delhi remained on six from nine.
Tendulkar excelled with some clever shots on the on side, smashing a six and three fours off 45 balls. Rayudu relished playing straight down the ground, getting one six and eight fours off 37 deliveries.

West Indian Kieron Pollard smashed two hefty sixes in his 20 off 11 deliveries while Rohit Sharma got 18 off 11.
However, Mumbai was stopped from notching a bigger total by Australian pace bowler Ryan Harris and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who bagged two wickets each.
"I thought we got a good total in the end," Tendulkar said. "We were short by 10-15 runs but made up with some fine fielding."
In reply, King's XI Punjab lost captain Adam Gilchrist early on, trapped lbw by offspinner Harbhajan Singh without scoring.
Australian batsman Shaun Marsh top-scored with 61 while Paul Valthaty made 33, but the team could not develop any real momentum.
Marsh faced 47 deliveries and hit eight fours in his 10th IPL half-century before trying to force the pace and becoming Sri Lankan pace bowler Lasith Malinga's second victim.
Harbhajan and Munaf Patel also finished with two wickets each.
In the night game, Delhi struggled after losing openers Virender Sehwag (15) and David Warner (13).
Venugopal Rao's 40 and a quick 27 off 15 from Travis Birt lent some respectibility, but Kochi did not have much problem avenging its 38-run loss on Saturday.
"We kept losing wickets and it was always going to be difficult defending 140," Sehwag said. "We now have to win five games in a row to qualify but we'll hopefully do that."
New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum ensured a blistering start for Kochi with 37 off 19 balls, while Parthiv Patel hit 37 not out and Australian batsman Brad Hodge finished with an unbeaten 24.
In the only match scheduled for Tuesday, Deccan Chargers play Kolkata Knight Riders at Hyderabad.

Dave Duerson And The NFL’s Most Serious ProblemWith the NFL draft over, attention in the football world has returned to the league’s ongoing battle between its owners and players. But the lockout may someday seem minor compared to the NFL’s bigger underlying problem: the health and safety of its players. Dr. Ann McKee, a researcher at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University’s School of Medicine, today announced her diagnosis of the brain of former NFL player, Dave Duerson. The news is not good for the NFL. McKee reported that Duerson had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a type of brain disease caused by repeated trauma to the head. Duerson was a defensive back for 11 seasons in the NFL, playing for the Chicago Bears, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. After his football career, he became a successful businessman, starting his own food company. But eventually, his company went bankrupt. On February 17, at age 50, Duerson committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest. He left a note with family members that asked that his brain be donated to the NFL’s Brain Bank. Duerson joins a sad list of former NFL players, like Andre Waters, Terry Long and Jason Grimsley, who committed suicide and were later discovered to have CTE. But retired players are just the tip of the iceberg for the NFL’s health concerns. Another problem, of course, is the current players. By almost all accounts, the game has gotten bigger and faster and more dangerous since Duerson and his contemporaries retired. This year the NFL took a few baby steps in addressing its head-injury problems, outlawing helmet-to-helmet hits. Still concussions happen. This past season’s Super Bowl featured two quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger, who have troubling concussion history. But perhaps the most troubling thing for the NFL is the future of the sport. Earlier this year, the New York Times interviewed Chris Collinsworth, a former player who is now perhaps the best and most thoughtful football announcer on TV. Collinsworth has been outspoken about the issue of helmet-to-helmet hits in the NFL. His two sons play football (one at Notre Dame and one in high school), and he expressed his concerns about their well-being. This is a league that we’ve always celebrated the biggest hits and the bone-jarring blows, but you can’t hide from the evidence anymore,” Collinsworth, in a telephone interview, said regarding the short- and long-term effects of football head trauma. “We’re talking about the very essence of the game. I’d be less than honest if I said I didn’t have my doubts as to whether my children should be playing football. He followed that statement up with this one: You try to teach toughness and to hit hard, and also say to be safe and don’t hurt anybody — there’s a contradiction there,” Collinsworth said. “The very fundamental question for the long road is, Do you want your kids playing football? That’s the scary question, especially for the N.F.L. I think we’re talking about the survival of the game to some extent. Collinsworth raises the central question in all of this: given what we now know, will parents be willing to let their sons play football? Perhaps we’re already seeing our answer. One troubling trend for the future of football is the decline in participation. According to the latest figures from the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association, over the last nine years, participation in tackle football (for those 6 years of age and older) has declined by 17.4%. (During that same time period, the American population has increased by 8.6%.) Some of that decline has to be attributable to concerns over health. Someday, the battle between NFL owners and players about how to split the $9 billion in revenue that the most popular sport in the U.S. generates every year will end. There will be NFL football again. But then the league will have to turn its attention to what is becoming its most serious problem: what to do about its players’ brains.

With the NFL draft over, attention in the football world has returned to the league’s ongoing battle between its owners and players. But the lockout may someday seem minor compared to the NFL’s bigger underlying problem: the health and safety of its players.
Dr. Ann McKee, a researcher at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University’s School of Medicine, today announced her diagnosis of the brain of former NFL player, Dave Duerson. The news is not good for the NFL. McKee reported that Duerson had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a type of brain disease caused by repeated trauma to the head.
Duerson was a defensive back for 11 seasons in the NFL, playing for the Chicago Bears, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. After his football career, he became a successful businessman, starting his own food company. But eventually, his company went bankrupt. On February 17, at age 50, Duerson committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest. He left a note with family members that asked that his brain be donated to the NFL’s Brain Bank.
Duerson joins a sad list of former NFL players, like Andre Waters, Terry Long and Jason Grimsley, who committed suicide and were later discovered to have CTE.
But retired players are just the tip of the iceberg for the NFL’s health concerns. Another problem, of course, is the current players. By almost all accounts, the game has gotten bigger and faster and more dangerous since Duerson and his contemporaries retired. This year the NFL took a few baby steps in addressing its head-injury problems, outlawing helmet-to-helmet hits. Still concussions happen. This past season’s Super Bowl featured two quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger, who have troubling concussion history.
But perhaps the most troubling thing for the NFL is the future of the sport. Earlier this year, the New York Times interviewed Chris Collinsworth, a former player who is now perhaps the best and most thoughtful football announcer on TV. Collinsworth has been outspoken about the issue of helmet-to-helmet hits in the NFL. His two sons play football (one at Notre Dame and one in high school), and he expressed his concerns about their well-being.

This is a league that we’ve always celebrated the biggest hits and the bone-jarring blows, but you can’t hide from the evidence anymore,” Collinsworth, in a telephone interview, said regarding the short- and long-term effects of football head trauma. “We’re talking about the very essence of the game. I’d be less than honest if I said I didn’t have my doubts as to whether my children should be playing football.

He followed that statement up with this one:

You try to teach toughness and to hit hard, and also say to be safe and don’t hurt anybody — there’s a contradiction there,” Collinsworth said. “The very fundamental question for the long road is, Do you want your kids playing football? That’s the scary question, especially for the N.F.L. I think we’re talking about the survival of the game to some extent.

Collinsworth raises the central question in all of this: given what we now know, will parents be willing to let their sons play football?
Perhaps we’re already seeing our answer. One troubling trend for the future of football is the decline in participation. According to the latest figures from the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association, over the last nine years, participation in tackle football (for those 6 years of age and older) has declined by 17.4%. (During that same time period, the American population has increased by 8.6%.) Some of that decline has to be attributable to concerns over health.
Someday, the battle between NFL owners and players about how to split the $9 billion in revenue that the most popular sport in the U.S. generates every year will end. There will be NFL football again. But then the league will have to turn its attention to what is becoming its most serious problem: what to do about its players’ brains.

The Death of Dave Duerson: More Evidence of Concussion Dangers in Football -ESPN NEWS

On Monday, Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy announced that Dave Duerson, the former star NFL defensive back who committed suicide on February 17, was suffering from a moderately advanced case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease linked to repeated head trauma. Duerson, indeed, did not die in vain.
Before Duerson took his own life, he took steps to help others avoid the pain that enveloped him. Through a note and text messages, Duerson asked his survivors to donate his brain to research, specifically to the Boston University center, which has specialized in studying the long-term brain damage suffered by former football players. Duerson shot himself in the chest, presumably to preserve his brain: currently, CTE can only be diagnosed post-mortem.

On Monday, doctors from Boston University released their findings. Images from Duerson's brain showed that significant levels of the abnormal tau protein, which characterizes CTE, had developed in the regions associated with impulse control and memory. Over the last few years of his life, Duerson, who had started a successful food supply business after his playing career ended in 1993, complained about memory loss and started behaving more erratically. Ann McKee, the neuropathologist who conducted the analysis of Duerson's brain, said that Duerson had the "classic appearance" of CTE. The Boston University Center has now studied the brains of 15 deceased NFL players. All but one had CTE.

These findings should continue to concern parents whose children play, or express an interest in playing, football. The BU doctors emphasize that both concussive hits — Duerson suffered 10 known concussions throughout his NFL careers — and repeated "sub-concussive" hits  can cause CTE. Coaches can certainly reduce the incidence of head-to-head contact in practices. "We need coaches to be smarter about the drills that they do," says Chris Nowinski, a president of the Sports Legacy Institute, a group dedicated to the prevention of brain trauma in athletics. "It's amazing to me that we have pitch counts in baseball to protect the elbow ligaments of children, but we don't keep count about how often children are hit in the head."

Michigan State basketball's Draymond Green gets a few reps during football scrimmage

EAST LANSING -- The alley-oop didn't work so well on the football field.
Michigan State junior Draymond Green traded basketball shoes for cleats on Saturday. He played wide receiver/tight end for a couple of plays for the White squad in the third quarter of Michigan State's spring football game at Spartan Stadium.
Green was whistled for a false start on his first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, putting the White in a first-and-15 situation at the White 36.
Andrew Maxwell overthrew the 6-foot-7 Green on the next play but got the benefit of a 10-yard holding penalty called against cornerback Johnny Adams, who was covering Green.
Green wasn't available to reporters afterward, but he sent out a tweet @Money23Green: "Lol that was classic I'm going to stick to Basketball but it was definitely fun thanks to Coach D and his staff for the opportunity"
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio joked that Green's future as a football player was "limited."
Dantonio said Green came to him and asked to play, and he agreed if Green would come to a practice to prepare, which he did last week.
"He just didn't show up and put the pads on," Dantonio said. "He got fitted. We had to get him cleared.
"He came out and went through the whole practice Thursday (in) shorts. Caught some balls. ... It was great to see him out there, and then we got him in a couple plays. He just asked that he not be tackled."

Far from plain -BASKETBALL WOMEN

 By: OSAMA BIN LADIN

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The NCAA spring Evaluation weekend may have come and gone but there is no shortage of action in gyms across the country as the club-basketball season hits full stride. The Great Plains Qualifier was operated by U.S. Junior Nationals this past weekend. Northwestern University served as the tournament's headquarters and provided three of the 16 courts of action. Six different states were represented by 96 teams competing in the two-day event and competitive games as well as eye-catching individual play were abundant throughout.

Jewell Loyd (Lincolnwood, Ill.), Midwest Elite: One of the things that sets elite level prospects apart from the crowd is their ability to improve and advance their game no matter what level they've reached. Loyd has USA Basketball on her resume and a recent verbal commitment to national runner-up Notre Dame on the books and she continues to play as if she's got something to prove every time she steps on the floor. The 5-foot-9 guard is an impact player in virtually every aspect of the game and now plays with a maturity and confidence that allows her to relax and make the most of both her basketball and athletic skills. With the ball in her hands not many of her perimeter peers have either the acceleration or elevation to play her straight up. Those who look for a defensive cushion pay with a great view of her jumper. Her crossover and stepback both create open looks and penetration almost at will. It would be a mistake to underestimate her on the defensive end of the floor as that same footspeed makes her an aggressive on-ball defender who can contain the penetration of even the quickest opposing ballhandlers. More than anything, what catches your attention with Loyd is her approach to every possession as if the game is on the line. Mckenzie Piper (Iowa City, Iowa), All Iowa Attack: One of the greater compliments offered to prospects by college recruiters is the observation that she simply "makes plays." This versatile guard has the size and skills to make play after play and does so in many ways. The ability is there to put the ball on the floor and get into the paint to create shots or looks for her teammates. Her pullup is more and more reliable and the confidence with which she uses it is appropriate and warranted. The stroke and range are there as well to take advantage of the deeper perimeter jumpers that come her way. On the break she sees the floor and makes good decisions whether to kick it ahead or even to pull it out and look for a better option. At 5-11 she has good size and a solid physical build that necessitates a bigger guard or wing defensive matchup. Piper is one of those players opponents hate to face as they'll have to be ready to compete for every ball on the boards or on the floor.

Mark Lewis for ESPN.com Lefty shooter Maggie Lyon is adding more to her game to complement her sweet stroke.

Maggie Lyon (Wilmette, Ill.), Midwest Elite: Opponents facing the Midwest Elite will be making a major error if they focus their defensive efforts on standout guard Jewell Loyd. The growth and diversity in the skills of this 6-1 wing is impressive and the threat she poses will have to be respected both in transition and the halfcourt. The left-hander always has shown the ability to shoot the ball. She's now much more adept at creating her own looks and is effective with the pullup or taking it all the way to the rim. Lyon has a great combination of size, ballhandling and an attacking mentality that makes her a challenge to match up with defensively. She got by her defender time and again and demonstrated an improved ability to read defensive rotations off the drive. With her increased scoring threat she'll need to set up opportunities for her teammates more often and distribute the ball to keep defenders honest. Physically she's strong and shows no hesitation in mixing it up at either end of the floor.

Joanna Hedstrom (Shorewood, Minn.), North Tartan: There may not be a deeper club-team roster than you'll find with the North Tartan 17's, which finished the weekend undefeated. As difficult as it might be to stand out among that kind of crowd, this 5-9 combo guard offered up some consistent and productive play. More than anything her awareness of the floor was evident and helped her facilitate the offensive output from her many talented teammates. Playing primarily at the point she handled the ball effectively on the break and utilized good vision in kicking it ahead to teammates out in the lanes. In the halfcourt she was able to penetrate and force defensive rotations leading to both shots and simple interior passes. Her own scoring was more an exercise of taking advantage of what defenses surrendered rather than creating her own but the possibilities are there in her individual attack. She's got good size with a lean build and the potential to add some growth.

Mark Lewis for ESPN.com Andrijana Cvitkovic, at 6 feet 2, can play either forward position and create offense.

Andrijana Cvitkovic (Culver, Ind.), Spiece Indy Lady Gym Rats: The Gym Rats may have cornered the market on the size and skills commodity this summer with both Taya Reimer and this 6-2 Euro-skilled forward. Combining sharp ballhandling with impressive size and a solid build, Cvitkovic has the potential to be a threat at both the forward spot and on the wing. There's no hesitancy to create off the dribble and she has the ability to get to the rim and finish in traffic. At the same time she can post up and has the frame and wingspan to seal defenders of almost any size. That size comes with agility and speed as well making her a threat in transition and giving her the potential to defend on the perimeter. Notice the word "potential" as there still is refinement to be done. On the glass she demonstrated a willingness to go get the ball and was quick with the outlet or to clear it with the dribble. The possibilities and what she can ultimately do with them are limitless and entirely up to her. Jessica January (Richfield, Minn,), Minnesota Suns: This 5-9 guard catches your attention with an explosiveness that is rare on any level. Of course, winning two state titles in her freshman track season last spring might provide some evidence that she's going to be difficult to stay in front of defensively. January adds to the mix some sharp, low and quick ballhandling, including a lethal crossover to penetrate anytime she desires. Occasionally she gets herself stuck in traffic and might have been better served attacking another way; her choices are evolving and she picks her spots efficiently on the whole. The pullup looks good and can be a real asset for an attacking style like hers. She can take the outlet and push the ball in transition or get out in the lanes if she's not the handling it herself. On the defensive end those same tools give her the potential to be a top tier defender and she exhibited some quick hands that may well rival her flying feet. With all her physical assets and a sound base to her fundamental game, it's up to her the price she wants to pay and how far she wants to go.

Sentencing In Bud Mackey Case Delayed

Formal sentencing for former Scott County basketball star Bud Mackey in a drug and theft case was delayed Monday afternoon.
Mackey faces more than 15 years behind bars. The former basketball stand-out recently entered a guilty plea in court for trafficking in a controlled substance as well as escaping from the Scott County Sheriff's Office while being arrested on a robbery charge.
Mackey's robbery charge was amended to felony theft.

Sentencing has been re-scheduled for June 6 in the case.

Whitworth to Introduce Matt Logie as Men's Basketball Coach

Courtesy Whitworth Athletics
Whitworth University will introduce Matt Logie as its next men's basketball coach at a press conference on Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m.
Logie just completed his second year as the Associate Head Coach at Lehigh University of the Patriot League, his alma mater.
He is originally from Mercer Island, Washington, where he played basketball for his grandfather, Ed Pepple. He was a First Team All-State selection after leading Mercer Island to the 1999 state championship.
Logie will take over a team that finished 28-2 in 2010-11, reached #1 in the D3hoops.com poll and advanced to the NCAA Division III sectional final (elite eight).

UF baseball team remains at No. 5 - USA YESTERDAY

 Reporter: Osama bin Ladin

The Florida baseball team remained at No. 5 in the latest Baseball America poll released Monday.

And, again, no movement in the top five: Virginia (42-5), South Carolina (35-8), Oregon State (32-9), Vanderbilt (38-5) and Florida (34-10).

There is a new No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball poll, with South Carolina moving up from No. 2, swapping places with Virginia. UF is also No. 5 in that poll.

The Gators will complete their seven-game homestand by hosting Bethune-Cookman (29-19/15-0 MEAC) at 7 p.m. Tuesday. UF defeated the Wildcats in the 2010 NCAA Gainesville Regional, 7-3.

UF travels to Arkansas (29-13/10-11 SEC) for a three-game series that will begin Thursday night.

Catcher Mike Zunino, a key player in UF’s run this season, was chosen as the SEC Player of the Week for the first time in his career Monday.

Zunino batted a sizzling .583 (7-for-12) during the three wins over the Rebels that enabled Florida (34-10/17-4 SEC) to remain tied on top of the league and Eastern Division standings with Vanderbilt (38-5) and South Carolina (35-8). He paced the Gators on the weekend sweep of Ole Miss with eight RBI, four doubles, four runs and a slugging percentage of 1.167.

In Sunday’s finale, Zunino went a career-high 4-for-4, drove in four runs and had three doubles to become the first Gator player with a trio of two-baggers in a game since April 11, 2010. He went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, a pair of runs and a double in Saturday’s series-clincher. The sophomore opened the series Friday by going 1-for-4 with a key two-run single that turned a 3-2 lead into a 5-2 advantage.

Baseball closes series with 7-1 win over Stanford - USA TODAY

 By OSAMA BIN LADIN

Thanks to a magnificent start by Jake Barrett and a power display by Joey DeMichele, the Sun Devils beat the Stanford Cardinal 7-1 on Sunday afternoon to take the weekend series two games to one. Barrett (6-3) was brilliant for eight innings, allowing only a first inning run to earn the win and help ASU improve to 31-10 on the year, 13-5 in Pac-10 play.
Barrett, who threw a complete game shutout last weekend at Cal, was electric all afternoon. He struck out ten and scattered seven hits over eight innings before giving way to Mitchell Lambson. Lambson struck out two in his perfect inning of work to secure the victory.
The Cardinal would draw first blood in the first inning after a wild pitch by Barrett allowed Tyler Gaffney to score from third. After two ASU errors, Stanford had runners at second and third and only one out and looked poised to add to the early 1-0 lead. But Barrett struck out the next hitter and then induced a fly out to work out of the jam.
The Devils would take the lead in the bottom of the second after Joey DeMichele drove a two-run home run to right field driving in Riccio Torrez on the play and putting ASU up 2-1. In the bottom of the second with Matt Newman on third, Austin Barnes hit a sharp single through the right side, driving in Newman increasing the lead to 3-1.

ASU would keep the scoring up in the bottom of the fourth when Johnny Ruettiger singled to left center allowing Barnes to score. In the bottom of the fifth, DeMichele again powered a ball over the right field fence for his second round-tripper of the game. But he was not done just yet as he brought the crowd of 3,226 to its feet in the seventh when he blasted a ball onto Rural Road in right field for his third homer of the game, a two-run shot. DeMichele is the first Sun Devil to hit three home runs in a single game since Jeff Larish accomplished the same feat in the 2005 College World Series against Nebraska. He finished the day 3-3 with five RBI.
Matt Newman, Riccio Torrez and Austin Barnes all collected two hits of their own in the win. The Sun Devils will continue this home stand with a two-game midweek series against the BYU Cougars beginning Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. from Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.

Los Angeles Dodgers seek turnaround in attendance - FOX SPORTS

For decades, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the closest thing Major League Baseball had to a monarchy — a family-run team that preached patience and continuity and carried itself in regal fashion. From 1954 through 1995, the Dodgers had two managers, and under Walter Alston and Tommy Lasorda, they won six World Series and 11 National League pennants while reaching the playoffs 14 times and suffering through just eight losing seasons.
Now, the Dodgers are a sporting synonym for chaos, with almost as many managers since 1996 (seven) as playoff wins (nine). The disarray in the dugout is nothing compared to the tumult in the owner's box, where the divorce saga of Frank McCourt — who rescued the Dodgers from Fox ownership in 2004 — dominated the front pages of Los Angeles newspapers last season.his season began with a pair of Dodgers fans nearly beating a San Francisco Giants fan to death in the Dodger Stadium parking lot on Opening Day Thursday, March 31. McCourt, who fired the Dodgers' head of security over the winter, told reporters afterward that even the presence of "…2,000 policemen there…[was] not going to change that random act of violence."
After McCourt reportedly needed a $30 million loan from Fox — which still televises Dodgers games — to make payroll, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig announced Wednesday, April 20 he would appoint someone to take over all operations of the Dodgers. He put former Texas Rangers executive Tom Schieffer in charge Monday, April 25, after which McCourt held a press conference in Manhattan and declared he would "protect his rights" as he tried to get back control of the team.
The turmoil — coupled with the Dodgers' slow start — is beginning to make a negative impact at the box office. The Dodgers rank third in the National League in attendance at 37,562 per game at 57,099-seat Dodger Stadium, but their average is down a resounding 6,390 per game — most in the NL and second-most in baseball ahead of only the Seattle Mariners, who lost 100 games last year for the second time in three seasons.
At their current rate, the Dodgers would not only finish lower than second in the NL in attendance for the first time since 2002 but would be in danger of drawing fewer than 3 million fans for the first time since 2000 (they are on pace to draw slightly more than 3.04 million people).
But if the first homestand following MLB's takeover is any indication, the Dodgers may have trouble maintaining even the middling pace they set through the season's first month. The Dodgers dropped two of three games against the San Diego Padres from Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1, during which the average crowd was 37,064 — down more than 600 fans from the 37,687 the Dodgers averaged in their first 12 home dates.
Still, Gary Lee, the director of marketing at Los Angeles-based VIP Tickets, believes the news may not be all bad for the Dodgers in the long-term. With the McCourt-caused headlines still fresh in the minds of fans — as well as the NBA's Lakers dominating attention and the ticket market in Los Angeles — Lee is hopeful the Dodgers will begin making a comeback at the gate over the summer, especially if the team begins playing better.
"This town right now is [all about] Lakers playoffs — those tickets are extremely hot, and in this economic time people are trying to save money with gas prices so high," Lee told TicketNews. "And luxuries like this, they want to make sure they spend their money wisely. So they might want to spend more of the money on Lakers tickets, if that's the only ticket they can buy now."
The Dodgers also have a handful of young stars who could help the franchise turn things around, on and off the field. Outfielder Andre Ethier has a 27-game hitting streak, the longest by a Dodger since the team moved to Los Angeles, while fellow outfielder Matt Kemp is hitting .373. Starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley, meanwhile, both have ace potential.
The Dodgers fell to 14-15 with their loss to the Padres Sunday, May 1 and are in second place in the NL West, 4.5 games behind the Colorado Rockies in the NL West. That's tied for the biggest deficit faced by a second-place team, but only four teams in the NL have a winning record through Sunday, so it may not take much of a hot streak for the Dodgers to get into the playoff race.
"They're not great, they're not bad, but the thing is I think a lot of the fans believe the Dodgers are on the brink of being really good again," Lee said. "I think the fans believe that there are pieces on this team to make this team really good.
"It's not an ideal situation for the Dodgers [but] they're making the most out of it. They really are making efforts to show the fans that it's safe to come back to the park and [are trying to] put a good product out there. I think when the stories go away, people are going to come back to the park."

Who is Mr. Baseball in Philadelphia?

Today, Roy Halladay(notes), Cliff Lee(notes), Ryan Howard(notes) and Chase Utley(notes) could accurately be referred to as 'Mr. Baseball.' The Philadelphia Phillies are the toast of the town at the moment. Back in the day, Connie Mack owned the city. He and his Philadelphia Athletics were quite a story.
Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy

Connie Mack managed until he was 87 years old.
Sean O'Brien

'The Tall Tactician' also known by another nickname, Connie Mack, began his professional baseball playing career with the Washington Senators in 1886. He spent four years with them before shuffling off to Buffalo. After playing for the Buffalo Bisons in 1890, he went to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he would spend the last six years of his professional playing career.
Mack had versatile fielding skills. Though he mostly caught, he did spend time at every infield position except third base and also played in the outfield. He finished his career with a .930 fielding percentage and a .245 batting average.
Something happened while he was playing in Pittsburgh that changed his career and the history of baseball. Mack also took on the role of managing the team during the 1894 season. He went 12-10 at the end of that year and then managed two more seasons with the Pirates.
Driving from Pittsburgh to Philly
Mack retired as a player and as a manager in 1896. Five years came and went until he drove across the state of Pennsylvania and became the first manager of the newly formed Philadelphia Athletics in baseball's American League. He was in charge of that Philadelphia team for an astounding 50 years, leading the Athletics to 9 Pennants and 5 World Series Championships. He managed 7,755 total games through the 1950 season, winning 3,731 of them.

The ever dapper Mr. McGillicuddy always wore a suit while in the dugout and also held another interesting distinction. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Baseball's Centennial Committee in 1937. So, 'Mr. Baseball' managed for over a decade while being a member of one of sports most distinguished fraternities.
Most people don't have a stadium named, or a statue erected, in their honor. But, most people weren't like Connie Mack and never could have been.
Growing up in the Philadelphia region during the late 1970s and early 1980s naturally enabled everyone to become Philadelphia Phillies fans. My friends and I learned the game on little league fields, through trading cards, and by playing APBA. That era became an important part of our young lives.
Supportive family members and friends, as well as relentless persistence, created an opportunity for me to work in the front office for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons in the early 1990s. Today, a new golden era has sparked a resurgence of baseball passion in everyone who never surrendered that feeling of their old school days.

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Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash : Indian cricketers will not be part of it -ESPN ASIA

Australian cricketers may be participating in the IPL but Indian players would not get the BCCI's permission to compete in the Twenty20 Big Bash League Down Under later this year because of domestic tournaments.

BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty said the Board would not free the players of their domestic season commitments which run from October to March. The Big Bash is scheduled from mid-December until late January.

"Last year some teams wanted Indian players and they were not available because of (the) domestic tournament," he told 'The Age'.

India have a one-day series in Australia lined up next year soon after the Big Bash but even newly-appointed coach Duncan Fletcher can't ask for a earlier-than-scheduled trip Down Under for his players to get acclimatised.

"It's a policy decision of the board, the new coach has nothing to do with that, and when there is a domestic tournament on I don't think we will release any players.

"Sri Lanka now has some league in the month of July and it doesn't clash with our domestic tournament so whoever wants to go with prior permission can participate," Shetty explained.

There are 35 Australians, including retired champions Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist, playing in the Indian Premier League right now.