CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's your take? 04/26/2013.

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica

Sports Quote of the Day:

"It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be." ~ Tiger Rugby Traveling Club’s Motto, Columbus, Ohio

2013 NFL Draft Selections and Grades..... What's your take on your favorite team's grade?

By Pete Prisco, Senior NFL Columnist

CBSSports.com senior writer Pete Prisco analyzes each pick from Round 1 of the 2013 NFL Draft, grading each team on its draft-night selections.

Pick	Grade	Team	Analysis
1	B		Chiefs select: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan They get the best left tackle in this draft and fill a position of need for the next decade.
2	B		Jaguars select: Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M They have Eugene Monroe on one side and now get another top tackle for the right side. Tackle is now a strong area of their team.
3	C		Dolphins select: Dion Jordan, OLB, Oregon I don't like the move up to get Jordan. He is a solid player, not a great player. That would concern me. This is a panic move.
4	B-		Eagles select: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma They have so many other issues, but he's a good athlete who will be better in the NFL. I like the pick.
5	A+		Lions select: Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Brigham Young My favorite pick of the draft. I love Ansah. He is this year's Jason Pierre-Paul. The Lions nailed it.
6	C-		Browns select: Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU Mingo has raw ability, but I just didn't see enough from him last season. I wanted more. And do the Browns have a need there?
7	B		Cardinals select: Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina I don't like drafting guards high in the first round, but Cooper fills a need. And he is athletic and can move. He will be a heck of a guard. But it's high for a guard.
8	B		Rams select: Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia Austin is one of my favorite players in this draft. I love this kid. It's a league of big plays, and he will provide plenty of them.
9	D+		Jets select: Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama The Jets had bigger needs, even with the trade of Darrelle Revis. I guess Kyle Wilson is just a nickel corner. Don't like it.
10	C-		Titans select: Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama I don't like this pick. He's a good player, but they had so many other needs. He will be good for Chris Johnson, but worth this spot?
11	B		Chargers select: D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama The Chargers had to land a tackle, and this makes a lot of sense. I like Fluker. I think he can go to the left side if need be.
12	A-		Raiders select: D.J. Hayden, CB, Houston They trade back and land a premier cover corner. I love this move. They add picks and add a top corner. Nice job, Oakland.
13	C		Jets select: Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri Richardson is a heck of a player, but does he fill the need? I love the player, but not for this team. Weird.
14	A-		Panthers select: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah The Panthers hit this one by having Lotulelei fall to them. He fills a major need. I like it.
15	B		Saints select: Kenny Vaccaro, FS, Texas This is a need pick. They had to improve the range on the back end. Vaccaro had a heck of a coverage game against Tavon Austin.
16	F		Bills select: E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State What the heck are the Bills thinking? Did they watch this kid? He isn't Cam Newton. This is a horrible move.
17	B+		Steelers select: Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia The Steelers pick productive defensive players and they did it again. Jones is a good pass rusher and will fill James Harrison's spot. Nice move. Kevin Colbert gets it.
18	B		49ers select: Eric Reid, FS, LSU I like Reid to step in and start right away. This move up is aggressive by a team that could afford it. Solid job.
19	C		Giants select: Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse I don't like this pick by the Giants. I see him more as a guard, and they need a tackle. Jerry Reese is damn good, but this is strange.
20	C+		Bears select: Kyle Long, OG, Oregon Long is a good player, but is he a guard or tackle? I think he slides inside to guard. He is a nasty player.
21	C		Bengals select: Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame This pick says enough about Jermaine Gresham as much as anything. Eifert is a much better receiver than Gresham. But what about safety?
22	B		Falcons select: Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington Give the Falcons a lot of credit. They wanted Trufant and went out and landed him. They are close and they needed a corner. It works.
23	A		Vikings select: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida I love this move by the Vikings. They needed help inside and they land a player who could have been a top-10 player. It makes sense. Nice job.
24	B		Colts select: Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State Werner is a solid player, but what does this say about the signing of Erik Walden? Then again, you can never have enough pass rushers.
25	A		Vikings select: Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State I love the pick of Rhodes. He fills an immediate need and can really cover. I love that move.
26	B+		Packers select: Datone Jones, DE, UCLA Ted Thompson always seems to pick good football players. Datone Jones owned the Senior Bowl week. He is a perfect pick for the Packers. He will be a 3-4 end.
27	B		Texans select: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson Hopkins fills a major need. He isn't fast, but he plays fast. A solid pick.
28	B		Broncos select: Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina The pick of Sylvester Williams fills a huge need. He was a power player inside for UNC. I like this move by the Broncos.
29	B-		Vikings select: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee Three picks to draft Patterson is way too much. I like Patterson as a player, but three picks? Wow.
30	B-		Rams select: Alec Ogletree, OLB, Georgia Ogleltree has some off-the-field issues, but that doesn't bother the Rams. He had some down games, but he is athletic.
31	B		Cowboys select: Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin I really like this Frederick pick. They have major issues inside and he can play center or guard.
32	B+		Ravens select: Matt Elam, SS, Florida The Ravens know how to pick good football players. Elam will take over for Ed Reed -- and be better next year. Watch.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Chicago Blackhawks win the Presidents' Trophy.

The Associated Press

The Chicago Blackhawks used a sizzling start and a fantastic finish to capture the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in 22 years.

Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists, and the Blackhawks clinched the NHL's best record on Wednesday night with a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

The Blackhawks (35-6-5) held off the Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh Penguins for the top regular-season record in the NHL.

Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya also scored for the Blackhawks, who have gone 10-1-2 in their last 13 games and assured themselves of the NHL's best mark for the first time since 1991.

Chicago began the season with at least one point in each of its first 24 games.

''To have the start to the season that we had and to keep playing consistently is an amazing thing for our team,'' Toews said. ''We've shown a lot of character, we've definitely learned from our mistakes the last few years, and we've grown. I think everyone has matured as players in this locker room.

''We have to use that experience and use that confidence from being the number one team all year and carry it into the playoffs.''

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville was happy to have the best regular-season record, but Chicago's goal is to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in four years.

''The start of our year really put us in a great spot, but the consistency has been there, as well,'' Quenneville said. ''I congratulate the guys, they deserve what they got.

''Everybody had a hand in it, everybody contributed. It was a real, good team effort across the board.

But I don't think we want to get too excited, we have some serious work to do still.''

Nail Yakupov scored for the Oilers (17-22-7), who lost for the ninth time in 10 games and are headed toward another high draft pick.

''The individual errors are just killing us at the moment,'' Oilers coach Ralph Krueger said. ''We need to be very cognizant about the importance of reacting to this. The results are less important than the way we are playing and executing right now.

''We're being tested right now in the severest of ways with the losing month like this. We should all expect more from each other.''

The slide has taken its toll on the Oilers.

''We need to be a group of professionals in here,'' Oilers goalie Devan Dubnyk said. ''We need to understand that these games are valuable, regardless of who you are talking to or whose opinion it is.

''The simple fact is that they are valuable for us. It's frustrating for every one of us in here. It's unacceptable.''

Chicago took a 1-0 lead 3:58 in when Toews elected to shoot on a 2-on-1 rush, cleanly beating Dubnyk with a wrist shot to the stick side for his 22nd goal.

The Oilers tied it 52 seconds later when Yakupov gathered a rebound off the boards and fired a slap shot that goalie Ray Emery couldn't stop. It was the 12th goal for Yakupov, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft.

The Blackhawks went ahead 2-1 at 8:11 of the first as Kane fought off Justin Schultz to go in on a breakaway. He put a shot between Dubnyk's legs with relative ease, tying Toews for the team lead with 22 goals.

Corey Crawford came in to replace Emery with 6:11 left in the first after Emery sustained a lower body injury.

Crawford kept his team in the lead with a beautiful glove save eight minutes into the second. Jordan Eberle waited for a sliding defenseman to go by before lifting the puck up high on the doorstep.

The Blackhawks came close to adding to their lead with six minutes left in the second when a puck got through Dubnyk's legs during a scramble and sat on the goal line before being swept to safety by Schultz.

Edmonton had only two shots in the second period.

Chicago went ahead 3-1 at 4:36 of the third period when Oduya took a pass from Kane on the fly and picked the top corner with a quick wrist shot.

The Blackhawks sealed it with an empty-net goal from Sharp. Despite his early exit, Emery was credited with the win.

NOTES: It was the first time the Blackhawks played in Edmonton since Feb. 2, 2012, the night Sam Gagner had eight points to tie the Oilers' franchise record for most points in a game - matching Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey. ... The Oilers have 20 players on their active roster who are in the minus column. The Blackhawks have three. ... Patrick Sharp returned to the Chicago lineup after missing five games with an injured shoulder. Dave Bolland remained out with a groin injury. ... 2013 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Drew LeBlanc made his NHL debut for the Blackhawks after singing as a free agent with the team earlier in the month. ... Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (shoulder) and Ales Hemsky (foot) remained out for Edmonton. Magnus Paajarvi returned from a foot injury. ... With the Oilers eliminated from the playoff chase, Taylor Hall, Eberle and Dubnyk accepted invitations to play for Canada at the World Hockey Championship.

Nicklaus: Ruling correct on Woods at Augusta.

By RUSTY MILLER
 

Tiger Woods takes a drop on the 15th hole after his ball went into the water during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga.

Jack Nicklaus thinks Tiger Woods got the proper ruling at the Masters.

However, he's not so sure he agrees with the slow-play penalty given to 14-year-old Chinese phenom Guan Tianlang.

Woods' third shot on the par-5 15th in the second round hit the flagstick and ricocheted back into the water. He took his drop from 2 yards farther back - contrary to the rules - from the spot where he hit originally, and ended up making a 6.

Tournament officials later said he deserved a two-stroke penalty for the violation, but not disqualification.

''Could they have disqualified him? Probably,'' Nicklaus said Wednesday at a luncheon celebrating his support and that of his Memorial Tournament for Nationwide Children's Hospital. ''But you've got all the best rules heads together and they said that they thought there was no intent to do anything (improper) and that two strokes was a strong enough penalty. And you move on.''

Nicklaus, a winner of 18 major professional championships to Woods' 14, spoke on a variety of golf-related topics from anchored putters to renovations at Muirfield Village, which hosts his Memorial Tournament next month and also the Presidents Cup in October.

Nicklaus said he didn't blame Woods for not disqualifying himself.

''People say, 'Should Tiger have withdrawn himself?' I don't think so at all,'' Nicklaus said. ''If Tiger did that, he'd be putting himself in a position of saying, 'I'm above the rules.' You accept the ruling whether it's good or bad for you.''

The 73-year-old Nicklaus wasn't so certain about the one-stroke penalty given to Guan for slow play during the second round at Augusta National.

''He's in the eighth grade! The eighth grade and he's playing in the Masters!'' Nicklaus said, smiling. ''And he gets a penalty? Can you imagine giving a 14-year-old kid a penalty for slow play?''

He added, ''There's hundreds of guys who are much slower probably than (he was) and they figure out a way to get away with it.''

Nicklaus said he undoubtedly spent too much time over many, many putts over the years.

Guan accepted the penalty without complaint.

Jim Furyk, winner of the U.S. Open in 2003, also chatted on the dais with Nicklaus before a large crowd at Ohio State's student union.

Of Guan, Furyk said, ''He handled it better than most of us would.''

On Wednesday during pro-am day at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans - where Guan will be playing again this weekend - 2012 Masters champ Bubba Watson said perhaps more penalties need to be handed out for slow play on tour.

''I think that - not just the Masters - I think there's times on the PGA Tour where it should have happened before. I think we should always give strokes (for slow play),'' he said. ''It's an unfortunate situation because of who (Guan) it was. But again, he's not a pro yet, but later in life, if he becomes a pro, he's going to know the consequences. So he's going to do better, and maybe some other juniors across the world figure that out, that we need to speed this up.''

During the Masters, Guan and his parents met with Nicklaus to discuss the player's future. Nicklaus had high praise for the family. Nicklaus said he advised them to put his schooling first and to allow the youngster to be a party to decisions.

Nicklaus said when he was 14 he was more concerned about where he might take his girlfriend on a date, whether he could get out of history class or would be able to miss basketball practice. He said he welcomed the opportunity to meet with the family because it keeps him in touch with younger players and allows him to pass on the wisdom he had received when he was a budding star.

''(Bobby) Jones asked me to come down to his cabin every year and I absolutely took him up on his invitation,'' he said. ''(Ben) Hogan asked me to play practice rounds with him and I took him up on that. Even Arnold (Palmer), who is only 10 years older than I am, did a lot with me; I learned a lot from him. It's all part of that fraternity.''

Nicklaus spoke just a block from where his father's drugstore used to sit on High Street. When he was a kid, the Nicklauses lived briefly directly across the street from the old Ohio Union, which was torn down and replaced by the current one.

On the subject of long putters, he said he was OK with them as long as all of the ruling bodies of golf were united either for or against them. He does not want to see players permitted to use a long putter at one event such as the Memorial but not at the U.S. Open a few weeks later.

He does not believe that a player gains a huge advantage with a long putter, although he has his doubts about anchored putters which might help a player stabilize the club more.

''Guys, these guys are so good, they can play with a broomstick,'' he said. ''They could learn to play with anything.''

Nicklaus said he played earlier in the week with Lee Trevino. He said he hasn't changed.

''No. Constant conversation,'' he said with a laugh. ''We had a great time. I love Lee. He's a wonderful guy.''

Muirfield Village in suburban Dublin is undergoing an expensive rebuild of its clubhouse before the Memorial Tournament, set for May 30-June 2. Nicklaus, famous for constantly tinkering with the holes at the course, said he hadn't made any changes at all this year.

''I couldn't afford it,'' he joked.

Matt Kenseth loses 50 driver's points.

By David Newton

NASCAR came down hard Wednesday on the Joe Gibbs Racing team of Matt Kenseth after the engine in the winning No. 20 car from Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway failed inspection.

Kenseth was penalized 50 points in the standings and his crew chief, Jason Ratcliff, was suspended for six races -- as well as the May 18 All-Star race -- and fined $200,000 after the engine failed a secondary postrace inspection.

The president of Toyota Racing Development was quick to take full blame for the violation that cost Kenseth and JGR everything but the trophy and the official win.

"This is a total screw-up on our part,'' Lee White told ESPN.com. "I'm not going to point fingers at anybody. This is on my head. We neglected to double- and triple-check a shipment of parts from a European vender."

Kenseth was essentially stripped of the win -- he also lost the three bonus points he earned for the win that would have been applied in seeding for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. His pole, which would have made him eligible for the 2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway, also was rescinded.

And in a rare move, car owner Joe Gibbs had his owner's license suspended for the next six races and he won't earn car owner points during that time. He also was docked 50 car owner points. Toyota, which supplies the JGR engines through Costa Mesa, Calif.-based TRD, also lost five points in the manufacturer standings.

Kenseth dropped from eighth in the standings to tied with Jeff Gordon in 14th place. Ratcliff's suspension will be put on hold pending an appeal the Toyota team plans to file.

Toyota's White took "full responsibility for this issue," confirming that a sole connecting rod was to blame.

"One part came in 2.7 grams underweight, and somehow made it through our processes and ended up unfortunately in an engine that was selected to be weighed," White told ESPN.com.

He said the magnetic steel part, which connects the piston and crankshaft, had a required minimum of 525 grams.

White added the illegal part was underweight by the equivalent of "two cotton balls.''

White said his organization has gone back and checked the rods in other engines supplied by TRD and called back a few that were within a couple of grams of the legal limit. He said one was from JGR and at least one other from Michael Waltrip Racing.

White added that the weight of the rod in no way gave Kenseth a competitive advantage.
 

 Matt Kenseth has been penalized 50 points for his car failing an inspection. Was the penalty fair?
 

"Zero,'' he said. "Absolutely not any possible way this is a performance advantage. You would not do this for performance. You certainly would not do it here and do it in only one of the eight rods.

"This isn't a gray area. It's black and white. This should never have happened. It's a total screw-up on my end.''

White understands NASCAR has no tolerance when it comes to engine rules, but he believes the punishment was too severe and he will help JGR all he can during the appeal process.

"This has zero to do with Joe Gibbs Racing, nothing to do with Jason Ratcliff, nothing to do with Matt Kenseth,'' he said. "Zero. Having said that, everyone understands the way the rules are structured the team takes the heat.

"Thank the Lord we do have an appeals process. Hopefully, that will be a fair hearing.''

No announcement has been given on the date of the appeal. White said he assumed it will be two weeks since Penske Racing's appeal of penalties against Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano will be heard next Wednesday.

The Penske Racing drivers were docked 25 points each after NASCAR confiscated rear end housing parts from their cars two weeks ago at Texas. The teams also had a combined seven team members suspended pending the May 1 appeal.

White said TRD designs and develops all primary major components for its engines. He said all other parts are purchased from "top quality outside vendors.''

He said the vendors build the parts to TRD's specifications, but it is up to TRD to make sure the parts are legal.

"This is not on Joe Gibbs Racing,'' White reiterated. "This is on TRD. This is on myself.''

Kenseth's car passed an initial postrace inspection, but the engine was brought back to NASCAR's Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further evaluation -- as it always is with the winning car -- where it failed.

The win was the second this season for Kenseth, who moved to Joe Gibbs Racing from Roush Fenway Racing after the 2012 season, and the fourth for JGR in the past six races.

NASCAR has reacted firmly on engine issues before. In 2009, little-known Carl Long was penalized 200 driver points when his engine was found to be 0.17 cubic inches too big in preparation for the preliminary to the Sprint All-Star race. His crew chief was fined $200,000 and suspended for 12 weeks.

In 1983, Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty was fined $35,000 and docked 104 championship points for an oversized engine at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Update: Kenseth calls harsh penalties 'grossly unfair'. What's your take, fair or unfair?

By HANK KURZ Jr.

Mild-mannered Matt Kenseth is spitting mad at NASCAR.

The driver for Joe Gibbs Racing spoke out Thursday, one day after his team was slapped with some of the harshest penalties in NASCAR history because his race-winning car at Kansas last week failed post-race inspection.

The failure came because one of eight connecting rods in the engine was too light - by 2.7 grams, according to Kenseth, who said the rods collectively weighed more than necessary by about 2.5 grams each.

''I think the penalties are grossly unfair,'' Kenseth said. ''I think it's borderline shameful.''

Kenseth was docked 50 driver points in the standings, two more than he earned for the victory. He said he's more upset about the penalties given to car owner Joe Gibbs and his crew chief, Jason Ratcliff.

Gibbs also was docked 50 points and suspended for six weeks during which he will earn no owner points, essentially taking the No. 20 car Kenseth drives out of contention for winning an owner's title.

Ratcliff was suspended for six weeks and fined $200,000.

The team is appealing the penalties.

Kenseth understands that a rule is a rule, but the part found to be too light was installed by Toyota Racing Development, which builds engines for JGR at a shop in Costa Mesa, Calif., Kenseth said.

''They show up on a truck or an airplane, get taken out and bolted in the car,'' he said.

TDR president Lee White said Wednesday night the company took full responsibility for the mistake and confirmed that JGR had nothing to do with it. He also said the lighter part gave Kenseth no competitive advantage.

''There was no intent. It was a mistake. JGR had no control over it,'' Kenseth said with anger. ''Certainly to crush Joe Gibbs like that and say they can't win an owner's championship with the 20 this year ... I just can't wrap my arms around that. It just blows me away. And the same for Jason Ratcliff.

''I don't feel bad for myself at all, but for Jason and Joe, I couldn't feel any worse. There's no more reputable, honest, hard-working guys with good reputations moreso than those two. I feel really bad for them.''

Kenseth said he doesn't care that the penalty may affect his reputation as a clean racer. He said anyone with knowledge of the situation knows he and his team had nothing to do with it and gained no advantage. He understands that NASCAR has to police the sport vigilantly, but said ''the penalty is way over the top for'' the infraction.

He's not alone and not the only driver hoping the appeals panel provides some relief.

Defending Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski's team for Penske Racing was punished last week after NASCAR said it found unapproved parts in the rear suspension of Keselowski's and Joey Logano's cars at Texas. NASCAR took 25 points away from each driver, fined the crew chiefs $100,000 each and suspended seven Penske employees for six races.

Penske Racing's appeal is scheduled for May 1.

Most drivers, Keselowski guessed, sympathize with Kenseth.

''I certainly feel bad for him because at the end of the day, Matt doesn't put together the car and, heck, in this particular situation his team didn't even put together the engine, so it's a difficult situation at best,'' Keselowski said Thursday at Richmond International Raceway, adding that he also understands that ''from NASCAR's side, they know that if you give an inch, you've got to give a mile.''

In the end, said Keselowski, ''it's just a question of whether the penalty fits the crime.''

Later, Kenseth was on the track Thursday practicing in injured JGR teammate Denny Hamlin's Late Model car, which he agreed to drive in Thursday night's Short Track Showdown for Hamlin's charity.

He also was hoping to put the controversy of the past few days behind him, hopefully by Friday.

''My excitement for tonight is at an all-time low,'' he said. ''It just is right now.'' What's your take, fair or unfair?
 
Oldest living ex-big leaguer turns 102 in Cuba.

By ANNE-MARIE GARCIA

Put another candle on the very crowded birthday cake of Conrado Marrero, the oldest living former major league player.

The Cuban pitcher celebrated his 102nd birthday Thursday at his modest Havana apartment surrounded by family and friends, an unlit Cuban cigar in his mouth and a baseball cap on his head.

He was given an enormous blue and white cake, and savored a glass of wine and a sip of Bucanero, Cuba's domestic beer. Marrero smiled as his family applauded and smothered him in hugs.

In addition to his longevity, the former Washington Senator has much to celebrate this year. After a long wait, he finally received a $20,000 payout from Major League Baseball, granted to old-timers who played between 1947 and 1979.

The money had been held up since 2011 because of issues surrounding the 51-year-old U.S. embargo on Cuba, which prohibits most bank transfers to the Communist-run island. But the funds finally arrived in two parts, one at the end of last year, and the second a few months ago, according to Marrero's family.

Steve Rogers, a former Expos pitcher who is now an official at the Major League Baseball Players Association, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the funds were delivered to Marrero by hand, and with Washington's approval.

''Everything that he was entitled to has now been delivered to him. We found a way to get the funds to him,'' he said. ''It was personally delivered and it was all sanctioned by the Treasury Department.''

Rogers has followed Marrero's case closely and says it was an honor to be a part of the effort to get him the money he deserved.

''The oldest living major leaguer,'' Rogers marveled. ''You tip your cap and say, you were from a different era but you played the same game. It is special to be a part of his life.''

Marrero's family has used some of the money to buy him a new ventilator and bed, as well as wine, ham, cigars, juice and other delicacies that would be outside his budget, said Marrero's grandson, Rogelio. Like most Cuban pensioners, Marrero receives less than $20 from the state each month.

''My grandfather was always very particular about what he would eat,'' Rogelio said Wednesday as relatives prepared for the birthday. ''Thanks to this we can buy him peach juice, which is his favorite.''

These days, Marrero is hard of hearing, blind and has considerable trouble speaking. He spends much of the day sleeping or listening to Cuban ballgames on the radio.

But he still perks up when asked about his glory days, demonstrating how to throw a slider and reminiscing about long-ago confrontations with Ted Williams and other big league legends.

''All the batters were the same to me,'' Marrero said. ''But I had more trouble with the lefties.''

When he heard the name Larry Doby - the Hall of Fame Cleveland Indians outfielder who was the first black player in the American League - Marrero's face contorted in mock frustration.

''My grandfather has never forgotten how Doby hit three home runs against him in a single day,'' Rogelio explained. ''He always says Doby was the guy who hit the best against him.''

At 5-foot-5 and 158 pounds, Marrero relied on guile to get batters out, compiling a 39-40 record and a 3.67 ERA in five seasons with the Senators from 1950 to 1954. 
 
''Connie Marrero had a windup that looked like a cross between a windmill gone berserk and a mallard duck trying to fly backwards,'' former big league star Felipe Alou once said of the diminutive Cuban, according to a biography of Marrero by the Society for American Baseball Research.

Marrero was born on April 25, 1911 in the small town of Sagua la Grande in the central Cuban province of Villa Clara, and he took his time getting into organized ball.

He played in amateur and semi-pro events in the early 1930s, raising eyebrows with his vicious curve and slider. In 1938, he joined a Cienfuegos team that was sponsored by a local men's clothing store, and which was about to become part of a budding Cuban league.

By the time he reached the big leagues, Marrero was already 39, an age when most players have long since retired. But he made the most of his opportunity, even being named to the 1951 All-Star team.

After his stint in the big leagues, Marrero came back to Cuba, ending his career with the Havana Sugar Kings in 1957. Two years later, Fidel Castro's rebels swept into power. Marrero became a coach and roving instructor, working well into his 80s.

Even at 102, he continues to be interested in baseball and counts himself a fan of Cienfuegos, the team that is leading the Cuban league at the moment.

But Marrero's true love is great-granddaughter Sandra. When the 12-year-old returned home from school Wednesday, the day before the birthday, Marrero reached out to take her hand and kiss it.

''Sandra, Sandra,'' he repeated as she leaned down to embrace him.

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NBA-Highlights of Thursday's NBA playoff games.

Reuters

Highlights of Thursday's National Basketball Association playoff games.
- - - -

Heat 104, Bucks 91

LeBron James collected 22 points and six assists as visiting Miami pulled away in the second half to take a commanding 3-0 lead over Milwaukee in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series.

Ray Allen scored 23 points off the bench and Dwyane Wade made up for a 1-for-12 shooting performance with nine rebounds, 11 assists and five steals for the Heat, who will go for the sweep in Game Four on Sunday.

Larry Sanders had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Ersan Ilyasova had 15 points and eight boards as the Bucks struggled to overcome 13 second-half turnovers.

Milwaukee led by as many as 10 points in the first half and was within 67-66 with three minutes left in the third quarter when Miami began to take charge.
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Bulls 79, Nets 76

Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 16 rebounds and Luol Deng added 21 and 10 as host Chicago defeated Brooklyn 79-76 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series.

Kirk Hinrich added 12 points and the Bulls held off a fierce late-game rush by the Nets. Game Four is on Saturday in Chicago.

Brook Lopez had 22 points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots and Deron Williams added 18 points for Brooklyn.

The Nets trailed by 15 with less than six minutes left and had a chance to force overtime but C.J. Watson air-balled a three-pointer from the left corner as time expired.

Both teams shot less than 40 percent - Chicago finished at 39.7 and Brooklyn at 34.6.
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Grizzlies 94, Clippers 82

Zach Randolph had 27 points and 11 rebounds as host Memphis knocked off Los Angeles 94-82 to win its first game in the Western Conference best-of-seven series.

Marc Gasol scored 16 points and Tony Allen and Quincy Pondexter added 13 apiece as the Grizzlies trimmed the Clippers' lead in the series to 2-1. Game Four is on Saturday in Memphis.

Blake Griffin scored 16 points and Matt Barnes added 12 for Los Angeles. Chris Paul struggled to eight points and had more turnovers (five) than assists (four).

(Editing by Ben Everill)

NBA-Highlights of Wednesday's NBA playoff games.

Reuters

Highlights of Wednesday's National Basketball Association playoff games.
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Thunder 105, Rockets 102

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 29 points apiece as hosts Oklahoma City knocked off Houston to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series.

Serge Ibaka had 12 points, 11 rebounds and six blocked shots as the Thunder followed up their 29-point Game 1 victory. Game 3 is Saturday at Houston.

James Harden had 36 points and 11 rebounds and Chandler Parsons scored 17 points for the Rockets. Patrick Beverley added 16 points and 12 rebounds and Omer Asik grabbed 14 rebounds.
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Pacers 113, Hawks 98

Paul George collected 27 points and eight rebounds and George Hill scored 22 as hosts Indiana took a 2-0 lead over Atlanta in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series.

Roy Hibbert and Gerald Green added 15 points apiece for the Pacers. The series shifts to Atlanta for Game 3 on Saturday.

Devin Harris scored 17 points and Josh Smith and Jeff Teague had 16 apiece for the Hawks, who have allowed a total of 220 points in the first two games.
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Spurs 102, Lakers 91

Tony Parker scored 24 of his 28 points in the second half as hosts San Antonio took a 2-0 series lead over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard added 16 points apiece for the Spurs, who were in control for much of the second half before finally breaking away midway through the fourth quarter.

The series shifts to Los Angeles on Friday for Game 3 of the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

Dwight Howard battled foul trouble throughout en route to 16 points and nine rebounds and Steve Blake scored 16 before leaving with an injury for the Lakers, who led briefly in the second quarter but never got closer than six points after halftime.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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