Sports Quote of the Day:
"Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly." ~ Shaquille O'Neal, NBA Professional Basketball Player
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Playoff tune-up and Blackhawks-Canucks Preview.
By
Big crowds, black ribbons for Boston at London Marathon.
By Estelle Shirbon and Dasha Afanasieva
By Estelle Shirbon and Dasha Afanasieva
Undaunted by the Boston Marathon bombings, big crowds lined the route of London's mass road race on Sunday to cheer on around 36,000 runners, many of whom wore black ribbons to honor the dead and wounded.
Hundreds of extra police were deployed to secure the first race in the World Marathon Majors series since two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday killed three people and wounded 176.
"The best ever! A lot of emotion because of the Boston marathon," said Nathan Comer, 38, catching his breath just after finishing his third London Marathon.
"The silence before the marathon was beautiful ... it just felt as if everyone was together," he said, referring to a 30-second silence held in honor of the Boston victims just before the start of the race.
One spectator held up a placard that read "Come on London, do it for Boston!" while some runners had the name of the U.S. city emblazoned on their vests, but despite these somber reminders the mood was overwhelmingly one of celebration.
Small children reached out to high-five runners as they went past, spectators cheered elite and anonymous runners with equal enthusiasm, and a brass band near the starting line jokingly complained the boisterous crowds were drowning out their music.
"It was incredible, the amount of support, people coming out from everywhere, just cheering the whole way. Unbelievable," said a breathless Mo Farah, Britain's 5,000 and 10,000-metre Olympic champion, after running the first half of the course.
Farah ran half the route to prepare for competing next year.
The 26-mile course starts in leafy Greenwich, crosses Tower Bridge, snakes through the Canary Wharf business district before heading to Big Ben and finally Buckingham Palace.
Prince Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth, waited at the finish line to hand out medals to the winners.
"It's fantastic, it's typically British," he told the BBC, referring to the large turnout along the marathon route.
"People have been saying they haven't seen crowds like this for eight years around the route, which is remarkable to see ... The way that Boston has dealt with it has been absolutely remarkable. It's never going to get anyone down here."
London's Metropolitan Police Service said it increased the number of officers on the streets by 40 percent to reassure the public and not in response to any specific threat. Sniffer dogs were out in force and bins had been removed from the course.
"The enhancement to policing, which will see several hundred additional officers on the streets, is intended to provide visible reassurance to the participants and spectators alike," the police said on their website.
SILENT TRIBUTE
Before the start of the men's elite and mass races, official commentator Geoff Wightman led the crowd in a tribute to Boston.
"This week the world marathon family was shocked and saddened by the events at the Boston Marathon," he said over loudspeakers.
"In a few moments a whistle will sound and we will join together in silence to remember our friends and colleagues for whom a day of joy turned into a day of sadness."
The packed ranks of competitors bowed their heads and stood silently for 30 seconds, then clapped and cheered when a second whistle marked the end of the tribute.
Moments later, the world's elite runners led off the race. Behind them came thousands of competitors chasing personal goals or raising money for charity, many running in fancy dress.
Unusual outfits included a two-person camel costume, a giant beer bottle, a rhino, two male brides and Admiral Lord Nelson.
There were emotional scenes at the finish line as participants thought of Boston, but also in some cases of the sad reasons behind their involvement.
"It's been emotional and the atmosphere is brilliant," said cancer sufferer Hayley Kalinins, whose husband and brother were running for her and for a cancer charity.
After an unusually long and harsh winter, the weather came through for the London Marathon which began under bright sunshine and a cloudless sky.
Kenya's Priscah Jeptoo won the women's race by a long distance while Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede snatched victory from Kenyan rival Emmanuel Mutai in the final kilometer, to huge cheers from Londoners packed along the majestic tree-lined Mall.
The organizers will donate 2 pounds per finisher to The One Fund Boston, set up to raise money for the victims. They estimate around 35,500 people will cross the line, meaning they are likely to raise at least 70,000 pounds ($107,000).
In the German city of Hamburg, which was staging its own marathon on Sunday, runners also wore ribbons and held a minute of silence for victims of the Boston bombings.
($1 = 0.6554 British pounds)
NFL Top 10 Must-See Games Of 2013.
By Joe Fortenbaugh
Let’s begin with the obvious: This is our subjective opinion of the ten best games on the 2013 NFL schedule, as it stands today, April 18. You will not agree with some or all of these suggestions and do you know what? That’s just fine with us.
The comments section is open for business and each of you is more than welcome to let us know which games you think make for the most entertaining matchups of the 2013 campaign.
We tried to incorporate as many teams as possible into this list, while at the same time attempting to avoid overloading the rundown with divisional rivalries. Sure, a couple well-known hate fests pop up below, but we see Chicago play Green Bay twice every season. Matchups that occur once every few years tend to have a little more panache in our book.
For those of you who reside in Seattle, brace yourselves for Hurricane Fortenbaugh. I’m already in the process of booking my reservations for the San Francisco game and I’m looking to party.
1. Denver Broncos at New England Patriots
Date: Sunday, November 24 (Week 12)
Time: 8:30pm eastern
Channel: NBC
Why: This showdown marks the 14th time that future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will have squared off against one another in either the regular season or playoffs, with Brady holding a 9-4 career record over his chief adversary. And with Manning turning 37-years-old this past March and Brady scheduled to turn 36 in August, who knows how many more of these legendary clashes we as viewers have left. The icing on the cake is that this rivalry takes on a new dimension this season, as Brady’s top target in wideout Wes Welker has defected to the other side to join forces with Manning in 2013. Rest assured that both quarterbacks will have this date circled on their calendars.
Hundreds of extra police were deployed to secure the first race in the World Marathon Majors series since two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday killed three people and wounded 176.
"The best ever! A lot of emotion because of the Boston marathon," said Nathan Comer, 38, catching his breath just after finishing his third London Marathon.
"The silence before the marathon was beautiful ... it just felt as if everyone was together," he said, referring to a 30-second silence held in honor of the Boston victims just before the start of the race.
One spectator held up a placard that read "Come on London, do it for Boston!" while some runners had the name of the U.S. city emblazoned on their vests, but despite these somber reminders the mood was overwhelmingly one of celebration.
Small children reached out to high-five runners as they went past, spectators cheered elite and anonymous runners with equal enthusiasm, and a brass band near the starting line jokingly complained the boisterous crowds were drowning out their music.
"It was incredible, the amount of support, people coming out from everywhere, just cheering the whole way. Unbelievable," said a breathless Mo Farah, Britain's 5,000 and 10,000-metre Olympic champion, after running the first half of the course.
Farah ran half the route to prepare for competing next year.
The 26-mile course starts in leafy Greenwich, crosses Tower Bridge, snakes through the Canary Wharf business district before heading to Big Ben and finally Buckingham Palace.
Prince Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth, waited at the finish line to hand out medals to the winners.
"It's fantastic, it's typically British," he told the BBC, referring to the large turnout along the marathon route.
"People have been saying they haven't seen crowds like this for eight years around the route, which is remarkable to see ... The way that Boston has dealt with it has been absolutely remarkable. It's never going to get anyone down here."
London's Metropolitan Police Service said it increased the number of officers on the streets by 40 percent to reassure the public and not in response to any specific threat. Sniffer dogs were out in force and bins had been removed from the course.
"The enhancement to policing, which will see several hundred additional officers on the streets, is intended to provide visible reassurance to the participants and spectators alike," the police said on their website.
SILENT TRIBUTE
Before the start of the men's elite and mass races, official commentator Geoff Wightman led the crowd in a tribute to Boston.
"This week the world marathon family was shocked and saddened by the events at the Boston Marathon," he said over loudspeakers.
"In a few moments a whistle will sound and we will join together in silence to remember our friends and colleagues for whom a day of joy turned into a day of sadness."
The packed ranks of competitors bowed their heads and stood silently for 30 seconds, then clapped and cheered when a second whistle marked the end of the tribute.
Moments later, the world's elite runners led off the race. Behind them came thousands of competitors chasing personal goals or raising money for charity, many running in fancy dress.
Unusual outfits included a two-person camel costume, a giant beer bottle, a rhino, two male brides and Admiral Lord Nelson.
There were emotional scenes at the finish line as participants thought of Boston, but also in some cases of the sad reasons behind their involvement.
"It's been emotional and the atmosphere is brilliant," said cancer sufferer Hayley Kalinins, whose husband and brother were running for her and for a cancer charity.
After an unusually long and harsh winter, the weather came through for the London Marathon which began under bright sunshine and a cloudless sky.
Kenya's Priscah Jeptoo won the women's race by a long distance while Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede snatched victory from Kenyan rival Emmanuel Mutai in the final kilometer, to huge cheers from Londoners packed along the majestic tree-lined Mall.
The organizers will donate 2 pounds per finisher to The One Fund Boston, set up to raise money for the victims. They estimate around 35,500 people will cross the line, meaning they are likely to raise at least 70,000 pounds ($107,000).
In the German city of Hamburg, which was staging its own marathon on Sunday, runners also wore ribbons and held a minute of silence for victims of the Boston bombings.
($1 = 0.6554 British pounds)
NFL Top 10 Must-See Games Of 2013.
By Joe Fortenbaugh
Let’s begin with the obvious: This is our subjective opinion of the ten best games on the 2013 NFL schedule, as it stands today, April 18. You will not agree with some or all of these suggestions and do you know what? That’s just fine with us.
The comments section is open for business and each of you is more than welcome to let us know which games you think make for the most entertaining matchups of the 2013 campaign.
We tried to incorporate as many teams as possible into this list, while at the same time attempting to avoid overloading the rundown with divisional rivalries. Sure, a couple well-known hate fests pop up below, but we see Chicago play Green Bay twice every season. Matchups that occur once every few years tend to have a little more panache in our book.
For those of you who reside in Seattle, brace yourselves for Hurricane Fortenbaugh. I’m already in the process of booking my reservations for the San Francisco game and I’m looking to party.
1. Denver Broncos at New England Patriots
Date: Sunday, November 24 (Week 12)
Time: 8:30pm eastern
Channel: NBC
Why: This showdown marks the 14th time that future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will have squared off against one another in either the regular season or playoffs, with Brady holding a 9-4 career record over his chief adversary. And with Manning turning 37-years-old this past March and Brady scheduled to turn 36 in August, who knows how many more of these legendary clashes we as viewers have left. The icing on the cake is that this rivalry takes on a new dimension this season, as Brady’s top target in wideout Wes Welker has defected to the other side to join forces with Manning in 2013. Rest assured that both quarterbacks will have this date circled on their calendars.
2. San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
Date: Sunday, September 15 (Week 2)
Time: 8:30pm eastern
Channel: NBC
Why: Two Super Bowl favorites from the same division whose head coaches have despised one another dating back to their days in the PAC-10, Seattle vs. San Francisco is the new Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore…except with more offense. Two up-and-coming quarterbacks, two nasty defenses and two of the game’s toughest running backs. Both teams defended their home turf against one another last season and both made some serious noise in the playoffs. If Wes Welker hadn’t signed with Denver, this would have been our top choice for the 2013 season. Hell, I’m already looking into flights and hotel rooms. Hey Seattle, make sure you’ve got plenty of bourbon and ice for this weekend.
3. Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles
Date: Thursday, September 19 (Week 3)
Time: 8:25pm eastern
Channel: NFL Network
Why: Andy Reid returns to Philadelphia to face the man who replaced him after 14 years and five trips to the NFC Championship game as the head coach of the Eagles. In most cities, the return of a former head coach who had as much success as Reid enjoyed in Philly would be met with polite applause. But I’m sure we can all agree that Philadelphia is not most cities.
4. New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks
Date: Monday, December 2 (Week 13)
Time: 8:40pm eastern
Channel: ESPN
Why: Take one of the league’s most electrifying indoor teams and send them northwest to the most hostile outdoor facility in the entire National Football League and what do you get? The first meeting between the Saints and Seahawks since this happened:
5. Washington Redskins at New York Giants
Date: Sunday, December 29 (Week 17)
Time: 1:00pm eastern
Channel: FOX
Why: The top-two teams in the NFC East butt heads in a late-season showdown with playoff implications more than likely hanging in the balance. The two meetings between New York and Washington in 2012 resulted in a series split that was decided by a grand total of just five points. The Redskins are a team on the rise, while the Giants have a knack for bouncing back in a big way under Tom Coughlin following a disappointing season. So will it be Eli Manning taking second-year quarterback Robert Griffin III to school, or will the young pup state his case as the division’s most elite quarterback?
6. Pittsburgh Steelers at Green Bay Packers
Date: Sunday, December 22 (Week 16)
Time: 4:25pm eastern
Channel: CBS
Why: The last time these two legendary franchises got together for a slugfest, the Steelers were walking off the Cowboys Stadium turf under a blizzard of confetti while Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews were hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. With two of the deepest, most loyal and passionate fan bases in the NFL, this game has ratings bonanza written all over it.
7. Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers
Date: Monday, December 23 (Week 16)
Time: 8:40pm eastern
Channel: ESPN
Why: A rematch of January’s NFC Championship game with one important twist: This time, it’s the Falcons who have to travel across the country. Not only will this game play an integral role in NFC playoff seeding, but this serves as a major test for an Atlanta Falcons team that is trying desperately to get over the hump and into the Super Bowl. Falcons players will try to sell all of us on the fact that this is just another football game, but we know better. After blowing a 24-14 halftime lead against the Niners back in January, the Dirty Birds will be out for a small piece of redemption in this one.
8. New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens
Date: Sunday, December 22 (Week 16)
Time: 8:30pm eastern
Channel: NBC
Why: The 2013 AFC Championship game may have been a 28-13 rout in favor of the Ravens, but in the six games between these two organizations prior to last January’s Super Bowl qualifier, five were decided by six or fewer points. Tightly contested matchups just so happen to be a byproduct of putting New England and Baltimore on the same field at the same time.
9. Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints
Date: Sunday, November 10 (Week 10)
Time: 8:30pm eastern
Channel: NBC
Why: High-octane aficionados are advised to buckle up for this clash between the Saints and Cowboys, who have combined to score a grand total of 122 points in their last two meetings against one another. Last season’s matchup that saw New Orleans emerge as a 34-31 winner featured five ties, 1,008 total yards of offense and a game-winning overtime field goal. Expect the fireworks to fly once again when two of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks renew their rivalry in The Big Easy.
10. Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles
Date: Sunday, December 22 (Week 16)
Time: 1:00pm eastern
Channel: FOX
Why: Many of you will make the case that there are at least five other games that deserve a spot on this list instead of the Chicago-Philadelphia tilt. That’s fine by us. But look at the history between these two clubs. Each of the last five meetings between the Bears and Eagles has been decided by six or fewer points. Throw brand-new offensive-minded head coaches Chip Kelly and Marc Trestman into the mix and we could have the opportunity to play witness to a whole new style of professional football.
David Ortiz punctuates Red Sox pregame ceremony with strong statement, language.
By Mark Townsend
Date: Sunday, December 29 (Week 17)
Time: 1:00pm eastern
Channel: FOX
Why: The top-two teams in the NFC East butt heads in a late-season showdown with playoff implications more than likely hanging in the balance. The two meetings between New York and Washington in 2012 resulted in a series split that was decided by a grand total of just five points. The Redskins are a team on the rise, while the Giants have a knack for bouncing back in a big way under Tom Coughlin following a disappointing season. So will it be Eli Manning taking second-year quarterback Robert Griffin III to school, or will the young pup state his case as the division’s most elite quarterback?
6. Pittsburgh Steelers at Green Bay Packers
Date: Sunday, December 22 (Week 16)
Time: 4:25pm eastern
Channel: CBS
Why: The last time these two legendary franchises got together for a slugfest, the Steelers were walking off the Cowboys Stadium turf under a blizzard of confetti while Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews were hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. With two of the deepest, most loyal and passionate fan bases in the NFL, this game has ratings bonanza written all over it.
7. Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers
Date: Monday, December 23 (Week 16)
Time: 8:40pm eastern
Channel: ESPN
Why: A rematch of January’s NFC Championship game with one important twist: This time, it’s the Falcons who have to travel across the country. Not only will this game play an integral role in NFC playoff seeding, but this serves as a major test for an Atlanta Falcons team that is trying desperately to get over the hump and into the Super Bowl. Falcons players will try to sell all of us on the fact that this is just another football game, but we know better. After blowing a 24-14 halftime lead against the Niners back in January, the Dirty Birds will be out for a small piece of redemption in this one.
8. New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens
Date: Sunday, December 22 (Week 16)
Time: 8:30pm eastern
Channel: NBC
Why: The 2013 AFC Championship game may have been a 28-13 rout in favor of the Ravens, but in the six games between these two organizations prior to last January’s Super Bowl qualifier, five were decided by six or fewer points. Tightly contested matchups just so happen to be a byproduct of putting New England and Baltimore on the same field at the same time.
9. Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints
Date: Sunday, November 10 (Week 10)
Time: 8:30pm eastern
Channel: NBC
Why: High-octane aficionados are advised to buckle up for this clash between the Saints and Cowboys, who have combined to score a grand total of 122 points in their last two meetings against one another. Last season’s matchup that saw New Orleans emerge as a 34-31 winner featured five ties, 1,008 total yards of offense and a game-winning overtime field goal. Expect the fireworks to fly once again when two of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks renew their rivalry in The Big Easy.
10. Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles
Date: Sunday, December 22 (Week 16)
Time: 1:00pm eastern
Channel: FOX
Why: Many of you will make the case that there are at least five other games that deserve a spot on this list instead of the Chicago-Philadelphia tilt. That’s fine by us. But look at the history between these two clubs. Each of the last five meetings between the Bears and Eagles has been decided by six or fewer points. Throw brand-new offensive-minded head coaches Chip Kelly and Marc Trestman into the mix and we could have the opportunity to play witness to a whole new style of professional football.
David Ortiz punctuates Red Sox pregame ceremony with strong statement, language.
By Mark Townsend
I was honestly a little surprised to see the microphone passed to him to close out the emotional and well produced pregame ceremony at Fenway Park on Saturday. But he is, after all, the longest tenured Boston Red Sox player in uniform, and, let's be honest, he's their most recognizable face and voice as well.
He was actually the perfect guy to deliver that final, heartfelt message to the city he's called home for the past ten years, and though you may not completely agree with the colorful language he uses, his statement is quick, loud, clear, and one-hundred percent on point.
Here's the video now courtesy of MLB. There's a well-timed bleep so you should be safe to watch this anywhere.
"This is our f------ city. And no one is going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong."
Those sixteen words are the ones that everyone is already buzzing about and will be for some team.
Honestly, I would say Ortiz didn't need to go there to get his message across, but if any one statement captures the emotion — the anger, the pride, all of it — that has gone into this terrifying week for those in and around Boston, Ortiz absolutely nailed it. The fans let him know it, too, because the response was among the loudest we heard throughout a 20-minute ceremony that included all 37,000 plus in attendance singing the national anthem.
And you'll never guess who else approved.
****************************
David Ortiz spoke from the heart at today's Red Sox game. I stand with Big Papi and the people of Boston - Julius
****************************
That's straight from FCC chairman Julius Genachowski.
There's a right time, and there's a wrong time to be too emotional. Today was definitely the right time (and yes, I know there were children in the building) but you're certainly free to chime in with your disagreements in the comments section.
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Golf-Ban on anchored putts a cop-out, says Langer.
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
Golf's governing bodies are expected to announce shortly whether they will go ahead with a proposed ban on players anchoring putters to their body, a rule change which makes no sense at all to Bernhard Langer.
The German former world number one, long renowned for his meticulous preparation and attention to detail, describes the proposal by the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) and Royal & Ancient (R&A) as "a cop-out" with no empirical evidence to back it up.
"I personally see no point in changing the rule, and I am not saying that because I use a long putter," Langer, 55, told Reuters in a recent interview.
"My career is going to be done in 10 years' time, or whatever, on the golfing side and I just can't see why there is all this fuss about it. I don't see a reason to change.
"This thing (the use of long putters) has been around way too long. If it was an advantage or illegal, then they (golf's rulemakers) should have made it illegal a long time ago. That's a cop-out."
Last November, the game's governing bodies controversially proposed a ban on the anchored putting stroke, saying they wanted to outlaw the practice by 2016 in order to preserve the "skill and challenge" of putting.
Players and the golfing community were then given 90 days in which to discuss that proposal. By the end of that period, the European Tour had expressed its support of the idea while both the U.S. PGA Tour and PGA of America voiced opposition.
Langer, a two-time Masters champion, felt the best argument against banning the anchored putting stroke stemmed from the fact there was no perceived advantage based on all the available evidence.
"Who is using the big-headed driver? One hundred percent of the players," the German smiled. "Why? Because it's an advantage. Who is using a hybrid? Everybody, because it's easier to hit that than a one-iron, a two-iron or a three-iron.
"Who is using a long putter, or a belly putter? Twelve percent of the players, maybe 15 percent. Why? Because it's not an advantage. If it was an advantage, everybody would do it. It's not easier. It's different.
"You still have to work with it. You can still yip (an involuntary movement of the muscles) it, you can still hit horrible putts. You can do everything with it, just like with a short putter. So why change? Because it doesn't look right?"
MAJOR 'TREND'
November's announcement by the rulemakers came after three of the previous five major champions had used 'belly' putters - Keegan Bradley (2011 PGA Championship), Webb Simpson (2012 U.S. Open) and Ernie Els (2012 British Open).
Australian Adam Scott then followed suit when he won last week's Masters while using a long putter but Langer rejects this 'trend' as any reason to ban the anchored putting stroke.
"A year ago, (USGA executive director) Mike Davis said, 'We see no problem with a long putter or the belly putter. There's no reason to change, to do anything now'," Langer, a global ambassador for Mercedes-Benz, added.
"Now all of a sudden, because four guys have won majors, specifically the British Open and the U.S. Open, it's a problem. Just because somebody won a major or two. It doesn't make sense. I'm sorry.
"If you give me a few good reasons and arguments why, then maybe you can convince me. But I can't see it and I've spent a lot of time thinking about it and talking to people about it."
The R&A and USGA have said that putters should swing freely and not be anchored to any part of the body, and that swinging a club freely has been the essence of the 600-year-old sport.
But Langer, a 42-times winner on the European Tour, does not view the anchored stroke as advantageous to the user.
"They (long putters) are still going to have to make a stroke, they are still going to be nervy, they are still going to have to read the green, hit the putt with the proper pace," he said.
"It doesn't do it by itself. It's not like, 'Ah, give me a long putter,' and it goes in the hole. No. There's a lot more to putting than whether you hold it this way, this way or that way," Langer added, gesticulating with his arms.
"You've got to read the green, you've got to see the grain, you've got to feel the putt, make a stroke. It doesn't do it by itself. It's not a magic button that I can push with a long putter and I make putts."
NBA-Highlights of Sunday's NBA playoffs games.
The German former world number one, long renowned for his meticulous preparation and attention to detail, describes the proposal by the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) and Royal & Ancient (R&A) as "a cop-out" with no empirical evidence to back it up.
"I personally see no point in changing the rule, and I am not saying that because I use a long putter," Langer, 55, told Reuters in a recent interview.
"My career is going to be done in 10 years' time, or whatever, on the golfing side and I just can't see why there is all this fuss about it. I don't see a reason to change.
"This thing (the use of long putters) has been around way too long. If it was an advantage or illegal, then they (golf's rulemakers) should have made it illegal a long time ago. That's a cop-out."
Last November, the game's governing bodies controversially proposed a ban on the anchored putting stroke, saying they wanted to outlaw the practice by 2016 in order to preserve the "skill and challenge" of putting.
Players and the golfing community were then given 90 days in which to discuss that proposal. By the end of that period, the European Tour had expressed its support of the idea while both the U.S. PGA Tour and PGA of America voiced opposition.
Langer, a two-time Masters champion, felt the best argument against banning the anchored putting stroke stemmed from the fact there was no perceived advantage based on all the available evidence.
"Who is using the big-headed driver? One hundred percent of the players," the German smiled. "Why? Because it's an advantage. Who is using a hybrid? Everybody, because it's easier to hit that than a one-iron, a two-iron or a three-iron.
"Who is using a long putter, or a belly putter? Twelve percent of the players, maybe 15 percent. Why? Because it's not an advantage. If it was an advantage, everybody would do it. It's not easier. It's different.
"You still have to work with it. You can still yip (an involuntary movement of the muscles) it, you can still hit horrible putts. You can do everything with it, just like with a short putter. So why change? Because it doesn't look right?"
MAJOR 'TREND'
November's announcement by the rulemakers came after three of the previous five major champions had used 'belly' putters - Keegan Bradley (2011 PGA Championship), Webb Simpson (2012 U.S. Open) and Ernie Els (2012 British Open).
Australian Adam Scott then followed suit when he won last week's Masters while using a long putter but Langer rejects this 'trend' as any reason to ban the anchored putting stroke.
"A year ago, (USGA executive director) Mike Davis said, 'We see no problem with a long putter or the belly putter. There's no reason to change, to do anything now'," Langer, a global ambassador for Mercedes-Benz, added.
"Now all of a sudden, because four guys have won majors, specifically the British Open and the U.S. Open, it's a problem. Just because somebody won a major or two. It doesn't make sense. I'm sorry.
"If you give me a few good reasons and arguments why, then maybe you can convince me. But I can't see it and I've spent a lot of time thinking about it and talking to people about it."
The R&A and USGA have said that putters should swing freely and not be anchored to any part of the body, and that swinging a club freely has been the essence of the 600-year-old sport.
But Langer, a 42-times winner on the European Tour, does not view the anchored stroke as advantageous to the user.
"They (long putters) are still going to have to make a stroke, they are still going to be nervy, they are still going to have to read the green, hit the putt with the proper pace," he said.
"It doesn't do it by itself. It's not like, 'Ah, give me a long putter,' and it goes in the hole. No. There's a lot more to putting than whether you hold it this way, this way or that way," Langer added, gesticulating with his arms.
"You've got to read the green, you've got to see the grain, you've got to feel the putt, make a stroke. It doesn't do it by itself. It's not a magic button that I can push with a long putter and I make putts."
NBA-Highlights of Sunday's NBA playoffs games.
Reuters - (Editing by Gene Cherry/John O'Brien)
* Heat begin defense with big win
* Pacers take down Hawks
* Spurs pull away from Lakers
* Durant, Westbrook help Thunder ground Rockets (Recasts with Thunder victory)
April 21 (Sports Direct) - Highlights of Sunday's National Basketball Association playoffs games.
- - - -
Thunder 120, Rockets 91
Kevin Durant scored 24 points and Russell Westbrook had 19 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as host Oklahoma City routed Houston in the opener of the first-round Western Conference series.
The top-seeded Thunder never trailed en route to matching the largest margin of victory in a postseason game in the franchise's five seasons since relocating from Seattle.
James Harden scored 20 points as the only starter in double figures for the eighth-seeded Rockets, who were playing their first playoff game in four years. The other Houston starters combined for 28 points.
The Thunder led by 13 points at halftime and quickly increased the advantage to 74-54 on two free throws by Westbrook with 8:07 left in the third quarter.
Game Two is in Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
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Heat 110, Bucks 87
LeBron James scored 27 points on 9-of-11 shooting and added 10 rebounds and eight assists as host Miami cruised past Milwaukee in Game One of a first-round playoff series.
Ray Allen chipped in 20 points off the bench and Dwyane Wade scored 16 for the top-seeded Heat, who shot 55.9 percent from the floor and dominated the second half as they began their pursuit of back-to-back NBA titles.
Brandon Jennings scored 26 points and Monta Ellis had 22 as the only players in double figures for the eighth-seeded Bucks.
James had 15 points in the first half to help Miami grab a 52-45 lead at the break, but the Heat really started to open things up in the third quarter. Chris Bosh highlighted an 11-1 burst early in the period with a three-pointer and James' driving left-handed dunk helped Miami end the third with a 7-0 run and take an 80-65 lead into the fourth.
James and Chris Andersen took turns getting the crowd on its feet with some highlight finishes around the rim early in the final quarter and Allen's three-pointer with 5:54 left pushed it out to 96-73.
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Pacers 107, Hawks 90
Paul George collected 23 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists as host Indiana took Game One of their first-round playoff series from Atlanta.
George went 17-for-18 from the free throw line to lead a 30-for-34 effort from the stripe by the Pacers. George Hill added 18 points and Roy Hibbert had 16 for Indiana, which will host Game Two of the best-of-seven series on Wednesday.
Jeff Teague recorded 21 points and seven assists and Josh Smith scored 15 as the Hawks dropped their opening postseason game for the first time since 2008 at Boston.
The Pacers used a 13-2 run in the first quarter to take the lead and did not trail again. They went ahead 77-61 after Lance Stephenson's three-pointer with 4:52 left in the third.
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Spurs 91, Lakers 79
Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili scored 18 points apiece as host San Antonio pulled away in the second half of its first-round series opener against Los Angeles.
Tim Duncan added 17 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for the Spurs, who entered the postseason with three straight losses but raised their game to take a 1-0 lead into Wednesday's Game two of the best-of-seven series.
Dwight Howard had 20 points and 15 rebounds and Pau Gasol added 16 and 16 rebounds for the Lakers, who struggled from the perimeter without injured superstar Kobe Bryant. Los Angeles went 3-of-15 from three-point range.
San Antonio trailed only once - at 2-0 - and took a 70-57 lead entering the fourth.
NBA-Highlights of Saturday's NBA games.
Reuters - (Editing by Peter Rutherford)
* Spurs pull away from Lakers
* Durant, Westbrook help Thunder ground Rockets (Recasts with Thunder victory)
April 21 (Sports Direct) - Highlights of Sunday's National Basketball Association playoffs games.
- - - -
Thunder 120, Rockets 91
Kevin Durant scored 24 points and Russell Westbrook had 19 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as host Oklahoma City routed Houston in the opener of the first-round Western Conference series.
The top-seeded Thunder never trailed en route to matching the largest margin of victory in a postseason game in the franchise's five seasons since relocating from Seattle.
James Harden scored 20 points as the only starter in double figures for the eighth-seeded Rockets, who were playing their first playoff game in four years. The other Houston starters combined for 28 points.
The Thunder led by 13 points at halftime and quickly increased the advantage to 74-54 on two free throws by Westbrook with 8:07 left in the third quarter.
Game Two is in Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
- - - -
Heat 110, Bucks 87
LeBron James scored 27 points on 9-of-11 shooting and added 10 rebounds and eight assists as host Miami cruised past Milwaukee in Game One of a first-round playoff series.
Ray Allen chipped in 20 points off the bench and Dwyane Wade scored 16 for the top-seeded Heat, who shot 55.9 percent from the floor and dominated the second half as they began their pursuit of back-to-back NBA titles.
Brandon Jennings scored 26 points and Monta Ellis had 22 as the only players in double figures for the eighth-seeded Bucks.
James had 15 points in the first half to help Miami grab a 52-45 lead at the break, but the Heat really started to open things up in the third quarter. Chris Bosh highlighted an 11-1 burst early in the period with a three-pointer and James' driving left-handed dunk helped Miami end the third with a 7-0 run and take an 80-65 lead into the fourth.
James and Chris Andersen took turns getting the crowd on its feet with some highlight finishes around the rim early in the final quarter and Allen's three-pointer with 5:54 left pushed it out to 96-73.
- - - -
Pacers 107, Hawks 90
Paul George collected 23 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists as host Indiana took Game One of their first-round playoff series from Atlanta.
George went 17-for-18 from the free throw line to lead a 30-for-34 effort from the stripe by the Pacers. George Hill added 18 points and Roy Hibbert had 16 for Indiana, which will host Game Two of the best-of-seven series on Wednesday.
Jeff Teague recorded 21 points and seven assists and Josh Smith scored 15 as the Hawks dropped their opening postseason game for the first time since 2008 at Boston.
The Pacers used a 13-2 run in the first quarter to take the lead and did not trail again. They went ahead 77-61 after Lance Stephenson's three-pointer with 4:52 left in the third.
- - - -
Spurs 91, Lakers 79
Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili scored 18 points apiece as host San Antonio pulled away in the second half of its first-round series opener against Los Angeles.
Tim Duncan added 17 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for the Spurs, who entered the postseason with three straight losses but raised their game to take a 1-0 lead into Wednesday's Game two of the best-of-seven series.
Dwight Howard had 20 points and 15 rebounds and Pau Gasol added 16 and 16 rebounds for the Lakers, who struggled from the perimeter without injured superstar Kobe Bryant. Los Angeles went 3-of-15 from three-point range.
San Antonio trailed only once - at 2-0 - and took a 70-57 lead entering the fourth.
NBA-Highlights of Saturday's NBA games.
Reuters - (Editing by Peter Rutherford)
April 20 (SportsDirect) - Highlights of Saturday's National Basketball Association games.
- - -
Knicks 85, Celtics 78
Carmelo Anthony scored 36 points and sparked a fourth-quarter comeback as hosts New York took the series opener against Boston.
J.R. Smith had 15 points off the bench, Raymond Felton scored 13 and reserve Kenyon Martin contributed 10 points and nine rebounds as the Knicks erased a seven-point deficit late in the third quarter.
Jeff Green scored 26 points - 24 through three quarters - and Paul Pierce had 21 for the Celtics, who were held to eight points in the fourth quarter and shot a miserable 7-of-27 in the second half.
Boston had as many turnovers (eight) as points in the fourth quarter to fall into a 0-1 hole heading into Game Two of the best-of-seven series on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
Pierce's three-pointer with 80 seconds left in the third quarter capped an 11-1 spurt and gave the Celtics their biggest lead at 70-63, but Anthony scored six points in a 13-2 spurt to put the Knicks ahead to stay 76-72 with 6:32 remaining.
- - -
Nuggets 97, Warriors 95
Andre Miller drove for a layup with 1.3 seconds left to lift Denver over visiting Golden State in Game One of the best-of-seven series.
Miller scored 18 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and got the ball on a clear-out on the right for the final play. The veteran guard dribbled the clock down before breaking for the hoop and flipped in the layup to hand the Nuggets the win.
Wilson Chandler added 11 points and 13 rebounds and Ty Lawson scored 12 for Denver.
Klay Thompson had 22 points and Stephen Curry collected 19 points and nine assists to lead the Warriors, who have not won a playoff game since 2007.
- - -
Nets 106, Bulls 89
Deron Williams scored 22 points and Brook Lopez added 21 as hosts Brooklyn routed Chicago in the opening game of the best-of-seven series.
Joe Johnson scored 16 points, C.J. Watson and Gerald Wallace added 14 apiece and Reggie Evans grabbed 13 rebounds as the Nets rolled to a 25-point halftime lead and cruised to the easy victory.
Carlos Boozer had 25 points and Nate Robinson scored 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting for the Bulls.
The victory was the first in the playoffs for the Nets since beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals on May 16, 2007.
- - -
Clippers 112, Grizzlies 91
Chris Paul scored 23 points and Eric Bledsoe scored 15 on 7-of-7 shooting as Los Angeles roared past visiting Memphis in the opener of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Chauncey Billups added 14 points while Caron Butler and Jamal Crawford had 13 points apiece as seven Clippers scored in double figures.
Los Angeles outscored the Grizzlies 37-22 in the fourth quarter and shot 15-of-22.
Jerryd Bayless scored 19 points and Marc Gasol added 16 for the Grizzlies.
The Clippers led by one with 10 minutes left before embarking on a 15-3 surge culminated by Bledsoe's basket with 4:50 left.
- - -
Knicks 85, Celtics 78
Carmelo Anthony scored 36 points and sparked a fourth-quarter comeback as hosts New York took the series opener against Boston.
J.R. Smith had 15 points off the bench, Raymond Felton scored 13 and reserve Kenyon Martin contributed 10 points and nine rebounds as the Knicks erased a seven-point deficit late in the third quarter.
Jeff Green scored 26 points - 24 through three quarters - and Paul Pierce had 21 for the Celtics, who were held to eight points in the fourth quarter and shot a miserable 7-of-27 in the second half.
Boston had as many turnovers (eight) as points in the fourth quarter to fall into a 0-1 hole heading into Game Two of the best-of-seven series on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
Pierce's three-pointer with 80 seconds left in the third quarter capped an 11-1 spurt and gave the Celtics their biggest lead at 70-63, but Anthony scored six points in a 13-2 spurt to put the Knicks ahead to stay 76-72 with 6:32 remaining.
- - -
Nuggets 97, Warriors 95
Andre Miller drove for a layup with 1.3 seconds left to lift Denver over visiting Golden State in Game One of the best-of-seven series.
Miller scored 18 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and got the ball on a clear-out on the right for the final play. The veteran guard dribbled the clock down before breaking for the hoop and flipped in the layup to hand the Nuggets the win.
Wilson Chandler added 11 points and 13 rebounds and Ty Lawson scored 12 for Denver.
Klay Thompson had 22 points and Stephen Curry collected 19 points and nine assists to lead the Warriors, who have not won a playoff game since 2007.
- - -
Nets 106, Bulls 89
Deron Williams scored 22 points and Brook Lopez added 21 as hosts Brooklyn routed Chicago in the opening game of the best-of-seven series.
Joe Johnson scored 16 points, C.J. Watson and Gerald Wallace added 14 apiece and Reggie Evans grabbed 13 rebounds as the Nets rolled to a 25-point halftime lead and cruised to the easy victory.
Carlos Boozer had 25 points and Nate Robinson scored 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting for the Bulls.
The victory was the first in the playoffs for the Nets since beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals on May 16, 2007.
- - -
Clippers 112, Grizzlies 91
Chris Paul scored 23 points and Eric Bledsoe scored 15 on 7-of-7 shooting as Los Angeles roared past visiting Memphis in the opener of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Chauncey Billups added 14 points while Caron Butler and Jamal Crawford had 13 points apiece as seven Clippers scored in double figures.
Los Angeles outscored the Grizzlies 37-22 in the fourth quarter and shot 15-of-22.
Jerryd Bayless scored 19 points and Marc Gasol added 16 for the Grizzlies.
The Clippers led by one with 10 minutes left before embarking on a 15-3 surge culminated by Bledsoe's basket with 4:50 left.
NBC outlines vast Premier League coverage with new TV deal.
By Richard Deitsch
NBC Sports has finally revealed its plans for the English Premier League, and upon first glance, the network's tonnage is as impressive as Robin van Persie in the six-yard box.
During a Premier League presentation at NBC's offices at 30 Rockefeller Center on Tuesday, the network announced all Premier League matches will include pre- and post-game studio coverage and be streamed live via NBC Sports Live Extra, the network's live streaming product for desktop, mobile and tablets.
The network said games not aired on a designated NBC Universal channel would be made available to distributors via Premier League Extra Time, a package of overflow TV channels available at no extra cost for customers who receives NBC Sports Network. As announced in October, NBC Universal will air 380 Premier League matches across all platforms and devices in the United States. A source with knowledge of the negotiations told SI.com that NBC Universal's winning bid was $250 million for a three-year agreement, a sum more than triple the $23 million per year that Fox currently pays for its deal.
Stateside fans of the Premier League expect matches to be available over-the-air, and NBC Sports said its initial schedule will include 154 games on NBC Sports Network, 22 games on other NBC Universal channels and 20 games on NBC. There will be 184 games airing on Premier League Extra Time and 76 Spanish-language broadcasts on Telemundo (10) and Mun2 (66). There are plans to air more than 600 hours of original and weekly studio programming on the NBC Sports Network. NBC said it will air 30 hours of original Premier League programming weekly.
"Our goal and No. 1 objective is to be true to the sport," NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood said.
Said Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore: "Fundamentally, this is a market of huge interest to our owners. The plans these guys have are a big step for us."
As for those who will present the coverage, the network officially announced that Arlo White will be the lead play-by-play voice, confirming last week's report from the EPL Talk website. White has spent the last two years as the lead play-by-play voice for NBC's MLS coverage and will relocate back to the U.K. to call matches on site for NBC Sports. Lee Dixon and Graeme Le Saux, both former England national team members and EPL veterans, will split time as White's game analysts. Both have worked for BBC as color commentators. NBC said it will use the world feed on games not involving its announced staffers.
As first reported by SI.com last month, Rebecca Lowe has been named the network's lead studio host. After concluding her Premier League and FA Cup duties with ESPN UK in May, she will relocate to the U.S. this summer. She'll be joined in the studio by former Jamaican National Robbie Earle and former English footballer Robbie Mustoe. That group will broadcast from NBC Sports Group's new International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Ct. Well-known BBC presenter and former England national star Gary Lineker will serve as a special contributor for the coverage. He will occasionally host on-site studio coverage in the U.K while continuing to host Match of the Day on BBC.
Coverage of the Premier League will kick off Aug. 17 with live matches on NBC, NBC Sports Network, Telemundo, Mun2, Premier League Extra Time, NBC Sports Live Extra and other NBC Universal channels including CNBC and USA. The network also announced that every Premier League match on the final day of the season -- May 11, 2014 -- will air live across a host of NBCU channels, including NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, USA, MSNBC and E!.
As of now, the original programming is as followed:
• Premier League Goal Zone -- A 30-minute program airing after Sunday matches with highlights of every goal scored on Saturday and Sunday.
• Match of the Day -- A two-hour Saturday show on NBC Sports Network modeled after the BBC show of the same name. Match of the Day will re-air Sunday mornings.
• Match of the Day 2 -- A 90-minute program featuring extended highlights with the natural calls of every game Sunday.
• Match of the Week --NBC Sports Network will re-air the best match of the weekend in its entirety Sunday night.
• Premier League 36 -- An original series that follows EPL players for 36 hours leading up to a game.
• Game Cut-Downs -- NBC Sports Network will air a two-hour show Monday nights featuring cut-down versions of Manchester United and Manchester City matches. On Tuesdays the network will feature Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur matches.
• Premier League Download -- A weekly show featuring high-profile celebrity supporters and journalists discussing the Premier League.
• Barclays Premier League World -- A weekly magazine show produced by the Premier League.
• Barclays Premier League Preview -- A weekly show (also produced by the league) previewing the upcoming week's matches.
• Barclays Premier League Review -- A weekly show produced by the league that recaps all the matches from the past week.
• Premier League Countdown -- A preview of the 2013-14 Premier League season.
NBC said its Saturday coverage of the Premier League will start at 7 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and continue on that network at 10 a.m. When Saturday coverage airs on NBC, it will air with a start time at 12:30 p.m. The Sunday coverage begins at 8 a.m. on NBC Sports Network and continues at 11 a.m. on that network and Telemundo. Monday coverage will start at 2:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network.
An NBC Sports spokesperson said there will be some weeks where mid-week Premier League games could appear on CNBC and USA. The network said any game not designated for an NBCU channel will be available on Premier League Extra Time, which is similar to MLB's Extra Innings Package. (There is no charge to customers whose cable systems have NBC Sports Network.) All games will also be streamed live on NBC Sports Live Extra, though most consumers will need to authenticate that service.
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