http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view.bg?articleid=1154553&srvc=sports&position=recent
TAMPA, Fla. — And so it begins for Alex Rodriguez.
Ever since he admitted to using illegal performance-enhancing drugs this month, the extent of Rodriguez’s preparations for the season have come in the safe haven of the Yankees’ complex. The fans mostly have cheered and voiced their support for baseball’s highest-paid player.
That all will change at 1 p.m. EST on Wednesday, when the Yankees kick off their Grapefruit League schedule in nearby Dunedin against the Blue Jays. Let’s just say the crowd reaction should be a tad different.
It’s never that simple when it comes to Rodriguez, however, and even manager Joe Girardi has no idea what type of reception the fans will give the controversial slugger.
"It’ll be curious, I’m sure," Girardi said. "It’s something we haven’t been through before. I’m sure there going to be some people that are upset. I’m sure there are going to be people that are supportive. And there are going to be some people in between. For Alex, again, he’s going to have to block out distractions and be able to play. And I expect him to be able to do that. But we’re going to see how it goes."
There’s another potential distraction looming, though. A person familiar with the situation told Newsday on Monday that Major League Baseball’s investigations team plans on meeting with Rodriguez by Friday to discuss his steroid confessions. Although he said he’s heard "the same things" the media has about this proposed meeting, Rodriguez said he has "no idea" when it will take place and he hasn’t been contacted by anyone.
"I’m just waiting to hear from somebody," A-Rod said, "maybe Gene . I’m not sure."
Rodriguez will leave later this week bound for Jupiter, Fla., to work out with Team Dominican Republic for the World Baseball Classic. Asked if he thought about not playing in the WBC, Rodriguez said: "I’m just focusing on tomorrow’s game, take it one day at time, and on Sunday head down to Jupiter, spend four or five days there and go down to Puerto Rico."
By the time he does head to San Juan — where Team Dominican Republic will play in the WBC’s Pool D against Puerto Rico, Panama and the Netherlands — Rodriguez will have already experienced his first taste of what it’s going to be like for him when the Yankees play on the road. He said he’s learned to tune the fans out, but they could be relentless now.
"I think it’s an initial step on how he’s going to handle it," Girardi said. "Alex is a very popular player, and in road cities, he’s not so popular. I really don’t know what to expect. I’d imagine, as I said, there are going to be some people that are going to be angry. And we understand that. And we all have to get through that."
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Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com/
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Woods is back
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/2009-02-25-woods-return_N.htm
By Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY
MARANA, Ariz. — A deafening roar returns Wednesday to the tranquil world of professional golf — and for the sport, it arrives not a moment too soon.
Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1 golfer and a megawatt global star whose participation in a tournament can mean millions more TV viewers and incalculable buzz for the sport, returns to competitive golf for the first time since his epic victory in the U.S. Open last June. (Match vs. Brendan Jones starts at 2:02 p.m. ET, Golf Channel)
PERILOUS COURSE: Dove Mountain to be daunting
HIESTAND: Networks hope Tiger brings casual fans
LOPRESTI: Weight on Woods' shoulders
SHARP: Woods in control of image
MCCARTHY: Tiger's stripes earn cash for partners
When he tees off in the Accenture Match Play Championship here, just north of Tucson, Woods will end an eight-month break that followed reconstructive surgery on his left knee — the longest interruption in his 13-year career.
Woods' layoff felt even longer for the PGA Tour, the organization that operates the main professional tournaments in the USA.
By Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY
MARANA, Ariz. — A deafening roar returns Wednesday to the tranquil world of professional golf — and for the sport, it arrives not a moment too soon.
Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1 golfer and a megawatt global star whose participation in a tournament can mean millions more TV viewers and incalculable buzz for the sport, returns to competitive golf for the first time since his epic victory in the U.S. Open last June. (Match vs. Brendan Jones starts at 2:02 p.m. ET, Golf Channel)
PERILOUS COURSE: Dove Mountain to be daunting
HIESTAND: Networks hope Tiger brings casual fans
LOPRESTI: Weight on Woods' shoulders
SHARP: Woods in control of image
MCCARTHY: Tiger's stripes earn cash for partners
When he tees off in the Accenture Match Play Championship here, just north of Tucson, Woods will end an eight-month break that followed reconstructive surgery on his left knee — the longest interruption in his 13-year career.
Woods' layoff felt even longer for the PGA Tour, the organization that operates the main professional tournaments in the USA.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Barkley "sorry" for DUI
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3917107
prepared to return to his television gig after a six-week leave of absence.
Barkley
Barkley had a blood-alcohol level of .149 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 percent in Arizona, after the 45-year-old former NBA star was arrested Dec. 31 in Scottsdale.
He will resume his studio analyst role for TNT on Thursday.
"This is just my bad, no excuses," Barkley said in an interview with TNT colleague Ernie Johnson posted on NBA.com Wednesday.
"I think that a DUI is unacceptable," he added. "That can't happen and I've got to challenge other people, not just celebrities or jocks. You have to really think before getting behind the wheel after you've been drinking."
Barkley conceded he may face jail time. He indicated that the case will be resolved by plea agreement and expected to undergo alcohol counseling.
"I think it's going to be good for me, to be honest. I need to make sure drinking is not a problem for me," he said. "I just want some professionals to talk to me about it."
If they tell him to stop drinking, "then I'll have to stop drinking," he said.
Asked if he could do that, he replied, "I feel I can do anything that I put my mind to."
Barkley apologized to his family, employer and the league, saying he had embarrassed them. He thanked a long list of friends -- including Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Moses Malone -- for checking in on him.
He vowed he would start using a driver when he goes out in public and would not get behind the wheel after any drinking.
"I let so many people down," he said. "It just [stinks] watching the shows and not being there. I screwed this up."
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
prepared to return to his television gig after a six-week leave of absence.
Barkley
Barkley had a blood-alcohol level of .149 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 percent in Arizona, after the 45-year-old former NBA star was arrested Dec. 31 in Scottsdale.
He will resume his studio analyst role for TNT on Thursday.
"This is just my bad, no excuses," Barkley said in an interview with TNT colleague Ernie Johnson posted on NBA.com Wednesday.
"I think that a DUI is unacceptable," he added. "That can't happen and I've got to challenge other people, not just celebrities or jocks. You have to really think before getting behind the wheel after you've been drinking."
Barkley conceded he may face jail time. He indicated that the case will be resolved by plea agreement and expected to undergo alcohol counseling.
"I think it's going to be good for me, to be honest. I need to make sure drinking is not a problem for me," he said. "I just want some professionals to talk to me about it."
If they tell him to stop drinking, "then I'll have to stop drinking," he said.
Asked if he could do that, he replied, "I feel I can do anything that I put my mind to."
Barkley apologized to his family, employer and the league, saying he had embarrassed them. He thanked a long list of friends -- including Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Moses Malone -- for checking in on him.
He vowed he would start using a driver when he goes out in public and would not get behind the wheel after any drinking.
"I let so many people down," he said. "It just [stinks] watching the shows and not being there. I screwed this up."
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
Jeter defends A-Rod and his former drug problem
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090218&content_id=3844658&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
TAMPA, Fla. -- Derek Jeter had a front-row seat as Alex Rodriguez conducted a news conference on Tuesday, during which the third baseman said that a cousin repeatedly injected him with performance-enhancing drugs over a three-year period.
With that admission, Rodriguez's status as the new face of baseball's so-called "Steroid Era" seems to be solidifying in the minds of many.
But one day after Rodriguez's statements echoed from a picnic tent at George M. Steinbrenner Field into coast-to-coast headlines, Jeter bristled at the idea that every big leaguer from that time period should somehow be included along with A-Rod.
"One thing that really upsets me a lot is when you hear everybody say it was the 'Steroid Era' and everybody was doing it. Well, that's not true," Jeter said on Wednesday. "Everybody wasn't doing it.
"That's the thing that gets irritating. I think it sends the wrong message to baseball fans and kids, saying that everybody was doing it. That's just not the truth."
During Rodriguez's 33-minute session, Jeter's expression rarely changed. That held true even as Rodriguez recounted how he had instructed the cousin to import the drugs from the Dominican Republic -- he called it by a street name, "boli," a likely reference to Primobolan -- and repeatedly had it injected into his body.
Jeter said on Wednesday that he was disappointed in Rodriguez's actions, but he said that the continuing thought he had during the news conference was how uncomfortable it must have been for A-Rod to submit himself to public scrutiny in that fashion.
"I know he's very, very sorry," Jeter said. "It's a difficult thing to do. Everybody makes mistakes, but it's probably pretty difficult to have to address it publicly in front of the whole country.
"We're here to support him through it. We don't condone what he did. Alex doesn't condone what he did. At this point now, it's our job to help him be as comfortable as he can on the field and try to move past this."
On the first day of full-squad workouts, Jeter played catch on the field with Rodriguez during warmups. A-Rod also received positive feedback from the fans on hand at Steinbrenner Field, and Jeter said that Rodriguez is not detached from the team.
"When you do some things, eventually the truth comes out, one way or the other," Jeter said. "That's punishment enough, especially when you're talking about everyone knowing it."
Jeter also addressed the status of his relationship with A-Rod once more.
TAMPA, Fla. -- Derek Jeter had a front-row seat as Alex Rodriguez conducted a news conference on Tuesday, during which the third baseman said that a cousin repeatedly injected him with performance-enhancing drugs over a three-year period.
With that admission, Rodriguez's status as the new face of baseball's so-called "Steroid Era" seems to be solidifying in the minds of many.
But one day after Rodriguez's statements echoed from a picnic tent at George M. Steinbrenner Field into coast-to-coast headlines, Jeter bristled at the idea that every big leaguer from that time period should somehow be included along with A-Rod.
"One thing that really upsets me a lot is when you hear everybody say it was the 'Steroid Era' and everybody was doing it. Well, that's not true," Jeter said on Wednesday. "Everybody wasn't doing it.
"That's the thing that gets irritating. I think it sends the wrong message to baseball fans and kids, saying that everybody was doing it. That's just not the truth."
During Rodriguez's 33-minute session, Jeter's expression rarely changed. That held true even as Rodriguez recounted how he had instructed the cousin to import the drugs from the Dominican Republic -- he called it by a street name, "boli," a likely reference to Primobolan -- and repeatedly had it injected into his body.
Jeter said on Wednesday that he was disappointed in Rodriguez's actions, but he said that the continuing thought he had during the news conference was how uncomfortable it must have been for A-Rod to submit himself to public scrutiny in that fashion.
"I know he's very, very sorry," Jeter said. "It's a difficult thing to do. Everybody makes mistakes, but it's probably pretty difficult to have to address it publicly in front of the whole country.
"We're here to support him through it. We don't condone what he did. Alex doesn't condone what he did. At this point now, it's our job to help him be as comfortable as he can on the field and try to move past this."
On the first day of full-squad workouts, Jeter played catch on the field with Rodriguez during warmups. A-Rod also received positive feedback from the fans on hand at Steinbrenner Field, and Jeter said that Rodriguez is not detached from the team.
"When you do some things, eventually the truth comes out, one way or the other," Jeter said. "That's punishment enough, especially when you're talking about everyone knowing it."
Jeter also addressed the status of his relationship with A-Rod once more.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Shaq and Kobe share fake All-Star MVP
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2009021532&prov=ap
PHOENIX (AP)—Three-time champions together, now three-time All-Star MVPs.
And leave it to Shaquille O’Neal to coin a nickname for himself and Kobe Bryant.
“The Big Legendaries,” O’Neal said.
Long ago broken apart, Shaq and Kobe were together again Sunday. Just like the good ol’ days, they were winners—and the only sign of any feuding was when they playfully fought over the MVP trophy they shared.
Bryant led all scorers with 27 points, O’Neal partied his way back onto the All-Star stage with 17 in just 11 minutes, and the Western Conference beat the East 146-119.
“It felt like old times,” O’Neal said. “I miss those times. He was really looking for me, especially when we went to a pick-and-roll and they had Rashard Lewis on me.”
Back on the same team for the first time in nearly five years, they helped the West get untracked after an awful start, then teamed up for a few buckets that helped blow it open in the third quarter.
PHOENIX (AP)—Three-time champions together, now three-time All-Star MVPs.
And leave it to Shaquille O’Neal to coin a nickname for himself and Kobe Bryant.
“The Big Legendaries,” O’Neal said.
Long ago broken apart, Shaq and Kobe were together again Sunday. Just like the good ol’ days, they were winners—and the only sign of any feuding was when they playfully fought over the MVP trophy they shared.
Bryant led all scorers with 27 points, O’Neal partied his way back onto the All-Star stage with 17 in just 11 minutes, and the Western Conference beat the East 146-119.
“It felt like old times,” O’Neal said. “I miss those times. He was really looking for me, especially when we went to a pick-and-roll and they had Rashard Lewis on me.”
Back on the same team for the first time in nearly five years, they helped the West get untracked after an awful start, then teamed up for a few buckets that helped blow it open in the third quarter.
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