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Sun Apr 24 04:28:43 EDT 2011
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Mail Bombs Are Prelude to a Soccer Showdown - Sunday’s Glasgow derby between Celtic and Rangers brings another game in one of the oldest, and perhaps most dangerous, crosstown rivalries in all of sports.

Sweat : Rugby It’s Not. But Watch the Teeth. - A New York region men’s field hockey league is filled with expatriates who have played on Olympic and national teams.

On Running: Two-Hour Marathon Seen as Question of When, Not if - The two-hour marathon may be the modern-day equivalent of the four-minute mile before Roger Bannister smashed through the barrier in 1954.

Nadal Cruises Past Monfils Into Barcelona Semis - Rafael Nadal cruised into the Barcelona Open semifinals after dispatching Gael Monfils 6-2, 6-2 on Friday.

Sports Briefing | Soccer: As Real Madrid Celebrates,Trophy Is Crushed by Bus - Real Madrid waited 18 years to win back the Copa del Rey trophy — only to drop the cup and watch it get crushed under the wheels of a bus.

Sports Briefing | Tennis: Davis Cup Approves CourtFor U.S.-Spain Quarterfinal - Davis Cup organizers rejected Spain’s appeal on Thursday, and said the United States’ choice of a hardcourt surface for the quarterfinal in July in Austin, Tex., met regulations.

Sports Briefing | Soccer: Sheik Buys Spanish Club - The Royal Emirates Group of Companies, a Dubai business group headed by Sheik Butti bin Suhail Al Maktoum, bought the Spanish club Getafe.

Cricket: Paul Valthaty Bursts Into Starring Role in Indian Premier League - Paul Valthaty of Punjab is a cricketing foot soldier, a low-priced backup to the expensive international talent. Two astounding performances in the span of four days have rocketed him from obscurity to fame.

Goal: Tchani Scores, Sees Yellow, Then Red - Toronto's Tony Tchani scored a goal and was ejected seconds later in an M.L.S. game Saturday.

Goal: 'Hopefully, All This Rubbish Can Stop' - Celtic and Rangers will renew their ancient rivalry Sunday in Glasgow, days after the revelation that package bombs had been sent to several prominent Celtic supporters and the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon.

Goal: Cup Got Crushed by a Tire? Real Madrid Gets a Spare - Real Madrid got a replacement for the trophy it dropped under the wheels of the team bus after winning the Copa del Rey.

On Par: One and Only: Grete - To millions of New Yorkers who watched her perform triumphantly year after year in the five boroughs, she was simply Grete. Like Chrissie or Billie Jean or Clyde or any other one-name icon who needed no further introduction. Grete!

On Par: Time to Reconnect With Joys Missed and Tee Shots Lost - As the snow thaws and golf courses slowly reopen, Bill Pennington recounts the 10 things he missed most about golf during the off-season.

On Par: At Least Walking Won't Set Fire To the Fairway - In February, a golf cart exploded at the Rivercliff Golf Course in Arkansas, interrupting a golfer on the seventh hole.

Formula One: Robert Kubica on the Mend - The Lotus Renault GP driver, seriously injured in a February race, says he hopes to leave the hospital in about 10 days.

Formula One: Hamilton Wins Chinese Grand Prix - Lewis Hamilton drove to a fabulous race victory at the Chinese Grand Prix outside Shanghai on Sunday, taking the lead in the final laps from Sebastian Vettel.

Formula One: Lively Qualifier in China - We are only three races into the season but we are growing used to seeing the same man, Sebastian Vettel, dominate everything, and today's qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix was no different.

Photo Replay: Capitals 3, Rangers 1 - The Rangers fell to Washington, eliminating them from the playoffs in five games.

Soccer Roundup: A Goal for Hernández and Another 3 Points for Manchester United - Manchester United inched closer to another Premier League title after Saturday’s win against Everton.

Messi Becomes First Player in Spain to Score 50 - Lionel Messi became the first player in Spain to score 50 goals in a club season, helping Barcelona rebound from its loss to Real Madrid.

Fernando Torres Finally Off the Mark as Chelsea Win 3-0 - Fernando Torres finally scored his first goal for Chelsea on Saturday when he came off the bench to get their second in a 3-0 home win over fellow London side West Ham United in the Premier League.

Torres on Target as Chelsea Keep Up the Pressure - Fernando Torres finally scored his first goal for Chelsea on Saturday as the champions beat West Ham United 3-0 to remain six points behind Manchester United after the leaders had beaten Everton 1-0.

Hernandez Leaps Late to Send United Nine Clear - Livewire striker Javier Hernandez struck six minutes from time to send Manchester United nine points clear in the Premier League with a 1-0 home win over Everton on Saturday.

Seattle Edges Colorado 1-0 - Fredy Montero scored in the 19th minute and the Seattle Sounders remained unbeaten in five games, beating the Colorado Rapids 1-0 Friday night.

Seattle's Zakuani Injured - Seattle Sounders midfielder Steve Zakuani was taken off the field on a stretcher in the third minute of the team's game with the Colorado Rapids Friday night.

Jose Mourinho Feels More Relaxed at Real After Cup Triumph - Jose Mourinho is feeling more relaxed at Real Madrid after landing his first piece of silverware for the club in the midweek King's Cup final against arch-rivals Barcelona, the Portuguese coach said on Friday.

Madrid Gets Replica After Cup Flattened by Bus - Real Madrid put a replica of the Copa del Rey trophy on display at its stadium after the original was crushed under the team bus amid the celebrations of its 1-0 final victory over Barcelona.

Arsenal Need to Communicate Better-Wenger - Arsenal's defensive fragilities can be solved with better communication and by "dominating their nerves," manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday.

Caroline Wozniacki Eyes Fourth Title After Radwanska Win - World number one Caroline Wozniacki was made to work hard for one set before beating Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5 6-3 on Saturday to set up a Stuttgart Grand Prix final against underdog Julia Goerges.

Safina Into Semifinals, Oudin Loses in Morocco - In a match featuring 18 breaks of serve, Dinara Safina edged fellow Russian Anastasia Pivovarova 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 Friday to reach the semifinals of the Grand Prix SAR.

Electric Nadal to Meet Dodig in Barcelona Semis - World number one Rafa Nadal crushed Gael Monfils of France 6-2 6-2 on Friday to charge into the Barcelona Open semi-finals.

Caroline Wozniacki Eases Into Stuttgart Semi-Finals - World number one Caroline Wozniacki survived an early scare to win 10 straight games and crush German Andrea Petkovic 6-4 6-1 on Thursday for a spot in the last four of the Stuttgart Grand Prix.

Oudin Advances, Safina Into Qfinals in Morocco - Melanie Oudin of the United States advanced with a walkover win Thursday and Dinara Safina defeated Alize Cornet 6-1, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the Grand Prix SAR.

Nadal to Play Monfils in Quarters at Barcelona - Rafael Nadal cruised past Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 6-3, 6-1 Thursday to set up a quarterfinal against Gael Monfils at the Barcelona Open.

Nadal Eases Past Giraldo Into Barcelona Quarters - World number one Rafa Nadal cruised into the Barcelona Open quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-1 victory over unseeded Colombian Santiago Giraldo Thursday to set up a last-eight clash against Gael Monfils.

Davis Cup Throws Out Spain Appeal of U.S. Surface - Davis Cup organizers rejected Spain’s appeal on Thursday, and said the United States’ choice of a hardcourt surface for the quarterfinal in July in Austin, Tex., met regulations.

ITF Rejects Spain Challenge to U.S. Court Choice - The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has rejected Spain's appeal over the legality of the hard court surface chosen by the United States for July's Davis Cup World Group quarter-final.

French Open Winner Schiavone Makes Losing Return on Clay - French Open champion Francesca Schiavone suffered a major setback on Wednesday when she was beaten on her first outing on clay this season at the Stuttgart Grand Prix.

Sharks Score Four Second Half Tries to Beat Hurricanes - The Sharks ran in four second half tries to record a 40-24 win over the Hurricanes in their Super rugby match at Kings Park on Saturday.

O'Connor Kicks Force to Upset Win Over Bulls - Australia utility back James O'Connor slotted six penalties to give the Western Force an upset 26-21 win over champions Bulls in their Super rugby clash on Saturday.

Bad Injury Puts Wallaby Mitchell Out of World Cup - Wallabies wing Drew Mitchell's World Cup hopes are over after he dislocated his ankle and broke a bone in his right leg in the New South Wales Waratahs's Super rugby defeat by the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.

Highlanders Rearguard Halts Crusaders Charge - The Otago Highlanders produced a superb defensive effort and made their chance count to upset the Canterbury Crusaders 26-18 in their Super rugby match at Trafalgar Park Saturday.

Late Payne Killer Gives Rebels the Blues - Centre Jared Payne scored a 75th minute try to ensure the Auckland Blues cemented a 40-23 win over the Melbourne Rebels in their Super Rugby match at North Harbour Stadium in Albany on Friday.

Turkish Formula One GP Faces Axe in 2012 - The Turkish Formula One Grand Prix faces the axe next year due to a disagreement with Bernie Ecclestone over payments for the race, the head of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce said Friday.

Team Lotus Linked to Caterham Takeover - Formula One's Team Lotus will make a major announcement next week with speculation on Thursday focussing on a takeover of British-based sportscar maker Caterham.

Robert Kubica Set to Leave Hospital After Two-Month Stay - Polish Formula One driver Robert Kubica plans to leave hospital in Italy within days to start the next stage of his recovery from a career-threatening rally accident in February.

Hamilton Aims to Keep the Pressure on His Engineers - Lewis Hamilton's McLaren race engineers and mechanics will be pleased to know he was thinking of them on his way to victory in Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

Roundup: Johnson Wins at Talladega by Smallest of Margins - Jimmie Johnson beat Clint Bowyer by 0.002 of a second to capture the Aaron’s 499. It was tied for the closest finish in Nascar Sprint Cup history.

Hamilton Finds Room to Win at Chinese Grand Prix - Formula One’s new pass-friendly rules had a noticeable effect on Lewis Hamilton’s victory at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Team by Team Analysis of Chinese Grand Prix - Team by team analysis of Sunday's Chinese Formula One Grand Prix (ranked in championship order):

McLaren Happy to Forgive Button's Comical Error - McLaren were quick to save Jenson Button's blushes Sunday after their driver accidentally stopped at the Red Bull pits during Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

Vargas Struggles, Bats Quiet in Seattle's 9-1 Loss - Jason Vargas' night started badly when the first batter he faced, Coco Crisp, lined a comebacker that smacked hard into Vargas' lower left leg.

Angels Get One Hit Off Dice-K Thru 8 in 5-0 Loss - For the most part, the Los Angeles Angels were having enough trouble generating a consistent offense before the Boston Red Sox came to town.

Padres Score but Still Struggle in 4-2 Loss - The San Diego Padres finally managed to score some runs.

A's Score Season High in 9-1 Win Over Mariners - Cliff Pennington didn't wait for something better to come, taking advantage of a situation that has eluded Oakland during its recent scoring struggles.

Brewers Rally, but Lose in 10 to Astros - Sean Green and the Milwaukee Brewers had all the momentum on their side headed into extra innings despite a big baserunning gaffe.

Royals Lose 1st Series of Season With 3-1 Loss - By the time Kyle Davies settled down on the mound for the Kansas City Royals, it was already too late.

Mets 6, Diamondbacks 4: Two-Out Hits and Solid Relief Propel the Mets - Daniel Murphy delivered two big hits and Mets relievers backed up six effective innings by Dillon Gee with three scoreless innings.

Roundup: Indians’ Move Backfires When Morneau Singles - Justin Morneau, who had missed five games with an illness, drove in two crucial runs after Cleveland intentionally walked Jason Kubel to load the bases.

Yankees 15, Orioles 3: As Usual, Baltimore Brings Out Best in Yanks - C.C. Sabathia went eight innings and was backed by five Yankee home runs in picking up his first victory of the season.

Extra Bases: Recognizing a More Important Meaning of Being There - Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis became the first major leaguer to be placed on the paternity leave list so he could be present at the birth of his child.

Heritage Leader Donald Set to Claim Top Ranking - Luke Donald recovered from a faltering start to remain one shot clear after The Heritage third round on Saturday, staying on track to become world number one for the first time.

Donald a Round Away From No. 1 - Luke Donald shot a 1-under 70 on Saturday to take a one-stroke leader over defending champion Jim Furyk after three rounds at Harbour Town Golf Links.

Levi-Fergus, Senior-Lyle Share Lead at Legends - Warm, dry weather made for prime scoring conditions at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf on Saturday and teams did their best to take advantage in the better-ball event.

Westwood Wins Indonesian Masters - Lee Westwood won the Indonesian Masters on Sunday to put himself in position move back to No. 1 in the world if Luke Donald fails to win the PGA Tour event in South Carolina.

Luke Donald Closes In on No. 1 With Heritage Lead - Luke Donald's not ready to call himself the world's best player.

Kite-Morgan, Schulz-Hallberg Tied for Legends Lead - Tom Kite and Gil Morgan shot a 10-under 62 in better-ball play Friday for a share of the first-round lead with Ted Schulz and Gary Hallberg in the Champions Tour's Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.

Heritage Leader Donald Set to Claim Top Ranking - Luke Donald recovered from a faltering start to remain one shot clear after The Heritage third round on Saturday, staying on track to become world number one for the first time.

Garcia Stays in Hunt to End Trophy Drought - Former world number two Sergio Garcia carded a second bogey-free round in a row to stay in the hunt for victory at the halfway stage of the China Open Friday.

Westwood Takes Lead in Indonesia - English star Lee Westwood birdied the final hole for a 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead Saturday after the completion of the suspended second round of the Indonesian Masters.

Lightning Threat Halts Lee Westwood Charge in Indonesia - Lee Westwood stayed on course to regain the world number one ranking but returned disappointed after a lightning threat halted his charge in the second round in the Indonesian Masters on Friday.

Pakistan Hammer Youthful West Indies in Opening ODI - Misbah-ul-Haq struck an unbeaten 73 to lead Pakistan to a crushing eight-wicket victory over a new-look West Indies side in the opening one-day international Saturday.

West Indies Fined for Slow Over Rate Against Pakistan - West Indies have been fined for a slow over rate during Thursday's seven-run victory over Pakistan in a Twenty20 match, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday.

Gayle Lashes Quickfire Ton on Bangalore Debut - Chris Gayle hit an unbeaten 102 in 55 balls on his arrival in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to power the Royal Challengers Bangalore to a nine-wicket win over the Kolkata Knight Riders Friday.

Malinga Quits Test Cricket to Prolong One-Day Career - Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga, whose unique slinging round-arm action brought him 101 wickets in 30 tests, retired from test cricket Friday in order to prolong his limited overs career.

Chris Gayle Says 'Forced' to Withdraw From Windies Series - Axed former captain Chris Gayle says the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) forced him to declare himself unavailable for the current series with Pakistan before they would release him to play in the Indian Premier League.

Devendra Bishoo Spins Windies to T20 Win Over Pakistan - Leg spinner Devendra Bishoo claimed four wickets as the new-look West Indies beat Pakistan by seven runs in their Twenty20 international on Thursday.

Marsh Fifty Spurs Punjab to Thumping Win Over Rajasthan - Shaun Marsh struck a stroke-filled half century as Kings XI Punjab trounced a sloppy Rajasthan Royals by 48 runs for their third successive victory in the Indian Premier League on Thursday.

Sri Lankan Players Given Extra Time With IPL Teams - Sri Lanka Cricket will allow its IPL contracted cricketers to play in the Indian Premier League until May 19 before joining the rest of the team in England, the board said on Thursday.

Pakistan's Zulqarnain Says Received More Death Threats - Runaway Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, due to return home from London this week, said he had received fresh death threats.

Back to School for Pakistan Players, Coaches in Corruption Fight - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has launched a program to educate cricketers and officials on how to avoid corruption and be on their best behaviour in the sport.

Alberto Contador Among 207 Riders Entered for the Giro - Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador was among 207 riders from 23 teams named on Thursday on the official list of competitors for May's Giro d'Italia.

Kings Avoid Elimination With 3-1 Win Over Sharks - Jonathan Quick used his pads, glove and just about every other part of his equipment and body to make sure the Los Angeles Kings would hold onto this big lead and stay alive in their playoff series against San Jose.

Blackhawks Trying to Dig Out of Hole - Defending champion Chicago lost the first three games to Vancouver, but fought back with two consecutive one-sided victories.

Capitals 3, Rangers 1: Rangers’ Exit Fits Their Story Line: Grit but Few Goals - The Rangers tried to hang on against Washington but were done in by their inability to score.

Roundup: Boston Breaks Through in 2nd Overtime vs. Montreal - Nathan Horton scored in the second overtime to give the Bruins a win over the Canadiens and a 3-2 lead in the series.

Bruins Beat Canadiens 2-1 on Horton's OT Goal - The Boston Bruins lost a playoff series last year when they had a 3-0 lead. So a mere 3-2 edge over the Montreal Canadiens guarantees nothing.

Goalies Remain Question for Flyers vs. Sabres - The Buffalo Sabres have one more injury to overcome. The Philadelphia Flyers are preparing to give their goalie carousel one more spin.

Predators Ready for Next Step: Playoff Series Win -

Capitals Clinch Series, Tampa Thump Penguins - Led by Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals dumped the New York Rangers 3-1 on Saturday to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and bury memories of last year's post-season collapse.

Capitals Top Rangers 3-1, Win Series in 5 Games - Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals have skated into unfamiliar territory. They have finally finished a series early, earning a bunch of days off during the playoffs.

Seabrook Hopes to Be Back for Game 6 - Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook seemed OK and said he felt good after taking a blow to the head in Game 3 of the Blackhawks' first-round series with Vancouver.

Portland Rally Stuns Dallas, Others Leave It Too Late - The Portland Trail Blazers, led by Brandon Roy, overcame a 23-point deficit to stun the Dallas Mavericks 84-82, while late rallies by the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets fell short.

Ibaka Big for Thunder; Take 3-0 Lead vs. Nuggets - The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the verge of winning their first playoff series since moving from Seattle in 2008 thanks to All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and their terrific supporting cast.

Roundup: Big Rally by Blazers; Grizzlies Lead Spurs, 2-1 - Brandon Roy led the Trail Blazers to one of the greatest comebacks in N.B.A. playoff history, while the Grizzlies beat San Antonio in their first playoff victory on their home court.

In Jackson’s Finale, Lakers’ Parting Gift Challenges His Skills - The Lakers have more size, talent and big-game experience than the seventh-seeded Hornets. But New Orleans has proven to be a tricky opponent for Coach Phil Jackson.

For Longtime Fans of the Knicks, a Garden View Is Clouded by Green - As part of a sweeping price increase that will average 49 percent, many longtime season-ticket holders are rethinking their commitment.

Sports of The Times: An N.B.A. Rival Offers a Message of Hope for Knicks Fans - Grant Hill, whose Phoenix Suns missed the playoffs, says that building the best possible team around Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony will take time.

In a Rain of 3-Pointers, the Celtics Come Together - Boston finally resembled a championship team Friday as Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined for 14 3-pointers.

Stoudemire Voices Doubts on Playing in Game 4 - Amar’e Stoudemire has carried the Knicks this far, but with a strained lower back, he now faces obstacles both physiological and historical.

McDyess Leaves Late vs Grizzlies With Neck Strain - San Antonio center Antonio McDyess hurt his neck and had to leave the game late in the Spurs' 91-88 loss to Memphis.

Memphis Gets First Home Playoff Win, Top Spurs - Zach Randolph is known for being a beast in the paint. Now his feathery touch from outside helped the Memphis Grizzlies keep making history.

Roy Has 24 in Blazers' 84-82 Game 4 Win Over Mavs - Brandon Roy's season had been fraught with uncertainty, first over the stability of his knees, then over his diminished role with the team.

Rondo Rolling, Amare Aching as Celtics Seek Sweep - At his best, Rajon Rondo can seize a rebound, dart away from defenders, and set himself or an All-Star teammate up for a basket.

Kobe Has More on Line Than Just Title for Lakers -

Pachulia and Richardson Suspended One Game for Fighting - Zaza Pachulia of the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic's Jason Richardson have each been suspended one game for fighting in a protracted exchange during the playoffs, the NBA said on Saturday.

Jose Becomes 1st Indian Player to Get WNBA Tryouts - Indian basketball is set to take a big step forward this month when Geethu Anna Jose becomes the first player from her country to attend tryouts for the WNBA.

Police Say Dolphins’ Marshall Was Stabbed by Wife - Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall is recovering after his wife stabbed him with a kitchen knife, the police say.

Vikings’ Complicated Draft Calculus Adds Up to a Quarterback - Minnesota has the 12th pick in the N.F.L. draft and is expected to dip into a class that is rich in quarterbacks with potential.

Lynn Chandnois, 86, Ex-Steeler, Is Dead - Mr. Chandnois was a special-teams star with the Pittsburgh Steelers whose average on kickoff returns was second only to that of Gale Sayers in N.F.L. history.

49ers to Decide How Long to Wait for a Quarterback - San Francisco has a new coach, a new general manager and the No. 7 pick in the first round of the N.F.L. draft.

Cowboys’ Chance to Cast a Wide Net for Talent - Picking ninth, Dallas can have something good come out of a disappointing 2010 season.

Wife Accused in Stabbing of Dolphins Receiver - The wife of Brandon Marshall stabbed him with a kitchen knife, sheriff's deputies said Saturday, and his publicist said the Miami Dolphins receiver was released from a hospital and would fully recover.

Best, Worst First-Round NFL Draft Picks - The Associated Press takes a look at the best and worst first-round draft picks for each NFL team:

A Look at the Best 1st-Round Picks, Spot by Spot -

No Slam-Dunk Top Pick This Year - The draft is the only game in town. In every NFL town.

Team-By-Team Draft Capsules -