Wednesday's Sports in Brief
By The Associated Press
Aug 14, 2008 - 11:08:16 CDT
Here's a look at Wednesday's sports in brief around the world.
BASEBALL
WASHINGTON (AP) — Major League Baseball is working out technical issues to start instant replay for boundary calls such as home runs, hoping to institute the system later this year.
Replay was among the topics discussed on the first day of a two-day onwers’ meeting but doesn’t require a vote because it is not a rule change.
Commissioner Bud Selig, once a staunch opponent, appears to be more comfortable with the use of replay. Agreements are needed with the players’ association and umpires’ union.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City Royals pitcher Juan Garcia and catcher Juan Fortuna, and Chicago Cubs pitcher Starling Peralta were suspended for 50 games each after testing positive under baseball’s minor league drug program. All three tested positive for a metabolite of Boldenone.
A total of 26 minor leaguers have received 50-game penalties since July 25, and all but two tested positive in the Dominican and Venezuelan summer leagues.
BASKETBALL
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers are getting some help for LeBron James. With James in Beijing for the Olympics, high-scoring Milwaukee point guard Mo Williams is headed to Cleveland as part of a three-team trade that also involves Oklahoma City.
In exchange for Williams, who averaged 17.2 points per game last season in the first year of a six-year, $51.5 million contract, the Bucks receive Damon Jones from Cleveland along with guard Luke Ridnour and forward Adrian Griffin from Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City gets Desmond Mason from Milwaukee and former No. 1 pick Joe Smith from Cleveland.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks signed free-agent guard Ronald “Flip” Murray.
Murray, a six-year veteran, can play both guard spots. He joins Maurice Evans as free-agent additions to the backcourt after the Hawks lost sixth man Josh Childress, who stunned the team last month by signing with Greek powerhouse Olympiakos.
The 6-foot-3 Murray was released by Detroit last season before signing with Indiana. He started the final 15 games of the season at point guard for the Pacers. He averaged 11.0 points and 3.5 assists in that stretch.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Former University of Connecticut star Asjha Jones signed a three-year contract extension with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.
Jones is in her fifth season with the Sun. The 6-foot-2 forward leads the team in scoring at almost 17 points per game. She also averages 6.2 rebounds per contest.
PRO FOOTBALL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee linebacker Ryan Fowler considers his steroids case with the NFL closed.
Fowler said he hasn’t heard from the league since requesting a meeting to address allegations that he bought performance-enhancing drugs from a Texas-based steroids dealer in 2006. The NFL sent him a letter in June stating he faced an investigation and possible suspension.
Fowler said he assumes the probe has ended with no punishment planned.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos addressed their injury-riddled defensive secondary by signing 13th-year pro Tyrone Poole.
To make room, the Broncos released fourth-year cornerback Christian Morton.
Poole, who was cut by Houston last summer, has played for Oakland, New England, Denver, Indianapolis and Carolina since entering the NFL as a first-round draft pick by the Panthers in 1995 from Fort Valley State University. He has 18 career interceptions, 121 pass breakups, nine forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in 142 games, including 112 starts.
COLLEGE SPORTS
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Point-shaving allegations against a former University of Toledo basketball player are related to gambling charges filed last year against a former Toledo football player, an FBI spokeswoman said.
Sammy Villegas, a guard who finished his college career in 2006, is accused of shaving points in games during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. The allegations by federal prosecutors became known last week.
Running back Harvey “Scooter” McDougle Jr. was charged in April 2007 with participating in a bribery scheme to influence sporting contests. A month later, those charges were dropped, but the investigation has continued.
TENNIS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Martin del Potro, ranked No. 19 in the world, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic with a 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Dudi Sela for his 16th straight win.
John Isner, last year’s Legg Mason runner-up, will next face del Potro after beating Donald Young 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Fourth-seeded Tommy Haas also advanced, beating Nicholas Mahut 7-6 (4), 6-3. Haas will face Alejandro Falla, who edged Florent Serra, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (11).
MASON, Ohio (AP) — Unseeded Nathalie Dechy rolled through a third-set tiebreaker to beat fourth-seeded Katarina Srebotnik 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (1), earning a berth in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Women’s Open.
Third-seeded Maria Kirilenko avoided an upset and reached the quarterfinals with a 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 win over qualifier Stephanie Dubois. Second-seeded Nadia Petrova, the highest seed remaining, also advanced by easily beating Julie Ditty 6-1, 6-1.
Kirilenko will play Sabine Lisicki, who beat Camille Pin 6-3, 6-4 to become the first player to reach the quarterfinals. Petrova will play wild-card entry Lilia Osterloh, who beat Petra Cetkovska 6-4, 6-1.
Copyright ©
Daily Journal Online. All rights reserved.
http://www.dailyjournalonline.com/articles/2008/08/14/sports/doc48a4506881158754386543.txt
BASEBALL
WASHINGTON (AP) — Major League Baseball is working out technical issues to start instant replay for boundary calls such as home runs, hoping to institute the system later this year.
Replay was among the topics discussed on the first day of a two-day onwers’ meeting but doesn’t require a vote because it is not a rule change.
Commissioner Bud Selig, once a staunch opponent, appears to be more comfortable with the use of replay. Agreements are needed with the players’ association and umpires’ union.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City Royals pitcher Juan Garcia and catcher Juan Fortuna, and Chicago Cubs pitcher Starling Peralta were suspended for 50 games each after testing positive under baseball’s minor league drug program. All three tested positive for a metabolite of Boldenone.
A total of 26 minor leaguers have received 50-game penalties since July 25, and all but two tested positive in the Dominican and Venezuelan summer leagues.
BASKETBALL
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers are getting some help for LeBron James. With James in Beijing for the Olympics, high-scoring Milwaukee point guard Mo Williams is headed to Cleveland as part of a three-team trade that also involves Oklahoma City.
In exchange for Williams, who averaged 17.2 points per game last season in the first year of a six-year, $51.5 million contract, the Bucks receive Damon Jones from Cleveland along with guard Luke Ridnour and forward Adrian Griffin from Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City gets Desmond Mason from Milwaukee and former No. 1 pick Joe Smith from Cleveland.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks signed free-agent guard Ronald “Flip” Murray.
Murray, a six-year veteran, can play both guard spots. He joins Maurice Evans as free-agent additions to the backcourt after the Hawks lost sixth man Josh Childress, who stunned the team last month by signing with Greek powerhouse Olympiakos.
The 6-foot-3 Murray was released by Detroit last season before signing with Indiana. He started the final 15 games of the season at point guard for the Pacers. He averaged 11.0 points and 3.5 assists in that stretch.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Former University of Connecticut star Asjha Jones signed a three-year contract extension with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.
Jones is in her fifth season with the Sun. The 6-foot-2 forward leads the team in scoring at almost 17 points per game. She also averages 6.2 rebounds per contest.
PRO FOOTBALL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee linebacker Ryan Fowler considers his steroids case with the NFL closed.
Fowler said he hasn’t heard from the league since requesting a meeting to address allegations that he bought performance-enhancing drugs from a Texas-based steroids dealer in 2006. The NFL sent him a letter in June stating he faced an investigation and possible suspension.
Fowler said he assumes the probe has ended with no punishment planned.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos addressed their injury-riddled defensive secondary by signing 13th-year pro Tyrone Poole.
To make room, the Broncos released fourth-year cornerback Christian Morton.
Poole, who was cut by Houston last summer, has played for Oakland, New England, Denver, Indianapolis and Carolina since entering the NFL as a first-round draft pick by the Panthers in 1995 from Fort Valley State University. He has 18 career interceptions, 121 pass breakups, nine forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in 142 games, including 112 starts.
COLLEGE SPORTS
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Point-shaving allegations against a former University of Toledo basketball player are related to gambling charges filed last year against a former Toledo football player, an FBI spokeswoman said.
Sammy Villegas, a guard who finished his college career in 2006, is accused of shaving points in games during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. The allegations by federal prosecutors became known last week.
Running back Harvey “Scooter” McDougle Jr. was charged in April 2007 with participating in a bribery scheme to influence sporting contests. A month later, those charges were dropped, but the investigation has continued.
TENNIS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Martin del Potro, ranked No. 19 in the world, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic with a 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Dudi Sela for his 16th straight win.
John Isner, last year’s Legg Mason runner-up, will next face del Potro after beating Donald Young 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Fourth-seeded Tommy Haas also advanced, beating Nicholas Mahut 7-6 (4), 6-3. Haas will face Alejandro Falla, who edged Florent Serra, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (11).
MASON, Ohio (AP) — Unseeded Nathalie Dechy rolled through a third-set tiebreaker to beat fourth-seeded Katarina Srebotnik 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (1), earning a berth in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Women’s Open.
Third-seeded Maria Kirilenko avoided an upset and reached the quarterfinals with a 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 win over qualifier Stephanie Dubois. Second-seeded Nadia Petrova, the highest seed remaining, also advanced by easily beating Julie Ditty 6-1, 6-1.
Kirilenko will play Sabine Lisicki, who beat Camille Pin 6-3, 6-4 to become the first player to reach the quarterfinals. Petrova will play wild-card entry Lilia Osterloh, who beat Petra Cetkovska 6-4, 6-1.