Kansas City Star: Sports

Kansas edges closer to perfect history

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

The 2001-02 Big 12 men's basketball season was a monster. The conference posted its best RPI to date, broke into double-digit NCAA Tournament victories, placed three teams in the Elite Eight for the first time, and got its first — and second — teams in the Final Four. If there was ever a year for a logjam at the top of the league race, that should have been it.

Father's death sparks memories for MU coach Pinkel

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Gary Pinkel, dressed all in the darkest color of mourning, looked down at his black shoes as he accepted condolences for the passing of his father. George Pinkel died Saturday at the age of 83 in a managed-care facility in Columbus, Ohio. On this cold, snow-spit late Tuesday afternoon, son Gary, the Missouri football coach, was in Blue Springs at the Adams Pointe Conference Center.

MU's Denmon doesn't force shots — he makes them

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

COLUMBIA | Heading into tonight’s game against Iowa State, Missouri’s Marcus Denmon ranks third in Big 12 games in three-point shooting percentage. Denmon, a sophomore guard from Hogan Prep, has hit 20 of 41 for 48.8 percent. His 20 threes made ranks sixth — and the five Big 12 players ahead of him have taken 11 (Oklahoma’s Tommy Mason-Griffin and Oklahoma State’s Obi Muonelo) to 31 (Kansas State’s Jacob Pullen) more attempts than Denmon.

Illinois upset causes shakeup in Big Ten

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

MADISON, Wis. | Illinois celebrated with all its fans on Saturday. The cheers coming from the Illini locker room on Tuesday night were even sweeter. The sweetest news of all? After the dust had settled on Tuesday night, Illinois was tied for first place in the Big Ten.

Wizards Postcard | Forward Josh Wolff checks in from camp

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Hello, Hello! Hopefully you are all getting geared up for the upcoming MLS season, one I expect to be very strong for the Kansas City Wizards. Obviously, we had a lot of great news in the offseason with the new stadium approval and groundbreaking, as well as some of our new signings. We are currently in Arizona and will be conducting much of our preseason here in Scottsdale. The guys were all excited to get here. It’s always good to get off the turf we were practicing on in Kansas City, and the weather and fields here are fantastic. It is supposed to rain on our day off, though, which might cut into a golf outing. So I guess everything isn’t 100-percent perfect.

Big 12 women's three-pointers

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Coaches may not look ahead, but observers can. And this week has stood out for a while on the calendar for Kansas' women: No. 3 Nebraska (tonight) and No. 14 Texas (Saturday) visit Allen Fieldhouse. Exciting as that is for the potential ground the Jayhawks could gain in helping their NCAA Tournament resume, a huge cloud entered the picture last Thursday. That's when Olathe East's Danielle McCray, the Big 12 preseason player of the year, tore her ACL and was lost for the season.

Olympic buzz: Canada can't wait for first gold

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Canada can’t wait for first gold Just like most of the entire country, Vancouver organizers are waiting for the moment when Canada finally wins its first Olympic gold medal on home soil.

Blues lose lead but still beat Red Wings in shootout

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

ST. LOUIS | The St. Louis Blues have had trouble protecting leads all season — and Tuesday night was no exception. But the Blues managed to come away with a victory this time. St. Louis beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in a shootout after blowing a two-goal cushion.

Cavaliers beat Nets for their 12th straight win

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

CLEVELAND | LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers keep rolling along. James scored 32 points in leading the Cavaliers to their 12th straight win Tuesday night, a 104-97 victory over the New Jersey Nets.

Globetrotters on ice make splash in New York

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

The Harlem Globetrotters have found a new way to beat the Washington Generals — on ice. The famed basketball barnstormers played on a hockey rink for the first time in their 84-year history Tuesday, putting on a show in New York’s Central Park.

Saints celebrate Lombardi Gras with parade through New Orleans

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Only a Super Bowl victory parade could upstage Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Carnival floats carrying Saints players, coaches and team owner Tom Benson rolled past tens of thousands of jubilant fans in downtown New Orleans on Tuesday, two days after the 43-year-old franchise won its first NFL championship.

NASCAR sponsorships recovering after rough 2009

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

With the NASCAR season revving up at Daytona International Speedway this week, companies still have an opportunity to associate themselves with the sport’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. And they can do so at the relative bargain-bin prices found in NASCAR’s second-tier Nationwide series. As of this week, JR Motorsports had sponsor deals for just 12 of 35 races for its main No. 88 car.

Sports buzz:

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

K-State’s Clemente honored Kansas State guard Denis Clemente was selected the Oscar Robertson national player of the week on Tuesday.

No. 1 Jayhawks hog-tie Longhorns 80-68

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

AUSTIN, Texas | No matter how many national championship banners Bill Self hangs up in Allen Fieldhouse, nights like Monday will stick with people just as much as those magical ones in March and April. Spring sure can be fun, but Self will get you through the winter every time.

For Kansas, it's starting to feel like 2008

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Texas is too talented to get destroyed on its home floor, and Kansas is too good to lose a big lead anywhere. So a blowout became a bit tense, but the outcome was never in doubt.

Saints assistant Williams glad Brees finally on his side

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams wanted Drew Brees on his side nine years ago. Who knows what kind of history they could have made then? But the wait was worth it.

No. 4 Villanova edges No. 5 West Virginia

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. | Villanova traveled into hostile territory and picked up a crucial Big East victory. Wildcats senior Scottie Reynolds scored 19 of his 21 points in the final 13 minutes, and No. 4 Villanova edged No. 5 West Virginia 82-75 on Monday night.

KU's Henry turns in his best conference game

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

AUSTIN, Texas | Xavier Henry looked every bit the giddy freshman in the moments after Kansas' 80-68 victory over Texas, smiling wide and radiating a glow unseen from Henry since December.

Speed skater Hedrick has new attitude

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Before the 2006 Winter Olympics, swaggering speed skater Chad Hedrick was better-known as “the loudmouthed Texan,” a nickname he embraced and embodied by forecasting five medals for himself. Hedrick emerged from the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy, as only the third U.S Winter Olympian to win three or more medals in one Olympics. He won gold in the 5,000 meters, silver in the 10,000 and bronze in the 1,500.

Browns release receiver Stallworth

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

CLEVELAND | Wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth will get the chance to resurrect his NFL career, but it won’t happen with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns released him Monday, wasting little time after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday that Stallworth would be reinstated after the Super Bowl.

Carter scores 48 in Magic win over Hornets

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

ORLANDO, Fla. | Vince Carter pulled out all the tricks in his magic kit on Monday night. Carter scored a season-high 48 points and led the Orlando Magic back from a 17-point second-half deficit in a 123-117 victory over the New Orleans Hornets.

Super ratings for Super Bowl

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Super ratings Sunday’s Super Bowl was the most-watched program in U.S. television history, the Nielsen Co. said Monday. It topped the record set by the “M*A*S*H” finale in 1983.

Duke women rout North Carolina 79-51

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

DURHAM, N.C. | Duke bounced back from its first ACC loss by routing No. 18 North Carolina 79-51 on Monday. Bridgette Mitchell and Keturah Jackson scored 12 points apiece for the eighth-ranked Blue Devils, who avoided their first Atlantic Coast Conference losing streak in a decade. Krystal Thomas added 11 points for the first-place Blue Devils.

Self ends victory drought at Texas

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Texas drought ends Bill Self was 0-3 against Texas in Austin in his KU career until Monday night’s victory.

Flyers hand Devils 3-2 loss

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

PHILADELPHIA | The Philadelphia Flyers probably won’t overtake the Atlantic Division-leading New Jersey Devils this season. But the Flyers have shown they know how to beat the Devils. Mike Richards scored the go-ahead goal with fewer than 8 minutes left in the third period in Philadelphia’s 3-2 victory on Monday night.

Big 12 Three-Pointers | Aggies winning, fans noticing

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon knows basketball excitement, and he wasn’t feeling it in College Station. At least, not to the extent he believed the program deserved. “We didn’t know how to cheer at a basketball game; I guess it’s called yell down here,” Turgeon said. “We’re getting there. It takes time.”

Olympic notebook

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Russians worry Rogge International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge urged Russia to get tougher on drug cheats, voicing his concern Monday at the high number of doping cases among Russian biathletes and cross-country skiers.

Royals sign Marte, Bianchi to one-year deals

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

The Royals reached one-year contract agreements Monday with reliever Victor Marte and minor-league infielder Jeff Bianchi. Terms were not disclosed, but both deals are believed to split contracts with the major-league portion at or near the $400,000 minimum.

The Daily Download: Can't put a price on living in Kansas

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

It’s the day after the Super Bowl. Or, as it should be referred to, National Hangover Day. Today, these fingers are incapable of blogging about anything other than a study that you may or may not have heard about putting my home state of Kansas on blast.

Patrick will make her NASCAR debut Saturday

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

It didn’t take Danica Patrick long to decide whether she was ready for stock-car racing. Patrick, the IndyCar star who made her closed-wheel debut at last weekend’s ARCA race at Daytona International Speedway, will return to the track Saturday for the NASCAR Nationwide Series event.

The Buzz | Big 12 honors K-State's Clemente

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Kansas State senior Denis Clemente was selected as the Big 12 Conference’s player of the week.

Photos | Remembering Derrick Thomas 10 years after his death

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:32 CST

Ten years ago Monday, Derrick Thomas died in a Florida hospital weeks after he was seriously injured in a car accident. Today, we remember the hall of famer's great career as a Kansas City Chief.

Saints bring Super Bowl title to New Orleans

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | Quarterback Drew Brees called it destiny. It was destiny he would come to New Orleans, a city under water from Hurricane Katrina. It was destiny he would sign as an unrestricted free agent in 2006 with the Saints, a franchise in disarray and defined by its futility.

Saints trash Peyton Manning's legacy

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | Rush Limbaugh was right after all. We, the mainstream media, have been desirous. We’ve spent more than a decade trying to hype Peyton Manning into the Babe Ruth of football. The job is too big for two Mannings, let alone Peyton, the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts.

At the end, it was a lost cause for Colts

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | The Indianapolis Colts’ grand strategy blew up in their faces Sunday night in Super Bowl XLIV. The team that sacrificed its chance at a perfect season by resting its starters in the final two games came away with nothing.

Mudd closes out a memorable coaching career at Super Bowl

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | Howard Mudd kept a stiff upper lip and held back the tears. For a moment. But the eyes got misty after Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday night as Mudd, the offensive-line coach of the Indianapolis Colts, completed the final game of a 46-year career as a player and coach that included four memorable years in Kansas City.

Recovery of onside kick a game-changer for Saints

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | The Saints kept waiting for the right time to try it. Finally, at halftime, coach Sean Payton decided to pull the trigger. Trailing Indianapolis 10-6 at halftime of Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday night, Payton didn’t want to let the Colts start the second half with the ball.

Controversial Tebow commercial plays it safe with humor; Jay joins Dave, Oprah on couch

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Humor was the big theme in many of Sunday’s Super Bowl commercials. Even the most controversial one. The long-awaited ad from conservative group Focus on the Family came with a punchline.

Super Bowl ticker

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

(All times Central) 3:30 p.m.

Stricker hangs on for win in Northern Trust Open

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:15 CST

Even with a big lead, Steve Stricker expected a tough day. Everyone else expected him to win. Turns out both sides were right.