■ RUGBY UNION
Aussie coach loses locks
The trademark long locks of Australia's attack coach Scott Johnson are no more following the Wallabies' 20-15 Tri-Nations rugby upset of New Zealand on Saturday. Johnson honored a bet with the Wallaby players to mark the occasion of Australia's rousing victory over the World Cup favorites. In the Wallabies team hotel following the Tri-Nations triumph Johnson shaved off his signature grey locks as part of the bet. It was his first short haircut in 20 years. "We've haven't beaten New Zealand in a long time [three years] and I haven't coached a team that's beaten the All Blacks," he said. "I just put it to them [during preparations], if you win I'll cut my hair because it's always been a point of banter."
■ ATHLETICS
Champion runner collapses
Champion US marathon runner Alberto Salazar collapsed on Saturday at the Nike World campus and was hospitalized with a heart problem. According to a news release from Providence St Vincent Medical Center, in Portland, Oregon, Salazar did not have a heart attack. But the 48-year-old did have to have a stent inserted to open up an artery. Salazar was awake and alert when he arrived at the hospital. He was being treated in the cardiac care unit and was in serious condition. Salazar won three consecutive New York City marathons. He has set six US records and one world record. He is a longtime Nike employee and consultant.
■ FORMULA ONE
Massa takes pole position
Felipe Massa signaled a possible Ferrari comeback by taking the pole position on Saturday for the French Grand Prix to stop Lewis Hamilton's run. Massa timed 1 minute, 15.034 seconds on the 4.41km circuit for his fourth Formula One pole of the season and the seventh of his career. The Brazilian had three straight poles earlier this season, but the first since the Spanish GP in May. "I am happy to start again in the pole position" Massa said. Hamilton was second for McLaren in 1:15.104, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari in 1:15.257. Two-time defending world champion Fernando Alonso was 10th in his McLaren in a limited session. Robert Kubica, who survived an horrific crash at the Canadian GP and missed the following US GP, was fourth in 1:15.493. He was cleared to race on Thursday after hurting his ankle when he crashed hard into two walls in Montreal. Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella and Heiki Kovalainen were fifth and sixth.
■ BASEBALL
Bonds calls for more security
San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds has called for increased security at his home ballpark after a fan entered the field and approached him during Friday's game with Arizona. Bonds, who is on the verge of becoming baseball's all-time home run leader, was told security would be beefed-up as he nears Hank Aaron's record of 755. "This is about baseball players, all of us," Bonds told reporters. "This is not my ballpark. I just work here ... I'm an employee. All the employees should be protected." The fan rushed bare-footed onto the field in the seventh inning and ran towards Bonds. Bonds put his arm around him and walked him off the field to waiting security. Bonds said the fan told him he had no shoes, no money, and nothing in his life. "`I've been down in that neighborhood.' I said, `Let's just walk back together, though, so those guys don't get itchy and throw you to the ground, and you can show them that you mean no harm,'" Bonds said.
Kawhi Leonard on Sunday scored 41 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made four steals to lead the Los Angeles Clippers in a lopsided 115-96 victory at Minnesota. The 34-year-old forward, a two-time NBA champion, matched the second-best road scoring effort of his career as the Clippers improved to 25-27. “Just being aggressive. My teammates trust me,” Leonard said. “Every moment when I touch the ball — assist, shooting the basketball or getting a rebound — I’m just trying to help the team win.” Leonard made three steals in a row at the start of the contest. “Just wanted to come out early in the
FLOP TO CONQUEROR: It was sweet vindication for Sam Darnold, who played for four NFL teams before his debut season in Seattle ended in the ultimate win The Seattle Seahawks on Sunday coasted to Super Bowl glory, routing the New England Patriots 29-13 as Sam Darnold sealed his journey from flop quarterback to conqueror of the NFL’s biggest prize. Brushing off a reputation for wilting in big games, journeyman quarterback Darnold threw for a touchdown and 200 yards on the grandest stage of all to give the Seahawks their second-ever Lombardi Trophy. “It’s unbelievable. Everything that has happened in my career, but to do it with this team, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Darnold said. The victory was buoyed by a dominant defensive display and kicker Jason Myers’
Donyell Malen on Monday scored in each half as AS Roma beat Cagliari 2-0 to stay in touch with the chasing pack at the top of Serie A. Leaders Inter are eight points clear of city rivals AC Milan and nine ahead of reigning champions SSC Napoli. Roma are three points further back along with Juventus. Dutch centerforward Malen had scored only once in four appearances since joining on loan from Aston Villa last month, but he proved his worth on Monday with two excellent finishes. He ran on to a clever through-ball from Gianluca Mancini and his deft chip over the goalkeeper
FIRST MEDALS: Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland secured the first gold medal of the Milan Games yesterday, winning the men’s downhill ski race The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opened on Friday with a glittering ceremony at the San Siro stadium echoed by festivities at Games venues across the snow-capped Italian Alps. The extravaganza reflected the most geographically widespread Olympics in history. It culminated in the lighting of two cauldrons, one at Milan’s Arch of Peace and one in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the chic resort 400km from Milan that is hosting the women’s alpine skiing. Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, two Italian skiing Olympic champions of the past, lit an intricate cauldron inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s knot patterns at Milan’s Arch of Peace. In the freezing mountain air of
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