■ FOOTBALL
NFL plans London game
The New England Patriots will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next season at Wembley Stadium, the third straight year the NFL will stage a regular-season game in the British capital. The NFL said on Monday the game would be played on Oct. 25. The Bucs will be listed as the home team, giving up a game in Tampa. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says “we have seen first-hand the excitement that exists for our sport in the UK.”
■BASKETBALL
Comets fail to find buyer
The Houston Comets, four-time winners of the Women’s National Basketball Association crown, will suspend operations after the league was unable to find a buyer for the team. “We are, unfortunately, at a place we hoped that we wouldn’t have to be at — the Comets will cease operations in this coming week,” WNBA president Donna Orender told television station KRIV on Monday. One of the league’s original teams founded in 1997, the Comets claimed the WNBA’s first four championships from 1997-2000. “All of our energies were focused on finding a viable ownership group in the city of Houston,” Orender said. “As such, going really to the wire with a group that expressed an interest and desire to keep it there, at some point you can’t start in another city.”
■BASEBALL
Schoolgirl signs with pros
Japanese schoolgirl Eri Yoshida became the country’s first woman to sign a professional contract with a men’s baseball team yesterday. The pint-sized 16-year-old pitcher, whose favorite pitch is a knuckleball, was drafted by Kobe 9 Cruise, a team from the newly formed Kansai independent league, earlier this month. “My hope is to be able to contribute to the team,” a nervous-looking Yoshida told a packed news conference. “I just want to be able to play at the same level as my teammates. It is a big stage for me. I can’t believe there are so many people here — my hands and legs are shaking.” The country’s Nippon Professional Baseball body only lifted its ban on female players in 1991 while “little league” junior teams began accepting girls only 10 years ago.
■BASEBALL
Red Sox sign Tazawa
The Boston Red Sox and Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa have agreed to a major league contract, two newspapers reported. The 22-year-old right-hander, who has never played professional baseball, agreed to a deal worth about US$3 million, the Boston Globe reported on Monday. The Boston Herald reported Tazawa likely would sign a three-year contract by yesterday. Boston’s general manager and owner did not return e-mails seeking comment. The Red Sox would put Tazawa on the 40-man roster, but he likely would begin next season in the minors.
■HOCKEY
Court fines Karalahti
A Finnish court fined former NHL player Jere Karalahti 1,490 euros (US$1,900) on Monday for using cocaine last year. The Helsinki City Court found Karalahti guilty of using cocaine in March last year, based on a photograph found on a friend’s laptop that shows a white, powdery substance in Karalahti’s nose. Last month, Karalahti told the court that it might have been cocaine, but that he could not remember because he was drunk at the time. He later retracted the statement saying he does not use drugs. In January, Karalahti — who plays for German team Hamburg Freezers — was given a 20-month suspended sentence for helping finance the smuggling of amphetamines and cocaine from Estonia into Finland last year.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping