BASKETBALL
Odom named Sixth Man
Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom was named the NBA’s Sixth Man on Tuesday, becoming the first member of the Lakers to capture the award presented annually to the league’s top reserve player. Odom averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes a game while playing in all 82 games for the Lakers, coming off the bench 47 times and starting 35 other games because injuries to center Andrew Bynum. The Lakers, seeking their third consecutive NBA title in the playoffs that began last weekend, put Odom into a reserve role in the 2008-2009 season after he served mainly as a starter for nine years with Miami, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Lakers. Odom, who came off the Laker bench 41 times in the team’s prior two playoff title runs, received 513 of a possible 585 votes from a North American media panel, including 96 of 117 first-place votes.
HOCKEY
Downie, Kunitz suspended
Tampa Bay’s Steve Downie and Pittsburgh’s Chris Kunitz were handed one-game suspensions for dangerous hits to the head during Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final, the NHL said on Tuesday. Kunitz was banned for elbowing Lightning forward Simon Gagne during Monday’s game, while Downie earned his suspension for leaving his feet to deliver a crushing hit on the Penguins’ Ben Lovejoy. Both players were assessed minor penalties. “Downie left his feet and launched himself at the head of his opponent and he came from a considerable distance, with speed and force, to deliver the check,” NHL senior executive vice president Colin Campbell said in a statement. “Kunitz delivered an elbow directly to the head of his opponent.”
FOOTBALL
Schedule announced
Super Bowl champions Green Bay Packers will kick off the new NFL regular season against the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field on Sept. 8 if the league and players can resolve a labor dispute that has left the season in jeopardy. The league unveiled its regular season schedule on Tuesday, while NFL owners and players met for the third day of court-ordered mediation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in ongoing efforts to end the lockout and reach a new collective bargaining agreement. The labor dispute dulled much of the excitement that usually accompanies the release of the new schedule. The first Sunday on Sept. 11 will see the Pittsburgh Steelers, who lost to the Packers at Super Bowl XLV, open up against long-time rivals the Baltimore Ravens, while the Oakland Raiders will take on the Denver Broncos in the Monday Night opener on Sept. 12.
GOLF
Woods’ niece seeks identity
At least one Woods is a winner this year. Tiger Woods’ title slump certainly hasn’t extended to his niece Cheyenne. After winning the Atlantic Coast Conference individual golf title, the Wake Forest junior wants to keep establishing her own identity during the upcoming NCAA regionals. Cheynne Woods said on Tuesday that maturing in the shadow of her famous uncle has been a positive because it has “definitely gotten my name out there.” She says dealing with the spotlight that comes with her lineage has made her better at dealing with the spotlight — essential in an individual sport like golf. She was under par for all three rounds at the par-71 Sedgefield Country Club, shooting a five-under 208 to win by seven strokes.
SOCCER
Inter top Roma in Cup match
Inter’s Dejan Stankovic struck a ferocious drive to give the holders a 1-0 win at AS Roma in their Italian Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday. The Serbia midfielder, who has made a habit of scoring long-range efforts, let fly from 25m just before halftime with a shot that swerved into the top corner of the net. Stankovic also had a second-half appeal for a penalty turned down when the ball hit Daniele De Rossi’s arm in the box. The win was a boost for Inter and coach Leonardo after they were dumped out of the Champions League as holders in the last eight by Schalke 04 and lost 2-0 at Parma on Saturday to all but surrender their Serie A title after five straight scudettos. Roma, who visit Inter for the second leg on May 11, should have opened the scoring after 10 minutes, but forward Mirko Vucinic missed a sitter.
ATHLETICS
Boston officials seek record
Boston Marathon officials said on Tuesday that they will ask the IAAF to have Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai’s fastest-ever marathon effort run on Monday sanctioned as a world record. The move comes even though IAAF rules prevent any Boston Marathon effort being declared a world record because the course is technically downhill and offers the chance of tailwinds providing a boost to runners. Mutai’s epic run of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 seconds would, if sanctioned, shatter the world record of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 59 seconds by Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia in 2008 at Berlin. Officials of the 115-year-old race claim their course is not faster or easier than any other marathon layout, containing such famed climbs as “Heartbreak Hill,” just because of the overall drop from start to finish. However, for record runs, the IAAF has regulations against downhill courses and point-to-point layouts, instead sanctioning looped courses where any wind advantage would be negated.
SOCCER
Tikhonov to make comeback
Former Russia midfielder Andrei Tikhonov was poised to make a comeback at the age of 40 for Spartak Moscow in a Russian Cup match yesterday. “I’ve been training every day. Hopefully I can last 45 minutes at least,” Tikhonov, who retired at the end of last year before joining Spartak as assistant coach for the start of the new season, told reporters ahead of the quarter-final game against FK Krasnodar. Tikhonov’s return coincides with Spartak going through one of their worst phases. Head coach Valery Karpin resigned on Monday after seeing his team lose four of their last five matches, including a 10-3 aggregate drubbing by Porto in the Europa League quarter-finals. Spartak, Russia’s most popular and successful club, are now bottom of the table with four points from five games.
SOCCER
Dubai group to buy Getafe
Royal Emirates Group will buy La Liga club Getafe for about 90 million euros (US$129.6 million), the Dubai firm said yesterday following earlier reports it was eyeing a Spanish soccer team. “It is Getafe ... we will announce it in a big way tomorrow,” said Suleiman al-Butti, project manager of Royal Emirates Group. Royal Emirates, an investment firm chaired by Sheikh Butti Bin Suhail al-Maktoum, said in a statement on Tuesday the club would be named “Team Dubai,” although it was not clear whether that would become the team’s official name. Getafe president Angel Torres was quoted in Spanish media yesterday as saying a deal had not been finalized. Getafe are 14th in La Liga with 37 points from 32 games and hovering just above the relegation zone.
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
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
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and