SOCCER
Leverkusen cruise to victory
Michael Ballack (pictured) and Sidney Sam scored against their former club as Bayer O4 Leverkusen beat Kaiserslautern 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Friday to gain a confidence-boosting win ahead of the Champions League encounter with Chelsea. The 35-year-old Ballack, who won the German title with Kaiserslautern in 1998, gave the visitors a 54th-minute lead when goalkeeper Kevin Trapp let his 18m shot slip through his hands and roll in. Minutes earlier Trapp spectacularly saved a 22m Lars Bender missile. Sam added a second goal after 70 minutes to end Kaiserslautern’s four-game unbeaten run. The win lifted last season’s runners-up, who host Chelsea in their penultimate Group E match on Wednesday, into sixth place on 21 points from 13 games. Kaiserslautern are 12th on 13 points.
Photo: Reuters
FOOTBALL
NFL fines Lions and Bears
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and five other players were fined a total of US$62,500 for incidents in last Sunday’s ill-tempered game between the Lions and Chicago Bears, the NFL said on Friday. Stafford was fined US$7,500 for unnecessary roughness after he grabbed Bears defensive back D.J. Moore by the helmet in the fourth quarter, an NFL spokesperson told Reuters. Moore drew a US$15,000 fine for striking Stafford in retaliation. He also was ejected from the game, won 37-13 by the Bears. Detroit defensive tackle Nick Fairley was also docked US$15,000 for unnecessarily driving Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to the ground. Guard Rob Sims and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch of the Lions were each fined US$7,500 for striking an opponent late, while Bears receiver Earl Bennett was assessed a US$10,000 fine. Bennett’s infraction? For the second time this season, he wore predominantly orange shoes, a uniform violation, the NFL said.
BASEBALL
Kemp inks US$160m deal
Matt Kemp became the highest-paid player in Los Angeles Dodgers history on Friday, signing an eight-year deal worth US$160 million to remain with the club. The 27-year-old American center fielder led the National League with 39 home runs and 126 runs batted in and was third in the league with 40 stolen bases and a .324 batting average. “This is very special for me,” Kemp said. “It’s a joy to be known as a Dodger.” Kemp’s contract, the largest in National League history and seventh-highest in major league history, pays him a US$2 million bonus in April next year and a US$10 million salary for next year with US$2 million deferred until 2013.
ICE HOCKEY
Dallas Stars set to be sold
The Dallas Stars hockey team won court approval of its bankruptcy reorganization, clearing the way for the team to be sold for US$265 million to Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi. US Bankruptcy Judge Peter Walsh approved the plan at a hearing on Friday, court records show. No bidders offered to compete with Gaglardi for the team at a court-supervised auction. The NHL has approved the sale. The team had filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors on Sept. 15. Gaglardi, 43, is president of Northland Properties Corp.
BRIEFS
College coach dies in crash
A US women’s basketball coach and his assistant were killed when the single--engine plane transporting them on a recruiting trip crashed in steep terrain in Arkansas, Oklahoma State University said on Friday. Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna died in the accident on Thursday afternoon. The pilot, 82-year-old Olin Branstetter, and his 79-year-old wife, Paula, also died when the plane spiraled out of control and nosedived into the forest. Budke, hired from Louisiana Tech seven years ago, had a 112-83 record at Oklahoma State and had guided the Cowgirls to their first national top 10 ranking and three berths in the national championship tournament over the past five years. The crash is the second major tragedy for the sports program in about a decade. In January 2001, 10 men affiliated with the university’s men’s basketball team died in a plane crash.
GOLF
Kruger leads the Dunhill
Jbe Kruger overcame putting jitters to leap to a four-stroke lead on Friday on the second day of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in his native South Africa. Kruger overcame two early bogeys to shoot a five-under 67, reaching the halfway point with a total 13-under 131 at the Leopard Creek golf course. After finishing on Thursday tied for the lead with Seve Benson of England, Kruger credited his solid play in the sweltering heat to his time spent playing in Asia in recent months. Kruger’s nearest pursuers are Benson, Felipe Aguilar of Chile and George Murray of Scotland. The trio were followed by South Africans Jaco Van Zyl and Merrick Bremner, each with an eight-under 136. Spanish ace Pablo Martin, who was chasing history with a chance to become just the fifth player to win the same European Tour event three times in a row, saw his title defense dashed as he shot a 19-over 163 and missed the cut for the weekend.
SAILING
Oracle, Energy to face off
Oracle Racing’s Jimmy Spithill and France’s Energy Team swept their semi-final matches to reach the finals of the America’s Cup World Series match racing championship. Spithill, the defending America’s Cup champion, beat overall series leader Dean Barker and Emirates Team New Zealand in two races on Friday in San Diego Bay to set up a best-of-three final against France’s Energy Team. Energy Team beat Sweden’s Artemis Racing, which is skippered by American Terry Hutchinson, in both races. Sailed in fast, 45-foot (13.7m) catamarans with wing sails, the World Series is a prelude to the 2013 America’s Cup, which will be sailed in 72-foot (21.9m) cats on San Francisco Bay.
BASKETBALL
NBA stars to play for Obama
US President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign is bringing together more than two dozen NBA stars for a fundraising basketball game next month. Obama’s campaign said Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks, Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics, Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat and many others will headline the “Obama Classic Basketball Game” on Dec. 12 in Washington. With the NBA season in jeopardy because of the lockout, the game will serve as a fundraising All-Star game. Others confirmed to play include Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul and Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. Tickets range from US$100 to US$5,000 for courtside seats. The money will go to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint fundraising account by the Democratic Party and Obama’s re-election campaign.
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely