RUGBY WORLD CUP
Kleeberger’s beard inspires
Canada flanker Adam Kleeberger’s hirsute fashion statement has caught on among the crowds at the World Cup, something captain Pat Riordan described as “awesome.” Kleeberger sports a huge beard, fake ones of which have been worn by increasing numbers of Canada fans, who often also don costumes like lumberjacks or mounties. “The beards are pretty popular,” said Riordan, himself clean-shaven. “I couldn’t believe it getting off the plane in Napier, there were little kids and old ladies who had the beards on. The bus driver had a beard on. So someone’s doing well there.”
ICE HOCKEY
Doughty, Kings reach deal
The Los Angeles Kings have reached a verbal agreement on a multi-year contract with restricted free agent defenseman Drew Doughty. Financial terms of the deal announced on the team Web site were not released, however, the Los Angeles Times reported the agreement to keep Doughty as a Kings player was worth US$56 million over eight years. The Kings open the regular season in Stockholm on Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers and Doughty is expected to be in the lineup after finally reaching a deal following some lengthy negotiations. “I definitely didn’t want to miss that,” Doughty told the league’s official Web site, NHL.com. Last year, the 21-year-old Doughty was a finalist for the Norris Trophy awarded to the NHL’s best defenseman and was named a Second Team All-Star.
CRICKET
ICC hopes Interpol can help
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is in talks with Interpol about joining forces to help combat corruption in the sport. Ronnie Flanagan, chairman of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit, said he hopes the international police agency and his body can “mutually cooperate and work together.” FIFA recently pledged to pay Interpol US$29 million to help soccer crack down on the growing threat of match-fixing. However, speaking on the sidelines of a World Sports Law Report conference in London, Flanagan said cricket lacks the funds to pay Interpol. Even if an agreement with Interpol is signed, Flanagan says “unfortunately investigations themselves fall back to our unit.”
INDYCAR
Unser Jr arrested for DWI
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr was arrested on Thursday on charges of drunken driving after authorities said he was clocked at more than 160kph on the streets of New Mexico. Jennifer Brown, a spokesperson for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, said the 49-year-old Unser was arrested shortly after 3am outside of Albuquerque, where deputies found he was going about 163kph while racing another vehicle. Unser was charged with reckless driving and aggravated driving while intoxicated and released from jail on his own recognizance. IndyCar said in a statement that officials of the open-wheel series were aware of the charges and had suspended Unser from his duties as a race control official and driving coach.
Robinson Cano spent 17 seasons playing in the MLB in front of all kinds of baseball fans, but he said there is something special about his stint with the Mexican Baseball League’s Diablos Rojos. He is not alone. The league last week opened its 100th season, aiming to keep an impressive growth in attendance that began after the national team’s surprise run at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and is already surpassing some first-division soccer clubs. After finishing third in the 2023 tournament, many casual fans, some of them soccer enthusiasts disappointed after Mexico were eliminated in the first round in the 2022
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
Arne Slot has denied that Darwin Nunez was dropped from Liverpool’s win against West Ham because of a training-ground row with a member of his coaching staff. The Liverpool head coach on Sunday last week said that Nunez was absent from the 2-1 victory at Anfield, having felt unwell during training the day before, although the striker sat behind the substitutes throughout the game. Speculation has been rife that the Uruguay international, whom Slot criticized for his work rate against Wolves and Aston Villa in February, was left out for disciplinary reasons. Asked on Friday to clarify the situation, Slot said: “He
RSS