U.S./World Sports category, Page 376
Bruce Morris recalls hitting longest shot in basketball history
NEW YORK — Thirty-four years after hitting the longest shot in college basketball history, Bruce Morris is still amazed at what he accomplished. Morris was Marshall’s point guard when he hit the historic basket from 89 feet, 10 inches just before halftime against Appalachian State on Feb. 7, 1985. He...
Phil Mickelson on verge of winning Pebble Beach pro-am
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Phil Mickelson put himself on the brink of a fifth victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach pro-am by turning a three-shot deficit into a three-shot lead when a wild day of weather kept him from finishing Sunday. Mickelson was bogey-free with six birdies, and he made...
Saint Vincent grads Turner, Mathers build life, pro basketball careers in Australia
The journey began in Bethany, W.Va., with a simple congratulatory text. The road led to the other side of the world. Former Saint Vincent standouts Isaac Turner (Class of 2014) and Taylor Mathers (’15) are living their own version of love and basketball. Both first-team all-Presidents’ Athletic Conference selections as...
Byron wins Daytona 500 pole, puts Hendricks up front again
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — William Byron put Hendrick Motorsports in a familiar position: on the pole for the Daytona 500. His bigger goal is to make the starting spot pay dividends for the NASCAR powerhouse. The 21-year-old Byron and 25-year-old teammate Alex Bowman locked in the front row for “The...
What to watch at the 143rd Westminster Kennel Club dog show
NEW YORK — The 143rd Westminster Kennel Club dog show begins judging Monday morning, with Pyrenean shepherds, Pembroke Welsh corgis and pugs among the early arrivals. More than 2,800 dogs are coming in 203 breeds and varieties. Judge Peter J. Green is expected to make his pick for best in...
Paul Casey takes 3-shot lead into final round at Pebble Beach
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Paul Casey was far away from all the antics and quietly put together another solid round Saturday for a 5-under-par 67 that gave him a three-shot lead over Phil Mickelson going into the final day of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Casey had four birdies over...
Changes abound as NASCAR season opens at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Chase Elliott took blame for the first crash of NASCAR’s new season on a blustery day at Daytona International Speedway that was shortened by rain. Martin Truex Jr. topped the speed chart in his debut for Joe Gibbs Racing, and Bubba Wallace jumped to the top...
Wealth of ex-NFL minds give new AAF a fighting chance
SAN DIEGO — Nearly four decades removed from a stint in the short-lived USFL, Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Polian will preside over the opening weekend of the newest spring league, the Alliance of American Football. “It’s one more challenge at the end of a long career,” said Polian,...
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn vows to go ‘full throttle’ in final race of career
ARE, Sweden — Anyone expecting Lindsey Vonn to take it easy in her last race should think again. Doesn’t matter if she’s still banged up from a crash with a black eye, a sore rib — not to mention the pain in both of her knees that forced her to...
Lindsey Vonn and boyfriend P.K. Subban go together like snow and ice
ARE, Sweden — Of all the people flying in to attend Lindsey Vonn’s final race — her dad and two siblings, U.S. Ski Team top brass and even Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark — one very significant other will be missing. P.K. Subban, Vonn’s boyfriend and a defenseman for the NHL’s...
Architect of Jimmie Johnson’s success starting over in 2019
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Chad Knaus got his first big break at Hendrick Motorsports when he was picked to build a team from scratch around a rookie driver who had yet to prove he belonged at NASCAR’s top level. The driver was Jimmie Johnson. Once Johnson was paired with Knaus...
Mickelson, Spieth among leaders as rain halts Pebble Beach Pro-Am
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Phil Mickelson survived a wild finish without having to deal with the rain. Jordan Spieth endured a wet finish to his day with three tough pars, followed by some unwitting help by a spooked fan. Both were atop the leaderboard Friday in the AT&T Pebble Beach...
Rocco Mediate admits: At times, I played while drunk
Greensburg native Rocco Mediate made a personal revelation. The former PGA pro admitted that he had alcohol problems while on the tour and would even, at times, play while drunk. A story from The Golf Channel, quotes Mediate saying that drinking was a way to self-medicate for his back problems....
Rick Hendrick vows rebound from worst season in team history
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Rick Hendrick worked too hard building NASCAR’s top organization to tolerate mediocrity. If his teams had simply been average last season, he might not rate it as one of the worst in team history. The Hendrick cars were pretty bad — seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson...
Pebble Beach won’t offer U.S. Open preview this week
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Only four American courses have hosted a PGA Tour event and a major championship in the same year, a concept that USGA chief executive Mike Davis does not consider to be ideal. One big exception is Pebble Beach. “I think this is great,” Davis said Wednesday...
As she has done most of her career, Vonn must bounce back from yet another crash
ARE, Sweden — One of the hallmarks of Lindsey Vonn’s career has been the way she bounces back from major crashes. So perhaps it’s fitting the most successful female skier of all time will enter her last race before retiring after yet another tumble into the safety netting. Vonn straddled...
Fledgling Alliance of American Football kicks off under some new rules
SAN DIEGO — When the fledgling Alliance of American Football held four exhibition games recently in San Antonio, something was missing. Kickoffs. “We were all looking around saying, ‘Does anyone miss kickoffs?’ The answer was, no, we did not miss them,” said Mike Pereira, the NFL’s former vice president of...
Lakers pull out of Anthony Davis trade talks amid Pelicans’ ‘outrageous’ requests
INDIANAPOLIS — The Lakers have pulled out of conversations aimed at trying to acquire New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis because of the Pelicans’ “outrageous” trade requests, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Magic Johnson, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, told New Orleans general manager Dell Demps...
Triple bogey can’t keep Rickie Fowler from winning Phoenix Open
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Standing above a greenside bunker at TPC Scottsdale’s difficult par-4 11th hole, Rickie Fowler turned just in time to see his ball, one he had just placed after penalty, trickle into the water. Fowler had already seen his share of bad luck at the Phoenix Open. Now...
FSU starting QB Deondre Francois dismissed from team after domestic dispute surfaces on social media
Florida State starting quarterback Deondre Francois has been dismissed from the team after a domestic dispute surfaced on social media Saturday night. The school released a statement from head coach Willie Taggart on Sunday afternoon announcing Francois’ departure. “Last night, I informed Deondre Francois that he is no longer a...
Jimmie Johnson poised to show critics his racing days are not over
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson, one of the most polite and professional athletes in sports, rarely gets rattled. Unless he is being trolled on social media. Johnson’s patience was very much tested last season, the worst of his NASCAR career. He could handle the losing, the internal struggles at Hendrick...
Rickie Fowler takes 4-stroke lead into final round at Phoenix Open
Rickie Fowler had eight birdies in a 7-under-par 64 on Saturday, taking a four-shot lead over Matt Kuchar into the final round of the Phoenix Open. Twice a runner-up at TPC Scottsdale, Fowler navigated a difficult two-putt on the par-4 18th hole to reach 20-under 193. Kuchar shot a bogey-free...
Jeff Gordon’s influence on NASCAR honored at Hall of FameVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jeff Gordon’s immense influence on NASCAR was highlighted during a star-packed Hall of Fame induction ceremony befitting a driver who changed the trajectory of an entire sport. Gordon was the top vote-getter in the 10th class of the Hall of Fame, which included the late drivers Davey...
NASCAR needs new stars, and Kyle Larson may save the sportVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR’s biggest stars all have moved on. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are television analysts, and Tony Stewart is racing sprint cars again. Danica Patrick traded her firesuit for athleisure-wear, and Carl Edwards just kind of disappeared. America’s top motorsports series is in need of a...
Rickie Fowler closes with 4 straight birdies to lead Phoenix Open
COTTSDALE, Ariz. — After the opening round of the Phoenix Open, Rickie Fowler lamented a missed putt that would have given him the outright lead and household bragging rights. Following an impressive string of birdies to close out his second round, Fowler will get his chance to trash-talk Justin Thomas,...
