Steve Nash Still With the Suns ... for Now

Filed under: Knicks, Suns, NBA Rumors

The game itself, once again, did nothing to reveal the number of circles on Steve Nash's tree trunk.

The ageless Phoenix Suns point guard was nearly perfect in a loss to the lowly Sacramento Kings on Sunday night, carving up one of the league's youngest teams with his trademark offensive brilliance. He hit all eight of his shots from the field and both of his free throws en route to a 20-point outing. Nash was his unselfish self with his teammates as well, and perhaps even too selfless this time around.

He passed up an open layup in the final minute that would have cut the deficit to one, firing a pass to new teammate Mickael Pietrus in the right corner for an errant, game-tying 3-point attempt. Still, Nash's scoring combined with 12 assists and just two turnovers was, once again, the kind of point guard play that NBA executives dream of.

But his Suns lost for the eighth time in their last 11 games nonetheless, and the unavoidable truth that Nash is 36 years old was finally evident afterward as he talked to reporters at his locker inside Arco Arena. The once-boyish face was nowhere to be found, replaced by the mug of a man with a 5 o'clock shadow that features as much gray hair as it does brown.

With the way the new-look Suns are looking, the grays aren't going to stop growing anytime soon.

This is why opposing teams aren't convinced the Suns won't trade Nash before the Feb. 24 trade deadline, because the notion that one of the league's brightest diamonds will stay stuck in this desert rough during his twilight years is simply too hard to comprehend. And that skepticism, according to a source who was recently briefed on the Suns' thinking, might still turn out to be warranted.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/04/steve-nash-still-with-suns-for-now/

Haylie Duff Heidi Klum Heidi Montag

New York Court Dismisses 'Fore' Lawsuit as 'Appreciated Risk of Golf'

Filed under: PGA, Golf Odds and Ends

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Slices, hooks and other errant shots are a common hazard on the links and a golfer can't expect to get a warning shout of "Fore!" every time a ball comes his way, New York's top court ruled Tuesday in dismissing a personal injury lawsuit.

Dr. Anoop Kapoor and Dr. Azad Anand were playing on a nine-hole Long Island course in October 2002 when Anand was hit in the head while looking for his ball on a fairway, blinding him in one eye. The seven judges on the state Court of Appeals, siding with lower courts, said Kapoor's failure to yell in advance of his errant shot from the rough did not amount to intentional or reckless conduct.

The court cited a judge's finding that Anand was not in the foreseeable zone of danger and, as a golfer, consented to the inherent risks of the sport.

"The manner in which Anand was injured -- being hit without warning by a 'shanked' shot while one searches for one's own ball -- reflects a commonly appreciated risk of golf," the judges wrote.

They also broadly outlined the test under New York case law for determining when another golfer crosses the line and could be sued.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/12/22/new-york-court-dismisses-fore-lawsuit-as-appreciated-risk-of/

Katy Perry Keira Knightley

As Tiger's Stumbles Continue, PGA Tour Looking to Next Generation

Filed under: PGA

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Coming off its first year without Tiger Woods winning a tournament, the PGA Tour will be leaning on its next generation of players to promote the 2011 season.

Commissioner Tim Finchem said he could not recall greater interest in such a big group of rookies and other young players in his previous 17 years running the PGA Tour.

Among those in their 20s, Dustin Johnson played in the final group of two majors, Rickie Fowler became the first PGA Tour rookie to be selected for the Ryder Cup team and golf had two players in their 20s (Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer) win majors for the first time since 2001. Also starring was Rory McIlroy and Ryo Ishikawa, who are not PGA Tour members but will play at least six times in America.

"I think the takeaway on the competition side of 2010, more than anything else, was the tremendous interest in young players coming up," Finchem said during a conference call Thursday. "I've never in my tenure seen so much buzz and interest about rookies and young players creating exciting performances. Actually, it has led us to conclude that we really need to focus on that dynamic as we go into 2011."

Finchem said youth will be "our primary promotional focus" because it makes for good theater.

Woods still figures to command much of the attention next season, which begins in one month at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. Woods, who hasn't played at Kapalua since 2005, wasn't eligible this year.

It was his first year as a pro when he didn't win a single tournament.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/12/10/as-tigers-stumbles-continue-pga-tour-looking-to-next-generatio/

Marisa Miller Marisa Tomei Marla Sokoloff

Panthers Owner 'Not as Optimistic' About Labor Progress

Filed under: NFL Playoffs, NFL Analysis, NFL Labor Negotiations

As 12 NFL teams begin preparing for the playoffs and the other 20 begin preparing for the offseason, talk around and about the league increasingly turns to the burgeoning labor conflict and the threat of a lockout that could force cancellation of games in 2011. And as that happens, some folks on the owners' side are starting to act a little weird. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, one of the leading figures in past CBA negotiations with the players' union, drew some battle lines Tuesday in a rare news conference that mainly addressed issues relating to his team but also touched on the current negotiations.

"I am personally not as optimistic as some that we are making a lot of progress," Richardson said. "When I meet with the union lawyers, they say, 'Mr. Richardson, we want more money, we want more benefits and we want to work less.' Then they say, 'Let's begin the negotiations.'"

Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/01/04/jerry-richardson-panthers-owner-not-as-optimistic-about-labo/

Dania Ramirez Danica Patrick Daniella Alonso

Seahawks-Rams Game Flexed to Sunday Night on NBC

by Milton Kent

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Buccaneers, Colts, Cowboys, Eagles, Jaguars, Giants, Packers, Rams, Redskins, Texans, Titans, AFC South, NFC East, Sports Business and Media

The Seattle-St. Louis game, which will decide the NFC West division title, has been moved into the "Sunday Night Football" window as the final regular season game of the NFL schedule.

The league announced late Sunday that the Seahawks-Rams contest will be flexed into the 8:15 p.m. ET window for NBC. Though no rationale was announced for the move, given that both teams are sub-.500, the fact that the winner will advance to the playoffs and the loser will go home likely added an element of drama that made it attractive.

In addition, a handful of games -- all with playoff implications -- have been moved into the late afternoon window for Week 17. FOX will carry the Chicago-Green Bay, Dallas-Philadelphia and New York Giants-Washington games at 4:15 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, CBS will air the Tennessee-Indianapolis and Jacksonville-Houston contests, with the AFC South title still in the balance. Those games will also start at 4:15 p.m.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/26/seahawks-rams-game-flexed-to-sunday-night-on-nbc/

Rihanna Robin Tunney Rosario Dawson

Winter Classic Highest-Rated NHL Regular Season Game in 36 Years

Filed under: Capitals, Penguins, Eastern, NHL Fans, NHL Media Watch, Winter Classic

Preliminary numbers for the 2011 NHL Winter Classic between Washington and Pittsburgh on NBC were good, despite a move to prime time that was announced about 27 hours ahead of the game. The move itself was met with positive reviews, and it led to positive results on television.

On Monday, NBC put out a press release touting the positive ratings, and they have labeled the NHL Winter Classic the "most-watched NHL regular-season game in 36 years."

The network says ratings were up 22 percent over the 2010 game, which pitted Philadelphia against Boston at Fenway Park.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2011/01/03/winter-classic-highest-rated-nhl-regular-season-game-in-36-years/

Soft Cell Sophia Bush Stacy Keibler

Rangers Announce Signings of Brandon Webb, Arthur Rhodes

Filed under: Rangers, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Free Agency

The Texas Rangers made the signings of pitchers Brandon Webb and Arthur Rhodes official on Monday.

Webb, the 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner, agreed to a one-year deal with the reigning AL champions the day after Christmas and is looking to resurrect his career. He has pitched just four innings in the major leagues since 2009.

Rhodes, as first reported by FanHouse, agreed to a one-year deal with a vesting option for 2012 on Dec. 23. The left-handed reliever, 41, made his first All-Star Game appearance in 2010 when he was a member of the Reds.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/01/03/rangers-announce-signings-of-brandon-webb-arthur-rhodes/

Uma Thurman Vanessa Hudgens Vanessa Marcil