Federer Defeats Sampras In Exhibition At Madison Square Garden
March 12, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) In a battle against world number ones of different era, current top-ranked tennis player Roger Federer defeated former world number one Pete Sampras 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6) at a sold out Madison Square Garden in New York.
Pete Sampras who will turn 37 this August owns the record for most number of Grand slam events won in professional tennis with 14 championship trophies in his belt, winning the last one on his last professional game at the flushing meadows in New York in the 2002 US open while the 26 year old Swiss master Federer in pursuit with 12 Grand slams for his brilliant career. Sampras also holds the most number of seasons finished as the number one player in the world after holding that honor for six straight years. Federer has been the world number one player for the last 200 weeks.
Playing in front of an estimated 19,690 adoring fans at the Garden which included Golf superstar Tiger Woods, business tycoon Donald Trump, Regis Philbin and Anna Wintour sitting at front row, both Federer and Sampras produced magnificent shots and groundbreaking strokes which mirrored their respective successful careers at the professional level. Federer won the first set with relative ease after he held serve using four consecutive smashing aces and a two handed fist pump to celebrate. Sampras produced shot making trickery reminiscent of the Pistol Pete of old to claim the second set after winning the tie-break 7-4. But in the end, the youthful exuberance of Federer overwhelmed Sampras as the Swiss champion claimed the match and the $1 Million prize after he captured the deciding third set tiebreaker 8-6.
”I don’t think winning or losing was really the issue tonight. I think we both tried to do our best and have a fun night, and that’s what it turned out to be. It turned out to be this thriller match, This is maybe why so many people came out: You don’t often get the No. 1 in his prime playing against maybe the greatest player of all time,” Federer said.
Sampras for his part earned a little less than the million Federer won but more importantly won the hearts of his adoring fans. In one instance after Sampras won a point on a serve and volley tactics, a spectator rang out the chorus “You still got it, Pete!” The first and only meeting between the two at the professional level occurred at the 2001 Wimbledon where Sampras won 7 of his 14 slams. The youthful Federer edged fading Sampras on that match which was viewed by many as a changing of the guards among tennis legends. “It was a great night for tennis; Roger’s got more important things to worry about than playing me. I was happy I took the second set so we could give the crowd more tennis, I was a little disappointed I didn’t come up with the win.” Sampras said.
New Yankee Manager Joe Girardi Displeased With Rays Hard Play
March 10, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) New York Yankees General Manager Joe Girardi expressed his displeasure over the Tampa Bay Rays for their hard play in spring training which resulted in Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli breaking his wrist at home plate in a collision with the Ray’s Elliot Johnson.
“I think it’s uncalled for,” Girardi said. “It’s Spring Training. You get people hurt, and that’s what we’ve got — we’ve got Cervelli hurt. I know they had an incident four or five days ago. I’m all for playing hard, but I don’t think it’s the time when you run over a catcher in Spring Training. I’ve always known that you don’t do it; I know kids are playing aggressive and playing hard. That’s how you want them to play. But maybe if it happens too much, you should mention something.”
The crushing hit occurred last Saturday when the two teams met in a spring training game at Legends Field in Tampa FL. Elliot Johnson was rushing to home plate trying to capitalize off Willy Aybar’s double to left field when Yankees prospected catcher Francisco Cervelli attempted to tag him. Johnson delivered a devastating shoulder hit which he lowered in an attempt to pry the ball away from Cervelli resulting into a fractured wrist for the Yankee’s catcher.
Elliot Johnson, a roster hopeful for Tampa Bay’s regular season line-up as an infielder said, “I’m not trying to hurt anybody, especially in a Spring Training game,” Johnson said. “I hope he doesn’t lose his job. But I’m trying to show these guys what I can do. I’m just trying to score the run. Looking back on it, I’d have to say I’d probably do the same thing. With the time that I had there, the instinct was to slide and be out, or hit him and see if I could pop the ball loose,”
Francisco Cervelli is an international prospect for the Yankees from Venezuela. He was signed on 2003 by New York but was relegated to the minors after struggling in his first year with the team. Then manager Joe Torre for New York projected the 22-year old Cervelli as the future catcher for the Yankees.
Lebron James Blasts New York Knicks
March 6, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) A few days after top MVP candidate rival Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers notched a 52-point outing against the Mavericks, Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers responded with his own 50-point game on Wednesday against the lowly Knicks as he led Cleveland to a 119-105 victory on the road at Madison Square Garden in New York.
With the game ticking down to its waning moments, the New York crowd responded to James’s outstanding output which read 50 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 steals on 16-30 FG shooting, peppered with 7-13 three point shooting accuracy and 11-16 free throws made with a booming standing ovation and chants of MVP which is a rare occurrence in the NBA with a player performing on the road.
“I’ve dreamed about playing well in this building and it’s overtaken of how I could ever dream about,” James said. “To get a standing ovation in the greatest basketball arena in the world, it was a dream come true for me. It’s one of the best things that ever happened to me. It was a great feeling. You get a fan to come down there to express the way he feels about you … told me I was his favorite player, that never happens,” James added. “I respect him, I respect his pride and for him to come out there and tell me something like that face to face, it’s like the [most] unbelievable thing that ever happened to me.”
Jamaal Crawford led the Knicks offense with 25 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists while 5’-7” guard Nate Robinson responded to early criticisms of his struggling mid-season performance in gathering 24 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds. Knicks starting center Eddy Curry racked up respectable numbers with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. The Knicks will play Detroit Pistons on Friday while defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland will face the Bulls tonight in the back end of a 2 game in 2 night’s schedule.
Brett Favre Announces Retirement on Tuesday
March 5, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) Legendary Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre announced Tuesday his retirement from the NFL to end an illustrious career for one of the game’s most dominating presences which included two Super Bowl appearances and a 3-time AP MVP trophy.
“I know I can still play, but it’s like I told my wife, I’m just tired mentally. I’m just tired; if I felt like coming back — and Deanna [his wife] and I talked about this — the only way for me to be successful would be to win a Super Bowl. To go to the Super Bowl and lose, would almost be worse than anything else. Anything less than a Super Bowl win would be unsuccessful,” Favre said in a message.
Brett Lorenzo Favre from Gulfport, Mississippi was drafted in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons after four glorious years as the starting QB for the University of Southern Mississippi. After his uneventful rookie campaign with the Falcons, Favre was traded to the Green Bay Packers on February 10th, 1992 for the rights to the team’s first round pick that year. On his fifth game with the Packers in the ’92 season, Favre was upgraded as the starting quarterback, a position he held for 16 years until his announcement Tuesday.
“I know it shouldn’t feel unsuccessful, but the only way to come back and make that be the right decision would be to come back and win a Super Bowl. And honestly, the odds of that, they’re tough. Those are big shoes for me to fill, and I guess it was a challenge I wasn’t up for.” added Favre.
Favre’s career was defined with his gritty play. For over 17 years he gave joy to his fans and game enthusiast by displaying not just his talent but his determination and his drive to succeed. Countless times he willed his team to victory using his heart and emotions. He won a Super Bowl ring against New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI and reached his second Super Bowl the following year opposite the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII which Favre and the Packers absorbed an emotional loss.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement, “Brett Favre will always be remembered as one of the greatest players and fiercest competitors in NFL history. His long list of accomplishments both on and off the field is remarkable. Brett’s talent, enthusiasm and love of the game helped him become the only player to earn three MVP awards and he was a vital part of bringing a Super Bowl championship back to Green Bay. It has been a joy and privilege for all of us to watch him play. We wish Brett, Deanna and their family all the best and hope he will stay connected to the game that he honored with his brilliant play for so many years.”
Fire Thomas Chants Flare Up As Knicks Lose at Home
March 4, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) The crowd at Madison Square Garden cheered wildly a familiar season-long chant “Fire Isiah” as the waning seconds of another embarrassing Knicks defeat at home drew a close. The New Orleans Hornets crushed the New York Knicks in a 100-88 victory at the place many legends of the game speak of as the “Mecca of Basketball” in New York.
Chris Paul directed the Hornets offense as New Orleans used a blistering 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter to dispose of the Knicks in an otherwise tightly contested match-up. Paul used his explosive dribbling ability to lose Nate Robinson and score on two consecutive field goal attempts while orchestrating a magnificent Alley-oop dunk to starting center Tyson Chandlier on the third possession to effectively take the game away from the cudgels of the Knicks.
MVP-candidate Chris Paul finished the game with 27 points peppered with 8 assists, 5 rebounds and swiping 3 steals. Fellow All-star David West provided ample support with 19 points and 8 rebounds while starting center Tyson Chandler provided interior toughness in a monstrous effort as he tallied 15 points and grabbed 18 rebounds.
“Tyson is one of the most athletic centers in the league,” Paul said. “Nate Robinson was talking to me out there on the court and he was like, ‘Wish I had a big guy who could go up to the rim like that.’ It’s amazing how much him doing that has changed my game. I take it for granted that when he’s not in the game with me, it’s like ‘What am I going to do?’”
Meanwhile, the loss for the Knicks represents an assurance that the team will finish the season with a losing record as it mathematically decimates any chance of a winning record even if the team wins all of its remaining ballgames. Jamaal Crawford led the Knicks with 20 points and 6 assists while Eddy Curry finished with 19 points and 8 rebounds. The Knicks will play the defending Eastern Conference champion the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on Wednesday while the Hornets face the lowly Atlanta Hawks on the same day.
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig Leaves Decision on Clemens to Astros
March 3, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) Embattled 7-time CY young winner Roger Clemens career in Major League Baseball hinges on the hands of the Houston Astros as MLB commissioner Bud Selig reprised control of the issue to Clemens mother ballclub.
Clemens was implicated in the Mitchell Report which was a 20-month investigation on possible use of anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs among Major League Baseball players which was conducted by former Sen. George Mitchell. Another player beleaguered with the issue is former Giants Slugger Barry Bonds who erased a 30 year old record for most numbers of home runs in a career with 756 home runs which were formerly held by Hank Aaron. Since that historic feat on August 7, 2007 the 43 year old remains a free agent as his steroids issues implements a cloud of dust on his illustrious career.
“The conversations go on and I said I was going to handle all this on a case-by-case basis,” Selig said. “These are very sensitive matters. Every club is free to do whatever they want with whom, I have said to Astros owner Drayton McLane and the Houston club that that’s a decision they have to make.” regarding Roger Clemens. The commissioner also made remarks on the Mitchell report in saying, “George Mitchell talked to every team, many owners, almost every general manager,” Selig said. “Whatever he came up with, he came up with, but he had access to everybody. He didn’t need subpoena power there.”
The Major League Baseball season starts on March 25th with several players having clouded futures due to the steroids issues reflected on their current situations. New York Yankee pitcher Andy Pettit who faced the inquiry with Clemens a month ago was stellar on his spring training debut yesterday on a 7-7 tie with the Philadelphia Philies. “I thought he looked real good,” Yankees owner Steinbrenner said. “It’s early, but he looked very smooth. Very good and good control. That’s the key with all that’s happened, come right in and throw strikes right away.”
New York Knicks Wallop Bobcats
February 28, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) After a 3 day hiatus, the New York Knicks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats at home in Madison Square Garden with a final score of 113-89 in an offensive exhibition as the Knicks used a decisive second quarter run to put the game away in the first half and cruise to the victory.
The beating they gave out to the Bobcats even surprised Knicks power forward Zach Randolph after the game. “That’s what I was thinking today, when was the last time,” Randolph said. “That’s a good question, I don’t remember; feels great to have a win like that.”
Charlotte led 25-20 after the first quarter but the Knicks used an impressive 15-0 run to close the second quarter and lead by a comfortable margin of 13 points by halftime boosted by a 34 point second period. “I thought we did a good job in pushing the ball and we were able to get some stops,” Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. “All the guys have been working and I think their work really paid off for them tonight.”
The Bobcats who were already missing the services of versatile forward and leading scorer Gerald Wallace who suffered his fourth concussion in four years and the most severe by far last week in a game against the Sacramento Kings also lost second leading scorer Jason Richardson in the second quarter after suffering a contusion in the right eye and a corneal abrasion.
“It is tough for us when we don’t have a couple of our main scorers in the game. Tonight, we scrambled to find some offense and we couldn’t really get it going,” Bobcats coach Sam Vincent said. “Once we didn’t get the offense, we kind of broke down our defense and it kind of unraveled from there. To miss Gerald and Jason from this game is tough for this team right now.”
Nate Robinson led a balanced Knicks attack with 22 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds while Jamaal Crawford, Zach Randolph and forward Quentin Richardson provided ample support with 20, 18 and 17 points respectively. All Knicks player who was inserted in the game scored except struggling starting Center Eddy Curry.
Off the bench, Matt Carrol led the Bobcats in place of Richardson with 19 points and 4 rebounds. Emeka Okafor notched a double double with 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Bobcats who will play Eastern Conference leader the Boston Celtics on Friday.
“Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather to Wrestle
February 27, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) Undefeated six-time World Boxing Council champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. changed gears Monday and announced his intentions in fighting 430 lbs., 7-feet tall wrestler “Big Show” on March 30th as the main event of WWE’s “WrestleMania XXIV” at Citrus Bowl in Orlando Fl. in a press conference it Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
With a current record of 39-0 peppered with 25 KO’s and the current holder of WBC’s welterweight belt, Floyd Mayweather Jr. sees little challenge ahead of him in the sport of boxing. It was rumored earlier in the year that a possible rematch with Mexico’s boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya sometime in September could take place. Another speculation has Mayweather fighting undefeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. who is the son of undefeated boxing icon Julio Chavez in a mega fight later this year.
Mayweather’s March 30th debut in pro-wrestling will net the fighter $20 Million in earnings and a chance to prove himself as the versatile athlete he privately perceives himself to be. “It’s entertainment. You have a chance to just be you and do what you want to do, wrestling takes care of business right on the spot, whatever they say they’re going to do, they do it right on the spot. There’s no waiting three, four, five months. Quick results, quick money. Quick big money, too.” said Mayweather.
In a press conference called by WWE Monday night to introduce both fighters ahead of their March 30th battle, Mayweather Jr. electrified the crowd at Staples Center by throwing thick wads of $100, $50 and $20 bills to the hundreds of supporters who gathered to view the spectacle.
Mayweather’s manager Leonard Ellerbee described the move as part of his camps ongoing efforts to make Mayweather a mainstream athlete among American sports fanatics. Last year, Mayweather Jr. was the fourth celebrity booted out in “Dancing with the Stars”. “It crossed him over and took him into the households of many middle-aged Americans and turned him into a mainstream superstar,” Ellerbee said. “Now when Floyd goes into the grocery store, the first thing 65-year-old ladies say is, “You’re Floyd from Dancing With the Stars.”
New York Knicks Lose to Toronto Raptors
February 25, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) The Toronto Raptors exacted revenge over the New York Knicks after a humiliating loss at Madison Square Garden two days ago with a win tonight in blowout fashion at home in Air Canada Center in Toronto with a final score of 112-92.
The game was tight for the first two quarters with Toronto leading only by a single point at halftime at 53-52. All-star forward Chris Bosh of the Raptors was hampered by foul troubles early in the first quarter which limited his playing time with only 8 minutes before halftime. After the break, the Raptors used a blistering 18-3 run which blasted the game wide open. Jose Calderon ignited the run by converting 2 straight 3 point shots followed by consecutive 3 point attempts from Anthony Parker and Andrea Bargnani before Chris Bosh capped off the amazing run with a authoritative slam dunk to effectively put away the game against the Knicks.
Last year’s top draft pick Andrea Bargnani led Toronto’s attack with 25 points, 5 assist and 7 rebounds as the Italian silenced his critiques with his improving play of late. Chris Bosh provided ample support for Bargnani finishing with 17 points on top of 5 rebounds and three assist while recently acquired center Primoz Brezec which was obtained last week from the Detroit Pistons contributed 11 points and 3 rebounds in 12 minutes of playing time in his debut with the Raptors.
Jamal Crawford led the Knicks offensive with 26 points, 6 assists and 2 rebounds but conceded 2 turnovers. Starting Center Eddy Curry who was a topic of much trade speculations before the NBA trading deadline passed last February 19 finished with 12 points and 5 rebounds. Nate Robinson also finished with respectable numbers in tallying 20 points and 8 rebounds.
The New York Knicks hope to bounce back at home on Wednesday after a two day break against the Charlotte Bobcats while the Toronto Raptors expect to keep its momentum with a win opposite The Indiana Pacers tomorrow night on a back end of a back-to-back schedule.
NY Knicks Pounded by Sixers in a 40-point Blow-Out
February 21, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) The New York Knicks were an embarrassment playing on the road against a marginal Philadelphia 76ers team as it failed to show any semblance of defense en rout to defeat losing by 40 points with a final margin of 124-84 in Wachovia Center at Philadelphia PA.
The 76ers placed six players on double digits led by Willie Green who finished with 21 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. The offense was fueled by the brilliant guidance of oft-mentioned trade candidate Andre Miller as he injected a running offense midway through the first quarter which allowed the Sixers to pull away for good against the Knicks. Miller finished with 12 points and 10 assists racking up a double-double while Andre Igoudala finished strong tallying 19 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assist.
Off the bench, Thaddeus Young scored 20 points while Louis Williams provided vital support to Andre Miller at the point guard spot with 13 points and 4 assists. The Sixers already topped the century mark late in the third quarter and was well on their way to notching an easy win at home as the penultimate quarter started.
The Knicks playing in the back end of a 2 games in 2 nights schedule started sluggishly and showed signs of weariness early in the contest after a long and strenuous game the other night in an impressive win against the Washington Wizards, a game they set a record as the second most points scored in overtime in NBA history as the Knicks tallied 23 points in the 5-minute extra period leading to their victory.
Jamaal Crawford led a muted reply by the Knicks offense with 14 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds while starting center Eddy Curry provided support finishing with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Zach Randolph rounded out the only players for the Knicks to score in double figures with 10 points and 3 rebounds.
Philadelphia hopes to extend its momentum after this monumental win as it takes on Dwight Howard led Orlando Magic on Friday night in Florida starting at 7 PM while the Knicks which owns the second worst record in the Eastern Conference tackles The Toronto Raptors at home on another Friday night game.
