This is thrilling from the off. Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko swing early, and let’s recall for a moment that neither man has ever been KO’d in long, long careers. Fedor’s right eye is swollen, and after exchanges, they are tied up on cage. Hendo had landed a left hook. Hendo is making it his fight early.
As they move away from the wall, Fedor is stalking, and then Hendo is caught and looks in trouble, but as Fedor attacks from the side, Hendo reverses the position and with attack of his own, lands that killer right hand, an uppercut, and Fedor falls flat on his face. Hendo moves in for the finish, throwing wildly, and although Fedor twists and puts his arms up, referee Dean has already stepped in to stop the contest. Fedor admitted afterwards that he could have continued but Dean made a split-second judgement. The right call in my book. Fedor has now lost three on the bounce. Retirement now beckons. Henderson says he wants to carry on in Strikeforce, and defend the light-heavyweight title.
With this victory, albeit against an MMA legend who has lost much of his speed and is clearly long past his best, Henderson enters the Hall of Fame. Henderson is a remarkable athlete, former Olympian and fighter. There will be arguments that the fight was stopped early by Dean, but Emelianenko had fallen flat on his face from the uppercut, and it was clear to see why the world’s leading MMA referee stepped in to call time on the contest.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Strikeforce: Henderson hands Fedor his third straight loss in TKO thriller
X Games: Shaun White wins gold in Skateboard Vert
Before his sixth and final run Saturday, Shaun White sat in second place behind rival Pierre-Luc Gagnon, who had won three consecutive gold medals in the Skateboard Vert event at the X Games.
With the crowd at Nokia Theatre cheering on the action sports superstar, White pulled off his best run, boosting his score of 89.33 points to 93, which helped him over take Gagnon's score of 91.66.
And when Gagnon fell shortly after beginning his final run, the gold medal again belonged to White, who last won the Skateboard Vert in 2007.
White, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding, won the silver medal in this event last year.
Bucky Lasek had the third-highest score at 87.66 to claim the bronze.
White and Gagnon were neck and neck for most of the five-skater finals because they were, for a time, the only two skaters to complete runs.Gagnon took the lead on his fourth run when he scored 89.66, overtaking White's 89.33 that he earned on his first run.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Nyjah Huston breaks through for Skateboard Street win
Vicki Golden goes wire to wire for Women's Moto X Racing gold
-- Baxter Holmes
Photo: Shaun White tries in vain to recover in midair during a qualifying run for the Skateboard Vert competition on Saturday at Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
X Games: Nate Adams adds Speed and Style gold to his haul
Nate Adams took home his second gold medal in X Games 17 by leaving all-comers behind in the Moto X Speed and Style competition Saturday.
Adams topped Mike Mason in the final race of the night, leaving Mason with the silver medal Adams won last year. Adams won thanks to his style, more than his speed, earning 90 points for his tricks throughout the race, while Mason tallied 87. Although Mason crossed the finish line first, his buffer of 1.53 seconds was not enough to overcome the three-point deficit from the style element.
Adams won the Moto X Freestyle competition Friday night, his first gold medal since winning the same event in 2004. Seven years later, he has now tripled his total gold count.
PHOTOS: X Games 17 flies high at Staples Center
Adams beat Adam Jones and Ronnie Faisst on his way to the final. Mason topped Todd Potter and Carey Hart.
Faisst beat Hart handily in the bronze medal race to reach the podium.
In the quarterfinals, Jeremy Stenberg suffered a nasty fall on his third lap. Stenberg hit the main dirt-jump with plenty of speed, and appeared to be attempting a backflip when he separated from his bike. Stenberg, the defending bronze medalist, fell to the dirt feet-first and was carted out of the arena. An ESPN spokeswoman said he suffered a foot injury and would get X-rays.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Nyjah Huston breaks through for Skateboard Street win
Vicki Golden goes wire to wire for Women's Moto X Racing gold
-- Douglas Farmer
Photo: Nate Adams during the Moto X Freestyle final on Friday night. Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press
Magic Johnson on ownership of the Dodgers and an NFL team
Magic Johnson, the Lakers' Hall of Famer and an entrepreneur, sat down with Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke for a one-on-one conversation about things past and present.
Without further adieu, take a listen to what the legendary playmaker had to say about the Dodgers' current ownership situation (above) and about his interest in an NFL team playing in Los Angeles (below).
Magic's biggest prediction? An NFL team for L.A. within two years. And he'd be interested in owning a piece of the Dodgers.
-- Dan Loumena
X Games: Speed and style explained
For anyone wondering what exactly “speed & style” means in the X Games' Moto X Speed and Style competition, let’s take the quarterfinal race between Ronnie Faisst and Matt Buyten as our example:
Faisst finished the four-lap race first, but he was not assured to advance simply because he took the checkered flag. Each of the racers is required to perform one trick per lap, excluding the first lap when the course does not include the largest dirt-jump.
PHOTOS: X Games 17 flies high at Staples Center
Based off those tricks, the judges assign the racers a score for style. In this instance, Buyten tallied 86 style points, while Faisst recorded 84. Hence, the uncertainty as to who would advance.
But since Faisst won by 4.40 seconds, his final score was 88.80, edging Buyten’s 86.
Hopefully now it makes a bit more sense.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Nyjah Huston breaks through for Skateboard Street win
Vicki Golden goes wire to wire for Women's Moto X Racing gold
-- Douglas Farmer
X Games: Jeremy Stenberg is latest crash victim at X Games 17
Jeremy Stenberg became the latest victim of an X Games 17 competition accident when he crashed during the quarterfinals of the Moto X Speed & Style event on Saturday night.
Stenberg was in the third of the four-lap race against Carey Hart when he lost control of his motorcycle as he was going up a ramp to perform a trick. Stenberg was separated from his cycle and fell from several feet in the air, slamming feet-first onto the dirt before crashing onto his side.
PHOTOS: X Games 17 flies high at Staples Center
Paramedics tended to him for several minutes before he eventually waved to the crowd and was carried off on a stretcher.
An X Games spokeswoman said there is no official word on the nature of Stenberg’s injury.
Nate Adams, Ronnie Faisst and Mike Mason will join Hart in the semifinals.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Nyjah Huston breaks through for Skateboard Street win
Vicki Golden goes wire to wire for Women's Moto X Racing gold
--Matt Stevens
Strikeforce: follow Fedor versus Henderson live
Telegraph GAD picks:
Emelianenko, Tate, Woodley, Kennedy, Saffiedine.
- Heavyweight bout: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson
- Women’s Bantamweight Championship bout: Marloes Coenen © vs. Miesha Tate
- Middleweight bout: Robbie Lawler vs. Tim Kennedy
- Welterweight bout: Paul Daley vs. Tyron Woodley
- Welterweight bout: Scott Smith vs. Tarec Saffiedine
Tarec Saff scoring with leg strikes and in the clinch on the wall, good knees moving well…10-9 takes the first round against Scott Smith. Smith-Saffiedine Rd 2: Good punch-kick combos from Tarec. Switching between orthodox and southpaw. Combo buckles Smith. Picking him off. Smith-Saffiedine. Smith under real pressure but still dangerous. His face cut. Smith in trouble. Big round for Saffiedine, who has his back. One-sided so far, 10-9 again to Saff. 20-18. Smith has been in real trouble and will go for broke in the final round if he still can…Tarec landing heavy shots in the third. Smith very laboured. Right hand from Smith. No footwork. Good straight left from Saff. Saff being cute in final two minutes as Smith hunts for KO kick or punch. Clinical work from Tarec. 30-27 Saff.
British knockout artist Paul Daley up next…needs a win here. Woodley moving fast crouching low. Woodley connects first. In the clinch. Knee to Woodley groin…pause. Woodley needs time, Daley warned by McCarthy. Knees from Woodley in the pin against the wall. Tied up. Good defence by Daley. McCarthy breaks them up. Daley throws…tied up again. I give opening round 10-9 Woodley, but little action in terms of striking. Very good defence from Daley against Woodley (0-2 in takedown atts in Rd 1) It’s a slow chess match at the mo…Daley down. Single leg. Daley in guard. Daley-Woodley is a mini-me Koscheck-Daley so far…Daley on ground 3 minutes of second round. Good sprawl from Daley. Bit of success at end of second for Daley, ground and pound. 20-18 Woodley. Good right from Daley in third. Attacks, but takedown again. Woodley controlling fight with his wrestling. Daley needs to get back up and away…but tied up with half of the final round left. Desperate Daley now has dominant position, Woodley in trouble, uppercut from Daley, knee from the Brit. Daley tries Oma Plata…but he has come back in this fight. Daley gets third round. 29-28 to Woodley in my book. Daley-Woodley official decision 29-28 unanimous on judges’s cards. Catcalls from the crowd. Woodley’s Mum very happy !
Manchester United 2 Barcelona 1: Michael Owen gives United the winning feeling against Barcelona
Manchester United 2 Barcelona 1
Att: 81,807
FedEx Field, Maryland.
It might not go down as the most important goal of Michael Owen’s career, but the next time Manchester United face Barcelona, they will do so having experienced the sensation of beating the European champions thanks to the former England striker’s second-half winner in Washington.
Having endured two comprehensive Champions League final defeats against Barcelona in the last three seasons, any victory against Pep Guardiola’s team is something to be cherished.
Whether it will make any difference the next time United tackle Barca in a competitive fixture, only time will tell, but a win, as they say, is a win and Owen’s goal – a clinical finish past Victor Valdes from Tom Cleverley’s 76th minute pass – has given United proof that Barcelona can be beaten.
With just 63 days separating the 3-1 Champions League final defeat at Wembley and this friendly on the outskirts of Washington – in the somewhat less prestigious Herbalife World Football Challenge – United’s wounds were undoubtedly still raw from Barcelona’s victory in north London.
The good news for Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, however, was the absence of Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano, Dani Alves and summer signing Alexis Sanchez from the Barcelona line-up due to their recent involvement in the Copa America.
Both Ferguson and Barca coach Guardiola fielded experimental starting teams, with youngsters among more experienced performers, but there was a clear opportunity for United to secure the psychological lift that would come with a victory against the European champions.
With temperatures approaching the mid-90s at kick-off, the searing heat was likely to prove the most formidable opponent for both sets of players.
But United started strongly and Wayne Rooney missed a golden chance to put his team ahead just ten minutes into the game.
Danny Welbeck’s pass to Nani on the right flank resulted in the Portuguese winger crossing to Rooney at the near post, but despite standing unmarked just six yards out, Rooney scuffed his shot wide of Valdes’s left-hand post.
In their two Champions League final defeats against Barcelona, United started well before being overrun after the opening 20 minutes, but they maintained their grip on the game on this occasion.
An early injury to Rafael, who appeared to damage his right knee in a 13th minute collision with Seydou Keita was a setback, however, and the Brazilian full-back could now miss the start of the season if the injury proves as problematic as it appeared as he limped down the touchline after being replaced by twin brother Fabio.
Having spent the last three weeks in the States, with four games against local opposition, United appeared sharper and more match hardened than Barcelona, who were playing their fourth game in a week, and they were able to suppress the Spanish team’s passing game.
And United were rewarded for their bright start when Nani opened the scoring after springing the offside trap on 22 minutes.
Nani appeared to have strayed offside before racing onto Welbeck’s pass, but replay suggested that the winger had timed his run perfectly before poking the ball under Valdes from 10 yards.
In a tetchy game that saw several late challenges and a booking for Barcelona defender Jonathan dos Santos, Barcelona were clearly missing the cutting edge of Messi and midfielder Xavi, who started the game on the bench.
But Dutch winger Ibrahim Afellay almost levelled on 35 minutes when he sent a left-foot shot inches wide of the United goal from a tight angle.
United goalkeeper David de Gea was forced into his first meaningful save on 50 minutes, however, when he denied Pedro an equaliser.
Pedro, who scored the opening goal against United at Wembley, struck early from 12 yards, but De Gea reacted well to dive low and smother the ball.
De Gea, United’s £18.3m replacement for Edwin van der Sar, was fortunate not to gift Barcelona a goal on 61 minutes, though, when a poor clearance by the 20-year-old goalkeeper dropped straight at the feet of Isaac Cuenca 35 yards from goal.
Cuenca’s cross into the penalty area was wayward, however, and De Gea escaped being punished for his mistake.
Ferguson has admitted that the youngster must improve his physique to succeed in the Premier League, but his preference for punching rather than catching routine crosses is another area which will require attention.
De Gea’s decision to punch clear a second-half corner instead of grasping the ball was unusual considering he had time to collect the ball inside his 18 yard box.
The former Atletico Madrid keeper had no chance when it came to stopping Thiago’s equaliser on 71 minutes, however.
Ryan Giggs’s failure to cut out Carlos Carmona’s pass left Thiago with a free strike on goal from 20 yards and the 20-year-old took full advantage by guiding a right foot shot beyond the motionless De Gea.
Owen secured victory for United, though, when he beat Valdes after Cleverley had cut out a loose Sergio Busquets pass before creating the chance for the 31-year-old.
Owen then missed an open goal in the final minutes after being teed up by Mame Biram Diouf, but on this occasion, he got away with it.
Manchester United (4-4-2): De Gea; Rafael (Fabio 17), Evans, Vidic (Jones 77), Evra (Smalling 46); Nani, Cleverley, Anderson (Giggs 46), Young (Obertan 62); Rooney (Owen 46), Welbeck (Diouf 77). Subs: Lindegaard (g), Amos (g), Ferdinand, Carrick, Park, Berbatov, Macheda.
Barcelona (4-1-4-1): Valdes; Dos Santos, Busquets, Fontas (Lozano 74), Abidal (Balliu 74); Keita; Pedro (Espinosa 86), Iniesta, Thiago, Afellay (Cuenca 42); Villa (Carmona 62). Subs: Jose Pinto (g), Masip (g), Pique, Puyol, Xavi, Suarez, Riverola, Cabelino, Muniesa.
X Games: Ashley Fiolek and Jessica Patterson knocked out of Moto X
Her main rival then joined Fiolek on the sidelines in the elimination races. Jessica Patterson crashed on the fifth lap of her six-lap heat, ending her hopes of capitalizing on Fiolek’s absence.
Vicki Golden and Sara Price advanced from the first heat to the final, and Tarah Gieger and Livia Lancelot joined them from the second heat.
PHOTOS: X Games 17 flies high at Staples Center
Fiolek, 20, suffered a concussion during Saturday’s practice, but still hoped to compete. Doctors and her parents advised her against it, and the competition went on without her, presumably to Patterson’s benefit.
But Patterson appeared to injure her shoulder during her accident, and was helped off the track by a medical team.
Fiolek is well-known not just for her success on the track, but also for achieving it without hearing. She was born deaf and relies on her bike vibrations and shadows around her as she races.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Nyjah Huston breaks through for Skateboard Street win
Daniel Dhers rallies to win BMX Freestyle Park gold medal
-- Douglas Farmer
Photo credit: American Honda Racing / Associated Press
X Games: Travis Pastrana practices at LAPD road course
Rarely does the Los Angeles Police Department encourage high-speed driving. Saturday night, they are doing just that.
According to Travis Pastrana’s Twitter account, @travispastrana, he is test-driving his altered rally car at the Los Angeles Police Academy.
“At the police academy where the LAPD was nice enough to let me practice with the hand controls at their road course,” Pastrana tweeted shortly after 6 p.m.
Saturday morning, Pastrana informed the world that his team had put together a steering wheel with hand controls for the accelerator and clutch -- that may allow him to race in Sunday’s RallyCross competition at X Games 17. Pastrana broke his right ankle and foot in a crash during the Moto X Best Trick competition Thursday night.
The ankle prevented him from making his Nationwide Series debut in Indianapolis on Saturday. Instead, he drove his hand-controlled rally car around the course at L.A. Live.
And now, he’s testing it with L.A.’s finest.
-- Douglas Farmer
X Games: Nyjah Huston breaks through, grabs Skateboard Street gold
Mitchie Brusco isn’t the first 14-year-old to compete at the X Games. Nyjah Huston broke that barrier in 2009, claiming silver in the Skateboard Street competition. Last year, Huston duplicated that feat.
Huston upgraded to gold Saturday after his high run of 91.66 was enough to win the Skateboard Street finals at X Games 17.
The Huntington Beach native barely topped Luan Oliveira’s 91-point run. Huston’s opening run of 89.66 appeared as if it could win the event on its own until Oliveira provided the only other run to top it.
Defending gold medalist and San Clemente native Ryan Sheckler took bronze with a run worth 89.00.
Ryan Decenzo and Chaz Ortiz rounded out the final grouping. The five skaters made the most of an 18-minute heat with 45-second runs on the concrete plaza complete with five sets of stairs, numerous ramps and even a mock-construction site.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Travis Pastrana may drive with hand controls on Rally Car
Daniel Dhers rallies to win BMX Freestyle Park gold medal
-- Douglas Farmer
X Games: Skateboard Vert elimination round saves best for last
Skateboard Vert saved the best for last.
Fourteen-time medalist Pierre-Luc Gagnon and X Games icon Shaun White showed an expanded field of 20 skaters how it’s done when they finally got their turns as the last and second-to-last skaters in the elimination round of the Skateboard Vert competition.
White exploded down the ramp and immediately got more air than any of the previous 18 skaters, putting together a nearly flawless run, good enough for 84.66 points and second place out of the gate. Not to be outdone, Gagnon responded with a technically sound run for 82.66 points to immediately crack the top 10. Then they both stepped it up another notch during their next run –- White stealing first with more aerial moves for 86.33 points, and Gagnon posting an even better 87.00 without flinching.
The ease with which the top two skaters glided through their routines was a sharp contrast to the rest of the field, which largely could not stay on their skateboards for the full 30 seconds. At least half the runs ended with crashes and low scores.
But veterans Bob Burnquist and Bucky Lasek survived, finishing fifth and seventh respectively. They will both compete in Round One of the Vert competition later tonight.
Skateboard Vert qualifiers
Pierre-Luc Gagnon: 87.00
Shaun White: 86.33
Alex Perelson: 85.33
Sandro Dias: 84.00
Bob Burnquist: 83.33
Adam Taylor: 83.33
Bucky Lasek: 82.66
Andy Macdonald: 81.66
Elliot Sloan: 81.66
Paul-Luc Ronchetti: 79.33
--Matt Stevens
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Nyjah Huston breaks through for Skateboard Street win
Daniel Dhers rallies to win BMX Freestyle Park gold medal
Photo: Shaun White warms up before the Skateboard Vert elimination round on Saturday at the Nokia Theater. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
X Games: Four days of organized chaos
Anyone who has dared to walk the streets around L.A. Live this weekend knows that the X Games represent one of the most organized four days of chaos on the planet.
With eight different event structures around a relatively small area of downtown, more than 31,000 sweaty spectators sat, stood in line and jostled with each other on Friday.
Perhaps even more striking, an X Games spokeswoman said that there are about 2,000 staff members to keep everything running smoothly. Those folks range from the security at every turn, to attractive vendors handing out free stuff, to the people serving and preparing the food.
The spokeswoman also noted that the X Games do not use any volunteers.
The “X-Fest” is perhaps the most eclectic of the areas, serving as the main walkway down Chick Hearn Court that connects all the event areas. It’s constantly filled with vendors, TVs, children and their watchful parents. At the same moment that one teenager is trying on a Hurley T-shirt, a smaller child is snatching up his Kick Buttowski foam hand from the Radio Disney booth. Dad is probably down the street, affixing his blue Shark Week fin to his head, courtesy of the Travel Channel.
All this is happening while rally cars race through the streets of L.A. and motorcycles are revving up for competition on the dirt track inside the Staples Center.
After a day or two, it all appears normal.
Only at the X Games.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Nyjah Huston breaks through for Skateboard Street win
Daniel Dhers rallies to win BMX Freestyle Park gold medal
--Matt Stevens
Photo: A look at downtown L.A. from atop the Big Air ramp next to Staples Center. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times
X Games: 24-year-old Liam Doran wins Rally Car Racing gold in upset
On the streets of downtown Los Angeles, X Games rookie Liam Doran, 24, upset legendary European driver Marcus "Bosse" Gronholm, 43, to win the gold medal in the Rally Car Racing final Saturday.
Doran, from Kent, England, faced Gronholm, who hails from Inkoo, Finland, in a best-of-three final with each driver taking two laps around the 3,100-feet, six-turn course that also features a 52-foot jump.
Doran won the first race, which was fairly close, and then won second, which wasn't so close, to take the gold medal.
Doran's biggest hurdle was upsetting Capistrano Beach native Tanner Foust in the semifinals.
Foust, one of only four drivers who have competed in every Rally Car event at the X Games, came up short in the bronze-medal race against Tanner Higgins when his car broke down shortly after the start.
Foust, who won gold medals in both Rally Car events last year, is expected to compete in Sunday's RallyCross final, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Nyjah Huston breaks through for Skateboard Street win
Daniel Dhers rallies to win BMX Freestyle Park gold medal
-- Baxter Holmes
Photo: David Higgins leads Dave Mirra during their Rally Car Racing quarterfinal on Saturday on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Harry How/Getty Images
Mike Scioscia denies Angels have interest in Rafael Betancourt
Only a day before Sunday's trade deadline, the Angels have reportedly turned their attention to middle- and late-inning relief help. But Saturday, Manager Mike Scioscia (pictured above) said he and General Manager Tony Reagins have not talked about Colorado's Rafael Betancourt, one name to which the team has been linked.
"His name has not come up in any conversations I’ve had with Tony," Scioscia said.
Asked what the chances are that Reagins would send him a player he hadn't known about, Scioscia grinned and answered, "He hasn't as of yet."
Another player the Angels are reportedly pursuing is Baltimore's Koji Uehara. But several other teams have inquired about him as well and it's unlikely the Angels will be able to put together an attractive enough package of prospects to make that trade happen.
Teams have until 1 p.m. PDT Sunday to make deals. After that time, players must past through waivers before they can change teams.
RELATED:
Angels display split personality in 12-2 loss to Tigers
Mike Scioscia torn over how to handle rookie Mike Trout
Peter Bourjos improves batting but remains unsatisfied
-- Kevin Baxter in Detroit
Photo credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
X Games: Daniel Dhers rallies to win BMX Freestyle Park gold medal
Daniel Dhers (pictured above) snuck up on Dennis Enarson to snatch X Games gold with his final run at the BMX Freestyle Park final on Saturday afternoon.
PHOTOS: X Games 17 flies high at Staples Center
Enarson looked to be safely in first as the riders mounted for their last attempt –- so safe that he tried a double-spin, no-handed aerial trick that he failed to land in his final run. After the buzzer ushered him out, in stepped Dhers, six points behind. And with an impressive twist to cap off his final run, Dhers was rewarded with 41 points, to throw him into a tie for first place with Enarson.
Dhers had the higher third score between the two riders and consequently won the tiebreaker to earn the gold medal.
Scotty Cranmer finished far ahead of the rest of the pack to round out the podium in third.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Travis Pastrana may drive with hand controls on Rally Car
Jamie Bestwick wins fifth BMX Freestyle Vert title in a row
--Matt Stevens
Photo credit: Harry How / Getty Images
X Games: Dennis Enarson leads BMX Freestyle Park qualifying
In the second heat, two-time gold medalist Scotty Cranmer put together a flawless 40-point run that vaulted him into the final with 74 points. Behind a full bike spin in midair, which he finished with a perfect transfer, Cranmer advances along with Chase Hawk, who did just enough to advance with 69 points.
PHOTOS: X Games 17 flies high at Staples Center
Event favorite Garrett Reynolds had a chance to overtake Hawk in his final run, but he failed to land a 720 spin that ended his chances at a medal in Park. His is expected to do well Sunday in BMX Street, an event in which he's the three-time defending champion.
The 20-year-old Enarson took silver in both the Street and Park events in last year’s X Games. He led all bikers with a two-round score of 82 in the elimination round.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Travis Pastrana may drive with hand controls on Rally Car
Jamie Bestwick wins fifth BMX Freestyle Vert title in a row
--Matt Stevens
Photo: Dennis Enarson performs a no-hands trick during a BMX Freestyle Park run on Saturday. Credit: Harry How / Getty Images
Umenyiora Ends Holdout and Reports to Giants Camp
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New Giants had their first walkthrough of training camp Saturday morning and Osi Umenyiora, as expected, was nowhere to be found at the Timex Performance Center. Umenyiora, unhappy with his contract, seemingly decided to hold out for a second day and pay the consequences — $30,000 worth.
But sometime between the conclusion of the walkthrough at noon and the team’s first official practice at 6 p.m., Umenyiora decided to end his protest and report to Giants training camp. He was expected to arrive in time for the evening practice. That does not mean all is well in East Rutherford, however.
The Pro Bowl defensive end is still seeking a trade or a new contract that he claims General Manager Jerry Reese promised and reportedly said he will never speak to Reese again — even if the issue is resolved.
Earlier in the summer, Umenyiora not only accused Reese of lying, he did so in a sworn affidavit that was filed in a Minnesota federal court as in the players’ antitrust lawsuit against the National Football League during the lockout.
In it, Umenyiora stated that in an April 2008 meeting Reese promised he would renegotiate Umenyiora’s contract in two seasons if he continued playing at a high level.
Over the next two seasons, Umenyiora, now 29, did not miss a game and had 18.5 sacks, including 11.5 in 2010, the third-highest total in his career.
On Friday Reese refused to comment on the matter. When asked if the circumstances meant the situation was beyond repair, was optimistic.
“We’ve all seen worse,” fellow defensive end Justin Tuck said, before Umenyiora ended his holdout. “A couple years ago Michael Strahan was in a similar situation.”
First-round pick still unsigned: Cornerback Prince Amukamara, the Giants’ first-round pick, remains the only unsigned drafted rookie. On Thursday, General Manager Jerry Reese said he did not expect negotiations with the Nebraska product to drag on through training camp.
Amukamara’s future teammates are looking forward to him joining the team soon.
“I have seen some of Prince’s film and he is a great player and I’m pretty sure he is a great person,” defensive back Antrel Rolle said. “You want to have everyone here but at the same time it is a professional business. He has to make sure that he takes care of himself on his end also.”
Scioscia denies Angels have interest in Betancourt
Only a day before Sunday's trade deadline, the Angels have reportedly turned their attention to middle- and late-inning relief help. But Saturday, Manager Mike Scioscia said he and General Manager Tony Reagins have not talked about Colorado's Rafael Betancourt, one name to which the team has been linked.
"His name has not come up in any conversations I’ve had with Tony," Scioscia said.
Asked what the chances are that Reagins would send him a player he hadn't known about, Scioscia grinned and answered, "He hasn't as of yet."
Another player the Angels are reportedly pursuing is Baltimore's Koji Uehara. But several other teams have inquired about him as well and it's unlikely the Angels will be able to put together an attractive enough package of prospects to make that trade happen.
Teams have until 1 p.m. PDT Sunday to make deals. After that time, players must past through waivers before they can change teams.
-- Kevin Baxter in Detroit
A Q&A With Jerry Glanville
The N.F.L. League is back in business, and its 30 coaches are scrambling to cram months of preparation into a couple of weeks. There are some underemployed football coaches out there, but Jerry Glanville, though idle, had the pedal to the metal in the hills of north Georgia.
“Can you hear me?” Glanville said by cellphone, yelling to be heard over the snarling engine of his 1984 Thunderbird. “I’m driving around the mountains. If I lose you, call right back. I have to go drop this car off and pick up another.”
Glanville’s career has been a wild ride. In a bit more than eight seasons as an N.F.L. head coach, his record was 63-73. He endorsed an aggressive style of play and was known for his candor. He left the N.F.L. in 1993 and became a television commentator while pursuing a career racing trucks and cars in Nascar.
“I think when I ran for Rookie of the Year, I was 54, and Jeff Gordon was 18 at the same time, and I was battling him!” he said. “Now that’s fun!”
Glanville, 69, spent the last five years coaching college football, first as defensive coordinator at Hawaii, then as the coach at Portland State. In March, Glanville was hired as the coach and general manager of the Hartford Colonials in the nascent United Football League. Last week, the U.F.L. announced it was delaying the start of the season until mid-September to address financial issues. Glanville returned to his home in Georgia to wait for the season to begin.
How has the U.F.L. postponing the start of its season affected you?
I’m funny, because you can disappoint me but not discourage me. So I’m disappointed, but I’m not discouraged. I hope it all works out.
When the U.F.L. hired you, you said you might have the best job in America.
I think it’s a throwback to 1974, when I was with Detroit. The players aren’t spoiled, everybody’s together. We screwed the game up with bonuses based on nothing having to do with team wins. In the U.F.L., you don’t have any of that. The No. 1 goal? Win the game. What a concept that is, huh? You’re gonna hear a lot of racket, I’m trying to start up one of my racecars. You don’t care, do you?
No, that’s fine.
[Sound of an engine cranking, not turning over] They don’t like to start. [Sound of an engine cranking, not turning over.] Wow, got some power, huh? [Sound of engine cranking, this time roaring to life; Glanville screams over the noise.] That’s what I’m talking about! I’m gonna back out of the garage. It’s a drag car that I run. It’s an ‘84 Thunderbird, with a 351 Cleveland. Whoo baby! You think I’m crazy, don’t you? But the reason I said I thought I had the best job is, we have a great owner. And the owner wants me to coach the football team. There’s no politics, which I was never any good at. There’s no kissing butt. You like the sound of the car?
It sounds good on my cellphone.
You got 525 horsepower, 555 pounds of torque. It’s awesome.
Was your racing career dangerous?
Yeah, you get in accidents every other year or so, get knocked around a little bit. I got burned up, got caught in a fire, got skin grafts. Everybody said, “Oh, after that fire, you’ll never drive the same.” The greatest thing is they did a skin graft — on my right arm, from my shoulder to my elbow, all the skin is from my right leg. But the way the skin graft came out, the skin graft looks like the state of Texas. And I look at that and I think, How sweet is that? I got the state of Texas on my arm! It’s kind of funny, a guy called me and he goes, “How does that affect you, now that you’ve got your legs up on your arms?” I go, “I get down on all fours, I can run like a horse. I’m faster than ever!”
There was a story that when you were coaching in the N.F.L., you would leave tickets for Elvis before every game. Was that true?
Don’t screw up a good story with facts. We were playing the New England Patriots in a spring game. June Jones and I were riding to work in a pickup truck, and on the radio they said Elvis was spotted at a Burger King in Michigan. And June says, “Isn’t the halftime show dedicated to Elvis at our game?” I said, “Yeah.” He goes, “Well hell, we ought to leave him a ticket.” So we left him a ticket. Now if you get on the Internet, you’ll see that I left him a ticket for every game I coached in Atlanta. We never left a ticket for anyone in Atlanta, ever. But why ruin that story?
Do you ever Google yourself?
I used to have a thing on my computer, you could type in a “Jerry Glanville” alert. So if somebody wrote something new, it would pop up. And I was at home the whole time. It would give me three one day, two the next day, then seven. I’d go, “You gotta be kidding.” One I got mad at. They had a deal, they were voting whether I was alive or not. I voted five times that I was alive. And then I figured out, hell, I might as well vote I’m dead.
Which side won?
You know, I was afraid to go back and see.
Why did you return to coaching?
I went to Iraq on an N.F.L. alumni thing, and I talked to all these 19-year-old kids, and they said, “You gotta come back and coach.” I said, “You know what? If I get home after this frickin’ trip, I’m gonna coach.” And I’ve been coaching ever since. I have a good friend, Waylon Jennings, who got sick. He said, “Jerry Glanville, don’t you dare die with the music inside you.” I’m a teacher. It doesn’t matter where you coach, it doesn’t matter if you’re in college. If you see a kid get better, you’ve had a hell of a day.
Do you want to get back to the N.F.L.?
I don’t want to go another day without coaching. That’s all that matters. But I like pro football. In college football, I could’ve taught ‘em 10 more things, but we were out of time! You’re only allowed 21 hours per week? You gotta be kidding me! You can make them better, but you can’t meet any longer?
Aren’t the kids there to go to school?
Jim Leyland and I went to high school together in Detroit; he’s now the manager of the Detroit Tigers. Whenever the Tigers played an afternoon game, Jim Leyland and I went to the Tigers game, and my mom wrote me a note. I said, “Mom, you’re great for writing this note.” My mom said, “You’ll learn more at the stadium than you will at school.”
Coach, thanks for your time.
Don’t let anybody discourage you, man. You with me?
Sure, Coach.
When times get tough, you’ve got to roar up on your hind legs and kick like a wild horse. As long as you do that, they can never bother you. You with me?
Yes, sir.
X Games: Day 3 begins at Freestyle Park, will include Rally Car racing
Day 3 of the X Games 17 is warming up at the Freestyle Park with Round 1 of the BMX competition set to begin.
Garrett Reynolds is among the favorites as three-time defending champion of the BMX Freestyle Park event. He finished sixth in the elimination round on Thursday. San Diego native Dennis Enarson took first in qualifying with a two-run score of 82 points.
PHOTOS: X Games 17 flies high at Staples Center
The field of 10 bikers will be cut down to five after Round 1, and the final will take place after a short break around 12:30 p.m.
Later this afternoon the fastest event at the X Games will exhibit rally cars racing through the streets of Los Angeles for the first time.
The Skateboard Street men’s Round 1 and Final will cap off the afternoon before a jam-packed evening session puts Moto X at center stage in the Staples Center.
RELATED:
X Games' safety a question as tricks get more dangerous
Marisa Dal Santo wins women's Skateboard Street competition
Jamie Bestwick wins fifth BMX Freestyle Vert title in a row
--Matt Stevens
Photo: Andy McDonald does a flip during the Skateboard Park competition on Thursday at the Freestyle Park, where BMX riders take to the course on Saturday. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
Giants Back at Camp, Again Minus Umenyiora
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Giants had their first walkthrough of training camp Saturday morning and as expected Osi Umenyiora was not at Timex Performance Center.
Umenyiora, a Pro Bowl defensive end who is seeking a trade or a new contract that he claims General Manager Jerry Reese promised him, held out for the second consecutive day. He will be fined $30,000 for each day he holds out, according the new collective bargaining agreement rules.
His fellow defensive end Justin Tuck said he called Umenyiora earlier in the morning and had “a great conversation.”
“My biggest concern is that he’s going to do something that’s going to hurt Osi,” Tuck said, referring to Umenyiora saying something he may regret in the future. “We all know he can play this game and play it well. I just want him to have the opportunity to play as long as he wants to do it.
“I’m not one of those guys that’s going to get in his ear and tell him, you need to be here, you need to do that. That’s not my position. I’m going to give him my stance on it and he can take it for what it’s worth. He knows where I stand; he knows that I’ll always be here supporting him, and that’s basically what our conversation was about.”
Earlier in the summer, Umenyiora not only accused Reese of lying, he did so in a sworn affidavit that was filed in the players’ antitrust lawsuit against the league.
Umenyiora said that in an April 2008 meeting Reese promised he would renegotiate Umenyiora’s contract in two seasons if he continued playing at a high level.
Over the next two seasons, Umenyiora, now 29, did not miss a game and had 18 1/2 sacks, including 11 1/2 in 2010, the third-highest total in his career.
When asked if the circumstances meant the situation was beyond repair, Tuck was hopeful.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a quicker end to this than people think, but again that’s just me being optimistic,” he said.
“We’ve all seen worse,” Tuck said. “Not to bring up old but a couple years ago Michael Strahan was in a similar situation.”
He added: “People got to understand it is a business. We just got out of a tremendous business deal just being able to come out here and play this game again.”
Top Pick Still Unsigned Cornerback Prince Amukamara, the Giants’ first round pick in this year’s draft, remains the only unsigned drafted rookie. General Manager Jerry Reese has said he does not expect negotiations to drag on through training camp.
Amukamara’s future teammates are looking forward to him joining the team soon.
“I have seen some of Prince’s film and he is a great player and I’m pretty sure he is a great person,” defensive back Antrel Rolle said. “You want to have everyone here but at the same time it is a professional business. He has to make sure that he takes care of himself on his end also.”
A Q&A with Jerry Glanville
The N.F.L. League is back in business, and its 30 coaches are scrambling to cram months of preparation into a couple of weeks. There are some underemployed football coaches out there, but Jerry Glanville, though idle, had the pedal to the metal in the hills of north Georgia.
“Can you hear me?” Glanville said by cellphone, yelling to be heard over the snarling engine of his 1984 Thunderbird. “I’m driving around the mountains. If I lose you, call right back. I have to go drop this car off and pick up another.”
Glanville’s career has been a wild ride. In a bit more than eight seasons as an N.F.L. head coach, his record was 63-73. He endorsed an aggressive style of play and was known for his candor. He left the N.F.L. in 1993 and became a television commentator while pursuing a career racing trucks and cars in Nascar.
“I think when I ran for Rookie of the Year, I was 54, and Jeff Gordon was 18 at the same time, and I was battling him!” he said. “Now that’s fun!”
Glanville, 69, spent the last five years coaching college football, first as defensive coordinator at Hawaii, then as the coach at Portland State. In March, Glanville was hired as the coach and general manager of the Hartford Colonials in the nascent United Football League. Last week, the U.F.L. announced it was delaying the start of the season until mid-September to address financial issues. Glanville returned to his home in Georgia to wait for the season to begin.
How has the U.F.L. postponing the start of its season affected you?
I’m funny, because you can disappoint me but not discourage me. So I’m disappointed, but I’m not discouraged. I hope it all works out.
When the U.F.L. hired you, you said you might have the best job in America.
I think it’s a throwback to 1974, when I was with Detroit. The players aren’t spoiled, everybody’s together. We screwed the game up with bonuses based on nothing having to do with team wins. In the U.F.L., you don’t have any of that. The No. 1 goal? Win the game. What a concept that is, huh? You’re gonna hear a lot of racket, I’m trying to start up one of my racecars. You don’t care, do you?
No, that’s fine.
[Sound of an engine cranking, not turning over] They don’t like to start. [Sound of an engine cranking, not turning over.] Wow, got some power, huh? [Sound of engine cranking, this time roaring to life; Glanville screams over the noise.] That’s what I’m talking about! I’m gonna back out of the garage. It’s a drag car that I run. It’s an ‘84 Thunderbird, with a 351 Cleveland. Whoo baby! You think I’m crazy, don’t you? But the reason I said I thought I had the best job is, we have a great owner. And the owner wants me to coach the football team. There’s no politics, which I was never any good at. There’s no kissing butt. You like the sound of the car?
It sounds good on my cellphone.
You got 525 horsepower, 555 pounds of torque. It’s awesome.
Was your racing career dangerous?
Yeah, you get in accidents every other year or so, get knocked around a little bit. I got burned up, got caught in a fire, got skin grafts. Everybody said, “Oh, after that fire, you’ll never drive the same.” The greatest thing is they did a skin graft — on my right arm, from my shoulder to my elbow, all the skin is from my right leg. But the way the skin graft came out, the skin graft looks like the state of Texas. And I look at that and I think, How sweet is that? I got the state of Texas on my arm! It’s kind of funny, a guy called me and he goes, “How does that affect you, now that you’ve got your legs up on your arms?” I go, “I get down on all fours, I can run like a horse. I’m faster than ever!”
There was a story that when you were coaching in the N.F.L., you would leave tickets for Elvis before every game. Was that true?
Don’t screw up a good story with facts. We were playing the New England Patriots in a spring game. June Jones and I were riding to work in a pickup truck, and on the radio they said Elvis was spotted at a Burger King in Michigan. And June says, “Isn’t the halftime show dedicated to Elvis at our game?” I said, “Yeah.” He goes, “Well hell, we ought to leave him a ticket.” So we left him a ticket. Now if you get on the Internet, you’ll see that I left him a ticket for every game I coached in Atlanta. We never left a ticket for anyone in Atlanta, ever. But why ruin that story?
Do you ever Google yourself?
I used to have a thing on my computer, you could type in a “Jerry Glanville” alert. So if somebody wrote something new, it would pop up. And I was at home the whole time. It would give me three one day, two the next day, then seven. I’d go, “You gotta be kidding.” One I got mad at. They had a deal, they were voting whether I was alive or not. I voted five times that I was alive. And then I figured out, hell, I might as well vote I’m dead.
Which side won?
You know, I was afraid to go back and see.
Why did you return to coaching?
I went to Iraq on an N.F.L. alumni thing, and I talked to all these 19-year-old kids, and they said, “You gotta come back and coach.” I said, “You know what? If I get home after this frickin’ trip, I’m gonna coach.” And I’ve been coaching ever since. I have a good friend, Waylon Jennings, who got sick. He said, “Jerry Glanville, don’t you dare die with the music inside you.” I’m a teacher. It doesn’t matter where you coach, it doesn’t matter if you’re in college. If you see a kid get better, you’ve had a hell of a day.
Do you want to get back to the N.F.L.?
I don’t want to go another day without coaching. That’s all that matters. But I like pro football. In college football, I could’ve taught ‘em 10 more things, but we were out of time! You’re only allowed 21 hours per week? You gotta be kidding me! You can make them better, but you can’t meet any longer?
Aren’t the kids there to go to school?
Jim Leyland and I went to high school together in Detroit; he’s now the manager of the Detroit Tigers. Whenever the Tigers played an afternoon game, Jim Leyland and I went to the Tigers game, and my mom wrote me a note. I said, “Mom, you’re great for writing this note.” My mom said, “You’ll learn more at the stadium than you will at school.”
Coach, thanks for your time.
Don’t let anybody discourage you, man. You with me?
Sure, Coach.
When times get tough, you’ve got to roar up on your hind legs and kick like a wild horse. As long as you do that, they can never bother you. You with me?
Yes, sir.
Strikeforce: Emelianenko reputation on the line against lighter Henderson
Two MMA legends collide in Chicago, Illinois, tonight but just how meaningful is this meeting between fighters who have been campaigning at middleweight and heavyweight ?
Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko have enjoyed top level status in the sport, but does the fact that Fedor faces Henderson at heavyweight diminish the standing of this contest ? Arguably, yes, given that there will be a 20lbs weight difference between them. (227 and 207 were the weights on the scales yesterday).
A statement of intent at the Sears Centre could have been made by getting the Russian (in shape for a start) and down to 205lbs. It would have said a lot about his desire to continue in the sport, a feature which has been tooth-combed since his defeats to Antonio BigFoot Silva and Fabricio Werdum.
Given that Alistair Overeem was released from the Strikeforce organization last night – at the behest of the UFC, we understand – there could be a return to the eight-man heavyweight tournament (now at the semi-final stage) for Fedor if there is a significant showing from him tonight. The tournament now needs life breathing back into it.
Henderson has revealed this week that there was never any great call for him to face Fedor when they were in the Pride Fighting Championships, but it is a challenge the American – and indeed the fans – are intrigued to see. Henderson will always be a handful for anyone, and while they have identical reach and Henderson may even be a shade taller, The Russian is experienced in dealing with bigger men. Henderson could cause an upset if Fedor really has lost interest in his career. No one will know until the bell tolls tonight.
* * * *
ESPN UFC Podcast this week, hosted by your correspondent. Gil Melendez discusses the Strikeforce card, how he would like to fight in the UFC and the best at lightweight, and breaks down the Strikeforce card. Click here to listen…
Paul Daley, whose career in the UFC is on hold ad infinitum according to UFC president Dana White this week, faces a crossroads moment in his career.
Beaten in a thrilling one-round contest with Nick Diaz earlier in the year, Daley can get himself back in Strikeforce welterweight title contention with a victory over the two-time All-American wrestler, undefeated Tyrone Woodley. Woodley coming off a unanimous decision over Tarec Saffiedine in January. It was impressive how he neutralized a quality opponent, but Woodley did take some criticism for a less than thrilling performance.
Expect wrestling, wrestling and more wrestling from Woodley. It could be Daley v Koscheck II.
“I have no intentions on riding this fight out,” Woodley has insisted. “I’m just going to be flat-out honest. Of course Daley wants to fight ‘Cyborg’ and Diaz, guys that are going to stand with him and bang, but guess what? This isn’t kickboxing. This isn’t Muay Thai. … This is MMA.”
Fine. But Woodley knows how dangerous Daley is with his hands, and is only likely to take Daley to the ground. That means Daley will likely have to call on his takedown defense if he wants to strike with Woodley.
“He’s going to be so tired from me pulling on him, picking him up, slamming him on his head, dropping elbows across his face,” Woodley said. “If we make it to the later rounds, he won’t even look like the striker he was in the first round. I’m just going to go out with my game plan. I’m going to win this fight. I’m going to do it in great fashion. I think the fans will appreciate it.”
Your correspondent on ESPN MMA Live Extra on the Daley v Woodley match-up in Illinois, while rising middleweight Tim Kennedy talks about his contest with Robbie Lawler.
ESPN MMA Live on Daley, Kennedy
Strikeforce is live on Primetime (Sky Channel 480), tonight from 3am.