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Filed under: Dodgers, Giants, Mets, MLB Hall of Fame  NEW YORK (AP) -- Duke Snider, the Hall of Fame center fielder for the charmed "Boys of Summer'' who helped the Dodgers bring their elusive and only World Series crown to Brooklyn, died early Sunday of what his family called natural causes. He was 84. Snider died at the Valle Vista Convalescent Hospital in Escondido, Calif., according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which announced the death on behalf of the family. "The Duke of Flatbush'' hit .295 with 407 career home runs, played in the World Series six times and won two titles. But the eight-time All-Star was defined by much more than his stats -- he was, after all, part of the love affair between the borough of Brooklyn and "Dem Bums'' who lived in the local neighborhoods. Ebbets Field was filled with stars such as Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella and Gil Hodges during that 1955 championship season. Yet it is Snider's name that refrains in the ballpark favorite "Talkin' Baseball.'' "Willie, Mickey, and the Duke,'' the popular song goes. Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/02/27/duke-snider-dodgers-hall-of-famer-dies-at-84/ Ashlee Simpson Ashley Greene Ashley Olsen Ashley Scott Ashley Tappin by Clay TravisFiled under: Sports Business and Media  As the NFL's lockout calendar draws increasingly near, negotiations between the Players Association and the owners is already becoming too complicated for the average fan to follow. Yesterday, brought news that the owners filed a complaint with the NLRB claiming that the Players Association was engaging in unfair bargaining practices. As part of that complaint, the NFL cited the player union's threat to decertify in the event the owners lock out the players. The decertification by the NFLPA would mean the NFL would be in danger of antitrust charges because Collective Bargaining Agreements countenance some forms of antitrust activity, the antitrust exemption, so long as that antitrust activity is bargained for by two parties acting in good faith. Remove that exemption and the NFL could face serious issues when 32 teams are acting in concert with one another. Is your head spinning from that information? I know it is. And things are only going to get more complicated from here. That means that fans, who just want the damn games played, are going to tune out the day-to-day babble surrounding the negotiations. The Other Side
We expect players to act like inmates. The owners of the asylum are supposed to take the high road, only they seem to have lost the map.
-- David Whitley on why the owners are at fault in the NFL labor dispute Those details will be significant to a tiny minority of the overall fan base. And the information, misinformation, accusations and counter-accusations are going to be flying so fast and furious from both sides that you'll need a law degree and 20 years of labor relations practice under your belt, to actually be able to parse the significant information. Nope, instead of enmeshing themselves in the details the fans are going to blame someone if come September there are no games. And I'll tell you who eventually is going to end up being blamed for the impasse by the vast majority of fans -- the players. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/15/fans-will-blame-players-for-nfl-lockout/ Amber Valletta America Ferrera Amerie Amy Cobb Amy Smart Filed under: Giants, NFC East Maybe it was because his boss, John Mara, said Thursday that he's on the verge of what almost surely would be the final contract extension of his career. Maybe it was because his team was the NFL's best not to make the playoffs in 2010. Or maybe it was because at six months from being eligible for Social Security, he's too old to care what anyone else thinks of him anymore. Whatever the reason, normally taciturn New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin was positively chatty during a 30-minute session with reporters on Friday at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. This was the Coughlin, who after New York's 10-6 season, said of his critics, "They can line up and kiss my (expletive)" as opposed to the coach of few words. As Coughlin explained about Giants safety Antrel Rolle saying his coach needs to loosen up, "He should have seen me a few years ago." The kinder, gentler Coughlin is worried about the impending lockout because it will affect his relationship with his players, some of whom are heading into their eighth year with the former Captain Queeg. "That would be, or will be, something that none of us in this profession really want," Coughlin said. "Everything we do is always a hands-on approach. You have the constant flow of information back and forth. I talk to (the players) a lot, I really do. Even prior to the start of the offseason program (in mid-March), guys are around all the time. Most of them will go away and then they'll come back. And when they come back, they come in. That's the way it is, that's the way we want it." Other than acknowledging that center is a concern because of injuries to longtime starters Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert, his replacement for most of 2010, Coughlin didn't discuss what position he hopes to gain talent from in April's draft. However, the coach was upbeat about Seubert being able to overcome a serious knee injury suffered in the 2010 finale and defensive end Mathia Kiwanuka returning from the neck injury that ended his season after four sacks in just four games. "The injury factor did take a toll," Coughlin said of New York's 2010 season, while still blaming the failure to make the playoffs on a league-leading 42 turnovers. Coughlin, who demoted Brandon Jacobs last August and clashed with him in September, made it clear that he wants the running back to remain a Giant. That's even though Jacobs' 147 carries last year were barely half of starter Ahmad Bradshaw's 276 and even though as he exited the team's headquarters in early January, Jacobs snapped,"You're all taking pictures of Brandon Jacobs leaving, wondering if he's ever going to return." On the other hand, Jacobs, who'll be 29 in July and has a base salary of $4.65 million in 2011, is under contract while Bradshaw is unsigned. "He's got a lot of gas left in the tank," Coughlin said of the burly Jacobs, who surprisingly averaged 5.6 yards per carry to Bradshaw's fine 4.5. "As you look at everything at the end of the year, Brandon was fresher than he's ever been, healthier than he's ever been and probably needs to carry the ball a little bit more." But Coughlin was much less positive about the possible return of Plaxico Burress, who has been out of football since accidentally shooting himself in 2008, an offense that prompted a two-year prison sentence that figures to end before the one-time standout receiver turns 34 in August. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/tom-coughlin-speaks-on-plaxico-burress-possiblities-antrel-roll/ Grace Park Gretha Cavazzoni Gwen Stefani Halle Berry Hayden Panettiere Filed under: Golf Odds and Ends  The Waste Management Phoenix Open is one of the few PGA events that has the feel of an NFL game or a NASCAR race -- not to confuse the two demographics, but both atmospheres have very similar qualities. Huge crowds will again be in attendance, despite weather so cold the pro-am was canceled. TPC Scottsdale's par-3, 16th hole is the most exciting hole in golf with bleachers surrounding tee to green. It will serve as the Kodak Challenge hole for the week, which gives it an unneeded boost. Sit back and enjoy the party in Arizona, and keep an eye on these players. The favorites for this week are familiar names who have started strong in 2011: 1. Phil Mickelson -- After a strong performance at Torrey Pines, Phil heads to another course that he loves. With two wins and nine top-10s at this tournament, he is the favorite to win this week. The former Arizona State player will need to tighten up his game off the tee, but his short game looks to be in order. 2. Dustin Johnson -- Any personal issues that Johnson might have been experiencing when he withdrew a few weeks ago are not affecting him. He was near the top in every major statistical category last week and finished with a final-round 66, which included no bogeys. With top-10s in both starts this year, it would be a surprise if he didn't make it three. 3. Hunter Mahan -- Last year's winner should be primed for a title defense. Mahan entered Sunday's final round last week in the last group, but a double bogey on the opening hole set the tone for day and he finished the Farmers T6. His win in Phoenix a year ago was highlighted by only 12 missed greens the entire week. If he can continue to hit his driver well, expect him to have a lot of birdie opportunities.
4. Rickie Fowler -- He came within one shot of winning here in just the sixth tournament of his rookie year. Fast-forward one year and the young star continues to look for that first Tour victory. Fowler didn't play as well as his T20 finish last week would indicate. Following his 65 on the easier of the two Torrey Pines courses, Fowler shot 2 over for the remainder of the tournament, but he should feel pretty comfortable this week. 5. Jhonattan Vegas -- It's probably a bit premature to be including Vegas in the short list of favorites, but the rookie has earned it. The Venezuelan entered the 72nd hole last week just one stroke out of the lead and a realistic opportunity for back-to-back wins. The most impressive aspect of his performance was his calm and confidence in a high-pressure home stretch. The FedEx Cup points leader looks like he belongs. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2011/02/02/phoenix-open-power-rankings-mickelson-primed-for-success/ Marisa Tomei Marla Sokoloff Marley Shelton Mary Elizabeth Winstead Megan Ewing  PHOENIX - The measure of a baseball team is not how many runs it scores or how many runs it allows. What matter is how many more runs it scores than it allows. Such was Billy Beane's thought when he did something in January that may have puzzled casual observers. Instead of continuing to try to upgrade an offense that was clearly the team's biggest weakness, the A's general manager added two more free agent pitchers to a staff that had already led the league in ERA. The fewer runs you allow, Beane figured, the fewer you have to score. While offensive additions like David DeJesus, Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui have been the focus of most of the discussion about the improved A's, the club is also excited about a bullpen that may be the best in baseball. "The names may not be as popular as any other teams, but the quality might be as good as anybody," manager Bob Geren said. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/as-bullpen-setting-up-to-be-a-strength/ Ashley Scott Ashley Tappin Ashley Tisdale Asia Argento Aubrey ODay Filed under: Heat, Wizards, Chris Bosh  MIAMI -- The Miami Heat got back to their winning ways after a tough loss to the Chicago Bulls the night before with a tougher than expected 121-113 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Competing on the second night of a back-to-back set, the Heat looked a bit sluggish in the opening quarter of the game as the Wizards looked nothing like a team who have only managed one road victory in 29 games. The surprisingly tough victory made it seven wins in a row at home and placed the Heat a half-game behind the Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference lead. Wade red hot from the field
Dwyane Wade got it going in the second quarter scoring 18 of his team's first 19 points with 9 straight baskets, enabling the Heat to score more than twice as many points as they did in the first quarter. Wade's 41 points came off a season high 18 field goals out of 27 attempts, though oddly enough he was wobbly from the free throw line going 3-for-9. In his finest moments, he was unstoppable as he attacked the basket while also effortlessly draining shots from all over the field including a pair of three-pointers. "I hit some jump shots and that opened up my game," Wade explained. "I finally got it going and at the same time we needed to get back and get the lead so it was kind of one of those moments."
Wall impressive in his debut against the Heat Even with Wade's offensive explosion, both teams played mostly even in the first half and deep into the third quarter as a result of Wizards guard Nick Young's 38 points along with prized rookie John Wall's 24 points and 12 assists. It was Wall's first game against the Heat due to injuries holding him back the first two games of the season series. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/heat-outlast-wizards-at-home-as-dwyane-wade-puts-up-41-points/ Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum Erica Leerhsen Erika Christensen Estella Warren Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South If this was the 2008 draft and the Atlanta Falcons had the third pick in the draft, it is pretty clear they would not take Cameron Newton with that pick, like they did when they took Matt Ryan. Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff was asked at the NFL Combine about character and personality when evaluating quarterbacks. I'm not trying to make Dimitroff look like a Cam-basher; I'm just interested in his responses because he is a respected GM and I think he's smart as heck. "To me, it's huge. It was a big part of our interview process with Matt Ryan," Dimitroff said. "We spent a lot of time not only with him physically in Boston, but a lot of time with associates he dealt with. We want him to be the first guy in and the last guy out. "We want him to have a presence. We want Matt Ryan to lead the entire team. ... That respect was something that Matt was able to obtain right away with the Atlanta Falcons from the defense and offense." Did Newton hurt his chances to be the No. 1 pick when he said in interviews that he wanted to be "an icon and entertainer." Dimitroff said it might not raise red flags with some teams, but it might raise red flags with others. It is pretty clear the Falcons are really leaning on personality and character when drafting players or signing free agents. Dimitroff is not alone here. Teams invest a lot of money in quarterbacks and it is one position where they absolutely cannot make a mistake. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/cam-newton-character-questions-addressed-by-falcons-gm-at-nfl-co/ Larissa Meek Laura Harring Laura Prepon Lauren Bush Lauren Conrad Filed under: Hawks, Wizards, NBA Rumors, NBA Transactions  PHOENIX -- Multiple reports have the Hawks and Wizards involved in a trade that would send Mike Bibby, Mo Evans, Jordan Crawford and a 2011 draft pick to Washington in exchange for Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong. Michael Lee of the Washington Post was among those to have confirmed that the deal is now done. As reports were swirling about the multi-player deal going down, the Hawks locker room had just opened to the media, as the team was preparing for Wednesday night's game against the Suns. Head coach Larry Drew was only able to confirm that the deal was pending, and that the three Atlanta players would be held out of the game while the details were sorted out. He did, however, say that the area he believes his team needs to improve the most is the point guard position. "Well, I don't think it's been a secret to anyone, as far as what we've been trying to do in trying to enhance our position at the point guard spot," Drew said. "We've made some inquiries about some players around the league, and the deal that we do have today pending does involve a guy who would come in and be our point guard for us. We're looking to enhance that position for us, and hopefully this thing goes through." When asked if the Hawks need to acquire yet another All-Star to compete with the likes of the Super Teams in the Eastern Conference -- the team already has two in Joe Johnson and Al Horford -- Drew said the team simply needs to improve wherever it can. "Whether that player be an All-Star or not I think we're always looking to bring another player in that can make our ball club better," Drew said. "We're always looking at potential deals, potential trades that can make us better. Certainly our phones have been pretty hot these last few days, and I'm sure they'll be hot tonight as we get closer and closer to the deadline."
Horford, meanwhile, wasn't so certain that his team needed to make a midseason trade to shake things up. But he seemed open to embracing the possibility. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/23/mike-bibby-kirk-hinrich-swap-places-in-hawks-wizard-trade/ Katharine Towne Katherine Heigl Katie Cassidy Katie Holmes Katy Perry |
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The nights have been long for 
Liverpool fans 
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Outfielder 
