Headlines from around the world in sports
FILE - This Dec. 24, 2011 file photo shows New York Jets' Darrelle Revis before an NFL football game against the New York Giants, in East Rutherford, N.J. Revis says there's "no question" he will return from a torn knee ligament to be the same dominant player he has been throughout his career with the New York Jets. The star cornerback says Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, in his first public comments since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee three weeks ago that it has been hard to watch games since "you're looking outside in." (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File)
NFL
Stallworth injured when balloon hits power lines
MIAMI – NFL free agent Donte Stallworth was hospitalized yesterday with serious burns after the hot air balloon carrying him and two other people crashed into power lines above South Florida, his agent said.
The 10-year NFL veteran won’t suffer any permanent damage from the accident in Homestead, said Drew Rosenhaus, Stallworth’s agent.
“He’s going to be okay. He has some burns, but he’s going to be fine,” Rosenhaus said. “He will be able to continue his NFL career. The injuries are not to the extent they will jeopardize his career.”
Rosenhaus said one of the passengers was Stallworth’s girlfriend, but he would not say whether she was hurt.
The basket carrying three hot air balloon passengers crashed into the power lines while airborne, according to Miami-Dade Police spokesman Roy Rutland.
Two passengers were injured and transported to a trauma center, Rutland said. A third passenger in the basket was not injured.
NFL
Revis earns $1 million bonus with Jets
NEW YORK – Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis, the subject of trade rumors, earned a $1 million roster bonus as a result of a clause in his contract with New York.
According to the clause, the bonus kicked in yesterday since Revis was still on the Jets’ roster – not traded or cut – at the end of the business day. There has been intense speculation during the past several weeks that the Jets will try to trade their best player, who is recovering from a torn knee ligament.
Some believed that move could come by yesterday so the Jets could avoid the clause, but Revis will receive the bonus later in the year and it counts on New York’s salary cap – whether or not he remains with the team.
NFL
Jets re-sign K Folk
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – The New York Jets re-signed kicker Nick Folk, who opted to stay with the team after being an unrestricted free agent.
Folk has been with the Jets for three seasons after signing with New York as a free agent in 2010. He was 21 of 27 on field-goal attempts last season, and 134 for 172 for his career. He spent his first three NFL seasons with Dallas.
The team announced the move yesterday, along with making the signings Friday of offensive lineman Willie Colon and defensive lineman Antonio Garay official.
Folk is the second free agent to re-sign with the Jets, joining fullback Lex Hilliard. New York lost several key players in free agency, including safety LaRon Landry, running back Shonn Greene and tight end Dustin Keller.
NFL
49ers sign safety Dahl to three-year deal
SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco 49ers signed safety Craig Dahl to a three-year contract, finding a replacement in the secondary after Dashon Goldson received a five-year deal from Tampa Bay.
The 27-year-old Dahl spent the past four seasons with the St. Louis Rams and had 78 tackles and an interception in 2012.
San Francisco’s front office hosted a handful of defensive backs for meetings this week, including veteran free agent Charles Woodson and Louis Delmas, who wound up in Detroit.
Goldson spent the past two seasons on one-year contracts for the 49ers and sought a long-term deal. He signed a $41.25 million, five-year contract with Tampa Bay – even after 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh said re-signing Goldson was a top priority.
San Francisco lost 34-31 in the Super Bowl to Baltimore.
NHL
Detroit D Quincey out with fractured cheekbone
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Detroit Red Wings defenseman Kyle Quincey will need surgery after fracturing a cheekbone Friday night in Edmonton.
Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland said yesterday that Quincey flew home to Detroit after he was injured. Quincey was hurt when a shot hit the shaft of his stick and ramped up into his face.
Quincey has a goal and an assist in 26 games this season.
TENNIS
Nadal beats Berdych to reach Indian Wells final
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Rafael Nadal rallied to beat Tomas Berdych, 6-4, 7-5, in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open yesterday and reach his fourth ATP Tour final in as many events.
Off to the best start of his career, Nadal improved to 16-1 – including 13 wins in a row – on the year, having won two clay-court titles and been runner-up in another since returning from a left knee injury that idled him for seven months.
It was Nadal’s 12th straight win over Berdych, including seven consecutive on hard courts. Nadal, who beat No. 2 Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, will be seeking his third Indian Wells title in today’s final, where he’ll play either top-ranked Novak Djokovic or No. 7 seed Juan Martin del Potro, who met in the other semi.
No. 2 seed Maria Sharapova and No. 8 Caroline Wozniacki will play for the women’s title today.
GOLF
Leonard in 3-way tie for the lead at Innisbrook
PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Kevin Streelman figured a good round yesterday would at least get him in the mix at the Tampa Bay Championship. It wound up giving him a share of the lead.
Streelman had a 6-under 65 and was tied for the lead with Justin Leonard (67) and George Coetzee of South Africa (68). But this tournament was wide open heading into the final day, with 16 players separated by only three shots.
Adam Scott had the lead for one hole until he fell apart, and so many others followed.
Nine players had at least a share of the lead on a warm, pleasant day on the menacing Copperhead course at Innisbrook. Jim Furyk and defending champion Luke Donald were well within range, as was 19-year-old Jordan Spieth of Texas.
College basketball
Texas Tech fires six assistants; Walker stays on
LUBBOCK , Texas – Texas Tech fired six assistant men’s basketball coaches but retained Interim Head Coach Chris Walker.
Dismissed were assistants Jeremy Cox and Bubba Jennings, Craig Wells and Jim Shaw in operations, and Josh Mills and Derrick Jasper in video production.
Athletic department spokesman Blayne Beal yesterday confirmed the firings, which happened earlier in the day.
Beal says there is no timetable for athletic director Kirby Hocutt to pick a permanent head coach.
Skiing
Ligety gets 6th World Cup giant slalom win
LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland – Ted Ligety capped his dominant season in giant slalom with a sixth World Cup win yesterday, fueling comparisons with the best GS skier in history.
The American skier joined Ingemar Stenmark as the only men in the 47-year World Cup history to get six GS victories in a season. Stenmark’s 10-race sweep in 1978-79 is the record.
“It’s very surreal for any ski racer,” Ligety said of being likened to the Swede. “He is at another level that’s not really achievable.”
Ligety’s 17 career World Cup wins in his specialist event are a long way from Stenmark’s 46, though the latest came with similar authority.
He raced smoothly down the steep slope in a two-run time of 2 minutes, 14.76 seconds, beating overall World Cup winner Marcel Hirscher by 0.37 seconds.
Hirscher was runner-up to Ligety for the fourth time, and French prospect Alexis Pinturault trailed by 1.16 in third.
SOCCER
AEK player in trouble over Nazi salute
ATHENS, Greece – AEK Athens midfielder Giorgos Katidis has earned rebukes from politicians, fellow athletes and fans after giving a Nazi salute in celebration of a goal he scored in the Greek league.
Photographs show him giving a Nazi salute after scoring the go-ahead goal in the 84th minute over visiting Veria yesterday. In one photo, Katidis’ Brazilian-born teammate, Roger Guerreiro, looks at him with an expression of astonishment.
The 20-year-old Katidis pleaded ignorance of the meaning of his gesture – right arm extended and hand straightened. He claimed on his Twitter account that he detests fascism.
AEK’s German Coach Ewald Lienen, said the player doesn’t have an “idea about politics.”
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