Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in Business and Sports, Michael McCann, Roger Clemens
Neither side scored knockout blow through McNamee’s testimony
Brian McNamee, the only witness who claims to have seen Roger Clemens use steroids, returned to the stand Monday for his sixth and final day as the government’s most important witness. It was a grueling experience for Clemens’ former trainer and chief accuser, who endured a battering of questions, accusations and even insults during cross-examination.
McNamee may not be done testifying: although unlikely, Clemens’ lawyers could try to recall McNamee to the stand when it presents its case-in-chief. In the meantime, prosecution and defense attorneys will adjust their strategies in light of McNamee’s decidedly mixed performance. While McNamee clearly implicated Clemens as embracing the use of steroids and human growth hormone — and, by implication, knowingly lying to Congress — McNamee also invited jurors to question his own memory, veracity and intentions.
Read more: si.com
Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in baseball, Business and Sports, College baseball, ESPN, John Cohen, Mississippi State
MSU’s Frazier receives Team USA invitation
STARKVILLE — Adam Frazier’s summer plans are on hold.
The Mississippi State infielder was invited to join the Team USA National Collegiate Team last week, though he was not alerted until the moment he walked off the field following MSU’s three-game sweep of then-No. 5 Kentucky on Saturday.
“It’s nothing I ever expected, for sure,” Frazier said. “I’m excited about going up and playing Cape Cod this summer and when he told me that, it blew my mind. I’m really excited about it. To wear that across my chest is a huge honor.”
read more: clarionledger.com
Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in College baseball, fanaticism, John Cohen, Mississippi State, SEC
MSU’s revised goal: Earn right to host NCAA Regional
HOOVER, ALA. — Mississippi State’s final half of the SEC regular season was one of the best in school history.
Now coach John Cohen and his players want more as they enter the SEC Tournament and face 14th-ranked Arkansas in today’s second game, set to begin 30 minutes after the 9:30 a.m. opener between Ole Miss and Kentucky ends.
The Bulldogs believe hosting an NCAA Regional might be at stake if they can make a deep run this week at Regions Park.
read more: clarionledger.com
Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in Big 12, Business and Sports, Clay Travis, College football, conference expansion, Mike Slive, SEC
Reverberations of Big 12-SEC bowl ‘alliance’
Last Friday’s announcement that the Big 12 and SEC decided to hook up for a postseason game starting in 2014 was significant on a number of levels.
And, frankly, the game itself is way down the list.
The conferences announced that their champions would meet in a bowl if neither team was in the four-team national championship playoff, which is scheduled to begin in 2014. That the Big 12 and/or SEC champ wouldn’t be in the playoff is hard to fathom: Since the beginning of the BCS in 1998, only twice (in 1999 and 2002) has the title game not included a team from one of those leagues. And at least one of the league champs has been in the top four of the BCS standings each season; indeed, both league champs have been in the top four in seven of the 14 BCS seasons.
read more: sports.yahoo.com
Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, BCS, Business and Sports, College football, ESPN, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mike Slive, Mississippi State, Ole Miss
The SEC is looking to start its own network
Want to know why a conference that is already the most powerful college football conference in the country adds two new schools it doesn’t necessarily need? It does so because now the SEC can renegotiate its television contracts with both CBS and ESPN, the two networks that own the rights to SEC football games in the fall.
As you’d expect, given the television deals that have gone to the Pac-12 and the Big 12 in the last year, the SEC will be looking for more money from both ESPN and CBS for the right to broadcast games, though that’s not the end goal here.
According to Sports Business Daily(subscription), the SEC is once again looking into the idea of starting its own SEC Network, much like the Big Ten currently has.
read more: cbssports.com
Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in ACC, BCS, Big 12, Big East, Business and Sports, College football, conference expansion, ESPN, Notre Dame
Notre Dame has ‘contingency plans’ if it leaves Big East
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey said the Fighting Irish’s objective is to remain in the Big East, but admitted the school has “contingency plans” if it needs to join another conference.
“I know right now we’re focused 100 percent on [rebuilding the Big East] but there’s no question contingency plans [about joining another conference] on those pay grades higher than me have been discussed and will be discussed,” Brey told CBSSports.com at Monday’s Big East spring meetings.
When Notre Dame joined the Big East in all sports except football in 1995, the Big East consisted of 13 basketball members: Notre Dame, Boston College, UConn, Georgetown, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Miami, Rutgers and West Virginia.
read more: cbssports.com
Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in Boise State, Business and Sports, Chris Peterson, Coaching, College football, conference expansion
Mountain West had ‘in-depth discussions’ about keeping Boise State in league
The Mountain West said it had “in-depth discussions” with Boise State about keeping the Broncos in the league in the future, but that the school late last week opted to “continue with its plan to move to various other conferences.”
The league also confirmed that Boise State “has not yet officially withdrawn from the Mountain West.”
The Mountain West said it was a “one-time opportunity” for Boise State to reconsider its position.
The statement from Commissioner Craig Thompson to the Idaho Statesman came hours after Boise State Athletic Director Mark Coyle met with the media in Florida at the Big East meetings and denied full-blown meetings with the Mountain West. Coyle said he attended the Mountain West meetings “a few weeks ago.”
Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in Business and Sports, ESPN, fanaticism, MLB
Jose Canseco’s former neighbor, Alexander Lowrey, testifies Roger Clemens was at infamous 1998 barbecue and posed for pictureThe judge presiding over Roger Clemens’ perjury trial gave prosecutors a big victory on Monday when he ruled that Brian McNamee, the government’s chief witness, could tell jurors that he gave human growth hormone to Andy Pettitte, Mike Stanton and Chuck Knoblauch.
But the biggest name that emerged in court didn’t belong to an ex- or current Yankee, but to a one-time neighbor of Jose Canseco’s.
Alexander Lowrey, a former college baseball player, testified that he met and posed for photos with the pitcher at the now-infamous 1998 barbecue at the slugger’s South Florida home.
Read more: nydailynews.com
Posted by ccv
on May 22, 2012
in Doug Farrar - Shutdown Corner, NFL, NFLPA, Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquire tight end Dallas Clark, trade Kellen Winslow to Seattle Seahawks
TAMPA
Monday began with Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow dropping a bombshell, relaying a conversation in which coach Greg Schiano told him his days in Tampa Bay were over.
Shortly before midnight, Winslow was sent packing, traded to the Seahawks for an undisclosed 2013 draft pick.
Meanwhile, the Bucs acquired his replacement, signing former Colts star Dallas Clark, who teamed with Peyton Manning to help annually make Indianapolis an offensive juggernaut, to a one-year deal.
read more: tampabay.com
Posted by ccv
on May 21, 2012
in AFC West, Business and Sports, Denver Broncos, OAKLAND RAIDERS
Now that the 2012 NFL draft is in the can, it’s time to take the Shutdown 50 scouting format forward and get a closer look at some of the surprising and fascinating selections from this year’s draft — the guys we missed in the original 50, but who could be impact players now or down the road. Our next entry: Arizona receiver Juron Criner, selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 33rd pick in the fifth round (168th overall).
Overview: While most of the talk about Pac-12 passing attacks in 2011 focused on the offenses led by Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley, the Arizona passing game has been one of the more productive in the nation in recent seasons — and receiver Juron Criner may be the primary reason for that.
read more: sports.yahoo.com
