sports latest news: June 2011

Monday, June 13, 2011

Guillen: Konerko will make Hall the 'right way'

Updated: June 12, 2011, 5:39 PM ETBy Sahadev Sharma
ESPNChicago.com
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CHICAGO -- White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko has never won an MVP, home run or RBI crown or led the league in batting average, but that didn't stop his manager from stumping for his place among the greatest to ever play the game.

"He will be in the Hall of Fame," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Sunday. "And by the way, PK did it clean, there's no doubt he did it the right way."

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Konerko is coming off a 2010 campaign that was the best of his career. At age 34, he posted career highs in on-base percentage (.393), slugging percentage (.584), and total bases (320). So far this season, Konerko is backing up his amazing 2010 -- he had 20 home runs, 51 RBIs, a .320 average and a .953 OPS entering Sunday. He is a strong candidate to make his fifth All-Star Game.

The Hall of Fame will have to change the way it evaluates players, Guillen said, since the previously accepted standards of excellence may not be reached as often.

"The Hall of Fame can be too picky, there's not that many good players out there anymore," Guillen said. "You're not going to see the 3,000 hits, the 500 home runs and 300 wins."

With a few more years, Konerko could get well over 400 home runs and possibly make a push for 500. Konerko, who is signed through the 2013 season, currently sits at 381 home runs, good for 60th all-time.

For his part, Konerko doesn't concern himself with Hall of Fame talk or the fact that he's rarely mentioned in the same breath as other great American League first basemen such as the Red Sox's Adrian Gonzalez and the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera.

"If it's outside the lines, it's meaningless to me," Konerko said.

Guillen said that Konerko is a rare breed in today's game.

"This man represents the game in different ways, the right way," Guillen said. "With the media, with his teammates, with the organization, on the field and with the community; that's a lot."

On the topic of future Hall of Famers, Guillen had a few thoughts on a sure-fire entrant -- New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

"You're talking about God now, you're not talking about a baseball player, you're talking about God," Guillen said. "Besides Jim Thome, he represents this game better than anybody. That guy is a baseball icon, great player, a winner, never been in trouble, and dates beautiful women."

Jeter moved within seven hits of 3,000 with a multihit game Sunday. Guillen said he hoped Jeter would accomplish the rare feat at Wrigley Field because it would be great to have such a historic moment at a historic park. Jeter would be the 28th player to join the 3,000 hit club. The Yankees play a three-game set with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley starting Friday.

Sahadev Sharma covers the White Sox and Cubs for ESPNChicago.com.

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Cavs owner hails Mavs for beating James to title

CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert got in one final shot after LeBron James fell short of an NBA title.

About 15 minutes after the Dallas Mavericks defeated James and the Miami Heat in Game 6 on Sunday night, Gilbert sent a message on his Twitter page to Mavericks owner Mark Cuban -- a statement that included a jab at James.

“
Congrats to Mark C.& entire Mavs org. Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings. Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE.
” -- Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert

"Congrats to Mark C.& entire Mavs org.," Gilbert wrote. "Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings. Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."

Last summer, after James announced he was leaving the Cavs as a free agent after seven years to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, the superstar was lambasted by Gilbert, who accused him of quitting in the playoffs the past two seasons. Gilbert also promised that karma would prevent James from winning a championship and predicted his Cavaliers would win their first title before "the self-proclaimed King" won one.

So far, Gilbert's pledge is holding up.

Gilbert wasn't the only one stung by James' decision. Cleveland fans, who haven't celebrated a major professional sports championship since the Browns won an NFL title in 1964, spent the past year coping with James' departure, which the Akron native announced in a one-hour long TV special.

Some of James' former teammates were also hurt by him leaving.

Guard Mo Williams, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in February, said the Mavericks' victory has helped ease some of his pain.

On his Twitter page, Williams wrote, "Dallas just healed my HEART."

Two-hit day puts Jeter within 7 hits of 3K mark

Updated: June 12, 2011, 11:51 PM

NEW YORK -- Seven hundred feet of outs later, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was still stuck on 2,991 hits.

But with another one of his classic Jeterian swings, Jeter moved closer to baseball immortality.

The 36-year-old Captain, who will turn 37 exactly two weeks from now (June 26), inside-outed a 2-1 fastball from Cleveland Indians starter Josh Tomlin into right field in the bottom of the fifth inning, driving in Brett Gardner from second and giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead. He later delivered a seeing-eye RBI single up the middle past a drawn-in infield off reliever Chad Durbin in the eighth to make it 7-1, and now stands just seven hits away from becoming the 28th player in baseball history to reach the illustrious 3,000-hit club.

"It's impossible for it not be in your head, because I get asked that question all the time," said Jeter, who recorded his 2,992nd and 2,993rd hits in the Yankees' 9-1 rout of the Indians on Sunday afternoon in front of 46,791 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. "I'd love to do it here (at home), but all I can control is having good at-bats and trying to hit the ball hard and find some holes. We have a few more games left, so we'll see what happens."

Jeter, who is batting just .259 and in the midst of the worst offensive season of his 16-year career, has four games left on the Yankees' homestand to make it happen, and according to baseball-reference.com, he's only had as many as seven hits over a four-game stretch eight times this season. But based on how impeccable his timing has been throughout his future Hall of Fame career, it wouldn't surprise anyone if "Captain Clutch" is able to pull it off.

"Derek's meant championships to this organization and he's meant professionalism," manager Joe Girardi said before Sunday's game. "He plays the game the right way. He's meant a lot to this franchise. ... Derek's got a lot of heart and plays the game to win. I think it comes down to his heart, the way he plays the game. Derek's got a lot of heart and he plays the game to win."

Jeter has five championship rings and a World Series MVP award to show for it. But he's just as well-known for his intangibles, the little things he does that don't show up in the box score. And his afternoon at the plate on Sunday was just the latest example of that.

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After driving a ball to deep center that Michael Brantley caught just in front of the warning track to lead off the game, Jeter advanced Gardner to third with a line drive to right in his second at-bat. Gardner later scored.

The Yankees were leading just 1-0 when Jeter stepped in against Tomlin in the fifth with Gardner at second. Jeter's goal in his third at-bat was just to hit the ball to the right side and get Gardner over -- another productive out.

Instead, he managed to dunk the ball in front of right fielder Shin-Soo Choo to plate Gardner and give his team a two-run edge.

"My second and third at-bats my job was to move the guy over, so I was just trying to get a pitch that I could hit the other way," said Jeter, who has a chance to become one of the fastest to ever reach the 3,000-hit club. Ty Cobb was the youngest (34 years, 244 days), while Hank Aaron (36 years, 101 days) and Robin Yount (36 years, 359 days) also reached the milestone before their 37th birthdays. "We're still trying to win games here, that's first and foremost."

Still, his teammates want to see him accomplish the feat -- and become just the 11th player in history to get all 3,000 of his career hits with the same team -- at home.

"I hope he gets on a roll and gets it at home. I really want him to do it here," said designated hitter Jorge Posada, who has been Jeter's Yankee teammate since 1995 when they came up from the minors together.

Added first baseman Mark Teixeira: "We'd love to have him get it done here, and I know the fans would love it as well. But Derek's not going to put too much pressure on himself. He knows exactly what he's doing."

Jeter is already the franchise's all-time hits leader. He broke Lou Gehrig's record of 2,771 hits when he drilled his 2,772 career hit on Sept. 11, 2009.

But this -- becoming the first Yankee to ever reach 3,000 -- is a different animal.

"Everyone's talking about it when I'm on deck," Jeter, who went 2-for-5 on Sunday afternoon with two RBIs and a run scored, said. "So I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't thinking about it."

Mike Mazzeo is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com.

Gordon rockets to fifth career victory at Pocono

LONG POND, Pa. -- Jeff Gordon is pushing 40, far removed from the cocky kid who shot to superstardom and helped put NASCAR on the mainstream map.

At any age, Gordon still knows how to win.

Don't put the rocking chair on the front porch quite yet. Not when Gordon still burns out near the finish line, stamps his name alongside the sport's greats in the record book, and believes a fifth Cup championship is a realistic goal.

There was a Wonder Boy sighting at Pocono on Sunday. Jeff Gordon raced like the Jeff Gordon of old -- you know, like a four-time Cup champ -- to remind us all that he can still wheel a race car, writes David Newton. Story

Gordon moved into a tie for third on NASCAR's Sprint Cup career victories list, winning for the 84th time when he took the checkered flag Sunday at Pocono Raceway. His 84 wins tie him with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for most in Cup history, and he tied Bill Elliott with five wins on the 2?-mile triangle track.

"There's no doubt, I'm blown away with what I've accomplished," Gordon said.

It's a career for the ages -- and the aged.

Gordon won in February at Phoenix International Raceway and has multiple victories in a season for the first time since 2007. Gordon's victory at Phoenix ended his drought at 66 races without a win. This 11-race winless stretch was just a blip compared to that miserable skid.

Gordon used to not drive more than a month without a win. He reached double-digit victories in three straight seasons (1996-98) and seemed a lock to hit 100 victories by 35 and put himself behind only Richard Petty on the all-time list.

Petty leads with 200 wins and David Pearson is second with 105.

Gordon's won races with a mustache and a mullet, and his hair tinged with a touch of gray. He won them as the most feared driver on the planet in the '90s, then sporadically in recent years. He celebrated as a "Rainbow Warrior" and a family man.

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John Harrelson/Getty ImagesJeff Gordon celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway. It was Gordon's fifth career victory at the Pennsylvania track.

This victory was a bit more special for Gordon, who turns 40 in August. His first order of business once he hopped out of the car was a kiss from his daughter, Ella.

Gordon's wife and two children are his greatest gift.

But the pairing he needed most was with Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Alan Gustafson. Team owner Rick Hendrick's offseason decision to shake up his organization has proved an overall success for the organization -- he also placed Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the top-six at Pocono. Gordon and Gustafson have the No. 24 Chevrolet in fantastic shape for a spot in the Chase for the championship.

Gordon is known in the sport as "Four-Time" because of the Cup titles he won in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001. Wins have been harder to get for Gordon as his career stretches into its 20th season. He posted winless seasons in 2008 and 2010 and, even in the years he qualified for the Chase, was never a true threat to bring home the title.

"We were living at the peak of the mountain there for a number of years," Gordon said. "It was awesome. When you're there, you know you're going to get knocked off eventually. You can't always stay on top."

Johnson, once his protege and late-night running buddy, surpassed Gordon and has won the last five championships.

The race on the mountaintop belonged to Gordon.

Gordon entered the race having led a record 918 laps at Pocono Raceway. He added 39 to the total Sunday.

"When you see what he's done in his career, not just this decade, not just in the 2000's, but all the way back to the '90s, he's a true legend in this sport," Kurt Busch said.

Busch, the polesitter, was second and Kyle Busch third.

Kyle's Busch fun was short-lived. NASCAR announced his No. 18 Toytota failed postrace inspection because the left-front end was too low. His car will be taken to NASCAR's research and development center.

Jeff Gordon led most of the final 40 laps to win his fifth career race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday.

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Johnson and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five. Earnhardt continued his rebirth with a sixth-place finish. It capped a great day for Hendrick Motorsports -- first, fourth and sixth.

Gordon first won at Pocono in 1996. He won again in 1997 and 1998, then a rain-shortened race in 2007.

He was helped Sunday once some of the early contenders fell off. Denny Hamlin, who led early and has four wins here, ran into tire woes and dropped back to 19th. Carl Edwards lost his grip on the points lead -- his 40-point lead was sliced to six -- when a bad engine knocked him out early. He finished 37th.

Once those two were out of contention, the 500-mile race belonged to Gordon. The Busch brothers tried to catch him, but just didn't have enough in the end.

"I'm giving it all I've got and I just can't close the gap," Kurt Busch said.

Gordon hit a rough patch after his Phoenix victory -- including a 36th at Las Vegas and a 39th at Richmond -- but a change in the Chase format this year put an added emphasis on wins. That stamps Gordon as a contender for that fifth title.

He's in great shape thanks to regular workouts after a creaky back a few years ago made him consider retirement. Gordon still has the fire to compete and poked fun at all the questions that made it seem like the end was near.

When all the pieces are in place, Gordon feels, "I'm as good as I've ever been."

"The things that we've talked about and believe in are starting to come true," Gordon said.

Gordon was behind the wheel this week for the 2-hour drive from his New York City apartment to the Poconos.

He said he loves it any time he can get himself to the track.

No doubt, he loves it even more when he can park in Victory Lane.

NFLPA's Smith yet to talk to NFL Alumni leader

Updated: June 12, 2011, 9:12 PM

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- George Martin spent the weekend catching up with his former New York Giants teammates from the 1986 Super Bowl team.

But he also had his current job on his mind as well, as he checked on how many of his old teammates are feeling these days. Martin is the president of the NFL Alumni and he is frustrated that he has not been able to sit down with DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the decertified NFL Players Association, to talk about issues and concerns relating to retired players.

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"There's strength in unity," Martin told reporters at the 25th anniversary celebration of the 1986 Giants Super Bowl team at the Meadowlands Expo Center on Sunday. "Apparently Mr. DeMaurice Smith feels that there isn't. I think it's an absolute shame when you have a person with my accomplishments and my commitment to not only active players but retired players, the fact that we can't sit down and at least discuss not only our similarities but our differences if there are any. I think that's a travesty."

Martin says he has reached out to Smith "on countless occasions to sit down."

"It's been either no response or no," Martin said. "That's really unacceptable. He has a very difficult challenge, I understand. But there should not be any prohibitions why we shouldn't sit down and talk about some of the things we have in common."

Martin was asked what degree of confidence he has concerning Smith having the best interests of NFL retired players in mind.

"I would have to say it is questionable at this point," Martin said. "When you do not have a conversation at this point with the recognized leader of NFL Alumni, how can you say you have the best interest of retired players at heart when you won't even sit down and talk to their leadership. That to me flies in the face of rationale."

Martin and teammate Harry Carson both said that some of their teammates are suffering from injuries suffered during their careers. Some retired players are feeling the lingering effects of concussions suffered during their playing days with loss of memory or, in some cases, depression.

"I thought the health of guys on the surface was pretty good," Carson said of the '86 Giants. "I do know, personally, that there are a couple of guys that have some issues. There are a couple of guys who have reached out to me in the past with these issues. There are some issues there and there are some issues with guys that probably don't know there are issues."

Martin praised NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for being proactive about addressing the concussion situation and helping retired players deal with any issues they may have.

"It seems as if though in the past we have been treated like second-class citizens," Martin said. "We refuse to have that label placed upon us now. Thank goodness that we have had some welcome embrace by Roger Goodell and the current owners. We like the fact that that we are part of the overall discussion and I'm very optimistic we will obtain some significant quality of life issues relative to retired players -- most significant is the pension.

"I think eventually the vast majority of retired ball players will be pleasantly surprised by what will come out of this (new) CBA."

Ohm Youngmisuk covers the Giants for ESPNNewYork.com.

Liriano flirts with perfection as Twins stay hot

Liriano Francisco Liriano got off to a rough start, but since throwing a no-hitter on May 3, he's turned his season around and been lights out.

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Drew, Diamondbacks down sagging Marlins

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MIAMI -- Arizona starter Daniel Hudson spent most of Sunday afternoon getting himself in and out of trouble.

Hudson allowed one run in six-plus innings, Stephen Drew had three hits and two RBIs, and Arizona beat the struggling Florida Marlins 5-1. "I just couldn't seem to get that third out of the inning a bunch of times," Hudson said, "but I was able to throw some pitches when I needed to with guys on base." Hudson (7-5) won for the seventh time in eight decisions since starting the season 0-4. He gave up eight hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. Hudson gave up a hit after retiring the first two batters in four of the first six innings. He left the game with a 4-0 lead after Florida loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh. Hudson had singled in the top of the inning, but had to sprint to first base to beat the throw from right fielder Mike Stanton. "I told him, 'Hey, you don't have to run that hard,' " said Arizona manager Kirk Gibson. "Then he ran hard on a double play ball, so I think after that he was pretty much toast." David Hernandez got out of the seventh inning allowing only one runner to score, and he was followed by two other Arizona relievers. "We were right in the meat of their order, so he did a great job in an inning and two-thirds," Gibson said of Hernandez. "It was big." Drew hit a two-run double in the first inning and Ryan Roberts homered for the second consecutive game for the Diamondbacks, who have taken two of the first three of a four-game series that wraps up Monday. Hitting cleanup, Drew was the only left-handed batter for Arizona against lefty starter Brad Hand. "Stephen had an awesome day out there today," Gibson said. "He came through for us again today in that No. 4 slot. That's what you want from your No. 4 guy." The Marlins lost for the 10th time in 11 games, falling to .500 for the first time since they were 5-5. Florida had at least one hit in every inning but left 13 runners on base. The Marlins have stranded 98 runners in their past 11 games, batting .149 (14-for-94) with runners in scoring position during that span. They were 0-for-12 on Sunday. "The timely hitting is not there," manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "We're failing with runners in scoring position. But we're battling there. I'm sure if they keep pushing the way they're doing right now that we're going to get out of this. "There's not too many options. Yeah, I can shuffle the lineup; I already did that. They have to go out there and keep battling and everything else will start going our way." Hand (0-2) struggled in his second major league start after holding Atlanta to one hit in six innings in his debut Tuesday. He pitched five innings and gave up four runs, three of them earned, on five hits and five walks. Stanton, who had homered in the previous three games, came up with runners on first and second in his first four at-bats but popped out three times and struck out against Hernandez in the seventh. Stanton went 3-for-3 against Hudson when the teams met in Arizona on June 1. "I threw some good pitches to him last time but he just put some good swings on the ball," Hudson said. "I left a few pitches out over the plate, so I really wanted to get inside on him today. It's nice when you can hold his bat in check." Hand walked two before Drew ripped a double into the right-field gap. Roberts added his 10th home run in the third, and Arizona made it 4-0 later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Xavier Nady. Gerardo Parra's pinch-hit double in the ninth drove in Arizona's final run. Game notes
Florida rookie RHP Steve Cishek pitched the seventh and eighth and extended his club record for most consecutive scoreless innings at the start of a career to 14 2-3. ... Florida 3B Greg Dobbs, who entered the game in a 6-for-31 slump, went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. ... Arizona RHP Esmerling Vasquez served the second of a two-game suspension for his actions June 5 against Washington. He was ejected for hitting a batter after warnings had been issued. ... Arizona RHP Sam Demel, who is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury, had a bullpen session cut short Sunday when he couldn't get loose. Demel, who then threw from flat ground, is scheduled to throw in the bullpen again Tuesday. Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

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Dodgers get rehab updates on Kuo, two others

Updated: June 12, 2011, 2:58 PM ETBy Tony Jackson
ESPNLosAngeles.com
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DENVER -- At the end of the weekend in which the unreliability of the Los Angeles Dodgers' injury-depleted bullpen has been underscored repeatedly, there was good news before Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, as relievers Hong-Chih Kuo, Jonathan Broxton and Kenley Jansen all took major steps in their efforts to return from the disabled list.

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First, setup man Kuo appeared to take a major step forward on Saturday night in his effort to come back from his latest bout with the yips, pitching a perfect eighth inning for advanced Class A Rancho Cucamonga against Visalia. Kuo had hoped to test himself by coming into the middle of an inning with runners on base, but that didn't work out because highly touted pitching prospect Ethan Martin had pitched a perfect seventh.

Still, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said the reports he got on Kuo's performance were that the once-dominating left-hander looked much more like himself.

"His velocity was up, which was kind of a good sign,'' Mattingly said. "He touched 96 (mph), where before he was at 92. Last night, he was (between) 92-96, so that tells you maybe he was letting it go a little bit more and feeling free about letting it go.''

Mattingly said it will be Kuo's decision what to do next, which has been the case since Kuo abruptly left the team on May 11 feeling that he could no longer command the ball.

Broxton, the Dodgers' erstwhile All-Star closer who has been on the 15-day DL since May 6 with a bone bruise in his right elbow and wasn't especially effective before that, is now tentatively slated to begin a minor league rehabilitation early next week. Broxton will throw off a mound for the third time on Tuesday and then a simulated game on Friday, a plan Mattingly conceded tentatively sets Broxton up to begin rehab assignment next week.

Meanwhile, although Jansen pitched two perfect innings in his second rehab appearance for Double-A Chattanooga on Saturday night, retired all nine batters he has faced in those two appearances and becomes eligible to be activated on Monday, Mattingly said the club might wait until later in the week to bring him back so that Jansen can make another two-inning appearance for the Lookouts.

"We want to get him stretched out and be able to go two (innings),'' Mattingly said. "He went two innings last night, but is one time enough for that? Just talking theoretically, if he could take today and (Monday) off, then go again on Tuesday.''

Mattingly said with the Dodgers having an off-day on Thursday, that could put Jansen on target to return on Friday night against the Houston Astros. However, Mattingly said that could change if the Dodgers have to use several relievers on Sunday against the Rockies, which might necessitate bringing Jansen back on Monday night against the Cincinnati Reds.

Tony Jackson covers the Dodgers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

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Fielder HR pushes Brewers past Cards, into 1st

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When games finished on May 8, the Brewers were a season high 6 games under .500 and were only one game out of last place in the NL Central. Since then, the Brewers have gone 24-and-8, the most wins in the majors in that span and their win Sunday puts them in 1st place for the first time this season.

MILWAUKEE -- Prince Fielder cautioned against making too much out of the Milwaukee Brewers' sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Fielder's go-ahead homer in the sixth rallied the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-3 victory over St. Louis on Sunday as the Brewers knocked the Cardinals out of first place in the NL Central. "I don't know about a statement," Fielder said of taking three from the Cardinals and gaining the top spot in the division. "It's just good right now. We're playing good baseball. Like I said we haven't been in first place for about a year or two now." Fielder's 19th home run chased Jake Westbrook (6-4) who carried a shutout into the sixth. "I'm just happy I'm coming through," Fielder said. "It's always fun." His blast prompted a curtain call which he reluctantly did. "I'm shy, man. It's cool though," he said. "I appreciate it from the fans. It's kind of cool, especially in the moment." Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa didn't want to assign a whole lot of anguish toward the three losses. "I don't want to be melodramatic," he said. "This is June and we have to be ready for Washington on Tuesday. We came in here to win a series and they outmanaged us and outplayed us." Rickie Weeks started the rally with a single and then scored on Mark Kotsay's double. Ryan Braun drove in Kotsay with a single before Fielder smashed the first pitch 440 feet into the second deck in right field for a two-run homer. Fielder, who went 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBIs, now has 58 RBIs to extend his lead in the NL. With the victory, the Brewers (38-28) took sole possession of first place for the first time since July 9, 2009. It moved them 10 games over .500 for the first time since they were 33-23 on June 6, 2009. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was happy with the team's progress, especially after starting the season poorly. "It's way too early, but I like how we're playing," he said. The Cardinals (38-29) had been in first since May 19, but have now lost four of the last five and were swept at Miller Park for the first time since April 30-May 2, 2007. Fielder's eighth home run over the last 10 games helped Milwaukee improve its major-league best home record to 25-9. It also set a franchise record for the best start at home. Shaun Marcum (7-2) won for the first time since May 21, a span of three starts that included a loss and then consecutive no decisions. He had never faced the Cardinals. He allowed three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and a walk over seven innings. Kameron Loe pitched a scoreless eighth. John Axford converted his 15th straight save opportunity and 18th out of 20 overall in the ninth. He got a huge lift when Carlos Gomez, a ninth-inning defensive replacement for Kotsay in center, made a spectacular catch in the ninth. Gomez raced back at full speed and turned to catch Rasmus' fly ball just before crashing into the wall. "When I see it, then my instincts going to tell me what I have to do," Gomez said. The Cardinals looked as if they might avoid being swept when Skip Schumaker hit a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded for the first runs. Yadier Molina running from first had to duck as Schumaker's liner sailed over him and into right field. St. Louis tacked on another run on Rasmus' double in the sixth. Westbrook went five innings, allowing four runs and eight hits. Game notes
The Cardinals expect RHP Kyle McClellan (left hip flexor) and OF Matt Holliday (left quadriceps) to come off the disabled list this week. McClellan (6-2, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to start on Wednesday against Washington. Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa said Holliday went through a full workout before the game and should be activated on Thursday. ... Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols went 0 for 3 with a walk and had his nine-game hitting streak snapped. ... Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said that when Milwaukee plays the Red Sox in Boston next weekend, Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and Rickie Weeks might each take a turn at DHing. Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

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Kiffin appears at NCAA hearing over Tennessee

INDIANAPOLIS -- Former Tennessee coaches Bruce Pearl and Lane Kiffin finally got to explain themselves in front of the NCAA.

All they can do now is wait to see if it did any good.

Kiffin spent more than four hours answering questions in front of the infractions committee Saturday, then was followed by Pearl, who spent nearly five hours in front of the committee. School officials are hoping the daylong closed-door hearing marks the beginning of the end of a 22-month investigation that rocked the Volunteers' football and men's basketball programs and tarnished Tennessee's reputation.

"The hardest part is just being here," Pearl said. "This was not something I was looking forward to."

The committee is expected to make a ruling within eight to 12 weeks. That's when the Volunteers' will learn their punishment.

Tennessee faces a dozen major rules violations in the two high-profile sports including accusations that both coaches committed recruiting infractions and that both also failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within those programs.

Pearl, the former Volunteers men's basketball coach, also was charged with unethical conduct after misleading NCAA investigators during an interview last June when he was asked about hosting high school juniors at a cookout at his house on Sept. 20, 2008 and phoning John Craft, father of recruit Aaron Craft, in an effort to influence Craft's statement to investigators about the cookout.

Craft just completed his freshman season at Ohio State, whose football program is also under NCAA investigation.

On Sept. 10, in a tearful news conference, Pearl acknowledged he had provided false information to the investigators.

That part was not contested Saturday, but there was plenty of discussion on other issues -- and lots of people trying to help Tennessee plead for leniency.

Those attending included, Kiffin, now the Southern California football coach; Pearl, who was fired after last season by Tennessee; Mike Hamilton, the outgoing athletic director; SEC commissioner Mike Slive; Derek Dooley, Tennessee's new football coach; and Cuonzo Martin, the Vols new men's basketball coach. Martin and Dooley are not implicated in the charges.

The school's contingent was so large it forced the NCAA to move its hearing into a bigger conference room, and the hearing was held about five blocks from the home stadium of one of Tennessee's most famous alums -- four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning.

"We are glad we had the opportunity to present our case," university chancellor Jimmy Cheek said in a statement. "We feel it was a fair hearing and we look forward to the resolution of this matter."

Kiffin was accompanied at the hearing by USC athletic director Pat Haden, who made his second appearance in front of an NCAA committee in Indy this year. He also attended January's appeals hearing for USC, which this week was stripped of its 2004 national title by the Bowl Championship Series for NCAA violations.

Tennessee has already taken some steps in hopes of avoiding a punishment that would be that drastic.

It reduced Pearl's salary by $1.5 million last season and banned him from off-campus recruiting for one year. The SEC also suspended Pearl for eight conference games. In March, Pearl was fired.

The school also lowered the salary for each of Pearl's three assistants, who were accused of not providing "complete" information about the cookout.

Pearl and two of his assistants, Tony Jones and Steve Forbes also are accused of making 96 impermissible phone calls to 12 recruits or relatives between Aug. 1, 2007, and July 29, 2009, and the school has been charged with failure to monitor the coaching staff's contacts.

Kiffin and his assistants were accused of making improper calls to recruits, too, after Tennessee officials warned them against it. He made those calls just days before taking the Southern California job in January 2010.

In addition, Kiffin and recruiting intern Steve Rubio are accused of visiting a Florida high school on Oct. 12, 2009, even though Rubio was not permitted to make on-campus visits.

Kiffin's failure to monitor charge stems from trips taken by members of the school's athletics hostess program to visit recruits.

Both coaches attended the first 40 minutes of the closed-door hearing, which were set aside for opening statements.

Kiffin then remained in the room, while Pearl and his former assistants left en masse. Pearl wandered down to the hotel lobby, waiting there until Kiffin finished more than four hours later. It took so long the lunch break was delayed twice.

Kiffin would not discuss the specifics of what took place inside the room.

Pearl was the first person back when the hearing resumed after a one-hour break. He spent most of the next five hours back inside the room.

When things finally wrapped up, more than 10½ hours after they started, the emotions were mixed.

"It's a very thorough process and I'm glad it's over," Kiffin said before leaving the downtown Indianapolis hotel for a football camp at Southern Cal. "It was a lot shorter than the last one I sat through, three days of USC's, and I'm happy it's over."

The fallout from the scandal may not be, though.

Hamilton announced this week he would resign at the end of the month. Tennessee women's athletics director Joan Cronan, also in Indy, will serve as interim vice chancellor and director of athletics until Hamilton's replacement is picked.

Sometime in August or September, the Volunteers should learn their fate.

"It's not over because we've got to wait 45 or 60 days," Pearl said.

And for Pearl, who wore an orange and white tie and orange suspenders to the hearing, there was no sense of relief.

"Not really because we paid a very heavy price, all of us here have -- my staff and the University of Tennessee," he said. "So there's not much relief."

Cubs RHP Wood (blister) may be bound for DL

Updated: June 12, 2011, 6:48 PM ETBy Bruce Levine
ESPNChicago.com
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PHILADELPHIA -- For right-hander Kerry Wood and the Cubs, it's now more about adding injury to insult after the team concluded a 2-8 road trip on Sunday.

The Cubs' right-handed setup man may have to go on the DL with a blister on his right index finger.

"Woody's got a blister on his finger and can't go," manager Mike Quade said. "Hopefully it's not anything major, but we will see."

Wood has had to deal with blister problems before in his career. On Sunday, he tried to warm up in the bullpen but had to stop pitching due to the blister. The Cubs' veteran pitcher said he's been dealing with the problem off and on for about a month.

"It's not the first time we've dealt with it," Wood said. "But we had been dealing with it fairly well. I thought we turned the corner. I just think the humidity the past couple weeks has made it worse."

Wood said there was no timetable for how the blister would heal and when he can return, but a trip to the DL is possible.

"Yeah, it's absolutely a possibility," Wood said. "I'm at least a couple of days away so we're not going to mess with it. So it's a possibility."

Although there are no quick remedies for blisters, Wood is confident he can deal with this problem.

"I've had them for the last three or four years," Wood said. "I have a pretty good idea how to handle it. When the humidity [goes up], it seems to get a little worse."

Wood's injury is the latest in a season full of them for the Cubs. The team is hoping to get back Reed Johnson (back spasms), Jeff Baker (left groin strain) and Alfonso Soriano (right quad) this week off the DL. Outfielder Marlon Byrd (broken cheek bone) still is more than a month away from returning.

Wood has a 1-3 record and 3.25 ERA in 24 games this season.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs for ESPNChicago.com.

View the original article here

U.S. loses in Gold Cup group stage for first time

TAMPA, Fla. -- A slow start doomed the United States against Panama, slowing the Americans' usual march to the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup.

Instead, the surprising Panamanians guaranteed themselves a spot in the next round of the tournament with a 2-1 victory over the favored U.S. on Saturday night.

"Sometimes you just come out flat for whatever reason. At this level, and against a good team, you can't do that," U.S. star Landon Donovan said, reflecting on the Americans falling behind by two goals in the opening half. "Some nights you come out flat and you don't get punished, but other nights you do. We learned a valuable lesson."

After losing 4-0 to Spain last week and being deservedly beat 2-1 by Panama, it's difficult to imagine how much lower the U.S. can sink, writes Jeff Carlisle. Report card

Luis Tejada scored in the 19th minute and Gabriel Gomez converted a penalty kick later in the first half for Panama, which won for the first time in nine meetings with the Americans, who had never lost a match in the group stage of any Gold Cup.

"First of all, give Panama a lot of credit. They started the game well. They put us on our heels at times," Donovan said. "It took us a while to get into the game. Our second half was very good, but when you dig yourself a hole that huge, sometimes you can't get out."

Despite the loss, the U.S. can clinch a spot in the quarterfinals of the tournament that determines the champion for North and Central America and the Caribbean by beating Guadaloupe in its final Group C stage match Tuesday night in Kansas City.

Tejada finished a sequence that began with Nelson Barahona's free kick, tapping in a rebound after U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard lunged to get on a hand on Armando Cooper's header from left of the net. American Tim Ream's foul set up Gomez's penalty kick, which the Panamanian lifted over the diving Howard for a 2-0 lead in the 36th minute.

Clarence Goodson gave the U.S. hope for a dramatic comeback, scoring in the 68th minute. The Americans had a couple of opportunities pull even, but Chris Wondolowski missed a wide-open net in the 80th minute and Jaime Penedo made two of his six saves in injury time to help Panama hang on before a crowd of 27,731.

"In the first half as the game was developing, we had the ball a lot but we weren't able to take advantage of some situations," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said.

[+] Enlarge

Douglas Jones/US PresswirePanama frustrated U.S. forward Jozy Altidore and handed the Americans their first loss in the Gold Cup group stage.

"What you don't want to do in that situation is go down a goal. You just want to keep doing a good job controlling the ball, controlling the game with the idea that opportunities will come. You put yourself behind, you make it much more difficult."

The loss was just the second for the Americans in their past 21 Gold Cup games. They had been 6-0-2 against Panama, with all the meetings coming in Gold Cup or World Cup qualifying.

Despite defeating Panama in the past three Gold Cups, the Americans stressed they could not overlook the Panamanians because each of those games had been close.

The teams played to a scoreless draw in the 2005 final, with the U.S. winning a penalty shootout to take the championship. They met in the quarterfinals in 2007 and 2009, with Panama losing 2-1 each time.

Panama coach Julio Dely Valdes said through a translator that the victory was especially gratifying because of the effort that went into finally getting over the hump against the Americans.

"We worked very hard for it," the coach said. "I'm absolutely happy because we made history."

The U.S. began the tourney with a 2-0 win over Canada, but wasn't near as sharp in falling behind the aggressive Panamanians, who used their quickness and athletic ability to create numerous opportunities.

Panama opened with a 3-2 victory over Guadeloupe and beating the Americans gave it consecutive Gold Cup wins for the first time.

Donovan said it was just a matter of time before a team as talented as Panama had some success against the U.S.

"CONCACAF teams are getting better and better. It's a pretty good team we played against," Donovan said. "It's disappointing, but the reality is it's over now. ... We've got to win Tuesday, see what else happens and see where we end up. We're still fine."

Game notes
There were 35 fouls -- 18 on the U.S., 17 on Panama. ... The U.S. is 24-1-2 all-time in Gold Cup group play. ... Panama improved to 1-3-1 against the Americans in Gold Cup. ... Freddy Adu was among five players who were not active for the U.S. The midfielder also was inactive for the tournament opener against Canada. ... Canada won the first game of the doubleheader at Raymond James Stadium, defeating Guadeloupe 1-0. The Canadians face Panama in Kansas City on Tuesday.

Five HRs push Florida by Miss. St. and into CWS

Florida earns back-to-back College World Series appearances for the first time in school history, ESPN.com's Edward Aschoff writes. Story

Mavs beat Heat to claim first NBA championship

LeBron James struggled during "crunch time" - the last five minutes of the fourth quarter/overtime with the score within five points - during the NBA Finals. In crunch time during the 2011 NBA Finals, James did not score. Dirk Nowitzki had no trouble scoring.

The Heat made just four of their final 25 field goal attempts from 10+ feet during the fourth quarter of the 2011 NBA Finals. The Big 3 was a combined 4-17 over this stretch.

Miami scored eight transition points in Game 6 against the Mavericks, including four transition points off turnovers. The Heat's inability to create transition points off turnovers was a major factor in their demise. --On the other hand in Game 6, the Mavericks scored 20 points off 12 turnovers committed by Miami's Big 3, including 11 of their 15 transition points.

In eight minutes with LeBron James on the bench in Game 6, the Heat scored 21 points and outscored the Mavericks by 14 points. When James was on the court Miami was outscored by 24 points. It was James' worst plus/minus in a postseason game since April 24, 2008 against the Wizards when he was also minus 24.

Nowitzki was able to excel in one-on-one situations in the fourth quarter during the 2011 NBA Finals, making half of his field goal attempts on isolation and post-up plays in the final period.

Jason Terry entered Game 5 shooting under 40 percent from 15+ feet in the 2011 NBA Finals. In Games 5 and 6, Terry found his stroke, making more field goals from 15+ feet than in the previous four games combined. Terry made a series-high seven such field goals in Game 6 to close out the Heat, the most by any player in one game in the 2011 Finals.

Before Cuban bought the team in January of 2000, the Mavs had only 6 playoff appearances in 19 seasons, only four series wins and had never been to the NBA Finals. My, how much has changed: in addition to the two Finals appearances, the Mavs have now made the playoffs for 11 straight seasons - only the Spurs have a longer active streak. And now, of course, they've got their first title in franchise history.

The Mavs bench came up huge in Game 6, scoring 43 points. In fact this season, Dallas was 36-9 in games in which its bench scored at least 40 or more points. So for Dallas... the more its bench scores, the more it wins.

LeBron James averaged 26.7 points per game in the regular season. He averaged just 17.8 points per game in the 2011 NBA Finals. That discrepency between regular season scoring average and Finals scoring average was the largest in NBA history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Heat missed 13 free throws and lost by 10 points. The 13 missed free throws are the most misses from the charity stripe by a team eliminated in the NBA Finals over the last 15 seasons.

The Mavericks finished 4-0 this postseason in potential series-clinching games and have now won seven straight overall. that is one shy of the Lakers for the longest active streak.

Rick Carlisle is now 11-3 all-time in potential series-clinching games. Among coaches with at least 10 such games, his .786 win pct ranks 1st in NBA history, ahead of Tom Heinsohn, Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson.

When you are out-numbered 3-1 in All-Stars, its imperative your supporting cast shows up... Lucky for Dirk, that's exactly what happened. In the four wins, Nowitzki's supporting cast combined to score over 75 points while shooting over 52 percent from the field. They were dangerous from downtown as well, including a 10-19 effort in Game 6

Since Mark Cuban purchased the Mavericks on January 4, 2000, the only team with a higher win percentage than his team is the Spurs (including playoffs).

From Elias: Dirk Nowitzki had 22,792 career points in the regular season entering the 2011 postseason. It's the 4th-most points by a player at the time of his 1st NBA title in NBA history, behind only Oscar Robertson (23,578), Wilt Chamberlain (23,442) and Jerry West (22,988).

Terry It was five years ago that Jason Terry had a woeful Game 6 against the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, scoring 16 points on 7-of-25 shooting. But Terry helped fuel the Mavs offense this time around, hitting 19 of his 27 points in the first half.

Heat Mavericks

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James combined to score 62 points in the fourth quarter of the 2011 NBA Finals. By comparison, Dirk Nowitzki scored 62 points all by himself in the fourth quarter during the Finals.

When you are outnumbered 3-1 in All-Stars, its crucial your supporting cast shows up. Luckily for Dirk Nowitzki, that's exactly what happened. In the Mavericks' four wins, Dirk's supporting cast combined to score over 75 points, shooting over 52 percent from the field.

The Heat scored 22 transition points on Sunday marking the first time in the 2011 playoffs the Heat scored at least 20 transition points in a game. The Heat are 21-2 this season (including playoffs) when they score 20+ transition points.

MIAMI -- For Dirk Nowitzki, the resume is complete. He's an NBA champion.

For LeBron James, the agonizing wait continues for at least one more year.

A season that began with Miami celebrating the signings of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh -- along with the promise of championships -- ended on the very same floor, with the Dallas Mavericks hoisting the title trophy for the first time in their franchise history after beating the Heat 105-95 on Sunday night. The Mavericks won four of the series' last five games, a turnabout that could not have been sweeter.

"I really still can't believe it," said Nowitzki, who had 21 points and took home Finals MVP honors.

He and Jason Terry, who led the Mavs with 27 points, were the two remaining players from the Dallas team that lost to Miami in the 2006 Finals.

"Tonight," Terry said, "we got vindication."

James did not. Not even close, and a year unlike any other ended they way they all have so far -- with him still waiting for an NBA title.

He scored 21 points for Miami, shook a few hands afterward, and departed before most of the Mavs tugged on their championship hats and T-shirts. Bosh had 19, Mario Chalmers 18 and Wade 17 for the Heat.

"We worked so hard and so long for it," Nowitzki said. "The team has had an unbelievable ride."

So did the Heat. Unlike Dallas, theirs wasn't a joyride.

"It goes without saying," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You're never really prepared for a moment like this. ... Neither team deserved this championship more than the other, but Dallas earned it."

Nowitzki

Make no mistake: Miami lost the Finals, but the blame will be directed at James. Even he knew that after the way he left Cleveland with "The Decision" and all the animus that generated not just in Ohio but around the entire league, the only way he could silence some critics was with a title.

"It doesn't weigh on me," James said. "At all."

Still, he got even more criticism -- and a thinly veiled jab from his former owner with the Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert, who reveled in the moment on Twitter.

"Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings," Gilbert wrote. "Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."

And the winning owner, Mark Cuban, took what may be perceived as a jab as well: "I could care less about the Heat," he said.

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle joined a highly elite group, those with NBA titles as both a player and a head coach. Only 10 other men are on that list, including the presumably retired-for-good Phil Jackson, one of Carlisle's mentors in K.C. Jones, and Heat President Pat Riley -- who led Miami past Dallas in 2006, and was the mastermind of what the Heat did last summer by getting James, Wade and Bosh on the same team with an eye on becoming a dynasty.

It might still happen, of course.

But even after 72 wins this season, including playoffs, the Heat lost the last game. And that means this year was a disappointment -- except to just about everyone else in the NBA, or so it would seem.

Terry

It was five years ago that Jason Terry had a woeful Game 6 against the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, scoring 16 points on 7-of-25 shooting. But Terry helped fuel the Mavs offense this time around, hitting 19 of his 27 points in the first half.

*Heat the opponent in both gamespowered by

"This is a true team," Carlisle said. "This is an old bunch. We don't run fast or jump high. These guys had each other's backs. We played the right way. We trusted the pass. This is a phenomenal thing for the city of Dallas."

Hating the Heat became the NBA's craze this season, and the team knew it had no shortage of critics, everyone from Cleveland (where "Cavs for Mavs" shirts were popular during these Finals) to Chicago (the city James and Wade both flirted with last summer) and just about every place in between lining up to take shots at Miami.

"We could feel it," Carlisle said, noting he was repeatedly told during the Finals that "billions" of people wanted to see Dallas topple Miami.

Given their newfound popularity, meet the new America's Team.

Sorry, Cowboys -- your long-held moniker might have to be ceded to your city's NBA club. When it was over, Cuban ran onto the court to hug Carlisle, then punched the air and whooped.

"I'm so happy for him. I'm so happy for Dirk," Carlisle said.

Carlisle said Riley came down to congratulate the Mavericks after the game, showing "unbelievable class." Nowitzki and Wade exchanged texts at night's end, after Wade couldn't find him during the on-court celebration to shake his hand.

"Their time will come," Carlisle said. "But now, it's our time."

When the Mavericks took a 2-0 lead in Dallas during the '06 Finals, plans for their victory parade were announced. The Mavs didn't win another game in that series.

Now, that parade will finally happen. And when it's over, then the league's uncertainty will truly begin. Labor strife likely awaits, and although more talks geared toward movement on a new deal are scheduled for this week, both owners and players are bracing for a lockout to begin once the current collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.

Late Sunday night, the CBA was the last thing on the mind of the new champions of the NBA, whom Carlisle called "the most special team I've ever been around."

Jason Kidd, at 38 years old, got his first championship. Nowitzki got his at 32, Terry at 33. They were featured on the video screen in their building in Dallas during this series on what seemed like a constant loop, each posing with the NBA trophy and looking longingly at it, standing mere inches from it, as if to say "so close, yet so far away."

No more.

Heat Mavericks

It's theirs. And for the second time, James went to the Finals, only to see the other team celebrate. San Antonio won in Cleveland in 2007, and four years later, he saw the Mavs party on his new floor.

"It was a failure in '07 when we lost to the Spurs when I was in Cleveland," James said. "It's a failure now."

Nowitzki sealed it with 2:27 left, hitting a jumper near the Miami bench to put Dallas up 99-89, and some fans actually began leaving. Nowitzki walked to the Mavs' side slowly, right fist clenched and aloft.

He knew it. Everyone did.

"We feel it," Wade said. "We'll feel it even more tomorrow."

Spoelstra implored his team to foul in the final minute, and even then, they couldn't catch the Mavericks.

"All I remember is telling those guys that they deserved it," Bosh said. "Hands down, they were the better team in this series. ... All we can do is just admit it and move forward."

What happens with the next deal may affect the Heat more than anyone. Some owners will insist on a hard cap, rolled-back salaries and, potentially, trying to bust some current deals -- which could break up the Big 3 before get another chance to win a title together.

A gloomy end to the season may bring an even gloomier offseason for Miami.

"Every situation has felt like it was an our-back-against-the-wall situation," James said Sunday morning, hours before Game 6 began. "We've been able to figure it out and find our way through and scratch our way through. This is the last test. This is the last pop quiz for us that we need to pass in order to make it all worth it."

They didn't pass.

So therefore, it wasn't all worth it.

"We give credit to the Dallas Mavericks," Wade said. "They're a helluva team. ... We ran into a team that at this time is obviously better than us."

Miami had chances to take command and wasted them all. The Heat missed 13 of their 33 free throws, let the Mavericks score 27 points off turnovers and simply could not get a rebound in the final minutes.

Nowitzki finished 9 for 27, and the Mavs still won. He was 1 for 12 in the first half, and they were still ahead, 53-51, thanks largely to Terry's 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

"Was he unbelievable tonight or what?" marveled Nowitzki.

Down the stretch, Terry made another contribution. He grabbed Nowitzki during a time-out, telling him, "Remember '06." The final minutes belonged to Dirk and the Mavs, and a few German flags waved in Miami's arena during the postgame celebration.

"This feeling, to be on the best team in the world, it's just undescribable," Nowitzki said.

After James got off to such a fast start, he had two points in the final 19-plus minutes of the half.

James didn't score in the second half until a layup with 1:49 remained in the third -- his first field-goal attempt since 1:05 remained in the half. Kidd made a 3-pointer late in the period, pushing the Dallas lead to 79-71, and it seemed like the only people standing in the arena were the players, referees, Cuban and a few guys around the Dallas bench.

Dallas took control in the second half after some wild back-and-forths in the opening two quarters. Miami took its last lead of the game -- the season -- just 64 seconds into the second half, lost it 16 seconds later and chased the Mavericks the rest of the way.

They never caught them.

"I can't believe the journey," said Kidd, who lost two previous Finals trips with the New Jersey Nets. "The journey, the character of my teammates telling me they wanted to get me a championship. Tonight they came out and played well. I came here twice, this being my third time so third time was the lucky charm."

It was 81-72 entering the fourth, after Ian Mahinmi made a foul-line jumper as time expired in the third, just his third basket of the entire series.

None were bigger. The Mavs could taste a title.

"We had no champions on this team," Mavs center Tyson Chandler said. "And we walked away with a team full of champions."

Of the principal characters from the 2006 series, only Cuban, Nowitzki and Terry remain from the Mavericks' side, and for them, the beginning of this championship celebration seemed sweeter than even they could have imagined. Terry won't have to get his tattoo -- the one of the NBA championship trophy -- removed, which he vowed to have done if Miami won this series. Nowitzki will never be in the conversation of 'Best player without a title' again.

James is clearly the one with that most-unwanted label now.

As the night wore on, the smell of champagne permeated from the Dallas locker room, while Miami's was cleaned and vacuumed quickly, towels picked up, shower shoes stacked neatly before each player's locker. Nearby, in the team's usual postgame interview room, the Mavericks posed with the championship trophy, whooping in joy as Miami players filed out in stunned disbelief.

The offseason started earlier than the Heat ever imagined.

"The Greater Man upstairs know when it's my time," James tweeted. "Right now isn't the time."

Game notes
Carlisle improved to 11-3 as a coach with a chance to close out an opponent. ... James got a 21-minute rest in the second quarter in real time, thanks to a midcourt dustup and the referees taking several minutes to look at replays before doling out the technicals. ... Marc Anthony sang the national anthem, then took a courtside seat near the Heat bench.

Mavs beat Heat to claim first NBA championship

The Heat made just four of their final 25 field goal attempts from 10+ feet during the fourth quarter of the 2011 NBA Finals. The Big 3 was a combined 4-17 over this stretch.

Nowitzki was able to excel in one-on-one situations in the fourth quarter during the 2011 NBA Finals, making half of his field goal attempts on isolation and post-up plays in the final period.

The Heat missed 13 free throws and lost by 10 points. The 13 missed free throws are the most misses from the charity stripe by a team eliminated in the NBA Finals over the last 15 seasons.

The Mavericks finished 4-0 this postseason in potential series-clinching games and have now won seven straight overall. that is one shy of the Lakers for the longest active streak.

Since Mark Cuban purchased the Mavericks on January 4, 2000, the only team with a higher win percentage than his team is the Spurs (including playoffs).

Heat Mavericks

MIAMI -- For Dirk Nowitzki, the resume is complete. He's an NBA champion.

For LeBron James, the agonizing wait continues for at least one more year.

"I really still can't believe it," said Nowitzki, who had 21 points and took home Finals MVP honors.

He and Jason Terry, who led the Mavs with 27 points, were the two remaining players from the Dallas team that lost to Miami in the 2006 Finals.

"Tonight," Terry said, "we got vindication."

James did not. Not even close, and a year unlike any other ended they way they all have so far -- with him still waiting for an NBA title.

"We worked so hard and so long for it," Nowitzki said. "The team has had an unbelievable ride."

So did the Heat. Unlike Dallas, theirs wasn't a joyride.

"It goes without saying," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You're never really prepared for a moment like this. ... Neither team deserved this championship more than the other, but Dallas earned it."

Nowitzki

"It doesn't weigh on me," James said. "At all."

Still, he got even more criticism -- and a thinly veiled jab from his former owner with the Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert, who reveled in the moment on Twitter.

"Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings," Gilbert wrote. "Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."

And the winning owner, Mark Cuban, took what may be perceived as a jab as well: "I could care less about the Heat," he said.

It might still happen, of course.

Terry

*Heat the opponent in both gamespowered by

"We could feel it," Carlisle said, noting he was repeatedly told during the Finals that "billions" of people wanted to see Dallas topple Miami.

Given their newfound popularity, meet the new America's Team.

Sorry, Cowboys -- your long-held moniker might have to be ceded to your city's NBA club. When it was over, Cuban ran onto the court to hug Carlisle, then punched the air and whooped.

"I'm so happy for him. I'm so happy for Dirk," Carlisle said.

"Their time will come," Carlisle said. "But now, it's our time."

When the Mavericks took a 2-0 lead in Dallas during the '06 Finals, plans for their victory parade were announced. The Mavs didn't win another game in that series.

Late Sunday night, the CBA was the last thing on the mind of the new champions of the NBA, whom Carlisle called "the most special team I've ever been around."

No more.

Heat Mavericks

"It was a failure in '07 when we lost to the Spurs when I was in Cleveland," James said. "It's a failure now."

He knew it. Everyone did.

"We feel it," Wade said. "We'll feel it even more tomorrow."

Spoelstra implored his team to foul in the final minute, and even then, they couldn't catch the Mavericks.

"All I remember is telling those guys that they deserved it," Bosh said. "Hands down, they were the better team in this series. ... All we can do is just admit it and move forward."

A gloomy end to the season may bring an even gloomier offseason for Miami.

They didn't pass.

So therefore, it wasn't all worth it.

"We give credit to the Dallas Mavericks," Wade said. "They're a helluva team. ... We ran into a team that at this time is obviously better than us."

Nowitzki finished 9 for 27, and the Mavs still won. He was 1 for 12 in the first half, and they were still ahead, 53-51, thanks largely to Terry's 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

"Was he unbelievable tonight or what?" marveled Nowitzki.

"This feeling, to be on the best team in the world, it's just undescribable," Nowitzki said.

After James got off to such a fast start, he had two points in the final 19-plus minutes of the half.

They never caught them.

It was 81-72 entering the fourth, after Ian Mahinmi made a foul-line jumper as time expired in the third, just his third basket of the entire series.

None were bigger. The Mavs could taste a title.

"We had no champions on this team," Mavs center Tyson Chandler said. "And we walked away with a team full of champions."

James is clearly the one with that most-unwanted label now.

The offseason started earlier than the Heat ever imagined.

"The Greater Man upstairs know when it's my time," James tweeted. "Right now isn't the time."

Damon, Longoria HRs lead Rays past Orioles

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BALTIMORE -- Johnny Damon hit a familiar brand of home run to give Tampa Bay a lead it would never lose.

Seven innings later, Evan Longoria sealed the victory with a rare kind of trip around the bases. Damon had his 27th career leadoff blast, Longoria hit an inside-the-park homer and three RBIs, and the Rays cruised past the Baltimore Orioles 9-6 Sunday. Justin Ruggiano had three hits for the Rays, who won two of three from Baltimore to clinch their first winning road trip of 11 or more games since 2003. Tampa Bay is 6-4 on a four-city, 11-game journey that concludes with a makeup game in Detroit on Monday. Damon had two hits and scored twice. The 37-year-old has reached base in a career-best 37 consecutive games, tying the club record set by Ben Grieve in 2001. "I'm in a position where I'm comfortable," Damon said. "For a while, we were test-driving a lot of leadoff hitters. I think this could be our best situation with me at the top and (Ben Zobrist) in the two hole." Longoria's first career inside-the-park homer came in the eighth with a man on and put Tampa Bay up 9-5. His liner to center curled past a hard-charging Adam Jones, and the ball rolled to the wall as Longoria circled the bases. "I had a shot at it. I just missed the ball," Jones said. Longoria reached the plate well ahead of the final relay throw. It was the third inside-the-park homer in the 20-year history of Camden Yards; Butch Davis did it for Texas in 1993 and Detroit's Shane Halter hit one in 2003. "You hit balls like that in batting practice all the time, where it comes off the bat and has that knuckle action," Longoria said. "But it doesn't happen too often in games." It did this time, and the hit was huge. "I saw he had his glove up so I thought he was going to catch the ball," Longoria said. "As soon as I saw it take that left turn, I put my head down. As soon as I went around second I knew I was going home. I was gassed by the time I got around third, but I was able to keep chugging and beat the throw." Asked to recall the last time he hit an inside-the-park homer, Longoria replied, "I haven't had one since Little League when they didn't have fences." Tampa Bay starter Wade Davis (5-5) allowed five runs, four earned, and eight hits in six-plus innings. He's 4-0 lifetime in Baltimore and 2-2 overall against the Orioles this season. J.P. Howell got three outs for his first save. Kyle Farnsworth was not available because of the flu. Jones, Vladimir Guerrero and Luke Scott hit solo homers for Baltimore. Fifteen of the Orioles' last 21 home runs have been solo shots. Making his third start since returning from the disabled list with an oblique injury, Brian Matusz (1-1) gave up four runs, five hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings. Riding a seven-game winning streak that started last August, the left-hander retired only three of the 13 batters he faced. "From the get-go I didn't get a good feel, (not even) warming up in the bullpen," Matusz said. "It was just one of those days where you've got to be able to battle without your good stuff. They were able to find some holes and get some things going early, and I just wasn't able to get on track today." The Rays batted around in the first inning, getting four hits and stealing four bases, yet they scored only three runs. After Damon hit his eighth homer, Zobrist and Ruggiano singled before Longoria hit a sacrifice fly. Two batters later, Sean Rodriguez got an RBI when Mark Reynolds misplayed his grounder to third. Orioles manager Buck Showalter was more livid at Matusz about the stolen bases than the hits he yielded. "It's been a challenge for him," Showalter said about Matusz's inability to hold runners. "Maybe we'll be able to get his attention a little bit more." Jones and Guerrero connected in succession in the bottom half, the second time this season the Orioles hit back-to-back homers. The only out Matusz got in the second inning came when Damon was caught stealing on a questionable call. Tampa Bay then loaded the bases before Showalter summoned Alfredo Simon, who gave up a sacrifice fly to B.J. Upton. A double by Casey Kotchman and an RBI single by Damon made it 5-2 in the third. Baltimore got an unearned run in the bottom half, but Reynolds' second error of the game and 14th of the season provided Tampa Bay with two unearned runs in the seventh for a 7-3 lead. In the Baltimore half, after singles by Ryan Adams and Craig Tatum chased Davis, Nick Markakis and Jones hit run-scoring groundouts. Game notes
Reynolds left in the seventh with a bruised forearm after being struck with a ball hit by Rodriguez in the fifth inning. ... Activated from the disabled list after Saturday's game, Rays shortstop Elliott Johnson (knee sprain) went 0 for 3 with a walk. ... The season series is tied at 6. Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

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A's send LHP Anderson for closer look at injury

CHICAGO -- Oakland A's starter Brett Anderson will meet with noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Monday.

Anderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday and an MRI exam performed by team orthopedist Dr. Jon Dickinson couldn't identify the injury, so the team wanted a second opinion.

The 23-year-old southpaw had allowed 14 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings over his last two starts, both losses. He is 3-6 with a 4.00 ERA on the season.

Anderson missed all but three starts in May, June and July of last year because of elbow inflammation.

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Cuban defers praise in accepting Mavs' title

Updated: June 13, 2011, 2:56 AM

MIAMI -- Mark Cuban zipped his lips and won a championship.

And when it was time for his old nemesis David Stern to hand him the shiny gold trophy, this was his big chance to say anything he wanted, with everyone watching.

So, what did he do?

He stood behind a 78-year-old man and let him take center stage, a reward for Donald Carter having founded the team 31 long years ago. He brought his wife and three kids on the podium to enjoy the moment. He even realized how corny he was being when he told his toddler son, "This could be yours."

[+] Enlarge

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty ImagesMark Cuban has owned the Mavs since buying the team in 2000.

Then, out came the Mark Cuban most sports fans remember.

He swore in multiple TV interviews to emphasize how proud he was of his fans. He walked into a postgame news conference talking on the phone, hung up and hollered, "Did anybody inform you guys, we're the world champions?!" On his way out, he took the trophy with him and declared it was spending the night in his room.

Meet Mark Cuban 2.0 -- an NBA champion who can be humble one moment, back to his raucous roots the next.

"You know, I probably won't even shower for six months," Cuban said, laughing. "My biggest fear is that I can't remember every little part of it, every emotion, every feeling that I went through as the clock was winding down. ... I was just hoping I could just do an emotional videotape of myself and just keep it. So that's my biggest hope and fear that I'll be able to feel this forever."

Cuban hadn't spoken publicly since winning the Western Conference championship, when he proclaimed "We ain't done yet!"

On Sunday night, he spoke into the microphone with a voice scratchy from screaming and choked with emotion. He talked about being happy for his players, complimenting them for having "so much heart, so much determination and so much more than that."

"I love every one of them," he said.

A pivotal moment in getting to this point came last summer, at Cuban's house. Dirk Nowitzki was a free agent and he wanted Cuban's vow that if he re-signed, the owner would keep the core of the team intact and do all he could to find the pieces needed to make them champions.

“
You know, I probably won't even shower for six months. My biggest fear is that I can't remember every little part of it, every emotion, every feeling that I went through as the clock was winding down. ... I was just hoping I could just do an emotional videotape of myself and just keep it. So that's my biggest hope and fear that I'll be able to feel this forever.
” -- Mavs owner Mark Cuban

He did, and they did.

"I give Mark a lot of credit," Nowitzki said. "He stuck with me through thick and thin. He brought all the right players always in, always trying to spend money and make this organization better and this team better. So Mark is the best."

Nowitzki was among those who appreciated Cuban censoring himself the past six weeks. It started after the Mavs won their first-round series against Portland.

Cuban held his tongue throughout a sweep of the Lakers, which had to be tough considering his past verbal jabs with Phil Jackson and Ron Artest. He remained silent again through the conference finals against Oklahoma City, even refusing to answer questions about why he'd stopped doing interviews.

He kept it up during the Finals, all the more remarkable considering he was front and center during Dallas' 2006 trip to the Finals against Miami, causing such a ruckus he was fined $250,000 -- part of a tab that's well over $1 million.

Sitting next to the Larry O'Brien Trophy, wearing his favorite new hat, he finally explained why his silence.

"The big mystery, huh?" he said. "It didn't make any sense to say anything," he said, reciting the litany of questions he knew would surround each series. "The quieter I got, the more we won. I didn't want to break the karma."

Not that he thought there was a correlation between his silence and the team's success.

"Do you really think these guys are going to play any harder or less hard because of what I say?" he said. "That's disrespectful. They put it on the line. They didn't care if I was naked at every game. They were going to go out there and play as hard as they could."

In a corner of the jubilant locker room Sunday night, coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged that he helped convince Cuban to let the players and their performance on the court do all the talking.

"We kind of mutually talked about it," Carlisle said. "He was great about it. He understood and he knew it was the right thing. ... Mark's a much more humble person than a lot of people want to believe. His heart is always in the right place. It gives us the tools to succeed. He was extremely disciplined during this run and it helped us."

During the trophy presentation, and again at the start of his postgame interview, Carlisle used the line, "Our owner is now available for interviews." It was his way of saying the muzzle was off.

"Look, he's a smart guy," Carlisle said. "He understands that certain things are sacred."

Carter started the Mavericks in 1980 after a long, hard fight for an expansion team. He sold the club to Ross Perot Jr. in 1996, and in 2000 he sold it to Cuban. Mr. C, as he's fondly known, has remained a part of the organization and a constant presence in courtside seats directly across from the Mavs bench -- always wearing the white cowboy hat that was part of the club's original logo.

Cuban approached Carter at game's end and asked him to accept the trophy from Stern. It was a classy move and, by Carter's estimation, the continuation of a run of great moves by Cuban this postseason.

"There wasn't a script written for him that I know of, but he played it down exactly on when to say something, when not to," Carter said. "He was everything I would ask an owner to be."

With his voice cracking, Carter added: "I'll just say he has become the owner I've always wanted because of his love of the game. I'd put him up against any of the owners and I've been around for 31 years."

Validated: Nowitzki named MVP of NBA Finals

Updated: June 13, 2011, 3:25 AM

Dirk Nowitzki was named the most valuable player of the NBA Finals for his huge role in leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first championship on Sunday. He also joins a short list of players born outside the U.S. to win Finals MVP.

-- ESPN Stats & Information

MIAMI -- Dirk Nowitzki was named MVP of the NBA Finals for his huge role in leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first championship.

"I really still can't believe it," Nowitzki said after the Mavs wrapped up the crown with a 105-95 win in Sunday's Game 6.

Although Nowitzki struggled in the Game 6 clincher, he certainly put them in position to win it all, overcoming injury and illness to power fourth-quarter comebacks from deficits of 12, nine and four points in Dallas' previous wins.

The 2007 league MVP won Game 2 with a left-handed layup despite having torn a tendon in the tip of his left middle finger in Game 1.

He scored 10 of his 21 points in the final period of Game 4 despite playing with a 101-degree fever because of a sinus infection.

In Game 5, his driving dunk in the final minutes put Dallas ahead for good.

"We worked so hard and so long for it," Nowitzki said. "The team has had an unbelievable ride."

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said: "I'm so happy for him. I'm so happy for Dirk."

Nowitzki and Jason Terry, who led the Mavs with 27 points on Sunday, are the two remaining players from the Dallas team that lost to Miami in the 2006 Finals.

"This feeling, to be on the best team in the world, it's just undescribable," Nowitzki said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Yanks put Colon on DL with strained hamstring

Updated: June 13, 2011, 1:36 AM ETBy Mike Mazzeo
Special to ESPNNewYork.com
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NEW YORK -- New York Yankees right-hander Bartolo Colon was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday with a strained left hamstring.

Outfielder Chris Dickerson has been called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Colon's spot on the team's 25-man roster.

Colon underwent an MRI at New York Presbyterian Hospital on Saturday night, but did not know the grade of the sprain. Manager Joe Girardi said the results of the MRI were "pretty good," but Colon will still need to be shut down for at least two weeks.

"I feel good, I just have a little bit of pain," Colon said through a translator. "I'm on the DL now, but I hope to be back after 15 days. ... After the 15 days, I should be back."

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Colon will continue to work on other parts of his body, but doesn't know when he'll be able to start rehabbing his legs.

"I feel bad because the team needs help and I got hurt," Colon said. "But there's nothing I can do about it."

The 38-year-old suffered the injury while trying to cover first base and left Saturday afternoon's game with two outs in the seventh inning.

Colon (5-3, 3.10 ERA) ended up winning for the third straight start on Saturday afternoon, going 6 2/3 scoreless innings as the Yankees shut out the Cleveland Indians, 4-0, at Yankee Stadium. In his last 21 innings, Colon has surrendered just three earned runs.

Hector Noesi, who was summoned from Triple-A to replace Amauri Sanit (disabled list, elbow), could make Colon's next scheduled start on Thursday afternoon against the Texas Rangers, according to Girardi. The right-handed Noesi threw six innings of two-run ball out of the bullpen on Tuesday night against the Boston Red Sox before being sent down to the minors.

In four Triple-A starts, Noesi went 1-1 with a 3.92 ERA, allowing nine earned runs and 25 hits over 20 2/3 innings.

"I was a starter (in the minors) and it's normal for me to throw six, seven or eight innings," said Noesi, who was unaware that he might have to step into the rotation. "It's just (easier)."

Although he wouldn't commit to Noesi, Girardi said he's thrown 75 pitches and could conceivably give the Yankees 80-85 if need be. Other internal minor league options to take Colon's turn could be Adam Warren (4-2, 3.53), D.J. Mitchell (4-5, 3.04) or David Phelps (4-4, 2.95).

Colon was en route to snag first baseman Mark Teixeira's flip to retire right fielder Shin-Soo Choo on a grounder, but he came up lame and walked gingerly off the field.

Colon lost out of the fifth spot in the Yankees' rotation coming out of spring training and began the season in the bullpen, but emerged out of nowhere with ace-like dominance after right-hander Phil Hughes was placed on the DL in mid-April with right shoulder inflammation.

Third baseman Alex Rodriguez called general manager Brian Cashman's free agent signing of Colon in February "the signing of the century."

"He's been consistently great all year. 1-A stuff," Rodriguez said Saturday.

Colon's loss couldn't come at a worse time for the Yankees, who are already dealing with a depleted bullpen due to the losses of Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano, Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte due to various injuries.

Hughes is slated to make his first minor league rehab start on Tuesday for the Gulf Coast Yankees, but the Yankees don't know when he'll be back.

Colon's weight -- 265 pounds -- could be an issue as he begins rehab, but Girardi said "he's pretty quick for how big he is."

"I think you worry (more) about if a guy's favoring something that he could be hurting his arm," Girardi said.

Colon's success with the Yankees this season comes on the heels of an unorthodox offseason shoulder surgery that involved stem cells being injected into his painful shoulder and elbow.

The doctor who performed the surgery has given HGH to other patients, though he claims that he did not give it to Colon. The surgery is being investigated by Major League Baseball.

Mike Mazzeo is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com. ESPNNewYork.com's Matt Ehalt contributed to this report.