Companies shun Bahrain Grand Prix hospitality - Reuters

By Tom Bergin and Keith Weir

LONDON | Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:17am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Western companies are opting not to entertain clients and partners at the Bahrain Grand Prix following calls for sponsors to boycott the event because of political turmoil.

Royal Dutch Shell, which sponsors the Ferrari racing team, will not be hosting any guests at the event, a source familiar with the company's plans said.

The Grand Prix was not held last year when an anti-government movement erupted in Bahrain following after uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, but in 2010 and other years, Shell had invited a "small number" of guests, the source added.

Shell declined comment on its hospitality plans but a spokesman said technicians would be there to support the Ferrari team "if the race goes ahead".

Safety fears grew on Thursday after members of the Force India team were caught up in a petrol bomb incident and police used teargas to disperse protesters.

Agencies which offer corporate hospitality were also seeing less business than they had in previous years.

"We're 80 percent down. We've got so few people going we've not even bothered to send out a representative to host them," Daniel Bois, director of London-based ticket agency F1 Corporate said.

He added that the risk of violence was one of the reasons potential clients appeared to be deterred.

A source close to the matter said that Swiss bank UBS would not be sponsoring any client events at the Bahrain race.

Corporate hospitality raises around $200 million in total during the 20-race season - about 10 percent of total revenues for Formula One, a business majority owned by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners.

Vodafone, which sponsors the Maclaren racing team, said it was not planning to invite guests to the Grand Prix, scheduled for April 20-22, adding it was not a race at which it had historically arranged significant entertainment as it does have an operating business in Bahrain.

In recent days, a group of British lawmakers sent a letter to Formula One sponsors warning them they risk damaging their brands by supporting the race.

"We are aware of the international concerns. We continue to monitor the situation very closely. However, whether or not the event should proceed is a matter for the teams and Formula One," said a Vodafone spokesman.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) gave the green light last week that the event, cancelled last year amid a violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators, was on.

(Additional reporting by Martin de Sa'Pinto in Zurich Editing by Maria Golovnina)

Wright By:kevin,
Tags:ed hardy ed hardy clothing Christian Audigier

Canucks summer options with Luongo - ESPN (blog)

It was the kind of save that changes the course of a game. And if the Vancouver Canucks can pull off a miraculous comeback, a series.

With 14:37 left in the third period of Wednesday night's game between the Kings and Canucks, Dustin Brown skated to center ice for a penalty shot. Until this point, he'd been dominant for the Kings, who were looking to clinch a four-game sweep at home.

Brown already had four goals in four playoff games and two of them came shorthanded. People still point to his hit on Henrik Sedin earlier in the series as the kind of clean, physical momentum-changer that hockey needs, contrasting it against the Raffi Torres ugliness.

A goal on the penalty shot, during the Kings' penalty kill no less, would have fit the narrative of this series perfectly.

But Cory Schneider was waiting. He aggressively came out to play Brown, didn't bite enough on Brown's first fake and got enough of a push to stop Brown's shot. It was a game saver, the most important save of many for Schneider in this game.

The Canucks won 3-1, avoiding the sweep. It was Schneider's second consecutive start in the series and it was his second consecutive strong start. He finished with 43 saves on 44 shots, putting his postseason record at 1-1, with a 1.01 goals-against average and .969 save percentage. The man he replaced, Roberto Luongo, is 0-2 with a 3.59 goals-against and .891 save percentage in the playoffs.

The biggest thing for Schneider was his comfort level on the road. Last year during the finals, if Luongo had been even average in Boston, the Canucks probably would have won the Stanley Cup. In this road game, Schneider was especially strong early. The Kings outshot the Canucks 31-16 in the first two periods, scoring just once. When the Canucks finally got going, their goalie had played well enough to keep them in the game.

"That's what a goalie is there for, especially on the road," Schneider told reporters afterward. "It's a first step we had to have and we can worry about the next one."

If he keeps this up, it's almost impossible to trade him during the offseason. It probably is already. He's a well-liked player in the dressing room, and the Canucks want to play for him.

"[Schneider] really is a popular guy," one NHL source said. "Not that [Luongo] isn't. He's a different kind of guy."

Now, the Canucks must draw up a plan that includes keeping Schneider and moving Luongo. It's not an easy proposition.

In September 2009, Luongo signed a 12-year contract that extends through the 2021-22 season. It comes with an average salary cap hit of $5.33 million per season. The big payday came last season when Luongo earned $10 million of the $64 million. From then until 2017-18 he's paid $6.7 million per season before the contract tails off in the final four seasons.

The kicker? It comes with a no-trade clause. Not that it needs it.

I checked with a couple of NHL general managers to see if Luongo's contract is moveable. One laughed. The other was a little more diplomatic.

"No," he answered. "Unless the trading team was allowed to subsidize the deal."

So what are the Canucks' options with Luongo this summer?

To read more on the Canucks' offseason options with Roberto Luongo, you must be an ESPN Insider.

Wright By:kevin,
Tags:ed hardy ed hardy clothing Christian Audigier

Report: Colts will take Luck at No. 1 - FOXSports.com

Report: The Indianapolis Colts will select Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN var showTealium = true; var partnerHeaderPageLoad = false; var mp2 = true;var priCat = 'NFL'; Close Email A Friend Subject:
(separate multiple email addresses with a semi-colon)


Close Email A Friend Your email has been sent. CHECK SCORES WATCH VIDEOS VIDEOS FEATURED CHANNELS NFL MLB NASCAR NBA NHL NCAA FB NCAA BK FOX SOCCER UFC on FOX BROWSE ALL VIDEOS ? FEATURED SHOWS FOX SPORTS FLASH WHAT THE FOX BOYS IN THE HALL BARFLY COLLEGE TRENDING COSMIC SCHEIN INSIDE CALL Trending ONLINE OT BROWSE ALL SHOWS ? MOST WATCHED THIS HOUR NFL Draft: Top DTsCL Highlights: Chelsea/BarcelonaDidier Drogba game winnerCL Highlights: Real Madrid/BayernSummitt stepping downBrewers steal one from DodgersHighlights: PIT/PHI Game 4Hammond: Bad for Brad BROWSE ALL MOST WATCHED ? PLAY GAMES GAMES FANTASY NEWSFANTASY HOMEFOOTBALLBASEBALLFANTASY BUZZ BLOGMORE NEWS ?FANTASY GAMESFANTASY BASEBALLFANTASY RACINGBASEBALL HOT STREAKHOOPS HOT STREAKFANTASY SOCCERUCL BRACKETEURO BRACKETMORE GAMES ?SIM GAMESGRIDIRON DYNASTYHOOPS DYNASTYHARDBALL DYNASTYSIMLEAGUE BASEBALLSIMLEAGUE HOCKEYSIMMATCHUPMORE GAMES ?ARCADE GAMESWORLD GOLF TOURMISSING MENFEATURED GAME

Search FOX Sports Search the Web Community My Profile Blogs Groups Forums Account Info Favorites Newsletters & Alerts Link Accounts Sign Out NFL NFL NFL Home Scores Standings Schedule Stats Draft Central Teams Players Fantasy Video Odds Tickets Transactions Injuries FOX NFL Sunday NFL on Scout Photos Shop MLB MLB MLB Home Scores Standings Schedule Stats Fantasy Teams Players Power Rankings Video Odds Tickets Transactions Injuries Minor Leagues Photos Latest Photos Shop NASCAR NASCAR NASCAR Home Results Standings Schedule Video Photos RaceTrax Drivers Stats Power Rankings Fantasy Tickets Latest Photos Shop NBA NBA NBA Home Scores Standings Schedule Stats Photos Teams Players Video Odds Power Rankings Tickets Transactions Injuries Draft Tracker Latest Photos Top 10s and Lists Shop NHL NHL NHL Home Scores Standings Schedule Stats Photos Teams Players Power Rankings Video Odds Tickets Latest Photos Shop NCAA FB NCAA FB NCAA Football Recruiting Scores Standings Schedule Stats Photos Teams Polls Power Rankings Video Odds Tickets Fantasy Latest Photos List Shop NCAA BK NCAA BK NCAA Basketball Bracket Scores Standings Schedules Power Rankings Photos Teams Polls Stats Video Odds NCAA WBK Tickets NCAA BK Recruiting Shop List SOCCER SOCCER USA EURO 2012 Latin America FOX SOCCER 2GO Fox Soccer Plus Soccer Home TV Schedule Scores Schedules Video Highlights La Liga Premier League Champions League Europa League Serie A GOLF GOLF Golf Home Leaderboard Schedule Players Video Shop Photos Lists Latest Photos Tiger Woods Tickets Golfweek OLYMPICS OLYMPICS Olympics Home Photo Galleries Video Lists Shop Basketball Beach Volleyball Gymnastics Swimming Track & Field UFC UFC UFC Home Schedule Odds List HeavyMMA Tickets Shop Ultimate Fighter Live Video Photos Latest Photos Inside Fights Fight Network LOCAL LOCAL Anaheim Atlanta Boston Charlotte Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus Dallas Detroit Green Bay Houston Indianapolis Kansas City Los Angeles Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville Oklahoma City Orlando Phoenix Raleigh San Antonio San Diego St. Louis Tampa WRITERS WRITERS NATIONAL
MARK KRIEGEL NFL
Jay Glazer NFL
Alex Marvez NCAA FB
Thayer Evans NATIONAL
Billy Witz NATIONAL
Jason Whitlock MLB
Ken Rosenthal MLB
Jon Paul Morosi NASCAR
Lee Spencer GOLF
Robert Lusetich NATIONAL
Jen Floyd Engel NATIONAL
Bill Reiter NATIONAL
Greg Couch NATIONAL
Reid Forgrave NATIONAL
AJ Perez SHOP MOBILE MORE MORE SPORTS Tennis Boxing Motor WNBA NCAA WBK Horse Racing TV Air Racing EXTRAS Babes Photos Lists Writers Odds Radio Topics RSS Site Index EVEN MORE FSN Tickets Shop Rumors Community NFL Home Scores Standings Schedule Stats Draft Central Teams Players Fantasy Video Odds Tickets More Transactions Injuries FOX NFL Sunday NFL on Scout Photos Shop
MSN Entertainment BlogsCelebritiesComedyEntertainment News GamesMoviesMusicNew on DVD TV Video Money AutosBusiness NewsCareers & JobsInvestingMy MoneyPersonal FinanceQuotesReal Estate & RentalsVideo Living styled??cor lovefamilyinspirefoodglohealth fitbiehoroscopesdating More AutosCareers & JobsCorrections & ClarificationsFeedbackFoodFull MSN IndexGames PreviewHoroscopesLatinoLocal EditionMaps & DirectionsMobileMy MSNPersonalsQuotesReal Estate/RentalsShoppingTravelVideosWeatherWhite PagesWonderwallYellow Pages Bing http://www.speedtv.comhttp://www.scout.comhttp://www.fuel.tvhttp://www.yardbarker.comhttp://www.foxdeportes.comhttp://www.foxsoccer.comhttp://foxsportslocal.com NFL Report: Colts will take Luck at No. 1 var galleryUrls_32497600 = new Array(); Andrew Luck will be heading to Indianapolis. FOX Sports Share This Story Tweet Updated?Apr 19, 2012 12:13 PM ET ? ? ? ?

The Indianapolis Colts have their man.

ARE YA READY?Get up to date on the latest pro days and all NFL Draft info. Watch videos.

The Colts will select quarterback Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft next week, ESPN reported Thursday. The team has already informed Luck, according to the report, although the timing is unknown.

"We've known for a little while. We've done all our due diligence," Colts general manager Ryan Grigson said Tuesday, although he refused then to identify the team’s choice.

Luck, a former Stanford star, is the player around whom the Colts hope to rebuild since the team and Peyton Manning parted ways earlier in the offseason.

A league source also has said the Washington Redskins will pick Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III at No. 2.

Tweet Tagged: Colts Related Stories Minnesota facing 'serious consequences?' The Light is turned off for Patriots Redskins schedule breakdown and predictions Member Comments Please note by clicking on "add a comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Use and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.

ADD A COMMENT ? ? PREV PREV ? NEXT NEXT ? ?
Post Comment No comments yet. Report Abuse ADD A COMMENT ? ? PREV PREV ? NEXT NEXT ? ? var passportLoginURL = 'http://msn.foxsports.com/account/ead?type=PP&fu=' + 'http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/indianapolis-colts-will-select-andrew-luck-top-pick-nfl-draft-041912'; /*move back to the old startComments call for ie8 below fix*/ FsApps.startComments('StoryComments', '30916996'); /*FsApps.LoadFunctions.add({func:"FsApps.startComments('StoryComments', '30916996')"});*/
Trending Now Stories | Photos | Lists | Videos Poe leads strong class of DTs Poe is a physical freak, but is a DT with drawbacks. Report: Patriots' Light to retire Longtime New England Patriots left tackle Matt Light reportedly isset to retire. Record 428-pound tuna catch denied An angler who reeled in a world-record yellowfin tuna off the coastof Mexico has had... Warship won't bring torch to Games London Olympics organizers have created a diplomatic row bydeclining an offer from G... NFC free agency report card Deals are done, workouts have started and the draft is days away. Trending Now Stories | Photos | Lists | Videos Nike unveils new line of NFL uniforms Celebrities at baseball games London's Olympic venues Paulina Gretzky's Twitter photos Pat Summitt through the years Trending Now Stories | Photos | Lists | Videos Top 10 dumbest NFL offseason statements 10 unbreakable NBA records Top 10 unbreakable NHL records Best catchers ever Top draft busts of last 20 years Trending Now Stories | Photos | Lists | Videos FOX Sports Flash 11:00a ET NFL Draft: Top DTs CL Highlights: Real Madrid/Bayern CL Highlights: Chelsea/Barcelona Didier Drogba game winner NFL?Videos On the Clock: Patriots Posted: Apr 18, 2012
FOXSports.com breaks down the Patriots' draft needs.

Billick: Bills draft needs Posted: Apr 18, 2012
FOXSports.com's Brian Billick talks about who the Buffalo Bills may draft.

On the Clock: Texans Posted: Apr 17, 2012
Houston Chronicle's John McClain previews the Houston Texans' draft plans for 20...

MORE FOXSPORTS VIDEO ? NFL?Headlines Report: Colts will take Andrew Luck, Redskins to grab RG3 Report: Goodell warns Minnesota over tenuous stadium issue Report: Patriots three-time Pro Bowl tackle Light to retire NFL players union files suit against coaches union in DC Tebow, Lin named among most influential people MORE NEWS?? More Than Sports on MSN Bing Trending Images: See who and what's hot Bing: Sheridan is bikini fab at 48 Bing: 100 days to go before London Olympics Bing: Nugent?s anti-Obama rant roils Romney Fox Sports Store itemNameitemURLimageSrcpriceitemDescriptionReebok Ray Lewis Baltimore Ravens Replica Football Jersey - Purplehttp://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Baltimore_Ravens/browse/featuredproduct/19504/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_19000/FF_19504_xl.jpg&w=10059.99Reebok Ray Lewis Baltimore Ravens Replica Football Jersey - PurpleReebok NFL Equipment Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Navy Replica Football Jerseyhttp://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Chicago_Bears/browse/featuredproduct/19505/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_19000/FF_19505_xl.jpg&w=10059.99Reebok NFL Equipment Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Navy Replica Football Jers..Reebok NFL Equipment Pittsburgh Steelers #43 Troy Polamalu Black Replica Football Jerseyhttp://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Pittsburgh_Steelers/browse/featuredproduct/49372/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_49000/FF_49372_xl.jpg&w=10059.99Reebok NFL Equipment Pittsburgh Steelers #43 Troy Polamalu Black Replica Footbal..Reebok NFL Equipment Indianapolis Colts #87 Reggie Wayne Royal Blue Replica Football Jerseyhttp://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Indianapolis_Colts/browse/featuredproduct/51491/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_51000/FF_51491_xl.jpg&w=10059.99Reebok NFL Equipment Indianapolis Colts #87 Reggie Wayne Royal Blue Replica Foot..Reebok NFL Equipment Houston Texans #80 Andre Johnson Navy Replica Football Jerseyhttp://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Houston_Texans/browse/featuredproduct/58249/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_58000/DS_58249_xl.jpg&w=10059.99Reebok NFL Equipment Houston Texans #80 Andre Johnson Navy Replica Football Jers..Reebok NFL Equipment San Diego Chargers #17 Philip Rivers Navy Replica Football Jerseyhttp://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_San_Diego_Chargers/browse/featuredproduct/70188/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_70000/DS_70188_xl.jpg&w=10059.99Reebok NFL Equipment San Diego Chargers #17 Philip Rivers Navy Replica Football ..Reebok NFL Equipment Indianapolis Colts #87 Reggie Wayne White Replica Football Jerseyhttp://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Indianapolis_Colts/browse/featuredproduct/70608/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_70000/FF_70608_xl.jpg&w=10059.99Reebok NFL Equipment Indianapolis Colts #87 Reggie Wayne White Replica Football ..Reebok NFL Equipment Pittsburgh Steelers #7 Ben Roethlisberger Black Replica Football Jersey -http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Pittsburgh_Steelers/browse/featuredproduct/70935/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_70000/FF_70935_xl.jpg&w=10059.99Reebok NFL Equipment Pittsburgh Steelers #7 Ben Roethlisberger Black Replica Foo..Reebok NFL Equipment Cincinnati Bengals #9 Carson Palmer Black Replica Football Jerseyhttp://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Cincinnati_Bengals/browse/featuredproduct/73704/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_73000/FF_73704_xl.jpg&w=10039.99Reebok NFL Equipment Cincinnati Bengals #9 Carson Palmer Black Replica Football ..Reebok Dallas Cowboys Ash Practice T-shirt -http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Dallas_Cowboys/browse/featuredproduct/81722/source/prsp_cahttp://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_81000/DS_81722_xl.jpg&w=10021.95Reebok Dallas Cowboys Ash Practice T-shirt - Wolves running out of time to snap skid Braves head west to face D'backs, Dodgers Twins look to grab rare series win in New... AUTOS: Fastest Shoebox On Wheels NNS: Stenhouse Has Swagger Of A Champion CUP: NASCAR Green Report Outlines Environment... Source: Michael Thomas working out for Texans... Bobo Brayton: To be inducted into Washington... Tigers Set To Tangle With #8 Gamecocks “The Natural” Randy Couture Goes One-On-One... “The Natural” Randy Couture Goes One-On-One... The Blackzilians: Who Are They? And Why Other... Mike Tyson gives explosive interview Arkansas receives $1M gift for firing Colts season tickets available 'Chocolatito' González se pule Ignacio Ambriz renuncia de Chivas Monterrey supera al Santos FIFA hopes to build underground museum Cech: Chelsea not scared of Nou Camp Highlights: Chelsea 1-0 Barcelona NFLNFL ScoresNFL ScheduleNFL StandingsNFL StatsNFL TransactionsNFL TeamsNFL PlayersNFL PhotosNFL ListsNFL Tickets NFL Gear ?Arizona CardinalsAtlanta FalconsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCarolina PanthersChicago BearsCincinnati BengalsCleveland Browns?Dallas CowboysDenver BroncosDetroit LionsGreen Bay PackersHouston TexansIndianapolis ColtsJacksonville JaguarsKansas City Chiefs?Miami DolphinsMinnesota VikingsNew England PatriotsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPhiladelphia Eagles?Pittsburgh SteelersSt. Louis RamsSan Diego ChargersSan Francisco 49ersSeattle SeahawksTampa Bay BuccaneersTennessee TitansWashington RedskinsMoreNASCARNCAA BKSoccerGolfFantasyVideoPhotosListsMobilePartners FOX NewsNews Corp.FOXFOX Sports SupportsFXSpeed TVFuel TVWhat If Sports FOXSports.com ?Contact UsPressJobsJoin Our Opinion PanelSubscribeSitemapOther FOX Sites ?FOX.comFOX NewsNews Corp.FOX Sports SupportsStatistical Information provided by: STATS LLC? 2012 Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved.New Privacy Policy | Ad Choices | Terms of Use MSN Privacy Legal Advertise RSS About our adsMicrosoft? 2012 Microsoft
Wright By:kevin,
Tags:ed hardy ed hardy clothing Christian Audigier

Lorenzo Fertitta discusses Jon Jones' UFC clothing endorsement at UFC 145 ... - MMATorch

GET OUR FREE PHONE APPS FOR IPHONE, IPAD, ANDROID, AND AMAZON: JUST SEARCH "MMATORCH" IN YOUR PHONE'S APP STORE OR MARKETPLACE

MMA News : UFC
Lorenzo Fertitta discusses Jon Jones' UFC clothing endorsement at UFC 145, disagrees with claims of favoritism
Email?This?Article - Click for Printer-Friendly?Page
Or Spread the World Below... __
Apr 19, 2012 - 10:25:32 AM

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

It was revealed last week that UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones would be sporting only UFC branded gear for his fight with Rashad Evans at UFC 145. The announcement caused a bit of controversy, with many seeing some conflict of interest or favoritism on the UFC's part by "sponsoring" Jones.

Jones and his gave their stance on the situation earlier this week, stating that they didn't want to be a walking billboard for the many lesser brand names that populate the mixed martial arts landscape. Instead, they hope to eventually broker a deal with a major name in the sporting world, such as Nike or Adidas.

Still, the UFC was certainly sensitive to the criticism, going after CagePotato.com when that site added a false quote suggesting UFC President Dana White was also gambling on Jones along with that. But UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta says the perception on this situation has been simply wrong, and in an interview with USAToday he explained their goals with this merchandising endeavor.

"The Jon Jones thing, it's really kind baffling to me that people have kind of responded the way they have," Fertitta said. "I guess because people don't really understand how it came about. To give you a little bit of background, I was going through the process of renegotiating with Jon and his management team on his fight contract. One of the things they brought up was that Jon was at a point where he didn't necessarily want to sign contracts with some of these smaller, what I'll call, T-shirt companies that you historically see in UFC, whether it be Tapout or MMA Elite or any of these other guys.

"His aspirations (were) that he wanted to be signed by a Nike or an Adidas or an Under Armour, somebody like that," Fertitta continued. "The reality is, those opportunities don't present themselves to Jon right now, and that's why I suggested, 'Hey look, we've got this performance line of gear. Let us send it to you. You can test it. You can try it out. If you like it, then you can wear it in your next couple of fights.'"

"In addition to that, it's nonexclusive. (He) can still go out and get a deal with Nike, Under Armour, Reebok or Adidas. So it's a very open-ended process as far as him wearing that. And there's been other guys that have worn UFC-branded product to fight in as well. So it's not necessarily the first time."

Fertitta estimates they've had upwards of 20 fighters already appear in UFC branded clothing, it's just the high profile spot for Jones that has brought about the attention. Still, it's a situation where some will have the clothing arrangement written into their fight contract, while some others will receive additional compensation for it, but Fertitta maintains there's no favoritism involved.

"I don't know what we could possibly do to favor him," Fertitta said. "Anything relative to the fight or the outcome of the fight is 100 percent completely out of our control. The fact of the matter is, Rashad has a deal with Jaco. I don't know the express terms of it, but it's probably a very good deal. That's who he chose to sign a deal with. He's not available to even wear any UFC-branded gear in a fight because he's already got a pre-existing deal."

"So I don't know how anybody can come to the conclusion that one fighter is being favored over the other. Jon was out of contract. He didn't have a deal, and he didn't want to sign another deal with one of those typical MMA brands and decided that he wanted to wear UFC gear."

Penick's Analysis: I don't see anything wrong with this situation, and it's simply another expansion of the UFC that they're building up with their own fighters. It would be one thing if it was only Jon Jones wearing their gear, but there are a multitude of fighters who have already come to agreements with the UFC on it. It's no different than getting an endorsement deal with any other company, it just so happens Jones will be endorsing the company that already employs him.

[Jon Jones art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Please Recommend This Article at StumbleUpon... var Scribol;if(typeof Scribol=='undefined'){Scribol={}; Scribol.frames=[];Scribol.site='http://scribol.com/';Scribol.is_preview=false;}Scribol.frames.push('361856');MORE "UFC" ARTICLES MMATORCH LIVECAST - EVERY TUESDAY NIGHTALERT: Every Tuesday night, listen to the MMATorch Livecast from 9-10:30 p.m. ET or listen now to the most recent shows by clicking here. Listen live this coming Tuesday as Jamie Penick, Rich Hansen, and Matt Pelkey discuss the latest MMA happenings. Online listen at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mmatorch or call into the show at 646-716-8090 to either just listen or participate.

CLICK TO RETURN TO MAIN LISTING
Wright By:kevin,
Tags:ed hardy ed hardy clothing Christian Audigier

Women's basketball icon Pat Summit steps aside at Tennessee - Chicago Sun-Times

By TERESA M. WALKER AP Sports Writer April 19, 2012 10:54AM

FILE - In this April 1, 2012, file photo, Tennessee coach Pat Summitt waves to the crowd during a half-time ceremony to honor past olympic coaches at an NCAA women's Final Four semifinal college basketball game between the Baylor and the Stanford in Denver. Summitt, the sport's winningest coach, is stepping aside as Tennessee's women's basketball coach and taking the title of "head coach emeritus", the university announced, Wednesday, April 18, 2012. Long-time assistant Holly Warlick has been named as Summitt's successor. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)

storyidforme: 29162708
tmspicid: 10545878
fileheaderid: 4839425
The time Tennessee Lady Vols and women’s basketball fans have dreaded for months finally has arrived.

Pat Summitt is stepping aside as Tennessee’s head coach after 38 seasons, the last an emotionally draining farewell tour for the woman who won more games than anyone else in NCAA college basketball history.

“I’ve loved being the head coach at Tennessee for 38 years, but I recognize that the time has come to move into the future and to step into a new role,” the 59-year-old Hall of Famer said in a statement issued Wednesday by the school.

Summitt will discuss the move, including the promotion of longtime assistant Holly Warlick as her replacement, at a Thursday news conference on the court named in her honor the night she won her 1,000th game. Making the decision had been only a matter of time since Summitt revealed Aug. 23 that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type.

It’s why players from opposing teams joined fans from coast to coast donning T-shirts saying “We back Pat” and greeted Summitt with cheers at every game. Even the Murray State men put shirts with the phrase on when they played at Summitt’s alma mater in Martin this winter on another court named in her honor.

But Summitt’s every move was studied to see how she felt, down to how many officials she yelled at or her icy glares at a player. After losing to eventual national champ Baylor in a regional final, Warlick’s tears during the postgame news conference gave a glimpse of how exhausting the season had been and the possibility it was Summitt’s last game.

Mickie DeMoss, who served as Summitt’s assistant for 21 years combined before leaving for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever earlier this month, said she’s happy for Summitt.

“Her health and well-being are most important to me,” DeMoss said. “She now can focus on doing things for Pat. She has given 38 years to UT and to women’s basketball. Now, she can do what’s best for herself, every day. I’m happy for my friend, and happy that she can begin a new chapter in her life.”

Summitt will report to athletic director Dave Hart in her new role, while assisting the program she guided to eight national titles since taking over in 1974.

“She is an icon who does not view herself in that light, and her legacy is well-defined and everlasting,” Hart said. “Just like there will never be another John Wooden, there will never be another Pat Summitt. I look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role. She is an inspiration to everyone.”

Her responsibilities will include helping with recruiting, watching practice, joining staff meetings, helping coaches analyze practice and games, and advising the Southeastern Conference on women’s basketball issues and mentoring players. Summitt also will be working as a spokeswoman in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

“If anyone asks, you can find me observing practice or in my office,” Summitt said. “Coaching is the great passion of my life, and the job to me has always been an opportunity to work with our student-athletes and help them discover what they want. I will continue to make them my passion. I love our players and my fellow coaches, and that’s not going to change.”

UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Summitt’s vision for women’s basketball and her relentless drive pushed the game to a new level, making it possible for the rest to accomplish what they have.

“In her new role, I’m sure she will continue to make significant impacts to the University of Tennessee and to the game of women’s basketball as a whole,” Auriemma said.

“I am thrilled for (Warlick) as this opportunity is well deserved and Pat will be a huge asset to her moving forward,” he said.

Warlick, a three-time All-American who played for Summitt, was her assistant for 27 years.

Hart said he watched Warlick grow this season under what he called “unique circumstances” and that she is deserving of the head job. While Summitt devoted more attention to her health, Warlick took the lead during games and handled postgame interviews, with the entire staff handling recruiting and practices.

“Her mentor will be available for insight and advice, but this is Holly’s team now,” Hart said.

Warlick said she was thankful for all Summitt has done in preparing her for this opportunity as her coach, mentor and friend.

“We will work as hard as we possibly can with the goal of hanging more banners in Thompson-Boling Arena,” Warlick said.

Tamika Catchings, one of Summitt’s former stars and the WNBA’s reigning MVP, saw the news on TV during a meeting.

“Everyone in the back of their minds was thinking this was going to happen anyway. Holly will do a good job,” Catchings said.

Summitt’s diagnosis came during one of the Lady Vols’ most disappointing stretches — by their coach’s lofty standards, anyway. Tennessee hasn’t won a national championship since 2008 and hasn’t even reached the Final Four, tying for its longest such drought in program history.

“As I’ve said many times, Pat Summitt is a pioneer in basketball,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “Her amazing career accomplishments are among an elite group of leaders. Very few people leave a lasting legacy in their chosen professions and Coach Summitt has done just that at the University of Tennessee and in women’s basketball. She raised the level of commitment, pride and notoriety of her sport. I am honored to call her a friend.”

Tennessee’s five seniors were part of the team that lost in the first round of the 2009 NCAA tournament, the only time in school history the Lady Vols had bowed out on the first weekend.

Those seniors promised they would win a ninth national championship this season — not just for Summitt, but as center Vicki Baugh put it, “ ... for everyone who has Alzheimer’s.”

But they couldn’t make it back to the Final Four, losing to Baylor and Brittney Griner, a player Summitt couldn’t convince to come to Knoxville.

Summitt’s career ends with a 1,098-208 record, 16 regular-season Southeastern Conference championships and 16 SEC tournament titles.

During her time, Tennessee never failed to reach the NCAA tournament, never received a seed lower than No. 5 and reached 18 Final Fours.

“Words cannot adequately describe the extraordinary career that Pat Summitt has had in the world of basketball,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “She is a model of class and courage, and I don’t think that enough can be said for just how much Pat has accomplished in building and elevating women’s basketball to its current heights.”

Every Lady Vol player who has completed her eligibility at Tennessee graduated under Summitt, and 74 former players, assistants, graduate assistants, team managers and directors of basketball operations are currently among the coaching ranks at every level of basketball.

“You think about the University of Tennessee and you think of Pat Summitt,” Catchings said. “You don’t think of anyone else. The great players that have come and gone, coaches that have come and gone, but the legacy that she built for herself and for the university. It’s amazing how far women’s basketball has come. Her legacy isn’t over yet.”

? 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit http://www.suntimesreprints.com/. To order a reprint of this article, click here. Wright By:kevin,
Tags:ed hardy ed hardy clothing Christian Audigier

Tiger's coach: Criticism out of hand - FOXSports.com

Updated?Apr 19, 2012 12:33 PM ET

Tiger Woods' swing coach says criticism of his client is getting out of hand.

''I know everyone has a job to do, and I get it,'' Foley said this week on ''Fairways of Life,'' a radio show hosted by Matt Adams on XM Sirius. ''But if it is about the game of golf, Tiger Woods is an extremely important part of the game, and I think everyone understands that. It has just gotten to the point where the tearing down of Tiger as a person and a golfer has become just too much. I think it is just out of hand.''

Woods has been under more scrutiny than any other golfer since he turned pro in 1996 when he was 20 and won twice in seven starts on the PGA Tour. The criticism has sharpened in the two years since Woods was exposed for extramarital affairs that cost him his marriage and impeccable image.

He tied for 40th at the Masters, yet most of the attention was on how Woods kicked his golf club after missing a tee shot on the 16th hole of the second round. He said the next day, ''I'm frustrated at times and I apologize if I offended anybody that that.''

Foley began working with Woods at the 2010 PGA Championship, and Woods has shown signs of getting back toward the top of his game. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill last month for his first PGA Tour win since the scandal in his personal life unfolded the night of Thanksgiving 2009.

Foley has gone through his share of criticism, too, especially in the early stages of Woods learning a new swing.

''I realize it is 2012 and we have dotcoms, and you have to write five articles a day, and you run out of things to write about,'' Foley said. ''But we should be in a position where we are trying to help and lift up and support a player like Tiger Woods instead of tearing him down, because everyone in the golf industry is better off because of his existence.''

Foley's comments came at the end of a 20-minute interview, and he raised the issue without prompting.

''That is basically one thing I want to get out,'' Foley said. ''Tiger is a wonderful person, and he is a good dude, and he lives a complex life. I think things have got to slow down, and it has got to stop, the daily referendums and the criticism.''

Woods' performance in the Masters has kept him in conversations, however. It tied his worst finish in a major as a pro — except for the three times he has missed the cut — and kicking his 9-iron became a lasting image of his week at Augusta National.

A few days after the Masters, former Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger said on Sirius XM Mad Dog Radio that Woods' antics were an ''embarrassment to the game, to the membership at Augusta.'' The comments were startling because Azinger has long been a supporter of Woods.

''I was really disappointed to see him carry on that way,'' Azinger said. ''He's not trying to endear himself to anybody. And after he won Bay Hill, I thought, 'Here we go again, this is going to be Tiger just kicking butt and taking names.' I don't know. I thought he acted like the south end of a northbound mule.''

Jack Nicklaus was asked Tuesday about Woods' game and said he didn't know what was going on.

''I don't know what goes (on) between his ears,'' Nicklaus said. ''That's really the X factor. His golf game and his golf swing looks pretty similar to what I've been looking at and he hits a lot of great shots. But you never know what's going on in somebody's head.''

Wright By:kevin,
Tags:ed hardy ed hardy clothing Christian Audigier

MLB Notebook: Lee, Cain have duel for ages - MLB.com

On May 26, 1966, the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies tussled for 14 innings and combined for just one run. The stars of the day were on the mound, where future Hall of Famers Jim Bunning and Juan Marichal matched zeroes for the first 10 frames. Bunning was done after 10 shutout innings, having allowed just five hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. Marichal went the distance, finishing with a six-hit, 10-strikeout, 14-inning shutout.

Bunning's superb effort produced a game score (an equation used to measure a pitcher's dominance) of 88, while Marichal's line produced an eye-popping 109. Since that epic duel, no other Phillies-Giants game had featured both starters producing a game score of at least 85 -- until Wendesday.

After the Phillies' Cliff Lee (10 innings) and Giants' Matt Cain (nine innings) combined for 19 innings of shutout ball, San Francisco defeated Philadelphia, 1-0, on Melky Cabrera's game-ending single in the 11th.

Lee was the first pitcher since Mark Mulder in 2005, and the ninth since 1991, to finish a start with at least 10 shutout innings. Of these nine, six walked away from their marvelous effort with a no-decision. PitcherDateDecisionHits/K/BBGame ScoreLee was the first Phillies pitcher since Steve Carlton on Sept 21, 1981, to go at least 10 innings and finish a start with no runs allowed.

This game marked the 10th time in the past 20 seasons in which both starters finished their day with at least nine shutout innings, and the first since Jason Vargas and Zach Britton accomplished the feat last May 12.

Cain allowed two hits with four strikeouts and one walk in his gem, producing a game score of 86.

Nationals
With a 3-2 win over Houston, Washington improved to 10-3 for the second-best 13-game start in Expos/Nationals history. The 1981 Expos opened with 11 wins against two defeats.

Jordan Zimmermann allowed one run on four hits in seven innings -- the sixth time this season a Nationals starter has gone at least seven innings and allowed no more than one run. Those six are the most in the Majors.

Zimmermann has allowed one earned run while going seven innings in each of his first three starts of the season. Before him, no Expos/Nationals pitcher had started the season with three consecutive starts of at least seven innings pitched and no more than one earned run.

Rangers
Behind Derek Holland's seven innings of four-hit, two-run ball, the Rangers beat the Red Sox, 6-3, to improve to 10-2 on the season. They matched the 1989 Rangers for the best 12-game start in franchise history.

Through their first 12 games, the 1989 team averaged 5.33 runs per game and allowed an average of 3.58 runs per game, while the club this season is scoring 5.75 runs per game and allowing 2.50 runs per game. With Holland's performance, Texas starters are 8-0 with a 2.44 ERA this season.

Mike Napoli homered, doubled and drove in four runs in the Rangers' victory. Since the start of the 2011 season, Napoli has 60 extra-base hits in 472 plate appearances, for an extra-base-hit percentage of 12.7. Among players with at least 400 plate appearances since the beginning of last year, that percentage is the highest in the Majors.

Here and there
? David Wright drove in three runs to give him 733 RBIs for his career, tying Darryl Strawberry for the Mets' franchise record. Wright is also second in career runs (31 behind all-time leader Jose Reyes), third in hits, first in total bases, first in doubles, fourth in home runs, fourth in walks and first in extra-base hits.

? A.J. Pierzynski went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and now has four homers and 13 RBIs on the season. In the live-ball era, Pierzynski's four homers tie him with Sherm Lollar in 1957 and Carlton Fisk in '81 for the most by a White Sox catcher through 11 team games, and his 13 RBIs tie him with Fisk in '81 for the most through 11 contests.

? Justin Morneau went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs in the Twins' 6-5 victory over the Yankees in New York. In 12 career games and 52 plate appearances at the new Yankee Stadium (which opened in 2009), Morneau owns a .478 average and 1.582 OPS with five doubles, seven home runs and 10 RBIs. Morneau's seven home runs at Yankee Stadium are two more than he has hit in 340 plate appearances at his home park, Target Field.

? Derek Jeter went 3-for-5 and hit his fourth home run of the season in his 54th at-bat of the year. Jeter, whose fourth home run in 2011 came in his 330th at-bat, has had 266 games with at least three hits -- the 12th most for any player since 1918.

? The Marlins' Mark Buehrle (eight innings, six hits, one run) won his first game as a National League pitcher. From his first season in 2000 through last year, Buehrle's 161 victories were the second most in the American League, behind CC Sabathia's 165.

? The Twins' Josh Willingham went 1-for-5 on Wednesday and the Giants' Pablo Sandoval went 1-for-4. Each player has at least one hit in every game his team has played (12) this season.

Roger Schlueter is senior researcher for MLB Productions. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Wright By:kevin,
Tags:ed hardy ed hardy clothing Christian Audigier