Column: No suspense for Bonds, Clemens in HOF vote

Barry Bonds can go for a bike ride. Roger Clemens might want to head to the gym for one of those famous workouts that used to make him pitch like he was 22 when he was 42.If the polls are right — and my guess is they're pretty spot on — there's no need for either to wait by the phone Wednesday when baseball writers weigh in with their first verdict on what is arguably the greatest class of Hall of...

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Soccer-41 players get life bans for South Korea match-fixing

Jan 9 (Reuters) - Forty one South Korean players have been handed worldwide lifetime bans following a match-fixing scandal in the country's K-League, world governing body FIFA said on Wednesday.The 41, charged after a domestic match-fixing investigation dating back to 2011, received lifetime bans from all football activity by the K-League and the Korea Football Association's disciplinary committee...

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Judgment day for Bonds, Clemens, Sosa at Hall

NEW YORK (AP) — Judgment day has arrived for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa to find out their Hall of Fame fates.With the cloud of steroids shrouding many candidacies, baseball writers may fail for only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall.About 600 people are eligible to vote in the BBWAA election, all members of the organization for 10 consecutive years...

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Baseball-No players voted to Hall of Fame, Bonds and Clemens snubbed

Jan 9 (Reuters) - No one was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, with all-time home run leader Barry Bonds and seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens snubbed over suspicion they used performance enhancing drugs.Bonds was named on 36.2 percent of the ballots, and Clemens 37.6, well short of the 75 percent of ballots required in voting by members of the Baseball Writers' Association...

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Miller, the man who ushered in free agency, dies at 95

(Reuters) - Marvin Miller, the founding chief of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) who changed the landscape of sports by pioneering free agency for players, died on Tuesday at the age of 95, the union said.Miller, who used the collective bargaining process and some stormy work stoppages to win players the right to become free agency along with vastly improved pensions, health...

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Yankees sign relief ace Rivera for another season

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Major League Baseball's all time saves leader Mariano Rivera has signed a one-year contract to return for his 18th season with the New York Yankees, the team said on Friday.The Panama native tore ligaments in his left knee in May while catching fly balls in the outfield before a game and pitched in only nine games in 2012."I didn't want to go out like that," the 43-year-old Rivera...

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Braves swap starter Hanson for Angels reliever Walden

(Reuters) - The Atlanta Braves borrowed from their starting rotation to boost their bullpen by trading Tommy Hanson to the Los Angeles Angels for hard-throwing reliever Jordan Walden, the Major League Baseball teams said on Friday.Both young pitchers have shown glimmers of greatness but slipped back last season.Hanson, 26, who broke into the majors midway through the 2009 season and went 11-4 with...

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Bears fire coach Lovie Smith after 9 seasons

 The Chicago Bears reached the Super Bowl under coach Lovie Smith and consistently boasted a formidable defense.However, they missed the playoffs too many times, never solved their problems on offense and even after a 10-win season they are moving on without him.The Bears fired Smith on Monday after the team missed the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons. General manager Phil Emery delivered...

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January groundbreaking for Atlanta's College Football Hall of Fame

Groundbreaking for a new College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta is set for January 28, and the first visitors are expected to walk through the doors in August 2014, the National Football Foundation said on Monday.The Foundation decided three years ago that it was moving the Hall of Fame to Atlanta from South Bend, Indiana, near the campus of the University of Notre Dame, a college football...

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Bills fire Gailey after 3 straight losing seasons

 Chan Gailey didn't work out after three losing seasons, leaving the Buffalo Bills looking for their fifth head coach since 2001.The Bills fired Gailey on Monday after he failed to deliver on his vow to transform a losing franchise into a playoff contender. Gailey's entire staff was fired, too, but the status of general manager Buddy Nix remained uncertain, and could be decided as early as Tuesday.Bills...

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Pacers surge past visiting Grizzlies

A furious fourth quarter from the Indiana Pacers sparked an 88-83 comeback win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.The Grizzlies, the NBA's top defensive team, led by 11 late in the third quarter before the Pacers charged back.Ben Hansbrough spurred the charge with two consecutive three-pointers to open the fourth, propelling the Pacers to a 14-4 run that gave them the lead for good."That's...

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Eagles fire Andy Reid after 14 seasons

 Andy Reid stuck around after he was fired by the Philadelphia Eagles, meeting with players, encouraging staff and shaking hands with the man who let him go.After 14 years, Reid found it hard to walk away.Owner Jeffrey Lurie understood. "He had the love and respect of every individual in this organization," he said at his news conference Monday. "This man is amazing to work with, smart and dedicated,...

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Basketball-Katsikaris to replace Blatt as Russia coach

Greece's Fotis Katsikaris is set to become coach of the Russian men's basketball team and will share coaching duties with his current job at Spanish club Bilbao Berri."It was his decision to do both jobs," president of the Russian basketball federation (RBF) Alexander Krasnenkov told reporters on Sunday."He'll coach Russia over the summer, then return to his Spanish club. We didn't insist on him working...

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UPDATE 1-NBA-Anthony leads Knicks over Timberwolves

(Adds quotes, details)* Knicks have 5 1/2-game division lead* T'Wolves lose without injured LoveDec 23 (Reuters) - Carmelo Anthony took over in the last two minutes to carry the New York Knicks to a 94-91 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.Anthony, who was ejected during Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, finished with 33 points, scoring 19 in the fourth quarter, as the Knicks came...

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Anthony leads Knicks over Timberwolves

 Carmelo Anthony took over in the last two minutes to carry the New York Knicks to a 94-91 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.Anthony, who was ejected during Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, finished with 33 points, scoring 19 in the fourth quarter, as the Knicks came from behind to secure the home win."We didn't want to look back at this game later in the season and say this...

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Anthony leads Knicks over Timberwolves

 Carmelo Anthony took over in the last two minutes to carry the New York Knicks to a 94-91 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.Anthony, who was ejected during Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, finished with 33 points, scoring 19 in the fourth quarter, as the Knicks came from behind to secure the home win."We didn't want to look back at this game later in the season and say this...

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UPDATE 4-NBA results

Dec 24 (Infostrada Sports) - Results from the NBA games on Sunday (home team in CAPS)BROOKLYN 95 Philadelphia 92NY KNICKS 94 Minnesota 91Utah 97 ORLANDO 93SAN ANTONIO 129 Dallas 91LA Clippers 103 PHOENIX 77SACRAMENTO 108 Portland...

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Basketball-Greek Katsikaris named Russia coach

 Greek Fotis Katsikaris has been named coach of Russia's men's national team and will continue to manage Spanish club Bilbao Berri, the country's basketball federation (RBF) said on Monday.The agreement with the RBF, which runs through to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, allows Katsikaris to coach Russia for a few months during the off-season before returning to his full-time job with Bilbao."I...

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Notre Dame's Te'o eyes Heisman after Maxwell win

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Manti Te'o is one of the most important leaders for undefeated Notre Dame, having played in a ton of big games for the Fighting Irish.Even so, he had a tough time processing this victory.The senior linebacker was "at a loss for words" after capturing the Maxwell Award as the nation's most outstanding player, one of three honors he received at the 22nd Home Depot College...

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Vikings lead NFL with 5 players from Notre Dame

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Notre Dame is one of the few college football teams that truly can boast a national following.Why, there's even an alumni chapter in the Minnesota Vikings locker room."It's really fun to be able to talk trash to everybody," said center John Sullivan, who has a leprechaun tattoo on his left shoulder.Sullivan is one of five ex-Notre Dame players on the Vikings, the most of...

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