Saturday October 11, 2008
SPORTS FRONT PAGE 
Toronto tempting to Nash
On the eve of his 13th NBA season, Phoenix Suns star Steve Nash knows he's closer to the end of his playing days than the beginning, and he can easily envision finishing his career in Canada with the Toronto Raptors.
The giant sucking sound
Revenues are soaring, television ratings are up, a new season is under way and yet not all is sweetness and light in the NHL.The grumbling is intensifying behind the scenes from owners and team officials who are watching with mounting dismay as millions pour from successful franchises in Canada and the United States to their staggering partners, mostly in the American sunbelt.
Hard work paying off for Latendresse
A little more than a year ago, Guillaume Latendresse finished in the bottom five when the Montreal Canadiens' tested their players' speed in training camp. In the same skating test this year, Latendresse finished in the top five.
Price stops pucks, deflects doubts about his second NHL season
The one question going into the NHL season about the Montreal Canadiens, a consensus pick to win the Eastern Conference, was whether Carey Price could build upon the promise he showed as a rookie.
Regehr's wife delivers, but not his teammates in season opener
At least there was one smiling face in the Calgary Flames' dressing room yesterday. Not surprisingly, it belonged to the guy who didn't play in Thursday's red-faced road loss to the Vancouver Canucks.
HOCKEY
One tough guy
At 32 and one game into his 12th NHL season, Jarome Iginla still burns with a passion to win a Stanley Cup. However, wanting and doing are separate issues - and it may be beyond his control, no matter how much the best player in Canada is prepared to give.
Free season's tickets alter father-son ritual
The rec room at the Wheeler family home in St. George, Ont., near Brantford will be a lot less rowdy tonight and 40 other times this NHL season.In the past, Greg Wheeler, 46, and his teenage son Scott have played host to their friends to watch their beloved Toronto Maple Leafs on the family's giant projection screen television in the basement.
Devils open at The Rock despite arena dispute
The New Jersey Devils home-opener went on as scheduled last night despite a construction code dispute that closed the Prudential Center down this summer.The team obtained a temporary certificate of occupancy to enable it to play the opener against the New York Islanders, and was closing in on a permanent solution.
Red Wings to take trip to White House
The Detroit Red Wings are headed to the White House next week to celebrate last season's Stanley Cup championship.The Red Wings will meet with President George W. Bush on Tuesday afternoon, a day after facing the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C. The team has a two-day break that allows for the stop in Washington.
Alfredsson sidelined after minor knee surgery
Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson will be out for at least two weeks after arthroscopic surgery yesterday on his right knee, the NHL club announced.The operation will remove a bone chip that was dislodged Sunday during a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Stockholm.
Canucks' Edler signs four-year extension
Defenceman Alexander Edler is officially a Vancouver Canucks cornerstone this morning.Yesterday, the NHL team moved quickly and locked up its most pleasant surprise from the 2007-08 campaign with a new $13-million (all figures U.S.) contract. The Canucks, who opened the new season with a 6-0 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night, extended Edler's pact by four years, locking up the promising Swede through the 2012-13 season.
Salary system can't save the have-nots
So these are the spoils of victory.Weak franchises teetering on the brink. Strong franchises unhappily pouring good money after bad. A salary management system in which payrolls increase even for teams that have barely benefited from the revenue streams that push the numbers ever higher. Some extremely grumpy owners at both ends of the spectrum.
BASEBALL
Philadelphia beats L.A. again
He'd whacked himself in the helmet with the follow-through of an ugly swing, and so as Brett Myers took off for first base he had to reach up and push his batting helmet back because it had fallen over his eyes.
Philadelphia beats L.A. again
There are so many big hitters in Philadelphia's potent lineup, no one ever expected it would be pitcher Brett Myers who put the Phillies in control of the National League championship series with his bat.
MYERS MAKES GOOD ON VOW
Philadelphia pitcher Brett Myers vowed he would win Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers to honour manager Charlie Manuel's mother, who died yesterday.Myers, however, was surprised that he made good on his promise through his hitting rather than his pitching.
WEEKEND GAMES
American LeagueGame 2 Today, Boston at Tampa Bay, 8:07 p.m..Game 3 Monday Tampa Bay at Boston, 4:37 p.m.National LeagueGame 3 Tomorrow, Philadelphia at Los Angeles, 8:22 p.m.
YANKEES HAVE SEVEN $600,000 SUITES LEFT
The New York Yankees have seven luxury suites priced at $600,000 a season left for sale at their new stadium and the club isn't concerned that the economic crisis will hamper its ability to sell them, chief operating officer Lonn Trost said. The $1.3-billion (U.S.) ballpark has 47 luxury suites, though the Yankees aren't selling all of them. Some will be held for corporate sponsors. Suites priced at $850,000 to $650,000 are already sold out and for a minimum of five years, Trost said. ''We are reflective of and conscious of the state of the economy,'' Trost said. ''From a micro view, we don't see any evidence of modifications or changes taking place.''
MANUEL'S MOTHER DIES
A grieving Charlie Manuel was in the Philadelphia Phillies' dugout yesterday afternoon for Game 2 of the NLCS as his team won 8-5, just hours after his mother died. The Phillies said that June Manuel died yesterday morning at Roanoke (Va.) Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. She was 87.
BLUE JAYS COMPLETE MINOR-LEAGUE STAFF
The Toronto Blue Jays named Chad Mottola roving hitting coach, Doug Davis roving catching instructor and Rick Langford roving rehab and pitching coach yesterday to complete their 2009 minor-league staff. Davis managed the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs the past two seasons. Mike Basso wil manage the new Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas. Dane Johnson returns as roving pitching coach. John Schneider will manage the Rookie Gulf Coast Blue Jays. All other minor-league managers return: Gary Cathcart, Double-A New Hampshire; Omar Malave, Class-A Dunedin; Clayton McCullough, Class- A Lansing; and Dennis Holmberg, short-season Auburn.
Rays come up empty as Red Sox win opener
Unhittable most of the game, Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Boston Red Sox taught the Tampa Bay Rays all about dominant postseason pitching.Matsuzaka took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and the World Series defending champions played a little better in every way, beating the Rays 2-0 last night in the opener of the American League Championship Series.
COLUMNISTS
Hearn looking for a second shot
What's up with David Hearn? The 29-year-old pro from Brantford, Ont., sat down in a coffee shop in nearby Ancaster last week to answer the question.Hearn was home for a while before leaving for this week's Nationwide Tour event in Midland, Tex. He's been on the lower-tier tour since finishing 196th on the 2005 PGA Tour. Hearn is 54th on the Nationwide money list this season and needs to get into the top 25 to regain his PGA Tour card. He shot 75-72 and missed the cut in Midland yesterday, and has just three tournaments left.
FOOTBALL
Rodgers ready to shoulder load again
Despite not making a single throw in practice this week, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is prepared to start for the Green Bay Packers tomorrow at Seattle.Coach Mike McCarthy said the team made a medical decision to keep Rodgers, who has a sprained right shoulder, from throwing in practice yesterday.
Patriots, Chargers renew edgy, one-sided rivalry
Before Tom Brady and Shawne Merriman were lost for the season with knee injuries, tomorrow night's game between the New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers looked to be an epic battle between two of the AFC's elite teams.
Three Miami players must dance to NFL's tune
Running back Ronnie Brown and two Miami Dolphins linemen were each fined $10,000 for performing a choreographed dance to celebrate a touchdown during last week's 17-10 win over the San Diego Chargers. The routine violated the National Football League's rule against premeditated, co-ordinated celebrations by two or more players.
Toronto's playoff hopes nearly extinct after loss
Maligned kicker Alexis Serna booted a go-ahead 34-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers inched closer to a playoff spot with a 25-16 win over the Toronto Argonauts last night.
BASKETBALL
Pacers trade Williams to the Mavericks
Shawne Williams is getting a new start in the NBA. Dogged by three incidents involving police in the past 13 months, the six-foot-nine forward has been traded by the Indiana Pacers to Dallas for 14-year veteran Eddie Jones, two future draft picks and cash. Williams will be reunited with new Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, who coached the Pacers when Indiana drafted him in 2006.
OTHER SPORTS
ON TELEVISION
(All times Eastern)TODAYATHLETICS IAAF World Final, from Stuttgart, CBC, 2 p.m. AUTO RACINGFormula One Qualifying, Japanese Grand Prix, TSN, 8 a.m. NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Kawartha, Dodge Charger 250, TSN, 11 a.m.
Shrinking judges panels aimed at cutting costs
The International Skating Union reduced the number of judges on panels for major championships as an emergency measure for local organizing committees, said David Dore, the former head of the Canadian Figure Skating Association, now called Skate Canada.
Caracas dropout could help Toronto's Pan Am Games bid
There's one less roadblock in Toronto's quest to play host to the 2015 Pan Am Games.Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty's office said yesterday that the group representing Caracas, Venezuela, announced it would not table its bid.
IT'S BEEN A GOOD WEEK FOR ...
RON WILSONTen years after using his famous Sioux Indian parable in a futile attempt to inspire his Washington Capitals before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final against the defending champions in Hockeytown, Wilson finally got his win. The stakes were slightly different this time around - although some are already planning the parade route - but the Ron Wilson era in that other hockey town got off on the right side of the ledger Thursday night with a 3-2 Leafs win thanks to a strong, disciplined game plan. SIDNEY CROSBY
BALLESTEROS HAD 'EPILEPTIC FIT'
Doctors believe Spanish golf legend Severiano Ballesteros suffered a ''partial epileptic fit'' before being admitted four days ago to a Madrid hospital.''He is receiving the prescribed treatment [and] he is in a stable condition,'' the La Paz hospital said in a statement, adding Ballesteros left the hospital's intensive-care unit yesterday.
PGA TOUR: STROUD ENJOYS HOME COOKING
Chris Stroud moved into position to make a big jump on the PGA Tour money list, shooting a six-under-par 64 yesterday to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Valero Texas Open.
LPGA TOUR: KIM WEATHERS STORM
In-Kyung Kim of South Korea shot a three-under-par 69 in cold, windy conditions yesterday to take a one-stroke lead over Mollie Fankhauser in the Longs Drugs Challenge, while top-ranked Lorena Ochoa was two shots behind.
EUROPEAN TOUR: BIRDIES A CURE
Charl Schwartzel overcame illness and a sore shoulder yesterday to shoot seven-under-par 64 and share the PGA European Tour's Madrid Masters lead with Marcus Fraser after the second round.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: CRENSHAW FINDS GAME
Ben Crenshaw found his long-lost golf game yesterday, shooting four-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Fred Funk at the midway point of the Senior Players Championship, the fifth and final major tournament on the Champions Tour.
Tonight's NASCAR race raises a McCain
The wife of Republican presidential candidate John McCain will be the honorary race director at the NASCAR Bank of America 500. McCain's campaign said yesterday that Cindy McCain will participate in tonight's event at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord.
Castroneves gets OK to race in Australia
A Miami judge has agreed to modify bail conditions on tax charges so Helio Castroneves can race later this month in Australia. The Brazilian race-car driver and 2007 Dancing With The Stars champ had been barred from leaving the United States. A judge granted Castroneves's request yesterday to travel to Brisbane so he can drive in the Oct. 26 race. Prosecutors may still appeal that order. Castroneves was indicted last week on federal conspiracy and tax-evasion charges and is free on $10-million bail.
Radio station apologizes for Magic Johnson remarks
A Minneapolis radio station said yesterday it would air public-service announcements on HIV/AIDS after a pair of talk-show hosts accused Magic Johnson of faking AIDS. KTLK's Chris Baker and Langdon Perry made the remarks during Baker's conservative talk show on Wednesday. After Johnson condemned the statements, the station said yesterday it regretted ''some off-hand remarks'' by the pair.
Ex-Olympian gets 5 years for dealing heroin
Disgraced former Olympic track star Tim Montgomery, once dubbed the world's fastest man, was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for dealing heroin to an informant. Montgomery, 33, won an Olympic gold medal in the 400-metre relay at the 2000 Games and a silver in the same event four years earlier. A doping scandal wiped his achievements from the books.
