Sports News and Articles

Hornets take Southwest title

The New Orleans Hornets gathered in front of their bench, wearing ball caps and T-shirts commemorating the first division championship in the franchise’s 20-year history.

While the latest sellout crowd roared its approval, they stayed on the court for almost a half-hour to celebrate the moment.

David West scored 32 points and Chris Paul had 12 during a decisive run in the third quarter as the Hornets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 114-92 on Tuesday night. New Orleans will have the No. 2 seed in the playoffs in the rugged Western Conference after the Los Angeles Lakers won later Tuesday night.

Three seasons after going 18-64, the Hornets clinched the rugged Southwest division, which has four 50-win teams.

“A lot of people had us not even getting in the playoffs,” New Orleans center Tyson Chandler said. “I don’t think any of us believed that. We all believed that we’re one of the better teams in the conference. If you win this division it says a lot about the team because this is the best division in basketball.”

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Woods has surgery

The U.S. Open figured to be the closest to a sure thing for Tiger Woods in the majors this year, but maybe not anymore.

Two days after his quest for a Grand Slam fizzled at the Masters, Woods had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee for the second time in five years and will miss at least four weeks while he recovers.

The announcement, which Woods made Tuesday night on his Web site, was a surprise to everyone except those around him.

“He’s been having a lot of trouble,” swing coach Hank Haney said. “He doesn’t talk about stuff like that. He doesn’t want to use excuses, you know? I don’t think it affected his play. It affected his practice a little bit.”

The surgery was performed in Park City, Utah, by Thomas Rosenberg, who also operated on Woods’ left knee in December 2002. Woods also had surgery in 1994 on his left knee to remove a benign tumor.

“I made the decision to deal with the pain and schedule the surgery for after the Masters,” Woods said on his Web site. “The upside is that I have been through this process before and know how to handle it. I look forward to working through the rehabilitation process and getting back to action as quickly as I can.”

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Lakers beat Kings, win conference title

The Los Angeles Lakers began the season in chaos 5 1/2 months ago. They finished it as the Western Conference champions.

Pau Gasol had 22 points, leading MVP candidate Kobe Bryant added 20, and the Lakers beat the short-handed Sacramento Kings 124-101 Tuesday night to clinch the No. 1 seed in the West and home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs.

“I told the guys to celebrate, have a good time for two days,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “We’re back to business Thursday.”

The Lakers (57-25) begin the playoffs this weekend—most likely Sunday— against Denver or Dallas. It will be the Nuggets unless they beat Memphis and Dallas loses to No. 2 seed New Orleans on Wednesday night. If the Hornets win, they’ll have the same record as the Lakers, but Los Angeles wins the tiebreaker because of a better conference record.

The Lakers enter the playoffs having gone 8-1 to finish the regular season.

“It’s all about momentum,” Bryant said. “You want to be playing your best basketball going into the playoffs, and we feel like we’re doing that so we ended the season exactly where we wanted to.”

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Running To Lose Weight? Three Quick Tips To Follow

Everyone know that running is a great way for you to burn calories and stay in shape. Running at just 10 mph can burn up to 1000 calories an hour. Running is also one of the most popular cardio exercises. Like with any exercise routine, if you are going to start running there are a few things you should know before getting serious about the program.

1) Your body needs fuel and energy so instead of cutting the amount of calories you eat, adjust what kind of calories you intake. If you try to cut the amount of food you take in while on any kind of exercise program your body will not only eat your fat reserves but will start to cut into your muscle mass. A good formula to keep in mind is try to get half your calories from carbohydrates by eating lots of fruits and grain foods. Also make sure to eat your share of protein and even good fat which your body needs to stay healthy.

2) Before you start your run, or any other exercise program, be sure to warm up with stretching exercises. Failing to stretch properly can result in cramps and other more serious injuries like torn or sprained muscles. It is normal that you will feel sore and tired when you first start to run but after a time it will get easier. If you get a serious injury, don’t try to run through the pain, take a few days off to recover or see a doctor or physician.

3) If your just starting your running program be sure to start slow. Ease into the program by starting with long walk or short jogs. Find a short route that leads you around your neighborhood and as you get better and are able to go farther, increase the distance of the route. Running can help you lose weight and burn calories, as well as build energy and just make you feel good about yourself.

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You can Always Get Better at Golf

Golf has now evolved to be a sport for anyone. Before, only the elite were considered to be aficionados of this sport, but with its popularity gaining momentum, more people are driven into this challenging sport diversion. As a result more golf fans are enrolling themselves in golf schools. An excellent golf school should be able to provide a comprehensive set of lessons for both novices and advanced learners.

Golf schools are headed by professional golf teachers who know the ins and outs of the sport. These expert coaches will be able to teach you the right swing angles, how to control your swings, provide excellent golfing equipment, and also teach you fitness training needed in the golfing sport.

However, if you plan on having a long term golf career, enrolling yourself in a reputable golf college should be a better option. Golf schools are ideal when you want to improve in the game, while a golf college is more suitable if you would rather explore the other careers possible in the golf sport, like golf teaching and instruction, golf business management, golf equipment sales and marketing and the like.

Achieving a lucrative golf career is possible when you have a passion for it and the perseverance to be better everyday. Like anything else, you can also strive to improve at this rewarding sport and gain success. If you want golf to be both a hobby and a career, then why not opt for a pleasurable and profitable golf career.

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World Series champs!

After an off century, the Boston Red Sox are making a little more of this one.

Sprung from their past, freed from the dramas and misfortunes that corroded a franchise seemingly born to be the New York Yankees’ valet, the Red Sox are world champions for the second time in four Octobers.

Remember when they’d settle for one, the now-I-can-die-in-peace era?

Turns out, you’ve lived long enough to witness the Red Sox as persistent winners, as budding dynasty, and just as the Yankees have fallen into a period of uncomfortable transition.

On Sunday night, about the time the Red Sox had their group hug at Coors Field, Scott Boras was spreading the news of Alex Rodriguez’s opt-out intentions, and Joe Torre was getting around to that honey-do list, and Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte probably weren’t sure if they were Yankees or not. The once veteran Yankees pitching staff seems sure to be decorated with the likes of Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, introducing growing pains to an organization that traditionally grows only payrolls.

And who’s going to play third in the Bronx? Mike Lowell? The Red Sox’s World Series MVP?

Not if the Colorado branch of Red Sox Nation has any say. More than an hour after Jonathan Papelbon blew that victory fastball past Seth Smith, fans bunched at the Red Sox dugout and chanted for their free-agent to be, singing, “Re-sign Lowell! Re-sign Lowell!”

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Red Sox on verge of Series sweep after ripping Rockies

Daisuke Matsuzaka struck out five and allowed only three hits while driving in two runs Saturday to spark Boston past Colorado 10-5, putting the Red Sox on the brink of a World Series title sweep.

Three years to the day after ending an 86-year title drought by completing a Series sweep of St. Louis, the Red Sox reached the verge of another sweep in Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final with game four here Sunday.

“It’s a great situation to be in,” Boston leadoff hitter Jacoby Ellsbury said. “We’re very confident but we know Colorado is a great ball club. There’s no quit in them. We know it’s going to be a tough one to get the last one.”

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