SPORTS - NFL labor talks with mediator approaching week (AP)

SPORTS - NFL labor talks with mediator approaching week (AP)

AP – FILE - In this Aug. 10, 2010 file photo, Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey walks on the field during …

By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton, Ap Pro Football Writer – Wed Feb 23, 2:56 am ET

DENVER – Champ Bailey fantasized about being wined and dined as the prize of the 2011 free agent class. He dreamed about jetting across the country to be wooed and wowed.

In the end, though, the perennial Pro Bowl cornerback excused the Broncos for pulling a four-year contract offer off the table back in October and decided to stay in Denver even though he might have made more money on the open market.

"One thing I've learned, the grass ain't always greener," Bailey said Tuesday after signing a four-year deal with Denver worth more than $40 million. "I could go to an organization that looks like they're ready and then they're not ready and then I'm miserable because I'm around a lot of unfamiliar faces and in an unfamiliar place.

"I thought about that and I thought about being on the market. But all in all, it didn't really take me to forgive them. There's new people in charge up there. I know that I could have gotten something worked out. Once Josh McDaniels left, things did work out, didn't it?"

One reason he didn't test free agency, he said, was the league's labor uncertainty.

The sides are meeting in Washington, D.C., under federal mediation in a bid to find common ground before the current labor deal expires at the end of the day March 3. The union has said it believes team owners want to lock out the players as soon as the next day, which could threaten the 2011 season.

"There is no certainty once March 4 rolls around," Bailey said. "That played a role in my decision, to make sure something got done. I don't know what's going to happen after March 3, because of the CBA and all of that stuff. You don't know how teams are going to react to free agents and what's going to be out there. I just figured if I can, get it done.

"But, it's really what I wanted all along anyway."

Bailey remains one of the league's premiere shutdown cornerbacks even at age 32. He just played in his 10th Pro Bowl, a record for cornerbacks, but the one big void in his career is a trip to the Super Bowl.

"When you talk about awards, things you can take home to remember your career, the ring is the most important thing," Bailey said on a conference call with media that cover the Broncos. "I want to get that ring, and I want to do it here."

Bailey, who has only been to the playoffs three times in his 12 NFL seasons, said he thinks the Broncos are in capable hands under new coach John Fox, who has deep defensive roots, and can quickly halt a five-year playoff drought.

"It may sound stupid, but in a few years, hopefully you guys will look back and say, 'Well, Champ said they could turn around pretty quick,'" Bailey said. "So hopefully this thing will get turned around a lot faster than we all expect."

Bailey and pass-rusher Elvis Dumervil, who missed last season with a torn chest muscle a year after leading the NFL with 17 sacks in 2009, are now the cornerstones of Denver's massive defensive makeover.

"Champ is truly one of the NFL's elite players, a 10-time Pro Bowler who is playing at the absolute highest level," Broncos football chief John Elway wrote on Twitter. "The commitment and loyalty that Champ has shown to the Broncos, the city of Denver and this region is exemplary. We're fortunate to have Champ with the Broncos for a long time. This is a GREAT day for our entire organization and our fans."

Even though most teams only throw his way a couple times a game, Bailey's 48 career interceptions rank first among cornerbacks since he entered the league as the seventh overall pick by the Washington Redskins in 2009 and his 183 pass breakups are tops among players during the past 12 years.

"Signing Champ was a top priority this offseason," general manager Brian Xanders said in a statement. "He has shown incredible loyalty to the Broncos organization and this community in his seven seasons with the club. His value on and off the field is immeasurable, and we couldn't be happier that he is positioned to finish his Hall of Fame career as a Bronco."

Bailey said he appreciated Elway's involvement in re-signing him and also the Broncos' willingness to extend an offer to him just four months shy of his 33rd birthday.

"It means a lot, because you don't see it happen very often. But I've got to be honest, not to sound arrogant or anything, but I don't come along very often, either. ... and I appreciate the fact that they realize that and they realize how important it was for me to stay here."

It had started to look as if the Broncos would lose Bailey this offseason. Even when they reopened talks with his representatives earlier this month, Bailey decided to try to sell his Littleton home that he bought for $1.6 million a few years ago.

"Well, you know what, everything that you say publicly has something to do with negotiations," Bailey acknowledged. "It always does. Jay Cutler putting his house up a few years ago. I mean, c'mon. It all has something to do with negotiations."

Bailey would still like to sell his house. Maybe he's intent on downsizing because when he was asked if he'd be interested in upgrading to the mansion of NBA star Carmelo Anthony, who was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks in a blockbuster trade Tuesday, he said no way.

"Oh, no. That's too much. I've been in that house," Bailey said. "Oh no, that's too much."

Bailey's deal was welcome news in a city that was hit hard by the departures of Anthony and homegrown star Chauncey Billups, which followed the recent retirement of hockey great Peter Forsberg after a short-lived comeback attempt with the Colorado Avalanche.

Bailey said deep down he never wanted to leave Denver.

"I feel like I'm a Denver native. I'm not from here, but it feels good here. I feel like I'm home. That played a big part in my decision to stay, because I want to help make this city proud," he said. "It's been a while. I don't think we've done anything good since the (2005 AFC) championship game. The fans deserve it, and I want to be a part of making it happen for them."

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SPORTS - Broncos sign Champ Bailey to 4-year deal (AP)

SPORTS - Broncos sign Champ Bailey to 4-year deal (AP)

AP – Denver Nuggets president Josh Kroenke talks during a news conference about the trade of Carmelo Anthony …

By JIM LITKE, AP Sports Columnist Jim Litke, Ap Sports Columnist – Wed Feb 23, 4:37 am ET

All of a sudden, the NBA looks more like a fantasy league than a real one.

Talk about the sneaker being on the other foot: On the heels of LeBron James' migration to South Beach, now it's the megastars and their agents, not management, who decide where they want to play, with whom, and even when.

Fearful of getting nothing in return, as the Cavaliers basically did when James ducked out of town last summer as a free agent, front offices have few options at the moment other than cleaning up the mess left behind.

"I want to offer a personal apology to the Billups family," Denver Nuggets President Josh Kroenke said Tuesday, hours after reluctantly throwing local hero Chauncey Billups into the three-team, 13-player deal engineered by Carmelo Anthony so he could move to New York.

"They mean the world to me, personally, and I know that Chauncey means everything to Denver. He is," Kroenke added, "Denver basketball."

Except that he's not anymore.

Scenes like that will be repeated more often unless commissioner David Stern finds a way to tuck something into the next collective bargaining agreement to stop franchise players from fleeing small-market teams for the bright lights of the biggest cities. At the head of the 2012 free-agent class are Dwight Howard of Orlando, Chris Paul of New Orleans and Deron Williams of Utah, each of whom will have enough leverage to force deals that could unite them with pals in just about any town they choose.

Williams said he was eager to avoid the circus-like atmosphere that ensnared both James and Anthony once they made it clear they were shopping for teams.

"Obviously, I'm not going to do 'The Decision,'" he laughed. "I don't think anybody would tune in anyways."

"I don't think about it," Paul said, "because those guys will probably tell you they got tired of it a little bit. I mean if you're asking the same question over and over and getting the same answer, that's kind of crazy in itself."

But both made clear it would be crazier still not to explore every option.

"When people ask me about it, I just try to shrug it off and say you'll hear the decision live a year from now or two years from now," Williams said.

Stern was asked during last weekend's All-Star gala how he planned to reclaim some of that leverage for the owners, especially in the smaller markets. He answered that every team was trying to compete, conveniently leaving out that guys like Howard, Paul and Williams already belong to competitive teams — and are likely to want out, anyway.

So what to do?

Allowing owners to attach franchise tags to players, as the NFL currently does, might be the option easiest to sell to both side in negotiations. Especially since Paul, one of the players most likely to leave, also happens to be the most valuable piece of a franchise the NBA currently owns and desperately needs to sell.

Beyond that, owners could take a hard line and demand a hard salary cap, or shorter contracts and less guaranteed money, making it riskier for players to depart. As a sweetener, owners could relax those terms for players who re-sign with their current teams.

All that, of course, could be little more than wishful thinking — or simply the prelude to a walkout.

If you want to know just what Stern and his owners are up against, consider this snapshot from that same All-Star weekend. On Saturday, Paul, James and Anthony — all of whom share agent Leon Paul — sat side-by-side at the scorers table after practice, sharing a few laughs.

The three were also together in New York at Anthony's wedding last summer, along with Knicks star Amare Stoudemire. Paul got up to give a toast, mindful of James' move to Miami and his reunion with fellow Olympic stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh just a few days earlier. Paul looked at Stoudemire and Anthony, then laughed, "We'll form our own Big 3."

That joke came up again when James, Anthony and Paul were together again in Los Angeles. Taking note of the hoopla building over the weekend as speculation swirled around where Anthony would wind up, James turned to Paul and playfully said, "You started all this."

No argument there.

But nothing is likely to determine the future of the NBA more than whether it's the owners or players who get the last word on how it ends.

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org

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SPORTS - 'Melodrama' proves sneaker is on other foot now (AP)

SPORTS - 'Melodrama' proves sneaker is on other foot now (AP)

AP – England's Ian Poulter putts on the 18th green while playing a practice round for the Match Play Championship …

By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson, Ap Golf Writer – Tue Feb 22, 8:16 pm ET

MARANA, Ariz. – Ian Poulter certainly felt like the defending champion at the Match Play Championship. He is featured prominently on the cover of the program. His name and picture is on banners along with other World Golf Championship winners. There even was a Facebook promotion in which fans picked his outfits for the week.

Those feelings ended, however, when Poulter looked at the starting times.

Poulter plays Stewart Cink in the first of 32 matches Wednesday, on the tee at 7:25 a.m. MST with a chill in the air.

"I was a little surprised," Poulter said. "I wasn't expecting to be out first. I mean, 7:25, defending champion. How many people are going to be through the gates at 7:00 in the morning?"

He said that during his press conference. But what was his initial reaction?

"You don't know what to know," he said, although he soon obliged — "Holy ... is that what time I'm off?"

Nothing personal, Poults.

The starting times are based strictly by the player's seeding and his location in the bracket. The No. 12 seed overall has been the leadoff match every year since the Accenture Match Play Championship moved to Arizona in 2007.

Poulter is the No. 12 seed.

"I mean, it was early, you know?" Poulter said. "It's cold. I'm a Floridian, come on!"

Tiger Woods is the only player to successfully defend in the Match Play Championship. Geoff Ogilvy came close, losing in the championship match to Henrik Stenson in 2007.

Three defending champions have been eliminated in the first round, all in the first three years of the tournament — Jeff Maggert, Darren Clarke and Steve Stricker. Maggert holds the dubious distinction of having the shortest tenure as the defending champion. He only made it 13 holes before losing to Bob Tway in 2000.

A British reporter jokingly suggested that Poulter could have the shortest defense by the clock. His match could end by 11 a.m.

"Could be on an airplane by mid-afternoon, I guess," Poulter said. "Thanks for that. I hadn't really thought about that until you just mentioned it, but thanks, well done. I'd rather be having a nice salmon for a starter and filet steak for dinner tomorrow night."

___

CONGRESSIONAL: Mike Davis is more interested in risk-and-reward than par when it comes to the U.S. Open.

Davis, who has been in charge of setting up the U.S. Open courses since 2006, is the one who rejected a suggestion that the 18th hole at Torrey Pines be converted to a par 4 to the course would play to a 70. It led to one of the more dramatic finishes when Tiger Woods made birdie to force a playoff, which he won.

Davis also says the sixth hole at Congressional will be a par 5, making the course play to a par 71. It was a par 70 in 1997.

"We've built a new tee and we're making it a risk-reward par 5," Davis said earlier this month about the sixth hole. "People used to throw darts at us for reducing par, and now we're increasing par. It's because we looked at the hole and said, 'This green has not been built for a par 4.' And now we can get aggressive with some hole locations."

Davis also said the graduated rough that has become his signature at the U.S. Open might not be on every hole at Congressional. That requires plenty of room (Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines), and Congressional features tree-lined fairways.

"On some of those holes, we do not have enough width to do what we want," he said. "You'll go from the lighter rough to be under some branches. In other cases, we'd have more balls outside the rope line. I think this year will be a different."

___

GOLF CHANNEL: NBC Sports and the Golf Channel are now under the same parent company now that Comcast has acquired NBCUniversal. They will show their new association this week at the Match Play Championship with a combined 28 hours of live coverage.

The programming will be branded as "Golf Channel on NBC."

The coverage will incorporate the Golf Channel look, from tournament graphics to the logo the commentators wear on their apparel.

"There are very few channels whose name delivers exactly what the brand promises," said Dick Ebersol, chairman of the NBC Sports Group. "Our plan is to grow Golf Channel by exposing it to new viewers through the broad reach of the network and the unprecedented cross-promotional power of NBCUniversal."

___

CONSOLATION: The Match Play Championship has changed its format this year. Instead of the semifinals Saturday afternoon and a 36-hole championship match, the semifinals will be Sunday morning, following by an 18-hole final.

Still in place is the consolation match.

Tournament organizers like the idea of a consolation match because of the difference in money, world ranking points, FedEx Cup points and every other year, Ryder Cup points.

Stewart Cink doesn't mind the consolation match, but he think there's nothing wrong with it ending in a draw.

"I remember when me and Ross Fisher came to the 18th tied," Cink said of a consolation match two years ago. "I hit it in the bunker and he's got 5 feet for par. I holed by bunker shot. Otherwise, we go extra holes, and then it's up to TV. What to you do?"

___

DIVOTS: The opening match between Ian Poulter and Stewart Cink could also be a battle of Twitter. Among PGA Tour members on Twitter, Cink has the most followers (1,202,607), followed by Poulter (1,113,772). ... Starting this year, all entries for USGA championships will only be available online. The online entry process began in 2002. Last year, nearly than 93 percent of more than 35,000 entries for the USGA's 13 championships were done online. ... The United States has 25 players in the Match Play field. England and Australia are second with six players, followed with South Africa and South Korea with four each. Japan, Sweden and Italy each have three players, while Denmark, Spain and Northern Ireland have two apiece.

___

STAT OF THE WEEK: Four of the seven PGA Tour winners this year were outside the top 150 in the world when they won.

___

FINAL WORD: "I still think that he can make those guys eat their words ... these young guys that are basically writing him off." — NBC Sports analyst Johnny Miller on Tiger Woods.

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SPORTS - No UConn postseason ban, but Calhoun suspended (AP)

SPORTS - No UConn postseason ban, but Calhoun suspended (AP)

AP – FILE - In this file photo taken Jan. 28, 2011, Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, center, drives to the …

By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney, Ap Basketball Writer – Wed Feb 23, 3:13 am ET

GREENBURGH, N.Y. – Players like Carmelo Anthony don't come cheap, and many times they don't come around at all.

So even though it cost much of their core, the New York Knicks couldn't pass up a chance to pair him with Amare Stoudemire.

"I think this puts us in a way ahead of everything, because these are the kind of guys that are really hard to get," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. "Whether it's in the free agent market or whether they're in a trade, they're very difficult to get. And they're guys that can go out there and get 30 to 40 points in a playoff game."

Yes, the Knicks are talking about the playoffs.

And they think the three-team, 13-player deal they completed Tuesday with Denver and Minnesota will make them better when they get there.

"When you go out hunting, would you rather have a bigger gun or a little gun?" coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We got a bigger gun."

Anthony, who signed a three-year, $65 million extension before the deal was finalized, will join fellow All-Star Stoudemire in the frontcourt, giving the Knicks the potent duo they hoped they could assemble last summer in free agency.

"We liked the way our team played this year and I looked at it and I thought we had one piece that was at the high level of the league. We always wanted two pieces at least," Walsh said.

Stoudemire has led the Knicks to a 28-26 record this season, but said they will be even more dangerous with Anthony bringing his 25.2 points per game to join his 26.1 average.

"Every team needs a 1, 1A punch," Stoudemire said. "And so with the ways that we both can score .... we're very versatile, so it's hard to guard us."

Stoudemire said he had "no doubt" the All-Star forwards and longtime friends could play together, and said Anthony would handle the move to New York as well as he has.

"It's what he wants. It's what I wanted, to come to New York and play on the big stage," Stoudemire said. "He has the same type of swag. This is what he wants and he can handle it. We're going to do it together."

The Knicks also got guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter, and forwards Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams from Denver. New York dealt forwards Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari, guard Raymond Felton and center Timofey Mozgov to the Nuggets.

New York also shipped centers Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph to Minnesota for forward Corey Brewer. Denver acquired center Kosta Koufos from Minnesota, plus New York's first-round draft pick in 2014, second-round picks in 2012 and 2013 and cash.

The Knicks haven't made the playoffs since 2004, but are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference in their first season since acquiring Stoudemire from Phoenix last summer. He thinks the blockbuster deal could make them better equipped to face teams such as Boston or Miami, which already have multiple All-Stars, in the postseason.

"They're pretty good. That's a heck of a trade," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "Really, it's nice to see. It's a good trade for both teams. I thought Denver got everything it could possibly get in the deal, and I thought the Knicks did everything they could as well. They ended up with Carmelo, Corey Brewer and Chauncey Billups. They have a heck of a basketball team. It just makes the East more interesting."

Miami's LeBron James said he was happy his friend's uncertainty was finally over.

"I think it's great for the NBA," James said. "The fact that the Knicks are back, the Celtics have been back for the last few years and all the other teams are trying to compete, I think it's great."

It was Anthony's refusal to take the extension when the Nuggets offered it to him last summer that forced them to explore trading their leading scorer. The Knicks hoped they could sign him next summer in free agency, but felt they couldn't wait because Anthony wanted the extension this season, before a new collective bargaining agreement next summer could severely restrict salaries, and that could have forced him to lock in long term with whatever team Denver traded him to.

So the Knicks agreed to trade four of their top six players, realizing there were few chances to add a player of Anthony's caliber.

"Now we've got two guys in our stable," D'Antoni said.

The Knicks hope Anthony will be able to play Wednesday when they host Milwaukee. All the players in the deal must pass physicals before any of them can play.

Nuggets president Josh Kroenke said in a statement the Nuggets enjoyed watching Anthony grow during his seven seasons with the team.

"However, Carmelo made it very clear early in the season that he wasn't willing to recommit to the organization and wanted to pursue other opportunities in basketball and life," Kroenke said. "At that point, we decided it was imperative that we do what was in the best interest of the Denver Nuggets and our fans. We wish Carmelo the best in his career and sincerely thank him for what he's helped us accomplish."

New York's once-passionate fan base was turned off by the team's poor play on the court and embarrassing press off it for most of the decade under Isiah Thomas' reign as president and coach. But in the third season under Walsh and D'Antoni, the buzz has come back, and it's only going to get louder once Anthony takes the court.

"New York City was on fire even before this trade happened with Carmelo, thanks to (the traded players) and I think with the help of Carmelo and Chauncey and the rest of the guys, we have a great shot at it," Stoudemire said.

Though Anthony was the focus, the Knicks are excited about the acquisition of Billups, a former NBA finals MVP and five-time All-Star who remains one of the league's top point guards and will orchestrate D'Antoni's pick-and-roll offense.

The Anthony trade saga lasted all season and often overshadowed the Knicks' improved play. During a chaotic final week, the Nuggets entertained offers from the Knicks and New Jersey Nets, with both owners meeting with Anthony during the All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

Walsh repeated the Knicks' previous denials that Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan — with advice from Thomas — had taken the Anthony pursuit out of his hands and paid more than Walsh would have.

"I'm the one who knows basketball, so my job is to advise him, 'This is good for your franchise,' and I did that," Walsh said.

The Knicks are probably too far back to make a big move in the standings over the final portion of the regular season. But they believe they have enough time to fit in the new players and be a threat if they finally get back to the playoffs.

"It'll be up to the players and I'm sure Carmelo wants to come in and win. He didn't come here just to go to Broadway, he wants to win," D'Antoni said. "Amare I know wants to win, I talked to him. I know Chauncey wants to win, so let's sit down and figure it out. And there's a lot of talent there to figure it out."

___

AP Sports Writers Tim Reynolds in Miami and Antonio Gonzalez in Oakland, Calif. contributed to this report.

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SPORTS - Velodrome is first London Olympic Park venue ready (AP)

SPORTS - Velodrome is first London Olympic Park venue ready (AP)

• Play Video Olympics Video:First London Olympic Park venue is ready AP

By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney, Ap Basketball Writer – Sat Feb 19, 12:20 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – The first hurdle facing the U.S. men's basketball team in defense of its gold medal could be the schedule.

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo says the earlier start date for the 2012 Olympics could require the Americans to submit a 12-man roster before the NBA season is over.

The rosters will be due on June 18, 2012, forcing Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski to pick their squad without the benefit of having the players together for a training camp.

"Literally what I have to do now is just look at what happens the rest of this season and what happens next season during the year and then we have to submit our roster," Colangelo said Friday.

With the NBA finals going the full seven games last year, the season didn't end until the early morning of June 18. A seven-game series in 2012 could go as late as June 21.

The London games open July 27, 2012. Teams would still be able to make changes to the 12-man rosters after the deadline if there is an injury.

The Americans picked their gold medal-winning squad without a tryout camp in 2008, but they were choosing from a much smaller pool of players. With all those players remaining in the national team roster, plus the group that won the world championship last summer in Turkey, Colangelo may have to sort through more than 30 names.

And while all the top superstars passed on the worlds, they will likely be more interested in returning for the Olympics, which are much more valued by Americans.

"That's a long time away. You never know what happens in life and everything. As of right now we're all committed to being with the team, I think it's like us and 30 guys and we're still going to have to compete," said Miami forward Chris Bosh, who played on the '08 team.

"So we're going to have to go out there and compete against the guys who won the world championship and the guys who won the Beijing games in '08. So it's a lot of things that can happen, but we'll see and I'm sure we have the Olympics on our minds. At the end of the day, it was a lot of fun so everyone is going to consider it."

But the earlier reporting date could weigh more on Bosh and fellow All-Star teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who will be favored to be playing in June next season. Colangelo might need them to give their Olympic commitments while still focused on a playoff run with the Heat.

"The good news is this: Everyone wants to play. Start with that," Colangelo said. "The difficulty is we will not have the get-together camp situation to go through a lot of that stuff."

Colangelo said he wasn't concerned about another potential roadblock: A lockout could wipe out the 2011-12 season and he wouldn't get to see players on the bubble for a roster spot in action.

The 2008 Olympics opened on Aug. 8, and the Americans played their first game two days later. The gold-medal game in London is scheduled for Aug. 12.

The Americans automatically qualified for the Olympics by winning the world championship, so unless Colangelo schedules a camp this summer, the players wouldn't be back together until 2012. He would prefer it was before he had to determine which ones were headed to London with him.

"It's not a tryout, (but) things do happen," he said. "You hear me say the same things over and over again. Sometimes contracts, sometimes injuries, sometimes things happen. But having said all that, at the end of the day we're going to have to pick 12 names on a date in June without having the ability to get our team together."

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SPORTS - Judge bars website from live TV, baseball streams (Reuters)

SPORTS - Judge bars website from live TV, baseball streams (Reuters)

AFP/File – US second seed Mardy Fish needed only 20 minutes to reach the second round of the US$442,500 ATP Delray …

• Slideshow:Roger Federer
• Play Video Olympics Video:First London Olympic Park venue is ready AP

– Tue Feb 22, 9:41 pm ET

DELRAY BEACH, Florida (AFP) – US second seed Mardy Fish needed only 20 minutes to reach the second round of the $442,500 ATP Delray Beach International Championships when German rival Bjorn Phau retired.

Fish led 5-0 and had dropped only six points in Tuesday's match, breaking Phau twice before the German halted the match, advancing the American into a second-round meeting with Brazil's Ricardo Mello.

South African fifth seed Kevin Anderson rallied to beat US lucky loser Donald Young 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 after two hours and 30 minutes, booking a second-round match against Frenchman Florent Serra.

In the night match, Juan Martin del Potro easily beat Richard Berankis 6-4, 6-1 to advance. Del Potro, of Argentina, won 79 percent of his first serves, converted 80 percent (four of five) of his break-point chances and kept his double faults to a minimum (two) in the 76-minute match.

Serbian sixth seed Janko Tipsarevic also advanced, winning an epic marathon tie-breaker and a lopsided one to eliminate Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (16/14), 7-6 (7/1) despite 18 aces from the Croatian, who lost in last year's final.

Tipsarevic will next face Slovenian qualifier Blaz Kavcic, who eliminated Colombia's Robert Farah 6-1, 6-4.

Japan's Kei Nishikori also opened with a victory, downing Argentina's Brian Dabul 6-2, 7-6 (7/5). He will next face US wild card James Blake, who ousted German seventh seed Benjamin Becker on Monday.

Colombia's Alejandro Falla advanced 6-1, 2-0 over Czech lucky loser Jan Halek, who retired 27 minutes into their first-round match.

Falla will next face Wednesday's winner between Argentina's Leonardo Mayer and French eighth seed Adrian Mannarino.

Croatia's Ivan Dodig also reached the second round, dispatching Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. Dodig will next face Israel's Dudi Sela, who eliminated Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Matosevic had replaced US top seed Andy Roddick in the 32-man draw when the American pulled out Monday, citing illness after a three-set Memphis final struggle before capturing his 30th career ATP title.

Latvian Ernests Gulbis, the 2010 Delray winner, is playing in Dubai this year.

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SPORTS - Backs to the wall for injury-hit Marseille (AFP)

SPORTS - Backs to the wall for injury-hit Marseille (AFP)

AP – An undated photo provided by the Auburn Public Safety Department shows Harvey Almorn Updyke Jr., 62, …

– Wed Feb 23, 2:58 am ET

AUBURN, Ala. – Getting an attorney in Auburn to represent the man charged with poisoning the Toomer's Corner oak trees has proven to be difficult.

Montgomery's Jerry Blevins became the latest attorney seeking to withdraw, citing an "irreconcilable conflict" between himself and defendant Harvey Updyke Jr. Blevins said he had been retained by Updyke, but declined to elaborate on why he no longer wanted to represent him. He said the conflict arose over the weekend and that he mailed the motion to the court on Saturday.

Lee McKee, an official with the circuit clerk's office, said the judge hadn't ruled on Blevins' motion as of late Tuesday afternoon.

Two court appointed attorneys have already been allowed to withdraw from the case.

Blevins replaced Jerry Hauser, who withdrew because of a potential conflict of interest. His wife, Margaret Fitch-Hauser, is head of Auburn's department of communication and journalism.

Judge Russell Bush had appointed Hauser Friday after Philip Tyler was allowed to withdraw. Tyler, who also had been appointed by the judge, also cited conflicts — including his former job as an assistant professor at the university.

John Carroll, dean of the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, said while such recusals are not uncommon, this seems "more than the normal number of folks that have conflicts."

"It's not only whether or not you have an actual conflict of interest, it's also whether you and the client can get along," said Carroll, a former federal judge. "I do not know this gentleman (Updyke) at all or anything about him, but in this particular case, which is obviously going to be a very high profile case, any lawyer who gets into it wants to make sure he can get in it for the long haul and can represent the client as zealously as the Canons of Judicial Ethics require."

Carroll said the court might have to go outside of Auburn to find an attorney willing to handle this case, which has aroused the passion of many fans.

"This is not a perfect analogy but let's say it was a very high-profile murder case," he said. "I think attorneys have to be careful, those of whom are in private practice, in making sure it's something they can devote the time and effort they need to devote to it and that they can do it conflict-free.

"In the Auburn community, it might be a very difficult thing to do."

Updyke has been charged with first-degree criminal mischief and is out on bond for allegedly poisoning the trees at the site of decades of Auburn celebrations.

Meanwhile, Auburn has started removing the poisoned soil surrounding the two oak trees at Toomer's Corner on the university's campus. Horticulture professor Gary Keever said that the process of putting in fresh soil should be finished Wednesday.

Keever said they're removing soil down to about 18 inches, and samples will be tested to make sure that was deep enough.

He said they might know the fate of the trees by this summer or it could take years.

"They listen to their own drummer," Keever saids.

He said symptoms from damage to the trees would likely become visible in April and continue through the summer. That could include leaves yellowing and falling off.

"What will happen soon is that as those trees begin to try to grow, that growing process will pull water and nutrients up from the soil," he said. "In the process, it will pull the herbicide up with it. What was absorbed, we're probably not removing."

Keever said if the recent warm weather continues, that could accelerate the spread of any absorbed herbicide.

He said the workers include volunteers — Alabama fans, he says — from American Plant Services in Sylacauga.

"They're doing everything they can to help us and they're donating the services," he said.

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SPORTS - Knicks land Anthony, certain he's worth the price (AP)

SPORTS - Knicks land Anthony, certain he's worth the price (AP)

AFP/File – Having lost striker Andre-Pierre Gignac (pictured) to injury, Marseille will place even greater emphasis …

by Tom Williams Tom Williams – Tue Feb 22, 11:04 pm ET

MARSEILLE, France (AFP) – Having lost striker Andre-Pierre Gignac to injury, Marseille will place even greater emphasis on defence when they host Manchester United in Wednesday's Champions League last 16 first leg.

Gignac left the field in the 74th minute of Marseille's 2-1 defeat of Saint-Etienne on Saturday after sustaining an adductor muscle injury and has been ruled out for 15 days.

After an unconvincing start to his Marseille career, the former Toulouse striker had scored four goals in his previous four league games and his absence forces the French champions into an unwelcome attacking re-shuffle.

Fellow forwards Loic Remy and Brandao also failed to finish the game against Saint-Etienne after picking up knocks in the second half, but both are expected to be fit for the clash at Stade Velodrome.

France international midfielder Mathieu Valbuena is likely to start on the bench, meanwhile, as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.

With United strong favourites to go through, Marseille coach Didier Deschamps says his side will have to do everything they can to prevent the three-time European champions from claiming a precious away goal.

"They were unbeaten in the group phase," said Deschamps, who captained OM to Champions League success in 1993.

"They're a team with huge talent up front but they're also a team that defends very, very well. I don't think there will be lots of goals.

"Knowing that the first leg is at our place and knowing the importance of away goals, of course we'll do everything to score but we know that it will also be important not to concede at the Velodrome."

Having begun the defence of their Ligue 1 title with back-to-back defeats, Marseille have had to dig deep to fight their way back into the title race and currently trail leaders Lille by three points.

The win over Saint-Etienne was their third consecutive league success, but holding midfielder Edouard Cisse knows that victory will not be easily acquired against United, who reached the quarter-finals last season.

"A little 0-0 draw would be fine with us, objectively speaking," Cisse told the Ligue 1 website. "Obviously I'd love to win 4-0 or 5-0.

"It's true that we beat Chelsea (1-0) in our final group game but we were both already qualified and it was more like a friendly match.

"We're obviously expecting a much tougher match against United."

United are currently four points clear of Arsenal in the Premier League but they endured an uncomfortable afternoon on Saturday when they only managed to beat non-league (fifth division) Crawley Town 1-0 in the FA Cup.

"There is no doubt a few players did not do themselves justice," said scathing United coach Sir Alex Ferguson.

"It was disappointing. We had some players who maybe don't understand what FA Cup football is like."

United lost Brazilian twins Rafael and Fabio da Silva to injury during the course of the game with Crawley and also had to withdraw their midfield compatriot Anderson after he sustained a hamstring problem.

Former South Korea midfielder Park Ji-Sung, meanwhile, has been ruled out of the Marseille trip with a hamstring injury.

There was more positive news on Monday, however, when France international left-back Patrice Evra signed a new contract that ties him to the club until 2014.

The former Nice and Monaco defender is likely to receive a hostile reception from the Marseille fans on what will be his first appearance in his homeland since he played a leading role in France's World Cup mutiny.

"Marseille are a handful at their own ground, their fantastic atmosphere and incredible support guarantees that," said Ferguson when the draw was made.

"They've had a good change in fortunes in the last two or three years, after a dry spell, and I think it'll be a difficult tie."

The teams have met once before in the Champions League, sharing a win apiece in the 1999-2000 group stage.

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SPORTS - Caltech ends 310-game conference losing streak (AP)

SPORTS - Caltech ends 310-game conference losing streak (AP)

AP – FILE - This May 18, 1931, file photo shows boxer Jack Johnson, the first black world heavyweight champion, …

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press Frederic J. Frommer, Associated Press – Mon Feb 21, 7:18 am ET

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers are going another round in their fight to get a posthumous presidential pardon for the world's first black heavyweight champion, who was imprisoned nearly a century ago because of his romantic ties with a white woman.

New York Rep. Peter King and Arizona Sen. John McCain, both Republicans, plan to reintroduce a congressional resolution urging a pardon for boxer Jack Johnson. Another supporter, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said he will talk to President Barack Obama's new chief of staff, William Daley, and Attorney General Eric Holder about the cause.

"It's an injustice that shouldn't fall through the cracks, and it looks like that's exactly what happened here," Rangel said.

Johnson became the first black heavyweight champion a century before Obama was elected the nation's first black president. The boxer's flamboyant lifestyle and his relationships with white women inflamed white sensibilities. Racial resentment boiled over after he defeated a white boxer in the "Fight of the Century" 100 years ago last summer. Three years later, Johnson was convicted of violating the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for immoral purposes.

One of Johnson's great-great nieces, Linda Haywood of Chicago, is writing to Obama about the case.

"I think having a letter from a family member will help put a face on our plea," Haywood said. "Many people didn't realize he had nieces and nephews. For years, the rest of my family was so ashamed, no one ever spoke of him because of the stigma attached to him being in prison."

King said he was surprised that Obama didn't act during the last session of Congress, when the House and Senate passed the resolution. But the congressman said he's still optimistic.

"With last year's elections, there seems to be a clear intent by the president to try to be more bipartisan," King said. "Everything is there to correct an historic wrong and also, in a small way but significant way, help to bring the country together now."

The White House declined to discuss the request for Johnson, citing a policy of not commenting on how pardon candidates are chosen. Obama, a former constitutional law professor who once taught a class on racism and the law, has not spoken publicly of the Johnson effort, but the Justice Department has come out against it.

In a letter to King and McCain at the end of 2009, the Justice Department attorney who advises on pardons argued that resources for such requests are best used for those still alive "who can truly benefit" from them. That notwithstanding, he noted, Obama certainly could pardon whomever he wishes.

Rapper Chuck D, a member of the pardon committee organized by documentary film maker Ken Burns, said he feels a presidential pardon is still possible, but unlikely any time soon. "I think President Obama's pardon for something a hundred years ago will be at the tail end of his presidential run," said Chuck D, whose real name is Carlton Ridenhour.

Last year, Obama pardoned nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins. None was well-known.

The fact that Johnson wouldn't personally benefit from the pardon is beside the point, argued another one of Johnson's great-great nieces, Constance Hines of Chicago.

"This is about righting a wrong," she said.

But P.S. Ruckman, Jr., a political science professor at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Ill., who writes a blog on pardons, said he agreed with the Justice Department's position. "There are plenty of living persons with real problems who are deserving of clemency," he said.

In their efforts to prosecute Johnson, authorities first targeted Johnson's relationship with Lucille Cameron, who later became his wife, but she refused to cooperate. They then found another white witness, Belle Schreiber, to testify against him. Johnson fled the country after his conviction, but agreed years later to return and serve a 10-month jail sentence.

In his 2005 documentary, "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson," filmmaker Burns explored the case against Johnson and the sentencing judge's admitted desire to "send a message" to black men about relationships with white women. Burns helped to form the Committee to Pardon Jack Johnson, which filed a petition with the Justice Department in 2004. The committee included celebrities such as Samuel L. Jackson and boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, as well as lawmakers like Rangel and McCain.

The effort went nowhere during the Bush administration. Burns, McCain and King revived it in 2009, confident that Obama would act on the request — especially after the resolution passed both houses of Congress for the first time.

The resolution urged that a pardon be issued "to expunge a racially motivated abuse of the prosecutorial authority of the federal government from the annals of criminal justice in the United States; and in recognition of the athletic and cultural contributions of Jack Johnson to society."

King and McCain also plan to send letters to the Obama administration and name a separate boxing reform bill for Johnson.

"John McCain and I do feel seriously about it," said King, who like McCain has sparred in the ring. "We want to keep the issue alive, and it also may give more momentum to the boxing reform bill."

Johnson won the world championship on Dec. 26, 1908. Police in Australia stopped Johnson's fight against the severely battered Canadian world champion, Tommy Burns, in the 14th-round, leading to a search for a "Great White Hope" who could beat Johnson.

Two years later, Jim Jeffries, the American world titleholder Johnson had tried to fight for years, came out of retirement to challenge Johnson for the championship in a 45-round "Fight of the Century." They squared off on a scorching Independence Day in Reno, Nev., at a stadium that had been quickly constructed for the match. Johnson won, but deadly race riots ensued, as angry whites took out their frustrations on blacks, especially those who had celebrated Johnson's victory.

A July 6, 1910, Los Angeles Times editorial, published two days after the fight, counseled blacks: "Do not point your nose too high. Do not swell your chest too much. Do not boast too loudly. Do not be puffed up ... Remember you have done nothing at all. You are just the same member of society today you were last week."

Geoffrey C. Ward, who wrote the screenplay for the documentary as well as the biography by the same title, said he's still hopeful Obama will grant the pardon.

"In recent years, we've been very good about admitting past wrongs," said Ward. "I don't see what harm it does to do this."

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SPORTS - Poulter a little alarmed by his early start (AP)

SPORTS - Poulter a little alarmed by his early start (AP)

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SPORTS - Broncos keep Pro Bowler Bailey with new four-year deal (Reuters)

SPORTS - Broncos keep Pro Bowler Bailey with new four-year deal (Reuters)

AP – Seb Coe, Chairman of the London Organizing Committee, right, watched London Mayor Boris Johnson, left, …

• Play Video Olympics Video:First London Olympic Park venue is ready AP

By ROB HARRIS, AP Sports Writer Rob Harris, Ap Sports Writer – Tue Feb 22, 11:16 am ET

LONDON – With less than 18 months until the London Games, Chris Hoy tested the new cycling track where he expects world records to tumble and hopes to add to his collection of four Olympic gold medals.

The 6,000-seat, $152 million velodrome was unveiled Tuesday, the first venue completed in the Olympic Park and the arena where the host nation expects to win a stack of medals.

Hoy won three gold medals as a member of the British team that collected seven track cycling titles at the 2008 Beijing Games. He also won a gold in Athens in 2004.

London 2012 organizers are predicting the track will be the fastest in the world.

"It feels very fast ... nice and smooth," Hoy said after completing several laps. "I would imagine — particularly in the team pursuit events — world records going."

The velodrome has a distinctive sweeping roof that will make it one of the signature venues of the Olympic Park in east London. Organizers say the track design as well as temperature and environmental conditions will help cyclists set records.

Hoy worked with designers and architects in preparing the venue.

"Everything we asked for we got and I think they have delivered the best velodrome in the world," he said. "It is a chance to show what we can do with home advantage."

Fellow Beijing gold medalist Victoria Pendleton said it felt effortless going around the track.

"The boards will take a while to settle and really harden," she said. "There's probably a lot of moisture in them still and that's why a velodrome needs to be completed early because the track will get progressively faster now for the next 12 months as the boards get harder."

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe described the velodrome as "a stunning venue built for champions."

Given Britain's dominance in Beijing, tickets for the cycling events are expected to be among the highest in demand.

Building work on the velodrome began in March 2009. Tuesday marked the handover of the venue from the Olympic Delivery Authority to the London 2012 organizing committee.

The next step is to install the temporary facilities, including lighting and scoring equipment.

It took a team of 26 carpenters eight weeks to install the track. More than 350,000 nails were used on its surface made of 35 miles of timber.

After the Olympics, the velodrome will be used by elite athletes and the local community and will include a coffee shop, bike rental and cycle workshop facilities.

Other venues nearing completion in the park include the 80,000-seat main stadium, the aquatics center and basketball and handball arenas.

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SPORTS - 3rd attorney wants off Auburn tree-poisoning case (AP)

SPORTS - 3rd attorney wants off Auburn tree-poisoning case (AP)

AP – NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, second from left, accompanied by, from left, …

By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Pro Football Writer Howard Fendrich, Ap Pro Football Writer – Wed Feb 23, 3:13 am ET

WASHINGTON – When the NFL and the players' union agreed to federal mediation, they knew it was voluntary.

In theory, either side could walk away at any time.

Instead, they keep coming back to the table, and the current round of negotiations appears set to stretch through Thursday — which would make for a full week.

One indication of how things are going: The union called off a meeting it was supposed to hold with player agents in Indianapolis on Thursday, citing the ongoing mediation. Instead, the NFL Players Association will host agents on Friday.

In the meantime, Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith and members of their bargaining teams have met for a total of about 35 hours over five consecutive days, including about eight on Tuesday, at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, a U.S. government agency.

Among those joining Smith on Tuesday were Chicago Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth and former player Sean Morey.

All participants have been abiding by mediator George Cohen's request not to discuss the talks publicly.

"You guys will just speculate too much on whatever I say," Hillenmeyer said when he left.

Union spokesman George Atallah wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press: "Every report about what's happening in the room at this point is pure speculation."

After months of infrequent and sometimes contentious bargaining, the league and union have been communicating face-to-face since Friday.

They agreed to try mediation in a bid to find common ground before the current labor deal expires at the end of the day March 3. The union has said it believes team owners want to lock out the players as soon as the next day, which could threaten the 2011 season.

One key member of the NFLPA negotiating team, outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler, walked out Tuesday with a rolling suitcase and got into a waiting taxi. He was leaving town ahead of Thursday's hearing in Minneapolis in front of U.S. District Court judge David Doty for the union's appeal of a ruling about whether the NFL improperly negotiated TV contracts. Doty holds jurisdiction over NFL labor matters.

"I've got to focus now on Minnesota," Kessler said.

The league and union went more than two months without any formal bargaining until Feb. 5, the day before the Super Bowl. The sides met again once the next week, then called off a second meeting that had been scheduled for the following day.

The most recent CBA was signed in 2006, but owners exercised an opt-out clause in 2008.

The biggest issue separating the sides is how to divide about $9 billion in annual revenues. Among the other significant points in negotiations: a rookie wage scale; the owners' push to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18 while reducing the preseason by two games; and benefits for retired players.

___

AP Sports Writer Joseph White contributed to this report.

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SPORTS - Depleted Nuggets roll past Grizzlies 120-107 (AP)

SPORTS - Depleted Nuggets roll past Grizzlies 120-107 (AP)

AP – Denver Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri, along with president Josh …

By PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer Pat Graham, Ap Sports Writer – Tue Feb 22, 11:51 pm ET

DENVER – For one night, the Denver Nuggets didn't need Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups or any of their new acquisitions.

J.R. Smith's 26 points helped short-handed Denver beat the Memphis Grizzlies 120-107 on Tuesday, hours after the Nuggets finalized a blockbuster deal that sent Anthony and Billups to the New York Knicks.

Tony Allen had 26 points and O.J. Mayo added 21 for the Grizzlies, who had their four-game winning streak halted.

The Nuggets had only nine players on the bench following a three-team trade that also involved Minnesota.

In the 13-player swap, the Knicks picked up Anthony, who has long been thought to want to play in the Big Apple, along with Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman.

But New York had to pay a steep price, sending Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and a 2014 first-round draft pick to the Nuggets, who get additional picks and cash. Denver also acquired center Kosta Koufos from the Timberwolves.

The moves reshaped Denver's roster by giving the team a bevy of talented young players.

Felton, Mozgov, Chandler and Gallinari received the biggest ovation of the night without even stepping on the floor. They waved to the crowd from the side of the court after spending most of the game watching from a luxury suite as their new teammates picked apart the Grizzlies.

Coming out with an early intensity, the Nuggets jumped out to a 24-point lead in the first half and never glanced back.

Smith hit a 33-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the third quarter, increasing the lead to 102-76.

That was just the way the night was going for the Nuggets.

No Anthony meant more shots to go around for everyone, especially Smith, who's never been bashful to pull up and take a jumper. He finished 9 of 22 as he stepped into Anthony's starting spot.

However, Smith hobbled off the court late in the game favoring his right leg.

In a pregame news conference, team president Josh Kroenke went out of his way to express remorse that the trade had to include Billups, a hometown favorite.

"He is Denver basketball," Kroenke said.

But speedy Ty Lawson efficiently ran the team in place of Billups, scoring 21 points and dishing out seven assists.

Nuggets coach George Karl relished the thought of coaching a depleted squad, pondering different moves and scoring options all day.

"I've been told by a lot of owners that I coach better when I have a shorter bench," Karl said. "I think everybody knows I enjoy these type of games where you have to mix and match some situations and circumstances and find some success."

With the Nuggets comfortably up, a chorus of "Who needs 'Melo?" began to ring through the crowd.

With Anthony, though, went 25 points a game — a difficult total to make up.

"We lost a superstar and superstars are hard to find in this league," general manager Masai Ujiri said. "Chauncey and 'Melo were the ultimate — they brought smiles and excitement and greatness to this basketball organization.

"Do I feel there's a future here? Absolutely. I feel very confident that things will work out and people will love watching these young kids play basketball here."

The Nuggets have 24 more games to reassemble the pieces in an effort to make the playoffs for an eighth straight season. The team entered the night in seventh place in the Western Conference, just ahead of Memphis and Utah.

With the rumors picking up intensity over the last few weeks, the Nuggets appeared to be a distracted bunch, dropping four of six before the All-Star break.

Now, the drama has ended and the pressure relieved.

"I'm just happy it's over with. Period. We won't have to answer these questions no more," Al Harrington said. "I hope this is the last time I'm going to have to answer any trade questions for a long time."

Notes: The Grizzlies signed G/F Rodney Carney to a 10-day contract. ... F Rudy Gay (shoulder) will be sidelined for about four weeks. ... Memphis had seven players score in double figures. ... Nuggets G Arron Afflalo finished with 21 points. ... The Nuggets beat Memphis for an eighth straight time at home.

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