SPORTS - Brazil's Silva knocks out Okami at UFC 134 (AP)

SPORTS - Brazil's Silva knocks out Okami at UFC 134 (AP)

• Play Video Olympics Video:Week 2: Butler rebounds, torches Olympic WCNC Charlotte

– Fri Aug 26, 2:25 pm ET

DOHA, Qatar – Doha will bid to host the 2020 Olympics in autumn.

The International Olympic Committee agreed to the Qatari city's request for a Sept. 20-Oct. 20 time frame to avoid the summer heat, when temperatures can exceed 104 degrees.

Qatari Olympic Committee President Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said Friday he wanted to "personally thank" the IOC and its President Jacques Rogge for their help.

"To simply have a chance to enter the bidding process is a step closer to realizing something very special for our nation," he said.

Doha will compete with bids from Rome, Madrid, Tokyo and Istanbul. The deadline for cities to express their interest is Sept. 1. The IOC will elect the 2020 host city on Sept. 7, 2013.

Dubai, South Africa and the United States have announced they will not enter a bid.

Qatar has already won the right to host the first soccer World Cup in the Middle East in 2022. The event will be held in June, and the desert country has proposed air-conditioned stadiums to beat the heat.

Doha also bid for the 2016 Olympics, but failed to make the short list. The games were awarded to Rio de Janeiro.

"We have listened and learned from our 2016 attempt to bid for the Games," said Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Secretary General of the QOC.

"We know that it is imperative that we guarantee ideal conditions for athletes, support staff, technicians and spectators, and ensure events are scheduled appropriately for all stakeholders and that is what we will do."

The Olympics are usually held in August. However, the event has been held later in the year. The 1964 Games in Tokyo and 1968 Mexico City Olympics took place in October, while the 1988 Seoul Games began Sept. 17.

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SPORTS - Former NBA player Crittenton charged with murder (AP)

SPORTS - Former NBA player Crittenton charged with murder (AP)

AP – In this March 3, 2011, photo, Phoenix Coyotes goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, of Russia, watches the puck as he …

By DAN GELSTON, AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston, Ap Sports Writer – Fri Aug 26, 1:24 am ET

VOORHEES, N.J. – Ilya Bryzgalov already has a fan club. Wearing his Flyers jersey and cap, he finished a news conference and left to mingle with autograph seekers and picture snappers waiting for the All-Star goaltender at the bottom of the stairs.

On his way back up, a woman hollered, "You look fabulous!"

An orange crush has already developed and Bryzgalov hasn't even played a game yet.

The Flyers sure think he looked great in that No. 30 orange sweater as they showed off the goalie for the first time since he was acquired in June from Phoenix. Bryzgalov was an instant hit with the fans Thursday — and he'll be an even bigger one if he can become the netminder that brings the Stanley Cup back to Philadelphia for the first time since 1975.

"This is a team with rich history," Bryzgalov said. "The highest goal is to win the Cup. That's what this game is all about. That's all that matters."

Bryzgalov participated in a light workout with Danny Briere and a handful of teammates as the offseason winds down and the Sept. 17 start date for training camp looms. He knows the Flyers are counting on him to be as durable and successful as he was his last few seasons with Phoenix. Bryzgalov was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2009-10, and went 36-20-10 with a 2.48 goals-against average and seven shutouts last season.

His contract demands made him expendable and the Flyers pounced. They acquired his rights, then signed him to a $51 million, nine-year deal to kick off a summer of change. Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Dan Carcillo were among the veterans jettisoned out of town to make room for Bryzgalov and a slew of new, young players.

Bryzgalov understands expectations are Stanley Cup or bust.

"I never put the pressure on myself," he said. "I know my job. I know what I have to do."

Bryzgalov quickly endeared himself in Philadelphia with a humorous Twitter feed that found the city's newest citizen asking where he should live. As rain pounded the building and tried to drown out his press conference, Bryzgalov quipped that Philadelphia reminded him of Russia.

He could add some needed levity to a locker room during a grueling season.

Asked how the media turnout was compared to Phoenix, he joked about it.

"There's much more of you here," he said, "and you look better."

He coughed as pulled on his jersey and cracked, "I've got to quit smoking."

Bryzgalov then, seriously, amended the statement by saying he doesn't drink.

That had to make coach Peter Laviolette pleased. Laviolette instituted a "Dry Island," the name of a pledge in which he asked his players to stop drinking for a month. Richards and Carter repeatedly declined to take part in the pledge over the past two years — and were traded the same day.

The 31-year-old Bryzgalov hit on all the usual points from any introductory press conference: Philadelphia is a "top-notch" organization, he's ready to play 70 games if that number is needed to win a Cup, and he doesn't expect much of a tough transition to a new team and conference.

"Philly is a great place to play hockey," Bryzgalov said.

It's not a bad place for history buffs, either. Bryzgalov flashed a new helmet with the team logo and "We The People," airbrushed on top, Benjamin Franklin on the side, and the landmark Philadelphia Museum of Art also makes an appearance.

The Flyers can't wait to find out how all the pieces fit.

General manager Paul Holmgren said defenseman Chris Pronger should be ready for the start of the season. On Friday, Pronger visits the doctor who performed his offseason back surgery and expects to receive clearance to participate in training camp. Holmgren doesn't know if Pronger will play at all during the preseason.

"I know," Holmgren said, "it's been kind of a whirlwind of a summer around here."

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SPORTS - Ex-NBA player Crittenton still wanted for murder (AP)

SPORTS - Ex-NBA player Crittenton still wanted for murder (AP)

AP – Matt Kenseth (17) leads Brad Keselowski (2), Jimmie Johnson (48) and Ryan Newman (39) and the rest of …

• Slideshow:NASCAR

By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer, Ap Auto Racing Writer – 1 hr 4 mins ago

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Brad Keselowski was a long shot, at best, to race for the NASCAR championship this season.

Then he turned it up a notch and became a legitimate contender to make the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field.

Now, he's the hottest driver in NASCAR and is forcing everyone to consider him a serious threat to unseat five-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson.

Keselowski picked up his third win of the season — second since breaking his ankle in an Aug. 3 crash — and took a huge step toward making the Chase.

"I don't know what more to say about Brad and the (Penske Racing) team," said four-time champion Jeff Gordon. "They're strong, and you put them in position at the end of the race, they're going to pull off the wins. They're, to me, as strong of a team out there right now."

It's an amazing turnaround for Keselowski and his No. 2 Penske Racing team.

He was ranked 21st in points four races ago, when his struggling team went to a test session to work on road course improvement. But Keselowski was in a nasty accident during that session that left him with a broken ankle.

It's hardly slowed him.

Since the accident, Keselowski won at Pocono, finished second at Watkins Glen, third at Michigan and now has the Bristol victory.

Although he's walked gingerly in the month since the crash, he hopped up and down in excitement as he climbed from his Dodge.

"An awesome car, an awesome team!" he yelled. "Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt won this race. It's a race of champions. There are races that pay more, that are races that might have a little more prestige, but this is the coolest damn one of them all."

But Keselowski regretted all the post-race celebratory jumps about an hour after the race.

"Stupid is as stupid does," he said. "Last 100 laps I was certainly starting to feel it. But you know, I don't think anybody wants to hear me whine. Every once in a while I do and they tell me just to shut up anyway, and it hasn't been very productive. It obviously has felt better. I wish I wouldn't have jumped off the damned car."

The win moved Keselowski up one more spot to 11th in the standings, and he's jumped 10 spots over the last four races. He's currently in position to claim the first wild card spot, and could clinch his berth next week at Atlanta by virtue of his three wins.

What's the secret of his turnaround?

"A team that just starts to click and believes in each other," Keselowski said. "We've just made good adjustments to our cars over the last few months. We made good adjustments to our car today and we find ourselves in Victory Lane. I can't believe it, I really can't."

Other Chase hopefuls didn't fare so well.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Stewart and Clint Bowyer began the race ranked ninth, 10th and 11th, but because none has a victory, they could get bumped out of the Chase depending on how the wild cards develop. Earnhardt wasn't a factor Saturday night and finished 16th, Bowyer struggled the entire race and was 26th and Stewart had a miserable weekend — he qualified last in the 43-car field, was quickly lapped and finished four laps down in 28th.

It was no better for Paul Menard, who could earn a wild card spot based on his victory at Indianapolis. But he struggled, ran into the back of Denny Hamlin as they tried to avoid an accident in front of them, and wound up 30th.

At the front of the field, Martin Truex Jr. finished second and Gordon was third despite leading a race-high 206 laps. Five-time defending NASCAR champion Johnson was fourth and was followed by Jamie McMurray and Kenseth, who led 110 laps.

Hamlin, clinging to one of the wild cards, rallied to finish seventh despite Menard running into the back of his car to cause serious damage. He jumped one spot in the standings to 13th and is currently holding the second wild card because of his one win this season.

"We did what we had to do," Hamlin said. "I wish I could race harder, but at this point we have to have solid finishes. If we just handle business the next couple weeks then we'll be OK."

Ryan Newman was eighth and was followed by Edwards and Marcos Ambrose.

Kyle Busch, who on Friday picked up his record 50th Nationwide Series victory and was looking for his third consecutive win at Bristol in the Cup race, finished 14th after bringing out the final caution of the race with 87 laps to go when a tire issue sent him into the wall.

The finish also cost him in the standings: Busch is now tied with Johnson for the Sprint Cup Series points lead.

"Kind of disappointing day," Busch said. "We just never could get the car to where it would feel like it had in the past."

___

Follow Jenna Fryer on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JennaFryer.

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SPORTS - NFL security chief attends 49ers game (AP)

SPORTS - NFL security chief attends 49ers game (AP)

AP – A fan huddles under an umbrealla as the infield is covered in a tarp as rain falls before the start of …

By The Associated Press The Associated Press – Sat Aug 27, 9:27 pm ET

The Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins were unable to sneak a game in Saturday as Hurricane Irene plowed its way up the East Coast.

Top-ranked women's tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, though, made quick work of Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska at the New Haven Open, where officials moved up the start time of the final and worked overnight to remove the two-ton scoreboards from the top of the tennis stadium with hopes of getting in the final on an outdoor court.

A bevy of sporting events were either postponed, had their start times moved up or had their format altered in the days leading up to a storm that was predicted to cut a destructive path up the eastern seaboard, with its effects reaching all the way to Canada. Others tried to defy the expected conditions.

After an initial rain delay of 1 hour, 40 minutes in the first set, New Haven officials said they believed they would have a window of about 1 1/2 hours for tennis. Wozniacki beat Petra Cetkovska 6-4, 6-1 in about 1:20.

"I was like, 'OK it looks like it's going to start raining, let's go indoors so we can go to New York,'" said Wozniacki, talking about the U.S. Open, which starts Monday. "We got a window and were able to finish. It was nice to play outside, in front of the crowd."

As Irene's first showers arrived in New York, the site of the U.S. Open was quiet and nearly empty, a stark contrast to the customary hustle and bustle two days before the Grand Slam tennis tournament's start.

Normally, thousands of fans attend the celebrity-and-music-filled Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, but that event was canceled Friday. And while dozens of players usually would be scattered around the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, a light rain pushed them off the courts before noon.

"Sure, it's somewhat scary, you know, because we don't know how hard it's going to hit us. I've got family. We're in New York City; it's not just a regular city. It's quite something with all the buildings," 16-time major champion Roger Federer said. "So it's unusual, but we'll follow the news closely."

In Philadelphia, the Phillies and Marlins hoped to outplay the weather. Their game scheduled for Sunday was switched to Saturday afternoon but the game was postponed before the first pitch because of rain. The regularly scheduled night game Saturday was already called off the night before. Both games will be made up in a split-doubleheader on Sept. 15.

What it all means for Philadelphia: a grueling stretch of 33 games in 31 days.

"We're not the only people dealing with it, so you just have to move on and deal with it the best way you can," Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said.

At Boston, the Red Sox and Oakland Athletics endured two long rain delays in the first game of a split-doubleheader, won by Boston 9-3.

Fans with tickets for the second game _moved up from Sunday — set to start at 5:05 p.m. EDT were allowed through the turnstiles to watch the final innings of the opener, which started at 12:05 p.m. and was delayed a combined 3 hours.

At The Barclays in Edison, N.J., Dustin Johnson beat the rain and everyone else Saturday to win the PGA Tour's opening FedEx Cup playoff event.

The Barclays was reduced to 54 holes because of Hurricane Irene, and there was as much drama in the sky as on the course. Matt Kuchar started the third and final round with a one-shot lead. If the round could not be completed, the tournament would have reverted to 36 holes and Kuchar would have been declared the winner.

The rain came down hard right after Johnson holed a bunker shot for eagle on the fourth hole. But it held off just long enough for Johnson to collect his first win of the year and fifth of his career.

"We got lucky," Johnson said. "The weather held up for us long enough."

In Mirabel, Quebec, the Canadian Women's Open will start early Sunday as organizers try to get the final round completed before remnants of Hurricane Irene hit the area in the afternoon.

The start of play has been moved up by 90 minutes to 7 a.m. EDT. Groups will start from both the first and 10th holes. And players will play in threesomes instead of twosomes.

If the final round isn't completed, 54-hole leaders Michelle Wie, Ai Miyazato and Tiffany Joh will go to a three-way playoff. "I'm kind of expecting the worst," Wie said.

In a rare switch, the Yankees' doubleheader in Baltimore scheduled for Sunday afternoon, when the storm is projected to be pounding New York City, will be broadcast by WFAN-AM instead of rights-holder WCBS-AM, a news station. CBS will be dedicating its airtime to coverage of the hurricane.

The New York Racing Association canceled racing Sunday at Saratoga Race Course. The track, north of Albany, is expected to bring more than seven inches of rain to the area. Racing is expected to resume Monday.

Racing officials said the Personal Ensign scheduled for Sunday will be run on Sept. 3 as part of a card that includes the Woodward and the Forego.

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SPORTS - AP source: Big 12 expects A&M's departure (AP)

SPORTS - AP source: Big 12 expects A&M's departure (AP)

AFP/Getty Images – Gael Monfils of France reacts to a lost point against Radel Stepanek of the Czech Republic during the …

by Jim Slater Jim Slater – Mon Aug 8, 12:12 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Flamboyant leaps and an athletic frame that allows him to scramble after balls for spectacular shots in rallies have made Gael Monfils one of the best entertainers in tennis.

Thus far that has not translated into Grand Slam success for the 24-year-old Frenchman, who came away a loser to Czech Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-4 in Sunday's ATP Washington Classic final, falling to 3-11 in ATP title matches.

But seventh-ranked Monfils, whose longest Grand Slam run was the 2008 French Open whee he reached the semi-finals, says a greater belief in his style of play rather than deeper focus is what will propel him into his first Grand Slam final.

"Have confidence in myself. Have a stronger belief," Monfils said. "I'm a believer but to reach the top I have to believe more, endure more. When I do two hours of practice, I need to add 30 minutes more.

"I need to feel something inside to go further. I think I show too much respect to my opponent. Maybe I can be more selfish. If I do that, I believe I can reach the finals."

Monfils split with Australian coach Roger Rasheed last month following three years together, saying at Washington that he was unhappy and that he and Rasheed had different goals.

Patrick Chamagne, who had been Monfils' fitness coach, is now his main coach as he heads into ATP Masters Series events at Montreal and Cincinnati ahead of the start of the US Open later this month.

"I think he can handle it," Monfils said. "I can trust in him."

That coaching comfort zone comes as critics say Monfils needs to be less of a showman on court and adopt a more tactical and focused approach in order to maximize his potential.

But Monfils also says he loves the role of entertainer, drawing roars and applause from crowds with amazing efforts on particular points.

"I want to show my passion to the people," Monfils said. "I'm pretty natural on the court. Always I remember what my parents told me. 'It's a gift to be on the tennis court.' Since I was three years old I keep it like this.

"I love playing games with my friends and trying tricky stuff. I try two percent (of those tricks) on the court. I like to try crazy stuff so I do it in a match."

The trick is turning flair into victory more often. Monfils gives a nod to such needs, but says he only needs fine tuning despite having lost a Washington final to a rival who was 2-5 against him, one he beat two weeks before on clay.

"My game is not far to be ready for big challenges against the big players," Monfils said. "I need to get back to work, be more aggressive, be more comfortable about small details, make my serve percentage a little higher.

"Physically I'm happy with where I am. Now I need to work to be stable and hopefully I can make a final."

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SPORTS - Double-amputee Pistorius reaches 400 semifinals (AP)

SPORTS - Double-amputee Pistorius reaches 400 semifinals (AP)

AP – San Francisco police officers patrols the stadium parking lot before a preseason NFL football game between …

By SUDHIN THANAWALA, Associated Press Sudhin Thanawala, Associated Press – 1 hr 53 mins ago

SAN FRANCISCO – NFL security chief Jeff Miller is confident Candlestick Park will be a safe, secure venue for fans this season.

Miller spent Saturday afternoon meeting with police officers, 49ers security officials and fans a week after two men were shot in a parking lot outside the stadium following San Francisco's 17-3 win over the Bay Area rival Oakland Raiders. There were also numerous fights inside the stadium, including one man getting beaten unconscious in a bathroom.

Miller called the violence "unsettling," and something the NFL is taking seriously and plans to "change."

"Preseason games across the league generally don't have the same fan base that attends the games throughout the season," Miller said. "I really think a lot of the people who were here last weekend were not the true 49ers fans, they weren't the true Raiders fans. They were people who chose that evening event as their own crime scene, this location as their crime scene. They came here with the intent of maybe drinking a lot and getting involved in things they shouldn't have."

Meanwhile, San Francisco police spokesman Albie Esparza said drunken outbursts and violent incidents were "way below" average at Saturday's 49ers game against the Houston Texans at Candlestick, which ended in a 30-7 Houston victory.

At the end of the night, there was one arrest, 12 people ejected from the game, and two people cited for public intoxication.

Esparza credited visible police presence on foot, bike and motorcycles in the stands and parking lots, and DUI checkpoints at the park's exits.

Fans said this week's matchup was a whole different ballgame, so to speak.

Alex Enriquez, 24, of Santa Rosa chalked up some of the violence at last week's game to the charged atmosphere that the rivalry between the team and the cross-town Oakland Raiders generates.

"Raiders-Niners games are for adults," Enriquez said as he barbecued in a Candlestick Park parking lot with his two kids before the game against the Houston Texans. "People come for the controversy."

Other tailgaters shared Enriquez's sentiment. Some said they welcomed the team's additional security measures following Saturday's violence.

The 49ers announced that they were banning tailgating once the game starts. They also said they would have additional police at games and postgame DUI checkpoints. A large sign above the first tier of seats that was put up after last week's violence encouraged fans to text a five-digit number to "report unruly behavior."

The police and security presence during Saturday's game appeared to be greater than usual. Police officers on foot patrolled throughout the parking lots outside the park and also inside the stadium, while other officers monitored the scene on motorcycles and in golf carts.

Officers asked tailgaters to go into the stadium after kickoff in accordance with the new rules.

"That's good of the city to get more police in here to make sure it is organized, and there's not a whole lot of crime," said 49ers defensive tackle Ray McDonald. "You have little kids and family here. They just want to come and enjoy the game. They don't want to see anybody get in any fights or get shot."

Miller praised police for engaging fans and making their presence felt early in the day and said the 49ers security measures would improve fan safety.

"Granted there's not as many people here and it's not exactly the same demographic as last week but I think the plan that the (49ers) demonstrated and what they're doing and the commitment they've shown to it is exemplary and I think it will carry forward throughout the entire season and create a safe environment for the fans here at Candlestick Park."

Cecilia Apostol, who attended last week's game, said she was concerned about her safety and called the 49ers afterward to inquire about security.

"Once in a while you see fights, but last week was worse," Apostol said. She was with her daughter, son-in law and 12- and 5-year-old grandchildren tailgating in the parking lot.

Apostol bought a prepaid parking pass for Saturday's game to be closer to the stadium, where she said she thought she would be safer.

Team spokesman Steve Weakland would not say how many additional officers and security officials would be present on Saturday.

Police planned an increase of staffing by 10 percent, with additional plainclothes and uniformed officers, Sgt. Michael Andraychak said.

"We're not expecting anything as bad as last week, but because of what happened we want to reassure folks that we'll have plenty of officers on hand," he said.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello interacted with fans via Twitter on Saturday regarding fan behavior and how it's handled.

"Take responsibility for your own conduct," he tweeted.

At last week's game, more than 70 fans were ejected from the stadium, 12 people were arrested and dozens of medical calls were made. Officials said the numbers were significantly higher than those for a typical home game at Candlestick Park.

Police have not made any arrests in the shootings and beating at last week's game. All three victims were listed in fair condition earlier this week.

____

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco and AP reporter Shaya Tayefe Mohajer in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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SPORTS - Wie tied for lead in Canadian Women's Open (AP)

SPORTS - Wie tied for lead in Canadian Women's Open (AP)

AP – Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany gestures as he qualified for pole position after the qualifying …

By JEROME PUGMIRE, AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Aug 27, 1:46 pm ET

SPA, Belgium – Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel held off Lewis Hamilton's McLaren in rainy weather in Saturday's qualifying to secure pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix.

The defending Formula One champion will start from the front for the ninth time this season. Red Bull teammate Mark Webber, celebrating his 35th birthday and a new one-year contract with Red Bull, secured third place.

Jenson Button's hopes of following up his win at the Hungarian Grand Prix took a blow as he failed to make the third and final qualifying session, and the British driver will start back in 13th on the grid.

Seven-time former champion Michael Schumacher, racing at Spa 20 years after making his F1 debut on this track, crashed out on the first lap of the first qualifying session and will start the race in last place.

Felipe Massa rescued a poor session for Ferrari by taking fourth place on the grid, but two-time former F1 champion Fernando Alonso starts from eighth spot — although it could have been even worse for the Spaniard.

With the clock ticking down in the second qualifying session, Alonso was lagging in 11th place, but finally managed to get a clear run and then set the best time.

McLaren also had an eventful Q2, with Hamilton colliding with rookie Pastor Maldonado's Williams as he approached the line. The repairs were only minor and did not seem to impede Hamilton in Q3.

Hamilton was unsure what to make of the crash, although it appeared that Maldonado had cut across him.

"I'll have to look at it. The Williams was just sitting there, it was very slow. I had to try and get past, which I did," Hamilton said. "I saw Maldonado approaching quite quickly, he happened to swipe across me. My front wing was quite damaged. I'll sit here and wait for the stewards to call me up rather than going back to McLaren."

After holding a meeting, race stewards made the decision to drop Maldonado down by five grid positions, meaning the Venezuelan rookie driver will start Sunday's race in 21st place. Hamilton was given a reprimand for his part in the crash.

Massa survived a scare early in Q3 when he took a corner too wide and skidded over the grass.

After heavy morning rain, the track had dried somewhat for the start of the first qualifying session, although dark clouds stretched across the 4.3-mile circuit.

Barely a minute into qualifying, Schumacher's Mercedes slid across the track backward and hit the crash barriers, sending the car's back rear wheel tumbling down the track.

"I do not know what happened," Schumacher said over the team radio. "Something unexpected happened."

When Schumacher made his F1 race debut in 1991, he had to retire on the first lap because of a clutch failure.

Webber set a fast pace early into qualifying, before Button showed his skill in the wet and demanding conditions to post the fastest time toward the end of Q1, giving no indication of the troubles he would later face.

Drivers tried to make the most of the dry parts on the track as they feared more rainfall.

British driver Paul di Resta, who had crashed in Friday's first practice session, spun his Force India car and although he was able to regain control, he did not make Q2.

Adrian Sutil joined Schumacher in the paddock early into Q2 when his Force India ploughed nose-first into the crash barriers just after the notorious Eau Rouge turn, prompting a red flag and a brief delay as debris was cleared away.

In the rain-marred third practice session, Webber posted the fastest time after being fastest in Friday's second practice.

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SPORTS - Keselowski grabs 3rd win of season at Bristol (AP)

SPORTS - Keselowski grabs 3rd win of season at Bristol (AP)

AFP/File – Senegalese Papiss Cisse, pictured here in 2010, was among the scorers as African goal poachers wasted …

– Mon Aug 8, 1:16 pm ET

PARIS (AFP) – Senegalese Papiss Cisse was among the scorers as African goal poachers wasted no time making their mark when the French and German league seasons kicked off at the weekend.

Cisse, who struck 22 goals in 32 matches last season for Freiburg, was on target just after half-time and Congolese Cedrick Makiadi added a second before promoted Augsburg hit back at home to force a 2-2 draw.

FRANCE

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (St Etienne)

Bordeaux's French international goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso was reduced to the role of spectator when an apparently innocuous shot from the right by Gabon striker Aubameyang dropped under the crossbar and in as St Etienne came away 2-1 winners.

Younes Belhanda (Montpellier), Alain Traore (Auxerre)

Moroccan midfielder Belhanda opened the scoring for Montpellier after 36 minutes in a 3-1 win over Auxerre with his free kick slipping through the gloves of rookie Burgundy goalkeeper Donovan Leon. Burkina Faso playmaker Alain Traore equalised for Auxerre just before half-time with a stunning shot, only for the visitors to concede two late goals.

Abdoulrazak Boukari/Kader Mangane (Rennes)

Togolese midfielder Abdoulrazak Boukari scored the third goal in Rennes' 5-1 rout of newcomers Dijon which put the Brittany side top of the early table. Boukari, who netted after 50 minutes, also helped set up the opening goal when his cross allowed Colombian Victor Hugo Montano to score after 34 minutes. Franco-Senegalese defender Kader Mangane struck Rennes' fourth with a 75th-minute header.

GERMANY

Papiss Cisse and Cedrick Makiadi (Freiburg)

Senegal striker Cisse picked up where he left off last season with the opening goal as Freiburg drew 2-2 at Augsburg. The 26-year-old, who scored 22 goals in 32 games last season, opened the scoring on 48 minutes and Democratic Republic of Congo midfielder Makiadi added the second on 55 minutes with a header.

Sami Allagui (Mainz 05)

Tunisia striker Allagui scored the first goal in his side's 2-0 win over last season's runners-up Bayer Leverkusen by capitalising on a huge blunder in the Leverkusen defence on 32 minutes. Leverkusen defender Stefan Reinartz back-passed to goalkeeper Fabian Giefer, who completely mistimed his clearance, only succeeding in rolling the ball towards Allagui, who smashed home from a tight angle.

Isaac Vorsah and Chinedu Obasi (Hoffenheim)

Ghana centre-back Vorsah and Nigerian right-winger Obasi played the full 90 minutes as Hoffenheim lost their opening game 2-1 at Hanover 96. Obasi picked up a yellow card for a foul on Sergio Pinto as goals by ex-Germany striker Jan Schlaudraff and Norway's Mohammed Abdellaoue gave Hanover victory.

ITALY

Kevin-Prince Boateng (AC Milan)

Ghana midfielder Boateng scored the winner in faraway Beijing as AC Milan came from behind to defeat city rivals Inter 2-1 and win a record sixth Italian Super Cup. Alexandre Pato raced on to a through ball and when his shot struck a post, Boateng slid to score off the rebound.

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SPORTS - Jacory Harris expects to play in Miami's opener (AP)

SPORTS - Jacory Harris expects to play in Miami's opener (AP)

AP – Miami quarterback Jacory Harris answers questions during media day in Coral Gables, Fla., Saturday, …

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Aug 27, 8:37 pm ET

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Seeming upbeat as usual, Miami quarterback Jacory Harris did not hesitate when asked about the fast-approaching start of the Hurricanes' season.

"I expect to play," Harris said. "Yes, sir."

The NCAA will decide soon if that becomes reality.

Harris and many other Miami players implicated by the extra-benefits scandal that threatens to negatively impact the program for years spoke out for the first time Saturday about the mess. None provided any specifics about the claims that former booster and imprisoned Ponzi scheme architect Nevin Shapiro made to Yahoo Sports, alleging that he provided extra benefits to Hurricane players and recruits from 2002-10.

But many, like Harris, expressed some sense of optimism that they may be cleared in time to play Sept. 5, when Miami opens at Maryland.

_"These people, they know what to do," defensive lineman Marcus Forston said.

_"I'm very hopeful," wide receiver Travis Benjamin said.

_"We know we're all we've got right now, this team," safety Ray Ray Armstrong said.

_"My spirits are high. I'm the same person. I'm not letting it affect me," linebacker Sean Spence said.

They are among 12 current players known to be under investigation by the university, and presumably the NCAA, for their involvement with Shapiro. A person with knowledge of the process has told The Associated Press that eight players — Harris, Spence and Benjamin among them — have been declared ineligible by the university, which then turned the matter over to the NCAA and asked that a reinstatement process be expedited.

The school has confirmed that they asked the NCAA for rulings on Thursday. The school has not confirmed how many players are ineligible, nor any of the names involved. On Saturday, Miami coach Al Golden — while not discussing any players specifically — seemed to suggest much of the university's investigation revolves around incidents that happened long ago.

"I was sad for the guys, because I think we all as individuals, we hope to grow, we hope to mature, we hope to learn from mistakes," Golden said. "These guys are no different. If what has been alleged, if there ends up being some truth to it and they do have to serve some penalties, it's three years ago. So not only are they different than they were last year, now we have to go back three years. That's why I feel bad for them."

Besides Harris, Forston, Spence, Benjamin and Armstrong, the other current players who were named by Shapiro in the Yahoo Sports article were Vaughn Telemaque, Aldarius Johnson, Olivier Vernon, Marcus Robinson, Adewale Ojomo, Dyron Dye and JoJo Nicholas.

Miami President Donna Shalala said several days ago that the school was trying to determine the eligibility status of 15 student-athletes. She did not specify names or how many were football players.

"Sometimes life's not fair," Miami center Tyler Horn said. "But I'm not worried about it. I'm focused on what I can control, and that's football."

Independent of the scandal, this Miami camp began with one giant question: Would Harris or Stephen Morris play quarterback?

As of Saturday, if that's been decided, no one is letting the secret out.

Both played well at times last year, and Golden has said even during this camp that the two are alternating with the first-string. Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said Saturday that even he doesn't yet know who will start.

"I have no idea what coach Golden and his staff are going to be doing in terms of the depth chart," Morris said.

Added Harris: "We're just taking it day-by-day, going out there every day, giving it our all, having fun. Whatever the depth chart says come whenever we have to release it, I think by Tuesday, then that's what it is and that's what's going into Maryland."

Harris' teammates said Saturday they're impressed with the way he's handled the cloud hanging over his senior season.

"Jacory's Jacory," Morris said. "He's a happy guy all the time. Always smiling, always got a joke to say. He's just a great guy. ... All the situations that's going outside of this program, he's putting that behind him and is just focusing on football, focusing on this team."

Harris entertained questions for much of the allotted half-hour at the team's media day Saturday, doing so with typically the largest crowd of reporters gathered around him. He cracked a few one-liners, made fun of some teammates as they walked past, things he would have done under typical circumstances.

If he's frightened for his future, it wasn't showing.

"It's just a little bump in the road," Harris said. "It's something that we've got to get through. Whatever happens happens. At the end of the day, you've still got to weather the storm and fight through it. That's pretty much what we're doing as a team. We're going to fight through it and we're going to come out on top."

___

Follow Tim Reynolds on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ByTimReynolds

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SPORTS - Doha bids to host 2020 Summer Olympics in autumn (AP)

SPORTS - Doha bids to host 2020 Summer Olympics in autumn (AP)

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SPORTS - Vettel takes pole position for Belgian GP (AP)

SPORTS - Vettel takes pole position for Belgian GP (AP)

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SPORTS - Povetkin beats Chagaev for vacant WBA heavy title (AP)

SPORTS - Povetkin beats Chagaev for vacant WBA heavy title (AP)

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SPORTS - Monfils hopes to turn magic into more success (AFP)

SPORTS - Monfils hopes to turn magic into more success (AFP)

AP – Alexander Povetkin of Russia celebrates after winning the WBA heavyweight title bout against Ruslan Chagaev …

– Sat Aug 27, 7:36 pm ET

ERFURT, Germany – Alexander Povetkin of Russia defeated Ruslan Chagaev by unanimous decision Saturday to claim the vacant WBA heavyweight title.

The title was Wladimir Klitschko's following the Ukrainian's victory over David Haye by unanimous decision in Hamburg last month, but was declared vacant when the WBA elevated Klitschko to "super champion" status.

Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic heavyweight champion, remains undefeated after 22 fights (15 KOs), and becomes the mandatory challenger for Klitschko.

"I don't want to think about Klitschko," said Teddy Atlas, Povetkin's American trainer. "I want to think about Povetkin and this title ... we'll think about Klitschko some other time."

Povetkin won on the judges' cards 116-112, 117-113, 117-113.

Chagaev, of Uzbekistan, held the WBA title from 2007-09. His record fell to 27-2 (17 KOs), with one draw.

"I'm sorry, today was not my day. But that's boxing, that's sport," Chagaev said. "He's a good boxer, a real world champion now."

Chagaev, 32, recovered from a poor start to rattle Povetkin in the sixth round, catching him cleanly with left and right hooks to leave the 31-year-old unsteady on his feet.

Atlas called on Povetkin to fight for the honor of his father, who died last year, and the Russian regained the upper hand in the ninth as Chagaev appeared to tire.

"My father always hoped and wanted for me to be a world champion," Povetkin said.

"It was a very hard fight. It was very hard to fight him. I have a lot of respect for him. He's a very difficult and patient boxer."

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SPORTS - Bryzgalov wants to deliver Stanley Cup to Philly (AP)

SPORTS - Bryzgalov wants to deliver Stanley Cup to Philly (AP)

AP – Defending middleweight champion Anderson Silva of Brazil celebrates after defeating Japan's Yushin Okami …

By TALES AZZONI, Associated Press Tales Azzoni, Associated Press – 57 mins ago

RIO DE JANEIRO – After another dominant victory, Anderson Silva went celebrating around the octagon. His opponent went straight to the hospital.

Silva beat Yushin Okami by knockout at 2:04 of the second round, winning his 15th straight fight and successfully defending his middleweight title at UFC 134 on Saturday night.

Silva sent Okami to the ground with a right-handed shot to the jaw, then pounded him with strikes to the head to force the fight to be stopped.

After several hits to the head, it took awhile for Okami to get up. He left the octagon on his own feet, but organizers later said he had to be taken to a local hospital for precautionary reasons and would undergo a series of medical exams.

Silva's opponents have been getting beat up like Okami did more often than not recently.

The 36-year-old Brazilian, touted as the MMA's best pound-for-pound fighter, improved to 29-4 (14-0 in UFC), while Okami fell to 27-6 (10-3).

Silva's last loss had been against Okami in 2006, when the Brazilian dominated the bout but was disqualified after an illegal kick.

Silva has defended his title a record nine times and is the longest-reigning champion in UFC history.

"I'm so happy," Silva said. "I've trained so hard for this.

"It was awesome to do this here in Brazil, in front of the Brazilian fans," he said.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship made a much-anticipated return to Brazil, the country where mixed martial arts came to life in the early 1990s. There hadn't been a UFC event in Brazil since 1998, when the sport was not nearly as popular as it is now.

Silva, a striker known as "The Spider," struggled to get to Okami in the first of the five-round fight, but he came out attacking in the second and dominated.

He struck a right-handed shot with 4:17 left to send Okami to the ground for the first time. The Japanese fighter recovered, but not after the second charge by Silva in front of more than 15,000 fans who packed the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro.

The 30-year-old Okami had won six of his last seven fights.

He wasn't the only one to lose to a Brazilian on Saturday as local fighters won four of the five fights on the main card.

In the light heavyweight division, Brazilian Mauricio "Shogun" Rua knocked out American Forrest Griffin in the first round with a series of strikes to the head. Rua had lost to Griffin in his UFC debut in 2007, and the crowd celebrated the victory by chanting, "Shogun is back, Shogun is back."

In the heavyweights, home-crowd favorite Minotauro Nogueira defeated American Brendan Schaub by knockout despite not having fought in 18 months because of a series of injuries, giving Brazil its first win of the night in the main card. The emotional victory gave the 35-year-old Nogueira a 37-6-1 record.

Bulgaria's Stanislav Nedkov made his UFC debut by defeating Brazil's Luiz Cane by knockout in a light heavyweight fight to improve his record to 12-0, while Brazil's Edson Barboza reached 9-0 by beating England's Ross Pearson with a split decision in the lightweight division.

Some of the celebrities at the event Saturday included retired soccer star Ronaldo, whose sports marketing agency manages Silva's career.

The fans constantly chanted during the fights, and even some soccer-stadium songs made their way into the fights.

UFC President Dana White has already said he plans to return to Brazil soon and increase the number of events in the country of 190 million people. There is even talk of a possible fight at a soccer stadium, which could attract a crowd of nearly 100,000 fans.

"We might be here every weekend now," White joked after the fights. "This event was successful even before it even happened.

"I've been doing events all over the world over the years and Brazil wins for the loudest crowd ever. The place was packed from the first fight. It was incredible."

___

Follow Tales Azzoni at http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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SPORTS - Viviani wins Stage 5 of US Pro Cycling Challenge (AP)

SPORTS - Viviani wins Stage 5 of US Pro Cycling Challenge (AP)

AP – Michelle Wie tees off on the first hole during the third round of the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf …

– Sat Aug 27, 9:06 pm ET

MIRABEL, Quebec – Defending champion Michelle Wie shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday in the Canadian Women's Open for a share of the third-round lead with Ai Miyazato and Tiffany Joh.

The winner last year at St. Charles in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Wie is trying to become the first player to win the national championship two years in a row since Pat Bradley in 1985-86.

Joh had a 65, and Miyazato shot a 71 to match Wie at 12-under 204 at Hillsdale Golf Club.

Angela Stanford (66) and Brittany Lincicome (69) were a stroke back, and Cristie Kerr (69), Jiyai Shin (69), Na Yeon Choi (69), Becky Morgan (70) and Song-Hee Kim (71) followed at 10 under.

There was some doubt that the final round can be completed before Hurricane Irene hits the area Sunday.

"It's something everyone's going to play under," Wie said. "I'm kind of expecting the worst. But whether conditions are good or bad you still have to play well and there are still players to beat and things you have to do. I don't think it really makes that much difference."

In a bid to beat the storm, starting times were moved up 90 minutes to 7 a.m., the players were grouped in threesomes instead of twosomes and will go off both the first and 10th tees. If the fourth round can't be completed, a three-way playoff will be held among the 54-hole leaders.

"It's a pretty quick turnaround, but I kind of like it," Wie said. "It gives me less time to think about things."

Joh had the best round of the day.

"It's really exciting for me because coming into this year I had conditional status and I didn't even know how many events I was going to play," Joh said. "Just having a chance to contend at one, that's what dreams are made of. I just really excited. I'm going in with no expectations because I've never been in this position anywhere. Whoever I'm paired with, I'm sure I'm going to learn loads from them."

Miyazato is ready for anything.

"Either way, we need to finish the tournament," she said. "So I'll just try to play my style of golf no matter what happens. I grew up in an area that was windy, so I actually like playing in windy conditions, but if it rains it will definitely be difficult. But because I'm used to those situations, I don't think there will be any problem keeping my tempo."

Maude-Aimee Leblanc was the low Canadian at 8 under after a 67.

"Coming into the tournament, I liked the way I was playing and hitting the ball, so I felt I had as good a chance as anyone," said Leblanc, from Sherbrooke.

Jocelyne Bourassa (1973 La Canadienne) is the only Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event in Canada.

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SPORTS - Chargers win after Kolb, Fitz connect on 80-yarder (AP)

SPORTS - Chargers win after Kolb, Fitz connect on 80-yarder (AP)

AP – ADDS LAST SENTENCE - Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander delivers against the Minnesota …

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Baseball Writer Jon Krawczynski, Ap Baseball Writer – 28 mins ago

MINNEAPOLIS – Even on a day when Justin Verlander said he couldn't find a single pitch that was working for him, he still managed to do just enough to secure the first 20-victory season of his career.

It was the kind of outing that exemplified what a special season Verlander is having, and the kind of outing that has the Detroit Tigers thinking they have all the pieces for a deep October run.

Verlander became the majors' first 20-game winner, grinding through six innings in the Detroit Tigers' 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

Verlander (20-5) gave up four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and three walks to become the first pitcher to win 20 games before the end of August since Arizona's Curt Schilling in 2002.

"There's been times I've picked these guys up and there's been times they've picked me up," Verlander said. "To get to 20 at this point in the season, obviously you can't do it all on your own. These guys have helped me along the way and today was a good example of that."

Minnesota's abysmal offense made it tougher on Verlander than expected. Luke Hughes had a home run, a double and three RBIs and Jason Repko put one of Verlander's vaunted fastballs into the upper deck in left field for his first homer of the season.

"Name a pitch, I had trouble finding consistency with anything," Verlander said.

But former Twin Delmon Young's RBI single in the seventh gave the Tigers the lead for good and put Verlander in position for the win.

The six innings pitched tied a season low for Verlander.

"Get the win and get the 20 so the 20 is out of the way and he's not searching for it anymore," Young said. "Now he can just go out there and try to win every start he goes out there because he's already got the magic number."

Verlander left after giving up the second single of the day to .170-hitting Drew Butera in the seventh. Jose Valverde picked up his 39th save.

Alex Avila and Miguel Cabrera hit solo homers for the Tigers in the second inning off of Carl Pavano (6-11) and Cabrera added an RBI single in the seventh for a 6-4 lead.

Pavano gave up six runs — five earned — on nine hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 6 2-3 innings.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland has been quoted as saying he doesn't think a pitcher should be eligible to win the MVP award, a stance that raised some eyebrows considering the incredible season by his own ace.

He tried to clarify his position before the game.

"I want everyone in here to know and please print that I support Justin Verlander for MVP to the hilt," Leyland said. "I want to make that perfectly clear. The question was asked to me if I thought a pitcher should be the MVP and my answer to that is no, I do not. But under the way the system is, I will certainly support Verlander to the hilt as a possible candidate for the MVP."

Leyland said he thinks there should be a most valuable player and most valuable pitcher award. But in the absence of that, he is supporting Verlander.

In a year when no position player in the AL seems to be running away from the pack, Verlander may actually have a chance to become the first pitcher to win the award since Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley in 1992.

Verlander threw his second career no-hitter in May and has taken two more into the eighth inning. He is 11-1 against division opponents and is the biggest reason the Tigers started the day with a 6 1/2-game lead over Cleveland.

No-hitter No. 3 seemed to be a distinct possibility when he took the mound against a Twins offense that had scored one run or fewer in six straight games. With Joe Mauer (neck) and Michael Cuddyer (wrist) on the bench, the injury plagued Twins sent out a lineup with eight of their nine players hitting .255 or worse.

But Ben Revere started the game with an infield single and it was apparent early that Verlander didn't have his best stuff. He needed 28 pitches to get through the first inning and gave up back-to-back homers to Hughes and Repko to start the fifth.

"He's a pretty tough competitor," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We gave him a good run for the money, but that does you no good other than its a better feeling."

Hughes added a two-run double that tied the game 4-all in the sixth and Verlander's pitch count finished at 120.

"I've got some work to do in between this start and the next one. ... I know there's some things I need to work on and get fixed, and that starts tomorrow," Verlander said, before cracking a smile. "Tonight's a different story."

NOTES: The previous Tigers pitcher to get 20 wins was Bill Gullickson in 1991. ... Toronto's Roger Clemens in 1997 is the last AL pitcher to win 20 games before September. ... Valverde made his 500th career appearance. ... Gardenhire said CF Denard Span (head), returned home to Tampa, Fla., to rest and planned to return to the Twin Cities to start working out when the Twins hit the road next week. It's still unclear if Span will play again this season. ... Official scorer Stew Thornley announced a scoring change from Friday night's ballgame. He changed an infield single from Delmon Young to a fielder's choice and error on 2B Matt Tolbert, meaning LHP Scott Diamond now had four earned runs charged to him from the start rather than five. ... LHP Brian Duensing (8-13, 5.12) takes the mound for the Twins on Sunday in the series finale against RHP Brad Penny (9-9, 4.82). Duensing has had a horrendous August, going 0-5 with an 8.65 ERA. He lasted just two innings in his previous start, an 8-1 loss to the Orioles. ... Penny has been improving lately, going 2-0 with a 4.04 ERA in his last three starts.

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SPORTS - Verlander wins 20th game for Tigers (AP)

SPORTS - Verlander wins 20th game for Tigers (AP)

AP – FILE - In this file photo taken Sept. 27, 2010, Charlotte Bobcats' Javaris Crittenton poses for a photo …

– Sat Aug 27, 12:29 am ET

ATLANTA – Police said late Friday that former NBA player Javaris Crittenton, who was once suspended by the league over guns in the locker room, has been charged with murder after a woman was shot on an Atlanta street.

Police spokesman Carlos Campos said police have secured a murder warrant for the arrest of Crittenton, who played at Georgia Tech, in connection with the shooting death of 22-year-old Jullian Jones on Aug. 19. Campos said Crittenton is not in custody and is wanted.

Atlanta police Maj. Keith Meadows told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday night that Crittenton is believed to be in the Los Angeles area. He said the FBI is involved in the investigation.

Jones, a mother of four, was walking with a group of people on the city's southwest side when a dark-colored SUV drove by and she was shot by someone inside the vehicle, police said.

Investigators say they don't believe the woman was the intended target. Campos said the motive appears to be retaliation for a robbery in April, in which Crittenton was a victim, Campos said in a statement.

Messages left for an agent who has represented Crittenton were not immediately returned Friday night.

Crittenton most recently played in the NBA with the Washington Wizards and was involved in a gun altercation with Gilbert Arenas. He was on the roster of the NBDL's Dakota Wizards last season.

Crittenton didn't play last season because of an ankle injury. He was given a 38-game suspension by the NBA after he and Arenas acknowledged bringing guns into the locker room following a dispute stemming from a card game on a team flight.

Crittenton pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge on Jan. 25, 2010 and received probation. He wasn't re-signed by the Wizards.

The Charlotte Bobcats signed Crittenton to a non-guaranteed contract before last season but he was waived Oct. 15.

Crittenton was the 19th overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007. He played little with Los Angeles and was sent to Memphis in the Pau Gasol deal his rookie year. He was traded to Washington in December 2008.

Crittenton averaged 5.3 points and 1.8 assists in 113 NBA games.

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SPORTS - Hurricane plays havoc with sports schedule (AP)

SPORTS - Hurricane plays havoc with sports schedule (AP)

AP – Arizona Cardinals' Kevin Kolb (4) looks to throw under pressure from San Diego Chargers' Antwan Barnes, …

By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer Bob Baum, Ap Sports Writer – 35 mins ago

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The chemistry that Kevin Kolb and Larry Fitzgerald keep talking about was on full display early for the Cardinals. It wasn't enough.

They connected on an 80-yard play for the quarterback's first touchdown pass with his new team. But San Diego's Bryan Walters caught a 14-yard pass from Billy Volek with 3 seconds remaining to give the Chargers a 34-31 preseason victory over Arizona on Saturday night.

Volek led the Chargers' reserves 90 yards in 12 plays to win it.

Philip Rivers completed 18 of 28 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns for the Chargers as both teams played their first units well into the third quarter. Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, in his first game since Dec. 5, caught two for 18 yards, including a 13-yarder for a touchdown.

Kolb was 11 of 20 for 205 yards with no interceptions. He completed 9 of 12 after starting the game 2 for 8. Fitzgerald caught three passes for 108 yards.

Arizona's top draft pick Patrick Peterson intercepted Rivers' pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown, and Andre Roberts scored on a 34-yard reverse for the Cardinals before the backups took over.

Arizona led 24-20 when the starters' night ended.

Gates was happy, to say the least, to get back in action after being sidelined by a plantar fasciitis, a painful foot condition.

"It was good, man," he said. "It was like riding a bike again. There's still a lot of rust, but I think the best thing is just going out there getting the repetitions and see how I feel being in a live game."

Ryan Matthews rushed for 69 yards on 10 carries, 48 of them in one run for San Diego. Beanie Wells had 63 yards on 10 attempts for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals struck for two big touchdown plays in a span of 2 minutes, 38 seconds in the first quarter. First, Kolb lofted a long pass up the middle that Fitzgerald gathered in before outrunning defenders to the end zone. It was the longest TD catch for Fitzgerald as a pro, although it doesn't count as a career best because it came in a preseason game.

Kolb hadn't directed a touchdown drive, let alone thrown a scoring pass, in his first two preseason games since being acquired by Arizona in a trade with Philadelphia.

"That was the first of many, hopefully," Kolb said of the big play. "It was a no-huddle, a call on the line. We have been working on it and that is the kind of stuff we want to get to, where we can communicate things once we get up there and see what the defense is giving us."

Kolb had been to University of Phoenix Stadium only once before, as a reserve when the Eagles lost to the Cardinals for the NFC championship in the 2008 season.

Peterson stepped in front of Gates to pick off Rivers' pass and zigged his way past would-be tacklers put the Cardinals up 17-3 with 2:14 left in the opening period. Peterson, the fifth draft selection overall, had entered a short time earlier when cornerback Greg Toler left with a sprained left knee.

Rivers came back on the next series to direct a seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive. He was 5-for-5 for 81 yards on the series, culminated by the 13-yard TD pass to a wide open Gates.

Arizona turned to deception for its next score. After Kolb completed passes of 19, 12 and 9 yards, Roberts took a pitch from Wells on a reverse and raced 34 yards for the score to make it 24-10. The Chargers got on the board late in the half, going 70 yards in 10 plays, with Rivers tossing 3 yards to Malcom Floyd for a touchdown with 24 seconds left.

"We went out and gave up two big plays on defense," San Diego coach Norv Turner said. "When you turn the ball over for a touchdown, you dig yourself a big hole. I liked the drive to get us back in it."

Rich Bartel threw 6 yards to LaRod Stephens-Howling for a touchdown to give Arizona a 31-20 lead. Bartel and William Powell botched a handoff and San Diego's Darryl Gamble picked up the ball and scored from 1 yard to cut it to 31-27.

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SPORTS - Africans quick off the mark in Europe (AFP)

SPORTS - Africans quick off the mark in Europe (AFP)

AP – South Africa's Oscar Pistorius, left, Qatar's Femi Ogunode, center, and USA's Tony McQuay compete in …

By RAF CASERT, AP Sports Writer Raf Casert, Ap Sports Writer – 1 hr 44 mins ago

DAEGU, South Korea – With a strong finishing kick on his carbon-fiber blades, double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius swept past several able-bodied runners in the 400 meters Sunday to qualify for the semifinals at the world championships.

It also claimed another historic breakthrough for Paralympic athletes.

Pistorius recovered from his traditional slow start to pounce with power through the final bend and finishing straight to take third place in the final heat of the event and qualify for the next round. His time of 45.39 seconds was the 14th best of all competitors.

"I have worked extremely hard to be here," Pistorius said. "And it has been phenomenal to run."

Despite his fame, the South African was never destined to win his heat — just getting through had been a cliffhanger in itself.

Running in the tough outside lane, he had to count on a big move in the second half of the race and with 50 meters to go, five runners were still in it for the four automatic semifinal places.

Pistorius, though, was not to be denied. He dipped at the tape for his third-place finish behind Bahamian winner Chris Brown.

"It has been a lot of pressure in the race, and there is a lot of work for tomorrow," Pistorius said of Monday's semifinals.

He immediately slapped hands with runner-up Martyn Rooney, embraced several others and then formally bowed to the South Korean crowd of about 10,000 for its cheers and support.

"He ran the time to get here," said Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt, who also advanced. "A great heart. I wish all the best to him."

The International Association of Athletics Federations had banned the multiple Paralympic gold medalist from able-bodied competition, saying the blades he wears gave him an unfair advantage.

But in 2008, Pistorius was cleared to compete by the Court of Arbitration for Sport — even though he failed to qualify for that year's Beijing Olympics and the 2009 worlds in Berlin. He did win three gold medals at the Beijing Paralympic Games.

This year, he qualified for the worlds on his last attempt and followed up with an inspiring race in Daegu.

Before Pistorius' thrilling run, Liu Xiang, Dayron Robles and David Oliver made sure the most compelling final was still on track when all three qualified for the semifinals of the 110 hurdles.

Liu proved he is finally getting back to the form which earned him the 2004 Olympic and 2007 world titles by having plenty of time to ease up at the line and still win his heat. Oliver kept his powerful shoulders in perfect balance over the hurdles as he dashed through a winner, too.

Robles, the easygoing Olympic champion from Cuba who flaunted his form with his graceful strides over the 10 hurdles, let American rival Aries Merritt nip him at the line.

"Everybody is looking good," Robles said. "It's very good for the final."

The final is set for Sunday and should bring the three fastest performers in history together for one of the highlights of the nine-day championships.

"It will take 13 seconds or better to win," Liu said through a translator.

Robles holds the world record at 12.87 seconds, with Liu's best time just 0.01 seconds behind. Oliver trails by another .01, highlighting how tight the race could be.

Defending champion Ryan Brathwaite failed to make the semifinals.

In the first of six finals of the day, Olympic and defending world champion Valeriy Borchin led a 1-2 Russian finish in the 20-kilometer walk at 1:19.56. Vladimir Kanaykin took silver, 31 seconds behind, and Luis Fernando Lopez of Colombia was third.

"After 15 kilometers, I was just going into my finish speed and not thinking about anything," Borchin said. "I was not looking at anyone, just running my race. It ended well."

Later Sunday, Usain Bolt will highlight the 100 semifinals and likely the final, too, considering how dominating the Jamaican was in Saturday's heats.

Kenenisa Bekele will be looking for his fifth straight 10,000 title, which would push him past the mark he now shares with Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie. Since he has not run for the better part of two seasons because of injury, victory is anything but assured.

The men's decathlon also reaches its climax, with American teammates Trey Hardee and Ashton Eaton at the top of the standings after seven of 10 events.

The women's long jump and discus throw are the other finals on Sunday.

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