Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Judge denies Coyotes sale to Balsillie

Judge denies Coyotes sale to Balsillie
By Tim Gaynor and Ben Klayman
PHOENIX/CHICAGO (Reuters) - A U.S. bankruptcy judge rejected the proposed sale of bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes hockey team to the co-CEO of BlackBerry maker Research in Motion who planned to move the side to Canada.
Bankruptcy Judge Redfield Baum ruled late Monday that the June 29 deadline proposed by RIM co-CEO James Balsillie did not allow enough time to settle the complex case.
"The court does not think that the unresolved issues can be resolved ... prior to the June 29th deadline," Baum wrote in a 21-page ruling.
"Simply put, the court does not think there is sufficient time (14 days) for all of these issues to be fairly presented to the court given that deadline."
Canadian billionaire Balsillie offered to buy the money-losing hockey team for $212.5 million in May when it filed for bankruptcy protection, on condition it relocate to Hamilton, a Canadian city located between Toronto and Buffalo, N.Y.
But Balsillie, a passionate hockey fan who regularly plays in pickup games, and the Coyotes owner, trucking magnate Jerry Moyes, have been facing off in court with the National Hockey League (NHL), which has said it wants to keep the franchise in Phoenix by finding a local buyer.
An auction for the team had been scheduled for June 22, but has been canceled.
Baum rejected arguments by Moyes's attorneys that antitrust law allowed the sale and relocation of the Coyotes without NHL approval. He also cited the team's contract to play in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, saying accepting the sale to Balsillie would violate that deal.
However, Baum also dismissed the concerns of other sports leagues that had warned allowing the Coyotes to relocate would encourage other financially struggling teams to use bankruptcy court to get around league rules.
"Financially challenged sports teams have the same rights and obligations as any business" that seeks bankruptcy protection, he said.
NHL PLEASED
Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the NHL was pleased Baum recognized league rules. He added the North American sports league would now turn its efforts to an "orderly sales process" that will result in a local buyer committed to the Phoenix/Glendale market.
"We are confident that we will be able to find such a buyer for the Coyotes and that the claims of legitimate creditors will be addressed," he said in a statement.
Balsillie's offer is the only formal one submitted so far but the NHL has said there are four potential bidders committed to keeping the team in Arizona, including part-time Arizona resident Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago White Sox baseball and Chicago Bulls basketball teams.
Thomas Salerno, attorney for Moyes, said they were disappointed with the ruling and evaluating options. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Fielder's slam rallies Brewers by Indians

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Prince Fielder's grand slam home run sparked a six-run eighth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied to defeat the Cleveland Indians 14-12 in a high scoring interleague game Monday.
Fielder, who drove in a career-best six runs in the 26-hit slugfest, teed off on a first-pitch breaking ball by the Indians' Rafael Perez to put the NL Central Division-leading Brewers ahead.
"I was just trying to get a pitch I could drive up the middle and at least get one run in," Fielder told reporters. "It was my first grand slam and it put us ahead, so it was a good feeling."
Cleveland led 12-8 before Milwaukee took advantage of four hits and four walks in the eighth.
"We were pretty much out of it a couple times but the guys didn't quit," Milwaukee manager Ken Macha said. "We put up some good at-bats."
Ryan Braun, who had three hits and five RBIs for the game, started the rally with a bases-loaded single after three consecutive walks. After a change in pitchers, Fielder slammed one over the right field fence against the American Leaguers.
Mat Gamel made it 14-12 with a run-scoring single three batters later.
Braun belted a two-run homer in the first to give Milwaukee an early lead. He drove in two more runs with a triple in the fifth as the Brewers won for only the second time in eight games.
"Winning a game like that, it shows that ... we're definitely not giving up," Braun said. "It's a reminder that anything is possible in this game. Especially in the American League, when you have a (designated) hitter in the lineup instead of a pitcher."
Cleveland, in last place in the American League Central, held leads of 8-3 and 12-7 before falling.
Eight of their runs came off home runs by Choo Shin-soo, Victor Martinez, Mark DeRosa and Travis Hafner. Hafner's three-run homer in the sixth gave Cleveland a 12-7 lead.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Ian Ransom; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Source: Reuters

Lakers primed for another title run next year

Lakers primed for another title run next year
Lakers fans get rowdy
Play Video
By Steve Ginsburg
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Lakers basked in the glow of their 15th championship on Monday knowing that additional titles may be on the way.
Los Angeles defeated the Orlando Magic 99-86 on Sunday to score a five-game knockout punch in the NBA Finals and secure their first title since 2002.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who won his 10th title to eclipse the record he shared for seven years with Red Auerbach, said next year's finals might have a familiar feel to them.
"Certainly Orlando is very capable of coming back to the finals with the youth that they have," he said. "Obviously free agency in both clubs has a bearing upon what teams will do and how they'll have to maintain their roster and cap management.
"But both teams I think played extremely well during the year. Orlando's youth is quite apparent, both their frontcourt and their backcourt."
The Magic, led by 23-year-old All-Star center Dwight Howard, were a surprise finalist after shocking LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals of the Eastern Conference.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, won the crown as an overwhelming favorite in the West.
"We did have a target on our back," said Lakers forward Trevor Ariza. "To take everybody's best shot and still come out on top is a great feeling. It lets you know that you can believe."
The Lakers are a veteran-laden club but it is easy to see a few more titles before management would need to re-tool the roster.
Eleven-times All-Star Kobe Bryant, 30, and 34-year-old Derek Fisher are the senior citizens, but Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom provide enough experience to keep the club going should there be a spate of injuries to key players.
Los Angeles made the finals a year ago but lost to the Boston Celtics in six games. They were able to take the next step with Andrew Bynum and Ariza, both of whom had injuries a year ago, adding much-needed depth.
The wild card, as always, is free agency. Ariza, who scored 15 points in Sunday's series finale, and Odom, who added 17, are free agents who could decide to leave.
Should the team stay intact, Jackson could easily earn his 11th title in 2010.
"Some of the stuff is almost incomprehensible," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "The guy has won 51 playoff series now. Check your record book and see how many coaches have even won 50 playoff games.
"It's fewer than 20, and the guy has won 51 playoff series. It's incomprehensible."
(Editing by Sonia Oxley)

Source: Reuters

Perry's major appetite whetted by Masters meltdown

By Mark Lamport-Stokes
FARMINGDALE, New York (Reuters) - Kenny Perry said he had learned from his collapse at the U.S. Masters two months ago and is hungrier than ever to win a maiden major title.
The PGA Tour veteran led the Masters by two shots with two holes to play before bogeys at 17 and 18 dropped him into a playoff with fellow American Chad Campbell and Argentina's Angel Cabrera.
Perry's bid to become the oldest player to win a major ended when he hit a poor approach shot on the second extra hole, his bogey being trumped by Cabrera's par for victory.
"I know I can do it," the 48-year-old Perry told reporters at a rain-softened Bethpage State Park on Monday while preparing for this week's U.S. Open, the second major of the season.
"It's just I've got to rethink it a little bit when I'm coming down the last couple of holes and not get ahead of myself. But I look forward to the challenge."
Although he struggled to hold his emotions back through reddened eyes after his Masters meltdown, Perry said the experience had been a positive one overall.
"I enjoyed it," the 13-times PGA Tour winner said. "It was a good ride. I look forward to the opportunity to try to get in there again. It made me hungrier, basically.
PLAYOFF LOSS
"I've been down a few times," added Perry, who also lost a major playoff at the 1996 PGA Championship to fellow American Mark Brooks.
"Kind of like '96, I had that deal done too at the PGA but I just did not quite finish it out. But it just gave me a lot of confidence, it gave me the ability to know that I can do it. I had it."
This week, Perry will have to tackle one of the longest layouts of all time at a major championship.
Bethpage's Black Course, which first staged the U.S. Open in 2002, will measure 7,426 yards off the back tees and features seven par-four holes in excess of 450 yards.
"It all depends how they want to set the tees," Perry said. "They have got a lot of options out there to make the golf course play any way they want it to play."
The 109th U.S. Open starts on Thursday.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)

Source: Reuters

Triumphant Lakers will get a parade after all

Triumphant Lakers will get a parade after all
By Dan Whitcomb
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Lakers will get a parade to mark their 15th championship despite objections the city cannot afford to throw the $2 million party, officials said on Monday.
The Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game Five of the NBA finals in Florida on Sunday to clinch the best-of-seven series but there had already been rumblings at home over the cost of a celebration.
"We confirm there is going to be a parade and we're working on the cost issue," said a spokeswoman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
The spokeswoman said negotiations were underway for the team to help pay for the festivities, which were set for Wednesday morning and will tentatively include a two-mile parade from Staples Center, where the Lakers play, to a rally at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
She said details of that agreement had not yet been finalized but the Los Angeles Times reported the city and the Lakers had each agreed to pay $1 million toward the party, which would involve renting the Coliseum for a day.
Other costs would include police, transportation and city staff.
With Los Angeles facing a deep budget deficit and contemplating laying off workers, some had questioned whether the city should be footing the bill for a parade.
Barbara Maynard, a spokeswoman for the city's employee unions, told Reuters she supported the Lakers and would attend the parade but was unhappy the team was not picking up the tab.
"We're looking at massive layoffs and pay cuts and serious reductions in services and we just don't believe the taxpayers should be paying for a parade when the Lakers, a for-profit enterprise, are quite capable of funding the whole thing," she said.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)

Source: Reuters

Dementieva begins Wimbledon run-in with victory

By Clare Fallon
EASTBOURNE, England (Reuters) - Olympic champion Elena Dementieva began her warm-up for Wimbledon with a swift 6-2 6-2 win over fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko at the Eastbourne International on Monday.
With the 35-year-old event including a men's tournament for the first time, second seed Dmitry Tursunov of Russia had to battle hard to beat Italian Fabio Fognini 6-3 4-6 6-4.
Former women's world number one Ana Ivanovic's struggle to get back to the top continued when she lost a seesaw match with Russian seventh seed Nadia Petrova 6-1 4-6 6-4.
Serbian Ivanovic, who has dropped to 13th in the rankings, was in sight of victory at 4-1 up in the third set but double-faulted to allow Petrova to break and then surrendered meekly.
"I think I could have played a lot better and that is why I was a little bit disappointed because I was practicing really well," said Ivanovic, who parted company with coach Craig Kardon last week.
Top seed Dementieva, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, looked to have a fight on her hands when Kirilenko saved three breakpoints in a 14-minute opening game which went to deuce seven times.
Kirilenko, who had lost in seven previous first rounds this year, buckled however as the set progressed and allowed Dementieva to go 5-2 ahead.
DOUBLE FAULTS
Dementieva, the world number four, twice hit double faults on set points as she struggled to serve in Eastbourne's capricious sea breezes but converted her third chance and then began the second set with a break.
Another break in the seventh game left her serving for the match and she finished off with a forehand winner as the clock at Devonshire Park reached one hour 28 minutes.
"It is always fun to play on grass," Dementieva, 27, told reporters. "It just takes a longer time before you really feel confident about the movement.
"I think that was a good match for the first one on grass."
Fabrice Santoro's farewell world tour made another stop, allowing the 36-year-old Frenchman to progress to the second round with another display of his sublime skills and a 6-3 6-2 win over American Robert Kendrick.
Santoro retires at the end of the year.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)

Source: Reuters
 

Business

Politics

Incidents

 

Society

Sport

Culture