Tuesday October 07, 2008
SPORTS FRONT PAGE 
The C still has plenty of shine
A handful of NHL clubs will begin the 2008-09 season without a captain.Does this mean the time-honoured hockey tradition of displaying the C on a jersey has lost its lustre? Not according to coaches and managers, who believe having a captain or true leader is as important as ever.
O'Neal an exhibition centrepiece
Jermaine O'Neal talks a good exhibition game, but even his coach doesn't necessarily believe him.The Toronto Raptors will open their seven-game NBA exhibition schedule against the Cavaliers in Cleveland tonight. And while exhibition games are just that, there will be some onlookers curious about what O'Neal - the most significant trade acquisition in franchise history - brings when he takes the floor for the first time.
Bay leads the way
Torii Hunter said after winning Game 3 of their American League Division Series that the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ''smell blood.'' It turned out to be their own.Jed Lowrie's run-scoring single with two out in the ninth inning brought in Jason Bay of Trail, B.C., for the winning run as the Boston Red Sox beat the Angels 3-2 in a memorable fourth game of the best-of-five series. Bay doubled to lead off and scored with a head-first slide ahead of the throw.
Papelbon knows his place
Jonathan Papelbon had an acute understanding of his importance, even before he established himself as one of the best postseason relievers in major-league history. Part of the reason, he acknowledges, was the proximity of Mariano Rivera in the American League East.
HOCKEY
Schenn sticking around
The Toronto Maple Leafs were given a 24-hour respite after an arduous stretch of five exhibition games in seven days, but interim general manager Cliff Fletcher put in a full day at the office.
Listeners tune out during dog days of summer
Summer is the slow season for sports radio in this country, but the annual audience survey in July and August does reveal trends.In Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays listeners on The Fan 590 jumped 15 per cent from last summer, perhaps because interest increased with Cito Gaston taking over as the Jays' manager.
Defenceman Matvichuk cut by Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets assigned goaltender Dan LaCosta to their AHL affiliate and released defenceman Richard Matvichuk from his tryout contract yesterday.The 35-year-old Matvichuk played for Columbus head coach Ken Hitchcock with the Dallas Stars when they won the Stanley Cup in 1999. With 14 years and almost 800 games in the NHL, he was making $96 (U.S.) a day in training-camp pay to try to make the team after being out of the league last year.
Canes' Walker expected to miss six weeks
Carolina Hurricanes forward Scott Walker is expected to be sidelined for six weeks, after surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand. The surgery was done four days before the Hurricanes open the regular season against Florida. The Hurricanes also will be without forward Justin Williams for at least three more months, after he tore his right Achilles tendon.
Capitals ship top prospect Alzner to Hershey
The Washington Capitals sent 2007 NHL first-round draft pick Karl Alzner and Chris Bourque to Hershey of the AHL yesterday.Bourque is the son of Hall of Fame defenceman Ray Bourque.
Canucks, Lightning complete four-player swap
The Vancouver Canucks' regular-season opener on Thursday will feature a ceremony honouring late defenceman Luc Bourdon. The tribute will bring closure to an NHL organization and fan base that has mourned since May, when Bourdon lost his life in a motorcycle accident in his native New Brunswick.
BASEBALL
Rays break through
They rushed toward the mound, these remarkable Rays, and immediately formed a circle. Jumping together like fraternity brothers, they resembled party regulars in the postseason.Worst in the major leagues last year, the Tampa Bay Rays will play for a spot in the World Series.
Doucet, Van Horne, Cheek finalists for Frick honour
Former Montreal Expos broadcasters Jacques Doucet and Dave Van Horne and the late Toronto Blue Jays play-by-play man Tom Cheek were selected as finalists yesterday for the Ford C. Frick Award. Voting will be conducted by the 15 living winners of the award, given for excellence in baseball broadcasting, and by five broadcast historians and columnists. The winner will be announced on Dec. 9.
Top Venezuelan players threaten Classic boycott
Leading Venezuelan players are threatening to boycott the World Baseball Classic next year unless team officials listen to their opinions. U.S.-based stars Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera and Johan Santana are among several top players who believe officials are ignoring them regarding the Classic. Others are unhappy over the reappointment of Luis Sojo as the manager.
FOOTBALL
Argos, Bombers in must-win situation
As must-wins go, the 15th game of the Toronto Argonauts' season fits the usual criteria, except for being a crisis.In the CFL, having only four wins in the first 14 games doesn't kill Toronto's playoff hopes, not when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hold down second place in the East Division with only five wins.
Former CFL pivots turn Buffalo around
Danny Barrett was leaving the American football coaches convention in the winter of 2007 when he crossed paths with another former CFL quarterback with whom he'd briefly shaken hands when both were playing in Canada during the 1980s.
Warner to consider retirement in off-season
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner says that after this season he will take his closest look yet at retiring from the NFL.The scary injury to teammate Anquan Boldin, combined with other factors, has led him to give more serious consideration to leaving the game.
Rodgers expects to play despite sprained shoulder
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will miss some practice again this week, but is expected to play at Seattle on Sunday.''We're going to go into the week planning on Aaron to play,'' head coach Mike McCarthy said yesterday.
Westbrook breaks two ribs in Eagles' loss
All-pro running back Brian Westbrook broke two ribs in the Philadelphia Eagles' 23-17 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday, though he stayed in and finished the game.
Edwards still experiencing postconcussion symptoms
Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards was described as alert, but still experiencing postconcussion symptoms yesterday, leaving his status uncertain as the team enters its bye week.Coach Dick Jauron sidestepped questions regarding the quarterback's health, except to say that Edwards showed up at the Bills' headquarters a day after being slammed to the ground on the third play from scrimmage during a 41-17 loss at Arizona.
STAMPEDERS: CFL INVESTIGATING ALLEGED HARASSMENT
The CFL has cast its investigative light on the Calgary Stampeders for allegedly harassing an on-field official after their loss at Mosaic Stadium in Regina last Friday.The league is looking into a complaint that several Calgary players and an assistant coach were verbally abusive to referee Bud Steen as he left the field after the Stampeders' 37-34 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
OTHER SPORTS
ACTIVITY
BaseballAmerican LeagueToronto Blue Jays--Claimed RHP Dirk Hayhurst off waivers from San Diego. Waived INF Kevin Melillo.BasketballNational Basketball AssociationNew Jersey Nets--Waived G Awvee Storey.
Two riders test positive for enhanced booster
Italian cyclist Leonardo Piepoli twice tested positive for an advanced blood booster during this year's Tour de France, officials said yesterday, and German cyclist Stefan Schumacher's team suspended him for suspected use of the same substance. The two became the second and third riders in the Tour to test positive for continuous erythropoiesis receptor activator, commonly known as CERA. CERA is an advanced version of the blood booster erythropoietin , commonly called EPO. Riccardo Ricco of Italy had already admitted to CERA use.
Ballesteros in hospital after losing consciousness
Seve Ballesteros was admitted to hospital yesterday after feeling dizzy and fainting. Ballesteros, the winner of three British Open and two Masters championships, was taken to hospital after briefly losing consciousness, the hospital said in a statement. His condition was stable and he was undergoing diagnostic tests, the hospital said.
Beckham suspended for final game of season
David Beckham will miss the Los Angeles Galaxy's final road game of the Major League Soccer season on Oct. 18 at Houston because of a mandatory one-game suspension for receiving his fifth yellow card. Beckham was penalized in the Galaxy's 1-0 loss at Columbus last Saturday.
FIFA head wants new rules for World Cup bidding
Sepp Blatter, the president of the Federation Internationale de Football Association, will propose new World Cup bidding rules that would dash U.S. hopes of playing host to the tournament in 2018, but would put the Americans in prime position to stage soccer's showcase event in 2022. Blatter said yesterday he wants to avoid the World Cup staying in the Americas after Brazil is the host in 2014. He said there were enough strong candidates to organize the world's biggest sports event in 2018 that some countries should be spilled over into the bidding process for the host in 2022.
Number of foreign owners in England upsets Blatter
The president of the Federation Internationale de Football Association, Sepp Blatter is upset at the wave of foreign ownership in the English Premier League. ''Something is wrong here,'' he said at the European Parliament yesterday. Seven Premier League clubs are in the hands of foreign owners: Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Portsmouth, Manchester City and Fulham. A senior British government official has urged the Football Association to tighten regulations regarding buyers. Blatter said he realizes he has limited influence in national legislation.
