Brady finds relief in spiritual book
BOSTON (AP) — Tom Brady found some lessons in a book that may have helped him deal with the Super Bowl loss that ruined New England's chance for a 19-0 season.
The Patriots quarterback tells Esquire magazine he found "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz a "very spiritual book."
"How can I be more honest, accept things that don't go as planned?" Brady said in a cover story for the September issue. "When you try to combat everything, at the end of the day you realize that you're responsible for yourself."
The magazine received permission to interview Brady only if supermodel girlfriend Gisele Bundchen, his son's mother, Bridget Moynahan, and the 1-year-old child did not appear in the story.
Brady has three Super Bowl rings, a 17-14 loss in last season's title game to the New York Giants and a view of football's place in society."Look at the attention I get: It's because I throw a football. But that's what society values. That's not what God values," Brady said. "He didn't invent the game. We did. I have some eye-hand coordination, and I can throw the ball. I don't think that matters to God."
Joba Chamberlain placed on 15-day disabled list
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joba Chamberlain has been placed on the 15-day disabled list by the New York Yankees, who have not yet revealed the extent of his injured pitching shoulder.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before Wednesday night's game against Texas that he had no updates regarding Chamberlain's examination by noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Alabama.
Chamberlain was sent to see Andrews after undergoing an MRI on his ailing right shoulder Tuesday. The 22-year-old right-hander was removed from Monday night's start against the Rangers in the fifth inning with stiffness in his shoulder.
Sorenstam says 'goodbye'
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) — Annika Sorenstam makes a farewell appearance in her native Sweden this week as tournament host of the Scandinavian TPC.
Before Wednesday's pro-am, Sorenstam had never played the course — Frosoker Golf & Country Club. It's an hour's drive from her parents' hometown north of Stockholm, where she grew up and honed her game.
The 37-year-old winner of 10 majors says she will quit in December to start a family and focus on her business and other golf interests.
"I'm here to enjoy and play good golf. I will try not to think too much about it being the last time (in Sweden), even though it will be difficult," said Sorenstam, who won this Ladies European Tour event six times between 1997 and 2006.
Sorenstam will make her final competitive European tour appearance in Denmark on Sept. 5-7 before making her last start at the Dubai Ladies Masters on Dec. 11-14.
Rays' Upton benched for not running out a grounder
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay center fielder B.J. Upton was benched Wednesday against Cleveland for failing to run out a grounder the previous night.
Rays manager Joe Maddon took the one-game action, saying the topic of running hard on grounders was discussed at a team meeting in Kansas City two weeks ago.
Asked about the benching, Upton said: "I just work here."
Cleveland designated hitter Ryan Garko got an early exit, too, in Wednesday's game after failing to run.
Garko stood in the batter's box when his squibber down the first-base line stayed fair in the second inning. Andy Marte pinch-hit for Garko the next inning.
On Tuesday night, Upton hit a comebacker to Edward Mujica during Tampa Bay's 8-4 win. The pitcher bobbled the ball and went down to his knees before easily throwing out Upton at first base.
"I'm not happy with him not running out the last ground ball last night," Maddon said before Wednesday's game. "I didn't take him out of the game ... everybody was hurt last night. So, I had to wait until today to do it."
The AL East-leading Rays were without left fielder Carl Crawford (sore left hamstring) and shortstop Jason Bartlett (right index finger) Tuesday. Also, utilityman Willy Aybar experienced hamstring cramping in Monday's game, and catcher Shawn Riggans had soreness in his chest, the result of being hit by a pitch on Sunday.
"I really don't believe in a whole lot of rules and regulations," Maddon said. "Personally I don't believe in it. I like to believe that you are a man and can pretty much police yourself."
Ben Zobrist replaced Upton in center field, while Aybar started at short.
Bartlett, who missed the previous two games, was the designated hitter. It has not been determined if Bartlett, who threw before the game, will play in the field Thursday.
Crawford was out of the lineup for third straight day. He might return Thursday.
"I hope so. I'm definitely ready to get going," Crawford said. "It's better. Still like a little strain in there. Still tugs when I raise my leg. I'll have to be careful with that. I think I know how to manage it the way I want."
US basketball team gets big Beijing welcome
BEIJING (AP) — Mike Krzyzewski could feel anticipation build as the plane carrying the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team neared Beijing.
"I was sitting next to Jerry (Colangelo) and said, 'You know, we've waited three years to get off this plane and do this," the coach said Wednesday, shortly after the team arrived for the Summer Games. "I think we're prepared, and while we're here we need to prepare more."
With their Olympics opener scheduled for Sunday against the host Chinese, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and the rest of the team arrived amid near pandemonium after fans waited hours for a glimpse of their basketball heroes. Later, the players held a team meeting before deciding to head to the Olympic village to take in the sights.
"It's a little overwhelming that it's really here — the reality that we're here," said Colangelo, the managing director of USA Basketball.
Krzyzewski, Duke's Hall of Fame coach who was appointed to lead the men's senior national team in 2005, is making his first visit to Beijing. The U.S. team trained in Macao before playing Turkey and Lithuania, then headed to Shanghai to play Russia before closing the exhibition schedule against Australia there Tuesday night.
"We're honored we're playing in China," Krzyzewski said after attending the ceremonial opening of the 24 Hour Fitness-sponsored strength and conditioning facility at the U.S. training center at Beijing Normal University. "We've been treated with the greatest amount of respect and friendliness. We could not have been treated better. I know we'll get the same treatment in Beijing. The Chinese people love basketball and we're excited we're playing the first game against China."
That excitement was on display when the U.S. team arrived at Beijing's airport earlier Wednesday. Dozens of fans, most wielding cell phones or digital cameras, mounted a spiked iron fence to get a closer look, many shouting "Kou-bi-er" — the local rendering of Bryant's name — in hopes of getting his attention.
The Los Angeles Lakers guard waved and smiled, looking pleased and vaguely amused by the display. Players left Beijing's airport by a side door and boarded a bus in a secure VIP area before driving into the city.
Broncos' wideout suspended for three games
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos will start the season without wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who was suspended by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for three games for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Marshall was summoned to Goodell's New York offices on July 18 to explain a series of off-the-field misdeeds over the past year, most notably his March 6 arrest on a domestic violence warrant filed by his former girlfriend in Atlanta.
Marshall, who is due in court next month for a drunken driving trial, can have his suspension reduced to two games if he undergoes counseling and abides by other conditions, which the NFL did not specify.
Haren agrees to $44M deal with Diamondbacks
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star pitcher Dan Haren has agreed to terms on a four-year, $44.75 million contract that runs through the 2012 season with a club option for 2013.
Haren, acquired in an offseason trade with the Oakland Athletics, is 12-5 with a 2.75 ERA, fourth-best in the National League. He is fourth in the NL in strikeouts with 142 and leads the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 5.92.
Haren's new deal includes $31.5 million more than he would have made in his old contract, which ran through 2009 with a team option for 2010. If the club picks up the option for 2013, the new contract would total $56.75 million.
Slew of suspensions slapped on Royals, White Sox players, managers
NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City catcher Miguel Olivo and pitcher Zack Greinke were suspended for five games for their actions during a weekend game with the Chicago White Sox.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was suspended two games and Royals manager Trey Hillman was given one game. All four penalties also included fines.
Olivo and Greinke appealed their suspensions and can continue to play until the appeal process is complete.
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A former University of Toledo basketball player has been charged with point shaving, according to a federal bill of information filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
Former Toledo player charged with point-shaving
Sammy Villegas, who played basketball for four years at Toledo and has followed that with a professional career in his native Puerto Rico, is accused of shaving points in games during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.
The case comes a little more than a year after a Toledo football player was accused in a gambling scheme, though the charges against him were dropped. A university spokesman described the cases as isolated incidents.
Villegas, a guard who finished his college career in 2006, also paid another player who took part in the point-shaving ring, prosecutors said. The other player was not charged or named in the bill of information, which was filed June 30.
Villegas was charged with conspiracy to influence sports contests by bribery and received money and other gifts in exchange for fixing games, prosecutors said. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Kansas Jayhawks basketball coach signs huge new contract
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bill Self, the Kansas basketball coach who guided the Jayhawks to their first NCAA championship in 20 years, signed a 10-year, $30 million contract Wednesday.
The deal had been in the works since April, when Self's Jayhawks came from nine points down in the final minutes to beat Memphis in a thrilling title game and he subsequently turned down an offer to return to Oklahoma State, his alma mater.
Kansas and Self said in April he had agreed to the deal while the details were worked on. Kansas also agreed to big raises for his staff as well as improvements on the school's basketball facilities.
This summer, Kansas opened a new $31 million football complex. Improvements to Allen Fieldhouse and other facilities, including basketball training rooms and locker rooms, are expected to be in the same neighborhood.
Self's prior contract paid him an annual total of $1.61 million and had three years remaining. The new deal is retroactive to April 1.
