NBA-Suns scorch Bulls to end road losing streak

Jan 12 (Reuters) - Luis Scola and the fast-paced Phoenix Suns snapped a 12-game road losing streak with a rousing 97-81 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.Argentine forward Scola scored 22 points and bench player Michael Beasley weighed in with 20 as the Suns stunned the Bulls at the United Center to improved to 13-26 for the season.Phoenix outshot Chicago by 49 percent to 36 from the field and...

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UPDATE 1-NBA-Suns scorch Bulls to end road drought

* Record 2,000th franchise win* Suns snap five-game losing run with rare road win (Adds quotes, detail)Jan 12 (Reuters) - Luis Scola and the fast-paced Phoenix Suns heaved a collective sigh of relief after snapping a 12-game road losing streak with a rousing 97-81 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.Argentine forward Scola scored 22 points and bench player Michael Beasley weighed in with 20 as...

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Suns scorch Bulls to end road drought

(Reuters) - Luis Scola and the fast-paced Phoenix Suns heaved a collective sigh of relief after snapping a 12-game road losing streak with a rousing 97-81 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.Argentine forward Scola scored 22 points and bench player Michael Beasley weighed in with 20 as the Suns stunned the Bulls at the United Center to improve to 13-26 for the season.Phoenix outshot Chicago by...

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Yankees sign former rival Youkilis to one-year deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Red Sox rival Kevin Youkilis officially joined the New York Yankees on Friday when he signed a one-year contract to fill a void left by the absence of Alex Rodriguez, the American League team said.The three-time All-Star, 33, will serve as the starting third baseman with slugger Rodriguez expected to be sidelined until midseason after having surgery on his left hip.The...

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Pitcher Adams agrees to two-year deal with Phillies

(Reuters) - The Philadelphia Phillies and relief pitcher Mike Adams have agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract, Major League Baseball's website said on Saturday.The deal is pending a physical.Adams, 34, posted a 5-3 record with a 3.27 earned run average in 61 appearances with the Texas Rangers last season.Regarded as one of the major league's top setup men, Adams underwent surgery in October...

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Hamilton to give Angels everything on and off field

during a news conference at the ESPNZone in Downtown Disneyland in Anaheim, California …more (Reuters) - Josh Hamilton was introduced as a member of the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday and the slugger immediately promised to give everything he has to the team on and off the field.A five-time All-Star who overcame drug and alcohol addictions to become one of Major League Baseball's most feared hitters,...

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Jaguars hire Falcons' Caldwell as general manager

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Atlanta director of player personnel David Caldwell as general manager, charging him with turning around one of the league's worst teams. His first move will be deciding the fate of coach Mike Mularkey. Owner Shad Khan tabbed the 38-year-old Caldwell on Tuesday, a day after a third interview....

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Dustin Johnson wins PGA Tour opener at Kapalua

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Dustin Johnson disappeared into a small valley of bushes and high grass as he searched for another errant tee shot, this one costing him a double bogey and making the final round of the Tournament of Champions far more exciting than he needed it to be.Undaunted by his mistakes or the thought of blowing a big lead, he blasted driver on the next hole despite the potential for...

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Bucks coach Scott Skiles out, Boylan to fill in

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Once again, an NBA team has parted ways with head coach Scott Skiles. Once again, veteran assistant Jim Boylan is being asked to pick up the pieces.One day after Milwaukee and Skiles agreed it was time for a change, the Bucks said Tuesday that Boylan will coach the team for the rest of the season. General manager John Hammond downplayed the notion that Skiles had lost control of...

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Duke still No. 1 in AP poll; Pitt, K-State move in

Duke and Michigan remain the top two teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll while Syracuse drops from third to ninth after its first loss.The Blue Devils received all but two of the first-place votes Monday from the 65-member national media panel. Michigan got the others.Arizona, Louisville and Indiana all moved up one place to third through fifth. Kansas, which won at Ohio State,...

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Playoff puzzle nearly complete with one week to go

With one week remaining in the regular season, the National Football League's playoff picture has come into sharper focus with only a few more pieces of the post-season puzzle to be put into place.Much of the remaining drama is focused on the NFC East, where the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will stage a battle royale for the division crown with a ticket to the post-season...

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AP source: Dolphins' Smith has knee bruise

A person familiar with the diagnosis says Miami Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith escaped serious injury when he hurt his left knee in the team's victory over Buffalo.An MRI test Monday determined the injury was only a bruise, the person told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins are not releasing details about the injury.Smith, a fourth-year pro and Miami's best...

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Pagano back to coach Colts after cancer treatment

 Chuck Pagano stepped to the podium Monday, hugged his team owner, thanked his family for its support and wiped a tear from his eye.He might, finally, turn out the lights in his office, too.Nearly three months to the day after being diagnosed with leukemia, the Colts' first-year coach returned to a team eager to reunite with a boss healthy enough to go back to work."I told you my best day of...

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Pagano joins playoff bound Colts after battle with cancer

The Indianapolis Colts and their fans got an early Christmas gift when head coach Chuck Pagano returned to work on Monday, three months after being forced to the sidelines to battle cancer.Diagnosed with leukemia in late September, Pagano spent the last three months undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy, while his inspired team led by rookie quarterback Andrew Luck battled on the field earning...

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NHL lockout has chilling effect on business

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Most everywhere Lou Billittier turns these days, the Buffalo restaurateur is reminded of the NHL  lockout, and its impact on his blue-collar, sports-mad town where Dominik Hasek became a star and the French Connection is still revered.Billittier misses the familiar faces of Sabres players having their traditional game-day lunch at his restaurant, Chef's. He recalled a recent...

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Barring setback, Redskins' RG3 looks good to go

    *      Kirk Cousins will start in place of Griffin wgho is sitting out with a sprained knee. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)  less ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Robert Griffin III looks good to go.The Washington Redskins rookie had a full practice Thursday for the second straight day as the team prepares for this week's game against the Philadelphia Eagles."I like...

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AP IMPACT: Steroids loom in major-college football

WASHINGTON (AP) — With steroids easy to buy, testing weak and punishments inconsistent, college football  players are packing on significant weight — 30 pounds or more in a single year, sometimes — without drawing much attention from their schools or the NCAA in a sport that earns tens of billions of dollars for teams.Rules vary so widely that, on any given game day, a team with a strict no-steroid...

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It's official, Andersen is new Wisconsin coach

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Several schools tried to lure Gary Andersen away from Utah State.Wisconsin finally got him.Andersen was officially hired as the Badgers' new coach Thursday, and will be formally introduced at a news conference Friday morning. He replaces Bret Bielema, who left the Badgers for Arkansas this month."I don't know if I can really have a word for how excited I am to be at Wisconsin...

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Barea, Wolves snap Thunder's 12-game streak

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — J.J. Barea ended Oklahoma City's 12-game winning streak almost all by himself.Playing with the tenacity that made him so important to the Mavericks' run to the title two years ago, Barea scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 99-93 victory over the Thunder on Thursday night.Kevin Love had 28 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists...

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