Jerry Wainwright was fired Monday as the basketball coach at DePaul, which has lost 22 straight regular-season games in the Big East Conference. He was replaced on an interim basis by assistant Tracy Webster.

The Blue Demons are 7-8 and 0-3 in the Big East this season, Wainwright’s fifth at DePaul. He has two years left on his contract after this season.

“At this time a change needed to be made in the direction of the men’s basketball program at DePaul University,” athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto said in a statement.

The school was to discuss the move at a campus news conference.

Webster will be the coach for the rest of the season. He was an assistant at Kentucky, Illinois, Purdue and Ball State before joining DePaul last April.

Wainwright has a 59-80 overall record at DePaul, including 20-51 in the Big East. He injured his leg during a sideline collision Wednesday when the Blue Demons were routed 99-72 at Villanova

Wainwright becomes the fourth Division I coach to leave his position since the season started in November. Glenn Miller (Penn) and Dereck Whittenburg (Fordham) were fired and Terry Dunn (Dartmouth) resigned.

Last season was an embarrassing one for a DePaul program that was once a national power. The school hasn’t won a regular-season conference game since March 2008. The Blue Demons upset Cincinnati in the first round of the conference tournament last year but finished 9-24 and 0-18 in the Big East.

DePaul went 20-14 and made the NIT in 2006-07, its lone winning season under Wainwright. Wainwright took over in 2005-06 after eight years at UNC Wilmington and then three at Richmond. During those 11 years his teams made the NCAA tournament three times and reached at least 20 wins three times. While at UNC Wilmington, he was twice the Colonial Athletic Association coach of the year.
Sourced via washingtonpost.com

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NBA All-Star guard Allen Iverson plans to retire from the league, according to a close friend and basketball analyst.

Stephen A Smith, who worked as a sports journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer when Iverson played for the Philadelphia 76ers, issued a statement from Iverson on his website on Wednesday.

“I would like to announce my plans to retire from the National Basketball Association,” Iverson was quoted as saying.

“I always thought that when I left the game, it would be because I couldn’t help my team the way that I was accustomed to. However, that is not the case.

“I still have tremendous love for the game, the desire to play and a whole lot left in my tank. I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.”

One of the NBA’s most prolific scorers, the 34-year-old played just three games for the Memphis Grizzlies this season before taking a personal leave of absence earlier this month. He was released by the franchise 10 days later, on Nov 17.

Iverson, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2001, was with the Detroit Pistons last season before becoming a free agent.

He had previously played with the Philadelphia 76ers for 10 years before joining the Denver Nuggets during the 2006-07 season.

A four-time NBA scoring champion, Iverson has averaged 27 points and 3.7 rebounds in 889 games spread over 13 full seasons in the league for a career total of 24,020 points.
Sourced via stuff.co.nz

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Minnesota star basketball recruit Royce White faces misdemeanor charges of theft and fifth-degree assault for allegedly shoplifting at the Mall of America.

Coach Tubby Smith announced indefinite suspensions for White and senior guard Devron Bostick on Tuesday for breaking team rules, but gave no other details.

According to the Bloomington city attorney’s office, White has a Nov. 17 arraignment scheduled stemming from the Oct. 13 incident at the mall.

Police Cmdr. Mark Stehlik said he was unaware of Bostick being involved in the mall incident. Stehlik was out of the office Tuesday afternoon and couldn’t immediately provide more details.

A police report cited by the Star Tribune accuses White of stealing $100 worth of merchandise from Macy’s and twice pushing a security guard to the ground.

White’s campus phone rang busy Tuesday. Bostick’s phone rang unanswered.
Sourced via wdio.com

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NBA icons, all-stars and A-plus-list celebrities LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal made their debut as Cleveland teammates and had immediate chemistry in the Cavaliers’ 92-87, preseason-opening victory over the visiting Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night.

James and O’Neal worked several pick-and-rolls, showing off a two-man game that with a little polish could be unstoppable.

“Me and Shaq played pretty well together,” James said. “It shouldn’t be hard for either one of us. We know how to play basketball and we want to win.”

The two are hoping to end this city’s pro sports championship drought stretching back to 1964, and while they are as much as nine months away from accomplishing that goal, it’s already clear the pair — and the Cavaliers — will be fun to watch.

“They’re going to be great,” Bobcats Coach Larry Brown said. “They’re really well coached. They set good screens. They make good cuts. They hit the open man. I love the way they play and built this team.”

James, wearing a pink pair of his signature Nikes for breast cancer awareness month, scored 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 14 minutes. O’Neal, who said his goal is to “win a ring for the King” in Cleveland, scored six points and added three rebounds and a block in 15 minutes. Neither played in the second half.

LONDON CALLING: The NBA is still planning to play a regular season game in London before the 2012 Olympics are hosted by the British capital, although Commissioner David Stern said there is no set schedule.

Stern has said that he wants to play a meaningful game at London’s O2 Arena, where the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz played a preseason game.

“We hope to do it,” Stern said, noting that 2010 and 2011 would be the last chances. “We’re running out of runway, but we will likely do it.”

The NBA was playing in London for the third straight year, and the game at the O2 was again sold out. James Johnson sank a fadeaway jump shot from the baseline at the buzzer to give the Bulls a 102-101 win.

“I’d love to play here,” said Bulls forward Luol Deng, who was raised in London after his family fled war-torn Sudan. “I won’t be surprised if that happens.”

Although this year’s trip to Europe was cut down from previous visits, the Jazz has one more game to play on Thursday against Real Madrid in the Spanish capital.

Outside Europe, however, the NBA is playing preseason games in other countries, including Taiwan and Mexico.

Stern also spoke about the global economic downturn and the talks with the referees’ union. The NBA has locked out the regular referees because of a contract dispute.

“As far as I know, there have been no further conversations with the union,” Stern said. “They know how to reach us.”
Sourced via washingtonpost.com

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We are looking for your nominations for the best looking sport babes in the world. The nominations can include sport babes from around the globe, from any country, from any sporting code-the more the merrier.

Nominations close on 30 September 2009.

Send your nominations to to us by filling out the form below. You may nominate up to 3 athletes per time.

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British Basketball has signed a five-year deal with Standard Life, the Edinburgh-based FTSE 100 asset managing business, as their title sponsor.

Basketball’s partnership with Standard Life is akin to rowing’s partnership with Siemens and swimming’s recently agreed partnership with British Gas.

In the case of basketball, Standard Life has recognised the potential in working with the third largest team sport in the country – in terms of participation, only football and cricket have a larger playing base.

And with top NBA stars now committing to play for Britain it is clear that there is a realistic chance of medal glory as the London Olympics approach.

The deal will see Standard Life support all four of British Basketball’s world-class teams; senior men, senior women, men’s U-20’s and women’s U-20’s.

While the partnership will run from 2009 to 2013 its impact has been felt immediately with the necessary funding now being available for television coverage of Game On At The O2 this weekend.

Highlights of the four-nation tournament, which is a symbol of the sport’s progression over the last three years, since British Basketball’s inception, will be aired on Sky Sports 3 on Monday 17 August.

Simon Tuckey, Commercial Director of British Basketball, said: ‘We have worked hard over the past three years to attract a partner who would not only benefit the sport but more importantly believe in the goals we have set, and we feel that Standard Life more than fits those criteria.

‘We are delighted that they have come on board as we prepare to host Game On At The O2 and look forward to a long and successful relationship between British Basketball and Standard Life.

‘The senior men’s and women’s programmes have made impressive strides since 2007, indeed the men will play at the European Championships this September, and Standard Life’s involvement shows that people are taking note of our results and our desire to be a force to be reckoned with in three years time.’
Sourced via dailymail.co.uk

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The Trojans were a dead program walking well before coach Tim Floyd quit Tuesday. The big question is whether football, which pays the bills, will have to pay a price too.

Tim Floyd submitted his resignation Tuesday and Athletic Director Mike Garrett accepted it so fast he probably got a paper cut snapping it out of the fax machine.

The good news, of course, is that it’s only the fall of USC basketball, leaving the all-important work of preserving, defending and protecting the constitution of USC football.

What happened to Floyd was inevitable and the appointed hour of his departure was inconsequential. The fact Floyd handed a resignation news cookie to a paper in his home state, Mississippi, only proves he was loyal to people other than the players he coached until Tuesday at 12:59 p.m.

Yesterday, today, next week, next month . . . who cares?

Before the NCAA report comes out on possible infractions . . . after the report . . . what did it matter?

Anyone who could follow a bouncing ball understood USC basketball has been over for several weeks now, and it’s going to be over for several years.

More than two decades ago, Southern Methodist football received the “death penalty” for crimes committed against the NCAA.

USC and Floyd succumbed to a death “watch” penalty.

How fast it unraveled was certainly fascinating, and piecing the time line together is more fun that Sudoku.

One March minute Daniel Hackett had stolen the ball and was heading for the game-tying basket against Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA tournament at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Then the ball slipped out of Hackett’s hand, Michigan State won and advanced all the way to the championship game, and USC hoops became the last scene in “Thelma and Louise.”

March 31, the Tuesday before the Final Four, at USC’s season-ending banquet, Floyd implored his prime-time fence sitters to return and make the Trojans a national title contender — it wasn’t that much of a stretch.

Hours later, Floyd jumped on a plane to interview for the Arizona job.

Days later, DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson and Hackett announced their intentions to turn pro — so much for the national title.

The NCAA, meanwhile, was combining the basketball and football investigations, leading some to believe a conclusion was forthcoming and the words “lack of institutional control” might lead to banishment from the NCAA tournament.

For recruits looking for exactly one shining moment before trotting off to the NBA, this uneasiness added up to a collective “See ya.”

USC took a pass on already iffy Renardo Sidney, who opted out to Mississippi State, while other prospects checked their watches and noticed it was time to get out.

Floyd joined football Coach Pete Carroll on the rubber-chicken circuit, visiting USC boosters around the state, with Carroll handling all the NCAA-related questions as Floyd watched, in between green beans and dessert, his team disappear.

Noel Johnson was let out of his commitment. Marcus Johnson opted to go pro even though he was granted a sixth year of eligibility, prompting Floyd’s already famous “our guys get an offer from Islamabad and they’re gone” line.

Floyd finally said: check please?
The sad part is Floyd is a decent guy and good tactician and, in a very short time, became arguably the most successful basketball coach in school history — leading the Trojans to an unprecedented (for them) three straight NCAA tournaments.

And here comes the almost comical question: Who wants to coach USC basketball?

The new hire will inherit the specter of NCAA sanctions that could kick USC to the closet for years.

Even if the NCAA exonerates USC’s basketball program, the next guy inherits . . . what?

As far as landing a big-name coach, well, June is never a good time. Arizona was pilloried for waiting until March to hire a successor to Lute Olson and was lucky to get Sean Miller from Xavier — for Miller’s price.

Pittsburgh Coach Jamie Dixon?

Last time anyone checked, he was smart — and nobody could want to get back to his home state this badly.

So that leaves an up-and-comer from the mid-majors Garrett must identify, or someone like give-me-a-chance Michael Cooper, already on campus as coach of the women’s team, or maybe some Lakers assistant.

What it means for the foreseeable USC basketball future: Turn out the lights at Galen Center, a beautiful arena the Trojans couldn’t fill to capacity even in these, the good times.

Remember, like we said, in the end, it’s only Tim Floyd who’s leaving and it’s only USC basketball being asked to take a long walk in a dark alley.
Sourced via latimes.com

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Players are collecting technical fouls in these NBA playoffs the way they used to collect tattoos – or bling. The “T” seems to be the latest affectation, the latest vanity item… like the headband or the compression sock.

Dwight Howard got his sixth tech of the postseason Tuesday night for taunting the Cavaliers’ Anderson Varejao. Fortunately for Howard, the “T” was rescinded by the league Upon Further Review. Otherwise, he’d be perilously close to a one-game suspension.

The same thing happened to Kobe Bryant. He’s also been “T-ed” up half a dozen times in the playoffs, but No. 5 was later dismissed for lack of evidence.

Yes, in the NBA, some technical fouls are here today and gone tomorrow. Heck, the Nuggets’ Kenyon Martin has had three “Ts” wiped out during the postseason, which is the only reason he isn’t in more dire straits than the other two. One was stricken from the books, believe it or not, when it was upgraded to a flagrant foul, which carries a $25,000 fine.

Upgraded. In the real world, “upgraded” usually means something good – a better seat on an airplane, perhaps, or a hotel room that overlooks the ocean instead of the parking lot. But in professional hoops, it means Something Worse Than Previously Realized, the changing of a misdemeanor to a felony. I love this game!

Anyway, wouldn’t it be swell if Howard’s Magic and Bryant’s Lakers reached the finals and the two stars wound up sitting out a game because they’d been assessed seven technicals? It’s entirely possible, too, given how determinedly they’ve been piling them up. Dwight, in fact, has already been suspended once, in the first round, for elbowing the Sixers’ Samuel Dalembert. Can you imagine Michael Jordan or Larry Bird or Julius Erving DQ-ing himself for a playoff game because he couldn’t keep his emotions in check?

Of course, that’s why the NBA put these rules in place a few seasons ago – to try to curb such behavior, which was clearly on the rise. (By “such behavior,” I mean unsportsmanlike acts, grade-school theatrics and the general browbeating of officials.)

You can’t help but be amused by the guidelines the league laid down, such as: “Cursing or blaspheming an official shall not be considered the only cause for imposing technical fouls. Running tirades, continuous criticism or griping may be sufficient cause to assess a technical.”

The NBA – the National Blaspheming Association.

I mean, just think: In a generation, we’ve gone from running one-handers to running tirades.

The new “T” rules have had the desired effect, though. Now that the line has been drawn – and players know that their 16th regular-season technical (and their seventh in the playoffs) will result in a one-game unpaid vacation – they’re less apt to cross it.

Nobody exceeded the limit last season. This season, only Rasheed Wallace and Stephen Jackson did – and frequent offender Rasheed, for whom the rules were named, has cut back from his all-time high of 41 technicals in 2000-01 to an almost courtly 19 this season (two of which were later overturned).

But in the playoffs it’s been another story. Why, even Hedo Turkoglu (four) and Luke Walton (three) have joined the “T” party. Who’s next, Magic assistant Patrick Ewing?

(On second thought, scratch that. Ewing got “T-ed” up the other night for voicing an opinion from the Orlando bench.)

As for Howard and Bryant, you’ve gotta hand it to them. They know all the tricks for drawing a technical, whether it’s whining to the refs, slamming the ball to the floor, trash-talking an opponent or dropping the ball on him after scoring.

Normally, it takes years of practice to develop a repertoire like that, Dwight has done it before turning 24. By the time he’s Kobe’s age, there’s no telling what he’ll have added to his arsenal. Maybe he’ll be cussing out the officials in Latin.

The players will tell you the “T’s” are just a byproduct of the heightened playoff atmosphere. As Bryant puts it, “It’s just good competitive basketball. [The opponent isn't] going to back down. He knows I’m not going to back down. It’s what makes playoff basketball. Period.”

Either that or they’ll say it’s the only way they know how to play – with passion – which raises all kinds of questions. Such as: What about the other guys, the guys who haven’t gotten hit with six technicals? Are they NOT playing with passion? Or is it just that they don’t find passion and composure to be mutually exclusive?

Miraculously, the Magic won the night Howard was suspended, sparing them a seventh game against the 76ers. The next time, though, they might not be so lucky. Dwight appears to understand this.

“I might have to get some duct tape,” he says.

And if that doesn’t work, well, he could always go the “Silence of the Lambs” route – and have the trainer package him up like Hannibal Lecter.

Sourced via washingtontimes.com

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Reporting from Houston — For all their follies the last two playoff seasons — Game 6 in last year’s Finals in Boston, Game 4 last Sunday against Houston – there’s one thing the Lakers have done really well.

If they are one victory away from ending a series, they take care of it, winning all four of their last “close-out” games against playoff opponents.

The good news for the Lakers was Bynum’s semi-emergence in Game 5. He had 14 points on five-for-six shooting, made all four of his free throws and also took six rebounds in almost 20 minutes.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than his meager playoff averages coming into the game — 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds a game.

“I thought he had pretty good energy out there,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. “Rebounding was great, I thought his defensive spacing was good.”

Jackson declined to say if Bynum would again be in the starting lineup for Game 6, though Lamar Odom (bruised lower back) didn’t do much beyond taking a few shots off to the side at Wednesday’s practice after playing only 19 minutes Tuesday.

A healthy, productive Bynum might be the key to the Lakers’ championship aspirations, seeing how no other playoff team will be employing a 6-foot-6 center.

If the Lakers get past Houston, Denver will be waiting with physical pivot men Nene and Chris Andersen. The teams still alive in the East all have physical post players as well — Cleveland’s Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao, Orlando’s Dwight Howard and Boston’s Kendrick Perkins.

Any hint of a Bynum rebirth would intrigue just about anybody, including Bynum.

“I definitely got in the flow, started early and kept it going,” Bynum said of his Game 5 effort. “It does wonders to be out there and playing with your teammates and being involved.”

He had two dunks and a short bank shot in the Lakers’ first few possessions and would have played more than 20 minutes if he hadn’t sustained a minor heel injury that was fine by Wednesday morning, Jackson said.

Bynum was dripping sweat when he came off the court after taking part in a scrimmage at practice. He was ready to hear that Game 5 might be the beginning of the end of his playoff problems.

“It definitely has a lot to do with rust and just getting the same explosion that you had,” Bynum said. “Jumping ability, quickness off the ground, was a good attribute of mine, something that I have to continue to work on and try to get back. And then, obviously, mentally, to go from playing to being on the bench is tough on anybody.”

There’s still a series to be sewn up, which the Lakers hope to do tonight.

“Houston’s going to come out very hard and they’re going to try to attack us just like they did [in Game 4],” Bynum said. “We’re going to have to go out there and be ready this time, clamp down on defense from the beginning.”

Maturity level

Games 4 and 5 showed the best and worst of the Rockets and Lakers.

Houston forward Ron Artest thinks he knows what’s happening out there.

“I guess both teams are very immature,” he said. “Both teams, they show immaturity. The good thing is that we still got two games left.”

Two games left? Well, maybe.

All-NBA

Kobe Bryant was selected first-team All-NBA for the seventh time in his career, the league announced Wednesday.

Pau Gasol earned All-NBA recognition for the first time in his career by being selected to the third team.

Bryant was on the first team in seven of the last eight seasons. He was a second-team selection in 2000 and 2001 and third team in 1999 and 2005.

Bryant was joined on the first team by Cleveland forward LeBron James, Miami guard Dwyane Wade, Orlando center Howard and Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki.

Times staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.

Sourced via latimes.com

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DENVER – When Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups returned to play for his hometown team six months ago, he chose to wear No. 7 in honor of Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.

It was Elway who brought Denver its first two Super Bowl titles in 1997 and 1998. More than a decade later, Billups has the Denver Nuggets halfway to an NBA championship.

Billups nearly posted a triple-double in the first half of Game 5 between the Nuggets and Mavericks on Wednesday night. He finished with 28 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in Denver’s series-clinching victory.

While the Western Conference finals are rarified territory for the Nuggets, deep postseason runs are part of an annual ritual for Billups.

He advanced to the conference finals in each of his six seasons with the Detroit Pistons. His streak reached seven Wednesday after he helped the Nuggets reach the West finals for the third time in franchise history.

“This is not over,” Billups said shortly after leaving the court to a standing ovation in the final minute. “We’re still on a roll. We don’t have time to celebrate.”

Billups, who was traded to Denver on Nov. 3, had plenty of help in Game 5. Forwards Carmelo Anthony and Nene had little trouble scoring against the Mavs’ soft interior defense.

Anthony, coming off a 41-point performance in Game 4, made 10 of his first 12 shots and finished with 30 points. Nene was equally efficient, scoring 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

One of Anthony’s biggest shots came as the Mavericks were making one final push in the fourth quarter. With the Nuggets up by six, he hit a 3-pointer just before the shot clock expired, putting Denver up, 106-97, with 6:36 remaining.

“When Melo threw in that 3, it was a microcosm of the series,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.

Not to be outdone, Billups hit a 3-pointer from the right corner 30 seconds later and drained a 20-footer that gave Denver a 12-point lead with less than five minutes to go.

Billups’ steady, selfless play has been a contrast to the helter-skelter style of Allen Iverson, who never fit as well playing alongside Anthony for nearly two years.

Nuggets coach George Karl called Billups a “gift to basketball” because of his leadership and ability to stay cool when things get chaotic.

Other than a couple of offensive fouls in Game 5, Billups never forced the issue and tailored his play to the situation.

He didn’t even need to score to help close out the Mavericks. With the Nuggets up, 118-110, he drove the lane and found Nene for an easy dunk with 1:24 to go.

Karl pulled Billups with 34.1 seconds left, and the Pepsi Center crowd poured adulation on the hometown hero.

“It’s great to know fans appreciate hard work,” Billups said.

Sourced via dallasnews.com

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