”The stories stating Tiger will return at the matchplay have no truth to them,” Steve Williams told the Herald this past weekend. Two more weeks before Woods returns? Three more? Six? The exact timing is not half as important as the question of how many majors will be played by the world No.1 this year.
Appearing for the matchplay event would be an incredibly magnanimous gesture given Accenture was one of the first sponsors to dump him – but there seems little doubt the time is right.
Williams, meanwhile, isn’t exactly in full-blown preparation mode for a return to the tour. The most recent entry under his work and play schedule on his website, which normally contains a long list of golfing commitments, simply said: ”Currently, there are no events listed in the selected category.”
The running back told The San Diego Union-Tribune on Thursday that he has thought for a while he would be let go by the Charger
The NFL’s most valuable player in 2006 has two years remaining on his contract. He is due a $2 million roster bonus March 5 and would be paid $5 million in total salary in 2010.
Tomlinson tells the newspaper he doesn’t know when the Chargers will release him and that his agent, Tom Condon, might call the club to expedite the process.
Tomlinson has become one of the most beloved athletes in San Diego history during a nine-year career but his production and speed have been decreasing.
Tomlinson had 730 yards on 223 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per carry this past season, all career lows. The lower numbers were due in part to the Chargers relying more on their high-octane passing game, as well as L.T. missing the second and third games with a sprained ankle.
DallasBasketball.com has learned that the J-Ho camp believes he will be traded before the Feb. 18 deadline – some Josh confidantes even convinced they’ve pinned down Howard’s future team as either being the Raptors or the Heat.
From an NBA exec: “A lot of teams want Josh Howard. It’s just a matter of what Dallas wants for him.’’
From Josh: Well, he’s allowing his on-court performance to do his talking for him. And therefore: Silence.
J-Ho may be wrong about the specific teams. But he is not wrong otherwise.
Howard has an All-Star berth on his resume and was considered the “MVP’’ of last year’s Round 1 playoff win over the Spurs. However, he’s experiencing career lows almost across the board, and he’s now rarely on the floor for the Mavs in crunch time. He is coming off a loss in Utah in which he played just 11 minutes (a season-low) while missing three of his four shots.
Where does Josh Howard see himself?
According to some close to him, Josh Howard seems himself very specifically in another team’s uniform.
Rumblings about Ray Allen being on his way out of Boston are accurate, but only if the Celtics can get back a player who’d crack the top eight in their rotation. One scenario that has been discussed would have Allen going to Chicago for Kirk Hinrich and another piece — John Salmons? — to satisfy the salary requirements.
• The Blazers’ interest in Wizards center Brendan Haywood is understandable, considering the catastrophic injuries to Greg Oden and Joel Pryzbilla. But an expiring contract – such as the one belonging to Travis Outlaw – won’t be enough to pique Washington’s interest. As with Jamison, the Wizards want useful assets in return. In this case, sources say, Washington has asked for Rudy Fernandez and has been strongly rebuffed. Consider those talks stalled for now, but don’t discount a revival before Feb. 18 for these reasons: 1) The Blazers’ desperate need for a big man, and 2) Their ability to get ownership approval to take on money in the right deal.
• The Mavs, behind big spender Mark Cuban, are always buyers at the deadline. Nothing has changed this year, with the Mavs said to be targeting help at shooting guard in a deal that would likely include Josh Howard and Erick Dampier.
• Other than Cleveland, only a handful of teams are active in trade talks and willing to take on money. The others are Dallas, Boston, Portland and potentially Denver, which could get ownership approval for a big enough name – though no such possibility is imminent. The Nuggets are steadfastly refusing to include J.R. Smith in any deal, and their quest for a big man will have to go in a different direction with Indiana’s Jeff Foster likely out for the year with back issues.
Officials for the Mexican team Club America said Tuesday that Juan Carlos Silva was in good condition and the gunshot wound to his buttocks was not life threatening. They said the attack took place Monday night in Mexico City in an attempt to steal Silva’s vehicle.
Juan Carlos is a teammate of the Paraguayan soccer star who was shot last week in a Mexico City bar has been shot during a robbery attempt.Salvador Cabanas was shot in the head and is recovering at a Mexico City hospital. He has begun to eat and talk with family members.
Nigeria current Amodu Shaibu is under increasing pressure after his side disappointed at the African Cup of Nations in Angola,despite a third -place finish.
The Super Eagles looked disorganised and unmotivated, with fans in Nigeria concerned at a lack of control over a squad filled with superstar egos.
The Nigerian football association feels that Shehata,a tough disciplinarian with a meticulous approachto tactical and physical preparation,would be the perfect man to get the best out of its underachieving team.
Shehata told a TV station(Mordern Sports) “They expressed an interest in hiring me to take charge of thier team during the World Cup.” He also said ” it would be a great honour for me to work at the World Cup,but the Egyptian FA will have the final word whether i can work with Nigeria on a temporary basis.”
Nigeria will face Argentina,South Korea and Greece in group B of the World Cup in South Africa this summer.
Former NFL star Herschel Walker stopped Hungarian fighter Greg Nagy in the third round Saturday night to win his mixed-martial arts debut.
Still trim and fit at 47, Walker used his strength advantage to wear down the 26-year-old Nagy (1-2). He appeared to be close to the win near the end of the second five-minute round, but Nagy managed to extend the bout.
Walker was the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner while at Georgia and played professionally for Dallas, Philadelphia, Minnesota, the New York Giants and the USFL’s New Jersey Generals.
Herschel Walker turned his attention to MMA about 2½ months ago when he moved to San Jose, Calif., to train at renowned American Kickboxing Academy. At 47 he should do well in the MMA.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that Togo will be banned from the next two Africa Cup of Nations and fined $50,000 because of their withdrawal from this year’s tournament held in Angola.
The Togo government and soccer squad are infuriated with the decision since their withdrawal was a response to a deadly assault on their team bus a few days before the tournament’s kick off on Jan. 10.
Togo star player Emmanuel Adebayor called the decision “outrageous” and “a complete betrayal” of the Togo squad, according to media reports.
The Togo government is, in turn, considering legal action against the CAF and the Angolan state for organizing the tournament in a war zone, thereby endangering the lives of participants.
