Monday, July 22, 2013

Yankees

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Yu Darvish allowed two
singles over 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his first
start in 16 days, combining with three relievers
on a three-hitter as the Texas Rangers beat
the New Yankees 3-0 Monday night.
Darvish (9-4), who last pitched July 6 before
going on the disabled list with a right
trapezius strain, struck out four and walked
two. He left after allowing consecutive batters
to reach in the seventh, having thrown 60 of
90 pitches for strikes.
Just before the game, the Rangers announced
they had acquired right-hander Matt Garza
from the Chicago Cubs. Garza, who had been
scheduled to start for Chicago at Arizona on
Monday night, likely will make his Texas debut
Wednesday night against the Yankees.
Ivan Nova (4-3) struck out four while throwing
a season-high 112 pitches over seven innings.
All-Star closer Joe Nathan pitched the ninth
for his 31st save in 32 chances to cap the
Rangers' eighth shutout of the season.
The Yankees, coming off an 11-inning loss
late Sunday night at Boston, were held
scoreless for the eighth time.
Texas had reliever Robbie Ross warming up
while the Rangers were batting in the sixth.
But Darvish came out to start the seventh,
and appeared frustrated when manager Ron
Washington came out of the dugout to make
the pitching change.
Ross then got Travis Hafner , the only batter
he faced, to ground into an inning-ending
double play. Tanner Scheppers worked a
perfect eighth.
Nelson Cruz homered for the Rangers, who
had lost seven of eight games. They were
swept at home in a three-game series by
Baltimore over the weekend after the All-Star
break.
Cruz's 23rd homer was a 412-foot solo shot in
the seventh that landed in the Yankees'
bullpen in left-center field and made it 3-0.
The Rangers led for good after Ian Kinsler
drew a leadoff walk in the first, stole second
base and scored on Adrian Beltre 's single --
the first run they've scored in the first inning
in 11 games. In the sixth, Elvis Andrus had a
walk and a stolen base before Geovany Soto
doubled.
New York didn't have a hit until Lyle Overbay
led off the fifth with a bloop single into short
left field out of the reach of third baseman
Adrian Beltre. The Yankees didn't have
another hit until Overbay lined a single to right
in the seventh, just before Vernon Wells
walked and Darvish came out of the game.
Darvish only missed one start for Texas, but
was unable to pitch in the All-Star game even
though he did go to New York last week.
Texas sent rookie right-hander Justin Grimm ,
top prospect third baseman Mike Olt and
Class-A pitcher C.J. Edwards to the Cubs.
There will also be at least one player to be
named later, possibly two, depending on who
is chosen by Chicago.
Game notes
The Rangers' bullpen has pitched 22 1/3
consecutive scoreless innings. ... Yankees OF
Curtis Granderson, expected back early next
month from a broken pinkie, got three at-bats
in his first simulated game in Tampa and
continued running the bases. Granderson said
he feels like it's "at the spring training point
again" where preseason games are just a few
days away. His status will be evaluated after
simulated games Tuesday and Wednesday. ...
C Francisco Cervelli , sidelined by right wrist
and elbow injuries, did on-field defensive drills
and expects to soon start taking batting
practice in an indoor cage in Tampa, while INF
Jayson Nix (strained right hamstring) got six
at-bats in his latest simulated game, but did
not run the bases.

NCAA football 2014 done

Michigan's Denard Robinson is on the cover of
the last NCAA Football 14 game after the NCAA
announced it was breaking ties with the video-
game maker.
by Steve Berkowitz, USA TODAY Sports
The NCAA announced Wednesday it is not
renewing its licensing contract with Electronic
Arts for a college football video game, citing
legal and business concerns.
The NCAA, EA and the nation's leading
collegiate trademark licensing and marketing
firm, Collegiate Licensing Co., are co-
defendants in at least two federal lawsuits
concerning the use of college athletes' names
and likenesses. EA is the defendant in another,
similar case.
EA is the defendant in another, similar matter
involving former Rutgers quarterback Ryan Hart.
Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson
in New Jersey ordered that case reopened for
further proceedings after the Third Circuit Court
of Appeals overturned her dismissal in May and
recently denied EA's bid to have that decision
reviewed by the Third Circuit's full panel.
Hart's attorney, Timothy McIlwain, told USA
TODAY Sports on Wednesday that he will
pursue class certification and has verbal
commitments from more class representatives,
including a current college athlete he declined
to identify.
Michael Hausfeld, the lead attorney for former
UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon and others
in a case against NCAA, EA and Collegiate
Licensing Co. (CLC), has said he plans to add
an active college athlete as plaintiff by Friday.
In a statement about its decision regarding EA,
the NCAA said: "We are confident in our legal
position regarding the use of our trademarks in
video games. But given the current business
climate and costs of litigation, we determined
participating in this game is not in the best
interests of the NCAA."
Warren Zola, who teaches sports law at Boston
College's Carroll School of Management, said
the NCAA's decision indicates "they are no
longer able to handle a jury decision against
them. They are taking precautions against a
judgment causing them significant financial
hardship."
Zola said that a decision by the NCAA to
continue its licensing arrangement with EA
"would allow more members into the
(prospective class of plaintiffs) able to claim
damages."
The NCAA's agreement with EA pertains only to
the use of the NCAA's name and logo -- not
those of the individual schools depicted -- and
its statement pointed to a more serious
question: "Member colleges and universities
license their own trademarks and other
intellectual property for the video game. They
will have to independently decide whether to
continue those business arrangements in the
future."
EA Sports and CLC issued statements saying
that EA will continue to develop and market
college football games featuring the teams and
leagues customers "expect."
However, University of Kansas athletics
department spokesman Jim Marchiony -- who
identified his school as a CLC client -- said KU
officials will want to digest the NCAA's
decision. Marchiony said Kansas' agreement
with EA, via CLC, for the current version of
NCAA Football expires June 30, 2014.
"I'm not surprised CLC and EA Sports have a
Plan B and we're looking forward to hearing
from them about it, to see how we'll proceed in
the future," Marchiony said. "We will certainly
talk about it, where we go from here."
Stanford deputy athletics director Patrick
Dunkley, who said his school also is with CLC,
expressed similar sentiments. He said that prior
to the NCAA's announcement Wednesday, the
issue "was not on our radar."
Now, "given that the NCAA is taking the
position that the legal risk outweighs the
benefit, it's only prudent for us to analyze what
the perceived risks are," Dunkley said.
One of the lawsuits against the NCAA, EA and
CLC is awaiting U.S. District Judge Claudia
Wilken's ruling on whether to certify the case as
a class action. That case currently involves a
group of former college football and men's
basketball players headed by O'Bannon.
If Wilken certifies the suit as a class action, it
could allow thousands of former and current
football and men's basketball players to join the
case. That could create the possibility of a
damages award in the billions of dollars. In
addition, if the plaintiffs were to get everything
they have said they are seeking, it would force
the establishment of an entirely new
compensation arrangement for current NCAA
Bowl Subdivision football players and Division I
men's basketball players -- one under which
"monies generated by the licensing and sale of
class members' names, images and likenesses
can be temporarily held in trust" until their end
of their college playing careers.
Another case that had been before Wilken pits
former Arizona State and Nebraska quarterback
Sam Keller against EA, the NCAA and CLC. That
matter currently is pending before the Ninth
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, with the
defendants hoping to overturn Wilken's refusal
to dismiss the case.
If the Ninth Circuit rules in Keller's favor, his
lawyers likely also will seek class certification.
The NCAA said its current contract with EA
expires in June 2014, "but our timing is based
on the need to provide EA notice for future
planning. As a result, the NCAA Football 2014
video game will be the last to include the
NCAA's name and logo."
Gabe Feldman, director of the Tulane University
Law School's sports law program, said "as long
as the game continues to have the names and
logos of the schools" it remains viable because
"that's why a consumer buys the game."
Asked how the NCAA's decision not to continue
allowing its name and logo to be associated
with the game might affect individual schools,
Feldman said: "There's no question the schools
have been monitoring all of this and (the
NCAA's decision) may factor into their decisions
going forward."
"But," he added, "the really essential part of
the game is the players. ... A separate issue
continues to be what (EA) will do with the
players. Will they make the players completely
generic, with no numbers? If they do that,
there's no legal liability. There may be room
somewhere between the game as we know it
today and no game at all."
Copyright 2013 USATODAY.co

Report: Apple experimenting with bigger iPhone, iPad screens

(CNN) -- iPhone and iPad users looking with envy at the ever-ballooning screen sizes of Android devices shouldn't lose hope just yet.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has been experimenting with iPhone screen sizes larger than the current four inches, echoing rumors from earlier this year that the company may be looking to supplement its current offerings.
The WSJ also says that Apple is experimenting with larger iPads, specifically a model with a gigantic 13-inch display. While a larger iPhone would be in line with current trends, the trend in tablets has been toward smaller screen sizes, not larger ones.
In either case, those hoping for a bigger iPhone or lap-sized iPad shouldn't necessarily hold their breath.
Apple regularly tests out new screen sizes and even brand-new product lines without ever bringing them to market; those that do see the light of day can take their time emerging from Apple's labs.
The iPad mini itself was the subject of similar speculation in the months and years before it was finally released, and the iPhone 5's 4-inch screen was the subject of rumors that predate the 3.5-inch iPhone 4S.
Apple is expected to update both the iPad and the iPad mini later this year.
Speculation is that the larger tablet will go on the iPad mini diet, shedding some weight, thickness, and bezel width. The smaller tablet, on the other hand, may or may not receive a high-resolution Retina display -- these rumors have been known to change daily based on what the folks at Apple rumor sites see in their tea leaves each morning.
Both tablets were last refreshed in November 2012.

Apple's developer site shut down by hack attack

Apple's developer site has been shut down due to a hacker attack.

A notice on the site said an intruder had "attempted to secure personal information of our registered developers" last Thursday, and that Apple had shut down the site.
While the site has been shuttered since the attack, the original notice said it was down for maintenance.
"Sensitive personal information was encrypted and cannot be accessed, however, we have not been able to rule out the possibility that some developers' names, mailing addresses, and/or email addresses may have been accessed," Apple said Monday. The tech firm said it had been working around the clock to fix the problem, updating its server software and rebuilding its entire database. It said it expects the site to be up and running soon.
The site is used by third-party developers who are creating software and apps for use on Apple operating systems. It has everything from chat forums to technical manuals.
Related: This is what a bad quarter for Apple looks like
In June, Apple unveiled a beta version of iOS 7, its new operating system for iPhones and iPads, as well as a new operating system for Mac laptops and desktops, OS X 10.9, also known as "Mavericks."
Developers have been busy readying their software and apps to work with the new operating systems, expected to launch this fall, making this a particularly bad time for the developer's site to have an extended outage.
Apple loses its shine
Shares of Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) edged higher in premarket trading, despite the problem. Apple reports earnings TuesdayTo top of page
http://money.cnn.com/2013/07/22/technology/apple-hacked/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

 

Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun suspended for 2013 season

(CNN) -- Major League Baseball player Ryan Braun has been suspended without pay for the rest of the 2013 season for violating the league's drug policy, Commissioner Bud Selig announced Monday.
The Brewers have 65 games remaining this season, so Braun's punishment amounts to a 65-game suspension.
Braun, 29, an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, admitted to wrongdoing and apologized for his actions in a statement, saying "I am not perfect."
An ESPN report last month named Braun as one of 20 players facing suspension due to a scandal involving performance-enhancing drugs.
Michael Weiner, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, said he was pleased by Braun's admission.
"I am deeply gratified to see Ryan taking this bold step," Weiner said in a statement. "It vindicates the rights of all players under the Joint Drug Program. It is good for the game that Ryan will return soon to continue his great work both on and off the field."
The 2011 National League MVP and five-time All-Star had faced a 50-game suspension last year. A drug test showed high levels of testosterone in his body, but Braun successfully disputed the testing process, and the suspension was overturned in February.
Major league players can appeal any possible suspensions, as Braun did in 2012.
"As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect," Braun said in his statement. "I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions.
"This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization. I am very grateful for the support I have received from players, ownership and the fans in Milwaukee and around the country. Finally, I wish to apologize to anyone I may have disappointed -- all of the baseball fans especially those in Milwaukee, the great Brewers organization, and my teammates. I am glad to have this matter behind me once and for all, and I cannot wait to get back to the game I love."
Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president for economics and league affairs, also commended Braun for taking responsibility for his actions.
"We all agree that it is in the best interests of the game to resolve this matter. When Ryan returns, we look forward to him making positive contributions to Major League Baseball, both on and off the field," Manfred said in a statement.
Braun was the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year and by the 2011 season, he was considered the cornerstone of the Brewers franchise.
He signed a five-year, $105 million contract extension and went on to help lead the Brewers to the playoffs for the only the fourth time in team history. His performance earned him that year's National League MVP award.
Shortly after his amazing season, however, a urine sample taken during the playoffs tested positive for an elevated level of testosterone. Faced with a 50-game suspension, Braun appealed the decision, and an arbitrator overturned the suspension on what some, including the chief executive of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said was a technicality.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/22/us/ryan-braun-suspended/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Game ended. Yankees lost.
NYY:0
TEX:3
F

andy reid

Chiefs trickle into Andy Reid's first Kansas City training camp

god Monday

Chronicles II 29:5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

wow

04:09 PM ET Explosive found near site pope plans to visit

By John L. Allen Jr., CNN, and CNN Staff

Rio de Janeiro (CNN) - A small explosive device was found Sunday near a religious sanctuary in Brazil that Pope Francis is scheduled to visit later this week, Sao Paulo military police said just few hours after the pope arrived on Monday.

"On July 21, a series of training actions took place at the city of Aparecida," Brazilian police said in a news release on Monday.

"During the drill, a homemade explosive was found. The artifact was sent to military authorities for verification. Security personnel quickly cordoned the area off.The Special Tactical Action Group was called to safely detonate destroy the artifact, without any further risk."

Brazilian police added that explosive appeared to have little destructive power. It was homemade, constructed out of a small plastic cylinder and duct tape, they said.

The explosive was found by air force personnel at a bathroom next to a parking lot, the police said. The affected area was not part of the pope's route; it was being prepared for pilgrims, according to Brazilian police.

The pope is scheduled to travel to the national shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida on Wednesday. Neither Vatican nor Brazilian officials have said those plans will change. Vatican officials say Francis requested the trip to the Marian shrine, said to be the largest in the world, because of his personal devotion to the Virgin Mary. He is scheduled to preach and celebrate Mass at the shrine.

The surprising disclosure about the explosive came just after Francis, making his first visit outside Rome since his March election, had delivered brief remarks to Brazilian dignitaries, including President Dilma Rousseff.

As the pope was driven from the airport to downtown Rio, crowds mobbed his small silver car, reaching out to touch the first Latin American pontiff. Later, they lined the streets as the "Popemobile" wound through downtown.

Pope Francis has proved himself to be a remarkably unpretentious public figure, famously renouncing, for instance, his luxurious apartment and chauffeur-driven limousine.

That self-effacing persona was on display again Monday upon his arrival in Rio de Janeiro, where Francis said he wanted to “knock gently” on Brazil’s door during his first overseas journey, making sure it was OK to proceed.

“I ask permission to come in and spend this week with you,” the pope said to his somewhat startled hosts.

Francis arrived in Rio on Monday for the start of World Youth Day, which, despite its name, is actually a weeklong gathering of Catholic youth from around the world. It was launched by the late Pope John Paul II in the mid-1980s.

In truth, it would be tough to find anyone in Brazil inclined to refuse Francis permission to enter.

Those looking forward to the papal sojourn include hundreds of thousands of pumped-up young Catholic pilgrims; a Brazilian government eager for a good news cycle after a summer of discontent; agitated Brazilian protesters, hoping for a papal blessing for their demands; and even hordes of journalists with deadlines to meet.

After touching down, Francis also offered an echo of his identity as the “pope of the poor.”

“I have neither silver nor gold,” he said, “but I bring with me the most precious thing given to me: Jesus Christ!"

The pope challenged young people to “create a world of brothers and sisters” and older generations to ensure that today’s youth have “the material and spiritual conditions for their full development,” including “safety and education” as well as “lasting values.”

Earlier Monday, aboard the papal plane en route to Rio, Francis worried aloud about a “throwaway culture” that neglects young people and the elderly. He said elderly persons can offer “the wisdom of life, the wisdom of the past, the wisdom of our country and our family.”

Local organizers estimated that 700,000 youth from around the world have already arrived in Rio de Janeiro to greet Francis, and some projections peg the final total at about 2 million for a youth vigil with the pope on Saturday and his concluding open-air Mass on Sunday.

Though public reaction suggests that Francis made a strong debut, the weeklong trip will have its challenges.

Latin America has long been a Catholic stronghold, but in recent years, evangelical and Pentecostal Protestants have made deep inroads.

A recent study found that a quarter-century ago, Brazil was 90% Catholic, but today it is 65%. There’s also a rising cohort of secular Latin Americans with no religious affiliation, especially among youths and city-dwellers.

Moreover, of the 21 nations usually reckoned as part of Latin America, 14 of them are led by center-left governments that have sometimes crossed swords with the region’s Catholic leaders over issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage – including in the pope’s home nation of Argentina.

Brazil has also recently been gripped by an anti-establishment mood, fueled by anger over spending on mega-events such as the 2014 soccer World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, while many ordinary people believe that services such as education, health care and transportation languish.

There’s little indication that protesters want to embarrass the pope. Instead, they seem to be hoping to take advantage of his moral authority to bring attention to their cause. This week, one group that helped kindle the massive June demonstrations has plans for a rally under the banner “Pope, look how we’re treated!”

The greater danger for Francis may be that all sides in the country’s tensions may want to spin his message their way, especially with one eye on presidential elections in Brazil scheduled for next year.

If journalists aboard the papal plane today were hoping to draw Francis into a discussion of those challenges, they came away disappointed.

Francis walked back to the press compartment shortly after takeoff and spoke for only five minutes, focusing on the risks of a “throwaway society” that neglects both its youth and its elderly.

“I don’t give interviews,” the pope said by way of explanation.

“Why, I don’t know, but I can’t … It’s a little difficult for me, but I’m grateful for your company,” he said.

Yet part of Francis’ charm is that this skittishness didn’t come off as a snub, because the pope proceeded to spend the better part of the next hour standing in the front of the economy cabin of the papal plane to personally greet each of the roughly 70 journalists on board.

Monday afternoon, Francis was scheduled to meet Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at the Presidential Palace, and then the 76-year-old pontiff will rest on Tuesday before heading north to the famed Brazilian Marian shrine of Aparecida on Wednesday.

CNN's Barbara Arvanitidis contributed to this report.

John L. Allen Jr. is CNN’s senior Vatican analyst and a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.