Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Arc: Syracuse is among a solid group of No. 1 seeds in our latest tournament projections, but the middle of the pack is much more murky.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP file
TORONTO - After Shea Hillenbrand wrote on the clubhouse bulletin board that the “ship was sinking,” Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons challenged him to a fight.
There was no brawl, but the tense relationship between the two reached the breaking point during a team meeting Wednesday night. Gibbons was adamant that he would’ve quit if Hillenbrand wasn’t cut.
“That’s a fact. That’s how the whole thing got started,” Gibbons said before Thursday night’s game against the Yankees. “I told him he won’t see the field as long as I’m here.”
The Blue Jays designated Hillenbrand for assignment during the game, giving them 10 days to trade, release or send him outright to the minors.
Hillenbrand was batting .301 with 12 homers, 15 doubles and 39 RBIs. Known as an extremely intense player, he has moved from Boston to Arizona to Toronto. He had a $5.8 million contract for this season.
“I believe we’ll have five or six teams interested in Shea,” said his agent, Dan Lozano.
The Blue Jays, who spent millions in the offseason to build a contender, began the day six games behind Boston in the AL East.
Hillenbrand had been upset because he felt the Blue Jays were not sensitive that he needed several days to complete the adoption of a baby girl on the West Coast over the weekend. The designated hitter and corner infielder was not in the starting lineup when he returned.
Earlier Wednesday, Hillenbrand wrote “play for yourself” on a board the Blue Jays use to post batting practice times. He later wrote the “ship was sinking” and Gibbons confronted him.
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“Gibby called a team meeting and then he stood up and reamed me out in front of my teammates,” Hillenbrand told The Toronto Star. “I’m very disappointed about what he did and I find it very unprofessional.”
Gibbons acknowledged he challenged Hillenbrand to a fight.
“He had a chance yesterday to defend himself in front of his coaches and his teammates. He chose not to,” Gibbons said.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
HBT: Prince Fielder is gone and Ryan Braun will likely miss a third of the season because of a failed PED test. Can Milwaukee stay in contention until he gets back?
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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The Red Wings have finally started to embrace a record they've been chasing.
