Venus Williams Create A Straight-Set Win At French Open

Tennis superstar Venus Williams beat Patty Schnyder for the second time this month on clay, opening Sunday at the French Open with a 6- 3, 6-3 win, as holder Svetlana Kuznetsova pulled her clay game together to advance. With a lacy, black overlay giving it the illusion of being see-through, and bright red trim on the bodice, Venus Williams' corset-like get-up made her look as if she were ready to perform in a 19th century Parisian cancan chorus line. Her tennis game, a mix of power and niftier-than-usual footwork on this day, was very 21st century, and befitting a star of the show.

Venus Williams explained that her look was "about illusion," which, she noted, is "a lot of my motif this year" when it comes to clothes design. She also said she might not wear that particular dress again on court. Then again, perhaps she will. She's not sure. Either way, Venus Williams comes to a tournament with eight to 10 outfits, just in case the victories keep coming. 

Venus Williams, newly promoted back to second in the world, followed up her defeat of the veteran Swiss early this month in Rome. The American player overcame 21 unforced errors, breaking six times to make the difference. Kuznetsova steadied after losing the first three games to emerge with a face-saving first-round win, defeating Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-1.

The Russian sixth seed came to the court with just one clay victory this season from a sparse four matches. The seed advanced on her second match point against No. 34 Cirstea, a quarter-finalist a year ago. She will next play German Andrea Petkovic, a winner over Russian Elena Vesnina 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

"Definitely I was a little bit nervous in the start, and it was rough start for me, but I'm very happy about it," said the relieved Russian.

"I managed to come back and fight for every single game. It didn't matter if I was down 0-40 or 15-40, whatever was it. I was just playing as many balls back as I could. The first two matches are very important, so the second match is gonna be very hard mentally."

Venus Williams' only real problems came at the very end against Patty Schnyder, who fell to 0-11 against the American but certainly is no slouch, particularly on clay. The 31-year-old lefty from Switzerland has been a Grand Slam semifinalist, has been ranked No. 7, and leads active women in career clay-court victories.

She forced Venus Williams to fend off three break points in the final game, and also made her accumulate four match points before finally ending things with a forehand winner.

"It's just too tough to really play good, and then on top of that, to beat her," Patty Schnyder said. "She has a great answer to my lefty serve, she has the backhand down the line, which hurts me a lot, and she's a great mover."

That last part hasn't always been the case on clay, but the 29-year-old Williams had neither of her sometimes-bothersome knees wrapped Sunday. She covered the court quite well, both side-to-side and moving forward, which helped her win 12 of 14 points at the net.

It's part of a resurgence on the slow surface this season for Venus Williams: She is 13-2 on clay.

"Look at her results," Patty Schnyder said. "She's coming into the tournament playing good clay-court matches, winning clay-court matches."

And she's dressed for success, you might say.

And she plans a lengthy stay in Paris this time around, perhaps capped by a title.

"I always — goes without saying — believe I can win," said Venus Williams, whose biggest hitches Sunday were eight double-faults.

 

Venus Williams lost in the third round at each of the past three French Opens and only once has been beyond the quarterfinals in 13 previous trips: She lost to younger sister Serena in the 2002 final. Still, Venus' hitting partner, David Witt, said after Sunday's victory: "If she goes out there and is smart and plays smart tennis, I think she can win the tournament."

There are others who will have some say in that, of course, including defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who also won in straight sets Sunday, and the top-ranked Serena, whose first-round match is Monday. Venus  Williams is back at No. 2 in the rankings for the first time since May 2003, and was not shy about saying she wants to bump her sister off the top spot.

"It feels good to be moving up the ranks. Obviously, when you get to 2, of course, the next dream is 1," Venus Williams said.

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Jason Day Leads In Byron Nelson Championship

Australian golf legend in the making Jason Day was so sick early Thursday that he almost withdrew from the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Instead, he got rest, drank plenty of liquids and took 66 shots. He was under the weather and 4 under par at the TPC Four Seasons at Las Colinas.

He was thinking about withdrawing from the Byron Nelson Championship. Then he realized it looked like rain and he'd left his umbrella in the car. Walking to the parking lot, Day pictured himself getting behind the wheel and heading to his home in Fort Worth. He ended up toughing it out, and "it was probably a good idea," he said with a smile.

Jason Day was long gone before the day actually ended. Play was delayed for 3 hours, 43 minutes because of lighting and rain. Play was suspended at 8:29 p.m. because of darkness and will resume at 7:15 a.m. today with second-round tee times pushed back one hour.

Jason Day birdied four of his first six holes on his way to a 4-under 66 for a share of the first-round lead when play was suspended late Thursday.

The threatening skies that sent Jason Day fetching his umbrella never actually drenched the TPC Four Seasons course, but the radar looked so scary there was a delay of 3 hours, 44 minutes. Joe Durant finished with an eagle and a birdie to match Day at 66. Steve Elkington, Hunter Mahan and Jarrod Lyle were still on the course with scores of 4-under.

Steve Elkington will have two holes left, Hunter Mahan three and Lyle seven when play resumes at 7:15 a.m. Friday, pushing back the start of the second round by an hour. Thursday's late starters are the first to go off Friday, which means it will be a long day for them.

Among those working overtime will be 16-year-old Jordan Spieth, a high school junior from Dallas and the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion. He's the first high schooler to get a sponsor's exemption into this event since Tiger Woods in 1993, and he showed he belongs by shooting even par through 11 holes.

Jordan Spieth woke up nervous and held his emotions in check during the delay by playing table tennis, shopping for souvenirs and putting. After a raucous ovation at his introduction, he ripped his tee shot down the middle, beyond his two playing partners. He parred the first four holes, then dropped in a birdie. He finished with a par putt and walked away saying, "I wanted to keep playing, I didn't care how dark it was."

Dustin Johnson was part of a group tied for second at 3-under, one shot behind. He's No. 9 on the season's money list, the top earner in this field.

Defending champion Rory Sabbatini was among a pack at 68. Vijay Singh and Rickie Fowler got off to poor starts in their quests to qualify for the U.S. Open. Both need to be near the top of the leaderboard to get into the top 50 in the world rankings by Monday's deadline, but both were stopped at 2-over. Rickie Fowler had two holes left, Vijay Singh three.

Although the weather made for a long afternoon, it helped Jason Day. He used the down time to recover from the strength-sapping eight-plus holes he'd played.

"I just kind of sat down and rested," Jason Day said. "I just sat down at a table with a bunch of friends and my wife and we sat there and talked, drank a lot of water, tried to keep up with my nutrition at least in there."

After the restart, he sure kept things interesting: two birdies, two bogeys and several scrambling pars — like on No. 1, his first full hole after the break. His tee shot was so poor it landed on the cart path, against a fence.

"I don't think any player has been over there except me today," he said.

Jason Day's season has been a lot like this round, spurts of great shots and bad ones, and ever-present illness. His physical problems began at the season-opening tournament in Hawaii. He's seen about six 6 is and allergies, and he's been given a bunch of different medicines.

Turns out he has a chronic sinus infection. He was given a shot and a batch of heavy antibiotics that should finally clear things up — but only after they threaten to clean him out. That's why he stood on the driving range wondering if 18 holes was a good idea.

"I really didn't think I was going to play this morning," he said.

Now the really weird part: The longer Day's medical woes have dragged, the better he's played. He's had three top-25 finishes this season, all in the last five weeks.

Jason Day suggests it's because he's practiced less and lowered his own expectations.

"I think I'm going out there and trying to play smarter golf," said Jason Day, who is only 22 but grew up being described as Australia's answer to Tiger Woods. "I didn't chip and putt as well as I would like to at the start of the year, and everything is turning around nicely now."

That breakthrough, first PGA Tour win would be even better.

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Boxing News: Amir Khan Refused Ricky Hatton

Boxing world was a bit shock when Ricky Hatton, in an interview at Sky Sports, offered to promote WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan, saying “I am certain with my help he can become the big star that his talent deserves.”

The 23-year-old Khan was quick to respond to Ricky Hatton, saying in an article at the Dailystar.co.uk, “Ricky is a good friend, but I already have Golden Boy Promotions behind me and my own company Khan Promotions. If I needed some help, I would phone him for advice, but things are going well for me right now.” Indeed, Amir Khan is working with Golden Boy Promotions now in an effort to try and become a huge mega star in the United States like his hero Manny Pacquiao.

It’s a gamble but Amir Khan is going to give it a try. Chances are, Khan will fail to become a huge star in the U.S. like Manny Pacquiao, but he will likely become as popular as Paulie Malignaggi, whom he recently defeated by an 11th round TKO last Saturday. If Khan wants to become a bigger star, he needs to step it up a couple of levels and start facing guys like his mandatory WBO light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana, and other top guys like Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander. Those are all tough fights for Khan but ones he needs to win for him to at least get to the level of popularity of Malignaggi.

Beyond that, Khan will need to face a huge star like Floyd Mayweather Jr. to become a big mega star. Manny Pacquiao won’t likely ever fight Khan because he sees him as a friend and not someone that he would like to fight. Khan, if he does get a fight against Mayweather, would have very little chance of beating him unless the fight takes place many years in the future when Mayweather is in his 40s. 

Right now, Mayweather would likely embarrass Khan and instead of Khan becoming a huge mega star like Mayweather, he would just another one of Floyd’s victims. You don’t become a huge mega star by getting trounced by Mayweather, unfortunately. It just doesn’t work like that.

A good start for Khan in becoming somewhat popular in the U.S. would be for him to step up and fight Maidana instead of a small lightweight. There is talk of Amir Khan possibly fighting WBO lightweight interim champion Michael Katsidis next instead of Maidana or some other top fighter from the light welterweight division. 

Amir Khan says “I would love to fight Maidana next. He can punch but is slow and can be hit. I would love to shut him up.” I wasn’t aware that Maidana was doing a lot of talking in the media.

At any rate, this is good news that Khan is interested in fighting Paulie Malignaggi. Of course, Khan said he was interested in fighting Maidana before his bout with Malignaggi, but instead of fighting Maidana, Khan said he wasn’t popular enough in the U.S. for him to fight him right now. Khan then opted to fight Malignaggi. 

Amir Khan needs to show boxing fans that he’s not afraid to fight Maidana, because more than a few think that Khan is running from Maidana and afraid to fight him. Amir Khan could quiet his critics if he stepped up and chose to fight him rather than the lightweight Katsidis.

Amir Khan wants to fight on July 31st, so he’s going to have to make a decision pretty soon about who he will be fighting next. Paulie Malignaggi would be the best opponent if Khan wants to win respect among the hardcore fans, but his promoters want him to fight the better known Michael Katsidis, even though he’s a lot smaller than Amir Khan and fights at a lower weight class.

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MLB News: Dodgers Win 9 Straight

Another baseball history marks the spot as the Dodgers kept winning games after losing Manny Ramirez last year, so they know the drill now that Andre Ethier will be disabled as long as six weeks. They didn't let the official loss of Ethier to a broken finger, or a shaky start by Hiroki Kuroda, keep the win streak from reaching nine Tuesday night with a 7-3 victory over the Astros and sweep of the two-game series.

"We're playing well," said manager Joe Torre. "We have a nice confidence right now. We had a lot of contributors tonight, we did a lot of little things. We're not going to be the same without Ethier, but so far, so good."

Hiroki Kuroda squandered a first-inning three-run lead but regrouped to go six innings and raise his record to 5-1 as Casey Blake, James Loney and Ramirez each drove in a pair of runs while the bullpen threw three more scoreless innings.

"Every team goes through adversity and you hate to see it with one of the best hitters in the lineup," said Casey Blake. "It changes the dynamics of the lineup a little bit, but we've got guys who can step in. We showed that the last few nights. Last year with Manny gone, it was Juan Pierre. We were a good team with Juan Pierre."

The nine-game streak is the longest for the Dodgers since 2006. They've won 11 of their last 12 and the opposition has been held to no more than three runs in each of the nine wins, the first time for a Dodgers team since 1980. This was the fourth win since Andre Ethier's injury and the winning streak is the longest for the Dodgers since they reeled off 11 straight in 2006.

"(Ethier) is just as much of a threat up there as Manny is, but that's not necessarily what wins games," said Russell Martin, whose hitting streak reached 13 games. "If we keep pitching and doing what we've been doing we'll be tough to beat. Obviously, you'd rather have him in the lineup, but if you don't, you pick each other up and do what you can, each individual to best of his ability."

The Dodgers gave Hiroki Kuroda a 3-0 first-inning lead with a two-out rally, James Loney singling in two, stealing second and scoring on Blake's RBI single. But Carlos Lee led off the bottom of the second with a home run to left field off Kuroda.

The Astros used a two-out rally in the third to tie the game, with Lee singling an 0-2 pitch up the middle with the bases loaded for two runs, but Kuroda shut down the Astros for the next 3 1/3 innings. The Dodgers regained the lead in the fourth on Jamey Carroll's sacrifice fly to shallow right field that scored Loney.

Houston starter Bud Norris sealed his fate by walking Kuroda to lead off the fifth. Martin singled, Xavier Paul bunted them over and with first base open Houston manager Brad Mills had Norris pitch to Ramirez, whose two-run single chased Norris.

"Matt Kemp is no easy pickings," said Torre, who had Kemp batting behind Ramirez. "I'm glad I'm on this side and don't have to make that decision."

Said Norris: "First base is open, but I've got to attack there and the guy on deck's no slouch either. I threw the pitch I wanted to throw and he hit it, I got to tip my cap. He's Manny Ramirez."

Blake added a solo homer in the eighth, the 150th of his career and third hit of the game. Blake was hitting as high as .328 on April 25, but in the three weeks since, has hit .159 to bring his average down to .233 entering this game.

"It's been frustrating," he said. "I was telling my wife about it. You want to do so well to help the team. I've gone down the path where I sit in beg and brood over it, driving myself crazy, lost a lot of sleep about my swing. I've tried that route. I hope I've gotten smarter with age, staying confident and patient. I know things are going to turn around and I'll come out on top of this thing."

A key play in the game was a running catch at the fence by Ramirez, who shaded Jeff Keppinger toward center field and ran down his two-out drive with a runner on first in the seventh off Ronald Belisario. On deck was Lance Berkman, and Torre said he would have brought on Hong-Chih Kuo to face him, earlier than desired, had Ramirez not caught the ball.

Instead, Hong-Chih Kuo pitched a perfect eighth inning and over his last eight innings has allowed no runs, two hits with nine strikeouts. Ramon Troncoso pitched the ninth as the bullpen as turned in 15 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings over the last six baseball games.

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Kobe Bryant Scores 40 Makes Lakers Win

The basketball fans soared high kickin' some buts when the Lakers struggled to the end of the regular season and then were dominated in Games 3 and 4 by Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs. But, we're seven games removed from that and it was also the last time the defending NBA champions lost.

Kobe Bryant started playing like Kobe Bryant again as Los Angeles Lakers' 128-107 win over the Phoenix Suns, Kobe Bryant had 40 points, including a remarkable 21 points in the third quarter of the Western Conference finals opener. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Wednesday at Staples Center.

It really wasn't much of a game once Kobe Bryant took over. It was the fifth consecutive game in which Bryant has scored more than 30 points. He scored his 40 on 13-of-23 shooting from the field while making 11 of 12 from the line. He made three of six three-pointers.

Perhaps the greatest praise for Kobe Bryant came from two-time MVP Steve Nash of the Suns, who was held to a below-average 13 points.

"I don't think we sent him to the line a lot," Phoenix Suns' player Steve Nash said. "I don't think we let him inside a lot, but still he scored a ton." Kobe Bryant played only 35 minutes as he left the game with about nine minutes to play and nothing left to prove. As the game wound down, even the normally nervous Lakers crowd started to loosen up, chanting: "We want Boston."

The Boston Celtics have a 1-0 lead over the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals, with Game 2 on Tuesday.

"Kobe had an outstanding game," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said in an understatement of fact. "Pau (Gasol) played a fine game and so did Lamar (Odom)."

Pau Gasol contributed 21 points while Odom had 19 points and 19 rebounds. "Kobe carried a lot of the offense tonight," Phil Jackson said. "He came in and was going to shoulder the game."

Kobe Bryant's health is a constant topic around Los Angeles. The Times reported on Monday that he recently had a "significant" amount of fluid drained from his knee, something Phil Jackson verified although he said it was not done this past weekend.

And Kobe Bryant certainly made everyone forget about his date with a syringe early when he came out and scored 11 points in the first quarter. But there was an anxious moment with 1:46 left in the opening period when he slipped as he drove down the lane and fell on his injured knee. It hushed the sellout crowd of 18,997. But what was hurting him was his head, which banged into Phoenix guard Jason Richardson as he fell.

How did he respond? He got up, stayed in the game and sank a 17-footer at the buzzer. It was that kind of game for Bryant.

"When he's making those shots, there's not a whole lot more you can do about it," said Suns Coach Alvin Gentry.

"Every time he plays, he takes it personal. . . . He knows how important the first thing is."

Amare Stoudemire was the main reason the Suns were only seven points behind at the half before Kobe Bryant took over in the third. Stoudemire scored 15 of his 23 points in the first half and was the Suns' leading scorer. Richardson added 15 points with Robin Lopez contributed 14.

Besides Kobe Bryant, another subplot around Los Angeles has been the future of Jackson. He is in the last year of a contract that pays him $12 million a year. He said he would decide his future after the playoffs but in a radio interview he did before the weekend he said he was leaning toward retiring.

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Is Lakers Ready For The Western Conference Finals?

Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant recently had fluid drained from his right knee and has not practiced in the week since their last game, and Andrew Bynum says his torn knee cartilage feels a little worse. Both will try to shake off their injuries Monday when Lakers face Phoenix in Game 1.

The Lakers haven't played since completing a sweep of Utah a week ago, but the circumstances are more considerable, the results more weighty when they begin the Western Conference finals Monday against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center.

They're four victories away from a 31st appearance in the NBA Finals, but they'll get there only if Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum shake off knee injuries that have basically kept them off the practice court the last week. Kobe Bryant recently had a significant amount of fluid drained from his swollen right knee, The Times has learned, and hasn't practiced since the last round. Andrew Bynum practiced only once and said the torn cartilage in his right knee was "getting a little worse" after making it through Saturday's scrimmage.

Ready or not, here come the run-and-gun Suns.

"We need some different company out on the court," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said with a smile Sunday after yet another day of practice.

Phil Jackson was a little more somber when discussing Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, the former averaging a solid 32 points a game in the conference semifinals, the latter totaling only six points the last two games against the Jazz.

Jackson, on Bryant: "He came out [Sunday] and shot a little bit and tried to get in rhythm. We hope that he's on board and his game is right at that point where it needs to be."

Jackson, on Bynum: "I thought he played well [Saturday] and we're hopeful that he's going to be at that level."

Neither Kobe Bryant nor Andrew Bynum spoke to reporters Sunday, but it's been unusual to see Bryant off to the side watching and Bynum padding around in flip-flops as teammates run up and down the court at the team's El Segundo training facility.

Their teammates have shrugged off their absence.

"At this point of the year, we need those guys during the game," forward Lamar Odom said. "If they've got something that's ailing or something that's aching, that's bothering them, I'd much rather have them ready for game time."

Phoenix Suns won't take pity on the Lakers, bringing an offense that created a sweep in the last round, the Suns throttling the San Antonio Spurs behind the ageless legs of Steve Nash, the lively pick-and-roll game of Amare Stoudemire and the suddenly consistent shooting of Jason Richardson.

The Suns are shooting an impressive 41.7% from three-point range and averaging 105.8 points in the playoffs, almost five more than the Lakers. They will push the pace with the ever-crafty Nash in an up-tempo offense that somehow has a degree of control to it.

"It's not so full-out run as, say, Oklahoma [City]," Jackson said. "This team has some sense behind what they're doing on their runs."

The Lakers will counter by pounding the ball down low to Pau Gasol and, if possible, Andrew Bynum. They also have put a premium on getting offensive rebounds to limit the Suns' fastbreak opportunities.

"That's something we're going to focus on," Lamar Odom said.

The Suns will have gone eight days since their last game, one more than the Lakers, and they'll have a minor slice of history on their side, having eliminated the Lakers in the first round in 2006 and 2007.

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UFC Is Safer Than Football And Boxing: Dana White

UFC President, Dana White talks about why he’s not overjoyed at his son wanting to pursue a career in football, explaining he considers mixed martial arts to be safer than that and boxing. “The misconception is, these guys can kick, knee, punch, elbow, slam to the ground, this has to be more violent and dangerous. It's not true,” says UFC President Dana White of the sport of mixed martial arts.

"What's more violent than boxing? You and I stand in front of each other for 12 rounds, and my goal is to hit you so hard in the face that I knock you unconscious. In the UFC you and I can fight, and I can beat you and win, and never punch you in the head once. We can go right to the ground, start grappling, and pull off a submission. It's not 25, 30 minutes of blows to the head non-stop.” UFC President Dana White said.

As well, he adds, “the difference with the tap out is that if I get you into a submission and you're in a bad place - you can tap out with honour. It's acceptable in this sport.”

White further points out that there’s never been a UFC injury more serious than a broken arm. However, he says, "At the end of the day it's a contact sport and anything can happen."

On the new HBO deal, Dana White says he believes UFC events are going to be a great addition to HBO’s lineup. HBO has said they won’t include people from their current boxing coverage team on the UFC productions, which seems to please White.

“I love the sport of boxing, let me tell you. That’s where I came from, and I used to live, eat, breathe, sleep boxing. Unfortunately, all the guys who were involved in boxing, all had a hand in helping kill that great sport. And the thing that scares me is, all the sleazy, slithering, creepy guys from boxing all are starting to work their way over to MMA now. And hopefully, the UFC can position themselves right now to keep all the creeps out of the sport.”

I absolutely agree with Dana White’s assertions… I actually wrote a research paper that compared injury rates of different sports. In a nutshell, football players tend to suffer from chronic debilitating injuries over the course of their career. 
 

If you compare rugby to NFL, you find much less chronic injuries because ruggers don’t wear pads. In boxing, boxers are at an extremely high risk for brain trauma (and disease), since their sport basically consists of being hit in the face repeatedly. A K.O is actually a mild form of concussion to the brain. Studies have shown that many boxers have portions of their brains that are literally “mush” from being repeatedly traumatized.

Boxing is much worse because of the accumulation of damage from being punched in the head thousands of times in a career is just not safe. Look at James Toney, I remember when he was young and in his prime he can barely talk now. Thats the guys who didn’t get beat to death like Jimmy Garcia who died after taking a beating from one of the Ruelas brothers or beat till his higher brain functions cease like Gerald McClellan.

UFC on the other hand gives the fighter the option to tap out (stopping the trauma), grapple instead of strike, and is restricted to 3-5 rounds. I would absolutely submit that UFCF fighters suffer much less trauma over the course of their career as compared to NFL football players or boxers.

Over 90% of the injuries sustained by fighters happen in training. Boxing is straight brutal. Everyone thinks its the big knockout that hurts you. I looks far worse then it is. The KO is a result of the bodies own defense system. Its those fighters that have so-called good chins that sustain brutal damage to their brains. Facts dont lie. NFL football is indeed more dangerous sport then UFC as a whole.

Although none of this actually means UFC is a safe sport. It is just safer then the two sports mentioned. I don't think it is anything one should rejoice over. Its still dangerous and anything can happen. 
 

Dana White may not have articulated it well but he’s right. A ten year NFL football players no matter how good he was or how healthy he is will have his life dramatically changed by the sport of football. Its just not physically possible for men that size, to move that fast and have multiple collisions. I’m not only talking concussions, I’m talking knee injuries , ankles etc. Look at Curtis Martin, he’s a guy who's in his 30’s and should still be in the prime of his life and can barely walk. Earl Campbell, etc.

To view the video click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f71Zi8srwr4&feature=player_embedded

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Thanks For The Memories Lebron James?

It's in progress, just one Boston Celtics victory from completion after the Cavaliers' embarrassing 120-88 Game 5 meltdown Tuesday at home in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. In the most stunning on-court development of the season, two-time basketball shark ace player MVP LeBron James— the Cavs' leader, the homegrown star destined to deliver a championship after the city's 46-year drought — is faltering with an underwhelming, unfathomable playoff performance. It's not that he had 15 points on 3-for-14 shooting Tuesday.

It's that he disappeared.

All that against the backdrop of Lebron James' impending free agency and potential departure, hanging over the city like a dark, gloomy Lake Erie cloud. Lebron James demurs.

"We know what it takes to win as a team, but at the same time, we haven't played great basketball," Lebron James said without great passion after the game.

If Game 5 was a big game in his career, Game 6 today in Boston (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) looms the biggest. His reputation, at least temporarily, is at stake.

"You guys are crazy," Lebron James said after Wednesday's practice. "I'm 25, and you're talking about a reputation and legacy. C'mon.

"Man, I got more years and a lot more time to play this game. ... The only time I work out is to win an NBA championship, to compete for an NBA championship, and I'm excited we have the opportunity to do that here."

This is when the greats are special.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself, of course. That's the kind of player I am," Lebron James said. "That's how I hold myself accountable. ... I need one of those games, and I look forward to having one.

"I'm going to be ready for Game 6."

So that a Game 7 is forced back home.

Lebron James' Inconsistent Play

Cleveland general manager Danny Ferry assembled a team to win a title this season. He traded for center Shaquille O'Neal and signed guard Anthony Parker and forward Jamario Moon in the offseason and acquired forward Antawn Jamison at February's trade deadline.

Those moves helped the Cavs to a 61-21 record and home-court advantage for the playoffs. But they are not paying off now, the reverse of the Orlando Magic, who needed time to work newcomer Vince Carter into the system. The Magic are rolling.

Those are subplots. It all begins with Lebron James, who appeared disengaged at times during the game and indifferent in his postgame news conference.

"You don't know if I'm angry or not," James said after practice Wednesday. "If I show a sense of panic, guys follow my lead. ... If I say, 'Oh, we lost by 30 last night and we don't know what to do,' that's not right. That's not who I am."

Fire and brimstone is not Lebron James' style. But his team needs something now.

"The thing you're worried about is our consistent play, which hasn't been there," he said of the 3-2 series. "As far as being worried about the series, I'm not worried."

NBA basketball ace player Lebron James has been uneven, averaging 36.5 points and shooting 56.5% in two wins and 20.3 points and 36% shooting in three losses.

He brushed off questions about his strained right (shooting) elbow. "I don't hang my head low or make excuses about anything that may be going on because that's not the type of player and type of person I am."

Without James performing at an MVP level, the Cavaliers don't look like a championship team.

He is beloved in northeast Ohio. He grew up in nearby Akron, has an affinity for his hometown.

But how much does this postseason influence where James plays next season? What if he left the Cavaliers after a second-round exit? How would fans feel? James isn't thinking that far ahead.

"It makes no sense for me to look that way, say, 'This could potentially be my last game here or be our last game in Cleveland for the season,' " he said.

A loss to Boston has repercussions off the court, too. How much would James' departure hurt the franchise?

In 2003-04, Lebron James' first season with the Cavaliers, Forbes estimated the franchise was worth $258 million, 15th out of 30 NBA teams. In its latest NBA valuations in December, the Cavaliers were worth $476 million, an 84% increase.

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "The last two home playoff losses and the manner in which we lost does not come close to the high expectations all of us have. Our fans and supporters deserve more."

Boston does have some say in this. The Cavaliers are being outcoached and outplayed. The Celtics are defense first and foremost, and when they're healthy and getting offensive contributions from guards Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo and forwards Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, "They're as good or better than anybody," ABC/ESPN analyst and former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy said.

Boston is playing its best basketball of the season at the right time, just the way coach Doc Rivers had hoped. That has left northeast Ohio angry, depressed and in a panic, and rightfully so.

Growing up here, James understands: "If I'm a fan from Cleveland and watching the game, I would have booed, too."

Cleveland sports fans haven't experienced a championship since the NFL Browns won in 1964.

Sports talk radio revealed frustration and resignation on the state of the Cavaliers. ESPN Cleveland radio host Tony Rizzo said, "I'm flabbergasted. I may be speechless. I don't know what to say."

But he really did.

"LeBron is going to go somewhere else and win a title," Rizzo said, hitting Cleveland fans where it hurts most, in the heart. "You choked in the biggest game of your career, and where you play next year — and I don't think it's going to be here — this is going to follow you."

Darrell Mayo, 38, is a life-long Cleveland resident. After so many disappointments, Mayo conditioned himself for what seems like the inevitable finish.

"I tell people, I'm a Brown fans, I'm a Cavs fan, I'm an Indians fan. For many years, I used to be one of those die-hard fans," Mayo said. "I took my emotions out of it. Now I go off of what I see and not what I feel. I still root for the team."

So where has it gone wrong? Did O'Neal's return after missing 23 games with a thumb injury mess with coach Mike Brown's rotation?

Brown's distribution of minutes, especially with his big men, has been inconsistent. He barely played center Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the first four games, then gave him quality time in the first quarter of Game 5.

O'Neal played 49 seconds in the fourth quarter of Game 4. J.J. Hickson gets minutes one game and not the next. When pressed, Brown has been diplomatic, trying to massage egos and protect the sanctity of locker room talk.

His demeanor changed after Game 2. The playoffs can do that, especially with so much at stake, including his job. He joked after the Game 1 victory. But the jovial coach who likes to chitchat about life outside of basketball disappeared after Game 2. Even after the Game 3 win, his mood was serious.

"I'm bothered about me not putting them in a better position to win," Brown said. "I have to change my mind-set and attitude to make sure I'm focused just as much as they are."

James supported his coach Wednesday when asked about the game plan: "The whole coaching staff and I agree with the system that they put in. We've been successful in the postseason, we've been successful in the regular season."

In the playoffs, the story line can change quickly. If the Cavs win Game 6, the series finale is Sunday in Cleveland.

The pressure would shift to Boston.

"They have to play one great road game," Van Gundy said of the Cavaliers. Brown said they would learn a lot about themselves in Game 6. We'll learn more about James.

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The Ultimate Female UFC Fighters Entering The Octagon

Years ago, when the UFC was trying to get sanctioned across the country, Dana White decided that having women fight on his show would just create PR nightmares that he didn't need. He may have been right. It's easy to imagine legislators showing pictures of bloody girls in order to fight regulation efforts. Now that the sport is regulated in almost every state, that concern is gone for the most part, but it made no sense until this week for the UFC to even consider a women's division.

In a world where women's UFC is a constant uphill battle, both of these women had the opportunity to prove the professionalism of women in martial arts - and show that we belong in the ring. But now, thanks to this weekend's Elite Extreme Combat (EliteXC) event in Southaven, Miss. (which will be broadcast on Showtime), the debate about women in UFC/MMA has once again heated up. Carano, after all, will meet Julie Kedzie on the televised portion of the card tomorrow and bring women's UFC to a national audience.

Over the course of two major CBS shows, Gina Carano established herself as an elite-level draw. Her fights drew over a million new viewers each show, and she does incredible search numbers online. Nobody in the UFC has drawn those kind of TV ratings all year besides Anderson Silva in July. People are very interested in her. Even better, she actually has exciting fights and has the talent to carry the pressure put on her. With sagging TV ratings for live specials, featuring the women's division on Ultimate Fight Nights could be a boost.

While UFC gains momentum on the heels of UFC's rise in popularity, there are still a lot of people resistant to the idea of women's MMA. The reactions have been mixed at some of Carano's fights.

"Half of the people are fascinated, and then half the people are just kind of judgmental about it, most of those being guys in the sport," Gina Carano said...

Training with men is not a problem for Gina Carano. The problem, she said, is proving to some of those men that she belongs there.

"At first they look at you kind of crooked, like 'What are you doing in here?' They almost want to be like 'Do you really want to do this? Let's see if you really want to do this.' So you have to go through the pressure of being the new person, also female. Once they see that you're serious and you've actually got some skill, then those people's opinions change. It's really a beautiful thing, because they see it more as a sport, and not just a female trying to fight."

In Gina Carano's opinion, the idea that women are the "weaker sex" has given some men the false impression that women are in more danger than men are when they step into a cage or ring for a fight.

"Guys are just real protective over females for some reason," she said. "At least some of the guys I know. Here's what I think: I don't think they can handle the pressure of not being able to save the female. She's got to fight her own battle, you know?"

Another renowned UFC female fighter Tara LaRosa's skills have certainly been opening eyes. She won't disclose her exact purses, but says she'll make between $15,000-$25,000 per fight, and aims to fight four times a year. No, it's not Chuck Liddell money, but it's full-time pay, and that's definite progress, for males and females alike.

"I represent the common folk, I'm a common chick, not a stellar athlete, who shows that anybody can do it. I want people to watch me and say, 'Wow, that girl is good,' as opposed to, 'Wow, that girl is hot but her ground game stinks.' On the looks thing, unfortunately, that's the way society can be. I'm not the quintessential hot chick, but I bring a skill set. I'm not going to get implants to impress people." Tara Larosa said.

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