Champion Djokovic charms Australian Open crowd

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic had a big, adoring crowd at Rod Laver Arena, and he knew exactly how to work it.
Writing "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" on a live TV camera lens with a felt-tip pen was the perfect way to sign off after his 15th consecutive win at the Australian Open.
Having the confidence to charm a crowd of thousands comes with experience — he has won the last two Australian titles and is aiming to be the first man in the Open era to win three in succession.
"Hello, everybody, it's great to be back," he said after his 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 win over Paul-Henri Mathieu of France, his first match at Melbourne Park since his epic five-set win over Rafael Nadal in last year's final. "I have great memories. ... Twelve months ago, played a six-hour final. Thanks for coming and supporting me."
David Ferrer, who took the No. 4 seeding when fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal withdrew because of illness and injury, had only a couple of hundred people watching in cavernous Hisense Arena on Day One at Melbourne Park. He opened with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Olivier Rochus of Belgium.
Ferrer knows that without his compatriot in the draw, there's a semifinal spot up for grabs, but he's content to stay under the radar.
"Of course, Novak, Roger and Rafael and Murray — they've won Grand Slams. It's very difficult for (another) player to win the first Grand Slam of his career. For me, I am trying to do my best."
The four majors in 2012 were shared by Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray, the Scotsman who finally ended the 76-year drought for British men at the Grand Slam events by winning the U.S. Open. With Nadal out, the so called 'Big 4' has become the 'Big 3,' with nobody else in the top 10 given a realistic chance of winning.
Djokovic doesn't have another Grand Slam winner in his half of the draw after his Serbian Davis Cup teammate Janko Tipsarevic ousted Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt, a former U.S. Open and Wimbledon winner, in a night match.
"If you want my opinion, it's that the top four, they are better," Ferrer said. "The last years, they were in all the semifinals and finals."
Federer, who has four Australian titles among his 17 majors, and Murray, who broke his Grand Slam drought by winning the U.S. Open, have their first-round matches Tuesday in what shapes as a blockbuster day session at Rod Laver Arena.
Murray is against Robin Haase in the first match and Federer is against Benoit Paire of France in the third — women's champion Victoria Azarenka takes in Monica Niculescu of Romania in between.
Congestion on center court means Serena Williams, the big favorite to win the women's title, will play her first-round match at Hisense Arena against Romania's Edina Gallovits-Hall, who is ranked No. 110.
Williams had a good look at the setting Monday, sitting in the stands with her coach Patrick Mouratoglou to watch older sister Venus win her opening match.
Serena, who is ranked No. 3 and has won 35 of her last 36 matches including titles at Wimbledon, the Olympics and the U.S. Open, had left long before Ferrer was to play the third match at Hisense.
The 30-year-old Spaniard drew polite applause rather than raucous cheering from the small crowd in a match punctuated by long periods of silence.
The second of the main courts at Melbourne Park can be eerily quiet when empty. It didn't bother Ferrer that there was only a smattering of fans and red-and-yellow Spanish flags.
Ferrer is a four-time Grand Slam semifinalist. He's a practical technician who became a multimillionaire through tennis. But he's clearly no Nadal, who can rage like a bull on court.
"Rafael is more important because he is the best of the history of Spanish players," Ferrer said. "Rafael is very important for the tour and for everybody. Anyway, he's a ... very good friend for me. Of course, we miss him. Not just me, everybody."
Fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych reached the 2010 Wimbledon final and beat Federer in the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open before losing to Murray.
He beat American Michael Russell 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 in his opening match Monday, and was content to let the top three men have all the attention.
"I would say it's maybe even better for myself," he said. "I mean, let's leave all the pressure on them. You know, everybody's talking how many Grand Slams this guy can win, that one."
Four American men advanced Monday, led by No. 20 Sam Querrey, the highest-ranked U.S. man in the tournament after John Isner pulled out with an injury. Querry beat Daniel Munoz-de la Nava of Spain 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
Brian Baker fended off Russia's Alex Bogomolov Jr. 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-7 (0), 3-6, 6-2; Tim Smyczek beat Croatia's Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-5; and Ryan Harrison's reward for beating Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 was a second-round match against Djokovic.
Among the other men's seeds advancing were No. 10 Nicolas Almagro, No. 15 Stanislas Wawrinka, No. 16 Kei Nishikori and No. 22 Fernando Verdasco, a semifinalist in Australia in 2009.
No. 11 Juan Monaco of Argentina lost to Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-1.
Tipsarevic thought he had to overcome the most difficult challenge of the day. Australia's Hewitt, a two-time major winner and former No. 1, was playing his 17th consecutive Australian Open.
"Lleyton Hewitt is as tough as it gets for a first round Australian Open, first Grand Slam of the year," he said. "With all the respect to all the other guys who are potential threats, I think this is as tough as it gets, knowing that he plays really good tennis here, knowing that he won Kooyong last week," he said. "I cannot tell you how happy that I am."
The first two women's matches were over quickly, with No. 2-ranked Maria Sharapova finishing off a 6-0, 6-0 win over Olga Puchkova in 55 minutes. She showed no signs of discomfort from a right collarbone injury that ruled her out of a tuneup tournament in Brisbane.
Sharapova has a potential third-round match against Venus Williams, who needed just an hour for her opening 6-1, 6-0 win over Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan.
No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 6 Li Na, No. 9 Samantha Stosur, No. 11 Marion Bartoli and No. 13 Ana Ivanovic all won in straight sets, and 17-year-old American Madison Keys joined them in the second round when she beat Casey Dellacqua of Australia 6-4, 7-6 (0).
Venus Williams missed the 2012 Australian Open. She is returning from a seven-month layoff because of Sjogren's syndrome, an illness that causes joint pain and fatigue.
"It's hard to play the first match in a major, first thing of the year, and that can be a lot of pressure," Williams said. "I did my best.

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Autopsy: Chiefs LB drunk at time of murder-suicide

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit when he shot his girlfriend nine times and then killed himself in front of his coach and general manager, an autopsy released Monday showed.
The Jackson County Medical Examiner report on Belcher, 25, raised new questions about whether police should have done more before the Dec. 1 murder-suicide. Officers found Belcher sleeping in his idling car about five hours earlier, but let him go inside a nearby apartment to sleep it off.
At the time of the autopsy, Belcher's BAC was 0.17, more than twice the limit of 0.08 percent for Missouri drivers, and it was likely higher when he shot girlfriend Kasandra Perkins, 22, at the couple's Kansas City home.
A police report released previously said Belcher had gone out the night before with a woman he was dating on the side while Perkins attended a concert with her friends.
Police who found Belcher sleeping in his Bentley outside the woman's apartment told him to turn off the ignition and he complied, the report said.
The report said Belcher "initially displayed possible signs of being under the influence (asleep and disoriented)." But the report added that after a few minutes of being awake his "demeanor and communication became more fluid and coherent." The report added that officers didn't smell alcohol on Belcher, and that there were no signs of him being "violent or emotionally unstable."
Under both city ordinance and state law, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated, city prosecutor Lowell C. Gard said in an email. He said a vehicle doesn't need to be in motion for it to be determined that the person behind the wheel was operating it.
"Operation has been defined in Missouri courts to include a wide range of activity, including sitting behind the wheel of a parked car with the engine running, and sitting alone behind the wheel of a parked car with a warm, but shut off, engine," Gard wrote. "However, problems of proof arise when the arresting officer must provide evidence of that operation contemporaneous with intoxication."
Kansas City police Sgt. Marisa Barnes said in an email she wasn't aware of anyone being disciplined over the case. Even if they were, she said, she wouldn't be able to discuss it.
Belcher asked the officers who found him if he could stay inside the apartment for the night. Belcher tried to call his girlfriend, but she didn't discover the missed calls until the next morning. Two women who were up late invited Belcher to wait inside their nearby apartment after he explained his plight. They said Belcher "appeared to be intoxicated" but "seemed to be in good spirits," the police report said.
Belcher slept on their couch for a couple hours, leaving at 6:45 a.m. so he could make it to a team meeting planned for later that morning.
Upon arriving at the home he shared with Perkins, the couple began arguing. Belcher's mother, Cheryl Shepherd, who had moved in with them about two weeks earlier, heard multiple gunshots and ran to the bedroom, where she saw Belcher kneeling next to Perkins' body, saying he was sorry. The autopsy report says Perkins was shot in the neck, chest, abdomen, hip, back, leg and hand.
After kissing Perkins, his baby daughter and his mother, Belcher drove to Arrowhead Stadium. The autopsy said Belcher shot himself in the right temple as coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli looked on.
The infant, Zoe, is the subject of a custody fight between relatives of Belcher and Perkins.

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A's reward manager Melvin with two-year extension

(Reuters) - The Oakland Athletics rewarded manager Bob Melvin with a two-year contract extension after he led the team to a division title and was voted American League Manager of the Year, the team said on Monday.
The extension will keep Melvin, who led Oakland to a 94-68 record in 2012 that was a 20-win improvement over the previous campaign, with the A's through the 2016 Major League Baseball season, the team said in a statement.
It was Melvin's first full year at the helm in Oakland. He was named interim manager in June 2011 before signing a three-year pact three months later.

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Bomb hits convoy of Iraq's Sunni finance minister

BAGHDAD (AP) — Attackers detonated a bomb Sunday next to a convoy carrying the Iraqi finance minister, a central figure in more than two weeks of protests by minority Sunnis against the Shiite-dominated Baghdad government, police said.
The minister, Rafia al-Issawi, was not hurt in the bombing. The device exploded as the last car in his convoy was passing by.
Al-Issawi is one of the senior Sunni officials in the government. Arrest of his bodyguards set off a wave of protests in Anbar province, a huge, mostly Sunni area, once a haven for al-Qaida militants that targeted Shiites and U.S. forces during the American-led operation in Iraq that started in 2003. The last U.S. combat soldiers left Iraq a year ago.
The minister was heading to Fallujah to meet with tribal leaders. Fallujah is at the eastern edge of Anbar, closest to Baghdad.
The attack on al-Issawi could trigger another round of protests. Rare demonstrations by angry Sunnis on the main highway between Iraq and Syria caused disruptions over the past two weeks. Sunnis charge that the central government is discriminating against them.
In violence in Anbar on Sunday, police said a roadside bomb exploded next to a security patrol in Fallujah, killing a 7-year-old boy who was walking near the patrol. Three policemen were wounded.
Medics in nearby hospitals confirmed the casualty figures.
Police officials said another attack took place early Sunday, when gunmen opened fire on an army checkpoint near the city of Samarra, north of Baghdad, killing three soldiers and wounding two others.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to reporters.
Violence has ebbed in Iraq, but insurgent attacks are still frequent.

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Potential impact of Mubarak retrial

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's highest appeals court on Sunday overturned Hosni Mubarak's conviction and ordered a retrial of the former president for failing to prevent the killing of nearly 900 protesters during the 2011 uprising that toppled his 29-year regime. A look at the potential impact of the decision:
— A retrial can produce a not-guilty verdict, uphold Mubarak's life sentence or reduce it. It cannot stiffen his sentence, however, because defendants cannot draw a heavier sentence when they appeal a conviction. Still, new evidence could lead to the deposed leader being convicted of ordering the crackdown on the protesters, not just failing to prevent it, a scenario that would go a long way toward appeasing victims' families.
— Also facing retrial are Mubarak's security chief, Habib el-Adly, who was in charge of security forces at the time of the uprising, as well as six of el-Adly's top aides — five for their part in the use of deadly force against the protesters and one for "gross negligence." The six top police commanders have been free since their acquittal in June.
— Mubarak, his two sons and a family associate, Hussein Salem, will also face retrial on corruption charges they were earlier acquitted of. The sons— onetime heir apparent Gamal and wealthy businessman Alaa — are in jail while on trial for insider trading and using their influence to buy state land at a fraction of its market price.
— For Mubarak's successor, Islamist Mohammed Morsi, a retrial is likely to be an unwanted distraction as he tries to restore law and order, and grapple with a wrecked economy, as well as the aftermath of last month's deadly debacle over a new constitution drafted by his Islamist allies and hurriedly adopted in an all-night session in late November.
— A retrial could also deny much-needed closure as the still-volatile country prepares for parliamentary elections in about three months which Morsi and his Islamist allies are determined to win. It could also revive calls for a deeper purge of those viewed as holdovers from the old era.
— The issue of the revolution's martyrs is a sensitive one in Egypt, with the families of the victims demanding retribution and compensation. They would be pleased to see Mubarak, el-Adly and the six top police commanders in the defendants' cage again, but there are no guarantees that they will be convicted of ordering the deadly crackdown.

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Egypt's Mubarak to get new trial over killings

CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian appeals court on Sunday overturnedHosni Mubarak's life sentence and ordered a retrial of the ousted leader in the killing of hundreds of protesters, a ruling likely to further unsettle a nation still reeling from political turmoil and complicate the struggle of his Islamist successor to assert his authority.

The court's decision put the spotlight back on the highly divisive issue of justice for Mubarak and his top security officers, who were also ordered retried, two years after the revolution that toppled him.

The ruling poses a distraction for President Mohammed Morsi as he tries to restore law and order, grapple with a wrecked economy and deal with the aftermath of the worst political crisis since Mubarak's ouster.

A new trial is virtually certain to dominate national headlines, attracting attention away from a crucial election for a new house of deputies roughly three months from now. Morsi and his Islamist allies are determined to win a comfortable majority in the new chamber, allowing them to take the helm of the most populous Arab nation.

The ailing 84-year-old Mubarak is currently being held in a military hospital and will not walk free after Sunday's decision. He remains under investigation in an unrelated case.

A small crowd of Mubarak loyalists erupted into applause after the ruling was announced. Holding portraits of the former president aloft, they broke into chants of "Long live justice!" Another jubilant crowd later gathered outside the Nile-side Cairo hospital where Mubarak is being held, passing out candies to pedestrians and motorists.

Still, the crowds paled in comparison to the immediate reaction to Mubarak's conviction and sentencing in June, when thousands took to the streets, some in celebration and others in anger that he escaped the death penalty.

Sunday's muted reaction indicates the fate of Egypt's ruler of nearly three decades may have, at least for now, been reduced to a political footnote in a country sagging under the weight of a crippling economic crisis and anxious over its future direction under the rule of Islamists.

No date has been set for the retrial, but attention is sure to dramatically pick up when it begins and Egyptians again watch fascinated by the sight of their country's one-time strongman behind bars in the defendants' cage.

If convicted, Mubarak could face a life sentence or have it reduced. He could also be acquitted. Under Egyptian law, a defendant cannot face a harsher sentence in a retrial, meaning the former leader cannot face the death penalty.

The Court of Cassation did not immediately disclose its reasoning, but legal experts said the appeal was granted over a series of procedural problems in the conduct of the original trial.

The ruling had been widely expected. When Mubarak was convicted in June, the presiding judge criticized the prosecution's case, saying it lacked concrete evidence and failed to prove the protesters were killed by the police.

Gamal Eid, a prominent rights lawyer, said the new trial could include new defendants and the judge ordering additional investigations.

Mubarak's defense lawyers had argued the ex-president did not know of the killings or realize the extent of the street protests. But a fact-finding mission recently determined he watched the uprising against him unfold through a live TV feed at his palace.

The mission's report could hold both political opportunities and dangers for Morsi and his fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood. A new trial would be popular, since many Egyptians were angered that Mubarak was convicted of failing to stop the killings, rather than ordering the crackdown in which nearly 900 people died.

The report also implicates the military and security officials in the protesters' deaths. Any move to prosecute them could spark a backlash from the powerful police and others who still hold positions under Morsi's Islamist government.

In Sunday's ruling, the judge also ordered a retrial of Mubarak's former security chief, Habib el-Adly, convicted and sentenced to life in prison on the same charges, as well as six of el-Adly's top aides. All six were acquitted in the earlier trial.

The appeals court also granted the prosecution's request to overturn not-guilty verdicts on Mubarak, his two sons and an associate of the former president, Hussein Salem, on corruption charges. Salem was tried in absentia and remains at large.

The prosecutors in the Mubarak trial complained that security agencies and the nation's top intelligence organization had not cooperated with their investigation, leaving them with little incriminating evidence against the defendants. During the trial, prosecutors focused their argument on the political responsibility of Mubarak and el-Adly.

Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, has his plate full with a rapidly worsening economy, stinging media criticism and the fallout from the worst political crisis since Mubarak's ouster, first over decrees that gave him almost unrestricted powers and then by a constitution hurriedly adopted by his Islamist allies and ratified in a nationwide referendum last month.

Since coming to office six months ago, Morsi has had to deal with a slide in the nation's currency against the U.S. dollar, shrinking foreign reserves and a tourism sector in a deep slump. Politically, Egypt is deeply divided by the bitter rivalry between his camp of Islamists and an opposition led by liberals and secularists.

Clashes between the two sides left at least 10 people dead and hundreds wounded last month.

Morsi was given a thinly veiled reprimand Sunday by the president of the European Union, Herman van Rompuy, who told a news conference in Cairo that only "consensus building, inclusiveness and dialogue among all parties" could ensure Egypt's successful transition to a "deep and sustainable democracy.

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UPDATE 1-Golf-U.S. PGA Tour Sony Open scores

Jan 11 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the U.S. PGA Tour Sony Open at the par-70 course on Friday in Honolulu, Hawaii
62 Scott Langley (U.S.) 62
63 Russell Henley (U.S.) 63
64 Scott Piercy (U.S.) 64
Tim Clark (South Africa) 64
65 Stephen Ames (Canada) 65
Jeff Overton (U.S.) 65
66 Webb Simpson (U.S.) 66
Matt Jones (Australia) 66
Charles Howell III (U.S.) 66
Matt Kuchar (U.S.) 66
Tim Herron (U.S.) 66
Brian Stuard (U.S.) 66
Morgan Hoffmann (U.S.) 66
Billy Horschel (U.S.) 66
Tommy Gainey (U.S.) 66
Danny Lee (New Zealand) 66
67 Charlie Wi (South Korea) 67
Vijay Singh (Fiji) 67
David Hearn (Canada) 67
Ryan Palmer (U.S.) 67
Marc Leishman (Australia) 67
Brad Fritsch (Canada) 67
Robert Streb (U.S.) 67
Steven Bowditch (Australia) 67
Ben Kohles (U.S.) 67
Erik Compton (U.S.) 67
68 Bart Bryant (U.S.) 68
John Rollins (U.S.) 68
Chris Kirk (U.S.) 68
Ken Duke (U.S.) 68
Tag Ridings (U.S.) 68
Darron Stiles (U.S.) 68
Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 68
Keegan Bradley (U.S.) 68
Brian Davis (Britain) 68
Shawn Stefani (U.S.) 68
Justin Bolli (U.S.) 68
Russ Cochran (U.S.) 68
Pat Perez (U.S.) 68
Dicky Pride (U.S.) 68
Alistair Presnell (Australia) 68
Lee Dong-Hwan (South Korea) 68
Peter Tomasulo (U.S.) 68
Scott Gardiner (Australia) 68
69 Nicholas Thompson (U.S.) 69
Jason Kokrak (U.S.) 69
Graham DeLaet (Canada) 69
Jimmy Walker (U.S.) 69
Steve Marino (U.S.) 69
Shane Bertsch (U.S.) 69
Dean Wilson (U.S.) 69
Roberto Castro (U.S.) 69
John Senden (Australia) 69
Brendon De Jonge (Zimbabwe) 69
Harris English (U.S.) 69
Rory Sabbatini (South Africa) 69
Jerry Kelly (U.S.) 69
Daniel Summerhays (U.S.) 69
David Lingmerth (Sweden) 69
Yuta Ikeda (Japan) 69
Justin Hicks (U.S.) 69
Jonas Blixt (Sweden) 69
Chez Reavie (U.S.) 69
Casey Wittenberg (U.S.) 69
David Mathis (U.S.) 69
Fabian Gomez (Argentina) 69
Park Jin (South Korea) 69
Lee Williams (U.S.) 69
Colt Knost (U.S.) 69
Chad Campbell (U.S.) 69
70 Brian Gay (U.S.) 70
Michael Thompson (U.S.) 70
George McNeill (U.S.) 70
Ryan Moore (U.S.) 70
Ricky Barnes (U.S.) 70
John Mallinger (U.S.) 70
Yang Yong-Eun (South Korea) 70
Justin Leonard (U.S.) 70
Dustin Johnson (U.S.) 70
Fred Funk (U.S.) 70
Jeff Gove (U.S.) 70
Andrew Svoboda (U.S.) 70
Kevin Stadler (U.S.) 70
John Daly (U.S.) 70
Hideto Tanihara (Japan) 70
Henrik Norlander (Sweden) 70
James Hahn (U.S.) 70
Josh Teater (U.S.) 70
71 Matt Every (U.S.) 71
Ted Potter Jr. (U.S.) 71
Brian Harman (U.S.) 71
Kevin Streelman (U.S.) 71
Mike Weir (Canada) 71
Zach Johnson (U.S.) 71
Johnson Wagner (U.S.) 71
Kevin Na (U.S.) 71
Greg Owen (Britain) 71
Chris Stroud (U.S.) 71
Jason Bohn (U.S.) 71
Jeff Maggert (U.S.) 71
Cameron Percy (Australia) 71
Derek Ernst (U.S.) 71
Josh Persons (U.S.) 71
Paul Haley II (U.S.) 71
John Huh (U.S.) 71
Luke Guthrie (U.S.) 71
Russell Knox (Britain) 71
Doug LaBelle II (U.S.) 71
Richard Hattori (Japan) 71
72 Boo Weekley (U.S.) 72
Bae Sang-Moon (South Korea) 72
Michael Letzig (U.S.) 72
Robert Allenby (Australia) 72
Michael Bradley (U.S.) 72
K.J. Choi (South Korea) 72
Scott Stallings (U.S.) 72
J.J. Henry (U.S.) 72
Patrick Reed (U.S.) 72
Steven Alker (New Zealand) 72
Ryuji Imada (Japan) 72
Jim Herman (U.S.) 72
Donald Constable (U.S.) 72
Aaron Watkins (U.S.) 72
73 Cameron Tringale (U.S.) 73
Mark Anderson (U.S.) 73
Steve LeBrun (U.S.) 73
Kyle Stanley (U.S.) 73
Martin Flores (U.S.) 73
Richard Lee (U.S.) 73
74 Mark Wilson (U.S.) 74
Will Claxton (U.S.) 74
Luke List (U.S.) 74
Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) 74
Ben Curtis (U.S.) 74
Andres Gonzales (U.S.) 74
Stewart Cink (U.S.) 74
Wes Short Jr. (U.S.) 74
75 Davis Love III (U.S.) 75
Tom Gillis (U.S.) 75
Bobby Gates (U.S.) 75
Bud Cauley (U.S.) 75
76 Joe Ogilvie (U.S.) 76
Kevin Carll (U.S.) 76
77 Eric Meierdierks (U.S.) 77

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NFLPA: no formal investigation into RG3 injury

WASHINGTON (AP) — The NFL players' union does not plan a formal investigation into how the Washington Redskins medical staff handled Robert Griffin III's knee injury.
The NFL Players Association said Friday that they were satisfied with a report received from the Redskins detailing the procedures used by team physician James Andrews and other staff on the sidelines.
Griffin had reconstructive ACL surgery Wednesday after reinjuring his right knee in Sunday's playoff loss to Seattle. He also strained a ligament in the knee last month against Baltimore.
The NFLPA's informal inquiry focused on the quality of medical care Griffin received. The union does not have authority to investigate coaching decisions — including whether Redskins coach Mike Shanahan should have left Griffin in either game after it was clear the quarterback was hurt.

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Alabama's Lacy, Milliner, Fluker enter NFL draft

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama tailback Eddie Lacy, cornerback Dee Milliner and right tackle D.J. Fluker are entering the NFL draft after helping lead the Crimson Tide to a second straight national title.
Lacy and Milliner announced their plans to skip their senior seasons Friday at a news conference. Fluker couldn't be there for the announcement because he was traveling.
It's another exodus of talented underclassmen for a team that has won three of the past four national championships. Most of the four first-round picks in each of the past two drafts that left Alabama were underclassmen.
"I appreciate what they've done for the University of Alabama but we also acknowledge the fact that from a business standpoint, these guys are making good decisions about their future and what they can do," coach Nick Saban said.
Unlike recent groups of departing juniors from Alabama, only Milliner is pegged as a sure first-round pick.
He was a Jim Thorpe Award finalist and unanimous All-American after recording two interceptions and 22 pass deflections. He and guard Chance Warmack, who was a senior, are projected as the Tide's top current prospects.
"I think while I was here, I met all the goals and team affirmations that I set for myself as a freshman by winning a championship, becoming an All-American, just being part of a team that always loved to win," Milliner said. "I think I fulfilled all my goals and am ready and prepared to go to the next level."
Lacy was MVP of the national championship game against Notre Dame after rushing for 140 yards and scoring two touchdowns. He said he wasn't 100 percent healthy all season until the title game Monday night, but Lacy still ran for 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
"We don't have a lot of years to play this position, so you have to go while you can," Lacy said. "I would love to come back. This is a great place. We have the best fans, but I really didn't want to risk coming back and not having such a good year or maybe even risking injury. I've had my share of injuries this year. I feel like you've got to get out while you can."
Lacy thinks he "made a pretty solid statement" in the title game, when he made a spin move into the end zone on a TD catch and on another run pushed 248-pound linebacker Danny Spond away with one hand.
Lacy was recruited in the same class as Trent Richardson, last year's No. 3 pick by Cleveland, but redshirted and then spent two seasons as a backup. He's not widely projected to follow Richardson and 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram into the first round. Lacy said he was projected as a second- or third-round pick in feedback from the NFL, but was impressive in the finale. Ordinarily, Saban only recommends projected first-round picks leave early.
"I'm fully supportive of what Eddie's doing," Saban said. "It's a little bit of a different situation than we've had in the past, but it's a little bit unique as well. Every one of these situations is unique to that particular individual and what his situation is. "
The 6-foot-6, 335-pound Fluker started 35 games for the Tide and was a second-team Associated Press All-American.
He was one of the Tide's top-rated signees in 2009 but came in overweight at about 395 pounds and was redshirted.
"I certainly feel like this year has been his best year as a player, and I feel that he's made a good decision about what he wants to do," said Saban, adding that Fluker has improved as much as any player on the team.
The mammoth Fluker, who wears a size-22 shoe, said in a statement that leaving early "is never an easy decision when you are playing at a place like Alabama."
"''These four years in Tuscaloosa have been the best four years of my life and I appreciate everyone who helped me along the way," he said.
Quarterback AJ McCarron, All-America linebacker C.J. Moseley and guard Anthony Steen have already said they're returning for their senior seasons. Saban didn't rule out other juniors possibly declaring for the draft before Tuesday's deadline.
The Tide does have promising players who have logged plenty of playing time behind Lacy and Milliner, especially. Two freshmen — tailback T.J. Yeldon (1,108 yards, 12 touchdowns) — and cornerback Geno Smith saw significant action.
"You've got people that are going to go to the NFL each year and you've got people behind them that are going to do the same things when their time comes," Milliner said.

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Amazon offers free digital versions of purchased CDs

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc, taking aim at Apple's dominant iTunes store, on Thursday unveiled a service that it hopes will boost digital music sales and encourage more people to use its Cloud music service.
Amazon launched Amazon AutoRip, which gives customers free digital versions of music CDs they purchase from the world's largest Internet retailer.
The digital music files are automatically stored in customer libraries in remote datacenters run by Amazon, where they are available to play or download immediately through the company's Cloud Player service, the company said.
Amazon customers who have bought AutoRip-eligible CDs at any time since the company started selling discs in 1998 will also get digital versions of that music stored in their Cloud Player libraries for free, the company added.
Amazon's MP3 digital music business has been around since 2007, but its market share is less than 15 percent, according to The NPD Group. Apple Inc's iTunes store is the clear leader, with over 50 percent of the market.
The move sparked speculation that Amazon may be able to do the same for books, making Kindle ebook copies of physical titles.
"It would even be profitable for Amazon.com to pay publishers a subsidy to transition all the books purchased on Amazon.com to Kindle books," said Scott Devitt, an analyst at Morgan Stanley. "Having a digital library that is accessible only on the Kindle platform essentially locks a customer into the Kindle ecosystem forever.
"If executed, it would possibly be the largest coup in company history," he added.
An Amazon spokeswoman did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment on Thursday afternoon about a book version of AutoRip.
More than 50,000 albums are available for AutoRip. Steve Boom, head of digital music at Amazon, said the company focused on music that has been the most popular among its customers during the past 15 years.
Albums include "21" by Adele; "Overexposed" by Maroon 5; "Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd and "Thriller" by Michael Jackson.
Boom declined to estimate how many CDs Amazon expects to digitize through the new service. However, he noted that the company has sold hundreds of millions of CDs to millions of customers.
"When we picked those 50,000 titles we focused on having a substantial majority of our physical CD sales covered," he added. "People will be exposed to Cloud Player and our digital music offering, which is a good thing," Boom said. "We want to take this global."
Amazon is making a bigger push against iTunes now that the company's Kindle Fire tablets are in more consumers' hands and its Cloud Player music application is available on a range of other mobile devices, including Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

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