Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts

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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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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Wife of ex-Brave Andruw Jones files for divorce

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — The wife of former Atlanta Braves star Andruw Jones filed for divorce about a week after she accused him of grabbing her neck and saying he wanted to kill her, according to a court document.
Nicole Jones said their 10-year marriage is "irretrievably broken," according to the divorce complaint filed in a suburban Atlanta court Monday. The filing does not mention a Christmas morning fight that prompted Nicole Jones to call police and led to Andruw Jones' arrest on a battery charge.
Nicole Jones' lawyer, John Mayoue, declined to comment Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether Andruw Jones had a lawyer.
Nicole Jones is seeking joint legal and primary custody of the couple's 9-year-old son, the complaint said. She is asking for child support, alimony and half of the couple's property. She also wants a judge to declare their prenuptial agreement null and void.
The couple fought around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 25 after Nicole Jones asked her husband to help prepare their home for Christmas morning, a Gwinnett County police report said. She tried to go upstairs, but her husband grabbed her by the ankle and dragged her down some stairs, the report said. He got on top of her and said, "I want to kill you," according to the report.
She was able to push him away because he was intoxicated and then she went to her parents' house, the report said.
Police said they found injuries on her neck, which they photographed for evidence.
When officers arrived at the Jones residence in the Sugarloaf Country Club in Duluth and approached him in a bedroom, they said he appeared to have passed out in his clothes and was confused about what had happened.
Gwinnett County jail records showed Andruw Jones was freed on bond after his arrest.
Jones earlier this month signed a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan's Pacific League.
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Ray Lewis to retire after playoffs

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Ray Lewis spent 17 seasons instilling fear in his opponents while serving as an inspirational leader for the Baltimore Ravens.
Now he's poised and eager to become a full-time dad.
Lewis announced Wednesday he will end his brilliant NFL career after the Ravens complete their 2013 playoff run.
Lewis has been sidelined since Oct. 14 with a torn right triceps. The 13-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker intends to return Sunday to face the Indianapolis Colts in what will almost certainly be his final home game.
"Everything that starts has an end," the 37-year-old Lewis said. "For me, today, I told my team that this will be my last ride."
Lewis will walk away from the game because he wants to spend more time with his sons. While working to return from his injury, Lewis watched two of his boys play on the same high school football team in Florida. He intends to see Ray Lewis III perform as a freshman next year for the University of Miami, where the elder Lewis starred before the Ravens selected him in the first round of the 1996 draft.
"God is calling," Lewis said. "My children have made the ultimate sacrifice for their father for 17 years. I don't want to see them do that no more. I've done what I wanted to do in this business, and now it's my turn to give them something back."
That's why Lewis will pull off his No. 52 uniform for the last time after the Ravens lose or claim their second Super Bowl title.
"It's either (that or) hold onto the game and keep playing and let my kids miss out on times we can be spending together," Lewis said. "Because I always promised my son if he got a full ride on scholarship Daddy is going to be there, I can't miss that."
Lewis was the AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2000, the same season he was voted Super Bowl MVP following Baltimore's 34-7 rout of the New York Giants. Lewis was also Defensive Player of the Year in 2003, and is the only player in NFL history with at least 40 career sacks and 30 interceptions.
"I never played the game for individual stats," Lewis said. "I only played the game to make my team a better team."
Lewis has been with the Ravens since they moved from Cleveland. After being drafted 26th overall in Baltimore's first draft, Lewis became a fixture at middle linebacker — and a beloved figure in Baltimore. He remained that way even after his alleged involvement in a double-murder in Atlanta in early 2000.
In June of that year, a judge approved a deal allowing Lewis to avoid murder charges and jail time by pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and testifying against two co-defendants. Within a year, Lewis was in the Super Bowl, leading the Ravens to their only NFL championship.
Hundreds of games later, he's ready to call it a career.
"I'll make this last run with this team, and I'll give them everything I've got," he said. "When it ends, it ends. But I didn't come back for it to end in the first round."
The news of his decision to retire quickly resounded throughout the NFL.
Colts coach Chuck Pagano, who served as Lewis' defensive coordinator last year, said, "I thought, shoot, the guy could play forever and would play forever. Great person, great man, great player, just an unbelievable human being — what he's done for that organization, that city and for that matter, so many people. He's obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer and will be sorely missed."
Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, "I don't know, at least in my time in the league, if there's been a defensive player that's had as big an impact. ... He's really an incredible example of leader. Talk about somebody opening up his chest and giving it to his football team."
Lewis was respected by his peers, too, even those who were on the receiving end of his crushing tackles.
"He definitely inspired me," Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said. "Just the passion and how he is dedicated to his craft to be the best. You don't see too many guys who play like that. That's definitely what makes him the best linebacker to ever play the game."
Indianapolis standout linebacker Dwight Freeney said, "He's meant a lot to the league in general, but defensive guys especially. This is a league where the most focus goes on offense, quarterbacks and running backs, and very few times do you see a defensive guy get highlighted in commercials or whatever. You see Ray on there, so it's kind of like he's one of us. And you feel good when you see him, the things he's done for the game and how he motivates guys."
Lewis is the key figure in a defense that has long carried a reputation for being fierce, unyielding and downright nasty. He led the Ravens in tackles in 14 of his 17 seasons, the exceptions being those years in which he missed significant time with injuries (2002, 2005, 2012).
Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs, who is almost always upbeat, said of the announcement: "It was sad. It affected me, because for the past 10 years of my career I've been sitting right next to the man and going to war on Sundays. It's going to one hard last ride, and we need to make it one to remember."
When Lewis tore his triceps against Dallas, it was feared he was done for the season. But he would have none of that.
"From the time I got hurt, everything I've done up to this point has been to get back with my team to make another run at the Lombardi (Trophy)," he said.
Well, not everything. Lewis spent time watching his boys play football, which caused him to call his rehabilitation "bittersweet." After spending countless hours from Monday through Thursday working to return from the injury, he hopped on a plane toward Florida to be with his boys.
"I got to be there every Friday," Lewis said. "Me being who I am, not having a father myself, that damaged me a lot. I didn't want my kids to relive that.
"One of the hardest things in the world is to walk away from my teammates. But the now I'm going to step into other chapters of my life.
"I knew I couldn't split my time anymore. When God calls, he calls. And he's calling. More importantly, he calls me to be a father. It's OK to be Daddy. Yes, this chapter is closing, but the chapter that's opening is overwhelming. That's what excites me the most."
Lewis could have made the announcement during the offseason.
"I think my fans, my city, I think they deserved for me to just not walk away," he said. "We all get to enjoy what Sunday will feel like, knowing that this will be the last time 52 plays in a uniform in Ravens stadium.
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Playoff picks: Packers a good bet this time

Six days after Adrian Peterson blistered them for nearly 200 yards and helped lift his team to a stunning playoff berth, the Green Bay Packers get another taste of "A.D."
This time, they will deal with "All Day" Peterson at Lambeau Field. And in the playoffs.
The stakes are similar to last week for the Vikings, who would have been out of the playoffs had they lost to Green Bay, which already owned the division title. The venue, obviously, is different.
If that seems like a big edge for the Packers, well, they lost their last two postseason home games, both to the Giants, who went on to win the Super Bowl each time. They dropped a 31-14 verdict to Minnesota after the 2004 season, the only time in 104 matchups these NFC North rivals have met in the playoffs.
So Green Bay is 1-3 in recent home playoff games on the tundra. That doesn't diminish the challenge facing Minnesota, an 8-point underdog.
"It put us in a spot that we've been wanting to be, wanted to get here since April 23 of last year when we started OTAs," Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder said of the win over the Packers that got them a trip to Green Bay, where they lost 23-14 in the regular season.
"It's going to be tough going to Lambeau. Obviously it's an environment that's tough to play in, but we're hoping that a lot of our Vikings fans travel, just like there were some Green Bay fans at home this past week."
The shorter week won't matter to either side considering they faced off last weekend. At least it gives the Packers less time to watch video of the horror show their defense put on trying to slow down Peterson.
They'll do a better job this Saturday night.
BEST BET: PACKERS, 31-20
Indianapolis (plus 6½ ) at Baltimore
This could be Ray Lewis' final game; he announced Wednesday his plan to end his 17-year career that certainly should land him in the Hall of Fame.
There are much better ways to finish than chasing around the Colts' offense, which will be a difficult chore for the Ravens' defense. With Lewis sidelined for nearly three months with a triceps injury and Terrell Suggs not resembling the Defensive Player of the Year he was in 2011 as he plays while still recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, Baltimore can't count on shutting down opponents.
In previous seasons when the Ravens were a defensive power, Andrew Luck might be reduced to an overmatched rookie. Not now.
UPSET SPECIAL: COLTS, 23-17
Cincinnati (plus 5) at Houston
The Texans stumbled into the playoffs, losing three of four and blowing home-field advantage and a bye in the AFC. Cincinnati, on the other hand, won seven of its last eight with a staunch defense.
Houston made the postseason for the first time last year and promptly knocked off the Bengals in the wild-card round. Both teams are improved this season, and the key could be which side protects its quarterback better. Houston has J.J. Watt and Antonio Smith providing pressure on the quarterbacks. For Cincinnati, it's Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson.
Houston will do it better.
TEXANS, 24-20
Seattle (minus 1½) at Washington
The juiciest of the weekend's matchups features two streaking teams: Washington won its final seven games to take the NFC East, Seattle took its last five and seven of eight.
Rookie quarterbacks Robert Griffin III for the Redskins and Russell Wilson for the Seahawks have been sensational, like Indy's Luck. RG3 showed enough mobility in the win over Dallas to clinch the division, and his knee should be even stronger on Sunday to provide the double-threat potential that highlights his game.
Wilson is healthy and has similar skills. Even more encouraging for him is the Seahawks have an intimidating, resourceful defense with the speed to slow down Washington's offense. Seattle also has learned how to win on the road.
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Ravens linebacker Lewis to retire at end of season

 Baltimore Ravens' linebacker Ray Lewis, a 13-time Pro Bowler and one of the NFL's most ferocious defensive players, announced on Wednesday he was retiring after this season's playoffs.
"This will be my last ride," Lewis, 37, said in a statement.
The AFC North champion Ravens are hosting the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in the opening round of the playoffs, but it was not yet certain Lewis would be activated for the game.
Lewis has not played since he tore his triceps during a Week Six win over the Dallas Cowboys in October.
The inside linebacker, twice the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and most valuable player in Baltimore's 2001 Super Bowls, issued his statement after addressing team mates.
"I can't picture Baltimore without him," running back Ray Rice told reporters about the Ravens' first-round pick of the 1996 NFL draft, who spent his entire 17-year career with the Ravens.
As word of Lewis's retirement spread tributes poured in from across the league on social media from both past and present players.
"I'd like to take a moment to honor a great career and player in @raylewis a worthy opponent," praised Detroit Lions Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders on his Twitter account.
"Best Overall LBer and Leader in NFL history," echoed former-New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce.
Lewis has long been the inspirational heart of the Ravens, firing up the team mates as they huddled around him before the opening kickoff, and then leading by example with his furious play on the gridiron.
"I talked to my team today and I talked to them about life in general. Everything that starts has an end. It's just life," said Lewis, who said he was at peace with his decision and was looking forward to spending more time with his two sons.
"I've done it, man. There's no accolade that I don't have individually but I've never played the game for individual stats. I've only played the game to make my team be a better team."
Lewis went from a scary low to the heights of the National Football League in one year after he was held in an Atlanta jail in the early morning hours after the 2000 Super Bowl, linked to a double-killing outside a nightclub.
By May, the matter was settled when Lewis pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice and was fined $250,000 by the NFL.
One year after the fatal incident, Lewis was named MVP of Baltimore's Super Bowl triumph over the New York Giants in Tampa as the unquestioned leader of a defense that set a record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season.
Lewis said he intends to play when the Ravens host the Colts in what would likely be his last game in Baltimore, since the team enters the playoffs as the fourth-seeded team in the AFC.
His next football stop is bound to be in Canton, Ohio, for enshrinement to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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Puerto Rico sees hints of baseball revival

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — On an island where the name of Roberto Clemente is emblazoned on stadiums, streets and schools, baseball is making a rally.
In the past year, Major League Baseball reported the second-highest number of signings from Puerto Rico since 2000. The U.S. territory also has seen the opening of new baseball academies and an expansion of its winter league teams, whose tournament this year is dedicated to Clemente four decades after his death.
Clemente died in a plane crash off Puerto Rico's north coast on Dec. 31, 1972, while helping deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Thousands mourned the loss of the Hall of Famer who won 12 Gold Glove awards and whose name is on the yearly honor for the MLB player who best exemplifies sportsmanship and community involvement.
"I always think of Clemente because he did so much in so many ways to help the game, people of his country, everything," Commissioner Bud Selig said. "How he died was a great testament to his desire to help other human beings. He was an amazing guy. Amazing on the field, better off the field."
Puerto Rico has since been searching for its next Clemente ever since. Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Alomar, Ivan Rodriguez, Bernie Williams, Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran all debuted in the late 1980s and '90s, a period regarded as Puerto Rico's golden era. The nation's influence has waned since then.
There are only 18 Puerto Rican-born players in the major leagues, the lowest number since 1968, and down from 29 in 2011 and a record 53 in 2001. The number of regular-season MLB games played in Puerto Rico has dropped from 23 in 2003 to only three in 2010. The Puerto Rico Baseball League canceled play in 2007 for the first time, citing a drop in attendance and profits.
Local baseball officials have blamed the first-year player draft for the changes. Since 1990, Puerto Rican players are required to complete high school before competing with players from the U.S. and Canada for a professional contract. The rule does not apply to other countries such as the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, where players can sign as free agents and where recruiters have invested millions in baseball academies.
Officials call the draft unfair, saying the island has substandard training, facilities and programs compared with the mainland U.S.
"Our boys are at a disadvantage," baseball historian Humberto Charneco said. "In the U.S., there is a great methodology in preparing players, providing them guidance and advanced training. In Puerto Rico, there are no facilities to do that."
In 2007, Puerto Rico Sports Secretary David Bernier unsuccessfully asked for a 10-year moratorium on the draft to help the island adjust, arguing that recruiters were focusing on other Latin American countries.
Edwin Rodriguez, former manager of the Florida Marlins, said the rise in popularity of soccer and basketball is also to blame, along with a lack of good baseball coaches and training programs. He dismissed the idea that the draft had led to a drop in players.
"Puerto Ricans have always had to compete against the Americans, the Canadians, the Dominicans," he said. "If one is a prospect at 16, one is a prospect at 18. No one can convince me that a Roberto Alomar at 16 was not going to have the same talent at 18. That for me is very hard to digest."
There are signs of a baseball revival.
The Puerto Rico Baseball League has added two more teams for a total of six, and this year was renamed the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League.
"In a firm commitment to Puerto Rico baseball and its fans, we will turn the league into a stepping stone to promote the development and improvement of young talents," said Hector Rivera, the league's president.
There was also a surge of fresh interest in the sport after 17-year-old shortstop Carlos Correa became the first Puerto Rican to be the first overall pick in the draft, receiving a $4.8 million signing bonus with the Houston Astros in June. Previously, the highest-drafted player out of Puerto Rico was catcher Ramon Castro, who went No. 17 to Houston in 1994.
"Puerto Rico baseball is rising little by little," Correa said. "A lot more young players began dedicating themselves to the sport and saw that it could be done."
Correa is a graduate of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School, which receives $400,000 each year from MLB and has produced athletes who have been drafted or awarded scholarships at Division I universities in recent years.
"The talent that we're seeing now, we will likely see it knock on the doors of the major leagues in the next four to six years," said Lucy Batista, the school's headmaster.
Correa's achievement also has stirred interest in recreational baseball players across Puerto Rico, with teams in some towns being forced to wait in line to play at public fields. Using Correa's popularity as a platform, MLB plans to start tournaments and after-school programs across the island to further stimulate interest in the sport, said Kim Ng, the organization's senior vice president for baseball operations.
"I think that we're on the upswing there," she said. "Carlos Correa being the first pick in the draft this past year is more indicative of what's going on in Puerto Rico, and I think it has to a certain extent reinvigorated the game down there."
The importance of local academies is key. Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Hiram Burgos said he enrolled in the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy in 10th grade and graduated in 2005.
"I developed immensely," he said of his time there. "I added almost 10 miles to my speed as a pitcher."
Rodriguez, the former Marlins manager, said he anticipates a spike in talented baseball players from Puerto Rico in the next 10 to 15 years, thanks to the academies. And while he believes that another Clemente could be in the works, he warned against expectations that Puerto Rico would see a second golden era.
"It's not fair to compare what's happening now to the time of the Roberto Alomars, Carlos Baergas," he said. "That was a cycle. It is very, very rare for that to happen, not only in Puerto Rico, but in any state in the United States.
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