Bynum, Bryant lead Lakers past Nuggets 93-89 (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl argues with official Bill Kennedy (55) during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)AP - Andrew Bynum scored 22 points, Kobe Bryant added 20 and the Los Angeles Lakers opened a season-high six-game trip with a 93-89 victory over the weary Denver Nuggets on Friday night.


Pats, Giants kickers wandered onto Super Bowl path (AP)

February 4th, 2012

New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski practices an onside kick on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Patriots are scheduled to face the New York Giants in NFL football Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)AP - Call them accidental Superheroes in the making. Or, if they miss, Super-something-elses.


Blue Jackets snap skid, beat Ducks in OT (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Anaheim Ducks left wing Niklas Hagman, center, of Finland, passes the puck as Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Marc Methot, left, and left wing Vaclav Prospal, of the Czech Republic, put pressure on him during the first period of their NHL hockey game on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Anaheim. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)AP - Derick Brassard scored his second goal with 1:05 left in overtime, and the Columbus Blue Jackets snapped their six-game skid with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.


Raptors maul struggling Wizards (Reuters)

February 4th, 2012
Reuters - The Toronto Raptors bounced back from a pair of blowout losses with a comfortable 106-89 win over the struggling Washington Wizards at the Air Canada Center on Friday.

Rangers’ Hamilton confirms alcohol relapse (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton pauses during a baseball news conference at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/LM  Otero)AP - Josh Hamilton shed no tears and used no prepared statement as he apologized and shared few details about his relapse with alcohol. Still, it was clear he was upset by what he had done.


UConn’s Calhoun taking indefinite medical leave (AP)

February 4th, 2012

FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2012, file photo, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun reacts to a call during an NCAA college basketball against Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind. Calhoun is taking an indefinite medical leave of absence, the school announced Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. The Hall of Fame coach, who turns 70 in May, has been suffering for several months from spinal stenosis, a lower back condition that causes him severe pain and hampers mobility, the school said Friday in a news release. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond, File)AP - UConn's Jim Calhoun doesn't mince words when it comes to his health.


Iginla scores, Flames beat Blackhawks 3-1 (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Ray Emery, right, follows the puck as teammate Nick Leddy checks Calgary Flames' Krys Kolanos during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)AP - Jarome Iginla had a goal and an assist to help Calgary Flames beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 Friday night.


Pacers tops Mavs for 1st win in Dallas in 8 years (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Dallas Mavericks' Rodrigue Beaubois (3), of Guadeloupe, dunks as Indiana Pacers' Danny Granger (33) looks on in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)AP - Paul George hit seven 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 30 points, and the Indiana Pacers won in Dallas for the first time in eight years, beating the Mavericks 98-87 Friday night.


Bergenheim lifts Panthers over Jets 2-1 (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Florida Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen (30) and Winnipeg Jets center Jim Slater (19) watch as the puck misses the goal in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers defeated the Jets 2-1. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)AP - Florida's Kris Versteeg didn't feel well going into Friday's game. He felt much better afterward.


Pierce, Allen carry Celtics past Knicks 91-89 (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Boston Celtics' Ray Allen looks for an opening around New York Knicks' Tyson Chandler during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)AP - Paul Pierce scored 30 points and Ray Allen had nine of his 14 in the final quarter to lift the Boston Celtics to a 91-89 win over the struggling New York Knicks on Friday night.


No. 23 North Carolina women beat Virginia 64-56 (AP)

February 4th, 2012
AP - Chay Shegog had 20 points and Candace Wood added 14 points, leading No. 23 North Carolina to a 64-56 win over Virginia on Friday night.

Wolves overcome Morrow’s 42 to beat Nets 108-105 (AP)

February 4th, 2012

New Jersey Nets' Kris Humphries, right, takes a shot over Minnesota Timberwolves Nikola Pekovic, of Montenegro, during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Newark, N.J.,  Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)AP - Luke Ridnour made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:23 left, Nikola Pekovic scored a career-high 27 points, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Jersey Nets 108-105 on Friday night.


Heat use late run to top 76ers 99-79 (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Miami Heats' LeBron James (6) is fouled by Philadelphia 76ers' Evan Turner (12) in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)AP - Dwyane Wade scored 26 points, and LeBron James had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lift the Miami Heat to a 99-79 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.


U.S. prosecutors drop probe of Lance Armstrong, team (Reuters)

February 4th, 2012
Reuters - Federal prosecutors on Friday dropped an investigation centered on whether seven-time Tour De France champion Lance Armstrong and his teammates cheated the sponsor of their bike racing team with a secret doping program.

Pitt will play in ACC’s Coastal (AP)

February 4th, 2012
AP - Pittsburgh will join the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division in football, the league announced on Friday.

Celtics guard Rajon Rondo returns against Knicks (AP)

February 4th, 2012

Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo watches his team face the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland on Tuesday,  Jan. 31, 2012.  Rondo missed his seventh straight game with an injured right wrist, but Boston coach Doc Rivers said at the team's morning shootaround that he could return to the lineup later this week. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)AP - Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo returned to the lineup for Friday night's game against the New York Knicks after missing the previous eight games with a right wrist injury.


Belichick shows relaxed side before Super Bowl (AP)

February 4th, 2012

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks during a news conference for NFL football's Super Bowl XLVI Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)AP - He fishes, goes to wine festivals, even kisses his girlfriend in full view at a Boston Celtics game.


Defense will carry Giants over Patriots again (AP)

February 4th, 2012

New York Giants' Eli Manning during practice, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Giants will face the New England Patriots in the NFL football Super Bowl XLVI  on Feb. 5.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)AP - In this new NFL age of throw first and throw again, it's easy to forget to first rule of football: Defense wins championships.


Federal prosecutors close probe of Lance Armstrong team (Reuters)

February 4th, 2012
Reuters - Federal prosecutors on Friday dropped an investigation centered on whether seven-time Tour De France champion Lance Armstrong and his teammates cheated the sponsor of their bike racing team with a secret doping program.

Woman accused of stalking Yankees general manager (Reuters)

February 4th, 2012
Reuters - A British woman stalked and harassed New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, convincing him to pay her $6,000 after what her lawyers called an inappropriate relationship, prosecutors and others familiar with the case said on Friday.