Bear Down…and Blog!

Current and former University of Arizona athletes are always making news and not always in traditional mediums. We scoured the Internet and found Wildcats online by visiting these lynx

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PHOTO

Washington Wizards point guard Mustafa Shakur (22) against the Boston Celtics during the first half at the Verizon Center. Rafael Suanes-US PRESSWIRE

Second chance, here we come.

Former Wildcat point guard Mustafa Shakur signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Wizards on Saturday, his second stint with the team in less than a month.

Shakur made his NBA debut on Jan. 22 in grand fashion, helping the injury-depleted Wizards (14-38) to an upset victory over the Boston Celtics (38-14).

The ex-Wildcats’ stay in the pros lasted four games, however, before knee and foot injuries relegated him among the Wizards’ infirm. Washington failed to re-sign him due to his health.

The Wizards came out victorious just once in 10 tries during Shakur’s absence (1-3 with him in the lineup).

By re-signing, Shakur (3.2 PPG, 2.6 APG) forfeits his roster spot in Friday’s NBA Developmental League All-Star game — an honor he’s received in consecutive seasons in the D-League with the Tulsa 66ers and Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Not everything about Shakur’s debut was smooth. New to the roster, the Wizards clearly scrambled to get him a jersey.

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NEWS

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THE FAST AND THE BLURRY-IOUS

Former Arizona student Kurt Busch won NASCAR’s Budweiser Shootout on Saturday night in Daytona.

The exhibition is the first race on fabled track’s new, smoothly-paved pavement. Busch emerged victorious, but not before nine drivers swapped the lead 28 times and actual winner Denny Hamlin was disqualified for crossing the out-of-bounds mark. The new pavement is said to have produced speeds up to 206-mph.

NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series ignites its engines for the 2011 season on Feb. 11 on the same track. Busch finished last year’s Sprint Series in 11^th place with earnings of more than $6.7 million.

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WAKE-UP CALL

Former Wildcat and reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year and FedEx Cup champ Jim Furyk signed a sponsorship deal with Westin Hotels.

Insert your own ‘wake-up call’ pun here.

Furyk didn’t let an alarm-clock snafu (the ex-Cat overslept for a pro-am and was disqualified for The Barclays) last summer derail his season, cruising to the FedEx Cup champion and PGA Tour player of the Year honors.

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TWITTER

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“I bet u some kid from asu pulled the fire alarm smh”

- Arizona basketball’s Kevin Parrom, possibly sleep-deprived, setting up some psuedo-drama between the Wildcats and Sun Devils before tonight’s game in Tempe. 

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“When I think of romance the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby, toddler coming at me with a weapon. (Via @Brit_Mama)”

- Former Wildcat Brianna Glenn not exactly setting the mood for Valentine’s Day.

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“I’ve discovered, the more I work, the less I spend and the more money I have. Funny how that happens..tho I am due for a shopping spree”

- Sam Bannister, former Arizona softball star, discovering the harsh world outside of meal stipends

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