<h4>Bowled over </h4>
Milwaukee's Mike Cameron knocks over Houston catcher Humberto Quintero while trying to score from second base in the fourth inning Friday. Cameron was out on the play and Quintero left the game.
DALLAS – Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry is the best off the bench.
Terry, an ex-Arizona Wildcat who was mostly a full-time starter before taking on a different role the past two seasons, was presented Friday with the NBA sixth man award that goes to the league’s top reserve.
“The ability to do it, but also the willingness to embrace it, is something that’s got to be a part of it,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “That’s who he is. He wants to win and he wants to part of something that’s bigger than himself, and that’s really what this is all about.”
While starting only 11 of his 74 games in the regular season, Terry averaged 19.6 points and 3.4 assists while playing about 34 minutes a game.
Only Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd played more minutes for the Mavericks, though Terry usually comes off the bench shooting.
“No doubt, I’m a guy playing with my energy,” Terry said. “Instant offense, there are no warm-up shots. Jumping into the fire, that’s a special skill set.”
Terry got 111 of 121 first-place votes in the balloting and was the clear winner with 576 points. Denver’s J.R. Smith finished second with 155 points and three first-place votes, and New York’s Nate Robinson was third with 113 points.
Nowitzki, Kidd and other teammates attended the news conference in which Terry, who is known as JET, was presented the trophy.
It came on the day between Games 3 and 4 of the Mavericks’ first-round Western Conference playoff series against San Antonio. They lead 2-1.
“He’s been a big part of this team,” said Nowitzki, the NBA’s MVP two seasons ago. “He’s a great guy in the locker room, he’s one of our emotional leaders, always firing up the crowd. He’s one of the best clutch players I’ve ever seen.”
The only time Terry had a higher scoring average was 2000-01, his second NBA season, when he averaged 19.7 points for Atlanta.
Will Boldin stay?
NEW YORK – Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald believes disgruntled teammate Anquan Boldin would like to stay with Arizona.
“I don’t think he really wants to go,” Fitzgerald said Friday. “He’s been out there six years. His family is comfortable; his son is in school. There’s a lot of things that I think will be conducive for him to stay.
“But this is a business. You never know what’s going to happen.”
Boldin seemed to soften his stance last week after previously requesting to be traded. This weekend’s NFL draft is sure to be rife with rumors of potential deals for the wide receiver.
Boldin voiced his displeasure in last season’s training camp, accusing Cardinals management of failing to follow through on a promise of a new contract and vowing never to re-sign with Arizona.
Still, he went on to have his third Pro Bowl season as the Cardinals advanced to the Super Bowl.
“He was a big part of what we were able to do last year,” said Fitzgerald, who was participating in an event promoting the “Madden NFL” video game. “He’s helped me out tremendously. I hope he’s with us for the rest of his career.”
Fitzgerald reiterated his vow to restructure his four-year, $40 million contract if needed.
“Whatever it takes,” he said.
Fitzgerald to share cover
WASHINGTON – For the first time in its storied (some say cursed) history, the cover of EA Sports’ “Madden NFL” video game will feature two athletes: Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
“Being on the cover of ‘Madden’ is a real honor,” Fitzgerald said Friday after Electronic Arts made the announcement. “And sharing it with a talent like Troy is really special.”
The shared cover of “Madden NFL 10,” which arrives in stores Aug. 14, has something for everyone: Polamalu is a defensive AFC player and Fitzgerald an offensive NFC player.
EA Sports senior product manager Anthony Stevenson called the two Pro Bowlers “exemplary examples of the epic battle between offense and defense in the NFL.”
Both played in last season’s Super Bowl, which the Steelers won 27-23. Both athletes are known for their long, helmet-defying hair. Steel City football fans should be particularly happy, since Fitzgerald played college ball at the University of Pittsburgh. (He was also on the cover of EA’s “NCAA Football 2005.”)
UW-WSU deal dead
SPOKANE, Wash. – A proposal to play the annual Apple Cup football game at Qwest Field in Seattle for the next six years is dead.
The cross-state rivalry of the Apple Cup pits the University of Washington against Washington State University and the games have traditionally alternated between the schools’ Seattle and Pullman home stadiums.
The two programs could not reach an agreement on how to divide up the tickets at Qwest, the 67,000-seat home of the Seattle Seahawks, officials said.
Washington wanted enough tickets for its entire season ticket base, which typically numbers more than 40,000, while Washington State insisted on an even distribution, officials said.
Super Bowl in mid-February?
NEW YORK – NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can envision a Super Bowl played in mid-February if the league expands its regular-season schedule to 17 or 18 games.
Team owners are expected to get a proposal, perhaps as soon as next month, that would eliminate two preseason games and add one or two to the regular schedule.
Goodell said Friday at a meeting with Associated Press Sports Editors such a format could push the Super Bowl back to President’s weekend.
“The idea has merit, I think,” he said Friday, referring to more regular-season games. “You are taking the quality and improving it, taking two meaningless games and making them meaningful within the 20-game framework.”
A Super Bowl that late in February could conflict with such other events as the Daytona 500, the NBA All-Star game and, every four years, the Winter Olympics. Then again, there is no bigger sporting event in America than the NFL’s title game.
Goodell outlined a scenario that would have two preseason games in August, followed by a dark week on Labor Day weekend, followed by the opening week.
QUOTABLE
'We have never looked at London or Mexico City as a site.'
ROGER GOODELL,
NFL commissioner, on reports that the league was talking with London as a possible site for a Super Bowl
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SPORTS SOUND-OFF
Happy to see ex-Cat Terry honored
Re: Ex-Wildcat Jason Terry wins sixth man award
• Between Jason Terry and Mike Bibby, they are by far my favorite Wildcats. I am so happy that he has done so well and stayed out of trouble. He’s awesome. TUCSONBUTTERFLY
• And none of us are surprised. His engaging and positive personality make him the perfect one to spark his teammates. MPOMEROY
Re: UA men’s basketball
• I’m not a Livengood “hater” but I don’t have much use for him. I’m glad he was able to land coach Miller but feel the Floyd fiasco was totally unnecessary and allowed Floyd to use UA for his own purposes. I had no respect for Livengood before and have no more now even though he managed to stumble around and finally land a quality coach. RJW52
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ON THIS DATE
1950: Charles Cooper, an All-American from Duquesne playing with the Harlem Globetrotters, becomes the first black to be picked in the NBA draft when he’s taken by the Boston Celtics.
1965: The Boston Celtics score 42 points on a record 21 field goals in the final quarter of Game 5 to post a 129-96 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers and win their seventh consecutive NBA championship.
1993: Pittsburgh’s NHL-record 14-game playoff winning streak and its overall 21-game unbeaten string are snapped as the New Jersey Devils beat the Penguins 4-1.
The Associated Press