The Japan Times: Sports feed

Seibu aims for successful season

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:10:00 PDT

The following is first of a two-part preview for the upcoming Nippon Professional Baseball season. Team-by-team previews of the six Pacific League clubs are listed in order of predicted finish.
Manager: Hisanobu WatanabeLast season: 70-70-4 (Fourth)

Portland to host 2010 Skate America

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:11:00 PDT

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) Portland has been named the host city for the 2010 Skate America competition, part of the international Grand Prix of Figure Skating series.
The competition is scheduled for Nov. 11-14 at the Rose Garden, home of the Portland Trail Blazers. The venue also hosted the 2005 U.S. national championships.

Sekiwake Baruto on target for promotion

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:12:00 PDT

OSAKA (Kyodo) Baruto ousted Toyonoshima to claim sekiwake bragging rights and keep his promotion bid firmly on track with a sixth win at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday.
Baruto stood firm as Toyonoshima (3-3) attempted to dismantle the Estonian skyscraper with a backward leg trip and yanked his opponent to the dirt to preserve his unbeaten record and stay tied for the lead with yokozuna Hakuho, ozeki Harumafuji and No. 13 maegashira Tokitenku.

Mourinho proves Abramovich made wrong move

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:13:00 PDT

LONDON — When you are a billionaire I guess it's hard to admit you are wrong.
Roman Abramovich has obviously kept mistakes kept to a minimum, certainly in his business career.

TSPS offering class for boat license

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:14:00 PDT

Cross-country skier Ishida victorious in women's 10-km at nationals

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:15:00 PDT

OTOINEPPU, Hokkaido (Kyodo) Masako Ishida cruised to victory in the women's 10-km classical at the Nordic Skiing National Championships on Friday.
Ishida, who produced the best ever performance by a Japanese skier in an Olympic cross country event in placing fifth in the women's 30-km classical at last month's Vancouver Games, timed 33 minutes, 29.0 seconds, finishing 1:23.4 clear of second-placed Chihiro Kasahara.

Kariya tallies goal No. 400

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:16:00 PDT

NEW YORK (AP) Paul Kariya barely had time to celebrate his 400th NHL goal before St. Louis Blues teammate Keith Tkachuk put things into perspective.
"Now you're about 135 behind me," the grizzled veteran said, laughing. "Not that I'm counting."

March Madness begins

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:17:00 PDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Who knew that all this time Ohio used the regular season as a warmup act?
The Bobcats' time to shine is March.

Japan to adopt IJF standards

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:18:00 PDT

Japan has decided to fall in line with international standards in its country's traditional sport of judo.
The All Japan Judo Federation said after meetings on Thursday it will adopt standards used by the International Judo Federation at domestic tournaments starting in May rather than apply Japanese traditional "Kodokan" rules, which had been used at meets such as the national championships.

Lions looking to roar at plate in '10

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:19:00 PDT

The Seibu Lions are getting back to the basics.
The Lions had Japan's top pitcher last season but faded to a fourth-place finish. This year they're looking to slug their way back to the top, one run at a time.

Washington admits to previous marijuana, stimulant use

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:20:00 PDT

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) A day after acknowledging he failed a drug test for cocaine last year, Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington admits he used marijuana and amphetamines while he was a player.
"When you're young you make mistakes," Washington said Thursday. "I wish I could take back some of the mistakes I may have made, but I can't."

Ishikawa has miserable day at the office

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:21:00 PDT

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (Kyodo) Teenager Ryo Ishikawa sat alone at the bottom of the 144-man field with a career-worst 83 after the first round of the Transitions Championship on Thursday.
Yuta Ikeda, second on the 2009 Japanese tour money list behind Ishikawa, also faced a tough task to make the cut after a 3-over 74 left him tied for 105th at Innisbrook Resort.

Porn actress dishes dirt on Tiger

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:22:00 PDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) A former porn actress released sexually graphic text messages Thursday that she says prove her affair with Tiger Woods, and she said she may reveal more potentially embarrassing information about the golfer as he prepares to return to competition next month.
Joslyn James, whose real name is Veronica Siwik-Daniels, posted more than 100 messages on her Web site that she says came from Woods and indicate he arranged to have her stay at the same hotel as he did.

After realizing dream, Jordan ready to get to work

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:23:00 PDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) A relaxed Michael Jordan broke into a wide smile as he sat at his desk Thursday night amid his whirlwind week of realizing a longtime goal of becoming an NBA owner.
Soon, though, that steely resolve that defined his superstar playing career peeked through as he fielded a question about his commitment to turn the Charlotte Bobcats from a money-losing, non-playoff team into a winner in both areas.