Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Twins 5, Red Sox 0

BOSTON — Samuel Deduno allowed two hits in six innings for his third straight strong performance, and the Twins spoiled a rare solid outing by Jon Lester. Brian Dozier had three hits for Minnesota, including a two-run homer in the ninth. Deduno, making his sixth major-league start, has given up just two earned runs and 10 hits in 19 1/3 innings. Lester had allowed 25 earned runs over his previous four starts and gave up only three runs and seven hits in eight innings on Thursday but was backed by just two hits.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Training camp

Where: One Buc Place, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, just east of Raymond James Stadium, Tampa

Admission: Free

Et cetera: All practices are weather permitting and subject to change. For updates, go to buccaneers.com.

Schedules

Public practices

Today: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.

Saturday: 6:30 to 9 p.m. *

Monday: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.

* Intrasquad scrimmage at Raymond James Stadium; free parking, autograph sessions, $1 hot dogs and soft drinks, and fireworks

Preseason games

Aug. 10: at Dolphins, 7:30, Ch. 10

Aug. 17: Titans, 7:30, Ch. 10 *

Aug. 24: Patriots, 7:30, Ch. 10 *

Aug. 29: at Redskins, 7:30, Ch. 10

* Subject to blackout

Alstott visits

Mike Alstott played his entire career with the Bucs, but he returned to practice Thursday with another team. The A-Train, who retired after the 2008 season, is days away from embarking on a new career as head coach of Northside Christian. He arrived with his Chargers players in tow.

"I get my adrenaline from the kids. I get my love and passion for the game back," said Alstott, 38.

The coaching bug bit him two years ago when son Griffin decided to play youth football.

Alstott was offered a chance to become a Bucs assistant under Raheem Morris, but with three children, he didn't want to be away from his family. Griffin, a quarterback, will attend Northside Christian next year.

The Mustangs' regular-season opener is Aug. 31 against Shorecrest Prep, coached by Alstott's longtime friend and Bucs teammate Dave Moore.

"It was a coincidence, because both of us were in a similar situation where we weren't looking for this," Alstott said. "I went in there thinking, 'Absolutely not,' and left the meeting thinking 'This is pretty good.' ''

Special day

The team continued an annual event Thursday, hosting more than 60 Special Olympics Florida athletes who were gleefully joined in a series of football drills after practice.

The athletes from throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties watched practice from seats around the 50-yard line — getting a particular kick out of interacting with the Bucs cheerleaders — then got up close and personal with players.

Settling for 3

During the two-minute offense period of practice, the offense took possession around midfield, with just more than two minutes left; a touchdown would win, a field goal would tie.

QB Josh Freeman hooked up with WR Vincent Jackson and TE Dallas Clark for big gains inside the 10.

But a deflection by CB Myron Lewis and an apparent miscommunication between Freeman and his receivers resulted in incompletions on second and third downs, leading to a short field goal.

Stephen F. Holder and Rick Stroud, Times staff writers

Times wires


Thursday, August 2, 2012

Nationals 3, Phillies 0

WASHINGTON — Ross Det­wiler allowed three hits over seven innings and won for only the second time in his past 11 starts. Adam LaRoche hit a second-inning homer and a run-scoring single in the third. Tyler Clippard worked a hitless ninth for his 21st save in 23 chances. He walked two but struck out Ryan Howard for the third out. The Phillies' Cole Hamels has lost both starts since signing a $144 million, six-year extension.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Reds 9, Padres 4

CINCINNATI — Todd Frazier's two-run homer highlighted a six-run second for the Reds, who have won 13 of 14 and are 14-3 since losing All-Star first baseman Joey Votto to knee surgery. Johnny Cueto tied a season high with nine strikeouts in winning his career-high fifth consecutive start. His only negative was giving up two solo homers. He entered having not allowed a homer since May 25, a span of 11 starts.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Mets 9, Giants 1

SAN FRANCISCO — Ronny Cedeno drove in five runs to match his career high and Jason Bay had only his second multi-RBI game this year as the Mets took three of four. "I'm seeing the ball well and trying to hit my pitch," Cedeno said. "I just want to be more patient and just see ball, hit ball." Bay had two RBIs, his first such game since April 13, when he hit a two-run homer.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

NBA

Heat says no need for center upgrade

On a roster that has only Joel Anthony and Dexter Pittman under contract at center, Heat president Pat Riley said Thursday that he sees no need to aggressively pursue a veteran in free agency.

"We definitely are going to continue to look for somebody in that spot, but unless there's an injury, we really don't need a center," Riley said.

Among veteran big men available are Darko Milicic, Chris Andersen, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, Lou Amundson, Joel Przybilla and Andray Blatche. The Heat won the 2012 title with Chris Bosh as the starting center, and Riley said the team is covered.

Et cetera

Tennis: Sam Querrey finished off Benjamin Becker with his eighth ace, winning 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Citi Open quarterfinals in Washington. Querrey faces Kevin Anderson, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Florent Serra. Top-seeded Mardy Fish beat Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-1 and faces Xavier Malisse, who beat Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-2. In the women's tournament, top-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova advanced to the semifinals, beating Kai-Chen Chang 6-4, 6-4. Pavlyuchenkova faces Vania King, a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 winner over Coco Vandeweghe.

Soccer: Liverpool beat Gomel of Belarus 1-0 and Inter Milan won 3-0 at Hajduk Split in the first leg of the Europa League's third qualifying round. Marseille had a disappointing 1-1 tie at Eskisehirspor in Turkey.

Times wires

NBA

Heat says no need for center upgrade

On a roster that has only Joel Anthony and Dexter Pittman under contract at center, Heat president Pat Riley said Thursday that he sees no need to aggressively pursue a veteran in free agency.

"We definitely are going to continue to look for somebody in that spot, but unless there's an injury, we really don't need a center," Riley said.

Among veteran big men available are Darko Milicic, Chris Andersen, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, Lou Amundson, Joel Przybilla and Andray Blatche. The Heat won the 2012 title with Chris Bosh as the starting center, and Riley said the team is covered.

Et cetera

Tennis: Sam Querrey finished off Benjamin Becker with his eighth ace, winning 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Citi Open quarterfinals in Washington. Querrey faces Kevin Anderson, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Florent Serra. Top-seeded Mardy Fish beat Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 1 and faces Xavier Malisse, who beat Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-2. In the women's tournament, top-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova advanced to the semifinals, beating Kai-Chen Chang 6-4, 6-4. Pavlyuchenkova faces Vania King, a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 winner over Coco Vandeweghe.

Soccer: Liverpool beat Gomel of Belarus 1-0 and Inter Milan won 3-0 at Hajduk Split in the first leg of the Europa League's third qualifying round. Marseille tied 1-1 at Eskisehirspor in Turkey.

Times wires

NBA

Heat says no need for center upgrade

On a roster that has only Joel Anthony and Dexter Pittman under contract at center, Heat president Pat Riley said Thursday that he sees no need to aggressively pursue a veteran in free agency.

"We definitely are going to continue to look for somebody in that spot, but unless there's an injury, we really don't need a center," Riley said.

Among veteran big men available are Darko Milicic, Chris Andersen, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, Lou Amundson, Joel Przybilla and Andray Blatche. The Heat won the 2012 title with Chris Bosh as the starting center, and Riley said the team is covered.

Et cetera

Tennis: Sam Querrey finished off Benjamin Becker with his eighth ace, winning 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Citi Open quarterfinals in Washington. Querrey faces Kevin Anderson, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Florent Serra. Top-seeded Mardy Fish beat Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 1 and faces Xavier Malisse, who beat Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-2. In the women's tournament, top-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova advanced to the semifinals, beating Kai-Chen Chang 6-4, 6-4. Pavlyuchenkova faces Vania King, a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 winner over Coco Vandeweghe.

Soccer: Liverpool beat Gomel of Belarus 1-0 and Inter Milan won 3-0 at Hajduk Split in the first leg of the Europa League's third qualifying round. Marseille tied 1-1 at Eskisehirspor in Turkey.

Times wires

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

AKRON, Ohio — Jim Furyk made a detour to Florida to sit on his back porch and hang out with his kids as he tried to figure out why decent golf was producing ordinary scores. The short break appeared to help Thursday at the Bridgestone Invitational.

With seven birdies and a 30-foot eagle putt, Furyk shot 7-under 63 for his best score ever at Firestone and a two-shot lead over Lee Slattery of England.

The conditions were ideal: sunshine, heat, little wind along with carpet for fairways and smooth greens. It showed in tee shots on the South Course — 58 drives of at least 350 yards, including a 427-yarder by Branden Grace of South Africa — and in the scoring.

World No. 1 Luke Donald and Masters champion Bubba Watson were among those at 66. Thirty players in the 78-man field at this World Golf Championship event broke par.

Tiger Woods was not among them. He was 3 under after back-to-back birdies to start the back nine but had to lay up with his third shot on the par-5 16th after driving into the trees and ended his round with a three-putt bogey from 25 feet for 70. It was his second-worst start at Firestone, where he has won seven times. The other was a 74 in 2010.

"I think I averaged about four putts per hole, so it was a great day on the greens," Woods said sarcastically.

Since missing out on a chance to win the U.S. Open, Furyk has tied for 34th in two tournaments and missed two cuts, including last week in Canada. So he flew home for three days.

"I think more than anything I needed a little time to clear my head," Furyk said. "It wasn't anything that was going wrong, (but) why I wasn't playing better. I needed to come in here and quit concentrating on trying to be so mechanically sound and just go play some golf and try to score and get the ball in the hole a little bit. It worked.

"It's been a while since I made seven birdies and an eagle in a round. So it was a lot of fun."

pga: Andres Romero had seven birdies in a bogey-free first round at the Reno-Tahoe Open to take a one-point lead over South Korean rookie Seung-Yul Noh in Nevada. Romero, from Argentina, had 14 points under the modified Stableford scoring system that was last used on the PGA Tour at the 2006 International in Colorado.

Times staff, wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Country G S B T

U.S.1891037

China1811534

Japan261119

Germany48517

Russia36817

France64615

Britain56415

S. Korea72514

Italy45211

Australia17311

4 a.m. – 7 p.m. NBC BASKETBALL

• Basketball (W) – U.S.-Czech Republic, Russia-Australia, Brazil-Canada, Angola-Croatia, Turkey-China, France-Great Britain (ALL LIVE)

4 a.m. – 8 p.m. NBCSN

• Basketball (W) – U.S.-Czech Republic (LIVE, 5:15 p.m.)

• Soccer (W) – Quarterfinals: Sweden-France (LIVE, 7 a.m.), U.S.-New Zealand (LIVE, 9:30 a.m.), Brazil-Japan (LIVE, noon), Great Britain-Canada (LIVE, 2:30 p.m.)

• Beach Volleyball – Elimination Round (LIVE)

• Volleyball (W) – Qualifying (LIVE)

• Boxing – Elimination Bouts

• Archery (M) – Individual Final

• Shooting (M) –Final

• Weightlifting (M) – Final

7 a.m. – 3 p.m. BRAVO

• Tennis – Singles and Mixed Doubles Semifinals (LIVE)

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. TELEMUNDO

• Swimming – Heats

• Track and Field – Qualifying Rounds

• Volleyball (W) – Qualifying

• Tennis – Singles Semifinals

• Beach Volleyball – Elimination Round

• Boxing – Elimination Bouts

9 a.m. – 6 p.m. MSNBC

• Gymnastics (M) – Trampoline Qualifying (LIVE)

• Water Polo (W) – Qualifying (LIVE)

• Weightlifting – Gold Medal Finals

• Handball (W) – Qualifying (LIVE)

• Equestrian – Dressage Qualifying

• Badminton – Mixed Doubles Final

• Table Tennis – U.S. vs. Japan

• Beach Volleyball (M, W) – Elimination Round (LIVE)

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Ch. 8

• Swimming – Heats

• Track and Field – Women's 10,000M Final (LIVE, 3:25 p.m.), Heats

• Beach Volleyball – Women, U.S.-Switzerland (LIVE, 2 p.m.); Men, U.S.-TBA (LIVE, 1 p.m.)

• Water Polo (W) – U.S. vs. China (LIVE, 2:40 p.m.)

• Rowing – Final

• Cycling – Track Final

5 – 8 p.m. CNBC

• Boxing – Elimination Bouts

8 p.m. – Midnight Ch. 8

• Swimming – Finals: Men's 100M Butterfly, Men's 50M Freestyle, Women's 200M Backstroke, Women's 800M Freestyle

• Track and Field (M) – Shot Put Final

• Diving (W) – 3m Qualifying

• Volleyball (W) – U.S. vs. Serbia

• Gymnastics (M) – Trampoline Final

Midnight – 2:30 a.m. TELEMUNDO

• Swimming – Finals

• Track and Field – Finals

• Diving (W) – 3m Qualifying

12:35 – 1:35 a.m. Ch. 8

• Track and Field – Qualifying

• Cycling – Track Finals

(W)– Women's event; (M)– Men's event

Contact your cable or dish provider to see if it carries the NBC Basketball network.

For a complete day-by-day TV schedule, go to tampabay.com/londonolympics.

All events are streamed live at NBCOlympics.com.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

LONDON — Michael Phelps spent the day thinking about all the things he's doing for the final time at the pool. It turns out that included one last win over Ryan Lochte.

Phelps finally got a gold all his own at his final Olympics.

Adding to an already unprecedented medal collection, he claimed his first individual victory of the Games and helped hand Lochte a double disappointment on his rival's final night in the pool Thursday.

Phelps set the tone from the start in their race with a dominating butterfly leg in the 200-meter individual medley, becoming the first male swimmer to win the same individual event at three straight Olympics. He claimed his 20th career medal — and 16th gold — in 1 minute, 54.27 seconds, just off his winning time in Beijing but still good enough for gold, ahead of Lochte.

When it was done, there wasn't the water-pounding celebration seen so many times from Phelps, just a slight smile as he hung on the lane rope, gazing up at the stands and soaking it all in.

"Going into every call room, I said it's my last semifinal or my last prelim," Phelps said, reflecting on a busy day that included a morning swim, then two more races in the evening. "We're kind of chalking up all the lasts of certain things.

"Once it's all over, it's going to really hit me emotionally."

So a farewell Games that started as a bit of a disappointment — fourth in the 400 IM, with Lochte winning — is looking up. He now has won two golds and two silvers in five races and has two more races to go: the 100 butterfly today and the 400 medley relay Saturday.

Lochte settled for silver in the 200 IM, having split with Phelps in their two head-to-head races in London. "Ryan and I have had a lot of great races," Phelps said. "He has brought the best out of me many times."

Lochte tried to pull off an impressive double 31 minutes apart. The former Gator from Daytona Beach came up short in both races, first fading to bronze in the last 50 meters of the 200 backstroke — in which he was the defending gold medalist — as fellow American Tyler Clary overtook him to win.

"I wanted to get all golds in my events, but you know, it didn't happen," Lochte said. "I'm going to have to live with that and move on and learn from it. Try not to make the same mistakes in the next four years.

"For the most part, I'm pretty satisfied."

Lochte, who intends to keep swimming through Rio in 2016, shook hands with his rival before crawling out of the pool for the last time at these Games. In a symbolic gesture, he tossed his cap and goggles into the crowd, his work done. His final tally: two golds, two silvers, one bronze and a fourth-place finish, impressive but shy of what he had predicted would be "my year."

Rebecca Soni made quite a splash, too, on a night dominated by the Phelps-Lochte showdown. Soni set her second world record in as many days to defend her title in the 200 breaststroke. She finished in 2:19.59, breaking her 2:20.00 set in the semifinals.

Soni raced the clock more than anyone in the water. Japan's Satomi Suzuki took silver, more than a second behind at 2:20.72.

"It's been my goal since I was a little kid to go under 2:20," Soni said. "That's when my coach told me, 'You're going to be the first woman to go under 2:19.' I've been chasing it ever since. I'm just so happy."

Clary rallied on the final lap to pull off the upset of Lochte in an Olympic-record 1:53.41.

Ranomi Kromowidjojo (CRO-mo-wuh-JO-jo) carried on the Dutch tradition of producing top sprinters and prevented a U.S. sweep of the night, taking the 100 freestyle in an Olympic-record 53.00. American Missy Franklin finished fifth and Jessica Hardy last in the eight-woman field.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Braves 6, Marlins 1

ATLANTA — Chipper Jones and Freddie Freeman each hit a two-run double, and the Braves scored six runs in the first two innings to coast. Jones, 40, had two hits and is batting .316 in his final season before retirement. Miami's Jose Reyes led off the sixth with a triple to leftfield, giving him a 20-game hitting streak.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

ready to change the world

I n November 2007, a man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Dayton, Ohio, to illicit sexual conduct involving a 13-year-old girl. He was a judo coach, and the girl was a student he had trained closely and brought to international tournaments. She was identified in court papers as "K.H." or "the victim." She was Kayla Harrison, now 22. Thursday she won the first gold medal in judo for the United States. She beat Britain's Gemma Gibbons 2-0 for the gold in the under 78-kilogram division. "Never give up on your dreams," Harrison said. "If I can do it, anybody can do it. Things have happened, but now, my life is a dream. I'm living my dream right now." Harrison never ceded control of the final. She had to rally in her quarterfinal match, then topped world No. 1 Mayra Aguiar of Brazil in the semifinals. "I want to help kids realize their Olympic dreams," Harrison said. "I want to help kids overcome being victims. I want to help… change the sport and change people's lives."

a little bit of beijing brings good fortune

After winning the 2008 gold medal, the U.S. women's eight boat filled a bottle with water from the rowing venue and brought it home. It remained sealed for nearly four years, until the crew arrived at the Windsor rowing center last month. There, it christened its boat with the water in an effort to infuse some of that good fortune. Thursday, the crew won the United States' first 2012 rowing gold and continued its six-year winning streak. "That is an American dynasty, baby," said Susan Francia, a Hungarian-born model who has won two golds and four world titles with the crew.

zach railey faces big challenge in last races

Clearwater's Zach Railey was in 12th place overall in Finn after finishing 11th and eighth in his latest two races off Weymouth. The 2008 silver medalist has two races today to move into the top 10 and make the medals race. "Obviously things haven't gone the way I wanted them to," Railey told USA Sailing. "I'm not going to let this get me down. … I'm going to go out and do the best that I can." In Star, St. Petersburg native Mark Mendelblatt and Miami's Brian Fatih were sixth after finishes of fifth and 10th. They have two more races today before the top 10 advance to the medals race.

familiar feeling pervading wimbledon

The men's singles tournament at Wimbledon took a step closer to a rematch of this year's Wimbledon final. Champion Roger Federer beat Tampa resident John Isner to make the semifinals, where he meets Juan Martin del Potro, who swept Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. "You can imagine the relief and happiness I feel right now," said Federer, who guaranteed himself two shots to win his first medal. On the other side, Wimbledon runnerup Andy Murray set up a semi with Novak Djokovic. On the women's side, Serena Williams beat Caroline Wozniacki to set up a semi with Victoria Azarenka, and Maria Sharapova downed Kim Clijsters to advance to the other semi against fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko.

lots of records for u.s. men in win

The U.S. men's basketball team beat Nigeria 156-73 in an epic blowout. It had an Olympic-record 78 points in the first half. It broke the Olympic record for most points in a game with 4:37 to play (138, set by Brazil against Egypt in 1988). The 83-point margin of victory was the largest in U.S. national team history, eclipsing the 79-point spread when the 1992 Dream Team beat Cuba 136-57 in its first game. It set U.S. records for 3-pointers (26), field goals (59) and field-goal percentage (71). Carmelo Anthony scored 37 to break the U.S. single-game scoring record in less than three quarters. "Our guys just couldn't miss," coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

More sports

• Temple Terrace's Emil Milev was in seventh in men's 25m rapid fire pistol after the first qualification round. Round 2 is today, followed by the final. (Qualification 5:30 a.m. EDT, final 9:30 a.m.; on TV on NBC Sports Network's 4 a.m.-8 p.m. show, not scheduled live.)

• Five-time Olympian Khatuna Lorig's bid for her first individual archery medal ended in tricky wind. After falling to eventual gold medalist Ki Bo Bae from Korea in the semifinals, the American lost to Mexico's Mariana Avitia in the bronze-medal match. "Unfortunately, it was a little bit more about the luck with the wind," said Lorig, who trained actor Jennifer Lawrence for the Hunger Games movie.

Times staff, wries
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Badminton fallout grows

A day after four badminton doubles teams were disqualified for deliberately trying to lose their final preliminary-round match, the Chinese were taking it especially hard:

• One of the ousted players, China's Yu Yang, far left, said she planned to retire and she and partner Wang Xiaoli, right, were playing hurt and trying to save their energy.

• China ordered Yu, Wang and the team's coach, Yi Longbo, to issue public apologies. The official government news agency, Xinhua, reported Yi as saying, "As head coach, I owe the supporters of Chinese badminton and the Chinese TV audiences an apology. Chinese players failed to demonstrate the fine tradition and fighting spirit of the national team. It's me who's to blame."

• The International Olympic Committee urged the Chinese Olympic committee and those of the other three expelled teams, South Korean and Indonesia, to investigate the coaches.

yaaawwwwn....

If you had Day 5 as the day the first boxing controversy happened, you win (and it's because you took the over). A referee from Turkmenistan was expelled for his handling of a bout in which Azerbaijan's Magomed Abdulhamidov was knocked down six times in the third round by Japan's Satoshi Shimizu and still won a 22-17 decision Wednesday. The sport's federation overturned the result and sent Ishanguly Meretnyyazov home. But that's not all. The federation suspended German ref Frank Scharmach for five days for his decision to disqualify an Iranian heavyweight after giving him several warnings for holding (the boxer remains disqualified) and expelled technical official Aghajan Abiyev of Azerbaijan for unspecified code of conduct breaches.

Speaking of badminton …

With the win in judo by Kayla Harrison, the number of current Olympic sports in which the United States has never medaled is six (with all varieties of gymnastics and cycling included in those broad categories): badminton, handball, field hockey, modern pentathlon, table tennis and triathlon.

How did bolt get in there?

The eight richest athletes at the Olympics, based on 2011-12 athletic earnings data compiled by Sports Illustrated and Forbes. Just wait until golf joins the Games in four years:

1. LeBron James, total earnings $53 million

2. Roger Federer, $52.7 million

3. Kobe Bryant, $52.3 million

4. Carmelo Anthony, $22.9 million

5. Novak Djokovic, $20.6 million

6. Usain Bolt, $20.3 million

7. Chris Paul, $19.2 million

8. Deron Williams, $18.2 million

Readers ask us

In the swimming, a few of the swimmers look like there is a string hanging from the middle of their goggles. At first we thought the guy hadn't cut the tag off his goggles, but then they showed another guy with the same type of white string hanging from the middle. What is the purpose of this?

The swimmers were wearing Swedish goggles, or a version of them, a type of goggles worn by elite swimmers because they can customize the fit. The string is used to connect the eye pieces. A little rubber tube is used between the eye pieces to cover the string and enclose the edges, but as you see, some swimmers have no problem with the edges hanging out.

Readers ask us II

Why does one player in volleyball wear a different-color uniform from the others?

That jersey is worn by the libero, a specialized defensive player who's good at digging and always stays in the back row.

Compiled by Times staff writer Sharon Fink from Times wires, bankrate.com.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

LONDON — Gymnastics coach Liang Chow didn't quite know what to make of Gabby Douglas when she decided to move halfway across the country 20 months ago to train at his gym.

Her body was scrawny, her skills ragged, but she wanted to compete in the 2012 Olympics.

Chow was skeptical, until he realized Douglas does everything with 100-volt energy, 100-mph speed and a 100-watt smile. She improved in leaps and bounds, at the same rate she tumbles across a mat.

Douglas' transformation was complete Thursday, as she reigned over gymnasts who were supposed to be more polished and reliable. Douglas won the most coveted title in her sport, Olympic all-around gold medalist, with four exquisitely error-free routines.

Douglas, 16, became the first black winner of the all-around. Her victory marked the first time an American won both the individual and team titles at the same Olympics. She joins Mary Lou Retton, Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin as the fourth female all-around champion from the United States. She is the third straight American to win the title, after Patterson and Liukin.

Douglas had 62.232 points to hold off Russians Victoria Komova (61.973) and Aliya Mustafina (59.566) and teammate Aly Raisman (59.566), who placed fourth on a tiebreaker.

Douglas took a comfortable but not insurmountable lead of .326 points over Komova into the final rotation, floor exercise. Chow said he tried to make sure she didn't look at the scores. Douglas admitted she "snuck a peak" and knew she was in the lead.

It didn't matter. She scored 15.033, and Komova, needing a score of 15.360 to win gold, got 15.100.

Mustafina battled back for the bronze after falling off the beam and scoring 13.633 points, the lowest total among the top 12 finishers. Her coach tried to pat her on the back, and she shoved his hand away.

"I was not totally confident I would get a medal," she said. "Any fall is very bad. It is very difficult to be a leading athlete after a fall like that."

Mustafina got the bronze because after the low scores of the four events for her and Raisman were tossed out, Mustafina had a higher three-event score.

"I'm still an Olympic champion, so that makes me feel better," said Raisman, referring to the team gold medal the U.S. won.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

NEW YORK — NBC's researchers are finding that people who know the results of Olympics events before they are shown on tape delay are more — not less — likely to watch them.

The preliminary research unveiled Thursday undercuts an assumption that has guided production of Olympic broadcasts from locales outside of U.S. time zones for decades. NBC has been criticized for not televising live some of the Games' marquee events like swimming and gymnastics so they can be aired later in prime time.

Two-thirds of people questioned in a survey Sunday said they watch the prime-time Olympics telecast even if they know the results ahead of time. People who watched the events live earlier in the day via computer screen watched the tape-delayed broadcast 50 percent longer than those who hadn't, said Alan Wurtzel, NBC's chief researcher.

The company Usamp questioned 1,000 adults who said they had watched Olympics competition. The survey found that 43 percent of the people who watched the prime-time telecasts said they knew the results before tuning in.

drugs: Suspended French runner Nordine Gezzar has lost his late legal bid to run today at the Olympics. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said its special Olympic court rejected his urgent appeal against exclusion by the French team for doping. Gezzar had been entered in the 3,000-meter steeplechase heats, which start today. The French athletics federation provisionally suspended Gezzar after he tested positive for the blood-boosting hormone EPO at the national championships in June. Gezzar, 32, served a two-year suspension for doping in 2006. He faces a life ban for a second offense.

Times wires
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Rockies 8, Cardinals 2

DENVER — Tyler Colvin hit a tiebreaking double and rookie Josh Rutledge homered in his fourth straight game as the Rockies averted a three-game sweep. Wilin Rosario hit his first career pinch-hit homer, a two-run shot off reliever Brian Fuentes in the eighth, and Jordan Pacheco had two doubles and two RBIs as the Rockies ended a five-game skid.

Times wires
Friday, August 3, 2012

Royals 7, Indians 6

11 innings

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Alcides Escobar delivered a two-out single to score Eric Hosmer in the 11th as the Royals turned back the Indians, who had rallied from a six-run first-inning deficit. Indians starter Corey Kluber had given up six runs, six hits and a walk in the first.

Times staff


Friday, August 3, 2012

Arena Football playoffs

Semifinals: Jacksonville at Philadelphia, 8 p.m., NFL

Autos

Sprint Cup: Pennsylvania 400 practice, noon, Speed

Sprint Cup: Pennsylvania 400 practice, 3:30 p.m., Speed

Baseball

Marlins at Nationals, Game 1, 4 p.m., FSN

Marlins at Nationals , Game 2, 7 p.m., FSN

Orioles at Rays, 7 p.m., Sun Sports; 620-AM

Mariners at Yankees, 7 p.m., MLB; 820-AM

Cubs at Dodgers, 10 p.m., WGN

Boxing

Junior welterweights: Gesta vs. Barnett, 10 p.m., ESPN2

Golf

Web.com: Cox Classic, 10 a.m., Golf

Champions: 3M Championship, noon, Golf

WGC: Bridgestone Invitational, 2 p.m., Golf

PGA: Reno-Tahoe Open, 6:30 p.m., Golf

Olympics

4 a.m. – 7 p.m. NBC BASKETBALL

• Women's Basketball Qualifying Round – Russia vs. Australia (LIVE)

4 a.m. – 8 p.m. NBCSN

• Women's Basketball – U.S. Qualifying Game (LIVE)

• Women's Soccer – Quarterfinals (LIVE)

• Beach Volleyball – Elimination Round (LIVE)

• Women's Volleyball – Qualifying Round

• Boxing – Elimination Bouts

• Men's Archery – Individual Gold Medal Final

• Men's Shooting – 50M Prone Rifle Gold Medal Final

7 a.m. – 3 p.m. BRAVO

• Tennis – Singles Semifinals (LIVE)

7 a.m. – 7 p.m. NBC SOCCER

• Women's Soccer – Quarterfinals

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. TELEMUNDO

• Swimming – Qualifying Heats

• Track and Field – Qualifying Rounds

• Women's Volleyball – Qualifying Round

• Tennis – Singles Semifinals

• Beach Volleyball – Elimination Round

• Boxing – Elimination Bouts

9 a.m. – 6 p.m. MSNBC

• Men's Gymnastics – Trampoline Qualifying (LIVE)

• Weightlifting – Gold Medal Finals

• Women's Handball – Qualifying Round

• Equestrian – Dressage Qualifying

• Badminton – Men's and Women's Singles Semifinals, Mixed Doubles Bronze Medal

• Table Tennis – Team Competition

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Ch. 8

• Swimming – Qualifying Heats

• Track and Field – Women's 10,000M Gold Medal Final (LIVE), Qualifying Rounds

• Beach Volleyball – Elimination Round (LIVE)

• Women's Water Polo – U.S. vs. China (LIVE)

• Men's Gymnastics – Trampoline Gold Medal Final (LIVE)

• Rowing – Gold Medal Final

5 – 8 p.m. CNBC

• Boxing – Elimination Bouts

8 – MidnightCh. 8

• Swimming – Gold Medal Finals: Men's 100M Butterfly, Men's 50M Freestyle, Women's 200M Backstroke, Women's 800M Freestyle

• Track and Field – Men's Shot Put Gold Medal Final

• Women's Diving – Springboard Qualifying

• Women's Volleyball – U.S. vs. Serbia

• Cycling – Track Gold Medal Final

Midnight – 2:30 a.m.TELEMUNDO

• Swimming – Gold Medal Finals

• Track and Field – Gold Medal Finals

• Women's Diving – Springboard Qualifying

12:35 – 1:35 a.m. Ch. 8

• Track and Field – Qualifying Rounds

• Badminton – Mixed Doubles Gold Medal Final

Soccer

MLS: New York at Houston, 8 p.m., NBCSN

Mexican: San Luis at Monarcas, 10:30 p.m., ESPND

Tennis

ATP: Citi Open, 2 p.m., Tennis

ATP: Citi Open, 5 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday highlights

Autos

Sprint Cup: Pennsylvania 400 qualifying, 10:30 a.m., ESPN2

Trucks: Pocono Mountains 125, 1 p.m., Speed

Nationwide: U.S. Cellular 250 qualifying, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2

Nationwide: U.S. Cellular 250, 8 p.m., ESPN2

Baseball

Mariners at Yankees, 1 p.m., MLB; 820-AM

Marlins at Nationals, 7 p.m., FSN

Orioles at Rays, 7 p.m., Sun Sports; 620-AM

Pirates at Reds, 7 p.m., MLB

Angels at White Sox, 7 p.m., WGN

Golf

WGC: Bridgestone Invitational, noon, Golf

WGC: Bridgestone Invitational, 2 p.m., Ch. 10

Web.com: Cox Classic, 2 p.m., Golf

Champions: 3M Championship, 4 p.m., Golf

PGA: Reno-Tahoe Open, 6:30 p.m., Golf

NFL

Hall of Fame ceremony, 7 p.m., ESPN, NFL

Sunday highlights

Autos

IndyCar: Indy 200, 1 p.m., Ch. 28

Sprint Cup: Pennsylvania 400, 1 p.m., ESPN

NHRA: Northwest Nationals (taped), 6 p.m., ESPN2

Baseball

Mariners at Yankees, 1 p.m., 820-AM

Marlins at Nationals, 1:30 p.m., FSN

Orioles at Rays, 1:30 p.m., Sun Sports; 620-AM

Angels at White Sox, 2 p.m., TBS

Cubs at Dodgers, 4 p.m., WGN

Brewers at Cardinals, 8 p.m., ESPN; 1040-AM

Golf

WGC: Bridgestone Invitational, noon, Golf

WGC: Bridgestone Invitational, 2 p.m., Ch. 10

Web.com: Cox Classic, 2 p.m., Golf

Champions: 3M Championship, 4 p.m., Golf

PGA: Reno-Tahoe Open, 7 p.m., Golf

NFL preseason

Saints vs. Cardinals, 8 p.m., NFL

TV: ESPND: ESPN Deportes; FSN: Fox Sports Net; NBCSN: NBC Sports Channel

Friday, August 3, 2012

ARLINGTON, Texas — Josh Hamilton drove in four runs and the Rangers offense rescued Ryan Dempster in his Texas debut in a 15-9 victory over the Angels on Thursday.

The Rangers broke an 8-8 tie after six innings when they scored four runs in the seventh, including Hamilton's two-run double, and added three in the eighth.

Dempster allowed eight runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. The Rangers had acquired Dempster from the Cubs minutes before Tuesday's nonwaiver trade deadline.

Roy Oswalt threw two scoreless innings in relief for the win.

C.J. Wilson gave up eight runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings, but David Carpenter took the loss for the Angels.

Mitch Moreland singled to center to drive in Michael Young and start Texas' four-run seventh.

Still, closer Joe Nathan made things interesting. With two outs, Alberto Callaspo homered, then Howard Kendrick singled and Chris Iannetta walked. Nathan finally got Maicer Izturis to strike out.

Times wires
Friday, August 3, 2012

Athletics 4, Blue Jays 1

OAKLAND, Calif. — Josh Reddick hit a two-run homer to back another strong outing by Bartolo Colon, and the Athletics beat the slumping Blue Jays. Brandon Inge and Seth Smith also drove in runs for the A's, who improved to 14-5 since the All-Star break. Colon scattered seven hits over eight shutout innings, extending his scoreless streak to 16 1/3 innings. The 39-year-old right-hander has not allowed a run since the fourth inning against the Yankees on July 22.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Friday, August 3, 2012

LONDON — Some first steps are more painful than others. Some pioneers don't last long enough.

Witness the first, halting steps of Wojdan Shahrkhani, a roundfaced teenager in over her head. She wore a black modified headscarf — itself a subject of controversy — as she moved across the tatami, slowly approaching history. She bowed slightly toward her opponent, and her eyes were wide from the noise and the lights and the stage.

With her, Shahrkhani brought the women of a nation.

She was not very good, and she did not last very long, and 82 seconds after she started, she lay prone in defeat. None of this was unexpected. At this point in her career, Shahrkhani is more of a cause than a competitor. She never had a chance; she was only here to make sure other women in Saudi Arabia might eventually get one.

History has to change sometime, however. Someone has to endure the insults to the stop the indignity.

In this case, it was Shahrkhani, all of 16 years old, trying to change the thinking of a country that has oppressed women for centuries.

Can you imagine the pressure? Back in Saudi Arabia, many do not believe she should be here at all. The Prostitute of the Olympics, she has been called by her critics. Shameless, say others.

After all, in Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to exercise. Or vote. Or drive. Or leave the house without an escort. Before Friday, the idea of a woman in the Olympic games was too jarring for a nation to consider.

Can you imagine her return? Already, there have suggestions that many may shun Shahrkhani when she returns to Saudi Arabia. She not only competed, she did so in front of men.

Can you imagine the competitors' stares? There are other competitors who did not think she was worthy of competing in the Olympics. She had never been in an international competition — for that matter, Shahrkhani had never been outside of her country before arriving in London. Although the 241-pound Shahrkhani is the daughter of a judo referee, she had only competed for two years. She was a blue belt competing with black belts, a beginner against champions.

"I think she should start with some small competitions," said Urszala Sadkowska, a Polish competitor. "The Olympic Games are hard competitions. That was not a good idea to send her here without any preparations."

Eighty-two seconds? Given the circumstances, perhaps she should be proud for lasting so long against Melissa Mojica of Puerto Rico, the 24th ranked judoka in the world.

"I was scared a lot, because of the crowd," Shahrkhani said, speaking in the mixed zone two barriers away from her questioners. "And lost, because this is the first time. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a new era."

There is nothing new about symbolism in the Olympics, whether it is Jesse Owens running in the face of the Nazis or the closed-fist salutes in Mexico City or American basketball players refusing to accept silver medals in '72 when they believed they deserved the gold.

This, too, was an important step. For the first time in Olympic history, every competing nation has a women's team. The last three holdouts were Qatar, Brunei and, you guessed it, Saudi Arabia. As recently as 1996, 26 nations had no women competitors.

As Shahrkhani competed, a British judo competitor named Chris Sherrington looked on from the tunnel. Good, he thought.

"The more the merrier," he said. "Besides, the women are more violent than the men."

It is not the stuff of movies, Olympic judo. It looks a lot more like a form of wrestling than the image most have of it. The two women moved slowly around each other, Shahrkhani swatting away Mojica's hands as her opponent attempted to take hold of her. The two clenched briefly, and then Mojica grabbed her opponent and tossed her roughly onto the mat.

Shahrkhani lay there for a few seconds. She stood and walked off the mat toward her brother. She was reminded that she had forgotten to bow, and she returned to do that.

After that, she wept. Not from the pain or the defeat, but from relief. It was over. She had broken down a barrier, and she had endured the criticism.

"Hopefully, I'll do better next time," she said through an interpreter. "Hopefully, I'll achieve a medal next time."

Perhaps. But perhaps, in that part of the Olympics that means something more than medals, the part that concerns ideals, this was enough.

It was a start.

It was the opening of an era.

It was a 16-year-old girl, changing her world whether it wanted to change or not.