Midwest Region Davidson Is Dazzling in Toppling Another Giant
New York Times
By JOE LAPOINTE DETROIT – While scoring 33 points to lead Davidson to a 73-56 upset of Wisconsin on Friday night, Stephen Curry made six 3-point field goals, including one while falling backward to the floor.

Kawakami: Stanford’s Brook Lopez shows he’s ready to move on
San Jose Mercury News
Stanford Cardinal’s Brook Lopez (11) has his shot blocked against University of Texas Longhorns Connor Atchley (32) in the first half for the first South Regional game of the 2008 Men’s NCAA Tournament at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on Friday, …

Tournament Needs a Touch-Up
Washington Post
By John Feinstein Everyone knows why the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is a must-watch event. We all love the unveiling of the brackets; we all love San Diego and Western Kentucky and we really love Davidson.

Memphis Stays Focused, Routing Michigan State
New York Times
By THAYER EVANS HOUSTON – As Memphis Coach John Calipari and his players walked off the court at halftime, the team’s rabid fans gave the Tigers a standing ovation.

Games now a sideshow for Sox
Boston Herald
By Tony Massarotti LOS ANGELES – First stop, Tokyo. Next stop, the Coliseum. Anyone else think this season-opening Red Sox [team stats] road trip feels more like The Who’s final world tour?

2000 Greek police guard Olympic torch against human rights protesters
The Canadian Press
ATHENS, Greece – The Beijing Olympic torch relay approached Athens on Saturday amid tight police security with demonstrators preparing protests against China’s human rights record.

Garnett dismisses charges by owner
Boston Globe
HOUSTON – Instead of getting into a war of words with the owner of his old team, Celtics forward Kevin Garnett took the high road last night.

Yanks honor victims at Virginia Tech
Boston Herald
By Herald wire services Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and the rest of the New York Yankees stood on the third base line yesterday in Blacksburg, Va.

Kansas, Self wary of upsets; Double-digit seeds have historically …
Detroit Free Press
BY MARK SNYDER • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 19, 2008 The NCAA tournament record book defines an upset as a game between teams separated by at least five seeds — with the underdog winning, of course.

Kevin Martin scores 34, leads Kings to 122-105 win over rival Warriors
The Canadian Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Not many Sacramento Kings are left from the years when thousands of their frustrated fans would drive 130 kilometres to Oakland twice a year because they couldn’t get tickets to see their team in Sacramento.

Lakers find their way back to the top
Los Angeles Times
Reeling from Gasol injury and two straight losses on difficult trip, LA hangs on to beat Mavericks and moves back into first-place tie in West.

NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT The Mount gets Tar Heels
San Francisco Chronicle
AP Mount St. Mary’s, a Maryland school known for getting drubbed in its previous two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, got this one started with a nice-looking win Tuesday night in the opening game.

NFL personnel huddle at BC to get a passing glance at Ryan
Boston Globe
The head coach walked onto the football field and sat next to the highly touted quarterback, engaging him in conversation. Herm Edwards then kicked his feet out and rested his elbow into the turf to strike a more relaxed pose.

Pistons splurge at the Nuggets’ expense, 136-120
Los Angeles Times
Detroit scores a season-high 73 points in the first half, including 63% shooting in the first quarter. * at Detroit 136, Denver 120: Richard Hamilton scored 24 points, Rasheed Wallace had 21, and the Pistons scored a season-high 73 points in the first …

O’Neal leads Suns to fifth straight win
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Portland, OR (Sports Network) – Shaquille O’Neal had one of his stronger performances since joining the Suns with 16 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, as Phoenix earned a 111-98 win over Portland to beat the Trail Blazers for the …

Nuggets halt Spurs’ win streak at 11
Sports Network
Denver, CO (Sports Network) – Allen Iverson continued his recent strong play, scoring 29 points and dishing out nine assists while committing just two turnovers, and the Denver Nuggets kept pace in the heated Western Conference playoff race by snapping …

Coughlin gets four years, $21 million
Newsday
BY BOB GLAUBER | bob.glauber@newsday.com March 8, 2008 A year ago at this time, there was no telling what would happen to Tom Coughlin.

North Carolina and Duke play for ACC basketball title.
Los Angeles Times
This is the fifth time the teams have played with the conference’s regular-season championship on the line, with the teams splitting the previous four games.

Celtics hammer Bulls
Boston Globe
Kevin Garnett missed the newest Celtic, Sam Cassell, so much that he sang a lyric in appreciation last night that Peaches & Herb would have been proud of.

HOCKEY: Ducks leading scorer Perry out for rest of season
Los Angeles Times
Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks, right, will be lost for the remainder of the regular season because of a deep laceration to his right leg.

Edwards showing his cool in tense race situations
FOXSports.com
by JEFF OWENS, Special to FOXSports.com As Carl Edwards cruised around Las Vegas Motor Speedway at pace-car speed Sunday, he had the theme from “Jeopardy” ringing in his head.

Report: Julius Jones joins Seahawks
SI.com
KIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) — For the second time in a week, the Seattle Seahawks appear to have bolstered their offensive backfield, reportedly agreeing to a deal with free agent running back Julius Jones.

Thumb injury sidelines Dodgers’ LaRoche
Los Angeles Times
Reinhold Matay / AP Andy LaRoche, who was competing with Nomar Garciaparra to be the Dodgers’ starting third baseman, was hurt in the fifth inning of the Dodgers’ 6-4 loss Friday to the St.

Goodell on spying: Let’s get tougher
Boston Herald
By John Tomase Concerned that the NFL’s image has taken a hit in the wake of renewed questions about Camera-gate, commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to the competition committee on Thursday requesting stricter rules against cheating, the Washington …

Red Sox notebook
Boston Globe
The Red Sox are now hopeful that Daisuke Matsuzaka will be available to pitch in Japan, manager Terry Francona said yesterday, though he stressed that the birth of Matsuzaka’s second child still takes precedence.

Warriors looking to start streak Win over Miami could spark a run
San Francisco Chronicle
As much as the Warriors abhor losing to bad teams, they have to adore what happens next. The Warriors won two straight games after losing to the Timberwolves on Jan. 21.

Humane Society seeks action against Isenhour
Los Angeles Times
Animal rights group asks PGA of America to condemn animal cruelty in wake of Nationwide Tour golfer’s killing of a hawk with golf ball.

Pistons Hold Off Knicks
Hartford Courant
AP March 8, 2008 Tayshaun Prince bounced back from a horrendous game in his last trip to Madison Square Garden, scoring 28 points Friday in leading the Detroit Pistons to a 101-97 victory over the Knicks in New York.

Lakers rock the house
Los Angeles Times
Lakers center Pau Gasol blocks a shot by Clippers center Chris Kaman during the second half Friday night. They rout the Clippers, clinch the season series and move to the top of the Western Conference.

Atlanta vs. Charlotte – Recap – March 07, 2008
ESPN
Atlanta Hawks’ Mike Bibby looks on from the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday, March 7, 2008, in Charlotte, NC Charlotte won 108-93.

The Mashup: Where pop culture and sports collide
Kansas City Star
Seems as if Brett Favre is really done. Doubt this is a Michael Jordan or Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter retirement. •Favre: Wrangler jeans, Prilosec, Remington Arms and Sensodyne are all going to get a boost from Favre’s retirement since he won’t mess up his …

Devils reclaim top spot in Eastern Conference
San Francisco Chronicle
AP Patrik Elias scored 4:02 into overtime, lifting the New Jersey Devils into first place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 home victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.

Favre, the ultimate gunslinger, retires
The Star-Ledger – NJ.com
BY PAUL NEEDELL After 17 NFL seasons, just about every passing record known to man, and countless thrills and spills, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre surprised the football nation yesterday by retiring from the game he loves.

Sidney Crosby and Peter Forsberg make NHL returns
SI.com
Former MVPs Sidney Crosby and Peter Forsberg successfully returned to the NHL Tuesday night. Crosby, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, came off the injured list and helped the Pittsburgh Penguins beat Tampa Bay 2-0.

Ex-49er Harris goes to Raiders
Contra Costa Times
By Steve Corkran San Francisco Forty Niners quarterback Alex Smith looks down field as Kwame Harris prepares to make a block in the 3rd quarter of their game with the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, November 5,2006 at Monster Park in San Francisco.

Pistons-Celtics Preview
USA Today
Eight months after a blockbuster offseason made them instant NBA title contenders, the Boston Celtics still are looking to improve.

Hawks can’t keep up, fall to Warriors
Atlanta Journal Constitution
By SEKOU SMITH The Golden State Warriors lured the Hawks into deep waters in the first half Tuesday night, tricking the home team into thinking that they could keep up a blistering pace.

LA mayor attends vigil for gunned down high school football star
San Jose Mercury News
AP LOS ANGELES—Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was among the hundreds of mourners who attended a candlelight vigil to remember a 17-year-old high school football star who was gunned down in what police said was a random, unprovoked gang attack.

Suns-Nuggets Preview
USA Today
Shaquille O’Neal has had little impact on offense since joining the Phoenix Suns. His production in recent years against the Denver Nuggets has been even worse.

Papelbon Argues For Better Deal
Hartford Courant
Boston Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon holds the baseball as he attempts to tag a base runner during pickoff drills. (BRITA MENG OUTZEN / AP / February 27, 2008) By JEFF GOLDBERG | Courant Staff Writer March 5, 2008 FORT MYERS, Fla.

Ohio State Beats No. 15 Purdue
Washington Post
By RUSTY MILLER AP COLUMBUS, Ohio — After a season of nothing going right, Ohio State could do no wrong for one night. The Buckeyes put things together just in time to knock Purdue out of the Big Ten lead.

Haynesworth: Titans are getting ‘worse’
USA Today
By Jim Wyatt, The Tennessean NASHVILLE – Albert Haynesworth is happy for all his friends – and now former teammates – who’ve become richer signing free-agent deals elsewhere this week.

Desperation unites Bears and Booker
Chicago Tribune
By Vaughn McClure | Tribune reporter March 5, 2008 Desperate for help at receiver, the Bears turned to an old friend, signing Marty Booker to a two-year deal.

Motion in Clemens’ suit
San Francisco Chronicle
AP McNamee’s lawyers filed motions in US District Court, claiming that because McNamee made statements to baseball investigator George Mitchell as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors, anything McNamee said was covered by “absolute immunity.

That’s 10 for Spurs; Kobe saves Lakers
USA Today
By AP The Lakers offer more thrills, since Kobe Bryant can do something spectacular at any moment. Can’t argue with either team’s formula right now.

Pacers-Rockets Preview
USA Today
The Houston Rockets are perfect since their last game of January. More importantly, they’re perfect since they lost their leading scorer and rebounder for the season.

Ovechkin’s next goal: Caps in playoffs
SportingNews.com
After reaching a significant scoring milestone, Alexander Ovechkin hangs the puck on a wall in his home to signify the achievement.

Pistons polish off SuperSonics
Boston Globe
AP / March 5, 2008 Tayshaun Prince scored 24 points, Chauncey Billups added 20 points and nine assists, and the host Detroit Pistons overcame a slow start to beat the Seattle SuperSonics, 100-97, last night.

Bruins slip up again
Boston Globe
Letting the chips fall where they may, Bruins goalie Alex Auld had the puck covered on Panthers center Brett McLean’s second-period shot.

Hawks creeping back in it
Chicago Tribune
By Chris Kuc | Tribune reporter March 5, 2008 The Hawks picked up two crucial points in the Western Conference race Tuesday night when they defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-2 before a crowd of 18568 at the Excel Energy Center.

TE becomes sixth Nittany Lion suspended in offseason
SI.com
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless was suspended indefinitely Wednesday for an unspecified violation of team rules, the sixth player suspended in the offseason.