| Push for downtown baseball park for Barons loses steam A push to build a baseball park in downtown Birmingham appears to be losing momentum as Hoover officials expect the Birmingham Barons to renew a five-year lease to continue playing at Regions Park. feeds.bizjournals.com |
No. 4 Texas pulls away from Texas Tech Garrett Gilbert threw for two touchdowns and 227 yards to lead No. 4 Texas past Texas Tech 24-14 in a sloppy victory for the Longhorns on Saturday ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Lomax's amazing journey to Grand Final • Jonny Lomax's career almost ended by sickening head injuries• Matty Smith goes from loan player to playmaker against WiganSt Helens are ready to go into the Super League Grand Final against Wigan on Saturday with one half-back who has spent the season on loan at Salford, partnered by a raw 20-year-old who has already come back from open skull surgery.As expected, the England scrum‑half Kyle Eastmond was missing from the 19-man squad Saints announced for Old Trafford today, and with Leon Pryce already ruled out by a neck problem – and now being strongly linked with a possible return to Bradford next season – that leaves Matty Smith and Jonny Lomax as the only specialist halves available to the coach, Mick Potter.Smith, a 23-year-old who was briefly on Everton's books one year behind Wayne Rooney, was recalled from his long-term loan to Salford to make his first Saints appearance since 2008 against Warrington in the first round of the play-offs three weeks ago. He was named man of the match after his accurate kicking helped set up a 28-12 win.But Lomax's likely presence alongside him at Old Trafford would represent a remarkable story. He suffered sickening head injuries as a 14-year-old when playing in the Champion Schools competition that runs in conjunction with the Challenge Cup, but since being cleared to resume his career he has established himself as one of the game's most exciting talents. He made the three-man shortlist for Super League's young player of the year award, which was won by Wigan's Sam Tomkins."He started with us at 10 and he's been the best player in his age group all the way through," said the Saints performance manager, Mike Rush. "He's a remarkable athlete in many ways – he came back from a knee reconstruction in four months."The head injury doesn't affect him – Jonny's that tough he wouldn't think about it. He doesn't mind other people talking about it, but he'd rather not talk about it himself because he knows how traumatic it was for his parents at his bedside."Lomax, who has played mostly at full-back and wing for Saints this season before switching to stand-off since Pryce was injured in August, always wears a headguard – which were made compulsory in all under-16 matches as a result of his injury. He has missed Saints' play-off wins against Warrington and Huddersfield because of a thigh injury but has recovered in time to replace Eastmond, who suffered the latest in a series of ankle problems last weekend.Smith suffered Grand Final disappointment three years ago, playing in St Helens' tough victory over Leeds in the qualifying play-off only to miss out at Old Trafford when Sean Long recovered from an ankle injury. But he will now be the main playmaker in his third appearance for his local club in two years and his first derby against Wigan. "I'm shaking just talking about it but they'll be good nerves at the weekend," he said.He has ruled out any possibility of making a permanent return to Saints, having signed for the next two years with Salford. Pryce has one more year remaining on his St Helens deal, and despite the rumours of a return to Bradford – where he has continued to live since joining Saints from the Bulls in 2006 – it is hard to see the club releasing him when they will already have to cope with the retirement of Keiron Cunningham.Wigan, who have named an unchanged 19-man squad for the Grand Final, are set to announce new deals for the veteran scrum-half Paul Deacon and the newly crowned Man of Steel, Pat Richards, in the next couple of weeks.Deacon signed for three years on the coaching staff but only one as a player when he joined his local club last winter after a decade with Bradford but is "pretty confident" of agreeing a new playing contract for 2011. Richards, who joined Wigan from Wests Tigers in 2006 and has been linked with rugby union and American football in recent years, also confirmed he is "happy where I am" and in talks over a new deal.St HelensWigan WarriorsSuper LeagueRugby leagueAndy Wilsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
He's back: Vikings get Moss from Patriots in trade By DAVE CAMPBELL 2010-10-07T08:31:37ZEDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- Randy Moss is returning to Minnesota, finally united with Brett Favre in the place where his exceptional ability to catch the football first flourished.... hosted.ap.org |
Giant spark plugs: Posey, Sandoval bring their bats in Game 4 win Last year's favorite son took advantage of a chance to redeem himself. This year's chosen one has reached even more exalted status. Together, ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |