Sports Desk

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

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NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

FOOTBALL


FIVE GIANTS NAMED TO PRO BOWL SQUAD New York Giants defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora have been neck-and-neck all season in their friendly competition to see who finishes with the most sacks. Now, the 13-year veteran and his protege will be able to toast the winner in Hawaii.


Strahan and Umenyiora were among five Giants named yesterday to play in the Pro Bowl in Honolulu on February 12. They became the first defensive ends from the same team to be voted in since Miami’s Trace Armstrong and Jason Taylor in 2001. Tight end Jeremy Shockey and running back Tiki Barber also were named to the NFC team along with David Tyree, who was selected on special teams.That gave the Giants more Pro Bowl selections than they’ve had in any year since 1990, when seven players earned the honor.


HOCKEY


BERTUZZI AMONG THOSE SELECTED TO TEAM CANADA Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi was selected to the Canadian men’s Olympic team on yesterday, but Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Sidney Crosby was left off the team for the Turin Games. The 23-member team for the defending Olympic champions, primarily made up of veterans and former Olympians, was announced at the GM Place in Vancouver. All 23 play in the NHL. Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic was named captain.


Bertuzzi, whose blindside punch left Colorado’s Steve Moore with a broken neck two seasons ago, was reinstated by the NHL in August.


Defensemen who are returning to defend Canada’s gold medal include Colorado’s Rob Blake; Columbus’ Adam Foote; Vancouver’s Ed Jovanovski; Anaheim’s Scott Niedermayer and Edmonton’s Chris Pronger. Forward headed back to the games were Philadelphia’s Simon Gagne; Calgary’s Jarome Iginla; Sakic; and Edmonton’s Ryan Smyth.


Rounding out the roster were goaltenders Roberto Luongo (Canadiens) and Marty Turco (Panthers); defensemen Wade Redden (Senators) and Robyn Regehr (Flames); and forwards Bertuzzi, Shane Doan (Coyotes), Kris Draper (Red Wings), Dany Heatley,(Senators), Vincent Lecavalier (Lightning), Brad Richards (Lightning), Rick Nash (Blue Jackets), Martin St. Louis (Lightning), and Joe Thornton (Sharks).


The reserves are Eric Staal (Hurricanes), Jason Spezza (Senators) and Bryan McCabe (Maple Leafs).


TENNIS


PUERTA GETS EIGHT-YEAR DOPING BAN French Open finalist Mariano Puerta was banned for eight years yesterday for his second doping offense,effectively ending the Argentine player’s career.The 27-year-old Puerta tested positive for the cardiac stimulant etilefrine after losing to Rafael Nadal in the French Open final on June 5.


The International Tennis Federation said Puerta will be disqualified from the French Open and his results nullified, but he will keep his place in the record books as a finalist. Puerta, banned for nine months in 2003 for using clenbuterol, had faced a possible lifetime ban for a second infraction. But an ITF tribunal said he was given a lighter penalty because the positive result in Paris was inadvertent. Puerta did not dispute the drug was in his body, and the ITF accepted his plea of “no significant fault or negligence.”


The eight-year ban is retroactive to June 5. Puerta has three weeks to appeal.


BASEBALL


ANGELS, GIANTS SWAP DECLINING VETERANS The San Francisco Giants acquired outfielder Steve Finley from the Los Angeles Angels for third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo on yesterday in a swap of former All-Stars who dropped off dramatically last season. The 40-year-old Finley batted a career-worst .222 with 12 home runs and 54 RBI in 112 games for the Angels, who won the AL West for the second straight year. Alfonzo played in only 109 games last season, batting .277 with two home runs and 43 RBI.


COLLEGE BASKETBALL


DUKE ROLLS OVER ST. JOHN’S J.J. Redick didn’t play up to his recent standards, and neither did many of his teammates. No problem. The top-ranked Blue Devils broke away from a close game shortly before halftime, and Redick’s 18 points helped them beat St. John’s 70-57 last night.


Freshman Josh McRoberts tied a season high with 12 points, Sean Dockery also had 12, and Shelden Williams added 11 points and 10 rebounds for Duke (11-0). Aaron Spears led the Red Storm with 14 points, and Anthony Mason Jr. had eight with his father, the former NBA player, sitting just behind the bench. Second-leading scorer Lamont Hamilton didn’t score until early in the second half and finished with seven points, about half his average.


– Associated Press

NY Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.


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