SAN ANTONIO – This NBA playoff series doesn’t start until the Nuggets knock San Antonio point guard Derrick White on his keister. He wants to waltz into the lane for uncontested lay-ups? That’s fine. Slam-dance him to the court with a hard foul, then see if White bounces or splats. “Our make-up ain’t … grimy,” Denver guard Monte Morris said Friday. He insisted thuggery isn’t in the Nuggets’ nature. Well, my friend. The way I see it, Denver has two choices: Get grimy. Or get eliminated from the playoffs, which is no place for polite and courteous Boy Scouts. The Nuggets are soft. And wily, old San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich knows it. While Denver management keeps sending video evidence of San Antonio’s moving screens and shots below the belt to the NBA, asking the league to tell the big, bad Spurs to quit being so mean, the message Nuggets coach Mike Malone finally sent to his team on the eve of Game 4 probably … [Read more...] about Kiszla: For Nuggets to get back in playoff fight with San Antonio, they have to knock Derrick White on his keister
Braves at Indians postponed by rain; doubleheader set for Saturday
CLEVELAND — The opener of a three-game interleague series between the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians was postponed because of rain. With conditions already wet and rain expected the rest of Friday, the host Indians announced the postponement as players were beginning to arrive at Progressive Field. The game has been rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 4:10 p.m. Corey Kluber, who was slated to start Friday's game, will pitch the opener for Cleveland and Trevor Bauer will make his scheduled start in the second game of the doubleheader. Julio Teheran and Touki Toussaint will start for Atlanta, but their order had not been decided. The rainout delayed All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor's expected return to the Indians. Lindor, who has not played this season due to injuries, will be activated and make his season debut this weekend. The Indians have gone 11-7 without the three-time All-Star and their best all-around player. Lindor wrote on The Players' … [Read more...] about Braves at Indians postponed by rain; doubleheader set for Saturday
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is seeking funds for a new rescue boat
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office may get a new specialized boat to use for water rescues and monitoring local waterways and environmental hazards. This week, Sheriff Jim Hammond got approval from the county commission to apply for a $590,000 Homeland Security grant, of which the county would have to match about $147,000. The money would pay for the boat, a trailer and a truck. The sheriff's office marine patrol division responds to homeland security incidents around the region, Hammond said. The division's need for better equipment to carry out search-and-rescues was highlighted by a January incident in which a plane crashed in Chickamauga Lake. There are currently two boats in the sheriff's office fleet — one that's 23 feet long and one that's 24 feet — that the dive team operate. Those boats are mostly used for patrol and interdiction purposes, Cpl. Michael Korter said. "The problem with these boats, as we see in dive operations, especially ones that become so complex … [Read more...] about Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is seeking funds for a new rescue boat
Derrick Ansley says his return to UT was ‘a really easy sell’
Derrick Ansley Derrick Ansley Photo by Associated Press /Times Free Press. KNOXVILLE — One can point to any number of reasons why Derrick Ansley left the highest-paying salary for a defensive backs coach in the NFL to return to college, specifically the University of Tennessee. The appeal of getting to coordinate his own defense. The appeal of getting back around people he was familiar with, including Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt. The appeal of getting back to the South. All would be accurate. "I think any time you take a job you have to create value for yourself and you have to take in the family factor," Ansley said recently. "Being from the South and coming back to the South was very appealing to me. Working with Coach Pruitt was probably the ace in the hole for me, because he kind of gave me my start as a graduate assistant at Alabama in 2010 when he was the secondary coach. "He and I have a very, very strong and unique bond. I consider him one of my biggest … [Read more...] about Derrick Ansley says his return to UT was ‘a really easy sell’
NCAA rejects mandatory two-year commitment to graduate transfers
A proposal to require a graduate transfer to count against a team's scholarship total for two years in football and basketball has been rejected by the NCAA. On Friday, the Division I Council voted down a proposal that could have tapped the brakes on the de facto free agency created by a rule originally intended to give athletes more freedom to pursue graduate degrees. NCAA rules require football and basketball players to sit out a season after transferring, but those who have completed a degree are permitted to transfer and play immediately. The proposed change would have locked schools into a two-year scholarship commitment regardless of how much eligibility a graduate transfer had remaining. An exception would have been made if the athlete completed graduate degree requirements before the second season. "I don't think people were ready to take that step but trying to figure out how that graduate space works will be a continued discussion," said South Dakota State athletic director … [Read more...] about NCAA rejects mandatory two-year commitment to graduate transfers