Don Markus: Confessions of a soccer geek

I have to admit something.

Orioles losing ugly not a good sign

Nothing makes a team look worse in a losing effort than shoddy defense, and the reeling Orioles showed plenty of that in Tuesday night’s 8-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. It doesn’t help when frustrated players lose their cool and take it out on the umpires, either. But we’ll get to Matt Wieters in a moment.

Ravens' Oher takes in the Coca-Cola 600

Who knew Michael Oher was a big NASCAR fan?

The Sun Remembers

May 30, 1982: In an inauspicious start to a historic streak, 21-year-old Cal Ripken Jr. bats eighth and goes hitless in the Orioles' 6-0 loss to the last-place Toronto Blue Jays. An announced Memorial Stadium crowd of 21,632 sees the start of Ripken's string of 2,632 consecutive games played.

Dos Santos & Velasquez were the big winners at UFC 146

At UFC 146 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, UFC world heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos dominated two-time former champion Frank Mir in the main event.

This week in sports history in The Sun: May 20-26

May 22, 1988: Beginning the day with the worst record in the majors (8-33), the Orioles defeat Seattle, 7-2, giving them back-to-back victories for the first time in 46 games, over two seasons. Larry Sheets and Cal Ripken Jr. each hit a two-run homer and rookie Jose Bautista gets the win.

Accessorize like a Raven with a Super Bowl ring

Who doesn’t need more bling these days?

Will we see the real Tiger Woods at Congressional?

Tiger Woods will be holding a news conference this afternoon at Congressional Country Club to promote the return of his AT&T National tournament. The event moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia last summer while theU.S. Open was being played at the Bethesda club.

Explaining the selection process for the Top 175 Md. athletes list

Three months, one week and two days. That’s how long it took to shape a list, start to finish, of the 175 greatest athletes in Maryland history.

Chat wrap: Mike Klingaman on The Sun's Top 175 Md. athletes list

Mike Klingaman chats about The Sun's Top 175 Md. athletes list

Tiger wants faster play? Where's he been?

Tiger Woods, welcome to my world.

Video: There was a nod to Ray Lewis on 'SNL'

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning hosted “Saturday Night Live” on Saturday night, and since I have little social life to speak of, I happened to catch his performance. Despite mostly awful and unfunny writing, Manning was solid, though he didn’t come close to matching the laughs of his brother, Peyton, from a few years ago.

How the 2012 Orioles' start matches up to other teams in franchise history

In 59 seasons in Baltimore, the Orioles have started with 19 wins or more in their first 28 games only six times -- 1969, 1970, 1992, 1997, 2005 and, now, 2012.

Compared to previous years, Orioles' start is good sign

By taking two out of three games on the road against the New York Yankees to improve to 16-9 this season, the Orioles are off to one of their best starts in team history.

Bucs signing of Eric LeGrand is pure class

They're calling it a symbolic gesture: an NFL team signs a guy in a wheelchair. But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing of paralyzed Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand is more than that. It's a big touch of humanity in a business that can be cold and hard and as bottom-line, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately as exists on the planet.

There's still a chance to rank The Sun's Top 10 athletes

There are just a few days left to help us decide how to rank our final Top 10 athletes on our list of 175 top athletes we've been unveiling every Sunday as part of the newspaper's special anniversary.

John Harbaugh goes off — yes, that John Harbaugh

What in the world came over John Harbaugh this morning? Ravens fans, you might want to circle the Sept. 23 game against the New England Patriots on your calendar. Might be a few extra fireworks at M&T Bank Stadium that night. Things could definitely be a little frosty between the Ravens coach and Mr. Smiley himself, Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

Kelechi Osemele blocks out the sun

The Ravens just introduced their top three draft choices -- outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw from Alabama, tackle Kelechi Osemele from Iowa State and running back Bernard Piercefrom Temple -- to the media at the Castle.

Charlotte Bobcats poised to be worst of the worst

It's always interesting when a team reaches a new, uncharted level of awfulness. And in the NBA this year, that team is the forlorn Charlotte Bobcats.

Trevor Pryce is bored? There's plenty left for him to do

We'll say this much: Trevor Pryce is an interesting fellow.

Metta World Peace anything but peaceful

All morning long, on every sports and news show on TV, they've been showing the clip. You know the one. The one that shows Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace viciously throwing the elbow that floored Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Hardenin the Lakers' 114-10 double overtime win Sunday.

Baltimore's newest champion: Tenyeh 'SkinnyMan' Dixon

On a clear night in Baltimore, I walked into Team Raww Dogg MMA gym to interview local fighter, Tenyeh “SkinnyMan” Dixon. The Baltimore native was preparing for his next fight, the Xtreme Caged Combat welterweight championship on April 21 in Philadelphia.

UFC 145: Jon 'Bones' Jones retains his title with win over Rashad Evans

In the main event at UFC145, light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones (16-1, UFC 11-1) won a unanimous decision over Rashad “Suga” Evans (17-2, UFC 15-2) to retain his belt at Philips Arena in Atlanta.

UFC 145: Brian Stann's take on Jon 'Bones' Jones vs. Rashad Evans

What else can be said about UFC145's main event, Jon 'Bones' Jones vs. Rashad Evans for the light heavyweight championship at Philips Arena in Atlanta?

Baltimore Hockey Classic will return to 1st Mariner in September

In February, 1st Mariner Arena officials said they were close to finalizing a deal with the Washington Capitals to bring the Baltimore Hockey Classic back to the arena in September. The Capitals made it official Thursday, announcing that they would play a preseason game in Baltimore on September 26.

Gilman grad, sports journalist Frank Deford laments sorry state of O's

Though he’s long since moved away, award-winning sports writer and Baltimore native Frank Deford feels the same way about the Orioles and owner Peter Angelos as someone who never left.

Nationals in line for much bigger chunk of MASN's money

An old Sun scribe, Ken Rosenthal, says that sources are telling him that Major League Baseball will decide how much MASN owes the Nationals for rights fees.

One-on-one with Rashad Evans of the UFC

Former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans caught up to discuss his upcoming bout at UFC 145 against champion Jon Jones, his former teammate.

Ray Lewis called as defense witness in sexual conduct, intimidation case

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has been subpoenaed as a defense witness in the trial of former Bengals linebacker Nate Webster, according to the Associated Press.

With Clemens on trial, Pettitte may again be a key figure

Seven-time Cy Young Award-winner Roger Clemens is on trial today – again – for allegedly lying to Congress, and that means the spotlight will again find Brian McNamee, the pitcher’s former personal trainer. McNamee has said he injected Clemens on numerous occasions with steroidsand human growth hormone.