Arenas feels like player of old again
wizards
Gilbert Arenas has been practicing at full speed with the Washington Wizards for more than a week as he works his way back from his latest knee surgery. The extent of Arenas' participation had been kept under wraps, but he spilled the beans yesterday when he told The Washington Post: "I'm out there feeling like the old Gilbert Arenas again." According to the newspaper's Web site, Arenas said: "The only thing I'm not doing is playing in games." Arenas, who signed a six-year, $111 million contract in the offseason, hasn't played all season because of a knee injury that required three operations in a span of 18 months. The Wizards have said they expect Arenas to play at some point this season, but Arenas isn't so sure. "The way I look at it: I rushed back twice and got hurt again twice. ... I'm going to take my time."
N.Y. waives Marbury; is next stop Boston?
nba
Stephon Marbury has been waived by the New York Knicks, ending a turbulent five-year relationship. The Knicks and the two-time All-Star reached an agreement, but they did not disclose financial terms. Marbury is one of the highest-paid NBA players, set to make close to $21 million this season, but he has not played a game this season. He's eligible to play in the postseason because he was waived by March 1. Two NBA sources said told The New York Times that once Marbury clears waivers - which is expected to be Friday - he will sign with the Celtics.
Spurs 93, Mavericks 76: : Tony Parker had 37 points and 12 assists with Tim Duncan sitting out with a sore right knee, and San Antonio (38-17) held Dallas (33-23) to its worst offensive showing this season. The severity of Duncan's injury wasn't immediately known.
Heat 103, Pistons 91: : Dwyane Wade scored 31 points and had a career-high 16 assists, and host Miami (30-26) handed Detroit (27-28) its seventh straight loss - the Pistons' longest slide in more than seven years.
Other results: : Kobe Bryant scored 36 and thwarted a rally by the Thunder (13-44) to lead the visiting Lakers (47-10) to a 107-93 road win. ... Daniel Gibson scored 19 points, leading the host Cavaliers (44-11) over the Grizzlies (15-41), 94-79, despite playing with guard Delonte West, who was inactive two nights after returning from a fractured right wrist. ... Steve Nash scored 22 before leaving with an ankle injury and the host Suns (32-24) beat the Bobcats (22-35), 112-102. ... The Rockets (36-21) beat the Trail Blazers (35-21) in Houston for the ninth time in 10 games, 98-94. ... Derrick Rose scored 22 and host Bulls beat the Magic, 120-102. ... The host Raptors (23-36) earned their 10th consecutive victory over the Timberwolves (18-38), 118-110.
Bedard's shoulder gets first spring test
baseball
Seattle Mariners starter Erik Bedard has passed his first small test in getting back from surgery in September to remove a cyst from his pitching shoulder. The former Orioles left-hander threw 12 pitches and allowed only a
ground ball single during a scoreless inning in an intrasquad game in Peoria, Ariz.
More Mariners: : Ken Griffey Jr. could get a total of $5 million this year in his return to Seattle. The $2 million base contract for the leading active home run hitter includes clauses that could earn Griffey, 39, an additional $3 million if the team hits 3 million in paid attendance, he has 500 plate appearances and he does not go on the disabled list, according to salary figures obtained by the Associated Press.
Athletics: : Oakland scrapped its plans to move to Fremont, Calif., capping months of speculation that the team would pull out over procedural holdups. A's owner Lew Wolff cited expected delays to build a stadium in the San Francisco Bay area suburb as a reason to stop the plans. He noted that the team had already committed more than $80 million to the project, $24 million of which is not recoverable.
Elsewhere: : Barry Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, is likely to tell a federal judge on Friday in San Francisco that he has no plans to testify at the home run king's trial on charges he lied when he told a grand jury he didn't knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. ... Mets starter John Maine, a former Oriole, pitched in a game for the first time since September surgery to shave a bone spur in his right shoulder. ... A left hamstring injury is expected to keep Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells out two weeks. ... Twins right-hander Boof Bonser will have exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his ailing pitching shoulder.
Conn. governor criticizes Calhoun
colleges
Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell called UConn basketball coach Jim Calhoun's post-game tirade Saturday at a freelance journalist posing questions about his $1.6 million salary an "embarrassing display." Ken Krayeske, a freelancer and political activist, asked Calhoun in a news conference after a win over South Florida why the coach of a public university was making $1.6 million while the state has a $944 million deficit. Calhoun, who has won two national titles at UConn, first responded with a joke, then grew angry as Krayeske continued. the line of questioning. "My best advice to you is, shut up," Calhoun said.
More basketball: : In another sign of the trying economic times, the Atlantic Coast Conference will make tickets for its men's basketball tournament available to the general public - for the first time since 1966. They go on sale starting Monday for the March 12-15 tournament, which will be held at Atlanta's Georgia Dome.
College lacrosse: : The Hood men (1-1) defeated visiting Gwynedd-Mercy (0-2), 12-7, to earn their first victory in school history. The Blazers began playing competitive lacrosse in 2005 and had lost their previous 47 games.