PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Anyone looking for excitement in the final round of the U.S. Open is at the wrong major. They call it the toughest test in golf for a reason. This championship is won by not losing. And if the expectations are any different, blame it on the false expectations created by […]

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Portugal put on the most dominant performance of the World Cup, routing North Korea 7-0 on Monday and eliminating the Asian nation from the tournament. Simao Sabrosa, Hugo Almeida and Tiago scored over an eight-minute span in the second half, after Raul Meireles’ 29th-minute goal gave Portugal the lead. […]

IRENE, South Africa (AP) — Landon Donovan thinks the best is yet to come for the U.S. soccer team. Yes, 2006 was a disappointment and even the quarterfinal finish in 2002 wasn’t completely satisfying. “The two World Cups I’d been a part of, we hadn’t strung together three consecutive good results and good performances,” he […]

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — For Roger Federer, Wimbledon nearly ended at the beginning. The six-time champion overcame a two-set deficit to avert a monumental first-round upset, beating Alejandro Falla 5-7, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-0. Federer has reached the tournament final each of the past seven years, but Monday he barely survived the traditional opening […]

It was a Friday night in Florida and 20-year-old Mike Stanton had been in the major leagues for less than two weeks. Still looking for his first home run, he pulled his uniform pants up high and socked a grand slam against Tampa Bay that drew a curtain call from Marlins fans. Pretty special moment […]

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers says that center Rasheed Wallace is probably going to retire. Rivers said on WEEI-AM on Monday that Wallace told him before Game 7 of the NBA finals that he believed it was the last game of his career. Wallace has two years left on the contract he […]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith will miss the start of training camp with a broken left forearm. Blame it on a mysterious game of flag football. Smith’s agent, Derrick Fox, initially said Monday that the four-time Pro Bowl pick was injured when he slipped playing with children at Smith’s camp over […]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Omar Samhan’s throwback drop-steps in the post and new-age candor with the media made him one of the breakout stars of the NCAA tournament in March. The outspoken center captivated fans with his skills on the court and drew belly laughs in the press room with sharp one-liners while leading little St. […]

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Graeme McDowell doesn’t have the golfing pedigree of a U.S. Open champion at Pebble Beach. All he had Sunday was the game it takes to win. Even as the biggest stars — Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els — were lined up behind him on the leaderboard and poised to […]

BOSTON (AP) — Manny Ramirez buttoned up a Dodger blue dress shirt, knotted a solid red tie around his neck and left the visitor’s clubhouse to pose for pictures and sign autographs for fans waiting outside. Then he left Boston without a word for reporters — or a win. Facing the Red Sox for the […]