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Broncos tab former Jags coach Del Rio as DC

1/27/2012 10:03:41 PM

The Broncos made the announcement via Twitter on Friday night. They needed to replace Dennis Allen, who spent last season as defensive coordinator but left to become head coach of the Oakland Raiders.

As defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers, Del Rio took the team from last place in the NFL to second overall in 2002. At the time, he was working under current Broncos head coach John Fox.

"We are thrilled to be able to add such a well-respected defensive coach to our staff," Fox said, per the Broncos' Twitter account.

"He was an integral part of our turnaround on defense during my first year with the Panthers in 2002. His defenses with the Jaguars have ranked among the NFL's best, and we are excited he's a Bronco."

Del Rio was fired by the Jaguars in November on the same day the team was sold to businessman Shahid Khan.

The Jaguars were 3-8 when Del Rio was fired in the midst of his ninth season as head coach. He went 68-71 at the helm in Jacksonville but the team failed to post a winning record in each of his last four seasons.

Jacksonville had just three winning seasons under Del Rio and reached the playoffs as a wild card in 2005 and 2007, posting a 1-2 postseason mark.

Under Allen, the Broncos went from having the worst defense in 2010-11 to having the 20th-ranked defense this past season.

Nets hold off Cavs

1/28/2012 12:19:51 AM

Kris Humphries, who left Friday's shootaround with an illness, fought through it scoring 18 points and pulling down 11 boards. Anthony Morrow added 22 points and six rebounds.

The Nets have now won three of four, closing out a three-game road trip. New Jersey returns home Sunday to take on Toronto.

Kyrie Irving led the way for Cleveland scoring a career-high 32 points including 21 in the fourth quarter. Antawn Jamison added 20 points and six rebounds and Ramon Sessions scored 11 off the bench as the Cavaliers dropped their fifth game in the last six tries.

"Obviously not happy with the way the game went," said Cleveland head coach Byron Scott. "It started from the beginning of the game. I didn't think we came out with the energy that we needed. In the last quarter, we played with tremendous energy...but we can't play that way. That's way too late. If we don't come out and play aggressively and with that type of energy from start to finish, we're going to keep having these up and down type games."

Cleveland will travel to Boston in its next contest on Sunday.

The Cavaliers, who trailed by as many as 17 in the fourth, had the margin down just six with 24.9 seconds to play.

Sundiata Gaines missed two from the line for the Nets, and Anderson Varejao's deep two with 16.9 seconds left put his team down 97-93. Video replay confirmed Varejao's toe was barely touching the line.

The Cavaliers were forced to foul and Morrow calmly hit two free throws to ice the victory for the Nets.

A meaningless three from Irving counted as time expired to make the final score closer than the game really was.

Back-to-back Jordan Farmar layups gave the Nets a 25-18 lead with 3:03 left to play in the first frame and the quarter ended with the Nets leading, 30-20.

"The guys played hard and came out with a lot of focus early in the game. I think we set the tone for this game in the first quarter," said New Jersey head coach Avery Johnson.

Neither team was able to get it going in the second until a Humphries layup with 3:26 to go sparked an 11-0 run for the Nets. Irving stopped the run with four consecutive points, but the Cavs entered halftime trailing, 47-37.

The Nets, who entered the game leading the NBA in three-pointers made, found their stroke from outside in the third as they hit five of their eight three- pointers to take a 72-61 lead entering the final stanza.

Game Notes

MarShon Brooks (Achilles) missed his third straight game for the Nets, while teammate Mehmet Okur (back) missed the game and will have MRI on Saturday...The Cavaliers beat the Nets 50-26 in points in the paint...The Nets got their first win (1-11) when being outrebounded by their opponent...The Nets shot 39 percent from behind the arc.

Blackhawks acquire Morrison from Flames

1/27/2012 9:05:11 PM

The 36-year-old Morrison had spent the past 1 1/2 seasons with the Flames and had totaled four goals and seven assists in 28 contests this season. In 923 games, with New Jersey, Vancouver, Dallas, Anaheim, Washington, and the Flames, he has collected 200 goals and 401 assists.

"We felt it was going to be difficult for us to find a spot for Brendan or get him significant ice-time," Flames general manager Jay Feaster said. "In Brian Connelly we obtain a 25-year-old highly skilled AHL All-Star defenseman who is still a legitimate prospect."

Morrison also tied a career-high earlier this season with a four-point effort on December 6 against Carolina.

Connelly, 25, has spent parts of the last four seasons as a member of the American Hockey League's Rockford IceHogs. During that time, he has compiled 21 goals and 105 assists in 211 regular-season games.

Mets sign INF Tuiasosopo

1/27/2012 4:42:43 PM

Tuiasosopo, 25, played sparingly in three major league seasons for the Seattle Mariners between 2008-10 and hit .176 with 15 runs batted in over 71 games.

He played 116 games for Seattle's Triple-A Tacoma affiliate last year, batting .226 with 14 home runs and 77 RBI.

USA tops Costa Rica to seal Olympic berth

1/27/2012 10:06:21 PM

After outscoring its three opponents in the group stage by a combined score of 31-0, the Americans ran into a determined Costa Rica side that made them work for their place in London.

Tobin Heath put the U.S. in front after 16 minutes, but it wasn't until the 72nd minute that the berth looked secure as Carli Lloyd added a second goal before Alex Morgan tallied one of her own in the closing minutes.

The opening goal arrived from a corner kick as Lauren Cheney played the ball to the back post for Shannon Boxx, who sent a header on target.

Costa Rica goalkeeper Erika Miranda got a palm to the ball, but Heath was on hand to head it over the goal line and put the U.S. in front.

The lead almost disappeared 11 minutes later when a shot from Costa Rica's Karol Sanchez struck the crossbar, leaving the two teams separated by a goal at the break.

However, the Americans began to take charge of the game in the second half and doubled their advantage when Abby Wambach sent a chip over the head of the goalkeeper that needed to be cleared off the line by defender Daniela Cruz.

The ball only made it as far as Lloyd at the edge of the area though, and she beat Miranda with a left-footed shot that calmed the nerves of the U.S. team with Morgan adding a late goal that made the final score a bit deceiving.

Despite punching its ticket for the Olympics the U.S. will face the winner of the other semifinal between Canada and Mexico in Sunday's final.