When the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament begins on Sunday, a number of compelling storylines are likely to spice things up over the two-week haul at Bodymaker Colosseum in Osaka. Ozeki Kakuryu makes his maiden run at sumo’s ultimate rank of yokozuna, Harumafuji returns after ...
Tony Blanco was very good in 2013. Ridiculously good even, considering the already solid performer shattered a slew of career highs in one fell swoop. In his first season with the Yokohama BayStars, Blanco led the Central League with a .333 average and 136 ...
Third-seeded Victoria Azarenka tumbled out of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday night in her first match in more than a month, falling 6-0, 7-6 (7-2) to American Lauren Davis. Azarenka, from Belarus, had been sidelined since the Australian Open because of a left ...
Final thoughts and parting shots on the Sochi Games: I think the competition was a smashing success despite the attempts of many to undermine it. The Western media — primarily American — which tried to ruin the Winter Olympics beforehand with a litany of ...
A stunning second-half strike from Yoshizumi Ogawa provided Akira Nishino with his first win as Nagoya Grampus manager as the 2010 J. League champions edged Omiya Ardija 2-1 away on Saturday. Ex-Japan striker Keiji Tamada finished with aplomb in the 53rd minute and Ogawa ...
Hokkaido Nippon Ham right-hander Shohei Otani outpitched fellow second-year man Shintaro Fujinami as the Fighters defeated the Hanshin Tigers 6-5 in a preseason game on Saturday. Otani changed speeds effectively to hold Hanshin to a run on two hits over five innings at Koshien ...
The Aomori Wat’s didn’t rely on gimmicks or flashy showmanship against the Saitama Broncos on Saturday night. That wasn’t necessary. The first-year franchise used balanced scoring and persistent defense in a methodical, 90-77 victory over the Broncos in the bj-league series opener. Aomori (18-19) ...
With Sunday the first day of the 2014, Haru Basho in Japan’s third most populous city of Osaka, many fans and commentators will be looking at Kakuryu’s quest to win his first ever yusho, and, if successful, the resulting talk of promoting him to ...
Reigning men’s world champion Patrick Chan, who settled for silver at the Sochi Olympics, said Monday he will not seek a fourth consecutive title at this month’s World Figure Skating Championships. The Canadian, the latest big name to pull out of the upcoming March ...
Robert Luongo’s return to Florida couldn’t have been better. Luongo made 25 saves, while Dmitry Kulikov and Jesse Winchester each scored power-play goals to lead the Panthers over the Buffalo Sabres 2-0 on Friday night. Luongo, acquired in a trade with Vancouver on Tuesday, ...
