Report: Charlotte Bobcats Out to Become 'Hornets' Once More

Posted today at 6:36am

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The Charlotte Bobcats have started the process of changing their name back to the Charlotte Hornets, according to a report by CBSSports.com

Sources told CBS Sports that the Bobcats are looking to acquire the assets that will allow them to be called the Hornets once more.

The Charlotte NBA franchise was known as the Hornets from 1988-2002, before the team relocated to New Orleans.

There is no timetable for the switch, but NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver told season ticket holders in April that any name change would take 18 months. It became a possibility when the New Orleans franchise recently changed their name to the Pelicans.

The Bobcats became the NBA's 30th team in 2004, making the playoffs once in their nine-year history.

EJ Manuel Says Bills' System Easier to Learn than Florida State's

Posted today at 3:25am

Rick Stewart/Getty Images(ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.) -- Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback EJ Manuel is quickly getting a grasp of the team's offensive system, which he says is less complex than the system he was use to playing at Florida State.

"The funny thing is it's easier to learn than the offense I had at Florida State," he told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "It's a true West Coast-type progression offense. That's really what I wanted when I was coming through the pre-draft process. I wanted something that I could just go in and say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, check it down and run it. That's it, it's that simple. I love it."

He went on to say that he was able to learn the system so quickly by spending a lot of time with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett during the rookie minicamp and organized team activities.

The 6-foot-5 Manuel was the only quarterback taken in the first round of the 2013 draft, and new Bills head coach Doug Marrone already says he has a chance to compete for the starting job.

Manuel hopes to help the Bills end their 13-year playoff drought, the longest active streak in the NFL.

"Winning is an attitude and mindset, and we have to bring it to our team," he said.

Cabrera Homers Three Times, But Tigers Lose to Rangers

Posted today at 1:30am

Rick Yeatts/Getty Images(ARLINGTON, Texas) -- On a night where Miguel Cabrera seemed unstoppable, Daniel Murphy did just enough to carry his team to victory.

Murphy belted a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth inning to lead the Texas Rangers to an 11-8 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night.

Lance Berkman and Adrian Beltre combined to drive in four runs for the Rangers (29-15) who were able to overcome a three home run game from Cabrera.

"Very nice to be on the winning side," Murphy said. "Big game, fun game, national TV. We got to witness the best hitter in the game hit three homers."

The 2012 Triple Crown winner went 4-for-4 with 5 RBIs and now has 11 homers on the year.

Robbie Ross (2-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the win and Joe Nathan closed the door in the ninth for his 13th save. The Rangers took three-of-four games from the Tigers this weekend.

Jose Ortega (0-1) took the loss for the Tigers.

The Rangers placed second baseman Ian Kinsler on the 15-day disabled list with bruised ribs and called up top prospect Jurickson Profar from Triple-A Round Rock. He is expected to start for the Rangers Monday night against Oakland.

Senators Clip Pens 2-1 in Double Overtime Thriller

Posted yesterday at 11:41pm

Francois Laplante/NHLI via Getty Images(OTTAWA) -- Colin Greening scored the game-winning goal 7:39 into double overtime to give the Ottawa Senators a 2-1 Game 3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins still lead their Eastern Conference semifinal series two games to one.

Down 1-0 with less than a minute remaining in the third period, Daniel Alfredsson scored a short-handed goal with 33 seconds left to tie the game at one.

"We were just calm," Anderson said of the Senators' mood heading into overtime. "We had tied it up. We had momentum. We felt like the fans really rallied behind us.

Craig Anderson made 49 saves for the Senators, including 18 in both overtimes. Penguins goalie Tomas Vokoun suffered his first loss since taking over for Mark-Andre Fleury

"Whether you win or lose, you always turn the page quickly and concentrate on the next one," Penguins captain Sidney Crosbo said. "Obviously it's disappointing, but we will bounce back."

Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night in Ottawa.

Scoreboard Roundup - 5/19/13

Posted yesterday at 9:30pm

Christopher Trotman/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals: San Antonio Spurs 105 - Memphis Grizzlies 83 (Spurs Lead Series, 1-0)

NHL Playoffs - Eastern Conference Semi-Finals: Boston Bruins 5 - New York Rangers 2 (Bruins Lead Series, 2-0)

Ottawa Senators 2 - Pittsburgh Penguins 1 - 2 OT's (Penguins Lead Series, 2-1)

MLB: Philadelphia Phillies 3 (21-23) - Cincinnati Reds 2 (26-18)

New York Mets 4 (17-24) - Chicago Cubs 3 (18-25)

Tampa Bay Rays 3 (23-20) - Baltimore Orioles 1 (23-20)

Cleveland Indians 6 (25-17) - Seattle Mariners 0 (20-24)

Los Angeles Angels 6 (17-27) - Chicago White Sox 2 (19-23)

Miami Marlins 2 (12-32) - Arizona Diamondbacks 1 (25-19)

Atlanta Braves 5 (25-18) - Los Angeles Dodgers 2 (17-25)

San Diego Padres 13 (20-23) - Washington Nationals 4 (23-21)

Oakland Athletics 4 (23-22) - Kansas City Royals 3 (20-20)

Colorado Rockies 5 (24-20) - San Francisco Giants 0 (24-20)

St. Louis Cardinals 4 (28-15) - Milwaukee Brewers 2 (17-25)

Pittsburgh Pirates 1 (26-18) - Houston Astros 0 (12-32)

Boston Red Sox 5 (27-17) - Minnesota Twins 1 (18-22)

Texas Rangers 11 (29-15) - Detroit Tigers 8 (23-19)

New York Yankees - Toronto Blue Jays - PPD

LeBron James To Pacers: 'We'll Be Ready'

Posted yesterday at 9:16pm

Christian Petersen/Getty Images(MIAMI) -- In wake of Pacers head coach Frank Vogel saying that the Miami Heat "are just the next team" in line of their quest for an NBA title, Heat All-Star LeBron James will be waiting for them come Wednesday.

"We're not just another team," James said on Sunday, as the Heat prepare for their Eastern Conference Finals opponent. "I don't understand what he's saying. But we're not just another team. That's not true."

"He said we're just another team in their way. We're a great team. If we're just another team, you really don't prepare for just another team. You have to prepare for us," James continued.

The Pacers won two of their three regular-season games against the Heat, but James isn't putting too much thought into that.

"We're very confident," James said. "We'll be ready for them. We don't need bulletin-board material. We've heard everything, we've seen everything. But I would say we're not just another team, though."

Rays' Matt Moore Being Mentioned With Babe Ruth After Win

Posted yesterday at 7:32pm

Patrick Smith/Getty Images(BALTIMORE) -- Rays' left-hander Matt Moore pitched seven-innings of one-run ball leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles Sunday.

Moore allowed five hits and one run while striking out five and walking one.

The win improves the 23-year-old Moore's record to 8-0 on the season. That's the best start to a season for a pitcher that young since Babe Ruth did it in 1917 at age 22.

Moore didn't seem impressed by the milestone but his manager did.

"If you compare (Moore's achievement) historically, he ranks up there with Babe Ruth, and that's not a bad thing," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I think from where he's coming from, he knows he can be better. He doesn't like those five-inning outings. He doesn't like that at all. So I'm sure he's deflecting based on that. As you see him get deeper into the games and more consistent with the wins, I think you might see him step out a little bit.

"But I like the idea that there's humility involved. I like the idea that he knows that he can get better. I love that. The accountability is tremendous. That doesn't surprise me. ... Historically speaking, it's been wonderful, but there is 'more' in Moore. And he knows that."

The Rays (23-20) are now tied with the Orioles (23-20) for third in the A.L. East.

Sang-Moon Bae Wins Byron Nelson Championship

Posted yesterday at 7:10pm

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images(IRVING, Texas) -- Sang-Moon Bae took home his first PGA Tour title on Sunday after he defeated Keegan Bradley by two shots in the Byron Nelson Championship.

Bae almost let a four-hole lead slip away, but finished at 13-under 267 with a closing 1-under 69 in difficult windy conditions.

"I had a great time today," Bae said. "Course was really tough out there, winds were really strong."

Bradley was even with Bae through 15 holes, but missed a short birdie putt on 16 to seal the victory for the 26-year-old South Korean.

"I'm pretty disappointed, but Moon played very well," Bradley said. "I just didn't play great today, but I hung in there. I chipped away. ... When I made that putt on 15, I was pretty confident that I was going to win."

Bae earned $1.2 million for the victory.

Spurs Dominate Grizzlies in Game 1

Posted yesterday at 5:30pm

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images(SAN ANTONIO) -- Tony Parker scored 20 points and dished out nine assists in the San Antonio Spurs 105-83 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 Western Conference finals victory on Sunday.

Kawhi Leonard had 18 points and shot 4-for-5 from 3-point land.

The Spurs, who only trailed for 21 seconds in the game, stormed out to a 17-point first quarter lead. The Grizzlies were able to cut the lead to six in the second quarter, but that was as close as they got.

Still, as convincing a victory as this was, the Spurs know not to count their chickens until they hatch.

"Memphis is a very tough team...very tough mentally," Parker said. "I can promise you nobody is happy in our locker room because we were up 2-0 last year (Western Conference finals versus Thunder) and we lost. This is just one game...It means nothing, and we still have a long way to go."

Mike Conley Jr. had 14 points and eight assists in the loss.

Game 2 takes place Tuesday in San Antonio. Tip-off scheduled for 9:00 P.M. Eastern.

Bruins' Young Defenseman Come Through: B's Top Rangers, 5-2

Posted yesterday at 4:44pm

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images(BOSTON) -- The young Bruins' defenseman are making a mark on the NHL Playoffs.

The trio of Dougie Hamilton, Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski combined for four points en-route to a 5-2 Boston victory over the New York Rangers, in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday.

The Bruins now have a 2-0 series lead over the Rangers.

Hamilton, Krug and Bartkowski (who are all rookies) are playing in place of the injured Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ferrence and Wayne Redden.

Krug started the scoring for the Bruins scoring 5:28 into the first period, his second goal in two games, but Rangers' captain Ryan Callahan tied it up 2:33 later.

The B's and Blueshirts traded goals in the second before Johnny Boychuck slapped one past Henrik Lundqvist 12:08 into the period to give the Bruins the lead for good.

Milan Lucic and Brad Marchand tacked on goals in the third to make it 5-2.

Tuesday the series shifts to New York, where the Rangers have yet to lose this postseason. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:30 P.M. Eastern.