Turkish Club to Kobe Bryant‎

We’re still not sure how serious this is from Turkish Club to Kobe Bryant‎ Besiktas — the club that signed Deron Williams to play for them next fall and had Allen Iverson last season — is still trying to court Kobe Bryant. The club’s very talkative coach explained to the Los Angeles Times how the team hopes this will go down.

As we’ve said before, Ataman likes to talk but don’t bet on a deal. For one, Kobe’s body could use the rest. Then there’s the matter of money. Besiktas was reportedly looking for a special sponsor to pick up Kobe’s salary (he does have an existing endorsement deal with Turkish Airlines).

Kobe Bryant's representatives have had conversations about a deal to play for Turkish club team Besiktas this season in Istanbul, Besiktas coach Ergin Ataman told the Los Angeles Times in a telephone interview Thursday. Bryant's agent, Rob Pelinka, didn't return repeated phone calls Thursday.

The Pistons fired John Kuester on June 5. From the Los Angeles Times: Ataman said the team is trying to satisfy Bryant's salary demands so that he can join New Jersey Nets All-Star point guard Deron Williams on the team. Williams signed with Besiktas about a week ago.

via Kobe Bryant:Turkish Club to Kobe Bryant‎ reportedly in talks with Turkish club - latimes.com.

It's surprising that Besiktas continues to pursue Bryant despite the match-fixing issue and the fact that Bryant has yet to publicly speak on the supposed talks, even through a representative.

Angels fall 5 games back to Rangers‎

The Los Angeles Angels fall 5 games back  to Rangers‎ found out firsthand what the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners discovered last week - the Texas Rangers are a difficult team to score against.

Alexi Ogando extended an extraordinary run by Texas pitchers with eight innings of four-hit ball and the streaking Rangers beat the sputtering Angels 7-0 Tuesday night for their 12 straight victory.

Texas' winning streak is the second-longest in club history behind a 14-game run in 1991, and it has put the Rangers (56-41) a season-high 15 games over .500. Tyler Chatwood (5-6) gave up three runs, seven hits and four walks in five innings. Ian Kinsler drove in Napoli with a single.

Napoli, who spent his first five big league seasons with the Angels, was 2 for 3 with a pair of walks and scored twice in his first game at Anaheim since Los Angeles traded him and Juan Rivera to Toronto for Vernon Wells on Jan. 21. Rangers part-owner and team president Nolan Ryan was scheduled to throw a first pitch and take part in a pregame ceremony inducting former Angels owner Gene Autry posthumously into the Angels Hall of Fame. Conger batted .214 in 50 games with five homers and 16 RBIs, and threw out only eight of 56 runners attempting to steal. Ryan's youngest son, Reese, was named after the Angels' former conditioning coach. Chatwood has allowed one home run over his last 11 starts and 66 2-3 innings, a two-run shot by Tampa Bay's Justin Ruggiano on June 6 at Angel Stadium.

The American League West standings show the Texas Rangers five games ahead of the Angels with more than two months to play, hardly an insurmountable deficit for the Angels.

The Angels fall 5 games back  to Rangers‎ won 20 of 27 games before the All-Star break, erasing all of the Rangers' five-game lead, but they've lost four of five games coming out of the break, going from one game behind Texas to five games back in six days.

The pitching staff has given up 23 earned runs in 108 innings for a 1.92 earned-run average, with five shutouts.

The Angels? The Rangers put plenty of pressure on starter Tyler Chatwood (5-6), who gave up three runs and seven hits and walked four in five innings, and reliever Michael Kohn, who gave up Chavez's two-run home run in the eighth inning and both ninth-inning shots.

It was this kind of night for the Angels: They hit consecutive doubles in the fifth inning … and didn't score.

Basketball star Yao Ming

Basketball star Yao Ming announced his retirement after a trailblazing career that made him China's best-known athlete abroad and helped spur the game's global growth.

Yao joined the Rockets as the first pick in the 2002 NBA draft amid scepticism about whether the signature product of China's massive state sports system would ever earn the affection of the league's fans.

The eight-time NBA all-star routinely tops Forbes' list of China's most valuable celebrities and his international appeal has in the past led to endorsement deals with Nike, Pepsi, McDonald's and China Telecom.

NBA commissioner David Stern released a statement in New York shortly after Yao's announcement that praised him as a "transformational" player for the game.

Fellow NBA All Star Kobe Bryant told reporters in Shanghai on the eve of Yao's announcement that the Chinese player had "opened doors for young people in China to believe it's possible to become an NBA player."

"Today I'm retired from basketball and a door has closed.

After helping pro basketball gain a foothold in the world's most populous market, Chinese star Yao Ming has retired.

Yao played eight seasons in the NBA, but missed 250 regular-season games over the past six years.

Houston general manager Daryl Morey attended Yao's farewell conference Wednesday, and NBA Commissioner David Stern sent a message via video link. Yao's wife, Ye Li, and their young daughter, Yao Qinlei, and Yao's parents were in the room. "I will be always with you," Yao said. Despite news of Yao's pending retirement being out for several weeks, the actual announcement was treated with the pomp that Yao's appearances in China bring. China Central Television planned to carry five continuous hours of Yao coverage beginning at 1 p.m. local time, including 90 minutes live from the media conference.

Selected to the NBA All-Star team eight times, Yao averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds. After his rookie season, Yao helped the Rockets reach the playoffs in the next two seasons.

Yao played in 77 games in the 2008-09 season, when Houston reach the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997.

NASCAR new Hampshire

Entering Sunday's Sprint Cup event at Nascar New Hampshire Motor Speedway, eight races remain before the Chase. For the first time, the 11th and 12th spot in the playoff are decided based on wins for drivers ranked in the top 20. Drivers will tell you they always try to win in every race.

"If I could win a race, I'd win a race,"Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday. Earnhardt could use a victory. The difficulty and the pressure will mount as the Chase approaches if a team needs a win to get in. If a driver is inside the top 10, points racing might be the best option -- playing it safe and having a good finish to earn as many points as possible.

If a driver is outside the top 10, taking a few risks to try to win becomes the best option as the races wind down before the Chase.

"The single-race winners this year will change the dynamic of the points.

"Last year we were that one-race win team that would have made it with this year's type of points system. So yeah, we want to win."

David Ragan, who won at Daytona two weeks ago, is the only driver outside the top 10 that would make the Chase right now based on wins. Stewart is 11th and winless, but he's only two points behind Denny Hamlin in 10th.

Burton’s No. 31 Chevrolet was seventh or better in both practice sessions on Saturday and Burton holds the most track records at NHMS – most wins (four), most laps led by a race winner (300, September 2000), least laps led by a race winner (two, July 1999) and race record (2:42:35 and 117.134 mph, July 1997).

In 32 Cup races at the track, Burton has four wins, eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.

Clint Bowyer put the trophy from last year’s victory at Nascar New Hampshire in his house.Bowyer is stuck in 12th place again, a spot that, thanks to NASCAR’s revamped points system, puts him outside the Chase field.Eight races remain until the Chase field is set.Bowyer and his Richard Childress Racing team have huddled at the shop for solutions.

Women's World Cup final sets Twitter record

The Women's World Cupsets Twitter record final between Japan and the United States set the record for tweets per second, eclipsing the wedding of Prince William and Kate and the death of Osama bin Laden.

The exciting climax drew 7,196 tweets per second, according to Twitter. The record-breaking numbers on Sunday reflect a sharp rise in Twitter usage. Did you Tweet about it? Twitter tweeted that by the end of the Women's World Cup final, users were sending out a record 7,196 tweets per second (TPS). The previous record for TPS was 6,939, set in Japan on New Year's Eve. Twitter pointed out that this announcement prompted the highest sustained rate of tweets ever.

Last summer, a record for TPS was set during the Men's World Cup, but the number of tweets sent out during the Women's World Cup vastly trumped that figure. At the time, a record number of 3,051 TPS were posted. SAN FRANCISCO — Twitter users fired off a record number of tweets per second at the final whistle of Japan's thrilling upset win over the United States in the women's World Cup final.

The San Francisco-based real-time blogging service said Twitter users sent 7,196 tweets per second after Japan defeated the United States in a penalty shoot-out.

Twitter users sent 7,166 tweets per second at the conclusion of that match.

Other peaks for Twitter activity include April's royal wedding, with 3,966 tweets per second, and the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, with 5,530 tweets per second.

2011 ESPYs Red Carpet‎

 2011 ESPYs Red Carpet‎ 

The magnitude of Adrian Peterson's celebrity crush would crush them all. I don't kiss feet at all, but she has good features and her feet are one of those features. Meanwhile, Shawn Marion of the Mavs says his new NBA championship ring is a license to dress in a blue-and-white Mavericks-colored suit: "We're world champions. I enjoy life anyway, but I'm going to enjoy it a little bit more now that I'm a champion."

"I guarantee you, some guys want the lockout to last a little bit longer," one NFL player says.

• World-class athletes do not lack confidence. Sarah Burke, for one, liked her chances of winning Female Action Sports Athlete of the Year. (Stephanie Gilmore ended up winning.) (The Dallas Mavericks took home the trophy.)

"I just love coming to the 2011 ESPYs Red Carpet‎. Luckily, my husband doesn't care. 

• Even as wide-eyed BYU standout Jimmer Fredette attempted to find his red carpet legs, he was thinking ahead to his rookie season.

Serena Williams, Danica Patrick, Maria Sharapovawho? These ladies might be superstars in their own right, but they weren't named the Best Female Athlete of the year at last night's ESPYs on ESPN. That honor went to Olympic and world championU.S. Ski Team racer Lindsey Vonn. Oh yeah, PLUS she won the silver medal in downhill at the 2011 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.

Successful athlete or not, it turns out she's a big fan herself ... of Justin Bieber. When she won last night, she requested a photo with him for her Facebook page. Ha. Next up on her agenda is the Teen Choice Awards on August 7, where she's nominated again for favorite Female Athlete.

2011 British Open‎

(Reuters) Ignoring 35-mph gusts, the strongest winds of the week at Royal St George's, and squally showers, Mickelson picked up an early birdie at the second.

Mickelson, a four-times major winner, picked up another stroke at the sixth before joining Clarke on five-under by coaxing in a 20-foot putt for an eagle three at the seventh.

Mickelson tied his personal-record for a nine-hole score at a major by scoring an even 30 through the first nine holes. For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visitthe official Open Championship leaderboard.

36: Johnson has short putt to remain -4. Really a disappointment for Mickelson as Clarke hits his par putt. 11:33: Mickelson hits a poor approach to 13 and goes not hit the green. Clarke's bunker shot does not appear to a tough one. 11:31: Johnson safely on No. 11, a 253-yard, par 3. Clarke takes 4-iron and hits short and watches is shot roll into the bunker. 11:26: On No. 13, Mickelson's splits the fairway. 11:25: Clarke rims out his birdie putt to remain at -7 and two stroke lead on Mickelson. Johnson's birdie attempt at No. 10 is perfect. 11:24: We should not forget Dustin Johnson who is playing with Clarke. He has a makeable birdie putt to get to -4. 11:20: Clarke's approach at No. 10 is excellent. He's about 12 feet from another birdie. Just a great golf shot. 11:14: Clarke's tee shot on No. 10 hops into the left-hand rough. 11:07: Clarke's long birdie putt comes about 3-4 feet short. Mickelson on No. 11 comes up wide on his birdie putt and then blows his par putt. 11:03: Clarke's approach on No. 9 hops over the bunker and onto the green. 11:01: Clarke's tee shot on 9 puts him a little in trouble but the hole is only 412 yards.

10:59: Mickelson's birdie try on No. 10 from 19-feet drops and he's at -6 and off by a stroke.

10:55: Mickelson on No. 10 throws his approach to within 20 feet. 10:51: Clarke from 180 yards out on No. 8 hits another beauty onto the green. 10:50: Clarke (-7) and Mickelson (-5) are battling but lurking are Dustin Johnson (-30, Thomas Bjorn (-2) and Rickie Fowler (-2).

Leader Darren Clarke (-7) is heading there now.

10:43: Mickelson's settles for par on No. 9 and shoots a -5, 30 for the front nine. He now trails Clarke by 2.