- Publish date:
For the Record
Set
A Nov. 5 wedding date by SI's 2009 Sportsman of the Year, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, 35, and actress Minka Kelly, 29. In August rumors surfaced of an engagement for the couple (above), who later were photographed vacationing in St. Barts, but Jeter denied the claim when he was grilled by late-night talk-show host David Letterman in November. The New York Post and Newsday have reported that the nuptials are now set to be held at Long Island's Oheka Castle, the second-largest private residence in the U.S., two days after the latest possible 2010 World Series date.
Won
By the United States, the 2010 junior hockey championships, with a 6--5 overtime victory against Canada on Jan. 5 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The final saw Canada, which had won the last five junior titles, fight back from two goals down in the last three minutes of regulation to force an extra period before 19-year-old Washington Capitals prospect John Carlson—who hails from Natick, Mass., and plays for the AHL's Hershey Bears—scored the winner. "We played Canadian hockey," U.S. coach Dean Blais said afterward of his team's second title. "We played gritty."
Died
At age 77 of cancer, Dr. Robert Jackson, who is largely credited with introducing arthroscopic surgery to sports in the Western world during the 1970s. In '64 Jackson, then a 32-year-old physician traveling with Team Canada for the Tokyo Olympics, met a Japanese doctor named Masaki Watanabe, who, in exchange for lessons in English conjugations, shared a noninvasive surgical method that he'd been utilizing on local senior citizens. Jackson brought the method back to the West and in '67 performed his first arthroscopies on players of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, for whom he was team doctor; by the '80s the procedure had gone mainstream.
Attacked
By AK-47-toting rebels, the Togolese national soccer team as it traveled to the African Cup of Nations in Angola on Friday. A cavalcade of police vehicles and two team buses—one carrying players, another loaded with luggage—had entered the territory of Cabinda when a 30-minute firefight erupted. A bus driver and two team officials were killed, and seven others were wounded in the attack. Witnesses say that the rebels, two of whom have been arrested and linked to a separatist group called FLEC, misidentified the baggage bus and attacked it first, allowing players to take cover under their seats. On Monday, against the wishes of some players, the Sparrow Hawks withdrew on orders from their government. Said prime minister Gilbert Houngbo, "We would not leave our team being exposed to similar risks."
Signed
To a reported $30 million, five-year deal by the Cincinnati Reds, lefthanded pitcher Aroldis Chapman, who defected from Cuba last July during an international tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The 22-year-old prospect first drew attention with his triple-digit fastball at the 2009 World Baseball Classic, and he impressed scouts at a 45-pitch workout in Houston last month. That appearance allayed concerns about his control, which was considered an issue after he walked 210 batters to go along with 379 strikeouts and a 24--21 record in Cuba's National Series. Chapman, compared by some with a young Randy Johnson, is expected to work into the rotation for the Reds, who outbid big spenders such as the Red Sox and the Angels to seal the deal.
Committed
To play quarterback for Mississippi State, Dylan Favre, the 17-year-old nephew of Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. The son of Brett's youngest brother, Jeff, Dylan (below) set single-season state records for total offense (6,854 yards) and total touchdowns (81) en route to winning player of the year honors and a state title for St. Stanislaus (Miss.) High this fall. With college options limited by his stature (he's 5'11", three inches shorter than Brett), Dylan chose the Bulldogs, declining an offer from his uncle's alma mater, Southern Miss.
Loaned
To the Greek club Aris by Portugal's Benfica, 20-year-old former soccer wunderkind Freddy Adu. A native of Ghana, Adu was selected first overall by D.C. United in the 2004 MLS draft at age 14, making him one of the youngest players to sign a pro sports contract in U.S. history. But as an attacking midfielder he scored only 12 goals in 98 MLS games and has since only started infrequently on three foreign teams. Adu hopes that the move to a lesser club will lead to more playing time and improve his chances of returning to the U.S. national team for June's World Cup.
Hired
To coach the Seattle Seahawks, USC's Pete Carroll. The Trojans' leader of almost a decade won two national titles in L.A. and held the second-best winning percentage (.836) among active coaches, but his departure seemed imminent after years of courtship by NFL teams and off-the-field turmoil (including alleged finanical improprieties by former Southern Cal running backs Reggie Bush and Joe McKnight). The move, which follows Seattle's dismissal of Jim Mora (5--11), marks Carroll's third head coaching stint in the pros; in one season with the Jets (1994) and three with the Patriots ('97--99) he was 33--31. Said Carroll, 58, who previously had reaffirmed his desire to stay in Southern California, "[This job] came out of nowhere."
THEY SAID IT
Sean Avery
Rangers left wing, on the special satisfaction of his first game against the Dallas Stars, who waived him last February five months into a four-year, $15.5 million contract: "I was getting paid by two teams."
Go Figure
10 million
Points scored in the history of the NBA when Pistons guard Ben Gordon hit a jumper in the second quarter against the Sixers last Saturday.
7
Postponements in the English Premier League's nine-game weekend schedule following the country's biggest snowstorm in 18 years.
100
First-half points by the nation's No. 2 basketball team, Yates (Texas) High, in a 170--35 win over Houston Lee. It's believed to be the second-highest scoring half ever by any team.
$3 million
Revenue lost by Central Florida's basketball team when it nullified a contract with shoemaker Adidas, which had opposed guard Marcus Jordan's wearing his famous father's trademark Air Jordan sneakers.
5.4
Points per game for the freshman, who has cost the school $37,037 per point.
34
Passing yards by the Ravens' Joe Flacco in Sunday's wild-card win over the Patriots, tied for the fewest in a full playoff game by a winning quarterback since 1966.
PHOTO
TRB/FAME PICTURES (JETER)
PHOTO
CHRISTOPHER PASATIERI/US PRESSWIRE (AVERY)
PHOTO
CHRIS EVANS/MAXPREPS.COM (FAVRE)
