Warriors sign Biedrins to 6-year deal

The Golden State Warriors re-signed center Andris Biedrins to a six-year contract worth more than $62 million Monday, retaining another restricted free agent and possibly capping a tumultuous month for the club.

Biedrins averaged career-highs with 10.5 points and 9.8 rebounds with the Warriors last season, his fourth with the club that drafted him with the 11th overall pick in 2004. He also led the NBA in field-goal percentage, making 62.6 percent of his shots.

After fielding interest from at least one Russian club this summer, the Latvian center elected to rejoin Monta Ellis, another restricted free agent who signed a six-year, $66 million deal to return to Golden State last Thursday.

“We’re extremely happy to have Andris under contract for many years to come,” said Chris Mullin, the Warriors’ top basketball executive. “He is clearly one of the top young centers in the NBA, and much like (Ellis), he has continued to improve every season. It’s not easy to find quality young big men in this league, but we certainly think we have one of them, and he’s only 22 years old.”

Biedrins has improved his scoring average in each of his seasons with Golden State, developing from a skinny rebounding specialist into an all-around player and a low-post scorer for the uptempo Warriors.

“The organization and fans have been terrific to me over the last four years, and I’m looking forward to building on some of the success that we’ve had in the last couple of years,” Biedrins said.

The Warriors’ latest signing might finally finish one of the busiest offseasons in club history. Golden State added three free agents and retaining three more in the four weeks since Baron Davis announced his plan to spurn the club by signing a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Golden State countered by signing swingman Corey Maggette away from the Clippers and grabbing forward Ronny Turiaf from the Lakers with an offer sheet. Meanwhile, forwards Mickael Pietrus (Orlando) and Matt Barnes (Phoenix) went elsewhere.

Mike Tyson Tells All - Should We Care To Listen?

Mike Tyson may not be fighting anymore, but he’s still speaking his mind. As history has shown, that can be good, bad or ugly. In the new documentary entitled Tyson, it appears that all three adjectives are appropriate. The film has received a decent reception at the Cannes Film Festival in France. I am sure that the sordid details of the Tyson’s often troubling life will elicit sympathy as well as disgust. The question is: should we care to watch?

I will.

I will watch because, like you, I am a boxing fan and always welcome video footage of vintage Tyson knocking someone out. I know it sounds cruel, but I know I am not alone here. Secondly, I am searching for answers to the following question: “what on earth was he thinking?” Specifically, what was going through Tyson’s mind when he bit Evander Holyfield’s ears; while he sat “zombie-like” next to Robin Givens as she humiliated him on the Barbara Walters show nearly twenty years ago, or what drove him to bite Lennox Lewis’s leg at a pre-fight press conference? I do not know about you, but I would hope this film sheds some light.

From witnessing him destroy a petrified Michael Spinks in 91 seconds for the unified heavyweight title or watching him participate in WrestleMania, Mike Tyson has always had an uncanny ability get me to pay attention to what he is saying or doing. He was once quoted as saying that, “more people would watch me relieve myself than watch Lennox Lewis fight.” As ridiculous as the statement sounds, you get the point. For better or for worse, I’ll be ordering the documentary Tyson once it’s available on Netflix. I have a sneaking suspicion that you will too.

Cassano is not an alien

Antonio CassanoTemperamental striker Antonio Cassano should not be treated like he is from another planet, Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said on Sunday.Eyebrows were raised last week when the 25-year-old was surprisingly named in Donadoni’s provisional Euro 2008 squad, having not been called up since 2006.

The Sampdoria forward, on loan from Real Madrid, has had a superb season but also served a five-match ban for verbally abusing a referee and throwing his shirt towards him.

“Antonio Cassano is just a lad, don’t make him into an alien,” the coach told a news conference on the first day of Italy training ahead of Friday’s final friendly with Belgium.

“I believe after that heavy suspension in the league he has understood what it means to be in a group.”

 

Team mates including full back Gianluca Zambrotta have also backed the talented frontman.

“I am not surprised to see Cassano with the national team,” Zambrotta said. “He’s had a good season and I don’t believe he needs particular advice. We are not talking about a 16-year-old boy.”

European Tour to begin drug testing in July

The European Tour will introduce random drug testing after July 1.Tour operations director David Garland, who is responsible for implementing the tests, said it would begin before the European Open, which starts July 3 at the London Club.

“Because it is supposed to be random and the players are not supposed to know,” Garland said at the BMW PGA Championship. “So it could be any time after July 1.”

The European and U.S. Tours are acting together to implement the policy.

Garland said several anti-doping seminars had been held during tournaments since late last year, with between 20 and 30 players attending each one.

“One is enough for each player,” he said. “I think we’ve got our message out there.”

 

Garland said players were already contacting the tour doctor over medical supplements and medications, such as treatments for hay fever.

Sella wins 2nd straight mountain stage at Giro

Emanuele Sella won his second straight mountain stage at the Giro d’Italia on Sunday, and Alberto Contador took the overall lead.Sella finished the Giro’s 15th stage, a 95-mile leg from Arabba to Passo Fedaia with five steep climbs, in 4 hours, 53 minutes, 24 seconds.

Sella’s CSF-Navigare teammate, Domenico Pozzovivo, finished second, followed by Riccardo Ricco of the Saunier Duval team, both of whom were about 2 minutes back.

Contador, who won last year’s Tour de France, has a 33-second lead over Ricco in the overall standings.

The Giro continues Monday with an 8-mile uphill time trial from San Vigilio di Marebbe to Plan De Corones.

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