In brief: Prosecutors point to Clemens’ DNA at trial
Baseball: Prosecutors said Wednesday that needles and cotton balls Roger Clemens’ former trainer says he used to inject the star pitcher tested positive for Clemens’ DNA and anabolic steroids – evidence the defense said was faked.
Assistant U.S. attorney Steven Durham revealed the results during opening arguments in Clemens’ trial in Washington on charges of lying to Congress about using performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens’ attorney Rusty Hardin responded that he won’t dispute the needles contain Clemens’ DNA and steroids, but accused the trainer Brian McNamee of “mixing” it up.
“He manufactured this stuff,” Hardin told jurors. “Roger Clemens’ only crime was having the poor judgment to stay connected with Brian McNamee.”
Hardin said steroids would have been so “incredibly inconsistent with his career and beliefs that there’s no way he would have done it.”
Clemens has said that the only things McNamee ever injected him with were the common local anesthetic lidocaine for his joints and vitamin B-12 to ward off flu viruses and stay healthy.
• International League rolls: Tampa Bay prospect Russ Canzler hit a three-run homer and the International League All-Stars pitching staff allowed just three hits in a 3-0 victory over the Pacific Coast League All-Stars in the Triple-A All-Star game at Salt Lake City.
Hunter urges players to consider options
Basketball: The leader of the NBA Players’ Association is expressing his support for playing overseas during the lockout.
In a memo sent to the players Tuesday night, Billy Hunter says the union supports all players “who are taking steps to continue to earn a living, stay in peak competitive shape, and play the game that we love while the unfortunate league-imposed lockout is in place.”
New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams is working on a deal with Turkish team Besiktas, and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Amare Stoudemire of the New York Knicks have mentioned the possibility of playing overseas if the NBA lockout drags on.
• Nowitzki earns two awards: Dirk Nowitzki picked up a pair of trophies, including male athlete of the year, and his Dallas Mavericks were chosen as the best team at the ESPY Awards at Los Angeles.
Nowitzki also won as best NBA player during ESPN’s live telecast from the Nokia Theatre. Rick Carlisle was named best coach for leading the Mavericks to the NBA championship.
• Fowles guides Sky over slumping Tulsa: WNBA scoring leader Sylvia Fowles had 21 points, and the Chicago Sky (7-7) beat Tulsa 72-54 at Rosemont, Ill.
Fowles, averaging 20.4 points per game, added 13 rebounds in front of a franchise-record crowd announced at 13,838 at Allstate Arena.
The Sky’s Courtney Vandersloot (Gonzaga University) scored eight points on 4-for-8 shooting from the floor and added two assists and two blocked shots. Teammate Angie Bjorklund (University High) had an assist and two fouls in 12 minutes.
The loss was the seventh straight for the Shock (1-12) and second for interim coach Teresa Edwards, who took over July 9 after Nolan Richardson’s resignation.
Vikings put new roof through first tests
NFL: The Minnesota Vikings have a roof over their helmets once again.
Seven months after the Metrodome’s Teflon-coated fiberglass ceiling collapsed in a snowstorm, forcing the Vikings to play their final two home games last season elsewhere, the new roof has been raised in plenty of time for the first preseason game.
Stadium officials and construction workers inflated the roof during the morning as a test. No problems popped up, so the roof of the 29-year-old stadium will stay up while the finishing touches are put on a rebuilding project that began in March.
The new roof sits a little lower than before, to better withstand strong winds and help prevent snow from piling up in drifts.
NCAA continues to investigate Auburn
College football: The New York Times is reporting that an NCAA official told Auburn coach Gene Chizik that it is not done investigating the Tigers’ football program and the recruitment of Cam Newton.
The newspaper reported that Chizik asked NCAA vice president for enforcement Julie Roe Lach why the NCAA had not announced that the Newton investigation was finished, during a presentation at last month’s SEC meetings in Destin, Fla.