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Nadal seeded No. 5 for Wimbledon
by STEVE DOUGLAS, AP Sports Writer
Jun 19, 2013 | 1 views | 0 0 comments | 0 0 recommendations | email to a friend | print
If Rafael Nadal is going to win Wimbledon for a third time, he'll have to do it the hard way. Fresh from winning his eighth French Open, Nadal is seeded only No. 5 at Wimbledon — setting up the possibility of a quarterfinal match against title contenders Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray. The All England Club released the seedings Wednesday for this year's grass-court Grand Slam, which starts Monday. The top five in the ATP rankings remain in their positions: Djokovic at No. 1, followed by Murray, Federer, David Ferrer and Nadal. Nadal slipped down the rankings after being sidelined for about seven months with a left knee injury following his surprise loss to Lukas Rosol in the second round at Wimbledon last year. The Spaniard has won seven of the nine tournaments he has entered in his comeback — including the French Open last month — but he still fell to No. 5 after Roland Garros behind the man he beat in the final — Ferrer. Wimbledon's seeding order is determined using the ATP rankings and points are added for achievements in grass-court tournaments in the past 12 months. The All England Club could have moved Nadal up to No. 4 ahead of Ferrer but decided to stick to the rankings. The women's seedings follow the WTA rankings, with five-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams at No. 1 and Victoria Azarenka at No. 2. Serena's sister, Venus Williams, withdrew Tuesday, citing a back injury. While Nadal was losing to then-No. 100 Rosol in one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history last year, Ferrer reached the quarterfinals for the first time in 10 attempts before losing in four sets to Murray. Although clay is Ferrer's best surface, he has twice won the Dutch grass-court title at Rosmalen. However, he lost his first-round match there this year to Xavier Malisse on Tuesday. Nadal may have to beat all of the world's top three players if he is to add to his Wimbledon titles in 2008 and '10, two of his 12 Grand Slam championships. He will find out when the draw is held on Friday. "I'd sign up to be in the quarterfinals against Rafa tomorrow if someone offered me that," Murray said in his column for the BBC website. "You could say if I get through that match, then the semifinal might not be as tough, but if you want to win the biggest tournaments you have to beat the best players in the world. "It doesn't really matter where they are in the draw." Jo-Wilfried Tsonga jumped one spot in the seedings to No. 6, with Tomas Berdych dropping a place to No. 7. Marin Cilic, runner-up at the Queen's Club tournament on Sunday, moves up to No. 10 from an ATP ranking of 12. American player John Isner jumped from 21 to 18.
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NBA FINALS: Duncan, Spurs collapse down the stretch
by JON KRAWCZYNKSKI, AP Basketball Writer
Jun 19, 2013 | 10 views | 0 0 comments | 0 0 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Miami's Ray Allen (34) defends San Antonio's Manu Ginobili (20) during overtime of Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday in Miami. The Heat defeated the Spurs 103-100. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami's Ray Allen (34) defends San Antonio's Manu Ginobili (20) during overtime of Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday in Miami. The Heat defeated the Spurs 103-100. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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MIAMI — Tim Duncan was delivering a vintage performance, and the San Antonio Spurs were streaking to the franchise's fifth championship. Then the 37-year-old forward ran out of gas, and the Spurs collapsed down the stretch like they so rarely have before. Duncan had 30 points and 14 rebounds in the first three quarters, but was scoreless and grabbed just three boards in the fourth quarter and overtime of San Antonio's 103-100 overtime loss to the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night. The Spurs led by 10 points at the start of the fourth quarter and by five with 28 seconds to play. But Duncan missed all five of his shots in the fourth quarter and overtime and Ray Allen hit a 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds to play in regulation that kept the defending champions alive. For a team that has been so very good and very precise in the biggest of moments over the years, coughing up two such enormous advantages in the final minute of regulation and let them slip away was almost unfathomable. "We were in a great spot," Manu Ginobili said. "We just gave them another chance and it hurts. It's one of those moments where you're going to be thinking about what we could've done better in those last possessions, so many times, all night long, till the next game. It's terrible." Game 7 is on Thursday night in Miami. Behind an incredible first three quarters from Duncan, the Spurs led 75-65 heading into the fourth quarter. That's when LeBron James, who had been so quiet for so much of the game, finally made his move. James missed nine of his first 12 shots and was so frustrated by the Spurs' defense that he flung his trademark headband away. He proceeded to scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to stun the Spurs. "Obviously it's a tough loss," Parker said. "We had a great opportunity to finish it, but that's basketball. Now we can show what we're made of and have a great opportunity. We can't forget that we have another opportunity on thursday to win a championship." The Heat led 89-86 with 90 seconds to go, but Tony Parker hit a step-back 3-pointer over James and then scored on a twisting drive to the bucket for a 91-89 lead, an advantage that swelled to 94-89 on two free throws from Ginobili with 28 seconds left. But James hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds to go that made the score 94-92. Kawhi Leonard then missed a big free throw and Allen, the NBA's career leader in 3-point shooting, somehow got open in the corner for the game-tying shot. The Spurs had a chance to go ahead in the closing seconds of overtime, but Ginobili's drive to the bucket was thwarted and Allen hit two free throws. "That last play down the stretch there, it can go either way," Duncan said. "We obviously believe it was a foul going down the middle. We get two free throws and we're talking about something different here, if that happens." In a game as thrilling and back-and-forth as this one, the referees weren't going to let a whistle decide it, so James did. He scored on a layup in overtime for a 101-100 lead, Allen added two more free throws and Chris Bosh blocked Danny Green's 3-pointer at the buzzer to force a Game 7. "It is what it is," Duncan said. "It's a one-game series now. I don't know what happened in the fourth and overtime, just the opportunities weren't there. I did have some opportunities and just missed shots. Whatever you want to call it, just a disappointing loss." Parker had 19 points and eight assists, but was just 6 for 23 from the floor and Green went 1 for 7 from the floor after breaking the finals record for 3-pointers in the first five games. And after a superb performance in their Game 5 win in San Antonio, Ginobili had just nine points and eight turnovers. "I have no clue how we're going to be re-energized. I'm devastated," Ginobili said. "But we have to. There's no Game 8 afterward. We're going to have to play our best game. ... There's no secret recipe for bouncing back." Duncan played 44 minutes, but coach Gregg Popovich insisted fatigue didn't play a role. The coach shrugged off the tough collapse in an epic game, and said they'll be ready for Game 7. "It was a hell of a game," Popovich said. "It was an overtime game. It's a game of mistakes. And they ended up on the winning end."
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July decision expected on drug task force
by Agnes Hagin
Jun 19, 2013 | 108 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Officials in Cedartown, Rockmart and Polk County are expected to sign an intergovernmental agreement for the Polk County Drug Task Force in July. Intergovernmental committee members have met for the past several months to hammer out details of the document. A proposed copy was recently reviewed during a meeting in Aragon. Attending this session were Polk County Manager Matt Denton and Assistant Manager David McElwee, Aragon Mayor Ken Suffridge, Rockmart Mayor Steve Miller and Manager Jeff Ellis, Cedartown City Commission Chair Dale Tuck and Manager Bill Fann. The initial intergovernmental agreement for the drug task force would be for one year. It would automatically be renewed on an annual basis. Each entity could withdraw by giving a 30-day written notice prior to the effective date of the agreement. Tentative details are that all operational and management policies will be established and unanimously approved by a control board comprised of the Polk County sheriff and chiefs of the police departments in Cedartown and Rockmart. This board would meet quarterly, record and maintain meeting summaries. The agreement also states that all personnel assigned to the task force should possess or exceed the minimum qualifications established by the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, education, training and/or experience equivalencies might be interchanged in meeting the minimum qualifications. The command structure of the new task force would include a commander, deputy commander, investigator/agent and administrative staff. County and city departments would provide funding with the sheriff providing office space and related equipment. The official operational date for the unit is set for Aug. 1, 2013. However, local law enforcement agencies have been working together in drug busts during the past several weeks. Meanwhile, officials from Polk and its cities have not agreed to consolidate information technology (IT) departments. An initial organizational chart shows that work orders would be generated in Polk and its cities and sent to IT, which would be staffed with thee full time county employees. IT technicians would have the responsibility of hardware/software trouble shooting, installation and network infrastructure support. The cities would budget for the cost of hardware/software purchases, technician salary and benefits and one-year termination notice. The county would coordinate and prioritize work orders. Denton said the county is scheduled to roll out a new software platform in July and Cedartown is expected to continue discussion of the proposal. McElwee said the county police chief and sheriff have met to develop standardized police training, one of the goals initially mention as part of consolidation efforts. He said Polk’s public safety director is also meeting with county fire departments to discuss the idea. Denton also suggested the committee begin discussions of municipal inmate housing costs at the Polk County Jail at the August meeting.
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Tampa Bay Rays catcher Jose Lobaton, left, and left fielder Kelly Johnson, center, rush in to assist starting pitcher Alex Cobb as Cobb grabs his head and lies on the pitcher's mound after being hit by a line drive by Kansas City Royals' Eric Hosmer during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 15, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Cobb was taken off the field on a stretcher. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Jose Lobaton, left, and left fielder Kelly Johnson, center, rush in to assist starting pitcher Alex Cobb as Cobb grabs his head and lies on the pitcher's mound after being hit by a line drive by Kansas City Royals' Eric Hosmer during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 15, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Cobb was taken off the field on a stretcher. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
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Miami's Ray Allen (34) defends San Antonio's Manu Ginobili (20) during overtime of Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday in Miami. The Heat defeated the Spurs 103-100. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami's Ray Allen (34) defends San Antonio's Manu Ginobili (20) during overtime of Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday in Miami. The Heat defeated the Spurs 103-100. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
slideshow