EPL
– In one of the most dramatic endings to a Premier League season, Manchester City clinched its first league title in 44 years with two goals in stoppage time, including the winner just before the final whistle from Sergio Aguero, to claim a stunning 3-2 win over QPR. City entered the day needing a win over relegation-battling QPR to win its first league title since 1968, and Pablo Zabaleta’s first goal of the season in the 39th minute had them on course to do so. Djibril Cisse scored an unlikely equalizer early in the second half. QPR’s Joey Barton was sent off in the 55th minute for elbowing Carlos Tevez away from the ball, only for QPR to net a stunning go-ahead goal in the 66th minute from Jamie Mackie’s header after a cross by Armand Traore.
With Manchester United have claimed a 1-0 win at Sunderland, City still needed another goal to win the title, and the dramatic moment arrived just before the final whistle when Mario Balotelli’s return pass allowed Aguero to fire home the title-winning shot from 10 yards.
NFL
– Ravens’ head coach coach John Harbaugh insists that team doctors believe DE/OLB Terrell Suggs (Achilles’ surgery) could play in 2012. The recovery timeline is 4-6 months, giving Suggs a chance to play as early as September to as late as November. “It’s just going to depend on the injury, the healing process and his effort and his work,” Harbaugh said. Suggs will likely begin the season on PUP. The best news is that his Achilles’ was only partially torn. Suggs does have an outside chance to play late this season.
MLB
– Red Sox’ 3B Kevin Youkilis (back) is expected to throw, swing and take grounders Sunday. Youkilis started playing catch Friday but is now increasing his activities. He’s eligible to be activated from the DL on Monday, but he won’t be ready that soon. The Red Sox haven’t provided a timetable.
– Nationals’ C Wilson Ramos (right knee) has a torn ACL. Manager Davey Johnson says Ramos will be “out for most of the year” following surgery, but it’s almost safe to say his year is done. Jesus Flores will take over the starting job.
KHL
– The KHL has instated a new rule in which one “returning Russian NHL player” won’t count against a given team’s salary cap. National team coaches must deem a given player “worthy” before earning such an exclusion. Slava Malamud reports that it will give richer KHL teams the opportunity to spend big on free agents such as Alexander Radulov and Alexander Semin.
NHL
– Coyotes’ D Adrian Aucoin will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Aucoin, who was injured early in the Coyotes’ 2-1 win against Nashville on Monday, hasn’t returned to the ice since.
– Flyers’ D Kimmo Timonen (knee) is expected to undergo offseason surgery.
NBA
– Heat’ F LeBron James won his third NBA MVP on Sunday, making him the eighth player in league history to win that many. He joins elite company in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Moses Malone–all of whom, however, have won NBA Championships. LBJ received 85 of a possible 121 first-place votes from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league, with fans on NBA.com combining for one vote. He earned 1,074 points, topping Thunder’ F Kevin Durant (889 points, 24 first-place votes), Clippers’ G Chris Paul (385, six first-place votes), Lakers’ F Kobe Bryant (352, two first-place votes), and Spurs’ G Tony Parker (331, four first-place votes).
“Heat nation, we have a bigger goal. This is very overwhelming to me as an individual award. But this is not the award I want, ultimately. I want that championship. That’s all that matters to me.”
“This is a team game and I wouldn’t be receiving what I’ve received in the past and now in the present without my teammates and without my family and friends who’ve helped me to this point. Even though it’s an individual award, I always go back to my teammates. I always go back to my friends and my family. No one can do it alone.”
– Pacers’ head coach Frank Vogel has been fined $15K for comments made Thursday about the Heat. Vogel called Miami the “biggest flopping team in the NBA” and told reporters that it would be “interesting” to see how much flopping the officials reward. Vogel also accused Heat players of sliding over and falling down before contact is made.
– Hawks’ co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. has been fined $35K for publicly criticizing NBA officiating and making negative comments about an opposing player. F Ivan Johnson will also be fined $25K for giving the middle finger to a fan during the game. Gearon was quoted by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as calling Celtics’ F Kevin Garnett ”the dirtiest guy in the league” on Wednesday. Gearon also criticized officiating in the series.
WWE
– Jonathan Coachman, who now works as a sports anchor for ESPN, says his past history as a WWE commentator and wrestling villain affected his initial credibility with the sports television network. Coach tells The Hutchinson News,
“It really held me back for a while. There were certain people (ESPN executives) that were fearful of some negative backlash that they hired a guy best known for wrestling.
“It was frustrating. I knew where I should be at and I knew where I wasn’t. But I also knew the reason.”
Coachman also recalled sports reporting at Kemper Arena when Owen Hart died at WWE’s Over the Edge pay-per-view event.
“There were no cell phones back then. Everyone back at the station was going nuts. I worked all night. The next morning, I was on ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘Mike and Mike in the Morning.’”
– The latest episode of WWE’s “Are You Serious?” webisode features clips of the “Donald Trump” vs. “Rosie O’Donnell” match on Raw, Josh Mathews attempting to dance, Road Dogg singing and Lilian Garcia’s shoe malfunctioning in the “Fail of the Week.”
– WWE.com has added Doink the Clown to their Alumni section.
F1
– Williams’ driver Pastor Maldonado won the Spanish Grand Prix today, becoming the first Venezuelan to win a race, while also giving Williams their first victory in 8 years. Unfortunately, 31 people were injured and 7 hospitalized after a fire erupted inside the Williams’ garage shortly after Maldonado’s victory. One person was airlifted to Barcelona hospital with serious burn wounds, while the rest were being treated at local hospital for smoke inhalation. Williams confirmed a fuel leak caused the problem, with four of its staff treated for injuries. Three of those remained in hospital. F1 team Caterham said in a statement that four team employees were among those taken to the Catalunya Circuit medical centre to be examined, one with a minor hand injury and three with respiratory issues.
The fire erupted soon after Maldonado and the team had taken the traditional victory photo in front of the team garage with members of all teams close by rushing to help contain the blaze. Williams team principle Frank Williams, who is a paraplegic, was rushed from his wheelchair as he was giving a celebratory speech for a first F1 victory in eight years that coincided with the longtime team principal’s 70th birthday celebrations. Mechanics and circuit firefighters were quickly on the scene to put out the fire with an ambulance on the scene treating one person for what appeared to be smoke inhalation. Williams driver Bruno Senna’s car was torched by the blaze, while Maldonado’s car was alongside fellow podium finishers cars away from the Williams garage. Maldonado was also seen carrying his 12-year-old cousin, Manuel out of the billowing smoke–Manuel had a cast on his right leg.
PGA
– Matt Kuchar closed the final round of The Players Championship with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot victory. It was the fourth career win for Kuchar, and his first since the 2010 Barclays when Martin Laird three-putted the last hole and lost in a playoff.
TENNIS
– Roger Federer climbed back to No. 2 in the rankings after rallying to beat Tomas Berdych 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 and win the Madrid Open for a third time on Sunday. Earlier, Serena Williams overpowered the top-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-3 to win the women’s final. Federer surpasses Rafael Nadal in the world rankings, but still trails Novak Djokovic.
“It is amazing to win here again. It has been a tough tournament. Tough to move, but you’ve got to try to make the most of it. Here there was some good tennis and some bad tennis, but you see that in all tournaments.”