Germany reaches World Cup final
SEOUL, South Korea, June 26 (UPI) -- Michael Ballack will have to skip the finale because of a penalty but he managed to put Germany in the World Cup championship game when his goal beat South Korea 1-0 Tuesday.
Now, the Germans will be watching intently Wednesday as Brazil takes on Turkey at Saitama, Japan, to decide who will be their opponent next Sunday night in Yokohama. Germany will be going for its record-equaling fourth World Cup title.
Ballack scored on a rebound of his own shot in the 75th minute to oust the co-host team but he will miss what would have been his biggest game.
Four minutes before he scored the winning goal, Ballack was called for a foul just outside the penalty box. The yellow card he drew was his second in as many games and means he must miss his team's next game -- which just happens to be for the championship.
His absence will be a huge one for Germany since he also scored the lone goal for his side in its quarterfinal victory over the United States last week.
Chinese star likely first NBA pick
NEW YORK, June 26 (UPI) -- The Houston Rockets have the first pick in Wednesday night's NBA draft and are expected to choose 7-foot-5 center Yao Ming of China -- but there were some questions still unanswered just hours before the draft was to begin.
Since winning last month's lottery, Rockets executives and
attorneys have been in discussions with a myriad of Chinese
organizations, all of whom have a stake in Yao, who would be the first pure international player selected first overall -- and the tallest.
"There's a lot of questions to fight your way through and
political and bureaucratic red tape to fight your way through," New Orleans Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower said. "But he's a unique player in the combination of size and skill and overall understanding of the game of basketball."
Both the Chinese government and Chinese Basketball Association are reluctant to part with their prize unless they are compensated and given assurances that Yao will participate in international competition.
At 296 pounds with the ability to run the floor and hit jumpers, Yao would fit nicely with the Rockets, who are loaded at guard and not really considering Duke point guard Jay Williams, the top American collegian available.
That would leave Williams to the Chicago Bulls, who pick second. The Golden State Warriors also covet Williams but pick third and likely will select forward Mike Dunleavy Jr., Williams' teammate at Duke.
Next is Memphis, followed by Denver, Cleveland, New York, the
Clippers, Phoenix, Miami, Washington, the Clippers again and
Milwaukee.
Venus, Hewitt easy winners at Wimbledon
LONDON, June 26 (UPI) -- The top two seeds, Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and Venus Williams of the United States, have easily moved into the second round at Wimbledon.
Now, it's time for the second and third seeders to try to do the same.
Hewitt converted six break points on the way to a 6-4, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden Tuesday. Williams needed just 45 minutes to post a 6-1, 6-1 rout of Jane O'Donoghue of Britain.
In today's action, Venus' sister, second-seeded Serena, meets Francesca Schiavone of Italy and No. 3 Jennifer Capriati faces Spain's Marta Marrero.
In men's action, second-seeded Marat Safin meets Olivier Rochus of Belgium and third-seeded Andre Agassi plays Paradorn Srichaphan of Tahailand.
Tim Henman, the fourth seed and British hope for a winner of the Wimbledon men's title, also had an easy opener, rolling over France's Jean-Francois Bachelot, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2.
Monica Seles, the fourth seed, registered the shortest match in that draw so far. The former world No. 1 needed just 37 minutes to whitewash Eva Bes of Spain, 6-0, 6-0.
Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, the fifth and sixth seeds, respectively, defeated a couple of Americans, Clijsters holding off Samantha Reeves, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), and Henin outlasting Brie Rippner, 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1.
There were a couple of key upsets on the men's side. Seventh seeded Roger Federer crashed out in the opening round, losing 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 to 18-year-old qualifier Mario Ancic of Croatia. And, No. 8 Thomas Johansson of Sweden, the reigning Australian Open champion, fell to Flavio Saretta of Brazil, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 12-10.
Griffey sidelined again
CHICAGO, June 26 (UPI) -- Cincinnati Reds centerfielder Ken Griffey Jr., who has missed more games than he has played this season, is back on the disabled list for the third time in two years.
The Reds Tuesday placed Griffey on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Monday, with a strained right hamstring. They recalled rookie outfielder Austin Kearns from Triple-A Louisville of the International League.
Griffey is batting just .243 with two home runs and four RBI in 26 games, including 20 starts. His first stint on the DL this season was from April 8-May 23 with a torn patella tendon in his right knee. He also missed eight games from June 8-16 with his current injury.
Yanks get Rivera back
BALTIMORE, June 26 (UPI) -- The New York Yankees Tuesday activated closer Mariano Rivera from the 15-day disabled list.
Rivera had been shelved since June 10 with a strained right
groin muscle. The Yankees went 8-5 without him and took over
first place from the struggling Boston Red Sox in the American
League East.
Rivera pulled his groin muscle on June 8 while pitching in the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss to San Francisco, aggravating an injury he suffered in May, when he missed four days.
Controversial BCS making some changes
NEW YORK, June 26 (UPI) -- Officials for the Bowl Championship Series say the margin of victory will no longer figure in the selection process for the upcoming football season.
That was one of several alterations announced Tuesday in hopes of insuring that a qualified team will not be left out of the national championship game.
"By eliminating margin of victory, it takes the idea of how you win and puts it in a proper perspective," said Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese, who is serving as BCS Coordinator this season. "The coaches didn't want it and the athletic directors didn't want it. We're putting more value in strength of schedule."
In another move, the BCS has narrowed its quality win component from wins over teams in the top 15 of the BCS to teams in the top 10. Tranghese said that move was made to increase the benefit of a win over an elite team.
The selection process has been mired in controversy the last two seasons.
"We'll never get a system that will satisfy everyone," said Tranghese.
Dominik Hasek retires from NHL
DETROIT, June 26 (UPI) -- Dominik Hasek, who captured the first Stanley Cup of his illustrious career earlier this month, Tuesday announced his retirement and plans to return to his native Czech Republic.
Many believed Hasek would retire after he refused to commit to another season at the Stanley Cup championship celebration in downtown Detroit last week. Fans chanted "One more year," and several teammates said they were trying to coax Hasek into returning to the Red Wings.
"Winning the Cup was everything I thought it would be. During the celebration I just wanted to have fun. I didn't want to talk about it," said Hasek at a news conference Tuesday.
He said he intends to spend more time with his family and to concentrate on his business interests. He owns a line of clothing products in the Czech Republic entitled "Dominator Clothing," and is looking to expand to North America.
