Soggy Kentucky Derby Day in forecast
LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 30 (UPI) -- Weather forecasters say this year's Kentucky Derby could be a record-breaker -- for the amount of rain falling on Churchill Downs Saturday.
Mike Callahan of the National Weather Service said the first rain is expected to hit the Louisville area early Saturday with showers and thunderstorms continuing through the weekend, The Louisville Courier-Journal reported. He said the rain is likely to fall all day, although sometimes it will fall harder.
"It's going to be a typical winter-like rain -- but in May," Callahan said. "It's going to be an interesting Derby."
While the rain may be wintry, Callahan said temperatures are likely to be in the 70s.
The wettest Kentucky Derby on record was in 1918 when 2.31 inches of rain fell on the first Saturday in May.
Evans leads NBA's All-Rookie team
NEW YORK, April 30 (UPI) -- Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, one day after being selected NBA Rookie of the Year, was a unanimous pick for the league's All-Rookie Team.
Golden State's Stephen Curry and Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings joined Evans in being on every first-team ballot submitted by NBA coaches. Curry was runner-up and Jennings third behind Evans in Rookie of the Year voting.
Also on the All-Rookie first team were New Orleans' Darren Collison and Chicago's Taj Gibson.
Evans averaged 20.1 points, 5.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds in starting each of the 72 games in which he appeared this season. Curry averaged 17.5 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 80 games and Jennings finished the season averaging 15.5 points, 5.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 82 games.
Collison had extended playing time in the wake of Chris Paul's injuries during the season and ranked sixth among rookies in scoring at 12.4 points a game. Gibson led all rookies in rebounding at 7.5 per game.
The All-Rookie second team includes: Marcus Thornton of New Orleans, DeJuan Blair of San Antonio, James Harden of Oklahoma City, Jonny Flynn of Minnesota and Detroit's Jonas Jerebko.
Coaches aren't allowed to vote for players on their own team.
Longtime NFL punter Jeff Feagles retires
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., April 30 (UPI) -- Jeff Feagles, a punter who was a member of five NFL teams over a 22-season career and who owns the league record for punts, retired from football Friday.
Feagles, 44, had one year left on his contract with the New York Giants but decided not to return to add to his NFL record 1,713 punts.
"I've accepted it, it is what it is," said Feagles. "A week ago Monday, I got out of bed and the good Lord above sent me a sign and said you're finished. My knee was hurting, my back was hurting and I said I just can't do this."
Feagles averaged 40.7 yards on 674 punts last season with the Giants, about 1 yard a kick less than his career average of 41.6 yards. He also played for New England, Philadelphia, Arizona and Seattle. The Patriots signed him in 1988 as an undrafted free agent out of Miami (Fla.).
Feagles was a two-time Pro Bowl selection -- 1995 and 2008 -- and was with the Giants when they won Super Bowl XLII. He appeared in a league-record 352 consecutive games.
The Giants took East Carolina punter Matt Dodge in the seventh round of last week's NFL draft.
Rooney gets 3rd Player of the Year award
MANCHESTER, England, April 30 (UPI) -- Manchester United's Wayne Rooney was voted the Premier League's Player of the Year by writers covering soccer in England.
Rooney, 24, has scored 34 goals this season in league play, despite missing time because of injuries. He earlier won Player of the Year awards as voted on by Premier League players and fans.
Officials said Rooney took more than 80 percent of the votes from the writers, easily outdistancing runner-up Didier Drogba of the Chelsea squad and Manchester City's Carlos Tevez.
"I am delighted to win an award with so much history and tradition, and to follow a long line of wonderful players who have been honored by the Football Writers' Association since 1948, it gives me real pride," Rooney said.
It is the third time in four years a Manchester United player won the writers' Player of the Year honor. Cristiano Ronaldo won in 2007 and 2008. In the 63 years the award has been voted on, Manchester United players have won nine times.
