Cleveland equals NBA's longest losing streak
MEMPHIS, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Zach Randolph sparked a strong fourth quarter Friday to help the Memphis Grizzlies beat Cleveland 112-105 and hand the Cavaliers their 23rd straight loss.
The losing streak is the longest in the history of the NBA. The Memphis franchise lost 23 straight 15 seasons ago when it was located in Vancouver and the Denver Nuggets tied the mark two seasons later.
Cleveland will try to avoid owning the record by itself when it hosts Portland Saturday.
Cleveland led for most of the first three periods and took an 84-83 advantage into the final quarter. The Cavaliers, however, went scoreless for almost 4 minutes to begin the fourth period and Memphis went on to win its fifth straight.
Randolph made 12-of-19 shots and scored 28 points to lead the Grizzlies. Rudy Gay added 26 points and Mike Conley had 21.
J.J. Hickson scored 31 for the Cavaliers, who last won on Dec. 18 in overtime against New York. Cleveland has not won on the road since defeating New Jersey Nov. 9.
Commissioner expects new labor deal soon
DALLAS, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday he hopes league owners will sign a new deal with the players "in the next few weeks."
The current collective bargaining agreement expires March 3. Without a new one the players are facing a potential lockout by the owners.
At his annual Super Bowl week news conference Friday, Goodell said the owners want a "fair agreement."
"Our focus is on trying to get an agreement done," Goodell said. "We want to get this deal done in the next few weeks."
Goodell is expected to meet Saturday with NFL Players Association President DeMaurice Smith in an attempt to move negotiations closer to completion. But the commissioner indicated the owners are firm in their belief that salaries need to be reduced.
"The pendulum has shifted too far in one direction," Goodell said. "Status quo is not acceptable."
Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Ochocinco attended the news conference as a member of the media thanks to his cable television talk show and he asked Goodell if the owners were preparing for a lockout.
"Both sides are going to be prepared for every outcome," Goodell said. "The commitment is to get an agreement and we will get an agreement. This has to happen now."
Goodell said March 3 was not a firm deadline, but said it was a "critical date."
"A lot of different strategies will take place if we don't reach a deal by that date," he said. "I can assure you, I think both sides have that sense of urgency."
Mark Wilson goes for second win of 2011
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Mark Wilson, already a winner this year on the PGA Tour, was tied for the lead Friday when the second round of the Phoenix Open was suspended by darkness.
Tommy Gainey shared the top spot with Wilson at 11-under par when play came to an end at the TPC-Scottsdale course.
Long frost delays at the start of both Thursday's and Friday's action threw the tournament off schedule and officials announced the event will not conclude until Monday. Only six members of the field were able to complete the second round Friday and half the players had not even started.
The first round was concluded Friday and Gainey wound up with the 18-hole lead after shooting an 8-under 63, his lowest score in four years on the tour. Gainey then started his second round and improved to 11-under through nine holes.
Wilson, who won the first full-field event of the year in Honolulu, had played 14 holes.
Geoff Ogilvy was alone in third place at 9-under for the tournament with two holes to go. J.B. Holmes and Jason Dufner were tied for fourth at 8-under, Holmes having six holes left and Dufner seven.
Among those who did not get their rounds started Friday were Tom Gillis, Bill Haas, Jason Bohn and Tom Lehman, all of whom shot 6-under 65 in the opening round.
Ice sheets slide off Cowboys' dome, 6 hurt
ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Falling ice Friday injured six people -- one critically -- at Cowboys Stadium, site of Sunday's Super Bowl, NFL officials said.
Sheets of ice and snow slid off the northeast side of the stadium's roof, falling 200 feet as temperatures warmed to 26 degrees and forcing all but one entrance to be blocked off, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Friday marked the fourth day of frigid temperatures, ice and snow in the Dallas area.
"The ice and snow melting off of the Cowboys Stadium roof has caused several sliding snow falls onto the plazas," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Morning News in an e-mail.
Arlington fire spokesman Lt. Pete Arevalo told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram it's impossible to tell where the sliding ice will land when it starts coming off the dome, the highest domed stadium in the world. An 80-foot perimeter was set up.
"We are not letting anybody around the area until we deem it is safe," said Arevalo.
The injured, who were preparing the stadium for Sunday's Super Bowl XLV, were taken to area hospitals where the two most seriously injured were said to be in stable condition. The other four injuries were described as non-life-threatening, the Morning News said.
