Bulls' Rose has knee surgery
CHICAGO, May 12 (UPI) -- Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose had a torn ligament in his left knee surgically repaired Saturday, the team said.
A statement issued by the Bulls said Rose went under the knife of the Bulls team physician, Dr. Brian Cole, at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. The operation was deemed a success.
Rose, the 2010-11 NBA MVP, tore the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee April 28 during a first-round playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Without him in the lineup, the 76ers eliminated the top-seeded Bulls in six games.
The 23-year-old point guard battled through an injury-plagued season to average 21.8 points and 7.9 assists per game over 39 contests.
LeBron James wins 3rd NBA MVP
MIAMI, May 12 (UPI) -- Miami Heat forward LeBron James Saturday was named the NBA's most valuable player -- the third time he has earned the honors in his nine-year career.
James' award was also his third MVP nod in four seasons. He joins eight other players in league history to win the prize three times.
"This is my ninth year in the NBA," James said during a ceremony Saturday in Miami. "Less than 10 years ago, I had dreams of being in the NBA. I had dreams of putting on an NBA uniform. I never dreamt about being a Most Valuable Player."
James, who averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 62 games this season, received 1,074 points in the voting, including 85 first place votes.
Coming in second was Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant with 889 points.
The Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul was third, followed by Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio's Tony Parker.
N.Y. Times sheds stake in Red Sox
BOSTON, May 12 (UPI) -- The New York Times Co. has sold its remaining stake in the ownership of the Boston Red Sox to unidentified buyers for $63 million, the company said.
The Boston Globe, which is also owned by the Times Co., said the purchasers were believed to be the current minority owners of the storied franchise.
The newspaper said the Times' tenure with the Red Sox turned out to be a good deal. The Times Co. bought into Fenway Sports Group 10 years ago, acquiring a 17.5-percent share for $75 million. The company tripled its investment over the years and has since cashed out for a total of $225 million.
In addition, the Red Sox won two World Series during the period.
Fenway Sports Group also owns shares of the New England Sports Network and Britain's famed Liverpool soccer team.
Probe muddies USC's Coliseum deal
LOS ANGELES, May 12 (UPI) -- A stadium commissioner says he wants to cancel a vote to turn the management of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum over to the University of Southern California.
Bernard Parks made a formal request Friday to cancel Monday's scheduled vote because of an ongoing investigation by the State of California into the stadium general manager, who allegedly hit USC up for a job at the same time he was negotiating a lease with the school.
Parks, a former Los Angeles police chief and current city councilman, said in a letter to fellow Stadium Commission members that Interim General Manager John Sandbrook could be charged with a felony down the road, the Los Angeles Times said Saturday.
"I believe he has been more of an advocate for USC than for the Coliseum during the lease process," Parks said in his letter. "I am insisting that Monday's scheduled vote … be delayed until this inquiry is resolved."
The proposed lease would give USC control over day-to-day operations of the landmark stadium, which is home to the Trojans football team. The Coliseum and adjacent Los Angeles Sports Arena are currently run jointly by the state and the city and county of Los Angeles.
The Times said some commissioners supported the 99-year deal Sandbrook negotiated with USC because it would provide sorely needed funding for improvements to the aging stadium.
