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Dhavare murder: Two held, one is real es...

u00 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:28:23 +0200

Pune, July 20 The crime branch of Pune police have arrested two persons inconnection with the daylight murder of real estate agent and formerCongress corporator Nana Nagu Dhavare (42) of Dehu Road. They havebeen remanded to police custody till July 28.

Investigations revealed that the accused identified as KalpeshDevidas Mane (22) of Ramdas Phuge chawl in Bhosari and PradeepDnyandev Pawar (23) of Dighi Road shot dead Dhavare inNigdi-Pradhikaran at 11 am on Friday, following a dispute overseven acres of land in Wadgaon Maval. The police have alsorecovered two Indian made pistols and one cartridge from theaccused.

Mane, also a real estate agent, had given Rs 18 lakh to Dhavare afew months ago for purchasing seven acres in Navlakh Umbre villagein Wadgaon Maval, said Additional Commissioner of Police (crime)Rajender Singh at a press conference.

Mane had sought the land deal documents from Dhavare but he failedto produce them. For over a month and half, Mane and Pawar werefrequently communicating with Dhavare in this regard. But heneither gave the documents nor return their money. This angered theduo who then decided to eliminate him, Singh said.

On Friday morning, Dhavare had just left home in his car when Maneand Pawar astride a motorcycle caught up with him at the SwamiVivekananda chowk in Nigdi. The duo told him that they wished totalk to him about the land deal documents. Dhavare asked them tocome inside the car. While the discussions were on, Pawar who wassitting on the rear seat fired two bullets from his pistol. Abullet went across Dhavares head killing him on the spot, Singhadded.

The breakthrough came when the crime branch sleuths were gatheringinformation about Dhavare's land deals. Police naik Ajay Mohite wastipped off by his sources that Mane and Pawar had gone to Khopoliafter killing Dhavare. A police team then arrested the assailantsat Khopoli on Saturday. A search has been launched to nab theperson who supplied pistols to the accused.

Sunderland Legend Blasts Kaboul's Agent

u00 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:27:58 +0200

01.18 21 lug 08 big yid london Lets not forget that when Kaboul signed for us he was asked if hewas happy with his move to tottenham and his reply was "itwill do for now". This french prick seriously thought he wasthe nuts, probably thought he would end up at real or barca in thefuture. Muppet! 00.48 21 lug 08 Spursman London I'm a Spurs fan and I think that Kaboul is an idiot. 23.48 20 lug 08 Loadsamoney London I have been a Spurs supporter for a good few decades, but I feelashamed to hear the comments about Kabouls agent saying Sunderlandis not on his radar in any way.This shows a total lack of respecttowards a club (Sunderland) which has a great pedegree withinEnglish football history. I know Sunderland Football Cluib ,willstill be there when Kaboul and his agent are old men and wellforgotten about. Good luck to Sunderland and Roy Keane. Hope you doreally well in the premiership next year except when you playSpurs. 23.42 20 lug 08 Sam London he is a championship defender anyway 23.36 20 lug 08 boro 4 life Agreed agents are a waste of money.I think every league needs acentral transfer centre where players can get information abouttransferring to another club etc,this way the player can decidewhere he wants to go and no one influences his decision.

Eagles RB Westbrook fires agent

u00 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:27:35 +0200

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook has fired hisagent, a decision which could ultimately lead to the All-Proholding out from training camp.

Westbrook, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL'sthird-leading rusher last season, reportedly is unhappy with hiscurrent five-year, $25 million contract with the Eagles.

Apparently unable to negotiate a new deal, Westbrook fired agent Fletcher Smith on Monday and is considering holding out fromtraining camp, which opens Monday for rookies and selected veteransin Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. All Eagles players are scheduled toreport by next Thursday.

According to the NFL Players' Association, Westbrook, who has threeyears left on his current contract, cannot officially hire a newagent until Saturday. But the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Fridaythat Westbrook likely will name John Rickert as Smith'sreplacement.

Smith, who had represented Westbrook since July 2005, did notimmediately return a phone call placed Friday afternoon by PASportsTicker.

Westbrook, 28, told the Inquirer last week that he was dissatisfiedwith his contract and did not rule out a training camp holdout.

A 2002 third-round draft selection, Westbrook has emerged as one ofthe NFL's top running backs in recent years. The 5-8, 200-poundercollected a league-leading 2,104 yards from scrimmage last season,rushing for 1,333 yards and seven touchdowns while hauling in 90receptions for 771 yards and five scores.

Westbrook has 4,785 rushing yards, 3,207 receiving yards and 52total TDs in 85 career games, all with the Eagles.

Boss Mancini not heading to Moscow, says...

u00 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:27:09 +0200

Mancini is unemployed after he was sacked at the end of lastseason, despite leading Inter to their third successive Scudetto,while CSKA coach Valery Gazzaev has already announced he will leavethe club at the end of the campaign. Reports in Russia suggested that Mancini had been approached totake charge of the 2005 UEFA Cup winners, but the coach's agent hasdenied any contact with the club. 'The Russian media are wrong,' Giorgio De Giorgis told Italiansports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. 'There has been no contact withCSKA and at the moment there are no talks going on. 'Mancini is still under contract with Inter and only when thesituation resolves itself will he begin to consider other coachingpositions.' Mancini, who was replaced by Jose Mourinho on the Inter bench, hada contract until 2012 and his lawyers are currently negotiating apay-off for the 43-year-old.

Nets to grab free-agent Keyon Dooling fr...

u00 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:26:47 +0200

The retooling of the Nets continues.

The Nets are close to finalizing a deal with the Orlando Magic for free agent Keyon Dooling . The teams have agreed on a trade and are awaiting leagueapproval, team sources said Sunday.

The Nets will receive Dooling, a 28-year-old combo guard, inexchange for cash considerations and the $3.3 million tradeexception they got in the Jason Kidd deal with Dallas back in February, sources said. Though the Nets now have 16players under contract - one more than the league maximum - theywill not send any players to Orlando.

Though sources said the trade is all but complete, team president Rod Thorn remained cautious yesterday.

"It's not done until you do it through the league," Thorn said.

Dooling has been the object of the Nets' affection for years. Whenthe trade is finalized, Dooling will back up point guard Devin Harris and shooting guard Vince Carter . Dooling averaged 8.1 points and 1.8 assists for the Magic lastseason.

The move likely will mean the end of Marcus Williams ' days in New Jersey . Heading into his third year in the league, Williams has beenplagued by injuries so far. He's missed parts of the last twoseasons and has averaged 6.4 points and three assists in hiscareer.

The Nets are said to be looking to package Williams and one oftheir other young players, such as forwards Josh Boone or Sean Williams , for a veteran. They still have eight players on their roster withtwo years' or less experience in the league.

With an abundance of big men on their roster, the Nets are alsosaid to be looking into sign-and-trade scenarios involvingrestricted free agent Nenad Krstic , who missed the majority of the last two seasons due to a left ACLinjury. Thorn has said that it's still possible Krstic will playfor the Nets next season, but that is seeming more and moreunlikely.

The team is also likely to lose free agent forward Bostjan Nachbar , who has drawn interest from several teams. Nachbar averaged 9.8points off the bench last season.

YEAH YI : Newly acquired 7-footer Yi Jianlian scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds in China 's 72-50 win over Russia in an Olympic warmup yesterday.

Area realtors on guard after agent is at...

u00 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:26:19 +0200

That attack happened at a vacant house on South Ironwood DriveFriday afternoon. Police say the man called the agent to see thehome. When the two were in the basement, the man demanded money,then showed a knife and grabbed the woman.

She fought the man, and he took off as she called 911. She wasn'thurt seriously. Police say it's important for agents to be ascautious as they can, especially after Friday's incident.

"I thought maybe it would happen, but not here though," saidGreater South Bend/Mishawaka Association for Realtors PresidentMike Rans.

According to our partners at the South Bend Tribune, police worrywith the current housing crisis, Realtors may not be as cautious asthey should.

Rans suggests meeting clients at the office before showing them thehome.

"Not only does that open the agent up to danger and possibleliability, you're showing homes that people might still be livingin and somebody if they're not qualified and they're not actuallywho they say they are, they could just be going out and casing outhouses," said Rans.

Rans encourages Realtors to have someone accompany them, especiallywhen showing a home to a stranger.

"Maybe have a spouse or a friend or another agent go with them onthese showings so they're not going to be in a vacant house withsomeone they don't know," said Rans.

Suzanne Rhoutsong has been a Realtor for three years. She admitsthere are times when Realtors put themselves in danger,particularly when showing more secluded parts of a home like thebasement.

"That's part of your job — to show them what the house has tooffer," said Rhoutsong.

Which is why Rhoutsong says people should never sacrifice theirsafety, no matter what they're doing.

"I think women traveling alone or doing business alone really,really have to be on their guard at all times," said Rhoutsong.

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call policeimmediately.

Report has Sundin bound for Canucks, age...

u00 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:25:55 +0200

The North American agent for Mats Sundin, above, denies a claimthat the centre will play play for the Vancouver Canucks nextseason. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

A Swedish newspaper has reported that Mats Sundin has agreed to adeal with the Vancouver Canucks, but the centre's North Americanagent has denied the claim.

J.P. Barry, Sundin's North American agent, has confirmed toCBCSports that the report by Dusan Umicevic in Sweden's Daily Newsis false.

In an interview with a Vancouver radio station earlier this week,Canucks general manager Mike Gillis expressed confidence thatSundin, who became an unrestricted free agent for the first time inhis career on July 1, would still accept the club's offer of atwo-year contract valued at $20 million US.

Sundin has been the subject of intense interest from several otherclubs including the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings and theNew York Rangers. A return to the Toronto Maple Leafs also remainsan option.

The Swede has posted 555 goals and 766 assists for 1,321 points in1,305 NHL games with Toronto and the Quebec Nordiques. He wasselected first overall by Quebec in the 1989 draft and traded toToronto five years later.

Sundin, 37, has yet to play in a Stanley Cup final. He earned $5.5million last season on a one-year deal that included a no-tradeclause.

Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher had given Montreal andthe New York Rangers permission to talk to Barry prior to July 1 inhopes of working out a deal.

The Vancouver offer would make Sundin the highest-paid player inthe NHL. Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh and Alexander Ovechkin ofWashington currently top next season's salary list at $9 million USapiece. With files from the Associated Press

The Twins are within their rightsnd righ...

u00 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:25:31 +0200

They're the Twins. They're supposed to be good. They've been widelyrecognized as one of baseball's smartest organizations for severalyears agent now. They trade Johan Santana before he walks and lose ToriiHunter to free agency. And they're still in contention.

Coming into Sunday they had won 24 of their last 32 games to knocksix games off what had been a 6 1/2-game deficit in the AL Central.They're hitting .305 as a team in this stretch, and their staff ERAis 3.64.

What do you know about Nick Blackburn , Glen Perkins , Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker ? They're Minnesota's four best starting pitchers.

As for the supposed ace of the staff, Livan Hernandez , he has the highest ERA in the rotation at 5.29.

Players come and go. Even GM Terry Ryan stepped aside, replaced byBill Smith. What doesn't change is the organization's relentlesscommitment to player development. The Twins don't have wads ofcash, but they know how to win.

They know that good organizations are built on a foundation ofsmart drafting and scouting, on not cutting corners. Let othersspend on free agency. It never works anyway.

If the Twins believed Francisco Liriano was ready to pitch in thebig leagues, he'd be pitching in the big leagues.

Forget the numbers. He's 8-2 with a 3.34 ERA in 18 starts at ClassAAA Rochester. He has a 0.43 ERA in July.

Yes, it's clear he's getting close. There are two issues, however.

One is creating a spot for him in the big leagues. Until Genskepopped off, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was considering going to asix-man rotation to get Liriano to the big leagues and to perhapsrelieve some of the stress from his surgically repaired elbow.

Don't tell me the Twins are keeping him in the minors because theyare hoping to delay his arbitration eligibility. They're the Twins.They're used to dealing with these things. They put a value on eachplayer, and when the player exceeds that value, he's shown thedoor.

If other teams did the same thing, the game would be better off.Unless you like the idea of throwing money away. Which some teamsdo.

The other issue is making sure he's ready. He apparently didn'tcome to spring training in the best of shape, and when he openedthe season with the Twins he was 0-3 with an 11.32 ERA before beingsent back down.

There's the irony of the whole thing. The Twins DID rush him back.Now they've got the pitching depth to make sure that when hereturns, it's permanent.

Even now, some scouts say he's losing velocity late in games. He'sdominating lefthanded hitters, but righthanders still are hittinghim hard.

Several scouts say the Twins are doing the right thing by waitingas long as possible before calling him up. By keeping him in theminor leagues, they're giving him every opportunity to strengthenthe elbow and get past any swelling issues.

Meanwhile, Genske says he's filing a grievance with the MajorLeague Players Association. Not sure what he'll base the grievanceon considering the Twins are perfectly within their rights to leavehim down there until they're good and ready.

Why would the Twins punish the kid? Before he was injured two yearsago, he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball.

During a stretch of 14 starts in 2006, before he broke down, he was11-2 with a 1.55 ERA.

If he can return to the big leagues and be anywhere close to theeffective, he might mean the difference between making and missingthe playoffs.

As you can imagine, Gardenhire wasn't amused by Liriano and hisagent's claims.

"No one is going to tell us who to put on our team and no one onESPN is going to tell us who should pitch for my team," he toldreporters. "I recommend they go down there and watch him pitch,come back with a good report for me and walk into my office."

Seems like he didn't see the humor in Genske's comments. He will,though. There's no other way to look at them.

Richard Justice is a columnist for the Houston Chronicle and aregular contributor to Sporting News.