March, 2012 | PhatzNewsRoom.com News Room and Blog

Boxing: Floyd Mayweather is so good because he’s a ‘vampire’

March 31, 2012 By Admin

(PhatzRadio / USA Today) — Listening to Floyd Mayweather Jr., speak is almost as entertaining as watching him fight.

You are almost assured of getting a sparkling combination out of both.

Talking to David Mayo of mlive.com, the fighter was in rare form talking about his past, present and future.

While everyone is waiting for Mayweather-Pacquiao to happen, The 35-year-old Mayweather is preparing to fight Miguel Cotto in six weeks.

“…Do I think age is going to play a factor? At this particular time, I can’t say,” comments Mayweather. “Once I go out there and that bell rings, then we’ll have to see.”

That may be because vampires don’t age.

“I smell that blood, I taste it,” Mayweather said after hurting a sparring partner. “I crave that blood. I’m a vampire.”

Later, when another sparring partner challenged him verbally, Mayweather was equal to the task.

“My check looks like your Social Security number,” Mayweather said.

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UFC / MMA: LaRosa grabs last-second submission to beat Warren

March 31, 2012 By Admin

0c12b0f6cde2a7c56cf9e768cae8a21b UFC / MMA: LaRosa grabs last second submission to beat Warren

(PhatzRadio / MMA) — Tara LaRosa needed most of three rounds to get a dominant position, but she made it count.

The top-rated female fighter at 125 pounds secured an armbar to submit Kelly Warren with one second left in their bout Resurrection Fighting Alliance’s mixed martial arts show Friday in Kearney, Neb. LaRosa, returning from a layoff of more than a year, recorded her 21st victory in 23 professional fights.

Warren took the bout with less than a month to prepare after LaRosa’s originally scheduled opponent, Angela Magana, withdrew because of an injury. Despite the short notice — and fighting only six weeks after suffering her second straight loss — Warren gave LaRosa all she could handle.

For two-and-a-half rounds, LaRosa struggled to get Warren to the canvas. Warren stayed on the outside, landed some solid strikes and nullified LaRosa’s hiptoss attempts. LaRosa dragged her down in the second round by pulling guard and reversed quickly to move atop Warren, but could not improve her position or land many strikes before the referee restarted the action standing.

They finally hit the ground for good in the last two minutes of the fight. LaRosa tried for a leglock before quickly working her way onto Warren’s back and securing a body triangle. With less than 30 seconds left, LaRosa trapped her opponent’s right arm and torqued the limb; Warren resisted the pain for several moments before conceding the tap just before the clock expired.

Their fight was supposed to take place at 125 pounds. They agreed Thursday to compete at a catchweight, with LaRosa officially weighing in at 129 pounds and Warren weighing 128.

LaRosa occupies the No. 1 spot for 125 pounders in the Unified Women’s MMA Rankings.

In the main event of Resurrection’s show, Gilbert Yvel knocked out Houston Alexander in a clash of Ultimate Fighting Championship alumni. Also Friday, former UFC champion Maurice Smith — 50 years old and competing for the first time in more than three-and-a-half years — knocked out Jorge Cordoba with a kick to the head.

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Tennis: Djokovic beats Monaco to reach Key Biscayne final

March 31, 2012 By Admin

db5b05a212cb9c6d8c9ce950999258bf Tennis: Djokovic beats Monaco to reach Key Biscayne final
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts to winning the semi-final against Juan Monaco of Argentina at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 30, 2012 in Key Biscayne, Florida.
(March 29, 2012 – Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images North America)

KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (AP) – Top-ranked Novak Djokovic advanced to his first final since winning the Australian Open by beating Juan Monaco 6-0, 7-6 (5) on Friday at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Djokovic’s opponent Sunday will be 2009 champion Andy Murray, who advanced with a walkover when Rafael Nadal withdrew hours before their semifinal because of a left knee injury. Nadal said the injury has been getting worse, but he hopes for a quick recovery to avoid missing any of the upcoming clay-court season.

STORY: Rafael Nadal withdraws with knee injury
MORE: WTA targets future grunters

“In the tiebreak I stayed calm and focused and closed it out when I needed to,” Djokovic said.

The final will be Djokovic’s first since winning the Australian Open for his fifth Grand Slam title and third in a row.

Djokovic won a quick first set and a 96-minute second set against Monaco, an Argentine playing in just his second Masters 1000 semifinal. Djokovic was broken for the only time when he served for the match, but in the tiebreaker he took the lead for good by winning a 26-stroke rally to go up 4-3.

Grinding tiebreaker rallies twice left Monaco with his hands on his knees afterward trying to recover. On match point, he pushed a forehand into the net.

The drama at the finish seemed unlikely when Djokovic dominated at the start. The first set took only 27 minutes, and Monaco won just seven points, two on double-faults by Djokovic.

Thanks to South Florida’s large Argentine population, Monaco had plenty of support from the capacity crowd. Fans sang in Spanish, encouraging a comeback, and he obliged.

“All the credit to him for staying in the match, fighting and coming back,” Djokovic said. “It was the semifinals. It was never going to be easy.”

Monaco’s first serve kept him in the second set, and Djokovic wobbled briefly. Serving at 5-4, he fell behind love-40, erased all three break points but then double-faulted. Monaco finally broke when Djokovic pushed a forehand into the net for 5-5.

“I couldn’t close it out,” Djokovic said. “But OK. I’m in the final, and that’s a positive fact. I’ll try in the final not to have that letdown.”

Djokovic’s experience in big matches showed at the finish, and he improved to 89-8 since the beginning of last year. Monaco fell to 0-5 against the Serb, winning just one of 13 sets.

“The first set was incredible,” Monaco said. “He played like the real No. 1. It was tough for me. Then it was big fight in the second set, but he really deserved to win.”

Djokovic seeks his third Key Biscayne title and second in a row. He has a 7-5 record against Murray and won when they met in the Australian Open semifinals in January.

“We know each other really well,” Djokovic said. “It’s going to be a good match.”

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Soccer Recap: Stuttgart holds Dortmund to tie / Bundesliga

March 31, 2012 By Admin

Stuttgart striker Martin Harnik celebrates after a goal for his team against Borussia Dortmund on Friday. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)

(PhatzRadio / CBC Sports) — Stuttgart midfielder Christian Gentner denied Borussia Dortmund victory by equalizing in injury time to earn his side a 4-4 draw in a frenetic game on Friday, and gave Bayern Munich hope in the Bundesliga title race.

Ivan Perisic had scored what looked like Dortmund’s winning goal in the 87th minute, five minutes after Mats Hummels had equalized for the league leaders.

“The guys are fantastic, what can I say?” said an exhausted Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp.

Julian Schieber scored a quickfire double to put Stuttgart 3-2 up after 79 minutes.

Dortmund was 2-0 up through a first-half goal by Shinji Kagawa and a 49th-minute effort by Jakub Blaszczykowski before Vedad Ibisevic got Stuttgart’s first in the 71st.

Dortmund stretched its club record unbeaten run to 22 games and is six points ahead of Bayern, which can cut the gap to three with a win at Nuremberg on Saturday.

Stuttgart is unbeaten in six games and fifth ahead of the weekend’s games.

Robert Lewandowski had an effort cleared off the line and Kevin Grosskreutz hit the crossbar before Kagawa finally found the breakthrough in the 33rd.

Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl headed the ball down to give the Japan star a simple finish for his 12th goal of the season.

The home side had 16 attempts on goal in the first half, compared to two for the visitors, before Hummels crossed for Blaszczykowski to deservedly made it 2-0 in the 49th with a powerful low shot.

Stuttgart midfielder William Kvist struck the post after a fine run from deep in the 63rd, before Ibisevic scored thanks to a classy backheel from Georg Niedermeier in the 71st.

Schieber, who missed a great chance in the first half, equalized six minutes later when he eluded Hummels and rounded Roman Weidenfeller before slotting inside the post.

The 23-year-old added another two minutes later with a fierce shot through Weidenfeller’s legs.

Hummels atoned for his earlier error with a low strike inside the right post, before Perisic thought he’d won the game.

But second half substitute Gentner took advantage of some panicky defending before rifling a powerful shot under the crossbar.

Arsenal’s manager Arsene Wenger criticized Slovenian referee Damir Skomina after Arsenal was ousted by AC Milan in the last-16 round. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Arsenal manager Wenger banned 3 matches

(PhatzRadio / CBC Sports) — Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger got a three-match touchline ban from UEFA on Friday for comments directed at the referee after his team’s Champions League elimination this month.

UEFA said its disciplinary panel found Wenger guilty of “improper conduct,” and fined him £40,000 ($53,000).

The French coach will serve his third UEFA ban within a year if Arsenal qualifies to play in next season’s Champions League or Europa League.

He can challenge the verdict at UEFA’s appeals panel within three days of receiving the detailed verdict.

Wenger criticized Slovenian referee Damir Skomina after Arsenal was ousted by AC Milan in the last-16 round, despite a 3-0 second-leg victory. The London club had lost 4-0 in Italy.

Last year, Wenger was found guilty of a similar UEFA charge after Arsenal was knocked out by Barcelona at the same stage of the Champions League.

Then, he argued angrily with Swiss referee Massimo Busacca who had sent off Robin van Persie during a 3-1 defeat in Spain.

Wenger served his ban during this season’s playoff round first-leg match against Udinese, but incurred a further ban for breaking rules by communicating with Arsenal’s coaches from his seat in the stand.

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Soccer: Brazil puts beer back on tap for 2014 World Cup

March 31, 2012 By Admin

d83e54e71c17c9a3f28f14ff9ed6c170 Soccer: Brazil puts beer back on tap for 2014 World Cup

(PhatzRadio / USA Today) — Lawmakers in Brazil have made one of the all-time no-brainer decisions, paving the way for beer to be sold at the 2014 World Cup.

Alcohol sales at sports arenas have been banned in that South American nation since 2003, but Brazil’s House of Deputies voted late Wednesday to suspend that law for the duration of the soccer tournament.

The bill still must be endorsed by the Senate and signed by President Dilma Rousseff.

FIFA, the world governing body for soccer, had lobbied hard for the exception, because of its sponsorship deal with Budweiser.

The 2014 World Cup will take place in 12 Brazilian cities, seven of which ban beer sales at games. World Cup organizers may still have to negotiate individually with those seven states, according to the AFP.

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Rugby: Lancaster eyes WCup win after England appointment

March 31, 2012 By Admin

c4111f10c9936f88b80537cba8949f0b Rugby: Lancaster eyes WCup win after England appointment

TWICKENHAM, England (AP) The Rugby Football Union promised to scour the globe in search of a coach who could restore a disgraced England team to its former heights, and yet it found one on its own doorstep.

Credited last week with dragging the national side “out of the gutter” following its World Cup debacle in New Zealand, Stuart Lancaster completed a remarkable and sudden rise from unknown interim to visionary mastermind by being hired as England’s new coach Thursday on a four-year deal.

In three months as a stop-gap measure following the departure of Martin Johnson, Lancaster has rebuilt England’s battered reputation on and off the pitch while also reviving the squad with young, hungry players.

He now has 3 1/2 years to mould the group into one good enough to challenge the southern hemisphere’s finest at a World Cup on home soil.

“Absolutely England can win the Rugby World Cup,” Lancaster said. “It’s about getting a team together and building experience in the right places to allow players to develop.

“We need to use next 18 months really carefully to build a culture and a gameplan. Every second counts.”

The previous World Cup in New Zealand was a public relations disaster for the national team and the RFU, from captain Mike Tindall’s infamous drunken night out with an ex-girlfriend only weeks after he married into the royal family, to lecherous comments by some players to a hotel staffer and allegations of cheating by changing balls for goalkicks.

Manu Tuilagi, one of the team’s few success stories on the pitch, topped it all off by being detained by police and fined 3,000 pounds ($4,700) by the RFU for jumping off a ferry as it was docking in Auckland hours after the quarterfinal loss to France – England’s worst performance at a World Cup since 1999.

The worst was still to come, however, with a leaked post-tournament report – which was supposed to be confidential – revealing a squad tainted by infighting, unhappiness and greed.

Under the stewardship of Lancaster, disillusioned England fans have started to believe again. They have seen motivational speakers such as former England footballer Gary Neville and England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock talk to players about what it means to represent your country.

They have seen Lancaster drop Tindall and several other World Cup flops in favor of younger, keener players, while scrumhalf Danny Care was omitted from the elite player squad after being arrested for drunk driving.

Most of all, he has brought pride back into the jersey. And the public has embraced that, celebrating a second-place finish to Wales in the Six Nations as a step forward, even though the team won the tournament last year.

“In all his dealings with that squad during the Six Nations, Stuart displayed a real empathy with the players, earning their respect and trust, and a vision for how he wanted England to play,” said newly appointed captain Chris Robshaw, one of a host of players to reveal their wholehearted support for Lancaster before the interview process began.

“The players responded to him and the results are there for all to see.”

Lancaster came through the rugby coaching ranks, taking in a spell as coach of Leeds Carnegie in the English Premiership before joining the RFU as both coach of the second-string Saxons and the governing body’s head of elite player development.

Lancaster, a former school teacher, still even works as assistant coach to an under-11s team in Leeds on Sunday mornings.

“It’s been everything that I’ve worked towards, going through all the coaching qualifications, it’s what you strive for and it’s a shot in the arm for all those people who believe in coaching,” said Lancaster, who beat experienced coaches like Nick Mallett and John Kirwan to the England job.

Lancaster won’t have the easiest starts to his reign as permanent coach.

After a three-test tour of South Africa in June comes a tough set of fixtures in the autumn internationals, when world champion New Zealand, Australia and South Africa all visit Twickenham.

“If we want to be in a position by 2013, 2014 (to win the World Cup), we have to take on these challenges,” Lancaster said.

“We can’t go (to South Africa) with a mindset of making up the numbers. We want to go there, compete and win.”

(By STEVE DOUGLAS / AP Sports Writer)

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Women’s Olympic basketball team loaded with talent and experience

March 31, 2012 By Admin

7739fc778314ddb5dce2d2a376d490a3 Women’s Olympic basketball team loaded with talent and experience

(Reuters) – The heavily favored U.S. women’s basketball team will have no shortage of talent and experience when they seek a fifth consecutive gold medal at the London Olympic later this year.

The 11-member American team announced on Friday by USA Basketball includes three players who have already won two Olympic gold medals plus another four who have already won once before.

A 12th member will be selected later.

The well-balanced squad features guard Sue Bird, forward Tamika Catchings and guard-forward Diana Taurasi, all of whom won gold medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.

They will be joined by 2004 gold medallist Swin Cash, a forward, and 2008 Olympic champion forward Seimone Augustus, center Sylvia Fowles and all-around player Candace Parker.

Center Tina Charles, forwards Angel McCoughtry and Maya Moore and guards Lindsay Whalen complete the selections.

“We believe we have selected the best core group possible to continue our success on the international stage,” Jim Tooley, USA Basketball chief executive, said in a statement.

“These 11 players include a great mix of international veterans, whose leadership is invaluable to the team, and we have young players who have proven themselves and who are hungry for this opportunity.”

The 12th member could be Baylor University center Brittney Griner, who is playing in the U.S. collegiate championships.

“She brings an element to any team that’s impossible to find,” U.S. head coach Geno Auriemma said earlier this year of the 6-foot-8 tall center.

“You don’t find players who are game changers like that. I don’t think anybody else in the world has anyone like Brittney Griner.”

If selected, Griner will be the first college player to make a U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team since 1988.

As for the 11 selected, all professionals, Auriemma said: “the committee took into consideration what the competition is and who we’re going to have to beat, and put together a really incredible group of players that is not only highly skilled and competitive, they’re proven winners.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina, editing by Nick Mulvenney and Julian Linden; Please double click on the news link:; for more Olympic stories; for more basketball stories; for more sports stories)

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NFL: Saints’ Payton to appeal suspension

March 31, 2012 By Admin

6f493de54512dba7aa68fb6dba913832 NFL: Saints’ Payton to appeal suspension
Quarterback Drew Brees #9 and Head Coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints talk on the sidelines during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 26, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints defeated the Falcons 45-16.
(December 25, 2011 – Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images North America)

(PhatzRadio / SI) — New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton will appeal Friday the one-year suspension levied against him for his role in the team’s bounty program, SI.com’s Don Banks has learned.

The appeal will be heard by commissioner Roger Goodell. With it, Payton will seek the commissioner’s guidance on the parameters of the suspension, such as how much contact with players he can have. Goodell said at the NFL meetings this week that Payton could have some contact with the team, but didn’t elaborate.

The ban dealt to Payton was originally set to begin Sunday, April 1, but Payton will be able to continue working through the appeal process. Goodell has previously said that any appeal from Payton will be heard on an expedited timeline.

The team is currently determining how to move forward without Payton on the sidelines this year. They’ve spoken with Bill Parcells, a mentor of Payton’s, reportedly about the interim head coaching job, and could also hand the role to an assistant already in house. The results of the appeal could sway the Saints’ thinking about which direction to go.

Payton’s suspension was part of a historic disciplinary decision announced on March 21 that also included suspensions for GM Mickey Loomis, assistant coach Joe Vitt and former Saints/current Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as well a $500,000 fine for the franchise and the loss of two second-round draft picks.

The league announced on March 2 the findings of an investigation that began in 2010, stating that Williams led an illegal program lasting from 2009 to 2011 that paid players for injuring opponents as well as making big plays. Among the players the league found were targeted by the Saints were Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton, with 22 to 27 Saints defenders taking part in the program.

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March Madness 2012: Why Kentucky will win the national championship

March 31, 2012 By Admin

(Doron Lamb knows Kentucky is the favorite. And he says it doesn’t add any pressure. NCAA.com’s Lee Feinswog details how the Wildcats and rival Louisville are mentally focusing on their Final Four matchup. Picture courtesy of NCAA)

(PhatzRadio / USA Today) — Kentucky coach John Calipari is a Pied Piper for recruiting.

He has a reputation for attracting some of the nation’s top players, who turned Memphis, where Calipari coached from 2000 to 2009, and now Kentucky into a pit stop on the way to the professional ranks.

His youth movement has been a resounding success. He had 29 wins last season en route to the Final Four and 35 in 2010-11. In 2008, Memphis reached the NCAA title game behind freshman Derrick Rose, who a few months later became the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

MORE: Why Ohio State will win the national title
MORE: Why Kansas will win the national title
MORE: Why Louisville will win the national title

The only blemish is the absence of an NCAA championship, but this team will be his first to get it.

A lineup stocked with future professionals will give the school its eighth national title and first since 1998. The school’s seven already rank second behind UCLA’s 11.

Freshman Anthony Davis, the expected No. 1 pick in the NBA draft in June, could own this Final Four similar to Carmelo Anthony in 2003. Anthony led Syracuse to the national title that year as a freshman before departing for the NBA.

Davis, 6-10, already has won the Oscar Robertson Trophy as national player of the year and averages 14.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocked shots. He holds the Southeastern Conference season record with 175 blocks.

Or maybe freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will continue his star turn. Kidd-Gilchrist was named the South Regional’s most outstanding player after scoring 24 against Indiana and 19 against Baylor.

The list of scorers goes on and on. Seven players have led the team in scoring, and six average double figures. Sophomores Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb as well as senior Darius Miller played in last season’s national semifinal loss to Connecticut. That experience, whether it’s playing on a raised floor or in front of 70,000 fans, should help.

Kentucky is on the verge of a title because its young elite athletes, including freshman point guard Marquis Teague, play as though they have been together for years.

“People ask me if it’s hard to get those players to play together,” Calipari says. “I tell them what’s hard is coaching bad players.”

He is being flip or forgetting that he assembled a tremendously talented group last season that fell a little short.

This one is different because of the cohesion, their consistency and a defensive anchor in Anthony, who patrols the paint, altering shots if not swatting them.

The team’s defensive stops are dramatic and fuel the offense. The Wildcats lead Division I in field goal percentage defense, forcing opponents to shoot 37.5%.

“We are a young team that has done it on both ends of the floor,” Calipari says. “They are about team, not about themselves.”

It’s rare for a young team, even one as talented as this, to put it all together in the course of a season, but Kentucky is pulling it off. The Wildcats have won every tournament game by double digits.

The idea has been floated that Kentucky could beat an NBA team. That’s a big stretch, according to Calipari.

Especially since winning the NCAA tournament will do.

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NASCAR: Slam-bang racing at Martinsville magical for Earnhardt Jr.

March 31, 2012 By Admin

aa2aa100fa161f510ea6cdd159acf347 NASCAR: Slam bang racing at Martinsville magical for Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet, talks with a crew member in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 24, 2012 in Fontana, California.
(March 23, 2012 – Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images North America)

(PhatzRadio / USA Today) — Dale Earnhardt Jr. joked on his team radio last fall at Martinsville Speedway that if NASCAR raced on more short tracks, he might be considered a “dirty driver.”

The converse also might be true: If the Sprint Cup Series raced on as many superspeedways (where contact at high speeds is frowned upon), perhaps gritty veterans such as Earnhardt’s father and Cale Yarborough wouldn’t have been regarded as rough-and-tumble racers.

“There were so many short tracks on the circuit then,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “That led to more consistently aggressive driving. Go to any short track in the nation, and that’s the driving you expect to see. That’s what you saw in the NASCAR series. Now that we’re running the mile-and-a-halves, our nature is toned down quite a bit.

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“We saw an exciting race at Martinsville (last fall) with guys running all over and fighting all day long. We need those venues. Short-track racing is so much fun, and I have a blast and enjoy the hell out of it and love Martinsville.”

NASCAR’s premier series will return to its shortest track with Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500, and there are many reasons for Earnhardt to be feeling chipper about the 0.526-mile oval. He finished second a year ago at Martinsville, his third-best track (behind Bristol Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway) in average finish at 13.0. He also has the fifth-best driver rating there behind multiple Martinsville winners Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart.

Having conquered the circuit’s other two short tracks — Bristol and Richmond International Raceway — Earnhardt still seeks his first victory at Martinsville.

But there are signs his 134-race winless streak could end soon. He is third in the Cup standings, and there is a swagger and self-assuredness in his interviews in his second year with crew chief Steve Letarte.

“I feel the best I’ve felt — personally and confidence-wise — as I can remember in a long time,” Earnhardt said. “Probably since 2004 when we won (a career-high six) races.”

Earnhardt had a win in his sights last year when Kevin Harvick passed him with four laps remaining.

Though he lamented not putting up more of a fight at the time (“I was meant to win that damn race,” he said afterward), he has stopped second-guessing himself.

“I don’t know what I could have done other than probably get myself wrecked blocking (Harvick) or wreck him and probably get wrecked by someone behind him,” he said. “I don’t think I could have done anything different that would have made a better outcome for me. If I would have done anything different, the outcome likely would have been worse.”

NASCAR: Slam-bang racing at Martinsville magical for Earnhardt Jr. is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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