Reuters Sports Schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday, Feb 4
Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday: SUPER BOWL Carolina's 'Big Cat' on the prowl for first Super Bowl CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Jerry Richardson's nickname is "Big Cat" but no one associated with the Carolina Panthers, the team he founded and owns, would dare to call him anything but "Mr Richardson". (NFL-SUPERBOWL/RICHARDSON (PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Greg Lacour, 450 words) Broncos eye third Super Bowl win to enhance Bowlen's legacy DENVER - When the Denver Broncos first took the field as charter members of the fledgling American Football League in 1960, the rag-tag team was a source of derision. The Broncos' rise to elite status from their roots as perennial door mats can be attributed in large part to the team's owner since 1984, Pat Bowlen. (NFL-SUPERBOWL/BOWLEN (PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Keith Coffman, 480 words) Elway rebuilds Broncos to lasso another Super Bowl SAN FRANCISCO - Hall of Famer John Elway was the last Denver Broncos quarterback to win a Super Bowl, and rode off into retirement on the highest note after the 1998 season. Now serving as team general manager, Elway has refashioned the Broncos into a defensive juggernaut trying to bring another NFL title to Denver. (NFL-SUPERBOWL/ELWAY (PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Larry Fine, 400 words) Kickers can be key to Super Bowl glory SAN FRANCISCO - Nine of the last 14 Super Bowls have been decided by less than a touchdown and with extra points no longer an automatic exercise, the kickers could have a big say in Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. (NFL-SUPERBOWL/KICKERS (PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Larry Fine, 350 words) Life story a hit but Panthers' Oher is own toughest critic SAN FRANCISCO - Seven years ago, Michael Oher's life story was made into a Hollywood movie but the Carolina Panthers offensive tackle says he has only watched it once. Fortunately the critics thought much more of 'The Blindside' than Oher did, giving the film an "It was OK" review. Oher has been just as critical of his own play as the Panthers prepare to take on the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. (NFL-SUPERBOWL/OHER, (FEATURE, PIX, GRAPHIC) moved, by Steve Keating, 700 words) Security in Super Bowl spotlight SAN FRANCISCO - Security officials, including U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and local authorities from the Bay Area FBI field office and Santa Clara police, hold a press briefing on security arrangements for the Super Bowl. (NFL-SUPERBOWL/SECURITY (PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), moved, 400 words) Mile High City takes on Tobacco Road for Super Bowl 50 SAN FRANCISCO - Carolina has tobacco and NASCAR and Denver, the Mile High City, has marijuana and the Rocky mountains. On Sunday, one of those areas will also be called home to the Super Bowl 50 champions. (NFL-SUPERBOWL/CITIES (PIX, GRAPHIC0, moved, by Steve Keating, 400 words) SOCCER Premier League Leicester face acid test with trip to Manchester City LONDON - Surprise leaders Leicester City face a severe test of their Premier League title credentials over the next 10 days, starting with Saturday's trip to Manchester City. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PREVIEW), moved, by Martyn Herman, 400 words) La Liga Levante braced for visit by rampant Barcelona BARCELONA - If Barcelona repeat the form that swept Valencia aside in the King's Cup semi-final first leg they will have no trouble hanging onto their lead in La Liga at Levante on Sunday. (SOCCER-SPAIN/ (PREVIEW), expect by 1200 GMT/7 AM ET, 300 words) RUGBY Six Nations England favourites under new coach Jones LONDON - International rugby emerges from its post World Cup hibernation with England, under new coach Eddie Jones, favourites to win a first Six Nations Championship since 2011. (RUGBY UNION-NATIONS/ (PREVIEW), expect by 1300 GMT/8 AM ET, 500 words, by Justin Palmer) England name team to face Scotland LONDON - New England coach Eddie Jones names his team for the opening Six Nations match against Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday. (RUGBY UNION-ENGLAND/TEAM, expect by 1115 GMT/6:15 AM ET, by Mitch Phillips, 400 words) GOLF European Tour: Dubai Desert Classic (to 7) McIlroy eyes third title in Dubai World number two Rory McIlroy partners Swede Henrik Stenson and South African Louis Oosthuizen in the first round as he bids for a third title in Dubai. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, expect by 1400 GMT/9 AM ET, 400 words) LPGA: Coates Golf Championship, Ocala, Florida (to 6) Korean Jang storms three ahead in LPGA event South Korean Jang Ha-na, who made LPGA history last week with an albatross one, birdied her last two holes to seize a three-shot lead after the opening round of the Coates Golf Championship in Ocala, Florida on Wednesday. (GOLF-LPGA, moved, 400 words) PGA Tour: Phoenix Open, Scottsdale, Arizona (to 7) Triumphant Snedeker switches focus to Arizona Just two days after earning his eighth career victory on the PGA Tour at the weather-hit Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, Brandt Snedeker turns his attention to this week's Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona where fellow American Brooks Koepka will defend the title he won last year by one shot. We preview the PGA Tour event played at the TPC Scottsdale. (GOLF-PGA/ (PREVIEW), moved, 400 words) NBA Red-hot Curry helps Warriors run through Wizards Stephen Curry scored 25 of his 51 points in the first quarter and sank 11 three-pointers as the Golden State Warriors downed the Washington Wizards 134-121 for their eighth straight win. (NBA-WIZARDS/, moved, by The Sports Xchange, 350 words) Spurs improve to 27-0 at home with victory over Pelicans LaMarcus Aldridge poured in a season-high 36 points as San Antonio outlasted New Orleans to remain unbeaten at home with a 110-97 win on Wednesday. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/, moved, by The Sports Xchange, 600 words) NHL Lightning back with a bang to shoot down Red Wings The Tampa Bay Lightning picked right back up on the tear they were on before the All-Star break, returning to the ice on Wednesday with a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Amalie Arena. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/, moved, by The Sports Xchange, 600 words) NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (moved, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) ATHLETICS Eugene envisions becoming the Augusta of track and field Eugene, Oregon, site of the 2021 IAAF world championships, would like to become to athletics what Augusta, Georgia and the Masters tournament is to golf. (ATHLETICS-EUGENE/ (FEATURE), expect by 1400 GMT/9 AM ET, by Gene Cherry, 950 words) (Asia desk editor: John O'Brien +65 6870 3971)
