Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EDT on Friday, May 16
May 16 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Friday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE NFL Insider column: Tackling the top rookies The skill positions get all the media hype, but Frank Cooney's weekly NFL column tackles the offensive rookie likely to have the most significant impact in the NFL next season - Atlanta's Jake Matthews. (FBN-COLUMN/, expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, By Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange, 1,500 words) - - Manziel text to Browns coach: 'Hurry up and draft me' As he slid down the first round of last week's NFL Draft, Johnny Manziel reportedly sent a text to Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains urging the team to draft him so they could "wreck this league together." (FBN-BROWNS-NEWS/, expect by 1830 GMT/2:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Let's get ready to rumble The ball-sharing flow of the San Antonio Spurs will once again be measured against the one-two knockout punch of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA's Western Conference finals. (NBA-PLAYOFFS/WEST, expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 500 words) See also: PARIS - Spurs guard Tony Parker will not take part in this year's World Cup with France as he needs to rest, the French Basketball Federation says. (BASKETBALL-WORLD/FRANCE-PARKER) - - NBA combine: Shooting stars CHICAGO - There is no shortage of perimeter options for teams in need of outside punch in the 2014 NBA Draft. (BKN-NEWS/, expect by 1930 GMT/3:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 500 words) - - NBA combine: Off the top CHICAGO - Agents are behind the surprising decline in participation at the draft combine in preparation for next month's draft. (BKN-NEWS/, expect by 2130 GMT/5:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Dan Ochwat, 600 words) - - NBA combine notebook CHICAGO - News and notes from the 2014 NBA Draft Combine. (BKN-NEWS/, expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 600 words) - - Report: Mark Jackson draws Knicks' interest Spurned by Steve Kerr, Knicks president Phil Jackson is reportedly open to hiring a coach not familiar with his triangle offense. (BKN-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 400 words) - - There are no games in the NBA tonight - - - - DONALD STERLING Clippers owner to fight NBA fine, penalty over racist remarks The attorney for Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is telling the NBA his client won't pay a league-issued $2.5 million fine, and that he will fight league punishment over his racist comments, Sports Illustrated is reporting. (NBA-CLIPPERS/, moved, 400 words) - - - - GOLF PGA Tour: Byron Nelson Championship, Irving, Texas Hanson takes early control at Byron Nelson Swede Peter Hanson, seeking his first PGA Tour victory, takes a one-shot lead into today's second round at the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas after opening with a five-under-par 65. Germany's Martin Kaymer, fresh from victory at the Players Championship on Sunday, is two strokes off the pace. (GOLF-PGA/, expect first lead by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, 400 words) - - Munoz, Ernst share Kingsmill lead Azahara Munoz and Austin Ernst are atop the leaderboard entering the second round of the Kingsmill Championship, but eight golfers are within two shots of the lead. (GOLF-NEWS/, expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 250-word first lede, 500-word write-thru) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL *The Sports Xchange covers all MLB games. Key matchups highlighted below. - - Reds at Phillies CINCINNATI - Philadelphia Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick enters with a 3.98 ERA, but has received little help from his offense as he sports an 0-3 record against the Cincinnati Reds, who are expected to activate catcher Devin Mesoraco from the disabled list. (BBO-REDS-PHILLIES-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/, expect ASAP after the 2305 GMT/7:05 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Gordon Jones, 400-word first lede, 800-word writethru) - - Mariners at Twins MINNEAPOLIS - Seattle Mariners RHP Chris Young is 3-0 and has gone from a Band-Aid coming out of Spring Training to one of Seattle's most consistent starters. (BBO-MARINERS-TWINS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/, expect ASAP after the 2305 GMT/7:05 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Dan Myers, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Braves at Cardinals ST. LOUIS - The Atlanta Braves have broken out of their offensive malaise, averaging four runs per game since Sunday, but can they keep up the trend against the Cardinals' Lance Lynn? (BBO-BRAVES-CARDINALS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/, expect ASAP after the 0015 GMT/8:15 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by James Dent, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - MLB Wrap: Rangers' Darvish in action vs. Blue Jays Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish, who retired the first 20 batters he faced during his last outing, takes the mound for the Texas Rangers against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays in one of 15 games on the MLB schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 975 words) - - The full MLB schedule: American League Oakland at Cleveland, 7:05 PM ET Detroit at Boston, 7:10 PM ET Toronto at Texas, 8:05 PM ET Baltimore at Kansas City, 8:10 PM ET Chicago White Sox at Houston, 8:10 PM ET Seattle at Minnesota, 8:10 PM ET Tampa Bay at Los Angeles Angels, 10:05 PM ET - - National League Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 PM ET Cincinnati at Philadelphia, 7:05 PM ET New York Mets at Washington Nationals, 7:05 PM ET Atlanta at St. Louis, 8:15 PM ET San Diego at Colorado, 8:40 PM ET Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona, 9:40 PM ET Miami at San Francisco, 10:15 PM ET - - Interleague Pittsburgh at New York Yankees, 7:05 PM ET - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Kings-Ducks face off in Game 7 ANAHEIM, Calif. - Southern California's dream matchup is set up for a dramatic conclusion with the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks going toe-to-toe in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. (HKN-KINGS-DUCKS-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0100 GMT/9 PM ET game, By Forrest Lee, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lead, 700-word write-thru) - - Penguins fire GM Shero, keep Bylsma for now The Pittsburgh Penguins fire general manager Ray Shero, saying they want to overhaul the team's operations after being knocked out of the Stanley Cup playoffs. (NHL-PENGUINS/MANAGER (UPDATE 2), moved, 450 words) - - The NHL schedule at a glance Los Angeles at Anaheim, 9 PM ET - - - - SWIMMING Phelps passes another milestone in comeback Michael Phelps successfully ticks off another two important boxes in his comeback to competitive swimming with a solid performance at the U.S. Grand Prix meet in Charlotte. (SWIMMING-PHELPS/, moved, 450 words) - - - - SOCCER Ellis named head coach of U.S. women's team NEW YORK - Jill Ellis is named head coach of the United States women's national team, officially taking on the job after serving as interim coach since last month. (SOCCER-USA/WOMEN, moved, 200 words) - - Cover your ears, Belgian trumpets to fill Brazil stadiums BRUSSELS - Ear-splitting vuvuzelas were an ever-present backdrop to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa. Four years later, two Belgian entrepreneurs hope to fill stadiums in Brazil with the high-pitched noise from plastic trumpets dubbed "diabolica." (SOCCER-WORLD/BELGIUM-TRUMPETS (PIX, TV), moved, by Robert-Jan Bartunek, 350 words) - - South American women emerge to embrace beautiful game SANTIAGO - Long on the soccer sidelines, more and more South American women are striking back by lacing up their boots and embracing the region's most cherished sport. (SOCCER-LATAM/WOMEN (FEATURE, PIX, TV), moved, by Alexandra Ulmer, 900 words) - - - - AUTO RACING NASCAR Sprint Showdown Two wild-card spots for Saturday's all-star race are up for grabs in the Spring Showdown, a 40-lap/60-mile race for drivers who haven't won races in 2013 or '14. (CAR-NEWS/, expect ASAP after the 2300 GMT/7 PM green flag, NASCAR WIRE SERVICE special to The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - HORSE RACING California Chrome deemed healthy for Preakness BALTIMORE - California Chrome Is given a clean bill of health for Saturday's Preakness Stakes after a blister Is discovered in the Kentucky Derby champion's throat. (HORSE RACING-PREAKNESS/CHROME (PIX), expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, by Steve Ginsburg, 500 words) - - A lot has changed for A.R. Napravnik BALTIMORE - When Rosie Napravnik first became a jockey, she went by the name A.R. Napravnik "so no one would know I was a girl." A lot has changed for the diminutive jockey with the soft demeanor but tenacious get-out-of-my-way attitude when she puts on the silks. (HORSE RACING-PREAKNESS/NAPRAVNIK, expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM, by Steve Ginsburg, 500 words) - - - - CYCLING Tour of California Wiggins showing the way Former Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins holds a 28-second lead over Australia's Rohan Dennis heading into the sixth of eight stages in the Tour of California, America's most prestigious cycling event. The sixth stage covers a distance of 94.4 miles. (CYCLING-CALIFORNIA/, expect first lead by 0100 GMT/9 PM ET, 400 words) - - - - TENNIS Djokovic subdues feisty Ferrer to reach Rome semis ROME - Novak Djokovic stays on course for his third Rome Masters title although he is forced to dig deep to beat a tenacious David Ferrer 7-5 4-6 6-3 in a high-quality quarter-final. (TENNIS-ROME/ (PIX), moved, by Terry Daley, 450 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)
