McLaren’s Button wins F1 Australian GP
By CHRIS LINES | Associated Press – MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — McLaren driver Jenson Button won the Formula One season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, taking the checkered flag Down Under for the third time in four years. Button beat reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull by 2.1 seconds after the race turned into a 17-lap shootout after Vitaly Petrov stopped on the main straight, bringing out the safety car . Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton of McLaren was third, just ahead of local hope Mark Webber of Red Bull.
Baseball notes: Rays ace James Shields handcuffs Pirates; Mariano Rivera cruises
BRADENTON, Fla. — James Shields’ exhibition season has gone as well as he could expect. Except for one pitch
Al Wasl goalkeeper retires (AP)
By MICHAEL CASEY, AP Sports Writer DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—A goalkeeper for Diego Maradona’s Al Wasl club has retired, rather than serve a 17-match ban for attacking an opposition coach in its Etisalat Cup semifinal loss. Majed Naser, who has also played for the United Arab Emirates national team, was slapped with a 17-match ban by the UAE’s Football Association which would have left him on the sidelines for the rest of this season and parts of the 2012-13 season. The Emirati keeper slapped Al Alhi coach Quique Sanches Flores on the back of the head following his club’s 1-0 defeat, later contending he was provoked by Flores during the match
NHL results, March 17
The St. Louis Blues are headed to the postseason.
Mourinho aiming for success in the Champions League with Real Madrid (Goal.com)
Goal.com Jose Mourinho has spoken of his burning desire to make Real Madrid a Champions League trophy contender once again during his stay in the Spanish capital. The Blancos have been paired with APOEL in the quarterfinal stage of the competition this year but could set up a potential final with arch-rival Barcelona
I am not the Robben of old yet, claims Bayern Munich winger (Goal.com)
Goal.com Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben admits he is still some way off from reaching his previous levels, after struggling to contend with injury for the most part of the season. Speaking prior to the Bavarians’ 6-0 demolition of Hertha Berlin on Saturday, the 28-year-old spoke of his dissatisfaction about his own displays, in stark contrast to his side’s ominous recent form, but is positive he is on the right path towards recapturing his former successes. “We are playing for and with each other,” Robben told the German media on Saturday
MLS Recap: Montreal’s record crowd, Revs overrun, Estrada hat trick, Whitecaps win on the road (Goal.com)
Goal.com Montreal Impact 1-1 Chicago Fire A crowd of 58,912 watched the Montreal Impact earn their first point as an MLS team with a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire. Davy Arnaud made history for the home club with the team’s first goal of the year in the 56th minute with a header from a Sanna Nyassi cross to give his side a lead, but it wouldn’t be enough for all three points
Louisville holds off New Mexico 59-56
By ANNE M. PETERSON | Associated Press – PORTLAND, Ore.
Favors leads Jazz past Warriors 99-92 (Yahoo! Sports)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)— Derrick Favors took advantage of his opportunity when the game was on the line. “Most coaches will tell you need to just play your game and don’t try to do anything you can’t do. But when it got down to crunch time, I told myself, `I’m going to try and win this game,”’ Favors said
49ers, WR Mario Manningham agree on 2-year deal (Yahoo! Sports)
By JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—The San Francisco 49ers landed another wide receiver in a headline-making week for the NFC West champions, agreeing to terms Saturday with free agent Mario Manningham on a two-year contract. Randy Moss joined the roster last Monday