Sports

Maybe it's the footwork. Maybe it's the quick hands - the physical style as fit for clearing a running lane as it is for scoring a takedown. But on the mat, Haddon Heights' Alex and Ryan Thompson look like football players. "The two sports go hand-in-hand," Garnets wrestling coach Chris Ormsby said. Plenty of athletes slide seamlessly into wrestling after football. Few marry the techniques and movements of the sports as the Thompson brothers have. For years, the two called themselves football players.

ALONGSIDE retired Eagles giant Brian Dawkins and actual giant Dikembe Mutombo, formerly of the Sixers, Mayor Nutter announced Wednesday that Philadelphia will host an international conference in September on how sports can be an agent of positive social change. Beyond Sport, which is chaired by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, brings about 1,000 participants together each year to discuss the role of sports in community building. Recent locations have included London, Chicago and Cape Town, South Africa.

Jose, 15, is passionate about sports and fashion and hopes to combine them in a career when he grows up. Eager to be successful, he envisions designing his own line of sneakers. He doesn't have a name yet for his line, but he does plan to use his favorite colors, blue and green. Jose keeps busy with a variety of activities. He loves playing the guitar and watching and participating in sports. Polite and well-mannered, he has many friends and enjoys spending time with them. A ninth grader, Jose is a good student, and especially enjoys math and gym. Jose wants very much to be adopted.

Maybe it's the footwork. Maybe it's the quick hands - the physical style as fit for clearing a running lane as it is for scoring a takedown. But on the mat, Haddon Heights' Alex and Ryan Thompson look like football players. "The two sports go hand-in-hand," Garnets wrestling coach Chris Ormsby said. Plenty of athletes slide seamlessly into wrestling after football. Few marry the techniques and movements of the sports as the Thompson brothers have. For years, the two called themselves football players.

By Eric Zillmer Sports remind us of the laws of the universe in many ways - the predictable flight of a golf ball, the field goal attempt that drifts wide, the geometry celebrated with every pitch of a baseball. And if there is one sport that is defined by the laws of Einstein and Newton, it's squash. Squash is a tough game with simple rules. At the elite level, two competitors are confined to a rectangular glass enclosure. With the semisoft squash ball traveling at speeds up to 170 m.p.h., and with all walls and angles in play, it is mesmerizing to watch.

The NCAA and the four major professional sports leagues are suing to prevent New Jersey from legalizing sports betting. The suit was filed Tuesday morning in U.S. District Court in Trenton, with Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and the National Football League joining the National Collegiate Athletic Association as plaintiffs. The complaint argues the state has pursued a course of action that could, "within the next two months," allows casinos and racetracks to "commence gambling operations on amateur and professional sports.

TRENTON - New Jersey lawmakers are set to expand the ways in which residents can gamble. The state Legislature is scheduled to vote Monday on bills that would legalize sports betting and set up a pilot program in which patrons at up to 12 bars or restaurants could place bets on horse races. But even if the sports betting measure passes and is signed by Gov. Christie, who supports it, New Jersey would still have to go to court to try to overturn a federal ban on sports betting in all but four states.

Gov. Christie and New Jersey lawmakers on Tuesday ridiculed the NCAA's decision to relocate five championship competitions based on the state's push to allow sports betting. The organization forbids sports betting in states that host its championship games and argues that wagering, whether legal or illegal, is harmful to college athletes. Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak called the move "ludicrous and hypocritical. " "The NCAA wants to penalize New Jersey for responsibly legalizing what occurs illegally every day in every state and often with the participation of organized crime," he said.

Gov. Christie and New Jersey lawmakers on Tuesday ridiculed the NCAA's decision to relocate five championship competitions based on the state's push to allow sports betting. The organization forbids sports betting in states that host its championship games and argues that wagering, whether legal or illegal, is harmful to college athletes. Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak called the move "ludicrous and hypocritical. " "The NCAA wants to penalize New Jersey for responsibly legalizing what occurs illegally every day in every state and often with the participation of organized crime," he said.

The annual Stotesbury Regatta concluded Saturday on the Schuylkill. Coverage, Sports.

Delran's Carli Lloyd will make her first appearance with the U.S. women's national team since suffering a broken left shoulder at the Algarve Cup in an exhibition against Canada next month. She was among 21 players called up. Former Villanova goalkeeper Jill Loyden , who also was hurt at the Algarve Cup in March, is on the roster, as is fellow keeper Nicole Barnhart (Boyertown). Seattle Sounders midfielder Brad Evans was added to the U.S. men's national team roster for a training camp ahead of next month's trio of World Cup qualifiers, bringing the number of players invited to the camp to 30. Training camp opens Sunday in Cleveland, where the Americans will face Belgium in an exhibition on May 29. WOMEN'S LACROSSE: Haverford College's Grace Stockbower (Upper Dublin)

SOME INTERESTING sports auctions in the news recently: Andy Reid, clearing his house and mind of everything Eagles as he and Tammy move to Kansas City, sold such items as a pair of 5XL shorts, a pair of Crocs, Eagles flip-flops and Christmas ornaments. The Reids donated all proceeds from the sale to the Harriton High football program and a nonprofit organization that helps fight domestic violence. Kobe Bryant's parents, Joe and Pam, have a bunch of Kobe memorabilia in their possession, with all the proceeds going to them.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski underwent a fourth surgery on his forearm Monday and doctors believe his previous infection is gone, a league source told ESPN.com. Doctors put new plates in to repair the previously broken left forearm. The estimated timetable for recovery is around 10 weeks, assuming there are no setbacks. Gronkowski originally broke the arm Nov. 18 in a game against the Indianapolis Colts. He returned to action on Dec. 30 in the regular-season finale, then broke the forearm again in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs on Jan. 13 against the Houston Texans.

Serena Williams won her fourth consecutive title of the year in dominating fashion Sunday, beating third-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, 6-1, 6-3, in the Italian Open final in Rome. Rafael Nadal of Spain controlled the men's final from the start in defeating Swiss star Roger Federer , 6-1, 6-3, for his seventh Italian Open title. The meeting was the 30th between the tennis greats. HOCKEY: Sweden became the first home team in 27 years to win the world championship, beating Switzerland, 5-1, in Stockholm for its ninth title.

The annual Stotesbury Regatta concluded Saturday on the Schuylkill. Coverage, Sports.

Lucas Matthysse stopped Lamont Peterson in the third round Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City in a matchup of junior-welterweight champions. Matthysse (34-2, 32 KOs) had two knockdowns in the third round. IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander earned a convincing victory over Lee Purdy at Boardwalk Hall in a non-title bout. Referee David Fields stopped the fight on the advice of Purdy's corner at the end of the seventh round. Alexander (25-1, 14 KOs)

An NBC Sports executive says advertising sales for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, are going "exceptionally well," with the company projecting $800 million in revenue. The first phase of the Olympics ad sales - to companies that will spend at least $10 million to $15 million during the Games - was completed several months ahead of schedule, executive vice president Seth Winter said this week. The first phase will account for about 75 percent of the more than $800 million expected total advertising take for the Sochi Olympics.

Top-ranked Serena Williams extended her winning streak to a career-best 22 matches and reached the Italian Open semifinals by beating C arla Suarez Navarro , 6-2, 6-0, Friday in Rome. Defending champion Maria Sharapova withdrew before her quarterfinal match against seventh-seeded Sara Errani because of illness. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic was beaten, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, by sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. BOXING: Alexander Povetkin stopped Andrzej Wawrzyk by a technical knockout at 2 minutes, 29 seconds of the third round in Moscow to retain his WBA heavyweight title.

Paul Stastny of the Colorado Avalanche had two goals and two assists, and Nashville's Craig Smith added five assists to help the United States rout Russia, 8-3, Thursday in the world hockey quarterfinals in Helsinki, Finland. Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov allowed the first four U.S. goals before being pulled. Alex Ovechkin , Alexander Svitov , and Alexander Perezhogin scored for Russia. The Americans will face Switzerland, a 2-1 winner over the Czech Republic, on Saturday in Stockholm.

Bill O'Brien was angry. His voice rose often Wednesday on a conference call with reporters. Some folks swore they could feel the spittle through the phone. The Penn State coach spent much of a 20-minute call blasting a Sports Illustrated report implying that medical care for Nittany Lions football players had diminished because of recent changes that included the removal of Wayne Sebastianelli as head physician of the program, a post he held for 21 years. The story, which appears in SI's May 20 issue, also portrayed a rivalry between Sebastianelli and current athletic director Dave Joyner, an orthopedic surgeon who lost out to Sebastianelli in 1992 when the university created the position of head physician of the football program at the urging of Joe Paterno.