Oprah says Armstrong admitted doping
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Oprah Winfrey is confirming that Lance Armstrong came clean to her about his use of performance-enhancing drugs during their 2 ½-hour interview Monday. She says the cyclist was “forthcoming” as she asked him in detail about doping allegations that followed him throughout his seven Tour de France victories.
Speaking on “CBS This Morning,” Winfrey said she had not planned to address Armstrong’s confession before the interview aired on her OWN network but, “by the time I left Austin and landed in Chicago, you all had already confirmed it.”
Winfrey interviewed Armstrong at a hotel in downtown Austin. The session was to be broadcast on Thursday but Winfrey said it will now run in two parts over two nights because there is so much material.
Armstrong won every Tour from 1999 to 2005, but each of those titles was stripped last year as the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released a massive report built around the testimony of former teammates. USADA accused Armstrong of masterminding a long-running and sophisticated doping operation on his teams.
The 41-year-old Armstrong vehemently denied the charges for years, and fiercely attacked his critics. But after losing his titles and being abandoned by corporate sponsors, he has changed course.
Six straight for Celtics…Clippers clobber Grizzlies
UNDATED (AP) — The Hawks didn’t get many shots to fall, but several team records did as the Bulls rolled to a 97-58 rout of Atlanta.
The Hawks set club marks by scoring just five points in the second quarter and 20 by halftime. The Bulls set a record for the fewest points allowed, eclipsing the previous mark of 59 by Orlando last March 19. Atlanta’s 20 points in the first half also set a Chicago record for the fewest allowed in a half.
The Hawks missed 17 consecutive shots in the opening half and trailed by 28 at intermission.
Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds as the Bulls sent the Hawks to their fifth straight road loss. Luol Deng finished with 18 points, twice as many as Atlanta’s top scorers.
The Boston Celtics have put together a season-high six-game winning streak since a four-game losing skid.
Rajon Rondo (RAH’-zhahn RAHN’-doh) had a triple-double with 17 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as the Celtics knocked off Charlotte 100-89 in Boston. It was Rondo’s third triple-double of the season and the 26th of his career, including playoffs.
Paul Pierce finished with 19 points and Avery Bradley added 16 for the Celtics, who scored 13 of the game’s first 15 points and never trailed.
Also in the NBA, Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes came off the bench to score 16 points apiece as the Los Angeles Clippers ripped the Grizzlies 99-73 in Memphis. Eric Bledsoe had 14 points while starting in place of Chris Paul, who sat out with a bruised right kneecap.
Oklahoma is the first 30-win team of the season after Kevin Durant scored 27 of his 41 points in the second half of a 102-90 triumph over Phoenix. Russell Westbrook finished with 36 points in the Thunder’s fourth consecutive victory.
Al Jefferson scored 23 points, Gordon Hayward added 22 and Utah led by as many as 21 in the second half before topping Miami 104-97. The Jazz held a 40-23 rebounding advantage and a 47-26 edge in bench scoring.
Darren Collison led six Dallas players in double figures with 23 points and the Mavericks matched their season high with a third straight win in a 113-98 victory against Minnesota. O.J. Mayo and Elton Brand each had 20 points for the Mavs, who used a 19-5 run to take a 91-68 lead.
DeMarcus Cousins was a big contributor in Sacramento’s 124-118 win over Cleveland, finishing with 26 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Marcus Thornton came off the bench to score 20 points to help the Kings overcome Dion Waiters’ game-high 33 points.
Washington put together a 120-91 blowout win over Orlando as Emeka Okafor delivered 19 points and 11 rebounds. John Wall added 12 points and six assists in the Wizards’ season-high three-game winning streak.
Cards win as new No. 1
UNDATED (AP) — Top-ranked Louisville was a winner just hours after climbing to the top of The Associated Press men’s basketball poll for the first time in nearly four years.
Russ Smith scored 23 points and Gorgui Dieng grabbed 16 rebounds as the Cardinals thumped Connecticut 73-58 in Hartford. The Cardinals shot 60.7 percent in the second half and hit an even 50 percent overall en route to their 11th straight victory since a loss to former No. 1 Duke.
Source: Gronkowski has surgery
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has undergone surgery on his broken left arm, a person with knowledge of the operation tells The Associated Press.
Gronkowski suffered the season-ending injury in Sunday’s playoff win over Houston. He had earlier surgery after breaking his left forearm a November win over Indianapolis. He missed five games and returned for the season finale against Miami.
The Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship game Sunday.
Belcher drunk at time of shootings
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit when he shot his girlfriend nine times and then killed himself in front of his coach and general manager, an autopsy released Monday showed.
The Jackson County Medical Examiner report on Belcher, 25, raised new questions about whether police should have done more before the Dec. 1 murder-suicide. Officers found Belcher sleeping in his idling car about five hours earlier, but let him go inside a nearby apartment to sleep it off.
A’s extend Melvin
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland has given manager Bob Melvin a two-year contract extension through the 2016 season.
The deal comes after Oakland became the first team in major league history to win a division or pennant after trailing by five games with less than 10 to play. They finished up by sweeping three games against Texas to beat out the Rangers for the division title.
