Left-hander Jon Lester will get his first opening day start when the Boston Red Sox play at Texas on April 1. Manager Terry Francona made the announcement Wednesday before Lester pitched against the Atlanta Braves in his third Grapefruit League start. Lester was 19-9 with a 3.25 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 208 innings last [...]

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has been suspended five matches by the Football Association after criticizing an official during a Premier League game. Ferguson said of match official Martin Atkinson’s performance in United’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea on March 1 that his team didn’t get a “fair or strong referee.” Ferguson appealed his suspension, but [...]

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell doesn’t expect labor talks to resume until after a U.S. District Court judge rules on the players’ injunction to stop the lockout. Appearing on NFL Network, Goodell said Tuesday night that there has been virtually no dialogue with the NFL Players Association since mediated negotiations collapsed last Friday. Read more

As pleased as he was that his Clemson team had won an NCAA tournament game for the first time in 14 years, coach Brad Brownell was already concerned about what comes next. Jerai Grant scored a career-best 22 points and the fast-starting Tigers built a double-figure lead and never backed off in beating Alabama-Birmingham 70-52 [...]

Injured Duke point guard Kyrie Irving could return for the Blue Devils’ NCAA tournament opener, coach Mike Krzyzewski said Tuesday night. Krzyzewski said Irving practiced “a little bit” with the team Tuesday, but he won’t know for a few days whether the freshman will be available for the top-seeded Blue Devils’ West Regional opener against [...]