Easy does it as Adam Scott crashes and burns

Up four strokes with five holes to play, Adam Scott could see his name being engraved on the Claret Jug …. and then the roof fell through. While Ernie Els was collecting four birdies on the Royal Lytham back nine, Scott was shooting +5 over the same track. Down three shots with two holes to play, Els drew even with a birdie on 18 while Scott was bogeying 17. Needing a birdie to win or par to force a playoff, Scott hit his tee shot in a bunker. The Aussie had a seven-footer for par and to force a playoff but was wide left. In his epic meltdown, Scott bogeyed the final four holes.

For the popular Els, it was his fourth win in a major and his second Open title.

Adam Scott plays the 18th hole on Sunday

Paterno statue removed at Penn State

It took just one hour and 38 minutes for 20 construction workers protected by 20 police to remove the Joe Paterno statue from its pedestal outside Beaver Stadium. Shortly before dawn in State College, Pa., a work crew installed chain-link fences to barricade access to Porter Road outside Beaver Stadium and covered the fence with a blue tarp. The work crew then removed the 7-foot, 900-pound bronze statue from its pedestal by forklift and placed it on the lower level of the stadium. It will be stored in an unnamed secure location until a permanent relocation spot is found. The library will remain on the university library.

Penn State President Rod Erickson said he decided to have the statue removed and put into storage because it “has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing.”

“I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse,” Erickson said in a statement released at 7 a.m. Sunday.

The end of an era, the Joe Paterno statue taken down

Team USA beats Argentina 86-80

Early on, it looked like Team USA was going to roll Argentina just like it did the Dominican Republic and Great Britain. The Americans jumped out to a 19-3 lead and lead by as many as 20 in the first half hitting five of their first six three-point shots but …. the NBA laden Argentine national team was made of sterner stuff. The South American’s featuring Luis Scola, Manu Ginobli, and Carlos Delfino among others battled back to make things interesting. Argentina, ranked third in the world, will see Team USA again in Olympic group phase action. Kevin Durant led all scorers with 27 points, Kobe chipping in with 18 points, with Lebron James adding on an additional 15 points. Team USA has a final exhibition game with Spain before meeting France in their Olympic opener of the 27th.

Barry Larkin and Ron Santo enter Cooperstwon

Sadler wins green/white restart to take Nationwide checker

Nationwide series points leader Elliot Sadler took advantage of a little help from his friends to beat Ricky Stenhouse at the STP 300 at Chicagoland. A late caution created a green/white/checkered restart and Sadler beat Stenhouse to the top with the help of a push from Justin Allgaier. Stenhouse, who had the dominant car in the race all day leading more than 200 miles, finished second withe Allgaier third. Sadler had been battling a stomach virus for most of the week and only held down food for the first time in days on Sunday morning. Sadler leads the series by 11 points over Austin Dillon who finished sixth. Stenhouse is 19 points back in third. Nationwide action resumes next Saturday at the Brickyard with the Indy 250.

Peyton calls Colorado shooting victims

Regardless of what you think of Peyton Manning as a a player, it can never be said that he doesn’t give back to the community. Saturday, Manning spent the day calling some of the victims of the Aurora shootings, speaking to them one-on-one hoping to keep them positive and optimistic. Props to other Broncos including Jacob Tamme, Eric Decker, Chris Kuper, Ben Garland, Ryan Clady, Joe Mays and Brian Dawkins for visiting the victims in the hospital.

MLB Diamond Dust

The raging A’s completed their first four game sweep of the Yankees since 1972 and their first four game home sweep of the Bombers with a come from behind 5-4 extra-inning victory over the Bombers. It’s was the A’s MLB record 12th walk off win with 67 games yet to be played. Coco Crisp got the winner with a single in the 12th after Seth Smith tied it in the bottom of the ninth with a solo shot off Yankee closer Rafael Soriano.

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