Chat » double by Paul Goldschmidt,

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling agreed Wednesday to sign off on selling the team he has owned for 33 years to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion, bringing the possibility of a resolution to weeks of rumours, uncertainty and looming possibilities for legal action. The agreement hadnt been officially signed Wednesday afternoon, according to an individual with knowledge of the negotiations who wasnt authorized to discuss them publicly. But Donald Sterlings attorney, Maxwell Blecher, said he "has made an agreement with the NBA to resolve all their differences." Sterling gave his consent to a deal that was negotiated by his wife, Shelly Sterling, to sell the team, Blecher said. Representatives for Shelly Sterling and the NBA declined to comment. The agreement was an about face for Donald Sterling, who just last week filed a $1 billion suit against the NBA in federal court alleging the league violated his constitutional rights by relying on information from an "illegal" recording that publicized racist remarks he made to a girlfriend. It also said the league committed a breach of contract by fining Sterling $2.5 million and that it violated antitrust laws by trying to force a sale. Blecher said that as a result of the agreement, the federal suit will now be dismissed. Sterlings comments to V. Stiviano included telling her to not bring black people to Clippers games, specifically mentioning Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. They resulted in a storm of outrage from the public and players and even prompted President Barack Obama to comment on what he called Sterlings "incredibly offensive racist statements." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ultimately decided to ban Donald Sterling for life and began efforts to force Sterling to sell the team. For weeks, Donald Sterling said through his attorneys that he would fight the NBAs decisions to try to force his ouster as a team owner. But last week Shelly Sterling utilized her authority as sole trustee of The Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, to take bids for the team and ultimately negotiate a deal with Ballmer. Ballmer beat out bids by Guggenheim Partners and a group including former NBA All-Star Grant Hill. Ballmer made more than an hour-long personal visit to Shelly Sterlings Malibu home last week and laid out his plan. If the NBA owners approve the sale, it will be a record-high sum for a team that cost Donald Sterling about $12 million in 1981. Blechers co-counsel, Bobby Samini, said the vote by league owners is expected to take place in mid-July. This is not Ballmers first foray into potential NBA ownership. Ballmer and investor Chris Hansen headed a group that agreed to a deal to buy the Kings from the Maloof family in January 2013 with the intention of moving the team to Seattle, where the SuperSonics played until 2008. But Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson lobbied the NBA for time to put together a bid to keep the team in California, and though the Ballmer-Hansen group later increased its offer, owners voted to deny the bid for relocation and the Kings were sold to Vivek Ranadive. Jakub Voracek Jersey .The rookie goalie made 36 saves to help the Calgary Flames blank their Pacific Division rivals 1-0 on Saturday following a 48-hour ordeal that included lost baggage, a cancelled flight and a new pair of contact lenses. Eric Lindros Jersey . First reported by FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal, its unknown if the impetus for the deferral proposal came from players or management, but it never left the preliminary stages. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/shayne-gostisbehere-hockey-jersey/ . According to the sportsbook BoDog, the Stampeders are 8/5 favourites to take home the Grey Cup at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on November 24. Dave Schultz Jersey . It was a day that saw England slump off a World Cup field once again battered and bruised. This time there was no red card to wonder about, no goalkeeping error or individual mistake. They were thoroughly beaten by something they have nothing of – genuine world class ability. Brian Propp Jersey . And Richard Bachman, their rookie goalie, is facing a penalty shot a few seconds after the opening face-off. No pressure, right? Bachman stood his ground against Zack Kassian and saw the puck dribble off the Canuck rookies stick, then settled in and backstopped the Stars to a 5-2 win over Vancouver Tuesday that put Dallas in first place in the Pacific Division. SYDNEY, Australia -- Opening day turned out to be a pretty gday for the Los Angeles Dodgers and ace Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw flashed his Cy Young form, Scott Van Slyke homered and the NL West champions opened the Major League Baseball season with a 3-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night at Sydney Cricket Ground. A crowd of about 40,000 watched as MLB played its first regular-season game in Australia. Kershaw, who signed a seven-year, US$215 million contract in January, allowed one run and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. Van Slyke hit a two-run homer and also doubled. The first pitch was delayed because of rain for 14 minutes. By then, the long trip Down Under had taken even longer for some Arizona players. A team bus had a flat tire, and the Diamondbacks said "a handful" of players decided to walk the last half-mile to the stadium instead of waiting for a replacement bus. Kershaw was impressive while making his fourth consecutive opening-day start. He struck out seven, walked one and was pulled by manager Don Mattingly after throwing his 102nd pitch. Quite a turnaround from spring training, when the two-time NL Cy Young winner went 0-3 with a 9.20 ERA in four starts. "Sometimes you just need the adrenaline of a regular-season game, and I just kind of feel relieved to get this one under my belt," he said. "Its always good to get results, obviously," he said. "This one counted." In his previous opening-day starts, Kershaw was 2-0 with 19 strikeouts in 19 scoreless innings. "Kershaw did a good job keeping us in the middle of the diamond," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "He threw a good ball game against us. We know theyre always going to be close." Three relievers kept the Diamondbacks scoreless with hitless work. Chris Perez, a five-time all-star with Cleveland before joining the Dodgers in the off-season, got the last out in the seventh. Brian Wilson pitched the eighth and closer Kenley Jansen got the save. Jansen walked a batter before getting Gerardo Parra to ground out to end the game. "Clayton was really good, kind of as always ... kind of doing his thing," Mattingly said. "Hes a tough guy to take out of the game, he always wants to stay in. And I thought our bullpen was really good tonight. Chris comes in and gets a big out for us there and Wilson did a good job and Jansen in closing the door." There were plenty of Dodgers and Diamondbacks uniforms in the crowd, some worn by American visitors and others by Australians who had flown across the country to watch the opener and Sundays second game, when another capacity crowd was expected. They feasted on baseball-style treats like nachos stuffed in batting helmets and Cracker Jack, which is not usually sold in Australia. If you could afford the cost and the calories, a two-foot-long hot dog soold for $36.dddddddddddd Kershaw ran like hed eaten one of those hot dogs when he tried to stretch a one-out single in the seventh into a double, but was easily thrown out at second by left fielder Mark Trumbo. "My baserunning needs some work," Kershaw said, laughing. "I almost stopped at first base and then went to second, and that hesitation probably killed me. Im not that fast, so I need all the help I can get. Fortunately, it didnt hurt us very much." Van Slyke, playing because of an injury to Matt Kemp and paternity leave to Carl Crawford, nearly cleared the left-field fence in the second inning. His double set up a grounder by Andre Ethier that scored Adrian Gonzalez with the Dodgers first run. In his next at-bat in the fourth, Van Slyke connected off losing pitcher Wade Miley for a drive over the right-field fence -- just inside the foul pole -- with Gonzalez again on base to put the Dodgers up 3-0. "I thought that it was either going to be a foul or caught," Van Slyke said. "I didnt think it had a chance to go out. I felt more relaxed and had a little more energy and focus than I did in the exhibition games." Sydney Cricket Ground was refurbished two weeks ago to create the baseball diamond and an outfield with an 8-foot wall. It was 328 feet down the foul lines and 400 feet to straightaway centre. Miley, who came out for a pinch hitter in the fifth, got the opening day assignment because of a left elbow injury to Diamondbacks ace Patrick Corbin. Miley gave up three runs and three hits, striking out eight with two walks. Both teams finished with five hits. The Diamondbacks scored in the sixth after a double by Paul Goldschmidt, who had two hits. He moved to third on Kershaws wild pitch and scored on Trumbos infield out. The Diamondbacks were shut out 5-0 in an exhibition game Friday by Team Australia when they stranded 11 runners. A series of thunderstorms but little rain around the stadium about two hours ahead of the start cut short the Dodgers batting practice and tarp was rolled on to the field. That caused the start of the game to be delayed and cancelled the pre-game ceremonies. NOTES: Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez gingerly walked off the field early in the game and may have tweaked a troublesome hamstring. He stayed in the game. ... LA leadoff man Yasiel Puig was hitless in five at-bats, including three strikeouts. ... On Sunday, South Korean lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu, moved up in the Dodgers rotation because Zack Greinke injury his right calf, faces the Diamondbacks Trevor Cahill in the afternoon finale. ... The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Sydney Swans Aussie rules football star Adam Goodes, picked as Australian of the year this season. It was a very off-speed strike. ... Arizonas Aaron Hill had an infield single for the first hit of the season. ' ' '