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Walter Mazzarri leaves Napoli

2013-05-19T21:33:42Z

Walter Mazzarri is leaving Napoli, ending a successful four-year run with the partenopei. Mazzarri confirmed that this would be his last year with the club after Napoli's season finale on Sunday.

"I want to thank the fans, but I have ended my cycle here at Napoli," Mazzarri said.

Mazzarri built one of Europe's most entertaining teams at Napoli, highlighting the attacking prowess of Edinson Cavani, Marek Hamsik and Ezequiel Lavezzi in a counter-attacking 3-4-3 that saw the team finish third in 2010-11. That booked them a place in the Champions League, where they bowed out in the round of 16 to eventual champions Chelsea. Mazzarri's men also added a Coppa Italia title and this season finished second in Serie A to earn a return to the Champions League.

Despite Mazzarri's success and Napoli's return to the Champions League, the 51-year-old manager had been non-committal all season about his return for next season. His contract is up and despite the club's best efforts to sign him on for longer, Mazzarri insisted that he would not make up his mind until after the season. Now he has.

"I thought of leaving last summer - that's why I signed for one year," Mazzarri explained after revealing he would not return. "I need a change of scene or to take a few months' break."

Napoli lost Lavezzi to Paris Saint-German last year, but they still finished second place without him. This summer, Cavani will be the target of several big clubs, but Napoli have held off teams for the striker before. If he returns and Napoli put their Champions League money to good use, Napoli will have another excellent team for whoever their new manager is.

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Bruins Redden, Seidenberg out for Game 2

2013-05-19T20:28:41Z

The Boston Bruins will be without Wade Redden and Dennis Seidenberg for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal against the New York Rangers. Both defensemen were questionable for the game.

"Both of them skated this morning," Bruins head coach Claude Julien said to the media Sunday. "Redds and Seidenberg. But both won't be available today."

Redden has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury, while Seidenberg's knee has kept him out. Along with the injured and already ruled out Andrew Ference, the Bruins are without three veteran defensemen for the second consecutive game.

With Redden, Seidenberg and Ference out, the Bruins played a trio of rookies, Dougie Hamilton, Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski in Game 1 and with great results. Krug had a goal and Hamilton an assist as Boton edged New York in overtime to take a 1-0 series lead. The three rookies will be back in the lineup for the Bruins in Game 2.

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Sharks fined $100,000 for Raffi Torres suspension comments

2013-05-19T18:42:15Z

The San Jose Sharks were fined $100,000 by the NHL for comments made by general manager Doug Wilson in response to Raffi Torres' suspension. Torres was suspended for the remainder of the Western Conference semifinals for his hit on Jarret Stoll in Game 1 of the series and on Friday, Wilson expressed his displeasure with the discipline handed down by the NHL.

"It is abundantly clear that this was a clean hockey hit," Wilson said in a statement. "As noted by the NHL, Raffi's initial point of contact was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit on an opponent who was playing the puck. He did not leave his feet or elevate, he kept his shoulder tucked and elbow down at his side, and he was gliding -- not skating or charging."

The NHL implemented a rule earlier this season prohibiting teams for issuing formal statements within 48 hours of disciplinary action. Violation of that rule calls for a $25,000 fine, but the NHL increased the fine because of the "inappropriate nature of the comments."

The Sharks declined to comment on the fine.

NHL senior vice-president of player safety Brendan Shanahan said in an explanatory video that Torres was suspended because the principle point of contact on his hit was Stoll's head. He did not make note of Torres' status as a repeat offender, as defined by the league's collective bargaining agreement, because it is his fourth suspension.

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Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sunderland preview: Oh god, I'm going to vomit

2013-05-19T06:31:01Z

Vomit: noun, \vä-mət\

An act or instance of disgorging the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

Masochism: noun, \ˈma-sə-ˌki-zəm\

Pleasure in being abused or dominated : a taste for suffering.

Nervous breakdown

An attack of mental or emotional disorder.

Breathing: noun, \ˈbrē-thiŋ\

The act or process of respiration. Optional.

Spursing

The act of being Spurs against all odds.

Tottenham Hotspur

Arsenal

Fuck 'em.

Martin Havlat injury: Sharks winger will play in Game 3

2013-05-18T19:24:10Z

Martin Havlat will return to the ice for the San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Los Angeles Kings. Havlat missed the last five games with a lower body injury, but took part in the Sharks' morning skate and will play on Saturday night.

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"He's come to see me, he thinks he's ready to go, so we'll find a spot for him,'' Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said after the morning skate.

The Sharks lost the first two games of the series in Los Angeles and return home with the hopes of turning around a series that has been all Kings thus far.

San Jose was shutout in Game 1 and while they did manage three goals in Game 2, still had trouble beating Jonathan Quick. Havlat scored eight goals and added 10 assists in 40 games for the Sharks in the regular season.

"His experience is important, he's played a number of games at the playoff level,'' said McLellan. "He's an older player, he's been through a lot."

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Wade Redden injury: Bruins defenseman practices, may play in Game 2

2013-05-18T19:09:39Z

Wade Redden may return to the ice for Game 2 of the Boston Bruins' Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Rangers. The defenseman practiced with the Bruins on Saturday and head coach Claude Julien said he would be a game-time decision on Sunday.

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"I'm coming," Redden said via ESPN.com. "Good to be out there. I wasn't doing everything out there but still day-to-day and getting better. I'm just keeping patient and hopefully things keep progressing."

Redden has not played since Game 5 of the Bruins' first round series because of an undisclosed injury.

While Redden may return for Game 2, the same is not true for Andrew Ference and Dennis Seidenberg. Ference is definitely out for Sunday's game with a foot injury, while Julien does not expect Seidenberg to play as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

"With Seidenberg obviously doing better, I don't anticipate him being ready for tomorrow but with the injury he's got you never know," Julien said. "As far as Ference is concerned he wasn't skating so he won't be able to go."

With Redden, Ference and Seidenberg out for Game 1, the Bruins played three rookie defensemen, all of whom acquitted themselves rather well. Boston won Game 1 and leads the series 1-0.

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