He was a family man, and his kids would hang out in the San Diego clubhouse when they visited from Atlanta.

A month after the Padres’ season came to a stunning end, they got another shock Wednesday when Cameron, their Gold Glove center fielder, was suspended for the first 25 games of next season after testing positive a second time for a banned stimulant.

Cameron filed for free agency a few hours later.

(Read content ‘Cameron suspended for banned stimulant (AP)’…)

4 $Updated: georgem$ –>

LEWISTON, Maine — Robert Goulet is being remembered in this former mill city for mangling the lyrics to the national anthem before the Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston heavyweight championship fight more than 30 years ago.

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Goulet, 73, died Tuesday in Los Angeles while awaiting a lung transplant.

(Read content ‘Goulet’s Ali-Liston anthem legendary’…)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: Chelsea defender Alex Costa replaced Sao Paulo's injured Alex Silva in the only change to Brazil's 22-man squad for the second round of World Cup qualifying in November.

Silva injured his right knee on Sunday in the Brazilian championship.

Brazil, led again by Ronaldinho, Robinho and Kaka, will face Peru on Nov.

(Read content ‘Costa replaces injured Silva for Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers’…)

CARDIFF, Wales: Mikkel Kessler is banking on youth to overcome Joe Calzaghe's experience and hometown support in Saturday's bout to decide the best super-middleweight fighter in the world.

The 28-year-old Kessler (39-0) will put his WBA and WBC titles on the line against the WBO belt of Calzaghe (43-0), and says his seven-year advantage could be a deciding factor at Millennium Stadium.

“I'm young and fresh and my career has gone so well up to this point,” the Dane said Wednesday.

(Read content ‘Kessler says his youth will outweigh Calzaghe hometown support’…)

ATHENS, Greece: Distance running began along the fabled route from Marathon to Athens, where a messenger ran to bring news of one of the greatest military victories in ancient history.

Organizers of the modern Athens Marathon, however, conceded Wednesday that the annual Greek race remains eclipsed by world's major marathons and announced a series promotional measures to make the classic course better known.

Ahead of Sunday's event, marathon organizers from international races will meet at a conference, a sporting trade fair will be held this weekend, and schools along the classic route will join spectator events during the race itself.

“These events will take place every year,” Greek National Athletics Federation president Vassilis Sevastis said.

(Read content ‘Athens Marathon organizers seek higher profile for classic race’…)

FORT WORTH, Texas: Former open-wheel stars Dario Franchitti and Jacques Villeneuve will continue their NASCAR apprenticeships this week on the 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) oval at Texas Motor Speedway.

Franchitti, who made his Busch Series debut in the crash-filled race last Saturday at Memphis, will attempt to qualify for the Saturday race at Texas, while Villeneuve will race in Friday's Craftsman Truck Series event.

It would be only the third stock car race for Franchitti, the 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Series champion, who began his new career with an ARCA race at Talladega on Oct.

(Read content ‘Franchitti, Villeneuve to continue NASCAR apprenticeship in Texas this week’…)

SAN DIEGO: Mike Cameron, the San Diego Padres' Gold Glove center fielder, was suspended for the first 25 games of next season on Wednesday after testing positive a second time for a banned stimulant.

Cameron, who plans to file for free agency, said he believes he took a tainted supplement.

“The one thing I wanted to make sure was explained is, no steroids,” Cameron told AM 1090, the Padres' flagship radio station.

(Read content ‘Padres CF Mike Cameron suspended 25 games for positive stimulant test’…)

LONDON: England confirmed Wednesday it will bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

Two days after FIFA scrapped its policy of rotating the tournament among its confederations, the Football Association wants England to stage it for a second time. England won the 1966 title at home.

“I'm delighted to announce our intention to bid to host the World Cup in 2018,” FA chairman Geoff Thompson said.

(Read content ‘England confirms bid to host World Cup 2018 two days after FIFA scraps rotation policy’…)

PARIS: Novak Djokovic was ousted from the Paris Masters on Wednesday, losing to French veteran Fabrice Santoro 6-3, 6-2 in the second round.

The U.S. Open finalist, who had two wisdom teeth pulled after the Madrid Masters earlier this month, said he was not fully fit because he was still taking medication.

“I wasn't moving well,” the third-ranked Serb said.

(Read content ‘Djokovic loses in second round of Paris Masters, Nadal advances’…)

9 $Updated: swanny$ –>

Get ready, America.

After being forced to stomach a NBA Finals sweep that was the least-watched in league history, salvation arrives with this year’s predicted championship series, the riveting pairing of and .

San Antonio and Jersey?

  Yes, it sounds crazy, but if N.J.

(Read content ‘Spurs-Nets Finals … How does that sound?’…)