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Jeter hit 3,000 with class

New York Yankees Derek Jeter runs the bases after hitting career hit number 3000 with a solo home run in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium in New York City on July 9, 2011. UPI/John Angelillo

Derek Jeter got hit number 3,000 with a home run while going 5-5 in a victory for the Yankees. It’s a fitting end to his quest for this milestone, as he’ll go down as one of the greats of his generation.

Yahoo! Sports has a great list of the greatest Yankees of all time, and Jeter is now in the mix.

Appeals court upholds lockout – will it halt labor progress?

Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) Roger Goodell arrives to continue negotiations between the NFL and the National Football League Players’ Association (NFLPA) in Washington March 11, 2011. The parties were still negotiating a range of sticking points, including how to divide more than $9 billion in annual revenues, but the players’ union insist one issue, the NFL’s proposal to add two more games to the regular season, was off the table. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS)

The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has thrown out Judge Susan Nelson’s order lifting the NFL lockout, which essentially handed the league and owners a key victory. Will this ruling now affect the recent progress that has been made between the players and owners in terms of the labor negotiations?

This verdict was hardly surprising, although the timing certainly was. It was thought that the court was holding its opinion because negotiations toward a new Collective Bargaining Agreement were progressing and the judges did not want to influence the talks. Still, it was assumed weeks ago that the appeals court would throw out Judge Nelson’s ruling, so one would think that talks will continue to progress between the two sides until a deal is in place. After all, if the owners were counting on winning this verdict then they wouldn’t be pushing hard to come to a new CBA agreement like they are now. They would have waited for the ruling before their next move.

Of course, as I’ve written for weeks now, this situation remains fluid and you never know whether or not talks will break down in an instant. But the owners would be smart to keep things moving forward. Not only would they risk a $12 billion judgment from the anti-trust suit that is still in play, but the appeals court ruling also states that rookies and free agents not under contract cannot be locked out. So while the owners could theoretically lock most of the players for an entire season, it’s obviously not in their best interest to do so. What has always been in everyone’s best interest is that a new deal be put in place and the season goes on as normal.

The first preseason game is scheduled for August 7. It’s not imperative that the preseason starts on time, but it would be nice if the players and owners could come to an agreement within these next couple of weeks so that teams can get players in camp. It would be a shame if anything derails the current progress that has been made, especially when there’s still a chance for the season to start on schedule.

Move away from Lucas Oil Raceway creates controversy for NASCAR

Fans enter the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before the100th anniversary of Indianapolis 500 auto race in Indianapolis, Indiana May 29, 2011. REUTERS/Matt Sullivan (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT MOTOR RACING)

When the Kroger 200 wraps up later this month, it’ll be NASCAR’s 30th and final scheduled Nationwide Series race on Lucas Oil Raceway’s 0.686-mile oval. That’s because after 30 years of racing at LOR, NASCAR’s Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series won’t be back in 2012.

And NASCAR is starting to take some heat over the move.

Nationwide races will be moved to Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), but NASCAR isn’t even sure where the Truck Series will shift. The departure from Lucas Oil Raceway leaves the track with the NHRA’s Mac Tools U.S. Nationals as the only NHRA-owned event.

Wes Collier, general manager of Lucas Oil Raceway, thought that “this was a business decision between NASCAR and IMS and we’re left on the outside looking in.” He went on to say how, “we’re very disappointed in the decision.”

Collier insists that he and his staff were more than willing to do what they could to keep the race at ROL but that NASCAR didn’t make a proposal. It’s quite a blow for LOR and NASCAR in general, even if the racing giant doesn’t see it right now. Some media members believe that the decision to move the Nationwide Series to IMS has alienated the needs of fans and will make for poor racing.

Of course, others feel that change is good. The shift to a new venue could usher in excitement for the Nationwide Series and some drivers feel as though IMS would be a good sell in terms of sponsorship.

We’ll just have to wait and see how racing fans in Indiana respond next year. The good news is that a quick search of car insurance by state reveals that Indiana is one of the least expensive states in terms of car insurance. So at least they have that going for them, right?

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