Thrilling Daytona 500 finish a major win for Hamlin, NASCAR

 The official margin of victory is .0010 seconds, a figure that was rounded down from .0011, which was the number that the electronic implements which calculate such things produced on its first pass at estimating the space between Denny Hamlin’s victory and Martin Truex’s loss in the 58th running of the Daytona 500. That’s the finest finish since the incorporation of electronic scoring. That’s three times faster than the blink of an eye, hardly quick enough to take in Hamlin as he nudged his black Joe Gibbs machine inches ahead of Truex’s Furniture Row car on the final laps of a race that was long on dramatic twists.

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Most who saw that photo finish live will be forgiven for thinking that Truex was the victor. That includes the New Jersey boy himself, who was fairly convinced that his positioning on the low line of the track would prove his E-Z Pass to Victory Lane. “I knew it was really close,” he said. “I just said [to myself], ‘Damn, that was close.’ [I] tried to look at the big screen, as you do.  My spotter was going absolutely ballistic on the radio, screaming. I couldn’t tell what the heck was going on. [We] did our best to beat him at the line, but just came up short.”
RELATED:  Daytona 500 results
While Truex did not get the ending he had hoped, the final act he co-authored with Hamlin transformed NASCAR’s premier event into a certified blockbuster—and in its very first show following a massive renovation to their grandest stage, no less. Keep in mind: this was a result achieved without any fettling from the Cup series’ myriad new rules for the upcoming season,making it something for the sport’s many hard-line fans to truly savor. What’s more, this conclusion drew a massive general audience without a bankable star in a headlining role. The retired Jeff Gordon watched from the FOX booth, the retiring Tony Stewart joined the broadcast via phone and Dale Earnhardt Jr. spiraled out of the race after botching a drafting move in the middle of the pack. Surely NASCAR’s corporate wards are still pinching themselves, still.

The Great American Race made itself. How did this come to be? Hamlin still can’t quite explain it. “It just all happened so quickly,” he said. “Usually in these things, you’re leading with five laps to go. And usually whoever's leading wins the race. You have time to think about it. You’re getting emotional while you're still racing. For me, I was so caught in the moment. And when we won the race, it was like, OK, now what just happened?”
As with most automotive mysteries, it’s best to start under the hood. Those thousandths of a second might belong to Hamlin but, let’s be clear, the day belonged to Toyota Racing Development. Celebrating its 10th year in NASCAR, the manufacturer’s imprimatur was all over this contest, “the single biggest race in our company’s history,” according to TRD majordomo David Wilson.
So it was a special race then, one Hamlin, echoing the Toyota majordomo, called “the biggest race of my career as far as stature is concerned.” And yet, “Realistically, this is a team victory. It’s the best I’ve ever seen any teamwork together for the Daytona 500. My name will be on the trophy, but it should probably be cut up four or five different ways.”
Would he have preferred to win by a larger margin? “No. You want to win the tight ones—well, it would be fun to win by a lap. But [this is], like, storybook. You make a pass on the last corner of the last lap of the Daytona 500. That’s what makes it so cool.”

Jury selection to begin in Erin Andrews' nude-videos lawsuit

  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Jury selection begins Monday in the case involving sportscaster and TV host Erin Andrews, who filed a $75 million lawsuit against the franchise owner and manager of a luxury hotel and a man who admitted to making secret nude recordings of her in 2008.

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In 2009, Michael David Barrett pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles federal court to renting hotel rooms next to Andrews in three cities, altering peepholes and shooting videos in Columbus, Ohio, and Nashville.

Andrews was staying at the Marriott at Vanderbilt University in 2008 while covering a football game for ESPN. She alleges that someone affiliated with the Nashville hotel told Barrett where Andrews was staying and allowed him to stay in the room next to hers.

This is the one player your favorite NFL team has to cut

With free agency approaching, many teams are already clearing space and saving up money to pay players. Whether that's new contracts for players already on the team or gearing up to make a run at some of the biggest free agents, sometimes big-name players have to be released to save some money.These players are known as "cap casualties." Essentially, they are players who are released because the savings that come with the move are more valuable to the team than the player's contributions on the field.

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The Los Angeles Rams already cleared plenty of cap space by releasing Chris Long, Jared Cook and James Laurinaitis, and other teams have already cut ties with veterans before free agency begins.
Here's one player on each NFL roster who could be in danger of hitting the free agency market even though they are currently under contract for the 2016 season:
Arizona Cardinals - Daryl Washington
There really aren't many contracts on the Cardinals' roster that make sense to part ways with to free space, but Daryl Washington's is one that has drawn attention. The consistently suspended linebacker hasn't played since 2013 and Arizona can save $4.5 million in cap space for 2016 by designating him as a post-June 1 cut.
It's possible, but Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap thinks it's more likely that the Cardinals keep him on roster while they wait for suspension rulings that could recoup the team some of the money he collected while not playing.

Atlanta Falcons - Paul Soliai
The Falcons could also look at the contracts of Roddy White and Devin Hester, but getting rid of Paul Soliai's contract is a move that would free up nearly $5 million in space. And it's one they're expected to make at the start of the new league year.
The nose tackle hasn't been a bad player for the Falcons, but his play hasn't matched the five-year, $32 million contract he received in March 2014. Run stoppers aren't too difficult to find and the Falcons could use $4.94 million of savings elsewhere.
Baltimore Ravens - Dennis Pitta
Two hip surgeries have put Pitta's entire career in jeopardy, so it seems unlikely that the Ravens will want to keep the tight end and his $7.2 million salary cap hit for the 2016 season. He has played in just seven games over the last three years and recorded just 36 receptions for 294 yards over that span.
If Pitta ever returns to the field again, it would be a tough battle to return to the promising talent that made him a fourth-round pick in 2010. Either way, the Ravens can save $5 million by designating him as a post-June 1 cut, which is an expected move at this point.
Buffalo Bills - Mario Williams
Williams had just five sacks in 2015 and generally looked like he didn't care to be on the field for the Bills. That makes the $12.9 million in potential savings for Buffalo look like a complete no-brainer.
The 31-year-old defensive end is due a $2.5 million roster bonus on March 13, so his release should come soon. He will mean big savings for the Bills, although the team will have to eat $7 million in dead space for the 2016 season with the move. Still, after Pro Bowl seasons in 2013 and 2014, the connection between Williams and Buffalo has gone sour and the release is something that should benefit both  parties.

Ronda Rousey's boyfriend finalizes his divorce

Ronda Rousey may feel more comfortable about her current relationship with Travis Browne moving forward after what happened in recent weeks.

According to TMZ Sports, Browne officially was granted a divorce on Feb. 8.

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Browne married fitness model Jenna Renee Webb on Jan. 9, 2015. By July she had posted photos on Instagram alleging Browne beat her. Browne denied all allegations and said Webb was trying to get revenge for him cheating on her. Based on the timeline, it seems the woman he was with was Rousey.

The timeline isn’t exactly super clean here — Browne was divorced 13 months after marrying and was with someone else within six months of marrying — but Rousey and Browne seem to be happy, and that’s really what matters the most.

UFC star Ronda Rousey may have played coy about her romance with fellow UFC fighter Travis Browne in the beginning, but the 28-year-old isn't exactly hiding her relationship with her new beau anymore.

Indeed, these days, it seems the loved-up pair struggle to keep their hands off each other - even when out and about in public, with Ronda and Travis, 33, spotted out together twice this weekend. First, the couple was caught canoodling on Thursday, with Ronda throwing her arms around Travis as she gave him a kiss.

Then on Sunday, the pair was snapped leaving a Santa Monica Starbucks, both with a Venti iced coffee in-hand.

5 keys to Denny Hamlin's thrilling victory in Daytona 500

Denny Hamlin beat Martin Truex Jr. to win  Sunday's 58^th Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, giving Toyota its first victory in NASCAR's biggest race and Joe Gibbs Racing its first since 1993.

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It was the closest finish in Daytona 500 history, with Hamlin winning by 0.01 seconds. Kyle Busch was third in another JGR entry, giving Toyota the top three spots.
Here are five  keys to his victory in the Daytona 500.
5. It takes a fast car -- All through Speedweeks, the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas were wicked fast and that continued in the Daytona 500, where the team drubbed the competition for virtually the entire race. JGR won the Sprint Unlimited, one Can-Am Duel and the big prize on Sunday.
They were the class of the field by a wide margin, combining to lead 154 of 200 laps.
4. Be there at the end -- Rookie pole-sitter Chase Elliott learned an important lesson: You can't win the Daytona 500 in the first 50 miles, but you can lose it. A spin in Turn 4 on Lap 19, send Elliott spinning through the infield grass, which tore his splitter off.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., the pre-race favorite, crashed out in an nearly identical incident to Elliott's, but with 30 laps to go .
3. Have wingmen -- With all of the four JGR Toyotas up front, the team managed to control the race and keep the competition  from getting to the lead and challenging for the victory. And that was a huge help when the race went down to the wire, because it was all Toyotas fighting for the victory.
2. Stay out front -- The current NASCAR restrictor-plate aero package gives the leader a huge advantage, so you want to get out front as soon as possible. Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead on Lap 4, with Hamlin and Logano right behind. Clearly, the lead pack was the place to be, and it stayed that way all race long.
Conversely, once Earnhardt fell back in the back, he never got back to the front for the rest of the race.
1. Time your move. -- In winning his first Daytona 500, Hamlin timed his move perfectly, waiting until the very last lap to jump to the outside and make a bold move by his teammate Matt Kenseth. "I don't know what happened," said a jubilant Hamlin, who drove the No. 11 Toyota to victory in his 11^th Daytona 500. "I can't figure it out."
"They don't get more crushing than that," said Kenseth.

Pro12: Ulster v Scarlets (Sun)

Pro12: Ulster v Scarlets
Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Sunday, 21 February Kick-off: 14:30 GMT
Coverage: Live on BBC Two Northern Ireland, S4C, BBC iPlayer and online; live score updates online plus highlights on Scrum V, BBC Two Wales from 18:20 GMT on Sunday and later on demand and online

Fly-half Paddy Jackson will lead Ulster for the first time in Sunday's crucial Pro12 match against the Scarlets.

The 24-year-old has been disappointed at not being involved in Ireland's Six Nations campaign, but his availability is a boost to table-toppers Ulster.

Welsh squad player Aled Davies starts at scrum-half for the Scarlets after being released by Warren Gatland and he partners Aled Thomas at halfback.

Thomas replaces injured Steve Shingler as two of the Pro12's top four meet.

Fourth-placed Scarlets, just a point behind leaders Ulster, drop Rhodri Williams to the bench to accommodate uncapped Welshman Davies.

Ulster pair Ruan Pienaar and Ian Humphreys, who had to go through 'return to play' protocols following concussion, are on the replacements' bench.

Rob Herring has a slight hamstring injury so John Andrew will make his first senior start at hooker

Rory Best, Jared Payne and Andrew Trimble are not available to Ulster as they are on international duty..

Ulster go into the 15th round of league action top of the table while Scarlets lie fourth, but only a point separates the two sides, who both won last week.

Pro12 form guide
Ulster (1st ): 12 Feb: Ulster 13-10 Glasgow; 5 Feb: Ulster 17-15 Dragons; 30 Jan:Treviso 13-32 Ulster 2 Jan: Ulster 7-9 Munster
Scarlets (4th): 12 Feb: Scarlets 22-21 Edinburgh; 30 Jan: Connacht 30-17 Scarlets;10 Jan: Scarlets 21-19 Connacht; 1 Jan: Cardiff Blues 29-27 Scarlets

Scarlets beat Edinburgh 22-21 and Ulster triumphed 13-10 over Glasgow last Friday.

The west Wales region have not won away in the Pro12 since beating Trevisoin December, 2015.

Meanwhile Ulster have secured centre Stuart Olding until the end of the 2018-19 season and prop Rhodri Jones is to depart Scarlets for Ospreys at the end of the current campaign.

Ulster: S Olding, C Gilroy, D Cave, L Marshall, J Stockdale, P Jackson (capt), P Marshall; A Warwick, J Andrew, R Lutton, A O'Connor, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Henry, R Wilson.

Replacements: J Murphy, K McCall, B Ross, P Browne, C Ross, R Pienaar, I Humphreys, S Arnold.

Scarlets: M Collins, G Owen, R King, H Parkes (capt), DTH van der Merwe, A Thomas, A Davies, P John, K Myhill, P Edwards, G Earle, D Bulbring, A Shingler, W Boyde, M Allen.

Replacements: R Elias, D Evans, R Jones, M Paulino, R Pitman, R Williams, D Jones, S Evans.

Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)

Assistant referees: Nigel Correll, John Carvill (IRFU)

Citing commissioner: Eddie Walsh (IRFU)

TMO: Alan Rogan (IRFU)

Premiership: Saracens 25-12 Gloucester

aracens (13) 25

Try: Ransom Con: Hodgson Pens: Hodgson 6

Gloucester (6) 12

Pens: Hook 4

Relive Saturday's Premiership action

Premiership leaders Saracens hung on to beat Gloucester, despite playing more than 50 minutes with 14 men.

Schalk Brits saw red on the half-hour mark for a punch on Nick Wood, leaving Saracens temporarily with 13 men, Brad Barritt having been sin-binned earlier.

The hosts led 13-6 at the break, Ben Ransom grabbing an early Saracens try.

James Hook kicked all of Gloucester's points while Charlie Hodgson's six penalties helped Saracens bounce back from last week's big defeat by Wasps.

The win moves Sarries eight points clear at the top of the table, with second-placed Exeter Chiefs facing London Irish at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

Saracens boss Mark McCall wanted a reaction from his side following that record loss, and full-back Ransom was the man to deliver with a try inside four minutes, chipping over the defence before gathering in space to score.

It was an ideal start by a north London side that included Scotland centre Duncan Taylor, who returned to club duties during the Six Nations break, although McCall was still without seven England internationals, including George Kruis, Billy and Mako Vunipola and Owen Farrell.

A Barritt tip tackle on Ross Moriarty saw the hosts reduced to 14 men as he was sin-binned and, after Hook and Hodgson traded penalties, Saracens had Brits sent off.

Hook reduced the deficit from the tee, but Hodgson ensured the defending champions took a seven-point lead into the break with his second three-pointer.

Saracens lost scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth and prop Rhys Gill to injury late in the first half, but drove forward and piled pressure on Gloucester after the interval.

The Cherry and Whites did well to resist and leave Hodgson opting to slot over another penalty. All the visitors could do at the other end was line Hook up for another penalty of his own.

While Hodgson's boot delivered the win, an immense display by the Saracens pack - including replacement prop Juan Figallo, who raced to the game following the birth of his child earlier in the day - proved the difference in the gritty win.