Stewart, on early hot streak, back for more in Cali

Tony Stewart's probably having a decent week. Smoke, of course, is off to one of his best career starts to a season and returning to the site of his last victory.

He also dabbled in working as a zookeeper this week at the Oakland Zoo, where he got face-to-face with an 11,000-pound elephant. (Stewart is no newbie to the animal kingdom — he once owned a patas monkey that he later donated to the Louisville Zoo.)

But zoo stories aside, Stewart's got a race this weekend at Auto Club Speedway and 42 other helmeted elephants to deal with — and his preview of it doesn't gloss much over.

"I've just been terrible there," the two-time Sprint Cup champion said. "We've had times when we've been good, but I've really struggled as a driver there over the course of 12 years."

Stewart's relationship with the southern California track has been so personally murky that even a win there last October didn't seem to sway his opinion. In terms of average finish, Stewart has just three tracks on the Sprint Cup Series circuit where he typically is worse at — Bristol, Daytona and Talladega.

The victory was Stewart's first in 18 tries at the track, and it was the culmination of a decided improvement for Stewart at the two-mile oval. In the past six seasons, Stewart has been the sixth-best Cup driver under the near-Hollywood lights.

Such improvement has been also evident in his first four cracks at the 2011 season. Stewart is third in points, just 12 markers back of leader Kurt Busch, thanks to an average finish of 10th and 222 laps led.

For perspective, Stewart has long been known to improve as the season wears on and the summer sun starts to turn the paved race tracks a little more like the Turns 1 and 2 at his self-owned dirt track, Eldora Speedway. The numbers don't hide it: Stewart's 222 laps led so far this season far outpace his last two.

In 2009, Stewart needed 18 races to lead that many laps and in 2010 it took 25 races of the 36-race schedule. Stewart's finishing position is also two spots better through the season's first four races than a year ago.

"This year, with the new nose, we took another step toward that and spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel," Stewart's crew chief Darian Grubb said. "I feel like we had a pretty good baseline going into this year. We've had three chances to win on a speedway, a one-mile and a mile-and-a-half, so we feel pretty good about our program right now."

Does that guarantee Stewart will be California dreamin' come Sunday? Certainly not. But it does strike a pretty ominous chord for drivers used to dealing with Smoke mostly when the mercury begins to rise.

Related: Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip

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'Sucker Punch': Girl Power On Steroids

Sucker Punch is an action-packed film opening this weekend that features plenty of girl power, including Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone and Vanessa Hudgens.

Directed by Zach Snyder , Sucker Punch looks like a mix of Girl, Interrupted meets Lara Croft meets Charlie's Angels. 

Sucker Punch stars Emily Browning who plays Baby Doll, a girl who is taken to the mental asylum by her mean stepfather. Faced with the knowledge that she will undergo a lobotomy in a week, she and four other inmates, played by Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung, retreat to a fantasy world in her imagination where they plan their escape.

It is hard to determine what is real and what is fantasy as they fight their way through this fantasy world, trying to escape from the prison.

"I’m a big fan of Heavy Metal and fantasy art, so in terms of the setting and the way the world is built, that definitely comes in there," Snyder explained. "And I love the sort of Twilight Zone type of storytelling, so that also fuels the vibe to the movie."

The reviews of the movie have been mixed, ranging from USA Today's review saying, "The action sequences, scored by a blistering techno soundtrack, are top-notch and prevalent," to Cinema Blend’s scathing review, "The story’s so completely lifeless, the characters so hollow, the connection so non-existent, that you can’t even really sit back and enjoy the visuals."

Sucker Punch opens March 25.

Watch the Sucker Punch trailer: Photo Credits: Sheknows Entertainment Vince Neil -- I Didn't Touch My Ex! Toni Braxton Boasts About Her Lavish Lifestyle On Reality TV Show

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‘Korean Zombie’ uses twister submission to beat Garcia at UFN 24

It wasn't the slugfest the first fight produced, but Chan Sung Jung more than made up for the lack of big strikes by beating Leonard Garcia with a unique submission. "The Korean Zombie" showed he can fight smart as well by landing a twister to finish Garcia with just one second left in the second round in the first televised bout at Ultimate Fight Night 24 on Spike.

"I've been watching Eddie Bravo videos on YouTube for a long time," Jung said through a translator. "I kept saying during practice at Korean Top Team that I'm going to do the twister in the UFC some day. Hopefully, I'll get the Submission of the Night."

Jung (11-3, 1-0 UFC) had Garcia's back late in the second when he decided to focus on one leg. He also got a hold of Garcia's head and cranked it back. The twister puts tremendous pressure on the spine. Garcia couldn't hold out, tapped and the fight was stopped by referee Dan Miragliotta at 4:59 of the second.

Garcia (15-7, 2-3 UFC) was headed down the wrong path from the opening seconds. He's built his reputation in the UFC and WEC by going for the broke. His striking is often reckless, but he does damage and scores with judges. He won the first throwdown with the Zombie at WEC 48, in a fight many thought Jung took by decision. Garcia repeated the feat his last time out against Nam Phan.

Garcia chose to go with a more controlled style and looked to counterstrike. He never got Jung's timing down. Garcia was the victim of a takedown in the first and ate some big shots on the ground.

In the second, he landed virtually nothing and went down again when the fighters connected on kicks at the same time. Jung jumped into top control with 1:11 left in the round. Jung softened him up with some big elbows. He threw Garcia's legs to the side and took his back with 33 seconds left.

Before this fight, Jung worked with Urijah Faber's camp, Team Alpha Male. He fought with a nice gameplan, beating Garcia in eveyr phase of the game.

Related: Ultimate Fight Night 24, Korean Zombie, Leonard Garcia

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VCU deserves to celebrate after victory over Florida State

If you haven't had the privilege of seeing a VCU's postgame celebration, it's something worth watching.

After Friday 72-71 overtime victory against Florida State, VCU coach Shaka Smart went into the locker room, said few words and then yielded the floor freshman forward Heath Houston for the traditional postgame dance.

Houston started off by doing the Seminoles Tomahawk Chop with his left arm then pretended to cut off the arm with his right end. Then he transitioned into what could best be described as a series of MMA moves culminating in Houston and his teammates stomping their opponent on the floor of their locker room.

Remember, this is the same VCU team that was giving Florida State players high fives and daps as they passed the Seminoles in the arena hallway after defeating Purdue to get to the Sweet 16. Florida State was preparing for its game against Notre Dame.

But on this night VCU deserved to celebrate because the Rams survived a game that they should have lost twice. Had it not been for poor clock management by Florida State and the Seminoles inability to consistently make shots, the Rams could have been blown out of San Antonio.

VCU actually blew a nine-point lead and scored just three points in the final 7 minutes and 37 seconds of regulation.

But VCU came up big with it needed it the most. With 7.9 second remaining in overtime, guard Joey Rodriguez inbounded the ball to Bradford Burgess, who made a layup with 7.1 seconds remaining. It would ultimately be the game winner and send the Rams to the school's first Elite Eight appearance.

The lowest remaining seed in the tournament will now advance to play Kansas, the highest remaining seed, on Sunday.

VCU becomes the first team to win four games to reach the Elite Eight -- this is the first year with multiple play-in games -- and is just the fifth 11-seed to make it to the Elite Eight.

So go on and dance VCU. You've earned it.

Related: Florida State Seminoles

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Lidge the latest on a lengthy list of closers to go down this spring

Brad Lidge(notes) returned to the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday after missing the past two weeks with biceps tendinitis.

But after striking out the first two batters he faced, Lidge struggled in 2/3 of an inning, allowing two hits and two walks. Following the game, Lidge said he was feeling shoulder pain -- something he'd never encountered before -- that got worse as he threw more pitches.

From MLB.com:

"There was always a little pain in the back [of the shoulder], which we thought was from the biceps tendinitis," Lidge said. "I'm not really familiar with the shoulder. I haven't had shoulder issues before, at least not for a long time. So I'm not really familiar with the discomfort and pain I'm having."

Lidge will undergo a MRI exam next week in Philadelphia. In the meantime, he'll begin the season on the disabled list.

With that, Lidge joins a growing list of closers who will be sidelined when the 2011 season begins next week. Also among the injured:

• Frank Francisco(notes): The Toronto Blue Jays closer will also begin the season on the DL, due to tightness in his right pectoral muscle and inflammation in his biceps. Francisco visited Dr. James Andrews for an examination, but no structural damage was found.

• Brian Wilson(notes): The San Francisco Giants' postseason sensation may avoid the DL, but doesn't look like he'll be ready to close for the world champs on opening day. Wilson has a strained oblique and had to cut a throwing session short on Wednesday.

• Andrew Bailey(notes): Bailey also paid a visit Dr. Andrews after leaving a game 10 days ago with tightness in his elbow. But exams turned up no structural damage, and it's believed that the "ripping sensation" Bailey felt was scar tissue in the elbow breaking up. Being ready for opening day is unlikely.

• J.J. Putz(notes): Putz was shut down last week after feeling stiffness in his back during a throwing session. But after throwing long toss on Wednesday, the Arizona Diamondbacks are hopeful he'll be ready to start the season.

• John Axford(notes): The Milwaukee Brewers' new closer missed the first couple weeks of spring training due to food poisoning and resulting weight loss. He hasn't pitched very well since returning (compiling an 8.44 ERA), but the Brewers say he'll be their closer. One scout wonders if Axford's delivery is too complicated to be successful, however.

• David Aardsma(notes): Aardsma had hip surgery in January and hasn't pitched for the Seattle Mariners all spring. He was able to play catch for the first time two weeks ago. The most optimistic projections have Aardsma returning by late April.

Images from AP

Related: John Axford, Andrew Bailey, Frank Francisco, Brian Wilson, J.J. Putz, Brad Lidge, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays

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Tiger Woods records first eagle since last year’s Masters

As Tiger Woods has been saying for the last couple of months, his swing is still a work in progress. With the Masters only two weeks away, Woods is doing all he can this week at Bay Hill to make sure he leaves his final tuneup with some positives before he departs for the first major of the year.

He got just that early in his round on Saturday, as he eagled the par 5 6th hole at Bay Hill to record his first eagle of the week. After ripping a drive to just inside 200 yards, Woods stuck his approach to 12 feet and calmly rolled in the putt.

But the craziest thing about the eagle wasn't that it was his first of the week ... it was also his first on the PGA Tour since last year's Masters. In that span of time, we've witnessed an oil disaster in the Gulf; the Lakers win another championship; and watched as a group of Chilean miners were rescued.

Hard to believe, huh? Hopefully Tiger doesn't go that long between eagles again.

Related: Tiger Woods

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No fight this time from Marquette, Richmond

When the North Carolina-Marquette Sweet 16 game mercifully hit halftime, studio analyst Greg Anthony summed up Marquette's performance perfectly: "You cannot play the game of basketball worse than they played the first half."

The Golden Eagles were down 40-15 and were probably less competitive than the score indicated. But Anthony's quote could have been attributed to the other regional semifinal, which was equally as ugly.

Richmond was pounded 41-22 in the first half by Kansas and didn't hit double digits until there was 6 minutes and 20 seconds remaining in the first half.

Fellow studio analyst Charles Barkley stayed quiet as Anthony chastised Marquette's play so he could comply with Turner/CBS' positivity mandate, which basically tells the analysts not to be too critical of the college athletes. But there was no doubt he was thinking the same thing.

While both Kansas and North Carolina were favored in their respective games, their opponents failed to live up to the expectations that had been set by the first weekend of play and even the first collection of Sweet 16 games Thursday night. With the exception of a few games, most of the underdogs have come out scrappy against their higher-seeded opponent and that's what got Marquette and Richmond to the Sweet 16 in the first place.

"You know, we just got down and it was a big lead and we fought and fought and fought in the second half and tried to cut it down as much as possible, but we dug ourselves a hole," Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom said.

But somehow those teams that fought their way into the Sweet 16 forgot to show up in the first half. North Carolina and Kansas to put Marquette and Richmond in such a deep deficit that even when they started to play better in the second half, it was impossible to make up the difference.

Now, credit Marquette and Richmond for not giving up. Both teams could have easily caved and let the game get more out of hand than it already was. But the Golden Eagles and the Spiders showed that fighter's spirit that has gotten them through most of the tournament.

Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. Marquette still lost 81-63, its worst loss since Louisville defeated it in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament. Richmond's 77-57 loss was the Spiders worst loss since losing by 20 to Temple back on Feb. 17.

It's unfortunate that Kansas and North Carolina actually faced more spirited competition in their first two games and even more unfortunate for fans who had become spoiled by the rousing down-to-the-wire action that has defined this year's NCAA tournament.

"We just let them dictate the tempo tonight and I think that's what it was," Richmond guard Kevin Anderson said. "They came out real aggressive on us, and we let them stay aggressive and never dictated the tempo."

Related: Richmond Spiders

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