Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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SALT LAKE CITY — The World Baseball Classic starts on Saturday, and Japan will have the opportunity to defend their title after winning in 2006 and 2009.
Japan won last year when Ichiro Suzuki drove in two runs in the top of the tenth. Current Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish earned the win after blowing a save opportunity in the ninth. Daisuke Matsuzaka earned MVP honors for the second time in a row.
Japan will not have any Major League players on their roster this year, with notable players like Hiroki Kuroda, Ichiro, Matsuzaka and Darvish sitting out this year's contest.
The United States lost last year to Japan in the semi-finals, and will hope to make a run for the title this year behind R.A. Dickey, Ryan Braun, Joe Mauer, and legendary coach Joe Torre.
The United States will compete in Pool D with Canada, Mexico and Italy. Their first game is on Saturday, March 9 against Italy.
Malkin trick shot
While hockey is scrambling to fit in games after a lockout, the players still have time to loosen up and have fun at practice.
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, one of the top players in the league, showed off his stick skills by dumping a shot into a bag in front of the goal.
Here at KSL, we like to recognize halfcourt basketball shots — but a shot from center ice, dropping a puck into a little bag? Now that's something incredible.
If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you too?
The classic parenting question that addresses peer pressure has been taken too far.
From the group that produced the arches rope swing, we now get to watch a bunch of swing in between canyon walls in high definition.
Of course, with Lagoon Park closed, perhaps getting a huge adrenaline rush from the landscape is the best way to go.
Shaqtin' A Fool
Shaquille O'Neal knows funny — he was born with it, just like he was born big.
This week's episode of "Shaqtin' A Fool," includes appearances from Russell Westbrook, Tony Parker, LeBron James, Iman Shumpert and Will Bynum.
Which one was the worst? While considering that LeBron shot above 60 percent during February, one little missed dunk attempt can't be that bad, right?
Duke Upset
In a year full of college basketball upsets, it's beginning to look like being one of the top rated teams truly means nothing.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils lost to Virginia Thursday night, perhaps overlooking the Cavaliers in anticipation of their game against Miami on Saturday.
Krzyzewski, one of the top coaches of all time, complained afterward about the team's safety when opposing fans rushed the court.
While player safety is important, beating Duke, one of the top programs in the country, is huge for any school. Rushing the court has been all the rage this year, and likely will continue into a crazy month that March promises to be.
