ATLANTA (AP) The Atlanta Braves waited until the last inning of a memorable homestand to put an end to a streak of one-run futility they hope to forget.

The Braves finally won a one-run game when Matt Diaz hit a bases-loaded single in the ninth inning to beat the San Diego Padres 5-4 Thursday.

Atlanta was the first ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) Finally, an MVP award for Kobe Bryant.

Regarded as the NBA's best player for several years but never its most valuable, Bryant earned the honor at last on Tuesday after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference.

He entered the season as the league's two-time defending scoring champion. He had finished as high as third in the MVP voting twice - after the 2002-03 season, when he averaged 30 ...

by Marty Caswell- With very few starting jobs available for grabs in the upcoming season, the San Diego Chargers concluded one of their more unremarkable drafts in years with their first round selection of cornerback Antoine Cason out of Arizona, fullback/running back Jacob Hester out of LSU, running back Marcus Thomas from University of Texas/El Paso in the 5th round, CB DeJuan Tribble out of Boston College in the 6th round and offensive tackle Corey Clark from Texas A&M in the seventh.

W ...