Your Top Plays for Today

Your Top Plays for Today: AP’s Sports Guide

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—RUSSIANS TAKE FIGURE SKATING PAIRS GOLD

Maxim Trankov hopes young figure skaters all over Russia will take inspiration from the gold medal he and Tatiana Volosozhar claimed at the Sochi Olympics.

https://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OLY_FIG_PAIRS_FREE_SKATE?SITE=NYMID&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

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—JETER ANNOUNCES 2014 WILL BE HIS LAST SEASON

Derek Jeter announces 2014 will be his last season, ending an era at the New York Yankees.

https://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268750/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=0H96IdxV

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—BARCELONA SETS UP COPA DEL REY FINAL AGAINST REAL MADRID

Barcelona reaches the Copa del Rey final, setting up a clash with arch rival Real Madrid.

https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Barcelona-to-face-Madrid-in-cup-final-5229338.php

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—LIVERPOOL GETS VITAL WIN AS ARSENAL AND MAN UTD DRAW

Liverpool gets last-minute penalty winner to vault back into Premier League title race, as Arsenal and Manchester United draw.

https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Gerrard-scores-winner-as-Liverpool-beats-Fulham-5229149.php

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—PISTORIUS SETTLES ASSAULT CASE

Oscar Pistorius reached a settlement with a woman over an alleged assault case from 2009 because his lawyers advised him he could not fight civil and criminal legal battles at the same time.

https://wintergames.ap.org/article/pistorius-settles-alleged-assault-case

—’I-POD’ DENIES WHITE TO WIN OLYMPIC HALFPIPE GOLD

Russia’s Iouri Podladtchikov, known as ’I-Pod’ wins gold in the halfpipe at the Sochi games, with two-time defending champion Shaun White missing out on the medals.

https://wintergames.ap.org/article/white-falls-i-pod-olympic-stunner

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—REAL MADRID INTO COPA DEL REY FINAL

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo help Real Madrid into Spain’s Copa del Rey final with a victory over city rival Atletico.

https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Madrid-beats-Atletico-to-reach-Copa-del-Rey-final-5225515.php

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—THUNDER EXTEND LEAD OVER TRAIL BLAZERS WITH TIGHT WIN

Oklahoma City extends its lead in the NBA Western Conference with a tight win over divisional rival Portland.

https://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268750/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=tFhqS6bT

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—TANAKA ARRIVES AT YANKEES AFTER CHARTERING A 787

Japanese pitching ace Masahiro Tanaka has already started spending some of his massive salary by chartering a 787 to fly to New York for his unveiling by the Yankees.

https://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268752/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=307XoDsp

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—CHELSEA SLIP UP AGAINST WBA AS TITLE HOPES TAKE A HIT

Chelsea’s Premier League title ambition take a hit as the London club is held to a draw by struggling West Bromwich Albion.

https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/PL-leader-Chelsea-held-1-1-by-struggling-West-Brom-5225575.php