SPORTS THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014 Photo of the day Woeful Texans look beyond top draft pick NEW YORK: No matter who is selected today with the first ue. “There are two positions that I never think you can have pick in the National Football League Draft, the Houston too many of: corners and tackles. You are always looking to Texans are confident they can rebuild after a woeful 2-14 improve the depth on both sides of the ball up front. We season. The Texans own the first selection in the annual want to be a bigger, faster, stronger football team.” allocation of collegiate talent by virtue of having the NFL’s While the Texans, who lost their last 14 games of last worst record last year, but with 11 overall picks in the season, are in the market for a quarterback, talented three-day event, Houston is counting on more than one passers are expected to be available later in the draft. player for help. Texans coach Bill O’Brien, hired January 3 to replace the “It was very painful to get here, but now that we have fired Gary Kubiak, says the Texans will take a quarterback at lived it for a while and prepared this way, it’s a very, very some point, just not when it will happen. advantageous place to be because it gives us a chance to “I see the strengths and weaknesses with every one of really impact our team,” Texans vice president and general these guys,” O’Brien said. “I don’t see where there’s one or manager Rick Smith said. two or three guys that are light years ahead of the rest.” Smith says he knows who he wants to select with the That opens the door for the top overall pick for top choice, the Texans’ third number one selection in 13 Jadeveon Clowney, a defensive end from South Carolina, drafts, but is open to trade offers. University of Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack or Auburn “We’re going to be open to all possibilities,” Smith said. University offensive tackle Greg Robinson. Clowney made The St. Louis Rams are set to select second overall, fol- 162 tackles with 29 sacks and 11 forced fumbles. Many lowed in order by Jacksonville, Cleveland and Oakland. The prognosticators have lined up Clowney for the Texans as a pressure, tension and drama of the situation were drawn rare mix of size and speed and O’Brien has praised him upon by Hollywood for the current film “Draft Day”, with without promising to pick him. Kevin Costner playing a fictional character in the hot seat “When the game is on the line, he plays hard,” O’Brien of making the decisions that could make or break a team. said of Clowney. “He’s an explosive player. He’s a productive “This is the opportunity to really improve our team and player. He’s an instinctive player.” build on the foundation that is already in place,” Smith said. Robinson has the size and footwork to protect the blind Mikkel Bech Jensen races during a photoshoot at the speedway “It’s not so much about the first pick. It’s the first pick in side of a quarterback, a valued skill given the speed and center in Glums, Denmark . —www.redbull.com each round. It’s a valuable spot to be in. Because you either strength of defenders trying to tackle NFL passers, while get the top player on your board three different times or Mack made 100 tackles with 10 sacks, three interceptions Cyclists gear for you get the opportunity to move down and add more val- and five forced fumbles last season. — AFP Giro d’Italia MILAN: The 97th edition of the Giro d’Italia starts tomorrow in year’s Giro d’Italia, but there are a couple keen to impress on Belfast with 198 cyclists participating in the opening team home turf. Two relatives of Irish cycling great Stephen Roche time trial in the Northern Irish capital.The Italian Grand Tour are riding in this year’s race although Roche doesn’t expect ends June 1 in the northeastern port city of Trieste, and there either, son Nicolas or nephew Dan Martin, to emulate his 1987 are a number of potential winners. The Giro has several com- victory. “Nicolas or Dan are both quite capable of finishing in pelling stages, including the return of the grueling Stelvio the first five,” Roche said. “To go into the top three is also possi- climb after it was cancelled last year due to bad weather. Here ble, but from there on it’ll be very difficult. are five things to know about this year’s race: “Dan is quite capable of just switching it on some day and getting a stage win, whereas Nicolas concentrates so much for GRANDE PARTENZA the GC (general classification), he misses out sometimes on As has become tradition every other year, the Giro d’Italia good opportunities. Nicolas could do a top five and maybe will start outside Italy. However, this is the first time that the get a stage win. I would put my money on Dan for a stage Grande Partenza - or the Big Start - will take place outside of win.” mainland Europe, with Belfast the departure point. The Giro begins with a time time trial in Belfast. The city is also the start HISTORY and finish point for Saturday’s 218-kilometer (135-mile) leg, The Giro d’Italia first took place in 1909, and was the brain- which takes in picturesque rock formation, the Giant’s child of struggling Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport’s Causeway. The following day starts in Armagh before crossing desire to increase sales. It was following on from L’Auto’s the border into the Republic of Ireland and finishing in Dublin. organization of the Tour de France and was eager to beat rival Pink banners, bunting and flags have been put up to match paper Corriere della Sera, which was also planning to create a the color of the leader’s jersey, while public buildings have cycling race around Italy. Gazzetta dello Sport continues to been illuminated with pink projections and even sheep have organize and sponsor the Giro, and its link with the presti- been painted. gious race is the reason for the association with the color pink as the newspaper is printed on pink paper. ABSENT STARS The 1909 race featured eight stages with an average dis- Defending champion Vincenzo Nibali, 2008 winner Alberto tance of more than 300 kilometers (186 miles), compared to MIAMI: Heat’s Chris Bosh (left) passes as Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Garnett (2) defends in the first half of Game 1 in an Eastern Contador, reigning Tour de France winner Chris Froome and the 183-kilometer (114-mile) average stage length this year. Conference semifinal basketball game. — AP his Sky teammate Bradley Wiggins are all skipping the Italian Some 115 cyclists crossed the finish line out of 115 starters classic to focus on this year’s Tour de France. Richie Porte also in 1909. The first edition was decided on points and won by had to pull out of Sky’s squad due to a lack of form and illness. Luigi Ganna. Had it been a time-based event, Giovanni Two of the favorites - Tour runner-up Nairo Quintana and Rossignoli - who finished fourth - would have won, while Heat and Spurs roll Spanish rider Joaquin Rodriguez - have never won a Grand Ganna would have been third. This year’s race is dedicated to Tour. Australian’s Cadel Evans - the 2011 Tour de France winner Marco Pantani on the 10th anniversary of the Italian who finished third in last year’s Giro d’Italia - is also among climber’s death. MIAMI: Defending champion Miami and perennial power San against Aldridge that Splitter established. Belinelli finished 3 the list of potential winners following his impressive victory at Antonio asserted their claims to the NBA title with authorita- for 5 from 3-point range, leading the Spurs’ bench to leap to the Giro del Trentino. “We’ve got a strong team backing me FACTS AND FIGURES tive wins on Tuesday in the opening games of their NBA sec- their feet in loud celebration after the Italian guard’s struggles and I hope to do well,” Evans said. “We’ll see how the legs go The route covers more than 3,200 kilometres (1,990 ond-round playoff series. Miami was too good for its bogey in the opening series. After going just 4 for 7 on 3-pointers against the other guys before saying how much I like the miles), with 427.6km of it spent in the Republic of Ireland team Brooklyn, beating the Nets 107-86, while San Antonio against Dallas, Belinelli opened the game by hitting his first route. “But the route is hard, the Giro is always the hardest and Northern Ireland. There are 21 stages and three rest led from start to finish in beating Portland 116-92. LeBron three attempts from long range. — AP Grand Tour route. There are a lot of mountain finishes and I days. This year’s Giro is seen as balanced, with three time tri- James scored 22 points and Ray Allen added 19 as Miami know I’ve got to be up there for three weeks and be good in als, eight finishes for sprinters and nine hilly or mountain remained undefeated this postseason. Brooklyn had beaten the mountain time trial and individual time trial too.” stages. The Giro has been won by an Italian 68 times.