Coach Pop's San Antonio Spurs are rested, but rusty as well?

Gregg Popovich scares media. Watch him be interviewed. The lengthy pause between questions. Eyes darting from one reporter to another, as if daring his interrogators.

NFL legend Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson loses best friend in Rudy Clay

Rudolph "Rudy" Clay and Fred Williamson once were "enemies" while growing up in Gary.

ECW grad, former Bears' return standout Ron Smith dead at age 70

Ron Smith was a walking contradiction, extremely proud of his athletic prowess but as private as an island paradise.

NBA money tree inviting top college players who come out early

MERRILLVILLE | Money is today's most popular drug in professional sports, a lure for superstars more concerned with dollar signs than playing on a contending team.

Purdue coaches Painter, Hazell see better times ahead for their programs

MERRILLVILLE | There are few things worse than a discontented fan base. Purdue can attest to that.

Gavit makes the most of error-prone Hammond to win 10-0 in 5 innings

GRIFFITH | A shaky defense is like driving on bald tires. Eventually, you end up in a ditch.

West Side star Jonvae Johnson wants to join the 'conversation' in school's track lore

GARY | Jonvae Johnson is s-o-o-o-o fast, he plays volleyball by himself.

Andrean's Carson Cunningham the frontrunner for Carroll College coaching job

Carson Cunningham, 36, may have to change the voice mail greeting on his cell phone now.

E.C. Central high jumper Lloyd aiming to reach new heights

EAST CHICAGO | You think about what could've been with East Chicago Central cloud seeder Kenneth Lloyd and you shudder.

Munster girls repeat at Highland Sectional in girls track

HIGHLAND | There were no excuses Tuesday. No complaining about freezing rain, ice pellets or wind chill.

Down 3-1 in series with Heat, Bulls left gasping for it

CHICAGO | Dumb basketball doesn't produce wins, only critics, and the shorthanded Bulls have had their share against the Heat.

Dennis Bunda named new Griffith athletic director

GRIFFITH | Dennis Bunda hates the snow, so the former athletic director and coach spent the last eight years in Arizona.

North Newton's Tim Loughmiller 'floored' by recent honor

MOROCCO | Hall of Fame baseball manager Leo Durocher was blowing smoke when he said nice guys finish last.

Bulls run out of gas, trail Heat in series 2-1

CHICAGO | The Miami Heat is not some 13-headed monster from outer space devouring everything in its path.

North Newton's Olive finds hurdling a family affair

MOROCCO | Michael Jordan's sons were expected to play basketball, though they couldn't hold Dad's shoelaces.

Morton repeats as GLAC champs in boys, girls meets

HAMMOND | The 100- and 200-meter dash is the Super Bowl of track and field, thrilling events that put a lump in your throat and bring crowds to their feet.

Bulls suddenly all tied up

CHICAGO | Bulls' coach Tom Thibodeau said he felt great.

Bulls one win from eliminating Brooklyn Nets

CHICAGO | Former Bulls' guard C.J. Watson thought it was funny at the time.

Carolina takes East Chicago's Kawann Short in 2nd round of NFL draft

EAST CHICAGO | At approximately 6:30 p.m. Friday, Kawann Short's life changed forever.

Bulls take nervous 2-1 series lead on Brooklyn Nets

CHICAGO | How important is point guard Deron Williams to the Brooklyn Nets? Try five years at $98 million.

Colts' successful GM says 'I was meant to do this job'

OK, Ryan Grigson. What do you do for an encore?

Munster distance star Bolanowski knows the sport

MUNSTER | Tommy Bolanowski is the newspaper on your front porch each morning, donuts at a construction site, Vince Scully doing Dodgers' games.

Crown Point vaulter Jordan Kelly shooting for 16 feet, and more

CROWN POINT | With all apologies to baseball, there is no crying in track and field as well.

Gregg Popovich's Spurs must overcome injury bug as playoffs near

An aging roster riddled with injuries is what Spurs coach Gregg Popovich feared most heading into the playoffs.

IFCA Region 1 to induct 7 into Hall of Fame on May 5

John Boyajian could chuck a football through a car wash and have it come out dry.

Bulls turning into streak busters, cool off Knicks

CHICAGO | If not for the players' union, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks' Mike Woodson might be recruiting bodies from the VIP seats.

Hobart's Stewart a quick study on the track

HOBART | They say if you can high jump your height, take a bow. You're pretty good.

Bulls survive on some magic of their own

CHICAGO | With seven games and little practice time remaining in the regular season, you might think Friday's game with the struggling Orlando Magic would be a coffee break.

Bridgeman, Trgovich 'Harbored' no ill will in '75 NCAA semis

"Pistol" Pete Trgovich was the scorer. Tim Stoddard provided the inside muscle. And Ulysses "Junior" Bridgeman was too often the unsung hero.

Austin Jamerson is Merrillville's triple play

MERRILLVILLE | Austin Jamerson's rivals won't want to hear this, but he thrives when the pressure cooker is boiling over.

Highland brothers get a jump on the competition

HIGHLAND | Ian and Seth Hardy are fraternal twins, a fact many classmates and teachers were surprised to learn this school year.

Bulls put the skids on streaking Heat

CHICAGO | Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals resumes Sunday in Chicago. Oh, wait. That's not true.

East Chicago's Kawann Short does 'show and tell' at Pro Day

WEST LAFAYETTE | A Sunday night blizzard blanketed this bustling college town with more than 10 inches of snow, reducing travel to a snail's pace.

Bulls fighting 'changing of guard' talk by Pacers

CHICAGO | Bulls' fans have little to brag about, except maybe a few more available seats at the United Center due to an average season.

Wolverines, 'GR3' dash South Dakota State's tourney hopes

AUBURN HILLS, MICH. | If John Beilein's fourth-seeded Michigan Wolverines were any younger, they'd need babysitters.

Dawson's defense helps lift Spartans past Valparaiso

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. | Branden Dawson's jump shot still needs lot of work but defensively, the Michigan State sophomore is on you like lint on wool.

Bowman stamps return ticket to 2A state finals

HUNTINGTON | Ever watch coach Marvin Rea on the sideline? So calm, so confident. It's like he's waiting for a bus.

Turnovers, fouls eliminate Andrean at Class 3A Huntington North Semistate

HUNTINGTON | Andrean's Skyler Moss loves to muscle people in the paint, move them around like chess pawns, and score at will.

Carmel coach Scott Heady says Merrillville has all the pieces

If defending 4A state champion Carmel hopes to repeat, coach Scott Heady must do it with the program's calling card — a vise-like defense.

Bowman's King anxious to 'make the grade' at state

GARY | A favorite saying of Bulls' coach Tom Thibodeau when a player goes down with injury is "Next up."

Pirates rout S.B. Adams, head to semistate

MICHIGAN CITY | South Bend Adams has one player over 6-foot-2, loves to jack up shots, and makes a sinus headache inviting compared to the extreme pressure it puts on opponents.

Pirates upset Munster on Jenkins' 25-foot bomb

MICHIGAN CITY | Merrillville entered Saturday 10-1 in games decided by eight points or less. Good teams do that.

Hornets 'press' on in pursuit of regional boys basketball title

GARY | Keontae Bridges needs a new Walmart portable basketball setup. The one out on the street, in front of his house, is falling apart.

City AD Earl Smith Jr. retiring after 56 years in Gary School corporation.

GARY | Earl Smith Jr. remembers coming home during a school break at Iowa and chatting with then-city athletic director Johnny Kyle.

Munster shakes loose from L.C. in OT for West Side Sectional title

GARY | After dismantling Morton in the semifinals, Lake Central coach Dave Milausnic wanted his team to maintain the same high energy level on Saturday and play like it loves basketball.