Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / July 13, 2006, edition 1 / Page 19
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3C SPORTS/iTlie Cliarfotte $a£t Thursday, July 13, 2006 Eagles take pitch to children in war-tom Continued from page 1C' proved educational. As soccer players, the Charlotte delega tion was welcome to share the sport in a region that loves it. “We went to some places where no American team has ever played,” Krum said. Besides collecting necessi ties, the Eagles - led by play er Sam Casey - are raising money to build the Good News Community Center, a refuge for kids to eat, sleep, learn and play. The center, Krum said, will provide chil dren a s)Tnbol that someone cares enough to help. “You’ve got kids walking around with no clothes on and they’re smiling,” he said. support Uganda “Seeing what they’re happy with makes you realize what you have and what we’ve been provided.” For information, call'Casey at (704) 841-8644, extension 27. On the Net: Charlotte Eagles www.charlotteeagles.com Jaguar’s convertible XK8 one superior cat Winfred B. Cross Test Drive Jaguars gamer lots of attention as hardtops but add a convertible top and the gawk meter hits 10. Such is the life for the new XK8. Necks don’t just crane - they snap for a second look. There’s plenty of reason for that. This is a car that has few peers in the beauty department. It’s elegantly graceful, yet looks as muscu lar as LL Cool J. The car’s surfaces are taught and firm, giving you the impression it’s lightning fast. More on that in a sec. The interior is gorgeous. There is so much wood, metal and leather yom senses can barely take it in a glance. You must study each detail because there is so much detail. Supplied with the Luxury Package, this test car was equipped with a heated leather and wood steering wheel, stitched leather on the dash and console and a slate/ivory interior that cov ered the most comfortable seats I’ve ever encountered. The instrument panel is clean and uncluttered. The gauges are simple but there are lots of gizmos. A touch screen operates the climate, stereo, navigation and Bluetooth phone functions. If you have such a phone, you can pair it with the Jag and its operation is integrated with the car. Calls are divert ed through the stereo. It works well, as does every thing else in this car. The engine is a 4.2-liter V8 that pumps 300 horsepower and 310 pounds/feet of torque. The six-speed trans mission is flawless in execu tion. Paddle switches are mounted to the steering wheel. Tbuch either up or down and you are in control. It won’t allow you to over-rev the engine and will shift back to automatic if you don’t con tinue to make inputs. At 300 hp, the engine’s out put seems small in these days of 500 and more. It will take " the car to 60 mph in 6.0 sec onds. That’s not blazingly fast, but it sure ain’t slow. The car’s ride is an extraor dinary balance between sport and • comfort. You feel the road, but there’s enough SUMMER RELIEF IN CLEVELAND Pleased with Cavs’ progress, James agrees to extension By Tom Withers THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CLEVELAND - LeBron James likes it where he’s at - close to home and closing in on an NBA title. Cleveland’s All-Star forward agreed Saturday to sign a contract extension of up to five years and worth as much as $80 million with the Cavaliers, a huge relief for the rising team and its fretting fans who worried he might be planning an escape. James, who in three NBA seasons has single- handedly resurrected Cleveland’s franchise and brought the Cavs into championship con tention, will sign the deal after the free agency moratorium ends Wednesday, said his agent Leon Rose. “I am very excited and happy to be re-signing with the Cavaliers. Staying in Cleveland ...pro vides me with the unique opportunity to con tinue to play in front of my family, friends and fans,” James said in a statement. 'T look for ward to working toward bringing a champi onship to our great fans and the city of Cleveland.” James didn’t have to accept the deal. He could have chosen to wait until after next sea son when he would have been eligible for free agency. But he believes in the Cavaliers, who during this season’s playoffs came within a late offensive rebound in Game 6 of eliminating Detroit and making the Eastern Conference finals. Unlike some of his fellow 2003 draft class mates, James waited one week after the team made the offer before annoimcing he would sign. The delay since July 1 had Cleveland fans, who have been burned by broken promis es before, fearing the worst. But as he has always done, the 21-year-old from nearby Akron came through in the clutch. Ever the showman, James let the drama build before agreeing to a deal that will start after the 2007 season and nm through 2012-13 - when he’ll only be 27. “We are very happy to hear LeBron’s recent statements regarding his desire to help work toward bringing a Cavaliers championship to Cleveland and our fans,” general manager Danny Ferry said. “We plan to sit down next week with Leon Rose to agree on terms of an extension.” James will make $5.8 million next season, the final year on his rookie contract. The exact amount of James’ extension won’t be known until later this summer when the league deter mines the salary cap for next season. But almost fium the moment the Cavaliers won the 2003 draft lottery and selected him with the No. 1 overall pick, insecure Cleveland fans have worried about a day when James would bolt for a bigger paycheck and brighter spotlight in New York, L^s Angeles or Chicago. That fear was well founded since the beloved Browns moved, and big-name athletes like Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Carlos Boozer, all left Cleveland as free agents despite saying they would stay. James, though, kept his word. And at least for now, says he plans to stay. He wants to bring the city its first championship since the Browns won an NFL title in 1964 - three years before there was even a Super Bowl and 20 years before James’ birth. James has scored more points, handed out more assists and grabbed more rebounds at a younger age than any player in history. Last season, James became just the fourth player to average at least 31 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, joining Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Michael Jordan. He was named the yoimgest All-Star game MVP in history, and finished runner-up to Phoenix’s Steve Nash for league MVP honors. Rose said he hopes to have the deal signed before James reports July 19 to training camp for the U.S. team playing in this summer’s World Championships. With James’ extension looming, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert did everything he could to keep the superstar. Last summer, Cleveland spent millions on free agents Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones and re-signed center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a player James personal ly campaigned to keep. Gilbert also renovated Quicken Loans Arena, upgrading the Cavs’ locker room and remodeling a family area part ly to accommodate the overflow of James sup porters at every home game. The club is also building a $20 million train ing facility in Independence, a short drive from James’ suburban home. Now that James is on board, general manag er Danny Ferry will try to re-sign restricted free agent forward Drew Gooden. The club has also been in contact with several other free agents during the league’s July 1-12 signing period. Everett buys into Bobcats cushion to make this a plea sure to drive every day. It can be slimg around curves with abandon, but I found driving slowly while onlookers drooled a much more reward ing experience. The convertible top’s opera tion is easy, lowering in about 18 seconds. The car’s alu minum body is fighter than the 10-year-old design it replaces, but feels as if it were carved out of a single piece of granite. There’s little to no cowl shake or flexing, even over a good size bump. The car comes standard with a lot at $81,000. A luxu ry package adds more leather and wood. The advanced technology package brings adaptive headlights and cruise control, 19-inch wheels and 16-way power driver’s seat. The as-tested price of $85,200 is easily justified if you get the chance to drive this car. More power would be good and the bade seat isn’t really a back seat, but every thing else is what you’d expect. The muscular body, controlled ride and easy to operate controls should make this someone’s dream car. It certainly comes close to mine. By Herbert L. White be/t).whife@Ihecbariotfepostcom The Charlotte Bobcats added another piece to rebuilding the business side of the franchise. Mac Everett agreed to serve as a member of the executive committee and buy a minori ty stake in the club Tuesday. “Mac Everett is one of the most influential and well- respected people in the Charlotte community and we are excited to have him take an expanded role in our orga nization,” Bobcats majority owner Bob Johnson said. “As we grow, Mac’s expertise in business and developing strategies for broader, stronger relations with the Charlotte community will be invaluable.” Everett has been an advisor to the Bobcats and helped lobby for the NBA’s return to Charlotte as part of a local group that worked with the league office to replace the departed Hornets. “The Charlotte community invited the NBA back and I welcome the opportunity to help engage and connect our community with the Bobcats. I look forward to the progress of the organization into a championship franchise on and off the court,” Everett said. “We have a solid foun dation to continue building on and this is a team that will be exciting for the people of the Carolinas to support.” Everett will serve on the Bobcats’ newly-formed execu tive board, which will provide guidance for business activi ties and help grow the orga nization’s presence in the community. Everett was a key player in bringing the Wachovia Championship to Charlotte in 2003 and has served as chairman since its launch. Everett was an executive at Wachovia Corporation for 25 years before retiring in 2004 and served in many capaci ties, including senior execu tive vice president for corpo rate and community affairs and leading the banking operations for the Mid- Atlantic region. Sports reporting you can put your hands on Cliarlotte 9th A.nnu3l Titus U. Ivory, Sr. Memorial Golf Tournament August -4, 2006 Birkc^ale Oolf Course, Hunt.orsviMc\ NC H.U. McCrorey Family YMCA
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 13, 2006, edition 1
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