Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/178668
2B Daily News – Wednesday, September 25, 2013 More fan violence reporter at Candlestick SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A teenage football fan suffered a concussion and a broken arm and nose at Candlestick Park after police say he was attacked during the San Francisco 49ers 27-7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts this weekend. The San Francisco Chronicle reported (http://bit.ly/1fezVHs ) that a 29-year-old man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of beating the 15-year-old boy for urinating in the man's car. Reports of other assaults at the game were also logged with stadium security. 49ers' season ticket holder Daisy Barringer said she was kicked and punched by another 49ers fan. The 36-year-old said she has seen violence at both home games this year, and during the preseason. Security was increased at the stadium two years ago after two shootings, a beating and fights broke out during a preseason game with the Oakland Raiders. Feds urge judge to allow Armstrong case to proceed AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Justice Department lawyers urged a federal judge to allow the government's fraud lawsuit against Lance Armstrong to continue, arguing the U.S. Postal Service was tainted by its sponsorship of his team while he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France. The Postal Service, which insists it didn't know about a team drug regimen that was exposed last year by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, is permanently linked to what the government lawyers called ''the greatest fraud in the history of professional sports'' in court records filed Monday night. Former Armstrong teammate Floyd Landis first sued Armstrong in 2010 under the False Claims Act, which allows whistle-blowers to get a share of any money recovered based on their disclosures. The Justice Department joined the lawsuit in February, announcing it would seek at least the $40 million the Postal Service paid to Armstrong's team and additional damages that could push the total closer to $120 million. The government claims Armstrong violated his contract with the Postal Service and was ''unjustly enriched'' while cheating to win the Tour de France. Six of his seven titles came under Postal Service sponsorship. Armstrong has urged the court to dismiss the case, arguing the government was aware of doping rumors surrounding his teams and could have canceled the contracts. Armstrong finally confessed in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey in January. A federal judge has scheduled oral arguments for Nov. 18 in Washington on whether to let the case proceed. Armstrong argues the sponsorship gave the Postal Service exactly what it paid for: Tens of millions of dollars' worth of publicity, exposure to more than 30 million spectators at international cycling events and hundreds of hours of television coverage. The Justice Department countered Monday that the Postal Service would have canceled the deals if it knew about the cheating. 49ers move forward without Aldon Smith SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Carlos Rogers understands a key piece of San Francisco's defense is missing with the absence of Aldon Smith, yet the veteran cornerback is determined to make sure it never becomes an excuse for the team's recent poor play. The 49ers are moving forward without their star linebacker and sacks leader as he begins rehab for substance abuse and an indefinite leave from the team. He played in Sunday's 27-7 loss to the Colts, but is gone now following his second DUI arrest in 20 months last Friday morning that also included suspicion of marijuana possession. Smith apologized Sunday night. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has no idea how long Smith might be away, and that seems to be the case all around. ''I think it's a distraction to whoever wants to think about it, to whoever wants to pay attention to it,'' Rogers said Tuesday. ''When I get out there on the field and play, I'm thinking about playing whatever team, I'm not thinking about Aldon and whatever situation went on with him. We're going to continue our meetings, we're going to continue to go on the field and practice, whether he's here or not. That's the only thing we can do. For each individual, if you continue to worry about Aldon and let that be a distraction, let that say, 'Oh, this team's not going to be the same because Aldon's not here,' then it will be a distraction.'' While everybody in the locker room is rooting for Smith's recovery, his fellow defenders are now focused on getting the most from the guys who will take over for him: Dan Skuta and Corey Lemonier, among others. ''We believe he'll be healthier, and not just as a football player but as a normal human being, and we wish him the best of luck,'' safety Donte Whitner said. ''But we believe that the guys who are going to back him up — Skuta and Lemonier — they're going to go in there and they're going to do a great job. Everybody else has to pick up their play with Aldon not being out there.'' A defense that has been so dominant stopping the run in recent years suddenly ranks a surprisingly low 29th in the league, with opposing offenses running against the NFC champion Niners (1-2) at every chance. ''We've let a couple of them pop, which we haven't done in the past which skews the statistics,'' Fangio said. ''And we've been in games where they've been able to hand it off a high amount of times. So, I think it's a combination that we haven't been as sharp and the type of games we've been in.'' Expect the St. Louis Rams to do more of the same Thursday night without Smith, and perhaps also fellow All-Pro Patrick Willis as he nurses a groin injury. And the 49ers will miss the menacing, swarming presence of Smith, who set a franchise record with 19 1/2 sacks last season in helping San Francisco reach the Super Bowl. Skuta, signed to a two-year contact after he had 26 tackles last season and a team-leading 17 tackles on special teams for the Bengals, is ready to help fill a huge void — knowing how well Aldon Smith and Justin Smith complement each other on an imposing front seven. ''I've always paid attention to how they played together,'' Skuta said. ''They did a great job in there together with communication and all their different stunts. If we get that opportunity, I'd like to do that stuff, too. I think I would fit in and do the same type of thing.'' While San Francisco's defense committed five penalties leading to first downs for Indianapolis, Whitner said he heard from the NFL on Monday that his hit on Ahmad Bradshaw on the Colts' first snap shouldn't have been a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty for a helmet-to-helmet tackle and he won't be fined. Whitner thought he clobbered Bradshaw in the shoulder area, and said the league agreed. ''They called and our coaching staff talked to the league and they said it wasn't a penalty and I wouldn't be fined,'' Whitner said. ''Especially after seeing what (former teammate) Dashon (Goldson) is going through, I was relieved.'' For now, Rogers remains confident the 49ers will bounce back Thursday night and regain the defensive swagger that has carried this team so far the past two seasons. ''Our team, GM, the coaches, the owners, they put a good team together, put up good starters, put up good backups,'' Rogers said. ''So that next person's got to come in and play to the level of him or better than him. It's hard to say that being how good Aldon is, one of the best defensive players in the league, but we've got to pick up the slack and rally around the person who's his backup. Even with Pat, if he's out, everybody's got to pick up their slack and just continue to work and get better and not let it be an excuse. If it does, we're going to continue to fall and continue to lose games.'' With Smith's departure opening up a spot, the 49ers on Tuesday promoted cornerback Darryl Morris to the 53-man roster and signed linebacker D'Aundre Reed to the practice squad. Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha could be sidelined with a leg injury, so adding Morris provides depth in the secondary. On the offensive side, coordinator Greg Roman said the status of both tight end Vernon Davis (hamstring) and running back LaMichael James (knee) will likely be game-time decisions. Sharks look to build on last season's success SAN JOSE (AP) — Preparations for the upcoming campaign started early for the San Jose Sharks when they retooled their roster before last season's trade deadline. A strong finish last spring, followed by a playoff run that ended in Game 7 of the second round, proved to the Sharks that those changes that made the team faster and more aggressive worked. Now they hope that new identity carries over to this season and is just the right tonic to help one of the league's top regular-season teams over the past decade take that next step and make it to the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history. ''The fact that they played that way, that they executed, had some success with it, should be rewarding,'' coach Todd McLellan said. ''They should be embracing the opportunity to do it again.'' The change from a slowmoving puck-possession team to a faster, more physical one that plays a more direct style began when San Jose dealt players like Ryane Clowe, Douglas Murray and Michal Handzus. The Sharks added Raffi Torres and moved Brent Burns from defense to forward to create three potent scoring lines and altered their style as well after years of a different approach. General manager Doug Wilson made few changes in the offseason with the most notable moves being the acquisition of forward Tyler Kennedy from Pittsburgh and the signing of 2012 first-round draft pick Tomas Hertl from the Czech Republic. ''These players have the ingredients we're looking for to match up with the system we want to play,'' Wil- AP file photo San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton is tripped up in front of Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit in 2011. son said. ''We want to play a north-south game, attack people, make them defend, and you've got to have players that have that skill set to be able to do that. We're coming back, and if we're ready to build on what we did last year, we're very excited about this team.'' Those additions will be important after Torres injured his right knee in training camp and will miss at least the first month of the season. Here are five things to watch for the Sharks this season: SHUFFLING LINES: McLellan wants to keep Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau together on one line with Joe Thornton and Burns on another after those pairs fared well late last season. The third player on those top lines could rotate with Kennedy and Hertl most likely getting the first opportunities. San Jose wants to keep Joe Pavelski as a third-line center to exploit teams that lack the Sharks' depth up the middle. POTENT POWER PLAY: The Sharks had one of top No. 1 power-play units last season with Thornton, Marleau, Couture, Pavelski and Dan Boyle combining for 25 of the team's 34 man-advantage goals. The problems came with the second unit and in 5-on-5 play, where San Jose ranked third worst in goals scored at even strength. LEADING LOGAN: The Sharks have long been led by veteran stars like Thornton, Marleau and Boyle. But last season, the 24-year-old Couture emerged as the team's top player and a leader. Couture led the Sharks with 21 goals and had 37 points, while also matching up with the opponent's top line much of the season. That kind of play could earn him a spot on the Canadian Olympic team and a letter on his sweater as an alternate captain this season. FINDING NEMO'S BACKUP: With Thomas Greiss having left for Phoenix after two seasons as Antti Niemi's backup, the Sharks are looking for a No. 2 goaltender to ease the burden on their workhorse starter. Niemi has made more than 80 percent of the starts since joining the Sharks three years ago, including all but five in the lockout-shortened 2013 season. But with a full 82-game schedule and possible Olympic appearance for Niemi, the Sharks want to fine a reliable backup between Alex Stalock and Harri Sateri to ease Niemi's load. HAVLAT'S HEALTH: Marty Havlat was limited to parts of two games last postseason before a groin injury became too serious to overcome. Havlat had major surgery in June to repair the injury and is working his way back to full health. Havlat has been plagued by injuries in two seasons with the Sharks, missing 51 regular-season games. But San Jose still believes he can be an important playoff contributor if healthy based on his 52 points in 74 career playoff games. ''We look forward to the day that Marty is fully healthy and he can play uninterrupted,'' McLellan said. ''We'll be excited about having him then.'' Kahne says he was angry — not hurt — in interview CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kasey Kahne was frustrated he'd blown his championship chances with a ''hardheaded mistake'' at New Hampshire, and it boiled over into a brief televised interview that left viewers speculating about his health. Kahne said Tuesday there was nothing physically wrong with him following his accident at New Hampshire. Rather, he realized immediately after his crash with 47 laps remaining Sunday that his title hopes were over, and he allowed his anger to derail the now widely discussed interview with ESPN reporter Jerry Punch. ''I screwed up and I was frustrated. Two races in, I'm already out of the Chase. It's a (crummy) deal,'' Kahne told The Associated Press. Fans watching Kahne's postcrash interview on television immediately took to social media to say Kahne appeared dazed, confused and some speculated he had a concussion. Punch tried to ask Kahne what happened to cause the crash, and Kahne said, ''I don't know. I'm not sure what happened.'' Punch tried again, and Kahne didn't offer any more insight. After a third question from Punch, Kahne told him he couldn't hear him and the interview came to an awkward end. ''I couldn't hear what he was saying,'' Kahne said Tuesday. ''I knew he asked what had happened. At that point, I didn't know exactly what had happened. I knew we were threewide getting into Turn 3. Did we have a little contact, and that's why we spun? I wasn't positive on that. But I was really just mad, and I didn't think too much of (the interview) until I saw people thought something was wrong with me.'' Kahne's health was just fine, he said, and he'd already been medically cleared by the care center. He returned to his car with 25 laps remaining in the race, but the damage was done: Kahne had been running eighth at the time of the accident, which occurred when he was stubbornly racing Brian Vickers for position on a restart, and he wound up 37th. It dropped him to last in the 13-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field. ''I just screwed up. I was under him and we were really close together and racing hard and you can lose grip pretty easy off of (Turn) 4, and I maybe should have just backed up a little bit,'' Kahne said. ''But I was trying to stay beside him to be there when we got to the next corner. I needed to just give up and get in line and try to pass him later. I didn't want to give up that one spot, and I ended up giving up 30 spots because I was hardheaded and made a hardheaded mistake.''