Wichtig!! Forum-Regeln » time behind Kareem Abdul Jabbars 19

SAN FRANCISCO -- Much like the San Francisco 49ers, Antoine Bethea understands the disappointment of losing a Super Bowl. That defeat came with the Indianapolis Colts after the 2009 season. San Franciscos new safety also won a championship during his rookie season of 2006. Bethea insists he is ready for another ring after finalizing his new $23 million, four-year contract with the 49ers on Wednesday, becoming a key new presence in the secondary after Donte Whitners departure to the Cleveland Browns. "One of the reasons Im here in San Fran, to try to get another ring," Bethea said. "Thats what Im here to do." Bethea announced Tuesday on Twitter he had joined the 49ers, then the team made it formal Wednesday. The 29-year-old Bethea had 110 tackles, two interceptions and a sack last season, his sixth straight year starting every game for the Colts. "Just as a football fan, you have to notice the talent they have on the team. You have to respect what theyve been able to accomplish these last couple years," Bethea said. "First of all, its a winning organization. From the past couple years, from outside looking in, an extremely good team. It looks like they have a ball out there on the field. Coming in, knowing this defence, a great defence, a great front seven, a great back end, I just wanted to come in and do my part." A two-time Pro Bowler, Bethea was a sixth-round draft pick by the Colts out of Howard in 2006. "Antoine is a durable, experienced player who has competed at a high level throughout his career in the National Football League," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said. "He has proven to be a man of high character and is a welcome addition to our team and the Bay Area community." He will be called upon to help lead the secondary after Whitner made the calls for that unit, and will work with 2013 top draft pick Eric Reid after his impressive rookie season. "Im ready for that. Eric Reid he had a great year," Bethea said. "With us working together, well be fine. ... Whatever it is, Im willing to do whatever I need to do to help this team win, for this defence to be successful." Also Wednesday, San Francisco re-signed cornerback Eric Wright to a one-year contract. He posted a photo Tuesday on Instagram of his new contract. Wright had seven tackles and an interception in seven games for San Francisco last season. Wright spent the first half of the season on the reserve/non-football injury list to handle what the team called a personal matter after he signed a one-year contract last August. Wright had been traded to the 49ers in July for a conditional draft pick in 2014, but he failed his physical, nullifying the deal. Tampa Bay then released Wright. Shortly after the trade, reports surfaced that Wright had been arrested a week earlier in Los Angeles on an unspecified misdemeanour charge. Baalke said the team was aware of the situation. Wright was arrested in 2012 on felony DUI charges and was suspended for four games last season by the NFL for violating the performance-enhancing drug policy in his first season with the Bucs. He finished with 37 tackles and one interception in 10 games, all starts. The 28-year-old Wright, a San Francisco native entering his eighth NFL season, had signed a five-year, $35.3 million contract with Tampa Bay in 2012. Minnesota Twins Store . Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday. Randy Dobnak Twins Jersey . -- D.A. Points was disqualified Friday from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for using a training device while waiting to play the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. https://www.cheaptwins.com/72t-rod-carew...-twins.html.The Los Angeles Lakers star passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBAs career scoring list Sunday night in a 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota Twins Pro Shop . Less than 24 hours after the Wolves lost at home to the Mavericks, 100-98, NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn announced Tuesday that Kevin Love was fouled on his right arm by Shawn Marion in the closing seconds and should have been awarded two free throws. Harmon Killebrew Twins Jersey . A broadcast source said the deal is for five years. The agreement calls for a minimum of 17 regular-season games as well as the East and West Division finals being broadcast annually on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS.The fans have spoken: Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is an all-star.Lowry made a late surge in fan balloting and will start for the Eastern Conference at the NBA all-star game. The scrappy Raptors guard passed Miamis Dwyane Wade in voting and will start alongside Washingtons John Wall, the first time the East has had two first-time starters at guard since 2000.Lowry finished with 805,290 votes to rally from a deficit of more than 100,000 votes at the last balloting update to overtake Wade. Fans rewarded him with his first all-star appearance for his hard-nosed play in leading the Raptors to a huge lead in the Atlantic Division. Hes the first Raptor to start since Chris Bosh in 2008.Lowry is averaging 19.8 points per game, 7.5 assists and 4.9 rebounds, career highs in all three categories.Lowry and Walls tandem is not the only first at this all-star game. Pau and Marc Gasol have been voted the first brothers to start in the NBA all-star game.Pau Gasol of Chicago will start up front for the East along with Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony for the Feb. 15 game in New York. Memphis Marc Gasol joins New Orleans Anthony Davis and the Clippers Blake Griffin in the West frontcourt.Tom and Dick Van Arsdale played in the 1970 and 1971 games, but the Gasols — once traded for each other — are the first brothers chosen to start.Wall earned his first appearance last year, and now hes earned his first start. The East hasnt had both its guards making their first start since Philadelphias Allen Iverson and Charlottes Eddie Jordan in 2000.Fans had to vote for two guards and three frontcourt players. The reserves will be picked by the head coaches in each cconference and be announced next Thursday.ddddddddddddPrime Minister Stephen Harper, who had previously asked Canadians via Twitter to vote for Lowry, tweeted out his congratulations to the Raptors point guard after the vote was announced Thursday.Great work by all of Canadas basketball fans for helping to make @Klow7 an #NBAAllStarNYC starter. Congrats, Kyle, Harper wrote.Golden States Stephen Curry made his own late surge to pass James as the overall leading vote-getter, the league announced Thursday. Kobe Bryant was also voted to start at West guard, though thats in jeopardy because of a torn right rotator cuff.The star of the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors, Curry ended up with more than 1.5 million votes, more than 42,000 ahead of James, who had a 13,285-vote lead over the sharpshooter at the last update. Curry, who just two years ago was an all-star snub, becomes the first Warriors player elected to consecutive starts since Chris Mullin in 1991-92.His partner in the backcourt is up in the air after the Lakers revealed Bryants injury earlier Thursday. Though the severity of the injury is unknown, many rotator cuff injuries require surgery and several months of rehabilitation.That could rule Bryant out of his 17th all-star appearance, second all-time behind Kareem Abdul Jabbars 19. Bryants first was in 1998 at Madison Square Garden, the site of this years game.Commissioner Adam Silver would name an injury replacement if needed, and coaches Steve Kerr (Golden State) of the West and Mike Budenholzer (Atlanta) of the East would determine who replaces an injured player in the lineup.___With files from The Associated Press ' ' '