Reporting prep results

Reporting prep results

The Vindicator encourages coaches and statisticians to report winter prep results by email (sports@vindy.com) or fax (330-747-6712).

Phone calls (330-747-1478) are also acceptable but emails and faxes are strongly preferred.

Browns wave off white-flag giveaway

CLEVELAND

The Cleveland Browns have waved off their white-flag giveaway.

Following days of criticism, the Browns have decided to cancel a promotion to hand out white flags to fans before today’s game against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Because white flags symbolize surrender, the giveaway seemed to imply the Browns were giving up against the Steelers, who have won 16 of the past 17 games between the AFC North foes.

Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis said in a statement on Saturday that the team scrapped the idea “in the best interests of everyone. It is something that was intended to be fun for our fans and that they could rally around, and we regret that some didn’t perceive it that way.”

Hamilton wins pole for Brazilian GP

SAO PAULO

Lewis Hamilton won the pole position for the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday, while Formula One leader Sebastian Vettel will start fourth and title challenger Fernando Alonso seventh.

Hamilton set a lap of 1 minute, 12.458 seconds with his McLaren at Interlagos, just .055 in front of teammate Jenson Button. Vettel’s Red Bull teammate Mark Webber will start third after a lap of 1:12.581, with Vettel behind him following a run of 1:12.760.

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa was fifth after clocking 1:12.987, while teammate Alonso only managed a lap of 1:13.253, hurting his chances of overtaking Vettel for the championship.

His lap was only good for eighth place, but he later moved up a spot because sixth-place Pastor Maldonado of Williams was penalized.

Dominguez takes three stakes at Aqueduct

NEW YORK

Jockey Ramon Dominguez celebrated his 36th birthday with three stakes wins at Aqueduct on Saturday, including a thrilling victory for Stay Thirsty by a nose over the filly Groupie Doll in the $350,000 Cigar Mile.

Dominguez also brought home Overanalyze in the $250,000 Remsen for 2-year-olds and Dance Card in the $350,000 Gazelle for 3-year-old fillies.

Dominguez wasn’t the only one celebrating a stakes hat trick. The team of trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole also sent out three winners: Stay Thirsty, Overanalyze and Unlimited Budget.

Didier Drogba seeks permission for loan

ZURICH

Didier Drogba has asked FIFA for special permission to move on loan from his Chinese club despite being outside the official transfer window.

FIFA says it is considering the former Chelsea forward’s request for an exemption from international rules. Drogba’s season with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua finished this month.

If FIFA grants Drogba’s request, the 34-year-old Ivory Coast captain could play for a new team to prepare for the African Cup of Nations, which kicks off on Jan. 19 in South Africa.

Germany dominates WCup luge event

IGLS, Austria

Anke Wischnewski led a German 1-2 finish ahead of Natalie Geisenberger in the women’s season-opening luge World Cup race on Saturday.

It was Wischnewski’s second career victory, eight years after winning a race in Altenberg.

Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt earned Germany another 1-2 finish in the men’s doubles race.

Wischnewski, who set a track record of 39.875 seconds in her first run, finished in an aggregate time of 1 minute, 19.836 seconds to beat Geisenberger by 0.074 seconds.

Vindicator staff/wire reports