Scooter Tuning Pics » Leadbetter on the range late Thursday.It was just mo

LAS VEGAS -- Charlotte is the home of the Hornets once again. The NBA unanimously approved Charlottes nickname change from Bobcats to Hornets on Thursday at the leagues Board of Governors meeting. The original Hornets built a supportive fan base in Charlotte from the time they entered the league in 1988 until they moved to New Orleans in 2002. But the new owners in New Orleans have changed the teams name to the Pelicans. That opened the door for owner Michael Jordan to bring the Hornets name back to Charlotte. The change will take place after the 2013-14 season. "Were thrilled to bring back the Hornets to Charlotte and the Carolinas," Jordan said in a statement issued by the team. "The passion and enthusiasm around this name change by fans in this market has been unmatched. They overwhelmingly told us what they wanted, we listened and we couldnt be happier with the Board of Governors approval of the name change. With the young team we are developing on the court, the direction of our business and the return of the Hornets name, we are extremely excited about our future. The buzz is back!" The city, and the franchise, has been looking for a fresh start. The Hornets were a ticket-selling powerhouse for years, leading the league in attendance eight times and selling out 364 straight games in their turquoise, white and purple uniforms. The city bonded with a charismatic team that included such as stars Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson and fan favourite Muggsy Bogues. But the franchise fell on hard times under previous owner George Shinn, who took to the team, and the Hornets name, to New Orleans. The NBA brought an expansion team back to Charlotte two years later, a team nicknamed the Bobcats in part due to founding owner Bob Johnsons name. The brand never resonated with the people the way the Hornets did, in large part because the team only has had one winning season and one playoff appearance in its first nine years of existence. The Bobcats, with their nondescript orange and grey colour scheme, won just seven games two years ago and only 21 last season. So they are hoping the energy brought by the name change, even if it will take another year to set in, will somehow help galvanize a young team. "We want to reach back and grab some of that equity that the Hornets earned in our community," Charlotte COO Fred Whitfield said. "They did a lot of great things off the court. They were involved in the community. They became very accessible to the Charlotte fans and citizens of Charlotte. We want to reach back and grab some heritage and use it as we move forward to build a brand with our young team that continues to improve." The Bobcats website hailed the return of "Buzz City" and team officials said 2,000 season-ticket holders turned out at a downtown party that turned into a celebration of the name change. Bogues and other former Hornets including Rex Chapman, Kelly Tripucka, Dell Curry and Kendall Gill attended as well. Commissioner David Stern said that he had heard pleas from Charlotte basketball fans for years to give them back the Hornets nickname, and he initially brushed those aside with a "get over it" view of the complaining. In time, however, he came to understand how important the name was to the community. "It stayed there, bubbling below the surface, and there is something to it," Stern said. "I think that the team is going to receive support from fans who think that this is a step in the direction that the fans have been asking for, and this is an attempt to both satisfy the fans and its accompanied by a kind of very specific market research that allows the Hornets to say, yes, this is what the market is asking for and theyre very much serving their market by making this change." The board also gave final approval to several rules changes, most notably expanding instant replay in the final two minutes to help officials with the block/charge call, perhaps the most difficult judgment in the game. If an official reviews a play to see if a defenders feet were in the restricted area or not on a block/charge, the official can now also review whether the defenders feet were set for a charge or if his body was still moving for a blocking foul. "You always try to level the playing field and basically get it right," said Kiki Vandeweghe, the leagues new vice-president of basketball operations. "Thats the main focus is getting calls right." Officials now will also be able to review whether an off-the-ball foul occurred before or after a player started his shooting motion on a made shot, or before or after an inbounds pass. And during any review, the referees will also be able to now decide if any unsportsmanlike or "unnecessary" acts, including flagrant fouls, merit further punishment. Two rules changes were adopted as well: --It will no longer be a clear path foul if the defender gets ahead of the offensive player in the frontcourt before the foul is committed. --If a player on offence stands out of bounds on purpose to create more spacing for his teammates, the offensive team will lose possession of the ball. Cheick Diallo Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Deandre Ayton Suns Jersey . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Dan-Majerle-City-Edition-Jersey/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Ty Jerome Suns Jersey . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm. George King Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. NAPLES, Fla. -- Lydia Ko shot a tournament-record 10-under 62 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead in the CME Group Tour Championship, putting the top-ranked New Zealander in position to win the player of the year award with a victory Sunday.Ko birdied four of the first six holes and had seven birdies and a bogey on the back nine to get to 12-under 132 in the season finale. Ryann OToole (67) and So Yeon Ryu (68) were tied for second, and Sei Young Kim (68) and Beatriz Recari (68) followed at 8 under.Going into today definitely my goal wasnt the 62, said Ko, the 2014 winner at Tiburon Golf Club. The first three holes made great birdies. I was going in with really good momentum, and I was able to carry that for pretty much the rest of my round. I think I was putting good, so if I was within a distance that I felt comfortable I felt like, Hey, I could hole this. Ko needs a victory to top Ariya Jutanugarn in the player of the year race, and also would take the season points title and $1 million bonus with a win. The points in the CME Globe standings were reset for the finale, so Ko, Jutanugarn and Brooke Henderson all control their destinies.I think the big key mindset for me is that Ive been not really thinking about everything that could happen, Ko said. For me to win player of the year I know I need to win this championship. A lot of things come with that. So to me, its more important to finish off my season strong. I think that way I dont feel more pressure about everything thats going on.Ko is fighting Jutanugarn for the money title and In Gee Chun for the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average. Jutanugarn, the tour victory leader with five, was tied for 19th at 4 under after a 68.I started to make some putts, Jutanugarn said. Today was [a] pretty good day for me.Chun (69) was tied for sixth at 7 under, and Henderson (72) was tied for 38th at even par.The 62 matched Kos lowest score of the season, shot in the second round of her Walmart NW Arkansas vicctory in June.dddddddddddd She has four victories this year.Going into today, I just wanted to focus on my game, Ko said. I knew I had a great pairing Eun Hee (Ji) and Mi Hyang (Lee). Mi Hyang said, Hey, whenever you play with us you seem to play well. Maybe its the good vibes I got from them. Obviously, its a great round. Its a better position, even better than I could have imagined. Even on the weekend I just got to focus and keep playing great.Ko is using Gary Matthews as her caddie for the second straight event. She fired Jason Hamilton -- now with Ha Na Jang -- and used Sargunan Suntharaj in Malaysia, then teamed with Matthews in Japan.She worked with instructor David Leadbetter on the range late Thursday.It was just more about my iron play, Ko said. I hit my drives really well yesterday. My irons were kind of on and off. Not that many where I was looking for birdies. So, it was just very simple. Just in the takeaway where I wasnt going too out. Its something that you normally do, but especially when youre hitting it good, its more about the basics and the little things.OToole had six birdies and a bogey.I think usually my drives are my strong point, OToole said. Right now Im hitting these little cuts that arent going as far as they could. Definitely could give me shorter irons in. But Im striking my irons well, putting myself in position.Ryu earned a spot in the final group Saturday with friend Ko.I think its definitely going to be really fun competing with [the] world No. 1 player, Ryu said. She is not only [a] great player, shes [a] really great person. ... She loves food like me, so we just talk a lot about food when we are on the golf course.First-round leader Shanshan Feng followed her opening 66 with a 73 to drop into a tie for 16th at 5 under. The Chinese star is coming off consecutive victories in Malaysia and Japan. ' ' '