Storm pummels the Gladiators

After topping Tampa Bay in their last game, lighting did not strike twice for the Gladiators as Cleveland was decimated, 57-27, in Tampa Bay on July 22.

The Storm (10-3) took a 21-6 lead after the first quarter and never let up, with quarterback Randy Hippeard tossing five touchdowns in the victory. He added a rushing touchdown as well.

Through the air was the only way the Gladiators (4-9) were beat, as Cleveland held the Tampa Bay rushing game in check to the tune of zero yards on six attempts, forcing a fumble on one of the rushes.

But, why run when your quarterback is piling up 234 yards through the air?

Gladiators quarterback Arvell Nelson was 11-for-19 for 142 yards with a touchdown pass to Michael Preston and two interceptions.

WNBA

MOORE LEADS WEST TO WIN IN ALL-STAR GAME » Maya Moore scored 23 points, reigning league MVP Nneka Ogwumike added 22 points and the West outlasted the East, 130-121, in the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, where most of the attention was on Seattle’s Sue Bird.

The veteran West squad with 55 total AllStar Game selections on its roster, pulled away after a close first half. Moore made 9 of 17 shots, including five 3-pointers, while Ogwumike made 11 of 15 attempts off the bench. Bird had a hand in many of those baskets, finishing with a record 11 assists and eight points.

Moore was named the game’s MVP for the second consecutive All-Star Game.

The youthful East was led by Jonquel Jones with a game-high 24 points, including a dunk in the final minute. There were eight first-time selections on the East roster.

Tennis

RODDICK, CLIJSTERS HEADLINE HALL OF FAME CLASS » Andy Roddick says jokingly he can now keep Roger Federer from a unanimous selection for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

As a new inductee, Roddick gets to vote on future candidates. He jested ahead of his enshrinement on Saturday that he’ll use it to get back at Federer, who stood in his way during at least four Grand Slam finals.

Roddick joins inductees Kim Clijsters, sixtime Paralympic medalist Monique Kalkman and journalist and historian Steve Flink. Tennis instructor and innovator Vic Braden was to be inducted posthumously.

Roddick won one Grand Slam and lost to Federer in the finals four times. He says he doesn’t ask himself what would have happened if he hadn’t come along at the same time of perhaps the greatest player.

He says the first text he got when he woke up Saturday was from Federer. Says Roddick: “He makes it extremely hard not to like him as a person.”