Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EST on Thursday, June 4

June 4 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Thursday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - SOCCER FIFA paid Irish 5 mln euros to stop legal action, says FAI chief DUBLIN - FIFA paid the Irish FA $5.64 million to avoid a legal case over a controversial World Cup playoff defeat in 2009, FAI chief executive John Delaney says. (SOCCER-FIFA/IRELAND (UPDATE 1), moved, by Conor Humphries, 371 words) Note: The are multiples stories on the ongoing FIFA crisis - - FIFA: a tragedy tinged with farce LONDON - In less than a week, the public face of FIFA has gone from something resembling an old-style Communist Party rally, with a defiant Sepp Blatter fronting ranks of flag-bearing youths, to what looks more like a scene from "Reservoir Dogs." (SOCCER-FIFA/IMAGE, moved, by Giles Elgood, 890 words) See also: Asian confederation reinforces support for Qatar World Cup (SOCCER-FIFA/QATAR (UPDATE 1, PIX)) - - Women's World Cup preview We conclude our look ahead to the June 6-July 5 Women's World Cup in Canada with the final installment of an extensive three-part preview package that will consist of overviews and accompanying factboxes for Group E's Brazil, South Korea, Spain, Costa Rica and Group F's France, England, Colombia and Mexico. We will also have an interview with Spanish captain Veronica Boquete. (SOCCER-WORLD/BRAZIL, moved, 400 words). See also: SOCCER-WORLD/SPAIN-BOQUETE (INTERVIEW), SOCCER-WORLD/SOUTHKOREA, SOCCER-WORLD/SPAIN, SOCCER-WORLD/COSTARICA, SOCCER-WORLD/FRANCE, SOCCER-WORLD/ENGLAND, SOCCER-WORLD/COLOMBIA, SOCCER-WORLD/MEXICO - - Canada tries to put soccer spotlight back on field EDMONTON - After a week of upheaval and turmoil in the soccer world Canada will try to put the spotlight back on the pitch as they settle into Edmonton and begin final preparations for their World Cup opener on Saturday against China. (SOCCER-WORLD/CANADA, expect by 7 PM ET, Steve Keating, 450 words) - - UEFA Champions League We continue the build-up to Saturday's Champions League final between Barcelona and Juventus in Berlin with a preview package on their route to the final. (SOCCER CHAMPIONS/JUVENTUS ROUTE: SOCCER CHAMPIONS/BARCELONA ROUTE, moved) See also: Profiles; analysis and facts and figures - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE NFL owners call Aug. 11 meeting focused on LA NFL owners call a separate, previously unplanned meeting Aug. 11 in Chicago to discuss Los Angeles options. (FBN-LOSANGELES-NFL/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - OTA Reports: Camp snapshots Live reports from Organized Team Activities (OTA). (FBN-TEAMNAME-NEWS/, expect throughout Thursday, The Sports Xchange, 400-600 words) - - Predictably, Ryan thinks Bills are playoff team His quarterback situation isn't ideal, Rex Ryan knows, but he labels the 2015 Buffalo Bills a playoff team regardless of who is under center. (FBN-BILLS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 325 words) - - Giants getting heads around complex D EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Middle linebacker Jon Beason has been in multiple systems during his nine-year career. However, the current system being installed by new New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is probably one of the most complex Beason has ever encountered. (FBN-GIANTS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Patti Traina, 445 words) - - CB jabber: Cromartie barks up Sherman's tree FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Barring a Super Bowl meeting in February, the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks won't meet again until the 2016 season. That is a shame because the comments Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie made this week about 'Hawks CB Richard Sherman would have fed the hype machine for weeks, if not months, ahead of the game. (FBN-JETS-SEAHAWKS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jerry Beach, 433 words) - - LB Lee's return brings new life to Cowboys' defense IRVING, Texas - When the Dallas Cowboys talk about the moves they made to improve their defense in 2015, a lot of it has centered on the additions of free-agent pass rusher Greg Hardy and rookie draft picks Byron Jones and Randy Gregory to be impact players at cornerback and defensive end, respectively. (FBN-COWBOYS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 413 words) - - Ravens' Gillmore, Brown on the muscle OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Heading into his second NFL season, Baltimore Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore is hoping to accomplish a couple of things. (FBN-RAVENS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 490 words) - - NFL roundup News and notes from around the league. (FBN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 7:45 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - COLLEGE FOOTBALL BC-Ga Tech open 2016 in Ireland Boston College and Georgia Tech will open the 2016 season in Dublin, Ireland. The teams will play on Sept. 3 in Aviva Stadium, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny says. (FBC-BOSTONCOLLEGE-GEORGIATECH-NEWS/, The Sports Xchange, moved, 240 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION NBA Finals: Cavaliers at Warriors OAKLAND, Calif. - New kids on the block, the Golden State Warriors are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1975 behind MVP Steph Curry, who meets LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 at Oracle Arena. (BKN-CAVALIERS-WARRIORS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after 9:15 PM ET tipoff, The Sports Xchange, running copy at half, after three, first lede at the buzzer and writethru about 65-75 minutes later) - - Calipari: No regrets despite Cavaliers success Even with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, Kentucky coach John Calipari - fresh off a 38-1 season - doesn't regret passing on the $80 million offer from Dan Gilbert to coach his NBA team. (CBK-KENTUCKY-NEWS/, The Sports Xchange, moved, 300 words) - - Today's NBA schedule at a glance Cleveland at Golden State, 9 PM ET (PIX) - - - - GOLF PGA Tour: Memorial Tournament, Dublin, Ohio Spieth heads strong field at Muirfield Village Masters champion and world No. 2 Jordan Spieth heads a strong field going into the opening round at Muirfield Village Golf Club where 12 of the game's top-20 players are competing, among them 14th-ranked Japanese Hideki Matsuyama, the defending champion. (GOLF-PGA/ (PIX), expect first story by 7 PM ET, 400 words) - - LPGA Tour: Manulife LPGA Classic, Cambridge, Ontario Korean Park back to defend LPGA Classic crown South Korea's world No. 2 Park In-bee launches her title defense in the opening round at Whistle Bear Golf Club where top-ranked Lydia Ko of New Zealand returns to LPGA action after skipping last week's ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey. (GOLF-LPGA/ (PIX), expect end-of-day lead by 7:30 PM ET, 300 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Coming Friday: 2015 MLB Draft primer: 10 names to know - - Redemption derailed: Hamilton out one month Seven games into his return to the Texas Rangers, outfielder Josh Hamilton is already gone. Hamilton is expected to miss four weeks with a strained hamstring. (BBO-RANGERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 425 words) - - Dodgers' Pederson makes homer history DENVER - Joc Pederson is on a power surge unlike any produced by a rookie in Dodgers history. (BBO-DODGERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 395 words) - - Rays rookies make their mark ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Tampa Bay Rays are young this season everywhere, both on the field and in the dugout, where 37-year-old Kevin Cash is the youngest manager in the majors. (BBO-RAYS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Joe Haakenson, 410 words) - - Today's MLB schedule at a glance - - American League Oakland at Detroit, 12:08 PM ET Baltimore at Houston, 2:10 PM ET Minnesota at Boston, 4:05 PM ET (PIX) Chicago White Sox at Texas, 8:05 PM ET Cleveland at Kansas City, 8:10 PM ET (PIX) Tampa Bay at Seattle, 10:10 PM ET (PIX) - - National League Chicago Cubs at Washington, 7:05 PM ET (PIX) Cincinnati at Philadelphia, 7:05 PM ET (PIX) New York Mets at Arizona, 9:40 PM ET (PIX) St. Louis at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10:10 PM ET (PIX) - - MLB Roundup Running capsule recaps of all the games on the MLB schedule. (MLB-ROUNDUP/, expect first version ASAP after conclusion of the first game of the day, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) Note: We will have pictures of the San Francisco Giants' visit to the White House - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Stanley Cup Finals: Lightning lament late goal TAMPA - Coach Jon Cooper said the Tampa Bay Lightning are still smarting after giving up a late lead in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, which went to the Chicago Blackhawks. (HKN-BLACKHAWKS-LIGHTNING-NEWS/, expect by 4:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 415 words) - - Today's NHL schedule at a glance No games scheduled. - - - - AUTO RACING Drivers council needed new-school element in NASCAR Now that NASCAR invited Sprint Cup drivers to get together for a meeting with its top racing brass, there's already a result looming. Stars like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart are praising the sanctioning body for listening to them. (CAR-COLUMN/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jonathan Ingram, 1,087 words) - - Monaco? I've moved on, says Hamilton MONTREAL - The media presses him on Monaco but Montreal and Mercedes are the only M words Lewis Hamilton wants to talk about. The two-time Formula One world champion faces repeated questions about the pitstop gaffe that denied him victory in the principality 10 days ago -- and each time he replies with a verbal block. (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/HAMILTON (PIX), moved, by Alan Baldwin, 416 words) - - - - TENNIS The French Open Ailing Serena beats Bacsinszky to reach French Open final PARIS - An ailing Serena Williams stays on course for a 20th grand slam singles title as she comes back from the brink to reach the final of the French Open with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 win against Swiss power hitter Timea Bacsinszky. (TENNIS-OPEN/SERENA (PIX, UPDATE 1), moved, by Julien Pretot, 400 words) - - Safarova silences Ivanovic to reach first slam final PARIS - Lucie Safarova becomes the first Czech woman in 34 years to reach the French Open final after she battles back to topple 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic 7-5, 7-5. (TENNIS-OPEN/SAFAROVA (UPDATE 1), moved, by Pritha Sarkar, 434 words) - - Djokovic still faces rocky road to French glory PARIS - Novak Djokovic's muted celebrations after ending Rafa Nadal's reign as claycourt king are partly out of respect for his Spanish victim but mainly due to the fact the his French Open mission is far from accomplished. (TENNIS-OPEN/MEN (PREVIEW), moved, by Julien Pretot, 458 words) - - Nadal still upbeat for rest of the year Rafa Nadal believes he can recover from his crushing French Open quarter-final defeat by Novak Djokovic and return even stronger. The Spaniard, who turned 29 when he was crushed by world No. 1 Djokovic, only his second defeat in 11 years at Roland Garros, says he's no longer suffering from the physical problems that affected him last year. (TENNIS-OPEN/NADAL), moved, 356 words) - - Nadal a spent force? No! say his rivals PARIS - Rafa Nadal's brutal French Open defeat at the hands of Novak Djokovic provokes the predictable question of whether the Spaniard's career is in terminal decline. Those in the know, however, his fellow players, believe the 29-year-old remains a force to be reckoned with. (TENNIS-OPEN/NADAL-FUTURE (ANALYSIS, PIX), moved, by Pritha Sarkar, 568 words) See also: Djokovic seals spot at ATP year-ender (TENNIS-ATP/DJOKOVIC) - - - - HORSE RACING American Pharoah aims for historic run at Belmont Stakes American Pharoah, a muscular but skittish bay colt with regal bloodlines, runs in Saturday's $1.5 million Belmont Stakes with the biggest prize of U.S. thoroughbred racing on the line: The chance to become a Triple Crown champion. (HORSE RACING-BELMONT/ (PIX), expect by 3 PM ET by Steve Ginsburg, 500 words) - - American Pharoah chases history at Belmont American Pharoah is at Belmont Park with a chance to claim horseracing's Triple Crown. Can the competition get in his way? (MSC-NEWS-BELMONT/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - - - JURISPRUDENCE A-Rod cousin Sucart gets 7 years for Biogenesis recruiting Yuri Sucart, the cousin of New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez, is sentenced to seven years in prison and six months house arrest for his role in the Biogenesis steroid dispensary. (BBO-YANKEES-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 225 words) - - NCAA charges UNC with lack of institutional control The University of North Carolina releases is Notice of Allegations from the NCAA in which the school is charged with a lack of institutional control among five Level 1 charges were outlined. (FBC-NORTHCAROLINA-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 604 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)