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NBAOAKLAND, Calif. -- Steve Kerr, the reigning NBA Coach of the Year with the Golden State Warriors, acknowledged he tried marijuana twice in the past 18 months while dealing with debilitating back pain.Kerr told Comcast SportsNet Bay Areas Warriors Insider Podcast with Monte Poole on Friday that he used medicinal marijuana but it didnt help -- but painkillers have been worse.I have no idea if I would, maybe I would have failed a drug test, I dont even know if Im subject to a drug test or any laws from the NBA, Kerr said. I tried it and it didnt help at all.The 51-year-old Kerr missed the first 43 games last season and the teams record 24-0 start while on a leave of absence following complications from two back surgeries. A spinal fluid leak led to terrible headaches, nausea and neck pain among other symptoms that left him feeling frustrated and down.Kerr noted, athletes everywhere are prescribed Vicodin like its Vitamin C, like its no big deal. He said he hopes sports leagues are able to look past the perception and that its only a matter of time to change rules.He also was just selected the Western Conference Coach of the Month for November.BASEBALLNEW YORK -- Tyson Ross, an All-Star pitcher for San Diego two years ago, was among 35 players who became free agents when their teams declined to offer 2017 contracts on Friday.Washington outfielder Ben Revere and Philadelphia outfielder Cody Asche also were among those cut loose along with Arizona catcher Welington Castillo and pitcher Rubby De La Rosa; Baltimore pitcher Vance Worley; and Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Louis Coleman.Milwaukee first baseman Chris Carter and Pittsburgh pitcher Jeff Locke also were let loose; their teams had designated them for assignment earlier this week.Teams cut players at the tender deadline to avoid committing to salary arbitration, in which about one-sixth of next seasons salary is guaranteed.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols had surgery on his right foot Friday, possibly sidelining him past opening day.Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Pujols had the procedure Friday in North Carolina to release his plantar fascia, the ligament connecting the heel to the toes. The three-time NL MVP was bothered by plantar fasciitis repeatedly during the season, but played through the pain in arguably the strongest year of his half-decade with the Angels.Eppler said the surgery typically prevents players from participating in baseball activities for three months, along with another month before theyre ready to resume playing in games. Opening day for Los Angeles is April 3, and the Angels hope Pujols can be ready.Pujols, who turns 37 next month, batted .268 last year with 31 homers and 119 RBI, the fourth-most in the majors -- although his .780 OPS was among the worst of his career. He largely served as a designated hitter instead of playing first base due to problems with his hamstrings and feet.OLYMPICSThe Los Angeles bid committee for the 2024 Olympics released details of a nearly unheard-of budget plan Friday, insisting $5.3 billion will be enough to cover both operational and infrastructure costs for an Olympics that wont need any new, permanent stadiums.The cost would be less than half that of the recently completed Rio Games and about a quarter of Tokyos ballooning budget for the 2020 Olympics.It also defies convention in the Olympic bidding business, in which cities traditionally deal with two figures -- one for operational costs and one for non-Olympics costs that cover capital and infrastructure.Bid officials say they can do this because more than 30 venues already exist in the L.A. area and those that dont will be built as temporary structures. The bid folded in $1.2 billion for infrastructure, which would primarily be used for temporary venues and to bring existing ones up to Olympic standards.Los Angeles is going against Paris and Budapest, Hungary. Preliminary figures for Paris called for an infrastructure budget of $4.5 billion and operational costs of $4.8 billion, with 95 percent of the citys proposed venues either temporary or already in existence. The next deadline for cities to submit candidate files, which will include updated budget figures, is Feb. 3. The games will be awarded next September.NASCARLAS VEGAS -- Jimmie Johnson was celebrated Friday night for winning his record-tying seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup title, while Tony Stewart was seen off into retirement and Dale Earnhardt Jr. told his adoring fans hell be ready to race in 2017.Johnsons dramatic victory in the finale last month at Homestead moved him into a tie with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most series championships. Johnson was to make his speech last at the season-ending banquet at the Wynn Las Vegas.NASCAR honored Stewart, who retired after an 18-year career that included three series championships, with a video poking fun at his coarse language, weight and temper and with a surprise appearance by Pearl Jams Eddie Vedder.Earnhardt Jr. was voted most popular driver by fans for a record 14th time despite missing the second half of the season following at least the fifth concussion of his career. While not announcing the date or track, he intends to drive a test session this month, the final hurdle before hell be cleared to return. Andy Dalton Youth Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Drew Sample Bengals Jersey . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. http://www.bengalsrookiestore.com/Bengals-Boomer-Esiason-Jersey/ . Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. Michael Jordan Jersey .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Anthony Munoz Youth Jersey It turns out Rio de Janeiro wont be a terminal destination for Roger Federer. The upcoming Olympics were where?the 34-year-old all-time mens Grand Slam singles champ was destined to go out in a blaze of glory -- or a tailspin.But Rio has become just another station that Federer bypasses without pause as he continues his unique journey in tennis, the terminus still unknown. That much was clear in the undertone of the announcement Federer posted the other day, declaring that he was skipping the Olympic Games and pulling the plug on the rest of the 2016 year.Instead, he will focus on extensive rehabilitation of his surgically repaired left knee.The doctors advised that if I want to play on the ATP World Tour injury-free for another few years, as I intend to do, I must give both my knee and body the proper time to fully recover, Federer wrote on his Facebook page.Note his reference to another few years, and the added emphasis immediately thereafter.Federer may not be ready to revise his timeline and declare that he wants to play through until the Tokyo Olympic Games of 2020. But whos to say he couldnt do it?His decision to take the rest of the year off instead of mounting a retirement tour speaks volumes. It implies a long-term commitment. He wants to strengthen that left knee over a long, five-month period, presumably because he feels it still has a lot more work to do.Back in 2012, when Federer first declared that he intended to play on the ATP Tour at least until the Rio Games, some scoffed at his plans. Sure, he was a 17-time Grand Slam singles champion -- the most prolific in the games history. But he was 30 years old, pressed on all sides by younger men, including Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.But Federer held his own, and then some. True, Federer hasnt won a Grand Slam tournament since his triumph at Wimbledon four years ago. That conquest was followed on the same Centre Court a few weeks later by a painful loss in the gold medal Olympic Games match to Murray. The failure helped crystallize Federers determination to play on, hoping for another crack at the golden prize in Rio.If the singles gold medal remains the only hole in Federers résumé, it has also been a source of motivational fuel. After their Olympic ggold medal clash, Federer won six of eight from Murray.dddddddddddd In 2015, a healthy Federer was a respectable 3-5 against the rampaging Djokovic. Federer was building steam toward that date in Rio.Then in late January of this year, Federer heard a click and felt a stab of pain in his left knee while drawing a bath for his children. It led to surgery, a hurried rehabilitation, missed time. If only he had taught his twins to shower, Federer might have gone into Rio seeded even higher than his current No. 3 ranking would mandate.Now, the fruit of his sustained excellence over four years is sharp disappointment. But its far from the end of anything.Federer took a spill at this years Wimbledon late in a semifinal loss to Milos Raonic. It was an uncharacteristically ungainly fall. To some, it appeared symbolic. But perhaps it wasnt father time tripping Federer and reminding him of his mortality. Maybe it was Federers knee sending a warning, telling Federer he had been a bit hasty in returning.Its pretty incredible to see the progress Ive been able to make in a short period of time, Federer told the ATP in late March, about seven weeks after his surgery. In his latest statement, a more sober Federer philosophically wrote, The silver lining is that this experience has made me realize how lucky I have been throughout my career with very few injuries.The one thing weve learned over the years is that theres no telling about longevity, about who will or wont have it. Despite this setback, Federer appears to be built for the long haul. Hes as much in love with the game as it is in love with him. It looks as if hes just been denied a final shot at glory. Hes found a greater project than two weeks in Rio.I am as motivated as ever and plan to put all my energy towards coming back strong, healthy and in shape to play attacking tennis in 2017, Fede