Bengals WR Chris Henry suffers 'very serious' injuries in accident and domestic dispute

Bengals WR Chris Henry suffered what team spokesman Jack Brennan called "very serious" injuries in a car accident in Charlotte today that stemmed, police said, from a domestic dispute.

Police told the Cincinnati Enquirer that Henry jumped into the back of the bed of a truck driven by his fiance, Loleini Tonga. Henry then fell out of the truck as the dispute between the two lingered.

Police found Henry with life-threatening injuries.

Henry, 26, went on injured reserve on Nov. 9 after suffering a broken left arm.

Tiger Woods' Wife, Kids Leaving Him for the Holidays

Philandering golfer Tiger Woods likely won't be spending the holidays with his wife and two children.
Moving crews were spotted Tuesday at the family mansion in Windermere, Fla. Several workers were seen carting such items, including carefully wrapped artwork.
A "bone-thin" Elin Nordegren, who wasn't wearing her wedding ring, spent about 10 minutes instructing the workers before driving off in her red Buick SUV, the New York Post reports.
See Tiger Woods and his wife in happier times!
The Swedish-born former nanny, 29, "is making plans to move out and take the kids [Sam, 2; Charlie, 10 months] with her," a source tells the Post. "She's planning to go somewhere warm and Tiger-free for Christmas. The only reason she didn't leave earlier is that their son had the flu, but he's now recovered."
See Hollywood couples shattered by cheating
A source tells New York's Daily News that "Elin is planning to take the kids to spend the holidays with her family in Sweden."
The new issue of Us Weekly (on newsstands now) reports that Nordegren skipped her usual appearance at the annual holiday party at the Isleworth Country Club.
"Her absence was noticeable, and there was a little tension and sadness in the air," one club member told Us.
See the women linked to Tiger Woods
Meanwhile, alleged mistress Rachel Uchitel is confiding in pals that Woods is still in touch with her.
"They are not over," a source tells Us. "She said Tiger was texting her, trying to find time to get together again. He wasn't even fazed."
See Hollywood homewreckers
Uchitel had denied a romantic relationship.

Dubai says moving ahead with Tiger Woods course

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Tiger Woods' business partners in Dubai won't comment on the golfer's personal woes, but say they are still pushing ahead with plans to build a course bearing his name despite the emirate's cash problems.
The company building "The Tiger Woods Dubai" housing development and golf course said in a statement Wednesday it remains committed to finishing the first course designed by the American golfer himself.
The developer, part of the Dubai Holding conglomerate owned by the city-state's ruler, says "progress continues" on the project but gave no specifics.
Woods told the AP in June the long-delayed project was "out of my hands."
Some of Woods' sponsors are distancing themselves from the golfer over reports of marital infidelity.

Butch Jones' deal with Cincy could be done today

According to the Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun, Central Michigan coach Butch Jones and Cincinnati entered into contract negotiations Tuesday night and the deal is expected to be done on Wednesday. An announcement could come as early as today. Central Michigan athletic director Dave Heeke told the Morning Sun, “I would prefer that Cincinnati be the ones to make any comments on the matter.” Central Michigan is becoming quite the pipeline to Cincinnati. Former Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly also came from Central Michigan and was Jones’ predecessor. In three seasons with the Chippewas, Jones is 27-12, including an 11-3 record and an undefeated Mid-American Conference record this season. He also led CMU to two conference titles, including a win over Ohio two weeks ago. He recently led the Chippewas to their first-ever Top-25 ranking. It is unclear who will coach the Chippewas through the GMAC Bowl against Troy on Jan. 6.

Fourteen teams watch Cuban Aroldis Chapman

Ten minutes of pitching by a free-agent pitcher attracted reps for 14 teams to Houston yesterday, according to the Boston Globe. Of course, it was ten minutes of pitching by Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, the 6'4" 21-year-old lefthander.
His fastball averaged around 92-94 mph, but supposedly got up to 97 mph. He also showed off a slider and changeup.
Those 14 teams included the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, and the New York Yankees. Two teams actually had their general managers show up: Ed Wade of the Houston Astros (who didn't have to go far to watch, obviously) and Mike Rizzo of the Washington Nationals.
Whoever signs this guy is expected to be spending about $15 million annually on him. His agents are hoping he'll be signed by January.
Source: Boston Globe
Related: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals

Source: Kate Hudson & A-Rod Split

Kate Hudson and Alex Rodriguez have split, a source told Access Hollywood.

The “NINE” star and the Yankee slugger split about a week ago after they came back from a trip to Europe, the source said.

We’re told Kate, who was a regular fixture on the sidelines, cheering on A-Rod during the New York Yankees’ World Series victory, fought with Alex before and during the series. We’re told the two had a big fight because Kate wanted to go out and party and A-Rod did not. The source told Access that Kate stormed out of the apartment following the argument, but the two made up the next day.

The source described their relationship as “tumultuous,” noting it was full of ups and downs. A-Rod also reportedly did not like that Kate enjoyed partying so often.

The split will no doubt be difficult for their respective children. Kate’s son Ryder was — according to our source — already calling A-Rod “Daddy,” while Alex’s daughters really liked Kate.

A-Rod has now moved back to the Florida home he previously shared with his ex-wife, Cynthia, the source said.

Kate previously told Harper’s Bazaar – in a fashion special of the magazine just hitting the stands now, that she was “having a good time right now” with her life and love.

“And no matter how many times my heart breaks, I’ll never be any different,” she said. “I’d rather hang out with the person who’s done everything than who’s done nothing. It would suck to die and not have experienced my life, really.”

2009 AP All-American Team Led by Toby Gerhart and Ndamukong Suh

Four Alabama Crimson Tide Players Made the 2009 All-America Team
The 2009 AP All-America first team was revealed and Alabama has four players on the team. The 2009 All-America first team has Alabama running back Mark Ingram, guard Michael Johnson, kicker Leigh Tiffin, and defensive tackle Terrence Cody. It's a very good showing for the Alabama
2009 AP All-American Team Led by Toby Gerhart and Ndamukong Suh Crimson Tide, who had the most players voted to the 2009 All-America team by the Associated Press. Mark Ingram and Toby Gerhart were selected as the two running backs to represent the team, and both of these star players were voted to the 2009 All-America team unanimously by the AP voters.

Joining Gerhart and Ingram on the 2009 AP All-America first team were Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley, Florida tight end Aaron Hernandez and Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate. The front line consists of Oklahoma State tackle Russell Okung, Oklahoma tackle Trent Williams, Alabama guard Michael Jonson, Idaho guard Mike Iupati, and Baylor center J.D. Walton. The Big-12 and SEC own quite a few of the top spots on this season's All-American team, and that could be exactly why we now have an Alabama vs. Texas BCS National Championship game.

On the defensive side of the ball, the 2009 All-America team has a line of TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes, Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody. The linebackers are Alabama's Rolando McClain, Michigan State's Greg Jones and South Carolina's Eric Norwood in a group of some great defensive players. The secondary consists of Florida cornerback Joe Haden, Alabama cornerback Javier Arenas, Texas safety Earl Thomas, and Tennessee safety Eric Berry. Finishing out the 2009 All-America first team roster are Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin, Georgia punter Drew Butler, and all-purpose player C.J. Spiller of Clemson.

South Florida coach Jim Leavitt denies hitting player

On Monday night, reports surfaced that the University of South Florida was investigating a claim that head football coach Jim Leavitt had slapped a player in the face during halftime of the Bulls' game vs. Louisville on Nov. 21.

Fanhouse.com reported that Phil Miller, the father of sophomore running back Joel Miller, confirmed the incident, as did five members of the Bulls' program and Miller's high school coach.

Today, WTSP-TV in Tampa reports that Leavitt, who is currently on a recruiting trip, has denied the allegations.

"It is untrue," Leavitt told WTSP's Dave Wirth by phone. "I'm very disappointed that this has been written. It is so untrue."

South Florida released a statement saying they were aware of the situation and are investigating the claims.

"The University of South Florida is aware of the story and will review the matter promptly. We're committed to ensuring due process for everyone involved. To ensure fairness, the university doesn't comment during a review."

WTSP also notes that during the Nov. 21 game vs. Louisville, Leavitt emerged from halftime with a cut on his nose, which he said came from a fall in the locker room. It was later learned that Leavitt had actually head-butted freshman linebacker LaDre Watkins -- who was wearing his helmet at the time -- as a motivational tool.

Kansas welcomes Turner Gill as new football coach

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Turner Gill era kicked off at Kansas with a promise that fans will never forget.
"I've been asked if I'm taking this job to get to another program. The answer to that is a very decisive 'no,"' Gill, a former Nebraska quarterback and Buffalo head coach, said Monday at a packed news conference.

"I'm not coming here to use it as a stepping stone to a football dynasty, but rather to create a football dynasty here at KU. I hope to be here 15 or 20 years because if I'm here 15 or 20 years, that will mean we have done well."

Athletic director Lew Perkins said following the news conference that Gill will make "about $2 million a year," very close to what former coach Mark Mangino was paid.

Gill wasted no time in adding some heft to his staff: He said Carl Torbush was leaving as Mississippi State defensive coordinator to join the Jayhawks in a similar capacity. Former San Diego State head coach Chuck Long will be Kansas' offensive coordinator.

Torbush was also head coach at Louisiana Tech and North Carolina, so both coordinators will bring head-coaching experience.

The 47-year-old Gill was 20-30 in four seasons after taking over a Buffalo program that for years had been nothing but a bottom feeder — not unlike the Jayhawks during most of the past 40 years in the Big Eight/Big 12.

But he quickly built the Bulls into conference contenders and was MAC coach of the year in 2007 and '08, continuing a lifetime of success which included a brilliant career as a Nebraska quarterback and assistant coach.

"I'm a competitor. I love to win," Gill said. "I've been blessed and had opportunities where I've been successful just about everywhere I've been. I hope that happens here at the University of Kansas."

In personality and demeanor, Gill seems the polar opposite of Mangino, his prickly predecessor who resigned under pressure after an internal investigation into allegations of mistreatment of players.

"As we looked for a head coach, there was no question I wanted someone who was extremely positive," said Perkins. "He has every possible ingredient that I felt we needed at this particular time at this university."

As a great option quarterback in 1981-83, Gill helped boost Nebraska to the top of the Big Eight Conference, breaking a long Oklahoma domination. He was also an assistant on Tom Osborne's staff when the Huskers won three national championships in 1994, '95 and '07. He interviewed for the Nebraska job two years ago when Bo Pelini was hired.

He laughed when asked what emotions he might feel next fall when his Jayhawks take the field at Nebraska.

"It's not going to be about me," he said. "It's going to be about our football team and our players. Going out and executing to the best of our abilities. Once the game starts, we're going to be focused on representing KU."

As Nebraska's starting quarterback, Gill pounded Kansas three years in a row, outscoring the lowly Jayhawks a combined 150-28. But the program is much stronger now than it was 25 years ago with better facilities and stronger fan support. In addition, he inherits a talented team that is, however, losing senior Todd Reesing (FSY), the most prolific passer in Kansas history.

"There are a lot of good football players here," he said. "Next year our goal will be to win the North (division) and win the Big 12. I know I'm not in a program where we're starting at the bottom trying to work our way up. We're right there just below the top."

Gill seemed to have already won over the players who stood in the back of the room.

"He's a player's coach," said defensive back Chris Harris (FSY). "He's going to have a deep relationship with us, which is something we really haven't had. That will be a big key because we will be able to trust our coach a lot more. That's one thing that stands out a lot."

As a quarterback at Iowa, Long competed against Gill at Nebraska. Before taking the San Diego State job in 2006, Long was an assistant coach at Oklahoma, including offensive coordinator 2002-05.

"Turner and I go way back," said Long. "He has a strong will and you can feel that when you're around him all the time. He knows exactly what he wants to do and you admire guys like that. And he's very passionate. What I like about him is how he wants to develop student-athletes. And he cares about those guys."

NFL Power Rankings For Week 15

For the 2009 season, our weekly team rankings will be based solely off this formula.

1. New Orleans Saints: 10.8

Jonathan Vilma's fourth quarter interception of Chris Redman and then his 4th down tackle helped the Saints preserve a 26-23 win in Atlanta.

2. Indianapolis Colts: 10.5

Even though Brandon Marshall logged a remarkable/record-setting 21 receptions against the Colts, the secondary quickly wrapped him up each time, keeping him to fewer than 10 yards per catch. It is a formula they have followed all season, regardless of the quality of the receiver and it has allowed them to maintain an effective pass defense despite missing Bob Sanders.

3. Green Bay Packers: 10.1

Dom Capers featured a 'Psycho' package against Chicago, which lines up one down lineman and five linebackers, creating uncertainty for the offensive line of who will be rushing the quarterback. Green Bay will likely continue to use it in certain 3rd down situations.

4. Minnesota Vikings: 8.2

As much of an undeniable impact Percy Harvin has made for Minnesota, Phil Loadholt has had an excellent rookie season at right tackle.

5. San Diego Chargers: 7.2

Over their previous four games, the Chargers have a +16.7 Trench Counter, which is easily the best in the NFL ahead of Minnesota's 12.2 and Green Bay's 9.4.

6. New England Patriots: 6.9

The post-2007 Patriots continue to struggle against the better team while remaining businesslike against weaker teams like Carolina, who apparently couldn't defeat Bill Belichick's team despite their claims of a receiver quitting.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers: 6.7

The Steelers and Packers are the two teams that the Trench Counter has liked more than it should this season and in order to sneak into the playoffs, they will have to run the table against three contenders in Green Bay, Baltimore and Miami.

8. Philadelphia Eagles: 5.3

DeSean Jackson, like Harvin, isn't a prototypical big receiver but they have almost completely changed the complexion of their respective teams. Jackson has caught 50 balls for 947 yards and nine TDs.

9. Dallas Cowboys: 4.6

The Dallas defense held San Diego to just 20 points, which was a season low for that potent Philip Rivers-led offense.

10. Baltimore Ravens: 4.4

The Ravens would be a dangerous team again in the playoffs this year if they can reach them, which will be difficult if they continue alternating victories and losses as they have over the past seven weeks.

11. Denver Broncos: 4.1

Eddie Royal's sophomore season, at least as a receiver, has been nothing if not disappointing, but he gets another shot at the Raiders this weekend. Royal had nine catches for 146 yards in his first NFL game last season.

12. New York Giants: 2.8

The staple of the Giants' defense has been to get pressure on the quarterback and that is something that has simply not been happening for Bill Sheridan's unit.

13. New York Jets: 2.8

Giving Kellen Clemens a lot of room, the Jets held the Buccaneers to just 124 yards of offense.

14. Cincinnati Bengals: 2.7

There are a lot of 7-6 and 6-7 teams ahead of the Bengals on this ranking, but Marvin Lewis' team is averaging a point differential of just 3.6 this season, which ranks them fifth in the AFC and 11th overall.

15. San Francisco 49ers: 1.5

The 49ers need to schedule more night home games, as they average six takeaways in those two games against Chicago and Arizona.

16. Washington Redskins: 1.1

Coming off a convincing win against the Raiders, the Redskins are now also clear of any wrongdoing about tampering before signing Albert Haynesworth.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars: 1.1

The Jaguars are still in the driver's seat for the AFC Wildcard due to its superior conference record as opposed to Miami, Baltimore and the Jets.

18. Houston Texans: 0.8

It is for a receiver to log 193 yards with two TDs and be overshadowed, but Andre Johnson was by the day Marshall had in Indianapolis.

19. Arizona Cardinals: 0.2

Seven turnovers, no division-clinching win, plus an injury to Larry Fitzgerald for Arizona on Monday night became one of the biggest disasters in San Francisco since Paul Newman opened up the Glass Tower in 'The Towering Inferno.'

20. Tennessee Titans: -1.1

Chris Johnson is on pace to rush for more than 2,000 yards, which would make him the sixth running back to reach that otherworldly strata.

21. Miami Dolphins: -1.4

As the Dolphins continue to struggle to score points and move the ball with Ronnie Brown finished for the season, their linebacker core is getting healthier and more productive.

22. Atlanta Falcons: -1.7

The Falcons are still mathematically in the playoff picture, but the injuries to Matt Ryan and Michael Turner have almost completely derailed their season.

23. Buffalo Bills: -1.9

Rookie Jarius Byrd has an NFL best nine interceptions and only George Wilson prevented him from getting his 10th. Buffalo has just 10 total interceptions during the 2008 season.

24. Seattle Seahawks: -3.2

Jake Locker would have probably been off the board by the time Seattle was ready to pick this April, but maybe the stars will align for the local boy to take over for Matt Hasselbeck in 2011.

25. Carolina Panthers: -3.6

Though he has caught flak for the Moss comments, Chris Gamble has three interceptions in three games. The Carolina defense has been the undeniable strength of this team in a disappointing season.

26. Chicago Bears: -4.5

Jay Cutler now has 22 interceptions this season, which is the most by a Chicago QB since 1962 when Bill Wade had 24.

27. Kansas City Chiefs: -7.7

While Cutler has the Chicago spotlight to contend with, fellow big offseason acquisition Matt Cassel has been a whole lot worse, with a 68.3 QB rating.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -9.9

Josh Freeman had a 12.1 passer rating against the Jets one week after posting a 36.5 rating against the Panthers. He did, however, have an excellent game in Week 12 with a 118.5 rating.

29. Detroit Lions: -11.6

Bill Ford Jr. has been 'out of touch' with the Lions this season, working almost exclusively on running the fledgling Ford Motor Company. He can check in nine months from now when Kevin Smith will be back from his devastating injury.

30. St. Louis Rams: -12.7

Keith Null made his NFL debut on Sunday and recorded five interceptions, but he did have a 62.8 completion percentage.

31. Cleveland Browns: -15.9

Mike Holmgren, at this point, could be the only thing that preserves Brady Quinn's future in Cleveland.

32. Oakland Raiders: -16.5

JaMarcus Russell now has a chance to finish the season thanks to Bruce Gradkowski's knee injuries, but if his performance against Washington (six sacks, interception, fumble, 39 total yards of offense) is any measure, things still don't look good.

Hideki Matsui's time in New York: An appreciation

I was happy to wake up this morning and read Alex Belth's appreciation of Hideki Matsui(notes) over on Bronx Banter. For some reason, I let my mind think that Yankees fans would barely notice the departure of their aging DH to Anaheim, but it's nice to see that Godzilla wasn't lost among all the other stars or the hunger for a repeat title.

Writes Belth:


"I will miss his calm demeanor (has he ever argued with an umpire since he's been in States?) and his slashing line-drives. Who'll soon forget his batting stance? Matsui stood erect and still, his shoulders twitching slightly like a horse swatting away flies with its tail. He was not a physical giant like Alex Rodriguez(notes), but he was a massive guy, the widest player, across the chest, I've ever seen."

Matsui played seven seasons in the Bronx and though he struggled with injuries during the second half of his tenure, he didn't miss a game over his first three seasons. He leaves the Yankees with a total slash line of .292/.370/.482 with 140 homers and 597 RBIs. He also heads to Orange County with the knowledge that he was a consummate teammate while handling the pressure of opening the Japan market for the world's biggest baseball team. His greatest "Yankee moment" didn't come until his final game in pinstripes, but what a moment it was for the first World Series MVP to hail from Japan.

Matsui's new deal with the Angels is a team-friendly one-year, $6.5 million contract and the relocated Japanese press corps will no doubt take interest in whether his 35-year-old knees will stand up to another full season or if he can still play the outfield every so often.

The Yankees, meanwhile, will have to figure out what to do with that DH spot.

But all of that speculation will come later. Today's a day for appreciating what Matsui was able to do in New York. He may not have been the universe's brightest star, but I always found him one of the most interesting to follow

Did Tiger Woods do performance-enhancing drugs? FBI probes Tiger’s doc for banned dope

December 15 -- Does Tiger Woods owe his sculpted physique and 300-yard drives to performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs)?

The only Tiger Woods' sightings these days are in these eerie photographs of Woods shilling for products and a golf tourney he didn't attend


With the doctor who treated Woods for his 2008 knee injury the subject of an FBI criminal investigation for allegedly providing PEDs to NFL players and Olympic athletes, one has to wonder if Woods cheated on the course as well as off.

Three weeks ago, such a suggestion would have been way outside the ropes. Today, however, after numerous allegations of Woods’ serial cheating on his wife, it is not even an incredible suspicion.

Cheater? After all, don’t many golfers believe that the way you play golf, a game of supposed integrity, reflects your true character?

No one has ever accused Woods of cheating on the links.

Then again, until three weeks ago, no one ever ratted Woods out for cheating between the sheets or taking prescribtion dope to enhance his sexual performance, either.

And that’s just the truly sad state of affairs into which the greatest golfer in the world has gotten himself, on Day 19, America Held Hostage: The Tiger Woods Scandal.

HGH probe. The FBI suspects Dr. Anthony Galea, a sports medicine specialist, of supplying athletes with PEDs, according to the New York Times and several other reports. The FBI case follows Galea’s October 15 arrest in Toronto by the Canadian police, who discovered human growth hormone (HGH) and Actovegin, a drug made from calf’s blood, in his medical bag at the US-Canada border in September, the Times said.

Galea is under investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as well, for “smuggling, advertising and selling unapproved drugs” and criminal conspiracy, the Times said.

It makes the blood spin. Top athletes under Galea have reported quick recovery from surgeries due to a blood-spinning method called platelet-rich plasma therapy, the Times noted. Galea has acknowledged prescribing HGH for some patients, but denies treating professional athletes with the substance.

HGH is legal in Canada but approved in the United States for only some specific situations that do not involve accelerating recovery from injury or surgery, the Times stated. Many sports organizations ban HGH, although it is difficult to detect through testing. The World Anti-Doping Agency has not banned Actovegin, the Times reported.

Woods’ agents, International Management Group (IMG) reportedly “alarmed” at their clients’ slow recovery from reconstructive knee surgery in June 2008, referred the golfer to Galea, according to the Times. Galea and Woods have acknowledged that the former treated the latter with the platelet therapy.

Too little, too late? IMG, attempting to quell yet another firestorm of scandal swirling around its major client, pleaded with the Times not to publish the report?

“I would really ask that you guys don’t write this?” Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, reportedly wrote to the Times in an e-mail. “If Tiger is NOT implicated, and won’t be, let’s give the kid a break.”

At this point, that is, unfortunately, a big “if.” It’s also a little late for Steinberg to start closing barn doors.

With his business empire falling apart as fast as his marriage, Woods can only hope this latest news does not relate to him

Randy Moss has backing of Belichick, teammates

FOXBOROUGH - Randy Moss wasn’t in the Patriots’ locker room yesterday. He watched parts of Sunday’s 20-10 victory over Carolina by himself on the bench, his paltry statistics buried on the stat sheet and Panthers cornerbacks Chris Harris and Chris Gamble burying him after the game. Yesterday, Moss’s teammates and coach came to his defense.

“I have a lot of respect for Randy,’’ Bill Belichick said. “I think he’s one of our best players. I think if you watch other teams defend him, they think the same way. Other than these two guys from Carolina after they lost another game, I guess they didn’t think that way. They haven’t won a lot of games.’’

For the second time this season, Moss was held to just one catch. He was targeted four times on Sunday: two passes were dropped, one was caught for 16 yards but then fumbled, and another was intercepted.

“We knew he was going to shut it down,’’ Gamble said Sunday. “He’d just give up a lot - slow down, he’s not going deep, not trying to run a route. You can tell [by his] body language. I know everyone who plays against him, they can sense that. Once you get him in the beginning of the game, he shuts it down a little bit.’’

When opponents get physical with Moss, Harris said after the game, the result is predictable.

“That’s what it is with him,’’ Harris said. “You get physical with him, and I don’t want to say he quits, but he kind of doesn’t run the routes the way they’re supposed to be run. If you get a jam on him, he’ll just ease up.’’

The scathing comments continued. Cris Carter, Moss’s former teammate in Minnesota, called the performance “pathetic.’’

“For me, as someone who teaches wide receivers how to be wide receivers and how to run routes and what type of effort and stuff it would take, it was pathetic, and I was shocked,’’ Carter said on ESPN Radio. “Because I know it’s in him, but I thought he had matured to the point where I wasn’t going to see it anymore.’’

But for those who wanted to attack Moss’s performance, there were those who defended him.

Former Patriot Tedy Bruschi, who played with Moss in 2007 and 2008, had nothing but praise for Moss as a teammate.

“There is a difference between frustration and someone quitting on a team,’’ said Bruschi, who is an ESPN analyst. “I can speak only from the experience of being a teammate of Randy Moss - he is the type of player I want to be my teammate, and I’m proud to say I was a teammate of Moss. He works hard, and he only wants to win. Yes, he got frustrated Sunday. You’ve seen frustration on every player’s face before, but I think everyone looks a bit closer at Moss because of his history. As his teammate, I saw nothing but hard work and dedication from him.’

Reports: Mike Holmgren, Browns meet

Former Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren is discussing joining the Cleveland Browns as the team's director of football operations, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.

Holmgren spent Monday afternoon and evening in Cleveland meeting with Browns officials and was expected to spend Tuesday in Cleveland as well, according to the report.

Sources tell ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that Holmgren is hoping to have his future clarified and secured by Christmas. He recently returned from a nine-day vacation to Mexico with his wife Kathy, where the couple was believed to have discussed his potential options.

If Holmgren decided to take the Cleveland job, sources say the future of head coach Eric Mangini would be in considerable jeopardy.


[+] EnlargeStephen Dunn/Getty Images
Mike Holmgren was reportedly meeting with the Browns for a second day on Tuesday.
Holmgren, who was previously coach and GM in Seattle, retired from coaching following the 2008 season to spend more time with his family. But on his radio show in Arizona, where he has a home, Holmgren has expressed interest in joining the Browns organization or a return to the Seattle front office.

The Seahawks forced GM Tim Ruskell to resign earlier this month, weeks before his five-year contract was to end. The Browns ousted GM George Kokinis in early November, after less than one year on the job.

Holmgren reportedly turned down an offer from Buffalo to coach the Bills, who fired coach Dick Jauron last month.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.


CLEVELAND -- A person familiar with the meetings has told The Associated Press that former Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren is visiting with the Cleveland Browns for a second day.

Holmgren is discussing joining the Browns to head their football operations. The person spoke on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because Cleveland owner Randy Lerner wants to keep his search secret. The meeting is taking place at team headquarters in Berea, Ohio.

The Akron Beacon Journal and WKNR-AM first reported Holmgren was meeting with the Browns.

Sources tell ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that Holmgren is hoping to have his future clarified and secured by Christmas. He recently returned from a nine-day vacation to Mexico with his wife Kathy, where the couple was believed to have discussed his potential options.

If Holmgren decided to take the Cleveland job, sources say the future of head coach Eric Mangini would be in considerable jeopardy.

Last month, Lerner said he wanted to hire a "serious, credible leader" to run the team. The Browns are 2-11 and have lost at least 10 games six of the past seven seasons.

Holmgren, who was previously coach and GM in Seattle, retired from coaching following the 2008 season to spend more time with his family. But on his radio show in Arizona, where he has a home, Holmgren has expressed interest in joining the Browns organization or a return to the Seattle front office.

The Seahawks forced GM Tim Ruskell to resign earlier this month, weeks before his five-year contract was to end. The Browns ousted GM George Kokinis in early November, after less than one year on the job.

Holmgren reportedly turned down an offer from Buffalo to coach the Bills, who fired coach Dick Jauron last month.

MLB: Halladay, Lackey, other big names on the move

Baseball's hot stove started sizzling Monday, with Roy Halladay, John Lackey, Hideki Matsui and Mike Cameron all set to switch teams. And Cliff Lee is apparently on the move again, too.
Philadelphia has an agreement to acquire Halladay in a trade with Toronto, with the former Cy Young Award winner reportedly negotiating a contract extension before the deal is official. It might turn into a three-way trade, as well. The Phillies were dangling Cliff Lee, another former Cy Young winner, to Seattle.
Boston made two key moves in one day, reaching tentative agreements on a five-year contract with pitcher John Lackey — worth $80-85 million — and a two-year deal with outfielder Mike Cameron for about $15 million. Lackey is the No. 1 free-agent pitcher on the market.
World Series MVP Hideki Matsui decided to head west, reaching agreement with the Los Angeles Angels on a one-year contract worth about $6.5 million.
Halladay has been coveted by the super powers for months. He is a six-time All-Star and the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner. The 32-year-old right-hander went 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA for the Blue Jays last season. He led the majors with four shutouts and nine complete games while throwing 239 innings, second to Detroit's Justin Verlander (240).
Philadelphia was expected to give up pitchers J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and prospect outfielder Dominic Brown, sources said. Happ and Blanton could capably fill two holes in the Toronto rotation.
It's not clear who the Mariners would give up to acquire Lee, but one of the players figures to be either Brandon Morrow or David Aardsma, two young pitchers with great arms. Lee, who was brilliant for the Phillies, will be a free agent after next season.
Lackey, 31, who has spent the last eight seasons with the Angels, would give the Red Sox one of the best rotations in baseball, rivaling that of the New York Yankees, who added CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett before last season and then won the World Series. Sabathia signed for $161 million over seven years, while Burnett got an $82.5 million, five-year deal.
Lackey would join a rotation headlined by Josh Beckett and Jon Lester. Boston also has starters Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz and Tim Wakefield.
Lackey has a 102-71 regular-season record with a 3.81 ERA in eight seasons, all with the Angels. At Fenway Park, the right-hander is 2-5 with a 5.75 ERA in nine starts.
Cameron, 36, batted .250 with 24 homers and 70 RBIs last season for Milwaukee. A three-time Gold Glove winner in center field, he could switch to left in Boston as a replacement for free agent Jason Bay. The Red Sox have speedy Jacoby Ellsbury in center.
Matsui, 35, surpassed 100 RBIs four times in seven seasons with the Yankees after arriving from Japan. He hit .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBIs for the Yankees last season, then was selected World Series MVP.
Elsewhere ...
Jason Michaels is staying in Houston. The backup outfielder agreed to an $800,000, one-year contract. He has a .269 career average and is known more for his defense. The Astros also signed left-handed pitcher Gustavo Chacin to a one-year deal. Chacin was 25-15 with a 4.18 ERA in four seasons for Toronto.
The Yankees and Red Sox will meet in the major league Sunday night opener on April 4 on ESPN2

Huskies' Jake Locker passes on NFL draft

Jake Locker walked into the football offices at Washington on Monday morning and quickly ended any lingering question about his future.

Touted as a potential top-10 NFL draft selection, Locker is putting his professional aspirations on hold and instead will return for his senior season and one more shot at helping restore the Huskies to prominence.
In a statement released through the university, Locker said he will not make himself available for the 2010 NFL draft.
"After a great deal of careful thought and deliberation, I have decided to return to Washington and play my senior year," Locker said. "I am very excited about this team's opportunities and potential for the upcoming season, and I am looking forward to being a part of it."
Locker's decision is a major coup for coach Steve Sarkisian and a Washington program that showed signs of revival, going 5-7 this season after an 0-12 debacle in 2008.
"I think Jake feels like he's got some unfinished work here at the University of Washington," Sarkisian said.
Playing in Sarkisian's pro-style offense, Locker threw for 2,800 yards and 21 touchdowns, completing 58 percent of his throws. It was the third-highest passing total in Washington history.
He also added nearly 400 yards rushing and seven TDs on the ground.
Coach struck player?: The University of South Florida plans to look into a report that coach Jim Leavitt struck one of his players in the face during halftime of a game last month.
Citing the player's father, high school coach and five USF players who were not identified, AOL FanHouse reported that Leavitt grabbed Joel Miller by the throat and hit him in the face twice because the coach was upset about a mistake on special teams in a 34-22 win over Louisville on Nov. 21.
Hill extended: Fresno State coach Pat Hill will get a contract extension to stay at the school beyond 2010. Hill has a 100-65 record in 11 seasons at Fresno State. He has led the Bulldogs to their 10th bowl game in his tenure. Fresno State (8-4) plays Wyoming in Saturday's New Mexico Bowl.
Briefly: Mississippi State defensive coordinator Carl Torbush is leaving to take the same job at Kansas. The move was announced by Jayhawks coach Turner Gill, who also said former San Diego State head coach Chuck Long will be Kansas' offensive coordinator. ... South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has been given a one-year contract extension, taking him through 2013. His salary will remain $1.75 million. The Gamecocks (7-5) play Connecticut on Jan. 2 in the PapaJohns.com Bowl.Read more

Trevor Ariza suspended one game

The Rockets will be without forward Trevor Ariza when they host Detroit on Tuesday after the NBA suspended him for one game without pay for swinging his elbow at Toronto's DeMar DeRozan in the Rockets loss to the Raptors on Sunday.
After practice on Monday, Ariza expressed remorse about the incident, which occurred at the 3:47 mark in the third quarter of the Rockets' 101-88 loss on Sunday at the Air Canada Centre.
"It was a heat of the moment thing," Ariza said. "I lost my cool for a second. I got my penalty and I'll do whatever I have to do. I'm just trying to move past it and move forward. I look forward to watching my team play (Tuesday) and then playing against Denver (on Wednesday)."
The 6-8 Ariza is the Rockets' second-leading scorer, averaging 17 points per game.
"It is something I wish I didn't do, but it's in the past now," Ariza said. "I can't do anything about it now. I just have live with the consequences. I'm not that type of player or person. Everybody makes mistakes. This was my mistake and I'm going to learn from it."
Rockets coach Rick Adelman said he's not sure how he'll adjust the lineup.
"I don't know because I don't know who Detroit has that's going to be healthy," Adelman said. "We'll just have to see where they stand and go accordingly.
"Other guys have to step up and be ready to play."
Point guard Aaron Brooks said that while Ariza's absence would affect the team, playing without a starter is something the team has become accustomed to.
"That's our go-to guy," Brooks said. "It affects us defensively - we don't have that guy that can steal the ball and offensively he's a guy that creates his own shot. So we're missing a little bit from each area because he does so much.
"Now it's time for somebody else to step up their game. Unfortunately, we're used to somebody being out."

MLB Baseball Trade: Halladay, Lee Changing Teams

A huge MLB baseball trade is going down today and it looks like star pitchers Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are involved.
This is still waiting to be finalized but it appears that all the pieces are in place for this MLB baseball trade to go through. Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are the two biggest pieces involved and we’ll break down who is getting what in this three-team trade.
Philadelphia Phillies get: Pitcher Roy Halladay
Seattle Mariners get: Pitcher Cliff Lee
Toronto Blue Jays get: Pitcher Phillippe Aumont, Catcher Travis d'Arnaud, other prospects
Halladay went 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA for the Toronto Blue Jays last season and will give the Phillies a top-end right-hander to couple with lefty Cole Hamels.
Lee split the 2009 MLB season between the Indians and Phillies following a midseason trade and ended with a combined 3.22 ERA and 1.24 WHIP last year.
Aumont is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball and was the first overall pick in the 2007 draft. The Canadian is just 20 years old and his imposing size (6’7”, 225 pounds) has many predicting long-term success.
BoDog Sportsbook has the betting odds up on the potential 2009 MLB World Series winner with the Phillies at 9/1, the Blue Jays at 80/1, and the Mariners at 30/1. The odds on the Mariners have some great value after today's MLB trade.
I’d say the Blue Jays are the big winners in this MLB baseball trade. They get some excellent prospects and a chance to rebuild a team that is not currently capable of competing with the Yankees. Philadelphia gets a right-hander that will make them a tough out come playoff time and you have to like the deal from their perspective as well. The Mariners got a great pitcher and will make waves if Erik Bedard and Felix Hernandez can stay healthy next season.

Tiger Woods Leaves PGA in Economic Limbo

Today, the watchmaker Tag Heuer said it is re-considering its sponsorship deal with golf's number one player. CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker has more now on the economic limbo created by Woods self-imposed exile from the game. Before the sex scandal, Tiger Woods was at the top of his game. Now his career seems in freefall. His bizarre accident and admission of infidelity crashing headlong into his perfectionist image - an image that has made him the first billion dollar athlete. In addition to tournament earnings - $23-million his last full season before his knee injury - Tiger pulls in another $110 million annually in endorsements, including a $30 million a year Nike, $5 million a year from Gillette and $24 million a year from videogame maker EA Sports. "Tiger Woods is a very unique character in the world of corporate sponsorships, because he crosses over into so many different demographics," said David Dusek of Sports Illustrated's golf group. But Sunday, Accenture, a business consulting firm few had even heard of until it tied its name to Tiger Woods, became the first sponsor to drop him. The company that spent $21 million on advertising so far this year - most featuring Woods - says he is "no longer the right representative." Sports agents say expect others to follow Accenture's lead. "Once a major blue chip company does leave it provides the cover for getting out the door, not unlike the first person who leaves a party," agent Dave Carter said. For now, his other sponsors are sticking with him. AT&T and luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer both say they are evaluating their relationship with Woods. Nike, whose golf equipment, marketed around Woods, brings in $800 million a year says, "We look forward to his return to golf." Perhaps no one is looking forward to Tiger's return more than the sponsors of the San Diego Open, formerly the Buick Open, at Torrey Pines - the first PGA tour event of the year Woods usually attends. "It is somewhere between 15 to 25 percent additional income from those tournaments that have Tiger versus those that don't," said Tom Wilson of the San Diego Open. Without Tiger, Torrey Pines stands to lose op to $500,000. The Tiger Effect is profound. When he started playing in 1997, the PGA purses totaled just $70 million. Today they're $270 million. Tiger affects broadcasters, too, including CBS Sports - which airs Torrey Pines, the Masters and 19 other tournaments - and NBC Sports, which broadcasts 10, including the U.S Open. The year Woods' bad knee kept him away from golf, an average of just 2.4 million viewers tuned into golf tournaments, down almost 50 percent from the year before. "Tiger Woods has meant ratings on television. Tiger Woods has meant an enormous increase in prize money," Dusek said. "For golf, Tiger basically put big-time golf on the map." But the fear in the sport is that the golden man of golf, Tiger Woods' Midas touch might be tarnished forever.

Division III colleges debate role of sports

ST. LOUIS — They play for the love of the game, not with the hope of landing a pro contract. Without athletic scholarships, many even pay their own way to school.
The notion of student-athletes as students first is integral to Division III, the NCAA's largest classification. But a growing body of research shows a considerable gap in classroom performance between Division III athletes and their counterparts in the overall student body.
The mounting data is forcing the NCAA to consider such steps as tracking graduation rates and other measures of academic performance — a task now left up to individual schools. A pilot academic-reporting program could be approved at the association's annual meeting in Atlanta next month.
"There's this image that Division I is really serious (about sports), and Division III doesn't have these issues," said Robert Malekoff, an assistant professor of sport studies at Guilford College in North Carolina and a former coach and athletics administrator at Princeton and Harvard.
Former Princeton president and author William Bowen sounded the alarm about academic underperformance at smaller colleges earlier this decade. His research led The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which Bowen ran for eight years after retiring from Princeton, to form the College Sports Project.
The project is spending five years tracking academic performance at 88 of Division III's most intellectually rigorous schools, from Amherst, Wesleyan and Williams in New England to the University of Puget Sound and the California Institute of Technology.
For CSP researchers such as Middlebury College dean John Emerson, the early results are discouraging.
After one year in college, male athletes entering school in 2006-07 had average class ranks 9 percentile points lower than non-athletes. Recruited male athletes had class ranks 6 percentile points lower than non-recruited male athletes.
The gap was only slightly lower for students who had finished two years of college.
"It is definitely true that intercollegiate athletes tend to have lower grades than non-athletes at college institutions," he said. "The million-dollar question is, 'What's the reason for that kind of underperformance?'"
The College Sports Project research has clearly caught the attention of college sports' primary overseer, the NCAA.
While NCAA officials caution that the research is preliminary — and the study represents a sampling of only the most elite schools among the division's 432 institutions — Division III members will consider setting up a pilot academic-reporting program as soon as 2010-11 at the association's annual meeting in January.
Unlike Division I schools, which can be penalized with a loss of scholarships for not meeting minimum academic progress rates, the lower division doesn't plan to use academic tracking as a punitive tool, said Division III vice president Dan Dutcher.
Players and coaches at one successful Division III school think their level of competition strikes the right balance between school books and play books.
At Washington University in St. Louis, senior guard Aaron Thompson described grueling two-a-day preseason practices for the two-time defending Division III basketball champions. He also told how fellow captain Cameron Smith arrives late to two practices each week because of a class conflict and how the team takes Monday off because too many top players have evening classes.
"Division III really has the priorities straight," said Thompson, a team captain and preseason All-American.
Bears' coach Mark Edwards is a former Division I assistant under George Raveling at Washington State who returned to coach his alma mater nearly three decades ago. He has no plans to leave.
"I wanted to be in a program where the kids wanted the education, where they wanted to be challenged," he said. "In Division III, the focus is on the student-athlete. At Division I, it's focused on the fan, producing an entertaining product."
Edwards also said he doesn't see any evidence of an emphasis on athletics at the expense of academics in Division III. He called the academic tracking proposal — whether driven by independent researchers or mandated by the NCAA — a "non-issue."
Washington University and the other members of the University Athletic Association — Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western Reserve, Emory, Rochester, the University of Chicago and New York University — declined to participate in the Mellon Foundation study.
"Maybe they felt they had things right and didn't need to," Emerson said. "They seem to be defining a positive standard for the rest of us."
Yet Emerson and others studying small-college athletics say tracking athletes' performance in the classroom is fundamental to ensuring that Division III lives up to its core philosophy.
"That's not an unattainable goal. It's not just pie in the sky," he said. "It's an ideal worth working for."

TIGER WOODS HAS MORE TROUBLE BUT THIS TIME ITS HIS MISTRESS WHO IS NOW RECIEVING DEATH THREATS

More bad news for Tiger Woods's alleged mistress number one, Rachel Uchitel. In addition to being the woman named by the National Enquirer as having an affair with Tiger, Rachel is also the woman whom Joy Behar from The View referred to as a "hooker."
Joy Behar has since issued a formal apology for the on-air slur. The apology was prompted by demands from Gloria Allred, Rachel Uchitel's attorney. The insult was certainly inappropriate. Even with all the scandal, rumors, and gossip, there are no allegations that Uchitel is a prostitute.
Rachel Uchitel has denied any involvement with Tiger Woods. She also granted an exclusive interview to OK Magazine.
It was reported by TMZ that Rachel Uchitel was upset to discover that she was not Tiger Woods's only mistress and that she is prepared to go for STD testing. However, this report is inconsistent with Uchitel's claims that she was not involved with the golfer.
In their article Tiger Woods Mistress Receiving Death Threats, TMZ states that Rachel Uchitel has been threatened. Unfortunately for Uchitel, a 2001 photo of the Vegas nightclub hostess had her old cellphone number on it. People who obtained the photo and called the number were directed to her new phone number.
Rachel Uchitel also received death threats on her Facebook page which she has now deactivated.

MARK INGRAM WILL BE THE NEXT ARCHIE GRIFFIN CAN YOU SAY BACK TO BACK HEISMAN

MARK INGRAM IS PHENONMINAL THIS IS A GREAT RUNNING BACK HIS POWER AND SPEED IS TOO MUCH FOR THOSE SEC OPPENENTS THATS SOMETHING YOU WILL SEE IN A BIG 12 MIX WITH A SEC TYPE RUNNING BACK BUT NO THIS KID HE HAS THEM BOTH ARCHIE GRIFFIN WAS THE ONLY PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF THE NCAA TOO WIN 2 HEISMAN TROPHY'S WELL GUESS WHAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THAT IS OVER I GUARANTEE THIS YOUNG KID WHO IS ONLY A SOPHMORE WILL BE BACK TO WIN AND RUN ALL OVER THE SEC AGAIN NEXT YEAR AND IF HE COME BACK HIS SENIOR YEAR HE WILL BE THE FIRST TO WIN 3 BOTH WE ALL KNOW HE GOING FOR THAT ALMIGHTY DOLLAR LOL LETS KEEP IT REAL PEOPLE BUT PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS.