NBA highlights from January 30th

Here Are Your NBA Highlights From Last Night, January 30th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


Here's Your Top Play! LeBron James drives for the win!

NBA highlights from January 28

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 28th!



Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!



And Your Top Play! Anthony Parker drains the Unbelievable Game Tying Shot To Force Overtime! Check Out the reaction of the stunned Commentator!

Johan Santana Traded To Mets

Johan Santana was traded from the Twins to the New York Mets.


The New York Mets are poised to obtain two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins for four prospects.

The Mets are expected to send pitchers Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra and outfielder Carlos Gomez to Minnesota.

For the trade to be completed the Mets must sign Santana to an extension. That shouldn't be difficult since they have a solid working relationship with agents Peter and Ed Greenberg, who also represent Jose Reyes and Endy Chavez. The Mets are believed to have 48 to 72 hours to reach a deal with Santana, who will waive his no trade clause if an extension is reached.

Johan Santana already has two American League Cy Young Awards. He will totally dominate in the National League, because the Designated Hitter is replaced by the pitcher. The Mets have the pitching, and the offense should be back to full strength. Santana will prove he is well worth the record contract he is about to receive from the Mets.

What does this mean for the Twins? After signing Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer to record contracts, the Twins never meant to keep Johan after he signed that initial offer. The Twins new Ace is Francisco Liriano, who the Twins hope can be healthy for a full season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery.

The Mets fans had waited all offseason for their team to make a major move. This move was well worth the wait. It Propels the Mets to the top of the National League.

NBA Highlights From January 28th!

Here Are Your NBA Highlights From Last Night, January 28th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


And Your Top Play! J.R. Smith hits the deck on the facial!

NBA highlights from January 27th

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 27th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


And Your Top Play! Hedo Turkoglu with the incredible Game Winning Shot against the Celtics!

Big Ben To Steelers: "Get Me Some Tall Recivers!"

Ben Roethlisberger recently expressed a desire for the Steelers to acquire a tall receiver, which, at least to me, sounds rediculous. It made Hines Ward irate.

In Ben's defense, he didn't make the request in any kind of a way that was disparaging to the Steelers current receivers. In fact, he went out of his way to make the point that he liked them:

"I'm always going to ask for a tall receiver," Roethlisberger said in an interview with the Post-Gazette. "That's just me. Our receivers are unbelievable, but our tallest guy might be Hines. Or Santonio [Holmes]. Hines is going to say he's 6 foot, but he's 5-11."

That doesn't sound so inflammatory. But here are some of the things that Hines told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in response:

"I don't hear Tom Brady or Peyton Manning asking for that."

"I don't know, whatever he says. I have no idea. To me, it's a rare combination of receivers out there who are good and tall. We won a Super Bowl, we didn't have a tall receiver then. I don't see Tom Brady caring about who's tall or not. He got Randy this year, but he did it before without him.''

"To me, I have enough problems to worry about than what Ben wants -- I can't give him the contract. He wants a tall receiver? Why did we draft Santonio [Holmes]?"

What do you expect from a playmaker like Hines? Big Ben doing the "Our wide outs are too small" defense isn't exactly going to score brownie points with his receiving corps.

I'll say this for Ben: When he played alongside Plaxico Burress with the Steelers, Plax made a ton of plays for him. Any time Ben got in trouble, he'd scramble, and it seemed like he always ended up looking for Plax or Hines Ward downfield. They made a lot of plays that way.

This Quarterback-Wide Receiver dissention shows what's wrong with the Steelers. Big Ben is looking for a reason to show why they lost to the Jaguars. Ben would say "If I had a Wide Reciever the size of Yao Ming, I would never throw passes that were too high."

The request by Big Ben to grab a tall wide out is crazy. Hines Ward has every right to be upset with Big Ben. The decision by Big Ben to tell the Steelers to get him some tall receivers is right up there with the decision to ride a motorcycle without a helmet.

NBA highlights from January 26th

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 26th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


And Here's Your Top Play! Andre Iguodala throws down the windmill!

NBA Highlights From January 25th!

Here Are Your NBA Highlights From Last Night, January 25th!


Here's Your Top Ten Plays!


And Here's My Vote For Top Play! The facial by Emeka Okeafor was good, but this play was even better! Josh Smith soars through the air for the dunk!

NBA highlights from January 24th

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 24th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


Here Is Your Top Play! Vince Carter floats it in the lane for the finish!

NBA highlights from January 23rd

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 23rd!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


And Your Top Play! Tony Parker & Manu Ginobili run the fastbreak clinic!

Baylor Outlasts Texas A&M In Five Overtime Thriller

The Bears had five players foul out, but that didn't stop them from pulling out an incredible 5 Overtime Victory over Texas A&M.

Baylor waited 39 years to get back into the Top 25. Then the Bears had to wait some more, enduring five overtimes to get their first win as a ranked team.
Curtis Jerrells scored a career-high 36 points, including 11 in the fifth overtime to lead No. 25 Baylor to a 116-110 win over No. 18 Texas A&M on Wednesday night.


Baylor (16-2, 4-0 Big 12) won its fifth in a row and first since entering the rankings for the first time since 1969 on Monday. It broke a 15-game home winning streak for Texas A&M and is the Aggies' third straight loss.

Three free throws by Jerrells gave Baylor a 106-103 lead in the fifth overtime. Dominique Kirk got A&M (15-4, 1-3) within a point with a layup on the next possession.

Jerrells pushed the lead back to 3 with his steal and layup with about a minute left. Aaron Bruce added a pair of free throws before a layup by Bryan Davis made it 110-107 with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Jerrells added four more free throws and LaceDarius Dunn chipped in a pair to ensure the win.

The small but vocal group of Baylor fans chanted "B-U!" incessantly as time ticked down in the final overtime and players jumped around wildly and hugged after the clock ran out.

Davis made a layup with 9 seconds left in the fourth overtime to knot it at 99 and send it to the fifth OT.

This was an amazing, incredible, battle on the Collegiate Hardwood. Baylor had to put in a Hurculean Effort to put away Texas A&M, especially with five players out of the game, but they were able to do it. We all see now why Baylor is now ranked in the Top 25 for the first time ever.

Mike Smith Offered Falcons Job

The Atlanta Falcons have picked a rookie head coach to lead a struggling team that next might have to draft a rookie replacement for Michael Vick.

Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith was offered the job by general manager Tom Dimitroff, another rookie, and owner Arthur Blank, a person familiar with the search said Wednesday.

The person requested anonymity because contract talks between the Falcons and Smith had not been completed as of late Wednesday afternoon. Smith's hire is expected to be announced on Thursday.

Smith, the Jaguars' defensive coordinator since 2003, had his second interview with the team Friday. He has never been an NFL head coach, but Falcons quarterback Byron Leftwich, who was with Smith in Jacksonville for four years, says Atlanta made the right choice.

"I've played against his defense more than anybody in the world," Leftwich said. "I did it every day in practice for four years. I think he's a great guy for the job.

"A lot of people might not know his name, but I've seen the work he puts in every game, how guys were so prepared on Sundays that they knew exactly what teams were going to do."

Smith, a former defensive assistant with Baltimore, had the league's No. 12 defense with Jacksonville this season after ranking second in 2006 and sixth in 2005.

Leftwich said Smith would never receive enough credit in Jacksonville because many assumed Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, a former defensive coordinator, was the real mastermind of the defense.

Jaguars defensive end Marcellus Wiley confirmed that opinion when he said on ESPN Wednesday "Jack Del Rio was the defensive coordinator, and if it wasn't him, it was (linebacker) Mike Peterson."

Wiley said Smith "was just a guy who stood at the front of the room when Jack Del Rio was leading the defense."

Wiley said the Falcons "really went down low on the totem pole."

Leftwich said he was aware of the Wiley's comments but said of Smith: "I was with him for four years. Somebody had to be calling those plays in Jacksonville. It was him.

"We always said Smitty would be a great head coach because the time he put in and the way he interacted with players and how seriously he took his job."

Cam Cameron To Join Ravens

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron, dismissed after winning only one game in his only season with the club, has reached an agreement in principle to join the Baltimore Ravens' staff.


There remain some details to be addressed in Cameron's contract, a source close to the negotiations told ESPN.com on Wednesday morning, but there are no significant sticking points and the deal almost certainly will be finalized at some point later in the day.

Cameron, is expected to serve as offensive coordinator or assistant head coach under new Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who on Saturday was introduced as the successor to Brian Billick.

Harbaugh was on the staff at Indiana in 1997, when Cameron was the Hoosiers' head coach and the two men have maintained a close relationship in ensuing years.

The addition of Cameron is the first major hire by Harbaugh, who may attempt to retain Rex Ryan as his defensive coordinator. Ryan has interviewed for three head coach vacancies, but it appears he will not land any of them, and he technically remains under contract to the Ravens.

Before his one season as the Dolphins' head coach, Cameron, 46, was the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers for five seasons (2002-2006). He also served as the Washington Redskins' quarterbacks coach 1994-96, before taking the Indiana job in 1997.

Chuck Knoblauch Subpoenaed

Four-time All-Star Chuck Knoblauch is being subpoenaed by a congressional committee investigating steroids in baseball after he failed to respond to an invitation to give a deposition.

Knoblauch, who played for the Yankees, Twins and Royals, was asked to appear Thursday, the first of five depositions or transcribed interviews scheduled by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee prior to its Feb. 13 hearing.

Roger Clemens is scheduled to speak to committee staff Saturday, followed by Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte on Jan. 30. Brian McNamee, a former personal trainer for Clemens and Pettitte, is due in Jan. 31, with former New York Mets clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski to appear Feb. 1.

They all had until close of business Tuesday to respond to their invitations; Knoblauch's deadline was last Friday, because his deposition was scheduled first.

"The committee has taken this step because Mr. Knoblauch failed to respond to the invitation to participate voluntarily in a deposition or transcribed interview and the Feb. 13 hearing," committee chairman Henry Waxman and ranking Republican Tom Davis said in a statement Tuesday.

It has not been clear whether Knoblauch has retained a lawyer to represent him.

"I haven't talked to Chuck in a number of years," his last listed agent with the players' association, Randy Hendricks, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. Hendricks represents Clemens and Pettitte.

In last month's Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, McNamee said he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone in 1998, 2000 and 2001, accusations the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has denied. McNamee also alleged Pettitte used HGH, and Pettitte acknowledged McNamee injected him twice while the pitcher was recovering from an injury.

McNamee also told Mitchell that he acquired HGH from Radomski for Knoblauch in 2001 and injected Knoblauch with HGH. Knoblauch also was among nine players accused of doping in a federal agent's affidavit citing former major league pitcher Jason Grimsley.

Knoblauch was an infielder who won the AL Rookie of the Year Award with the Twins in 1991 and played in the majors until 2002. His time with the Yankees overlapped McNamee's.

All the allegations are for conduct that occurred before September 2002, when players and owners jointly banned steroids.

McNamee has said he obtained performance-enhancing drugs from Radomski, who has pleaded guilty to distributing steroids and laundering money. Radomski's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8.

NBA highlights from January 22

Here Are Your NBA highlights from last night, January 22nd!


There's No Top Ten Plays Today, so let's go straight to our Top Play! Dahntay Jones with the one-handed reverse dunk!

Where's Terrell Owens Going? Nowhere

Getcha Popcorn Ready, Cowboys Fans. Terrell Owens isn't going anywhere.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday that he will pay Owens a $3 million bonus due in March, essentially guaranteeing the wide receiver a spot on the team's 2008 roster.


"Yes, we're going to have Terrell back," Jones said after a morning Senior Bowl practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Owens' status with the Cowboys wasn't as certain at this point in 2007. Owens had a tumultuous first season in Dallas and suffered a finger injury that required two off-season surgeries.

But the Cowboys stuck with Owens and the move paid dividends. Building a close working relationship with quarterback Tony Romo, Owens had a banner 2007 season with 81 receptions for 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also generated far less off-field controversy and fit better into the team framework under a new head coach (Wade Phillips) and position coach (Ray Sherman).

Owens, who turned 34 last month, will be entering the final year of a contract set to pay him a 2008 base salary of $4 million. Jones said he has yet to weigh whether the Cowboys will seek to re-sign Owens to an extension.

"Down the line, we're just looking at those decisions about who's going to be back and who we may have to look to replace," Jones said. "I don't want to sound evasive about extending him. That's not the case."

Agent Drew Rosenhaus didn't immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

Jones may have to replace another veteran wide receiver in Terry Glenn, who appeared in only two games last season because of knee problems. Retirement or micro-fracture surgery on his knee are two possibilities for the 33-year-old Glenn, who is set to earn $1.9 million in 2008.

"Over the days ahead, we'll talk to him about that," said Jones, who has two emerging young receivers in Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin on his roster. "He really pushed to get back for these playoff games ... Terry's one of the guys I raise my glass to. He wanted to be a part of a Super Bowl team."

The Cowboys fell short of that goal when upset by the visiting New York Giants, 21-17, in the second round of the playoffs. Dallas (13-4) became the first No. 1 NFC seed since 1990 to lose a second-round game.

Jones said he still hasn't moved on from that disappointment but already is looking forward to the 2008 campaign.

"I can't block it out and I shouldn't," Jones said. "But what I can tell you is that from the standpoint of being proud of our year, I have blocked it out. I can do that. I am going to enjoy this year more than I could have said after the (Giants) game.

"You would almost have to look away to not see that this year has increased our expectations and helped form a foundation for future success ... We're thinking we're going to be better as we look into the future. We've got to live up to that."

Having Owens back in the fold should help.

Mike Holmgren To Return For A Final Season As Seahawks Coach

Mike Holmgren will return for a final season as coach of the Seattle Seahawks — but only a final season.
The 59-year-old veteran of 16 seasons as an NFL head coach announced his decision Tuesday to fulfill the final year of his contract, after spending the weekend with his wife at their offseason Arizona home.


"Kathy and I came to this decision to finish my contract," said Holmgren, who had hinted at retirement for weeks. "This will be my last year. We are going to make it the best year ever.

"And then probably after that, I will take a little time off — but not yet. We are going to go after it hard."

Two days after Seattle lost at Green Bay in the NFC divisional playoffs, Holmgren was asked if there was a third possibility beyond retiring or finishing the final season of his contract. He signed that extension soon after the Seahawks lost in the Super Bowl to Pittsburgh 23 months ago, at the end of a deal that was paying him about $7 million per season.

Holmgren said yes to the the "longer, larger" option of another contract extension beyond 2008, but the Seahawks have never approached him about it.

Tuesday, Holmgren said his comments about an extension were overblown and "misinterpreted," that the decision was always about working one more season or retiring.

The Seahawks have a likely heir to Holmgren in place in Jim Mora.

Soon after Mora was fired as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons on New Year's Day, 2007, Holmgren added him to the staff as the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach. Mora, 46, led Atlanta for three seasons and went to the NFC championship game in his first season there.

"The transition beyond this year should be really smooth. The organization is healthy," Holmgren said.

He didn't mention Mora by name, leaving talk of his successor "for another press conference. I won't be there."

Mora went to junior high and high school in the Seattle area while his father was an assistant at the University of Washington. Last week, as Holmgren was in Arizona contemplating his future, Mora removed himself from consideration for the vacant head coaching job with the Washington Redskins following two days of interviews.

Holmgren said Tuesday that Mora and all other defensive assistants will remain in their same roles in 2008.

A father to four daughters and grandfather to four more girls, Holmgren said he did not want next season to be "a farewell tour" that would take focus away from his team.

And he did not rule out a return to football in 2010 or beyond.

"Oh, I think you always have to say that's a possibility," he said, "but that's very speculative at this point."

Seattle won its fourth consecutive NFC West title this season and believes its window of opportunity for a Super Bowl title is still wide open with the core of the team returning next season. Five of the Seahawks' six division titles have come under Holmgren.

"I want to do this because I want to give this one more shot with this team," said Holmgren, who led the Packers to two Super Bowls, winning one at the end of the 1996 season.

Holmgren's record with Green Bay and Seattle, where he arrived in 1999, is 170-110, one win behind former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs for 10th in NFL history. Holmgren is 86-68 in nine seasons with Seattle. He passed Chuck Knox this season for most victories by a Seahawks coach.

Holmgren said he will make some changes to his coaching staff on the offensive side.

Offensive line coach Bill Laveroni will not be back, a move not unexpected with the struggles Seattle had running effectively the last two seasons. Laveroni had been the Seahawks line coach since 2004.

Laveroni's assistant, Keith Gilbertson is being shifted to receivers coach, after Nolan Cromwell left to become the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M for new Aggies' coach Mike Sherman. Offensive assistant Gary Reynolds also is joining Sherman's staff.

NBA highlights from January 21

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 21st!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


And Your Top Play! Rashard Lewis with the game-winning shot!

Tony Dungy Will Return As Colts Coach Next Season

Tony Dungy is sticking with the Colts.

The team said Monday that Dungy will remain with Indianapolis through at least the 2008 season before turning over the coaching to hand-picked successor Jim Caldwell.
Dungy, the first black coach to win a Super Bowl, spent a week meeting with his family, close friends and trusted colleagues while deciding whether to return for a seventh season with the Colts.

It's the third straight year Dungy seriously considered retiring.

It's good to hear that Tony Dungy will be coming back, for at least this season. He is a classy guy and I'm sure his team, the Colts, are glad he will be back. Jim Caldwell will be prepared to take over, if not the 2009 season, whenever Tony Dungy chooses to retire.

Perfect Patriots To Face Road Warrior Giants In Super Bowl XLII

In Case You Missed It, Here is the end of the Giants-Packers Game Last Night!


The New England Patriots' path to perfection has one last hurdle: a New York team of road warriors hoping for one more Giant upset.

Tom Brady and the Patriots will try to match the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams to complete an undefeated season when they face Eli Manning and the Giants on Feb. 3 in the Super Bowl at Glendale, Ariz.
Standing in the Patriots' way are the Giants and Eli Manning — Peyton's little brother, whose leadership abilities no longer can be questioned.

The oddsmakers might think differently. They installed New England as a 13 1/2-point favorite in the big game, in which New York will get another shot at destroying the Patriots' path to perfection.

New England won 38-35 in its final game of the regular season, rallying from a 12-point second-half deficit against the Giants. The teams also played in the preseason finale, when New England won — with Brady sitting that one out.

Brady and the Patriots are playing in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven years. A win in this one would rank the Patriots as perhaps the greatest champion in NFL history.

The Patriots never wavered.

Tom Brady threw an NFL-record 50 touchdown passes in the regular season, with 23 of those to Randy Moss, who topped Jerry Rice's record. Brady was also the league's Most Valuable Player in helping New England score an NFL-record 589 points.

Super Bowl XLII Is Sunday, February 3rd.

The Webster's Definition Of "A Fan In The Booth"

This is from Sky Sports Fanzone. The Soccer channel gets a fan from each team to announce the game, and they found themselves the ultimate homer.

I find it funny how the Arsenal Fan just stays silent until he cannot tolerate the Leeds Fan anymore.

NBA highlights from January 20

Here Are Your NBA Highlights from last night, January 20th! There was one game on last night. Could Jason Kidd and Vince Carter hold off Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and the high powered Phoenix Suns? Find Out Below.


There's No Top Ten Plays Today, So Let's Go Straight to our Top Play! Amare Stoudemire with the powerful jam over Sean Williams!

NBA highlights from January 19

Here Are Your NBA highlights from last night, January 19th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


Here's Your Top Play! Check Out the 5'9 Nate Roobinson with the huge putback slam dunk!


NFL Fans, Your AFC And NFC Championship Game Previews Are Below!

AFC & NFC Championship Previews

Tom Brady Is One Win Away From Taking His Undefeated Patriots Back To The Super Bowl.

Brett Favre Can Make A Return Trip To The Super Bowl. Favre's Packers Defeated The Patriots In Super Bowl XXXI.
Here Is Your AFC And NFC Championship Game Previews. By Sunday Night, we will know for sure who will be playing in Super Bowl XLII.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: SAN DIEGO CHARGERS VS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 3:00 PM EST CBS

The San Diego Chargers, playing without Antonio Gates, LaDanian Tomlinson, or Phillip Rivers, were able to watch their backups rise to the occassion. The Colts receivers weren't able to, as Dallas Clark, who is normally so surehanded, dropped a sure first down to end the game, and San Diego defeated the Colts 28-24.

Lightning struck once for San Diego. It Isn't going to happen again.

New England has too many weapons, and their defense has so many ways to beat you. Plus, Phillip Rivers, LaDanian Tomlinson, and Antonio Gates will all not be 100 percent for this game. Now I hear the Chargers fan Protesting "We Beat Indy without Rivers, Tomlinson, or Gates" and I say, "True. You did beat the Colts. But You won't beat the Patriots." New England will be healthy for this game, they will mount a heavy pass rush,eqaualing many sacks of Phillip Rivers, and they will clog all of the holes, giving Tomlinson and Michael Turner nowhere to run. New England also causes turnovers, lots of turnovers. The Patriots cannot be beaten. The Patriots will hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Arizona, and will be known as the greatest team of all time.

PATRIOTS OVER CHARGERS

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: NEW YORK GIANTS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS 6:30 PM EST FOX
Now to the more interesting and intriguing Championship Game, the NFC Championship Game.
The Packers have had a magical quality about them all season, and that's not going to change.Green Bay has plenty of offense with Pro Bowl quarterback Brett Favre and running back Ryan Grant. The Packers also have an aggressive defense that is built around a fast front seven and a secondary full of playmakers and Pro Bowl-caliber cornerbacks. If that's not enough, the Packers also get to play the Giants in what should be a frigid Lambeau Field. If there's one positive for these teams with this cold weather,it is that both Ryan Grant and Brandon Jacobs will both get a lot of carries. That doesn't mean the Giants will fall apart Sunday. They are 9-1 on the road this season for a reason. It just means that their compelling playoff run is about to end. They have too many injuries in the secondary, and you know Brett Favre will take care of that. Brett Favre is about to face his old nemesis, the Patriots, again in a Super Bowl. Favre faced the Patriots and beat them in Super Bowl XXXI. The only difference between Super Bowl XXXI and Super Bowl XLII is that Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will complete their magical run at an undefeated season and end the Storybook Season of Brett Favre and the Packers.
PACKERS OVER GIANTS

Watch the Games On Sunday!

NBA highlights from January 18th

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 18th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


Here's Your Top Play! Ronnie Brewer throws down the over the head reverse!


NFL Fans, Your Conference Championship Preview Is Coming Up Later Today!

Sammy Sosa Will Not Return To Rangers In 2008

Sammy Sosa won't be back for another season in Texas.

Rangers GM Jon Daniels and Sosa's agent, Adam Katz, told ESPN.com on Friday night that Texas was interested in bringing Sosa back in a more limited role than last season. But Sosa has decided to look for a team that can offer him more playing time.

"Sammy is very grateful and thankful to Texas for giving him this opportunity and for being receptive to bringing him back this season," Katz said. "But Sammy still wants to play -- ideally in a situation where he could get 400 to 500 plate appearances. If the right situation presents itself, he's available."

Katz said his conversations with the Rangers focused almost exclusively on Sosa's prospective role with the club this season. The Rangers have acquired Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley this winter and couldn't guarantee Sosa that he would come anywhere close to the 454 plate appearances he got last season.

"Our experience with Sammy was very positive last year, so we were open to at least explore different possibilities," Daniels told ESPN.com. "Sammy's looking for a role which doesn't make sense for where we're going at this point. I wish him the best."

Sosa's career had appeared all but over until the Rangers gave him a chance to revive it last season. Almost no one would have guessed that he would wind up leading the team's regulars in home runs (21) and slugging (.468) or that he would finish third in the American League -- behind only Alex Rodriguez and Magglio Ordonez -- in RBIs per plate appearance.

But the Rangers are retooling, and Sosa still believes he can play. So he's working out regularly, hitting every day and looking for "the right situation," Katz said. Several teams have kicked Sosa's tires this winter, but he has no concrete offers at this point, Katz said.

Harbaugh Hired To Lead Ravens

John Harbaugh was hired Friday as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, who hope their second choice proves to be a first-rate success.

Harbaugh spent this season as Philadelphia's secondary coach after making a name for himself working with special teams. He has never been a head coach, but has coaching in his genes — his father, Jack, is former head coach at Western Kentucky.

The 45-year-old Harbaugh will be introduced as the third coach in Ravens history at a news conference on Saturday.

Harbaugh interviewed a second time at the Ravens' training complex Friday with owner Steve Bisciotti, president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome. Harbaugh arrived around 9:30 a.m. and finally reached an agreement around 5:30 p.m.

He then left in a limousine for his home in Philadelphia without talking to the media.

Ravens spokesman Kevin Byrne said Harbaugh wanted to first share the news with his wife and parents before sharing his feelings in front of cameras and reporters.

Harbaugh replaces Brian Billick, who was fired on Dec. 31 after a nine-year run. The Ravens earlier this week offered the job to Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who spurned Baltimore in favor of staying in Dallas. Garrett rejected the Ravens' job offer after receiving a raise from owner Jerry Jones and a promotion to assistant head coach.

Harbaugh was selected the NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year by his peers in 2001. He shifted to the secondary last season, working under Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.

Saint Louis Upsets No. 23 Rhode Island!

A week after futility put Saint Louis on SportsCenter, Billikens players were eager to check out the late-night highlights.


Tommie Liddell scored 22 points and the Billikens held Rhode Island (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 23 AP) to season lows for scoring and shooting percentage in a 68-61 upset on Thursday night.

Reserve Paul Eckerle had 13 points and Luke Meyer 12 for Saint Louis (10-7, 1-2 Atlantic 10), which seven days earlier set a modern record for fewest points in the shot clock era which began in 1985-86, scoring only 20 in a loss at George Washington.

"I didn't turn on the TV," said Liddell, who was 1-for-12 with two points in that game. "Tonight, I'm turning on the TV."

Now, they've earned a chance to celebrate the school's first significant win under new coach Rick Majerus, and first over a ranked opponent since a 72-61 victory over No. 23 Memphis on March 11, 2004, in the Conference USA tournament.

"I'm happy for them," Majerus said. "They're really trying their heart out, for the most part.

"Nothing helps you like hustle."

Will Daniels, coming off a 28-point game against Duquesne, was plagued throughout by fouls and managed 12 points before fouling out with 2:45 to go. Daniels, who averages 19 points, sat the last 9:13 of the half after drawing his third foul on a charge.

"We were trying to get him out of the game when he got that foul," coach Jim Baron said. "He's been a big part of what we're doing, but you've got to give Saint Louis credit."

Parfait Bitee and Lamonte Ulmer had 11 points apiece for Rhode Island (15-3, 1-2), which entered the game averaging 88 points in its last seven games. The Rams shot 34.3 percent, eight percentage points lower than the previous worst, and their previous scoring low was 72 points in a loss at Boston College on Nov. 21.

Jimmy Baron, Rhode Island's second-leading scorer with a 16-point average, was held to 10 on 4-for-12 shooting.

Baron disregarded Saint Louis' 20-point effort in his game plan, pointing out that the Billikens lost in overtime at home to Dayton two days later.

"It's not a rookie team," he said. "These guys, they're good. At home, they're night and day."

All three of the Atlantic 10's ranked teams have lost in the last two days. No. 14 Dayton lost to Massachusetts and No. 20 Xavier lost to Temple on Wednesday.

Saint Louis shot 54.5 percent and led 27-23 at the half, another low-water mark for Rhode Island. The Billikens twice stretched the advantage to 12 points in the second half.

Rhode Island cut the deficit to 47-43 with about six minutes to go after three straight baskets by Daniels, but a pair of baskets by Liddell on the break helped Saint Louis go back up by 12 at 55-43 with 3:49 left.

Saint Louis' cushion was only five in the final minute before Liddell, 9-for-12 from the field, hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock buzzer sounded with 44.5 seconds left to make it 63-55.

Rhode Island averaged 88 points in its previous seven games, the school's best stretch since 1986-87, and entered the game among the nation's best with 49 percent shooting. The Rams missed 13 of their first 15 shots, only making 3-pointers by Daniels and Jimmy Baron, in the first 10 minutes while falling behind 9-8.

Daniels was called for a charge with 9:18 to go, his third foul, and sat down with five points and three rebounds with Saint Louis leading 11-8.

Saint Louis won without starting forward Barry Eberhardt, its third-leading scorer (9.0) and rebounder (5.1), who missed the game with a sprained ankle. Freshman Adam Knollmeyer got his first career start and had a career best six points and five rebounds.

Punt Pass And Kick Champion Anna Grant Invited To AFC Championship Game

It should have been one of the proudest moments in Anna Grant's young life.

The 14-year-old won her age group in her division of the annual Punt, Pass and Kick competition, clinching it with her performance during halftime of last week's AFC divisional playoff game at Indianapolis.

When Grant and the other winners were recognized before the fourth quarter of the Colts-San Diego game, she was the only one booed by the fans - mainly because Grant, like the other contestants, was wearing the jersey of her hometown team.

In her case, it was the Patriots, and Colts fans acted predictably, if not classy. After hearing about the incident, Patriots owner Robert Kraft not only invited Grant and her family to the AFC championship game Sunday, but will be at midfield to participate in the pregame coin flip.

"Why should a champion be booed?" Kraft told the Associated Press. "She won an intensive competition. She's supposed to be honored. We will recognize her as the winner on the field. Our fans will know."

Grant, a resident of Stratham, N.H., was prepared for the rude reception she received.

"Before I went down there, my friends said, 'You know, you'll probably get booed,'" she said. "I was kind of waiting for it.

"It really didn't bother me at all. People at the game came up to me afterward and said, 'It's not you. It's your jersey.'"

"In a way, the fact that this young lady was booed is a compliment to the New England Patriots fans because we're relevant," Kraft said. "And, we're good."

Andrew Beck, The Punt, Pass & Kick Champion from Harker Heights, was featured on the local news and had a pretty fun first day back, as he was noticed all over his school,But by far, the story of this event was how Colts fans responded to Anna Grant's jersey.

Take A Look at the news report below, and you can tell she took it in stride. Congrats to her and her family, as they get to see the Patriots Play the Chargers in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.


Your AFC And NFC Championship Game Previews Are Coming Up Tommorow!

Gus Johnson Calls Final Play Of Giants-Cowboys Game During Pistons-Knicks Game At The Garden!

Check Out The Clip! Abseloute Hillarity!

"Jessica Simpson. All us New Yorkers should send her some flowers!" Funniest Part Of The Clip!

NBA highlights from January 17th

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 17th! Click On the video to see the result of the rematch of Last Year's NBA Finals, along with two other games!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


And Here's Your Top Play! Shawn Marion throws down the dunk off the inbounds oop!

Idiot Commssioner Bud Selig Will Not Resign in 2009: Given Three Year Extension

Bud Selig was given a three-year extension as baseball commissioner through the 2012 season.

The unanimous decision made at Thursday's owners' meeting came two days after Selig and union head Donald Fehr testified before a congressional committee that both criticized baseball for its steroids problem and praised the sport for strides made during the past three years.

Selig will become baseball's second-longest-serving leader behind Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who was the first commissioner from 1920-44. Selig had said repeatedly since December 2006 that he intended to retire after the 2009 season, but many in baseball didn't believe him.

"I did wrestle with it. I spent a lot of time agonizing over it, mainly with myself," Selig said. "But they really convinced me."

He became acting commissioner in September 1992, when clubs forced out Fay Vincent. After saying he wouldn't take the job, Selig was elected to a five-year term as permanent commissioner in 1998 and gave up running the Milwaukee Brewers, the team he bought in 1970 and his family sold in 2005.

Owners voted in November 2001 to extend his term through 2006, then voted in August 2004 to extend it through 2009. He will be 78 by the end of the latest extension.

"This was coming completely from the clubs," Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said.

Selig received $14.5 million in the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, 2005, according to Major League Baseball's last available tax return.

Baseball's labor contract runs through the 2011 season and its national television deals with FOX, Turner Broadcasting and ESPN run through 2013. Revenue, which was $1.66 billion when Selig became acting commissioner, topped $6 billion last year. He projects them to top $6.5 billion this year.

I Cannot Believe the greedy owners gave this idiot commisioner three more years simply because he kisses the behinds of the owners and the players union! Both the owners and Players Union have too much power! Although some of the things Selig instituted have been great, including interleague play, Homefield Advantage At The World Series, and the World Baseball Classic, the thing that will forever tarnish Selig's legacy is the fact that he buried his head in the sand while the Steroids were running rampant in Major League Clubhouses! Selig is trying to correct the problem now, but it is too little, too late!

Baseball needs a new commsioner As Soon As Possible, because, under the watch of current commissioner Bud Selig, the worst commisioner in Sports, this great game of Baseball is heading to hell in a handbasket.

Jason Garrett Will Stay Put In Dallas

After looking into two coaching jobs, Jason Garrett decided to remain offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.

Garrett went through second interviews in Baltimore and Atlanta earlier this week, then returned to Dallas to meet with team owner Jerry Jones.

Jones, who hired Garrett last year before hiring coach Wade Phillips, apparently convinced him his future was just as bright with the Cowboys, who are coming off a 13-3 regular season with eight of his offensive players going to the Pro Bowl.

The Cowboys did not immediately comment Thursday on Garrett's status, but the Ravens released a statement about it.

"We did negotiate with Jason Garrett to become our head coach. In the end, he decided to stay in Dallas," the Ravens said.

Garrett is widely considered the Cowboys' next head coach. Speculation is so intense that Jones held a news conference last week in part to shoot down talk that Garrett would be promoted if Dallas didn't win the Super Bowl. Jones denied he would move out Phillips and promote Garrett after the Cowboys' season ended with a loss to the New York Giants on Sunday.

NBA highlights from January 16th

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 16th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


And Here's Your Top Play! Gerald Wallace with the steal and the slam!

Cubs Bring Jon Leiber Back To Windy City

The Cubs, turning to an old friend, have signed right-hander Jon Lieber to a one-year contract, according to major-league sources.

Lieber, who turns 38 on April 2, was the last Cub to win 20 games, going 20-6 in 2001. He spent the past three seasons with the Phillies, but missed the second half of last season after suffering a ruptured tendon in his right foot.

The signing of Lieber could signal a trade of right-hander Jason Marquis or the return of righty Ryan Dempster to the bullpen.

Another possibility is that the Cubs are trying to build rotation depth in the event that they trade younger starters such as right-hander Sean Gallagher and/or lefty Sean Marshall, possibly in a deal for Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts.

Lieber will be in the Cubs' rotation, according to a source; without that understanding, he would have signed with another club. He was offered more money by other teams, but wanted to return to the Cubs.

The Cubs already appear set with five starters — Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Hill, Marquis and Dempster. Marquis, who went 12-9 with a 4.60 ERA and pitched 191 2/3 innings last season, has two years and $16.25 million remaining on his contract.

Lieber was 3-6 with a 4.73 ERA last season when he suffered his foot injury on June 24. He had opened the season on the disabled list with a strained right oblique.

His last season with the Cubs was 2002, when he suffered an elbow injury that forced him to undergo elbow-ligament transplant surgery and miss the entire '03 season.

The Yankees signed Lieber to a two-year deal after the Cubs declined his option, and he made the move look good by winning 14 games in '04, tying him for the team lead. He signed a three-year contract with the Phillies following that season.

He is 129-121 lifetime with a 4.28 ERA.

NBA highlights from January 15

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 15th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


Here's Your Two Top Plays! Amare Stoudemire with the powerful one-handed jam!


And Your Other Top Play! Check Out LeBron James carry his team against the Grizzlies!

Sporano Joins The Tuna Down In Miami

Tony Sparano is going to work for Bill Parcells again, this time as coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Sparano, who had been the Dallas Cowboys' assistant head coach, accepted a job offer Wednesday from new Miami boss Parcells. They worked together with the Cowboys when Parcells was head coach in 2003-06.

"I've coached for a lot of people and worked for a lot of great coaches," Sparano said at a news conference. "Coach Parcells has taught me the most and prepared me the most for this job. ...

"I know Coach Parcells is here as a resource for me, and I'm going to use him as much as I can."

Sparano becomes the Dolphins' fifth head coach since 2004. Parcells was on the job for only a week before he fired Cam Cameron, who went 1-15 in his first year as an NFL head coach.
The 46-year-old Sparano became available when the Cowboys lost their playoff game to the New York Giants on Sunday. He has been the front-runner for the Dolphins job since the start of their search.

"I'm prepared," Sparano said. "I'm confident in myself."

He flew in from Dallas on Tuesday evening and had dinner with a group that included Parcells and Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga. Sparano arrived at the team complex Wednesday morning accompanied by new Miami general manager Jeff Ireland. Huizenga soon joined them, and an hour later an agreement was reached.

Ireland, who spent the past seven years in player personnel with the Cowboys, first interviewed Sparano in Dallas on Jan. 5.

"When Bill and I discussed what we were looking for in a head coach, we talked about one of high character," Ireland said. "We wanted someone who understood how to develop young players, one who could instill a culture that's all about winning.

"We think we found that guy. We know we found that guy."

Parcells and Huizenga also attended the news conference but didn't talk to reporters.

Others interviewed by the Dolphins were Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. But none of them could rival Sparano's ties to Parcells and Ireland.

Did Miguel Lie? Congress Wants To Know

Bud Selig and Donald Fehr, the commissioner and union leader often at loggerheads, sat side-by-side Tuesday as Congress pressed them yet again with questions about baseball's doping problem.

At a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in the same, wood-paneled room where Selig, Fehr, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and others testified three years ago, congressmen mixed criticism of baseball and its players with praise for progress on steroids.
That 2005 hearing was referenced right away when panel chairman Henry Waxman opened the proceedings by calling on the Justice Department to look into whether former AL MVP Miguel Tejada lied to committee staffers when questioned in connection to Palmeiro's perjury case.

Waxman then turned the focus to former Senate majority leader George Mitchell's report on baseball's steroids era.

"The illegal use of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs was pervasive for more than a decade, Major League Baseball was slow and ineffective in responding to the scandal, and the use of human growth hormone has been rising," said committee chairman Henry Waxman, a California Democrat.

"The Mitchell Report also makes it clear that everyone in baseball is responsible: the owners, the commissioner, the union and the players."

After Mitchell's two-hour appearance, Selig and Fehr went before the panel. Maryland Democrat Elijah Cummings said to Selig and Fehr: "This scandal happened under your watch. I want that to sink in. It did. Do you accept responsibility for this scandal or do you think there was nothing you could do to prevent it?"

Fehr paused for several seconds.

"Did we or did I appreciate the depth of the problem? ... The answer is 'No,"' Fehr replied. "It's a failure that we didn't and it's a failure that I didn't."

Selig then followed, starting by saying he's agonized over the question.

"Do I wish we could have reacted quicker? Should we have? One could make the case," the commissioner said. "All of us have to take responsibility, starting with me."

In his opening statement, Selig vowed to develop a program "to require top prospects for the major league draft to submit to drug testing before the (amateur) draft." He also reiterated his willingness to support use of a test for human growth hormone "when a valid, commercially available and practical test for HGH becomes reality, regardless of whether the test is based on blood or urine."

Fehr, in turn, said the union has agreed to "allow players to be suspended for HGH use based on evidence other than a positive test, a so-called 'non-analytical' finding."

He and Selig said they met in December to discuss the Mitchell Report's investigations and plan to meet again.

"I hope we have all of this completed before spring training," Selig said.

One representative questioned all three witnesses about a potential loophole in baseball's drug policy, which was toughened in the aftermath of the 2005 congressional hearing. Penalties were increased and amphetamines were banned.

Massachusetts Democrat John Tierney said baseball gave over 100 therapeutic-use exemptions to players for attention deficit disorder last year, up from 28 in 2006. The exemptions enabled players to use stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall.

Earlier, the mood was captured succinctly by Connecticut Republican Christopher Shays, who began his questioning time by noting, "This is almost surreal to me."

It took more than 1 1/2 hours for the first mention of Roger Clemens, the star pitcher who figures prominently in the Mitchell Report and is scheduled to testify before the committee on Feb. 13, along with his former trainer, Brian McNamee. It was McNamee who told Mitchell that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone, charges Clemens repeatedly has denied.

"You continue to feel comfortable with Mr. McNamee's credibility?" Waxman asked.

"We believe that the statements provided to us were truthful," Mitchell said.

Mitchell was asked why he did not address amphetamine use in his report ("They were outside the mandate of our investigation"); what level of help he received from the union ("As I said in my report, the players' association was largely uncooperative"); and why he did not agree to a request by The Associated Press to turn over evidence he gathered ("The responsibility for the disclosure of those documents rests with those who are the possessors and owners of the documents.") Mitchell said there were 115,000 pages.

NBA highlights from January 14

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 14!


There's No Top Ten Plays Today, So Let's Get Right to Our Top Play! John Salmons hits the game-winning shot off the glass!

NBA highlights from January 13

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 13th!


Here's Your Top Ten Plays!


Here's Your Top Play! Jamal Crawford with the amazing circus shot!

NBA Highlights!

Here's Saturday's NBA Highlights!


Here's Saturday's Top Ten Plays!


Here's Saturday's Top Play! Jerry Stackhouse hits the three at the buzzer for the win!


Here's Friday's NBA Highlights!


Here's Friday's Top Ten Plays!


Here's Friday's Top Play! LeBron James with the big slam over Gerald Wallace!


NFL Fans, Your Divisional Playoff Preview is below!

NFL Divisional Playoff Preview

Here Is Your Preview for the NFL Divisional Playoffs. When Monday Morning rolls around, four teams will be left standing in their quest for the Lombardi Trophy.

SATURDAY GAMES
SEAHAWKS AT PACKERS 4:30 PM EST FOX

This game has many storylines, the biggest one being how Mike Holmgren, who coached Brett Favre into the Hall Of Famer he is today and Coached the Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XXXI, will be on the other sideline with his Seattle Seahawks, who he led to an appearance in Super Bowl XL.

This Packers team is the best one of this decade. This is Brett Favre's 21st Playoff Game, which will break a tie with Steve Young for fifth all time.

Favre's 11-9 postseason record includes only one win in his last five appearnaces, but the victory came against Seattle at Lambeau Field. That 33-27 Overtime Victory on January 4, 2004, is best remembered for Matt Hasselbeck saying after the coin toss at the end of regulation "We want the ball and we're going to score!" Hasselbeck went on to throw an interception in overtime which was returned 52 yards by Al Harris for the game winning touchdown.

That's the only playoff game in which Brett Favre has not thrown an interception.

Let's look ahead to the present... This game will be worth camping out in front of the HD Set for. I expect there to be plenty of scoring for both teams. Shaun Alexander and Ryan Grant will have to run for good yardage. I think Green Bay will beat Seattle to advance to the NFC Championship Game.

GREEN BAY OVER SEATTLE

JAGUARS AT PATRIOTS 8:00 PM EST CBS

The New England Patriots went undefeated in the Regular Season, but their perfect Regular season means nothing unless they have a perfect postseason as well.

With all the records this team set, if they go all the way and win the Super Bowl, they will no doubt be called the greatest team of all time.

The Jaguars are very underrated as a team. The two headed monster running game in the pairing of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. Taylor has the power to run over defenders, while Jones-Drew is the most elusive running back in the NFL today. I was watching the Jags play the Texans earlier this year and they were comapring Jones-Drew's elusiveness to Barry Sanders, and he has all the moves that Barry does!

Everyone knows the Jaguars can run, but they also have a very underrated defense, headlined by Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. The Patriots will not be able to run against Jacksonville today.

The Jaguars will have to play a ball control offensive attack. They will have to run it down the throats of the Patriots. The Jags have no passing game, so they have to run and keep running.

I'm torn. Part of me wants to see the Jags win while another part of me wants to see the Patriots go 16-0. I'll go with The Patriots because they have never lost at Foxboro.

PATRIOTS OVER JAGAUARS


SUNDAY GAMES

CHARGERS AT COLTS 1:00 PM EST CBS
Tony Dungy leads the Colts in their quest to repeat as Super Bowl Champions since The Patriots did in 2004 and 2005. They will face a San Diego team that beat them in the regular season 23-21, as Adam Vinateiri missed the game winning field goal. I think the Colts will beat the Chargers, but the Chargers will remember when they beat the Colts on Veteran's Day. That will be their modivation.

The Colts defense had better be prepared to see a heavy dose of the run, and they nedd to be prepares in case LT tries to leap over the pile into the endzone.

The Colts offense need to be prepared in case the Chargers send blitzers, and San Diego will blitz early and often. Peyton Manning will need to get rid of the ball quickly.

COLTS OVER CHARGERS

GIANTS VS COWBOYS 4:30 PM EST FOX

If the Cowboys defeat the Giants Sunday, the Cowboys will bwcome the first team to beat another team three times in the same season.

Dallas has not won a playoff game since 1996. They will try and change their luck against the Giants.

Eli Mannning looked solid against the Buccaneers defense last week, and I expect him to have much of the same success against this Cowboy defense.

The Cowboy defense needs to blitz early and often, get prssure in Eli's face, to get him to release the ball quicker than he wants to. This will hopefully lead to some turnovers.

The Passing game will have to rely more on Jason Witten, Terry Glenn, and Patrick Crayton because Terrell Owens will not be 100 percent for this game.

The Dallas Cowboys will beat the New York Giants to face Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game.

DALLAS OVER GREEN BAY.

Enjoy All The NFL Action This Weekend!

NBA Demands Replay Of Hawks-Heat Game

For the first time since 1982, the NBA is sending two teams back to the court for a do over.

The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat must replay the final 51.9 Seconds of their game last month because the official scorer ruled incorrectly that Shaquille O'Neal fouled out, the League said Friday.

The Hawks won 117-111 at home in overtime December 19, but strike that one from the books. For now, playoff contending Atlanta has one less win, while the Heat have one less loss on their hapless record.

Making it a truly miserable day, Atlanta followed up NBA Commmisioner David Stern's decision by losing 102-98 in overtime to the Washington Wizzards.

The NBA Said play will begin before Miami's next visit to Atlanta on March 8th. Play will start from the time after O'Neal's disputed sixth foul, with the Hawks leading 114-111.

The Hawks were also fined $50,000, with Stern ruling the team was "grossly neglegent" in failing to address the mistake.

The Protest is the first granted by the NBA Since December 1982, when then NBA Commisoner Larry O'Brien upheld a request for a replay by the San Antonio Spurs following their 137-132 double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Spurs and Lakers finally finished the game in April 1983, with San Antonio winning 117-114.

NBA Demands Replay Of Hawks-Heat Game

Goose Gossage Elected To Hall Of Fame

Goose Gossage became only the fifth relief pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame, earning baseball's highest honor Tuesday in his ninth try on the ballot.

Known for his overpowering fastball, fiery temperament and bushy mustache, the Goose received 466 of 543 votes (85.8 percent) from 10-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

"It was very emotional I'll tell you, off the charts. I can't describe the feeling," Gossage said after learning the news. "I can't lie. There's been some frustration and some disappointment."

Jim Rice was passed over yet again in his next-to-last year on the ballot, getting 392 votes (72.2 percent), up from 346 (63.5 percent) last year but 16 short of the 75 percent needed.

"Today's results are obviously a disappointment," Rice said in a statement. "I believe my accomplishments speak for themselves, and a majority of the voters seem to agree. It is tough to come this close, but I remain hopeful for the 2009 results."

Mark McGwire, a casualty of the Steroids Era in some writers' minds, received just 128 votes — the exact total he had last year. His percentage increased slightly to 23.6 percent, up from 23.5 percent last year when he was on the ballot for the first time.

"I don't think this steroid thing is over by any means. I'm sure that most of you guys, the writers, don't really know how to approach this," Gossage during a BBWAA conference call.

Gossage, who fell short by 21 votes last year, joins Hoyt Wilhelm (1985), Rollie Fingers (1992), Dennis Eckersley (2004) and Bruce Sutter (2006) in Cooperstown's bullpen.

Gossage was sitting in a recliner in his living room overlooking the Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs, Colo., when he received the call. He turned to reporters in the room and said, "Oh my God, I've been elected."

"A shock wave went through my body like an anvil just fell on my head," Gossage said. "I think having to wait makes it that much more special."

His mother died in 2006, Gossage said with tears welling up in his eyes, and he had hoped she would live long enough to see him inducted.

Gossage was a nine-time All-Star who pitched for nine major league teams from 1972-94 and had 310 saves — 52 of them when he got seven outs or more.

The first time he appeared on the Hall ballot in 2000, Gossage received only 33.3 percent of the vote.

Rice will appear on the writers' ballot for the 15th and final time next year, when career steals leader Rickey Henderson will be among the newcomers. The highest percentage for a player who wasn't elected in a later year was 63.4 by Gil Hodges in 1983, his final time on the ballot.

The last player elected in his final year on the BBWAA ballot was Ralph Kiner in 1975.

"I think Jim Rice does belong in the Hall of Fame," Gossage said. "No hitter scared me, but Jim Rice came the closest."

Andre Dawson was third with 358 votes (65.9 percent), followed by Bert Blyleven at 336 (61.9 percent), Lee Smith at 235 (43.3 percent) and Jack Morris at 233 (42.9 percent).

"We as players that are on the bubble can have opinions, and it does really no good to vent or get angry because it's out of our hands," said Blyleven, whose percentage rose from 47.7 last year. "I know Goose vented a little bit last year, and Jim Rice will probably vent this year. I have four more years. For some reason they make some of these guys like Gossage and Bruce Sutter wait. Like Goose said, he's not going to save any more games."

Tim Raines topped the 11 newcomers on the ballot, receiving 132 votes (24.3 percent). All of the others appearing for the first time fell below the 5 percent necessary to remain on the ballot next year.

Gossage will be inducted July 27 in Cooperstown, joined by five men elected last month by the revamped Veterans Committee: former commissioner Bowie Kuhn, former Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley, managers Dick Williams and Billy Southworth and ex-Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss.

Williams managed Gossage on the San Diego Padres, helping them win the 1984 NL pennant.

"There isn't anybody I'd rather go in with than Dick Williams," said Gossage, who spoke with his former manager right after getting the news.

Joe Gibbs Resigns As Redskins Coach

Joe Gibbs resigned as coach and team president of the Washington Redskins on Tuesday, three days after his team's playoff loss concluded a season marked by the killing of safety Sean Taylor.

The Redskins said in a statement that Gibbs will remain part of the Redskins family and serve as a special adviser to owner Dan Snyder.

The Redskins will begin a search for a new coach immediately. Among the certain candidates are two former head coaches on Gibbs' staff, Gregg Williams and Al Saunders.

Gibbs went 31-36, including 1-2 in the playoffs, after emerging from NFL retirement and his NASCAR career to sign a five-year, $27.5 million contract in 2004. He had always maintained that he intended to fulfill the contract, but the 67-year-old coach wavered from that stance Monday when asked if he would return for the final year of his deal.

Gibbs' resignation brings an apparent end to a Hall of Fame coaching career in which he twice raised the Redskins from mediocrity into a playoff team, although he failed in his goal of bringing the team back to the Super Bowl during his second stint in Washington. Gibbs won three NFL titles during his first tenure from 1981-92; the second time around he took the team to the postseason in two of his four seasons.

It also follows one of the best coaching performances of his career, his leadership helping the Redskins focus after Taylor's death on Nov. 27. Washington won its final four regular season games after Taylor's funeral, going from 5-7 to 9-7 to claim the final playoff berth in the NFC.

The emotional run ended Saturday, when the Redskins lost 35-14 at Seattle in the wild-card playoffs.

"It was the toughest (season) for me," Gibbs said Monday. "When you go through a season like that, for a while it's kind of hard to re-grasp reality."

Gibbs has also endured a personal crisis for a year. One of his grandsons, Taylor, was diagnosed with leukemia last January at the age of 2. Gibbs frequently talks lovingly about his "grandbabies," and he made an overnight to North Carolina on Sunday to be with his family, interrupting the postseason routine of meetings that usually follow the final game of the season.

Still, for much of the season, Gibbs seemed intent on returning to coach. Players and coaches said publicly and privately over the last week that they would be shocked if he didn't stay on to finish the job. Last month, he said he would be open to discussing a contract extension so that he would not return next season as a lame-duck coach.

At a news conference Monday, Gibbs spoke about plans for next season — the team's approach to free agency, offseason workouts and the possibility of an open quarterback competition at training camp — as if he were going to remain on the sidelines. However, he hedged when asked if he would definitely be back, saying it would hinge on his meeting Monday night with Snyder.

"Everybody's situation will be taken into context here — including mine, and my future here and all that," Gibbs said Monday.

NBA highlights from January 7

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 7th!


Here's Monday's Top Ten Plays!


And Monday's Top Play! Carmelo Anthony with the huge slam over Skinner!

NBA highlights from January 6

Here Are Your NBA highlights from Last Night, January 6th!


Here Are Your Top Ten Plays!


And Your Top Play! Gerald Wallace with the steal and windmill jam!

NBA Highlights!

Here Are Your NBA highlights from January 5th!


Here Are Saturday's Top Ten Plays!


And Saturday's Top Play! Richard Jefferson with the wicked hammer slam!


Here Are Friday's NBA Highlights!


Here's Friday's Top Plays!


And Friday's Top Play! Tyson Chandler throws down the huge jam off the alley-oop!


NFL Fans, Your Wildcard Weekend Preview Is Below!

NFL Wildcard Weekend Preview

In The First Game on Saturday, Matt Hasselbeck leads the Washington Redskins against Todd Collins and the Washington Redskins.


Here Is Your Preview of the NFC Wildcard Weekend.
SATURDAY GAMES
REDSKINS AT SEAHAWKS 4:00 PM EST NBC
This game has so much meaning to the Redskins. They mourned the loss of teamate Sean Taylor, and Todd Collins has become the Redskins starter for the first time in ten years. The Running game will be vital to the success of both teams as Shaun Alexander and Clinton Portis will both get their names called early and often. This game, like every, will be won in the trenches. I give Seattle the edge in that category, but the sheer emotion the Redskins will be playing with makes this a game that could go either way. That being said, I'll take Seattle because I think the veterran leadership will help Seattle advance to the NFC Divisional Playoff game.
SEAHAWKS OVER REDSKINS

JAGUARS AT STEELERS 7:00 PM EST NBC
This game really is another one I'm looking forward to. The Jaguars have been called "the team you don't want to face in the playoffs." The Steelers have the misfortune of facing that team. The Steelers do have Homefield Advantage, but their running game will be hurt because Willie Parker is lost for the season. Both of these defenses are scary good. This game may end up coming down to the kickers.I think this game, like the Seahawks-Redskins game, will come down to the running game. I'll go with Jacksonville because I think Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew will run for good yardage.
JAGUARS OVER STEELERS

SUNDAY GAMES
GIANTS AT BUCCANEERS 1:00 PM EST FOX
This game will be great. Two great defesnes for both teams. Jeff Garcia has been a thorn in the Giants side, as he led playoff vicotries against the Giants in 2003 and last season. Garcia once again gets the chance to rub salt in the wound. The Giants scored 35 points against the Patriots, the most points the Patriots had given up all season, but The Patriots came back from a twelve point defecit, their lagest of the season, to beat The Patriots 38-35. Eli Manning will always have the label "He's not as good as his brother." The first step to erasing that monkier would be a victory over the Buccaneers. This game will come down to the passing game. Whichever Quarterback can keep the turnover column at zero will be the one picking up the win. I think the Buccaneers can be that team.
BUCCANEERS OVER GIANTS

TITANS AT CHARGERS 4:00 PM EST CBS
This game has a questionmark associated with it. Who will start at quarterback for the Titans? Vince Young or Kerry Collins? If Vince Young is at the helm, the Chargers will have to look out in case he wants to run. If Kerry Collins starts, the Chargers will not have to worry about Collins running. Both of these teams have great defenses that will bring the heat early and often. The key for both teams will be the wuick pass to countract the blitz. The Tennesee defense will have to be on their toes again LaDanian Tomlinson, if he gets some daylight, he is off to the endzone. When these two teams played earlier in the season, LaDanian Tomlinson scored the game winning youchdown in overtime. I think The Chargers will win again.
CHARGERS OVER TITANS

Watch the games this Weekend!