Tiger Woods Lays Up During ESPN Radio's 'Mike and Mike' Interview

by Milton Kent

Filed under: Sports Business and Media

The true purpose of Tiger Woods' much ballyhooed interview with ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike In The Morning was revealed about five minutes after the interview ended. That's when co-host Mike Greenberg read the first of a number of plugs for Woods' golf event next month.

In other words, just like virtually every other interview on Mike and Mike with an active professional athlete, where the celebrity in question answers a couple of questions about the season to date, then touts his commercial sponsor, Woods got the word out about his event without having to get his hands dirty.

In a roughly 25-minute interview over two segments, Woods broke no new ground from the story he has offered the past year. He declined to provide any details about the Thanksgiving Day accident at his home, he said precious little about whom he has taken advice from and he added nothing to speculation that he might have taken human growth hormones. Woods wouldn't even take a shot at Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne, who famously chided him before the Masters this year about his behavior. As Greenberg rightly pointed out, Woods' answers, in many cases, sounded like he was parroting a therapist.

In fairness to Greenberg and co-host Mike Golic, they were put in a no-win situation. They were asked to interview a man who has notoriously kept a wall between himself and the public, parceling out just enough of himself to say that he made the attempt. Recognizing that, the pair attempted before the interview started to lower expectations, first by saying that they weren't going to try to make themselves into Barbara Walters or Mike Wallace, and then by declaring that they would not explore the salacious details of last Thanksgiving and its aftermath.

To their credit, the two of them, and particularly Golic, the former defensive lineman, pressed Woods to the degree that they were allowed to, both by the limits of time and by the evasiveness of the interviewee.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/11/18/tiger-woods-lays-up-during-espn-radios-mike-and-mike-intervie/

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Jimmie Johnson Wins Fifth Straight NASCAR Title, Carl Edwards Wins Race

Filed under: Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup, NASCAR

The Jimmie Johnson dynasty in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series stretched to half a decade at Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday as the most dominant driver the sport has ever seen won his fifth straight championship with a second-place finish in the Ford 400 season finale.

As Carl Edwards motored to his second straight victory in as many weeks, leading 190 laps, Johnson fought back from early pit problems, settled into his regular routine and came on at the end to seal the title.

For Edwards, the two consecutive victories came after a 70-race winless streak.

"This is unreal," Edwards said in victory lane. "It's a great way to finish the season. I think the way we're going, if we can start like that, our Aflac team will have a shot at them next year.

"To finish like this is unreal. It's just these guys not giving up. We don't give up. We've had just an unbelievable run toward the end of this season. It's just a great way to end the season."

The championship battle was a nail-biting contest whose complexion changed time and time again throughout the 267-lap event.

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Holly Cain: NASCAR's Greatest Champion?

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/21/jimmie-johnson-wins-fifth-straight-nascar-championship-as-carl-e/

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Athletics to Meet With Lance Berkman

Filed under: Athletics, MLB Rumors, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Free Agency

The Oakland A's will meet with free agent Lance Berkman on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, as they search for ways to improve an offense that ranked 11th in the American League in runs scored last season.

Berkman his .248 with 14 homers and 58 RBI between Houston and New York in 2010, a significant drop-off from his star-caliber production during the middle of the decade, but Oakland is desperate for the thump even a diminished Berkman could provide. It ranked 13th in homers and 12th in slugging in the league last year.

One potential stumbling block could be Berkman's desire to play in the field. He describes himself as a first baseman and outfielder, not as a designated hitter, even though he hit .286 in 25 games there last season with the Yankees.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/30/as-to-meet-with-free-agent-lance-berkman/

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FOX to Broadcast First Big Ten Football Championship Game

by Milton Kent

Filed under: Big 10, Media Watch, Sports Business and Media

To the surprise of absolutely no one, FOX announced Wednesday that it will air the inaugural Big Ten football championship game next December 11 from Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium.

The network and the conference announced a five-year deal to show the title game on the over-the-air network, which, until this year, had been the home of the Bowl Championship Series games, excluding the Rose Bowl.

Though the Big Ten's football package airs on a number of carriers, including ABC and ESPN, the fact that the conference and FOX are partners on the highly successful Big Ten Network made it a natural that they would pair for the championship game.

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/17/fox-to-broadcast-first-big-ten-football-championship-game/

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Expanded Playoffs Discussed at GM Meetings; Changes Unlikely Until 2012

by Jeff Fletcher

Filed under: MLB Biz, Sports Business and Media

ORLANDO -- Baseball's general managers put their wheeling and dealing on the backburner for a few hours on Tuesday to discuss the future of the sport, with big changes possible because of next year's negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement.

Rob Manfred, the executive vice president of Major League Baseball, pictured right, told reporters that the entire day's worth of meetings with the GMs were devoted to the next CBA. Although he wouldn't be more specific, two of the topics certain to come up are expansion of the playoffs and alteration of the draft. Manfred said there was no discussion of expanded instant replay on Tuesday.

Any significant changes are not likely until 2012, at the earliest. Manfred said it would be "a difficult trick" to get changes in the middle of a contract, and the current CBA does not expire until after the 2011 season.

The hot-button topic for now is expansion of the playoffs, but GMs followed Manfred's marching orders in avoiding the topic when questioned by the media. They were told not talk about their opinions or how the discussions went. It seems clear, however, that there is some appetite for two more wild-card teams.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/16/expanded-playoffs-discussed-at-gm-meetings-changes-unlikely-unt/

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Ales Kotalik Nears Return to Flames

Filed under: Flames

CALGARY -- It's no secret the Calgary Flames are in dire need of some offensive impetus, having scored just six goals in their past four games.

By the end of the week, they're hoping that the meek attack will be bolstered by a guy who has yet to see action this season: Ales Kotalik.

The Czech right winger made a real mish-mash of his knee during the latter part of training camp, damaging not one but two ligaments. But as the Flames prepared to meet Minnesota Wild on Monday night, Kotalik was on the Scotiabank Saddledome ice, testing out the knee and looking ahead to either Wednesday' game vs. Vancouver or Friday's game in Minnesota.

"It feels great," Kotalik acknowledged. "It's been a while. It's the most severe injury I've had in my career. It's not an easy thing to come back from. I've worked extremely hard in rehab and I'm committed to putting the work in and come back as strong as I have been.

"The doctors said it was pretty unusual. If it was one ligament only, I might be playing already. But I'm a heavy guy, I play with power on the ice, and it makes it harder for the ligaments to heal. I have to fight it and look for that comfort level."

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/ales-kotalik-nears-return-to-flames/

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Mark Cuban Says He Recruited LeBron to Mavericks

Filed under: Heat, Mavericks, NBA Rumors, Sports Business and Media, NBA Free Agents

When LeBron James announced he would be taking his talents to South Beach in front of the whole world, Dan Gilbert wasn't the only owner left feeling sick.

Mark Cuban, the boisterous and often controversial owner of the Dallas Mavericks, says he vehemently courted 'The King' and his business manager, Maverick Carter, during LeBron's free agent bonanza last summer. He did so through a barrage of text messages after the July 1 start of free agency with the main message that James' best shot at a title was with Dallas, and not Miami.

He envisioned James teaming up with All-Star point guard Jason Kidd along with superstar forward Dirk Nowitzki and that he in turn would provide him with a quality set of ancillary parts.

"Before he made his decision, what I told [James] ... and what I told Maverick was no team had ever blown up their team to ground zero -- well, I shouldn't use those words -- blown their team up of all of their core, and then added a couple of free agents and won a championship," Cuban told ESPN's Michael Wallace before the Heat played the Mavericks on Saturday at American Airlines Center. "It's always taken someone to come into a good team, make it better, and put it over the top. That's what I told him, and that's what I told Maverick."

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/27/mark-cuban-says-he-recruited-lebron-to-mavericks/

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World No. 1 Rank and More at Stake in European Tour's Finale

Filed under: PGA, European Tour

The world's top ranking is becoming a pretty common storyline heading into golf tournaments these days, and it's something you should get used to. There are three golfers that everyone will be paying attention to -- Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer (pictured), and Graeme McDowell -- and there are two key competitions taking place at the European Tour's final stop this week. Up for grabs this week will be the Race to Dubai and the World's Number One ranking.

For these three, it's been quite the breakout year, and they're the main reason European golf has been shoved into the face of anyone that follows the sport. One look at the six trophies displayed on the first tee at this week's Dubai World Championships and it's clear which continent is playing the best golf.

The Ryder Cup, the U.S. Open Trophy, the Claret Jug (British Open), Wannamaker Trophy (PGA Championship), the Dubai World Championship spectre and the Race to Dubai Trophy signified the dominance by Europe in 2010 and that trio was instrumental in all but one.

So I guess it's fitting that the final tournament of the year, which will determine the best player in Europe, will likely also crown the year's best player and world's top player. Kaymer and McDowell sit one and two respectively in the Race to Dubai with no one else close enough to catch them. The U.S. Open Champion has to finish no less than third in order to overcome the €290,910 difference between him and the PGA Champion. If either of them wins this week, which will, in turn, give them the Race title, they would have a strong case for the best player in 2010.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/11/24/more-than-world-no-1-is-at-stake-in-european-tours-finale/

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FanHouse Fab 40: Still Quacking

Filed under: Auburn, Oregon, TCU, Top 25

Oregon, Auburn and TCU are the remaining unbeaten teams and they top my Associated Press Top 25 ballot this week.

Oregon remains No. 1 on my ballot after blitzing Arizona, while Auburn climbs to No. 2 with its impressive come-from-behind victory at Alabama. TCU inches up to No. 3 after closing out a perfect 12-0 season by destroying New Mexico.

Boise State, after losing in overtime at Nevada, drops to No. 9, one spot ahead of Virginia Tech, which will play in the ACC championship on Saturday.

Boise State was one of four teams ranked among my top 12 teams last week that lost. Alabama, LSU and Oklahoma State also fell after losses last weekend.

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/28/fanhouse-fab-40-still-quacking/

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Major League Notebook: November 24

Filed under: MLB Notebook

Here's what is happening around baseball on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010:

o. Bryan Bullington, the top overall pick in the 2002 MLB Draft, has been released by the Royals so he can sign with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Bullington was designated for assignment last week.

The 30-year-old right-hander has to rank among the biggest busts in draft history. Eight years after being taken first overall by the Pirates, Bullington has appeared in just 26 major league games (half of them for the Royals this season) while posting a 1-9 record and 5.62 ERA. His only career victory came Aug. 15, when he threw eight shutout innings against the Yankees in Kansas City.

o. Perhaps paving the way for his next career, Bud Selig has been named an adjunct faculty member at the Marquette University Law School, where he will serve as a distinguished lecturer in sports law and policy. Selig has given lectures at the school since last year.

"Bud Selig is, without question, one of the most skilled and accomplished professionals in the sports industry today," Joseph D. Kearney, dean of Marquette Law School, said in a statement. "We are truly honored that he would commit his time to our students and grateful that he's chosen our classrooms as a place to pass down his significant wisdom to the next generation of leaders."

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/24/major-league-notebook-november-24/

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Broncos' Sour Season Further Buried by 'McSpygate' and On-Field Struggles

Filed under: Broncos, AFC West

DENVER -- There were some signs fans held up inside and outside the stadium calling for the firing of Broncos coach Josh McDaniels.

When his name blared over the public address system for pre-game introductions, there was a round of boos from the crowd.

And by the time St. Louis staved off a late Broncos rally and rookie quarterback Sam Bradford took a knee to run out the final few seconds in the Rams' 36-33 victory, there was hardly anyone left in Invesco Field at Mile High, having already left after the Rams built a big lead.

These are tough times for McDaniels and the Broncos, who are taking a public-relations beating as well as a beating on the field.

The Broncos fell to 3-8 on the season and lost for the 16th time in 21 games, their worst stretch in nearly 40 years.

One of their top defensive players, linebacker D.J. Williams, was arrested in a drunken driving case two weeks ago. Kansas City coach Todd Haley recently rebuffed McDaniels' offer of a post-game handshake and then scolded him for reasons neither coach has discussed.

And on Saturday, the Broncos were caught up in a scandal over the improper videotaping of a 49ers practice the day before Denver lost to San Francisco in a game played in London. The NFL fined a chagrined McDaniels and the Broncos organization $50,000 each and the Broncos cameraman who secretly took the footage has been fired.

McDaniels, who blamed the improper videotaping on the bad judgement of a former employee and disowned the unseemly tactics, spent part of Saturday making a public apology over the videotaping scandal that has tarnished the organization's good name.

But he brushed off a question at his post-game news conference about whether what has been dubbed by some around town as "McSpygate" had been a distraction for the team.

"We addressed that all yesterday," McDaniels said brusquely. "I'm done with that. I'm done talking about that. OK? Thanks."

If only it was that easy to wipe away the questions and the damage to the team's reputation.

Broncos chief operating officer Joe Ellis said during a conference call Saturday that the team would have to work hard at again earning the fan's respect and trust, both in the wake of the scandal and the club's dismal performance on the field.

Players, for the most part, tried to focus on football rather than getting up caught up in questions over the improper videotaping episode.

"We know what's going on, but we can't control that," Broncos linebacker Robert Ayers said. "We came out, tried to execute our game plan and the coaches put it in the back (of their minds) and we moved forward. We'll deal with that internally. Once the whistle blows, we kind of block that stuff out."

Added quarterback Kyle Orton, "There wasn't one bit of distraction. We had one team meeting over it and it was pretty much over after three minutes. There's stuff that happens throughout an entire NFL season and as pros and as men you worry about your own business."

But they did hear the boos, especially the ones that rained down from the crowd at halftime, when the Broncos were down 26-13 after blowing an early 10-0 lead.

"I know the fans are frustrated. We're frustrated, too," said the Broncos' Jason Hunter. "We want it just as bad as they do. We've just got to continue to work."

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/28/broncos-sour-season-further-buried-by-mcspygate-and-on-field/

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Gamecocks Show Razor-Sharp Focus in Rout of Rival Clemson

Filed under: Clemson, South Carolina, ACC, SEC

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Three weeks ago, South Carolina got a valuable lesson in motivation.

A showdown in The Swamp with Florida for the Gamecocks' first SEC East title loomed, but they had to get through a meaningless home game with Arkansas first.

And they played like it, too. The Razorbacks rolled them, 41-10, and coach Steve Spurrier later admitted his team lacked proper focus.

Saturday night, USC got another chance to show consistency -- and take a chokehold on the Palmetto State in the process. The East title was in their pocket, and an SEC title showdown with Auburn lay seven days away.

Would the Gamecocks have enough single-minded focus to handle arch rival Clemson?

On the floor of Death Valley, USC showed it had excellent tunnel vision.

Despite spotting the Tigers an early 7-0 lead, the Gamecocks scored the game's final 29 points for a 29-7 rout.

South Carolina improved to 9-3 and will face Auburn next week in the SEC title game. Clemson fell to 6-6 and will learn its bowl destination next Sunday.

"It springboards a lot," said USC quarterback Stephen Garcia. "It was big coming in here and playing against a Clemson team that's a rival. They were looking to knock us down and we fought hard. Defense played outstanding. That was a big win for us, huge win for us."

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More Week 13: Full Scoreboard | Live Tweet | Latest Stories
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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/28/gamecocks-show-razor-sharp-focus-in-rout-of-rival-clemson/

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Ray Allen Still Rolling After All These Years

Filed under: Celtics

Ray Allen doesn't hesitate to reveal some secrets of his longevity to younger teammates. So at a Halloween party last month at Allen's house, the Boston guard took Delonte West into his garage.

There he showed off his $10,000 bike. It's a recent investment to help keep Allen, 35, in great shape.

"I'm learning a lot from him just in the short time (of being in Boston after signing in September) in how he takes care of his body,'' said West, 27, who figures to get even more tips from Allen after he was lost for several months Wednesday with a broken right wrist. "Not that many people invest that much money on a bike to ride. It's like something Lance Armstrong would ride. But that's what you do when you want to become the ultimate pro, you invest to keep yourself in top shape.''

Allen has been riding for about a dozen years and had the same bike. But earlier this year he upgraded to a bike designed specifically for him.

"I'd been looking to get a new one so I used this company out of Boston, Independent Fabrication,'' Allen said in an interview with FanHouse. "I wanted something ultralight, and I just went to a bike shop to figure out what's new and what's out there. We put together a bike based on my specifications. It's like one of those bikes you can pick up with two fingers. It's just real light.''

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/25/ray-allen-still-rolling-after-all-these-years/

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Cubs Have Interest in Brandon Webb

Filed under: Cubs, Diamondbacks, MLB Rumors, FanHouse Exclusive, MLB Inside Scoop, MLB Hot Stove

The Cubs, with a tight budget and a need for starting pitching, are seriously considering former Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb, a free-agent right-hander coming off shoulder surgery, according to a major-league source.

Webb has not pitched in the majors since Opening Day 2009, so any deal would likely be incentive-laden.

The source said the Cubs have been in talks with Webb's agent, Jonathan Maurer.

The Cubs have Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster for their 2011 rotation but not much certain beyond that.

Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/27/cubs-have-interest-in-brandon-webb/

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Kasey Kahne Wins Pole for NASCAR Finale, Jimmie Johnson Leads Contenders

Filed under: Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Kasey Kahne won the pole position for Sunday's Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, while four-time defending Cup champ Jimmie Johnson's sixth-place effort was best of the three drivers vying for the season championship.

Kahne's No. 83 Red Bull Toyota turned a lap of 176.904 mph around the 1.5-mile oval, bettering Carl Edwards' Ford and Jamie McMurray's Chevrolet. (Kahne is shown at right checking times during qualifying).

But as significant as who will be starting up front is who won't be. Championship points leader Denny Hamlin, who holds a tenuous 15-point edge over Johnson, will start 37th in the 43-car field. Kevin Harvick, who trails Hamlin by 46 points, will roll off 28th.

"It was tough ... but our car is gonna be fine tomorrow,'' Hamlin said. "We know that. This is a track you can pass (at). We're looking forward to that part of it. Friday has just never been our strong suit and so we gotta battle back again."

Harvick, who has started better then 20th only one time since August, didn't appear overly concerned with his starting position. He finished third at Martinsville, Va., last month after starting 36th and was runner-up at Las Vegas despite starting 34th.

"I thought we might have been a little better, but not much,'' said Harvick, who drives the No.. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy. "Everybody on the car did a really good job. ... We've been talking about where we want to pit here, the same thing we do every week.

"Our car was very comfortable in race trim and we are ready to go.''

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/19/kasey-kahne-wins-pole-for-nascar-finale-jimmie-johnson-leads-co/

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CBS, FOX, NBC Stage War of Words for NFL Ratings Supremacy

by Milton Kent

Filed under: Sports Business and Media

Sunday's NFL turf battles serve as a prelude to the fight between the broadcast carriers each week to claim that theirs is the network of record for professional football.

The linguistic footwork exhibited by FOX, NBC and CBS to proclaim ratings superiority can be as deft as Andre Johnson trying to get two feet down on a sideline route, albeit a lot less fascinating. All three networks are claiming some piece of the Nielsen ratings crown for this season -- a year where football viewership is as high as it's been in recent memory.

And the NFL, meanwhile, crows about its dominance over the entire field of television, noting that its games occupy the top 15 slots of most watched programs of the television season. Last Thursday's Atlanta-Baltimore game, airing on the NFL Network, beat out the Boston-Miami NBA game on TNT, despite the fact that the NFL Network is available in far fewer homes than TNT.

In a four-page press release, NBC laid out that last Sunday's New England-Pittsburgh game was not only the number one prime-time show on Sunday night -- extending that streak to 10 straight weeks -- but was also the most watched and highest rated prime-time show for the week. NBC also boasts that its Sunday night package is the No.1 show in prime time for all the key adult and male demographic groups, namely among adults aged 18-34 and 25-54, as well as men aged 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/19/cbs-fox-nbc-stage-war-of-words-for-nfl-ratings-supremacy/

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Jimmie Johnson Wins Fifth Straight NASCAR Title, Carl Edwards Wins Race

Filed under: Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup, NASCAR

The Jimmie Johnson dynasty in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series stretched to half a decade at Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday as the most dominant driver the sport has ever seen won his fifth straight championship with a second-place finish in the Ford 400 season finale.

As Carl Edwards motored to his second straight victory in as many weeks, leading 190 laps, Johnson fought back from early pit problems, settled into his regular routine and came on at the end to seal the title.

For Edwards, the two consecutive victories came after a 70-race winless streak.

"This is unreal," Edwards said in victory lane. "It's a great way to finish the season. I think the way we're going, if we can start like that, our Aflac team will have a shot at them next year.

"To finish like this is unreal. It's just these guys not giving up. We don't give up. We've had just an unbelievable run toward the end of this season. It's just a great way to end the season."

The championship battle was a nail-biting contest whose complexion changed time and time again throughout the 267-lap event.

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Holly Cain: NASCAR's Greatest Champion?

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/21/jimmie-johnson-wins-fifth-straight-nascar-championship-as-carl-e/

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Heat Lose to Magic, Drop Third Consecutive Game

Filed under: Heat, Magic

ORLANDO, Fla. - This was the one the Orlando Magic needed for them to prove they were legitimate contenders this season.

The Magic beat the Miami Heat, 104-95, avenging that early 26-point drubbing in South Florida that had been haunting them the last couple weeks.

It was the third consecutive loss for the Heat, who remain puzzled by their inability to make it work with three superstars .

Dwight Howard led everyone with 24 points and 18 rebounds. Jameer Nelson, who was ejected in the final minute, had 17 points and a career-high 14 assists.

LeBron James scored 25 points, and Dwyane Wade added 18 but made only 6-of-21 shots, struggling with an early-season shooting slump.

The Magic were without Vince Carter, who sat out the game with a minor knee sprain, sustained in Monday night's loss at San Antonio.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/24/heat-lose-to-magic-drop-third-consecutive-game/

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Tennessee Defense Sparks Preseason NIT Championship Win Over Villanova

Filed under: Tennessee, Villanova

The Tennessee Volunteers used tenacious defense to control Friday's 78-68 win over Villanova and become the 2010 Preseason NIT champions.

Both teams came into the game with unblemished records and were ranked in the top 25, Tennessee at No. 24, Villanova at No. 7. The Volunteers improved to 5-0 on the season and beat Villanova for the first time ever. The Wildcats fell to 5-1.

This game might not have been pretty for either team, but toughness played a big part in offensive struggles at both ends of the court. In fact, at some points during the game, play was somewhat ugly. and Villanova were really struggling out there, battling hard against stout defenses, and really wanting to win this contest.

The championship game of this preseason tournament had all of the feel of a March basketball game. Players left nothing out on the court and it was just as likely to see bodies diving on the ground as it was to see them flying above the rim.

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/tennessee-defense-sparks-presason-nit-championship-win-over-vill/

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Jimmy Clausen Will Start for Panthers vs. Browns

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South, NFL Injuries

The next six weeks will not determine if Jimmy Clausen is going to be a quarterback in the NFL, but they will determine if he is going to be the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers. Clausen will start Sunday for the Panthers (1-9) after missing last week with a concussion and continue his audition with the Panthers.

Clausen was injured with a hit to the helmet against Tampa Bay two weeks ago and the team had to use journeyman quarterback Brian St. Pierre against the Baltimore Ravens. That did not go well for St. Pierre who had two passes intercepted and returned for touchdowns.

St. Pierre, who had thrown just five passes in an NFL game, has a sore arm from throwing 28 passes against the Ravens and probably could not play this Sunday. The Panthers signed Keith Null to play quarterback, apparently unwilling to use rookie Tony Pike, who is injured.

Clausen has not had a good season replacing Matt Moore, who was first benched and then knocked out of the season with a shoulder injury. Not all of it is Clausen's fault. The Carolina offensive line has been unsettled and there has not been a run game to keep defenses balanced.

Still, Clausen has not thrown the ball well enough to stop the talk that the Panthers could take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the first pick overall in the draft. Carolina seems to be headed toward getting the first pick in the draft, which goes to the team with the worst record in the league.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/jimmy-clausen-will-start-for-panthers-vs-browns/

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Brian Dawkins Chalks Rout vs. Philip Rivers Up to Bad Night, Not Lost Step

Filed under: Broncos, AFC West

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Game film review was not kind to Brian Dawkins this week but the Broncos veteran safety watched the video intently.

Dawkins was determined to see what went wrong for him in Denver's 35-14 loss Monday at San Diego and learning from it. He's adhered to that approach throughout his career and it has helped him achieve All-Pro status four times. It's no different now, at age 37 and nearing the end of his 15th NFL season.

Dawkins was at the center of two of San Diego's biggest plays. He missed a tackle near the line of scrimmage that allowed wide receiver Patrick Crayton to convert a short reception into a 40-yard touchdown. Later, running back Darren Sproles got a step on him in the flat and raced 57 yards for a score.

Rather than dwelling too much on the negative or obsessing about talk show critics questioning whether he had lost a step, Dawkins on Friday said he just had a bad game.

"Those are the things that happen in football games," he said. "This is not my first rodeo. This is not my first time making mistakes in ballgames. It's a part of the game and something as an individual that you have to be able to check out, look at it for yourself and learn from it. I didn't invent anything by making mistakes. It's just something that happened."

Dawkins, whose season has been marked overall by solid -- and even exceptional play -- said there is no reason he can't learn from those mistakes and get better going forward.

"I don't care if you play for 30 years," Dawkins said. "You should always learn something in the game of football. If you don't, you feel like you've arrived. And anytime you feel like you've arrived at a certain position, something is going to happen to you.

"So, I'm always trying to learn, see if I can grasp something, whether it be from the playing field or something I've seen on film that somebody else did, and I can learn from That's always my position. I'm always trying to learn."

Dawkins, who came back a month ago from a knee injury that sidelined him for two games, registered his 22nd career sack in the Broncos' victory at Tennessee on Oct. 3 and he thwarted a Seattle drive with an interception in a Sept. 19 win over Seattle. And on a weekly basis, he has continued to stand out as one of the game's most forceful hitters.

That's why, like Dawkins, Broncos defensive coordinator Don Martindale views the pair of gaffes as an anomaly that he'll recover from, starting this Sunday against St. Louis, rather than as an early sign of an age-related slippage in his performance. Martindale also noted that on Crayton's touchdown, the Broncos' defensive pursuit should have gotten there in time to help Dawkins out.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/brian-dawkins-chalks-rout-vs-philip-rivers-up-to-bad-night-not/

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Spotter's Stand: Twittering NASCAR's Championship Showdown

Filed under: Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup, NASCAR

A day after the Phoenix race, where Denny Hamlin tossed a water bottle at his car in disgust, Jimmie Johnson beamed as the most confident "underdog" ever and Kevin Harvick vowed his team wasn't done, Twitter on Monday helped to instigate another rise in championship drama.

When three-time Cup champion Darrell Waltrip insisted that Johnson, who is 15 points behind Hamlin second place, is the favorite for Sunday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Harvick and Hamlin sounded off.

"Yea I guess (you're) right.. We shouldn't even show up if we are up against that!" Hamlin tweeted in response.

Harvick, never one to back down, personalized his shot.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/15/spotters-stand-twittering-nascars-championship-showdown/

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A Major League Thanks for One and All

Filed under: Astros, Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Indians, Mariners, Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees

The offseason is supposed to be a perennial winter of discontent for baseball fans. It was, after all, Hall of Fame second baseman Rogers Hornsby who quipped just so when asked what he did once the season ended.

"I'll tell you what I do," Hornsby replied. "I stare out the window and wait for spring."

And yet, it's hard not to feel optimistic even now. Baseball reminds us -- day in and day out, year after year -- that anything is possible next year, and with so many stars available in free agency and trade, a team's fortunes next year can change rapidly in the intervening months.

It's with those good vibes in mind, that we partake in a baseball-slanted Thanksgiving tradition. Below we offer a collection of things for fans of every team to be thankful for -- yes, even the Pirates. So enjoy. Gorge on turkey and all the trimmings. And remember Opening Day is only about four months away.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/25/a-major-league-thanks-for-one-and-all/

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Carmelo Anthony Shakes Off Illness to Hit Buzzer-Beater against Bulls

Filed under: Bulls, Nuggets

DENVER -- When Carmelo Anthony walked out of the Pepsi Center late Friday night, it was surprising one of Denver's ball boys wasn't called upon to help him with all the medicine he was carrying.

The Nuggets star forward began to feel sick last Monday in Golden State, a game in which he sure didn't look to be hurting en route to scoring a season-high 39 points. But when Anthony showed up for shootaround Friday morning, his teammates knew something wasn't right.

"You could tell he was feeling bad because nobody was talking to him, interacting,'' said Denver guard Ty Lawson. "He had his hood on. The look on his face said he was real tired.''

Nevertheless, later in the day, with the Nuggets trailing 97-96 to Chicago at the Pepsi Center, there was no doubts who Lawson was looking for to hit the winning shot. With 4.0 seconds remaining, Lawson inbounded to Anthony, who drilled a 23-footer at the buzzer for a 98-97 win.

Anthony then wearily made his way to the locker room. The shot certainly made him feel better, but not by a lot.

"Terrible. One,'' said Anthony, when asked after the game how he felt on a scale of one to 10.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/27/carmelo-anthony-shakes-off-illness-to-hit-buzzer-beater-against/

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Miraculous Auburn CAMback Over Alabama Keeps BCS Title Hopes Alive

Filed under: Alabama, Auburn, Boise State, Oregon, TCU, SEC

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Even the Alabama public address announcer brought his best game for the Auburn Tigers. As Cam Newton came out for pregame warmups to the 75th edition of the Iron Bowl, two apropos songs blared out over the speakers at Bryant-Denny Stadium: "Son of a Preacher Man," and "Take the Money and Run."

While Newton remained impervious to the songs, the Alabama student section wasn't, making it rain on Newton with fake $100 bills. It was an ominous beginning. The defending national champion had undefeated Auburn lined up in its sights, taking aim at the Tigers' national championship dreams in the most intense rivalry in the country.

Once the Iron Bowl began, Auburn reaped its own whirlwind as the Tide rushed out to a 24-0 lead that should have been even larger were it not for big defensive plays that seemed like fingers in the Crimson Tide dam at the time. Boise State and TCU broke out the champagne and popped the corks. At long last, it seemed the pathway to the BCS title was open for a small school. Ohio State president Gordon Gee broke his remote throwing it at the television. Chaos appeared on the verge of reigning as day turned to night in Alabama.

How dominant was Alabama when all seemed lost for the Tigers? At the end of the first quarter, the Tide had 187 yards of total offense to Auburn's -8. Newton, the Tigers erstwhile Superman, was held to 87 yards in the first half, -10 rushing. How bad was it for Auburn in the first 20 minutes? The best play for the Tigers came when Auburn forced a fumble at the tail-end of a 41-yard gain. Amazingly, the ball skittered down the sideline and all the way out the back of the end zone for an Auburn touchback. Three times Alabama drove inside the Tigers' 20 looking to deliver the knockout blow via touchdown. And three times Alabama failed to score a touchdown. There was the inexplicable Mark Ingram fumble that tight-roped the sideline and carried into the end zone, a dropped touchdown catch on first and goal that would have made it 28-0 and finally a Nick Fairly explosive rush up the middle that caused a Greg McElroy fumble and left the game at 24-7 in the second half.

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/miraculous-auburn-camback-over-alabama-keeps-bcs-title-hopes-ali/

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Jaguars Will Face Giants' Pass Rush Without Starting LT Eugene Monroe

Filed under: Jaguars, AFC South, NFL Injuries

The Jaguars will be without another offensive tackle Sunday.

Eugene Monroe, the Jaguars' starting left tackle, failed to pass a baseline concussion test on Friday morning and has been ruled out against the New York Giants Sunday, according to the team.

Also, Jaguars wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker was limited in practice Friday with an ankle injury and is questionable for Sunday.

"We'll see how he responds in the next 48 hours," Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union reported Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio as saying.

Ganguli wrote that Monroe's test result came as a "shock" to the Jaguars.

Kevin Haslam, a rookie free agent, could play left tackle Sunday, as could recently-acquired Guy Whimper. The Giants feature one of the NFL's best pass-rushing tandems: right end Osi Umenyiora and left end Justin Tuck.

Del Rio said the starting left tackle will be a game-time decision.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/jaguars-will-face-giants-pass-rush-without-starting-left-tackle/

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Rickie Fowler: Golf's Fresh Prince

Filed under: PGA

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A day before Rickie Fowler's opening round 6-under par 66 Thursday in the Children's Miracle Network Classic at Disney World, kids lined up, waiting for the PGA Tour rookie to walk past on his way to the driving range, ready to thrust assorted items -- golf balls, programs, caps -- in his direction, hoping for an autograph. Some, a bit more bold, voiced requests for him to stop for pictures.

Fowler was accommodating. The 21-year-old stopped, signed, posed and even chatted. The youngsters all but swooned, many of the boys sporting the Fowler look: shaggy hair and over-sized, bucket-like cap turned backward.

Then Fowler did the darnedest thing: He thanked each of the young followers for their interest and support.

The former junior motocross racer with a home-grown golf swing, wacky wardrobe and bad need of a haircut may be a square peg in the round hole that is the PGA Tour, but whatever "it'' is, Fowler has it by the truckload.

"It's pretty cool," Fowler said Thursday, recalling previous day's practice range scene. "I definitely like to have fans. I like to have an influence on other people, and definitely like to draw new fans in.

"I guess I have more of a draw to the younger crowd. And it's always cool to see more and more kids showing up and getting their interest in golf up."

His impact has been sudden. A year ago Fowler wasn't even a member of the PGA Tour. Now he has earned more than $2.6 million on the strength of two runner-up finishes and six top-10s. He became the first rookie to ever play on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, and responded with stellar play.

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"Obviously, looking back a year ago from where I came from to where I am now, it's pretty cool," he said.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/11/11/rickie-fowler-golfs-fresh-prince/

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