The New York Giants downgraded safety Kenny Phillips to out when the team announced he did not make the trip to Dallas on Saturday.

Phillips suffered a sprained MCL knee injury during last Sunday's 38-35 loss to Green Bay. Phillips was listed as doubtful for the game on Friday.

Phillips joins several other Giants who are out for Sunday night's crucial NFC East game against the Dallas Cowboys. Starting center David Baas (neck/intense headaches), linebacker Mark Herzlich (ankle), linebacker Spencer Paysinger (hamstring) and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (ankle/knee) are also out and did not make the trip to Dallas.

Rookie safety Tyler Sash is expected to see increased snaps with Phillips out. Phillips has started every game this season and is second on the team in tackles (67) and has two interceptions.



(espn.com)

The Denver Broncos listed running back Willis McGahee as questionable to play Sunday against Chicago. He was limited in practice Friday after not practicing earlier in the week. He has said all week that he will play.





(espn.com)

One person who is not surprised about being inactive is Houston's Johnson. The All-Pro receiver missed six games earlier this season before returning for last week's game against Atlanta when he suffered another setback. In four games against the Bengals, Johnson was averaging 13.8 yards per catch.

Johnson told Houston reporters: "I knew I wouldn't be able to play this week, so that's pretty much it. You work your butt off to get back after missing six games and then to have something like this to happen again is very frustrating. But at the same time, the team's in a great position and I'm just trying to do everything I can to get back."



(cincinnati.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham said he heard about Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray's comments this week, when Gray challenged his players to deliver hard hits to guys like Graham in the middle of the field. But Graham insisted that he doesn't pay much attention to comments like that.

"It's kind of funny. I guess I haven't been in this long enough. I'm just going on my second year," Graham said. "But it seems like it has been happening a lot lately, a lot of guys have been saying things about me and about what they're going to do to me. But I don't mind. I just brush it off and take it with a grain of salt. I just prepare each week just like it was the last."

Graham, who was a basketball player for four years in college before converting to football, said he thinks people may still consider him "soft." But he said they're wrong if they underestimate his toughness.

"I'm sure he still thinks I'm a basketball player," Graham said of Gray. "But hopefully Sunday I can prove I'm a football player."

When asked if he considers all the extra attention from opponents flattering, Graham said no.

"Not really. I guess I wish it was still the beginning of the year whenever no one had any film on me," Graham said. "Unfortunately that's not the case. I just have to prepare and make sure I'm doing all the things I can do to play as well as I need to play and help this team win."

Gray was a longtime assistant under Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who is known to encourage his own players to deliver "remember me" shots - a term that was coined by former Titans safety Blaine Bishop when both Williams and Gray were coaching in Tennessee. So Williams said he and his defensive players got a laugh out of the comments Gray made this week.

"We talked about it in our defensive room today, and a bunch of our players said, 'Hmmm, I wonder where he heard that stuff before.' So they were all teasing me about that," Williams said.



(nola.com)

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub doesn't have to be reminded about what happened in 2007 when the Bears faced the Broncos.

Devin Hester returned a punt 75 yards for a score in the third quarter and then the Broncos had the audacity to kick to him again. He responded with an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the same quarter. The Bears eventually won 37-34 in overtime.

It might not be as easy for Hester this time around.

"Totally different now,'' Toub said of the Broncos. "They're ranked fourth in special teams.''

Broncos veteran Champ Bailey told the Denver Post this week he wouldn't kick to Hester "in a million years.''

Toub brushed off Bailey's comment.

"It doesn't mean anything,'' Toub said.

Hester leads the NFL in punt return average at 18.5 yards.



(chicagotribune.com)

METAIRIE, La. — Like many who played college football at Miami, Jonathan Vilma tends to project a level of confidence that can easily be mistaken for arrogance.

This week, however, the middle linebacker and Saints defensive captain momentarily revealed his self-effacing side while talking about rejoining his teammates on the field last weekend following a three-game absence with a left knee injury.

“I don’t know how much better I make them when, again, we went 3-0 in that stretch,” Vilma said of his absence.

“But again, I’m glad to be out there, be out there with my guys,” Vilma continued, still a little bleary eyed from one of his daily afternoon power naps. “I know they all welcomed me back, they were excited that I was back. So that was probably the best thing, everyone was happy I was back, no one happier than I was, of course.”

Vilma spent most of the first half of the season playing through pain in his left knee that often caused him to miss practice. While he is not sure the injury made him noticeably slower or weaker on game days, he said the added attention he had to devote to treatment during the week, combined with his regular duties of studying opponents offenses so he could make all the defensive calls on the field, was exhausting.

“I’d say it was just tough preparing,” Vilma said. “Those Monday through Saturdays leading up to the game, those are tough. Tough physically and mentally, because I have to split my time now between taking care of my body and taking care of the opponent, getting ready for them. So that was probably the hardest thing. It wasn’t my performance.”

Vilma wanted to remain in the lineup, but was eventually persuaded that it might be better for him and the team if he took a month off in midseason to have minor arthroscopic surgery and returned in top form for the stretch drive and the postseason.

“That was everyone saying, ‘Look, let’s think big picture,’” Vilma said.

The procedure involved cleaning up loose cartilage that had been causing swelling and pain.

Vilma had a team-leading 10 tackles in his return last Sunday night against Detroit. That was a good sign for the Saints, who play this Sunday at Tennessee and will have to deal with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, whose veteran savvy and ability to throw on the run can cause fits for a heavy-pressure defense like that of the Saints.

Tennessee coach Mike Munchak said the amount of responsibility defensive coordinator Gregg Williams places on Vilma is a clear sign of how important the veteran linebacker is to his team.

“From the player’s perspective, when your leader’s there, it gives you a comfort that you wouldn’t have maybe if he’s not there,” said Munchak, a former NFL player himself. “It allows you to do more and play a little more relaxed. ... Gregg can put it on one guy to do the thinking and let the other guys just go play football. People don’t realize what a value that is.”

Outside linebacker Scott Shanle said he was impressed by Vilma’s performance in his return, but even more impressed by the patience Vilma showed before coming back.

“I’m proud of him for waiting until he was healthy enough to actually go out there and play that way because I think he probably could have pushed it and came back came back a little earlier,” Shanle said. “He looked good (Sunday night). He moved around well. He was to the point where he didn’t have any setbacks.”

Saints players teased Vilma about going undefeated in a total of four games while he’s been out this season, including a Week 3 victory over Houston, one week after Vilma was first injured.

“He hates those jokes,” linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar said. “JV is so competitive and he takes everything a little serious sometimes. ... It was fun. We’d all mess with him.”

Dunbar took over at middle linebacker in Vilma’s absence and performed well, by coaches’ accounts. While his role will be more limited with Vilma back, he said the defense is clearly stronger with its captain in the lineup, particularly now that he’s healthy again.

“He’s the heart and soul of what we do around here. He’s literally one of our best players on defense, if not the best player on defense,” Dunbar said. “He’s smart. He’s instinctive. He’s physical. I’ve learned so much from him these last four years on the field and off the field. He’s a really good person. It’s hard to put in words things he has done around here.”



(ap.com)

Despite being offered considerably more elsewhere, free-agent forward James Jones has agreed to return to the Miami Heat on a three-year contract.






(fantasysp.com)

Every Thursday Night proCanes.com joins All Canes Radio to bring the latest news on not only current Hurricane football but also proCane news and exclusive interviews with current and former proCanes live from the Titanic Brewery in Coral Ga Gables. Click here to listen to this week’s show and hear our exclusive interview with former Hurricane great RB Graig Cooper. Cooper talks about being in Philadelphia Eagles training camp this past year, going through terrible injury he suffered, Lamar Miller and whether he should turn pro and much more!

When the Ravens and Indianapolis Colts meet Sunday, offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and defensive end Dwight Freeney figure to tangle early and often.

But their tete-a-tete hasn’t been limited solely to the NFL.

In what would be their final years in college, Freeney, who amassed 16½ sacks in 2001 for Syracuse University, was blanked by McKinnie, who suited up for the University of Miami.

The Hurricanes won that November 17, 2001 meeting quite easily, running away with a 59-0 rout. But it was only the second time in his last 19 games that Freeney had finished a contest without a sack. Freeney didn’t even register a tackle.

“Yeah, Bryant is probably one of my first marquee matchups,” Freeney recalled during a conference call with Baltimore media Wednesday. “It goes back to college with Syracuse vs. Miami. He was the offensive tackle. He did a great job. I had a bunch of sacks going into that game, he had never given up [a sack]. They ended up winning the game, and I ended up not getting a sack. From a historical standpoint, me and him go back, and I had a game with him when he was with the Vikings. I had a couple of good games against him. Bryant is Bryant, and there is a reason why he is still playing after 30.”

Said McKinnie: “There was a lot of hype behind that game. They had a picture of him with an actual sack with all the different college helmets in it, all the teams he got sacks against. It was towards the end of my senior year, and I hadn’t allowed a sack. So they were kind of like, ‘Something is bound to happen. He’s either going to get a sack or you’re going to continue to not allow the sack.’ The [Syracuse] team was OK that year, but it was more of a focus on our battle. I was home, so I managed to get through that game without a sack.”

Freeney has enjoyed better success against McKinnie in the NFL. In two meetings between Indianapolis and the Minnesota Vikings, Freeney has accumulated three sacks and six tackles. More importantly, Freeney’s team won both contests.

McKinnie acknowledged that he is looking forward to matching up against Freeney Sunday.

“You just want to be competitive,” he said. “We both bring our A-game against one another. We don’t go against each other that often, but when we do, it’s going to be high intensity. There’s a lot of focus out there.”

(baltimoresun.com)

Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork had been having a down statistical year until last week’s win over the Colts.

During that game, Wilfork came alive. He had a sack and 10 tackles, drawing double teams and making the defense revolve around him. No doubt he will be a focus for the Redskins this week. But Wilfork’s stats don’t tell the whole story.

In reality, he’s having one of his best seasons as a pro. The Pro Bowler has two interceptions – always a crowd favorite – but it’s his ability to be disruptive while drawing two blockers that make him special.

Perhaps the best attribute is that Wilfork creates a run-stuffing unit that has stood out against even the best rushing attacks. Along with defensive tackle Kyle Love and ends Andre Carter and Brandon Deaderick, they are making life easy for linebackers like Jerod Mayo. It has also changed the entire complexion of the defense.

Because of their brute force up front, the Patriots have been able to use cornerbacks as safeties, without worrying about giving up physicality. They’ve gotten away with players like Sterling Moore and Nate Jones on the back end because they don’t have to stop the run. The added speed has helped the entire group.



(sportingnews.com)

Cornerback Champ Bailey was one of the few Broncos on the sideline to witness what the Bears' über-returner

Devin Hester did the last time he faced Denver.

In 2007, Hester returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in the same quarter in what eventually turned into an overtime loss for the Broncos. The defeat was part of a 2-4 limp down the stretch that year as the Broncos finished 7-9 and out of the playoffs.

Asked Thursday whether he — had he the power — would kick to Hester, Bailey said: "Not in a million years. I've been around coaches that have. I know we did the last time we played them. I think we all know how that went."

Assistant special-teams coach Keith Burns was playing for the Broncos in that 2007 game, so he understands the potential impact if the coverage team doesn't tie up all its loose ends.

Hester this season has returned two punts and one kickoff for touchdowns.

"We've talked about it a little bit," Bailey said. "We know what type of player he is. Don't take no chances with the guy; he's the best in the game. The best ever in my book."

(denverpost.com)

The consensus among our Cardinals sources is that the team can ill afford to lose DE Calais Campbell, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season. Word is there have been some contract discussions with Campbell's agent, Ben Dogra. Dogra also represents ex-Cardinals ILB Karlos Dansby, who opted to leave the desert for a big payday in Miami. Although they say it's possible, our sources doubt Campbell will follow in Dansby's footsteps out of town. "We'll see where it goes," one team insider said. "I think Calais likes it here. He's close enough to his family in Colorado and seems to be really on board with Ray Horton's new defense. He's a pretty good pass rusher for a 3-4 end, and they have nobody behind him. I think they'll use the franchise tag on him if they have to. He still gets driven out of run plays at times, but I think he's become every bit as good a player as Darnell Dockett."



(profootballweekly.com)

Texans receiver Andre Johnson strained his left hamstring on Sunday.  On Monday, owner Bob McNair suggests that Johnson could miss a couple of games.  Later that day, coach Gary Kubiak said Johnson had a mild strain, and that his status will be day-to-day.

As of Thursday, Johnson still isn’t practicing.

Kubiak said Thursday that Johnson worked out in the pool, and that the team has a general plan for handling Johnson on Friday.

“I would say we probably have a pretty good idea,” Kubiak said, via comments distributed by the team.  “We’ll see.  It’s a touchy situation because we are very fortunate.  We came out of it a lot better than we thought.  At the same time, how quick do we go back and that type of thing?  He has gotten good work inside in the last two days.  Whether we bring him out here tomorrow probably will be a big deciding point on where we go in the game, so we’ll see.”

The 9-3 Texans face the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday.  On one hand, the Texans need to keep pace with the other 9-3 teams in the conference.  On the other hand, they need Johnson at 100 percent for the postseason.



(profootballtalk.com)

David Baas, Osi Umenyiora and Mark Herzlich were not present during the open portion of practice on Thursday.

As for players who were present on Thursday, safety Kenny Phillips (knee) worked on the bike and ran outside. He said on Wednesday that he has not been ruled out of the Dallas game. He is holding out hope that he can play.

When Kenny Phillips hobbled off the field during the second quarter against the Packers, he did not have positive vibes. His left knee — the one on which he had microfracture knee surgery in 2009 — was hurting again.

“When it first happened you think the worst, ‘It’s over,’” Phillips said yesterday, “but after the MRI [exam] showed what it showed I’m glad it’s nothing serious.’’

Phillips, who has a sprained medial collateral ligament, hasn’t given up hope of playing Sunday night at Dallas, but that’s probably overly optimistic. Instead of practicing, he rode a stationary bike and did some knee strengthening exercises on the side.

“It wasn’t painful or sore or anything,’’ Phillips said. “Thus far I have a positive attitude. I haven’t been told I’m not going to play.’’



(nypost.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- With the Patriots' switch to a base 4-3 defense this season, the workload for veteran defensive tackle Vince Wilfork has spiked. Through 12 games, Wilfork has appeared on 729 of the team's 852 defensive snaps this season (85.6 percent), second on the team to only cornerback Kyle Arrington (732 snaps).

By comparison, Wilfork has averaged approximately 66 percent of total defensive snaps over the past three seasons, including roughly 71 percent of snaps in 2010. The next closest defensive lineman on this year's roster is Andre Carter (663 snaps), while the other starting defensive tackle, Kyle Love, has logged less than half as many snaps (384).

So how is Wilfork feeling?

"I feel 100 percent fresh," Wilfork said with a smile on Thursday. "I’m telling the truth. Right now, I think everyone feels the same way. You have rookies that feel a certain way, guys that have been around -- it’s a long season, but this is the time when you have to be able to take care of yourself, take care of your body, put the right things in your body, and do the extra little thing to keep you healthy. It’s not going to be pretty, you're not going to wake up and feel like you did four months ago -- that ain’t going to happen.

"I feel good. Me, personally, I cant complain about the way I feel. I’ll tell you what, I feel a lot better than I did a couple years ago -- knock on wood there. But everybody is in the same same boat. It’s a grind. It's a tough level to play at, but it’s the NFL, you have to. When you talk about the best of the best, it don’t get any better than this. This is what separates good teams from the bad teams, right now, the good players from the bad players. You have to be able to hold up, do the extra little things just to keep it going, keep focused on your job."

Wilfork is coming off maybe his best individual effort of the season in Sunday's win over the Colts in which he registered a team-high 10 tackles, including a sack. But Wilfork was adamant that individual stats mean nothing and that the victory is his only gauge of success.

Looking ahead to Washington, he stressed that -- despite stats that suggest the Redskins struggle on the ground -- the Patriots are preparing with the No. 1 goal of stopping the run. Washington ranks 31st in the league with 87.5 rushing yards per game, and 28th in yards per rushing play at 3.78 yards per trot.

"This team runs the ball pretty good," said Wilfork. "[Redskins coach Mike] Shanahan has had success everywhere he’s been when his offense is running the ball. We know that, and that’s not going to change. It starts with the running game. We can’t be in third-[and-short situations], we’ll have a long, long night. We have to be able to buckle up on first and second down and win those downs, get them in long-yardage situations, then be able to actually get after the quarterback and get a chance for some turnovers. It’s going to start up front, it’s definitely going to start up front with us. If we don’t play well, it’ll be a long day."

Wilfork said he relished the opportunity to go against a run-heavy offense.

"Shanahan is old school. You look at them, they're physical, and one way you can gauge a team and how tough they are, is [by asking], 'Can they run the football.' And they do it. They run the ball. People can say whatever they want to say about it, but trust me, this team right here can run the football. They have some guys that can run it. I don’t care what backs they put in, I don’t care what linemen they shuffle around, they're all physical and they all take pride in running the football. It's a big, big challenge for us. As a defensive player, you have to live for these games. It's one of these games where there won’t be much trickery, you won’t do a lot of guessing. It's just knowing what a team wants to do. [Stopping the run is] the one thing we want to do."



(espn.com)

Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma earned a game ball in his first game back from knee surgery in Week 13.

Vilma racked up a team-high 10 tackles in the win over the Lions after missing four games. The Saints were 4-0 with Jo-Lonn Dunbar at middle linebacker. He's moved back to the strong side with Vilma healthy.

(rotoworld.com)

OK, I realize heaping praise on any rookie is always dangerous territory.

Five years ago, the Tennessee Titans thought the quarterback position was solved and in good hands for years to come with Vince Young earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. And we all saw how that imploded.

But with the sudden and profound impact the 2011 Titan draft class has had on the team’s success this season, it’s hard not to praise the group.
And the player who has ascended to the top of the rookie class is middle linebacker Colin McCarthy.

The fourth-round pick from the University of Miami has been nothing short of sensational since taking over for an injured Barrett Ruud four games ago. So much so that Ruud is rapidly on the verge of becoming the Titans’ version of Wally Pipp.

McCarthy’s philosophy is simple: Find the man with the football and tackle him. And if you can take the ball away from him in the process, so much the better.

“There are a lot of plays to be made out there playing middle linebacker. I try to make all of them,” McCarthy says.

A succinct philosophy and one that fits the Titan defensive scheme like no middle linebacker since the team has been in Tennessee.

Once upon a time in the NFL, middle linebacker was the glamour position on defense. Guys like Dick Butkus, Ray Nitcchke, Mike Singletary – and more recently Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher – come immediately to mind when discussing the position.

But in many schemes, that sideline-to-sideline middle linebacker has become a throwaway player – a guy too slow to remain on the field in nickel passing situations or someone to do the grunt work in a 3-4 while the outside linebackers rack up the impressive sack numbers.

But McCarthy has proven to be a throwback, and has also shown himself to be the difference-maker the Titans defense has lacked since the departures of Albert Haynesworth, Keith Bulluck and Kyle Vanden Bosch.

Sure, McCarthy has a ways to go before he can be crowned the kingpin of the Titan defense, but the rookie is already calling the defensive signals and doing quite well.

Also, in his last four games he has been in on virtually every big play the Tennessee defense has turned in. He has 42 tackles, five for loss, an interception, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Not a bad season of work, and that’s just McCarthy in only three starting assignments to his credit thus far this season.

Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray knew he might have something special in McCarthy when he first put him into the lineup for Ruud. That’s because McCarthy’s practice time was limited because of an injured hamstring and a sore knee. So Gray couldn’t be sure just how much the rookie had picked up watching someone else work in the scheme while he took mental notes. Not exactly unlike the way Steve McNair used to absorb things through the week at quarterback when he could not practice but answered the bell on Sundays.

“What I like about Colin is he pays a lot of attention,” Gray says. “He had been injured for awhile, and you wouldn’t think he was paying attention, but all of a sudden, when you put him on the board and you quiz him, and he has the answer.

“That, to me, is a guy who is really astute to what is going on,” Gray adds. “If you’re injured and you’re paying attention to what you’re doing, now you become a better football player.

“As a rookie if you can do that, you can go a long way in this league, because a lot of rookies don’t have that ability to not practice and watch what’s going on, and then you put them out there and they make plays.”

For McCarthy, it’s just doing what comes natural and taking advantage of his opportunity and hoping it rubs off on his teammates.

“I think as far as the energy I bring and the energy the defense brings is huge. As far as forcing turnovers, as far as us playing with that kind of energy, it’s contagious,” he says. “You need to make impact plays throughout the game, and there’s a lot of plays to be made throughout the game. When you get the opportunity, you need to take advantage of it.”

McCarthy has certainly done that, and the Titans defense is better for it.



(nashvilleledger.com)

Football season can bring out the best. Bright House Sports Network has been privy to showcasing some of the best athletes in the country on our Subway Restaurants Game of the Week. We've seen some amazing plays and some great games. But this time of year also brings out the best in people.

Like Kenard Lang.

You can’t miss his bright orange shirt, wooly beard or 6-foot-5 stature. The Jones High head football coach has transformed from barking out plays on the sidelines to bringing holiday cheer.

The Kenard Lang Foundation teamed up with the Wal-Mart in Ocoee and NFL Charities to give 30 lucky kids from the Walt Disney World Boys & Girls Club in Pine Hills a chance to shop for the holidays. They were each given a $75 shopping pass. The retail regiment marched the isles looking for snacks, toys and new gear.

"Boys & Girls Club of Pine Hills, that's where I grew from when I was younger and it's all in good fun,” said Lang, whose foundation has been taking kids shopping during the holidays for the last nine years. “I'm able to do it. I just want to give to them and most importantly, teach them that it's great to give."

Wardrobing was key. But it was also a great way to get presents for others. Club Youth of the Year Martine Louis got everything she needed to make her gifts.

"That's a survival box. Some of the things were like a Snickers so you can have something as sweet as you, a jolly rancher so you can laugh when I'm not there, a tissue to dry your tears when I can't do it for you," Louis said.

14-year-old Demetrius Pickens didn’t have his present ideas picked out to the tee but he was sure to be “looking for gifts for my family and a few for my friends.”

“Hey, go buy something that you like. Go buy something for your mom, your dad, your sister and brother. Put a smile on their face,” Lang said with a big grin on his face and his youngest daughter in tow.

“This is the perfect way to give everybody something because if I had to come up with the money myself then I probably wouldn’t be able to get everything I wanted,” Louis said thankfully.



(baynews9.com)

Richard Childress Racing announced on Wednesday that Tim George, Jr. will run 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2012, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado  with sponsorship from the Potomac Family Dining Group.

The New York native is fresh off his best ARCA Racing Series run, finishing the 2011 season seventh in the final championship point standings, with his first-career win at Pocono Raceway, eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.  George, who is 30 years old, made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in November 2009 , one year after claiming victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series.  He began his racing career in 2005, driving in the Skip Barber Racing School Southern Series and finished second in his class the following year on the heels of five victories.

“Tim has shown a great amount of improvement, running in the ARCA Racing Series these past few years that included his first career win,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We’re ready to further strengthen his skills and moving him to the Camping World Truck Series is the next logical step. Having Ty Dillon and Joey Coulter as his teammates will help support his learning curve and I’m excited to see how he’ll perform.”

“This is a great opportunity that Richard Childress and everyone at RCR have given me,” stated George. “To be invited back to race in NASCAR with one of the best racing teams in history is a dream come true. Being teammates with Ty Dillon and Joey Coulter will be fun and I look forward to learning more about how to race these trucks. I’m eager to get back in the seat and build on my experience, kicking off the 2012 season strong.”
Potomac Family Dining Group is the exclusive franchisee for the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in the Washington, D.C. and surrounding area.

“Having an association with Tim this past year has proven to be an exciting experience for us,” said PFDG President Jim Rieger. “Quite frankly, the positive feedback from both our guests and our employees, has exceeded our expectations. And, since so many of our guests are also NASCAR fans, this collaboration is a perfect fit.”

Bruce Cook, who has nearly twenty-five years of motorsports experience, will serve as crew chief for RCR’s No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado team. His most recent stint came at Kevin Harvick Inc. where he captured three wins during the 2010 Nationwide Series season with Kevin Harvick and seven in the Camping World Truck Series with six different drivers en route to the 2011 owner’s championship title.

George’s race schedule and further additions to RCR’s competition department will be forthcoming.



(stockcarspin.com)

Leon Searcy via his Facebook had his to say to current Hurricane Underclassmen that have declared early for the draft:

“What is it about a 6-6 season which says you're ready for the NFL. I hate to see young men being exploited by dream sellers!!! Everybody in the league is big, strong, and fast. What seperates the men from the boys is the development of fundamentals, techniques, and work ethics which is essential to you're survival in the NFL. I hate to see kids chase the cash then a few years from now, they can't get a call back from their agent and are told their careers are over. Look, I could have come out my junior year and was projection 1st round. I decided that being a CANE was more important plus I wasn't ready!!! I needed to develop. If you're a baller, the cash is coming and he NFL ain't going no where."



(Leon Searcy’s Facebook page)

Jimmy Graham who so far this season has 75 receptions for 1046 yards and 8 touchdowns need only 28 more receptions and 245 more yards to become number one in the NFL all-time in both categories.

On Monday, Rosenthal revealed that he has a man-crush on Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy.

The league office approves of that message.

McCarthy has been named the AFC’s defensive player of the week, thanks to nine tackles, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble in a 23-17 win over the Bills.

McCarthy had 11 tackles, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries against the Bills. In the last four games he’s posted tackle totals of 12, 10, 11 and 11 while filling in for injured Barrett Ruud. McCarthy is expected to start again this Sunday against the Saints.

A rookie from Miami picked in the fourth round of the draft, McCarthy is the first Titan to secure the honor since linebacker Keith Bulluck in 2009.



(profootballtalk.com)

Rookie middle linebacker Colin McCarthy has only three NFL starts, but Titans Coach Mike Munchak thinks the fourth-round pick from Miami is playing like a seasoned veteran.

McCarthy was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday after recording 11 tackles, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a pass defensed in Tennessee’s 23-17 win at Buffalo.

“One thing about him is that he’s had pretty good poise since he’s been playing,” Munchak said. “He’s just very comfortable. He’s one of those guys you put in and you go, ‘He looks like he’s been there for 10 years.’

“I’ve had linemen that have been that way. You put them in and you go, ‘Man, that guy just fits right in.’ Like when I put (Michael) Roos in there. The first day he came into practice in mini-camp, Roos went over to right tackle and you thought, ‘Oh yeah, he’s starting.’ There was just no doubt.”

McCarthy has forced a turnover in three straight games. In the win over the Bills, he stripped the football from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and recovered it. Said Munchak: “It shows you what kind of player he is. He makes a great hit on the quarterback, the ball comes out and he recovers it when it’s 10 yards away.”



(tennessean.com)

Dolphins starting right guard Vernon Carey was back out at practice Wednesday. Carey, who didn’t practice at all last week and was inactive Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, started the first 11 games of the season before injuring his ankle on Thanksgiving Day against the Cowboys.

“He did OK today, was limited but he did all right, moved around pretty good,” Sparano said. “That was a good sign to see considering what I watched on film a week ago. It’s progress, but as I tell you guys all the time we won’t know until [Thursday].



(miamiherald.com)

TEMPE, Ariz.—Calais Campbell sat at his locker surrounded by reporters. Leaning against a wooden panel nearby was a framed photograph of his blocked field goal against the St. Louis Rams five weeks ago.

The Rams would have won the game with the kick, but Campbell's block forced overtime, and Arizona won 19-13 on Patrick Peterson's 99-yard punt return.

The victory set off a string of four wins in five games for Arizona and is one of many examples of why Campbell, with his powerful 6-foot-8, 300-pound frame, is so important to the Cardinals.

"Calais has developed into such a good player because he's worked hard at it," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "He's a good man and he really wants to do it the right way. He's very conscientious."

Campbell is an easygoing guy off the field, always friendly. But he can be a beast in the backfield.

"I don't want to play angry. I just want to win," he said. "I'm a huge competitor. I go out there and just play my heart out, but I'm never really angry. I'm laughing and joking out there on the field. I'm not ever angry."

That would not be true of the man lining up next to him, tackle Darnell Dockett.

"That's a whole different story," Campbell said, laughing.

The Cardinals obviously expected big things from this big man when they chose him in the second round, the 50th pick overall, out of Miami in the 2008 draft.

From the beginning, Campbell has struggled to stay low at the line of scrimmage lest he be a big, easy target for blockers.

"He's always going to struggle with that," Whisenhunt said. "It's not something that you ever conquer as a guy that's as tall as he is, so it's really critical that you work on your technique and your hands and staying low.

"There's other times when it's to his advantage, when he's in space and he can use those arms to swing guys and get past them."

He also can deflect a lot of passes and, of course, leap to knock down field goals.

Campbell has a team-high six sacks for 45 yards, a team-leading 14 quarterback hits—to Dockett's 12—with an interception and a forced fumble. He has deflected seven passes.

Campbell traces his improvement to a growing maturity.

"I think just natural growth," he said. "You become a lot more wiser on how to beat people. When you play long enough in competition in anything you become better at it."

He has flourished in the new defense installed by first-year coordinator Ray Horton.

"Coach Horton is really smart at utilizing his best players," Campbell said, "realizing our talent so we can be the best we can be at our different positions. So the scheme definitely helps."

Campbell grew up in Aurora, Colo., in a football-playing family. His older brother, Ciare, played defensive back at Colorado State. Younger brother Jared also went to Miami and signed as a rookie free agent with Arizona, but was released before the season.

Campbell said he has been 6-8 since he was 15.

"When I got to high school I was like 6-foot and within a year and a half, two years I was 6-8," he said, "so I guess you'd call that a growth spurt."



(mercurynews.com)

Mark Antrel Rolle’s words – the New York Giants will be in the playoffs.

It’s easier for the defensive back to say coming off his team’s loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday because the Dallas Cowboys stumbled themselves. The Giants are just a game back of the Cowboys with four games to play and the NFC East rivals face each other twice, including this Sunday.

As rocky and unbalanced as this season has been, the Giants control their own destiny in the final month of the season.

“You ask will we make the playoffs? Without a doubt,” Rolle said Tuesday on WFAN, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. “Without a doubt. We will be in that postseason.”

The Giants have lost four straight games but they battled the Packers, only to lose on a field goal at the very end. Rolle’s talk won’t mean anything if New York cannot step up and handle the Cowboys on Sunday night in Dallas.



(nationalfootballpost.com)

Coach Gary Kubiak confirmed Wednesday that the Texans will play it smart and safe with Andre Johnson's latest hamstring injury.

The Texans are a run-based team with a 9-3 record, so they can afford to sit their top wideout until he's 100 percent. They don't want to risk setbacks. "The key here right now is that when we get him back, we need to make sure we get him back for the long haul," said Kubiak. Johnson didn't practice Wednesday and is highly unlikely to dress for Sunday's game against the Bengals.



(rotoworld.com)

Giants safety Kenny Phillips was relieved when he found out his knee injury wasn’t a tear. Instead, his left knee has a sprained MCL, a different injury than what forced him to undergo microfracture surgery on the same knee in 2008.

“When it first happens, you always think the worst,” Phillips said. “ I’m good. I feel much better.”

Phillips, who missed today’s practice, said he’s day-to-day and his knee isn’t sore or stiff.

“I expect to play,” Phillips said of suiting up on Sunday. “I haven’t been told otherwise.”



(nj.com)

Updating an earlier item, Willis McGahee was absent from Broncos practice Wednesday with an undisclosed injury suffered in Week 13.

The Denver Post's Lindsay Jones reports McGahee "limped off the field" late in Sunday's win over the Vikings. It's obviously unideal news, but considering the Broncos have stayed mum on their resurgent running back's status, it's unlikely he's dealing with anything too major. His status will be updated Thursday, if not sooner.

McGahee (knee) said Wednesday that he is planning to play against the Bears in Week 14 despite missing practice.

It's worth noting that McGahee has missed quite a few Wednesday practices recently, but hasn't sat out a game since Week 8. We'll know more on Thursday, but would tentatively expect McGahee to start against Chicago's No. 8 run defense.



(rotoworld.com)

Too soon to tell the big picture, but he's 100 times better than he was at the start of the season. Go back and watch Houston's second sack against da Bears. The reason their QB couldn't step up into the pocket is that Bailey MANHANDLED two blockers and left him nowhere to run (while this was happening, Wallace Gilberry was getting absolutely stonewalled by one blocker. Just sayin'). Again, too soon to tell, but when I see a player improving as quickly as Bailey has, it gets me all warm and fuzzy inside.



(arrowheadpride.com)

Richard Childress Racing driver Tim George Jr. will run 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2012 for the 14-time championship-winning organization, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado with sponsorship from the Potomac Family Dining Group.

George, a New York, N.Y. native, is fresh off his best ARCA Racing Series run, finishing the 2011 season seventh in the final championship point standings on the strength of his first-career win at Pocono Raceway in June, eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. The 30-year-old driver made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in November 2009, one year after claiming victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. He began his racing career in 2005, driving in the Skip Barber Racing School Southern Series and finished second in his class the following year on the heels of five victories.

“Tim has shown a great amount of improvement, running in the ARCA Racing Series these past few years that included his first career win,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We’re ready to further strengthen his skills and moving him to the Camping World Truck Series is the next logical step. Having Ty Dillon and Joey Coulter as his teammates will help support his learning curve and I’m excited to see how he’ll perform.”

"This is a great opportunity that Richard Childress and everyone at RCR have given me,” stated George. “To be invited back to race in NASCAR with one of the best racing teams in history is a dream come true. Being teammates with Ty Dillon and Joey Coulter will be fun and I look forward to learning more about how to race these trucks. I’m eager to get back in the seat and build on my experience, kicking off the 2012 season strong.”

Potomac Family Dining Group is the exclusive franchisee for the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in the Washington, D.C. and surrounding area.

“Having an association with Tim this past year has proven to be an exciting experience for us,” said PFDG President Jim Rieger. “Quite frankly, the positive feedback from both our guests and our employees, has exceeded our expectations. And, since so many of our guests are also NASCAR fans, this collaboration is a perfect fit."

Bruce Cook, who has nearly twenty-five years of motorsports experience, will serve as crew chief for RCR’s No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado team. His most recent stint came at Kevin Harvick Inc. where he captured three wins during the 2010 Nationwide Series season with Kevin Harvick and seven in the Camping World Truck Series with six different drivers en route to the 2011 owner’s championship title.

George’s race schedule and further additions to RCR’s competition department will be forthcoming.



(truckseries.com)

With his playing days behind him, Pat Burrell is open to returning to the Giants' organization in a role that hasn't yet been defined.

Burrell has often expressed fondness for the organization, and general manager Brian Sabean, who plans to have talks with Burrell in the near future, referred to him as "pretty well-regarded."

In other organizational news, it's possible Triple-A manager Steve Decker and roving hitting instructor Bob Mariano will switch roles in 2012.

Also, the Giants hired Keith Champion as an advance scout, replacing Joe Lefebvre, who'll be the assistant hitting coach. Steve Balboni remains the other advance scout.



(sfgate.com)

Colin McCarthy is up for NFL Rookie of the Week. You can vote for him here. There is something seriously wrong with you if you do not click that link and vote for the best rookie linebacker in the league- at least 10 times. You don't have to sign up to vote, and there is no limit on how many times you can vote. So do it now, and do it often.

Here are his accomplishments from the game on Sunday:

McCarthy tallied nine tackles, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass defensed in the Titans' 23-17 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Plus he gave Ryan Fitzpatrick a bloody nose.

In all seriousness, it is awesome that this team finally has a playmaking middle linebacker. You have to go back all the way to Randall Godfrey to find the last time that was the case. McCarthy and Akeem Ayers are going to be a force to be reckoned with over the next few year.



(musiccitymiracles.com)

This Date In Hurricanes History…December 7, 2002
 
Brought to you by the UM Sports Hall of Fame!

Willis McGahee set a Miami school record by rushing for SIX touchdowns as the #1 Hurricanes beat #17 Virginia Tech 56-45 in front of 76,108 fans in the Orange Bowl !

McGahee rushed for a career best 205 yards and scored on runs of 1, 4, 3, 10, 1 and 31 yards, breaking the school mark of 5 touchdowns, that lasted for 69 years, set in 1933 by Bill L'Italian, in a 71-6 victory against Piedmont.

QB Ken Dorsey was 12 for 20 passing, Andre Johnson had 6 catches for 193 yards and one touchdown.

Miami led 35-21 at the half and stretched it to 49-21 early in the 3rd quarter, then held off a furious Hokies rally, that included a 96 yard interception return on a pass from Jarrett Payton, intended for DORSEY !

Miami extended it winning streak to a school record 34 games and received a berth to play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona for the National Championship ! 



We hope you have enjoyed these "This Date in Hurricanes History" sent over the past year. We would like to continue to produce them but must seek HELP in defraying our production costs. Please click below and make a small "tax deductible" contribution to the UMSHoF of $25.00 or more to HELP us continue these for another year.
 
                                                                                           Happy Holidays!
                                                                 John Routh, Executive Director, UM Sports Hall of Fame

For more information go to UMSportsHallofFame.com

Join the "UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SPORTS HALL OF FAME" group page on FACEBOOK !

The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame is a non-profit, 501c3 corporation whose sole purpose is to recognize those student-athletes, coaches and administrators who have excelled at their sports and brought acclaim to the university through their accomplishments and championships.  All tax-deductible donations help showcase their achievements for Hurricanes fans to enjoy for generations to come !

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Every time Rob Chudzinski successfully calls one of his trademark “big chunk” plays, it’s a bit of a catch-22 for the Carolina Panthers:

The 25-yard-plus gains put the offense that much closer to the end zone, but they also raise the profile of an offensive coordinator whom some observers think will draw interest as a head-coaching candidate after the season.

With his vertical passing game and a three-headed running attack, Chudzinski has had the Panthers ranked among the league’s top-five offenses throughout his first season in Charlotte. Chudzinski has taken advantage of rookie quarterback Cam Newton’s unique skill set, incorporating a read-option scheme similar to what Newton ran last season at Auburn.

The Panthers do not want to lose Chudzinski after one season.

While Chudzinski said he’d like to be a head coach at some point, his focus is on his current job.

“If that opportunity comes someday, great,” Chudzinski said Monday. “If not, I’m right here, right now in what I’m doing.”

After Jacksonville fired Jack Del Rio last week, ESPN’s John Clayton mentioned Chudzinski among the offensive assistants the Jaguars might consider.

Chudzinski said he has not been contacted by the Jaguars.

“I don’t even listen to it, pay attention to it,” Chudzinski said of the speculation. “I’m the type of person, I’m about the here and now and trying to focus and do the best job I can do. And that’s right here. I love this team. I love the things we’re doing. I love the direction we’re going. We have the Atlanta Falcons this week. … So that’s what I’m focused on completely.”

Panthers coach Ron Rivera knows what it’s like dealing with the distractions that come with having your name linked to vacancies. Rivera, the former Chicago and San Diego defensive coordinator, interviewed for eight head-coaching jobs during recent years before the Panthers hired him in January.

Rivera said Chudzinski “absolutely” has the makeup to be a head coach, but this is not the time to discuss it.

“It’s something I won’t address because we have four games left. Chud will hear it and do what he has to do. The one thing he’s done and told me is his focus right now is on what we are doing,” Rivera said. “Because of that, I respect it and I’m not going to bring it up.”

“It’s the same thing as coach (Norv) Turner did with me,” added Rivera, referring to the Chargers coach. “You have to think about the task at hand. If he’s anything like all of us who have gone through it, he’s already got something prepared. You have the whole offseason to prepare for these situations. Now you’re playing, the focus is on playing.”

Chudzinski, 43, was dialed-in Sunday during a 38-19 win at Tampa Bay, where the Panthers scored touchdowns on their first two possessions to take a lead they never relinquished. Chudzinski called about 80 percent of the plays on those drives off a script, as he typically does on the first two series before making adjustments.

The Panthers had four plays of 19 yards or more on the first two possessions – a pair of Jonathan Stewart runs, a reception by tight end Greg Olsen and a 27-yard catch by Newton on a trick play.

“When you can go out and your first two drives are touchdowns, you’d love to start out every game that way,” Chudzinski said. “And certainly I felt good about the plan going into the game, and the guys did a great job executing all day long.”

After finishing with the league’s worst offense in John Fox’s final season, the Panthers are No. 5 this year with 397.6 yards a game. They have the fifth-ranked rushing offense, and are among the top eight in passing yards, first downs and scoring offense at 24.2 points a game.

Chudzinski, who spent two seasons as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator, said the entire offensive staff contributes to the game plan. He said offensive quality control coach Scott Turner, Norv Turner’s son, had the idea for the throwback pass to Newton.

“That’s the good thing that’s been really nice about our staff. Everybody chips in and has input and has ideas,” Chudzinski said. “If you go back through these weeks, there’s a little bit of everybody in it. That’s real positive and I’m fortunate to be in a situation where we have a bunch of guys like that.”

The Panthers hope the man known as Chud stays in that situation a while longer.



(charlotteobserver.com)

This Date In Hurricanes History…December 6, 1986
 
Brought to you by the UM Sports Hall of Fame!

UMSHoF member Vinny Testaverde becomes the FIRST Miami Hurricanes football player to be named the winner of the prestigious Heisman Trophy award !

Vinny's margin of victory in the balloting is the 5th largest margin of victory in the awards history.  He tallied 2,213 points to 2nd place Temple University's Paul Palmer's 672 points.  He captured all 6 regions of the country, and his 678 first place votes (out of 1,050 registered electors) tied Doug Flutie's record for most first place votes.

To get a picture with Vinny Testaverde's Heisman Trophy, stop by the UM Sports Hall of Fame,
located next to the Hecht Athletic Center !

We hope you have enjoyed these "This Date in Hurricanes History" sent over the past year. We would like to continue to produce them but must seek HELP in defraying our production costs. Please click below and make a small "tax deductible" contribution to the UMSHoF of $25.00 or more to HELP us continue these for another year.
 
                                                                                           Happy Holidays!
                                                                 John Routh, Executive Director, UM Sports Hall of Fame

For more information go to UMSportsHallofFame.com

Join the "UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SPORTS HALL OF FAME" group page on FACEBOOK !

The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame is a non-profit, 501c3 corporation whose sole purpose is to recognize those student-athletes, coaches and administrators who have excelled at their sports and brought acclaim to the university through their accomplishments and championships.  All tax-deductible donations help showcase their achievements for Hurricanes fans to enjoy for generations to come !

To Donate to the UM Sports Hall of Fame, click below...

Click here to donate now
  
UM Sports Hall of Fame
5821 San Amaro Drive
Coral Gables, Florida
33146

On Monday, a day after becoming the franchise's all-time rushing leader, 49ers running back Frank Gore said he wasn't sure if he would receive a game ball for his performance in a 26-0 win over the Rams.

A few hours later, head coach Jim Harbaugh shed no light on the subject. Harbaugh, however, did offer his plan for paying tribute to Gore's milestone in the future.

A game ball? Please. How about having Gore in bronze?

"There should be a statue to Frank," Harbaugh said. "Maybe with the new stadium ... A life-size statue of him in one of those cool positions he gets in - about 6 inches off the ground, or a leg going one way, and the other going the other, twisting and turning. It's just so cool. It's just so cool to slow the tape down and watch what he does."

Staley has message for fans: After quarterback Alex Smith was sacked on a third-down play in the third quarter Sunday, left tackle Joe Staley attempted to rip off his chinstrap and, with his fists clenched, screamed in frustration as he walked off the field.

Staley, who didn't allow the sack, wasn't peeved with what happened on the field. Instead, he wasn't thrilled by the Candlestick Park fans doing the wave while the offense was on the field. The noise-generating wave is considered a distraction to offenses.

On Sunday night, Staley wrote on his Twitter account, "Thanks to the fans for being so supportive and great this year so far. Keep it up. Just don't start the wave anymore when we are on offense."



(sfgate.com)

Kenny Phillips yesterday was sent for tests on his left knee, to which he suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament during Sunday’s 38-35 loss to the Packers. The Giants are hoping that is the full extent of the injury and that Phillips, their starting strong safety, can salvage a game or two this season.

The injury is to the same knee on which Phillips had microfracture surgery during the 2009 season, causing him to miss the final 14 games.

“It’s definitely going to affect us, he’s a huge asset to our defense and he plays a major role on our defense,’’ said Antrel Rolle, the starting free safety.

The replacement for Phillips figures to be Tyler Sash, a rookie from Iowa who is a special-teams fixture. Sash has played sparingly on defense in his first season.

“If he has to step in I feel very confident,’’ Rolle said. “We’ll definitely get with him and make sure he understands all the ins and outs of the defense. He’s a player, he’s very relentless, he plays hard, he plays fast. He plays with a lot of fire and that’s exactly what we need back there.’’



(nypost.com)

Ray Lewis is looking likely to miss one more game before making his return from a toe injury.

Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Ravens’ Week 15 game against the Chargers on December 18 is the targeted return date for Lewis, who has missed the last three weeks amid reports that he could be done for the season.

Lewis is feeling good enough that he reportedly could play Sunday against the Colts and even could have played against the Browns last week, but the Ravens figured it was better to err on the side of caution to give Lewis enough time to heal. (Something tells me that if the Ravens were playing the Steelers rather than the Browns or Colts, Lewis would be on the field.)

Even though he wasn’t playing, Lewis made the trip to Cleveland with his teammates and went through pregame warmups and felt fine. Ravens coach John Harbaugh saw that as an excellent sign.

“He was bouncing around the field yesterday before the game,” Harbaugh said Monday. “We’re hopeful. . . . We’ve been trying the last couple of weeks. We have probably been somewhat cautious. We want to make sure he doesn’t re-injure it. We’ll just have to see how that goes this week.”

Lewis is itching to get back out there, but sidelining him for at least another week seems like the right call. What the Ravens really need is for Lewis to be 100 percent in January.



(profootballtalk.com)

Miami Heat forward James Jones got students moving Tuesday at Indian Trace Elementary School in Weston. 

“Sometimes when I wake up in the morning and I’m tired I run in place for 5 seconds,” he said. Then he got them to run, jump and twist.

He was hoping to motivate them to stay active.

“My main message to you guys is enjoy being athletic,” he said.

Physical Education is mandated for middle school students in Florida. A proposed bill before a Florida House subcommittee calls for deleting physical education as a requirement in grades 6 through 8.

Representative Larry Metz from Central Florida is the bill’s sponsor.

“There’s an opportunity cost for a mandate when the kids might not need it. They may be trim and fit soccer players that don’t need the mandatory PE that want to take the elective that would give them some other additional interest or skill” said Metz in Tallahassee.

The American Heart Association has issued a statement strongly opposing House Bill 4057, calling it “dangerous to our children” because currently 30 per cent of Florida’s youth are overweight or obese.

“I think it’s imperative that everyone understand the long term ramifications of eliminating PE,” said Jones after learning of the bill.

It’s already very limited at the elementary school level.

“We alternate PE with Spanish. So Spanish is every other week alternating with PE which is 40 minutes every other day,” said Indian Trace principal Wanda Ross.

This spring Indian Trace will be a site for YFit by Broward’s YMCA. The after school program is an  hour and a half of physical activity two days a week. 

“We’re putting back in what’s been taken away from the schools which is the physical educator. So we’ve developed this in response to that and the child obesity epidemic to increase physical activity but also make it fun,” said Crystal Lockwood of YMCA Broward’s youth  health initiatives.

The Rotary Club of Weston is sponsoring the ten  week pilot program . After that the monthly cost is 59 dollars. 



(nbcmiami.com)

Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports that the Indians will listen to offers for closer Chris Perez.

Bastian cautions, though, that the market "likely is not there this winter." Perez is under team control for three more years and is coming off an All-Star season, so the Tribe would probably ask for quite a bit in return in any deal. The Indians don't have much money to spend this season but seem to have a right-handed hitter at the top of their list.

(rotoworld.com)

The Chicago Cubs would likely pursue Miami Marlins 1B Gaby Sanchez if the Marlins signed free-agent 1B Albert Pujols (Cardinals).





(kffl.com)

The Cubs have been interested in Ian Stewart for about a week now, though the level of interest has varied depending on the Rockies' asking price.

Colorado initially asked for Blake DeWitt (allegedly), then changed their minds and felt the Cubs' utility infielder was not enough of a return for their young third baseman.

The Rockies were believed to be interested in Tyler Colvin instead of DeWitt (or along with DeWitt), but now are asking for Cubs infield prospect D.J. LeMahieu and left-handed reliever Scott Maine, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, who has been all over this story from Day One.

Maine will turn 27 during the first week of February and has excelled at Triple-A Iowa over the past two seasons with solid ERA (3.51, 3.68) and WHIP (1.32, 1.23) numbers while posting 119 strikeouts in just 92 innings.

He struggled with the big-league club last season to the tune of a 10.29 ERA, but it was a small sample size (just seven innings) and he posted a 2.08 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 13 games with the 2010 Cubs.

If Theo Epstein and Co. do wind up dealing Sean Marshall for prospects, Maine becomes a vital piece to the Cubs' future, as left-handed relievers are hard to come by and the Cubs would not want to rely on just James Russell.

Renck said the Rockies and Cubs talks for Stewart have lost momentum, so that's the saving grace here. Hopefully it doesn't pick up momentum if that's what the Cubs would have to give up for a guy that hit .156 last season.



(csnchicago.com)

Titans middle linebacker Barrett Ruud may be the next Wally Pipp.

Ruud is currently out with a groin injury and we suspect he won’t have a starting job to return to when he gets healthy. At least he shouldn’t get his starting job back.

Tennessee rookie fourth-round pick Colin McCarthy has been a revelation over the last month. Every time we watch the Titans on tape, McCarthy just pops off the screen.

We’re not sure the stats do McCarthy justice, but the stats are pretty impressive: He has 29 tackles, five tackles for loss, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception in his last three games. One of those games came off the bench.

It’s hard to imagine the Titans bothering to re-sign Ruud; he’s on a one-year contract.

McCarthy isn’t exactly a diamond in the rough — he went to University of Miami — but he’s part of a quietly impressive Titans draft class.

McCarthy, linebacker Akeem Ayers, and defensive tackles Jurrell Casey and Karl Klug all look like solid building blocks for the team.


(profootballtalk.com)

Frank Gore summed up his upbeat feelings Monday in a six-minute session with reporters. Turns out it was a warm-up act for defensive line coach Jim Tomsula’s 60-minute interview during the lunch hour. I’ll post the highlights from Tomsula later, complete with an anecdote about Justin Smith chipping his teeth at a non-padded practice and the defensive linemen cast as Muppets.

For now, here is what Gore said, a day after he became the 49ers’ all-time leading rusher in a 26-0 win over St. Louis that clinched the 49ers’ first NFC West title since 2002:

– On what it’s like to have a playoff berth for the first time in his career: “It’s been a  tough time for us since we’ve been here. It’s the first time to win the division and get to the playoffs. It’s big, big.”

– On any interaction with fellow 2005 draft class product Alex Smith: “I talked to Alex after the game a little bit, in the locker room. We were happy.”

– On seeing fellow co-captain Patrick Willis get hurt: “I was kind of nervous, kind of scared. We need Pat. He’s a big part of this team. He’s a leader. I feel real good when 52 is on the field. I’m happy it was a hamstring. He’ll be fine. He’ll be good. Pat, he’ll be back.”

– On the next order of business: “Our goal was to be division champs. Now we did that. Now we’ll try to be the No. 1 or No. 2 seed. We’ll go from there.”

 – On whether he wants to rest down the stretch: “Nah, nah. We’re playing. We’re playing ball. We’ve got four more games left, right? So we’re playing ball. We’ll try to win these last four. Hopefully whatever happens withGreen Bay, we can get the No. 1 or No. 2 seed, and that will be great for us.”

– On a recent lack of 100-yard games and how defenses are keying on him more: “Yeah, they are, but we’re winning. In some of the games, I haven’t played. In the Arizona game, I didn’t play some of the third or fourth quarter, and that would have been a 100-yard game. Yesterday I didn’t play the fourth quarter. We’re still doing good in the running game. A lot of guys are gearing up to stop the run, but we’re winning and I’m good with it.”

– On seeing big plays in the passing game: “I love it. I love it. I love it. If they want to keep playing eight or nine men in the box (near the line of scrimmage), Alex will keep killing them. As long as we get the win, I’m good with whatever happens, if it’s running or passing.”

– On last night’s celebration: ”I just hung out with some of my teammates and enjoyed the win and our first time in the playoffs since 2002. Now that we got that out the way, the next step is to get the No. 1 or No. 2 seed.”

- On passing Joe Perry as the 49ers’ all-time leading rusher: “It’s a blessing, to do something in this organization with a lot of great players. My name being mentioned amongst them guys, I’m happy about it. It was hard work. Had some ups and downs. It’s a blessing.”

(mercurynews.com)

Andre Johnson has a mild left hamstring injury, though Houston coach Gary Kubiak says it’s too early to know if his star receiver will play at Cincinnati this weekend.

Houston (9-3) has taken command of the AFC South with a franchise-record six straight wins, most of it without their five-time Pro Bowler.

Johnson pulled up in the third quarter of Sunday’s 17-10 win over Atlanta as he was chasing down a deep pass from rookie T.J. Yates, who was making his first NFL start. Johnson was playing his second game after missing the previous six with a right hamstring injury that required minor surgery.

An MRI exam showed that Johnson’s latest hamstring issue was far less severe than the last one.

“We’re very fortunate,” Kubiak said. “He’s day to day. I’ll probably give you a better answer once we give him a couple of days here, and get to Wednesday. But we do expect him back, hopefully sooner than later.”

(washingtonpost.com)

Don't expect to see safety Kenny Phillips on the field in Sunday's pivotal NFC East clash with the Dallas Cowboys. 

Phillips was seen sporting a bulky brace on his left knee today. He insisted once again that the injury is not serious, but a league source said that Phillips has a sprained MCL and will miss at least 1-2 weeks. 

Coach Tom Coughlin was even more nervous. He said Phillips was undergoing tests today, and admitted that he was concerned.

"I don't know what to be clear about, to be honest with," he said. "I've seen guys jump off and run off the field, and the next day it's an ACL (injury)."

Phillips injured the knee in the second quarter of Sunday's 35-34 loss to the Green Bay Packers, and it is the same knee that he underwent microfracture surgery on during the 2009 season. He returned from that surgery last season and did not regain his full quickness until this year. 

Safety Antrel Rolle called Phillips' possible absence "definitely a huge loss," but added that the team has already dealt with plenty of secondary issues. 

"We've found a way to get through it so far," Rolle said, "and we're going to keep finding a way."


(nydailynews.com)

The Baltimore Ravens are targeting their Dec. 18 game against the San Diego Chargers for the return of linebacker Ray Lewis, who has missed the past three games with turf toe, the Baltimore Sun reported Monday, citing a team source.

The newspaper reported that Lewis took part in pregame warm-up Sunday before the Ravens' game against the Cleveland Browns and had no problems. Lewis reportedly has an insert for his shoe to help with the injury.

Lewis reportedly could have played against the Browns and also is all right to face the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday, but the newspaper reported that the Ravens are holding out until Dec. 18 to give him another week of rest.

The Ravens can take their time with Lewis because the results show they haven't missed him in the middle of the defense. Baltimore is 3-0 without its team leader, beating Cincinnati, San Francisco and Cleveland.

In three games without Lewis, the Ravens held those teams to an average of 13.3 points. In nine games with him, Baltimore has allowed 16.9 points per game.

The Ravens have used three undrafted players -- Dannell Ellerbe, Albert McClellan and Brendon Ayanbadejo -- to fill Lewis' spot.

Lewis still leads the Ravens with 68 tackles.


(espn.com)

Jay Cutler's broken thumb has left the Chicago Bears struggling on offense, but Devin Hester says it would be a "waste of time" to turn to Donovan McNabb as the solution.

The wide receiver, interviewed on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike today, doubted that McNabb would be able to adjust to the schemes of offensive coordinator Mike Martz in time to make a difference for the 7-5 Bears.

"Whatever we are doing is not working and we need to fix it fast before it gets too late," Hester acknowledged of Chicago's 0-2 slide without Cutler.

But he added that: "It's going to be tough right now to add a quarterback that hasn't played in a Mike Martz offense. It's one of the more difficult offenses to run. So to get a quarterback that hasn't been in that offense, right now it's going to be a waste of time. I guess we'll stick with the guys we have right now and hope we get better with those guys."

Caleb Hanie gave up three interceptions yesterday and was sacked seven times as Chicago jeopardized its wild-card hopes with a 10-3 loss to Kansas City at home.

McNabb has cleared waivers, and is free to sign with any NFL team.


(usatoday.com)

Junior Hurricane wide receiver Tommy Streeter declared for the NFL draft and will become a proCane. Most people believe incoming freshman Duke Johnson will make up for Streeter’s absence.

MIAMI -- Meet "The Gun."

This is a shooter's best friend in the offseason, but sharpshooter James Jones missed having it around because of the lockout. With no one else around to play with at the Heat's practice facility, free agent Jones busted out his long-lost friend and shot jumpers all by himself.

"It's really your coach," Jones said at Monday's workout. "You can pick the pace -- either slow or fast. When you're a shooter like me that's all you really need. Someone to pass you the ball."

It doesn't just pass you the ball. It's also a rebounding machine, adorned with enormous nets wide enough to snag a whale. And get this: it comes with a computer that displays number of shots taken, shots made, and even field goal percentage.

Technology!

Jones started using them in college and likes to time his shooting sessions with a watch. Yes, Jones maintains a personal shots-per-second ratio.

What's he normally shoot on The Gun?

"75-80 percent," the reigning 3-point shooting champ said.

"There's no defense so it's easy, you know?"

(espn.com)

Reggie Wayne started a new streak last week by scoring 56-yard TD (his 1st TD since Week 1) finishing the game with 5 receptions for 122 yards and Jimmy Graham added 2 TDs to go along with his team leading 84 yards on 5 receptions for the New Orleans Saints in their victory over the NY Giants.

This Week Willis McGahee extended the streak to 2 weeks by scoring on a 24-yard run while finishing the game with 111 yards rushing.

To see the old full 149 week streak click here.

Week 13 2011:
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Denver Broncos

Week 12 2011:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Jimmy Graham - 2 TDs - New Orleans Saints

Santana Moss in his second game back since injuring his hand had 5 catches 42 yards which moved him up to number 4 all-time in receiving yards in the Washington Redskins record books. Congrats to Santana!

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants safety Kenny Phillips left Sunday's 38-35 loss to the Green Bay Packers due to a knee sprain.

Phillips has been initially diagnosed by team doctors with an MCL sprain, a team source told ESPN's NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Phillips said he'll have an MRI on his knee Monday morning, but that his ACL is "good." When asked how long he'll be out, Phillips said, "I don't know."

Phillips suffered the injury when he collided with linebacker Chase Blackburn while trying to tackle Packers tight end Jermichael Finley after Finley made a 23-yard reception with 5:40 remaining in the second quarter. The collision sent Phillips violently to the ground.

He stayed on the ground and was visited by the team's training staff, but eventually got up and walked off gingerly under his own power before heading into the locker room.

The 25-year-old Phillips was forced to undergo microfracture surgery on his knee after suffering a season-ending injury during Week 2 in Dallas back in 2009.


(espn.com)

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. Rookie middle linebacker Colin McCarthy, making his third start in the last four games, recovered two fumbles and registered a team-leading nine tackles against the Bills.

“It’s just a matter of being around the football,” he said. “If you chase the football, good things will happen. Playing middle linebacker, your job is getting to the football.”

McCarthy started his second straight game in place of the injured Barrett Ruud. The rookie also led the Titans in tackles last week against the Bucs.


(tennessean.com)

Willis McGahee rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries as the Broncos downed the Vikings in Week 13.
He also lost a fumble, but McGahee's 24-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter give the Broncos the momentum for good. McGahee has been in and out of the lineup this season, but he's still on pace for 1,182 rushing yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 4.89 yards per carry. A serious candidate for NFL Comeback Player of the Year.


(rotoworld.com)

After the game, Frank Gore's emotion could not be tackled easily. Sort of like Frank Gore himself.

The man was pumped. He jogged to Candlestick Park's south end zone and raised his arms to screaming fans who'd stuck around to celebrate the 26-0 victory over St. Louis -- a victory that created a relevant 49ers' January for the first time since the 2002 season.

Did the last three months really happen? They did. Gore let out a whoop. He decided raising his arms wasn't enough, not on a day when he set the all-time 49ers career rushing record and also clinched his first playoff trip, ever.

And so Gore spontaneously grabbed a large 49ers flag, snatching it from Lucas Ortiz, a personal trainer from Mountain View who moonlights on weekends as one of those peppy-cheery-banner-running guys.

"Frank just ran up and took it away from me," Ortiz reported about his absent flag. "I wasn't going to stop him. He earned it."

Gore took his earned income and waved it. He waved the flag in one corner of the end zone, jogged to the other corner and did the same thing. He didn't want to let the flag go. He carried it down the dugout tunnel. He carried it into the locker room. A puzzled Ortiz tried to follow Gore and reclaim the flag, but failed.

"I'm sure he'll give it back to me later -- hopefully, signed," Ortiz said.

Gore's plan did run into a glitch. Once he entered the locker room, the ceilings were too low for him to do more waving. So he decided just to bask and enjoy and yell, along with his teammates.

"I was just having fun," he said. "I am just happy."

Frank Gore cannot tell a lie. The past six years, he wasn't happy. After each season, he sat and watched NFL playoff games with a stomach that felt like it was trying to digest a wad of discarded ankle tape.

Gore's stomach felt this way because those six years, after he spent so many games being tackled and tenderized and bruised in loss after loss, he was forced to witness other teams dance across his television screen in the postseason. It really bothered him. Especially after the 2008 season. That bothered him most of all.

"It was the year Arizona made it to the Super Bowl," Gore said. "When you see that, it lets you know that anything can happen in the postseason ... us against Arizona that year, the games were neck and neck. That year, their team clicked at the right time."

And the 49ers, of course, never clicked -- until this season, when under new coach Jim Harbaugh, the clicking was deafening.

Sunday's game, which featured many slog-it-out moments, was not a pretty victory. But for Gore and the other 49ers who had endured the past six seasons, it was still giddy. For Gore, it even made all of those wad-of-ankle-tape-in-the-stomach nights worth the misery.

Gore didn't score a touchdown, didn't have a spectacular game. He finished with 21 carries for 73 yards, an average of 3.5 yards per carry -- typical of the way his odometer works. Yet it was special when, on the second play of the second quarter, he took the ball and bulled around right end for 2 yards and officially pushed himself to first place on the all-time list of 49ers running backs.

Harbaugh, watching from the sideline, was leading the applause.

"It's a powerful thing to set that kind of a record," Harbaugh said. "You start talking about some of the injuries he's had, injuries that would end the career of a lesser man. Shoulder, knee, hip. What it takes to bounce back from that, mentally and the physical rehab. ... That's all just strength. That's strong will."

Gore, who acknowledged the crowd's ovation when the news of his record was posted on the scoreboard, later gave his own quasi-acceptance speech.

"I first have to say thanks to the man up above," Gore said, "for letting me do something that I love to do and to have my name be mentioned with some of the guys who were here before me. I also have to give a shout-out to all of my O-linemen that have helped me get this record -- the ones who are here now and one who were here before."

As has often been noted, Gore is the most popular veteran in the 49ers locker room, largely because of the way he has endured and persevered. But his leadership skills are often underrated. Harbaugh told a story that illustrated why they shouldn't be. Last week, Gore sensed his coach was uptight as the 49ers approached their possible playoff-clincher.

"He came up to me probably half a dozen times and said, 'Coach, we got this,' " Harbaugh said. "And I believed him. I trusted him."

In Gore they always trust. With his record carry Sunday, he surpassed the club record held by Joe "The Jet" Perry, who gained his 7,344 yards from 1950-60 and 1963. Gore might be more famous nationally if, like "The Jet," Gore had a colorful nickname. If that were the case, he might be known as Frank "Grinder" Gore, because that's the way he runs.

For the record, some of the other 49ers players do call him "Big Frank." It's a salute to the way he's often carried the team on his back since 2005. It's also amusing, given Gore's stature. He is hardly a big man. At 5-foot-9 and 217 pounds, he can at time disappear into the clump of opposing tacklers, only to pop out of the clump and grind out more yardage. Gore's offensive linemen never cease to be amazed.

"It's just an honor to be a part of it," offensive tackle Anthony Davis said.

As of this morning, Gore is officially at 7,396 yards. And grinding.


(mercurynews.com)

For the second time this season, receiver Andre Johnson went down on the Reliant Stadium grass surface as if he’d been shot.

The first time was against Pittsburgh, and the injury to his right hamstring required surgery and caused him to miss six games.

In Sunday’s 17-10 victory over Atlanta, Johnson was running a deep route, and he went down without being touched again, this time suffering an injury to his left hamstring.

“I’ve got an MRI scheduled in the morning, and we’ll find out exactly what it is,” Johnson said after the game. “I know it’s not as bad as the last injury, but I’m definitely worried about it.

“If I came back from the one earlier in the season, I can definitely come back from this one.”

There was a high school playoff game at Reliant Stadium on Saturday night between LaPorte and Port Arthur Memorial. Whether the high school game had anything to do with the grass field not being up to standard remains to be seen, but Johnson wasn’t the only player injured without being touched.

Inside linebacker Brian Cushing and punter Brett Hartmann suffered knee injuries. Cushing was able to return. Hartmann is probably gone for the season.

“I was a little nervous, especially with the way it (right knee) got caught under me,” said Cushing, who was chasing tight end Tony Gonzalez when he was injured. “It just felt awkward. I think it was more of a scare than anything going down like that. How I feel right now, I know I’ll be OK.”

After the injuries, expect the Texans to be checking the field carefully before the next home game against Carolina.

“It’s put together different than most fields, but since I’ve been here, I’ve thought it’s pretty darn good,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “I haven’t noticed that it’s any different from any other place we play.”


(chron.com)

They're trying. You know they are, because no NFL defense worth the pads it wears willingly will subjugate itself to embarrassment. And because no defensive coordinator pores over film, devises schemes and puts his players through a numbing number of repetitions because he thinks the things he's emphasizing won't work.

But still -- to the Saints' delight and in another compliment to their foresight -- there's been no solution for Jimmy Graham.

Week after week, home and away, night or day, the second-year tight end embarrasses one defender after another, renders useless one scheme after another, takes advantage of one defensive coordinator's underestimation after another.

After eight more catches for 89 more yards in a 31-17 victory over Detroit on Sunday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Graham's season totals stand at 75 catches for 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns for the Saints (9-3), who have a two-game lead in the NFC South with four games to play, and will win the division barring a stunning collapse.

He's the first 1,000-yard receiving tight end in franchise history, and on a team where wide receivers sometimes have disappeared for weeks while taking turns in the spotlight this season, the shine on Graham never has dulled.

Opponents have tried to cover him with corners, slow him with safeties, bully him with linebackers. All they have to show for it is this: Graham is having one of the greatest receiving seasons in franchise history.

If he doesn't catch another pass this season -- and take the bet if you run across anyone stupid enough to insist he won't -- he already has had a Pro Bowl, All-Pro year that has set the standard of what the expectations of him now will be.

"I'm not really concerned about 1,000 yards," Graham said. "For me it's about the wins.

"Personal accolades, we'll wait until the offseason comes (to think about them)."

That's a good mind-set to have. The rest of us aren't burdened by such boundaries, though, so we can appreciate Graham's play to the fullest today.

The Lions (7-5) actually had reason to be pleased with their work against Graham in the first half, when he had just two catches for 22 yards.
But perhaps partly as a result of the attention given to Graham, receiver Robert Meachem gashed Detroit in the first half. Meachem, who'd had six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown in his previous five games, caught two passes for 105 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown, in the first half.

"He cleared it out for me, and I caught the ball," Meachem said.

When the Lions adjusted to take away Meachem in the final two quarters -- he caught one more pass for 14 yards -- Graham helped pick up the slack. He caught four passes for 46 yards on the Saints' final touchdown drive, a seven-play, 55-yard march that led to the final points, a 6-yard pass from Drew Brees to Darren Sproles.

But then, that almost was to be expected, considering the way he has played this season.

Entering Sunday, Graham had the third-most receptions and sixth-most yards in the league. It's easy to forget that he only has been playing football full time for three years, that his forte was basketball at the University of Miami until he was persuaded to play football for one year.

Now, he's the hottest player going at the position, a blend of size, speed and skill that has made him a matchup nightmare for every Saints opponent.

When it comes to Saints receivers, opposing defenses can't possibly know from where the next blow is coming. It's impossible to prepare for the group as a whole, given the fact that a new threat appears, or reappears, weekly.

But Graham has been a constant. And still, they have no answers.

They're trying.

Graham just makes sure they keep failing.


(nola.com)

Greg Olsen caught just one pass for 21 yards in the Panthers' Week 13 win over the Buccaneers.

Olsen also dropped a potential touchdown and finished with just four targets. Mired in a slump, Olsen will only be a high-end TE2 consideration against the Falcons in Week 14. He has cleared 50 yards just once in his last eight games.


(rotoworld.com)

Kellen Winslow caught four passes for 41 yards as the Bucs fell to the Panthers in Week 13.

He was targeted five times to finish second on the Bucs behind Mike Williams. Still on pace for just 759 receiving yards and three touchdowns this year, Winslow will remain a low-upside fantasy option against the Jaguars in Week 14.


(rotoworld.com)

Reggie Wayne was held to five catches for 55 yards in Sunday's game against the Patriots.
Wayne was a complete non-factor and finished third in targets behind Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. He was outmatched when up against Kyle Arrington and didn't register a catch until the fourth quarter. The Patriots were using Julian Edelman and Matt Slater in dime packages before the Colts did any of their scoring. Wayne's closer to being waivered at this point than he is fantasy relevant.


(rotoworld.com)

IMMOKALEE — Even though the Immokalee playoff run came to an end on Friday night, the school's most prominent alumnus said the team's players have no reason to hang their heads after a 42-21 loss to Palmetto.

"This team is something special," former Immokalee, University of Miami and NFL star Edgerrin James said. "Even two years ago I was hearing about how good this team was going to have a good two- or three-year run so imagine how they're going to be next year."

James, who graduated from Immokalee in 1996 before going on to star at the University of Miami and in the National Football League with the Indianapolis Colts, was taking in his fifth Indians game of the year. He said he enjoyed watching this year's team, especially because of how long they've been playing together.

"The thing I like about them is that they've been playing with each other for years," James said. "That's the thing that takes them to another level. They've been together for a while so they're like a family."

James, who officially retired from the NFL earlier this year, said he's been enjoying his time away from football. He said he's spending most of his time with his family and working with his charitable foundation.

"I love it," James said. "We just took 100 kids to the Miami-Boston College game last week. It's a trip that we do every year. It's a great chance for the kids to get to a game and have a good time."

Despite his connection to many of the current Indians players (James said he's related to "everybody" in Immokalee), he said he plans to just keep enjoying the team from afar as a fan, and has no plans of becoming a coach.

"I've been playing football since I was eight years old," James said. "I still coach my son's team in Naples, but I just want to take a break and enjoy the game as a fan."

As far as the Indians' future, James said another offseason of work will only make his hometown team that much better.

"On every level you look at the teams that play together for a long time have success," James said. "When you have a team that's put together at the last minute it takes a while for them to jell. These guys are only going to get better."


(naplesnews.com)

Barak Netanya finally recorded its first win of the BSL season on Sunday, beating BC Habika’a 88-80 to snap a sixgame losing streak.

Netanya stormed into a 25-5 lead and held on for a sweet victory at home.

Christian Burns had 22 points and 12 rebounds for Netanya, which also got 17 points apiece from Jerome Randle and Brian Asbury.

Rashaun Freeman scored 21 points for Habika’a.


(jpost.com)

Yonder Alonso showed up for a promotion of Redsfest, the team's annual fan expo, noticeably thinner.

Alonso vowed to come to spring training lighter and quicker to help with the shift from first base to left field. He hired a personal chef and tailored his workouts toward being an outfielder.

The result? He's 18 pounds lighter than the 240 pounds he played at this season.

"That's part of being a professional," he said. "You do what you've got to do to play and get ready for the season. I've been doing that."

Alonso hit .330/.398/.545 in 98 at-bats this season. But he is blocked at first base by Joey Votto.

Alonso started 14 games in left field. He struggled badly at times.

He will never be even an average runner. But the lost weight has to help when playing the outfield.

Alonso, of course, has been subject of lots of trade talk.

"I take for it for what it is," he said. "Obviously, I'm a Cincinnati Red. I'm not looking forward to playing for another team."


(foxsportsohio.com)