Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Cam Newton Wins Heisman Trophy

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Cam Newton Heisman TrophyCam Newton, the quarterback for Auburn University, has won the 2010 Heisman Trophy.

Newton beat out worthy adversaries -- LaMichael James of Oregon, Andrew Luck of Stanford and Kellen Moore of Boise State -- in landslide fashion. He ended with 2,263 points. Luck was the runner-up with 1,079 points and James finished third with 916. Moore amassed 635.

Broken down regionally, Newton won each and every one, including the Far West.

There were 105 ballots that completely omitted Newton's name, but he was the first place vote on 93 percent of the ballots.

Newton has led Auburn to a 13-0 record and a berth in the BCS Championship game, which will be played Jan. 10 in Glendale, Ariz.

The 6-foot-6 junior from College Park, Ga., led the nation in passer efficiency rating (188.2) and was second in rushing touchdowns (20). He completed 165 of his 246 passes for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He ran the ball 242 times for 1,409 yards and the aforementioned 20 scores. He amassed six 100-yard rushing games and two 300-yard passing games.

Newton becomes the third player in Auburn history to win the coveted award, joining Bo Jackson (1985) and Pat Sullivan (1971). Jackson was on-hand for his Silver Anniversary to see Newton crowned. With three, Auburn now only trails Notre Dame (seven), Ohio State (seven), USC (six) and Oklahoma (five) in Heisman Trophy winners.

The last two winners -- and three of the last four -- have now come from the SEC.

This also marks the second consecutive season the award has gone to a player from a school in the state of Alabama. Mark Ingram of Alabama won the 2009 Trophy.

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/11/cam-newton-wins-heisman-trophy/

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Kirby Smart Reportedly Offered Florida Defensive Coordinator Job

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Kirby SmartKirby Smart currently serves as the defensive coordinator for Nick Saban at Alabama. Might he be interested in the same position at Florida? Apparently, that's a decision Smart gets to make, as Tuscaloosa News is reporting he's been offered the job at Florida.

Florida's new head coach, Will Muschamp, played football at Georgia with Smart and the two are reportedly friends.

Muschamp was revealed as the successor to Urban Meyer at Florida on Saturday night and is being formally introduced as the school's new coach Tuesday.

Smart is considered one of the stronger coordinators in the nation, having won the Broyles Award -- given to the top assistant in college football -- last season during the Crimson Tide's run to a national championship.

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/13/kirby-smart-reportedly-offered-florida-defensive-coordinator-job/

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Closer Look at Hassan Whiteside's D-League Struggles

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Hassan WhitesideHassan Whiteside was sent by the Sacramento Kings to their NBA D-League affiliate Reno Bighorns to get the much-needed playing time that was unavailable with the Kings, but the 7-foot rookie has also struggled to find time with the Bighorns.

Whiteside, the 33rd overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, has played four games with the Bighorns, but has yet to make an impact in the D-League, averaging just 5.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in just over 12 minutes of action per game.

The most interesting box score line for Whiteside thus far in his D-League career came Friday night against fellow rookie Patrick Patterson and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Before fouling out in his 12:59 of court time, Whiteside stuffed the stat sheet by scoring six points, grabbing six rebounds and adding five blocked shots while Kings teammate DeMarcus Cousins watched courtside. Whiteside's Bighorns did get the victory, though, edging the Rio Grande Valley Vipers by a final score of 119-111 behind a triple-double from Patrick Ewing, Jr. as he'd score 26 points, dish 11 assists and grab 10 rebounds in 41 minutes.

Whiteside's minutes were limited was due to foul trouble, though the rookie showed that he still has a lot to work on despite the obvious athletic gifts that allowed him to turn pro after just one season at Marshall. Eric Musselman, the first-year head coach of the Bighorns and former Kings head coach, told FanHouse earlier this week that Whiteside is healthy and improving every day, however, leading to this in-depth look at the center's most recent game.

Whiteside doesn't start for the Bighorns as their center position is currently locked up by Nick Fazekas, the 34th overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft and the first overall pick of this year's D-League draft. Nevertheless, Whiteside gets plenty of chances at playing time as the first big man off the bench, checking in at 4:30 of the first quarter Friday night.

On Whiteside's first possession of the game, he grabbed an errant Marcus Landry shot, but was fouled on the putback attempt and forced to go to the free-throw line. Whiteside made 59 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe in college, but bricked his first two attempts of this game. Landry by the way, the brother of Kings forward Carl Landry, would finish with a team-high 30 points after hitting on 4-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/11/closer-look-at-hassan-whitesides-d-league-struggles/

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Soccer Sunday: Your Running Commentary

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SoccerByIves/~3/vXdvyQvb4VE/soccer-sunday-your-running-commentary-1.html

Sienna Miller Simone Mütherthies Sofía Vergara

Monday, December 13, 2010

Hornets Continue to Sputter With Comically Bad Shooting Day

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The Hornets have lost eight of their last 12 games. They haven't scored 100 or more points in their last 12 tries. At this point, the only time people talk about their surprising 10-1 start it's in sentences like "Hey, what the heck happened to the Hornets after that surprising 10-1 start?"

Well, New Orleans is now 14-9 after a putrid 88-70 loss to the Sixers on Saturday. And in this case, a twitpic is worth a thousand statistics about poor shooting (image courtesy of Derek Bodner from Liberty Ballers).

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/12/hornets-continue-to-sputter-with-comically-bad-shooting-day/

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Leslie Frazier: Brett Favre 'Doubtful ... But You Never Know'

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One of the most impressive streaks in NFL history could be just hours from coming to an end, as Vikings quarterback Brett Favre may not start on Monday night for the first time in nearly two decades.

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier texted Adam Schefter of ESPN on Monday morning and said that Favre's status is, "Doubtful but sometimes you never know with him." Favre suffered a shoulder injury eight days ago that doctors have said typically takes a few weeks to heal.

Actually, all the time you do know with Favre: A whole generation of NFL fans has grown up always knowing that the one constant in the league is that Brett Favre will start, whether he's with the Packers, the Jets or the Vikings. Favre currently holds the all-time NFL record for consecutive starts, at 297.

But Favre has reportedly told teammates that they shouldn't count on him to make consecutive start No. 298, and now Frazier is calling Favre doubtful, appearing to downgrade Favre's chances of playing after the Vikings officially declared him questionable on their injury report.

Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/13/leslie-frazier-brett-favre-doubtful-but-you-never-know/

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Jorge Cantu Receiving Interest From Padres, Diamondbacks

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Jorge CantuFree-agent infielder Jorge Cantu is drawing strong interest from two NL West clubs -- the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks -- a source told FanHouse.

Cantu finished 2010 in a platoon role with the AL champion Rangers after a July trade shipped him from the Florida Marlins to Texas. He hit .256 with 11 homers and 56 RBI between the two teams last season.

Cantu, who will turn 29 next month, has enjoyed an up-and-down career with stops in Tampa Bay and Cincinnati before he made his way to Florida. He was released by the Reds in December 2007, and responded in the following season by hitting .277 with 29 homers and 95 RBI.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/12/13/jorge-cantu-receiving-interest-from-padres-diamondbacks/

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It is finished

You never know what moments are going to change your life.  For D.C. United and, really, for soccer fans across the United States, one such moment came on August 7, 1996.  Just four minutes after kickoff on that summer evening, a young Bolivian player named Jaime Moreno scored for D.C....

Source: http://dcunited.com/node/13841

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Canada May Hate Bosh, but It Loves Heat's Jamaal Magloire and Joel Anthony

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Shouldn't the Miami Heat be an adopted Canadian team?

Canada has the Toronto Raptors, of course. And the Phoenix Suns feature Canadian star Steve Nash. But, if you want to get technical, Nash wasn't born in Canada, instead being a native of South Africa.

There are only two natives of Canada active in the NBA, and both play for Miami. There is center Jamaal Magloire, from Toronto, and center Joel Anthony, from Montreal. So one might think they're liking the Heat where it's cold even if those guys don't play a lot.

But there is one big problem with all of this. Miami also features forward Chris Bosh, known in some quarters as a Canadian defector.

Not that Bosh ever applied for Canadian citizenship, but he did play the previous seven seasons for the Raptors. Then he became a free agent and bolted to Miami, joining Northeast Ohio defector LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

"I think they're more mad at Bosh leaving (but) they're happy for us,'' Magloire said of how Canadian fans look at the Heat.

With that in mind, maybe Bosh should stand close to Magloire and Anthony when he makes his return Feb. 16 with the Heat to the Air Canada Centre. It could make it much safer.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/canada-may-hate-bosh-but-it-loves-heats-magloire-and-anthony/

Olivia Munn Olivia Wilde

2010 NCAA College Cup Preview: The University of Akron

Fanhouse begins its extensive coverage of the 2010 NCAA College Cup -- held this year at the University of California, Santa Barbara -- with a preview of each of the four tournament semifinalists. The early game will pit No. 1 seed Louisville against No. 4 UNC at 5:30 p.m. PT on Friday, while the late matchup will see No. 3 Akron take on No. 10 seed Michigan at 8 p.m. PT the same evening.

Santa Barbara, Calif. -- The University of Akron's roster reads like a who's who of college soccer all-stars.

The school boasts nine players on the All-Mid American Conference First Team (including 2010 MAC Player of the Year Darlington Nagbe), eight guys who have made at least one appearance on the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week, three who have made at least one appearance on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week, three on the Hermann Trophy watch list, and a senior captain who has spent time at the fabled IMG Academy in Florida and who has been capped by the United States U-17 National Team.

Impressive, to say the least.

Add to that the fact that the team was a penalty kick away from winning the NCAA National Championship last year and you understand why the Zips present such a daunting challenge to any opponent at this year's College Cup.

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/12/10/2010-ncaa-college-cup-preview-the-university-of-akron/

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Hornets Continue to Sputter With Comically Bad Shooting Day

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The Hornets have lost eight of their last 12 games. They haven't scored 100 or more points in their last 12 tries. At this point, the only time people talk about their surprising 10-1 start it's in sentences like "Hey, what the heck happened to the Hornets after that surprising 10-1 start?"

Well, New Orleans is now 14-9 after a putrid 88-70 loss to the Sixers on Saturday. And in this case, a twitpic is worth a thousand statistics about poor shooting (image courtesy of Derek Bodner from Liberty Ballers).

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/12/hornets-continue-to-sputter-with-comically-bad-shooting-day/

Drew Barrymore Ehrinn Cummings Elena Lyons

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Carmelo Anthony Talks Future in New York After Nuggets Fall to Knicks

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Carmelo AnthonyNEW YORK -- Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony said Sunday that he has made it a priority to sign that three-year, $65 million extension that has been dangling in front of him since last spring -- and avoid becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer.

He just doesn't want to sign it in Denver.

Anthony made his feeling pretty clear, in a roundabout way, shortly after he was serenaded by fans of the New York Knicks, who are becoming more confident about landing him before the trade deadline in February.

The feeling was mutual. He wants to play there.

The Knicks won their eighth consecutive game by beating the Nuggets, 129-125, but not before getting an up-close look of what Anthony could do for them with his 31-point, 13-rebound performance.

"Whatever decision I make, that (the extension) is going to be the first thing that gets done," Anthony said after the game. He wants the extension tied directly or indirectly into the trade.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/12/carmelo-anthony-talks-future-in-new-york-after-nuggets-fall-to-k/

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Joseph Ngwenya, Aaron Hohlbein Only Picks in Uneventful MLS Re-Entry Draft

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MLS Re-Entry DraftWhile many had expected the first stage of the inaugural MLS Re-Entry Draft to be a quiet event despite the big names available for the taking, few anticipated it would last all of five minutes and see just two fairly unheralded players find new clubs.

Yet, that is exactly what happened Wednesday, when D.C. United selected striker Joseph Ngwenya, the Columbus Crew took defender Aaron Hohlbein, and the remaining 16 clubs sat idle.

Opening round regulations for the pseudo-free agent draft stipulated that any player selected would need to have his option exercised or have a bona fide offer extended his way. With these restrictions in mind, each team opted to wait until next Wednesday's second stage -- which offers greater negotiating flexibility -- to try their luck at adding more renowned (and, therefore, more expensive) players.

For the likes of Juan Pablo Angel, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Jimmy Conrad, Jeff Cunningham, Frankie Hejduk and Josh Wolff, that means at least another seven days will pass before they find out where they will be playing in 2011.

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/12/08/joseph-ngwenya-aaron-hohlbein-only-picks-in-uneventful-mls-re-e/

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UFC 124 Results: GSP vs. Koscheck 2

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Georges St. Pierre will battle Josh Koscheck in the main event of UFC 124.FanHouse has UFC 124 results for all of the Dec. 11 UFC 124 fights, plus live coverage from Montreal, live blogs of all the fights and live UFC 124 twitter updates.

In the main event, Georges St-Pierre will defend his UFC welterweight title against Josh Koscheck. St-Pierre defeated Koscheck in their previous meeting via a unanimous decision at UFC 74 on Aug. 25, 2007.

Check out the UFC 124 results below.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2010/12/11/ufc-124-results-gsp-vs-koscheck-2/

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Giants-Vikings Moved to Monday Night

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MINNEAPOLIS -- The NFL has moved the game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings to Monday night in Minneapolis. The news was first reported by Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

UPDATE: Snow Caves in Metrodome Roof, Leaves Vikings, Giants, NFL Scrambling

The game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Monday night and be broadcast by FOX only in the two local markets. The timing means that the game will go up against the national Monday Night Football broadcast on ESPN featuring the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. That game is scheduled for an 8:30 p.m. ET kickoff.

The move was made necessary by a storm that dumped 16.5 inches of snow in Minneapolis, closed the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for a time Saturday, and stranded the Giants in Kansas City when they tried to fly into the Twin Cities for Sunday's game. The team is spending Saturday night in Kansas City, and was planning on trying to get to the stadium in time for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.

The team chose to move their normal mid-afternoon flight to earlier in the day Saturday in hopes of beating the storm, but instead were trying to fly in as Minneapolis was being hit with the worst of the storm.

Minneapolis sports radio station KFAN reported on Twitter that the move was made for "a variety of reasons," which apparently include the weight of the new snow on the Metrodome roof.

Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/11/giants-vikings-moved-to-monday-night/

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Closer Look at Hassan Whiteside's D-League Struggles

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Hassan WhitesideHassan Whiteside was sent by the Sacramento Kings to their NBA D-League affiliate Reno Bighorns to get the much-needed playing time that was unavailable with the Kings, but the 7-foot rookie has also struggled to find time with the Bighorns.

Whiteside, the 33rd overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, has played four games with the Bighorns, but has yet to make an impact in the D-League, averaging just 5.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in just over 12 minutes of action per game.

The most interesting box score line for Whiteside thus far in his D-League career came Friday night against fellow rookie Patrick Patterson and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Before fouling out in his 12:59 of court time, Whiteside stuffed the stat sheet by scoring six points, grabbing six rebounds and adding five blocked shots while Kings teammate DeMarcus Cousins watched courtside. Whiteside's Bighorns did get the victory, though, edging the Rio Grande Valley Vipers by a final score of 119-111 behind a triple-double from Patrick Ewing, Jr. as he'd score 26 points, dish 11 assists and grab 10 rebounds in 41 minutes.

Whiteside's minutes were limited was due to foul trouble, though the rookie showed that he still has a lot to work on despite the obvious athletic gifts that allowed him to turn pro after just one season at Marshall. Eric Musselman, the first-year head coach of the Bighorns and former Kings head coach, told FanHouse earlier this week that Whiteside is healthy and improving every day, however, leading to this in-depth look at the center's most recent game.

Whiteside doesn't start for the Bighorns as their center position is currently locked up by Nick Fazekas, the 34th overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft and the first overall pick of this year's D-League draft. Nevertheless, Whiteside gets plenty of chances at playing time as the first big man off the bench, checking in at 4:30 of the first quarter Friday night.

On Whiteside's first possession of the game, he grabbed an errant Marcus Landry shot, but was fouled on the putback attempt and forced to go to the free-throw line. Whiteside made 59 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe in college, but bricked his first two attempts of this game. Landry by the way, the brother of Kings forward Carl Landry, would finish with a team-high 30 points after hitting on 4-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc.

Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/11/closer-look-at-hassan-whitesides-d-league-struggles/

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Barcelona Trio Named FIFA Ballon d'Or Finalists

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Inter Milan may have walked away with the UEFA Champions League title in May, but when it comes to individual talent, it would appear Barcelona comes second to none.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta were named finalists for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or on Monday, ensuring that the title of world's best player will remain at Camp Nou for another season.

Messi won FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or honors last year, while Xavi and Iniesta also finished in the top five for both awards.

Those two prizes have been combined into a single honor for the first time this year. Voted on by coaches, players and journalists, the trophy will be presented Jan. 10 in Zurich.

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/12/06/barcelona-trio-named-to-fifa-ballon-dor-shortlist/

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College Cup Final Preview: Legacies on the line as Louisville faces Akron

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SoccerByIves/~3/LHdXzjuin2U/college-cup-final-preview-louisville-cardinals-vs-akron-zips.html

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Weekend Wrap-up: U.S. Players Help Take Away Sting of World Cup Bid Loss

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Although the United States' failed bid to host World Cup 2022 made this past week one to forget for stateside soccer supporters, the rare goal-scoring exploits of two American defenders abroad just might soften that substantial blow.

After U.S. right back Jonathan Spector bagged a midweek brace in West Ham's 4-0 Carling Cup victory over his former club, Manchester United, American defender Carlos Bocanegra notched his first Ligue One goal in a St. Etienne uniform during the club's 2-2 draw with Bordeaux on Sunday.

In the 69th minute, moments after St. Etienne had knotted the match at one, the U.S. captain rose to nod Dimitri Payet's free kick through the legs of Bordeaux goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso.

Only a last-gasp equalizer from Fernando Menegazzo kept Bocanegra from claiming his strike - a vintage goal from the aerial specialist - as the game-winner. Bocanegra had not scored since doing so in March for his previous team, Rennes.

Midfielder Michael Bradley (photo above) made sure the scoring joy wasn't just for members of the Yanks' back line, finding net in the 17th minute of Borussia Monchengladbach's 2-1 Bundesliga loss to Hannover 96 on Saturday.

Taking a long-range free kick from the left flank, Bradley launched his service into the penalty area and watched as it surprisingly skipped untouched past Hannover goalkeeper Florian Fromlowitz into the far side netting.

It was the 23-year-old's third goal of the Bundesliga campaign. The loss, however, ensured Monchengladbach would stay in the league cellar with a 2-9-4 mark.

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/12/05/weekend-wrap-up-u-s-players-help-take-away-sting-of-world-cup/

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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Forbes: LeBron James Was NBA's Most Underpaid Player of 2009-10

by Hal Spivack

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Most, but not all, was lost for Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert last summer when LeBron James spurned the team and took his talents to South Beach.

Forbes released figures this week showing James was the most underpaid player in the NBA last year, making $15.8 million a year. In the report, Forbes used players' salaries from 2009-10 and juxtaposed individual statistics alongside how many wins the team produced in the season. Specifically factoring into the report was sports economist David Berri's statistical formula that uses the following for each player: points, rebounds, turnovers, steals, assists and shooting percentages per team possessions in a game

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/10/forbes-lebron-james-was-nbas-most-underpaid-player-of-2009-10/

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Source: http://dcunited.com/node/13899

Drew Barrymore Ehrinn Cummings Elena Lyons

Administrators Agree on Little but Unite on No Compensation for Student-Athletes

by Terrance Harris

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NEW YORK - It's interesting. You can put athletic administrators from across the country in the same building and they seem to disagree on just about every burning issue in intercollegiate athletics.

Conference realignment. A football playoff versus the bowl system. The number of years of eligibility a student-athlete should be allowed. How to ensure student-athletes graduate. You name it, there is a rarely a consensus in the room.

But when the subject of paying intercollegiate student-athletes as coaches contracts become bigger and television revenues reach once unimaginable levels, there is finally an agreement: That is never going to happen.

In fact, NCAA president Mark Emmert (right) set the tone of this week's IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum when during his opening remarks he professed, "As long I am president of the NCAA, we will not pay student-athletes."

That seemed to be the sentiment of all of the administrators who attended the forum that did not include student-athletes.

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/administrators-agree-on-little-but-unite-on-no-compensation-for/

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Will Chang Q&A

With the 2010 D.C. United season in the books, there is much to contemplate over the next several months in preparation for the 2011 Major League Soccer campaign. Throughout the off-season dcunited.com will be speaking to many club officials as the Black-and-Red prepare to get back on track in the...

Source: http://dcunited.com/node/13932

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Sam Hornish Jr. May Return to Indy 500

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LAS VEGAS -- Three-time IndyCar champ and 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr.'s NASCAR future remains in limbo, but his team owner, Roger Penske, said Thursday that he will likely field Hornish in the Daytona 500 and possibly in the Indianapolis 500, too.

Penske confirmed the news during a sponsorship announcement at his Ferrari dealership in the Wynn Las Vegas Thursday, where the team unveiled Kurt Busch's new No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series and a similar design for the iconic No. 3 Penske car that three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves will drive at Indy next May.

For all his success in open-wheel racing, Hornish has never managed to make a big splash in NASCAR's big leagues, with only a pair of top-five finishes and eight top-10 efforts in 108 starts over three full seasons. And with no primary sponsor signed for his No. 77 Dodge, Penske said Hornish still doesn't have a full schedule set for 2011. Penske said both a limited Cup and Nationwide Series slate were possibilities.

"I told him that, at the end of the day, I'd much rather do a program where we can support you 100 percent than have some pick-up program with not enough sponsors,'' Penske said. "We need to have the continuity. We have a number of opportunities, but we just couldn't get them closed at this point.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/12/03/sam-hornish-jr-may-return-to-indy-500/

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Matt Cassel Doesn't Practice Friday

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Matt Cassel didn't practice Friday, keeping his playing status for Sunday in doubt.

Two days after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, Cassel hasn't officially been ruled out of the Chiefs' upcoming game against the Chargers. But Brodie Croyle took the first-team snaps Friday, indicating that Cassel will likely sit for the division contest.

Croyle hasn't started a game since the 2009 opener and hasn't thrown a pass in the regular season in a year. He's winless as an NFL starter.

"You're not out there in the action," Haley said of Croyle's inactivity. "It's been a long time. ... Brodie's been around here a long time now. I have a very good feel for Brodie, as do the coaches."

Cassel has stepped it up in his second season in Kansas City. The sixth-year player ranks fifth in the NFL in QB rating (98.4) and touchdowns (23).

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/10/matt-cassel-doesnt-participate-in-friday-practice/

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Kings Assistant Mario Elie Arrested for DUI

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Mario ElieSacramento Kings assistant coach Mario Elie was arrested early Thursday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail at 2:08 a.m. PST and subsequently released after posting bail.

Sacramento sports radio station KHTK was the first to report Elie's arrest, which the Kings organization later confirmed to local television station News 10. Elie, 47, won three NBA championships during his 11-year career as a player. He's in his fourth season as an assistant NBA coach, and his second with the Kings.

"I was pulled over last night on my way home for having a broken taillight. I had been out and had a couple of drinks. My blood alcohol level was slightly over the legal limit," Elie explained in a statement issued by the team. "I'm very sorry, embarrassed and disappointed for the position in which I put myself and team. Rest assured, it won't happen again as I take full responsibility for my actions."

Elie is the third person from the Kings organization to be arrested for drinking and driving charges in the last three months. Forward Antoine Wright, who has since been waived by the team, was arrested for suspicion of DUI on Nov. 4, and co-owner George Maloof, Jr. was arrested in Las Vegas for suspicion of drunk driving on Oct. 9.

Looking back further, Andres Nocioni was arrested for drunk driving in Nov. 2009 while a member of the Kings, eventually pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges and serving a two-game suspension from the NBA in March. And in Nov. 2006, Eric Musselman, then head coach of the Kings, was arrested on DUI charges. He also pleaded no contest, and was suspended two games by the NBA.

In a statement released by the team, general manager Geoff Petrie acknowledged the team's unfortunate recent history. "We are very concerned and disappointed in regard to Mario's arrest for DUI," the statement read. "This is an ugly form of history repeating itself. We expect better, knowing at the same time there are limits to how far you can go to protect people from themselves. In spite of all of this, we still respect Mario's right to due process."

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/kings-assistant-mario-elie-arrested-for-dui/

Amanda Righetti Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci

Friday, December 10, 2010

Joseph Ngwenya, Aaron Hohlbein Only Picks in Uneventful MLS Re-Entry Draft

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MLS Re-Entry DraftWhile many had expected the first stage of the inaugural MLS Re-Entry Draft to be a quiet event despite the big names available for the taking, few anticipated it would last all of five minutes and see just two fairly unheralded players find new clubs.

Yet, that is exactly what happened Wednesday, when D.C. United selected striker Joseph Ngwenya, the Columbus Crew took defender Aaron Hohlbein, and the remaining 16 clubs sat idle.

Opening round regulations for the pseudo-free agent draft stipulated that any player selected would need to have his option exercised or have a bona fide offer extended his way. With these restrictions in mind, each team opted to wait until next Wednesday's second stage -- which offers greater negotiating flexibility -- to try their luck at adding more renowned (and, therefore, more expensive) players.

For the likes of Juan Pablo Angel, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Jimmy Conrad, Jeff Cunningham, Frankie Hejduk and Josh Wolff, that means at least another seven days will pass before they find out where they will be playing in 2011.

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/12/08/joseph-ngwenya-aaron-hohlbein-only-picks-in-uneventful-mls-re-e/

Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Mutch Sarah Polley

A Year After Scandal, Tiger Finds His Rhythm -- and Fans -- at Chevron

by Jon Weinbach

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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The sun was shining, the Southern California air was crisp, gaggles of paunchy men in cargo shorts and golf shirts were clapping - and Tiger Woods was atop the leaderboard. It almost felt like, well, anytime before a certain driveway car crash turned Woods' life upside down a little over 12 months ago.

The atmosphere here at Sherwood Country Club, home of the $5 million Chevron World Challenge, was certainly more upbeat than it was a year ago. Back then, Woods was in hiding and the speculation about his extra-marital affairs was just tipping into outright mania. He skipped this tournament, which benefits his charitable foundation, and his absence cast a pall over the event - even if it did inspire some entertaining conversations among fans.

Woods was again the main topic of discussion at Sherwood on Friday, but for an entirely different reason: his play. The 34-year-old golfer, who has not won a tournament this year, shot an eagle on the second hole, part of a six-under-par round that extended his lead atop the 18-player field. He's now four strokes ahead of Graeme McDowell and five over Luke Donald and Rory McIlory, the 21-year-old phenom from Northern Ireland who was Woods' playing partner on Friday.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/12/03/a-year-after-scandal-tiger-finds-his-rhythm-and-fans-at-c/

Paulina Rubio Paz Vega Penélope Cruz

Carl Crawford, BoSox Line Up Perfectly

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry never gets boring, does it? Boston fired the latest salvo in the yearly offseason war for the best talent in baseball by signing Carl Crawford to a seven-year, $142 million contract. FanHouse TV's Dan Graziano and Steve Phillips examine where Crawford will slot in the lineup, and what the Yankees have to do now to respond.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/carl-crawford-bosox-line-up-perfectly/

Rachel Hunter Rachel McAdams Rachel Nichols

Zebra Report: 'Late Hits,' Getting Set, More

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Pretty much this entire Zebra Report stems from things Oregon does on offense and from one particular play in the Oregon-Oregon State Civil War game, but that doesn't mean it's Oregon-centric. These discussions are all things that apply to every team in football -- starting with the unnecessary roughness penalty on Oregon State with 2:22 left in the second quarter.

For those who didn't see the play, Ducks running back Kenjon Barner was running toward the sideline and was shoved out by the Oregon State defender seemingly right as he stepped on the out of bounds line. A penalty was called. ESPN's Pat Forde tweeted that it was a "garbage" call and I'm seeing this as a common refrain from many fans who don't regularly quack.

But here's the issue: Barner was noticeably slowing down and running straight out of bounds. His intent was clear, in that he was going straight out of bounds (notice how much time was left in the half). Whether fans or the defense like it or not, it is part of the defense's job to know where the sideline is and for all players to avoid unnecessary contact. If a ballcarrier is in the act of going out of bounds, he has to be allowed to do so without being shoved in the middle of the back.

Now, I know the arguments that commonly follow this logic. Let me use some telepathy and answer the forthcoming questions and complaints before they hit:

1. But, Matt, what if he changed his mind and cut back?
2. He wasn't out of bounds yet when the defender touched him!
3. This is football! If he doesn't like getting hit, he shouldn't play.
4. I bet you never played a down in your life!

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/zebra-report-late-hits-getting-set-more/

April Scott Arielle Kebbel Ashanti

Seeking First Win of 2010, Tiger Woods Shoots 4-Under 68, Leads by Four Strokes

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The Tiger comeback is looking better by the day.

The world's most famous - and scandalized - golfer, who has not won a tournament in more than a year, continued his stellar play in the third round of the Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, Calif., shooting four-under-par to maintain his four-stroke advantage over U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell.

On a cool, windy day at Sherwood Country Club, Woods had two bogeys during the round - he has just three through 54 holes, fewest in the field - but saved several holes with excellent putts for par, and heads into Sunday at 17-under par.

"I'm excited about tomorrow because of the way I'm playing," said Woods, who has never lost a tournament that he's led by at least three shots going into the final round.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/12/04/seeking-first-win-of-2010-tiger-woods-shoots-4-under-68-leads/

Veronica Kay Veronika Vaeková Victoria Beckham

College Cup Preview: UNC's Farfan emerges as team leader

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SoccerByIves/~3/yBvU2KKgMEw/college-cup-preview-uncs-farfan-emerges-as-team-leader.html

Minki van der Westhuizen Miranda Kerr Mischa Barton

Chiefs vs. Chargers Preview, Score and More

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The Chiefs could be without quarterback Matt Cassel for their key divisional game against the Chargers, the four-time defending AFC West champions who would be eliminated from the division race with a loss. Cassel had an appendectomy on Wednesday and backup Brodie Croyle would start in his place if he can't go. The Chiefs are bidding for a fourth straight win for the first time since 2004. They signaled their readiness to challenge for the division crown when they took the season opener from San Diego 21-14. A victory would mark their first sweep of the two-game season series with the Chargers in seven years.

The Chargers suffered a blow to their playoff hopes a week ago when they were upset 28-13 by the Raiders, who at 6-6 are tied with San Diego for second place in the division, two games behind front-running Kansas City with four to play. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers heads into the game as the league's third-ranked passer with a rating of 102.5. Last week's loss marked the first time Rivers had lost a December game in 19 career starts during the month.

Who: Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) at San Diego Chargers (6-6)

Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego

When:
Sunday, Dec. 12, 1:15 PT

TV Coverage: CBS

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/chiefs-vs-chargers-preview-score-and-more/

Georgina Grenville Gina Carano Gina Gershon

It's Time for Jeff Fisher and the Tennessee Titans to Part Ways

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Jeff FisherNASHVILLE, Tenn. -- After nearly 17 full seasons as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, it's time for Jeff Fisher and the Titans to part ways. This doesn't have to be acrimonious and it doesn't have to drag on forever. But it needs to happen soon. How? Since Bud Adams still has Jeff Fisher under contract as his head coach through 2011, Adams needs to trade away his head coach for draft picks. Yep, pull a Jon Gruden. Fisher's a smart head coach, he has marketability in the NFL. Surely Adams and Fisher can agree upon a job and work out a deal that allows the Titans to be compensated for Fisher and part ways amicably with the longest-tenured head coach in the league.

Fisher may well win a Super Bowl somewhere else. I doubt it, because I think the game has passed him by, but he may. What he won't do is win one with the Titans. He's had 17 seasons to make that happen and where does the franchise stand? In the wake of Thursday night's sixth consecutive defeat, a 30-28 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Titans are 5-8 and nowhere near a Super Bowl-caliber team.

Meanwhile Fisher hasn't won a playoff game since 2003 and his best chances to win a title came at the beginning of the decade. He's 141-115, after 17 seasons of coaching and has a winning percentage of 55 percent. That's not good enough to justify him a coaching job for life, but it's good enough to make him a marketable commodity.


Colts 30, Titans 28: Quick Hits | Recap | Box Score


It's time for player and coach to split ways.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/its-time-for-jeff-fisher-and-the-tennessee-titans-to-part-ways/

Joanne Montanez Jodi Lyn OKeefe Jolene Blalock

Thursday, December 9, 2010

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

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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/

Laetitia Casta Lake Bell Larissa Meek

Sharks Show Resilience Despite Tough Start Against Flyers

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SharksIt hasn't been a normal year so far for the San Jose Sharks. Each of the last four seasons they have finished the year with at least 105 points and 49 wins. This year, the Sharks aren't on pace for one of their "usual" finishes, but with 30 points in 26 games are on pace for 94 points. To add to that, the Western Conference is as tight as can be with only nine points separating the second-place team from the worst. Wednesday night, the Sharks showed why their regular-season experience from the last few years still makes them a very tough team to beat in the Western Conference.

Traveling cross-country in the middle of December against a very tough Philadelphia Flyers team, this was the easiest game in the book in which to roll over or take a night off. This is the time in the season that separates the tough teams from the soft ones and the Sharks were in the middle of an East Coast road trip. Make no mistake, the Sharks made a lot of noise in the hockey world tonight in a nationally televised game on Versus -- and not just because of a disallowed Flyers goal.

Down 4-1 early in the third period with a trip to Buffalo later that night, it would have been easy for the Sharks to give up. You could argue the deficit should have only been 4-2, as the Sharks had a second-period goal disallowed for "a distinct kicking motion" that was a very tough call that could have gone either way. Packing it in and starting to think about a struggling Sabres team on Thursday night seems like an option a lot of teams or players might have taken.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/sharks-show-resilience-despite-tough-start-against-flyers/

Halle Berry Hayden Panettiere Haylie Duff