Denny Hamlin Leads Title Contenders in Final NASCAR Practice

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

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- After struggling in opening practice Friday and qualifying a disappointing 37th for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season finale, championship leader Denny Hamlin showed some signs of progress, posting a top-five speed in Saturday's final practice session -- best among the three drivers in contention for the title.

Hamlin's lap of 169.284 mph in the No. 11 FedEx Toyota was fourth best in Happy Hour -- as the final practice is called -- well off Kasey Kahne's pole-winning mark of nearly 177 mph, but ahead of his closest championship rivals. Four-time defending series champ Jimmie Johnson, who trails Hamlin by 15 points in the title hunt, was 22nd fastest in final practice, while Kevin Harvick, who is 46 points behind Hamlin, was 29th fastest.

"I feel pretty good about my car,'' said Hamlin, who made a beeline from the garage to his team transporter after practice. "I feel like we have a better car than the 48 (Johnson). I feel like the 29 (Harvick) is maybe a hair better than us, but we are always a little bit slower in practice than what we are in the race.

"I'm confident that we're going to have a good day tomorrow. We've just got to make sure we stay on the right strategy.''

Harvick, whose Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton was fastest on the day, was similarly satisfied with his team's preparation -- so much so that he parked his No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy before the session ended.

"I'm excited,'' said Harvick. "It should be a fun day tomorrow.''

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/20/denny-hamlin-leads-title-contenders-in-final-nascar-practice/

Ivana Bozilovic Ivanka Trump Izabella Miko

Kasey Kahne to Have Surgery on Both Knees After Season

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, FanHouse Exclusive, NASCAR

Kasey Kahne will be having surgery on both knees in the days following this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and is expecting to be sidelined about six weeks, the driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota told FanHouse Wednesday.

Kahne, the 2004 Cup Series Rookie of the Year, characterized the operation as "no big deal" and said doctors were just going to clean up the area surrounding the knees. He said he opted to have both knees worked on at once because it was "either six weeks this way, or 12 weeks doing it one after the other.''

While this means Kahne won't be participating in offseason testing -- including the Jan. 20-22 tire test at the newly paved Daytona International Speedway -- he fully expects to be behind the wheel of his Red Bull Racing Toyota in time for the Feb. 20 season-opening Daytona 500.

Kahne is the second high-profile driver to undergo knee surgery this year. Championship points leader Denny Hamlin had a more serious surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee on March 31 and raced two weeks later without a relief driver. He won the next race, 19 days later at Texas Motor Speedway and currently holds a 15-point edge over Jimmie Johnson in the championship standings entering Sunday's season finale.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/17/kasey-kahne-to-have-knee-surgery-after-season/

Eva Longoria Eva Mendes Evangeline Lilly

Jets, Patriots Playing for High Stakes in Latest Edition of Bitter Rivalry

Filed under: Jets, Patriots, AFC East

It doesn't take much for the New York Jets and New England Patriots to get fired up for each other whenever they play, but next Monday night in Foxborough, Mass., at Gillette Stadium the two teams will be in the middle of a playoff atmosphere.

Tied atop the AFC East with identical 9-2 records, this game for all intents and purposed will determine which one will be the division champion as third-place Miami is three games back at 6-5 and has lost to both of them. Tony Massarotti of The Boston Globe broke down the intricacies of this game and how it ranks as one of the most important yet in the rivalry.

Here's the meat and potatoes of the column as it pertains to the Patriots and why they need to extend their regular-season home winning streak to 26:

"Home field advantage and byes are critical advantages for any team in any postseason, but they are especially valuable to these Patriots at this particular time. As a result, this game means far more to the Patriots than it does to the Jets. New York can lose this game and still end up with home field advantage and a bye in the playoffs because the Jets currently own tiebreakers over, among others, New England. The Ravens and Steelers go head-to-head this week. The Jets and Steelers still have to face one another. Even with a loss, New York's fate would still very much be in its own hands.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/jets-patriots-playing-for-high-stakes-in-latest-edition-of-bitt/

Tessie Santiago Thalía Thandie Newton

Pat Burns' Widow's Car Broken Into After Funeral

Filed under: Devils, NHL Police Blotter, NHL Coaching

MONTREAL (AP) -- Someone broke into the car of Pat Burns' widow (pictured with Pat Burns) within hours of his funeral, Montreal police said Tuesday.

Police said the thieves would have known whose belongings they were stealing when they ransacked Line Burns' car, taking about 30 autographed hockey sweaters from Burns' personal collection.

"They went through his stuff," said Constable Anie Lemieux of the Montreal police, noting Burns' wallet was in the car.

"The person who left with the shirts and everything knows that this is Pat Burns' stuff."

Burns, who coached the New Jersey Devils to the 2003 Stanley Cup title, died Nov. 19 after a long battle with cancer at age 58.

Burns' cousin Robin, who delivered a eulogy at Monday's funeral, called the crime "deplorable."

The entire roster of the Devils was on hand for the service honoring the police officer-turned-hockey coach, who also had successful runs in Montreal, Toronto and Boston. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Quebec Premier Jean Charest were joined by stars such as Raymond Bourque, Patrick Roy, Tie Domi and Luc Robitaille.

Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/30/pat-burns-widows-car-broken-into-after-funeral/

Victoria Pratt Victoria Silvstedt Vinessa Shaw

Antoine Walker Planning Comeback in D-League, League Sources Say

Filed under: NBA Rumors, NBA D-League, FanHouse Exclusive

Three-time NBA All-Star Antoine Walker has made numerous comeback attempts since last playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2007-08 NBA season, but the latest may show how dedicated he actually is at getting another shot in the NBA.

Walker could soon be signing a contract with the NBA Development League, possibly as soon as Monday, according to league sources with knowledge of the situation.

Walker, 34, averaged 17.5 points and 7.7 rebounds over the course of his 12-year NBA career but wasn't able to earn an NBA training camp invite with the Charlotte Bobcats earlier this year after showing up to practice with them in September, a career move that seemingly signaled the end of domestic relevance for the former three-point 'shimmy'er.

While it isn't surprising that Walker wasn't able to earn a training camp spot with the Bobcats amid their glut of tweener forwards, ESPN's Marc Stein reported at the time that Walker was in very good shape, reporting that multiple witnesses who had seen Walker playing and working out with famed trainer Tim Grover in Chicago said "that Walker looks as fit as he has for some time."

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/antoine-walker-planning-comeback-in-d-league-per-league-sources/

Lil Kim Lily Allen Lindsay Lohan

Jets, Patriots Playing for High Stakes in Latest Edition of Bitter Rivalry

Filed under: Jets, Patriots, AFC East

It doesn't take much for the New York Jets and New England Patriots to get fired up for each other whenever they play, but next Monday night in Foxborough, Mass., at Gillette Stadium the two teams will be in the middle of a playoff atmosphere.

Tied atop the AFC East with identical 9-2 records, this game for all intents and purposed will determine which one will be the division champion as third-place Miami is three games back at 6-5 and has lost to both of them. Tony Massarotti of The Boston Globe broke down the intricacies of this game and how it ranks as one of the most important yet in the rivalry.

Here's the meat and potatoes of the column as it pertains to the Patriots and why they need to extend their regular-season home winning streak to 26:

"Home field advantage and byes are critical advantages for any team in any postseason, but they are especially valuable to these Patriots at this particular time. As a result, this game means far more to the Patriots than it does to the Jets. New York can lose this game and still end up with home field advantage and a bye in the playoffs because the Jets currently own tiebreakers over, among others, New England. The Ravens and Steelers go head-to-head this week. The Jets and Steelers still have to face one another. Even with a loss, New York's fate would still very much be in its own hands.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/jets-patriots-playing-for-high-stakes-in-latest-edition-of-bitt/

Chandra West Charisma Carpenter Charli Baltimore

MLS names finalists for end-of-season awards

NEW YORK ? Major League Soccer released the finalists for the league's annual end-of-season awards, including the three finalists for the hotly debated MVP race.Check them out:

Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Kevin Hartman (FC Dallas)
Donovan Ricketts (LA Galaxy)
Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)...

Source: http://dcunited.com/node/13959

Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet

Hassan Whiteside Assigned to D-League's Reno Bighorns

Filed under: Kings, NBA Draft, NBA D-League, NBA Coaches, Reno Bighorns

Hassan Whiteside hasn't been able to find any court time with current Sacramento Kings coach Paul Westphal this season, but he'll soon be getting plenty of playing time with former Kings head coach Eric Musselman as the team announced Monday that it has assigned Whiteside to the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League.

Whiteside, the 33rd overall selection in this year's NBA Draft by the Kings, has appeared in just one game for the Kings this season, picking up two fouls in less than two minutes in a 117-116 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 7-foot center should see much more playing time with the Bighorns, though he joins a talented cast that includes Kings training camp invites Marcus Landry and Donald Sloan as well as Nick Fazekas, Patrick Ewing Jr., Aaron Miles and D.J. Strawberry, all of whom are considered to be on the cusp of making an NBA roster.

Whiteside is the type of player that should certainly benefit from a D-League assignment as he has a ridiculous amount of upside but will need playing time to reach that potential as he is a bit on the raw side right now.

"He's disappointed, but we explained to him that it's not a demotion, it's because we think so highly of him. We want him to have a chance to play," Westphal told the media after practice Monday. "I think it's a really good opportunity for him. That's what the D-league is for. We are very high on Hassan's potential but he needs experience. That's what we said when we drafted him and that's where he is right now."

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/hassan-whiteside-assigned-to-d-leagues-reno-bighorns/

Julianne Hough Julie Benz Julie Berry

US National Team Defender Jay DeMerit to Join Vancouver Whitecaps

Filed under: MLS, U.S. Men's National Team, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

The Vancouver Whitecaps, set to make the jump from second division play to Major League Soccer in 2011, will announce the addition of U.S. national team veteran Jay DeMerit on Thursday morning.

The DeMerit-to-Vancouver rumors started nearly two months ago, when speculation about the 30-year-old's flagging career shifted from England and Germany toward MLS.

He was released from his contract with England's Watford prior to the World Cup, and despite a solid performance in South Africa, DeMerit was unable to find a club.

He has not played a game since the World Cup.

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/11/17/us-national-team-defender-jay-demerit-to-join-vancouver-whitecap/

Katharine McPhee Katharine Towne Katherine Heigl

'Matty Ice' Fueling Red-Hot Falcons' Super Bowl Dreams

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

ATLANTA -- Which is the best team in an NFL dominated by mediocrity disguised as parity? Nobody knows, but you should know that if the Atlanta Falcons don't reach Cowboys Stadium in February for the Super Bowl, they'll come within one of their tail feathers.

The truth is, this collection of Falcons would be impressive even in a stronger league.

Enlightened management. Splendid coaching. A bruising running game that is spurred by an efficient offensive line. Clutch wide receivers and a Hall of Fame tight end. An opportunistic defense, along with a field-goal kicker who never misses when it counts.

And Matt Ryan.

Definitely, Matt Ryan.

It's about Ryan, all right, since it's always about the quarterback in the NFL, and this guy with the calm of an assassin is helping the Falcons evolve into the 21st-century version of the Dirty Birds. The original ones flew 12 years ago, and they won the NFC championship game with Chris Chandler, who was a solid quarterback, but who was no Matt Ryan.

"I think that right now, him, Trent Green and Rich Gannon are right there at the top of any quarterback I've ever played with," said Tony Gonzalez, that future Hall of Fame tight end, of Ryan. "He has to keep doing what he's been doing by improving week in and week out. He just needs experience. The more he gets, the more comfortable he'll be on the field, and the better we'll do as an offense.

"But I really think that before it's all said and done, Matt could be one of the better ones.

"He will be the best."

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Thomas George: Falcons Seemingly Unstoppable at Home

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/matty-ice-fueling-red-hot-falcons-super-bowl-dreams/

Jules Asner Julia Stiles Julianne Hough

Tiger Woods: 'I'm Not the Same Man I Was a Year Ago'

Tiger Woods is continuing to overhaul his personal, public and professional life in the wake of the cheating and divorce scandal that has consumed his world in the last year. It was, in fact, almost a year ago exactly, the Friday after Thanksgiving, that news of Woods' car crash shocked the world.

So it's appropriate timing for Woods to take the next step in his attempt to overhaul his image and public perception, as Woods has penned a short editorial for "Newsweek" on his struggle, recovery and where he is a year after everything changed.

Woods admits that his life was "out of balance" and that he made "terrible choices," conducting his personal life in an "artificial way." But after a year of reflection, Woods says he's in a better place.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/11/17/tiger-woods-im-not-the-same-man-i-was-a-year-ago/

Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez Grace Park

Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle Combine For Oilers Game-Winning Goal

Filed under: Avalanche, Oilers, Western, NHL Videos

Despite a slow start, hopes are still high in Edmonton. The young Oilers have taken their lumps this season, falling victim to more than their fair share of blowouts to this point in the season.

Within those blowout losses, though, we've seen a few real signs of hope for this Edmonton team. Coach Tom Renney is optimistic about his talented young players, and two of them gave the first-year Oiler coach a bit of a reward for his optimism Thursday night.

With the game against Colorado tied 2-2 late in the third, rookies Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall combined for a pretty goal that gave the Oilers a 3-2 home win over their division rivals.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/taylor-hall-jordan-eberle-combine-for-oilers-game-winning-goal/

Adrianne Palicki Aisha Tyler Aki Ross

Man Dies After 20-Foot Fall From Ledge at Soldier Field

Filed under: Chicago Bears

UPDATE: The man has been identified as Stewart Haverty.

CHICAGO (AP) -- Authorities say a man has died after falling at least 20 feet from a ledge at Soldier Field while attending a Chicago Bears game.

Chicago police say the man fell around 4:55 p.m. Sunday during the matchup between the Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Chicago Fire Chief Joe Roccasalva says the man landed on a small rooftop on the outside of the stadium. Witnesses told authorities the man ran to a ledge and jumped. Roccasalva says the man was in his 20s, but his name hasn't been released.

It's the second death in a week at a major sporting arena. On Nov. 21, a 2-year-old boy fell from a luxury box at the Staples Center during a Los Angeles Lakers game.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/man-dies-after-20-foot-fall-from-ledge-at-soldier-field/

Moon Bloodgood Mýa Nadine Velazquez

Man Dies After 20-Foot Fall From Ledge at Soldier Field

Filed under: Chicago Bears

CHICAGO (AP) -- Authorities say a man has died after falling at least 20 feet from a ledge at Soldier Field while attending a Chicago Bears game.

Chicago police say the man fell around 4:55 p.m. Sunday during the matchup between the Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Chicago Fire Chief Joe Roccasalva says the man landed on a small rooftop on the outside of the stadium. Witnesses told authorities the man ran to a ledge and jumped. Roccasalva says the man was in his 20s, but his name hasn't been released.

It's the second death in a week at a major sporting arena. On Nov. 21, a 2-year-old boy fell from a luxury box at the Staples Center during a Los Angeles Lakers game.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/man-dies-after-20-foot-fall-from-ledge-at-soldier-field/

Dania Ramirez Danica Patrick Daniella Alonso

The NHL Cycle: Colin Campbell's 'Hot Seat,' Hart Trophy Watch

Filed under: NHL Fans, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

Every Monday morning Adam Gretz and Chris Botta recap the week in the greatest hockey league in the world. We call it the NHL Cycle.

THE HOT SEAT

Colin Campbell: Since the NHL seems to have made it clear its discipline czar is not going anywhere despite exposed unprofessionalism and questionable judgments, how about Campbell simply show some humility and apologize? Instead, all we get is an interview tour of excuse-making and blaming the media. One more major mistake by Campbell and even his boss won't be able to protect him anymore.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"There are Blue Jackets fans everywhere" -- Columbus wing Rick Nash after two hats were tossed on the ice when he scored his third goal of the game in a win in San Jose.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/22/the-nhl-cycle-colin-campbells-hot-seat-hart-trophy-watch/

Nichole Robinson Nicky Hilton Nicole Richie

Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers Stumped as Struggles Continue

Filed under: Nets, Trail Blazers

NEWARK, N.J. -- Before their game with the New Jersey Nets on Sunday, Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said his team -- hobbled by numerous injuries and stymied by nagging inconsistency -- would need to heal itself.

"There's nobody coming back that's going to rescue us," McMillan said. It may take an emotional rescue as well. After a dispiriting 98-96 loss to the Nets, the Blazers held a players-only "talk."

The Blazers didn't need 40 minutes as the Heat did on Saturday, but the Blazers find themselves at .500 and they don't like it.

"We talked," Wes Matthews Jr. said. "We talked about what we need to do. We don't feel we're an 8-8 team. That's the gist of it.

"The thing with the NBA is you have a whole bunch of games to play in a short span of time so you have to (forget) this one and move on to the next one."

This loss, however, won't be easy to forget for the simple reason that it has looked like many of the other Trail Blazers' losses this season: play well for three quarters, get stagnant in the fourth, watch a lead -- or a game within reach -- slip away.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/brandon-roy-trail-blazers-stumped-as-struggles-continue/

Selita Ebanks Shakara Ledard Shakira

Randy Shannon Fired by Miami

Filed under: University of Miami, ACC, Coaching

Randy Shannon has been fired by the University of Miami. The decision was announced by Miami in a press release Saturday night.

"We have made a decision to seek new leadership for our football program," said athletic director Kirby Hocutt in a statement. "Our expectations are to compete for championships and return to the top of the college football world. We will immediately begin a national search."

The Hurricanes had just finished a disappointing 7-5 campaign with an overtime loss to South Florida of the Big East. They were highly ranked and faced raised expectations coming into the season and have not even come close to living up to the hype. Another major issue was that there were only about 27,000 people at Miami's 73,000-seat venue for Saturday's game.

Shannon had received a four-year contract extension before the 2010 season, after increasing his win total by two each year (from five to seven to nine) during the first three seasons of his tenure. But the step backward teamed with fan indifference during the course of this season has done him in.

Shannon has done an admirable job of cleaning up the public image of Miami in terms of off-field issues -- arrests, poor academics, etc. -- but his on-field record has been deemed unacceptable for many 'Canes fans. He was 28-22 in four seasons with Miami, giving him the most losses for a coach since Charlie Tate went 34-27-3 (his tenure ended in 1970).

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/27/randy-shannon-fired-by-miami/

Genelle Frenoy Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville

Troubled Canuck Takes Leave of Absence

Filed under: Canucks, NHL Fights, NHL Discipline

The Vancouver Canucks granted troubled centre Rick Rypien an indefinite leave of absence Thursday.

The Canucks announced that the leave was "for personal matters" but declined to divulge details.

"(Rypien) is a valued member of the organization and the club will continue to support Rick in every way possible," said a team news release. "No further comment will be made by the club on this matter."

The leave comes after Rypien, 26, returned from a six-game suspension Nov. 6 for tussling with a fan in Minnesota.

"It's a real eye-opener for me, so I think I'm going to come back real strong and better than ever," said Rypien a few days after the suspension was handed down. "I think I'm going to be more focused and more determined to play the game that I love the most."

Following his return, he played sparingly in six consecutive games, recording one assist for his lone point of the season. He was scratched from Vancouver's past two contests.

He has played nine games this season while racking up 31 minutes in penalties and sporting a minus-five mark. The most ice time he received in a game was 7:58 on Oct. 15 against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Coleman, Alta., native is known for fighting bigger and heavier opponents - and often winning. The leave continues a difficult stretch in which he has battled injuries and personal matters the past two seasons. He was limited to 69 games in 2009-10 and just 12 in 2008-09.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/25/troubled-canuck-takes-leave-of-absence/

Anne Marie Kortright April Scott Arielle Kebbel

Victor Martinez Deal Shows How Serious Tigers Are About Contending

Filed under: Tigers, MLB Video, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Free Agency, Executive Take

Switch-hitting catchers with power are tough to come by, but the Tigers now have one. On Tuesday, Victor Martinez agreed to a $50 million deal with Detroit. FanHouse TV's Steve Phillips says the Tigers are on the attack so far this winter, and it could get them back in the playoffs.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/23/victor-martinez-deal-shows-how-serious-tigers-are-about-contendi/

Hilarie Burton Hilary Duff Hilary Swank

FOX to Broadcast First Big Ten Football Championship Game

by Milton Kent

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

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

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

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

 

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

Rhona Mitra Rihanna Robin Tunney

Moreno's gifts

Jaime Moreno concluded his historic Major League Soccer career Saturday night in front of the Black-and-Red faithful at RFK Stadium. Moreno's career ended with a crescendo of emotion, as fans crowded the field to thank a true club hero for the final time. On his lap around the stadium field, Moreno...

Source: http://dcunited.com/node/13892

Christina Ricci Chyler Leigh

Georgia Outlasts Rival Georgia Tech, Becomes Bowl Eligible

Filed under: Georgia, Georgia Tech, ACC, SEC

ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgians refer to the rivalry between the state's two football powers as "clean, old-fashioned hate."

Only the "hate" part applied Saturday at Sanford Stadium.

Miscues dirtied up the 105th meeting and defensive apathy made it anything but old-fashioned. In the end, the team to make all its extra points won.

Georgia escaped 42-34 in a game largely decided by a missed point after touchdown from Georgia Tech's Scott Blair. The senior pushed the would-be game-tying kick wide left with 4 minutes, 57 seconds to go and his team down 35-34.

The Yellow Jackets, out of timeouts with less than two minutes remaining, let Georgia score a touchdown in order to get the ball back for a chance to tie. But Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington threw a game-ending interception in the closing seconds.

"What a heartbreaker," Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "That's a game we could have won."

Georgia needed the victory more, however. The win evens the Bulldogs record at 6-6 and makes them bowl-eligible. They now have the right to play in a pizza bowl, or at least a bowl formerly known as a pizza bowl. Georgia is likely headed to the Little Caesar's Bowl in Detroit or the old PapaJohns.com bowl in Birmingham, now known as the BBVA Compass Bowl.

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/28/georgia-outlasts-rival-georgia-tech-becomes-bowl-eligible/

Saira Mohan Salma Hayek Samaire Armstrong

D-Line 'Em Up: Who Sends the House, Who Plays It Safe?

Filed under: NFL Analysis

If you're an offensive line coach facing the Saints next week, you'll know you have plenty of extra work figuring out how to handle all kind of blitzes. If you're playing the Bucs, you can feel comfortable that what you see is what you get.

To get a better idea of which teams are blitz happy and which ones depend on their front four, here's a look at how each team generated all of their sacks this year (it does not include the Thanksgiving Day games). These were compiled by watching and charting each and every sack of the 2010 NFL season.

At the top of the list, you'll see that the top pass-rushing teams are ones who generally can mix it up, but still generate plenty of pressure with only a four-man rush. The Seahawks (tied for 10th in sacks) are the only team in the top 10 who have generated less than 40 percent of their sacks on standard three and four-man rushes.

Closer to the bottom of the sacks list, you'll see several teams who have to play it risky. Gregg Williams is known as a defensive coordinator who doesn't play it timid. The Saints are just as comfortable sending eight pass rushers as they are dropping eight into coverage. The sack stats bear that out -- New Orleans has recorded seven sacks this season when sending seven rushers while the entire rest of the NFL has only 19 sacks on seven-man blitzes.

But Williams may not have much of a choice. His front four has recorded only four sacks all season when rushing four and another two while rushing three.

Some other teams without gaudy sack stats have decided to play it safe. Tony Dungy left Tampa Bay long ago and he's now been gone from Indianapolis for a while as well, but his former teams still seem to have his approach -- rush four and cover with everyone else. More than 80 percent of the Colts' sacks and nearly 80 percent of the Bucs' sacks have come when they rush three or four.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/d-line-em-up-who-sends-the-house-who-plays-it-safe/

Ana Paula Lemes Ananda Lewis Angela Marcello

Howie Rose Gets Candid About the Islanders During TV Timeout

Filed under: Islanders, NHL Media Watch, NHL Videos

The New York Islanders appear to have some sort of zero tolerance policy when it comes to members of the media speaking critically about their team (or not positive enough). Their reactions tend to vary from dismissal (Billy Jaffe) to the removal of credentials. That said, one has to wonder how irrational their reaction is going to be to play-by-play announcer Howie Rose speaking quite candidly during a TV timeout on Sunday, a game the Islanders entered riding a 12-game losing streak.

The problem, of course, is that while Rose thought he was off the air, he was pretty clearly still on it.

What followed was Rose jokingly asking "is it spring training yet?" and then saying "let me know how this game turns out ... not that I particularly care."

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/21/howie-rose-gets-candid-about-the-islanders-during-tv-timeout/

Carmen Electra Carol Grow Carrie Underwood

NASCAR Chairman Brian France Still Considering Changes for 2011

Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, NASCAR

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Even in the midst of the most dramatic championship scenario NASCAR has had since the inception of its Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff, NASCAR Chairman Brian France said Friday he is still considering changes to the sport, including shortening the length of some races.

In a wide-ranging news conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of Sunday's Ford 400 season finale, France shot down the possibility of moving the final race from South Florida and dismissed the likelihood of ever ending the year at Daytona International Speedway, which is a popular fan suggestion. He also spoke about the lagging television ratings and promised to announce impactful changes to the Nationwide Series in January.

Overall, however, France said this year's tight championship is a result of productive changes NASCAR had already introduced. Denny Hamlin's 15-point edge over Jimmie Johnson is the closest margin entering the final race in seven years. And Kevin Harvick is only 46 points back.

"I think the fact that we are so far into the cycle of, 'It's not the new car anymore, it's the car', and various other little things that we did, all have come together to give us ... if this isn't the best racing we've seen in a long, long time, I think I would be very surprised to hear anybody say that it wasn't,'' France said.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/19/nascar-chairman-brian-france-still-considering-changes-for-2011/

Cinthia Moura Claudette Ortiz Coco Lee

Juan Agudelo Lifts US to 1-0 Win Over South Africa in National Team Debut

Filed under: International Soccer, MLS, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team, Columbus Crew, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake

Two U.S. national team debutants, aged 20 and 17, combined on a brilliant late goal to lead a young, experimental American team to a 1-0 win over South Africa before more than 50,000 partisans at Cape Town Stadium.

An exhibition that featured very few clear-cut scoring chances was decided in the 85th minute by a composed and creative assist from midfielder Mikkel Diskerud, 20, and a brilliant finish from teenage forward Juan Agudelo (No. 17 in photo), who made his professional debut for the New York Red Bulls less than three weeks ago.

He turns 18 next Tuesday and is the youngest player ever to score for the senior national team.

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/11/17/us-south-africa/

Monet Mazur Monica Bellucci Monica Keena

Wrapping up a wild MLS Expansion Draft Day

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SoccerByIves/~3/YFrlqxbAHmM/wrapping-up-wild-mls-expansion-draft-day.html

Sanaa Lathan Sara Foster Sara Spraker

Josh Hamilton's Journey Reaches New Pinnacle, but He's Far From Finished

Filed under: Rangers, MLB Awards

If you had predicted a decade ago that Josh Hamilton would be named the American League's Most Valuable Player in 2010, most people in baseball probably wouldn't have had much reason to dispute that contention.

The talent was obvious back then, the potential evident to the trained and untrained eye alike. A year and a half removed from Tampa Bay picking him first overall in the draft, Hamilton at this time in 2000 was about to be tabbed the top prospect in the game by Baseball America heading into the 2001 season.

With accolades like that, it wouldn't have come as a shock to anyone that Hamilton would be leading his team to a World Series as one of the best players in the game before his 30th birthday rolled around. It's the path Hamilton took to get to being named AL MVP on Tuesday that no one would have believed.

"I would say a 99 percent chance that this would never happen -- honestly," Hamilton said Tuesday when asked about his unlikely route to the top. "I think a lot of people would agree with that. But it was 100 percent chance this would never have happened if I'd tried to do it on my own. I think that's the most important thing I want to get across, is that I couldn't do it on my own."

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/23/josh-hamiltons-journey-reaches-new-pinnacle-but-hes-far-from/

Diora Baird Dita Von Teese Dominique Swain

Alabama Always Motivated Against Auburn

Filed under: Alabama, Auburn, SEC, Heisman, Top 25

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Greg McElroy says Alabama's not out for revenge against rival Auburn simply because the visiting Tigers are in the national title mix and defending national champion Alabama is not.

McElroy, the Crimson Tide's senior quarterback, believes his team will be motivated by other factors that surround Friday's 75th Iron Bowl here at Bryant-Denny Stadium -- even if the game itself has ramifications that extend well beyond state pride.

Barring NCAA intervention, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton seems to control his own destiny in the Heisman Trophy chase, just like Auburn does in the BCS. Yet, none of that matters, according to McElroy.

"We're just trying to make the most of our opportunity, regardless of what Auburn's record might be," McElroy explained.

"If they are 11-0 or 0-11, we're still going try to play him to the best of our ability, because it is our rival and a team we have a lot of respect for. Hopefully we'll go out and execute to the best of our ability and make it a very competitive game."

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/alabama-always-motivated-against-auburn/

Maria Menounos Maria Sharapova Mariah Carey

MLS names finalists for end-of-season awards

NEW YORK ? Major League Soccer released the finalists for the league's annual end-of-season awards, including the three finalists for the hotly debated MVP race.Check them out:

Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Kevin Hartman (FC Dallas)
Donovan Ricketts (LA Galaxy)
Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)...

Source: http://dcunited.com/node/13959

Salma Hayek Samaire Armstrong Samantha Mathis

Don Cherry Tries to Stay Relevant, Backs Parliament Candidate

Filed under: Sports Business and Media

Don Cherry is at it again, and this time the flamboyant hockey commentator is throwing his weight behind a right-winger -- shock of shocks -- who is running for the Canadian Parliament.

Cherry's voice is on an automated call being dialed into households in the Toronto area, riding in support of ex-cop Julian Fantino, the former head of both the City of Toronto Police Department and next the Ontario Provincial Police. Fantino is running in a federal byelection next week for the right-wing Tory party.

It seems fitting that the pied pier of hockey is a telemarketer for a man in uniform, and Cherry and Fantino are two peas in a pod in more ways than one.

They both believe that Canadian laws are soft on criminals, and there is nothing like the fear factor to stir up emotions in a political debate. The soft on crime card is an easy card to play and ignores the issues of the day.

And they are both on the back nine of colorful and some would say politically incorrect careers.

There's no doubt that Fantino is trying to ride Cherry's popularity into the Canadian Parliament and there's no crime being committed there. One is a retiree making six figures as the alleged conscience of hockey, while the other retiree draws one if not two pensions for his public service and now wants to live off the public purse.

But while Fantino is avoiding public debates on issues, Cherry loves being in the middle of things.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/25/don-cherry-tries-to-stay-relevant-backs-parliament-candidate/

Brooke Burns Busy Philipps Cameron Diaz

MLS Commissioner Promises Changes in Competition Format

Filed under: MLS

TORONTO -- A convoluted playoff format that produced a farcical Eastern Conference championship game featuring two Western Conference teams was the final straw for MLS commissioner Don Garber, who said Saturday afternoon that there will be slight modifications to the league's competition format next year and "revolutionary" changes after Montreal joins as the 19th club in 2012.

Garber was speaking at a media roundtable in Toronto on the eve of the MLS Cup Final, and was responding to a question from FanHouse regarding the playoff structure that has been in place, with a few tweaks, since 2003.

There has been growing discontent in recent years with that format, which requires an individual club to play only four games to win the championship and doesn't offer any reward for regular season excellence in the first round. Consequently, the results seem almost random.

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/11/20/mls-commissioner-promises-changes-in-competition-format/

Lauren German LeAnn Rimes Leeann Tweeden

Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle Combine For Oilers Game-Winning Goal

Filed under: Avalanche, Oilers, Western, NHL Videos

Despite a slow start, hopes are still high in Edmonton. The young Oilers have taken their lumps this season, falling victim to more than their fair share of blowouts to this point in the season.

Within those blowout losses, though, we've seen a few real signs of hope for this Edmonton team. Coach Tom Renney is optimistic about his talented young players, and two of them gave the first-year Oiler coach a bit of a reward for his optimism Thursday night.

With the game against Colorado tied 2-2 late in the third, rookies Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall combined for a pretty goal that gave the Oilers a 3-2 home win over their division rivals.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/26/taylor-hall-jordan-eberle-combine-for-oilers-game-winning-goal/

Sarah Shahi Sarah Silverman Sarah Wynter

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

Coco Lee Connie Nielsen Cristina Dumitru

ACC Report: Virginia Tech Closes in on Seventh Straight 10-Victory Season

Filed under: Boston College, Clemson, Duke Football, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, University of Miami, NC State, UNC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, ACC

Rivalry Week carries additional significance for ACC teams.

Virginia Tech, for instance, is seeking to become the first team since 2000 to go unbeaten in ACC play when it welcomes Virginia to Lane Stadium on Saturday.

The Hokies have won nine straight since opening defeats to Boise State and James Madison, and one more victory will make them the only team nationally to have 10 or more wins in each of the past seven seasons. Virginia Tech has already clinched a berth in the ACC Championship Game as the Coastal Division winner.

Hokies coach Frank Beamer, whose 238 career wins put him in a tie for 10th-place on the all-time FBS career victory list with Ohio State's Woody Hayes, credits his players' character for the team's about-face.

Beamer also pointed to the outstanding play of quarterback Tyrod Taylor, whose 31 wins as the starting quarterback is a school record. The Hokies have gone 40-12 since Taylor's arrival and are on the verge of a third ACC title in his four years.

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/24/acc-report-virginia-tech-closes-in-on-seventh-straight-10-victo/

America Ferrera Amerie

McCarty, Nyassi among those chosen in 2010 Expansion Draft

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SoccerByIves/~3/HfDp7RWbiX0/mccarty-nyassi-among-those-chosen-in-2010-expansion-draft.html

Rebecca Mader Rebecca Romijn Reese Witherspoon

Mario Williams, Owen Daniels Miss Texans Practice Wednesday

Filed under: Texans, AFC South

Mario Williams almost certainly will play for the Houston Texans Sunday.

But while the Texans' Pro Bowl defensive end is expected to play against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, the status of Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels is less certain.

Each player missed practice Wednesday, with Williams missing with a groin injury and Daniels missing with a hamstring injury, and Texans coach Gary Kubiak said Daniels remains day to day.

"Owen worked with the trainers today," Kubiak told Nick Scurfield of HoustonTexans.com. "He is better."

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/24/mario-williams-owen-daniels-miss-texans-practice-wednesday/

Jamie Lynn Sigler Janet Jackson January Jones