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On yet another surreally beautiful November day in South Bend, the Notre Dame sliding Irish completed the hard-to-believe scene by falling to yet another inferior opponent at home, losing to Connecticut by the final score of 33-30. For although Senior Day had the senior captains coming out of the tunnel with arms interlocked with Charlie Weis' to show their unwavering support for their embattled coach, this embarrassing performance most certainly buried Charlie, and assured he would be exiting the campus with them, if not before. Still, if Saturday's loss meant Charlie would no longer be roaming the sidelines, it also...

This month is the centennial of what has all but been forgotten — a moment that could have ended football in America but instead forced the sport down a different, better path. Football was so gruesome at the turn of the century that in 1905, no less than President Roosevelt himself demanded that the sport clean itself up, and the notorious flying wedge was banned. However, by ought-nine, as they said back then, it was still a brutal battle royal. In the season's championship match — what may be called the first "game of the century" — The New York...

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to revive a lawsuit on behalf of Native American activists who claimed that the Washington Redskins' team name is so offensive that it does not deserve trademark protection. The court without comment refused to get involved in the long-running dispute. The decision essentially lets stand a lower court ruling that the activists waited too long to bring the challenge.

Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown and teammates will face the San Diego Chargers today, but Brown said NFL Players Association chief DeMaurice Smith recently told players that there is a "95 percent chance of a lockout" by the owners for the 2011 season.

After a slow start, Pacquiao dominates to win his seventh title. Lightning kept striking in sharp, penetrating bursts Saturday night in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Most of it was hitting Miguel Cotto's face. Finally, 55 seconds into the final round of the 12-round welterweight boxing match, referee Kenny Bayless stepped in and stopped the thunder and lightning and huge headaches being administered by the incredible fighting machine, Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao had won with yet another epic performance. The pride of the Philippines has now become the pride of all boxing. The Puerto Rican Cotto, one tough customer, was reduced...

Welcome to the..... Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 Welcome to the Sprint Cup Race #9 at..... Arizona Senator John McCain will act as the Grand Marshal for the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...(but don't hold that against us):) **NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: News & Notes - Phoenix International Raceway** (Click on the Pics, Graphics, & Links for related news & info.) Current Cup driver standings Phoenix International Raceway Hits A Grand Slam For Nascar Fans Music recording artist and 16-time Grammy nominee Brian McKnight will sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the...

Much of the talk in the sports media world last fall centered on whether an effective competitor would step up to compete with ESPN. ESPN had just outbid Fox by $100 million to secure the rights to college football’s Bowl Championship Series through 2014, thanks mainly to its dual revenue stream that has cable and satellite operators making a monthly payment of more than $4 per subscriber for the channel. At the time, some sports league executives were fearful that ESPN would become a de facto monopoly that eventually would wind up driving the cost of sports rights down. If...

It was an eerily warm November morning when I arrived in South Bend yesterday with my son, Gary, to attend the Notre Dame-Navy battle. "What a beautiful day for a game!" I exclaimed to my son as we listened unsuspectingly to the band's pre-game rendition of the Notre Dame Victory March. Little did we know that we were not about to witness a football game, but a funeral. For not only did the Naval Academy's efficient yet stunning 23-21 victory, their second in three years against the Irish after Notre Dame had defeated them 43 years in a row,...

Toronto has won a bid to host the 2015 Pan AM Games. Just before 5 p.m. the Pan American Sport Organization in Guadalajara, Mexico, announced that Hogtown had earned the rights to host the games and the Parapan American Games. "We are thrilled,” stated Toronto 2015 Bid Chair, the Hon. David Peterson in a quick press release from Mexico. “We will work hard to stage the best Pan and Parapan Am Games ever.” The Pan Am Games are among the premium amateur athletic competitions in the world and is expected to bring 10,000 participants and 250,000 visitors from the 42...

NEW YORK — Maryland and South Carolina will wear uniforms with camouflage designs during their games Nov. 14 to honor military veterans and promote the Wounded Warrior Project. The black with tan camouflage uniforms, designed by Under Armour, will have a Wounded Warrior logo on them. Instead of players' names, the backs of the jerseys will have words such as courage, loyalty, integrity and service. "Ooooh," South Carolina defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye said Tuesday after seeing the camouflage cleats the Gamecocks will wear. "I could wear these the whole season." The Wounded Warrior Project acts as an advocate for injured...

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)—CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz must pay $916,000 yearly in alimony and child support to his ex-wife and give up their Connecticut home under terms of a newly issued divorce decree. The ruling, made Monday in Bridgeport Superior Court, dissolves the 26-year marriage of Nantz and Ann-Lorraine “Lorrie” Carlsen Nantz. It comes after both testified about the breakdown of their marriage; Judge Howard Owens concluded neither was at fault. Nantz, described by Owens as “our nation’s most prominent sportscaster,” filed for divorce last year from his wife after years of marriage counseling, according to the decree. Although Nantz, 50,...

Joe Kelly won't go as far as calling Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course a burial ground. But the 91-year-old track historian is quite sure that Willie Doyle, who rode Effendi to victory in the 1909 Preakness, isn't the only guy whose remains are mingled with the turf where the great Seabiscuit and War Admiral famously battled.*** While Doyle's choice of Pimlico's finish line as his final resting place is among the more colorful episodes in horseracing lore, it's hardly unique.*** Some venues honor such requests, such as NASCAR's Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, where Wayne Estes has adopted the informal role of...

Alongside all the public interest in sporting prowess, recent research has added significantly to our knowledge of how the human body actually works. Many characteristics we take for granted now appear to be critical success factors. Take, for example, our toes. We do not need long toes, like monkeys and apes, because our toes are not used for grasping branches. But are they vestigial - withered remnants of once-grand appendages? The answer is: most definitely not! Whilst it is possible to walk comfortably with longer toes, running is different. Increase toe length by just 20% and there is a doubling...

Game 2 is tonight. Philly starting pitcher Pedro Martinez will be hearing the boo-birds big time tonight at Yankee Stadium. PEDRO ON VIDEO

Okay, here we go. Can the Phillies repeat? Now that she is no longer the junior senator, do the Yankees break "The Hillary Curse"? YOUTUBE SING-ALONG --- THE HILLARY CURSE

No signs, no radio interviews, no criticism of team is allowed at FedEx Field.

NEW YORK — A position-by-position look at the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees going into the World Series, starting Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium: ___ First Base Phillies: Ryan Howard. The NL championship series MVP was downright fearsome in the first two playoff rounds, batting .355 with two homers, 14 RBIs, four doubles, a triple and seven walks. All that after hitting 45 home runs and tying for the major league lead with 141 RBIs during the regular season. One of baseball's premier sluggers, the 2006 NL MVP lost 40 pounds last offseason and became a much better all-around...

LONDON — Eight-times grand slam winner Andre Agassi has admitted using the recreational drug crystal meth and lying to men's governing body the ATP to escape a ban. In his book, serialised in The Times, the American candidly describes being introduced to the drug in 1997 by his assistant when his game was in freefall and he was having doubts about his impending marriage to actress Brooke Shields. "Slim dumps a small pile of powder on the coffee table. He cuts it, snorts it. He cuts it again. I snort some. I ease back on the couch and consider...

Hulk Hogan is returning to the profession -- but not to the organization -- that made him a household name. Hogan is coming out of retirement to join TNA Wrestling (the name sounds dirty, but it actually stands for "Total Nonstop Action"), the outfit behind Spike TV's Thursday night series "TNA Impact." "I'm thrilled to be jumping back into the world of professional wrestling," said Hogan, 56. "My fans have been asking me to return to the business for many years on a full time basis, but the timing or the opportunity has never been right until now." His specific...

"I can't push this enough," Mark McGwire said addressing his Cardinals' players. "Steroids help you hit." McGwire, former Home Run King, will return to the St. Louis Cardinals as their new hitting coach, and he has a simple slogan: "Get Big...Illegally" McGwire proceeded to pull a Mike Singletary during his meeting and pull down his pants revealing his testicles had disappeared. "Would you rather have big balls or hit the balls big?" McGwire asked. The Cardinals players seemed to take to the slogan and clearly so did management. "I'm on board," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "Cheating is the...

NEW YORK – Everyone here wanted to talk about six years ago. Champagne corks whizzed like stray bullets, and beer flowed at Oktoberfest, Yankees-style, and New York was abuzz because its team was back in the World Series for the first time since 2003. Which was all well and good, certainly, if not off by a digit.

CLEVELAND (AP)—The Cleveland Indians hired Manny Acta to be their manager, giving him the job about three months after he was fired by the Washington Nationals. Acta signed a three-year contract with a club option for 2013, Indians spokesman Bart Swain said Sunday. Additional terms were not disclosed. “I am very excited to become part of the Cleveland Indians family,” Acta said. “I look forward to working with this talented group of young men who seem to possess a lot of energy and passion for their work.” The Indians chose Acta after a second interview over former New York Mets...

So now the geniuses who run the BCS have decided that the answer to their problems is better spinning. A story in yesterday's Sports Business Journal reports that the BCS is considering hiring someone whose job would be to defend the BCS against people like me--and many, many others--who think it is a complete and utter shame. In fact, John Marinatto, the new commissioner of The Big East, who as of now would be in charge of the BCS next year--the ACC's John Swofford is doing it right now--is quoted as saying that the BCS commissioners believe they have not...

'Southern Methodist University freshman Ryan Rosenbaum still has a lot of collegiate soccer ahead of him, but he'll be hard pressed to ever score as memorable a goal as he did Wednesday night. Up 2-1 against No. 16 Tulsa, SMU was on its heels trying to keep the Hurricanes from setting up the equalizer in the 63rd minute of their Conference USA game. Tulsa controlled possession, but an errant pass found the freshman Rosenbaum, who attempted to clear the ball downfield. Things ended up working out slightly better than expected'

WASHINGTON — The Washington Redskins front office capped a week of high drama Friday with an unexpected vote of confidence in coach Jim Zorn. "Jim Zorn is the head coach of the Washington Redskins and will be for the rest of this season, and hopefully into the future," executive vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato said on his radio show on ESPN980.

HELENA, Mont. — Fighting off a Helena Senators' fifth-inning rally, pitcher Brandon Patch checked the runner on first base. The 18-year-old Miles City Mavericks' southpaw then went into his windup, delivering what looked sure to be another strike. Instead, the Senators' hitter connected squarely, smacking the baseball so hard that it was nearly impossible to follow — until it ricocheted off Patch's head. The ball eventually fell behind first base after traveling, by some accounts, as high as 50 feet in the air. Patch, pitching in what was to be one of his final games with his American Legion team,...

DESTIN — News that a federal agency had slammed the door on this year’s amberjack season without notice didn’t sit well Tuesday with charter fishermen. They believe Big Brother is out to take their livelihood from them. “They’re killing us,” said boat captain Thomas Swanson. “They’re flat killing us.” Read the press release from the NOAA Fisheries Service » A morning announcement that no greater amberjack could be caught after midnight Friday swept across the docks at Destin Harbor. It didn’t take long for an angry group of fishermen to gather to vent. It also didn’t take long for the...

ESPN analyst Steve Phillips had a fling with a 22-year-old production assistant, who, after being dumped, taunted his wife with "Fatal Attraction"-like phone calls and a letter that bragged about her sexcapades with Phillips while taking pot shots at their "loveless marriage," The Post has learned.

By 14 he was dunking. By 16 he was facing down reporters. Now the greatest basketball player in the world is 24 years old—and he's just getting started. snip... If there was one guy on the planet you could dunk on, who would it be?... If it doesn’t have to be a basketball player, George W. Bush. I would dunk on his ass, break the rim, and shatter the glass.

Actually, I'll refrain from watering down the spirit of my headline (like a Liberal writer would've) - and turbo-charge it instead: I'm European and regardless of the fact that American football is an extremely physical game, it still isn't a true contact sport like Australian football or soccer is and compared to soccer, it is often pretty safe. Period. Which part of the world houses the toughest sport on Earth? The Far East? Karate, Kung Fu and such hobbies are widely regarded as "true contact". But, provided you really wish to injure an opponent, the runway is longer and the...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - It didn’t take long for Ryan Abshagen to discover how many Buffalo Bills fans are unhappy with their team and want owner Ralph Wilson to make sweeping changes. In a little more than a week, Abshagen, an unemployed 18-year-old from New Freedom, Pa., raised enough money—$1,402 and counting as of Wednesday— through an Internet campaign to rent a billboard and advertise a message of discontent for everyone in Buffalo to see. “I honestly never thought it would ever be this big,” Abshagen said. “Fans are disgruntled. It’s out there. It’s big. People are going to hear...

Let me preface this by saying that I love football in general and the National Football League in particular. Having said that, I find something peculiarly hypocritical and twisted about the morality that apparently prevails in this league today. It has been estimated by some independent analysts that approximately 25% of NFL players get arrested at some point during their careers for a variety of crimes ranging from drug use, to drunk driving, to assault, even murder. Just in the last several years alone, we have had former Carolina Panther Rae Carruth convicted in a conspiracy to murder the woman...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. headlined the five inductees into the first Hall of Fame class, a group that drew mixed reactions to the inclusion of France’s son instead of driver David Pearson. France, who formed the National Association of Stock Car Racing in 1947, was the first inductee announced .. Richard Petty, the seven-time Cup champion and NASCAR’s all-time wins leader, was the second inductee revealed by current NASCAR chairman Brian France, .. Next up was Bill France Jr., son of the NASCAR founder .. “When I seen the two Frances was in, I knew I didn’t...

“Bishop to d3. . . . Black bishop takes White knight . . . Ooh . . .” The commentator draws in his breath: “Black’s probably going to regret that move.” Black probably does for, moments later, White’s fist swings into his nose, covering Black in blood. Black, keen to avenge both knight and nose, starts pummelling White about the ears. A klaxon blares. The crowd roars: “Do it for the bishop!” Chess matches are not usually so lively. Or bloody. Yet this was the scene on Saturday at the Boston Dome, in Tufnell Park, northwest London, where players contested...

NFL Players Union Opposes Rush Limbaugh's Bid for Rams By Noel Sheppard Created 2009-10-11 12:05 BREAKING: "NFL Players Executive Director DeMaurice Smith on Saturday made a move to solidify the union against a bid by conservative talk show radio host Rush Limbaugh as part of a group that aims to purchase the St. Louis Rams." Such was reported [1] moments ago by ESPN's Chris Mortensen. According to Mortensen, Smith has spoken to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell strongly opposing this transaction: In an e-mail to the union's executive committee on Saturday specifically addressing Limbaugh's bid, Smith said, "I've spoken to the...

In an e-mail to the union's executive committee on Saturday specifically addressing Limbaugh's bid, Smith said, "I've spoken to the Commissioner [Roger Goodell] and I understand that this ownership consideration is in the early stages. But sport in America is at its best when it unifies, gives all of us reason to cheer, and when it transcends. Our sport does exactly that when it overcomes division and rejects discrimination and hatred."

Numbers 13:30 30Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it. These are not "men" talities you are up against as the walls and Ezekiel but these are the strongholds I speak of to uproot and tear down ! So do not waiver or falter , do not feign awa y but stand ! Proceed ! and wipe off the dust of the earth for my will shall be done and my glory shall show and fall ! I AM with you , my angels...

Looks like those little Honduran soccer guys are holding their own against the US in their World Cup qualifier tonight. 0-0 at the 1/4 point. No television coverage, you have to follow it on the USSoccer.com website's matchtracker. This could be a big night for both teams.

For all you Tiger-haters out there -- he and Stricker go from one down to win by one -- 20-foot+ putt on 17, laser 4-iron from 230 yards to 7 feet or so on 18. Opponents concede. US up by 3 (10-7) rather than by only one. Seriously -- lots of other good play by US, but Tiger comes through in the clutch for the US.

It was, as a famous Pittsburgher liked to say, a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The world champion Steelers were kicking off their title defense against the Titans. The world champion Penguins were down in D.C., Stanley Cup in tow, to meet the president. Native son Dave Wannstedt was at practice on the South Side, preparing his unbeaten Pitt football team for the weekend's win at Buffalo. That was September 10, 2009, and here's how beautiful it was in this year's Best Sports City: Pittsburgh's Pirates did not—repeat, did not—lose that day. (So it was an off-day. Beauty is in...

It's off to California for the 4th race in the 2009 Chase for the Cup. Mark Martin and Jimmy Johnson lead the way with a pack of other Chase drivers closing up a bit last week-end.

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Ted Williams' frozen head for batting practice at cryogenics lab: book BY Nathaniel Vinton DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Updated Friday, October 2nd 2009, 10:44 AM Head of Ted Williams was abused by employees at Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Ariz., whistleblower says. AP Ted Williams, who spent his entire career with the Red Sox, died in 2002 at the age of 83. 'Frozen,' by former Alcor exec Larry Johnson, makes shocking claims about how employees treated Ted Williams' frozen head. Take our PollCryonics: Critical or near-criminal? In "Frozen," Larry Johnson, a former exec at the Alcor Life Extension Foundation...

We can all draw the obvious lessons from President Obama's failure to sway the International Olympic Committee to hold the 2016 Olympics in Chicago. Many people thought he wouldn't make his highly visible trip to Copenhagen unless he had reason to know his pitch was going to be successful. Evidently not, as Chicago was the first city eliminated. The IOC's announcement was greeted with "shock and disbelief," according to the Associated Press. Jesse Jackson, for one, was dismayed: Civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, who has long been based in Chicago, said he was surprised by the city's loss. "I'm...

Live VideoTHE VOTE: Members start voting at 5:10 p.m. Voting finished by 5:40 p.m (Copenhagen time). THE ANNOUNCEMENT: The announcement ceremony is scheduled from 6:30 to 7 p.m (Copenhagen time).

(Click the link for the schedule of Thursday's games and TV coverage. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!)

This Sunday on the circuit, it's Kansas City, Kansas and Race #3 in the Chase for the Cup. Sprint Cup and Nationwide run this week-end, no Trucks racing.

Chicago 2016 Venue Plans - Look Olympic Bid Book Presents Stunning Inspired Chicago - Look Olympics by the Numbers - Look more at link