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Former NFL players Keith Byars (left) and Bryan Cox sign posters for waiting soldiers at Forward Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. Photo by Pfc. Cassandra Groce, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Soldiers viewing Super Bowl XL live at 2 a.m. local time yesterday were joined by an entourage of traveling football players at Forward Operating Base Speicher here. New England Patriots running back Keith Byars, who played in Super Bowl XXXI; linebacker Bryan Cox, who helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl in 2001 for the first time in franchise history; kicker Nick Lowery, who broke virtually every...

DETROIT -- Three weeks ago, after the Steelers held on to upset Indianapolis, Joey Porter was unhappy about the overturning of Troy Polamalu's fourth-quarter interception that could have sealed the win much earlier. Believing that deep down the league preferred Peyton Manning and the Colts to win, Porter publicly criticized the game officials, asking them not to "take the game from us." Well, the Steelers can call it even now, as the officials who performed well enough throughout the season to earn the privilege of working Super Bowl XL performed Sunday as though they were trying to make it up...

With strong wind and 5 to 8 inches of snow forecast, snow removal crews girded for a winter storm as thousands of fans headed downtown on Super Bowl eve. There also are hundreds of city workers and volunteers ready to work through the night to clear sidewalks so fans can get to Sunday's title game at Ford Field, which has a steel roof.The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Detroit through noon Sunday, predicting 5 to 8 inches of snow before the storm passes. The heaviest amounts were to fall Saturday night, with gusts up to 40...

Well, we were right about the fact that there isn't sufficient security at this weekend's Super Bowl festivities. Michigan/Ohio Homeland Security "leader" Brian Moskowitz a/k/a "Abu Moskowitz" is too busy sending agents to seize t-shirts and protect NFL owners, and FBI Michigan chieftain Daniel Roberts is too busy glad-handing reporters and giving them media tours so he'll get that new FBI Detroit palace built. And the head of DHS? Michael Chertoff a/k/a "Mr. Burns" is too busy changing facial hair (he's now sporting a Grecian Formula mustache to hide his resemblance to "The Simpsons" character) to pay attention to the...

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (Feb. 2, 2006) -- A few dozen combat-wounded leathernecks recovering in National Capital Region hospitals are bound for Detroit to attend the biggest sports event of the year. The Cleveland Browns organization, in unity with the National Football League, has donated 50 Super Bowl tickets to Marine veterans who received combat injuries while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. The block of tickets, which has a street value of nearly $250,000, was given to Manpower and Reserve Affairs to be disseminated to the Marines in the region who meet the medical criteria for attending to the...

February 1, 2006 -- U.S.-Mexican tunnel worries senior U.S. intelligence officials. The recent tunnel discovered between Tijuana and Otay Mesa, California has some U.S. intelligence officials extremely concerned, according to informed U.S. intelligence sources. Senior U.S. intelligence officers are concerned that the sophisticated 1.4 mile tunnel, complete with ventilation, electrical, and water systems, as well as cement flooring, that connects two warehouses on each side of the border, could have been used to secretly transport nuclear devices or material into the United States. Argentine intelligence sources have previously reported that Al Qaeda smuggled nuclear devices into the United States using...

MARITIME SECURITY FOR SUPER BOWL XL     Sector DetroitU.S. Coast Guard Press Release Date: January 25, 2006Contact: LT Catherine Mellette(313) 568-9615 MARITIME SECURITY FOR SUPER BOWL XLDETROIT -  The U.S. Coast Guard as the designated lead agency for maritime security during Super Bowl XL has established and will enforce a security zone 1mile by 300 yards along the waterfront from Joe Louis Arena to north of the Renaissance Center (see chart for more details).  Vessels are not allowed to enter the designated security zone.  The word Vessel includes every description of watercraft including; canoes, kayaks, personal watercraft, sailing, power, non-displacement...

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Feb. 1, 2006) -- Every day, service members in Iraq put on their gear and prepare for battle in the war on terror, but one day a year the two top teams in the National Football League suit up and battle to see who will be the next Super Bowl champion. In Iraq, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks hope their schedules will allow an opportunity to watch the game and support their team. They may not be home with their immediate family to watch the game, but from thousands of miles away a few...

Star search: Why so few Cowboys in Hall? By Brad Townsend Many Cowboys fans are among the suspicious. They believe that only bias and conspiracy can explain the relatively paltry number of Cowboys in the Hall of Fame. No franchise has won more playoff games (32) or played in more Super Bowls (eight), and only one other team has won as many championships (five). But only five Cowboys players are in the Hall. No Cowboy has been elected since Mel Renfro in 1996, but that could change Saturday. Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Rayfield Wright are among the 15 finalists....

<p>Ben Roethlisberger reiterated a statement he made in the preseason when the second-year quarterback said the Steelers might have a worse record than last year but be a better team in 2005.</p> <p>Speaking yesterday at an AFC championship game news conference that was televised by NFL Network, Roethlisberger said the Steelers (13-5) might be better than last season when they were 15-1, had the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and lost to the New England Patriots in the conference championship game.</p>

Reporters and cameramen surround Troy Polamalu in the visitors' locker room at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. You lean in to try to hear what the Pittsburgh Steelers safety has to say, but it's fruitless. Polamalu barely speaks above a whisper. And you think: This is the guy who terrorized Peyton Manning? Another anecdote, from a few years back: Polamalu asks USC teammate Alex Holmes for permission to take out his sister, Theodora. Holmes wouldn't let anyone else on the team talk to Theodora, let alone date her. But he tells Polamalu, ``Of course. Nothing could make me happier.'' Holmes...

5th & Final Day of Hearings This morning, the Senate Judiciary Cmte. convenes for a final session in the nomination hearings of Judge Samuel Alito. Outside witnesses who did not testify at yes- terday's hearings are given an opportunity to offer their opinions on the nominee. The Cmte. meets again to vote, either to approve or reject, on Tues., Jan. 17 FRI., 9:00AM ET, C-SPAN Live LinksC-spanJudiciary LIVE LINKFEDNETCapitolHearings.org

Day 4: Hearing Resumes This morning, Senators will question Judge Alito during a third round. They will then go into a closed session, to review the FBI background investigation on the Supreme Court nominee. Outside witnesses may be called to testify this afternoon, as well as the American Bar Association, to discuss its recommendations. THURS., 9:00AM ET, C-SPAN Live LinksC-spanJudiciary LIVE LINKFEDNETCapitolHearings.org

Day 3: Questioning Continues This morning, Round 1 concludes with Senators on the Judiciary Cmte. who did not question nominee Alito yesterday. During Round 2, questioning is limited to 20 minutes for each of the eight- een senators. Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) leads off, followed by the others, alternating by party in order of seniority. WEDS., 9:30AM ET, C-SPAN Live LinksC-spanJudiciary LIVE LINKFEDNETCapitolHearings.org

ALITO CONFIRMATION HEARINGS Questioning Begins Today Each of the eighteen senators on the Judiciary Cmte. will have 30 minutes to question Supreme Court nominee Samual Alito today during round one. Sen. Arlen Specter, as chairman, will begin, then they will alternate by party in order of individual seniority. Round two starts on Wednesday.Live LinksC-spanJudiciary LIVE LINKFEDNETCapitolHearings.org

Alito Hearings Set to Begin Today the multi-day confirmation hearings for Samuel Alito begin. They are expected to last all week, possibly into Saturday. First up will be a series of opening statements by the eighteen members of the Senate Judiciary Cmte. After that comes the introduction of Samuel Alito and his opening statement. C-SPAN 1 ~ MON., STARTS AT 11:30AM ET NOTICE OF COMMITTEE HEARING The Senate Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing on the nomination of Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States for Monday, January...

CHICAGO (Nov. 12) - Online travel agency Expedia.com said a glitch last week allowed some travelers to book hotel stays in Japan at stunningly low prices and that only some of these reservations would be honored. Expedia.com, run by Expedia Inc., posted incorrect prices for two Hilton International hotels in Japan. Some customers reported prices as low as $2 a night. The agency blamed the mix-up on an "isolated processing incident" at Hilton. A hotel spokeswoman described it as a "technical glitch" on Hilton's side. Expedia said Friday that Hilton would honor some of these bookings and that other customers...

SHREVEPORT, La. - It was billed as "Super Safe Sunday," a concert to promote nonviolence, but as people were leaving, gunfire erupted, killing one and wounding four others. The shootings happened around 9:40 p.m. near the entrance to the Louisiana State Fairgrounds, where the rap concert, which drew an estimated 5,000 people, took place. The event was closing when someone in a group of people walking away from the fairgrounds threw a bottle at a passing car. Witnesses told police that three of four occupants of the car got guns from the trunk and began shooting, sending people diving and...

The 278-149 roll call Thursday by which the House rejected an effort to restrict gun manufacturers' exports of high-powered, .50-caliber rifles. A "yes" vote is a vote to pass the amendment restricting the gun exports. A "no" vote is a vote to reject the amendment. Voting yes were 134 Democrats, 15 Republicans and no Independents. Voting no were 65 Democrats, 212 Republicans and 1 Independent. X denotes those not voting.

House GOP tries to pass Social Security overhaul by 'super-sizing' bill 05/18/2005 WASHINGTON (AP) - House Republicans are moving to super-size President Bush's Social Security overhaul with measures aimed at breaking Democrats' united front against it - such as bolstering private pension plans and improving non-retiree benefits for widows, children and the disabled. Democrats say they will not be tempted by what one member has labeled "artificial sweeteners" as long as any bill includes the private investment accounts Bush is pushing. "They're trying to get the goods through Customs that way," Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., a member of the House...