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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Coaches from around the AFC were up early Tuesday to indulge in a buffet featuring bulging omelets, crisp bacon and delectable fruit. For most of them, it was a meal fit for a king. For Bill Cowher, it was a breakfast of champions. Cowher had what all these men wanted -- and it had nothing to do with the corn muffin and potatoes piled high on his plate. His team is the reigning Super Bowl champion. And it's why he was the knight of these roundtables at the Hyatt Grand Cypress hotel. "Every time I see Bill,...

Less than a week after coach Dennis Green declared that his team would not do any shopping in the higher-priced aisles of the free agent market, the Arizona Cardinals landed one of the highest-profile players in the entire pool on Sunday, signing former Indianapolis Colts star tailback Edgerrin James. In terms of productivity and star quality, they don't get much bigger than James, a four-time Pro Bowl performer, in free agency. And in terms of compensation, contracts for tailbacks don't get much bigger than the one James signed in culminating his weekend visit with Arizona officials and coaches. ESPN.com has...

The Beaver County student who made national headlines after being humiliated by a teacher for wearing a Denver Broncos jersey to school has transferred to another district. When Joshua Vannoy returned to Beaver Falls High School on Jan. 23, a week after he complained about popular teacher John Kelly, he was met with silence and alienation from his classmates, and was escorted to and from his classes by a district employee. "Just a few kids were talking to him," said Nicholas Frisk III, Joshua's attorney. The weight of isolation and scrutiny took its toll on the 17-year-old honor student and...

PRO BOWL VS.6:00 PM EST on ESPN

Michigan's Department of Human Services is proposing new administrative rules for an industry that cares for 50,000-plus state residents. But are the proposed rules intended to help patients -- or unionize 5,000 adult foster care and home-for-the-aged facilities? Opposition to the rules' change has been mounting since last summer, when the rules were first proposed. Last week the political fat hit the fire when Senate Republicans introduced legislation to stop the Granholm administration from imposing the rules. That set up a clear test of legislative and executive authority. Ordinarily, the executive branch comes up with the rules to implement laws...

DENVER (Jan. 17, 2006) -- Every so often over the past 15 years or so, hard-hitting Broncos safety John Lynch has had to gird up for a confrontation -- a rite of passage is more like it -- that almost every defender must face at some point in his career. Tackling Jerome Bettis. "They're all memorable when they're against him," Lynch said of the hits and punishment he and Bettis have dished to each other over the years, both in college and the pros. "You've just got to bring a lot because you know he's carrying a lot." Denver defensive...

Rough road -- Belichick calls Denver ’toughest challenge’ By John Tomase Monday, January 9, 2006 - Updated: 07:13 AM EST There are two ways of looking at the Patriots’ first visit to Denver this season. On one hand, they were thoroughly trounced, trailing 28-3 before mounting a fruitless rally in a 28-20 defeat on Oct. 16. On the other hand, they played one of their worst games of the year, allowed 432 yards from scrimmage, and still found themselves within a touchdown and two-point conversion of a tie with eight minutes to go. Regardless of how you interpret that defeat,...

Today on ABC, the first matches of the Wild Card Round will be played! At 4:30 PM... Washington (10-6) at Tampa Bay (11-5) And at 8:00 PM... Jacksonville (12-4) at New England (10-6) WHO SHALL WIN?

From ESPN. 2005 Power Rankings: Week 18   RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT 1 (1) Colts 14-2-0 Yes, the Colts haven't run the ball very well in their last three games (just 78 yards on 48 carries). But do you think it's a coincidence that the ground struggles started when the Colts wrapped up home field in the AFC? 2 (2) Seahawks 13-3-0 Kudos to Shaun Alexander for the TD record and rushing title. The focus now turns to the real prize -- the Lombardi Trophy. 3 (3) Broncos 13-3-0 Mike Shanahan appears to have his best squad since winning...

Today, on the final week of the NFL regular season and on the eve of the new year... Denver vs. San Diego - 4:30 PM Tonight... Oakland vs. New York Giants - 8 PM on ESPN Tomorrow shall come a new thread. WHO SHALL WIN?

Today, on the Eve of the Lord's birth... Tennessee at Miami, 1 p.m. Detroit vs. New Orleans at San Antonio, 1 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Washington, 1 p.m. Buffalo at Cincinnati, 1 p.m. Dallas at Carolina, 1 p.m. Jacksonville at Houston, 1 p.m. San Francisco at St. Louis, 1 p.m. San Diego at Kansas City, 1 p.m. Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 1 p.m. Later this eve... Philadelphia at Arizona, 4:05 p.m. Indianapolis at Seattle, 4:15 p.m. Oakland at Denver, 4:15 p.m. Tomorrow, on the day of the Lord's birth... Chicago at Green Bay, 5 p.m....

From ESPN... 2005 Power Rankings: Week 16   RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT 1 (1) Colts 13-1-0 They're still clearly the top team as far as we're concerned. But the Chargers did show that Indy is at least a little vulnerable, when a week ago they looked invincible. 2 (2) Seahawks 12-2-0 Burning question: Does Mike Holmgren play Shaun Alexander (24 TDs) enough to break Priest Holmes' record for most TDs in a season (27)? 3 (3) Broncos 11-3-0 Add Wesley Duke to the list of former college basketball players now catching TDs for AFC West squads. 4 (4) Bengals...

2005 Power Rankings: Week 15   RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT 1 (1) Colts 13-0-0 Go for 16-0 or rest? We'll leave it to Tony Dungy to make the right call for his team. 2 (2) Seahawks 11-2-0 It's funny how rapidly things change. This time last year, Mike Holmgren was an 'idiot.' Now, there's sentiment for a contract extension. 3 (3) Broncos 10-3-0 Christmas certainly came early this year. First Kyle Boller gift wraps one, then fellow AFC West foes provide a cushion in the standings. 4 (4) Bengals 10-3-0 Willie Anderson, in his 10th year with the...

Today on the NFL... Oakland at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m. Houston at Tennessee, 1 p.m. Chicago at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m. New England at Buffalo, 1 p.m. Cleveland at Cincinnati, 1 p.m. St. Louis at Minnesota, 1 p.m. Indianapolis at Jacksonville, 1 p.m. Tampa Bay at Carolina, 1 p.m. Later on this afternoon... San Francisco at Seattle, 4:05 p.m. Washington at Arizona, 4:05 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, 4:05 p.m. Kansas City at Dallas, 4:15 p.m. Miami at San Diego, 4:15 p.m. Baltimore at Denver, 4:15 p.m. Tonight on ESPN... Detroit at Green Bay, 8:30 p.m. And tomorrow on Monday Night...

2005 Power Rankings: Week 14   RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT 1 (1) Colts 12-0-0 Colts can clinch home field this weekend with a win. That means Tony Dungy could have three weekends worth of tough decisions to make regarding how to play his regulars. We hope he goes for 16-0, but couldn't fault him if he decides to rest guys either. 2 (3) Seahawks 10-2-0 People question whether they have a championship-caliber defense. The fact that they only allow 17.3 ppg suggests they might. 3 (2) Broncos 9-3-0 All that MVP talk is quickly being replaced by the...

Today on the NFL... Buffalo at Miami, 1 p.m. Minnesota at Detroit, 1 p.m. Dallas at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m. Green Bay at Chicago, 1 p.m. Houston at Baltimore, 1 p.m. Tennessee at Indianapolis, 1 p.m. Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m. Atlanta at Carolina, 1 p.m. Tampa Bay vs. New Orleans, 1 p.m. (at Baton Rouge, La.) Jacksonville at Cleveland, 1 p.m. Later today... Washington at St. Louis, 4:05 p.m. Arizona at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. Denver at Kansas City, 4:15 p.m. N.Y. Jets at New England, 4:15 p.m. Tonight on ESPN... Oakland at San Diego, 8:30 p.m. And on...

2005 Power Rankings: Week 13   RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT 1 (1) Colts 11-0-0 Didn't take the Colts too long to jump all over the Steelers, did it? We're not saying they're going to go undefeated, but if you look at the Colts' schedule, it's hard to see a loss. 2 (2) Broncos 9-2-0 Mike Shanahan apparently has succeeded in reviving another RB's career (Ron Dayne). 3 (3) Seahawks 9-2-0 Getting the win over the Giants was big, although we're not sure how much it actually says about how good the Seahawks are. 4 (7) Bengals 8-3-0 You...

Two games have been played already on Thanksgivinig...with Atlanta trouncing the Lions 27-7 and the Broncos squeaking past the Cowboys 24-21. Now for the rest of the games... St. Louis at Houston, 1 p.m. Carolina at Buffalo, 1 p.m. San Diego at Washington, 1 p.m. San Francisco at Tennessee, 1 p.m. Chicago at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. Baltimore at Cincinnati, 1 p.m. New England at Kansas City, 1 p.m. Cleveland at Minnesota, 1 p.m. Later today... Miami at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. Jacksonville at Arizona, 4:05 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Seattle, 4:15 p.m. Green Bay at Philadelphia, 4:15 p.m. Tonight on...

Today on this day of thanks... Atlanta Falcons @ Detroit Lions - 12:30 PM EST on FOX Denver Broncos @ Dallas Cowboys - 4:15 PM EST on CBS WHO SHALL WIN?

If you're the New York Giants you don't have to wait for Thursday to be thankful. You can start saying your hallelujahs right now for key offseason moves that have the club at the top of its division. I'm talking about players like Plaxico Burress. And Antonio Pierce. And Jay Feely. All were veteran free agents the Giants believed could make them better. And they were right. Now they deserve to be recognized, along with others who dared to spend millions on veterans who could stand and deliver. We can start with the Giants because they scored so many bull's-eyes...