Bergeron was signed to slap a Band-Aid on the Montreal power-play following the injury to quarterback Andrei Markov(notes), who was sidelined on opening night. In that sense he's been a failure, providing only one point on special teams since his first week in a Montreal sweater. But lately – and somewhat uncharacteristically – he's been a force at even strength. Tuesday Bergeron scored a pair of goals in Montreal's 5-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Neither will go in the scrapbook – the first was scored on a deflection and Bergeron hardly got all of the slapshot that resulted in the game-winner – but it's hard to discount a game-high eight shots and a plus-3 rating for a defenseman generally considered an even-strength liability.

No. 2 star: Carey Price(notes), Montreal Canadiens

Price made several highlight-reel saves and kept the Canadiens within striking distance after two periods despite the fact that Columbus held a 28-16 advantage in shots through 40 minutes of action. With each passing game, Price's November numbers are making it harder to fathom the fact that they were calling for exile to the AHL a little more than a month ago. R.J. Umberger(notes) (5 shots, 0 points) may not be sleeping soundly Tuesday night.

No. 3 star: Anton Stralman(notes), Columbus Blue Jackets

If you were aware that Columbus currently possesses the most potent power-play in the NHL, then you're probably already a Stralman owner in your fantasy league. The Blue Jackets' defenseman scored his third power-play goal in five games Tuesday and added an assist to make it six points in those five games. His man-advantage tally in the first period game Columbus a 2-1 lead at the time.

Honorable Mention: The prettiest play of the night was Rick Nash's(notes) no-look backhand pass to Antoine Vermette(notes) for the Jackets' first goal. Nash had a pair of assists and Vermette would later add a power-play goal. … Welcome back, Sergei Kostitsyn. The once-banished Montreal forward played nine-plus minutes and recorded an assist in his first NHL game of the season.

Did You Know?: All but three of Montreal's 12 wins have come by one goal and Tuesday's victory over the Jackets was only the Canadiens' fourth win in regulation.

Dishonorable Mention: Columbus had goaltending issues on back-to-back nights. Starter Steve Mason(notes) was pulled Monday in a 7-4 loss to the Rangers and on Tuesday backup Mathieu Garon(notes) had what could politely be referred to as a tough night. The Michael Cammalleri(notes) goal that broke the ice on the scoring was on the soft side and Bergeron's game-winner was hardly a laser. "We have not got good goaltending the last two nights," Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock bluntly stated.

1. 2005 Masters, 16th hole. We called this the best shot of the decade a week ago, and our opinion hasn't changed. Check it:

2. 2002 PGA Championship, 18th hole. The one shot we don't have video from, but it's here because Tiger has ranked it as the No. 1 shot he's ever hit in his professional career. He was 202 yards from the pin in a fairway bunker amid 20-mph wins. Not only did he clear the bunker, he stuck the ball to within 12 feet of the hole. A beauty that you'll have to picture in your mind's eye.

4. 2000 Canadian Open, 18th hole. A 220-yard bunker shot, carrying over water, to set him up for the eventual win. Unbelievable.

5. 2001 Players Championship, 17th hole. How many times did this one break before going in? "Better than most," indeed.

6. 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational, 18th hole. With a 24-footer to beat Bart Bryant, Tiger stepped up ... and threw down.

7. 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational, 18th hole. One year after defeating Bryant, Woods stepped up and captured his first win after his return from knee surgery. Was there any doubt?

8. 2000 PGA Championship, first playoff hole. Against Bob May, Tiger drained a birdie on the first playoff hole with a classic chase-and-point. They'd play two more, but the birdie would hold up.

9. 2007 Masters, 11th hole. Tiger broke his club against a tree and still managed a perfect shot. Some things just ain't fair.

10. 2004 Masters, 14th hole. Check this beauty of a flop shot. This was the year Phil won, so Tiger was little more than a sidelight, but still -- what a shot. 

Bonus: The Jesus Shot. Because you always suspected this was true.

All right, your turn. What did we miss? Where do you rank each of these shots? Have your say!

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m. Huge night in the NHL ... for anyone that has Blue Jackets or Canadiens players on their fantasy team. The lone contest on the schedule pits Carey Price(notes) (4-2-1 in his last seven) against Mathieu Garon(notes), starting in place of Steve Mason(notes), who was yanked against the Rangers last night. But the real intrigue is the return of Sergei Kostitsyn(notes), who went from suspended by the franchise to AHL exile to back to the big league. Watch The Game Live Via Hockey Night on Y!

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games (OK, "game") on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page.

Evening Reading

• Danny Briere(notes) has been "suspended for two games, without pay, as a result of a late hit on an unsuspecting opponent -- Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan(notes)" in the Philadelphia Flyers' game at Colorado last night. The Flyers seem surprisingly cool with it, being the Flyers and all. [Courier Post]

• Don Cherry on how he'll watch the CBC bio-pic about him that's premiering in 2010: "I'm going to be in the basement by myself, and I'll cry and laugh - I guess at the same time." A.K.A. how most of us watch Coach's Corner. [CP]

• Bettman on the passing of Abe Pollin, former Washington Capitals owner: "Abe Pollin always wanted the best for his teams, for the fans and for Washington -- and all of those passions combined to create the arena that revitalized the entire downtown community. He was a man of commitment and principle and we all will miss him. The National Hockey League family sends sincere condolences to his loved ones."

• Michael Farber looks at the state of he Minnesota Wild, and after reading it we're thinking they should go in the tank, count the ticket receipts and get themselves a top two pick. [SI]

• Western College Hockey Blog pwns the NY Times. [WCHB]

• The Falconer picks up the beat from a drum we've been banging for years: "My hunch is that the best 'hockey markets' are often markets that have witnessed the most post-season success." [Bird Watchers Anonymous]

• BD Gallof with some more opining on the Islanders' arena project. [Huffington Post]

• Life on the Olympic bubble for Mike Green(notes). Many burgers and beers will give their lives during the 2010 break if Green is snubbed. [CBC Sports]

• More coverage of Marian Hossa's(notes) long-awaited debut for the Chicago Blackhawks. Second City's nickname for Toews/Kane is "Daydream Nation," because that Sonic Youth album came out in 1988. Thank god Kane doesn't wear No. 90. [Second City Hockey]

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: LT, bringing it strong on the women's hockey front on the mini-Phaneuf hit post --

"Weisenheimer is complaining about contact? Pot calling the kettle black. She is a dirty player and has no room to whine. But then again, that's what she and her team do best."

OH SNAP!

Bold Prediction: Mark it down -- a Kostitsyn scores tonight. Not A. Kostitsyn, necessarily, but one of them.

As the decade winds down, The Dagger will celebrate the past 10 years of college basketball with various top 10 lists. Today, we at look at the 10 best games of the 2000s:

10. Villanova 78, Pittsburgh 76 -- Regional Final, 2009 NCAA tournament

The Big East battle featured six lead changes in the final six minutes, game-tying free throws with 5.3 seconds on the clock and the memorable Scottie Reynolds near-buzzer beater that catapulted Villanova to its first Final Four since 1985.

9. Duke 98, Maryland 96 (OT) -- Regular season, 2001

With 54 seconds left, the Terps helped a 10-point lead over the No. 2 Blue Devils. Fourteen seconds later, the lead was two, thanks to eight points from Jason (don't call him Jay) Williams. Duke eventually tied it up and the game went to overtime where, amazingly, Maryland didn't fold and had a chance to win at the end. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the catalyst for the comeback: a bogus fifth foul on Steve Blake, who had blanketed Williams on defense all night.

8. Connecticut 79, Duke 78 -- National semifinal, 2004 NCAA tournament

Duke led by eight with four minutes to go, but UConn scored 12 straight to close out the game (save for a garbage-time three by Chris Duhon). Emeka Okafor scored 18 points in the second half after sitting for nearly the entire first session because of two quick fouls.

7. Oklahoma State 64, St. Joseph's 62 -- Regional final, 2004 NCAA tournament

Never before had a No. 1 seed been as disrespected as St. Joe's, but the 30-1 squad came within a jumpshot of the Final Four.

6. Gonzaga 109, Michigan State 106 (3OT) -- Regular season, 2005

Even though it took place the day before Thanksgiving in a small gym in Maui, this game had all the intensity of a Final Four contest and was played even better. Jim O'Connell wrote for the Associated Press after the game: "If the game was played in March instead of late November, it would have gone down as one of the sport's all-time classics. It still should."

5. George Mason 86, Connecticut 84 (OT) -- Regional final, 2006 NCAA tournament

They had already bested Michigan State and North Carolina. Nobody really thought George Mason could continue their magical run against Connecticut, another college basketball powerhouse, one that had entered March as the No. 1 team in the land. Surely UConn would realize it couldn't take Mason lightly and overrun the Patriots with their superior talent, right? Right??

4. UCLA 73, Gonzaga 71 -- Regional semifinal, 2006 NCAA tournament

A transcript of Gus Johnson's call of the final 15 seconds of the game:

And a steal! Farmar! Inside! The freshman ... up and ... (unintelligible) they go in front! Ravio! Last chance to dance. OH WHAT A GAME!!! WHAT. A. GAME! UCLA! UNBELIEVABLE! AFTER BEING DOWN BY 17, HEARTBREAK CITY! 

And then Adam Morrison cried.

3. Syracuse 127, Connecticut 117 (6 OT) -- Quarterfinal, 2009 Big East tournament

The headline here on The Dagger read: "This is why we love college hoops." Couldn't have said it better myself.

2. Kansas 75, Memphis 68 (OT) -- National championship, 2008 NCAA tournament

All season long people wondered whether the free-throw shooting ability (or lack thereof) would be the undoing of a one-loss Memphis team. They were right. Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts missed four of five attempts from the line in the game's final 90 seconds, which allowed Mario Chalmers to hit the game-tying three with 2.1 seconds on the clock. After that, the Jayhawks rocked and chalked with ease in the extra session. 

1. Illinois 90, Arizona 89 (OT) -- Regional Final, 2005 NCAA tournament

It was the wildest comeback the NCAA tournament has ever seen. Down 15 with four minutes to go, No. 1 seed Illinois stormed back to send its elite eight match-up with Arizona to overtime. The game had been tight through the first 30 minutes before the Wildcats pulled away, seemingly on their way to the Final Four. But some Deron Williams heroics saved the Illini, who would go on to lose in the finals to North Carolina, possibly becoming the best team of the decade to not win the title.

In the wake of the untimely death of the University of Georgia's (UGA) bulldog mascot, Uga VII, PETA has asked the school's athletic director, Damon M. Evans, to replace the mascot with an animatronic dog -- or to rely solely on a costumed mascot -- instead of using another real bulldog. Bulldogs are prone to breathing difficulties, hip dysplasia, heart disorders, and other congenital ailments, and acquiring a dog from a breeder perpetuates the animal overpopulation crisis while causing another dog waiting in an animal shelter to be condemned to death.

Say what you will about PETA: They know how to use a headline as a hook: Click to read about the Robot Dog, stay to read about hip dysplasia.

And it's hard to argue with the point, frankly, if your first priority in is to add another drip to the vast tide of the issue, "animal welfare," although their point seems to depend at least in part on the dodgy ethicality of existing as a bulldog in the first place. Obviously, flesh and blood will reign in Georgia for the foreseeable future, but the times, they change: If the animal rights lobby comes back in 50 or 60 years with a hunk of barking metal that occasionally attacks unwitting Auburn players who wander too close, they may have a shot with Uga XXIV.

- - -
Hat tip: AJC, via EDSBS.

"The second half is ours," Tiger finished, a bit lamely, but alas, it wasn't to be -- Cal beat Stanford 34-28 in the latest installment of The Big Game. It was no lateral-through-the-band classic, but still -- not a bad new chapter to add to Big Game lore.

Huh. Somebody clicking a camera in your backswing probably doesn't sound so bad now, does it, Tiger? 

(And since the comments are already beginning -- Tiger was booed because of the rivalry between Cal and Stanford. It has nothing to do with jealousy or politics or race or anything else; it was school spirit, plain and simple.)

Tiger Woods Booed At Stanford [Huffington Post]

The long-gestating AHL outdoor classic -- the "Mirabito Outdoor Classic" -- is now set for 1 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2010 at the New York State Fairgrounds, with the Syracuse Crunch (Columbus Blue Jackets affiliate) taking on the Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senators affiliate). Senator Chuck Schumer wants it to become an annual tradition, perhaps even for cities outside of upstate New York, as long as he's the reason they're happening and there are cameras involved.

Of course, the economic details on this thing will ultimately dictate if the trend continues in the AHL. From Syracuse.com:

The game is estimated to bring in 2,800 overnight guests and pump $1 million into the local economy. Tom Mitchell, executive vice president of operations for Binghamton, said ticket sales have already taken off in his city. "This probably won't be easy,'' Mitchell said of putting together the game. "But I commend the Syracuse Crunch and (owner Howard Dolgon) for their tenacity and determination to do it.''

The game could cost as much as $900,000. The Crunch is paying as much as $550,000, which includes about $400,000 for installation of the temporary rink. Sponsorship helps out with about $350,000, including $100,000 from Time Warner. Gov. David Paterson helped secure a $75,000 grant from the Empire State Development Corp., and also cleared the way for the Crunch to use the Fairgrounds without paying a user fee.

The article says that "the contest will be televised live by Time Warner Cable and the feed might be picked up by the NHL Network." Wait, "might be?" Yeah, why would they preempt the 80th showing of On The Fly for the first outdoor game in AHL history?

Hopefully, it's a success, because the idea of "mini-Classics" in other AHL cities is really appealing. Hershey? Manitoba? Milwaukee? Hey, maybe it's a way for Toronto to finally get its Classic.

Nope. It's a ballroom. And it's where Kentucky, Stanford, Virginia, and the rest of the Cancun Challenge participants are, yes, dancing. (Sorry.)

From Kentucky Sports Radio comes these floor-level photos of the Cancun Challenge's floor, which has been imported and placed in the midst of a big ballroom with all the ballroom-y fixings: chandeliers, marble columns, that weird brown wallpaper you see everywhere in Las Vegas -- the works. 

Kentucky players have been complaining about the dead spots and cracks in the floor, which are probably par for the course when you stick a basketball court in the middle of a ballroom. But hey, look on the bright side. At least they'renot playing on this.

Generic Profile. Junior quarterback for a one-loss, top-10 team possibly headed for a conference championship and automatic BCS bid, and trigger man of the highest-gaining and highest-scoring offense in the ACC.

By the Numbers. Time for the blind taste test -- who you got?

"Quarterback A," as you might have guessed, is media darling and omnipresent Heisman frontrunner Tim Tebow, who has the benefit of being more accurate than "Quarterback B," Nesbitt, but can't hope to match Nesbitt's penchant for big plays. In fact, no quarterback can: In Georgia Tech's overwhelmingly run-based attack -- also expertly navigated by Nesbitt on his way to a likely 1,000-yard season on the ground -- defenses are so stunned when he actually steps back to throw that almost every completion ends as a big play. More than three-fourths of Nesbitt's completions (45 of 58) have gone for first downs, slightly over half have covered at least 15 yards and almost a third have gained at least 25 yards, with a handful of 60-plus-yard bombs in that number. When Mississippi State overplayed the option in early October, Nesbitt burned the Bulldogs for 266 yards and touchdown on 11-of-14 passing.

The problem for a quarterback working in such a run-based offense is that the passing stats don't follow -- Nesbitt doesn't have enough attempts to qualify for most stat categories. But if he did, he'd easily lead the nation in yards per attempt and yards per completion and rank in the top 10 in pass efficiency, on top of being the No. 5 rusher among quarterbacks.

Intangibles Ho! The quarterback does yeoman's work in the triple option, essentially doubling as a fullback by slogging out four yards per carry and consistently converting short-yardage situations while drawing hits that serve as "blocks" on many of his option pitches when plays go outside. Because this system relies so heavily on post-snap reads, Nesbitt makes the critical split-second decision that determines the success or failure of almost every play, even in the running game, and it's not for nothing that the Jackets scored at least 24 points in every ACC game and finished as far and away the most prolific overall attack in the league.

Note, too, that Nesbitt led two long field goal drives in the fourth quarter to bring the Jackets from behind to beat eventual Atlantic Division champ Clemson, and slammed the door on Virginia Tech by immediately answering two Hokie touchdown drives in the second half, sealing up the Jackets' biggest win of the year with a 40-yard touchdown run with three minutes to play. At Florida State, he accounted for 271 total yards and four touchdowns and at one point stripped an FSU defender of a teammate's fumble to maintain possession, then ran in a crucial touchdown a few plays later in a 49-44 marathon of a win. If you want a "tough" quarterback, Nesbitt is at the top of that list.

Three Strikes. Nesbitt a) Doesn't play for a high profile program known for offensive superstars (Georgia Tech has never produced a Heisman winner); b) Doesn't put up big passing numbers; and c) Hasn't established a high individual profile.

Face it: For all his big plays downfield, the guy only completes 46 percent of his passes, and it would probably be worse if not for the sure-handed acrobatics of his lone reliable target, Demaryius Thomas. Nesbitt was 1-of-7 through the air with an interception in his team's biggest game of the year, against Virginia Tech (though that lone completion covered 51 yards), and combined to hit a dismal 9-of-29 in back-to-back Thursday night showcases against Clemson and Miami. Nesbitt runs his offense as well as any other quarterback in the country at the moment, but who wants to vote for one of the least accurate passers in the country?

Might Enter the Real Discussion If ... He goes 11-for-12 passing for 280 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 150 yards in a nationally-televised, 56-7 rout over Georgia, then lights up Clemson in similar fashion to take the ACC Championship. It would help a lot if Texas also lost and a few talking heads started floating the Jackets as potential BCS championship busters. Unless Nesbitt is clearly the hottest player in the country, pulling the strings of the hottest team at the end of the year, his name won't come up.

But he's still at least as strong a candidate as Eric Crouch ever was.

As the decade winds down, Busted Racquet will celebrate the past 10 years of tennis with various top 10 lists. Today, we at look at the 10 biggest upsets of the 2000s:

10. Tatiana Garbin d. Justine Henin-Hardenne (1), 7-5, 6-4, second round, French Open, 2004

Henin-Hardenne was the defending champ, while Garbin, a clay court specialist, was ranked No. 86 in the world headed into the French. 

9. Agnieszka Radwanska (30) d. Maria Sharapova (2), 6-4, 1-6, 7-2, third round, U.S. Open, 2007

Sharapova's title defense lasted just three rounds before she was bounced by the Polish Radwanska.  

8. Alberto Martin d. Lleyton Hewitt (1), 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4), first round, Australian Open, 2002

This was the first major Hewitt played as the No. 1 player in the world and he ended up falling flat in front of his native Australians.

7. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. Rafael Nadal (2), 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, semifinals, Australian Open, 2008

Everyone was looking forward to a Nadal-Federer final. Neither made it that far. Federer was dispatched in the semis by eventual winner Novak Djokovic, while Nadal ran into the buzzsaw that was unseeded upstart Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Now Tsonga is a top 10 player, but at the time he was figured to be no match for Nadal. But the Frenchman won with ease, wowing tennis fans with his crisp movement and relentless backhand.

6. Virginia Ruano Pascual d. Martina Hingis (1), 6-4, 6-2, first round, Wimbledon, 2001

In retrospect, it was the beginning of the end for Martina Hingis. She had made it to at least the semifinals of 14 of the last Grand Slams, but after taking off the month in between the French and Wimbledon, the No. 1 seed had nothing in her match against doubles specialist Virginia Ruano Pascual. It wasn't the first first round Wimbledon shock for Hignis. She had a similar early exit in 1999.

5. Jill Crybas d. Serena Williams (3), 6-3, 7-6 (4), third round, Wimbledon, 2005

Serena had played Crybas twice before, dropping just seven games along the way. In a listless Wimbledon showing in '05, though, the former Florida star came out on top of the decorated champ.

4. Ivo Karlovic d. Lleyton Hewitt (1), 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-4, first round, Wimbleon, 2003

The 6-foot-ten Karlovic (who would later became a Busted Racquet famous for his "smack that ace" dance) was 203rd ranked qualifier when he bested the defending champion in 2003, which was just the second time in 126 years that the previous year's Wimbledon winner would be ousted in his first match.

3. George Bastl d. Pete Sampras (6), 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, second round, Wimbledon, 2002

By the time Bastl took down the legendary Sampras, the seven-time champ was far along with down-slope of his career. That didn't make the loss any less shocking though. Bastl was a lucky loser (he failed to qualify for Wimbledon and only got in when another player withdrew because of injury) and ranked No. 145 at the time of the win.

2. Roger Federer (15) d. Pete Sampras (1), 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5, fourth round, Wimbledon, 2001

Federer wasn't Federer when he snapped Pistol Pete's remarkable 31-match Wimbledon win-streak. Heck, he was only 19. But in his Centre Court debut, Federer out-paced the four-time defending champ, whose decline was no longer in question. But it's not like Federer came out of nowhere, mind you. He was considered to be the "next big thing" ever since he won the Wimbledon juniors in 1998.

1. Robin Soderling (23) d. Rafael Nadal (1), 6-2, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, semifinal, French Open, 2009

It seems less stunning now than it was at the time. Since May Nadal has played sparingly because of his knee injuries and tennis fans are now forced to discuss whether he'll ever come back to form. But we didn't know any of that in May. Nadal was coming off wins in three of the last four majors, plus the Olympics. He had seemingly dethroned Roger Federer four months earlier in Melbourne. He was riding a 25-match win streak on clay. He hadn't dropped a set in the tournament since 2007. The question wasn't whether he'd lose, it was "who the heck is Robin Soderling?" This was easily the biggest upset of the past 10 years and, perhaps, ever.

Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin died today, the team announced. He was 85.

It's a true loss for Washington, D.C. and the NBA family.

Rest in peace, Abe.

Albert Pujols(notes) won his second straight NL MVP award and the third of his career on Tuesday afternoon. He was an unanimous first-place choice on all 32 ballots and the distance he put on a talented group of followers — Hanley Ramirez(notes), Ryan Howard(notes), Prince Fielder(notes) and Troy Tulowitzki(notes) rounded out the top five — was impressive. In the ninth season of his career, Pujols led the league in home runs (47), runs (124), OBP (.443) and slugging (.658). He was third in batting (.327) and third in RBIs (135). He has not yet celebrated his 30th birthday. 

At this point, we've almost written everything there is to be written about Phat Albert. It's quite clear that he's on a historical tear and even the most casual baseball follower knows that the Pujols name will eventually end up at the top of statistical leader lists that include names like Aaron and Ruth, Williams and DiMaggio, Mays and Bonds.

But that widespread acknowledgement of Pujols' greatness also means that a lot of the hard-earned paeans  have become simple white noise. Fawning over his seasons like the one just past means that we run the risk of taking him for granted.

That's why I want to get a little bit personal with my take in hopes of producing something different.

As many of you know, I am a Chicagoan. I once spent a summer sitting in Wrigley Field and I think the only worthwhile things to ever come out of St. Louis are Jon Hamm, Joe Sports Fan and Wilco's Heavy Metal Drummer. Jim Edmonds(notes) is still my least favorite athlete of all time.   

And yet despite all that, I still love Albert Pujols.

OK, so a large part of that admiration can be attributed to the facy he's been the one mainstay on my fantasy keeper team for the past decade. As a senior at the University of Wisconsin in 2001, I searched the waiver wire and picked up a 21-year-old prospect who had four homers and 12 RBIs after his first 11 games as a Cardinal. Every number he's compiled since has gone toward my greater good (even though I've never been able to surround him with a championship-caliber staff). Each of the 40 home runs he's hit against the Cubs has been partially softened by my "ownership" of him and I feel invested in his success in a way that only a rotohead could fully understand. 

But to say that my tribute is only fueled by any benefit I may have derived from his first nine seasons of superior statistics would be dishonest and inaccurate.

And that's because Pujols has entered that territory where he's such an amazing performer that it's impossible to completely *hate* him because of the jersey he's wearing. Even though I may wretch at the sight of those two pigeons sitting on a stick across his chest, my status as a baseball fan allows me to step back and appreciate exactly what Pujols is doing with a baseball bat, even if it's for a rival. (That he works hard, just does his thing and stays above the two-way I-55 bickering certainly helps his cause in this city.)

You might feel this way about a player from a rival. I know that Chicagoans used to bregrudgingly feel this way about Brett Favre until he embarked on a path of indecision that eventually turned his own fans in Green Bay against him and I've heard many Dodgers fans say the same type of thing about San Francisco's Tim Lincecum(notes).

Being fully appreciated and admired in another universe is a strange and difficult strata for an athlete to reach, but Pujols has undeniably earned entry into that territory. There might be some of you who maintain a hardline Robert E. Lee-like "state over country" stance on this issue, but if you like watching great hitters work at the plate, it's impossible not be a Pujols fan — even if you hail from places like Houston, Milwaukee or the Windy City.

In my mind, there's no bigger validation than a tribute from a foreign country.

And there's no doubt that Pujols deserves every one of them. Not only today, but every day.

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: Complex. A collection of humiliating, in-your-face jams that should be worth more than two points.
PF: Pounding The Rock. This Spurs post is a thing of beauty. Read it. Consume it.
SF: Cleveland Frowns. On LeBron's latest off-court travails: the mural, and the missing memorabilia.
SG: Hoop Heads North. Even Dwight Howard(notes) boos Vince Carter(notes).
PG: SRI. Rick Carlisle thinks Dirk Nowitzki's(notes) improved play is because he didn't ball with the Germans.
6th: Depressed Fan. In the words of Kenny "The Jet" Smith, the 76ers lack an identity right now.
7th: The Hoop Doctors. It's never too early to rank some of the NBA's leading candidates for MVP, right?
8th: Thoughts From The Jock Strap. I would love to watch Jerry Sloan guard Phil Jackson.
9th: New York Times, via FH. The Nets have cleared the last major legal hurdle blocking Brooklyn Arena.
10th: The Good Point. Brandon Jennings(notes), potentially filled with snakes.

Got a tip or link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets [at] yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

• OMG Jersey Fouls on Wednesday. Should be a chat 1 p.m. EST as well.

• When is Marian Hossa(notes) going to learn to stop answering questions about the teams he used to play for? To the Chicago Tribune, about the differences between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings: "The difference is this is one of the youngest groups of guys I've ever played with. It's lots of fun in the dressing room. It's a different crowd than it was in Detroit. It might be a little bit more mature there, but it's fun in the (Hawks') room." [Snapshots]

• The many questions about Marian Hossa finally joining the Blackhawks' lineup this week. [Paint It Blackhawks]

• Buccigross with a column on Brian Burke's son, who is gay. Very interesting, insightful stuff, though we might have structured it a bit differently. (The "imagine you are" device makes is a little clunky.) [ESPN]

• The New York Posts lists the most overrated teams in sports. There's one hockey entry. [NY Post]

• Ottawa Senators goalie Pascal Leclaire(notes) will be out for a month after an errant puck struck his cheekbone last night as he sat on the bench nursing another injury. That's, like, the stuff of gypsy curses right there. [Sportsnet]

• Terrific satirical post by View From My Seats on John Tavares's(notes) visit to Toronto last night: "The Globe and Mail piece waited until the 1st sentence of the 2nd paragraph before mentioning the name Wayne Gretzky. Don't feel special, they do this to every hotshot prospect that is a native of Ontario." [VFMS]

• Also recommended, as always: Down Goes Brown's reasons why Alex Ovechkin(notes) won't light up the Leafs this weekend: "Had heard a rumor that if the game went to a shootout, entire Leafs roster would embarrass themselves with a ridiculously demeaning attempt at rally caps." [DGB]

• Goaltender Vesa Toskala(notes) and center John Mitchell(notes) head to the IR. [CBC Sports]

• Mike Chen presents Fun With Google Image Search, including some sort of Cheechoo-related Care Bears photo we can't figure out. [Chen]

• The Detroit Red Wings talk about Georges Laraque's(notes) five-game suspension handed down yesterday, but aren't exactly asking for more than he received. [Freep]

• Good piece by Paul Kukla on the reality of Detroit Red Wings fans surroundings this season: "These are not the Detroit Red Wings of the recent past. These are not the Red Wings who could win a game on talent alone. These are not the Wings who, on an off night, could still pull out a victory." [NHL.com]

• Brian Burke has his shovel ready to bury Toronto Maple Leafs problem contracts in the minor leagues, and his temper might be getting shorter: "When we're struggling, the first casualty for me is sleep. I don't sleep when we're losing." Poor guy's got, what, seven weeks of insomnia at this point? [Toronto Sun]

• After months weeks a few hours, Denver Post Adrian Dater has decided to come back to Twitter. Fliiiip-fllllllop ... [All Things Avs]

• Check out Rich Hammond's coverage of  Brandon Segal(notes), a player that's bounced around like a pinball in his young NHL career. [Kings Insider]

• In praise of Don Waddell's glorious reclamation projects with the Atlanta Thrashers, like Rich Peverley(notes) Maxim Afinogenov(notes). [Hockey Writers]

• Razor has your hockey terminology refresher: "Chute puller - guy who feigns being injured when he's only hurt." [Razor With An Edge]

• In praise of everyone's favorite cheap shot artist, Matt Cooke(notes) of the Pittsburgh Penguins. [Pensbugh]

• A kinder, gentler Marc Crawford. [Puck Update]

• Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin(notes), Mike Knuble(notes), Tom Poti(notes) and Boyd Gordon(notes) were all missing from Washington Capitals practice today. [Capitals Insider]

• An interview with the lovely and talented and lovely Alyonka Larionov. Did we mention lovely? [Pens Universe]

• Finally, from YouTube: "Missouri State Ice Bears Hockey team buzz marketing event. Missouri State students walk the campus with a hockey stick over ten feet long."

NBA Twitter Top 10 is the new NBA Power Rankings. (Or something like that.) Combining advanced algorithms with your comments, BDL's NBA Twitter Top 10 cuts through the fat (see: lottery teams) to determine the best of the best on a weekly basis. Want to get involved? Follow the yellow brick road.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Like you expected anything different. Four championships, 47 wins and 180 top-10 finishes over just nine years. He's staked out one of the most dominant stretches of success in NASCAR history ... and the scary thing is, he may be in the middle of it, not at the end.

2. Tony Stewart: Were it not for Johnson, Stewart would be the runaway driver of the decade. With two championships, 34 wins and 209 top-10s, Stewart was already money, but making the jump to team ownership and staying strong as ever? Unbelievable.

3. Jeff Gordon: The difference between Stewart and Gordon is razor-thin on this list, but Stewart gets the nod because of his two championships. In the 2000s, Gordon has only one. But he's also finished in the top 10 for nine of the decade's 10 years, along the way picking up 33 wins and 217 top-10 finishes over 358 races. That'll work.

4. Kurt Busch: He's pinballed between excellence and mediocrity, but when he's been good, he's been very, very good -- one Sprint Cup championship, four top-ten seasonal finishes, 20 wins, 136 top-10s. Imagine how good he'd be if he could make friends. 

5. Kyle Busch: The highest-ranked non-Sprint Cup champion on this list, he's got 62 wins across all three major series. He's said his goal is to get 200 wins over all three, and considering the fact that he's 24, would you bet against it happening? Once he calms down and races consistently, he'll be one of the all-timers. 

6. Bobby Labonte: He led off the decade with a championship, which is a nice way to start but unfortunately means there's only one way to go. Still, he's notched 8 wins and 101 top 10s over the decade, and if he had been in better equipment over the last couple years, that total would be much higher.

7. Matt Kenseth: The 2003 Sprint Cup champion, though it's not his fault he won the Cup while winning only a single race. In the decade, he's had 18 wins and 172 top-10s over 358 races.

8. Mark Martin: Had he not flirted with retirement toward the middle part of the decade, he'd be much higher on this list. But six top-10 seasonal finishes, including two second-places, combined with nine wins and 159 top-10s put him solidly in the conversation for the top drivers of the 2000s

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 18 wins and 141 top-10s over 358 races, and for a time he was right there in the mix for a championship, ranking in the top 10 four times from 2001-2006. He's fallen off the pace just a wee bit.

10. Carl Edwards: In 193 races, he's got 16 wins, 61 top-5s and 99 top-10s. He had a severe dropoff this year, but he's one of the best in the sport and should be very close to the top on the list of the 2010s' best.

All right, your turn. Who else belongs on this list? Rusty Wallace, Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle just missed the cut; do they belong? Who's too high or too low? Have your say!

Darryl Smits: "Hey, let's design a Phoenix Suns shirt."

Rick Dagilio: "Really? That seems kind of two years ago. Maybe even four."

DS: "No, it's cool. I've got a really good idea."

RD: "Alright, hit me."

DS: "Phoenix Guns. Boom! 30 bucks."

RD: "Phoenix Guns?"

DS: "Yeah. Boom!"

RD: "That's your really good idea?"

DS: "Boom!"

RD: "You're joking right? Because that's not really a good idea. It kind of sends the wrong message, and it's kind of dumb on top of that."

DS: "But 'guns' rhymes with 'suns.'"

RD: "I guess you're right."

Ball Don't Lie's Swag Rating: One (out of five) Muggsy Bogues ...

We can add another name to the list of people who think players named Phaneuf cross the line with their hitting: Canadian women's hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser. Only her gripe is with Dion's younger brother.

What the heck? Was Hayley trying to apply the Million Dollar Dream on Phaneuf? Was Virgil standing by with a dollar bill to shove in his mouth after she choked him out?

From the Calgary Sun's Eric Francis:

Dion Phaneuf's 15-year-old brother Dane caused a bit of a stir in Edmonton last week when he rubbed out Hayley Wickenheiser in a non-contact exhibition game against the women's national team. Wickenheiser, 31, took exception to the jarring and let him know by applying a rather violent choke-hold from behind in an effort to try wrestling him to the ice. Dion thought it was funny, and so do I.

Yeah, and so do we. If only because we fully endorse more brutality in women's hockey ... even if it's instigated by a teenage boy.

Stick tap to 25Stanley.com for the story.

That said, the Pac-10's start has been even worse than imagined. After Oregon's loss to Montana last night, SB Nation's Sean Keeley took stock of the damage. It is not pretty:

It would be curious enough if Montana's upset of Oregon tonight happened in and of itself.  But when you compound it with UCLA's stunning loss to Cal-State Fullerton, Cal's getting taken behind the woodshed by Syracuse and Ohio State, Stanford losing to San Diego and Oral Roberts as well as USC dropping a game to crosstown smallfry Loyola Marymount, it makes for an extremely depressing start to the season for the conference.

Again, looking the conference up and down reveals only one team that seems primed for a national run, and that's Washington. (It would follow that Washington has yet to lose a disappointing early-season game thus far.) Cal is probably a half-step below. UCLA will be fine, but they won't be UCLA. After that, what do you have? Arizona is talented but rebuilding in their first year under Sean Miller. Arizona State is missing Jeff Pendergraph and lottery pick James Harden, who is busy doing things like this in the NBA. Washington State could be all right, but it too is in the midst of a coaching transition. Yahoo!'s Rivals previews actually slotted Oregon State, a team that went 0-18 in the conference just three years ago, at No. 5 in the conference. All due respect to the Beavers, but that has as much to do with their improvement as the Pac-10's collective decline.

Still, though, this start is worse than predicted. These teams should not be losing to Loyola Marymount and San Diego and Oral Roberts and Cal-State Fullerton. It's just November; there's plenty of time for the West Coast to turn things around. But right now? The Pac-10? Not so much.

For all the derision -- heck, that's putting it lightly: For all the barely concealed rage that greeted the hiring of Gene Chizik as Auburn's 25th head football coach last December, the actual results on the field have been surprisingly positive. The Tigers started the season 5-0, matching their win total for all of 2007, and were ranked as high as No. 17 in the AP poll with a torrid offense that performed miles beyond the 2008 version despite deploying essentially the same personnel. There have been low points in SEC play -- losses to Arkansas and Kentucky, a 31-10 shellacking at LSU -- but the Tigers still have a chance to win eight or nine games this season, which would match the average Tommy Tuberville established in 10 years on the Plains.

As inspiring as all that has been, though, the first eleven games were just the undercard. We all know the main event, which cranks up when undefeated Alabama rolls into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Friday. Yonder lies your future, Coach Chizik: The Iron Bowl is the game you must win if you are ever to be served a meal in Lee County again, and the result will dictate public perception of your manhood until you die or voluntarily take a job elsewhere, whichever comes first.

Think that's a little overwrought? I just left Birmingham, Ground Zero of the Alabama-Auburn rivalry, after seven years (and six Iron Bowls), and I can assure you it's not. The animosity between the two fan bases results in a 24/7 statewide genitalia-swinging contest that is the simmering inspiration behind every car-flag purchase, every call to the Paul Finebaum radio show and even a substantial portion of wardrobe choices this time of year. A lot of hopes and dreams are invested in this matchup, and when those hopes and dreams get dashed, the coaches more often than not take the blame. Bill Curry, who was 26-7 against everyone except Auburn but 0-3 against the Tigers, famously claimed that someone threw a brick through his window following the '89 Iron Bowl (couldn't have been his quarterback, obviously). Two years ago, even the instantly sainted Nick Saban wasn't immune from the Finebaum fire-spitters when he concluded his first regular season in Tuscaloosa with a loss to Tuberville's Tigers, Alabama's sixth in a row.

The latest victim of the rivalry is Tuberville, who exited on the heels of a 36-0 dismembering by the undefeated, top-ranked Tide last year that wiped clean Auburn's recent slate of dominance. And when that loss was followed just two weeks later by the arrival of Chizik -- surely the first coach in history to spin a .208 career winning percentage into the top job at an erstwhile SEC powerhouse -- looming in-state inferiority was surely the most pressing concern on the minds of the Auburn faithful. To even the most loyal Tiger fans, the mental image of "5-19 Gene" recruiting in the same state as the burgeoning Saban juggernaut seemed almost surreal. Some observers suggested the daunting prospect of having to compete with Saban's resurgent Tide was what scared off some of the more attractive candidates for the Auburn job to begin with.

You hear a lot less of that talk now that the Tigers are 7-4. But neither do you hear much talk that they're a serious threat to earn win No. 8 this weekend. (For the record, the oddsmakers have installed the Tigers as 10.5-point underdogs.) That probably has more to do with Alabama's No. 2 ranking and the ruthless air of inevitability they've acquired under Saban than anything else. But progress or no progress, Auburn still has its own problems to work out, beginning with a lack of consistency against the better teams on their schedule -- the Tigers have handled a good Ole Miss defense at home and navigated an even better Tennessee D on the road, but they've also had their doors blown off in all phases by Arkansas and LSU. AU has given its fans just enough good to expect a decent effort against the Tide, and just enough bad to still be wary of another gruesome bloodletting.

It sounds weird to say Auburn doesn't need to win this game -- I certainly don't think any of the numerous AU fans I know would dare utter anything like that, this or any other year -- but win or lose, they've still built a promising foundation in what could've been a very, very difficult season. It's how they win or lose that will make or break the self-esteem of War Eagle Nation and set the tone for the next era in this storied rivalry. A close game means Auburn fans can still hold their heads up high when they run into their crimson-clad co-workers at the water cooler on Monday morning, and can still hold out hope that Chizik will defy the naysayers and return the Tigers to prominence. A blowout, though, would validate concerns about Chizik's ability to compete with Saint Nick and -- fairly or unfairly -- negate a lot of the progress Chizik has made in breathing new life into a stagnant program.

Most importantly for the blue-and-orange side of this rivalry, it'd also re-ignite talk of an inferiority complex Auburn has been accused of harboring since they had to spend a quarter-century as the most prominent recipient of Bear Bryant's wrath (the Bear was 19-6 against "that cow college" from 1958 to '82). It's all well and good for Chizik to turn Auburn into a reliable winner of eight, nine or even 10 games per season, but a team that can't regularly hold its own in a feverish in-state rivalry is a "little sister" no matter how many other games it wins. And in Alabama, even more so than any other state, that's just not something any coach can afford to be.

Sure Mike Brown may have lost the WEC featherweight title, and he has a busted up face. But chocolate cupcakes make everything better. What is Mike thinking about? Leave your caption in the comments, and read on for winners of our last create-a-caption.

First place: Dan Hardy does a solid as he shows up to promote the UFC's newest business venture....Kimbo's pizza by the Slice. -- Allen

Second place: On this episode of Cheaters, Dan Hardy's dietitian catches him red-handed.  -- Joseph 

Third place: What do 4 pizzas and Dan Hardy have in common? They will both be finished quickly. -- Robert C

Okay, folks, you've got to bring some game to this one. Yogi Berra and Jimmie Johnson. Visit this site (or many others) for suggestions on appropriae Yogi-isms.

And remember, if people don't want to come to NASCAR races, nobody's going to stop 'em.

After the jump, Kyle Busch is feeling left out.

kinggeorge:
Little does Kyle know that Brad Keselowki, at the other end of the table, is punking him by handing out $20 bills to have fans refuse his autographed pictures.

Candace G:
To My Biggest Fan Kyle: You're the coolest, sexiest, most awesome driver ever, don't let anyone tell you different, Love Always, Kyle *sob*

Snowbaby:
Kyle chokes back the tears as he signs pictures to himself, You're Good Enough, You're Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like You, knowing full well this won't be the last time this happens.

Crane Poole and Schmidt:
Kyle's lack of popularity is a blessing in disguise, as it gives him time to catch up on his Pokemon trading card collection.

The Hunt for the Most Interesting Team in the World is the Dagger's 2009-10 countdown preview series. Check out the overriding principles here.

Last year's record: 22-11, 9-9 Big Ten

2009-10's toughest games: at Butler, at Purdue, at Michigan State, at Michigan

Primary attraction: Tubby Smith leads a quietly rabid Minnesota fan base back into the national conversation. But for how long?

Three items of undeniable interest:

1. Tubby Smith's precarious position. Gophers fans love Tubby Smith. Tubby Smith should love Gophers fans. After all, Smith was expelled from Kentucky for too many just-OK seasons in a row, a rare feat for a fan base who watched that same coach win a national title not all that long ago. But where Kentucky's fans expect everything, Minnesota's fans are more than happy with what Tubby's got going right now: A consistently improving program that can compete night in and night out with some of the best teams in the country, and that seems all but a lock to return to the NCAA title again this season. If he keeps this up, Tubby could probably stay at Minnesota forever. But does he want to? Smith was the subject of some Alabama-related rumors last offseason, and those were not the first in his Gopher tenure. Does Tubby really want to be in Minnesota? And if not, why not?

2. We're going to watch the Gophers, don't'cha know. Minnesota fans love their Gophers. The Barn, Minnesota's old-school fieldhouse, is one of the most underrated venues in all of college hoops. Those fans pack that place, and once inside, things get wild. Perhaps they're just excited about the warmth on offer, but it's more likely Minnesota's fans truly support the Gophers that unique way people from the Midwest with funny accents choose to support their favorite Big Ten college. It's sort of criminal that Gophers fans aren't regarded more highly around the country, or even in the Midwest, but no one who has ever been to a Gophers basketball game has anything but positives to bring back.

3. Which, in 2009-10, is for good reason. If last year was Minnesota's breakout season, this year is the one that could make them a national program for the first time in a decade. The Gophers frontcourt, which led the Big Ten in blocks last season, is loaded. The Gophers play two de facto centers -- 6-foot-11 Ralph Sampson III, who is indeed Ralph Sampson's son, and 6-foot-10 Colton Iverson, who unfortunately is not Allen Iverson's offspring. Damian Johnson is a 6-foot-7 forward that supports the two big guys and led the team in blocks and steals last season. Add in Tubby's guards, including Blake Hoffarbar, a lights-out three-point shooter, and a few freshmen that could contribute right away, and you've got a solid team that should hang around the top of the Big Ten for most of 2009-10.

On today's show, Skeets and Tas get to the bottom of the T-Mac saga in Houston. Is he actually ready to play? Is Morey looking to make a trade? Are the Rockets better off without him? All that, plus Michael Redd(notes) returns in Milwaukee, "The Red Rocket" lights it up in San Ant and The Jones are red faced over past mistakes.

The tape never lies!

Subscribe to the video show on iTunes | Download the .m4v directly
Subscribe to the audio show on iTunes | Download the .mp3 directly

Listen up. File this away. Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett(notes) is tired of answering questions about his lingering knee issues ... so fall back like you lost your balance, bloggers and reporters.

"They're getting old," Garnett told Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald when a question about his pregame knee treatment was raised in the media scrum.

"OK? Y'all know what I'm dealing with here. I said (Sunday) that no one in this league at this point ... is 100 percent. Hell, I get worked on even when I didn't have surgery. It's just rituals and stuff like that. I always get treatment before games. If you see Paul [Pierce] and [Rajon] Rondo, I think they get massages before games. My ritual is no different from that."

You got that? Good. And while you're at it, stop asking about his pregame meal. It's a lion. Big deal.

On Wednesday, "Courage," a white turkey from Princeton, North Carolina, will be spared from Ted Washington's(notes) dinner plate in an annual ceremony conducted by the President. After receiving his pardon, the fortunate fowl will be whisked away to Disneyland where he will serve as grand marshal of the Thanksgiving Day parade before establishing permanent residence in Mickey's Frontierland.

The flightless bastard simply doesn't deserve it.

Most analysts unanimously agree he was placed in a situation any average bird could excel in – plentiful feed, ironclad fence, nourishing farming environment and, most importantly, a competent caretaker. Only products from USC come from more nurturing programs.

This year's Most Valueless Turkey, Terrell Owens(notes), unlike the emancipated gobbler, may not possess a fleshy wattle or be surrounded by ideal circumstances, but he's certainly a better candidate for a presidential pardon than the Butterball from NC.

Three weeks ago, fantasy owners were preparing T.O. for a final feast. Butcher knives were sharpened, stuffing was purchased and cooking oil filled the deep fryer. The popular early round pick (ADP: 37.33), who had compiled eight seasons of at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, was nothing more than bench waste for even shallow-minded owners. His ghastly 4.3 points per game average ranked outside the WR top 50.

Strangely, instead of pointing fingers at his quarterback or the coaching staff during that difficult stretch, a more unselfish, religiously centered T.O. replaced the tyrannical version we all were accustomed to. He routinely said the right things after lopsided losses and, for the most part, remained uncharacteristically reserved on the sidelines.

Many blamed Father Time for his underwhelming performance, but, in truth, the 35-year-old wasn't the victim of rapid skills deterioration – he still possesses a Pro Bowl caliber package. Instead the most highly publicized acquisition in Bills history was hampered by Dick Jauron's conservative ideals. Although, from Week 6 on, he was also Fitzpatrick'd, an affliction T.J. Houshmandzadeh(notes) is all too familiar with.

But in Week 10 signs of a Mt. Saint Owens eruption – in a good way – began to surface. Against Tennessee, he surpassed the 80-yard mark for the first time this season. Then last week versus a hapless Jacksonville secondary, the frustrated wideout racked a league-best seven catches for 197 yards and a touchdown. He picked apart soft spots in zone coverage and burned corner Tyron Brackenridge(notes) for a 98-yard bomb, the longest reception in Buffalo and T.O. history (Highlights here). Mike Sims-Walker(notes) wanted the shirt off his back. Devoted fans rejoiced. And the relieved receiver went all Kurt Warner(notes) in post-game.

Unfortunately, many of his owners, who've surely fostered an untrusting attitude, never benefited. Owens is determined to mend those broken relationships. From BuffaloBills.com:

Owens remains an integral part of his team's success, yet the Bills playoff aspirations are all but dashed at 3-7. For this reason he just wants to see improvement no matter the outcome.

"It's tough because you want to approach every season with the eye on the prize, and that's the Super Bowl. In order to get there, you have to get wins and make the playoffs. It looks bleak, but we have to finish strong. I feel like I've put that on my shoulders, and want to finish strong no matter what."

The standout wideout's banner numbers over the past two weeks have salvaged a portion of an otherwise forgettable season. Down the stretch he could save even more face.

Here are three reasons why this year's MVT shouldn't be smothered in gravy just yet:

1) Targets. Owens is still getting the damn ball. On the year, he's averaging a very healthy 7.1 targets per game, .1 looks behind Donald Driver(notes) and Vincent Jackson(notes). Skeletor Jauron's replacement, Perry Fewell, has placed an emphasis on feeding his top playmakers. Regardless if Ryan Fitzpatrick(notes) or Trent Edwards(notes) mans the controls, T.O. will remain an integral part of the offense. It's possible he could net close to double-digit targets per contest moving forward.

2) Schedule. Ignoring his date with Darrelle Revis(notes) in Week 13, Owens has a favorable upcoming slate. His Week 12 opponent, Miami, has performed marginally versus the pass for much of the season, allowing the fourth-most 20-yard pass plays. The Chiefs have yielded the sixth-most fantasy points to wideouts this year. Atlanta, who Owens will see in most leagues' fantasy Super Bowl, ranks No. 1 in 20-yard pass plays surrendered. The Falcons have also given up the 10th-most fantasy points to receivers on the season. Also, if your league crazily ends in Week 17, his matchup with Indianapolis is no longer worrisome. The Colts secondary, ravaged by injuries, has allowed the most yards to pass catchers since Week 7.

3) Buffalo's bumbling defense. The Bills have conceded 22.8 points and 366.7 total yards per game to its opponents. Mainly due to their abhorrent run inadequacies, holes have routinely been dug. The shovel will likely be hard at work again in Weeks 12 (vs. Mia), 15 (vs. NE) and, possibly, 17 (vs. Ind) – pending how the Colts finish. Due to the Bills' shortcomings on D, Owens should attract numerous targets and thus scoring opportunities in those potential blowouts making him a dependable No. 3 in 12-team and deeper formats.

Overall, Western New York's most expensive turkey has largely been trapped in a tryptophan-induced coma for much of the season. But if Fitzpatrick can chuck enough lucky shamrocks his direction, the downcast former fantasy superstar could regain some value lost during the most critical time of the virtual season.

Week 12 Fearless Forecast: 5 receptions, 78 receiving yards, 1 touchdown, 13 fantasy points

What are your thoughts on T.O.? Who's your top candidate for Most Valueless Turkey? Gravy or cranberry sauce? Deep fry, rotisserie or baked turkey?

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Image courtesy of US Presswire

After the jump, Durant takes a seat.

Winner, Mike M:
"Hold on, gimme a minute to get Artest outta my shorts."

Co-runner-up, epiphany:
KD: "Hi, Jeanie."
Jeanie Buss: [winks back]
Phil Jackson: "Oh hell no. Ron get back on Kevin."

Co-runner-up, Mad Bladder:
"Hold up. Before you go crowning Kobe the new H-O-R-S-E champion already, I got this new sit down-backwards-75-foot-three-pointer to show you. Yeah, I know it's not the time or place for that, but c'mon, it's not like I was gonna take a better shot anyway."

You'll find our deadly accurate Week 12 ranks below, in the traditional Arcade spreadsheet colors (black, gray, mouthwash blue). Most serious fantasy matchups will be decided on Monday night when New England visits New Orleans. All other games are merely appetizers.

Thursday's menu features a big pile of ick (GB at DET, OAK at DAL, NYG at DEN), but it's obviously not without fantasy merit. Let's rank, then discuss…

Quarterbacks

Matthew Stafford(notes) would have been a player of interest this week, facing a Green Bay defense that's without Aaron Kampman(notes) and Al Harris(notes) (ACLs). Unfortunately, Stafford is not expected to play on Thursday after injuring his non-throwing shoulder in the win over Cleveland. … Kurt Warner(notes) and Ben Roethlisberger(notes) are both expected to start on Sunday, despite the "concussion-like" and "concussion-oriented" injuries they sustained in Week 11. … Using our proprietary Brady Quinn(notes)-to-Aaron Rodgers(notes) conversion method, we forecast precisely 794 passing yards and eight touchdowns for A-Rod. … If you're looking for Alex Smith propaganda, please visit our video library. … Vince Young(notes) ran for 73 yards on 11 carries against Houston on Monday night. He's averaged just 21 pass attempts per game since reclaiming the starting QB role in Tennessee, but he's only turned the ball over twice in four games.

Running Backs

As of this writing, we don't yet know Cedric Benson(notes)'s status for Week 12. He's obviously ranked as if he'll start. His hip injury "remains something of a day-to-day thing" according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. If Benson is ultimately ruled out against the Browns, then bump Bernard Scott(notes) into the 15-20 range and slot Brian Leonard(notes) in the high-30s. Cleveland allows 154.9 rushing yards per game and 4.6 per carry. ... Julius Jones(notes) (rib, lung) is expected to return to practice this week, at least as a limited participant. But given the nature of his injuries and the impressive performance of Justin Forsett(notes), we're not quite ready to return him to the ranks. ... Marshawn Lynch(notes) could force his way into the final Week 12 ranks as well if the news regarding his shoulder injury remains positive. On Monday, Buffalo's interim head coach Perry Fewell said Lynch was "feeling much better." Beast Mode was carted to the locker room in Week 11, so the shoulder issue seemed fairly serious at the time. ... The Arizona backfield situation remains a job-share, as it's been since Week 5. Tim Hightower(notes) gets an edge over Beanie Wells(notes) in the ranks whenever a matchup lends itself to a 45-pass/20-run mix. 

Update, 4:20 pm ET: Ahmad Bradshaw(notes) sprained his left ankle in Week 11. He's currently in a boot. (Or two. Bradshaw's right ankle and foot have been multi-week issues). According to the New York Daily News, "this latest injury puts his status very much in doubt for the Broncos." Danny Ware(notes) will likely take Bradshaw's place in the final RB ranks. 

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson(notes) (hand, knee) did not participate in Tuesday's practice. When asked about Megatron's status for the Thanksgiving pageant, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz simply said, "We'll see." No one's going to have any trouble adjusting a fantasy lineup at noon on Thursday, right? Great. ... Pierre Garcon(notes) has had at least 50 receiving yards in each of his last four games, and he finally hit triple-digits against Baltimore. ... Carolina's Steve Smith should draw Jets corner Darrelle Revis(notes) this week. That's never a good thing. Randy Moss(notes) didn't exactly dominate his matchup with Revis in Week 11; he finished with just 34 receiving yards and five catches on 11 targets. A short-yardage touchdown saved Moss' fantasy day. ... Marc Bulger(notes) could be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to "a hairline fracture of the upper part of the shin bone." He'll be replaced by Kyle Boller(notes). Daniel Fells(notes) is the only person excited by this news. Brandon Gibson(notes) doesn't crack the top 50 yet, despite the absurd target total against Arizona (17). Gibson somehow managed to catch only five balls in Week 11. He also dropped a touchdown. That's LVP material, no doubt.  

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Photo via AP Images

Please, stop buying low-resolution fantasy DVDs from the dude at the expressway exit. You'll find video of the highest quality (and the usual sketchy advice) right here...

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Almost went with Rams WR Brandon Gibson(notes) there, following the 17-target week. But he wasn't exactly sure-handed in Week 11 and Kyle Boller(notes) will be his quarterback on Sunday. 

As the Denver Post quipped, that just about makes it unanimous: No one has suggested Cody Hawkins isn't a hard-working, stand-up guy who's handled being yanked in and out of the lineup over the last two years like "a man's man," but hasn't quite fit as a Big 12 quarterback. Physically, Cody's height and arm have always been regarded as liabilities, and after a respectable debut as a redshirt freshman, he's finished as the lowest-rated regular passer in the conference each of the last two years. The pick-six that turned the tide of a potential upset bid and got him pulled from the game at Texas must be one of the worst combinations of bad decision/bad throw anyone has made this year. Cody still has another season, but to hear his dad talk, it sounded like the verdict is already in.

And as far as the elder Hawk's tenure is concerned, maybe it is -- when the local paper starts drawing eerie parallels between you and Bill Callahan, who had no hope of remaining at Nebraska going into the 2007 finale in Boulder, it's pretty much over; Callahan was so fired at the end, the rest of the Big 12 might as well make it a verb for all lame-duck coaches as they play out the string: Win or lose Saturday, Hawkins seems destined to be Callahan'd by this time next week, after which he'll have plenty of time to reflect on his alternate history memoir.

And hey, glass-half-full: Maybe the school can't afford the buyout, and Dan will get to see his self-described mistake through to the end. Keep reaching for that pie.

Coming into 2009: It's been a long dry spell for Toms, who hasn't won since the 2006 Sony Open. The former PGA Championship winner hasn't placed in the top 10 in a major since 2007, and had seemed off his game for years entering the year. 2009 wasn't exceptional, but it was an improvement.

High-water mark: Toms had seven top-10 finishes and three top-3s, topped by a June sequence in which he finished tied for second in two of three tournaments, the St. Jude Classic and the Travelers. He was five and three strokes off the lead at each one, respectively. 

The low point: Unfortunately, the third of those three tournaments above was the U.S. Open, in which Toms missed the cut. And immediately after the Travelers, Toms missed the cut at the John Deere and the British Open. For the rest of the year, his finishes lingered around the 30s, broken only by a tie for 13th at the Tour Championship.

Outlook for 2010: Toms is still looking for a Hall of Fame berth -- he missed out on the Hall this year -- and so he's got incentive to keep the hammer down in 2010 and beyond.

Related David Toms posts from 2009:
PGAs past: Recalling David Toms' last-second 2001 triumph
The Clown's Mouth: Toms out of Hall running

Pastner, the new Memphis coach, says he has never sipped alcohol, smoked a cigarette, tried caffeine or drunk a soda. He is no goody two-shoes; he is just the coaching equivalent of a gym rat. [...] “He’s always said he would want to tell his players if he wants to be a role model for his players, he would want to make sure what he told them, he lived so he decided never to drink alcohol, and we never gave him soda,” Hal Pastner said.

I don't want to get too hung up on the chemical ingestion thing. There are some other good nuggets in this piece, which, despite being a little puffy, does have some fun anecdotal stuff that manages to make Josh Pastner look pretty cool. For example, Pastner almost got cut from his freshman year basketball team; he was the team's MVP by the time he was a senior. That sort of thing.

But this whole no-caffeine thing just blows my mind. I can see not drinking. If you're a wunderkind like Pastner, who has been coaching since he was 15 or so, I can see deciding not to drink at a young age (true story: I did the same) and following through on that as you make your rise in coaching. That sort of makes sense.

Caffeine, though. Sweet, life-giving caffeine. Mmm. This I find harder to believe. Is there a single college basketball coach in this country not wired on at least 150 grams of caffeine right now? Caffeine comprises nearly 75 percent of any Division 1 coaches bloodstream at any given time. This is just the way things work. We're to believe that Pastner manages to recruit alongside these men -- and recruit well -- without any jitter-juice in brain space?

Sure, it's possible. Some people are just freaks. Josh Pastner is a head coach at Memphis at 31, so he qualifies for consideration. Or maybe the AP is just a little too credulous toward Pastner's self-descriptions. You tell me which is more likely.

• From the Department of the Obvious (but still true): NASCAR needs Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch to step it up in 2010. [Scene Daily]

• Bad news: more job cuts are coming in NASCAR. [Fox Sports]

• More news to get your blood a-boiling in the offseason: will Volkswagen enter NASCAR? [Examiner]

• Kyle Busch's Nationwide title was cemented when Carl Edwards crashed at Michigan in August. [NASCAR.com]

• The worst Chaser in history? That'd be, um, Brian Vickers. Ouch. [All Left Turns]

• Git'r done! Larry the Cable Guy will be on BAM Racing's No. 49 in the 2010 Daytona 500. No, I can't imagine we'll be running any pictures of that whatsoever. [NASCAR.com via Yahoo! Sports]

Got a link/tip? Hit us up at jay.busbee@yahoo.com and follow us on Twitter. 

 

(No, the first decade of the 21st century doesn't technically end until 2011. Save your bellyaching. But we've had nine NHL seasons and one stolen from us since 1999-2000, and Yahoo! Sports has decided it's time to rank the best and worst of the last "decade." Enjoy, and snark freely in the comments.)

How you choose to define, or quantify, the "best" player in the NHL over the last decade will determine your level of agreement with this ranking, which is sure to be one of our most controversial End of Decade lists.

Do you judge greatness based on flashy stats? Championship rings and playoff performance? Individual awards? Do you factor in intangibles like leadership or reputation?

We took everything into account for our Player of the Decade countdown, which focuses on NHL achievement rather than bringing international hockey into the equation. Every spot on the list is up for debate, but we feel as though these 10 players defined the 2000s for professional hockey. Keep in mind that the 2000s meant one set of rules, a work-stoppage, and then another set of rules.

Here are the 10 best players of the last decade ...

10. Jaromir Jagr(notes)

Before he left for the KHL in 2008, Jagr amassed 737 points in the decade, leading the NHL in assists (69) in 2000-01 and points in two seasons (1999-2001). He was the player-voted MVP in 2000 and 2006, and made four all-star teams.

The problem for Jagr is that his masterpiece came in the last season of the 1990s: That 127-point MVP campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the 2000s, he spent two fantastic years with the Pens before losing his smile with the Washington Capitals for two-and-a-half average seasons. He found his game again with the New York Rangers, posting stellar numbers despite playing in a defensive system.

But the previous decade was more memorable for Jagr. And not just because of the mullet.

9. Joe Thornton(notes)

With 794 points in the decade playing for the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks, Thornton was a six-time all-star and the winner of both the Art Ross and Hart trophies in the 2005-06 season.

No, his 44 points in 59 playoff games wasn't impressive, and neither was the constantly underwhelming performance from his teams in the postseason. But Thornton was arguably the best assist man of the decade, leading the League three times in that category; and his 96-assist, 125-point MVP season remains of the decade's truly remarkable personal achievements.

8. Joe Sakic(notes)

Sakic only played 59 games in his last two seasons (curse you, demonic snow blower!) before retiring last summer for the Colorado Avalanche, which dragged down his stats significantly. He ended up with 650 points for the 2000s, although he never led the NHL in any major offensive category during the decade -- outside of plus/minus in 2000-01 (plus-45).

That 2000-01 season the best of Sakic's career: 54 goals, 118 points and both the Hart and the Pearson (and the Lady Byng ... can't forget about sportsmanship).

Why does he rank above Jagr and Thornton, who outscored him? Because neither of them played in a Stanley Cup final in the last decade, let alone led all playoff scorers 13 goals and 26 points as Sakic did in 2001. More importantly, neither of them earned the right to have their name on the Stanley Cup as Sakic did for the second time.

He was a star player and a formidable leader. Intangibles count ... as they do for this next dude, too.

7. Jarome Iginla(notes)

The Calgary Flames captain was a five-time all-star, a two-time NHL leader in goals (2001-02, 2003-04) and the Pearson winner for his 52-goal season of 2001-02. (He was famously jobbed out of the Hart in a controversy that forced a change in vote tabulation.) Overall, Iggy had 718 points in the 2000s.

He led all playoff scorers with 13 goals in the Flames' 2004 runner-up campaign for the Cup. He then captained the team to four consecutive playoff appearances after that loss. Inconsistency and questionable managerial decisions have undermined the Flames since that pre-lockout Cup run; but no one dare say any of that is Iginla's fault.

6. Scott Niedermayer(notes)

Niedermayer solidified his credentials as an all-time great defenseman with two Stanley Cups, one with the New Jersey Devils and the other with the Anaheim Ducks; and his clutch offense and shutdown defense earned him the Conn Smythe in 2007. He won his first and only Norris Trophy in 2003-04.

Niedermayer began the decade with many wondering what he could accomplish offensively if freed from the Devils' systematic defense. He sufficiently answered the question by scoring 216 points in four seasons with the Ducks after signing with Anaheim as a free agent in 2005. He had 415 points overall in the decade.

Also the unofficial winner of the best salt-and-pepper playoff beard award, for what that's worth.

5. Chris Pronger(notes)

Pronger ahead of Niedermayer? Absolutely.

He tallied 420 points despite being limited to five regular season games in 2002-03 due to an arthritic left wrist and a torn right ACL. Two of Pronger's achievements in the last decade are unmatched by Niedermayer or any other defenseman.

The first was his 1999-2000 season that saw Pronger finished with a career-best 62 points and a plus-52 to lead the NHL, winning both the Hart and the Norris trophies as a member of the St. Louis Blues.

The second was that Herculean effort in the 2006 postseason, as Pronger carried the Edmonton Oilers to within one victory of the Stanley Cup with an effort that had some calling for him to win the Conn Smythe in a losing effort. It was, without question, one of the most dominant postseason runs for any athlete in the NHL over the last decade, perhaps even two decades.

Should Pronger fall a few notches because of the weight of his baggage? Because he and his wife broke the hearts of Edmonton fans before claiming those fans burned his kid's crib? Because of the suspension history, including the Stampy the Elephant moment with Ryan Kesler(notes)?

It's legacy-tarnishing stuff, but not enough to overpower Pronger's unparalleled accomplishments on the ice.

4. Sidney Crosby(notes)

Yeah, we've arrived at this point in the countdown. And if Sidney's here, you know who's ranked ahead of him, sample size be damned for both of them.

Ignoring the Beatles/Stones, Luke/Han, Tastes Great/Less Filling dynamic between Crosby and Ovechkin is ignoring one of the great debates of the decade. Their placement on this list is a de facto "Player of NHL 2.0" contest, as they're the most dominant players of the post-lockout era.

The case for Sidney: 132 goals and 265 assists for 397 points in 290 games. He led the League in points in 2006-07 with 120 as a 19 year old, the year he won the Hart and the Pearson. He had 63 points in 49 playoff games, including that masterful 15-goal performance to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Stanley Cup last season; and while Ovechkin won the individual stats battle in their classic semifinal confrontation, Crosby has the series win and the Cup.

That means something, for sure; but it's not enough to overtake Ovechkin on the Player of the Decade countdown. Had Crosby remained healthy in 2007-08, when he was limited to 53 games, perhaps he overtakes Ovechkin's points lead and/or wins some more hardware to rival the Russian's trophy case. But that's projection and conjecture, when the reality is that Ovechkin's had the better decade and, thus, career so far.

3. Alex Ovechkin(notes)

The Washington Capitals winger entered this season with 219 goals, 201 assists and 420 points in 324 games.  No, he doesn't have a Stanley Cup; or even a conference title, of which Crosby has two. But he has nearly everything else.

Check out the Hockey-Reference.com honors and awards sections for Crosby and Ovechkin. Statistically, Ovi's accomplishments dwarf those of Sidney -- leading the League in goals twice and points once, while also leading the NHL in categories like power-play goals. His 2007-08 seasons was, in our estimation, the best of the decade for an individual player (non-goalie). 

It's also no contest when it comes to hardware: Ovechkin has doubled up Crosby in Hart trophies and Pearson awards, while famously winning the Calder in a rookie season that seemed predestined to be Crosby's time to shine.

There are other factors to consider: Crosby's defense, Ovechkin's physical game, the talent both players did or did not skate with at various times in their decade of dominance. But, overall, Ovechkin gets the nod; though this stats vs. prestige debate could very well define their rivalry by the end of their respective careers.

2. Martin Brodeur(notes)

At some point in the last decade, Brodeur began to receive proper credit for his historic numbers between the pipes for the New Jersey Devils. After coaching changes, system changes, rules changes and changes in the personnel in front of him, the fact remained that Brodeur posted some of the best stats of his career during the 2000s to go along with some incredible personal accolades.

His Devils captured two Stanley Cups in the decade, with Brodeur in consideration for the Conn Smythe in 2003 that eventually went to J.S. Giguere. He entered this season with 356 wins, although that total was aided by the advent of the shootout, where Marty excelled. Four of his five best save-percentage seasons occurred in the last 10 years; three of his five best seasons for goals-against average occurred in the same duration. He posted 65 shutouts in the last decade.

He won the Jennings Trophy twice and four Vezina Trophies, validating his status as one of the elite goalies of the last quarter century. Not bad for a fatso.

But not the Player of the Decade, either.

1. Nicklas Lidstrom(notes)

When asked for our all-decade team during the summer, we wrote the following about the Detroit Red Wings defenseman:

"When you've won so many Norris Trophies than you can play a game of Jenga with them, I'd say that warrants inclusion on this list."

Lidstrom's six Norris Trophies for best defenseman aren't an NHL record: Doug Harvey has seven and Bobby Orr has eight. But those players competed in a slightly smaller League, and Lidstrom's remained king of the mountain despite challenges from some stellar, Hall of Fame-potential defenseman, two of whom are on this list.

Simply put, he was the total package. An offensive player who tallied 574 points, his four best point-scoring seasons all coming in the 2000s. A defensive player who was a plus-232 for the decade, frequently logging more than 28 minutes a night for the Wings. A leader who won the Conn Smythe for the Wings' 2001-02 Stanley Cup champions, and who then captained a second Detroit team to the Cup in 2007-08. And he made it look frequently effortless.

We previously broke down the Lidstrom/Brodeur dynamic when The Sporting News named the defenseman as its player of the decade, a decision we obviously endorse. Looking back at our ranking here, what we said then still stands in the final analysis:

The best two players of the last 10 years were a defenseman and a goaltender, and that speaks volumes about which positions are underappreciated in the NHL, as well as the marketing challenges the League's faced in selling guys who keep pucks out of, rather than put them into, the net.

Brodeur and Lidstrom never received the marketing push of a Crosby or an Ovechkin; they'll have to just settle on being legendary performers at their given positions in the NHL.

As the decade winds down to its final days, Big League Stew is reflecting on the biggest baseball moments of the 2000s. First up are our top steroid-free controversies from 2000-09 (because a list of controversies that allows for steroids would be terribly redundant and not very interesting). In compiling these choices, we not only weighed the story's tabloid and "talker" qualities, but also its ongoing impact on the sport of baseball. Read on.

1. The 2002 All-Star Game Tie — July 9, 2002

What to do, what to do? On a warm July night in the Midwest, all commissioner Bud Selig could do was throw up his hands. All-Star skippers Bob Brenly and Joe Torre had managed their respective teams into a corner and one of the more entertaining All-Star Games of recent memory — remember Torii Hunter's(notes) over-the-wall robbery of Barry Bonds(notes)? — was tied 7-7 after 11 innings.

What to do, what to do? Both star-studded clubs were practically out of players, specifically pitchers, and boos were raining down at  Miller Park, the Commish's de facto home stadium. The booing broke and chants of "let them play" began, recalling a "Bad News Bears" movie or an old episode of "The Wonder Years." Major League Baseball looked like Little League.

What to do, what to do? On that night, nothing. The score ended in a tie, the second in 70 seasons of All-Star Game history. There was talk of expanding the rosters, or tweaking the rules, or sitting down with future managers, to ensure that it never would happen again.

What to do, what to do? Commissioner Selig had a different solution germinating in his brain. In an effort to improve TV ratings and to ensure that the tie of 2002 never happened again, Selig decided to make the All-Star Game count for home-field advantage in the World Series. To this day, that silly provision remains one of the sport's hottest flashpoints and makes an impact on the game's biggest stage every season.

2. Cubs Fans Run Interference During World Series Bid — Oct. 14, 2003

With the biggest losers in baseball just five outs away from a berth in the 2003 World Series, something remarkable — yet perfectly believable — happened at Wrigley Field when Moises Alou(notes) tried to catch a fly ball near the left field wall in Game 6. Several true believers reached for the fly and one fan in particular — you might know his name — bobbled it, ensuring Alou could not make a play on what might have been the second out of the eighth inning.

The Cubs outfielder arguably wouldn't have caught the ball, but no matter. The iconic play became Bill Buckner for a new segment of fans, provided Alex Gonzalez, Mark Prior(notes) and Dusty Baker with a nice smoke screen and completely changed the life of one Cubs fan who redefined being in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

3. Grady Little Leaves Pedro Martinez In Too Long — Oct. 16, 2003

Like the Red Sox needed another reason to think they were cursed, Boston manager Grady Little rode his ace a little too hard against the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. Pedro Martinez(notes) couldn't hold down his Daddy and gave up two tying runs, which then set up Aaron Boone(notes) for a series-clinching home run in the 11th. The whole episode wrote a great prologue for 2004, when the Red Sox finally got past the Yankees and won the World Series.

With owners crying poor, Bud Selig brings up the idea of contracting two unnamed teams and everyone quickly figures out he's talking about the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos. Neither team, however, is eliminated when an array of legal difficulties slow the owners' dastardly plan. The financially floundering Expos eventually move to Washington, D.C. (only to discover another brand of irrelevance), while the Twins win five division titles in the decade and break ground on a new ballpark that will open in the spring of 2010.

5. World Baseball Classic Wreaks Havoc With Spring Training — 2006 and 2009

Depending on which hemisphere you're from, the World Baseball Classic is either a lot of fun and does a lot to promote the great game of baseball ... or it's a colossal waste of time that interferes with the regular season's preparation and puts ballplayers at greater risk of injury during the regular season. The 2006 and 2009 tournaments provided a lot of fun baseball moments, but the jury is still out on whether the experiment is ultimately worth it.

6. Umpiring Meltdowns, Even With Instant Replay — 2008-2009

The game's biggest change since adding the designated hitter can't prevent a series of mind-blowingly bad calls in the 2009 playoffs. Following in the NFL's footsteps, baseball introduces video replay in 2008 to help umpires make the right call on close home runs. Though many bemoan the lost human element, others call for expanded use, especially after the men in blue make some shocking calls that replay could have fixed.

7. Sammy Sosa's Bat Explodes In Cork Shower — June 3, 2003

With an even bigger scandal simmering under the surface for the entire sport, Sammy Sosa(notes) takes a swing against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Wrigley Field and instantly loses credibility after cork is found among the remains of his exploded bat. His career already in decline, Sosa soon went from a smiling inheritor of Ernie Banks' legacy to an egotistical outcast.

8. Roger Clemens and Mike Piazza Feud in World Series — Oct. 22, 2000

On the bloated stage that was the 2000 Subway World Series, Mike Piazza(notes) breaks his bat against Roger Clemens(notes) in Game 2 and Clemens fires the barrel back at Piazza — as if the Mets catcher had any control over where the shard was going. Benches cleared. Screaming occurred. People recalled an incident earlier in the summer when Rocket beaned Piazza.  The Yankees went on to win the game and the series, but Clemens' outrageous temper is noted and the stage is set for a decade's worth of future New York tabloid controversies. 

9. A.J. Pierzynski Steals First Base in 2005 ALCS — Oct. 12, 2005

With the Angels in good position to take the first two games of the 2005 ALCS, A.J. Pierzynski(notes) appears to strike out on a low pitch against Kelvim Escobar(notes). Pierzynski acts like the pitch hits the dirt and hustles to first after catcher Josh Paul(notes) flips the ball back to the mound rather than tagging the runner or throwing him out. Confusion reigns for a bit, but Pierzynski — the guy everyone loves to hate — gets his way, especially when it leads to a White Sox rally and a series-changing victory. Umpire Doug Eddings becomes persona non grata in Anaheim.

10. Ken Griffey Brings Back No. 42 — April 15, 2007

It started with a phone call to the commissioner in 2007. Ken Griffey Jr.(notes) wanted to honor Jackie Robinson by wearing his number 42 — which had been retired in 1997. Other players joined in and the tribute sparked a debate: Should the number stay retired? Who should get to wear it? By 2009, everyone was wearing 42 on their backs on Robinson's day.

* * *

Best of the Rest Bats start breaking at a record pace; Ted Williams' frozen head gets some play; A-Rod steals show at '07 World Series without even playing by opting out of $252 million contract; A-Rod slaps away the ball during Yankees 2004 ALCS meltdown; Joe Torre divorces Yankees with some malice; Kenny Rogers(notes) hunts down every TV camera in his way, possibly in search of pine tar; John Rocker gets suspended for being an extreme jerk; MLB averts work stoppage for once; Red Sox bid $51.1 million just to negotiate with Dice-K; Barry Zito(notes) gets $126 million contract, the highest for a pitcher at the time; MLB coaches get batting helmets after minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh killed by line drive; Curt Schilling's(notes) famous bloody sock; Matt Holliday(notes) touches the plate — or does he?; Seats at new Yankee Stadium priced for the obscenely wealthy; Ozzie Guillen calls Jay Marriotti an offensive name

In part two of the interview, Artest tells a story about Kobe, a shower and steam. Seriously.

Cheers, Ziller.

Here's the news report from KDKA in Pittsburgh.

The kid only suffered a little bruising, and, as the video notes, he's fine now. In fact, I'd argue that he's even better than he was before, because now he knows he's got a friend that has his back.

Seriously, a nine-year-old boy picks up a stick and starts clubbing a crazed deer? That kid is awesome. He can be on my team any day. Bring the stick, young man. We've got a defensive line to get through.

Gracias, Second-String Fullback.

Other unusual stories on the Yahoo! Network:
• Notre Dame's star QB 'sucker punched' by angry fan
• Aging Santa gets $100,000 facelift for Christmas
• Good idea: Judge blocks law allowing guns in bars

Purdue 73, Tennessee 72: Monday night's U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam action gave us several things. Among them? Commercial after commercial of why I should visit the Virgin Islands, to the point where talking the dog for a walk in otherwise-pleasant 45 degree Chicago weather suddenly made me feel like a chump. Oh, and it also gave us the best basketball game of the year so far. That game was No. 7 Purdue's one-point win over No. 10 Tennessee, and it wasn't just that the game was close that made it great; both teams are already playing pretty great basketball, especially on the defensive end. It was thrilling to watch.

The game flow chart here ought to give you some idea of how close the game was. Neither team ever opened a significant lead. Both teams pressured the ball all game -- Tennessee's flying full court pressure is going to give plenty of teams fits -- and despite a whistle-happy referee, the physicality never waned. I hope you watched it. It was just that good.

Texas 85, Iowa 60: Sure, the final result looks bad. But Iowa played admirably in the first half, making a run to close the lead to five points before eventually scoring on a nifty baseline layup and -- get this -- an 80-foot three point heave by guard Cully Payne (who I mistakenly called Tony, whoops) at the buzzer. That shot tied the game at 38 at the half. And then, as was to be expected, the wheels came off; Iowa is just not nearly a big enough or strong enough or skilled enough basketball team to be expected to hang with the likes of Texas for an entire 40 minutes. Iowa looks like an undersized mid-major squad, and even that might be generous. It's going to be a long season.

Gonzaga 76, Colorado 72: This outcome was always in doubt, as it took the Zags up until the 4th minute in the second half to gain their first lead since the opening minutes. Colorado swarmed Gonzaga early, hitting 7-of-11 from three in the first half; meanwhile, the Buffaloes forced the ball away from Matt Bouldin, who has to run the Gonzaga show for the Bulldogs to have any chance. Once he did, they did, and Bouldin ended with 21 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals in the close Gonzaga win.

Elsewhere: Cincinnati managed to hold off a solid Vanderbilt team in Maui, which bodes well for Lance Stephenson and company's progression this season ... There were a pair of what The Mid-Majority's Kyle Whelliston calls Red Line Upsets: Northern Iowa topped Boston College 81-69, while Montana got a pretty impressive win over a not-very-good Oregon team in Eugene ... DePaul continued its streak of borderline shocking defensive performances, holding St. Joe's to 51 points on 57 possessions ... and Wisconsin won a late game over Arizona that I fell asleep during, though not because the basketball wasn't very good. It was past my bedtime, kids.

• "I'm responsible. I’m the head coach." After claiming ignorance despite video evidence to the contrary after the game, LSU coach Les Miles took full responsibility Monday for his team's inexplicable clock management gaffe at the end of its 25-23 loss at Ole Miss. Miles admitted "we had no second play called prior to the Hail Mary" on the 4th-and-26 play that set up anticlimactic finish, because that pass was supposed to go into the end zone. It was letting 17 seconds tick away before calling timeout prior to the fourth down heave, though, that brought the most scorn -- from critics and from Miles himself: "I let the clock get away from me. That was my fault, my mistake. ... At that point in time, I had lost the opportunity for the team to win by squandering seconds."

• What? We all know it's coming. Monday's best headline, courtesy the Associated Press:

Oh, but they will, right AP? Nothing in the subsequent article suggests Rodriguez is in any immediate danger, but they will.

• Good luck with that. Winless Western Kentucky was the first team to let its coach go earlier this month, and Monday became the first team to fill its vacancy by hiring Stanford running backs coach Willie Taggart, a WKU alum and Jim Harbaugh's brother from another mother. Fired coach Dave Elson will stay on for the Hilltoppers' final two games in search of one last (and, this year, first) victory.

• How much is firing Ralph Friedgen worth to us? Word to the Washington Post over the weekend was that Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen's $4 million buyout wouldn't be an obstacle to ditching Fridge as the 2-9 Terps hurtle toward one of the worst finishes in school history. The Baltimore Sun doesn't quite think so: With the general budget crunch at UMD, Friedgen will either have to resign or be targeted by deep-pocketed boosters to get around that number.

• Godspeed. Good luck to N.C. State offensive coordinator Dana Bible, a longtime hand at several schools who has been diagnosed with leukemia. Bible missed the Pack's game at Virginia Tech Saturday and won't coach against North Carolina as he undergoes tests in Boston and begins his fight.

Quickly ... Urban Meyer insists he's not going to Notre Dame. So is he just waiting until after the SEC Championship game to take the job, or what? ... Rich Brooks has had enough of this retirement crap. ... Forbes explains how Doug Flutie changed the game. ... The Mountain West reprimands a BYU player and assistant coach for criticizing Air Force's cut blocks. ... And I-AA Northeastern drops its football program after 74 years, leaving the Red Sox and Patriots with one less obstacle in commanding the attention of the Boston sports scene.

Mike Bresnahan, L.A. Times: "Andrew Bynum, forgotten man? Amid all the attention heaped upon the return of Pau Gasol(notes), the Lakers' 22-year-old center served notice that, um, he's still playing too. Bynum had 25 points on nine-for-11 shooting in the Lakers' 101-85 victory Sunday over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also had nine rebounds and made all seven of his free throws in almost 29 minutes. Toronto forward-center Chris Bosh(notes) is the only player in the league averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, though Bynum is close to being there too. He is now averaging 19.9 points and 11.2 rebounds. Are the All-Star voters paying attention? 'I hope to make it,' Bynum said. 'That's really a goal I had coming into this season. I think I'm playing at the level I need to be playing. All I can do is get votes now. I've got to keep it up.'"

RealGM: "Things have gone from bad to worse in Washington after Gilbert Arenas(notes) pointed the finger at Caron Butler(notes) for the team's struggles. Arenas said on Saturday that many of the team's players have 'hidden agendas.' The star guard continued his critical comments on Monday, singling out Butler. 'For the most part, we all get along,' Arenas said. 'There are, what, 15 players on the team? Fourteen do. ... At the end of the day, if 15 players don't want to go and it's only 14, you've seen 'Remember the Titans.' It's the same thing. We've just got to play.' When asked who was responsible for ending the in-fighting, Arenas said, 'Me and Antawn [Jamison]. That's our jobs [as captains].' He conveniently left Butler, the third co-captain, out. Butler wasn't as direct as Arenas and said that a few wins might cure everything in Washington."

Marc Berman, New York Post: "Eddy Curry is so enthusiastic these days, the Knicks center volunteered to defend a certain Lakers guard tonight at Staples Center. 'I'm so happy to be back, doesn't matter to me,' Curry said. 'I'll guard Kobe [Bryant].' Curry has gotten lighter, but not that light. Curry's emotion got the best of him Sunday against Boston when he pushed down Rajon Rondo(notes) to the floor, drawing a flagrant 1 foul. The league reviews all flagrant 1s, so there's a small chance Curry could face a suspension tonight. Coach Mike D'Antoni will pass on Curry's offer to guard Bryant. Perhaps next season LeBron James(notes) will check Bryant for the Knicks. For tonight, Larry Hughes(notes) has the assignment as the Knicks (3-10) face the defending-champion Lakers (10-3) to kick off their three-game Western swing."

Jason Quick, The Oregonian: "For a night, at least, order was restored within the Trail Blazers. Brandon Roy(notes) was back at shooting guard and controlling the pace and precision of the offense. Andre Miller(notes), steadfastly saying he is accepting the reins of the second unit, played perhaps as hard and determined as he has all season. And the inside combination of Greg Oden(notes) and LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) was dominant like never before. [...] Roy and Miller played a combined 19:30 together, during which the Blazers outscored Chicago 58-39. 'That's great,' Roy said. 'I'm good with it. I hear everybody is getting mad at me now over this whole Andre thing. I don't know why. ... I never did anything. I've never wanted anything but what's good for the team. It makes me a little sad. But I'm cool.' Miller said he intends to make his shift to the second unit work, and if his effort and play Monday were any indication, the Blazers will be a tough team to defend. [...] 'Individually, I'm going to be fine,' Miller said. 'I'm not going to get caught up in all the rest of this stuff. Everybody everywhere has to adjust to something, so I will be fine.'" 

Charles F. Gardner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "A hot Milwaukee Bucks team ran into the savvy San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The Spurs splashed cold water on the upstart Bucks, using a big third-quarter push to grab a 112-98 victory at the AT&T Center. [...] The game also marked the return of Bucks guard Michael Redd(notes), who had missed the previous nine games due to a left patella tendon strain. Redd admittedly was rusty as he scored four points in 11 minutes and was 1 for 6 from the foul line. 'It was important to be out there today, just to get something going,' Redd said. 'It's just a rhythm thing.'"

Ronald Tillery, The Memphis Commercial Appeal: "Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi(notes), the first NBA player from Iran, and Omri Casspi(notes), the first Israeli player in the league, met at midcourt and shook hands before the game. Haddadi had never faced an Israeli player on the court because teams from Iran, which does not recognize the Jewish nation, are not allowed to play Israel. Haddadi, who didn't play even though Casspi did, has said none of that bothers him. 'It's just a sport,' Haddadi said."

Tim Buckley, Deseret News: "Jazz center Mehmet Okur(notes) pedaled a stationary bike prior to practice and made it through the session without any problems Monday, marking his return from a stomach virus that caused him to miss three straight games. 'I'm feeling better now,' said Okur, who plans to play when the Jazz face Oklahoma City Tuesday night. Okur said he 'started to feel a little bit weird' after returning to Utah following a four-game Eastern road trip earlier this month, and it caught up with him a few hours prior to the Jazz's Wednesday win over Toronto. 'I felt good,' he said, 'and all of a sudden I went home after shootaround (Wednesday) and it got worse, because for some reason I couldn't even move.' Okur wound up missing Thursday's win at San Antonio and - after initially thinking he'd be good to go — Saturday's victory over his ex-Detroit Pistons club as well. But Korver, who backed up (Ronnie) Brewer at shooting guard last season, said Monday he hopes to perhaps be ready to return by week's end. 'It's possible, I think,' he said. 'But we'll see how it is.'"

Paul Coro, The Arizona Republic: "The Suns are like all basketball players. Given a ball and an open floor, most gravitate to the 3-point line for a shot. The Suns just do it better. Like a team exceeding expectations, Phoenix is the NBA's top 3-point shooting team at 44.4 percent and is on an NBA-record pace of 10.4 makes per game. Of the 42 NBA players making at least 40 percent of their 3-pointers, seven are Suns. They ended last season with only Steve Nash(notes) at better than 40 percent, not counting pre-trade Raja Bell(notes) (46.8) or Amar'e Stoudemire(notes) (3 for 7). In 2007-08, only Nash and Bell hit 40 percent. This group did not figure to be the Suns' best 3-point shooting team, but it is beating them all. Jared Dudley(notes) was a career 33 percent 3-point shooter and is the team leader at 49 percent, ranking eighth in the NBA. Channing Frye(notes) made 20 3-pointers in four seasons with a 29 percent clip but is now at 44 percent, with 38 made. Goran Dragic(notes) ranked 11th in the NBA at 46 percent after making 37 percent as a rookie. 'We do have a lot more weapons from 3 than we thought,' Nash said."

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe: "As much as he wants to blend in with the rest of the guys at the Sports Authority Training Center, Glen 'Big Baby' Davis realizes things are different. His teammates have labored through 14 games, absorbed elbows, collided with mammoth men setting screens, and withstood criticism en route to a rocky 10-4 start. Davis, on the other hand, has spent the past month rehabilitating a broken right thumb sustained in a fight with a friend the night before the season opener and has been unable to play. Davis has been working arduously with his left hand and trimming down his weight. And his exile is coming close to an end. The burly forward said yesterday he is set to get his cast removed Dec. 2, and from there he will work to strengthen his hand and return to the court. 'It's tough to watch the games, knowing that you can help, knowing that you could be the deciding factor of the game,' he said. 'It's tough man, so I am excited to get back and get this cast off and start helping my teammates out.'"

Kate Fagan, The Philadelphia Inquirer: "If you listen to Gilbert Arenas — and sometimes it's hard not to — this 76ers season might be like trying to fit a round basketball through a square rim. After yesterday's Washington Wizards practice, Arenas, Washington's all-star guard, spoke with reporters about the offensive system of Sixers coach Eddie Jordan. 'You need five passers, five shooters,' said Arenas, who played in Jordan's system for five-plus seasons. 'Athletes don't work in that offense, to be honest.' And if you're honest, right now, that's what the Sixers have: athletes. [...] So the question for the Sixers is not whether the offensive system should be working already — it seems there's enough evidence proving it's too early — but whether the Sixers have five passers and five shooters. That is, if we are to believe Arenas' assessment. The Sixers are 5-8, and appear to need a few more shooters."

Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel: "Back-to-back games are the NBA's equivalent of a one-two punch — a commonplace, but taxing, reality of the sport. Back-to-backs test more than a team's athletic skill. They also test a team's physical stamina and its mental toughness. These next few days will be especially demanding for the Magic, who will host the Heat on Wednesday, immediately fly to Atlanta and then face the Hawks on Thanksgiving night. The weekend then will offer another double-whammy. Orlando will play at Milwaukee on Saturday night, fly to New York City and face the Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Sunday — all within a span of 21 hours. 'I think that's the toughest part of the job,' said Magic shooting guard J.J. Redick(notes). 'It's the travel. We'll be in four cities in five nights. It's going to be challenging.' It's a challenge the Magic had better get used to handling, because they will play a total of 38 games this season on consecutive days."

Doug Smith, Toronto Star: "It takes an almost telepathic connection for the play to work, a feeling, maybe a sideways glance, some impeccable timing. It's not something that comes overnight but as the Raptors are showing every now and then, it's coming and it adds another weapon to an impressive offensive arsenal. It's a lob pass from point guard to a backdoor-cutting forward racing along the baseline and as Jose Calderon(notes), DeMar DeRozan(notes) and Sonny Weems(notes) are showing every now and then, it can be an electrifying moment that shifts momentum in a game. 'It's all instinct,' said DeRozan, the rookie shooting guard who's been on the finishing end of a couple of lob passes from Calderon over the past handful of games. 'You just read the plays, read the defender and everything.'"

The Wall Street Journal today focuses on a question of growing national importance: has the president ditched hoops in favor of golf?

Putting aside the resounding "who cares?" contingent, it's not an inconsequential question, at least from a public relations perspective. President Obama gained notoriety on the campaign trail as a regular guy who'd throw on some sweats and run up and down the court just like any other aging ex-jock. He apparently still has enough game to knock off the NCAA women's champion UConn Huskies in an impromptu game of P.I.G. 

But since he's taken office, he's played much more golf than basketball -- 25 rounds to seven games, according to the poor soul whose job it is to keep track of such minutiae. And that's apparently upset some people who'd like to see the president playing more basketball. (Really, though, can a president do anything without upsetting somebody?)

"The fact that he isn't playing [basketball]...is a metaphor for those people who think he's gotten soft, backed off of his promises, sold out," the WSJ quoted Claude Johnson, founder of the website Baller-in-Chief. "When President Obama goes back to basketball, that will be a sign that we haven't lost the original guy."

Yeah, perhaps. Or perhaps this is reaching just a wee bit too much for a story. Thing is, presidents golf. A lot. Dwight Eisenhower played Augusta National so frequently he's got a tree named after him. Bill Clinton enjoyed the game, though -- make of this what you will -- he took so many "extra" shots that his playing partners began calling them "Billigans." George W. Bush played plenty of golf early on in his administration, though he took grief for mixing pleasure with business (the infamous "now watch this drive" moment) and later stopped playing during wartime.

I understand the need for a president to be discreet about these kinds of activities; the last thing that someone who's struggling with his or her day-to-day life needs to see is the Commander-in-Chief strolling a golf course and laughing. Not quite the tighten-the-belt-and-work-harder image you want to project, you know? 

Still, I'm all for the president getting out and playing a few rounds. Guy's got a tough job; least he ought to be able to get out of the gig is a couple hours on the course. If I were president -- and this is one reason of many I'm not -- I'd have tee times on call at Pebble Beach, Augusta and Sawgrass. Any president has earned the right to big-time his way onto the country's marquee courses. 

Having said that, President Obama may not want to give up on hoops entirely. Put aside the whole "break the ankles of your opposition" thing; the Wizards are awful this year, and he could surely get a gig as a swingman coming off the bench. Would make more money than his current job, too.

Okay, your turn. Which sport should the president play? Or should he leave the games to others and work, work, work?

Quietly, the President finds that golf is no slam dunk [Wall Street Journal]

Well done, "House" writers. The Tomlin/Epps resemblance was something I first noticed on about, oh, I don't know ... January 20th, 2007 at 3:30 p.m. It had sort of faded from memory recently. They say comedy is all about the timing.

Gracias, Morning Freak Show, via With Leather.

Welcome to 'Duk's Dozen, a streamlined selection of 12 morning-fresh links and items to start your baseball day. It welcomes your email submissions and tips here or via Twitter.   

1. It's admittedly a very loose comparison, but Joe Mauer(notes) and Mark Prior(notes) have become the Michael Jordan and Sam Bowie of the 2001 MLB draft. Star Tribune
2. Why baseball needs Mauer and Albert Pujols(notes) to stay put in their "small markets." Newsday
3. A Twins fan writes condolence letters to those who didn't win the AL MVP. Twinkie Town
4. Mauer beats out Brett Favre when it comes to Turkey Day guests in the Twin Cities. Star Tribune
5. In advance of today's NL MVP coronation, the Dodgers website provides a nice chuckle. MSTI
6. Hey, how would Dan Uggla(notes) look in a Giants uniform next season? Bay City Ball
7. The terms of Ken Griffey's new deal can again be described as "incentive-laden." Seattle Times
8. Jermaine Dye(notes) is open to playing first if it means getting another contract. Circling The Bases
9. I love that John Halama(notes) is still plugging away and trying to get back to the bigs. MLBTR
10. Weighing the possibility of replacing Mike Lowell(notes) with Adrian Beltre(notes) in Boston. Fire Brand
11. That was fast. MLB has already released the Yanks World Series film. Scott Proctor's Arm
12. In case you missed the Derek-Minka pics from St. Bart's last week. Bronx Baseball Daily

His role apparently calls for shooting a big gun, making throat-slashing gestures and falling out of windows with Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme. I doubt he'll win an Oscar for the role -- unless I missed a moving soliloquy about his secret pain -- but it should pull in some box office dollars. 

Thanks to Cage Potato

There was plenty of hype for the Florida Panthers last night, coming back to BankAtlantic Center after an undefeated road trip and facing the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. They even had a 2-0 lead on Pittsburgh, but the Cats eventually lost in overtime, 3-2.

But the real hype for the Panthers and their fans was the unveiling of the team's new third jerseys, which they will wear a dozen times this season. After speculation about whether the team would go retro like the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, or create a new look that would have fans reaching for their wallets, the Panthers decided on a two-tone blue scheme and a redesigned logo.

Along the same line of thinking as FanHouse, my first thought was that the Panthers new duds are the end result of a Conan O'Brien "If They Mated" sketch featuring the Penguins' and St. Louis Blues' third jerseys.

The other thought, as Puck Daddy reader Shae and the Miami Herald's George Richards pointed out, is that Florida new design was inspired by the Hockey Night in Canada jerseys that came out a few years ago (and a similar template that the Colorado Avalanche used):

With the crop of new jerseys debuting this season, it's becoming noticeable that navy blue is becoming the new black around the NHL. Formerly all the rage among NHL teams, navy blue can now be found with the Panthers, Blues and Nashville Predators third jerseys. Is this the start of the trend away from the black jersey?

But back to the topic at hand here ...

Pass or Fail: The Florida Panthers' new third jerseys.

According to my physics education by Google, 10.78 g is significantly more force than Apollo 16's reentry to Earth and more than twice what the body can typically withstand for any sustained period (in a fighter jet or roller coaster, for example), but in football terms may be fairly tame: In Malcolm Gladwell's much-discussed New Yorker article on the debilitating long-term effects of head injuries, linemen are routinely recorded sustaining hits well above 60 g, and the general threshold for concussions seems to be somewhere between 50 and 75 g. So either there is some significant disconnect in those calculations and the ones scrawled out by Professor Dahlberg here, or you should shake it off, Decker (when your foot heals, I mean).

 

No. 1 star: Dwayne Roloson(notes), New York Islanders

Usually, goalies who give up three goals aren't going to be the No. 1 star. But those goalies usually don't face 61 shots. In fact, Roloson's 58 saves in the Islanders' 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs are the most since Ron Tugnutt's 70-save game in March 1991, according to the AP. (Phil Kessel(notes) had 12 on his own.) Not bad for a 40-year-old. Josh Bailey(notes) had the game-winner in overtime, after the Leafs rallied from a 3-0 hole. 

No. 2 Star: Marian Gaborik(notes), New York Rangers

After the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets took a 2-0 lead, the Rangers used a John Tortorella timeout "just relax" chat and exploded for seven straight goals in a 7-4 victory. Gaborik had two goals (18 on the season) and two assists, including a beautiful helper on Sean Avery's(notes) second of the night. Also beautiful: Michael Del Zotto's(notes) Leetch-like solo effort for goal No. 3.

No. 3 Star: Patrice Bergeron(notes), Boston Bruins

Four goals for the Bruins, four assists for Bergeron, including two primary helpers on power-play goals by Mark Recchi(notes) and Blake Wheeler(notes). The Bruins won their third in a row, 4-2, at the St. Louis Blues.

Honorable mention: On another night, Jeff Deslauriers's shutout for the Edmonton Oilers (36 saves) makes the cut for the top three. Oilers win, 4-0, over the visiting Phoenix Coyotes. ... Mike Fisher's(notes) deflection of Chris Phillips'(notes) pass gave him his 10th goal of the season and the Ottawa Senators a 4-3 overtime win over the Washington Capitals. The Sens have won four in a row, rallying from a 3-1 deficit. ... Nathan Horton's(notes) errant stick earned him a minor penalty in overtime for the Florida Panthers, and Sidney Crosby(notes) cashed in a rebound off Evgeni Malkin's(notes) shot for 3-2 win for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Thomas Vokoun had 42 saves for the Panthers in their fancy new uniforms. ... Martin Erat(notes) scored two goals, including the game-winner, as the Nashville Predators won their sixth in a row with a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Pekka Rinne(notes) turned away 16 shots in the third. ... Jamie Benn(notes) and Brad Richards(notes) scored power-play goals and Marty Turco(notes) turned back 22 shots for a 2-0 Dallas Stars win over the Carolina Hurricanes. ... David Jones(notes) had two goals and Craig Anderson(notes) needed to make 17 saves in the third to preserve a 5-4 Colorado Avalanche victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Danny Briere(notes) had a four-point (2 goals, 2 assists) night for the Flyers. ... Jarome Iginla's(notes) goal with 18 seconds left tied the game, but the Anaheim Ducks won in the shootout on a Teemu Selanne(notes) goal, 3-2. Jean-Sebastien Giguere(notes) made 41 saves for his first win of the season. ... Finally, Brian McGrattan(notes) overcame his awful hair with a giant punch that knocked down George Parros(notes).

Did you know?: Corey Perry(notes) extended his point-scoring streak to 15 games with an assist against the Flames.

Dishonorable mention: Pascal Leclaire's(notes) tremendous good luck continued, as the injured Senators goalie was hit in the jaw by a deflected puck on the Ottawa bench, forcing him to the locker room. ... Rick Nash(notes) was a minus-4 with zero points for Columbus. ... After Steve Mason(notes) was pulled following four goals on 18 shots, the Rangers scored on their first two shots against Mathieu Garon(notes). ... Ray Emery(notes) was yanked by the Flyers after yielding four goals on 17 shots ... Finally, an odd scene in which Vesa Toskala(notes) appeared to ask out of the Leafs' game after giving up three goals on 15 shots turned out to be a groin injury that forced him out in favor of Jonas Gustavsson(notes). Who knew deafening boos could injure one's groin?

Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen was involved in a fight outside a South Bend bar early Sunday morning, according to a report Monday evening by WGN-AM's David Kaplan.

According to Kaplan, Clausen has two black eyes from the altercation at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. ... The Tribune's Brian Hamilton reports that a South Bend police spokesman said Monday no police reports were filed over the weekend that involved Clausen. The particulars of the confrontation are thus unclear, though a person answering the phone at CJ's, the bar in question, said the incident "absolutely did not take place inside the bar."

The Worldwide Leader's Joe Schad also confirmed Clausen has a swollen eye, at minimum, after being "sucker-punched" outside a bar. If true, it follows Clausen's citation for underage possession as a freshman and starring role in the '08 "Beer Olympics" to keep his career average for minor off-field incidents at one per season.

On the bright side, everyone may be too busy examining Clausen's face for the rest of the week to concentrate on the growing speculation that he'll follow coach Charlie Weis into the NFL by tossing his name into the pool of early entrants for the draft following Saturday's regular season finale at Stanford. If there's anywhere a highly visible party hound can go to keep his after-hours exploits under wraps, it's the NFL, right?

[UPDATE, 12:40 p.m. ET] Via Brooks, the South Bend Tribute reports Clausen was sticking up for his date after a family dinner and got into brief scrum when someone outside the bar pushed her; police showed because of "other skirmishes" at the bar but made no arrests. If there was any question, Clausen will start the Stanford game.

On Sundays, I watch football and take notes. On Mondays, I come here and whip up a ghoulash. Sit down for a spell and let's digest Week 11.

• There's a lot of fantasy frustration buzzing about with the Pierre Thomas(notes) situation in New Orleans, but don't pin all the blame on Sean Payton. Save a little bit for yourself, PT owner.

Our numbers racket isn't limited to scouting the players – our make-believe thing is about situations, game flow, coaching tendencies and the like. Yes, Thomas sure looks like the best back in New Orleans, he's jumped off the screen for two years now. But let's stop acting surprised when Thomas doesn't get a host of carries in any given game. Thomas is averaging just 13 carries per start in 2009, and he hasn't hit the 20 mark yet. For whatever reason, Payton doesn't want to burden Thomas with a heavy workload, and he keeps funneling scoring chances to his other backs (that's Mike Bell(notes) leaping to glory above, and Reggie Bush(notes) was on a touchdown binge before sitting out in Week 11).

Mind you, if Bell keeps doing the airborne thing 2-3 times a game, he'll have a hard time staying healthy for the balance of the year. And perhaps Payton is just looking to keep Thomas fresh, mindful of the fact that the Saints might have to play full-out for all 17 weeks to secure the NFC's top seed. Heavier touch counts might be ahead for Thomas if things break right, but at this point in time, it doesn't look like Payton will go in that direction by choice. Accept it for what it is.

• Kansas City's victory over Pittsburgh was a fun game and it added some juice to 2009 Survivor, but let's not misread the flukiness factor at play. Pittsburgh had 27 first downs, KC had 13. The Steelers outgained the Chiefs, 401-214. While you credit the Chiefs for forcing three turnovers and scoring on special teams, it's more important to be able to matriculate the ball down the field (or stop the other guys from doing the same). Look for order to be restored next week – San Diego will beat Kansas City soundly.

• Be careful not to overstate a possible "shutdown corner" matchup as you're choosing your fantasy receivers. Yes, Darrelle Revis(notes) did follow Randy Moss(notes) for most of Sunday, but that didn't keep Moss from collecting 11 targets and a touchdown. The previous week, Mike Sims-Walker(notes) was pretty much held down by Revis, but he was able to score on a play where Revis wasn't covering him. It takes more than one good coverage man to present a nasty matchup.

Also consider that a lot of star cornerbacks stay on the same side of the field and cover whomever lines up opposite them, and every team plays zone coverage much of the time. Forget the days of the 1-on-1 matchup, all day, every snap – that's very rare in the current game.

• Jeff Fisher took a lot of heat for waiting so long to get Vince Young(notes) back in the starting lineup, and it's easy to jump on that delayed decision as the Titans play well behind Young (3-0 so far, and tied with the Texans at halftime as I post this). But keep in mind the shift from Kerry Collins(notes) to Young is a radical shift in offensive personality – heck, it's really a 180 for the entire organization – and in order to have Young best prepared to play and be successful, the move really had to wait for Tennessee's off week. The NFL is a "fix it now!" sort of league, but I'm starting to accept that Fisher was right to wait on the change.

Chris Johnson's recent rampage is partly due to the switch as well; defenses have to scheme differently when the mobile Young is in the game. Obviously Johnson is going to be a star in any system, but it sure looks like his best form comes out when it's the Young offense on the field.

• It's important for a quarterback to take care of the ball, but you can't do it at the expense of big plays. Said another way, Jay Cutler's(notes) line Sunday night (24-for-43, 171 yards, one endgame pick) does not represent progress.

• Did you catch Buffalo absolutely butchering the clock at the end of the first half at Jacksonville? Interim head coach Perry Fewell comes from a defensive background, not that there's any excuse for how the Bills handled that situation.

• Roy Williams should donate his hands to the diamond industry.

• Let's look at the facts with this Antonio Gates(notes) situation. In 16 of his last 18 games, he's been held out of the end zone. In nine of his 10 starts this year, he's posted fewer than 10 points in a basic scoring league. He's had 10 targets or more in just one game this year, and he's had a modest 32 targets in his last five starts. It doesn't make him a stiff, of course, you're still starting him every week. But the Chargers aren't doing anything special to get Gates the rock in the end zone, and it's also worth noting that San Diego still treats LaDainian Tomnlinson like a red-zone weapon, even as his skill set no longer demands it.

• The Cowboys better straighten out their offense against Oakland on Thursday, because the schedule gets significantly harder after that (Giants, Chargers, Saints). Tony Romo's(notes) crew has just two scoring drives over the last two weeks, and that slump occurred against a pair of struggling defensive units (Packers, Redskins). The Pokes are having problems sustaining drives, with third down a particular problem; Romo had a 79.1 rating on the money down, while the offense is converting a pedestrian 38.7 percent on third down.

• Someday, I'd like an explanation as to why DeAngelo Williams(notes) sat behind Deshaun Foster(notes) for multiple seasons. The baton should have been passed during Williams's first year – remember this showing at Philly? Instead, John Fox and friends made Williams wait two full years, and then they drafted Jonathan Stewart(notes) to overload the position. Talk about misjudging your own talent.

• It's hard to be underrated when you play on a team as visible as the Patriots, but Wes Welker(notes) is one of the most underrated commodities in football. Go back and re-read some of the web jabberwocky back from Week 2 when the Jets upset the Welker-less Patriots; some scribes insisted Julian Edelman(notes) wasn't all that different than Welker. In Week 11, with a healthy Welker and a confident Tom Brady(notes) in the mix, order was restored in the AFC East.

• Mark Sanchez(notes) remains a messy work-in-progress for the Jets. Be careful of system quarterbacks who play for a dominant offense in college; Sanchez was seldom rushed at USC, and it's held back the development of his pocket presence.

• Let's cut Matt Millen a break and let him settle in as an announcer. Yes, he was a joke as a general manager. No, he never should have gotten that position without any front office experience. But that doesn't mean he can't be decent in his second go-round in the booth. Millen's best game isn't going to come out working with Stuart Scott on ESPN, but Bob Papa is an excellent partner on the NFL Network games.

• Brad Childress doesn't get a lot of props in this blog but it was very wise to give Brett Favre(notes) a quick hook against the Seahawks. The Seattle offense isn't built to come back from 28-point deficits (especially on the road), and heck, getting Tarvaris Jackson(notes) some snaps (and some confidence) probably wasn't a bad idea.

I gotta give it up to Favre, too – I thought I was "Favred out" for life, the never-ending story, but he's forcing me to root for him. He's no worse than No. 2 or No. 3 in the MVP debate right now, and if you want to give it to him, I wouldn't complain. I'd probably go Peyton Manning(notes) 1, Favre 2, Drew Brees(notes) 3 at the moment; obviously there's a lot of play ahead of us.

• It's time to throw Devil Ray rules at Jon Gruden – every time he says "football player" on a telecast, fine him $5,000.

Prefer your brunch on Sundays? I post my in-game reactions in real time on Twitter; click here to follow along.

Unless Colin Campbell and Co. needed nearly a full business day after Laraque's morning hearing to deliver a verdict, it's your classic end-of-day dump for news that's bound to be vetted, debated and decried by a great numbers of fans and pundits.

EJ Hradek of ESPN wrote that "if the league wants to clean up these types of plays, they can send a message by tagging Laraque with a double-digit suspension." Adam Proteau of The Hockey News wanted an example made of Laraque:

Time has taught us to expect the NHL will abdicate its responsibilities in providing a reasonably safe workplace through the application of supplementary discipline. But if the league ever did decide to grow a pair and use Laraque as the cautionary tale that makes players think twice before reacting knee-first, fist-first, head-first, skate-first or butt-end-of-the-stick-first, I'd break out a line in all seriousness that I don't normally use unless there's extreme sarcasm involved: Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

The outrage from Red Wings fans on this is justified, because they saw some fourth-line goon take out a guy who's fourth in average ice time (21:18)  for Detroit and an essential part of their blue line. I'm not one who believes in the eye-for-an-eye Wheel of Discipline, so the duration of Kronwall's injury is immaterial to me. The intent of Laraque to injure him isn't; neither are Laraque's previous offenses. Based solely on that, Laraque deserved more than five games.

But not because the NHL needed to make "an example" of Laraque.

Intentional knee-on-knee hits aren't the epidemic hits to the head are. They're illegal and injurious. They'll always be illegal and injurious. And they'll always be suspendable. Whatever Laraque was given here, it wasn't going to deter someone from doing it again.

Hits to the head, open-ice blindside hits ... if you want them out of the NHL, then legislation and/or supplemental discipline can actually make a difference at this point in history. But a suspension for a knee-on-knee hit isn't a deterrent against the actions of other players; it's keeping a cheap-shot artist off the ice, if only for a few nights.

With the decade winding down, Fourth-Place Medal will look at some of the greatest Olympic moments of the past 10 years. Today, the top 10 swimming moments of the 2000s. (It's a list dominated by Americans and Australians (one in particular), mainly because it's a sport dominated by Americans and Australians.)

10. Amanda Beard gets her gold -- After a silver in Atlanta and a bronze in Athens, Amanda Beard needed a gold in Athens to complete the trifecta. Her competition: former world record holder Leisel Jones, whose record Beard had lowered just weeks earlier. Jones shot out to an early lead but, much like in the 100 breast in 2000, the Australian weakened down the stretch as an American topped the medal stand.

9. Bernard's revenge -- Days after choking away the 4x100 freestyle relay, France's Alain Bernard got his gold in the individual 100 free, besting world record holder Eamonn Sullivan (who took the mark away from Bernard earlier in the meet) and his relay nemesis, Jason Lezak.

8. Eric the Eel -- As David Wallechinsky recounts in his essential tome "The Complete Book of the Olympics", the IOC encouraged countries to enter swimmers in events, even if they didn't have a qualifying time. Equatorial Guinea took advantage, holding a trial in a 20-meter hotel pool. It was won by 22-year old Eric Moussambani, who competed in the 100-meter freestyle despite never having swam in the distance in his life. He finished 50 seconds behind the next slowest competitor, but became an overnight sensation in the process.

7. Ervin, Hall tie in 50 free -- In a race that saw Aleksandr Popov going for his third straight Olympic gold and Pieter van den Hoogenband trying to win the sprint triple, two Americans stole the show down under. Gary Hall Jr. and Anthony Ervin both touched in 21.98 in the 50 free at the Syndey Olympics, becoming the first men ever to share swimming gold in the Olympics.

6. Thorpe avenges 200 free loss, wins "fastest race ever" -- In Athens in 2004 Pieter van den Hoogenband, Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Michael Phelps competed in what was known as the fastest race of all-time. The four were the four quickest ever to swim the 200 free (back before suits made such distinctions obsolete) and the race was the most anticipated of those Olympics. Avenging his loss in front of the home fans in Sydney, Thorpe stormed back for a victory.

5. Coughlin v. Coventry -- The two best female swimmers in Athens happened to compete in the same event, the 100 backstroke. After a disappointing 2000 (in which she failed to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team), Natalie Coughlin held off Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry in the final 15 meters for gold.

4. Phelps bests Spitz -- It was the single greatest achievement in Olympic history, but the ending was anti-climatic. Short of disqualification, there was no way the American relay team was going to lose the 4x100 medley on the final night of the swimming competition in Beijing. They didn't and Phelps became the most prolific champion of all-time.

3. On home turf, Aussies upset Americans -- The U.S. men's 4x100 freestyle relay team was seven-for-seven in Olympic competition before running into a keyed-up Australian squad on the opening night of the 2000 Olympics. Spurred on by a rabid crowd in Sydney, Ian Thorpe caught Gary Hall Jr. on the final lap (after being passed on the first 50) to give the Australians a .21 second victory.

2. Phelps wins by .01 seconds -- One man stood between Michael Phelps and history: Milorad Cavic. (So did Ian Crocker, but he ended up swimming a poor race.) Phelps had already won six gold medals in Beijing and, as mentioned in moment No. 4, his final race wasn't supposed to give him much trouble. It all came down to Saturday morning's 100 butterfly. The early lead was taken by Cavic, an American swimming for Serbia (his parents immigrated shortly before his birth), and it appeared he'd derail Phelps' Olympic dream when the two approached the wall. But Cavic glided into the wall, while Phelps took what appeared to be a furious, ill-advised half-stroke. Somehow Phelps got to the wall first, beating Cavic by one-hundredth of a second, the closest margin in Olympic swimming history. I still have no clue how he got in there.

1. The comeback: Jason Lezak keeps Phelps' quest alive -- Phelps' quest for eight was almost over before it began. On the first morning of finals, the French relay team was headed for a gold medal when world record holder Alain Bernard was nearly a full body length ahead of Lezak on the anchor leg of the 4x100 freestyle relay. On NBC, Rowdy Gaines started analyzing the loss. On my couch, I began typing the lede to a blog post about how the Phelps dream was over. Then, all of a sudden, Bernard tightened and Lezak began to catch up, blazing past him in the final five meters to give the U.S. a most improbable of victories. Lezak's split was the fastest in history. For my money, it was the greatest sports moment I've ever seen.

About those fat jokes, though -- whether or not the hecklers, Photoshop artists and ruthless commenters ever considered the impact on their target, the endless digs haven't exactly been rolling gracefully through the years like water off a duck's back. From the sound of it, it's more like they penetrated Weis' heart and coalesced into a dense, black, malignant amulet of bitterness that he vows to carry with him forever:

"The damage to Maura and Charlie Jr. is irreparable," says Weis, referring to the personal nature of the attacks he has been subject to for years now. "It's watching me get hammered. I'll never forgive the people who character-assassinated me without even knowing me. Those people did irreparable damage to my wife and son, and I'll never forgive them."
[...]
"They have the right to criticize the coach for being 6-5," says Weis. "They have that right. It's all the other stuff. You think I don't know that I'm fat? Duh!"

Asked if he should be gone, where would Charlie Jr. would go to college, the coach responded: "I know where he won't be going to college."

I'd like a precise statistical estimate of Weis critics since 2005 who are actually asking for forgiveness for their juvenile cruelty. Because I know I can name a few who are proudly standing by it.

I'm no kind of "insider" like Walters, who does his best in the service of a positive spin. But when the still-technically employed head coach bitterly promises that his emotionally wounded son won't be following in his footsteps at the old alma mater, it's hard to pretend this split is going to go down amicably.

Catch Vince Young(notes) 2.0 in action here tonight, as we'll be here all night with running commentary on the game, observations, insights, polls, blatant lies and a high level of interactivity with you, the reader. We'd love it if you joined us. Kickoff is set for 8:30. We'll be here a few minutes prior.

Preview: Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m. EST. OK, so a three-game winning streak isn't exactly shattering NHL records. But for two underperforming teams like the B's and Blues, it's a pretty big deal, and one of them will have a three-gamer for the first time this season after tonight. Marc Savard(notes)? In! Tim Thomas(notes)? Backup! T.J Oshie's dad? Still blogging!

Preview: New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. A bittersweet moment, as the savior of the Maple Leafs franchise steps onto Air Canada Centre ice wearing some other team's jersey.

Preview: Philadelphia Flyers at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m. It's the triumphant return of fan favorite Ian Laperriere(notes) to Denver. The Avs are on a 3-6-1 plummet while the Flyers have lost their last two on the road. Mile High Hockey sets the bar for the home team" If the Avalanche lose in regulation tonight, they could get passed by as many as 3 teams in the standings (Columbus, Calgary and Phoenix)." Watch The Game Live Via Hockey Night on Y!

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page.

Evening Reading

• If you'd like to know who the Player of the Decade was for the 2000s, you may want to check back here in the morning.

• Five games for Georges Laraque(notes). More in a bit on this. [TSN]

• In a trade that threatens to create a vowel shortage on the new wire, the Minnesota Wild traded Benoit Pouliot(notes) to the Montreal Canadiens for left wing Guillaume Latendresse(notes). The latter player is already excited to meet the Minnesota media, which is usually a sentiment shared by Habs players who don't live up to their potential in Montreal. Now watch him become the next Mike Ribeiro(notes) ... [AP]

• Finally, Sergei Kostitsyn(notes) has come back to Montreal. [Habs]

• Analyzing the Peter Mueller(notes) trade rumors that made the rounds on the HNIC Hot Stove. [Five For Howling]

• Elliotte Friedman's massive column with the 30 items at the end really is one of the best reads in hockey every week. [CBC Sports]

• Interesting moves in the NCAA concerning Michigan, as Robbie Czarnik leaves for the Plymouth Whalers and goaltending recruit Jack Campbell appears headed for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL "at some point." [WCHB]

• The Tampa Bay Lightning are getting in on the Black Friday sales. Not in, like, a half-off Ryan Malone(notes) kind of way; in a ticket kind of way. [Raw Charge]

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: From 'CC' in the Puck Headlines today -

I think I speak for millions when I say that whatever other lousy things happen to me today, I can fall back on having seen "Bettman" and "resign" in the same sentence.

Amen to that.

Bold Prediction: Florida beats Pittsburgh in the Panthers' spiffy new uniforms.

As we hit the end of the decade, Yahoo! Sports is taking a look back at the past ten years in sports. Here at Fourth-Place Medal, we're looking through the best and the worst of the last five Olympics. Today, the most memorable moments in gymnastics.

10. 33-year-old Oksana Chusovitina wins silver in Beijing: Women's gymnastics is dominated by petite teenagers, but that didn't bother Chusovitina, who first competed in the Olympics in 1992. A mother and a cancer survivor, Chusovitina won a silver medal for her vault. 

9. The introduction of the trampoline: The Olympics were in need of a sport that looked ridiculously fun. Trampoline fit the bill. Introduced in 2000 at Sydney, it was first won by Russians Alexander Molaskenko and Irina Karavaeva, and has become a permanent part of the gymnastics lineup for the Olympics. 

8. Carly Patterson rejuvenates American gymnastics scene with all-around gold: In 2000, the U.S. didn't bring home a single gymnastics medal, and questions were raised about the future. That was changed in one fell swoop with Patterson's all-around gold in Athens, as well as a team and balance beam silver.

7. U.S. men take a medal in Beijing: Without any experienced stars on the team, the U.S. men pulled out consistent, error-free routines that won them a bronze medal. 

6. American women sweep all-around in 2008: Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson shook off the competition to go 1-2 in the all-around. Liukin sealed her gold with a near-perfect floor routine. 

5. Alexei Nemov of Russia rules Sydney: A male gymnast has eight chances to win a medal at the Olympics. In 2000, Nemov took home six: gold in all-around and high-bar, silver for floor exercise, and bronze in team, pommel horse and parallel bars. 

4. China's men dominate at 2008 Olympics: Few teams have ever been as dominant as the Chinese men's gymnastics team in Beijing. In front a loud, raucous home crowd, they won nearly every gold. Only one non-Chinese athlete won a gold in Beijing, Leszek Blanik from Poland in the vault.

3. Svetlana Khorkina's graceless swan song: Khorkina, the Russian gymnast who defied the odds by medaling in three different Olympics, was expected to win all-around gold in Athens, her final Olympics. When she won the silver behind American Carly Patterson, Khorkina said that the competition was fixed. 

2. The young but strong Chinese women's team: China's women's team in Beijing was dominant. They beat the heavily favored U.S. team with a nearly perfect meet. However, questions still remain if they meet the age requirement of 16 years old. 

1. Paul Hamm wins controversial gold: In 2004, American Paul Hamm came out on top of a tight men's all-around race, beating out South Koreans Kim Dae-Eun and Yang Tae-Young. However, the judges gave Tae-Young an incorrect start value on his parallel bars routine. Without that error, Tae-Young would have been the champion. The controversy surrounding this gold went all the way to the Court of Arbitration on Sport, but in the end, Hamm was allowed to keep his medal. 

Agree? Disagree? Tell us in the comments. 

Andre Caldwell(notes), Kick Returner, Cincinnati Bengals

Hank Poteat(notes), Cornerback, Cleveland Browns. When Matthew Stafford(notes) scrambled out of the pocket before his desperation heave into the endzone yesterday, Hank Poteat thought, "Hey, I better not let Calvin Johnson(notes) catch this." That part was good. But Hank Poteat also thought, "If the quarterback leaves the pocket, it's okay for me to run around and indiscriminately tackle wide receivers at my own whim. Wheee!" Unfortunately, this rule exists only in Hank Poteat's head. He shoved Calvin Johnson out of the back of the endzone, got flagged for it, and Stafford made the Browns pay.

Chris Simms(notes), Quarterback, Denver Broncos. Kyle Orton's(notes) ankle wasn't healthy enough for football activity yesterday, so the Broncos started Chris Simms. By halftime, Josh McDaniels decided that a one-legged Kyle Orton was a better option than Chris Simms. The Broncos still got pounded, but Simms was bad enough for McDaniels to decide that it was worth risking the long-term health of his starting quarterback. I never understood why McDaniels didn't go back to Simms when it was clear that the game was decided, though.

Mark Sanchez(notes), Quarterback, New York Jets. The up-and-down season continues for the rookie quarterback, with yesterday being his second worst game of the season. Sanchez completely Jamarcus'd out against the Patriots, going 8-of-21, with four interceptions and just one touchdown. When it was all said and done, his quarterback rating in the game was 64 points lower than it was in his first outing against the Patriots.

Brandon Gibson(notes), WR, St. Louis Rams. Gibson dropped a pass in the endzone that would've given the Rams a chance to tie the Cardinals and force overtime. Here's a related stat for you: Tied for the lead this week in times targeted were Wes Welker(notes) and Brandon Gibson, both with 17. Welker had 15 catches. Gibson had five. I'm sure Marc Bulger(notes) shares a lot of the blame on that, but it's still an awful, awful percentage.

Quiet. Too quiet.
The BCS hoi polloi remains at a standstill, with TCU and Boise State hanging onto their No. 4 and No. 6 slots, respectively, in the latest Series standings. BYU is also still ranked in the top 20, for reasons beyond even the good Doctor's understanding, and Utah and Houston linger down there in those 20-something slots that go to teams no one knows quite what to do with. Click the above link for more on why these standings are unlikely to change in the next couple weeks, but the short version is this: TCU is a virtual lock for one of the at-large bids, but Boise State may be on the outside looking in for another, for reasons that have nothing to do with the Broncos' march to another undefeated regular season on the field.

It's all local.
Moving from the national picture, then, to the conference championship races, where we have some excitement:

• The main event will be another Friday WAC night showdown on the blue turf, where Boise puts its perfect record and four-year home winning streak on the line against streaking Nevada, winner of eight straight and home to the most statistically dominant rushing attack in any conference in recent memory. The Wolf Pack are by far the greatest threat to the Broncos' in-conference dominance and BCS pretensions, and can walk away with their first WAC crowd since joining the league with a very plausible road upset.

• Central Michigan has locked up its half of the MAC with a 7-0 run in league play, but the East Division comes to a head this weekend when first place Temple (7-0) heads to second-place Ohio U. (6-1) in a rubber match that could provide the Owls one of the most unlikely 10-win seasons in history and their first trip to the conference title game in Detroit.

• Conference-USA is a mess of 5-2 teams on both sides, but East Carolina, the only six-win squad in the bunch, gets Southern Miss at home Saturday in a winner-take-all tilt for the East Division title. Houston reassumed the lead in the West Division with SMU's loss at Marshall and ought to be reasonably certain of handling Rice to sew up the other berth in the C-USA title game.

• Troy went ahead and clinched the Sun Belt title for the fourth year in a row with a convincing dismantling of Florida Atlantic. Middle Tennessee and Louisiana-Monroe will be at it this weekend for runner-up honors, with a likely bowl bid dangling from the arena ceiling for the first team to the top of the ladder.

Coaches! Get your coaches! Fresh coaches, bought and sold!
Texas A&M cast-off Dennis Franchione to UNLV? Sure, why not? To crib a little Dave Eggers, we are ardent admirers of the rich and insane, and as such are fully behind the constant employment of Fran-Fran, Jackie Sherrill, Barry Switzer and all the Bowdens. Make us proud, short-sighted athletic directors, and more importantly, keep us entertained with an endless supply of secret newsletter jokes.

In actual coaching news, Stanford running backs coach Willie Taggart has been named head coach at Western Kentucky. Before you start wondering why on earth anyone would want this job under an administration that fired its head coach before the end of its first official season in the I-A ranks, please note that Taggart's a former Hilltopper player and assistant coach. Whatever else happens on the field, a familiar face stands a chance of putting more warm bodies in seats, which we suppose is a start.

The Field is Their X-Box.
Our first order of business in the offseason will be the assembly of a boy band composed entirely of mid-major quarterbacks with ridiculous, arcade-caliber numbers spiraling joyously to the sky. Between them, Houston's Case Keenum, Boise State's Kellen Moore, Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour, Nevada's Colin Kaepernick, UAB's Joe Webb and BYU's Max Hall averaged just a shade over 300 total yards this weekend, and if they can do that to opposing secondaries individually, just imagine the havoc they'll wreak on the hearts of teen girls everywhere when you put them all together. (Want some ground guys? We got your backup singers right here: Nevada now has three 1,000-yard rushers after Luke Lippinccott's 162-yard performance against New Mexico State, joining Kaepernick and Vai Taua as the most prolific single-season trio in NCAA history.)

Mini-Major Meltdown Watch.
Chattanooga and Florida International were short on drama in predictably grisly blowouts at the hands of top-ranked powerhouses Alabama and Florida, respectively, but for fans of the really little guys there's always the Harvard-Yale fake punt and Bethel-Sterling bouquet affairs. Don't say we never did nothing for ya.

Profiles in continuing ineptitude.
One more out the cellar! New Mexico finally broke the seal on the win column by beating free-falling Colorado State, 29-27, on a field goal with 12 seconds on the clock to hand the Rams their eighth straight defeat. Still-winless Eastern Michigan, on the other hand, put up no kind of fight against Toledo, and hopeless Western Kentucky (mercifully) had the week off before resuming its quixotic journey for a 'W' this week at Florida Atlantic.

What should have been ...
How are the mighty haka-dancers fallen: We like it when Hawaii's good simply because the Warriors on television more, and their pregame psych-out routine is truly glorious to behold in HD. The Warriors aren't going to be ready for primetime again any time soon, however, if they keep letting lame-duck teams like San Jose State take them to overtime with bowl-eligibility at stake. Hawaii can scrape into the postseason with upsets over Navy and Wisconsin on the islands, but don't hold your breath.

... and what never had a prayer:
Nevada beat New Mexico State like a two-dollar, redheaded, rented mule in one of the Wolf Pack's patented late-night routs, rolling up 671 yards of total offense for Kaepernick & Co. in a 63-20 obliteration.

Player of the Week: Martevious Young, QB, Southern Miss.



For throwing a 60-yard touchdown on USM's first offensive snap, for following that up with three more scores (including a 95-yard bomb), for refraining from turning the ball over while being apparently determined to match points-happy Tulsa's total all by his lonesome in a 44-34 Golden Eagle win, for doing all this despite not taking over for injured starter Austin Davis until halfway through the season, and for attending the same fine institution as the good Doctor himself, we salute you, sir. (Also, being named "Martevious" doesn't hurt.)

(A Somewhat Arbitrary) Mid-Major Top 10
1. TCU (11-0) Even the Doc is getting in the Horned Frogs' corner.
2. Boise State (11-0) What, couldn't crack 60? It's Utah State! (Kidding. Kinda.)
3. Central Michigan (9-2) Did we mention the vast majority of quarterback Dan LeFevour's season-high numbers were accumulated in the first three quarters?
4. Temple (9-2) Even when the wins kept coming, we never really thought we'd see Temple in a conference championship game. But here the Owls go, if they can get past Ohio, and good on 'em.
5. Nevada (8-3) If any pollsters are set on dropping Boise State for an actual reason, now's your chance to hop on the Wolf Pack wagon.
6. BYU (9-2) Bumped for a convincing win over Air Force, a team we think is not terrible for a change.
7. Navy (8-3) Off this week, which should help with the upcoming time-zone hopping en route to Hawaii.
8. Utah (9-2) After Saturday's game with BYU, both Beehive State powers will somehow still be ranked in the top 25. Just you watch.
9. Houston (9-2) That's a nice victory margin, but it's still just Memphis.
10. MTSU (8-3) A decided pantsing of Arkansas State puts the Blue Raiders in the Sun Belt two-spot.

Stay Tuned.
On tap for Thanksgiving weekend: Northern Illinois at Central Michigan, Temple at Ohio, Nevada at Boise State, Southern Miss at East Carolina, UCF at UAB, Utah at BYU, and Navy at Hawaii.

• Most Realistic Upset: We're calling for Ball State to upset Western Michigan, because Western Michigan is not that good, and because the idea of Ball State following up an undefeated regular season in 2008 with a single, lonely win in 2009 makes us feel sad in the black voids where our hearts should be.

• Most Unrealistic Upset: Nevada at Boise State. The Broncos are favored by ten, but they've also got a vague facsimile of a defense. And forget Northern Illinois at Central Michigan. They're only 10-point underdogs, but they're not going to spoil LeFevour's final home game.

• Most Inevitably Gruesome Blowout: New Mexico at TCU. Seriously, it's not even fair what's about to happen out there.

Scoreboard.
Florida International was the only school carrying a mid-major flag against one of the big boys this week, and came back bearing the wounds of a 62-3 shredding in the Swamp for its trouble. After 12 weeks, mid-major programs are 19-92 against BCS conference schools.

- - -
Holly welcomes your adulation and veiled threats at nastinchka-at-yahoo, etc.

Ari Fleischer Communications, a sports public relations firm headed by the former press secretary for President George W. Bush, has been hired by BCS officials to help remodel the tattered image of college football’s postseason system.
[...]
[New BCS executive director Bill] Hancock said in a statement the goal of the hiring was to help highlight the positive aspects of the BCS, which he called the best way to match college football’s top two teams, while preserving the bowl system.

It might seem slightly counterintuitive to hire the spokesman of an administration that ended in a state somewhat below "tattered" to un-tatter an unpopular system that's come under more and more fire each successive year of its existence. Let's not forget, though, what a public relations ninja Fleischer was in his days in the White House -- here, after all, was an ordinary-looking man who frequently bickered with members of the press corps, who once suggested publicly that citizens should "watch what they say, watch what they do," and who said adding additional information to the "mountain of evidence" that Saddam Hussein had accumulated and was planning to use weapons of mass destruction "is like adding a foot to Mount Everest" ... and who basically won. Fleischer was integral in selling the war in Iraq, and he was smart enough to exit the building before it self-destructed soon after.

So if anyone is equipped to deal with a few grandstanding Congressmen, a nascent playoff lobby and even a playoff-stumping president, it's one of the very few guys who got out of the Bush years relatively unscathed. And if Fleischer's firm is partially responsible for keeping Major League Baseball's head above water over the last few years, too, maybe there's some hope for the Series yet. I know I'm starting to like it more already.