Reports Claim Bengals Chris Henry Dead Following Accident

Unconfirmed reports online are suggesting that Bengals receiver Chris Henry is dead following a car crash earlier today.

The car crash is confirmed, with Henry said to have fallen out of the back of a pick up truck following a domestic dispute. Local reports suggest that his injuries are life threatening and that he is in a coma, although we don’t have more recent news confirmed by the hospital.

Henry has been involved in a string of troubles during his professional career, including arrests for driving under the influence, marijuana possession, assault, and criminal damaging, although this would be the first time he’s fallen out of a pick up truck.

To complete matters further, local police have told the media that they have officers stationed near Henry in hospital; even he’s been up to no good, or he needs protecting.

Well update the post if we hear anything more on the Chris Henry dead reports.

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Tiger Woods voted AP's top athlete of the decade

As sports go, it wasn't close: Tiger Woods was famous for his golf long before he became infamous for his personal life.

For 10 incomparable years, no one ruled a sport like Woods. He won 64 tournaments, including 12 major championships. He hoisted a trophy on every continent where golf is played. And those 56 titles in one decade on the PGA Tour? Consider that only four of golf's greatest players won more in their entire careers.

Even as a shocking sex scandal changed the way people look at Woods, the records he set could not be ignored.

Woods was selected Wednesday as the Athlete of the Decade by members of The Associated Press in a vote that was more about his performance on the course than the self-described transgressions as a person.

"The only reason I wouldn't vote for Tiger Woods is because of the events of the last three weeks," said Mike Strain, sports editor of the Tulsa (Okla.) World. "And I didn't think that was enough to change my vote. I thought he was a transcendent sports figure."

He received 56 of the 142 votes cast since last month by editors at U.S. newspapers that are members of the AP. More than half the ballots were returned after the Nov. 27 car accident outside his Florida home that set off sensational tales of infidelity.

Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor who won the Tour de France six times this decade, finished second with 33 votes. He was followed by Roger Federer, who has won more Grand Slam singles titles than any other man, with 25 votes.

Record-setting Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps came in fourth with 13 votes, followed by New England quarterback Tom Brady (6) and world-record sprinter Usain Bolt (4). Five other athletes received one vote apiece.

Woods, who has not been seen since the accident and has issued only statements on his Web site, was not made available to comment about the award.

Seattle Times sports editor Don Shelton discussed the vote with his staff, which he said was torn among Woods, Armstrong and Federer. He voted for Woods in the early stages of the scandal.

"I'm not sure I would change my vote," Shelton said. "I looked at him as an athlete, I really did. I separated him a little bit. If this had happened three years ago and his performance had dropped off, that's a different factor."

Allegations of rampant affairs starting come out just 10 days after Woods won the Australian Masters before record crowds for the 82nd worldwide victory of his career. He received a $3 million appearance fee in Australia, and the government estimated a return of $20 million from the number of fans Woods attracted.

Few other athletes changed their sport, from TV ratings to galleries to prize money.

A new image emerged quickly in the days following his middle-of-the-night accident, when he ran his SUV over a fire hydrant and into a tree. He became the butt of late-night TV jokes, eventually confessed to infidelity and lost a major sponsorship from Accenture.

"Seems an unlikely time to vote for him, but he had more influence and impact on the complete decade, 2000 to 2009, than any of the other athletes," said Paul Vigna, sports editor of The (Harrisburg, Pa.) Patriot-News.

AP members found Woods' work on the golf course over the last 10 years without much of a blemish. He took an early lead in the balloting, and continued to receive roughly the same percentage of votes throughout the process.

"Despite the tsunami of negative publicity that will likely tarnish his image, there's no denying that Woods' on-the-course accomplishments set a new standard of dominance within his sport while making golf more accessible to the masses," wrote Stu Whitney, sports editor of the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader. "The only proof needed are the television ratings when Tiger plays in a golf tournament, compared to those events when others have to carry the load."

The fall was as spectacular as his rise.

Woods won the career Grand Slam three times over in the decade, the last of his 12 majors at the 2008 U.S. Open despite playing on a mangled left leg. He twice won the British Open at St. Andrews, the home of golf, by a combined 13 shots.

"It seems like everybody has jumped on the 'slay Tiger' bandwagon," said Dan Lebowitz, executive director at the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University. "I understand the dynamics around that. But I'd also like people to recognize how great he operated under a microscope for a long period of time."

Woods won more than one-third of all the tournaments he played this decade, an unprecedented rate in golf. Nine of his victories were by at least eight shots. He was No. 1 in the world ranking for all but 32 weeks in the decade.

He did his best work in the biggest events. Along with his 12 majors this decade — he has 14 overall, four short of the record held by Jack Nicklaus — Woods was runner-up in six other majors. He won 14 times out of 27 appearances in the World Golf Championships.

Woods finished the decade with $81,547,410 in earnings from his PGA Tour events, an average of $482,529 per tournament.

"No athlete dominated a particular sport the way Tiger Woods did this decade," said Phil Kaplan, deputy sports editor at the Knoxille (Tenn.) News-Sentinel.

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Kobe's jumper at OT buzzer lifts Lakers over Bucks

MILWAUKEE — Kobe Bryant hit a 15-footer as time expired and scored the game's final seven points over the last 1:18 of overtime to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 107-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

Bryant, who had 27 of his 39 points in the second half and overtime, missed a shot from nearly the same spot from the left elbow that would've won it at the buzzer to end regulation.

Given a second chance, he backed down Charlie Bell again and drained the jumper to start the celebration.

Pau Gasol had 26 points and a career-high 22 rebounds for the Lakers (20-4), who tied Boston for the best record in the NBA with their 13th win in the last 14 games.

Bryant, who scored 42 points in a win over Chicago on Tuesday night, was again sharp when it counted despite a broken right index finger that's been hampering his ball handling and follow through. He went 13 of 28 from the field and hit all 12 of his free-throw attempts.

Reserve Michael Redd had 25 points and Ersan Ilyasova added a career-high 24, but the Bucks lost their fourth straight in the series with the Lakers and are 3-14 in the last 17 meetings.

This one was painful.

Milwaukee took a 106-100 lead in overtime after Redd hit a 3 and Luke Ridnour added a 15-footer.

Bryant hit a jumper and after Ilyasova missed two free throws, the Lakers star added a three-point play by plowing into Andrew Bogut, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds, to make it 106-105 with 48 seconds left.

Both Ridnour and Redd missed shots for the Bucks, and Ron Artest grabbed a rebound with 5.4 seconds left. After a timeout, Lamar Odom inbounded the ball to Bryant, who hit the game-winner.

Gasol has 78 rebounds in his last four games, including three 20-rebound performances. His 78 boards is the NBA's best mark in a four-game span since Marcus Camby had 79 during a stretch that ended in January last season, according to STATS, LLC.

Milwaukee trailed 74-71 heading into the fourth, but took an 85-80 lead midway through the quarter. The Lakers failed to tie it until Gasol's three-point play and Bryant's turnaround fallaway evened it at 93 with 2:11 left.

The game tightened considerably from there, with both teams missing chances to take the lead until Derek Fisher hit a 17-footer.

Bogut then drew a foul on Gasol and made the basket with 21 seconds left, but missed a free throw that would've given Milwaukee a lead. Bryant was isolated on Bell, but missed a contested 16-footer to send the game into overtime.

NOTES: Artest and Odom got technical fouls in the game, both for arguing calls. ... The Lakers didn't spend much time in Milwaukee. They took a bus to the Bradley Center after spending Tuesday night in Chicago and flew out after the game to New York. Los Angeles plays the Nets on Saturday. ... Artest said after shootaround that Tiger Woods "still is" a role model for him and his children. Artest wrote a post on his blog that was an open letter to the superstar golfer to encourage him.

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Rockets win as McGrady makes season debut

HOUSTON - Tracy McGrady seemed to be the last one to know he would make his season debut against Detroit on Tuesday night.

The seven-time All-Star sank a 3-pointer in his first game since Feb. 9, Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks scored 23 points apiece and the Houston Rockets snapped the Pistons’ five-game winning streak with a 107-96 win.

McGrady wasn’t expecting to play when he arrived at the arena. He walked into the locker room about 90 minutes before the game and his teammates said that Coach Rick Adelman had something to tell him. “It surprised me,” he said. “I went in there and talked to him, he said he was going to play me about seven minutes and just try to work our way through this. Tonight was that night.”

Trevor Ariza’s one-game NBA suspension for throwing a forearm at Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan Sunday gave Adelman a chance to start rookie Chase Budinger and bring McGrady off the bench for his first action in 10 months.

Budinger had 16 points and 12 rebounds in his first career start and reserve Carl Landry added 19 points for the Rockets, who shot a season-high 54.7 percent (41 of 75) from the field.

McGrady entered at the 7:44 mark of the first quarter to a standing ovation. He missed his first shot, a 20-footer from the wing, then swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key for his only basket. He sat out the last three quarters.

“It’s been so long since I’ve played, it was just a great feeling to be back on the court,” McGrady said. “Just to get up and down the court with these guys and to be back out there competing is what I missed. To have that back, finally, and feel good and have fun doing it, there’s nothing better.”

McGrady was in and out of the lineup all of last season and played in only 35 games. He averaged 15.6 points, his lowest total in a decade and admitted that he was playing in constant pain.

He declared himself done for the season just before last year’s All-Star break, then opted for the risky, season-ending microfracture surgery. Doctors estimated he would need six to 12 months to recover, and McGrady spent the summer in Chicago working with Tim Grover, who trained Michael Jordan.

He’s been saying since training camp that he was “ahead of schedule” and he returned to practice on Nov. 23. He said the knee was no concern on Tuesday and he wasn’t fatigued after his limited appearance.

“My practices have been harder than what that was out there,” McGrady said. “That’s what made it a lot easier, just being able to go hard in practice, playing some of these guys after practice 1-on-1, doing some of the things I wasn’t capable of doing last season. It’s all just coming back naturally to me.”

The Rockets play in Denver on Wednesday and Adelman said he’ll play McGrady about the same amount of time.

“He knows how to play the game, it’s the little things, like when he took it to the basket and got fouled,” Adelman said. “Those are the types of things we are looking for and his continued effort on the defensive end. With that injury, the lateral quickness and the comfort level is not there and he’s got to push himself to get to that point.”

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Allen's 3-pointer helps Celtics extend winning streak to 11

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NBA.com exclusive) -- Boston forward Paul Pierce joked afterward that it went just as Celtics coach Doc Rivers drew it up:

Pierce passes ball to Kevin Garnett out of pick-and-roll.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay tips ball.

Celtics guard Ray Allen catches deflection and fires from 3-point range.

"I mean, hey, textbook basketball. I don't know what more you can say," said Pierce, whose Celtics held on Monday for a 110-105 road victory over the upstart Grizzlies thanks to Allen's game-saving 3-pointer with 17.5 seconds left.

"I said before that's the way we drew it up. We come off the pick and roll with Kevin and coach said, 'When you look back, expect Rudy Gay to tip the ball up. Ray, you run around, grab it, come off another Kevin screen and knock down the 3.' "

By design or not, Allen's late-game heroics propelled Boston to its 11th straight victory overall and its sixth straight against the Grizzlies, who entered Monday's game having won four of their last five games and nine of 13.

"We've been together. That's our advantage," Rivers said. "It's been the same starting five for the last three years. We have veterans coming off the bench. We've played a lot of games together. There's a great confidence that if the game is close, we can win the game."

In a contest that featured 15 ties and 18 lead changes, Pierce's 19 points led five Boston starters in double figures. Allen, who connected on five of the Celtics' 10 3-pointers, and point guard Rajon Rondo added 18 apiece for a Boston squad that shot 50 percent from beyond the arc (10-of-20) and 52.5 percent overall (42-of-80).

Rasheed Wallace scored 15 off the bench and Garnett and center Kendrick Perkins had 13 apiece.

The Celtics (20-4) built their biggest lead of the game late in the fourth quarter, when Rondo's layup gave Boston a 103-95 advantage with 2:49 left to play

But Memphis (10-14), led Monday by Gay's 23 points, responded with a 6-0 run to pull back within two (103-101) with 1:29 to play. A minute later, after Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo's 20-footer cut Boston's lead to 107-105, Allen grabbed the Gay deflection, dribbled around a Garnett screen and knocked down the dagger.

"The Ray shot was just Ray. You know, luck," Rivers said. "That's a good shot for him once he got it, but we'll take it. We'll take the win."

Allen's 3-pointer spoiled a solid offensive effort from the Grizzlies, who, despite shooting 48.4 percent, remained winless in the second game of back-to-backs this season (0-6). Memphis was coming off an impressive 118-90 road victory at Miami on Sunday.

"There is no lesson to be learned," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. "You have to win. You have to make plays. You have to get stops. I thought that we played outstanding basketball. They just beat us. Sometimes that happens. When you play well, you can live with getting beat."

Both teams came out of the gate red hot from the field, connecting on nine of their first 13 shot attempts.

Memphis led by as many as five points (33-28) in the first half, and point guard Mike Conley's 16-foot leaner with two-tenths of a second left in the second quarter gave the Grizzlies a 55-54 advantage going into halftime.

"I think we could have won that game," Gay said. "That just goes to show how close we are. I think it starts to hurt more as you get better as a team."

Mayo finished with 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting for Memphis. Forward Zach Randolph had 20 points and center Marc Gasol tacked on 15.

The win was the Celtics' eighth road victory during their current 11-game winning streak.

Memphis hasn't beaten the Celtics at home since winning a 93-76 decision on March 14, 2006.

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Phillies set to add Roy Halladay

The Phillies have a tentative agreement to acquire star pitcher Roy Halladay in a trade with the Blue Jays, and the former Cy Young Award winner was in Philadelphia for a physical required to finalize the deal.

Philadelphia also is discussing a trade that would send Cliff Lee, another former Cy Young winner, to the Seattle Mariners.

The commissioner’s office granted a 72-hour window Sunday for Toronto and Philadelphia to complete their trade, a baseball official familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press yesterday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Major League Baseball didn’t make any announcement.

Philadelphia could give up pitchers J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and outfielder Dominic Brown as part of a deal, the person said. Those three players also took physicals.

Halladay is the most prized pitcher on the trade market. A six-time All-Star and the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner, the right-hander was 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA for the Blue Jays last season.

The 32-year-old Halladay can become a free agent after the 2010 season, so Philadelphia likely wants a long-term contract extension as part of a trade.

ESPN reported that Halladay was in line to receive a three-year extension worth about $60 million, with vesting options that could lengthen the deal.

Matsui to Halos

Designated hitter/outfielder Hideki Matsui and the Los Angeles Angels reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract worth about $6.5 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told the AP.

Matsui’s agent, Arn Tellem, confirmed “serious negotiations” but declined further comment.

Matsui hit .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBI last season, then was selected World Series MVP despite starting only three of the six games against Philadelphia.

Slowed by surgically repaired knees, the 35-year-old Matsui would replace free agent Vladimir Guerrero as Los Angeles’ primary designated hitter. Guerrero, also hobbled by injuries, will turn 35 in February.

Brewers spend

Left-hander Randy Wolf finalized his three-year, $29.75 million contract with Milwaukee, which also re-signed Craig Counsell to a $2.1 million deal. The Brewers also have a preliminary one-year agreement with reliever Claudio Vargas, pending a physical. . . .

The Washington Nationals and Scott Olsen agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract, which includes performance bonuses that allow the left-hander to earn a total of $3,825,000 if he makes 33 starts next year. . . .

Houston agreed to a one-year, $800,000 contract to keep outfielder Jason Michaels

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese was arrested during the weekend on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, the fourth time in less than three years that a member of the team has faced drunken-driving allegations.

Looking at replay

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig plans to establish a study group that will examine on-field issues that could include replay, umpires and pace of game. Selig scheduled a telephone news conference for today for an announcement involving on-field matters.

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Packers' defense has Jay Cutler's number

A Packers defense that forced two Jay Cutler interceptions Sunday was disappointed it didn't come away with more.

There is something about the NFL's top-ranked defense that seems to make Cutler especially uncomfortable.

"There are a lot of things that are frustrating," Cutler said. "We have a whole list of them. When you boil it down, we aren't producing offensively and we're not winning games."

Cutler threw six interceptions in his two games against the Packers this season. The two picks in Sunday's 21-14 loss led to 10 points.

"You have to play your responsibilities and put pressure on (Cutler)," Packers linebacker Nick Barnett said. "You put pressure on him to step up or throw off the wrong foot. ... We did a good job. We left some turnovers out there, but we will just keep working and it will come to us."

Cutler threw his 21st interception of the season in the first half as Charles Woodson made the 44th of his career. The Packers took advantage of that turnover by moving into range for a 26-yard field goal by Mason Crosby for a 13-0 advantage.

Cutler had completed nine straight passes before tossing interception No. 22, intended for Johnny Knox, in the fourth quarter. Nick Collins made the interception, returning it 31 yards to the Bears' 11.

"Johnny Knox did well," Cutler said. "I just have to either throw it out of bounds or let it go sooner."

Following an interference call in the end zone on Zack Bowman that placed the ball on the 1, Ryan Grant rushed in for the touchdown. The two-point conversion was good as Aaron Rodgers passed to Greg Jennings and the Packers regained the lead at 21-14.

"(Cutler) is just a talented guy that you can't let get comfortable," Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "You could see there for a stretch where he was comfortable and made some really nice throws on us."

Capers sent Tramon Williams on a corner blitz that forced Cutler's bad throw into the hands of Collins.

"On that corner blitz, when Tramon came free, ... that was the play that put the momentum back in our favor," Capers said.

Overheard: Packers rookie nose guard B.J. Raji created bulletin board material last week when he said he was not only bigger (6-2, 337) but stronger than Bears center Olin Kreutz (6-2, 292), who relies more on leverage and veteran guile. On the field Sunday, Kreutz let Raji hear about it.

"I was trying to execute the scheme. It was fun out there today," said Raji, who was credited with two tackles. "Kreutz is a good dude, but he's a vet. He was trying to get in my head. When I first got out there he was saying, 'World's strongest man!' Other than that, he was cool. He would do little things like (pretending to) switch up protections (at the line of scrimmage). He was messing with me. He would say, 'Hey, I've got him one-on-one.' Then the guard would come and take me. Other than that, he really had no effect."

Word on the street: Williams said the field was slick and footing was bad Sunday. "The last thing you want to do is go in there and be too aggressive and then lose your footing," he said. "I don't think we played as aggressive as we should have because the field was slippery." ... Cutler completed 23 of 36 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns Sunday. He was sacked three times. Cutler has 3,023 passing yards this season to become the fifth Bears quarterback to eclipse 3,000 yards. He now ranks fifth on the franchise's single-season passing list after surpassing Kyle Orton (2,972, 2008) and Erik Kramer (3,011, 1997).

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TLC: Live Updates: John Cena vs. Sheamus 3

They brawl in the crowd and eventually end up back in the ring. Cena grabs another table and gets in the ring.

Sheamus hits him with his cursed kick. Sheamus goes to get a different table. Looks like they're setting up for something big. Sheamus puts it in the corner.

Sheamus grabs him just as he did Cuban and Santino.

Cena stops him and hits his series of moves cultivating with the Attitude Adjustment. Cena goes to the floor to get the table while Sheamus is out cold.

He sets up the table in the middle of the ring to set up the AA. The crowd boos a little bit.

Cena puts Sheamus up on the top rope and goes for the AA. Sheamus throws Cena off the top rope. They battle until Cena gets back up there.

Cena goes for the superplex. Sheamus throws Cena off of him through the table.

NEW CHAMPION: Sheamus!

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India Vs Srilanka 3rd Test Live Streaming

India Vs SriLanka 3rd Test Live Streaming………

Indian Cricket team is playing their best test cricket nowadays and sending the red signals to the cricketing world to be aware.

Sri Lankan team is under attack on the 2nd day of 3rd Test match between India and Sri Lanka.

Sehwag regained his much needed form in the last test match and showed his class yet again. Whenever he reached to a double century, the Cricket History writers have to add his name in the records.

He scored a classy yet smashing double century in just 168 balls. He has beaten his own record of 2nd fastest double century in the test cricket world and he is still on the crease with 284 runs under his belt. It feels like he is looking forward to break Brian Lara’s record.

Sehwag is just 16 runs away to make another statement in the Cricket history. If he scores 300 runs tomorrow, he will be the first man to score three triple centuries in International test cricket.

Sehwag is also having an eye on the world record of highest individual total in test cricket by Brian Lara’s 400. The way he is playing, 400 runs will just be a piece of cake for him.

Heads off to you Sehwag and best of luck for tomorrow’s day.

Indian team has shaken the confidence of Sri Lankan team in last two test matches. The match started on 2nd December 2009 at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first. They started well but the Indian Spinners destroyed the Sri Lankan strong batting lineup featuring Harbhajan at the top with 4 wickets.

India managed to take the lead of 50 runs with 9 wickets in hand and Sehwag is playing on 284 and Dravid on 62 with the total 441-1 on the board.

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Tiger Woods admits to "transgressions" as voice mail is made public

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tiger Woods acknowledged Wednesday morning that he let down his family, saying he regrets "those transgressions with all of my heart."

Woods penned a statement Wednesday that he put on his Web site, offering his "profound apology" to his family and friends.

UsWeekly magazine published a cover story that says a cocktail waitress in Los Angeles carried on a 31-month affair with the married Woods, the world's top-ranked golfer.

"I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart," Woods said in the statement. "I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone."

UsWeekly has reported Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren, have a prenuptial agreement worth $300 million. If that number is correct – or even close -- and the two divorced, it would be the most expensive celebrity divorce in history, exceeding the $150 million-plus Michael Jordan paid his wife, Juanita, in their settlement.

The cocktail waitress, Jaimee Grubbs, told UsWeekly she had a voicemail of Woods asking her to do him a favor and take his name off of her cell phone.

"Hey, it's, uh, it's Tiger. I need you to do me a huge favor," the message said. "Um, can you please, uh, take your name off your phone. My wife went through my phone. And, uh, may be calling you. ... You gotta do this for me. Huge. Quickly. All right. Bye."

Also, radaronline.com reported that the New York bar hostess who initially denied an affair with Woods will now admit to it and that her attorney, Gloria Allred, has scheduled a news conference for Thursday to make a statement.

In its final report released Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said Woods' Friday morning accident caused $3,200 in property damage, was not wearing a seat belt and was traveling 30 mph in a 25 mph zone. Woods was cited for reckless driving and has paid a $164 fine, court records show.

The six-page report did not include statements from Woods, his wife or any witnesses.

The AP contributed to this report.

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Your request is being processed... Rachel Uchitel-Tiger Woods AFFAIR: Alleged Mistress To Admit To Relationship With Golfer

RadarOnline.com is reporting that Rachel Uchitel, first reported last week to have had an affair with Tiger Woods, will admit to the relationship in a press conference Thursday. Uchitel's attorney, Gloria Allred, will reportedly "make a statement about Ms. Uchitel's relationship with Tiger Woods" at the news conference. Uchitel will attend the event but will not speak.

Click here for pictures of Rachel Uchitel, and click here for additional photos of her.

This week, rumors of Woods' affairs with other women have begun to circulate. Kalika Moquin (PHOTO, VIDEO) is the latest name to emerge. Jaimee Grubbs was named on Tuesday as an alleged mistress (PHOTOS, MORE PHOTOS), and she provided a voicemail and scandalous text messages that purportedly back up her claim.

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Sean Payton Approval Rating

This was something I wanted to do last week at the halfway mark of the season but never got around to it. I thought it would be interesting to take the temperature of fan sentiment regarding head coach Sean Payton and try to get a quantifiable answer as to how fans feel he is doing in his job as head coach this season.

Personally, Payton gets an "A" from me. Pretty hard to find fault with the coach of a 9-0 football team. In fact, my initial hesitation with writing this post was that I thought his excellent work this season was too obvious and evident and that it would just be a waste of time.

But just for funsies, let's do it anyway! Cast your vote below and grade Payton's performance so far. Of course, your greater take on the subject can be expressed below in the comment section.

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Saints without Bush for Monday's game

The undefeated New Orleans Saints will be without running back Reggie Bush for Monday's game against the New England Patriots.

Bush will miss his second straight contest. He did not play last week against Tampa Bay because of a bruised right knee.

So far this season, Bush has rushed 55 times for 277 yards and five touchdowns. He has also caught 29 passes for 207 yards and a score.

The Saints will also be without cornerbacks Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter.

Posted on Mon, Nov. 30, 2009 07:29 PM

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Bobby Bowden's Retirement Marks a Sad Day For Seminole Fans

After a dreadfully slow Monday night at my serving job in Cincinnati, I came home to check the UK basketball score only to notice a more important update.

Bobby Bowden is expected to retire Tuesday morning. Honestly, I think my heart skipped a beat while reading those dreadful words.

Bowden met Monday with school officials and was given two options. Either take a “program ambassador” role with decreased control or walk away from the game he dominated for years.

There’s no need to mention 2009’s stats. College football fans knew the end was near in Tallahassee after an FSU trustee called for Bowden’s job in the middle of the season.

As a long-time FSU fan, I knew the end was near; however, I didn’t expect or want it to conclude in such a disappointing way.

At one angle, Bobby Bowden deserved a better last season or at least another opportunity to improve on this tumultuous year. On the other side, Seminole fans are ready to take a step in a new direction.

If Bowden were to stay head coach in 2010, he should not be allowed to have any input on hiring a new defensive coordinator. Jimbo Fisher deserves complete responsibility to revamping one of the worst defenses in the NCAA in ‘09.

The Noles let up long play after long play throughout the season, while consistently finding themselves out of position, missing tackles, and producing little pressure on the quarterback. Not to mention that jump-up-in-the-air, waving-your-hands-around, looking-for-someone-else-to-blame thing whiney kids did when they were little.

To build on this lack of discipline, there seems to be no killer instinct that loomed over opposing offenses in the 90’s and some of this decade. Seminole linebackers used to pin their ears back and attack a ball-carrier. Nowadays, everybody on defense is back on their heels waiting to hit somebody; however quick players end up blowing right by them.

In Bowden’s defense, the offense finally looked promising this season, putting up yardage Nole fans saw circa Chris Rix. On the other hand, the defense was horrendous in nearly every game this season, including the third straight blowout loss against Florida that I turned off right before halftime.

Blame the defense on this season, but let’s look at the overall situation in Tallahassee. Under no circumstances, should there ever be four coaches, in the same program, with the title “head coach.” Not to mention, Fisher isn’t one of them.

As an athlete, who do you begin to take orders from when getting instruction?

Rick Trickett, who joined the staff the same year as Fisher, is the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach.

FSU’s offensive line played great, organized football this year, which was not the case in recent years past. However, how does one explain why an offensive line coach should also carry an assistant head coaching title while the head-coach-in waiting only carries titles of Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach?

Chuck Amato and Mickey Andrews are Executive Head Coach and Associate Head Coach, respectively. Amato, who returned from North Carolina State the same year as Fisher arrived, is in charge of Linebackers.

Andrews, on the other hand, is tenured at FSU, well-respected by the Seminole Nation, and maybe the only coach who deserves a “head coach” title in his job description… maybe.

This season’s defensive woes can somewhat be blamed on the losses of Myron Rolle and experienced members from 2008. However, it was easily apparent that the defensive back field and linebackers simply didn’t know what they were responsible for.

There was more passion in finding blame in somebody else rather than focusing on coverage and making necessary tackles.

It’s possible that the fossil-aged coaches, who I strongly supported when put together in 2007, are just not getting the job done anymore.

Andrews announced his retirement midway through the season, while Bowden was left convinced that he had a say in his future and the future of the football program. Again, blame the entire situation for what finally unraveled this year.

It appears FSU’s “upper-office” is in shambles with Andrews retiring, Bowden expected to announce his retirement Tuesday, and the retirement of school president, and longtime friend of Bowden, T.K. Wetherell as soon as a replacement is named.

Bowden gave his life to the program and deserved the opportunity to go out on his own.

It’s important for the Seminoles to get one last bowl win for one of college football’s greatest members; if not for Bowden himself, at least for the simple fact that a losing season is at stake.

Bowden, while maybe not wanting to, is passing the torch to an already-proven coach in Fisher and allowing the once-proud program and its fans to move on.

With Bowden’s expected retirement, Fisher will now have the opportunity to rebuild the program exactly to his liking, including naming his own defensive coordinator.

It’s already obvious that Fisher and the rest of this coaching staff can recruit after achieving top-10 recruiting classes over the past few years. The athletes will always continue to come to Tallahassee; however, recruits will now have to knowledge of who their head coach will be throughout their college career.

Fisher has successfully brought back a dominating offense who is ranked 24th in the NCAA. He’s also helped develop quarterbacks Christian Ponder and E.J. Manuel, a promising freshman who took over the helm after Ponder suffered a separated shoulder against Clemson.

Not to say Seminole fans or college football fans in general, waited for the day Bowden announced his retirement, but it’s easy to at least know one person will now be in complete control of a much undisciplined FSU team.

For myself, as sad as it is to accept, I am happy, inside of course, that I hopefully won’t have to witness another season like 2009, one marred by a mediocre record, trustees stirring up feelings, and not knowing who is actually coaching the team

You’ll be missed Bobby.

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Tiger Woods mistress not Rachel Uchitel hires Feminist Lawyer Gloria Allred

n the latest news, Tiger Woods mistress not Rachel Uchitel hires Gloria Allred and leaves New York City. Just who Gloria Allred is deserves this special blog post but first the details.

Gloria Allred

Embattled nightclub executive Rachel Uchitel left her home in New York City' Meatpacking District (which strangely and I kid-you-not was the home of Alex, the character played by Glen Close in Fatal Attraction) at 5:45 AM only to be greeted by media representing TMZ.com and the New York Daily News. They peppered her with questions from "So you're seeing Gloria Allred", to "How do you feel about Tiger Wood's wife", and also "You know, you're pretty."

But who is Gloria Allred?

Allred's is a founding partner of Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, and a self-described "Feminist Lawyer" who built her career by taking up legal cases for seemingly defenseless women against male-dominated organizations. The legal battle that made her name was a lawsuit agaist the then-all-male Friars Club in Beverly Hills, where she became its first female member. Later she represented Paula Jones in the sexual harassment case she lost to Bill Clinton.

Allred is known as a very outspoken, combative, liberal counselor, who's a much sought-after media pundit, appearing regularly on shows like Larry King Live. In short, Allred's someone you hire when you feel you're rights as a woman or minority have been violated at a high-profile level.

By hiring Allred, Rachel Uchitel is sending a powerful message that she means business in defending her name in the Tiger Woods scandal. I can't help but think her ultimate target is The National Enquirer, but given that publications love for big spotlight battles to protect its stories, this could be a heck of a war.

I can clearly see Rachel Uchitel's concern because she works with a large number of high-profile high rollers and does not want her professional reputation compromised. Now regardless of what's written about her, only Rachel can really explain what's going on and in the process possibly eliminate any inaccuracies about her life. My bet is that's where Gloria Allred comes in.

Stay tuned.

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Ohio State-Michigan Game 2009: Live Twitter Updates

The Ohio State-Michigan game has always been my personal favorite college football rivalry, dating back to my days as a 5-year-old living near Ann Arbor and worshiping Bo Schembechler. OSU vs. Michigan 2009 doesn't figure to be one of the legendary games -- it might not even be a very good game -- but I'll be watching, and I'll be tweeting my observations while I watch.

And since I'm a sucker for rivalry games, I'll also be tweeting about lesser rivalries like the Harvard-Yale game as well. Follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

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UFC 106 LIVE Results & Updates

FiveOuncesofPain.com will be here all evening to bring you the latest live updates and results from UFC 106 as they take place.

UFC 106 is set to take place from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, with a portion of the preliminary action airing live on Spike TV, and the main card being broadcast on pay-per-view.

The main event will be a rematch between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin, with other highly anticipated match-ups including Josh Koscheck vs. Anthony Johnson, Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and many more.

Five Ounces‘ live coverage of the event will begin with the first preliminary bout which is expected to go down right around 8 pm ET, all the way through the Spike broadcast which begins at 9 pm ET, and the main card which is slated for 10 pm ET.

Enjoy the fights!!

George Sotiropoulos vs. Jason Dent

Sotiropoulos controls the action in the first round with takedowns, top control and ground and pound from the top. The second sees George’s wrestling playing the pivotal role in this crowd pleasing match-up, securing the armbar for the finish.

George Sotiropoulos def. Jason Dent via submission (armbar) – Round 2

Caol Uno vs. Fabricio Camoes

A hard fought first round by both men likely goes to Camoes based on several successful takedowns and a near fight-finishing rear naked choke attempt. The action was halted for a moment in round two due to Camoes delivering several kicks to the head of Uno from the bottom. A point is also deducted from Fabricio for the foul. When action resumes Fabricio works for an armbar before winding up on his back for a chunk of the round before they trade knees in the clinch as the round comes to an end. The third round sees Uno controlling the action with takedowns, ground and pound, and submission attempts. The point deduction in the third is the story of this bout.

Caol Uno and Fabricio Camoes fight to a majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)

Brock Larson vs. Brian Foster

Larson scores a takedown and works to side control before Foster works back up to his feet and scores his own takedown. Foster drops ground and pound and gets to mount. Larson scrambles loose and lands a kick to the head of a downed Foster. Time is called and a point is deducted. Larson catches Foster with some knees from the three-point position at the round’s end for a loss of yet another point. Foster lands a spinning back kick and fist combo, and tosses Larson to the canvas where he finishes him off with ground and pound.

Brian Foster def. Brock Larson via TKO – Round 2

Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt

Rosholt scores a couple takedowns to start things off and Grove returns the favor. Back to their feet and it’s Rosholt with a big combo and a takedown. Jake gets full mount, but Kendall puts him into his half-guard. Grove throws up a tight triangle attempt and it’s done and done. Rosholt taps.

Kendall Grove def. Jake Rosholt via submission (triangle) – Round 1

Ben Saunders vs. Marcus Davis

They clinch early. They separate and Saunders lands some hard knees in the clinch. Davis is cut and he presses Ben against the cage. Saunders landing big knees in the clinch. Brief exchange and they’re back in the clinch. Saunders lands a knee from hell and Davis is out like a light.

Ben Saunders def. Marcus Davis via knockout (knee) – Round 1

Amir Sadollah vs. Phil Baroni

Round 1: Baroni lands a big punch to get things started. They clinch up against the cage. Amir looking for knees while Phil looks for big punches. Baroni scores the takedown. Sadollah looking for an armbar but Baroni’s out, and they’re back to their feet. Amir works big knees in the clinch. Baroni drops for a takedown but Amir defends and ends the round with a couple of big knees.

Round 2: They clinch up and Baroni lands a big right hand on the break. They exchange strikes and it’s back to the clinch. It’s Amir with a big elbow. Sadollah with a hard leg kick and a crisp combo of punches. Big right hand from Phil but Amir comes right back. Back to the clinch. Baroni’s looking gassed. They finish up in the clinch with Amir pulling away.

Round 3: Baroni’s tired but he’s swinging for the fences and ever-dangerous. They exchange standing. Big elbows from Amir but Phil’s not going anywhere. Good leg kicks from Sadollah. Baroni’s hurt. Amir is just teeing off. This could be stopped. Baroni’s tired but he’s still coming with haymakers. Amir ends the fight with powerful knees and elbows in the clinch.

Amir Sadollah def. Phil Baroni via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,29-28)

Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

They feel each other out for a while before Nogueira opens up with a few punches. Big left hand from Rogerio and Nogueira and Cane is rocked. A few more lefts from Nogueira and Cane is on the run. A huge left hook drops Cane and a few punches seal the deal. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira has arrived!

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Luiz Cane via TKO – Round 1

Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann

Round 1: Paulo scores a takedown early and he’s in side control. Volkmann back into half-guard, and he scrambles to his feet. They clinch against the cage. Thiago with another takedown and he’s in the mount. Volkmann gets guard, and he’s back to his feet again. Volkmann presses Thiago against the fence. They split up. Paulo lands his trademark uppercut and finishes with a huge left-right combo that drops Jacob and has him looking in bad shape at the round’s conclusion.

Round 2: Thiago applies pressure to start things off but Volkmann scores the takedown. Thiago scrambles to his feet and they’re back in the clinch. They exchange and Volkmann lands a hard left hand. Volkmann on top once again. He takes Paulo’s back and mounts but loses position. Thiago on top. Huge right hand to the grounded Volkmann and Thiago takes side control to finish out the round.

Round 3: Volkmann is dropped by a big punch and he’s back to his feet. Thiago scores the takedown. Volkmann has Thiago in the crucifix but Paulo works out of it. Thiago back on top. A lot of transitions in this one. Volkmann with the d’arce atempt. It looks tight. Thiago’s out and he’s in side control dropping the pain. Fight finishes with Paulo on top.

Paulo Thiago def. Jacob Volkmann via unanimous decision (29-28,30-27,30-27)

Josh Koscheck vs. Anthony Johnson

Round 1: They exchange strikes to start things out. Johnson connects with a hard shot and Koscheck backtracks. Kos shoots in and Johnson defends nicely. Johnson’s up and lands a big knee to the face of a grounded Koscheck. The action is stopped. The doctor comes in to check it out. Josh says he has blurry vision and he’s told he has three minutes. They start back out and Johnson is stalking Koscheck with powerful kicks. Kos shoots in but AJ does a great job defending, for a while, but Josh secures it after all. He takes Johnson’s back. Johnson scrambles free and works for a takedown of his oen at the round’s end.

Round 2: Johnson starts out working the leg kicks and takes a finger to the eye. Koscheck pokes Johnson in the eye again and the action is halted. Johnson must have a magnet in his eye or something. Both men exchange big shots before Koscheck scores with a takedown. Kos working big elbows from the top position. Koscheck working for an arm-triangle but Johnson’s out of danger. Koscheck takes his back and sinks in the rear-naked choke for the victory. Good fight!

Josh Koscheck def. Anthony Johnson via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2

Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin

Round 1: Forrest lands a big punch and follows it with a good kick. Tito with a hard kick. They’re exchanging on the feet. Tito scores with a takedown a minute and a half into the round. Ortiz is working his trademark ground and pound. Forrest scrambles to his feet and Tito presses him against the cage. They separate and Forrest is working his kicks. Griffin lands a couple of hard punches. Tito shoots in and Forrest is out. Round ends with Griffin pushing Tito against the fence.

Round 2: Tito scores a big takedown off f a Griffin leg kick early on. Forrest is back to his feet. Good push kick to the face from Forrest that knocks the mouthpiece out of Tito’s grill. Tito with the takedown. Forrest is cut bad and he sweeps Tito. Griffin finishes the round on top working a little of his own ground and pound. A small shoving match ensues at the end of the round.

Round 3: Forrest doing a good job working his stand up. Tito shoots in but Forrest defends well. More of Griffin working his striking on the feet. Griffin lands a big high kick. Big leg kick from Forrest. Tito shoots in and it’s shut down. Griffin lands several hard punches to the chin of Ortiz. They trade to finish the fight off. Another great fight!

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Bud Adams displays middle-finger salute

Played in front of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the significance of their 41-17 victory Sunday over the Buffalo Bills wasn't lost on the Tennessee Titans.

Owner Bud Adams even got in on the act.

The 86-year-old Adams was seen throwing an emphatic series of middle fingers from a luxury suite at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn., after the Titans (3-6) had secured the blowout over the Bills (3-6), which included 24 straight points in the fourth quarter.

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan, whose fellow defensive backs Vincent Fuller and Roderick Hood scored the last two touchdowns with interception returns in the final three minutes, said he was all for it if Adams was enjoying himself.

"I don't know if he did it, but I condone fun things," Finnegan said, according to The Tennessean. "If he was having fun doing it, then by all means, do what you do."

Adams can be seen in a YouTube video flashing the hook 'em sign of the Texas Longhorns, who Titans quarterback Vince Young played for, before extending each hand with the middle finger individually, then together, after pointing toward the Bills' sideline.

Titans linebacker Stephen Tulloch said Adams' presence at the game was an encouraging sign for the team.

"He is a cool owner and it is good to see him around here supporting us," Tulloch said, according to the Nashville newspaper. "To have an owner like that, it's cool."

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Colts vs Patriots 2009: Pass the smelling salts - to Belichick, too

By midnight, former Patriot turned broadcaster Rodney Harrison – a man so ferocious he was once voted the NFL's dirtiest player – was marshalling all his strength to keep from weeping like a child on the air. Boston talk radio hosts were yelling at one another as though on the verge of blows. And across New England, disbelief rose like a mushroom cloud.

Somehow, improbably, unbelievably, the New England Patriots had lost to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night, 35-34.

Over 12 games between Patriots and Colts since 2001 – a series of games rightly deemed the Rivalry of the Decade – there has been none as outlandish as this. In fact, Steve Sabol and his NFL Films crew would be hard pressed to find many equals among his reels of football history for the title of Most Dramatic and Mind-Boggling Turn of Events to End a Game of Football.

It was not merely the fourth-quarter comeback engineered by Colts quarterback Peyton Manning – shackled for so much of the game, so often mumbling to himself like some hobo as he trudged from the field – that made this game extraordinary.

It was not that last diving catch by Colt receiver Reggie Wayne that left the fan asking for smelling salts, wondering if he was actually being "Punk'd" by Al Michaels.

If ever a moment called for Jack Buck, it was this:

Two minutes and eight seconds to play. The Patriots leading by six. They have the ball at their own 28 yard line. It is fourth and 2.

At that moment, the sporting world must assume, Patriot coach Bill Belichick's mind whirred into furious motion.

Option 1: I can do what 31 other coaches in this league would do and punt the ball to the Colts. I can put as much field between my end zone and Manning as humanly possible. I can bar the gates, prepare the boiling oil, send on my firstborn son as extra defensive cover in the dime package. Anything to make it harder for the Colts to score seven points.

Or ...

(And this is where only Belichick dares to roam – an area of such supreme confidence that it does not border on arrogance but rather overflows it in flood-tide, a realm where common sense is the requiem of those too cowardly to trust brilliance in all its frightening forms.)

Option 2: I can go for it. I can try to keep the ball out of the hands of Manning, who has stomped on my young-and-tiring defense in the fourth quarter with hob-nailed boots. I can put the ball in the hands of my best player, quarterback Tom Brady, and trust him to win the game for me.

I am Bill Belichick. I choose Option 2.

Patriots gain one yard. Colts' ball.

Fifty-five seconds later Wayne's languid form – never hurried, ever graceful – falls to the turf with bedlam cradled in his taut fingertips.

Yes, Mr. Buck: "I don't believe what I just saw."

The team of mathematicians that broke the Enigma code would need a month simply to divine from the game film exactly how the Colts won. How the Patriots lost. Both. Heaven help the analysts at ESPN's "NFL Gameday."

Sebastian Junger authored "The Perfect Storm." Sunday, Manning and Belichick co-authored "The Perfect Comeback."

At 31-14 Patriots, with 14:18 remaining, the scenarios by which the Colts could win the game would not have filled a 3- by 5-inch card.

The Colts offense had not done much of anything against the Patriots defense for three quarters. The Patriots offense had done pretty much what it wished against the Colts defense for three quarters – failing only through complicity.

In the fourth quarter, Manning threw a pass to ... absolutely no one. The Patriots duly intercepted. Rookie Colts wide receiver Austin Collie had the misfortune of having a long third-quarter pass hit him directly on the hands (which he duly dropped). The Colts other rookie receiver, Pierre Garçon, also failed to reel in a bomb that hit him in the hands.

Meanwhile, the Patriots moved at will, only to give up two turnovers in the Colt end zone – an interception and a fumble.

Then, 42 seconds into the fourth quarter, the inscrutable hand of football history shook Lucas Oil Stadium like a giant snow globe, and everything changed.

Pierre Garçon's got gecko hands hauling in an inch-perfect Manning bomb. Austin Collie drew a crucial pass interference call. And Belichick's moment of madness left Manning with only 29 yards to pay dirt.

The Patriots will hardly leave this game fearing the Colts. If they must come back through Indianapolis in the playoffs to make it to the Super Bowl – as now looks likely – they will have no fear.

On this evidence, though, no one would object to a final installment of the Rivalry of the Decade.

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Pacquiao vs Cotto full fight video

New Delhi, November 16: Pacquiao vs Cotto full fight video. Manny Pacquiao was in his elements yesterday. He is among the best in the boxing and has overshadowed all the other boxers across the world one after the other. Cotta too is not a novice in the world of boxing, but yesterday it was Pacquiao who took control of the fight and momentum away from Cotta hitting him with powerful punches.

After Manny Pacquiao’s grand show against Cotta be prepared to watch the greatest fight of the boxing world between an equally great Mayweather and Pacquiao.

Thirty two year old Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. is an American professional boxer. He is the son of Floyd Mayweather, Sr., a former welterweight boxing contender.

From July 18, 2005 through June 2, 2008 he was rated by The Ring magazine as the number-one pound for pound boxer in the world.

Mayweather has won six world boxing championships in five different weight classes; he is the former WBC welterweight champion, a title he vacated upon his retirement. He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007.

Mayweather fought his first professional bout on October 11, 1996 against fellow newcomer Roberto Apodaca who was knocked out in round 2. Mayweather's trainer at the time was his uncle, Roger Mayweather, because Floyd Mayweather, Sr. was still imprisoned after having been convicted of illegal drug trafficking in 1993.

Mayweather, Sr. took over as Mayweather, Jr.'s trainer when he was released from prison (after Mayweather, Jr.'s fourteenth fight—a second-round knockout of Sam Girard). From 1996 to early 1998, Mayweather won most of his fights by knockout or TKO.

In 1999, Mayweather won his first world title, the WBC junior lightweight (130 lb) championship, when the corner of Genaro Hernandez stopped the fight after round 8. Hernandez had never been defeated at the weight class. From there, Mayweather defended his title with performances against contenders such as Angel Manfredy and Carlos Gerena. Thirty year old Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao more commonly known as Manny Pacquiao, is a Filipino professional boxer. He is the former WBC lightweight world champion, WBC super featherweight world champion, IBF super bantamweight world champion, and WBC flyweight world champion.

He is currently the IBO and Ring Magazine light welterweight champion, and is rated by Ring Magazine as the #1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He has also held the Ring Magazine titles for featherweight and super featherweight divisions.

For his achievements, Pacquiao became the first Filipino and Asian boxer to win five world titles in five different weight divisions. In addition, he is the first boxer to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. Aside from being a boxer, Pacquiao has participated in politics, acting, filmmaking, and music recording.

Twenty nine year old Miguel Ángel Cotto Vázquez on the other hand is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur, Cotto represented Puerto Rico in the lightweight and light welterweight divisions at various international events including the 1999 Pan American Games, the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 1998 Junior World Championships where he won a silver medal.

Cotto began his professional career in 2001, and on September 11, 2004, he defeated Kelson Pinto for the WBO junior welterweight championship.

He defended the title successfully a total of six times, before vacating it when he ascended to the welterweight division. On his first match on this division he defeated Carlos Quintana for the vacant WBA welterweight championship.

Cotto successfully defended this title against Oktay Urkal, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley and Alfonso Gómez, before losing it to Antonio Margarito. On February 21, 2009, he defeated Michael Jennings to win the vacant WBO welterweight championship.

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