My Analysis For This Weekend's NFL Divisional Playoff Games

Seattle At Green Bay (4:30 p.m.) - Brett Favre has learned to relax and trust his teammates, particularly a receiving corps that excels after the catch. The Packers running game has also improved with the addition of Grant. However, Seattle has been to the Super Bowl before with this same team and has five players named to the All-Pro team. Let's look at some statistics:

TEAM OFFENSE	TM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	SEA	349.0
	GNB	371.0
Yards Passing	SEA	247.8
	GNB	270.9
Yards Rushing	SEA	101.2
	GNB	99.8
TEAM DEFENSE	TM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	SEA	321.8
	GNB	313.3
Pass Yds Allowed	SEA	219.1
	GNB	210.4
Rush Yds Allowed	SEA	102.8
	GNB	102.

Gameday Matchup

	W	L	T	PF	PA	DIV	CON
SEA	10	6	0	24.6	18	5-1-0	8-4-0
GNB	13	3	0	27.2	18	4-2-0	9-3-0

As you can see, the Packers are better in just about every statistical category. Yes, I know they are in an easy division, but a win is a win. This is Favre's year and I see no reason the Packers should lose unless some odd, freaky stuff happens.

Jacksonville At New England (8:00 p.m.) - Just in case anyone hasn't heard, the Patriots haven't lost a game this season. However, I wonder if now that the Patriots have completed their undefeated season, will the NFL and the refs continue to favor them? Will Randy Moss continue to push off receivers to catch touchdown passes and the refs won't call it?

I don't even need to examine statistics for this game. However, the Jaguars were the hottest team coming into the playoffs. They have an insanely good running game, which is very important when playing the Patriots, who have trouble stopping the run. If the Jags can run the ball well, control the clock, and keep Tom Brady off the field, then they have a very good chance of winning. Even with that said, the Patriots always find a way to turn up the gears and come away with a victory. Therefore, I just can not go against the Patriots, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Jags pull an upset. Don't forget, David Garrard can also randomly take off running too when they need crucial yards, as proven last week.

San Diego At Indianapolis (1:00 p.m) - First, some injury updates. While Pro Bowler Antonio Gates rehabbed his dislocated left big toe, All-Pro fullback Lorenzo Neal returned to practice for the San Diego Chargers exactly one month after breaking his lower left leg. Gates dislocated his left big toe late in the second quarter of Sunday's 17-6 wild-card win against Tennessee and didn't return. He wasn't available to the media after practice.

"We're getting Antonio ready to play," coach Norv Turner said. "He's making progress, he's going through all his treatments and all those things. We'll see where he's at later in the week. He's making good progress. I have hope that he'll be able to play."

After hearing much speculation, however, Gates is doubtful for Sunday's game.

Meanwhile, Tony Dungy said Marvin Harrison was supposed to play in the final game of the season, but in the last second decided it would be better if he didn't. Now, Harrison has participated in practices all week and is most likely to play on Sunday, which is bad news for the Chargers.

At first, I liked the Chargers chances of winning just because the Colts are known as a team to choke at odd times. However, I no longer have that feeling. Why? Because if it took the Chargers 3 quarters to get their offense going against the Titans, then how do they expect to keep up with the Colts' offense? Also, the Colts' defense is better (Bob Sanders defensive player of the year) than the Titans.

Yes, I know the Chargers beat the Colts in the regular season and Peyton Manning threw a career high 6 interceptions that game, but I truly believe Manning and Dungy are the types of people who would look over the tapes of that game and make sure that doesn't happen again. Peyton Manning is too smart of a quarterback to let that happen again and I have full faith in him. Therefore, the Colts should win over the Chargers this Sunday.

New York Giants At Dallas (4:30 p.m.) - First, some injury updates. The good news for the Cowboys was that Terry Glenn went through his most rigorous practice since coming back from two knee operations. Glenn saw limited action in the season finale against Washington, but didn't catch a pass. On Wednesday, he went through an entire team workout for the first time since training camp.

However, Terrell Owens still wasn't able to practice Wednesday because of a high ankle sprain, continuing the drama of whether the Dallas Cowboys will have their newest All-Pro receiver for the playoff game Sunday against the New York Giants. Coach Wade Phillips didn't even see Owens on Wednesday, but knew he was doing all he could to get healthy. And if T.O. says he's ready to go at game time, Phillips will let him play.

If Terrell Owens plays, the Giants are going to lose. Its that simple. Terrell Owens creates such a distraction out there and is Tony Romo's favorite target. If not Owens, Romo has Glenn, Witten, and Crayton out there to throw too. The Cowboys have too much offense for the Giants to handle. Oh yea, and they have two decent running backs handy that they could switch in and out so they both can rest. Yes, I know the Cowboys have been slacking off lately, but they didn't care about that last game of the season.

If Terrell Owens doesn't play, the Giants have a very good chance of winning and things will be radically different. If you remove Terrell Owens, you are removing the second best receiver in football and the other receivers become covered because the defenders won't have to worry about what Terrell Owens is doing. The Giants are playing on the road, where they are 8-1, and they have been playing better than the Cowboys as of late in this season. Though things are starting to shift in the Giants favor, I believe Terrell Owens will play and the Cowboys will earn this win. However, if Terrell Owens doesn't play, it wouldn't surprise me if the Giants pulled off an upset.

And the issue with Jessica Simpson is not a distraction. Actually, its such a joke that the joke is becoming a distraction. Tony Romo is a professional football player and professional football players don't blame their private lives off the field for blowing the game on the field. If anything, the thought of Jessica Simpson should push Tony Romo to do better. Think of the reward she'll give him if he wins...

The Many Faces Of Donovan McNabb

First, Donovan McNabb complained that the reason sports fans and analysts were scrutinizing his poor performance was because he's a black quarterback. Now, he insists that the reason for the Eagles' poor performance is because of the lack of playmakers on the team.

Um, hello? You're not exactly the greatest playmaker either, Donovan McNabb. Ever since your first injured season, its a coin toss whether can remain healthy enough to play every year. Also, you hold onto the ball and fumble too much and you try to force plays that aren't there.

This raises an interesting debate. Its a very fine line between receivers and quarterbacks. Who is to blame when something goes wrong? And don't give me that line its a team sport and everyone is responsible. If mistakes happen too frequently by one player, most teams wouldn't hesitate to get rid of that one player holding them back.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb made his desires known with his blog posting on yardbarker.com.

McNabb

"Now that the season is over and we are concentrating on 2008, I hope we are able to secure some playmakers in all three phases of the game," McNabb wrote in his Monday posting. "Maybe some of those playmakers are already on the roster but have struggled with injuries, myself included, that have held us back a little."

Coach Andy Reid had pointed to the team's numerous injuries as one reason why the Eagles finished 8-8 this season. He also said that players should be careful in addressing personnel situations, because the person in the next locker might not take it the right way.

"I haven't heard Donovan talk about that, so I'm not answering it," Reid said during a wrapup news conference on New Year's Eve. "I know, as players, you have to be careful about saying that, because those are your teammates that are being replaced. Most players don't get into that, who really care about their teammates on the other side."

Nice way to handle it Andy Reid. You don't want to break up the team chemistry or create an imbalance in the locker room.

McNabb didn't mention any names of play-makers and difference-makers he'd like to have on his side, but he did direct attention to a certain undefeated team and how it went about its business.

"You can't argue with how the Patriots went outside their locker room and stocked up on playmakers last year. It certainly helped to have Randy Moss, Donte' Stallworth, Wes Welker and Adalius Thomas making plays for them all year," McNabb said in his blog posting.

"I'm surprised that anyone would have a problem with me, or anyone else in the organization, expressing a desire to bring in more quality players," he added. "We were 8-8. There is room for improvement. This is a competitive sport. It's about putting together the best players, the best team, and giving yourself the best chance to win.

Again, what McNabb just said goes back to my debate. Does the quarterback make the receivers or do the receivers make the quarterback? Nobody knew who Reggie Wayne was until Peyton Manning developed him into a skilled receiver. However, Tom Brady, who already won Super Bowls with average receivers, inherited already gifted receivers this year and it looks like nothing can stop them. Would Donovan McNabb be any better if he had a Randy Moss on his team, or would he continue to get injured, force interceptions, and fumble?

OH WAIT! McNabb already had one of the best receivers in the game on his team. Anyone remember Terrell Owens? And we all know how that worked out.

If, McNabb is unhappy on the Eagles, he would make excellent trade bait. Any team would love to scoop this guy up just because of the name he carries and they would probably trade generously for him.

The Congressional Meeting of Clemens, Pettitte, and McNamee Has Been Postponed

The drama will have to pause for a bit before it continues to unravel. The congressional hearing involving Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and former trainer Brian McNamee was postponed Wednesday until Feb. 13 so lawmakers can gather evidence and coordinate their investigation with the Justice Department.

Plans are still in place for the Jan. 15 hearing before the same committee about the Mitchell report on baseball's Steroids Era. The witnesses that day are commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell, the report's author.

At the end of last week, Congress asked seven-time Cy Young Award winner Clemens, teammate and friend Pettitte and their former trainer, McNamee, to testify under oath. Also invited were former Yankee Chuck Knoblauch, and Kirk Radomski, the former New York Mets clubhouse attendant who was one of the main sources of evidence for the Mitchell report.

Radomski pleaded guilty in April to federal felony charges of distributing steroids and laundering money, and he is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 8.

"The Justice Department told the committee it would be helpful if we waited until after Radomski is sentenced," the committee's minority staff director, David Marin, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "This also gives us more time to delve into more recent developments, gather more information, and depose all witnesses before they testify in public."

Interesting. Why would this meeting be postponed so they can gather more evidence? Just like Barry Bonds, the evidence surrounding Roger Clemens is overwhelming....and not in his favor. Even America is losing faith in him. In a poll taken by ESPN, America voted that they believe McNamee over Clemens.

49ers Make Martz New Offensive Coordinator

The San Francisco 49ers hired Mike Martz as their new offensive coordinator. His mission: to transform one of the NFL's worst offensives into a stellar powerhouse. The 49ers finished this season last in total points earned (219), total yards (3,797), passing yards (2,320), offensive touchdowns (23), first downs, sacks allowed, and third-down conversions. Something clearly had to be done with this offense. The 49ers believe that Martz is up to the challenge. Martz is optimistic about reconfiguring this poor offense. He was quoted as stating, "There are a lot of really outstanding pieces there that we just need to tie together. If we can do that, they're so well-established in special teams and on defense, I think the potential and the opportunity there is pretty exciting. It's not a challenge, it's an opportunity, and that's the part I enjoy." Martz claims to see great promise in a San Francisco offense built around running back Frank Gore. Martz stated that Gore has a huge potential for the 49ers offense and that he could impact the team just like Marshall Faulk did with the St. Louis Rams. "I think you can put him as the centerpiece and build around that," Martz said. "Frank is a little bit bigger, more physical, but he has the receiving skills, he's an unselfish pass-blocker, and he's really a complete player that really shouldn't come out of the game. That's hard to find in this league anymore." It is hard to disagree with Martz's assessment. The only way for the 49ers to improve their offense in the short-term is by focusing on Gore. The team has no note-worthy receivers or quarter backs. Clearly, the salvation of San Fransisco's offense rests upon the shoulders of its talented, but misused, running back. We'll see if Martz utilizes Gore to his potential and unlocks the 49ers greatest offensive weapon.

Who Is The MLB's Best Leadoff Hitter?

1. Alfonso Soriano, Cubs
This guy gives you everything you need in a leadoff hitter, plus more. The attributes required include speed and baserunning acumen, patience and a discerning eye, some pop, a swagger, the dexterity to lay down a bunt and the tenacity to keep diving back into the first-base bag to beat those always annoying pickoff throws. Not only does Soriano have incredible speed, he's also a power hitter! Leadoff hitters are traditionally not supposed to be power hitters; they're only job is to get on base. Soriano is less a leadoff hitter than a freakishly talented power-speed hybrid who happens to feel most comfortable batting leadoff. He upgraded his plate discipline last season on the way to hitting 46 homers, stealing 41 bases and securing a $136 million contract with Chicago. But that .325 career OBP is nothing special.

Soriano's penchant for swinging away makes him particularly effective leading off an inning, when pitchers are inclined to dispense with caution and attack the strike zone. He's a career .303 hitter with a .912 OPS leading off an inning.

2. Jose Reyes, Mets
"He's the best player in baseball," a National League front-office man said of Reyes. "Every tool is [rated] plus, and he can change a game in so many ways."

Based on his performance in 2006, quick start in April and the people hitting around him, a healthy Reyes appears to be a lock for 20 homers, 15 triples, 120 runs, 80 RBIs and 60 stolen bases. His on-base percentage, which spiked from .300 to .354 last season, continues to trend upward as his discipline and pitch recognition also improve.

Remember when people mocked Reyes for his lack of patience? In 2005, Reyes struck out 18 times and failed to draw a walk in the entire month of April. So far this season, he has 13 walks and nine whiffs.

Reyes will still chase a two-strike pitch outside the zone, but he hardly ever swings at the first pitch unless it's a strike. A little maturity and some guidance from teammates Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Jose Valentin have turned him into a man with a plan.

Even when Reyes gets a tad reckless on the bases, he has the speed to outrun his mistakes. He's been successful on 81 percent of his career stolen base attempts, and he's off to a 12-for-14 start in 2007. He's the fastest player in baseball, possibly the fastest person in all of humanity.

3. Grady Sizemore, Indians
If Sizemore is behind Reyes, it's not by much. One executive, citing Sizemore's speed, on-base ability, impressive power and prudent judgment on the bases, called him "the closest there is to the total package right now." Since Sizemore is 24 years old, a wonderful athlete and driven player, he's only going to improve.

There are only two areas in which Sizemore is lacking: 1) He's a career .223 hitter against lefties; and 2) he strikes out a ton. The Indians also worked with him extensively on bunting in spring training, but he's yet to incorporate that weapon into his game.

4. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners
Sure, you'd like to see him walk more. But when a guy amasses 200 or more hits for six consecutive seasons and his on-base percentage averages out to .376, he's not spending a whole lot of time in the dugout.

Ichiro also wins points for knowing what to do upon arrival. He's a smart, attentive (not to mention extremely fast) baserunner, and he'll turn those singles into doubles in a hurry. Last season he stole 45 bases in 47 attempts, for a success rate of 95.7 percent. According to Baseball Prospectus, that's the all-time high for a player with 40 steal attempts.

5. Jimmy Rollins, Phillies
Someone forgot to tell Rollins that 5-foot-8-inch middle infielders are supposed to be spray hitters. Last season he hit 25 homers and amassed 79 extra-base hits -- more than Miguel Cabrera, Vernon Wells and teammate Chase Utley.

He's also a very efficient base stealer, as evidenced by 36-for-40 performance a year ago. "He's turning into a great offensive catalyst," said a National League talent evaluator.

So why isn't Rollins higher on the list? Try that .330 career on-base percentage, for starters. Rollins' aggressive mind-set serves him well when he's in a groove, but it can be a liability when his swing gets big and he's in such a blissful state letting it rip that he's immune to the concept of patience.

Here's Rollins in a nutshell: He walked eight times in the Phillies' first seven games this season, and didn't draw another walk in the next 12 games. Maybe he's just bored taking those four pitches outside the zone and jogging down to first.

6. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
With another year similar to his rookie season in Florida, Ramirez might leapfrog about four people on this list.

Ramirez put up monster numbers as a rookie (119 runs, 51 steals, 74 extra-base hits) for a middle-of-the-road offensive club in a tough park for hitters. And he appears to be taking a more disciplined approach this season in an effort to reduce those 128 strikeouts.

"He should develop some more power, which would make him a viable option further down in the order, but he's fine where he is right now," write the analysts at Baseball Prospectus.

7. Johnny Damon, Yankees
Damon is starting to show some wear and tear after playing a minimum of 145 games a year in center field for 11 straight seasons. He's fighting a bad back and sore hamstring, and nagging injuries will continue to be a concern now that he's 33.

But we're still talking about the pro's pro -- a guy who'll foul off good pitches, take his walks and consistently set the tone for an offense. And if you judge a man by the company he keeps, Damon is going to have an awfully strong Hall of Fame case by the time he's finished. In 2006 he joined Lou Gehrig and Stan Musial as the only players to surpass 30 doubles and 100 runs scored in nine consecutive seasons.

Welcome To The NBA Kevin Durant!

From one young superstar to another, LeBron James showed Kevin Durant how it's done by scoring 22 points, and the Cleveland Cavaliers didn't wait until the fourth quarter to put away the Seattle SuperSonics 95-79 on Tuesday night.

James, who scored 24 points in the fourth on Sunday when the Cavs (18-17) rallied for a win in Toronto, was able to sit out the final 8:36 as Cleveland coasted to its sixth win in seven games and moved over .500 for the first time since Nov. 30.

Durant, Seattle's silky smooth rookie, scored 24 points and showed off some of his blossoming pro game while being guarded at times by James, who has become close friends with the No. 2 overall pick.Durant sprained his left ankle while making a jump shot with 7:31 left in the fourth quarter. He untied his sneaker and briefly went to the bench before limping to Seattle's locker room for treatment and did not return.

I don't know the status of Durant's injury, but since they labeled it as a sprained ankle, he should hopefully return to the lineup soon. They need the player who will soon become rookie of the year playing as much as possible for them.

Tom Brady Wins Offensive Player Of The Year. Big Surprise

Was there any doubt? Just like all those wins, the NFL awards keep rolling in for Tom Brady. The league's Most Valuable Player added The Associated Press 2007 Offensive Player of the Year honors to his collection Tuesday, easily outdistancing his main weapon on the unbeaten New England Patriots, Randy Moss.

If Tom Brady played defense, he'd probably win that award too.

Indeed, of the four players who received votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL, three were Patriots. Brady, of course, led the way, just as he did through the first 16-0 regular season in league history.

"We set out a bunch of goals early in the season," Brady said, "and I think I said the best part about playing quarterback here is I just have to do my job, show up every day and work hard just like everybody else. I think my job description is just a bit different than everybody else's, but there's a lot of satisfaction knowing that I can just come out there and worry about myself and expect that everybody else is going to do their job.

"It's been a fun season. There's no doubt about it."

And it's been a rewarding season for Brady, the first New England player to be chosen MVP and now the first Patriot to win Offensive Player of the Year.

HOWEVER.... History will not be on Tom Brady's side this postseason. Only one quarterback (Joe Montana, 1989 49ers) who has won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award has gone on to capture the Super Bowl title in the same season. All the QBs to take the honor since it's 1973 inception are below.

Player	Team	Year
Tom Brady	Patriots	2007
Peyton Manning	Colts	2004
Brett Favre	Packers	1995
Steve Young	49ers	1992
Warren Moon	Oilers	1990
Joe Montana	49ers	1989
Dan Marino	Dolphins	1984
Joe Theismann	Redskins	1983
Dan Fouts	Chargers	1982
Ken Anderson	Bengals	1981
Bert Jones	Colts	1976
Fran Tarkenton	Vikings	1975
Ken Stabler	Raiders	1974

Then again, the New England Patriots have defied and broken all laws this year, so this stat shouldn't really apply to them.

How Am I Supposed To Vote For Players In The Hall Of Fame?

In an era (at least the last twenty years) tainted by steroids in baseball, there has been much speculation over who deserves to be in the Hall Of Fame and who doesn't. This issue has raised much debate everywhere and this is why I say the exploitation of steroids has ruined baseball rather then helped it. Because you don't know 100 percent who did and did not take steroids, you either have to vote all the deserving players into the Hall Of Fame or none at all.

One way people shouldn't vote is based on race or who they like or dislike. On a poll on ESPN, America as a whole voted that they would elect Mark McGwire into the baseball Hall Of Fame over Barry Bonds. I suspect that's because the public just doesn't like Barry Bonds and that's not what the Hall Of Fame is about. Rather, the Hall Of Fame praises those who have impacted the game of baseball in a tremendous way and left a lasting mark on the game. Who better fits this description than the all-time home run leader Barry Bonds (steroids or not, it still takes timing, skill, and accuracy to hit the damn ball)? Also, do people forget how McGwire and Sammy Sosa revitalized baseball during the home run chase back in 1998. I bet the MLB knew they were taking steroids (see my conspiracy in baseball article), but baseball let it slide because they were bringing in massive income, fans, and ratings. And you mean to tell me now we hate these guys when all they did was entertain us, which was what he wanted all along?

Why did I go on a tear about Mark McGwire? Because he was NOT voted into the Hall Of Fame this year and that's wrong, especially after what he did for baseball. I suspect that's because people believe he took steroids and doesn't deserve to be voted in. This goes back to my earlier statement. In an era where practically every all-star and CY Young winner used some kind of performance enhancing drug and you really don't know who is telling the truth and who is lying, you either have to vote nobody into the Hall Of Fame or vote the players who deserve to be there into the Hall Of Fame as if steroids weren't an issue. I see no other way to do it. You can't pick and choose because of who you think took steroids.

So, who did get voted in this year? Rich "Goose" Gossage became only the fifth relief pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame, earning baseball's highest honor Tuesday in his ninth try on the ballot. Known for his overpowering fastball, fiery temperament and bushy mustache, the Goose received 466 of 543 votes (85.8 percent) from 10-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "It was very emotional I'll tell you, off the charts. I can't describe the feeling," Gossage said after learning the news. "I can't lie. There's been some frustration and some disappointment."

Jim Rice was passed over yet again in his next-to-last year on the ballot, getting 392 votes (72.2 percent), up from 346 (63.5 percent) last year but 16 short of the 75 percent needed. "Today's results are obviously a disappointment," Rice said in a statement. "I believe my accomplishments speak for themselves, and a majority of the voters seem to agree. It is tough to come this close, but I remain hopeful for the 2009 results."

Mark McGwire, a casualty of the Steroids Era in some writers' minds, received just 128 votes -- the exact total he had last year. His percentage increased slightly to 23.6 percent, up from 23.5 percent last year when he was on the ballot for the first time.

Rich "Goose" Gossage was the only player voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2008 ballot. Jim Rice, who has just one year remaining on the ballot, finished just 16 votes short of induction. Players remain on the ballot for a maximum of 15 years as long as they receive 5 percent of the vote.

Player	Votes	Pct.
Goose Gossage	466	85.8
Jim Rice	392	72.2
Andre Dawson	358	65.9
Bert Blyleven	336	61.9
Lee Smith	235	43.3
Jack Morris	233	42.9
Tommy John	158	29.1
Tim Raines	132	24.3
Mark McGwire	128	23.6
Alan Trammell	99	18.2
Dave Concepcion	88	16.2
Don Mattingly	86	15.8
Dave Parker	82	15.1
Dale Murphy	75	13.8
Harold Baines	28	5.2

Others receiving votes: Rod Beck 2, Travis Fryman 2, Robb Nen 2, Shawon Dunston 1, Chuck Finley 1, David Justice 1, Chuck Knoblauch 1, Todd Stottlemyre 1.

The Washington Redskins Suffer Another Loss

This loss isn't as extreme however. After the toughest season of his Hall of Fame career, Joe Gibbs knew he needed to walk away from his Washington Redskins family to be closer to his wife, children and grandchildren.

He retired from football, stepping down as coach and team president of the Redskins on Tuesday. The announcement came three days after a playoff loss ended an inspirational late-season run that followed the death of safety Sean Taylor.

The 67-year-old Gibbs said Redskins owner Dan Snyder tried to persuade him to stay on during a conversation that lasted until about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.

"My family situation being what it is right now, I told him I couldn't make the kind of commitment I needed to make," Gibbs said during a news conference at the Redskins' practice facility, standing a few feet from the three silver Super Bowl trophies he won during his first tenure with the team.

Speaking about his family, Gibbs added: "I felt like they needed me."

He had one season left on the five-year, $27.5 million deal that lured him out of his first NFL retirement and away from his second career as a NASCAR owner.

Gibbs went 31-36, including 1-2 in the playoffs, in his second stint with the Redskins, always maintaining he intended to fulfill the contract.

Gibbs called this his hardest season, making reference to Taylor's shooting in November, but pointed to his family as the chief reason for his resignation.

Among the candidates to replace him will be two former head coaches who have been members of his staff, Gregg Williams and Al Saunders. Former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher (he would be my pick) also could be a candidate. The team will have to interview at least one minority to comply with the NFL's "Rooney Rule" as it seeks the sixth coach since Snyder bought the team in 1999.

Bill Cowher needs to stop analyzing sports with the rest of that gang and get back into coaching like Bill Parcells did (well, Parcells isn't exactly a coach, but you get the idea). He retired after he won the Super Bowl with Pittsburgh for reasons I am unsure of. However, because he's an analyst, he would make a good coach since he seems to know what he's talking about as he breaks apart the games and tries to figure these match ups out every week. Also, he hasn't become a fossil yet; he's still relatively young enough to still be coaching.

Joe Gibbs won three NFL titles during his first stint with the Redskins. The second time around he took Washington to the playoffs in two of his four seasons.

Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs clearly had a better first tenure than second as head of the Washington Redskins. Below is a comparison of both stints in the nation's capital.

	'81-'92	'04-'07	Totals
W-L	124-60	30-34	154-94
NFC East Titles	6	0	6
Playoff W-L	16-5	1-2	17-7
Super Bowl wins	3	0	3

The Phoenix Suns Are An Offensive Scoring Machine

The Denver Nuggets scored 59 points by halftime. In normal circumstances, most teams would love to have 59 points by halftime. However, when you look across the scoreboard and see that you're playing the Phoenix Suns, who had 78 points by halftime, suddenly 59 isn't as impressive.

Shawn Marion scored a season-high 27 points, had six blocked shots, and hit five of Phoenix's 20 3-pointers to lead the Suns to a 137-115 romp over the Denver Nuggets in a matchup of division leaders Monday night.

Marion made 11-of-15 shots and grabbed 14 rebounds before leaving with 4:23 to play. The five 3-pointers, all of which came in the first half, matched a career-high. He equaled his career high with the six blocks. It was the fifth time Marion has had five 3s or six blocks.

Marcus Banks, who has played his way back into the Suns' rotation, made a career-high seven 3s -- in eight attempts -- en route to a season-best 23 points. The 20 3-pointers matched a franchise record and were one shy of the NBA record set by Toronto on March 13, 2005.

Grant Hill added 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Amare Stoudemire had 20 points and 10 rebounds as six Suns reached double figures.

As you can see, the numbers and stats for the Suns are staggering. I could keep going on and on (and I haven't even mentioned Steve Nash yet). The Phoenix Suns are a powerhouse offensive team. They are like the New England Patriots or Indianapolis Colts of football. They can score at will.

Its all very impressive, but there's a problems with this team. Every year I'm almost convinced that this is the year where they finally make it to and win the NBA Championship. However, they really need to work on their defense. That's the problem. If this team is as good as the numbers show, then why haven't they won the NBA Championship yet? If they had a better defense, this team would be unstoppable.

#2 LSU Upsets #1 OSU 38-24 And Wins The Allstate BCS Championship Game.

First, I'm impressed by Ohio State's running attack. Chris Wells' 65 yard rush for a touchdown to start off the game was amazing. Unfortunately for Ohio State, this is the only highlight worth mentioning.

LSU entered this game as the first two-loss team to play in a BCS title game. That's not a good thing. The Tigers are here because they hit the BCS lotto: They squeezed past Tennessee in the SEC championship, Oklahoma beat then-No. 1 Missouri in the Big 12 championship and Pittsburgh upset then-No. 2 West Virginia in Morgantown.

LSU (11-2) was trying to win its second BCS title in five seasons, on the very same Superdome where the last one came. The Tigers, who defeated Oklahoma in the 2004 title game but had to share the championship with Southern Cal, were looking to win one that no one could dispute

With much less star power, Ohio State made it to the championship game for the second year in a row, this time as an underdog despite the No. 1 ranking.

This game was all about Louisiana State. They came into this game being favored to win by 3 1/2 points and after getting off to a painfully slow start in which they were down by 10, LSU's trick plays and receivers taking advantage of blown coverage put them on a scoring rampage. No. 2 LSU danced, dodged and darted its way into the end zone Monday night, turning the BCS national championship game into a horrible replay for No. 1 Ohio State. It was over early, with Matt Flynn throwing four touchdown passes in a 38-24 win..

After falling behind 10-0 in the early going, LSU responded with 24 unanswered points to take a halftime lead.

Matt Flynn was absolutely incredible, throwing for 174 yards and 4 touchdowns. His only mistake was giving up 1 interception, which allowed a glimmer of hope for OSU. However, that hope was quickly taken away as LSU added more points on the scoreboard. Matt Flynn won the offensive MVP of the game with a career high 4 touchdown tosses. What perfect timing to throw for a career high in touchdowns in one game than the BCS game.

Why was Ohio State ranked #1 when America's vote and the spread clearly favored LSU. I have no idea, but OSU didn't play like a #1 seed this game. This is the second year in a row that OSU has been defeated badly in the BCS Championship game and I can bet they won't be appearing in the BCS Bowl game anytime soon. In a season of surprises, this was hardly an upset: Ohio State once again fell apart in college football's biggest game. A year after the Buckeyes were routed by Tim Tebow and Florida 41-14 in the Arizona desert, they barely did better.

You have to admire OSU's persistence however. They played the game out all the way to the end, rushing for a touchdown with 1:13 left in the 4th quarter. They wanted to make the score at least look respectable.

Yet while LSU got to hoist the $30,000 crystal trophy, certainly many fans around the country were peering into their crystal balls, wondering if someone else was worthy of the title. Southern California, Georgia, West Virginia, Kansas and Missouri all put on impressive shows in bowl games, and will be among the favorites in 2008.

LSU became just the fourth favorite to win in 10 BCS championship games. Coach Les Miles probably got a little extra satisfaction, too. Though he turned down a chance to return home to Michigan, he did something his alma mater hasn't done recently -- beat the Buckeyes.

The loss left Ohio State at 0-9 overall in bowl games against teams from the Southeastern Conference. The SEC delights in whipping Big Ten teams in what's become a rivalry that steams up fans on both sides.

More Good News For Giants: TO Game-time Decision

Terrell Owens was limping on his sprained ankle today and his status for the Dallas Cowboys' playoff game against the New York Giants next weekend is uncertain. Coach Wade Phillips stated, "It looks to me that it's going to be a game-time decision on him...He probably couldn't have played today." Owens has a high ankle sprain and was limited in a light workout earlier today. This is good news for the Giants since Owens has an NFC-high 15 touchdowns with 81 catches for 1,355 yards. If he proves to be unable to play next weekend, the Cowboys' offense will be short a key weapon for quarterback Tony Romo. This will be a huge advantage for the Giants who have a relatively weak secondary. If TO sits out, expect the Giants to blitz early in the game to force Romo to make passes to less spectacular backup receivers. This places the Giants in a strong position defensively against the offensive-powerhouse Cowboys. And if Eli Manning continues to play like he has for the last two games, expect the Giants to pull off a major upset.

Shaquille O' Neal Travels To Los Angeles For Medical Treatment

Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal flew Monday to Los Angeles to seek medical treatment for a hip injury that has sidelined him the past five games.

You know, everyone likes to poke fun at the New York Knicks for what a disgrace they are (including myself), but do people realize that the Miami Heat are far worse than them?

O'Neal's departure two games into a five-game trip is the latest setback for an injury-plagued team that has the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 8-26 and has lost seven games in a row. O'Neal had said Sunday he had hoped to return to the lineup Tuesday at Minnesota.

He bruised his left hip Dec. 22 when he dived for a loose ball and slid into the scorer's table during a win over Utah. He aggravated the injury in a Dec. 26 loss at Philadelphia and hasn't played since.

The hip injury and a sore left knee have contributed to the least productive season of O'Neal's 16-year career. He is averaging 14 points and 7.8 rebounds in 29 games.

Injury layoffs have been common for O'Neal in recent years. He missed 39 games last season, when he underwent left knee surgery. He sat out 21 games during the Heat's 2005-06 championship season because of a sprained ankle and sprained thumb.

The Heat lost O'Neal's backup, Alonzo Mourning, for the season when he tore two knee ligaments in a Dec. 19 loss at Atlanta. Dwyane Wade, Jason Williams and Dorell Wright have all battled injuries recently.

Roger Clemens Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Ex-Trainer Brian McNamee

Probably everyone by now has seen or at least heard about Roger Clemens' interview with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes. What people may not know is that shortly before the interview was aired, Roger Clemens beat Brian McNamee to court, filing a defamation suit against the former trainer who claimed to have injected him with performance-enhancing drugs.

McNamee's attorney, Earl Ward, told ESPN's T.J. Quinn on Monday that McNamee is determined to file a counter lawsuit against Clemens. Ward said he spoke to McNamee on Monday morning and Clemens' statements in Sunday's "60 Minutes" interview are "a total lie."

No countersuit has been filed yet.

Clemens filed the suit Sunday night in Harris County District Court in Texas, listing 15 alleged statements McNamee made to the baseball drug investigator George Mitchell. Clemens claimed the statements were "untrue and defamatory."

"According to McNamee, he originally made his allegations to federal authorities after being threatened with criminal prosecution if he didn't implicate Clemens," according to the 14-page petition, obtained early Monday by The Associated Press.

The suit, first reported by the Houston Chronicle, states that when McNamee told others that when he first was interviewed by federal law enforcement last June, he denied Clemens had used steroids or human growth hormone. The suit quotes McNamee as saying he was pressured by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Parrella and IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky -- key members of the BALCO prosecution -- to implicate Clemens. The suit did not attribute where the quote from McNamee was obtained.

"After this exchange, and for the first time in his life, McNamee stated that he had injected Clemens with steroids in 1998, 2000 and 2001," the suit said. "Following his recantation, McNamee has relayed that he magically went from a 'target' in a federal criminal drug investigation to a mere 'witness,' so long as he continued to 'toe the line.' "

Richard Emery, one of McNamee's lawyers, said he would seek to remove the case to U.S. District Court in Houston, then to possibly shift it to federal court in Brooklyn.

"I think it's dismissible on its face. I think it's a press release for Clemens and his career," Emery said. "The case is shoddy at best. The prosecutors acted completely professionally in this case. This is a very odd thing for me to be saying, but it's the truth. Sometimes you are bound by the truth."

The suit said that when McNamee initially refused a request from federal authorities that he speak to Mitchell, he was threatened with prosecution. Clemens said McNamee decided only then to cooperate with Mitchell and the suit said McNamee said the interview "was conducted like a Cold War-era interrogation in which a federal agent merely read to the Mitchell investigators McNamee's previously obtained statement and then asked McNamee to confirm what he previously stated."

Clemens asked that damages be determined by a jury.

"Clemens' good reputation has been severely injured," the suit said. "McNamee's false allegations have also caused Clemens to suffer mental anguish, shame, public humiliation and embarrassment."

Ward believes Clemens filing the lawsuit is the pitcher's way of getting out of testifying at next week's congressional hearing about the Mitchell report.

"[The lawsuit is an] amateur and transparent attempt to try to avoid testifying before Congress," Ward told Quinn.

Clemens' attorney has said the lawsuit wouldn't keep him from potentially testifying before the hearing.

A fiery look in his eyes and stubble on his face, Clemens told CBS' Mike Wallace during the "60 Minutes" interview that he would have spoken with baseball drug investigator George Mitchell had he been aware of the extent of McNamee's accusations.

Ward told ESPN's Quinn that he has documentary proof that Clemens hired his attorneys before the Mitchell report came out. Ward claims that Clemens sent investigators to speak with McNamee to ask him what he told Mitchell. Ward says McNamee told those investigators everything he told Mitchell, thus contradicting Clemens' claim that he didn't know what information was going to come out in the Mitchell report.

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner, who was scheduled to hold a late afternoon news conference Monday in Houston, sounded indignant and defiant in a segment of CBS's "60 Minutes" broadcast Sunday night, his first interview since McNamee accused him. The pair are approaching a potential confrontation if the pair testify under oath at a Jan. 16 hearing on Capitol Hill.

he most prominent player implicated in last month's Mitchell report, Clemens steadfastly maintained his innocence and called McNamee's allegations "totally false."

"If he's doing that to me, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead. I should be pulling tractors with my teeth," said Clemens, who wore a lavender button-down shirt during the interview, taped Dec. 28 at his home in Katy, Texas.

On Friday, when the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform invited Clemens and McNamee to testify, the pair spoke by telephone, an individual close to the situation said, speaking on condition of anonymity because public comments weren't authorized. The conversation first was reported Sunday by Newsday.

The individual would not say what was discussed.

Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, told the Chronicle that it was McNamee who arranged to talk to Clemens on Friday but instead of getting back to Clemens the conversation was leaked "with spin" to Newsday.

"We kept thinking McNamee might change his mind and come to his senses and admit he was lying," Hardin told the Chronicle.

During the "60 Minutes" segment, Clemens said he might be willing to take a lie-detector test and was "shocked" close friend Andy Pettitte used HGH. He said -- again -- that he probably will retire.

"I thought it was an impassioned, disingenuous and desperate plea," said Ward.

One of the few revelations in the much-hyped interview came when Clemens was asked whether he conceivably would take a lie detector test.

"Yeah," he answered. "I don't know if they're good or bad."

After Monday's news conference will come the congressional hearing. Pettitte, former Yankees teammate Chuck Knoblauch and former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, who allegedly supplied McNamee with performance-enhancing drugs, also were asked to appear before the committee.

Lawyers for Clemens and McNamee have said their clients are willing to testify but Hardin wouldn't commit to the date.

Emery said he wanted to hear testimony from Clemens.

"If Congress calls him, he pretty much has to take the Fifth, and if he takes the Fifth, nobody will ever believe him again and all this effort has gone down the drain," Emery said. "And if he doesn't take the Fifth, it's very hard to imagine that a prosecutor isn't going to pursue this. So I think he's put himself in a terrible corner."

Clemens said his lawyer advised him not to speak with Mitchell, who spent 20 months on his investigation.

"If I would've known what this man, what Brian McNamee [had] said in this report, I would have been down there in a heartbeat to take care of it," Clemens said.

Only two active players, Jason Giambi and Frank Thomas, spoke with Mitchell, a Boston Red Sox director and a former Senate majority leader.

In excerpts of the CBS interview that were released Thursday, Clemens said McNamee injected him with vitamin B-12 and the painkiller lidocaine. In the full 14-minute broadcast, Clemens also said he was given an injection of toradol under the supervision of the New York Yankees.

McNamee told Mitchell he injected Clemens with steroids and HGH about 16 to 21 times during 1998, 2000 and 2001 -- before baseball players and owners agreed to ban performance-enhancing substances.

Eighth on the career list with 354 wins, the 45-year-old Clemens said he was angered McNamee's accusations have been accepted as truth by some.

"It's hogwash for people to even assume this," Clemens said. "Twenty-four, 25 years, Mike. You'd think I'd get an inch of respect. An inch."

Clemens said the descriptions McNamee gave Mitchell of injections "never happened."

"If I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, where did I get 'em?" he said. "Where is the person out there [who] gave 'em to me? Please, please come forward."

Indianopolis Colts' Bob Sanders Is The Top Defensive Player Of The Year

In a season where it looked as if the players and coaching staff on the New England Patriots were going to receive every award possible, Bob Sanders' impact on the vastly improved Indianapolis defense, not to mention his impact on opposing ball carriers, earned the Colts safety The Associated Press 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award Monday.

Sanders makes highlight films with his smash-mouth style and knack for always being near the ball. His value as a leader -- the Peyton Manning of the Colts' defense, if you will -- was just as much a factor in Indianapolis having the third-ranked unit in the NFL and allowing just 262 points, a league low.

Yes, these Colts can play dominating defense, and Sanders is the main reason.

"One of the things we talked about when he first got here was how critical this position is in this defense," said coach Tony Dungy, who has nicknamed Sanders "The Eraser."

"Donnie Shell went to five Pro Bowls, and John Lynch went to I don't even know how many Pro Bowls. You get asked to do a lot of things in this defense, and it's rare to find someone who can do those things."

Sanders did enough to earn 31 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. That was particularly impressive because it was a strong season for individual defensive performances.

Yet next closest in the balloting were Seattle end Patrick Kerney and Tennessee tackle Albert Haynesworth with four votes each.

Sanders was a huge factor in the Colts' surge to the Super Bowl title last year. He missed most of the regular season, got healthy for the playoffs, and suddenly teams couldn't run or pass effectively on Indy.

With Sanders in the lineup for 15 games this season, the Colts were superb defensively on their way to a 13-3 record and the AFC South crown.

Not that Sanders laid back in an attempt to stay healthy.

"[The award] is a goal I set for myself every year and for it to come so fast is something I never expected," Sanders said. "It's exciting, it's an honor and I will cherish this moment forever."

His teammates were celebrating right there next to him.

Indianapolis is typically regarded as an offensive juggernaut, and Sanders is the first Colts player to win the defensive award.

Plus, he did it in a season when the Colts lost their other key defender, Dwight Freeney, for the final seven games with a season-ending foot injury. Freeney was just one of a handful of starters who missed games, but Sanders remained the constant on defense.

Bob Sanders is just the fourth safety to be named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, which was first awarded in 1971.

Safety	Team
Bob Sanders	2007 Colts
Ed Reed	2004 Ravens
Kenny Easley	1984 Seahawks
Dick Anderson	1973 Dolphins

Roger Clemens Sues McNamee for Defamation

Roger Clemens filed a defamation suit against former trainer Brian McNamee who claimed to have injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs. McNamee claimed to have injected Clemens with steroids and HGH about 16 to 21 times during 1998, 2000, and 2001, just before baseball players and owners agreed to ban performance-enhancing substances. Clemens stated that the descriptions given by McNamee "never happened". "If I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, where did I get 'em?" Clemens said. "Where is the person out there (who) gave 'em to me? Please, please come forward." This steroid scandal has left a black mark on major league baseball. Don't expect Clemens to ever admit to using performance-enhancing steroids. This unfortunate scandal is harming more than the reputation of Roger Clemens. It is destroying the credibility of all baseball players. Now, fans will second guess their favorite teams and players. Fans will begin to question whether or not great players used steroids or if teams supported and encouraged the use of performance-enhancing drugs by their teammates. When this controversy finally ends, the whole reputation of professional baseball will be scarred. Fans will no longer be able to respect, praise, or admire teams or players. They will only be able to look at them with condemnation, disrespect, and disgust for abusing their bodies and insulting their fans. Baseball players should be ashamed for having allowed this awful practice to occur. This is a dark time for America's favorite past time.

Roger Clemens Defending Himself

Here's a video of Roger Clemens before he appeared on 60 Minutes. In this video, he absolutely denied having anything to do with steroids or other accusations. Is he telling the truth? Its too early to tell right now. Everything is just speculation, but just in case he tells a different story other then what was stated in the Mitchell Report, here he is on tape denying his usage.

Roger Clemens' Interview On 60 Minutes

This article is from ESPN in regards to Roger Clemens' first interview since being accused of taking steroids:

Roger Clemens might be willing to take a lie-detector test, was "shocked" close friend Andy Pettitte used human growth hormone and, in his first interview since the Mitchell report, said -- again -- that he probably will retire.

Clemens told CBS's "60 Minutes" in the interview, which was to be broadcast Sunday night, that he would have spoken with baseball drug investigator George Mitchell had he been aware former trainer Brian McNamee accused him of using steroids and HGH.

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner, the most prominent player implicated in last month's Mitchell report, steadfastly maintained his innocence and called McNamee's allegations "totally false."

In excerpts of the Dec. 28 interview that were released Thursday, Clemens said McNamee, his former personal trainer, injected him with vitamin B-12 and the painkiller lidocaine. In the full broadcast, Clemens also said he was given an injection of toradol under the supervision of the New York Yankees.

McNamee told Mitchell he injected Clemens with steroids and HGH about 16-to-21 times during 1998, 2000 and 2001 -- before baseball players and owners agreed to ban performance-enhancing substances.

"If he's doing that to me, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead," Clemens said, according to a transcript released by CBS. "I should be pulling tractors with my teeth."

He said his lawyer advised him not to speak with Mitchell.

"If I would've known what this man, Brian McNamee had said in this report, I would have been down there in a heartbeat to take care of it," Clemens said.

I don't know if I can defend myself. I think people -- a lot of people have already made their decisions.

--Roger Clemens

Only two active players, Jason Giambi and Frank Thomas, spoke with Mitchell, a Boston Red Sox director and a former Senate majority leader.

On Friday, Clemens did speak with McNamee by telephone, an individual close to the situation said, speaking on condition of anonymity because public comments weren't authorized. The conversation first was reported Sunday by Newsday.

The individual would not say what was discussed between the two.

Clemens is scheduled to hold a news conference Monday in Houston, part of his campaign to clear his name. In addition, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has asked Clemens, Pettitte and McNamee to testify under oath at a Jan. 16 hearing.

Former Yankees teammate Chuck Knoblauch, McNamee and former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, who allegedly supplied McNamee with performance-enhancing drugs, also have been asked to testify.

"I don't know if I can defend myself," Clemens said. "I think people -- a lot of people have already made their decisions."

One of the few revelations in the much-hyped interview came when Clemens was asked whether he could conceivably take a lie detector test.

"Yeah," he answered. "I don't know if they're good or bad."

Eighth on the career list with 354 wins, the 45-year-old Clemens told CBS's Mike Wallace he was angered McNamee's accusations have been accepted as truth by some.

"It's hogwash for people to even assume this," Clemens said. "Twenty-four, 25 years, Mike. You'd think I'd get an inch of respect. An inch."

Clemens said the descriptions McNamee gave Mitchell of injections "never happened." McNamee said Clemens asked him to inject him in the buttocks because Clemens did not like belly-button shots he presumably could inject himself.

"If I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, what, where did I get 'em?" he said. "Where is the person out there [who] gave 'em to me? Please, please come forward."

McNamee said he obtained the drugs from Radomski or Clemens supplied them.

"Why didn't I keep doing it if it was so good for me? Why didn't I break down? Why didn't my tendons turn to dust?" Clemens said.

Shortly before Mitchell's findings were released Dec. 13, Clemens said McNamee e-mailed him asking where Clemens bought fishing equipment in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, but never brought up the upcoming report.

McNamee told Mitchell he injected Pettitte with HGH in 2002. Pettitte issued a statement saying he took two HGH injections while rehabbing his elbow.

"I had no knowledge of what Andy was doing," Clemens said.

Asked why McNamee would tell the truth about Pettitte and lie about Clemens, Clemens said Pettitte's case was "totally separate."

"I was shocked to learn about Andy's situation," Clemens said. "Had no idea about it."

Clemens also discussed his use of Vioxx, an arthritis medication withdrawn from the market in 2004 because a clinical trial revealed increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

"I was eating Vioxx like it was Skittles," Clemens said. "And now that, now these people who are supposedly regulating it, tell me it's bad for my heart."

Clemens has said he was retired after each of the past four seasons but came back each time, spending three seasons with his hometown Houston Astros and then returning to the Yankees last year. He said "you'll never see me pitch again," but hedged slightly and said "probably."

Clemens wouldn't say what penalty should be assessed on an individual found to have used performance-enhancing drugs.

"I think it's a self-inflicted penalty. They break down quick. It's a quick fix," he said. "They're in and out of the game."

San Diego Chargers Advance In The Playoffs

Thirteen long years after their last postseason victory, the Chargers finally came to life late in the second half Sunday to beat the Tennessee Titans 17-6 in an AFC wild-card game.

Overall, the Chargers had lost four straight postseason games dating to their ugly 49-26 loss to San Francisco in the Super Bowl following the 1994 season.

At first, this was a terrible game for San Diego. They entered the second half having scored zero points. Interceptions and fumbles plagued this team. LaDainian Tomlinson was shut down and I thought for sure this was the curse of Norv Turner.

But, thanks to Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson finding open spots on the field and the lack of the Tennessee Titans being able to actually score, the Chargers came back to win 17-6. Rivers was 19-of-30 for 292 yards, with one interception. Chris Chambers had six catches for 121 yards, and Vincent Jackson had five for 114. I knew this game was over as soon as the Chargers scored their last touchdown on a bogus call. They were up by 11 at that point (the spread was for the Chargers to win by 10) and Vince Young is defiantly not the quarterback you want to fire the ball downfield during a 2-minute drill.

Why do I think LaDainian Tomlinson's second effort touchdown run was bogus? Because after he jumped into the air, he was stopped behind the goal line. If there was nobody beneath him, he would have hit the ground and the play would have been dead at that point. However, because there were so many bodies underneath him, it was impossible for him to hit the ground. So, when he landed on the first body, the official blew the whistle, making the play dead. BUT, no one acknowledged the whistle and this allowed Tomlinson to reach out for a second effort to cross the goal line. The play should have been ruled dead as soon as he was hit in mid air and dropped straight down onto the pile of bodies. After this touchdown, the Titans had no hope of coming back and all those calls against them which pinned them back to their own 1 yard line didn't help either.

Just like that, the nightmares of the Marty Schottenheimer era finally went away. The Chargers advance to face the Colts on Sunday in Indianapolis. That game also will be a rematch. San Diego escaped with a 23-21 win over the Colts on Nov. 11, when Peyton Manning threw a career-high six interceptions and Adam Vinatieri missed a 29-yard field goal attempt with 1:31 left.

New York Giants Advance In The Playoffs

As long as it's on the road, the New York Giants can't complain.

The Giants moved to 8-1 away from home with a dominating 24-14 NFC-wild-card playoff victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday. New York has won every away game since falling in its season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, and it gets a chance to diminish that blemish in a much bigger matchup next Sunday, with the winner going to the conference title game.

"We love playing there, we love going down to Dallas," Eli Manning said. "There are no secrets.

"It's a tough challenge against Dallas, we know that. We played them two times; maybe the third will be the charm."

As for concerns the Giants (11-6) left too much of themselves on the field in futilely trying to stop New England's perfect season on Dec. 29, well, forget it. After a lackluster first quarter, New York bullied the NFC South champions, who lost three of their last four regular-season games, including the final two when coach Jon Gruden rested many starters.

"We weren't sluggish, but it was not like we were the week before," said Giants veteran receiver Amani Toomer, who had a big game. "We needed one play to get us going and for me to be the guy, I was excited."

He was the guy often, making seven receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown.

It was the first postseason win after two defeats for Manning, who efficiently outplayed his counterpart, Jeff Garcia. Manning went 20-of-27 for 185 yards, with almost all the damage coming after a forgettable opening period in which New York had minus-2 yards of offense.

The oft-criticized Manning should draw nothing but praise for his performance, which included touchdown passes of 5 yards to Brandon Jacobs and 4 to Toomer. The score by Toomer completed a clinching 92-yard, 15-play drive.

"Eli had a great game today," Toomer said. "He took what was out there and didn't force anything. He doesn't get real excited; there is more than one way to lead a team ... and he showed that today."

The defense also showed up with a superb effort in the three quarters. Cornerback Corey Webster's interception and fumble recovery, and Michael Strahan's nine tackles and a sack led the way. Tampa Bay (9-8) gained only 166 yards before a late 88-yard drive made it 24-14.

"I think as a team we seem to perform better on the road," Strahan said. "I didn't know we won eight in a row. That's a great thing, because when it's the playoffs, if we're going to go as far as we want, we have to win every game on the road."

Jacobs also had an 8-yard TD run for the Giants, while Lawrence Tynes kicked a 25-yard field goal.

Earnest Graham ran for a 1-yard touchdown and Alex Smith had a 6-yard scoring reception for the Bucs, who have not won a postseason game since the Super Bowl in January 2003.

They didn't seem particularly impressed by Manning or the Giants' offense.

"He made little, annoying third-down conversions when he needed to," linebacker Barrett Ruud said. "If it is third-and-8, he gets 8 1/2 yards. That was frustrating."

The first quarter was so lopsided the Giants never picked up a first down. Meanwhile, Garcia, who beat the Giants in two previous playoff starts against them, led the Bucs on a 54-yard, 10-play march. It was highlighted by Graham, who capped it with a 1-yard TD run. Graham gained 41 yards on the drive.

But when the second quarter arrived, the visitors woke up. Manning found Toomer for 17-, 10- and 13-yard gains before Jacobs avoided Derrick Brooks to tie it on his 5-yard reception.

Six minutes later, New York led as Jacobs scored on an 8-yard run. Manning completed all four passes on the 65-yard drive, including a 21-yarder to Steve Smith on third down.

By halftime, the flag-waving Bucs fans had been silenced by the power running and precise passing of the Giants, who were up 14-7.

It got worse immediately for the locals when Micheal Spurlock, the only Buc to return a kickoff for a touchdown in their four decades, fumbled his runback to open the second half. Webster recovered at the Tampa 30 and the Giants got to the 4 before Tynes made his field goal.

Webster, starting only because Sam Madison was injured against the Patriots, contributed again moments later to foil a good Tampa Bay drive. He shadowed Joey Galloway to the end zone and picked off Garcia's weak pass.

"That was a bad decision by me," Garcia admitted. "I was just trying to make a play and Webster had very good coverage on the play."

The Bucs, who led the NFC with a plus-15 turnover margin, were minus-2 in a span of 8:50 of the third period and never recovered.

"That's huge, the play of the day," Gruden said of the fumble. "That play and the long 92-yard drive.

Jacksonville Jaguars Advance In The Playoffs

What once was a walk in the park for the Jaguars turned into a cliff-hanger. But thanks to Josh Scobee's late 25-yard field goal, the Jaguars defeated Pittsburgh.

Never in the Steelers' 75 seasons had a team beaten them twice in Pittsburgh in the same season. The Jacksonville Jaguars beat history -- and the Steelers -- despite a memorable fourth-quarter collapse that nearly cost the visitors their season.

Thanks to three Ben Roethlisberger picks in the first half, the Jags were walking over the Steelers. Not anymore. Big Ben's big second half placed the Steelers in the lead. However, the score that made the Steelers take the lead was a result of a false pass interference call on the offense. Hines Ward clearly had his hand in the face of the defender's mask, but the refs called pass interference on the defense. This gave the Steelers a fresh set of downs in which they eventually scored to take the lead 29-28

However, David Garrard single-handedly led his team downfield. He daringly attempted a fourth down in which he ran the ball himself to put his team in position to take the lead, which they did via a field goal by Josh Scobee. The Jags took the lead 31-29 and this became the final score after Ben Roethlisberger fumbled the final drive.

Jacksonville appeared to be done after Najeh Davenport's second 1-yard TD run of the game gave the Steelers a 29-28 lead with about six minutes remaining. But quarterback David Garrard, not a great runner, found a seam on a convert-or-else fourth-and-2 play and rambled 32 yards to the Steelers 11 with 1:56 left.

Garrard aided the Steelers' comeback by throwing two interceptions -- one less than he had all season -- only to come up with the play that may have saved the Jaguars' season.

The Jaguars came in off six wins in their last eight games, while the Steelers -- missing five starters, including star running back Willie Parker -- limped into the postseason with three losses in four games and four in seven.

Jacksonville Jaguars really deserve this win. If they would have lost because of that clearly obvious false face mask call, it would have been ashame. The Jags were the hottest team coming into the playoffs. Their young. Their hot. Their fresh. Their hungry and have the will to win. If the Titans win tomorrow, I really believe the Jags have the aggressive defense that will cause the Patriots trouble.

Seattle Seahawks Advance In The Playoffs

The Seattle Seahawks weren't about to play along with the sentimental favorite of this year's playoffs.

The first of four Wild Card games this weekend between the Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks was extremely exciting in the second half. Washington overcame a 13-0 deficit thanks to interceptions by Matt Hasselbeck and a screwed up kick return by the Seahawks , but the Redskins now trail Seattle in the fourth quarter, 28-14 due to dropped passes, a failed running game, and a questionable pass by Todd Collins. This play was horrible. He was hit as he lobbed the ball in the air...but even worse, Santana Moss just gave up on receiving the ball and looked like he was lost as the ball entered the hands of a Seahawks defensive man.

Washington came in on a wave of emotion. Seattle was unmoved, even after the visitors rallied for two scores and a fourth-quarter lead. The Seahawks roared back and won the NFC wild-card game, 35-14.

The Redskins rode the passion and momentum of the last month one more time, overcoming a 13-point, second-half deficit. Then the Seahawks came back with three touchdowns of their own for a 35-14 NFC wild-card victory Saturday.

Matt Hasselbeck hit D.J. Hackett with a 20-yard scoring pass, and Marcus Trufant and Jordan Babineaux picked off Todd Collins' first interceptions in a decade, returning them for touchdowns.

Seattle, 8-1 at home, beat a team that finished with a winning record for the first time since Week 1 and will travel to Green Bay next Saturday.

"I think two teams that cared a lot slugged it out," Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said. "And we won it."

The Redskins go home with their four-game winning streak over, their mission to play and win for slain teammate Sean Taylor coming to an emotional end.

"I can't believe it's over with for us," Washington linebacker London Fletcher said. "It just seemed our story was going to be written all the way to the Super Bowl for us."

Next up for Seahawks? Packers in Green Bay

Jose Canseco Has Been Silenced....For Now

Former Sports Illustrated associate editor Don Yaeger, who had initially planned on collaborating on Jose Canseco's next book, has decided against working with the former slugger, according to a published report.

"I'm passing," Yaeger told the New York Daily News. "I had a chance to review the Jose Canseco [material] that he provided me. I don't think there's a book there. I don't know what they're going to do. I don't think he's got what he claims to have, certainly doesn't have what he claims to have on A-Rod. There's no meat on the bones."

Canseco finalized a deal for his sequel to "Juiced" and it is expected to hit bookstores by Opening Day of the 2008 season, two New York newspapers reported last month. The working title of the book is "Vindicated."

As I said in an earlier article, Canseco at this point is just pointing fingers and acting like a baby. He doesn't have the evidence he claims to have and he's just starting rumors. For the matter, I can target any player and claim he's using steroids. That's basically what he's doing. Except, he's targeting potential Hall Of Fame candidates as a means to get back at the MLB for not voting him in.

Include MVP In The List Of Tom Brady's Accomplishments This Year

Was their any doubt? Tom Brady rewrote the NFL record book in 2007 and earned all but one MVP vote.

The New England Patriots' record-setting quarterback drew all but one vote Saturday in romping to The Associated Press 2007 NFL MVP award in the same manner his team romped through its schedule, going 16-0. On the way to the first unbeaten regular season since Miami went 14-0 in 1972, Brady put on a performance for the ages.

"I have always been a huge football fan and will always have great respect for the history of this game," Brady said. "I am grateful to all of the voters for any consideration I was given. It is a tremendous honor and I am sure it is one that my family will one day look back on with great pride."

The eight-year veteran who already has won three Super Bowls helped the Patriots tear through the record books by throwing for 50 touchdowns. He beat Peyton Manning's league mark by one, and also threw 23 of those TD passes to Randy Moss, which lifted the receiver past Jerry Rice's record of 22.

New England scored 589 points, another record, as was the Patriots' 75 touchdowns. Brady led the NFL with a 117.2 passer rating -- no, not another record, but close to Manning's 121.1 in 2004. Only one full-time AFC starter, Jacksonville's David Garrard, had fewer than Brady's eight interceptions. And Brady threw 253 more passes than Garrard.

Brady also was tops with a 68.9 completion percentage, and his 4,806 yards were 383 more than runner-up Drew Brees of New Orleans.

J.P. Losman Wants To Leave The Bills Because They Did Him Wrong

Bills quarterback J.P. Losman wants out of Buffalo, unhappy with how he lost his starting job to rookie Trent Edwards this past season.

Losman's agent, Gary Wichard, told The Associated Press on Friday that his client would prefer to be traded, but added Losman would play out the final year of his contract if necessary. Wichard said he has not yet spoken to the Bills because the team is seeking a new general manager after Marv Levy stepped down earlier this week.

Whether the Bills choose to keep Losman, Wichard said he didn't see any chance of Losman remaining with the team after next season.

"That ship has sailed, my friend," Wichard said. "Hopefully, they do something this year. And if not, we'll just walk away after next year."

Wichard said he spoke out now because he knew how unhappy his client is. He said he and Losman didn't want to air their views during the season so not to cause a distraction to the team.

Losman declined numerous interview requests over the final weeks of the season, and also after Bills players cleaned out their lockers Monday after a 7-9 finish, in which Buffalo missed the playoffs for a franchise record eighth consecutive season.

"I give him credit for handling this thing the way he has," Wichard said. "But at the end, he said, 'I'm out of here.'"

The Bills were not immediately available for comment.

Bills owner Ralph Wilson has previously said the team has not made a decision on Losman's future, and didn't rule out the possibility of the player returning for one more year.

Noting the number of starters hurt this season, Wilson told The AP last month that it might be important for the Bills to keep two experienced players.

The Bills, however, are high on Edwards, the third-round draft pick out of Stanford, who is expected to return as the starter despite an up-and-down season.

Edwards went 2-3 to finish the year after reclaiming the starting job for a second time from Losman. Edwards took over the first time in Week 3 after Losman sprained his knee during the first series of a 38-7 loss at New England.

Losman reclaimed the starting job after Edwards sprained his throwing hand five weeks later in a 13-3 win at the New York Jets. Losman, who rallied the Bills to beat the Jets, went 2-2 in his next four starts before losing the job again.

Wichard said Losman was unhappy by the lack of support the team provided him.

"He knows they bailed on him," Wichard said. "Nobody would ever say, 'J.P., you're our quarterback.' They said it was a week-to-week job. He was waiting to be yanked. And that's what eventually happened."

It's typical for a quarterback who is full of himself to blame his players when he isn't producing good results. The fact of the matter is Losman is a terrible quarterback and I'm one of those people who kept saying to start Trent Edwards every game. I can't see Losman gaining his starting job back again in Buffalo, or anywhere else for that matter.

Could Roger Clemens And Andy Pettitte Go To Jail?

In no way do I want either of these guys ending up in the slammer. They've contributed too much to baseball and unlike Barry Bonds, these guys aren't rude, cocky, or hated by the media and the public. However, they are following the exact trail as Bonds, which may lead them to prison.

Why might they go to jail? Because Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte were asked Friday to testify before a congressional committee on Jan. 16, along with their former trainer, Brian McNamee. Once you're in front of Congress, you have to tell the truth. That's what put Barry Bonds in the position he is now. He lied under oath. Will Clemens and Pettitte lie like Bonds did or will they come clean under extreme pressure? And even if they deny their accusations, are they still citing the truth? What is the truth? Only time will tell.

Also invited to appear before the House Oversight Committee were former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, whose allegations were a central part of last month's Mitchell report on doping in baseball. Former All-Star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch also was asked to speak to the panel.

A day earlier, the committee is to hear testimony from baseball commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell.

McNamee told Mitchell he had injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone during the 1998, 2000 and 2001 seasons. Clemens, in an interview to be broadcast by CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday, said McNamee injected him with vitamins and painkillers but not performance-enhancing drugs.

Pettitte admitted McNamee injected him with HGH twice while the pitcher was recovering from an injury.

The panel also convened a March 2005 hearing, when Mark McGwire refused to say whether he had used performance-enhancing drugs. Sammy Sosa said he had never knowingly used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Rafael Palmeiro denied using drugs but tested positive later that year for a steroid.

Vince Young Or Kerry Collins: Who Is The Better Start?

Many have been questioning the status of Young's health and if he'll be 100% ready to play for his first playoff game. Obviously, you wouldn't want your quarterback to start a playoff game if he wasn't anything less than 100% ready. In Last week's game, Young was injured and Kerry Collins stepped in. The same Kerry Collins who led the Giants to the Super Bowl, but then got smacked.

Young and Collins have two radically different styles of play. Young is mobile and can make plays with his legs. This is always a threat because a defense never knows if Young will pass or throw. However, unlike a mobile quarterback like Michael Vick, young does make plays and always looks to throw before he takes off running. Collins, on the other hand, is more of your traditional in the pocket, fire it down field type quarterback.

Vince Young took part in most of practice Friday but will be a game-time decision for the Titans' playoff game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.

Vince Young

Quarterback
Tennessee Titans

Profile

2007 Season Stats

Att	Comp	Yds	TD	Int	Rat
382	238	2389	9	17	71.1

Coach Jeff Fisher said Young was better but did not go full speed with his sore right quadriceps.

"I did say early he's a quick healer," Fisher said of his quarterback. "He's been that way. He can overcome some difficult things rather quickly, so we're very optimistic at this point."

But the Titans will still test Young on Sunday to make sure he can run around and be close to full speed.

"Then we'll make the decision," Fisher said.

Young is 17-11 as the Titans' starter since being drafted with the third pick overall in 2006. He originally hurt his quadriceps muscle in October and missed a game the next week but has said this injury isn't as severe.

It is interesting to note that while Young's numbers are pretty bad, he still finds a way for his team and him to win games and that's reflected in the record of his team since he joined.

This would be his second game against the Chargers in a month. Young was intercepted twice and limited to 2 yards on two carries. Fisher said Young has studied the tape of that game.

"Hopefully with some anticipation, he'll be able to take advantage of some things," Fisher said.

Also, running back LenDale White was back with the Titans after being excused the past two days of practice because of the death of his grandmother. He didn't practice Friday because of a sore knee but is expected to start after running for 1,110 yards.

However, the Titans are not without injuries. Center Kevin Mawae missed practice again with his sore left calf, and right guard Benji Olson (back) also sat out. Eugene Amano has started for Mawae the past two games, while Daniel Loper replaced Olson late in last week's win at Indianapolis.

The Titans have a roster spot with receiver Roydell Williams breaking his right ankle, and team officials planned to discuss making a move later Friday. With Mawae and Olson expected to be game-time decisions as well, an offensive lineman was expected to be promoted from the practice squad.

The bottom line is that if Young is able to start, then he will start. He is their young, future quarterback and Collins is only there as a veteran to guide him and come in if necessary. Then again, whenever you have a mobile quarterback on your team, every play seems like a back up will be needed. Mobile quarterbacks don't seem to last long in the NFL anymore.