TV Sports Daily

NBA Week 5 Power Rankings

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:31:28 -0500

Jabari Davis TVSPORTSDAILY.COM #1 Los Angeles Lakers 14-1 (1) The Lakers marched right along this week, going 3-0, and wrapping up a fortuitous patch in the schedule that saw them at/near Staples Center for the better part of two weeks. This week should at least provide a challenge with 4 of the next 5 coming on the road. I�m still looking forward to seeing Kobe and the Lake Show in Philly (Dec. 3rd) on the second night of a back-to-back�even if Boston did just trounce them by 24 last week. #2 Boston Celtics 16-2 (2) The status quo is definitely so, as the Celtics finished the week 3-0 as well. They came back from a double-digit deficit to handily beat the Warriors, (as I mentioned) destroyed the Sixers, and capped off the week by toying with the Bobcats on Saturday night, with a pleasantly plump Ground Jordan idly watching courtside. Key matchups with Orlando (Mon) and a young Portland team (Fri), could provide some excitement to what is becoming a somewhat mundane 2 (maybe 3) team race to the finish. #3 Cleveland Cavaliers 14-3 (3) Don�t look now, but the Cavs have won 5 in a row, yet again. Of course, it doesn�t hurt to have the Knicks, Thunder, Warriors, and Bucks on the schedule, but I can�t knock Bron Bron for the schedule placed before him. I can, however, question his recent blast of �He�s stupid�, when asked about Charles Barkley�s recent comments. Bron, keep in mind that Chuck is a media-figure and a personality, and is paid to give his opinion on things, no matter how crazy and outlandish they are at times. Just keep destroying the league as you have been, and leave the theatrics to lesser players. Besides, Chuck was exactly right in his opinion that you should curb your enthusiasm when talking about potentially playing other places in a couple years. You owe it to your fans, teammates, and an organization that is right on the precipice of greatness, if you just continue doing what you do. #4 Orlando Magic 13-4 (4) Just as I can�t knock the Lakers/Cavs for their recent schedule, I won�t knock the Magic for theirs. They saddled up and took care of business at home (Bucks/Pacers), and on the road (Sixers/Wizards). The matchup with Boston (Monday) is the only thing worthy of discussion this week. Its about time for Dwight to step up and prove he is worthy of being considered one of the best big men in the league today. #5 Denver 12-6 (9) No Carmelo? No problem. The Nuggets were still able to finish a 3-1 week with a convincing victory over the Rockets, essentially playing without the services of their injured scoring leader. The Nuggets are 8-2 in the last 10 games, and the Chauncey affect has definitely taken place. They still don�t consistently play defense, but what team (outside of Boston) actually does in today�s NBA? I�m intrigued by Thursday�s meeting with a healthy San Antonio, as it should provide an accurate measuring stick for the Nuggs. #6 Portland Trailblazers 12-6 (10) The Blazers continue to impress, completing a 4-0 week by cruising to an easy victory @ Detroit on Sunday. I was actually more impressed by their dismantling of the Hornets on Friday night. A rare occasion of CP3 actually being outplayed due to a dominating performance by Brandon Roy. As usual, health and experience will be the determining factor as to whether the Blazers endure another post-Christmas drop-off. A 4-game road trip, and a return home (next Tues) to face the Magic could play a part in determining that as well. #7 Utah Jazz 11-7 (5) At 3-2 over their last 5 games, the Jazz are simply beating the teams they are supposed to, and treading water against tougher opponents while Deron plays himself into shape. Jerry Sloan, and his merry Mormon fan base can take solace in the fact that 3 other perennial-contenders are also off to slow starts, otherwise the Jazz would have been severely penalized by Deron�s injury and a relatively slow start. With home games against Miami and Toronto sandwiched by roadies against Sac and Phoenix, anything less than a 3-1 week would be an absolute disappointment. #8 Houston Rockets 11-7 (7) The Rockets looked somewhat impressive in decisive wins over Miami and San Antonio, but left me in an absolute stupor with their home loss to a Denver team without any significant contribution from Carmelo on Sunday. With the Clippers, Warriors (twice), Grizzlies, and Atlanta (@home) coming up, I expect them to continue winning and padding their record. #9 Phoenix Suns 11-7 (6) Less than 48 hours after doing their best to make Dwayne Wade (43 pts, 6 ast) look like the unstoppable (untouchable) force the Mavericks made him look like during the 2006 Finals, the Suns did exactly the same thing with Devin Harris (47 pts, 7 rebs, 8 ast) and the New Jersey Nets on Sunday night. Their road wins from earlier in the week against the Thunder and Timberwolves should not longer count towards their overall record. Guess what Suns fans? You�re traveling to New Orleans and Dallas for a back-to-backer (Wed/Thurs) this week, only to return home to face Utah on Saturday. What do you think Chris Paul, Josh Howard, and Deron Williams have in store for you? #10 Detroit Pistons 10-6 (8) Meverson skips practice and gets fined. Been there, done that, no longer even a relevant story. What is a concern for me, and what should definitely be an issue for Detroit fans is the fact that outside of victories over the Lakers and Cavs, the Pistons don�t have a single significant or impressive win on their record. They�ve been obliterated by Boston twice, and have been smacked around by the Suns, Nets, and Trailblazers. I imagine Joe Dumars made that trade with the idea of it being a spark/push for a team that had become surprisingly dull, routine, and borderline mediocre against the better teams. I can�t say that I see much of a difference as of yet. Lurking in the shadows: San Antonio - I look for a �healthy� push over the next couple weeks. Props to Pop and the Big Fundamentals for keeping things afloat over the past month. New Jersey - I initially had written them off after being dismantled by the Lakers, but Devin Harris is actually turning into player worthy of paying attention to. New Orleans - They�ve been in my doghouse all season, but (as I expected) they are poised to make a real push with 3 of the next 4 being very winnable games. Allow me to thank all of you that not only take the time to read, but also go as far as to email your thoughts and opinions. Your feedback, whether positive and in agreement of my thoughts, or completely opposing is always very much appreciated. jabaridavis@yahoo.com

Sports on TV Today

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:27:59 -0500

All times Eastern. Programs live unless noted. Check local listings.

TUESDAY, DEC. 2

College men's basketball: Ohio State at Miami (Fla.) (ESPN, 7 p.m.); Clemson at Illinois (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.); Duke at Purdue (ESPN, 9 p.m.); Virginia at Minnesota (ESPN2, 9:30 p.m.)

NHL: Tampa Bay at Philadelphia (Versus, 7 p.m.)

Sports Recap

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:25:33 -0500

New York Giants star receiver Plaxico Burress was charged with two felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree Monday and released on a $100,000 bond. Burress, who accidentally shot himself Friday night in the right thigh at a Manhattan nightclub, did not enter a plea on the class C felony charges, though his attorney said Burress planned to plead not guilty. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Felicia Mennin ordered Burress to return March 31. Defense lawyer Benjamin Brafman argued for no bail, saying: "He has 35 million reasons to come back to court" -- referring to Burress' $35 million contract with the Giants. Prosecutors also released a criminal complaint that provides a witness account from the club where Burress shot himself, the Latin Quarter. A witness reported hearing a popping sound before Burress' legs began to shake, according to a criminal complaint. It said the person saw a bloody pistol fall out of his pant leg and land on the floor before Burress said "Take me to a hospital." Everything was working so well for Paul Pierce that his teammates just kept getting him the ball. Pierce scored 17 of his 24 points in the third quarter to lead the Boston Celtics to their ninth straight win, 107-88 over the Orlando Magic on Monday night. "We were just taking advantage of the matchups," Pierce said. "We saw something that we could do and we just kept going to it. My teammates did a good job of setting me up." Stephon Marbury was sent into limbo Monday, told to stay away from the New York Knicks until they can determine a way to get rid of him. Marbury was not satisfied with the buyout offer put forward by Knicks president Donnie Walsh and spent only 15 minutes discussing his situation. His attorney, Hal Biagas, spent another 20 minutes with Walsh before leaving and telling reporters no resolution had been reached. In a statement, Walsh said: "After meeting with Stephon and his representative this afternoon, we have directed Stephon not to participate in practice or attend games until further notice. We want to continue to meet with him to discuss a long-term resolution." A source briefed on the discussions told ESPN.com there is "no timetable for anything going forward," adding that a speedy resolution seemed unlikely with the sides far apart financially. Steve Slaton wanted the ball more. So the rookie marched up to Houston coach Gary Kubiak at halftime, grabbed him by the shirt and told him so. Kubiak listened and Slaton responded with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead the Texans to a 30-17 win over slumping Jacksonville in their Monday Night Football debut. "I wanted to run the ball," Slaton said. "I wanted to let him know that if he needed someone to count on, it was me." Mario Williams had a season-high three sacks and forced a fumble, Andre Johnson added a TD reception and Kris Brown kicked three field goals in the win, a highlight in Houston's disappointing season so far. Free agents CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets and Brian Shouse were offered salary arbitration Monday by the Brewers, ensuring Milwaukee will receive compensatory picks in next year's amateur draft if they sign elsewhere. Sabathia and Sheets are Type A free agents. Milwaukee would receive two draft picks if they sign with another club. Shouse is a Type B free agent. Milwaukee would receive one supplemental draft pick if the left-hander leaves. All three players have until Sunday to accept the offers. Derek Anderson's season is officially over, yet another slap for the down-on-their-luck Cleveland Browns. Anderson, who lost his starting job to Brady Quinn several weeks ago, will miss the final four games after tearing a ligament in his left knee on Sunday against Indianapolis. Watch highlights from the Indianapolis Colts' 10-6 win over the Cleveland Browns. An MRI taken Monday revealed Anderson tore the medial collateral ligament when he was sacked in the final minutes of Cleveland's 10-6 loss to the Colts. Anderson, making his first start since Nov. 2 after being benched for Quinn, will not need surgery. He will be placed in a brace and will need four to six weeks to recover. Quinn, too, is done for the season with a finger injury. He has not yet decided whether to have surgery on his broken right index finger, which he hurt on Nov. 17 at Buffalo. Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware and running back Marion Barber were not at practice Monday, the first time the Cowboys were back on the field since both were hurt Thanksgiving Day. Coach Wade Phillips said both were "day to day." Ware, the NFL sacks leader, has a hyperextended left knee and Barber has a dislocated right pinkie toe. "We'll see how they are," Phillips said before the early portion of practice open to reporters. MRI tests Friday revealed no significant damage for Ware and Barber. Both got hurt in the Cowboys' 34-9 victory over Seattle. Phillips expects Ware to practice this week, but was less certain about Barber. Never bet against Dabo. "I've never failed at anything in my life," Dabo Swinney, Clemson's new football coach, said Monday. It's not arrogance, said Swinney, "I'm confident in my abilities." How else to explain why Swinney was able to get that pretty girl in his Valley Elementary third grade class in Pelham, Ala., -- now wife Kathleen -- to check the yes box on his note asking her to go with him after a few hard-to-get nos. Or why the walk-on sat in the stands outside an Alabama game with that same girl 15 years later convinced he'd make the catches the Crimson Tide's recruited receivers couldn't. On Monday came Swinney's latest off-the-charts success -- the 39-year-old with no head coaching or coordinator experience before October had gained the job full-time with a five-year contract agreement. Lance Armstrong will ride in the 2009 Tour de France, marking the first time he will compete in that race and the Giro d'Italia in the same year. "I'm committed to riding for the best guy," Armstrong said Monday, acknowledging the taxing schedule could leave him riding in a supporting role in France. The Giro runs May 9-31, and the Tour begins July 4. With such a quick turnaround between two grueling races, the seven-time Tour champion acknowledged his body might not perform at the same level it did when he won his last Tour in 2005. "If you've been away for three or four years, it would be silly for anybody to think I could pick up where I left off," Armstrong told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Tenerife in the Canary Islands where Astana is training. "I can tell you I feel better than ever, I feel stronger than ever on Dec. 1. How that translates to racing, we'll have to see. Mentally, in terms of motivation, this feels like 1998-1999 to me." Florida's Percy Harvin limped around campus in a protective boot Monday and showed improvement, but coach Urban Meyer said his star receiver remained questionable for the Southeastern Conference championship game. "The great news in the training room today, it's very positive, very positive, a lot of thumbs up, including from the player, a big thumbs up, a smile on his face," Meyer said. "He's as competitive a human being as I've ever been around. He's doing everything he can possibly do, and our training staff's the best in college football. That's all positive. "The negative is it's a sprained ankle, and we know what sprained ankles mean. We're going to boot him and he will not do anything until later in the week." Harvin sprained his right ankle Saturday at Florida State and missed the second half. The Gators scored 31 points with him on the sideline, but teammates and coaches would much rather have him on the field. Undefeated Gonzaga hurdled half of the top 10 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll Monday to settle in at No. 5 a day after its convincing victory over Tennessee in the Old Spice Classic championship game. The Bulldogs' leap led a reshuffing of the top 10 following their triumph in the Orlando tournament. Louisville tumbled from third to 11th on the heels of its upset loss to Western Kentucky on Sunday. Michigan State also fell from the top 10, dropping six spots from sixth to 12th after losing to Maryland in the Old Spice Classic. These top 10 departures opened the door for Oklahoma (No. 6) and UCLA (No. 9) to join the top 10. North Carolina remained the unanimous No. 1 team in the country with 31 first-place votes. The Tar Heels are followed by No. 2 UConn, No. 3 Pittsburgh, No. 4 Duke and the Zags. Mike Hampton and the Astros reached agreement Monday on a contract pending the free-agent pitcher passing a physical, KRIV-TV in Houston reported on its Web site. Lane Kiffin, the former coach of the NFL Oakland Raiders, is the new coach of Tennessee. The Patriots will play the Buccaneers next season at Wembley Stadium, the third straight year the NFL will stage a regular-season game in the British capital. Career steals leader Rickey Henderson heads 10 first-time candidates on this year's Hall of Fame ballot, joining holdovers Mark McGwire and Jim Rice -- eligible for the final time. Former Wisconsin player Leonard Taylor Jr. has been charged with threatening Badgers AD Barry Alvarez and tennis star Maria Sharapova. Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa moved a step closer to signing with the Boston Red Sox after rejecting offers from three other major league teams. WNBA president Donna Orender says the league-owned Houston Comets, winner of the league's first four championships, will be shut down because new owners couldn't be found.

Sports on TV Today

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:52:49 -0500

All times Eastern. Programs live unless noted. Check local listings.

MONDAY, DEC. 1

College men's basketball: Wisconsin at Virginia Tech (ESPN2, 7 p.m.).

NFL: Jacksonville at Houston (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.).

NHL: Colorado at Minnesota (Versus, 8 p.m.)

Sports Recap

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:50:52 -0500

New Orleans put the game in Drew Brees' hands, and Tampa Bay took it right away. The relentless Buccaneers defense pressured the NFL's leading passer all afternoon, then intercepted him twice in the closing minutes Sunday to stay atop the NFC South with a 23-20 victory over the Saints. "You know you're going to get opportunities," Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber said after Brees threw on nine of New Orleans' first 11 plays and finished with 47 attempts on a rainy day that might have discouraged some other quarterbacks. Instead it was Tampa Bay's defense, sometimes overlooked during the team's 9-3 start, that got the best of the Saints star. The Carolina Panthers should have been trudging into a snowy Green Bay night wondering for the second week in a row if they're really as good as their record would indicate. Instead, they were celebrating an improbable come-from-behind victory Sunday, thanks to late back-to-back-to-back big plays by Mark Jones, Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams -- and a Green Bay Packers team that seemed intent on giving the game away. But with division rival Tampa Bay coming to Charlotte next Monday night, Smith wasn't gloating about the Panthers' stunning 35-31 victory in wintry conditions at Lambeau Field. The Steelers snapped the Patriots' spell over them with a plan that has worked all season: knock 'em down, steal the ball and keep them from gaining yards. Pittsburgh's top-ranked defense got rolling in the second half, leading the Steelers to a 33-10 win on a cold and rainy Sunday, only their second victory in eight games against New England. "We heard a lot of talk about it being a rivalry," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. "It hasn't been much of a rivalry until you win some. That's what we talked about coming up here." The Steelers outscored the Patriots 23-0 in the second half when they had all five of their takeaways and four of their five sacks and gave up 81 yards to a team that had gained more than 500 in each of its two previous games. It's all but over for the star-studded San Diego Chargers, who were done in Sunday by a rookie quarterback, a rookie head coach and a former teammate. Yes, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and the surprising Atlanta Falcons are very much alive in the NFC playoff picture, thanks to their 22-16 win over the collapsing Chargers. Ryan, the rookie from Boston College, threw two touchdown passes and Turner, the former understudy to LaDainian Tomlinson, ran for 120 yards against his former team. The Chargers? A popular preseason pick to make it to the Super Bowl, they're on the precipice of a super collapse. The New York Giants have shoved every distraction aside, including a shooting incident involving their star receiver, to become as dominant as, say, a Chicago Bulls team with Michael Jordan. Perhaps that's no coincidence. At one of the first meetings of training camp, coach Tom Coughlin discussed the 1991-92 Bulls as a team for the Giants to emulate in the bid to repeat as Super Bowl champions. That was the first season that MJ won a back-to-back, and the Giants remained solidly on pace to keep up with His Airness after Sunday's 23-7 victory over the Washington Redskins. "That really kind of set our whole season going and focused in the right direction," receiver Amani Toomer said. "And we've been answering every call ever since." Clemson removed the interim designation from coach Dabo Swinney in a meeting on Sunday and could announce it as soon as Monday afternoon in a news conference, multiple souces told ESPN on Sunday. Athletic director Terry Don Phillips offered the job to Swinney in a meeting on campus Sunday afternoon. After Swinney accepted, contract discussions began and are expected to continue Monday morning. officials of his intentions Saturday following the Tigers' 31-14 defeat of archrival South Carolina, and received approval, the source said. Sports information director Tim Bourret said Sunday that he has been told not to attend Clemson's basketball game at Illinois on Tuesday in order to be "on call" should a press conference be neeeded. Browns head coach Romeo Crennel stated emphatically this week that Brady Quinn will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in 2009. Crennel might not be Quinn's head coach next season, however. Watch highlights from the Indianapolis Colts' 10-6 win over the Cleveland Browns. Crennel will need a miracle finish to save his own job, sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen. Quinn will miss the rest of this season with a broken finger on his throwing hand. It appears the Browns have lost their second quarterback in two weeks. Just several days after losing Brady Quinn to a broken finger, Cleveland also lost Derek Anderson to a left MCL injury in the waning moments of Sunday's 10-6 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts. he recovery time for MCL injuries is usually 3-4 weeks, which likely means Anderson is out for the remainder of the 2008 season. Anderson was hurt Sunday when Browns right tackle Kevin Shaffer landed on Anderson's leg on the final drive. Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell played with two shattered fingers on his non-throwing hand Saturday in the Red Raiders' victory over Baylor, a source close to Harrell said Sunday night. The source said Harrell underwent four hours of surgery Sunday on the pinkie and ring fingers on his left hand, with 17 pins and two plates inserted in his hand to heal nine separate breaks. Despite the extent of the injury, suffered in the second quarter, Harrell finished the game against the Bears and is expected to be fine for Tech's bowl game. The source said Harrell was X-rayed at halftime, and the Tech medical staff told him he was done for the day. Harrell responded, "Tape my hand up. I'm going out." Harrell finished the game with black tape around the two fingers. Despite the injury, Harrell threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Red Raiders back from a two-touchdown deficit in the second half. The victory gave Tech a share of the Big 12 South title, but it lost the BCS standings tie-breaker to Oklahoma. The Sooners will represent the South in the Big 12 championship game, while Tech will maintain a slim hope for a BCS at-large berth. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said three weeks ago that he looked forward to Charlie Weis being football coach "for a long time." That statement now seems like it was made a long time ago. Since then, the Irish (6-6) have, survived Navy nearly rallying from being 20 points down to come within a play of beating Notre Dame a second straight year, given up two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Syracuse to lose 24-23 to an Orange squad that finished with nine losses, and lost 38-3 to USC on Saturday, the second most lopsided loss for the Irish in the 80-year rivalry. The most lopsided loss was last year's 38-0. That unpleasant run to finish the season is just one factor Swarbrick will have to consider in deciding whether to bring back Weis, who has seven years left on the 10-year contract he signed midway through his first season as Irish coach. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin will be joining his son Lane at Tennessee, sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen. "It's all just speculation. That's all it is," Monte Kiffin said after Tampa Bay's 23-20 victory over New Orleans. "I can honestly tell you it's speculation, just like it came up with the Raiders, it came up two years ago, it came up last year. "It's not fair to our players. Tonight isn't about Monte Kiffin. It's about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, our defensive football team, Jon Gruden, our offense, our special teams and a great, great win. And we're 9-3." Samardo Samuels grabbed the ball and launched a game's worth of frustration and all of his 260 pounds at the rim. Surely, this would be the moment the Louisville freshman would help the third-ranked Cardinals take control and finally put away Western Kentucky. Jeremy Evans had other ideas. The Western Kentucky center -- all 190 pounds of him -- thrust his arm between the ball and the basket and somehow sent Samuels sprawling to the floor. The rest of the Cardinals soon followed in a stunning 68-54 upset. "It just gives you a little attitude that 'Hey, we're going to get this done,'" first-year Western Kentucky coach Ken McDonald said about the big-time block. "That was a huge play." Of the 65 coaches leading programs affiliated with the Bowl Championship Series, Miami's Randy Shannon is about to stand alone. A week from now, he'll be the only black man in the group. Miami coach Randy Shannon says mandating a graduate assistant job for minorities would help provide a more diverse base. After Sylvester Croom resigned Saturday from Mississippi State, along with the recent firings of Kansas State's Ron Prince and Washington's Tyrone Willingham -- who'll coach his final game with the Huskies on Saturday -- Shannon is one of three black coaches left in major college football, and the only one at a BCS school. The last time there were only three black coaches at the Division I-A level was 1993, and Shannon, who waited many years before getting his first legitimate chance at becoming a head coach, simply can't understand the lack of progress in bridging the sideline race gap. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points and Greg Oden had a career-high 13 rebounds to help the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Detroit Pistons 96-85 Sunday. Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen will be named the head coach of Wyoming, sources familiar with the agreement told ESPN.com's Joe Schad. Tommy Tuberville hit the road for recruiting and said he didn't know when he would meet with Auburn University President Jay Gogue and athletic director Jay Jacobs on his job status. K.J. Choi holed an 11-foot birdie putt worth $270,000 on the 18th hole Sunday to win the 26th Skins Game with $415,000.

Sports on TV Today

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:32:00 -0500

All times Eastern. Programs live unless noted. Check locallistings.

SUNDAY, NOV. 30

Bowling: Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, CLR Carmen Salvino Scorpion Championship, in Vernon Hills, Ill.,ESPN, 1 p.m.

College men's basketball: Old Spice Classic, ESPN2; consolationgame, 5:30 p.m., championship game, 8 p.m. North Carolina-Asheville at NorthCarolina, FSN, 6:30 p.m. 76 Classic, championship game, ESPN2, 10:30p.m.

College women's basketball: Oklahomaat Connecticut, ESPN, 8:15 p.m.

Golf: PGA European Tour, SportsbetAustralian Masters, final round, Golf Channel, 9:30 a.m. (same-day tape). LG Skins Game,final round, ABC, 3:30 p.m. (same-day tape)

NFL:

San Francisco at Buffalo	1:00 PM	FOX	Ralph Wilson Stadium
Baltimore at Cincinnati	1:00 PM	CBS	Paul Brown Stadium
Indianapolis at Cleveland	1:00 PM	CBS	Cleveland Browns Stadium
Carolina at Green Bay	1:00 PM	FOX	Lambeau Field
Miami at St. Louis	1:00 PM	CBS	Edward Jones Dome
New Orleans at Tampa Bay	1:00 PM	FOX	Raymond James Stadium
NY Giants at Washington	1:00 PM	FOX	FedEx Field
Atlanta at San Diego	4:05 PM	FOX	Qualcomm Stadium
Pittsburgh at New England	4:15 PM	CBS	Gillette Stadium
Denver at NY Jets	4:15 PM	CBS	Giants Stadium
Kansas City at Oakland	4:15 PM	CBS	Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Chicago at Minnesota	8:15 PM	NBC	Metrodome

Sports Recap

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:22:49 -0500

New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress has told the team that he accidentally shot himself Friday night, a league official told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio. Burress was treated and released from New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center. He was there overnight and was released at 2 p.m. Saturday, the Giants said. A team official told The Associated Press that Burress shot himself in a nightclub. New York City police say they are investigating whether the incident took place at Latin Quarter, a sprawling 15,000-square foot restaurant and club in midtown Manhattan. A league official told Paolantonio the bullet went through the skin and muscle tissue of Burress' right thigh, and did not hit any major arteries, and there were no broken bones. The outcome of Saturday night's Notre Dame-Southern California game was never in doubt. What remains in question is Charlie Weis' job security with the Fighting Irish. Mark Sanchez passed for 267 yards and two touchdowns, USC 's hard-hitting defense thoroughly dominated Notre Dame, and the fifth-ranked Trojans rolled to a 38-3 victory over the Irish and their beleaguered coach. "This was a terrific way to send the seniors out," USC coach Pete Carroll said following the Trojans' final home game. "We're not done yet. We just keep playing. We're going to the Rose Bowl, one way or another." By winning their eighth straight game, the Trojans kept their slim national championship hopes alive and, at the very least, are in position to play in their fourth straight Rose Bowl game. Jacquizz Rodgers watched solemnly on the sideline wearing his No. 1 jersey over his street clothes as Oregon State's Rose Bowl aspirations slipped away. Rival Oregon all but crushed the Beavers' hopes of going to Pasadena on New Year's Day with a 65-38 victory Saturday in the highest-scoring game in the Civil War rivalry. Rodgers, the Beavers' wily freshman running back who was not able to play in the game because of a shoulder injury, walked quietly off the field afterward with his older brother and teammate, James. Oregon State cornerback Keenan Lewis laid on the turf, staring at the sky in disbelief, until two of his teammates finally helped him up. A win would have sent the No. 17 Beavers (8-4, 7-2 Pac-10) to the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 1964 season. Instead, Oregon State will have to wait to see if UCLA can upset No. 5 USC on Dec. 6. Should the Bruins win, the Beavers would share a three-way tie for the conference title with the Trojans and the Ducks, and Oregon State would have the tiebreaker for the Rose Bowl. Oklahoma got all the bounces it needed to get past Oklahoma State in the highest-scoring Bedlam rivalry game ever. But did the Sooners do enough to bounce over Texas and into the Big 12 championship game? That's for the voters and computers to decide. The third-ranked Sooners took care of their business on the field. Sam Bradford threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns, cashed in on a 1-yard touchdown plunge after setting it up with an end-over-end flip, and Oklahoma made a case for a BCS bump with a 61-41 win Saturday night against No. 12 Oklahoma State. On the line was a shot at the Big 12 title next Saturday against Missouri, and also the edge in the national championship race. The Big 12 South will now be decided among Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech in a three-way tie broken by the BCS standings to be released Sunday. Nick Saban has Alabama on top again. The national rankings and SEC West? That's old news. Already No. 1 in the nation, Alabama emphatically reclaimed the premier spot in the state by overwhelming bitter rival Auburn 36-0 on Saturday to end a six-year Iron Bowl losing streak and fashion the biggest margin in the series in 46 years. Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews walked into the interview room, said he was embarrassed and then left without taking questions. Coach, you're not alone. Tim Tebow and No. 2 Florida have left many others feeling the same way the past two months. Tebow threw three touchdown passes, ran for 80 yards and another score, and the Gators thumped No. 23 Florida State 45-15 in sloppy conditions Saturday. It was the most points Florida has ever scored at Doak Campbell Stadium. Barring the "ridiculous," according to New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh, Stephon Marbury's status will be settled Monday. Some would say that ridiculous is what the Marbury situation has already become, but Walsh made no promises Saturday that the stalemate will come to an agreeable end when he, Marbury, and Marbury's attorney, Hal Biagas of the NBA Players Association, meet on Monday. Walsh said team owner James Dolan had given him no specific instructions on how to proceed. "Unless it's something ridiculous, I think he would say 'Do what you think is best.' That's what he's told me." Asked to define "ridiculous," Walsh replied: "I don't know." Despite his public statements that he wouldn't accept "one penny less" that what he is owed, Marbury has already told the Knicks he'd accept roughly 95 percent of his $20.86 million contract, and the team has not yet made a counterproposal, although one presumably will be forthcoming Monday. Sylvester Croom came to Mississippi State with much fanfare, deemed by many a pioneer, the first black man hired to be head coach of an Southeastern Conference football team. After five seasons he's out, gone for the most basic reason: His team didn't win enough. Croom resigned Saturday, less than 24 hours after an embarrassing 45-0 loss to Mississippi in the most lopsided Egg Bowl in 37 years. He announced the decision in a statement released by the school after meeting with athletic director Greg Byrne. Croom was 21-38 at Mississippi State with one winning season. Byrne said it was Croom's decision to resign. "We talked about a lot of different ideas and coach Croom was open to a lot of different ideas," Byrne said at a news conference. "The final idea was where we landed." The Georgia Tech players gathered in front of their small contingent of fans in a corner of Sanford Stadium. They sang the "Ramblin' Wreck" fight song. They bounced up and down. Then pinched off pieces of the famous hedge that surrounds the field. This was a celebration eight years in the making. The Yellow Jackets unleashed their triple-option offense on Georgia with devastating results Saturday. Roddy Jones rushed for a career-best 214 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Jonathan Dwyer ran for 144 and two scores of his own. When it was done, No. 22 Georgia Tech had overcome a 16-point halftime deficit to stun the 11th-ranked Bulldogs 45-42, its first win in the series since 2000. "Growing up, all I heard about was how great Georgia was," said Jones, a redshirt freshman. "It's great to be part of a team that ends the streak." Annika Sorenstam celebrated two big victories in her second-to-last event before retiring. For starters Sunday in the Lexus Cup, the International team captain waited out a lightning delay to finish off Asian counterpart Se Ri Pak 3 and 2 in the opening singles match, the longtime stars' first match-play showdown. A couple of hours later, American Christina Kim gave Sorenstam an even bigger victory, birdieing the par-5 18th against Namika Omata for a halve and the winning half-point in the three-day event at Singapore Island Country Club. "It's one thing to be inside the ropes in control, but when you're cheering for everyone you want to help them however you can," said Sorenstam, set to end her Hall of Fame career next week in the Ladies European Tour's Dubai Ladies Masters. Looking around at his mostly inexperienced teammates, Victor Harris probably felt more qualified than most to offer some perspective on the circuitous path Virginia Tech took to its second straight conference championship game. "Last year, we had all those veterans and seniors and stuff like that that had been through the fire before," Harris said Saturday after the Hokies got a fourth-quarter field goal from Dustin Keys and a clutch interception in a 17-14 victory against Virginia. "This year, we just had to hang in there. Just for a bunch of younger guys to come around and play hard and come together for one purpose, that's a beautiful thing." Brian Burke took over as president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. "You're talking about the Vatican if you're Catholic, you're talking the center of the hockey universe, you're talking about one of the most important jobs in hockey running the Toronto Maple Leafs," Burke said at a news conference. "It's a dream job." Maple Leafs fans are hoping GM Brian Burke can work some of the same magic he did with the Anaheim Ducks. He got a six-year deal, worth a reported $3 million annually, to replace interim general manager Cliff Fletcher after John Ferguson was fired in January. Burke spent the past three-plus seasons managing the Anaheim Ducks, leading them to a Stanley Cup title in 2007. He stepped down from the post Nov. 13 after declining to sign a contract extension that would take him beyond this season. David Vobora is about to go from "Mr. Irrelevant" to the starting lineup. Vobora, the last man taken in the 2008 NFL draft, will start Sunday at middle linebacker for the St. Louis Rams against the Miami Dolphins. The Rams took Vobora, who played at Idaho, with the 45th pick of the seventh round and 252nd pick overall -- earning him the annual "Mr. Irrelevant" nickname as the draft's last pick. He will be the first "Mr. Irrelevant" to start in his rookie season since Marty Moore started four games for the New England Patriots in 1994, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Florida State safety Myron Rolle said he is planning to accept his Rhodes Scholarship and study in Oxford, England, starting next October and bypass his senior year of eligiblity. Chris Duhon had a franchise-record 22 assists, David Lee had career highs of 37 points and 21 rebounds, and the New York Knicks rang up a record-setting 82 points in the first half in a 138-125 victory over Golden State on Saturday night. K.J. Choi rolled in a three-foot birdie putt worth $75,000 on the third hole Saturday, giving him the first-day lead in the 26th annual Skins Game. Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders will miss Sunday's game in Cleveland against the Browns because of his ailing right knee. American goalkeeper Brad Friedel of Aston Villa made a record 167th consecutive Premier League appearance Saturday against Fulham. Orlando Magic guard Mickael Pietrus will be out three to five weeks because of a torn ligament in his right thumb.

Sports on TV Today

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:17:02 -0500

All times Eastern. Programs live unless noted. Check local listings.

SATURDAY, NOV. 29

Boxing: Heavyweights, Chris Arreola vs. Travis Walker; junior middleweights, Paul Williams vs. Verno Phillips, in Ontario, Calif., HBO, 10 p.m. (same-day tape on West Coast)

College football: Georgia Tech at Georgia, CBS, noon. Virginia at Virginia Tech, ESPN, noon. South Carolina at Clemson, ESPN2, noon. Kansas vs. Missouri, in Kansas City, Mo., FSN, 12:30 p.m. State Farm Bayou Classic, Grambling State vs. Southern, at New Orleans, NBC, 2 p.m. Baylor at Texas Tech, Versus, 3:30 p.m. Regional coverage, Florida at Florida State or Maryland at Boston College, ABC, 3:30 p.m. Kentucky at Tennessee, ESPN2, 6:30 p.m. Oregon at Oregon State, Versus, 7 p.m. Notre Dame at Southern California, ESPN, 8 p.m. Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, ABC, 8 p.m.

College men's basketball: Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Invitational, ESPN2, 10:30 p.m. Colorado at Stanford, FSN, 10:30 p.m.

Golf: PGA European Tour, Sportsbet Australian Masters, third round, Golf Channel, 9:30 a.m. (same-day tape). LG Skins Game, first round, in Indian Wells, Calif., ABC, 1 p.m. (same-day tape). PGA Tour, Omega Mission Hills World Cup, final round, Golf Channel, 10:30 p.m.

Sports Recap

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:14:02 -0500

Tennessee has reached an agreement with former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin to take over as the Volunteers' next coach, with an announcement planned for Monday, barring any snags, according to multiple sources. Kiffin, 33, will be making his college head coaching debut in succeeding Phillip Fulmer, who will coach his last game for the Vols on Saturday. Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton denied reports on Wednesday that Kiffin had been offered a contract. But Kiffin has been at the forefront of the Vols' search for some time. Part of the holdup is that Tennessee didn't want to do anything officially this week that would take away from Fulmer's final game Saturday against Kentucky. Fulmer was fired by Hamilton on Nov. 2 and allowed to finish out the season. He's been at Tennessee as a player, assistant coach and head coach for 35 years. One day after a missed practice landed him on the Detroit Pistons' bench, Allen Iverson spoke loudly with his play Friday night. Once he got the chance. Coming off the bench for the first time as a Piston, Iverson scored 17 points and led Detroit to a 107-97 victory over the slumping Milwaukee Bucks. "With everything going on, I wanted to play well," Iverson said. "I just wanted to play well. Especially for my teammates because I let them down by not being here." Stephon Marbury has been suspended for one game and docked two games' pay by the New York Knicks, who are alleging he refused to play Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Marbury was suspended without pay for Saturday's game against Golden State and was also fined 1/110th of his salary for his actions in Detroit, meaning his penalty amounts to almost $400,000 of his $20.84 million salary for this season. Marbury has been told to stay away from the team at least until Monday, when his status will be re-addressed. He did not practice Friday, and he will not be welcome in the home locker room at Madison Square Garden when the Knicks play the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. The New York Post reported Saturday that Marbury, Knicks president Donnie Walsh and NBA Players' Association lawyer Hal Biagas are set to meet Monday to try and reach a buyout agreement. Undefeated Boise State has a message for the BCS: Compute this. The No. 9 Broncos put together a dazzling audition for college football's big-money bowls in a 61-10 blowout of Fresno State on Friday night. Kyle Wilson returned a punt 90 yards, wide receiver Tanyon Bissell threw for another touchdown on a smooth reverse pass, and now all the Broncos can do is hope it's enough to impress the computers and pollsters who produce the Bowl Championship Series pairings. "I think it's an obvious statement what we'd like to do," normally evasive coach Chris Petersen said with a wry smile after accepting the trophy for Boise State's sixth WAC championship that the Broncos (12-0) had clinched a week earlier. Petersen knows the odds of his team becoming a second undefeated champion of a non-BCS conference to make the BCS is remote. Utah (12-0) is ranked three spots higher than the Broncos in the BCS. The series is required to only select one non-BCS team ranked in its top 12 -- the higher-rated one. Dwyane Wade was on a mission -- and it was impossible for the Phoenix Suns to stop him. Wade scored a season-high 43 points, and the Miami Heat beat the Suns 107-92 Friday night in the first matchup between the teams since the Shaquille O'Neal for Shawn Marion blockbuster trade last February. Neither O'Neal nor Marion was much of a factor in the game dominated by the unstoppable Wade. O'Neal scored 12 points and Marion had 10. "I was on a mission to bounce back from my last game," said Wade, referring a season-low 12 points against Portland on Wednesday night in an embarrassing 106-68 loss. "My shot was there and I just wanted to focus tonight. I focused all the way through tonight. I haven't been doing that [recently]." New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress will miss Sunday's game against Washington with a sore right hamstring. Burress pulled the hamstring in the Giants' win over Baltimore on Nov. 16. He then aggravated the injury in the opening series last Sunday against Arizona, and then sat out the rest of that game. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Friday that Burress "is progressing, no doubt. He is getting better." Domenik Hixon, who is dealing with an ankle injury, will start in Burress' place. Blake Griffin missed three free throws late in the game that might have allowed Oklahoma (No. 13 ESPN/USA Today, No. 11 AP) to beat Purdue in regulation. The way the Sooners were parading to the foul line, one had to figure the stellar 6-foot-10 sophomore would get a chance at redemption. Griffin hit the go-ahead foul shot with just over a minute left in overtime, finishing with 18 points and matching a career high with 21 rebounds in an 87-82 victory over the Boilermakers (No. 9, No. 10) on Friday in the championship of the NIT Season Tip-Off. The topic of LeBron James' still-two-years-from-now free agency, which hit a crescendo this week upon the Cleveland Cavaliers' visit to New York to play the Knicks, left one opinionated Hall of Famer pleading for James to drop the subject. Charles Barkley, in an interview on "Dan Patrick Radio," said James has no business talking about a future with another team while he's a Cavalier. "If I was LeBron James, I would shut the hell up," Barkley said in the Wednesday interview. "I'm a big LeBron fan. He's a stud. You gotta give him his props. I'm getting so annoyed he's talking about what he's going to do in two years. I think it's disrespectful to the game. I think it's disrespectful to the Cavaliers." James, however, felt differently. "He's stupid. That's all I've got to say about that," James said Friday night before the Cavaliers' game against Golden State. LeBron James sure does look comfortable in Cleveland right now. James scored 23 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas added a season-high 21, and the Cavaliers matched their best home start in franchise history with a 112-97 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. Cleveland (13-3) has won 12 of 13 and is a league-best 9-0 at home, equaling its top home start, first set in 1976-77 and repeated in 1991-92. First, Pitt tried deception and trickery. Finally, the No. 25 Panthers remembered how they ruined West Virginia's season last year: Give LeSean McCoy the ball and ask their defense to take away what the Mountaineers do best. McCoy scored his second touchdown with 52 seconds left to finish off a career-high 183-yard rushing performance, and Pittsburgh beat rival West Virginia 19-15 on Friday to make Cincinnati the Big East champions. McCoy, who failed to get the ball several times earlier on key goal-line plays that failed, carried on all but one of the 10 plays on the 59-yard, game-winning touchdown drive in the closing minutes. He capped it by scoring from the 1. University of Texas junior quarterback Colt McCoy said that he will test the NFL waters after the season, but will retain his eligibility to play one more year for the Longhorns. McCoy, after the Longhorns finished off a 49-9 win against Texas A&M on Thursday, told reporters that he will file paperwork to receive feedback from an NFL advisory committee about his draft prospects. McCoy said he plans to return to Texas, but if he were rated a first- or second-round draft pick, he could change his mind. "I think it would be foolish not to look at it like that," McCoy said, according to the Dallas Morning News. "But at the same time, I want to play four years here. Not very many people have had the opportunity to do that. That's something that's real special to me and important to me." Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter has been fined $7,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct during Miami's 48-28 loss to New England on Sunday. Ray Allen scored 23 points and Kevin Garnett added 16 to lead the Boston Celtics to their seventh straight victory, 102-78 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. Tyler Smith scored 21 points to lead Tennessee to a 90-78 semifinal victory over Georgetown Friday in the semifinals of the Old Spice Classic. The Panthers have signed cornerback Chris Gamble to a six-year contract extension that will keep him in Carolina through the 2014 season. Former NHL agent David Frost was acquitted Friday of sexual exploitation while coaching in a junior league in Canada. MRI tests on injured Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware and running back Marion Barber revealed no significant damage a day after both were injured in the Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day win over Seattle. Organizers for the 2012 London Olympics said on Friday that construction work at the first Games-related site, the sailing venue, had been completed, 3� years before the Games start. Tim Clark of South Africa shot a 2-under 70 on Friday at Huntingdale to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Australian Masters, while John Daly missed the cut. Colt McCoy passed for two touchdowns, ran for two more and No. 2 Texas snapped a two-game losing streak to rival Texas A&M with a 49-9 victory Thursday night.

Sports on TV Today

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:36:02 -0500

All times Eastern. Programs live unless noted. Check local listings.

FRIDAY, NOV. 28

College football: West Virginia at Pittsburgh, ABC, noon. LSU vs. Arkansas, in Little Rock, CBS, 2:30 p.m. Colorado at Nebraska, ABC, 3:30 p.m. Bowling Green at Toledo, ESPN Classic, 3:30 p.m. Fresno State at Boise State, ESPN2, 6 p.m. UCLA at Arizona State, ESPN2, 9:30 p.m.

College men's basketball: Old Spice Classic, semifinals, in Orlando, ESPN, 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off, at New York, ESPN2; consolation game, 1:30 p.m.; championship game, 3:30 p.m. Duquesne at Duke, ESPN, 3 p.m. 76 Classic, semifinal, in Anaheim, Calif., ESPN2, 12:30 a.m.

College women's volleyball: Southern California at UCLA, FSN, 6 p.m.

Golf: PGA European Tour, Sportsbet Australian Masters, second round, in Melbourne, Golf Channel, 9:30 a.m. (same-day tape). PGA Tour, Omega Mission Hills World Cup, third round, in Shenzhen, China, Golf Channel, 10:30 p.m.

NBA: Miami at Phoenix, ESPN, 8 p.m. Dallas at Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN, 10:30 p.m.

Sports Recap

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:32:21 -0500

The Tennessee Titans wanted to re-establish the run to get back on track after losing for the first time. The Detroit Lions were very accommodating. Chris Johnson ran for 125 yards and scored twice in the first quarter and LenDale White had two touchdowns in the second and finished with 106 yards rushing, setting up Tennessee for a 47-10 win over Detroit on Thursday. The Dallas Cowboys are ready for December. On the verge of collapse just a few weeks ago, Tony Romo, DeMarcus Ware and the Cowboys guaranteed they will be a team to watch in the final month by crushing the Seattle Seahawks 34-9 Thursday for their third straight victory. Romo got it rolling with touchdowns on the first three drives and points on the first four, then the defense took care of the rest. They racked up seven sacks -- three by Ware, giving him an NFL-best 15 -- and each was punctuated by a gobbling turkey version of the Chicken Dance, the kind of giddiness expected from a team playing the way Dallas (8-4) has been lately. Donovan McNabb got pulled for Kevin Kolb again. This time, he earned a seat on the bench with a superb performance instead of a stinker. McNabb threw four touchdown passes, Brian Westbrook tied a team record with four scores and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Arizona Cardinals 48-20 on Thursday night. "Adversity always happens in our position," McNabb said. "It's how you pull yourself out of it. I knew coming into this game if I just continued to be myself and know what I'm seeing out there and react, good things will happen." Colt McCoy finally got a win over Texas A&M, and No. 2 Texas put a historic whipping on a bitter rival. The question now is, was it enough? Was a 49-9 victory impressive enough to give McCoy a fighting chance for the Heisman Trophy and keep his team in the hunt for the Bowl Championship Series championship game? Longhorns coach Mack Brown thought so. "I felt they made the statement they needed to make," Brown said. "Starting with Colt." McCoy passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more as the Longhorns (11-1, 7-1 Big 12) posted the largest margin of victory in the rivalry since a 48-0 Texas victory way back in 1898. Stephon Marbury will soon either be ordered to stay home indefinitely or be released by the New York Knicks, a source told the New York Daily News. Marbury again declined to play Wednesday night against the Pistons, the second time he had done so in six days. The same source told the Daily News that Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni considered sending Marbury home that night. The Knicks are down to two healthy guards -- Chris Duhon and Anthony Roberson -- after Nate Robinson missed Wednesday's game with a groin injury and Cuttino Mobley has not yet been cleared by team doctors. Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson missed practice Thursday and will be levied a "hefty" fine, coach Michael Curry said. "I'm surprised when guys are late; I'm surprised when they don't show," Curry said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "It's a pretty hefty fine to be late, or to miss, and once again, it's accountability for yourself and your teammates." Rodney Stuckey, who scored 13 points and added a career-high 11 assists for his first career double-double Wednesday in a 110-96 victory over New York, will start in Iverson's place Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks in Auburn Hills, Mich. Gary Williams had a positive message for Maryland, and his unranked team responded. Greivis Vasquez and Dave Neal each scored 17 points Thursday as the Terrapins hustled their way to an 80-62 upset of Michigan State (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP) at the Old Spice Classic. "Coach told us in the locker room, 'Let's go out and win this tournament,'" Vasquez said. "That fired us up." Maryland is one of two teams in the field that didn't receive a vote in this week's AP poll. Four squads are ranked, topped by the Spartans. Jeremy Pargo and Gonzaga were at their best in the closing minutes. Micah Downs scored 17 points and Pargo added 15 to lead the Bulldogs (No. 10 ESPN/USA Today, No. 9 AP) past Oklahoma State 83-71 on Thursday night in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic. "The second half, especially under that 8-minute mark, I thought we did a great job cranking up the D," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said, "getting some stops and being pretty efficient on the offense." Brian Burke is the new GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sources confirm to ESPN.com that a contract was finally agreed upon Thursday for six years, including the remainder of this season. Brian Burke has been linked to the Leafs job for more than a year but the speculation intensified once he parted ways with the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 13. A news conference is expected Saturday in Toronto. "I am really excited that Brian is able to get this straightened out, if it is true," Toronto coach Ron Wilson said to the Associated Press after Thursday's game. Burke has been linked to the Leafs job for more than a year but the speculation intensified once he parted ways with the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 13. The New Orleans Hornets already knew Chris Paul was a winner. They picked up James Posey and his two championship rings in hopes of winning a little more this season. The two worked together perfectly Thursday night, with Paul taking over the game late and Posey hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer with 19.1 seconds left for a 105-101 victory over the Denver Nuggets -- the fourth straight win for New Orleans. "I have confidence in making shots," Posey said. "I've been in those situations before." Paul led the Hornets with 22 points and 10 assists but came up six rebounds short of his third straight triple-double. St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson says he's optimistic he'll be able to play Sunday against Miami but coach Jim Haslett is still being cautious. Jackson suffered a quadriceps injury against Dallas Oct. 19 and reinjured it two weeks later when he came back to play Arizona. Jackson worked out earlier this week and was cleared to return to practice. But Thursday Jackson is officially listed as having limited participation on the team's injury report. Phoenix Coyotes center Olli Jokinen will be sidelined for at least two weeks by a shoulder injury, ending his consecutive games streak at 397. Jokinen, the team's second-leading scorer with seven goals and 18 points, was injured in the first period Wednesday night at Columbus when he was checked hard into the boards by Blue Jackets defenseman Marc Methot. Jokinen went to the bench apparently favoring his left shoulder, then went to the locker room for treatment and did not return to the game. South Africa's Tim Clark waited out a three-hour suspension because of a severe thunderstorm to shoot a 5-under 67 for a share of the first-round lead in the Australian Masters. Australian Scott Hend was in the clubhouse at 67 when a hail-laced storm hit Huntingdale, forcing nearly 80 players off the course Thursday. When they returned, Clark, 3 under when play was suspended, birdied 15 and 16 on what he said was a "totally different course." John Daly had a difficult opening round in Australia, bogeying his final two holes to card a 76. "I was starting to drop shots before they called us off and I was lucky to come back out and make a few birdies," Clark said. "It's always tough to go out and finish off a round after such a delay, but it worked out for me." Wayne Chism scored 15 points to lead No. 12 Tennessee to a 78-64 win over Siena in the first round of the Old Spice Classic on Thursday. Browns quarterback Brady Quinn doesn't regret playing with a broken right finger that will sideline him for the rest of this season and might require surgery.

Sports on TV Today

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:19:50 -0500

All times Eastern. Programs live unless noted. Check local listings. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27 College football: Texas A&M at Texas (ESPN, 8 p.m.) College men's basketball: Old Spice Classic, first round, at Orlando; Tennessee vs. Siena (ESPN2, noon); Wichita State vs. Georgetown (ESPN2, 2:30 p.m.); Maryland vs. Michigan State (ESPN2, 7 p.m.); Oklahoma State vs. Gonzaga (ESPN2, 9:30 p.m.); 76 Classic, first round, at Anaheim; Wake Forest vs. Fullerton State (ESPN2, 4:30 p.m.); Providence vs. Baylor (ESPN2, 11:30 p.m.) Golf: Men's, Omega Mission Hills World Cup, second round, at Shenzhen, China (Golf Channel, 10:30 p.m.) NFL: Tennessee at Detroit (CBS, 12:30 p.m.); Seattle at Dallas (Fox, 4 p.m.); Arizona at Philadelphia (NFL Network, 8:15 p.m.)