Keepingitreal

Bengals WR Henry dies from injuries sustained in domestic dispute

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry died Thursday, one day after falling out of the back of a pickup truck during what police said was a domestic dispute with his fiancee.Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Henry died at 6:36 a.m. He was 26."We knew him in a different way than his public persona," Bengals owner Mike Brown said of the player who was suspended five times during his five-year NFL career. "He had worked through the troubles in his life and had finally seemingly reached the point where everything was going to blossom. And he was going to have the future we all wanted for him. It's painful to us. We feel it in our hearts, and we will miss him."Police spokeswoman Rosalyn Harrington said homicide detectives have been assigned to the case but had no further information.Later Thursday, police released two 911 tapes. The first was from an unidentified woman who said she was following a yellow pickup truck."It's got a black man on it with no shirt on, and he's got his arm in a cast and black pants on," she told a dispatcher. "He's beating on the back of this truck window. ... I don't know if he's trying to break in or something. It just looks crazy. It's a girl driving it."Just over a minute later, an unidentified man called 911 and said he saw a man "laying in the road" and "definitely unconscious."Henry was rushed to the hospital Wednesday after being found on a curvy section of a residential road. Police said the dispute began at a home about a half-mile away, and Henry jumped into the bed of the pickup truck as his fiancee drove away from the residence.Police said at some point when she was driving, Henry "came out of the back of the vehicle." Harrington wouldn't say if the woman, whom police wouldn't identify, was present at the scene when police arrived.Two women from separate homes nearby said Thursday that they saw the woman and the pickup at the scene when police arrived. Cheryl Hoffman said she came out with a blanket when she saw Henry wasn't wearing a shirt."When I got to where he was laying on the ground out there, he was very unresponsive, laying flat on the ground," Hoffman said. "He was foaming at the mouth, and I was very worried what was happening then."Henry is engaged to Loleini Tonga, and the couple has been raising three children. Tonga's MySpace page identifies herself as "Mrs. C. Henry" and has a picture of her next to a person who appears to be Henry. She also has a post from Tuesday talking about buying wedding rings. A neighbor said Wednesday that the Tonga family owns the home where police say the incident began. Charlotte is home to his fiancee's parents.No one answered the door at that home, where there were deep tire tracks on the front lawn. CONTINUE READING...

Week 12 N.F.L. Matchups

Patriots (7-3) at Saints (10-0)
Monday, 8:30 p.m.
Line: Saints by 3

 Calling this the greatest Saints team ever assembled isn’t high praise. There are few challengers for the title: the Dome Patrol team coached by Jim Mora the Elder in the early 1990s and the post-Katrina 2006 upstarts, who were like Australopithecus to this year’s more evolved Homo habilis. The 2009 Saints are two victories from the franchise record, and their first playoff win will be the third in team history.

The current Saints merit comparison to great non-Saints teams of recent history. Boston-area fans bristle at comparisons to the 2007 Patriots, but the Saints’ undefeated record, deep roster of offensive stars and ability to overwhelm opponents looks familiar.

 Bill Belichick, who hopes to end all undefeated talk on Monday night, compared the Saints to another great offense. “They kind of look, in some ways, a little bit like the Rams did back in 2001,” he said. Always careful with his message (when he deigns to deliver one), Belichick didn’t chose the 1999 Rams championship team, but the 2001 team that lost the Super Bowl to his Patriots.

New Orleans has not been truly tested all season. Games that looked tough on the schedule (against the Eagles, the Giants, the Dolphins and the Falcons) were just pop quizzes against the N.F.L.’s petite bourgeoisie. The Patriots are among the league’s ruling class, so Monday’s game offers our best indication of what the Saints can do against the Vikings in the playoffs or against the A.F.C.’s standard-bearers in the Super Bowl.

Saints equal best start in team history with win over Falcons

The New Orleans Saints weren’t perfect Monday night, as they outlasted the division-rival Atlanta Falcons for a sometimes sloppy, sometimes spectacular 35-27 victory.But their performance was perfectly acceptable as they matched the best start in franchise history at 7-0.“This is a huge win,” quarterback Drew Brees said. “We knew this coming in obviously, you win and really it’s worth two (in the division standings). It wasn’t the prettiest win at times. But we did what we needed to do when we needed to do it. That says a lot.”New Orleans has now opened a three-game lead in the NFC South, with Atlanta (4-3) the closest contender. Although it’s clearly way too early to make postseason promises, a graphic flashed on the screen during ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” telecast that pointed out that the Saints have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL in the next nine weeks.“We haven’t hit the halfway point of the season yet,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said when the undefeated talk was mentioned in his postgame press conference. “Each week we get another challenge. So we’re just focused on trying to get better. And each time we play another game, it seems to have that much more importance.”Up next for the Saints is another division matchup against the Carolina Panthers (3-4), who are coming off an impressive victory over Arizona.But with all due respect to Payton, Monday night’s win was bigger than the typical weekly matchup.Atlanta, which beat out the Saints for a playoff spot last season, loomed as New Orleans’ strongest contender in the South this season, and a Falcons victory Monday night would have closed the gap to one game in the division race.The Falcons didn’t relent. They forced four turnovers and piled up 442 yards of offense — actually outgaining the Saints by 5 yards.Once again, however, the Saints’ big-play defense kept slamming the door shut each time it was cracked open, providing just as many heroics as the Saints’ high-powered offense.Cornerback Jabari Greer sliced through the Atlanta offense for a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown shortly before halftime. Cornerback Tracy Porter added a touchdown-saving pick early in the fourth quarter, bringing in a ball tipped by linebacker Jonathan Vilma. And safety Darren Sharper reeled in the Falcons’ final desperate Hail Mary attempt in the closing seconds after Atlanta made things interesting by recovering an onside kick after a field goal.“(Porter’s interception) was huge,” Sharper said. “That had to be the play of the game. To get that interception and not let them get any points was huge. That’s what we’ve been doing all year.”The Saints’ defense has 21 takeaways this season, and it has scored six touchdowns. Five interceptions have been returned for scores, matching the franchise record set in 1998.The Saints’ offense was plenty explosive, too, Monday night, with Brees throwing for 308 yards and two touchdowns, Pierre Thomas running for 91 yards and scoring twice, and offensive weapons such as Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem making a series of spectacular catches.CONTINUE READING..

T.O. Thinks Roger Goodell Should Experience Prison

It didn't take long for Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens to create a controversy at training camp.Owens said that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been unfair to suspended quarterback Michael Vick and that the union and more players need to speak out. In an interview with ESPN's George Smith, Owens said he was surprised more players haven't spoken up in support of Vick and that, "the commissioner needs to go sit in jail for 23 months" to see what it's like to sit behind bars."I think it's unfortunate," Owens said. "I think the way the commissioner has handled it, I think it's unfair to Michael Vick. I think he's done the time for what he's done. I don't think it's really fair for him to be suspended four more games. That's almost like kicking a dead horse in the ground."Vick met with Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith in the last week to discuss his chances of getting back into the league. Vick has been on suspension for violating the NFL conduct policy for his involvement with dogfighting.Vick was released from prison last week after serving 23 months in federal custody. Owens feels that Vick has paid his time and should play in the league again.Multiple reports and sources have confirmed to FanHouse that the league will give Vick a conditional reinstatement -- possibly next week. Vick has to convince Goodell that he's sorry for his actions and that he will not violate the conduct policy again in order to return. SOURCE

Coach, teammates remember slain ex-NFL QB McNair

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Steve McNair's pastor and close friend cautioned against judging the ex-NFL quarterback Thursday, reminding people who gathered for his memorial not to cast the first stone when talking about his life off the field.McNair, who was married, was shot to death at his condo early Saturday by his 20-year-old girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, who then turned the gun on herself."Drop your stone the next time you write about Steve McNair. Drop your stone the next time you text somebody. Drop your stone the next time you twitter. Drop your stone, those of you in the barbershops, the beauty shops. Those of you walking the streets on the corner, drop your stone," Bishop Joseph W. Walker III told thousands of people, among them family members, fans and more than 50 former teammates, gathered at Mount Zion Baptist Church."What I do know about this man was that he loved God though he was just like us: imperfect," Walked said. "But he knew God."Among those in the audience was McNair's wife, Mechelle, who later left wearing sunglasses. Walker called her an amazing woman."You have inspired us all to endure hardship as a good soldier," he said.It was her first public appearance since her husband died, and press photographers were asked not to take pictures of her or other family members.Fans had lined up starting Thursday morning to view McNair's closed silvery-gray casket at a funeral home and later outside the church. A helicopter provided live TV footage as McNair's body was moved by hearse, and three of four local TV stations showed the memorial service live.McNair's casket was on display at Mount Zion Baptist Church, where he had attended services since moving to Nashville in 1997. It was flanked by a large photo of him posing with his 2003 NFL MVP award on the right and another of him holding a football on the left.The program included a statement from the McNair family."Today in our loss, our hurt, and our pain we recognize our gains in you our friends and loved ones ... They have all been a source of strength and comfort at this time to our family," it read.Titans owner Bud Adams, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean all attended.SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

Police Conclude Sahel Kazemi Murdered Steve McNair, Killed Herself

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 8) -- A distraught Sahel Kazemi shot Steve McNair four times in his sleep, then turned the gun on herself, police confirmed on Wednesday.Kazemi "was spinning out of control" when she shot McNair on July 4, Police Chief Ronal Serpas said. Interviews with friends led detectives to conclude she was becoming increasingly upset over events in her life, including financial problems. Police said she also suspected McNair was seeing another woman. Police earlier had labeled McNair's death a homicide, but awaited further tests and investigation before saying for sure what happened.Kazemi told a friend on Friday that "My life is a ball of s--- and I should end it," Serpas said. Her friends also revealed to police that she was making payments on two cars and her rent was doubling, in addition to her concerns that McNair was involved in a second affair.McNair, 36, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans most of his career, met Kazemi six months ago at a restaurant where she was a waitress and his family often ate. She seemed happy and eager to build a life with him, but something went wrong."We do know that she was clearly sending a message during the last five to seven days of her life that things were going bad quickly," Serpas said, though there was no indication she told anyone she planned to harm McNair. Serpas said detectives learned that Kazemi recently found out about another young woman she thought McNair was romantically involved with and even followed that woman home, though she did not confront her. Serpas said police believe McNair was asleep when he was killed because there were no defensive wounds. After shooting McNair in the head, Kazemi apparently shot him twice in the chest before shooting him in the head again. She then sat next to McNair's body and "tried to stage it so she would fall in his lap," Serpas said. She did, but her body slid to the floor and ended up at McNair's feet, Serpas said. The gun was found underneath Kazemi. CONTINUE READING

Former NFL Star Steve McNair Found Dead

Lakers win it all in Orlando:The Lakers take a decisive win over the Magic, 99-86, to end the NBA finals in five games.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- The Los Angeles Lakers were one half from their 15th championship, running off 16 straight points in a dominant second quarter to open a 56-46 lead over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night in Game 5 of the NBA finals. Kobe Bryant, seeking his fourth title but first withoutShaquille O'Neal, scored 15 points in the half. Trevor Ariza had 11 of his 12 in the second quarter. The Lakers surged into the lead with a 16-0 run to open a 12-point lead, thrilling a large contingent of their fans wearing purple and gold inside Amway Arena. Los Angeles was 5 of 8 from 3-point range in the half and made three 3s during their big run. Orlando missed eight of its nine 3s. Dwight Howard and Rafer Alston both scored nine points in the half for Orlando, which was trying to force a Game 6 in Los Angeles on Tuesday. No team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals. With the Lakers trailing 40-36 midway through the second quarter , Derek Fisher and Ariza hit 3s, and after a jumper by Bryant, Ariza made another 3 for a 47-40 lead. Fisher followed with  another bucket, Ariza hit a free throw, and a basket by Lamar Odom pushed the lead to 52-40 before Alston finally ended Orlando's drought with a layup. The Lakers, who made eight straight shots in one stretch, outscored the Magic 30-18 in the period, helped by Orlando's sloppy play on the offensive end. The Magic had seven turnovers in the quarter, leading to 11 points. Orlando, which shot a finals-record 62.5 percent from the field in its Game 3 victory, started on pace for another night like that. The Magic made eight of their first 11 shots, running off eight straight points to open a 15-6 lead. The last basket came after Rashard Lewis batted the ball out of Bryant's hand, leading to a layup by Alston. Bryant lingered at the other end of the court in obvious pain and during the timeout trainer Gary Vitti looked at his right hand, which has had two fingers dislocated in the last two seasons. Bryant returned play resumed and hit his next two shots, including a 3-pointer, and the Lakers chipped away at the lead as Orlando's shots stopped falling. The Magic missed 10 of their final 14 shots as their lead was cut to 28-26 after one quarter. SOURCE:NYTIMES

NFL retirees lash out at NFLPA chief's olive branch

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Retired football players angry with the NFL Players Association over disability and pension benefits said Sunday that the executive director of the union may be ahead of himself in seeking their support during upcoming contract talks with the league.The informal group of former football players lashed out at comments made by NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, who said Saturday that retired player benefits would be reduced if there is an uncapped year in 2010 or a lockout by owners in 2011.Several players meeting in Las Vegas about their problems with the union said their benefits are protected by law — lockout or not.But the union says its supplemental disability payments would be cut in an uncapped year, and all payments would expire in 2011 if there is a lockout.Smith also said Saturday at a meeting of the NFLPA Retired Players Organization in Palm Springs, Calif., that he represents all NFL players, active and retired. He wants the retiree groups behind the union in negotiations to extend the contract that expires after the 2010 season, with talks scheduled to start Wednesday.Owners opted out of the current deal last year."I think he might be putting the cart before the horse," said Marvin Cobb, a former defensive back who played six years in the NFL for Cincinnati, Minnesota and Pittsburgh, and won two NCAA national championships with USC in 1972 and 1974.Cobb said Smith must understand the rocky relationship between the union and former players who feel it turned their back on them after they stopped playing football."Mr. Smith has quite a lot on his plate," Cobb told the Associated Press. "He may prioritize his to-do list differently than I would prioritize it."Smith in March replaced the late Gene Upshaw, who often clashed with retired players over benefits and other matters. Smith's spokesman George Atallah said Smith has reached out to retired players, including many who met in Las Vegas over the weekend.Several former stars, including Hall of Fame members Mike Ditka, Green Bay's Herb Adderley and Buffalo's Joe DeLamielleure have been increasingly critical of the union's health benefits and pension plan, which pays some retired players only hundreds of dollars a month. SOURCE:USA TODAY

James scores 37 as Cavs win Game 5

LeBron James made a new guarantee: Game 6.With Cleveland's wondrous season on the line, James had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, and Mo Williams, who boldly predicted his team would come back and win this tight-as-can-be series, added 24 points in the Cavaliers' 112-102 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 on Thursday night.It's back to Florida for Game 6 on Saturday night at amped-up Amway Arena.You expected anything else?"I mean this was a big game for us," James said. "You never want to disappoint the home crowd by not coming out and play as hard as you can. It was win or go home."The Magic overcame a 22-point deficit but missed their first opportunity to close out the Cavaliers, who are trying to become just the ninth team since 1947 to rally and win a series after being down 3-1. Orlando will have two more tries to reach the NBA finals for the first time since 1995.For Cleveland, a city banking on James to deliver a championship after a 45-year drought, the MVP was again in a league of his own. James scored 21 points in the second half — 17 in the fourth quarter — and had a hand in 29 of Cleveland's 34 points in the final 12 minutes. Hedo Turkoglu scored 29 for Orlando, and Dwight Howard had 24 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out with 2:22 remaining when he was called for his sixth personal foul while trying to stop James on a drive. Not even Superman was denying James.  CONTINUE READING..

49ers catch Crabtree

(04-25) 17:44 PDT SANTA CLARA -- Presented with a choice of taking the fourth of four offensive tackles or the best wide receiver in the NFL draft, the 49ers did not hesitate. They went playmaker instead of pass-protector. With the 10th pick in the first round on Saturday, the 49ers chose prolific wide receiver Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech to add punch to an offense that finished 2008 ranked 23rd in the league."Once we got to 10 and Crabtree was there, it was over," general manager Scot McCloughan said. "Best receiver in college football. He's the closest thing I've seen to Anquan Boldin in college. He's got the physical ability to play on the NFL level. He brings unique physical qualities to the NFL."Also under consideration by the 49ers at 10 was tackle Michael Oher of Mississippi, who eventually went 23rd to Baltimore."To the best of our knowledge, this is a very good pick for us," coach Mike Singletary said. "The film speaks for itself. I really do think he has a chance to be special. Time will tell."The 49ers were one-and-done on the first day of the draft after Crabtree. They traded their second-round pick, 43rd overall, and their fourth-round selection (111th) to Carolina for the Panthers' No. 1 pick in 2010. That gives San Francisco two No. 1 picks in next year's draft.McCloughan said the 49ers had identified two players they liked for the second round but both taken before 43. Thus, the trade with Carolina, which picked defensive end Everette Brown of Florida State. CONTINUE READING...

Buffalo Bills See the Value in Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens was only unemployed just a few days and then the Buffalo Bills came calling. While everyone in the sports world was contemplating on who would take a chance on a player who is consistently labeled a "cancer" to teams' locker rooms, Owens and the Bills were signing a one-year deal worth $6.5 million. "I'm leaving America's team [for] North America's team," Owens said at a news conference. "I must move on, and it's another beginning for me. If I can be that extra added piece to get them to the playoffs, then that's what I'm here for. I looked at the defensive side of ball and offensive side of the ball, and these guys have all the pieces."The Bills, who were decent early last season, wanted a receiver to take the pressure off number one wide out Lee Evans. The addition of Owens gives the Bills one of the best receiver tandems in the league. "We all know of his tremendous ability and look forward to what he will bring to our offense," Bills owner Ralph Wilson said in a statement. "This is a very exciting day for the Buffalo Bills." "'Wow!' was my first reaction," Evans added. "I know we were looking at some different receivers out there. When he was cut by the Cowboys, I didn't know if we were going to make the move for him or not. We did and it worked out. I'm very excited for everybody." The Bills and Owens are hoping he can have at least another 1,000-plus yard and 10-touchdown season up in Buffalo. Will the addition work out for the Bills?

Report: Cowboys cutting T.O.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Terrell Owens' days in Dallas are done, according to ESPN.ESPN cited anonymous sources Wednesday night in saying that the Cowboys have decided to cut the receiver, ridding them of a big locker-room distraction but also absorbing a big hit on their salary cap.The team did not immediately have a comment. A spokesman for Owens said he hadn't heard the news, and that Owens was traveling and could not immediately be reached. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, also did not immediately return a call.Just a few weeks ago, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated that T.O. was staying when he said, ``You and I both know that the one that you're asking about all the time, if I gave you the answer that you want to hear, then you would've already had it. So the fact you don't have it ought to tell you something. It really should.''Jones seemed to enjoy the publicity Owens stirred up as much as the touchdowns he scored. However, there were several in-house issues involving Owens that may have ultimately prompted Jones to decide the receiver wasn't worth the trouble he caused.Owens will count about $9 million against the cap. His absence means one less high-profile player to open the Cowboys' new, $1.1 billion stadium, and fewer No. 81 jerseys to sell.While Tony Romo also will be without the recipient of most his touchdown passes, he also will no longer have to make sure T.O. has enough passes his way to make him happy. Whether that was perception or reality will no longer matter either. SOURCE:COMCAST SPORTS

NFL Players' Boat Found -- One Man Rescued, Others Still Missing

Following reports of NFL players, Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper, going missing off the coast of Florida over the weekend, new info has surfaced in the incident. According to reports, the U.S. Coast Guard finally found the Cooper's boat Monday (March 2) and has rescued one of the four men who were on board. However, both Smith and Cooper remain missing. The rescued man was identified as Nick Schuyler of Tampa, Florida. He was taken to Tampa General Hospital by a Coast Guard helicopter to Tampa General Hospital. A Coast Guard spokesman told Reuters in St. Petersburg that Schuyler was found clinging to the overturned 21-foot fishing boat 35 miles off the west coast of Florida on Monday morning. He told officials that the boat was overturned by a large wave, which left all four men clinging to the boat for dear life. While he has no idea where the other three men are, he's holding on to hope. "My heart still goes out to the other guys," he said, according to New York's Daily News. "We're praying for them." All four men -- which included Corey Smith of the Detroit Lions, Marquis Cooper of the Oakland Raiders, and William Bleakley, a former Florida college football player -- set out on a fishing trip Saturday (February 28) for a day of fishing, but never returned. The National Weather Service, in Tampa, said seas were about two to four feet Saturday morning and increased to three to five feet in the afternoon. By night time, a small-craft advisory was issued, and Sunday seas reached eight to 12 feet. Winds were gusting up to 30 knots. The search continues for the other men.

Search at sea: Raiders LB Cooper feared lost

(03-01) 19:26 PST -- Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper is presumed missing at sea with three others off Florida's west coast after not returning from a fishing trip Saturday, according to the Coast Guard.Cooper, 26, left on a 21-foot boat with Lions defensive end Corey Smith - who played for the 49ers in 2005 - and two ex-South Florida college football players. They did not return as expected when weather conditions worsened Saturday night. The Raiders were contacted by Tampa-area authorities Sunday."Our thoughts and prayers go out to the passengers, their families and those involved in the search efforts," a team statement said.Cooper joined the Raiders midway through last season and made an instant impact as a key special teams figure. He was rewarded two game balls.His offseason home is in Tampa, where he previously played for the Buccaneers. In a Chronicle interview in December, Cooper described saltwater fishing as his favorite offseason pastime, boasting of his two boats, 50 fishing poles and fishing experience from the Gulf of Mexico to Arizona's freshwater lakes as a youth and Seattle's waterways in college."It's like a drug," Cooper said.Cooper has played for six teams since the Buccaneers selected him in the third round of the 2004 draft. He had five special-teams tackles in eight games for the Raiders."It's so sad and unfortunate," said Raiders special teams star Isaiah Ekejiuba.Smith played 14 games for the 49ers in 2005. He was Cooper's teammate in Tampa Bay in 2004 and is the owner of the missing boat.The group left Clearwater Pass early Saturday morning on a 21-foot, center-console boat, a Coast Guard official said in a news conference Sunday. They were expected back by Saturday afternoon or early evening. Their families have not heard from them since they left and the Coast Guard did not receive a distress call.The Coast Guard was alerted about 1:30 a.m. and began a search. Crews used a helicopter and a 47-foot boat to search a 750-square mile area west of Clearwater Pass, but poor weather made it difficult.Coast Guard Capt. Timothy M. Close said the weather early Saturday had been fair, but worsened toward the evening as a front still battering the area moved in. The National Weather Service said seas were about 2 to 4 feet Saturday morning and increased to 3 to 5 feet in the afternoon. By late Saturday night, a small craft advisory was issued, when winds were around 20 knots and seas were up to 7 feet or more."A 21-foot boat is a relatively small vessel to be 50 miles off shore in bad weather conditions, certainly the current weather conditions," Close said.Word spread quickly across the league Sunday as former coaches and teammates kept checking for updates on the search."Just look at (Cooper's) career, how he always fought," said USC special teams coach Brian Schneider, who held that position with the Raiders last season. "I loved being around him and he was perfect for us. He'll fight. That's how he is."

Lakers escape Minnesota with a victory

It wasn't easy, but the Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 111-108, this evening at Target Center. The Lakers clinched the victory only after Timberwolves guard Randy Foye air-balled a three-point attempt at the final buzzer.Kobe Bryant had 28 points, and Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom each added 25 as the Lakers (46-10) improved to a league-best 20-6 on the road. The Timberwolves never shrunk back from the Lakers, getting 20 points from Ryan Gomes and Sebastian Telfair. Odom's tip-in off Bryant's miss from the left wing gave the Lakers a 108-105 lead with 20.5 seconds left. Foye's fadeaway three-pointer brought the Timberwolves to within 109-108 with 9.2 seconds left, but Bryant made two free throws at the other end and Foye couldn't hit another three-pointer as time expired. The Lakers conclude their two-game trip Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

Steelers top Ravens for AFC title, Super Bowl next

PITTSBURGH (AP)—The Pittsburgh Steelers outhit the Baltimore Ravens and outplayed them behind a steady-as-he-goes Ben Roethlisberger, marching into the Super Bowl behind a defense that brought back memories of the storied Steel Curtain. The Steelers ended their home-field jinx in the AFC title game by beating Baltimore 23-14 on Sunday and Troy Polamalu ended any chance the Ravens had for a comeback with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Steelers will meet the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl in two weeks in Tampa. The matchup is intriguing—Mike Tomlin vs. the Cardinals’ Ken Whisenhunt, the offensive coordinator when the Steelers won the Super Bowl three seasons ago who went to Arizona after being passed over for Pittsburgh’s job. Whisenhunt and his top assistant, Russ Grimm, left after the Steelers unexpectedly hired Tomlin, who has done something even Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher couldn’t do by taking Pittsburgh to the Super Bowl in his second season.The Steelers harassed rookie Joe Flacco all game long. Normally unflappable, he looked lost at times and finished 13-for-30 for 141 yards and three costly interceptions. Roethlisberger, picked off four times by New England in his rookie-year AFC title game, was a steady 16-of-33 for 255 yards and, most importantly, no interceptions. If nothing else, it showed how much experience mattered in a game so important.After Polamalu’s twisting, turning run sealed it with 4:39 to play, the game was held up when Willis McGahee, who scored both Baltimore touchdowns, was carted off the field following a frightening hit to the helmet by Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark.The Ravens said he had “significant neck pain,” but movement in his arms and legs. Pittsburgh is heading to its seventh Super Bowl. Only the Steelers, 49ers and Cowboys have won five, and Pittsburgh can be the first to win six. If the Steelers beat Arizona, the 36-year-old Tomlin would be the youngest coach to win an NFL championship.“They did it tonight the way we’ve done it all year,” Tomlin said. “We’ve got a very humble group, a very selfless group.”The Steelers proved it is possible to beat a good team three times in a season, and will now face a team they share a history with. They were merged as Card-Pitt during World War II in 1944 when the Cardinals were in Chicago and went 0-10, the only winless team in Steelers history.Steelers owner Dan Rooney recalls them being nicknamed the Car-Pitts “because everybody walked all over us.” Earlier in the day, before Whisenhunt knew the outcome of the Steelers-Ravens game, he said he wanted to match up against Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. “I mean, I’m glad we’re playing in it, but the reason I’m here is because of my time with Pittsburgh,” Whisenhunt said, “and I am very grateful for that.” Nobody walks over these Steelers, a hard-hitting, tough-guy team with the NFL’s best defense, at least statistically, in nearly 20 years. The unit is a worthy descendant of the Steel Curtain teams of the 1970s that virtually defined the way defense is supposed to be played. SOURCE

Fitzgerald shines as Warner leads Cardinals to franchise's first Super Bowl

Philadelphia 25 : Arizona 32 -- GLENDALE, Ariz. -- That's not a mirage rising out of the desert, folks. It's the Arizona Cardinals soaring to their first Super Bowl. Yes, the Cardinals, founding members of the NFL, but historically among the most dysfunctional of franchises, finally have joined the big boys. Capitalizing on Larry Fitzgerald's three first-half touchdown receptions, then coolly marching downfield to Kurt Warner's 8-yard scoring pass to rookie Tim Hightower with 2:53 left, they beat the Philadelphia Eagles 32-25 Sunday for the NFC championship.Donovan McNabb was superb in leading Philadelphia's second-half rally, but he misfired from midfield four times in the final moments.Arizona (12-7) will face the AFC champion in two weeks in Tampa for the NFL title. Baltimore played at Pittsburgh later in the day for the AFC crown.If the Cardinals, the first No. 4 seed to host a conference championship game, were supposed to be thunderstruck by their surroundings, they instead responded like playoff veterans.Sure, they blew a 24-6 halftime lead. But then Warner, a Super Bowl MVP from almost a decade ago with the St. Louis Rams, engineered a precise, 72-yard drive to win it with his fourth TD pass of the day.He finished the comeback with the 8-yard pass to Hightower, then hit Ben Patrick for the 2-point conversion.But the key was the unstoppable Fitzgerald, who had nine receptions for 152 yards, including two big catches on the decisive drive. The All-Pro set a single postseason record with 419 yards receiving, surpassing the great Jerry Rice. And Fitzgerald has one more game to go -- in the Super Bowl.Can you imagine?They surely never looked this good before in the Phoenix area, or their previous homes in Chicago and St. Louis.At the end, streams of confetti spewed into the air, Warner got some hugs from Eagles players, and the obligatory "We are the Champions" blared. SOURCE

Eagles beat top-seeded Giants 23-11 to reach NFC title game for fifth time in 8 seasons

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.(AP) — Donovan McNabb will get another chance to chase that elusive Super Bowl title. Eli Manning threw away his opportunity to defend it. McNabb made all the big plays that Manning did not, and the Eagles eliminated the New York Giants 23-11 Sunday to reach the NFC title game for the fifth time in eight seasons. ``He is the best quarterback in the NFL,'' Eagles coach Andy Reid praised his guy. ``I don't think I have to say anything more than that.'' Manning, meanwhile, never resembled the poised quarterback who won last year's Super Bowl MVP award with that one perfect spiral to Plaxico Burress. Five times New York got inside the Eagles 20. The result? A mere three field goals. ``When we needed to get something done, get a spark to make a big play, that's when we didn't do our best,'' Manning said. Credit Philadelphia's hard-hitting, ball-hawking defense, and maybe blame the wind gusts a bit. Either way, these NFL playoffs are now for the Birds - the underdog Eagles, Cardinals and Ravens all won on the road this weekend. McNabb lunged for one touchdown, threw for another and converted several key third downs to move the sixth-seeded Eagles (11-6-1) into next Sunday's title game at Arizona (11-7). Philadelphia beat the Cardinals 48-20 on Thanksgiving night. McNabb also drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the game when he was pushed out of bounds on the Giants sideline, picked up a phone there and had a brief, fake conversation. David Akers added three field goals - extending his NFL record to 18 straight in the postseason - to fend off the top-seeded Giants (12-5). ``I am very, very disappointed,'' Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. ``I am sorry to see the season come to an end. There is remorse for opportunities lost.'' CONTINUE READING...

Steelers restore home-field advantage, beat Chargers 35-24 to reach AFC title game vs. Ravens

PITTSBURGH(AP) — Fittingly enough, the Pittsburgh Steelers brought back the home-field advantage to the NFL playoffs. Now they get to stay at home for the AFC championship game, and against the rival they dislike more than any other. The team with the NFL's best home-field record since the 1970 NFL merger shook off a 7-0 deficit barely two minutes into the game, controlled pint-sized playmaker Darren Sproles and returned some normalcy to the NFL postseason by beating the San Diego Chargers 35-24 in an AFC divisional game Sunday. With a now-healthy Willie Parker running for 146 yards and two touchdowns, Ben Roethlisberger ignoring his late-season concussion to throw for a score and lead an efficient offense, the Steelers did what the favored Titans, Panthers and Giants couldn't do by winning at home. It was the first time since 1971 that three road teams won during a single playoff weekend, and the Steelers made certain that road teams didn't go 4-for-4. The Steelers had the worst offense of any playoff team coming in, only to put up 35 points to support the NFL's top-ranked defense. Now, it's time for Ravens vs. Steelers Part III next Sunday - the third and most intriguing matchup this season between the can't-stand-each other AFC North rivals. ``What else would you expect, us and the Ravens,'' Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. ``It would be big if it was a scrimmage. This is for the AFC championship.''Pittsburgh won the earlier two games, 23-20 in overtime in Pittsburgh - when the Ravens supposedly put bounties on several Steelers players - and by 13-9 during the Dec. 14 rematch in Baltimore that secured the divisional title. ``We have a tough, tough, tough team coming in here,'' Brett Keisel said. ``It's going to be a big challenge, but we're one step away - and happy to be at home.'' CONTINUE READING...