Raiders hire Wylie to coach O-line

The Raiders hired veteran coach Bob Wylie to be the team's new offensive line coach. Wylie has been coaching professional football for 18 years.

"Bob is a spectacular teacher, motivator and drill sergeant," said Raiders new head coach Hue Jackson. "His vast knowledge and experience, including last year with a team in our division will really help us as we move forward in assembling a really good offensive line."

Wylie worked with the Broncos' offensive line last season and has also spent time with the Cardinals, Buccaneers, Bears and Jets.

The Raiders had the league's second-best rushing offense, but were near the bottom in the league in sacks allowed.

 

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Trainer Tells?More?About What I Have Learned in Health and Fitness

Without a doubt, my most popular article on the blog ever has been the Trainer Tells All post, with I can’t even tell you how many times it has been viewed (a ridiculously big number!).� People have asked for a “follow up”, which I always responded “Well I already told ‘all’, so what is left [...]

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Packers-Steelers matchup of the day: Monday

Here’s a look at a key matchup heading into the Super Bowl XLV showdown between the Packers and the Steelers next Sunday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Packers NT B.J. Raji vs. Steelers' interior offensive linemen

Following in the footsteps of Colts DE Dwight Freeney last year at this time, the injured player getting the most attention in the week leading up to Super Bowl XLV probably will be Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey, who left the Steelers’ AFC championship game victory over the Jets in the first quarter with a left ankle injury. The Steelers’ 2010 first-round draft pick did not participate in any of the team’s three practices last week and is considered a long shot to be able to play on Super Sunday.

A Pro Bowl selection in his first season with excellent explosiveness, aggressiveness, quickness and footwork, Pouncey’s presence could be sorely missed in what would have been a tough matchup for him by any means against Raji, a first-round draft pick last year who has blossomed into arguably the league’s best nose tackle in his second season.

At 6-2, 337 pounds, Raji has tremendous lower-body strength, excellent leverage and a big-time burst. He also has shown great durability this season, working overtime on the Packers’ injury-depleted D-line after a rookie campaign that was hindered significantly by a high ankle sprain suffered in the final preseason game. Raji led all NFL nose tackles this season with 6½ sacks (four in the last five games) and has performed admirably so far in the posteason, registering 10 tackles, a sack for nine yards in the playoff win over Atlanta, two pass breakups and, most notably, a critical 18-yard interception return for a TD in Green Bay’s NFC title game win over the Bears.

Raji became the first defensive lineman in franchise history to return an interception for a TD and the first NFL D-lineman to do so since Jaguars DE Clyde Simmons, who scored on a 20-yard pick at Buffalo in December 1996.

If Pouncey remains sidelined, his replacement at center will be 6-1, 315-pound Doug Legursky, who must be considered a substantial downgrade from Pouncey, despite the fact he is usually technically sound (he did botch a pair of center exchanges vs. the Jets in place of Pouncey) and plays with good leverage. Legursky is undersized and has short arms, and Raji had his way with short-armed Bears OLG Chris Williams in the NFC title game.

Flanking the Steelers’ center will be hefty (6-3, 344) sixth-year veteran Chris Kemoeatu at left guard and second-year pro Ramon Foster (6-6, 325) at right guard. Both of them match up better size-wise with Raji than Legursky, especially Kemoeatu, a three-year starter who is the primary pulling guard for the Steelers and a key cog in the team’s Rashard Mendenhall-led ground game. There are moments when Kemoeatu dominates, but he lacks consistency and gets walked back too much in protection.

Foster has started since Week 10, having taken over for the ineffective Trai Essex. An undrafted free agent like Legursky, Foster has been extremely serviceable. But in terms of pure athleticism, Raji would appear to have a big edge.

 

Tuesday's matchup of the day: Packers' wide receivers vs. Steelers' cornerbacks

Follow our coverage of Super Bowl happenings and a preview of the big game all week long, with news, analysis and commentary.

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Interview with Chris Voigt of 20 Potatoes a Day

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Vote for your favorite Zen Habits posts of 2010

Post written by Leo Babauta.
It’s that time of year when we look back and reflect. I usually pick my top posts of the year to share with those who missed them, but this year I thought I’d let you guys pick.
I no longer keep stats on Zen Habits so I don’t know which posts have [...]

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Sportsman of the Year final voting

Votes were cast by sports media members from around Kentucky. Voters submitted up to 10 names. Points were awarded in the following manner: 12 for a first-place vote; 10 for second; 8 for third; seven for fourth; six for fifth; five for sixth; four for seventh; three for eighth; two for ninth; one for 10th. First-place votes in parentheses:

1. John Wall, basketball (14) 369

2. Randall Cobb, football (4) 276

3. John Calipari, basketball (8) 271

4. Victoria Dunlap, basketball (3) 196

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Mark Story: Cobb's many talents will be difficult for Kentucky to replace

Have I mentioned I feel a little sorry for Joker Phillips?

Decked out in a gray suit, black shirt and white tie, Randall Cobb stood in a room inside Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday and, his voice cracking repeatedly with emotion, made the announcement The Long-Suffering Kentucky Football Fan dreaded.

"I had to make the best decision for me, and I felt it was my time to go and pursue my dream to play in the NFL," UK's junior wide receiver said.

In that instant, Phillips' job in elevating Kentucky football — or preventing a major step backward next year — got a lot more challenging.

For Cobb, Kentucky football's Mr. Everything, leaving early for the play-for-pay appears to be a rock-solid business decision. The evaluation he got back from the NFL suggested he was likely to be a third-round draft pick, he said.

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Notes: Calipari says Cats might be grinders

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kentucky Coach John Calipari is synonymous with high-octane offense that — to borrow one of his pet words — "unleashes" players. But he's not wedded to one way of playing.

After UK beat South Carolina 67-58, Calipari said the Cats might be better suited to play a more deliberate style.

"We may be a little different team than I like," Calipari said. "Maybe an 'execution team.' We have to grind it a little more than I'd like.

"If that's how we have to play, that's how we'll play."

The final minutes probably re-inforced Calipari's belief in a style that's more substance than style. Even in winning for the first time in three Southeastern Conference road games, the Cats again stumbled down the stretch. This time, UK helped a South Carolina comeback by taking an ill-advised shot (Brandon Knight) and fouling a three-point shooter (Doron Lamb).

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Chasing Performance Seminar @ SFCF This Saturday

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Sometimes, You Just Gotta Do It

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Sportsman of the Year: Runners-up

2 | Randall Cobb

2010 achievements: The UK wide receiver set an SEC single-season record for all-purpose yardage (2,396) and the Kentucky career record for touchdowns (37) and was named a first-team Associated Press All-American as an all-purpose player.

Comment: "Cobb may be from Tennessee but he's now a Kentuckian and no Wildcat fan will argue that point. He's the rare superstar who placed more emphasis on the name on the front of the jersey rather than the one on the back. ... Great Wildcat football players will be compared to him for decades to come." — Larry Glover, WVLK radio, Lexington

3 | John Calipari

2010 achievements: First-year coach led UK to a 35-3 record, the SEC regular-season and tournament championships and a berth in the NCAA Tournament round of eight. Also organized a telethon that raised more than $1 million for earthquake relief in Haiti.

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Change Everything? Easy. But not simple....

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A Gluten-free January

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Georgia Bulldogs @ Kentucky Wildcats (14): Open Game Thread

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Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: John Calipari Thinks The 'Cats Have An Enormous Upside

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AP Poll for January 24th

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Interview with a Kitavan

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Blinded Wheat Challenge

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A Word About Your Low Back

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Fathead Supersize Me and Sweden (2)

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John Clay: No cause to cuss, Cats just acting their age this year

Twenty bleeping questions, asked and answered, about Kentucky's bleeping loss at Alabama.

1. What was the most disconcerting aspect of the 68-66 loss to the Crimson Tide? Those bleeping selfish so-and-sos, oops, just kidding. Call it Road Rage.

2. No, seriously? Seriously, the most disconcerting thing is that instead of reloading, this is starting to feel like rebuilding.

3. Most disconcerting stat Tuesday? Alabama got 56 percent of the rebounds at its offensive end of the floor. That's effort. That's where UK lost.

4. It's all effort? Well, not all effort. UK just doesn't match up well with physical teams. That's why the Cats beat finesse teams such as Washington and Louisville and lost to tough teams such as Georgia and Alabama.

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PFW's Super 50: Nos. 1-10

Last of a five-part series

With the help of coaches and evaluators from around the NFL, we present the top 50 players of 2010, today featuring the players ranked first through 10th. Players were ranked using the following criteria: performance and value to team. All respondents participated on condition of anonymity.

1. QB Tom Brady / New England Patriots

Brady was exceptional in the regular season, completing 324-of-492 passes for 3,900 yards with 36 touchdowns and a mere four interceptions. Including the postseason, Brady went 339 passes without throwing a pick. The Patriots underwent some drastic changes in the passing game, with WR Randy Moss departing, WR Deion Branch returning and rookie TEs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez emerging as the NFL's brightest young tandem at their position. The constant was Brady, who garnered Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers of America MVP honors for his efforts.

2. QB Aaron Rodgers / Green Bay Packers

Rodgers' mobility, accuracy and arm strength are his greatest assets and allow him to create on the move like few passers in the game. The Packers struggled to run the ball at times this season, and a host of injuries threatened to knock them out of contention, but Rodgers helped keep them afloat. And in the postseason, he was magnificent. Rodgers epitomized the term "dialed in" in the divisional round win at Atlanta, completing 31-of-36 passes for 366 yards and three TDs in a resounding 48-21 win.

3. QB Peyton Manning / Indianapolis Colts

We might have no clearer example of the "value to team" portion of our criteria than Manning. He willed a Colts team beset by injuries to first place in the AFC South. Playing without key weapons such as TE Dallas Clark and WR Austin Collie down the stretch and without much of a running game to fall back on, Manning delivered, throwing for 4,700 yards and 33 TDs. While Manning threw 17 picks, that was only one more than a season ago — and he attempted 108 more passes than in '09. The Colts needed him to play to his high standard this season, and, except for a three-game stretch, he did just that.

4. QB Michael Vick / Philadelphia Eagles

Vick was never better than he was this season. In just 12 games, he set career highs in passing yards (3,018), TD passes (21) and passer rating (100.2) while committing a mere nine turnovers. And did we mention that Vick still has that rare speed? He rushed for 676 yards on 100 carries. At age 30, and after two seasons out of football and one on the bench, Vick played like a legitimate MVP candidate.

5. QB Philip Rivers / San Diego Chargers

Rivers' case is very similar to Peyton Manning's. He was outstanding for a team heavily dependant on him, setting career highs in passing yards (4,710) and completions (357) with 30 TD passes and a 101.8 passer rating even with a supporting cast that was without WR Vincent Jackson (holdout) and TE Antonio Gates (foot) for extended stretches. Rivers has established himself as one of the NFL's top passers — a quarterback capable of lifting up the play of everyone around him.

6. LOLB Clay Matthews / Green Bay Packers

Matthews garnered PFW/PFWA Defensive MVP honors after recording 13.5 sacks and 60 tackles for Green Bay's swarming defense. A late bloomer, Matthews didn't start until he was a senior at USC, but he has emerged as one of the game's top outside linebackers and pass rushers. Excellent effort, coupled with very good athleticism, makes him special.

7. SS Troy Polamalu / Pittsburgh Steelers

Time and again, Polamalu made big plays for the NFL's most imposing defense. His most memorable play came in Week 13, when he blitzed off the left edge, hitting Ravens QB Joe Flacco as he was preparing to throw off a three-step drop. Flacco fumbled, Steelers LOLB LaMarr Woodley recovered, and the Steelers later capitalized with the eventual game-winning TD. Polamalu has exceptional speed and is effective both bursting through the line in run support and covering a lot of ground quickly in pass defense. Some would say he's the Steelers' most indispensible defender.

8. ROLB James Harrison / Pittsburgh Steelers

There is a case to be made for Harrison as the NFL's top all-around linebacker in 2010. In addition to notching 10.5 sacks, Harrison racked up 100 tackles. What's more, he defended five passes and pulled in a pair of interceptions. Looking for more measures of his disruptiveness? He also forced a half-dozen fumbles. So strong and low to the ground, Harrison can be a nightmare to block as a pass rusher, and he's an above-average run defender, too.

9. DRE Julius Peppers / Chicago Bears

Here's a case where a player's numbers don't tell the entire story about his impact. Peppers, who has had six seasons in his career with double-digit sacks, notched 54 tackles and eight sacks in his first season in Chicago, but his effect on the rest of the defense was profound. Even when he didn't get to the quarterback, he was difficult to block, which helped the rest of the Bears' front four. Peppers, who has rare athleticism, also defended nine passes, with two interceptions.

10. QB Matt Ryan / Atlanta Falcons

Ryan's third NFL season was his best, as he set career bests in yards (3,705) and touchdowns (28). Ryan is an accurate, prudent passer who doesn't take many undue risks (his end-of-half interception vs. Green Bay in the divisional round aside) and fits the Falcons' scheme to a "T." The Pro Bowler has a very bright future.

 

The following PFW editors contributed to this story: Arthur Arkush, Dan Arkush, Michael Blunda, Eric Edholm, Kevin Fishbain, Mike Holbrook, Eli Kaberon, Alex Mayster and Dan Parr.

This article first appeared in the Pro Football Weekly print edition dated Feb. 6, 2011, which previews Super Bowl XLV. The print edition breaks down the big game in North Texas, including how the teams match up, five keys to the outcome, which club holds the edge at each position, how the teams compare statistically and much more. The issue also includes Nolan Nawrocki's mock draft, PFW's Super 50 of top players in 2010, a feature on former Giants RB and Super Bowl XXV MVP Ottis Anderson, and our annual Griddy Awards honoring top NFL broadcasters. You can purchase a copy of the Super Bowl preview print edition at retail outlets across the country or online at PFWstore.com, where you can buy either a print copy or an electronic (PDF) version.

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A Word About Your Low Back

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Holy Sh*T

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Interview with Chris Voigt of 20 Potatoes a Day

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Zorn dropped as Ravens' QB coach

The Ravens officially announced the departure of QB coach Jim Zorn and added that offensive coordinator Cam Cameron's duties will be expanded to include working more closely with the team's quarterbacks.

"We've talked about this since the end of the season, and we believe this will help improve our offense," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "Cam is noted for his development of quarterbacks, and that includes Joe Flacco and Pro Bowl players like Drew Brees and Philip Rivers. Cam is excited about this change and is looking forward to it."
 
The Ravens also announced that offensive assistant Craig Ver Steeg, who has been both an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in his 26-year coaching career, will assist with the team's QBs.
 
According to PFW correspondent and Baltimore Sun reporter Jamison Hensley, Harbaugh and Zorn had a long meeting this week and decided to go their separate ways. Flacco had his best season as a pro under Zorn's watch, throwing for 3,622 yards, 25 TDs and 10 interceptions in the regular season.

"We were able to get Jim here for a year after his head-coaching job with the Redskins," Harbaugh said. "He was able to help us get back to the playoffs, and we thank him for his contributions."

Prior to taking the job with the Ravens, Zorn was the head man in Washington. He was fired following the 2009 season after going 12-20 during his two years in charge. He's expected to be in demand by other teams this offseason.

 

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Big Events Happening For SFCF Coaches!

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Updated Super Bowl XLV line

Here is the pointspread and total for Super Bowl XLV, updated daily.

Updated pointspreads and totals will be posted daily throughout the NFL season. Updates will be made each evening, except Sunday, unless otherwise noted. Lines and totals that have changed from the previous day are in boldface.

Updated 7:45 p.m. ET Friday (note: line unchanged on Wednesday and Thursday)

Sunday, Feb. 6

Green Bay (-2½) vs. Pittsburgh (44½)

Money line: Packers (-140); Steelers (+120). 

Updated 2:10 a.m. ET Wednesday

Sunday, Feb. 6

Green Bay (-2½) vs. Pittsburgh (44½)

Updated 11:07 p.m. ET Monday

Sunday, Feb. 6

Green Bay (-2½) vs. Pittsburgh (45)

 

 

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Gymnastics Class

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Dan Parr's Super Bowl prediction

Each day we'll post the prediction of a PFW editor for Super Bowl XLV. PFW associate editor Dan Parr's prediction is the fourth of 10.

Packers 28, Steelers 24

With two teams that are so talented and well-coached set to battle in North Texas, I don't see many big mistakes being made on either side. The squad that makes the fewest will finish on top. I lean toward the Packers getting the win because we've seen pass-first offenses with an elite quarterback and a deep receiving corps spread out the Steelers' defense and have success. Aaron Rodgers will have to play a cleaner game than he did against the Bears in the NFC championship game, but I think he and his arsenal of weapons in the receiving corps will be up to the challenge. QB Ben Roethlisberger is built to withstand the beating Green Bay's defense is capable of delivering, however. Pittsburgh will score more points than any other team did against the Packers this postseason, but it won't be enough.

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John Clay: No cause to cuss, Cats just acting their age this year

Twenty bleeping questions, asked and answered, about Kentucky's bleeping loss at Alabama.

1. What was the most disconcerting aspect of the 68-66 loss to the Crimson Tide? Those bleeping selfish so-and-sos, oops, just kidding. Call it Road Rage.

2. No, seriously? Seriously, the most disconcerting thing is that instead of reloading, this is starting to feel like rebuilding.

3. Most disconcerting stat Tuesday? Alabama got 56 percent of the rebounds at its offensive end of the floor. That's effort. That's where UK lost.

4. It's all effort? Well, not all effort. UK just doesn't match up well with physical teams. That's why the Cats beat finesse teams such as Washington and Louisville and lost to tough teams such as Georgia and Alabama.

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Vote for your favorite Zen Habits posts of 2010

Post written by Leo Babauta.
It’s that time of year when we look back and reflect. I usually pick my top posts of the year to share with those who missed them, but this year I thought I’d let you guys pick.
I no longer keep stats on Zen Habits so I don’t know which posts have [...]

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Falcons expected to keep RB corps intact

We hear the Falcons would be content to head into next season with the same group of running backs that helped them finish 12th in the league in rushing in 2010. Two of RB Michael Turner's top backups — Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling — each signed one-year contracts last offseason and their deals are due to expire in March. It's not yet clear if they will be unrestricted or restricted free agents — we won't have a definite answer on that until there is a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. We're told Atlanta is interested in giving Norwood, who played in only 12 games over the past two seasons because of injuries, another chance. He could be relatively cheap to re-sign because of his injury history. Snelling has emerged over the past two seasons with Norwood ailing and could draw interest from other teams if he's a UFA. Backups Gartrell Johnson and Antone Smith combined for 11 carries last season and both could be back.

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Lessons From The Road

Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything. - Charles Kuralt An Epic Journey Last week, I embarked on a journey. Those of you that are friends of mine on Facebook already know that I’ve moved 2200 miles from my hometown of Louisville, KY [...]

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Where is the brain of Rosemary Stanton?

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Tire Training

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UK football notebook: Phillips regains momentum

After a brutal end to the regular season and a rough start to the off-season, Kentucky Coach Joker Phillips and the Wildcat program ended the week with some much-needed positive news.

The Cats suffered a deflating 27-10 loss to Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl, saw a top recruit (offensive lineman Nick Martin) de-commit and switch to Notre Dame, and then listened to star Randall Cobb announce he was headed to the NFL.

But not long after Cobb's announcement, Phillips picked up a coup on the recruiting trail when Atlanta running back Marcus Caffey switched his commitment from Purdue to UK. The next day, star linebacker Danny Trevathan announced he would return for his senior season.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Caffey is a three-star recruit and was ranked the 26th-best player in Georgia according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Caffey had offers from nearly a dozen schools, including Arkansas, Illinois, South Carolina, Maryland and West Virginia. He rushed for 1,611 yards and 18 touchdowns this past season for Grady High School. Caffey and another three-star UK commit from Georgia, Josh Clemons, will help the Cats restock their running back cupboard after the departure of Derrick Locke and transfer of No. 2 back Donald Russell. Kentucky is also trying to find a replacement for Moncell Allen at fullback and hosted Cincinnati's Trayion Durham this weekend. The 6-1, 230-pound Durham is listed as the nation's No. 3 fullback by Rivals and will visit Louisville next weekend. He's received offers from UK, U of L, Cincinnati, Boston College, Wisconsin, Minnesota and several others.

Kentucky got more good news when Paducah Tilghman receiver Josh Forrest re-affirmed his commitment to UK amid recent reports that he'll take a visit to Central Florida later this month. Forrest was in Lexington for a visit this weekend.

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John Clay: No clear favorite yet in college basketball

Last Saturday in Lawrence, Kansas suffered a double whammy. Its 69-game home-court win streak went poof. So did its undefeated season. Texas 74, Jayhawks 63.

Monday night at the Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh suffered a similar home invasion. The Panthers lost for the first time in 21 home games. And for just the second time all season. Notre Dame 56, Pitt 51.

This season in college basketball, no team's perfect, even those with perfect records.

San Diego State is 20-0 and ranked fourth in the nation, but the doubters look askance at a Mountain West team that most of the country has never seen take a shot.

Ohio State was 20-0 heading into Tuesday night's home tilt with Purdue, but even the Buckeyes' spotless slate has not been enough to convince all Associated Press voters, two of whom cast first-place ballots elsewhere, one for Pitt and one for Duke.

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Fisher out as coach in Tennessee

Updated Jan. 27, 2011 @ 11:26 p.m. ET

In a shocking development, the Titans and head coach Jeff Fisher have decided to part ways, the team said in a press release Thursday. The story was first reported by Sports Illustrated's Don Banks.

What is not clear is whether Fisher is resigning, the Titans are firing him or whether it was a mutual decision. A press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT at Baptist Sports Park in Nashville.

Fisher received a statement of support from owner Bud Adams soon after the team announced it would part ways with QB Vince Young, and everything pointed toward Fisher coaching in 2011.

The report says that the two sides are negotiating the terms of Fisher's exit.

Fisher had been the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL, taking over the then-Houston Oilers in the middle of the 1994 season. He survived the franchise's move to Tennessee, first to Memphis but settling in Nashville, their permanent home. Fisher led the Titans to the Super Bowl, losing in 2000 to the Rams in a classic, 23-16.

His regular-season record was 142-120 in his 16-plus seasons, but that mark fell to 5-6 in the playoffs. The Titans finished 6-10 this past season.

Although there are no clear reasons why Fisher won't be back, the report states that he was upset at losing two of his assistants — defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil, who was fired, and noted DL coach Jim Washburn, who left for the same position with the Eagles.

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Vote for your favorite Zen Habits posts of 2010

Post written by Leo Babauta.
It’s that time of year when we look back and reflect. I usually pick my top posts of the year to share with those who missed them, but this year I thought I’d let you guys pick.
I no longer keep stats on Zen Habits so I don’t know which posts have [...]

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Interview with a Kitavan

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Packers 60-second rant: Look for super show from Woodson

I’m not going to tell you anything in this Packers rant that you don’t already know, if you’ve been paying close attention to this year’s Super Bowl-bound squad.

But for the Packers to leave Arlington, Texas, a week from Sunday with the Lombardi Trophy included in the team’s return luggage back to Green Bay, one player for sure will be a key factor — and his name is not Aaron Rodgers.

While A-Rod will be more in the spotlight along with his Steelers counterpart “Big Ben” Roethlisberger, I suspect the contributions of veteran Packers CB Charles Woodson will be equally significant on Super Sunday, if not more.

With apologies to PFW/PFWA Defensive Player of the Year Clay Matthews, Woodson is not only the most integral chess piece in Dom Capers’ multilook 3-4 defense, he’s also the Packers’ acknowledged team leader, whose admittedly calculated pep talks, both before and after games, have offered his teammates genuine motivation all season long.

In the Packers’ player interviews with the media early this week, Woodson’s value, both on and off the field, was brought up more than once. And there was one quote from Woodson himself that seems particularly worthy of mention in this rant.

“You have to give it some thought,” Woodson said of his locker-room speeches. “You don’t want to just go up there and rant. You want to give it some thought because you’re talking to your peers, and you’re talking at a time where the games are bigger than ever.”

What’s great about Woodson is that he doesn’t just talk the talk.

Far from it.

He walks the walk far more often than not, with a key pressure from the slot here, a key breakup of a pass there.

Here, there, everywhere.

In a conversation with former Packers OG Aaron Taylor the other day, he said the best players on both the Packers and Steelers are going to have to play their best game of the year 10 days from now.

Don’t be surprised if Charles Woodson walks away with the Super Bowl MVP award — and then tops off the day with his best speech of the year in a victorious Packers locker room.

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What It Takes

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Is Stopping Angiogenesis The Key To Stopping Cancer?

Angiogenesis And Cancer A friend recently sent me several articles and a Ted Talk video about how inhibiting angiogenesis might make it possible to stop the growth of cancer. So I figured it was worth taking a look at to figure out what it’s all about and if there’s any credence to the idea. What [...]

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Mark Story: Pitt-iful showing a nightmare for Joker

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Karma seemed to have Joker Phillips set up with a dream scenario.

The last time Phillips wore the Kentucky uniform as a player was in a bowl game in historic Legion Field. Way back in 1984, Phillips caught six passes to help Jerry Claiborne's Cats upset Wisconsin in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

Yet rather than a triumphant return to Birmingham for a bowl in his first season as head coach of his alma mater, Phillips found the ultimate nightmare trip.

Pittsburgh whipped Kentucky 27-10 to claim the BBVA Compass Bowl trophy on a blustery, chilly Saturday in this cavernous old stadium.

Instead of capping its fifth straight winning season and fourth bowl victory in five years, Kentucky instead ended Phillips' first campaign with a 6-7 record.

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Lessons From The Road

Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything. - Charles Kuralt An Epic Journey Last week, I embarked on a journey. Those of you that are friends of mine on Facebook already know that I’ve moved 2200 miles from my hometown of Louisville, KY [...]

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How to find opportunity

Post written by Leo Babauta.
When we are faced with a crisis or struggle we often despair.
But it’s in this struggle that the best opportunities emerge. If we’re keeping our eyes open.
A crisis is an opportunity to change grow learn reflect and become better. It’s where we discover who we are and how we can find [...]

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Hartline gets community service on alcohol-related charges

If former University of Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline completes court-ordered community service, public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges will be dropped, a prosecutor said Monday.

Hartline, 22, was arrested in December after a 3 a.m. shouting match involving several people in a residential neighborhood near the UK campus. The fifth-year senior was suspended from the football team and did not play in its bowl game Jan. 8. Also charged with disorderly conduct and alcohol intoxication was Ashley Kathleen Carnes, a UK cheerleader listed in court documents as Hartline's girlfriend.

They were scheduled for a pretrial conference in Fayette District Court on Monday.

Hartline and Carnes both were found eligible for the Fayette County Attorney's Diversion Program, First Assistant County Attorney Brian Mattone said. If they complete the program, charges will be dropped, and their criminal records will be expunged.

"It's a second chance for first-time offenders to have a clean slate," Mattone said.

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Ex-Ballard star transfers to UK

Ballard Coach Chris Renner said former Bruins star Twany Beckham, who left Mississippi State during the semester break, has decided to walk on at Kentucky.

Beckham, a 6-foot-5 guard, can practice with UK now but won't be eligible to play until second semester next season.

"UK is recruiting the best players in the country, one-and-done pros, so Twan knows it's an uphill battle," Renner said.

"Like all kids, he believes he can play at that level and aspires to. He's willing to pay his dues and work as hard as he can.

"I think he can help them in a limited role and be a valuable member of the team."

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Where is the brain of Rosemary Stanton?

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Thoughts on problems with high fat diets

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KFC To Prevent Breast Cancer? Are You Clucking Serious?

Today, I want to take a look at a very touchy, emotionally-charged subject today: preventing breast cancer, along with how to go about funding prevention and education. Preventing Breast Cancer I think we all agree that preventing and treating breast cancer is a good thing. We all have moms, sisters, wives, friends, and girlfriends that [...]

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Weekend Recap

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Deadline Extended

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Best Workout Ever?

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Three Kentucky grayshirts enroll for spring

Linebacker/defensive end Jabari Johnson, linebacker Tim Patterson and quarterback Maxwell Smith have enrolled at Kentucky for the spring semester, Coach Joker Phillips announced Wednesday.

Commonly known as grayshirts, the players signed with UK last year but deferred enrollment until now. Patterson and Smith began practicing during bowl preparations in December. All three players will participate in spring practice.

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UK Basketball: Awaiting the "Kentucky Way"

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Mark Story: Pitt-iful showing a nightmare for Joker

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Karma seemed to have Joker Phillips set up with a dream scenario.

The last time Phillips wore the Kentucky uniform as a player was in a bowl game in historic Legion Field. Way back in 1984, Phillips caught six passes to help Jerry Claiborne's Cats upset Wisconsin in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

Yet rather than a triumphant return to Birmingham for a bowl in his first season as head coach of his alma mater, Phillips found the ultimate nightmare trip.

Pittsburgh whipped Kentucky 27-10 to claim the BBVA Compass Bowl trophy on a blustery, chilly Saturday in this cavernous old stadium.

Instead of capping its fifth straight winning season and fourth bowl victory in five years, Kentucky instead ended Phillips' first campaign with a 6-7 record.

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How to Win the Mental Battle in Life

Honestly when it comes to health and weight loss,�you probably know what you need to do. Are there really any true breakthroughs that will help you? Not really. Are you shocked when you hear to “eat less overall, eat healthier foods and exercise more”? Nah. At some point most everyone has been lean and then [...]

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Loading and Tensioning Part 1

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Where is the brain of Rosemary Stanton?

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Interview with a Kitavan

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Sometimes, You Just Gotta Do It

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Steelfit in Town

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Hepatic extraction of fructose

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Brees played with MCL sprain in playoffs

Saints QB Drew Brees played with a low-grade sprain of a medial collateral ligament during the team's wild-card loss at Seattle, head coach Sean Payton revealed Monday, according to The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune. Payton said Brees suffered the sprain earlier in the season but didn't specify when.

Payton, who was speaking with the media at Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Ala., declined to make any comparisons between Brees' injury and the one suffered by Bears QB Jay Cutler in the NFC title game, which has ignited so much controversy. Payton said there are many levels of severity with ligament injuries.

Payton also confirmed that Saints RB Pierre Thomas had undergone extensive arthroscopic surgery on his ankle and that his rehab will likely last well into the offseason. Fellow RB Chris Ivory had a screw inserted in his ankle during an operation and is reportedly doing well. WR Marcus Colston is expected to have arthroscopic procedures performed on his knee and wrist.

Saints secondary coach Dennis Allen has concluded interviews with the Broncos and Eagles, according to The Times-Picayune.

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Durability issues biggest question for Hunter

The following is the second in a series of scouting reports for draft prospects who are participating in this year's Senior Bowl. These reports from PFW draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki will be running all week leading up to Saturday evening's game in Mobile, Ala.

RB Kendall Hunter
Oklahoma State University
Height: 5-8e Weight: 200e Speed: 4.40e
Arm: NA Hand: NA Age: 22

Upside

- Excellent production

- Built low to ground and avoids direct hits

- Strong hips — runs through arm tackles

- Good instincts and vision to pick holes

- Runs hard and can pull away in a crowd

Downside

- Not ideally built to run inside in the NFL

- Raw route runner, seldom used as a receiver

- Lacks lower-body power to absorb blocks

- Inconsistent blocker

- Shaky injury history — has a plate in ankle

The way we see it

Compact, muscular, shifty back who's built low to the ground. Has the run instincts and burst to carry an offense. Will have to answer questions about durability and blocking, but had a strong senior season and should be a solid, productive contributor in the pros.

 

Follow our weeklong coverage of the Senior Bowl, with daily reports on practices, analysis, features and columns from our reporters in Mobile, Ala., along with videos, and concluding with a game story Saturday evening.

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Paleolithic Diet Clinical Trials, Part V

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Calipari foresees more close games in SEC

Here's a sobering thought: Alabama, which led Kentucky by 20 points in the second half Tuesday, held on to win by two. The rest of UK's schedule makes the Tide look like relatively easy pickings.

According to Collegerpi.com, all but one of Kentucky's opponents the rest of the season have a better Ratings Percentage Index than Alabama's No. 143. That exception is Mississippi State, which added point guard Dee Bost and highly touted freshman Renardo Sidney this month, thus making its RPI of 183 misleading.

The Sagarin ratings also suggest the remaining 12 regular-season games on Kentucky's schedule will be challenging. Of those 12 games, 11 are against teams in the top 100.

So far, the Cats have played nine teams in the Sagarin top 100. UK had a record of 5-4 in those games.

No wonder in his post-Alabama game remarks Coach John Calipari emphasized the need for crisp execution. Crunching the Collegerpi.com and Sagarin numbers suggest the margin for error will not be great the rest of the way.

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Fathead, Supersize Me and Sweden

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Polyp Prevention Trial and homocysteine

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Bears QB Collins has shoulder injury

If the Bears had advanced to the Super Bowl, they might have been down to one healthy quarterback.

It was revealed Monday that Jay Cutler sprained his left medial collateral ligament, and an NFL.com report indicates Todd Collins, who replaced Cutler in the third quarter, suffered a shoulder injury when he was hit by Packers NT B.J. Raji on his final snap of the game. The report says Collins will undergo an MRI and that the injury might require surgery.

Collins was replaced by Caleb Hanie after that play and it was initially believed that Collins was pulled for performance reasons. Head coach Lovie Smith didn't even hint during his press conference Monday that Collins' health was a factor in the decision to take him out of the game.

"I like our evaluation of our quarterbacks," Smith said. "You have a No. 1, if he goes down, you have a No. 2, and if that doesn't work, you're able to go to your No. 3. We were able to do that and we ended up with our No. 3 and he was able to put us in position to possibly win this game. I like our evaluation of our quarterbacks right now."

Collins, 39, is due to become a free agent this offseason.

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A Gluten-free January

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KFC To Prevent Breast Cancer? Are You Clucking Serious?

Today, I want to take a look at a very touchy, emotionally-charged subject today: preventing breast cancer, along with how to go about funding prevention and education. Preventing Breast Cancer I think we all agree that preventing and treating breast cancer is a good thing. We all have moms, sisters, wives, friends, and girlfriends that [...]

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Where is the brain of Rosemary Stanton?

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Rest Day

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UK notes: Minter says Cats have a lot of work to do on defense

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Kentucky's 27-10 loss to Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Saturday showed new UK defensive boss Rick Minter just how much work he has ahead of him.

The Wildcats gave up 261 rushing yards and allowed the Panthers to convert on 50 percent (six of 12) of their third downs.

Minter said the Panthers gave his defense a "butt whippin.' "

"What I saw on the football field today, while I'm not discouraged, it was totally unacceptable," Minter said. "We came here to try and stop the run, and it's hard to do in a short period of time, but we will get it done. I don't question their effort. But we've got to tackle a whole lot better in space."

The UK defense did have an interception on its first series and appeared to have a second consecutive turnover, only to have a fumbled lateral call overturned.

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High fat diet and fertility

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Rimonabant and hemopressin

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What It Takes

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Jets' Cromartie not pleased with labor situation

One day after seeing his Jets fall short in the AFC championship game, outspoken CB Antonio Cromartie vented in a story by ESPN New York about the uncertainty of the coming months regarding the increasingly contentious relations between the NFL owners and the players' union.

"To me, you need to stop bitching about it," Cromartie said. "And if you wanna say you're gonna get into a room and meet and greet, and say you're gonna do what you need to do, then do it. Don't just talk about it."

Cromartie, who was acquired by the Jets via trade with the Chargers last offseason and is due to become a free agent, would like to stay with New York and begin negotiating a new deal. However, because of the uncertainty regarding the league's expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement, all future deals are on hold.

Cromartie, along with many of his Jets teammates, are not optimistic a new agreement will be reached before next season.

"I mean, that's how I feel," he added. "Honestly, I don't give a damn if they get mad at me or not, but it's getting to a point where it's getting ridiculous when everything is always dealing with money. You're basically dealing with people's livelihoods. That this is what we do for our careers, and you're dealing with hundreds of thousands of other people that's in this workplace also, from the venues to everyone else.

"... I mean, you've got our head union reps acting like a [expletive]. And they've got their guys acting like them [expletive], so they just need to get their [expletive] together and get it done."

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Big Events Happening For SFCF Coaches!

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Thoughts on problems with high fat diets

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A Word About Your Low Back

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Gymnastics Class

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Wheat and lactase

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Dairy Fat and Diabetes

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Eating Wheat Gluten Causes Symptoms in Some People Who Don't Have Celiac Disease

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Wall named Kentucky Sportsman of the Year

Even if you had your eyes closed in Rupp Arena, you could tell when John Wall had the basketball in the open court.

You would hear the Rupp crowd inhale en masse with anticipation. After all, Wall was always apt to deliver something breathtaking.

In his first official appearance in a UK uniform, the electric point guard from Raleigh, N.C., hit a game-winning jump shot. The last time he represented Kentucky, Wall became the first player in the storied history of the Wildcats men's basketball program to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Between those two points, Wall was both basketball star and cultural phenomenon. In his one year in Kentucky, he launched a dance craze, became a lyrical staple in rap songs and earned first-team All-America honors by leading a 35-3 UK team.

For all those reasons, members of the commonwealth's sports media have elected Wall the 2010 Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sportsman of the Year.

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'Terrence can take it,' Jones' aunt says of Calipari's profanity

The woman who introduced Terrence Jones to sports said Wednesday that Kentucky Coach John Calipari need not apologize for the profane scolding he gave the freshman near the end of the Alabama game.

"I don't have any worries about it," said Ava Mashia, Jones' aunt. "Terrence can take it."

Her nephew came to Kentucky to be pushed, she said. Calipari cursing is part of getting pushed.

"(Jones) sees him as a person who's trying to help him," Mashia said. "That's (Calipari's) method. That's the way he talks to everybody on the team."

ESPN, which televised Tuesday's game, showed Calipari drop a four-syllable 'F bomb' on Jones and seemingly call the freshman selfish late in the second half.

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Pullup Challenge Submission

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Mark Story: Cobb's many talents will be difficult for Kentucky to replace

Have I mentioned I feel a little sorry for Joker Phillips?

Decked out in a gray suit, black shirt and white tie, Randall Cobb stood in a room inside Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday and, his voice cracking repeatedly with emotion, made the announcement The Long-Suffering Kentucky Football Fan dreaded.

"I had to make the best decision for me, and I felt it was my time to go and pursue my dream to play in the NFL," UK's junior wide receiver said.

In that instant, Phillips' job in elevating Kentucky football — or preventing a major step backward next year — got a lot more challenging.

For Cobb, Kentucky football's Mr. Everything, leaving early for the play-for-pay appears to be a rock-solid business decision. The evaluation he got back from the NFL suggested he was likely to be a third-round draft pick, he said.

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Packers-Bears first-quarter reflections

The Packers started off like they were going to pull off a second-straight rout, effortlessly driving down the field on their first possession. Aaron Rodgers’ nifty back-door TD run, which was preceded by three passes of 20-plus yards (two by Greg Jennings, one by Jordy Nelson), gave the Packers a quick 7-0 lead at cold, windy Soldier Field.

But the Bears’ defense stiffened on the Packers’ last two possessions in the first quarter, as Green Bay finished the quarter up 7-0. The Bears’ defense started to apply more pressure with DE Julius Peppers picking on T.J. Lang, who had to replace the injured Chad Clifton.

Green Bay’s defense easily handled the Bears’ heavily run-oriented offense, with Cullen Jenkins in particular providing a strong inside pass rush. Brian Urlacher had a nice sack of Rodgers late in the quarter, which ended with a beautiful punt from Tim Masthay that landed inside the Bears’ five-yard line.

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Wheat Germ Agglutinin; how little is enough?

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UK's bowl gets highest TV rating in game's history

Saturday's BBVA Compass Bowl featuring Kentucky and Pittsburgh was one of only 10 college football post-season games to enjoy an increase in TV ratings this year over last year, according to a report compiled by The Birmingham News of Nielsen Media Research Data.

Pittsburgh's 27-10 victory over Kentucky produced the highest rating in the game's five-year history, with a 2.2, up 38 percent from last year when Connecticut beat South Carolina.

Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program.

The game in Birmingham ranked 20th out of 34 bowls rated by Nielsen.

Overall, bowl ratings were down nine percent from last year, according to the analysis, including an 11 percent drop for the national championship game won by Auburn over Oregon. The game received a 15.3 rating on ESPN.

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Lessons from Less

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or


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Interview with Chris Voigt of 20 Potatoes a Day

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Dolphins give extension to GM Ireland

GM Jeff Ireland has signed a multiyear extension with the Dolphins, the team announced Saturday morning, with owner Steve Ross saying that Ireland has management's "full support moving forward."

Ireland has been the team's general manager since the conclusion of the 2007 season. Starting with the selection of All-Pro OLT Jake Long with the top choice of the '08 draft, Ireland has rebuilt the Dolphins' roster since taking the job. Miami is 25-24 in three seasons with Ireland at the helm, including a playoff appearance in '08.

"The decision to extend Jeff's contract as our general manager was an easy one," Ross in a statement.  "The young talent that Jeff has assembled during his three years with the Dolphins has made a profound impact on our franchise's recovery from the 1-15 season of 2007."

There had been speculation following a disappointing 7-9 season in 2010 that the Dolphins would make a coaching change. Instead, Ross and Ireland wound up giving head coach Tony Soprano a contract extension.  

"I appreciate the support of the entire Dolphin organization, from Steve Ross all the way down, and I'm going to continue to work as hard as I can with Steve, Tony Sparano, and the rest of the team to bring the Dolphins back to their long-time position as one of the elite teams in the NFL," said Ireland. "We have a young and talented nucleus to build on, and as we continue to add quality players through all the means available to us, we will give our fans the type of team they deserve."

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Quarter by quarter: How Kentucky lost

First quarter

Summary: Both offenses moved early. UK's Randall Burden intercepted a pass at the Cats' 16; then Pittsburgh recovered a Morgan Newton fumble at its 34. A Pitt sack stopped another UK drive, but Craig McIntosh put the Wildcats ahead with a 50-yard field goal.

Thumbs up: New defensive boss Rick Minter preaches turnovers. Burden created one.

Thumbs down: Kentucky threatened to score twice but managed only a field goal.

Second quarter

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Steelers' Keisel unsung no more

Steelers DRE Brett Keisel has drawn a lot of attention for, of all things, his flowing beard. On the field, he's a key — and no longer unsung — member of one of the NFL's top defenses. Despite missing five regular-season games, Keisel was voted a Pro Bowl first alternate, and he was named to take Colts DE Dwight Freeney's spot on the roster on Jan. 15. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Keisel played particularly well after returning to the lineup in Week 13, notching 21 tackles, defending six passes and recording a pair of sacks in the final five games of the regular season. Solid vs. the run, Keisel brings some pass-rush ability, possessing the strength and quickness to be a tough matchup, especially if aligned vs. a left guard. Keisel's athleticism was on full display when he returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown at Tampa Bay in Week Three. Twice, Keisel cut back for running room, and he finished strongly.

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Pullup Challenge Submission

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Fitness is?

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Ohio State new No. 1; UK 12th; UofL 19th

The last time Thad Matta's Ohio State Buckeyes topped The Associated Press Top 25, they reached the national championship game.

Could the same karma take place in 2010-11?

"It did happen that way before and it would be great for it to happen again," Matta said Monday, hours after the Buckeyes replaced Duke at No. 1. "I'd trade it right now for better defense. But it's great for our program."

The Buckeyes (18-0) moved up one spot to replace Duke, which was No. 1 in the preseason Top 25 and the first nine polls of the regular season, including six weeks as the unanimous pick of the 65-member national media panel.

The Blue Devils' loss at Florida State on Wednesday opened the way for the Buckeyes, who are No. 1 for the third time in school history. Ohio State was No. 1 for all of 1960-61 and 1961-62, a run of 27 straight polls, and for three weeks at the end of 2006-07.

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UK bowl Q and A: Mister Cobble

Redshirt freshman Mister Cobble was Kentucky's best defensive lineman in spring practice and slated to be a starter at tackle. His season appeared to be lost when he was ruled academically ineligible before the opener at Louisville. However, thanks to the BBVA Compass Bowl's late kickoff date (Jan. 8), the 6-foot, 321-pound Cobble was able to get his fall-semester grades posted in time to be cleared to play against Pittsburgh.

Question: Now that game day is here, do you feel ready to play?

Answer: I do. There's just so much excitement and nervous energy, but I feel like I'm ready. I'm hungry more than anything, just hungry to finally get to play in a game. It feels like I've been here forever, and I've never actually played.

Q: Coach Joker Phillips has said you'll probably get 20 to 25 plays. How do you feel about that workload?

A: Actually, I feel like I could do a little more, but we've got two seniors (Ricky Lumpkin and Shane McCord) who've earned the right to that playing time. I'm just going to try and get in there and contribute when I can. In a way, 20-25 plays is perfect, because I can go all out on those plays and maybe have a bigger impact on the game.

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What It Takes

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Beckham to transfer to UK: My Bama game preview at CoachCal.com: On the Radio

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Steelers OG Kemoeatu fined $12,500

Steelers OG Chris Kemoeatu was fined $12,500 for two separate occasions of unnecessary roughness, according to multiple reports.

In the Steelers' divisional-round win over the Ravens, Kemoeatu struck an opponent late two times.

There were no reports of any fines handed down for actions in the Patriots-Jets divisional-round game, including Patriots OLG Logan Mankins who was penalized for unnecessary roughness.

 

 

 

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Eating Wheat Causes Symptoms in Some People Who Don't Have Celiac Disease

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Happy Holidays from Mike and Scott

To the Fitness Spotlight Community, We just wanted to take time to wish everyone out there a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season! Things have been busy with us over the past several months. We have 3 new projects under wraps coming out in Jan along with a whole FUN new format for Fitness Spotlight. So [...]

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Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Q&A With Roll Bama Roll

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