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The Wire

Celizic: Tip of the hat to good old boy Bowden

Usually, firing a football coach is sort of like taking a Christmas present that didn’t work out back to the store to exchange it. It’s going to be a bit of a hassle and someone’s feelings might get hurt, but in the cosmic scheme of things, it’s not all that difficult to do.

Ventre: College coaches can't be medieval anymore

Many years ago, when men were men, and football was football, and men played football, and so on, I found myself on a high school practice field, in helmet and full pads, in the broiling New Jersey heat, running in place as coaches screamed for me and my teammates to run even faster. Occasionally a coach would grab me by the face mask — yes, they did have face masks back then — in order to make his point.

Celizic: If family really was No. 1, Meyer would quit

It’s about the team, not the individual, and you know that’s what Urban Meyer preaches because that’s what coaches do. But now he’s asking everyone — team, school, family — to sacrifice for him because he just realized that he’s more important than all of them.

Calif. school team's success linked to Snoop Dogg

Football has long been the athletic stepchild at inner-city Crenshaw High School. Trophy cases are crammed with basketball awards. Gym walls are lined with hoops championship flags.

Here's hoping Colts have hearts set on 16-0

It's about the time of year when the Colts start resting up for a playoff run, a development that annually spells trouble for fantasy teams banking on Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Joseph Addai.

Video game teaches NY students fiscal skills

A new video game designed to help New York students learn to manage their money tries to make the dullness of balancing a checkbook look more like the thrill of driving for a touchdown.

Powell: Defense wins games, not Heismans

It was just about 30 years ago when we truly discovered the exact reason why the Heisman Trophy depicted a guy with a stiff arm: He was keeping all worthy defensive candidates from ever getting their hands on the trophy.

Johnston: Best, worst from college football season

No such thing as a bad season in college football. If you ask me, they are all memorable, some with twists and turns, others with start-to-finish domination, most with unforgettable characters and performances.

Police: NC Marine dies in argument over game

Police in North Carolina are saying a Marine was accidentally shot to death when he got into an argument with a friend over the Texas-Nebraska football game.

Johnston: McCoy, McElroy opposites? Not about winning

Clearly, University of Texas senior Colt McCoy is one of the great college football quarterbacks of our time. He has 45 career victories (cue the Colt-45 headlines). He is the first QB in major college football history to lead his team to four 10-win seasons. He has 112 career touchdown passes while completing more than 70 percent of his attempts.

Correction: Switzer-Bowden-Iraq story

In a Dec. 4 story about Barry Switzer and Tommy Bowden coaching flag football teams for a USO exhibition game in Iraq, The Associated Press misidentified Bowden. He was a former head coach at Clemson, not Auburn.

Switzer, Tommy Bowden to coach teams for troops

Barry Switzer and Tommy Bowden are heading back to sidelines, but in Iraq instead of the U.S.

Powell: Hate the BCS? Root hard for Nebraska

It’s time to round up Turner Gill and Irving Fryar, Dean Steinkuler and Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier and Rich Glover, and of course Tom Osborne. There’s a big game to be won, and given what’s at stake, we just can’t leave it to the current Nebraska Cornhuskers to pull it off.

Hofstra ends football; cites costs, weak interest

With costs growing and few students even bothering to go to the games, Hofstra shut down its football team.

La Salle to pay $7.5 million over brain injury

A private university will pay $7.5 million to provide care to a football player who suffered a severe brain injury in a 2005 game, settling a case that questioned how the school handled a concussion the player allegedly suffered a month earlier.

Montreal Alouettes win Grey Cup

Long a staple of Saskatchewan Roughriders lore, the "13th man" took on a new and forever negative connotation Sunday night.

Las Vegas tops Florida to win UFL championship

Graham Gano kicked a 33-yard field goal in overtime to give the Las Vegas Locomotives a 20-17 victory over the Florida Tuskers on Friday in the inaugural UFL championship game.

Pompei: Lions here to stay on Thanksgiving

Having the Lions play on Thanksgiving is as much a part of the holiday as a good afternoon snooze. And they sometimes go together.

Northeastern ends football after 74 seasons

Northeastern University is ending its football program after 74 seasons because the investment required to make it competitive was too high.

Irish give up on Cup replay over hand ball

- Ireland has given up hope of a World Cup playoff replay against France because of Thierry Henry’s hand ball.

When stats lie: Don't fear Giants, Jets defense

Here's a warning for fantasy football players who are deeply immersed in the pregame ritual of poring over every available NFL stat: Don't believe them.

LeBron believes he could star in NFL

LeBron James watched the Cleveland Browns get shut out by Baltimore on Monday night and came to one simple conclusion: He could help.

College Football Today

_Mississippi tailback Dexter McCluster rushed for 282 yards and finished with 324 all-purpose yards, both school records, as the Rebels beat Tennessee 42-17.

Pompei: It’s Tim’s time, but is he ready for the NFL?

If Tim Tebow becomes to the NFL what Tim Tebow was to college football, move over Peyton Manning.

Johnston: Get ready for exodus of college stars

For college football, the storm is coming. And it looks like everyone is running for the lifeboats.

The Vine
Brady named Comeback Player of the Year
Source: NBC Sports

Tom Terrific is back. Tom Brady has gone from record-setting MVP to injured superstar to The Associated Press 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

Ryan has Rexorcised 'Same Old Jets' demons
Source: NBC Sports

Rex Ryan promised a different attitude around the New York Jets the day he became head coach.

AP source: Shanahan agrees to coach Redskins
Source: NBC Sports

Mike Shanahan agreed Tuesday to become the coach of the Washington Redskins, the latest step in a major overhaul of a troubled franchise.

Mike Shanahan signs five-year contract with Washington Redskins - ESPN
Source: ESPN.com

After an afternoon of negotiations produced an agreement, Mike Shanahan signed a five-year contract to become head coach and executive vice president of football operations for the Washington Redskins.

LA stadium builder: Jaguars, Bills first on list
Source: NBC Sports

The company behind a plan to lure the NFL back to Los Angeles said Tuesday the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills are the first teams it will try to relocate.

Houston LB Cushing is top defensive rookie
Source: NBC Sports

From the first practice in training camp until the last game, Brian Cushing was a tackling machine for the Houston Texans.

Union, NFL could discuss rookie wage scale
Source: NBC Sports

A rookie wage scale is among the issues the NFL and the players' union are expected to discuss during labor negotiations this week.

Giants fire defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan
Source: NBC Sports

Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan became the first victim of the New York Giants' collapse in 2009.

AP source: Bills fire entire coaching staff
Source: NBC Sports

The Buffalo Bills opened their offseason with a purge by firing interim coach Perry Fewell and the rest of his staff on Monday.

Redskins fire coach Jim Zorn after 4-12 season
Source: NBC Sports

Jim Zorn was fired by the Washington Redskins early Monday, the first step in yet another team overhaul under owner Dan Snyder.

Source tells AP: Redskins will fire Zorn on Monday
Source: NBC Sports

The Washington Redskins plan to fire coach Jim Zorn on Monday, an official within the NFL told The Associated Press.

Chiefs deny Broncos a playoff berth
Source: NBC Sports

Jamaal Charles ran for a Chiefs-record 259 yards on 25 carries and linebacker Derrick Johnson returned two interceptions of Kyle Orton passes for touchdowns in Kansas City's 44-24 rout Sunday, their first victory in nine tries at Invesco Field.

Cowboys win NFC East with 24-0 win over Eagles
Source: NBC Sports

Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys had their way with the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Their reward: the NFC East title and the challenge of trying to do it again.

Brett Farve: The Cheeseheads Are No More.

For 15 long years every fall my life turned on a dime.

NFL commissioner: League will look at Colts case
Source: NBC Sports

Commissioner Roger Goodell says the NFL will consider offering incentives to teams playing late-season games to discourage them from resting their starters for the playoffs.

Sevilla shocked by Sanchez heart blow
Source: CNN

Spanish club Sevilla have been rocked by the news that defender Sergio Sanchez has been ruled out for an indefinite period due to a heart problem. The 23-year-old has been advised to stop all physical activity and must have further medical tests.

No. 5 Florida 51, No. 4 Cincinnati 25 - Sweet Finish for Tebow as Florida Dominates Cincinnati - NYTimes.com
Source: The New York Times

NEW ORLEANS — In a college football career filled with superlatives, Tim Tebow gave a performance Friday night that epitomized his larger-than-life persona.

Eclipsed in the Sun Bowl
Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

Stanford saw what a big-time defense looks like. But the main reason it lost 31-27 Thursday was its inability to stop quarterback Landry Jones, who passed for a personal high of 418 yards and three touchdowns, all three to 5-11 sophomore Ryan Broyles.

Bills promote national scout Nix to GM
Source: NBC Sports

Buffalo Bills national scout Buddy Nix has been promoted to general manager in team owner Ralph Wilson's first move to revamp his front office.

Panel adds Johnson, Turley, Sharpton as witnesses
Source: NBC Sports

The House Judiciary Committee says retired boxing champion Thomas Hearns, former NFL players Ted Johnson, Kyle Turley and Bernie Parrish, and the Rev. Al Sharpton are among witnesses who will appear at next week's hearing on head injuries in football.

Texas Tech - Mike Leach must go!

I have played football for most of my life, from little league in elementary school through college, while in the army and even now I play in the park with my friends when the weather permits.

Polamalu's status for Dolphins uncertain
Source: NBC Sports

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu may not be ready to play Sunday in Miami.

Cutler leads Bears over Vikings, 36-30 in OT
Source: NBC Sports

Brett Favre cranked up and made one more impossible throw, zinging a touchdown pass in the fading seconds. Too bad for the Minnesota Vikings, that merely put them into overtime.

Jets end Colts' pursuit of perfection 29-15
Source: NBC Sports

The Indianapolis Colts kept saying a perfect season didn't matter.

White House Memo - Taking Work Home (Even When Home Means Hawaii) - News Analysis - NYTimes.com
Source: The New York Times

Barack Obama is the first president in more than 20 years to escape the confines of the White House and Camp David for Christmas. But when you are commander in chief, the White House has a way of finding you anyway.

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