Leonard, Ward, wrestler Jericho join 'Dancing With The Stars'

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A boxing great, a model who survived an Indian Ocean tsunami and a grown-up "Karate Kid" will be hoofing it on the 12th season of "Dancing with the Stars."

Welterweight champ Sugar Ray Leonard, model Petra Nemcova and Ralph Macchio of the hit 1984 karate movie will be among 11 celebrity contestants when the ABC show returns March 21.

The cast was announced Monday by "Dancing" hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke in segments that aired during an episode of ABC's "The Bachelor."

"Forget the rumors. The moment of truth has arrived!" Bergeron exclaimed.

Also hitting the dance floor will be actress Kirstie Alley; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward; professional wrestler Chris Jericho; "Loveline" radio show co-host Mike Catherwood; onetime rap prodigy Romeo (former Lil' Romeo); Chelsea Kane of Disney Channel's "Jonas"; talk show host Wendy Williams and reality star Kendra Wilkinson.

Alley suggested the contestants' focus would be to "try not to fall on our butts the first week out. That's what I'm going for."

Leonard had a holistic description of his competitive approach.

"I think it's all psychological. I think it's spiritual," he said. "I think it's all the mental preparation."

Quipped Bergeron: "Have you ever watched the show?"

Ex-Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell won't be among the contestants. Last week, the Republican and tea party favorite said she'd been invited by the show but wasn't sure she should accept, citing two left feet and the need to finish writing a book about politics.

On her website Monday, O'Donnell said she was honored to be invited but that she would instead work on her book.

The star-professional dancer pairings will be announced Wednesday.

Last season's champ was "Dirty Dancing" actress Jennifer Grey, who was paired with dancer Derek Hough.

The show also featured former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, as a contestant and became something of a political lightning rod because of the family connection.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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New-Look Knicks Make Statement With Comeback Victory in Miami

Filed under: Heat, Knicks

MIAMI -- With the game on the line, LeBron James got past Carmelo Anthony.

Not Amar'e Stoudemire, however.

And just like that, the New York Knicks -- with defense, no less -- knocked off the Miami Heat.

Chauncey Billups made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:01 left, Stoudemire blocked James' layup try with 7 seconds remaining to protect a one-point lead, and the Knicks finished with a 13-2 run to beat the Heat 91-86 on Sunday night.

"The bigger the game, the bigger the stage, the bigger they play," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Anthony scored 29 points and Stoudemire added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Billups had 16 points for the Knicks, who rallied from a 15-point, first-half deficit and improved to 2-1 since the megatrade with Denver that dramatically changed their roster.

Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/28/new-look-knicks-make-statement-with-comeback-victory-in-miami/

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Women's College World Series gets dressing rooms

OKLAHOMA CITY � No longer will the nation's top college softball teams have nowhere to get ready and nowhere to go when they're done playing at the sport's pinnacle.

A new multipurpose building that will house dressing rooms for the Women's College World Series was dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

The site has hosted college softball's championship 20 of the past 21 years, but teams previously had to put their uniforms on at a hotel before going to the stadium. After games, they'd huddle up wherever they could find a spot or use tents that were put up to provide some sort of shelter.

"There's been times where we've had rain delays that you didn't have any place to go, and I think the big thing is after the games," said Arizona coach Mike Candrea, who has won eight national titles at the stadium.

"It's always nice to have a secluded place that you can get your team in and talk. For some times, it's a great celebration. After a loss, it's nice to have some privacy to say what you need to say without having people hanging around waiting or hearing what you've got to say."

Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso, who guided the Sooners to the 2000 national title, said the new locker rooms bring the Women's College World Series closer to what's expected at such championship events as the NCAA tournament and the BCS title game.

"Your players shouldn't have to be changing out of their uniform on the bus or in the public bathroom, and that's the way it used to be," Gasso said. "So, I think it's definitely a long time coming.

"For teams that are at the College World Series, or whoever's playing there, should be able to be treated like other Division I sports that are out there, that have opportunities to have private meetings, have showers, and change your clothes in a nice dressing room."

The new building, funded through a local bond issue, is 10,000 square feet and will be configured to hold four dressing rooms during the World Series in June. Eight teams make it to the event, with as many as four games on a given day.

It will take some logistical tinkering to figure out how best to use the new facilities.

"It will be a rotation deal. Obviously if we have weather issues or further delays, we'll manage it as we go. The good thing about the NCAA and the teams who come here, they're always willing to do what's needed to make the event better," said Chris Sebren, who oversees the stadium for the Amateur Softball Association.

"And they've sacrificed enough over the years that this is going to be an added benefit for them whenever they come to town."

The stadium has been expanded over the years to keep up with the rapidly growing Women's College World Series, which averaged under 20,000 fans per year in the 1990s but over 45,000 annually last decade. The event has drawn its six biggest crowds the past six years and set attendance records last year with 62,463 fans overall and 9,080 on a single night.

"We know that there's a want to come out. One of the things, too, is that when people hear, 'Well, I couldn't get in,' they stop thinking about coming out," said Ron Radigonda, the ASA's executive director. "So, you've got to keep adding to the seating capacity."

Radigonda said preliminary plans have been discussed to add 4,000 to 5,000 permanent seats in a second deck at the stadium, bringing the total capacity to about 13,000 when temporary outfield bleachers are brought in for the World Series.

"It's not going to be a cheap project by any stretch of the imagination," Radigonda said

Oklahoma City and the ASA hope to lock up the event long term, much like Omaha, Neb., which has a contract to host the men's College World Series through 2035. The NCAA's contract with Oklahoma City runs out after 2012.

"I think the big thing is just the commitment that I think this shows to the NCAA because I think Oklahoma City is definitely the place for this event," said Candrea, who also formerly coached the United States. to Olympic gold and silver medals. "I guess just like all the colleges around the country, facilities are a big part of recruiting and staying with the Joneses, I really think that this was long overdue for the College World Series."

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Bisping Denies Spitting on Cornerman, Rivera's Team Wants Suspension

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News

In the immediate seconds following the conclusion of an emotionally charged fight between Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera, Bisping walked to the Octagon corner nearest to Rivera's team and spit. That much is clear. But the two sides disagree on what exactly he was aiming at, and whether he hit it.

Rivera's team says that the spit was directed -- and hit -- boxing coach Matt Phinney. Bisping denies it.

"No, not at all. I was spitting on the floor to let him know what I thought of him," Bisping told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani in a UFC 127 post-fight interview. "I apologized for that, and I never want to act like that."

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/02/27/bisping-denies-spitting-on-cornermen-riveras-team-wants-suspen/

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No Tears for Hampton's Jerica Jenkins in Fight With Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Filed under: Women's Basketball

When doctors told Hampton point guard Jerica Jenkins that she had cancer, she cried for a long time that April day.

It's an understandable reaction, even more so for a high school freshman, which she was at the time of the diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

That day ended, and, so too did Jenkins' tears, as it's coming up on seven years since that day, and she hasn't wasted any water on her cancer.

"I was shocked," said Jenkins, a 5-foot-4 junior from Lancaster, Tex. "I didn't believe it. I was 14. I was like, 'There's no way I have cancer.' I just couldn't believe it. I cried right then. Then, I realized that I had to deal with it and move on."

There were enough tears to go around that first day when Jenkins got the diagnosis two days after a biopsy. She and her mother cried and prayed, and then got after beating Hodgkin's, a lymphoma with a relatively high treatment rate, if detected early.

Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/27/no-tears-for-hamptons-jerica-jenkins-in-fight-with-hodgkins-ly/

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Ryan Mallett Miffed About Questions Concerning Drug Use Allegations

Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

INDIANAPOLIS -- Before Cam Newton faced the cameras, microphones, recorders and notebooks, it was Ryan Mallett's turn, and he had the added burden of dealing with drug use allegations that have been raised recently. He chose to sidestep the issue and let it stay between him and the teams interviewing him, other than to say he has laughed them off and hinted that "obviously, somebody did it for a reason, right before the combine, right before the draft."

But just as he seemed to be finding his rhythm in his answers and touted the quality of competition he faced in the Southeastern Conference as another plus, he was pressed a little more on the allegations and how he's dealing with them and he insisted he wasn't going to talk about them anymore. His session came to an abrupt end when another reporter tried to explain that the questions aren't going to go away until he gives a definitive answer as he said he didn't want to and walked off.

At 6-foot-7 and 253 pounds, Mallett is slightly bigger than Newton (6-5, 248) and has perhaps the biggest arm of all of the quarterbacks. Some scouts have been concerned about his accuracy, but he shot back that the fact that he has thrown for more than 7,000 yards and 60 touchdowns in two seasons should speak for itself. He also claimed he can throw the ball more than 80 yards.

Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/ryan-mallett-miffed-about-questions-concerning-drug-use-allegati/

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Marcell Dareus, Da'Quan Bowers Battling for Top Defensive Lineman Honors

Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Analysis

INDIANAPOLIS -- Alabama's Marcell Dareus (photo above) is battling with Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers (photo below right) and Auburn's Nick Fairley for the title of best defensive lineman in this draft class. He likes to compare his game to that of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who has gone on record as labeling Dareus the best three-technique lineman in the draft.

"Watching Warren Sapp made me want to play football," said Dareus, who at 6-foot-3 and 319 pounds has the ideal build for either tackle or end. "I really got good at it when (the Bucs) won the Super Bowl (after the 2002 season). I was in middle school and I really looked up to him as a person and a player and I like the fact that Warren Sapp thinks that highly of me and recognizes me as the best three-technique."

In a moment of levity, when Dareus was asked to describe himself as a player he smiled and said without hesitation, "I would describe myself as a nice guy." He was quick to point out that he always helps up every player he tackles and he likes to have fun on the field.

The fact that he grew up as the sixth of seven children in a single-family home after his father passed away when he was young is something Dareus attributes to his humility. He is the second youngest and learned early on about the importance of hard work. He also showed respect to Fairley and said he holds nothing against him but he did admit he feels he is the safest pick at the position because he can play in both a 3-4 and a 4-3.

Bowers joins Dareus and Fairley as the consensus top three defensive linemen in this draft class, while Oregon inside linebacker Casey Matthews is considered one of the top prospects at his position. Both players commanded a crowd in the afternoon during the anticipation leading up to the Cam Newton press conference and handled it well.

Bowers (6-3, 280) is excited to do everything at Lucas Oil Stadium to show how well rounded he is as a defensive linemen and in the individual interviews with the teams he intends to prove he has no character issues. With the need for quality pass rushers an important one for most of the teams around the league, Bowers feels he fits that mold.

Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/marcell-dareus-daquan-bowers-battling-for-top-defensive-linema/

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Kansas may be new No. 1 when men's basketball poll released Monday

La Roche dedicating run in D-III tournament to late coach

Butler coach Brad Stevens back at practice after eye problem

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After another weekend of upsets and upheaval in college men's basketball, Kansas appears poised to return to the top spot when the new USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Poll is released today. Maybe.

Eight of the top 14 teams in last week's poll, including No. ?1 Duke, lost during the weekend, again pointing out the amount of parity the NCAA basketball committee will have to sort through when teams are selected and seeded for the tournament in less than two weeks.

The Blue Devils fell at Virginia Tech. Also going down Saturday or Sunday were San Diego State, Texas, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Georgetown, Florida and Villanova.

No. 2 Kansas, which beat Oklahoma on Saturday, and No. 3 Ohio State, which whipped Indiana on Sunday, escaped the upset bug this weekend. OSU was second and Kansas third in last week's Associated Press poll, and the Jayhawks were only nine points ahead of Ohio State in the most recent coaches poll.

The last time those polls had different teams ranked first was in November 2008.
Kansas led in the coaches poll two weeks ago, but the Jayhawks were No. 1 for about 12 hours before losing at Kansas State. They play Wednesday against No. 17 Texas A&M.

See photos of: Ohio State Buckeyes, Texas Longhorns, NCAA, Duke Blue Devils, Kansas Jayhawks

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Locke, Todman impress scouts with speed

By Tony Pauline, Special to SI.com, TFYDraft.com

One of the most anticipated days of the combine is complete, as the highly touted quarterbacks took the field, hoping to answer the many questions scouts had about their skills. Then, a swift group of running backs impressed NFL decision-makers with better-than-expected 40 times. Here's a look at the risers and sliders:

Risers

Ryan Mallett/QB/Arkansas: Mallett had a tough go of it during Saturday's press conference, but got his revenge on Sunday. The end result was probably the best passing workout of any quarterback at the combine the last 10 years. Mallett showcased his legendary arm strength, powering the ball all over the field with incredible speed. What really stood out was Mallett's pinpoint accuracy Mallett throughout the session. His deep outs were on the mark, Mallett hit receivers in stride and his timing was impeccable -- even though he was essentially throwing to strangers. All things considered, it was a sensational day for Mallett.

Christian Ponder/QB/Florida State: Ponder also threw with dead-on accuracy. His passes were crisp and timed well. Receivers had the ball in their hands and were given the opportunity to catch deep throws without breaking stride. Ponder's short throws had speed; his long throws had flair. It was a prime performance from Ponder, who struggled throughout his entire senior season.

Derrick Locke/RB/Kentucky: Locke disappointed no one with his performance. He ran both two sub-4.4 40s, hitting 4.38 on some watches. He was also fast during the practice session and showed the ability to maintain his speed when asked to change direction or run through the cutback lanes. He's being compared to Dexter McCluster in some circles.

Jordan Todman/RB/Connecticut: Todman timed much faster than most expected and looked very quick all day. His 40 times also ranged in the low-4.4s, with 4.38 seconds his fastest. Todman was explosive during drills, easily changing direction and showing his burst when the ball was in his hands.

Jake Locker/QB/Washington: We railed against Locker's performance a month ago at the Senior Bowl, but now must give credit where credit is due. Locker's accuracy was significantly improved, as were his mechanics, indicating the signal-caller is finally headed in the right direction. Unlike last month, receivers were not leaving their feet to grab Locker's passes and he was able to him them in stride. Though it was not a spectacular performance, Locker may have done enough to salvage a spot in Round 1 with Sunday's results.

Mario Fannin/RB/Auburn: Fannin teased scouts throughout his college career and once again proved why NFL decision-makers are holding out hope for him. The big ball carrier averaged 4.43 then carried that speed into the practice session. He looked incredibly athletic and explosive during drills, displaying quick feet and solid pass catching hands.

Roy Helu/RB/Nebraska: Helu's stock has been rising since his solid campaign of 2010. He was able to keep the momentum going on Sunday, running faster than expected. Helu's 40s ranged in the low-4.4s and the ex-Cornhusker also looked terrific in drills.

Nathan Enderle/QB/Idaho: Enderle was the only quarterback whose arm strength rivaled Mallett's. His passes displayed great speed as Enderle easily spun the ball into targets. For the most part his passes were quite accurate as Enderle hit targets in stride and did not have them reaching vertically or backward to grab errant passes.

Sliders

Jerrod Johnson/QB/Texas A&M: Johnson, who was hampered by a shoulder injury in 2010, struggled during the entire practice. His passes were woefully inaccurate and receivers were either waiting for the ball to arrive or twisting on the field in an attempt to make the reception.

John Clay/RB/Wisconsin: Clay entered the combine with high hopes after dropping more than 25 pounds since his season ended. He then took the field in Inday and ran a slow 40 of 4.85. Clay will quickly move from running back to fullback on a number of draft boards.

Notes: So how did Cam Newton look? In a word, inconsistent, though some would justifiably claim disappointing. He displayed himself as a rare athlete with a big-league arm, yet it was evident to all his game needs a lot of work. For every one pass that was on the mark,Newton would toss three or four errant balls. Usually Newton was overthrowing his targets, sometimes with passes ending up woefully high of the mark. Newton struggled with his timing and never got into a rhythm. This was obviously apparent as while Newton struggled, Ponder would step to the line immediately after the Heisman winner and skillfully complete all his passes. The difference was stark.

Things did not come easy for Colin Kaepernick. His day was inconsistent as Kaepernick showed a lot of inaccuracy throughout the day. He had his moments, but it was not the performance scouts were hoping for coming off the heels of Kaepernick's great showing at the Senior Bowl.

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Lyrics for Willie, Mickey and 'The Duke'

By The Associated Press

Song lyrics for Terry Cashman's Willie, Mickey and 'The Duke' (Talkin' Baseball):

The Whiz Kids had won it,
Bobby Thomson had done it,
And Yogi read the comics all the while.
Rock 'n roll was being born,
Marijuana, we would scorn,
So down on the corner,
The national past-time went on trial.

We're talkin' baseball!
Kluszewski, Campanella.
Talkin' baseball!
The Man and Bobby Feller.
The Scooter, the Barber, and the Newk,
They knew 'em all from Boston to Dubuque.
Especially Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

Well, Casey was winning,
Hank Aaron was beginning,
One Robbie going out, one coming in.
Kiner and Midget Gaedel,
The Thumper and Mel Parnell,
And Ike was the only one winning down in Washington.

We're talkin' baseball!
Kluszewski, Campanella.
Talkin' baseball!
The Man and Bobby Feller.
The Scooter, the Barber, and the Newc,
They knew 'em all from Boston to Dubuque.
Especially Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

Now my old friend, The Bachelor,
Well, he swore he was the Oklahoma Kid.
And Cookie played hooky,
To go and see the Duke.
And me, I always loved Willie Mays,
Those were the days!

Well, now it's the 80's,
And Brett is the greatest,
And Bobby Bonds can play for everyone.
Rose is at the Vet,
And Rusty again is a Met,
And the great Alexander is pitchin' again in Washington.

I'm talkin' baseball!
Like Reggie, Quisenberry.
Talkin' baseball!
Carew and Gaylord Perry,
Seaver, Garvey, Schmidt and Vida Blue,
If Cooperstown is calling, it's no fluke.
They'll be with Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
It was Willie, Mickey and the Duke (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
I'm talkin' Willie, Mickey and the Duke (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
Say Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey)

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Cavaliers' Jamison breaks finger against Sixers

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cleveland Cavaliers forward Antawn Jamison broke the little finger on his left hand in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jamison was fouled while taking a shot Sunday. He immediately left the court and was taken to the locker room. Jamison was replaced by Ryan Hollins, who shot the free throws.

Jamison scored 16 points in 30 minutes. He is Cleveland's leading scorer, averaging 18.1 points.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Nearing Technical Foul Suspension, Dwight Howard Rallying Magic

Filed under: Magic, Thunder

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Magic center Dwight Howard received his 15th technical foul of the season Friday night, leaving him one shy of an automatic suspension, a cloud that now will hang over the final 23 games of the regular season.

But he also will be scary at playoff time.

Howard leads the NBA in technical fouls -- and at least one one-game suspension looks inevitable -- but he also made it clear that the Magic could be a real wild-card team when the playoffs begin.

Despite the Magic's struggles with consistency all season, Howard's growing dominance and recent willingness to hold his teammates accountable, still makes them dangerous for any opponent -- even if no one thinks they are a serious contender anymore.

"We don't care what anything says or thinks about us,'' Howard said after another Herculean effort Friday. "We know we can beat any team in the league.''

The Magic throttled short-handed Oklahoma City, 111-88, again riding Howard, who had 40 points, 15 rebounds and six blocked shots, a trifecta that no one else in the NBA has matched since Shaquille O'Neal in 1999.

The Magic (37-22) are resting in the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference, having already beaten the Celtics, Heat, Lakers and Spurs, while losing to the Raptors, Pistons and Kings.

Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/nearing-technical-foul-suspension-dwight-howard-rallying-magic/

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Goodell updates owners on CBA negations at combine

INDIANAPOLIS -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league's top labor negotiator used this week's annual scouting combine to update owners on the collective bargaining negotiations.

In an e-mail to the Associated Press, league spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed Saturday that Goodell and Jeff Pash met Friday with the owner's labor committee at the Colts' team complex. Colts owner Jim Irsay, Aiello said, did not participate because he was out of town.

"There was a meeting yesterday at the Colts' offices of the ownership's labor committee for another update from the negotiating team," Aiello wrote.

The NFL Players Association and league owners are trying to work out a new collective bargaining agreement before the old expires at the end of Thursday.

The two sides spent seven straight days negotiating in front of federal mediator George Cohen in Washington before talks ended Thursday. They are scheduled to resume Tuesday.

Both sides have abided by Cohen's request to stay quiet about the negotiations, but it's becoming increasingly clear that everyone involved is bracing for the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987.

"Everyone is building their team the same way. You'll have the draft, you'll have free agency, none of those things are going away," Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said Saturday. "It all is going to be there at some point, and you're going to build your team the way you build your team."

Agents also expect a salary cap to be part of the eventual deal.

The latest meeting in Indy was another odd twist on one of the NFL's biggest and busiest offseason events. Suddenly, all that talk about big-time picks like Cam Newton and Nick Fairley has been overshadowed by the continual meetings about the looming lockout.

On Thursday night, league officials met with head coaches and general managers. Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio described the meeting as "informational."

On Friday, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith took his turn. He spent two hours updating agents on the negotiations, then the union put four prominent agents -- Tom Condon, Ben Dogra, Drew Rosenhaus and Joel Segal -- side-by-side in a show of unity for Smith and the players.

Three blocks away, at Lucas Oil Stadium, the site of next year's Super Bowl, prospective rookies were working out at the same time agents began tweeting that potential rookies would not be allowed to talk with team officials if the CBA expires. Union and league spokesmen quickly said that was untrue.

On Saturday, word leaked about Goodell's meeting on the city's west side. Aiello did not provide details of the most recent discussions which included the labor committee co-chairman -- Pat Bowlen of the Denver Broncos and Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers -- Dallas' Jerry Jones and New England's Robert Kraft.

The most recent CBA was signed in 2006, but owners exercised a clause in 2008 that let them opt out.

League owners want a greater percentage of the roughly $9 billion in annual revenue that is shared with the players. Among the other significant topics in negotiations are a rookie wage scale; the owners' push to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18 while reducing the preseason by two games; and benefits for retired players.

But the threat of a lockout has sped up the pace of negotiations.

After months of infrequent and sometimes contentious talks, the sides went more than two months without any formal bargaining until Feb. 5, the day before the Super Bowl. The sides met again once the next week, then called off a second meeting that had been scheduled for the following day.

Cohen said Thursday that the two sides had made "some progress" but "very strong differences remain."

"We want a deal and our hope is it will get done as quickly as possible," Smith said Friday.

And so does the city of Indianapolis, which is set to host its first Super Bowl next season.

"I hear that they expect to get it done," Mayor Greg Ballard said during a visit to the stadium. "I'm glad that they're talking, that they're talking seriously. We feel that they'll get it done."

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Capitals Deficiencies Exposed by Rangers Once Again

Filed under: Capitals, Rangers, NHL Injuries, NHL Rumors, Trade Deadline

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Good thing Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee is one of the most deliberate executives in the NHL.

If not, Friday's 6-0 loss to the New York Ranges -- Washington's worst loss at home since November 2006 -- could mean plenty of changes ahead of Monday's trade deadline.

"George is not a knee-jerk guy at all," said Capitals forward Mike Knuble, one of four players available to the media after the game. "Whether we won 5-0 or lost 6-0 like tonight, it probably wouldn't have changed his approach to the deadline. He's had last summer to think about it and a lot of this season. He's probably already formulated his plans."

And this game for the fifth-place Caps exposed the same sorts of elements that were absent when they were bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season despite winning the Presidents' Trophy for the league's best regular season record.

Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/capitals-deficiencies-exposed-by-rangers-once-again/

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Dixon helps No. 11 UCLA cruise past Arizona State

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) � With second place and a spot in the Pac-10 semifinals locked up, No. 11 UCLA can look toward the postseason with a week left in the regular season.

Jasmine Dixon had 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bruins past Arizona State 61-45 on Saturday night for their ninth win in the last 10 games.

Atonye Nyingifa had 15 points and seven rebounds for UCLA (24-3, 14-2). Darxia Morris added 13 points and four assists, and the Bruins outrebounded the Sun Devils 45-30. .

"We need a high seed in the NCAAs," Morris said. "So we have to play hard, keep winning and get that high seed and if we do a good job at Pac-10, get that Pac-10 championship."

Becca Tobin had 10 points and six rebounds to lead third-place Arizona State (17-9, 9-7), which had won three straight. The Sun Devils lead Arizona and Southern California by one game with two games left in the regular season.

"We needed everybody to step up to beat a team of this caliber and we didn't," Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "They got away from being in the moment tonight. I think people were pressing ? the magnitude of the game, of wanting to win for the seniors and being the last home game."

Nyingifa keyed a 17-0 run early the second half after Arizona State had tied it at 28-all with 17:11 remaining. She completed a three-point play, had a layup off a pass from Markel Walker and capped the run that gave UCLA a 45-28 lead with 12:32 left.

"We have to rebound, we are one of the smallest teams in the country, we're way undersized," Dixon said. "We have top hit and pursue. That's our focus. They were getting way too many offensive rebounds which led to second-chance shots. So we had to buckle down and make sure we hit."

Arizona State never got closer than 11 after that decisive 5-minute stretch.

"Our defensive intensity picked up, I thought that was the main thing," UCLA coach Nikki Caldwell said. "They tied it up and then we settled ourselves down and changed up our defensive scheme. Then we did a much better job of pushing the ball back at them off makes and misses."

The Bruins' full-court press was trouble for the Sun Devils, who only shot 30 percent (17 of 56) from the field.

Dixon scored 10 points as UCLA took a 24-21 lead that could have been more lopsided with the Bruins holding a 22-13 advantage in rebounds. However, the Bruins committed 12 turnovers, which Arizona State turned into 12 points to help keep the Sun Devils close.

"What we need to understand is we have to have ball security, especially witht a team like Arizona State, which does a great job of getting after you with their defensive pressure," UCLA coach Nikki Caldwell said.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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UFC 127 Weigh-In Video

Filed under: UFC

All 24 fighters who will step into the Octagon at UFC 127 will step on the scale for the UFC 127 weigh-ins, and we'll have the live video right here at MMAFighting.com.

In the main event, B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch will both need to make the welterweight limit of 170 pounds, with a one-pound buffer for a non-title fight.

The weigh-in begins at 10PM ET on Friday and the video is below.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/02/25/ufc-127-weigh-in-video/

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Broncos, Cardinals, Redskins Struggled to Pick Up Blitzes

Filed under: NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

There's nothing scarier for a quarterback than an unblocked pass rusher.

If you were a quarterback for the Broncos, Redskins or Cardinals in 2010, you had plenty of reasons to be frightened.

Denver, Washington and Arizona were the only NFL teams to reach double digits in unblocked sacks.

There are a couple of ways that a blitzer can pick up the easiest of easy sacks. The simplest explanation is that confusion along the offensive line (or among running backs assigned for blitz pickup) lets someone come free even though the blocking scheme should have accounted for him. On other plays, especially if the defense calls a corner blitz, the unblocked blitzer is the responsibility of the quarterback and wide receivers -- the quarterback has to recognize it and the receiver has to break off his route so that the QB can get rid of the ball before the blitzer arrives.

Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/broncos-cardinals-redskins-struggled-to-pick-up-blitzes/

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Mets Stingy With Cash as They Eye Future

Filed under: Mets, MLB Free Agency, Spring Training

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Just down the street from the Mets' spring training facility, QVC operates a call center.

There is no truth to the rumor that the Mets did all their offseason shopping there.

An analysis of data from the MLB Trade Rumors website shows that the Mets spent $6.6 million on major league contracts to free agents, 26th-most of the 30 teams. That's less than small-market teams Pittsburgh, San Diego, Oakland and Florida gave just one free agent this winter.

This has led to some grumbling in New York, where nothing comes cheap.

But the Mets did the right thing ...

If.

There's a big if. More on that in a bit.

Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/mets-stingy-with-cash-as-they-eye-future/

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No easy bets when it comes to evaluating spread quarterbacks

INDIANAPOLIS -- Back 35 years ago, the wishbone, the veer and other college offenses that have gone the way of the Nehru jacket made it tough on NFL scouts and general managers to evaluate players.

What goes around comes around -- only now, instead of a ground-heavy offense like those two above, it's the spread offenses run by colleges that are making it more challenging to evaluate players, especially quarterbacks.

As more and more and college teams move to spread offenses, it puts more pressure on NFL personnel to try and figure out just how players will fit into a league with more conventional offenses.

How does a spread quarterback who hasn't taken snaps under center handle taking drops from center?

How do offensive linemen who have rarely put their hand down in a three-point stance change to the NFL style?

On and on it goes.

"For the most part, the NFL offenses aren't spread-type offenses," said Kevin Colbert, the Steelers director of football operations. "But that's our problem to do those types of evaluations. The colleges have to do what they feel they have to do for their teams to win. It's our jobs to take the evaluations from them and try to project. Sure, if we could line up everybody in standard NFL offenses and defenses in college, it would be great."

Good luck. If anything, it's going way to the other direction. It's hard to find teams that play pro-style offenses in college anymore. There's maybe a handful as the spread is, well, spreading.

"It's difficult because we're not used to running that here," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. "In the end, what you really have to do, it has to come down to movement, athleticism, power. You have to take the parts of the evaluation and take away the idea they're in a spread and try to glean information from the movement and the contact points."

The toughest part is evaluating the quarterbacks. They take snaps from the shotgun in the spread, rarely stepping under center. In this year's draft, several of the top quarterbacks, including the top two -- Auburn's Cam Newton and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert -- played in spread offenses.

The footwork, the reading of the field, the comfort in taking drops are all a big challenge for spread quarterbacks going to the next level. That's why Newton and Gabbert and several other quarterbacks in this year's draft have spent the past two months working on taking drops, which was once considered an elementary part of the position.

Newton didn't meet with the media Friday, but Gabbert did and addressed the spread questions.

"Of course, the footwork is different," Gabbert said. "We're in the shotgun 98 percent of the time. So that's what I've been working on at Athletes Performance in Arizona. I really don't see the problem with being a spread quarterback in college, because if you're good, you're good. And you're going to play wherever."

Alex Smith, who was the top pick in the 2005 draft, came to the 49ers after playing in the spread offense at Utah. He showed he could make the transition to taking snaps under center, even if he hasn't lived up to the expectations.

Tim Tebow faced the same scrutiny last season, and he went on to start three games. But the verdict is still out as to whether he can become a pocket passer, especially since he ran so much in his three starts.

Now Newton and Gabbert face those same issues.

So how to you evaluate them best?

"I think you have to get them up on the boards and see where he is from a football intelligence standpoint," Dimitroff said. "You have to move them around to so many different scenarios. Taking snaps from center, that's going to be a major transition. Work on it with the player and see how comfortable he is and understand that there is still going to be a definite transition."

The spread doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. In fact, you're seeing some of those same principles showing up on NFL fields; the four-receiver, one-back sets, the shotgun snaps on plays other than second- and third-and-long downs.

Even so, that doesn't make the evaluation any easier for the men that do it.

"It has made it tougher," said Rick Smith, the general manager of the Houston Texans. "You have to try and figure out where they fit in, rather than have a better idea of how they will fit in. It's more speculative because they don't do the things that we do."

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Bobcats Send Gerald Wallace to Blazers, Nazr Mohammed to Thunder

Filed under: Bobcats, Trail Blazers, NBA Rumors, Thunder, NBA Transactions

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Charlotte Bobcats have agreed to trade forward Gerald Wallace to the Portland Trail Blazers for a package that includes two first-round picks as owner Michael Jordan cuts payroll and eyes the future.

Coach Paul Silas confirmed Thursday the deal made just before the deadline would also give the Bobcats little-used center Joel Przybilla and reserve forward Dante Cunningham.

The Bobcats also sent backup center Nazr Mohammed to Oklahoma City for reserve forward D.J. White and the expiring contract of guard Morris Peterson.

Wallace, averaging 15.6 points and 8.2 rebounds, was the last original member of the expansion team and the franchise's only All-Star.

Portland gets another athletic scorer and rebounder just as Brandon Roy returned from knee surgery.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/24/bobcats-send-gerald-wallace-to-blazers-nazr-mohammed-to-thunder/

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Mets Stingy With Cash as They Eye Future

Filed under: Mets, MLB Free Agency, Spring Training

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Just down the street from the Mets' spring training facility, QVC operates a call center.

There is no truth to the rumor that the Mets did all their offseason shopping there.

An analysis of data from the MLB Trade Rumors website shows that the Mets spent $6.6 million on major league contracts to free agents, 26th-most of the 30 teams. That's less than small-market teams Pittsburgh, San Diego, Oakland and Florida gave just one free agent this winter.

This has led to some grumbling in New York, where nothing comes cheap.

But the Mets did the right thing ...

If.

There's a big if. More on that in a bit.

Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/mets-stingy-with-cash-as-they-eye-future/

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Bears give coach Smith 2-year extension (AP)

CHICAGO (AP)?Out of patience after three straight playoff misses, many Chicago fans were calling for coach Lovie Smith to be fired a year ago.

The Bears stuck with him. Now, they plan to keep him around a little longer.

The Bears gave Smith a two-year contract extension Friday, keeping him through the 2013 season after a year in which his team won the NFC North at 11-5 and reached the conference championship game.

Smith, who led the Bears to the Super Bowl after the 2006 season, is 63-49 over seven regular seasons and is 3-3 in the playoffs.

?Every day I?ve been on the job, the goal has been to do the best possible job that I could, and I could live with the results,? Smith said. ?With three years on my contract, I feel pretty good about that.?

General manager Jerry Angelo had said last month that the Bears planned to sign Smith to an extension. Now, they?re both locked in through 2013.

Smith said Friday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis that he was happy to get the deal done and gave his coaching staff credit for that.

?I?m in position to be here and get that extension based on what the players and our staff has done,? he said. ?They all did a great job.?

The Bears came into the season with higher expectations after winning just seven games for the second time in three years. Management warned Smith and Angelo they needed to win, but there were some big changes to the coaching staff.

The Bears promoted Rod Marinelli to defensive coordinator, and the offensive side got a major overhaul with the hiring of Mike Martz as coordinator and Mike Tice as the line coach.

In free agency, the Bears were big spenders and landed the top prize in Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers(notes). He delivered as advertised, and with Brian Urlacher(notes) back playing at a Pro Bowl level after being limited by injuries in recent seasons, the defense ranked among the best after several mediocre seasons.

Even so, the idea that the Bears would get back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 team?s Super Bowl run seemed far-fetch when they stumbled into their bye at 4-3 after a 3-0 start.

Quarterback Jay Cutler(notes) was taking a beating behind a struggling line, and the run was basically being ignored. All that changed during the off week, and with a more balanced attack, the Bears went on a 7-1 run that vaulted them to the NFC North championship and a first-round bye before finishing the regular season with a loss at Green Bay.

Three weeks later, the Packers knocked them out at Soldier Field on their way to the championship. Cutler was criticized for sitting out most of the second half of the playoff loss to Green Bay, but doctors later found he had a medial collateral ligament strain in his left knee.

?Just to kind of hit Jay one last time, no, there?s no question about Jay?s toughness or anything like that,? Smith said. ?For guys to even challenge that or question that don?t know what they?re talking about, don?t know him. He?s as tough as any quarterback in the league.?

Smith said Martz?s hiring was a success, even though the team ranked 21st in scoring and 30th in yards per game.

?Mike is a great offensive coach,? he said. ?We did some good things this year offensively. We won 12 games. We ended up in the (NFC) championship game. But Mike, and the rest of our staff, all of us would say we can take another step.?

Smith said Cutler and Martz likely will improve in their second year together.

?I think the core is in place, starting with Jay Cutler, our quarterback, leading us,? he said. ?I wouldn?t ask for any other quarterback. I?m excited about him going into that second year with Mike and seeing those improvements on the offensive side.?

Smith said the Packers have set the bar for his team.

?We realize we have the Super Bowl champs in our division, and we?re looking up to them,? he said. ?We?re looking forward to this next year of trying to get ourselves in position where we can hold up the Lombardi trophy.?

AP Sports Writer Cliff Brunt in Indianapolis contributed to this report.

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Senate committee head asks owners to open books for union

WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee is urging NFL owners to open their financial books to the players union, arguing that will help resolve a labor dispute that is threatening next season's games.

"Reluctantly, I have come to the conclusion that the only way to sort out this stalemate is for the owners and the league to answer the biggest sticking point: money," Sen. Jay Rockefeller wrote in a Washington Post opinion column on Friday. "What I'd like to see from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners is a simple display of good faith: Show the union your books. Don't keep secrets. If there are financial pressures that keep you from agreeing to the revenue-sharing plan proposed by the players, let's see the proof."

Rockefeller, D-W.Va., suggested that a neutral third party review the financial data, remove anything sensitive and prepare an assessment of the league's finances.

The NFL declined to comment on Rockefeller's suggestion, citing a request by federal mediator George Cohen that the two sides not discuss negotiations while they're in mediation. Those negotiations are scheduled to resume next week.

The league has previously said that the players union, which has made similar demands, already has access to all relevant financial information.

The biggest sticking point between the two sides is how to divide about $9 billion in annual revenues. The current collective bargaining agreement expires next Thursday, and the union has said it expects a lockout to come as soon as the following day.

The NFL hasn't argued that it's losing money, only that it needs to keep a bigger share to finance costs like stadium construction.

Rockefeller acknowledged that "some owners make significant investments while managing a professional sports team and I don't want to play down their long-term expenses and obligations. But the players deserve a good-faith effort to demonstrate that these expenses are real and not just an excuse."

He said that so far, he has kept a "hands-off" approach to the negotiations, aside from conversations on the status of the talks.

But he also said that Congress, "acting in the public interest, has to keep the NFL on track because of the great benefits given to the league by federal law and taxpayer funds and because of its impact on the nation's economy."

One key benefit that the NFL enjoys -- along with other professional sports -- is an antitrust exemption for broadcasting contracts. That exemption, which allows the NFL to sign TV contracts on behalf of all teams, helped to transform the league into the economic powerhouse it is today.

As to what the committee will do if the NFL doesn't provide the information, Rockefeller spokesman Vince Morris said that the senator is keeping all options open but is mainly focused on encouraging the two sides to sort this out themselves.

Gary Roberts, dean of Indiana University Law School in Indianapolis and an expert on sports, antitrust and labor law, said that whether an employer is required to open its books depends on what it argues during the collective bargaining process.

"If owners make representations that they're losing money or that they can't afford a certain term in the collective bargaining agreement, then they're obligated to prove their assertion," he said.

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Job-hunters' alert: Spring training games begin

MLB hires Joe Torre as vice president of baseball operations

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A winter highlighted by -- among other things -- the Philadelphia Phillies putting together one of the strongest pitching rotations in recent memory ends this weekend when spring training games begin.

"Obviously, they have an outstanding rotation," says Yankees manager Joe Girardi, whose first two games Saturday and Sunday are against the back end of that rotation -- Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton. "But I remember (Atlanta's Greg) Maddux, (Tom) Glavine, (John) Smoltz, (Steve) Avery. There's three sure Hall of Famers."

Girardi's Saturday starter, meanwhile, is Bartolo Colon, who didn't pitch in the majors last year and is 14-21 since winning 21 games in 2005. Colon, 37, impressed Yankees coach Tony Pena, who managed his winter league team.

Besides, the Yankees have at least one opening in their rotation. Not so for the Phillies, unless they are inclined to trade from their greatest strength. If so, Blanton would be the most likely candidate.

That's what spring training games are about -- battling for jobs, trying to extend a career, showcasing for potential trades or just tuning up for a season.

Today's one game at Scottsdale, Ariz. features the World Series champion San Francisco Giants againt the Arizona Diamondbacks. Seven more games are scheduled for Saturday, including first at the new Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, just outside Scottsdale. That's a matchup between the new complex's tenants, the Diamondbacks and Rockies.

After 11 more games Sunday, every team will have played except the Orioles, White Sox, Marlins, Astros, Mets, Cardinals and Nationals. They're in action Monday as part of the spring's first full 16-game schedule.

For the second year in a row, split-squad games are more common than in previous years, thanks to the 15-15 split of teams between Florida and Arizona.

The exhibition season ends Wednesday, March 30 and the regular season begins the next day with six games, a departure from the Sunday night opener in recent years.

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NHL Trade Deadline: Columbus Blue Jackets

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Trade Deadline

The Blue Jackets are in the same position as a number of teams in the West. One minute they're out of contention, the next they are right in the thick of things. Coming off a 2009-10 season that saw them struggle along in the 14th spot, the Blue Jackets have had one of those inconsistent years that coaches dread -- the good thing being the club is starting to show some grit at the right time.

Fifty-nine games into the NHL season, the Jackets are in the 12th spot but a scant two points out of the coveted postseason berth. As always, they are powered by Rick Nash (right) and RJ Umberger. They don't have enviable cap space available, but there is room to add someone to make a last-ditch push.

Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/24/nhl-trade-deadline-columbus-blue-jackets/

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NFLPA chief meets with agents, who show solidarity with players

United they stand.

• 

  By Kirby Lee, US Presswire

  NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith addressed roughly 800 agents at the scouting combine on Friday.

By Kirby Lee, US Presswire

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith addressed roughly 800 agents at the scouting combine on Friday.

That was the undeniable message coming from the NFL Players Association on Friday, where approximately 800 agents met during the NFL's annual scouting combine and heard union chief DeMaurice Smith reiterate his expectation that the league will institute a lockout after the collective bargaining agreement expires on Thursday night.

• HISTORY: Shows a work stoppage is a risky move

• CONGRESS: Commerce Committee chair wants NFL books opened

Smith addressed agents for nearly two hours, and according to those in the large ballroom at the Indiana Convention Center, he energized the group.

Yet after seven days of bargaining sessions ended Thursday before a federal mediator, Smith did not report any progress towards reaching a deal. Mediator George Cohen urged the sides to assess their positions over the weekend, and scheduled another bargaining session at his Washington, D.C. office on Tuesday ? a day before NFL owners will gather for two days of meetings in Chantilly, Va.

"Obviously, I'm not going to talk about the sessions that we have had (with the NFL), and the sessions that we'll continue to have next week," Smith told reporters during a break in the day-long agents meeting. "The players want to get a deal done. Our hope is that we can reach a resolution as quickly as possible."

"I work for 1,800 guys who want to play football, and the fans across the country have made it abundantly clear that they want to continue seeing football. I know the businesses in America, the people who rely on football for things other than entertainment, want football to continue. We're right there with them, side by side."

Before Smith delivered his statement, the union presented four of the most powerful NFL agents ?�Tom Condon, Drew Rosenhaus, Ben Dogra and Joel Segal ? to the media in a show of solidarity.

The agents, who compete for clients, declared that they are unified in supporting the union during the labor crisis.

"The players are in full support of the union," said Segal, who represents about 60 NFL players, including Philadelphia Eagles star Michael Vick. "The players are prepared."

The solidarity of the players could be put to the ultimate test in the coming months, if the lockout the union expects ? but could try to block by decertifying and filing an antitrust lawsuit ? shuts down the sport for a significant amount of time.

The biggest sticking point in negotiations remains determining the players' share of revenues. Under the existing CBA, players receive nearly 60% of revenues after $1 billion is credited to owners for costs. Owners have asked for an additional $1 billion in credits in a new CBA, which the union contends is an 18% rollback.

Agents, though, praise the union for preparing players for a lockout during the two years under Smith's direction.

"The players association has done a real good job educating the players," said Condon, whose stable of star clients includes Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. "I think they're well-versed on the issues, and I get a sense of calm from our players. I know they're not happy that free agency could be postponed for a number of months, until whenever the thing is resolved. But I think they understand that you have to go through this process."

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