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Oregon holds off Oregon State for 74-73 win

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) � Oregon's Garrett Sim thanked the Oregon State fans after the game for the fuel that sparked him in his final appearance in the hardwood version of the Civil War.

The senior guard was booed by Gill Coliseum fans every time he touched the ball Sunday after a first-half confrontation with Beaver players in front of the Oregon State bench.

The extra noise didn't seem to matter at all to Sim, who scored a season-high 25 points to help Oregon hold on for a 74-73 win.

"This is probably the most fun I've had in a game in my career," Sim said. "It was a team effort, and everybody made plays down the stretch."

Devoe Joseph and Olo Ashaolu added 16 points apiece for the Ducks (20-8, 11-5 Pac-12) in the rivals' 337th meeting, the most contested series in college basketball.

Ahmad Starks had 18 points and Angus Brandt 16 for the Beavers (15-13, 5-11), who have lost five of their last six.

The win was extra special for Sim, whose parents Tim and Amy and brother Brennan all attended Oregon State. Tim and Brennan were Oregon State athletes, and Garrett grew up a Beavers fan. But he didn't get much recruiting attention from Oregon State while at Portland's Sunset High School.

"Every time I come in here, there's a chip on my shoulder," Garrett Sim said. "There's a lot of history with me and Oregon State, so it's very fun for me to come in here and win."

Oregon State came back from an 10-point deficit in the last four minutes, cutting the margin to two on Devon Collier's basket off a rebound with 41 seconds remaining. Ashaolu was fouled on a teammate's missed shot and made one of two free throws with 9.9 seconds left, giving Oregon State one last possession with an opportunity to tie.

Challe Barton missed a 3-pointer, and the Beavers' Jared Cunningham followed with a dunk for the game's final score.

Sim made 10 of 14 shots from the floor, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range, helping Oregon keep alive its hopes of reaching the NCAA tournament.

"On Feb. 26, you've got to find ways to win games," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "I thought we played very hard. We were fortunate. We found a way to win the game."

Oregon shot 27 of 61 overall (44.3 percent), while Oregon State was 26 of 57 (45.6 percent).

Consecutive 3-pointers early in the second half by Brandt gave Oregon State a 46-42 lead. Oregon came right back, with a Sim 3-pointer capping an 8-0 run. Later, Joseph scored five straight in a 7-0 run for a 59-51 Ducks lead.

Oregon took its biggest lead of the game, 66-56, on a Joseph 3-pointer with 5:49 left.

A missed dunk by Oregon's Carlos Emory was followed by a Starks 3-pointer with 2:02 left that capped an 8-0 Oregon State run that made it 71-68 Ducks.

"I think what it came down to was intangibles ... loose balls, rebounds you have to get," Oregon State coach Craig Robinson said, noting the play in the closing seconds that sent Ashaolu to the free-throw line.

Cunningham, averaging a Pac-12-leading 18.6 points entering the game, finished with 13.

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Daytona 500 postponed for first time (AP)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP)?NASCAR president Mike Helton says the Daytona 500 will start Monday night at 7 p.m.

Heavy rain soaked Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, forcing NASCAR to postpone the event for the first time in its 54-year history.

The 500-mile race initially was rescheduled for noon Monday. It was still raining Monday morning.

Carl Edwards, runner-up to Tony Stewart in last year?s championship race, will start from the pole. Former IndyCar star Danica Patrick will make her Daytona 500 debut.

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Oregon holds off Oregon State for 74-73 win

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) � Oregon's Garrett Sim thanked the Oregon State fans after the game for the fuel that sparked him in his final appearance in the hardwood version of the Civil War.

The senior guard was booed by Gill Coliseum fans every time he touched the ball Sunday after a first-half confrontation with Beaver players in front of the Oregon State bench.

The extra noise didn't seem to matter at all to Sim, who scored a season-high 25 points to help Oregon hold on for a 74-73 win.

"This is probably the most fun I've had in a game in my career," Sim said. "It was a team effort, and everybody made plays down the stretch."

Devoe Joseph and Olo Ashaolu added 16 points apiece for the Ducks (20-8, 11-5 Pac-12) in the rivals' 337th meeting, the most contested series in college basketball.

Ahmad Starks had 18 points and Angus Brandt 16 for the Beavers (15-13, 5-11), who have lost five of their last six.

The win was extra special for Sim, whose parents Tim and Amy and brother Brennan all attended Oregon State. Tim and Brennan were Oregon State athletes, and Garrett grew up a Beavers fan. But he didn't get much recruiting attention from Oregon State while at Portland's Sunset High School.

"Every time I come in here, there's a chip on my shoulder," Garrett Sim said. "There's a lot of history with me and Oregon State, so it's very fun for me to come in here and win."

Oregon State came back from an 10-point deficit in the last four minutes, cutting the margin to two on Devon Collier's basket off a rebound with 41 seconds remaining. Ashaolu was fouled on a teammate's missed shot and made one of two free throws with 9.9 seconds left, giving Oregon State one last possession with an opportunity to tie.

Challe Barton missed a 3-pointer, and the Beavers' Jared Cunningham followed with a dunk for the game's final score.

Sim made 10 of 14 shots from the floor, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range, helping Oregon keep alive its hopes of reaching the NCAA tournament.

"On Feb. 26, you've got to find ways to win games," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "I thought we played very hard. We were fortunate. We found a way to win the game."

Oregon shot 27 of 61 overall (44.3 percent), while Oregon State was 26 of 57 (45.6 percent).

Consecutive 3-pointers early in the second half by Brandt gave Oregon State a 46-42 lead. Oregon came right back, with a Sim 3-pointer capping an 8-0 run. Later, Joseph scored five straight in a 7-0 run for a 59-51 Ducks lead.

Oregon took its biggest lead of the game, 66-56, on a Joseph 3-pointer with 5:49 left.

A missed dunk by Oregon's Carlos Emory was followed by a Starks 3-pointer with 2:02 left that capped an 8-0 Oregon State run that made it 71-68 Ducks.

"I think what it came down to was intangibles ... loose balls, rebounds you have to get," Oregon State coach Craig Robinson said, noting the play in the closing seconds that sent Ashaolu to the free-throw line.

Cunningham, averaging a Pac-12-leading 18.6 points entering the game, finished with 13.

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Browns' Jackson guaranteed $19M as part of five-year deal

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Daytona 500 now set for 7 p.m. ET start

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) Following a captivating championship and the addition of Danica Patrick, the last thing NASCAR wanted was a glitch.

NASCAR's biggest event of the year is now scheduled to get under way Monday night at 7 p.m., a day after the much-anticipated season-opening stock car race was postponed by rain for the first time in its 54-year history.

The 500-mile race initially was rescheduled for noon Monday, but NASCAR president Mike Helton announced the change because it was still raining at Daytona International Speedway in the morning.

Carl Edwards, runner-up to Tony Stewart in last year's championship race, will start from the pole. Former IndyCar star Patrick will make her Daytona 500 debut.

"I know a lot of race fans are disappointed and a lot of people at home on TV, but we just hope they tune in," driver Greg Biffle said.

NASCAR officials spent more than four hours Sunday waiting for a window to dry the famed track, but it never came. When the latest storm cell passed over the speedway around 5 p.m., they had little choice but to call it a day.

The delay was a huge disappointment.

With several intriguing story lines on tap, NASCAR was hoping to capitalize on the success of last season's down-to-the-wire championship race between Edwards and Tony Stewart.

The most significant of them all could be Patrick. The Daytona 500 is the first of 10 scheduled Sprint Cup Series events for Patrick, who left IndyCar behind for a full-time move to NASCAR. She will race for the Nationwide Series championship driving for JR Motorsports.

Stewart, the three-time and defending champion, is trying to snap a 0-for-13 losing streak in the Daytona 500. His 17 victories at Daytona include everything but the 500, ranking him second on the all-time list behind Dale Earnhardt's 34 wins. Stewart will start third when the green flag drops.

And there's Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500 champion. He takes a 129-race losing streak into the event. His last victory was in 2008, his first season with powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports.

Now, it's all on hold. And it could play out in time slots normally occupied for daytime soap operas.

"This is one of the toughest things for us drivers," said Edwards, who will start on the pole. "It's now who can really stay focused. That's not just the drivers, that's the pit crews, the crew chiefs, everyone, the officials. But I think we'll be just fine."

But Monday might be another test for both drivers and fans.

The forecast calls for more rain, and officials are prepared to wait all day and into the night to avoid a Tuesday race, which would strain teams that must get to Phoenix for next week's race.

Eight previous Daytona 500s have endured rain delays, the latest in 2009. But never before had storms forced NASCAR's premier event to be moved.

"I think that's a pretty good record for NASCAR," Edwards said. "They've been living right to have 53 of these and never have one postponed. That's pretty spectacular. ... I think NASCAR, they're doing the right thing, you know, not dragging this out."

Noontime showers sent fans scattering for cover and leaving everyone in wait-and-see mode. Puddles of water formed in parts of the infield, and many fans got drenched as they tried to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation.

Drivers retreated to their motorhomes, relaxing while keeping an eye on developments. Edwards, Brad Keselowski and others took naps. Former Daytona 500 winners Jamie McMurray and Trevor Bayne did in-studio interviews with Fox. Another previous race winner, Ryan Newman, played with his daughter in the motorhome lot.

"I guess I'm gonna have to win the first Monday Daytona 500," Biffle said.

The last shortened Daytona 500 was Matt Kenseth's victory three years ago, when rain stopped the event 48 laps from the finish. He was declared the winner while the cars were parked on pit road.

The 2010 race had more than two hours in delays as NASCAR twice stopped the event to fix a pothole in the surface. McMurray held off Earnhardt Jr. to win that race.

This time around, drivers didn't even get in their cars.

"I didn't know when to eat. I didn't know when to rest. I didn't know what to do," Bobby Labonte said. "I never took my uniform off. I took a nap. I think we cleaned out the refrigerator snacking on things."

Now, NASCAR must deal with the downside of moving its biggest race. Ratings and attendance will suffer, falling short of what the series expected.

Fans surely will have complaints, too.

Daytona president Joie Chitwood said he understood fans were frustrated about the scheduling change that pushed the race back one week later than usual.

NASCAR and the track made the decision to move the start of the season to address an awkward early off weekend and to avoid potential conflicts with the Super Bowl.

Had the race been run on its traditional Sunday, it would have been completed under a bright, blue sky.

"I'm sure I'm going to have some customers tell me about the date change and the challenges that we have with it," Chitwood said. "But I think weather is unpredictable. I think based on the NASCAR schedule, the TV schedule on whole, this was the right move for the industry. We'll continue to work with the last weekend of February.

"It's unfortunate that this had to happen the first year after we made that change. I'm sure I'll be talking to a number of customers in the next weeks ahead about that situation."

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Blue Jays Royals Rangers Athletics Ernie Els

Bryant: Questions remain, but applaud MLB's system in Braun ruling

Aaron Rodgers, the all-world quarterback for the Green Bay Packers and the reigning MVP of the National Football League, was the one of the first voices to be heard when Ryan Braun, the all-world outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers and the reigning MVP of the National League, won his appeal of a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy Thursday. "MLB and cable sports tried to sully the reputation of an innocent man," Rodgers wrote on Twitter. "Picked the wrong guy to mess with. Truth will set u free #exonerated."

With Prince Fielder gone to Detroit, Rodgers and Braun are the two biggest-name professional athletes in their state, and Rodgers might merely have been offering a little Wisconsin solidarity. Or maybe Rodgers was expressing relief for a victory over the steroid hunters from the U.S. and World Anti-Doping Agencies, a victory that athletes around the world rarely achieve. Maybe it was elation that players beat management in this case, or maybe Rodgers' emotions were a little bit of everything.

What we know definitively right now is that Braun will not be suspended for 50 games and that the MLB commissioner's office has suffered its first setback of the reform era as a result of arbitrator Shyam Das casting the deciding vote in favor of the union's appeal. Since the Mitchell report in 2007, the sport has changed its attitude and approach to the performance-enhancing drug issue, starting with the commissioner's office transforming itself from complicit to vigilant and netting players for amphetamine use (Mike Cameron was once suspended 25 games, Neifi Perez for 80 games) as well as performance enhancers. Manny Ramirez, for example, has been busted not once but twice for PEDs.

Much will be said in the coming days and weeks about Braun, about whether he got away with one on a technicality. Travis Tygart, the head of USADA, called it a "gut-kick" for clean athletes everywhere. Baseball, not used to losing, is considering a federal lawsuit to overturn the Das decision. Both are positioning themselves as good guys who lost.

But the Braun decision played out exactly as it should have. His test does not appear to be a false positive. It doesn't appear to be an error in the omission of a substance that should be banned. There does not appear to be much ambiguity that Braun's appeal was upheld not because he didn't use a performance enhancer but because of a sloppy custody chain. Nevertheless, the system worked. Through the fraud of Sosa/McGwire in 1998, Barry Bonds' 73- (yes, 73!) home run season in 2001, the Jose Canseco revelations, the March 2005 congressional hearing, Rafael Palmeiro's ill-fated finger-wag, the Clemens hearing and mistrial, the rise of revenues and loss of belief, baseball has arrived at this point. Management said it would trust the system it negotiated, and the players' union, with Michael Weiner succeeding Donald Fehr as executive director, did the same: An independent third party arbitrates disputed drug tests and each side abides by the results.

Thursday's decision in Braun's favor came from that process, and it will be interesting now to see whether the public narrative following his successful appeal leans toward acceptance of a system that works or takes on an anti-player, pro-establishment tone -- that a cheater won, in other words. The issue isn't drugs nearly as much as the public's decision whether to align with City Hall. Had the situation been reversed, had Braun had lost his appeal, WADA and USADA, and certainly MLB, would have lauded the system, as drug-testing officials and supporters did in the triumphs over Ramirez and, most recently, the Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador.

Still, this is not exactly a clean result for anyone. Braun will return, but with a split decision. His MVP is intact and the record book will show no suspension, but his 2011 performance is still suspect and he has yet to explain to the public the 20-1 testosterone ratio that triggered the first positive test. Most likely he will not try, for he has his victory; but winning an appeal because his second test didn't reach the FedEx guy in time does not exactly represent a mandate.

Baseball might feel that Braun escaped the dragnet, but it, too, must accept a split decision. The bad news is that the league apparently believes its National League MVP is a drug cheat. The good news is that for posterity, he isn't. The Brewers -- a success-story team that has been in the playoffs twice since 2008 after having not making it to the postseason in the previous 26 years -- will have their best player on the field on Opening Day. The timing benefits the game, and the focus can remain on what takes place on the field rather than in a lab.

The people who wind up suffering the most are not Braun or baseball players or the fans, but professional football players, led by Rodgers, the Discount Double-Check man himself; unfortunately, he and his fellow pro football players don't have an independent process for appeals of rulings by Roger Goodell and the NFL on PEDs testing. Unlike Braun, who relied on the system and won, Rodgers and his teammates are at the mercy of their commissioner's office. There is no system in place for them, at least not yet -- and there needs to be.

Howard Bryant is a senior writer for ESPN.com. He is the author of "The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron," "Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston" and "Juicing the Game: Drugs, Power and the Fight for the Soul of Major League Baseball." He can be reached at Howard.Bryant@espn.com. He can be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hbryant42.

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Hines Ward Ben Roethlisberger Lawerence Timmons Rashard Mendenhall Aaron Rodgers

Ian Thomsen: Wade turns often laughable All-Star Game into must-see competition

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The slap could be heard from the floor high up into the seats. Kobe Bryant spun around to the baseline and Dwyane Wade slammed him hard from behind across the shoulders and the nose. It was like a family argument that had spilled over unpredictably and irretrievably.

The crowd groaned and gasped. A violent foul at an All-Star Game? What those fans didn't realize was that this was a good thing.

"I obviously didn't try to draw no blood, but I took a foul," said Wade following a splendidly competitive 152-149 loss to the West Sunday night. "Kobe fouled me two times in a row, so he's still got one up on me."

Bryant's conference was clobbering Wade's by 96-81 when the latter decided he'd had enough and took it out at the expense of the former. In any other setting -- a Game 4 of the playoffs or a pickup game over the summer -- it would have been just another hard foul. But in the setting of this non-confrontational evening, the foul was a game-changer.

Bryant, expressionless, rubbed his nose while walking off the pain before shooting a free throw. He walked past Wade without making eye contact on his way to showing the referee a splattering of blood that necessitated a medical timeout. He came back and made the second free throw.

For the next half-hour the mood in the arena was sober and uncertain. It was as if thousands of fans no longer knew what to make of what they were seeing. They were oddly quiet while the East began to play more seriously.

Bryant believes in making statements. In this game last year he asserted himself as the most serious player on the floor as he won his fourth All-Star MVP and led the West to a victory on his home floor in Los Angeles. After he lost a game at Miami the following month, he returned to the Heat's floor and practiced his shooting for an hour by which he underlined his leadership role as the most devoted player in basketball.

His juxtaposition with LeBron James has been good for Bryant. He is the star who won his Los Angeles turf war with Shaquille O'Neal to become The Man of the Lakers. James is the star who abdicated his role as The Man in Cleveland in order to turn his rivals, Wade and Chris Bosh, into teammates. This is how they will be characterized until something happens to change their relationship.

On this night when Bryant (271 points) surpassed Michael Jordan (262) to become the leading scorer in All-Star history, it was too easy to define them by caricature: Kobe as all serious and LeBron as fun, fun, fun. When they were introduced for this game, James and his East teammate Dwight Howard of the Magic emerged out of the white pre-game smoke dancing with their mouths open comically. When Bryant was introduced, his hands were in his pockets and his face refused so much as a smile. Everything about him at age 33 asserts that his joy comes from winning.

The All-Star Game has become the kind of event that celebrates the celebrities and demeans the game. Too many players have stood aside in order to let opponents express their individuality, and over the years the competition has taken a beating. While the West spent the opening three quarters turning the ball over with extravagant lobs, Bryant was knocking down open jumpers while teammates Chris Paul and Kevin Durant (the first-time MVP with 36 points) were playing with relative control.

Then Wade changed the terms. He'd had enough of playing the foil to Bryant. He fouled him hard and didn't rush over to apologize. They would continue to guard one another without soothing their friendship. All they really wanted out of their relationship was to make each other miserable and suddenly everyone could sense their friction, and it was absolutely wonderful.

There would still be some outlandish plays over the remaining 20 minutes, but now they were attempted in the context of an outcome that mattered to both teams. The East's Derrick Rose, who is lauded by Bryant as one of the league's most competitive young stars, began to drill jumpers from the deep. James was smoking threes and Carmelo Anthony was heating up.

Down the stretch the friendly exhibition gave way altogether to a tight game that neither side wanted to lose. Wade ducked inside for an offensive rebound and two free throws that brought the East within 150-149 with 22.8 seconds left. He was directing his teammates defensively as he bodied up against Bryant for the inbound pass. Bryant was fouled and missed his second free throw, and as he walked to the bench with a scant two-point lead, he looked over his shoulder with a wry smile.

In the tight final seconds, James could have attempted a winning three but instead tried to force a cross-court Brett Favre pass that was intercepted by the East. Then a couple of beautiful things came to be: Paul Pierce of the Celtics trash-talked Bryant for his failures down the stretch, which included an air-balled turnaround jumper within the final two minutes; and Bryant taunted James for passing up the shot.

"Yeah, he was telling me to shoot it," James said. "I'd seen my teammate open for a split second -- I told him I'd seen him open the first time and I didn't release the ball. When I tried to throw it late, that's what usually happens and it results in a turnover. Definitely wish I could have that one back."

In the bigger picture, the misjudgment of James was less important than the effort that was inspired by his Miami teammate. Wade didn't win but he succeeded in making a statement of his own. It came at the expense of Bryant, who had nothing to say in victory. Instead he was being evaluated for headaches he suffered on this rare and meaningful night, when the world's best players met to celebrate their talents and a game actually broke out.

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Scott leads Miami past No. 15 Florida State 78-62

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) � Miami overcame the loss of a top player and enhanced its NCAA tournament resume.

Durand Scott scored 17 points and the Hurricanes beat No. 15 Florida State 78-62 on Sunday night, snapping a six-game losing streak to the rival Seminoles.

Miami had lost 11 of 12 against Florida State, which made this victory particularly sweet.

"It's our rivalry game," Scott said. "To get a quality win like that, it's great. And I'm sure the rest of the team feels the same way."

Kenny Kadji added 15 points for the short-handed Hurricanes (17-10, 8-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), who pulled into a tie with Virginia for fourth place in the conference standings.

Miami played without starting center Reggie Johnson, declared ineligible by the school an hour before the game after an investigation revealed members of his family had received benefits not allowed under NCAA rules. According to a statement released by the university, "Johnson was unaware of the benefits and his family was told they were permissible by a member of the former basketball coaching staff."

Miami is seeking a quick resolution from the NCAA in an attempt to reinstate Johnson, who is averaging 10.6 points per game.

"It's my understanding that Reggie and his family didn't know of any impermissible benefit," coach Jim Larranaga said. "It was somebody else."

The Hurricanes used Johnson's absence as motivation.

"Just because one person goes down, you just can't quit," Scott said. "I'm pretty sure he wanted us to step up and do the things necessary that Coach wants us to win basketball games."

Michael Snaer scored 20 points to lead third-place Florida State (19-9, 10-4).

The Seminoles rallied from a 59-42 deficit with 5:07 remaining and got within 65-58 on Snaer's two free throws with 2:39 left.

"We just tried to put everything on the line and try to claw our way back," Snaer said. "They knew we were going to come back with that type of firepower and aggressiveness on defense."

Scott, Kadji and Shane Larkin each hit two free throws in the next 58 seconds as Miami increased the lead to 71-58. Larkin finished with 13 points.

The Hurricanes expanded a four-point halftime lead and outscored the Seminoles 14-8 in the first 5:15 of the second half. Rion Brown hit the fourth 3-pointer in Miami's early second-half spurt to increase the lead to 38-28.

"We really finished the half strong," Larranaga said.

Snaer's three-point play with 10:48 left cut it to 44-35 before the Hurricanes responded with consecutive 3-pointers from Trey McKinney Jones and Malcolm Grant.

Miami shot 7 of 13 from beyond the arc in the second half.

"I thought in the second half, they got their momentum going with their 3s," Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said. "That kind of gave them confidence and we couldn't get anything going offensively."

The Hurricanes rallied from an eight-point deficit and took the lead for good with a 13-2 run in the final 4:34 of the first half. Scott scored seven points during the surge and his layup with 22 seconds remaining gave the Hurricanes a 24-20 lead at halftime.

Okaro White scored four points during an 8-0 run for the Seminoles midway through the first half. White's basket with 5:37 remaining capped the spurt and gave Florida State an 18-11 lead.

Miami was held scoreless for a 7:03 stretch until Scott made the second of two free throw attempts with 4:34 left to cut the Seminoles' lead to 18-12.

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Daytona 500 postponed to Monday at noon

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Daytona 500 has been postponed for the first time in its 54-year history.

NASCAR postponed The Great American Race after heavy rain saturated Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.

Officials spent more than four hours waiting for a window to dry the famed track, but it never came. And when the latest storm cell passed over the speedway, they had little choice but to call it a day and reschedule.

The 500-mile race was rescheduled for noon Monday. It will be aired on Fox.

More on ESPN.com

For 53 years the Daytona 500 was run on the day it was intended to. The first-ever rainout of the race is more than historic, it's maybe a little eerie, writes Ed Hinton. Story

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Mother Nature threw a giant monkey wrench at the Super Bowl of racing on Sunday. Talk about a monumental buzzkill for Daytona Speedweeks, writes Terry Blount. Story

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Thanks to Mother Nature, the motorsports world -- and the world in general -- will have to wait at least one more day to see Danica Patrick drive in the Daytona 500, writes David Newton. Story

?�2012 Daytona 500 Starting Grid

"This is one of the toughest things for us drivers," pole-sitter Carl Edwards said. "It's now who can really stay focused. That's not just the drivers, that's the pit crews, the crew chiefs, everyone, the officials. But I think we'll be just fine."

But Monday may be another test for both drivers and fans.

The forecast calls for more rain, and officials are prepared to wait all day and into the night to avoid a Tuesday race.

"The longer runway we have tomorrow to get in the Daytona 500, the greater the likelihood for us to start and finish the event on Monday," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said. "There are certainly a lot of considerations that go into the start time decision, and we believe scheduling it for noon gives us the best opportunity for us to get the race in tomorrow."

Eight previous Daytona 500s have endured rain delays, the latest in 2009. But never before had storms forced NASCAR's premier event to be moved.

"I think that's a pretty good record for NASCAR," Edwards said. "They've been living right to have 53 of these and never have one postponed. That's pretty spectacular. ... I think NASCAR, they're doing the right thing, you know, not dragging this out."

Noontime showers sent fans scattering for cover and leaving everyone in wait-and-see mode. Puddles of water formed in parts of the infield, and many fans got drenched as they tried to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation.

Drivers retreated to their motorhomes, relaxing while keeping an eye on developments. Edwards, Brad Keselowski and others took naps. Former Daytona 500 winners Jamie McMurray and Trevor Bayne did in-studio interviews with Fox. Another previous race winner, Ryan Newman, played with his daughter in the motorhome lot.

"I guess I'm gonna have to win the first Monday Daytona 500," driver Greg Biffle said. "As you can tell, I'm still in my uniform because I was optimistic that this weather was gonna get out of here and we were going to get this thing going. But I'll have to save my energy for tomorrow.

"I know a lot of race fans are disappointed and a lot of people at home on TV, but we just hope they turn in tomorrow."

The last shortened Daytona 500 was Matt Kenseth's 2009 victory, when rain stopped the event 48 laps from the finish. He was declared the winner while the cars were parked on pit road.

The 2010 race had more than two hours in delays as NASCAR twice stopped the event to fix a pesky pothole in the surface. Jamie McMurray held off Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win that race.

This time around, drivers didn't even get in their cars.

"I didn't know when to eat. I didn't know when to rest. I didn't know what to do," Bobby Labonte said. "I never took my uniform off. I took a nap. I think we cleaned out the refrigerator snacking on things."

Now, NASCAR will have to deal with the downside of moving its biggest race. Ratings and attendance will suffer, and its showcase event won't get the audience the series expected.

The opener will feature several intriguing story lines for a racing series trying to capitalize on the success of last season's captivating championship race.

The Daytona 500 is the first of 10 scheduled Sprint Cup Series events this season for Danica Patrick, who left IndyCar behind for a full-time move to NASCAR. She will race for the Nationwide Series championship driving for JR Motorsports.

She arrived at the pre-race driver meeting Sunday with three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, the owner of her Cup car. Stewart is trying to snap an 0-for-13 losing streak in NASCAR's biggest race of the year.

Stewart's 17 victories at Daytona include everything but the 500, ranking him second on the all-time list behind the late Dale Earnhardt's 34 wins. Stewart will start third when the race goes green.

Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500 champion, takes a 129-race losing streak into the event. His last victory was in 2008, his first season with powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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AJ Hawk Clay Matthews Charles Woodson Greg Jennings Donald Driver

Owusu chasing his NFL dreams, but teams will think twice about him

INDIANAPOLIS -- How can you tell a kid to quit chasing his dream?

You almost can't.

That's why Chris Owusu is here at the NFL combine, even though he had three concussions in 13 months, including two last season at Stanford. You would think that might deter his desire to play on, but Andrew Luck's top receiver isn't ready to shut it down.

"You're close to a dream that you've been dreaming about since you first put on pads, since you first caught the football with your dad," Owusu said. "All those things factor. You don't want to quit. I just didn't want to give up this game. I don't want to live with any regrets."

Owusu's two concussions last season ended his college career three games short and put his football future in serious jeopardy. But he was recently cleared by a top neurosurgeon after a thorough evaluation. His agent has sent out that report to all the teams, according to a league source.

"I wanted to make sure I was perfectly fine before I came back to football," Owusu said. "I love this game too much to give it up. I think concussions are a hot topic, especially in the NFL. The doctor I saw is on the committee in terms of spine, neck and back. He's one of the best out there. He said I have no more susceptibility to concussions than anyone else. It kind of eased my mind a little bit and helped me come back to the sport."

Owusu sat at a table with a handful of reporters a short ways from where Luck met the media at a podium surrounded by hundreds moments earlier. Luck seems to have it made, expected to be the first player taken with a bright future in front of him while his receiver is just fighting for a chance.

Concussion safety has become a hot-button topic in the NFL, which makes Owasu's decision even more noteworthy. There have been suits recently filed by ex-players for what the players perceive were concussion abuses during their careers.

The NFL has taken safety steps to help curtail the concussion issues. Owusu said he has spoken to several former players who had concussions while in the NFL, seeking their advice on what to do.

They told him if is he cleared and he wants to play, then go ahead and play.

Football is hard to get out of your system. That's why Owusu plays on.

I remember seeing his second concussion when it happened against Oregon State and thinking to myself he wasn't going to get up. That's how bad the hit was. I also thought it would be the last time I saw him on a football field, which would have been a shame. Owusu was a good player on a good offense and at 6-feet, 200 pounds he has the ability to be a quality NFL receiver.

Owusu said he remembers both hits that caused the concussions last season. He hasn't watched them and won't.

"I don't want to do that," he said. "Kind of just look forward and not look back."

Owusu said he had no short-term memory loss from the concussions and was back to normal quickly after both of them. But three in 13 months has to be concerning for his family and friends.

Is it worth the risk?

"My mom at the beginning was telling me to think about it and see what I want to do," Owusu said. "Once I made my decision, if I was able to come back, she fully supported me 100 percent."

NFL teams asked him about the concussions during his interviews here this week. In talking to league sources, he can expect even more scrutiny and more testing before the draft -- even with the information the teams have already received from his agent.

Teams don't want to take any chances.

You have to love the kid's determination and desire to play again. But at the same time, you could understand how some would question it. What about possible long-term problems when he's older?

Owusu said he is on schedule to graduate in the spring. A degree from Stanford can open a lot of doors, safer doors.

But this is his dream.

How can you tell him to quit chasing it?

"I don't have any plans [if football doesn't work out]," he said. "Football is on my mind. The future? We'll see what happens."

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Sources: Nats' Zimmerman gets $100M deal

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and the Washington Nationals agreed to a six-year, $100 million extension Sunday, baseball sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Zimmerman also received a full no-trade clause from the Nationals.

The Nationals announced Zimmerman's extension Sunday afternoon but didn't disclose financial terms.

The average annual value of Zimmerman's contract is $16.7 million, the most for any third baseman behind the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez ($27.5 million).

Zimmerman's current contract was set to expire after the 2013 season. The extension includes a seventh-year option that could keep Zimmerman in a Nationals uniform through the 2020 season. Zimmerman, who is due to earn $26 million over the next two seasons of his current contract, could potentially earn $150 million if the 2020 option is picked up, the sources said.

Zimmerman is one of six major leaguers signed through at least 2019, joining Albert Pujols of the Angels, Prince Fielder of the Tigers, Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies, Ryan Braun of the Brewers and Matt Kemp of the Dodgers.

Zimmerman's contract was negotiated by his agent, Brodie Van Wagenen of CAA Sports.

The two sides talked late into Saturday night, making enough progress for Zimmerman to extend a Saturday deadline that coincided with the start of full-squad workouts. The 27-year-old wanted to get a deal done or shelve the talks so his contract situation wouldn't be a distraction to the team, which has high hopes in the NL East this season.

The main sticking point in the negotiations appeared to be the slugger's desire for a no-trade clause, or at least some assurance that he wouldn't be dealt by the only team he's played for in the big leagues.

The Nationals wanted to lock Zimmerman up so he can play alongside No. 1 draft picks Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper.

"Ryan Zimmerman is an exceptional talent and individual. He is a role model on the field, in the clubhouse and in the community. He has been the face of the Washington Nationals since baseball was returned to Washington. We are absolutely thrilled that Ryan will continue to help us build our team in a winning direction," Nationals owner Theodore Lerner said in a statement Sunday.

Zimmerman was the team's first draft pick after the Montreal Expos moved to Washington in 2005 and quickly became the face of the franchise. He's been an NL All-Star, while also capturing Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.

Last season, Zimmerman was limited by injuries to 395 at-bats. He hit .289 with 12 homers, 21 doubles and 49 RBIs.

For his career, Zimmerman has a .288 batting average, 128 homers, 214 doubles, 498 RBIs, a .355 on-base percentage and .479 slugging percentage, and he's considered one of the top defensive third basemen in the majors.

He's also emerged as one of the leaders of the team in the clubhouse.

"In my opinion, it's just another indication the organization is moving in the right direction," shortstop Ian Desmond said. "To lock up a guy and show loyalty to your franchise player ... and to see 'Zim' be happy at home, and not to have to worry about that any more, it's going to be nice. I'm happy for him. We definitely need him."

Information from ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Kyle Busch Dario Franchitti Ron Hornaday Tony Schumacher Roger Federer

No. 17 Louisville holds on to beat Pitt, 57-54

LOUISVILLE, Ky. � Russ Smith scored 18 points, Kyle Kuric added 17 and No. 17 Louisville held on to beat Pittsburgh 57-54 on Sunday.

Kuric overcame an 0-for-11 performance in Thursday's loss to Cincinnati by hitting his first shot and making a key 3-pointer late. Kuric's bucket as the shot clock expired gave Louisville (22-7, 10-6 Big East) a 53-48 lead with 3:25 left.

Pittsburgh (15-14, 4-12) cut the lead to one and had three chances to tie or take the lead in the final minute, but Tray Woodall missed a jumper and senior Ashton Gibbs' shot from just inside halfcourt as time expired missed off the back iron.

J.J. Moore scored 16 points and Dante Taylor added 11 for the Panthers.

Leading 53-52, Louisville freshman Chane Behanan had two chances to ice the game. The 60 percent free-throw shooter missed the first in a one-and-one situation, but Woodall missed a jumper and Behanan was fouled with 13 seconds left.

After he hit both, Woodall drove to the hoop, scoring with 5.2 seconds to play. The Panthers fouled Peyton Siva just over a second later and Siva made both to finish with 11 points.

On the final play, Moore found Gibbs, who dribbled just past the halfcourt line and got a good look that would've tied the game, but hit off the back iron to end it.

Smith took over midway through the second half with the Cardinals trailing 38-35. Smith scored nine straight points for Louisville, capping his spurt with a 3-pointer that made it 44-40 with 9:22 left.

On the next possession, Louisville center Gorgui Dieng blocked a shot and then tipped an inbounds pass to Siva that started a break that Kuric finished with a reverse layup. Pittsburgh's bench was called for a technical foul and Kuric hit the second of two free throws to make it 47-40 with 8:31 left.

Pittsburgh had one more rally and Moore's basket cut it to 50-48, but Taylor missed the front end of a one-and-one with a chance to tie, and Kuric hit a straightaway 3-pointer from 22 feet with the shot clock at 1 to put the Cardinals up 53-48 with 3:25 to go.

Woodall added hit a fadeaway shot over Kuric and Lamar Patterson found Taylor for a dunk with 28 seconds to go that made it 53-52 to set up the final sequence.

The Panthers have been hampered by injuries all season and Woodall (flu, groin), Nasir Robinson (left knee) and Gibbs (left ankle) missed parts of practice this week as the team has slumped following high preseason expectations.

There were brief glimpses of what Pittsburgh could've been, including a six-point spurt to start the second half that gave the Panthers a 30-25 lead, but Louisville answered when Siva hit a tough layup, made the first of two free throws and found Kuric for a 3-pointer to give Louisville a 31-30 lead.

The matchup had the feel of a Sunday pickup game with both sides trying to dribble through the other team's zone looks.

On one possession, Smith nearly lost the ball out of bounds on a pass as coach Rick Pitino slapped his hands in his knees in disbelief. Passing proved to be a problem for Pittsburgh, too, when the ball from Woodall went right through Gibbs' hands without any pressure at midcourt.

In another sequence, Cameron Wright fell down while backpedaling after missing a jump shot, while Moore grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on a short jumper that gave Pittsburgh a 36-35 lead with just under 13 minutes to play.

Louisville has won eight of its last 10 following a 2-4 start to conference play. The Cardinals fell at Cincinnati on Thursday night after Kuric missed all 11 of his shots and while they got off to a slow start with three turnovers, Kuric hit his first attempt ? a 3-pointer ? and the senior was well on his way to shaking his worst performance in 106 games.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Chiefs' Crennel on Manning: Interested, 'if he were available'

INDIANAPOLIS -- Team officials and coaches have tried to avoid any discussion about Peyton Manning during this week's annual NFL scouting combine.

Good luck trying that in a town Manning put on the NFL radar and in a venue he helped build.

On Saturday, Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel let it slip that the Chiefs would be interested in pursuing the four-time league MVP -- if the Colts let him leave as a free agent.

"I'm not supposed to talk about anybody else's players, and he's still a player with Indianapolis," Crennel said, referring to the league's tampering rules. "But with a talent like that, I would be crazy not to consider it if he were available. I'll leave it at that."

That's as close as anybody has gotten to speculating about Manning's future this week.

Clearly, though, Manning's future is the hot topic in Indy.

Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano were peppered with questions Thursday about Manning's fate. If Indianapolis does not pay a $28 million bonus by March 8, the longtime face of the Colts could wind up signing with another team.

There are indications Manning could be on the move after missing the entire 2011 season.

In September, the 35-year-old quarterback had surgery on his neck to repair a damaged nerve that was causing weakness in his throwing arm. It was the third known neck surgery in 19 months, and there have been questions about his arm strength. Indy holds the No. 1 overall pick in April, and team owner Jim Irsay already has said the Colts will use the pick to select their next franchise quarterback, perhaps making Manning expendable.

The speculation over Manning's health only has been superseded by rumors about potential landing spots for the yet-to-be released quarterback.

"We're looking for a great decision maker. We're looking for a leader. We're looking for an accurate passer. We're looking for a guy that has excellent game management skills, excellent decision maker, a guy that has pocket presence and awareness, the leadership skills," new Miami coach Joe Philbin said Thursday. "Obviously, the stronger the arm, the more velocity, the better, but we're looking for a guy that can manage a team, lead a team, make good decisions in critical times and make big plays when games are on the line."

Although that sounds like someone with Manning's pedigree, Philbin never mentioned the quarterback by name.

Jets coach Rex Ryan couldn't get away that easily. Some believe New York, where Manning's brother, Eli, already plays for the Giants, would be a perfect spot. The Jets, who have gone to the AFC title game twice in three years, may be just an upgrade at quarterback away from reaching the Super Bowl.

Ryan tried, creatively, to dodge the question.

"Are you talking about my son [Payton], or some other Peyton?" Ryan said, drawing laughter. "I think first off, Peyton is under contract to a different team, so I can't talk about him specifically. But with our organization, we will look at everybody. There is a list of 10 free-agent quarterbacks that I've looked at. There's the draft guys I've looked at. In my opinion, we have the best corner in football, in the history of football, along with Deion Sanders and we are still looking at a million corners."

Even fans are becoming lobbyists.

In Miami and Nashville, Tenn., there are billboards trying to persuade team officials to sign Manning, but not everyone is listening.

"I understand it from a fan's perspective," Titans general manager Ruston Webster said. "But I'd tell them we like our guys, and you've got to be patient. We've got a good quarterback situation and it's improved a lot since last year."

Where else could Manning go?

Possibly Arizona, where coach Ken Whisenhunt and general manager Rod Graves did nothing this week to dissuade speculation over their interest.

"I think we are happy with what we have [at quarterback], but as Coach Whisenhunt just said, we're about opportunities to get better," Graves said. "This is a competitive game, and we want to get better. If we can, so be it. But right now we believe we have an outstanding group of quarterbacks, and we're preparing to play with that group of quarterbacks."

It's also unclear what the Colts will do.

The top two quarterbacks in this year's draft, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, both said Friday they would be willing to sit behind Manning in 2012 if that's what Indy chooses to do. And in a Twitter post Saturday, Irsay wrote that he and Manning met in person this week and have been meeting frequently over the past month.

Manning has said he'd be willing to redo the five-year, $90 million contract he signed in July to make it more palatable for him to stay.

But Grigson and Pagano said they have not seen Manning throw, and there's a strong possibility some of those looking at quarterbacks in Indy could be looking at Manning in two weeks.

"I don't think it has to be a long-term solution [at quarterback]. I think you can look at a short-term solution. Obviously, you'd like a long-term solution. Or you can try to get both," Ireland said. "You've got to try to help this team win today and look to the future. It's my job to try to build a team for today and the future. Joe's responsibility is to try to win right now with a mind on the future as well."

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Kansas rallies for dramatic OT win in final Border War

While Kansas celebrated a huge win, Dixon and the Tigers were down and out. (AP)

LAWRENCE, Kan. ? Nobody seemed willing to admit that this was the last game. No, people kept saying, Missouri and Kansas will probably play each other in the Big 12 tournament, and that?s in just a couple weeks. Hey, they said, Kansas and Missouri could meet in the NCAA tournament. Don?t worry, they said, in the years ahead Missouri and Kansas will probably renew the rivalry in some sort of annual game played in Kansas City.

And nobody seemed willing to admit ? or accept ? that this was it. The last time. The Big 12 tournament? People care about that for roughly 20 minutes, right until the instant that the NCAA tournament seedings are announced. The NCAA tournament? You?re really going to count on that mathematical improbability? An annual game? Even if that should happen ? and Kansas coach Bill Self is forcefully against it ? a non-conference annual game between these teams would be a gimmick with nothing at stake.

No, it can?t ever be the same. This was the end, the last time Kansas and Missouri will play each other in the rivalry game that has fueled winters in the Midwest for more than 100 years.

And the fact that on Saturday, No. 4 Kansas and No. 3 Missouri played a game for the ages ? an overtime thriller that pushed both teams to heights that they might not have imagined ? only made it more bittersweet. How could this really be the last time that they?re going to play? Did you SEE that game? Well, did you?

Missouri led by 19 points early in the second half. The Tigers seem to me exactly the sort of team that can make a long tournament run. They have three dazzling guards ? Marcus Denmon, Phil Pressey and Michael Dixon ? and their inside presence, Ricardo Ratliffe, is hitting 71% of his shots. I have no idea how you match up with them. And, for the first 30 minutes of the game, Kansas clearly had no particularly good ideas, either.

Missouri was incredible in those first 30 minutes. But Kansas? players also seemed lost in the haze. This game meant a lot for both teams ? the winner would have the inside lane to the Big 12 regular-season championship ? but it obviously meant a lot more to Kansas. You have to understand a little something about this rivalry between the two states. It didn?t start with sports. It goes back to the fury over slavery, with Missouri a slave state, and Kansas a free state. It goes back to Quantrill?s Raid. It goes back to John Brown?s Holy War. It goes back to the Civil War.

And even though folks from Missouri and Kansas never struggle for things to argue about, they dump most of their emotions into a men?s basketball game. Sure, there?s some animosity over football, but having lived off a street called State Line ? with Missouri on one side and Kansas on the other ? I can tell you that the football rivalry isn?t the same. Missouri fans don?t really acknowledge that Kansas is GOOD ENOUGH in football to be a true rival. Anyway, Kansas fans only tinker with football; they breathe basketball.

So those Kansas players knew full well that they HAD to win this game. They had already lost the game in Columbia, Mo. ? let it slip away in the final seconds ? and that was barely tolerable. To lose at home in the last real Missouri-Kansas game ever, well, no, that would not be tolerable. That would go on their permanent record. And they knew it. And for the first 30 minutes, they played like they were tight-roping over Times Square. They looked scared. They missed free throws. They ran a raggedy offense. Mostly, they seemed dizzy from the Missouri speed and will. When they trailed by 19, it seemed like they might as well be trailing by 100. A comeback looked beyond unlikely, because Kansas just didn?t seem good enough.

But then, the Jayhawks hit a couple of shots. And Missouri missed a couple. And the crowd started to warm up. Before this game, Allen Fieldhouse was ludicrously loud. The place is built for sound, anyway, with the bleachers beginning so close to the court and then climbing high to the rafters, with the echoes and ghosts and ?Rock Chalk, Jayhawk? chant and all that. But this one mattered more, and everybody knew it. So at the start, it sounded like the inside of a Metallica speaker. Then the sound faded as Missouri built the big lead.

And then, as Kansas started a flickering little comeback, the sound returned. Only it was louder. Missouri?s Kim English would say, with an edge in his voice, that the atmosphere had nothing to do with Kansas? comeback. But I suspect that was just hurt pride talking. I?ve been in Allen Fieldhouse many times, and I?ve never heard it that loud. The sound infected everything. It inspired Kansas? players to lift their games higher than they have all year. It deadened Missouri?s players enough that ? even though the Tigers made some big plays ? they lost their edge. And it might have affected the officiating, too. Missouri coach Frank Haith, when it was all over, hinted that he was unhappy with some calls at the end. Missouri fans did more than hint.

It all led to this ? Kansas? remarkable Thomas Robinson, who might just be the best player in the country, scored on a three-point play with 16 seconds left to tie the game.* Immediately after that, Missouri?s Pressey beat his man off the dribble and seemed to have an open lane for a game-winning shot, but Robinson roamed over and blocked the shot**. That led to overtime.

*Haith wasn?t sure that was a foul. He wanted to see it again on film.

**Haith was pretty sure that WAS a foul. He wanted to see it again on film.

And the overtime was every bit as thrilling as the rest of it ? Kansas took the lead, Missouri came back, Kansas retook the lead, the crowd noise was insane. Kansas? Tyshawn Taylor, who had missed two free throws in Columbia as part of that heartbreaking loss, made two free throws here with eight seconds left. Missouri at that point seemed to be drowning in the moment (?We didn?t execute,? was the way Denmon explained it) and did not get off a final shot. Kansas won 87-86.

Jayhawks coach Bill Self celebrated wildly ? he showed much more emotion after this win than after Kansas? national championship victory over Memphis. Believe it or not, I think this one meant more to him. He would say that it meant a lot to him because it clinched at least a tie for the Big 12 championship ? this is Kansas? eighth straight conference title ? and because so few people (including him) had expected such greatness out of this team.

I?m sure that?s true. But I?m also sure that his joy came from beating Missouri one last time.

Remember the scene at the end of The Princess Bride, when (spoiler alert) Inigo kills Count Rugen, and he finds himself feeling a bit lost. ?It?s very strange,? he said. ?I have been in the revenge business for so long ? now that it?s over, I don?t know what to do with the rest of my life.?

Kansas-Missouri basketball games have brightened the gray winters around here for so long, that I?m not sure what everyone will do now that it?s over. What games will they circle on the schedule? What will they argue about with their neighbors? What will they talk about over Winstead?s hamburgers and Gates? short ends? Well, Inigo became the Dred Pirate Roberts. I?m sure that folks around Kansas and Missouri will find something to fill the void. I have to admit, though, I?m not sure what.

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Source: http://joeposnanski.si.com/2012/02/25/the-last-missouri-kansas-game/?xid=si_topstories

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Wolff addresses A's full squad off the bat

Wolff addresses A's full squad off the bat

• Worth noting

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PHOENIX -- It's not uncommon for A's managing partner Lew Wolff to make his way around spring camp every so often each year. But Saturday marked the first time he chose to speak to the players using such a backdrop.

Wolff was invited by manager Bob Melvin to take part in the morning's introductory meetings, as the club prepared to embark on its first full-squad workouts of the spring.

"I don't have a voice, so I didn't say much," Wolff said. "I said, 'I like winning.'"

Though the A's downplayed his presence, several players noted its significance.

"It was different," catcher Josh Donaldson said. "I've been here [four] camps, and I've never seen him come in here and talk to the team. I think, to me, that shows he's excited about our team and the future our guys have."

Wolff has stood at the center of much criticism in recent years, as the team awaits a decision from Major League baseball on a potential move to San Jose. The very possibility of such a move influenced the club to utilize this offseason as a time to restructure, which led to the departures of three All-Stars -- Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and Andrew Bailey -- in exchange for 10 prospects.

"I like the trades we made, even though I miss some of the players," Wolff said. "I think [general manager] Billy [Beane] and his guys have put together a pretty solid team, and we've had a couple people surprise people. Every year, I say the same thing. But I think this team has a good probability of surprising people.

"I think half the guys in there were thinking, 'Who is that old guy?' But it was nice to do it. I enjoyed it. There was a whole lot of discussion going on that I appreciated listening to. It was hugely professional."

"I don't think he was really shedding light on anything we weren't aware of, in terms of where people have picked us to finish and what people expect, or the lack of expectations," said pitcher Dallas Braden. "He just reiterated to us that what we do have here in-house is obviously a product of himself and the front office's effort to put us in a positive position."

Meanwhile, Melvin kept his message rather brief, too, reminding his players -- a total of 59 are in camp -- how important first impressions can be.

"There are a lot of firsts over the course of a season -- and none bigger than this one," said Melvin. "Once everybody gets together and hears your message and gets out on the field -- especially with as many new guys and younger guys as we have -- first impressions, I think, go a long way."

Worth noting

� Several A's players and coaches said they will "absolutely" be rooting for "Moneyball" during Sunday's 84th annual Academy Awards. The film, which stars Brad Pitt playing the role of general manager Billy Beane in the tale of a small-market team using statistical analysis to find undervalued players, was nominated for six Oscars.

"We're certainly all pulling for Billy," Melvin said. "It was a good movie, and it relates to not just baseball but life in general. So there's a wide audience that I think it appeals to."

Beane is slated to attend the Oscars with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles.

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Speed, not size will determine if Alshon Jeffery dazzles at combine

INDIANAPOLIS -- South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery showed up at this week?s NFL scouting combine weighing 216 pounds, and that was smart. Now Jeffery should get smart again and show people what he can do with that weight.

Which is run.

He?s undecided if he?ll do it Sunday, saying he won?t make that decision until he sits down with his agent sometime before then. But Alshon Jeffery doesn?t need advice. He should do what he came here to do, and that?s demonstrated in that he?s not the full-figured receiver depicted in that locker-room photo that made the rounds of the Internet last week.

He took the first step Friday when he showed up considerably under the 240-250 pounds he was rumored to weigh. Now he can take another by running the 4.5 40 he believes he can run.

Look, he?s not a top-10 pick, all 32 NFL teams are here and if he falls short of expectations he can always run again at his pro day. I mean, what is there to lose? Nothing, which is why Alshon Jeffery shouldn?t stop what he?s doing now ... and, yes, I mean that literally. With everyone here, show the league you?re the wide receiver you think you can be.

One look at the 6-foot-3 Jeffery tells people he?s not a guy eating his way down the draft board. In fact, at 216 he?s down 13 pounds from the weight at which he?s listed in the University of South Carolina media guide -- his lowest, he said, since high school.

Jeffery got there, he said, by eating more carefully and drinking a lot of water. All I know is that he looks like someone who might interest you if you?re sitting at the bottom of the first or top of the second round of this year?s draft.

"Right or wrong," said Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli, "this place [the NFL scouting combine] always hurts people and always helps people. Showing up like that probably helped him."

I?ll second that. But I want to know how much, and so do coaches, scouts and GMs who are here. It?s one thing to look faster. It?s another to be faster. No one questions Jeffery?s hands -- in fact, he claimed he has "the best hands" of any receiver in the draft -- but there are concerns about his conditioning and how it affects, or might affect, his speed.

That?s one reason Jeffery lost weight, and he said he believes it makes him faster. And he?s probably right. So let?s see how much.

"I just feel I?m more in shape and lighter," he said. "Now, I have to go out and prove myself."

Exactly. So run, Alshon, run.

At his best, Jeffery is a standout wide receiver who can dominate -- a guy with the size, hands and ability to make acrobatic, leaping catches that should intrigue NFL coaches. He once set single-season records at South Carolina for catches (86) and yards (1,517). And so his productivity dropped last season. But that wasn?t a product of a bad body; it was a product of bad quarterbacking -- that and an injury to star running back Marcus Lattimore that sidelined him the second half of the season.

Jeffery could be one of the top three of four wide receivers in this draft, and might -- just might -- make it into the first round. But he could use help, and he just got it by showing up in shape. Now, he needs to make the next move and prove what he can do -- and I?m not talking about catching the ball.

"Alshon Jeffery does not separate," the NFL Network?s Mike Mayock said recently. "What those guys run [at the combine] is important ... Big and fast is good. Big and slow is bad. Bottom line is that he?s got to run well."

So run already. It just seems that if that?s a concern, and it is, you want as many opportunities to demonstrate that you?re the receiver you insist you can be. Alshon Jeffery can do that here, and if all goes well, he doesn?t need to run again. He will have made his case.

But if all does not ... well, he can run again. Simple as that.

"I want to show people that I?m a hard worker, that I learn real fast and that I want to be one of the best players ever," said Jeffery.

So show them. Now.

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