Western Nevada College softball coach Leah Wentworth was happy with her team's offensive production in a preseason tournament in Las Vegas over the weekend.
YEAR: Senior SCHOOL: Dayton High
AUBURN, Calif. - Carson High's wrestling team placed fifth at the Placer duals on Saturday afternoon at Placer High School.
RUSTON, La. (AP) - Olek Czyz tied his season high with 24 points and converted the game-winning three-point play as Nevada held off Louisiana Tech 65-63 Saturday night for its 15th consecutive victory.
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Tiger Woods put himself in position to win his second straight tournament Saturday, and this one would leave little doubt about which direction his game is going.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Hang gliders were taking off from the cliffs behind the 13th tee at Torrey Pines where Kyle Stanley was waiting to tee off on the 524-yard hole. Then, the 24-year-old launched a shot that was just as majestic.
The idea didn't seem so outlandish at the time. Not for a city about to open a spanking new $720 million stadium, and surely not for a team with Peyton Manning under center.
Niners' rookie gets a DUI in Florida
They come from the same coaching tree, disciples of Bill Parcells. That and a no-nonsense approach are what Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick have in common.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - There's a strange vibe on the streets of Indianapolis this week.
KAPOLEI, Hawaii - The Pro Bowl has turned into a numbers game.
Can I just start by saying kudos to both Douglas and Carson high school rooting sections for showing up Friday and supporting their respective teams.
NEW YORK - Hedge fund head Steven Cohen and groups including Joe Torre and Magic Johnson have survived the first round of cuts in bidding for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - If anyone knows how Novak Djokovic feels after sweating and scrapping for almost five hours in the Australian Open semifinals, it's his next opponent - Rafael Nadal.
Douglas senior Connor Hughes has made somewhat of a living as a facilitator/distributor for the Tiger offense this year.
With two weeks to go in the Northern 4A season, Carson High's girls basketball team is sitting in a good spot.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Tom Brady felt the power of the New York Giants' pass rushers when he was sacked five times in their first Super Bowl confrontation.
LAS VEGAS - Western Nevada College dropped a season-opening 1-0 decision to South Mountain College Friday afternoon.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Hiring a new coach has become almost commonplace for the Raiders, who will have their seventh coach in the past 10 seasons in 2012.
MIAMI (AP) - Joe Philbin was once hired by Mike Sherman in Green Bay. On Friday, Philbin returned the favor.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Super Bowl Village is open for business.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Greg Schiano couldn't resist the challenge of trying to transform the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into winners.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Rob Gronkowski's playing status for the Super Bowl was listed as questionable on Friday after the star tight end missed the New England Patriots practice for the second straight day with an injured left ankle.
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Maybe those swing changes are paying off for Tiger Woods.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Kyle Stanley made more than enough birdies Friday to offset one big mistake, giving him a 4-under 68 on the South Course at Torrey Pines and a one-shot lead in the Farmers Insurance Open.
Carson High senior kicker Austin Pacheco has verbally committed to attend the University of Nevada next year to play football.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - University of Texas regents agreed Thursday to extend football coach Mack Brown's contract by four years to 2020, a move school officials hope will assure long-term stability for a program eager to get back in the chase for national championships.
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - No momentous shots for Tiger Woods. No bogeys, either.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Spencer Levin and Kyle Stanley knew they had to post low scores on the easier North Course at Torrey Pines to get off to a good start Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open. It went even better than they expected.
DETROIT (AP) - Prince Fielder stood with a smile and recalled his earliest memories of old Tiger Stadium, when he would hang out at the ballpark where his father hit so many massive home runs.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Jonny Gomes takes pride in his versatility. He can play the corner outfield, and he's an experienced designated hitter.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Victor Cruz has had a season full of improbable moments, and the Super Bowl is set to be another.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis Colts are a long, long way from being healed.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Raiders formally agreed Thursday on a four-year deal to make Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen their new head coach.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - The Super Bowl ankle jinx has struck the New England Patriots again.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Chad Ochocinco is going to the Super Bowl again, and this time he will be in uniform, answering questions, instead of causing a commotion by asking them.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Buccaneers are counting on Greg Schiano to lead them back to respectability and transform Tampa Bay into consistent winners - much in the same way he made Rutgers matter again.
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Janoris Jenkins missed the steady supply of athletic shoes and the big crowds during his one-season stop at Division II North Alabama, but he didn't miss the chance to forge an NFL career.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - The near-capacity crowd of 12,000 seemed to be just waiting for somebody to bring up the subject.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Victoria Azarenka reached her first Grand Slam final and staked a claim for the No. 1 ranking when she beat defending champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Freshman swingman Le'Bryan Nash scored a career-high 27 points, Brian Williams added a career-best 22 and Oklahoma State knocked off No. 2 Missouri 79-72 on Wednesday night.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - The PGA Tour is one step closer to eliminating Q-school as a path to earning a tour card, a significant overhaul that would include starting the official season in the fall instead of waiting for the next calendar year.
NEW YORK (AP) - Now that the NFL has labor peace for the next decade, Commissioner Roger Goodell has job security through the 2018 season.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis Colts have hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano as their new head coach.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - For more than three decades, the Oakland Raiders operated under a similar formula with late owner Al Davis hiring offensive-minded head coaches and remaining deeply involved in devising the team's defense.
HONOLULU (AP) - Many NFL stars are hoping that when it comes to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, aloha doesn't mean goodbye.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Quiet mourners lined the route of Joe Paterno's funeral procession Wednesday, watching with grief and reverence as the electric-blue hearse carrying the Penn State coach's casket slowly drove by.
RENO - Four and 19. Those were key numbers for the Carson High wrestling team Wednesday night.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Tiger Woods and Torrey Pines used to be a winning combination.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - On a window sill in his closet is a chunk of bone that reminds J.B. Holmes why he's lucky to play golf for a living.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Andy Murray overcame an inconsistent serve to beat Kei Nishikori on Wednesday and reach the semifinals of the Australian Open for the third straight year.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - The second day of a three-day period of public mourning for the late Joe Paterno will culminate with the funeral and burial service for the Hall of Fame football coach who became the face of Penn State University.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants reached a verbal agreement Tuesday on a two-year contract worth $40.5 million.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Athletics and free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon have agreed to terms on a $2 million, one-year contract, bolstering their depleted starting rotation.
DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Tigers responded to a jarring injury with an audacious move.
NEW YORK (AP) - Jorge Posada was watching television when he saw speculation on which teams were interested in signing him as a free agent.
RENO - For the second straight game, Carson High held its opponent under 30 points, and for the second straight game it meant an easy win.
RENO - Carson High led perennial powerhouse Hug for more than 23 minutes Tuesday night. Unfortunately for the Senators, high school games last 32 minutes.
MINDEN - Douglas High School's gymnasium has been a magical place for nearly two years.
NEW YORK (AP) - Cam Newton and Andy Dalton are headed to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Season opener or Super Bowl, every game is a big game to Bill Belichick.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The NFL on Tuesday said there were no illegal hits by the Super Bowl-bound New York Giants on 49ers return man Kyle Williams during the NFC championship game.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Raiders reportedly agreed Tuesday to hire Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their new head coach, breaking a more than three-decade stretch of offensive-minded head coaches for the franchise.
Carson City The following people were booked into the Carson City Jail. All are innocent until proven guilty in court.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa (AP) - Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno will be buried Wednesday, and his family has scheduled three days of public memorial events this week.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Jim Harbaugh arrived as the new coach of the 49ers a year ago challenged with turning around San Francisco's once-proud franchise in the midst of a lockout and minus the usual offseason preparation time with his players.
SCHOOL: Carson High YEAR: Sophomore SPORT: Wrestling
FERNLEY - Carson High's wrestling team finished third at the Vaquero Invitational on Saturday.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Giants boasted a physical, intimidating defense with athletic linebackers and stout linemen capable of stifling the NFL's most productive offenses.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Just before she walked on court, Greta Arn said she was looking forward to the "privilege" of playing her first match against Serena Williams. Some privilege.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Thankful for another opportunity to bolster his resume for pro scouts, Lennon Creer made the most of his experience in the East-West Shrine game.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Tom Brady and the New England Patriots made it to the AFC championship game with a high-powered offense that piled up points and yards.
Carson High's Austin Pacheco left for Florida last week for the first-ever Blue-Gray all-star football game in Tampa sans a scholarship offer.
Three hard-fought games and three excruciating losses.
RENO - How confident is the Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team right now?
Carson High girls' coach Todd Ackerman missed Saturday's basketball game because of a death in his family.
Doctors: Paterno in serious condition
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Murray State guard Jewuan Long did a little scoreboard watching on Saturday night.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Novak Djokovic gave Nicolas Mahut one lousy birthday present.
Maine man drops lawsuit vs. Fine
RENO - Jerry Evans Jr. thinks back on his days at Leuzinger High School in Southern California and smiles.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Chris Snee took a couple of quick stabs at how much Eli Manning has changed since the two came into the NFL as rookies with the New York Giants in 2004.
MIAMI (AP) - A person familiar with the decision says Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin has accepted an offer to become the Miami Dolphins' head coach.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - With a record-setting day and the winning touchdown in his playoff debut, Vernon Davis left no doubt he is indeed a winner.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Offensive lineman Adam Snyder and 49ers special teams standout Blake Costanzo sat side by side in outdoor ice tubs, each sporting a beanie to keep his head warm while playing with their respective cellphones.
LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) - Mark Wilson shot a 10-under 62 on Friday to tie Ben Crane and David Toms for the second-round lead in the Humana Challenge, topping a leaderboard again filled with blistering scores.
We had our first little taste of winter last week, with more possibly on the way this weekend. So, keeping in mind that very few of us have the car control ability of a Sebastian Vettel, Tony Stewart or Dario Franchitti, here are my annual winter driving tips.
FERNLEY - After the first day of the Fernley Invitational wrestling tournament, 18 of 22 Carson wrestlers remain alive.
DAYTON - Dayton High basketball coach Jason Santos would like to forget the first three weeks of January, and it's certainly understandable.
DAYTON - Lettie Lynch made her first big contribution to the Dayton High girls basketball team.
HOUSTON (AP) - Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy won the Paul "Bear" Bryant College Coach of the Year Award on Thursday night.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Rafael Nadal moved into the fourth round of the Australian Open without dropping a set or showing any signs that a freak knee injury is bothering him.
LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) - A little extra time off this winter left David Toms and Camilo Villegas feeling fresh for the Humana Challenge.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Erik Howard's memories of the play remain vivid more than two decades later.
Matchups for the NFC championship game Sunday between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park:
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) - Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have spent 11 seasons together with the Baltimore Ravens, making one big play after another for a defense that is perennially among the best in the NFL.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Tough luck, Frisco fans. Eli Manning's tummy is just fine.
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Sports Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - San Francisco tight end Delanie Walker has returned to practice for the first time since breaking his left jaw in two places late in the regular season and hopes to be healthy enough to play in the NFC championship game.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - One horribly bad season has pressed the Colts into major shake-up mode.
METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Former St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo has agreed to take over as defensive coordinator for with the Saints.
CLEVELAND (AP) - From year to year and game to game, the Cleveland Indians never knew what to expect from Fausto Carmona.
A year ago, Western Nevada College's first softball game was its conference opener. The Wildcats were playing against teams with 10 or 12 games under their belts. Not a really fair situation.
After six seasons, Western Nevada College has become one of the best junior college baseball programs on the West Coast.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Jorge Brian Diaz made two free throws with 11 seconds left to give Nebraska the lead, Indiana couldn't score on its last possession, and the struggling Cornhuskers upset No. 11 Indiana 70-69 on Wednesday night for the Hoosiers' third straight loss.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Alabama has hired Doug Nussmeier as offensive coordinator and brought Lance Thompson back to coach outside linebackers.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Yu Darvish is coming to America to pitch, for the team he really wanted to join for his next challenge.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - When addressing his 49ers this week, Jim Harbaugh can point to the monumental miss in his 15-year NFL career: He
NEW YORK (AP) - LaDainian Tomlinson has never seen a locker room as troubled as the one he was in with the New York Jets this season.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Tim Tebow needs more R&R than anyone thought.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - After taking a tumble on the next-to-last point of the match, Serena Williams got up and whipped a backhand winner down the line to finish off her second-round match at the Australian Open and her 500th career win.
LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) - Greg Norman hadn't played the Bob Hope Classic since 1986, and he had no plans to return to the Palm Springs desert's venerable tournament until Bill Clinton changed his mind.
MELBOURNE, Australia - Defending champion Kim Clijsters cruised into the third round of the Australian Open and then showed just how much support she has at Rod Laver Arena by getting the crowd to sing 'Happy Birthday' to her younger sister.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Giants ace Tim Lincecum asked for $21.5 million in salary arbitration Tuesday and was offered $17 million by the club.
RENO - There was a definite Nevada energy shortage Tuesday night at Lawlor Events Center.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The change in the San Francisco 49ers' attitude this season might be most evident when the defensive backs gather in a team meeting room each week to watch the highlight video from the previous game.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - While fans in San Francisco have been celebrating "The Grab" that thrust Alex Smith and Vernon Davis to the national scene, there's a pair of hands on the New York Giants making just as much news.
ST. LOUIS (AP) - After a year off, Jeff Fisher says he is refreshed and ready to take on the challenge in St. Louis.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - The question seemed to blind-side Tom Brady and he reacted quickly as if he were zipping the ball to one of his three star receivers.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Reggie McKenzie's short list of candidates to fill the Oakland Raiders' vacant head coaching job has grown by another name.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Jim Caldwell endured everything thrown at him during his first two seasons as the Colts' coach - replacing a friend, constant criticism, even fighting through a huge rash of injuries.
HONOLULU (AP) - Luke Donald took to Twitter to vent about a contentious issue on the PGA Tour. If nothing else, it was refreshing to see golf with a No. 1 player who was willing to express his opinion freely and publicly.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Li Na advanced to the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Olivia Rogowska on Wednesday, her best run at a major since her breakthrough win at the French Open.
SCHOOL: Dayton High YEAR: Junior SPORT: Wrestling
ALAMEDA, Calif - The Oakland Raiders search for a new head coach picked up steam on Monday as the team received permission to interview two Denver assistants and was also poised to talk to members of Green Bay's staff.
SANTA CLARA, Calif - Any cold-weather garments Vernon Davis owns are getting tossed aside as quickly as he changed San Francisco's playoff fortunes with a game-winning touchdown catch against the favored Saints.
The following people were booked into the Carson City jail. All suspects are innocent unless proved guilty in court:
When Sheriff Ken Furlong sees a rise in certain types of crimes in Carson City, he knows he has a bigger problem - drugs.
ATLANTA (AP) - Joe Johnson scored 25 points, Ivan Johnson hit the clinching free throws with 4.6 seconds remaining and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from 18 points down to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 93-91 on Saturday night.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla (AP) - Deividas Dulkys scored a career-high 32 points and Michael Snaer added 17 as Florida State stunned No. 3 North Carolina 90-57 on Saturday, handing the Tar Heels their worst loss under coach Roy Williams.
Carson High wrestlers won six championships at Saturday's Carson JV Invitational at Morse Burley Gym.
HONOLULU (AP) - Matt Every had a hard time sleeping on the lead going into the weekend at the Sony Open. He managed a 2-under 68 on Saturday, and goes into the final round tied with 47-year-old Jeff Maggert with a lot more at stake.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass (AP) - Tom Brady silenced Tebowmania with a record-shattering performance.
SAN FRANCISCO - In one triumphant afternoon, playoff first-timer Alex Smith joined a pair of 49ers Hall of Fame quarterbacks with his own indelible postseason moment.
It seems that many in Raider Nation are upset that Hue Jackson was fired by new general manager Reggie McKenzie after going 8-8 in his only season at the helm.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The NCAA Division I Board of Directors still believes scholarship limits should be expanded.
NEW YORK GIANTS (10-7) At GREEN BAY (15-1)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Serena Williams knows better than most what it takes to win a Grand Slam title.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - After taking three of the four majors and gaining the No. 1 ranking last season, Novak Djokovic is going for prizes beyond Grand Slams in 2012.
"Rumble, young man, rumble," used to be his battle cry.
DAYTON - Hot-shooting Elko knocked off the Dayton girls varsity basketball team 74-37 Friday.
The first half of Friday's game is one Carson High boy's basketball coach Carlos Mendeguia would like to forget forever.
On a night where leading scorer Eliza Matley struggled mightily from the field, Carson High teammates Emily Collins and Savannah Smith were there to pick up the slack in a big way.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis is closing in on the school's all-time single-season blocking record - with nearly half this season to play.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Drew Brees piled up points, yards and accolades in a record-setting season for the New Orleans Saints. Much of the time, Alex Smith did just enough to get the San Francisco 49ers back in the playoffs for the first time in nine years while a dominant defense and kicking game did the rest.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - For his latest trick, Tim Tebow is making three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady disappear from the headlines.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - All-Pro defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul thinks the New York Giants are going to beat the Green Bay Packers in Sunday's divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field.
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) - The first week after Adrian Peterson's reconstructive knee surgery was a grueling one.
BALTIMORE (AP) - The Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans are quite content to run against the grain in the pass-happy NFL.
I sat in on a teleconference from Daytona earlier this week, where a number of drivers and NASCAR officials gave their impressions of the Preseason Thunder testing under way at the track.
NEW YORK (AP) - Tony Sparano sat in front of Rex Ryan and rattled off his offensive philosophies and thoughts on how to be a winning football team. He said exactly everything the New York Jets coach needed to hear.
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Jeff Fisher spent exactly one season out of the NFL. He will have a huge task in front of him as he gets back to work.
MIAMI (AP) - Rejected by Jeff Fisher, the Miami Dolphins plan to interview several more candidates before hiring a coach, owner Stephen Ross said Friday.
RENO - The Nevada Wolf Pack is even surprising itself these days.
MINDEN - It's been a long ride for Mike Rippee, but after 34 years, he decided it was time for it to end.
Sports fodder for a Friday morning ...
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - Logan Couture and Brad Winchester scored and Antti Niemi made 24 saves for his second shutout of the season in the San Jose Sharks' 2-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
HONOLULU (AP) - Graham DeLaet has never been happier to be on the PGA Tour, and it showed Thursday in the Sony Open.
NEW YORK (AP) - Sixteen months after shoulder surgery, Johan Santana hopes to be back on the mound for the New York Mets when the season starts. He just doesn't want to commit to it.
PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) - Major league owners have put off approval of sale of the San Diego Padres to Jeff Moorad.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Luke Scott is looking forward to life in the AL East without having to face Tampa Bay's young, talented pitching staff.
DETROIT (AP) - After becoming the first starting pitcher in a quarter-century to win the Most Valuable Player, Justin Verlander was ready for a different kind of offseason.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Texas Rangers President and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan was impressed by his first meeting with Japanese sensation Yu Darvish and is confident a contract will be completed by next week's deadline.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Joe Paterno's son, Scott, said Thursday it's becoming apparent that his father's ouster as Penn State head coach by school trustees "was not handled well."
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - NCAA President Mark Emmert would support a four-team playoff in college football - as long as the field doesn't grow.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - The Denver Broncos, whose stellar kicking game played a huge role in their return to the playoffs after a six-year absence, had to practice most of this week without long snapper Lonie Paxton.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Three days before the biggest game of his life, Victor Cruz wasn't discussing either the Green Bay Packers' secondary or the New York Giants' chances against the defending Super Bowl Champions on Sunday in the NFC divisional round.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Center Jonathan Goodwin has been going around San Francisco's locker room offering bits of veteran insight here and there. Playoff knowledge, Saints knowledge.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - The last time the Broncos and Patriots met in the playoffs, Champ Bailey returned an interception 100 yards, sparking a big Denver win and handing Tom Brady his first postseason defeat after 10 wins and three titles.
HOUSTON (AP) - Arian Foster was in his first season as a starter for Houston back in 2010 when the Ravens came to town.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - For the Green Bay Packers, Sunday's playoff game against the New York Giants brings up not-so-fond memories of Brett Favre's interception in overtime that led to an NFC title game loss four years ago.
METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Moments after his missed block caused a recent sack of Drew Brees, right tackle Zach Strief looked up to find fellow Saints linemen converging on him.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Ryan Vogelsong and the San Francisco Giants agreed Wednesday to a two-year contract worth approximately $8.3 million after he became one of the team's most reliable starters and an unlikely All-Star last season.
Eliza Matley has improved immensely as a basketball player during the past two years at Carson High, and her hard work has resulted in a Division II scholarship from Stanislaus State.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Dion Waiters demanded a little more noise as he motioned toward a Philly crowd colored with so much orange it could have passed for a Flyers game.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Boise State coach Chris Petersen has made assistant Robert Prince the team's new offensive coordinator.
WACO, Texas (AP) - When Robert Griffin III arrived at Baylor four years ago with new coach Art Briles, the Bears had never even had a winning season in the Big 12.
HOUSTON (AP) - Andre Johnson missed several games this season dealing with injuries to both hamstrings.
METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Marques Colston usually sits next to Drew Brees on the New Orleans Saints' charter plane, which is ideal for a quarterback who likes using that time to study the game plan or take a nap.
NEW YORK (AP) - The fallout from the New York Jets failing to make the NFL playoffs is in full swing, with members of coach Rex Ryan's staff leaving, players taking shots at quarterback Mark Sanchez and other players defending him.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - On the first series of their regular-season meeting, the Denver Broncos rushed for 73 yards against the New England Patriots. By the end of the first quarter, that total reached 167.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Mike McCarthy called it a "punch in the heart."
NEW YORK (AP) - The National Football League injury report, as provided by the league (OUT - Definitely will not play; DNP - Did not practice; LIMITED - Limited participation in practice; FULL - Full participation in practice):
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - At the end of last season, Doug Smith never imagined his son would play for the San Francisco 49ers again, not after hearing the quarterback get booed out of Candlestick Park and yet another coaching change on the way.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Reggie McKenzie began his playing career as a linebacker with the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1980s.
HONOLULU (AP) - Lucas Glover is leaving Hawaii without hitting a single shot in competition.
HONOLULU (AP) - Coming off his most difficult stretch as PGA Tour commissioner, Tim Finchem is ready for four more years.
RENO - The Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team never lost faith in itself.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - From Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier to Dennis Erickson, winning college coaches have long failed to translate their success to the next level.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Reggie McKenzie made clear on his first day as Raiders general manager that there's a new regime in Oakland.
OSHKOSH, Wis. (AP) - Police have recovered the body of Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin's son from an icy Wisconsin river and said Tuesday that they were trying to figure out how he died.
RENO - First-year Carson High boys coach Carlos Mendeguia did a nice job summing up his feelings Tuesday night after yet another loss.
Registration for spring sports at Carson High School is scheduled from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in the north foyer of the school.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Things keep getting worse for the Dayton High boys' basketball team.
RENO - The Carson girls' five-game winning streak came to a crashing halt Tuesday night.
RENO - The Galena boys' basketball team certainly knows how to play to its strengths.
The Carson City Sheriff's Office will present information about its traffic enforcement activities to the Regional Transportation Commission when the commission meets Wednesday.
TRUCKEE, Calif. - The Dayton Dust Devils had no intention of going down quietly in Saturday's 3A crossover game at Truckee.
LIVERMORE - Carson High's wrestling team finished second at the Livermore Mat Invitational at Granada High School on Saturday.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Drew Brees and the Saints keep pouring on the points, rolling up the wins and rewriting the record books, too.
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Steve Stricker, considered the best putter on the PGA Tour, felt as though he couldn't miss Saturday at Kapalua. That meant big trouble for the rest of the field at the Tournament of Champions.
TRUCKEE, Calif. - The Truckee girls' basketball team used its size to its advantage as it built a comfortable early and cruised to a 67-37 win against visiting Dayton on Saturday.
LOGAN, Utah (AP) - Deonte Burton scored 25 points and Dario Hunt got his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds as Nevada topped Utah State 78-71 Saturday night.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Kris Joseph scored 17 points, Brandon Triche added 16, and top-ranked Syracuse remained unbeaten with a gritty 73-66 victory over No. 20 Marquette on Saturday.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Skylar Diggins and Notre Dame ended another Connecticut run.
NEW YORK (AP) - Jorge Posada is planning to retire after 17 seasons with the New York Yankees rather than pursue opportunities with other teams.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Hall of Famer Jerry Rice wears the championship ring from San Francisco's Super Bowl victory after the 1989 season on his right middle finger for all to see.
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren is a huge fan of quarterback Chandler Harnish.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Sporting a Nittany Lions pin on the lapel of his dark gray jacket, Bill O'Brien took the podium, looked straight ahead and introduced himself with two quick, no-nonsense sentences.
FRISCO, Texas (AP) - Sam Houston State's powerful offense sputtered at the worst possible time, costing the Bearkats a chance to win their first FCS title.
CANTON, Ohio (AP) - Bill Parcells moved one step closer to Canton on Saturday when the Pro Football Hall of Fame released a list of 15 modern-era finalists for enshrinement that included the Super Bowl-winning coach.
HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Texans turned to their kids, then to their stars to win the first playoff appearance in franchise history, a 31-10 rout of the bungling Cincinnati Bengals.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - SMU has not lost this season when it scores first or puts up at least 21 points.
Carson girls basketball coach Todd Ackerman hopes his team has finally turned the proverbial corner.
WINNEMUCCA - Dayton High's boys basketball team dropped its second consecutive Northern 3A game, losing a crossover game to Lowry, 57-43, Friday night.
Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the Carson High boys basketball team, the Senators went out and laid an egg against Wooster.
CINCINNATI (9-7) At HOUSTON (10-6) 1:30 p.m. today, NBC
NASCAR's Preseason Thunder testing for Sprint Cup at Daytona takes place this week. Seven hours of testing is scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Raiders have landed their new personnel man, who faces the daunting task of helping fill the void left by late owner Al Davis.
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - A new PGA Tour season began with a familiar name atop the leaderboard at Kapalua.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Penn State has hired New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien as its head coach, the first change in leadership for the storied football program in nearly a half-century.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Explosive returner Joe Adams had one last big highlight to help No. 7 Arkansas end a record-tying season in tall Cotton.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kobe Bryant scored 26 of his 39 points in a dynamic second half, Pau Gasol added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the weary Los Angeles Lakers gritted out a 97-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
SPARKS - The first quarter at Reed High School Friday night may go down as the defining moment of the Douglas boys' basketball team's season.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa (AP) - New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien will be Penn State's first new head football coach in nearly a half-century, according to multiple reports.
ANAHEIM, Calif (AP) - Although the San Jose Sharks have bigger accomplishments in mind for this season, at least they finally figured out how to beat the woebegone Anaheim Ducks.
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) - Deonte Burton scored 26 points and went 4 for 5 from behind 3-point line as Nevada beat Idaho 73-55 on Thursday night in the WAC opener for both teams.
Here's a playoff head-scratcher: accompanying the Patriots and Packers, Steelers and Giants, are the Lions and Texans.
RENO - The Nevada Wolf Pack football team will never forget its 12 seasons in the Western Athletic Conference.
SACRAMENTO, Calif (AP) - The Sacramento Kings fired coach Paul Westphal on Thursday, cutting ties after two-plus seasons amid a slow start and an escalating dispute with young center DeMarcus Cousins.
The Houston Texans never have won a playoff game. Of course, they've never even played in one.
NEW YORK (AP) - Guess $240 million wasn't quite enough for Albert Pujols. In addition to his salary, the Los Angeles Angels are giving the slugger four season tickets to home games over the next decade.
Sports fodder for a Friday morning ...
MINDEN - Douglas boys' basketball coach Corey Thacker has been preaching hard-nosed defense to his team all season long.
MINDEN - It's rare that the outcome of a basketball game can be determined within the first two scores, but Carson's Eliza Matley did about as good a job of setting the tone for her team as one could hope.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama had just gotten into town, and already it felt a little like a home game for the Tigers.
MIAMI (AP) - The West Virginia Mountaineers were tough to slow down, and only the Orange Bowl mascot could stop Darwin Cook.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Picture this: A nail-biter of a Bowl Championship Series title game next Monday night comes down to a long field goal attempt by Alabama's Cade Foster. The snap is down, the kick is away and it's ... good!
IRVING, Texas (AP) - Collin Klein always begins plays for 11th-ranked Kansas State taking snaps from center B.J. Finney.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Boise State's Chris Petersen has officially joined college football's $2 million coaching club.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Yu Darvish is visiting Texas for the first time during a 30-day window the AL champion Rangers have to negotiate a contract with the Japanese pitcher.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Free agent center fielder Coco Crisp agreed to a two-year contract to return to the Athletics, filling one key void in the Oakland outfield heading into the 2012 season.
NEW YORK (AP) - Joe Torre resigned Wednesday as Major League Baseball's executive vice president for baseball operations to join a group trying to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers.
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Christmas arrived a day early in Dallas at the home of Harrison Frazar.
RENO - Nobody has to remind the Nevada Wolf Pack about the dangers of Western Athletic Conference play.
DAYTON - With Dylan Taylor and Tyler Firestone hampered by foul problems throughout the game, Dayton High's offense struggled with consistency.
DAYTON - Save for a case of the third-quarter blahs, the Dayton High girls' basketball team didn't look like a team that hadn't played a game in more than two weeks.
RENO - Carson High's girls' basketball team scored 23 fourth-quarter points to break open a tight game and beat North Valleys 64-45 Tuesday afternoon in a Northern 4A contest.
DALLAS (AP) - Jiri Hudler scored twice, linemate Valtteri Filppula added a goal and two assists, and the Detroit Red Wings hung on to beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 on Tuesday night.
CHICAGO (AP) - Luol Deng's layup with 3.7 seconds to play lifted the Chicago Bulls to a 76-74 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Brendan Gibbons drilled a 37-yard field goal down the middle in overtime to lift No. 13 Michigan to a 23-20 victory over 17th-ranked Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night.
Change or be left behind.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Linebacker Tavares Gooden has been known to get down and start strumming an air guitar before practice.
As most of you know, I'm not big on rankings. That's why you will never see me create the Appeal top-10 or anything of that nature.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Despite San Francisco's impressive 12-3 record, the 49ers' offense leads the league in only one category - protecting the football.
NEW YORK -- The ouster of one of America's most revered coaches, Penn State's Joe Paterno, after shocking child sex abuse charges against his former assistant was overwhelmingly voted the sports story of the year by members of the Associated Press.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The fine jar in the defensive meeting room fills up with bills, suggestions pour in from fans and coach Hue Jackson's voice gets hoarse from yelling.
