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Filed under: Cardinals, Cubs, NL Central, MLB Rumors, MLB Inside Scoop, MLB Winter Meetings  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Carlos Pena wanted a one-year contract to re-establish his value, he said Wednesday after he signed with the Cubs. But there was a good reason for Chicago to commit to only one year with Pena. That reason is named Albert Pujols. The Cubs needed a first baseman, surely. But a year from now, when, barring an extension, Albert Pujols is a free agent, they will need one again. And some of the other large-market teams will presumably be set at the position ( Mark Teixeira with the Yankees, Adrian Gonzalez with the Red Sox and Kendry Morales with the Angels), leaving the Cubs positioned nicely if the Cardinals can't re-sign Pujols. It appears that so far, St. Louis and Pujols' agent, Dan Lozano, have had only preliminary discussions on a new contract. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/12/08/cubs-1-year-commitment-to-carlos-pena-keeps-albert-pujols-possi/ high school football football betting live football matches Filed under: Cavaliers, Heat, NBA Fans  Have you received your Christmas card yet from LeBron James? I'm not certain, but I think it's a panorama of reindeer relieving themselves over the Cleveland skyline while Santa sits in his sleigh getting a pedicure from Jim Gray. It would be the perfect reminder why James is the Anti-Sportsman of the Year. Check that. Anti-Sportsman of the Year doesn't do LeBron justice. He transcended sports in 2010 and stands beside Glenn Beck, Julian Assange, Nancy Pelosi and any TSA agent as the year's most resented earthling. And to think that all he did was switch basketball teams, which isn't quite as big a threat to national security as Sarah Palin. It was the heartless way LeBron took his talents to South Beach that got to people. The antipathy was so severe it became a discussion point among psychologists. Years from now, colleges will be offering LeBron 2010 as a course in how to destroy a brand name. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/07/lebron-james-anti-sportsman-of-the-year/ champions league football skills sports bags by Bethlehem ShoalsFiled under: Hornets, Sports Business and Media  It doesn't matter that Katrina was over five years ago. New Orleans is still trying to claw its way back, and sadly, the disaster has very nearly re-branded one of America's most vital cultural centers. Even David Simon's Treme, which looks to celebrate NOLA at its best, still ended up with a narrative of struggle -- the seemingly futile attempt of music and costume to triumph over ruin, neglect, corruption, and human failure. That's why, no matter how great a point guard Chris Paul is, or what the economics of an NBA franchise are, the possibility of the Hornets leaving New Orleans is always going to be a visceral issue. There's simply been too much emotion invested in this city, and this franchise, for a spreadsheet to make the argument for relocation. Of course, much of it has been forced, or feigned; as Woj details today, George Shinn, David Stern, and the NBA as a brand have reaped the benefits of the post-Katrina photo-op. But that was only because the team couldn't up and move. Can they now? When do the businessmen who run the league get to stop playing humanitarian and conduct themselves with their usual callousness? Katrina isn't going anywhere. It will always frame the discussion. The question is, when does it loosen its grip on the Hornets? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/07/why-the-nba-cares-about-the-hornets/ sports soccer fantasy football soccer ball pictures Filed under: Auburn, Oregon, Pac 10, BCS Championship Game  The Oregon Ducks' reaction on Sunday evening as they saw their name matched with Auburn's for the BCS Championship Game ... silence. The Ducks were merely playing it cool after almost a full day of celebrating. They had done their work throughout the season, putting together a 12-0 campaign that was equal parts impressive and dominant. Oregon knew what it had coming. Seeing it on TV was a mere confirmation of what Oregon earned Saturday when it defeated Oregon State in Corvallis in the Civil War Game. Oregon will play the Tigers on Jan. 10 in Glendale, Ariz., for the national title. "Everybody is excited," said Ducks coach Chip Kelly. "It wasn't like it was a surprise. We weren't on pins and needles waiting, but our players have worked very hard and this is something they can be really proud of. We will be challenging ourselves one more time against the best team in the country." Though there's an argument to be made that distinction belongs to the Ducks after a season of offensive fireworks, late-game lockdowns and scores that most weeks didn't resemble anything close to close. Oregon averaged 49 points and 537.5 yards a game. Tailback LaMichael James, a likely Heisman finalist, is the nation's leading rusher, having run for 1,682 yards thus far. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Darron Thomas won the job in the fall and has been a great shepherd for the Ducks' spread. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/05/oregon-plays-it-cool-as-spot-in-bcs-championship-game-becomes-of/ sports shops sporting goods live football streaming Filed under: PGA, Golf Odds and Ends  Each week, Monday Movers will look back on the previous week in the golf world to see whose stock is rising and who will likely be heading back to the range. Stock Up
Graeme McDowell Sunday's finish to the Chevron World Challenge was a fitting conclusion to the season for McDowell. An unknown player a year ago when he finished runner-up at this tournament, McDowell faced tremendous pressure as he tried to complete his comeback on Tiger Woods. With what felt like the entire world pulling for Tiger to get his first win in 2010, it was McDowell who reminded us what the old Tiger used to look like. He drained long birdie putts on 18 and the first playoff hole to slam the door on Tiger's worst season. PGA Q-School Five of the six rounds are complete and the 2011 class will be crowned Monday. Long-time PGA player Billy Mayfair finds himself tied in the lead at 16-under along with Ben Martin. The top 25 finishers and ties will earn their PGA Tour card for next season. The final round began with 26 players in position to qualify with another 24 within four strokes. As if nerves aren't enough to deal with, temperatures are in the 40s with 15 mph winds. Lee Westwood When Westwood unseated Tiger Woods as the World's No. 1 golfer, many people just shrugged it off and attributed it to Tiger's lack of play. Well Tiger came back and was determined to finish the year with a win. How did Westwood answer? He finished with a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in three starts, including the HSBC Champions where he was 11 strokes better than Tiger. Westwood ended 2011 with an emphatic 8-stroke win at the Nedbank Golf Challenge this weekend and strengthened his hold on No. 1. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/12/06/monday-movers-graeme-mcdowell-denies-tiger-woods/ all sports games football jerseys baseball equipment  WINTER PARK, Fla. -- A year ago after the final stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School, Billy Horschel, fresh from an All-America career at the University of Florida, was being mentioned in the same breath as another arriving college star, Oklahoma State's Rickie Fowler. Horschel, just like Fowler, brought game and gaudy amateur credentials to their first qualifying tournament and breezed through, earning projections for future success. Now, a year later, Fowler, after collecting seven top 10s and playing on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, was just named 2010 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Horschel, meanwhile, is back at qualifying, trying to do it all over again. By all indications, he will. Heading into Monday's final day at Orange Country National, where the top 25 finishes (and ties) earn exempt status for next season, Horschel is 11 under and tied for ninth place. After Sunday's round of 70 he is five shots back of co-leaders Billy Mayfair and Ben Martin.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/12/05/billy-horschel-doing-it-all-over-again-at-q-school/ youth football play soccer games online soccer games Filed under: PGA  WINTER GARDEN, Fla. -- Billy Hurley III, a golfer with exceptional skill and significant credentials, is 28 years old and playing this week for the very first time in the final stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School. So what took him so long? The call of duty. Just 16 months ago, Lt. Hurley was aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Persian Gulf, entrusted to help defend Iraqi oil platforms. Wednesday he was 1-over-par at Orange County National, where he is attempting to prove golf can be a lot like riding a bicycle. "Except I had to get back on the tricycle first," he said. "I wasn't ready for the two wheeler." Maybe he still isn't. After one round of the six-day, 108-hole competition that sends only the top 25 finishers from a field of 166 to next year's PGA Tour, Hurley already is eight shots back of leader Kyle Stanley and in a tie for 65th. Or maybe he's just getting started. "2010 is my first full year of just golf," Hurley said. "There's not a whole lot of people here who have played five competitive days from June 2007 to June 2009." That would be true -- and the reason Hurley deserves a robust "Go Navy!"
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/12/01/billy-hurley-iii-sets-sail-for-pga-tour-card-after-active-tour-o/ sports pictures football training world cup soccer Filed under: Argentina  The future of Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona's coaching career has been juicy water cooler gossip in recent months, with the 50-year-old throwing his name in the ring for seemingly every high-profile opening, from Aston Villa in August to Boca Juniors just last week. If you're to trust the motions of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's noggin, however, Maradona just might end up plying his trade in the Middle East. The headline, "President Ahmadinejad: Maradona might be head coach of the national team," was plastered on the front page of Iranian daily Ebtekar on Monday after Ahmadinejad nodded in response to a question about Maradona becoming Iran's new coach, according to a Reuters report. Ahmadinejad was present at a ceremony honoring medalists from the recent Asian Games in China when he was prodded about Maradona. An admirer of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Venezuela President Hugo Chavez, Maradona likened Ahmadinejad to the two controversial politicians in 2007 when he sent an autographed shirt to Iran. "I've already met Fidel and Chavez ... now I need to meet your president. I'd like to meet Ahmadinejad," he said at the time, according to Reuters.  Maradona with Castro (left) in 2005 and Chavez (right) in 2010
Iran has qualified for three World Cups: 1978, 1998 and 2006. A polarizing figure with an image marred by drug use and public outbursts, the 50-year-old Maradona has been actively pursuing coaching vacancies since guiding his native Argentina to the quarterfinals of this past summer's World Cup in South Africa. The Argentine Football Federation declined to renew his contract after the tournament. He is widely considered one of the greatest players of all-time, having captained Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/12/06/diego-maradona-linked-to-iran-coaching-position/ all sports games football jerseys baseball equipment Filed under: Capitals, NHL Fans  One young fan of the Washington Capitals wanted to know how fast Karl Azner really could skate. Alzner took on the challenge and led a group of children in a few laps they'd never forget around the outdoor rink. The scene was the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on the ice rink at the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden. Alzner and teammates Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson and Marcus Johansson participated in the skate on Sunday as part of the rink's Community Day. Before the skate with the NHLers, the team hosted a skating demonstration led by former star wing Peter Bondra and current television analyst Craig Laughlin. The Capitals players kept their commitment despite a change in schedule. Originally, Sunday was supposed to be a day off for Washington's hockey team. But back-to-back losses, featuring just a pair of goals for the usually high-flying Capitals, meant another day of practice. To their credit, Alzer, Backstrom, Carlson and Johansson went through the hard practice, changed into their winter clothes and quickly made their way to the museum. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/06/capitals-lead-community-skate-on-washingtons-national-mall/ sports bra football pics m and m sports Filed under: Bowl Games, BCS Championship Game The 2010-2011 college football bowl games are set to begin. Check out the complete NCAA football bowl game schedule below from the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 18 to the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 10. All game times are EST and all game dates, times and TV network are subject to change. Conference tie-ins reflect agreements with the bowls, but a bowl could end up with a team from outside the two contracted conferences. New Mexico Dec. 18 at 2:00 pm UTEP vs. BYU Albuquerque, NM ESPN uDrove Humanitarian Dec. 18 at 5:30 pm Fresno State vs. Northern Illinois Boise, ID ESPN R+L Carriers New Orleans Dec. 18 at 9:00 pm Troy vs. Ohio New Orleans, LA ESPN Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Dec. 21 at 8:00 pm Southern Mississippi vs. Louisville St. Petersburg, FL ESPN MAACO Las Vegas Dec. 22 at 8:00 pm Utah vs. Boise State Las Vegas, NV ESPN San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Dec. 23 at 8:00 pm San Diego State vs. Navy San Diego, CA ESPN Sheraton Hawaii Dec. 24 at 8:00 pm Hawaii vs. Tulsa Honolulu, HI ESPN Little Caesars Dec. 26 at 8:30 pm Toledo vs. Florida International Detroit, MI ESPN AdvoCare V100 Independence Dec. 27 at 5:00 pm Georgia Tech vs. Air Force Shreveport, LA ESPN2 Champs Sports Dec. 28 at 6:30 pm N.C. State vs. West Virginia Orlando, FL ESPN Insight Dec. 28 at 10:00 pm Missouri vs. Iowa Tempe, AZ ESPN Military Bowl Dec. 29 at 2:30 pm Maryland vs. East Carolina Washington, D.C. ESPN Texas Dec. 29 at 3:30 pm Illinois vs. Baylor Houston, TX ESPN Valero Alamo Dec. 29 at 9:15 pm Oklahoma State vs. Arizona San Antonio, TX ESPN Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Dec. 30 at 12:00 pm Army vs. SMU Fort Worth, TX ESPN New Era Pinstripe Dec. 30 at 3:20 pm Kansas State vs. Syracuse Bronx, NY ESPN Franklin American Mortgage Music City Dec. 30 at 6:40 pm North Carolina vs. Tennessee Nashville, TN ESPN Bridgepoint Education Holiday Dec. 30 at 10:00 pm Washington vs. Nebraska San Diego, CA ESPN Meineke Car Care Dec. 31 at 12:00 pm South Florida vs. Clemson Charlotte, NC ESPN Hyundai Sun Dec. 31 at 2:00 pm Miami vs. Notre Dame El Paso, TX CBS AutoZone Liberty Dec. 31 at 3:30 pm UCF vs. Georgia Memphis, TN ESPN Chick-fil-A Dec. 31 TBA Florida State vs. South Carolina Atlanta, GA ESPN TicketCity Jan. 1 at 12:00 pm Northwestern vs. Texas Tech Dallas, TX ESPNU Outback Jan. 1 at 1:00 pm Penn State vs. Florida Tampa, FL ABC Capital One Jan. 1 at 1:00 pm Michigan State vs. Alabama Orlando, FL ESPN Gator Jan. 1 at 1:30 pm Michigan vs. Mississippi State Jacksonville, FL ESPN2 Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO Jan. 1 at 5:00 pm Wisconsin vs. TCU Pasadena, CA ESPN Tostitos Fiesta Jan. 1 at 8:30 pm Oklahoma vs. Connecticut Glendale, AZ ESPN Discover Orange Jan. 3 at 8:00 pm Virginia Tech vs. Stanford Miami, FL ESPN Allstate Sugar Jan. 4 at 8:00 pm Arkansas vs. Ohio State New Orleans, LA ESPN GoDaddy.com Jan. 6 at 8:00 pm Miami, Ohio vs. Middle Tennessee Mobile, AL ESPN AT&T Cotton Jan. 7 at 8:00 pm Texas A&M vs. LSU Arlington, TX FOX BBVA Compass Jan. 8 at 12:00 pm Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky Birmingham, AL ESPN Kraft Fight Hunger Jan. 9 at 9:00 pm Boston College vs. Nevada San Francisco, CA ESPN Tostitos BCS National Championship Game Jan. 10 at 8:00 pm Auburn vs. Oregon Glendale, AZ ESPN Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/05/bowl-games-2010-2011-schedule/ online sports games sports equipment live football scores Filed under: Blue Jays, Mariners, Orioles, Phillies, MLB Hall of Fame, MLB Winter Meetings  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- There is no better way to judge just how well Pat Gillick did his job than to look at how well Gillick's successors fared in the same job. Gillick, elected to the Hall of Fame Monday by the Expansion Era Veterans Committee, left the Blue Jays a year after Toronto had won back-to-back World Series titles in 1992-93. The Jays have had one finish as high as second place since. After a three-year stint in Baltimore from 1996-98 in which the Orioles made consecutive appearances in the American League Championship Series, he left and they haven't had a .500 season since. Currently a consultant with the Phillies, Gillick spent four years in Seattle when the Mariners averaged 98 wins a season, setting the AL record with a 116-win 2001 season. The Mariners have had just one second place finish and no 90-win seasons since. You can look at each franchise and spell out why they have trouble winning. But when Gillick was in charge, they didn't have that kind of trouble. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/12/06/pat-gillick-set-standard-for-modern-gms/ football boots american football live football by Milton KentFiled under: NFL Coaching, NFL Rumors, Sports Business and Media  Seeking to quell speculation that he is in play for current and future coaching vacancies, Jon Gruden declared Thursday that he is "committed" to ESPN. Gruden, who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a win in Super Bowl XXXVII, said he is "very thankful to have the job that I have" -- Gruden serves as analyst on "Monday Night Football," where he is in the middle of his second season, paired with play-by-play man Mike Tirico and fellow color man Ron Jaworski. "I'm eager to try to get better at it," said Gruden. Gruden's name surfaced earlier this week as a candidate for the opening at the University of Miami. The Miami Herald reported Thursday that Gruden met with Miami athletic director Kirby Hocutt. However, the newspaper's sources characterized the conversation as exploratory and said no job offer was made. Said Gruden: "I knew there was a lot of speculation over the last few days, and for that, I'm sorry. I'm just excited to be with "Monday Night Football," and my teammates, Ron and Mike." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/02/jon-gruden-committed-to-espn-thankful-for-current-job/ online soccer games all sports games football jerseys Filed under: Bowl Games, BCS Championship Game The 2010-2011 college football bowl games are set to begin. Check out the complete NCAA football bowl game schedule below from the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 18 to the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 10. All game times are EST and all game dates, times and TV network are subject to change. Conference tie-ins reflect agreements with the bowls, but a bowl could end up with a team from outside the two contracted conferences. New Mexico Dec. 18 at 2:00 pm UTEP vs. BYU Albuquerque, NM ESPN uDrove Humanitarian Dec. 18 at 5:30 pm Fresno State vs. Northern Illinois Boise, ID ESPN R+L Carriers New Orleans Dec. 18 at 9:00 pm Troy vs. Ohio New Orleans, LA ESPN Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Dec. 21 at 8:00 pm Southern Mississippi vs. Louisville St. Petersburg, FL ESPN MAACO Las Vegas Dec. 22 at 8:00 pm Utah vs. Boise State Las Vegas, NV ESPN San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Dec. 23 at 8:00 pm San Diego State vs. Navy San Diego, CA ESPN Sheraton Hawaii Dec. 24 at 8:00 pm Hawaii vs. Tulsa Honolulu, HI ESPN Little Caesars Dec. 26 at 8:30 pm Toledo vs. Florida International Detroit, MI ESPN AdvoCare V100 Independence Dec. 27 at 5:00 pm Georgia Tech vs. Air Force Shreveport, LA ESPN2 Champs Sports Dec. 28 at 6:30 pm N.C. State vs. West Virginia Orlando, FL ESPN Insight Dec. 28 at 10:00 pm Missouri vs. Iowa Tempe, AZ ESPN Military Bowl Dec. 29 at 2:30 pm Maryland vs. East Carolina Washington, D.C. ESPN Texas Dec. 29 at 3:30 pm Illinois vs. Baylor Houston, TX ESPN Valero Alamo Dec. 29 at 9:15 pm Oklahoma State vs. Arizona San Antonio, TX ESPN Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Dec. 30 at 12:00 pm Army vs. SMU Fort Worth, TX ESPN New Era Pinstripe Dec. 30 at 3:20 pm Kansas State vs. Syracuse Bronx, NY ESPN Franklin American Mortgage Music City Dec. 30 at 6:40 pm North Carolina vs. Tennessee Nashville, TN ESPN Bridgepoint Education Holiday Dec. 30 at 10:00 pm Washington vs. Nebraska San Diego, CA ESPN Meineke Car Care Dec. 31 at 12:00 pm South Florida vs. Clemson Charlotte, NC ESPN Hyundai Sun Dec. 31 at 2:00 pm Miami vs. Notre Dame El Paso, TX CBS AutoZone Liberty Dec. 31 at 3:30 pm UCF vs. Georgia Memphis, TN ESPN Chick-fil-A Dec. 31 TBA Florida State vs. South Carolina Atlanta, GA ESPN TicketCity Jan. 1 at 12:00 pm Northwestern vs. Texas Tech Dallas, TX ESPNU Outback Jan. 1 at 1:00 pm Penn State vs. Florida Tampa, FL ABC Capital One Jan. 1 at 1:00 pm Michigan State vs. Alabama Orlando, FL ESPN Gator Jan. 1 at 1:30 pm Michigan vs. Mississippi State Jacksonville, FL ESPN2 Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO Jan. 1 at 5:00 pm Wisconsin vs. TCU Pasadena, CA ESPN Tostitos Fiesta Jan. 1 at 8:30 pm Oklahoma vs. Connecticut Glendale, AZ ESPN Discover Orange Jan. 3 at 8:00 pm Virginia Tech vs. Stanford Miami, FL ESPN Allstate Sugar Jan. 4 at 8:00 pm Arkansas vs. Ohio State New Orleans, LA ESPN GoDaddy.com Jan. 6 at 8:00 pm Miami, Ohio vs. Middle Tennessee Mobile, AL ESPN AT&T Cotton Jan. 7 at 8:00 pm Texas A&M vs. LSU Arlington, TX FOX BBVA Compass Jan. 8 at 12:00 pm Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky Birmingham, AL ESPN Kraft Fight Hunger Jan. 9 at 9:00 pm Boston College vs. Nevada San Francisco, CA ESPN Tostitos BCS National Championship Game Jan. 10 at 8:00 pm Auburn vs. Oregon Glendale, AZ ESPN Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/05/bowl-games-2010-2011-schedule/ soccer ball pictures online basketball games football pictures |
ORLANDO - 
MIAMI -- There was a reason that