How’s this for pressure? Tell everyone months before the season the team to beat in the division is one that hasn’t made the playoffs in 14 years. Jimmy Rollins lived with the weight of those words for 251 days. The little guy with the big smile and confident swagger finally let out a sigh of relief on the last day of the regular season.
Suspended running back Ricky Williams applied for NFL reinstatement Monday, his agent said. “Ricky is extremely excited about the prospect of playing in the NFL again and hopeful for a positive response,” agent Leigh Steinberg said. Williams has played in only 12 NFL games since the start of the 2004 season, but rushed for 3,225 yards in 2002-03.
Different quarterback, same result. The Chicago Bears hoped Brian Griese would spark their offense. Instead, he was no better than Rex Grossman. Griese’s performance in Sunday’s 37-27 loss at Detroit probably raised as many questions as it answered, but coach Lovie Smith clarified a few issues on Monday.
Dario Franchitti’s much-anticipated move to stock cars will begin Friday with an ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sports Betting News has learned.
Where’s Kobe? There was some uncertainty regarding Kobe Bryant’s presence at media day Monday, and it increased after the entire Los Angeles Lakers’ roster except Bryant hit the floor for preseason promos and interviews shortly after the scheduled 10 a.m. start. As it turned out, there was no mystery. “He’s running late.
LeBron James ditched the 1980s get-up — the curly wig and skintight dancer’s outfit. Play time’s over for now. James slipped into his work clothes Monday and returned to the stage where he performs best. Fresh off his hyped stint hosting the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live,” James got back on the basketball court as he and the Cleveland Cavaliers opened training camp with their eyes on…
Daisuke Matsuzaka will follow Josh Beckett in Boston’s postseason rotation against the Angels, leaving Curt Schilling for Game 3 when the series shifts to Anaheim. The Red Sox decided to have Schilling pitch on Sunday instead of Friday to give him two extra days of rest. If Boston’s first-round series goes the full five games, Schilling would be in line to pitch the opener of the AL championship…
For the first time in 15 years, the Milwaukee Brewers can call themselves winners. But it didn’t necessarily feel that way at the end of the season, as the hype of a fast start and hope of a big division lead in June slipped away over the final three months of the season. When the final out was made, Milwaukee was an October bystander once again.
Pro Bowl middle linebacker Antonio Pierce was only half kidding, saying the New York Giants could have had 20 sacks against the Philadelphia Eagles. Osi Umenyiora set a team record with six sacks and the Giants tied an NFL record by taking down Donovan McNabb 12 times Sunday night in a 16-3 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme hopes a rigorous rehabilitation program will allow him to avoid season ending surgery on his strained right elbow. A week after it was announced Delhomme would not need surgery, Delhomme acknowledged an operation is possible. “Maybe that could happen down the line.
