Granted, there is no revelation there, not with the trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen back en masse, aging but presumably healthy and now with a better understanding of what it requires to win it all. Sure, they stumbled on the road in the playoffs during the first two rounds, but it also toughened them to dismantle the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals.

So considering what they accomplished with coach Doc Rivers, plus the presumed maturation of youngsters Rajon Rondo at point guard and Kendrick Perkins at center, the Celtics must begin as the favorites to repeat in the East when the regular season begins next week.

But they are not alone. The Philadelphia 76ers made the most dramatic offseason move in the conference by signing free agent All-Star forward Elton Brand, and considering how they finished last season, the Sixers become an instant factor. And even though the acquisition of point guard Mo Williams didn’t rock headlines coast-to-coast for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, he does make them better with the Cavs still tasting the 2007 East title.

There are others who will contend, of course, including the ever-present Pistons, still on a streak of six consecutive trips to the conference finals, and the Orlando Magic with that monster in the middle — Dwight Howard — still getting better all the time. You might even throw the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat in the mix, but it’s presuming an awful lot that Jermaine O’Neal remain healthy long enough to be the difference for the Raptors; and ditto for Dwyane Wade in Miami.

Nonetheless, that gives us at least seven teams that could make life miserable for the Celtics should they stumble. We’ll break it down 1-15, with a little explanation that should help you disagree even more fervently moving forward.

1. Boston Celtics

The Celtics exploded out of the gate last season and never looked back on their way to the top seed, then rode that home-court advantage to their first title in 22 years. Should they remain healthy, there’s no reason to believe they won’t be better this season. Age is creeping up on their terrific trio, but the depth and the confidence throughout the roster will help carry them to the best record in the conference again.

2. Detroit Pistons

For all of their failings to get through the conference finals and stumbling on the way there the past few years, the Pistons are still an elite team built around their backcourt of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, and it should be even better with Rodney Stuckey having a year under his belt. Will Stuckey and Jason Maxiell continue to improve? That may be up to rookie coach Michael Curry to figure out.

3. Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers seemingly came out of nowhere to be a legit player in the East down the stretch. It earned coach Mo Cheeks respect and proved Andre Miller is still a high-level point guard, while Andre Iguodala and the other youngsters are growing up quickly. And now that Ed Stefanski stole free agent Elton Brand from the Clippers, they will become a factor in who wins the conference, if not the Atlantic.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs have too many issues to be serious challengers for the top seed, but with LeBron James, they are always a threat to win the conference title. This season, they’ll be even better with Mo Williams, a training camp with Wally Szczerbiak and healthy Daniel Gibson — all of a sudden the Cavs have some shooters. This may be their best group overall yet.

5. Orlando Magic

Nobody has a more offensively productive frontcourt than the Magic do with Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, but the backcourt remains underwhelming. If Tony Battie could stay healthy, play power forward and allow Lewis to slip to a “3″ and Turkoglu to “2,” they would be much better. But those are huge ifs and their depth is still a problem.

6. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are consistently one of those teams on the cusp, which probably explains why president Bryan Colangelo went out on a limb for Jermaine O’Neal, the former All-Star. If his legs are sound, they’ve got a chance to win the East with him next to Chris Bosh. Then again, Bosh has knee issues of his own. Jose Calderon is one of the best point guards nobody knows.

7. Chicago Bulls

It’s difficult to figure out what happened to the Bulls last season, other than they were turned upside down from contracts and the unhappiness of coach Scott Skiles. Well, there’s still Ben Gordon’s contract situation, but with Vinny Del Negro and veteran assistant coaches, they figure to be more consistent at both ends of the court, and certainly compete among those to get into the playoffs.

8. Atlanta Hawks

Conventional wisdom says the Hawks will ride the crest of taking the Celtics to seven games in the first round back to the playoffs. With Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, maturing Marvin Williams and Al Horford, plus a training camp with Mike Bibby, they should get there. Let’s see if the two-year extension signed by coach Mike Woodson helps them gain consistency.

9. Washington Wizards

Despite making the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, plus everyone returning for underrated coach Eddie Jordan, it’s hard to be sold on this injury-prone group. Who knows about Gilbert Arenas’ thrice-repaired left knee, Brendan Haywood’s wrist, Antawn Jamison’s right knee and anything else? They’re always injured, and that includes their incumbent tough guy Caron Butler. All things being equal, they’re in. Then again, all things are never equal.

10. Miami Heat

It’s hard to fathom a team with Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and top draft choice Michael Beasley not being in the playoffs, but rookie coach Eric Spoelstra will have his work cut out for him. Will Pat Riley deal Marion? More pressing is the health of Wade, who has missed 31 games in each of the past two seasons. He also missed 21 his rookie year. The acrobatics are killing his body.

11. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are the sleeper in the bunch. Skiles always get his teams to overachieve his first year or two, and with the addition of Richard Jefferson and Luke Ridnour to Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut, they are certainly playoff contenders. Rookie Joe Alexander may help and GM John Hammond did plug in veteran depth. But the talent pool is still fragile on this club.

12. Indiana Pacers

Like the Bucks, the Pacers have the capability of slipping into the playoffs, with the underrated Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy Jr. coming off his best NBA season, and Troy Murphy healthy and productive. But they lack power players and athleticism to go along with the running of T.J. Ford, Jarrett Jack and rookie Brandon Rush. Just who are they with coach Jim O’Brien?

13. New Jersey Nets

By mid-season it was apparent that president Rod Thorn was ready to rebuild again, so he dumped Jason Kidd and hopes Devin Harris can develop into the Eastern Conference version of Tony Parker. They are very young, and he’d also love to get rid of Vince Carter for some young talent. They’ll finish higher than this, but it’s just difficult to figure out where they’ll fit in.

14. New York Knicks

It’s almost impossible to get a handle on these mismatched players, bloated contracts and new coach in Mike D’Antoni. Foremost among the problems is Stephon Marbury, who stands out like a raspberry on the roster. If Donnie Walsh can somehow unload him and D’Antoni gets this wacky bunch to buy in, they could cause damage to somebody besides themselves for a change.

15. Charlotte Bobcats

Larry Brown is back, presumably for the last time as an NBA coach. L.B. in North Carolina with absentee president Michael Jordan make for strange bedfellows, not to mention this young team with little or no fan base. There is talent with Emeka Okafor, Ray Felton, Gerald Wallace and Sean May, but this is a bad franchise and that’s too much to overcome in a balanced East.

Source — FOX Sports

The news, which was initially reported by ESPN’s Dick Vitale, was confirmed by a source close to the program.

Olson has not officially informed the team yet. Associate coach Mike Dunlap, a former national championship-winning coach at Division II Metro State and an assistant with the Denver Nuggets, will take over on an interim basis.

It’s highly unlikely Dunlap will be named the head coach permanently until the end of the season at earliest, due to the debacle last season with Kevin O’Neill.

O’Neill had been hired as an assistant before last season, with the intention that he would take over for Olson when he retired. O’Neill was then pressed into interim head coaching duty when Olson took a leave of absence for personal reasons. When Olson decided to return to the program, a rift developed between the two and O’Neill was eventually let go.

Olson, 74, will retire 20 wins shy of 800 for his career. He won a national championship with Arizona in 1997.

Source — FOX Sports

“I’m going to play here for four years,” the junior, a favorite to win the 2008 Heisman Trophy, told the Sporting News. “I’ve been blessed to get to play here. Not very many people get to (start) here for four years, so what an opportunity.”

McCoy is having a big season, completing 81.2 percent of his passes for the top-ranked Longhorns and piling up 19 touchdown passes, but opinions vary widely on where he might be selected if he declares for the 2009 NFL Draft.

“He is not the premier NFL prospect you would expect,” one scout told the magazine. “He has an adequate arm to make most NFL throws but does not show the very strong arm to fit the ball into tight spots consistently in the NFL.”

Source — FOX Sports

The newspaper said Brady is on a six-week course of intravenous antibiotics and will continue to have follow-up exams at the clinic in Los Angeles where he had the surgery.

Brady confirmed for the first time Saturday that he’d undergone two operations on his injured left knee. The Herald, citing an unnamed source familiar with his treatment, said he’s had two more since then because of infection.

If the infection is not brought under control, the Herald reports, the patellar tendon graft used to replace Brady’s anterior cruciate ligament could become compromised. If that happens, Brady could need to redo the surgery — likely delaying his rehabilitation.

New England Patriots spokesman Stacey James said Wednesday the team would let Brady comment on the status of his injury.

Brady was injured in the first quarter of the season opener on a hit by Kansas City Chiefs safety. He has been widely reported to have sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but he and the team have not given specifics on the injury.

Source — FOX Sports

They aren’t.

That, the kid has done, directing Ohio State to five consecutive victories after a 35-3 smackdown at USC. It has not always been pretty, as it sometimes isn’t when a freshman takes control, but Pryor has committed only two turnovers and has proven every bit the double-threat he was billed, with 653 yards passing and 411 rushing so far.

Until Saturday at MSU, Pryor’s total offense had declined in each of his four previous starts. But he made the Spartans look hopeless, hapless and clueless with 116 passing yards and 72 rushing yards, accounting for a touchdown each way.

Not even close.

The quarterbacks who will start Saturday for third-ranked Penn State (8-0, 4-0) and No. 10 Ohio State (7-1, 4-0) followed dramatically different paths to this first-place showdown in the Big Ten, paths that began in the state of the teams they will oppose Saturday night in Ohio Stadium.

Clark, a junior from Youngstown, Ohio, couldn’t draw much more than a glance from OSU coming out of high school because of questionable skills and borderline grades that forced him to a prep school for a year before he could enroll at State College.

Pryor, a true freshman from Jeannette, Pa., has been Mr. All That since his junior year of high school and was so coveted by every major program that he kept them all waiting six weeks after National Signing Day before making up his mind.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno made a rare in-home visit to lure Pryor to Happy Valley, but not even the Legend’s charms could get Pryor to more than sniff at life as a Nittany Lion.

“Penn State isn’t the place for me,” Pryor said the day he declared for OSU.”It’s just not. I don’t like the area. It’s country-looking. I just don’t like that place.”

You’d think Pryor would be making nicey-nice now, running from that jab as adroitly as he did Michigan State defenders in the Buckeyes’ 45-7 blowout last weekend.

You’d think so, but you’d be wrong.

“I’m in Ohio now,” Pryor said Saturday, when he was really in East Lansing. “Jeannette is still my hometown, but this is where I’m at. I’m not at Penn State, I’m not in Pennsylvania. I’m not here to make Penn State happy; I’m here to make Ohio State happy.”

“Everyone thinks I’m overrated,” Pryor said afterward. “Wait and see. The time will come, and you’ll find out.”

Clark sat and watched Pryor’s recruitment with interest, wondering if he would even get the chance to show what he could do if the phenom showed up on campus.

As Pryor’s decision dragged on, more and more friends approached Clark’s father, asking if his son would transfer and try to play elsewhere in the two seasons he had left.

“That was frustrating to my dad, that was frustrating to me because people would go to my dad about that, and I really didn’t think that was fair,” Clark said.

He then weathered a competition with teammate Pat Devlin to win the job, finally getting his first start after four years of waiting.

Now Clark is in command of the Big Ten’s highest-scoring offense (45.4 ppg.), one that produces 482 yards per game, 160 yards more on average than Ohio State.

“I sat back on Sunday and reminisced on the start of everything,” Clark said. “My mind was blown away with that. We’re doing so well and I’ve been through a lot of things, but I remained patient and quiet through everything…I didn’t really know what to expect. I was a nervous wreck as the season was approaching. I didn’t know what was going to happen.”

As far as Saturday, he knows exactly what to expect.

“It’s everything you dream of when you come to a Big Ten school and you’re from Ohio,” Clark said. “You’re going against a coach that is from your hometown, Jim Tressel, a really good guy. And you’re going down into the Horseshoe, and that’s one of the most hostile places to play in.”

It certainly has been for Penn State, which is 0-7 in Ohio Stadium since joining the Big Ten in 1993.

The Lions have scored just five touchdowns in those seven games, while Ohio State’s defense and special teams alone have scored eight TDs.

Paterno’s worst loss in a 43-year career came at OSU in 2000 (45-6), and his teams have been beaten by an average of 21 points in their last seven trips to Columbus.

Clark gets the chance to end that frustration, while Pryor has an opportunity to extend it.

“We got Daryll; they got Terrelle,” Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said. “Everybody’s happy.”

Around the Big Ten

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio is sticking with senior Brian Hoyer at quarterback entering a Saturday game at Michigan (2-5, 1-2), despite Hoyer’s woeful performance in a 45-7 loss to Ohio State. Backup Kirk Cousins directed MSU (6-2, 3-1) to its only touchdown and completed his first 10 passes once Hoyer departed because of a hard tackle by OSU linebacker James Laurinaitis. Medical exams have ruled out a concussion, so Dantonio says, “Brian Hoyer is still our quarterback.”

Purdue (2-5, 0-3) coach Joe Tiller doesn’t have much choice at quarterback now that backup Joey Elliott is likely out for the year with a shoulder separation. Elliott relieved an ineffective Curtis Painter for the second time in three games Saturday at Northwestern. Painter’s senior season has been a major disappointment, given his six touchdown passes and nine interceptions. Last season, he threw for 29 TDs, with only 11 interceptions. Sophomore Justin Siler, a running back who played QB in high school, will be Painter’s backup Saturday against visiting Minnesota (6-1, 2-1).

Everyone wondered how Illinois (4-3, 2-2) would replace Big Ten MVP Rashard Mendenhall at tailback. Turns out, the guy the Illini miss most is middle linebacker J Leman. Illinois enters a Saturday game at Wisconsin (3-4, 0-4) ranked second in the league in rushing (204.9 ypg), but it’s ninth in rushing defense (150.9 ypg). That’s a killer, since Illinois can’t get the ball back for its offense and leaves that unit no margin for error when it does have possession.

Indiana (2-5, 0-4) should have quarterback Kellen Lewis back from a sprained ankle for Northwestern’s (6-1, 2-1) visit to Memorial Stadium. Maybe that will spark an IU offense that went 3-of-16 on third down — with two of the conversions via penalty — in a 55-13 loss to Illinois. IU must win four of its last five to claim a second straight bowl bid.

Michigan faces the same challenge, winning four of its final five, to sustain a 33-year bowl streak. Three of those games are on the road, where the Wolverines are 0-2 so far, and the others are 6-2 Michigan State this week and 6-1 Northwestern on Nov. 15. Quarterback Steven Threat should be ready to start Saturday against MSU after missing several crucial series in the 46-17 loss at Penn State when his triceps tightened to the point where he could not grip the football.

Source — FOX Sports

Savage suspended Winslow on Tuesday for his disparaging comments and behavior following Sunday’s loss in Washington. Winslow, who agreed to keep his medical condition private, revealed he had staph and said the Browns, who have had a high number of staph cases in recent years, still have a problem with infections.

“The Browns are bigger than one person,” Savage said during his weekly appearance on WTAM radio. “We couldn’t and won’t allow one person to tear down the organization, so we had to do something.”

Winslow appealed his suspension on Wednesday. His case will be heard by an arbitrator on Tuesday.

If he wins his appeal, Winslow, who will miss Sunday’s game at Jacksonville, could recoup the $235,294 — his one-game paycheck — he was docked with the suspension.

Source — FOX Sports

Speaking at the Jets’ training complex in Florham Park, N.J., Favre spent nearly 15 minutes answering questions about the Sunday report by FOXSports.com’s Jay Glazer that said he called the Lions before their Sept. 14 game against the Packers. The report said Favre spent more than an hour giving Millen and Lions coaches information on nuances of the offense he used to run. Green Bay won the game 48-25.

Favre, who had a bitter split with the Packers in the offseason, said Millen called to invite him to go hunting. The friends then talked about football, but Favre denied sharing any specific information to be used against the Packers.

“I didn’t give him any game planning,” Favre said. “I haven’t been in that offense in over a year. I don’t know what else to tell you. It was pretty simple.”

Favre and Jets coach Eric Mangini said that sharing information is common in the NFL, and it isn’t against league rules.

“It happens every day,” Favre said. “It happens more than you know.”

Favre initially denied any contact with the Lions, sending a text message to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King on Sunday calling the report “total b.s. . . . not true and pretty ridiculous.”

“I stand by my story 1000 percent,” Glazer said Wednesday. “I guess Brett and I will just agree to disagree on certain things. The way I do my work, I don’t go on what just one person told me. I investigated this fully and for quite some time. I spoke with several sources, and when I go with something, I make sure it’s dead-on. I think my track record speaks for itself.”

Favre said he received a call from Millen while traveling home from the Jets’ training facility, and the two spoke for 25 minutes.

Green Bay beat Detroit twice last season, including a 37-26 victory in November in which Favre set a team record with 20 consecutive completions. Favre had a bitter split with the Packers in the offseason.

“We went empty formation and just keep throwing completion after completion,” Favre said he told Millen. “They study film, they know what type of plays.

“When Matt called me and was talking about hunting and told me that he lived an hour from here, don’t think for a second I wasn’t thinking, ‘Now, surely he wants to know something,”‘ Favre said. “Yeah, I played for the Packers for 16 years and we played against the Lions a bunch, but it’s no secret what we did against them. I don’t have a playbook from Green Bay. I didn’t send the playbook. I didn’t call him and say, ‘Look, if you do this, you’re going to win the game.’ I didn’t do that.”

Favre also said Dallas quarterback Tony Romo called him last week — not the other way around — to ask for suggestions on playing through injuries.

“Next thing I know, I’m calling everyone in the league, giving out secrets,” Favre said. “I’m willing to help, but it’s awful ridiculous.”

“I did not call the Lions, nor did I call Tony Romo,” a defiant Favre said Wednesday. “I don’t know what else to tell everyone, but I’m not calling people.”

During the call with Millen, Favre said as far as he knew, he was on the line only with Millen.

But he added that if he were “a guessing man,” there’s a chance other people might have been listening in on the conversation.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m telling you, I didn’t have a game plan in my lap, driving home, saying, ‘OK, last year, third-and-3 to (the) 6, we went … hold on, light.”‘

Favre, wearing a green Jets sweat shirt and a navy New York Titans cap, held his composure throughout the news conference. He clenched his jaw a few times and only once raised his voice in anger, when he was told that former teammate Charles Woodson said if the Lions called Favre, it’s OK, but not if it happened the other way around.

“Go back and tell Charles I did not call them,” an irritated Favre said. “I didn’t call ‘em.”

Favre was asked numerous times if he might have said anything that could be perceived as helping the Lions plan for the Packers. After all, Favre and Green Bay had an ugly divorce in the summer.

“I’m well aware of the perception of what’s going on,” Favre said. “Aren’t you and isn’t everyone else? Believe me, I’m trying my best to help this team win, the New York Jets, and spending no time trying to make sure the Packers lose. I’ve got enough on my plate, believe me.”

Favre said the controversy wouldn’t change the way he approaches similar situations.

“Nothing was wrong,” he said. “If Matt calls me and says, ‘Sorry about the big deal, the offer still stands,’ I’ll take the call. I know he’s not in football right now, but, you know, nothing happened. Nothing happened that was any different than happens any other day. But the fact I was in Green Bay for so long and what happened this offseason, that makes it a big deal.

“I am who I am. I’m part of the Jets. I’m trying to get ready for the Chiefs. I don’t have time to be dealing with other issues, especially other game plans. I wish them well up there. I really do.”

Source — FOX Sports

“Both managers said it may have given them problems,” the Phillies manager said early this morning after Game 1. “I can understand why, I guess. But I tried to look at it a little differently.”

There was good reason for that. Where others feared rust, Manuel saw the potential for rest, the opportunity to give his team a few days to heal their bodies and cool their heels. And Manuel hoped that nobody would benefit more from the down time than his second baseman, Chase Utley, who has been playing with a bothersome hip most of the season’s second half.

“Well,” Manuel said. “I thought he looked OK tonight. What did you think?”

He looked awfully good. No more than 10 minutes into the game, in fact, he made everything painted Phillies red look as good as anything could possibly look in the opening moments of a World Series. After trying to flummox a Tampa Bay shift with a bunt, after working the count against Scott Kazmir to 3-and-2, Utley provided a blessed service for his team that extended in any way you wanted to take it.

He drilled the payoff pitch deep over the right-field wall, over the blue Fox World Series sign, giving the Phillies an instant 2-0 lead and allowing his teammates to spend the rest of the evening blissfully unaware of any rust that may or may not have accumulated in the week since they wrapped up the National League pennant.

It helped that Cole Hamels was dominant again, and it helped that Joe Maddon gifted them what proved to be the winning run by playing the infield back down two runs, and it helped that Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge were all but unhittable in closing out the last two innings of this 3-2 victory.

But the biggest help of all came early, came 10 minutes deep, came with Utley announcing himself in his very first World Series at-bat, circling the bases with his head down and his stride swift, as always.

Rust? The only thing that looked rusty were the damned cowbells at Tropicana Field that the Phillies mostly kept quiet from that point on.

“I’m happy for Chase,” Manuel said. “Here’s a guy who says I’m going to go out and play every day no matter what, I love to play this game, and I think unless you watch him day in and day out you may not really know just how good he is.”

That much is doubtful, even if Utley doesn’t possess the MVP plaques that his teammates, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard, have. But Utley has long been the wheelman of the Phillies’ lineup, the player you don’t want to face if Rollins is on base, the one you want to avoid extending rallies because Howard is hitting behind him.

The Mets certainly have grown weary watching him swing a bat the past few years. And last night the Rays weren’t so delighted to see what Utley brought to the ballpark, either.

Mostly, what Utley brought was a definitive sense that the biggest concern enveloping these Phillies heading in — the same rust that slowed down the Rockies in 2007 and the Tigers in ‘06 — would be a non-factor.

As Manuel said, “Nothing’s better at quieting those cowbells than a home run.”

And as Scott Eyre, a Phillies reliever, had said a day earlier: “I’m not sure what the right answer to that question is. I don’t think we should have kept the Dodgers series alive a few extra days. I think we did the right thing finishing off that series when we did. Don’t you?”

Let the record show, unequivocally: they did the right thing. Especially since they have Chase Utley on their side.

Source — FOX Sports

As the foremost authority on football, everyone wants me reveal the Super Bowl contenders and the Super Bowl pretenders.

This week’s NFL Truths column will address those mysteries.

10. I have no (expletive)ing idea which teams are legitimate. No clue.

I’m embarrassed. I’m paid to make sense of the NFL. This deep into the season, I should have a firm grasp on two or three favorites to win it all. I don’t.

I’m not sold on the undefeated Tennessee Titans as long as Kerry Collins is the quarterback. I nicknamed him Clipboard Kerry Collins years ago, and I still believe it. He’s not a starter. And he’s certainly not a Super Bowl quarterback.

Can he be Trent Dilfer? Maybe. But the Titans don’t have a Ray Lewis. Tennessee’s defense isn’t as good as the Baltimore defense that dragged Dilfer to a Super Bowl. The Titans sport a spotless record and Collins has yet to throw for 200 yards in a game.

I’m not sold on the 5-1 New York Giants. Not as long as Plaxico Burress continues his descent to a level below Terrell Owens. Burress working in New York is a powder keg that will ignite and blow up the Giants. The G-men lost to the Browns. Eli Manning is starting to regress.

The 5-1 Buffalo Bills? No way. Their leading rusher averages 3.5 yards per carry. Their quarterback has thrown five touchdowns. I don’t know anyone on their defense. The Bills have a lovely schedule. They’ll get exposed in the postseason.

What about the Pittsburgh Steelers? Schedule. Over the next month, the Steelers play the Giants, Redskins, Colts and Chargers. Big Ben won’t survive this stretch. Pittsburgh’s offensive line can’t protect.

9. The two teams I sort of like are the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers.

It troubles me to admit that about the Packers. I’m in the tank for Brett Favre and hoping he embarrasses Ted Thompson. After losing three in a row, the Packers have regained their footing with wins over Seattle and Indy. I expect the Packers to announce they’re for real on Nov. 2 when they face the Titans.

Aaron Rodgers has been better than I expected. Green Bay will score a lot of points the second half of the season.

Carolina gets to fatten its record with games against the Cardinals, Raiders and Lions over the next month. I love Carolina’s defense. It’s arguably the fastest unit in the league. Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad form a terrific tandem at receiver. And John Fox is as good a coach as there is.

8. Here’s my sleeper team: Da Bears.

Kyle Orton has won me over. He’s a pocket-passing version of Jake Delhomme although Orton is more accurate. I never envisioned Orton developing into a solid NFL starter. I thought his arm was too weak and he was too inaccurate under pressure.

I was wrong. The kid is completing 62 percent of his passes, which is a 10 percent improvement over his career numbers. Chicago posted 48 points against a Minnesota defense that can’t be run on.

If the Bears make the playoffs, they can beat any team they face.

7. After watching Brett Favre’s Wednesday press conference, there is even less reason to doubt the accuracy of Jay Glazer’s reporting about Favre helping the Lions prepare for the Packers.

I just happen to disagree with people who think that it is somehow a stain on Favre’s Green Bay legacy. It’s not.

The Packers treated Favre poorly. He has every right to want to see the organization flop without him, and of course he’s going to do everything he can to assure that it happens. What Favre did isn’t unusual in the slightest.

You ever seen someone fired from a job and escorted out by security? You ever wondered why they ask for a player’s playbook when they cut him? You think fired coaches don’t share everything they know about the team that canned them?

Brett Favre is a human being. He wants to see the Packers fail. There’s nothing wrong with that.

6. Speaking of rooting for failure, Vince Young didn’t appear all that happy watching the Titans improve to 6-0 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

I’m not trying to pile on Vince. Don’t make a big deal about this observation. But Young stood by himself away from the rest of the offensive players throughout much of the Tennessee-Kansas City contest.

If he’s trying to learn on game days, he’s learning from a distance. The backup quarterbacks usually stand around the offensive coaches and try to be around the communication process. Not Vince. He stood on an island on Sunday.

In fairness, he might need to stand back for a minute so he can see the big picture. And he did seem to show a little emotion when the Titans scored.

5. The Rams should not overreact and give Jim Haslett the permanent head-coaching assignment because the Rams have won two straight.

Haslett is benefitting from ownership putting pressure on the entire roster. When a head coach gets relieved this early in the season, the locker room gains some intensity and focus. It’s too early in the season to quit and mail it in.

Guys are still playing for contract leverage and dreaming about individual achievements. Before anyone anoints Haslett, let’s see what the Rams are doing in early December.

4. I’m disappointed Mike Singletary was given the 49ers job at midseason.

As an interim coach Singletary could screw up his resume by taking over the 49ers at this time. If the 49ers go in the tank and lose their remaining games, Singletary could take the blame and end up being positioned poorly for a genuine opportunity.

Singletary was on track to be an NFL head coach. I realize you have to take these opportunities whenever and however they’re presented. But I wish Mike would’ve waited.

3. When was the last time Al Davis made a bold decision that worked? Selecting Sebastian Janikowski in the first round of the 2000 draft.

Janikowski hasn’t been a Pro Bowl kicker. He’s not headed for the Hall of Fame. But he has remained a consistent weapon for the Raiders throughout his career. Last week he beat the Jets with a 57-yard field goal in overtime, bailing out coach Tom Cable who blew the game in regulation by calling one of those overused, last-second timeouts before a field-goal attempt.

There is no such thing as “icing” a kicker in warm weather. Leave the icing to hockey.

2. Kirk Herbstreit, Chris Fowler and Craig James refuse to place my 20th-ranked Ball State Cardinals in their Associated Press Top 25 polls.

This hurts. You’re talking about three of my favorite college football broadcasters. My Cardinals are 7-0 and likely to hit 8-0 this weekend after a contest against Eastern Michigan.

But let me be perfectly honest. I don’t have a real problem with Herbie, Fowler and James being a bit suspicious of the Cardinals. We’ve struggled to replace star receiver Dante Love, and we haven’t been tested since September.

The most difficult portion of Ball State’s schedule is in November when the Cardinals play Northern Illinois, Central Michigan and Western Michigan. If we get through November unscathed and Herbstreit, Fowler and James continue to ignore my Cards, you’ll be treated to an angry, hilarious column about the Three BCS Elitists.

*1. Is anything more enjoyable than watching the Cowboys bomb and T.O. implode on the sideline?

As I said last week, Jerry Jones knows talent and is willing to pursue it. He knows nothing about winning chemistry and how to build it or maintain it.

Source — FOX Sports

Now, with a half-dozen events left before she plays the Dec. 11-14 Dubai Ladies Masters — a Ladies European Tour event — Sorenstam is hedging a bit more.

“We’ll see if I will come back in a few years to play,” Sorenstam said Thursday, on the eve of the 54-hole Grand China Air tournament, the first LPGA event in China.

“As of now, I’m leaving the door open. … That’s why I’m not using the ‘R’ word.”

The 38-year-old Swede is getting married in January, and she expects family and business interests to keep her occupied. She designs golf courses, has a clothing line, a charitable foundation and runs a golf academy.

Sorenstam said she won’t miss the “daily grind” of professional golf — the practice, gym sessions and pressure to perform.

“I have done that for so long and I have enjoyed it very much,” she said. “I’ve pushed myself. I’ve enjoyed the journey, but I’ve come to a point now where I’m very happy, I’m very satisfied with what I have achieved.”

Still, Sorenstam clearly has reservations and is choosing her words carefully.

“If I get the urge to come back, I have a chance,” Sorenstam said. “That’s why I have never said this is the end. But we’ll see.

“There are new challenges ahead,” she added. “Getting married and starting a family. Who knows? I might come out on tour sooner than later. It might be tougher than I think it is.”

Sorenstam has won three times this season and heads a 63-player field in China — two-thirds of whom are Asians. And that’s not because the field is stacked because of the location.

Fifty-one players come off the top of the LPGA’s money list. Eight more are Chinese, invited by the Chinese Golf Association. And four others are sponsors’ invitations, three of whom are Chinese. The other sponsors’ invitation is England’s Laura Davies.

Yani Tseng of Taiwan will be among the crowd favorites at the West Coast Golf Club, located on the mainland Chinese island of Hainan — situated between the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin.

In June at the LPGA Championship, Tseng became the first rookie to win a major since South Korean Se Ri Pak in 1998. At 19, she was also the second-youngest woman to win a major. Morgan Pressel — who is also in the China Air field — was 18 when she won the Kraft Nabisco Championship last year.

Another favorite will be 19-year-old Shanshan Feng, an LPGA rookie this season. She is also the only Chinese player on the LPGA tour.

“Chinese golf is getting bigger and bigger. It is getting more and more popular,” Feng said. “China can become another Korea for golf. I believe so. Maybe not now but in the future.”

In the LPGA’s rookie of the year standings, five of the top six are Asians. Tseng is No. 1, followed by South Koreans Na-yeon Choi and Hee-young Park. Japanese Momoko Ueda is No. 4 and Feng is No. 6.

Sorenstam credited Pak with popularizing women’s golf in South Korea, just as Sorenstam benefited from breakthroughs by fellow Swedes Liselotte Neumann and Helen Alfredsson.

“If I would guess what will happen in the next five to 10 years, we’re going to continue to see growth from this part of the world,” Sorenstam said. “I’m sure we’re going to see a lot more Chinese players joining the LPGA.”

Source — FOX Sports