LeBron James dunks off Gerald Henderson's head: Miami Heat at Charlotte Bobcats

Miami Heat forward LeBron James dunks the ball off Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Henderson's head through the hoop. The referees did not count the basket.

Flea Flicker

Derrick Rose Game Winning Shot Over LA Lakers - Christmas 2011

Patriots, 49ers have eight Pro Bowlers apiece

Tom Brady is one of eight Patriots and Patrick Willis one of eight 49ers to make the Pro Bowl, the most on each roster.

Defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay (14-1), led by starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and Baltimore (11-4), led by veteran linebacker Ray Lewis, have seven apiece for the Jan. 29 game in Honolulu, the NFL announced Tuesday.

Brady is one of seven starters from New England (12-3). The others are receiver Wes Welker, tight end Rob Gronkowski, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, defensive end Andre Carter, and guards Brian Waters and Logan Mankins all are starters for the AFC from the Patriots. Special teamer Matthew Slater is the other New England representative.

MORE: NFC Pro Bowl roster
MORE: AFC Pro Bowl roster

Linebacker Willis, DE Justin Smith, cornerback Carlos Rogers and tackle Joe Staley will start for the NFC from the 49ers (12-3), who had only Smith and Willis make the Pro Bowl last year.

Green Bay's Rodgers is the starting NFC quarterback, backed by record-setting Drew Brees of New Orleans (12-3).

"It does have special significance, because when I was voted in in 2009, I was the third guy and I was very thankful to be voted in, and got the opportunity to start because of some injuries and guys not going," Rodgers said. "It's great to be voted in as a starter, that means a lot to me and it's a special honor."

Four of the NFL's biggest headline makers this season did not get voted in by players, coaches and fans: Lions DT Ndamukong Suh, Steelers LB James Harrison, Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton, and Denver QB Tim Tebow.

Suh might have lost support after drawing a two-game suspension for stomping an opponent, and Harrison's one-game suspension for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns QB Colt McCoy might have reduced his support.

Fifteen first-time Pro Bowlers made the NFC squad, including Rogers, Staley and safety Dashon Goldson of the 49ers. Thirteen AFC players were first-time selections, including Gronkowski, Carter and Slater of New England. Carter is on injured reserve (left quadriceps) and won't play.

"If you look around the NFC, you see a ton of amazing and talented players at tight end," said the Saints' Jimmy Graham, the starter at the position and a first-time Pro Bowler. "And to be thought of in that company by my peers, the head coaches and the fans who follow the NFL is something I take seriously."

Fourteen teams from each conference were represented, with St. Louis (2-13) and Washington (5-10) drawing blanks in the NFC, Buffalo (6-9) and Tennessee (8-7) shut out in the AFC.

Pittsburgh (11-4), New Orleans and Chicago (7-8) each had five representatives.

Three rookies were chosen: Denver linebacker Von Miller, Cincinnati receiver A.J. Green, and Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson, selected as a kick return specialist. He has tied an NFL record with four punt runbacks for TDs this season.

"As I've said before, A.J. is the best first-round draft pick that I've ever been around," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "He has shown the other players in this league, and the fans, that he deserved this honor. I have not seen a receiver better than he is at getting to the ball."

All the kickers are from Bay Area teams.

NFC special teamers included two 49ers: record-setting placekicker David Akers, and punter Andy Lee; Peterson; and Corey Graham of Chicago.

For the AFC, the Raiders' Sebastian Janikowski is the placekicker, Shane Lechler the punter. The kick return specialist is Pittsburgh WR Antonio Brown, and the special-teams player is Slater.

NFC starters will be Rodgers, Eagles RB LeSean McCoy, Packers FB John Kuhn, Graham, Panthers C Ryan Kalil, Saints guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks, Eagles tackle Jason Peters and Staley, Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald and Lions WR Calvin Johnson on offense.

On defense, it will be Vikings DE Jared Allen and Eagles DE Jason Babin, Cowboys DT Jay Ratliff and Smith, Packers OLB Clay Matthews and Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware, ILB Willis, Packers CB Charles Woodson and Rogers, Seahawks safety Earl Thomas and Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson.

AFC starters will be Brady, Ravens RB Ray Rice and FB Vonta Leach, Gronkowski, Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey, Mankins and Waters at guard, Browns tackles Joe Thomas and Dolphins tackle Jake Long, Welker and Steelers WR Mike Wallace.

On defense, it will be Broncos DE Elvis Dumervil replacing Carter, Colts DE Dwight Freeney, Wilfork and Ravens DT Haloti Ngata, Miller and Ravens OLB Terrell Suggs, Lewis, Jets CB Darrelle Revis and Broncos CB Champ Bailey, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Ravens safety Ed Reed.

Players who make the Super Bowl will be replaced on the Pro Bowl rosters.

Better Football Matchups? College or Pro?

Drew Brees' Emotional Speech

An emotional Drew Brees thanks his teammates and the New Orleans Saints organization after breaking Dan Marino's single-season passing record.

Matthew Stafford Excited For NFL Playoffs

Matthew Stafford on the success of the Detroit Lions and opportunity to play in the playoffs.

New Nelly Song - 'The Champ'

Here's the video for Nelly's "The Champ," which the two-time Grammy winner composed for ESPN's bowl coverage.

Jerome Simpson (Bengals) Touchdown Endzone Flip

Kobe Bryant's Wife, Vanessa, Files for Divorce

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant have been married for more than 10 years.

Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa, filed for divorce on Friday from the Los Angeles Lakers star, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

Vanessa Bryant filed papers in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana. TMZ reported that according to court documents filed in the Orange County Superior Court, Vanessa Bryant will be represented by high-profile divorce lawyer Laura Wasser — who has previously worked for Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian — and attorney Samantha Klein.

A representative for the couple released a statement saying, ''The Bryants have resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately with the assistance of counsel and a Judgment dissolving their marital status will be entered in 2012.''

The couple have been married for 10 1/2 years and have two daughters, ages 8 and 5.

In the statement, the Bryants ''ask that in the interest of our young children and in light of the upcoming holiday season the public respect our privacy during this difficult time.''

The filing of the documents comes more than eight years after Vanessa Bryant stuck by the Lakers star after he was accused of sexually assaulting a Colorado woman.

The Colorado case was dropped when Bryant's accuser refused to testify.

Unidentified sources told TMZ that Vanessa Bryant was filing for divorce because she believed her husband had been unfaithful.

Sergio Garcia throws 5 iron into lake!!

After hitting his first shot into the water Sergio Garcia then hits his 3rd 20 yards right of the green and throws his 5 iron into the water at the Thailand Golf Championship.

TSU Basketball Player M.J. Rhett Surprised by Mom's Return

Tennessee State University men's basketball player M.J. Rhett was surprised from his mom Stephanie who returned home from Iraq on Tuesday, Nov. 22 to watch her son play at No. 1 North Carolina. It was the first time she had seen her son play collegiate basketball.

Your Sports Superstore

Inside the NFL Picks Week 8

Inside the NFL Pick Six Week 8

Game 6 postponed; Berkman wonders why

Grounds crew at Busch Stadium pull the tarp onto the infield shortly after MLB announced that Game 6 of the World Series was postponed.

Major League Baseball announced that Game 6 of the World Series scheduled for tonight at Busch Stadium has been postponed and rescheduled for Thursday at 8:05 p.m. ET.

The threat of rain in the area and an improved forecast for the next two days were major factors in the decision, MLB announced in an e-mail.

Given the desire to play a game of this magnitude without interruption, and an outlook with better conditions over the next two nights, Major League Baseball, along with the Cardinals and the Rangers, determined that making the decision early would be the most prudent course of action to allow fans enough time to plan accordingly.

"We just didn't want to take a chance," said Joe Torre, MLB's Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations. "If the forecast wasn't good for tomorrow and Friday, then the chances are we'd probably wait a little longer."

Torre said he's a big believer in finishing a postseason game to its conclusion if it's started.

"As a manager, the last thing you want to do is get on the field and then all of a sudden if you have to pull the tarp and now your starter sits down and gets up -- we had a couple of experiences earlier this fall with some of those things. That's never fun."

But Cardinals right fielder Lance Berkman says the game should have been played Wednesday.

"I'm not even sure why they cancelled it. This is better weather than we had for Game 1, so I'm actually a little bit upset about it," he said, referring to the series opener in St. Louis when it was 49 degrees and windy at first pitch. "Heck, it's their call. We play when they tell us to play.

"I guess I'm going to go lay up on the couch like a big, fat pig and watch a movie or something."

While the postponement doesn't figure to affect the starting pitchers in Game 6 -- Colby Lewis for the Rangers and Jaime Garcia for the Cardinals -- the extra day of rest could have an impact on who starts (or is available in relief) for a potential Game 7 on Friday at 8:05 p.m. ET.

Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa said Tuesday that he and pitching coach Dave Duncan have "a really positive feel" about how they would use their pitching staff in a potential Game 7, but that "we need to get there first and then we can talk about it."

Reading between the lines, it could mean that Game 5 starter Chris Carpenter would be available on three days' rest.

Patrick Henry Hughes

This is truly a beautiful story.

Every once in a while, we need someone like this to remind us that life may not be perfect, but God gives us so much more than we use for his Glory. Enjoy and I dare you not to be touched.

This guy is so incredible....also his dad, too. It reminds us to be grateful for all God has given us.

La Russa calls bullpen blunder 'embarrassing'

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa leaned back against the wall outside his office Tuesday, closed his eyes and still couldn't let it go, replaying the scene over and over.

"That will go down in my house of horrors," La Russa said.

It had been nearly 24 hours since the Cardinals' blown communication on the bullpen phone in Game 5 of the World Series, resulting in the wrong relievers warming up and entering the game. The blunder played a role in the Texas Rangers turning a 2-2 tie into a 4-2 win, leaving the Cardinals trailing 3-2 as the Series returns to Busch Stadium today for Game 6.

"That's something that's never happened to me before. Never," said LaRussa, who has managed in the majors 33 years, ranking third on the all-time victory list and second with 68 postseason victories. "I guarantee you it will never happen again."

Right-hander Octavio Dotel opened the eighth inning but gave up a leadoff double to Michael Young. La Russa said he immediately called his bullpen and said: "Get (left-hander Marc) Rzepczynski going. … Have (right-hander Jason) Motte play catch."

Bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist, struggling to hear over the crowd noise, heard the Rzepczynski part. He never heard anything about Motte.

"I shouldn't have paused (between the requests)," La Russa said. "There was too long of a pause there."

Dotel struck out Adrian Beltre for the first out, and Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan ordered Dotel to intentionally walk Nelson Cruz. LaRussa went to the mound, and brought in Rzepczynski to face left-handed outfielder David Murphy. But La Russa never looked out to the bullpen to check if Motte was warming up. He retreated to the dugout, and said, "Get Motte going."

Lilliquist didn't hear him correctly. He thought he heard, "Lynn," as in rookie right-hander Lance Lynn.

"All I had to do was look out to the bullpen to make sure," La Russa said, talking to a handful of news reporters outside his office after the Cardinals departed a voluntary workout.

Murphy hit a comebacker to the mound, but Rzepczynski couldn't handle it. It caromed off his glove.

Right-handed hitting catcher Mike Napoli stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, and La Russa realized that no one was warming up. He had no choice but to let Rzepczynski face Napoli, who's hitting .308 with nine RBI in the World Series. On a 1-1 count, he drilled a slider into right-center field for a two-run double. Rzepczynski stayed in the game and struck out left-handed hitting first baseman Mitch Moreland for the second out of the inning.

La Russa went to the mound to signal for Motte to face Ian Kinsler. Instead, he got Lynn.

"I said, 'What are you doing here?'" La Russa said.

La Russa, who planned to use Lynn only in an emergency because he pitched Sunday, told Lynn to intentionally walk Kinsler. Motte then entered the game, striking out Elvis Andrus for the third out.

"That's got to be one of the weirdest things in major league history, doesn't it?" said La Russa, who took full blame for the communication blunder. "That was embarrassing."

La Russa also defended Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, who called a hit-and-run on his own in the seventh inning with Allen Craig on first base. Craig took off running, but Pujols didn't swing on the outside pitch, and Craig was easily thrown out at second.

"If a player has a good feel and can handle the bat, and if he wanted to put a play on, he's been given that right," La Russa said. "It has everything to do with what Albert has earned as far as his understanding of the game."

Top 10 Plays of the Week from Week 8

A game-winning Hail Mary is the premiere play in this week's Top Ten.

"Sitting duck” makes way into Rangers lexicon

Rangers fan Gary Woods, of Arlington, Texas, wears a shirt with the sitting duck gesture.

Last year, the Claw and Antlers were all the rage in Texas during the postseason.

During the first two games of this year's World Series in St. Louis, the rally squirrel took center stage.

Now with the Series in Texas, another form of wildlife is in vogue.

Rangers players have been seen making a sign they call the "sitting duck." It's done by forming a duck bill with one hand and cupping the other hand under the elbow. The duck may not be as powerful as a bear's claw or as fast as a deer with antlers, but it's something different the Rangers faithful.

Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki rocked the duck after throwing out the first pitch before Game 3.

Season ticket holder Linda Passmore of Athens, Texas, was sporting one of the blue duck T-shirts Sunday night at Game 4.

"I liked the claw and antlers better last year," she says, "but whatever they want to do is fine with me."

The origin of the phenomenon is a little cloudy. Outfielder Nelson Cruz says it can be traced back to former Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock, who played in Texas from 2002-09. But the players just started making duck signal this year.

"We try to have fun. That's all," Cruz says. "Whatever it takes to enjoy the game."

When asked what the gesture means, many fans aren't exactly sure. The most common answer is that it's in reference to the old baseball phrase "ducks on the pond," which means there are runners on base.

But not so, according to Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus. It began as an expression of the razzing that goes on in the clubhouse every day.

"We got him -- that's the real answer," Andrus says. "When you got somebody, you ask him something and he didn't know and you know the answer, that's when you do the sitting duck … You got him."

Rangers catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli, whose locker has a shelf filled with tiny toy ducks, generally gets the credit for hatching the sitting duck.

"As a whole team, we are doing it," Andrus says. "Just one day we started doing it in the game."

Tim Tebow sparks Broncos' OT win over Dolphins

For 54 minutes, Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos couldn't score.

Then they couldn't be stopped.

Tebow rallied the Broncos with two touchdown passes in the final 2:44 of the fourth quarter to force overtime, and Matt Prater's 52-yard field goal gave them an improbable 18-15 victory over the stunned Miami Dolphins on Sunday. This was winning "ugly", but one of the best comebacks in NFL History.

The Broncos appeared beaten when they trailed 15-0 with 5:23 left and took over at their 20-yard line. At that point, Tebow was 4-of-14 passing for 40 yards.

But Tebow led TD drives of 80 and 56 yards, sandwiched around a successful onside kick, and he scored a two-point conversion standing up with 17 seconds left to tie the score.

In overtime, Denver's D.J. Williams sacked Miami quarterback Matt Moore to force a fumble and recovered it at the Dolphins' 36. Three plays later, Prater hit the winning field goal.

The Broncos (2-4) won for the first time in the eight games they've played on the Dolphins' field. Miami (0-6) extended the NFL's longest losing streak to nine games, leaving embattled coach Tony Sparano's status even more tenuous.

The Dolphins lost for the 12th time in their past 13 home games.

To see highlights of the Broncos' win CLICK HERE

Revis told to hang up on radio host

Darrelle Revis shuts down wide receivers - and radio hosts.

The New York Jets All-Pro cornerback abruptly hung up during a radio interview Friday, at the urging of Jared Winley, the team's director of media relations, when the conversation turned testy.

Mike Francesa was talking to Revis by phone on 660 WFAN in New York for a few minutes when he tried to get the cornerback to acknowledge that he committed a penalty on Miami wide receiver Brandon Marshall before his 100-yard interception return for a touchdown Monday night.

''You know you can't touch him like that down the field,'' Francesa said.

Revis denied committing a penalty, saying, ''if you know football and you watch the film, you can see he was tripping and that was the only thing I could do is put my hands out.''

But a laughing Francesa refused to accept Revis' explanation.

''I can say whatever I want to say,'' said an increasingly agitated Revis, one of the Jets' most accessible and media-friendly players. ''Did the ref throw the flag?''

No penalty was called, and Revis' interception return tied for the longest in franchise history. But Francesa insisted all week during his radio show that a penalty should have been called on Revis.

Both Revis and Francesa continued to go back and forth for a few minutes before the radio host said the cornerback was ''the only one in the world who doesn't think that was a penalty.''

Revis said he didn't care what anyone thought, and Winley jumped into the interview.

''Darrelle, Darrelle,'' he said. ''Stop.''

Francesa asked Winley to identify himself, and then Revis shot back: ''This is why no one wants to get interviewed by you.''

Moments later, Winley told Revis to hang up and end the interview.

''In my judgment, given the tone of the interview, I should have asked Mike to move on to another topic, instead of instructing Darrelle to hang up the phone,'' Winley said in a statement. ''That was an error on my part. I've called Mike's producer and I apologized.''

The radio station also issued a statement saying that Francesa accepted the apology.

Francesa rarely has Jets players or coaches as guests on his show. The team's flagship station is 1050 ESPN Radio, but some players, such as safety Jim Leonhard and former wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, have made paid appearances on WFAN.

''Now I lost the last Jet I can talk to,'' Francesa said a few moments after Revis hung up. ''Now I have no Jets to talk to. Well, what can I do?''

Upon further review, the NBA is in quite a mess

NBA players union president and Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher, right, tells the news media the owners "lied" in telling their side of the negotiations collapse, as New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul observes.

The dawn of a new New York City day provides clear vision and a better view of the NBA's labor dispute, absent the strong language, frustration, disappointment and surreal theater of news conferences.

It is a serious situation for players, owners, fans, corporate partners and those who make a living from NBA games.

The week of optimism, with three consecutive days of meetings, turned south Thursday evening when not even touted federal mediator George Cohen could prevent the negotiations from breaking down.

The sobering possibility of a lost season is real as talks start and fall apart with regularity and little progress is made, especially on the major issues.

"Certainly, we don't want to lose a season. I don't think the NHL did. It ended up happening. There are certain things we feel we must have," said San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt, the NBA's labor relations committee chairman.

Holt said it as Texas matter of fact.

Progress early Thursday had some clubs beginning to call assistant coaches, talking to them about returning and getting ready for the season.

Even National Basketball Players Association outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler thought progress was on the horizon. But he believes something changed when owners got into town for the Board of Governors meeting.

"Some group in that Board of Governors made a decision that they are going to blow us off and blow off the fans, for whatever reasons," Kessler said.

Breakdown it was.

Players and owners remain deeply divided on the split of basketball-related income (BRI) and the system in which that money is distributed to players.

Owners are unwilling right now to go beyond a 50-50 split of BRI, and players offered a split ranging from 50-50 to 53-47 depending on league revenue growth.

Neither side likes the other's offer, at all. There's some flexibility in both proposals, with owners willing to give players as much as 51% in strong financial seasons and as little as 49% in down years. The players suggested a split that went as high as 53% for players in good years and 50% in years that don't reach financial benchmarks.

A few percentage points apart doesn't seem like much, but it is about $80-$120 million difference in one season and about $1 billion in 10 years.

They also differ on such things as the salary cap, luxury tax, annual raises, length of player contracts, certain exceptions to the cap and the length of the collective bargaining agreement, with owners seeking a 10-year deal.

They are also divided on which side broke off talks. Each accused the other of issuing ultimatums to keep negotiations going.

Union leaders said they wanted to continue negotiating so badly that they had ordered Virgil's BBQ for both sides.

They ate alone.

Holt and NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver remained calm while driving home the point league executives have made over and over: owners want a system which eliminates the league's financial losses (about $650 million the past two seasons), allows clubs to profit and creates more competitive balance.

The league is also tired of a $50 million-$70 million payroll discrepancy between the highest and lowest spending clubs that has produced champions from just nine franchises since 1980.

"We think that a team that spends $100 million on its payroll versus a team that spends $50 million is at a huge competitive advantage," Silver said. "We are looking for a system that spreads the talent out throughout the league. We think we will have a healthier league. We think ultimately that we will be stronger if fans in every community have an opportunity to have hope in their team."

It is a theme that Commissioner David Stern put a fine point on last spring at the start of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat, after a season in which the league enjoyed 4.8% revenue growth, record TV viewership, increased attendance in a down economy and 20% increase in merchandise sales.

"We had a great year in terms of the appreciation of the fans for our game," Stern said then. "It just wasn't a profitable one for the owners. It wasn't one that many of the smaller market teams particularly enjoyed."

Holt said his Spurs have lost money the past two seasons and would have lost money in previous seasons had it not been for deep playoff runs, including championships in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007.

"It helped cover our losses, but … if we had not had that situation, we would have been losing money before, even before these last two years in this last CBA," Holt said.

Union president Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers union executive director Billy Hunter came out aggressively after Thursday's session, perhaps retaliating for Stern's PR blitz last week that characterized players as the bad guys.

Fisher said news reporters were "lied to," and Hunter recounted meandering stories of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert's trusting gut and Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen's non-verbal strong-arm tactics.

But Hunter made his point: Certain owners — he named the Lakers' Jerry Buss, the Heat's Micky Arison and the Mavericks' Mark Cuban — are more willing to meet the players on certain issues than others. Of the latter group, he named Gilbert, Allen, Holt and the Washington Wizards' Ted Leonsis, who also owns the NHL's Washington Capitals and knows precisely the impact of a lost season after what that league recently endured.

The union says it has acknowledged the NBA's financial losses, offering a minimum of $160 million in salary reductions annually and reductions in length of contract. The union also is willing to explore changes to the cap exceptions, player contract lengths, annual raises and different luxury tax systems. The union argues high club payrolls have little correlation to success.

"We've made concession after concession and concession, and it's just not enough," Hunter said.

They can't make any headway on those issues right now, leaving disgruntlement everywhere. They better hope fan apathy doesn't follow.

What next? The prospect of more canceled games looms along with more devastating financial setbacks for both. A lost month, if some games are not saved when the lockout ends, will cost players and owners roughly $650 million in BRI.

No meetings are scheduled but don't be surprised if they meet again next week. On Oct. 4, Hunter said he didn't know when they would meet again. "It might be a month, might be two months. Your guess is as good as mine," he said.

They met Oct. 9. One day later, Stern canceled the first two weeks of the regular season. Cohen announced his involvement Oct. 12.

This is collective bargaining. One negotiating session, BRI is the problem. The next session, the system issues are the problem. Around and around it goes.

But they will meet again, with no promise of progress. Even in the face of dour developments, both sides remain committed to negotiations, even if they remain far from a deal.

"I remain an optimist. I think you have to, to participate in this process," Silver said.

Kessler said, "We're ready to negotiate — today, tomorrow, tonight, any time."

Inside the NFL - Week 7 Picks

Steroids and HGH in Pro Sports

Charles Barkley, Warren Sapp, Phil Simms, Cris Collinsworth and James Brown discuss Steroids and HGH in Pro Sports.

Dan Wheldon dies in huge crash at IndyCar finale

Massive crash involving 15 drivers during the finale of the IZOD Indycar Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Including Live, replays & Onboard replays from Will Power, Dario Franchitti & Danica Patrick's cars.

REST IN PEACE DAN WHELDON
May we all keep the Wheldon family in our hopes and prayers.

Dan Wheldon dies in huge crash at IndyCar finale

Dan Wheldon, 33, won the 2011 Indianapolis 500 and was aiming to win Sunday's IndyCar finale in Las Vegas before a horrific crash claimed his life

Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after his car became ensnarled in a fiery 15-car pileup on Lap 13, flew over another vehicle and landed in a catch fence just outside turn 2.

The 33-year-old racer was a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, including this year's race.

Three other drivers, including championship contender Will Power, were hurt in the pileup.

Weldon was airlifted from the track to University Medical Center; about two hours later, his colleagues were told of his death.

"IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries," IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. IndyCar, its drivers and owners, have decided to end the race."

In his honor, drivers took part in a five-lap salute around the oval.

IndyCar has not had a fatality since Paul Dana was killed at Homestead in 2006. He died after a crash in a morning warmup.

Sunday's wreck left Townsend Bell upside down while smoldering cars and debris littered the track nearly halfway up the straightaway of the 1.5-mile oval.

The track was red-flagged following the accidents while crews worked on fences and removed smashed cars.

Wheldon started in the back of the pack but quickly worked his way through the 34-car field before the wreck.

"It was like a movie scene which they try to make as gnarly as possible," said Danica Patrick, making her final IndyCar start. "It was debris everywhere across the whole track, you could smell the smoke, you could see the billowing smoke on the back straight from the car. There was a chunk of fire that we were driving around. You could see cars scattered.

Drivers had been concerned about the high speeds at the track, where they were hitting nearly 225 mph during practice.

Their concerns became reality when contact on Turn 2 sent cars flying through the air, crashing into each other and into the outside wall and catch fence.

"I'll tell you, I've never seen anything like it," Ryan Briscoe said. "The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from Terminator or something. I mean, there were just pieces of metal and car on fire in the middle of the track with no car attached to it and just debris everywhere. So it was scary, and your first thoughts are hoping that no one is hurt because there's just stuff everywhere. Crazy."

It was Wheldon's 134th career start, but only the third of the season for the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.

Points-leader Dario Franchitti avoided the crash, and seemed stunned as he waited out the clean-up on pit road. Franchitti clinched his third straight title and fourth overall after Power went out.

Rangers rout Tigers 15-5 and advance to the World Series

In an American League Championship Series filled with tense moments and close games, the clincher in Game 6 was the complete opposite.

The Texas Rangers erupted for nine runs in the third inning and blew out the Detroit Tigers 15-5 to advance to the World Series for the second consecutive season.

First baseman Michael Young, hitting just .162 in the playoffs entering the game, had a pair of two-run doubles in the inning as the Rangers sent 14 men to the plate against four Tigers pitchers to get the Texas-sized celebration started early.

"It's an incredible feeling to be here right now," Young said in the middle of the team's on-field celebration. "We know we really have good players, but there's always an X-factor that puts you over the top."

For the Rangers in this series, that weapon was most often in the form of Nelson Cruz, who followed Young's solo home run in the seventh with a two-run shot three batters later to finish off the scoring.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Cruz was named series MVP. His six home runs in a single postseason series -- including a pair of 11th-inning homers in Games 2 and 4 -- broke the record he shared with Reggie Jackson, Ken Griffey Jr., Juan Gonzalez and Chase Utley. His 13 RBI were also a single-series playoff record.

"This is just getting started," Cruz said. "As we say in the Dominican, the kettle is just starting to heat up, so we're going to stay focused and be ready for the World Series.''

The Tigers were able to quiet the red, white and blue-clad crowd of 51,508 -- for the first two innings.

Solo home runs by Miguel Cabrera in the top of the first and by Jhonny Peralta in the second staked Detroit to an early 2-0 lead. Meanwhile, the Rangers had Tigers starter Max Scherzer in a bit of trouble in the bottom of both innings, but couldn't get the big hits to cash them in.

Then everything changed in the bottom of the third.

A nice diving stop by Tigers third baseman retired leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler, but then the floodgates opened as nine consecutive Rangers reached base.

Elvis Andrus walked, Josh Hamilton dropped a bloop single down the left field line and Young delivered a game-tying, two-run double into the left field corner.

"A lot of the game is about momentum. When you've got momentum going in a positive direction, it catches fire throughout the lineup," Hamilton said.

"Everybody just fed off each other. We wanted to do it here at home in front of the crowd. We didn't want to give them a chance to come back."

A visit from Tigers pitching coach Jeff Jones couldn't stem the Rangers rally. Adrian Beltre delivered the go-ahead single to center to score Young. A walk to Mike Napoli and another walk to Cruz -- with a disputed check-swing call on a 2-2 pitch -- signaled the end of the night for Scherzer.

Rangers designated hitter David Murphy greeted new pitcher Daniel Schlereth with a line drive single back up the middle to put the Rangers up 5-2. Needing a double play, Leyland changed pitchers again, bringing in ground-ball specialist Rick Porcello.

Porcello got the ground ball, but Ramon Santiago's throw to second for the force play was too late to get Murphy, according to umpire Larry Vanover.

Batting for the second time in the inning, Kinsler brought home two more runs with a bases loaded single. After a fielder's choice and an intentional walk, Young hit his second two-run double of the inning -- this one down the right field line -- to cap the nine-run explosion.

"He struggled a little bit this postseason," Kinsler said of Young, "(but) he came up huge for us. We were able to open up the game. It was a big night for him."

All told, it was the highest-scoring inning in league championship history since the Anaheim Angels scored ten runs against the Minnesota Twins in 2001.

There was one similarity with the rest of the games in the series: the Rangers didn't get five innings out of their starting pitcher.

Derek Holland gave up a third home run, a two-run shot by Austin Jackson in the top of the fifth, and lasted only 4 2/3 innings. But as they have the entire series, the Rangers bullpen kept the Tigers from mounting any kind of a rally.

Scott Feldman, Alexi Ogando, Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz combined to hold Detroit to one run and three hits over the final 4 1/3 innings to nail down the victory. In the six-game series, Texas relievers had a combined ERA of 1.32.

"If you look at what happened this year, our starting pitching was one of our big strengths," said team owner Nolan Ryan during the team's on-field celebration. "We just didn't have good outings in the playoffs here. Our bullpen stepped up big time and gave us an opportunity to be where we are."

The Rangers bullpen picked up all four victories in the series, with Ogando winning both the opener and the finale. In ten games so far this postseason, Texas has only gotten one start of six innings or more.

Back in the Fall Classic, the Rangers will now await the winner of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals.

"It's not easy to get back here," said manager Ron Washington. "It was a lot going on through the course of a 162-game season, but they committed themselves. They brought the proper attitude every single day and it was never a time where they didn't give the effort that it took to be where we are right now."

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Tar Heels poised for championship run in 2012

With John Henson, Tyler Zeller, Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall and Justin Watt returning for the Tar Heels, UNC has an opportunity to make a run at the national championship in 2012.

North Carolina doesn't need a whole lot of motivation to chase its dream of winning a national championship this basketball season.

The Tar Heels will open Nov. 11 versus Michigan State as the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation and are loaded to make a run at the program's third crown in seven years. They lost in the East Regional final to Kentucky a year ago, and know that, had they advanced to the Final Four, they, not eventual champion Connecticut, would have been the heavy favorites to win it all.

So UNC's players look at this year as their title to win. But this isn't something that simply comes from within.

With the NBA on lockout, plenty of wealthy former Tar Heels have been hanging around campus playing pickup games like they do every summer, but their stay has been longer. And the talk among the formers and the currents has been about titles, hanging another banner in the Dean Smith Center.

"They let you know you have to play and that you're going to have a slump where you're not playing your best, but you have to just fight through that," said junior forward John Henson on Thursday during UNC's basketball media day.

"Jackie Manuel (2005 NCAA title team) is always around us, and he gives us advice about the things that he did and they did. They had some tough times like we did and they ended up winning it all."

The regular-season ACC champion last season, Carolina returns its entire starting lineup, sort of like it did in 2009, though Marcus Ginyard's injury opened the door for sixth man Danny Green to start. Green didn't start the previous season but often got starter's minutes.

The Tar Heels are aware of what the preseason magazines are saying and the pressure that comes with being the favorite. How could they escape it, given the parade of back-slapping going on as the players walk in between classes on campus? The Heels understand, however, there's a danger in thinking too much about early April when it's still six months away.

"I don't think it's good for us to focus on that," said junior guard Dexter Strickland. "I think we should play each and every game like it's our last and give it our all."

Wearing the nation's largest target is a reality, though. Having future NBA first-round picks such as Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller and Henson doing their thing, along with sophomore point guard Kendall Marshall, a possible future first-round pick, and a talented bench that also include some eventual NBAers lends reason for a great deal of optimism. So much that the former players have been calling out the current ones, telling them to go get their own, make their own history.

The result of playing extra pickup games against the vets and just hanging around them, talking about what it takes to cut down the nets has added a layer of maturity to a group that grew up exponentially over the course of last season.

"That just comes from playing together all the time and constantly hanging out with the team," Strickland said about increased maturity that was quite evident Thursday. "We're not just teammates, we're brothers… And we are playing for something special.

"The guys that come back challenge us, we learn from them because they've done it before. And I just think that knowledge helps mature us, too."

Two current Carolina players can identify with Tyler Hansbrough, Raymond Felton and other Heels with rings. Senior forward Justin Watts and senior center Zeller were on the 2009 title team and are looking to become the first UNC players in the program's fabled history to win two national championship rings.

"That would be very, very rewarding," Zeller said. "But at the same time, I was a very small part of the one my freshman year and it's one of those thing where I want to get my own and be a larger part of a national championship team."

That's the attitude of the Tar Heels.

They are confident but not cocky. They strongly believe, but aren't arrogant. And they know they have the pieces to make it happen, but aren't flaunting it. They also know none of that means anything unless they take care of business.

Midnight Madness signals return of ACC glory

Roy Williams' Tar Heels are poised for a championship run

To many along Tobacco Road, Friday is like a holiday, as ACC basketball gets under way with various forms of midnight madness celebrations around the league.

It signals that hoops is back, and in less than a month Tar Heels, Blue Devils, Terrapins, Cavaliers and the rest of the conference will get rolling on the hardwood. But while the anticipation for ACC hoops never wanes, the league underwent several changes again in the offseason.

New coaches at N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Miami give the conference seven new coaches since the 2010 ACC Tournament. Virginia’s Tony Bennett is in his third season, but has the fifth longest tenure among the 12 head men.

Mark Gottfried takes over for Sidney Lowe at N.C. State. Where Lowe promised his teams would play an up-tempo style, Gottfried’s are certain to run a lot more. Gottfried had a solid run for a decade at Alabama and is regarded as a considerable upgrade over Lowe.

“We can’t do anything about last year, we have to concentrate on this year, right now,” the new Wolfpack coach said. “And it’s just part of what we do every day. We want our guys to learn to be unselfish, to really care about somebody else on the team as much as they care about themselves. . . . That’s a point of emphasis for us every day.”

Mark Turgeon left a successful gig at Texas A&M for the challenge of replacing should-be Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams, who surprised a lot of people by retiring from Maryland last spring. Brian Gregory replaces Paul Hewitt at Georgia Tech, and the new life in the program should be enough to push it in the right direction, even though the talent pool is in short supply at The Flats.

And 62-year-old Jim Larranaga takes over at Miami after a very successful run at George Mason. Larranaga led the Patriots to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2006 Final Four. He, too, is an upgrade over former coach Frank Haith, and his team is talented enough to reach the NCAAs.

Like is usually the case, the ACC has at least one obvious national championship contender, and this season it’s North Carolina. The Tar Heels return all five starters from a club that won the ACC regular season title and narrowly lost to Kentucky in the East Regional finals.

Duke must replace its top three players, but Mike Krzyzewski’s team is loaded with talent inside and on the perimeter, and should be a balanced club that improves throughout the season. Florida State has Final Four potential in the eyes of some pundits.

“Florida State has a lot of guys back that have been really successful for them,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “There’s been some changes in the coaching in the league. And just about every one of the coaching changes has four or five, at least, really good players. . . . I don’t think there’s any question we’re still one of the strongest leagues in the country.”

Virginia gets Mike Scott back and could challenge for an NCAA invitation. Virginia Tech will be young, but talented. Clemson is a bit in flux, but has enough players to make a push for the NCAAs.

Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Boston College are in the midst of major rebuilding projects and are a year or more away from climbing the league ladder.

Documentary: Duke basketball title teams not all laughs

Bobby Hurley (11) and Christian Laettner (32) won back-to-back national titles at Duke in 1991 and 1992.

In a pickup game in Cameron Indoor Stadium in September 1991, Bobby Hurley had enough of the bullying and opened the vents on Christian Laettner. He dished back for the taunts and insults from his Duke teammate.

Hurley, a street smart player from Jersey City, drove the lane anticipating Laettner would step in for the charge, but instead of dumping a pass to Laettner's man, who was open, Hurley whipped the ball into Laettner's face.

"Of course it was intentional," Laettner said.

The 6-11 Laettner chased Hurley, listed at 6-2, out of the gym but couldn't catch him.

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"Man, that hurt," Laettner said. "I don't know what I would have done to him if I had caught him."

In a telephone interview, Hurley chuckled from Wagner College, where he is an assistant coach on his brother Dan's staff.

"Christian was tough, but I played for my dad and he was tough, and I grew up playing on some tough playgrounds in Jersey," Hurley said. "We had our disagreements from time to time. One time I missed him in the post when he was open, and we were arguing so much going up the court I almost got a 10-second violation."

Laettner, Hurley and Grant Hill were the centerpieces of Duke's 1991 and 1992 teams, which won consecutive national titles. There was chemistry to that team during games, but some ill will because of Laettner, the All-America forward, whose needle was long and sharp.

Twenty years later, Laettner, 42, and Hill, 39, will be co-executive producers of a documentary on those Duke title teams. The show will air on Turner Sports TruTV next March as part of the network's coverage of the NCAA tournament.

Laettner the only player to start in four Final Fours, was a target of opposing fans and players for his exuberance on the court, and also because he played a little too proudly for Duke, which was a powerhouse program and disliked for it. His teammates were Laettner's target, especially in '92 when Duke was trying to repeat.

"I was the kind of whip cracker. I was asked to do it, and I was very good at it," Laettner said.

Hurley was Laettner's preferred target, but the point guard could shovel it back and more than once rifled a ball at Laettner's head in offseason workouts.

"I taunted him, told him he sucked and he needed to go home, and I've apologized for all that," Laettner said. "I was hard on Bobby, but I also remember the first time I saw him play. It was like, 'Wow, I get to play with this kid.'"

The documentary, according to Hill, will tell how Duke's 1992 team stayed on an edge that Laettner and Brian Davis helped create. The Blue Devils were always on alert for the upset. They finished 34-2 and beat Michigan for the NCAA title by 20.

"Christian provoked everybody on that team," Hill said. "We had won one title (1991), but Coach wanted to keep an edge. We found out later than Coach K would talk with the captains and tell them this was about more than winning two titles, this was about creating a legacy. That whole season was about the big picture, a legacy."

In 1992, Duke was 17-0 before it finally lost, 75-73 to North Carolina on Feb. 5, and Hill figured Krzyzewski would not waste time re-sharpening the blade.

The next day I took a nap because I figured practice that day was going to be long and hard," Hill said. "You know what Coach K did? He took us over to the football stadium for an ice cream sundae party. I was thinking, 'Did Coach bump his head or something?' It shows you something about the genius of the man."

The documentary also will draw from interviews from the stars, but also the role players on the bench and a student manager. It will try to convey the culture of a program that was the first with back-to-back titles since UCLA in 1972 and '73.

"My first day on campus I'm walking out on the court, just looking around, and I see Danny Ferry and he says 'Hey Christian, how are you, you finding your way OK?'" said Laettner, who has a basketball academy in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. "Then he asks me if I want to play one-on-one. The first move, he spins on me and just plants an elbow right in my teeth and scores. It was my indoctrination, so to speak.

"I guess when it was my turn, I passed it on."

TBS' Ernie Johnson spends October bedside, not in the booth

Instead of calling Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, TBS baseball announcer Ernie Johnson has been spending October in a hospital watching over his 23-year-old special-needs son, who is fighting to breathe with pneumonia and muscular dystrophy.

Monday was supposed to be so different for him.

Ernie Johnson Jr. comes to you as an award-winning TBS announcer. You know the face and voice. He was supposed to be here, calling Game 2 of the National League Championship Series.

He was supposed to be in the booth, with the baseball card of his father placed carefully before him. The father, Ernie Sr., who pitched for the Milwaukee Braves in the 1957 World Series, then built a legendary career as a Braves announcer.

The father who died nearly nine weeks ago.

His son always wants the card nearby when he broadcasts a game. Especially this month, when his work would be a tribute. That was the plan, anyway.

"I was looking at this postseason. … I'm always trying to live up to the standards he set," Ernie Jr. said over the phone from Atlanta.

But this was his Monday instead:

Be at the hospital by 2 p.m. Take over for wife Cheryl. Stay until 10 o'clock the next morning at the bedside of Michael, a 23-year-old special needs child, now fighting to breathe with pneumonia and muscular dystrophy.

"It's very important for him when he wakes up in the middle of the night that he sees me or my wife or one of our kids," Johnson said.

It's been that way for five weeks. This is October for Ernie Johnson.

Baseball? He might watch some of the games.

"Sometimes, it's all you can do," he said. "Those nights where you're in the hospital and you're sitting bedside. Michael really doesn't care about baseball. He's not a big sports fan. He loves cars and loves to ask people what they drive.

"So he'll fall asleep and I'll sit there and watch the games and eventually get some sleep in those very comfortable hospital folding chairs that always provide restful nights."

Occasionally, Michael will wake up and whisper, and Ernie will answer in the darkness, a loving figure nearby to help. "That," he said, "is why you're there."

It's a long, long way from Miller Park.

His father died in August at 87. Johnson's first assignment afterward happened to be in Milwaukee, and he went to his old neighborhood when his father worked for the Braves. He parked at his grammar school and jogged through the memories.

He was back to work a Brewers-Phillies game Sept. 11 when the phone rang. It was a distraught Cheryl from the hospital, and then a doctor asking permission to put a tube down Michael's throat. A matter of life or death.

So ended Johnson's baseball season. Look at all that 2011 has asked from a devout man who depends on his faith to get him through. Just as it did when he fought lymphoma five years ago.

"It's really been," he said, "a trust-God year."

The Johnsons have six children, four adopted. Michael came in 1991 when Cheryl traveled to Romania on an adoption trip.

"He was the first child they brought out of the orphanage," Johnson said. "It was obvious he couldn't speak and he had a lot of developmental delays and he couldn't walk.

"My wife's a gem and called from Bucharest and said, 'I saw a child today, and he's so much more than we can handle. But I can't go through the rest of my life wondering whatever happened to that kid.'"

She brought the little boy home. A year later, Michael was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. He has been in a wheelchair for 11 years, but Johnson calls every moment "a blessing."

And now the Brewers are playing the Cardinals, and his hometown of Milwaukee is on fire. How good would it be to take another jog past the old house, and share the games with the public, as he looks at a baseball card?

"I wish I would be able to work it," he said. "But I'm where I have to be."

They are hoping Michael can go home in two weeks. Until then, Ernie Johnson will be watching the NLCS and World Series from a hospital room. When he can.

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Obama to attend Michigan State-North Carolina game on aircraft carrier

President Barack Obama is presented with a plaque of a bracket by Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski at the White House.

The first major college basketball game on an aircraft carrier will have a distinguished guest.

President Barack Obama will attend the Carrier Classic between Michigan State and North Carolina, which will take place Nov. 11 on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego.

A noted basketball fan, Obama has filled out and publicized his NCAA tournament bracket in recent years. He also served as a guest commentator for a short time during a Georgetown-Duke game last year. And his brother-in-law, Craig Robinson, is the coach of Oregon State.

"We're honored that President Obama plans to attend the game on the Carl Vinson," said Rear Admiral Dennis Moynihan, the Navy's chief spokesman. "The ship is a representative of more than 100 Navy ships that are deployed right now. We see this as a celebration of service for all veterans, and we also see this as a great opportunity to showcase what our Navy does on a daily basis."

Seating roughly 7,000 people will be built for the game on the deck of the ship. Most of the tickets will be given to servicemen.

James Worthy of North Carolina and Magic Johnson of Michigan State will serve as honorary captains for their respective schools.

Pete Carroll is 'recruiting' LeBron James for Seahawks

Is LeBron James really interested in wearing an NFL uniform?

The biggest flirtation bouncing around Twitter at the moment is between Pete Carroll and LeBron James.

When LeBron inquired this week about the deadline to sign as an NFL free agent it created some far-fetched speculation that he was contemplating spending the NBA lockout wearing football pads.

Carroll has jumped on that bandwagon, posting a picture of a Seattle Seahawks jersey with the No. 1 and LeBron's name.

LeBron responded with: "Nice!! Looks great."

Carroll also tweeted that: "I kinda think of you as a touchdown maker but is it true you think of yourself as a pass rusher?"

And also, the bottom line: "Are you aware of what the League's rookie minimum is?

Steve Spurrier calls out columnist, won't speak with him there

South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier had an unprecedented weekly news conference Tuesday, as he called out Ron Morris, a columnist with The State, that he said has reported something that isn't true, and refused to hold the news conference with Morris in the room.

Spurrier always meets with the media at noon on Tuesday before a game. But before this week's announcement started, Spurrier stood in front of reporters and gave his side of the story.

Spurrier said he was upset over a report written last spring about wide receiver Bruce Ellington's decision to join the football team. Ellington was the starting point guard for the basketball team last year.

Here is what Spurrier said.

"This has been weighing on my, on my chest, and I'm getting it off my chest right here today," Spurrier began.

"As all of you know we've got a negative guy over here that tries to hurt our football program. He's got a right to do that. The criticism he shows me is okay. I don't mind that."

"I just don't like stories that aren't true, and last spring he wrote a story about me recruiting Bruce Ellington, and luring him away from the basketball program, and raiding and jilting Coach [Darrin] Horn. A completely fabricated story, and I took exception to that, but that's the only thing I take exception from a sportswriters..when they write stuff that isn't true."

"I didn't talk to Bruce Ellington until after he had met with coach Horn and he came over here. Completely untrue story."

"In 26 years as a head coach, I've had have two guys that didn't write the truth that I had to disassociate with. He's one of them over here. (Pointing to Morris). Another one was...at Florida in 94, so in 26 years I've had two guys. And then I've learned that since he sits in on all these meetings it's basically...I'm helping him to contribute writing negative stuff about our football program, simple as that."

"So I'm not gonna talk when he's in here. That's my right as a head coach. I don't have to talk to him, and I don't have to talk to him when he's in here so what we're going to do. All you tv guys I'm gonna do a personal interview with you in this other room and the writers that are still left in here I'll come back and talk to you right after that."

We'll do individual interviews with all you tv guys...ok? everybody for that?"

Spurrier then left the room.

News19 has asked Ron Morris and the State for comment and have not yet heard back.

A season in the drink: Startling details of Red Sox's unsettling year

The Boston Red Sox finished the season 7-20 in September.

The Boston Red Sox's historic September collapse expedited the departure of manager Terry Francona and, possibly, general manager Theo Epstein, who could be hours away from accepting a similar job with the Chicago Cubs.

Now, more details are emerging of a clubhouse culture that turned toxic at times, exacerbated by the club's 7-20 tailspin to finish the season.

In an exhaustive chronicle of the Red Sox's collapse, the Boston Globe portrays a dysfunctional organization at several levels, from upper management coddling disgruntled players by offering them yacht trips and headphones, to a manager marginalized by personal problems and outsized egos, to players described as the "least dedicated group" in Francona's eight-year tenure.

The Globe story -- based on numerous interviews with individuals familiar with the Red Sox organization, many requesting anonymity for fear of reprisal -- indicates a clubhouse that was fractured by varying levels of effort and commitment:

For every player committed to the team's conditioning program, there was a slacker. For every Sox regular who rose early on the road to take optional batting practice, there were others who never bothered. For every player who dedicated himself to the quest for a championship, there were too many distracted by petty personal issues.

This atmosphere seemingly was enabled by upper management; Francona, ultimately, was powerless to reverse it.

A look at the pressure points in a season gone badly awry:

The Pitchers: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey, the top three pitchers in the rotation, were apparently unmoved by the team's struggles down the stretch. The trio got into the habit of drinking beer, eating fast-food fried chicken and playing video games in the clubhouse during games, according to Globe sources; starting pitchers' penchant for in-game beer drinking was also previously reported by the Boston Herald. Beckett, Lester and Lackey also joined other teammates in not working out as often, and the result was a combined 2-7 record with a 6.45 ERA in September. The Globe said the pitchers' agents did not respond to messages.

The Players: Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, a leading candidate for the AL MVP Award, and second baseman Dustin Pedroia avoided most of the nasty allegations, with sources telling the Globe that only Pedroia and a few other players remained fully committed to winning. Ellsbury put up historic numbers (32 home runs, 105 RBI, 39 stolen bases) for a leadoff man but mostly kept his interaction with teammates to infielder Jed Lowrie, this as a result of third baseman Kevin Youkilis questioning Ellsbury's dedication a year ago when he was rehabbing a rib injury in Arizona.

Meanwhile, Youkilis became more detached as he tried to overcome his injuries. DH David Ortiz openly second-guessed Francona's strategy of not using reliever Alfredo Aceves in the rotation. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez, while productive on the field, displayed a lack of leadership skills and passion and complained in September about scheduling quirks. And Carl Crawford, the Sox's other big offseason acquisition, failed to live up to expectations, even as ownership was divided on whether to give him the $142 million deal he eventually signed.

The Manager: Francona said he knew it was time to move on when he and the club parted ways last month. While it was clear he was dealing with a clubhouse filled with dysfunction, the Globe says there were many external factors weighing on Francona, including marital problems, health issues and the stress of having a son and son-in-law, both Marine officers, serving in Afghanistan.

Francona disputed the notion -- raised by sources cited in the story -- that his managerial ability was compromised by his use of painkillers. Francona had October 2010 knee surgery and had blood drained from his knee several times during the season; he told the Globe he consulted the club's internist during spring training about his use of medication. "I went and saw the proper people and it was not an issue," Francona told the Globe. "It never became an issue, and anybody who knew what was going on knows that."

The Turning Point: The Red Sox swept a doubleheader against the Oakland A's on Saturday, Aug. 27, but it also signaled the beginning of the team's epic fall, according to the Globe. The doubleheader was scheduled to avoid a potential rainout on Aug. 28, as Hurricane Irene made its way up the coast. But numerous players protested after playing 14 of 17 games on the road, and accused management of caring more about making money than winning, according to the Globe. In the days after the doubleheader, ownership started to wonder if the team's flagging play -- the Red Sox lost 10 of 13 after sweeping the twinbill -- was fallout from the scheduling conflict. So they gave each player $300 headphones and invited them to a players-only party on owner John Henry's yacht when they returned from a road trip on Sept. 11.

The timing couldn't have been less appropriate. The Red Sox finished that trip by getting swept in a three-game series at Tampa Bay; their lead in the wild-card race, at six games entering that series, was suddenly cut to three.

Two weeks later, the Rays caught, and then passed, the Red Sox, sending them into an offseason of tumult that could rival the season preceding it.

Fan arrested for tossing hot dog at Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods shot a final-round 68 at the Frys.com Open.

Tiger Woods made a charge early in Sunday's final round of the Frys.com Open.

Then he had to get out of the way of a hot dog.

RESULTS: Frys.com Open leaderboard

In a bizarre incident on the seventh green — Woods' 16th hole on the day — Woods was lining up his birdie putt when an unidentified male spectator came running toward the green. Woods, who finished in a tie for 30th, looked up and said he saw a hot dog flying in the air which the man had thrown. Santa Clara sheriff's deputies quickly got the man, handcuffed him and arrested him for disturbing the peace.

"I guess he wanted to be in the news," Woods said. "And I'm sure he will be."

Woods, who hasn't won anywhere in the world the past 23 months and was making his first Tour start in seven weeks, heated up quickly on a cool morning as the last of a heavy fog drifted away over the hills. With birdies on five of his first eight holes, Woods got within five shots of the lead and into a tie for ninth.

But his momentum stalled around the turn, as he made bogey on his 11th and 14th holes before closing with a final-hole birdie to finish with a third consecutive 68. He finished the event at 7-under-277 in a tie for 30th.

Bryce Molder earned his first PGA Tour title after beating Briny Baird on the sixth hole of a playoff. Molder shot a final-round 64 to tie third-round leader Baird (67) at 17-under 267.

The most exciting occurrence on his final holes came at the par-3 seventh, when the spectator walked under the gallery ropes, ran toward the green yelling "Tiger, Tiger," and threw a hot dog, which, while the bun fell to his feet, flew across Woods' putting line and onto playing partner Arjun Atwal's putting line. The fan, who got within 40 feet of Woods, was handcuffed and arrested for disturbing the peace, according to police. His name was not released, but police said he was 31.

Woods was lining up his putt at the time and missed.

"I don't know how he tried to throw (the hot dog), but I was kind of focusing on my putt when he started yelling," Woods said. "It looked like he wanted to be arrested, really, because he laid on the ground, put his hands behind his back and turned his head. So it was one of those things. It was bizarre."

Woods is next scheduled to play in the Australian Open beginning Nov. 10, followed by the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. Woods said family obligations will keep him from playing in the final two Tour starts, including the season-ending event at Disney.

"Unfortunately, a couple times I kind of didn't get the momentum going when I had a couple of chances to make putts or I hit a bad shot," Woods said. "I could have just really got it rolling, and I had a couple opportunities like that, both yesterday and again today.

"I got better every day. And I hit a lot of good putts the last three days, which is good. I felt very comfortable. I just need to keep staying the course. The game's coming."

Steve Bartman Today, A Look Back

Back in 2003, Steve Bartman unintentionally found himself in a world of controversy and the target of ire for an entire fanbase when he did what any fan would do at the ballpark: reach for a foul ball. Sadly, this particular foul ball would change Bartman's life forever. The tragic figure is now the subject of a much talked about documentary for ESPN's 30 for 30 series. The film Catching Hell, which aired last night and will be repeated frequently, dissects the unfortunate reality of scapegoating in sports and investigates the Bartman incident in detail with fresh, insightful outlooks from fans, athletes, writers, and other Game 6 attendees.

Back in 2003, Steve Bartman unintentionally found himself in a world of controversy and the target of ire for an entire fanbase when he did what any fan would do at the ballpark: reach for a foul ball. Sadly, this particular foul ball would change Bartman's life forever. The tragic figure is now the subject of a much talked about documentary for ESPN's 30 for 30 series. The film Catching Hell, which aired last night and will be repeated frequently, dissects the unfortunate reality of scapegoating in sports and investigates the Bartman incident in detail with fresh, insightful outlooks from fans, athletes, writers, and other Game 6 attendees.

If you're not a sports nut or simply don't remember the meek fellow known as Steve Bartman, allow us to paint a picture of that ill-fated night at Wrigley Field in downtown Chicago. It was Game 6 in the ALCS, and the Cubs, a team many believe is cursed and who haven't won a World Series in over a century, were leading the game 3-0 and the series 3-2. In the eighth inning, Marlins' Luis Castillo popped a fly ball into foul territory, but close enough to the wall that Cubs' outfielder Moises Alou had a chance to make the out. Then it happened: As Alou went up for the ball, a cluster of Cubs fans instinctively reached for their shot at a piece of ALCS history. Steve Bartman was the unlucky fan who made contact with the ball, disrupting the field of play and preventing Alou from making the catch.

If you're not a sports nut or simply don't remember the meek fellow known as Steve Bartman, allow us to paint a picture of that ill-fated night at Wrigley Field in downtown Chicago. It was Game 6 in the ALCS, and the Cubs, a team many believe is cursed and who haven't won a World Series in over a century, were leading the game 3-0 and the series 3-2. In the eighth inning, Marlins' Luis Castillo popped a fly ball into foul territory, but close enough to the wall that Cubs' outfielder Moises Alou had a chance to make the out. Then it happened: As Alou went up for the ball, a cluster of Cubs fans instinctively reached for their shot at a piece of ALCS history. Steve Bartman was the unlucky fan who made contact with the ball, disrupting the field of play and preventing Alou from making the catch.

The rest, as they say, is history: The Cubs went on to lose the game and two days later lost Game 7, ending their World Series hopes. Bartman took the blame. He received death threats and was so harassed that he essentially went off the grid in fear of his safety and with the unwarranted shame and guilt that he was somehow responsible for ruining his beloved Cubs' championship opportunity.

Eight years later, and with the ESPN documentary to help, we hope that hindsight has helped those irate Cubs fans forgive Bartman. In reality, "forgive" is a strong word because it implies wrongdoing. Steve Bartman did what any fan, including the other fans around him that night, would do. And Steve Bartman didn't lose the World Series for the Cubs; the Cubs did. The team could have still won Game 6 (remember Bartman's influence came on a non-scoring play), and they still had Game 7 to put away the Marlins.

While many Cubbies found the incident as confirmation of the curse, it was Steve Bartman who suffered the most, and despite being offered hundreds of thousands of dollars to come out of hiding, Bartman just wants to get on with his life. Although he doesn't appear in the film, we hope that this documentary serves as both closure and redemption.