Living Up to the Hype

Rubio's arrival to Minnesota could mean
great things in the future.

It's been a long road to the NBA, but Ricky Rubio has finally made, and is making his presence felt in his first season.

It's been more than six years since Rubio became the youngest player to play in the Spanish ACB League at 14, impressing many. And another two and half since he was drafted with the fifth overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Playing for DKV Joventut, Rubio refused to sign with Minnesota after Joventu agreed to buy out his contract. It wouldn't be long after until they would trade his rights to FC Barcelona, where Rubio would agree to a contract extension.

A year and a half into that six-year contract, Rubio agreed to join the Timberwolves for the 2011-12 season.

His debut was put on hold due to the the NBA's 161-day lockout, but nonetheless the 21-year-old Spaniard is here, and here to stay.

In his first NBA season, Rubio has become one of the best playmaking point guards in the league. His 8.9 assists per game rank fourth among qualifying players and leads all rookies. He also leads all rookies in steals per game. In just 21 games, Rubio's 47 steals average out to 2.24 steals a game. That is third in the league behind only Chris Paul (2.46) and Mike Conley (2.39).

Rubio's 11.4 PPG is fifth among active rookies, but his shooting percentage has been nothing to ride home about. Rubio is shooting just 38 percent from the field, drawing comparisons to Boston's Rajon Rondo.

However, Rondo has never averaged under 41 percent, that coming in his rookie season.

On the other hand, New Jersey Nets' point guard and free agent-to-be, Deron Williams, is having the worst shooting season of his career. Williams, who is a career 45 percent shooter, is averaging 19.6 PPG this season, but is making just 39 percent of his baskets.

Being a point guard, much like Williams, Rubio constantly possesses the ball, making the possibility of turnovers a lot more likely, something he has done a lot in his brief rookie campaign.

Rubio's 3.2 turnovers a game for a first-year player is second-worst only to Cleveland's Kyrie Irving's 3.3 However, Irving is currently leading all rookies his scoring, averaging 17.9 PPG.

That being said, Rubio has still been one of the game's most productive point guards thus far, helping All-Star teammate Kevin Love flourish in the beginning of his fourth NBA season. Love leads the league with 19 double-doubles and a career-high 25.5, being the anchor of a last place, but emerging Timberwolves team.

Rubio also find himself among the league leaders in double-doubles. He is currently tied with five other players, including Williams and LeBron James, for 11th with nine double-doubles.

Soon enough, Rubio and Co. will have the Timberwolves roaring back to the postseason.

Washing Into the Future

Washington's determination and energy have
made him a fixture in the Texas clubhouse.

The franchise's first postseason series win. Check. First two American League Pennants and World Series berths. Check. Check.

These are just some of the accomplishments Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington has achieved during his tenure in Arlington, and was rewarded for his hard work Monday.

Washington, 59, who was in the final year of his current contract, was given a two-year contract extension, keeping the skipper in heart of Texas through the 2014 season. His original contract was also a two-year deal, consisting of two club options for 2009 and 2010, both of which were exercised.

But with no more options, it was time for a much needed extension.

After spending 11 seasons coaching with the division rival Oakland Athletics, 10 of them coming as the club's third-base coach, Washington was hired by general manager Jon Daniels prior to the start of the 2007 season.

In his first year as manager, the Rangers finished 12 games under .500 and last in the AL West. However, management never faltered, keeping their faith in the New Orleans native.

The sixth-longest tenured manager in baseball today followed up that season with the acquisition of future AL MVP Josh Hamilton from the Cincinnati Reds. Hamilton finished his first year with Texas leading the AL in RBIs (130) and playing in a career-high 156 games, but it was Washington's energy that pointed his team in the right direction.

Still under .500, the Washington-led Rangers finished second in the AL West. It wouldn't be until year three that Texas would finish above the .500 mark for the first time since 2004, again finishing second in the division with a record of 87-75.

Possessed with his own demons, Washington admitted to the use of cocaine during the '09 season, but it surfaced during spring training the following year. Daniels and newly appointed team president and CEO, Nolan Ryan, never wavered in their faith with Washington, letting him continue his life long dream when it should have been taken away.

He wouldn't disappoint

2010 brought Washington and Co. their first division title and playoff appearance since 1999. They ran threw the postseason, narrowly defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS and outslugged the defending World Series champion New York Yankees.

In their first World Series appearance in franchise history, they were upended by the surprising San Francisco Giants in five games.

After setting a club-record with 96 wins during the regular season this past year, Washington had to fill the agony of defeat for a second time in the World Series, this time even they could taste it. Holding a two-run lead in the ninth inning, the Rangers were one strike away from capturing their first World Series title before St. Louis' David Freese tied it with a triple and won it with a walk-off home run in the 11th.

Washington has accumulated a 427-383 record in his five seasons as manager, including improving his win total every year.

His 427 wins are the third most in Rangers history, trailing only Johnny Oates (506) and newly hired Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine (581). Washington has finished in the top five of the AL Manager of the Year voting each of the last three seasons, finishing as high as second his fourth year on the job.

Texas as found their guy and will ride him until he's all washed up. 

He's No Joke

Two of the greatest players in tennis history,
made history Sunday night in Melbourne.

It was brutal, gut-wrenching, heartbreaking and triumphant.

In Rod Laver's fortress, two of the greatest professional tennis players of this generation battled it out in not only the longest match in Australian Open history, but the longest for a Grand Slam final.

It took five hours, 53 minutes, but (1) Novak Djovokic continued his recent dominance over (2) Rafael Nadal, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (7-5), 7-5, becoming only the fifth player since the Open Era to win three straight Grand Slam finals and four out of the last five.

After Nadal captured the first set with Djovokic still feeling the effects of his marathon match with Andy Murray just two nights earlier, the 2011 Player of the Year found his rhythm and took control of the second and third set, winning them both convincingly.

We'd seen this seen before.

But with the crowd firmly in Nadal's corner, his trademark personality of tenacity and heart turned the tide, at least for the moment.

Facing a two set to one deficit and Djovokic leading the fourth set four games to three, Nadal dug deep. The 10-time Grand Slam champion finned off three straight break points down 40-love to hold serve and knot the set at four games apiece.

The fourth would eventually be decided by a tiebreak with Nadal dropping to his knees after Djovokic's shot went wide, forcing a decisive fifth set. In their previous 29 career meetings with Nadal holding a 16-13 advantage, the both had to play a fifth set.

Nadal imposed his will on the fifth, breaking Djovokic the second chance he got and eventually going up four games to two. But it was a shot that Nadal makes in his sleep that will give hime nightmares for the rest of his life. Leading the game 30-15 and Djovokic on the ropes, the Spaniard missed an easy backhand that would have had him one point away from taking a commanding five games to two lead.

Instead, Djovokic gathered his fifth wind and got the look in eyes that his opponents saw all of 2011. A look that lead him to a 10-1 record against Nadal and Roger Federer last year. The look of a champion.

Djovokic would break Nadal twice in the matches' final six games, seizing the lead and his third career Australian Open. He has now won seven straight matches against Nadal, all coming in finals, 14 straight Australian Open matches and 20 straight Grand Slam matches.

The 24-year-old Serbian had never won back-to-back five-set matches in a major tournament until he thwarted Murray and outran Nadal.

The two have now combined for the last eight Grand Slam titles.

As for Nadal, he becomes first player in the Open Era to lose three straight Grand Slam finals, but has nothing to hang his head about. Wearing his emotions on his sleeves, Nadal's poise and graciousness in defeat is what makes him a true champion and heartbeat of professional tennis.

Usually it was Nadal's high energy and overall physical condition that has enabled him to outlast his opponent. This time is was Djovokic, beating him at his own game.

Seizing Union State Supremacy

Azarenka captured her first major title win
Saturday with many more on the horizon.

Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova may come from the same culture, but on the court they looked like much different players.

In her first ever Grand Slam final appearance, Azarenka, looked like the more experienced player, routing Sharapova, 6-3, 6-0, seizing her first Australian Open title and the No. 1 world ranking. To start the match, Azarenka dropped her first service game before righting the ship and winning 12 of the matches' last 13 games.

Sharapova, who is clearly the more polished player with three Grand Slam titles, is only the ninth woman in Australian Open history to win three or fewer games in the tournament's final.

Azarenka, 22, first turned pro at age 16, but it has taken her more than six years to capture her first Grand Slam title. As for Sharapova, she was just 17 when she won the 2004 Wimbledon tournament as the 13th seed, defeating the top seeded and defending champion Serena Williams.

En route to Azarenka's first major title, she had to over come the tournament's defending champion Kim Clijsters in semifinals. She is now 3-0 against Sharapova in tournament finals and starts the 2012 season with a 12-match winning streak.

Azarenka is a native of Belarus and Sharapova of Russia, both whom are forever linked not only for their unbelievable tennis play, but from where they spent most of their lives. Both countries formed and signed a treaty back in 1996, something we know now as the Union State.

So a rivalry that wrote another chapter Saturday in Melbourne, started long before they met on the court.

On His Way Out?

Kaman is apparently being shopped openly
by a team he recently joined.

After being traded for the first time in mid-December, New Orleans Hornets center Chris Kaman might be joining his second NBA team in as many months.

It has been reported that the league-owned Hornets are fielding offers for Kaman, explaining the reason why he was inactive for the team's Wednesday night loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and not present for Friday night's surprising win over the Orlando Magic.

Spending the first eight years of his career playing for the Los Angeles Clippers after being drafted sixth overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Kaman was acquired by the Hornets in the blockbuster trade that sent All-Star Chris Paul to Los Angeles.

Along with Kaman, New Orleans acquired Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu and the Minnesota Timberwolves' unprotected 2012 first-round pick in the deal while the Clippers will receive two future second-round picks.

Kaman, 29, is approximately owed $14 million this season.

And while it looks to be mainly a financial decision by the Hornets, it now gives some of their young players a chance to compete for his minutes.

Against the Thunder, 26-year-old rookie Gustavo Ayon made the most of his opportunity and 17 minutes vacated by Kaman, going 8-for-10 from the field, scoring nearly as many points as minutes played with 16.

However, that game resulted in a loss and in the team's win over Magic, Ayon played just nine minutes, never getting on the scoreboard.

As for Kaman, he was hampered by an ankle injury much of the 2010-11 season, playing in only 32 games for the Clippers. This season, adapting to a new home, Kaman is averaging 9.2 points per game and 6.7 rebounds in just 22.7 minutes, numbers far removed from the ones that made him one of the most dominate centers in the league.

During the 2007-08 campaign, the Clippers lost both Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston for the majority of the year due to injury, relying on Kaman the rest of the way. He delivered after setting career-highs in rebounds (12.7) and blocks (2.8) to go along with his 15.7 PPG.

The 2009-10 season was Kaman's most recent more than effective season, starting in all of the 76 games he played in and averaging a career-high 18.5 PPG.

Fresh off their 11th playoff appearance in franchise history, New Orleans find themselves at the bottom of the Southwest Division with 4-15 and building for the future.

A future that clearly Kaman is no longer apart of.

One-Sided Rivalry

In a hard-fought win, Nadal holds an 8-2
career record against Federer in Grand
 Slam matches.

It wasn't easy, it never is.

Rafael Nadal continued his dominance, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4, over the suddeningly aging Roger Federer on Thursday night.

While many in the United States were unable to watch the match live, after losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Nadal reeled of three straight set wins to earn a berth to play for his second Australian Open title in as many attempts.

Nadal won his first and only Australian Open back in 2009, handing Federer his first ever loss in the final.

It was only the second time these two rivals have met in a Grand Slam semifinal, usually reserving their matches with a title on the line. They have now faced one another 10 times in a Grand Slam with Nadal holding an eight-two advantage, including five consecutive Grand Slam match wins. Federer's last major win against Nadal came in 2007.

The southpaw, who is currently ranked the No. 2 player in the world, has won 10 career Grand Slam titles, six of them have come at the expense of Federer.

Nadal's only two Grand Slam losses against Federer have come in the same tournament, same venue, Wimbledon. Federer has won six Wimbledon titles, giving him the second most all-time. He also co-holds the record for the most consecutive title victories (5) on the legendary grass court with tennis great Bjorn Borg.

However, Nadal captured his only Wimbledon title against Federer, giving him his only final loss there. It was in 2008. And after experiencing numerous rain delays, the two gladiators put together not only one of the greatest matches in the tournament's storied history, but the longest, playing for four hours, 48 minutes.

Prior to that, in 2006, Nadal was responsible for snapping Federer's Open Era record of 56 consecutive victories on hard courts.

Just like Federer, Nadal also dominated a surface, winning 81 straight matches on clay before the Switzerland native ended that in final of Hamburg Masters in '07. And even though it wasn't a Grand Slam final, it still might be one of Federer's greatest accomplishments.

Nadal has won five French Open finals in his young career while Federer's only French Open title didn't come against the Spaniard. Nadal was hampered by injury in the 2009 tournament at Roland Garros and lost to Robin Soderling in four sets.

They have never met in the U.S. Open.

As for the present, Thursday night's loss to Nadal now gives Federer 18 career losses against him, by far the most to any one opponent in his career.

Nadal awaits the winner of the tournament's second semifinal between (1) Novak Djokovic and (4) Andy Murray. Fresh off his fantastic 2011 season, Djokovic is the clear cut favorite to meet Nadal in the final, but don't count out Murray just yet.

Murray has been been to the semifinals in the last five Grand Slams. The 24-year-old has never more a Grand Slam title, but right now, Nadal might be his biggest fan.

Every player has their kryptonite, Nadal's is Djokovic.

Peace Corps

If the Lakers are to contend for a title this
season, they will need the same type of
 performance from World Peace moving
forward.

The Los Angeles Laker have ended their mini three-game losing streak, beating their intercity rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, 96-91.

It was the Lakers 12th consecutive game without breaking the 100-point threshold, tying a franchise record in the shot-clock era set during the 2003-04 season .

In their second meeting is less than two weeks, both teams came out with something to prove.

Former Laker Caron Butler got his new team off to a fast start, scoring the Clippers first 11 points, nine of them from beyond the arch. For the Lakers, forward Pau Gasol, who has made it known publicly he wants more scoring opportunities, came out determined and aggressive, scoring nine of the team's 25 first quarter points.

Gasol finished the game with 23 points and 10 rebounds, putting together his 10th double-double of the season in just 19 games. But it was unusually strong contributions from the Laker bench that secured them their 11th win of the season.

The Lakers' bench ranks as the second worst production-wise in the NBA, averaging 16.8 points per game. Compare that to the most productive bench in the league, the Dallas Mavericks, who are averaging an astonishing 44.0 points from their reserves.

Leading that Laker bench Wednesday night was rookie guard Andrew Goundelock. Goudelock added a career-high 14 points in 20 minutes, also a career-high. Despite Metta World Peace recording only three points, his emotional energy fueled this struggling Laker team.

World Peace came away with two steals, five rebounds and a seven assists in a season-high 38 minutes.

The Lakers trailed at the end of every quarter except for the one that matters, giving way to Kobe Bryant in the fourth. The five-time NBA champion scored 12 of his team-high 24 points in the final quarter, including a three-point basket that gave his team a 79-78 advantage and their first lead of the game.

Clipper forward Blake Griffin recorded a game-high 26 points and narrowly missed his own double-double with nine boards.

Chris Paul was limited to just 27 minutes in his first game back after a six-game absence due to a hamstring injury. He and fellow backcourt running mate Chauncey Billups combined for just 13 points, but Paul did add 12 assists. Mo Williams' 16 points continued to provide be a spark off the bench for the Clippers, scoring in double-digits for the fourth consecutive game.

The game was chippy, gritty and hard-fought to say the least, as there were six technical fouls assessed, a flagrant foul and an ejection of the Lakers' Josh McRoberts.

Chris Paul didn't have the
same type of explosiveness
returning from his injury.

Both teams are now tied atop the Pacific Division standings. It was the Lakers 10th win at home this season and the Clippers fourth loss on the road. Although, it really isn't a road game for Clippers other than the fact the floor boards read "Los Angeles Lakers" in their traditional purple and gold. The two teams have shared the Staples Center since it opened in October of 1999.

The Lakers are just 1-6 on the road this season and embark on a lengthy road trip this weekend. The team will play eight of their next nine games away from Staples, starting Saturday in Milwaukee and includes stops in Utah, Boston and New York, all hostile environments.

It was revealed Thursday that Bucks' center Andrew Bogut suffered a broken ankle Wednesday night in Houston, leaving him out indefinitely and on the sidelines for their upcoming matchup with Los Angeles.

Looks like the Lakers caught a break, something this team needs.

Newborn Colt

Taking his first career head coaching job,
Pagano will no longer be with the great
Ray Lewis.

Just a day after interviewing for the head coaching vacancy for the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano has landed the gig.

Pagano was given permission to interview for the job following Baltimore's heartbreaking 23-20 loss in the AFC Championship Game Sunday, coming at the hands of the New England Patriots. Indianapolis has said Pagano will be officially introduced in a press conference on Thursday.

He is the fourth Raven defensive coordinator to receive a head coaching job, joining Marvin Lewis (Bengals), Mike Nolan (49ers) and Rex Ryan (Jets).

The 51-year-old Pagano first came to the Ravens in 2008 when then-first year head coach John Harbaugh hired him to be the team's secondary coach. He served in that position for three years before being promoted prior to the start of this season as the defensive coordinator, succeeding Greg Mattison.

Mattison left to return to the University of Michigan, taking the defensive coordinator job, a position he previously held at the university.

In his first (and now only) season as Baltimore's defensive coordinator, Pagano put together the third ranked defense in the National Football League and saw four of his starters be selected to the Pro Bowl. The list consists of Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata, Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs.

Prior to making the move to the NFL, Pagano had spent his first 16 seasons coaching in college football. Known only only as an assistant throughout his career, Pagano got his first taste of the NFL in 2001 when he was hired by the Cleveland Browns to be their secondary coach.

In his first season in Cleveland, Pagano's secondary were responsible for 28 of the Brown' league-best 33 interceptions. Two years later, Pagano was a major contributor to the Cleveland defense tying a franchise record.

The Browns only allowed 13 passing touchdowns that season.

After only one more season in Ohio, he left to become the defensive backs coach for the Oakland Raiders, a position he would hold for two seasons before jumping back to the NCAA. In 2007, Pagano served as the defensive coordinator for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

A man that has never been the top dog anywhere he's been is now in charge in turning around a team in turmoil.

The Colts finished the 2011-12 season with the worst record in the league at 2-14. And while that has handed them the first overall pick in April's draft, it has caused many to lose their jobs. Jim Caldwell, who had been the team's head coach for the last three seasons that included a trip to the Super Bowl, was fired to kick off the New Year.

That was after vice chairman Bill Polian and his son, Chris, who served as the team's vice president and general manager since 2009, were part of the firing frenzy that owner Jim Irsay has been on.

Irsay has since hired 39-year-old Ryan Grigson to be the team's GM moving forward, but he won't have anything to do with the fate of Pro Bowl quarterback Peyton Manning.

Manning never took a snap this season after recovering from neck surgery. Irsay has already stated that the team will take Stanford's Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick, posing an interesting situation for Manning and the Colts.

It's not as if both Manning and Luck cannot coexist because history shows it's possible. Steve Young sat behind Joe Montana in San Francisco before getting his team to the Super Bowl and eventually being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Most recent, Aaron Rodgers has won a Super Bowl and could receive his first MVP Award this season after spending the first three years of his career sitting behind the iconic Brett Favre.

It's not if they can, it's will they?

Manning is due a $28 million bonus in early March, a bonus that could decide his future in Indianapolis.

Whomever is under center for the Colts next season, Pagano will be happy to have them, but be more focused on playing with his new defensive toys, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. Which is contingent upon the team resigning Mathis, who is soon-to-be a unrestricted free agent.

Either way, it looks to be an end of an era in Colts football.

Fresh Prince Of Detroit

Fielder now makes not only the
transition to a new team, but
a new league.

In light of the recent injury to Victor Martinez, the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a deal that will being free agent first baseman Prince Fielder to the Motor City.

Even though Fielder would not want this to be said, he is following in his father's footsteps. After spending the first five years of his career playing for the Toronto Blue Jays and a Japanese team, the Hanshin Tigers, Cecil Fielder also was catered by the Tigers, signing a five-year $36 million contract prior to the 1990 season.

Fielder's contract is said to be worth $214 million over a nine-year period and while that is not quiet the money fellow first baseman Albert Pujols received from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, it could prove to be a better investment for this storied franchise.

Fielder, 27, will be 36 when his newly agreed upon contract expires. On the other hand, Pujols, who signed a 10-year $254 million deal in early December, is currently 32 years of age and will be 42 at contract's end.

A three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger, Fielder made $15.5 million a year ago, that includes a $50,000 bonus for receiving the nod to start at first base for the National League in the All-Star Game at Arizona, something that could prove to be a challenge for him in the American League.

With Pujols and now, Fielder's addition to the the AL, there is a plethora of All-Star caliber first baseman to compete with. They join Miguel Cabrera, who is Fielder's newest teammate, Mark Teixeira, Justin Morneau and last year's starting first baseman, Adrian Gonzalez.

In his first ever start in the Midsummer Classic, Fielder was named the 2011 All-Star Game MVP, thanks in large part to his go-ahead three-run home run in the fourth inning off C.J. Wilson. His home run was the main component in helping the NL win back-to-back All-Star games for the first time since they won three straight from 1994-96.

As for his career, Fielder was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first-round of 2002 amateur player draft and where he has spent the last seven seasons paired up with 2011 NL MVP, Ryan Braun.

Fielder made his Major League debut in 2005 and from then now, he has been a prolific run producer in Major League Baseball. The 5-foot-11, 275-pounder owns a .282 career average over his first seven seasons, including 230 home runs and 636 runs batted in.

He has driven in 100-plus runs four times in his young career and has proven to be one of the most durable players in the league. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2006, Fielder has played in at least 157 games, including playing in all 162 games in 2009 and this past season.

Finishing third in the NL MVP voting this season, it's the third time Fielder has finished in the top five in the last five years. Fielder tied a career-high, batting .299, while adding 38 HRs and 107 RBIs.

He finished with a .415 on-base percentage, due in large part to his high walk total. Fielder drew 107 base-on-balls, including 32 of those coming intentional to lead the majors.

It's not the first time Fielder has led the league in major offensive categories. In 2007, he hit a career-high 50 HRs, which led the NL. In '09 and 2010, he led the majors in RBIs (141) and BBs (114), respectively.

As for the team he joins, Detroit adds one of the most premier sluggers in the game and fill a void they didn't think they would be without. Just a week ago, Martinez, who signed a four-year $50 million deal last winter, suffered a torn ACL during his offseason workouts and will most likely end his entire 2012 season before if even got started.

While Fielder looks to be the Tigers response to the injury, it poses an interesting situation for general manager Dave Dombrowski and skipper Jim Leyland.

Detroit already has a franchise first baseman in Cabrera, who has proven to be not only more than a serviceable asset, but one of the game's most feared hitters. Cabrera, 28, just like Fielder, is much too young to take on a full-time designated hitter role.

Fielder's father, Cecil, also signed as a
free agent to join the Tigers.

One logical solution seems to be that Cabrera could move back across the diamond to the hot corner. Cabrera played third base regularly during his days with the formerly known Florida Marlins before making the transition to first in 2008, his first year with the Tigers.

He has played 383 of his 1,351 career games at third, but then again, there is a reason why a change was made.

In any event, it's a problem that Leyland won't soon complain about.

In the end, Fielder along with agent Scott Boras waited patiently and eventually got exactly what they wanted, something Boras and his clients are no stranger to.

A Giant Kick

Tynes (9) kicking his second career game-
winning NFC Championship field goal.

For the second time in five seasons Lawrence Tynes has kicked the New York Giants into the Super Bowl.

It was Jan. 20, 2008.

On the frozen tundra that is Lambeau Field, Tynes spilt the uprights with a 47-yard game-winning field goal in overtime, sending New York to Super Bowl XLII, where they would pull off one of the greatest upsets in NFL history, dismantling the undefeated and Tom Brady-led New England Patriots.

That kick coming not long after Tynes had squandered a chance of a lifetime. The then-29-year-old kicker missed a 36-yard field goal, wide left, at the end of regulation with the score tied at 20. Not everybody gets a second chance, Tynes did and delivered.

Sunday night in San Francisco was much of the same, but then again, far different.

This time, more than four years later, Tynes made both his field goal attempts, both coming from 31-yards out. It was just five plays after both teams each had an opportunity to possess the ball at least once and second-string punter return Kevin Williams, who was filling in for an injured Ted Ginn Jr., muffed his second punt of the game, that Tynes was kicking the second road overtime-winning NFC Championship field goal of his career.

While Tynes was the hero and Williams the goat, it was the grit of the New York field general that inspired us all.

Eli Manning was bruised and battered all night long by the hard-nosed San Francisco defense. With their stout front seven, the Niners hit Manning 20 times, knocked him down another 12 and recorded six sacks, but isn't wasn't enough to keep the former Super Bowl MVP down.

His 32 completions, along with his 58 pass attempts both set a franchise postseason record. Manning also threw his 18th fourth-quarter touchdown this season, 15 coming in the regular season, a NFL record.

That 17-yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham, which was his first catch of the game, for the moment gave the Giants a 17-14 advantage.

Second-year sensation, Victor Cruz, enjoyed one of his biggest games of the season, catching 10 passes for 142 yards. Cruz along with running back Ahmad Bradshaw each caught a pass from Manning that went for 30-plus yards, giving New York 12 plays of 20 yards or more this postseason.

The win is the fifth consecutive road playoff win for the Giants, another NFL record. Under center in all of those victories has been Manning, becoming the first quarterback in postseason history to win five road postseason games. His mentor and head coach Tom Coughlin recorded his seventh road postseason win, tying him for the most all-time.

As for the Niners, it was a bitter end to a very magical season.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was trying to become only the sixth first-year coach in history to lead his team to the Super Bowl, took over a 6-10 San Francisco team and overnight made them winners. They finished the regular season 13-3, good enough to secure a first-round bye as the NFC No. 2 seed.

His defense became his identity. They allowed a league-best 77.3 rushing yards per contest and were tied with the Green Bay Packers for the most takeaways (38) in the NFL this season. Despite only allowing 85 rushing yards, San Francisco's defense did not force a turnover against the Giants, while their special teams unit gave it away, twice.

On offensive, after six frustrating seasons that included three different head coaches, seven offensive coordinators and 17 starting wide receivers, quarterback Alex Smith enjoyed a career year. Playing in all 16 games for only the second time in his career, Smith completed 61.3 percent of his passes, threw for 3,144 yards and had a passer rating of 90.7, all career-highs.

Smith continued his great season, outplaying the Saints' Drew Brees and giving the Niners their first playoff win in nine years.

But it was Smith's inability to convert on third down against the Giants that ended their season. San Francisco's offense was only 1-for-13 on third down conversions Sunday.

Now, with all two teams left standing New York has a date with the Patriots in Indianapolis on Feb. 5. And while Brady is out for revenge, Manning and Co. are hoping history repeats itself.

A Legend In His Own Time

The death of Paterno clearly marks an end of
an era in college football.

They took his life away and now, he's gone.

Legendary and former Penn State football head coach Joe Paterno passed away Sunday due to complications in his brief battle with lung cancer.

Fired by University Trustees on Nov. 9 amid the child sex abuse scandal involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, Paterno was diagnosed with the life threatening disease just days later. It was first reported Paterno's cancer was curable and that he would make a full recovery.

Obviously that would not be the case.

The 85-year-old Paterno had been in the hospital since Jan. 13 with health complications. But it was reported late Saturday night that he was in serious condition and fighting for his life.

Surrounded by his family and friends, Paterno died peacefully.

Just like Alabama's Bear Bryant, who died just months after retiring from coaching in 1983, Paterno couldn't live without the game he loved.

While many can't help to think of his recent fall from the top and what he didn't do, it's time to look back on one of the most celebrated, influential and remarkable lives in recent memory.

Born in Brooklyn, Paterno served a year in the Army before joining the Ivy League, attending Brown University. In 1950, following his graduation, at age 23, Paterno followed his college football coach Rip Engle to the place he would call home for more than half a century.

There, Paterno was Penn State's assistant coach until Engle's retirement following the 1965 season.

In 1966, Paterno was hired as the Nittany Lion head coach, the beginning of numerous immeasurable contributions and an unfillable legacy. That year, on Sept. 17, Paterno recorded his first of many Division I wins, beating Maryland 15-7.

In only his third and fourth seasons at the helm, Paterno led Penn State to back-to-back undefeated seasons, but both weren't good enough to gain a National Championship.

1973 would be the next time the Paterno-led Nittany Lions would go undefeated. Groomed by the Brooklyn native, running back John Cappelleti became the first and only player in school history to capture college football's most prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy.

Under Paterno's watch, Cappelleti rushed for 1,522 yards that season and finding the end zone 17 times.

Despite not going undefeated in 1982, Paterno claimed his first National Championship in their thrilling 27-23 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.

In 1986, Paterno capped off his fourth undefeated season with his second National Championship in five years, beating the Jimmy Johnson-led Miami Hurricanes, 14-10, in the battle of good versus evil. Sandusky's defensive schemes confused Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde, causing him to throw five interceptions.

To go along with his two National Championships, Paterno finished the '94 season with his fifth and final undefeated season. One of Paterno's most sigificant victories came in 2006, when his Nittany Lions were opposed by fellow college football legend Bobby Bowden and his Florida State Seminoles in the Orange Bowl.

The game went into a third overtime, where Penn State finally outlasted Bowden and Co. on a Kevin Kelly 29-yard field goal, 26-23.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you
are with me; your rod and your staff,
they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

In his 46 seasons at State College, Paterno, much like his traditional gameday uniform, with his thick-rimmed glasses, highwater pants, that by his own admission were used to save on cleaning bills and white socks, became not only a fixture in college football, but an American icon.

He recorded 10-plus victories in 21 seasons. Only six schools in NCAA history have more than Paterno, alone. Those six programs consist of Oklahoma (32), Alabama (31), Nebraska (27), Michigan (25), USC (24) and Texas (22).

Paterno holds the FBS records for the most wins (409), bowl appearances (37) and bowl victories (24). He is also the only coach with to win all four of the current major bowl games - Fiesta, Orange, Rose and Sugar.

The now-late Paterno saw 244 of his players be selected in the NFL Draft, including 33 in the first-round.

Quickly building a reputation for excellence, Paterno single handedly put Penn State on the map and not only built a one of the most recognizable football programs in the country, but an academic juggernaut. There continue to be many words to describe Paterno, ambassador, educator and class to name a few.

However one wants to remember the life of this iconic yet, now controversial figure, at least remember this. There will never be another JoePa and in light of his passing Happy Valley is and will be anything but happy for a long time.

Championship Sunday Preview: Showdown In San Fran

Are you ready for some football?

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers:
It will be the eighth time these two teams have met in the postseason with the Niners holding a 4-3 advantage.

The Giants are coming off an improbable win last Sunday in Lambeau Field, where they upended the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, 37-20. It was the fourth time Eli Manning has led his team to victory on the road in the postseason and could set a new NFL mark with career postseason road wins (5), if New York gets passed San Francisco's hard-nosed defense.

Manning has experienced every type of
situation in the postseason, Sunday by
the bay won't be any different.

Manning has quickly gained a reputation as one of the best late-game and playoff performers in NFL history. This season, emerging from the shadow as Peyton's little brother, Manning threw 15 fourth-quarter touchdowns, setting an NFL record.

That success translated into the postseason once again.

Manning, for the second in his career, beat Green Bay on the road in a playoff game. The first time came in final of New York's three road victories that eventually lead them to an unthinkable win in Super Bowl XLII over the undefeated Patriots.

En route to that Super Bowl appearance, the Giants' front four played a vital role in their climb to the top and that will need to be the case once again if they are to win their second Super Bowl in five years. New York is one of the rare teams in the NFL that is able to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks while just rushing four defenders.

New York visited Candlestick Park earlier this year, where they were handed one of their seven losses this season. Down 27-20 in final minute of the game, Manning was driving his team down the field for the game-tying touchdown. San Francisco defensive tackle Justin Smith, who hit Drew Brees five times last Saturday, including a sack, knocked down the potential game-tying pass, giving the 49ers the win.

In the Giants' first two playoff wins this postseason, they have won each by least 17 points, becoming the one of the rare teams to accomplish that feat while starting in the wild-card round. There have been twelve total teams to do so prior to New York doing that this season. Ten of those teams that have won by that margin have gone on to win the Super Bowl.

Sounds like a recipe for success. Not to mention New York is 4-0 all-time when playing in NFC Championship.

In San Francisco, first-year new head coach Jim Harbaugh has taken a 6-10 Niners team from a year ago and made them a 13-3 division winner, while capturing the No. 2 seed in the NFC and creating arguably the NFL's best defense.

It's San Francisco's first playoff appearance and win since 2002. Their last postseason win game against none other than the Giants in the divisional round. In that game then-quarterback Jeff Garica orchestrated the second-greatest comeback in NFL postseason history, erasing a 24-point deficit and finishing the controversial game with a 39-38 lead.

Former first overall pick, Alex Smith and Co. is coming off an emotional last second victory over the New Orleans Saints. With nine seconds left and the Niners trailing by three, Smith threw a 14-yard strike to tight end Vernon Davis, creating "The Catch III", giving them the right to play in the Conference Championship.

Gore only carried the ball six times for no
 gain on Nov. 13 against the Giants before
 leaving with an injury.

In that win, Smith became only the fifth quarterback in postseason history to throw 3 TDs, rush for another and not throw an interception. The other four are Tobin Rote (1957), Joe Montana (1984), Rich Gannon (2002) and most recently Aaron Rodgers (2010).

While their offense has been much improved this season, especially the play of Smith, it will be San Francisco's defense that needs to take them to the Super Bowl. With their stout front seven, the 49ers were tied with the Packers for a league-best 38 takeaways this season and added five more turnovers to the bunch in their win against the Saints.

Both New York's Ahmad Bradshaw and San Francisco's Frank Gore did not play or were limited in the two team's first meeting this season, but are ready to go in game that is being called by many a potential blood bath.

NYG X-Factor: Eli Manning


SF X-Factor: Frank Gore


New York, 24-23

Championship Sunday Preview: Fun In Foxborough

Are you ready for some football?

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots:
It was just two years ago that the stingy Baltimore Raven defense invaded Foxborough, handing Tom Brady his first career postseason loss at home.

In their wild-card matchup on Jan. 10, 2010, Baltimore's Ray Rice took the first play from scrimmage 83 yards for a touchdown, giving his team a lead they would never requlish. At the time it was the longest rushing play of Rice's young career and the second longest rush in NFL postseason history.

Rice hopes to have a repeat performance of
his first postseason trip to New England.

Baltimore held a 24-0 after the first quarter and despite quarterback Joe Flacco only completing four passes for 34 yards, the Ravens went on to win the game, 33-14.

Most of their production came from the ground game, with Rice rushing for 159 of the team's 234 total rushing yards. The Ravens hope for much of the same against the 17th-ranked rush defense. This season, Rice completed his third straight season with at least 1,200 rushing yards, setting a career-high with 1,364. He also set career-highs in attempts (291) and touchdowns (12), but it might be his all-around game that makes him one of the most dynamic and dangerous backs in the game today.

The 24-year-old running back caught 76 passes out of the backfield this season for 704 yards, averaging just under 10 yards per completion at 9.3.

And while the New England defense will be saddled with the assignment of stopping Rice, Baltimore's D will need to shutdown the prolific and efficient Patriots' offense. Led by their veteran core group of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs, whose 14 sacks were good enough for the team lead, they know it would be their final shot to retaste Super Bowl glory.

Slowing down the tight end tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez should be the key to the Ravens' success.

As for the Patriots, Brady and Co. head into Sunday's AFC Championship game confident as ever after torching the Denver Broncos last week, 45-10 and winning their first playoff game since the 2007-08 season, where they beat the San Diego Chargers also in the AFC title game.

Brady, who is coming off a record-setting performance with six touchdowns passes, five coming in the first half, remembers this Baltimore defense far to well. In his first postseason loss at home, the former sixth-round pick was sacked three times, while also throwing three interceptions.

Brady has seen enough of the Raven D and is
seeking his revenge.

In that loss, he threw for just 154 yards and no matter what he says, it still stings today.

Brady is 4-1 in his career against the Ravens, including the playoffs. In those games, the three-time Super Bowl champion has throw six touchdowns, but six interceptions, three obviously coming in one game. And now with a 9-2 career record at home in the postseason, he will not let history repeat itself.

Even though Baltimore was undefeated at home this season, they posted a 4-4 record on the road and head into one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. Although, history tends to repeat itself.

Trying to make their fifth Super Bowl appearance in the last 11 years, New England will be out for revenge and ready to settle the score.

BAL X-Factor: Ray Rice


NE X-Factor: Tom Brady


New England, 27-21

Fighting For His Life

I'm Lovin' It

Turning Up The Heat

Ailing Tiger

Out In Indy

Laying An Egg

History tends to repeat itself.

And that's exactly what happened Sunday night in Green Bay.

Divisional Round Preview: Sunday

Tommy Boy

Saturday night, Brady looked as sharp as
ever and forced people to talk about
  him even when they still wanted
to discuss Tim Tebow.

Not use to playing second fiddle to anyone, much less a second-year quarterback, New England Patriots' Tom Brady made sure that didn't happen Saturday.

In their highly anticipated rematch with the Denver Broncos, New England's offense came out firing on all cylinders. Brady threw two first quarter touchdowns, which was significant given the fact he had only throw one first quarter touchdown in his last 11 postseason first quarters.

It was the beginning of a record-setting night for a determined Brady-led offense.

Loser of three consecutive playoff games, including the last two coming in Gillette Stadium, and many saying the two-time league MVP's postseason mystic had faded, Brady threw a NFL postseason record five touchdowns in the first half, giving New England a commanding 35-7 lead at the half.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Brady is the last quarterback to throw five first half touchdowns
in any game, regular season or postseason. That game coming in Week 6 of the 2009-10 season in a 59-0 pounding of then-winless Tennessee Titans.

Finishing the game with a record-tying 6 TD passes and 363 yards, Brady continues to cement his legacy as one of the greatest field generals in NFL history. His 36 career postseason TD passes are third most all-time, trailing only Joe Montana (45) and Brett Favre (44) and the most by a quarterback in franchise history. Brady's 363 passing yards are also a franchise record for the most in a single playoff game.

The former sixth-round pick now has throw a touchdown pass in 18 consecutive postseason games, second only to Brett Favre's 20.

Three of Brady's six touchdowns came with tight end Rob Gronkowski at the receiving end, tying a postseason record for the most receiving touchdowns in a postseason game.

Gronkowski, who caught a record and league leading 17 TDs this season, was one of three tight ends on the day to total 100-plus receiving yards and catch two touchdown passes, but the only one to catch three TDs. There has been only one other tight end to accomplish these feats in the last 25 years.

Miami's Keith Jackson was the last to do so, catching 8 passes from Hall of Famer Dan Marino for 109 yards and two scores in their 22-21 Divisional Round loss to the San Diego Chargers in January of 1995.

If that weren't enough, Brady and head coach Bill Belichick surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw and Chuck Noll for the most postseason wins for a quarterback-head coach tandem with 15.

Earlier this year Brady and Belichick eclipsed Marino and Don Shula for the most wins (124) for a quarterback-head coach duo in NFL history.

It was the second time Belichick got the best of Denver's John Fox in the postseason. The first was in Super Bowl XXXVIII, when Fox was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

While New England's historic season will continue, the Broncos and Tim Tebow's magical, improbable and unconventional run will not. Never holding a lead in their eventual 45-10 loss, Denver looked outmatched from the get-go on the Patriots' opening 5-play, 80-yard, touchdown drive.

It was the Broncos' inability to matchup and tackle tight ends Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. In the teams two meetings this season both of New England's tight ends combined for 443 total yards and 5 TDs.

Meeting with Coach Belichick postgame, it was
a long night for Tebow and Co.

One wrinkle the Patriots incorporated in their offense Saturday was offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, who recently accepted the head coaching job at Penn State, lined Hernandez up in the back field, having him carry the ball five times, including a 43-yard carry that step up Brady's first touchdown pass.

New England's defense also decided to show up, recording 14 plays for negative yardage. That is most in a playoff game since 2007, when the Pittsburgh Steelers also had 14 plays dip into the red in their wild card loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Overall, for a player that experienced so much criticism before starting an NFL game, the 2011-12 season was a success for Tebow.

Tebow took over a 1-4 Bronco team, lead to a six-game-winning streak, five fourth quarter comebacks, including three overtime victories, an AFC West title and unbelievably dramatic overtime win on Wild Card Weekend against the defending AFC Champion Steelers.

Whatever the future holds for Tebow, he has proven one thing already, he can win in the NFL. And in the end that's all that matters.

Just ask Tom Brady.

Divisional Round Preview: Saturday

As the NFL enters the Elite Eight, many teams take the field for the first time this postseason, looking to leave their footprints on the game while ending the hopes of others doing the same.

New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers:
Winners of nine games in-a-row, including the postseason, the Drew Brees-led New Orleans Saints head to the City by the Bay to engage in what should be a hard fought battle for a ticket to the NFC Championship game.

After getting on to a slow start last week and overcoming two early turnovers against the Detroit Lions, Brees and Co. exploded much like that have all season long with arguably the greatest offense in league history. Brees continued his record-setting season, throwing for 466 yards that included 3 touchdown passes and no interceptions.

Colston had a monster game to open the
postseason and could be prime for
another in San Francisco.

Wide receiver Marques Colston caught seven of Brees' thirty-three completions for 120 yards, averaging 17.1 yards per catch. He could be Brees' main target once again against San Francisco.

Most of New Orleans' success in recent years has come at home, something they continued this season. The Saints posted an 8-0 home record during the regular season and averaged 41.1 points per game. However, they will be a long way from home Saturday and need to show many they can play on the road if they want to capture another Super Bowl title.

All three of the Saints' losses this season came on the road, where their offense is not at potent. Sean Payton's offense averaged just 21.5 point per game away from the Superdome and in the franchise history, the Saints have never won a road playoff game, going 0-4.

If that weren't enough, New Orleans is taking on one of the stingiest defenses in the league.

Ranked as the top rushing defense in the NFL, the 49ers will need to improve their pass defense to stop the high powered Saints air attack. New Orleans was the top passing offensive in the league this year, averaging 334.2 yards per game, while the San Francisco secondary wasn't that good.

A Jim Harbaugh-led defense ranked 16th in pass defense, but flourished in a number of other major defensive categories. The Niners' 38 takeaways (23 interceptions, 15 fumbles) were a NFL-best, tying them with the Green Bay Packers. They were also in the top five in opponents rushing yards per game (1st), opponents points per game (2nd) and opponents yards per game (4th).

With Willis healthy, the Niners are
hungry in their first playoff
appearance since 2002.

A healthy Patrick Willis should also add energy and leadership to an already dangerous defense.

On offense, San Francisco is led by former first-overall pick Alex Smith, but rely on a heavy dose of running back Frank Gore to keep the chains moving. Gore played in all 16 games this season and rushed for over a 1,000 yards for the sixth time in his career. The Niners will need him to pound the rock and control the clock if they are to have any chance of ending Bree's magical season.

One thing to watch for his the play-calling of Saint's defensive coordinator Greg Williams. It is no secret that Williams has made New Orleans the most blitz-happy defense in the NFL, but he might refrain from doing that too much against Smith and Co. Why?

Smith was the fourth-best quarterback in the league this season when facing the blitz. Showing his poise in the pocket with the extra rusher, Smith had a 96.0 passer rating against the blitz, while throwing 8 TDs compared to only 1 interception.

NO X-Factor: Gregg Williams


SF X-Factor: Patrick Willis


New Orleans, 31-24


Denver Broncos at New England Patriots:
The magical story that is the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow continues Saturday in Foxborough. There they take on the highly regarded New England Patriots in a rematch of their Week 15 meeting in Denver. A game that ended Denver's impressive six-game winning streak and sent them on a three-game tail spin.

That was until last week, when Tebow and Co. shocked many by upsetting the Pittsburgh Steelers and their No. 1 ranked defense in overtime, 29-23. Now they are faced with task of handing Tom Brady his third straight home postseason loss.

Von Miller has been a defensive force in
his rookie campaign

Tebow will be without leading receiver Eric Decker, who injured his knee last week in the win over the Steelers. However, in their 41-23 loss to New England on Dec. 18, the Broncos ran for 252 yards, which could be a major factor given the playing conditions.

While many discuss Tebow as the main ingredient for success in New England, it will need to be the young Bronco defense that hold the key to their success and needs to contain Brady. A defense that still looks like it will be without the 16-year veteran presence of safety Brian Dawkins.

Linebacker Von Miller, along with another rookie, safety Quinton Carter, will need to help veteran Champ Bailey command a defense up against some of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the game.

As for the Patriots, Brady is not use to sharing the limelight, but that is exactly what he's done this week with Tebow coming to town.

While many are concerned about how the Patroit defense will handle Tebow a second time around, Brady is worried solely on how to beat a franchise that he hasn't had much success against in his career. Brady is 2-6 in his career against the Broncos, one of those wins coming this year.

To make matters worse, head coach Bill Belichick's is only 4-10 all-time against the Broncos and is 4-6 since becoming the head coach of the Patriots.

Gronkowski could follow in Aaron Hernandez's
footsteps and have a big game against
Denver.

In the Patriots' win over Denver earlier this year Tebow's former teammate at Florida and tight end, Aaron Hernandez, torched the Broncos secondary for 126 yards and a TD. With Denver sure to not let that happen again, look Rob Gronkowski to continue his record-setting season and be one of Brady's main targets like he has been all season long.

New England, who had won ten straight playoff games with Brady under center until they lost to Denver in 2005 division-round, has lost three straight postseason games, including two straight at home.

All that talk can come to an end if Brady and Belichick end Tebow's improbable run.

DEN X-Factor: Von Miller


NE X-Factor: Rob Gronkowski


Denver, 24-21

Plethora Of Pitching

It's A Selig Until 2014

RG3 NFL Bound

Rolling Over Tigers

Lone Man

Larkin will rightly take his place among the
game's greats this Summer.

In his third at-bat, longtime Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin hit one all the way into Cooperstown.

Larking, 47, who received a remarkable 86.4 percent of the vote, gathered just 62.1 in his second year of eligibility a year ago, making his 24.3 percent vote increase the largest jump in baseball history since 1948.

That year pitcher Herb Pennock, who helped the Red Sox win two World Series titles and the Yankees another four, totaled 77.7 percent of the vote, a significant jump from his 53.4 in 1947.

A 12-time All-Star, Larkin was the National League version of New York's Derek Jeter.

Drafted with the fourth overall pick by the Reds in the 1985 amateur draft, Larking quickly made his presence felt in the Cincinnati lineup. In 1986, Larkin batted .283 in his rookie campaign and finished seventh in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Two years later, 1988 would be a year of firsts for Larkin. He was selected to his first career All-Star Game and awarded his first Silver Slugger, both which would become a common occurrence throughout his career.

Much like Hall of Famer Cal Ripken did, Larkin transcended his position, making shortstop not only a spot for slick fielding glove men, but also a home for some of the game's most prolific sluggers.

At age 26, Larkin, in what would be first of only two trips to the postseason, hit .300 (12-for-40), swiped three bases and helped lead a Lou Pinella-led Reds teams to the 1990 World Series title, sweeping the Oakland Athletics.

Larkin was voted the NL Most Valuable Player in 1995, hitting .319 with 15 home run, 66 runs batted in and stoles 51 bases. That year Cincinnati finished first in the NL Central and road the postseason wave all the way to the NLCS, where they were swept by the eventual World Series champion Atlanta Braves.

Despite never hitting a postseason home run, Larking was a .338 career hitter in the postseason and managed to steal 8 bases in just 17 games.

Larkin was one of those rare breeds blessed with speed and power, becoming the first shortstop in history to total 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season, that coming in 1996.

Following the 2004 season, at age 40, Larkin wanted to resign and continue his playing career with the Reds, but in so many words Cincinnati brass said they no longer wanted his service. Instead of choosing to play for another team, Larkin decided to retire. His No. 11 has not been issued to another player in Cincinnati since his departure.

In 19 seasons with the Reds, Larkin, who was the recipient of three consecutive Gold Gloves (1994-96), owned a .295 career average, laced 2,340 hits, hit 198 home runs and stole 379 bases. His 939 career base-on-balls is significantly greater than his 817 career strikeouts, making him a reliable source to out the ball in play and get on base.

July 22 marks the day Larkin will be inducted into Cooperstown, joined by the late Ron Santo,who elected last month by the Golden Era Committee after an unprecedented and maddening 32-year wait.

But 2012 belongs to Larkin.

Mile High Miracle

Tebow has the Broncos one win away for the
AFC Championship game.

The magic is back.

Led by the best game in quarterback Tim Tebow's career, the Denver Broncos outlasted the defending AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in a thrilling overtime matchup to wrap up Wild Card weekend in dramatic fashion.

After Denver scored 20-second quarter points and taking a 20-6 to lead into the locker room at the half, the Steelers responded like true champions do, scoring 10 points in the final ten minutes of regulation and knotted the game at 23 points apiece. The Pittsburgh defense forced only the fourth Bronco punt of the game, giving Ben Roethlisberger and Co. one last chance to seal an improbable comeback victory.

However, just when it look as if the Steelers offense was in position to kick a game-winning field goal and end Tebow's magical run, Denver defensive Elvis Dumervil got his hand on the football, forcing the two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback to fumble and take them out of field goal range.

On the drive, Roethlisberger was sacked three times by the Denver defense, giving running back Willis McGahee, whose fourth quarter fumble led to the game-tying TD for Pittsburgh, a chance at redemption.

In the first non-sudden death overtime in NFL postseason history, McGahee wouldn't get that chance, letting Tebow and wideout Demaryius Thomas take care of the rest.

After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Bronco offense would take the field for the final time at Sports Authority Field this season. On the first play of extra period and for only the second time in the game, Tebow threw on first down, completing the pass to Thomas, who ran 80 yards to the end zone, sending everyone, including Hall of Famer John Elway, in Mile High into a frenzy.

Tebow "pulled the trigger" alright.

The play took 11 seconds, which marked the shortest overtime period in NFL history, regular season or postseason. Not to mention the fact it was also the longest TD pass in overtime history.

The 80-yard TD pass from Tebow was the longest of his young career and tied him with Elway for the longest TD pass in Bronco postseason history. Elway accomplished that feat twice in his career, each of them coming in a different decade.

Thomas finished the game with 4 catches for 204 yards and a TD. Dick LaBeau's defense hadn't allowed a 100-yard receiver all season long. Thomas totaled that many yards in the second quarter alone.

In now seven games this season, Tebow has throw and rushed for a TD. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Tebow is only the third quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw for 300-plus yards without throwing an interception and record a rushing TD in a postseason game.

Completing only 10 passes, Tebow is the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw for 300 or more yards while completing that many passes or fewer in the playoffs.

Tebow also becomes the third quarterback in postseason history to score a rushing TD against the  storied and vaunted Steeler defense. The other two are Ken Stabler and the late Steve McNair.

Tebow averaged 31.6 yards a completion and completed three passes of 50 yards or more. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger, he becomes the first quarterback in postseason history to do so. Not only was Tebow's 316 passing yards a season-high, but a career-high, breaking one of Elway's franchise records, the most passing yards (123) in a playoff debut in franchise history.

Elway set that record in 1983 when his team lost 31-7 at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. However, in 1984, Elway's first postseason start, he lost to Pittsburgh, unlike Tebow.

Since the start of the quarterback rating era, beginning in 2008, the second-year quarterback's QBR of 97.3 on Sunday is the highest total in a playoff game, narrowly edging Aaron Rodgers' 97.2. A mark he set just a year ago in Green Bay's 48-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Thomas stiff arming Pittsburgh's Ike Taylor

on his 80-yard overtime TD reception.

It truly has been a magical run for this unselfish Denver team.

They are only the fifth team in NFL history to make the postseason after a 2-5 start. The Broncos are also only one of eight teams since the merger to reach the postseason after losing their final three games of the regular season, but now head to East in a rematch with the always dangerous New England Patriots.

New England is responsible for ending Denver's six-game winning streak this season when they visited Mile High in Week 15. There Tom Brady and Co. torched the Bronco secondary, 41-23.

In their franchise history, the Patriots hold an 11-3 record at home in the postseason, but two of those three loses have come in Foxborough the last two years. Former Bronco head coach Josh McDaniels, who was recently rehired by the Patriots to fill the offensive coordinator position that will be vacated by Bill O'Brien at season's end, is responsible for drafting both Tebow and Thomas.

In the NFL, Tebow, who is known as a devout Christian, he is unable to display his usual John 3:16 on his eye black, something he did often at Florida, but still finds away to spread the word. Oddly enough his passing yardage for the game totaled 316 and his yards per completion at 31.6.

Also worth noting, the four officials on the field in Denver Sunday bare the first names, John, Luke, Matthew and Mark, all names in the Bible. Coincidence? Maybe.

But if you're not a believer, you better start. God Bless.

WIld Card Weekend Preview: Sunday

After experiencing a lockout, so much uncertain and a record-breaking regular season, the NFL now reaches the postseason with some of the most unlikely of teams ready to crash the postseason party.

Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants:
A year after the Atlanta Falcons seized the No. 1 seed in the NFC at 13-3, won their first NFC South title since 2004 and were upended by the Green Bay Packers at home, 48-21, they are back. This time their dreams of getting to the Super Bowl takes a much different route.

After trading five picks to draft him, Jones
has become one of the most explosive
receivers in the game.

The Falcons will being playing on Wild Card weekend, something they did not do last season, but quarterback Matt Ryan is ready for the challenge of facing a tough New York Giants defense and recording his first win in the postseason. Ryan enjoyed yet another stellar season down South, tossing for 4,177 yards, 29 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. This time around Ryan has an offensive weapon he didn't have a year ago.

Rookie wideout Julio Jones struggled to get acclimated to the NFL, but he and Ryan seemed to have clicked at the right time. During the final month of the regular season, Ryan threw 10 TD passes, six of those Jones was on the receiving end.

Jones' 7 receptions of 40-plus yards this season tied him for fourth most in the NFL. The development of Jones can be attributed to veteran presence of  tight end and future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is making his fifth trip to the postseason and is 0-4 in his previous four career playoff games. Gonzalez's 238 career games without a postseason win are the second most in NFL history and the most among position players. Detroit's kicker Jason Hanson's 311 games is the most all-time.

Ryan's offensive line has been heavily criticized this season by numerous teams, saying they play after the whistle. New York's Jason Tuck made reference to them being 'dirtbags' earlier in the week. Whatever they are, they know they are faced with daunting task, taking on one of the game's most premiere front four and protecting their quarterback.

The Atlanta offensive line was only penalized 25 times this season, the fewest among this year's playoff teams.

As for their defense, Atlanta will need to be able to put pressure on Eli Manning and force them to run the football. Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes will play on Sunday, which could help contain wideouts Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks.

At the start of the NFL season, Manning was asked if he was an elite quarterback. He responded by saying yes with many raising their eyebrows as if his dramatic Super Bowl XLII comeback wasn't enough. Well, this season Manning did his best to back up his words.

The eight-year veteran led the Giants to the NFC East title and a 9-7 record this season. A season that saw New York beat the hated Dallas Cowboys twice and their crosstown rival New York Jets in a must-win game on Christmas Eve.

Manning narrowly missed being the fifth quarterback in NFL history and fourth of the 2011-12 season to pass for 5,000 yards, finishing the year with 4,933. However, his 15 fourth-quarter touchdowns passes this year are a NFL record and something he might cherish even more.

A lot of Manning' success this season can be attributed to the breakout campaign that Cruz enjoyed.

In only his second-year in the NFL, Cruz led the team in receptions (82), yards (1,536) and TDs (9). But his 5 receptions of 65-plus yards this season are the most since 1951, when the Ram's Elroy Hirsch accomplished that feat.

While the offense has accomplished a lot this year, it's New York's defense that holds the key to a deep playoff run in the Big Apple. With a weak secondary, the Giants have been able to avoid being torched every Sunday with arguably the most formidable front four in the NFL.

Pierre-Paul (90) has made his presence
felt this season.

In the final two games of the season, New York's defense recorded 11 sacks, by far the most during that time period. Jason Pierre-Paul, who was a first time Pro Bowl selection in 2011 and voted to his first of what could be many first-team All-Pro squads, may be their best defensive player.

Atlanta finished the year with a 4-4 record on the road and have a 3-game road losing streak in the postseason. However, New York recorded a 4-4 at home this season are in the midst of a 2-game home losing streak in the postseason.

Something's gotta give.

ATL X-Factor: Julio Jones


NYG X-Factor: Jason Pierre-Paul


New York, 27-21


Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos:
As if the Pittsburgh Steelers need an introduction. Everyone already knows they are owners of six Super Bowl championship, the most in NFL history, have played in three of the last six Super Bowls and are the defending AFC Champions. But this is a much different Pittsburgh team heading into their road playoff game against the magical and unexplainable Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos.

The Steelers, while they still have the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL, have been riddled by injuries and limb into Mile High, literally. Two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger has been hampered by an ankle sprain and will not be 100 percent when he takes the field.

Polamalu has been a game changer throughout
 his career and will need to be Sunday
in Denver.

Throughout his career, Roethlisberger's strength has been using his mobility and extending the play long enough to make something happen. His sore ankle has made him unable to do that as effectively and will play a huge factor on Sunday.

Despite the injury, he threw for more than 4,000 yards this season with 21 TDs.

Pittsburgh will also be without leading-rusher Rashard Mendenhall, who suffered a torn ACL the final week of the season. So second-year back Isaac Redman, who has only rushed for 729 yards in his young career, will need to carry the load.

But in the midst of the biggest game of Redman's career, running backs coach Kirby Wilson will not be on the sideline after suffering significant burns in a house fire earlier in the week.

The injury list continues with Pro Bowl center Marukice Pouncey, who was a teammate of Tebow's at Florida. Pouncey is also dealing with an ankle injury and has been ruled out for the game. The last time Pittsburgh played a playoff game without Pouncey snapping the ball, Super Bowl XLV, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers, 31-25.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Steel Curtain will be without safety and the commander-in-chief of the defense Ryan Clark. Clark led the team with 100 tackles, but will not play in the high altitude air in Denver because of the potential danger to his health.

Fellow safety Troy Polamalu will need to take that leadership role and become the quarterback of the defense in Clark's absence.

Pittsburgh allowed 100-plus rushing yards in three of their four losses this season and will be presented with the task of stop the top rushing offense in the league.

The Broncos started the season 1-4 with Kyle Orton under center, but in Week 5 head coach John Fox pulled Orton with his team trailing by 16 points in the fourth-quarter against San Diego and gave the reigns to Tebow. Tebow nearly led an improbable comeback, but came up short, 29-24.

Following Denver's Bye Week, Tebow started in Miami and orchestrated the first of his five fourth quarter comebacks this season, including three coming in overtime.

In his first eight starts this season, Tebow led the Broncos to a 7-1 mark, including a 6-game winning streak. However, Tebow hasn't faired well in his team's final three games of the regular season, but snuck into the postseason and find themselves facing the vaunted Steelers defense.

As the Broncos were the second worst passing team in the NFL, averaging 152.1 yards per game, they were the top rushing offense in the league. Denver averaged 164.5 rushing yards per game this season, relying veteran on Willis McGahee to use the clock.

Earlier this year, Prater kicked a 59-year
 field goal to tie a game in a eventual
win against the Chicago Bears.

Kicker Matt Prater also played a major role in Denver's winning streak earlier this year, kicking numerous field goals that either tied the game or gave win them the win.

Even though the statistics will not back it up, Denver's defense developed into one of the game's best and will play a major factor against Pittsburgh. Rookie linebacker Von Miller is the favorite to land the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor and played out of his mind the second half of the season.

Miller finishes his rookie campaign with 64 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 11.5 sacks.

The Broncos will be without veteran safety Brian Dawkins, who is suffering from a neck injury, but will have one of the best cover corner the game has ever seen. Champ Bailey is one of only two remaining members of the Broncos team that lost to Steelers in the AFC Championship game in 2005. Bailey is out for revenge.

PIT X-Factor: Troy Polamalu


DEN X-Factor: Matt Prater


Denver, 17-13