Snowboarder is first American to compete for Russia in Winter Olympics

An American snowboarder will be competing at the Sochi Winter Olympics but not as a teammate of Shaun White et al.

No, Vic Wild, born and raised in White Salmon, Washington, will compete in snowboard parallel slalom and parallel giant slalom for the Russian Olympic Team, which would make him the first American-born athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics for Russia.

The former Team USA snowboard member will be the third American-born athlete to compete for Russia in the Olympics behind basketball players J.R. Holden, a 1990s Bucknell University point guard, and Becky Hammon, a six-time WNBA All-Star, according to NBC OlympicTalk. Both played for Russia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. NBC also mentions that volleyball player Tatyana Sarycheva was born in New York and won Olympic gold for the Soviet Union in 1968 and 1972.

“I don’t even think about me being American anymore,” Wild told NBC. “I’m Russian. I might not speak Russian fluently, and I might not totally understand the culture, but I live there. I’m not some American guy who lives in America and wants to snowboard for Russia because it’s easier. If anything, I went the hard way.”

In 2011, Wild quit Team USA, moved to Russia, became a citizen, and married Russian Alpine snowboarder Alena Zavarzina, who he had been dating and who had just won a world championship in January of that year.

Though he harbors no ill will toward the American team, Wild expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of coaching and help he was experiencing. Maintaining a long-distance relationship while continuing his struggling snowboarding career would have been difficult, so a coach suggested he change countries. And so he did.

“It was a little bit crazy, but I wasn’t that worried about it,” Wild told NBC. “I knew it would give me an opportunity to stay with Alena, which she was really important to me at the time. And also it would give me a chance to reach my goals in snowboarding. I knew that if I gave up, stopped, then I would probably be bitter about it.”

Wild won his first World Cup event on January 12, and before that took bronze at the 2013 World Championships.

Wild and his wife are expected to compete on the same days in Sochi: the parallel giant slalom on February 19, and the parallel slalom, making its Olympic debut, on February 22.

Wild told NBC is expects some backlash but those who look at it will understand.

“It’s not only about snowboarding,” he told NBC. “It’s also about continuing my relationship with Alena.”

If he reaches the podium in Sochi, his relationship with his new country will get a boost, too, since he would become the first Russian man to win an Olympic snowboarding medal.

An American snowboarder will be competing at the Sochi Winter Olympics but not as a teammate of Shaun White et al.

No, Vic Wild, born and raised in White Salmon, Washington, will compete in snowboard parallel slalom and parallel giant slalom for the Russian Olympic Team, which would make him the first American-born athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics for Russia.

The former Team USA snowboard member will be the third American-born athlete to compete for Russia in the Olympics behind basketball players J.R. Holden, a 1990s Bucknell University point guard, and Becky Hammon, a six-time WNBA All-Star, according to NBC OlympicTalk. Both played for Russia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. NBC also mentions that volleyball player Tatyana Sarycheva was born in New York and won Olympic gold for the Soviet Union in 1968 and 1972.

Goodell: Expanding playoffs offers many positives

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the possibility of adding two teams to the playoffs will ''continue to get serious consideration.''

Goodell said Friday at his annual pre-Super Bowl news conference that he sees many positives to the proposal. He believes it will make for more meaningful games later in the season, keeping fans engaged.

The league's competition committee is expected to look into the issue this offseason. Each conference would add one playoff team, bringing the total from 12 to 14.

Company tied to Rams owner Kroenke buys L.A. land

A company tied to St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke has purchased a prime piece of land in the Los Angeles area amid speculation the NFL franchise is considering a return to the city it left for the Midwest nearly two decades ago.

Team officials on Friday provided a written statement confirming the recent purchase of a 60-acre site in Inglewood, Calif., adjacent to the shuttered Hollywood Park racetrack. The Los Angeles Times first reported the purchase.

''As real estate developers, the Kroenke Organizations are involved in numerous real estate deals across the country and North America,'' the statement said. ''While we can confirm media reports that we recently purchased land in Inglewood, as a private company we don't typically discuss our plans for commercial or residential investments. We have yet to decide what we are going to do with the property but we will look at all options, as we do with all of our properties.''

The property is three miles east of Los Angeles International Airport runways and sprawls between the newly renovated Forum concert venue, former home of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Hollywood Park, which closed Dec. 22 after 75 years of horse racing. The latter 260-acre site is slated for development of 3,000 housing units, commercial space and parks.

The land was previously owned by Wal-Mart, which hoped to build a superstore there but could not win local voter approval for the project. Kroenke is a former Wal-Mart board member who is married to the daughter of company co-founder Bud Walton and continues to build shopping centers for the retailer.

Los Angeles has lacked an NFL team since both the Rams and Raiders left in 1994. The Rams can break their 30-year lease in St. Louis after the 2014 season - a decade early - but have said little about their plans.

The Rams' lease requires the Edward Jones Dome to remain among the top quarter of the 32 NFL stadiums, based on various criteria. The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, which manages the dome, last year offered a $124 million improvement plan that included a bigger scoreboard and better club seating, with the Rams paying slightly more half those costs.

The team countered with a far more ambitious proposal that called for a new roof with a sliding panel and a bevy of improvements that would keep the city convention center in the dome closed for three years. City leaders rejected $700 million in publicly funded upgrades sought by the team.

Speaking in New York before Sunday's Super Bowl, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league was informed of the Kroenke purchase and noted that any stadium development plan would require approval from two-thirds of the NFL's 32 owners. He later pointed out that a franchise relocation to Los Angeles would require approval of three-fourths of team owners.

''We're aware of it,'' Goodell said. ''There are no plans, to my knowledge, of a stadium development. Anything that would require a stadium development would require multiple votes of the membership.''

Goodell cautioned against ''overreacting'' to the Kroenke land purchase, saying ''we should make sure we do what's necessary to continue to support the team locally, which the fans have done in St. Louis. And make sure we can do whatever we can to make sure that team is successful in the St. Louis market.''

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he thinks ''it's unfortunate that a generation of fans have grown up without'' a team in Los Angeles.

''We definitely want a team in L.A. ... We need to make sure we have the right owner and the right facility, and until at least 24 owners feel that, we won't have it,'' Kraft said in New York. ''Just personally, I would like to see a team in L.A. as soon as possible.''

Yusef Robb, a spokesman for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, said the purchase of the Inglewood parking lot was ''a commercial property deal that we aren't going to speculate on.''

Over the years, proposals - some complete with elaborate renderings - have been floated for NFL stadiums in the cities of Carson, Irwindale and Industry, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, in a remodeled Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and near Dodger Stadium.

Most recently, Los Angeles city leaders supported a plan by the sports and entertainment company AEG to build a $1.5 billion, 72,000-seat stadium called Farmers Field near downtown's Staples Center and the LA Live and convention center complexes. In an interview earlier this month, Garcetti said he was eager for an NFL team to return to Los Angeles but made clear his priority is improving the city's convention center.

''A football team, unless we add a whole bunch of Super Bowls, really doesn't add a lot to the local economy,'' he said. At this point ''the work really is between owners and within the NFL to see whether there's somebody who wants to bring a team here.''

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has taken over negotiations with the Rams and Kroenke after arbitration between the team, the commission and the stadium authority failed. James Shrewsbury, chairman of the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority, which owns the downtown dome, referred questions about the Los Angeles purchase to the governor.

''It's hard to comment on it since we don't know what his purpose is,'' Shrewsbury said, referring to Kroenke, who could not be reached for comment. ''He hasn't said what he plans to do with it.''

The football St. Louis Cardinals moved to Arizona in 1987, and the city went nearly a decade without a franchise until the Los Angeles Rams arrived in 1995.

Zach Parise of the Minnesota Wild will be the captain of the U.S. men's hockey team at the Sochi Olympics.

Zach Parise of the Minnesota Wild will be the captain of the U.S. men's hockey team at the Sochi Olympics.

Minnesota defenseman Ryan Suter and center Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings will be the alternate captains, U.S. general manager David Poile announced Friday.

The 29-year-old Parise was an alternate captain at the Vancouver Olympics four years ago, scoring the goal that sent the gold-medal game into overtime. He has experience on U.S. national teams going back to 2002, and he welcomed the chance to take a leadership role in his second Olympics.

''It's a special thing to be named captain of any team, but when it's a national team, an Olympic team, it's extra special,'' Parise said. ''We've got a lot of players who are great leaders. I'm going to get a lot of help. I'm going to need a lot of help. It's very humbling.''

U.S. coach Dan Bylsma said Parise's work ethic and no-nonsense playing style are exemplary of the attitude he wants for his team. The Americans aren't considered a gold-medal favorite, but a roster packed with NHL star power is expected to keep them in contention.

''We're a team that's got a blue-collar mentality, and Zach embodies that,'' said Bylsma, also the coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. ''Every time we play against Zach Parise, there has been a work ethic, a never-quit, a determination, an abrasiveness about a hard-to-play-against type of player. And it's every time regardless of the score (or) the situation our respective teams might be in. That is exactly how we want our team to play.''

Parise's alternate captains have extensive leadership experience as well. Brown and Suter were both alternate captains to Jamie Langenbrunner on the U.S. team at the Vancouver Olympics.

Brown is the longtime captain of the Kings and an international veteran, while Suter and Parise are both alternate captains of the Wild. Suter's father, Bob, won a gold medal with the ''Miracle on Ice'' team in 1980.

''There's plenty of guys that wear letters with their own teams, so I don't think our team is going to be lacking in leadership at all,'' Parise said. ''There are plenty of guys that are capable of doing that.''

The American team will hold its first practice in Sochi late on Feb. 10. Most players won't arrive until a few hours earlier, after the NHL begins its schedule break.

Parise acknowledged the unique challenges of the Sochi Olympics, including the players' adjustment to a hefty time change in just a few days before their first game against Slovakia on Feb. 13. He also recognized security concerns around the Olympics, calling it ''unfortunate'' that security ''has dominated a lot of the conversation.''

''You have to put your trust in the Russian police and the security we're sending over there as well,'' Parise said. ''We're going to be in good hands. We can just relax, focus and concentrate on playing hockey.''

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - JANUARY 31ST

1914 - Jersey Joe Walcott, Heavyweight boxing champ (1951-52) is born.

1919 - Jackie Robinson, Ga, first black major league baseball player (Dodgers) is born.

1931 - Ernie Banks, Dallas Texas, "Mr Cub" Chicago Cubs, 

Hall-of-Famer (short stop/1st baseman) is born.

1941 - Joe Louis KOs Red Burman in 5 for Heavyweight boxing title

1947 - Nolan Ryan, pitcher (Mets, Angels, Astros) (7 no-hitters, 5,714 Ks) is born.
1952 - Harry Heilmann & Paul Waner elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
1965 - Pud Galvin elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
1971 - & Dave Bancroft & George Weiss elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
1974 - McDonald's founder Ray Kroc buys San Diego Padres
1975 - UCLA wins NCAA basketball championship
1977 - Joe Sewell, Amos Rusie, & Al Lopez elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

1988 - Super Bowl XXII: Washington Redskins beat Denver Broncos, 42-10

 in San Diego Super Bowl MVP: Doug Williams, Washington, QB
1990 - First ever all-sports daily "National" begins publishing

1993 - Super Bowl XXVII: Dallas Cowboys beat Buffalo Bills, 52-17 

in Pasadena Super Bowl MVP: Troy Aikman, Dallas, QB

Colin Kaepernick blasts Richard Sherman, says he's a 'big Broncos fan' this week

Members of the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks have generally toed the line in their press opportunities this week and you have to figure the New York tabloids are disappointed over the lack of controversy.

But here comes Colin Kaepernick to the rescue. In town to do some Super Bowl promotional work, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback talked with the New York Post and put Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman on blast for his behavior following the NFC championship game.

While Kaepernick has mostly been quiet about Sherman's taunting of both Kaepernick and receiver Michael Crabtree following Kaepernick's game-sealing interception, that is no longer the case. In addition to speaking with the NY Post, he also talked about Sherman with Deadspin and Sports Center, among other outlets.

Kaepernick reportedly wished Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson good luck and told him to "go get that ring" when the two met on the field after the NFC championship game.

But given that Kaepernick seems to have realized that Sherman would also be getting a ring with a Seahawks win, it looks like his tune has changed.

Interestingly, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton also made the media rounds in New York and says there will be "an answer" for Kaepernick's behavior during the 49ers win in the divisional playoff.

The tabloids have to be happy: Sounds like things just got real in New York-New Jersey.

NASCAR creates winner-take-all championship format

Say goodbye to the NASCAR era when a driver, fresh off a satisfying, top-10 finish, climbs from the car and raves about what a good points day it was.

Winning is all that matters under the latest and most radical change to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

NASCAR's overhauled championship format announced Thursday is a 16-driver, winner-take-all elimination system designed to reward ''the most worthy, battle-tested'' driver at the end of the season.

''Riding around and being pleased because the (previous) format rewards consistency, those days are going to be pretty much over,'' NASCAR Chairman Brian France said.

The field, expanded from 12 to 16 drivers, will be whittled down to a final four through eliminations after every three races of the 10-race Chase. The remaining four drivers will go into the season finale with an equal chance to win the championship: The first of the four to cross the finish line will be crowned Sprint Cup champion.

''No math. No bonus points. It's as simple as it gets,'' France said.

It's the fourth change to either the points or championship format since France created the Chase in 2004. For 28 years prior to the Chase, consistency reigned as the champion was the driver with the most points at the end of the season.

That ended a year after Matt Kenseth won the 2003 title with a single victory, and France began his pursuit of creating ''Game 7 moments.'' Along the way, he has pushed his agenda of wanting aggressive drivers chasing wins.

He'll get that under the new format, which makes settling for points pretty much pointless.

Why? Because a win in the 26-race regular season virtually guarantees a berth in the Chase. Then, eliminations begin, and a driver can guarantee a trip to the next round with a victory.

Last August, Brad Keselowski chased Kyle Busch around Watkins Glen and declined to aggressively move his rival out of the way. Keselowski settled for second, racing for a good points day and declining to inflame his touchy relationship with Busch. But in doing so, he failed to win a regular-season race and missed the Chase, making him ineligible to defend his title.

Under the new format, a winless Keselowski would have no choice in that same situation but to bang fenders with Busch and go after the win.

That's exactly what France wants to see on the track each week.

''This is pretty clear: You have to win, you have to compete at a higher level, you have to take more chances,'' France said.

France said he expects contact among cars.

''Obviously there are some limits, but that's always part of NASCAR, to have some version of contact late in the race,'' he said. ''Will this bring more of that? I'm sure it will.''

The changes were lauded by Julie Sobieski, vice president of league sports programming for ESPN, which will broadcast all 10 Chase races this year.

''We have long felt that there was a greater opportunity within the Chase and are in favor of an elimination format, which has been most effective in American sports,'' she said.

Teams and drivers were briefed by NASCAR on the changes, and reaction was mostly positive.

''This took guts, this is a big deal,'' said team owner Joe Gibbs, who saw his three Cup drivers combine for a series-best 12 wins last season.

Busch, who won four races and finished fourth in the standings, wasn't as effusive.

''I don't like to always be the Debbie Downer ... but some of the things they are doing, I'm not in agreement with,'' Busch said, declining to be specific because he spoke before NASCAR unveiled the format.

He noted that Keselowski would have had incentive to wreck Busch at Watkins Glen, and said there are other scenarios NASCAR must now consider. He referred to last season, when, Kenseth opened the Chase with a win at Chicago, where Busch followed his teammate across the finish line for a 1-2 finish for Gibbs.

They again went 1-2 at New Hampshire the next week. But in the new format, that's not necessarily good enough. Busch would instead be looking to win in such a scenario to ensure a trip to the next round.

''I'm chasing him down to try to get to him, and if I got to him, I could have moved his (butt) out of the way to get a win and knock me into the next round of playoffs. Matt didn't need it,'' Busch said. ''Those situations are what NASCAR is looking at. They are not wanting, 'Let's just race to the checkered and not cause any drama and have a good points day.'''

Another twist: In the Kenseth-Busch scenario, it would have been in the best interest of Joe Gibbs Racing for Busch to win and, because the points reset after each round, meaning multiple victories by a driver in the Chase has no benefit - the team would have incentive to orchestrate a Busch victory over Kenseth.

''That would be a NASCAR gray area that they'd have to make a judgment call on,'' Busch said.

NASCAR last year issued severe sanctions against Michael Waltrip Racing for trying to manipulate the finish of the last race of the regular season. The scandal led France to angrily warn teams they must all give 100 percent at all times, and laying down to help a teammate or technical partner would not be tolerated.

NASCAR President Mike Helton said nothing will change in race control and how officials enforce the rules.

''We'll officiate the sport the same way,'' Helton said. ''We get the fact that this puts pressure on us officiating, and we feel like we're capable of stepping up to it.''

France said extensive research done by NASCAR showed the new format appealed to fans because it eliminates points racing.

''The avid fans like it because they don't particularly care for points racing, even though they understand it,'' France said. ''The casual fans don't understand points racing ... often, with all the mathematicals, you've got to have a computer next to you to figure out who is in and who is out at a given moment. (This) clears all that off and then emphasizes winning, which everybody understands.''

NFL: 13 percent fewer concussions in '13 than '12

Jeff Miller, with the NFL, speaks during a news conference on health and
safety at the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII media

The number of concussions in the NFL dropped 13 percent from 2012 to 2013, according to data the league released Thursday and touted as a result of its efforts to better protect players' heads.

Using information collected from team doctors during preseason and regular-season practices and games, the NFL also said there was a 23 percent decrease over the past two seasons in the number of concussions caused by helmet-to-helmet contact.

Speaking at a pre-Super Bowl news conference, Jeff Miller, the NFL's senior VP of health and safety policy, called the data ''positive numbers from our perspective; positive trends.''

''Our perspective is that rules changes, culture change, the enforcement of the rules and the elimination, over time, of dangerous techniques is leading to a decrease in concussions. Now all of that said, we're talking about a small sample size of only a couple of years,'' Miller said.

''This is an ongoing and important culture-change event, and so we're going to continue to analyze it and I think that there's room for continued growth,'' he added. ''So we're pleased with the data, unquestionably, as it relates to concussion, but there's still more to do.''

Some players have expressed concern that the NFL's emphasis on decreasing hits to the head could lead to more low hits and more knee injuries. But Miller said the injury statistics for the past three years - the only seasons for which he provided data Thursday - show there has not been an overall increase in damaged knee ligaments.

Another finding about all injuries that cause a player to miss a game or practice, according to Miller: ''Thursday night games don't pose a more significant risk of injury to the players, at least as relates to the objective data that we've collected'' about that day of the week, as compared to games on Sundays or Mondays.

Concussions rose nearly 4 percent from 2011 to 2012 - 252 to 261 - before lowering to 228 this past season.

The NFL Players Association receives the same data.

''Yes, there has been a decrease. Frankly, I would like to see what those numbers look like over a three-year, four-year period, rather than a one-year period,'' said DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFLPA.

''We'll crawl through the numbers in the offseason and we'll take a look.''

Ever since Commissioner Roger Goodell was taken to task by Congress at a 2009 House hearing about brain trauma in professional football - and, more recently, as thousands of former players sued the NFL about concussions - the league has been updating its policies on head injuries almost constantly. Changes this season included a rule banning hits with the crown of the helmet, and putting independent neurological experts on sidelines during games.

Mitch Berger, a neurosurgeon who served as a sideline expert for San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders games this season, said concussion assessment has ''been pretty consistent'' the past three years.

''With the same level of awareness and assessment, it's of course encouraging to us that the number is going down,'' said Berger, a member of the NFL's head, neck and spine committee.

Asked about the issue of players attempting to hide concussions so they can stay in a game, Miller said that ''likely'' is harder to do now. He also called concussion detection and treatment a ''shared responsibility.''

''I've told players, 'Listen, I'm trying to do this for your benefit. Please be honest with me. I'm doing this for your health.' While I'm doing that, I'm also taking his helmet away so he can't run back on the field,'' St. Louis Rams team doctor Matthew Matava said with a laugh. ''So it does work both ways.''

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - JANUARY 30TH

1936 - New owners of Boston Braves ask newspapermen to pick a new nickname

1943 - Davy Johnson, baseball manager (NY Mets) is born.

1955 - Curtis Strange, Norfolk VA, PGA golfer (1989 US Open) is born.

1957 - William Payne Stewart, Springfield MO, PGA golfer (1983 Walt Disney) is born.

1971 - UCLA starts 88 basketball game win streak

1978 - Addie Joss & Larry MacPhail elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

1983 - Super Bowl XVII: Wash Red Skins beat Miami Dolphins, 27-17 

in Pasadena Super Bowl MVP: John Riggins, Washington, RB

1994 - Super Bowl XXVIII: Dallas Cowboys beat Buffalo Bills, 30-13 

in Atlanta Super Bowl MVP: Emmitt Smith, Dallas, RB
2000 - Super Bowl XXXIV: St. Louis Rams beat Tennessee Titans, 23-16 

at the Georgia Dome Atlanta MVP: Kurt Warner, St. Louis, QB

2009 - Ingemar Johansson, Swedish Heavyweight professional 

boxing champion of the world (b. 1932) dies.

6-time All-Star Berkman retiring from baseball

The 37-year-old Berkman was Houston’s first-round draft pick in 1997 out of Rice, and played 12 seasons for the Astros. He played 1,879 career games, all but 287 for Houston, finishing a .293 career hitter with 366 home runs and 1,234 RBIs.

“Lance was one of the greatest players in Astros history,” his original team said in a release Wednesday night.

The Astros said they hope to honor Berkman during the upcoming season and “give the fans the chance to recognize his outstanding career.”

He finished the 2010 season with the New York Yankees before two years in St. Louis, where he was part of the 2011 World Series champions.

“Just physically I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t feel like I can compete at a level that I’m used to competing at,” Berkman told KRIV-TV of Houston. “I could probably still drag my carcass out there, but I’m not interested in doing that. ... I don’t want to hang on just to hang on.”

Berkman said he was excited about retiring.

The Rangers declined their $12 million contract option for 2014 last October, which got Berkman a $1 million buyout. He hit .242 with six homers and 34 RBIs for the Rangers.

He went on the disabled list July 7 with a left inflammation and a sore right knee, and played only five games after coming back the final month of the season.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - JANUARY 29TH

1918 - William Rigney, baseball manager (SF Giants) is born.

1936 - First players elected to Baseball Hall of Fame-Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, 

Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson & Walter Johnson.
1948 - Commissioner Happy Chandler fines the Yankees, Cubs, 

& Phillies $500 each for signing high school players.
1951 - Baseball signs 6 year All-Star pact for TV-radio rights for $6 million.

1964 - Most lopsided high-school basketball score 211-29 (Louisiana).
1964 - NBC purchases AFL 5 year (1965-69) TV rights for $36 million.
1967 - Branch Rickey & Lloyd Waner elected to Baseball Hall of Fame.

1981 - AL approves sale of White Sox to Jerry Reinsdorf & Eddie Einhorn 

for $20 million, & 80% of Mariners to George Argyros for $104 million.
1982 - Old Dominion ends La Tech's women's basketball rec 54-game win streak.
1982 - Wayne Garland, baseball first millionaire free agent, waived by Indians.

1985 - Jari Kurri of Edmonton Oilers scores 100th pt of season in game 39.

1989 - Game-winning RBI, official statistic dropped after 9 years of use 

NY Mets Keith Hernandez is the all-time leader with 129.

1995 - Super Bowl XXIX: SF 49ers beat San Diego Chargers, 

49-26 in Miami, MVP: Steve Young, San Francisco, QB.

2002 - Dick "Night Train" Lane, American football player (b. 1928) dies.
2007 - Barbaro, American thoroughbred racehorse (b. 2003) dies.

Nolan Ryan meets with Houston Astros, says he’ll decide soon whether to accept a job

Nolan Ryan previously accepted a job from the Astros in 2004. (Getty Images)

When Reid Ryan, the son of legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan, became the president of business operations for the Houston Astros, there was immediately speculation that Dad would eventually join him. When Nolan Ryan "retired" as the CEO of the Texas Rangers in October, that speculation became, "just wait, it's going to happen."

Go ahead and get those "I told you so" speeches ready, because it sounds like the ex-Astros hurler is one handshake and signature away from re-joining the franchise he spent nine seasons with as a player.

The elder Ryan met with the Astros' top decision-makers Tuesday, going over what a job within the organization might look like. In the meeting, according to Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle, were owner Jim Crane, general manager Jeff Luhnow and Reid Ryan. Here's some of what Ryan said afterward:

“I think it would be exciting to work with (Reid) in the Astros organization,” Nolan Ryan said. “The Astros have always had a special place in our hearts. Reid grew up around the Astros organization" ...

“I thought it went fine,” Nolan Ryan said. “I visited with (Crane) and Jeff on what the role would be. I told them I’d give it a thought and I’d get back to them in the near future.”

When asked if he had a timeframe for getting back to Crane, Nolan Ryan said he would probably decide before spring training. The Astros’ pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 15.

Ryan worked for the Astros as a special assistant after his playing career ended. He eventually left the team and became the Texas Rangers' president in 2008. He'd been with the Rangers until last season, helping rebuild a team that played in two World Series.

Houston is going through one heck of a rebuild right now too. Its top front-office jobs are locked in, so Ryan's job would be another in the vague "special assistant" category. Beyond his actual job duties, hiring Ryan would greatly benefit the Astros as a PR move. He's a name that the community (and ticket buyers) could get behind.

The Astros have lost more than 100 games in each of the past three seasons and aren't going to contend this season either. Bringing back Nolan Ryan wouldn't help on the field, but he would immediately be the most popular Houston Astro, a name everybody would know on a team without a lot of "names."

Seahawks star Lynch walks out of media day

Marshawn Lynch was there. He even talked a bit.

Then he was gone, cutting short his Super Bowl media day appearance after 6 1-2 minutes.

And then he was back, albeit to the side of the ''mixed zone'' the NFL created for players not on podiums or in microphone-equipped speaking areas at the Prudential Center.

But this time he wasn't speaking, except briefly to Deion Sanders for NFL Network, to the Seahawks website, and to Armed Forces Network.

Seattle's star running back, wearing a cap, hood and dark sunglasses, even acknowledged he was trying to avoid being fined by the league for not meeting his media requirements Tuesday. That's why he returned to the floor of the arena rather than disappear completely after he cut short his Q and A with perhaps 100 media members packed together trying to hear his pearls of wisdom.

When he came back, one reporter asked Lynch, ''Are you trying to avoid being fined by standing here?'' Lynch twice nodded his head yes.

Earlier this month, Lynch was fined $50,000 for not cooperating with the Seattle media. The NFL put the fine on hold, saying it would be rescinded if he complied with media obligations.

''Players are required to participate and he participated. We will continue to monitor the situation,'' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday.

Lynch has required media sessions Wednesday and Thursday. The Seahawks play the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Along with letting slip a profanity to Sanders, he three times described himself as ''smooth'' to the Hall of Fame cornerback, adding: ''I ain't never seen no talk that won me nothing.''

Earlier, Lynch answered 16 questions at the outset of the Seahawks' one-hour availability, with topics ranging from the Denver defense to teammate Michael Robinson to, well, why he avoids interviews.

''I like to keep it low key,'' said Lynch, who the Seahawks opted to not place in one of the 17 areas with microphones and name plates identifying the players.

''I'm just about action. You say 'hut' and there's action. All the unnecessary talk, it don't do nothing for me. I appreciate that people want to hear from me, but I just go to work and do my thing. You feel me?''

Whether Lynch will feel like showing up the next two days, when the Seahawks will be available in a hotel ballroom - no barriers between them and the media - is uncertain.

Lynch also talked to teammates while standing around. Several youngsters in the stands above him asked to have footballs signed and he obliged once they tossed him the souvenirs. He also signed a Seahawks helmet, but he didn't converse with the fans.

While he did that, about five dozen media members stood in front of Lynch and shouted out a few questions. He ignored almost all of them as time ran out in Seattle's availability.

Lynch watched as the scoreboard clock counted down to zero and, when it was announced the Seattle portion of media availability was over, he left for good.

''He's such a major factor on our football team,'' coach Pete Carroll said, ''but in this setting he becomes somewhat of a recluse and doesn't want to be a part of it. We try and respect that as much as we can.''

Robinson was asked if he advised his backfield mate on how to handle media day.

''He's a grown man,'' Robinson said. ''I don't tell him much. I think he knows what he's doing. He's got a good plan in place, and as long as he runs inside-outside zone on Sunday, I'm happy with that.''

Lynch never has explained his beef with the media. He regularly spoke to reporters until late in the 2012 season. In March of that year, he signed a four-year contract worth $31 million, including a guaranteed $18 million. In July 2012, he was arrested for driving under the influence near his hometown of Oakland, Calif.

College athletes take step toward forming union

Jan. 28, 2014: Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter second from right, 

speaks while College Athletes Players Association president Ramogi 

Huma left, United Steel Workers National Political Director Tim Waters 

second from left, and United Steel Workers president Leo Gerard right, 

look on during a news conference in Chicago. (AP) 

Calling the NCAA a dictatorship, Northwestern's quarterback and the United Steelworkers announced plans Tuesday to form the first labor union for college athletes -- the latest salvo in the bruising fight over whether amateur players should be paid.

Quarterback Kain Colter detailed the College Athletes Players Association at a news conference in Chicago, flanked by leaders of Steelworkers union that has agreed to pay legal bills for the effort. The NCAA and the Big Ten Conference both criticized the move and insisted that college athletes cannot be considered employees.

Colter said the NCAA dictates terms to its hundreds of member schools and tens of thousands of college athletes, leaving players with little or no say about financial compensation questions or how to improve their own safety. That college football generates hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue only bolstered the argument for a union, he said.

"How can they call this amateur athletics when our jerseys are sold in stores and the money we generate turns coaches and commissioners into multimillionaires?" Colter asked.

"The current model represents a dictatorship," added Colter, who just finished his senior year with the Wildcats. "We just want a seat at the table."

Colter said "nearly 100 percent" of his teammates backed the drive to unionize. But only he spoke publicly, saying the others wanted to keep a low profile.

CAPA's president, former UCLA football player Ramogi Huma, said a union would help ensure that scholarships, at minimum, cover all living expenses as well as tuition. Currently, he said, scholarship athletes come up thousands of dollars short each year. A union would also push for full medical coverage that could carry over past college.

While the effort to form a union among college athletes appears without precedent, there is a recent case that may help their cause. More than 600 graduate teaching and research assistants at New York University voted to form a union in December and to affiliate with the United Auto Workers. It was the first such union in the country to win recognition by a private university.

For now, the push is to unionize college athletes is focused only on private schools like Northwestern -- though large public universities, which are subject to different sets of regulations, could follow, said Huma, who is also the head of the National College Players Association he founded in 2001 to lobby for the interests of college athletes.

"This will be the first domino," Huma said.

If the players succeed, a union could fundamentally change college sports, said Brian Rauch, a New York-based labor attorney. He said it could raise the prospect of strike by disgruntled players or lockouts by schools.

The NCAA has been under increasing scrutiny over its amateurism rules and is currently in court, fighting a class-action federal lawsuit filed by former players seeking a cut of the billions of dollars earned from live broadcasts and memorabilia sales, along with video games, and multiple lawsuits filed by players who say the organization failed to adequately protect them from debilitating head injuries.

NCAA President Mark Emmert and others have pushed for a $2,000-per-player stipend to help athletes defray some of their expenses, but critics say that isn't nearly enough and insults players who help bring in millions of dollars to their schools and conferences.

Last season, Colter and football players from Georgia and Georgia Tech had the letters APU -- All Players United -- written on their gear during games as a show of solidarity in an effort organized by the NCPA. At the time, the NCAA said it welcomed an "open and civil debate regarding all aspects of college athletics."

The NCAA issued a statement Tuesday making clear where it stands on the athletes' quest to form a union.

"Student-athletes are not employees," NCAA chief legal officer Donald Remy said. "We are confident the National Labor Relations Board will find in our favor, as there is no right to organize student-athletes."

He added: "This union-backed attempt to turn student-athletes into employees undermines the purpose of college: an education."

A statement from the Big Ten Conference echoed that, saying it "does not believe that full-time students participating in intercollegiate athletics are employees."

"That said, the Big Ten Conference has the utmost respect for both the legal system and the rights of students to pursue their beliefs through that system," the league said.

NLRB spokesman Gregory King confirmed that a petition by the players to form a union was filed at the board on Tuesday. King said the board would likely conduct a hearing within the next 10 days.

The key issue the board must resolve is whether the football players are employees as defined by federal labor law, said United Steelworkers official Tim Waters. If they're deemed employees, he said, they would have the legal right to organize.

"It's crystal clear that college football players are employees," he said, arguing most put in a 40-hour work week and create revenue, though not for themselves. He and the Steelworkers president, Leo W. Gerard, said the relationship between colleges and athletes amounted to "pay for play."

William B. Gould IV, a Stanford Law School professor emeritus and former NLRB chairman, predicted the board will rule for the players.

"The major obstacle is the Brown University decision of a decade ago," he said, referring to a 2004 decision under a George W. Bush-era board that removed the right of graduate students at private universities to unionize.

The NLRB said in 2012 that it will reconsider Brown, and Gould thinks it will be reversed.

"I think these guys are employees because their compensation is unrelated to education, unlike the teaching assistants in Brown University, and they are supervised not by faculty, but by coaches," Gould said. "Their program for which they receive compensation does not have a fundamentally component. So given the direction and control that supervisory authorities have over them, I think they are easily employees within the meaning of the act."

Rauch, the labor attorney, said he thought union-minded athletes will have a tough time demonstrating they are employees, and he thought their chances of prevailing were slim.

"They have high hurdles to jump," he said.

MLB OKs protective cap for pitchers, fit for camp

Big league pitchers might feel safer on the mound this season.

Major League Baseball has approved a protective cap for pitchers, hoping to reduce the damage from line drives to head that have brought some terrifying and bloody scenes in the last few years.

The heavier and bigger new hat was introduced Tuesday and will be available for testing during spring training on a voluntary basis. Major leaguers and minor leaguers won't be required to wear it - comfort is likely to be a primary concern.

''Obviously, it'd be a change,'' two-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers told the MLB Network. ''I'm definitely not opposed to it.''

''I think it'd take a lot of getting used to,'' he said. ''You don't look very cool, I'll be honest.''

The safety plates made by isoBLOX are sewn into the hat and custom fitted. They weigh an extra six to seven ounces - a baseball weighs about five ounces, by comparison - and offer protection to the forehead, temples and sides of the head. They'll make the hats about a half-inch thicker in the front and around an inch wider on the sides.

Several pitchers have been hit in the head by line drives in the recent seasons. Brandon McCarthy sustained a brain contusion and skull fracture after being struck in 2012 and Doug Fister was hit during the World Series that October.

Toronto's J.A. Happ and Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb were sidelined after being hit last year.

McCarthy tweeted that he had already tried out the fortified cap and that it was ''headed in right direction but not game ready.''

Said Arizona reliever Brad Ziegler: ''I think they're on the right track, but the hat they approved isn't remotely close to comfortable enough to wear in games.''

In an email to The Associated Press, he said, ''If you're not 100 percent focused on executing your pitches, you have almost no chance of success. And that hat is uncomfortable enough that it would be a big distraction to wear it.''

''We talked to a lot of guys who had been through this, and they provided a wealth of information to help us,'' said Bruce Foster, CEO of the 4Licensing Corporation, parent company of isoBLOX. ''We went through a myriad of different designs to develop this.''

Foster said the cap went through extensive testing and provided protection from line drives up to 90 mph in the front of the head and 85 mph on the side.

Line drives in the majors have been clocked at even faster rates.

While the hat is ''slightly bigger'' than a regular baseball cap, Foster said: ''It's not going to be a Gazoo hat.''

Several years ago, MLB introduced larger batting helmets that offered increased safety. But big leaguers mostly rejected them, saying they looked funny and made them resemble the Great Gazoo, a character on the ''The Flintstones'' cartoon series.

In recent seasons, pitchers have said they would try padded caps, provided they weren't too cumbersome.

''You see guys get hit with line drives. I know in the last couple of years there have been several of them. So it happens. You want to be wary of it,'' All-Star closer Glen Perkins of the Minnesota Twins said. ''Player safety is important. I think finding a solution is good.''

Panthers give Rivera 3-year extension

Ron Rivera is staying in Carolina after leading the Panthers to their first playoff appearance since 2008.

The Panthers rewarded ''Riverboat Ron'' on Tuesday with a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2017 season after Carolina finished 12-4 this season and won the NFC South championship.

Carolina lost at home in the divisional playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers.

Rivera started the season on the hot seat after a 1-3 start, but the Panthers rebounded to win 11 of their final 12 regular season games to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Rivera had one year left on the four-year, $11.2 million contract he signed in 2011 when first hired as head coach.

Financial details of the new deal were not immediately available.

''The improvement of our team has been reflected in the progress of the record over the last three seasons under Ron and we look forward to building upon that foundation,'' Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said in a release.

Rivera is 25-23 in three seasons as the Panthers head coach.

The decision to extend Rivera isn't surprising.

Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said two days after the season ended he had ''ultimate faith'' in Rivera as the team's coach.

He made good on that statement this week, giving Rivera three additional seasons at the helm.

''The team has shown improvement under Ron each year and he is deserving of the recognition that he has received for the 2013 season,'' Gettleman said in the release. ''We are pleased and excited with the continuity this extension brings.''

The 52-year-old Rivera went 6-10 and 7-9 in his first two seasons in Carolina, starting those seasons 1-5 and 1-6 respectively.

After Carolina stumbled out of the blocks this year with another poor start there was talk about Rivera's future with the team.

But following a road win at Minnesota in Week 5, the Panthers got hot behind quarterback Cam Newton and a stifling defense led by middle linebacker Luke Kuechly.

Rivera did his part, too.

He took on a gambler's mentality after the slow start often going for it - and succeeding - on fourth downs, earning him the nickname ''Riverboat Ron.''

''I have been very clear about how much I have enjoyed living in Charlotte and working for this organization,'' Rivera said in the release. ''I very much appreciate the support and confidence Mr. Richardson and Dave Gettleman have shown in me and our staff.''

Rivera quickly deflected praise from this past season, saying ''Any success we have enjoyed is the result of a team effort by players, coaches, scouts and the entire organization, and our ultimate goal remains winning the Super Bowl.''

The next challenge for Rivera will be sustaining that success.

Since joining the NFL in 1995, the Panthers have never been to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

The extension comes two days after Rivera led his team to a victory in the Pro Bowl.

Martin: Dolphins' language made him feel trapped

Tackle Jonathan Martin says the persistence of vulgar language around the Miami Dolphins made him feel trapped, so he left the team before lodging allegations at the root of a bullying scandal.

Owner Stephen Ross said he's proud of the way the franchise responded to the case.

Martin's comments, which aired Tuesday on "NBC Nightly News," came in his first interview since the scandal broke. He left the Dolphins in October and alleged he was harassed daily by teammates, including guard Richie Incognito, who was suspended for the final eight games.

"I'm a grown man," said Martin, 24. "I've been in locker rooms. There's vulgar language used in locker rooms. One instance doesn't bother me. It's the persistence of it. I wish I would have had more tools to solve my situation. I felt trapped, like I didn't have a way to make it right. It came down to a point where I thought it was best to remove myself from the situation."

New York attorney Ted Wells began a league investigation in November, and his report will be released after the Super Bowl.

Ross, speaking at a news conference to introduce the Dolphins' new general manager, said he spoke with the NFL and Wells to get a sense of what will be included in the report.

"I have an idea what will be in it," Ross said Tuesday. "I haven't seen the report. I don't know exactly what his conclusion is. When it comes out, we'll do what has to be done. In my mind, I know what direction we're going. ... The respect that we gained by how we handled the situation that took place here says a lot about this organization and the people that are running it."

Following an 8-8 season tainted by the scandal, Ross decided to keep coach Joe Philbin and part with general manager Jeff Ireland. Dennis Hickey was introduced as Ireland's replacement Tuesday, and Ross talked briefly about the case that rocked the franchise at midseason.

Incognito becomes a free agent this winter. When asked if he or the 6-foot-5, 312-pound Martin will play for the Dolphins again, Ross equivocated.

"I don't believe so -- well, I can't say that," Ross said, adding with a chuckle, "Therefore I retract that."

Wells' report is expected to address the roles of Philbin, his staff and Miami management in the case. One issue is whether anyone on the coaching staff ordered Incognito to toughen up Martin.

The case inspired a national debate about workplace bullying.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - JANUARY 28TH

1904 - First college sports letters given to Seniors who played on 

U of Chicago's football team are awarded blankets with letter "C" on them.

1949 - NY Giants sign their first black players, Monte Irvin & Ford Smith.
1958 - Dodger catcher Roy Campanella is paralyzed in an automobile wreck.
1959 - Soviet Union wins 62-37 for first international basketball loss by US.
1960 - NFL announces Dallas Cowboys (1960) & Minnesota Vikings (1961) franchises.

1968 - Goose Goslin & Kiki Cuyler elected to baseball Hall of Fame.

1969 - Barbara Jo Rubin becomes first woman jockey to win in North America.

1984 - LA Kings stop Wayne Gretzky 51 game scoring streak.

1990 - Super Bowl XXIV: SF 49ers beat Denver Broncos, 55-10 in 

New Orleans Super Bowl MVP: Joe Montana, San Francisco, QB.

1996 - Super Bowl XXX: Dallas Cowboys beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17 in Tempe.
2001 - Super Bowl XXXV: Baltimore Ravens beat New York Giants, 34-7 

at the Raymond James Stadium MVP: Ray Lewis, Baltimore, LB.

Ravens hire Kubiak to be offensive coordinator

Gary Kubiak was bored and in need of a job, if for no other reason to give his wife some breathing room at home.

At the same time, the Baltimore Ravens were in the market for someone who could add some spice and efficiency to the NFL's 29th-ranked offense.      

Both sides got what they wanted Monday when Kubiak was hired to be the Ravens' offensive coordinator. Kubiak replaces Jim Caldwell, who was hired on Jan. 14 to coach the Detroit Lions.

The 52-year-old Kubiak was Houston's coach from 2006 through last month, when he was fired after the Texans got off to a 2-11 start.

Baltimore also announced the hiring of Rick Dennison, the Texans former offensive coordinator, as their quarterbacks coach.

An extensive search for Caldwell's replacement began with 30 candidates, coach John Harbaugh said. The search ended with the Ravens landing Kubiak, who served as Denver's offensive coordinator for three seasons before being hired to guide the Texans in 2006.

''It became apparent this had a chance to be a fit for both coaches and the Ravens,'' Harbaugh said.

Kubiak might want to have a team to call his own in the future, but at this point in his NFL career he's quite content being in charge of reshaping a unit that sputtered for much of the 2013 season.

''Right now I want to be the best offensive coordinator I can be,'' Kubiak said. ''I told John this when he first called me: I said, 'John, you know what? I want a chance to enjoy coaching, teaching, and I want a chance to win. And I know you would offer me all those opportunities if this thing would work out. So, really for me it's about getting back. It's a tough thing to go through. But right now, this has been the best day I've had in two months. I'm so excited to get back in this league and get back to work.''

Rhonda Kubiak was likely just as delighted.

''My wife is tired of me being around the house,'' said Gary Kubiak, who went 61-64 as Houston's head coach.

During his stay in Houston, the Texans always played Baltimore tough, and that made an impression on Harbaugh.

"You always kind of in your mind keep a list of the guys that gave you the most trouble as coaches,'' Harbaugh said. ''And this (Houston) staff, what they did offensively, what they've done over the years has always been just kind of a pain in our rear. Probably right out of the gates, that's the first thing I thought about. It looks like all the ways that we want to look.''

Kubiak and Dennison will try to bolster a running attack that produced only seven touchdowns and averaged a franchise-worst 3.1 yards per carry in 2013. In addition, Joe Flacco threw a career-high 22 interceptions as the defending Super Bowl champions sagged to 8-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time in Harbaugh's six seasons as Baltimore's coach.

The addition of Kubiak and Dennison in key positions on the offensive staff might suggest the playbook will be look much like Houston's. Harbaugh doesn't care - if the results are positive.

''It's not going to be the Texans' offense or the Broncos' offense or anybody's offense. It's going to be the Ravens,'' Harbaugh said. ''It's going to be what we build with our players and our coaches. It's going to look like Baltimore wants it to look. It's going to be rugged, it's going to be rough, it's going to be tough, physical, downhill, precise football - passing game and running game.''Former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and Ravens receivers coach Jim Hostler were interviewed twice for the job, along with Pittsburgh Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson.

Wilson was eliminated from contention on Saturday.

When Kubiak had dinner at Harbaugh's house on Sunday night, it became obvious that Kubiak was going back to work and Harbaugh had found the man to fix the erratic Baltimore offense.

''It emerged here at the end,'' Harbaugh said. ''I think we did a great job with a thorough process. That was something that was important to us, to make sure we turned over every stone. We looked at college coaches. We looked at a lot of guys.''

In the end, Kubiak got the nod after being unemployed for just under two months.

''I wanted to keep working, I wanted to keep going,'' Kubiak said. ''I was kind of looking for something that hit me and said, 'OK, this is it.' And that's what happened.''

US to bring record 230 athletes to Sochi Olympics

The United States will bring 230 athletes to the Sochi Olympics, the largest delegation ever for any country at the Winter Games.

The previous record was 216 by the U.S. in 2010 in Vancouver.

Todd Lodwick in Nordic combined will become the first American to compete in six Winter Olympics. Lodwick's teammate Billy Demong and skier Bode Miller are headed to their fifth. Only three U.S. Winter Olympians other than Lodwick had previously accomplished that feat.

The U.S. Olympic Committee said Monday that of the 106 returning Olympians, 49 have won medals - 13 of them gold.

Miller has won five medals and needs three more to tie short-track speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno as the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian. Snowboarder Shaun White and speedskater Shani Davis could become the first American men to win gold in the same event in three straight Winter Games.

Two women's bobsled push athletes, hurdler Lolo Jones and sprinter Lauryn Williams, become the ninth and 10th Americans to compete at both the Winter and Summer Olympics.

The oldest member of the team is 46-year-old curler Ann Swishelm while the youngest is 15-year-old freestyle skier Maggie Voisin.

NHL might reevaluate sending players to Sochi

The NHL will reevaluate sending its players to the Sochi Olympics next month if something ''significant'' happens before Feb. 9.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly says in an email to The Associated Press that he doesn't expect it will be become necessary to keep NHL players home because of the steps taken by the Sochi Organizing Committee, the Russian government and the International Olympic Committee. But he says the league will re-assess if it appears to be ''an unreasonably dangerous situation'' in Russia.

Russian security has been looking for three potential female suicide bombers, one of whom is believed to be in Sochi. The country has assembled what is believed to be the biggest security operation ever for an Olympics with more than 50,000 police and soldiers.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - JANUARY 27TH

1894 - First college basketball game, U of Chicago beats Chicago YMCA 19-11.

1901 - Art Rooney, NFL team owner (Pittsburgh Steelers) is born.

1927 - Joe Perry, AAFC/NFL Hall of Fame fullback (SF 49ers, Balt Colts) is born.

1959 - Chris Collinsworth, NFL wide receiver/TV sportscaster is born.

1966 - Wisconsin State Circuit Court Judge Elmer W Roller rules either the 

Braves stay in Milwaukee or NL must promise Wisc an expansion team for 1966.
1967 - New Orleans Saints sign their first player (Paige Cothren-kicker).
1973 - UCLA's basketball team wins 61st consecutive game (NCAA record).

1982 - Philadelphia Prillies trades Larry Bowa & future Hall of Famer 

Ryne Sandberg to Cubs for Ivan DeJesus.

1984 - LA Kings end Wayne Gretzky's NHL-record 51-game scoring streak.

1991 - Super Bowl XXV: NY Giants beat Buffalo Bills, 20-19 in 

Tampa Super Bowl MVP: Ottis Anderson, NY Giants, RB.

1993 - Andre "the Giant" Roussimoff, WWF wrestler, dies of heart attack at 49.