Barry Bonds could be the Marlins' next hitting coach

The always-unpredictable Miami Marlins could be cooking up a move that would make their 2016 season a lot more interesting. The team is reportedly considering the ever-controversial Barry Bonds for a hitting-coach position.

Bonds, of course, is baseball's all-time home-run leader and one of the best technical hitters the game has ever seen. He also has a big ol' PED asterisk next to his name.

Anything having to do with Bonds — from his Hall of Fame candidacy to his Instagram account — is sure to get baseball fans of a certain mindset riled up. Jon Heyman from CBS Sports has the scoop on the Marlins' interest in Bonds:

Team higherups have quietly been discussing this possibility for weeks.

Bonds, known as a brilliant tactician, has worked as a special spring instructor for the Giants on occasion. It isn't known whether he's willing to move across the country for such a hitting coach job, but he has been working on brandishing his image and has a keen love of coaching.

Frank Menechino is the Marlins' current hitting coach and has been since the end of the 2013 season. If the Marlins added Bonds, Heyman writes, it would be as a second hitting coach, not to replace Menechino on new manager Don Mattingly's staff.

Even by Marlins standards — and remember they're a team that made their GM their manager last season — hiring Bonds seems to raise some red flags. First off, the Marlins are prone to dysfunction and adding Bonds to could be a recipe for outrage, disaster or maybe both.

The Marlins have the game's top slugger in Giancarlo Stanton and the idea of him learning from Bonds is certainly appealing. But what about the other side of that coin? If Stanton stays healthy and hits 60 homers next season — something that's not impossible with or without Bonds' help — some fans will automatically be skeptical since Bonds is around.

This isn't to say Bonds couldn't be a valuable coach. He seems to have helped the players he's worked with in limited coaching roles thus far. But you have to admit he brings a certain baggage with him, anywhere he goes. And Miami, for all the things already strange about the Marlins, might not be the best place for that baggage to take up permanent residency.

Red Sox boost outfield depth with addition of Chris Young

In a move that boosts both their depth and flexibility, the Red Sox Monday agreed to terms on a multi-year deal for outfielder Chris Young.

A Red Sox source said the deal could not yet be confirmed, with Young scheduled to take a physical later this week. An industry source, however, confirmed the agreement.

The news was first reported by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

The team's interest in Young, 32, first surfaced as the GM Meetings in Florida earlier this month when the Red Sox met with the outfielder's representatives. Young is a 10-year major league veteran, having spent time with Arizona, Oakland and both the New York Mets and New York Yankees.

Last season with the Yankees, Young posted a slash line of .252/.320/.453 with 14 homers and 42 RBI. Against lefties, Young hit .327 with a .397 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .575. Those figures, however, were something of an outlier in his career, since his lifetime numbers are more modest against lefties: .263/.362/.474.

Still, Young will give the Red Sox necessary insurance behind both left fielder Rusney Castillo and center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. Castillo has been injury-prone in his brief major-league career while posting a career on-base rate of just .302.

Bradley, meanwhile, has not shown consistency at the plate. He had a torrid stretch in late July and August, during which he hit .446, but has otherwise struggled offensively with a career batting average of .213 in the major leagues.

Young is a capable outfielder who can play both corner spots and, for stretches, suffice in center. He's also a dead pull hitter, which should enable to take full avantage of Fenway Park's dimensions.

It's likely that he will be a fourth outfielder. He could share playing time with Castillo or platoon with JBJ, with Betts moving back to center.

It's also possible that signing Young could open the door to dealing either Castillo or Bradley to address some pitching needs. That scenario, however, is less likely, given that Young may not be considered an everyday player at this point in his career.

Also, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said earlier this month that the team was likely done with major trades and would attempt to fill its starting pitching needs through free agency.

Eagles' Chip Kelly reportedly met with Southern California about coaching opening, which Kelly denies

On Monday, the University of Southern California announced that it had removed the interim tag from coach Clay Helton’s title, naming him permanent coach, or at least as permanent as things can be in big-time NCAA football.

But before elevating Helton, officials from USC’s athletic department reportedly talked with Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly about the opening, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport saying USC “touched base” with Kelly and FootballScoop.com going a step further, reporting that USC had met with Kelly in Philadelphia, and it believed the meeting happened on Friday.

Kelly met with reporters around midday Monday, his first time in front of media since the Eagles’ Thanksgiving Day takedown at the hands of the Lions. Now in his third year in Philadelphia, Kelly denied having spoken to anyone affiliated with the Trojans’ program:

	Jeff McLane @Jeff_McLane
Chip Kelly: I've had no contact with USC or any college. I wasn't in Philly on Friday, so report that I met with SC isn't true. 10:01 AM - 30 Nov 2015

Kelly reaffirmed that he is “totally committed” to the Eagles, and added that he was in his native New Hampshire on Friday.

But Kelly, like many other coaches, has been known to give his version of the truth in the past and could have been talking in technicalities. He could have met with USC officials in New Hampshire, not Pennsylvania, or perhaps he met with them on Saturday at his home in a town near Philadelphia, which isn’t in Philly proper.

Or perhaps it wasn’t Kelly, but Kelly’s agent or another confidante who spoke to the school. And it is entirely possible he is telling the truth in this case.

But after posting a 46-7 record in his four years as Oregon head coach before leaving for the Eagles in 2013, Kelly has become a next-gen version of Jon Gruden. For years, every time the NFL has had a vacancy, Gruden’s name has almost always been tied to it, but the current ESPN Monday Night Football analyst hasn’t gone anywhere (though he has likely gotten a couple of pay raises out of the chatter). The same will happen with Kelly, particularly with the Eagles looking worse and worse despite using players Kelly hand-picked after winning a battle for personnel power earlier this year.

But with USC off the board and Louisiana State deciding to hold onto Les Miles after a week of reports on the school and coach’s divorce being imminent, there may not be many jobs Kelly would find appealing. The Miami (Fla.) job is still open, as are Missouri and South Carolina.

Another option: Kelly could leave Philadelphia but remain in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans fired their head coach earlier this month, and drafted quarterback Marcus Mariota second overall earlier this year. Mariota’s first college coach? Chip Kelly.

Scapegoat? Patriots cut Chris Harper after costly muffed punt

A muffed punt that turned the tide of the Patriots’ loss on Sunday night has cost Chris Harper his job.

Tom Curran of CSNNE.com reports that Harper was cut today.

The Patriots appeared to be in total control of the game early in the fourth quarter on Sunday night: They had a 21-7 lead and had just forced the Broncos to punt. But Harper muffed the punt, the Broncos recovered, and four plays later they scored a touchdown. Denver went on to win the game in overtime.

An undrafted rookie receiver from Cal, Harper had played only sparingly this season. Patriots coach Bill Belichick isn’t particularly tolerant of fumbling even among good players, and among marginal players, a fumble is an easy way to lose your job in New England. Harper found that out the hard way today.

Rob Gronkowski suffered knee bruise, no ligament tear; week to week

Let's cut to the chase here — New England Patriots fans weren't the only ones throwing their remote controls when Rob Gronkowski was being carted off the field Sunday night.

If you drafted Gronk for your fantasy football team, A) Smart move, and B) Your fantasy playoffs likely start in two weeks. And when Gronk was in such pain after a low hit, it seemed impossible Gronk would be ready for that first fantasy playoff game. But it sounds like he'll be ready to go. He might even be back this week.

Oh, and the 10-1 Patriots won't lose their second most indispensable player, behind quarterback Tom Brady, for a significant amount of time.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said it's unlikely Gronkowski misses more than one game, or it's possible he doesn't miss any games at all. ESPN's Dianna Russini said an MRI revealed that Gronk suffered a bruise on his right knee and did not suffer any ligament tears. He's considered week-to-week.

ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Monday afternoon that Gronkowski is not expected to play this week and is "likely to miss multiple weeks," due to the low hit from Broncos safety Darian Stewart.

Even if Gronkowski comes back quickly, there will always be the fear of a repeat. Defenders have no chance at tackling the enormous Gronkowski up high, not to mention the fines that come with hitting a receiver in he head. While it seems like a really dangerous tactic and bad thing for the NFL to have safeties diving at receiver's knees as they catch passes, there is a peculiar resignation to that being the most proper method against Gronk. Gronkowski had his ACL torn by a similar low hit by then-Cleveland Browns safety T.J. Ward in 2013.

"I hate to see it, but it really is the only way defenders can hit now," Brady said after Sunday night's loss. "I don't think it's dirty, I just think that is how football is played now."

So while Gronkowski should be back soon, that also means every Patriots fan (and fantasy football owner) will be holding their breath every time a defensive back dives right at his legs to bring him down.

Chris Johnson's comeback story hits a bump, with fractured tibia

Who would have guessed three months ago that an injury to running back Chris Johnson would have a serious impact on the Super Bowl picture?

Johnson, out of a job all summer until he was signed by the Arizona Cardinals in mid-August, has a fractured tibia, or shinbone, according to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer. He'll be out an "extended period," Glazer said, but the team is gathering information to see how long he'll be out.

It's a tough blow, because Johnson has been one of the league's biggest surprises. He is the fourth-leading rusher in the NFL with 814 yards, although he had three quiet games in a row before the injury.

The Cardinals were dealt another blow to their running game Monday, because Andre Ellington is dealing with a turf toe. Intriguing rookie David Johnson, who has seven touchdowns in a limited role, will likely step in for at least a few weeks.

It has been a long road back for Chris Johnson, once a huge star with the Tennessee Titans who looked like he might be done in the NFL, especially after he was shot in the shoulder this offseason. We'll see if he can come back for a second time this season, and be a factor for the NFC West-leading Cardinals in the playoffs.

USC strips interim tag, names Clay Helton its new head coach

USC has hired interim coach Clay Helton to be the team’s permanent head coach, the school confirmed Monday.

"After weeks of searching the collegiate and pro ranks, interviewing candidates, and speaking with head coaches, athletic directors, NFL executives, and very knowledgeable football people, and after observing Clay in action the past seven weeks, it became abundantly clear that what we were searching for in a coach was right here in front of us," USC athletic director Pat Haden said in a statement. "Choosing a coach is an inexact science. In Clay's case, there is exactness. We have a man with unquestioned integrity. He is a fantastic person and he is real. Clay is a leader of young men. He is a terrific communicator. He brings high character, stability, continuity, consistency, toughness and resiliency to our program.

"We have known Clay well for the past six years. He earned this opportunity. He has been positive and upbeat handling adversity. He was built to be a head coach. Football is his family business. He is a coach on the rise and he will be coaching a team on the rise. As our interim head coach, Clay brought back USC's style of physical football. I have been impressed with how hard and how inspired our team has played for him, as well as the support they have shown for him.

"Clay was not hired because his team defeated UCLA Saturday. He was not hired because many current and former players voiced their support for him. And he was not hired because he is a Trojan. He is our choice because we believe he can win Pac-12 and national championships here. Clay Helton is the right man at the right time for the USC football program."

Helton took over for Steve Sarkisian in October and has gone 5-2 in the seven games since. The Trojans rebounded from 3-2 start to finish the season as the Pac-12 South champion. It will play Stanford in the title game on Saturday.

Players had been championing Helton for the job for weeks and while Pat Haden had been mum on his coaching search — there were rumors he was courting Chip Kelly from the Philadelphia Eagles — it was clear the players' calls for Helton did not fall on deaf ears.

"We want Coach Helton, plain and simple, we don't need to meet with Pat Haden, he knows we want Coach Helton, the way he's got this team back together … everybody on this team would give an arm and a leg for Coach Helton," linebacker Su'a Cravens told the L.A. Times. "Now we take it personally, Helton's job being on the line is making us fight even harder."

Congrats to @USCCoachHelton! An awesome head coach for the Trojans! Couldn't be more fired up! Good luck this weekend! #FightOn

— Pete Carroll (@PeteCarroll) November 30, 2015

Perhaps Helton’s biggest selling point was last week’s 40-21 win over UCLA, the Trojans’ first win against their rivals in four seasons.

Helton has served two interim head coaching stints with the Trojans and is 6-2 overall. His only two losses are to Notre Dame and an Oregon team that is playing as well as any program in the country.

USC has not yet announced the specifics of Helton deal.

Why Kobe Bryant decided it was time to retire

Three years ago, Kobe Bryant carved into a steak at a Minneapolis restaurant and considered the end of everything. His body hadn't begun to break down, but it turned out that betrayal would come soon. On a frigid November night, Bryant had started to anticipate all the years and all the young legs getting over on him, inspiring a declaration that he'd never stay too long.

"Just thinking about some of the guys that I take advantage of now, taking advantage of me later – that doesn't sit too well with me," Bryant told me.

Three years later, they're getting over on Kobe Bryant. For as excruciating as it's been for everyone to watch him struggle this way, it's far worse for him to endure. He can't work his way out of this trouble. He can't lose himself in the practice gym and make it all better.

It isn't ending for Kobe Bryant.

It is over.

He isn't losing it.

It's gone.

"My body knows it's time to say goodbye," Bryant wrote in a poem made public on Sunday night. The inevitable is etched within the record now. He is a forever talent in the NBA, a forever achiever of five championships and an MVP. Bryant has been a tortured genius, a talent born of relentless repetition and peerless passion. Few ever cared so deeply for a craft, ever committed such deep devotion.

For months, Bryant suspected this would be his final season. Two things that could've inspired his return for a 21st season – a strong comeback performance and a rapidly developing supporting cast – never materialized this season. The Lakers are a gutted shell, wrapped within an icon sapped of his powers. The result is painful to watch.

Bryant desperately wanted that sixth championship to match Michael Jordan, but it never happened. Five years ago, the Lakers had gone to back-to-back NBA Finals – and would never come close to returning again. After beating Oklahoma City in the Western Conference playoffs in 2010, Bryant was walking out of his news conference as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were walking into the room. As they passed in the corridor, Bryant stopped and shook his head and told them, "You all are two bad mother-------. I'm glad I'm done with you."

What Bryant was trying to say, of course: Done with them for that season. As it turns out, he'd never play deeper into the playoffs than those young stars again.

Here he was, about to turn 32 years old, and walking out of the arena in Oklahoma City and he told me that victory had strangely rivaled the fulfillment of the 2009 NBA championship, the 2008 NBA Finals appearance. They were versions of his younger self, and holding them off promised to be an impossibility.

"More than last year or the year before, this means something because now they're trying to force me out," Bryant told me. "They're trying to force me out. And I'm not going anywhere."

Two years later, the three of them would spend the summer together with USA Basketball on the way to the London Olympics. Back in 2008 with Team USA, Bryant could still intimidate LeBron James – with those around the league's two biggest stars marveling at the ways with which Bryant preyed on James' vulnerabilities. Only, James was a different man in 2012 – an NBA champion now – and had surpassed Bryant as the world's best player.

Bryant could no longer mess with James and gain a competitive advantage come the NBA season. So, he spent the summer imploring Westbrook that he couldn't let Durant win another NBA scoring title, trying to send him back to Oklahoma City with gunning on his mind. Kobe couldn't worry about the East anyway – he needed to get out of the West again.

Eventually, the Lakers' infrastructure crumbled and Bryant had no one to ease him into a complementary role. After missing 16 of 20 shots in a loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, Bryant travels to Philadelphia for his final game in his childhood home on Tuesday. The Lakers will play the 76ers, who have lost 28 consecutive games, the most in modern professional sports history – and the Lakers will still probably be the underdog.

That's the destitute place these Lakers and Bryant exist now, the residue of a fractured franchise and a broken-down body. Three weeks ago, Bryant still held onto hope that there was a way out of this trouble, that minimal practice time in the preseason would give way to stronger legs and balance, that repetition would get him back into a groove. Outside a waiting car at the Barclays Center, on the night that was the beginning of his goodbye tour, Bryant was still trying to convince himself that there was good basketball left in him, that he could resurrect a respectability to his game.

"I get held to much higher standards than most of my peers," he told me. "If I have a bad shooting night, it's, 'He's in the grave. He's in the coffin.' Look around the league, and other players have bad shooting nights – and it's just a bad shooting night.

"But the expectations that they have for me, they're actually something that I appreciate. Achilles injury. Fractured knee. Torn shoulder. Twentieth year in the league. Thirty-seven years old. All that, and the expectations are that I average 30 points.

"But I appreciate those standards, because it's something that still pushes me, still drives me.

"Let's see what I can do."

There's no magic left to Kobe Bryant's game, no reconciliation of memories and reality. This is hard to watch, but harder to live. This is everything that he never wanted – all those younger guys getting over on him now. As a fading thirty-something legend, there are no more mind games to play on a younger generation. Mostly, there are no more to play on himself. These are the final months and weeks now, the excruciating end, and goodbye can't come soon enough for Kobe Bean Bryant.

Cueto turns down $120 million D-Backs offer

Johnny Cueto has rejected a six-year, $120 million offer from the Arizona Diamondbacks, a person with knowledge of the situation said Monday.

Arizona wants a front-line starter and would have made the right-hander by far the highest-paid player in the organization.

The Diamondbacks met with Cueto and his representative last week, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the offer had not been made public.

The 29-year-old right-hander was acquired by Kansas City in a midseason trade with Cincinnati this year. He went a combined 11-13 with 3.44 ERA.

He struggled during the regular season after the trade, going 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA but was 2-1 in the postseason. Cueto became the first American League pitcher since 1991 to throw a complete World Series game, a two-hitter against the New York Mets in Game 2, when he retired 16 of the last 17 batters he faced.

In 2013, Cueto went 20-9 with the Reds, leading the National League in strikeouts (242), starts (34) and innings pitched.

The rejection of the offer first was reported by mlb.com.

Broncos appropriately fire back at Tom Brady's Facebook Photoshop

The Denver Broncos had the perfect response for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

In case you missed it, Brady posted a doctored image of himself riding a bronco prior to Sunday's game.

 

This isn't the first time Brady — or his social media intern — wrangled an opponent on Facebook, as he posted a similar image with a colt prior to the AFC Championship Game this past January. Of course, this time the Broncos bucked the trend, ending Brady's 13-game winning streak with a 30-24 overtime win.

That presented the perfect opportunity for Denver's social media staff to fire back at Brady on Facebook.

 

All in good fun, right? Well, considering Brady told WEEI-FM on Monday morning he's never been so upset about a loss — this coming from a quarterback who was 18-0 before losing to the New York Giants by three in Super Bowl XLII — he probably wasn't chuckling when he opened his Facebook feed. That's not to say he didn't ask for the response from the Broncos and won't get a laugh out of it all later.

Then, former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe decided to get involved on Twitter.

	shannon sharpe @ShannonSharpe
I guess Brady couldn't ride Thunder after all.Don't post that lame Facebook post. Take that horse kick in the butt back to Foxboro.🐴🐴 win 9:42 PM - 29 Nov 2015

Not bad. Except, he then got into it with a bunch of New Englanders who congratulated Sharpe on a team he no longer plays for winning an OT game at home against a Patriots team that found itself on the wrong end of a few questionable calls and was missing Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Dion Lewis, Danny Amendola, Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins and others, and things took a turn for the worse.

	shannon sharpe @ShannonSharpe
Ding ding ding. "@RGSchroder: @ShannonSharpe made this for tommy pic.twitter.com/nFgGLoKkS4" 9:59 PM - 29 Nov 2015 Twitter by:Ricky Schroder@RGSchroder

This was followed by a series of "yo momma" jokes by a Pro Football Hall of Famer aimed at his fellow Twitter trolls, which seems like the appropriate level of sophistication for the parties involved. Perhaps Sharpe was venting frustration over Gronkowski passing him on the touchdown list among tight ends.

New heavyweight champ Tyson Fury calls Wladimir Klitschko camp 'cheats,' says he feared being drugged

The aftermath of Tyson Fury’s stunning upset victory over longtime heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday had its fair share of bizarre moments.

First came the colorful Fury serenading his wife with an off-key version of Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” And now the new champion says he refused to drink any water after his victory because he feared that he would be drugged by the Klitschko camp.

As a matter of fact, Fury – who has labeled Team Klitschko “cheats” – says he didn't drink anything until he returned to Britain because he thought that he was going to be set up to fail a drug test.

“I had good information off good resources not to touch anything in the changing rooms because they might try and drug you,” the newly minted WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion said after returning home from Duesseldorf, Germany. “I went home dehydrated before I even touched anything. I was so frightened of being drug-tested and failing the drug test.”

Call it paranoia, but Fury truly believes that his opponent would stop at nothing to prevent him from becoming champion. He’s suggested everything from being given a pair of boxing gloves that didn’t fit him to his weight being written down wrong at the weigh-in were attempts to rattle the unbeaten Fury and get into his head before the fight.

“They are cheats, they are extremely good at cheating,” Fury said. “There were all these little things they thought might affect me, as it has with fighters in the past. But not one of them did.”

Klitschko’s camp made accusations of its own in 2004, when the champ suffered a shocking upset to Lamon Brewster. Team Klitschko claimed its fighter’s water bottle was poisoned, leading to the fifth-round TKO. Nothing was ever proven, and Klitschko defeated Brewster in a rematch in 2007.

With Klitschko planning to invoke his rematch clause after losing a unanimous decision, it will be interesting to see how the terms will be laid out for their return meeting now that these accusations from Team Fury have surfaced.

Former WWE Star Matt Hardy Hospitalized

It’s been five years since Matt Hardy left WWE, and in that time, he managed to find new life for his career in TNA, even winning their world title at October’s Bound For Glory show. But his match with TNA’s co-founder resulted in an injury that has left the former WWE star hospitalized over the weekend.

On Saturday night, Jeff Jarrett beat Hardy to win the WrestleCade Heavyweight Championship at Winston-Salem, in Hardy’s home state of North Carolina. During the encounter, Jarrett hit Hardy over the head with a guitar, one of his trademark spots. Unfortunately, this time, the guitar didn’t break. As a result, Hardy was left bloody. It was so bad that Hardy had to be helped to the back after his defeat. He was eventually taken to the hospital for stitches. Hopefully, he was also kept him for observation to make sure he didn’t have a concussion.

This match was the first-ever meeting between the two stars, and you’d think they’d save such a big match for either TNA, with which Jarrett has had a working relationship despite his departure, or his new company, Global Force Wrestling. But it appears Jarrett has a working relationship with Wrestlecade. And good on him, since GFW needs all the cross-promotion it can get right now, if it hopes to survive as its own separate brand. Then again, not even the TNA Invasion angle did all that much for the promotion, so who even knows if GFW is something that can survive as anything more than a regional brand? When Jarrett hit success with TNA, it was a mix of investors with deep pockets, a solid TV deal, and a fanbase desperate for any WWE alternative. But those conditions don’t really exist for GFW in the way they did for TNA, so this is going to be a bit of an uphill battle. But I digress. From all appearances, Matt Hardy should be fine. After all, this isn’t his first rodeo, even if it is his first one with Jeff Jarrett.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 30TH

1872 - First international soccer game, Scotland-England 0-0 (Glasgow).

1931 - Bill Walsh, NFL coach (San Fransisco 49ers), born in Los Angeles, CA.

1942 - Bill Terry resigns as supervisor of NY Giants minor league system.

1948 - Baseball's Negro National League disbands.

1950 - Paul Westphal, NBA guard (Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns) is born.
1952 - Jackie Robinson charges NY Yankees with racism.

1956 - Floyd Patterson KOs Archie Moore in 5 for heavyweight boxing title.

1959 - Joe Foss named 1st commissioner of AFL.
1961 - Billy Williams of the Cubs is voted NL Rookie of Year.

1962 - Bo Jackson, baseball/football player (KC Royals, LA Raiders) is born.

1971 - Ivan Rodriguez, Vega Baja Puerto Rico, catcher (Texas Rangers) is born.

1976 - 42nd Heisman Trophy Award: Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh (RB).
1981 - NY Yankee Dave Righetti wins AL Rookie of Year Award.

1986 - Ivan Lendl is 1st tennis player to earn over $10 million, lifetime.
1991 - 1st world championship of women's soccer, US defeats Norway 2-1.

1993 - NFL announces 30th franchise - Jacksonville Jaguars.

2005 - The Boston Bruins trade captain Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks.

Kobe Bryant announces that he will retire at the end of this season

Kobe Bryant — one of the most popular, most successful, and most divisive players in NBA history — has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2015-16 season. The Los Angeles Lakers icon broke the news via a letter-poem on The Players' Tribune late Sunday afternoon.

The full post is available here, but the key passage is below:

You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This season is all I have left to give.

My heart can take the pounding

My mind can handle the grind

But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other All that we have.

Read through the poetry and the message is clear — Kobe will retire at the end of this season. The Players' Tribune sent out a press release confirming that Kobe had announced that this season will be his last. Bryant had previously suggested that this season was likely to be his last but had not made a formal announcement regarding his future.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement, as well:

“With 17 NBA All-Star selections, an NBA MVP, five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals and a relentless work ethic, Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game. Whether competing in the Finals or hoisting jump shots after midnight in an empty gym, Kobe has an unconditional love for the game.

“I join Kobe’s millions of fans around the world in congratulating him on an outstanding NBA career and thank him for so many thrilling memories.”

Those who have watched Bryant in his 20th season will likely agree with his decision. The five-time NBA champion and 17-time All-Star has struggled mightily to meet his usual high standards, shooting just 31.5 percent from the field for a 15.7 ppg average. Yet those poor stats don't even communicate the experience of watching an all-time great look so bad on the courts he once dominated.

The news will also allow the basketball world to focus on Kobe's legacy rather than his current form. He will retire as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, an elite scorer capable of setting up teammates when motivated and locking down opposing defenders in his best seasons. He holds the record for most season with one franchise, boasts many Lakers individual career marks, and figures to retire in his current position of third on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

It's tempting to say we will have plenty of time to suss out Kobe's legacy before he hangs up his jersey this spring, but he has meant so much to the NBA for so many years that it's difficult to imagine a time when we will stop talking about him. He is the defining player of the sport's post-Jordan era.

Tigers strike first, land Jordan Zimmermann to stabilize rotation

The first major domino in free agency appears to have fallen. According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, right-hander Jordan Zimmerman has agreed to a five-year, $110 million contract with the Detroit Tigers

The reported deal would mark the first major signing of the offseason. It's also the first major move by new Tigers general manager Al Avila, who's obviously looking to rebuild a rotation that staggered in 2015 after losing Max Scherzer to free agency last winter.

Detroit also moved on from current free agent David Price during the regular season, trading him to the Toronto Blue Jays at the deadline. Those losses coupled with injuries and an overall decline in performance from Justin Verlander and Anibal Sanchez actually made starting pitching a priority for Detroit. An amazing reality considering just how loaded their rotation appeared during the 2014 season, and a sobering reminder of how quickly pitching stability can be lost.

Here's another troubling fact: Detroit finished the 2015 season with the worst ERA in the league for starting pitchers last year.

Obviously free agency and a stretched payroll played a key role in the swift dismantling. It also forced former GM Dave Dombrowski to make some money-saving decisions, but Detroit was also caught with few options left within the organization to rely on. When that happens, teams are forced to pay to restock, and that appears to be what Avila is doing. Although this would appear to be a relative bargain, as Zimmermann's deal falls short of those expected for Price, Zack Greinke and even Johnny Cueto.

The Tigers will also be giving up their second-round pick in the 2016 draft to sign Zimmermann. The team's first-round pick is protected.

With the agreement at $110 million, Zimmermann becomes the first pitcher post Tommy John surgery to land a $100 million contract. Zimmermann had the operation in 2009, and has since been one of baseball's most durable starters, Since 2011, he's made at least 25 starts in every season and topped 190 innings in each of the last four seasons. That's exactly what Detroit needs atop its rotation.

At 29, Zimmermann figures to have some good years left ahead of him. so the investiment makes sense on multiple levels for Detroit. He'd also be a very tradable piece in the next couple years should Detroit determine its window has completely closed. That's assuming, of course, there's no no-trade clause.

Texans' J.J. Watt, reaching 70-mark, on insane sack pace at age 26

It sounds crazy to ask, but are you fully appreciating what J.J. Watt is doing right now?

Yes, the Houston Texans defensive end is everywhere — on the field and off — but people might not be completely aware of the kind of sack pace he's on. Following the Texans' 24-6 dismantling of the New Orleans Saints, Watt (with two more sacks on Sunday) now has 70.5 sacks in 75 career games.

Only Reggie White (57 games) reached the 70-sack plateau faster in NFL history. Watt, 26, now ranks 79th in NFL history in sacks, which became an NFL statistic in 1982, after 75 career games. That's ahead of such active sack luminaries as Justin Tuck and Cameron Wake. Mind you: Watt is in his fifth NFL season and still going strong.

It's his fifth multi-sack game of the season, and he has 8.5 in the past five games. That means Watt is almost on pace for 20 sacks (currently at 19.6) for a third time in four seasons. There have been only 11 seasons with 20 or more sacks in NFL history, and Watt is the only one with more than one. He could have three the way he's going this season.

Watt is dominating, and so is the Texans' defense, which has allowed only 35 points in their past four games since being embarrassed by the Miami Dolphins in Week 7.

Could Watt be the best defensive player ever when he's finished? We're miles away from that, but it at least could be a discussion one day.

Peterson runs for 2 TDs; Vikings beat Falcons 20-10

Adrian Peterson was still miffed about his performance the previous week.

He took it out on the Atlanta Falcons.

Bouncing back from a tough loss to Green Bay, Peterson ran for 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns and the Minnesota Vikings beat the slumping Falcons 20-10 on Sunday.

Minnesota (8-3) jumped ahead on Peterson's 1-yard run in the opening quarter, and clinched it when he got loose on a 35-yard scamper down the sideline with 4:15 remaining in the game.

''We took it personal, the loss last week,'' Peterson said.

In the 30-13 setback to the Packers, he was held to 45 yards - his lowest output since Week 1. He also had a crucial fumble in the fourth quarter that thwarted any hopes of a comeback.

''It was an opportunity for us to get into the end zone, and I ruined it,'' Peterson recalled. ''Coming in here, just being conscious of holding the ball tight, and taking advantage of any opportunities they present me with.''

Against the Falcons (6-5), who came in with the league's top-ranked defense against the run, Peterson ripped off his sixth 100-yard game of the season. He also moved to 18th on the NFL career rushing list with 11,354 yards, passing O.J. Simpson (11,236), Corey Dillon (11,241) and John Riggins (11,352).

''I just come in and try to focus on doing my job and helping my team win,'' Peterson said. ''I'll be able to look at those things after the fact.''

For Matt Ryan, it was another disappointing day. The Falcons quarterback threw two more interceptions - he's got five in the past two games - and heard perhaps the loudest boos of his career from the home crowd after a pick in the end zone.

Atlanta has lost five of its past six games, including four straight, and is in danger of becoming one of the few teams in NFL history to start 5-0 and miss the playoffs.

''It starts with me,'' Ryan said. ''I've got to know when to throw the ball away, cut my losses, and take the field goal.''

Teddy Bridgewater completed 20 of 28 for 174 yards, though the Minnesota quarterback did throw an interception in the end zone to take potential points off the board. It didn't hurt. The Vikings' defense kept Atlanta out of the end zone until Ryan's 1-yard touchdown pass to Nick Williams with 1:28 remaining.

Minnesota really clamped down on Atlanta star Julio Jones, held to 56 yards on five catches.

The Vikings reclaimed a one-game lead over Green Bay in the NFC North, taking advantage of the Packers' loss to Chicago on Thanksgiving night.

Ryan squandered one scoring chance in the second quarter when a deep throw down the middle was picked off by Captain Munnerlyn. The second interception was really costly, coming after Tevin Coleman's 1-yard scoring run, which would've given the Falcons a 10-7 lead in the third quarter, was wiped out by a clipping penalty on tight end Tony Moeaki.

With the Falcons facing third-and-goal from the 14, Ryan scrambled to his left and tried to force a pass to Jacob Tamme in the end zone. Terence Newman grabbed it instead, giving Minnesota a huge stop.

''You want to make plays. You want to be aggressive,'' Ryan said. ''But there's a time and place for that. That was not the place.''

There was plenty of blame to go around.

Coleman, starting for injured running back Devonta Freeman, broke off the longest run of his career in the first quarter. But the 46-yard scamper was wasted when the rookie failed to keep a firm grip on the ball, allowing linebacker Anthony Barr to come up from behind and punch it away. Antone Exum fell on the loose ball at the Minnesota 21, giving Coleman his third lost fumble of the season.

On Atlanta's last gasp in the fourth quarter, Coleman dropped a deep pass down the right sideline. Then, on fourth-and-1 at midfield, Ryan was hammered by Barr before he could even get off a quick pass, the linebacker blowing right by lineman Andy Levitre.

 

Notes: Coleman had the first 100-yard game of his career, finishing with 110 yards on 18 carries. ... Next up for Peterson on the career rushing list: Steven Jackson at No. 17 with 11,388 yards. ... Shayne Graham made a 31-yard field goal in his Atlanta debut. He was filling in for regular kicker Matt Bryant, out with a quadriceps injury. ... Jones had a streak of three straight 100-yard receiving games.

Seahawks' Jimmy Graham has season-ending patellar tendon injury

A tough season for Jimmy Graham is coming to an end.

The Seattle Seahawks tight end fell awkwardly in the end zone early in the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers as Russell Wilson threw a pass his direction. The ball fell incomplete, and Graham's right knee bent under his own weight.

Graham remained down as trainers looked at his knee on the field, and he later was carted off to the locker room with an air cast on his leg.

After the game the Seahawks announced that Graham tore his patellar tendon and is out for the season. That's generally a devastating knee injury for NFL players, worse than an ACL tear. New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz is a recent example of a torn patellar tendon: Due to that and other lower body injuries Cruz hasn't played this season.

After coming over in a trade from the New Orleans Saints, Graham has had a relatively quiet season by his standards — with only two touchdowns and one game with more than 83 yards receiving. He had four grabs for 75 yards against the Steelers before leaving the game.

Ben Roethlisberger in concussion protocol as Steelers botch game late

Two all-too-common occurrences this season for the Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger injuries and Mike Tomlin coaching decisions.

On Sunday, the two things intertwined.

The Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, two teams once noted for their vaunted defenses, were embroiled in an offensive shootout Sunday with the Steelers down 32-27 with under four minutes remaining and facing a third-and-goal situation at the Seattle 10-yard line.

Roethlisberger — who threw for 456 yards, the most the Seahawks ever have allowed — scrambled after not being able to find an open receiver. He took it down to the 3-yard line, making it fouth-and-goal with two timeouts left, but taking a big hit from Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright.

Tomlin opted to kick the field goal to make it a 32-30 Seahawks lead with 3:02 left. This is the same coach, mind you, who goes for two-point conversions just for the heck of it. Who went for it twice on fourth down in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens this season with Mike Vick at quaterback.

But with Roethlisberger shredding up the Seahawks, Tomlin opted for the three points. We soon found out part of the reason why he might have balked at going for it on fourth. Roethlisberger would be taken to the locker room under the concussion protocol soon after the Seahawks sealed the game a minute later with an 80-yard TD pass to Doug Baldwin.

Landry Jones replaced Roethlisberger on the Steelers' final possession and was picked to cap off the Seahawks' victory.

You can understand a coach feeling iffy about his backup quarterback coming off the bench cold to attempt a fourth-down conversion with the game on the line. But did Tomlin have another choice? It's not as if he legitimately trusted his defense, which allowed 7.4 yards per play and created zero turnovers in the game, even with no Marshawn Lynch or Jimmy Graham (who suffered a bad-looking knee injury) on the field.

Tomlin is a riverboat gambler who trusts his gut over any coaching cheat sheet. He flies in the face of convention, and it sometimes pays off. The Steelers are a gutsy, dangerous team, reflective of their coach's personality.

But sometimes he turns meek unexpectedly. it has to be maddening for a team to see its coach change on the fly like this, even with mitigating circumstances dictating the game flow. That's a situation where kicking the field goal is tantamount to playing to lose, passing up a two-point-conversion-length play to kick a rather meaningless field goal. It makes little coaching sense.

The Steelers lost a game and — again — lost their quarterback to injury. This will be tough for the Steelers to swallow.

Team plane incident was final straw for Quinton Coples with Jets

When the New York Jets released defensive end Quinton Coples on Monday, it came as a bit of a surprise. Yes, the 2012 first-round pick had become a bit player, but he was released late Monday morning, not long after the Jets returned home from a disappointing loss in Houston to the Texans.

Though first-year head coach Todd Bowles told reporters the release had to do with playing time and Coples being ill-suited to the defensive scheme, there reportedly was an event that led to the team cutting ties with him.

ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini, citing a team source, reported Sunday that Coples was "involved in an incident" on the team's charter home from Houston. Cimini wrote that it is unclear what happened on the flight, "but it didn't sit well with the powers-that-be, sealing his fate."

Coples played a season-low five snaps (out of 75) against Houston, part of a pattern over the last several weeks that saw his snaps plummet. After starting the first two games of the season, Coples played just 120 of 532 (22.6 percent) defensive snaps over his final eight games with the Jets.

Earlier this week, Newsday's Kimberley Martin reported that there had long been questions about Coples' passion for the game of football, and that Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum overlooked Coples' lack of drive because they were enticed by the athleticism the 6-foot-6, 290-pound prospect from North Carolina possessed.

In his time as head coach, Bowles has shown he has little patience for bad behavior - he cut IK Enemkpali immediately after Enemkpali sucker punched Geno Smith during training camp, and now he's cut ties with Coples.

Coples was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins, where Tannenbaum is in charge of football operations, though the Bills, where Ryan is now head coach, also put in a claim for him.

Miami and its newest player, Coples, play the Jets on Sunday, a key game for both teams if they want to stay in the race for an AFC wildcard spot.

Oklahoma moves to No. 3 in AP poll

The revolving door of No. 3 teams continued in the post-Week 13 AP poll.

Oklahoma moved up to No. 3 after drubbing Oklahoma State Saturday night. The Sooners leapfrogged Iowa, who fell to No. 4 after beating Nebraska. The move is more about the Sooners and less about the Hawkeyes. Oklahoma has beaten Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State in November and is likely heading to the College Football Playoff.

Clemson stayed at No. 1 with its win over South Carolina and Alabama is at No. 2 again after beating Auburn.

Iowa is followed by two Big Ten teams in the poll. Michigan State is at No. 5 and Ohio State is at No. 6. The Spartans beat Penn State and Ohio State beat Michigan.

Stanford is at No. 7, North Carolina is at No. 8, Notre Dame is at No. 9 and Florida State is at No. 10.

 

Here's the entire AP poll:

 

1. Clemson [53 first place votes] (1)
2. Alabama [8] (2)
3. Oklahoma (5)
4. Iowa (3)
5. Michigan State (6)
6. Ohio State (8)
7. Stanford (13)
8. North Carolina (11)
9. Notre Dame (4)
10. Florida State (14)
11. TCU (15)
12. Baylor (7)
13. Northewestern (17)
14. Oklahoma State (9)
15. Oregon (18)
16. Ole Miss (19)
17. Houston (21)
18. Florida (10)
19. Michigan (12)
20. Temple (25)
21. Utah (26)
22. Navy (16)
23. LSU (NR)
24. USC (NR)
25. Wisconsin (NR)

Rutgers fires athletic director Julie Hermann, coach Kyle Flood

Rutgers fired athletic director Julie Hermann and coach Kyle Flood on Sunday.

The Scarlet Knights lost 46–41 to Maryland on Saturday, finishing their season at 4–8. In four seasons with the school, Flood is 27–24.
Both Flood and Hermann’s tenures have been marked with controversies. A university investigation earlier this year revealed Flood tried to circumvent the school’s academic process by contacting a professor to help gain a player’s eligibility. Flood was fined $50,000 and suspended for three games.
Hermann came under fire for comments she made about journalists losing their jobs, was criticized for her handling of Jevon Tyree’s departure from the football team and was found to be accused of abusing players while volleyball coach at Tennessee.

Virginia Tech hires Memphis' Justin Fuente to succeed Beamer

Virginia Tech hired Memphis' Justin Fuente as its next football coach Sunday, bringing a quick end to its search for a successor to Frank Beamer.

Beamer is retiring after 29 seasons and will now be followed by a 39-year-old coach who has spent the past four seasons at Memphis, turning a struggling program into a winner.

The Tigers, who compete in the American Athletic Conference, were 10-3 last season, including a 55-48, double-overtime victory against BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl. They are 9-3 this season, including a 63-0 victory against SMU on Saturday in Fuente's final game.

Virginia Tech said defensive coordinator Bud Foster, thought to be a candidate for the job, will remain in that position at Fuente's request. Virginia Tech will introduce Fuente at a news conference Monday.

Fuente took over at Memphis for the 2012 season, after the Tigers had gone 5-31 in the three previous seasons. He quickly engineered a turnaround, guiding them to their first 10-win season since 1938 last year, and a No. 25 ranking in the final AP Top 25, a program first.

Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said he identified Fuente as a top candidate early in his search to replace Beamer, the sixth-winningest coach at the FBS level in college history. The Hokies' 23-20 victory at Virginia on Saturday was the 279th of his career.

''As our conversations progressed, we then met in person and it became obvious he is the right person to lead our football program,'' Babcock said in a statement. ''He possesses wisdom beyond his years, as well as a refreshing sense of humility and a calm confidence.''

The Tigers won their last seven games to end last season and their first eight to start this season, using a high-powered offense that outscored its opponents by an average of nearly 21 points. The streak included a 37-24 victory against No. 13 Mississippi this Oct. 17.

Last season, the Tigers set a school record by scoring 471 points while allowing just 19.5 points, 11th best among FBS schools.

Before taking over at Memphis, Fuente spent five years on Gary Patterson's staff at TCU, the last three as the play-caller for an offensive power that won 36 of 39 games and put together a 24-game winning streak in the Mountain West Conference. The Horned Frogs, in that three-year period, were the only school to finish in the top 10 of both the AP and USA Today polls all three years and played in two BCS bowl games.

Fuente, a quarterback in his playing days at Oklahoma and then Murray State, will be welcomed by Hokies fans because of his penchant for innovation, and production, on offense, as will the news that Foster has elected to stay as defensive coordinator. Virginia Tech fans have long felt that offensive deficiencies kept the Hokies from reaching their potential, especially as Foster kept assembling top 10 defenses.

''I've been privileged to work for a legendary coach who always did it the right way,'' Foster said in the statement. ''I enjoyed that chapter and the success we've had, however, I am equally excited for the next chapter and working for Justin.''

Since Foster became Beamer's defensive coordinator in 1996, the Hokies lead the nation in interceptions and sacks.

Babcock said after the Hokies' victory at Virginia that Beamer and his staff will coach the bowl game, the school's 23rd in a row.

Fuente, meanwhile, will begin assembling a staff and adding to his reputation as a skilled recruiter.

Mark Richt, fired from Georgia, has connection to Maryland

Mark Richt has been fired from his job as the head coach at Georgia, meaning that now in a sea of open jobs, Richt will be a desired commodity.

Since rumblings of discontent in Athens began earlier this season, there has been the mention of his connection to College Park -- Maryland associate athletic director and former Georgia AD Damon Evans.

Evans came to Maryland in 2014 after being relieved of his duties as Georgia's athletic director following a DUI arrest in 2010. Richt was hired at Georgia in 2001 and served as the program's head coach until Sunday's dismissal.

Following the arrest that led to Evans' departure more than five years ago, Richt talked about his relationship with the then-athletic director.

"I've been working with Damon for almost 10 years now," he said at the time, via Rivals.com. "I've had a good working relationship and a good personal relationship with Damon.

"I don't think this will define Damon Evans. It's certainly a bump in the road without question, but I think he's a very capable man. He's very intelligent and has an awful lot going for him just to be in the position he was in at such a young age shows what his capabilities are and what his potential is. I think he'll rebound, I really do."

Richt was 145-51 in his time at Georgia, with only one season of his 15 in Athens when he won less than eight games. Georgia finished tied for second in the SEC East this season.

It's unclear what the real likelihood of Richt to College Park would be, but it may be the strongest connection that a big-time outside coach has to the program.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 29TH

1924 - NHL's Montreal Forum opens.

1927 - Vin Scully, sportscaster (Los Angeles Dodgers), born in The Bronx, New York.
1929 - Don January, pro golfer (1976 Vardon Trophy) is born.
1934 - Chicago Bears beat Detroit (19-16) in 1st NFL game broadcast nationally.

1957 - NY Mayor Robert Wagner forms a committee to replace Dodgers & Giants.

1962 - Baseball decides to revert back to one all star game per year.
1966 - 1st NBA game at Oakland Coliseum Arena - Warriors beat Bulls 108-101.

1969 - Mariano Rivera, Panama City Panama, pitcher (NY Yankees) is born

1971 - 1st pro golf championship at Walt Disney World..

1974 - James J. Braddock, American heavyweight boxer (b. 1905) dies.

1976 - NY Yankees sign free agent Reggie Jackson to 5-year contract.

1987 - Joe Montana of 49ers completes NFL record 22 consecutive passes.
1987 - New Orleans Saints win, assuring their 1st winning NFL season.

1997 - USAir Arena closes, hosting Washington Wizards.

Michigan State destroys Penn State, sets up date with Iowa for Big Ten title

Michigan State left no doubt.

The Spartans needed a win over Penn State Saturday to clinch the Big Ten East division and keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. They did so emphatically.

Michigan State's defense forced four Penn State turnovers while the offense carved up an overmatched PSU defense in a blowout 55-16 win.

In the first half, it looked like the Spartans could be in for a tough one. MSU led 13-3, but Penn State was driving in the final minutes of the half. Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg hit tight end Kyle Carter for a first down to the MSU 23, but Carter was stripped. Spartans safety Demetrious Cox picked up the loose ball and sprinted 77 yards for a touchdown to give the Spartans a 20-3 lead.

Penn State was able to cut the lead to 20-10 at halftime, but the second half was completely dominated by Michigan State.

Connor Cook, who returned after missing the Ohio State game with a shoulder issue, threw two third quarter touchdowns to increase the lead to 34-10. The offensive line completely wore down the undermanned Penn State defense the rest of the way and the Spartans cruised to a blowout victory.

The game was probably closer than the final score indicates, but the game entered blowout territory when standout defensive lineman Malik McDowell returned a tipped screen pass 13 yards for a score. And to put the cherry on top of the win, Cook handed off starting center – yes, starting center – Jack Allen for a nine-yard touchdown that put the bow on top of a division-clinching win.

Now that Michigan State took care of business with Penn State, another big test is ahead in next Saturday’s Big Ten title game against Iowa in Indianapolis.

That game will likely decide more than the Big Ten champion.

Iowa, which beat Nebraska on Friday to clinch a perfect 12-0 regular season, was No. 4 in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings, while Michigan State was No. 5. The winner of the game will undoubtedly seal a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff while the loser could be on the outside looking in.

Ohio State steamrolls Michigan 42-13

Ohio State's offense learns quickly.

A week after totaling just 132 yards against Michigan State in its first loss of the season, Ohio State ran for 370 yards in a 42-13 win over Michigan on Saturday.

And while the domination is a sign Ohio State's offense wasn't broken beyond repair against the Spartans, it's also going to make Buckeyes fans wonder if things would have been different had Ohio State's offense performed like this earlier in the season.

Ezekiel Elliott ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns, and J.T. Barrett ran for 138 and three touchdowns as the Buckeyes ran over, around and through the Wolverines. With Elliott and Barrett in the backfield, Ohio State made Michigan play gaps, and when the Wolverines overcommitted, one or the other would break a big gain.

Elliott got just 12 carries against the Spartans. The Ohio State coaching staff made sure he was safely past that mark Saturday as he finished with 30 carries. Both offensive coordinator Ed Warriner and co-offensive coordinator Tim Beck moved to the press box for the game. Did the move help? It's impossible to say it did or didn't, unless it was the catalyst for the Buckeyes to stick with the power running game.

Oh, by the way, Elliott was asked about the play-calling in Saturday's game by ESPN's Holly Rowe. He had no complaints.

Ohio State's rushing defense was pretty good too. The Buckeyes held the Wolverines to 55 rushing yards on 24 carries.

After taking a 14-10 halftime lead, Ohio State opened the second half with a touchdown drive. Following a defensive stop, the Buckeyes struck again with a drive that included 16 plays and spanned more than seven minutes. The final play was a Barrett touchdown run, his third of the day, to push the lead to 28-10. The 18-point lead was insurmountable for the Wolverines.

Michigan also lost quarterback Jake Rudock in the fourth quarter to an injury that could keep him out of a bowl game. Rudock was sacked by defensive end Joey Bosa and landed on his left shoulder with Ohio State leading 35-13. After he was attended to by Michigan's medical staff, he was helped to the sidelines and didn't return.

Rudock finished 19-of-32 passing for 263 yards and a touchdown. The Wolverines also utilized defensive back Jabrill Peppers more on offense. Peppers led the team in rushing yards and also had two catches.

At 11-1, Ohio State is undoubtedly going to a prestigious bowl game. The only question is which one. If Michigan State falls to Penn State, the Buckeyes could head to the College Football Playoff with a win in the Big Ten title game. If MSU wins Saturday afternoon, the more likely scenario is a New Year's Six bowl game, perhaps the Fiesta Bowl. And with the way the Buckeyes played on Saturday, there's no one who wants to face them.

Urban Meyer, Ohio State restore order with dominating win over Michigan

Eight-year-old Jacob Mahoney signed – not sung, signed – the national anthem just before noon here Saturday in an old, cavernous stadium before the renewal of an old, storied rivalry.

Urban Meyer was over near the Ohio State sideline, hand on heart, eyes on the American flag, but he couldn't stand still, couldn't contain the anticipation ripping through him. As the Michigan band played and Jacob's hands moved, Meyer rocked back and forth before breaking into a sort-of mini pace – two steps forward, two steps back, one to the side, one back again.

This was the Michigan game, which always carries a heightened importance to Meyer. And this was the first of what is expected to be many significant clashes with Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh, who in 11 months brought much fanfare and clear improvement. There was no doubt Meyer wanted to make a statement to start this thing, wanted to remind everyone who was still in charge in these parts.

This was way more than that, though.

Seven days ago his program delivered a dud against Michigan State, ending the Buckeyes' 23-game win streak, imperiling their playoff hopes and, most importantly, most painfully, calling into question everything about the program Meyer had built. Players sounded off postgame. Others tweeted out. Meyer looked at a program that had lost its identity, on the field and off.

"That was one of the hollowest feelings," Meyer said. "That was as hollow after a game as I've ever felt."

This, from a man who was once hospitalized after losing an SEC championship game to Alabama.

So here was Saturday, the first crack at the next chance and Urban Meyer was some kind of ball of nerves and emotion and energy. He couldn't stand still during the national anthem.

"You could see it in his eyes," quarterback J.T. Barrett said.

"Right when we woke up," running back Ezekial Elliott said.

Ohio State 42, Michigan 13.

Meyer 1, Harbaugh 0.

Mostly though, the pride restored, the proof of the foundation constructed in Columbus returned. The only downside is wondering if it came one week too late to save any hope for the College Football Playoff Ohio State won just a season ago.

"I've been very fortunate to be around some big-time games, from the bottom of my heart I told these players that might be the best one I've ever seen," Meyer said. "To come back from that kick to the stomach we took last week, it was an awful week of practice, not awful [in terms of execution but in] the way everyone felt."

The loss to Michigan State had caused Meyer to stare over the precipice, perhaps back to his days at Florida. He's a brilliant coach – with three national titles and two other undefeated seasons. Yet in Gainesville it all came unglued at once, attitudes and aptitude and apathy.

He swore Ohio State would be different but then Buckeyes rushed for just 78 yards and Elliott declared postgame he was turning pro at season's end while complaining about not getting the ball enough (12 carries for 33 yards). Mostly it felt like the Spartans were just tougher mentally and physically. That can rattle you.

"You can win a million in a row," Meyer said. "You lose two in a row and it's back to square one."

Instead Meyer defused the Elliott situation by trusting the sincerity of an otherwise exemplary kid – "He apologized 37 or 38 times, I lost track," Meyer said. "I told him, 'You don't have to apologize, you have back investment with me.' " All was forgiven. They had Thanksgiving dinner together. Besides, as Meyer smartly noted, Zeke was right – he should have gotten the ball more and the play-calling wasn't good enough.

So the offensive coordinators went up in a box to speed the process and sharpen the focus. Then Elliott got the ball – is 30 carries for 214 yards and two touchdowns enough for you? Barrett added 139 yards rushing and three touchdowns on the ground and one through the air.

"The whole Zeke thing," Meyer said before pausing briefly. "They are all good kids, these kids are good kids. The emotions … you know you go on a winning streak and you see it snap …"

Elliott apologized publicly himself, trying to put an end to a challenging chapter.

"People questioning my love for my university," Elliott said. "People questioning my love for my brothers, questioning whether I would come out here and play hard."

How hard did he and his teammates play? The Buckeyes put together five touchdown drives of 75 yards or more, just manhandling Michigan in every imaginable way. Defensively, they limited the Wolverines to a mere 57 rushing yards.

In the parlance of Jim Harbaugh, this was a steak-and-whole milk beatdown.

Harbaugh's first season in Ann Arbor yielded a four-win improvement to 9-3, but this was a brutal reminder of how far the program still has to go, that there are no magic tricks to take a long average program to the top of the Big Ten.

Mostly Harbaugh was left to secondary status here. Meyer even wore his own pair of khakis and by the game's end, with the scoreboard lopsided and so many Wolverines fans gone early, some Buckeye fans high in the South end zone stands unfurled a scarlet and grey banner that mockingly read: "Welcome Home Coach Harbaugh."

"We'll regroup," Harbaugh said. "They played better."

Better than the Wolverines, yes. Better than a week ago, too. Without question Michigan State played a role in that, its unforgiving defensive front stopping the Buckeyes' run game in its tracks. That's the Spartans though and that's why they are headed to the Big Ten title game to face Iowa.

Last week Ohio State couldn't match it. This week maybe they could have.

That will be the one depressing aspect of an otherwise glorious day of brutalizing their archrival in their house … the what-could-have-been regrets for this club. Ohio State didn't just underperform against State, but in so many games across its weak and listless schedule, needing too many close calls to build much sympathy from the selection committee.

Now at 11-1 the Buckeyes are like every other one-loss pauper, begging for recognition and trying to pump their résumé for a backdoor sneak back into the playoff. A year ago a 59-0 drubbing of Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game was enough. This year there are no more chances to impress.

Pretty much all they have is this one imposing, impressive domination of a heretofore-strong Michigan team.

It may or may not be enough to reach the playoffs.

For Urban Meyer, after that most hollow of weeks, after looking for affirmation of what his program was supposed to be about, after a national anthem too tense to stand still for, it was enough. At least for now.