nfl Page 989 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

The Santa Clara 49ers Of California
Just a few days after the Oakland A's announced they're leaving the Bay Area for Fremont, the San Francisco 49ers dropped an even bigger bomb yesterday: They've given up on getting a new stadium and are heading to Santa Clara. Some city officials are holding out hope it's a power play to get a bet...

Fred Smoot's Blanket Coverage
We were just forwarded this shot, from an MSNBC gallery, from last Sunday's Vikings-49ers game. You might not be able to tell from the photo — perhaps you are distracted by the ass — but the defender on the play? None other than Fred Smoot....

Football Is So Painful Sometimes
Another beautiful thing about YouTube: It can so aptly capture that moment when being a sports fan is at its worst, when the world is entirely out of your control, when events conspire against you and just make you want rage, rage, RAGE against all that has been taken from you....

Of Swann Songs And Quarterback Sneaks
Do sports and politics mix? As Keith Olberman pointed out on MSNBC Tuesday night, apparently not so much. Lynn Swann? Dead. Jim Ryun? Dead. Michael Steele? Dead. Niedermeier? ......

Not Even "Hard Harry" Can Save This Game
Ordinarily, we've tended to make fun of "Monday Night Football"'s tendency to bring "celebrities" into their booth to banter with Bald 1, Bald 2 and Mouthy; it's always a distraction from the game and excruciating to listen to. ("So, uh, guy from 'Desperate Housewives" ... er ... so you're in a coma...

Not Exactly Your Marquee MNF Matchup
We love the idea of these late-night open game threads, which started with the World Series — who won that, anyway? — and have morphed into a fun Monday night activity for the bored, drunk and/or curious. But it's pretty tough to dress up tonight's game in anything that resembles anything pretty: ...

NFL Roundup: Bears Down!
• Hey, so what did happen to the Bears yesterday? We know they had trouble handling the Buzzsaw, but hey, who doesn't? Losing at home to the Dolphins is not the type of thing that's gonna make people feel all that positively about an all-Midwest Super Bowl. Wasn't Rex Grossman good at the beginnin...

Another "Outstanding" Regular Season Manning Triumph
There is a temptation to point out that if Peyton Manning had thrown four interceptions at home on national television against his biggest rival, he would have been vilified by anyone with a keyboard yet again for being a choker; because it was Tom Brady who did it, it was just an "off night" for ...

NFL Week Nine, Update #4
• Just a couple minutes ago, Hines Ward caught a Roethlisberger pass inside the 10, and tried to turn it upfield into the endzone. As he dove across the ball line, the ball was knocked out, and Denver snapped it. Story of the game for the Steelers. They made some plays, they did some good things.....

NFL Week Nine, Update #3
• I guess the bookies know what they're doing. The Steelers, despite turning the ball over three times in the first half, are going to head into the break down just four points. It's not that they haven't been trying to get blown out; Santonio Holmes is certainly doing his part. He's fumbled a coupl...

NFL Week Nine, Update #2
• The Bengals just failed to convert a 4th-and-4 with under 2:00 to play that would've kept their chances alive. It was close to being pass interference, but T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the official had differing opinions. No flag came, and Houshmandzadeh reacted like someone just snipped off his ponyta...

NFL Week Nine, Update #1
• Baltimore keeps doing what Baltimore does. The Bengals fumbled on a kickoff, and Carson Palmer threw an interception that went to the house, and that should be about all they'll need. It's 17-0, and Carson Palmer has been mostly terrible. At the half, it's 17-7, Ravens over the Bengals, because ...

The One Person Who Enjoys Berman's Nickname For Delhomme
There's at least one woman out there who couldn't care less about the Manning/Brady hype. She has eyes only for Jake Delhomme, and those eyes are very, very crazy....

NFL Week 9 Preview: Perhaps You've Heard Of Tom Brady And Peyton Manning
• Colts @ Patriots. All week long, the Brady/Manning hype machine has been working harder than the Vader-esque panel inserted in Al Davis's chest. For two reasons, though, I don't mind. First, it could be much worse... imagine if this game was on ESPN. And secondly, it is Manning vs. Brady, and it i...

Time For Manning-Brady ... Uh ... What Number Are We On Now?
You might have heard: The Colts play the Patriots this weekend, which means it's time for more Brady vs. Manning stories. We think everyone's issues with Peyton Manning are nicely summed up by Kissing Suzy Kolber:...

Stop Shuler Surrenders To The Polls
We have told you before about the noble quest of StopShuler.com, produced by a group of Redskins fans who want to keep their former quarterback — and current Congressional candidate — Heath Shuler from returning to Washington....

Shawne Merriman's Flimsy "Excuses"
So San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has decided to accept his four-game suspension for steroids, while making it clear that it was an accidental positive test as a result of an over-the-counter supplement....

You Stay Classy, Buffalo
The wisdom of sending more of our troops to Iraq is making less and less sense to us, mostly because there are bitter, liquored-up Bills fans wandering around with nothing to do. Meet Patriots' fan Barry Donaghey, who was simply trying to enjoy a tailgate celebration with his pregnant wife followi...

No More Vroom Vroom For Big Ben
So the Steelers are falling apart right now, losing to the freaking Raiders last week, and at the center of all of it is quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has had an awfully busy few months for a guy who didn't play all that well in the Super Bowl. Concussions, emergency surgery, road mishaps ... ...

Clinton Portis Is Keeping Curious Company
We'll confess, we don't watch that "Flavor Of Love" show on VH-1; we remember once having good thoughts about Flavor Flav, many years ago, and just seeing the highlights of the show makes us extremely uncomfortable, like we're watching Reagan in the last throes of Alzheimer's or something. (We bet...