sports Page 711 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

<em>San Francisco Chronicle</em>: David Stern Schedules Games On Christmas Because He "Celebrates Hanukkah" And "Has No Real Feel For Christmas In The First Place"
Oh, good: Bruce Jenkins took some space in his recent column about the NBA to suggest that David Stern ruined Christmas with basketball because he's Jewish:...

Welcome To Canada: Your NFL Late Games Viewing Guide
So, we're all going to be watching Pittsburgh and Dallas, but there are actually four other games—including one in Canada—kicking off shortly! Let's discuss. ...

Here's Dan Dierdorf Calling Greg Gumbel, His Broadcast Partner Of Six Seasons, "Bill"
Dan Dierdorf and Greg Gumbel were paired up by CBS prior to the start of the 2006 NFL season, so this is their seventh together. Dierdorf proved that he may literally not know an ass from an elbow during an official review today and, as you can hear above, is also calling Greg Gumbel "Bill." There...

Syracuse Sophomore Accused Of Stealing, Is Awfully Good At It
On Friday, The Post-Standard reported that Syracuse sophomore guard Michael Carter-Williams was accused of stealing $120 worth of merchandise from Lord & Taylor after reports emerged about an "incident" earlier in the week....
![Goodbye, Sweet Prince: Reports Say The Mets Have Agreed To Trade R.A. Dickey To The Blue Jays [Update]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/188jt92sqrujjjpg.jpg)
Goodbye, Sweet Prince: Reports Say The Mets Have Agreed To Trade R.A. Dickey To The Blue Jays [Update]
As has been rumored, wailed about, argued over, and mourned for a few days—and really, since Dickey became valuable enough to strain the finances of the destitute Mets—R.A Dickey is now, officially, almost definitely headed out of New York....

It's Almost Over: Your NFL Early Games Viewing Guide
The season continues its slow spiral down. Only three Sundays remain of the regular season. This is one of them and it's already here, so really there's only two. And the last week is kind of bullshit anyway with teams sitting guys. So, if you want to get technical-season's over. ...

Chris Berman Plays His Greatest Hits: Deux, Deux, Deux
Like any good showman knows, you've got to give the people what they want. And, clearly, what the people want is an homage to a bit on foreign painkillers from a lovable oaf. So this morning on Sunday NFL Countdown, Chris Berman used the Buffalo Bills "home game" in Toronto against the Seahawks to...

Back In 1995, <em>The Simpsons</em> Visited <em>The NFL On Fox</em>, And Homer Took A Shot At Jerry Jones
This only came to my attention yesterday, and—as I'm a Simpsons fan and something of a sports enthusiast—I figured that if I hadn't seen it, most people likely hadn't. In 1995, the Simpsons did what has to be the best promo for the NFL on Fox—for any pre-game show—ever. It's not quite vintage, unt...

Mike Lupica's Pro-Gun-Control Essay On Today's <em>Sports Reporters</em> Makes Bob Costas Sound Like A Right-Winger
Mike Lupica's Daily News columns often take an unabashed liberal perspective, but the Sports Reporters panelist has generally kept his political takes off of ESPN's airwaves—by apparent directive of the WWL itself....

Wake Forest Head Coach Jeff Bzdelik Will No Longer Be Taking Callers On His Radio Show Because They Were All Angry Wake Forest Fans
Wake Forest was once a proud basketball program: only two different men helmed the team from 1934-1965, Murray Greason and Bones McKinney, and those two built a strong winning tradition. Carl Tracy stabilized the ship after some turnover in the 70s, and from 1989-2007, it was again a tale of two co...

Here's Larry Merchant's Emotional Goodbye After A 35-Year Career As TV's Most Famous Boxing Commentator
With his HBO contract expiring, 81-year-old boxing analyst Larry Merchant announced earlier this week that he'd step down from a career that made him a household name among fans of the sweet science. Last night's bout between Nonito Donaire and Jorge Arce was Merchant's last, and following the dom...

The Giants, Jets And Patriots Will Wear Sandy Hook Helmet Decals
The NFL teams geographically closest to Newtown, Connecticut will pay tribute to the victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School by wearing decals on their helmets. The Giants (pictured above) and Jets helmets will be inscribed with the initials S.H.E.S....

ESPN Bent Over Backwards Not To Say "Pistol" During The New Mexico Bowl, Then Said "Shotgun" During The Idaho Potato Bowl
On Friday, ESPN senior vice president and executive producer Mark Gross sent a memo to his staff. It read in part:...

The Texas Basketball Holiday Song Wars Continue: Here Are The Dallas Mavericks, Trying To Sing "Sleigh Ride"
Not to be outdone by their rivals in Houston, who sort of sang the Dreidel Song, the Dallas Mavericks got together to sort of sing a "Sleigh Ride" karaoke. It's pretty good, especially, Chris Kaman, who is funnier than he looks. Rick Carlisle, too, and O.J Mayo, who only makes sound effects. Now a...

"Take That Nigger Off The TV, We Wanna Watch Football!": Idiots Respond To NBC Pre-Empting <em>Sunday Night Football</em>
NBC pre-empted the first quarter of tonight’s 49ers-Patriots game to show President Obama’s speech at the Newtown memorial for victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. As you might expect, many football fans didn’t take kindly to this. (So, too, some Bob’s Burgers fans.) Here are those idiots, led by so...

Tonight's <em>Saturday Night Live</em> Cold Open: The New York Children's Chorus Singing "Silent Night"
Given yesterday's devastating events in Connecticut, it seemed impossible for NBC to put together a Saturday Night Live cold open that could be seen in any way as appropriate for the mood. In the end, they eschewed any attempt at making the audience laugh—instead going with a touching performance f...

The NHL Lockout Negotiations Are So Bad, The NHL Is Threatening To Make Every Player An Unrestricted Free Agent
The NHLPA will give its a members the option to vote for a disclaimer of interest—a renunciation of the legal right to benefit from the terms of a given trust—which essentially means that the leadership of the NHLPA would move to disband the NHLPA. This outcome helps the players in their negotiation...

Unranked Butler Knocked Off No. 1 Indiana In Overtime On An Awkward Floater From Walk-On Sophomore Alex Barlow
It shouldn't have even been as close it was down the stretch—Butler has been a tough draw since Brad Stevens became coach after the 2007, and it's doubtful that Indiana took them lightly, but this was a match-up of a No. 1 ranked team against an unranked opponent on a neutral floor. Indiana had come...

Nate Silver Argues That The Breakaway Big East Teams Have A Chance To Rid Themselves Of Unsightly Football Baggage
News came down today that the Big East's non-FBS football schools have officially decided to leave the conference, a decision made by unanimous vote and one we've been expecting for a few days. It's easy to feel a little fearful about the Big East's basketball powers (sans UConn) striking out on the...

A Week After Court Filings Revealed Candace Williams's Claim That Terrell Suggs Punched Her And Dragged Her Alongside A Car, They Got Married
One week to the day. On Dec. 7, The Baltimore Sun obtained court documents filed by Candace Williams alleging that Terrell Suggs had "punched her in the neck and drove a car containing their two children at a 'high rate of speed' while she was being dragged alongside"; on Dec. 14—yesterday, three da...