yakspin Page 8 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Your Divisional Playoffs Open Thread
Seattle at Atlanta 1:00 p.m. (FOX): Well, it's put up or shut up for the "Falcons stink in the playoffs" narrative. It really could not have shaken out any worse for them, though, as the white-hot Seattle Seahawks come into town. While Atlanta was winding down the season, securing the top seed in th...

Your Divisional Playoffs Open Thread
Baltimore at Denver, 4:30 p.m. (CBS): It'll be cold and probably lopsided, but the first thing might negate the second thing, so who knows. It'll also either be the last game of Ray Lewis's career or the last game of Peyton Manning's much-ballyhooed comeback season, so there are good schadenfreude ...

Sean Pronger Is In Our Office Right Now To Answer Your Questions
Sean Pronger, who played everywhere from San Diego to Columbus to Frankfurt, has written a book, Journeyman, about life as a moving part in hockey. If you liked yesterday's excerpt about being hung over and thrown on a line with Wayne Gretzky, pick it up. Sean's here now, so ask away—he seems sober ...

Your Root-For-Ebola BCS National Championship Open Thread
The last few weeks of Bowl-watching on ESPN have often felt like a commercial on the YES Network with all the promos for this game. PRIDE. TRADITION. HISTORICAL PROGRAMS. Old audio playing back: "I thank the good lord for making me an Alabaman."...

Your NFL Wildcard Open Thread
Indianapolis at Baltimore (CBS) 1:00 p.m.: This could be the last time Ray Lewis plays and it will definitely be the last game he plays at home in Baltimore after the Bengals lost yesterday. Depending on your point of view, that is either a good thing, a bad thing or a whatever thing....

Your NFL Wildcard Open Thread
Cincinnati at Houston (NBC), 4:30 p.m.: The Texans may have the superior record but they backed into the playoffs, losing three of their last four, while the Bengals haven't lost a game by more than one point since Week 9. Plus, it'd be more fun if they won, so root for them....

Ask Melinda Henneberger About Notre Dame's Sexual Assault Problem
Melinda Henneberger is a political writer for the Washington Post who runs the paper's She the People blog. She's also a Notre Dame alumna who has done extensive reporting for the National Catholic Reporter about the school's shameful treatment of women who have made sexual assault allegations again...

The Army Powerlifting Coach Is Here To Yell At Your Fat Asses. Ask Him Stuff.
Rick Scarpulla knows a thing or two about strength training. He is currently the head strength and conditioning coach for the United States Military Academy at West Point's powerlifting team, and is the creator of the Ultimate Athlete Training Program. He has also trained numerous high school, coll...

Your New Year's Day Bowl Games-And-Whatnot Open Thread
The Gator Bowl and the Heart of Dallas Bowl are on now, with the Capital One (1 p.m.), Outback (1 p.m.), Rose (5 p.m.), and Orange (8:30 p.m.) Bowls coming later today, and with a great crater in the TV schedule where the Winter Classic used to be. Discuss below. And be sure to read our guide to all...
![Potential NFL Firings Live Blog [UPDATING]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/189ypyz93vbatjpg.jpg)
Potential NFL Firings Live Blog [UPDATING]
We are going to try and keep tabs on the impending doom in the NFL so keep it here for the latest regarding who may or may not be getting the axe in the coming day(s). Front office, head coaches, coordinators, mascots—they're are all up for grabs....

Your Crappy College Bowl Game Schedule And Open Thread
Schedule and broadcasters via, rankings from the final AP Poll of the regular season, all times (EST). If you haven't read our Shitty Bowl Games FAQ, read our Shitty Bowl Games FAQ....

Your NBA Christmas Day Spectacular Open Thread
Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, you can still celebrate five NBA games on Dec. 25! Unless you don't like basketball. In that case, you're probably low on reasons....

Saturday Night Football Open Thread: Drunk Off Eggnog Edition
There's football tonight! No, no—not Tivo'd Las Vegas Bowl, though that was a good game—NFL football, where they wear pads and get paid. Watch it with us, talk trash about the family members you see once every year on Christmas (*cough*), count the many times Jon Gruden refers to Matt Ryan as "this ...

Is Intentionally Missing A Free Throw With A Two-Point Lead And One Second Remaining A Good Idea?
Last night's Boston City League high school rivalry game between East Boston and Madison Park had the unlikeliest of finishes: With the score tied at 40, Madison Park's Johnny Bowden was fouled while attempting a three-pointer with one second remaining. Bowden was awarded three fouls shots, and he ...

What Were Your Favorite Sports Stories From This Year?
The year in sportswriting is almost over, which means that it is time to start making all kinds of "best of" lists. All the cool kids are doing it. We'd like to make a list too, and we'd like your help compiling it. Were there any pieces of sportswriting that you came across this year that you foun...

Your Monday Night Football Open Thread
New York Jets at Tennessee Titans (ESPN): Welp, here we are: Jets and Titans. The Jets, amazingly, still have a glimmer of hope for a playoff run. They need to win their remaining games and have the Bengals/Steelers do some stuff. Which is to say, they are definitely going to make the playoffs. They...

Your Sunday Night Football Open Thread
San Francisco at New England: With Houston and Denver both winning today, the Patriots currently sit in the third seed in the AFC. A win would put them over Denver (better conference record), just one game back of Houston for the top seed....

Roundup: The Best Manny Pacquiao Photoshop Contest Submissions
You all worked your usual Photoshop magic with knocked-out Manny Pacquiao yesterday. Here's the best of your submissions....

Photoshop Contest: Knocked-Out Manny Pacquiao
The knockout that Manny Pacquiao suffered at the hands of Juan Márquez on Saturday night was one of the most vicious you will ever see. While the boxing world continues to reel at the Pac-Man's downfall, we just can't stop laughing at the sight of Pacquiao laying unconscious on the mat, his arms tu...

Your Monday Night Football Open Thread
Houston at New England (ESPN): This has all the makings for a legitimate barn burner and as they look ahead to next week's matchup, Tirico and Gruden must be doing somersaults. Alas, this game will play out the only way an ostensibly exciting game involving the Patriots can play out: crushing, no-do...