The Early Lead - Where your daily sports conversation begins ... and never ends - September 12, 2010

Cal Ripken Jr. reviews Derek Jeter's theatrics

Cal Ripken Jr. is in Derek Jeter's corner when it comes to doing just about anything to get on base, score runs and win. He seems to draw the line, though, at Shakespeare-in-the-ballpark. Ripken, on XM Radio with his brother...

By Cindy Boren | September 17, 2010; 5:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: MLB
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Joe Torre will step down; Don Mattingly to manage Dodgers next year

Updated at 3:43 p.m. Joe Torre will step down as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers after the season and will be replaced by Don Mattingly. Mattingly, who worked with Torre with the New York Yankees, has been the Dodgers'...

By Cindy Boren | September 17, 2010; 2:50 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: MLB
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Michael Vick will be Eagles' starter Sunday

Michael Vick was bound to be a starting quarterback again in the NFL at some point. How does Sunday sound? Vick will start for the first time since Dec. 31, 2006, for the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost Kevin Kolb, the...

By Cindy Boren | September 17, 2010; 2:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Stewart, Colbert rallies: Who shows up from sports?

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are taking over the Mall on 10/30/10 with their dueling "Rally to Restore Sanity" and "March to Keep Fear Alive". The last time something like this hit D.C., Glenn Beck was the host and Cardinals...

By Cindy Boren | September 17, 2010; 10:59 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)

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Are Black-Eyed Peas Super Bowl worthy?

There's a rumor/report buzzing that the Black-Eyed Peas will be the Super Bowl performers in February. Brooks Melchior blogged the info, citing sources. Melchior, as the Dallas Morning News points out, has been right and wrong before. No one is...

By Cindy Boren | September 17, 2010; 8:36 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Have another doughnut
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Vincent Jackson settlement reached; is a trade next?

Updated at 3:55 p.m. A settlement has been reached concerning the length of Vincent Jackson's suspension: if the wide receiver is traded by the San Diego Chargers, he'll serve a four-game suspension; if he is not traded, the suspension will...

By Cindy Boren | September 16, 2010; 2:08 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: NFL
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Tom Brady rips fans who leave Gillette Stadium early

Tom Brady hates it when fans leave Gillette Stadium before the New England Patriots games are over. "The road environment is very different than our friendly home crowd who, when I looked up, half the stadium was gone when we...

By Cindy Boren | September 16, 2010; 12:17 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: NFL, Redskins
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Clinton Portis and Albert Haynesworth: Just a couple of cut-ups

Noted yukmeisters Clinton Portis and Albert Haynesworth were at it again today during the Redskins' open locker room. Media members approached Portis, for whom they had some questions after his radio comments about women in locker rooms and subsequent apology...

By Cindy Boren | September 16, 2010; 11:10 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: NFL, Redskins
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Derek Jeter admits he was acting in Yankees' loss to Rays

And the Elaine Benes award for faking it goes to ... Derek Jeter, who, it turns out, is quite the little actor. He pretended to be hit by a pitch in the New York Yankees' game against the Tampa Bay...

By Cindy Boren | September 16, 2010; 8:05 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: MLB
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Keith Bulluck says of Albert Haynesworth: 'I either play him or I trade him'

When it comes to the dispute between Albert Haynesworth and Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan, one former teammate is on Haynesworth's side. Keith Bulluck, the New York Giants linebacker who formerly played with Haynesworth in Tennessee, told Newsday's Bob Glauber how...

By Cindy Boren | September 15, 2010; 3:39 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Albert Haynesworth, NFL
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Ines Sainz incident prompts NFL to send conduct memo to teams

The NFL has sent a memo to all teams, reminding them of rules regarding equal access by media members and conduct by players in the wake of Ines Sainz's experience with the New York Jets, according to an Associated Press...

By Cindy Boren | September 15, 2010; 2:41 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: NBA
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Shannon Sharpe takes leave of absence from CBS telecasts

Shannon Sharpe has taken a leave of absence from his job as an analyst on CBS telecasts of NFL games because of allegations of sexual assault. A temporary restraining order was obtained by Michele Bundy, who filed a petition in...

By Cindy Boren | September 15, 2010; 2:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: NFL
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Poll: What should the Heisman Trust do with Reggie Bush's trophy?

Now that Reggie Bush has given up the award he won in 2005, there's a perfectly good Heisman Trophy just waiting to be given to someone. Is that the right idea, though? poll by twiigs.com Read more: Hard Hits: LaVar...

By Cindy Boren | September 15, 2010; 1:14 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: College football
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Ines Sainz: Debating the presence of women in men's locker rooms

The Ines Sainz debate sizzles on. Should women work in men's locker rooms? Your Browser DoesNot Support IFrames. For more: My take, as a sports journalist who's had a blow dryer thrown at her in a men's locker room. Dan...

By Cindy Boren | September 15, 2010; 11:36 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: NFL
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Chris Cooley: Eagles' trade of Donovan McNabb 'boneheaded'

It would seem, particularly when your starting quarterback gets hurt in Week 1 and his replacement is a guy who has, let's say, issues over the last few years, that trading your proven starter might not have been prudent. Redskins...

By Cindy Boren | September 15, 2010; 10:58 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Chris Cooley, Redskins
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Rex Ryan 'here to cooperate' in Ines Sainz investigation

Updated at 10:23 a.m. It was either luck or misfortune that Rex Ryan's comments about the New York Jets and the Ines Sainz incident were overtaken by Clinton Portis: the comments and the apology. NFL officials paid the Jets a...

By Cindy Boren | September 15, 2010; 8:14 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (56)
Categories: NFL
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Reggie Bush forfeits Heisman Trophy

Reggie Bush will not wait for the Heisman Trophy Trust to decide whether to strip him of the 2005 award. The New Orleans Saints running back announced that he is forfeiting the award, becoming the first Heisman winner to do so.

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 4:44 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (41)
Categories: College football
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Clinton Portis apologizes for comments about Ines Sainz, women reporters

Clinton Portis has apologized for remarks he made Tuesday morning concerning Ines Sainz and women reporters in locker rooms. "I was wrong to make the comments I did, and I apologize," Portis said in a statement released by the team....

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 3:29 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (33)
Categories: Clinton Portis, NFL
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Poll: Weigh in on Clinton Portis' comments about Ines Sainz

Clinton Portis spoke out about Ines Sainz and women reporters in men's locker rooms. The NFL reacted. The Redskins are expected to do the same. But what's your take? poll by twiigs.com...

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 3:09 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (31)
Categories: Clinton Portis, NFL
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NFL condemns Clinton Portis' remarks about Ines Sainz situation

Clinton Portis' comments on Ines Sainz and the presence of women in the locker room has drawn a swift response from the NFL. "The comments are clearly inappropriate, offensive and and have no place in the NFL," league spokesman Greg...

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 1:33 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (68)
Categories: Clinton Portis, NFL
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Jets' Kris Jenkins has torn ACL, is out for the season

Updated at 2:12 p.m. Kris Jenkins, nose tackle for the New York Jets, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the Monday night game against the Baltimore Ravens and will miss the rest of the season. Jenkins, who played at the...

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 12:48 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Ines Sainz accepts apology, tells her side of the story

"Sexes and ohs" -- headline ripped from The New York Post The Ravens and Jets never really stood a chance against Ines Sainz. Not when, after a month of trash-talking swagger, the best they could deliver Monday night was a...

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 12:02 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (60)
Categories: Clinton Portis, NFL
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Report: Albert Haynesworth, trade talks continue

The Albert Haynesworth trade-talk rumor-reports haven't gone away and, really, why would you expect them to just because the Redskins beat the Cowboys? In a replay of last week, ESPN's Chris Mortensen (via Pro Football Talk), reported that the Redskins...

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 9:45 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Albert Haynesworth, NFL
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Rafael Nadal wins U.S. Open, completes career Grand Slam

You might have missed it when CBS bailed on finishing its telecast of the men's final at the U.S. Open (most people did when ESPN dangled the shiny object that is professional football), but Rafael Nadal became the youngest player...

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 9:28 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)

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Dexter McCluster, Kansas City Chiefs put moves on San Diego Chargers

One of the best plays of NFL Week 1 came just before halftime in the second game of the "Monday Night Football" doubleheader: Dexter McCluster of the Kansas City Chiefs busted a 94-yard punt return for a touchdown as the...

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 8:50 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: NFL
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Vince Young on Reggie Bush's Heisman: 'I'm not going to say no to it'

The Heisman Trophy Trust will hold its monthly meeting today and, although members have not indicated whether stripping Reggie Bush of the 2005 award will be on the agenda, Vince Young has decided he'd take it after all. "I definitely...

By Cindy Boren | September 14, 2010; 7:46 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: College football
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Tom Brady on accident: 'I was scared out of my mind'

Tom Brady said he was "scared out of my mind" after he was involved in an auto accident Thursday morning in Boston's Back Bay. "I'm telling you, when it happened, I didn't even know what to do, because you're just...

By Cindy Boren | September 13, 2010; 2:09 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Jets complaints draw NFL's attention

Updated at 3:11 p.m. Jets owner Woody Johnson said the team will interview players regarding Ines Sainz' allegations Tuesday, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNY.com. Filed at 12:45 p.m. The Jets haven't played a regular-season game yet and they already...

By Cindy Boren | September 13, 2010; 12:42 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (30)
Categories: NFL
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The Early Lead: September 12, 2010 - September 18, 2010