The Early Lead - Where your daily sports conversation begins ... and never ends - October 10, 2010

Roger Goodell: Brett Favre will be treated same as other players

Although the investigation into allegations of improper behavior is continuing, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre shouldn't expect preferential treatment because of his profile and status in the NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell said this morning on "Today." "I'm not going to...

By Cindy Boren | October 15, 2010; 1:28 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Have another doughnut
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Report: Gilbert Arenas fined $50,000 by Wizards for faking knee injury

Gilbert Arenas was fined $50,000 for faking a knee injury in order to get more playing time for Nick Young, Comcast SportsNet is reporting. Arenas played but did not start Thursday in the Wizards' preseason loss to the Milwaukee Bucks....

By Cindy Boren | October 15, 2010; 12:53 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Gilbert Arenas
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Report: Terrell Owens fined $5,000 by NFL for tweeting too close to kickoff

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens has been fined $5,000 by the NFL for violating the league's social media policy by tweeting too close to kickoff Sunday. Players must stop using social media 90 minutes before kickoff, the policy, which...

By Cindy Boren | October 15, 2010; 11:32 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Chris Cooley, Tanya Snyder, Roger Goodell discuss breast cancer awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, something you're reminded of every time you watch an NFL game and see bright pink mixing with team colors. Three with ties to the NFL and to the disease were on "Today" this morning...

By Cindy Boren | October 15, 2010; 10:54 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: NFL
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Cigar Guy continues to show up randomly, less and less amusingly

Cigar Guy is back (technically, he never really left), milking his 15 minutes like a prize Guernsey. Today, 30-year-old Rupesh Shingadia hit "Today" in what surely must be Minute 14:59.99 of his run to discuss his utterly random appearance...

By Cindy Boren | October 15, 2010; 9:12 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Golf, Tiger Woods
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Ines Sainz will return to work but not to NFL locker rooms

Ines Sainz is heading back to work next week for the first time since her appearance in the New York Jets' locker room sparked a debate over the presence of women journalists in men's locker rooms. She will not, however,...

By Cindy Boren | October 14, 2010; 6:20 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: NFL
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Ole Miss gets a new mascot: the Rebel Black Bear

It took eight months of fussin' and feudin', but the University of Mississippi has a new mascot. Say hello to the Rebel Black Bear. Over 10 years ago, Ole Miss decided to begin distancing itself from the Old South,...

By Cindy Boren | October 14, 2010; 3:38 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)

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If Brett Favre sits, London Fletcher and Peyton Manning will be Ironmen

If Brett Favre decides to rest his ailing elbow Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys, his consecutive-games streak will come to an end at 289 regular-season games. Which raises the question: Who's No. 2? Well, you have to squinch your...

By Cindy Boren | October 14, 2010; 1:41 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Redskins
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Tommie Smith puts Olympic gold medal up for auction

Tommie Smith is selling the Olympic gold medal he wore during an iconic protest that superceded sports. Smith, 66, has put his medal and cherry-red Puma running shoes up for auction at M.I.T. Memorabilia with a starting bid of $250,000....

By Cindy Boren | October 14, 2010; 11:53 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)

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Brett Favre: Could he just decide to end his Ironman streak?

Is it possible that Brett Favre might consider voluntarily ending his consecutive-games Ironman streak? Amid allegations of "sextual" misconduct and the possibility of a suspension by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, might it be tendinitis in the elbow of his throwing...

By Cindy Boren | October 14, 2010; 8:08 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Brett Favre, Have another doughnut, LeBron James
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Gilbert Arenas: "I screwed up again. I just want to say, 'Sorry' "

Gilbert Arenas has apologized for faking a knee injury Tuesday night and Wizards Coach Flip Saunders said that Arenas has been fined. "I screwed up again," Arenas said, according to The Post's Michael Lee. "I just want to say, 'Sorry.'...

By Cindy Boren | October 13, 2010; 1:37 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (88)
Categories: Gilbert Arenas
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Shawne Merriman place on Chargers' reserve-injured list

At least as far as the San Diego Chargers are concerned, Shawne Merriman will not play again this season. The former Maryland linebacker has been placed by the team on its reserve-injured list because of a calf injury designated as...

By Cindy Boren | October 13, 2010; 12:51 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (13)

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Lana Lawless, transgender golfer, sues LPGA over birth rule

A transgender golfer is suing the LPGA over its requirement that all competitors be "female at birth." In the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Lana Lawless claims the policy violates California civil rights laws. Lawless,...

By Cindy Boren | October 13, 2010; 9:59 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (56)

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Gilbert Arenas fakes a knee injury: TwitterWorld reacts

Tweet your take on Gilbert Arenas "knee injury" to me: Tracy Rotton: did he take notes from laron landry? #arenasfakekneeinjury Brian Dent: It shows he is childish and has still not grown up from the gun incident. Hard to believe...

By Cindy Boren | October 13, 2010; 8:43 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Gilbert Arenas
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Gilbert Arenas fakes a knee injury; what's your take?

Well, Gilbert Arenas is making headlines again. Rather than play in his "">first game at Verizon Center since Jan. 2, he said he faked a knee injury in order to get playing time for teammate Nick Young in the Washington...

By Cindy Boren | October 13, 2010; 7:36 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (38)
Categories: Gilbert Arenas
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MLB playoffs: Rangers-Yankees in ALCS, Giants-Phillies in NLCS

The American League Championship Series starts Friday with Texas playing the New York Yankees. the National League CS starts Saturday; the World Series Oct. 27. The Yankees were the first team to advance to the CS, with their sweep of...

By Cindy Boren | October 13, 2010; 5:20 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: MLB
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Tim Hasselbeck: Football with pink ribbon decal is 'a disaster'

It's just a small pink ribbon on the official NFL football, but former quarterback Tim Hasselbeck says players tell him the ball is "a disaster." "No one's talking about this," Hasselbeck said on ESPN's "Mike and Mike" show. "They're playing...

By Cindy Boren | October 12, 2010; 1:09 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: NFL
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Tom Brady denies report of fight with Randy Moss

There's no truth to the CBS report of a dustup between New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and wide receiver Randy Moss, Brady said. "No, certainly not," Brady said in his weekly WEEI Radio appearance. "I don't know why these...

By Cindy Boren | October 12, 2010; 12:24 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Brett Favre: Most readers say it was a mistake to play this year

The Brett Favre file and poll asking whether he erred in returning for his 20th NFL season is sparking some Twittertawk. Weigh in here or on Twitter: Tracy White: i think the more horrible mistake was being sleazy around every...

By Cindy Boren | October 12, 2010; 10:27 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Brett Favre
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Bobby Cox bids tearful goodbye after Atlanta Braves lose to San Francisco Giants

Bobby Cox, baseball's all-time leader in ejections, had the chance to go out spectacularly after 29 years as a major league manager. Instead, he took the high road (and we cyberapplaud that) and didn't protest a close calls or a...

By Cindy Boren | October 12, 2010; 10:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Have another doughnut
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Brett Favre: After apology, interception seals Vikings' loss

When we last left Brett Favre, he'd apologized to his Minnesota Vikings teammates in an emotional speech for becoming a distraction as they prepared to play the New York Jets on Favre's favorite stage, "Monday Night Football." Then, he went...

By Cindy Boren | October 12, 2010; 7:49 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (27)
Categories: Brett Favre
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Albert Haynesworth honors brother with memorial motorcycle ride

Albert Haynesworth took part in a memorial motorcycle ride to honor his brother, Lance McCoy, on Sunday in Murfreesboro, Tenn. "He wanted to have his final ride," his father, Bobby McCoy said in an interview with Nashville's Channel 5 (video...

By Cindy Boren | October 11, 2010; 1:32 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Albert Haynesworth
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Charlie Davies reportedly fined, loses license for speeding

Charlie Davies, who nearly died in a car crash that cost him a spot on the United States World Cup team, has been fined and his driver's license has been suspended by French authorities after a speeding violation. Davies, 24,...

By Cindy Boren | October 11, 2010; 11:26 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)

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Marvin Austin dismissed from North Carolina football team

Marvin Austin has been dismissed from the North Carolina football program because he received NCAA agent benefits and preferential treatment and violated ethical conduct rules, the school has announced. Austin, who's from Washington, D.C., was suspended indefinitely on Sept. 1...

By Cindy Boren | October 11, 2010; 10:57 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: College football
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The Early Lead: October 10, 2010 - October 16, 2010