The Early Lead - Where your daily sports conversation begins ... and never ends - November 7, 2010

Kevin Love puts together NBA's first 30-30 game since 1982

Kevin Love? Kevin Love! The Minnesota Timberwolves power forward put together a game like the NBA hasn't seen in years: he scored 31 points and had 31 rebounds, becoming the first player since Moses "If you ain't got the ball,...

By Cindy Boren | November 13, 2010; 5:54 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: NBA
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Jenn Sterger meets with NFL as Brett Favre investigation continues

Jenn Sterger, the former New York Jets employee who reportedly received inappropriate photos from quarterback Brett Favre when both were with the Jets, met Thursday with NFL officials investigating the matter. "I'm not going to comment as to anything that...

By Cindy Boren | November 12, 2010; 1:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: NFL
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Chad Pennington puts R and R behind him with a little Eminem

Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington enjoys him some Eminem as he prepares for his first start since Week 3 last season....

By Cindy Boren | November 12, 2010; 1:02 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Hakeem Nicks, Vernon Davis accused of improperly aiding North Carolina players

New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has been accused by the University of North Carolina of providing improper benefits to players. The benefits include "gifts of cash and jewelry and impermissible assistance with lodging, travel, transportation and entertainment expenses,"...

By Cindy Boren | November 12, 2010; 12:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: NFL
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Padres coach Jim Malone says being stranded on Carnival cruise ship 'wasn't the worst'

Baseball is a sport in which you're considered to be pretty good if you can get a hit around one-third of the time, so it probably shouldn't be a surprise that Jim Malone, the San Diego Padres' strength and conditioning...

By Cindy Boren | November 12, 2010; 12:01 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: MLB
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Travis Pastrana, NASCAR driver ... why not?

This is just what NASCAR needs: action sports stars. Travis Pastrana, a 10-time X Games gold medalist, is joining NASCAR as a driver and owner. He's hooking up with Michael Waltrip and plans to race in seven Nationwide events next...

By Cindy Boren | November 12, 2010; 7:50 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)

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John Wall's Reezig commercial, with a little dance

Technically, the John Wall Reezig commercial dropped in June. But it's getting massive play now because John Wall, it turns out, is pretty good....

By Cindy Boren | November 12, 2010; 7:36 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: John Wall
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Mississippi players file suit over alleged whipping by basketball coach

Three high school basketball players have filed a lawsuit in Jackson, Miss., alleging that their coach whipped them with a leather weightlifting belt during practice last month. Marlon Dorsey, the boys coach at Murrah High School in Jackson, Miss., has...

By Cindy Boren | November 12, 2010; 6:51 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)

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The Heat can't generate any against Celtics ... again

Updated at 11:05 a.m. The Miami Heat, despite the presence of the Three Basketeers, are perilously close to being a .500 team and they're in an 0-2 hole against the Boston Celtics. Worse, they're speaking in respectful, nearly reverential tones...

By Cindy Boren | November 12, 2010; 6:26 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: NBA
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Shawne Merriman will miss game Sunday because of strained Achilles'

Shawne Merriman will not play Sunday for the Buffalo Bills against the Detroit Lions. Merriman was injured 10 minutes into his first practice with the Bills on Wednesday. "Merriman strained an Achilles'," Coach Chan Gailey said Thursday. "It's not long...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 3:47 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Nats GM Mike Rizzo discusses roster, offseason plans

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo spoke about the team's interest in Cliff Lee in an MLB/SiriusXM Radio interview Wednesday with Kevin Kennedy and Jim Duquette. Now, here's the rest of the transcript of the interview (because Dan Steinberg thinks he's...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 2:46 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Nationals
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Ilya Kovalchuk forgets something, earns 'Koval-choke' nickname

This is pretty embarrassing stickhandling for a professional hockey player. Especially one, like Ilya Kovalchuk of the New Jersey Devils, with a $100 million contract. And especially when it prompts the announcing opposite of "Havlicek stole the ball!"...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 2:11 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NHL
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Cleveland Browns linebacker Marcus Benard hospitalized after collapse

Cleveland Browns linebacker Marcus Benard was hospitalized after he collapsed in the team's locker room this afternoon. Benard, Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis said, is stable, alert and undergoing more tests. At the time of his collapse, Benard, 25, was seated...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 1:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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NFL says this is its most watched season in history

The one person in America who is not watching the NFL must leave now. Thank you. A little over halfway through the season, the NFL says this season is its most-watched ever, as more than 175 million viewers have tuned...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 12:56 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: NFL
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Randy Moss: 'I can carry a lot of weight'

Turns out Randy Moss was only kidding when he threatened to conduct interviews in which he answered only his own questions. He gave the media that assembled in Nashville on Wednesday a good three minutes of his time Wednesday after...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 12:38 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: NFL
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Tiger Woods trails by 4 shots in Australian Masters

(Getty Images) It took Tiger Woods a bit of a while to get going in the Australian Masters and the crowd, frankly, was a frisky lot, with sheilas beckoning from the gallery and a spectator having the audacity to...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 10:35 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Tiger Woods
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Poll: Cam Newton and the Heisman Trophy

The investigation into allegations about how Cam Newton came to play for Auburn will take time to complete, but the clock is ticking on the Heisman Trophy, for which he remains a leading candidate. Will voters consider the allegations as...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 9:50 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: College football
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Dave Niehaus mourned by Seattle Mariners players and fans

Dave Niehaus, the legendary Hall of Fame announcer for the Seattle Mariners, died Wednesday night of a heart attack at the age of 75. He called the very first Mariners game in 1977 and, as the Seattle Times' Geoff Baker...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 7:56 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: MLB
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Miami (of Ohio) overcomes fog to beat Bowling Green

For the third time in six years, the rivalry between Miami (of Ohio) and Bowling Green has featured a broken-field run by Mother Nature. Somewhere in the Bowling Green, Ohio, soup Wednesday night, Miami kicks a field goal to win...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 7:32 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: College football
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Herm Edwards offers advice to suspended Connecticut high school coach

D.J. Hernandez, the 24-year-old Southington, Conn., football coach and brother of the Patriots' Aaron Hernandez, made an unfortunate mistake during a recent football game. His team found the armband playlist belonging to the opposing team's wide receiver and used it...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 7:16 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: NFL
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Chan Gailey: Shawne Merriman's injury isn't major, but may keep him out Sunday

Shawne Merriman hurt his leg 10 minutes into his first practice with the Buffalo Bills, an injury that Coach Chan Gailey said "wasn't anything major."...

By Cindy Boren | November 11, 2010; 5:39 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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NFL: no evidence to support discipline of Le'Ron McClain in spitting incident

The NFL has closed the book on spitgate, saying there is inconclusive evidence to back Channing Crowder's claim that Le'Ron McClain spit on him during the Baltimore Ravens' game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. There will be no fine...

By Cindy Boren | November 10, 2010; 3:16 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Shawne Merriman hurt in first practice with Buffalo Bills

Ten minutes into his first practice with the Buffalo Bills, Shawne Merriman limped off the field with what appeared to be some sort of lower leg injury. Merriman was pivoting on his right foot during a routine drill with...

By Cindy Boren | November 10, 2010; 3:01 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: NFL
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Nationals contact Cliff Lee's agent and begin discussions

Updated at 2:05 p.m. The full text of Nats General Manager Mike Rizzo's comments, via MLB Trade Rumors: "Well, Jim, I'd be a fool if I didn't like Cliff Lee or want Cliff Lee on our club. He's the prize...

By Cindy Boren | November 10, 2010; 12:53 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: MLB, Nationals
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Steelers place tackle Max Starks on injured-reserve list with neck injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed left tackle Max Starks on the season-ending injured-reserve list because of a neck injury. The injury to Starks, who is expected to undergo surgery, is the second significant offensive line injury for the team. Right...

By Cindy Boren | November 10, 2010; 11:42 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Patriots place kicker Stephen Gostkowski on injured-reserve list

The New England Patriots have placed kicker Stephen Gostkowski on the season-ending injured-reserve list because of a thigh injury. The Patriots went to designated emergency kicker replacement Shayne Graham, signing him to a contract on Tuesday. Graham, 32, signed with...

By Cindy Boren | November 10, 2010; 11:28 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Al Harris signs with Miami Dolphins after being released by Green Bay

Cornerback Al Harris, released by the Green Bay Packers earlier this week, has signed with the Miami Dolphins. Harris, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament last season, had been on the physically unable to perform list and had been practicing...

By Cindy Boren | November 10, 2010; 10:22 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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ESPN report: Newtons admitted to 'pay-for-play' to Mississippi State officials

Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and his father admitted a "pay-for-play" plan in separate telephone conversations while Newton was being recruited late last year, two sources who recruit for Mississippi State have told ESPN. ESPN's Joe Schad writes: Prior to...

By Cindy Boren | November 10, 2010; 8:57 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: College football
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Jason Campbell endorsed as Raiders' starter by Al Davis

Things seemed a little too quiet, a little too placid, in Oakland where, as Sam Farmer writes, "all of a sudden [in the NFL], the Raiders are the well-adjusted ones." Enter managing general partner Al Davis, who has expressed his...

By Cindy Boren | November 10, 2010; 8:07 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: NFL
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Dan Hawkins fired: Colorado gives quarterback's dad the boot

In retrospect, letting your kid keep flinging the ball in pursuit of a record is probably a terrible idea for a coach. There's a reason why coaches go to a ball-control ground game and let the the clock tick: it...

By Cindy Boren | November 9, 2010; 11:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: College football
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Report: Cam Newton left Florida amid academic cheating allegations

Updated at 1:48 p.m. Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs has released a statement in response to the latest allegations concerning quarterback Cam Newton: "In the past 24 hours, a lot of allegations have surfaced that date back two years ago...

By Cindy Boren | November 9, 2010; 10:04 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: College football
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Wade Phillips not to blame for dallascowboys.com's poor performance

This one wasn't Wade Phillips' fault. Someone, probably someone not named Phillips, neglected to renew the domain name "dallascowboys.com" and as the Cowboys were playing the Packers on Sunday night in Green Bay, the site was replaced by a page...

By Cindy Boren | November 9, 2010; 8:35 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: NFL
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Driscoll Middle School Trick Play: 'A really slow quarterback sneak'

In the spirit of the fumblerooski, the holy roller, the Statue of Liberty and the A 11 offense comes Driscoll Middle School quarterback Jason Garza, who just nonchalantly advances the ball against the world's most gullible bunch of defensive players....

By Cindy Boren | November 9, 2010; 7:46 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (17)

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Tiger Woods: 'I just didn't put it together this year'

Tiger Woods did everything but call this an annus horribilis. It was a year of tabloid tumult and a golf game so uneven that he failed to win a major and tumbled from the No. 1 ranking. "It's a process,...

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 3:24 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Tiger Woods
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Wade Phillips fired by Cowboys after 3 1/2 seasons as coach

Wade Phillips leaves the field after the Cowboys' loss. (Ron Jenkins / Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Wade Phillips has been fired as coach of the Dallas Cowboys by Jerry Jones. Jason Garrett, the offensive coordinator and occasional heir apparent, will...

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 2:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: NFL
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Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton fight ends just as it's getting good at NASCAR race

How to pull NASCAR ratings out of the ditch: More fightin', less drivin'. The Jeff Gordon-Jeff Burton fight started promisingly enough, then fell apart as Burton admitted he was to blame. The two exchanged insurance information and moved on....

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 10:48 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)

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Allen Iverson arrives in Istanbul, ready to play hoops

Allen Iverson has arrived in Turkey -- finally...after missing his flight last week -- and, as colleague Michael Lee points out, photos of his arrival make it look as if he's in a hostage situation. Maybe he's just overwhelmed by...

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 10:34 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: NBA
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Georgina Bloomberg, daughter of NYC mayor, injured in riding accident

Georgina Bloomberg, a professional show jumper and the daughter of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, was seriously injured in an accident during an equestrian competition in upstate New York. Bloomberg, 27, was unconscious after a "severe fall" while riding...

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 10:02 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Will Wade Phillips be fired by Jerry Jones?

Updated at 11 a.m. Wade Phillips, according to sources who have spoken with him today, doesn't think anything is happen regarding his future as Cowboys coach today, Fox's Jay Glazer tweets. The Cowboys emailed members of the media to say...

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 8:39 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: NFL
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DC Sports-o-Meter Live: Who had the best, worst week in sports?

Updated at 12:53 p.m. {"movie":"http://media10.washingtonpost.com/wp/swf/OmniPlayer.swf","id":"oplayer-video-swf","width":"454", height:"270","vars":{"title":"Video: Redskins bye week, Navy win, Mike Shanahan's bad week and more with the D.C. Sports-O-Meter","flvStreamingServer":"rtmp://cp39416.live.edgefcs.net/live/","stillURL":"http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2010/11/08/PH2010110803191.jpg","flvStreamingServer":"rtmp://cp18263.edgefcs.net/ondemand","flvURL":"2010-11/637357/642489","autoStart":"false","clickThru":"http://live.washingtonpost.com/the-dc-sports-o-meter-1108.html","playAds":"true"},"params":{"allowFullScreen":"true"} } Filed at 8:20 If it's Monday, it must be time for Bog and Boren on the DC Sports-o-Meter....

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 8:20 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Is 'Call of Duty: Black Ops' disturbing or just really cool?

If you watched any fubball at all yesterday, you saw the ad for "Call of Duty: Black Ops," featuring Kobe Bryant, Jimmy Kimmel and lots of stuff exploding. Sounds like a cool combo, no? But it's not entertaining in the...

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 8:12 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Kobe Bryant, NBA
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Channing Crowder hears from Le'Ron McClain over spitting allegation

Updated at 2:25 p.m. Le'Ron McClain continues to offer his defense in Spitgate. Via Twitter, he says, "I'm not a spitter": Video shows me arguing with guy! Called him something and i guess a Lil spit got on him. Not...

By Cindy Boren | November 8, 2010; 7:48 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NFL
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Chilean miner Edison Pena finishes New York City Marathon in under 6 hours

What's next for Edison Pena? Everest? The man who kept running over the 69 days in which he was trapped in a Chilean coal mine came through on his vow to run the New York City Marathon -- and managed...

By Cindy Boren | November 7, 2010; 8:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)

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For Channing Crowder, history takes back seat to histrionics over spitting

History shmistory. Channing Crowder was spitting mad. The Miami Dolphins linebacker was furious with a capital F and let fly with a profanity-laced tirade in which he confused Anne Frank and Helen Keller and accused Baltimore Ravens fullback Le'Ron McClain...

By Cindy Boren | November 7, 2010; 7:13 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)

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Austin Collie alert and sitting up after scary collision with Kurt Coleman

Updated at 6:07 p.m. Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Austin Collie was taken from the field on a cart after being knocked out in a helmet-to-helmet collision with Philadelphia Eagles safety Kurt Coleman. Collie, according to Colts president Bill Polian, has...

By Cindy Boren | November 7, 2010; 5:43 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (22)
Categories: NFL
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The Early Lead: November 7, 2010 - November 13, 2010