Associated Press
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Penn State's board of trustees and president focused on repairing the school's tarnished image and braced for financial backlash in the immediate aftermath of the child sex-abuse scandal that erupted two months ago, going so far as to recommend reminding any outraged donors that they wouldn't get their money back, according to internal memos obtained by the Associated Press.

Four memos sent Nov. 14-18 and released to the AP this week describe the school's scrambling response less than two weeks after former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child molestation charges. Two Penn State administrators also were charged with lying to a grand jury and failing to properly report suspected child abuse.

In the first memo, issued nine days after the charges were filed, new school president Rodney Erickson told the 47-member Board of Trustees that the public relations teams of the university and the athletic department had met to "align our messages" and that he had received positive feedback after two network television interviews.

"This is another indication that we are taking control of the narrative of our story," Erickson wrote.

The scandal led to the ouster of Graham Spanier, Erickson's predecessor, and the firing of venerable football coach Joe Paterno.

A Nov. 18 note from Erickson also included an attachment with "talking points" for donors, including that the school had not changed its policy that gifts are not returned.

"The overwhelming majority of our leading donors have made public statements affirming their faith in the university and its future," according to the university's talking points. The document named a couple who gave $88 million to launch an NCAA ice hockey program, and another who endowed the position of head football coach.

Both the number of donors and number of gifts to Penn State increased. Total donations to Penn State were $3.1 million in November, compared with $1.1 million in November 2010, according to the university.

The records were obtained through a public records request filed Nov. 22 with the state Department of Education. Penn State, which receives hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer support annually, is largely exempt from the law and has declined requests for certain information as its internal investigation continues.

Times staff, wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

BOISE, Idaho — Boise State's Chris Petersen officially has joined college football's $2 million coaching club.

The State Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to give Petersen a $375,000 raise for 2012, the first step toward replacing his old contract with a new five-year deal designed to keep him in Boise through January 2017.

The pay raise and new contract come after reports linking Petersen to the biggest coaching vacancies, including renewed rumors that Penn State intended to make another play for him.

"I feel honored and blessed that I will continue to lead this football team," said Petersen, 47. "I appreciate the support of the administration and Bronco Nation, and I'm excited about the continued growth of this program."

In six seasons, Petersen has led the Broncos to a 73-6 record, two BCS bowl victories and elevated the program's profile enough to earn an invitation to join the Big East in 2013. This year, the Broncos finished 12-1 and beat Arizona State 56-24 in the MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas last month.

Petersen's current deal called for a 2012 salary of $1.625 million. Under terms of the proposed new deal, Petersen's salary would increase $200,000 in each of the next four years.

LSU, Alabama arrive

SEC rivals No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama both arrived in New Orleans on Wednesday to prepare for the first BCS title game to feature teams from the same league.

For Alabama, it was a short flight, and a brass band greeted the Tide as it got off the plane.

That was low key compared to the band plus 100-or-so fans who met LSU, in from Baton Rouge.

"The attachment to this city is one this team really feels," LSU coach Les Miles said. "You think (a greeting like this) is going to subside but this is going to continue for the week."

Gators to Senior Bowl

GAINESVILLE — Florida running back Chris Rainey and defensive tackle Jaye Howard were selected to participate in the Senior Bowl to be played Jan. 28 in Mobile, Ala. Rainey and Howard are the 15th and 16th players from UF to participate in the game.

TRANSFERS COMPLETE: Former Gators tight end Gerald Christian and receiver Robert Clark, both of whom left the team in October, are transferring to Louisville. Also, linebacker Dee Finley, who is a native of Auburn, Ala., decided to transfer to Tuskegee University in his home state.

Kansas hires Gator: Kansas, which recently hired former Gators offensive coordinator Charlie Weis as head coach, hired Scott Holsopple as the director of strength and conditioning. Holsopple spent the last five years at Florida, where he was the top assistant to Mickey Marotti. Marotti left UF last month to join Urban Meyer at Ohio State.

MAC shift: With UMass joining the East division of the Mid-American Conference in 2012, the league announced Bowling Green will move to the West.

Iowa: Freshman running back Mika'il McCall, whose playing time was limited by a broken ankle and a suspension, intends to transfer.

Penn State: The school's board of trustees and president focused on repairing the school's tarnished image and braced for financial backlash in the aftermath of the child sex-abuse scandal that erupted two months ago, going so far as to recommend reminding any outraged donors that they wouldn't get their money back, according to internal memos obtained by the Associated Press. Four memos sent Nov. 14-18 and released this week describe a scrambling response less than two weeks after former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child molestation charges.

Times staff writer Antonya English contributed to this report.

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS — Bill Polian said he made one big mistake: not having an adequate backup for quarterback Peyton Manning.

Polian spoke Wednesday for the first time since the Colts fired him and his son, general manager Chris Polian, on Monday.

"I've always told the staff that our approach should be to hope for the best but plan for the worst," Polian said. "And I didn't do an adequate enough job of planning for the circumstances we were in. It led to this catastrophe."

When asked if he was referring specifically to finding a backup for Manning, Polian said: "Yes."

During Polian's 14-year tenure, the Colts won 143 regular-season games, eight division titles, two AFC titles and a Super Bowl. All of that couldn't save him after a 2-14 record.

"I understand what the dynamics are," he said. "So when you have the kind of season we had, there's always some accountability, and that includes me," Polian said. "Was I surprised? No. The timing of it was a bit surprising but not the end result."

Manning missed the season after his third neck surgery.

First, the Colts lured 17-year veteran Kerry Collins, whom Polian drafted in Carolina, out of retirement. He didn't last a month before getting hurt. Curtis Painter, Manning's backup the previous two seasons, replaced Collins in Week 4 but struggled. Still winless heading into December, the Colts turned to seven-year veteran Dan Orlovsky.

Rookie quarterback rips Jets teammates

NEW YORK — Jets quarterback Greg McElroy said there was a "corrupt mind-set" in the locker room that included some "extremely selfish individuals."

McElroy, a seventh-round pick out of Alabama in April, missed the season with a thumb injury but was around the team as it went 8-8 and missed the playoffs. He told a radio station in Birmingham, Ala., that New York's locker room was "definitely not a fun place to be, I can assure you."

"It's the first time I've ever been around extremely selfish individuals," he said. "That's maybe the nature of the NFL. But there were people within our locker room that didn't care whether we won or lost as long as they got theirs; they had a good game individually."

McElroy didn't disclose specific players, but he was responding to a question about reports regarding Santonio Holmes being a divisive figure. The receiver, who was benched at the end of Sunday's game, reportedly got into arguments with teammates.

Dolphins coaching search: Bears special teams coordinator Dave Toub interviewed for the coaching vacancy. Miami previously interviewed former Titans coach Jeff Fisher and Todd Bowles, its interim coach for the final three games after Tony Sparano was fired.

BILLS: Free agent receiver David Clowney, out of football since being waived by the Panthers before the season, was signed, his agent said.

Eagles: Tight end Brent Celek had surgeries for a torn labrum in his left hip and sports hernia.

Titans: Secondary coach Marcus Robertson and assistant secondary coach Curtis Fuller were dismissed.

Ex-Bear indicted: A federal grand jury indicted former Bears receiver Sam Hurd on drug conspiracy and possession charges. He is accused of single counts of cocaine possession and conspiracy to possess cocaine. Hurd was arrested Dec. 14 after authorities said he agreed to buy a kilogram of cocaine from an undercover agent. The Bears released him two days later. An arraignment has not been scheduled.

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

DENVER — John Elway, the Broncos star QB now their vice president, said QB Tim Tebow needs to be willing to "pull the trigger," instead of playing it safe.

The ex-Gator has thrown four interceptions over Denver's last three games, all losses. Elway said he's worried Tebow started playing it too safe as the Broncos competed for a playoff berth.

"That's human nature, especially when you're young, to become more cautious," Elway said. "The key thing for (Tebow) is to go out, put everything behind him, go through his progressions and pull the trigger."

Asked about the remarks Wednesday, Tebow agreed.

"The more you get into tighter games, playoff games, you have to be aggressive," Tebow said. "You also have to be smart but be aggressive and pull the trigger at times."

Broncos coach John Fox said it's nothing new.

"That's what we've been telling him for some time," Fox said. "Hopefully, that's what he'll do on Sunday (against the Steelers)."

Roethlisberger hobbled: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger said he had a "setback" with his sprained left ankle during the regular-season finale but expects to play Sunday. He was limited in practice and walked to the trainer's room with a limp. He was hurt against the Browns on Dec. 8 and missed one game.

More Steelers: S Ryan Clark said he was grateful coach Mike Tomlin did not give him a choice about playing. He has a sickle-cell trait that becomes aggravated when playing at high elevations such as Denver. "It wasn't any fight," Clark said. "Does he seem like a man who changes his mind anyway?"

Bengals: QB Andy Dalton missed practice with the flu but is expected to return today.

Temperatures in Cincinnati dipped to 35 degrees with a wind chill of 27. Tuesday, it was 22 with a wind chill of 14.

The Bengals, who will play under a retractable roof in Houston, are the only northern team without a covered practice field in use or under construction. Under their stadium lease, they can cover one of the adjacent practice fields but would have to pay for it.

The University of Cincinnati previously approached the team about jointly building a covered field, but the Bengals declined. The school built one on its own, which the Bengals have declined to rent for $2,500 for four hours.

Said Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan: "The coaches determined there was not sufficient reason for us to get out of our regular element this week."

Texans: QB T.J. Yates, who missed most of the regular-season finale with a left shoulder injury, practiced fully for the second straight day. "I was able to throw the ball just fine," he said; "no pain."

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Lions dodged a potential problem after RB Kevin Smith and TE Tony Scheffler collided during Wednesday's practice.

"Certainly you don't expect those," said Detroit coach Jim Schwartz, who added both finished practice. "I'm glad there's not some new rule that you're not allowed to wear helmets because we might have a couple of broken jaws."

Smith was coming out of the end zone while Scheffler was running a route toward the same area when they collided.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Scheffler got up relatively quickly and rolled his neck as he walked toward the middle of the field. The 6-1, 217-pound Smith stayed down a little longer and limped for a few steps.

"It was scary," Smith said. "And it hurt a little bit."

Falcons: QB Matt Ryan said he's "a lot more mature" than in his first two playoff appearances, both one-and-done.

"I think one of the biggest things I've learned in my two appearances in the playoffs is to not let all the outside things that come along with it affect your preparation and affect your approach to playing on Sunday," Ryan said. "I think I'm a lot better served. I'm a lot more mature than I was a couple years ago and even last year."

Speaking of "outside things," Ryan was asked about Giants DE Justin Tuck calling the Falcons offensive line dirty.

"That's not something I worry about too much," he said, grinning.

Giants: DE Jason Pierre-Paul was named the NFC's defensive player of the month. The former USF star had six sacks and a blocked field goal in five games. … TE Jake Ballard, who has missed two games with a knee injury, returned to practice. He was limited and said he hopes to know his status after practice today. RB Ahmad Bradshaw, who has been dealing with foot problems for most of the season, also didn't practice but is expected to play.

Packers: WR Greg Jennings ran routes during practice for the first time since missing three games with a torn left medial collateral ligament in left knee. He said he expects to play in the division game but is thankful for the bye week.

Saints: Lost in the broken records and league-high 467 passing yards per game, New Orleans averaged 133 yards on the ground, sixth best in the league. Last season, it ranked 28th. "Typically, I'd say when you look at an offense, it would probably be hard to be top 10 passing and rushing because there are only so many plays in a game," said QB Drew Brees, whose offense passed the ball 61 percent of the time. "It's great that we've been able to sustain the efficiency in both and create for the other."

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Tennis

Serena hurt in Aussie prep

BRISBANE, Australia — Serena Williams' Australian Open preparations took a major hit Wednesday when she injured her left ankle and withdrew from the Brisbane International.

Williams was serving for the match with a 6-2, 5-3 lead against Bojana Jovanovski when she twisted her ankle.

The five-time Open winner was re-taped and limped to a 6-2, 6-4 win. She said tests confirmed "that I probably shouldn't play on. … I'm still hopeful of playing the Australian Open." That event starts Jan. 16.

Meanwhile, Sam Stosur, a Tampa resident, was ousted by Iveta Benesova 6-4, 6-2.

Qatar Open: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer eased into the quarterfinals in Doha with straight-set wins.

Autos

IndyCar director to change rules

New IndyCar race director Beaux Barfield intends to call blocking, impose consistent penalties and create better communication between teams and drivers.

"Obviously, the attraction … is taking something that requires some fixing and some change, and to be able to come in with the ability to write rules and really start from the ground up," he said.

Barfield, 40, is a former open-wheel racer, who spent the past four seasons as race director of the ALMS series.

et cetera

Greyhounds: Hwj Isabelle and Tiger Boy won semifinals in the $8,000 St. Petersburg Inaugural at Derby Lane. Others to advance to Saturday night's finale: Hi Noon Renegade, Jw Ricochet, Kentucky Grace, Sovereign Beauty and Tmc's Pistol. The final spot between Danicas Go Daddy and Gabby's Jentowin will be drawn by lot tonight.

Soccer: Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard refused to celebrate his 100-yard wind-assisted goal in a 2-1 loss to visiting Bolton in the English Premier League out of sympathy for his fellow goalie, Adam Bogdan. The American is the fourth goalie to score in EPL history. "It's not a nice feeling for a keeper," Howard said. "It's really awful, actually."

Swimming: Tennessee officials said they have turned over information to law enforcement for an investigation of former men's coach John Trembley, 59, who was dismissed for what the university called "gross misconduct." The school did not elaborate.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

NEW ORLEANS — As Brady Hoke trotted across the field, his Michigan players celebrating all around him, a bucket of ice water came splashing down on the coach's head.

It had been quite a while since the Wolverines won a BCS bowl and they were going to enjoy it.

"All the tough times we've been through makes it even more special," defensive tackle Mike Martin said. "To be the fifth team (out of 132) that ever in Michigan history has won 11 games in a season, it means a lot."

Brendan Gibbons kicked a 37-yard field goal in overtime, lifting No. 13 Michigan to a 23-20 victory over No. 17 Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome late Tuesday night.

Hoke led the Wolverines (11-2) to their first BCS bowl victory since the 2000 Orange Bowl.

"Real proud of our seniors, real proud of how they took this football team last January and molded it and did a tremendous job," Hoke said.

Denard Robinson threw touchdown passes of 45 and 18 yards to game MVP Junior Hemingway. Robinson threw for 117 yards and rushed for a season-low 13 yards.

Virginia Tech might have won if not for key miscues.

"I'm about half-sick right now," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. "They weren't stopping us; we were stopping ourselves."

Tech (11-3) more than doubled Michigan's total yards (377-184) and had 22 first downs to Michigan's 12, but it settled for four field goals in regulation by third-string kicker Justin Myer. However, Myer was unable to connect on his fifth try from 37 yards in the first overtime.

Tech receiver Danny Coale nearly made a diving catch for a touchdown in overtime. His catch was initially ruled a score, but the play was overturned on review, which showed the receiver landing on the sideline.

"Danny's play is so close, and it seemed like there was just quite a few of those there tonight," Beamer said.

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

MIAMI — West Virginia put on a scoring show unlike any other in college football's postseason history at the Orange Bowl.

With 49 points by halftime — a record for any half of any bowl — the No. 23 Mountaineers took control and beat No. 14 Clemson 70-33 in the Orange Bowl on Wednesday.

Geno Smith tied a record for any bowl game with six touchdown passes, including four to Tavon Austin as the Mountaineers set a bowl scoring record.

Darwin Cook's 99-yard fumble return for a touchdown was one of the Mountaineers' five TDs in the second quarter, including three in the final 2:29 for a 49-20 lead.

Austin's four touchdown receptions tied a record for any bowl game, and Smith broke former Michigan QB Tom Brady's Orange Bowl record with 401 yards passing. West Virginia's point total broke the bowl record established six nights earlier when Baylor beat Washington 67-56 in the Alamo Bowl.

And to think: The Mountaineers trailed 17-14 after the first quarter, before peeling off 49 of the next 52 points.

The 70 points by the Mountaineers, 103 combined points by both teams and 14 combined touchdowns were all Orange Bowl records.

And maybe the most impressive part of West Virginia's scoring show was that the most dazzling of the TDs came from a defender.

Early in the second quarter, West Virginia defensive back Darwin Cook snuffed out a potential Clemson touchdown, created a turnover, ran into the Orange Bowl record books and tackled the stuffed orange that serves as the mascot.

All on the same play, no less.

Cook grabbed the ball away from Andre Ellington and took off on what became the longest defensive score in Orange Bowl history, a yard longer than Greg Mather's 98-yard fumble return for Navy in 1961. And at the end of the play, Cook tackled Obie, the overstuffed orange mascot.

The woman inside the mascot costume later said she was fine.

Smith also ran for a score for the Mountaineers. Shawne Alston ran for two touchdowns in the first half, the second coming with 4 seconds left.

The 49 first-half points topped the previous one-half (excluding overtime) bests in any bowl game, a pair of 45-point efforts put up by Oklahoma State against Wyoming in the 1988 Holiday Bowl and Colorado against Boston College in the 1999 Insight.com Bowl.

"We're not playing well anywhere," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said as he left the field for the first half.

Austin, who came in with four touchdowns for the season, had 11 catches for 117 yards with scoring plays of 8, 27, 3 and 37 yards.

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State followed one of its worst first halves with one of its best Wednesday night.

Michael Snaer scored a career-high 22 and made 10 of 10 free throws, and Ian Miller added 15 points as the Seminoles routed Auburn 85-56 on Wednesday night.

Snaer had 14 points in the first half as FSU (9-5) grabbed a 50-16 halftime lead. It was a stunning reversal for the Seminoles, who trailed Princeton 27-10 at the half in Friday's triple-overtime loss.

"It's almost like we were of a different mind-set," FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. "Hopefully we can continue that type of focus. I thought the first half (Wednesday) was about as good as we have played. That's the kind of team we should be on a consistent basis."

Hamilton would love to see more of this. FSU went on a 28-3 first-half run, outrebounded Auburn by 45-30 and made 84.6 percent (22-of-26) of its free-throw attempts.

Xavier Gibson also had 12 points, five rebounds and four blocks for the Seminoles, who set a season high for points.

"Now that we realize that this is what we need to be successful, now that we understand it, we're going to bring it every night," Snaer said. "Every time we play."

Chris Denson had 15 points and Kenny Gabriel 10 points and seven rebounds for Auburn (10-4), which made 5 of 33 shots (15.2 percent) in the first half.

Auburn led 5-4 in the opening minutes after a 3-pointer by Gabriel. But FSU went on a 20-0 run, including nine points from Snaer, to build a 24-5 lead with 10:34 left in the first half.

The Tigers tried to make 3-pointers to close the gap but were just 1-of-9 in the first half and 4-of-14 for the game.

Miller made 5 of 6 free throws and Gibson 4 of 4. The Seminoles also showed off their height and athleticism inside, blocking 10 shots.

"We have not always been as precise or on the same page as we should," Hamilton said. "(Wednesday) I thought we were very focused."

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

MONTREAL — Lars Eller had four goals and an assist and Travis Moen three assists as the Canadiens bounced back from a poor road trip with a 7-3 win over the Jets on Wednesday.

Eller scored his fourth goal on a penalty shot 11 minutes into the third, spinning around to beat Chris Mason for his third of the period. He did a backward somersault over the Winnipeg goalie to the delight of the sold-out crowd of 21,273.

Montreal, which went 1-5 on the trip, won for the second time in nine games — the last eight since interim coach Randy Cunneyworth took over for the fired Jacques Martin on Dec. 17.

Josh Gorges, Tomas Kaberle and Michael Cammalleri also scored for the Canadiens, who improved to 6-7-6 at home. Carey Price made 24 saves. Andrei Kostitsyn and Erik Cole had two assists.

Game highlights: Patrice Bergeron scored twice to lead the visiting Bruins past the Devils 6-1. The defending Stanley Cup champ got back on track after its seven-game win streak was snapped Saturday against Dallas.

Tortorella fined, says sorry for comments

PHILADELPHIA — Rangers coach John Tortorella apologized for calling the officiating during Monday's Winter Classic "disgusting."

"I tainted the Winter Classic with my mouth," he said.

Soon after, the league fined Tortorella $30,000.

Tortorella was upset the Flyers, down 3-2, got a penalty shot with 20 seconds left. (Henrik Lundqvist stopped Danny Briere to preserve the win.)

"I'm not sure if NBC got together with the refs to turn this into an overtime game," he said Monday. "I thought the game was reffed horribly. I just thought in that third period, it was disgusting."

Tortorella on Wednesday added he was being sarcastic when making the comments.

Discipline: Blackhawks wing Daniel Carcillo was suspended seven games for boarding Oilers defenseman Tom Gilbert on Monday. Carcillo was suspended for two games earlier this season for an illegal check. Gilbert did not play Tuesday against the Sabres and is day to day with a lower-body injury. … Flames wing Rene Bourque was suspended five games for elbowing Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom in the head Tuesday. Backstrom is questionable for the Capitals' next game, Saturday at San Jose.

Around the league: Capitals wing Alex Ovechkin denied spitting in the face of Blue Jackets wing Derek Dorsett on Saturday. Dorsett made the allegation Tuesday, saying the spit came while they pushed and shoved each other. Ovechkin was called for roughing, Dorsett for cross-checking, and they yelled at each other from their penalty boxes. … The Panthers signed center John Madden. Madden, 38, who has won two Stanley Cups with the Devils and one with the Blackhawks, had 12 goals and 13 assists in 76 games for the Wild last season.

World juniors: Kevin Gravel (a Kings prospect) and Austin Czarnik (undrafted scored to lead the United States past Switzerland 2-1 in the seventh-place game in Calgary.

First Period—1, Winnipeg, Stapleton 6 (Kane, Wheeler), 3:41. 2, Montreal, Gorges 2 (Desharnais, Cole), 13:24. 3, Montreal, Eller 5, 14:07. Penalties—Ladd, Wpg (roughing), 17:56.

Second Period—4, Montreal, Kaberle 1 (Moen, Eller), 5:32. 5, Winnipeg, Wheeler 7 (Bogosian, Enstrom), 17:51 (pp). Penalties—Slater, Wpg (slashing), 13:28; Gorges, Mon (holding), 16:34; Diaz, Mon (interference), 19:05.

Third Period—6, Montreal, Eller 6 (Moen, Kostitsyn), 2:41. 7, Montreal, Cammalleri 9 (Cole, Plekanec), 3:03. 8, Montreal, Eller 7 (Kostitsyn, Moen), 3:31. 9, Montreal, Eller 8 (penalty shot), 11:00. 10, Winnipeg, Ladd 13 (Hainsey, Antropov), 13:03. Penalties—Thorburn, Wpg, major (fighting), 17:21; Gill, Mon, major (fighting), 17:21; Stuart, Wpg (high-sticking, roughing), 18:39; Darche, Mon (roughing), 18:39. Shots on Goal—Winnipeg 7-9-11—27. Montreal 12-5-14—31. Power-play opportunities—Winnipeg 1 of 2; Montreal 0 of 3. Goalies—Winnipeg, Pavelec 14-13-5 (24 shots-18 saves), Mason (6:49 third, 7-6). Montreal, Price 14-14-7 (27-24). A—21,273 (21,273).

First Period—1, New Jersey, Clarkson 15 (Parise), 4:24 (pp). 2, Boston, Campbell 4 (Ference, C.Kelly), 8:15. 3, Boston, Horton 10 (Krejci, Lucic), 13:17 (pp). Penalties—Thornton, Bos, major (fighting), 2:07; Janssen, NJ, major (fighting), 2:07; Boychuk, Bos (delay of game), 2:38; Tallinder, NJ (delay of game), 12:36.

Second Period—4, Boston, Bergeron 8, 4:02. Penalties—Horton, Bos (holding), 1:56; C.Kelly, Bos (holding stick), 6:17; Pouliot, Bos, misconduct, 6:17; Larsson, NJ (hooking), 11:09; Tallinder, NJ (tripping), 15:32.

Third Period—5, Boston, Bergeron 9 (Marchand, Lucic), 2:13. 6, Boston, Krejci 8 (Seidenberg, Lucic), 4:50. 7, Boston, Thornton 3 (Paille, Seidenberg), 14:23. Penalties—None. Shots on Goal—Boston 11-8-8—27. New Jersey 16-7-8—31. Power-play opportunities—Boston 1 of 3; New Jersey 1 of 3. Goalies—Boston, Thomas 17-6-0 (31 shots-30 saves). New Jersey, Brodeur 11-10-1 (27-21). A—15,832 (17,625).

Times wires
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — Khalif Wyatt hit the 3-pointer, stretched his arms, put his palms down and ran like a little kid imitating a plane.

When his next 3-pointer fell moments later, Wyatt mimicked that plane again — and Temple was really ready to take off.

Wyatt made the two lead-stretching 3's and scored 22, and Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson had 17 to help the Owls knock off No. 5 Duke 78-73 on Wednesday night.

Long an NCAA Tournament regular, the Owls proved again how formidable they are against basketball's elite.

Under coach Fran Dunphy, the Owls have made a knack out of upsetting some of the top programs. They beat No. 8 Tennessee in 2008, No. 3 Villanova in 2009 and No. 10 Georgetown last season.

This one felt better than them all.

"Whenever you play Duke, you want to beat those guys," Owls forward Ramone Moore said.

Moore, Wyatt and Hollis-Jefferson all played a role. So did Anthony Lee and Aaron Brown. Star guard Juan Fernandez made up for an off night from the field with a team-high six assists.

The Owls shot 56 percent from the field (31-for-55), outrebounded Duke 32-29 and scored 21 off turnovers.

"We're thrilled to be standing here as winners," Dunphy said.

NO. 9 G'TOWN 73, NO. 20 MARQUETTE 70: Hollis Thompson's 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds left capped a comeback from a 17-point deficit for the host Hoyas (13-1, 3-0 Big East), who won their 11th straight and handed the Golden Eagles (12-3, 1-1) their third loss in five games.

NO. 14 KANSAS 67, NO. 23 KANSAS ST. 49: Thomas Robinson had 15 points and 14 rebounds for the host Jayhawks (11-3) and helped thwart a second-half rally by the Wildcats (11-2) in a Big 12 opener.

NO. 19 MURRAY ST. 76, E. KENTUCKY 67: Donte Poole had 22 points and Isaiah Canaan 16, including the 1,000th of his career, for the host Racers (15-0, 3-0 OVC), who are one win from matching the school's best start set in 1935-36.

UCF 60, TULANE 53: Marcus Jordan had 19 points for the host Knights (11-3) in their Conference USA opener.

SAINT LEO 63, TAMPA 45: Shaun Adams had 23 points, seven rebounds and five blocks as the visiting Lions (7-5, 1-1 Sunshine State) routed the Spartans (4-8, 0-3).

FLA. SOUTHERN 76, ECKERD 61: Seth Evans hit six 3-pointers and had 22 points as the host Moccasins pulled away from the Tritons (7-4, 1-2 SSC).

CLOCK CONFUSION: A split-second discrepancy between two game clocks at the end of Michigan State's overtime win over Wisconsin Tuesday night was caused by a routine technological issue, Wisconsin officials said. A clock on top of the backboard that had run out was working properly and is considered official. A nearby LED-style electronic display that showed a fraction of a second left is linked directly to the scorer's table, which has a normal delay of .1 to .2 seconds.

Women

TAMPA 61, SAINT LEO 30: Sarah Wickham had 18 points and Jalessa Harmon 17 for the host Spartans (7-5, 1-1 Sunshine State), who gave coach Tom Jessee the victory over his wife, Nikki, in her first year as coach of the Lions (6-6, 0-2).

FLA. SOUTHERN 65, ECKERD 62: The host Moccasins held on despite freshman Emilie Hesseldal's career-high 20 points for the Tritons (7-3, 2-1 SSC).

NO. 1 BAYLOR 90, MISSOURI 46: Odyssey Sims had 22 points in the Big 12 opener for the host Bears, 14-0 for the first time.

NO. 2 UCONN 79, W. VA. 60: Bria Harley had 18 points for the Huskies (12-1, 2-0 Big East), who won their 93rd straight home game.

NO. 3 NOTRE DAME 74, SETON HALL 36: Skylar Diggins had 14 points, and the visiting Irish (14-1, 2-0 Big East) cruised to their 11th straight victory.

KANSAS ST. 71, NO. 9 TEXAS A&M 69, OT: Mariah White banked in a runner with 1.6 seconds left to lift the host Wildcats over the Aggies (9-3) in a Big 12 opener.

NO. 13 TEXAS TECH 58, OKLA. ST. 53: Kierra Mallard had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the host Raiders (13-0) in their Big 12 opener.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

As of this moment, there are five NFL teams, including the Bucs, looking for head coaches. And just to be clear: In the grand scheme of things, you would have to consider all five openings as "good" jobs. After all, there are only 32 NFL head coaches in the world. But some positions are better than others. Today, we rank the five openings from best to worst:

1. St. Louis Rams

The Rams have gone 15-65 over the past five seasons, including 2-14 this season. So at first glance, this seems like a dead-end job. But this might be the best available job for three reasons. They have a franchise (although possibly fragile) quarterback in Sam Bradford, left. They have the No. 2 pick in the draft. And they have a projected $45 million in cap space for 2013 (more than any other team), meaning they can overhaul the roster in a short period of time. In addition, they could parlay the No. 2 pick into a slew of draft picks. Or, if they're not sold on Bradford, the Rams could spend the second pick on a quarterback (Robert Griffin III, let's say) and deal Bradford to a team that is sold on him. Either way, the Rams are holding an enviable hand of cards. Bottom line: The pick of the litter.

2. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins went 6-3 in their last nine games, including a one-point loss at Dallas and a three-point loss at New England. They finished 15th in the NFL in total defense and 11th in rushing offense, so this is not a horrible team. The talent is there. Unfortunately, that talent does not include quarterback. It seems as if the Dolphins are still trying to replace Dan Marino, above, who retired after the 1999 season. True, franchise quarterbacks are hard to come by, but if the Dolphins can find an upgrade (maybe Matt Flynn or Kyle Orton), this team has a chance to be good right away.

Bottom line: Any unemployed coach (and even a few employed ones) would love this job.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

Injuries are a part of football, but the Chiefs lost two key players in the first two games of the season in Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry and All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles. They also had to do without quarterback Matt Cassel, above, for the second half of the season. By that point, the Chiefs were 4-5 and had to turn to a woefully ineffective Tyler Palko. If you're convinced that Cassel, who is 28-26 as an NFL starter, can play, then this is a decent opening. The Chiefs are committed financially to Cassel, so if you're not a fan, that's a problem. The owners (the Hunt family) and GM Scott Pioli are well-respected. Then again, we're still waiting for Pioli to have major success without Bill Belichick by his side.

Bottom line: Not bad, but not great either.

4. Tampa Bay Bucs

The attractiveness of this job depends on two things: Do you believe Josh Freeman is a franchise quarterback? And do you believe the Glazers when they say they're going to spend money? Freeman still has plenty of believers among NFL analyst types, which is good because the Bucs are not going to start from scratch with another QB. The new coach is going to be married to Freeman for the foreseeable future. There are some other parts in place (a potentially good defensive line, for instance), but the roster has more questions than answers. Hey, if the franchise was in good shape, there wouldn't be an opening. Ultimately, it comes down to whether you trust the Glazers and GM Mark Dominik to give you the support you need by doing their jobs well.

Bottom line: Hard to have faith in the Glazers and Dominik based on recent history.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars

This is a job for a beggar, not a chooser. What makes this job so unappealing is that the Jaguars have nothing at quarterback. Seriously, have you seen Blaine Gabbert? The defense isn't too shabby (sixth in total defense in 2011), but there are holes all over the roster, especially on offense. There is one thing that makes this job intriguing: New owner Shahid Khan seems enthusiastic and might be willing to spend gobs of money just to make a splash. But fan support is not great and, overall, this seems like an opening that only someone desperate for an NFL head coaching job would truly desire.

Bottom line: Only for really young up-and-comers or really old down-and-outers.

tom jones' two cents

tom jones' two cents

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors-Fitness Editor
Thursday, January 5, 2012

BUSHNELL — It took a little more than an hour for this amateur historian and three boys to make the 65-mile trek from downtown Tampa to this oak hammock just off Interstate 75 now known as Dade Battlefield Historic State Park.

In 1835, a similar journey to this spot on the old Fort King Military Road would have taken soldiers hauling a cannon nearly a week, but that's if nobody was shooting at them.

I told the youngsters to consider themselves lucky, for if they had been traveling this trail on Dec. 28 of that fateful year they most likely would not have returned home with their scalps.

"You mean men died here?" 9-year-old R.J. Waley asked.

"More than 100," I said.

Most Florida school books don't talk much about this chapter of American history. But this battle, some called it a "massacre," started the Second Seminole War, the longest and costliest Indian conflict in U.S. history.

Maj. Francis Dade and 108 men marched from Fort Brooke in what is now Tampa to Fort King in present-day Ocala. The Seminoles, under the leadership of chiefs Jumper, Micanopy and Alligator, waited patiently for their chance to strike.

Three days after Christmas, when Dade and his band of cold, tired and hungry men reached this point in the trail, Chief Jumper emerged from the palmettos and let loose a war whoop. Upon hearing that call to action, 180 brightly painted warriors rose from their hiding places and fired.

The first volley dropped Dade and more than half of his troops. Three men survived, but two of them later died of their wounds. Only one man, Ransom Clark, lived to tell the tale.

For the next seven years, the old military road, which stretched roughly 100 miles through the wilderness, would be fought over more than once. Parts of it are still visible, in places up and down the Suncoast, if you know where to look. You can get a glimpse of the past at one of three state parks that still preserve the old trail pretty much the way it looked when Dade and his men made their fateful journey.

Fort Cooper

In the spring of 1836, Gen. Winfield Scott led a beleaguered band of Georgia volunteers to the area that is now called Inverness to rest and recover from their wounds alongside Lake Holathlikaha. The soldiers built a stockade out of rough-hewn logs, fearing another attack like the one that had wiped out Dade's command.

Scott left a young major named Mark Cooper to protect the position. The Seminole native Osceola quickly set up camp on the opposite side of the lake, but despite several skirmishes, Cooper held his own, and the fort continued to serve as an observation station and supply depot throughout the rest of the war. Farther south along the old Fort King Military Road, hidden away on the banks of the Hillsborough River near present-day Thonotosassa, you'll find another reconstructed Seminole War-era fort.

Fort Foster

In March 1836, federal troops, still reeling from Dade's defeat, knew they had to keep the road between Fort Brooke and Fort King open if they wanted to hold on to Florida. But the Seminoles destroyed the makeshift bridges across the river as fast as the soldiers could build them.

A blockhouse was needed to defend the bridge. Fort Alabama lasted about three months before the Indians burned that, too. The soldiers returned the following winter, rebuilding the structure and calling it Fort Foster.

The fort helped protect the bridge and road for two years, but it was eventually abandoned. In the late 1830s, long before doctors understood the mosquito's role in disease, the area was deemed "unhealthy."

One hundred fifty years later, the land on which the battleworks once stood was donated to the Florida Park Service and now, after years of meticulous research, Fort Foster Historic Site has been reconstructed in amazing detail.

All three of these historic sites host re-enactments of the battles that took place on what is now state land.

By Rick Stroud, Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writers
Thursday, January 5, 2012

Former Green Bay Packers and Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman interviewed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coaching job Wednesday in Texas.

In six seasons with the Packers, with Brett Favre in his prime at quarterback, Sherman went 57-39 and won three NFL North titles. He was fired in 2005 after compiling a 4-12 record, the Packers first losing season since 1991.

Sherman was 25-25 in four seasons at Texas A&M, including two bowl appearances. He is an offensive play-caller who spent two seasons with the Houston Texans before joining the Aggies. He served as offensive coordinator his last season with the Texans.

The Bucs also interviewed Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray in Houston Wednesday.

General manager Mark Dominik accompanied the Glazers to Texas and participated in both interviews.

Meanwhile, former Bucs head coach Raheem Morris reportedly met with members of the Washington Redskins front office on Wednesday, a group that includes general manager Bruce Allen, formerly of the Bucs.

The news is being reported by the Washington Post.

Morris, fired from his post as Bucs head coach on Monday, was an accomplished defensive backs coach before being promoted in Tampa Bay. It's not clear what, if any, role he spoke with the Redskins about, but a likely assumption would be that he is under consideration for a job coaching Washington's secondary.

By Rick Stroud Times Staff Writers
Thursday, January 5, 2012

TAMPA — Opposites might attract the Bucs to Mike Sherman.

The 57-year-old former Green Bay Packers and Texas A&M coach is an offensive play-caller known as a disciplinarian.

The Bucs are looking for a replacement for Raheem Morris, 35, who was fired Monday after three seasons. Morris doubled as a first-time defensive coordinator and had no NFL head coaching experience when he was hired to replace Jon Gruden in 2009.

Sherman interviewed with the Bucs on Wednesday night in Texas. The Bucs also interviewed Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray in Texas on Wednesday.

The Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, declined to comment on the coaching search.

Sherman's offensive background could appeal to the Bucs, who finished 4-12 and need to resurrect the career of quarterback Josh Freeman. In his third season, Freeman threw 16 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. In 2010, when the Bucs went 10-6, Freeman threw 25 touchdowns and six interceptions.

In six seasons with the Packers — with Brett Favre in his prime at quarterback — Sherman went 57-39 and won three division titles. He was fired in 2005 after going 4-12, the Packers' first losing season since 1991.

Sherman went 25-25 in four seasons at Texas A&M, including 6-6 this season, and went to two bowl games (losing both). He spent two seasons with the Houston Texans, one as offensive coordinator, before joining the Aggies.

Bucs general manager Mark Dominik also went to Texas and participated in both interviews but declined to comment.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that Morris met Wednesday with the Redskins front office, including general manager Bruce Allen, who held the same position with the Bucs, about a job. And ESPN.com reported he will talk to the Vikings about one.

The Bucs are also believed to be interested in meeting with former Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who interviewed in St. Louis on Thursday and is expected to choose between it and Miami.

Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, the Bills' head coach for two seasons, also has drawn interest from the Bucs. But he is focusing on Sunday's playoff game against the Giants. Mularkey played tight end at Florida in the early '80s and was the Bucs' tight ends coach in the mid '90s.

One coach who has expressed interest in the Bucs job through intermediaries is former Chiefs coach Todd Haley.

Haley, 45, went 19-26 in nearly three seasons with the Chiefs, including 10-6 and the AFC West title in 2010. He was fired after starting this season 5-8. He is a no-nonsense disciple of Bill Parcells and a play-caller who served as offensive coordinator for the Cardinals from 2007-08.

The Bucs have not contacted Haley and have no plans to interview him.

Times staff writer Stephen F. Holder contributed to this report.

By Dave Mistretta, Times Correspondent
Thursday, January 5, 2012

What's happening: Because of the drop in water temperature, especially close to shore, you'll need to go farther offshore to catch fish. Fish are cold blooded, so their metabolism will slow after any drastic change in water temperature. Even with warmer days in the forecast, the bottom of the gulf will take much longer to warm than the surface.

Offshore: A solid stretch of sunny, warm days will eventually wake things up. Anglers traveling offshore (30-plus miles into the gulf) will find the fish are less affected by the cold weather. Amberjack are the perfect targets for the next few months. They are hardy and can handle winterlike conditions better than many of our gulf species. Both jigs and live bait will get their attention, even in the harshest conditions.

Inshore: There are a few species of inshore fish that can handle the cold water much better than offshore fish. Red and black drum are a good example. Even after the cold blast, these fish still are willing to eat a shrimp or crab. Speckled trout and silver trout are other inshore species that can adapt to cold water. They should be available in decent numbers along our beaches for the remainder of winter. Their size is not impressive, compared to amberjack, but with light tackle, anglers can produce nonstop action. Drifting within a half mile from the shore is our favorite approach for these fish. Tipping small jigs with shrimp is one of the best tactics for these fish.

Dave Mistretta captains the Jaws Too out of Indian Rocks Beach. Call (727) 439-2628 or visit jawstoo.com.

AM AM PM PM

minor major minor major

Today 2:45 8:50 3:00 9:15

1/7 3:30 9:40 3:50 10:05

1/8 4:20 10:30 4:40 10:55

1/9 5:10 11:15 5:30 11:40

1/10 5:55 0 6:20 12:10

1/11 6:50 12:40 7:20 1:05

1/12 7:45 1:35 8:15 2:00

Times wires
Thursday, January 5, 2012

TONIGHT

Cotton Bowl: Arkansas (10-2) vs. Kansas State (10-2)

When/where: 8; Arlington, Texas

TV: Ch. 13. Line: Arkansas by 7½

Noteworthy: Arkansas is sixth in the BCS standings; K-State is No. 8 … Arkansas' losses were to Alabama and LSU, both by 24. Kansas State lost to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State by seven. … K-State quarterback Collin Klein rushed for 1,099 yards and 26 touchdowns. Wisconsin RB Montee Ball (32) was the only player with more TDs. … Arkansas is going for its third 11-win season. In 1977, Lou Holtz's team won the Orange Bowl, and in 1964 the Razorbacks were undefeated under Frank Broyles.

Times wires

Thursday, January 5, 2012

METAIRIE, La. — After missing out on a first-round bye, the Saints got the next best thing: a night game at home.

It comes after New Orleans went 8-0 at home for the first time in its history. Included was 4-0 at night, when it won by an average score of 47-16.

On Saturday night, the Lions get their second crack at the Saints at the Superdome this season. The first, the night of Dec. 4, was a 31-17 loss.

After winning just 43 percent of home games in the 39 seasons before coach Sean Payton was hired as coach in 2006, the Saints have won 66.7 percent. Yet there's little any of the players could say is different from the past.

"Maybe it's a sense of confidence being at home, a different pattern throughout the week," strong safety Roman Harper said. "I've got a pool table at my house, and you have to play with a short stick sometimes. That's the homefield advantage to me because I know how to play with it. Somebody on the outside may not know how to play with it. Maybe we have a couple of dead spots on the turf."

New Orleans has been even better in night games, going 15-6 overall and 10-4 at the Superdome during the regular season under Payton. In the playoffs under him, it is 3-0.

"It's always an advantage playing in a dome with the crowd that we have; the type of atmosphere they set for us," cornerback Tracy Porter said. "It makes it easy to play. It makes it enjoyable to play, especially when we have success and those guys have the dome rocking. You can't ask for anything better."

In all, the Saints haven't lost at home at night since Dec. 19, 2009, to the Cowboys.

Linebacker Scott Shanle had a simple explanation for the home (and night) success: They're playing good football.

The Saints have won eight in a row overall. Since their Nov. 20 bye, they've outscored foes 234-111, including four home games won by a combined 96 points.

"It's just been one of those things where we've just been on a roll," Shanle said. "No matter where we played, I feel like we would have won."

Times wires
Thursday, January 5, 2012

HOUSTON — Andy Dalton and T.J. Yates weren't around for any of the miserable seasons the Bengals and Texans have had over the past two decades.

And that's quite a few.

But now the quarterbacks help control which long-suffering franchise gets a milestone victory Saturday, the first time two rookie starting quarterbacks face off in a playoff game.

"It shows how much the game has changed in these days," said the Texans' Yates, who makes his sixth career start. "My situation is obviously a lot different than Andy's. He was drafted there to be the starter, and unfortunate circumstances here in Houston led to me being the one playing.

"But you've just got to take advantage of every opportunity you get. And it's pretty cool to be a part of it."

The Bengals are in the playoffs for the third time in seven seasons. But their last playoff win came Jan. 6, 1991, 41-14 over Houston — the Oilers, that is.

The 10-year-old Texans are in the playoffs for the first time, ending the longest playoff drought of an expansion team from its inception.

The Bengals' Dalton is a second-round draft pick who grew up in a Houston suburb and has started every game. Yates is a fifth-round pick pressed into action after season-ending injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart.

"I don't think either one of the young guys has really gone out there and acted like they're rookies," Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. "So I think that in the case of both players, they're kind of a little bit ahead of their time. The focus has got to be on how they prepare and how the rest of the guys play up to these guys' ability."

Dalton has thrown five touchdown passes and one interception over the past six games.

Yates played one series in Sunday's loss to Tennessee after bruising his left shoulder. His biggest game came against the Bengals. On Dec. 11 he rallied the Texans from a 13-point deficit to win 20-19.

"There were a lot of plays that, had we done it differently or had it turned out differently, you have an opportunity to win the football game," Lewis said. "We don't get to start back at that point and reverse time. We're going to have to go back and put our heads down and go to work and chop wood just like we did last time."

Times wires
Thursday, January 5, 2012

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Lions WR Calvin Johnson practiced Thursday for the first time this week. He said he was resting a sore Achilles' tendon, declining to say which one in anticipation of Saturday's wild-card game against the Saints.

Johnson helped Detroit make the playoffs for the first time since 1999 by doing what only Jerry Rice and Randy Moss have done: reach 95 catches, 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns.

He led the league with 1,681 yards, 167 fewer than Rice in 1995 but 49 more than Moss in 2003. He scored 16 touchdowns, one more than Rice and one fewer than Moss. And he had 96 catches, 26 fewer than Rice and 16 fewer than Moss.

Teammates call Johnson humble. "I don't impress myself," he said.

But in Detroit's 31-17 loss at New Orleans on Dec. 4, Johnson caught just six passes for 69 yards and no touchdowns.

Said New Orleans S Roman Harper: "We'll continue to try to take him away."

Not so fast: Saturday marks the first playoff game with two 5,000-yard passers, New Orleans' Drew Brees (5,476) and Detroit's Matthew Stafford (5,038). Odds­makers set the over-under at a playoff-record 591/2, 21/2 more than the Saints-Cardinals on Jan. 16, 2010 (a 45-14 Saints win).

But Brees said a scoring fest is not guaranteed.

"Obviously, I know how explosive Detroit is offensively," he said. "I also know that I think we feel like we're playing (good) football as a team and as an offense.

"But it seems like, typically, when you get weeks like this, where everybody's hyping up one side of the ball … and kind of predicting it to be a shootout or whatever, the defenses are off kind of quietly in the corner making sure they come out with their best performance."

No running: The old days of smash-mouth football are over for the Giants. No longer is the offense based on a handoff, surge by the offensive line and a gain of 4-5 yards by Brandon Jacobs or Ahmad Bradshaw.

It's not that coach Tom Coughlin wouldn't like his team to play that way. It just hasn't happened. Not even close. The Giants' 89.2 rushing yards per game ranked last in the league.

"I'm disappointed that the running game wasn't better," offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said.

"I had expected it to be better than it was, and for whatever the reason, it has not been. But the most important thing is we have gotten better, which gives us a little bit of a chance to make the defense play honest and make it a fair fight. Then we think we can throw the ball pretty well."

Depth concern: Falcons WLB Sean Weatherspoon, who felt nauseated since Sunday's game, returned to practice.

And because of injuries, the team has had three starters at strongside linebacker in the past three games: Stephen Nicholas (USF), Mike Peterson (Florida) and Spencer Adkins (Miami). On Sunday against the Giants, the third-year Adkins is scheduled to make just his second start.

But starting MLB Curtis Lofton said he isn't worried.

"I mean football's football," he said. "The bigger the game, the more excited you get. But you still have to do everything you used to do and treat everything the same. They've got big (running) backs, so it's got to be great tackling."