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LeBron James:
Legend-boosting game: Outscores PHX 17-14 in 4th
quarter leading 19-point comeback. Finished with
season-high 38 in Cavs' thrilling 114-109 OT W.
QUICKIE LIVE! 9-10 a.m.
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The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
RON. RAPS.
My name is Ron-Ron,
And I love to rap.
Team commitments?
I don't give a crap.
Benched for promoting
My new hip-hop CD.
But can't figure out
Why fans don't love me.
Wikka-wikka-wikka...
Ron Artest's decision to ask the Pacers for
some time off to promote his rap album -- during
the regular season -- makes Allen Iverson's "Who
needs practice?" downright committed.
Who else would give huge pay-per-view dollars to have
witnessed the initial conversation between Artest and
martinet coach Rick Carlisle.
But hey: As long as M.C. Ron-Ron remains all about the
music, wishing him nothing but the best for his debut
on his "Tru Warier" label.
Warier, indeed. Think he intended that
irony?
AL Cy Young
No-brainer: Johan Santana, who put
together one of the sickest second halves of our era.
(To Schilling fans: Yes, I'd rather have a World
Series ring, too.)
Yesterday: AL/NL Managers, and I offer a mea
culpa from my picks of Phil Garner and Terry
Francona.
The former had a better second half than winner Bobby
Cox, but Cox did it over an entire year with a weaker
roster.
The latter was a protest vote against the
BBWAA, which insists on keeping this award
regular-season only, which for players is fine, but
for managers is ludicrous.
MLB Winter Meetings
Surprise, surprise: There's resistance
within MLB to instant replay, the hot topic of today's
winter-meeting session. Replay critics who want to
maintain the "purity" of the game seem to be putting
their bitter aversion to change ahead of, say,
ensuring that the calls are right.
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CHECK OUT THE QUICKIE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING! |
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| WHO'S GOT THE MOMENTUM ... |
Kansas, UNC: Winners in "Rich-Get-Richer" CBB signing day
Mel Stottlemyre: Torre pal remains Yankees pitching coach
Liz Johnson: First woman to qualify for a PBA tour event
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| ... AND WHO'S GOT NO MO' |
Jeff Bzdelik: Nuggets coach on hot seat after 1-4 start
Randy Moss: Officially out for Sunday's game vs. Packers
T-Mac: Hip, groin injuries limit practice. Foreshadowing?
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How about plays at the plate? I'm certainly not
talking about balls and strikes, but plays at bases
would certainly limit the effect of, say, the Derek
Jeter Phantom Call.
College Hoops Preview
Season tips off tonight with the
Coaches vs. Cancer tournament first round. Tonight:
Three Top 25 teams play, featuring three studs,
including two preseason first-team All-Americans (and
a freshman PG who could end the season on the
list):
No. 6 Syracuse
Featuring: Hakim Warrick
Opens with: No. Colorado
No. 14 Mississippi St.
Featuring: Lawrence Roberts
Opens with: Fairfield
No. 23 Memphis
Featuring: Darius Washington
Opens with: Savannah St.
NFL Midseason
A few awards, in honor of the must-read
ESPN.com midseason report cards (see Q It Up,
right):
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger
Rookie: See above
Summer move: Signing T.O.
Comeback: Drew Brees
Let-down: Panthers
Coach: Jack Del Rio
S.B. pick: Still NE d. PHI
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"New Poker" Contender
Table tennis? Certainly willing to give
the 2004 Spinvitational Table-Tennis Championship a
try (6:30, ESPN2), but do they have a version of Phil
Hellmuth? Or, more importantly, Jackpot Jay? (Maybe
"Paddle-Me Pete?")
Quickie Book Club
Don't let people fool you: Honeymoons
are great for lots of... um, reading. Three
newly released titles to recommend:
"When Nothing Else Matters": Michael Leahy
offers a fascinating look inside Michael Jordan's
comeback with the Wizards. A little too much
play-by-play but a side of MJ you really haven't seen.
(Page 2 Book Club selection! See Q It Up.)
"America's Game": Michael MacCambridge's
history of the NFL does a thorough job fleshing out
the biggest turning points of league history, with
vivid detail even hard-core fans will find
enlightening.
"I Am Charlotte Simmons": Tom Wolfe's novel is
tangentially about sports, but hits on an issue that I
think is one of the most underreported in sports --
sexual relationships in women's college
athletics.
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NASCAR:
Relaxes ad-ban on hard liquor. Because nothing says
"go ahead and get behind the wheel" like a handle of
bourbon. Tell that to the fans in the infield.
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Today on ESPN.com
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| Page 2 Book Club |
| NFL Midseason |
| College Hoope Preview |
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| NFL Midseason MVP: |  Ben Roethlisberger
| Did anyone see this coming?
|  Terrell Owens
| Carried team to new level
|  Drew Brees
| Who's Philip Rivers?
|  Daunte Culpepper
| Still has sick numbers
|  Tom Brady
| | He'll take Super Bowl MVP |
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Even after getting hung with their first L by the
suddenly competitive Raptors, the Jazz are the West's
early-season "Team to Beat"...
19 Days Update: L'ville puts up 58 on TCU; tonight:
No. 12 Florida State at N.C. State (7:30,
ESPN)...
Best In-Game Promotion of Year update: Wizards run
"Singles Night" last night; no word on any confirmed
matches, but the team scored...
More NBA: Congrats to the Griz, who got their 1st W of
'04, at the expense of LAL, who had one of those
Kobe-can't-score-so-they-lose nights...
Smarty Jones resembles a boxer: His owners considered
unretiring him; not-so-smarty: Evander Holyfield's
comeback this weekend...
Dennis Rodman sighting: Signs with Orange County
franchise of ABA, who continue to get credit for doing
almost anything to sell tickets...
On this Veteran's Day, we honor everyone who has
served the country's military...
In Thursday's Morning Quickie: MLB awards, college
hoops preview and more. *LIVE*, 9-10 ET or read the
transcript. (See Q It Up.)
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