Turf toe to sideline Falcons QB Ryan
November 30, 2009
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP)—The Atlanta Falcons will be without quarterback MattRyan(notes) as they try to improve their playoff hopes in a key NFC game againstPhiladelphia this week.
Coach Mike Smith(notes) said Monday that Ryan will miss at least one game with aturf toe injury. Chris Redman(notes), who took over for Ryan in Sunday’s 20-17 win overTampa Bay, will start against the Eagles.
Before the win over the Buccaneers, Redman had not attempted a pass sincehis last start in the final game of the 2007 season. Redman completed 23 of 41passes for 243 yards with two touchdowns, including a 5-yard scoring pass toRoddy White(notes) with 23 seconds remaining, and no interceptions against Tampa Bay.
“It was good to get back out there and get back into the game and get afeel for it,” Redman said Monday.
Ryan did not return after he injured his right big toe on the first seriesagainst the Buccaneers. Smith would not speculate on Ryan’s status beyond thisweek.
“During the week he’s going to work with our medical staff diligently toget back as quick as he can,” Smith said.
The Falcons (6-5) lost three more starters on offense against Tampa Bay.
Running back Michael Turner(notes) aggravated his right ankle sprain in his returnafter missing one game. The team also lost offensive linemen Harvey Dahl(notes) (rightankle and Achilles’ tendon) and Sam Baker(notes) (left elbow).
Smith said Turner has not been ruled out of this week’s game.
Smith added he plans to carry only two quarterbacks on the roster againstthe Eagles. Rookie John Parker Wilson(notes), who has never been on the active rosterfor a game, will be Redman’s backup.
The Falcons released quarterback D.J. Shockley(notes) earlier this season.
Ryan has passed for 2,291 yards with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Hehas completed 59.4 percent of his passes, a slight dropoff from his 61.1percentage last year when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Redman, Joey Harrington(notes) and Byron Leftwich(notes) were Atlanta’s startingquarterbacks in 2007. The team struggled to a 4-12 finish following the NFLsuspension of former Falcons star Michael Vick(notes), who will return to Atlanta thisweek as Philadelphia’s backup.
Redman passed for four touchdowns with no interceptions in the Falcons’44-41 win over Seattle to end the 2007 season.
“Chris has got a lot of confidence in his ability and when he has had anopportunity to play in this league he has played effectively,” Smith said. “Idon’t anticipate there is going to be a significant dropoff in the effectivenessof our offense.”
Smith said Redman should benefit from his first significant playing time intwo years.
“That’s just part of being a backup, when you don’t have that many practicesnaps you just have to take mental reps,” Redman said. “That’s definitelydifferent than getting out there and doing it yourself, and I could tell duringthe game just timing was a little off between me and Roddy and a couple of theguys. But everybody hung tough with me and we pulled through.”
It will be the first game Ryan has not started in his two-year career. Hemade every start last season when he led the Falcons to an 11-5 record and aplayoff berth.
Ryan had a walking boot on his injured foot and wore a black warmup suit ashe watched Redman rally the Falcons past Tampa Bay in the final minute Sunday.
Redman said the Falcons’ ability to overcome the four injuries shouldprovide a confidence boost.
“There was no panic at all,” he said.
“I think it does show the depth we have and I think that’s something youneed if you’re going to be a playoff contending team.”
Before Smith announced Ryan will not play, center Todd McClure(notes) said the teamwould have confidence in Redman as the starter.
“You’d like to have your starters, but if Redman is the guy, we have a tonof confidence in Redman,” McClure said. “One thing that will be key and is keyevery week is getting our running game going and taking pressure off of him.”
Turner was held to 33 yards rushing on 12 carries before he hurt his ankleagain. Backup running back Jerious Norwood(notes) returned after missing five gameswith a hip injury and had six carries for 22 yards.
Florida’s Strong among Broyles finalists
November 30, 2009
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)—Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong is one offive finalists for the Broyles Award, which goes to the nation’s top assistantcoach.
None of the finalists has lost a game this season. The others are: Alabamadefensive coordinator Kirby Smart, Boise State offensive coordinator BryanHarsin, Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn and Texas Christiandefensive coordinator Dick Bumpas.
The winner will be announced Dec. 8 in Little Rock. The Broyles Award isnamed for former Arkansas coach Frank Broyles. More than 25 of his assistantsbecame head coaches. They include Joe Gibbs, Jimmy Johnson and Johnny Majors.
Strong and Bumpas were finalists a year ago, when Oklahoma offensivecoordinator Kevin Wilson won the award.
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After home slide, Heat hit road
November 30, 2009
MIAMI (AP)—Something about going on the road has always appealed to Miamiforward Udonis Haslem(notes). After all, it can’t be any tougher than playing at homehas been lately for the slumping Heat.
Miami has lost six of its last nine games overall, not to mention four ofits last six at home—and both those wins were one-point buzzer-beaters, firstover the lowly New Jersey Nets on Nov. 17, and then a New Orleans Hornets teamwithout Chris Paul(notes) five nights later.
So maybe a change of scenery will do some good.
Barely a few hours removed from a 92-85 loss at home to the Boston Celtics,Miami left early Monday morning for a four-game road swing, the first three ofthose games coming against Western Conference powers Portland, Denver and thereigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
The buzz over a 6-1 start has now been drowned out by seeing the record fallto 9-7, and the Heat know this trip won’t be easy.
“We’ve got to go out there and win,” Haslem said. “Find any meansnecessary to go out and get these games. Nobody but us … we’re out thereagainst everybody, so we’ve got to come together.”
Only the Lakers had played more games through Sunday at home this seasonthan the Heat. The Lakers took advantage, going 10-2 so far in their buildingand using that as a springboard to a 13-3 overall record.
The Heat, they’re a mere 6-5 at home.
And since winning on the road is much harder for NBA teams—home teams hadprevailed 61 percent of the time through Sunday, which is basically consistentwith the year-in, year-out success clip around the league—things might gettougher before long for Miami.
“I think there’s nothing better right now for this team, when you’re goingthrough adversity, going through some tough times,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstrasaid. “Out there, there’s not going to be anybody else but ourselves. We’regoing to have to lean on each other and trust each other, come together. Thesecan be some season-changing moments. … It’s a great challenge.”
It wasn’t such a daunting proposition for Miami last season, either.
The Heat went 7-8 on the road against Western Conference teams a year ago,winning in, among other places, San Antonio, Phoenix and Utah. Those wins provedvital in the playoff picture, since Miami finished as the No. 5 seed, only twogames ahead of No. 7 Chicago.
“I don’t ever mind going out West,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade(notes) said. “Ofcourse it’s tough, the schedule, but it’s actually good for a team because allyou have is yourself. You have your 15 players, your six or seven coaches, thetraining staff and no one else rooting for you. You all have to come together.You all win together, you all lose together.”
Already this season, Miami has shown some road resilience.
It won Oct. 30 at Indiana, a place where the Heat had only prevailed fivetimes in 39 tries over their franchise’s first 21 seasons. And just last week,Miami used a huge fourth quarter run to beat the defending Eastern Conferencechampion Orlando Magic 99-98—just the second Heat win in the last 14 meetingsbetween the division rivals.
They’ll need more of that magic this week.
“You don’t have the crowd and you don’t have to play a certain way,” Wadesaid. “You just have to play hard-nosed and try to win. Team building alwayshappens on the West Coast, so we’ll see when we come back. It’s a tough trip andit’s the NBA schedule. Can’t cry about it. All we can do is get our rest, asmuch as we can, go out there and take each game by game and give it our all.”
After home slide, Heat hit the road
November 30, 2009
MIAMI (AP)—Something about going on the road has always appealed to Miamiforward Udonis Haslem(notes). After all, it can’t be any tougher than playing at homehas been lately for the slumping Heat.
Miami has lost six of its last nine games overall, not to mention four ofits last six at home—and both those wins were one-point buzzer-beaters, firstover the lowly New Jersey Nets on Nov. 17, and then a New Orleans Hornets teamwithout Chris Paul(notes) five nights later.
So maybe a change of scenery will do some good.
Barely a few hours removed from a 92-85 loss at home to the Boston Celtics,Miami left early Monday morning for a four-game road swing, the first three ofthose games coming against Western Conference powers Portland, Denver and thereigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
The buzz over a 6-1 start has now been drowned out by seeing the record fallto 9-7, and the Heat know this trip won’t be easy.
“We’ve got to go out there and win,” Haslem said. “Find any meansnecessary to go out and get these games. Nobody but us … we’re out thereagainst everybody, so we’ve got to come together.”
Only the Lakers had played more games through Sunday at home this seasonthan the Heat. The Lakers took advantage, going 10-2 so far in their buildingand using that as a springboard to a 13-3 overall record.
The Heat, they’re a mere 6-5 at home.
And since winning on the road is much harder for NBA teams—home teams hadprevailed 61 percent of the time through Sunday, which is basically consistentwith the year-in, year-out success clip around the league—things might gettougher before long for Miami.
“I think there’s nothing better right now for this team, when you’re goingthrough adversity, going through some tough times,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstrasaid. “Out there, there’s not going to be anybody else but ourselves. We’regoing to have to lean on each other and trust each other, come together. Thesecan be some season-changing moments. … It’s a great challenge.”
It wasn’t such a daunting proposition for Miami last season, either.
The Heat went 7-8 on the road against Western Conference teams a year ago,winning in, among other places, San Antonio, Phoenix and Utah. Those wins provedvital in the playoff picture, since Miami finished as the No. 5 seed, only twogames ahead of No. 7 Chicago.
“I don’t ever mind going out West,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade(notes) said. “Ofcourse it’s tough, the schedule, but it’s actually good for a team because allyou have is yourself. You have your 15 players, your six or seven coaches, thetraining staff and no one else rooting for you. You all have to come together.You all win together, you all lose together.”
Already this season, Miami has shown some road resilience.
It won Oct. 30 at Indiana, a place where the Heat had only prevailed fivetimes in 39 tries over their franchise’s first 21 seasons. And just last week,Miami used a huge fourth quarter run to beat the defending Eastern Conferencechampion Orlando Magic 99-98—just the second Heat win in the last 14 meetingsbetween the division rivals.
They’ll need more of that magic this week.
“You don’t have the crowd and you don’t have to play a certain way,” Wadesaid. “You just have to play hard-nosed and try to win. Team building alwayshappens on the West Coast, so we’ll see when we come back. It’s a tough trip andit’s the NBA schedule. Can’t cry about it. All we can do is get our rest, asmuch as we can, go out there and take each game by game and give it our all.”
Syracuse’s Marrone fires 3 assistants
November 30, 2009
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP)—Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone has fired three coaches,just two days after the Orange’s season ended in a demoralizing loss toConnecticut.
Offensive coordinator Rob Spence, wide receivers coach Jamie Elizondo anddefensive line coach Derrick Jackson will not be retained, the university saidin a two-sentence statement.
Marrone was on a recruiting trip and unavailable for comment.
In Marrone’s first year, Syracuse finished with a 4-8 overall record and was1-6 in the Big East for the third straight year after the 56-31 loss to theHuskies on Saturday.
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Bob Stoops brushes off Notre Dame rumors
November 30, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—It didn’t take Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops long to takehimself out of the running for the Notre Dame job.
Stoops said Monday he plans to stay at Oklahoma “hopefully for a goodwhile” and won’t be interviewing for any coaching positions after his worstregular season in 11 years with the Sooners.
“What I’m saying is I’m going to be at Oklahoma next year, so I can’t be intwo places at once,” Stoops said on a conference call.
Stoops’ name surfaced weeks ago as a potential replacement for Charlie Weis,who was fired Monday following five mostly lackluster seasons at Notre Dame.Stoops responded to the earlier reports by saying “Notre Dame has a coach, andI have a great job”—a comment some believed left the door open for him toleave once Weis was fired.
Stoops left no doubt this time.
“I fully intend to be at Oklahoma, and hopefully for a good while,” hesaid. “You never know what the good Lord brings you but in the end I couldn’tbe more excited about—even through a tough year—the good, quality kids we’reworking with (and) the great people that I work with daily in ouradministration.
“I can’t help what’s said, but in the end, again, I couldn’t be moreexcited and pleased about what we’re doing here and what the future holds.”
Stoops is under contract with Oklahoma through the end of 2015 afteragreeing to a two-year extension earlier this year. That deal, loaded withincentives aimed at keeping him with the Sooners, is one of the richest incollege football and would pay him more than $30 million—or about $4.3 millionannually—if he were to stay for the full term.
Last year, he collected a $3 million bonus for remaining as the Soonerscoach for 10 years. Under the new contract, Stoops receives a $700,000 staybonus at the end of every year with an additional $800,000—for a total of $1.5million—if he is still the Sooners’ coach on Jan. 1, 2011.
The contract also includes incentives for championships, bowl games and highgraduation rates.
Stoops said he plans to stay as long as university leaders agree.
“What I am saying is I intend to be at Oklahoma. That’s the only placeright now—yes—what I’m looking to do,” Stoops said. “I will never confirmor deny whether I talk or (do) not talk to anybody. And I won’t be interviewingfor any jobs.”
Stoops is 116-29 in his time at Oklahoma, leading the Sooners to seven BCSgames and one national championship. With injuries to Heisman Trophy winner SamBradford, tight end Jermaine Gresham and numerous others, he lost five games inthe regular season for the first time as a head coach. Oklahoma is awaiting aninvitation to a bowl game.
Stoops passed on the chance to say why he preferred to coach at Oklahomaover Notre Dame.
“I’m not favoring anything over anything else,” Stoops said. “What I’msaying is I couldn’t be more happy and pleased with what we’re doing here. Andagain, I’m not confirming or denying anything about Notre Dame or any other job.My point is this is what I love doing right now.”
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76ers meeting with G Iverson in Dallas
November 30, 2009
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Allen Iverson(notes) is meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers about apossible return to the team.
A person with knowledge of the talks says Iverson and team president EdStefanski are meeting Monday in Dallas. The person, who spoke on condition ofanonymity because the talks had not been made public, says they are discussingthe possibility of Iverson returning to his former team.
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Iverson is among the free-agent candidates the Sixers are considering toreplace injured point guard Lou Williams, who’s expected to miss eight weeksafter jaw surgery.
Iverson announced his retirement last week after an ill-fated stint with theMemphis Grizzlies. The 10-time All-Star was NBA MVP in 2001 when he led theSixers to the NBA Finals.
James: Ilgauskas should have set record
November 30, 2009
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP)—LeBron James(notes) says Cavaliers coach Mike Brown shouldhave let Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) set a record last weekend.
Ilgauskas has tied Cleveland’s record for all-time games played at 723 andwill set a new mark with his next appearance. That could have been at home lastSaturday, but Brown elected not to play Ilgauskas in a victory against theMavericks.
“I definitely thought he should’ve played,” James said Monday. “I’m nottrying to stir up anything with coach or whatever is going on with theorganization, but sometimes one game is the smaller things. What was on the linewas something way bigger than us playing the Mavericks. That was Z breaking therecord.”
Ilgauskas declined interview requests Saturday night and on Monday.
Cousins has 24 as No. 5 Kentucky rolls
November 30, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)—DeMarcus Cousins scored a season-high 24 points andgrabbed 10 rebounds to lead No. 5 Kentucky to an easy 94-57 win overUNC-Asheville on Monday night.
John Wall added 12 points and a school freshman-record 14 assists, whilePatrick Patterson had 17 points and nine boards as the Wildcats (7-0) cruisedduring their annual appearance at Freedom Hall.
Sean Smith led UNC-Asheville (0-6) with 19 points, but the Bulldogs werehardly more than bystanders for most of the night against the bigger, deeperWildcats.
Kentucky had little trouble getting out on the break, where Wall dazzledwith a series of alley-oop passes to his teammates while adding a couple ofhighlight-reel dunks himself.
During a dizzying 29-6 burst midway through the second half the Wildcatsconverted five straight dunks—all on alley-oop passes from Wall.
Even better for the Wildcats heading into a showdown with No. 10 NorthCarolina on Saturday may have been their crisp ball-handling.
Kentucky came in averaging 18.6 turnovers a game, a number coach JohnCalipari attributed to his team’s inexperience as it learns his“dribble-drive” offense. The Wildcats gave it away just eight times againstthe Bulldogs while handing out 28 assists on 36 field goals.
It’s the kind of unselfish play Calipari has been preaching since the seasonbegan, though it came against the overmatched Bulldogs, who lost to No. 11Tennessee by 75 points two weeks ago.
Kentucky didn’t come close to matching the Volunteers point for point, butshowed plenty of flashes of potential.
Following a series of early season scares—including an overtime escapeagainst Stanford in the Cancun Challenge finals last week—Kentucky played withthe kind of dominance Calipari said would come as soon as his young squadstarted figuring things out.
The Wildcats certainly looked like they “got it” when Wall was on thefloor. He looked for his teammates early and only tried to shoot when theopportunity was too good to pass up.
He kept feeding Cousins in the second half in an effort to help the freshmancenter shake off a somewhat lackluster performance in Mexico. Cousins had hisway with the Bulldogs in the lane as Kentucky used its size to outreboundUNC-Asheville 44-31. The Wildcats found plenty of easy looks to go around andconnected on 52 percent of their shots.
The Bulldogs at least got off to a better start than they did againstTennessee, when they made just two field goals in the first half while fallingbehind the Volunteers by 52 at the break.
UNC-Asheville had two baskets by the first media timeout, though theBulldogs were never really in danger of making it a game.
Wall did his best to provide a little entertainment for what figures to behis only game at Freedom Hall during his collegiate career.
He threw down a wicked reverse dunk on a break and followed it up momentslater with another slam after a steal. UNC-Asheville’s J.P. Primm didn’t evenbother chasing Wall down the court, trotting once Wall got behind him as theKentucky star swooped in for the jam.
Wall wasn’t perfect, however, botching an alley-oop pass from Miller, one ofthe few miscues on a night when the Wildcats hardly worked up a significantsweat while matching their best start since 2004.
Falcons QB Ryan to sit out Sunday
November 30, 2009
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP)—Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan(notes) will miss thisweek’s game against Philadelphia with a turf toe injury.
Coach Mike Smith(notes) says Chris Redman(notes), who took over for Ryan in Sunday’s 20-17win over Tampa Bay, will start against the Eagles.
Redman’s last start came in the final game of the 2007 season.
Ryan injured his right big toe on the first series against the Buccaneers.Smith would not speculate on Ryan’s status beyond this week.