Bolton 0 - 5 Man Utd (BLOG)

Wayne Rooney hit a hat-trick and Javier Hernandez scored twice as a rampant Manchester United outclassed Bolton to go top of the Premier League.

The champions took an early lead when Hernandez pounced at the near post.

Rooney converted Phil Jones' cross to make it two, then the England striker profited from another of the defender's runs to add a third.

Hernandez swept in a fourth before Rooney drilled in his third - but Tom Cleverley may have broken his foot.

Crumpling under a heavy challenge from Kevin Davies, the midfielder was replaced midway through the first half.

But it was the only blemish for Sir Alex Ferguson's side after another impeccable performance brought up their 200th away win in the Premier League - the first club to achieve the milestone.

United's last trip to the Reebok Stadium ended in a 2-2 draw almost a year ago, when they had to rely on a late Michael Owen header to salvage a point.

But this encounter was very different as Hernandez, making his first start of the season, gave United the perfect opening.

Showing the superb movement he is renowned for, the Mexico striker lost Gary Cahill with a darting run to the near post to steer in Nani's tantalising low cross from the right.

The goal came while United were temporarily down to 10 men following the injury to Cleverley.

Bolton looked to hit back immediately, but former United midfielder Chris Eagles saw his shot cleared off the line by Rooney.

Despite the high-profile errorsUnited's new goalkeeper David De Gea has made this season, he went some way to silencing his doubters with an impressive flying save from Ivan Klasnic's long-range effort. And the stop ignited United, who made it 2-0 just 74 seconds later.

United's verve and invention overwhelmed Bolton and Rooney doubled United's lead in the 20th minute.

Catching the home side napping, Jones whipped in a devilish cross from the right to Rooney, who found himself between Cahill and Dedryck Boyata before prodding in from close range.

Rooney poured further misery on the home side, making it 3-0 in the 24th minute with a goal engineered by Jones, whose stature is growing with every game.

Exploiting a gaping hole in the home side's defence, Jones' twinkle-toed run took him into the penalty area, before he squared the ball to Rooney to find the back of the net with the easiest of finishes.

With manager Owen Coyle barking instructions from the touchline, Bolton limited United to three in the first half but, while Klasnic and Martin Petrov linked well at times, the home side were painfully short of creativity.

It was only a matter of time before United added to their lead and, two minutes before the hour mark, Hernandez made it 4-0.

Substitute Michael Carrick found the Mexican lurking at the far post and, with the Bolton defence at sea, his low effort had Jussi Jaaskelainen well beaten.

Nigel Reo-Coker struck the crossbar as Bolton desperately looked for a route back into the game but, minutes later, Rooney put the gloss on the win with United's fifth - and his third.

Collecting Nani's cut-back from the right the England striker nonchalantly struck his hat-trick goal from the edge of the box to give him his seventh career treble.

Rooney also becomes the fourth player to score back-to-back Premier League hat-tricks after Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright and Didier Drogba.

Sequels rarely match the original and United's short trip to the Reebok was always likely to pale in comparison to their famous 8-2 mauling of Arsenal a fortnight ago - but United remain the team to beat after another scintillating display.

bbc

NFL lets players wear Sept. 11 cleats, gloves (BLOG)

The NFL relaxed its normally rigid uniform policy on Friday so players can commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

League spokesman Michael Signora tweeted that the league told its 32 clubs that players may wear special shoes and gloves from official NFL equipment licensees for Week 1 games.

The move came one day after Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs tweeted that he had expected to be fined for wearing red, white and blue cleats and gloves designed by Reebok. Briggs said it would be "by far the best fine he will ever have to pay."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league does not "anticipate any issues."

"We have extensive plans for Sunday to respectfully recognize the significance of the day," Aiello said in an email. "Lance Briggs and all players will participate."

Briggs declined to comment when he left the practice field Friday. He instead put the shoes on display in the locker room, the back of the left shoe bearing the word "Never," while the right had "Forget."

Coach Lovie Smith said he has no problem with Briggs defying the NFL dress code in this instance.

"I mean, we're going to do an awful lot before the game as an organization — the NFL as a league — to honor the victims," Smith said. "But you know, if they (the NFL) say it's OK and the guys are good with it, of course we're all for it, too."

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles also said on Twitter that he plans to wear Reebok-issued gloves and cleats to honor the day.

Like Briggs, Charles posted a picture online. It showed an all-red bottom surface around the cleats beneath a white shoe with large blue stripes wrapped around it and white stars along the heel. The back of the glove is all red, with the words, "Never forget," circled around the date, Sept. 11, 2001. The palm of the glove is blue, with white stars.

"I never forget," Charles tweeted.

Charles and Briggs will have some company Sunday.

Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, a five-time Pro Bowler, showed up at Friday's practice with a stars-and-stripes design on his gloves and shoes. He plans to wear the same accessories Sunday at Houston. Wayne's teammate and friend, Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea, is expected to don the same attire.

Shortly before the league announced its policy change, Wayne told reporters it would be the "best fine" he ever paid and that he expected the league to alter the policy within 24 hours.

He was right.

Wayne went on to explain why he felt so strongly about wearing the stars-and-stripes during Sunday's game.

"Think about it man. That's an important time in our life. A lot of people lost plenty of loved ones," he said. "It's in history. Your grandchildren and children after that, they will be hearing about that. It's definitely a time where it needs to be recognized, and that's a way for guys to put their two cents in.

"I'm going to wear it, and wear it proudly.

Russian crash probe: Engines running til the end (BLOG)

MOSCOW (AP) — All three engines on a Russian jet that slammed into a riverbank were operating up until the moment of the crash and the plane's stabilizer and flaps were in a proper position for takeoff, Russian experts said Friday.

Still, the Moscow-based Interstate Aviation Committee, which is conducting the crash probe, had no conclusions yet about the cause of the crash that killed 43 people, mostly members of a top Russian ice hockey team.

The comments came as aviation experts examined flight data recorders from the crashed plane and began safety checks Friday on Yak-42 jets nationwide.

The chartered Yak-42 jet crashed Wednesday into the sides of the Volga River on a sunny, clear day moments after taking off near Yaroslavl, a city 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow.

It was one of the worst aviation disasters ever in sports, shocking Russia and the world of hockey, for among the dead were 36 players, coaches and staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team. The team had been heading to Minsk, Belarus, to play its opening game of the Kontinental Hockey League season.

Two men survived the crash — player Alexander Galimov and crew member Alexander Sizov — but they were in critical condition Friday, both in medicated comas after being transferred to Moscow for treatment. Hospital officials said Galimov had burns over 90 percent of his body.

The Interstate Aviation Committee said magnetic tapes holding the flight information in the data recorders were wet, but its experts have begun deciphering those segments that have dried out, learning about the engines. The committee didn't specify, however, whether the engines were giving the full thrust.

The Tunoshna airport's runway is three times longer than required for that type of plane but the plane still failed to accelerate sufficiently before takeoff, Russian Deputy Transport Minister Valery Okulov said.

Authorities were also checking fuel supplies at the Tunoshna airport, suspecting that low quality fuel could have caused the crash. The airport has been allowed to resume operations but planes were barred from using local fuel.

Yaroslavl Gov. Sergei Vakhrukov, however, insisted that the fuel couldn't have been the cause, since another plane using the same fuel had flown without any problems.

The crashed jet was built in 1993 and one of its three engines was replaced a month ago, transportation officials said.

Aviation authorities also launched safety checks on all the approximately 60 Yak-42 jets currently in service in Russia, which was expected to lead to disruptions in service. An Associated Press reporter was among the passengers ordered to disembark Friday from a Yak-42 jet bound on an internal flight from Moscow.

Of the six Yak-42s checked so far, three have been grounded, Rostransnadzor transport safety watchdog said. It said their owners will have to fix unspecified flaws before resuming their flights.

In Yaroslavl, where there has been an outpouring of public grief over the deaths of the hockey players, a memorial service was to be held Saturday at the team's arena. Several squads from the Kontinental Hockey League were traveling to Yaroslavl to take part.

Thousands of fans have already come to the Yaroslavl arena to pay their respects, laying mounds of red roses and carnations outside its walls.

President Dmitry Medvedev has called for sweeping reforms to Russia's aviation industry, including replacing aging Russian jets with Western planes.

Experts blame Russia's poor aviation safety record on an aging fleet, weak government controls, poor pilot training and a cost-cutting mentality.

Green Bay Wins Over Saints, 42-34 (BLOG)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — As far as Aaron Rodgers is concerned, that should just about silence any further questions about why the Green Bay Packers didn't work out as a team during the lockout.

If Thursday's season opener at Lambeau Field could be considered a referendum on the importance of those player-led team workouts, the results are in after the Packers' wild 42-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints: The sessions Drew Brees led over the summer weren't enough to help the Saints take down the reigning champions, and the Packers' decision not to get together as a team certainly didn't seem to hurt them.

"That was a good start for us," Rodgers joked afterward. "But I've just got to ask myself, 'What would have happened if we had had offseason workouts?' Could we have started any faster and scored more points tonight?"

Rodgers came out on top in a memorable opening-night duel with Brees. And after allowing 477 total net yards to the Saints, the Packers defense made a goal-line stand on the final play of the game.

"We had some problems defensively, but that's a very good offense and he's a great quarterback," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of Brees. "Sean (Payton) does a great job on offense. This will be a great experience we can learn from."

With the Saints on the 1-yard line for one last play, Clay Matthews and safety Morgan Burnett led a swarm of Packers defenders who stopped Saints rookie running back Mark Ingram short of the goal line.

"You've got to get a yard," Ingram said. "It's goal line to win the game, got to get a yard."

Matthews was hoping for a more dominant performance, but he'll take the win.

"Obviously, you'd love to have a blowout, but I think it represents everything that we preach, which is finishing games," Matthews said. "And it comes down to the very last play — we win, or they have an opportunity to tie it up. I think it's fantastic to overcome that adversity."

Brees threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns, including a late score to Jimmy Graham that cut the lead to 8 with 2:15 left.

"I was proud of the way we hung in there and fought back," Payton said. "There will be a lot of things on tape that we've got to clean up with this first game. Credit Green Bay. They did a very good job and did all the things they needed to do to win a home game like that."

For all their yards, Brees said the Saints weren't good enough in the red zone.

"We were one of five, so we scored touchdowns just one out of five times in the red zone," Brees said. "That's not going to win you a lot of games, especially on the road in this type of environment against this kind of team."

Rodgers and Brees had big games, but Packers rookie Randall Cobb stole the show.

Cobb, a second-round draft pick out of Kentucky, caught a touchdown from Rodgers and ran a kickoff back 108 yards for a score in the third quarter — tying an NFL record for the longest kickoff return in history, set by New England's Ellis Hobbs in September 2007. It also was the Packers' first kickoff return for a touchdown since Allen Rossum in 2000.

"It was amazing," Cobb said. "The feeling of being in Lambeau Field and just having all of the guys around me coming off of the Super Bowl and just trying to do anything I can to contribute, and I certainly tried to make the most of my opportunities."

Cobb admitted he made mistakes on both touchdowns; he shouldn't have brought the kickoff out of the end zone, and he ran the wrong route on the touchdown catch.

Rodgers said he was able to adjust to Cobb's mistake on the route, again bringing up the offseason workouts — a line of questioning Rodgers clearly grew tired of during training camp.

"Surprisingly, we didn't have offseason workouts," Rodgers said. "Surprisingly, I was able to read his body language there and he made a nice catch and run for a touchdown."

Rodgers threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns.

It was a big night for Donald Driver, who tied James Lofton's Packers franchise mark for career yards receiving with 9,656. Rodgers wanted to get him the record at home.

"We tried to get him the ball again, we just didn't have an opportunity," Rodgers said.

NOTES: Packers DB Charles Woodson earned a 15-yard penalty in the third quarter, and admitted he threw a punch at a Saints player. Woodson wasn't ejected. "Yeah, I threw a punch," Woodson said. "Just got frustrated, the guy was holding me a little longer than I wanted. Nothing was said about it, referee-wise, quick enough, and I reacted. It is what it is, I guess." ... Packers S Nick Collins appeared to hurt his left arm but stayed in the game. ... Packers CB Tramon Williams went down after taking a hard hit on the right shoulder in the fourth quarter. ... Saints WR Lance Moore sat out because of a groin injury.

Colts QB Manning has 2nd surgery on injured neck (BLOG)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Peyton Manning has undergone a second surgery on his injured neck and there is no timetable for his return to the Colts. The Colts said the procedure was done Thursday and that Manning is expected to recover. They're just not sure when.

Manning had a single level anterior fusion in his neck after undergoing tests and consulting with doctors earlier this week.

The Colts will keep the four-time league MVP on the active roster for now.

For Manning, it is the third surgery in 19 months. He had not fully recovered from a May 23 procedure to fix a damaged nerve in his neck.

Manning had already been ruled out of Sunday's season opener at Houston, ending a streak of 227 consecutive starts including playoffs -- the league's second-longest for a quarterback behind Brett Favre.

Opinion: NFL doing NCAA's dirty work (BLOG)

NFL says it won't enforce NCAA bans, but actions say otherwise

Jim Tressel’s reign at Ohio State will be remembered not for championships but for a peculiar combination (peculiar to big-time college football coaches, that is) of sanctimony, subterfuge and willful ignorance. Tressel was fond of asking, “What Would Jesus Do?” Looking back, however, it seems Tressel would have been better served asking what Jesus wouldn’t do.

Tressel didn’t know about the boosters. He didn’t know about the cars. He didn’t know about the memorabilia and autograph sales. And what he did come to know — the tattoo scandal — he chose to cover up.

It should surprise no one, then, that Tressel’s tenure as an NFL flunky — a game-day replay consultant for the Indianapolis Colts — has already enveloped the NFL in his personal cloud. Just two weeks after Roger Goodell suspended a 22-year-old former star quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts hired the 58-year-old who ignored Terrelle Pryor’s transgressions (both real and alleged), an ostensibly religious man with more than a quarter-century of experience as a college head coach.

Also worth noting is the sneakiness with which Indianapolis made the hire. Colts coach Jim Caldwell mentioned Tressel’s new job on a Friday conference call heading into Labor Day, right before the inaugural weekend of the college football season, when the news cycle would be dominated with actual games.

Actually, I’m sure the timing was a complete coincidence. Just like it was a complete coincidence when the NFL cut Pryor’s rookie season by five games — which just happened to be the same number of games he’d been suspended by the NCAA. I know this was mere happenstance because the NFL said so.

On Aug. 18, with Goodell fending off an avalanche of criticism, spokesman Greg Aiello sought to clarify matters with FOXSports.com Senior NFL Writer Alex Marvez. Contrary to popular perception, Aiello argued, the league was not acting as the enforcement arm of its cost-free farm system, the NCAA. Rather, he wrote via email, “we are enforcing our own rules."

"Pryor made decisions that undermined the integrity of our draft eligibility rules,” Aiello said. “He skipped the regular draft. He then made himself ineligible for college football.

“Our rules have never been based on the notion a college player could choose to violate NCAA rules, obtain a declaration that he is ineligible to play and then be rewarded by entering the NFL draft. (Pryor) is not getting a free pass into the NFL.”

Hold up. I didn’t exactly follow that. I mean, what’s the purpose of the supplemental draft, anyway? How is it OK for an ineligible “student-athlete” to be rewarded for not going to class, or flunking out, or getting kicked off the team, or testing positive for a banned substance, while the kid who gets free tattoos warrants a de facto suspension from the NFL?

I didn’t think this was possible. But Roger Goodell’s NFL has now achieved NCAA-like levels of hypocrisy. Is the league really going to new professionals for their college transgressions? And what of coaches like Pete Carroll, another “hear no evil, see no evil” kind of guy? Carroll abandoned a program he ran into the ground and was rewarded with a $7 million salary from the Seahawks.

Look, I don’t doubt Goodell was actually trying to do the right thing. But the fact is, he made an even bigger mess. And it only became more confused and cynical — which is to say, more NCAA-like — on Monday morning when the Colts released an unwittingly extraordinary statement.

It began by citing the “questions raised with respect to the equity of (Tressel’s) appointment as opposed to suspensions being served this season by present and former Ohio State players” (read: Pryor). As a result, Tressel and his new bosses have agreed to begin his employment after six regular games (one presumes he’ll keep his bowl eligibility). It’s not being called a “suspension” — just as Goodell’s punishment of Pryor avoided the term. Of course, it is nothing if not a suspension.

Noting that Colts ownership and high command had conversations with league officials over the weekend, the statement continues: “We have informed the league office of our decision and expect that they will be supportive of it.”

Now the NFL has a real problem. They’ve already punished Pryor, and now they’re going to sign off on a six-game non-suspension-suspension of Tressel?

For what, though?

The NFL says it doesn’t enforce NCAA rules. Only now the Colts have basically confirmed that it does. By signing off on the six games — call it what you want, but it’s a punishment — the league is now squarely in the business of sanctioning players and coaches for transgressions committed in college. Now, I’m all for it, provided these sanctions actually prevent the next generation of Pete Carrolls from profiteering on their lapses and wrongdoings as college coaches. Unfortunately, realistically, I don’t see how it will.

And, right about now, Goodell has to be wondering why he didn’t do what Tressel would do. Nothing.






foxsports

Philadelphia Flyers GM Hospitalized (BLOG)

Philadelphia Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren is hospitalized in stable condition after suffering serious injuries in a bike accident in southern New Jersey on Monday, according to multiple reports.

According to CSNPhilly.com, Holmgren suffered a broken shoulder, broken ribs and other injuries. Details about the accident have not been released.

Holmgren, 55, was taken to Cooper Medical Center in Camden, N.J., for treatment. A spokesperson for the hospital said only that Holmgren was in stable condition. Flyers officals told CSNPhilly.com late Monday night that he is expected to recover and they hoped to have more information Tuesday.

foxsports

Biggest threat to your Fantasy draft (BLOG)

It's often said that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but of course that's not true. People return with all sorts of unintended things: spouses, neck tattoos, Manilow collectibles, hepatitis ... lots of regrettable things. I recently flew to Vegas for the weekend and returned with four St. Louis Rams, which was definitely not a planned outcome.

To be clear, it's not like I had Henry Ellard, Jim Youngblood, Fred Dryer and Cullen Bryant stuffed in a duffel bag. I traveled to Vegas for a fantasy draft and returned with four different Rams on my 16-man roster. Not the ideal ratio. The players in question are all respectable assets – S-Jax, Bradford, Sims-Walker, Kendricks – so at least that helps the cause.

But this is not supposed to be a cautionary tale about the importance of portfolio diversity in fantasy. If you want that sort of advice, you know where to find me. The purpose here is to give you a little metaphor about one of the big keys to fantasy football drafts: impulse control.

See, Vegas is a little bit like draft day -- all kinds of temptation and very little discipline. Those who escape Sin City with profits are like those who "win" their drafts: strong enough to resist the urge to go for broke.

So although we drafted in Vegas, the lesson plays in Peoria: If you find yourself thinking "I feel lucky," step away from the table for a bit.Now at some point in your life as a fantasy owner, one of your league-mates is going to suggest a draft day road-trip. The 16-teamer in which I'm serving as a Rams repository assembles in a different location each year. Wish I could report that North American cities actually placed bids for our event, Super Bowl-style, but that's not yet the case. The 2011 draft was the third in league history held in Las Vegas, so the group has clearly had a few positive (if not perfectly memorable) experiences.





One of the many things we seem to forget -- because we're talking about a place that specializes in erasing memory -- is that Nevada in August is mercilessly, murderously hot. It's cartoon-hot, like with eggs frying on sidewalks and people dissolving into puddles. My flight landed just after 8:00 pm and the local temperature was 106. The cab drivers say, "It's a dry heat," as if you can be conned into comfort. Fission reactions probably produce a dry heat, too.

Vegas is much cooler indoors, yet no less disorienting. When you're drafting, it's critical to situate your group in the most non-Vegas environment possible. Our league's commissioner selected a hotel conference room way off the strip. That was a pro move. It was so non-Vegas that you might have thought we were in Ames.

The reason you need to dial down the Vegas-ness of your draft room is, again, impulse control. The city itself makes you find ways to deny reason, to act irrationally, irresponsibly, to lunge after the most remote possibilities. And that's all fine until you hit the draft table. I don't give a hoot if you travel to Vegas and put your marriage at risk, or your employment, or your kid's college fund. But when you implode at your draft, then it reflects poorly on your fantasy guru ... and then we have a problem. This holds true outside Vegas as well, so keep this in mind when someone suggests a favorite bar. Make sure to confine the reach-picks to the mid and late rounds and limit the number of insane injury risks you're willing to take. You'll also want to cut off the beverage consumption before reaching the point where you intend to say "Julio Jones" but it comes out "Julius Jones" or even "Jerry Jones."

Wherever you are, create the least Vegas-y atmosphere you can during your draft. That's your key to assembling a respectable fantasy roster while on the road in a hostile environment. For a few hours, make it feel safe and sober. Stay within yourself, as the athlete cliche goes. And if you do go to Vegas, and your biggest regret when you return is that you've drafted too many Rams, then you've probably done fine.

yahoo

Man runs 50-mile Mich. race with jaw wired shut (BLOG)

LOWELL, Mich. (AP) — A 50-mile run is an incredible challenge. Try it with your jaw wired shut.

A western Michigan man accomplished the feat last weekend when he competed in a race in the Manistee National Forest. Brandon Mulnix of Lowell says he consumed only liquid nutrition while running for more than 12 hours.

The 32-year-old tells The Daily News in Greenville (http://bit.ly/rg7c8r ) that he's still recovering from a car wreck last winter. Doctors wired Mulnix's jaw 10 days before the North Country Trail Run.

Mulnix says he dropped out last year after 25 miles, but not this time. He got pledges of more than 3,000 food items for food banks across Michigan.

Mulnix says he couldn't let people go hungry just because he was "hurting."

Chris Johnson reaches deal with Titans (BLOG)

The Titans will have Chris Johnson in uniform for the start of the season, after all.

Johnson, who had been locked in an ugly standoff with Tennessee over his contract, ended his holdout Thursday by agreeing to a reported four-year, $53.5 million contract extension with $30 million guaranteed. The deal will keep him in Tennessee through the 2016 season.

Johnson previously signed a five-year, $12 million contract after being drafted in 2008. Since then, he’s accumulated more than 4,500 yards rushing, 1,000 yards receiving and 38 total touchdowns.

He sat out the first three weeks of the preseason and all of training camp while waiting for Tennessee to offer him a raise. He also threatened a holdout before last year, but ultimately agreed to a revised deal that gave him a slight pay raise. Johnson sought big dollars then, too, but the Titans were hamstrung by rules for the last year of the collective bargaining agreement.

Johnson will not play in Tennessee’s preseason finale Thursday, but should be on the field for its Week 1 game at Jacksonville.



The 25-year-old Johnson topped the rare 2,000-yard mark in the 2009 season, then followed it up with a 1,300-yard effort last year. No running back in the NFL has rushed for more yards since 2008 than the 4,598 Johnson has piled up.

Johnson’s closest contender has been Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, with 4,441 yards in that time frame and nearly 7,000 total yards in his four years with Minnesota. The fallout from Johnson’s massive new deal, which averages out to $13.375 million per year starting in 2013, figures to have lasting implications for Peterson and the Vikings.

Peterson’s current contract expires after this season. He will earn $10.72 million in 2011 but back in March referred to the NFL as “modern-day slavery” during an interview touching on the labor situation.

The $30 million in guarantees that Johnson received is a massive number, especially for a running back — the position has the shortest shelf life of any in the NFL and Johnson has already carried the ball more than 900 times in his career. Peterson already has 1,198 career rushes to his credit and has suffered more than his share of bumps and bruises along the way.

Despite that, Peterson figures to open negotiations with the Vikings asking for more in guaranteed money than Johnson will make. Peterson has made the Pro Bowl and been voted an All-Pro in each of his four seasons in the NFL — he can at least make an argument that he’s worth more than Johnson.

But those negotiations likely won’t begin for some time, so there is no telling what might occur between now and then.

This summer has already been a big one for running back negotiations. DeAngelo Williams re-signed with Carolina in July for five years and $43 million with $21 million guaranteed, then Frank Gorereceived a three-year, $21-million extension from San Francisco with $13 million guaranteed. And while Peterson’s situation may not resolve soon, the Bears are trying to lock up Matt Forte, who also could hit the free-agent market next offseason.

For the time being, though, Johnson has set the bar for NFL running backs and, in the process, ended a nervous few weeks for the Titans.

The deal comes just one day after Johnson took to Twitter to chastise “fake Titans fans” for criticizing him during his holdout. Any ill will stemming from that incident will likely be water under the bridge now with Johnson back in the fold.

Venus Williams pulls out of US Open with illness (BLOG)

NEW YORK (AP) — Two days after playing her first match in two months, Venus Williams suddenly pulled out of the U.S. Open on Wednesday, revealing she recently was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause joint pain.

The 31-year-old American has won seven Grand Slam titles, including at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001.

"I enjoyed playing my first match here, and wish I could continue but right now I am unable to," Williams said in a statement released by the tournament. "I am thankful I finally have a diagnosis and am now focused on getting better and returning to the court soon."

She was supposed to face 22nd-seeded Sabine Lisicki in the second round Wednesday.

Williams cited a virus when withdrawing from hard-court tuneup tournaments since losing in the fourth round at Wimbledon in late June.

She returned to action Monday, beating Vesna Dolonts 6-4, 6-3 in the first round in New York, then said: "No one is more in one-match-at-a-time mode than me now at this tournament. It will just be one match at a time, for sure."

According to the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation website, the disease is a chronic autoimmune illness in which people's white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands. Common symptoms include dry eyes and dry mouth. As many as 4 million Americans have the disease.

In rare cases, it can cause arthritis and joint pain, said Dr. John Fitzgerald, director of clinical rheumatology at UCLA. Fitzgerald is not involved in treating Williams and does not know her symptoms or medical history. But, he said, if Williams has the typical symptoms, "it does not seem life-threatening or career-ending."

Williams arrived at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday hours before her match was scheduled to begin and tried warming up by hitting balls.

When Williams left the site shortly before 5 p.m., wearing a white sweater and purple shorts, she was asked by reporters whether she would say anything. She smiled and waved and shook her head to indicate, "No," then climbed into the back of a tournament transportation car and rode away.

"All of us came with the full expectation she'd be playing today. She was geared up to play her match," said Williams' agent, Carlos Fleming.

"I just hope she's OK," Fleming added, "and I hope she's healthy and going to be fine."

Despite all of her past success, including a brief stint at No. 1 in the rankings, Williams was unseeded at the U.S. Open, because she has fallen to 36th after a year of little action. Since reaching the semifinals at last year's U.S. Open, Williams has played only 11 matches, and the WTA projects that her ranking now will slide out of the top 100.

Her younger sister, Serena, a 13-time Grand Slam champion, is scheduled to play her second-round match Thursday.

"A lot of times, they've drawn a lot of criticism. But, trust me, (in) five years, when they're gone, everyone is going to miss them. Everyone is going to realize they're going to be living legends for the rest of their lives. Two girls from Compton, dominating tennis — that's not an everyday story," said 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick, who's known the Williams sisters for about two decades.

"Venus is just the epitome of class, the way she's gone about it," he said. "I don't think she's ever even had a sniff of controversy around her. She's just done it the right way."

On Monday, Venus Williams was asked about the illness that caused her to skip tournaments this summer. She said that night that her ailment had been diagnosed, but wouldn't say what it was.

"It was just energy-sucking, and I just couldn't play pro tennis," she said Monday. "It was disappointing, because I had huge plans for this summer, of course, to improve my ranking. To miss out on all those points was definitely devastating. Just to miss so much time off tour was just disheartening. But I'm just really excited to be back."

Lisicki said she saw Venus Williams on the practice courts and in the locker room and expected to play their match — until the tournament referee passed along the news of the withdrawal.

"She's a tough girl, and I think she'll come back. You know, it would be unfortunate if she couldn't," Lisicki said. "Serena and Venus both are amazing players, and it's nice to have them in the women's sport. I hope she comes back."

NCAA: 12 current Miami players accepted benefits (BLOG)

The NCAA announced findings Tuesday that 12 current Miami football players accepted extra benefits from booster Nevin Shapiro and suspended eight athletes for between one and six games.

Four other players must simply repay the amount of the benefits they received and will be eligible for the Hurricanes’ season opener Monday at Maryland.

The NCAA claimed the players “received varying levels of recruiting inducements and extra benefits from Shapiro and athletics personnel” including “meals, transportation, access to Shapiro’s game suite, drinks, as well as cover charges at two different nightclubs, among others.”

The allegations were first detailed in a Yahoo! Sports investigationpublished Aug. 16. Shapiro, currently serving 20 years in prison for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme, said at least 72 current and former Miami players accepted improper benefits from 2002-2010. At least seven Miami coaches had knowledge of or participated in the rule-breaking, according to Shapiro.

Of the current players, defensive lineman Olivier Vernon will miss six games and have to repay more than $1,200. Safety Ray-Ray Armstrong and tight end Dyron Dye will sit out four games. Armstrong must repay $788, Dye $738. Five others, defensive lineman Marcus Forston, linebacker Sean Spence, defensive linemanAdewale Ojomo, receiver Travis Benjamin and quarterback Jacory Harris will miss just one game. Forston must repay more than $400, Spence about $275, Ojomo $240, Benjamin more than $150 and Harris more than $140.

Cornerback Brandon McGee, Safety JoJo Nicolas, defensive tackle Micanor Regis and safety Vaughn Telemaque were all found to have accepted less than $100 in benefits and must only repay the amount. They will not miss any games. Defensive end Marcus Robinson was investigated but not penalized by the NCAA.

The school also announced wide receiver Aldarius Johnson was suspended indefinitely by coach Al Golden for a violation of team rules.

“The student-athletes involved have acknowledged receiving improper benefits and will now be responsible for restitution and, in some cases, the student-athletes will also serve game suspensions,” Miami director of athletics Shawn Eichorst said in a statement. “They understand that their actions demand consequences.”

The joint NCAA/Miami investigation into Shapiro’s actions as a booster from 2002 until 2010 remains ongoing. Tuesday’s ruling concerned the eligibility of only current student athletes and not the culpability, if any, of the university, former administrators or former players.

It should allow first-year coach Golden and the current team to move past the Shapiro scandal and begin planning with certainty for the upcoming season.

“We will be more vigilant in our compliance and continue to work with the NCAA on the joint investigation to determine the facts,” Eichorst said.

Jets beat Giants for braggin' rights in ugly game (BLOG)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Rex Ryan got a kick out of receiving a bronzed Snoopy trophy for beating the Giants and winning the annual preseason braggin' rights with their long-time rival.

"That's awesome," Ryan said, holding up the trophy after the Jets' 17-3 win on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. "...I'll tell you what, that thing looks good. I'm glad we got it."

The trophy is going to go on Ryan's desk. The videotape of the game that was delayed two days by Hurricane Irene's march up the East Coast doesn't deserve such a prominent spot.

There wasn't much that either Ryan or Giants counterpart Tom Coughlin could be happy about. The first-team offenses weren't good. The chippy game featured 16 penalties and the ejections of Giants halfback Brandon Jacobs and Jets defensive end Muhummad Wilkerson for a second-half skirmish. And there were just too many mistakes by both teams with the season less than two weeks away.

Even Plaxico Burress' first game against the Giants since his release from prison was a dud. No catches and a bad call on the pregame coin toss as the Jets' sole captain.

The positive was both teams played hard. The Jets prevailed because Mark Sanchez threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes, they intercepted Eli Manning twice, capitalized on two big special teams plays and got a goal-line stand by their second-team defense early in the second half.

"I don't know if there are any tickets available for that Dec. 24 game, but I think we just sold them because that was a typical Jets-Giants slugfest right there," Ryan said. "It was a fun game, man. That was two good football teams going at it. Obviously, it's a preseason game, but it's great competition. The fireworks will fly Dec. 24, that's for sure."

Rookie Bilal Powell had a 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter and Nick Folk added a late field goal in what probably will be the last major warmup for both teams' starters before the regular season.

The Jets (2-1) will face the Eagles here Thursday. The Giants (1-2), who got a field goal from Rhys Lloyd, finish their preseason at New England, also on Thursday.

"There are things that we need to clean up, but we still have some time to do so," said Manning, who was 15 of 30 for 200 yards. "There are just some little things, but those things can add up. But that's what the preseason is for, and we still have a little time."

The banged-up Giants also had defensive end Justin Tuck (stinger) and linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka (groin) leave the game with injuries. Neither seemed serious.

The Jets didn't appear to have any major injuries in the exhibition.

Jets special teams guru Mike Westhoff saw his unit provide the key plays.

Antonio Cromartie set up Holmes' touchdown with a 70-yard kickoff return, and defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert blocked Lloyd's field-goal attempt late in the third quarter with the Jets ahead 7-3.

Lloyd had given the Giants a 3-0 lead with 5:00 left in the first half with a 34-yarder.

Cromartie's big return came on the ensuing kickoff. The Giants seemed to fall asleep after Cromartie fumbled the ball in the end zone and Lloyd eventually ran him out of bounds at the 35.

Sanchez needed only six plays to cover the distance, finding Holmes on a post pattern that beat good coverage by Corey Webster.

Before the TD pass, Sanchez was 4 of 10 for 13 yards and it was clear he was not on the same page with his receivers.

"In a rivalry game like this, we have to keep our cool and be sharp, but I was proud of the guys for playing through everything, staying strong and staying poised," said Sanchez, who finished 8 of 16 for 64 yards.

The only thing the long-time rivals showed in the first half is their defenses are ready for the regular season.

"On the eye test, I thought we played pretty well," Tuck said. "There are some things to work on, but I feel we're ready. We're getting more comfortable with our schemes and we'll be flying around there, when it's time."

The Giants outgained the Jets 224-73 in the half and trailed 7-3 because Manning could not capitalize after moving the offense to the Jets 27 on the opening drive.

On a second and 10 from the 27, David Harris pressured Manning and his pass to Victor Cruz was too high and intercepted by Jim Leonhard.

Harris got the other interception in the second quarter when Manning badly underthrew Ahmad Bradshaw while under pressure again.

"First one, the ball floated on me a little bit," Manning said. "And the next one, that was on me. I should have just thrown it away."

Manning and company jumped to a 3-0 lead, taking advantage when linebacker Clint Sintim recovered Sanchez's fumble at the Giants 39. Bradshaw made the big play, taking a dump-off pass and turning it into a 29-yard gain after running past linebacker Bart Scott.

The Jets were 0 for 6 on third downs in the first half and didn't register their first first down until they got a favorable spot on a fourth-and-1 from their own 28 late in the first quarter.

The Giants had a chance to retake the lead early in the third quarter against the Jets' second-string defense when Manning drove them from their own 15 to the Jets 1. However, the Jets stopped D.J. Ware cold on a fourth-down attempt from the 1, on a play that normally would have been handled by Jacobs. The big-bruising back was not available because he has been ejected four plays earlier for trading what appeared to be slaps with Wilkerson.

"We were gashing them the entire time," Giants left tackle Will Beatty said. "We were walking them down the field. So it's not finishing a drive where you want to put the nail in the coffin and we didn't do that today."

Gilbert blocked Lloyd's 42-yard attempt with 1:13 left in the third quarter and rookies Greg McElroy and Jeremy Kerley— playing the wildcat— led the Jets 68-yard, 9-play drive that featured an unsportsmanlike penalty on Giants safety Deon Grant.

Ortiz/Mayweather 24/7 Episode 1 (BLOG,VIDEO)

(BADLEFTHOOK)"What motivates me is putting the finishing touches on my legacy."

So says Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the start of HBO's "24/7: Mayweather/Ortiz," which debuted Saturday night, the latest in the premium subscription channel's four-part mini-series/hype machine for big fights. The show was Mayweather's brainchild, and in the time since its 2007 debut (in the lead-up to his Cinco de Mayo mega-fight with Oscar de la Hoya) he's further put his stamp on it, making it a personal playground for his boyish antics. This is Floyd's fifth time outing as a headliner, with the members of his inner circle having long since become familiar to the 24/7 faithful - in particular, Roger and Floyd Mayweather Sr., the fighter's uncle-trainer and father, respectively. The brothers are known for their star turns as supporting characters, joining Junior, the antagonist, in forming what is perhaps HBO's signature family outside of the ones once juggled by Tony Soprano.

In part one of the series' newest installment, things are status quo in their regard - at least until the episode's closing five minutes.

Vick agrees to $100M deal with Eagles(BLOG)

(AP)Michael Vick is really back on top now.

Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles agreed on a six-year contract on Monday that again makes the Pro Bowl quarterback one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

A source familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press the deal is worth $100 million, including about $40 million guaranteed. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because terms weren't released.

Vick has come a long way since spending 18 months in federal prison on dogfighting charges. He led the Eagles to the NFC East title last year, was the starting quarterback in the Pro Bowl and was the AP Comeback Player of the Year.

Vick was due to earn slightly more than $16 million this season after the Eagles designated him the franchise player in February. He'll make a little less, possibly giving the Eagles salary cap flexibility to give Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson an extension.

The 31-year-old Vick joined the Eagles in 2009, and played sparingly as the third-string QB behind Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb.

He started last year as the backup, but forced his way into the starting role with his exceptional performances after Kolb got hurt in the season opener.

Vick guided the Eagles to an 8-3 record in 11 games as a starter in his first season playing full-time since 2006. He set career highs in yards passing (3,018), touchdowns passing (21), touchdowns rushing (9), completion percentage (62.6) and passer rating (100.2). Vick also rushed for 676 yards.

Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, once was a megastar with the Atlanta Falcons. He signed a $130 million, 10-year deal in 2005 that made him the top-paid player in the league then. But Vick lost it all when he went to jail and he eventually filed for bankruptcy.

He was reviled by fans when he came back, but has won them over with good behavior off the field, a humble attitude and spectacular play.

Colts activate QB Peyton Manning (BLOG)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Peyton Manning is ready to practice with his teammates. He's still not sure when he'll dress for a game.

On Monday, less than two hours after being activated from the physically unable to perform list, Manning told reporters it was the next step in his recovery from neck surgery in May. He would not provide details about what issues must be resolved before the Sept. 11 season-opener at Houston.

"I don't know what HIPAA stands for, but I believe in it and I practice it," Manning joked, referring to the federal law protecting medical privacy. "So, uh, I'll leave it at that."

The team said Manning will practice on a "scripted" and controlled basis with teammates this week. He is not expected to play in Thursday night's preseason finale at Cincinnati and he reiterated that point Monday.

And it's unclear the extent of what Manning's new workout regimen will be.

"He's been throwing," coach Jim Caldwell said. "It's going to be a bigger amount, and I don't think it needs a whole lot of explanation. The statement speaks for itself."

Team officials have said Manning would practice only when he was cleared by the doctors and when Manning felt comfortable working out. The four-time MVP missed all of training camp at Anderson University, the second time in four seasons that's happened.

When Manning sat out in 2008 after having two surgeries to remove an infected bursa sac in his left knee, was not seen by reporters. This time, after his second surgery in 15 months, he was seen running and throwing passes.

Manning remembered returning to practice just before the final 2008 preseason game, though he did not play against the Bengals that year.

"This was one of my goals all along, to be back before the last preseason game," Manning said. "That gives you two weeks on the field to answer the questions coach Caldwell has and I have."

Manning has started 227 consecutive games, including the playoffs, the second-longest streak in NFL history for quarterbacks behind Brett Favre. He said Monday he was healthy enough to take a snap or play a series or two to keep the streak alive, but that's not what he intends to do.

"I have to be able to play competitively to play because I have too much respect for this game," he said. "I have to do what's fair for the team."

Three years ago, Manning returned from the knee injury and struggled during the first half of the season. By midseason, Manning was back to his regular form and went on to win his third MVP award.

Indy's franchise quarterback had been on PUP since practice began Aug. 1. League rules require players on the physically unable to perform list to be activated by the team's final cuts, on Sept. 3, or sit out an additional six weeks. That wasn't something the Colts were going to do.

The surgery was expected to keep Manning off the field for six to eight weeks. But the recovery has gone slower than expected, and Manning in part blamed the 4 1/2-month lockout that kept him away from the team's trainers.

With Manning ailing, the Colts have been refining backup plans. They signed veteran backup Kerry Collins to go along with Curtis Painter, Dan Orlovsky and rookie Mike Hartline. Five-time Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne said he believes Painter gives Indy the best chance at winning if Manning is not ready to start the season.

Painter made his statement Friday by going 11 of 21 for 171 yards with two TD passes, and nearly led the Colts to their first preseason win in more than two years.

All three backups could be vying for snaps at practice, and the Colts may have to play their starters longer than usual against the Bengals to get Collins and Painter in sync with their teammates.

"It's an important week because it's one thing to know it in the classroom, and it's another thing to go out and know it on the field," Collins said.

Manning has thrown for 54,828 yards, third all-time behind Favre and Dan Marino. He's also third all-time in career TD passes (399), trailing only Marino (420) and Favre (508) and has led Indianapolis to a record-tying nine consecutive playoff appearances.

Double-amputee sprinter reaches world 400 semis (BLOG)

DAEGU, South Korea (AP) — The double-amputee sprinter known as the "Blade Runner" is steadily stealing Usain Bolt's stage at the world championships.

Bounding along on his carbon-fiber blades, Oscar Pistorius is proving he indeed belongs on the same track at major meets as able-bodied athletes.

On Sunday, in his opening heat of the 400 meters, the South African finished third in 45.39 seconds to advance to the following day's semifinals.

Although Bolt clearly remains the face of track, the 24-year-old Pistorius is demonstrating there's room for more. He never before has competed for a major title and might not even make it to Tuesday's final, but his story remains an inspiration to many.

Not to mention a contentious topic for others, who think the blades give Pistorius an unfair advantage.

For Pistorius, this was simply a chance to compete against the best. He fought off nerves and tracked Femi Ogunode of Qatar down the back stretch with an impressive burst.

"A big sense of relief," Pistorius said. "This is a platform where you work extremely hard to get here. Once you get here, you don't want to let it slide."

It's been quite a path to reach this point for Pistorius.

The International Association of Athletics Federations had banned the multi-Paralympic gold medalist from able-bodied competitions, saying the blades he wears gave him an edge.

In 2008, Pistorius was cleared to compete by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But he failed to qualify for that year's Beijing Olympics and then again for the 2009 worlds in Berlin.

Stronger, leaner and more confident, this has been a breakout season for Pistorius. In one of his last races before Daegu, he earned the "A'' standard with his best-ever time of 45.07 to earn a place at the worlds.

"Phenomenal race," Pistorius remembered. "Never had a race where every aspect went extremely well."

A place in the final might require an even better performance. After all, defending champion LaShawn Merritt hardly looked like he broke a sweat as he cruised to a 44.35 in his heat, the fastest time in 2011.

Pistorius' blades have been the source of curiosity and controversy, with some wondering if the technology actually aids the runner. Merritt tried to diffuse that notion.

"I'm not really sure what's going on with the technology," said Merritt, the Olympic gold medalist who competed in just his second race since returning from a 21-month doping ban. "I haven't seen a story on it or went that deep into what the technology is. I just see his times, and that he's slowly getting better. So I can tell he's been working."

Belgian semifinalist Jonathan Borlee said the IAAF could be left in an awkward position should Pistorius make it into the final.

"In that case I think, yeah, it will be a problem for IAAF, for (the) federation who will say, 'Oh it's not fair,'" Borlee said.

Others competitors use the presence of Pistorius as a challenge, not wanting to get beat by him. Chris Brown of the Bahamas powered down the home stretch to win the heat involving Pistorius.

"With him being inside the race, automatically everybody steps up," Brown said. "No one wants to get beat by him. Me definitely, I don't want to get beat him."

Pistorius was born without fibulas and had both legs amputated just below the knee when he was only 11 months old. He uses prosthetic blades made of the carbon-fiber material to compete, leading to his nickname and constant questions.

Pistorius' manager, Peet Van Zyl, dismisses such assertions that it provides him a benefit.

"We're going to focus on running," Van Zyl said. "That's it, that's our focus."

Some believe the blades could present a danger if they hit someone. So despite allowing him to compete, the IAAF said it made an agreement with the South African federation that Pistorius would only be allowed to run the leadoff leg of the 4x400 relay, which is still in lanes before the event turns into a pack race.

"I think that's a good decision" Borlee said. "For security, I think it's much better to have him in the first leg because, you know, if you get hit by his blades we can have serious injuries."

With the qualifying standards for the 2012 London Games expected to be similar, Pistorius could very well become the first amputee sprinter in track and field at the Olympics.

That would truly make him a trailblazer, and the mention of that made him almost squirm.

"There are Paralympic athletes that do exactly what I do every day, train just as hard," Pistorius said. "I'm very proud to be part of that movement. The Paralympics have taught me a lot.

"I really don't feel like a pioneer, but I'm very honored to be in the position I'm in."

Bolt disqualified from world 100m final (BLOG)

DAEGU, SOUTH KOREA

Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake won the men's 100-meter final Sunday at the World Championships in Daegu after defending champion Usain Bolt was sensationally disqualified for a false start.

Bolt, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, seemed to be in imperious form earlier Sunday to qualify for the final in South Korea, where he was the overwhelming favorite, despite countryman Blake setting the day's quickest qualifying time of 9.95 seconds.

But the sprint superstar, 25, was ejected from the race after moving out of lane five's blocks well before the gun, becoming a victim of the 2010 rule change that no longer allows early starters a second chance to compete.

A distraught Bolt ripped off his shift in disgust at the false start and was led away from the track by race officials amid shock among a Daegu crowd hoping to witness another historic run from the world-record holder.

Instead, it was left to Bolt's training partner, Blake, to run a season-best 9.92 seconds and become the youngest world champion at 21.

Blake was a clear winner ahead of American Walter Dix and Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Dix took silver with a time of 10.08 seconds, 100th of a second faster than the bronzed-placed veteran Collins, who led through 50 meters.

Afterward, Blake and Collins spoke of their shock at the events of the final.

"I can't find words to explain it. Usain Bolt has been there for me. I feel like I want to cry," Blake told AFP. "I've been trained by one of the best coaches [Glen Mills], but I stayed cool and caught him [Collins]. I felt I would win the race for Bolt."

Collins, who effectively claimed a medal as a result of Bolt's disqualification, said that the zero-tolerance rule for false starts needed to be re-examined.

"They're going to have think again. People will be demanding their ticket money back," he said. "[The crowd] came to see Usain Bolt win. They don't come to see me or Blake. . . . It's not a great day for track and field at all."

Bolt's exit meant that the final was raced without the reigning Olympic champion and the three fastest men this year, Bolt's teammate Asafa Powell and American Tyson Gay — both missing through injury — and Jamaican Steve Mullings, who failed a drug test in June.

Bolt still has the 200-meter and a leg of the 400-meter relay to race in South Korea.

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Best wide receivers in Fantasy Football (BLOG)

Presumably, Reggie Wayne’s(notes) four-spot drop in the latest WR rankings is directly related to concerns about QB Peyton Manning’s(notes) health (neck) … Jeremy Maclin’s(notes) mystery illness turned out to be mononucleosis. Questions about his conditioning and readiness for early-season play has dropped him from No. 14 to No. 24 among WRs. … Mario Manningham continues his ascent up the rankings board in a post-Steve Smith world, moving from No. 25 to inside the top 20 (No. 18). … Rust hasn’t appeared to be much of a problem for Plaxico Burress(notes), who is returning to action after a couple years of incarceration. The Jet vet now sits just outside the top 40 receivers (No. 41). … Hopes thatJoe Flacco’s(notes) big arm can better exploit Lee Evans’(notes) deep talents have pushed the former Bills burner up eight spots, from No. 55 to No. 47.

Note: The following list comprises the top 75 wide receiver rankings for 2011 of each Yahoo! Sports fantasy expert. The list is ordered by the overall top 75 composite ranking of the four experts, with the remaining wide receivers that received votes rounding out the bottom of the list.

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ESPN The Magazine editor-in-chief discusses ‘white Vick’ picture (BLOG)

ESPN The Magazine editor Chad Millman released a statement Friday about his decision to illustrate a column on the importance of Michael Vick's(notes) race with a Photoshopped image that imagined how a white Vick would look.

Millman neither defended nor rationalized the choice. He barely offered an explanation for the decision to use the picture and the headline "What if Michael Vick were white?" instead stating that the image best represented the scope of the story:

We had several conversations about how to support the essay with imagery that made people think as much as the words did.

Ultimately, the resulting treatment felt like the strongest way to answer the question so many have been asking.

The only thing Millman does is confirm that ESPN The Magazine came to a decision to add an intentionally-provocative headline and a cheap Photoshop image to a column they asked Toure to write. We already knew that.

If there's no apology about the picture or defense of the decision to run it, why release a statement at all? Surely there could have been at least an explanation about why ESPN.com temporarily switched the photo (see right) after the uproar began on Thursday. ESPN has no problem tuning out dissenting opinions. The magazine could have let this story evaporate in the Hurricane Irene news cycle and nobody would have cared in a few days.

Ah, but why pass up the opportunity to keep the story flickering a little longer? Think about it; when do you ever hear anything about ESPN The Magazine other than when it features naked athletes on the cover? The decisions made on the Vick story may be bad journalism or exhibit the lowest of the tabloid mentalities. It was an undeniable attention-grabber for ESPN though.

Up until a few minutes ago, I wasn't even aware that the Vick story appeared in an NFL preview issue that was devoted entirely to Michael Vick. And I wouldn't have ever realized it if it wasn't for the editor-in-chief's blog post. He mentions it in the first sentence.

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