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		<title>Instant Breaking News - Sports News</title>
		<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/</link>
		<description>Instant Breaking News Articles</description>
		<language>en</language>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:55:44 -0400</pubDate>

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			<title>Lions Reach Deal With 1 Draft Pick</title>
			<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK &ndash; The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford on a six-year, $78 million deal that in[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[NEW YORK &ndash; The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford on a six-year, $78 million deal that includes an NFL-record $41.7 million guaranteed, sources told Yahoo! Sports on Friday. The deal represents the largest amount of guaranteed money for any player &ndash; rookie or veteran &ndash; in NFL history, exceeding the $41 million guaranteed that defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth received from Washington at the beginning of free agency this offseason.
Stafford and Haynesworth are the only players to top the $40 million guaranteed threshold.
Two sources confirmed that Stafford had agreed to terms with Detroit but had not yet signed the deal as of Friday night. The Lions had been intent on having the top pick signed in advance of Saturday&rsquo;s NFL draft. They had reached an agreement with Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry earlier in the week as a contingency, according to published reports, but their intent all along was to select Stafford.
Stafford, 21, will be the ninth quarterback in the past 12 years to be selected No. 1 overall, and the 17th since the AFL and NFL established a combined draft in 1967. He threw for 3,459 yards and 25 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions in leading Georgia to a 10-3 record last season.
The Lions went an NFL-record 0-16 in 2008.
The Lions like Stafford as a fit in the offense under new coordinator Scott Linehan because of the quarterback&rsquo;s ability to throw deep. Linehan&rsquo;s offense calls for a strong running game to develop play action for deep passes. NFL personnel people say Stafford has the strongest arm in this year&rsquo;s draft.
The expectation is that Stafford will be a backup for one season to veteran Daunte Culpepper, who is under contract with Detroit for one more year as he continues his effort to revive his once successful career. The Lions also would like to upgrade their offensive line for Stafford once he becomes the starter. Stafford could become part of a strong combination with wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who was the No. 2 overall pick in 2006 and tallied 1,331 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
Stafford&rsquo;s contract represents an increase of almost $7 million in guaranteed money over the six-year deal that last year&rsquo;s No. 3 overall pick Matt Ryan signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Ryan received $34.75 million in guarantees from Atlanta in a deal negotiated by agents Tom Condon and Ben Dogra, who also represent Stafford. That increase of roughly 20 percent in guarantees could lead to a $50 million guarantee for a high pick next year if this pace continues.
Under NFL rules, the St. Louis Rams &ndash; who hold the No. 2 overall pick &ndash; now are allowed to negotiate with players on a contract in advance of Saturday&rsquo;s draft. There were reports Friday night that the Rams intended to select USC quarterback Mark Sanchez with the pick and had given him a plane ticket to St. Louis, but two league sources said they considered the report a possible bluff by the Rams in hopes of getting a team such as the New York Jets or Washington Redskins to trade with them for the pick. Marc Bulger, who received a contract extension from St. Louis in 2007, is the Rams&rsquo; incumbent starting quarterback. Bulger has thrown 22 touchdowns and 28 interceptions over the past two seasons combined after tossing 28 touchdowns to just eight interceptions in 2007.
The Rams, who fired Linehan as head coach early last season, won just two games in 2008. Sanchez threw for 3,207 yards, 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season for a USC team that finished the season 12-1.




Source: Yahoo Sports]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/721/Lions_Reach_Deal_With_1_Draft_Pick</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/721/Lions_Reach_Deal_With_1_Draft_Pick</guid>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:45:26 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Eagles trade for Bills' Pro Bowl LT Peters</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Eagles have acquired Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters from the Bills for the 28th overall pick in next week's draft.
&nbsp;
Buffalo will also r[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The Eagles have acquired Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters from the Bills for the 28th overall pick in next week's draft.
&nbsp;
Buffalo will also receive a fourth-round pick (121st overall) in 2009, plus an undisclosed late-round draft pick in 2010. 
&nbsp;
The Eagles also announced they have signed the 6-4, 340-pound lineman to a six-year contract that will keep him in Philadelphia through 2014. 
&nbsp;
The acquisition of Peters, 27, completes a 2008 draft-day trade with Carolina in which the Eagles sent a first-round pick (T Jeff Otah) to the Panthers in exchange for a first-round draft pick in 2009 (traded to Buffalo for Peters), a second-round pick (later traded to Minnesota for draft picks that netted DT Trevor Laws and S Quintin Demps), and a fourth-round pick (G Mike McGlynn). 
&nbsp;
&quot;Jason Peters is the best left tackle in football,&quot; said Eagles coach Andy Reid. &quot;He is a powerful and athletic tackle and I have admired his play over the last few years on film. I have always believed that success in the National Football League is derived from the strong play of the offensive and defensive lines. This offseason we have added two young, top-flight offensive linemen in Jason and Stacy Andrews.&quot; 
&nbsp;
While the Bills lose their most talented offensive lineman, they rid themselves of a potential headache. Peters was threatening to repeat last year's offseason holdout. Scheduled to make a base salary of $7.2 million over the final two years of his contract, Peters is considered underpaid for a player at such a high-profile position. 
&nbsp;
By landing Peters, the Eagles fill an immediate hole on their offensive line after left tackle Tra Thomas signed with Jacksonville in free agency last month. Thomas, who protected Donovan McNabb's blind side the last 10 seasons, didn't get an offer from Philadelphia. The Eagles still have their own first-round pick, the 21st overall, and nine other picks. They acquired the 28th pick from Carolina in a draft-day trade last year. 
&nbsp;
The Eagles have revamped their offensive line since losing to Arizona in the NFC championship game. They signed former Cincinnati Bengals right tackle Stacy Andrews early in free agency. Andrews, the brother of Eagles right guard Shawn Andrews, is expected to replace longtime starter Jon Runyan, an unrestricted free agent coming off knee surgery. 
&nbsp;
Although Peters was voted to the Pro Bowl last season, several personnel evaluators told Scout.com that he didn't play at a high level. 
&nbsp;
Without Peters, the Bills have another need to address in either free agency or the draft. Buffalo was already in the midst of revamping its offensive line after releasing left guard Derrick Dockery and electing not to re-sign centers Duke Preston and Melvin Fowler in February. 
&nbsp;
The Bills, coming off their third straight 7-9 season, have added Geoff Hangartner, who is expected to take over at center, and versatile journeyman Seth McKinney in free agency. 
&nbsp;
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 328 pounds, Peters completed his sixth season last year and was selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl. He was an undrafted rookie out of Arkansas and broke in with the Bills as a tight end. 
&nbsp;
After his rookie season, Peters was converted into an offensive lineman, and started 10 games at right tackle in 2005. He moved over to the left side midway through the following season. 
&nbsp;
Right tackle Langston Walker is a candidate to take over for Peters. Walker filled in on the left side during Peters' holdout last year, and in Buffalo's opener. 
&nbsp;
Peters was fined by the Bills more than $600,000 for missing mandatory minicamp and all of training camp last year before reporting to the team a day before Buffalo's season opener. It's not clear whether Peters paid those fines.
&nbsp;

Reported by: FoxSports &amp; Associated Press&nbsp;]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/659/Eagles_trade_for_Bills'_Pro_Bowl_LT_Peters</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/659/Eagles_trade_for_Bills'_Pro_Bowl_LT_Peters</guid>
			<pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:20:16 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Holy Cow  Yankee Stadium 1.5 Billion Stadium Update</title>
			<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK &ndash; Let&rsquo;s start with the popcorn. It is unfair to call it a tub of  popcorn, as they do at the new Yankee Stadium. Perhaps a trough[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[NEW YORK &ndash; Let&rsquo;s start with the popcorn. It is unfair to call it a tub of  popcorn, as they do at the new Yankee Stadium. Perhaps a trough of popcorn, or a  tank of popcorn, and, at 2,473 calories, definitely a gutbuster of popcorn. All  around the newest theater of excess are such indulgences, culinary and  otherwise, this particular caloric dirty bomb available for $12.
That&rsquo;s the thing about the new Yankee Stadium: Not only is it the biggest,  the newest, the most expensive and the self-described best &ndash; the homage to  everything that was America &ndash; it gets away with it, charm intact, for one simple  reason.
The New  York Yankees are unapologetic in their embrace of that culture. They are the  canyon of popcorn and the 1,410-calorie plate of nachos and the 1,360-calorie  bag of peanuts and the 1,341-calorie cup of cheese fries, and their fans are  still begging for a heart attack.
Which made the official christening of the $1.5 billion stadium Thursday  afternoon an event laden with grins and excitement (and arterial plaque  buildup), even as the Cleveland  Indians stomped the Yankees, 10-2. More than halfway through April, the  Yankees finally had their home opener, and any of the 48,271 present can attest  that the team&rsquo;s new dwelling lived up to its billing, good and bad.
It&rsquo;s unclear whether Yankee Stadium wants to be a ballpark with killer  amenities or a mall with a baseball field in the middle. The inside of the  stadium is freakishly loyal to its predecessor, like twins who look identical  but are actually fraternal. The differences are ornamental, and because of its  classic look, the initial thought is: Really, $1.5 billion? And you didn&rsquo;t  reinvent the baseball stadium like Camden Yards in 1993? The toilet seats are  definitely gold-plated, right?
Otherwise, the Yankees would still be at the old stadium, American sports&rsquo;  truest cauldron of history. It remains standing next door and over the next few  years will be picked apart by the atom and sold. And if the Yankees could split  those atoms and peddle each for double, surely they would.
Now, instead of the filth and funk of an 85-year-old stadium, the Yankees  offer pears. Three kinds. And three varieties of apples, too. And tangerines and  oranges and bananas, all for sale at the farmer&rsquo;s market, which is near the  Legends Suite Club, with its folded napkins, polished silverware and vases  housing flowers. And, for Ruth and Mickey and Joe D&rsquo;s sake, the Lobel&rsquo;s stand  that sells hunks of uncooked meat. In a stadium. Four ribeyes for $120.
It&rsquo;s one thing to push an island of popcorn. But beef? Raw beef? Deep down,  beneath the Yankees&rsquo; money-making behemoth, could there exist the slightest  sliver of guilt for something as disturbing as seeing dry-aged beef on display  in a ballpark?
Nope. Not an iota. And it&rsquo;s edifying, in a way, that the Yankees stayed true  to themselves and their believers, responsibility be damned. It&rsquo;s the American  way, after all.
&ldquo;This is going to stand the test of time,&rdquo; Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon  said. &ldquo;The economy will one day get right. So in time, people will look at this  and say it&rsquo;s definitely worth it.&rdquo;
They&rsquo;ll look at the Great Hall, ultimately the stadium showpiece, a meeting  place festooned with vertical banners of Yankees greats. It&rsquo;s a long corridor  walled with impossibly large pieces of limestone and granite, the sort that  recall an opulent style abandoned long ago. Few are willing to spend the  necessary money for such quality.
Why do the Yankees? It&rsquo;s who they are. Another stop in the gift shop spells  it out explicitly. A different hooded sweatshirt, one without rhinestones, is  available for $70. On the front it reads YANKEES UNIVERSE, a friendly reminder  for those who may have forgotten.]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/650/Holy_Cow__Yankee_Stadium_1.5_Billion_Stadium_Update</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/650/Holy_Cow__Yankee_Stadium_1.5_Billion_Stadium_Update</guid>
			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:59:48 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Top Ten Athletes Who Have Lost Fortunes</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Turning to your favorite athletes or former sports star for financial advice might seem to make sense &ndash; they deal with a lot of numbers and stat[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Turning to your favorite athletes or former sports star for financial advice might seem to make sense &ndash; they deal with a lot of numbers and stats all year long &ndash; but trust us, they are hardly the ones to seek out.
Blessed with millions of dollars at a young age, professional athletes often seem more concerned with inane spending and unwise investments than savings accounts and 401Ks. And that doesn&rsquo;t even mention their tax return mistakes, of which there are enough to make Timothy Geithner embarrassed. From fleets of cars to yachts to entourages to even Bengal tigers, the ways some athletes chose to spend their money is comical at best and ignorant at worst.
In August of 2007, a federal marshal seized Latrell Sprewell&rsquo;s $1.5 million yacht (famously named &ldquo;Milwaukee&rsquo;s Best&rdquo;) after Sprewell had failed to pay his mortgage on the boat. He also lost his house, and now the state of Wisconsin has filed a lawsuit for unpaid taxes. This all, of course, comes after Sprewell turned down a three-year, $21-million contract, saying, &ldquo;I have a family to feed.&rdquo;
Some atheletes prefer to travel extravagantly by land instead of sea, however. Take former Red Sox slugger Jack Clark, for example. One story says Clark was once on his way to the ballpark for a game when he passed a car lot. Clark saw something he liked and dropped in to buy two sports cars for $90,000 each before continuing on to the game. At the time he filed for bankruptcy, Clark still owed money on 17 of his 18 automobiles.
Clark and Sprewell lost their fortunes in a hurry, but perhaps there&rsquo;s no faster fall from grace than Michael Vick. In 2006, Sports Illustrated estimated that Vick made $25.4 million. Now, he owes well over $10 million to a variety of different companies. How did Vick go from being one of the highest paid athletes to owing millions? The entourage didn&rsquo;t help, especially since he was spending about $300,000 a month to support friends and family. But a bigger financial gaffe was entrusting his money to a woman who is now banned from working with any firm that trades on the NYSE because she bilked two old women out of $150,000, and a man who&rsquo;s been accused of defrauding church members. His finances were such a mess that the bankruptcy judge appointed a trustee to help him out. But don&rsquo;t feel sorry for Vick just yet &ndash; in an effort to pay down his debt, Vick will be selling three of his six homes.
Yachts? Six homes? That&rsquo;s more luxurious than what most of us get to enjoy, but it&rsquo;s nothing compared to the spending done by Mike Tyson. He might be the most well-known fighter of his generation, but if there was one thing Tyson was better at than boxing, it was spending money. In 2003, he filed for bankruptcy after his debt reached over $27 million, about half of which was to the IRS. What was he spending all his money on? For starters, two Bengal tigers for $140,000, for which he also had to pay a trainer $125,000 a year. But that was just a drop in the bucket. There was also the $4.5 million he spent on cars, and perhaps the most inane purchase of all, a bathtub for his first wife, Robin Givens, at a cost of $2 million.
While you may look to guys like these for guidance on which sneakers to wear or which car to drive, it&rsquo;s probably best to leave the financial advising to tax pros, and not pro athletes.
The &ldquo;top&rdquo; five:
1.) Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson might be the most well known boxer of his generation (he&rsquo;d probably hold that title outright if it weren&rsquo;t for that George Foreman Grill). He earned at least $300 million in the ring throughout his career, but if there was one thing Tyson was better at than boxing, it was spending money.

In 2003, he filed for bankruptcy. His debt reached over $27 million, about half of which was to the IRS. Maybe he shouldn&rsquo;t have bought the two Bengal tigers for $140,000, for which he also had to pay a trainer $125,000 a year. Although, that&rsquo;s just a small drop in the bucket. He could&rsquo;ve cut back on his motor vehicles, on which he spent about $4.5 million. But perhaps the most inane purchase? How about a bathtub for his first wife, Robin Givens, that cost $2 million dollars.

Tyson could&rsquo;ve gotten his finances in order had he won the $100 million lawsuit against Don King (he was suing his former boxing promoter for cheating him out of millions in promotions), but the parties reached a settlement of $14 million, of which Tyson saw none. All of the money went to paying down his debt.
2.) Latrell Sprewell
Apparently Sprewell knew what he was talking about when he declined a three-year $21 million contract, and famously declared, &ldquo;I have a family to feed.&rdquo; That is, if you replace &lsquo;family&rsquo; with &lsquo;yacht&rsquo; and &lsquo;feed&rsquo; to &lsquo;pay off.' Maybe he was well aware that he needed a ridiculous payday to keep up with his lavish spending. 

In August of 2007, a federal marshal seized his $1.5 million yacht after Sprewell had failed to pay his mortgage on the boat. The yacht, with the classy name, Milwaukee&rsquo;s Best, was auctioned in early 2008.
Oh well, at least Sprewell would still have his home in River Hills, Wisconsin. That is, until it was foreclosed on in May of last year. So, let&rsquo;s see, he lost his yacht and his house. It can&rsquo;t get much worse. Oh, and now Wisconsin has filed a lawsuit for unpaid taxes. Hopefull Sprewell isn't expecting a big refund this year.
3.) Michael Vick
In 2006, Sports Illustrated estimated that Michael Vick made $25.4 million. Now, Vick owes well over $10 million to a variety of different companies. But don&rsquo;t worry &ndash;- he has a plan. During his recent appearance before a bankruptcy judge, Vick stated he would pay back the money he owed by working construction.
Vick plans on donning a hard hat and punching the clock at $10 an hour. Let&rsquo;s see: working 40 hours a week for $400, $20,800 a year&hellip;at that rate he could pay off the $10 million in&hellip;under 500 years! But his financial future all depends on his reinstatement into the NFL, and then a team willing to take a risk on him.

So, how did Vick go from one of the highest paid athletes to owing millions? To start, there&rsquo;s the entourage. Vick was spending about $300,000 a month to support friends and family. But the biggest factor was who was in control of his money. Vick entrusted his money to a woman who is banned from working with any firm that trades on the NYSE because she bilked two old women out of $150K and a man who&rsquo;s been accused of defrauding church members. His finances were such a mess that the bankruptcy judge appointed a trustee to help him out.

Vick owes over a million dollars in back taxes and it was recently discovered that he took funds from the pension plans of some of his employees. But if you are beginning to feel sorry for Vick, (&quot;Then you&rsquo;re not a dog lover&quot;!) don&rsquo;t. To pay off some of the debt, Vick will be selling three of his SIX homes. That&rsquo;s less than one home per season. Do you really expect Vick to summer in Virginia? Do you?
4.)&nbsp; O.J. Simpson
O.J. Simpson: acquitted of a double-murder in 1995; found guilty of wrongful deaths in civil court; wrote a book titled If I Did It; arrested in 2007 for a robbery that occurred in Las Vegas and was charged with, among other felonies, robbery with a deadly weapon, burglary with a firearm and assault with a deadly weapon; sentenced to at least nine years in prison (but as many as 33 years) for the incident in Las Vegas. Amazingly, he has financial troubles, too. 

In 2007, the state of California released their Delinquent Taxpayers list. Guess who was on it. According to the record, Simpson owed $1,435,484.17 in personal income past due taxes, and a tax lien was filed in his case in 1999. 

It should be noted that Simpson is not one of the delinquents included on the most recent list (but former Florida State running back Burt Reynolds is).
&nbsp;
5.) Bjorn Borg
It&rsquo;s a Bjorn Borg memorabilia sale! Everything he held dear must go!
In 2006, Bjorn Borg planned to sell his five trophies from his five consecutive Wimbledon championships, along with two of the rackets he won with, including the one he beat McEnroe with in 1980 in what most people consider the greatest match ever. The sale sparked an outcry from fans and fellow tennis players, and Borg decided to keep the trophies. Unfortunately, having already given them to the auction house, he had to buy them back. That wasn&rsquo;t the first bad business decision Borg had made.

Borg&rsquo;s company, Bjorn Borg Design Group, filed for bankruptcy in 1989 and Bjorn was forced to sell his house to pay off his debt. One of Borg&rsquo;s problems was living in Sweden where they have a high tax rate. The Swedish government went after him for $40,000 in back taxes that he quickly paid off, but Borg learned his lesson and moved to tax-free Monaco.
6.)&nbsp; Joe Lewis
Joe Louis is considered by many the greatest heavyweight boxer of all-time. He held the title for over 140 months, the longest stretch of anyone in boxing history. Unfortunately, the 'Brown Bomber' couldn't punch his way out of deep tax debt.
When Louis became successful, the top income tax level was 79%, and then during WWII, it rose as high as 90%. Louis donated money from two fight purses to the Navy Relief Fund and the Army Relief Fund, but those contributions were unable to be deducted, further complicating his tax problems.
After his initial retirement, Louis' debt forced him to attempt a comeback in 1950, but with a 90% tax rate, the comeback would not solve his financial woes. By the end of the '50s, Louis owed over $1 million in back taxes. In attempts to make money, Louis turned to professional wrestling and appearances on quiz shows. Finally, Louis even took a job greating tourists at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas to try to pay down his debts.
7.)&nbsp; Jack Clark
We're not what you'd call &quot;car guys&quot; here at RCS. So forgive us if we don't see the allure in owning a luxury automobile, let alone multiple cars. But we get it -- some people can't get enough. And when those people have money, they begin to stockpile a long list of expensive toys. One such person is Jack Clark. &nbsp;
The four-time All-Star slugger had quite the fleet of automobiles&nbsp;(18 of them) when he filed for bankruptcy in 1992 while still a member of the Boston Red Sox. &nbsp;
One story says&nbsp;Clark was once on his way to the ballpark for a game when he passed a car lot. Clark saw something he liked and dropped in to buy two sports cars for $90,000 each before continuing on to the game. At the time he filed for bankruptcy, Clark still owed money on 17 of his 18 automobiles; he had debts of over&nbsp;$11.4 million and assets of nearly $4.8 million.
8.) Travis Henry
Earlier this month, Travis Henry agreed to a plea deal stemming from his arrest last year for drug trafficking multiple kilograms of cocaine. Sadly, the venture into crime might have been a necessity, despite signing a 5-year, $22.5 million contract with the Broncos in 2007.&nbsp; 

One can point out the fact that Denver cut him just one-year into that deal (for which he received $6.7 million), but perhaps a bigger reason for his financial hardships was his family. Rather, his nine families. According to his lawyer, Henry &ldquo;&hellip;doesn't have any money&hellip;the guy has significant financial issues.&quot; 

The Prince of Procreation, who has nine kids with nine different mothers (all but one of the children were unplanned), is currently paying an estimated $170,000 in child support each year, and it&rsquo;s left him broke. 

&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve lost everything in this mess I&rsquo;ve gotten myself into.&rdquo;
9.) Evander Holyfield
If only Holyfield&rsquo;s Real Deal Grill had done as well as the Foreman Grill, maybe he wouldn't be on this list.
In June of last year, it was reported that Holyfield&rsquo;s $10 million mansion in a suburb of Atlanta would be auctioned off because he had defaulted on the loan he used to purchase the palace.

In a case of &quot;kick him while he&rsquo;s down,&quot; he was also being sued for falling behind on two months of child support, and a landscaping firm was demanding he pay over half a million dollars for services he had yet to pay. Eventually, Holyfield&rsquo;s lawyers were able to stop the auction, and Holyfield kept his mansion. It&rsquo;s a good thing, too, because otherwise they would&rsquo;ve had to rename Evander Holyfield Highway, which sits just outside of his home. 

In response to the firestorm from the media, Holyfield said, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not broke. I&rsquo;m just not liquid. I do feel kind of sad because things have always been positive and now everybody wants to jump on me like I'm the worst person in the world and I went out and blew all my money.&quot; So, things seem all fine and dandy for now. But with an electricity bill that reached $17,000 last December, stay tuned for more potential financial issues for Holyfield.
10.)&nbsp; John Daly
There is no denying John Daly is one of the most intriguing characters in the world of golf. His anti-country club appearance and behavior have earned him a legion of fans. It has also cost him a considerable amount of money.
Daly has battled alcoholism for his entire career with at least three stints at the Betty Ford Clinic and recently, was fired by swing coach Butch Harmon, who said, &quot;The most important thing in [Daly's] life is getting drunk.&quot; Daly's drinking and antics cause the PGA to suspend him for six months.
But his drinking is not the main source of his economic troubles, however; that comes from another vice, gambling, where he claims to have lost anywhere from $50 to $60 million. These debts have taken most of Daly's professional winnings, sponsorship money, and forced him into doing corporate appearances to make ends meet.
Just this past week, Daly was seen at The Masters, not playing (he's still on suspension), but selling John Daly merchandise, out of a bus.
Also not helping the finances: Daly has been married (and divorced) four times.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/649/Top_Ten_Athletes_Who_Have_Lost_Fortunes</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/649/Top_Ten_Athletes_Who_Have_Lost_Fortunes</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:29:28 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Famous Sports Announcer John Madden Retires</title>
			<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK &ndash; John Madden, the  burly former coach who has been one of pro football's most popular broadcast  analysts for three decades, is  cal[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[NEW YORK &ndash; John Madden, the  burly former coach who has been one of pro football's most popular broadcast  analysts for three decades, is  calling it quits.
Madden worked for the past three seasons on NBC's Sunday night NFL game. His  last telecast was the Super Bowl  between Arizona and Pittsburgh.
&quot;It's time,&quot; Madden said. &quot;I'm 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is  this fall. I have two great sons and their families and their five grandchildren  are at an age now when they know when I'm home and, more importantly, when I'm  not.&quot;
Madden said he still loves all aspects of the game and his job, and that's  why it took him a couple of months to make the decision.
Madden's blue-collar style and love for in-the-trenches football endeared him  to fans. His &quot;Madden NFL  Football&quot; is the top-selling sports video game of all time.
Madden is reluctant to fly and often traveled to games in a specially  equipped bus.
He began his pro football career as a linebacker  coach at Oakland in 1967  and was named head coach two  years later, at 33 the youngest coach in what was then the American Football League.
Madden led the Raiders to their first Super  Bowl victory and retired in 1979. He joined CBS later that year.
He worked at CBS until 1994 when the network lost rights to broadcast NFL  games, leading him to switch to Fox. He left Fox in 2002 to become the lead  analyst for ABC's &quot;Monday Night  Football&quot; and joined NBC in 2006 when that network inaugurated a  prime-time Sunday game.
He was inducted into the Pro  Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
&nbsp;]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/645/Famous_Sports_Announcer_John_Madden_Retires</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/645/Famous_Sports_Announcer_John_Madden_Retires</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:02:04 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Jay Cutler was Traded</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Chicago Bears pulled the big upset Thursday afternoon by acquiring Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler.
The Broncos confirmed the move.
To acq[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The Chicago Bears pulled the big upset Thursday afternoon by acquiring Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler.
The Broncos confirmed the move.
To acquire Cutler, the Bears had to give up quarterback Kyle Orton and first-round picks in 2009 and 2010, a source said. 
To complete the trade, the Broncos had to give back an undisclosed draft choice in a later round.
The Bears beat out the Redskins, Buccaneers, Lions, Titans and other teams to get land the 25-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback.
The Broncos had been asking for at least two first-round choices.
Cutler asked to be traded when he found out first-year coach Josh McDaniels tried to acquire Matt Cassel in a trade with the Patriots.
Cutler had not returned phone calls from the Broncos, according to the team, and had been staying away from the offseason program.

Courtesy of ESPN.com]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/599/Jay_Cutler_was_Traded_</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/599/Jay_Cutler_was_Traded_</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:56:28 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Cop who stopped NFL player in hospital lot resigns</title>
			<description><![CDATA[DALLAS (AP)&mdash;The police officer who pulled out his gun and threatened an NFL player with jail instead of allowing him inside a hospital where his[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[DALLAS (AP)&mdash;The police officer who pulled out his gun and threatened an NFL player with jail instead of allowing him inside a hospital where his mother-in-law was dying resigned Wednesday.
Officer Robert Powell had been placed on paid leave pending an investigation of the March 18 incident.
&ldquo;I made this decision in the hope that my resignation will allow the Dallas Police Department, my fellow officers and the citizens of Dallas to better reflect on this experience, learn from the mistakes made, and move forward,&rdquo; Powell said in a statement issued through his attorneys.
He had stopped Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats&rsquo; SUV outside Baylor Regional Medical Center in suburban Plano after the vehicle rolled through a red light.
The officer pulled out his gun and threatened Moats with jail as the player and his family pleaded to be allowed to go inside the hospital. Powell continued writing Moats a ticket and lecturing him even after a fellow officer confirmed that Moats&rsquo; mother-in-law was dying.
&nbsp;
Jonetta Collinsworth, 45, died of breast cancer before Powell allowed Moats to go inside the hospital.
Powell&rsquo;s resignation was first reported by Dallas-Fort Worth television station KTVT. He later issued an apology, and Moats said he would accept it.
&ldquo;I still hope to speak with the Moats family to personally express my deep regret, sympathy, and to apologize for my poor judgment and unprofessional conduct,&rdquo; he said in the Wednesday statement.
He also said he wanted to apologize to his fellow officers.
A call to Dallas police was not immediately returned Wednesday.
Dallas police Chief David Kunkle previously apologized to the family and said Powell acted inappropriately. He also lauded Moats&rsquo; restraint, noting that he did not try to seek special treatment by identifying himself as an NFL player.
Moats, 26, explained that he had waited until there was no traffic before continuing through the red light. When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it.
According to video from a dashboard camera inside the officer&rsquo;s vehicle, Moats&rsquo; wife, Tamishia Moats, and another woman disregarded Powell&rsquo;s order to get back inside their vehicle, and they rushed into the hospital. After Powell yelled at Tamishia Moats to stay in the SUV, she said, &ldquo;Excuse me, my mom is dying&mdash;do you understand?&rdquo;]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/595/Cop_who_stopped_NFL_player_in_hospital_lot_resigns</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/595/Cop_who_stopped_NFL_player_in_hospital_lot_resigns</guid>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:19:54 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Jay Cutler Is Done In Denver</title>
			<description><![CDATA[After numerous failed attempts to open a line of communication in recent days, the Denver Broncos have decided to pursue trading disgruntled quarterba[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[After numerous failed attempts to open a line of communication in recent days, the Denver Broncos have decided to pursue trading disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler.
&nbsp;In a statement to Yahoo! Sports and several other media outlets, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said that the team came to the decision after both he and head coach Josh McDaniels tried unsuccessfully to reach Cutler.
&nbsp;&ldquo;Numerous attempts to contact Jay Cutler in the last 10 days, both by head coach Josh McDaniels and myself, have been unsuccessful,&rdquo; Bowlen said. &ldquo;A conversation with his agent [Bus Cook] earlier [Tuesday] clearly communicated and confirmed to us that Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos. We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded.&rdquo;
Several league personnel sources confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that at least six teams are expected to be seriously involved in trade talks: the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns. The Jacksonville Jaguars have also shown interest, while the Minnesota Vikings actually pulled the plug on trade negotiations for Cutler back in February.
&nbsp;Other news outlets, such as Profootballtalk.com, have indicated that Washington has also expressed interest in Cutler even though the Redskins have Jason Campbell as their starter. The Redskins, who have the No. 13 overall pick in the draft, also worked out USC quarterback Mark Sanchez last week, two league sources said. Owner Dan Snyder, coach Jim Zorn and vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato was part of the group that went to see Sanchez and Trojans linebacker Brian Cushing, although one source said the group was more focused on Sanchez.
&nbsp;Detroit, which has the No. 1 overall pick, could make the strongest play for Cutler. The Lions are considering Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the top pick, but could reduce their risk by trading for Cutler instead. In addition, the team could likely sign Cutler to a contract extension for close to the same money Stafford would command as the No. 1 pick.
&nbsp;In addition, NFL sources believe Cook wouldn&rsquo;t mind having Cutler play in Detroit because Cook also represents Lions budding star receiver Calvin Johnson.
&nbsp;With the top pick, Denver could go after a quarterback, although Stafford might not be the clear choice. Instead, Sanchez could enter the fray for the top pick. Sanchez ran a West Coast offense in college, a system that has some strong similarities to the offense McDaniels brought from New England when he was hired.
&nbsp;While Cutler is coming off a Pro Bowl season, several NFL sources have indicated that he has issues that are of concern to some teams. In 2007, Cutler lost weight during the season and dealt with weariness before doctors discovered he suffers from diabetes.
&nbsp;The decision to move Cutler signals what many personnel insiders had suspected for weeks: The rift between the Pro Bowl quarterback and the Broncos had long ago grown beyond repair. The fact that Cutler has gotten to the point of ignoring the owner&rsquo;s calls sends a crystal-clear message that he&rsquo;s willing to go to whatever lengths it takes to break ties with the franchise. That stance apparently solidified in late February when Cutler became aware the Broncos had attempted to engineer a deal for Matt Cassel. While Cassel ultimately ended up in Kansas City, Cutler never altered his mindset along the way, repeating in a handful of interviews that he wanted out of Denver.
&nbsp;The lone flicker of hope for the relationship seemed to come last week, when McDaniels spoke to the media and was complimentary of Cutler, while insisting he hoped to repair their relationship. But even the positive comments from McDaniels came with qualifiers, with him suggesting that Cutler was going to have to &ldquo;get over&rdquo; the failed trade scenario, and that Cook, the quarterback&rsquo;s agent, had no place getting involved in any reconciliation. Ultimately, McDaniels&rsquo; message was clear: If the relationship was going to be repaired, it was Cutler who was going to have to make some big strides toward fixing it.
&nbsp;&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t convince anybody of anything if they don&rsquo;t want to believe it,&rdquo; McDaniels said. &ldquo;I think part of it is, like I said, we want him to be here, we&rsquo;re committed to him, and I think it&rsquo;s got to be two ways. I think that&rsquo;s the biggest thing &ndash; if he wants to commit to us, then I think there are some certain things that he&rsquo;s going to have to get over personally. And that&rsquo;s a challenge for him. It&rsquo;s a challenge in this whole situation.&rdquo;
&nbsp;Now that reconciliation appears dead, Cutler will be shopped on the open market.
&nbsp;Yahoo! Sports national NFL writer Jason Cole contributed to this article.]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/592/Jay_Cutler_Is_Done_In_Denver</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/592/Jay_Cutler_Is_Done_In_Denver</guid>
			<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:20:01 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Special Olympics fights use of word 'retard'</title>
			<description><![CDATA[WASHINGTON - The Special Olympics launched a campaign Tuesday to banish the word &quot;retard,&quot; a casual insult that derives from an out-of-favor[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[WASHINGTON - The Special Olympics launched a campaign Tuesday to banish the word &quot;retard,&quot; a casual insult that derives from an out-of-favor medical term and has long been considered inappropriate.
People signed pledges not to use the word and students gathered to denounce its use at rallies from Florida to Alaska. Over the long-term, organizers hope to change attitudes about people with mental disabilities, who number more than 190 million worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
&quot;It's insulting, it's painful and it hurts people,&quot; said actor Eddie Barbanell, who has Down syndrome and appeared in the movie &quot;The Ringer.&quot; &quot;Get that word out! End the word! Bury it!&quot;


    
        
            
            
            From left, actor Eddie Barbanell, star of the hit movie &quot;The Ringer,&quot; Andy Myiers, Nick Zamorano, Hyun-Woo Lin, Nancy Sawyer and Noah Gray are seen during the 'Spread the Word to End the Word' Youth Rally at Palmetto Senior High School in Pinecrest, Fla., on Tuesday. The rally is part of a campaign by the Special Olympics to get people to stop using the word &quot;retarded.&quot;
            &nbsp;
            &nbsp;View related photos
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            John Watson-riley / AP
            
        
    


While &quot;retard&quot; itself was never a medical term, it derives from the phrase &quot;mental retardation,&quot; which by around 1900 was commonly used by scientists and doctors, said Peter Berns, executive director of The Arc of the United States, a nonprofit advocate for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Even though Berns said its pejorative connotation was established in the 1960s, the phrase &quot;mental retardation&quot; is still used in many state and federal laws, much to the dismay of those trying to stamp out its use.
&quot;People with intellectual disabilities themselves really mounted a movement that they did not want to be referred to with the word 'retarded,'&quot; he said.
As such, the American Association of Mental Retardation changed its name in 2007 to the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities after its members pleaded for the organization to do so. In another sign that the formal use of the term &quot;mentally retarded&quot; had lost currency, The Associated Press replaced it in its stylebook in 2008 with &quot;mentally disabled.&quot;
Governors sign on
Still, those seeking to end the term's use face a difficult battle.
&quot;This word is deeply ingrained in our psyche. It comes up in a lot of different contexts,&quot; said Andrew Imparato, president and chief executive officer of the American Association of People With Disabilities. &quot;We have to kind of call it out and start a conversation about why it's not OK to use the word.&quot;
Among the signatures collected Tuesday were several that belonged to governors: In California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger &mdash; whose mother-in-law founded Special Olympics &mdash; signed a proclamation to stop using the word, as did Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry. Iowa Gov. Chet Culver issued a certificate of recognition in support of the campaign.
But the manpower behind the &quot;Spread the Word to End the Word&quot; campaign comes from the students who devised the campaign last month during a Special Olympics youth summit in Idaho and organized rallies around the country.
In Florida, 16-year-old Noah Gray organized a rally for some 600 students at Miami Palmetto Senior High School that featured a rap performance and a speech by Barbanell about his experiences of being called a &quot;retard.&quot;
&quot;Like many other high school students and adults, I used to use the word 'retarded' all the time,&quot; said Gray, who was invited to speak at last month's youth summit. &quot;Since coming down from the Special Olympics, I have not used that word once ... and I'm discouraging other people&quot; from using it.
'The R-word'
At Bowie High School in Maryland, 18-year-old Shannan Barksdale helped gather 861 pledges that will be sent to the Special Olympics organization. During the school's lunch periods, Barksdale yelled, &quot;Say no to the R-word!&quot; and urged students to sign pledges.
&quot;The word should be eliminated from everyone's vocabulary,&quot; she said.
Special Olympics has enlisted actor John C. McGinley of the TV show &quot;Scrubs&quot; as a spokesman for the campaign. McGinley, whose 11-year-old son has Down syndrome, said many people don't realize the word is hateful.
&quot;It is saturated in the vernacular, and this will take a while. And it's OK,&quot; he said Tuesday. &quot;But it's important to get under way.&quot;]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/590/Special_Olympics_fights_use_of_word_'retard'</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/590/Special_Olympics_fights_use_of_word_'retard'</guid>
			<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:38:38 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Mavs owner Cuban fined 25K for Twitter comments</title>
			<description><![CDATA[DALLAS - The NBA slapped Mavericks owner Mark Cuban with a $25,000 fine Sunday for publicly criticizing the officials after Denver's 103-101 win ove[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[DALLAS - The NBA slapped Mavericks owner Mark Cuban with a $25,000 fine Sunday for publicly criticizing the officials after Denver's 103-101 win over Dallas.
Cuban used the Twitter online social network to complain after Friday night's game that Denver's J.R. Smith was not called for coming off the bench to taunt Antoine Wright after he missed a shot near the Nuggets bench.
Cuban said in another posting Sunday that he &quot;can't say no one makes money from twitter now. the nba does.&quot;
In an earlier meeting of the two teams, the Mavericks owner was fined $25,000 after becoming upset about a foul that wasn't called on Smith. Cuban offered to donate the money to whatever charity Smith chose, then suggested he'd give it to the fund for a gruesomely injured hockey player.
&nbsp;]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/585/Mavs_owner_Cuban_fined_25K_for_Twitter_comments_</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/585/Mavs_owner_Cuban_fined_25K_for_Twitter_comments_</guid>
			<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 03:09:55 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>NFL Changes the Rules of the Game</title>
			<description><![CDATA[&nbsp;
After five safety-oriented rule changes were made on Tuesday, the NFL followed with six more rules changes on Wednesday that seem to address[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[&nbsp;
After five safety-oriented rule changes were made on Tuesday, the NFL followed with six more rules changes on Wednesday that seem to address common sense. Let's take a look at all 11, starting with the common sense rules put on the books yesterday.

&bull; Loose balls that could have been the result of a fumble or an incomplete pass are now subject to video review. Or, as it will forever be known, &quot;The Hochuli Rule.&quot; In case it's slipped your mind, here's the play that caused it all. Hochuli blew the initial call, and couldn't go to the replay to get it right. Ed felt bad about it and his dog was moved to letter-writing, but now, with everything said and done, it turned out to be a no harm, no foul situation. The universe righted itself in Week 17, the better team won the division, the rule has been changed and the case is now officially closed.
&bull; Video replay can be used to determine if a loose ball stayed in bounds or hit the sideline. This one stems from some weirdness in the NFC championship game when a kickoff was ruled to have gone out of bounds when it never had. I guess it's comforting to have the replay in place now, so we can correct any such errors, but you know what I'd have done to begin with? I'd have instructed officials that they shouldn't rule that a ball went out of bounds unless they actually saw a ball go out of bounds. Seems like we could've saved everyone some trouble here.
&bull; No more rekicks after an illegal onsides kick (someone on the kicking team touches the ball before it travels the necessary 10 yards, etc.). It immediately becomes the other team's ball. File this one under the common sense category. If you mess up an onside kick, you shouldn't be rewarded with a second chance to gain possession. If you mess it up, it's over, and the other team gets the ball. As it should.
&bull; The draft order has been reworked to reflect playoff results, not regular-season results. The most commonly-cited instance here is that the Chargers beat the Colts in the '08 playoffs, and thus, advanced farther than they did, but the Chargers, after having gone 8-8 in the regular season, still pick way ahead of the Colts, who went 12-4 in the regular season. I'm a little torn on this one, as I'm not sure that the regular season record isn't the best way to determine a team's actual quality, but it's not a big deal. I can go either way on this one.
And file these last two under &quot;things you probably never would have noticed if they weren't specifically pointed out to you.&quot;
&bull; There's a new waiver period during the first two weeks of training camp, and the postseason waiver period will begin after the NFL's final game, whether it's the Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl.
&bull; If a fumble or lateral goes out of bounds, the clock will stop only until the referee signals ready for play.
And now, let's take a second to go back to the five safety rule changes (or four rule changes, and one &quot;clarification,&quot; as the league would tell you) passed yesterday, which have been slightly controversial. A lot of people feel like the NFL is taking too much contact out of the game, and not letting players play. I don't agree, I like the rule changes, and I say we go through them one-by-one.
&bull; Forming a &quot;wedge&quot; on a kickoff return is no longer legal. If three or more players line up shoulder-to-shoulder within two yards of each other, it will be a penalty. Traditionally, kickoff return teams line up about four guys in a wedge in front of a kick returner, and tell them to stay lined up, run as fast as they can, and clear a path for the ball carrier. Meanwhile, the kicking team will send players down the field, running as fast as they can, with instructions only to hit the players in the wedge as hard as they can. If that sounds extremely violent to you, it's because it is. The owners determined it was causing too many injuries. I know that big hits happen on a football field, and that's fine, but we should probably avoid situations where we purposely set up people to hit each other with as much force and contact as two massive human beings possibly can muster.
&bull; On onside kicks, the kicking team can't have more than five players bunched together. After reviewing tape, owners also concluded that too many guys were getting hurt on onside kicks. And it makes sense. You've got one group of guys that will be just standing there, waiting for the football, and a group of other guys running directly at them, just trying to take them out, one-by-one. That danger's still there, but it's been lessened.
&bull; A blindside block cannot be delivered with a helmet, shoulder or forearm to an opponent's head or neck. That'll be a 15-yard penalty. I don't get the controversy at all about this one. You can still crack back on somebody, just don't lead with your head, and don't aim at another guy's head. I love the rule. Heads and necks are important. Let's keep them intact.
&bull; Contact to the head of a defenseless receiver will also draw a 15-yard penalty. I kind of thought that was already a rule. But if it wasn't, it should be, and I'm good with it.
&bull; A defensive player on the ground may no longer lunge or dive at the quarterback's lower legs. And last but not least, &quot;The Brady Rule,&quot; 100 percent influenced by Bernard Pollard's (formerly) perfectly legal hit that sidelined Tom Brady for a full year. If I have a problem with any of the new rules, it's this one, but still, I see where the NFL is coming from. If you're going to sack a quarterback now, you've just got to do it while you're standing. Quarterbacks are the most vital ingredient to good football, so if it keeps more good quarterbacks healthy, I consider it a good thing.
What it comes down to it for me, with all of these safety-based rule changes, is that I'm sick of seeing guys carted off on stretchers. If it lessens the number of times that I see ambulances and neck stabilizers on football fields, even by the tiniest little margin, then I'm going to support it. That's the worst thing about football. The closer we can get that number to zero, the better off everyone's going to be.]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/567/NFL_Changes_the_Rules_of_the_Game</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/567/NFL_Changes_the_Rules_of_the_Game</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:13:10 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>NFL Player Opens Up About Fatal Accident Death</title>
			<description><![CDATA[MIAMI (AP)&mdash;Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth said he flashed his car&rsquo;s headlights to warn a pedestrian before fatally striki[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[MIAMI (AP)&mdash;Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth said he flashed his car&rsquo;s headlights to warn a pedestrian before fatally striking the man in Miami Beach last month, according to a report released by police.
The report released Tuesday also said the pedestrian, 59-year-old Mario Reyes, wasn&rsquo;t in a crosswalk when Stallworth&rsquo;s Bentley hit him.
According to the report, Stallworth told officers he flashed his lights to try to warn Reyes, a construction crane operator who was rushing to catch a bus after getting off work around 7:15 a.m. March 14.
Police said Stallworth was driving about 50 mph in a 40 mph zone. They are investigating whether alcohol played a role in the accident. No charges have been filed against Stallworth pending the outcome of blood tests.
A police diagram shows that Reyes was hit in the far left lane of the six-lane MacArthur Causeway&mdash;not in a nearby crosswalk. Stallworth stopped a few feet away.
Police also released calls from three people who dialed 911 that morning.
&nbsp;
The first, a woman, said, &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a man laying in the middle of the road.&rdquo; The dispatcher asked for her location and a description of the victim.
Then the woman blurted: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s dead. He&rsquo;s dead &hellip; He was just laying in the middle of the road. I think he&rsquo;s dead.&rdquo;
When the dispatcher asked what happened, the woman said, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know, I don&rsquo;t know, he&rsquo;s just lying in the middle of the road.&rdquo;
None of the callers apparently witnessed the accident. One man, saying he was on his way to work, said he &ldquo;heard a hit&rdquo; and then saw Reyes lying in the roadway. A few moments later, a police officer arrived.
Stallworth&rsquo;s attorney declined comment Tuesday but has said his client is cooperating with police. Stallworth last week released a statement saying he was &ldquo;grief stricken&rdquo; over the accident.
Stallworth signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Browns before last season but was injured most of the year. He was scheduled to receive a $4.75 million signing bonus the day before the accident. Before that, he played for New England, Philadelphia and New Orleans in the NFL and in college for Tennessee.]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/564/NFL_Player_Opens_Up_About_Fatal_Accident_Death</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/564/NFL_Player_Opens_Up_About_Fatal_Accident_Death</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:44:00 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Agent explains Cutler timeline</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Jay Cutler's agent says his client's relationship with the Denver Broncos disintegrated after the firing of coach Mike Shanahan and a broken promise t[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Jay Cutler's agent says his client's relationship with the Denver Broncos disintegrated after the firing of coach Mike Shanahan and a broken promise that Shanahan's offensive staff would largely remain intact, according to a report on NFL.com.


&nbsp;
Bus Cook told the Web site that Cutler met with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen shortly after Shanahan was fired on Dec. 30 to express his concerns.
&quot;Jay was disappointed in the firing of Mike Shanahan and met with the owner. The owner assured him everything would be fine. The owner said he had the second-best offense in football and would leave the offensive staff intact. Jay was good with that. Then he hires an offensive coach who gets rid of the staff,&quot; Cook told NFL.com.
New Broncos coach Josh McDaniels overhauled the offensive staff after his arrival.
Cutler told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen on Sunday that the departure of offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates in particular didn't sit well with him.
&quot;Yes, I was upset when they let Jeremy go because Mr. Bowlen had assured me when Mike [Shanahan] was fired that the offense wouldn't change because it was the second-ranked offense in football,&quot; Cutler said. &quot;But I didn't push for a trade then.&quot;
Bowlen, however, says he doesn't remember having the conversation with Cutler that Cook references.
&quot;I really have had no discussion with Jay or the agent. Mike was fired right after the season. At that point, there was no need to have a discussion with Jay. Now, actually, to be fair, I don't think I had that discussion. I don't recall it. I know I'm getting up there in age, and I am not sure of that discussion,&quot; Bowlen told NFL.com.

&nbsp;
Cook has formally requested a trade on Cutler's behalf, but contrary to reports, he says he didn't immediately demand that his client be traded.
&quot;Jay met with the coach early on and then told me everything was going to be OK. He said, 'We are going to work this out; we are on the same wavelength.' Everything was fine until Saturday two weeks ago,&quot; Cook told NFL.com. &quot;Jay called me and asked, 'Are they trying to trade me?' I told him, 'No, why would they try to do that?' &quot;
The Broncos reportedly tried to unload Cutler in a three-way trade proposal that would have brought former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel, whom McDaniels worked with in New England, to Denver. Cassel was eventually traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a second-round pick.
As recently as the last meeting between Cutler and McDaniels, Cook said his client was ready to commit to the Broncos. However, he claims, the Broncos wouldn't commit to Cutler.
&quot;We told them the evening of our last meeting that Jay wanted to be a Bronco even before the meeting,&quot; Cook told NFL.com. &quot;Jay told them he understood about the coach's relationship with Matt Cassel. At no time was the coach critical of Jay. In fact, he told Jay soon after he got to Denver that Jay was the reason he came to Denver. So, why was he trying to trade him? All the guy had to do was say I dropped the ball, I have a special bond with Cassel, you are my guy. Jay never heard that. What he heard in the meeting was it could happen again.&quot;
Bowlen said he would like Cutler to remain with the Broncos, but the writing might be on the wall for his departure.
&quot;I would like to keep him here, obviously. But if you are going to be an unhappy camper, there is no real reason to be here,&quot; Bowlen told NFL.com.

Courtest of ESPN.com]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/541/Agent_explains_Cutler_timeline</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/541/Agent_explains_Cutler_timeline</guid>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:07:25 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Competition committee aims to change 'Hochuli rule,' others</title>
			<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK -- The NFL will look into changing instant-replay rules in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the blown call that helped cost the San Diego Charge[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[NEW YORK -- The NFL will look into changing instant-replay rules in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the blown call that helped cost the San Diego Chargers a game last season.
The competition committee will propose at the league meetings next week in Dana Point, Calif., that when the ball comes loose when a quarterback is throwing, replay can be used to determine if it is a fumble or an incomplete pass. Such a change would resemble the rules alteration made for down-by-contact plays two years ago.
&nbsp;
In the final minute of a game at Denver in Week 2, referee Ed Hochuli ruled a ball that slipped from Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler's grasp was an incomplete pass instead of a fumble. The ball was recovered by the Chargers, and Hochuli later acknowledged that his decision was wrong.
Under league rules, the play was not reviewable. The competition committee believes it is an area that should fall under instant-replay reviews.
&quot;We thought when we watched the plays happen, basically it happened the same as the down-by-contact, and it should be reviewable in the same context,&quot; Rich McKay, co-chairman of the committee, said Wednesday.
Hochuli's mistake could have cost the Chargers a playoff spot. The Broncos went on to win that September game with a touchdown and a two-point conversion, and they built a three-game lead in the AFC West, but San Diego rallied to win the division.
McKay said replay reviews for loose balls that are out of bounds when they are recovered also will be proposed.
The main rules emphasis at the meetings will be on player safety. The committee will suggest eliminating the bunch formation on onside kicks. During discussions with players and coaches, it became clear that bunching up players on such kicks &quot;are creating matchups that we don't like,&quot; McKay admitted.
The committee also wants to eliminate the wedge of three men or more blocking on kick returns.
&quot;Plenty of teams have done it with two-man wedges (and) some do it with no wedge at all,&quot; McKay said.
Any hits to the helmet of defenseless receivers also are being targeted for elimination. Previously, only helmet-to-helmet hits have been outlawed.
&quot;One of things we really focused on this year was player-safety rules to eliminate techniques such as helmet-to helmet hits,&quot; NFL vice president of operations Ray Anderson said. &quot;What we certainly noticed toward the second half of the season in particular, our violations for helmet-to-helmet hits started to decline. Players were adapting their play.&quot;
&nbsp;
Helmet-to-helmet contact on blindside hits also would be eliminated or heavily penalized.
McKay said officials will be encouraged to continue making low hits on quarterbacks and horse-collar tackles points of emphasis.
Another proposal is to eliminate the re-kick of an onside kick when there is a violation by the kicking team, with the receiving team taking the ball where it was recovered.
A bylaw change to the order in which teams draft will be discussed by the 32 owners. The competition committee proposes that the order remains the same for non-playoff teams, based on record, with weakness of schedule serving as the tiebreaker. But for playoff teams, they would be seeded according to when they are knocked out in the postseason.
&quot;A team can win a playoff game and yet get to pick (in the draft) before the team it beat,&quot; McKay said.
That situation will occur next month when the Indianapolis Colts, who lost to the Chargers in the playoffs, choose 27th, and San Diego goes 16th. Such a change would not apply to this year's draft.

Courtesy of NFL.com]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/540/Competition_committee_aims_to_change_'Hochuli_rule,'_others</link>
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			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:07:22 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Hilltoppers survive late jitters, oust fifth-seeded Illinois</title>
			<description><![CDATA[PORTLAND, Ore. -- Whether they were relieved, tired or expecting it all along, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers didn't wildly celebrate their latest N[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[PORTLAND, Ore. -- Whether they were relieved, tired or expecting it all along, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers didn't wildly celebrate their latest NCAA tournament upset.
&nbsp;
A.J. Slaughter was the most demonstrative, pumping his fist a few times after 12th-seeded Western Kentucky held off a late charge to beat fifth-seeded Illinois 76-72 on Thursday night in the South Regional.
&nbsp;

&nbsp;


&bull;&nbsp;Western Kentucky advanced to the second round of the tournament for the second consecutive season. It's the first time the Hilltoppers have won a game in the tournament in consecutive years since 1986 and '87.
&bull;&nbsp;All five starters scored in double-figures for Western Kentucky, including a team-high 17 points from Steffphon Pettigrew.
&bull;&nbsp;The Hilltoppers became the second team to win a tournament game in consecutive years as a 12-seed or worse (Tulsa in 2002).
&quot;I just kind of had a sigh of relief when it ended, because we made it closer than it should have been,&quot; Slaughter said.


&nbsp;
But when asked if he was surprised to be moving on, Slaughter shook his head and laughed. The Hilltoppers grabbed attention in the tournament last season with an unexpected run to the second weekend.
&nbsp;
&quot;Nah,&quot; he said.
&nbsp;
Steffphon Pettigrew had 17 points to lead Western Kentucky (25-8), which led by as many as 17 points. It was the 19th time in the last 21 years that a 12 seed has beaten a No. 5.
&nbsp;
Trent Meacham had a season-high 24 points for the Illini, who were without senior defensive specialist Chester Frazier, who had surgery on his right hand last week.
&nbsp;
&quot;Chester has been our leader and the heart of our team all year,&quot; Meacham said. &quot;It's tough when you don't have him especially because he played the most minutes for us all year. When you play an entire season with someone like that, he's our iron-man, our leader and we never had to go without him. It was a big blow for us.&quot;
&nbsp;
Western Kentucky will face Gonzaga (27-5) in a second round on Saturday.
&nbsp;
The Hilltoppers looked as if they would cruise to this upset, but Illinois turned it into a one-possession game in the final minute.
&nbsp;
Calvin Brock's layup for the Illini made it 71-66 with 1:11 to go. Orlando Mendez-Valdez missed a long-jumper for Western Kentucky, and Anthony Salley was called for goaltending on Jeff Jordan's fast-break layup to make it 71-68.
&nbsp;
Pettigrew made a pair of free throws before Meacham scored on a baseline drive to narrow it to 73-70.
&nbsp;
Slaughter hit one of two foul shots to give Western Kentucky a slight cushion, but Meacham's layup made it 74-72. Illinois tried to foul immediately, but didn't get the call in time and Anthony Salley hit free throws with 0.9 seconds on the clock.
&nbsp;
When the buzzer sounded, there was no jumping or yelling. Just Slaughter's fist pumps.
&nbsp;
&quot;We expect this of ourselves now -- to play a team like Illinois and win,&quot; he said.
&nbsp;
Coach Ken McDonald speculated his team was tired. Forward Sergio Kerusch suggested shock.
&nbsp;
&quot;It was exciting, but we were scared for a minute,&quot; he said. &quot;It was such a nail-biter at the end.&quot;
&nbsp;
Western Kentucky was also a No. 12 seed last season when it defeated Drake 101-99 in overtime, then beat San Diego 72-63 in the second round before falling to UCLA.
&nbsp;
With the key players from that team gone and a new head coach, Western Kentucky was considered a long shot to even return to the tournament. But the Hilltoppers rolled through the Sun Belt to earn an automatic bid.
&nbsp;
They came to Portland with a seven-game winning streak.
&nbsp;
&quot;People didn't expect us to do much this year, not even expecting us to be here,&quot; Slaughter said. &quot;And we come out and win a first-round game. It shows a lot of heart and determination.&quot;
&nbsp;
A 15-2 run in the first half, capped by Matt Maresca's put back, made it 27-13 and Western Kentucky went on to lead by 37-28 at the break.
&nbsp;
Pettigrew's 3-pointer put the Hilltoppers up 49-34 early in the second half.
&nbsp;
Illinois closed to within 50-41 on Dominique Keller's jumper, but Kerusch and Jeremy Evans answered for Western Kentucky with a pair of statement-making dunks.
&nbsp;
Mendez-Valdez made a 21-foot fadeway to stretch the lead to 61-46 midway through the second half. The Hilltoppers led by as many as 17 points.
&nbsp;
After Kerusch scored to make it 70-55 late, Brock rolled his eyes and looked to the scoreboard before heading sheepishly back down the floor.
&nbsp;
The Illini were clearly affected by the loss of Frazier. The unquestioned leader of the team and one of the best defenders in the Big Ten injured his hand in practice last week and had surgery on Thursday.
&nbsp;
After he missed the conference tournament -- Illinois beat Michigan but fell to eventual champion Purdue -- there was some speculation that Frazier might play in Portland, but coach Bruce Weber ruled him out on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
Illinois was making its ninth NCAA tournament appearance in the past 10 years.
&nbsp;
After the game, the Illinois players did not come to the post-game interview area, but because it was the final game of the night, that was their option. Instead they stayed in a quiet locker room.
&nbsp;
&quot;We didn't play with a sense of urgency and intensity until the end,&quot; Meacham said. &quot;We made a great run, but we couldn't finish it.&quot;

Courtesy of ESPN.com]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/539/Hilltoppers_survive_late_jitters,_oust_fifth-seeded_Illinois</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/539/Hilltoppers_survive_late_jitters,_oust_fifth-seeded_Illinois</guid>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:07:19 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Outlets report Browns' Stallworth was drunk at time of fatal accident</title>
			<description><![CDATA[MIAMI -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth was driving drunk when he struck and killed a pedestrian, according to published and broad[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[MIAMI -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth was driving drunk when he struck and killed a pedestrian, according to published and broadcast reports Thursday. 

WSVN-TV reported Thursday that unnamed sources with knowledge of the investigation said Stallworth's blood-alcohol level was between .08 and .16. The legal limit is .08. The Miami Herald also cited an unnamed source as saying that Stallworth's blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit.
The Miami Beach Police Department refused to confirm the reports. Ed Griffith, spokesman for Miami-Dade County prosecutor Katherine Fernandez Rundle, would say only that the investigation is focusing on whether alcohol was a factor in the death of 59-year-old Mario Reyes.
Reyes was struck and killed by a Bentley driven by Stallworth about 7 a.m. Saturday morning. Reyes, a crane operator, had just gotten off work and was trying to catch a bus when he was hit.
No charges have been filed against Stallworth, 28. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, nor his attorney, Robert Switke, returned calls from the Associated Press seeking comment. Stallworth issued a statement Wednesday saying he was &quot;grief stricken&quot; over Reyes' death.
If Stallworth was drunk, he could be charged with DUI manslaughter which carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence.
Stallworth signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Browns as a free agent before last season but was injured much of the year. He previously played for New England, Philadelphia and New Orleans in the NFL and played college football at Tennessee. 

Courtesy of CBSSPORTS.com]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/534/Outlets_report_Browns'_Stallworth_was_drunk_at_time_of_fatal_accident</link>
			<guid>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/534/Outlets_report_Browns'_Stallworth_was_drunk_at_time_of_fatal_accident</guid>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:07:03 -0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Final four teams ready for Classic finish</title>
			<description><![CDATA[It started on Tokyo time. The party raged on in San Juan and Mexico City. It brought sports fans to their feet in Toronto in the middle of March witho[...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[It started on Tokyo time. The party raged on in San Juan and Mexico City. It brought sports fans to their feet in Toronto in the middle of March without the benefit of a single puck.
There was drama in Miami, and there was history in San Diego.
Now batting: Los Angeles.
The World Baseball Classic has played out around the globe for a second time now, and the 2009 version has made its mark on baseball's springtime landscape in some ways the inaugural edition of the tournament, held three years prior, didn't or couldn't.
Already, 36 games have been played. An underdog has risen and fallen. Powerful teams have come and gone. Elimination has been staved off, and it has enveloped others in surprising and sudden ways.
It's down to four teams, three games and one champion to be crowned.
Japan, the 2006 winner, and rival Korea advanced from San Diego's Pool 1. The United States and Venezuela join them, having emerged from Miami's Pool 2.
As they gather together at Dodger Stadium this weekend, they're proving just how the world has become one big pool of talent for the game of baseball.
&quot;People ask if they draft 1,500 guys in America each year, how come 40 percent are international players? This is why,&quot; said Hall of Famer and Padres executive Dave Winfield, who threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Petco Park on Thursday night. &quot;This is the talent of the world that you see. Each country has a lot of pride, so there is pretty good competition.&quot;
That the world will descend upon Dodger Stadium for this occasion is fitting, in that the organization that plays there and the venue itself have been party to many instances of broadening baseball's horizons. From Jackie Robinson in Brooklyn to Fernando Valenzuela to Hideo Nomo in L.A., no other Major League organization has attained as many milestones of progress when it comes to opening the game to the world.
In a four-day weekend that begins with team workouts Friday, the world will be coming to Dodger Stadium.
Venezuela will take on Korea in the first semifinal at 9 p.m. ET Saturday. Then Team USA will make its Classic semifinal debut against defending champion Japan at 8 p.m. ET Sunday.
The victors of those games will meet for the World Baseball Classic title at 9 p.m. ET Monday night at Dodger Stadium.
The 2006 Classic saw Japan defeat Cuba in the final, following victories over Korea and the Dominican Republic, respectively.
It became clear early in the 2009 Classic that things were going to be a little different this time. For one, China -- outscored handily in three losses the first time around -- won a game and competed with its more powerful neighbors. But that quickly became a footnote, because the Dutch upset the Dominican Republic and then did the only thing they could have done to top it -- they did it again to advance to the second round.
Along the way to Los Angeles, Team USA staged a memorable ninth-inning comeback against Puerto Rico for a 6-5 victory that clinched a semifinal berth and set off a wild dogpile on the field at Dolphin Stadium. And, in clinching a spot to defend its title, Japan ousted Cuba, ending an incredible string of success in international play -- this is the first tournament in more than 50 years in which Cuba was unable to reach the finals.
Venezuela comes in having best displayed an entire package through the early rounds, going 6-1 with a lineup studded with All-Stars, a rotation headed by Felix Hernandez and Carlos Silva, and closer Francisco Rodriguez dealing a pair of four-out saves so far.
&quot;We have good chemistry, and no matter who we play, we will come out and play 150 percent and find a way to win,&quot; said veteran catcher Henry Blanco.
Meanwhile, Korea and Japan each wound up with 5-2 marks, both their losses coming against each other, while the U.S. managed to get into the final round with a 4-3 record, losing twice to Venezuela but avenging an earlier loss to Puerto Rico with the thriller in Miami on Tuesday.
Team USA's well-documented problem has been keeping players not just on the field but on the roster. While the addition of third baseman Evan Longoria to replace Chipper Jones brings a young, healthy body to the mix, the Americans still have injury issues to overcome.
Now Japan does as well. First baseman Shuichi Murata pulled his right hamstring, pulling up and grabbing at the back of his right leg after hitting a single to right field in Thursday's pool-winning 6-2 victory over Korea. Japan's main power threat, Murata was assisted off the field and will be out for the rest of the tournament.
The Samurai -- as Team Japan is known at home -- will of course soldier on, fully aware of the honor that comes from defending one's world title. Their first step will come against the U.S., which has a four-game winning streak against Japan dating back to the second round of the 2006 Classic.
Japan manager Tatsunori Hara, for one, can't wait.
&quot;We need to catch up with the Major Leagues, and we need to go beyond that, and that was the education and the circumstances of how I played baseball. That was my baseball,&quot; said Hara, who said he first heard about American baseball when as a child he read a book about Babe Ruth.
&quot;I have a great deal of respect for American baseball. And here is a great opportunity right in front of me, and I am so excited about that.&quot; 

Courtesy of MLB.com]]></content:encoded>			<link>http://www.instantbreakingnews.com/article/533/Final_four_teams_ready_for_Classic_finish</link>
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			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:06:57 -0400</pubDate>
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