Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
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BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) -England defender Joleon Lescott preserved Manchester City's two-point lead in the Premier League by scoring a second-half winner in a 1-0 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday.
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BCS interactive matchups For the nitty gritty on Thursday's BCS Championship Game, NBCSports.com contributor Joey Johnston breaks down the starters for No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Oklahoma. Click on a player for analysis of how each will impact the game. NBCSports.com |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Thursday’s championship football game between No. 2 Florida and No. 1 Oklahoma is obviously a big game, but big enough to shut down Congress?
Rep. Cliff Stearns hopes so.
Stearns, a Republican from Ocala, wrote to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday asking her to move votes scheduled for Thursday evening and Friday so House members from Florida and Oklahoma can go to the Bowl Championship Series national title game.
Stearns wrote, “As you may be aware, on Thursday January 8, the University of Florida and the University of Oklahoma will play for the national football championship. Members of the Florida and Oklahoma delegations have expressed interest in attending the game as the congressional schedule allows. However, votes are currently scheduled to continue into Thursday night and Friday afternoon. We ask that you move these votes to either Wednesday and/or Thursday morning to allow Members to attend this historic game.”
Oddly — or maybe not — none of the other members Stearns referred to as “we” signed the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
To help his cause, Stearns added a handwritten message to Pelosi.
“Madam Speaker — Kindly consider. Thanks, Cliff,” he wrote.
Pelosi’s office said she would not agree to the request. Among the votes to be considered Thursday afternoon is certification of the Electoral College vote that gives Barack Obama the presidency.
Stearns was first elected to Congress in 1988. While he didn’t attend the University of Florida, his district includes the Gainesville area, where the school is located. The game is being played in Miami.
A message left after hours at Stearns’ Washington office seeking comment wasn’t immediately returned.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
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Gators win BCS Championship Game |
No. 1 Florida 24, No. 2 Oklahoma 14 |
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 Memphis fulfills BCS dream Tigers officials thrilled to announce that school has been accepted to join the Big East Conference in 2013. |
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Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.