Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Arc: Syracuse is among a solid group of No. 1 seeds in our latest tournament projections, but the middle of the pack is much more murky.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP
ARLINGTON, Texas - Before having to figure out life without Dexter McCluster in the backfield, Mississippi coach Houston Nutt was going use the speedy back as much as possible.
“We knew were going to run his legs off,” Nutt said.
McCluster responded with a finale for Nutt and Ole Miss fans to remember.
In a Cotton Bowl filled with turnovers and missed opportunities by both teams, McCluster was the clear standout in his final game. He carried a career-high 32 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 2-yard run on a direct snap with 4:03 left Saturday, and the Rebels beat Oklahoma State 21-7.
“When I’m in the zone, I’m all business. I want the ball and I’m going to do whatever I can to make something happen,” McCluster said. “I’m pretty sore. But if we had to play again, I’d get up and go. “
McCluster also had an 86-yard TD run in the second quarter after the senior had already become the first Southeastern Conference player with 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the same season.
Ole Miss (9-4) had five turnovers in the game, but Oklahoma State had six in the fourth quarter, and seven overall.
The Rebels failed to capitalize on Kendrick Lewis’ two interceptions, but McCluster scored after a fumble to break a 7-7 tie. Patrick Trahan picked up another fumble and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown less than a minute later, then intercepted a deflected fourth-down pass by Oklahoma State’s Zac Robinson on the next drive.
“It’s hard to overcome giving one away,” Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said. “At some point we’ve got to make some plays. We’ve got to step up. I told the team the same thing.”
The Cowboys (9-4), who like Ole Miss were in the preseason AP Top 10, missed a chance for their first 10-win season since 1988 when Gundy was their starting quarterback. Nutt, also a former Oklahoma State quarterback, was then one of their coaches.
Nutt has led the Rebels to consecutive 9-4 seasons, both capped by victories in the Cotton Bowl, this one played in Cowboys Stadium after the 73rd game at the game’s namesake stadium last year. Ole Miss had lost all eight of its SEC games in 2007 before Nutt replaced the fired Ed Orgeron.
Now Nutt and the Rebels have to move on without McCluster, whose 3,921 career all-purpose yards are second in school history behind Deuce McAllister’s 4,889.
“I hate to think about it,” Nutt said. “Dexter said his last prayer for us this morning. I’m telling you, it was emotional.”
McCluster’s 86-yard TD run in the second quarter came on a handoff from freshman quarterback Nathan Stanley. McCluster went to the right and through a gap, running untouched for the second-longest run in the history of the Cotton Bowl. Just like his coach told him during the preceding timeout.
“Coach Nutt said if it gets blocked right I’m going to score. ... Everybody blocked their man. After that it was nothing but speed, and speed kills,” said McCluster, who ran for 1,003 yards his last six games after he was moved from a primary receiver to starting running back.
“Where he’s dangerous is where he puts up in there, you stuff it, he jumps outside,” Gundy said. “After the game, mentioned to him that I really enjoyed watching him play because I appreciate guys that are tough football players. ... He’s a tough football player.”
The long TD came on Ole Miss’ first offensive play after Jevan Snead threw an interception and was hit so hard on a blindside block while pursuing the defender with the ball that his helmet got knocked off.
Snead, a junior who has not declared if he will return for his senior season or go to the NFL early, returned to the game and finished 13 of 23 for 168 yards. His three interceptions gave him 20 for the season.
Robinson was 13 of 27 for 118 yards with four interceptions in his last game.
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.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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The Red Wings have finally started to embrace a record they've been chasing.