Is Boston the best sports town right now?

by Ray Hui Filed under: UFC Spike TV announced Monday that Kimbo Slice will make his official UFC debut on the televised card of The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale on Dec. 5 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. An opponent has not been announced, as there are still two hours of programming left and Slice is still being teased as an injury replacement, but numerous reports have stated that the brawler will meet fellow heavy hitter Houston Alexander at the finale in a catch-weight bout of 215 pounds.Kimbo Slice Announced for TUF 10 Finale originally appeared on Fanhouse MMA Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Chris Burke Filed under: Chargers , NFL Police Blotter Chargers star cornerback Antonio Cromartie is being investigated by police for his role in an altercation at a San Diego bar, according to multiple reports. TMZ.com first reported that Cromartie was under investigation for assault with a deadly weapon, citing law enforcement sources who stated that Cromartie was out celebrating the Chargers' win "when somebody threw a champage bottle which hit a bystander in the head." Apparently, no arrests were made and no charges have yet been filed. Cromartie issued a statement on Twitter (@crimetime31): "I want to apologize to charger nation and my fans. There's sum stuff out abt me that's not true. It will come out. God Bless."Reports: Antonio Cromartie Suspect in San Diego Bar Incident originally appeared on Fanhouse NFL Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Dan Graziano Filed under: Browns , Lions , NFL Quarterbacks , NFL Analysis When you're the Detroit Lions and you're thinking about making Matthew Stafford the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, you're a quivering Jell-O mold of fear and trepidation. Is the kid smart enough? Is he strong enough? Is he tough enough to not just play but thrive in the most crucial position any sport has? Will he represent the team well? Does he make a good impression? Is he a leader? You're risking dozens of millions of dollars and the future of your franchise on questions you really can't hope to answer by the end of April of his junior year of college, and it's scary. But the flip side is what you know he can be, which is that rarest of NFL commodities -- a franchise quarterback. You imagine a day when he puts the team on his back, overcomes some ridiculous obstacle (an expired clock, say, or an injured shoulder ... or both!) and leads the team to an emotional, season-defining win. You believe he can be that kind of player, and so, you give him the money and hope. And then, in Week 11 of his first season, he gives you a glimpse.The Legend of Matthew Stafford, Part I originally appeared on Fanhouse NFL Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Andrew Johnson Filed under: Twins , MLB Awards Twins catcher Joe Mauer was a nearly unanimous selection for 2009 American League MVP by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, receiving 27 of 28 first-place votes to win the award in a landslide Monday. He beat out Yankee teammates Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter , who finished second and third, respectively, to win the award for the first time in his career. Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera , who finished fourth in the voting, was the only other player to receive a first-place vote. Mauer hit .365 to win the batting title for the second straight season and third time in his career, matching the total number of batting titles won by all other catchers in major league history. Babe Phelps is the only backstop in major league history to qualify for a batting title and hit for a higher average, hitting .367 for the 1936 Brooklyn Dodgers . But Mauer's triumph is complete. In addition to winning the batting title, he also led the American League in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS, a feat never accomplished by a catcher before.AL MVP: Minnesota Twins' Joe Mauer originally appeared on Fanhouse MLB Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Brett McMurphy Filed under: Cincinnati , Connecticut , Louisville , Pittsburgh , Rutgers , South Florida , Syracuse , West Virginia , Big East FanHouse Big East writer Brett McMurphy looks back at the week that was in the Big East Rewind. Two weeks ago, UConn coach Randy Edsall and senior running back Andre Dixon both said how much the Huskies' really needed a bye week after a third consecutive last-minute loss at Cincinnati . If no other team needed a bye like UConn, no other team in the country needed a victory like UConn. And that's exactly what the Huskies' got. UConn went into South Bend, Ind., and defeated Notre Dame 33-30 in double overtime Saturday. It was the first victory since the murder of UConn cornerback Jasper Howard . After the game, Edsall pointed skyward in honor of Howard, while the Huskies' players held aloft Howard's No. 6 jersey. Did anyone else notice UConn's final score just happen to be 33 (3+3=6)?UConn Wins for Jasper Howard, at Last originally appeared on Fanhouse NCAA Football Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Brian Straus Filed under: MLS SEATTLE - Major League Soccer's new champion lost more games than it won during an up-and-down regular season that featured a winless May, a winless September and just two victories on the road. In 240 minutes of play in the MLS Cup semifinal and final, it managed to score just one goal. Yet Sunday night at Qwest Field, Real Salt Lake confidently proclaimed it was a deserving winner. And nobody really was arguing with them. Despite the unflattering statistics and the absence of the kind of star power that filled the Los Angeles Galaxy's somber locker room down the hall, RSL managed to convert the nonbelievers with an uncanny ability to dictate the flow of their playoff games regardless of the obstacles. Sunday night was the biggest test, and best example, of them all.Real Salt Lake Proves Its Worth originally appeared on Fanhouse Soccer Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Ariel Helwani Filed under: MMA Videos , UFC , FanHouse Exclusive It seems like every MMA fan, critic and fighter has an opinion on whether Dan Hardy deserves a title shot against UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre . And while many people -- most notably Josh Koscheck -- think he hasn't done enough to warrant the fight just yet, Hardy doesn't seem to care. FanHouse spoke to "The Outlaw" last week about dealing with the criticism, his recent victory against Mike Swick and what kind of mind games he plans to play with GSP. The video interview is below.Dan Hardy Talks Josh Koscheck, Georges St-Pierre and Mind Games originally appeared on Fanhouse MMA Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Mike Chiappetta Filed under: UFC Looking back at this past Saturday's UFC 106, SI.com's Ben Fowlkes and I discuss the hot topics coming from the big fights. We look at what the future has in store for Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz , worthy opponents for Georges St-Pierre , Amir Sadollah 's performance against Phil Baroni and the next step for Antonio Rogerio Nogueira . Check it out below. MMA Roundtable: What's Next for Tito Ortiz and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira? originally appeared on Fanhouse MMA Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Mick Elliott Filed under: PGA , Golf Odds and Ends , European Tour Here's the difference between European Tour players and America's programmed PGA Tour robots. Englishman Lee Westwood shot a final-round, course-record, 8-under 64 Sunday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to not only claim a six-shot tournament victory in the Dubai World Championship but also overtake Rory McIlroy on the season-long money list. The veteran won $1.25 for the tournament title and another $1.5 for the year-long bonus. Even more satisfying for Westwood, he did it by pulling his game out of a recent slump.Westwood Cashes in After Caddie's Message in a Bottle originally appeared on Fanhouse Golf Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by David Steele Filed under: Michigan State , FanHouse Exclusive KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inducted eight new members Sunday night, and nearly half of the two-hour ceremony was devoted to two of them. Not that it wasn't deserved: from the moment the list of enshrinees for the Hall's fourth class was announced, it was universally known that it would be a Magic-Bird celebration. Earvin "Magic'' Johnson and Larry Bird did not disappoint, as they served up memories of the moment they shared 30 years ago in the NCAA championship game, spoke of the legacies they carved out in basketball at every level -- and remained in their easily-recognizable characters almost as if they were scripted for the event.A New Chapter in Classic Magic-Bird Tale originally appeared on Fanhouse NCAA Basketball Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Thomas George Filed under: Jets , Patriots , NFL Analysis FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It was a what-else-can-go-wrong game for the Jets that revealed their warts and showcased the Patriots ' muscle. Everything about this 31-14 Patriots victory here on Sunday essentially pointed to one fact: the Jets are frauds. They talked a big game before the first snap of the season and more smack when they toppled the Patriots 16-9 back in Week 2. They were throwing a rookie quarterback sensation at opponents, combined with a defense designed to growl and intimidate. They sped to three straight victories -- but have since lost six of seven games. And those six losses have come in a pair of three-game losing skids, including the current one. They are a 4-6 team steamrolling to a 7-9 or 6-10 season.No Tears, Just Dismal Truth for Jets originally appeared on Fanhouse NFL Blog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Brian Straus Filed under: MLS SEATTLE -- Real Salt Lake's playmaker, Javier Morales, was lost in the 22nd minute, the victim of a hard tackle from David Beckham . Nineteen minutes later, Beckham and Landon Donovan combined to create a goal by midfielder Mike Magee that put the favored Los Angeles Galaxy ahead. It was hard to imagine then that there was any way the upstarts from Salt Lake City could find their way back into Sunday night's MLS Cup final. But Morales' replacement, American soccer's prodigal son, Clint Mathis, and striker Robbie Findley led the way. Real Salt Lake has been beating the odds for more than a month now, qualifying for the postseason on the final weekend despite an 11-12-7 record and defeating two heavily-favored playoff opponents on the road. On Sunday they again made the impossible possible, tying the game at 1-1 on a second-half goal by Findley and riding goalie Nick Rimando and Donovan's stunning miss to a 5-4 win in the penalty kick shootout.Real Salt Lake Beats the Odds Again, Wins MLS Cup on Penalties originally appeared on Fanhouse Soccer Blog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Holly Cain Filed under: Jimmie Johnson , Chase for the Sprint Cup HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- With two laps to go, pop star Nick Lachey began clapping and cheering on his good friend. The back slaps and handshakes among crew, family and friends started coming like a slow wave picking up speed as Jimmie Johnson slid his Chevy out of the final turn and approached the last checkered flag of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season. His father, Gary, stood behind the growing celebration in his son's pit stall at Homestead Miami Speedway -- a huge smile on his face, a sparkling Superman pin attached over the logo of his Hendrick Motorsports cap. Superman is the nickname bestowed on Johnson, who on Sunday became the first driver in NASCAR's 61-year history to win a fourth consecutive Sprint Cup championship. More: 48's Path: Part 1 | Part 2 Rick Hendrick Misses Finale | Stewart, Montoya Tangle | Final Standings Drive for Five? Jimmie Johnson's Reign May Continue originally appeared on Fanhouse Motorsports Blog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Nancy Gay Filed under: Broncos , Chargers , AFC West , NFL Injuries , NFL Quarterbacks DENVER -- Four consecutive losses have dropped the once impressive Denver Broncos into the middle of the AFC pack. The San Diego Chargers (7-3) all but ensured they will win the AFC West with a 32-3 rout Sunday at Denver's Invesco Field, and only the second-quarter emergence of injured Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton off the bench sparked any life in the disillusioned home team. Hobbling on a badly sprained left ankle, Orton was a better option than struggling backup Chris Simms , who started the game but almost immediately lost the ball on a sack and fumble and ultimately failed to move Denver's offense effectively.Chargers Nearly Drive Broncos to Blows originally appeared on Fanhouse NFL Blog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

by Clay Travis Filed under: LSU , Mississippi , SEC On Saturday, LSU's Jordan Jefferson made the inexplicable decision to spike the football with only one second remaining in the game. Spiking the football ended the game and negated two miraculous Milacles: first, Les Miles' Tigers recovered an onside kick and then they completed a 46-yard Hail Mary. In his postgame news conference Miles claimed that he didn't know who had instructed Jefferson to spike the football. "I do not know who told him to clock [spike] it," Miles said. Except, you guessed it, Miles himself was displaying his uncanny acumen by calling for the ball to be spiked with one second remaining on the clock. That's something that you can clearly see on this video after the jump. And yet another reason why LSU fans are still staring morosely at the waters on the bayou, shaking their heads, drinking Jax beers, and cursing the day that Les Miles didn't leave for Michigan.Miles Calls for Spike, Confirms Idiocy originally appeared on Fanhouse NCAA Football Blog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments