COME IN, ONE ADAM 12: CRAZY PERSON NEEDS ESCORT

Troubled pop icon, LSU and New Orleans Saints’ fan Britney Spears was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance early Thursday for the second time this month for a mental health evaluation. (Is "Michael Jackson Crazy" a medical term? If not ,"Crazy As A Bayou Shithouse Rat" ought to cover it.)

"I'm just pissed that Tom Brady and Claxico Buress are gettin' more ink," the trouble star shouted from the gurney.

Spears was whisked to the UCLA Medical Center at about 1:30 am (0930 GMT) and was to be placed on a 5150 hold, the 72-hour confinement of a person deemed a danger to themselves or others. (Here at TAH we call that “suicide watch.”) (Here at TAH we also say JUMP, JUMP, JUMP and let’s get this over with.)

(By the way in California, a 5140 means you are mostly normal although suffering from a sub-par gene pool.)

A psychiatrist treating the singer contacted Los Angeles police and set the events in motion.

Dozens of police officers on motorcycles in a motorcade the L.A. Times described as “the length of a football field” escorted the ambulance carrying the 26-year-old singer/sports fan and a police helicopter hovered overhead.

As Kieth Jackson always said so eloquently, WHOA!! NELLIE!!!

A motorcade the length of a football field?

They take her to the hospital on nut job alert and she has a police motorcade?

Are you kidding?

Man, California, snap out of it.

Only on the left coast would Brittney’s psychiatrist’s press agent call the media while Britney’s psychiatrist called the cops. And, yes, you better believe Brittney’s shrink has a PR man/woman…It’s Hollywood, baby! The shrink's valet parkers have PR people!

Were Brit to be chillin’ and hangin’ in some civilized place like New York City, she would have gone unescorted (save for the much smaller media hoard stalking her) in a taxi cab.

In D.C., she would have taken the Metro to bypass the whole "the-Patriots-are-gonna-lose-a-game-before-you-figure-out-which-zone-the-damn-hospital-is-in-oh-you-don’t-speak-any-english-oh-crap-I’ll-just-sit-here-and-go-bonkers-thanks-for-nothing" situation.

But, a big police escort with us common folk footin’ the bill?

Now that’s all 5150, as they say in California.

Here at TAH, we just call it “messed up.”

When contacted for a comment, LSU coach Les Miles said, "YAAHHHHOOOO!"

WEDNESDAY HOOP

MARYLAND 85, VIRGINIA 75

Maryland has one of the most athletic teams in the ACC. Virginia does not.

That’s bad mojo for the Hoos especially when you mix in the dreaded ingredient of Route 29 North.

As usual, Sean Singletary did everything he could, but it simply wasn’t enough as Greivis Vasquez scored 25 points, James Gist added 17, and the Terps extended the Cav's road woes with an 85-75 victory Wednesday night.

After facing ACC powers North Carolina and Duke in succession, the Terrapins (13-8, 3-3) had no problem against the last-place Cavaliers (11-8, 1-5). Maryland grabbed an 11-point lead in the opening three minutes, expanded the margin to 17 early in the second half and coasted to its seventh win in nine games.

Eric Hayes contributed 15 points and nine assists, and Landon Milbourne scored 13 to help Maryland coach Gary Williams earn his 598th career victory.

Sean Singletary scored 23 for Virginia, including 17 in the second half, to extend his ACC-best streak of reaching double figures to 41 straight games. But the Cavaliers lost their sixth straight ACC road game since defeating Maryland on Jan. 16, 2007.

RIGHT: Virginia's Sean Singletary (44) tries to get past Maryland's Landon Milbourne (1) during the first half.

AOVE: Maryland's Eric Hayes (5) shoots over Virginia's Adrian Joseph, left, during the first half -- Hayes scored 15 points as Maryland won 85-75.

(AP Photos/Nick Wass)

MUST BE SUPER BOWL WEEK: NAMATH REDUX

We don’t watch a lot of Big 12 basketball…OK, that’s a lie…we don’t watch any Big 12 basketball, but this popped up on the radar screen this week via PTI.

Kansas State’s Super freshmen Michael Beaseley ruffled a few feathers of the Wildcats’ arch rival Jayhawks this week when he said, "We're going to beat Kansas at home. We're going to beat them at their house. We're going to beat them in Africa. Wherever we play, we're going to beat them."

The nation’s leading rebounder and #4 scorer was simply trying to stop a losing streak that trumps Clemson’s futility in Chapel Hill. Kansas State fans had come to call it The Streak -- 24 years of home-court futility against Kansas.




Beasley, who wasn't even alive when the Jayhawks began their 24-game winning streak in the Little Apple, scored 25 points Wednesday night and led the No. 22 Wildcats to an 84-75 victory over previously unbeaten Kansas, touching off a mob scene on center court.

In what appeared to be an attempt to sooth his previously inflammatory remarks that, no doubt, he’ll be hearing plenty about come rematch time in Lawrence, Beasley said, "I know it means a lot around the city, people at the school, but it's just a game to me."

Yeah, right.

Kansas State forward Michael Beasley (30) drives on Kansas center Sasha Kaun (24) during the second half . (AP Photos/Orlin Wagner)

JIMMY BUFFETT PICKS THE SUPER BOWL

For the next few days, TAH will bring you celebrity predictions for the Super Bowl.

They are legit.

No kidding.

Patriots 24, Giants 17

"Pats have experience, which to me means they know how to handle ticket requests from immediate family and long lost friends in rehab or jail -- a very important but rarely reported key to victory."

(Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Hampton Social @ Ross)

(Yes, Josh, it's legit. Email me at the address above and I'll send you the link, but I don't want to spoil it for everybody else since we have four more celeb picks and Sunday's is PRICELESS!

Thanks for your comment.)

LEN BIAS MOVIE BUZZ AT SUNDANCE

Some TAH readers are probalby too young to remember Len Bias -- the next legit Michael Jordan.

As we always keep an eye out for the next great sports movie...We keep a file called "Rudy - NOT" just ready for the scoop on the next Bull Durham, The Natural or Tin Cup.

At the recent Sundance Film Festival held in our favorite ski spot, Park City, Utah, perhaps the most talked-about sports flick didn't screen. However, director/producer Kirk Fraser hit the streets to spread the word about his almost-completed documentary about deceased Celtics draft pick and Terp star Bias.

Fraser, who received the Bias family's blessing, conducted on-camera gabs with John Thompson, John Lucas, D.C. mayor (and cocaine user) Marion Berry and, in their first interview since the tragedy, the three witnesses to Bias' drug overdose: Terry Long, David Gregg and Brian Tribble.

With Boston flying high and steroids all the rage, Fraser says it's time drop some knowledge. "It's not for the money, but to prevent the cycle and the production of another Len Bias."

Here's a nice little unrelated documentary that sums up the Bias' story for those of you that missed it twenty-some years ago...

http://walkerlamond.com/bias1.html

(Photos by SI and the Baltimore Sun)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

THIS GUY’S ON THE JUICE…What other excuse could he have for wearing argyle socks? Look closely, they’re there…and we thought the Italians had good fashion sense.

Italy's Alberto Loddo, of the Tinkoff team, won the fourth stage while Belgium's Tom Boonen was second and Sebastian Siedler of Germany third.

Tinkoff?

Hmmm...




(Photo cby Ibrahim Al-Omari/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURES OF THE DAY 2

JUST ANOTHER FRIENDLY LITTLE REMINDER…that World Cup skiers ain’t right in the head.

Not even close.

Swiss Skier Marc Berthod and Switzerland's Daniel Albrecht clear a gate during the men's official downhill training of the FIS Ski World cup in Val-D'Isere, 30 January 2008.

(Photos by Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

CAMERON CRAZIES: WESTERN CONFERENCE...The folks at Oregon tried to go all Cameron Crazy on U.C.L.A., but the finest imitators hang out at Arizona State. Here’s an example of some of their recent quirky work.

No, we don't know who Derrick Low is, but we're guessing he plays hoop for Arizona.

(Photos courtesy of SI)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

AN EVEN RARER BIRD...Tiger Woods takes a drop shot after hitting his second shot into the water on the 13th hole during the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008.

(AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 5

ANYBODY SEEN QUINN SNYDER? The Krzyskdhvbs5ski protégé didn’t fair too well in Missouri, and when the Tigers hired new coach Mike Anderson, Mizzou Nation thought things might get better. They haven’t. Five players were suspended, including the leading scorer, after a late night brawl in a night club.

We didn’t know they had night clubs in Missouri.

University of Missouri student Greg Mitchell holds up a sign during the first half of the Nebraska-Missouri college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008, in Columbia, Mo. The Tigers lost 62-66.

(AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

TUESDAY HOOP

WAKE FOREST 70, MIAMI 68

There is a big giant knot right around .500/3 losses hanging about in the middle of the ACC conference standings.

After winning its 16th game in a row at home, the Deamon Deacons are now party to the knot. Team officials (not center) are considering changing the name of Lowell Joel Memorial Coliseum to Robert Paul Plant Arena.

(Robert Paul Plant (not pictured here) is an attorney in Oregon who claims to have invented the Chia Pet. He is 107 years old, and once heard a Wake Forest game on the radio.)

Ishmael Smith (not left) made a jumper with 3 seconds left that lifted Wake Forest past Miami 70-68 on Tuesday night.

Freshman Jeff Teague (not right) scored a season-high 27 points for Wake Forest (13-6, 3-3 ACC), but it was his backcourt mate who saved the day after Miami had missed a game tying layup.

Both teams played well. The Canes shot 54% from the field (7-15, 46% behind the arc) and the Deacons shot 47% (10-19, 52% from three land). The game suffered from a mere 5 total turnovers.

Little else is know about the game since the overwhelming majority of reporters and photographers were in Arizona at the Super Bowl’s media day.

(Miss Nevada Veronica Grabowski poses with Brandon Meriweather #31 and Antwain Spann #28 of the New England Patriots during Patriots media day for Super Bowl XLII . Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

VIRGINIA TECH 89, FLORIDA STATE 80

A.D. Vassallo (not pictured at left in wedding dress or Patriots' cap) scored 15 of his 22 points in the first half as Virginia Tech opened the game with an 18-4 run and didn't let mistake-prone Florida State get within single digits until too late in an 89-80 victory.

The Hokies (13-8, 4-3 ACC) led 42-24 at the half (not a misprint, FSU scored 24 points in the first half and looked like crap doing it), and by no fewer than 11 for most of the second half.

The Hokies clinched it at the free throw line, going 22-for-31 in the second half.

The Seminoles (13-9, 2-5), made 8 of 11 from 3-point territory in the second half to make it interesting, but lost for the fifth time in six games while committing 22 turnovers.

The game officials somehow thought Tech was Duke, sending the Hokies to the charity stripe 47 times in the game!

There was one photographer there from the Christiansburg News Index Record Almanac Beacon as he was on probation, and thus unable to go to Arizona for the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, he forgot to buy film…yes, film.

(Ines Gomez Mont, a reporter from TV Azteca in Mexico, wears a wedding dress as she is carried by New England Patriots center Lonie Paxton while interviewing him during media day for the Super Bowl XLII. AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Michael Chow)

DUKE LANDS TOP RECRUIT

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, we’re not kidding.

Scott Riddle isn’t transferring to Duke, but the Blue Devils did beat out Arizona State and Boise State to land a commitment from one of the top quarterback prospects in the country.

Sean Renfree of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Notre Dame High School is ranked among the top 15 high school quarterbacks by Scout.com and Rivals.com.

The 6-foot-3, 205 lbs. QB had committed to Georgia Tech on July 5 but changed his mind coach Chan Gailey was fired.

Renfree led Notre Dame to a 13-1 record and the Arizona 4-A Division II state championship. He completed 23 of 33 passes for 411 yards and five touchdowns in the 49-32 championship win over Cottonwood Mingus.

His 411 passing yards set the Arizona high school record for a championship game. He passed for 3,341 yards and 51 touchdowns in 2007.

THE ACC NEEDS MORE RUGBY

For so many reasons, but let’s start here…

Rugby may be a man's game, but there is no place for the luminous "mankini" at the stadium, New Zealand police said on Tuesday, provoking howls of protest from fans of the skimpy swimsuit.

The organizers of the New Zealand International Sevens rugby tournament in the Kiwi capital Wellington, with police backing, said that they will not allow fans to wear the skimpy V-shaped thong made famous by movie star Borat.

"It's a family event and there will be children there," a police spokesperson told the New Zealand media, asking the 70,000 fans expected at the event to show "a sense of decency."

Last year, a blind eye was turned when dozens of men turned up at the tournament in the figure-hugging costume worn by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen in his hit movie.

While some New Zealanders told the national media that they would prefer to see more emphasis on the rugby and less on some fans' "self-serving exhibitionism," the sudden attack on the two-day tournament's long-established dressing-up culture left others reeling.

Participants are long-used to seeing men in drag and women dressed as sailor girls or policewomen on the terraces for the tournament, said critics who called police fashion prudes.

"The crackdown on skimpy costumes is an insult to everyone that goes to the sevens. This is what the sevens are all about: Rugby and having a good time," wrote A. Maloney on the popular news Web site, Stuff.co.nz.

"As long as the important bits are covered what's the problem," he wrote.

Last year about 100 people were kicked out of the stadium and 25 people arrested. (Not so bad for a three day tourney...)

Sevens’ organizers said, "We encourage people to drink plenty of water, to moderate their alcohol intake and to look after their mates."

Oh, well, two-out-of-three isn’t so bad…

DUCKS THINK THEY’RE DUKE?

(AP) -- Oregon's athletic director has apologized to UCLA for the behavior of Ducks' fans toward Bruins freshman Kevin Love last week.

Pat Kilkenny left messages Monday for coach Ben Howland, athletic director Dan Guerrero and Love's father Stan, who starred for Oregon in the early 1970s.

The younger Love and his father were booed and jeered unmercifully by the student section at McArthur Court last Thursday, when the fifth-ranked Bruins defeated the Ducks 80-75. Love had 26 points and 18 rebounds.

The Love family was the target of homophobic chants and signs with offensive messages, some of which were confiscated.

"It was pretty bad and I heard a lot of stuff," Love said Tuesday.

Howland said he didn't speak with Kilkenny, but considers the matter "behind us now."

(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

UTILITIES ARE HELL FOR SEVEN FOOTERS IN MIAMI

Is Shaquille O'Neal having his worst NBA season because he's worried about money?

An accounting document in the divorce file of Shaq and his wife, Shaunie, obtained by The Palm Beach Post, reveals the Miami Heat star has a routine monthly payout of $875,015 -- YIKE!

It includes $156,116 for mortgages on three homes, $3,345 in phone bills, $1,610 in lawn and pool maintenance, $12,775 for food, $10,065 for electricity, $1,495 for cable TV, $24,300 for gas, $6,730 for dry cleaning, $17,220 for clothing, $2,305 for pets and $110,505 for vacations.

A month? C'mon.

How does he and his entourage go through 8,000 gallons of gas a month, do they drive to away games?

(Props to Pop Culture Editor Young A.T. for the heads up.)

(Photo by Victor Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

THE HOLY GRAIL OF BASKETBALL SHOES

By Todd Boyd/ Special to ESPN-Page 2

It's not every day that a shoe demands its own cultural history. But of course, not every shoe is an Air Jordan.

The release of the new Air Jordan XX3, amid speculation that this may be the final edition of this most vaunted pair of kicks, brings us full circle from Nov. 17, 1984, when Michael Jordan debuted the shoes in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers and Dr. J, the game's reigning icon at the time and the player MJ would most often be compared to in his early NBA years.

Jordan ruffled the feathers of some NBA veterans when he stepped on the floor at the 1985 All-Star Game in Indianapolis wearing his own Air Jordan gear from head to toe, instead of the officially issued All-Star Game apparel that everyone else was wearing. He also turned the heads of many young NBA fans, who by now were dying to replicate his high-flying style off the court. The Air Jordan 1 was released for sale to the public not long after.

In the ensuing 23 years, Jordan went from spectacular rookie to cultural icon…

The rest of the story…
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=boyd/080125

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

TRAVELLING REDEFINED...China's Huang Xunan attemps to score during a match between China and Canada at the "Good Luck Beijing" 2008 Wheelchair Basketball International Tournament at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, 22 January 2008.

China already has become a Paralympic sports power, climbing from ninth on the medals table in the 1996 Atlanta Games to number one at Athens in 2004. Yet wheelchair basketball has lagged.

China's Chen Guojun (C) attemps to score as Canada's David Eng and Hai Poon block.

(Photo by Teh Eng Koon/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

DID ERNIE JUST TELL A KELLY TILGHMAN JOKE?...or was he teasing Tiger about Jim Brown calling him out last week?

Woods and Els share a moment of levity before the Dubai Desert Classic Challenge Match, held on the par 3 course at the Emirates Golf Club, on January 29, 2007 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

(Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

YO, DUDE! WE JUST RIDE ‘EM, WE DON’T EAT ‘EM…That’s the French.

Dutch rider Gerco Schroder on his horse Eurocommerce Monaco, performs near a streaker carrying the message of veganism during the Amsterdam jumping tournament January 27, 2008 in the Netherlands.

Plus, if you're gonna streak, man up and show your ass!

(Photo by Robert Vos/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

CROSS PROMOTION...You TV buffs have no doubt noticed that there is a writers' strike going on so there is limited new television. To fill the gaps the networks are relying heavily on reality shows, and Fox is no different where we anticipate American Idol will be on five nights a week for two hours a night by mid-February.

Here to keep the embers glowing, Fox Sports News anchor Brad Steinke, Phoenix Suns' commentator Tom Chambers, and American Idol winner Jordan Sparks are seen in a post game interview as the Suns defeat the Atlanta Hawks 125-92 in an NBA game at U.S. Airways Center on January 29, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Note the Chambers bobble-head on the desk.

(Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

ACC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Georgia Tech's Matt “Mop Top” Causey and Duke's DeMarcus “Admiral Horatio” Nelson were named Co-ACC Players of the Week while NC State's J.J. “Who You Callin’ A” Hickson was selected as ACC Rookie of the Week.

Causey scored 18 points each in back-to-back ACC road wins last week over NC State and Virginia. In Tech's 92-82 win over Virginia Sunday, the Gainesville, Ga., senior scored 12 of his 18 points in overtime, including nine in a row at one point. On the week, Causey was 13-for-21 (.619) from the floor while averaging 18.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. (Must be the shoes...)

Nelson averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals while leading the Blue Devils to a pair of ACC road victories. In Duke's 93-84 win at Maryland Sunday, the Elk Grove, Calif., senior scored a career-high 27 points on 10-of-19 (.526) shooting from the floor and posted team-highs in rebounds (7), assists (4) and steals (4). Hey, Gervis are you paying attention?

In earning the league's rookie award for the third time this season, Hickson turned in back-to-back "double-doubles" in games against Georgia Tech and Florida State. The Marietta, Ga., product had 16 points, 10 rebounds and one blocked shot in Wednesday's 77-74 loss to the Yellow Jackets.

In Saturday's 69-66 victory at Florida State, Hickson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. With the game tied 66-66, the 6-9, 242-pound freshman hit two free throws with 9.6 seconds, and then blocked Florida State's final shot to give NC State the win.
Daddgummit.

(AP Photos by Karl B DeBlaker and Tami Chappell. Painting of Admiral Nelson by some dead guy.)

JANUARY: VIDEO OF THE MONTH

Hey, we know the month's not over yet, but nobody is gonna top this.

We promise.

Spend a few minutes with it, it’s funny.

And when it gets to the “T.O.” part it transcends funny…

Props to Hacks’ head coach Blaze for the forward.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=K2triiYXSY8

VIDEO OF THE MONTH RUNNER-UP

From YARDBARKER: I SCHEYERFACED JON SCHEYER

Submitted by Coach_Ghey

"Scheyerface" -- (verb) -- To make a weird face like Duke guard Jon Scheyer does when he plays.

This video includes a musical montage of Scheyerfaces from the man himself, and at the end of the video Scheyer gets Scheyerfaced by a Maryland fan. Classic stuff.

http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/I_Scheyerfaced_Jon_Scheyer/104756

COMMITMENT DAY LOOMS

by Tom Luginbill - Scouts Inc.

Programs are making a real push as official weekend visits and home visits by the coaches start to wrap up as national signing day approaches (Feb. 6). This edition of our class rankings is being updated to reflect some recent movers and shakers.

1. (1) Miami Hurricanes
26 verbal commitments, 10 ESPN 150 prospects. The latest: Losing Buchanan hurts, but the Canes still have pledges from four of the top seven outside linebackers, including No. 1 OLB Arthur Brown (Wichita, Kan./East) and No. 2 OLB Sean Spence (Miami/Northestern).

9. (8) Clemson
20 verbal commitments, six ESPN 150 prospects. The latest: Jamie Harper's high school teammate Daniel Andrews (Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian) recently committed, so the star running back may follow.

13. (13) Florida State
21 verbal commitments, five ESPN 150 prospects. The latest: The Zebrie Sanders (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont Senior) saga came to an end with his recent pledge to the Seminoles.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

REMEMBER BIG HEAD TODD AND THE MONSTERS?...Well, this is his cousin, Bobby "Little Head" James of Phoenix, and he heads up Little Head Todd and the Falcons. Here he makes a face as he poses behind a life-size football player mannequin at the NFL Experience in Glendale, Ariz., on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008.

In case you been stuck on LOST all this time, the New England Patriots will play the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, Feb. 3.

(AP Photo/Matt York)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

WAR AND PEACE (AND ROCKET)…Roger Clemens' agent released an 18,000-word statistical report Monday to rebut allegations the pitcher's career rebounded about the time he was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs.

"Clemens' longevity was due to his ability to adjust his style of pitching as he got older, incorporating his very effective split-finger fastball to offset the decrease in the speed of his regular fastball blah, blah, blah, blah…”

(Photo by Dave Einsel/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

MORE EXPANSION?...New Duke football coach David Cutcliffe has asked the ACC to invite the University of Phoenix to join the ACC. “Obviosuly, they’re a football school,” said Cutcliffe, “they’re hosting the Super Bowl.”

The UofP (Phoenix, 220,000+ students, Phoenix, AZ and 189 other locations) is known for many things including controversy over the quality of education provided by the for profit university, but it doesn’t have any sports’ teams.

“My point exactly,” said Cutcliffe, “It would guarantee us at least one win next football season."

Here is a view of the University of Phoenix Stadium in preparation of Super Bowl XLII.

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY?...A clearly bemused, if not annoyed, Candace Parker (3) is taunted by Duke's "Cameron Crazies" during the second half of a college basketball game at the University of New Jersey at Durham, N.C., Monday, Jan 28, 2008.

Crazies be damned, Tennessee won 67-64.

(AP Photo/Sara D. Davis)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 5

SUPER BALLS...Footballs that are identical to the Super Bowl XLII game balls lie in a bin Monday, Jan. 28, 2008 at the Wilson Sporting Goods Co. factory in Ada, Ohio. The plant is the only football manufacturing factory in the U.S. The footballs are identical to the ones used during Super Bowl XLII.

The actual game balls have already been shipped to Arizona (to adjust to the climate).

(AP Photo/Skip Peterson)

SUNDAY HOOP

#4 DUKE 94, MARYLAND 84

Gary Williams is going crazy. His inconsistent Terp team plays like the best team in America for stretches, and then has offensive and defensive lapses that undermine their best efforts.

Last night was no different.

Fifty-one first half points followed by thirty-four second half points. A good effort on defense in the first half followed by DeMarcus Nelson and Gerald Henderson running around like they were invisible in the second half.

Nelson scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half, and Henderson added 23 for the game, and the Blue Devils rallied to beat the Terrapins 93-84 Sunday night.

The Terps led by nine at halftime. In the midway T.V. interview, Williams said his squad had to stop the Duke run he knew was coming at the beginning of the second half. They didn’t.
Maryland’s worse offense was simply being careless with the ball. You can’t beat Duke with 22 turnovers.

Duke (17-1, 5-0 ACC) had not trailed by more than six points in any game prior, but fought back in front of a boisterous sellout crowd hopeful of seeing Maryland earn its sixth win in eight games against its hated rival.

James Gist scored 26 and Bambale Osby had 20 points and 15 rebounds, both career highs, for the Terrapins (12-8, 2-3). Jervis Vasquez got schooled.

Maryland was coming off an 82-80 win on the road against then-No. 1 North Carolina. That was eight days earlier, and unfortunately for the Terrapins, the momentum generated from that breakthrough victory could not be sustained.

Duke's DeMarcus Nelson (21) puts up a shot over Maryland's Landon Milbourne (1) and Duke's Gerald Henderson (15) goes up for dunk while being guarded Maryland's Bambale Osby (50) and Greivis Vasquez (21). (AP Photos/Rob Carr)

HOME (NO LONGER SO) SWEET HOME

GEORGIA TECH 92, VIRGINIA 82

Matt Causey scored 12 of his 18 points in overtime when he hit a pair of 3-pointers and Georgia Tech won its second consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference road game, beating reeling Virginia 92-82 on Sunday. "I never did like Pirate movies," said Causey.

(Yo, Matt, JPJ wasn't a pirate.)

Causey scored nine straight points at one point in the extra period, hitting a 3-pointer, driving around Sean Singletary for a layup, adding a long 3-pointer from right in front of his bench and a free throw for the Yellow Jackets (10-9, 3-3).

Virginia (11-7, 1-4), co-champions of the league last season, lost for the fifth time in six games and for the second time in the conference at home. Last season, the Cavaliers did not lose an ACC home game in sharing the title with North Carolina.

Sean Singletary is finally getting some help, but last night the Cav's were doomed by 37% shooting.

CANES HOLD SERVE

MIAMI 75, #25 CLEMSON 72

Jack McClinton scored 16 points, including three dramatic 3-pointers, as Miami defeated Clemson 75-72 on Sunday.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Hurricanes (15-4, 2-3). McClinton hit three consecutive 3-pointers over a 1:23 span late as Miami rallied from a six-point deficit.

McLinton's third 3-pointer with 1:07 left gave the Hurricanes the lead for good, 66-65.

Demontez Stitt led the Tigers (15-5, 3-3) with 15 points, while James Mays finished with 14. Dwayne Collins led Miami with season-high tying 18 points and 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.

The good news for Tigers' coach Oliver "Lou Gossett, Jr." Purnell was that the Tigers were 15-20 from the charity stripe. That's a very un-Klimpsonish 75%.

Clemson center Raymond Sykes (nice guns!), left, drives up against Miami center Anthony King during the first half of a basketball game Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008, in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

CAN'T FIND A CONTRACTOR?...Check China, they're building stuff like crazy. Here a group of workers clean the starting blocks before a ceremony to inaugurate and deliver the National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China.

The National Aquatics Center will host swimming, diving and synchronized swimming during the 2008 Olympic Games.

It was designed by an architect with a honey bee fetish.

(Photo by Andrew Wong/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

NOT-SO-CIVIL WAR...Eastern Conference All-Star Jason Spezza #9 of the Ottawa Senators skates with the puck past the Western Conference All-Star bench during the 56th NHL All-Star Game at Philips Arena on January 27, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Eastern Conference All-Star Andrei Markov #79 of the Montreal Canadiens scores a goal against goaltender Chris Osgood #30 of the Detroit Red Wings during the very same game.

The East won 8-7.

Hockey. There you have it, two pictures.

Enjoy.

(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

THE PRICE OF SUCCCESS...With a face value of $700, Super Bowl tickets are listed on various ticket sites for prices ranging from $2,500 to $11,000 per ticket.

In case you just snapped out of a coma, the New England Patriots will play the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008.

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

WOULDN'T YOU REALLY RATHER HAVE A BUICK?...Tiger Woods tees off the 6th hole during the final round of the Buick Invitational on January 27, 2008 at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California.

Woods won by a 8-stroke lead with a 19-under par for the tournament.

(Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)