Northwestern Wildcats Football

Hint: He now makes millions playing a different sport, and once dated Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Biel. Yes, it's Derek Jeter, whose mom once again forgot to bring the post-game orange slices....

We don’t know if this man was an Ohio State fan, but…he was. It’s a biblical certainty. 30 miles east of Columbus, police found what could only be properly described as “The gloriously fractured wreck of what was once the most majestic thing ever” on the side of the road: a barstool outfitted with wheels [...]

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg My colleague Tim Griffin has an interesting piece over at the Big 12 blog about Phil Taylor, the former Penn State defensive tackle who transferred to Baylor after being dismissed from the program last summer.  Taylor was among the swell of Penn State players involved in off-field incidents in 2007 and early 2008. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct for his role in an a fight at the Penn State student union in October 2007. Teammate Navorro... Bowman pleaded guilty to the same charge and went on to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors as a linebacker last fall, but Taylor and fellow defensive linemen Chris Baker were kicked off the team in July.  Taylor didn't want to discuss Penn State too much, but he did say he was treated unfairly "because there were a lot of others in the same situation for similar things there." There was also this tidbit: "He is already struck by the difference in the leadership styles of Baylor coach Art Briles and [Joe] Paterno. 'I've been around a lot of teams, but here, it's more loose,' Taylor said. 'The coach lets us have fun. We still work very hard and do the things that we are supposed to do. But it's not quite as regimented as it was there -- do this, don't do that.' The feeling around the program is different, too, Taylor said. 'Here, they treat us more like adults,' he said." That's certainly a dig at Penn State, which has an old-school culture largely because of its old-school coach. But Paterno was in a pretty tough spot last summer after Penn State's reputation had been challenged. Many viewed his dismissals of Taylor and Baker as reactionary moves.  Penn State shifted the focus back to the field by going 11-2 and winning a share of the Big Ten title. Plus, player conduct has improved significantly during the last six months.more>>

Normally, these types of highlight reel posts are saved for the LeBrons and Howards of the world, but sometimes you run across something that’s just so cool, you can’t help but sharing. Yes, the dunk in the lead video is a nice one with plenty of authority, but for me, the reason it’s so [...]A post from the Intentional Foul Sports Blog, sponsored by Ticket Solutions. Can Your Pops Dunk Like This?

There is nothing quite like the first day of spring practice to shake the fan cobwebs. Fitz, like most coaches, claims there is a long way to go, while fans, like us, tend to get overly optimistic. I've got to give credit to the NU Media Services department for their coverage of day one. Video interviews with Fitz, Kafka, Smith and Brewer along with daily notes make it easy for us to get up to speed. The most disconcerting part of spring ball is the amount of key players that are not... participating. Eleven players are sidelined for the month including two new additions - Jeremy Ebert (hip) and David Arnold (knee). Obviously the health of Corey Wootton and Vince Browne are two of the major question marks that will have most of us anxious until we see them back on the field in September. Click here to get the lowdown on day one. More Otto Graham coming at you later today....more>>

Last night, I went to Madison Square Garden for the first time since I caught the circus there at age four, and one thing was immediately clear—Ranger fans love Sean Avery. The crowd was...

Detroit has dumped their $14 million DH with 499 career home runs. Oh, don't worry ... he gets to keep the money! [MLB; But The Game Is On]

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald announced after the team's first spring practice Monday that two more players, wide receiver Jeremy Ebert and safety David Arnold, will miss spring drills with hip and knee injuries, respectively. Although wide receiver is in the spotlight this spring because Northwestern loses three multiyear starters, Ebert already proved himself last fall as the team's lone true freshman to log significant playing time. He had 15... receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns in 2008, and should enter preseason camp as a projected starter. Arnold could be the bigger loss, only because injuries have dogged him throughout his career. Northwestern wanted to play Arnold as a true freshman in 2007, but injuries limited him to reserve duty in 10 games last season. The Wildcats are solid at safety in 2009 but need to develop players behind seniors Brad Phillips and Brendan Smith.more>>