The New York Post had the details of the wager. If the New York Giants win, a family from New York will receive the following:

• Four tickets on JetBlue to Boston

• Two-night stay at the Ritz Carlton

• Dinner for four at Legal Seafoods Harborside

• Dinner for four at the Top of the Hub restaurant

• Four tickets to a performance at the Citi Performing Arts Center

• Four box seats at a Bruins or Celtics game at the TD Garden

• Behind-the-scenes-tour of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

• Duck Tour ride

• VIP tour of the personal diaries of John Adams, which inspired the HBO series, at the Boston Public Library

• VIP tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain

• Photo with Menino 

If New England wins (perhaps by “Varitek splitting the uprights”), a Boston family’s tour of New York will feature:

• Four tickets on the Delta Shuttle to New York

• A two-night stay at the Grand Hyatt

• Dinner for four at the newly reopened Russian Tea Room

• Lunch or dinner for four at B. Smith’s restaurant

• Four club seats at a Rangers or Knicks game

• Four tickets to the “Phantom of the Opera”

• Ride with the captain on Statue Cruises to Liberty and Ellis Islands, with a VIP tour of the Statue of Liberty crown and museum, including lunch

• VIP tour of the new wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

• VIP tour of the Brooklyn Brewery

• Photo with Bloomberg

Families will be chosen by special lottery.

It’s a solid lineup, though New York couldn’t hook up Bostonians with tickets to “Book of Mormon”? And I don’t know of anyone who would consider going to a Knicks game as a reward.

Other Super Bowl bets in recent years have featured Philly cheesesteaks and New York cheesecake and Green Bay cheese wedges. In addition to cheese-related wagers, mayors and governors have also agreed to wear the jerseys of opposing teams, hang team flags from city hall and shovel sidewalks.

The governors of New York and Massachusetts have yet to decide on their wager. Government gridlock, am I right?

By Chris Chase | Shutdown Corner

That beats sitting around his mother’s house a few years ago, too embarrassed to go out and risk having to explain why you’re there.

 

Just how big is Cruz these days in the Latin community? On Tuesday, triple-platinum pop recording artist Ciara was in town for Super Bowl XLVI Media Day to show her appreciation, donning a No. 80 Cruz jersey.

In some respects, the story already is too hard to fathom. Cruz was an undrafted free agent out of the University of Massachusetts in 2010. He not only came close to getting cut on a couple of occasions by the Giants, he almost didn’t survive at UMass. By his own admission, he was twice kicked out of school for academic problems.

If you spend five minutes talking to Cruz, you know that’s not because he lacks intellectual ability. He was, by his own account, young, irresponsible and looking for a little fun.

“Everybody says that when you go off to college, it’s your chance to have a good time,” said Cruz, whose girlfriend Elaina gave birth to the couple’s daughter, Kennedy, last month. “At the same time, you have to take care of your work. I didn’t get that. I expected a lot of things to be given to me and just taken care of when I got to college and that wasn’t going to happen.”

Rather, things were taken away. The chance to play was the first thing. Worse, his father committed suicide in 2007. His grandfather also died that year while Cruz was back at home in Paterson, N.J., trying to get his grades together at Passaic Community College.

“It wasn’t one thing that made me realize that I had to get this straightened out, it was a multitude of things,” Cruz said. “So many things were happening at once, and I just realized I didn’t want to be a statistic, another guy from an inner-city who didn’t make it. I wanted to realize my dreams. To do that, I had to apply myself.”

The result has been a 180-degree turn in his life that has him standing on the edge of stardom in two cultures.

This week, Cruz has been the darling of the Latin media contingent that annually covers the Super Bowl. During Media Day, the contingent eventually convinced Cruz to do his salsa dance, bringing out a boom box with salsa music and a disco ball hanging at the end of a stick.

For all the great football players of Hispanic heritage (from Jim Plunkett to Anthony Munoz to Tony Gonzalez), Cruz may be the most embraceable. Each day this week (and much of the season), Cruz, whose mother is Puerto Rican, answered numerous questions in Spanish. While not perfectly fluent – there are the occasional English phrases and rough translations that pop into his answers – Cruz is clearly good enough to go on the Latin talk show circuit.

Moreover, it’s clear that Cruz takes great pride in his heritage. His grandmother taught him to salsa. This week when a reporter suggested that someone else was trying to take credit for teaching Cruz to salsa, Cruz got annoyed.

“Anybody who knows my story knows my grandmother taught me the dance,” he said, showing a glimpse of his intense family pride.

At the same time, fans and teammates take the dance with a certain good humor.

“I think that’s going to become the new Macarena,” defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. 

With Latin reporters, Cruz talked about all the Latin music he listens to, including Reggaeton (a Latin form of hip-hop music).

By contrast, Gonzalez admitted this week that he’s “not yet” fluent in Spanish. Likewise, New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who pays homage to his Mexican roots, is also very rough with the language.

More important, Cruz is emerging as a star player (82 catches for 1,536 yards, nine touchdowns and a host of highlight plays) on one of the league’s most high-profile teams. Throw in his combination of engaging energy, good looks and story about overcoming adversity and the script couldn’t read any better.

“The Latin culture would go crazy for him because he’s so immersed in the culture. It’s really part of him,” Vinas said. “He does the dance, he listens to the music, he speaks the language. He’s really into it. It’s really part of him, not just something that was in his past. The story he has is one that so many Latin people identify with.

“With athletes, we’ve been looking for that football player who could really crossover. Obviously we have all sorts of baseball players, and that’s the first love in Latin culture. But football is big and it’s growing. You have a guy with a chance to be the star of that sport with these fans.”

And for a guy who is making $490,000 in base salary this season (making him one of the most underpaid players in this game), that chance is one he can’t ignore.

“Right now, I’m focused on football and taking care of that first,” said Cruz, who turned down a chance to go on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars.” “My family does a really good job of helping me focus and decide on things I’m ready for.”

But …

“I see what could happen for me and I’m going to capitalize on it when the time is right. Like I said, I have that pride in my culture and I want to show people that.”

The former Denver forward, who reached a buyout agreement with the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers on Dec. 21 and was cleared by FIBA to return to the NBA two weeks ahead of schedule earlier this week, will make $2.5 million.

Martin, 34, also considered the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.

Martin will come off the bench for the Clippers, but provide important depth at power forward behind Blake Griffin. At this point in his career he is seen primarily as a defender, but he is expected to play significant minutes for the Clippers, who were previously relying on Reggie Evans and Solomon Jones to back up Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

That depth is key for a team heading into its toughest stretch of the season — a six-game road trip at the beginning of February and and another six-game trip at the beginning of March. The Clippers, who lead the Pacific Division at 13-7, are scheduled to play 20 games in 30 days in March.

Signing Martin is something of a coup for the Clippers, who rarely have been seen as a destination for veterans looking to sign with a contender. But that’s the impact point guards Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups have had on the organization this season.

Billups, who was Martin’s teammate in Denver, played a lead role in recruiting him.

Martin met with the Clippers in early January and was told to watch their games and see if he thinks he would fit in, according to a team source.

The Clippers were only able to offer Martin their mini-mid-level exception or $2.5 million. Miami and the Lakers could have offered him only a minimum contract, while Atlanta and San Antonio could have offered more. 

Ramona Shelburne is a columnist and writer for ESPNLosAngeles.com

Follow Ramona Shelburne on Twitter: @ramonashelburne

Appearing Thursday night on “Costas Live” on NBC Sports Network, Goodell said the league “doesn’t want to move any of our teams.”

“We probably don’t want to go to 33″ teams by adding just one new club if a suitable stadium is built in the Los Angeles area, Goodell said. Instead, the league would consider adding two. An odd number of teams would pose scheduling problems, including at least one club being off each week, and would create one division with five teams.

On Friday, speaking during his annual pre-Super Bowl news conference, Goodell said the NFL has not considered expansion nor did it have immediate plans to.

“We would like to be back in Los Angeles if we can do it correctly,” Goodell said. 

There has been speculation an LA stadium could house two NFL franchises, although Goodell did not address that with host Bob Costas on Thursday.

Goodell says there are several issues that must be solved in LA, particularly which of two current stadium proposals is best. He didn’t suggest any timetable for returning to Southern California.

Goodell talked about head injuries and said the NFL was helping other sports and the military through its research into concussions.

“We’re in a leadership position in sports. People look up to the National Football League,” he said Thursday. “We do have a game that’s rough. There are inherent risks playing it. But the second-highest incident of concussions is girls’ soccer. So what we’re learning about concussions in football is helping other sports. Not just every level of football, but every other sport.

“Now the NFL is sharing our research with the Defense Department to help treat our military personnel in the field.”

Earlier in the program, Patriots owner Robert Kraft and several current and former players were asked about lawsuits against the league by ex-players who claim they weren’t warned about or protected enough against brain trauma during their careers.

The Associated Press published a story Thursday based on interviews with a dozen former players who have filed suits against the league. What emerged was, at best, a depiction of a culture of indifference on the part of the league and its teams toward concussions and other injuries. At worst, there was a strong sense of a willful disregard for players’ well-being.

“We have to protect our players,” Kraft said. “The league is very strong in this area and I hope we are prolonging careers” with the NFL’s concussion research.”

Added Colts center Jeff Saturday, a member of the players’ union executive board: “The reality is we don’t know what kind of damage it is doing long term. It’s the biggest problem we face in the NFL now.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

“Miguel Cotto is a world class fighter who can never be taken for granted and continues to prove he is one of the best in boxing,” said Mayweather, whose long-discussed match with Manny Pacquiao has been put off yet again. “It will be a challenge for me to compete with him at this weight, but this is the type of test I thrive on and gives me the motivation to train even harder. I have no doubt in my mind that my title belt collection will increase once again and Cotto’s reign as champion will come to an end on May 5.” 

“I’m fighting Miguel Cotto on May 5th because Miss Pac Man is ducking me.” – Floyd Mayweather Jr., in a tweet after his hearing

 Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) has had one previous fight in the 154-pound division, which was when he outpointed Oscar De La Hoya to win a belt in May 2007.

The selection of Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs) as the opponent for the fight, which will be on pay-per-view (although the network that will handle the event was not announced), does not come as a big surprise. He was one of the leading names to get the fight along with fellow titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Besides Mayweather and Pacquiao, Cotto is the next biggest pay-per-view attraction in boxing.

“I am here to fight the biggest names in boxing,” said Puerto Rico’s Cotto, a three-division titleholder. “I’ve never ducked anyone or any challenge in front of me. I have accepted everything to give the fans what they like — great and exciting fights. That is what the sport of boxing is all about, making the fights that the fans want and deserve to see. On May 5, stay tuned, because I will convincingly beat Floyd Mayweather.”

Mayweather tweeted after the announcement, “I’m fighting Miguel Cotto on May 5th because Miss Pac Man is ducking me.”

Both fighters have agreed to random blood and urine testing for the fight, which Mayweather has demanded of his recent opponents.

“What we have here are two champions of amazing caliber set to meet in the ring on May 5 and give boxing and sports fan one of the most compelling matchups in the sport’s history,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who will be working with Mayweather on his sixth consecutive fight even though they do not have a long-term agreement. “Floyd Mayweather has already achieved worldwide recognition as one of the best fighters ever and Miguel Cotto is one of the greatest fighters of this era.

“I commend both fighters for agreeing to fight each other on one of the biggest weekends for boxing (Cinco De Mayo, even though neither is Mexican) and also commend them for agreeing to participate in Olympic-style drug testing, a precedent set by Floyd, which continues to uphold the integrity of the sport.”

Said Leonard Ellerbe, one of Mayweather’s advisers, “Floyd always asks us to find the best available competition for him to fight and we have found that in Miguel Cotto. This is a very risky fight for Floyd as Miguel is a solid 154-pound champion who has already proven to have great boxing abilities and to be a very competent and strong puncher. This is a big test for Floyd, but as always I believe, he is the superior fighter with unmatched skills. This will make the difference and lead to another Mayweather victory the night of May 5.”

“That is what the sport of boxing is all about, making the fights that the fans want and deserve to see. On May 5, stay tuned, because I will convincingly beat Floyd Mayweather.” – Miguel Cotto

Cotto, 31, who will be making the third defense of his title, will be in a fight without Top Rank as his promoter for the first time in his career. His contract with Bob Arum’s company expired following his Dec. 3 revenge, 10th-round knockout victory against Antonio Margarito and he will be working with Golden Boy Promotions, Top Rank’s archrival, on the fight with Mayweather.

When Mayweather, who turns 35 on Feb. 24, and Cotto were both promoted by Top Rank several years ago their eventual meeting was often discussed but never came about. Now it has with another company.

Top Rank president Todd duBoef, the person at Top Rank closest to Cotto, wished him well.

“Miguel Cotto is at a point in his career where he has outlined certain parameters — that he wants only the biggest fights and this is one,” duBoef said. “We have a great relationship and I think it’s a credit to our relationship with him and where he is in the industry that he is a superstar because of our efforts together and I wish him luck.”

Top Rank would have liked to continue promoting Cotto and had tried to negotiate a rematch between him and Pacquiao, but the fighters could not agree on the weight. Pacquiao wanted Cotto to come down several pounds to meet him at a catch weight between 147 and 154 pounds. DuBoef said he appreciated that Cotto called him directly to tell him about the deal with Mayweather.

“I give him an incredible amount of credit because he reached out to me pesonally and said this was a great opportunity,” duBoef said. “He had to look out for his family and this was the biggest thing out there. So for the next three months he is tied to a fight for a good opportunity. It’s terrific for him. When he’s done with the fight and what we do after that we’ll discuss it.”

Mayweather’s Nevada boxing license normally would have been a rubber stamp, but the commission insisted that he appear in order to question him about the criminal case he recently made a plea deal in.

Mayweather faces an 87-day jail sentence at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas after a plea deal on domestic violence charges related to a September 2010 incident with his ex-girlfriend, Josie Harris, who is also the mother of three of his children.

It is unprecedented for the commission to grant a license to a fighter with a jail sentence pending.

Mayweather, who reclaimed one of his old welterweight titles by knocking out Victor Ortiz in the fourth round at the MGM Grand on Sept. 17, was supposed to begin his sentence on Jan. 6, but the judge in the case, Justice of the Peace Judge Melissa Saragosa, deferred his report date to June 1 after his attorney, Richard Wright, successfully argued that he should be allowed to fight on May 5 in order to honor an existing deal with the MGM Grand and because a Mayweather fight would inject $100 million into the ailing Las Vegas economy.

Mayweather, who faced intense questioning from the commission about his legal situation, reiterated that he was not guilty of striking Harris and that the reason for his plea deal was to keep his children, two of whom were present during the incident, from having to testify. Mayweather said that he restrained Harris, whom he said was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time.

“I feel I’m automatically guilty without getting a chance,” Mayweather told the panel. “I could have fought the case. I chose to take a plea bargain.”

He told the commission that he had been going to his weekly court-ordered counseling sessions and actively participating in the community service he was ordered to perform.

“If I could go back to the time when that happened, would I do something different? Absolutely,” Mayweather told the commission.

“The only reason we are considering this today is because we respect the judicial system and the court granted you a deferral of your (report to jail) date, chairman Raymond “Skip” Avansino said. “We wanted to be certain that you are committing to the commission you will serve that time beginning on June 1.”

At one point during the hearing commissioner Pat Lundvall asked Mayweather if he had an opponent contracted for the May 5 fight, at which point Mayweather announced that it was Cotto.

The commissioners approved the one-fight license as long as Mayweather continues to perform all of his court-ordered requirements, does not get into further trouble and does not fight his June 1 report date. If he does, the commission said it would impact his ability to be licensed in Nevada in the future.

Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter.

TJ Ford embodies the meaning of the word perseverance.

Life as an NBA superstar paints the attractive picture of a dream come true, but for some it is a far cry from being a Cinderella Story. San Antonio Spurs guard TJ Ford has experienced the unpleasant aspects of being an NBA player that many people disregard. TJ Ford is remembered as the first basketball player to put University of Texas basketball back on the map, by leading them to the Sweet Sixteen, and then their first Final Four since 1947. He was the first big athlete to actually decide to stay in Texas to play basketball. Doing so changed the UT basketball program forever, however his accomplishments didn’t come without hardships along the way.

Setbacks have never stopped him. Even after being diagnosed with spinal stenosis he continued to pursue his lifelong dream of playing professional basketball. He began his journey at the University of Texas, and credits attending the university as one of the best decisions he has ever made. After excelling as a freshman and sophomore, Ford decided to turn pro and left UT after his sophomore year. I asked Ford his advice for an athlete looking to leave college early to go pro; he said, “look at the pros and cons before you make a rash decision of whether you’re going to leave or stay. Kids should use as many resources as possible, and get the correct information. You see many kids who get to college and decide to come out when they should return to school. You’re always going to have cases like that, but I think there’s a lot of good kids that go second round or undrafted, if they stay another year or two they’d definitely be a first round pick.”

Ford was drafted to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2003 and has never looked back. He described his overall experience in the pros, stating “its been good. I was able to live my dreams, experience some things that I never imagine experiencing as far as traveling around the world, and I’ve always wanted to play against the best athletes. It’s definitely a blessing… a dream come true.”

Although the NBA paints an alluring picture, the players’ health is major concern that can determine their career.

On February 24, 2004, after playing in 55 games his rookie season, Ford was fouled by Mark Madsen during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This foul however, didn’t result in shooting free throws for extra points, instead it resulted in a contusion of the spinal cord after he fell on his tailbone. Ford underwent spinal fusion surgery and was unable to return to the court until nearly two years later.

He recalled his recovery period, stating “it was tough; not being able to do what I love to do, play basketball. I had to deal with that adversity in my life by really depending and leaning on my family. I had to lean on everyone to help me get through that stage because it was a stressful time not knowing if I’d ever be able to play again. It was very difficult not knowing; it was a time id never forget. Finding certain things for motivation to get back on through the training was definitely intense.”

Ford got it accomplished. He completed rehab and was able to return to play the game he loves, but how? How could he go back to a place that comes with a risk that could potentially be higher than the reward? “Strong mentality and faith. Having a supportive family and feeling like this is what I was born to do; how you deal with it and handle it when it gets to you is how I looked at it. That was my approach. I just couldn’t sit back and let this control my life. I had to go forward and push myself to go back.”

That is exactly what he did. He made his return on opening night of the 2005 season and recorded 16 points, 14 assists, and 9 rebounds, showing the world that nothing had changed. Before the 2006 season, Ford was traded to the Raptors, and where he sustained another frightening injury after being hit by Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford and falling to the hardwood floor on December 11, 2007. This type of hit is more damaging because of his spinal stenosis, which by definition is a narrowing of the vertebrae. After leaving the arena on a stretcher, he was hospitalized, and sidelined until February of 2008. He then was traded to the Pacers, where he was hardly able to showcase his talent.

Eager to enter his 8th season, Ford was halted like every other player due to the NBA lockout. To him there were the pros of being able to spend more time with his wife and kids, but the con of not knowing when it would end. He then decided to venture overseas “to get the experience,” as he signed to play for KK Zagreb until the lockout was over.

Croatia was just one stop for Ford on his journey to the ultimate goal. He signed with the San Antonio Spurs soon after leaving Croatia, and is elated to be back in Texas. He admits “I’m excited, playing in my home state. I never anticipated that I would actually come home this soon and actually be in San Antonio which is in between Houston and Austin where I have a lot of ties to.”

He is eager to work with Spurs coach Greg Popovich, and expressed (Popovich) is “a fun coach to play for. He’s demanding, and he knows how to get the best out of his players.” He continued to say Popovich’s “coaching style, the level of respect that the players have for him, and the respect he gives the players,” is what separates him from other coaches.

More importantly to Ford is being apart of a championship caliber team. “I love to play the game” he said, “so the opportunity for me coming to a good situation with a winning team that has won championships and has a championship environment gives me the opportunity to compete for the ultimate goal and that is to win a championship.” As far as teaming up with Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, Ford told me, “Playing with these guys is unbelievable. Playing with future Hall of Famer’s and just seeing how these guys have chemistry and how they understand playing with each other has definitely been a blessing and a good experience being around these guys.” Ford followed up, saying “ill continue to bring leadership, play hard, and be aggressive while we’re out there; just try to create and get guys open looks because we have a lot of shooters.”

After all is said and done, he still has a bright smile, and has no regrets. When asked if there was anything he learned the hard way that he wanted to share, he responded: “Be professional, be on time, and be respectful to others; learn how to communicate. At this level you have to learn how to communicate, you cant take things personal at this level. Being a professional you have to take the good and the bad and understand that it’s a business and some decisions are business decisions, it’s not personal, so you have to be able to distinguish what’s business and what’s personal.”

TJ Ford is back where he wants to be, and it didn’t come easy. He broke the mold and set a trend that other Texas athletes can follow by staying in Texas to play basketball, even though the University was more of a football university. Being the first basketball player at the University of Texas to have his jersey retired is only one accomplishment that he is able to share with his children. He is ready to win an NBA championship, and has enough heart to never back down from any challenge.

- “The ultimate goal is to just be remembered for the rest of my life, whether I’m on this earth or not, and continue to do positive things in the community, do the right thing on and off the court, and hopefully the vision I have for myself turns out exactly how I hope its planned at the end of the day.”

By Shardanna Jones @shaygotit

NEW ORLEANS — Many voters for The Associated Press Top 25 said they are not absolutely committed to selecting the winner of the Allstate BCS Championship Game as No. 1, opening the possibility that college football’s top tier could have a split champion for the first time since LSU and USC in 2003.

A big part of the reason is that Monday’s game between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama will be the first BCS championship featuring a rematch of a regular-season meeting. That Nov. 5 game ended with a 9-6 overtime victory for the Tigers on the Crimson Tide’s home field.

The winner in New Orleans gets the Bowl Championship Series’ crystal ball trophy and will be No. 1 in the final USA Today coaches’ poll, which is contractually bound to have the winner of the BCS in the top spot of its rankings.

“Unless Alabama absolutely dominates LSU and leaves no doubt that it is a superior football team, I will be voting for LSU. I am voting for the No. 1 team in the country for the 2011 season, not the result of one game. … you have to consider the scope of the entire season, not the timing of one loss.

” – AP voter Joe Giglio,
The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C. 

But the media members who vote in The Associated Press’ college football rankings are under no such obligations. And for many of them, the choice is not so clear — especially if the two teams stage another defensive struggle and Alabama wins narrowly.

“Awarding a championship to a team that loses its final game is beyond counterintuitive and may be un-American,” said David Teel of the Daily Press in Hampton Roads, Va. “But if LSU loses narrowly, I will absolutely consider (voting the Tigers No. 1). That’s how good the Tigers’ regular season — five wins over the Top 25, four away from Death Valley, including at Alabama — was.”

The AP asked voters who cast ballots for its Top 25 a few questions before the BCS game:

• Do you expect to vote the winner of the Alabama-LSU game No. 1?

• Would you consider voting LSU No. 1 even if it lost?

• Would you consider voting another team — i.e., Oklahoma State or Stanford — No. 1?

Forty-four of the 60 voters responded, and the bottom line is that there still is some wiggle room.

The most common answer was some version of what Ray Ratto of CSN Bay Area wrote in an email: “Anything is a possibility among the top three. And should be. Otherwise, why would we bother?”

Some were more adamant about where they stood.

Eleven voters said the winner of the BCS Championship Game will no doubt be their No. 1.

“If Alabama wins, I’m voting the Tide (No.) 1,” wrote Garland Gillen of WWL-TV in New Orleans. “Championships are won in January not November.”

Three voters, however, said that in a system that stresses the importance of the regular season and without a playoff to decide who’s No. 1 at the end, LSU already has earned their votes.

“I will vote for LSU no matter what happens in the National Championship Game,” wrote Erik Gee of KNML-AM in Albuquerque, N.M. “How in the world can they be the SEC West champ, the outright SEC champ, and lose to Alabama in a “neutral” site game (I guess you can debate the Superdome being a neutral site) after they have already beaten them in Tuscaloosa, have the series split 1-1 and not at least have a share of the national title?”

Joe Giglio of The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., agreed.

“Unless Alabama absolutely dominates LSU and leaves no doubt that it is a superior football team, I will be voting for LSU,” he said. “I am voting for the No. 1 team in the country for the 2011 season, not the result of one game. In the case of this rematch presented by the BCS, you have to consider the scope of the entire season, not the timing of one loss.”

Oklahoma State probably helped voters narrow the field. The third-ranked Cowboys’ 41-38 overtime victory against No. 4 Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl was thrilling, but not the convincing performance they needed to swing the electorate their way.In the final regular season AP rankings, LSU was a unanimous No. 1. The Tide received 38 second-place votes, 1,418 points and no votes lower than third. The Cowboys got 22 second-place votes and 1,400 points and two voters had Oklahoma State fourth.

Still, if the Tide beats LSU in less-than-convincing fashion, some voters will be torn between Oklahoma State (12-1) and Alabama (11-1).

“If Alabama and Oklahoma State both win, I’ll have a hard time deciding between the two,” said Kyle Ringo of the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colo. “Guess margin of victory might be the deciding factor. I’d probably lean toward OSU in that case because of its superior overall body of work.”

The uncertainty has bumped up the annual calls for a playoff that would be better at settling these issues on the field. College football officials push back against that, citing a desire to protect the importance of the regular season and to avoid overextending student-athletes on the field and in the classroom.

That said, a four-team playoff, the so-called plus-one model, will at least be considered when BCS officials start looking toward the future of the system.

Meanwhile, the coaches in this year’s BCS title see no ambiguity. It’ll be winner take all Monday night.

“The opportunity to go play for the national championship is a completely different scenario” than a regular-season game, LSU coach Les Miles said after the game was set. “It’s the same opponent. But it will be played with the title at stake.”

Alabama coach Nick Saban dismissed the topic, pointing out several times that when the New York Giants lost to the Patriots during the 2007 season, then beat the New England in the Super Bowl, there was no question who was the champion.

“He’s right,” Doug Lesmerises of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland said. “But guess what the Super Bowl comes and the end of? A PLAYOFF. As long as college football has no playoff, that comparison is apples and oranges.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

The Houston Texans are your AFC South Division Champs. After joining the NFL 10 years ago, the Texans have renewed Houstonians’ thirst from a 10 year playoff drought, and the most obvious factor for the team is the defense.

Houston Texans OLB Connor Barwin shares similar characteristics individually as a member of that number one ranked defense. Last year Barwin went down early with a season ending injury. When asked his state of mind once he was informed that he wouldn’t be able to play he replied “I was shocked for about a week, but then I accepted it and turned my focus to my rehab.” Well, Barwin helped turn the game around this past Sunday during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals with a sack that forced a fumble on rookie QB Andy Dalton. Barwin told me, “I felt like all the hard work paid off and I was finally where I was supposed to be.”

Although once he did return, Barwin had to make the change from defensive end to outside linebacker after the Texans hired new Defensive Coordinator, Wade Phillips. “I wouldn’t say it was easy, but certainly a very good switch.” He also added “outside linebacker is a position I hope to play for the rest of my career.” As far as the Texans’ beasty defense goes, Barwin said “I think Coach Wade Phillips deserves a lot of credit along with Johnathan Joseph and the other additions to our defense. The biggest thing is the 3-4 puts guys in position to make plays and that’s our success.”  (Wade Phillips) “Brought a great system and confidence that has rubbed off on all of his players,” Barwin said. He did assert that the team does “hold each other accountable and that’s why we are so good as a unit and team,” and noted that the most important thing that he has learned from Phillips is how to improve his pass rush.

While attending college at the University of Cincinnati, Barwin played tight end before moving to defensive end. He expressed “I miss catching touchdown passes, but OLB is by far my favorite position because it fits my skill sets the best.” Barwin definitely has the skills, and many quarterbacks that shall remain nameless can attest to this.

While away last season, he did return to UC to work on his History Degree which “was tough going back, but I know I have to get my degree,” but he plans to be in the NFL for a while, so Texans hopefuls can continue to hold the smile that comes with winning because Connor Barwin will be unleashing his inner bull for years to come. (Note to opposing offenses: you have a reason to worry.)

Connor Barwin is the most resilient man in Houston because he quickly bounced back after injuries; leading his team in sacks, earning the AFC Defensive Player of the Month, all the while his hair never missed a beat. Barwin offered, “I don’t wash my hair very much, but when I do I use St. Ives Creamy Coconut Shampoo.”

Written By Shardanna Jones @shaygotit

NEW YORK — NBA owners and players reached a tentative agreement early Saturday to end the 149-day lockout and hope to begin the delayed season on Christmas Day.

Neither side provided many specifics but said the only words players and fans wanted to hear.

After a secret meeting earlier this week, the sides met for more than 15 hours Friday, working to try to save the season. This handshake deal, however, still must be ratified by both owners and players.

Stern said it was “subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations, but we’re optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin Dec. 25.”

Barring a change in scheduling, the 2011-12 season will open with the Boston Celtics at New York Knicks, followed by Miami at Dallas in an NBA Finals rematch before MVP Derrick Rose and Chicago close the tripleheader against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

President Barack Obama gave a thumbs-up when told about the tentative settlement after he finished playing basketball at Fort McNair in Washington on Saturday morning.

The league plans a 66-game season and aims to open training camps Dec. 9. Stern has said it would take about 30 days from an agreement to playing the first game.

“All I feel right now is ‘finally,’ ” Dwyane Wade told The Associated Press.

Multiple league sources confirmed to ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Dave McMenamin that the NBA All-Star Game would be held in Orlando as scheduled, though a date has yet to be finalized.

Just 12 days after talks broke down and Stern declared the NBA could be headed to a “nuclear winter,” he sat next to union executive director Billy Hunter to announce the deal.

“We thought it was in both of our interest to try to reach a resolution and save the game and to be able to provide the kind of superb entertainment the NBA historically has provided,” Hunter said.

 A majority on each side is needed to approve the agreement. The NBA needs votes from 15 of 29 owners. (The league owns the New Orleans Hornets.)

Stern said the labor committee plans to discuss the agreement later Saturday and expects them to endorse it and recommend to the full board.

The union needs a simple majority of its 430-plus members. That process is a bit more complicated after the players dissolved the union Nov. 14. Now, they must drop their antitrust lawsuit in Minnesota and re-form the union before voting on the deal.

Because the union disbanded, a new collective bargaining agreement can be completed only once the union has re-formed. Drug testing and other issues still must be negotiated between the league and the players.

“We’re very pleased we’ve come this far,” Stern said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

The players were represented by executive director Billy Hunter, president Derek Fisher, vice president Maurice Evans, attorney Ron Klempner and economist Kevin Murphy.

Owners locked out the players July 1, and the sides spent most of the summer and fall battling over the division of revenues and other changes owners wanted in a new collective bargaining agreement.

They said they lost hundreds of millions of dollars in each year of the former deal, ratified in 2005, and they wanted a system where the big-market teams wouldn’t have the ability to outspend their smaller counterparts.

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Patrick McDermott/Getty ImagesMaurice Evans, Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, David Stern, Adam Silver and Peter Holt announce a tentative labor agreement to end the 149-day lockout.

 Players fought against those changes, not wanting to see any teams taken out of the market when they became free agents.

“This was not an easy agreement for anyone. The owners came in having suffered substantial losses and feeling the system wasn’t working fairly across all teams,” Silver said. “I certainly know the players had strong views about expectations in terms of what they should be getting from the system. It required a lot of compromise from both parties’ part, and I think that’s what we saw today.”

But it was never easy. The day required multiple calls with the owners’ labor relations committee, all the while knowing another breakdown in talks would mean not only the loss of the Christmas schedule, but also throw the entire season in jeopardy.

Stern said that despite some “bumps” Friday evening, “the greater good required us to knock ourselves out and come to this tentative understanding.”

“For us the litigation is something that just has to be dealt with,” Stern said. “It was not the reason for the settlement. The reason for the settlement was we’ve got fans, we’ve got players who would like to play and we’ve got others who are dependent on us.

“And it’s always been our goal to reach a deal that was fair to both sides and get us playing as soon as possible, but that took a little time.”

And led to the second shortened season in NBA history, joining the 1998-99 lockout that reduced the schedule to 50 games. This time the league will miss 16 games off the normal schedule.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.