…………..(Super Bowl)……………………

New England-Atlanta…Sunday-3:30pm….Patriots making 9th Appearance…Falcons 2nd time in 51-years of franchise….Bill Belicheck (25-10) in post season career….Tom Brady (24-9) in post seson….Brady (4-2) in Super Bowl games…Belicheck-Brady 24-post season wins together…in 7th Super Bowl together….Belicheck is (4-0) vs Falcons in career…Matt Ryan is (3-4) in career in postseason.

Patriots…Come in with 9-wins in a row
..Brady (3,554Y) passing (35-TD-2 Intc) this year
..Julian Edleman (98R)…James White (60R)
..Patriots RBs (84R)…RBs (1,610Y) rushing.
..New England (386Y) per game in regular season on offense
..New England (404Y) per game in playoffs on offense
..New England (326Y) per game in regular season on defense
..New England (326Y) per game also in post season on defense
..New England-Defense 37-sacks..17-picks..16-fumbles recovered
..New England-Ranked #8 on defense…#1-scoring defense (15Pt) game

Falcons…Come in with 6-wins in a row
..Ryan (4,944Y) passing (45-TD-8 Intc) this season
..Julio Jones (83R-1,409Y-16YPC)
..Devonta Freeman-Tevin Coleman (2,482APY)..85-receptions
..Atlanta (415Y) per game in regular season on offense
..Atlanta (457Y) per game postseason on offense
..Atlanta (371Y) per game defense-regular season
..Atlanta (338Y) per game defense in playoffs
..Atlanta-Defense 39-sacks..15 picks..17 fumbles recovered
..Atlanta-Ranked #24-on defenseDefense
..Atlanta-during 6G win streak-has 13-takeaways..offense (39Pts) game

(Keys to Game)

Patriots expected to jam Falcons WRs-disrupt patterns-force Ryan to hold the ball-take away chunk plays…Big matchup will be CB-Malcom Butler-vs-Julio Jones….Can they cover Taylor Gabriel-Mo Sanu in single coverage if they double Jones… Will they stop RBs from making big plays run and pass…Can you defend tight ends if you take other things away.

Falcons defense will be challenged deep…Must stop yards after catch….defend sideline to side line…Can you defend tight ends in the game?….Can Atlanta quick pass rush get Brady off his spot…

(Final Score)…Patriots 31-24…Belicheck too many defensive schemes for Ryan to deal with…Will be turnovers…Will be penalties.

(Hall of Fame)

Voters…to announce selections on Saturday night…Legendary Chargers RB-LaDainian Tomlinson lock to get in first year….other lead candidates…Kurt Warner-Rams QB….Terrell Owens-49ers-Eagles WR…Issac Bruce-Rams WR….John Lynch-Tampa-Denver-S….Joe Jacoby-Redskins OL…..former Chargers-Cardinals coach Don Coryell….Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue….Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

(NFL)

Arizona..WR-Larry Fitzgerald says he will play for Cardinals in 2017.
Baltimore..Retired WR-Steve Smith to work for NFL Network

Colts..P-Pat McAfee retires-walking away from (2.7M) salary
Chiefs..S-Eric Berry says he will not play under franchise tag contract 2017

Giants..Disgraced K-Josh Brown say he has rehabbed with anger management after 3-years domestic abuse incidents.

NFL Union….President Eric Winston says there must be a ‘massive culture shift’ from NFL on how to evaluate concussions and player injuries in game.

Jets…Louisiana man Ron Gasser-indicted 2nd degree murder in killing of ex NFL-RB-Joe McKnight.

(Coaching)

Bills..Hire Phil McGeoghan-WR coach-East Carolina..Matt Smiley-Special teams-ex Jaguars..Bill Teerlink-Def Line-ex-Colts

Carolina..Hire Lance Taylor-WR coach-ex Stanford.

Bears..Interview Tim Lewis-ex-Giants-Steelers for DB coach job

Rams..Hire Eric Yarber-WR coach-ex UCLA coach

(College)

Holiday Bowl…In depth audit by UT shows San Diego Bowl Association lost (1.6M) last year…drained 37% of its assets…led to cancellation of Poinsettia Bowl…Former Exec Director Bruce Binkowski earned (447,462) in final year…Assistant Mark Neville earned (292,232)….12-employees of bowl earned (1.3M) in salaries-benefits.

Art Briles… Judge throws slander lawsuit against Board of Trustees out of court.

Wisconsin..Hire Jim Leohnard as Def Coord…former NFL-safety.

………..(Baseball)………………..

Dodgers…Open talks with FA-P-Sergio Romo-ex Giants

Indians..Sign FA-P-Boone Logan-ex Rockies
Twins..Sign FA-P-Matt Belisle-ex Rockies.
Philies..Sign FA-Of-Chris Coghlan-ex Cubs
Reds..Sign FA-OF-Desmond Jennings-ex-Tampa Bay

Cardinals..Sign P-Carlos Martinez to (5Y-51M)

Bob Addis…longtime 1B-Washington Senators-Chicago Cubs in 1950s…passed away (91Y).

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………………(Basketball)………………….

Lakers-L-Washington (116-108)…John Wall-Brad Beal (56P)….Lakers fall to (17-35).

Golden State-W-Clippers…Warriors shoot 53%….Clippers don’t find much scoring help for Blake Griffin-that an turnovers…Golden State builds 20P lead….go to (43-7) on season.

USD-L-Loyola Marymont (72-53)…Lions hold G-Olin Carter-Tim Johnson (1-10) shooting..LMU shoots 53%..Toreros drop (11-13)

Gonazaga-W-BYU…Bulldogs jump out to 16P lead in lst half in Promov in blowout win…Zags now (23-0).

Aztecs-at-Fresno State…Saturday afternoon…SDSU won 4-of-6
USD-vs-St. Mary’s…Gaels 2nd best team in WCC…(20-2).

Lakers…Jeannie Buss hires back Magic Johnson as a consultant….GM-Mitch Kupchack and VP-Ops Jim Buss-both jobs in jeopardy.

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………………….(Hockey)…………………

SD Gulls-at-Ontario….Gulls are (10-1-1) in last 12 games-back in playoff race.
Gulls..G-Jhonas Enroth (6-0) 1.17-GAA since early January

Ducks-at-Florida…Anahiem in 3-way battle with San Jose-Edmonton for first place in Pacific Division.

NHL…President Gary Bettman-Union Chiefs meet with IOC President Thomas Bach about 2018-Winter Games in South Korea…NHL refusing to stop season for 2-weeks…feuding with IOC over refusal to pay player’s expenses and insurance

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…………(General)…………………

Phoenix Open…Matt Kuchar (-7 under-64)…5-birdies and eagle…..Hideki Matsuyana (65)..Byeon An (66)…Steve Stricker-Ricky Fowler (67)….Phil Mickelson (68)….Justin Thomas (69)

Dubai Classic…Sergio Garcia (-7 under-65)….Tiger Woods horrible day off the tee and with putter…(5-over-77)….had problems getting back loose in early holes.

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