Sports on HuffingtonPost.com

LIVE: Tiger Woods At Pebble Beach

2012-02-10T19:59:49Z

It was a good start to his 2012 PGA Tour season, with Tiger Woods shooting a 4-under 68 on what is considered to be the toughest of the three courses at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Why Jeremy Lin Is More Than a Cultural Curio

2012-02-10T19:43:07Z

When frighteningly fickle hoops fans are chanting "MVP" after your first career start, then you know you might be something special. When you become the first player since Lebron James to have at least twenty points and eight assists in your first two NBA starts, then you know the sports world will take notice. When you provide an infectious glee to a group of teammates who look at you with naked, near tearful gratitude like you've dragged them from basketball purgatory, then you know you have made an impact.

Red Sox Star Engaged To Tom Brady's Sister

2012-02-10T19:03:57Z

If Red Sox Nation were ever to become some sort of New England sports kingdom then there is little doubt that the Brady brood would be the royal family. This status is only cemented by the latest matrimonial news from Massachusetts. According to the Boston Herald, Boston Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis is engaged to Julie Brady, sister of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

The two had been dating for at least a year, according to the Herald.

This will be Youkilis' second engagement. The Red Sox infielder was married to Enza Sambataro in 2008 (although not legally), the ex-girlfriend of actor Ben Affleck. The couple split up two years later.

Surprisingly, this wouldn't be the first time that high-profile athletes have married into each other's families. Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk is married to the sister of Denver Broncos backup quarterback Brady Quinn, Laura (who's famous for wearing a split jersey of the two when Hawk played for Ohio State and Quinn was at Notre Dame.)

Kris LoPresto: House, Star Wars, Super Bowl and More Top This Week's Like/Dislike List!

2012-02-10T18:41:20Z

Like any of my Dislikes or vis versa? Let me know in the comments along with what made it onto your list or contact me on twitter @krislopresto

Like: Super Bowl XLVI

The first score of the game was a safety! The game ended on a hail mary pass being batted down in the end zone! This game had it all. I still can't believe the Giants are the Super Bowl champions. What a season! It feels like a dream. I've pretty much given up on dating. I just can't imagine sharing my time and figuring out where to have brunch each weekend and other couple-y crap. But it dawned on me this morning that my Sundays are WIDE open now that the NFL is over. I honestly have no idea what to do with myself. Although, I think my cat will freak out if I'm not there on the couch for hours at a time like I was during the season. Sure, she ignores me the entire time but I know she appreciates me being there. I dunno, maybe I'll go see all these Oscar movies I've been putting off seeing. Hugo in 3-D? Warhorse? Ugh, this feels like a chore. Maybe I'll just clean up my apartment and watch Netflix.

Dislike: Star Wars: Phantom Menace in 3-D

Speaking of 3-D movies! This pile of shit is invading movie theaters this week and no amount of Mike Ryan posts can get me excited for it. Somehow George Lucas has taken the Star Wars name and made it the most "meh" franchise since Die Hard. Well done, sir! While some franchises have taken the reboot route and been given a much needed breath of fresh air (Batman, Star Trek, Spiderman) Star Wars went the other way with re-releasing the same movies over and over again with new technology. This is going to sound harsh but this franchise won't be relevant again until after Lucas passes away and someone else can re-imagine these stories differently. Until then, Star Wars is just not interesting.

Dislike: The Bourne Legacy Trailer

I don't really get it. Am I missing something? This character Jeremy Renner is playing is not Jason Bourne yet Bourne is in the title. What is Renner's name in this movie? What's the point of this movie? Why do they talk about Jason Bourne? Is there a cameo by Matt Damon? How does Hollywood not have any original ideas? Renner is pulling a Dwayne Johnson by taking starring roles in already proven franchises. The Rock has inserted himself in the Fast and the Furious franchise, GI Joe and something called The Journey 2. Renner on the other hand is jumping in on the Mission Impossible franchise and now the Bourne series. It would be great to see The Rock and Renner costar in Transformers or some other wildly successful franchise together. I think they would make a great duo actually. They'd be up there with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Hmm, maybe they can all team up to do Bad Boys 3!

Like: The New York Football Giants Ticker Tape Parade and Highlight Video

Yeah, the Giants make it onto the list twice this week. It's not every week or even every year the team you root for wins the freaking Super Bowl!! This is so very awesome. I've had a stupid shit-eating grin on my face all week. Besides the speeches at City Hall and the sea of humanity who came out to cheer the champs, the most memorable (and coolest moment) was when the team made it back to Giants, err, Metlife Stadium and a highlight reel of the season played on the monitors. I wasn't there but I heard it on the radio. Nothing says 'Giants football' like Bob Papa and Carl Banks, by the way. My buddy Brendan forwarded me the video and I dare you not to get pumped after watching it. There were even some angles from games I've never seen before! I'm pumped after watching it over and over but then I'm sad. I realize there will be no football until September 6th. 7 months! At least we know that game will be in New Jersey with the world champs.

Like: House Ending This Season

I used to watch House when I had cable. I miss cable. Or more specifically: I miss my DVR. I had drinks last night with an old friend from back home and we were reminiscing and catching up and I started to get nervous I'd miss my Thursday night shows. I actually told him I was gonna head out; that was at 7:15. He had a surprised look on his face like we were on a date and it was going great and I just blurted out that I wasn't feeling it and I wanted to leave. I ended up having another beer and I'm happy I did. Besides, I told myself I could watch the shows online. I need to get a DVR again. Somehow I've gone backwards and have appointment television again. So yeah, House is ending. I used to love this show but how many times can you watch a show that has the same beats week after week? Patient gets sick, goes to hospital, House makes fun of people, they treat the patient, patient gets worse, everyone is confused and then House figures it out. Fin.

Dislike: Jersey Shore Spin-offs

Let me just say that I used to love Jersey Shore. So very much! My buddy Aysha and I would watch it and enjoy every stupid moment with glee. We couldn't get enough! Part of the reason we watched was because we grew up with people like this (we're from Staten Island) and enjoy seeing them make asses of themselves. However, as the seasons pile up and the same cast keeps coming back year after year, it's just played out. One can only watch the Jersey Shore gang go to Karma so many times. The best thing for this cast would be to go away for a while and then make a big comeback and maybe we will appreciate them. But no! They are never going away. EVER! Pauly D gets a spin-off and so do Snooki and J-Woww. Sigh, this used to be a wonderful guilty pleasure, but no more. Maybe I'm better off without cable after all.

Kobe On 'Linsanity': 'What The $%@! Is Going On?'

2012-02-10T18:29:15Z

Since second-year point guard Jeremy Lin cracked the Knicks' rotation three games ago, New York has reeled off three wins and Lin has thrown down one dunk.

Over that span, Lin has racked up 76 points, 25 assists and about approximately 2,562 puns. Thanks to his explosive output, the Harvard grad has gone from being one of the NBA's most unheralded bench warmers to a player that everyone has an opinion on. And, how couldn't you? He's all over Twitter. He's all over SportsCenter. Linsanity is everywhere..

Except for the Los Angeles Lakers' locker room. Speaking to reporters after his team's overtime victory over the Boston Celtics, five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant was asked if he has been following the Lin story.

"No idea, I know who he is, but I don't really know what's going on with that," he said, before laughing when a reporter compared Lin to Bryant when he was 18 years old. "I don't even know what he has done. I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I'll take a look at it tonight though."

Even though he insisted he hadn't been caught up with the Lin headlines, reporters kept asking about the toast of New York. Ben Rohrbach at WEEI's Green Street transcribed Bryant's response:

"I don't even know what the [expletive] is going on. What the [expletive] is going on? Who is this kid? I've heard about him and stuff like that, but what's he been doing? Is he getting like triple doubles or some [expletive]? He's averaging 28 and eight? No [expletive]. If he's playing well, I'll just have to deal with him."

It's always a spectacle when any other superstar plays at the Garden, but on Friday night, Bryant is certainly in store for a different kind of show. Even if Lin doesn't perform like he has in the last three games, Bryant will certainly know the name "Jeremy Lin" once he hears it from the Knicks crowd.

With that said, it's doubtful that Kobe actually cares about anything but getting the win.

College Hoops Player Makes First Career Three Pointer.. At The Buzzer

2012-02-10T18:05:38Z

If Antwan Burrus of Liberty University doesn't shoot another three pointer this season, he'll have bragging right over the NCAA's top long-distance marksmen.

The reason for this? Burrus has attempted just one three-point shot this season, which he made. And it was a big one.

With his team trailing by three points to College of Charleston and only 1.4 seconds remaining in the game, the burly junior forward caught a desperate pass just beyond halfcourt line, took a dribble and let loose just the second three-point attempt of his college career.

Swish. Game over.

Following the make, the team went crazy with celebration, announcer included, and for good reason.

"When he didn't jump to block it, I knew it had a chance," Burrus said. "When it went in, it was kind of unreal."

On the whole, the win probably doesn't have much effect of Liberty's season, which, with the team holding a 10-16 record overall, is pretty much over. But regardless, the school that is Jerry Falwell's pride and joy will take the exciting win none the less.

WATCH VIDEO AT TOP

WATCH: Tim Tebow Receives Invite To Military Ball

2012-02-10T17:30:56Z

Justin Timberlake did it. Mila Kunis did it. Kristin Cavallari did it, too.

But will Tim Tebow accept one fan's invitation to attend a Military Ball with her in April?

Airman Jamie Walden took to YouTube to ask the Denver Broncos quarterback to accompany her to the ball in Louisiana.

"I would be the luckiest and happiest girl if you were to say 'yes' and be my date," Walden says in the video.

The 20-year-old told KSLA that Tebow is a perfect date because he exhibits the same values as the military: integrity, excellence in all we do, and service before self.

And just in case her plea wasn't reason enough for Tebow to say "yes," Walden gathered some of her friends -- and even her Mom -- to help persuade the football superstar to be her date.

"She's everything you want in a woman, just say yes, Tim. Please," a fellow service member urges.

The video was also posted on a Florida Gators sports forum, a nod to the University of Florida, where Tebow gained his notoriety before being drafted into the NFL.

With her social media proposal, Walden joins the ranks of other military service members who've invited celebrities to special events.

Cpl. Kelsey de Santis extended an invitation to Justin Timberlake in 2011. The singer and actor accepted and attended the Marine Corps Ball in Richmond, Va., last November.

Mila Kunis and Kristin Cavallari followed suit after receiving their own invites via YouTube and Twitter shortly after.

Say yes, Tim. Football season's over.

Screening Could Suss Out Susceptibility To Altitude Sickness

2012-02-10T17:28:00Z

By Ferris Jabr
(Click here for the original article)

On his 27th birthday, David Hillebrandt and his wife Sally began to climb Mount Kenya, the second-highest mountain in Africa after Kilimanjaro. Instead of gearing up and heading straight for the mountain's tallest peakâwhich reaches 5,199 metersâthe couple started their journey more leisurely, trekking through scenic ridges and valleys around the mountain at an altitude of about 3,000 meters.

David, who today serves as a medical advisor to the British Mountaineering Council, already had considerable climbing experience at the time: he had scaled a 5,790-meter peak in Pakistan and 3,960-meter peaks in the European Alps. Sally, in contrast, had never done any serious climbing and did not consider herself a mountaineer.

But Sally wasn't the one who needed to stop and turn around.

"I am meant to be this tough, rugged mountaineer," David says, "and I celebrated my birthday by throwing up all over the place." Plagued by a throbbing headache and relentless nausea, David retreated to lower ground. He knew from previous climbs that he was prone to altitude sickness, but he thought circling the mountain at 3,000 meters would be a good way to acclimatize. This time it didn't do the trick. Even though she was a far less experienced climber, Sally adjusted to the altitude much faster.

It wasn't experience that made the differenceâit was genetics. Scientists have known for awhile that some people are inherently more susceptible to altitude sickness than othersâand that this susceptibility is heritableâbut only now are they on the trail of the culprit genes. Preliminary studies suggest that a group of six genes predicts who will get altitude sickness with greater than 90 percent accuracy. Such a precise genetic test would greatly benefit the military, which currently has no way of predicting which soldiers will fall ill when flown to high altitudes and would rather not waste money on expensive acclimatization drugs. In a parallel research effort, scientists have been searching for the genes that determine which cows develop altitude sickness, also known as brisket disease, when they graze in the Rocky Mountains. Because tens of thousands of cows die in the western U.S. from brisket disease annually, ranchers would like nothing more than to strip the responsible genes from the breeding population.

Written in blood
The pursuit of a genetic test for altitude sickness began in earnest a few years ago in Robert Roach's laboratory at the University of Colorado. In 2010, 28 people in Roach's lab ascended to an altitude of 4,875 meters without ever leaving the ground. Roach placed his volunteers in a large metal box called a hypobaric chamber and gradually sucked out air with a vacuum pump, reducing atmospheric pressure to mimic a high altitude, low-oxygen environment. Roach purposefully recruited a mixture of people who were susceptible to altitude sickness and people who had never had problems in high climes. As expected, about half of the 28 volunteers felt sick in the chamber, whereas the others felt fine.

Roach took samples of his volunteers' blood, isolated their DNA and programmed a computer to search for genetic differences between the people who got sick and those who didn't mind hanging out in thin air. The program identified six genes that are expressed at unusually high or low levels in people who felt sick; some of the genes are linked to oxygen transport. Looking at the expression levels of those six genes alone was enough to distinguish people who became ill from those who did not with about 95 percent accuracy.

The following year, Roach collaborated with Benjamin Levine of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to try the rudimentary genetic test on a larger group of volunteers. This time, instead of bringing the mountain to his lab, Roach decided to move his lab to the mountain.

In groups of about 15, Roach and Levine took 140 fit men and women from Dallas to Mount Baldy in Breckenridge, Colo., which is around 4,000 meters above sea level. During their weekend mountain getaway, the volunteers in each groupâall of whom had passed the Army Physical Fitness Testâran 3.2 kilometers, did push-ups and sit-ups, and hiked a trail as fast as they could. A few days earlier, everyone in the group had performed the same exercises at sea level. Altitude made all the difference. "We had some serious athletes in our group, a lot of triathlon people," says Tom Tielleman, 24, a former Eagle Scout. "Everyone did worse on the mountain." Some people did worse than others.

Currently, Roach and Levine are analyzing DNA from the Breckenridge study, searching for the same six genes that Roach identified in the hypobaric chamber study as well as looking for new genetic patterns that discriminate between people whose performance decreased slightly on the mountain and those whose performance worsened dramatically. If they find a strong signature, Roach predicts that they will develop a working genetic test for altitude sickness within a year. The Pentagon, which funds some of Roach's research, wants an easy way to identify soldiers who succumb to altitude sickness when fighting in mountainous regions.

In many cases, the symptoms of altitude sickness are mild and dissipate after a few days. But for some people altitude sickness is not just a minor inconvenienceâthe headaches, nausea and vomiting are debilitating, making it difficult to stand up or think clearly, let alone fight a war. Some people cough up blood and retain fluid in their lungs as the pressure inside capillaries increases, forcing out water. The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine estimates that above 3,000 meters between 25 and 35 percent of soldiers yield to altitude sickness; above 4,000 meters, between 80 and 90 percent of soldiers fall ill. Although there are effective drugs like Diamox (acetazolamide) to prevent and treat altitude sickness, buying drugs in mass quantities for an unknown number of soldiers is expensive and wasteful, and some drugs have unwanted side effects such as blurred vision and excess blood acidity. A genetic test would not help treat altitude sickness, but it would help military leaders strategize, giving the soldiers most likely to get sick more time to acclimatize and thereby reducing the number of medical evacuations.

Bloated bovines
Altitude sickness is also the scourge of entirely different population of mountain-dwellers: cows. By the time a rancher spots one lumbering up and down the mountain, its swollen chest sloshing between its front legs, there is not much he can do except move the animal to a lower altitude and hope it lives. Every summer in the U.S. Westâwhen ranchers take cattle to graze on grassy mountain slopesâtens of thousands of cows die because they cannot adapt to the thin, oxygen-poor air. For the past two years, scientists collaborating with a new research facility at New Mexico State University (N.M.S.U.) in Las Cruces have been searching for the genes that determine which cows develop high altitude sickness, aka brisket disease. Once they find the genes, the idea is to breed them out of the bovine population.

From May to November each year, ranchers in many parts of the western U.S. take their cattle into the mountains where there is more rainfall and more nutritious grass than at lower altitudesâlower oxygen levels notwithstanding. In the Rockies, summer pastures range from 1,500 to 3,650 meters; an altitude greater than 1,500 meters is enough to induce brisket disease. In some parts of Montana and Colorado, cattle graze at altitudes upward of 4,000 meters, says Manny Encinias, director of N.M.S.U.'s Top of the Valle research facility in Valles Caldera National Preserve.

Whereas some cows take the swift transition to high altitudes in stride, others swell up and die. Not all breeds are equally susceptible, nor are all individuals from a single breedâjust as human susceptibility to acute mountain sickness varies. Healthy cows respond to low-oxygen environments in a characteristic way: their hearts beat faster to deliver enough oxygenated blood to the body and brain, and blood vessels in the lung constrict to shunt blood to the organ's oxygen-rich areas. Cows that develop brisket disease respond similarly, but their body's compensation is too aggressive for their own good. Blood pressure increases so much that plasma seeps out of the blood vessels into tissues surrounding the heart and lungs, bloating the cows' chests. And blood vessels in the lung constrict so much that the blood backs up into the heart, which eventually gives out. The cows collapse and die from heart failure.

At Top of the Valle, which is nearly 2,600 meters above sea level, researchers are working to pinpoint the exact genes responsible for the physiological differences between a cow that keels over in the mountains and one that remains as lively as Julie Andrews in the Alps.

Ranchers in New Mexico, Texas, Colorado and Utah send their cows to N.M.S.U., where Tim Holt of Colorado State University in Fort Collins slides a catheter through their jugular veins toward their hearts and measures arterial pressureâan indicator of the cow's susceptibility to brisket disease. If tests suggest the cow won't fare well in the mountains, a rancher may avoid a potential loss by selling the cow to a lower-altitude ranch. "It's almost a given that ranchers will lose between 5 and 30 percent of their herd if they send cattle to high countryâthat's of great economic significance," Holt says. N.M.S.U. says the beef industry loses $60 million annually to high altitude disease. Some ranchers have considered giving cattle drugs designed to treat mountain sickness in people, like acetazolamide, but the FDA has not approved the use of such drugs in animals meant for human consumption.

Even if N.M.S.U. tested all of the nearly one million cows grazing in the Rockies for pulmonary hypertensionâhigh blood pressure in the lungsâit wouldn't solve the brisket problem. When ranchers purchase bull semen for artificial inseminationâthe most common breeding practice in the Rockiesâthere is no way to know if the semen contains the undesirable genes responsible for brisket. Furthermore, ranchers risk reintroducing those genes into a population they have already worked to make mountain-friendly through generations of artificial selection. By identifying the responsible genes, scientists give ranchers a way to screen bulls for those genes and eliminate the problem of genetic recontamination.

"If you raise a bull at sea level, you can't figure out his genetic predisposition to high altitude sickness without taking him above 5,000 feet. Our ultimate goal is to take a DNA sample and generate a value: either a concrete 'Yes or No' or a numerical value of genetic merit," explains Jonathan Beever of the University of Illinois at UrbanaâChampaign. Beever receives blood samples from N.M.S.U., the DNA in which he analyzes.

"There's always been theories about which breeds and animals are more susceptible," Encinias says. "Now we are trying to objectively quantify it."

Attention Getter: Clara Hughes On Doping In Sports

2012-02-10T16:59:39Z

Clara Hughes is one of Canada's best-loved and well-respected athletes, so when she talks doping in sports, we tend to listen. Besides being one of only five athletes in the world to have medalled in both the Summer and Winter Olympics (cycling in summer, speed skating in winter), she's also an outspoken proponent on the importance of physical activity, particularly for young women.

This week, she was doing a round of interviews for Bell's very worthy 'Let's Talk' campaign about mental illness, but her media tour also happened to coincide with the results of the doping investigation into Alberto Contador's Tour de France title.

In this appearance on George Strombolopolous' show, Hughes demonstrates just why it is we hold her to such high esteem in this country -- the woman responds to the question of her sports' reputation with humour and honesty, addressing the need for concern without pointing any fingers. And if that wasn't Canadian enough for you, then her 'we've dealt with this, so let's get on with it' attitude will be. Thanks for staying classy, Clara, and keeping us proud of what athletes can achieve.

Sandusky Takes The Stand

2012-02-10T16:56:33Z

By MARK SCOLFORO, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- Former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky's request for greater freedom of movement - and for visits from his young grandchildren - while he awaits trial on child sex-abuse charges was taken under advisement by a judge Friday, but prosecutors countered that Sandusky's home isn't a safe place for children.

Judge John Cleland set a tentative trial date of May 14 for Sandusky and promised to rule quickly on a number of other issues, including dueling requests for changes to his bail restrictions.

Prosecutors want him confined to the inside of his house while on home confinement awaiting trial; the defense asked that he be allowed out occasionally to help with the case.

Defense attorney Joe Amdendola also asked that Sandusky, 68, be permitted to see his grandchildren, a request strenuously opposed by prosecutors.

"This home was not safe for children for 15 years, and it's not safe for children now," said state prosecutor Jonelle Eshbach.

Prosecutors noted that one daughter-in-law strongly objects to increased contact between her children and Sandusky.

Amendola presented the court with letters from Sandusky's children, and notes and drawings from his grandchildren, expressing their desire for increased contact. He also noted a court-appointed guardian for grandchildren who are part of a custody dispute found no reason Sandusky couldn't see them.

Outside the courthouse, Sandusky told reporters he wanted to be able to see his grandchildren - who he said wanted to see him, too - and old friends.

"Our home has been open for 27 years to all kinds of people," Sandusky said.

With his wife, Dottie, at his side, Sandusky said he'd associated with thousands of young people over the years, before prosecutors filed sex abuse charge against him in November.

"Now I can't take my dog on my deck and throw out biscuits to him," he said.

Prosecutors have also requested an out-of-county jury to hear Sandusky's case, given the widespread media attention and close ties many people in Centre County have to Penn State.

Cleland wanted to hear from Sandusky directly about his attorney's opposition to that request. Sandusky was sworn in and briefly took the stand to answer the judge's questions.

Sandusky acknowledged that his position on the jury question means he could not appeal a conviction on grounds the local jury was biased.

"I don't believe that would matter, relative to any place (else) in this state," he testified.

The state attorney general's office has asked for tougher bail rules, arguing that Sandusky should remain inside because neighbors and school staff have complained about his presence near the school.

Sassano testified that children had noticed him from their classroom, and that his presence was disrupting school activities.

One neighbor had used a video camera to document Sandusky's time on his deck, Sassano said.

Under questioning from Amendola, Sassano testified that Sandusky was seen on the video brushing his dog or letting the dog outside to play. Amendola cannot walk the dog because of his bail restrictions, Amendola said.

Sandusky faces 52 criminal counts for alleged sexual misconduct involving boys over 15 years, actions that police and prosecutors say have included violent sexual assault inside the Penn State football team facilities. He has denied the allegations.

The scandal led the Penn State trustees to push out university president Graham Spanier and football coach Joe Paterno, who died last month.

Two Penn State administrators are awaiting trial on charges they lied to a grand jury investigating Sandusky and failed to properly report suspected child abuse. Gary Schultz, a former vice president, and Tim Curley, the athletic director, have both denied the allegations.

Dr. Jeffrey H. Toney: Should I Sell My Car for NY Giants Season Tickets?

2012-02-10T16:00:35Z

MetLife Stadium: NY Giants vs. Washington Redskins, Dec. 18, 2011

This may be a sign of football withdrawal syndrome, but the day after the NY Giants won the Super Bowl I was searching for 2012 season tickets (more on that later.) I was reminiscing about last December when I took my son to his first professional football game at MetLife stadium. It was a bright, freezing cold day and the stadium was packed with more than 80,000 fans. The NY Giants were having a bad day battling the Washington Redskins; several times the announcer excitedly reported "Touchdown!" followed quickly by taking it away due to a penalty.

From USA Today:

On third down, Manning threw an apparent touchdown to D.J. Ware, but the call was overruled upon review, setting up a 4th-and-2. Then, Nicks' touchdown grab was nullified due to a holding penalty on David Diehl. On 4th-and-long, Manning was sacked, bringing to end the woeful series.

You can watch the highlights here.

Rex Grossman threw for a TD, and the Redskins put a hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a 23-10 victory on Sunday.

By the third quarter, the score was NY Giants 3, Redskins 20. Despite dismal prospects for a win, my son and I were having a great time. For most fans, it was a different story; they were yelling insults at the NY Giants, and worse, almost our entire section emptied before the third quarter was over. I wonder how many of those same "fans" enjoyed the Super Bowl? At the end of the game, the Giant's record was 7 wins, 7 losses. Winning the Super Bowl after such an underwhelming record must be one of the great turnaround stories in sports! Woeful series, indeed.

Back to those season tickets -- not for mere mortals, it turns out. Being sentimental, I wanted to get the same seats. First, I would need to purchase two Personal Seat Licenses, at $12,500 each - $25,000 total, to support the construction of the new stadium at a cost of $1.6 billion. Then the price of the tickets are fixed at $500 each per home game. Since I am far from a "one percenter," that's not going to happen. I suppose I could sell my car -- who needs it, right? No wonder so many fans watch the games at home!

A version of this article was published at Dean's Corner at ScienceBlogs.

WATCH: Thousands Compete In World's Largest Dodgeball Game

2012-02-10T15:57:00Z

Nearly 5,000 people (4,979 to be exact) gathered at the University of Alberta to set the record for the world's largest dodgeball game.

The game represents the third record set in Alberta in as many years. But, apparently, the competition to retain the crown is fierce when it comes to massive dodgeball games. In September, roughly 4,000 people gathered in Utah to set a new record for largest game, only to see their attempt bested by students at the University of California-Irvine, which held a contest with 4,488 participants.

While those numbers are impressive, it appears that with this game, the University of Alberta's name will sit atop the record books...for now.

WATCH VIDEO AT TOP

Huguely's Police Interview And Other Live Updates From The Trial

2012-02-10T15:42:55Z

Today, jurors in the trial of George Huguely V are expected to hear the former UVA lacrosse star's videotaped police interview directly after Love's death.

Huguely, 24, has been charged with first degree murder and other offenses in connection with the death of Love, who was found lying face down in a pool of blood in her off-campus apartment in May of 2010. Love, 22, was a a senior at UVA and a fellow lacrosse player.

Yesterday, prosecutor Dave Chapman interviewed a spate of witnesses, some medical, who testified to Love's state of health before her death, and several of George Huguely's frat brothers and friends.

For today's live updates, stay tuned for HuffPost College's live blog, right here.

Ryan Giggs Signs With Man U For Another Year

2012-02-10T15:41:51Z

Is it the yoga? His ability to fit seamlessly within the vaunted Man U way? Or is it just simple genetics? Whatever the case, Ryan Giggs is very much living up to his reputation as an ageless wonder; on Friday the 38-year-old midfielder signed a one-year contract with Manchester United, meaning he will play a 22nd season for the Red Devils.

Over his impressive career with Man U, Giggs has won 12 English league titles, two Champions League titles and has played in 898 matches overall.

Giggs spoke to the club's official website about his longevity:

"When I signed my first contract, I never thought Iâd be able to play at United for 22 years, but I feel good and I know I can still contribute to keeping the team pushing for honours.. Winning the clubâs 19th title was a great feeling but this club is all about what we do next and Iâm really pleased I can be part of that."

Man U manager Sir Alex Ferguson also talked to the site about Giggs:

"Ryan is a marvellous player. In many ways, he epitomises all my teams here at United: he has constantly re-invented himself, adapted to the changing nature of the game and retained that desire and hunger for success.. In every training session and match, he is the example for others to follow. The young players in the dressing room have a great chance to learn from a player who will continue to break records that anyone in the game will find hard to beat."

This season, Giggs has played in 22 matches and scored 3 goals in all competitions for Man U.

Manchester United faces Liverpool this Saturday in a match being shown in the U.S. on ESPN2 at 7:30 a.m. ET.

Scott M. Campbell: Long Trip, Short Week: NFL's Thursday Problem

2012-02-10T15:33:00Z

Seemingly lost amidst the Super Bowl hoopla over the last week was Roger Goodell's announcement of a scheduling shift that will significantly alter the NFL landscape beginning in the 2012 season. What began six years ago as a late-season treat will now be a routine occurrence -- Thursday games will be featured in all but the final two weeks of the regular season.

The big boost in NFL Network's Thursday Night Football offerings -- to 13 games, up from seven in 2011 -- was no surprise. But as the league eyes another TV ratings goldmine, it also needs to take important steps to level the Thursday playing field.

It's tough enough for teams to rest and prepare to compete again during a short week. But the NFL has shown a troubling willingness to make the visiting team travel across the country for a Thursday matchup, and that has created a competitive imbalance that threatens to become much more prevalent with the expansion of Thursday football.

Consider that the 49ers and Eagles each made a trek of at least 2,300 miles for a Thursday game in 2011, to Baltimore and Seattle, respectively. They lost by a combined 27 points. Perhaps even more unsettling, the Jets were tasked with playing in Denver (roughly 1,600 miles away) after playing on Sunday Night Football at home four days earlier. New York lost 17-13.

In the last four years, visiting teams logged at least a 1,300-mile journey to play on Thursday Night Football seven times. Those teams went a collective 0-7 and lost by an average of 13.3 points. The three teams in that span that endured a 2,000-plus mile trek lost by an average score of 32-13.

Even without extending Thursday games throughout the season, the lengthy travel in condensed weeks was something the NFL needed to promptly address. But now, with the need to schedule 16 Thursday games beginning in Week 2 (including three Thanksgiving games), travel has become a glaring equity issue. The league needn't look far for a viable solution. In 2006, NFL Network's debut season, the five Thursday Night Football games all were intradivision battles.

Simply put, the NFL needs to put a premium on scheduling regional matchups on Thursdays -- a decision that would lessen the competitive disadvantage for the visiting team. Divisional games would be a natural fit in many cases, although St. Louis, Dallas and Miami are among those geographically isolated from their divisional rivals.

Some pundits have suggested making a Thursday Night Football appearance follow a team's bye week to allow ample time for rest and preparation. But given that the bye weeks haven't started earlier than Week 4 or ended later than Week 11 in the last five years, that solution would require a drastic schedule overhaul.

The NFL has already created a tough enough scheduling challenge by guaranteeing that each team will make at least one prime-time appearance in 2012. But in order to avert a competitive inequity, the league needs to take care to eliminate strenuous travel so the Thursday visitor isn't fighting even more of an uphill battle.