The Baseball HOF recently announced that ESPN's Jon Miller has been selected as the 2010 recipient of the Ford C. Frick broadcasting award. The Ford C. Frick Award. awarded annually, and is based on the following criteria: longevity; continuity with a club; honors, including national assignments such as the World Series and All-Star Games; and popularity with fans....

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced today that Jon Miller, who has spent parts of four decades as the voice of five Major League Baseball teams and has been the voice of ESPN’s national Sunday Night Baseball telecasts for 20 years, has been selected as the 2010 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for major contributions to baseball broadcasting. Miller will be honored during Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies on Sunday, July 25, 2010 in Cooperstown, N.Y.

"Jon Miller is one of baseball's most recognizable voices and is extremely deserving of this prestigious honor," said Jeff Idelson, President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. "With a national audience on Sunday nights for the last 20 years, an entire country has been able to enjoy on a weekly basis what fans in San Francisco, Baltimore, Boston, Texas and Oakland have known with Miller as their home team's broadcaster for varied points over the last four decades. His soothing play-by-play, his affable and welcoming personality and his relaxed nature on-air give every baseball fan a personal invitation to enjoy the game, as if each were sitting in the front row."

Surprisingly it was not given to Miller because he's carried Joe Morgan for years. Who would have thunk it? Everyone knows the Miller has lost some of his luster over the past few years, but I would still take him over anyone else in the business. Obviously this is because I grew up with him broadcasting Orioles games, and I'm biased, but that aside I definitely think he deserves this award.

If you've read this site for awhile now, you know one of the things I'm fascinated with, are the bags that award shows give out in their gift suites. The athletes and actors are already loaded, but companies give out tons of free stuff, in hopes that the famous person will be seen using their product on TV at some point. Well this year's ESPYs listed of free swag is pretty darn amazing, and LAist has some of the more fancy gear that attendees can take home with them....

* Undefeated and EA Sports: The two companies teamed up for the most practical and most gaudy giveaways. Everybody's first stop was for their custom military-style duffel bag ($225 est), which was used for carrying all the other goodies. They also gave 30 VIPs a personalized PlayStation 3 or PSP, which was laser-engraved while the recipient waited in a lounge serving Patron.
* iHome: The electronics maker handed out a variety of products, including the iH29 speaker case, iConnect Media Keyboard and wireless laser mouse ($179.99), and laptop cooling pads.
* Simmons Jewelry: Yup, there's nothing Russell Simmons doesn't make. Several of his jewelry lines were on display, primarily made of stainless steel. There was one watch with an MSRP higher than most new cars. VIPs were given items worth up to a few hundred dollars.
* NameDrop.com: A new website hoping to be Facebook for the glitterati, they'll promote the pros and charge regular subscribers an introductory $2.99 per month to read their content. For the celebs who signed up this weekend, they handed out a free Flip Cam.
* Muze Clothing: Specializing in t-shirts printed with classic movie lines, Muze came into the pop spotlight recently when Tony Romo was seen wearing their clothes while out with Jessica Simpson. Let's hope his shirt lasted longer than his relationship.
* Skullcandy: Looking to promote their new Decibel Collection, Skullcandy (which produces fashion headphones) handed out a number of their mid-range products.
* Assorted eyewear: We never quite figured out what the eye guy was doing, but he did fit Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma for some prescription Nike glasses and was displaying a pair of Calvin Klein sunglasses with an 8 gigabyte flash drive in the frame.
* Pure Power Mouthguard: Designed to improve jaw alignment and thereby improve athletic performance. You wouldn't think it makes that big of a difference ... but one of their dentists was able to help this writer's strength and balance just by shoving a pen between my teeth. Their sponsored athletes get fancy versions, but apparently weekend warriors can drop a couple grand in hopes of dropping a couple strokes from their golf game.
* Wynn: The Las Vegas casino gave a select crowd gift certificates along with an all-access VIP card for entrance into the clubs and pool. One Laker we talked to wasn't impressed, joking that he gets free three-room suites at a rival resort. Maybe he'll spend it at Tryst.
* Marley Coffee: Ziggy isn't the only one carrying on the family legacy. Turns out Bob always wanted to be a farmer, and his son Rohan is growing beans -- the caffeinated variety. Hardcore sports fans may remember that he was on the 1991 Miami Hurricanes national championship team.
* Axe: Branching out of the spray-on market less than a year ago, stylists worked on guy's hair while they handed out bottles of product.
* Zirh: Not to be outdone, the high-end men's skincare line set up mini-massages and gave away some of their cremes and masks.
* Patron: Besides serving drinks throughout the event, Patron also boxed up some basic party supplies and handed them out.
* Pizza Fusion: Hey, somebody had to cater ... being LA, they had to go organic.
* Sentient: You probably haven't heard of them because you don't fly in private jets. And you won't fly in private jets until you can afford to do so without a coupon. Which is why they were giving coupons to those who could afford it. One of life's great Catch 22's.

Man, that is some list. I know that most athletes and celebs end up using the gifts as presents, but if I was famous, I think I would have to keep most of that stuff. Especially the EA Sports package, Patron junk, Wynn gift certificate, and of course....the coffee package. I'm re-gifting the clothes and jewelery if anyone want it.

It Pays to be a Pro at the ESPY Gifting Suites (LAist)

The Curt Gowdy Award is given to one reporter, from both the electronic and print media, annually and is considered one of the highest honors in Basketball media. Former winners include Bob Ryan, Marv Albert, Dick Enberg, Dick Vitale and Bob Costas, and while the past few winners have featured people you may not heard of, this year's two recipients are definitely a pair of NBA regulars. Doug Collins and Peter Vescey will be the honorees this September....

Doug Collins, the highly respected player and coach who is now the lead commentator for Turner Sports (TNT) and for NBC Sports’ coverage of basketball at the Olympic Games and Peter Vecsey, the longtime pro basketball writer for the New York Post have been selected to receive the 2009 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement festivities scheduled for September 10-11, 2009 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Gowdy Media Award is named in honor of the legendary sports broadcaster and former Basketball Hall of Fame President, the late Curt Gowdy. This prestigious award is presented annually to members of the print and electronic media whose longtime efforts have made a significant contribution to the game of basketball.

“The Gowdy Media Award is an honor that is very proudly presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in memory of the late Curt Gowdy, one of the legendary figures of sports media,” said John L. Doleva, Hall of Fame President & CEO. “Doug Collins and Peter Vecsey have dedicated much of their professional careers to report on the game of basketball while they entertain and educate millions of fans, readers and television viewers around the world. The Basketball Hall of Fame is very proud to recognize their extraordinary efforts.”

While I'm not really a fan of Collins' as an analyst, he has certainly done a lot for the game of Basketball. In fact both have. But over the years, Vecsey and Collins have both settled into a bit of a lazy reporting mode. Collins continually falls back on Michael Jordan stories, and Vecsey got about four or five reports wrong last year. This isn't to say they don't deserve the award, especially Vecsey who defined the role of NBA Insider, but rather that they definitely have been off their game the last few years. Hopefully the award(s) will inspire them to return to form.

Well that time of year is upon. Yes, the 2009 ESPY Awards are here, and will air Sunday, July 19th at 9pm, with Samuel L. Jackson as your host. And get this....there are a whopping 37 categories this year! The voting has begun so be sure to cast your vote for some of these nominees....

BEST MALE ATHLETE

Kobe Bryant, NBA
LeBron James, NBA
Jimmie Johnson, Auto Racing
Michael Phelps, Swimming

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE

Natalie Coughlin, Swimming
Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
Maya Moore, NCAA Basketball
Candace Parker, WNBA
Serena Williams, Tennis

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Olympic Beach Volleyball

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE

Shawn Johnson, Olympic Gymnastics
Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

BEST RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE

Usain Bolt, Olympic Sprinter
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimmer

BEST UPSET

Mine That Bird wins the Kentucky Derby
Oregon State stuns then #1 USC
Tampa Bay Rays win the American League Championship Series
US Soccer shocks Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals

BEST GAME

Federer vs. Nadal in the 2008 Wimbledon Final
Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
Syracuse vs. Connecticut in the Big East Tournament Quarterfinals

BEST MOMENT

Florida’s Tim Tebow’s speech
Helio Castroneves wins the Indy 500
US swim team wins thrilling finish in Olympic relay

BEST PLAY

Ovechkin vs. Rangers
Pacquiao KO’s Hatton
Roethlisberger to Holmes Super Bowl Winning TD
Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree makes game-winning catch vs. Texas

BEST TEAM

Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers
North Carolina Men’s Basketball
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Steelers

I'm am not kidding in the least with the headline above. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce released the names of the latest individuals to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and THE Christopher Berman is on the list. Joining the ESPNer is a cavalcade of dignitaries, entertainment pros and....Mark Wahlberg....

A new group of entertainers in motion pictures, television, live theater, and recording have been selected to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it was announced today by the Walk of Fame Committee of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. These individuals were chosen from among hundreds of nominations to the committee at a meeting held June 15, and ratified by the Chamber's Board of Directors.
The Walk of Fame recipients for the year 2010 are:

MOTION PICTURES:
James Cameron, Russell Crowe, John Cusack, Colin Firth, Gale Ann Hurd, Alan Menken, Randy Newman, Adam Sandler,
Emma Thompson and Mark Wahlberg

TELEVISION:
Chris Berman, Jon Cryer, Peter Graves, Jimmy Kimmel,
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bill Maher, and Sam Waterston

RECORDING:
Bryan Adams, The Funk Brothers, Alan Jackson, Chaka Khan, Van Morrison,
Marco Antonio Solis, Ringo Starr, ZZ Top and posthumously Roy Orbison

LIVE PERFORMANCE/THEATRE:
Andrea Bocelli and Cirque Du Soleil/Guy Laliberte

In all seriousness, Berman did do a ton for television back in the 80s and early 90s. And while his act has gotten a little stale over the years, he definitely deserves to have a spot on the Walk of Fame. Enjoy it, Boomer!

THE HOLLYWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WALK OF FAME COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES NEW WALK OF FAME RECIPIENTS FOR 2010 (Hollywood Chamber of Commerce)

Sorry for the abbreviated day, but I've just now been able to get on a computer. The Sports Emmy Awards were held last night in New York, and there were some surprises when the trophies were handed out. NBC won the "President's Trophy" by taking home nine awards and there was even a tie in one of the categories. Terry Bradshaw and Tom Jackson split the title of Outstanding Studio Analyst. Here are the rest of the winners....

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – STUDIO HOST

* Bob Costas NBC/HBO

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – PLAY-BY-PLAY

* Jim Nantz CBS

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – STUDIO ANALYST

* Terry Bradshaw FOX
* Tom Jackson ESPN

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – SPORTS EVENT ANALYST

* Cris Collinsworth NFL Network / NBC

Esquire magazine put together a collection of sixty-three different males, that the average male should emulate. Among the Sports figures were Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Phelps, Dustin Pedroia, Derek Jeter, Shaquille O'Neal and Peyton Manning, but it was the inclusion of six announcers that caught my attention. Charles Barkley, Phil Simms, Troy Aikman, Lee Corso, Barry Melrose and Dick Vitale, all were on the list, and here's the mag's reasoning on each....

Charles Barkley: "For what he said to the cops."

Phil Simms: "...and Phil Simms both seemed like towheaded dicks when they won Super Bowls, but each has come into his own as a hardworking, insightful color man."

Troy Aikman: "The manhood of some men emerges over time. They don't seem to be men, and then suddenly — or slowly — they are."

Lee Corso, Barry Melrose, Dick Vitale: "They love their jobs, and as each of them will tell you: It's hard out there for a pimp."

You know what, that's not really that bad of an assessment. As annoying as you might find some of them, they all seem to love what they do, and that's really half the battle. I personally wouldn't call them "role models", but you can certainly learn from their work ethic.

The List of Men: Sixty-Six Guys to Emulate (Esquire)

Every year I post these, and every year it seems like those in the business have no idea what they're doing. The same terrible personalities are nominated (Berman, Buck, McCarver), and the same shows win every year. The only difference this year, is that the Academy actually threw a couple of curveballs at us. They've added some new people to the list, and while some are spot on like Tom Jackson, there are those that just boggle the mind....like John Kruk.

Anyway, here's the list, feel free to complain or choose your winners in the comments. The event is April 27th, and I'll be sure to share the winners with you when they are released.

Outstanding Live Sports Special

108th U.S. Open Championship (NBC)
NASCAR on FOX: Daytona 500 (FOX)
Super Bowl XLII (FOX)
The Championships, Wimbledon- Gentlemen's Final (NBC)
X Games 14 (ESPN)

Outstanding Live Sports Series

ESPN College Football (ABC)
ESPN Monday Night Football (ESPN)
NASCAR on TNT (TNT)
NASCAR on FOX (FOX)
NBC Sunday Night Football (NBC)

Outstanding Studio Show (WEEKLY)

College Gameday (ESPN)
Football Night in America (NBC)
FOX NFL Sunday (FOX)
Inside the NFL (CBS / Showtime)
Monday Night Countdown (ESPN)
Sunday NFL Countdown (ESPN)

Outstanding Studio Show (DAILY)

Baseball Tonight (ESPN)
Inside the NBA – Playoffs (TNT)
MLB Postseason Studio (TBS)
Outside the Lines First Report (ESPN)
Pardon the Interruption (ESPN)

Outstanding Sports Personality (STUDIO HOST)

Bob Costas (NBC / HBO)
Bryant Gumbel (HBO)
Chris Berman (ESPN)
Ernie Johnson (TNT / TBS)
James Brown (CBS / Showtime)

Outstanding Sports Personality (PLAY BY PLAY)

Al Michaels (NBC)
Dan Hicks (NBC)
Jim Nantz (CBS)
Joe Buck (FOX)
Mike Emrick (NBC)

Outstanding Sports Personality (STUDIO ANALYST)

Cris Collinsworth (NBC/Showtime/CBS/HBO)
John Kruk (ESPN)
Steve Mariucci (NFL Network)
Terry Bradshaw (FOX)
Tom Jackson (ESPN)

Outstanding Sports Personality (SPORTS EVENT ANALYST)

Cris Collinsworth (NFL Network/NBC)
Doug Collins (TNT)
John Madden (NBC)
Johnny Miller (NBC)
Ron Jaworski (ESPN)
Tim McCarver (FOX)

I can completely understand why a college would put together a website to try and get their kid an award like the Heisman, but when pro teams do it, I find it a little bit weird. Everyone knows that Lebron James is going to win the MVP Award this year, but Cleveland thought they could help out the star by creating a new website called....."LebronIsReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyGood.com". Here is the tagline....

Welcome to LeBronIsReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyGood.com! Please check out all the information that helps explain why LeBron James deserves the 2009 NBA MVP Award. Why six Reallys in the address? Because this is LeBron’s sixth season in the NBA! Enjoy the tour. Just mouse over each of the Reallys above and go directly to each of the six different areas that make the case REALLY clear who should be the 2009 NBA MVP… LeBron James!

I know it's all in good fun, but unless you're Shaquille O'Neal going up against a white point guard, I'm pretty sure you don't need an MVP website. Especially in the NBA where it's pretty obvious the criteria needed for an MVP. Either lead the league in scoring or be in the top three, have rebounds and assists nearing 7 per game, and lead your team to a high seed in the Playoffs.

Obviously this year is a bit of an anomaly, because there are technically three worth candidates, but only Lebron qualifies in all three facets. Seems pretty obvious that he's the leader in the clubhouse. Cleveland probably could have saved some money on GoDaddy fees.

Lebron James Is Really Good (LJIRRRRRRG)

What an amazing trip it's been for Brian Collins, and the one simple phrase that gave us one of the funniest Sports related clips we've ever seen. The phrase has been lampooned on multiple tv shows, including Family Guy, but it has now seen its greatest moment. Yes, "BGTD" was uttered on stage by none other than Will Smith! Here's the clip....

Hilarious. I wonder what percentage, of those in attendance, actually got the joke? My bet is on 4.5%. It's also hilarious that a phrase the was once uttered in panic, can now actually save you, when you flub a line. Thank you, Brian Collins.

I'm sure Chris Berman has a ton of awards (he has been at ESPN for 30 years), but this one will be special. Berman will be given the Pat Summerall Award which of all things is given to someone who has "demonstrated character, integrity and leadership". Yes, this guy is being giving an award which embodies integrity....

Berman will join Jim Nantz, Greg Gumbel and James Brown as the only recipients of the award, at the annual Legends for Charity dinner. So if you're in Tampa, stop by and say hi to the big winner!

Well we're down to five candidates for Playboy's "Sexiest Sportscaster" Award for 2008, and I think those of you interested in this sort of thing will be pleased. And your five finalists are! Erin Andrews, Bonnie Bernstein, Charissa Thompson, Lauren Shehadi and Molly Sullivan. From the Bunny (SFW) via Fanhouse....

Talk about tough choices. It’s time to pick America’s Sexiest Sportscaster out of these five skilled and stunning finalists.

There’s the lovely Erin Andrews of ESPN, perhaps best known for her NCAA basketball coverage. Andrews won Playboy’s Sexiest Sportscaster in 2008—can she repeat?

ESPN’s second finalist is the beautiful and talented Bonnie Bernstein, who’s been with the Worldwide Leader since 2006 and recently had stints with the network’s Sunday Night Baseball and SportsCenter shows.

Also making the cut is relative sportscasting newcomer Lauren Shehadi, who joined CBSSports.com just this past summer. Previously, she was a reporter for North Dakota’s KX News, where her skills and girl-next-door charm clearly caught the eye of the network giant. Apparently, Playboy voters agreed.

Fox Network’s rising star Charissa Thompson notched a berth in the last round of voting. When this knockout is not joking around with John Salley on the Best Damn Sports Show Period, she roams college football sidelines reporting for the Big Ten Network.

Rounding out this fab five is Molly Sullivan of the MountainWest Sports Network. This former North Carolina Tar Heel swimmer trained for the Olympics before an injury sent her in pursuit of a reporting career. She currently covers UNLV sports for MTN.

The winner will be announced on February 12th, and while I'm almost positive that Internet darling, Erin Andrews, will win the thing, I urge you to try and mix things up this year. Let's try and get someone else some press this year, how about Charissa Thompson?

Sexiest Sportscasters of 2009 Narrowed to 5, Erin Andrews Still Around (Fanhouse)
The Field's Down To Five, Who's The Hottest? (Playboy)

Just wanted to send out a quick thanks to those of you that emailed me saying that you nominated Awful Announcing for a "2008 Weblog Award". The finalists were released today, and AA made the cut, but is up against some tough competition. The regulars are of course there, but there are also some up-and-comers that could end up winning as well. Here's your list of finalists....

- Awful Announcing
- BLOGF1
- Deadspin
- F1 Fanatic
- Kissing Suzy Kolber
- Hugging Harold Reynolds
- With Leather
- The LoHud Yankee Blog
- The Big Lead
- Soccer By Ives
- Beyond The Boxscore
- Rumors and Rants
- Metsgrrl
- Cozybeehive

Here's the link for you to vote, and no....this isn't a plea for more votes. Everyone already knows that KSK is going to win for like the 40th time in a row. I just don't want to be last! I kid. Anyway, get out there and vote for your favorite, and be sure to poke around the other categories as well.

Best Sports Blog (2008 Weblog Awards)

It seemed pretty cut and dry that Falcons' Coach, Mike Smith would win the 2008 Coach of the Year award, but that wasn't the case for one Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas. See Costas' vote went to someone who's team didn't even make the Playoffs. In fact, it went to someone who's team did five games worse than they did last season. Yep, Costas voted for Bill Belichick, and here's his reasoning. Via The Boston Globe....

“I didn’t think he would win, but I thought he deserved a nod for what might have been the best, or certainly one of the best coaching jobs of his career,” Costas said. “He loses [Tom] Brady, and it’s not just losing Brady, but also that [Matt] Cassel basically never played. It’s not the same thing as losing Johnny Unitas and you have Earl Morrall. He brought the kid along."

“The winner is usually the guy whose team is the most surprising, and I wouldn’t argue against Smith, Sparano or [John] Harbaugh. You could make a good case for them, as well as others, like Jeff Fisher, Tony Dungy, John Fox and Tom Coughlin. I just thought Belichick did a phenomenal job, considering the emotional hangover that had to be there from coming so close to perfection [in 2007] and losing in such agonizing fashion, and then you lose Brady virtually from the opening kickoff of the first game. There is not just a strategic adjustment that has to be made, but you have to convince these guys not to say ‘to heck with it.’ There must be an incredible level of respect there for him to command that type of effort.”

I also think Belichick is an amazing coach (when he's not cheating...I kid), but to vote someone in for what he did with just one player makes absolutely zero sense. Especially when you consider the performances by the other candidates.

Oh and yes, in case you were wondering, Costas' was the only vote cast for the Patriots' Coach.

Vote for Belichick was cast by Bob Costas (Boston Globe)

Normally this is a Doctor Z thing, and I won't now how much he contributed until I receive the issue, but SI forwarded me a snippet of their Media Reviews for 2008 and I wanted to pass it along. They handed out awards for various things like best books, movies and documentaries, but here's the important one....Who are America's favorite announcers....

NFL - Bob Papa and Ron Jaworski
NBA - Mike Breen or Kevin Harlan and Doug Collins
MLB - Vin Scully and Vin Scully
NHL - Jim Hughson and Brian Hayward
NCAA Hoops - Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery
NCAA Football - Ron Franklin and Kirk Herbstreit

I have no idea why they listed Vin Scully twice, or if someone's missing, but other than that....I can't really find anything wrong with the list. I wouldn't personally say that Bob Papa is my favorite NFL announcer, but people seem to be taking a shine to him on the NFL Network.

I'll have more on SI's reviews when the issue comes out, and I'll have my own end of the year post up soon.

Not much else going on this cold winter eve, so I thought I'd give you your first look at the NFL Pro Bowl Rosters so you can debate them until the cows come home. A few snubs off the top of my head so far include: Cutler and Favre over Rivers, Calvin Johnson, Patrick Willis, Jon Beason, D'Qwell Jackson, Greg Jennings and John Abraham.

Obviously with the talent at some of those positions, it would be tough for them to make it on the list, but all of them have a case. Especially Philip Rivers. I don't care if a legacy like Favre gets in, but it's a crime that Cutler is in ahead of him. Here's your list....

NFC:

QB - Kurt Warner (Cardinals), Drew Brees (Saints), Eli Manning (Giants)
RB - Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Michael Turner (Falcons), Clinton Portis (Redskins)
FB - Mike Sellers (Redskins)
WR - Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)*, Anquan Boldin (Cardinals)*, Steve Smith (Panthers), Roddy White (Falcons)
TE - Jason Witten (Cowboys)*, Chris Cooley (Redskins)
T - Jordan Gross (Panthers)*, Walter Jones (Seahawks)*, Chris Samuels (Redskins)
G - Chris Snee (Giants)*, Steve Hutchinson (Vikings)*, Leonard Davis (Cowboys)
C - Andre Gurode (Cowboys)*, Shaun O’Hara (Giants)
DE - Justin Tuck (Giants)*, Julius Peppers (Panthers)*, Jared Allen (Vikings)
DT - Kevin Williams (Vikings)*, Jay Ratliff (Cowboys)*, Pat Williams (Vikings)
OLB - DeMarcus Ware (Cowboys)*, Lance Briggs (Bears)*, Derrick Brooks (Buccaneers)
ILB - Patrick Willis (49ers)*, Jon Beason (Panthers)
CB - Charles Woodson (Packers)*, Antoine Winfield (Vikings)*, Asante Samuel (Eagles)
S - Nick Collins (Packers)*, Adrian Wilson (Cardinals)*, Brian Dawkins (Eagles)
K - John Carney (Giants)
P - Jeff Feagles (Giants)
KR - Clifton Smith (Buccaneers)
ST - Sean Morey (Cardinals)

AFC:

QB - Peyton Manning (Colts)*, Brett Favre (Jets), Jay Cutler (Broncos)
RB - Thomas Jones (Jets)*, Chris Johnson (Titans), Ronnie Brown (Dolphins)
FB - Le’Ron McClain (Ravens)*
WR - Andre Johnson (Texans)*, Brandon Marshall (Broncos)*, Reggie Wayne (Colts), Wes Welker (Patriots)
TE - Tony Gonzalez (Chiefs)*, Antonio Gates (Chargers)
T - Joe Thomas (Browns)*, Jason Peters (Bills)*, Michael Roos (Titans)
G - Alan Faneca (Jets)*, Kris Dielman (Chargers)*, Brian Waters (Chiefs)
C - Kevin Mawae (Titans)*, Nick Mangold (Jets)
DE - Mario Williams (Texans)*, Dwight Freeney (Colts)*, Robert Mathis (Colts)
DT - Albert Haynesworth (Titans)*, Kris Jenkins (Jets)*, Shaun Rogers (Browns)
OLB - James Harrison (Steelers)*, Joey Porter (Dolphins)*, Terrell Suggs (Ravens)
MLB - Ray Lewis (Ravens)*, James Farrior (Steelers)
CB - Nnamdi Asomugha (Raiders)*, Courtland Finnegan (Titans)*, Darrelle Revis (Jets)
S - Ed Reed (Ravens)*, Troy Polamalu (Steelers)*, Chris Hope (Titans)
K - Stephan Gostkowski (Patriots)
P - Shane Lechler (Raiders)
KR - Leon Washington (Jets)
ST - Brendon Ayanbadejo (Ravens)

*- Starter

We all know that Sam Bradford won the Heisman late Saturday night, but apparently FOX Sports didn't get the memo. The network's website had the headline right, but if you take a closer look at the copy, you'll see that the whole article is centered around Tebow winning the award. Here's a screencap via Deadspin....



What probably happened, is that Fox had prepared different pieces ahead of time and when the decision came down, the pulled the wrong one. It is pretty funny that they went as far as to say he's only the second player to win back-to-back Heismans though.

FOX Botches Heisman Story, Announces Tebow As Winner (Deadspin)

Of course it's the very namesake of the Award! Pamela Ward beat all of the odds, and a ridiculous push by Brent Musburger, to win her own award for 2008!!!! I'll have more awards, quotes and details on the Post Season Pammies tomorrow, but in the meantime let's re-live some of the quotes that lead Pammy onto victory!

"Greg Orton came over and they slapped each other... on the palms."

"That was the last four drives, Minnesota had five straight five-and-outs."

"Northwestern players...looking over to the sidelines...they want to go for it." (On a 3rd and 9)

"They've gotta spike the ball here!" (On a 4th down play)

"No dope slapping in Football."

"We are coming to you from Heinz Stadium in Pittsburgh..."

"We see a bunch of wet stuff coming up from the ground." (Or rain)

“Great tackle, er, broken tackle by Charles. Gordon finally gets him in the backfield. Gain of 5 for Charles.”

Congrats Pam, you earned it! Here is how the final week of the season panned out, and your final standings....

Your Week Fifteen Pammy Winners

10. "Hey, I took off my shoes." - Paul Maguire

9. "You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm telling you why." - Brad Nessler
"Virginia Tech's defense is coming to town." - Paul Maguire

8. "2nd down and inches here.....or I should say 2nd down and ten. I have to correct myself there." - Brent Musberger

7. "Tim Tebow's like the snake doctor for Florida. Gotta stop the snake doctor, keep the Gators from moving the ball....this time he snaked Alabama with a play action pass." - Gary Danielson

6."We'll send it for the first time today to Matt Winer." - Brent Musberger
"Or John Saunders, Brent." - John Saunders

5. "Final snap of the opening quarter it looks like, or I should correct myself, I was looking at the wrong clock." - Brent Musburger

4. "Sounds like the OJ sentencing!" - Mike Patrick, after a referee says the timeouts for the home uniforms in USC-UCLA will run concurrently

3. "Look at those rear ends!"- Brent Musburger

2. "Big hole, Brown explodes." - Brent Musberger

1. "Jermaine Cunningham comes in his face."- Mark May


Final Standings: 1. Pam Ward (84), 2. Lou Holtz (73), 3. Gary Danielson (70), 4. Brent Musburger (66), 5. Mike Patrick (54), 6. Brad Nessler (48), 7. Bob Griese (36), 8. Petros Papadakis (33), 9. Andre Ware (24), 9. Paul Maguire (24) 11. Charles Davis (23), 12. Ray Bentley (22), 13. Mark Jones (21), 14. Bob Davie (20), 15. Kirk Herbstreit (18), 16. David Norrie (15), 17. Barry Tompkins (12), 18. Verne Lundquist (11), 19. Sean McDonough (10), 19. Todd Blackledge (10), 19. Mark May (10), 22. Tom Hammond (9), 22. Rob Stone (9), 24. Pat Haden (8), 24. Brock Huard (8), 24. Stacey Dales (8)

Others Receiving Votes: Joe Tessitore (7), Kelly Stouffer (7), Alex Flanagan (7), Steve Physioc (7), Dave Lapham (6), Doug Chapman (6), Jesse Palmer (5), Ed Cunningham (5), Ron Franklin (8*), Craig Bolerjack (4), Chris Spielman (4), Terry Gannon (4), Dave Pasch (11), Dave Archer (3), Ron Thulin (3), Doc Walker (3), Wendi Nix (2), John Saunders (2), Rod Gilmore (1), David Diaz-Infante (1)

Whatever will MLB be do now?!?! Apparently some random site called, Sports Goods Newswire decided to run with a press release announcing the A.L. Gold Glove winners. Via Slanch Report comes the list that you don't have to wait until 4pm for now!

AMERICAN LEAGUE

P - MIKE MUSSINA - YANKEES
C - JOE MAUER - TWINS
1ST - CARLOS PENA - RAYS
2ND - DUSTIN PEDROIA - RED SOX
3RD - ADRIAN BELTRE - MARINERS
SS - MICHAEL YOUNG - RANGERS
OF - TORII HUNTER - ANGELS
OF - GRADY SIZEMORE - INDIANS
OF - ICHIRO SUZUKI - MARINERS

Well that was exciting right? Right??? Sorry, there's really nothing else to talk about today.

AL Gold Glove Winners, EARLY! (Slanch Report)

Forget the Brewers tussling in the dugout last night, this was much more entertaining. One of my favorite things to watch on Sports Center is when an anchor or analyst starts to get frustrated. Most shy away and let the topic pass, but Brian Kenny refuses to ever back down.

Here is Kenny arguing with Steve Phillips during last night's Sports Center about Joba Chamberlain being comparable to the current Cy Young candidates....

I love the lean forward and the stop bullsh**ting me look. It was the same one he used on Chad Johnson and it's about time someone gave it to Steve Phillips. Good times and bravo BK.....you might be wrong, but it's still funny.