Surgeons separate California conjoined twins

Twin 2-year-old girls who were joined at the chest and abdomen were separated Tuesday during a lengthy, complex procedure at Stanford University's children's hospital.The operation that gave sisters Angelina and Angelica Sabuco their independence took more than nine hours and a team of more than 40 people, including doctors, nurses and other personnel.By mid-afternoon, the girls had moved to their own operating rooms at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital for the second phase of surgery — reconstructing the area where they were connected. Two hours later, they were moved to the intensive care unit, each with a scar stretching from her chest to her belly.

"This is a dream come true," their mother, Ginady Sabuco, said through tears to reporters after the surgery was complete. "Words cannot express how the family feels."Dr. Gary Hartman, the lead surgeon on the case, said the procedure went smoothly."The long term prognosis is that we should have a happy, healthy set of girls. We don't see any barrier to a full recovery," Hartman said.Born in the Philippines, Angelina and Angelica moved to the United States with their mother last year. They live in San Jose with their parents and 10-year-old brother.

They had been doing very well considering the obstacles. The girls learned to walk despite their face-to-face orientation and could recite colors and numbers.But Hartman said staying connected would have posed long-term health risks, including increased damage to their skeletal and muscular structure.The surgery required separating livers, diaphragms, breastbones, and chest and abdominal wall muscles.

The reconstruction included covering what plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Lorenz described as a "window" left in their chests after separation.Since July, the girls had received weekly injections of sterile saltwater into balloons placed under their skin. The procedure stretched their skin and grew new skin to patch the area.The children were being kept sedated and doctors said they could be awakened as early as Wednesday. They were expected to be in the hospital for at least two weeks.

Surgeons separate California conjoined twins

Twin 2-year-old girls who were joined at the chest and abdomen were separated Tuesday during a lengthy, complex procedure at Stanford University's children's hospital.The operation that gave sisters Angelina and Angelica Sabuco their independence took more than nine hours and a team of more than 40 people, including doctors, nurses and other personnel.By mid-afternoon, the girls had moved to their own operating rooms at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital for the second phase of surgery — reconstructing the area where they were connected. Two hours later, they were moved to the intensive care unit, each with a scar stretching from her chest to her belly.

"This is a dream come true," their mother, Ginady Sabuco, said through tears to reporters after the surgery was complete. "Words cannot express how the family feels."Dr. Gary Hartman, the lead surgeon on the case, said the procedure went smoothly."The long term prognosis is that we should have a happy, healthy set of girls. We don't see any barrier to a full recovery," Hartman said.Born in the Philippines, Angelina and Angelica moved to the United States with their mother last year. They live in San Jose with their parents and 10-year-old brother.

They had been doing very well considering the obstacles. The girls learned to walk despite their face-to-face orientation and could recite colors and numbers.But Hartman said staying connected would have posed long-term health risks, including increased damage to their skeletal and muscular structure.The surgery required separating livers, diaphragms, breastbones, and chest and abdominal wall muscles.

The reconstruction included covering what plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Lorenz described as a "window" left in their chests after separation.Since July, the girls had received weekly injections of sterile saltwater into balloons placed under their skin. The procedure stretched their skin and grew new skin to patch the area.The children were being kept sedated and doctors said they could be awakened as early as Wednesday. They were expected to be in the hospital for at least two weeks.

Surgeons separate California conjoined twins

Twin 2-year-old girls who were joined at the chest and abdomen were separated Tuesday during a lengthy, complex procedure at Stanford University's children's hospital.The operation that gave sisters Angelina and Angelica Sabuco their independence took more than nine hours and a team of more than 40 people, including doctors, nurses and other personnel.By mid-afternoon, the girls had moved to their own operating rooms at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital for the second phase of surgery — reconstructing the area where they were connected. Two hours later, they were moved to the intensive care unit, each with a scar stretching from her chest to her belly.

"This is a dream come true," their mother, Ginady Sabuco, said through tears to reporters after the surgery was complete. "Words cannot express how the family feels."Dr. Gary Hartman, the lead surgeon on the case, said the procedure went smoothly."The long term prognosis is that we should have a happy, healthy set of girls. We don't see any barrier to a full recovery," Hartman said.Born in the Philippines, Angelina and Angelica moved to the United States with their mother last year. They live in San Jose with their parents and 10-year-old brother.

They had been doing very well considering the obstacles. The girls learned to walk despite their face-to-face orientation and could recite colors and numbers.But Hartman said staying connected would have posed long-term health risks, including increased damage to their skeletal and muscular structure.The surgery required separating livers, diaphragms, breastbones, and chest and abdominal wall muscles.

The reconstruction included covering what plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Lorenz described as a "window" left in their chests after separation.Since July, the girls had received weekly injections of sterile saltwater into balloons placed under their skin. The procedure stretched their skin and grew new skin to patch the area.The children were being kept sedated and doctors said they could be awakened as early as Wednesday. They were expected to be in the hospital for at least two weeks.

Hunter’s actions in NBA labor

After Billy Hunter made the grand stand of marching out of Friday’s bargaining session, refusing to negotiate below 52 percent of the NBA’s revenue split, a strong movement within the Players Association emerged that vowed the union will never let him act so unilaterally again.

From superstars to midlevel players to rookies, there’s an unmistakable push to complete the final elements of the system and take this labor deal to the union’s 400-plus membership. Beyond that, there’s an even larger movement to push Hunter, the Players Association’s executive director, out the door once these labor talks are done. All hell’s broken loose within the union, and no one is exactly sure how they’re going to get a deal to the finish line.

“Billy can’t just say it’s 52 or nothing, and walk out again,” one league source involved with the talks told Yahoo! Sports. “That will not happen again. It’s time that the players get to make a decision on this, and there won’t be another check lost before they do.”

Rest assured, there’s a vast gulf in the union, and it’s growing with the passing of every day. Players Association president Derek Fisher’s(notes) letter to the players convinced no one otherwise. NBA commissioner David Stern and the owners know it, and it’s part of the reason they won’t raise their offer of the BRI revenue split to 51 percent. There are system issues that need to be resolved for players, but this deal gets done at 50-50, and that’s been true for a long, long time.

In the end, there are two courses for the union: Take the deal largely on the table or blow this up, decertify and lose the season fighting the NBA in the federal courts.

Only, it’s too late to decertify. Everyone wanted to do it back in July when the lockout started, and Hunter refused. His decision had nothing to do with legal strategy, nothing to do with leverage or getting the best possible deal for the players. It had everything to do with what it always does with Hunter: self-preservation. He worried about losing power, losing his job, and he sold everyone on a toothless National Labor Relations Board claim that’s going nowhere.

Hunter’s actions in NBA labor

After Billy Hunter made the grand stand of marching out of Friday’s bargaining session, refusing to negotiate below 52 percent of the NBA’s revenue split, a strong movement within the Players Association emerged that vowed the union will never let him act so unilaterally again.

From superstars to midlevel players to rookies, there’s an unmistakable push to complete the final elements of the system and take this labor deal to the union’s 400-plus membership. Beyond that, there’s an even larger movement to push Hunter, the Players Association’s executive director, out the door once these labor talks are done. All hell’s broken loose within the union, and no one is exactly sure how they’re going to get a deal to the finish line.

“Billy can’t just say it’s 52 or nothing, and walk out again,” one league source involved with the talks told Yahoo! Sports. “That will not happen again. It’s time that the players get to make a decision on this, and there won’t be another check lost before they do.”

Rest assured, there’s a vast gulf in the union, and it’s growing with the passing of every day. Players Association president Derek Fisher’s(notes) letter to the players convinced no one otherwise. NBA commissioner David Stern and the owners know it, and it’s part of the reason they won’t raise their offer of the BRI revenue split to 51 percent. There are system issues that need to be resolved for players, but this deal gets done at 50-50, and that’s been true for a long, long time.

In the end, there are two courses for the union: Take the deal largely on the table or blow this up, decertify and lose the season fighting the NBA in the federal courts.

Only, it’s too late to decertify. Everyone wanted to do it back in July when the lockout started, and Hunter refused. His decision had nothing to do with legal strategy, nothing to do with leverage or getting the best possible deal for the players. It had everything to do with what it always does with Hunter: self-preservation. He worried about losing power, losing his job, and he sold everyone on a toothless National Labor Relations Board claim that’s going nowhere.

Hunter’s actions in NBA labor

After Billy Hunter made the grand stand of marching out of Friday’s bargaining session, refusing to negotiate below 52 percent of the NBA’s revenue split, a strong movement within the Players Association emerged that vowed the union will never let him act so unilaterally again.

From superstars to midlevel players to rookies, there’s an unmistakable push to complete the final elements of the system and take this labor deal to the union’s 400-plus membership. Beyond that, there’s an even larger movement to push Hunter, the Players Association’s executive director, out the door once these labor talks are done. All hell’s broken loose within the union, and no one is exactly sure how they’re going to get a deal to the finish line.

“Billy can’t just say it’s 52 or nothing, and walk out again,” one league source involved with the talks told Yahoo! Sports. “That will not happen again. It’s time that the players get to make a decision on this, and there won’t be another check lost before they do.”

Rest assured, there’s a vast gulf in the union, and it’s growing with the passing of every day. Players Association president Derek Fisher’s(notes) letter to the players convinced no one otherwise. NBA commissioner David Stern and the owners know it, and it’s part of the reason they won’t raise their offer of the BRI revenue split to 51 percent. There are system issues that need to be resolved for players, but this deal gets done at 50-50, and that’s been true for a long, long time.

In the end, there are two courses for the union: Take the deal largely on the table or blow this up, decertify and lose the season fighting the NBA in the federal courts.

Only, it’s too late to decertify. Everyone wanted to do it back in July when the lockout started, and Hunter refused. His decision had nothing to do with legal strategy, nothing to do with leverage or getting the best possible deal for the players. It had everything to do with what it always does with Hunter: self-preservation. He worried about losing power, losing his job, and he sold everyone on a toothless National Labor Relations Board claim that’s going nowhere.

Lance Armstrong takes a Twitter shot at Jerry Jones

Famed cyclist Lance Armstrong was born in Dallas and named after former Cowboys receiver Lance Rentzel, so his ties to America's Team run deep. But after a tweet sent out in the wake of the Cowboys' 35-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Armstrong shouldn't be expecting an invite to Cowboys Stadium anytime soon.

The seven-time Tour de France champion took a shot at team owner Jerry Jones on his Twitter account, suggesting that the meddlesome owner should stop being so, uh, meddlesome:

It seems that almost everyone associated with the Cowboys gets ripped at some point during the season. If it's not Tony Romo's(notes) fault for throwing two pick-sixes, it's Jason Garrett's play-calling or Rob Ryan's defense or an inept offensive line or Dez Bryant's(notes) inability to get open. Jerry Jones stays relatively unscathed, despite his all-encompassing presence in personnel rooms and on the sideline and his hand-picked coaches who go from their introductory press conferences to the hot seat in record time.

Jones has earned the pass; those three Super Bowls in the 1990s and his gleaming, new Cowboys Stadium make him untouchable in Big D. Yet it can't be denied that it's Jones who wanted Romo and Garrett and disappointments like Felix Jones(notes), and that coaching under him involves keeping one eye on the field and one eye on the owner's box. He should be called out every now and then. All it took was another Texas-sized legend to do it.

Lance Armstrong takes a Twitter shot at Jerry Jones

Famed cyclist Lance Armstrong was born in Dallas and named after former Cowboys receiver Lance Rentzel, so his ties to America's Team run deep. But after a tweet sent out in the wake of the Cowboys' 35-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Armstrong shouldn't be expecting an invite to Cowboys Stadium anytime soon.

The seven-time Tour de France champion took a shot at team owner Jerry Jones on his Twitter account, suggesting that the meddlesome owner should stop being so, uh, meddlesome:

It seems that almost everyone associated with the Cowboys gets ripped at some point during the season. If it's not Tony Romo's(notes) fault for throwing two pick-sixes, it's Jason Garrett's play-calling or Rob Ryan's defense or an inept offensive line or Dez Bryant's(notes) inability to get open. Jerry Jones stays relatively unscathed, despite his all-encompassing presence in personnel rooms and on the sideline and his hand-picked coaches who go from their introductory press conferences to the hot seat in record time.

Jones has earned the pass; those three Super Bowls in the 1990s and his gleaming, new Cowboys Stadium make him untouchable in Big D. Yet it can't be denied that it's Jones who wanted Romo and Garrett and disappointments like Felix Jones(notes), and that coaching under him involves keeping one eye on the field and one eye on the owner's box. He should be called out every now and then. All it took was another Texas-sized legend to do it.

Lance Armstrong takes a Twitter shot at Jerry Jones

Famed cyclist Lance Armstrong was born in Dallas and named after former Cowboys receiver Lance Rentzel, so his ties to America's Team run deep. But after a tweet sent out in the wake of the Cowboys' 35-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Armstrong shouldn't be expecting an invite to Cowboys Stadium anytime soon.

The seven-time Tour de France champion took a shot at team owner Jerry Jones on his Twitter account, suggesting that the meddlesome owner should stop being so, uh, meddlesome:

It seems that almost everyone associated with the Cowboys gets ripped at some point during the season. If it's not Tony Romo's(notes) fault for throwing two pick-sixes, it's Jason Garrett's play-calling or Rob Ryan's defense or an inept offensive line or Dez Bryant's(notes) inability to get open. Jerry Jones stays relatively unscathed, despite his all-encompassing presence in personnel rooms and on the sideline and his hand-picked coaches who go from their introductory press conferences to the hot seat in record time.

Jones has earned the pass; those three Super Bowls in the 1990s and his gleaming, new Cowboys Stadium make him untouchable in Big D. Yet it can't be denied that it's Jones who wanted Romo and Garrett and disappointments like Felix Jones(notes), and that coaching under him involves keeping one eye on the field and one eye on the owner's box. He should be called out every now and then. All it took was another Texas-sized legend to do it.

Rivers botches snap to set up game-winning FG

It was an all-time NFL blunder, the kind that will show up on "SportsCenter" countdowns and career retrospectives for years. With his team preparing to run down the clock and set up a chip-shot, game-winning field goal, San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers(notes) mishandled a routine snap on a kneel-down play, fumbled the ball and handed possession to the Kansas City Chiefs, who would go on to win the game in overtime, 23-20.

 

With 1:04 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Chiefs out of timeouts, all Rivers had to do was take a knee in the center of the field to set up Nick Novak(notes) for a game-winning 32-yard field goal. It wasn't a sure thing; Olindo Mare(notes) missed a game-tying 31-yarder on Sunday in Charlotte, but given that Novak began his season with 13 straight conversions, it seemed like a safe bet. Take a knee, set up the kick, fly back to San Diego with sole possession of first place in the AFC West.

If only. Instead, Rivers mishandled the routine snap he's received thousands of times in his life.

The snap itself was fine. It was Rivers' bottom hand inexplicably curling and punching the ball away as he fell back on his feet. After the game, Norv Turner said Rivers "appeared anxious and came out early."

What a disaster.

After a rough start to the evening, Rivers played nearly perfect football for the final three quarters. At times he evaded the rush like Ben Roethlisberger(notes). On other plays, he looked off multiple covered receivers before firing a bullet to the one open player on the other side of the field. There was a crucial third-and-18 pass on the final drive that Rivers threw flat-footed in the face of a rapidly shrinking pocket and managed to hit the receiver in the numbers. San Diego only had a chance to win because of Philip Rivers. And then he went out and lost it on one snap.

Now, instead of San Diego leading the AFC West by one game over the Raiders and two games over the Chiefs, there's a three-way tie at the top. Philip Rivers knows more than anyone how much it hurts. With time running down in overtime and Kansas City setting up what would be the game-winning kick, ESPN cut to a replay of the quarterback on the sideline. He stood alone and said to nobody in particular, "that was the worst thing ever."

Rivers botches snap to set up game-winning FG

It was an all-time NFL blunder, the kind that will show up on "SportsCenter" countdowns and career retrospectives for years. With his team preparing to run down the clock and set up a chip-shot, game-winning field goal, San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers(notes) mishandled a routine snap on a kneel-down play, fumbled the ball and handed possession to the Kansas City Chiefs, who would go on to win the game in overtime, 23-20.

 

With 1:04 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Chiefs out of timeouts, all Rivers had to do was take a knee in the center of the field to set up Nick Novak(notes) for a game-winning 32-yard field goal. It wasn't a sure thing; Olindo Mare(notes) missed a game-tying 31-yarder on Sunday in Charlotte, but given that Novak began his season with 13 straight conversions, it seemed like a safe bet. Take a knee, set up the kick, fly back to San Diego with sole possession of first place in the AFC West.

If only. Instead, Rivers mishandled the routine snap he's received thousands of times in his life.

The snap itself was fine. It was Rivers' bottom hand inexplicably curling and punching the ball away as he fell back on his feet. After the game, Norv Turner said Rivers "appeared anxious and came out early."

What a disaster.

After a rough start to the evening, Rivers played nearly perfect football for the final three quarters. At times he evaded the rush like Ben Roethlisberger(notes). On other plays, he looked off multiple covered receivers before firing a bullet to the one open player on the other side of the field. There was a crucial third-and-18 pass on the final drive that Rivers threw flat-footed in the face of a rapidly shrinking pocket and managed to hit the receiver in the numbers. San Diego only had a chance to win because of Philip Rivers. And then he went out and lost it on one snap.

Now, instead of San Diego leading the AFC West by one game over the Raiders and two games over the Chiefs, there's a three-way tie at the top. Philip Rivers knows more than anyone how much it hurts. With time running down in overtime and Kansas City setting up what would be the game-winning kick, ESPN cut to a replay of the quarterback on the sideline. He stood alone and said to nobody in particular, "that was the worst thing ever."

Rivers botches snap to set up game-winning FG

It was an all-time NFL blunder, the kind that will show up on "SportsCenter" countdowns and career retrospectives for years. With his team preparing to run down the clock and set up a chip-shot, game-winning field goal, San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers(notes) mishandled a routine snap on a kneel-down play, fumbled the ball and handed possession to the Kansas City Chiefs, who would go on to win the game in overtime, 23-20.

 

With 1:04 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Chiefs out of timeouts, all Rivers had to do was take a knee in the center of the field to set up Nick Novak(notes) for a game-winning 32-yard field goal. It wasn't a sure thing; Olindo Mare(notes) missed a game-tying 31-yarder on Sunday in Charlotte, but given that Novak began his season with 13 straight conversions, it seemed like a safe bet. Take a knee, set up the kick, fly back to San Diego with sole possession of first place in the AFC West.

If only. Instead, Rivers mishandled the routine snap he's received thousands of times in his life.

The snap itself was fine. It was Rivers' bottom hand inexplicably curling and punching the ball away as he fell back on his feet. After the game, Norv Turner said Rivers "appeared anxious and came out early."

What a disaster.

After a rough start to the evening, Rivers played nearly perfect football for the final three quarters. At times he evaded the rush like Ben Roethlisberger(notes). On other plays, he looked off multiple covered receivers before firing a bullet to the one open player on the other side of the field. There was a crucial third-and-18 pass on the final drive that Rivers threw flat-footed in the face of a rapidly shrinking pocket and managed to hit the receiver in the numbers. San Diego only had a chance to win because of Philip Rivers. And then he went out and lost it on one snap.

Now, instead of San Diego leading the AFC West by one game over the Raiders and two games over the Chiefs, there's a three-way tie at the top. Philip Rivers knows more than anyone how much it hurts. With time running down in overtime and Kansas City setting up what would be the game-winning kick, ESPN cut to a replay of the quarterback on the sideline. He stood alone and said to nobody in particular, "that was the worst thing ever."

Teen rowers give up medal dreams to help capsized foes

It's always said that high school sports are supposed to teach young athletes the value of good sportsmanship. Now we all know that at least two prep rowers from Philadelphia are listening.

As first reported by the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia (Pa.) Episcopal Academy rowers James Konopka and Nick Mead made the ultimate sacrifice during their Under-17 doubles race at the Head of the Schuykill regatta on Sunday when they abandoned a promising start to help rescue two fellow competitors who had capsized.

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With temperatures unseasonably cold and Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph's Prep rowers Joe Leonard and Andrew Burrichter struggling with their boat and treading water in the icy river, Konopka and Mead made a snap decision to give up a promising start that could have landed them in the medals to help get the fellow high school rowers to safety, waiting with them until a safety launch arrived to get the St. Joseph's pair out of the frigid water.

Teen rowers give up medal dreams to help capsized foes

It's always said that high school sports are supposed to teach young athletes the value of good sportsmanship. Now we all know that at least two prep rowers from Philadelphia are listening.

As first reported by the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia (Pa.) Episcopal Academy rowers James Konopka and Nick Mead made the ultimate sacrifice during their Under-17 doubles race at the Head of the Schuykill regatta on Sunday when they abandoned a promising start to help rescue two fellow competitors who had capsized.

\

With temperatures unseasonably cold and Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph's Prep rowers Joe Leonard and Andrew Burrichter struggling with their boat and treading water in the icy river, Konopka and Mead made a snap decision to give up a promising start that could have landed them in the medals to help get the fellow high school rowers to safety, waiting with them until a safety launch arrived to get the St. Joseph's pair out of the frigid water.

Teen rowers give up medal dreams to help capsized foes

It's always said that high school sports are supposed to teach young athletes the value of good sportsmanship. Now we all know that at least two prep rowers from Philadelphia are listening.

As first reported by the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia (Pa.) Episcopal Academy rowers James Konopka and Nick Mead made the ultimate sacrifice during their Under-17 doubles race at the Head of the Schuykill regatta on Sunday when they abandoned a promising start to help rescue two fellow competitors who had capsized.

\

With temperatures unseasonably cold and Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph's Prep rowers Joe Leonard and Andrew Burrichter struggling with their boat and treading water in the icy river, Konopka and Mead made a snap decision to give up a promising start that could have landed them in the medals to help get the fellow high school rowers to safety, waiting with them until a safety launch arrived to get the St. Joseph's pair out of the frigid water.

West Indies still favourites but Tamim fights

On the most productive day of this Test series, aggression as well as restraint with the bat were in plentiful supply from both teams but they differed significantly in their timing of those approaches. West Indies got it right, subdued at the start of the day and attacking after lunch to amass a massive lead, the only downside being the sight of Darren Bravo lying flat on the ground ruing a missed double-century. Bangladesh did the opposite; they motored along at the start of an improbable chase, not having learnt much from their top-order capitulation in the first innings, and lost early wickets. Though Tamim Iqbal steadied them, after belatedly realising the need for caution, West Indies remain favourites to take the Test with seven wickets to grab on a full day's play. 

Attacking batting makes for entertaining cricket and the Bangladesh line-up is packed with attractive stroke-makers. If there was anything to be learnt from their performance in the first innings, though, it was that sustaining aggression for an extended period of time is a major challenge in Test cricket. The opening seamers Fidel Edwards and Kemar Roach bowled too short often but, despite their poor lengths, the Bangladesh batsmen were only too happy to keep them interested. 

The pitch looked far from threatening and showed no major signs of wear and tear - Devendra Bishoo and Marlon Samuels got the odd delivery to turn and bounce sharply but not with enough frequency to send tremors within the Bangladesh camp. Also encouraging for the hosts will be the trend of high scores in the fourth innings at the venue - two scores of over 200 have been chased down with few wickets lost and Bangladesh once scored 413 in a losing cause. Whether Tamim and the middle order can summon the determination to save the game will have many doubters, and remains to be seen. 

Sensing early that leaving deliveries outside off wasn't part of the top-order's plan, as he'd done early in the first innings where he bagged a five-for, Fidel Edwards persisted with an off-stump line. The presence of two slips and a gully should have prompted circumspection, instead the openers kept those fielders that much more vigilant. Off the first ball of Fidel Edwards' second over, Tamim slapped one to point where Samuels dropped a straightforward chance. There was hope again when Imrul Kayes crashed him through the covers four balls later. The next ball was in the channel outside off and Kayes couldn't help pushing at it, and offered a low catch to Kirk Edwards at slip. 

The temptation to dole out short stuff continued when Shahriar Nafees upper-cut Fidel Edwards over the slips; Roach was dealt the same way by Tamim, who also survived an inside-edge while pushing away from his body. The introduction of Darren Sammy brought about a change in lengths and Nafees, overcome by an instinct to drive the ball, played a pitched-up delivery straight back to the bowler, who showed sharp reflexes in bending down quickly to take a tough catch. 

The arrival of Raqibul Hasan brought with it a semblance of stability to the innings. He shunned aggression, held out one end assuredly, defended well against Sammy who stuck to a tight line and pinched singles off the spinners, working them around the in-field. The solidity rubbed off on Tamim, who toned down considerably and was fortunate to have Raqibul caution him when he appeared to display an incorrigible urge to break free. 

Tamim stepped out to Bishoo to launch him over his head for a four and a six, and almost offered a catch to mid-on on the third attempt before a polite reprimand from the other end restored some sense. It was ironic then that Raqibul was almost caught while trying to late-cut a delivery with a slip in place, and was dismissed the very next ball poking at a quicker delivery from Samuels that spun in a hint. 

At 124 for 3 with close to an hour left, there was more room for damage but some fluent, and assured, batting from Mushfiqur Rahim together with a much-tempered Tamim saw Bangladesh through to the close. The pair punched gloves in satisfaction at stumps but another daunting day remained ahead of them. 

The West Indies batsmen didn't want any hiccups in the morning and progressed slowly to keep wickets in store for a blast after lunch. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who eased to a half-century, triggered the acceleration with three fours in a Nasir Hossain over before the break, and Bravo smashed a straight six off the same bowler when play resumed. As he moved closer to a double-ton, Bravo launched Suhrawadi Shuvo into the stands to reach 195. An attempt to get to the landmark with a slog-sweep the next ball ended in failure, personal disappointment and a declaration, as he top-edged a catch to Mushfiqur.

West Indies still favourites but Tamim fights

On the most productive day of this Test series, aggression as well as restraint with the bat were in plentiful supply from both teams but they differed significantly in their timing of those approaches. West Indies got it right, subdued at the start of the day and attacking after lunch to amass a massive lead, the only downside being the sight of Darren Bravo lying flat on the ground ruing a missed double-century. Bangladesh did the opposite; they motored along at the start of an improbable chase, not having learnt much from their top-order capitulation in the first innings, and lost early wickets. Though Tamim Iqbal steadied them, after belatedly realising the need for caution, West Indies remain favourites to take the Test with seven wickets to grab on a full day's play. 

Attacking batting makes for entertaining cricket and the Bangladesh line-up is packed with attractive stroke-makers. If there was anything to be learnt from their performance in the first innings, though, it was that sustaining aggression for an extended period of time is a major challenge in Test cricket. The opening seamers Fidel Edwards and Kemar Roach bowled too short often but, despite their poor lengths, the Bangladesh batsmen were only too happy to keep them interested. 

The pitch looked far from threatening and showed no major signs of wear and tear - Devendra Bishoo and Marlon Samuels got the odd delivery to turn and bounce sharply but not with enough frequency to send tremors within the Bangladesh camp. Also encouraging for the hosts will be the trend of high scores in the fourth innings at the venue - two scores of over 200 have been chased down with few wickets lost and Bangladesh once scored 413 in a losing cause. Whether Tamim and the middle order can summon the determination to save the game will have many doubters, and remains to be seen. 

Sensing early that leaving deliveries outside off wasn't part of the top-order's plan, as he'd done early in the first innings where he bagged a five-for, Fidel Edwards persisted with an off-stump line. The presence of two slips and a gully should have prompted circumspection, instead the openers kept those fielders that much more vigilant. Off the first ball of Fidel Edwards' second over, Tamim slapped one to point where Samuels dropped a straightforward chance. There was hope again when Imrul Kayes crashed him through the covers four balls later. The next ball was in the channel outside off and Kayes couldn't help pushing at it, and offered a low catch to Kirk Edwards at slip. 

The temptation to dole out short stuff continued when Shahriar Nafees upper-cut Fidel Edwards over the slips; Roach was dealt the same way by Tamim, who also survived an inside-edge while pushing away from his body. The introduction of Darren Sammy brought about a change in lengths and Nafees, overcome by an instinct to drive the ball, played a pitched-up delivery straight back to the bowler, who showed sharp reflexes in bending down quickly to take a tough catch. 

The arrival of Raqibul Hasan brought with it a semblance of stability to the innings. He shunned aggression, held out one end assuredly, defended well against Sammy who stuck to a tight line and pinched singles off the spinners, working them around the in-field. The solidity rubbed off on Tamim, who toned down considerably and was fortunate to have Raqibul caution him when he appeared to display an incorrigible urge to break free. 

Tamim stepped out to Bishoo to launch him over his head for a four and a six, and almost offered a catch to mid-on on the third attempt before a polite reprimand from the other end restored some sense. It was ironic then that Raqibul was almost caught while trying to late-cut a delivery with a slip in place, and was dismissed the very next ball poking at a quicker delivery from Samuels that spun in a hint. 

At 124 for 3 with close to an hour left, there was more room for damage but some fluent, and assured, batting from Mushfiqur Rahim together with a much-tempered Tamim saw Bangladesh through to the close. The pair punched gloves in satisfaction at stumps but another daunting day remained ahead of them. 

The West Indies batsmen didn't want any hiccups in the morning and progressed slowly to keep wickets in store for a blast after lunch. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who eased to a half-century, triggered the acceleration with three fours in a Nasir Hossain over before the break, and Bravo smashed a straight six off the same bowler when play resumed. As he moved closer to a double-ton, Bravo launched Suhrawadi Shuvo into the stands to reach 195. An attempt to get to the landmark with a slog-sweep the next ball ended in failure, personal disappointment and a declaration, as he top-edged a catch to Mushfiqur.

West Indies still favourites but Tamim fights

On the most productive day of this Test series, aggression as well as restraint with the bat were in plentiful supply from both teams but they differed significantly in their timing of those approaches. West Indies got it right, subdued at the start of the day and attacking after lunch to amass a massive lead, the only downside being the sight of Darren Bravo lying flat on the ground ruing a missed double-century. Bangladesh did the opposite; they motored along at the start of an improbable chase, not having learnt much from their top-order capitulation in the first innings, and lost early wickets. Though Tamim Iqbal steadied them, after belatedly realising the need for caution, West Indies remain favourites to take the Test with seven wickets to grab on a full day's play. 

Attacking batting makes for entertaining cricket and the Bangladesh line-up is packed with attractive stroke-makers. If there was anything to be learnt from their performance in the first innings, though, it was that sustaining aggression for an extended period of time is a major challenge in Test cricket. The opening seamers Fidel Edwards and Kemar Roach bowled too short often but, despite their poor lengths, the Bangladesh batsmen were only too happy to keep them interested. 

The pitch looked far from threatening and showed no major signs of wear and tear - Devendra Bishoo and Marlon Samuels got the odd delivery to turn and bounce sharply but not with enough frequency to send tremors within the Bangladesh camp. Also encouraging for the hosts will be the trend of high scores in the fourth innings at the venue - two scores of over 200 have been chased down with few wickets lost and Bangladesh once scored 413 in a losing cause. Whether Tamim and the middle order can summon the determination to save the game will have many doubters, and remains to be seen. 

Sensing early that leaving deliveries outside off wasn't part of the top-order's plan, as he'd done early in the first innings where he bagged a five-for, Fidel Edwards persisted with an off-stump line. The presence of two slips and a gully should have prompted circumspection, instead the openers kept those fielders that much more vigilant. Off the first ball of Fidel Edwards' second over, Tamim slapped one to point where Samuels dropped a straightforward chance. There was hope again when Imrul Kayes crashed him through the covers four balls later. The next ball was in the channel outside off and Kayes couldn't help pushing at it, and offered a low catch to Kirk Edwards at slip. 

The temptation to dole out short stuff continued when Shahriar Nafees upper-cut Fidel Edwards over the slips; Roach was dealt the same way by Tamim, who also survived an inside-edge while pushing away from his body. The introduction of Darren Sammy brought about a change in lengths and Nafees, overcome by an instinct to drive the ball, played a pitched-up delivery straight back to the bowler, who showed sharp reflexes in bending down quickly to take a tough catch. 

The arrival of Raqibul Hasan brought with it a semblance of stability to the innings. He shunned aggression, held out one end assuredly, defended well against Sammy who stuck to a tight line and pinched singles off the spinners, working them around the in-field. The solidity rubbed off on Tamim, who toned down considerably and was fortunate to have Raqibul caution him when he appeared to display an incorrigible urge to break free. 

Tamim stepped out to Bishoo to launch him over his head for a four and a six, and almost offered a catch to mid-on on the third attempt before a polite reprimand from the other end restored some sense. It was ironic then that Raqibul was almost caught while trying to late-cut a delivery with a slip in place, and was dismissed the very next ball poking at a quicker delivery from Samuels that spun in a hint. 

At 124 for 3 with close to an hour left, there was more room for damage but some fluent, and assured, batting from Mushfiqur Rahim together with a much-tempered Tamim saw Bangladesh through to the close. The pair punched gloves in satisfaction at stumps but another daunting day remained ahead of them. 

The West Indies batsmen didn't want any hiccups in the morning and progressed slowly to keep wickets in store for a blast after lunch. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who eased to a half-century, triggered the acceleration with three fours in a Nasir Hossain over before the break, and Bravo smashed a straight six off the same bowler when play resumed. As he moved closer to a double-ton, Bravo launched Suhrawadi Shuvo into the stands to reach 195. An attempt to get to the landmark with a slog-sweep the next ball ended in failure, personal disappointment and a declaration, as he top-edged a catch to Mushfiqur.

Best Global Companie

Want to work for a multinational corporation with great perks and opportunities around the world? Here are the 10 best.

Every year, Fortune publishes its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, which features the top U.S. companies to work for based on things like benefits, perks, diversity, and pay. Now Fortune's data partner for that list, Great Place to Work, is launching its own list of the best global companies to work for based on many of the same metrics.

Read on to find out the top 10 companies in its inaugural list, "The World's Best Multinational Workplaces," along with some highlights about what makes them so great.

Who qualifies? Companies must have appeared on at least five national Great Place to Work lists, have at least 5,000 employees worldwide, and at least 40% of their global workforce must work outside of the company's home country.

After Microsoft employees voiced their desire to contribute more to their communities, the software company gifted its workers with 40 paid hours a year to dedicate to volunteer activities — ranging from working in a soup kitchen once a week to spending a week building an orphanage. Bill Gates' brainchild also supports employees who are new parents: In Norway, where maternity and paternity leaves are quite generous at the federal level, Microsoft hosts a "Junior Lunch" every quarter, allowing new parents on leave to come to the office for a lunch with their children, keeping the working parents in touch with their colleagues and up-to-date with office happenings.

"Microsoft is a place where you can be yourself," says an employee. "It's expected that you have an opinion, and there are multiple opportunities to really make a contribution to the company and to society. Unless you work here, it is hard to believe the passion that people display."

Best Global Companie

Want to work for a multinational corporation with great perks and opportunities around the world? Here are the 10 best.

Every year, Fortune publishes its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, which features the top U.S. companies to work for based on things like benefits, perks, diversity, and pay. Now Fortune's data partner for that list, Great Place to Work, is launching its own list of the best global companies to work for based on many of the same metrics.

Read on to find out the top 10 companies in its inaugural list, "The World's Best Multinational Workplaces," along with some highlights about what makes them so great.

Who qualifies? Companies must have appeared on at least five national Great Place to Work lists, have at least 5,000 employees worldwide, and at least 40% of their global workforce must work outside of the company's home country.

After Microsoft employees voiced their desire to contribute more to their communities, the software company gifted its workers with 40 paid hours a year to dedicate to volunteer activities — ranging from working in a soup kitchen once a week to spending a week building an orphanage. Bill Gates' brainchild also supports employees who are new parents: In Norway, where maternity and paternity leaves are quite generous at the federal level, Microsoft hosts a "Junior Lunch" every quarter, allowing new parents on leave to come to the office for a lunch with their children, keeping the working parents in touch with their colleagues and up-to-date with office happenings.

"Microsoft is a place where you can be yourself," says an employee. "It's expected that you have an opinion, and there are multiple opportunities to really make a contribution to the company and to society. Unless you work here, it is hard to believe the passion that people display."

Best Global Companie

Want to work for a multinational corporation with great perks and opportunities around the world? Here are the 10 best.

Every year, Fortune publishes its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, which features the top U.S. companies to work for based on things like benefits, perks, diversity, and pay. Now Fortune's data partner for that list, Great Place to Work, is launching its own list of the best global companies to work for based on many of the same metrics.

Read on to find out the top 10 companies in its inaugural list, "The World's Best Multinational Workplaces," along with some highlights about what makes them so great.

Who qualifies? Companies must have appeared on at least five national Great Place to Work lists, have at least 5,000 employees worldwide, and at least 40% of their global workforce must work outside of the company's home country.

After Microsoft employees voiced their desire to contribute more to their communities, the software company gifted its workers with 40 paid hours a year to dedicate to volunteer activities — ranging from working in a soup kitchen once a week to spending a week building an orphanage. Bill Gates' brainchild also supports employees who are new parents: In Norway, where maternity and paternity leaves are quite generous at the federal level, Microsoft hosts a "Junior Lunch" every quarter, allowing new parents on leave to come to the office for a lunch with their children, keeping the working parents in touch with their colleagues and up-to-date with office happenings.

"Microsoft is a place where you can be yourself," says an employee. "It's expected that you have an opinion, and there are multiple opportunities to really make a contribution to the company and to society. Unless you work here, it is hard to believe the passion that people display."

Surfer from water competition

The world's top surfers gathered this week for the first-ever ASP World Tour competition in San Francisco. They knew they'd have to contend with possible fog, bone-chilling wind and water temperatures.

They did not figure on sharks coming into play, but only four heats into Tuesday's opening round, Hawaii's Dusty Payne was frightened out of the water after spotting what he described as "the biggest fin I've ever seen in my life coming at me."

The surfer assured, "I've seen dolphins and it wasn't a dolphin."

Payne was competing against South Africa's Jordy Smith, who remained in the water for the remaining five minutes and easily won the heat.

Lifeguards and rangers patrolled the lineup in an inflatable boat during a brief interruption and as the Rip Curl Search competition resumed. But one Bay Area shark expert questioned the wisdom of holding a surf contest in San Francisco at a time of year when dozens of white sharks are gathered at the Farallon Islands, 25 miles offshore, to fatten up on seals and sea lions.  

"You wouldn't hold a blind hop-scotch competition on the interstate freeway. You just wouldn't do it because it's insane," said Patric Douglas, a commercial shark-diving tour operator and CEO of the Shark Diver company. "You could also say it's a middle finger to the white sharks, because it's their habitual range, and the arrogance to assume that nothing is going to go on ... the fact that they saw a fin should have closed that contest out."

San Francisco is within the so-called Red Triangle, which extends from Bodega Bay north of San Francisco to just beyond the Farallon Islands, to just south of Monterey. The triangle is notorious white shark habitat.

On Saturday a surfer was bitten by what is believed to have been a large white shark just north of Monterey. He sustained moderate injuries to his shoulder and neck and the shark tore a 19-inch chunk from his board. Since 1926, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File, there have been four unprovoked attacks off San Francisco, 10 off Marin County and nine off Monterey. The last fatal attack off San Francisco occurred in 1959.

Surfer from water competition

The world's top surfers gathered this week for the first-ever ASP World Tour competition in San Francisco. They knew they'd have to contend with possible fog, bone-chilling wind and water temperatures.

They did not figure on sharks coming into play, but only four heats into Tuesday's opening round, Hawaii's Dusty Payne was frightened out of the water after spotting what he described as "the biggest fin I've ever seen in my life coming at me."

The surfer assured, "I've seen dolphins and it wasn't a dolphin."

Payne was competing against South Africa's Jordy Smith, who remained in the water for the remaining five minutes and easily won the heat.

Lifeguards and rangers patrolled the lineup in an inflatable boat during a brief interruption and as the Rip Curl Search competition resumed. But one Bay Area shark expert questioned the wisdom of holding a surf contest in San Francisco at a time of year when dozens of white sharks are gathered at the Farallon Islands, 25 miles offshore, to fatten up on seals and sea lions.  

"You wouldn't hold a blind hop-scotch competition on the interstate freeway. You just wouldn't do it because it's insane," said Patric Douglas, a commercial shark-diving tour operator and CEO of the Shark Diver company. "You could also say it's a middle finger to the white sharks, because it's their habitual range, and the arrogance to assume that nothing is going to go on ... the fact that they saw a fin should have closed that contest out."

San Francisco is within the so-called Red Triangle, which extends from Bodega Bay north of San Francisco to just beyond the Farallon Islands, to just south of Monterey. The triangle is notorious white shark habitat.

On Saturday a surfer was bitten by what is believed to have been a large white shark just north of Monterey. He sustained moderate injuries to his shoulder and neck and the shark tore a 19-inch chunk from his board. Since 1926, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File, there have been four unprovoked attacks off San Francisco, 10 off Marin County and nine off Monterey. The last fatal attack off San Francisco occurred in 1959.

Surfer from water competition

The world's top surfers gathered this week for the first-ever ASP World Tour competition in San Francisco. They knew they'd have to contend with possible fog, bone-chilling wind and water temperatures.

They did not figure on sharks coming into play, but only four heats into Tuesday's opening round, Hawaii's Dusty Payne was frightened out of the water after spotting what he described as "the biggest fin I've ever seen in my life coming at me."

The surfer assured, "I've seen dolphins and it wasn't a dolphin."

Payne was competing against South Africa's Jordy Smith, who remained in the water for the remaining five minutes and easily won the heat.

Lifeguards and rangers patrolled the lineup in an inflatable boat during a brief interruption and as the Rip Curl Search competition resumed. But one Bay Area shark expert questioned the wisdom of holding a surf contest in San Francisco at a time of year when dozens of white sharks are gathered at the Farallon Islands, 25 miles offshore, to fatten up on seals and sea lions.  

"You wouldn't hold a blind hop-scotch competition on the interstate freeway. You just wouldn't do it because it's insane," said Patric Douglas, a commercial shark-diving tour operator and CEO of the Shark Diver company. "You could also say it's a middle finger to the white sharks, because it's their habitual range, and the arrogance to assume that nothing is going to go on ... the fact that they saw a fin should have closed that contest out."

San Francisco is within the so-called Red Triangle, which extends from Bodega Bay north of San Francisco to just beyond the Farallon Islands, to just south of Monterey. The triangle is notorious white shark habitat.

On Saturday a surfer was bitten by what is believed to have been a large white shark just north of Monterey. He sustained moderate injuries to his shoulder and neck and the shark tore a 19-inch chunk from his board. Since 1926, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File, there have been four unprovoked attacks off San Francisco, 10 off Marin County and nine off Monterey. The last fatal attack off San Francisco occurred in 1959.

Watch Kevin Durant dominate an Oklahoma State

Because the NBA didn't start to bargain with its players until after the summer ended, we can safely say that Durant had the busiest offseason of any NBA star. Others may have rushed off to sham marriages or shilled for sneaker companies overseas, but Durant took part in both the Rucker and Goodman leagues, and it appears as if autumn (with no NBA games until at least the start of December) won't be much different.

Here's the video of his time spent running the option with an OSU fraternity in an intramural flag football battle, as filmed by Adam Kemp. In it, student George Overbey discusses just what it took to get Durant to toss on his familiar number 35 again, along with a series of unfamiliar flags dotting his team shorts:

Durant's (characterized by Overbey as "the nicest guy ever") final tally? Four touchdowns and three interceptions. Probably par for the course for someone with that wingspan. He also drew a police escort as his massive blacked-out van pulled away following the game, but that's also par for the course on some of Sigma Nu's wilder nights.

Click the jump to see one of Durant's lowlights, an interception, from the contest. Video courtesy of Jeff Johnson of OStateIllustrated.com.

Watch Kevin Durant dominate an Oklahoma State

Because the NBA didn't start to bargain with its players until after the summer ended, we can safely say that Durant had the busiest offseason of any NBA star. Others may have rushed off to sham marriages or shilled for sneaker companies overseas, but Durant took part in both the Rucker and Goodman leagues, and it appears as if autumn (with no NBA games until at least the start of December) won't be much different.

Here's the video of his time spent running the option with an OSU fraternity in an intramural flag football battle, as filmed by Adam Kemp. In it, student George Overbey discusses just what it took to get Durant to toss on his familiar number 35 again, along with a series of unfamiliar flags dotting his team shorts:

Durant's (characterized by Overbey as "the nicest guy ever") final tally? Four touchdowns and three interceptions. Probably par for the course for someone with that wingspan. He also drew a police escort as his massive blacked-out van pulled away following the game, but that's also par for the course on some of Sigma Nu's wilder nights.

Click the jump to see one of Durant's lowlights, an interception, from the contest. Video courtesy of Jeff Johnson of OStateIllustrated.com.

Watch Kevin Durant dominate an Oklahoma State

Because the NBA didn't start to bargain with its players until after the summer ended, we can safely say that Durant had the busiest offseason of any NBA star. Others may have rushed off to sham marriages or shilled for sneaker companies overseas, but Durant took part in both the Rucker and Goodman leagues, and it appears as if autumn (with no NBA games until at least the start of December) won't be much different.

Here's the video of his time spent running the option with an OSU fraternity in an intramural flag football battle, as filmed by Adam Kemp. In it, student George Overbey discusses just what it took to get Durant to toss on his familiar number 35 again, along with a series of unfamiliar flags dotting his team shorts:

Durant's (characterized by Overbey as "the nicest guy ever") final tally? Four touchdowns and three interceptions. Probably par for the course for someone with that wingspan. He also drew a police escort as his massive blacked-out van pulled away following the game, but that's also par for the course on some of Sigma Nu's wilder nights.

Click the jump to see one of Durant's lowlights, an interception, from the contest. Video courtesy of Jeff Johnson of OStateIllustrated.com.

Brunell's Catastrophic Financial Path

Although he has a better playoff winning percentage than Peyton Manning, 18-year NFL quarterback Mark Brunell is facing a financial nightmare.
Action News Jacksonville reports the current Jets backup and former Jaguars hero has managed to run through $50 million as an active player and will have to start a 9-to-5 job as soon as his NFL career is over.
And that will be soon. Brunell plans to retire from the Jets after this season and, because of his financial misfortunes, will have to become a regular working stiff. Bankruptcy filings show Brunell has a job lined up to work as a medical sales representative after he's done holding a clipboard in New York.
Brunell, originally a fifth-round selection by the Packers in 1993, was twice traded for third-round picks, first in 1995 when the Packers traded him to the expansion Jaguars and again in 2004 when the Jaguars traded him the Redskins. He won a Saints world championship ring as Drew Brees' backup with the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. He also started two AFC title games with the Jags.
Mark Sanchez's current backup and one of New York coach Rex Ryan's favorites is appearing more in bankruptcy court than on the field these days, according to the Jacksonville TV station.
Brunell, 40, blew all his money with lousy investments into nine businesses -- more than half of which are already closed. His most ponderous financial disaster was in Champion LLC, a company that invested in high-end real estate properties. That may have worked out great had the housing market not soured over the course of Brunell's NFL career. He also invested in a Whataburger fast-food franchise, and ended up losing every penny he invested and even more according to financial documents. Brunell attempted to cover the loans with his own cash.
If that's not harsh enough, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is facing six lawsuits. Brunell is on the hook for a whopping $24.7 million, according to the litigation.

Brunell's Catastrophic Financial Path

Although he has a better playoff winning percentage than Peyton Manning, 18-year NFL quarterback Mark Brunell is facing a financial nightmare.
Action News Jacksonville reports the current Jets backup and former Jaguars hero has managed to run through $50 million as an active player and will have to start a 9-to-5 job as soon as his NFL career is over.
And that will be soon. Brunell plans to retire from the Jets after this season and, because of his financial misfortunes, will have to become a regular working stiff. Bankruptcy filings show Brunell has a job lined up to work as a medical sales representative after he's done holding a clipboard in New York.
Brunell, originally a fifth-round selection by the Packers in 1993, was twice traded for third-round picks, first in 1995 when the Packers traded him to the expansion Jaguars and again in 2004 when the Jaguars traded him the Redskins. He won a Saints world championship ring as Drew Brees' backup with the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. He also started two AFC title games with the Jags.
Mark Sanchez's current backup and one of New York coach Rex Ryan's favorites is appearing more in bankruptcy court than on the field these days, according to the Jacksonville TV station.
Brunell, 40, blew all his money with lousy investments into nine businesses -- more than half of which are already closed. His most ponderous financial disaster was in Champion LLC, a company that invested in high-end real estate properties. That may have worked out great had the housing market not soured over the course of Brunell's NFL career. He also invested in a Whataburger fast-food franchise, and ended up losing every penny he invested and even more according to financial documents. Brunell attempted to cover the loans with his own cash.
If that's not harsh enough, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is facing six lawsuits. Brunell is on the hook for a whopping $24.7 million, according to the litigation.

Brunell's Catastrophic Financial Path

Although he has a better playoff winning percentage than Peyton Manning, 18-year NFL quarterback Mark Brunell is facing a financial nightmare.
Action News Jacksonville reports the current Jets backup and former Jaguars hero has managed to run through $50 million as an active player and will have to start a 9-to-5 job as soon as his NFL career is over.
And that will be soon. Brunell plans to retire from the Jets after this season and, because of his financial misfortunes, will have to become a regular working stiff. Bankruptcy filings show Brunell has a job lined up to work as a medical sales representative after he's done holding a clipboard in New York.
Brunell, originally a fifth-round selection by the Packers in 1993, was twice traded for third-round picks, first in 1995 when the Packers traded him to the expansion Jaguars and again in 2004 when the Jaguars traded him the Redskins. He won a Saints world championship ring as Drew Brees' backup with the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. He also started two AFC title games with the Jags.
Mark Sanchez's current backup and one of New York coach Rex Ryan's favorites is appearing more in bankruptcy court than on the field these days, according to the Jacksonville TV station.
Brunell, 40, blew all his money with lousy investments into nine businesses -- more than half of which are already closed. His most ponderous financial disaster was in Champion LLC, a company that invested in high-end real estate properties. That may have worked out great had the housing market not soured over the course of Brunell's NFL career. He also invested in a Whataburger fast-food franchise, and ended up losing every penny he invested and even more according to financial documents. Brunell attempted to cover the loans with his own cash.
If that's not harsh enough, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is facing six lawsuits. Brunell is on the hook for a whopping $24.7 million, according to the litigation.