Tennis-Wozniacki overcomes Tatishvili

Caroline Wozniacki dug herself out of a second set hole to grind down jet-heeled Georgian Anna Tatishvili 6-1 7-6 on Wednesday and advance to the third round of the Australian Open.
After cruising through the first set at a sunbathed Hisense Arena, the world number one suddenly found herself 4-1 down against an 83rd-ranked opponent playing inspired tennis in her Melbourne Park debut.
But Tatishvili wobbled when serving for the set at 5-3 and blasted a forehand long to blow a set point a game later to allow the blonde Dane to scramble into a tiebreak.


After conceding a mini-break, the 21-year-old Tatishvili did well to claw back to 5-4 in the tiebreak but sent a pair of forehand shots into the tramlines to concede the match in 109 minutes.
Wozniacki next faces the winner of the second-round match between France's Pauline Parmentier and Monica Niculescu of Romania as she bids for her maiden grand slam.

Tennis-Wozniacki overcomes Tatishvili

Caroline Wozniacki dug herself out of a second set hole to grind down jet-heeled Georgian Anna Tatishvili 6-1 7-6 on Wednesday and advance to the third round of the Australian Open.
After cruising through the first set at a sunbathed Hisense Arena, the world number one suddenly found herself 4-1 down against an 83rd-ranked opponent playing inspired tennis in her Melbourne Park debut.
But Tatishvili wobbled when serving for the set at 5-3 and blasted a forehand long to blow a set point a game later to allow the blonde Dane to scramble into a tiebreak.


After conceding a mini-break, the 21-year-old Tatishvili did well to claw back to 5-4 in the tiebreak but sent a pair of forehand shots into the tramlines to concede the match in 109 minutes.
Wozniacki next faces the winner of the second-round match between France's Pauline Parmentier and Monica Niculescu of Romania as she bids for her maiden grand slam.

Tennis-Wozniacki overcomes Tatishvili

Caroline Wozniacki dug herself out of a second set hole to grind down jet-heeled Georgian Anna Tatishvili 6-1 7-6 on Wednesday and advance to the third round of the Australian Open.
After cruising through the first set at a sunbathed Hisense Arena, the world number one suddenly found herself 4-1 down against an 83rd-ranked opponent playing inspired tennis in her Melbourne Park debut.
But Tatishvili wobbled when serving for the set at 5-3 and blasted a forehand long to blow a set point a game later to allow the blonde Dane to scramble into a tiebreak.


After conceding a mini-break, the 21-year-old Tatishvili did well to claw back to 5-4 in the tiebreak but sent a pair of forehand shots into the tramlines to concede the match in 109 minutes.
Wozniacki next faces the winner of the second-round match between France's Pauline Parmentier and Monica Niculescu of Romania as she bids for her maiden grand slam.

UPDATE 2-Tennis-Fish in a flap

American number one Mardy Fish crashed out of the Australian Open on Wednesday, beaten 7-6 6-3 7-6 by Alejandro Falla in the second round.

Afterwards, eighth-seed Fish questioned whether the Colombian had "abused" the rules by calling out the trainer as a tactical ploy during a tense third set.

Fish had to battle back just to force a tiebreak in the third set on court three but lost it 8-6 to fall at the second hurdle for the second year in a row at Melbourne Park.

Lefthander Falla summoned up a brilliant lob after a 30-stroke rally to take a 5-4 lead in the tiebreak and survived some late nerves to claim victory when Fish blasted a forehand wide.

Falla called the trainer out twice at changeovers in the third set as he appeared to be struggling with cramp, prompting Fish to ask the umpire and tournament referee for clarification of the rules.

"Third set obviously pretty important knowing that he's struggling, I guess. Maybe not. Maybe that was a ploy. I don't know," the 30-year-old said.

"Didn't seem like he was having too much trouble during the point. So it was a good tactic on his part.

"When you think someone is cramping or ailing physically, you sort of change your game a tiny bit," he added. "I think it had a significant bearing on the third set, for sure."

Fish said he did not think players were allowed to call out the trainer for cramps, adding that as the modern game was so physically draining it was something that some players would exploit.

"You're going to have guys that are going to abuse that a lot," he said. "I thought he was having some physical issues. But then in between on every point he was totally fine."

Fish arrived in Melbourne after a controversial appearance at the Hopman Cup in Perth, where he and Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov had to be separated by the match referee when they squared up to each other in a bad-tempered encounter.

The American also spat towards Dimitrov's fans in the stands when they cheered his errors.

Asked whether his uncharacteristic bad temper was the result of fatigue from last year, Fish was unforthcoming.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

Falla will meet Germany's Phillip Kohlschreiber in the third round.

UPDATE 2-Tennis-Fish in a flap

American number one Mardy Fish crashed out of the Australian Open on Wednesday, beaten 7-6 6-3 7-6 by Alejandro Falla in the second round.

Afterwards, eighth-seed Fish questioned whether the Colombian had "abused" the rules by calling out the trainer as a tactical ploy during a tense third set.

Fish had to battle back just to force a tiebreak in the third set on court three but lost it 8-6 to fall at the second hurdle for the second year in a row at Melbourne Park.

Lefthander Falla summoned up a brilliant lob after a 30-stroke rally to take a 5-4 lead in the tiebreak and survived some late nerves to claim victory when Fish blasted a forehand wide.

Falla called the trainer out twice at changeovers in the third set as he appeared to be struggling with cramp, prompting Fish to ask the umpire and tournament referee for clarification of the rules.

"Third set obviously pretty important knowing that he's struggling, I guess. Maybe not. Maybe that was a ploy. I don't know," the 30-year-old said.

"Didn't seem like he was having too much trouble during the point. So it was a good tactic on his part.

"When you think someone is cramping or ailing physically, you sort of change your game a tiny bit," he added. "I think it had a significant bearing on the third set, for sure."

Fish said he did not think players were allowed to call out the trainer for cramps, adding that as the modern game was so physically draining it was something that some players would exploit.

"You're going to have guys that are going to abuse that a lot," he said. "I thought he was having some physical issues. But then in between on every point he was totally fine."

Fish arrived in Melbourne after a controversial appearance at the Hopman Cup in Perth, where he and Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov had to be separated by the match referee when they squared up to each other in a bad-tempered encounter.

The American also spat towards Dimitrov's fans in the stands when they cheered his errors.

Asked whether his uncharacteristic bad temper was the result of fatigue from last year, Fish was unforthcoming.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

Falla will meet Germany's Phillip Kohlschreiber in the third round.

UPDATE 2-Tennis-Fish in a flap

American number one Mardy Fish crashed out of the Australian Open on Wednesday, beaten 7-6 6-3 7-6 by Alejandro Falla in the second round.

Afterwards, eighth-seed Fish questioned whether the Colombian had "abused" the rules by calling out the trainer as a tactical ploy during a tense third set.

Fish had to battle back just to force a tiebreak in the third set on court three but lost it 8-6 to fall at the second hurdle for the second year in a row at Melbourne Park.

Lefthander Falla summoned up a brilliant lob after a 30-stroke rally to take a 5-4 lead in the tiebreak and survived some late nerves to claim victory when Fish blasted a forehand wide.

Falla called the trainer out twice at changeovers in the third set as he appeared to be struggling with cramp, prompting Fish to ask the umpire and tournament referee for clarification of the rules.

"Third set obviously pretty important knowing that he's struggling, I guess. Maybe not. Maybe that was a ploy. I don't know," the 30-year-old said.

"Didn't seem like he was having too much trouble during the point. So it was a good tactic on his part.

"When you think someone is cramping or ailing physically, you sort of change your game a tiny bit," he added. "I think it had a significant bearing on the third set, for sure."

Fish said he did not think players were allowed to call out the trainer for cramps, adding that as the modern game was so physically draining it was something that some players would exploit.

"You're going to have guys that are going to abuse that a lot," he said. "I thought he was having some physical issues. But then in between on every point he was totally fine."

Fish arrived in Melbourne after a controversial appearance at the Hopman Cup in Perth, where he and Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov had to be separated by the match referee when they squared up to each other in a bad-tempered encounter.

The American also spat towards Dimitrov's fans in the stands when they cheered his errors.

Asked whether his uncharacteristic bad temper was the result of fatigue from last year, Fish was unforthcoming.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

Falla will meet Germany's Phillip Kohlschreiber in the third round.

Scottish Rugby Union told Steven Shingler

The International Rugby Board have told the Scottish Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union that their regulations indicate Steven Shingler “is tied to Wales and ineligible to play for any other union”.

Shingler was named in Scotland’s 36-man squad for the Six  Nations last week, with coach Andy Robinson believing the uncapped 20-year-old was available for selection through his Dumfries-born mother.

That was despite Shingler having played for Wales Under-20s against their French counterparts last year.

However, the IRB announced they were to review Shingler’s eligibility following a complaint from the Welsh Rugby Union, and yesterday they indicated that IRB regulation eight works in the WRU’s favour.

Scottish Rugby Union told Steven Shingler

The International Rugby Board have told the Scottish Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union that their regulations indicate Steven Shingler “is tied to Wales and ineligible to play for any other union”.

Shingler was named in Scotland’s 36-man squad for the Six  Nations last week, with coach Andy Robinson believing the uncapped 20-year-old was available for selection through his Dumfries-born mother.

That was despite Shingler having played for Wales Under-20s against their French counterparts last year.

However, the IRB announced they were to review Shingler’s eligibility following a complaint from the Welsh Rugby Union, and yesterday they indicated that IRB regulation eight works in the WRU’s favour.

Scottish Rugby Union told Steven Shingler

The International Rugby Board have told the Scottish Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union that their regulations indicate Steven Shingler “is tied to Wales and ineligible to play for any other union”.

Shingler was named in Scotland’s 36-man squad for the Six  Nations last week, with coach Andy Robinson believing the uncapped 20-year-old was available for selection through his Dumfries-born mother.

That was despite Shingler having played for Wales Under-20s against their French counterparts last year.

However, the IRB announced they were to review Shingler’s eligibility following a complaint from the Welsh Rugby Union, and yesterday they indicated that IRB regulation eight works in the WRU’s favour.

Rugby World Cup 2011

2011 is going to be happening year for New Zealand as almost 60,000 international visitors will be going there to enjoy Rugby World Cup 2011.
Some true stories behind the scenes in New Zealand:
To achieve this New Zealand needs 5,000 volunteers, on the ground, at stadiums and out in the streets, from one end of the country to the other.
RWC 2011 first match is going to be held on 9th September 2011 in eden park, between NZ and Tong, and the final match will be played also be held on eden park in Auckland on Sunday October 23, 2011.
Dates for semi’s :
15th and 16th October 2011 in Auckland.
Dates for Quarter Finals :
8th and 9th October 2011 in Christchurch and Wellington (2 games each).
In total: there will be 48 matches that will be held over 7 weeks in 13 different venues through New Zealand
Well more to it: there will be 20 teams in total .
Rugby world cup Tickets have been available since early 2010, as per world cup committee
Adult ticket will range from : $60 – $1250.

Rugby World Cup 2011

2011 is going to be happening year for New Zealand as almost 60,000 international visitors will be going there to enjoy Rugby World Cup 2011.
Some true stories behind the scenes in New Zealand:
To achieve this New Zealand needs 5,000 volunteers, on the ground, at stadiums and out in the streets, from one end of the country to the other.
RWC 2011 first match is going to be held on 9th September 2011 in eden park, between NZ and Tong, and the final match will be played also be held on eden park in Auckland on Sunday October 23, 2011.
Dates for semi’s :
15th and 16th October 2011 in Auckland.
Dates for Quarter Finals :
8th and 9th October 2011 in Christchurch and Wellington (2 games each).
In total: there will be 48 matches that will be held over 7 weeks in 13 different venues through New Zealand
Well more to it: there will be 20 teams in total .
Rugby world cup Tickets have been available since early 2010, as per world cup committee
Adult ticket will range from : $60 – $1250.

Rugby World Cup 2011

2011 is going to be happening year for New Zealand as almost 60,000 international visitors will be going there to enjoy Rugby World Cup 2011.
Some true stories behind the scenes in New Zealand:
To achieve this New Zealand needs 5,000 volunteers, on the ground, at stadiums and out in the streets, from one end of the country to the other.
RWC 2011 first match is going to be held on 9th September 2011 in eden park, between NZ and Tong, and the final match will be played also be held on eden park in Auckland on Sunday October 23, 2011.
Dates for semi’s :
15th and 16th October 2011 in Auckland.
Dates for Quarter Finals :
8th and 9th October 2011 in Christchurch and Wellington (2 games each).
In total: there will be 48 matches that will be held over 7 weeks in 13 different venues through New Zealand
Well more to it: there will be 20 teams in total .
Rugby world cup Tickets have been available since early 2010, as per world cup committee
Adult ticket will range from : $60 – $1250.

Dwight Howard 'intrigued' by Clippers

Dwight Howard has added the Los Angeles Clippers to his list of teams to which he'd be interested in joining next season, Sheridanhoops.com reported Monday.

A source told the website that the Orlando Magic center is "intrigued" by the idea of playing alongside point guard Chris Paul and power forward Blake Griffin in Los Angeles. The source is described as being "privy" to trade talks involving Howard and the others on his list: the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets.

The source added, though, that the most likely Howard-to-the-Clippers scenario would be via an offseason sign-and-trade. Howard can opt out of the final year of his contract in July, and the source told Sheridanhoops.com that it's becoming increasingly likely that Howard will play out the season in Orlando.

It's not known if Howard's agent, Dan Fegan, has received permission from the Magic to discuss a trade with the Clippers. He is authorized to talk with the Lakers, Mavs and Nets.

The Clippers recently signed center DeAndre Jordan to a four-year, $43 million extension, matching an offer sheet Jordan received from the Golden State Warriors as a restricted free agent.

Painters grab edge : win

Rain or Shine mentor Yeng Guiao has a simple answer on how to win Game 7 of their semifinal series versus Powerade.Stay aggressive.“If we can keep the energy up, keep the pressure, I think we’ll be OK,” Guiao said after the Painters staved off elimination by scoring a 112-98 victory in game 6 to tie their best-of-seven series at 3-3.

The sudden-death between the Painters and the Tigers is set at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. As things stand now, Guiao believes they have the momentum, adding that his boys are fresher than the Tigers.Because of the depth of his squad, he was able to pace and rotate his players well – reason why Jeff Chan and rookie Paul Lee played an averaged of just 30 minutes through six games.

In comparison, Powerade’s Gary David and rookie Marcio Lassiter are the team’s top two scorers but they also played the most minutes in the series at 40-plus. In the previous game, both had 30 points but David was on the floor for 42 minutes while Lassiter played 41 minutes.“We’re going to be fresher than Powerade,” said Guiao, a five-time champion coach who is hoping to power the Welbest-owned franchise to its first Finals appearance since joining the PBA in 2006. “I think, mauubos din ‘yung shooting na ‘yan, kailangan lang nga we sustain the pressure.”

“Their top players, David and Lassiter, and even JV Casio are playing longer minutes, so hopefully at some point (in Game 7) they get tired. On our side, we can still run because we’re playing a rotation of lesser minutes to our players,” added Guiao. Powerade coach Bo Perasol, however, thinks otherwise.

According to Perasol, the long playing time of his ‘Big 3’ will not be an issue in Game 7 saying he can also rely on his other players like Celino Cruz, Rudy Lingganay, Sean Anthony, Doug Kramer, Rommel Adducul and Josh Vanlandingham.

“Most of them we’re absent (in Game 6), the supporting cast did not deliver,” said Perasol. “I think it’s not just two or three players who need to deliver. We need the supporting cast if we want to win Game 7 and move to the Finals.”

Dikembe Mutombo reportedly

Dikembe Mutombo’s involvement in the attempted sale of over 1,000 pounds of gold and its exportation out of the Congo, his home country, is detailed in a complex Houston Chronicle report that is sure to raise questions about the former star center’s integrity. Beyond his defensive prowess on the basketball court, Mutombo is known for his humanitarian efforts, especially in his native Africa, but this story may change some opinions.

Mutombo, according to a United Nations report cited by the Chronicle, approached Houston oil executive Kase Lawal about buying over four tons of gold that he and his family possessed. The gold would generate over $10 million, which would be divided three ways—40 percent to Lawal, 30 percent to Mutombo and 30 percent to Carlos St. Mary, whose help was enlisted by Lawal.

According to the report, “Because of an internal ban on mining and exports, imposed to try to stop the main revenue source for the mafia-like militias that controlled them, the gold could not be taken to market in usual ways. What Mutombo needed was somebody with money, connections and the ability to put a deal together.” That person was Lawal.

St. Mary, who has “experience in trading Third World minerals,” told The Chronicle that he suspected there was something fishy about the deal, but Mutombo assured him repeatedly that everything would go off without a hitch.

Kenya, but Lawal’s Gulfstream V jet was seized on the tarmac at an airport in Goma, a city on Congo’s eastern border, and several people—with one notable exception—were arrested.

The one who got away? Mutombo’s cousin, Reagan Mutombo.

Writes The Chronicle, “The failed smuggling plot drew global attention. But conspicuously absent from publicity surrounding the incident was any mention of the part played by Mutombo.”

“I have nothing to say,” Mutombo said when asked about his involvement. Lawal also declined to comment.

NFL.com's Mike Lombardi

NFL.com's Mike Lombardi reports that the Rams have offered Brian Schottenheimer their offensive coordinator position, and Schottenheimer "will accept the position."

Ushered out in New York after failing to develop Mark Sanchez, Schottenheimer will now be tasked with overseeing the progression of Sam Bradford. Once well respected in coaching circles, Schottenheimer's recent failures are disturbing in a decidedly done-for-me-lately league. Bradford will enter his third different system in three seasons, and Schottenheimer will start out in St. Louis with considerably less offensive talent than he ever had with the Jets.

Interview : The Rams

The Rams will interview former Raiders head coach Hue Jackson for their offensive coordinator vacancy.

Well, we'd like it a lot better than Brian Schottenheimer. Oakland sent Jackson packing after owner Al Davis' in-season passing gave the coach too much personnel control, but Jackson is still one of the league's top offensive minds. During his two years with the Raiders, Jackson moved the club's scoring rank from 13th to fourth, and Oakland also had a top-five 2011 offense in yardage. Jackson has experience with a young quarterback, serving as Joe Flacco's position coach during Flacco's first (and best) two seasons in the league (2008-2009). On paper, at least, Jackson be a quality fit with Sam Bradford in St. Louis.

Divisional Matchups

Throw successfully on first down. Houston finished the regular season tied for the league lead in rushing attempts, and posted a 35:20 run-to-pass ratio in the Wild Card round. The Ravens will expect the run. The Texans can gain a step on Baltimore by using play-action fakes to set up early-down passing plays, be it of the deep variety to Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones, or higher-percentage crossers to possession receiver Kevin Walter. It will be important for T.J. Yates to establish rhythm and confidence early on. This projects as perhaps the closest of this weekend's Divisional round affairs, and the Texans won't topple teams tougher than the Bengals without an extended period of strong performance from their rookie quarterback.

Ravens Must: Delete Houston's running game. This is where Baltimore's first-round bye will come in particularly handy. Middle linebacker Ray Lewis got a week off to rest his ailing toe, an injury that has affected both his performance and availability since Week 10. Run-stopping LE Cory Redding (ankle), ILB Dannell Ellerbe (head), and DT Arthur Jones (illness) are all recovered from late-year injuries. The Ravens fielded the AFC's toughest regular-season run defense and are now at full strength. It's an intimidating development for Wild Card round star Arian Foster, who was limited to 49 yards on 15 carries and held out of the end zone in Houston's Week 6 regular-season meeting with these same Ravens. Despite Foster's mammoth statistical line against the Bengals, he also appeared to be a step slower than usual in terms of acceleration.

X-Factor: Anquan Boldin. Boldin played the first 14 games with a torn meniscus, missing the final two after December 22 surgery. This week, Boldin declared himself the healthiest he's been all year. During the aforementioned Week 6 meeting with Houston, Boldin abused Texans top corner Johnathan Joseph for 132 yards on a season-high eight catches as Joseph shadowed him throughout the game. Boldin's return makes the Ravens' passing attack considerably more dangerous because his physicality creates mismatches in the slot while deep threats Torrey Smith and Lee Evans man the outside. The Texans will likely focus their defensive efforts on stopping Ray Rice and Baltimore's ground game, so the wideouts should all see plenty of single coverage.

Why the Ravens Will Win: Beating the Bengals in Week 17 was crucial for Baltimore because it bought them much-needed time. Team leader Lewis will have his legs back after the playoff bye, and a healthy Boldin appears to have Joseph's number. The Texans' offensive staff will likely do what it can to relieve any and all pressure from Yates, but I'm betting against a rookie quarterback visiting the Ravens far more often than not. If the Texans do pull the upset -- they're 7.5-point dogs -- it will be because Yates had easily the best game of his young pro career.

NFL teams and agent

The 2011 free agent class was the deepest, most talent-rich in league history. The 2012 class comes pretty close.

With transactions disallowed during last year's lockout, NFL teams and agents had significantly less time to broker long-term contracts. When the lockout was lifted in late July, negotiators had just over a month to strike agreements before the start of the season. A large chunk of talented players was forced to settle for one-year arrangements. Contract-year players who normally would've received multi-year deals played out their final seasons.

Unlike most other sites, Rotoworld has NFL Players Association access and can produce the most accurate free agent lists on the web. Chris Wesseling, Pat Daugherty, and myself will soon begin delving deeper into the 2012 free agent class, but this is a preliminary look at the inventory. The unsigned players are loosely ranked in the order we expect them to be valued on the open market.

2012 free agency opens on the afternoon of March 13.

BCS National Championship

Stuck between the BCS National Championship and the Senior Bowl is the less publicized East-West Shrine Game, held on Saturday, January 21 in Tampa Bay. Although the highest profile NFL-bound senior prospects attend the Senior Bowl, the East-West Shrine annually graduates solid mid-round talents that produce early in their rookie seasons. Last year's alumni include Giants DT Marvin Austin (52nd overall), Panthers DT Terrell McClain (65th), Bengals DE/OLB Dontay Moch (66th), Jaguars G Will Rackley (76th), Ravens OT Jah Reid (85th), and Titans DT Karl Klug (142nd), just to list a few.

The 2012 roster is made of former transfers that left larger schools for starting opportunities, Canadian or Division II and III stars with physical tools, players that had down senior seasons due to injury/production, or top performers that find themselves playing a deep position in the '12 draft class (RB, WR, CB). The full roster can be found here.

Throughout the game's week of practices, I will be posting articles here, tweeting observations from the field, and giving input on every player on the roster, so follow me @JoshNorris. For now, here are some of the top prospects sorted by position. All heights, weights, and forty times are projected until weigh-ins take place on Monday.

Solving the Mysteries of the 2012 Golden Globes

You know who won, who lost, and who host Ricky Gervais mocked without mercy. We've tracked down some answers to the other questions you might have after watching the 2012 Golden Globe Awards.
Why was Morgan Freeman wearing a glove?
Freeman was given the Cecil B. DeMille Memorial Award for his distinguished career. During his acceptance speech, viewers couldn't help but notice Freeman's black glove. The actor's been wearing the glove in public for several years, ever since he injured his hand during a serious 2008 car accident. Madonna was also spotted onstage wearing a lone green glove, which was a fashion flashback for the material girl.
Why couldn't anybody read?

Several stars seemed to have trouble reading while up on stage. Early in the show, Julianne Moore and Rob Lowe could do nothing but grin while the teleprompter apparently malfunctioned. Mercifully, somebody finally handed them a piece of paper. Later, Meryl Streep, who won for "The Iron Lady," had troubles of her own. But that was due to her forgetting to bring her glasses on stage. Ever the pro, Streep spoke off the cuff and did so beautifully.

Solving the Mysteries of the 2012 Golden Globes

You know who won, who lost, and who host Ricky Gervais mocked without mercy. We've tracked down some answers to the other questions you might have after watching the 2012 Golden Globe Awards.
Why was Morgan Freeman wearing a glove?
Freeman was given the Cecil B. DeMille Memorial Award for his distinguished career. During his acceptance speech, viewers couldn't help but notice Freeman's black glove. The actor's been wearing the glove in public for several years, ever since he injured his hand during a serious 2008 car accident. Madonna was also spotted onstage wearing a lone green glove, which was a fashion flashback for the material girl.
Why couldn't anybody read?

Several stars seemed to have trouble reading while up on stage. Early in the show, Julianne Moore and Rob Lowe could do nothing but grin while the teleprompter apparently malfunctioned. Mercifully, somebody finally handed them a piece of paper. Later, Meryl Streep, who won for "The Iron Lady," had troubles of her own. But that was due to her forgetting to bring her glasses on stage. Ever the pro, Streep spoke off the cuff and did so beautifully.

Solving the Mysteries of the 2012 Golden Globes

You know who won, who lost, and who host Ricky Gervais mocked without mercy. We've tracked down some answers to the other questions you might have after watching the 2012 Golden Globe Awards.
Why was Morgan Freeman wearing a glove?
Freeman was given the Cecil B. DeMille Memorial Award for his distinguished career. During his acceptance speech, viewers couldn't help but notice Freeman's black glove. The actor's been wearing the glove in public for several years, ever since he injured his hand during a serious 2008 car accident. Madonna was also spotted onstage wearing a lone green glove, which was a fashion flashback for the material girl.
Why couldn't anybody read?

Several stars seemed to have trouble reading while up on stage. Early in the show, Julianne Moore and Rob Lowe could do nothing but grin while the teleprompter apparently malfunctioned. Mercifully, somebody finally handed them a piece of paper. Later, Meryl Streep, who won for "The Iron Lady," had troubles of her own. But that was due to her forgetting to bring her glasses on stage. Ever the pro, Streep spoke off the cuff and did so beautifully.

Chiefs employees live in environment of ‘secrecy, intimidation, and fear’

It got lost in the excitement of the divisional round, but there was an amazing story in the Kansas City Star, published on Saturday, about the allegedly negative environment from top to bottom in the Kansas City Chiefs' front office. The Kent Babb-penned piece outlined a culture of paranoia that reportedly led ex-head coach Todd Haley to believe that his phone was being tapped and his office was bugged. In addition, the move to general manager Scott Pioli in 2009 started a plan of secrecy in motion that prevented non-football employees — even those who had worked for the team for decades — from accessing certain areas and entire floors of the team's head offices.

Staff members with office windows facing the team's practice fields were directed to keep the shades in their offices drawn, and security guards would interrupt phone calls if necessary to tell employees to close those shades. This applied to team president Mark Donovan as well — he told Babb that he kept his shades drawn in an effort to let employees know that one was not more trusted than other.

Three department heads have sued the Chiefs for age discrimination, and according to the Babb piece, people don't know who to trust anymore. But it's the Haley story that is perhaps the most interesting and disturbing. Before he was fired in mid-December, Haley was to the point where he was checking his office for bugs and believed that his personal cellphone had been tampered with.

Haley wasn't the only one. According to several former employees who spoke to Babb, people in the Chiefs' front office were directed to be careful what they said and who they spoke to.

Stephanie Melton, who worked in the Chiefs' operations department for 11 years, told Babb that she was once made to believe she'd be fired because she parked a courier van in Pioli's (unmarked) parking space. "He was so focused on what seemed like unimportant details for the general manager of a football team," Melton told Babb. "We all had to step to the beat of his drum, but we all kept questioning: 'How is this building a better football team?'" Those still in the organization will understandably tell a different tale. Pro personnel director Ray Farmer told Babb that Pioli simply has the attention to detail one would expect from a man trying to turn an organization around.

"In some instances, you could say that he's a micromanager to a degree," Farmer said. "I think he likes to know what information is and what you're doing. … Scott wants to know, like as a math teacher, 'How did you get to your problem; how did you get to the answer of the problem?'"

Chiefs employees live in environment of ‘secrecy, intimidation, and fear’

It got lost in the excitement of the divisional round, but there was an amazing story in the Kansas City Star, published on Saturday, about the allegedly negative environment from top to bottom in the Kansas City Chiefs' front office. The Kent Babb-penned piece outlined a culture of paranoia that reportedly led ex-head coach Todd Haley to believe that his phone was being tapped and his office was bugged. In addition, the move to general manager Scott Pioli in 2009 started a plan of secrecy in motion that prevented non-football employees — even those who had worked for the team for decades — from accessing certain areas and entire floors of the team's head offices.

Staff members with office windows facing the team's practice fields were directed to keep the shades in their offices drawn, and security guards would interrupt phone calls if necessary to tell employees to close those shades. This applied to team president Mark Donovan as well — he told Babb that he kept his shades drawn in an effort to let employees know that one was not more trusted than other.

Three department heads have sued the Chiefs for age discrimination, and according to the Babb piece, people don't know who to trust anymore. But it's the Haley story that is perhaps the most interesting and disturbing. Before he was fired in mid-December, Haley was to the point where he was checking his office for bugs and believed that his personal cellphone had been tampered with.

Haley wasn't the only one. According to several former employees who spoke to Babb, people in the Chiefs' front office were directed to be careful what they said and who they spoke to.

Stephanie Melton, who worked in the Chiefs' operations department for 11 years, told Babb that she was once made to believe she'd be fired because she parked a courier van in Pioli's (unmarked) parking space. "He was so focused on what seemed like unimportant details for the general manager of a football team," Melton told Babb. "We all had to step to the beat of his drum, but we all kept questioning: 'How is this building a better football team?'" Those still in the organization will understandably tell a different tale. Pro personnel director Ray Farmer told Babb that Pioli simply has the attention to detail one would expect from a man trying to turn an organization around.

"In some instances, you could say that he's a micromanager to a degree," Farmer said. "I think he likes to know what information is and what you're doing. … Scott wants to know, like as a math teacher, 'How did you get to your problem; how did you get to the answer of the problem?'"

Chiefs employees live in environment of ‘secrecy, intimidation, and fear’

It got lost in the excitement of the divisional round, but there was an amazing story in the Kansas City Star, published on Saturday, about the allegedly negative environment from top to bottom in the Kansas City Chiefs' front office. The Kent Babb-penned piece outlined a culture of paranoia that reportedly led ex-head coach Todd Haley to believe that his phone was being tapped and his office was bugged. In addition, the move to general manager Scott Pioli in 2009 started a plan of secrecy in motion that prevented non-football employees — even those who had worked for the team for decades — from accessing certain areas and entire floors of the team's head offices.

Staff members with office windows facing the team's practice fields were directed to keep the shades in their offices drawn, and security guards would interrupt phone calls if necessary to tell employees to close those shades. This applied to team president Mark Donovan as well — he told Babb that he kept his shades drawn in an effort to let employees know that one was not more trusted than other.

Three department heads have sued the Chiefs for age discrimination, and according to the Babb piece, people don't know who to trust anymore. But it's the Haley story that is perhaps the most interesting and disturbing. Before he was fired in mid-December, Haley was to the point where he was checking his office for bugs and believed that his personal cellphone had been tampered with.

Haley wasn't the only one. According to several former employees who spoke to Babb, people in the Chiefs' front office were directed to be careful what they said and who they spoke to.

Stephanie Melton, who worked in the Chiefs' operations department for 11 years, told Babb that she was once made to believe she'd be fired because she parked a courier van in Pioli's (unmarked) parking space. "He was so focused on what seemed like unimportant details for the general manager of a football team," Melton told Babb. "We all had to step to the beat of his drum, but we all kept questioning: 'How is this building a better football team?'" Those still in the organization will understandably tell a different tale. Pro personnel director Ray Farmer told Babb that Pioli simply has the attention to detail one would expect from a man trying to turn an organization around.

"In some instances, you could say that he's a micromanager to a degree," Farmer said. "I think he likes to know what information is and what you're doing. … Scott wants to know, like as a math teacher, 'How did you get to your problem; how did you get to the answer of the problem?'"

Phil Simms breaks down the wrong play in Patriots-Broncos

Former NFL quarterback Phil Simms has been the A-team color man on CBS' NFL broadcasts for a number of years now, and that tends to be a mystifying factoid to some. He seems to be engaging enough, though his attempts at sentence construction are sometimes comical, and there are times when I watch games Phil's calling and wonder if we're watching the same thing.

Such an instance occurred when Tom Brady threw his record-setting fifth touchdown pass in the first half of the New England Patriots' 45-10 massacre of the Denver Broncos in the Saturday night divisional round game. After Stephen Gostkowski booted the extra point to make the score 35-7, Phil thought he'd break out the telestrator and show what happened. He probably should have gone to get a cup of hot cocoa instead.

"Let me just show you … they played a defense to stop this type of play. [Gronkowski] is going to go down the middle, and here's  D.J. Williams — he's supposed to be back here [in the deep zone] to help out. But when the play takes off — there it goes — [Williams] turns to the other side … oh, wait — that's the throw to the outside. Sorry … I was …

"Anyway, Tom Brady sees the middle wide open, and makes the throw."

Jim Nantz: "Another tight spiral, into the mitts of Gronkowski."

Nice glove save by Nantz there. So … we're thinking that for Phil, "Tom Brady sees the middle wide open, and makes the throw" should be the extent of his expert analysis. Perhaps the funniest part of the replay is that the setups on both sides are obviously different. Someone on the tech side put up the wrong highlight, which obviously isn't Simms' fault, but a pro should have spotted it.

On the play Phil mistakenly analyzes (an 11-yard sideline catch by receiver Julian Edelman), the Broncos are playing with three down linemen, four guys at linebacker depth, and a two-man shell with underneath coverage. This to counter New England's four-wide shotgun look with Gronk outside the left tackle and a slot man on each side. The Gronkowski score has some similar traits — the Pats have four receivers again, but the right-side wide receiver is out more to the sideline, and cornerback Champ Bailey plays a bit more off as a result. While Denver runs another three-down look up front, they clearly bring a defender up from linebacker depth to fake a blitz before dropping. Gronkowski also goes straight up the middle instead of hitting a little hitch at the numbers downfield.

On the coverage, if anyone showed up late, it was safety David Bruton, not Williams, though Bruton was the guy throwing a fake blitz look at Brady. Maybe Williams did turn the wrong way, though we'd be hard-pressed to give Phil the benefit of the doubt on that one since:

a.) You never know what the coverage is actually supposed to be unless you're there talking to the coaches as the play goes off; and

b.) Phil didn't know which play he was looking at. If Bruton had deep middle responsibility, it's entirely possible that Williams didn't turn the wrong way at all. Granted, with the benefit of hindsight and a few more seconds to look at each play, it's easier to discern who's doing what. But Simms is a paid analyst — he's supposed to know this stuff on point — and this was far from his only mistake in the game. We have no doubt that Phil will be back in the booth for the AFC Championship game between the Pats and whoever wins the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. All we ask, Phil, is that you slow down a little and make sure you know what you're watching next time — especially when you're "breaking it down." Thanks!

Phil Simms breaks down the wrong play in Patriots-Broncos

Former NFL quarterback Phil Simms has been the A-team color man on CBS' NFL broadcasts for a number of years now, and that tends to be a mystifying factoid to some. He seems to be engaging enough, though his attempts at sentence construction are sometimes comical, and there are times when I watch games Phil's calling and wonder if we're watching the same thing.

Such an instance occurred when Tom Brady threw his record-setting fifth touchdown pass in the first half of the New England Patriots' 45-10 massacre of the Denver Broncos in the Saturday night divisional round game. After Stephen Gostkowski booted the extra point to make the score 35-7, Phil thought he'd break out the telestrator and show what happened. He probably should have gone to get a cup of hot cocoa instead.

"Let me just show you … they played a defense to stop this type of play. [Gronkowski] is going to go down the middle, and here's  D.J. Williams — he's supposed to be back here [in the deep zone] to help out. But when the play takes off — there it goes — [Williams] turns to the other side … oh, wait — that's the throw to the outside. Sorry … I was …

"Anyway, Tom Brady sees the middle wide open, and makes the throw."

Jim Nantz: "Another tight spiral, into the mitts of Gronkowski."

Nice glove save by Nantz there. So … we're thinking that for Phil, "Tom Brady sees the middle wide open, and makes the throw" should be the extent of his expert analysis. Perhaps the funniest part of the replay is that the setups on both sides are obviously different. Someone on the tech side put up the wrong highlight, which obviously isn't Simms' fault, but a pro should have spotted it.

On the play Phil mistakenly analyzes (an 11-yard sideline catch by receiver Julian Edelman), the Broncos are playing with three down linemen, four guys at linebacker depth, and a two-man shell with underneath coverage. This to counter New England's four-wide shotgun look with Gronk outside the left tackle and a slot man on each side. The Gronkowski score has some similar traits — the Pats have four receivers again, but the right-side wide receiver is out more to the sideline, and cornerback Champ Bailey plays a bit more off as a result. While Denver runs another three-down look up front, they clearly bring a defender up from linebacker depth to fake a blitz before dropping. Gronkowski also goes straight up the middle instead of hitting a little hitch at the numbers downfield.

On the coverage, if anyone showed up late, it was safety David Bruton, not Williams, though Bruton was the guy throwing a fake blitz look at Brady. Maybe Williams did turn the wrong way, though we'd be hard-pressed to give Phil the benefit of the doubt on that one since:

a.) You never know what the coverage is actually supposed to be unless you're there talking to the coaches as the play goes off; and

b.) Phil didn't know which play he was looking at. If Bruton had deep middle responsibility, it's entirely possible that Williams didn't turn the wrong way at all. Granted, with the benefit of hindsight and a few more seconds to look at each play, it's easier to discern who's doing what. But Simms is a paid analyst — he's supposed to know this stuff on point — and this was far from his only mistake in the game. We have no doubt that Phil will be back in the booth for the AFC Championship game between the Pats and whoever wins the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. All we ask, Phil, is that you slow down a little and make sure you know what you're watching next time — especially when you're "breaking it down." Thanks!

Phil Simms breaks down the wrong play in Patriots-Broncos

Former NFL quarterback Phil Simms has been the A-team color man on CBS' NFL broadcasts for a number of years now, and that tends to be a mystifying factoid to some. He seems to be engaging enough, though his attempts at sentence construction are sometimes comical, and there are times when I watch games Phil's calling and wonder if we're watching the same thing.

Such an instance occurred when Tom Brady threw his record-setting fifth touchdown pass in the first half of the New England Patriots' 45-10 massacre of the Denver Broncos in the Saturday night divisional round game. After Stephen Gostkowski booted the extra point to make the score 35-7, Phil thought he'd break out the telestrator and show what happened. He probably should have gone to get a cup of hot cocoa instead.

"Let me just show you … they played a defense to stop this type of play. [Gronkowski] is going to go down the middle, and here's  D.J. Williams — he's supposed to be back here [in the deep zone] to help out. But when the play takes off — there it goes — [Williams] turns to the other side … oh, wait — that's the throw to the outside. Sorry … I was …

"Anyway, Tom Brady sees the middle wide open, and makes the throw."

Jim Nantz: "Another tight spiral, into the mitts of Gronkowski."

Nice glove save by Nantz there. So … we're thinking that for Phil, "Tom Brady sees the middle wide open, and makes the throw" should be the extent of his expert analysis. Perhaps the funniest part of the replay is that the setups on both sides are obviously different. Someone on the tech side put up the wrong highlight, which obviously isn't Simms' fault, but a pro should have spotted it.

On the play Phil mistakenly analyzes (an 11-yard sideline catch by receiver Julian Edelman), the Broncos are playing with three down linemen, four guys at linebacker depth, and a two-man shell with underneath coverage. This to counter New England's four-wide shotgun look with Gronk outside the left tackle and a slot man on each side. The Gronkowski score has some similar traits — the Pats have four receivers again, but the right-side wide receiver is out more to the sideline, and cornerback Champ Bailey plays a bit more off as a result. While Denver runs another three-down look up front, they clearly bring a defender up from linebacker depth to fake a blitz before dropping. Gronkowski also goes straight up the middle instead of hitting a little hitch at the numbers downfield.

On the coverage, if anyone showed up late, it was safety David Bruton, not Williams, though Bruton was the guy throwing a fake blitz look at Brady. Maybe Williams did turn the wrong way, though we'd be hard-pressed to give Phil the benefit of the doubt on that one since:

a.) You never know what the coverage is actually supposed to be unless you're there talking to the coaches as the play goes off; and

b.) Phil didn't know which play he was looking at. If Bruton had deep middle responsibility, it's entirely possible that Williams didn't turn the wrong way at all. Granted, with the benefit of hindsight and a few more seconds to look at each play, it's easier to discern who's doing what. But Simms is a paid analyst — he's supposed to know this stuff on point — and this was far from his only mistake in the game. We have no doubt that Phil will be back in the booth for the AFC Championship game between the Pats and whoever wins the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. All we ask, Phil, is that you slow down a little and make sure you know what you're watching next time — especially when you're "breaking it down." Thanks!

Tim Tebow May Be Coming Back This Weekend

You probably thought you'd seen the last of Tim Tebow, for a while at least, after the Broncos' 35-point demolition at the hands of the New England Patriots in the NFL playoffs. But there's a good chance you'll be watching the Broncos quarterback again on Championship Weekend. CBS wants Tim Tebow to join its broadcast as a guest analyst for the AFC Championship game between New England and Baltimore.

"We've had conversations with his (Tebow's) people," CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus told the USA Today's Michael Hiestand. "We have a request in. We haven't heard back.Tebow is expected to inform the CBS suits by midweek if he'll be hanging with Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Dan Marino on the CBS set. Tebow's sorry performance against the Patriots, combined with a thrilling finish between the 49ers and Saints, helped Fox beat CBS in the Saturday NFL TV ratings battle.

As for the 2012 season, the Denver Post reports Broncos executive vice president John Elway is expected to commit to the former Heisman Trophy winner as the Broncos quarterback for the fall.

Tim Tebow May Be Coming Back This Weekend

You probably thought you'd seen the last of Tim Tebow, for a while at least, after the Broncos' 35-point demolition at the hands of the New England Patriots in the NFL playoffs. But there's a good chance you'll be watching the Broncos quarterback again on Championship Weekend. CBS wants Tim Tebow to join its broadcast as a guest analyst for the AFC Championship game between New England and Baltimore.

"We've had conversations with his (Tebow's) people," CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus told the USA Today's Michael Hiestand. "We have a request in. We haven't heard back.Tebow is expected to inform the CBS suits by midweek if he'll be hanging with Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Dan Marino on the CBS set. Tebow's sorry performance against the Patriots, combined with a thrilling finish between the 49ers and Saints, helped Fox beat CBS in the Saturday NFL TV ratings battle.

As for the 2012 season, the Denver Post reports Broncos executive vice president John Elway is expected to commit to the former Heisman Trophy winner as the Broncos quarterback for the fall.

Tim Tebow May Be Coming Back This Weekend

You probably thought you'd seen the last of Tim Tebow, for a while at least, after the Broncos' 35-point demolition at the hands of the New England Patriots in the NFL playoffs. But there's a good chance you'll be watching the Broncos quarterback again on Championship Weekend. CBS wants Tim Tebow to join its broadcast as a guest analyst for the AFC Championship game between New England and Baltimore.

"We've had conversations with his (Tebow's) people," CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus told the USA Today's Michael Hiestand. "We have a request in. We haven't heard back.Tebow is expected to inform the CBS suits by midweek if he'll be hanging with Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Dan Marino on the CBS set. Tebow's sorry performance against the Patriots, combined with a thrilling finish between the 49ers and Saints, helped Fox beat CBS in the Saturday NFL TV ratings battle.

As for the 2012 season, the Denver Post reports Broncos executive vice president John Elway is expected to commit to the former Heisman Trophy winner as the Broncos quarterback for the fall.

Fox and Elway agree: Tim Tebow’s earned the right to start in 2012

If there was any doubt about Tim Tebow's ability to drive a passing offense at the NFL level, it most likely went away when the second-year quarterback made several big-time throws against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that loaded up against the run in the wild-card win. That 29-23 upset over the Steelers was followed by a 45-10 rout in the divisional frame at the hands of the New England Patriots in which Tebow regressed as a pure passer, most obviously because New England's point total forced the Broncos to pass more often, and the Patriots' defense knew it. Anyone who worried that Tebow's performance against the Pats would have team president John Elway and head coach John Fox looking elsewhere for a starting quarterback in the 2012 preseason need concern themselves no longer — in the Broncos' season-ending press conference on Monday, both Elway and Fox made it very clear that Tebow is their guy going forward.

"I think Tim has earned the right to be the starting quarterback going into training camp next year," Elway said. "I think that he made some good strides this year. He obviously played very well against Pittsburgh and played very well in a lot of football games." That the commitment was not beyond training camp may raise the collective blood pressure of the Tebow faithful, but such competitions are common. Elway pinpointed not only what he saw from Tebow after he replaced Kyle Orton early in the season, but also what he expects to see in the offseason."The thing that we talked about is the fact that with the way the season was last year — not having the offseason — and with Timmy being named the starter, I think the sixth week of the season, it was a tough situation for him. Obviously, we've talked about the improvement that Timmy needs to make with mechanics at the quarterback position, so we're looking forward to having this offseason with him.

"There's no question — and he realizes it too — that we've got to get better in that area. We ran the ball tremendously this year,In the league in rushing, but obviously, the passing game wasn't where we wanted it to be, so those are the strides that we're going to have to make for us to be the offensive team that we want to be. That's what we're looking for this offseason, and we know what kind of mentality Timmy has. He's a great worker, and we know he'll work his tail off this offseason. We're looking forward to this offseason to be able to see him improve in that area. I think he will make those improvements."

To that end, Elway — the greatest passer in franchise history and one of the best the NFL has ever seen — has vowed to take a personal interest in that offseason tutelage.

"I'm looking forward to spending considerable time with him as well as all the quarterbacks, along with Adam Gase, the quarterbacks coach, as well as Mike McCoy, the offensive coordinator," Elway said. "I think that there are things that I can add. There are a lot of things that I didn't go directly to [Timmy] with but talked to Adam Gase quite a bit about during the season. The thing is, as a quarterback, the last thing that you want is to have too many voices talking to you. I think there's got to be one singular voice that's talking to him — or two voices. Where I can help him, and as well as I can give my experiences to him as well as Adam and Mike, I'm looking forward to being able to do that."

McCoy was the man who brilliantly welded the option offense Tebow ran under Urban Meyer at Florida with specific passing looks more attuned to an NFL sensibility. It was a necessary bridge to keep Tebow from failing and the Broncos in the playoff hunt, but now, as Fox said, the challenge to is get closer to the "pure passer" ideal.

"We're going to do what gives us the best opportunity to have success," Fox said of McCoy's adaptations. "That was no different than it will be next year. There's no doubt that [the option schemes] helped bridge that time. To step in and all of a sudden become the starting quarterback, and you're a second-year player that's got about three games under your belt, you need some time. No matter how experienced you are, the running game is a quarterback's best friend. That helped improve our running game, no doubt, and we'll see where it goes moving forward."

Elway, who went through a tumultuous near-decade as the starting quarterback with head coach Dan Reeves in Denver before finally finding career fulfillment with two Super Bowl titles at the end of his run, understands what a quarterback needs — and does not need — as a support system from a front office. Elway was under the microscope as the first overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft, especially after he forced a trade from the Colts to the Broncos, but he admitted on Monday that the scrutiny he saw was nothing compared to what Tebow went through.

"Obviously, what I went through was more locally based -- but when you look at Tim Tebow, what he went through was nationally based, or maybe even worldwide based. When you talk about people Tebowing by the Eiffel Tower, that kind of tells you. When I look at Tim and the experience that he had when he was at Florida, he was kind of involved in the media attention. So, he had some experience kind of going through that.

"When you look at the mentality of what kind of guy Tim is, he really seems to be unaffected by it. I think he puts enough pressure — any great player, to me, no matter how much pressure comes from the outside, there's more pressure coming from the inside and the expectations a player has for oneself. I think that's what Tim has. I don't know that it affected him, because I know his expectations of himself are even higher than they are on the outside."

In that regard, Tebow and his boss could be kindred spirits. That dynamic might be at the root of the Broncos willingness to place their future in the hands of a guy who's still putting it all together. Nobody better understands what it's like to be a franchise quarterback in Denver, and Elway wants to do whatever possible to see Tebow experience that same sensation. This may have been an arranged marriage at first, but it does now seem as if Elway wants to make this happen for more reasons than the certainty that he'd be run out of Denver if anyone else was taking those shotgun snaps when the Broncos open the 2012 season.

"Anytime you can get a franchise guy and a quarterback that can be your guy for 10-12 years, that's what you want as an organization," Elway said. "We're so hopeful that Tim's that guy. We know, obviously, that we have some work to do, and he knows that too, but he made great strides this year, and I think the one thing that you can't make up in the offseason in the weight room or anywhere else, is the experience of playing in football games. He got a lot of experience this year taking the snaps and getting a feel for what the regular season is going to be about.

"I think it was invaluable for our team to experience the playoffs, because when you get in the playoffs it steps up another level. It's like the preseason to the regular season, and when you get to the playoffs, that step's about the same size. I think, for a building block going forward, it was a tremendous experience for our football team to experience the playoffs because we hadn't been there for a while. A lot of guys on this football team hadn't been there, so I think when you look at the season as a whole, the experience that we gained being in the playoffs will definitely help us in the future." From a muddled mess to a clearer picture? Perhaps. If Tebow can will it and Elway can help make it happen, the Broncos might just pull this strange experiment off.

Fox and Elway agree: Tim Tebow’s earned the right to start in 2012

If there was any doubt about Tim Tebow's ability to drive a passing offense at the NFL level, it most likely went away when the second-year quarterback made several big-time throws against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that loaded up against the run in the wild-card win. That 29-23 upset over the Steelers was followed by a 45-10 rout in the divisional frame at the hands of the New England Patriots in which Tebow regressed as a pure passer, most obviously because New England's point total forced the Broncos to pass more often, and the Patriots' defense knew it. Anyone who worried that Tebow's performance against the Pats would have team president John Elway and head coach John Fox looking elsewhere for a starting quarterback in the 2012 preseason need concern themselves no longer — in the Broncos' season-ending press conference on Monday, both Elway and Fox made it very clear that Tebow is their guy going forward.

"I think Tim has earned the right to be the starting quarterback going into training camp next year," Elway said. "I think that he made some good strides this year. He obviously played very well against Pittsburgh and played very well in a lot of football games." That the commitment was not beyond training camp may raise the collective blood pressure of the Tebow faithful, but such competitions are common. Elway pinpointed not only what he saw from Tebow after he replaced Kyle Orton early in the season, but also what he expects to see in the offseason."The thing that we talked about is the fact that with the way the season was last year — not having the offseason — and with Timmy being named the starter, I think the sixth week of the season, it was a tough situation for him. Obviously, we've talked about the improvement that Timmy needs to make with mechanics at the quarterback position, so we're looking forward to having this offseason with him.

"There's no question — and he realizes it too — that we've got to get better in that area. We ran the ball tremendously this year,In the league in rushing, but obviously, the passing game wasn't where we wanted it to be, so those are the strides that we're going to have to make for us to be the offensive team that we want to be. That's what we're looking for this offseason, and we know what kind of mentality Timmy has. He's a great worker, and we know he'll work his tail off this offseason. We're looking forward to this offseason to be able to see him improve in that area. I think he will make those improvements."

To that end, Elway — the greatest passer in franchise history and one of the best the NFL has ever seen — has vowed to take a personal interest in that offseason tutelage.

"I'm looking forward to spending considerable time with him as well as all the quarterbacks, along with Adam Gase, the quarterbacks coach, as well as Mike McCoy, the offensive coordinator," Elway said. "I think that there are things that I can add. There are a lot of things that I didn't go directly to [Timmy] with but talked to Adam Gase quite a bit about during the season. The thing is, as a quarterback, the last thing that you want is to have too many voices talking to you. I think there's got to be one singular voice that's talking to him — or two voices. Where I can help him, and as well as I can give my experiences to him as well as Adam and Mike, I'm looking forward to being able to do that."

McCoy was the man who brilliantly welded the option offense Tebow ran under Urban Meyer at Florida with specific passing looks more attuned to an NFL sensibility. It was a necessary bridge to keep Tebow from failing and the Broncos in the playoff hunt, but now, as Fox said, the challenge to is get closer to the "pure passer" ideal.

"We're going to do what gives us the best opportunity to have success," Fox said of McCoy's adaptations. "That was no different than it will be next year. There's no doubt that [the option schemes] helped bridge that time. To step in and all of a sudden become the starting quarterback, and you're a second-year player that's got about three games under your belt, you need some time. No matter how experienced you are, the running game is a quarterback's best friend. That helped improve our running game, no doubt, and we'll see where it goes moving forward."

Elway, who went through a tumultuous near-decade as the starting quarterback with head coach Dan Reeves in Denver before finally finding career fulfillment with two Super Bowl titles at the end of his run, understands what a quarterback needs — and does not need — as a support system from a front office. Elway was under the microscope as the first overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft, especially after he forced a trade from the Colts to the Broncos, but he admitted on Monday that the scrutiny he saw was nothing compared to what Tebow went through.

"Obviously, what I went through was more locally based -- but when you look at Tim Tebow, what he went through was nationally based, or maybe even worldwide based. When you talk about people Tebowing by the Eiffel Tower, that kind of tells you. When I look at Tim and the experience that he had when he was at Florida, he was kind of involved in the media attention. So, he had some experience kind of going through that.

"When you look at the mentality of what kind of guy Tim is, he really seems to be unaffected by it. I think he puts enough pressure — any great player, to me, no matter how much pressure comes from the outside, there's more pressure coming from the inside and the expectations a player has for oneself. I think that's what Tim has. I don't know that it affected him, because I know his expectations of himself are even higher than they are on the outside."

In that regard, Tebow and his boss could be kindred spirits. That dynamic might be at the root of the Broncos willingness to place their future in the hands of a guy who's still putting it all together. Nobody better understands what it's like to be a franchise quarterback in Denver, and Elway wants to do whatever possible to see Tebow experience that same sensation. This may have been an arranged marriage at first, but it does now seem as if Elway wants to make this happen for more reasons than the certainty that he'd be run out of Denver if anyone else was taking those shotgun snaps when the Broncos open the 2012 season.

"Anytime you can get a franchise guy and a quarterback that can be your guy for 10-12 years, that's what you want as an organization," Elway said. "We're so hopeful that Tim's that guy. We know, obviously, that we have some work to do, and he knows that too, but he made great strides this year, and I think the one thing that you can't make up in the offseason in the weight room or anywhere else, is the experience of playing in football games. He got a lot of experience this year taking the snaps and getting a feel for what the regular season is going to be about.

"I think it was invaluable for our team to experience the playoffs, because when you get in the playoffs it steps up another level. It's like the preseason to the regular season, and when you get to the playoffs, that step's about the same size. I think, for a building block going forward, it was a tremendous experience for our football team to experience the playoffs because we hadn't been there for a while. A lot of guys on this football team hadn't been there, so I think when you look at the season as a whole, the experience that we gained being in the playoffs will definitely help us in the future." From a muddled mess to a clearer picture? Perhaps. If Tebow can will it and Elway can help make it happen, the Broncos might just pull this strange experiment off.

Fox and Elway agree: Tim Tebow’s earned the right to start in 2012

If there was any doubt about Tim Tebow's ability to drive a passing offense at the NFL level, it most likely went away when the second-year quarterback made several big-time throws against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that loaded up against the run in the wild-card win. That 29-23 upset over the Steelers was followed by a 45-10 rout in the divisional frame at the hands of the New England Patriots in which Tebow regressed as a pure passer, most obviously because New England's point total forced the Broncos to pass more often, and the Patriots' defense knew it. Anyone who worried that Tebow's performance against the Pats would have team president John Elway and head coach John Fox looking elsewhere for a starting quarterback in the 2012 preseason need concern themselves no longer — in the Broncos' season-ending press conference on Monday, both Elway and Fox made it very clear that Tebow is their guy going forward.

"I think Tim has earned the right to be the starting quarterback going into training camp next year," Elway said. "I think that he made some good strides this year. He obviously played very well against Pittsburgh and played very well in a lot of football games." That the commitment was not beyond training camp may raise the collective blood pressure of the Tebow faithful, but such competitions are common. Elway pinpointed not only what he saw from Tebow after he replaced Kyle Orton early in the season, but also what he expects to see in the offseason."The thing that we talked about is the fact that with the way the season was last year — not having the offseason — and with Timmy being named the starter, I think the sixth week of the season, it was a tough situation for him. Obviously, we've talked about the improvement that Timmy needs to make with mechanics at the quarterback position, so we're looking forward to having this offseason with him.

"There's no question — and he realizes it too — that we've got to get better in that area. We ran the ball tremendously this year,In the league in rushing, but obviously, the passing game wasn't where we wanted it to be, so those are the strides that we're going to have to make for us to be the offensive team that we want to be. That's what we're looking for this offseason, and we know what kind of mentality Timmy has. He's a great worker, and we know he'll work his tail off this offseason. We're looking forward to this offseason to be able to see him improve in that area. I think he will make those improvements."

To that end, Elway — the greatest passer in franchise history and one of the best the NFL has ever seen — has vowed to take a personal interest in that offseason tutelage.

"I'm looking forward to spending considerable time with him as well as all the quarterbacks, along with Adam Gase, the quarterbacks coach, as well as Mike McCoy, the offensive coordinator," Elway said. "I think that there are things that I can add. There are a lot of things that I didn't go directly to [Timmy] with but talked to Adam Gase quite a bit about during the season. The thing is, as a quarterback, the last thing that you want is to have too many voices talking to you. I think there's got to be one singular voice that's talking to him — or two voices. Where I can help him, and as well as I can give my experiences to him as well as Adam and Mike, I'm looking forward to being able to do that."

McCoy was the man who brilliantly welded the option offense Tebow ran under Urban Meyer at Florida with specific passing looks more attuned to an NFL sensibility. It was a necessary bridge to keep Tebow from failing and the Broncos in the playoff hunt, but now, as Fox said, the challenge to is get closer to the "pure passer" ideal.

"We're going to do what gives us the best opportunity to have success," Fox said of McCoy's adaptations. "That was no different than it will be next year. There's no doubt that [the option schemes] helped bridge that time. To step in and all of a sudden become the starting quarterback, and you're a second-year player that's got about three games under your belt, you need some time. No matter how experienced you are, the running game is a quarterback's best friend. That helped improve our running game, no doubt, and we'll see where it goes moving forward."

Elway, who went through a tumultuous near-decade as the starting quarterback with head coach Dan Reeves in Denver before finally finding career fulfillment with two Super Bowl titles at the end of his run, understands what a quarterback needs — and does not need — as a support system from a front office. Elway was under the microscope as the first overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft, especially after he forced a trade from the Colts to the Broncos, but he admitted on Monday that the scrutiny he saw was nothing compared to what Tebow went through.

"Obviously, what I went through was more locally based -- but when you look at Tim Tebow, what he went through was nationally based, or maybe even worldwide based. When you talk about people Tebowing by the Eiffel Tower, that kind of tells you. When I look at Tim and the experience that he had when he was at Florida, he was kind of involved in the media attention. So, he had some experience kind of going through that.

"When you look at the mentality of what kind of guy Tim is, he really seems to be unaffected by it. I think he puts enough pressure — any great player, to me, no matter how much pressure comes from the outside, there's more pressure coming from the inside and the expectations a player has for oneself. I think that's what Tim has. I don't know that it affected him, because I know his expectations of himself are even higher than they are on the outside."

In that regard, Tebow and his boss could be kindred spirits. That dynamic might be at the root of the Broncos willingness to place their future in the hands of a guy who's still putting it all together. Nobody better understands what it's like to be a franchise quarterback in Denver, and Elway wants to do whatever possible to see Tebow experience that same sensation. This may have been an arranged marriage at first, but it does now seem as if Elway wants to make this happen for more reasons than the certainty that he'd be run out of Denver if anyone else was taking those shotgun snaps when the Broncos open the 2012 season.

"Anytime you can get a franchise guy and a quarterback that can be your guy for 10-12 years, that's what you want as an organization," Elway said. "We're so hopeful that Tim's that guy. We know, obviously, that we have some work to do, and he knows that too, but he made great strides this year, and I think the one thing that you can't make up in the offseason in the weight room or anywhere else, is the experience of playing in football games. He got a lot of experience this year taking the snaps and getting a feel for what the regular season is going to be about.

"I think it was invaluable for our team to experience the playoffs, because when you get in the playoffs it steps up another level. It's like the preseason to the regular season, and when you get to the playoffs, that step's about the same size. I think, for a building block going forward, it was a tremendous experience for our football team to experience the playoffs because we hadn't been there for a while. A lot of guys on this football team hadn't been there, so I think when you look at the season as a whole, the experience that we gained being in the playoffs will definitely help us in the future." From a muddled mess to a clearer picture? Perhaps. If Tebow can will it and Elway can help make it happen, the Broncos might just pull this strange experiment off.