INDIANAPOLIS -- Three decades after his Coke commercial won advertising's version of the Oscar, Joe Greene and his No. 75 Steelers jersey make a comeback in another Super Bowl spot on television. The new commercial relies heavily on the old one, only the Coke bottle has been replaced by a container of Downy Unstopables laundry product.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Count Joe Greene among those happy to see the Steelers move to change their approach on offense. "If it doesn't feel good, you have to change it and, basically, it wasn't feeling good," Greene said Friday. "It wasn't feeling good in '09, and it wasn't feeling good in 2011."
INDIANAPOLIS -- Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and other New York Giants receivers can't wait to go against the New Englands Patriots' Julian Edelman Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium. And why not? Edelman, wide receiver-return man, also plays in the secondary, a position he's still learning.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Three decades after his Coke commercial won advertising's version of the Oscar, Joe Greene and his No. 75 Steelers jersey make a comeback in another Super Bowl spot on television.
Hines Ward talked to Mike Tomlin on Monday at the Steelers facility on the South Side and to team president Art Rooney II earlier, letting them know he wants to play in 2012 in Pittsburgh.
The helmet-to-helmet shot knocked Tony Dorsett out cold in the second quarter of a 1984 Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles game, the hardest hit he took in his Hall of Fame NFL career. "It was like a freight train hitting a Volkswagen," Dorsett says now. "Did they know it was a concussion?" he asks rhetorically in an interview with The Associated Press. "They thought I was half-dead."
One word from Giants special teams captain Zak DeOssie will begin Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium. With more than 100 million people watching in the United States alone, the long snapper from New York, other Giants captains and their counterparts from New England will see referee John Parry display both sides of a special commemorative coin for the opening toss.
Picked on as a youth by other kids in Georgia because he is biracial, Hines Ward stands tall as someone who was able to overcome prejudice and bullying to find success.
Jerry Olsavsky not only played nine seasons with the Steelers, he has spent the past two seasons as a defensive assistant on Mike Tomlin's staff. Had linebackers coach Keith Butler decided to go to Indianapolis as the Colts' defensive coordinator, Olsavsky, 43, would have been the likely candidate to replace him.
As letters of intent poured into college football offices via fax across the country, Penn State's new head coach sat at a table on the campus of another university in Indianapolis and looked at his cell phone.
Pittsburgh has found its way into playing an important part in the Super Bowl on Sunday even though the Steelers did not make it. Two of the seven-man crew of game officials, announced Wednesday, hail from the Pittsburgh area -- head linesman Tom Stabile and back judge Tony Steratore. Stabile and Steratore have each worked nine playoff games in their careers.
For all the things that are still up in the air, Peyton Manning is certain about this much: He isn't ready to retire yet. "I have no plans on doing that," he said. An iron man for 13 seasons, he's struggling to recover from three neck surgeries over the course of 19 months. "My plan hasn't changed. I'm on track with what the doctors have told me to do, and I'm doing that. I'm rehabbing hard."
Former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley, an Upper St. Clair native, is the latest candidate to interview for the Steelers' vacant offensive coordinator position. But the possibility of him being hired to replace Bruce Arians seems remote.
Plotting how to keep quarterback Tom Brady out of the clutches of the New York Giants' fearsome pass rushers will occupy most of Bill O'Brien's waking hours this week, and who knows how many of his dreams. But it's not his only worry.
It's Brady vs. Manning again, a pairing that evokes comparisons from the past such as ... Brady vs. Manning, the Peyton version. Or, on the historical stage that will be the Super Bowl, Staubach vs. Bradshaw and Kelly vs. Aikman.
Another practice, another day of progress for Rob Gronkowski. The All-Pro tight end was listed as questionable for the New England Patriots for the Super Bowl against the New York Giants on Sunday after moving without a limp on Friday as the Patriots walked through their offensive plays. Gronkowski practiced on a limited basis Thursday after being hurt 11 days earlier in the Patriots 23-20 win over...
Running back Ahmad Bradshaw missed the New York Giants' Super Bowl practice Friday because of a sore right foot. Coach Tom Coughlin listed Bradshaw as probable for Sunday's game, and said he expects him to play. Bradshaw has a broken bone in his right foot and it was sore after two days of practice at the University of Indianapolis' practice bubble.
The NFL is increasing the number of Thursday night games so more of its teams can play in prime time. Commissioner Roger Goodell said that there will be Thursday night games on the NFL Network from the second to the 15th week of the season, giving all of the league's teams a chance to appear in prime time on some outlet.
Jim Irsay is trying to put a happy face on an ugly public spectacle. After Peyton Manning stole the big stage from his little brother, Eli, all week, the Indianapolis Colts owner tried to resolve the second public spat in two weeks with his star quarterback. The latest controversy is over Manning's health and whether he's actually been cleared to start taking hits again.
Chris Doleman is not one of the four Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists who won a Super Bowl. He doesn't believe that should affect his chances of being elected to the shrine. Nor does Troy Aikman. Doleman terrorized quarterbacks and running backs as a defensive end for the Vikings, Falcons and 49ers for 15 seasons.
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, whose dour demeanor matches his gray hoodie and whose quotes make cliches seem original, actually has a colorful side rarely seen by football junkies. For some reason -- and Belichick has a reason for everything -- he's loosened up this Super Bowl week with a season's worth of smiles, jokes and fashionable attire.
Sorry, Los Angeles. The only NFL expansion happening anytime soon is to next season's schedule of Thursday night games. During his annual Super Bowl news conference, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday there hasn't been any discussion about adding to the league's 32 teams, and indicated he's not too keen about the idea of shifting a franchise, either.
Two more federal lawsuits have been filed in Philadelphia blaming the NFL for concussion-related dementia and brain disease. The latest fraud and negligence suits filed Friday also accuse the National Football League of hiding medical evidence about the risks of concussions and failing to warn players they risked permanent brain damage if they returned to play too soon after a concussion.
Chapel Hill police say the son of new Jacksonville Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey is among three former North Carolina athletes arrested for possession of cocaine. Police say Shane Michael Mularkey was among the three arrested. The 21-year-old Mularkey played in all 13 games for the Tar Heels in 2009, but school spokesman Kevin Best said he left the team after the 2010 season.
Tom Coughlin's pinched face, ever present on the New York Giants' sideline during his eight seasons, gives way to a smile more often now. He'll even crack a one-liner or two. Funny how a second trip to the Super Bowl in four years can mellow a guy. In reality, though, the 65-year-old Coughlin is still basically the same coach on the field and definitely the same man off the field.
Three-time All-Star Cecil Fielder, who twice led the Majors in home runs, and four-time World Series champion Tino Martinez were inducted into the Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame at Tropicana Field on Friday night.
A year ago, Luis Ayala took the mound for Mexico's Obregon squad during the Caribbean Series without a job in the United States and ended up signing a Minor League deal with the Yankees a few days after the round-robin ended.
The Royals have agreed to contract terms with Ramon Hernandez Jorrin, a right-handed-hitting outfielder from Cuba, after evaluating him in the Dominican Republic.
To some observers, third baseman Pablo Sandoval passed the eyeball test Friday. But his physical condition still didn't satisfy Giants manager Bruce Bochy.
A large group of eager teenagers took their first step toward their big league dreams and Major League Baseball took another step forward in Latin America on the first day of the Venezuela-Dominican Republic Showcase on Friday at the Mets complex.
Jeff Allison got up Friday morning to get ready to go to work at a local baseball facility and coach kids. Then he read the headline about Josh Hamilton. "It tore me apart," said Allison.
The Dodgers filed a motion with the bankruptcy court on Friday to disallow all claims by Bryan Stow and his children stemming from Stow's beating in the Dodger Stadium parking lot on Opening Day last year.
Speaking publicly Friday for the first time since he and the Giants agreed to their deal on Jan. 24, Tim Lincecum calmly rebutted the assumptions of his skeptics as if they were so many helpless hitters.
To conform with Miami Marlins policy, shortstop Jose Reyes cut off his famed dreadlocks, which he had sported the past three years as a member of the New York Mets.
Frank Robinson's teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, who is currently an Orioles broadcaster, shared some special moments and insight from that groundbreaking 1966 season.
When he hasn't been caring for his baby twins this winter, Giants catcher Buster Posey has been fully immersed in rehab. He is convinced he'll be back in form by Opening Day, ready to catch, play some first base and hit.
Arguably the biggest news to come out of this week's State of the Franchise in Toronto was the potential for the Blue Jays to install a natural-grass surface at Rogers Centre.
Joe Crede hasn't officially retired, but the former White Sox third baseman understands he's not likely to get back on the playing field. Instead, after three painful back surgeries, Crede is happy being able to spend quality time with his family.
The grand opening of JetBlue Park, the Red Sox's new Spring Training home, has been scheduled for Feb. 25, the same day as the team's first full-squad workout.
Brian Tallet, a 34-year-old left-hander who has had some Major League success as a matchup reliever, has been signed to a Minor League contract by the Pirates.
The Brewers and right-hander Shaun Marcum were minutes away from squaring off in an arbitration hearing Friday when they struck a deal on a $7.725 million, one-year contract, meeting at the midpoint to settle the team's largest remaining arbitration case.
Astros catcher Jason Castro, who missed all of last season with a serious knee injury and underwent foot surgery two months ago, is still aiming to be ready for action when Grapefruit League play begins in a month in Florida.
Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, long engaged in a battle against drug and alcohol addiction, publicly apologized for his actions on Monday, when he consumed alcohol in two Dallas establishments.
After posting career highs for innings pitched and strikeouts, Anibal Sanchez is in line for a pay raise. The right-hander will find out how much on Saturday.
Joe Girardi is generally pleased with the work done during his club's offseason, but the Yankees' manager would like to have one more bat added to his lineup card before Spring Training begins.
The Rockies and right-handed reliever Matt Belisle agreed on a one-year contract extension through 2013, the club announced Friday morning. Terms were not immediately known.
The unofficial beginning of spring came Friday when two trucks, loaded with Indians gear, began a 2,075-mile journey to the team's spring facilities in Goodyear, Ariz.
Unexpected stars. Mounting injuries. Tough places on the road during the postseason. With the Super Bowl coming up, there are obvious parallels between the New York Giants' run and that of the St. Louis Cardinals this past World Series.
In 1979, Don Baylor led an 18-year-old Angels franchise to its first American League Championship Series with an MVP performance that made him a legend of sorts in Southern California.
There are different stories for every one of the roughly 250 students currently enrolled in the three umpire schools that prepare hopefuls for evaluation by the Professional Baseball Umpires Corp.
With so much uncertainty swirling around the Mets, it's easy to forget that much of the roster heading into next season is actually quite static. Barring injury, the Mets have no vacancies in their starting rotation, a rarity in today's game. They have one or two bullpen jobs up for grabs at most. And their lineup, too, is mostly written in ink.
Duane Below emerged last season to give the Tigers some quality innings from the rotation and out of the bullpen. Heading into camp, the southpaw is confident he can fill the rotation's fifth slot.
By the mid-1950s, Reds fans had grown accustomed to seeing African-American players the likes of Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron -- as visiting ballplayers. It wasn't until Frank Robinson walked into Crosley Field in 1956 that Cincinnati finally had a black baseball superstar of its own.
Instead of going into a hearing room in St. Petersburg on Friday, the Cubs and Matt Garza avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $9.5 million contract.
The hype for this weekend's Giants-Patriots Super Bowl matchup no doubt got some help from years of Bostonians and New Yorkers watching the Red Sox and Yankees play out the greatest rivalry in all of sports.
Free-agent pitcher Gerardo Concepcion has agreed to terms with the Cubs, according to an industry source. Concepcion defected from Cuba last June during the World Port Tournament in the Netherlands.
The Nationals have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Edwin Jackson, pending a physical. Jackson, 28, went a combined 12-9 with a 3.79 ERA last season with the White Sox and Cardinals.
