~STORY OF THE WEEK~
A CHAMPION YET AGAIN

How can you make breaking records look so easy? Ask Roger Federer. He did it Sunday night, winning his 16th Grand Slam title with a straight-sets victory over Andy Murray and re-establishing his grip on tennis supremacy. With Federer adding to his record for men’s Grand Slam singles titles, there is little doubt his place in the history books is secure. By winning his fourth Australian Open, Federer may have his best opportunity to join Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962, ’69) in taking down the sport’s holy grail: a Grand Slam, a sweep of the four major tournaments in the same year. Three times, Federer has won three out of four but was unable to conquer the clay surfaces of the French Open. Two of those times, in 2006 and 2007, he made it to the final in Paris only to be dashed by his great rival and a wizard of Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal, a four-time French Open champion. But Federer finally won his first French Open last year, when Nadal lost in the fourth round. Now Nadal is out for at least a month tending to a tear in his right knee that contributed to his retiring in the quarterfinals against Murray. There is no guarantee Nadal will return to top form for Roland Garros in May after a year battling tendinitis in his knees and other nagging injuries. He has not beaten a top-10 player since November. “I mean, it’s something if it happens, it does, it’s great; but it’s not something that’s like my No. 1 goal,” said Federer, who has made eight consecutive Grand Slam finals dating to the 2008 French Open, winning four of them. “It’s the same as I haven’t put a number on how many Grand Slams I want to try to win. Whatever happens, happens. (NY Times)

MILLER SPECTACULAR AS BLAZERS STUN MAVS IN OVERTIME THRILLER

Andre Miller put on a spectacular performance, scoring a career-high 52 points to propel the Portland Trail Blazers past the Dallas Mavericks, 114-112, in overtime at American Airlines Center. Miller also had five rebounds for the Blazers, who snapped a three-game skid. The veteran guard tallied 25 of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Miller's 52 points is tied for second-most in franchise history. "I've had a few heated nights in my career, but I think this was one of those nights where I just didn't stop shooting," Miller said. "The other nights when I was hot I stopped myself from shooting the ball." (TSN)

KURT WARNER RESIGNS

Kurt Warner, whom many argue to be the greatest football player ever (and nobody questions the best ever from Iowa) resigned Friday. The Bleacher Report states that "Kurt Warner has both served the NFL as a great player and as an ambassador of the game. He is a great player for a team and serves as a great role model."

SERENA ADVANCES TO FINAL
Serena Williams had allowed Li Na to get back in the opening set and into the first-set tie breaker. Now, she skipped a backhand into the net like a weekend parks and recreation player, committing her second double fault as she clung to a 4-3 lead. Williams stopped, breathed hard and glared. It was time to turn it on, and did she ever. Williams rocketed forehands, sliced backhands and finally dismissed Li with her serve, the weapon that is without peer on the women’s circuit. Williams aced Li, most remarkably perhaps, on her second serve. It was a burst of tennis that showcased all of Williams’s power, savvy and resolve. When the serve skipped by Li, Williams roared and pumped her fist and was on her way to the Australian Open final for the fifth time, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1), on Thursday. (NY Times)

CAPITALS ON FIRE

The Capitals once again made it look easy Wednesday night, scoring three times in 2 1/2 minutes early in the third period for a 5-1 victory over the visiting Ducks. Shaone Morrisonn, Mike Knuble and Alexander Semin scored on consecutive shots to break open a tie game, helping the Washington win its eighth straight - its best run since 1988-89. Semin had two goals, and Alex Ovechkin had a goal and two assists. Since Ovechkin became captain Jan. 5, Washington has won 11 of 12 games and has scored five or more goals eight times. The Capitals are averaging 3.83 goals per game - more than a half-goal better than any other team - and are on pace to become the league's highest scoring team since the Penguins in 1995-96. "They're very comfortable playing the game the way they played it tonight," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "That's their game. And they played it to a T." (SF Gate)

NADAL & RODDICK ELIMINATED

A SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN
What had been a very good week of tennis here for Andy Roddick — raising the hopes of his faithful fans that a second Grand Slam was in reach — ended abruptly when 14th-seeded Marin Cilic beat him in a back-and-forth five-set match, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3. Early Tuesday, Rafael Nadal pulled up lame with a knee injury, as Andy Murray was putting a beating on Rafa, as the world’s second-rated tennis player is known to fans, in their quarterfinal match of the Australian Open. Murray, the scrambling Scotsman, had Nadal zigging when he should have been zagging. When Nadal withdrew in the third set, trailing by 3-6, 6-7 (2), 0-3, a changing of the guard perhaps was in motion. (NY Times)

A SHOW FOR THE AGES IN MIAMI

There was a single moment Monday night when a game between the Heat and Cavaliers became the best two-man show South Florida has ever seen. It started with Dwyane Wade chasing down a fast-breaking LeBron James. Wade caught up, went up, but still got dunked on, and was called for the foul. That wasn't the moment. It came immediately after, when the Cavaliers bench celebrated the play so vociferously and for so long that Wade got annoyed. He looked toward the bench players, who were still falling over themselves in laughter as James shot his free throw and clapped, acknowledging the quality of the play. Then he went over and said a few words. And then it was on. What ensued was one of the most entertaining, intense, electrifying games of H-O-R-S-E an NBA arena has seen, up there with anything Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins ever had, and probably even better than Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, if anyone actually can remember that far back. (Miami Herald)

~STORY OF THE WEEK~

SAINTS AND COLTS ARE HEADING TO THE SUPER BOWL AFTER A SUNDAY FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS

For the first time in NFL History, the New Orleans Saints are heading to the Super Bowl. Facing the AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts, the Saints will have to bring their best game as the Colts have beaten every team they have faced. The classic overtime NFC championship between the Vikings and Saints on Sunday night sets the bar high for 2010's Super Bowl.

STAGE SET FOR NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

The New Orleans Saints are set to welcome the Minnesota Vikings into the loud, pumped, and hostel Louisiana Superdome for Sunday's highly anticipated NFC Championship game. The New York Jets are set to play the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC Championship game on the same day. The winner of tomorrow's games will face off in the 44th annual Super Bowl.

GARNETT RETURNS, CELTICS WIN

Kevin Garnett returned from injury to help the Boston Celtics rally for a nail-biting 98-95 overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. Sports Garnett scored 13 points following his 10-game absence with a knee problem and then watched as team mate Ray Allen drained the go-ahead three-pointer to put the Celtics up 96-95 with 41 seconds left in the extra session. "You know he's going to knock that shot down," Portland coach Nate McMillan told reporters. "He missed a first one and that usually doesn't happen again." Allen then assisted on a Tony Allen dunk to provide the winning margin, and the Trail Blazers' final attempt was a Rudy Fernandez three-pointer that was off the mark. Portland (26-18) had trailed by five points with 2:35 to go in regulation but Martell Webster made a three-pointer and then a 22-footer to send the contest into overtime. Webster finished with 19 while Andre Miller recorded 28 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the absence of the Blazers' leading scorer Brandon Roy (hamstring). Paul Pierce tallied a team-high 24 for Boston (28-13), which snapped a three-game losing streak. The Celtics had been inconsistent and gone 4-6 without the presence of Garnett, the 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year. (Reuters)

CLIJSTERS KNOCKED OUT

Bye, bye, Kim Clijsters. The Australian Open faithful barely got to know the U.S. Open champ here Friday night. She was on the court for 52 minutes, and Nadia Petrova, the 19th-seeded Russian, embarrassed her pretty much every second in a thorough 6-0, 6-1 banishment. Clijsters tried to explain her two hapless sets of tennis in the third round here, which contrasted with her 20-3 win-loss record since coming back last summer after two years of marriage and motherhood. She lost the first set in just 18 minutes, and won only five points in her first seven games. “I made all the mistakes and she didn’t really have to do much,” Clijsters said. “She served really well and was aggressive in the rallies, but that’s because I let her play into the courts. Just because I wasn’t feeling the ball well.’’ The why of it, Clijsters says she’ll leave to others. (NY Times)

SERENA SLAMS US OPEN AS SEXIST

AUSTRALIAN OPEN UNDERWAY, SERENA, LOOKING TO REBOUND, PUTS HERSELF BACK IN SPOTLIGHT
There were no outbursts from Serena Williams here — at least on the court. She swiftly and, for the most part stoically, took apart her overmatched opponent, Urszula Radwanska, in straight sets. Afterwards, however, the women’s defending Australian Open champion pointedly questioned the fine given to her for threatening to shove a ball down a line judge’s throat last summer at the United States Open. Williams, who was making her first Grand Slam appearance since the profanity-laced outburst, said she believed the $92,000 fine was too severe, and suggested that it would have been less if she had not been a woman. “I don’t know anyone who ever got fined like that, and people have said worse and done worse,” said Williams, who could have been suspended from playing here. “I just thought it was a bit much, but that was that.” (NY Times)

Due to Site Maitenence, No Blog Post is in effect for January 19th, 2010. January 20th, 2010 will receive a blog post.

HAWKS STILL IN CONTROL

The Hawks did not originate the method of drafting wisely and then sticking with their young players through thick and thin, but they did become experts at it, so much that others know a bright idea when they see it. Or steal it? If you didn't know any better, it sure appears Oklahoma City is trying to out-Hawk the Hawks. Good, young players are sprouting at nearly every position on the Oklahoma City roster and starting to mesh well together, and what's scary is they're growing at a faster pace than Atlanta. As proof, the Hawks received an up-close inspection of their Western Conference twin when the Thunder rolled into Philips Arena on the Martin Luther King holiday and delivered a progress report.

JETS STUN CHARGERS TO ADVANCE

In his final words to the team before it took the field Sunday for its AFC divisional playoff game, Rex Ryan predicted the next day's NFL headline: THREE HOME TEAMS WIN ... AND THE JETS! Everybody in the cramped locker room roared. "More wood on the fire," Jerricho Cotchery would say later. Now it can be printed in big, bold letters: The Jets are going to the AFC Championship Game. They made The News today, oh boy. In perhaps their greatest upset since Super Bowl III, the Jets took their rock 'em-sock 'em act on the road (again) and dismantled the high-scoring Chargers, 17-14, in a heart-pounding game at Qualcomm Stadium. The Jets are the uninvited guests to the NFL's final four, the fifth seed that wouldn't go home. Four weeks after being on the brink of elimination, they are on the verge of the Super Bowl. They reached the conference championship game for the first time since 1998 and - how's this for a delicious story line? - they face the Colts in a rematch of their controversial Dec. 27 win. The Colts could have eliminated the Jets that day, but they pulled Peyton Manning and sacrificed their perfect season. Will they rue that decision? "This is the matchup nobody wanted, but too bad," an ecstatic Ryan said. "Here we come." (New York Daily News)

SAINTS & COLTS ADVANCE TO CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

With a balanced attack by Drew Brees, and a dazzling performance by Reggie Bush, the Saints beat the Cardinals 45-14 to advance to the N.F.C. Championship game. Meanwhile, The Colts showed no signs of rust as they dissected a Ravens team that never got in gear. The 20-3 win sends the Colts to the A.F.C championship game. The Chargers will play the Jets tomorrow, in perhaps the most anticipated playoff game yet.

SPORTS WORLD STUNNED BY EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI

MOMENTS OF SILENCE AND PAUSE ENVELOP GAMES AS ATHLETES AND LEAGUES ACROSS THE WORLD CHIP IN AID TO RELIEF EFFORT
The NFL and the players' union announced they were donating $500,000 each to the American Red Cross and Partners In Health on Friday, while the NBA and its union said it will contribute $1 million toward relief efforts in Haiti. Major League Baseball had already pledged $1 million, while the NHL donated $100,000 to the earthquake-ravaged island. Haiti native Samuel Dalembert of the Philadelphia 76ers taped a public service announcement for UNICEF encouraging NBA fans to contribute. He also plans to address the crowd before his home game on Friday, to make a $100,000 donation to UNICEF and match the donations made by fans. "I was going to go tomorrow morning but you have to get clearance. It's not like you can go to Santo Domingo and drive," said Dalembert, who now hopes to visit Haiti next week. "If I could fly myself, I would go over there after every practice. I am just waiting." The NFL and its network broadcast partners plan to run messages before and during this weekend's playoff games to promote donations. The announcements will drive viewers to the Red Cross Web site and feature New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma and San Diego defensive end Jacques Cesaire, who both have Haitian parents. NASCAR's leading Hendrick Motorsports team announced it was loaning an airplane and two flight crews to Missionary Flights International, which will send support teams in and out of Port-au-Prince. The first flight was scheduled to leave Fort Pierce, Florida early Saturday. Team owner Rick Hendrick was covering all the flight costs. At least one roundtrip flight was planned per day with no timeline for how long the plane and personnel will be on loan. World TeamTennis is donating clothing items for children through Kids in Distressed Situations, and the NFL's Detroit Lions are donating $10,000 to the American Red Cross in the name of three players - Gosder Cherilus, Cliff Avril and Louis Delmas - who are of Haitian descent. (Taiwan News)

WINDY CITY HOPELESS

MONUMENTAL FAILURE FOR CHICAGO
Less than three months after failing in a bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, civic leaders took Chicago out of the competition to host World Cup soccer games in 2018 or 2022. Chicago did not make the list of 18 potential host cities, announced on Tuesday, because the city balked at making financial guarantees that could have cost taxpayers about $10 million, said David Downs, the U.S.A. bid committee executive director. For a city in need of tourism and economic recovery, the denial of an cup bid added insult to injury for the windy city notoriously known for high rates of homeless and unemployment. Chicago was on the list of 27 finalists in the United States announced in August. But Mr. Downs said Chicago Park District officials told the United States bid committee in late December they did not want Soldier Field, below, to be part of their effort. Timothy Mitchell, the Park District general superintendent and a longtime political operative for Mayor Richard M. Daley, decided to remove Chicago from contention, said Jessica Maxey-Faulkner, spokeswoman for the Park District. Chi Town, the U.S capital of both crime and murder is hopeless.

SPURS DOMINATING BASKETBALL
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich decided it was time to give Tim Duncan a break as the Spurs focus on the big picture. He had no idea what rookie DeJuan Blair would do when given the chance to replace him. Blair set new career highs with 28 points and 21 rebounds, and Richard Jeffersonhit the game-winning jumper in overtime to lift the San Antonio Spurs to a 109-108 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. “I’m going to take what he gave us tonight, and I don’t know how he did it,” said Popovich. “I have no clue what his moves are. He’s just a basketball player. He hustles his ass off, he’s got a nose for the ball, he’s got great hands and he does what you saw. We didn’t teach him any of it. He brought it all with him.” The Spurs are 24-13 with the third best record in the Western Conference.

RED-HOT GRIZZLIES STREAKING TOWARDS PLAYOFF SPOT

Only 1.5 games out of a tie for the 8th western conference playoff seed, the Memphis Grizzlies rose to the challenge Tuesday night with a 4th quarter comeback at home to put them above .500 for the first time in weeks. Having won 7 of their last 10 games, the Grizzlies improved to 19-18 with a 104-102 win over the Clippers. Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol each scored 24 points, Zach Randolph added 20, and the Grizzlies snapped the Clippers' four-game winning streak. The Grizzlies won their sixth straight at home. A rare delay-of-game was called and an evacuation of the arena took place towards the end of the 3rd quarter. Play resumed 36 minutes later and the Grizzles out-scored the Clippers 25-12 in the 4th quarter.

~STORY OF THE WEEK~

"I USED STEROIDS AND I APOLOGIZE"

MCGUIRE TELLS ALL IN HOUR-LONG INTERVIEW
CRITICS LABEL EMOTIONAL CONFESSION DELUSIONAL, HALF-ASS

After admitting to steroid use yesterday, Mark McGwire came clean for the first time on national television in a hour-long interview with MLB Network's Bob Costas Monday. The interview, which racked in 12 million viewers was a highly emotional confession. Notable moments were McGwire crying when talking about his family and denying Jose Conseco's book allegations about shooting up in the dugout. But what will stand out through time is McGwire's denial that steroids and HGH assisted his performance. He claimed Monday that he injected himself with steroids only to help himself recover from his injuries but not to enhance his performance. Critics, including Costas himself cite this denial as a common problem persisting amongst players in the steroid era- proving that there are shields we have yet to break through.

CARDINALS CLINCH IN OVERTIME

BACK-AND-FORTH CLASSIC ENDS WITH PLAYOFF BIRTH IN ARIZONA
For more than 60 minutes in the desert Sunday, the two gunslinging quarterbacks dueled to a draw, Arizona’s Kurt Warner and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers combining for 801 yards through the air and 9 scoring passes. The outcome in the National Football Conference wild-card playoff game was not decided until the second minute of overtime when the Cardinals’ Michael Adams sacked Rodgers and caused a fumble. Karlos Dansby scooped up the loose ball and barreled 17 yards for a score to give the Cardinals a 51-45 victory and send them to New Orleans to face the Saints in an N.F.C. divisional-round game Saturday. It was a wild end to the highest-scoring game in N.F.L. postseason history. Warner had only two incompletions after three quarters and finished 29 of 33 for 379 yards and 5 touchdowns. That is not a typo. Warner had more scoring passes than incompletions. Rodgers, who brought his team back from deficits of 17-0 and 31-10, set a franchise record with 422 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. He was sacked five times, which equaled the number of times he was dropped in the previous four games. The Cardinals’ Neil Rackers had a chance to win the game in regulation when he lined up for a 34-yard field-goal attempt with 14 seconds left, but his attempt sailed wide. At that point, Warner said when asked to describe his feelings, “I think you’re scared.” (NYTimes)

COWBOYS ACHIEVE GLORY; EAGLES HEARTBROKEN

13 YEAR WAIT ENDS AS DALLAS CLICHES PLAYOFF SPOT

The Dallas Cowboys lost their first two games in December and seemed poised to renew their reputation for finish-line fades. But they revived themselves and the faith of their fans with a winning streak that has continued into January and through the first game of the postseason. Who knows when it will end? The streak reached four games Saturday night with a convincing 34-14 victory over Philadelphia in a National Football Conference wild-card game. It was the first postseason victory for the Cowboys since the 1996 season, and it was a dynamic performance in almost every aspect. As many of the 92,951 fans left this flashy new stadium in the mood for celebration, some must have wondered: can the Cowboys continue this streak through February? Two more victories would put Dallas in the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1995-96 season, when the Cowboys won their last championship. Cowboys Coach Wade Phillips said that he and quarterback Tony Romo were buoyed by the victory “because it takes a lot off us even though we weren’t here in ’96.” In some ways, this one was predictable. The Cowboys had defeated the Eagles twice in the regular season, including by 24-0 last weekend in their regular-season finale. But Saturday’s loss, with so much more at stake, was a devastating defeat for the Eagles, who looked like perhaps the N.F.L.’s best team until the Cowboys stalled them. (NYTimes)

FRIDAY NIGHT BASKETBALL AT IT'S VERY BEST

No team won by a double digit figure, as two and three-point games decorated a powerhouse NBA scoreboard. The Raptors, Grizzlies, Hornets, Bucks, Heat and Nuggets all used buzzer beating shots or 4th quarter heroics to stab heartbreakers into Cleavland, Phoenix, Philly, Chicago, Utah, and yes, New Jersey.

~STORY OF THE WEEK~NEW DECADE, NEW CHAMPIONS

Finally, Alabama could breathe a sigh of relief. After the Crimson Tide defense thwarted a fourth-quarter Texas comeback, the scoreboard read 37-21. As confetti shot from cannons, the stadium roared. 'Bama is officially back, winning the Bowl Championship Series title, its first in 17 years and eighth overall. Alabama's Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram, secured the Crimson Tide's win Thursday night with a 1-yard run with 2:01 left in the game. "That's all we worked for. We deserve it. I don't think anybody worked harder than us," said Ingram. After Ingram crossed into the end zone, he fell to his knees. It was probably mostly in relief. After dominating for much of the first half, the Tide allowed the Longhorns back into the game until the final moments. However, after Gilbert was intercepted on the ensuing series, the game was out of reach. Alabama running back Trent Richardson added another score with under a minute left to make the game seem more of a mismatch than it really was. Alabama coach Nick Saban became the first coach since the Associated Press poll began in 1936 to win a national championship at different schools. (He won at LSU in 2003.) It's also the Southeastern Conference's fourth consecutive BCS title and the first time Alabama has beaten Texas in the series' nine-game history. (USA Today)

ANDRE DAWSON INDUCTED TO HALL OF FAME

Andre Dawson was elected by baseball writers on his ninth try, while Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar just missed. The name was never accociated with steriords, and since the fame did not want to have a enroll-free year, they reached out to the former Cub.

DENVER DEFEATS GOLDEN STATE

Don Nelson and George Karl have coached nearly 4,000 NBA games between them, but the final seconds of Tuesday's game must have felt like a lifetime. Nelson thought his Warriors had the game won when J.R. Smith's 40-foot 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left was far short. Instead, Monta Ellis was called for a foul, Smith hit two free throws and the Nuggets escaped with a 123-122 win. "It's a tough game to referee," Karl said. "I'm just really happy. You've got to kind of steal a few now and then." Nelson felt the game was highway robbery. "Anytime you lose it's hard. You lose at the buzzer it's tough," he said. "That team deserved to win a game. Bad teams just don't get breaks. Let's face it, you just don't get breaks. That was our game." It certainly seemed that way when Ellis put the Warriors up a point with 15.2 seconds left. After Joey Graham missed a 3-pointer, the ball was tied up with 3 seconds left. Corey Maggette swatted the jump ball to halfcourt where Smith grabbed it and the Nuggets called a timeout with 1.4 seconds remaining. Kenyon Martin inbounded the ball to Smith, who turned, shot and drew contact, although he didn't know it at first. "I was walking to the locker room," he said. "I didn't think they were going to call it and then I saw the ref with his hand up. I was thankful he did call it." Smith, who has struggled from the line this year, calmly sank the first two and intentionally clanked the third. Golden State called a timeout with 0.1 seconds left but Martin swatted away the inbounds pass to seal the win.

CHARLESTON RISES FROM ASHES
The College of Charleston defeated a ranked team for the first time since 1998 by beating No. 9 North Carolina, 82-79. Jeremy Simmons, who scored 13 points, was a center of the celebration. Fans ran on the court and stormed their players as the world watched a rise completed, 12 years in the making.

COMEBACK GIVES TEXANS HOPE

The Houston Texans did their part. Then they waited. The rookie Arian Foster scored two touchdowns and Bernard Pollard recovered a fumble for a touchdown and had a key interception Sunday as the Texans rallied to beat the New England Patriots, 34-27. The victory gave Houston (9-7) its first winning record and kept its playoff hopes alive. After Denver’s loss to Kansas City, the Texans needed the Bengals to beat the Jets on Sunday night to secure the final American Football Conference wild-card spot. It would be their first postseason appearance in the eight-year history of the franchise. “We’re winners,” cornerback Dunta Robinson said. “We’re not right at .500. We’re over .500. It’s a great thing. I can say that I was a part of the first winning season for the Houston Texans. We’re a part of something special.” The Texans trailed by 14 points in the fourth quarter before ending the game with three unanswered touchdowns. Foster scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard run with about two minutes remaining.

SLUMPING HAWKS STUNNED BY KNICKS AS NATE ROBINSON RETURNS TRIUMPHANTLY TO ROTATION IN ATLANTA

The Atlanta Hawks, one of basketballs best teams, is beginning to weaken. And the New York Knicks, a team seeded well outside 2010 playoff contention, is beginning to turn some heads. With a 108-104 overtime victory Saturday in Atlanta the Knicks have proven themselves in a game coach D’Antoni saw as an experiment. In the Knicks’ universe, controversies do not end — they merely morph and adapt as circumstances dictate. So Nate Robinson’s electrifying 41-point performance on Friday merely shifted the debate. There is no longer any question about his role: Robinson is back in Coach Mike D’Antoni’s rotation after a much-debated 14-game exile. The question now becomes, did D’Antoni wait too long? When D’Antoni benched Robinson on Dec. 2, he was searching for lineup combinations that worked, that provided a balance of offense, defense and consistent effort. It was hard to argue with the initial results. The Knicks won four straight games and seven out of nine with Robinson on the bench. They beat some quality teams, including Atlanta, Portland and New Orleans. (They also routed Phoenix on Dec. 1, with Robinson playing sparingly, a prelude to his benching.) The Knicks had gone 1-9 to start the season with Robinson in the rotation.

TORRE STANDS BY CONTROVERSY

In an interview with Larry King, Joe Torre said Friday that he stood by the claims made in his controversial new book "The Yankee Years". Torre's book, which hits the shelves Tuesday, is a "unedited tell-all masterpiece" according to USA Today.