Few NFL quarterbacks escape dissection by their team's fans, but no athlete of recent vintage has seen his accomplishments so distorted and his character so unjustly maligned as Donovan McNabb. Is it finally time for sanity in Philadelphia? More»

Pitchers aren't an automatic out at the plate. Just ask Barry Zito, who's batting .333 so far this season and knocked in two runs last postseason, what he thinks of adding the DH to the National League: Having pitchers bat makes the game "more pure." More»

Vijay Singh's attorneys might advise him to do so, but he shouldn't settle his PED lawsuit against the PGA Tour, not because he didn't know what he was taking or thought it was OK, but because the Tour has very selectively enforced PED bans against its players. More»

For Warriors coach Mark Jackson, love is at the center of his philosophy, not just off the court -- where he is an ordained minister -- but on it as well, where he can be heard telling his players, "In case I forget to tell you guys, I love you." More»

The Warriors knocked off the Nuggets, thanks to a huge series from Steph Curry and the emergence of Andrew Bogut, stepping up in David Lee's absence. But will it be enough against the veteran Spurs? And can Lee make an improbably comeback? More»

Giants manager Bruce Bochy credits AlVera Paxson's hypnosis with putting an end to his desire for smokeless tobacco. But could she help me with my writer's block? I sat down with the therapist for a session to find out. More»

A 19-inning game comes with both yawns and punch lines. In the Oakland A's clubhouse after their win over the Angels early Tuesday morning, the latter seem to be far more abundant. Just ask 3-year-old Jayden Moss, son of extra-innings hero Brandon. More»

Stephen Curry's dominant performance against the Nuggets in Game 4 was impressive enough by itself. But not even his teammates knew how much pain he played through. As he enters Tuesday's Game 5, he's made it clear he's no lightweight. More»

I refuse to be offended Don Cherry's little rant about female reporters in NHL locker rooms. He deserves our laughter and pity more than scorn, and did absolutely no damage to the careers of female sports reporters, just showed that he continues to be a buffoon. More»

Nobody in the NBA plays more elegantly than Warriors guard Stephen Curry. Sure, hidden underneath is a stealthy basketball assassin attitude, but on the surface Curry plays and acts with a sugary coating, and he may prefer it that way. More»

As the U.S. government pursues Postal Service payback from Lance Armstrong, it will try to dismantle one of the great cons of the sports world -- aside from the already unraveled Armstrong himself: the myth of sports sponsorships. Do they even benefit to the sponsor? More»

JaMarcus Russell has spent the last couple of months training at the behest of Jeff Garcia. Both of them want him to be ready for the 2013 season, fit and prepared to back up an NFL starter. But the former No. 1 pick still needs to shed more pounds and a tonnage of distrust. More»

Mark it down: This was the week of the Brittney Griner-Adam Scott Revolution. The top pick in the WNBA draft casually exited the closet -- and the Masters champion was relentlessly objectified. These were great breaches of the old sports code. More»

Three women from a Kansas City running club qualified for their first Boston Marathon this year. The bombings prevented them from crossing the finish line. This weekend they will try to salvage a small piece of what was destroyed on Monday. More»

If the Kings stay put in Sacramento, Seattle will have to start anew its search for a hobbled franchise that wants to run away from home. That possibility, so near the brink of victory, must sting. So this writer set out in search of the pain, both accumulated and fresh in the Emerald City. More»

At the end, the bulbous granddad and the young Adonis played almost as if one. They advanced on the 2013 Masters title so splendidly in sync that they could have been choreographing a dance. And together, they gave the tournament a finish it desperately needed. More»

Former catchers and current managers Bruce Bochy and Mike Matheny are working to reduce collisions at the plate and prevent catcher injuries -- especially concussions. They'll have to pry the game from its most primitive and exhilarating ritual. More»

Whatever happens at the Masters, we won't know if Tiger Woods has learned anything new as a human being. If he wins, we'll just know that he learned something as an athlete, how to get out of years in the rough. And that should be enough. More»

If baseball players always did what's expected of them in April, the 2012 A's wouldn't have reached the playoffs. But here's one prediction for 2013: The A's, one of the youngest teams in the majors, will have a blast, and so will anyone following them. More»

Rutgers coach Mike Rice had all the power and he used it in the laziest manner possible, berating and physically attacking his players. Now that the tape of his actions has been released, what is the lesson for the Scarlet Knights, who seem to have Stockholm syndrome? More»

If a gay NFL player truly wants to come out of the closet before next season, as reported by CBSSports.com, he should act soon. This leap over the biggest remaining social hurdle in sport should be taken before teams get down to the business of football. More»

At 17, Arsalan Kazemi flew into the United States by himself from Iran. Now on a Final Four run with the Oregon Ducks, he's prepared to practice what may be the finest art of diplomacy -- playing transcendently stylish and unselfish basketball. More»

Syracuse is in the news as under NCAA investigation... and the Orange blew Montana out of the tournament. If this was the look of distraction and looming disgrace, sign up every basketball coach in America for a dose of what Jim Boeheim is having. More»

On the field, the DR swallowed this WBC whole, sweeping all eight games it played, something even the splendid Japanese team had not managed in 2006 and '09. In the end, though, the Dominicans gave more than they took from this tournament. More»

The Dominican Republic teams have had somewhat disappoiniting WBC performances in the past, but the 2013 version is making up for lost time. After beating the Netherlands in Monday's semifinal, the DR is bringing 'spicy baseball' to the finals. More»

Wladimir Balentien represents all major facets of the World Baseball Classic: He grew up in the Caribbean, has a passport from the Netherlands, plays for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, makes his home in Miami and speaks four languages. More»

Nearly six years after pitcher Rod Beck died of an overdose, his family continues to be outspoken about helping others affected by substance abuse problems. Part of his wife, Stacey, will never give up on him, even now that he's gone. More»

Dave Roberts' steal of second base against the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS stole a pennant, and the now-first base coach has cherished the spikes he wore during that moment ever since. But Boston's most famous curse-slaying footwear may soon slide into Cooperstown. More»

Cleveland Indians camp is filled with familiar faces on the fringe. Their non-roster invitees to spring training include Jason Giambi, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Scott Kazmir, three big names who are looking forward and hoping to recapture past glory. More»

The World Baseball Classic has survived without great performances by the United States in the past, but Sunday's comeback win over Canada bailed out the tournament this year in several ways and allowed Team USA to avoid embarrassment. More»

Undefeated MMA fighter Fallon Fox revealed this week that she had undergone sexual reassignment surgery. While even the IOC would find her eligible to compete, the biggest fight ahead of her may be prejudice from those who say her original gender gives her an edge. More»

There should be more of a fuss. People recognize the pitching coach from Team Mexico, but Fernando Valenzuela's presence generated barely a ripple. Then again, the very existence of the Mexican team may be his own personal tidal wave. More»

Greg Maddux is now an official pitching coach for the first time in his illustrious career, mentoring the Team USA staff for the World Baseball Classic. It's a reassuring sign for those concerned about the wear and tear on WBC pitchers. More»

It's quite common to run into a cat or two when hanging out in a stadium during off-hours. At the Oakland A's spring training home, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, a cat named Big Orange runs the place. More»

Bruce Bochy's son Brett has made it to the San Francisco Giants' spring training. But if he ever makes it to the majors, his mom Kim may do the same thing she did every time she tried to watch him play college ball -- hide in a bathroom to escape the stress. More»

What Nick Kasa said about his interviews at the combine is embarrassing to the NFL. If accurate, the questions about his sexuality ("Do you like girls?") violated the collective-bargaining agreement. But will Roger Goodell investigate and penalize with the same fervor he brought to the Saints' bounty scandal? More»

Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin could have made millions after her success at the London Games, but she chose the pleasure of high school and college swimming and the maze of amateurism. How are she and her parents navigating? More»

Alex Smith's career in San Francisco came with just about every up and down a quarterback can go through. But, in the end as he gets set for a trade, the former No. 1 overall pick will leave the 49ers more satisfied than we could have ever imagined. More»

A civil fraud case against Lance Armstrong's cycling team could yield millions of dollars in reimbursement to the U.S. Postal Service, which sponsored the team. Yet the Department of Justice has hesitated to throw its essential weight behind the lawsuit. More»

Was Oscar Pistorius using steroids? The defense says no. The prosecution has gone back and forth. And while this dizzying volley will end soon enough, the debate about 'roid rage -- a story with countless versions -- will go on past the trial, apparently without end. More»

NASCAR's old guard is beginning to embrace Danica Patrick and the publicity she can bring to the sport. But she's not at Daytona just because she's gorgeous. She's there pursuing the promise that she can beat a field of men in a major sports event. More»

Rape charges are -- or should be -- more than an "embarrassment" for athletes and their teams. Hard as they are to cover fairly, criminal charges are not just another "distraction" for players, not a "youthful indiscretion," not an unspecified "situation." More»

The search for Buster Posey's flaws continues, but so far, without much success. Every now and then, Posey manages to seem like just a ballplayer doing his job, not a template of impeccability. Just as often, though, he seems too perfect to be real. More»

With an appearance by Sue Paterno on Katie Couric's show and a rebuttal to the Freeh report, the family of Joe Paterno has gone on the offensive to rebuild his reputation. But all they need to do is look to the late coach's own words and realize it's a lost cause. More»

Condoleezza Rice, golf's newest star, took the course by storm at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Thursday, bringing not only her political credentials, but also her 17 handicap and newly granted status as a member at Augusta National. More»

From the Super Bowl blackout to Rob Gronkowski's shirtless dancing to Manti Te'o, we're obsessing on things that just aren't worthy of outrage. No need to turn 34 lost minutes on Sunday into hours, much less days, we'll never get back. More»

Colin Kaepernick's post-game reaction to Sunday's devastating Super Bowl loss was admirable. His coach's words? Not so much. As hard as it is, Jim Harbaugh needs to let go of the momoment, because the 49ers are built to sustain success. More»

NBA Players Association director Billy Hunter sent through his eight-figure contract without proper approval and hired relatives like only a family business should, setting back not just the players' cause but the labor movement's. More»

The real outrage about Chris Culliver's homophobic remarks is that they could ever be taken seriously. Culliver deserves an eye roll more than a wagging finger, pity more than scorn, ridicule 100 times more than anger. More»

Lolo Jones didn't win Olympic track gold last summer, but now she's placed first in the bobsled world championships. Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Jones' career is beginning to look a bit like former star running back Herschel Walker. More»

What was once a rarity is now becoming commonplace. Small-school quarterbacks have infiltrated the Super Bowl, and with Joe Flacco joining Rich Gannon, Delaware is now the first FCS school to boast multiple starters in the big game. More»

The truth required subpoenas and the threat of perjury charges. Otherwise, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens would be writing their Hall of Fame speeches and Lance Armstrong would still be leading conferences about cancer. What's next remains unclear. More»

Phil Mickelson has apologized for complaining about tax increases feasting on his annual income of $45 to $60 million -- thus disappointing the legions of sports fans who long to have political commentary embedded in every competition. More»

Mavericks, the big-wave surf contest held Sunday about 25 miles south of San Francisco, is the sporting-world version of “Brigadoon,’’ the town that appears only one day every 100 years. And it's an experience that could trigger vertigo for a typical sports fan. More»

The Harbaugh family rule may have to be broken. Once again, John and Jim Harbaugh have both reached conference championships, meaning the possibility of an all-Harbaugh Super Bowl — and the comparisons that would follow — loom large. More»

Steelers chairman emeritus Dan Rooney says his namesake rule remains relevant, as eight NFL teams -- 25 percent of the league -- went into this offseason looking for new head coaches. More»

Oprah Winfrey scored a big get in Lance Armstrong, who will address doping allegations in an interview to air Thursday. But to remain allied with her true constituency, Oprah must remember other people hurt in this case, the women he smeared, the father who lost a son, the doctor who just wanted to do his job More»

Nothing in Colin Kaepernick's prior seven starts gave the Packers any indication that he was capable of the type of performance he delivered Saturday night, which included a new rushing record and passing for more yards than Aaron Rodgers. More»

When Barry Bonds received only 36.2 percent of the Hall of Fame votes, I felt some regret and sadness. A little of it was for him, a lot more was for the mess that radiated from the summer of 1998, after Bonds watched as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa swung for Roger Maris’ record. More»

Colin Kaepernick has been surrounded by palace intrigue, controversy and quirky tales as he earned his role as the starting quarterback of the 49ers midway through the NFL season. Only an evil twin and a case of amnesia were missing from the drama. More»

Lance Armstrong may be planning a confession to using performance-enhancing drugs, but he's surely not contrite. He doesn't want forgiveness -- he wants his old life back, his victories returned, and everyone to say the drugs were OK. More»

In the past, having a grease board in the Golden State Warriors locker room documenting the conference standings would have amounted to demoralizing cruelty. Not with this team, which just dismantled the Clippers and showed that they're for real. More»

When his team hit 3-6 in November and Mike Shanahan started talking about the long-term future, it seemed as if his reputation had ballooned far beyond his abilities.Then came seven straight wins and the Redskins' first playoff berth in five years. More»

Adrian Peterson wants more than a record, more than an MVP award. He wants to revive the rep of the running back, saving the position from irrelevancy. And we need to watch him so we can be deprogrammed from the cult of the quarterback. More»

Suzy Favor Hamilton working as a prostitute challenges even the most jaded of realists not to be shocked. She risked prosecution and shame at an age when the typical woman’s sexuality doesn't command more than Apple’s stock. But that’s the point, isn’t it? More»

Almost immediately after the accident that took her son's life, Jerry Brown's mother, Stacey Jackson, and her family issued a statement about their grief and said that they felt for Josh Brent and his family as well. In the darkness, she is trying to see light. More»

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger apologized for comments that registered as second-guessing calls by offensive coordinator Todd Haley. It's not the first time this season, but the mess of it won’t stick to him. Nothing really does. More»

We knew the day would come. We knew the chosen women would be so privileged that a golf-club membership wouldn’t improve their lives much. Yet the news that Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore had been admitted to Augusta brought a smile. More»

The MVP discussion doesn't flatter Peyton Manning. It trivializes what he's done for Denver, what his teammates have done around him. Riding a nine-game win streak, they've become Manning’s team without sacrificing a broader identity. More»

Half the class could become valedictorians. We're at the precipice of an everyone-gets-a-ribbon era in pro sports. And the NFL's playoff expansion idea emphasizes a craven quest for more revenue, with the attendant unhealthiness of all gluttony. More»

Fault for the current NHL lockout rests with the owners and the league, and fans are recognizing that, taking their wrath straight to Gary Bettman's door. This lockout should also ice thinking that salary caps are necessary in professional sports. More»

Jovan Belcher's tragic actions, and the Chiefs' response, are shedding light on a often-hidden topic: that of domestic violence. Whether among athletes or not, women are taking the opportunity to step forward and personalize this issue. More»

On Sunday, the Chiefs had to balance the weight of mourning Jovan Belcher's death, while remembering Kasandra Perkins and Zoey, the little girl left behind, as they took the field and played against Carolina one day after a horrific tragedy. More»

Tattoos send minds stumbling into booby traps of conformity, and here was an NFL quarterback, the center of every team's universe, his skin scripted to the hilt. Colin Kaepernick broke new ground for body art, but why would anyone care? More»

Ndamukong Suh's leg to Matt Schaub's groin is just the lastest in a series of discipline problems for the Detroit Lions. And when discipline consistently vanishes, the cause can usually be traced to the coach. Jim Schwartz is sending his team the wrong message. More»

You probably missed the most remarkable Thanksgiving football game of the last 50 years. Very few people saw it. Very few knew that Edison High School in Philadelphia was the place to be that day that day in 1991. More»

Colin Kaepernick stole the show on Monday, and he may have swiped Alex Smith's job in the process. His breakout on the national stage deserved wild ovations and gasps of wonder. Is it impossible, just for a day, to savor that all on its own? More»

A day after undergoing an outpatient heart procedure, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh answered questions directly and simply, without hesitation or evasion. But aside from using the word 'I' more than usual, normalcy has quickly been restored. More»

The problem is always the quarterback. But that simply doesn't add up in New York, despite the struggles of Mark Sanchez and the irrelevance of Tim Tebow. No, the Jets have lost what made them contenders, and it did not reside under center. More»

The NFL has every incentive to perfect the prompt detection and treatment of brain trauma. But the uncertain way 49ers quarterback Alex Smith's concussion revealed itself emphasized the imprecision of the science and the elusiveness of that goal. More»

A month before the great referendum on juicers in Cooperstown, baseball has had a streak of PED amnesty: the Rockies interviewed Jason Giambi, and the Dodgers hired Mark McGwire. How would people within the game handle the Hall of Fame vote? More»

The international skiing federation, in rejecting Lindsey Vonn's bid to enter the men's World Cup race, encouraged her to request a spot as a forerunner. That may sound condescending, but for now Vonn's focus should be on challenging herself. More»

Doug Martin rushed for a franchise-record 251 yards in Tampa Bay's win over Oakland -- the 10th-best rushing day in NFL history. Running backs have short shelf lives, but the record book makes a strong statement about youth at the position. More»

As he rode in the Giants' second victory parade in three years, manager Bruce Bochy would have been a prime candidate for ego expansion. After two titles, Bochy might start taking himself seriously. But if he does, it will rank as one of baseball's great upsets. More»

The Giants caught some breaks in the playoffs, but it would be foolish to underestimate them, especially after a suffocating World Series sweep of the Tigers. Led by a deep, young pitching staff, this team has the look of a dynasty. More»

Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens is also the manager of Venezuela's Bravos de Margarita, and Saturday night he saw two players he had recommended from South America stifle the Tigers for a 2-0 win and a 3-0 lead in the World Series. More»

The Tigers gave away not even a hint of exasperation after a 2-0 loss in Game 2 of the World Series. When they turned defensive, it was on behalf of the Giants, who have been so fortunate lately that even mistakes end up working in their favor. More»

Pablo Sandoval's impulsiveness may assure that he never learns how to be more than lavishly gifted and wildly infatuated with the game. But for one night, he knew all he needed: How to hit a record-tying three home runs in Game 1 of the Series. More»

The Tigers and Giants took very different paths to the World Series -- one via a steamrolling sweep of the Yankees, the other with a come-from-behind win over the Cardinals. So what can we expect in this year's Fall Classic? Emma Span and Gwen Knapp weigh in. More»

The rightful destination of the seven yellow jerseys taken from Lance Armstrong will never be clear. In the absence of obviously dope-free Tour de France podium finishers from those years, they might as well go to the most shamefully forgotten people in this scandal. More»

Baseball players rarely can identify a single moment when a game or series shifted for them or their team. But the new National League champions had a pretty good idea of what revitalized them in this NLCS: Barry Zito showed them the way. More»

A Game 7 had to happen between these two teams. When the Cardinals took a 3-1 lead in the NLCS, the defending World Champions knew: 'Those guys aren't done yet.' These are two never-say-die teams, but one of them is about to go home. More»

Barry Zito and the Giants aren't done yet. With the NLCS on the line, the scrutinized Zito delivered a dominant effort Friday with an 85-mph fastball, pitching 7 2/3 scoreless innings in a 5-0 win against the Cardinals to send the series back to San Francisco. More»

As the Cardinals take a 3-1 lead in the NLCS, Yadier Molina has been vital to their success -- thanks to his bat but, most of all, his unparalleled work behind the plate. The Cardinals can fill almost any gap. Without Molina, though, it all crumbles. More»

Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced that, yes, Tim Lincecum would be promoted from middle relief to start Game 4, with his team down 2-1. What can he do? How far can he rebound? It's a chance to show again what it means to be The Freak. More»

Lance Armstrong's attorney calls them axe-grinders and serial perjurers. For years, Armstrong called them teammates and friends. He never thought his inner circle would be his noose -- but now he's desperate to discredit them. More»

Clearly, David Freese doesn't realize what he has become. Winning last year's World Series and NLCS MVP awards didn't translate into a sense of his own stardom. But in the St. Louis clubhouse, he and Carlos Beltran are Mr. October. More»

Underachievement stalked the Tigers most of the regular season and for a couple of playoff nights in the ALDS. But that ended in Game 5, when Justin Verlander, being Justin Verlander, posted a complete-game shutout of the A's to lead Detroit to the ALCS. More»

Oakland Coliseum's dumpiness had a majesty to it Wednesday as it shook with the sounds of chanting and hand-slapping after Coco Crisp's game-winning single. Baseball's purgatory lives another a day, and it deserves it as much as its hardy team. More»

Seth Smith has experienced more brushes with fame than the real thing, but on Tuesday, he found a way to dismiss a genuine accomplishment. He hit a solo homer in an elimination-averting 2-0 win over the Tigers. From the moment it left the park, it was clear: Smith had finally made it. More»

The Reds' 9-0 win over the Giants gave them a 2-0 series lead, which no team has ever lost in an NLDS. Their offense has been rejuvenated in a ballpark that usually swallows up bats. But the Picasso stylings of Bronson Arroyo made the most tantalizing promise, threatening further suffocation for postseason opponents. More»

After losing ace Johnny Cueto to back spasms, the Reds could have been unnerved in Game 1 of the NLDS in San Francisco. But with the odds stacked against them, they quickly made the concerns vanish and pulled out an unlikely win on the road. More»

Baseball's 2-3 format, a temporary solution to the problem of squeezing an extra date into an established schedule, shouldn't have happened. But hold the pity for any high seed that falters under this abnormal scheme. They’ll have plenty of company that lacks scheduling excuses. More»

A team that loses three starting pitchers in a month CAN'T overtake the two-time AL champions to win the division title. The lowest payroll in baseball and infield full of guys out of position CAN'T win 94 games. They can't ... unless they're the A's. More»

The undefeated Falcons and Texans have classic dome-based teams with maestro quarterbacks. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have scuffled their way to four straight wins. And as baffling as this seems, it hasn't been all luck for Arizona. More»

A sense of the absurd can take a person far in life, and Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb appears to have it in ample supply. Arizona is now 4-0, claiming the title of the NFL's September Surprise. And no element of its success is more shocking than Kolb’s role. More»

The festive atmosphere both inside and outside the stadium makes AT&T Park baseball's ultimate fun house. Friendly confines for the Giants and the envy of their opponents, the joint will be rocking when the postseason begins. More»

By all rights, Aug. 15 should have been the day the Giants' season died. Melky Cabrera was banned for 50 games, and replacing his bat, even 50 percent of it, seemed impossible. But great range and balance won out, and now they're NL West champions once again. More»

Melky Cabrera had left a tiny opening for Bud Selig. If the commissioner wanted to have prevented a batting championship from going to a player serving a 50-game suspension for failing a drug test, he could've done it without completely erasing history. How? A simple change to Rule 10.22(a). More»

Just when the A's appeared to have things in order again, their rotation has fallen apart and they've dropped three straight. They're now clinging to an AL wild-card spot, but this franchise knows all too well that things can change. For better or worse, the unfathomable always makes itself at home in Oakland. More»

Unlike his last meeting with Jim Schwartz and the Lions, Niners coach Jim Harbaugh remained relatively subdued in his team's Week 2 victory. He kept it civil and bland and almost calculated. So don't let him fool you: The man does care about outsiders' opinions. More»

It’s one thing for the president and national polls to shift in favor of gay marriage. But when two NFL players took to the national stage last week to run a good-cop, bad-cop routine on a state legislator, cultural vertigo ensued. Fortunately, attitudes are changing. More»

Every aspect of Peyton Manning's victorious debut as a Bronco showed that his former employers in Indianapolis did right by him when they decided to waive him, allowing one of the greatest players in NFL history to chart his own future. More»

The scary times haven’t ended for Brandon McCarthy following his head injury. They may go on for years, and that’s a sad prospect. But it’s hard to see McCarthy as a sad figure. The media world could use a storyteller like him. More»

The NFL could have arranged a gentler opener for Peyton Manning. Instead, he got the Steelers, his defensive doppelgängers. They, too, have to confront questions about age and injury, and whether they will remain one of the great forces in football. More»

Game manager: The term is a compliment served with a side dish of eye rolls in the NFL. It makes leadership sound like bean-counting. But it might be time for more quarterbacks to embrace it. More»

Cancer patients haven’t lost the most important thing that Lance Armstrong created for them: hope. Scientists made that possible, but Armstrong made it almost universal. And he doesn’t need those seven Tour de France titles to keep it going. More»