The Comeback Kids A quarterback, a boxer and a Newfy chip off the rust

EXECUTIVES, COACHES and scouts from 20 NFL teams descended upon
Houston's Reliant Stadium last week to get a glimpse of Drew
Henson, the former Michigan quarterback and erstwhile baseball
farmhand who last month walked away from the $12 million left on
his Yankees contract to resurrect his football career. The Texans
took the 6'4" 220-pounder in the sixth round of last spring's
draft and want to trade him before April 24, when Henson would
reenter the draft if he were unsigned. In a 45-minute workout
Henson showed excellent accuracy while throwing 75 passes to
Texans and free agent receivers. His most serious suitors appear
to be the Bills, Packers, Dolphins, Chiefs and Giants, but he may
still have to persuade teams to give up a first-round pick
(Houston's asking price) and invest in a player who last took a
snap in 2000. "It was evident he has the skills to play the
position," says Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders, who
attended the workout. "The biggest question is how long it will
take him to become a productive quarterback at this level, and
you can't tell that from a session like [last week's]. The
evaluation of him is only beginning."

FIFTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD GEORGE FOREMAN, who in December quit as an
HBO commentator and who last fought in 1997, said he's lost 25
pounds since he started to train a month ago, and last week he
announced that he wants to stage a one-bout return to the
ring--if he can drop another 50 pounds and get down to 225.
Foreman, whose first retirement came in '77 and lasted 10 years,
doesn't have an opponent in mind but said, "I just don't want to
fight anyone over 30. I don't want to hurt some old guy in the
ring."

AT THE WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW in New York, a black Newfoundland
named Josh came out of a two-month retirement to win Best in Show
--the first Newfoundland champ in 20 years. At 155 pounds, Josh
tied for the biggest dog ever to win. His co-owner David Helming
says this is Josh's last event. Where have we heard that
before?

--Albert Chen

COLOR PHOTO: AARON M. SPRECHER/ICON SMI (HENSON) Henson

COLOR PHOTO: GEORGE DE SOTA/NEWSMAKERS (FOREMAN) Foreman

COLOR PHOTO: STEPHEN CHERNIN/GETTY IMAGES (DOG) Josh