WHO'S Hot WHO'S Not
WHO'S Hot
Sanderses
Aggressive 5'8" safety Bob Sanders (above) has had the Colts' defense bruisin' since returning from a right knee injury for the playoffs. His Super Sunday: one interception, one forced fumble and the first title of his life. Former Lions tight end Charlie Sanders (no relation) had a Hall of a weekend too. The seven-time Pro Bowler is headed to Canton, the first Lion to be inducted since (you can see this coming) ... Barry Sanders.
Seminoles
They beat the (Blue) Devils! FSU's one-point hoops win at Duke—its first ever—gives hope for an NCAA tourney bid. The baseball team opened 3--0, and good times roll for the Seminole tribe, the richest group per capita in the state thanks to gaming at the Seminole Hard Rock.
Pags
Carl Jr. and Perry Paganelli became the first brothers to officiate the Super Bowl—and blissfully avoided controversy. Said Carl Sr. (to The Grand Rapids Press) of his sons' selection, "It makes you humble."
Women of UConn
After snapping Marquette's 13 game home winning streak, the No. 5 Huskies were 10--0 in the Big East. Games against LSU and Louisville await. Says coach Geno Auriemma, "Our kids are pretty jacked up."
WHO'S Not
Cedrics
Minus-one yard on two Super Bowl carries for Bears back Cedric Benson—and that's the good news. He also fumbled and, minutes later, got knocked out of the game with a left knee injury. The NBA's Cedrics are aching too: Cedric Simmons (3.4 points a game) has been benched by the Hornets, while the Hawks' Cedric Bozeman was so ineffective (1.1 points), he got waived and wound up in the D-League.
Timberwolves
Kevin Garnett's 44 point effort to stop the Suns on Jan. 29 was but a break in the clouds. The downtrodden Wolves were 2--5 since firing coach Dwayne Casey (he had 'em at 20--20), and the new boss, Randy Wittman, says he finds all the losing annoying: "It's like a broken record."
Tags
All the NFL concussion news is a stain on ex-commissioner Paul Tagliabue's game. And on Saturday, a day before successor Roger Goodell presented the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Tags got passed over for the Hall of Fame.
Men of UConn
After squeaking by Rutgers (you read it right), the Huskies—and Jerome Dyson (left), who lost two teeth versus DePaul—are 3--6 in the Big East. Coach Jim Calhoun: "I still maintain we've got a champion's heart."
SI PLAYERS NBA POLL
Who is the NBA's most physical player?
Shaquille O'Neal, Heat C 32% »
¬´Ben Wallace, Bulls C 14%
Ron Artest, Kings F 13%
Danny Fortson, Sonics F 9%
FAST FACTS: Exactly 45% of centers picked Shaq, who returned last Thursday after missing most of the season with knee and calf injuries; Heat center Alonzo Mourning finished fifth in the poll (7%).... At week's end, Warriors center Andris Biedrins (no votes) had committed an NBA-high 181 personal fouls.... Wallace was 11th in blocks (2.07), 14th in rebounds (10.0)—his lowest averages since 1999--2000.
[Based on a survey of 271 NBA players] • For an expanded version of the poll go to SI.com/players.
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JIM ROGASH/WIREIMAGE.COM (SANDERS)
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JERRY LAI/US PRESSWIRE (DYSON)
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BOB ROSATO (O'NEAL)
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BOB ROSATO (WALLACE)
TWO PHOTOS
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DAMIAN STROHMEYER (BENSON)
