LEADING OFF

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Photograph by Bill Frakes

BEAR NUISANCE Chicago cornerback Charles Tillman (33) broke up a pass intended for Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings during the NFC Championship Game in Chicago on Sunday. The Bears' secondary held Packers QB Aaron Rodgers in relative check, but that was not enough to prevail in the first playoff meeting between the two teams since 1941 (page 38).

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Photograph by Vincent Thian/AP

NIGHT COURT A bright future is on the horizon for tennis players trained in Spain (page 30), but on Jan. 19 the evening belonged to France's Gael Monfils (foreground), who defeated Portugal's Federico Gil in the second round of the Australian Open. Monfils, alas, was bounced two days later by Stanislas Wawrinka.

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Photograph by John Biever

SHAKE, RATTLE, ROLL Dallas Lauderdale (right, dunking)and top-ranked Ohio State tightened their iron grip on the Big Ten with a 73--68 defeat of Illinois last Saturday in Champaign, Ill. The Buckeyes (20--0 through Monday) received yet another rim-shaking performance from Player of the Year front-runner Jared Sullinger (27 points, 16 rebounds).