HOT | NOT

HOT: BIFFLE? BOFFO!

Greg Biffle won his second straight Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday to give Ford its 1,000th victory across NASCAR's top three series. Biffle, who won the fall race at Michigan last season, climbed to eighth place in the points standings.

NOT: TEXAS BACKSTEP

The Rangers (38--31), up three games in the AL West on May 31, had lost six straight through Sunday and fallen to three behind the A's. During the skid, RF Nelson Cruz went 4 for 18 at the plate, and SS Elvis Andrus (above) was 3 for 20. The sighs of Texas are upon you, guys.

HOT: SWEET REDEMPTION

Former 205-pound champ Rashad (Suga) Evans, whose career soured after a loss to Jon Jones in April 2012, edged Dan Henderson 29--28 last Saturday in UFC 161. Said UFC prez Dana White of Evans after the bout, "He's in the best shape I've ever seen him in."

NOT: ROCKED IN RIO

With a year to go until the start of the World Cup, unrest in Brazil is plaguing the Confederations Cup, the key test event for 2014. Protesters decrying the use of public funds on sports have clashed with police in several host cities, including Rio, S√£o Paulo and Brasilia.

HOT: KING CARLOS

Rockies LF Carlos Gonzalez (above) leads the NL in runs (57), HRs (20), slugging (.650) and total bases (171). Good timing too: SS Troy Tulowitzki is out for at least four weeks (ribs). Said manager Walt Weiss, whose team is above .500, "We can still be a factor in this [pennant] race."

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WILL SCHNEEKLOTH/GETTY IMAGES (BIFFLE)

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TOM SZCZERBOWSKI/GETTY IMAGES (ANDRUS)

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JOSH HEDGES/ZUFFA LLC/GETTY IMAGES (EVANS)

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MARCELO FONSECA/NEWS FREE/LATINCONTENT/GETTY IMAGES (BRAZIL)

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DUSTIN BRADFORD/GETTY IMAGES (GONZALEZ)