Wes Welker in new battle -- by Boston Herald today. The Patriots were awarded the NFL's Outstanding Overall Player Development Program Award, honoring their contributions in areas of financial education, continuing education, career development and life skills. An NFL rep will officially recognize the Pats during a 2010 game. . . .

Coyle: Home form can keep us up - Yahoo! Eurosport -- by Yahoo.com today. "When I took the job I believed I could keep Bolton in the league. The short-term aim was to do that and we have taken a step along that road," said Coyle. "It was all about getting the three points. To get it on the back of an accomplished performance was terrific.

RB Larry Johnson signs 3 -- by Boston Herald today. On Thursday, Shanahan guaranteed that Portis will be in attendance when the offseason workouts begin Monday. With Johnson and Portis both on the roster, the Redskins have insurance in case one or the other misbehaves or is unproductive.

One upset down, one to go as Cleveland State chases Horizon women's crown and NCAA invite - cleveland.com -- by Cleveland.com 1 days ago. The Vikings (18-13) will face Butler (23-8) in the Horizon League Tournament championship game at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Kress Center in Green Bay, one win away from reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons.

Celtics relish challenge -- by Boston Herald today. The Cavs have gone 7-1 without O'Neal, including the game against the C's. O'Neal left that matchup midway through the second quarter with the Celtics leading by 11. Without the big fella clogging the middle, the Cavs ran the C's off the Garden court, cruising to a 108-88 win.

Derrick Turnbow: Florida Marlins pitcher Derrick Turnbow undeterred after rough first outing - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com -- by Sun Sentinel today. He appeared in eight games for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Of the 38 batters he faced, 11 reached on hits and he walked nine others. After an April 30 outing against New Orleans, the Marlins'' Triple-A affiliate, in which he allowed two runs on two hits and walked two in an inning, Turnbow asked for his release.

New Mexico State beats Utah State, wins WAC title -- by Boston.com 1 days ago. Young scored consecutive baskets to spark a 14-4 run late in the game that turned a 51-46 deficit into a 60-55 lead for New Mexico State. The 6-foot-5 junior point guard, who was voted the tourney MVP, hit a basket with 3.8 seconds left in the semifinals Friday night to knock off second-seeded Nevada 80-79.

ESPN Boston -- by ESPN 1 days ago. Matsuzaka had come to camp in the best condition since he signed with the Red Sox prior to the 2007 season, spending five weeks working out at the Athletes Performance Institute in Arizona. The Red Sox had asked him to show up in better shape after a disastrous 2009 in which he made just a dozen starts, won four games and was sent back to Florida to essentially repeat spring training with a fatigued shoulder.

ESPN Soccernet -- by ESPN today. Moyes will continue to try and extend the loan spell of Landon Donovan who has been with Everton for the past dozen games on a temporary basis from LA Galaxy. Donovan is set to fly home tomorrow and threw his shirt into the area of the ground holding the Everton fans at the final whistle. Moyes said: "He is on a plane home tomorrow. We are still trying to do something. You never know, who knows?''''

Kuo scratched with sore elbow -- by MLB.com 1 days ago. But Kuo is nothing if not determined. He showed up for Spring Training in 2008 with a new manager, not really counted on for anything. He caught Torre''s eye with two scoreless innings of relief against the Padres during the Dodgers'' goodwill series in China and made the club. He went on to win MLB.com''s Setup Man of the Year Award, but the workload got to him and he came up sore in September.

Vermont beats BU in America East final -- by Boston.com 1 days ago. "I don't think words could really describe it,'' Blakely said of his first trip to the NCAA Tournament in his last go-round at Vermont. "Being a freshman and getting to the championship game and losing by 1, at home, it's always in the back of your mind when you go out and play. Just the fact we're going to the NCAA Tournament, I hope we make some noise.''

Home key for Coyle -- by independent.ie 1 days ago. "When I took the job I believed I could keep Bolton in the league. The short-term aim was to do that. We have taken a step along that road," said Coyle. "It was all about getting the three points. To get it on the back of an accomplished performance was terrific. I thought the players'' desire and their hunger to get about the game, the quality they showed at times was very pleasing.

Big Papi of little concern -- by Boston Herald today. With runners on first and second, Pittsburgh's Gorkys Hernandez lined out to shortstop Jose Iglesias, who flipped to second baseman Tug Hulett at the bag for the second out. Hulett's throw to first was wild, but catcher Dusty Brown was backing up the base and chased down the ball in foul territory. Brown threw back to second, where Hulett applied the tag to the runner trying to advance for out No. 3. For those scoring at home, that play goes into the book as a 6-4-2-4 triple play. . . .

BBC Sport - Football - Man Utd v Fulham -- by BBC Sports today. Manchester United might be the Premier League''s form team going into the weekend, but Fulham have lost only one of their last six league games and Roy Hodgson and Mark Schwarzer were named manager and player of the month respectively for February.

Florida Panthers: Panthers rally, beat Sharks in overtime - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com -- by Sun Sentinel today. Sun Sentinel mentions its the first win in San Jose since  2000. It fails to mention though that this was the first game in San Jose since 5 years!!. A little reserch might help!

Cain knocked around by A's -- by MLB.com 1 days ago. The Giants end a stretch of eight home dates in their first 13 games Sunday as they face the Milwaukee Brewers. If Prince Fielder makes the trip to Scottsdale with Milwaukee, his at-bats against Jonathan Sanchez should be intriguing, since he thought the Giants left-hander threw at him intentionally last year. Jeff Suppan will oppose Sanchez. Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Walker scores 23, Chandler adds 22 as Knicks snap Mavericks' 13-game winning streak, 128-94 - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com -- by Sun Sentinel today. Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, top, plays defense against New York Knicks forward Al Harrington, bottom, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas on Saturday, March 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes) (Mike Fuentes, AP

Cincinnati Bengals sign WR Antonio Bryant to 4 -- by Baltimore Sun today. Bryant signed a four-year deal with the Bengals on Friday. He ostensibly replaced

Getting to know the boys of spring - latimes.com -- by LA Times today. Dodgers starting pitcher Chad Billingsley is the key to the team''s fortunes, according to Page 2 columnist T.J. Simers. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Browns, Delhomme agree to 2-year deal -- by Seattle Post-Intelligencer 1 days ago. Delhomme, released last week by the Carolina Panthers, has agreed to terms on a two-year deal with the Browns, whose quarterback position has been nothing short of a merry-go-round of players since the club returned as an expansion team 11 years ago.

Quincey's benching part of reality check -- by Denver Post 1 days ago. Avalanche: Injured defenseman Ruslan Salei (torso) again skated on his own after practice and didn''t travel with the team to Dallas. . . . The practice lines were the same ones used in the Florida game Thursday, and coach Joe Sacco indicated he planned to stick with them today, all but guaranteeing that Marek Svatos and Chris Durno again would be healthy scratches among the forwards. . . . This is the first stop of a two-game trip for the Avs, who are at St. Louis on Tuesday. . . . Craig Anderson is slated to get his 23rd consecutive start in net.

Lawson remains on the bench with injury -- by Denver Post 1 days ago. MEMPHIS, Tenn. ? Before Saturday''s Nuggets-Grizzlies game, the speedy Ty Lawson zipped up-and-down the court, but come game time, he was again quarantined to the bench, a prisoner of pain.

Duke holds off Miami, will face Ga. Tech for ACC championship -- by USA Today 1 days ago. Overcoming another near second-half meltdown, the Yellow Jackets ended North Carolina State''s surprise run in this ACC tournament full of upsets with a 57-54 victory on Saturday in the semifinals.

Mauer scenario puts a twinkle in your eye -- by Boston.com 1 days ago. "It's always a crap shoot for the agent and the player,'' said a prominent agent. "If, after these initial talks, Beckett rolls the dice and decides to wait, he risks 1. having a down season or possible injury, which could jeopardize a long-term deal, and 2. the possibility the market isn't going to be what he thinks. The Red Sox could wait and see a possible lowering of the price, but it appears they're more than willing to pay the money.''