FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and receiver Roy Williams are spending more time together in their attempt to fix a broken connection. Romo and Williams had their second consecutive post-practice workout Thursday. Williams said the extra work will continue "until that light switches over." Williams insisted comments about the inability to mesh with Romo should not be viewed as something out of the Terrell Owens playbook. Owens last season repeatedly complained about Romo's direction of the passing game. "I'm not a T.O.," Williams said. "I'm not trying to be a T.O. I'm happy to win. I've said that a hundred times. I don't understand why people don't just say OK.

Dallas Morning News

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The Yankees found $181 million lying around last offseason, and made a late, victorious bid to corral Mark Teixeira, so never say never when it comes to the Yankees and spending. But the initial read as the winter bazaar opens is that the Yankees do not intend to make a play for the three biggest free agents: Jason Bay, Matt Holliday and John Lackey. This is not about need, because corner outfield and starting pitcher are priorities to fortify what is now a champion. But based on conversations with multiple Yankees officials, I sense that financially and philosophically the Yankees will not big-game hunt in free agency.

New York Post

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On the eve of his Garden visit, free-agent-to-be LeBron James spoke tonight before facing the Bulls and said enough hopeful things to keep Knick fans fantasizing about July 1. Certainly, James wants the Knicks as an option, whether as a bargaining chip or to keep his name alive. "I don't tease, I've never teased the New York media my saying I was coming to New York or playing for the Knicks,'' James said. "I saw the same thing every time. When July 1 gets here, I'm going to approach it like a business man and approach it for the best fit for LeBron and his family. "

New York Post

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Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will take place in Toronto beginning this weekend and the question that's got everybody abuzz in hockey circles right now is, will he or won't he? Will Wayne Gretzky attend with his wife Janet when the careers of five of his closest friends in hockey are honored? Or will he sit it out, part of his lingering discontent with the NHL over how shabbily he was treated during the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy hearings by the league he helped put on the map in the first place?

The Globe and Mail

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The punch line might not be clear. But Tennessee understands the premise and the target, and it clearly isn't pleased. Copies of a joke Memphis coach Tommy West told at a preseason banquet about Vols coach Lane Kiffin have been plastered around the locker room and the practice field since Monday. And though the story might not make too much sense or be all that funny, the Vols have made clear they're offended heading into Saturday's home game.

Tennessean

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Portuguese daily A Bola reports that league leaders Braga are in talks about a loan-plus-purchase-option deal for U.S. Under-20 defender Gale Agbossoumonde...

soccer365.com

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Whether Dan Henderson will have a signed Strikeforce contract when he appears to work the corner of Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou is another matter entirely. A source close to the situation told Yahoo! Sports on Monday that Henderson had signed with Strikeforce, spurning the Ultimate Fighting Championship, for whom he has fought since 2007. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker on Tuesday admitted to having talks with Henderson, but denied he has been signed. Enter into the fray UFC president Dana White, who had been personally involved in the negotiations with Henderson. White said Wednesday, "I guarantee you 1,000 percent that Dan Henderson is signed by Strikeforce."

Yahoo! Sports

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NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston, in a blog posting on nascar.com, specifically knocked ESPN/ABC's coverage of Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Talladega, Ala. At issue: Whether the race was boring. Usually, TV sports analysts go to great pains to avoid even hinting what they're showing is boring. But Poston suggested ESPN/ABC analysts, including Dale Jarrett, "certainly weren't happy with the race and felt compelled to remind viewers of that virtually every lap. ... And along the way, ABC missed a lot of very good racing."

USA Today

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To cut back on her heavy workload and give a bit more stability to her life, two-time major winner Dottie Pepper has chosen to leave the Golf Channel and focus solely on her NBC job. It's an understandable move, given that in 2009 Pepper worked 35 tournaments between the Golf Channel and NBC. That's a lot of airports, security lines and hassles -- and too little time at home -- which is where Pepper would like to be more often now that she's moved back to the upstate New York area.

Golf Week

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Serena Williams spent a productive week in Doha -- seizing the season-ending World No. 1 ranking and emerging as tennis first six million dollar woman. By winning the year-end Sony Ericsson Championships -- Doha 2009, Williams has set a new single-season prize money record for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour by earning $6,545,586. Williams has eclipsed the previous record set by Justine Henin in 2007 ($5,429,586). Prize money totals include Grand Slam prize money earned. "It's incredible how much women's tennis has grown in the last few years and that the Tour has increased our prize money so significantly," said Williams. "We are very fortunate to have an opportunity to be so well rewarded for doing something we love." Though Williams won only three titles this season, compared to the 10 championships Henin claimed in setting the previous prize-money record, each of the three -- the Australian Open, Wimbledon and Doha -- were among the most lucractive paydays in tennis.

Tennis Week

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