FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Jon Gruden as the Bills new head coach? If Ralph Wilson had his way, it would have happened. Sources tell News 4 Sports that Gruden was the top choice of the Bills to replace Dick Jauron. Those sources say the team "went after him hard," including a face-to-face meeting, but could not convince Gruden to leave his job as analyst on ESPN's Monday Night Football.

wivb.com

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With question marks behind CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett in the rotation -- even if Andy Pettitte returns -- the Yankees will monitor what happens to Roy Halladay. The Yankees have young talent and money. But their major league youth (Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes) is on the hill and the Blue Jays likely will command a position player they can control salary-wise for several years as well as a pitcher in the same position. Despite fantasizing about keeping the 32-year-old right-hander, after talking to Halladay, the Blue Jays understand that's not happening because of Halladay's strong desire to win now. In a dozen years, Halladay has never been to the postseason.

New York Post

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Now Knicks fans can blame Eddy Curry for something else. It seems the Knicks center, not Allen Iverson, is "The Answer." Knicks president Donnie Walsh announced yesterday the team had decided not to sign Iverson, the controversial 34-year-old guard, to a one-year contract. Walsh linked Curry's emergence in his season debut Wednesday against the Pacers (10 points and four rebounds in 11 minutes) with tipping the scales against signing Iverson. In saying the Knicks "rethought" their position on Iverson, Walsh ended a wild week full of flip-flops and fan frenzy favoring the move.

New York Post

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The guess here is that Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson has 10 more games to show some noticeably positive results. Whatever Wilson and his assistants are preaching either isn't getting across to the players, or it's a game plan they can't execute.

Toronto Star

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Despite freshman Tate Forcier starting the first 11 games this season, Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez won't promise the starting quarterback job for next year. Speaking on WJR-AM (760) tonight, Rodriguez was asked whether he has to make a choice between Forcier and backup Denard Robinson. "I don't think so," Rodriguez said to host Mitch Albom. "What I want to do, and what our goal is, what I've told the players in recruiting is, we want to recruit competition at every position. We want two to three guys at every position who are truly competing for the job."

Detroit Free Press

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It's all about buzz and image. And in Seattle, MLS had the soccer success story of the year, perhaps of the decade. So why not celebrate? Beneath the surface, of course, and not mentioned too loudly on a championship weekend, are a number of niggling little issues and a few not-so-little ones. MLS attendance, for example, was down 2% in 2009 to an average of 16,037, even though the Sounders averaged a league-high 30,897, even though Sunday's title game is a sellout, and even though Toronto FC has sold out every game in its three-year history. The reality check comes with the knowledge that the New England Revolution drew a paltry 7,416 for a home playoff game against the Chicago Fire, or that the defending league champion Columbus Crew drew only 10,109 for its home playoff game against Real Salt Lake. Then there is that old bugaboo, the MLS Players Union, long a thorn in the side of those team owners who prefer that their employees just do the work and accept what comes to them. The league's collective bargaining agreement with the union expires on Jan. 31. The union wants a number of things, not the least of which is guaranteed contracts for its players.

Los Angeles Times

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UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar may be back in the octagon within the next six months, according to Lesnar's jiu-jitsu coach Comprido Medeiros. "He is getting better and that is the most important thing," Medeiros told TMZ.com. "He will be fine and be fighting again within 6 months."

Fight Line

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Rick Hendrick added that he's working on a lifetime deal for Chad Knaus, the crew chief for Jimmie Johnson. Hendrick tried to sign Johnson, who's on track to win an unprecedented fourth straight championship on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, to a lifetime contract as well, but "I couldn't borrow enough money to make it work."

Jayski

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A reporter asked Robert Allenby why more American players don't play international events. You can almost hear the angel and devil arguing across his shoulders. "You know what, I've got to word this right so I don't get into trouble, because I'm good at getting myself into trouble," Allenby said. Did he word it right? Sure, if he meant to say that American players are spoiled and that PGA Tour courses are dull. Common enough opinions, but not usually heard from a Tour pro. Here's his answer: "You know, Americans play for so much money, and when you've got a purse where $1 million, a million plus, is first prize, not to say that they are spoiled, but it's a little bit that way. It's like, well, why would I want to travel, when I can make a million bucks instead of going to Europe and only making $500,000 or $600,000?"

golf.com

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Ana Ivanovic has spent recent weeks recharging and has turned to a familiar face -- coach Sven Groeneveld -- to restart her quest to return to the top 10. Coming off a disappointing season in which she finished with a 24-13 record, including a 3-4 mark in her last seven matches, Ivanovic has reunited with Groeneveld to prepare for the 2010 season. "I feel rested and like I am about to re-start everything. The most important thing is to stay injury free and to train in the right way," Ivanovic told the Serbian newspaper Sportski Zurnal. "I will be working again with Sven and it gives me confidence to think how well we worked together during the off-season two years ago." The 22-year-old Ivanovic reached only one final, falling to Vera Zvonareva in the Indian Wells final in March. She failed to reach a quarterfinal since Indian Wells, a streak of nine consecutive tournaments.

Tennis Week

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