News sport : Report: Gary Kubiak expected to become Denver Broncos' next head coach

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Gary Kubiak sent out word previously that he was happy being the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. But that was before the Denver Broncos and John Fox parted ways.


When the Broncos job opened up, everything changed. The former Broncos quarterback and offensive coordinator reportedly had a change of heart.



Kubiak will return to Denver to coach the team he spent nine years as a player — backing up current Broncos vice president John Elway — and 11 as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He last coached with the Broncos in the 2005 season, after which he became the head coach of the Houston Texans for the next eight seasons.


The Ravens lose an offensive coordinator who led them to nearly 100 more points scored this season compared to the 2013 campaign without adding many major players outside of receiver Steve Smith. After the Ravens' lost to the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs, Kubiak's name came up as a possible candidate for the Chicago Bears' head-coaching opening.


Kubiak passed, however, saying he was happy calling plays for an up-and-coming team. But when Fox left, it opened up Kubiak's dream job, it would appear.


The Broncos are a fascinating study, given that Peyton Manning's status — after a tough run and a quad injury down the stretch — is unknown. But maybe that is a good thing. Kubiak reportedly told the Texans that he wasn't interested in adding Manning, when he was a free agent, favoring Matt Schaub instead.


In addition, the Broncos also have a number of key free agents and likely will move on from the majority of the coaching staff that led the team to 38 wins and three playoff appearances the past three seasons.


Nonetheless, Elway got his man to coach the team. The two are exceptionally close, and their relationship — forged in the mid-1980s as players — has come full circle. Can they take the talented Broncos not only back to the postseason, but also to the promised land?


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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Patriots pull out trick play again, as Tom Brady hits Nate Solder for TD

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Last week the New England Patriots used some four-man offensive lines and used a Julian Edelman-to-Danny Amendola trick play.

This week, they brought out a new page in their playbook against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC title game.


Tom Brady led the Patriots down on the first possession of the third quarter, leading 17-7, and delivered a big blow — to an unexpected recipient.


Nate Solider is typically the Patriots' starting tight end, but on Sunday he got into the pass-catching fun. The 6-8, 320-pound Solder — who played one year of tight end in college at Colorado — caught a screen pass (!) from Tom Brady and rumbled in from 16 yards out to make it 24-7 Patriots.


In the NFC title game, the Seattle Seahawks started their comeback against the Green Bay Packers, down 16-0, by running a trick play as well. The Seahawks called a fake field goal, and holder Jon Ryan hit backup offensive lineman Garry Gilliam for a stunning score. Like Solder, Gilliam also moonlighted as a tight end in college.


Anything goes with the Patriots. Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels are not afraid to make gutsy calls in key situations.


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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Tom Brady's crucial interception leads to Colts chipping away at lead

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The New England Patriots were going for the carotid artery, up 14-0 and driving with 1st and 10 the ball at the Indianapolis' Colts' 26-yard line. Any score on that drive would make it a three-score lead at home in the AFC title game.


But Tom Brady made a crucial interception, forcing a pass into a double-covered Rob Gronkowski in the red zone, which was intercepted by the Colts' D'Qwell Jackson.


After two major defensive penalties by the Patriots, a terrific 36-yard catch on the sidelines by T.Y. Hilton and a few nice throws from Andrew Luck, the Colts finished a touchdown drive with a Zirlon Tipton 1-yard score.


That made the lead 14-7 Patriots, instead of 17-0 or 21-0.


A huge early momentum changer right there, and a critical mistake by Brady. And if you watched the NFC championship game, no early lead is too big.


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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Doug Baldwin plays the 'no one believed in us' card, for some reason

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Look, the whole "nobody believed in us" angle is a good one for teams to use to bond together, but every so often, you just come off a bit ridiculous using it. Not to rain — ha — on Seattle's epic victory, but come on, Doug Baldwin:



All due respect to Mr. Baldwin, but the Seahawks have been one of the most acclaimed teams of the last decade. And yes, the doubting started when Seattle was down 16-0 at the half, mainly because the Seahawks couldn't seem to hold onto the ball and the Packers should have been absolutely mutilating them. But, hey, whatever works to keep yourself motivated. (For what it's worth, apparently plenty of Seattle's own fans lost faith, too.)


Just for the record, though, Seahawks: everybody believed in you, even if you sorely tested that belief for a couple hours there.


____

Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.



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News sport : Michael Bennett rides bike around field after Seattle's win

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News sport : Five reasons the Packers lost the NFC Championship

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Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers lies on the ground during the second half of the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) This one's going to sting for years. The Seattle Seahawks beat the Green Bay Packers 28-22, but the Seahawks had an awful lot of help from an awful lot of Packers. When Packers fans clear the tears from their beer cheese soup, they'll have no shortage of targets for blame ... and unlike the previous Fail Mary loss to Seattle, this time the refs aren't one of them. Let's consider the culprits, shall we?


1. Mike McCarthy's conservatism. Twice in the first 10 minutes of the game Green Bay found itself with fourth-and-goal within literal reach of the goal line, and both cases McCarthy folded and settled for field goals. Those weren't the only reasons the Packers lost, but failing to put up an insurmountable lead early gave the Seahawks enough hope to clamber back into the game. On the road, hostile crowd, brutal defense on its heels ... why not go for the throat before many of the fans have found their seats?


2. Morgan Burnett. With five minutes left in the game and Green Bay up 12, Russell Wilson loosed another one of his errant passes that ended up in Green Bay's hands. Burnett caught the ball at midfield and clearly had room to run. Whether he panicked, whether he feared fumbling, or whether he, like most of the rest of America, believed he'd just clinched the game for Green Bay, Burnett hit the ground and slid. Had he moved further into Seahawk territory, he could have set up, at the very least, another field goal that would have further tighened the screws on Seattle. Instead, the Packers soon punted, and less than two minutes later, Seattle was in the end zone for the first of its three late touchdowns. That would be immediately followed by something even worse for Green Bay, though.


3. Brandon Bostick. Heaven only knows why tight end Brandon Bostick decided to get fancy and go up for an onside kick reception instead of blocking for the far more sure-handed Jordy Nelson right behind him. That bounce off Bostick's helmet landed in Seattle hands, and barely 30 seconds later, the Seahawks had scored an improbable go-ahead touchdown. Oh, but the pain wasn't done for Green Bay yet.



4. Half the Packer secondary. After scoring that go-ahead touchdown, Seattle was down two with 85 seconds left. So of course they had to go for two. But did Green Bay's secondary have to stand around watching as Russell Wilson heaved a ball that was far more duck than hawk? Luke Willson grabbed it, Seattle tied up the game, and the collapse was nearly complete. But still, there was one more question...



5. Why didn't Green Bay target sore-armed Richard Sherman? The Seahawks' all-everything cornerback set the tone for this game early by intercepting an Aaron Rodgers pass in the end zone with spectacular authority. But a collision with teammate Kam Chancellor left Sherman's left arm so sore that he held it against his body as if in an invisible sling, play after play. And yet, Green Bay either never noticed Sherman's injury (or perhaps thought he was faking for effect), and thus never took advantage of a huge matchup edge.


So there you have it: a collapse for the ages, with plenty of blame to go around. This one's going to hurt for a long, long time in Wisconsin.






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News sport : Seattle Seahawks fans who left game early miss epic comeback

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Seattle might be home of the 12th man, but a few members have some explaining to do.


With the Seattle Seahawks trailing 19-7 with five minutes left, some fans made a decision to go home. They had seen enough.


It was raining all game, sure, but IT'S THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. And it was in the high 40s and early 50s — not exactly arctic conditions.


So the people who left the game still got wet. But missed one of the nuttier comebacks in recent NFL memory.



Ouch. The Seahawks scored two touchdowns in a two-minute span to take the lead for the first time all game after a four-turnover performance, survived a game-tying Green Bay Packers field goal to force overtime and then the game-winning Russell Wilson-to-Jermaine Kearse walk-off touchdown.


Unreal. The Seahawks scored three touchdowns in about six minutes of game time in regulation and overtime to go back to the Super Bowl after winning it last year.


Some fans will have to watch the highlights of what they missed for a ticket they — likely — paid hundreds of dollars for. For leaving early. For shame!


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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Seahawks run a phenomenal fake field goal for a score

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Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has never struck anyone as the type to stand on a 16 against a 10 in blackjack, and he surely isn't going to settle for field goals in a NFC championship game, even if he has to bust out a crazy fake to score a touchdown.


The Seahawks trailed 16-0 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, and they lined up for a field goal. That was a defensible choice considering they needed to get something on the board. And they did get something on the board, just with their holder throwing a touchdown pass to an offensive lineman.


Holder Jon Ryan, who is Seattle's punter, rose up after taking the snap and the Packers rushed to block the field goal from the outside. When another defender converged on him as he rolled left, Ryan lofted a pass to rookie offensive tackle Garry Gilliam. One can only imagine the thoughts going through Gilliam's head as he waited on the pass in the end zone that would get the Seahawks back in the NFC title game. Gilliam made the catch for a 19-yard score, one of the gutsiest calls you'll see in that spot.



Hey, the Seahawks offense hadn't done much up to that point, so why not dial up a punter throwing a touchdown to an offensive lineman?


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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Ha Ha Clinton-Dix's interception, big hit on Russell Wilson sum up first half

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Of all the predictions for the NFC championship game, you'd be hard to find anyone outside of Wisconsin who expected a total domination by the Green Bay Packers for much of the first half.


Yet, more than an hour after kickoff, well into the second quarter, the Packers had 16 points and the Seattle Seahawks didn't even have a first down.


The Packers had a 16-0 lead in the second quarter when Russell Wilson tried going deep and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix made an absolutely remarkable interception, turning around just in time for Wilson's pass hit his arm and he somehow hauled it in. The Packers took a 16-0 lead into halftime.



That was a pretty amazing play, but the Packers had plenty of those in a start that was simply incredible. Clinton-Dix had two interception. The Packers defense played great and didn't allow a first down until deep into the second quarter. Wilson's first completion didn't come until less than five minutes remained in the second quarter, after six incompletions including two interceptions. Green Bay's offense moved the ball fairly easily against Seattle's great defense. Only Mike McCarthy's conservative approach, kicking two field goals with the ball inside the 2-yard line and another on fourth and 1, kept the deficit from being even larger.


If the Clinton-Dix interception summed up the Packers' start, the massive (and penalized) hit Wilson took from Clay Matthews on the return summed up the Seahawks' start in the title game.



In the first half at least, the Packers made themselves feel right at home.


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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Greg Monroe takes the high and silent road when baited to trash Josh Smith (Video)

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Following the team’s victory over the hapless Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, the Detroit Pistons’ record stands at 16-25. That’s a mark that isn’t exactly making the rest of the Eastern Conference quake in its sneakers, but it’s a damn sight better than the 5-23 record the team owned when it waived forward Josh Smith three days before Christmas. The Pistons have gone on an 11-2 tear since Smith was let go, only losing to the white hot Hawks (a team Detroit nearly rallied to come from behind and defeat) and the New Orleans Pelicans.


Big man Greg Monroe has thrived in Smith’s absence, free to play his inside/outside game with aplomb up front. Following his team’s tough win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday, Monroe was asked what was making the biggest difference to encourage this startling midseason turnaround:



(The sideline reporter that popped Monroe with the microphone is Grant Long, who himself was brought in to Detroit by then-coach Doug Collins in 1996 to help settle the very Smith-like relationship Otis Thorpe had with the rest of the team. Thorpe was later traded in 1997 to Vancouver for what turned out to be the second overall pick in perhaps the greatest draft in NBA history in 2003. The Pistons selected Darko Milicic to end a transaction lifeline that did absolutely no good for anyone involved.)


You’ll recall that Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy took the high road recently when reporters started to note that the Pistons had taken off in response to Smith’s absence, and that the Houston Rockets (Josh’s new team) initially struggled with him on the team. Monroe is clearly taking cues from his coach in this instance.


Monroe struggled against Indiana and Philadelphia, missing 15 of 23 shots, but he is earning enough minutes to work himself back up to averaging a double-double. Point man Brandon Jennings, meanwhile, has absolutely teed off on the rest of the NBA in the days since Smith left, making over 45 percent of his looks from the floor and from behind the line as Detroit (currently a game out from the eighth seed) threatens to jump into the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.


Mostly because they paid Josh Smith to go away. Greg doesn’t want to say it, but I will.


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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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Tunisia held by Cape Verde

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The impressive Heldon struck from the penalty spot as Cape Verde came from behind to draw 1-1 with Tunisia in Africa Cup of Nations Group B.


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The impressive Heldon struck from the penalty spot as Cape Verde came from behind to draw 1-1 with Tunisia in Africa Cup of Nations Group B on Sunday.


Mohamed Ali Moncer had given much-fancied Tunisia the lead with only 20 minutes remaining in Ebebiyin, but Heldon won and then converted a penalty on 77 minutes to ensure a share of the spoils.


The result leaves all four teams in Group B locked on one point after the opening round of games following the 1-1 draw between Zambia and DR Congo earlier in the day.


Unlikely quarter-finalists in 2013, Cape Verde almost took a shock early lead when Fernando Varela hit the post with a free header only two minutes in.


Kuca also came close for the Blue Sharks in the first half, while an attempted cross by Djaniny almost dropped into the net.


Tunisia suffered a huge blow last week when attacking duo Saber Khalifa and Fakhreddine Ben Youssef were forced to withdraw from the competition at the last minute due to injury.


Ahmed Akaichi was one of their replacements and the Esperance man saw his header superbly kept out by Vozinha from Tunisia's best opening of the first half.


The Carthage Eagles' success in qualifying was based largely on the strength of their defence, although they were regularly troubled by Cape Verde here.


Indeed, they were indebted to Syam Ben Youssef for a clearance off the line to deny Kuca, before Yassine Chikhaoui headed against the bar at the other end from a Moncer free-kick.


Ben Youssef netted the rebound only to see his effort disallowed for a foul, but Georges Leekens's side were in front soon after when Moncer converted a ball across goal from Ali Maaloul.


But Cape Verde were not to be denied as Heldon won a penalty after being fouled by Ben Youssef just inside the area, and the Sporting Lisbon man smashed his spot-kick high into the top left-hand corner of the net. – AFP






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Cazorla shines as Arsenal stun City

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Arsenal ended their away hoodoo against Premier League title challengers with a 2-0 victory at Manchester City.


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London - Arsenal ended their away hoodoo against Premier League title challengers with a 2-0 victory at Manchester City on Sunday that left Chelsea five points clear at the top.


Santi Cazorla gave Arsenal the lead from the penalty spot in the 24th minute, after returning City skipper Vincent Kompany felled Nacho Monreal, and Olivier Giroud doubled the lead in the 67th minute with a deft header from Cazorla's free kick.


City included fit-again Sergio Aguero in their starting lineup for the first time since early December but the Argentine was largely anonymous against a vastly-improved Arsenal defence.


The result lifted Arsenal to fifth on 39 points and one behind Manchester United in fourth.


The end of second-placed City's 12-match unbeaten run left them on 47 points to Chelsea's 52 with their next league outing a daunting trip to Stamford Bridge on Jan. 31.


European hopefuls West Ham United earlier revived their push for a top-four finish with a 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Hull City at Upton Park.


The result sent the Hammers up to seventh with 36 points from 22 games, just four behind Manchester United. Struggling Hull are 18th, level with Queens Park Rangers and two points above bottom-of-the-table Leicester City.


Arsenal were a far tougher nut to crack to the one that lost 6-3 at City last season and Cazorla epitomised a team performance full of hard work and endeavour.


“It's not an easy place to come, and Manchester City have made this a bit of a fortress, but we've done well and got the win. Santi Cazorla was different class,” Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey told Sky Sports.


Arsenal were compact, disciplined and resolute as City dominated possession in the opening exchanges.


In the 22nd minute Monreal was blocked by Kompany as he raced onto a one-two with Giroud and referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot.


Cazorla nervelessly dispatched the penalty past a despairing Joe Hart.


The ease with which Arsenal dealt with City's attacking raid's prompted the introduction of Stevan Jovetic at halftime.


With his arrival City reverted to 4-4-2 and twice went close after the resumption when Aguero curled an effort wide before Jesus Navas' rasping shot was parried by David Ospina.


Navas' teasing cross was then diverted for a corner as City players queued up at the back post.


Just when City's pressure threatened to reach breaking point Arsenal doubled their lead through Giroud who met Cazorla's accurate free kick with a delicate header.


City laid siege to the visitors' goal but Arsenal held firm for their first win away at either of the two Manchester clubs since 2010 when they beat City 3-0.


With Sone Aluko leading Hull's attack in the absence of a host of first-choice forwards including Nikica Jelavic, the visitors were the better team in the first half at Upton Park but were hindered by poor decision making at crucial times.


Hull's already injury-ravaged squad received another blow when defender James Chester was helped off with a dislocated shoulder.


The second half saw West Ham reassert themselves, with Enner Valencia's speculative shot parried by goalkeeper Allan McGregor and in-form Andy Carroll bundling home the loose ball.


Substitute Morgan Amalfitano then doubled the lead with a delightful chip after 69 minutes.


Three minutes later Alex Song split Hull's defence with a fantastic pass and the reinvigorated Stuart Downing, one-on-one with McGregor, applied a routine finish. – Reuters






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Zambia, DR Congo share the spoils

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Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie equalised as Democratic Republic of Congo fought back to draw 1-1 with Zambia in the Africa Cup of Nations Group B opener.


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Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie equalised as Democratic Republic of Congo fought back to draw 1-1 with Zambia Sunday in the Africa Cup of Nations Group B opener.


Given Singuluma stunned the Leopards by giving the Zambian Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) a second-minute lead in a match where the Congolese had a territorial edge.


Bolasie levelled midway through the second half in a game that featured two other English Premier League players -- Southampton striker Emmanuel Mayuka and West Bromwich Albion midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu.


A near-capacity crowd in the 5,000-seat Estadio de Ebebiyin and a smooth pitch set the scene for a dramatic start to a mini-league that also includes Cape Verde and Tunisia.


Just 62 seconds had gone when Zambia had the ball in the net through striker Singuluma, who plays for leading DR Congo club Tout Puissant Mazembe.


A cross forced Congolese goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba into action, but his weak punched clearance reached only the edge of the penalty area.


One Zambian controlled the ball, allowing in-rushing Singuluma to unleash a low shot that found the corner of the net to the astonishment of the disorganised Congolese.


Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, one of seven survivors from the 2012 Cup of Nations-winning team in the starting line-up, almost gifted DR Congo an equaliser on eight minutes.


The veteran spilled a seemingly harmless cross, but burly Ukraine-based Congolese striker Dieumerci Mbokani squandered a good chance by blazing over.


Two-time champions DR Congo had more possession and Bolasie, one of three English Premier League players on view, forced Mweene to block a low shot with an outstretched leg.


Mweene was busier than Kidiaba and did well to hold a looping header as Mbokani soared to nod a Joel Kimwaki free-kick goalwards.


Bolasie had the last chance of the opening half just before the break from a free-kick just outside the box.


His curling attempt came off the head of Zambian Nathan Sinkala and deflected narrowly wide of the far post with Mweene stranded.


Dusk set over the north-eastern town as the second half kicked off and the persistent pressure of the Congolese finally paid off on 66 minutes when Bolasie levelled.


A Zambian was dispossessed just outside his penalty area and a run and cut-back offered the France-born midfielder a chance to shoot wide of Mweene into the corner of the net.


Shock 2013 quarter-finalists Cape Verde and former champions Tunisia meet at 1900 GMT in the second match of a double-header. – AFP






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News sport : Packers finally tested Richard Sherman, paid dearly for it

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We can only hope that Richard Sherman was wired for sound in the NFC championship game.


The Seattle Seahawks cornerback is at his swagtacular best when opponents test him and he wins. That wasn't in play when the Green Bay Packers played the Seahawks in Week 1; Green Bay literally never threw his way once. They weren't going to be scared of him in the NFC championship game. They threw his way once early in their first drive, and it fell incomplete. Then Aaron Rodgers tried again, throwing deep against Sherman in the end zone. And Sherman picked off his pass to Davante Adams.



So, maybe never testing Sherman was the best method after all.


Sherman, who also had an interception in last week's playoff game against the Carolina Panthers, is one of the most boisterous players in the NFL. Unfortunately for opponents who try to shut him up, he's also one of the best.


Surely, he had some interesting thoughts to share after the Packers tried him deep on the first drive of the game.


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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : NFL reportedly threatened to eject Marshawn Lynch over gold cleats

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The NFL and Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch have a fine relationship, if you don't count the fines for being unavailable to the media and crotch grabbing and whatnot.


The league wasn't too thrilled to hear that Lynch planned to wear $1,100 gold Nike cleats in the NFC championship game, and reportedly threatened to eject him from the game if he wore them. Alas, Lynch came out in pre-game warmups with normal Seahawks neon green cleats.


Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported on the pregame show about the ejection threat. Apparently fining Lynch (who was fined $100,000 earlier this season for not speaking to the media and $11,050 for grabbing his crotch while diving into the end zone for a touchdown) wasn't enough of a threat, so the NFL went all out with the ejection threat.


It's unfortunate, because we miss out on seeing these babies on the field:



Ah, the No Fun League strikes again. But if the goal was for Nike to get some free publicity, well it worked like a charm.


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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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