Newser Story Index from March, 2007
Welcome to the Newser Story Index. Here you find stories written by Newser writers and editors, assembled with supporting photos and videos from the files of the news story.
War Games Should Include Media, Civilians
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 27, 2007 1:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Modern warfare calls for modern war games, and that means the players can't be just armies and navies, but also civilians, the media, and the international community. Gary Anderson, the Marines' first director of war gaming, writes that victory in post-Cold War combat is no longer determined by battlefield fighters, but by the perceptions of...
GOP Insiders Nuke Global Warming
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 27, 2007 1:28 PM CDT
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The more powerful the evidence for global warming becomes, the more skeptical hard-line Republicans appear to be. Resistance to the case against greenhouse gases is hardening into conservative dogma, Jonathan Chait writes. Last year, 23 per cent of Congressional Republicans said they believed humanity’s contribution to global warming had...
New Breast Scan Beats Mammogram
Telegraph (UK)
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Mar 27, 2007 12:58 PM CDT
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A new type of breast scan promises to pick up the tumors mammograms often miss and to distinguish between benign and malignant masses—without surgery. The technology relies on harmless near-infrared light to illuminate the masses, which glow when exposed to a particular chemical combination.
Sadr City Safest Spot in Baghdad
Washington Post
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Mar 27, 2007 12:54 PM CDT
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Six weeks into the surge the vast Baghdad slum called Sadr City is the safest and best-run part of the city—but not because of the stepped-up efforts on the part of government forces. Moqtada al-Sadr is said to be somewhere in Iran, but his representatives run hospitals, school, courts, police, and mosques.
U.K. Nurses Enter Abortion Battleground
Telegraph (UK)
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Mar 27, 2007 12:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Specially trained nurses should be allowed to perform early-term surgical abortions without a doctor present, two U.K. medicos are arguing, based on a "wide interpretation" of Britain's 1967 Abortion Act. Though British nurses are currently allowed to carry out drug-induced abortions, they have been barred up to now from running surgical...
Irish Rivals Unite for Self-Rule
Irish Times (Ireland)
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Mar 27, 2007 12:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams sat down together yesterday and agreed to a power sharing deal for Northern Ireland that would include their rival parties. A British deadline to disband the national assembly if a pact wasn't forthcoming jump-started the negotiations, after four years of stalled talks. The coalition government will be formed...
HGH Isn't Worth the Hysteria
Slate
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Mar 27, 2007 11:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Crusaders against performance enhancing drugs should lighten up about Human Growth Hormone: In the sports version of the war on drugs, anabolic steroids are heroin and HGH is marijuana, writes Daniel Engber. Studies haven't shown any definitive increase in athletic abilities resulting from taking HGH, and they have minimal harmful side effects.
Bush Is Worse Than a Lame Duck
Financial Times (UK)
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Mar 27, 2007 10:04 AM CDT
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The FT catalogs a litany of the obstacles for President Bush achieving anything meaningful in his last 22 months in office. At the core of it all is the Iraq war, which has reduced Bush’s popularity to the point where he has no more political capital to spend.
Stents Show No Lasting Benefit In Heart Study
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 27, 2007 8:17 AM CDT
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Stents used to open arteries are no more useful than conventional drug treatment for patients who haven't yet had a heart attack, a new study reveals. In more than 2,000 patients over five years, those who had surgery suffered the same number of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths as those received only drugs.
Records Reveal Hawkish Hillary
New Republic
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Mar 27, 2007 7:59 AM CDT
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Hillary may be more hawkish than liberal supporters realize, Michael Crowley concludes after a lengthy look at the senator's history . Many assume she supported the Iraq war to look tough and won’t back down to avoid the label of flip-flopper. But long before 9/11, she was scornful of those who support military action only in easily...
Endangered Species May Get Bush Brush-Off
Salon
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Mar 27, 2007 7:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bush administration is quietly rewriting the rules on enforcing the Endangered Species Act, drafting changes that some environmentalists say will fatally weaken protections for threatened wildlife. A 117-page internal proposal obtained by Salon would limit which animals could be effectively protected, cut back on the size of habitats preserved,...
Gitmo Detainee Pleads Guilty
New York Times
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Mar 27, 2007 6:33 AM CDT
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David Hicks became the first person convicted under President Bush's much-maligned military tribunal system after entering a surprise guilty plea to charges of providing material support to terrorists. The contentious proceedings may prove a new source of controversy, however, as the judge excluded Hicks' stwo civilian lawyers from court and...
Monday Night Football Gets Face Lift
ESPN
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Mar 26, 2007 11:21 PM CDT
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Monday Night Football will swap one former NFL quarterback–turned–ESPN analyst for another this season when Ron Jaworski steps in for Joe Theismann. The network is looking to freshen up its hit show—cable's most-watched ever—which recently finished its first season on ESPN after more than three decades on CBS.
Novak: Bush Is Alone On Gonzales
Washington Post
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Mar 26, 2007 8:39 PM CDT
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There is virtually no support on Capitol Hill for the president's wish to save Alberto Gonzales, who is even more disliked than Rumsfeld was, Robert Novak wrote today. "In half a century, I have not seen a president so isolated from his own party in Congress. Not Jimmy Carter, not even Richard Nixon as he faced impeachment."
IT WAS AN OVERDOSE
CNN
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Mar 26, 2007 1:44 PM CDT
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Anna Nicole overdosed on prescription painkillers and sleeping meds, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Smith reported today, calling the death accidental. There were nine different drugs in her system at the time of her death, including three antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs—methadone, Lexapro and Zoloft.
Techies Click With Obama
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 26, 2007 12:40 PM CDT
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Silicon Valley techies are forsaking Hillary for Barack—and among the defectors are some of Bill's biggest fundraisers. Obama's is grabbing particular notice among the young and newly wealthy, with deep pockets and little political experience. "In the lexicon of high tech, Barack Obama is the next-generation solution," says one...
Klein: War on Terror Has Hurt Israel
Time
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Mar 26, 2007 12:33 PM CDT
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"As a Jew, I am embarrassed by the role that so many prominent Jews have had in empowering the enemy," Joe Klein writes in a blog from Jerusalem, noting the number of neoconservatives in the Bush war machine who had close ties to the Israeli government. Klein says the War on Terror they helped craft has made Israel less secure.
Sunni Baghdad Lies in Ruins as Shiites Rebuild
New York Times
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Mar 26, 2007 12:05 PM CDT
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Baghdad's Sunni neighborhoods are in collapse, lacking food, fuel, electricity and health care even as their Shiite neighbors have regained basic services, Alissa Rubin reports. In Shiite areas, the Mahdi Army fills in for the government by keeping order and organizing resources, but Sunnis now find themselves under attack both from Shiite forces...
Lexus Reaches for Luxury Cachet
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 26, 2007 11:23 AM CDT
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Stodgy luxury standby Lexus is trying to trade up to the hot "prestige luxury" market with a new line of $70,000 and up automobiles. Along with the new models comes a massive rebranding effort that aims, says a marketing manager, to get "Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Lexus all mentioned in the same breath."
Novelist Gives Away Movie Rights
Salon
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Mar 26, 2007 11:07 AM CDT
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Jonathan Lethem is giving away the film option and, eventually, all ancillary rights to his new novel, "You Don't Love Me Yet," publicly grappling with issues of intellectual property and copyright law. "What I'm seeking to explore is that incredibly fertile middle ground where people control some rights," he says, "and yet...
Day Care Kids Learn to Act Up
New York Times
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Mar 26, 2007 10:55 AM CDT
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Day care centers enlarge kids' vocabularies--and teach them how to act up, too, says a study that’s followed 1,300 children from birth through 6th grade. Although parental guidance and genes were the strongest predictor of behavior, who attended day care as preschoolers were slightly more likely to be disruptive in school—and the more time...
Implant Tricks Brain To Lower Blood Pressure
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 26, 2007 10:42 AM CDT
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A pacemaker-like implant that relies on small electrical shocks may cut the risk of heart attack and stroke in half for patients with drug-resistant hypertension, a new study shows. The device, which sends electrical shocks through the neck's carotid arteries, tricks the brain into thinking blood pressure is even higher than it is—and the body...
Insurers Fighting Claims of Elderly
New York Times
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Mar 26, 2007 10:36 AM CDT
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Elderly patients who bought long-term care policies are finding their claims denied by companies calculating that they don’t have the resources or the energy to fight and are likely to die before their cases are settled. An investigation by Charles Duhigg identifies insurance companies that reject coverage for the aged and infirm at a much higher...
Playwright Finds Times Arrogant on Al Gore
Huffington Post
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Mar 26, 2007 10:18 AM CDT
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Al Gore is having an astonishing political second act, leading the charge to save the planet, but the supercilious writers at the New York Times can't resist condescending to him, observes playwright Jon Robin Baitz, doing a little reverse reviewing in his blog. The Times , he argues, displays its "allergy to earnestness" in...
Ballooning Terror Database Spawns Errors
Washington Post
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Mar 26, 2007 9:58 AM CDT
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The US list of suspected terrorists has ballooned to 435,000 names, and upkeep is so poor that once you're on it, it's virtually impossible to get off. The size alone threatens to overwhelm those responsible for its upkeep, reports Karen DeYoung creating concerns about secrecy, errors and privacy.
Army Uses Injured to Inflate Manpower
Salon
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Mar 26, 2007 9:27 AM CDT
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The Army sent soldiers recovering from injuries—some still on crutches—to a desert training center in California, in an apparent attempt to pad manpower statistics. Witnesses describe tents at Fort Irwin packed with soldiers in no shape to train, or even to walk, but counted by the Pentagon as evidence of US battle-readiness. Some,...
Chic Pups Are Channeling Nic and Leo
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 26, 2007 9:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Knock-offs of Academy Awards gowns—always a brisk business—now come in even-smaller sizes: An L.A. company has released a new line of Oscar duds for dogs, from Nicole Kidman's red Balenciaga to Leonardo DiCaprio's Armani tux. Little Lily's, which has been dressing posh pooches since 2002, has already sold out its "Red Carpet...
Blair Blasts Seizure of British Patrol
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 26, 2007 8:17 AM CDT
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Tony Blair is furious over Iran's capture of 15 sailors and Marines, but so far, diplomatic efforts have not even yielded where they are being held. “I hope the Iranian government understands how fundamental an issue this is for us,” Blair sputtered at a European summit, calling the seizure "unjustified and wrong."
Sloan Reviews the Blackstone IPO Filing
MSNBC
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Mar 26, 2007 7:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The IPO filing for the notoriously secretive Blackstone Group wasn't the tell-all Wall Street watchers had hoped for, says Newsweek’s Wall Street editor Allan Sloan, who searched in vain for how big a stake is held by the private equity partnership's two Mr. Bigs, Steve Schwarzman and Pete Peterson, and how much they and their partners...
Texans Release Carr, Williams
Associated Press
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Mar 25, 2007 5:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Houston Texans released their two best-known players today, quarterback David Carr and running back Domanick Williams (formerly Davis), after years of disappointing performances.
Kobe Joins Wilt With Four 50-Pointers
Associated Press
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Mar 25, 2007 5:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Kobe Bryant’s 50 points Friday night versus the New Orleans Hornets moved the three-time NBA Champion into elite company: Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player to score at least 50 points in at least four consecutive games.
Texans Acquire Schaub for Draft Picks
ESPN
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Mar 25, 2007 5:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Former second-string Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Schaub will earn up to $48 million as starting quarterback for the Houston Texans the next six seasons. The Texans, meanwhile, are looking to shop David Carr, who had been the team's starter. In five years, Carr's QB rating was 75.5, and he threw 65 interceptions to just 59 touchdown passes.
Burping Pill Cools Global Warming
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 23, 2007 3:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Who knew that bovine burping was a major source of methane gas and hence global warming? German scientists, that's who, and they've come up with a fist-sized pill to reduce it, along with the 4% of greenhouse gas emissions for which it is responsible.
Spielberg Anoints a Star
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 23, 2007 3:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Wide-eyed child star Shia LaBeouf is making his debut as Hollywood''s next it boy, thanks to Steven Spielberg. The former Disney Channel star has already been cast in Spielberg's upcoming Disturbia and Transformers , and is on the short list to play Harrison Ford's son in the upcoming Indiana Jones revival.
Blast From Obama's Past
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 23, 2007 3:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama was surprised last week when a buddy from back in the days when he was called Barry got in touch. Keith Kakugawa, recently released from prison for his third drug conviction and living in a car, called the senator's cell phone to ask for help.
Judith Giuliani Reveals Secret Ex-Husband
New York Post
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Mar 23, 2007 3:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rudy turns out to be Judith Giuliani 's third husband, not her second, as the candidate's spouse (his third) reveals a nearly-five-year starter marriage that had remained a secret to the public and even longtime Giuliani supporters.
Old News Rules in New China
Washington Post
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Mar 23, 2007 2:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Just about the only Western consumer product the Chinese aren't buying these days is news: they're clinging tenaciously to their stodgy, state-run nighty news program, where not even the hairstyles have changed in decades.
Novelist Slaps Ex With $40 Million Suit
The Smoking Gun
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Mar 23, 2007 10:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bestselling author Terry McMillan filed a $40 million lawsuit Wednesday against her ex-husband Jonathan Plummer, alleging that he conspired to destroy her reputation during their divorce. In the lawsuit McMillan alleges that her "little fag," a.k.a. "common extortionist" ex-husband has threatened her safety after the couple divorced...
ADD Meds Prescribed For Weight Loss
CNN
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Mar 23, 2007 10:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pediatricians are giving Adderall, the pill that got America's kids to pay attention in class, to patients without ADHD but looking to shed extra pounds. One of the drug's side effects is appetite suppression, and "off-label" prescriptions are working for some chunky but otherwise normal teenagers. Parents worried about obesity and teasing...
Big Guns Battle Video Sharing With Free TV Shows
Washington Post
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Mar 23, 2007 9:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
TV biggies NBC Universal and News Corp. are teaming up to hit YouTube with the full force of their their combined TV content, offered online for free. Starting this summer, AOL, Yahoo, Microsoft's MSN and News Corp. subsidiary MySpace will hope to win over internet users (and the advertising that goes with them) with shows like 24 and Heroes .
Gates Pushed to Close Guantanamo
New York Times
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Mar 23, 2007 8:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Newly appointed Defense Secretary Robert Gates pushed hard for shutting down the controversial detention center at Guantanamo Bay, but was blocked by Cheney and Gonzales, until Bush pulled the plug on the argument. Gates at least succeeded in halting a $100 million expansion of the prison he felt had become emblematic of War-on-Terror excess.
Faulty Knee Forces Faulk Out
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2007 8:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The knee injury that sidelined Marshall Faulk last season has officially ended his career. Faulk will announce his retirement Monday, March 26, at the NFL owners' meetings. Faulk retires ninth in all-time NFL career rushing with 12,279 yards, and tied for sixth with 100 touchdowns. In 2000, he ran in a (since broken) record 26 touchdowns, and was named...
Cricket Coach Murdered
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 23, 2007 8:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The death of Bob Woolmer, the English-born Pakistani cricket coach, was ruled a murder yesterday, roiling the sedate world of international cricket with a crime investigators call “extraordinary and evil.” When Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room in Kingston, Jamaica last Sunday, it was thought he died from a heart attack, but...
Turks threaten action in Iraq against Kurds
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 23, 2007 8:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Turkey is threatening military intervention against leftist Kurdish guerrillas said to be massing in northern Iraq, planning to attack targets across their border. Washington is trying to placate the Turks, fearing that a Turkish incursion would further destabilize the fledgling Iraqi government.
Elizabeth Edwards's Cancer Recurs
Washington Post
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Mar 23, 2007 8:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Presidential contender John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth announced today that the breast cancer she battled after the last election cycle has recurred and advanced to Stage IV. The cancer has spread to her bones, a lung, and possibly other organs, her oncologist explained, and is now inoperable. The couple, however, plans to push forward on...
Elton John: Gay Victims "Could Have Been Me"
New Statesman (UK)
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Mar 23, 2007 8:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pop icon Elton John attacks the bullying of gays around the world and discusses his recent marriage. Under his own byline in the British magazine The New Statesman , the 60-year-old musician says he was afraid crowds would jeer at him following his London marriage to partner David Furnish 15 months ago.
Penn State Coach Quits
Yahoo
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Mar 22, 2007 4:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland, who resigned last night, ends her 27-year college career with 606 wins, amid allegations that she discriminated against lesbian players. Under Portland, Penn State played in 21 NCAA tournaments, including the 2000 Final Four, but the team’s performance slipped the last two seasons.
Duke Baller Bolts for NBA
Yahoo
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Mar 22, 2007 4:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Duke co-captain Josh McRoberts will enter the NBA draft, he announced yesterday, just a week after his Blue Devils fell in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Duke men’s basketball Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski is OK with that. “It is time for him to move on to the next level,” said Coach...
LaRussa Asleep At the Wheel
Yahoo
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Mar 22, 2007 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was picked up for DWI around midnight Thursday, when Jupiter, Fla., police found his SUV running at a stop light, with La Russa asleep at the wheel. La Russa blew a. 0.093, above Florida’s limit of 0.08.
Brawl Could Cost Pacman 2007 Season
Sports Illustrated
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Mar 22, 2007 3:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman'' Jones may be forced to sit out the 2007 season as the first casualty of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's off-field conduct crackdown. More than 50 NFL players have been arrested since January 2006, prompting Goodell to push tougher punishments, even for those like Jones who have not yet been formally...
