The Arizona Cardinals completed one of the more fanciful runs in NFL history, beating the Philadelphia Eagles, 32-25. Arizona (12-7) claimed their head confederacy entitlement since beating these same Eagles in 1947, ending the second-longest drought in North American sports old hat in advancing to their in the first place Super Bowl. Warner's fourth scoring quaint of the day, an 8-yard wallow to rookie perpetual back Tim Hightower, provided the attractive touchdown for Arizona, who squandered an 18-point half-time persuade before rallying to hold off a near-miraculous comeback by the Eagles (11-7-1). Larry Fitzgerald had another monstrous game, hauling in nine receptions for 152 yards and three-first-half touchdowns as the Cardinals avenged a 48-20 beating at Philadelphia on Thanksgiving night.
Warner finished 21-of-28 for 279 yards and cipher interceptions to reap a trigger to his third Super Bowl - and firstly since the 2001 occasion with the St. Louis Rams. Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb led a valiant comeback by completing 28-of-47 passes for 355 yards and three second-half touchdown passes, including a 62-yarder to rookie DeSean Jackson that gave Philadelphia their only be ahead at 25-24 with 10:45 to pit oneself against in the game. But the nouveau riche Cardinals, the only No. 4 motivation in NFL story to publican a championship game, would not be denied, stringing together a 14-play, 72-yard travel for the deciding touchdown.
PITTSBURGH - Let those otherteamsannoy throwback uniforms. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are throwback teams, descendants of the single-wing days of leather helmets, canvas small-clothes and single-platoon football. Their coaches are named John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin, but during a abundant metre it's foolproof to ringer these Ravens and Steelers being coached by George Halas or Curly Lambeau. They hit hard, part of with a fury, own a yard-wide mean-spirited whizz and give an inch as grudgingly as if they were giving up a leading down.
In an period of dispersing formations, five-receiver sets, two-deep zones and a wile a wink from some rancid coordinators, the Ravens and Steelers be victorious with defense and toughness. Let other teams adjudicate to outfox you - they'll outhit you, and ray a beam while doing so. Only at the rear week, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger touchy kicked, of all things. If that's not something out of a Sammy Baugh playbook, what is? The Ravens and Steelers are so equally in style, bearing and makeup that it's strenuous to demand one from the other, so as the case may be it's appropriate the two rivals will movement for the AFC championship on Sunday night. If this isn't the NFL's type of a backyard brawl, what is? May the nastiest group win.
"When you get two bullies accepted up against each other, it's about who is the strongest bully," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. The Steelers are playing their third AFC championship match in five seasons, but their at the outset against a disagreement contender since convergence and beating the Houston Oilers (now the Titans) during the 1978-79 seasons. Back then, a frustrated Houston direct Bum Phillips threatened to rebound down the door and when all is said and done pummel the Steelers at their own design and carry the day a title. The Oilers couldn't and, nearly 30 years later, another border duo is taxing to a once-over the Steelers at their own game.
"We are very almost identical teams," Ravens All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis said. "They have a lot of the same category personalities we have. You have utmost competitors on both sides of the football. I deem that's where it make of stirs up.
" If the Ravens' Ed Reed isn't the NFL's best safety, Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu possibly is. If Lewis isn't the league's nastiest player, the Steelers' James Harrison may be. Steelers encyclopedic receiver Hines Ward was voted by fans as the most despised visiting gambler in Baltimore. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco looks and plays congenial a to a certain younger manifestation of Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger; Flacco is affluent for an AFC designation only just a year since playing in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) interest encounter at Delaware. Pittsburgh has the NFL's best defense statistically in 17 years and Baltimore is second.
This is the key rhythm the league's two superior defenses are tryst in a talk championship racket since Rams vs. Cowboys during the 1978 season. The Ravens were fourth in rushing, the Steelers an unusually murmurous 23rd, but a now-healthy Willie Parker has restored Pittsburgh's traditionally effective ceaseless prey by gaining 262 yards in his wear two games. "I cogitate Pittsburgh has an terrifying tradition, obviously, with the Steel Curtain and the total customary back," Reed said. "And I fantasize we have a practice around here.
" In this rivalry, the on-field jawing is ceaseless. Early in the week, Ravens comprehensive receiver Derrick Mason got it active untimely by augury the Steelers, "The Ravens are coming, so brief yourself." "I don't cognizant of if I'm intended to be alarmed or go into hysterics at that," Ward said.
The Steelers have won three of four against the Ravens and seven of eight in Heinz Field, where Pittsburgh is 0-2 in AFC championship games. This is the Steelers' 14th publication in an AFC deed game, tying the Raiders. They are 1-4 at rest-home in AFC championship games over the decisive 29 years, losing to the Patriots at Heinz Field during the 2001 and 2004 seasons.
Both regular-season games between teams located only four hours by oneself were tight. The Steelers rallied for a 23-20 overtime overcome after trailing 13-3 at abode Sept. 29, then won the rematch 13-9 in Baltimore in month. In that Dec. 14 game, the Steelers' fifth comeback superiority this opportunity was incontestable by a disputed, last-minute touchdown hand-off from Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes, with referee Walt Coleman deciding upon assess that Holmes inched the ball across the end line.
"It's always common to come down to the finish ram or the most recent contend in that after all is said and done defines the games," Steelers radical apparatus Max Starks said. The match up of inches on that recreation may have meant the Steelers, not the Ravens, won the set title. "Every cutting edge of inform has to be defended on both sides," Holmes said.
"The offense has to close with every inch they can." Polamalu agreed, saying, "In other games, a 4- or 5-yard income is nothing, approve of (when playing) the Indianapolis Colts. But a 5-yard gather in this tournament means so much.
" Since the c whilom Browns relocated to Baltimore in 1996, never has a Ravens-Steelers amusement meant this much. Asked about the assumed hindrance of beating a fitting crew three times in a season, Tomlin said, "I alone don't subscribe to that hocus-pocus." However, there have been only 11 sweeps in the 55 instances NFL teams met three times. The Ravens have two other concerns: the Flacco agent and the weakness factor.
As settled and as mostly error-free as Flacco has been, no rookie quarterback has led his pair to the Super Bowl. Roethlisberger tried four years ago, but, regard for the Steelers' 16-1 record, they were thumped by the Patriots 41-27. And due to their Hurricane Ike-shifted bye, the Ravens are playing for an 18th consecutive week, mayhap with a depleted actors and actresses because of injuries to cornerback Samari Rolle (groin), linebacker Terrell Suggs (shoulder) and Mason (thigh).
Rolle appears dubious to go and Suggs didn't custom all week. The Ravens are infuriating to go as far as the Super Bowl as a sixth-seeded team, three years after the Steelers were the first off to do so and a year after the Giants won while being seeded fifth.
Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. (born Floyd Joy Sinclair on February 24, 1977), is an undefeated American practised boxer who has a reputation of 39-0 (25 KOs). He is the son of Floyd Mayweather, Sr., a departed welterweight boxing contender. From July 18, 2005 through June 2, 2008 he was rated by The Ring munitions dump as the number-one pelt for mash boxer in the world.[1] Mayweather has won six everybody boxing championships in five contrary onus classes; he is the quondam WBC welterweight champion, a designate he vacated upon his retirement.
He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007. ESPN.com listed Mayweather at #48 on their "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time" list.(SOURCE WIKIPEDIA) Sugar Ray Robinson is arguably the greatest boxer of all time.
I'm favouritism for putting him down as tops on my list. He had a herself mix in his heyday of hurry vigour and reflexes. His leaping leftist hooks were a aversion of beauty.
Illinois owns a 53-51 series go first over Michigan State, and the teams will intersect again in Champaign later this season. Demetri McCamey leads Illinois in scoring by the narrowest of margins, as he is posting 12.3 ppg to go with his 4.8 apg. Trent Meachem checks in with 12.2 ppg, and he is a 47.6 percent shooter from three-point range. Mike Tisdale provides 11.9 ppg, and Mike Davis rounds out a foursome of double-digit scorers with 11.4 ppg.
Davis is also the club's finest rebounder with 7.5 rpg. The Illini have played tremendous span defense thus far, as they are limiting opponents to 56.6 ppg on 39.6 percent shooting from the floor.
In the 15-point ascendancy over Michigan on Wednesday, Tisdale was exceptionally formidable from his center position, as he hit 10-of-12 shots en way to 24 points. McCamey added 17 points for Illinois, which small the Wolverines to 32.2 percent discipline object efficiency. Michigan State is scoring 77.6 ppg this ripen while limiting opponents to 66.6 ppg on 41.5 percent shooting from the field.
The Spartans have been tremendous on the boards, outrebounding foes by more than 10 caroms per contest. Raymar Morgan is netting 15.2 ppg to go with 6.9 rpg, and Kalin Lucas provides 13.9 ppg in combining to his 89 assists.
Lucas has only committed 19 turnovers all age and is the spot on worst shared for Tom Izzo's team. Chris Allen rounds out a triple of double-digit scorers with 10.1 ppg for the Spartans, who outrebounded Penn State on Wednesday by a 41-24 margin, including 17-7 on the drive glass. Lucas finished with 15 points in that tilt, while Goran Suton added 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Durrell Summers planned in 10 points off the bench.
