Does he play basketball?

No he is not on stilts. This Chinaman is really 7'-9".

Pittsburgh 16 Washington 7

The Redskins (3-8), headed for one of the lowest-scoring seasons in NFL history, were held to 156 yards and to single-digit scoring for a second consecutive game, following up a 28-6 loss to Philadelphia. They haven't scored more than 18 points in a game this season. ``One of our goals is to score 21 points,'' quarterback Patrick Ramsey said. ``We've got to do that.'' The Redskins defense continued to play big holding Pittsburgh(10-1) to 207 total yards.

With star running back Clinton Portis sitting out most of the second half, the Redskins drove 79 yards in 13 plays early in the third quarter for Ramsey's 2-yard scoring pass to Chris Cooley on fourth-and-goal, cutting it to 13-7. The Redskins held the Steelers and had the ball on the Pittsburgh 40 yard line late in the fourth quarter. But Ramsey, under a heavy rush,  threw an interception to dash any hopes of a comeback Redskin win.

Portis, among the NFL's rushing leaders with 945 yards and coming off consecutive 1,500-yard seasons for Denver, had only six carries for 17 yards. He has just 54 yards the last two weeks. ``We felt our best way to get it downfield (was to throw),'' Gibbs said. ``I am sure he will be upset about it. I expect him to be. He is very competitive.'' Portis said, ``I'm not in Denver anymore, I'm in Washington, I have to find a way to be a key player in this system, the same way I was there.''

 

Terps win season finale, 13-7

Sam Hollenbach threw for 164 yards in his first college start and Maryland's defense redeemed itself with an impressive performance in a 13-7 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday. Hollenbach, who spent most of the season as the third quarterback on the depth chart, went 16-for-27 with no interceptions. The sophomore started ahead of the ineffective Joel Statham and injured second-stringer Jordan Steffy.

Hollenbach, a sophomore, directed an 11-play, 80-yard drive that produced the Terrapins' first touchdown in 10 quarters. Hollenbach went 3-for-4 for 40 yards before Josh Allen scored on a 13-yard run. Nick Novak kicked two field goals giving the Terps a 13-0 halftime lead, and it was the first time this season the Demon Deacons were held scoreless in the first half.

Wake Forest only score was setup when a Maryland player inadvertently kicked the ball on a punt return giving the Deacons the football at the Maryland 28 yard line. After scoring, Wake Forest (4-7, 1-7) still trailed 13-7 when Cory Randolph replaced starting quarterback Ben Mauk and drove the Demon Deacons to the Maryland 10 midway through the fourth quarter. But the drive ended when safety Chris Kelley forced a fumble at the 1 and the Terrapin Dominick Foxworth recovered with 8:25 remaining.

Despite the victory, Maryland (5-6, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) finished with a losing record for the first time in four seasons under coach Ralph Friedgen. Allen gained 74 yards on 18 carries before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in the half. Nick Novak finished his career with 393 points, most in ACC history and tied for fifth on the NCAA Division-I list.

Happy Thanksgiving!!! And Myths

Myth #1: The happy Pilgrims were celebrating a great harvest

Actually, the harvest of 1621, when the legend of our Thanksgiving began, wasn't great at all. The barley, wheat, and peas the Pilgrims brought with them from England had failed. Fortunately, the corn did well enough that they were able to double their weekly food rations.

The Pilgrims were happy to be alive: The previous winter had wiped out 47 people--almost half their community. It wasn't a coincidence that the corn did well. A man named Squanto, who was a member of the Wampanoag tribe, coached theWhat's more: The guests brought most of the food. When the Pilgrims invited their Native American guests, they weren't prepared to feed everyone who came. A Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, sent his men home for supplies.

The party lasted three days. They played games, shot guns, shot bows and arrows, and played something called "stool ball." (It's not what it sounds like! The game was like croquet--not something they played because they didn't have a pigskin handy.) Despite what you see in some paintings, the Native American guests didn't wear giant feathered headdresses. Those were worn by Plains Indians.

For more myths

How's your Woolly Worm?

Just how good are woolly worms at predicting weather? Woolly worms have 13 bands, each, potentially, of a different color. These correspond to the 13 weeks of winter, from December to March. The darker a band, the colder and snowier the weather. It is as simple as that.

Typically, the bands at the ends of the caterpillar are black, and the one in the middle is brown or orange, giving the woolly bear its distinctive striped appearance. According to legend, the wider that middle brown section is, or the more brown segments there are of the 13 bands, the milder the coming winter will be. Conversely, a narrow brown band is said to predict a harsh winter.

The true woolly bear is the larval form of Pyrrharctia Isabella, the Isabella tiger moth. This medium-size moth, with yellowish-orange and cream-colored wings spotted with black, is common from northern Mexico throughout the United States and across the southern third of Canada. As moths go, the Isabella isn't much to look at compared with some of the other 11,000 species of North American moths, but its immature larva, called the black-ended bear or the woolly bear (and, throughout the South and other places, woolly worm) is one of the few caterpillars most people can identify by name. Woolly bears do not actually feel much like wool, they are covered with short, stiff bristles of hair. In field guides, they're found among the "bristled" species, which include the all-yellow salt marsh caterpillar and several species in the tiger moth family.

 

Redskins lose to Eagles, 28-6

He didn't lead the Redskins to victory. He didn't even produce a touchdown. But Redskin quarterback Patrick Ramsey's first start in nearly a year was still a mild success in light of the pathetic production Washington had received from predecessor Mark Brunell. Although the final score was 28-6, Ramsey did have the 10½-point underdog Redskins within 14-6 of the Eagles with a first down at the Philadelphia 10 and 13:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. But three consecutive penaties by the offensive line moveed the ball back to the 30 yard line. Two dropped passes and a missed 48 yard field goal spelled the Redskins fate.

Ramsey didn't hit a deep ball but was accurate on the underneath throws and nimble enough to avoid the Eagles' pass rush. Ramsey's numbers — 21-of-34 for 162 yards, with a late interception that sailed through fullback Rock Cartwright's hands — weren't that impressive, but there were at least six drops. He did give his coaches and teammates encouragement that he's the right man for the job. "Patrick was very solid," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "He had a lot of poise. He handled things real well. It's a tough place to come and play, a tough place to get your first start this year." Had their quarterback put up numbers like that in a few other games, the Redskins probably would be a .500 club right now instead of 3-7 and sinking fast.

When Ramsey was asked to (which wasn't often), he was able to put the ball in some tight spots; he also showed his coach he could make smart decisions and wasn't really the Turnover Machine he appeared to be against the Giants.  "Very solid," Gibbs said of Ramsey's performance. "A lot of poise."

The Redskins still rely too much on their defense. The defense attacks, sacks, holds and gets the ball back, but then the offense assumes the fetal position with cautious passes and predictable runs. But at least the right quarterback is on the field now, and things will get better.

Terps embarrassed 55-6

Virginia Tech scored two touchdowns in the first four minutes and cruised to a 55-6 win before 65,115 at Lane Stadium. Maryland's loss, its worst since 2000, eliminated the Terps (4-6, 2-5 ACC) from bowl contention and ensured their first losing season under Friedgen. "You won't see me around here for a whole long time if we do this a lot," Friedgen said. "They won't have to fire me. I'll quit."

The coaching staff is seemingly without answers after using several motivational tactics this season, most recently issuing rubber wristbands to players, which were inscribed with the mantra "Are you in or are you out? I'm in." Senior center Kyle Schmitt, asked if anyone has emotionally quit, said, "I hope not. You see some stuff here and there, but I hope not. I can't answer that for everyone."

Because of ineffectiveness, injury and a depleted roster, the Terps finished the game with their fourth-string quarterback, Sam Hollenbach. Hollenbach played well, completing 5 of 8 passes in the second half, albeit when the game was out of reach. While the game featured little suspense, the waning moments of the first half consisted of some intrigue. Virginia Tech led 38-3 and was setting up for a 34-yard field goal. The Hokies called a timeout, which prompted Friedgen to call consecutive timeouts. Kicker Brandon Pace made the attempt, all but erasing any doubt about the outcome.

"Like A Rolling Stone"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Like a Rolling Stone," Bob Dylan's scornful, ironic ode to a spoiled woman's reversal of fortune, was named the greatest rock 'n' roll song of all time on Wednesday by Rolling Stone magazine. The six-minute opening track from his landmark 1965 album "Highway 61 Revisited" broke the barrier of the three-minute hit single and established Dylan as a mainstream pop artist, marking his transformation from folk troubadour to rock sensation. "No other pop song has so thoroughly challenged and transformed the commercial laws and artistic conventions of its time, for all time," wrote Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke in an article accompanying the magazine's list of the top 500 rock songs of all time.

The list, published in a special edition out on Friday, was compiled by a panel of recording artists, producers, label executives, critics and songwriters. Among them were singer Art Garfunkel, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, vocalist Joni Mitchell and even Dylan's rock star son, Jakob.

Ranked No. 2 on the magazine's roster of greatest rock songs of all time was the Rolling Stones' 1965 hit "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," followed by John Lennon's utopian ballad "Imagine," Marvin Gaye's languid soul classic "What's Going On" and Aretha Franklin's empowerment anthem "Respect." Rounding out the top 10 were "Good Vibrations" from the Beach Boys; Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode"; the Beatles' "Hey Jude" and Ray Charles' seminal soul record "What'd I Say."

The lion's share of songs from the list hail from the 1960s, and only a handful were released after 1990, including Nirvana's 1991 hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at No. 9. The most recent single to make the list was "Hey Ya!" (2003) from the hip-hop duo OutKast, at No. 180. Rapper Eminem's "Lose Yourself" (2002) ranked No. 166. The highest-charting song on the list from the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley, was his 1956 hit "Hound Dog" at No. 19. The Beatles, not surprisingly, notched the most songs on the list, with 22 entries. They were trailed by archrivals the Rolling Stones, who tallied 13 in all. A dozen of Dylan's songs made the cut.

In a similar list published in 1989, the magazine named the Stones' "Satisfaction" as the best single of the past 25 years, with Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" placed at No. 2 -- a reversal of the latest ranking. Last year's Rolling Stone magazine list of the top 500 rock albums of all time put the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" at No. 1.

Maria wins $1,000,000 WTA Championship

LONDON (Reuters) - In a sport spoiled for Czarinas, one Russian tennis player has emerged as queen of the court. As comfortable gracing the catwalk as she is prowling the great sporting stages, Maria Sharapova's coronation at the WTA Tour Championships on Monday came as a timely shot in the arm to the sport's administrators and sponsors alike.

In just 12 short months the Siberian teenager has become not only Wimbledon champion and winner of the season-ending jamboree, but the face of women's tennis. It is a striking face that pulls in crowds and helps to promote tennis worldwide.Never mind that she does not make the cut for a Russian Fed Cup team awash with tennis talent, Sharapova -- like Anna Kournikova before her -- has the x-factor.

But Sharapova, characteristically, was unfazed. "I don't care what they sell," the ice maiden said coolly. If her psyche is as hard to penetrate as the permafrost of her homeland, her tennis ability is on show for all to see. Monday's victory earned her a check for $1 million -- the largest payday in women's sport -- and it was earned with a mesmerizing mix of movement and power.

She hits the ball harder than French Open champion and fellow Russian Anastasia Myskina. She moves better than U.S. Open champion and third member of the Russian grand slam troika Svetlana Kuznetsova. On top of this, her big-match temperament is rock solid.

After losing the first set, Sharapova had crept back into the STAPLES Center by rattling off five straight games in the second to even the match at a set apiece, but all that effort seemed to be going to waste and the Russian teenager's chances looked to be trickling away. Williams' lead seemed to baffle many in attendance, including Sharapova. Her normal 100-plus mph first serves had dwindled down in the 80s and some even in the 70s due to the pain she was feeling in her stomach.

But Williams still had one tool in her utility belt that was proving must useful - some punishing groundstrokes that limited Sharapova's ability to keep the ball in bounds. After building a 3-0 lead, the American then used a pair of off-pace, but well-placed aces to help her grab a fourth straight game to start the decisive set, while Sharapova finally got on the board in the next game, but still trailed 4-1. Sharapova then collected her first break of the final set to move within 4-2 and appeared to be slowly taking the momentum of the match back into her corner, holding serve once more for 4-3.

To Sharapova's advantage, Williams first serves then crept into the lower 70s and three double faults gave the Russian another break to even the set at 4-4. Sharapova followed by holding serve for her fifth straight game in the match, taking a 5-4 lead. Williams was then unable to capitalize on her final service attempt as Sharapova dropped to her knees following the final point of the match.

"It's been an amazing year," she simply said after collecting her million dollars. Amazing for Sharapova and amazing for women's tennis.

Maria vs. Serena for $1 million

The final match of the 2004 WTA Tour season will be played this evening in Los Angeles and it just so happens that two of the game's most popular players will be featured in the season finale. Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova each came back from a set down on Sunday at the WTA Tour Championships presented by Porsche to reach the final at the STAPLES Center. Tonights winner receives $1 million.

Williams and Sharapova will meet for the third time this season and the first since the teenage Russian shocked the tennis world by upsetting Williams in the Wimbledon final. Each player has won a match in their series this year, as Williams defeating Sharapova at Miami early in the year.By reaching the final, Sharapova remains at No.6 in the rankings, but would jump to No.4 if she defeats Williams in the final. Williams has moved to No.7 in the rankings, but will not go any higher even if she wins the title.

Washington's a "futbol" city

As bedrock Washington franchises go, there were not many parallels to be drawn between the city's representatives in football and futbol on Sunday. The Washington Redskins were foundering at FedEx Field during a loss that was yet another reminder that the last time the Redskins lorded over their sport was 12 years ago. That was four years before D.C. United began its run of three titles in four years in 1996. Indeed, United has been a rarity among Washington's pro franchises. The Wizards have not won an NBA title under that name, although the Bullets won one. And the Capitals are still looking for their first Stanley Cup. And don't even mention baseball.

United claimed its fourth championship in the league's nine years with a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Wizards on Sunday. In front of their shirtless, painted and howling fan clubs, including the Barra Brava -- loosely translated as "the Crazy Ones" -- United's players erased their four straight losing seasons and raised the championship trophy, returning it to Washington for the first time since 1999.

United earned this championship dramatically, winning despite the fact that Kansas City had a man advantage for the last 32 minutes. United was penalized when a red card, which results in an automatic ejection, was issued to defender Dema Kovalenko, who used his hand as he protected the goal line.After six unbearable minutes of extra time, United's five-year title drought came to an emotional end. It seemed like an eternity" before referee Michael Kennedy blew the final whistle, goalkeeper Nick Rimando said in a locker room filled with cigar smoke and sprayed champagne. "We knew we were getting close to winning it, but we didn't want to let it slip away."

United's last stand capped a remarkable 2 1/2 months and sealed its fourth championship in MLS's nine-year history. After meandering through the first two-thirds of the season, United (14-10-10) finished with an 8-1-1 record and roared through the postseason with a finely tuned attack and unshakable defense.

Redskins lose 17-10

If the FedEx Field crowd had its way, Mark Brunell's regime as starting quarterback would have ceased two weeks ago, when the 12-year veteran was booed consistently by Redskins fans during another inept performance. The vocal contingent of the fan base compounded its sonic assault almost as soon as Brunell dropped back for his first pass yesterday against the Cincinnati Bengals, and their hearty chants for understudy Patrick Ramsey morphed into a loud ovation midway through the second quarter (after the Bengals had built a 17-0 lead), when Coach Joe Gibbs finally elected to insert the backup.

Gibbs had been unwavering in his loyalty to Brunell -- a quarterback he pursued immediately after returning to coaching and signed to a seven-year, $43 million contract -- and had defended him after each game. Over his last five starts Brunell, who said he was surprised by the quarterback change, completed just 53 of 120 passes (44 percent) for 460 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. In three of those games he failed to complete even 10 passes or total over 100 yards passing.

Washington got the next ten points to make it a game at17-10, but ran out of time. The Redskins held on to the ball for 10:33 in the fourth quarter, with Ramsey connecting on 12 out of 23 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. Ramsey, who finished the game 18 for 37 for 210 yards, likely did enough to merit the start Sunday in Philadelphia, although a final decision will come today after a staff meeting, Gibbs said.

The Redskins have now lost seven of their last eight games at FedEx Field dating from last season -- the franchise was dominant at home at RFK Stadium under Gibbs -- and remain inconsistent. Washington has failed to win consecutive games since opening last season 2-0, and is 6-17 overall since then.

DC United wins MLS Cup

D.C. United(Washington) won an unprecedented fourth MLS Cup on Sunday, beating Kansas City 3-2. United spotted the Wizards an early goal, then scored three times in a seven-minute span of the first half to move in front for good. Former UVA star Elecko Eskadarian scored in the 19th minute to tie it 1-1, then added another goal four minutes later.

United built a two-goal lead on an own-goal when a pass by Earnie Stewart deflected off  a Wizards defender and into the net in the 26th minute. Kansas City, the 2000 MLS Cup champion, pulled within 3-2 on a penalty kick in the 58th minute. The Wizards were awarded the kick when United's Dema Kovalenko, protecting the goal line, used his hand to knock a shot over the bar. Kovalenko was ejected, the first player sent off in the nine-year history of the Cup. Despite being down a man, United held off the Wizards the rest of the way.

It was United's fifth appearance in Major League Soccer's championship game, but the first since a 2-0 victory over Los Angeles in 1999. The only loss in those five trips was a 2-0 defeat by Chicago in 1998. Peter Nowak, United's rookie coach, assisted on both the Fire's goals and was the MVP of that title game six years ago. San Jose is the only team besides United to win multiple championships. The Earthquakes beat Chicago 4-2 last year and Los Angeles 1-0 in overtime in 2001.

Teachers - No more red ink!!!

Universities are encouraging education majors to mark papers in something other than red because of the color's association with aggression and anxiety. They can use a fun purple instead. Or a calm blue. The trend is prompting production changes at pen-producing giant Paper Mate and eye-rolling from observers who say young Americans are getting soft.

School psychologists say the real impetus for change is the message associated with the red pen marks. ``The red pen has bad associations with papers coming back bleeding with corrections,'' quoted a school district's supervisor of school psychology. "Teachers have to mark mistakes, but they should focus more on what's right in the assignment, not what's wrong".

Purple pens seem to be a teacher favorite for this task and, as a result, are making their mark outside the classroom. Paper Mate workers first noticed an increase in purple pen sales during the summer of 2003. Public relations manager Michael Finn said focus groups and consumer interviews confirmed the push toward purple. ``What teachers have told us is that it's part of a move toward a kinder, gentler education system,'' Finn said.

The attitude that red pens have a negative impact on students is part of the softening of U.S. schools, according to journalist Michael Barone, and it's leading to failure in education. ``Ultimately the idea is that you can't hold anyone accountable,'' said Barone, author of ``Hard America, Soft America: Competition vs. Coddling and the Battle for the Nation's Future.'' Barone said the transition from red to purple pens ranks alongside other softening efforts such as banning dodge ball and resisting standardized testing.

Renee Zellweger taking a break

Oscar-winning Renee Zellweger is taking an extended break from acting. After "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" which begins playing in theaters on Friday, Zellweger, 35, said she plans to step away from the limelight, stop acting for a while and learn what it is like to be "just a girl." "I don't see myself climbing into a makeup chair any time soon and taking another role. I feel like I need to take a minute and have a little bit of life experience," Zellweger told Reuters in a recent interview.

She declined to say how her break from filming would last and she has already made a film that will open in 2005, Ron Howard's "The Cinderella man," in which plays the wife of Depression-era boxer Jim Braddock.

The first "Bridget Jones' Diary" in 2001 made Zellweger a top box office star as audiences fell in love with her portrayal of the plump, single British woman who drinks, smokes, curses and bungles her way through her love life. It racked up $254 million at worldwide box offices. She followed "Bridget Jones" with her Oscar-nominated role as murderess Roxie Hart in musical "Chicago" and capped three years of success with the U.S. film industry's top film honor in February for best supporting actress as the hard-scrabble farm girl Ruby Thewes in U.S. Civil War drama "Cold Mountain."

Redskins beat Detroit, 17-10

The Washington Redskins, bolstered by a stingy defense, energized special teams play and the legs and throwing arm of tailback Clinton Portis, grinded out a hard-fought 17-10 victory over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday, improving their record to 3-5 halfway through the season. Portis has run for more than 100 yards three times this season. Those are the only games Washington has won.Coincidence? ``No, I wouldn't think so,'' Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. Portis ran for 147 yards on 34 carries.

The Redskins' passing game under quarterback Mark Brunell was anemic once again, completing 6-of-17 for 58 yards. But it didn't matter as Washington scored on Portis's halfback option pass to wide receiver Laveranues Coles(four catches for 46 yards) early in the third quarter and a blocked punt by wide receiver Taylor Jacobs six minutes later that safety Walt Harris returned 13 yards for the score.

Gibbs gave a game ball to wide receiver James Thrash, whose hustle on punt coverage three times pinned the Lions inside their own 5-yard line and whose 43-yard punt return in the second quarter helped set up a Redskins field goal.

Maryland loses to Virginia, 16-0

Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen has sat through some maddening defeats during the past two months, but Saturday's 16-0 loss at rival Virginia was perhaps the most painful in a season that has all but slipped away from the Terrapins. Maryland (4-5, 2-4) doesn't look anything like the team model that won 31 games during Friedgen's first three seasons. Just a week after stunning then-No. 5 Florida State, 20-17, the Terrapins gained only seven first downs, failed to gain a half-yard on consecutive plays to squander their best scoring opportunity and were shut out for the first time in 35 games, since losing to Notre Dame, 22-0, in the 2002 opener.

The game started slowly with a scoreless first quarter that featured a fumble and interception by Virginia, and interception by Maryland and a stop by the Cavaliers when Maryland went for a fourth-and-1 at the 14. Maryland twice tried to get the yard on sneaks by Joel Statham, but each time he wound up on a pile that never penetrated the line of scrimmage. ``If you can't make inches, you're going to have trouble winning football games,'' Friedgen said. Statham was 10-for-17 for just 115 yards with two interceptions before being replaced by Jordan Steffy in the fourth quarter. Terp running back Josh Allen gained just 39 yards after riddling the Cavaliers for a career-best 257 last season.

The blame for Maryland's loss to Virginia rested with players, many of whom, Friedgen said, were "flat" and had "blank stares." The Terps  have lost games this season because of offensive futility, turnovers or a late-game controversial pass interference call, but never in a passionless fashion, as Friedgen categorized Saturday's game. "It was like the walk of the zombies," Friedgen said. "Nobody was home. We were talking to them, trying to motivate them. Nothing was registering

Maryland must win its last two games(at No. 18 Virginia Tech on Nov. 18 and against Wake Forest on Nov. 27) to qualify for a bowl game.

Employment good in No. Virginia

Sharapova Tops Women's Tennis

She may not be the #1 ranked women's tennis player, but Maria Sharapova represents everything that WTA founder Billie Jean King has fought so hard for over the past 30 years. At 17, Maria quickly has become the face of women's tennis, replacing Venus and Serena Williams as the most popular draw on the Women's Tennis Association tour, which makes a weeklong stop in Villanova, Pa., this week for the $585,000 Advanta Championships.

Sharapova is young and beautiful, but as she showed by becoming the first Russian to win Wimbledon this year, she also is extremely talented. And because of that she is beginning to distance herself from comparisons to Russian heartthrob Anna Kournikova. "She's just ignited women's tennis this year," King said Friday at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the draw for next week's tournament was made. "She's by far the biggest ticket-seller we have in the game. She's got the `it' factor. People love watching her and boy can she hit the ball hard. She's highly intense."

A year ago, Sharapova could have slid in and out of Villanova's Pavilion unnoticed. But, since winning Wimbledon, she has become tennis' hottest attraction. Unlike Kournikova, who never won a major tournament, Sharapova is looking for her fifth WTA victory of 2004. She is ranked seventh in the world and is fifth in earnings this year at more than $1.4 million. She already has signed endorsement deals with Nike, NEC and Prince, and early next year she will begin marketing her own line of perfume.

In many ways, King is happy for Sharapova and what she has done for women's tennis. Since King founded the WTA in 1971, annual prize money has soared from $350,000 to more than $60 million. King, 60, wants Sharapova to be given the respect she fought so hard to attain after that historic win over Riggs. She wants Sharapova to be appreciated for her booming serve and strong groundstrokes, not as a Kournikova look-alike who chases endorsements harder than she chases opponents' drop shots.

What concerns King most is the exploitation of Sharapova. She would like her to be recognized as a wonderful tennis player who happens to be beautiful, instead of a supermodel who happens to play tennis.For Sharapova, that means playing tennis - and lots of it. Next week will mark her 20th tournament of the year. And at the age of 17, King believes that is simply too much. "I've already talked to her about it," King said. "I'm worried she's playing too much. I'm concerned already. She loves to play tennis and I never want the passion to be taken away from her. I want her to think about her schedule, not just think about the dollars. Most players think so much about money now that they make bad decisions for longevity."

Vote!!! - Not this, Again

Redskins lose - Kerry wins???

The Washington Redskins lost to the Green Bay Packers on a contoversial flag that may have cost them a win. But that flag and loss may be good news for John Kerry. If history holds, the 28-14 result portends a victory for Kerry on Tuesday because the result of the Redskins' final home game before the presidential election has always accurately predicted the White House winner. If the Redskins win, the incumbent party wins. If they lose, the incumbent party is ousted. The streak began in 1933, when the Boston Braves were renamed the Redskins. Since then, beginning with Franklin Roosevelt's re-election in 1936, the trend has held, including a 2000 Redskins loss to the Tennessee Titans that predicted George W. Bush's win over Al Gore. Clinton Portis celebrated the apparent winning touchdown with a leap into the end zone, capping a 43-yard reception that gave the Redskins a one-point lead with 2:35 to play. Oops. Erase that touchdown. Late flag on the play. Receiver James Thrash was whistled for illegal motion, a call Thrash didn't understand and one that Washington coach Joe Gibbs called ``an absolute mystery.'' The flag was apparently thrown because Thrash was not set for a full second after going into motion on the play. He said he didn't want to comment on the call because he ``didn't know for sure'' if it was the right one. The Packers gained 361 yards, becoming the first team this season to tally more than 300 yards on the Redskins, whose defense entered the game ranked No. 1 after facing a string of weak offenses. Washington, meanwhile, still hasn't scored more than 18 points in a game. Fans booed quarterback Mark Brunell frequently and chanted for backup Patrick Ramsey several times. ``You don't feed off it, you never want it to happen and you certainly hear it,'' said Brunell, who went 25-for-44 for 218 yards with two touchdowns to Rod Gardner, two interceptions and was sacked four times. ``It's frustrating because you're not going to be perfect. You're not going to hit every throw. You'd certainly like to, but you just go out there and do your best.'' Favre picked on a secondary missing strong safety Matt Bowen, out for the season with a knee injury, and rookie Sean Taylor, inactive following his arrest Thursday on a drunken driving charge.