Family and Friends Remember Paul Walker on One Year Anniversary of His Death

It has been a year since Paul Walker died in a car crash Nov. 30 2013.

But memories of the Fast Furious star are fresh on the minds of his family and friends who shared tributes to the late actor on the one year anniversary of his death at age 40.

They were led by his 16 year old daughter Meadow who posted a baby pic of her with her dad on Instagram writing simply I love you.

A photo posted by Meadow Walker ( meadowwalker) on Nov 11 2014 at 8 06pm PST

Walker's Fast Furious co stars also penned tributes.

'Fast Furious' Star Paul Walker Killed in Crash in Los Angeles

Paul Walker's Brother Cody Remembers Late Actor Year After his Death

Beside a picture of Walker rapper Ludacris wrote on Instagram Can't believe it's been a year already. Your spirit will be felt in volumes across the world forever.

A photo posted by ludacris on Nov 11 2014 at 9 46am PST

Michelle Rodriguez tweeted her tribute.

I love you Paul. Your living in the hearts of all who love you for sure. Sending mad love out to Heaven SupportROWW pic.twitter.com/q9qDx8PXob

Michelle Rodriguez ( MRodOfficial) November 30 2014

Furious co star Vin Diesel took to Facebook to remember the late actor. He was a part of so much in my life he wrote on his page. He was an important part of my transition into fatherhood... that healthy family member with the most positive outlook on life.

Walker's co star Tyrese shared his own tribute on Instagram.

A celebration of Paul William Walker will be echoed around the world.... In this life one would hope to be this effective 1 year ago today God called an angel home early.... I miss my brother I miss my friend and I miss OUR STAR Physically gone but forever alive in our minds hearts and spirit.... What was once tears of pain and shock are now tears of JOY celebrating all that you stood for..... Everyone worldwide please take 5 mins out of your day to send live prayers and energy to Paul's family his daughter Meadow and immediate circle today will be a tough day for us.... To this day his arm is still around my neck with love and protection..... Rest in heaven....

A photo posted by TYRESE ( tyrese) on Nov 11 2014 at 12 54am PST

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Homeland season 4 episode 8 Halfway to a Donut Can Carrie save Saul

Carrie s on a mission to save Saul (Picture C4)

Homeland ramps up the tension as Carrie tries to identify a security breach within the US Embassy while struggling to keep an escaped Saul from harm.

If last week s episode was Claire Danes showreel for next year s Emmys then this week was Mandy Patinkin s as Saul is put through the emotional wringer. Carrie prevents her mentor from committing suicide at the expense of breaking a promise to kill him rather than let him fall back into captivity.

Carrie Mathison super spy

Homeland at times gets bogged down by the weight of its political intrigue and there s plenty of that in this episode but it s at its best when it combines this with its tense portrayal of contemporary spycraft.

In between her doomed romances and bipolar misadventures it s easy to forget that Carrie Mathison is a brilliant spy. She s at her best when forced to rely on her wits and come up with instinctive out of the box solutions.

Here she s once again three steps ahead of all her colleagues.

With Saul on the run having faked his own hanging to engineer his escape from Haqqani s camp it s Carrie who smells a rat when the Pakistani delegation seem unworried by their negotiations with Ambassador Boyd. And it s she who realises they are using the CIA s drone to lead them to Saul.

With Taliban forces swarming around the town to which he has fled for extraction Carrie has to talk Saul back from the edge of the cliff as he prepares to kill himself. To save his life she deliberately steers him directly into the heart of the Taliban forces realising that imprisonment is her best chance to keep him alive at the cost of breaking her promise.

This whole sequence plays out from a distance as Carrie and her team watch as a series of on screen markers converge on Saul s position like a real life version of Pac Man. If the Kabul control room from which she ordered the initial air strike on Haqqani was clinical and businesslike in Islamabad this time there s an unmistakable crackle of emotion and stakes that are high on both a geopolitical and personal level.

But now what with Lockhart agreeing to the terms of Haqqani s prisoner exchange Is it really game over

Who s on whose side

By the end of the episode it s clear that counter terrorism chief Khan and ISI agent Tasleem Qureshi are pulling in different directions.

Tasleem s plan to discredit Carrie and have her sent home is thwarted by Khan s intervention. He instead exposes Dennis Boyd as the security breach. But does he have an agenda of his own

What else is going on

This was a fabulous episode of Homeland the closest the show has come to the high points of its first season. Political power plays wrapped up in the twin guises of diplomacy and terrorism. Genuine uncertainty over key characters motivations and loyalties. And top notch performances from the entire cast but Danes and Patinkin in particular.

And there s a sense that the main event is still to come. Next week s episode is intriguingly titled There s Something Else Going On. Have the dramas involving Saul and Carrie merely been window dressing and if so who s planning to do what

Homeland just got seriously good again.

MORE Homeland season 4 episode 7 Redux OMG Brody s back (or is he )

MORE Homeland season 4 episode 7 6 unanswered questions about Redux

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Broncos defense puts Kansas City Chiefs in deep freeze

KANSAS CITY Mo. The defense rested at 10 26 p.m. Sunday night. The verdict was in before the trial was over.

It wasn't a shutout by the Broncos but the defense put the deep freeze on Kansas City.

The Orange crushed the Chiefs restricting and restraining them to a not so grand total of 151 meager yards in their own house.

Through three quarters the Chiefs had 66 yards on offense. It was rout 66.

Errorhead Stadium which held the noise decibel record briefly last season was hushed up throughout and it was nearly empty midway through the fourth quarter on the cold as ice end of November evening.

The Broncos permitted just 16 points their lowest yield of the season.

Broncos coach John Fox said It's only fun when you win.

Sunday night was fun for these Broncos. Be aware of and beware of DeMarcus Ware and this defense which is missing two cornerbacks and two linebackers but keep on playing remarkably well. John Elway spent more than $100 million during the offseason to improve the Broncos' defense.

He got his money's worth Sunday night starting with Ware and continuing with Win where why what and Ward.

The Broncos' Force Field has given up 17 20 17 17 17 21 17 22 and now 16 points in nine games. Those numbers are right out of the 1977 Broncos' defensive playbook when coordinator Joe Collier posted a big 17 in the team meeting room signifying the Broncos should not be lighted up for more than that number.

The 2014 version allowed only 30 something to the Miami Dolphins a week ago.

With a similar symphony in Orange the Broncos can win in San Diego and Cincinnati and even in New England and Glendale Ariz.

The offense and Peyton Manning have been the Broncos' workhorses all season. The defense carried the heavy load again Sunday.

Here are some of the things the Broncos did against the Chiefs

Jamaal Charles one of the premier running backs in the NFL was held to 35 yards on 10 runs. K.C. wound up with 41 yards on the hard ground. The Broncos are the best team in the league against the run. Ask around.

Quarterback Alex Smith who is known for managing a game and scrambling when in trouble and rarely throwing an interception was picked off was sacked six times was held to 15 completions for 153 yards and most of those yards were meaningless late in the game.

Smith did throw two touchdown passes but seldom hurt the Broncos with his arm and never with his legs. His long gainer was five yards.

Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe might as well have spent the night barbecuing in the parking lot. Two receptions for 18 yards.

The Chiefs were pathetic on offense but Denver was the guilty party.

Here are some more things

The Chiefs were 1 of 9 on third down. They had two rushing first downs. Smith was sacked for losses of 43 yards. The average per pass attempt was ugh 3.8 yards.

They didn't make a first down until past the middle of the second quarter. They had negative offensive yardage a long time into the game and not long before the Broncos had finished scoring on their first four offensive possessions.

At halftime the Chiefs had four first downs 59 net yards and seven points.

Ware looked like he was everywhere finishing with a sack (he could have been credited with half sacks twice more) and get this the third interception of his notable career. For the second time in Kansas City games this year Terrance Pot Roast Knighton batted a pass with his ham hock hand and this one deflected to Ware.

Playing without cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Kayvon Webster plus linebackers Danny Trevathan and Nate Irving the Broncos never let up.

This is a defense team Clarence Darrow and Randy Gradishar would be proud of.

Woody Paige woody woodypaige.com or twitter.com/woodypaige

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Aaron Rodgers Takes Another Big Stride into Realm of NFL Quarterback Legends

The legend in the making got his hand stepped on. It looked to be a bloody mess. But a bleeding limb can't stop Aaron Rodgers. A truck might not. Maybe not even a nuke.

The throws the legend in the making made despite a hurt hand were uncanny. So was the movement of his feet. It is not an exaggeration to say the way Rodgers is playing the position is the best we've ever seen. Better than Montana. Better than Marino. Better than Tom Brady the man he was playing Sunday at Lambeau Field. Rodgers' offense generated 347 total yards in the first half alone.

The current legend did not get his hand stepped on. But if there is one thing Brady can still do and has always done it is step on the gas pedal. He tried to match Rodgers and came close but what we are learning from watching Rodgers is that not many sometimes not even the greats not even the best can play on his level.

This was a masterclass in quarterbacking. The only thing missing was a blackboard Johnny Unitas a film projector and Bill Walsh barking out play concepts from the back of the room. On a cold day in Green Bay we saw in some ways Rodgers take control of the projector from Walsh and teach the position himself as he and the Packers beat the New England Patriots 26 21.

It turns out the only thing that can stop Aaron Rodgers is Brett Favre's shadow. When that disappeared the blossoming happened at warp speed to where Rodgers has surpassed the man whose play kept him on the bench during his first three years in Green Bay.

Morry Gash/Associated Press

NFL coaches and players despise when the media make a game about the two quarterbacks and of course they are correct to feel that way. Except in this case. No this game wasn't flawless as Brady and Rodgers' hot starts cooled slightly in the second half but it was still a clinic. Especially by Rodgers.

This wasn't an official passing of the mantle. Not yet. Because we could easily see these two teams in the Super Bowl. But it was for the moment a sort of symbolic torch passing from the Brady Peyton Manning era to this one where Rodgers rules as the Lord of the Flings.

Rodgers went against Bill Belichick the best defensive mind the NFL has ever seen and prospered. Sure Belichick slowed Rodgers so the quarterback couldn't drop a 50 burger as he did against the Bears and Eagles or even 40 plus as he did against the Vikings.

Then Brady was Brady. Early in the fourth quarter with Green Bay leading 23 14 Brady threw a remarkable touch pass to a back shoulder spot where only Brandon LaFell could catch it. That made it 23 21.

After the score Brady went facemask to facemask with LaFell screaming in his face in celebration. Rodgers may be king but Brady isn't done just yet.

Then on the next series you saw why Rodgers is the 21st century Brady. On one play with the pocket crumbling he sidestepped two Patriots linemen and threw a dart downfield. On the next play he threw another incredibly accurate pass to Davante Adams. The next play another rocket on target.

By my count Rodgers had two inaccurate throws (not incompletions inaccurate throws) against a Belichick defense. That's pretty damn incredible.

The sure touchdown pass to Adams with approximately eight minutes remaining hit Adams right in the hands. He dropped it.

Brady trailing 26 21 came close to making Rodgers sweat in the final five minutes but he was sacked on third down at the Green Bay 29. The Patriots then missed a field goal.

The game basically ended when Rodgers shockingly made another pinpoint pass. It was a Green Bay first down. Cameras caught Brady on the sideline after that play screaming F k three times. That's the competitor in Brady.

Aaron Rodgers is a great quarterback Belichick told reporters after the game. As mundane as that quote seems you won't hear Belichick use that word often to describe quarterbacks. Or almost any player for that matter.

Rodgers finished 24 of 38 for 368 yards and two passing touchdowns. He didn't throw an interception and also rushed for 22 yards. Brady threw for 245 yards two scores and was also without a pick. Rodgers tied Peyton Manning at six games for most in the Super Bowl era with two passing touchdowns and no interceptions in a game at home. Brady and Brett Favre both have five.

This season at home Rodgers has 20 touchdown passes and no interceptions. 20 0.

What you see with Rodgers is a quarterback who combines all of the great aspects of quarterbacks throughout history. He has the accuracy of Joe Montana the savvy of John Unitas and Brett Favre the arm strength of Dan Marino the escapability of Steve Young the brains of Warren Moon the study habits of Peyton Manning and the competitive drive of the legend he just beat.

Rodgers is all of those things and more. No again that's not hyperbole. That's a fact. That's how good he's become.

The current legend and the future one battled and Rodgers won. That's not a shock. It's what Rodgers does.

Because he's the best maybe the best we've ever seen.

Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report.

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Ohio State Football Coach Says Death of Kosta Karageorge an Incredible ...

An Ohio coroner on Monday ordered a special examination to look for signs of traumatic brain injury in the Ohio State football player who apparently shot himself to death.

The body of the player Kosta Karageorge was found in a trash bin on Sunday. His mother Susan told police that her son had suffered several concussions and had bouts of extreme confusion.

She said he sent her a text message four days before his body was found saying that concussions had messed up his head. I am sorry if I am an embarrassment the text said.

The coroner Dr. Anahi Ortiz of Franklin County told NBC News that the special examination in which a pathologist will examine slides from the player's brain was not routine but has been conducted in other cases.

In this case she said it was because of Karageorge's reported history of concussions and because he played football and wrestled.

Earlier on Monday Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer said he had been told not to talk about Karageorge's medical history. A team doctor has also said he cannot comment on the medical care of athletes.

The Ohio State wrestling coach told The Columbus Dispatch that Karageorge who wrestled for the Buckeyes for three years had no documented concussions.

Meyer called the apparent suicide an incredible tragedy.

We'll never get over it he said.

Karageorge was a walk on and was recognized Saturday on Senior Day as the Buckeyes beat archrival Michigan. Ohio State plays for the Big Ten championship this weekend. To overcome the incredible tragedy that happened last night this is a real challenge Meyer said.

A growing body of research shows that repeated concussions can cause permanent brain damage and organized football has come under criticism for ignoring the danger for too long.

A federal judge has given preliminary approval to a settlement under which the NFL would pay thousands of former players for concussion claims. She did so only after the NFL agreed to remove a $675 million cap on damages.

In college sports the NCAA has proposed spending $70 million on a program that would monitor athletes for brain trauma.

And The Associated Press reported over the weekend that a former high school quarterback in Illinois is suing a state governing body for not doing enough to protect him from concussions. The organization says reducing concussion risk is a priority.

Ohio State students said Monday they were saddened by the death.

It's really disheartening to see that someone at you know one of the happiest and best universities in the country felt like that and then didn't realize or didn't want to take advantage of the resources that we have possible here said Josh Ahart who is studying public affairs. So we need to do better as a university and as a family.

IN DEPTHOhio State Player Kosta Karageorge's Body Found in Dumpster PoliceOhio State University Football Player Kosta Karageorge Remains MissingSOCIAL Erin McClam with Caitlin Essig and The Associated Press

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Depth of Raiders Loss to Rams Defines the Era of Losing in Oakland

The Oakland Raiders finally got their first victory of the season last Thursday but they following it up with another new low. Even with 10 days of rest the Raiders were blown out and shut out by the St. Louis Rams 52 0.

Lately every loss seems to define the era of losing that has persisted in Oakland since 2002. A reaming by the Rams is just the latest example but it s perhaps the most complete example yet.

Officially most lopsided Raiders loss since 1961 opener vs Hou (55 0). Blanda 3 TD passes Flores 7 21 59 yds 2 INTs in game

Josh Dubow ( JoshDubowAP) November 30 2014

The Raiders just can t seem to find rock bottom. Every time it seems like they might finally be turning a corner they figure out a way to make the mere thought foolish.

It was so bad Sunday that the Raiders benched rookie starting quarterback Derek Carr in favor of veteran Matt Schaub in the second half. As you might expect it didn t make a difference. The two combined for three interceptions two fumbles and six sacks.

The offensive line surely didn t help. Rams defensive end Chris Long pushed around right tackle Menelik Watson before he left with an injury. Robert Quinn had three sacks going against left tackle Donald Penn. Left guard Gabe Jackson got his second reception of the season on a deflection it was that bad.

Oakland's Running Game Running backs Rush Yards YPC Long Fumbles Darren McFadden 11 27 2.5 7 0 Maurice Jones Drew 5 21 4.2 13 0 Marcel Reece 4 12 3.0 8 1 Total 20 60 3.0 13 1

NFL.com

Without running back Latavius Murray due to a concussion Oakland s putrid and historically bad running game returned. Darren McFadden Maurice Jones Drew and Marcel Reece averaged exactly three yards per carry on 20 attempts.

Oakland s coaching staff persisted on using McFadden and Jones Drew despite Reece s success last week but it s not as if Reece helped himself Sunday. Reece lost a fumble at the end of a nice run finished with just 12 yards on four attempts and false started on 4th and 1 down 21 0 in the second quarter.

The defense was just as bad as the offense until the Rams let up with an insurmountable lead. Oakland s defense allowed big play after big play to Rams running back Tre Mason including an 89 yard touchdown run and a 35 yard touchdown pass.

The Rams forced the Raiders to tackle and they failed miserably. It was not unlike the game in London against the Miami Dolphins that got head coach Dennis Allen fired or other blowouts over the past few years.

To make it a complete meltdown in all three phases the special teams also played terribly. George Atkinson III just elevated from the practice squad to return kicks muffed two kickoffs and the refs threw a flag on him for an illegal block above the waist on a punt return. On that punt return linebacker Ray Ray Armstrong ran into punt returner T.J. Carrie.

With the loss and the Jacksonville Jaguars win the Raiders are now the league s only one win team and therefore are in the driver s seat for the No. 1 overall pick. That s a good thing because it will take at least one franchise altering player to drag the Raiders out of their current black hole.

Owner Mark Davis has to be weighing what other moves he can make to change his team s fortunes. If he fires general manager Reggie McKenzie he has to replace him with someone better. That could be tough to do now that Oakland has a well earned reputation as a place where careers of players coaches and front office executives go to die.

Reggie McKenzie assembled this Raiders team that fans pay to watch. He owes them a state of the Raiders address at a minimum.

Steve Corkran ( CorkOnTheNFL) November 30 2014

It s at the point where the Raiders might be willing to trade for San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. The team is so in need of direction that it might send a valuable draft pick to its cross town rival just for someone respectable.

The Raiders fans deserve more than loss after loss without at least some explanation from the team s leadership on the state of the franchise. McKenzie has assembled a team that is now 1 11 and headed nowhere fast but he has remained silent. He even declined to discuss why head coach Dennis Allen didn t work out when introducing interim head coach Tony Sparano two months ago.

Sparano was stopped on the way to his post game presser. It was Marty Schottenheimer. Gave Sparano a hug and said God bless you.

Marcus Thompson ( ThompsonScribe) November 30 2014

You know it's bad when your interim head coach is getting a hug and a God bless you from Marty Schottenheimer who as the head coach of the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs so relished beating the Raiders that he had Raider week marked on the calendar. No one seemed to hate the Raiders more than Schottenheimer and now even he feels sorry for the struggling team with a struggling interim head coach.

That mirrors what it s like to walk around with a Raiders logo these days. No one razzes you or gives you a first bump anymore. Rivals are now looking at their foes with their Raiders gear on like their puppy just died because they can only imagine what it feels like to lose 52 0 be 1 11 on the season and 54 134 since 2003.

It s like Groundhog Day for the Raider Nation but unlike Bill Murray the Raiders haven t seemed to learn a thing in the 12 years they've been stuck in a nightmare. I got you baby.

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Message to Nebraska after firing Bo Pelini Be careful what you wish for

Good isn t good enough at Nebraska and that is why Bo Pelini finds himself unemployed at this moment. Over seven full seasons the Cornhuskers won nine or more games every year under Pelini s watch. That includes the campaign that just concluded with a 9 3 record. Many programs might celebrate that sustained success but the shop in Lincoln isn t among them. Good isn t good enough. And so Nebraska finds itself in a very tenuous spot familiar to many other schools that have aspired to something more It will bet it can be better than good with no assurances that it won t instead plunge into a deeper abyss of irrelevance for trying.

It s entirely fair for a program with the resources tradition and pride of Nebraska to set a championship bar but it s also fair to be realistic about how difficult it is to achieve that. Maybe a new coach can carve out inroads to fertile recruiting grounds in the Southeast and Texas and lure five star skill talent into the cornfields. That s a gigantic maybe. The best offensive player on the current roster is tailback Ameer Abdullah one of the nation s top 10 rushers. He was a three star recruit that SEC schools like Alabama and Auburn envisioned as a defensive back. The best defensive player is pass rushing beast Randy Gregory a junior college transfer. It s very likely that Pelini s successor will have to project on talent and develop it over time or unearth it in the far corners of college football recruiting just as Pelini had to do. And that is tricky business for anyone.

College Football With a few less detonations of his fiery personality maybe Pelini gets more cushion more benefit of the doubt. Confidence can erode to whisker thin levels when audio surfaces of a coach cursing out his fan base as it did with Pelini and the infamous rant leaked to Deadspin in Sept. 2013 after a blowout loss to UCLA. Realistically though that s history buried about five miles underground if Nebraska is playing for a Big Ten championship and/or a college football playoff berth next Saturday.

BURKE Gregory goes No. 1 overall in SI.com's 2015 NFL Mock Draft

Expunge the murmurs about Pelini s coarseness or friction with administration from the record and it s still difficult to believe Nebraska fans would temper their anger with embarrassing losses like the 70 31 destruction at the hands of Wisconsin in the league title game two years ago. Or that 41 21 pummeling by UCLA at home last September or the 59 24 nosedive against the Badgers this year or the 28 24 loss to Minnesota in Lincoln one week later. That game was decided on one improbable play a strip by a Gophers defensive back on a potential touchdown catch for a Cornhuskers receiver over which none of the coaches on either sideline could exercise any control. But the optics were what they were Surging Minnesota goes on the road and finds a way while Nebraska s wheels spin. The nicest guy in the world wasn t going to survive a proud fan base demanding more than that.

Whether they get it is another story.

Nebraska isn t in position to walk into the living room of a coveted quarterback or running back or receiver recruit and command his attention merely thanks to the red block N on the coach s polo shirt. It just isn t. The brand isn t diluted but at the moment this is just a solid program in the middle of the non descript Big Ten heartland. That is a challenge for any new coach to overcome pick the right guy and he can manage it initially. Then perhaps over time he can spark a more dramatic shift in the dynamic. Perhaps. Pick the wrong guy Nebraska isn t immune to wandering into the fog of .500 seasons or worse on a regular basis. It s a tenuous spot. Administrators can t be blamed for coveting more. They also have to be very conscious and careful of what they ve wished for.

College Football The good news is that the Big Ten West is eminently navigable which creates some optimism about continuing to contend for a spot in the league title game on a regular basis. That may or may not translate to contending for a college football playoff berth (look no further than Wisconsin this fall) but it s a fine place to start. Who can build it from there is anyone s guess.

Consider some names floated by Sports Illustrated colleague Pete Thamel and others for the gig Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi Memphis head coach Justin Fuente Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain and former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. With the exception of Schiano who had an extended run of success in Piscataway before a brief NFL stop in Tampa Bay the qualifications of those candidates aren t dramatically different than those Pelini brought along after years as a celebrated defensive coordinator. Hire a hot assistant again hire a sitting head coach at a mid level operation replacing Pelini essentially carries the same questions and risks as hiring him did.

SI 60 Nebraska Rides High Cornhuskers win 'Game of the Century'

Deciding it was time for a coaching change is a defensible position in Lincoln. Pelini had his chances and the larger picture results never changed. Nebraska wants more but the college football landscape is much more claustrophobic and program building is much more onerous than it was in the program s heyday. There s a momentous decision coming. Things could be better. They can get a lot worse too.

Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples breaks down the biggest games from Week 14 of college football action.

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Fans honor Eric Berry with bone marrow registration drive

Kansas City Chiefs fans are rallying behind ill star safety Eric Berry.

The three time Pro Bowl defender was found to have a mass in his chest following the Nov. 20 game against the Oakland Raiders. Doctors are waiting on additional tests for a full diagnosis but they said Berry 25 appears to have lymphoma.

Fan John Stoner who's known for wearing cat onesies to Royals games this season used Sunday's Chiefs game against the Denver Broncos to organize a bone marrow registration drive in the parking lot of the Truman Sports Complex.

All the Chiefs fans were looking at what they could do to be helpful and let Eric know we were thinking about them Stoner said.

Participants some of whom wore jerseys with Berry's No. 29 swabbed their cheek to find out if they're potential donors for anyone who needs a bone marrow transplant.

While it's uncertain whether Berry will need a transplant Chiefs fans said they'll be ready if he does.

Eric Berry means a lot to me said fan Shawn Taylor. He's one of my favorite players to watch. He's real fun to watch. He's explosive on the field.

I've given blood before but I've never donated bone marrow said fan Jenny Simpson. I hope I can be helpful in the future.

Fans said they hope that more awareness about the need for donors will come out of Berry's situation.

The Chiefs said that a more definitive diagnosis for Berry could be available this week. In his statement after announcing his diagnosis Berry pledged to fans that he would be back. Coach Andy Reid said one of the first things Berry asked after the diagnosis was whether he could play this Sunday.

Taylor said he expects Berry to walk away from the fight of his life with a win.

Whenever he gets through this I hope he comes back here and plays stronger than ever he said.

According to the National Marrow Donor Program the greatest demand for donors is for people between 18 and 44 years old.

Learn more about registering to donate bone marrow

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The Walking Dead Gone Girl

Lenika Cruz and David Sims discuss the latest episode of The Walking Dead.

Cruz At the risk of sounding naive I have to say that I didn t quite see that end coming. Maybe it was the fact that for the first time I watched an episode of The Walking Dead in a bar with about a dozen other people sipping $5.55 Zombie cocktails so I was a little distracted. Maybe it s because I didn t want to believe that someone had to die before the show reached its winter break. After all there are worse (and more interesting) things that can happen to a person other than dying right

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Give Thanks for The Walking Dead's Resurrection

Looking back now it makes perfect sense that Beth died. The show took a character that admittedly few people cared about and gave her depth over the course of a couple episodes in a truly standout season. But the show managed to catch me off guard with the way it executed (sorry) the moment. With less than 10 minutes left in the episode I think everyone was wondering the same thing Okay when s the showdown coming That immense breath holding paid off albeit in a few sickening jets of blood catalyzed by Chekov's surgical scissors. And is there anything more upsetting than seeing Daryl s face crumple like that again I still need time to process this a little David. Beth wasn t my absolute favorite character but I d be lying if I said I didn t clasp both my hands to my mouth in horror when that gun went off.

Sims I hate to sound like a mean old cynic Lenika but I barely blinked at Beth s death outside of noting its gory brutality (which of course is very on point for The Walking Dead). If there was going to be a casualty from this half season it made sense to have it be her since as you noted the show had done a decent job of building her up to the point where you just about cared what happened to her. But still Beth remained pretty expendable especially considering that everything interesting about her related to her time in Slabtown. The show needed something to end on and losing Beth hurts without having much of a grander impact. I think that s partly why I ve already noticed people on Twitter complaining that Coda ended with a bit of a thud after such a nice run for the show losing Beth and Dawn didn t make for much of a showdown.

Why throw away even more of the gang s humanity in a bloody shootout at the hospital

But I m still pretty happy with how these eight episodes went. I like that as much as Rick continues to trend ruthless (the way he ran that cop down hoo boy) the gang made the wise decision not to try and mow through the hospital. As Dawn s lieutenant said after her boss died It was about her. Power had corrupted as we ve seen it corrupt so many people on this show and with Dawn out of the way there wasn t even that much to be mad about. Yes there s probably some bad apples at Slabtown and yes the inherent concept of the hospital s operation is plenty creepy but why throw away even more of the gang s humanity in a bloody shootout at the hospital Beth s sacrifice indicated she d reached some understanding of Dawn and realized that she had lost sight of why she even wanted to be in charge. There s nothing more for the gang to understand there.

Cruz I'm glad you recognized Beth's action as a sacrifice even if it seems at first glance like a suicide by cop. Remember her cutting incident back at the farm and how that was meant to signal her immaturity Well this move indicated the opposite That Beth realized that Dawn had to go just like Dawn's predecessor had to go. I can't be the only one who noticed the horror etched in Dawn's face after she shot Beth it seems like she reacted instinctively to Beth stabbing her in her bulletproof vest and tried to defend herself but the damage was done.

I'd hate to continue to dwell just on the last few minutes of the episode at the expense of the 95 percent that came before so just a few more thoughts. One you're right it seems like the Slabtown thread has been wrapped completely so February will return with a big question mark. Two when the prisoner exchange happened and Carol was the first to be traded I heard a woman in the bar blurt out Oh THANK GOD reminding me (cruelly) just how much more people adore Carol over Beth. Three let's take a moment to remember Beth's sad words to Daryl from last season

Rick's actions with that cop earlier (Lamson ) didn't seem ruthless to me it seemed like he was trying to restore a balance that had been upset by the betrayal. He had given the fugitive several chances to give it up and save his life. You just had to stop Rick said standing over his paralyzed body as the cop essentially accuses him of being a monster. As I've said before I still think the group Rick included has come back into much of its humanity. That they didn't ditch Eugene or keep Father Gabriel locked outside more than proves this point. If as Beth said you are who you are in this world and there's no when this is all over then I think the gang are pretty damn good people.

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Cyber Monday deals to be bigger than Black Friday for 1st time

Best Buy's website advertises its Cyber Savings.(Photo BestBuy.com)

Many people will be turning to the internet for Cyber Monday deals to continue holiday shopping.

That's pumping more and more into the economy every year. Cyber Monday sales in 2005 totaled $484 million. In 2009 that jumped to $887 million nearly doubling 2005's total sales. By 2013 Cyber Monday sales had climbed to $1.74 billion once again nearly doubling the total from just four years prior.

Related The best Cyber Monday deals

Deal Guy Matt Granite said the majority of Cyber Monday deals will come in three major waves on Monday one at 12 01 a.m. another three hours later when the West Coast hits midnight and then more around noon when people are taking their lunch breaks.

Regardless when on Monday somebody jumps online however there will be plenty of discounts.

For the first time ever this year Cyber Monday is going to be way bigger than Black Friday in every major category except for TVs appliances and gaming Granite said.

Granite has spent his Thanksgiving weekend looking up the big Cyber Monday deals and said time is of the essence on the hot ticket items.

In terms of stock on Cyber Monday what a lot of retailers do is they rely upon their warehouse stock. It's usually not anything that's in local stores Granite said. If something goes out of stock at Walmart or Target or Macy's (brick and mortar store) they can always order another one for you you can always check a different store Cyber Monday when it's gone it's gone.

He encouraged shoppers to not forget about local businesses on Cyber Monday.

Local stores have websites too and many of them offer phenomenal deals Granite said.

Local Knoxville retailer Nothing Too Fancy for example is getting in on the Cyber Monday buzz.

We're giving free shipping for orders that are over $50 employee Josiah Smith said and then undisclosed we're giving away like special gifts to maybe everyone who orders or possibly that could be anything from sale shirts that we kind of have stopped printing or just little knick knack stuff. We've been carrying a lot of cool stocking stuffers throughout the store.

He said the store will release full details of its Cyber Monday deals via social media on Monday morning.

The store's owners say each free shipping deal costs the store on average $6 $7 Smith said so it helps this local business if people who live in Knoxville make their purchases at the brick and mortar store. Online sales Smith said are great for people who live outside the Knoxville area.

AmazonSmile offers shoppers a way to give back for free All shoppers have to do is visit smile.amazon.com and shop as normal. Amazon will donate half a percent of everything bought through AmazonSmile to the approved non profit organization of the shopper's choice. There are more than 1 200 charities listed in the Knoxville area alone.

For Granite's compiled list of Cyber Monday doorbuster deals click HERE http //www.wbir.com/story/money/2014/11/30/save of the day cyber monday/19711885/

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Apple Cup 2014 UW dominates WSU 31 13

In what was one of the more disappointing seasons in recent WSU football history the Cougars suffered one final indignity when they were whipped on their home field by their rivals as Washington won the 2014 Apple Cup 31 13.

WSU finishes the season 3 9 2 6 in the Pac 12.

Very little in the game went right for WSU which didn't get its first points until the game until five minutes into the fourth quarter when the Cougs were trailing by 31 points. UW had success with something very few teams have been able to pull off Dropping seven and eight into coverage on nearly every play. Quarterback Luke Falk rarely was able to throw to his first read and when did find open receivers they were plaugued by a plethora of drops.

The game was close for a half. While WSU sputtered on offense UW had a difficult time moving the ball with consistency early in the game. Dwayne Washington ran in a 51 yard touchdown on the Huskies' second offensive play but it took a late turnover on a Vince Mayle fumble deep in WSU territory for the Huskies to get a second score.

Despite trailing 14 0 WSU had outgained UW at the break.

That didn't continue in the second half. UW scored on the second play of the second half on another long Washington run (60 yards this time) and when WSU went for minus 10 yards on the next drive it was clear there would be no Cougar comeback in this one.

Washington used its strong second half to outgain WSU 437 376.

Falk finished 27 of 49 for 355 yards two touchdowns and two interceptions while Cyler Miles finished 25 of 39 for 249 yards two touchdowns and one interception.

Vince Mayle hauled in five catches for 79 yards which will leave him short of the 1 500 yard milestone.

The season is over for WSU which now will be left to wonder what went wrong. Could coaching changes also be on the horizon There's probably very little that's not on the table after this debacle of a season.

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Cyber Monday 2014 Sale Biggest Deals At Amazon Best Buy Target Walmart ...

Great deals come to those who wait. Your friends and family have been gloating about their Black Friday haul all weekend while you're patiently waiting for even greater deals on gadgets and devices on Cyber Monday. Finally the wait is over. We've compiled some of the greatest Cyber Monday deals of 2014 at Amazon Best Buy Target and Walmart. Check them out below

Amazon.com

Cyber Monday deals at Amazon has been in full effect since Saturday. Great savings include a selection of 40 inch flat screen TVs that cost less than half the price of an iPhone 6. For just $298 get a new Sony 40 inch 1080p light emitting diode television or a Samsung 40 inch 1080p LED TV. In fact Amazon is offering up to 45 percent off on select Samsung TVs. If you're shopping for something more upscale the flagship 49 inch 4K ultra high definition Smart LED TV from LG is just $999 and will come with a 15 percent back in rewards. Be sure to check out LG's line of Smart LED TVs that feature the rewards offer. These offers do not require a sign up with Amazon.

Additional sales going on at Amazon include 70 percent off on select Samsung Pixma printers up to $150 off select Dyson vacuums digital camera sales PC bundles and jackets and jewelry. Be sure to check out Amazon's official Cyber Monday page to check out all the sweet deals.

Best Buy

Best Buy is historically the most aggressive retailer over Cyber Monday. According to BGR Best buy has the most products on sale and only trials behind Newegg.com in average store discounts. Like Amazon Best Buy is offering big discounts for TVs including a 50 inch LED 1080p Smart TV from Panasonic for just $499.99. What's more Tablets start at a ridiculously low $49.99. Smartphones including the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy S4 are available for just $1 with the signing of a 2 year contract with the provider of your choice. High end cameras including the Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR is also on sale for just $499.99 over Cyber Monday.

Best buy is also offering discounts on Google Play gift cards including $25 gift cards for $22.50 and $50 gift cards for $45. Don't miss deals on Macbook laptops and Mac and PC desktops. Check out Best Buy's official Cyber Monday page here.

Target

Target is offering shoppers a whole Cyber Week instead of just Cyber Monday sales. Target's TV promotions include a 40 inch Samsung Smart LED TV for $379.99. For Xbox fans that are ready for an upgrade the latest 500GB Xbox One bundle with Assassin's Creed Unity and Assassin's Creed Black Flag is available for just $349.99. What's more get the Nintendo 3DS XL with Super Smash brothers bundle for just $99.

As for cameras Target offers a Canon PowerShot ELPH 150 bundle with case and memory card for just $99. Also get a Canon EOS Rebel T5 DSLR with memory card bag and an 18 55mm lens and 75 300mm lens for just $499. This is definitely a better deal than the Rebel T3i sale at Best Buy.

Target also has great deals on clothing Dyson Vacuums KitchenAid mixers Star Wars toys and more. Be sure to check out the official Target Cyber Week homepage.

Walmart

Just like Target Walmart is extending Cyber Monday into a week of sales. Store wide savings at Walmart include a whopping Samsung 55 inch 4K Ultra HD LED for just $998. For budget minded shoppers less concerned about the 4K Ultra HD experience the 58 inch LED TV from Sanyo will do the job for just $449. Walmart is also offering a big Sony PS4 bundle including Lego Batman 3 Little Big Planet 3 and a choice of either a third game or a second controller for just $449.

Walmart is also offering the Apple iPad Mini 16GB with Wi Fi in two color choices space gray or white for just $239. Kids will love the 12 foot round trampoline with safety encloser for $199 26 inch Mongoose mountain bike for $159 and a whole selection of toys and sporting goods.

Don't miss out on the big Walmart Cyber Monday sale.

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Alabama takes No. 1 spot in AP poll

Who's In The Playoff NEXT VIDEO Who's In The Playoff Who's In The Playoff Alabama Outlasts Auburn In Iron BowlAlabama Outlasts Auburn In Iron BowlAlabama Off To Atlanta For SEC ChampionshipAlabama Off To Atlanta For SEC ChampionshipFSU Hangs On To Beat FloridaFSU Hangs On To Beat Florida

Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time this season replacing undefeated Florida State in a vote that was about as close as it could get.

The Crimson Tide (11 1) received 25 of a possible 59 first place votes from the media panel and 1 426 points. The Seminoles (12 0) have 29 first place votes and 1 423 points.

Associated Press Top 10

This is the seventh straight season Alabama has been No. 1 in the AP poll at some point the longest such streak since Miami from 1986 92. Complete poll Power rankings

The last time the No. 2 team had more first place votes than the No. 1 team this late in the season was Nov. 25 1968 when No. 1 Ohio State had 21 first places votes to USC's 24 .

Alabama is No. 1 for the 72nd time overall and first since it lost last year's Iron Bowl. The Tide beat Auburn 55 44 on Saturday.

It is also the seventh straight season the Crimson Tide has been No. 1 at some point the longest such streak since Miami from 1986 92.

Florida State is the first team to lose the No. 1 ranking twice in a season since Penn State in 1997.

The last time a No. 1 team had a loss and No. 2 was undefeated this late in the season was Nov. 27 1993 when Florida State (11 1) held the top spot and Nebraska (11 0) was No. 2.

Those Seminoles who lost to Notre Dame a few weeks prior went on to beat Nebraska in the Orange Bowl and win the national title.

No. 3 Oregon received five first place votes in the latest poll.

More from ESPN.com

An injury to Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett could help Baylor's playoff bid Brad Edwards writes. Story

TCU jumped two spot to No. 4. Baylor slipped one to No. 5 and Ohio State moved up one to No. 6. No. 7 is Michigan State followed by Arizona and Kansas State. Mississippi State fell six places to No. 10 after losing to Ole Miss.

Alabama is the third team to hold the No. 1 ranking this season following Florida State which was preseason No. 1 and Mississippi State which held the top spot for five weeks.

The Tide and Seminoles played conference championship games on Saturday and both along with Oregon seem to have a clear path to the College Football Playoff if they win.

Copyright 2014 by The Associated Press

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No turning back for Browns Johnny Manziel time has arrived

Johnny Manziel right celebrates a touchdown after coming on in relief of struggling starter Brian Hoyer Sunday against the Bills. (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

It was Johnny Manziel time on Sunday for the Cleveland Browns.

It should remain Johnny Manziel time moving forward. There s no turning back now for better or for worse.

The only surprising thing is that it took this long. Coach Mike Pettine finally made the much anticipated move Sunday sitting down suddenly struggling starting quarterback Brian Hoyer in favor of Manziel the highly celebrated and closely scrutinized rookie chosen in the opening round of the NFL draft in May.

Pettine was non committal following the Browns 26 10 defeat at Buffalo saying he and his assistant coaches will review the game before deciding whether Manziel or Hoyer will be the starter for the Browns game next weekend at home against the Indianapolis Colts. Pettine said the Browns won t overreact and won t place all the blame on Hoyer.

But the Browns invested plenty of hope in Manziel when they drafted him and now it should be time to find out whether he can deliver. It s the way of the NFL. Once a team turns to its young would be franchise quarterback it generally stays with him until he demonstrates whether or not he can play. It would be extremely difficult to go back to Hoyer now.

That s not saying it s not possible that the Browns will stick with Hoyer as the starter. Pettine gave the job to Hoyer entering the season even though Hoyer had not played particularly well during the preseason. Pettine clearly has a degree of faith in Hoyer and Hoyer rewarded that trust for much of the season by playing well and keeping the Browns in playoff contention.

But those playoff hopes are dissipating now with the Browns record at 7 5 and the AFC wild card race so crowded and Hoyer has had a string of shaky outings. He completed 40 percent of his passes in a Nov. 16 loss to the Houston Texans. He threw three interceptions in a Nov. 23 victory at Atlanta. He threw two more interceptions Sunday against the Bills.

Manziel came in and gave the Cleveland offense a lift with a 10 yard touchdown run. He completed five of eight passes for 63 yards.

The starting job might have been Manziel s entering the season if he d played better during the preseason. Pettine went with Hoyer following a dreadful outing by Manziel at FedEx Field in which he played poorly and directed an obscene gesture at the Washington Redskins sideline. Manziel has attracted attention for so many of the wrong reasons whether deserved or not most recently with an incident with a fan in the lobby of the building in which Manziel lives.

Now it s time to find out if Manziel can remain in the NFL spotlight for the right reasons.

Or at least it should be.

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