Rich Hofmann | Freewheeling offense a bye goner?
Because it's still the exhibition season for the NFL's good teams, the Eagles really don't have a cause for worry, not yet. Spells such as this one happen to teams. They still have a couple of weeks to get things figured out.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Paul Domowitch | A bear of a linebacker
John Welbourn, who earned a degree in rhetoric from California before he started blocking for a living, was searching for the words to describe Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. He didn't have to search long.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

John Smallwood | Can't beat Birds defense
Eagles cornerback Troy Vincent refers to it as the time to "bow up." Free safety Brian Dawkins says it's just a "state of mind." Presented a 19-13 advantage with less than 4 minutes in the game, all the Eagles defense had to do to close out a third straight victory was stop the Chicago Bears from driving 75 yards and scoring a touchdown.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Dawkins admits he played with big fine on his mind
Brian Dawkins was insistent at the end of last week that he was going to continue to play his hard-hitting game, $50,000 fine or no $50,000 fine. But then they blew the whistle yesterday at Memorial Stadium and kicked the ball and, well, you wondered.
( By RICH HOFMANN, hofmanr@phillynews.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Landeta boots one
Crunch Time is a compilation of hits and misses from yesterday's game.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Bears clearly still mad about Hugh
Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas swore he wasn't politicking. Still, he'd seen several defenders, including teammate Brian Dawkins, severely fined by the NFL for hits deemed excessively dangerous and unnecessary. Big Hugh wondered aloud what the league might do to Chicago offensive tackle Marc Colombo for the unnecessary-roughness penalty he received for a late hit on Douglas during the first quarter of yesterday's 19-13 Eagles victory.
( By JOHN SMALLWOOD, smallwj@phillynews.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Reid thinks long about sneaking McNabb
A year ago, the Eagles were absolutely inept on third down. Converted just 30.9 percent of their third-down opportunities, which was the third-worst number in the league.
( By PAUL DOMOWITCH, pdomo@aol.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Akers not weather-beaten
Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor gloom of night can keep this kicker from his appointed rounds. Because on a truly rotten day on the prairie, the Eagles' David Akers still delivered.
( By RICH HOFMANN, hofmanr@phillynews.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Unlocking the keys
Daily News sports writer Paul Domowitch looks at three keys for each team in his Scouting Report in Eagles Playbook each week. Here, we put those keys to a reality check.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

WEEK 9 ROUNDUP: Highlights, lowlights
TONIGHT Opponents: Dolphins (5-2) at Packers (6-1) Line: Packers by 4 ½ Over/under: 41 ½ Story line: Dolphins "D" has a dilemma: Injured Brett Favre will be vulnerable, but league has all hits under the microscope this week.
( By PAUL VIGNA, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

49ers' Cortez makes up for miss
Jose Cortez seized his second chance to win the Battle of the Bay - and Jerry Rice didn't get much of a chance at all. After missing a short kick as regulation ended, Cortez made a 23-yard field goal 8 minutes, 41 seconds into overtime as visiting San Francisco beat Oakland yesterday, 23-20.
( Daily News Wire Services, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Struggling Colts run over by Titans
The Tennessee Titans didn't need big plays from Steve McNair or Eddie George. A little ball control and a strong defensive effort were enough yesterday.
( Associated Press, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Any way you say it, MacCulloch's ailing
You say Mah-cull-uh, he says Mah-cull-uk. You say Todd MacCulloch needs to be on the court longer for the 76ers, neither he nor coach Larry Brown argues the point.
( By PHIL JASNER, jasnerp@phillynews.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Time to toughen up
WITH THE first month of the NHL season done, teams with problems are starting to make moves. Last week, the Washington Capitals sent tough guy Chris Simon to Chicago for the skilled Michael
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Blue Jackets in rare comeback win
It has taken 3 years for the Columbus Blue Jackets to learn how to come back and win. The Blue Jackets won for only the second time in franchise history when trailing after two periods, scoring two power-play goals and playing frantic defense at the finish to beat the visiting Buffalo Sabres, 3-2, last night.
( Daily News Wire Services, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Oklahoma replaces Miami as No. 1 team in AP Top 25
A shaky win by Miami against one of the worst teams in the country became a big loss when the Associated Press Top 25 poll was released yesterday.
( Daily News Wire Services, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Mike Kern | BCS plays out as contenders fall
National: Iowa State quarterback Seneca Wallace had a school-record 493 yards of total offense in a 42-35 win over Missouri. Local: Villanova's Brett Gordon passed for 256 yards and four touchdowns in a "must" win over William & Mary, 41-20.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Owls look for bowl eligibility
BOBBY WALLACE has been coaching on North Broad Street for 5 years. He says this Temple football team might be the best that has played there in a long time. He's probably right.
( By MIKE KERN, kernm@phillynews.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Shaq toes punch line
REMEMBER THE HIGHLY entertaining fight between the Lakers' Rick Fox and Kings' Doug Christie a little more than a week ago? It started on the court when Christie threw the ball at Fox, who hit Christie with an open hand. Christie then punched Fox in the jaw.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Magic going easy on Hill's tender ankle
The Orlando Magic wants to be cautious with Grant Hill's sore ankle, and insists the star forward would be able to play if this were the playoffs.
( Daily News Wire Services, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Seeking ayes of the Tigers
Dan Concannon's friends know the ground rules by now. Sometimes, Dan is able to hang out like a regular teenager, but other times it doesn't even make sense to ask him.
( By TED SILARY, silaryt@phillynews.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

So does Malvern's Meehan, who's hoping for early admission
The parents of prospective Malvern Prep students perhaps suspected their collective leg was being pulled. Before recently giving a speech to plug his school, Michael Meehan, who goes 6-3, 245 pounds, tapped out a tune.
( By TED SILARY, silaryt@phillynews.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

West Catholic's Brinkley sets season rushing mark
These days, rare is the football game in which Curtis "Boonah" Brinkley does not make history. Saturday, above and beyond end zones, Brinkley stepped into Mighty Special Territory.
( By TED SILARY, silaryt@phillynews.com, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Bambies advance
St. Hubert got a goal from Amanda Pote in the second overtime period on Saturday to defeat Cardinal O'Hara, 2-1, in the Catholic League girls' soccer semifinal.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Kixx get two victories over weekend
It was a winning weekend for the Kixx. Philadelphia defeated the host Harrisburg Heat 6-4 in overtime yesterday, one day after beating the visiting Baltimore Blast, 17-10.
( 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

Singh finally wins Tour Championship
Annoyed by his two previous failures at East Lake, Vijay Singh left nothing to chance in the Tour Championship in Atlanta. After working overtime on a swing he could trust, and rehearsing a 3-iron shot to the 18th in case it came down to the final hole, Singh finally got his revenge on East Lake by closing with a 3-under 67 to win with a total of 12-under 268.
( Daily News Wire Services, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)

DAILY NEWS LIVE
( 11/04/2002 04:33 AM EST)

New York hopes to host 2012 Games
Now that New York has won the U.S. nomination to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, it has to convince the world it's the best choice.
( Daily News Wire Services, 11/04/2002 03:01 AM EST)