Midnight Man

Well, by now you’ve probably seen The Walking Dead mid-season finally, if you haven’t it would not be wise to read this review; it does have spoilers in it. So, if you haven’t seen it yet it is recommended that you wait until you have. Here goes, you have been warned. It starts out with Rick running down Bob, the second Bob to die in a very few episodes. Did you catch the line that Rick gave him just before he shot him in the head and told him to shut up? He said, “You can’t go back, Bob”, that’s the same line that Gareth said to the other Bob as he was eating his leg, which just goes to show you that Rick Grimes doesn’t mess around, he became sickened of negotiating while trying it with the Governor, he seems convinced that talking doesn’t solve anything. The only thing that matters in this world of the walking dead is ‘pure naked force’. Also, it proves that he is a sociopath. Anyone not in his family group can die by his hand and it doesn’t give him one moment’s grief. The priest Gabriel is an idiot, he doesn’t seem to understand the whole ‘the walking dead will tear you apart and eat you’ thing, he’s learning though. He’s also beginning to understand that there are people left in this world that will not be kind, will not be considerate and probably will not care that you wear a collar. He found Bob’s leg on the barbecue grill where Gareth and his friends left it. That might have been enough to convince him about the true nature of things. He’ll come around, or he’ll die. Abraham and the rest are back after Eugene revealed that he’s not the savior of the human race and that Washington is not the answer to the world’s problems. They pulled up, with that big old fire truck, just in the nick of time to save the day. Just as the walkers are about to bust back out of the church and eat everyone, including the baby. Luckily, the walkers are too dumb to know how to crawl out through a hole in the floor. Maggie gets the news that her sister is still alive and they decide that they should go help rescue her. Beth and Dawn prevent a coup by one of Dawn’s fellow officers at the hospital by pushing him down an elevator shaft where they usually dump the dead. Dawn proves that she will do anything to maintain control, even if she has to kill those who help her to maintain it. Although, we do get to see a softer side of her nature, she did save Carol by giving Beth the key to the drug cabinet and she did cover up the fact that Beth killed Gorman by smashing the lollypop jar over his head and feeding him to Joan. She tries to teach Beth about the political structure of the hospital and that control is a very fragile thing, but she just comes off seeming even pettier than she usually does. There are some that are very unhappy with the ending of this one, this one could be considered as sad as the mid-season finally where Hershel died. The writers, the producers and even the actors spent a considerable amount of time building up Emily Kinney’s character, Beth, not to mention Dawn, and then just killed her off. WHAT!! Really! Well, that’s just what they did. And poor Maggie, how many people is she going to lose? Her losses started with Otis (remember the guy that accidentally shot Carl) and have just kept on coming. As a matter of fact, the last time she seen her sister was at the prison when the Governor killed their father. Then to be told that her sister is still alive and walking up to the hospital with her companions dead set on rescuing her, just in time to see Daryl walking out with her sister’s dead body in his arms. Who’s next, Glenn? He’s the only one that she has left. It was a very sad scene, everyone in the group that was present was affected, even crazy man Rick was on the verge of tears, and especially Daryl, who has been in a ‘be kind to strangers’ mode since losing Carol, but seeing Beth get shot in the head brought him right out of that. Of course, Dawn was dead from the moment that she demanded Noah, her former ward (slave), be returned to her because of losing Beth, her present ward (slave). The group was not going to put up with that, Rick was ready to put a bullet in her the moment that she suggested it. So it was a bit of a surprise that he didn’t shoot her first. Well, maybe Daryl just didn’t give him a chance, the moment Beth started to fall after the gunshot wound from Dawn’s gun he stepped up and BAM, right in the forehead, no matter what BS excuse that she tried to offer. Although, not even Beth was going to put up with Noah being forced back into indentured servitude to that bitch, that’s why she stabbed her with the scissors. Really Beth, like that was going to take her down, you almost deserve a bullet in the brain for that stupid move. This mid-season finally certainly isn’t going to be favored among a lot of fans. We didn’t even get a cliffhanger. At least when the Governor attacked the prison, which was the mid-season finally in season four, and Hershel was killed we were left with a few questions. Like, “Where is everybody going to go”, “Will they meet up again down the road”, and “What happened to the baby”? With this one we are left with quite a bit of finality, Carol and Beth got rescued from the hospital and Beth got killed in the process. And, of course, that bitch Dawn is dead. The only question that we are left with is, “Where is Noah going to go”? He walked out of the hospital with them all at the end. I guess it depends on how well his character does with the fans. Stream This Episode Now: click here

Veteran Eric Winston has signed a one-year contract with the Bengals. Winston, a nine-year player who happens to also be the president of the NFL Players Association, spent training camp with Seattle but has not played this season. The team made the official announcement Tuesday afternoon. The Bengals waived offensive tackle Jamon Meredith in a corresponding move but still have one open spot available on the 53-man roster. Linebacker Jayson DiManche was placed on injured reserve Monday with a broken forearm. The Bengals would like to add another linebacker to help with depth at the position and on special teams. Smith suffered a torn triceps against Houston on Nov. 23 and subsequently was placed on injured reserve. He was replaced by Marshall Newhouse against the Texans and Newhouse started last Sunday's 14-13 win at Tampa Bay, although right guard Clint Boling also took some snaps at tackle as the Bengals search for the best combination of players heading into the final four games of the season. "Not good enough," said head coach Marvin Lewis when asked about how the offensive line played as a whole against Tampa Bay. "Not as good as we need. We had a couple guys play pretty well, but as a group we didn't play as well as we needed to play. We need to play better." The offense produced just 288 yards against the Buccaneers. QB Andy Dalton was sacked twice and Tampa Bay was credited with four hits on him as well as seven tackles for loss in the game. The Bengals signed Meredith, a sixth-year player, last week after Smith was placed on IR but Winston (6-6, 305) brings a deeper resume to the roster. Winston, 31, entered the league as a third round draft pick by Houston in 2006 and has started 119 of the 126 games he's played, including all 16 games in each of the previous seven seasons. He was with the Texans from 2006-11, played for Kansas City in 2012 and was with Arizona last season.

Brady Hoke had enough time at Michigan, but not enough wins, interim athletic director Jim Hackett said Tuesday night. Hackett formally announced his decision to fire the Wolverines' head coach shortly after Hoke shared the news with his team Tuesday afternoon. Hoke ends his four-year tenure in Ann Arbor with a 31-20 record. Hackett said the universal respect players and peers held for Hoke made his choice a difficult one."This was not an easy decision," Hackett said. "Everywhere I go there is zero question about Brady's values." Hoke did not leave through the front doors of Schembechler Hall, the team's practice facility, but released a statement about his departure. It said, in part: "I want to thank all of the sons that played for our teams and appreciate the commitment that our coaches and support staff made to the program every day. I will miss the relationships that I've been fortunate enough to make within this university and community." Players left the team's practice facility teary-eyed after meeting with Hoke. Hackett said he spoke briefly with the team this afternoon, but didn't want to interfere with Hoke's final meeting with his players. He said he intends to talk more with the players about what criteria they feel are important in a new coach at a later date. The search for Hoke's replacement will begin immediately, according to Hackett. He defined the criteria for candidates as "winning with the shared values of the University of Michigan." Hackett said he has a specific deadline in mind for when he wants to have a new coach in place, but did not share that date publicly. He plans to use an executive search firm that is familiar with Michigan and its athletic department to help make the process run smoothly. He was explicit in saying that having a history at Michigan and being a "Michigan man" was not a prerequisite for getting the job. "I want to get rid of the word 'Michigan Man,' " said Hackett, who stepped into temporarily run the athletic department one month ago. A former center at Michigan under Bo Schembechler and CEO of office furniture company Steelcase, Hackett plans to be the man who will hire Hoke's replacement. Hoke, who is owed a $3 million buyout, earned the title of a Michigan Man when he told reporters he would've walked to Ann Arbor to accept the Wolverines' job when he was introduced as the head coach four years ago. He served as an assistant at Michigan from 1995 until 2002, when he left to take the head coaching job at Ball State. With his Michigan tie, Hoke was hired to stabilize the program following the tumultuous tenure of Rich Rodriguez. Rodriguez, now the head coach at Arizona, was named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year on Tuesday. The Wolverines' underwhelming performance also led to the resignation of former athletic director Dave Brandon, the man who had hired Hoke. Hoke won 11 games and the Sugar Bowl in his first season as Michigan's head coach, but his team's trended steadily downward in the three years that followed. The Wolverines' loss to rival Ohio State last weekend dropped their record to 5-7 and ended their first losing season since 2009. Michigan is just 1-10 in their last 11 games against the Buckeyes and have not won a Big Ten title since 2004.

The NHL has lowered the hammer on the LA Kings, fining the team $100,000 for violating the terms of Slava Voynov’s suspension. According to the league, the Kings allowed Voynov, who is currently facing a felony charge of domestic violence against his wife following an October arrest, to skate with teammates Tuesday during an optional practice. The league stated in a release that, "Such activity is in direct contravention of the terms of the suspension levied Oct. 20, which permit Mr. Voynov to use club facilities and work with team personnel but prohibit his participation in any team-related functions or activities." Previously, Voynov has skated on his own at the team's El Segundo, California, practice facility while working with associate coach John Stevens. The suspended defenseman's presence on the ice Tuesday caused a firestorm on Twitter, though the Kings reportedly tried justifying the situation by explaining that he took the ice early for what was an "optional" team skate, though reporters on the scene said every member of the team participated. "It was an optional skate and everybody went," coach Darryl Sutter said, according to lakingsinsider.com. "He was supposed to come out after with the injured guys right after practice. Everybody went today." Apparently, the league was not pleased with this explanation, levying a significant fine against the defending Stanley Cup champions. Last month, the league provided the Kings with some much-needed salary-cap relief and allowed Voynov's cap hit to come off the books. Voynov pleaded not guilty to corporal injury to a spouse with great bodily injury. The 24-year-old Russian is next due in court on Dec. 15 for a preliminary hearing.

Martin Brodeur is officially back in the NHL. The St. Louis Blues signed the NHL's all-time winningest goalie to a one-year deal Tuesday. The pro-rated deal is worth $700,000 in base salary. In addition, Brodeur can make the following performance-based bonuses: $10,000 for every point in the standings he earns while the goalie of record; $125,000 for being on an NHL roster on Feb. 1; and $125,000 for being on an NHL roster March 4. In addition, the contract includes playoff bonuses tied to the team winning rounds and Brodeur's own playing time during the run. Brian Elliott’s knee injury last week prompted the Blues to invite Brodeur to practice with the team for a few days in a feeling-out period for the sides."It feels great," Brodeur told stlouisblues.com. "I really appreciate the opportunity for me to be here the last few days. It definitely worked out real well. I'm excited for this fresh start." Brodeur, 42, never has worn an NHL uniform other than New Jersey’s. "It's going to feel great, it's going to definitely be different," Brodeur told stlouisblues.com. "Not just for me, but for the fans. I've turned the page, and this is a new beginning that hopefully will come off with something great." The 10-time All-Star is the league's all-time leader in wins (688) and shutouts (124). He also won three Stanley Cup titles and has captured the Vezina Trophy four times. Brodeur was 19-14-6 last season with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage for the Devils, low numbers by his career marks of 2.24 GAA and .912 save percentage. Elliott is week-to-week with the injury.

It is hard to imagine a classier hockey player, on and off the ice, than Jean Beliveau. A supremely skilled center who spent 18 full seasons and parts of two others with Montreal, Beliveau was also a popular ambassador for the sport. He scored 507 goals, won 10 Stanley Cups and was captain for 10 seasons before his retirement in 1971. He then moved seamlessly into an executive position with the club. Beliveau was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972. He won two league MVP awards and has his name engraved on the Cup 17 times, including for years he was in the Canadiens' front office."No record book can capture, no image can depict, no statue can convey the grandeur of the remarkable Jean Beliveau, whose elegance and skill on the ice earned the admiration of the hockey world while his humility and humanity away from the rink earned the love of fans everywhere," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "Mr. Beliveau was a formidable presence and his departure leaves an immeasurable void. As we grieve that he has left us, we cherish what he gave us: A sport elevated forever by his character, his dignity and his class." Canadiens fans who revered Beliveau were given a scare in 2000 when he was diagnosed with throat cancer, but after losing 30 pounds during treatment and enduring "the worst period of my life," he recovered. Soon, he was back in his familiar spot attending nearly every home game with his wife Elise in the seats among the fans. He also survived a stroke in 2012. When the Canadiens opened Centennial Plaza at the Bell Centre as part of the team's 100th anniversary, their four greatest players were honored with statues: Maurice Richard, Howie Morenz, Guy Lafleur and Beliveau. "Like millions of hockey fans who followed the life and the career of Jean Beliveau, the Canadiens today mourn the passing of a man whose contribution to the development of our sport and our society was unmeasurable," team owner Geoff Molson said in a statement. "Jean Beliveau was a great leader, a gentleman and arguably the greatest ambassador our game has ever known." Molson said the club will work closely with Beliveau's family "to organize the ceremonies that will take place in the coming days." Beliveau embodied all the attributes of the Montreal dynasty teams of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s: talent, flair, intelligence and success. "Meeting him is not like meeting other stars from the old days," said Beliveau's former linemate Gilles Tremblay. "When people see Bobby Hull, they say: 'Hi Bobby.' When they meet Big Jean, it's always: 'Hi, Mr. Beliveau.' He commands respect."

Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy are becoming free agents following decisions by the Braves not to offer 2015 contracts to the right-handers, both recovering from their second Tommy John surgeries. The Braves failed to offer a contract to right-hander Gus Schlosser. Medlen and Beachy, once considered rising stars in the rotation, did not pitch in 2014 after they had ligament-replacement surgeries during spring training. Medlen won a combined 25 games in 2012 and 2013. He excelled as a reliever and starter in 2012, when he was 10-1 with a 1.56 ERA. Beachy had his first surgery early in the 2012 season and struggled in 2013, when he was 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA. Schlosser had a 7.14 ERA in 15 games last season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired outfielder from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right-hander Matt Magill. Heisey, who will turn 30 this month, is a .247 career hitter with 50 home runs over parts of five seasons with Cincinnati. He is eligible for salary arbitration and is projected to earn slightly more than $2 million in 2015. The Reds dealt him several hours in advance of Tuesday night's MLB non-tender deadline. The Dodgers already had a glut of outfielders with Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, and Joc Pederson, and the Heisey acquisition could be a precursor to more moves from Andrew Friedman, Los Angeles' new president of baseball operations. Magill, 25, has an 0-2 record with a 6.51 ERA in six starts at the major league level, all in 2013. He posted a 7-6 mark with a 5.21 ERA in 12 starts (36 appearances) for Triple-A Albuquerque this past season."We are excited to be adding a player with a power arm who has a chance to help our club next season," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said in a statement.

The 16-year veteran free-agent outfielder is returning to his roots. "You talk about true love,'' Hunter told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.”That's the Twins right there.'' Hunter, after playing five seasons for the Los Angeles Angels and two with the Detroit Tigers, has agreed to a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the Twins. The Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles were also reportedly in the running for Hunter. Hunter, 39, played his first full season for the Twins in 1999. He has made five All-Star appearances and won nine Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards. He is a career .279 hitter with 331 homers and 1,310 RBIs. Hunter became a star with the Twins before signing a $90 million, five-year contract with the Angels after the 2007 season. He then signed a $26 million, two-year deal with Detroit.

Dish Network subscribers will lose access to CBS-owned stations Thursday night if the companies can't agree on a new contract. In a statement, CBS said after six months of talks, Dish has "not been operating with the same sense of urgency" to make a deal."In the last few weeks, we have granted two extensions, in the hopes that this would give both parties sufficient time to come to a resolution," the network's statement said. "The second extension, which protected Dish subscribers’ programming over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, was the final one.""We would very much like to avoid going dark," CBS added. "Unless agreements are reached, however, our viewers should be prepared to lose CBS from their Dish systems on Thursday evening at 7:00 PM/ET." Customers of the satellite-TV service could lose access to CBS outlets in 14 cities including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston and Detroit. And it's possible an impasse also could endanger carriage of some CW and independent stations and cable networks including Showtime and CBS Sports Network. At issue, The Street reports, is how much money Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen is prepared to pay CBS to to carry the network that remains the most watched on television. CBS has pressed for higher fees to cover higher production costs, but The Street reports this year is different because advertisers are redirecting some marketing money to digital platforms, and away from TV. Still, TV remains a $70 billion ad market, The Street reports, though growth is shrinking. In a statement, Dish said "only CBS can force a blackout of its channels, Dish is actively working to reach a deal before the contract expires," Dish said. "There is time for the two parties to reach a mutually beneficial deal." USA Today notes CBS went dark for much of August last year for Time Warner Cable customers while the companies tried to work out a new contract; the blackout ended in September 2013 when a new deal set higher fees for CBS and allowed the network to retain streaming rights for live and archived shows.

The National Football League "failed" in its efforts to police domestic abuse by its players but has "learned from those mistakes," a top NFL executive testified to Congress on Tuesday. Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president for football operations, conceded that the case involving Ray Rice was handled poorly. "The commissioner (Roger Goodell) has acknowledged those mistakes," Vincent told a packed hearing by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee."We failed. This is all part of our evaluation as we look at a new personal conduct policy ... But we learned from those mistakes." Representatives of the four major U.S. sports were on hand at the hearing on domestic abuse although none of the commissioners were present and only one of the top players' union officials, Michele Roberts of the National Basketball Association. Domestic abuse has been a flashpoint issue ever since the NFL's handling of the Rice case, in which Goodell suspended the former Baltimore Ravens running back for two games for knocking out his fiancée, who later became his wife. Only when graphic video emerged showing him knocking out his then-fiancée did the Ravens release him and the NFL suspend him indefinitely. Repealing the NFL's tax-exempt status and favorable anti-trust position was discussed by the senators should the league fail to implement an effective domestic abuse policy."When young people see athletes committing acts of violence, and when those acts are excused, glossed over, and given pathetically weak punishments, they learn that domestic violence is not taken seriously," said Connecticut Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, said he knew of six NBA players who were charged with domestic violence recently but not sanctioned by the league because there were no convictions."The Commissioner (Adam Silver) has acknowledged that we need to do more in this issue in terms of discipline going forward," said Kathleen Behrens, the NBA's executive vice president for social responsibility."Mostly in terms of due process and not really relying on the criminal justice system," she added. Vincent, who played in the NFL for 15 years, broke down when discussing his childhood."Domestic violence was a way of life in my home growing up," he said. "My brother and I watched helplessly numerous times as my mother was beaten and knocked unconscious while we dialed 911." "We saw how she struggled to seek help and find the courage to say 'no more.' Get Your Very Own Ray Rice Scarf: just click here

RED WINGS over CANUCKS 5 to 3

RANGERS over FLYERS 5 to 2 SABRES over CANADIENS 4 to 3 MAPLE LEAFS over CAPITALS 6 to 2 LIGHTNING over SENATORS 4 to 1 ISLANDERS over DEVILS 3 to 1 PENGUINS over HURRICANES 3 to 2 PREDATORS over BLUE JACKETS 2 to 1 BLUES over WILD 3 to 2 AVALANCHE over STARS 5 to 2 BLACKHAWKS over KINGS 4 to 1 FLAMES over COYOTES 3 to 0 SHARKS over DUCKS 6 to 4

RANGERS over FLYERS 3 to 0 BLACKHAWKS over DUCKS 4 to 1 CAPITALS over ISLANDERS 5 to 2 BRUINS over JETS 2 to 1 SABRES over CANADIENS 2 to 1 RED WINGS over DEVILS 5 to 4 HURRICANES over PENGUINS 4 to 2 CANUCKS over BLUE JACKETS 5 to 0 PANTHERS over SENATORS 3 to 2 BLUES over OILERS 4 to 3 WILD over STARS 5 to 4

COLTS over REDSKINS 49 to 27 TEXANS over TITANS 45 to 21 BILLS over BROWNS 26 to 10 CHARGERS over RAVENS 34 to 33 JAGUARS over GIANTS 25 to 24 BENGALS over BUCCANEERS 14 to 13 RAMS over RAIDERS 52 to 0 SAINTS over STEELERS 35 to 32 VIKINGS over PANTHERS 31 to 13 FALCONS over CARDINALS 29 to 18 PACKERS over PATRIOTS 26 to 21 BRONCOS over CHIEFS 29 to 16

SPURS over CELTICS 111 to 89 BULLS over NETS 102 to 84 WARRIORS over PISTONS 104 to 93 GRIZZLIES over KINGS 97 to 85 HEAT over KNICKS 86 to 79 MAGIC over SUNS 93 to 90 TRAIL BLAZERS over TIMBERWOLVES 107 to 93 LAKERS over RAPTORS 129 to 122

MAVERICKS over 76ERS 110 to 103 WIZARDS over PELICANS 83 to 80 HAWKS over HORNETS 105 to 75 CAVALIERS over PACERS 109 to 97 CLIPPERS over JAZZ 112 to 96 ROCKETS over BUCKS 117 to 103

Raptors’ guard DeMar DeRozan is going to be out an indefinite period with a torn tendon in his left groin. The durable All-Star was injured during the third quarter of Friday night's 106-102 loss to the Dallas Mavericks He was diagnosed with the injury Saturday.DeRozan remained on the court for several minutes before being helped to the dressing room. He originally was diagnosed as having a strain. DeRozan is averaging a team-high 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and a team-best 33.6 minutes in 16 games this season for the Raptors, who are off to their best start at 13-3.A steady presence in the lineup, the 25-year-old DeRozan has missed just 11 games over five seasons before this injury. Source: ESPN

Coach Gregg Popovich returned to the sideline Sunday in Boston after missing two games due to an undisclosed minor medical procedure.Meeting with reporters before Sunday's 111-89 against The Boston Celtics, Popovich was asked if he was happy to be back coaching. "Sure. I don't know what else I would do," he said. "It's winter, you know, plants don't grow. I'm having a fight about books right now because I've decided that, at my age, there's so many things you want to read, that you can't do it. So do you just give up and read nothing, or do you go into high gear and read everything that you can find? I just thought I'd throw that out there."When a reporter joked that Popovich was getting pretty deep after missing just two games, the 65-year-old coach added, "That's what your mind does. You start thinking about weird things. ... I have some more if you want to hear them. All kind of things went through my head." Popovich was asked if it was odd to watch his team on television."Oh, definitely. You rarely get to do that," he said. "You realize that it's probably harder for the people that watch than the people that are in the battle. Your family, [general managers] and their staff -- you watch it and you don't have any control over anything. You just live and die with every play and every call, that sort of thing. So it's much easier sitting on the bench and being in the middle of the fight." Source: ESPN

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired utility man Sean Rodriguez from the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday for a player to be named later and cash. Rodriguez was designated for assignment by the Rays last week. To make room for Rodriguez on their 40-man roster, the Pirates designated first baseman Gaby Sanchez for assignment. The 29-year-old Rodriguez, who is eligible for salary arbitration, hit .211 in 237 at-bats and set career bests with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs for the Rays last season. He saw time at all four infield positions and the outfield for Tampa Bay last season."Maybe change is what's needed for me at this point in my career," Rodriguez told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I don't think I've reached my potential yet. I know I can do more."Sanchez, 31, hit 229 with 7 home runs and 33 RBIs, splitting time at first base with Ike Davis, who was traded to the Oakland A’s earlier this off season. Source: ESPN

Carolina’s running back DeAngelo Williams suffered what coach Ron Rivera said is a fractured bone in his hand during Sunday's 31-13 loss to Minnesota. Rivera said on Monday that Williams could play in Week 14 at New Orleans if the swelling subsides. Jonathan Stewart, who had 85 yards on 12 carries against Minnesota, likely will move into the starting lineup. Williams is Carolina's all-time leading rusher with 6,846 yards and 46 touchdowns. He has been limited to 219 yards this season, playing in only six of the 12 games because of hamstring and ankle injuries. He had seven carries for 21 yards against Minnesota, all in the first half. Williams, 31, has one year left on an original five-year, $43 million deal that was restructured last season to reduce his salary-cap hits to $5 million in 2013 and $6 million this season. Source: ESPN

The five Rams players who entered the field before Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders in St. Louis with their hands in the air in "don't shoot" poses will not be fined for their actions, NFL and team sources tell ESPN's Chris Mortensen. The players had used the team's pregame introductions to offer a show of support for nearby Ferguson. As the Rams' offense was introduced, tight end Jared Cook and receivers Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey, Chris Givens Tavon Austin stopped near the tunnel and raised their hands in a nod to the fatal shooting of black teenager Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9. Some witnesses said Brown had his hands up before being shot. Wilson, who is white, testified to the grand jury that Brown had hit him and reached for his gun. The St. Louis Police Officers Association called for the players involved to be disciplined and for the Rams and the NFL to deliver a "very public apology," its statement read in part."I know that there are those that will say that these players are simply exercising their First Amendment rights," SLPOA business manager Jeff Roorda said in the statement. "Well, I've got news for people who think that way: Cops have First Amendment rights too, and we plan to exercise ours. I'd remind the NFL and their players that it is not the violent thugs burning down buildings that buy their advertiser's products. It's cops and the good people of St. Louis and other NFL towns that do. Somebody needs to throw a flag on this play. If it's not the NFL and the Rams, then it'll be cops and their supporters." In response, Brian McCarthy, the NFL's VP of communications, released a statement Monday: "We respect and understand the concerns of all individuals who have expressed views on this tragic situation.""We kind of came collectively together and decided we wanted to do something," Cook said after the Rams’ 52-0 victory. "We haven't been able to go down to Ferguson to do anything because we have been busy. Secondly, it's kind of dangerous down there and none of us want to get caught up in anything."So we wanted to come out and show our respect to the protests and the people who have been doing a heck of a job around the world." Earlier this week, the Rams spent time lamenting the fact there wasn't much they could do to help with the unrest in Ferguson. But Cook said he plans to go to Ferguson once things settle down."My sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law -- all of them went this past week for Thanksgiving," Cook said. "They came back and reported to me about the things they saw and what was going on around there. Definitely, I will be making a trip to Ferguson."Britt said he and his teammates were not "taking sides" with their display."We wanted to show that we are organized for a great cause and something positive comes out of it," Britt said. "That's what we hope we can make happen. That's our community. We wanted to let the community know that we support the community." Source: ESPN

The body of missing Ohio State defensive lineman Kosta Karageorge was found by Columbus police on Sunday after a search that started after he went missing on Wednesday. Karageorge, 22, was found dead in a dumpster of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was identified by tattoos at the scene, and a police spokesman said the investigation would continue with both the dumpster and the body of Karageorge being transported to the county morgue. "At this time, there's a lot of questions that we're still trying to work out," Sgt. Rich Weiner told reporters at the scene. "But he was found inside of the dumpster, the handgun was found inside of the dumpster with him."At this time we are able to confirm through tattoos here at the scene that it is the body of Kosta Karageorge." A police report says Karageorge's mother told authorities he has had concussions and spells of confusion. She said he texted a message Wednesday citing the concussions and saying he was sorry if he was "an embarrassment."Karageorge was scheduled to be recognized on senior day during Saturday's home game against rival Michigan, but he had gone missing on Wednesday leading up to the 42-28 win by the No. 6 Buckeyes. "The Ohio State University Department of Athletics was shocked and saddened to learn today of the death of student-athlete Kosta Karageorge, a senior from Columbus," the school said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Karageorge family, and those who knew him, during this most difficult time."Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer took to Twitter to express his condolences. Source: ESPN

When Ben Crawford finds murdered body of his neighbor's young son in the woods, he quickly goes from being a Good Samaritan to the primary suspect in the investigation. Ben is now forced to look into the crime himself in an effort to clear his name, digging deep into the lives of his suburban neighbors and exposing their deep, dark secrets Cast Ryan Phillippe (Ben) Juliette Lewis (Andrea) KaDee Strickland (Christy) Natalie Martinez (Jess) Dan Fogler (Dave) Indiana Evans (Natalie)

Back in 1946, Agent Peggy Carter of the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve) has found herself stuck with administrative duties when she'd much rather be out in the field utilizing her vast array of skills. She's also figuring life out as a single woman after losing the love of her life, Steve Rogers - aka Captain America. When old acquaintance Howard Stark is framed for providing his deadliest weapons to anybody with enough money, Peggy springs into action to help track down those responsible, dispose of the weapons, and clear Stark's name. Cast Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter) James D'Arcy (Edwin) Chad Michael Murray (Jack) Enver Gjokaj (Daniel) Shea Whigham (Roger)