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Three things were clear from the RBC Charity Challenge that was fronted by NHLPA members P.K. Subban and Steven Stamkos at the new Maple Leaf Gardens on Wednesday.

First, after the game the players’ responses to questions about the 95-day-old NHL lockout and the ongoing vote to authorize the NHLPA executive board to file the disclaimer of interest – if the players chose that route – were well scripted.

There were no Evander Kane-like brush fires to put out (see his Twitter photo from earlier this week) and there were no more verbal darts tossed in the direction of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. The players obviously didn’t want to take away from the charity game’s cause, raising money for grass roots hockey.

Secondly, Eric Lindros must be a lousy coach. His Team Subban was badly beaten. Only a late-game comeback made the 13-10 affair appear closer than it was before a sellout of 2,600 at $30 a seat.

“I don’t know if it was all his fault,” Team Subban goalie Martin Biron said, jokingly. “Maybe [assistant coach] Rob Zamuner was to blame, too. I do know we needed a timeout there when we got down early.”

The third development was the guy who had the most fun was Louie George. Who is Louie George? He is a 25-year-old, fifth-year goalie with Ryerson University.

Earlier this week, he switched on his computer to find an email from Ryerson head coach Graham Wise. The message read that the NHLPA needed a fourth goalie for its charity game, was he interested?

“It didn’t take me long to answer that one,” George said. He spelled Biron in the second period, played well and enjoyed the experience.

“It was so much fun,” George continued. “This is something that I’ll never forget.”

George found P.K. Subban, Brad Boyes, David Clarkson, Joffrey Lupul, Chris Campoli and the others on Team Subban extremely welcoming.

“I sat beside Tom Kostopoulos in the dressing room and he could not have been nicer,” George said. “He asked a lot of questions and wanted to know how my season was going.”

Was there much chatter in the dressing room about the lockout among the NHLPA members?

“They talked about it a little, but not much,” George said. “Mostly they were catching up with each other, finding out what they have been up. How much they have been working out or skating. That sort of stuff.”

Predictably, George said he supports the players in their dispute with the owners. Back home in Waterloo, Ont., George has skated with some pros in the summertime.

The Ryerson hockey team is on a break right now. In fact, during some informal morning skates George has played out in recent sessions with his teammates. But he returned to his natural position the past couple of days once he found out of his evening with the pros.

“I think so,” George replied, when asked if this was an experience he can build off when his league resumes in the New Year.

“These guys are so fast. They’re threats from much farther out than I’m used to. I had to be ready.”

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Michelle Branch Sonia Couling

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As we wait for this hockey lunacy to get sorted out, here is my best attempt at a bias-free blog on where things stand.

We have killed a lot of trees and wasted a ton of bandwidth arguing about the ongoing vote into the possibility of decertifying the NHL Players’ Association. I get mixed messages about how serious the players are about going down this road. There are some who really want to do it.  But there are others who want no part of it unless the NHL cancels the season.

Should that apocalyptically stupid scenario actually occur, the last three months will seem like a kiddie party compared to what happens next. The players and owners will really go for the jugular. But as one source said Wednesday: “We need an external push.”

A legal threat could be just that, as it was in the NBA one year ago. Another, of course, is the true deadline for cancelling the season. As of yet, the NHL refuses to reveal that information, although it’s probably around Jan. 15 at the latest.

I don’t believe either constituency supports a lost season. The players want to play and the owners do, too. But the biggest problem is that they don’t trust each other and the path is littered with poison.

As infuriating as all of this is, it’s better they’re not meeting. The breakdowns of the past two weeks are proof that the NHL and NHLPA should not be anywhere near each other unless they’re both serious about making a deal. You can blame who you want, be my guest. But the truth is this: the desire to agree to a new collective bargaining agreement was not 100 per cent there on either side. Collapses only make things worse, so it sounds like the NHL is making a change in strategy.

I don’t know if the league underestimated NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr or just received horrible intel on him. But it did not recognize two very important things.

First, Fehr’s idealogical beliefs are very strong. You may consider his CBA history lessons boring or irrelevant. But he doesn’t. More importantly, he convinced the players how much it mattered and they rallied behind him.

There’ve been times during this process when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s supporters have taken issue with my position that he has disrespected the players. That’s fair comment and those people are correct to point out that the players, especially on Twitter, have disrespected him, too. But the fact is that some of the NHL’s negotiating moves helped Fehr gain a greater buy-in. There is no doubt in my mind the vast majority of the players want to play. But some of Bettman’s decisions accomplished the reverse, pushing the NHLPA in the opposite direction. It was counter-productive.

The second thing the NHL missed was Fehr’s history of waiting until the last second to make deals. Whatever mistakes the league made in this process, it wanted to be playing by now. We’ve talked about the Proskauer Rose playbook and how this is all scripted by “the law firm that’s ruining sports.” But I really believe this has gone further than Bettman wanted it to, which is why he looks so frustrated. Now Fehr is controlling the tempo and has convinced his constituency that the owners will make final concessions at the end. A lot of players don’t like how long this is taking yet they seem to believe that.

Hence, the NHL’s change in strategy. It’s going to wait.

When Ron Burkle (Pittsburgh), Mark Chipman (Winnipeg), Larry Tanenbaum (Toronto) and Jeff Vinik (Tampa Bay) joined the fray two weeks ago, the NHL was upset its decision to raise the make-whole amount to $300 million wasn’t received well by the players. Again, everyone can argue who is right and who is wrong. But those owners really thought that was going to be a significant move towards getting an agreement done. It didn’t happen and, angrily, that offer was pulled from the table. 

I have had no correspondence with Bettman or deputy commissioner Bill Daly for this blog. However, after several conversations with other NHL executives, my opinion is if those two had reason to believe that putting the make-whole provision back on the table and moving in the players’ direction on contracting issues would lead to an NHLPA vote on their latest proposal, they’d be at the bargaining table immediately to find a way to do it. But they don’t believe that’s a possibility. What they see is a repeat of New York City, where these things are offered and the players say, “Thank you … and we’ll see what else there is.”

Bettman and Daly won’t take that risk. You can argue whether or not they are right or wrong to hold that position. But I think that’s where we are. The NHL doesn’t believe the NHLPA is truly ready to make a deal. So barring a change, it’s going to sit tight.

30 THOUGHTS

1. After hearing Kyle Turris’ reported thoughts about Finland, I thought he was joking, not trying to be harmful, and that he forgot two things. First, people don’t like it when you make fun of their countries, even if not meant maliciously. Second, right now, when it comes to hockey, people don’t have much of a sense of humour about anything.

2. Next apology? Evander Kane, who tweeted this photo early Wednesday morning. Oof. It’s a good thing people aren’t prone to overreacting on Twitter.

3. Winnipeg Jets teammate Ron Hainsey had a lot of interesting things to say about Kane. He’s a big fan. Hainsey believes Kane is a phenomenal talent, joking that “I can’t lift 230 [pounds] once and he does it over-and-over again as a warmup.” The thing, though, is Kane is 21 and impulsive and needs people around him to make sure he thinks things through. Clearly, that didn’t happen here. 

4. I really hate filling this with lockout-related items, so sorry in advance. But there’s some stuff to go over. Let’s look at some of the sticking points. In the aforementioned NYC negotiations, the NHLPA dropped a demand that, starting in Year 2 of the new CBA, its amount of the financial pie was protected from dropping below the previous season’s. But it did ask for a cap on escrow. I just can’t see the owners going for that at all, even with the 2012-13 schedule on the line.

5. I think the $300-million make-whole is back on the table if the NHL gets a 10-year agreement with an out after eight (as requested by the players).

6. We’ve heard Fehr’s arguments that 10 years is too long because too many players entering the league will be subject to a CBA they didn’t vote on. To me, the bigger question is what’s better for the players — that philosophy or business partners confident that they can sign a decent-sized contract with the NHL and not have to worry about another work stoppage?

7. NHL owners are going to have to move on the five-year max contracts (seven for your own free agents). I know I mentioned it last week, but the effects of Vincent Lecavalier on the Tampa sale and Ilya Kovalchuk on the continuing New Jersey situation have these guys totally spooked. Yes, it’s their own fault and they know it. That’s why they’ve got to go six and eight.

8. The one I’m really having trouble pinning down is the amnesty buyout. It’s very difficult to get a read on what’s going to happen here because word is the commissioner is absolutely against anything that doesn’t count against the salary cap. But you look at the possibility of a $60-million ceiling next season, see where some teams are and say, “This isn’t possible without one.”

9. One possibility: when Ken Hitchcock was hired by St. Louis, he was still owed about $1.3 million by Columbus. The Blues can’t pay him $1 and have the Blue Jackets cough up $1,299,999. There is a formula the league uses where the new team must pay market value, where you look at the salaries of other coaches with his level of experience.

10. So what if you tried that? Well, Wade Redden has played 994 NHL games. If you add up the combined 2011-12 salaries of active players within 50 games of that, you get $3,657,533. (Range: Lecavalier to Petr Sykora.) Redden’s current contract pays him $5 million for this year and next with a cap hit of $6.5 million. The New York Rangers should get stuck with the higher number so, if another team wants him, it must take a cap hit of $2,842,467 (ie. 6.5 million minus 3,657,533).

11. I have to tell you, nothing I’ve suggested in my career was dismissed as quickly as that and I’ve had some really bad ideas. The first two execs I asked shot it down so badly that I didn’t even ask a third. It was interesting because the first GM said, “No one would sign Redden at that number.” What’s key here are the words “at that number” — we’ll get to that later.

12. In the middle of the night, I thought of something else. As it stands now, the buyout for Redden is 67 per cent of his salary over double the term remaining, so the Rangers pay out $6.7 million during the next four years (assuming no change in the next CBA). What if you affected his cap hit the same way? Give New York a choice: $6.5 million on your cap for two years or $4.355 million for four. Do the math and $4,355,000 minus $3,657,533 is $697,467. Now Redden gets another shot.

13. One final note on Redden. It looks like the Rangers have all but guaranteed he is getting the buyout (if there is one) and the sense is there is going to be a lot of interest in him. Don’t know what the final salary will be. But if he’s willing to be reasonable — and you have to believe he will be — he’s going to have options. Lots of execs think he will be good value at a lower number.

14. I ran the same numbers on Scott Gomez. He has played 902 NHL games. The average salary in 2011-12 for players who’ve dressed for between 852 and 952 games was $3,124,656 (Range: Brad Richards to Jamal Mayers).

15. The second thing I suggested was what if teams who buy out a player can only carry 22 on their roster instead of 23? The execs liked it even less … can’t imagine that would thrill the NHLPA, either.

16. Anyway, if I was the commissioner, I’d be quietly polling my owners, asking how many of them would consider an amnesty buyout on their roster. I didn’t ask a ton of guys. But those I did talk to said the number might be lower than we think. Bettman can decide what’s an acceptable amount. However, for argument’s sake, if it’s 15, is it really worth cancelling the season for that?

17. Last thing on this topic. If I was a “have” financially, I’d be demanding it. What else are you getting in this CBA? The share is going down to 50/50 and anything you save there is going into revenue sharing. 

18. I get asked about the Olympics quite a bit. Nothing is nailed down and it might be done separately from this CBA, but it sounds like both sides want to make it work.

19. Fehr’s mentor, the late Marvin Miller, absolutely hated the idea of every player being made a free agent — a move threatened by the NHL’s anti-disclaimer legal brief. There’s a pretty famous story of former Oakland A’s owner Charlie Finley saying baseball should do just that and Miller being relieved because he knew the other owners would never listen. Miller understood the perfect setup was similar to last summer in the NHL, when you had a few A-level guys — Shea Weber, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter — drive up the price for everyone. 

20. Seth Jones: crossover appeal — a Page Six mention! (courtesy Nirva Milord from the NHL office) His father is one of the 10 nicest people on the planet.

21. Last week, it was discovered a Boston Bruins fan made a tattoo out of a Tyler Seguin autograph. This happened to Ryan Miller in Buffalo, only it was a female and, I believe, her thigh. Miller wins.

22. I’m not a big fan of players being kept from the world juniors by their NHL teams. If the player makes it clear he doesn’t want to go, like Jason Spezza after three appearances, that’s one thing. But I’m really torn on Mika Zibanejad. If he was from Swift Current, not Stockholm, we’d be demanding a federal investigation.

23. Zibanejad is struggling with AHL Binghamton. He has just seven points in 16 games and, while plus/minus is a flawed stat, he has one of the worst numbers on a team with few negative players. You have to assume the Senators want him to make an NHL impact as soon as possible, especially since they will try to continue momentum from their surprising 2011-12. I can see their rationale. 

24. A lot of people were very surprised that Frankie Corrado and Derrick Pouliot did not make Team Canada. There are always debates and those two were this year’s hotly discussed omissions.

25. Make it four straight wins for the Portland Pirates, Phoenix’s AHL edition. The Coyotes have some blue-liners coming, too. We know about Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who scored major points by deciding to stay in the AHL rather than going for a more lucrative contract overseas. But there are more.

26. David Rundblad’s overall game has improved this season — and at an important time in his career. He is a 17th overall pick (2009) who has already been traded twice and needs to establish himself. He’ll never be a monster along the boards. But there is a noted difference in his willingness to compete in that area. A guy who always competed defensively, Mike Stone, is on pace for the best offensive numbers of his career.

27. Then there’s Brandon Gormley, who fell to 13th in the 2010 draft amid expectations he would go higher. There were questions about his strength after a poor pre-draft combine. But a few teams saw his skill level and believed that, once he filled out, he’d be just fine. Gormley’s still not where he’s going to be size-wise but it’s coming. And he’s got a great head for the game.

28. A number of coaches, executives and scouts going back to junior really praise Gormley’s ability to get his shot through. In an era of blocking, that’s a big deal. Plus, he has a real confidence at the opposing blue-line. He is willing to stand outside the zone to make a play while keeping the puck inside the line. I understand why the Coyotes are so excited about him.

29. At the NHL board of governors meeting two weeks ago, a young man named Jim Charshafian waited outside Proskauer Rose, trying to make contacts and handing out his resume. Charshafian worked for the AHL San Antonio Rampage last season and was looking for something new. It’s hard to get your foot in the door and not easy to cold call like that. Good luck.

30. As we approach Christmas and the Holiday season, I wanted to send the best to anyone financially affected by the lockout. There are thousands of part-time, full-time or laid-off employees whose situations are tougher than they’d want because of this outrageous battle. This is a hard time of year to feel that way. Hopefully, you get your wish — an end, and soon. 

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Anne Archer Hetty Baynes

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Parker has since been suspended by the network. On Wednesday, he began to say he’s sorry.

“I blew it and I’m sincerely sorry,” Parker wrote. “I completely understand how the issue of race in sports is a sensitive one and needs to be handled with great care. This past Thursday I failed to do that. I believe the intended topic is a worthy one. Robert’s thoughts about being an African-American quarterback and the impact of his phenomenal success have been discussed in other media outlets, as well as among sports fans, particularly those in the African-American community.

“The failure was in how I chose to discuss it on First Take, and in doing so, turned a productive conversation into a negative one. I regrettably introduced some points that I never should have and I completely understand the strong response to them, including ESPN’s reaction. Perhaps most importantly, the attention my words have brought to one of the best and brightest stars in all of sports is an unintended and troubling result. Robert Griffin III is a talented athlete who not only can do great things on the field, but off the field handles himself in a way we are all taught — with dignity, respect and pride.

“I’ve contacted his agent with hopes of apologizing to Robert directly. As I reflect on this and move forward, I will take the time to consider how I can continue to tackle difficult, important topics in a much more thoughtful manner.”

The apology is good to see. It is certainly better than the alternative. It would be even more impactful if Parker’s previous tweets after the comments didn’t tell followers they were uneducated, silly, pathetic, and typical. Those responses remain on Parker’s page.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

Hetty Baynes British Marines

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Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported Tuesday the Titans owe Johnson $10 million next season, including $9 million that’s guaranteed if he’s on the roster on the fifth day of the new league year. So the Titans won’t wait long before needing to make a decision.

Mr. Rapsheet says Tennessee’s decision could surprise a lot of people. Titans sources and sources who had spoken to Johnson believe that Johnson will be back with the Titans next season. Even though Johnson is a boom or bust or back, he’s still the biggest name on a young offense that has some potential next season with wide receivers Kenny Britt and Kendall Wright growing up. The Titans believe he will help sell tickets and want to keep him. Some of his struggles this year have been attributed to a banged up offensive line.

Johnson’s game on Monday night against the New York Jets was typical performance. He had a 94 yard touchdown, but only gained 28 yards on his other 20 carries. Then again, that 94-yard touchdown was the difference in the game. That’s a tradeoff the Titans sound ready to live with.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

Carrie Fisher Joan Jett

TFX now airs six fights, not the usual four, prior to the Dec. 8′s main-card broadcast on FOX.

The bouts include bantamweights Mike Easton (13-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) vs. Raphael Assuncao (18-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and featherweights Dennis Siver (20-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) vs. Nam Phan (18-10 MMA, 2-3 UFC).

UFC on FOX 5 takes place Dec. 8 at Seattle’s KeyArena and features a main event between lightweight champion Benson Henderson and top contender Nate Diaz.

Although FUEL TV carried past UFC on FOX prelims, they now head to the bigger FX. Other bouts part of next week’s three-hour broadcast, which follows additional prelims on Facebook, include heavyweights Brendan Schaub (8-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) vs. Lavar Johnson (17-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC), “The Ultimate Fighter 15″ lightweight winner Michael Chiesa (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Marcus LeVesseur (22-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC), “TUF 13″ runner-up Ramsey Nijem (6-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. fellow lightweight Joe Proctor (8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), and lightweights Yves Edwards (41-18-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC) vs. Jeremy Stephens (20-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC).

The full UFC on FOX 5 card includes:

MAIN CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)

• Champ Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz (for lightweight title)
• Alexander Gustafsson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
• Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn
• Matt Brown vs. Mike Swick

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 5 p.m. ET)

• Lavar Johnson vs. Brendan Schaub
• Mike Chiesa vs. Marcus LeVesseur
• Raphael Assuncao vs. Mike Easton
• Nam Phan vs. Dennis Siver
• Ramsey Nijem vs. Joe Proctor
• Yves Edwards vs. Jeremy Stephens

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 3:30 p.m. ET)

• Daron Cruickshank vs. Henry Martinez
• John Albert vs. Scott Jorgensen
• Tim Means vs. Abel Trujillo

For more on UFC on FOX 5, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Mike Easton)

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I Don’t Do Bar Mitzvahs!

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“It’s not the playoffs, but it was a playoff environment,” cornerback Carlos Rogers said, via The Sacramento Bee. “We know the next couple of games are going to be like that.”

Sunday’s 41-34 win over the New England Patriots nearly drifted away as the 49ers squandered a 28-point lead. The Patriots poured on the offense as quarterback Tom Brady threw 40 more passes on the night than Colin Kaepernick. Too many of those throws, however, didn’t go Brady’s way.

The 49ers (10-3-1) clinched a playoff spot and can take the NFC West with a win over the Seattle Seahawks (9-5) next Sunday — another season-defining clash.

The intense race for the playoffs is in full gear. Check out the latest situation in the postseason chase. More …

We’ve seen the 49ers thrive in big moments all year. Coach Jim Harbaugh said it best (at least he said it in a very Jim Harbaughy way) when he compared San Francisco’s ability to tune out the white noise of these high-pressure affairs with his childhood spent near a railroad station:

“The more you hear the train,” Harbaugh said, “the less you hear it.”

We think we understand.

Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.

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In this long, winding NFL campaign, here’s a sentence no one saw coming at midseason: We have a three-way tie atop the NFC East.

The Cowboys outlasted the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 in overtime Sunday in one of the more entertaining, evenly matched games of the season. Both teams have struggled with injuries, especially on defense, but they attacked this game with the intensity of a playoff contest.

The Cowboys needed the win more, and they got it through excellent quarterback play and timely defense. Tony Romo threw for 341 yards without a turnover, and he came up with another fourth-quarter comeback. The Steelers’ offense moved the ball well during the middle portion of the game, having scored in four of their last five possessions going into the fourth quarter.

After that: Punt, punt and an interception to start overtime that essentially ended the game.

Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr picked off a Ben Roethlisberger pass to start the extra session, setting up Dan Bailey’s game-winning field goal.

The Cowboys spent the first part of the season finding every imaginable way to lose. Now they are finding ways to pull out games. At 8-6, they still have a solid chance to win the NFC East or make the playoffs as a wild card.

The Steelers, meanwhile, have an uphill climb just to make the postseason at 7-7. They are 0-2 since Roethlisberger returned to the lineup. One more loss next week, and the Steelers’ season is over.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

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CSI My Bank Accounts!!!

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The New England Patriots are also planning a tribute for the victims of this tragedy. In addition to wearing their own decal, the Patriots will send up 26 flares, one at a time, during a moment of silence at Gillette Stadium prior to Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. The flares represent an individual memorial symbol for each person who lost their life on Friday morning in Newtown, Conn.

The NFL had previously requested each home team observe a moment of silent reflection prior to this weekend’s games.

This is a classy gesture by the Patriots’ organization, who clearly have a moving tribute in store. Sunday will start on a reverent tone across the NFL.

Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.

Julia Brendler Theresa Russel



Posted by S. Abbas Raza at 11:16 AM | Permalink

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SWhen officials announced the Jan. 12 event in early November, Rockhold (10-1 MMA, 9-0 SF) said he informed officials that a wrist injury lingered and that he was unable to fight.

That’s why he’s particularly irritated by a series of verbal attacks from Lorenz Larkin (13-0 MMA, 4-0 SF) regarding his willingness to compete.

“He was obviously misinformed to some extent,” Rockhold said. “I’ve been in that situation, but just to lash out at me, that’s pretty amateur.”

Larkin, who today addressed his grievances with MMAjunkie.com Radio, was twice scheduled to vie for the title before injuries interceded.

“I just feel like guys are acting like they haven’t paved any way for them to go to the UFC and a catastrophe could happen on Jan. 12, where [UFC President Dana White is] going to be like, ‘No. I didn’t like the way you fought, and you’re not going to come over,’” Larkin said.

Rockhold, however, said the UFC wasn’t a part of his decision. He noticed his injury eight weeks prior to a fight scheduled for a Nov. 3 event and announced his withdrawal two weeks later.

“Every time I would grip something, it would be a sharp pain,” he said. “I’d punch wrong, and it would make me want to cry.”

Rockhold saw multiple doctors and had several MRIs done on his wrist. Training never completely resumed.

Four weeks ago, he underwent a blood therapy called PRP (platelet-rich plasma) to speed the healing process on what was diagnosed as a tear to his triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) and ligament sprain. He also spent three weeks in a hard cast, which was removed this past week.

“I don’t take steroids, so I don’t know if I can heal as fast as some of these guys,” Rockhold said. “I do things the way I know how.”

Strikeforce and broadcast partner Showtime dually announced the Jan. 12 event with three title fights: lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez vs. Pat Healy, Rockhold vs. Larkin, and welterweight champ Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine.

Melendez earlier this month withdrew from the event, later titled “Strikeforce: Champions,” citing a nagging shoulder injury. News of Rockhold’s withdrawal became public over the weekend.

Rockhold believes the confusion over his status may stem from a conversation with Strikeforce officials following his first injury in which he gave a timeline for his readiness to fight.

“They never really got back to me, and they just thought I’d be ready, and I wasn’t able to get on it,” he said. “I don’t really know. I don’t really want to get into it, to tell you the truth. I wasn’t able to train.

“They announced the fight, and I immediately called and told them how I felt and now here we are. They wanted to make a date happen, and I know they want to get done with this thing probably as much as anybody else, and for some reason they have to put on a last card. Pushing this card hard, it seems like. I just wasn’t able to make the date at that time.”

Relations between Strikeforce parent Zuffa and Showtime steadily have deteriorated since a March meeting between UFC President Dana White and Showtime officials. White said he was “hands-off” with Strikeforce after his input on the look of the event was nixed.

Two Strikeforce events have been canceled due to high-profile injury withdrawals that prompted Showtime to decline low-wattage events.

With the promotion’s final event slated for January, Rockhold won’t defend the belt he won with a September 2011 decision over Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. But he stressed that he didn’t withdraw from the event because he had designs on starting anew in the UFC once Strikeforce folded.

“That was not any part of my thought process,” Rockhold said. “I’m injured. I want to get paid. I want to shut Lorenz’s mouth. I’m not waiting in any shape or form for the UFC. You can never count on that happening. I’ve heard that in the past, and I’m not going to wait for that to happen.

“I have a lot of things I want to do in my life. This has set me back. I was going to buy a house, and now it looks like I’m going to wait until I’m more financially stable. I want to fight, plain and simple. It doesn’t matter who. Except at this point, after the talk, obviously I’m partial to fighting Lorenz.”

The feeling isn’t mutual for Larkin, who said he wants to move on.

Rockhold doesn’t hold that against the middleweight contender. He estimated he’ll be ready to return in three to four months after completely healing his wrist. He is unconcerned with the location of the next bout.

“I’d be completely happy with the UFC, but I just want to fight and get paid,” he said. “I want to be best in the world. Eventually, whether it’s here or there, I want those fights.”

For more on “Strikeforce: Champions,” stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

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Unloads Pet Hamster
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Unloads Pet Hamster
On Screaming Fan

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City Atty PISSED After Actress
Skates in Hit-n-Run Cases

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The intense race for the playoffs is in full gear. Check out the latest situation in the postseason chase. More …

Breer reported that this playoff expansion talk will come as part of larger considerations to reformat the NFL season. Any proposal for adding postseason games likely would come with the elimination of some preseason games, perhaps with a move to a 16-and-2 format with just two preseason weeks.

Goodell often has spoken about the poor quality of NFL preseason games. The most likely scenario would be to lop off two weeks entirely.

Breer reported there was no discussion about expanding the playoffs at the meeting in Dallas this week; the idea simply was introduced. It will be discussed further at the league’s annual meeting in March.

When the concept first was broached in 2006 by then-Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt, fellow NFL owners quickly turned it down. Perhaps Goodell publicly floated the idea to see what the reaction would be. From what we can tell, it hasn’t been positive.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

Melissa Gilbert Tonya Harding

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Entrepreneurs “give back” to society not only in taxes but in products that improve our lives — and in charity. While individual success is aided by public institutions, private associations such as family and community often play a larger role.

Obama is not a quasi-communist; he is just a liberal. Yet at a time when more than 40 percent of our gross domestic product is spent by government, we should be asking how much government is too much. Obama’s speech suggests that his instinct is for more, not less.

Full column at Newsday.

Marisol Thomas Catherine Bach