Nick Saban landed to chants of "Roll Tide," then stepped off the airplane and made the long trek across the tarmac to greet throngs of screaming Alabama fans. That feverish reception Wednesday kicked off a "new era" for the Crimson Tide under a coach they're hoping will finally restore the program to championship heights.

Vince Young looks as if he'll make the NFL his personal playground, too. The dynamic quarterback for the Tennessee Titans won The Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year Award on Wednesday. He did it in the same fashion he turned around the Titans' season -- running away from the rest of the field.

All the Patriots were back at practice Wednesday except for one important player. Not having Rodney Harrison there is becoming painfully familiar. Even worse for New England, it won't have its hard-hitting safety for Sunday's wild-card playoff game against the New York Jets. "It's always a big blow for a guy like that that brings so much intensity and leadership to the team," cornerback Asante...

Police have zeroed in on an SUV they believe might have been used in the drive-by slaying of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams, who was eulogized in a private memorial at team headquarters Wednesday. Police spokeswoman Virginia Quinones said officers were focusing on a 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe, which might have been used in the killing early Monday.

Police seized about 550 rounds of ammunition from the home of Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson during a raid last month, according to new court documents. The ammunition was discovered in Johnson's kitchen, basement, garage and bedroom. Police also found six guns, marijuana and unlabeled pills believed to be the prescription painkiller hydrocodone, the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald...

Pat Riley is taking a break from a season that has left him limping and in pain. The Miami Heat coach began an indefinite leave of absence Wednesday because of hip and knee problems, choosing assistant Ron Rothstein to fill his spot on an interim basis. Riley will have surgery Friday to remove floating chips his right knee.

Gilbert Arenas got the ball with the score tied and 6 seconds to play. He dribbled downcourt, read Charlie Bell's retreating feet, stopped and stroked a perfect jumper 32 feet from the basket. "Once I let it go, I'm like, 'That's in,"' Arenas said. "I don't even need to look at this one." He didn't. He turned with a snarl and a strut, strolling away with his back to the basket as if it were another...

Steve Nash struggled for most of his first game in Canada this season before showing in the fourth quarter why he is a two-time MVP. Nash scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 100-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. Nash was only 1-for-7 from the field through three quarters, but he recovered in the fourth.

For the Miami Heat, this may have been rock bottom. On a day when coach Pat Riley deactivated two forwards whose body fat readings aren't within team parameters, then began an indefinite leave of absence because of knee and hip problems, the defending NBA champions continued their free-fall. Elton Brand scored 28 points and Chris Kaman added 20 as the Los Angeles Clippers easily beat Miami 110-95...

As long as the Memphis Grizzlies want to run, interim coach Tony Barone isn't going to bog them down with too many set plays. The racehorse Grizzlies used a season-high 33 points from Mike Miller, and Pau Gasol's 24 points and 13 rebounds Wednesday night to beat the Golden State Warriors 144-135. "We got tired halfway through the third quarter," Barone said.

LeBron James just loves playing against the Boston Celtics. James scored 32 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had a season-high 27 points to go along with 11 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Celtics 107-104 Wednesday night. Cleveland won for the fifth time in six games and has beaten the Celtics seven straight times.

Eddy Curry had 27 points, including six dunks, and the New York Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak on their West Coast trip with a 99-81 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. Curry also had 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who wrap up their trip Friday in Seattle. Jamal Crawford added 25 points.

So far, the Houston Rockets are finding ways to win without Yao Ming. Tracy McGrady scored 31 points, topping 30 for the third straight game, and Juwan Howard added 18 as the Rockets beat the Seattle SuperSonics 103-96 on Wednesday night. McGrady also had seven assists and Dikembe Mutombo grabbed 14 rebounds as the Rockets won their fourth straight game.

Whether it was the old ball or the new year, the Utah Jazz needed a half to adjust. The Jazz rallied after shooting 34 percent in the first half by going 20-for-38 in the second and beat the travel-weary Philadelphia 76ers 98-87 Wednesday night. Carlos Boozer scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half and Matt Harpring had 12 of his 20 in the third quarter as the Jazz started to go inside on the...

Dany Heatley has been looking for a break since the Ottawa Senators lost playmaker Jason Spezza. Things finally turned around during a big night on home ice. Heatley scored three goals and tied an Ottawa record with four points in the second period, leading the Senators to a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

Ryan Kesler scored the deciding goal in a shootout, lifting the Vancouver Canucks to a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night. It took six rounds of the tiebreaker to settle this one, and Kesler ended it with a backhander past goalie Marty Turco. Stu Barnes had an opportunity to send it into another round but his effort was stopped by Roberto Luongo.

Steve Yzerman's jersey was hoisted to the rafters and the Detroit Red Wings pulled into a first-place tie with Nashville in the Central Division. It was a good night in Hockeytown. Henrik Zetterberg scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period and Detroit held on for a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night after Yzerman's No.

The Carolina Hurricanes were one of the few NHL teams that was having success in slowing down Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby. They must have known that couldn't last. Crosby scored twice and set up another goal to become the first NHL player with 60 points this season, and the Penguins relied on Crosby's playmaking and Marc-Andre Fleury's strong goaltending to beat Carolina 3-0 Tuesday night.

The ingredients existed for another Philadelphia Flyers loss: an early departure for captain Peter Forsberg and a quick evaporation of a late lead. Maybe a month or even a week ago, the Flyers would've wilted. Not this time. The Flyers shook off yet another injury to Forsberg and then held off the hard-charging New York Islanders for a 3-2 victory Tuesday night that gave them a season-best third...