Bill Parcells could have returned to the Dallas Cowboys for one more shot at becoming the first coach to lead three teams into the Super Bowl. He could have come back to try ending the longest playoff drought in the franchise's proud history. Or he could have come back to finish what he started in developing quarterback Tony Romo and a 3-4 defense.

The Oakland Raiders hired Lane Kiffin on Monday night, making the 31-year-old Southern California offensive coordinator the youngest NFL head coach in decades. Kiffin, the son of Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, earned the job with a strong interview Monday after the Raiders failed to reach a deal last week with 32-year-old Steve Sarkisian, Kiffin's fellow assistant to Pete Carroll...

Yeah, Lovie Smith celebrated all right. In his own way -- just like he's coached the Chicago Bears. "Me going out and doing the town? I don't know if I know how to do that," Smith said Monday, the day after the Bears earned their first trip to the Super Bowl in 21 years and sent a city already in a tizzy into a two-week party.

Mike Tomlin didn't realistically expect to become the Pittsburgh Steelers' coach so early in his career, with so little experience as an NFL coordinator and at such a young age. He knew it, too, although the 34-year-old Vikings defensive coordinator was excited when the Steelers called two weeks ago and offered an interview.

The Bengals' top draft pick is the first challenge to coach Marvin Lewis' new get-tough policy with his misbehaving players. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph was arrested early Monday and charged with possession of marijuana. Joseph was the ninth Cincinnati player arrested in the last nine months, but the first since Lewis announced three weeks ago that he was taking a harder line on player misconduct.

Allen Iverson raced downcourt and floated an alley-oop lob that Carmelo Anthony shoved one-handed through the hoop for an arena-rattling jam, one that seemed to holler to all their doubters, "Take that!" "We just wanted to show the whole world we could play together," Anthony said after the duo's triumphant debut Monday night.

Happy anniversary, Kobe Bryant. A year to the day after his startling 81-point performance, Bryant scored 42, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the Golden State Warriors 108-103 on Monday night despite a season-high 24 turnovers. Bryant said Jan. 22 will always be a special date for him, but probably more so as the years go on.

Jason Kapono hit from outside, and Jason Williams led the fast break. Even third-string center Michael Doleac played a part in the Miami Heat's biggest scoring spurt ever. Dwyane Wade? Shaquille O'Neal? All they contributed was applause from the bench. Playing without their two All-Stars, the Heat scored a franchise-record 27 consecutive points Monday night and beat the New York Knicks 101-83.

Mike Bibby's three awful quarters were similar to most of his performances during this tough season. His seven brilliant minutes were more like the player Bibby used to be -- and the player he hopes to be again for the Sacramento Kings. Bibby scored the Kings' last 15 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 10.3 seconds to play, and Sacramento dramatically erased a 20-point deficit for an 88-87...

Tim Duncan thought his latest victory over Boston should have been easier. Duncan remained unbeaten against the Celtics, finishing with 21 points and nine rebounds to help the San Antonio Spurs hold on for a 93-89 victory Monday night. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker each scored 15 points and Michael Finley had 12 for the Spurs, who have won 18 straight against the Celtics and nine in a row in...

Once their coach busted his clipboard, the Orlando Magic figured it was time to break their losing streak. Grant Hill scored 22 points, Dwight Howard added 18 and the Magic responded to coach Brian Hill's sideline tirade with a 90-79 win over the sleep-deprived Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. As his team huddled for a timeout in the second quarter, Hill destroyed his plastic chalkboard.

Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer made every possession count down the stretch, just the way Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan preaches. "We had a real good finish because I thought we executed pretty well," said Sloan, who saw his team convert seven of its last eight possessions while beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 106-91 on Monday night.

Darrell Armstrong just got some extra incentive to ditch his retirement plans. The 38-year-old point guard came to the Indiana Pacers in a trade last summer planning to play for one final season before pursuing a coaching career. But in his second start of the season, he had 16 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds to help the Pacers beat the Chicago Bulls 98-91 on Monday night.

Martin Brodeur is used to coming to All-Star games to catch up with friends, guys he knows from Team Canada and previous midseason gatherings. On Monday, he might as well have worn one of those "Hello, my name is ..." badges. The All-Star festivities feature so many new players that the days leading up to Wednesday night's game are more get-to-know-you sessions than reunions -- even if first-timers...

Detroit Red Wings veteran defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom certainly likes the NHL's new sleeker and streamlined uniforms. "Especially when I heard that I'm going to be faster," the 15-year veteran and ninth-time All-Star said Monday. "That's something I need now that I'm getting older." After more than two years of testing and designing -- and nearly 100 different versions -- the NHL and Reebok...

A gritty come-from behind road victory over the Los Angeles Kings was worth the wait for the Phoenix Coyotes. Ladislav Nagy and Travis Roche scored in the third period and Josh Gratton scored his first of the season, leading the Coyotes to a 3-2 victory Saturday night and extending the Kings' losing streak to seven games.

Calgary headed into the All-Star break a first-place team after beating the rival Oilers. Not that grabbing a share of the Northwest Division lead mattered all that much to the Flames. "It's where you are at the end of the season that matters," forward Marcus Nilson said after Calgary defeated Edmonton 4-0 on Saturday night.

Manny Legace wasn't thinking shutout. That didn't stop him from blanking one of the NHL's best teams. Legace saved 31 shots as the St. Louis Blues defeated the San Jose Sharks 1-0 on Saturday night. It was Legace's third shutout of the season and 16th of his career. "I feel way better when we get a win then when I get a shutout," Legace said.

Dallas goalie Marty Turco had to work hard for his milestone win, which capped a momentous week for the Stars to take into the All-Star break. Stu Barnes scored in the ninth round of the shootout, beating the Minnesota Wild 2-1 and making Turco the Stars' all-time leader in victories on Saturday night.

Alexander Perezhogin built up enough nerve to make a few rare comments in English after his big play helped send the Montreal Canadiens into the All-Star break on an upswing. Perezhogin set up Michael Ryder's go-ahead goal with 2:53 remaining in regulation and Montreal beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Saturday night, despite blowing a three-goal lead.