MIAMI (AP)-- Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor would face a minimum prison sentence of three years if convicted on charges of pointing a gun during a dispute about an all-terrain vehicle.

A trial date was set for Sept. 12, the day after the Redskins open their season

State prosecutors filed charges Friday against the 22-year-old former University of Miami star. He faces a single count of aggravated assault with a firearm and a misdemeanor charge of simple battery, said Michael Greico, assistant state attorney.

Taylor allegedly was among a group of people who got into a June 1 armed confrontation over a vehicle the player and his associates believed had been stolen. Another man in the group, 19-year-old Charles Caughman, also faces aggravated assault charges. He is accused of threatening and chasing someone with a baseball bat.

Taylor, the No. 5 overall draft pick by the Redskins in 2004, did not appear in court and has filed a written plea of not guilty.

His attorney, Edward Carhart, said his client hoped to avoid charges after meeting with prosecutors voluntarily and presenting polygraph test results the lawyer said clear Taylor of wrongdoing. Polygraph results usually are not admissible in court.

Greico said the charges involve three victims. He would not comment on the substance of the case but said Taylor faces a maximum prison term of 16 years.

Taylor signed a seven-year, $18 million deal with the Redskins after he was drafted. The team has excused him from further offseason practices and meetings so he can concentrate on his case.

Taylor was charged with drunken driving in October after attending a birthday party for receiver Rod Gardner. Those charges were dismissed, but Taylor was convicted for refusing to take a blood-alcohol test. The conviction was later dismissed.

Taylor also has fired two agents, was fined for skipping one day of the NFL's mandatory rookie symposium and was accused of spitting on a player during a game at Cincinnati.

But it just got a lot worse for both of them.

They've been "punked."

According to The Philadelphia Daily News, Ashton Kutcher fooled the unsuspecting jocks for upcoming episodes of the MTV show "Punk'd," in which the actor sets up elaborate practical jokes on celebrities.

Iverson's prank reportedly took place earlier this month at a Hollywood club, where he was having a birthday party. The gag was that Iverson wasn't let in to his own party while lesser names like Diff'rent Strokes" star Todd Bridges just strolled right in.

Owens' prank involved an incident where T.O. was being a Good Samaritan in an accident, but the whole scene turns foul when a personal-injury attorney arrives.

Is it me or does Kellen Winslow,Jr.  have a death wish.  This guy really is a card.  I don't think he will have a productive NFL career.  He really is behind the eightball.  Does anyone disagree?

CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Browns finally know how much damage Kellen Winslow Jr. did to his right knee. Now, they can't say how badly he's hurt.

The club has not received authorization from Winslow or his family to disclose any of the injuries the tight end sustained when he crashed his motorcycle on May 1, team spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz said.

Winslow underwent an MRI exam on Tuesday at the Cleveland Clinic. Doctors had been waiting for the swelling to go down before they could do further tests. The Browns received the results on Wednesday but they can't release them to the public until Winslow or his representatives give them permission.

Winslow could be waiting to get another medical opinion before disclosing the extent of his injury.

The club has braced itself for bad news on Winslow, who could miss the upcoming season. The former Miami star played in only two games as a rookie last season before breaking his right leg while trying to recover an onside kick in Week 2.

While riding his newly purchased motorcycle in a parking lot near his Westlake home, the 21-year-old Winslow was hurt when he slammed the high-powered bike into a curb and went flying over the handlebars.

He spent nine days in the hospital before being released.

Police have concluded their investigation of Winslow's accident and turned over their case to Westlake law director John Wheeler, who will determine whether charges should be filed, Lt. Ray Arcuri said.

Wheeler did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Police never interviewed Winslow about the accident because his attorney wanted to know the questions in advance, said Arcuri, who called the request "silly."

Winslow could be charged with reckless operation, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.

His use of a motorcycle violated standard NFL player contract language that prohibits players from engaging in dangerous activities. The Browns could require him to return millions of dollars in signing bonuses. The team has declined to comment on his contract.

Indianapolis Colts: FieldTurf will replace the RCA Dome's 8-year-old AstroTurf for the upcoming season, Colts president Bill Polian.

The team has had a FieldTurf surface at its indoor practice facility for the last two seasons.

The RCA Dome and Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis were the only two stadiums last season that had AstroTurf, which has less padding, more awkward seams and, many believe, increases the chances for injury than the newer artificial surfaces that look and feel more like grass.

On Tuesday, the Rams announced they would replace their AstroTurf to FieldTurf for the 2005 season, then go with a new, long-term convertible system that can be picked up in parts and moved easily to accommodate functions when the team isn't playing.

Indianapolis and St. Louis were voted the league's worst fields in a survey of about 1,500 players by the NFL Players Association released in February.

Washington Redskins: Coach Joe Gibbs underwent an operation several weeks ago to unclog an artery to his heart.

Gibbs, a 64-year-old diabetic, said the procedure "has no effect on my work, or my tenure with the Redskins."

He said Wednesday he had the precautionary procedure in mid-April at a Washington hospital on the advice of doctors. A small tube, known as a stent, was placed in the artery. Gibbs said he has never had a problem with his heart, and the blockage was discovered during a routine physical.

"I suffered no ill effects prior to the procedure, and have had none since," he said.

Owens fired longtime agent David Joseph in April, hired Drew Rosenhaus and started asking for a renegotiation just one year into a seven-year deal worth almost $49 million.

The Eagles have intimated they wouldn't redo the contract, and owner Jeffrey Lurie told the newspaper, "It's not even an issue."

"It's a non-issue," Lurie said. "There are a lot of things I spend time thinking about, but that's not one of them."

Lurie criticized Owens' new agent for giving him "self-destructive advice."

The flamboyant Owens helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl in his first season in Philadelphia after eight years with San Francisco.

Owens, reached at his offseason home in Atlanta, declined to comment.Rosenhaus also declined to respond. "My policies are not to comment, so I have no comment," Rosenhaus said.

Owens skipped the Eagles' mandatory minicamp April 29, in a holdout that could extend into training camp, which starts in late July.

"I know I'm a top player in the game, and my current contract doesn't justify that," Owens had said after hiring Rosenhaus.

"Every player is both fragile and talented," said Lurie, who was traveling Wednesday with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue to a conference of chief executive officers in Beijing.

"Unfortunately, we're seeing around the league certain agents who take advantage of the fragility of the players, and are less worried about their continued success and stability than acting self destructively. It's too bad," he said.

Asked if he expects Owens to be with the Eagles next season, Lurie said, "If he wants to win a Super Bowl, he should be."

"At this level, with multimillions (of dollars), you're just trying to leave a legacy and win Super Bowls, as far as I am concerned. And he's got a great opportunity," Lurie said.

Zygmunt Wilf, a New Jersey real estate developer initially identified as one of Fowler's four limited partners, is apparently in the process of taking over as general partner to ensure the deal goes through.

NFL owners are expected to vote on the purchase of the team from Red McCombs at the league's spring meetings May 24-25 in Washington, D.C.

"It just sounds most likely that they're going to go ahead and buy it and rearrange the thing," said Glen Taylor, owner of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves and an unsuccessful bidder for the Vikings. "Reggie's going to move down, and another guy is going to move up."

Wilf made the latest of several visits to the Twin Cities earlier this week to meet with landowners and local officials about a new stadium north of Minneapolis.

"I believe that Zyggi Wilf is preparing to proceed here," said Anoka County commissioner Dan Erhart, who has been responsible for arranging the meetings. "Clearly, he was the person speaking for the group."

Fowler hasn't commented publicly since February, and his spokeswoman said he wouldn't until the deal is resolved. Wilf hasn't commented since his name surfaced in connection with Fowler.

Since Fowler's net worth is unknown and he has been unwilling to reveal it, skepticism about his ability to come up with the cash arose soon after the deal -- for a reported $625 million -- was announced nearly three months ago. League rules require the general partner to have at least a 30 percent stake in the team.

"Whether it's Mr. Fowler or Mr. Wilf or anybody else, we need an owner," Erhart said.

Anoka County officials have targeted a site in the suburb of Blaine, about 20 miles north of Minneapolis, for a major development with a stadium as the centerpiece.

Taylor was initially contacted by Fowler about being a minority investor. He said he wasn't interested after investigating the offer and put together his own bid that was trumped by Fowler's.

Believing now that Wilf will head the group, Taylor said he thinks it's in better financial shape.

"I'm sure they'll get accepted, because the general partner will have enough money," Taylor said. "I don't know how they would not."

League spokesman Greg Aiello didn't immediately return a phone call Friday seeking comment. McCombs was unavailable for comment.

PITTSBURGH -- Despite Kellen Winslow Jr.'s accident and his own coach's admonition, Big Ben isn't hopping off his big bike just yet.

Ben Roethlisberger was lectured Friday by Steelers coach Bill Cowher on the dangers of riding a motorcycle without a helmet -- as Roethlisberger has been spotted doing recently -- but the quarterback isn't ready to get off his $20,000 cycle.

"He talked about being a risk taker and I'm not really a risk taker. I'm pretty conservative and laid back, but the big thing is to just be careful," Roethlisberger said as the Steelers opened their minicamp. "I'll just continue to be careful. I told him we don't ever ride alone, we always ride in a group of people, and I think it makes it even more safe."

Asked why he doesn't wear a helmet -- something he wouldn't think about doing on a football field -- Roethlisberger pointed out Pennsylvania's 35-year-old state law requiring helmets to be worn was amended two years ago.

"Obviously Pennsylvania doesn't think people need to (wear a helmet)," he said. "There's a law you've got to wear it in football."

Steelers linebacker Joey Porter was surprised to hear the NFL offensive rookie of the year is taking such risks so soon after Winslow's accident. The Browns tight end, drafted five spots ahead of Roethlisberger last year, was injured Sunday when he flew off a newly purchased motorcycle after running into a parking lot curb.

"Some guys are real good on motorcycles and know what they're doing, but accidents happen," Porter said. "I can't knock the guy for doing it, but it's probably not the wisest thing to do. I don't own a bike because I don't trust them."

Porter occasionally gets on a Jet Ski, but he said that's different from steering a motorcycle through heavy traffic. Roethlisberger acknowledged many drivers become distracted when they see him riding, shouting or waving at him.

"If I fall off a Jet Ski, I hit the water, and I like my odds," Porter said. "I'm going to get wet. What I say about motorcycles is that concrete is undefeated."

Of course, Roethlisberger was, too, as a rookie, going 13-0 during the Steelers' team-record 15-1 regular season before losing to New England in the AFC Championship Game.

The Steelers are understandably cautious about combining a first-round draft choice and a high-speed vehicle. Gabe Rivera, the defensive lineman they chose instead of quarterback Dan Marino in the 1983 draft, was paralyzed after wrecking his sports car midway through his rookie season and hasn't walked since.

Many NFL contracts prohibit engaging in dangerous activities, but Roethlisberger's deal apparently doesn't specifically ban motorcycle riding.

Cowher didn't criticize Roethlisberger's riding, but is visibly uneasy with it.

"I certainly don't condone that," Cowher said. "It (playing pro football) is a very small time in your life and you've got to be very careful - you can see it documented with Kellen Winslow in Cleveland. There are choices and consequences ... not just in riding motorcycles, but where you go and who you associate with. You have control over them but once you make your decision, they control you."

Meanwhile, all players reported to the minicamp, the formal start to the final month of the Steelers' offseason workouts. Most players will remain in town through mid-June for "coaching sessions," daily workouts that technically are voluntary but usually are fully attended.

ESPN-Businessman Reggie Fowler doesn't own the Minnesota Vikings just yet, but he's already eyeing a relationship with Randy Moss, one that keeps the star receiver in Minnesota.

"I think we all have to have a set of standards," Fowler told the Star Tribune. "I think  Moss is, if not the finest, one of the finest receivers in the league today. And I think he's a winner. A lot of times when you want to win, you get excited.

"So I look forward to working with Randy, and I think he'll do all the things we need him to do. I don't know that you take some of the best players in the league and start trading them. We need those people to help us win, and I think Randy's one of those guys.

"Fowler also hoped to clear up any questions regarding his business dealings, including reports of lawsuits and controversies surrounding the companies Fowler owns.

"Most of it's not true," Fowler told the paper. "I hope to prove that we are credible individuals and hope to get the people of Minneapolis excited about what could happen in the next 30 days or so."Part of that excitement, Fowler hopes, is the ability to put a plan together for a new stadium."We'd like to think there are many options," he told the paper. "One of them, of course, is public funding or state funding. Another option is going privately. We have to evaluate those different options. But at the end of the day, we're confident that we can get something done."

Two topics of interest on this Valentine's Day:

1. Freddie Mitchell, that old New England fan favorite, tells me, "The Patriots aren't all that good."

2. If you want New England cornerback Ty Law, you're going to have to pay for him.

I thought those would get your attention.

Mitchell first.

I phoned him after the heat of the moment had died down to find out what he thought of the Patriots and what it was like in the huddle in those last, ill-fated six minutes. He got himself well-hated by the Patriots for saying he didn't know the New England cornerbacks, and that he would "have something'' for safety Rodney Harrison during Super Bowl XXXIX. He had something all right: one catch for 11 yards. But that didn't stop him from opining harshly about the victors.

"If you played this Patriot team 10 times, how many times do you figure the Eagles would win?'' I asked.

"Eight times,'' he said. "To me, the Patriots are not that good. We turn it over four times, and still they only beat us by three. We're the better team. But we turned it over too much. A good team crushes that Patriot team. I'm telling you, they're not that good. T.O. was hurt, and he still scorched them for over 100 yards.''

He called the Patriots a "well, well-coached team. But we'll see how good a coach Bill Belichick is after he loses those two coordinators. That Charlie Weis is a friggin' mastermind."

Speaking of Belichick, I told him Sports Illustrated had quoted Belichick this week as calling Mitchell "terrible ... We loved when he was in the game."

"Oh,'' Mitchell said. You could feel the steam over the phone. "I see. It takes a big man to talk after the game. Why didn't he say anything before the game? That shows what kind of guy he is.''

I asked him his opinion about Tom Brady.

"He's like Ben Roethlisberger to me,'' Mitchell said. "They don't put him in position to make mistakes. They limit his ability to make mistakes. He's sort of like a robot.''

Ben Roethlisberger has quarterbacked 15 NFL games. Tom Brady is 57-14 in his five seasons. I could think of a lot of comparisons for Brady, but Roethlisberger wouldn't be atop the list. Troy Aikman might. Joe Montana might…Read more.

Philadelphia (AP) -IT IS COMING from all sides if your name is Donovan McNabb. Didn't matter that No. 5 was chillin' in Hawaii before the Pro Bowl or that he insists he wasn't ill during

Super Bowl XXXIX. The hits just keep on coming. One of Philly's biggest celebrity Eagles fans, middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, can't even hold back.Hopkins ripped McNabb in an interview with Daily News boxing writer Bernard Fernandez yesterday.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jose Canseco says in his upcoming book that he injected Mark McGwire with steroids and introduced several other sluggers to the drugs, the Daily News reported Sunday.

The long-awaited Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big, is scheduled for release by Regan Books on Feb. 21. Regan publicist Paul Olsewski told The Associated Press in an e-mail that the release date could be moved up.

Parent company HarperCollins posted a book description on its Web site that said Canseco "made himself a guinea pig of the performance-enhancing drugs" and added the 1988 AL MVP "mixed, matched and experimented to such a degree that he became known throughout the league as 'The Chemist."'

The Daily News did not quote from the book and said it was still being edited. The newspaper would not say how it got the information.

Canseco did not respond to an e-mail from the AP.

Canseco said he, McGwire and Jason Giambi shot steroids together in the bathroom stall at the Oakland Coliseum, the Daily News reported. McGwire has always denied using steroids.

"I have always told the truth and I am saddened I continue to face this line of questioning," McGwire told the newspaper.

Canseco said he introduced Texas teammates Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez to steroids after being traded to the Rangers in 1992.

"Neither our current owner, general manager and manager were with the Rangers then," Texas spokesman Gregg Elkin said. "The Rangers continue to support baseball's initiative to get steroids out of the game."

Canseco also said President Bush, the Rangers' general managing partner at the time, must have known about the steroid use.

White House spokesman Trent Duffy did not specifically address Canseco's assertion, but said Sunday that Bush's position on steroids "has been known for some time," noting that he condemned the drugs in his 2004 State of the Union address.

A few years ago, Canseco claimed that 80 percent of major leaguers had taken steroids. Last spring, he said: "I think the numbers may have changed. Who knows? Maybe the numbers have diminished."

Canseco hit 462 home runs in a major league career from 1985-2001.

Baseball recently adopted a tougher steroid-testing program after the sport came under increased scrutiny about the drugs. Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield and Giambi testified before a federal grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative known as BALCO.

MIAMI (AP) -- Maurice Clarett stiff-armed another commitment, reinforcing doubts about his reliability and fitness with the NFL scouting combine three weeks away.

The elusive, reclusive former Ohio State running back had been scheduled to participate in the college football all-star challenge, an eight-player skills event taped Monday by Fox TV at Dolphins Stadium for broadcast Saturday.

But he recently hired a new agent, Steve Feldman, who told organizers late last week that Clarett was pulling out.

"It was completely my decision," Feldman said. "He wanted to be there, but from a safety standpoint, it doesn't seem logical to take a chance that he might tweak something or pull something or damage something that would prevent him from showing off his stuff at the combine."

At the combine a year ago, Clarett showed up overweight and declined to work out. He'll be eligible for the draft in April after his legal bid to enter the NFL last year was overturned by an appeals court. He hasn't played since being suspended by Ohio State following the 2002 season.

Feldman said Clarett is healthy and working with a private trainer but declined to say where.

"This guy will blow people's minds at the combine," Feldman said. "He is in fantastic shape. That's why it seems ludicrous to jeopardize it at this point."

Following the combine in Indianapolis, which begins Feb. 23, Clarett will likely take part in two or three private workouts, Feldman said.

Organizers of the all-star challenge said Clarett had accepted an invitation to the event earlier in January before hiring Feldman.

"Unfortunately Maurice is carrying forward his tradition of not honoring commitments and being very unpredictable," said Dan Jones, vice president of Intersport, the company producing the show. "We were excited about giving him an opportunity to change the public perception, and unfortunately he has done the exact opposite and reinforced it."

Players participating included Aaron Rodgers, Jason White, Carnell Williams and Braylon Edwards, who shrugged off Clarett's absence.

"To be invited to something like this, I thought it would be something good for him," Edwards said. "Clarett's Clarett."

"I would be curious to just meet him and see where his head's at," Williams said.

Organizers disputed Feldman's contention that Clarett would have risked injury by participating. The event measures agility, speed and strength, and Jones said model Marisa Miller -- who will appear on the show -- tested the course without incident.

"If a supermodel can run through the course in high heels and not get injured, I'm pretty sure Maurice Clarett can do it without getting injured," Jones said.

But with the combine approaching, Feldman said Clarett can't risk even a minor injury, unlike other NFL prospects.

"The other guys have film. They've played the last two years. They can afford a tweak or pull," Feldman said. "He can't. He's got to be ready."

Feldman's clients include New England Patriots Corey Dillon and Rodney Harrison. Clarett has also retained as an attorney David Kenner, who has represented Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight.

Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman in 2002, leading Ohio State to the national championship. He was then suspended for lying to investigators during an NCAA investigation of allegations he received improper benefits from a family friend.

MIAMI (AP) -- New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza married former Playboy Playmate and Baywatch star Alicia Rickter on Saturday in a candlelight church ceremony.

With baseball players including former Mets pitcher Al Leiter and Detroit Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez in attendance, Piazza and Rickter took their vows at St. Jude's Catholic Church on Saturday before boarding a yacht to a lavish reception on nearby Fisher Island.

Rickter, 32, wore a white satin Vera Wang gown and was joined by five bridesmaids, including maid-of-honor Angelica Bridges, a Baywatch co-star, and Playboy Playmates Brande Roderick and Lisa Dergan.

Noted for his racy bachelor days, Piazza, 36, embarked on married life at a small ceremony, joined by about 120 people. His brother Tony was best man.

Presiding over the ceremony was Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius Catanello, 66, of the Diocese of Brooklyn -- a die-hard Mets fan.

Piazza personally asked Catanello, who lives in Flushing, Queens, to perform the marriage. "I love Florida," Catanello said. "It's about 10 degrees in New York."

"This is great. We've been very good friends for a couple of years," added Catanello, who laughed when asked if Piazza was nervous and said, "Like a regular groom, but he's okay."

Bren O'Brien - Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport have blazed different paths through to this Australian Open final, but no matter what the result, a drought will be broken. Injury robbed Williams of the chance to defend her title at Melbourne Park in 2004, but the two-year wait has fuelled her desire to succeed, and she showed in her extraordinary semi-final win over Maria Sharapova, she is as tough as ever to overcome.

have blazed different paths through to this Australian Open final, but no matter what the result, a drought will be broken. Injury robbed Williams of the chance to defend her title at Melbourne Park in 2004, but the two-year wait has fuelled her desire to succeed, and she showed in her extraordinary semi-final win over Maria Sharapova, she is as tough as ever to overcome.

Davenport's wait has been much longer, since her triumph at this very tournament in 2000. In the ensuing years she has played in 12 Grand Slam tournaments without success. She has the world No.1 ranking, but beneath that cool exterior burns a desire to succeed on tennis' biggest stage. She, like Williams, has been pushed to the brink, and she too has shown the spirit of a pugilist.

With two such tough competitors, this is a fascinating battle where Williams, despite being the No.7 seed for this tournament, has been favourite since the early rounds. The reason is Serena's superb record on Rebound Ace. Her last defeat in Melbourne came in the quarter finals of 2001 against Martina Hingis and it is clear she has come along way since then. She has also come a long way since a stomach injury threatened her career and forced her to spend much of 2004 below peak fitness. Her effort to see off three match points and defeat Sharapova 9-7 in the third set of the semi-final has dispelled any doubts that may have lingered about her fitness, mental or physical. Not only did she hold her nerve, she thrived on the challenge and upped her game when needed.

Davenport did a similar thing against both Alicia Molik in the quarter-finals and Nathalie Dechy in the semi. While she never trailed in the Molik match, she was on the brink of defeat against Dechy when trailing a set and 3-1 in the second-set tie-breaker. Her serve, which she relies on so much to set up her points, came to the rescue and she took the set before claiming the third 6-4. Against Molik, her serve deserted her at a crucial stage and she was forced to grind it out, 10-8 in the third, in the heat

Both players have had two days to recover from their semi-finals, although Davenport played in the women's doubles final on Day 12. Their ability to recover from those matches could play a major role in who takes home the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. That Molik match, played the day after Williams' surprisingly easy win over No.2 seed Amelie Mauresmo, may come back to haunt Davenport, who has spent nearly an hour more on court - not including her doubles matches - over the last 12 days.

The two share a rich rivalry, stemming back to their first match in 1997, when Davenport won in straight-sets in Chicago. Williams has enjoyed much of the success in their meetings since and their overall ledger stands at 9-4 in the younger woman's favour. But Davenport can take heart that she has recorded wins over Williams the last two times they have played - in the JP Morgan Chase Open and in the round robin stage of the Tour Championships, the only times the two met in 2004. They have met four times in a Grand Slam, all at the US Open, with Serena holding a 3-1 edge.

But history will count for little when the pair steps out on Rod Laver Arena on the penultimate day of the tournament. Both have the desire, physical strength and tactical nous to take the final. If Davenport's serve is anything short of the mark, she can expect to be pounced upon, while Williams needs to maintain the intensity she showed deep into the Sharapova clash. Expect a memorable end to an unforgettable fortnight in Melbourne, which has showcased the depth and strength of women's tennis. No matter who wins, we'll have a fifth individual Grand Slam winner in the last five tournaments, another sign of the health of the sport.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Arkansas coach Stan Heath was reprimanded by the Southeastern Conference on Tuesday for criticizing officials after the Razorbacks' loss to LSU last week.

Heath said after a 66-63 overtime loss to the Tigers on Jan. 19 that officials penalized the Razorbacks by changing a 3-point basket to a 2-pointer. Heath said the change was made after officials discovered that Michael Jones traveled before sinking a jumper.

Last week, the SEC acknowledged that officials didn't communicate properly with each other or the coach after Jones' shot, but didn't change the call.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive issued Heath the reprimand, citing the league rule that prevents universities and their coaches from publicly criticizing referees.

"I fully understand and share coach Heath's frustration resulting from the lack of communication and mixed signals given by the officiating crew at the end of regulation in the Arkansas-LSU game," Slive said. "Nonetheless, I have reminded coach Heath of his responsibility to comply with the SEC Code of Ethics."

University spokesman Kevin Trainor said Heath accepted the league's reprimand and would not comment.

"We've supported coach Heath and I think at this point coach Heath has had an opportunity to voice his concerns and he's had a dialogue with the commissioner and in the end that's what the goal was," Trainor said. "Now it's time for us to move forward."

Heath accused officials of changing the score after noticing that Jones traveled before shooting. He said that, because the referees couldn't penalize the traveling, they chose changing the point value as a remedy.

"I thought the integrity of our game was compromised," Heath said last week. "My kid traveled. Mike Jones traveled. The referee did not call travel, so what happened was they decided that because they couldn't call the travel, they decided not to give him the three.

"His foot was on the line, he slid it back behind the line and the shot went in," Heath said.

Officials said after the game that the tape was inconclusive. Heath said that should have led them to leave the shot as a 3-pointer.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Terrell Owens says his recovery is way ahead of schedule, surprising even his doctor.

Whether the All-Pro wide receiver will be healthy enough to play for the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl remains a mystery.

"What a lot of people don't realize is that I've been doing a lot of rehab on my own, a lot of healing on my own, but spiritually God is healing me and I'm way ahead of where a lot of people expect me to be, even the doctor," Owens said Monday. "He's even shocked at what he's seen. Spiritually I've been healed and I believe that I'll be out there on that field Sunday, regardless of what anyone says."

Owens was among several Eagles, including quarterback Donovan McNabb and running back Brian Westbrook, who sat courtside for Monday night's NBA game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat. Owens, sidelined with an ankle injury since Dec. 19, was all smiles while talking about a possible return for the Feb. 6 Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.

Eagles coach Andy Reid said earlier in the day that Owens has made great progress, and will try to run this week.

"I've been doing all my rehab in the pool," Owens said.

He was back on the sideline Sunday for the NFC title game, only this time he served as head cheerleader, flapping his arms, waving a towel and encouraging the crowd to make more noise. The Eagles advanced to the Super Bowl with a 27-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Owens jogged onto the field and pumped up the crowd during pregame introductions, and jumped around on the bench during the game.

"I enjoyed it," Owens said. "If I could have been out there, I would have been out there. I just showed my support where I can."

But making cuts and taking hits are another story.

Owens, who led the Eagles with 77 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 TDs, tore two ankle ligaments and broke his right leg in a game against Dallas. A surgeon inserted two screws in Owens' ankle and a plate on the outside of the ankle three days after he was injured.

Owens was told after surgery that he had only an outside chance of returning for the Super Bowl, which was seven weeks away at the time. But he has rehabbed vigorously and has told teammates he's going to play.

Staying optimistic is one thing. Will he really be healthy enough to take the field in Jacksonville, Fla.?

"That's the question of the day. It remains to be answered," Owens said. "In due time. I've got two weeks to prepare and get myself healthy enough to get out there on that field. When the time comes, we'll make that decision and we'll see."

To a city that grew accustomed to the tough-guy Super Bowl Steelers of the 1970s, who played in bare sleeves no matter the weather, it was unsettling to watch a quarterback in gloves.

With snow showers forecast for Sunday night and the likelihood of a wet, sloppy field, Roethlisberger plans to discard the gloves. That should please those Steelers fans who remember Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw beating teams barehanded.

"I'm going to try to go without it," said Roethlisberger, who wore a glove on his left hand but not his throwing hand in practice Wednesday. "If it's wet, it makes it worse [to throw]. We'll see if we can go without this week."

Maybe Roethlisberger is expecting, ahem, a bare-knuckle brawl against the Patriots, whose perplexing defenses throttled NFL MVP Peyton Manning of the Colts during New England's 20-3 second-round victory.

If a quarterback who threw a record 49 touchdown passes this season can't do anything against a Bill Belichick- and Romeo Crennel-designed defense, how can a raw rookie expect to do much better?

Actually, Roethlisberger already has, throwing for two scores -- and no interceptions -- during a nearly flawless performance Oct. 31 in a 34-20 Pittsburgh victory that ended New England's 21-game winning streak.

"I didn't think anybody could stop the Colts," Roethlisberger said. "Their offense is so powerful in what they do, but New England obviously finds a way. ... They do so many things, throw so many things at you. If they can slow down that offense, who knows what they can do to ours?"

To keep the pressure off Roethlisberger, the Steelers probably will try to pound the ball from the start with powerful backs Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley, who will split time in an effort to wear down the Patriots.

New England's run defense will be weakened if lineman Richard Seymour, perhaps its best defensive player, can't play. He didn't practice Wednesday because of a sore knee and is listed as questionable.

That's why the Steelers don't necessarily need Big Ben to win the biggest game of his life; instead, he might just need to make he sure he keeps from losing a matchup of streaking quarterbacks. Roethlisberger is 14-0 as an NFL starter; the Patriots' Tom Brady, the two-time Super Bowl MVP, is 7-0 in the playoffs.

"My rookie year, there is no way I could have done what he did," said Brady, who occasionally wears gloves himself to get a better grip on the new footballs used in every game. "I was awful. I couldn't do anything. I was hoping to show up and bring my playbook. He is out there and hasn't lost a game."

Roethlisberger nearly did Saturday, though, throwing one interception that was returned for a touchdown and another that led to Jets kicker Doug Brien's failed game-winning field goal try to end the fourth quarter. Roethlisberger recovered to lead a decisive scoring drive in overtime as Pittsburgh escaped with a that-was-close 20-17 victory.

Steelers coach Bill Cowher isn't necessarily treating his prized rookie with kid gloves, but he was careful to not be too critical despite the near-escape against the Jets.

"We wouldn't be sitting here today if he hadn't done some of the things that he's done, let's not lose sight of that," Cowher said. "I'm not going to overanalyze it. Certainly there were some choices he made he would like to have back, but we overcame it and we're moving on."

Gloves or no gloves.

"If the guy's open, just throw it to him," Cowher said, passing on the advice he offered Roethlisberger. "Whatever that entails, you wear."

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) --Former Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins was arrested Monday after being shot over the weekend during a struggle with a police officer investigating a burglary at a South Beach office building.

Miami Beach police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said prosecutors are expected to file formal charges of battery on an officer and trespassing against the former All-Pro, who is best known for disappearing the night before the 2003 Super Bowl.

Prosecutors were not available for comment Monday because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Robbins was hospitalized in critical but stable condition, according to his agent, Drew Pittman. Hospital officials declined comment.

Robbins, 31, was shot several times in the torso during a "violent struggle" with a Miami Beach detective Saturday night, Hernandez said. Robbins was confronted in a second-floor office in a building that also houses a nightclub, gym and jewelry store.

Detective Mike Muley, who fired the shots, had minor head injuries from the scuffle and was treated at a hospital and released.

In 2003, Robbins spent Super Bowl Sunday in a hospital and later acknowledged that he had stopped taking his medicine for depression and bipolar disorder. The Raiders lost 48-21 to Tampa Bay.

The often-troubled player was released by Oakland in July 2004, a week after he and two other NFL players were fined three game checks for testing positive for the steroid THG.

Robbins was arrested last month in San Francisco for hitting a security guard at a nightclub.

I think Reggie Bush was robbed by the Heisman Trophy committee.  Sure, everyone is going to say that Matt Leinhart put up better numbers.  But, I think it all starts with the importance of the player.  Leinhart is just a quarterback plain and simple.  Sure he is athletic but Bush is an athlete on another level.  He has scored touchdowns this year on returned kicks, as a wide receiver and as a running back.  He can do it all.  Besides, if I was an NFL team the first person I would draft would be Reggie Bush because he has big play ability that can change a game.  Reggie was robbed. 

Guys and Gals can you tell me what you think of this shot of Brooke Burke...Is it hot or not?  Rate it from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

With the playoff picture finally set, It's going to be an interesting year.  I predicted before that the Panthers would be playing Philly in the championship game but that whole theory went out the window when Carolina lost this past weekend to the Saints.  My new favorite to win the Superbowl is going to be the Atlanta Falcons.  The Falcons have an agressive defense with Patrick Kerney (13+ sacks) and Rod Coleman (11 sacks @ the D.L. position I might add).  And who's going to spy on Michael Vick in coverage?  I hope no one because if they do, it just sets up the stage for Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett to bolster a bruising running game which leads the NFL in rushing at 164.5 yards per game.  No T.O. no show for the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Final Score: Eagles 20 Falcons 24