The Game: The First Season

Being the wife or girlfriend of a pro-football player might sound like a glamorous and stress-free existence, but Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry) is about to discover the truth. Melanie’s boyfriend, Derwin, is the new third-string wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers. While Derwin worries about the plays on the field, Melanie learns about the power plays that NFL wives use to get their men the best agents, managers, endorsements, merchandising deals and even the “in” charity. As she deals with egos, groupies and image consultants, Melanie is finding out how “the game” is played among the women behind the athletes.

The Confidant

The feature weaves an intricate tale about childhood best-friends that have an unusually strong bond and a more intriguing secret. Both young men are on the right path to promising futures, a first round NFL draft pick, and a talented art major on a full scholarship. A complicated web of lies, gambling, murder and a pact between friends sends an innocent friend to prison and the other to fame. After spending eleven years in prison, the innocent comes to collect a debt and is determined to have the life he was promised... by any means necessary.

Vikes trade for WR Moss

Minnesota pulls off a blockbuster yesterday, the Randy Moss to Minnesota deal has now come to fruition.

Twelve hours after reporting the deal was on the verge of happening, it has now been completed for a third-round pick, sources tell FOXSports.com.

In doing so, the Minnesota Vikings pulled off their biggest blockbuster since acquiring Brett Favre. ..

Connecticut cheerleaders want uniforms with more coverage

Earlier this year, cheerleaders in one Florida district had to get special permission to wear their skirts on game day, because the uniforms were too skimpy for a new dress code. In a fascinating twist, last week cheerleaders in Connecticut begged school officials to help make their uniforms less skimpy.

According to the Connecticut Post and NBC Connecticut, Heidi Medina, the captain of Bridgeport Central's cheerleading squad, stood before the Bridgeport Board of Education in her team's standard uniform, which bares athletes midriffs and uses either small shorts or baggy sweatpants as bottoms, to make a statement that it was inappropriate.

[Related: Team finally allows cheerleaders again - with a catch ]

Medina and fellow seniors insist that the Central uniforms do not meet regulations that require cheerleader uniforms to cover an athlete's midsection when they stand at attention..... More

Michael Vick has rib cartilage injury

Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick, who left Sunday’s loss to the Washington Redskins in the first half, has a rib cartilage injury, according to head coach Andy Reid. The injury is to Vick’s second and third (upper rib area) ribs. Vick’s status for Sunday night’s game at the San Francisco 49ers won’t be known until later this week, but Reid said Vick was very sore on Monday morning.

Starting RB LeSean McCoy has a rib fracture, Reid said. His status as well for Sunday’s game isn’t known. McCoy was injured in the first half against Washington, but was able to play through the injury. Should McCoy not be able to play this week, RB Mike Bell would start.

Reid also said rookie WR Riley Cooper and starting CB Asante Samuel suffered mild concussions. Both players are being evaluated on Monday.

Philadelphia only has four receivers on their active roster, so it’s possible that they consider re-signing veteran WR Kelley Washington, who was released on Sept. 4.

Falcons to sport their throwback jerseys vs. 49ers

FLOWERY BRANCH – Since the Falcons and the 49ers used to be division foes in the old NFC West, it makes perfect sense that they break out the throwback jerseys for the first time this season at 1 p.m. on Sunday...More!

Father of Sports Figures Charged With Wife's Death

Authorities in Orland Park, Ill., have charged the father of a TV sports reporter and a former NFL football player with murder in the shooting death of his wife.

Police arrested Allan J. Kustok, 59, on Thursday, just one day after they say he murdered his wife, Anita "Jeanie" Kustok, 58, inside their suburban Royal Oaks Lane home. The Kustoks were well known in the community for being the parents of Sarah Kustok, a popular Chicago SportsNet anchor, and Zak Kustok, a former star quarterback at Northwestern University and former NFL player with the Chicago Bears.

Orland Park PD

Police arrested Allan J. Kustok, 59, on Thursday, a day after they say he murdered his wife inside their suburban Illinois home.

Investigators learned of the shooting Wednesday, according to the SouthtownStar, after Jeanie Kustok was pronounced dead at Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights. Kustok died as a result of a single gunshot wound, Illinois media outlets reported.

Authorities are not commenting on the specifies of the investigation, but CBS-2 Chicago, citing law enforcement sources, reported that Allan Kustok said he awoke to the sound of a gunshot at about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. Then he reportedly found his wife lying in their bedroom with a gunshot wound to the left side of her head.

Allan Kustok also said he was so distraught that he picked up the gun and fired off several random shots, the SouthtownStar reported.

Authorities began to question Kustok's story when they discovered his wife was right-handed, which would not fit with her shooting herself in the left side of the head. They were also concerned that Allan Kustok did not call 911 and reportedly waited more than an hour before he loaded his wife into their SUV and drove her body six miles to the hospital.

Sainz asked to pose for Playboy

Ines Sainz, the Mexican sports reporter who complained about the treatment she received from New York Jets players and coaching staff at a recent NFL practice, has received a formal offer to pose naked in Playboy, TMZ.com reported Thursday.

The magazine approached the self-proclaimed "hottest sports reporter in Mexico" offering a huge payday and the cover, according to the report — but Sainz would be required to be completely naked.

Her employer TV Azteca, however, prohibits its talent from posing nude.

Sainz, 32, made international headlines in early September when she attended Jets practice for a story on quarterback Mark Sanchez.

She said one coach and various players tried to run at her and throw balls at her during a passing drill, and that players made catcalls in the locker room towards her after practice.

"I die of embarrassment!" Sainz wrote in Spanish on her Twitter account. "I am in the locker room of the Jets waiting for Mark Sanchez while trying not to look to anywhere!"

The NFL team escaped punishment over the incident, but Jets owner Woody Johnson will underwrite a league-wide training program that will be administered to rookies next year to teach them about proper behavior in the workplace.

Jags WR pistol-whipped in attack

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Kassim Osgood was pistol-whipped in an attack when the ex-boyfriend of a 19-year-old Jaguars cheerleader he was visiting confronted them, according to a report on the Florida Times-Union’s website.

Osgood, 30, reportedly leaped out a second-floor window to get away from the armed man late Monday.

The gun-wielding intruder exchanged fire with the woman after putting a gun to her head, saying, "What did that football player say to his girlfriend, it's a good day to die," misquoting ex-Florida Gators player Chris Rainey's text message to a former girlfriend after an arrest, according to a Sheriff’s Office report.

LET'S KICK IT

Your team may be painful to watch, but all these cheerleaders are easy on the eyes. Check out the NFL's best!

Osgood, also a standout on special teams, had minor bruises from being pistol-whipped and jumping out of the second-floor window, according to the report.

"He's fine," Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said Wednesday. "I'm aware of it. I really can't comment on that whole deal. He's doing OK."

The reported gunman, Julian Armond Barletto, 20, was arrested on charges of aggravated battery, false imprisonment, armed robbery, burglary and violation of an injunction, according to police.

Mackenzie Rae Putnal and Osgood were watching television in a second-floor game room around 11:15 p.m. when a man wearing a plastic bag to cover his face walked in, pointed a gun at them and said, "I can't believe you're with that guy," the arrest report said. Barletto pulled Putnal around the room by her hair and hit her with his fists and gun before pistol-whipping Osgood, the report said.

The armed assailant tackled the woman as she tried to flee, taking her cell phone and holding the gun to her head as well as Osgood's. The woman escaped down the hall and leaped over a balcony to the floor below after the gunman told the couple to sit on the floor, the report said.

As the gunman chased after the woman, Osgood jammed a chair under the game room door handle and jumped out a window and onto the lawn, running to a neighbor's house to call police. Meanwhile, Putnal and Barletto confronted each other with guns downstairs, both shooting and missing, the report said.

Jump for Joy

Maxim kicks off the NFL season with photos of cheerleaders on trampolines.

Barletto ran as Putnal called police but was arrested after being found at his home, police said.

The Jaguars declined comment on Putnal's status as one of the team's 32 cheerleaders. She is listed in the 2010 media guide as a dental hygiene major but is no longer on the team's website. The team has a rule forbidding cheerleaders to date players.

Osgood has two receptions for 29 yards this season, including a 24-yard TD catch in the opener against Denver. He played seven seasons for San Diego and made three Pro Bowls as a special teams ace before signing with the Jaguars.

Don't be thick, go with Vick

The teflon coach is now on the clock.

With Donovan McNabb banished to our nation's capital, Philadelphia football fans have no choice but to examine the work of the man wearing the headsets.

Andy Reid is 0-1 today largely because he still can't manage the clock, committed to Kevin Kolb as his starting quarterback with little supporting evidence and allowed an atrocious fourth-and-1 play-call late in Philly's 27-20 loss to Green Bay.

Making matters worse is Reid watched Michael Vick's electrifying second-half performance and concluded Kevin Kolb is still the Eagles' starting quarterback (if he's healthy).

Andy Reid is either clueless or blind.

In an NFL opening weekend filled with interesting twists and turns, nothing tops the unveiling of Michael Vick 2.0.

The Cowboys' coaching blunders, the Texans' thumping of the Colts and Calvin Johnson's stolen game-winning catch all take a backseat to the finest performance we've ever seen from Michael Vick.

I'm no Vick fan. Even during his Pro Bowl years in Atlanta, I contended Vick was a wide receiver masquerading as a quarterback. When he took over Sunday after Kolb suffered a concussion, I anticipated an interception, a fumble and a 41-10 Green Bay runaway.

I was shocked. I still am.

Vick looked like Steve Young, a real authentic quarterback, on Sunday. As best I could tell, Vick made one serious mistake. Down around the goal line, he forced a pass into the end zone when he could've pump faked and made a dash for the goal line. But that's just nitpicking.

Vick completed 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown. He ran for 103 yards on 11 carries.

Philly was down 20-3 when Vick took control of the game.

Kolb, The Anointed One, picked up right where he left off in the preseason, connecting on half of his 10 passes for 24 yards and running for a yard. DeSean Jackson, Philly's big-play receiver, didn't catch a pass in the first half. Philadelphia's offense went nowhere with Kolb.

Vick turned the momentum of the game on Philly's second possession of the second half, hitting Jackson for 12 yards on third and five and setting up the Eagles for first and goal with a 31-yard scramble.

Vick put 17 points on the board in the second half and had a shot at 24 until Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg settled for a super-conservative QB isolation run on fourth and one at the Green Bay 42 with two minutes to play. The Packers stuffed Vick for no gain. As sharp as Vick was throwing and running Sunday, Philly should've spread the field, emptied the backfield and given Vick the freedom to improvise.

Green Bay simply kneeled on three straight plays, running out the clock, because Reid had burned all three of his timeouts on a Packers' possession that started with 5:43 to play.

Yep. The best way to help a backup QB shaking off three years of rust is to send him on a potential game-tying drive with no timeouts.

Andy Reid coaches like he's won three Super Bowls. And we, the media, talk about him like he's won four.

What's the difference between Andy Reid and Marty Schottenheimer? A hundred pounds, Ernest Byner's fumble and different coaching specialties.

Late in Schottenheimer's Kansas City tenure he had a choice between Rich Gannon and Elvis Grbac. Schottenheimer chose Grbac.

Elvis quit football at age 31. Between the ages of 34-38, Gannon earned four Pro Bowl berths, one league MVP and led the Raiders to the Super Bowl.

Reid has an easier decision between Kolb and Vick. One guy has an on-field resume and the other is just a draft-day theory.

I haven't forgotten Vick's past. He's capable of doing something totally stupid off the field. Cross that bridge when it comes. He's on the Philly roster. If Vick gets in trouble off the field, the Eagles are going to take the same public-relations hit whether he's the starter or the backup. Reid might as well play Vick and justify the risk of signing him.

Vick's teammates responded to his energy and big-play capability. The Eagles were clearly a more confident offense and defense with Vick in the lineup.

Andy Reid would be a fool to enter the Eagles locker room and tell 53 players Kolb is the starting quarterback. Reid had the guts to permanently dump McNabb. Why not bench Kolb (or use his concussion as an excuse) and let the Vick situation play out for at least another week?

Top 10 story lines to shape NFL season

We know the New York Yankees are good, that the Big Red Machine is back and that the Dodgers are in court.

But with Brett Favre headed to New Orleans on Thursday night, does anybody really care about baseball? "Past"-ime is a great name for that baseball thing because football is all about now, the present and what’s going to happen next.

2010 NFL team previews

Gearing up for the NFL season?
Get our inside team previews for 2010.

• NFC East: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS
• AFC East: BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ
• NFC North: CHI | DET | GB | MIN
• AFC North: BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT
• NFC South: ATL | CAR | NO | TB
• AFC South: HOU | IND | JAC | TEN
• NFC West: ARI | STL | SF | SEA
• AFC West: DEN | KC | OAK | SD

Here are 10 critical story lines that figure to shape the NFL’s 91st season.

1. How will Jets handle the braggadocious hex of Rex Ryan?

Some think that the Jets were pretty fortunate to finish 9-7 last year, considering they beat two teams at the end who were resting players while awaiting the playoffs. But all you heard on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” was how they were one game away from the Super Bowl (which is true) and how great they are, especially now with cornerback Darrelle Revis financially happy once again. You got to love Rex, though, for putting the bullet squarely on his team’s back. You can also bet that teams like New England can’t wait to knock them down a peg or two. Teams will play them like they really won the Super Bowl.

2. Can Steelers stay afloat without Big Ben?

With the game’s best safety in Troy Polamalu back, Pittsburgh will strike fear in opposing quarterbacks once again. The Steelers can strike from any angle. But young Dennis Dixon must produce points in those first four games if Pittsburgh is going to have a playoff chance. Ben Roethlisberger begged for playing time this summer in order to be sharp once he returns against Cleveland on Oct. 17. With no Santonio Holmes, guys like Rashard Mendenhall and Hines Ward have to produce big time.

3. Can Vikings protect Brett Favre and is there still enough magic in his tank?

Brett Favre is back

Not long after Brett Favre apparently told his Vikings teammates he will not return for the 2010 season, he changed his mind. Check out our full coverage.

We all know that the Saints are going to blitz him (even with safety Darren Sharper on the bench) frequently in the Thursday opener, hoping to apply a TKO. Favre has the bad ankle now and no Sidney Rice ... and his best bailout receiver, Percy Harvin, is another migraine away from not playing his best. People in Minnesota have been talking all summer about those five turnovers against the Saints. Otherwise, the Vikings might have been champs. It’s difficult to keep turning back the clock and virtually impossible for Favre to duplicate last season’s ratio of 33 TD passes to only 7 interceptions. Plus, the Packers are saying there's no way he will beat them twice this year. Minnesota can, though, if Adrian Peterson stays healthy and becomes a great third-down back.

4. With personnel virtually the same, why won’t Saints repeat?

Damn good question. They have a legitimate shot. You have to love the magic that Drew Brees and Sean Payton can create and New Orleans has a great shot at being the No. 1 offense all over again. Brees always seems to find th

e open man and his receiving corps is deep and talented. The defense will miss Sharper in the first half of the season, but the rest of the secondary is talented with two great cornerbacks in Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer. The schedule isn’t that tough, especially if Carolina and Tampa Bay have down years.

5. Will Cowboys live up to their hype and have a shot at hosting Super Bowl XLV?

Their schedule is awfully difficult (seven playoff teams from a year ago with a combined .543 winning percentage), so if they do win the mighty NFC East they will be battle-tested for a January run. However, the first-team offense looked bad in preseason, seemingly out of rhythm. But rookie Dez Bryant could be a Showtime player and Wade Phillips has his defense right where he wants it. But to be champs, Tony Romo must play like Roger Staubach or Troy Aikman. Hey, the Giants could have a very good defense and I still like Andy Reid without Donovan McNabb. They could easily not win the rugged NFC East.

6. Will another fast start and an easy division ruin the Chargers for the playoffs?

Well, San Diego opens at Kansas City, hosts Jacksonville, visits Seattle, then heads home to Arizona before road games at Oakland and St. Louis. Smells like 5-1, doesn’t it? No question that Philip Rivers laid an egg in the playoffs against the Jets last season and now he has no Vincent Jackson. But tight end Antonio Gates is finally healthy once again and Ryan Matthews sure doesn’t run like a rookie.

7. NFC scouts talk about how talented the Vikings and Cowboys are, but aren’t the Packers right there?

Green Bay finished last season 7-1 and looked like a world beater once QB Aaron Rodgers figured out that he should throw the ball away instead of taking so many sacks. Also, the coaches corrected a faulty protection scheme. The offensive line should be much improved, the defense will be better against the run and tight end Jermichael Finley already talks like a receiving star. The schedule breaks for them, too, with the first Minnesota game at home the week after the Vikings play the Cowboys.

8. Can Baltimore and Cincinnati really win with passing offenses in the black-and-blue AFC North?

The defense won’t take a back seat to Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco in Cincinnati, but Baltimore has surely put the team on Joe Flacco’s right arm after trading for Anquan Boldin and even adding T.J. Houshmandzadeh, a fading star. Baltimore does have some major injuries on the offensive line and in its secondary, which will put even more pressure on Flacco to score and score. And, believe it or not, nobody really believes T.O. and Ochocinco will undermine and cause the Bengals to self-destruct.

9. Do Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have enough around them to face each other in the playoffs again?

Manning definitely does, although his offensive line has had a major shakeup. Brady looked sharp this summer after his horrible playoff performance against the Ravens. Brady, though, has an unhappy Randy Moss, who is in the last year of his contract, and a defense that is very, very young and lacking the customary veteran interchangeable parts. They especially miss the front seven that helped the Patriots reach four Super Bowls in the past decade. No one really believes the Texans or Titans will scare the Colts, who swept those teams last season. Some things never change.

10. After missing the playoffs for seven straight seasons, are the 49ers really returning to the January party?

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With no Kurt Warner, plus some pivotal defensive stars missing in Arizona, the 49ers are being touted as the next NFC West champ because of linebacker Patrick Willis and a much improved offensive line. Still, you  have to wonder whether Alex Smith can really deliver when his two best receivers, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, are fighting in the locker room. Davis didn’t like how Crabtree was nursing a neck sprain, declining to play in two preseason games. Imagine that. There is a lot to like about San Francisco, especially Frank Gore, but right now they are the favorite simply because the Cardinals have such a major quarterback reshuffle. Heck, Max Hall may end up the quarterback in Arizona. Yes, Max Hall.