The team tweeted Thursday afternoon that Alderson had started a Twitter account @MetsGM.

Alderson’s first tweet: “Getting ready for Spring Training-Driving to FL but haven’t left yet. Big fundraiser tonight for gas money. Also exploring PAC contribution.”

Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said Alderson was playfully responding to a New York paper that pointed out the GM was driving to Port St. Lucie — Horwitz said Alderson drives because he takes his dog.

Coming off their third straight losing record, the Mets have cut payroll by about $25 million since the start of 2011. A trial is scheduled next month on the lawsuit filed by the trustee seeking to recover money for victims of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme. He is seeking $386 million, claiming the team’s owners were net winners from their investment.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Both were penalized Monday for second violations involving a drug of abuse.

Doyle, 25, hit .296 with two homers and 11 RBIs last year for the Class A St. Lucie Mets. He was a fifth-round draft pick from Coastal Carolina in 2008 and a New York-Penn League All-Star the following year.

Moviel, a 6-foot-11 right-hander, was 5-10 with a 5-10 ERA in 23 starts and three relief appearances last year at St. Lucie. The 23-year-old, now on the roster of Double-A Binghamton, was a second-round selection in 2007 from St. Edward High in Cleveland.

The Mets declined comment, spokesman Jay Horwitz said.

Thirteen players have been suspended this year under the minor league program, including five for drugs of abuse.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The NBA says Thursday its Asian TV partners have added Knicks games to their broadcast schedules following the emergence of Lin, the first American-born NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent.

Sina in China will show Friday’s game against the Lakers, while stations in Taiwan will televise Knicks games this month against Toronto, Sacramento, New Orleans, New Jersey and Atlanta. ESPN Philippines also added the Feb. 17 Hornets game in New York.

Lin, an undrafted guard from Harvard, has led the Knicks to three straight wins, scoring more than 20 points in each game.

Ironically, his performances are missed by many in New York. A dispute between Time Warner Cable and MSG Network is keeping the Knicks off that system.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

And how much he’ll be played to play it.

Cruz believes he should be paid more than his slotted salary of $490,000, according to ProFootballTalk.

“I think I was paid, you know, relative to where I came in this year and, you know, I came in as a free agent so that’s the salary I was on, so I don’t feel like I was underpaid,” Cruz told ProFootballTalk. “I mean, I feel like after my performance this year, you know, I feel like I deserve to be paid more money at this point. But that’s something I’ll let my agents and those people take care of and I’ll just go out there and play the game.”

Cruz emerged from obscurity to set a Giants franchise record for receiving yardage, with 1,536 yards this season and hauled in 82 receptions and nine touchdowns.

The 25-year-old entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2010, and as such made $405,000 in 2011 as part of a three-year rookie contract.

The Giants will also have a decision to make on several key players, including free agent receiver Mario Manningham and defensive end Osi Umenyiora, for starters.

Umenyiora is a bargain with one year at $3.975 million remaining on his contract. New York could pay him, trade him or do neither with the hope that he doesn’t hold out of training camp.

Should the Giants sign Cruz to new deal? How about Osi? Leave a comment below.

But according to a new report, Burress has his eyes set on Philadelphia.

“Saw and talked to Plaxico Burress at Super Bowl and told me he wants to play for Eagles,” WIP radio’s Howard Eskin tweeted Wednesday. “Badly!”

More from CBS Philadelphia

The Eagles reportedly had interest in Burress last offseason, as he was nearing the end of a 20-month prison term on a gun charge.

Burress fueled the speculation by donning a Philadelphia Phillies cap upon his release from Oneida Correctional Facility last June.

Instead of signing with the Eagles or Giants, the 34-year-old agreed with the Jets for one year at $3 million.

Last week, Jacobs said his good friend likely wouldn’t re-sign with Gang Green, especially with all the drama this season in Rex Ryan’s locker room.

“I don’t see him back with the Jets next year at all,” Jacobs said. “They’ve got a lot of things going on over there, and I don’t know if he wants to be part of that.”

Burress had 45 receptions for 612 yards and eight touchdowns for the Jets in 2011.

Jets fans, do you want Plaxico back? Sound off in the comments below…

Now, two New York lawmakers say a similar tribute to the “real heroes” of the 9/11 attacks is long overdue and they shouldn’t take a back seat to millionaire athletes.

Republican Assemblyman James Tedisco and Republican Sen. Kenneth LaValle introduced a bill to create a license plate to honor the first responders and victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Until the Cuomo administration quickly unveiled the Giants plate design, the state had stopped offering new commemorative plates. That was in part because of a lawsuit by an advocacy group.

The new plate features the Giants and Super Bowl XLVI logos as well as the words “Super Bowl XLVI Champions” and are available for both passenger and commercial vehicles.

The Tedisco-LaValle bill would direct the fee revenue from a commemorative plate to charities benefiting the families of those killed in the attacks.

What do you think? Sound off below in our comments section…

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The Detroit Red Wings will face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 1 at Michigan Stadium, a matchup of two Original Six teams at the iconic college football facility that drew more than 104,000 fans for a college hockey game in 2010.

The NHL formally announced the details Thursday at Comerica Park. The home of Major League Baseball’s Detroit Tigers will be part of the festival, hosting games involving minor league and college teams as well as the Red Wings-Maple Leafs alumni game.

The centerpiece will be the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, 45 miles west of Detroit, and it will include a Canadian team for the first time.

“It’s Hockeytown versus the center of the hockey universe,” said Brian Burke, the Toronto general manger who was at the news conference with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Red Wings officials and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, among others.

The University of Michigan Board of Regents this week gave the OK to seek a contract with the NHL that would allow the league to hold the showcase game at Michigan Stadium. The NHL has offered to pay up to $3 million, according to the recommendation approved by the board.

The recommendation also said the Winter Classic would be scheduled for Jan. 1, 2013, with an alternate date of Jan. 2. A liquor license would be obtained so alcohol could be served at the event, and the NHL would bring its “advertising and other sponsorship arrangements” into the stadium.

Buffalo, Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have all hosted the Winter Classic, but a game at Michigan Stadium could draw the league’s largest crowd. The Wolverines and rival Michigan State attracted a Guinness World Record 104,173 people for a hockey game on Dec. 11, 2010.

The Big House has undergone changes recently, such as the addition of permanent lights. Michigan hosted its first primetime football game at the stadium last season, beating Notre Dame in dramatic fashion.

Although Detroit hasn’t hosted the Winter Classic, the Red Wings played in it in 2009, beating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 at Wrigley Field, home of baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

There have been two outdoor Heritage Classics north of the border: Montreal at Edmonton in 2003, and Montreal at Calgary last year. The game at Edmonton was the league’s first outdoor regular-season game.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The Yankees announced the deal Wednesday. He would get a $750,000, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster.

Branyan hit .197 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 127 at-bats last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels, playing first base, third base and designated hitter. He has not played the outfield in the major leagues since 2007.

The 36-year-old has a .232 career average with 194 home runs in 14 major league seasons with 10 teams.

The Yankees also agreed to minor league deals with right-handed reliever Manny Delcarmen and outfielder Dewayne Wise on Wednesday.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

OK, not exactly a surprise. Don’t stop the presses.

Alex Rodriguez was voted (among his MLB peers) as the most overrated player in baseball last season. Now the Yankees star can count himself among America’s most disliked athletes, according to a poll published by Forbes.

But two other Tri-State area athletes came in above the “Lightning Rod.”

Kris Humphries of the Nets, due to his high-profile divorce drama with reality star Kim Kardashian, took the No. 5 slot.

Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress ranked highest of the locals at No. 3 after serving nearly 21 months in prison on a gun charge.

Michael Vick and Tiger Woods were tied for the top dishonor. Also on the list: Ndamukong Suh (4), LeBron James (6), Kobe Bryant (7), Terrell Owens (8) and and NASCAR driver Kurt Busch (10).

Last May, A-Rod cracked the Top 50 of Forbes’ annual “Celebrity 100″ compilation. He ranked No. 49 among the most powerful people-slash-groups in the entertainment business.

Do you agree with the list? Sound off in the comments below…

Sterling Equities Associates, which owns the Mets, appealed to the high court on February 3. It will likely take months before justices decide whether to hear the appeal.

Madoff ran a massive Ponzi scheme that cost thousands of investors billions of dollars. A trustee is trying to get back some of the money for investors.

Sterling Equities wants justices to reverse a lower court ruling. That ruling approved the way the trustee determined who can get money from a special fund set up for Madoff investors. Under the current ruling, Sterling would not be immediately eligible to participate in the recovery fund.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

‘The Jeremy Lin Show’ rolled into Washington on Wednesday night and once again delivered excitement and intrigue.

Like any captivating story, there was conflict, climax and a heroic outcome as Lin and the Knicks came away with a 107-93 victory over the Washington Wizards.

It was a first quarter to forget for Lin and the Knicks.  He fell into foul trouble and was held scoreless by the Wizards.  Heading into the second quarter, the Knicks trailed Washington, 23-17.

Once Lin reentered the game early in the second quarter, he immediately energized the Knicks.  He spread eight first-half assists evenly among teammates as Landry Fields, Iman Shumpert, Steve Novak and Tyson Chandler all benefited from his drives to the net and flashy dishes.

Meanwhile, a very pro-Knicks away crowd displayed their affection for Lin wearing homemade t-shirts and holding up colorful banners.  It wasn’t only Knicks fans in attendance who appreciated Lin’s entertainment but the entire Verizon Center crowd, who gave Lin a standing ovation at game’s end.

When it was all said and done, Lin recorded the first double-double of his NBA career.  He dropped 23 points on the Wizards and supplied his teammates with a career-high 10 assists.  His efforts allowed four of his teammates to reach double figures in scoring and out-distributed John Wall.

Knicks’ head coach Mike D’Antoni wasn’t afraid to heap praise upon Lin and revealed his belief that Lin will continue to improve.

D’Antoni spoke to reporters post-game, “He just does everything easy and the rest of the guys around him are playing the way we want to play.”

He continued, “I think it’s for real.  The things that are real are his vision, which won’t change; his speed, which won’t change; his knowledge of the game, which won’t change. I think it can only get better.”

D’Antoni briefly mentioned Steve Nash during the post-game press conference and was asked by a reporter if Lin reminded him of any particular NBA player past or present.  He responded, “That’s pretty easy, but I’m not going to go there.”

Even the two-time league MVP whom D’Antoni subtlety compared Lin to post-game was excited by the buzz that Lin is generating around the NBA.  Nash shared his thoughts on Twitter Wednesday night:

@SteveNash: “If you love sports you have to love what Jeremy Lin is doing. Getting an opportunity and exploding!!”

If Lin can get this much out of the Knicks minus Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, it’s a mouth-watering prospect for their fans to see how he’ll perform once he’s boosted by the return of Stoudemire and Anthony.

Stoudemire is currently away from the team in Florida grieving over the loss of his brother Hazell.  He’s kept an eye on his teammates and tweeted this following Wednesday’s victory:

@Amareisreal: “Another great game tonight Knicks!! It seems like everyone is buying into the system an playing team basketball. I can’t wait to join. GN”

Stoudemire appears eager to join up with his teammates and Lin’s style could jump-start Amar’e when he returns.  Similar to Nash, Lin can provide alley-oops and crisp fast-break passes that can get the best out of Stoudemire’s game.  Lin has an almost telepathic understanding with Tyson Chandler and Stoudemire could benefit similarly.

It’s too easy to compare Lin to Nash but it’s almost inevitable, especially as the Los Angeles Lakers are next up on the Knicks’ schedule.

While in Phoenix, D’Antoni depended on Nash to guide the Suns past the Lakers in the 2006 playoffs, trailing in their opening round series 3-1.  With their backs against the wall, Nash rallied the Suns to win the remaining three games and move on to the next round.

While I’m not predicting Lin to become ‘The Next Nash,’ they do share a number of traits.  Both are able to weave through defenders and use deception off the dribble to create openings but I ‘d be surprised if Lin ever becomes the reliable jump-shooter and world-class open floor facilitator that puts Nash in a class of his own.

Lin’s toughest challenge will come on Friday night when the Knicks return to Madison Square Garden to face the Lakers.  If he and his teammates can somehow earn an unexpected victory over the Lakers, ‘The Jeremy Lin Show’ might just be getting started.

D’Antoni hinted that might be the case on Wednesday.  “He’s just starting his journey.  He’s got a long way to go.  If he stays grounded and keeps going, there’s no reason why he can’t get better,” he stated.

Knicks fans… Can Jeremy Lin lead the Knicks past the Lakers on Friday?  Is his best yet to come and how does he compare to Steve Nash?  Share your thoughts below and send your tweets to: @HartnettWFAN.

“She just needs to continue to stay cute and shut up,” Jacobs told reporters during Tuesday’s championship rally at MetLife Stadium.

“Given the fact that it’s a colleague of mine’s wife, I do apologize for saying that, because I shouldn’t have said that,” he said on The Doug Gottlieb Show. “It’s his wife and I should respect that just as much as anyone else.”

Bundchen was caught on camera Sunday defending Brady, after key fourth-quarter drops by Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez all but sealed New England’s fate.

“You (have) to catch the ball when you’re supposed to catch the ball,” Bundchen said. “My husband cannot (bleeping) throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can’t believe they dropped the ball so many times.”

Jacobs said his “cute” assessment stands.

“No question, (Brady) should take that as a compliment,” said Jacobs. “If he finds something wrong with that, then that’s his problem.”

Was the apology enough? Sound off below…

The 48-year-old Lorenz was arrested early Wednesday morning. Police say they found him slumped over the wheel of his car and when they woke him up he drove away slowly and nearly hit a utility pole.

Officers say his speech was slurred and he smelled of alcohol.

Lorenz hosts pregame and postgame shows for the Yankees and Nets. He was arraigned Wednesday at Norwalk Superior Court and his case was continued to Feb. 29.

According to The Westport Hour, Lorenz chose not to disclose his occupation to the court bail commissioner.

After his arraignment, Lorenz was reportedly asked if he was a host on YES.

“No. I get that all the time,” he replied, according to the Hour.

It’s not clear if he has a lawyer. A Yes Network spokesman declined to comment.

Please leave your comments below…

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Like what to do with defensive end Osi Umenyiora, for starters.

Umenyiora is a bargain with one year at $3.975 million remaining on his contract. New York could pay him, trade him or do neither with the hope that he doesn’t hold out of training camp.

“Personally, give him what he wants,” Jason Pierre-Paul said Wednesday during an appearance at Macy’s Herald Square, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. “Osi’s a great player and I’d love to play with him for the rest of my career until he’s ready to leave.”

Pierre-Paul echoed those comments to the New York Post.

“I think it’s very important,” he told the paper. “Give him what he wants, man.”

The 30-year-old Umenyiora tried to force a trade or a new deal during the preseason, after he claimed in an affidavit that Giants general manager Jerry Reese reneged on an earlier promise to restructure his contract.

JPP doesn’t want to see the same type of drama play out this offseason.

“Who’s going to stop us?” he told the Post. “We’ve got the best defensive line in the country, and everybody sees that. So bring him back.”

Umenyiora had 12.5 sacks this season, including the playoffs. He missed the first three games of the regular season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in mid-August.

Should the Giants pay Osi? Be heard in the comments below…

Ernie is the author of “Lombardi and Landry.”

The Giants, or should we say the Super Bowl champion Giants, have finally broken up and gone their separate ways after a raucous parade up the Canyon of Heroes.

The Jets, their players long ago dispersed to gripe privately about their teammates in the comfort of their houses and hunting cabins, are gearing up to once again whip the Giants’ tails in their annual off-season blab-fest. Might Peyton be coming this way? Might he not? Only Woody knows for sure.

That leaves us with the rest of the winter to occupy ourselves, at least until the Yanks and Mets pitchers and catchers report Feb. 19 and 21, respectively.

Now, fans can concentrate on the Rangers, who are doing quite well, thank you, in holding the top spot in the Eastern Conference. But the really big story may be with a losing New York team, the guys who play on hardwood in shorts.

The Knicks, rebounding at 11-15, may have found the remedy to their woes in the person of point guard Jeremy Lin.

In the last three games, he’s not only shown he has the smarts to run the offense — he should. He’s from Harvard, you know — but can also throw the ball in the hoop. It’s no coincidence that Lin’s 25 points and seven assists against the Nets and his 28 points and eight assists against Utah in his first start helped spark a two-game winning streak going into last night’s 23-point, 10-assist effort against the Washington Wizards.

Lin couldn’t have popped up at a better time. The Knicks had lost 11 of 13 — nine of 10 at one point during the drought. They needed someone who could break down a defense, dish with accuracy, and put some points on the board.

“He’s just what we needed,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He’s given us a burst of energy. He has a pace and a sense of setting guys up and a sense of where the openings are, and that’s hard to teach. Some guys have it. They’re able to read the situation and he can do it.”

One wonders how explosive that offense could become with Lin feeding Carmelo Anthony, if he ever gets over his injury problems, and Amar’e Stoudemire, who is due back Monday after the death of his brother.

Just where Lin has been all of D’Antoni’s life is a mystery. Actually, his whole road to Harvard is a mystery.

Lin grew up in Palo Alto, a brilliant kid who went unrecruited by a little school in town called Stanford. So he went across the country to Harvard, where his star performances weren’t quite enough to entice NBA general managers into drafting him.

Still, he signed on with the Golden State Warriors last season and played in 29 games after coming up from the Warriors’ D-League affiliate. Golden State released him to clear salary cap space for DeAndre Jordan’s four-year, $43 million contract.

The Houston Rockets picked him up, but was released when they signed Samuel Dalembert this year.

The Knicks signed him Dec. 27.

At least one person saw Lin’s potential from way back in high school. Golden State’s owner Joe Lacob, a Stanford booster, criticized the school for not recognizing Lin’s talents.

“It was really stupid,” Lacob said. “The kid was right across the street. You can’t recognize that, you’ve got a problem.”

The Knicks may have found the answer to one of their problems. If nothing else, Lin could make this next stretch interesting, at least.

Especially if he can keep New York’s head above water the next two weeks while Anthony’s strained groin heals.

Are you buying into the Linsanity? Sound off in the comments below!

LISTEN: WCBS 880′s Rich Lamb With Mayor Bloomberg

The mayor was asked by a reporter on Wednesday if he’d be interested in buying the team.

“Look the Mets are fun and I like going, I think Citi Field turned out fine,” he replied, according to the New York Observer. “Why anybody wants to own a sports team, I can’t figure out.”

Bloomberg said he already faces tough scrutiny from the press without owning a team.

“I like the Wilpons. They are nice people,” he added. “I’ve known the family for a while. I wish them — hopefully they work themselves out of their fiscal problems. I like to go and I like to have a beer, and some popcorn and enjoy.”

The Mets have been in financial turmoil following three seasons of losing records at Citi Field and a lawsuit filed by the trustee seeking to recover money for victims of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme.

A trial is scheduled for next month; the trustee is seeking $386 million.

A $200 million minority ownership deal with hedge funder David Einhorn fell through in September. The Mets are now trying to sell smaller shares of the franchise at $20 million apiece.

Do you think Mayor Bloomberg would make a good franchise owner? Sound off in the comments below…

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The school currently would be barred from the NCAA tournament, a penalty for years of below-standard academic results, but it requested a waiver last month.

That document, obtained this week by The Associated Press under a Freedom of Information request, outlines proposed self-imposed penalties to be instituted if the request is granted.

Those include forfeiting the revenue awarded to the Big East for participating in the 2013 tournament, reducing the number of regular-season games played in the 2012-13 season from 27 to 23 and barring coach Jim Calhoun from meeting off-campus with prospective recruits during the fall 2012 contact period.

“I do know that over the past year, we have made improvements and are moving in the right direction,” Calhoun said in a statement last May.

“Collectively, the university’s proposal will clearly send the message that the institution fully accepts the responsibility for past failings,” the school writes in its waiver request. “It will result in the economic equivalent of a postseason ban without harming the very students the NCAA is trying to protect.”

The Big East conference, which would lose revenue under the proposal, declined to comment on whether it supports the proposal.

The schedule changes also would include eliminating exhibition games next season, but would not impact the team’s play at the in-season Paradise Jam tournament in the Virgin Islands. So the actual number of games played would be 26 rather than 30. The school said all hours that would have been spent in competition will instead transfer to study hall, tutor sessions or meetings with advisers.

The school said Calhoun will bring a current or former NBA player to inner-city schools for at least five educational sessions on the importance of academic achievement.

“We believe that we have made a very compelling case to the NCAA and will be deeply disappointed if our request for a waiver from the 2013 men’s basketball postseason ban is denied,” UConn President Susan Herbst said in a statement. “Our team’s academic performance improved tremendously in 2010-11, and in the fall 2011 semester. We developed a new long-term academic plan for our team, and it has already shown positive results.”

The waiver request outlines the school’s Academic Improvement Plan – new programs and penalties the school has in place to improve the team’s academic standing.

That includes mandated sanctions for any player who misses three or more classes during the academic year and daily checks of course work for student-athletes who have a grade-point average of 2.3 or lower.

One player, whose name is redacted in the copy of the document released to the AP, was already benched by Calhoun this season after missing two classes.

In addition, Herbst is now receiving a weekly academic progress report for all team members.

Under rules approved in October, a school must have a two-year average score of 930 or a four-year average of 900 on the NCAA’s annual Academic Progress Rate, which measures the academic performance of student athletes.

The defending national champions would be academically ineligible in 2013, because the NCAA plans to use data from the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years.

Walter Harrison, the chairman of the NCAA’s Committee on Academic Performance, said that the body will be meeting on Feb. 20 to discuss whether to adjust reporting dates to allow schools to use their most recent data in qualifying for tournaments. For the 2013 men’s basketball tournament, that would mean scores from the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic year.

UConn would qualify for the tournament under that scenario.

“I don’t know what to expect,” Harrison said. “We could just decide to keep the current policy in place. Secondly, we could decide that we want to make a change, and that may require board approval, which would mean it wouldn’t happen until April. The third possibility is we might not make any decision, and talk about it again in April.”

In the meantime, the waiver request will be reviewed by NCAA staff, and can be appealed to a subcommittee of Harrision’s Committee on Academic Performance, and eventually the full committee.

In its request, UConn said it has implemented new standards for incoming basketball classes. Recruiting classes need to outperform their predecessors when it comes to SAT scores and grades.

For example, players enrolling next season will need to achieve a minimum 2.98 core-course grade point average or a 1020 on the SAT to meet the new guidelines.

Once enrolled, students will have new academic rules to follow, including:

- Attend at least nine hours of summer school each year.

- Class work checked daily as freshmen by a member of the basketball staff (it also applies to any player with a grade-point average of 2.3 or lower).

- Complete required course work before registering for elective courses.

- Adhere to a “graduation plan” created to ensure each player is on a path to graduate, even if they leave school early for the NBA or other opportunities.

The report also notes that Calhoun’s contract calls for him to forfeit $100,000 to the University of Connecticut Foundation General Scholarship Fund for any scholarship lost due to an Academic Progress Report penalty.

Herbst made it clear in her statement that she supports Calhoun, who was a member of the committee that came up with the new academic plan.

“I cannot think of many people in this world who have improved the lives of young men more profoundly than Jim Calhoun, our Hall of Fame coach, and highly-valued member of this university community,” she said.

The school said the academics of the basketball team are improving. It notes in the waiver request that the team attained perfect APR eligibility and retention scores for the Fall 2011 semester. The school also noted that it has just one player on the team left from the group that scored low enough to warrant sanctions.

“On a personal level, and as an educator, I would be very sorry to see such harsh punishment of the outstanding young men on our current basketball team,” Herbst said. “I believe that it would be wrong to punish these students, caught in the fallout from a sudden passage of new rules – rules that did not exist when they enrolled at UConn.

“That would be a fundamental injustice to our team and to our university.”

How do you feel about UConn’s plan? Sound off below…

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The Indiana Health Department says two cases of measles have been confirmed in the state. Health officials say one of those infected with the disease was in Indianapolis two days before the game and says visitors to Super Bowl village might have been exposed.

“One of the infected individuals visited the Super Bowl festivities in downtown Indianapolis on Friday, February 3, but health officials report the individual did not go into the NFL Experience at the Indiana Convention Center,” the health department says on its website. ”Since these events included visitors from other states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been notified. State health officials are also working with health officials in New York and Massachusetts.”

Measles is highly contagious. Symptoms begin with a fever and cough and then a rash develops, but most Americans are vaccinated for measles as children.

For more information from the Indiana Health Department, click here.

LISTEN: Moment of the Day (02/09)

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Below you can listen to and download all of the memorable audio from today’s (02/09) edition of the Boomer & Carton Morning Extravaganza in one nice little package for your convenience…Until tomorrow morning, stay classy New York!

LISTEN: Thursday’s Podcast (02/09)

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Craig was fascinated by his radio partner’s revelation, while Al Dukes saw it as a fine opportunity.

Al suggested a public viewing, where everyone dresses like it’s 1988 all over again.  Needless to say, the Booms was not on-board with the idea…

LISTEN: Boomer Reflects On His Super Bowl Experience (02/09)

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1. TEMPLE

THE SKINNY: Veteran guards? Check. Senior big man? Check. Tournament experience? You better believe it. Fran Dunphy’s team looks like the class of the Atlantic-10 and appears more than capable of winning multiple games in the field of 68. The Owls’ perimeter of Juan Fernandez, Ramone Moore, and Khalif Wyatt can match up with anyone in the country and reserve Aaron Brown has flourished in his role off the bench. The key will be if one of Temple’s front court pieces — Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson, Anthony Lee, or Micheal Eric emerges as a capable scoring threat in the paint.

2. UNLV

THE SKINNY: Be afraid — be very afraid. The NCAA Tournament is all about matchups and the Runnin Rebels have the type of personnel to throw conventional teams off with their offensive capabilities. In addition to having a plethora of players that played big minutes in last year’s field of 68, this UNLV team is more explosive thanks to UCLA transfer Mike Moser and the emergence of guard Anthony Marshall. In his first year as head coach, Dave Rice has given his players tremendous freedom in the open floor — something that will be apparent when this team takes the floor in March.

3. MISSISSIPPI STATE

THE SKINNY: The Bulldogs have the most underrated one-two punch in college basketball in Dee Bost and Arnett Moultrie as well as one of the nation’s most under the radar freshman in lefty forward Rodney Hood. Rick Stansbury has a really solid eight man rotation and won’t need to depend on Renardo Sidney for major minutes to be successful. The key for this team will be getting capable scoring at the off guard spot from both Jalen Steele and Brian Bryant.

4. IONA

THE SKINNY: The Gaels will need to win the MAAC Conference Tournament to earn a bid to the Big Dance but if they do that they’ll be a team no one wants to see. Iona has the offensive firepower to break triple digits each and every time they step on the floor and have three BCS level players in Scott Machado, Momo Jones, and Mike Glover. JUCO transfer Taaj Ridley has emerged as a capable post defender and if sophomore guard Sean Armand can make deep shots off the bench, New Rochelle could have a unit that’s more than capable of having a few moments of fun during the month of March.

5. WICHITA STATE

THE SKINNY: This team has been on the verge for a few years under Gregg Marshall and has a rare thing for a mid-major program — a 7-footer. Senior center Garrett Stutz has doubled his averages in points and rebounds from last season and become a major force in the pivot. The Shockers also have their entire perimeter back from last year’s team that won the Postseason NIT in seniors Joe Ragland, David Kyles, and Toure’ Murry. Wichita State is also battled tested, playing non conference games against UNLV, Alabama, and Temple.

Which team would you add to the list? Sound off below…

Speaking of roller-coaster rides, Jets signal caller Mark Sanchez has been on one himself to begin his career.  But don’t worry Jets fans, Boomer said with certainty that he believes four years from now we will be talking about Sanchez having led the Jets to a Super Bowl title.

So hang in there…

LISTEN: Eli’s Improvement, Sanchez’s Room for Growth (02/09)

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There’s still an echo.

In New York City, Manning to Manningham, when everyone collectively said “WOW!”

Brady to Welker? “WHOOPS!”

Now that the parade is in our rear-view, we’re counting down to pitchers and catchers.

March is Madness.

April is Opening Day.

But February? Blah and blue and lame and limp.

Wake us up for the tournament.

LISTEN: Somers’ Monologue: Wake Me Up For March Madness

Why? For Kareem’s refusal to talk basketball.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer took to Facebook to try and explain himself.  Al read Craig Kareem’s explanation and then Craig responded.

From there Craig decided to go after former Giants great Carl Banks — and go after him he did…

LISTEN: Kareem Responds To Craig’s Slight, Then Craig Responds  To Carl Banks (02/09)

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Needless to say we were all very excited. Then Al got word from Kareem’s assistant that the interview was to be all about the book.

No basketball chat permitted.

Al didn’t like the sound of that one bit, so he canceled the interview with a promise to ‘bury’ Abdul-Jabbar on the air.

Which brings us to today, when Craig followed through on Al’s promise…

LISTEN: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Absence Causes Quite A Stir (02/09)

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For the third game in a row, Lin stole the show, finishing with 23 points and a career high 10 assists. He propelled the Knicks to a 107-93 win over the Wizards in Washington.  Lin’s backcourt mate Landry Fields is a Stanford grad and makes up the other half of the ‘Brainy Backcourt.’ Fields finished the game with 16 points and 8 rebounds.

Thanks to Jerry we got to hear Mike Breen’s call of Lin’s 3rd quarter dunk when the Wizards defense parted like the Red Sea and post game comments from Mike D’Antoni, as well as the aforementioned Lin and Fields.  The Knicks will take on the Lakers Friday night at the Garden.

Plus, the Nets lost to the Pistons 99-92 despite 34 from Deron Williams, YES Network’s Bob Lorenz charged with DUI, some revealing Super Bowl audio of Bill Belichick and Tiger Woods prepares to make his 2012 PGA debut…

LISTEN: Brainy Backcourt Propels Knicks To 3rd ‘Lin’ In A Row (02/09)

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Jeremy Lin propelled the Knicks to their 3rd straight win with his 23 point, 10 assist performance last night in Washington against the Wizards.

Boomer & Craig opened up today’s edition of the Morning Extravaganza talking a little Knicks basketball, which recently has become a lot of fun to watch, thanks in large part to the play of Lin.  The guys discussed the Harvard grad’s catapult to stardom and wonder if it will last.

The Dynamic Radio Duo also tackled the upcoming NFL free-agency period – which Boomer predicts will be like none we’ve ever seen before – beginning with the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, who certainly have some tough decisions ahead and will undoubtedly look quite a bit different next season. There are nearly 600 free-agents throughout the NFL – 21 from the Giants alone – so that combined with the low-hanging fruit that is Peyton Manning’s situation, sets the stage for what should be an eventful offseason.

So early on this morning it was about the ‘Linsanity’, the NFL off-season madness that awaits and the of course all of the antics you’ve come to love…

LISTEN: ‘Linsanity’ Taking Over the Big Apple (02/09)

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With three breakout games, the Harvard graduate has become the NBA’s newest playmaking sensation. He’s a fan favorite — home and away — and has earned more than 60,000 Twitter followers in just five days.

Now, he also has his first NBA dunk.

Lin had 23 points — two on that slam — and a career-high 10 assists in the New York Knicks’ 107-93 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

Late in the third quarter with the Knicks up by four, Lin drove past three Wizards players and suddenly was alone in front of the hoop and slammed it through with his right hand.

“Just one of those in-a-moment things,” Lin said. “I think they messed up on their coverage, so I was able to get free.”

In his first two NBA starts, Lin had 25 points against New Jersey and 28 more against Utah — both wins. Now, he had to go on the road, and instead of facing a hostile crowd, Lin found an adoring one.

The fans cheered louder for Lin than for any other player in introductions, waving Taiwanese flags and signs –including one that read: “Linning and Grinning.”

By the time the game ended, the crowd was chanting for him as he walked off the floor.

“Like I said after the last game, I wouldn’t have imagined this,” said Lin, who was undrafted in 2010 and played his rookie season in Golden State.

“Thanks to them for coming out and they came out strong for the Knicks tonight,” he added. “We had a lot of energy that came from them.”

When the Knicks last played here on Jan. 6, Lin didn’t play at all. With their two leading scorers missing — Carmelo Anthony gone for a week or two with a strained right groin and Amare Stoudemire mourning the loss of his brother — New York desperately needed Lin’s scoring this time around.

He didn’t single-handedly make up for the 40 points that Anthony and Stoudemire provide, but sure energized this decidedly pro-New York crowd.

“He just does everything easy and the rest of the guys around him are playing the way we want to play,” New York coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Tyson Chandler had 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Knicks, who won for the third straight time. Chandler, a 10-year NBA veteran, finished two points short of his career high, but it was again Lin’s night.

This season has been a rough one for D’Antoni, who’s facing questions about his job, but for now, he has a most unexpected asset — Lin.

“I think it’s for real,” D’Antoni said. “The things that are real are his vision, which won’t change; his speed, which won’t change; his knowledge of the game, which won’t change. I think it can only get better.”

Steve Novak added 19 points for New York, which won its eighth straight over Washington and earned its second three-game winning streak this season.

Wizards coach Randy Wittman knew about Lin from a close relative. His son played against Lin in college. Ryan Wittman, who played for Cornell, sent his father a sarcastic message during the game.

“He told me that they did a much better job guarding him than we did tonight,” Wittman said. “I already had that text message before the game was over. Makes Dad feel good.”

Washington dropped to 5-21, and failed again to get its first two-game winning streak of the season. John Wall led the Wizards with 29 points, but he was easily outdone by Lin.

The Knicks shot just 25 percent in the first quarter and trailed 23-17. Lin missed all three shots he attempted, and moments after the third, he was called for his second foul — a block against Wall — and sustained a gash and left the game with 4:06 to play.

The second quarter was much better for New York as it outscored Washington 35-23 to take a 52-46 halftime lead. Novak hit four 3-pointers.

Lin returned about two minutes into the second quarter and scored eight points — on three layups and a pretty 17-foot bank shot just before halftime. He found Novak for all four of his 3s.

Lin scored on a bank shot to start the third quarter, and after Washington scored the next 10 points for a 56-54 lead, he hit four free throws, another layup and a right-handed dunk with 2:59 left to give the Knicks a 72-66 lead. He made another layup to end the quarter with 12 points — and a 77-68 New York advantage.

The Wizards narrowed the deficit to 79-72, but Lin and Iman Shumpert, who had 11 of his 17 points in the quarter helped give New York a 103-85 lead with 3:22 to play.

Notes: Five of the seven Knicks who scored were in double figures. … New York G Baron Davis, who hasn’t played this season due to a herniated disk in his back, will return to practice on Thursday, D’Antoni said. He’s not sure when Davis will be ready to play. … Stoudemire will return next Monday. He’s scheduled to miss four games. … Washington F Rashard Lewis missed his second straight game with a sore left knee. … Trevor Booker had 17 points for the Wizards.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Greg Monroe had 20 points and 12 rebounds and the Pistons won their season-high third straight game with a 99-92 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.

“We have to keep this hunger,” said Monroe, who iced the game with a monster drive and jam with 2:27 to play. “We have to continue to play and give these efforts so the wins will come more often. But we have to continue to play like this.”

In winning for the seventh time in 27 games, the Pistons played good team basketball. They had 29 assists on 39 baskets, outrebounded New Jersey 41-36 and shot a season-high 53.4 percent from the field.

“We’re gaining more confidence in each other,” Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said after his team won for only the second time on the road this season and snapped a seven-game slide away from the Motor City.

The Pistons are also getting some depth.

Jonas Jerebko, who is rounding into form after missing last season with an Achilles tendon injury, added 16 points. Tayshaun Prince had 15 and Ben Gordon, playing for the first time in 11 games, added 14 points for Detroit, which almost blew an 18-point second-half lead.

Prince said it was great to see Gordon back on the floor and Will Bynum dressed, even though he didn’t play.

“It put a smile on everybody’s face,” Prince said. “When we saw those guys in their warmups, even if they didn’t play, guys were more ready to play.”

Deron Williams scored 17 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Nets, who have lost four in a row and nine times in 12 home games. Jordan Farmar added 22 off the bench and Kris Humphries had a game-high 16 rebounds.

“We lost,” said Williams, who was 10 of 21 from the field. “That’s about it. It’s another loss at home. We’ve been struggling here all season, trying to find our shots and rhythm. It’s hard to win when you are shooting in the 30-percent range.”

A four-point play by Williams got New Jersey within 78-77, but Jerebko, Rodney Stuckey and Monroe scored to push the lead to eight.

The Nets made one more run as Williams sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers around a fadeaway jumper by Stuckey to narrow the Pistons’ lead to 86-83 with 5:18 to play.

After Monroe missed a jumper and Farmar turned the ball over, Brandon Knight hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to 89-83. The Nets could get no closer as Williams missed his next two shots and Farmar misfired on a 3-pointer.

Two free throws by Prince and a monster drive and dunk from the foul line by Monroe ended the contest.

Gordon, who was out with a sore left shoulder, came back and was in form, scoring eight points in a 22-7 spurt that gave the Pistons a 44-31 lead late in the second quarter. The lead was 12 at the half and it grew to 18 points early in the third quarter when Stuckey hit a jumper to cap a 6-0 run to start the second half.

The Pistons lead was still 15 points with 5:35 to go in the third quarter when Williams scored seven straight points in a 14-6 burst to close the gap to seven points. New Jersey kept coming at the start of the fourth quarter with Williams hitting six of 10 shots, including four of his six — and career high-tying — 3-pointers.

“This was a team that had more energy than us and played with a lot more enthusiasm,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said. “Again, we have to generate more energy in this building. We have to generate more energy at home and we just didn’t have it tonight.”

Notes: The teams will play again Friday in Detroit, their third game in 10 days. … Monroe, Knight and Nets rookie MarShon Brooks, who is sidelined with a toe injury, were among 18 players chosen for the Rising Stars Challenge to be held during All-Star weekend in Orlando. … Knight, who broke his nose in the first quarter against New Orleans and did not return, played with a face shield. … Nets backup C Johan Petro almost was ejected in the second quarter. He was called for a flagrant 2 on a block on Jerebko, but the officials reviewed the play and changed it to flagrant 1. Humphries and Monroe exchanged blocks on dunk attempts on consecutive plays.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The blowout win by the Bearcats (17-7, 7-4 Big East) ended a string of four straight games between the teams that ended with two-point margins, including St. John’s 57-55 win at Cincinnati on Jan. 7.

Kilpatrick, the Bearcats’ leading scorer with a 15.4 average, scored 10 straight points as part of a 12-3 run that gave Cincinnati a 44-27 lead with 15:26 to play. He had eight rebounds.

Yancy Gates had 14 points and nine rebounds and Cashmere Wright had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Bearcats, who finished with a 49-29 rebound advantage.

D’Angelo Harrison had 15 points to lead the Red Storm (10-14, 4-8), who have lost three of four and dropped to 2-7 this season at Madison Square Garden. They were coming off a 95-70 home loss to No. 2 Syracuse. Moe Harkless, who came into the game as the No. 2 freshman scorer (16.2) and rebounder (8.7) in the Big East, finished with a season-low six points on 2-of-8 shooting. His previous low was eight points against No. 1 Kentucky.

A 3-pointer by Harkless cut St. John’s deficit to 32-24 1:19 into the second half. Cincinnati went on the 12-3 run and then extended the lead to as many as 27 points, the last time at 75-48 on a 3-pointer by Jeremiah Davis III with 1:13 to play.

Before the game St. John’s announced that junior guard Malik Stith was leaving the basketball team for personal reasons but he will stay with the program in some capacity and will pursue his degree.

Stith’s departure leaves St. John’s with a six-man rotation, all first-year players in the program.

Cincinnati entered the game third in the conference in points allowed (60.4) and that number went down as the Bearcats held the Red Storm to 32.8 percent shooting (19 for 58) for the game.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)