Sports Briefs January 31, 2012
Football
Reggie McKenzie started researching Dennis Allen as a potential coaching candidate this past season when he first heard the Oakland Raiders might hire him as a general manager.
He talked to some of Allen's former players and coaching colleagues and only got rave reviews. When McKenzie sat down with Allen two weeks ago in Denver for his first interview, he knew he had found his man,
"The bottom line, he was what the doctor ordered," McKenzie said Monday at a news conference to introduce Allen. "He understood the big picture as far as putting a plan together, how to do this, this and this."
With speculation pointing to McKenzie hiring one of his former colleagues in Green Bay to be his first head coach, he instead turned to the 39-year-old Allen, who had just one year of experience as a defensive coordinator in Denver and had never been a head coach at any level.
• The Kansas City Chiefs hired Tom McMahon to coach special teams and cut ties with three assistants from former head coach Todd Haley's staff.
McMahon will take over for Steve Hoffman, who wasn't retained after Romeo Crennel was elevated from interim head coach to the permanent job. Also let go were wide receivers coach Richie Anderson and assistant offensive line coach Pat Perles.
Basketball
• Top 25 men
Kentucky starts it second straight week - and fourth this season - as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press' college basketball poll.
Syracuse, which got the other No. 1 votes, and Ohio State both moved up one place to second and third. Gonzaga (17-3) moves back into the poll at No. 24.
• NCAA President Mark Emmert reiterated his support for a two-round, four-team BCS championship playoff and his concern about the discord conference expansion creates.
Emmert said there are ongoing discussions about what he described as a Final Four model, a scenario which would've matched LSU against Stanford and Alabama versus Oklahoma State this season with the winners advancing to the title game. Alabama defeated LSU 21-0 to avenge its lone loss and win the championship.
No. 4 Missouri 67, Texas 66: At Austin, Texas, Michael Dixon scored 21 points as Missouri (20-2, 7-2 Big 12) beat Texas (13-9, 3-6).
• NBA
Timberwolves 120, Rockets 108: Ricky Rubio had 18 points and 11 assists to lead Minnesota at Houston.
Heat 109, Hornets 95: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade each scored 22 points and host Miami beat New Orleans.
76ers 74, Magic 69: Andre Iguodala had 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead host Philadelphia past Orlando.
Bulls 98, Wizards 88: Derrick Rose scored a season-high 35 points to help lift Chicago at Washington.
Mavericks 122, Suns 99: Vince Carter scored 21 points to lead Dallas at Phoenix.
Jazz 93, Trail Blazers 89: Paul Millsap scored 19 points to help host Utah beat Portland.
Spurs 83, Grizzlies 73: Matt Bonner came off the bench to score 15 points to lead San Antonio at Memphis.
Bucks 103, Pistons 82: Brandon Jennings had 21 points and five assists to lead host Milwaukee over Detroit.
Clippers 112, Thunder 100: Chris Paul had 26 points and 24 assists to lead host Los Angeles past Oklahoma City.
Baseball
Detroit Tiger Victor Martinez had knee surgery and will need a second operation, another indication he is likely to miss the entire 2012 season.
- The Associated Press