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Brad Childress gets Brett Favre and soon ends up with a hefty contract extension. Lovie Smith gets Jay Cutler and finds people wondering if he'll soon be unemployed. Some guys get all the luck. Nevertheless, the Bears enter Sunday's showdown against the Eagles just a game off the wild-card pace, despite losing their last two. And Cutler's old team in Denver has lost three in a row and may be without Kyle Orton against the Chargers this week. One SportsNation blogger thinks Cutler is still the right guy for the Bears, but does his new team or his old team need a win more this week?

• "Cutler has the ability to win games for his team; an ability that was overly praised when Brett Favre was in Green Bay but is now largely overlooked in evaluating today's quarterbacks (for some reason, people have fallen in love with "guys who just know how to win," forgetting that those guys have either rock solid defenses or unstoppable running games). But don't ask me, ask any of the many quarterback-starved teams in the league if they would give up exactly what the Bears gave up to get Cutler to begin with right now." Read afjumpfan23's full post.

You never know what you're going to get in a week's worth of chats, from a poker player who just took home more than $8 million in winnings to an teenage wolf more interested in football than basketball. But sometimes the week's gems come from more familiar chat faces, like learning that Urban Meyer wasn't the first big-name coach from Florida to turn down Notre Dame.

Ryan B. (Westchester, NY)

If you were at such a bad place in your life that you turned to crystal meth, why should we believe that you wouldn't turn to performance enhancing drugs to get back to the top of the game?

Andre Agassi

Crystal meth was a way of hurting myself, it wasn't a way of cheating others. I was in a place where I didn't like myself and it was a form of affliction. My route back to the top was earned because of the place I was starting from. There's a huge difference from the desire to cheat others and to hurt yourself. Full transcript

David (LA, CA)

Where do you see Toby Gerhart being drafted? Do you think another year (likely as the Heisman favorite) would improve his stock given he's a redshirt junior?

Mel Kiper

Personally, this is my opinion, when you're a pounder, the John Riggins type of pounder, like Gerhart is, and you take so many hits, how long can you do that? If you want to go down as one of the best running backs in Pac-10 history? Then you go back. And you'd have Luck there at QB. Veteran O-line. Great blocking back in Owen Marecic, one of the best in the nation. Stanford will be a brutally tough team to handle if he comes back. But how much tread do you have left on the tires? Full transcript

Bruce (Gainesville FL)

Other than Urban Meyer 5 years ago, do you know of anyone else EVER turning down the Notre Dame head coaching job?

Beano Cook

Don Shula. Moose Krause tried to get him. Shula said he would hate to recruit. That was back in the 70s. If it wasn't for recruiting, the Irish might have had a shot. Full transcript

• Vote: GameDay Pick 'Em | Heisman Watch | SportsNation Top 25
• Vote on this week's big games: Ohio State at Michigan | Cal at Stanford
• Blogger chat wraps: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Others
• National scene wraps: Mark Schlabach | Pat Forde | Bruce Feldman | Ivan Maisel
• More wraps: Draft guru Mel Kiper | BCS guru Brad Edwards | Beano Cook

Michigan may be one loss from spending bowl season at home after its first back-to-back losing seasons since 1962-63, but a showdown in Ann Arbor against Ohio State is always going to be a big deal. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the top three teams in the country are playing Florida International, Chattanooga and Kansas this week in games that shouldn't distract you from your holiday grocery shopping. SportsNation bloggers sounded off on a game that has more to do with history and Rich Rodriguez's future than the present.

• "This may be the last year that Tressel may have Rodriguez's number, who carries the possible kryptonite to Tressel necessary to finally put Michigan back on top in this rivalry. But that is only if Rich Rodriguez begins to develop what was necessary to compliment his rush-heavy offense in West Virginia, a defense." Read thedudebabcock's full post
• "I do think that Rich Rodriguez deserves one more year as head coach. His past successes as a coach indicate that he should be successful. Not that he will be successful. He needs to understand that the Big Ten is a very physical league and he does need to have defense in order to win. The offense with this team is not the problem and will continue to get better (especially with Devin Gardner coming in next year)." Read sportsfreak0819's full post
• "Forcier is the best thing that has happened to Michigan in the past two years. Michigan would not even have 5 wins right now if it weren't for him, mainly. While I think Robinson needs more practice with the first team and should play more in games, and I understand those people who say Robinson is probably a better fit for Michigan's offense than Forcier is ... Forcier has done a lot for Michigan this year, and his comments about getting his team to a bowl game demonstrate some of that determination he's shown all season." Read nunyabiz81's full post

Sometimes we all need a little extra space to vent. ESPN profiles give fans space to post their own blog entries and go toe-to-toe with commenters.

• I am Ron Burgandy: A Notre Dame would like to laud the offense and suggest the defense is just underachieving. He'd like to, but he can't. Instead, he predicts two more losses.
• Mike Gwizdala: On the other hand, a Giants fan has not lost the faith, predicting Tom Coughlin's struggling team has a route to go 5-2 and make the playoffs.

• nunyabiz81: We reserve the right to be surprised if Duke beats Miami, despite this set of college football predictions throwing it out there.
• Dukeyanks1515: Texas, Villanova, Purdue and Kansas will make the Final Four, and that's just one of many picks in a comprehensive post previewing college hoops.



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In 1998, after re-dedicating himself to tennis, Agassi rose from No. 122 to No. 6 in the world.

Welcome to SportsNation! On Friday, former tennis star Andre Agassi stops by to chat about his sport, as well as his new book, in which he reveals that he took crystal meth during his career, as well as wore a wig.

Agassi released his autobiography "Open" at the end of October. The book chronicles Agassi's life in tennis after turning pro at 16. He also revealed that purposely lost the 1996 Australian Open final.

Over his 20-year career as a pro, Agassi reached 15 Grand Slam finals, winning eight and completing the career Grand Slam, something only Rod Laver and Roger Federer have also done. Agassi also won the gold in the 1996 Olympics, making him the only player to achieve a career golden slam. He won over 800 matches, including 60 titles.

Send your questions now and join Agassi Friday at noon ET!

More Special Guests: Previous chats | SportsNation

• Vote: Would you rather have Tim Lincecum or Zack Greinke for the next decade?
• Your Rankings: Which three pitchers would make your NL Cy Young ballot?
• Chat: Keith Law answers your questions today, 1 ET.

Tim Lincecum won the National League Cy Young for the second consecutive season, just as SportsNation voters suggested he should at the All-Star break and after the season.

So why are Chris Carpenter and Javier Vazquez at the center of a Cy Young controversy?

Lincecum won a close vote, edging the Cardinals duo of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. That's noteworthy because two voters, including ESPN.com's Keith Law, didn't include Carpenter on their three-person ballots. Instead, Law put Javier Vazquez second. Never one to bow to conventional wisdom or duck a question, Law explained on "AllNight" on ESPN Radio. But for SportsNation chatters, the news was hardly a surprise.

Jeremy (California)

I know you're not going to reveal your Cy Young ballot before the results are announced, but will you reveal it after the fact? I'm really curious. I know how I'd vote, but honestly I would be neither surprised nor angry at any three of Lincecum, Vazquez, Haren, Jimenez, Wainwright, and Carpenter, in any order.

Keith Law

That's pretty much my view. It's not a 3-man race; it's at least a 4-man race (Vazquez) and you could make a serious case for Haren. Full Oct. 1 transcript

John (AZ)

When you are voting for the Cy Young what is one stat that you highly value?

Keith Law

I'm looking at a mix - VORP, FIP, xFIP, etc. At the end of the day, I'm not comfortable rewarding a pitcher for playing in front of a great defense, which ERA and even VORP do to some degree. Full Oct. 1 transcript

“

A starting pitchers job is to win games. That's it. Great pitchers win alot of games because they are great. I'm still shocked ANYONE would ever say wins aren't important. Look, Greinke and Lincecum are really good young pitchers. If they were on teams that could hit and score runs, they both would've probably won 20 games anyway. But I still believe if one of the contenders won 21,22 games this year, they would've won the CY in either league.

” -- bigbluepete

• Vote: Which home of the Colts is a better football town?
• Week 11 Pick'Em: Which teams will win all 16 games this week?
• Chat: "First Take" NFL analyst Lomas Brown, 2 ET.

Week 11 in the NFL gets under way Thursday night with the Panthers and Dolphins, but we've already got our eye on one of Sunday's big draws. Because like showing up at an ex-girlfriend's wedding wearing a suit she gave you, the Colts make their always awkward return to Baltimore.

It's not the Colts' first trip back to their former home -- or even the biggest, considering the teams met in a playoff game nearly three years ago -- but it's still a strange sight. It doesn't hurt that the game offers some intrigue. The Ravens defense might not be what it once was, but could this be the biggest hurdle standing between the Colts and 16-0?

Greg (Indy)

I am glad we (The Colts) won that game the other night. I have one concern and it starts with back at the 49er's game. It seems that Peyton is under throwing his receivers alot. What is that about? Also what are the chances we resign Bethea? Thanks Mort...

Chris Mortensen

It's interesting. I can't give you a clear-cut informed answer but it could be he's rushing his throws (or somebody's making him rush it). One thing about the Patriots game, as effective at times as Manning was, the ball did not come out of his hand real clean all night. I don't think he's having arm problems, even though he's been resting it some. Full transcript

Erik (Bluefield)

What are the Ravens missing?

Len Pasquarelli

Secondary has played really poorly, sir, and, [Monday's win against the Browns] notwithstanding, the blitz hasn't been as consistently good. Full transcript

Thursday on "SportsNation," Colin and Michelle debate cheating in soccer, coaching in the NFL and the Akron Hammer. (Duh!)

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results are as of this afternoon (ET).

• 

  Did Thierry Henry cheat against Ireland on Wednesday?

  It's the most fundamental of soccer rules: Don't use your hands. The French captain did just that on a play that clinched a World Cup berth for his country.

• 

  Should LeBron James tone down the ferocity of his dunks?

  We all know the Akron Hammer will not hesitate to throw down a thunderous dunk. But Wednesday night he hurt his wrist doing so.

• 

  If offered the Bills' coaching job, should Mike Shanahan take it?

  Since Dick Jauron's firing, the former Broncos coach has been linked to the Buffalo Bills. Would it be a good idea to take the job if it's offered?

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

We don't wish ill on anyone. Actually, that's not true, but we don't wish ill on anyone relevant to this discussion. Nevertheless, injuries happen, and as we've seen time and again -- Tom Brady last season, Alex Rodriguez early in the MLB season and Alex Ovechkin in recent weeks, to name just a few -- they sometimes happen to the biggest of stars.

And so it was that the populace of Cleveland found itself holding its breath after LeBron James injured his wrist on a dunk against the Wizards. There's little reason at the moment to think it's a long-term issue, but it makes us wonder. Which team would take the biggest hit if it lost its star for an extended period?

• Your Rankings: Which superstar would be the biggest loss for his team?

“

That's what you get for dunking the ball so hard down by 17 to the Wizards. Why was he dunking like that? You're down 17 lay the ball up dont dunk where many of things can go wrong on a fast break where the nearest wizard player was on the bench.

” -- ravenisthebest7

“

Lebron's MRI showed positive for having won zero championships.

” -- treelocX

Sometimes we all need a little extra space to vent. ESPN profiles give fans space to post their own blog entries and go toe-to-toe with commenters.

• Goldbrick4: Eric Mangini ran a more professional team, and Rex Ryan acts like a 7-year-old class clown. Other than that, this is one happy Jets fan.
• owenjs33: It's not Michigan or Ohio State, but Illinois State has turned out some professional athletes with interesting stories.

• Enochdawg: A Browns fan actually thinks the shot Josh Cribbs took was great. But everything else is wrong with the team, including the decision to go with Brady Quinn ahead of Derek Anderson.
• DarrenSuds: It's a good day in Buffalo, and not just because it isn't snowing (we think). A Bills fan gives thanks for the end of the Jauron era and speculated on a Tony Dungy-Michael Vick combo in 2010.
• tunde000: Who is to blame for Liverpool's falling status in the English Premier League? Americans, of course. Oh, and maybe Rafa.



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