AUSTIN, Texas -- A dejected Damion James walked through a tunnel toward Texas' locker room at the Erwin Center on Monday, long after losing 80-68 to top-ranked Kansas, and insisted that his Longhorns weren't falling apart: "We're this far from being a great team," he said. "We're gonna be all right -- I promise."

MIAMI -- Fresh off a vindicating Super Bowl XLIV victory that took the franchise to the NFL mountaintop for the first time in its 43-year existence, the New Orleans Saints today plunge into an offseason unlike any in recent league history.

A slice of bracket history ...

Jimmie Johnson is like every other viewer of HBO's 24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona: He has no idea what will go into each show. He watched the second episode last Tuesday in his Charlotte home with his wife, Chandra.

The five-year plan ultimate didn't work any better for Bob Gainey than it did for Soviet wheat.

MIAMI -- Although restrictor-plate racing at Daytona and Talladega is unlike any other competition the rest of the season, no driver needs to get off to a great start in Sunday's race more than Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"... the players arrive to work by bus, not limousine, so yes, there will be a game today." -- Legendary announcer Doc Emerick in opening Sunday's NBC Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals NHL Game of the Week.

Lost in the seemingly endless discussion and speculation about the upcoming contracts of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and the rest of the 2010 free-agent class is the fact that yet another elite player has some decisions to make this summer.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- But for a few notable stragglers (St. Paul, Minn., offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson and Cleveland safety Latwan Anderson), the Class of 2010 has signed. That doesn't mean it's time to take a break. It means it's time to move on to the Class of 2011.

It was a night to celebrate wrestling at UFC 109 in Las Vegas. In the evening's main event at the Mandalay Bay stood two of the game's early pioneers, Randy Couture and Mark Coleman, wrestlers responsible for changing how mixed martial arts was fought.

Rosenthal: The NFL has also taught us that the league is always going to unpredictable and teams don’t usually progress in a linear fashion. Despite all that, we’ll still try to predict who will be the teams to beat in 2010.

Another jolt of Saints euphoria is on tap for New Orleans Tuesday when the Super Bowl champs board floats borrowed from Mardi Gras krewes for a victory parade through the grateful city.

Pau Gasol had 21 points and 19 rebounds to lead five players in double figures, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs 101-89 Monday night without injured Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum.

Marcus Morris scored 18 points to lead No. 1 Kansas to an 80-68 victory over No. 14 Texas on Monday night and the Jayhawks easily handled an opponent that a few weeks ago was supposed to challenge them for the Big 12 title.

Fashion model Brooklyn Decker is this year’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cover girl. Decker is the wife of tennis star Andy Roddick and is a five-year veteran of the magazine. She says being chosen for the front is “the news of a lifetime.”

Scottie Reynolds scored 19 of his 21 points in the final 13 minutes and No. 4 Villanova held off No. 5 West Virginia 82-75 on Monday night.

Vince Carter scored a season-high 48 points, leading the Orlando Magic back from a 17-point second-half deficit to beat the New Orleans Hornets 123-117 on Monday night.

SEATTLE (AP) -The Seattle Mariners say left-hander Cliff Lee is recovering from minor left foot surgery and will be limited when pitchers and catchers report to spring training this month.

The Super Bowl was watched by more than 106 million people, surpassing the 1983 finale of "M*A*S*H" to become the most-watched program in television history.

Drew Brees turned to his wife when he woke up and asked: "Did yesterday really happen?" The Saints and their fans awoke Monday to the realization that the once lovable losers from New Orleans were Super Bowl champions for the first time in the club's 43-year history after Sunday's 31-17 triumph over the Indianapolis Colts.