MANNING VOTED ALL-PRO, UNANIMOUSLY
NEW YORK (AP) – Peyton Manning is the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team. It’s his seventh time as a first-teamer, tying Hall of Famer Otto Graham for the most by a quarterback.The Denver star set NFL records this season with 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 yards through the air.He was chosen Friday on all 50 ballots from media members who regularly cover the NFL. Manning also was an All-Pro in 2003, ’04, ’05, ’08, ’09 and last season.New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham and Indianapolis outside linebacker Robert Mathis each drew 49 votes. Philadelphia running back LeSean McCoy and Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman had 48.
Minnesota kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson is the only rookie on the squad.
Eighteen NFC players and nine from the AFC have made the team.
AVS EDGE FLYERS
DENVER (AP) – Semyon Varlamov stopped 29 shots, Ryan O’Reilly and Jamie McGinn had a goal each and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 last night.
Steve Mason also had 29 saves and Wayne Simmonds scored for the Flyers, who had their four-game winning streak stopped. Philadelphia won the first three on this six-game road trip, scoring four goals in each victory but was stymied by strong goaltending by Colorado.
CU BUFFS CLAMP DOWN ON DEFENSE, BEAT OREGON STATE
BOULDER (AP) – Josh Scott, Askia Booker and Jaron Hopkins all scored 13 points, and No. 20 Colorado hung on to beat Oregon State 64-58 last night in the Pac-12 opener for both teams. Scott had 10 rebounds for Colorado (12-2, 1-0), which matched its best start since the 1979-80 season when the Buffaloes also opened 12-2. Colorado remained unbeaten in 10 games at the Coors Events Center this season. Spencer Dinwiddie had nine points, including three key free throws in the late going, for the Buffaloes.
ELSEWHERE IN SPORTS…
UNDATED (AP) – The Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers say their weekend wild-card playoff games are sellouts, thus avoiding local television blackouts. Teams normally must sell out 72 hours before kickoff to have a game broadcast in their local market, but the Colts, Bengals and Packers were given until today to unload their remaining tickets. In each case, corporations stepped up to buy big blocks of the remaining tickets.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Vikings have retained a former chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court and a former federal trial attorney to conduct an investigation into Chris Kluwe’s (KLOO’-eez) allegations that he was released from the team due to his support of gay marriage. Kluwe has penned a scathing article alleging that special teams coordinator Mike Priefer made anti-gay comments during team meetings, an accusation Priefer denies.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – South Carolina wide receiver and point guard Bruce Ellington says he’s giving up his final seasons in each sport to enter the NFL draft. He led the Gamecocks with 49 catches for 775 yards and eight touchdowns this season and capped his college career with six receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the Capital One Bowl on Wednesday.
CLEVELAND (AP) – Cavaliers All-Star guard Kyrie Irving will miss his second straight game because of a bruised left knee. The team says Irving won’t travel to New York for Saturday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. Irving was hurt Tuesday while falling awkwardly on a layup against Indiana.
TORONTO (AP) – Hockey Canada will unveil its Olympic team on Tuesday at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ practice facility. General manager Steve Yzerman (EYE’-zur-mihn) will be in attendance along with Canadian Olympic Committee President Marcel Aubut (oh-BOO’), Hockey Canada President and CEO Bob Nicholson, and coach Mike Babcock. The U.S. announced its roster following Wednesday’s Winter Classic, and European countries are expected to announce their rosters Tuesday.
