The University of Alabama apparently won’t drop it’s pursuit of Miami Dolphin coach Nick Saban. Desperation, thy name is Crimson Tide.

Saban can earn $15 million for the three years left on his contract with the Dolphins, but the newspaper is reporting that Alabama will guarantee him about $40 million during the length of a contract.

According to a source close to the Tide, Alabama had planned to make a last overture toward Saban.

I know I’m getting a preemptive strike here, but just wanted to wish all The Lead readers (all three of you), the very best for 2007.� Thanks for reading and looking forward to get this thing humming soon.

Again — all the best for 2007 and stay safe tonite.

SC

Buried within a piece written by San Francisco Chronicle writer Ray Ratto, he discusses the possibility of the Oakland A’s going after general manager’s dream player, New York Met Lastings Milledge.� The bait? Starter Joe Blanton.

Interestingly, though, the next cleat to fall will not be on the Giants’ side, but in Oakland, where the dramatically more successful Athletics, having already lost Frank Thomas, Jay Payton and Ken Macha, are likely to also dispatch their winningest pitcher, Joe Blanton, to New York as part of a deal that would fetch one of Billy Beane’s longest-held desirables, outfielder Lastings Milledge�

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Tennis star and multi-Grand Slam winner Martina Hingis announced her engagement to tennis player Radek Stepanek.

A happy Hingis arrived in Queensland yesterday to launch her 2007 campaign as top seed of the Mondial Australian Women’s Hardcourt championships, which start at the Gold Coast on Sunday.

Stepanek, 28, is ranked No. 19 in the world and seeded fourth for Adelaide’s Next Generation International next week.

FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that the Baltimore Orioles and 3B/OF Aubrey Huff are close on a three-year contract agreement.

Huff, who recently turned 30, will be the Orioles’ second offensive addition of the off-season, joining free-agent outfielder Jay Payton. The Orioles plan to use Huff mostly in left field, but he also could get at-bats at first base and designated hitter.

***UPDATED***
He has signed with Baltimore.

Tiger Woods and wife Elin announced Saturday they will be expecting the birth of their first child sometime this summer.

“Obviously, we couldn’t be happier and our families are thrilled,” said Woods, who turned 31 Saturday. “I have always wanted to be a dad. I just wish my father could be around to share the experience.”�

Submitted without comment…

(12-29) 18:25 PST Palm Desert, Calif. (AP) –

Harpo T. Clown painted on a happy face, then stood sadly Friday in front of the church where Gerald Ford, the former president he called a friend, was being remembered by family and well-wishers.

The colorful character wore blue and white sequins, a neon green fuzzy wig and white floppy shoes and stood just beyond the police barricade near the church.

The clown, who is mute, nodded when asked if he was sad. He pulled out a scrapbook of photographs showing him standing alongside President Ford at various charitable events and golf tournaments in the area. He also attended the Grand Rapids, Mich., opening of Ford’s presidential museum in 1982.

Harpo, who lives in Palm Springs but won’t divulge his real name, nodded vigorously when asked if he was a Republican and when asked if he missed his friend, President Ford.

When Palm Desert police officers walked up to check him out, he maintained his silence and scribbled down notes which the officers read before walking away.

To get into the church to pay his respects, Harpo would have had to go to a public staging area five miles away for a bus escort. He chose to stay close to the barricades outside the church.

The Newark Star-Ledger is reporting that the New York Yankees on the verge of moving Randy Johnson back to Arizona.� The deal, which may be completed as soon as today, is believed to be centered around reliever Brandon Medders.� Medders would bring more stability to the Yankees bullpen.

It is believed that Arizona would like a negotiating window with Johnson for a possible contract extension to defer money on his already hefty salary.

A baseball official who spoke with one of the teams involved yesterday said a trade that would send Johnson from the Yankees back to the Arizona Diamondbacks was nearing its completion. While several complicated details remained to be worked out — mostly involving deferred money owed to Johnson by the Diamondbacks — the official said those issues could be worked out by today and a deal could be done soon.

The defensive-minded duo of Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer lead the Anaheim Ducks to their first place power ranking, courtesy of Inside Hockey. The top-five listing is an excerpt from their newsletter, sent out to subscribers via e-mail.

1. Anaheim Ducks (1): It�s hard to criticize the Ducks for much of anything, but they do need to find more ice time for Corey Perry. He�s averaging less than 11 minutes per game (18th on the team), yet he�s their fifth-leading goal scorer.

2. Buffalo Sabres (2): Depth on defense is once again going to be the Sabres� Achilles heel. Acquiring a big, mobile blueliner is a must, and either Eric Brewer or Derek Morris would fit quite nicely.

3. Nashville Predators (3): The Preds must give Tomas Vokoun (torn left thumb ligament) the time he needs to make a complete recovery. In the meanwhile, Chris Mason is absolutely fine.

4. San Jose Sharks (4): Mark Bell (eight points in 34 games) has been an enormous disappointment. The Sharks need to acquire a solid power winger to complement Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo; Curtis Brown, currently taking that spot, is better suited to third or fourth line duty.

5. Detroit Red Wings (6): The Wings� defense is stellar, and has given up only 816 shots (the next-closest team is Dallas, with 948). Goal-scoring has been a problem � last night’s seven-goal outburst against Columbus the exception � and they might need some fortification up front in the New Year.

A complete listing is after the jump….

More after the jump »

It seems that the fine folks that do line locations in the greater Midwest have issues with phone lines. In The Lead’s case, said locator decided to pinch the line that heads into the building and, well, causes one to lose phone service for 28 hours.

With all that said, here’s what we missed –

1. University of Michigan star running back Mike Hart has decided to stay at the school for his senior year (we were in the middle of posting this story as the Net went out). Hart cited the return of quarterback Chad Henne and a bit of unfinished business, i.e. another shot at the national championship.
2. The San Francisco Giants’ signing of free agent lefty Barry Zito to a mind-boggling seven-year, $126 million dollar contract (has an option for year eight that pushes total to the $142 million ‘hood). It’s nice that in giving out this deal, the Giants and Zito agent Scott Boras bring up his durability as reason for the contract (he hasn’t missed time in years). Here’s something that I believe in — the due theory. It’s nice that he’s being rewarded for his durability, but at some point, he’s due for an injury and seven years is just flat ridiculous to expect the same, injury-free baseball. I don’t know what owner Peter McGowan or general manager Brian Sabean were thinking to throw this kind of contract out, but something tells me parents everywhere will now ’strongly encourage’ their little boys to use their left hands in infancy.
3. To the surprise of no one except himself, former boxing champ Mike Tyson was arrested in Arizona for a DUI and drug possession. At least after he was arraigned, he admitted he is an addict and has a problem.
4. Michael Jordan, former NBA hoops star and owner in name, has decided to divorce his wife of 17-years, Juanita. She previously filed for divorce in 2002, but withdrew that petition amid attempts at reconciliation.
5. The East Valley Tribune of Arizona reports that the New York Yankees want three young pitchers in return for Randy Johnson. The Diamondbacks are also interested in extended Johnson’s contract another two-years so his pact will stay within their payroll budget. The San Diego Padres appear to also be interested in “Big Unit”.

It’s quite amazing what can happen when one doesn’t have much contact with others on the Internet when it goes down. Hopefully, we’ll be able to go without interruption for awhile.

Former New York Yankees outfielder Bobby Murcer is set to undergo brain surgery to remove a brain tumor, according to the New York paper The Daily News.

“I’m feeling OK and we’re just going to have to see what this surgery will bring,” Murcer told the Daily News by phone Wednesday night. “I’m hopeful that everything will turn out OK and I’m thankful to have so many friends who are rooting for me.”

In our continuing quest to provide more information to you, the three readers who come here — the top ten television Nielsen ratings for the week ending Christmas Eve are here!

1. NFL Post-Game Show (CBS)
2. Deal Or No Deal (NBC)
3. CSI (CBS)
4. Identity - Mon (NBC)
5. CSI: Miami (CBS)
6. CSI: NY (CBS)
7. NCIS (CBS)
8. 60 Minutes (CBS)
9. Two and a Half Men (CBS)
10. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (CBS)

The Associated Press reports that Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels has given free agent pitcher Barry Zito and his agent Scott Boras till the end of the week to accept their offer to the player.

Texas would still be interested in Zito after this weekend, but its offer could change significantly.

The Rangers on Saturday completed a five-player deal with the Chicago White Sox, giving up former No. 1 draft pick John Danks to add Brandon McCarthy to their rotation.�

Miami defensive end Jason Taylor decided to voice his opinion Tuesday on San Diego outside linebacker Shawne Merriman’s tainted season following a four game suspension for steroids.

You really shouldn’t be able to fail a test like that and play in this league, to begin with,” Taylor said Wednesday. “To make the Pro Bowl and all the other awards, I think you’re walking a fine line of sending the wrong message.”�

Of course, when hearing of the comments, Merriman decided to provide a retort of sorts.

“If I wasn’t having the kind of season I’m having, this wouldn’t even be a conversation,” Merriman said. “The NFL will always have the level of integrity. That’s what makes the NFL. In my situation, everything happened in an appropriate way. I sat out my four games, my money was taken away from me, my four games were taken away from me, and I came back and played my rear off.”�

Former San Francisco Giants infielder Chris Brown, who worked for Haliburton, Inc. after the United States invasion of Iraq in the reconstruction effort, has passed away from burns suffered in a fire at his home.

He was 45.

Firefighters arrived about 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 30 at the home Brown owned in Sugar Land and found it “fully engulfed” in flames, Adolph said. Firefighters found no people or furniture inside, he said, and neighbors told authorities no one had lived there for some time.

Adolph said officials at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital told the Sugar Land fire department later that morning that Brown was there being treated for burns he suffered in a fire at his house. How Brown got from the burning house to the hospital about 9 miles away is part of the investigation, Adolph said.