bike

If you don’t associate McDonald’s with a healthy serving of fruit, the fast-food restaurant is bribing you to change your mind.

The international chain is using Atlanta as a test market for its brand-new Happy Meal, which features apple slices and a smaller-sized fry in every box. This week local McDonald’s restaurants will host a “Happy Meal Happy Hour” from 2-7 p.m. each day through Thursday, featuring a buy one, get one free deal on all Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals.

The new Happy Meal includes a choice of chicken McNuggets, a hamburger or cheeseburger; a choice of beverage including fat-free chocolate milk, 1 percent white milk, apple juice or soda; apple slices and a smaller serving of french fries. You can also request another bag of apples instead of the fries.

The new Happy Meal ranges from 410 to 550 calories (this estimate assumes you order one of the milk options and don’t sub out the fries for another serving of apples).

McDonald’s has been offering apples as a requested Happy Meal choice since 2004, and while recent research found that 88 percent of McDonald’s customers are aware of the option, only 11 percent choose apples.

The NFL informed the 49ers on Tuesday that wide receiver Braylon Edwards will not be suspended for a DUI incident that occurred a year ago when he was a member of the New York Jets.

Edwards, who pleaded guilty to the charges in July, instead was fined $50,000 for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Edwards, who finished with 904 yards and a 17.1 yards-per-catch average last season, is expected to be one of Alex Smith's top targets this season. He did not start any of the team's preseason games, although he rotated in with the first unit.

While Joshua Morgan is listed as one starter at wide receiver on the 49ers' weekly release, the other spot is listed as "Ted Ginn OR Braylon Edwards." Given Jim Harbaugh's penchant for secrecy, that "either/or" designation likely will remain despite the news that Edwards won't miss the game for the DUI violation.

Edwards also officially changed his number Tuesday from No. 81 to No. 17, which he wore in Cleveland and New York.

Garrard a QB candidate? – Quarterback David Garrard, who drew a positive review from then-Raiders assistant Harbaugh when Garrard entered the draft in 2002, was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday. Garrard was blindsided by the decision, his agent said, and he will take a day or so before deciding his next move. The 49ers, meanwhile, have two rookies behind Smith on the depth chart.

Numbers – Edwards wasn't the only 49er to change his number. Starting center Jonathan Goodwin will wear No. 59, new linebacker Tavares Gooden will have No. 56 and backup defensive linemen Ian Williams and Demarcus Dobbs will don Nos. 93 and 96, respectively.

Linebacker Antwan Applewhite, who wore No. 96 in the preseason, was released Tuesday.

... and more numbers – New quarterback Scott Tolzien, who wore No. 16 at Wisconsin last year, said he went into the equipment room and asked for that number. Told it wasn't available, Tolzien demanded, "No, I want 16!"

He was joking, of course.

Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon was "appalled" to learn his name was mistakenly included in a lawsuit filed by several former Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates against the National Football League and helmet manufacturers.

Selmon told The Tampa Tribune Wednesday he has not spoken to lawyers in Los Angeles who are preparing the case and learned about the lawsuit only after news reports linked him and his brother, former Bucs linebacker Dewey Selmon, with other plaintiffs.

"I want to clear this up," Selmon said. "I have not filed any lawsuit whatever. I have no intention whatsoever of filing a lawsuit. I'm upset about this. All I know is the same as you guys (media) have been finding out, but no one involved in this has talked to me.

"I want to make it very clear that while other players may have spoken to an attorney, I have spoken with no one."

The lawsuit originally listed both Selmons as plaintiffs, along with former Bucs Jimmie Giles, James Wilder, Cedric Brown, Greg Roberts and Jesse Solomon.

It claimed Lee Roy Selmon suffers from "multiple past traumatic brain injuries with various symptoms, including, but not limited to, memory loss, headaches, and sleeplessness."

"He did not know he was being included," said lawyer David Rosen, who filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court. "We are representing him in an unrelated issue, and that led to a clerical error on our part of him being included in this lawsuit. We have already removed him from going forward."

Dewey Selmon also is not part of the lawsuit.

Former Bucs linebacker Scot Brantley will be added as a plaintiff, Rosen said.

The Tribune attempted to contact Lee Roy Selmon on Monday and Tuesday this week, but he did not initially return telephone calls.

Linking him to traumatic medical conditions particularly galled Selmon, who said, "I don't have those types of issues — headaches, memory loss, sleeplessness — none whatsoever. I want to be clear about that. I'm appalled."

Selmon said if lawyers try to get him to join the case, he will decline.

"In my family, we deal with the truth," he said. "No way can I be involved in something if I don't have these issues. If anybody called me and asked if I would join this case, I'd categorically say no because I don't have any of the problems they're talking about."

Remember those long weeks of legal talk? Remember those days when football Armageddon seemed to be upon us? Remember the lockout? We didn’t think so. Considering no games were ever missed despite all of those concerns over the past few months, it seems realistic the regular season won’t be overly impacted. If any teams struggle, it’ll probably be those with new head coaches or rookie quarterbacks. Even then, it should only take a few weeks before every team is caught up – and the lockout is no longer an excuse.

Are the Eagles really the Dream Team?

Consider this: Philadelphia shelled out a whopping $120 million in free-agent contracts. They picked up five former first-round picks (including former Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown). They added arguably the best player in all of free agency in cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. All that said, this isn’t about this year’s signings. It’s about one of last year’s signing. If the Eagles are going to live up to their “dream time” dubbing, it’s all going to come down to quarterback Michael Vick.

How much will Chad Ochocinco help the Patriots this year?

Forget, for a moment, Ochocinco’s entertainment value away from the field. Instead, evaluate him only as a player. Although he has fallen off a bit over the last few seasons, Ochocinco still has yet to have a season when he averages less than 10 yards per carry. And although he has failed to eclipse 1,000 yards two of the past three seasons, the charismatic character still seems to be capable of playing at an elite level. Throw in some newfound inspiration with his new team – as well as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game – and we’ve got a feeling this Miami native might be destined for a comeback season in New England.

How difficult will it be for the Jets to get back to the AFC Championship for a third consecutive year?

Although the hype surrounding the Jets has reached new heights this year, their path back to the championship game – and perhaps beyond – might be tougher than either of the past two seasons. But just like each of the past two years, when the Jets’ regular season didn’t seem much more than mediocre, this is all about getting into the playoffs. Should New York crack into the postseason, that’s when it seems the swagger of this squad comes alive like few others in the NFL.

Is Mike Shanahan going to look brilliant or boneheaded with his QB decision?

The majority of the NFL world shook their collective heads when the Redskins made it clear they had confidence in both John Beck and Rex Grossman heading into training camp. After a preseason battle between the pair, each one has displayed some occasional flashes to make those same people wonder: Might one of these quarterbacks really work out? After a turbulent season in 2010, including drama with Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth, Shanahan’s reputation in Washington might be riding on it.

Which player has the most potential to go from good to great in 2011?

Every season, a handful of players ascend into a level of stardom that seemed inevitable the year before. This year, Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman might fit into that category better than anyone. A budding prospect when he was drafted in 2009, Freeman made a huge leap toward becoming a star in his second season. He finished the year with a passer rating of 95.9 despite a young team – and a young coach – around him. Considering his work ethic, Freeman might be staring at his first Pro Bowl invitation in 2011.

Titus Young's wait to make his NFL debut is almost over.

The Detroit Lions rookie receiver was cleared to practice this week after an injured left groin slowed him down and he passed the tests, putting him in a position to play Saturday night against New England.

"I'm definitely excited," Young said.

Young will be the only one of Detroit's top three picks to play in the preseason game against the Patriots. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley, drafted No. 13 overall, hasn't practiced since having surgery on his left foot and running back Mikel Leshoure had a season-ending injury.

The Lions eased Young back into 11-on-11 situations, letting him start with individual drills before increasing his workload.

"I don't know if he's over the hump yet, but he's close to it," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "He was able to put a week of practice together and was able to finish practices. ... I think he's at the point where he can go out and get through a whole practice and be able to play in a game."

"There's a reason we drafted him so high. He's got good quickness and playmaking ability. He fits well with the other guys. So hopefully we can see that on the field."

Detroit drafted Young in the second round, 44th overall, hoping the former Boise Star star could slide into the role of slot receiver between Pro Bowler Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson.

The trio lined up together at times Thursday with quarterback Matthew Stafford and the rest of the first-string offense.

"He's an explosive guy," Stafford said. "He catches the ball confidently with his hands and he's got a suddenness to him that you can't teach, it's just natural. He's still rough around the edges with our offense because he hasn't had a lot of reps, but we can work with him on that, polish him up and he's got a chance to be really good."

Burleson agreed.

"He looks good even though he's still working on his conditioning and getting physically and mentally healthy from the hamstring," Burleson said. "When he runs routes, he gets separation. That's not easy to get away from a DB. And even when he's warming up, he catches with his hands and that's a good sign."

He caught 150 passes for 19 touchdowns and 2,200-plus yards combined in his last two seasons at Boise State.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Young knows it'll be just about impossible to match that type of production, sharing the ball with Johnson, Burleson, a pair of tight ends and running back Jahvid Best. But being a secondary option on most plays doesn't sound like it's going to be a problem for him.

"Being the man is not really the goal," he said. "The goal at hand is to win the Super Bowl, but I love to get the ball because I love making plays for my team."

He also loves the thought of his parents moving to the Motor City, where the family has ties. His father, Richard Young, was at the team's open practice Thursday and his mother, Teresa Young, is on her way.

"They're about to move here for Texas," Young said. "I wouldn't mind them living with me, but of course a young man needs his privacy. You can't get married living with your parents. I want them to have their own space in a real, nice, guarded-gated community."

Young didn't have that type of home, growing up in South Central Los Angeles, but his father made sure he had enough each day to get a treat.

"Every single day I would come to my dad was, 'Can I have a dollar?'" Young recalled. "That's all I asked for, so I could go get some hot chips or nachos in the neighborhood. It probably added up to a couple thousands of dollars. I want to give him more than just a dollar and let him relax the rest of his life."

Young wasn't afforded the luxury of relaxing much as a kid, but he thinks it prepared him well for his life.

"Life in South Central Los Angeles is a day-to-day grind," he said. "It molded me into the man I am today. There are a lot of positives that a lot of kids never experience as far as street knowledge and how to handle and protect yourself. I know there are areas in Detroit just like South Central and I think that's another reason this is the best place for me because I represent the struggle."

The 2011 NBA Playoffs have not ended, but I have already been involved in several arguments over who deserves the MVP award. I believe that Blake Griffin(notes) should be the 2011 NBA MVP, and I am letting Yahoo! Sports Grudge Judge decide. My friend Rose and I decided to go head to head on Grudge Judge. In case number 855, I am defending Blake Griffin, and she is building a case for Derrick Rose(notes).
These are the top three reasons why Blake Griffin should be the 2011 NBA MVP:1. Statistics
Blake Griffin’s statistics for the 2010-2011 season may not be as high as Rose’s, but they are still impressive. Griffin has 22.5 points per game and 12.1 rebounds per game. He also has a player efficiency rating (PER) of 21.93. On the other hand, Derrick Rose has 25.0 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game and a PER of 23.62. Although Rose has a higher PER, Griffin does have more rebounds per game.
2. Break with tradition
Traditionally, the NBA MVP award has been given to players from successful teams. However, there are historical examples of the MVP award being given to players from struggling teams. In 1960, Wilt Chamberlain received the award despite the Warriors losing in the NBA Playoffs. In 1969, Wes Unseld was the MVP despite the Bullets miserable season.
The Los Angeles Clippers are not even in the NBA Playoffs this year. It is easy to be successful on a great team and much more difficult on a team like the Clippers. Griffin made every effort to help them advance, but one man cannot sustain an entire team. His accomplishments should not go unrecognized in the midst of the Clippers bad season.
3. Redemption
Blake Griffin injured his knee and missed the entire 2009-2010 season with the Clippers. After breaking his left kneecap, many questioned his ability to return to the game and few believed he would have an incredible season. Griffin returned to the team with a renewed commitment and had 214 dunks during the 2010-2011 season.
Fans did not embrace Griffin immediately after his return. This number one draft pick still had to prove himself. He was young, he missed an entire season, and the Clippers were still struggling. With Blake Griffin back on the team, fans found a reason to watch the Clippers again. He has been compared to Shaquille O’Neal(notes). His double-double numbers, incredible dunks and impressive record deserve an MVP award.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur envisions a two-man backfield of Montario Hardesty and Peyton Hillis jumpstarting his West Coast offense.Both are adept at running with short passes — extended handoffs in the West Coast offense — which is a mandatory skill-set in that system. On conventional running downs, Hillis certainly is big enough to serve as a lead blocker. Hardesty can run pass patterns when Hillis is the main ball carrier.It all hinges, of course, on Hardesty’s ability to come back from torn ACL surgery and stay healthy.”He’s on track to be able to perform in the fall,” Shurmur said recently. “We’re very pleased with his progress. We feel as though he’ll make a total recovery, and be able to compete and make our running back corps better.”Hardesty and Hillis represent possibly the worst and best of Heckert’s GM work in his first season.Despite a history of injuries at Tennessee, Heckert traded a third- and two fifth-round draft picks to move into the second round to select Hardesty last April. Hardesty proceeded to miss the first month of practice with a bone bruise suffered the week before training camp. He got on the field for the fourth preseason game and suffered a torn knee ligament on his seventh carry.”We thought Montario was a really good football player,” Heckert said. “We just thought there was maybe a little more risk because of the injuries, but we went ahead and did it anyway. We’ll see how that works out in the end.”Hardesty’s season-ending injury opened the door for Hillis, whom Heckert acquired from Denver as a virtual throw-in in the Brady Quinn trade. Hillis, of course, became a local icon and team MVP, rushing for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns.Hillis’ bruising running style wore him down. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry through 11 games; 3.8 over the final five.The Browns have no proven running backs under contract beyond Hillis. It’s a position that can be filled in free agency.If they opt for the draft, they probably will wait for the middle rounds. They have looked at Shane Vereen of California and DeMarco Murray of Oklahoma — two of the draft’s best pass catchers out of the backfield.

The Chicago Blackhawks beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-0 in the National Hockey League playoffs to keep alive the defense of their Stanley Cup title.
Duncan Keith and Marian Hossa had two goals each, and Patrick Kane added another for the Blackhawks at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver last night.
Chicago, which beat the Philadelphia Flyers in June to end a 49-year wait for a fourth Stanley Cup title, trails 3-2 in games in the best-of-seven Western Conference series after winning its second straight. The teams head back to Chicago for Game 6 on April 24 before returning to Vancouver two days later for a decider, if necessary.
The Blackhawks are seeking to become the fourth team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. The Canucks ended the regular season with the best record in the league.
After losing its first two postseason games at home, the Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 in overtime last night for their second straight road win and tied their Eastern Conference series at two games apiece.
Former Canadiens wing Michael Ryder got his second goal of the game 1 minute, 59 seconds into overtime as the Bruins won at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The teams return to Boston tomorrow for Game 5 in the Eastern Conference series.
Also last night, the San Jose Sharks beat the Los Angeles Kings 6-3 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and lead their series 3-1 in games. The Sharks can advance to the second round in the Western Conference with a home win in Game 5 tomorrow.
Today, the Flyers host the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference and the Nashville Predators visit the Anaheim Ducks in the West with both series tied at 2-2.

In 2010, a month before he took to the basketball court for the first time in a New York Knicks uniform, Amare Stoudemire took to the red carpet at Lincoln Center in head-to-toe Tom Ford. In 2009, when NBA No. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin was chosen by the Clippers, he was wearing a custom suit, a purple necktie and eye-catching pocket square from L.A. tailor Waraire Boswell. And sometime during this year’s playoffs, there’s a decent chance the Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade will be photographed sporting a diamond lapel pin from Jason of Beverly Hills.
The National Basketball Association has had its share of style-savvy players — and even coaches (paging Pat Riley). But it wasn’t so long ago that the biggest fashion statement on court or off was Dennis Rodman dying his hair the colors of a fruit bowl and Shaquille O’Neal wearing baggy suits — definitely a mixed bag.
Think about it: It can be hard to find the right clothes when you’re somewhere around the NBA average of 6 foot 7.
But today — witness Stoudemire, Griffin and Wade — even the tallest players sport a trim and tailored look. Having a personal stylist is de rigueur. Nattily attired, high-profile players grace the covers of glossy style magazines and sit front row at fashion shows next to Vogue’s Anna Wintour.
The athletes’ fashion side projects and brand endorsements have become so common that the league’s acronym might as well be “National Bespoke Association” And it’s not just about court shoes anymore. The Celtics’ Jermaine O’Neal recently launched a menswear label dubbed Le Jaunty. Stoudemire is collaborating with designer Rachel Roy on a collection for women (spotlighted by Women’s Wear Daily last week). And the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant has partnered with Nubeo on a line of ungodly expensive watches.
It’s hard to reconcile the wardrobe of today’s hardwood warriors with the laissez-faire look of the league circa 2005, when the NBA felt compelled to institute an official dress code.
“The dress code was part of a larger discussion about the business of basketball, the players’ role in it and projecting a positive image,” said Michael Bantom, senior vice president of player development for the NBA. “It was something that teams had dealt with on an individual basis. Some teams had their own dress codes, others didn’t.”
But as of the 2005-06 season, off-court players engaged in team or league business were required to wear collared dress shirts or turtlenecks, dress slacks, khakis or dress jeans with “appropriate shoes and socks.” Players at games but not in uniform were additionally required to wear a sport coat, dress socks and dress shoes or boots. T-shirts, sports jerseys, shorts, headphones, sunglasses worn indoors or headgear of any kind were prohibited while a player was on team or league business.
Many observers — including Bantom — see that as the first ripple in what would eventually become a change in the way professional basketball players approached their clothing choices.
“True to their competitive nature, once they started dressing up — and seeing how good they looked — they started competing with each other to see who could dress the best,” Bantom said. “The evidence of that can be seen in their interest in fashion and the exposure they’re now getting because of the way they’re dressing.”
That meant players were no longer simply satisfied with the convenience of one-stop custom clothiers such as Elevee in Van Nuys, Calif., which in 2005 laid claim to half of the NBA’s players as clients. Stephon Marbury once placed an order for 82 suits — one for each regular season game — and longtime customer Shaquille O’Neal was known to order 52 shirts and 20 pairs of trousers at a clip. But after the dress code was implemented, some pro ballers took a page from the music and movie industry celebrity playbook and began to engage the services of personal stylists.
“Before the league changed the rules, it was pretty simple,” said Paige Geran, a stylist who has worked with Kobe Bryant for the last year and a half. “The guys would just wear suits for every game so they’d just buy them in bulk.”
After the rule change, “the more savvy guys — the Kobes, the LeBrons (James) and the D-Wades — they started turning to stylists because they enjoy fashion and wanted to look a little more unique. A stylist can bring a lot to the table for them — they’re getting to wear stuff that a man who is 6 foot 3 can wear.”
Geran’s comment underscores a crucial point: buying off-the-rack clothes — especially dress shirts and tailored suits — isn’t an option for most players. And when a guy’s workaday uniform is, in fact, a uniform, there is all the more reason to kick things up a notch.
The sartorial sea change led to recognition not only in men’s style bibles GQ and Esquire, but also in sports media. ESPN the Magazine’s first dedicated fashion issue hit newsstands in March with the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose on the cover. The month before, Sports Illustrated published the results of a poll of 137 NBA players, asking which of their basketball brethren had the best fashion sense off the court. The Miami Heat’s Wade took top honors as an all-star of style, followed by Bryant in second place and Wade’s teammate James in third. Fifteen players made the list, including New York’s Carmelo Anthony in fifth, Stoudemire (13th), and Laker Derek Fisher (14th).

Tim Donaghy told KESN-FM that the NBA enjoys “tormenting” Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, and that some refs like “sticking it to” Cuban.Donaghy is the disgraced former NBA referee who was involved in a gambling scandal and served more than a year in jail . He was released in 2009.Some comments from Donaghy as transcribed by sportsradiointerviews.com:On his reaction when he saw Danny Crawford was officiating Game 2 in Dallas: “You think that the league would put him on a game maybe in another series, but to put him in this situation, teams like that, for some reason they still enjoy tormenting Mark Cuban a little bit.”On if it was just coincidence that the Mavs were 2-16 in games reffed by Crawford before Tuesday night?: “No, absolutely not. I think that would be absolutely impossible to put that as a mere coincidence. It’s no secret that when Ed Rush was supervisor of officials, he had a hatred for Mark Cuban and Danny Crawford was one of Rush’s right-hand guys. So he carried out what he thought would be in the best interest of him being in the good graces with the supervisor of officials. Some guys enjoy sticking it to Mark; it’s no secret.”On the stories he tells about Crawford and the Mavs in his book:  ”It’s in the book, he would laugh about his record. I think at the time I was around it was nine or 10 wins in a row that the opposing teams had. It’s funny stuff because now I’m actually working for a sports handicapper as a blogger and radio co-host and we talk about that all the time … how these personal relationships come into affect and still seem to be out there.”On if things will be different now that this story has come out and Crawford is in the spotlight: “I can tell you this, right now David Stern’s not too happy that the focus is on Danny Crawford being a referee for this game. … It’s bad for the league if Danny Crawford makes a couple of calls in favor of Portland that are wrong. I think Danny Crawford is a quality referee and I think he’s going to do his best to be as [unbiased] as possible knowing that the spotlight is on him. That’s why they put a lot of these stop-gaps in there where things are reviewable. Those quick out-of-bounds plays that he could just easily give to Portland, they’re reviewable now. It’s not as easy as it was in the past for him to just give those marginal plays to the other team.”On the state of officiation overall in the NBA: “I’ve watched a couple games the last couple nights and there’s pivotal calls that are taking place at pivotal times that are just flat-out wrong that are just standing out. They’re bad enough they’re taking place during the game, but in the last two or three minutes of the fourth quarter, it just buries teams. … It takes the credibility further away from the league.”