Unsportsmanlike Conduct

West Deptford High wrestling coach Ralph Ross Jr., who led the Eagles to the state Group 3 title last season, appears likely to be suspended for most of the 2000-01 season for his conduct after a match in February. The NJSIAA Controversies Committee recommended yesterday that Ross be suspended from coaching until Jan. 22. The committee submitted its recommendation to the NJSIAA Executive Committee, which is expected to rule within a week, said Boyd Sands, the NJSIAA executive director.

Michal Handzus and Ryane Clowe scored shootout goals, and the San Jose Sharks celebrated captain Joe Thornton's 1,000th NHL game with a 4-3 victory over the host New Jersey Devils on Friday night. Elsewhere: Johan Franzen scored two power-play goals and added an assist to help the host Detroit Red Wings (5-0-0) remain unbeaten with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets . Weber fined. Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber was fined $2,500 by the NHL on Friday for boarding Vancouver forward Jannik Hansen on Thursday night.

Charles Barkley is about to tread on sacred ground in the NBA. The 76ers' forward last night said he intends to file a complaint with the league office saying that referee Mike Mathis has been "unfair" to him and that Mathis has "held a grudge. " Mathis, a veteran official who worked the Sixers' victory over Cleveland at the Spectrum Wednesday night, has handled five games involving the Sixers this season. He ejected Barkley from a game in Atlanta last season, then ejected him again Wednesday night "for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens has been fined $35,000 for spitting on Falcons defensive back DeAngelo Hall in Saturday's 38-28 Dallas victory over Atlanta. Owens will not be suspended for the Cowboys' Christmas NFC East showdown with the Eagles. "We are confirming that Terrell Owens has been fined $35,000," said the NFL's vice president of public relations, Greg Aiello. "It falls under unsportsmanlike conduct. " Had game officials seen the incident, Owens would have been ejected.

The referee made the correct call when he assessed an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty on Chris Pronger and negated an overtime goal Friday that would have given the Flyers a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames, an NHL official said on Sunday. Referee Ghislain Hebert, who has a split NHL/AHL contract, ruled that Pronger waved his arm in front of Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff and gave the defenseman a penalty. The Flyers eventually lost in a shoot-out, 3-2. Replays showed Pronger with his arm raised and quickly brought down - and no penalty called until three seconds later, after Mike Richards' shot went past the goalie.

After a typical game, the Detroit Lions' equipment people have to fix three or four player jerseys, repairing rips and sewing seams. But last week's game against Baltimore was anything but typical, and the brutality of it was evident in the jerseys. Lions staffers had to repair 19 jerseys, Detroit coach Steve Mariucci said. "Our equipment guys were here late sewing up jerseys. We had to throw some out, they were ripped so much. It was just a physical game. Guys were fighting out there.

Ralph Ross Jr., the West Deptford wrestling coach who directed the Eagles to the state Group 3 championship last season, has been suspended by the NJSIAA for his conduct after a match in February. The suspension, announced yesterday, will prevent Ross from coaching for about half of the 2000-01 season. The NJSIAA Executive Committee affirmed the Controversies Committee's recommendation on Wednesday to suspend Ross. The vote was 15-13, with two abstentions, said George Faunce, the West Deptford superintendent.

Camden was able to do something to Point Pleasant Boro quarterback Tom Heuer that no other team had been able to do all season long: intercept him. Unfortunately for the Panthers, two interceptions were all they could feel good about, as Camden fell to undefeated Point Pleasant, 43-0, in the South Jersey Group 2 championship game. Camden (6-6) opened the contest with the ball, but were unable to muster any offense on their first three plays. Panther coach Tom Hanson opted to attempt a fake punt, which failed, setting up Point Pleasant (12-0)

On Sunday mornings, Parkway's Jerome Burt and Daniel Rumph and Central's Sharif Bray are nearly inseparable during their workouts at Mallery Recreation Center. Yesterday, after blowing steam at each other at Sunday's workout, Burt and Rumph opposed Bray in a wild Public League Division B basketball game that didn't even reach its scheduled conclusion. "Danny and Jerome were talking smack during the workouts Sunday," Bray said after Central beat visiting Parkway, 78-70. "They said we were overrated, won a couple of games by luck and that they would hammer us," said Bray, who had 19 points.

More proof that it's Tim Tebow's world, and we just live in it. Denver's second-year QB has started a fad. It all started when Tebow took a knee to pray as his teammates gyrated all around him, exulting over the Broncos' improbable, 18-15 overtime win over the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday. Sitting in a bar in New York, watching the scene on TV, a fan had an epiphany.   Jared Kleinstein coined a phrase, Tebowing , and he and his friends went outside to re-create it. He posted the photo on Facebook, and it spread.

More proof that it's Tim Tebow's world, and we just live in it. Denver's second-year QB has started a fad. It all started when Tebow took a knee to pray as his teammates gyrated all around him, exulting over the Broncos' improbable, 18-15 overtime win over the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday. Sitting in a bar in New York, watching the scene on TV, a fan had an epiphany.   Jared Kleinstein coined a phrase, Tebowing , and he and his friends went outside to re-create it. He posted the photo on Facebook, and it spread.

Michal Handzus and Ryane Clowe scored shootout goals, and the San Jose Sharks celebrated captain Joe Thornton's 1,000th NHL game with a 4-3 victory over the host New Jersey Devils on Friday night. Elsewhere: Johan Franzen scored two power-play goals and added an assist to help the host Detroit Red Wings (5-0-0) remain unbeaten with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets . Weber fined. Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber was fined $2,500 by the NHL on Friday for boarding Vancouver forward Jannik Hansen on Thursday night.

The referee made the correct call when he assessed an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty on Chris Pronger and negated an overtime goal Friday that would have given the Flyers a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames, an NHL official said on Sunday. Referee Ghislain Hebert, who has a split NHL/AHL contract, ruled that Pronger waved his arm in front of Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff and gave the defenseman a penalty. The Flyers eventually lost in a shoot-out, 3-2. Replays showed Pronger with his arm raised and quickly brought down - and no penalty called until three seconds later, after Mike Richards' shot went past the goalie.

WILDWOOD, N.J. - When school starts tomorrow at Cardinal Dougherty High, Tarik Morris' favorite body parts will be his ears. He just knows, finally, he'll hear a crescendo of positive comments as he moves through the hallways and interacts with his fellow students. Unlike last football season, when the Cardinals stumbled to an 0-9 record. Or 2007, when they won their opener and dropped the rest. "The negative talk is all friendly," Morris said. "But it still takes a toll on you because there's some truth to it. " Now hear this!

The Flyers should get some early insight into their chances of challenging for the Atlantic Division crown this week. There are two games against Sidney Crosby's ever-dangerous Pittsburgh Penguins and one against the new-look New Jersey Devils. Then there was last night's encounter with the suddenly jelling New York Rangers. Things didn't go well for the Flyers at Madison Square Garden in a 2-0 loss. Although the score was close, the Flyers' chances of scoring were not. Henrik Lundqvist handed the Flyers their first shutout loss this season, making 30 saves.

Sheldon Brown has a solution. It's simple, really. Instead of crying about the code of football and how the New England Patriots are violating it by bludgeoning opponents by nearly 26 points per game, do this: "Stop them," Brown said last week. "Stop them. Don't complain. If you beat me, you beat me. " Heading into their historic game at 7-0 Indianapolis, there are all sorts of arguments about why the Patriots are scoring an inordinate amount of points, going for it on fourth down when the game is no longer in doubt, and passing when a clock-eating run would suffice.

Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens has been fined $35,000 for spitting on Falcons defensive back DeAngelo Hall in Saturday's 38-28 Dallas victory over Atlanta. Owens will not be suspended for the Cowboys' Christmas NFC East showdown with the Eagles. "We are confirming that Terrell Owens has been fined $35,000," said the NFL's vice president of public relations, Greg Aiello. "It falls under unsportsmanlike conduct. " Had game officials seen the incident, Owens would have been ejected.

Camden was able to do something to Point Pleasant Boro quarterback Tom Heuer that no other team had been able to do all season long: intercept him. Unfortunately for the Panthers, two interceptions were all they could feel good about, as Camden fell to undefeated Point Pleasant, 43-0, in the South Jersey Group 2 championship game. Camden (6-6) opened the contest with the ball, but were unable to muster any offense on their first three plays. Panther coach Tom Hanson opted to attempt a fake punt, which failed, setting up Point Pleasant (12-0)

After a typical game, the Detroit Lions' equipment people have to fix three or four player jerseys, repairing rips and sewing seams. But last week's game against Baltimore was anything but typical, and the brutality of it was evident in the jerseys. Lions staffers had to repair 19 jerseys, Detroit coach Steve Mariucci said. "Our equipment guys were here late sewing up jerseys. We had to throw some out, they were ripped so much. It was just a physical game. Guys were fighting out there.