Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne says he’s glad he made it to the other side of the field when he jogged out of the tunnel into Memorial Stadium before the game against Minnesota last weekend.

Coach Bo Pelini asked the Hall of Fame coach to join the team for the Tunnel Walk as part of “Salute to Tom Osborne Day.” Osborne is retiring Jan. 1.

The 75-year-old Osborne said Wednesday: “I was just hoping I made it to the other side without getting run over or tripping.”

Osborne said he didn’t feel it was his place to run onto the field, but Pelini insisted.

Osborne said the day was “overwhelming.” He said a lot of nice things were said about him — “that often happens when you die or you retire.”

Will Compton has been with Bo Pelini for all the ups and downs in the Nebraska football program the past five years.

No one in the Cornhuskers’ camp wants a Big Ten championship more than the middle linebacker from Bonne Terre, Mo.

A win over Iowa (4-7, 2-5 Big Ten) on Friday secures the 17th-ranked Huskers’ spot in the Big Ten title game against Wisconsin and a chance to play for the school’s first conference championship since 1999.

Compton says he’s never won a championship of any kind. He says he and the other 28 seniors have been through so much at Nebraska (10-2, 6-1) that it would be disappointing to end the season with anything less than a title.

Nebraska running backs coach Ron Brown likes to call Ameer Abdullah “Mighty Mouse.”

The diminutive sophomore also could be called “The Man.”

Abdullah, who ran the ball all of 42 times last season, reached 200 carries and crossed the 1,000-yard threshold for the season against Minnesota on Saturday.

The knee injury that has put All-Big Ten back Rex Burkhead on the sideline for most of his senior season necessitated Abdullah’s heavier workload.

the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Abdullah is on pace to finish with 254 carries and 1,299 yards, assuming the Huskers go to the Big Ten championship game and have three games left. That would be 30 carries and 58 yards fewer than Burkhead had last year but more than any other Nebraska back the past 10 years.

Maryland is set to announce it is joining the Big Ten.

The Big Ten Network tweeted that it will cover the school’s news conference Monday afternoon to announce Maryland’s decision to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference. It will become the 13th member of the Big Ten.

Rutgers is expected follow suit by Tuesday, departing the Big East and making it an even 14 in the Big Ten. The move for both schools is not expected to take effect until 2014.

ESPN.com first reported that the University of Maryland board of regents approved the move Monday.

On Sunday, November 18th, A.J. Barker, wide-receiver for the Minnesota Gophers,  announced that he’s leaving the Gophers.  Barker created an online blog where a descriptive message to Gophers head coach, Jerry Kill, explains why he made a decision to quit the team, explaining that Kill is ‘manipulative’ and that the past between them hasn’t been ‘loving’.

You can read the letter in full by clicking here. *Warning: Explicit Language*

Here are a few highlights,

Now, in honor of my family and myself I’m done with you for good. In light of that pathetic, manipulative display of rage and love you put on this past Thursday, I have come to the decision, with the guidance of my parents and my closest friends, that my time on this team has come to an end. It kills me that I have to do this before the season’s over, but this is the only way I can protect myself against the manipulation and abuse I’d have to endure from you the rest of this season.

 

Well, Jerry Kill, I don’t choose to believe I’m a dime a dozen.  My parents raised me in the most honorable and noble way possible, they never took from me. They never lied to me, or hurt me.  There weren’t any “****ed up” things that happened to me growing up and it’s a disgrace to the effort my parents put forward every single day they were around me to insinuate anything of that sort.  My parents and friends are extremely proud of me.  They don’t view me as screwed up. In honor of everyone I associate myself with, I will not accept your ruthless attempt to degrade and belittle me.  I am an upstanding member of society and a paying/honest student at the University of Minnesota.  I haven’t got in trouble with the law.  I don’t have any demons in my closet.  I don’t mistreat or hurt the people around me.  I carry myself with dignity and respect.

It was during this discussion that you came over and exploded on me in front of the entire team in our indoor facility. “YOU DON’T ****ING GET TO TELL THE TRAINER WHAT YOU DO!” followed by a 20 minute tyraid where you attacked everything about me, from an athlete to my character as a person.  I took every word of it replying faithfully “Yes sir. Yes sir. No, sorry sir” and watched as you demeaned me to a point of no return.  You took the one thing you had a say in (my football playing career and my future) and you held it against me in an attempt to break me, going as far as to tell me I’ll never get a scholarship or see the field again.

In just 17 hours on the internet, this letter to Jerry Kill has circulated heavily.

 

Harbaugh’s status up in the air

UNDATED (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers expect their coach to be back with the team today, but they don’t know how much he’ll be able to contribute to preparations for Monday night’s NFC showdown with Chicago. Jim Harbaugh underwent what the team describes as a “minor procedure” yesterday, aimed at correcting an irregular heartbeat.

Assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Brad Seely oversaw team meetings and the afternoon practice on Thursday and will be interim coach if Harbaugh isn’t able to return to the sidelines for the Bears game.

Knicks’ road test continues

UNDATED (AP) — One night after facing and beating a one-loss team in San Antonio, the unbeaten Knicks face the same task tonight in Memphis. The Grizzlies have run off six straight wins after losing their season opener. New York is off to a 6-0 start.

Also tonight in the NBA, the 1-8 Detroit Pistons will be hunting a second straight W when they face a visiting Orlando club that’s lost five in a row after a 2-0 start, Philadelphia is home to Utah, Dallas plays at Indiana, Minnesota hosts Golden State, New Orleans entertains Oklahoma City, Portland is home to Houston, Atlanta visits Sacramento and the L.A. Lakers host Phoenix.

Mike D’Antoni was introduced as the Lakers’ new head coach yesterday but isn’t expected to be on the bench until Sunday’s game against the visiting Houston Rockets. He’s still on crutches after recently undergoing knee surgery. The Lakers have won two of three under interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff and are 3-5 on the season

Bears meet Buffaloes in South Carolina

UNDATED (AP) — Baylor’s basketball team will be the first of seven Top 25 teams to take the court today. The 16th-ranked Bears take on revenge-minded Colorado in the semifinals of the Charleston Classic (12:30 p.m. Eastern). Baylor knocked the Buffaloes out of last season’s NCAA tournament in the round of 32.

The Bears beat Boston College 84-74 yesterday and Colorado advanced with a 67-57 win over Dayton.

Bettman floating 2-week break from talks

TORONTO (AP) — Negotiations had already hit a wall in the ongoing hockey labor fight, and now the NHL has suggested the sides take an official two-week break before getting back to the bargaining table.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman floated the idea of a break to players’ association executive director Donald Fehr (feer). The union hasn’t responded to the league yet.

The hockey lockout is entering its third month.

MVP awards handed out

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball’s first Triple Crown winner since 1967 has been named American League MVP while National League honors go to the 2010 NL rookie of the year.

Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera hit .333 with 44 home runs and 139 RBIs while helping the Tigers to the AL title. The veteran third baseman was listed first on 22 of 28 ballots, beating out rookie of the year Mike Trout of the L.A. Angels.

San Francisco’s Buster Posey picked up 27 of 32 first-place votes after batting an NL-best .336. His 24 home runs and 103 RBIs were also career highs. Posey missed most of the 2011 season with a fractured bone in his lower left leg and three torn ankle ligaments suffered in a home-plate collision. He is the first catcher in four decades to win the NL award.

Last year’s winner, Ryan Braun of the Brewers, is this year’s runner-up.

Knicks are 6-0…Heat win in Denver for first time since ’02

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Knicks remain the only unbeaten team in the young NBA season, off to a fast start with six wins in a row. They went on the road Thursday night and beat the high-riding San Antonio Spurs 104-100 behind Raymond Felton’s 25 points.

J.R. Smith added 17 points for the Knicks. Jason Kidd had 14 and Tyson Chandler 13 for the Knicks, who closed on a 22-11 run.

Tony Parker led San Antonio with 19 points and 12 assists. The Spurs are 7-2.

New York trailed by 12 points with 7 minutes left in the game, but then closed on a 22-11 run.

Coach Mike Woodson said, “It shows me that this team is for real.”

In other NBA action:

— The Miami Heat opened a 19-point lead and then held off a furious Denver Nuggets rally to win 98-93 for the Heat’s first win in the Mile High City in 10 years. LeBron James led the way with 27 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds. Andre Miller had 19 off the bench for the Nuggets.

— Brooklyn beat the Boston Celtics 102-97. Deron Williams and Brook Lopez each scored 24. Williams also dished out eight assists. Joe Johnson made the tiebreaking basket with 3:03 left and finished with 19 before a sold-out crowd of 17,732 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

D’Antoni in charge…T-wolves adding veteran to banged-up roster

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Mike D’Antoni era in Los Angeles has begun on crutches.

The new L.A. Lakers coach moved smoothly on crutches while his Lakers went through drills orchestrated by his assistant coach and brother, Dan.

Although D’Antoni’s surgically replaced knee is slowing him down a bit, he couldn’t wait any longer to get the Lakers rolling.

D’Antoni says he’s “very happy to be here — excited.” He echoed Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, saying the Lakers are built to win now, adding: “This is not a five-year project. We have a window, and we’re going to try and get through it.”

D’Antoni formally took over the Lakers four days after the slow-starting club hired him to replace Mike Brown. Brown was fired after a 1-4 start. The Lakers are now 3-5 after going 2-1 under interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff.

D’Antoni is expected to make his sideline debut with the Lakers Sunday night against Houston.

In other NBA news:

— The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with 32-year-old free agent Josh Howard, pending a physical. The announcement came one day after the Wolves lost at home to Charlotte with six of their top seven players out.

Bills finally ready for prime time

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have won their first prime time home game since the opener of the 2000 season by holding off the Miami Dolphins 19-14. Both AFC East teams are 4-6.

Leodis McKelvin scored on a 79-yard punt return and the Bills oft-maligned defense finally flexed its muscles. Safety Jairus Byrd recovered a fumble and made a diving interception. Bryan Scott sealed the win with an interception to end the Dolphins’ final drive. Mario Williams had one of three sacks for a Buffalo defense that limited the Ryan Tannehill-led Dolphins to 184 yards.

That was enough to make up for a Buffalo offense that settled for Rian Lindell’s four field goals on four drives into the red zone. That ends the Bills’ three-game losing streak.

Harbaugh in hospital…Browns could be without Haden

UNDATED (AP) — San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was sent to the hospital for a “minor procedure” after doctors discovered he had an irregular heartbeat.

The 49ers anticipate Harbaugh will be back at the team’s facility today, though it’s unclear in what capacity.

Assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Brad Seely oversaw team meetings and the afternoon practice on Thursday.

In other NFL news:

— Cleveland may be missing its top cornerback Joe Haden Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. He missed practice because of an oblique strain.

— Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler missed practice and his playing status remains in question because of a concussion. If he can’t go against San Francisco, backup Jason Campbell likely gets the start.

— New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is disappointed by his team’s performance, saying he “didn’t sign up for a 3-6 season,” and insists he didn’t bring in quarterback Tim Tebow just to sell tickets. Johnson would not comment on the immediate futures of coach Rex Ryan or general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

— The Washington Redskins say coach Mike Shanahan had money and a passport stolen from the locker room during the road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last month.

The Husker men’s basketball team improved to 2-0 with a 50-48 win over Valparasio in the opening game of the Joe Cipriano Nebraska Classic last night. Brandon Ubel led the Huskers offensively with 17 points. Ray Gallegos chipped in 14 points. The Huskers went on a 16-8 run to close the first half, and led by as many as 14 points in the second half before withstanding a late run by the visiting Crusaders. The Big Red are back in action on Sunday, hosting Nebraska-Omaha.

Tonight on ESPN Radio 1410 it’s a split doubleheader of North Platte Community College basketball. First, at 3:30, the Lady Knights (2-2) try and make it two straight wins as they take on the Midland University JV. Pregame coverage gets underway at 3:15. Later, at 7:30, the Knights men (2-1) open the NPCC Classic as they face Midland’s JV. Pregame coverage of that game will start at 7:15.

The fifteenth-ranked Husker women’s basketball team takes to the Devaney Center floor tonight to take on Northern Arizona. Connie Yori’s crew reeled off wins in their first two games last weekend, taking down North Carolina A&T and Temple. Tonight, they take on a Lumberjacks team that is 0-2 on the season. Last season, the Huskers needed two overtimes to hold off the Lumberjacks in Flagstaff. Tip-off tonight is set for 7:05 PM.