Mike Modano is still the heart beat of the Dallas Stars. Photo ??2006 Martin.

Modano may not be the captain for the Dallas Stars anymore, but his team certainly still needs him as their leader.

Due to a lower body injury Modano suffered on December 4th's game against the San Jose Sharks (where he scored the team's only goal) Modano has been sitting on the sidelines watching his team struggle to keep their heads barely above water. The Stars have lost four of the last seven games without Modano, with their new team captain, Brenden Morrow, only scoring one goal and two assists (and who is also a -7, the lowest +/- rating on the team).

The players that have surprisingly stepped up to the plate during this drought are the Stars' veteran defenseman. Philippe Boucher had a rather lackluster beginning to this season, but in Modano's absence, he's given his team four goals and four assists.

NEW YORK (December 19, 2006) ??? The National Hockey League will welcome the 2007 NHL All-Star Celebration in Dallas and mark the return of the mid-season spectacular with five days of live musical performances, interactive hockey attractions and NHL player community appearances. The centerpiece of the All-Star Celebration will be the 55th NHL All-Star Game, which will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 24 and will feature the League???s best players in the Western Conference against the top players in the Eastern Conference.

The NHL All-Star Celebration will begin on Saturday, Jan. 20. The entrance to the American Airlines Center, home of the Dallas Stars and Victory Park, will be transformed to feature a variety of free events, exhibits and displays that will be open to the public. The list of activities includes a Celebrity All-Star Cook-off, the ceremonial arrival of the Stanley Cup with members of the 1999 Stanley Cup Champion Dallas Stars, plus the red-carpet arrivals of the NHL All-Stars and YoungStars. Sharing the stage in Dallas with the best NHL players in the world will be a line-up of top music performers, including country music stars Big and Rich and The Wreckers, funk/pop artists Robert Randolph & The Family Band and rock band The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

MSL announced today that it has entered into a multi year sponsorship agreement with The Topps Company Inc for the East Meets West All-American Game, which will convene 96 of the country???s top high school football players on January 6th, 2007, at Disney???s Wide World of Sports Complex and air nationally on ESPN U in a same-day live broadcast.

???Topps is thrilled to be officially associated with this groundbreaking event showcasing the rising stars in the high school arena,??? said Jeff Haza, Senior Brand Manager, Topps Football. ???The players we see in this game are the names we???ll see in the future of Division 1A Athletics, and we???re glad to be able to provide them the experience of playing together from the nation???s premier amateur sports venue.???

The East Meets West High School All-American Football Game is the third in a stable of Topps All-American sponsorships, which include The McDonald???s High School All-American Basketball Game and The AFLAC High School All-American Baseball Game. It is the company???s first entr??e into high school football.

(Before 12/18 Cincinnati-Indianapolis Monday night game)
December 18, 2006
For Week 16
AFC EAST DIVISION
New England can clinch division title with:
1) NE win or tie, OR
2) NYJ loss or tie.
(If Indianapolis defeats Cincinnati Monday night)
New England can clinch playoff berth with:
1) CIN/DEN tie.

Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson has now set the all-time single season scoring record beating out Paul Hornung with 186 points.

That record stood for 46 years. The Packer great was a running back/kicker. The Charger running back also extended his single season TD record to 31 scores.

Packers QB Brett Favre set the all-time completion record passing Dolphins great Dan Marino with 4,968.