Boozer breaks hand, out for 2 months

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer has a broken right hand that will require surgery, and he is expected to be out eight weeks, the team announced Sunday afternoon.

Boozer suffered the injury on Saturday during the Bulls' day off. Boozer tripped over a bag in his house and fell.

"[I was] at my house, came around the corner, fell over a bag, put my arm down to kind of brace myself," Boozer said. "I'll get surgery on Tuesday and do my rehab, be conditioned and run with the guys. The good thing about it was at least it only happened in the preseason.

"It's tough. Obviously, I'm disappointed. I feel bad about it, but we got guys who can play, man. Guys will be able to step up and play. We've been practicing hard, getting ready for the preseason right now. I'm going to be there supporting them, I'll be their biggest cheerleader and sideline coach. And I'll be busting my butt trying to get back and healthy and attacking my rehab trying to get right."

The team says Boozer broke the fifth metacarpal bone in his hand. He was evaluated by team physician Dr. Brian Cole and hand specialist Dr. Marc Cohen of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush.

The Bulls signed the two-time All-Star veteran forward to a five-year deal worth about $75 million this summer after missing out on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Said Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau: "It's part of the NBA. Those things happen. I think we've got more than enough to win with. We're disappointed, obviously, to lose Carlos, who put a lot of work in, and he was playing great, but that's part of the NBA. We move on and we just move forward. We've got plenty of guys who have started and have played in a lot of big games."

In eight professional seasons, Boozer has missed 145 games.

Boozer spent the previous six years with Utah and averaged 19.5 points and 11.2 rebounds last season before joining the Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal with the Jazz.

Bulls forward Joakim Noah will be expected to pick up the slack during Boozer's absence, and second-year forward Taj Gibson is the most likely candidate to replace Boozer in the starting lineup.

"It was kind of hard," Gibson said of the circumstances. "Because I came in, I was expecting to just go against him again in practice, just get better, because the whole [experience] was a positive, just learning from him, getting better. Then to come in, see him hurt, hopefully he gets back [as] soon as possible because I know our team's going to need him."

Gibson started 70 games last season, averaging nine points and 7.5 rebounds a game.

-ESPN.com

Vick hurt in McNabb's return to Philly

PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Vick's brief run as No. 1 may be temporarily grounded.

Vick has a sore chest and ribs, and will need an MRI after the scrambling Eagles quarterback was drilled by a pair of Redskins on Sunday. Vick started his first home game of the season, but wasn't around for the finish in Washington's 17-12 win. He was replaced by Kevin Kolb, who suffered a concussion in the season opener that allowed Vick to take the job.

"I talked to him at halftime and he said his sternum and collarbone were hurting," wide receiver DeSean Jackson said.

The Eagles were mum on the severity of the injuries and Vick declined comment. Vick grimaced as he gingerly put on a button-down over his white T-shirt. He walked slowly around the locker room and shook his head no toward reporters.

His status for next week's game at San Francisco was not immediately known.

"He's got a sore chest is what I can tell you right now," coach Andy Reid said.

It looked much worse when he was crunched on another dazzling run.

Vick took off on a 23-yard scramble, but was sandwiched on a crushing hit by Kareem Moore and DeAngelo Hall. He was slow to get up and Kolb quickly hit the field for some warm-up tosses. Kolb was in on the next play.

To make the injury worse, Vick's run was wiped out on a holding penalty by guard Max Jean-Gilles.

The Eagles also lost cornerback Asante Samuel and wide receiver Riley Cooper to concussions. Neither returned to the game.

Kolb struggled in his first meaningful action of the season, going 22-for-35 for 201 yards with a touchdown and interception.

He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Brent Celek to get the Eagles within 17-12 with 4:10 left. The 2-point conversion failed when Kolb's pass fell incomplete. Kolb's last shot at leading the Eagles to victory fell short when his desperation pass bounced off Jason Avant's hands.

Vick was sensational as a starter and showed flashes of the form that made him a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback during six seasons in Atlanta. He had 750 yards passing, six touchdowns and no interceptions, and had also run for 170 yards and one score in 10 quarters. For his efforts, Vick earned NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors.

He was 5-for-7 for 49 yards passing and rushed three times for 17 yards against the Redskins.

Jackson, a nonfactor with three catches, said he told Vick to tone done his running style to avoid punishing hits.

"With him being the athlete he is and the type of player he is, it's hard for him to get that stuff out of his head," Jackson said. "He's always trying to make plays and do certain things. I told him right before he got hurt, don't take no hits like that. We can't afford you taking hits. He's just trying to make things happen."

Vick is in the midst of one of the more astounding comebacks in recent sports history. He missed two seasons (2007-2008) while serving an 18-month sentence in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation. He spent most of last season as a role player behind Kolb and Donovan McNabb, mostly used in a variation of the Wildcat offense.

His marvelous play and reformed personal image -- he tours schools speaking out against dogfighting -- has made him a fan favorite in Philadelphia. Supporters usually bring signs touting "Vickadelphia!"

In McNabb's return to Philadelphia on Sunday, one fan made a sign that read: "Goodbye McNabb, Hello Vick-tory!"

They'll have to wait for the rematch.

-Associated Press

Alabama looks dominant

The Alabama Crimson Tide looks like the real deal. After squeaking by Arkansas in their SEC opener I thought Florida might give them a dogfight. That Definitely was not the case. Alabama absolutely destroyed Florida in what was thought to be a the game of the weekend.

Bama has too much of everything. Too many great offensive players. Too many great defensive players. Too many great coaches. They just look like a well oiled machine. I was at the game 2 weeks ago when Bama visited Duke and I watched them put 28 points on the board in the 1st quarter on their way to a 64 point outburst. As we get into the middle portion of the schedule I just don't see Alabama losing. We might as well crown these guys now because the next best team in college football is not even in the vicinity of Alabama.

USC has been known to keep 2 to 3 outstanding backs at all times but Bama has a 1,2 punch that is unstoppable. Ingram, the reigning Heisman trophy winner is probably the best down for down back in the country and he seems to be playing at a higher level than he did last year which is scary. Richardson is electrifying! He makes big play after big play. His speed and power makes him a perfect compliment to the already potent Ingram. Together they have and will run opposing teams to death.

Over the years I have given Alabama very little coverage but I had no choice but to show the crimson tide some love especially after smashing Florida this weekend. To all my Bama fans out there today and today only I'm with you. "Roll tide"

RP