Selig, Fehr Before House Oversight Committee

Bud Selig and Donald Fehr faced a considerably less combative House Oversight Committee yesterday than the one they went before in ’05. While the softer tone indicates the committee sees steady progress in efforts to clean up the game, Congress still wants more.  Tom Davis (R-VA): "We put the ball back in [MLB's] court.” But many believe Selig and Fehr got off easy, as "bouquets were thrown toward baseball," and they were "more frequently congratulated than ripped." However, the fireworks will probably come February 13, when the committee members grill Roger Clemens, whose statements have contradicted the report of their former colleague George Mitchell.

Ring Leader 
Chicago 2016 expects to generate $2.5B in revenue from hosting Olympics, about $1B more than some of city's top bid competitors. 

Bayside High
Santa Clara City Council votes to begin negotiations with 49ers on new stadium deal.

Numbers Guy
NFL names Goldman Sachs exec Anthony Noto as CFO, a position vacant since '04.

Foreign Exchange 
Hyundai considering pulling two spots from Super Bowl due to declining economy.

Growing Its Feathers
NBC expects to add 75 jobs by end of '08 for Stamford-based NBCSports.com, NBCOlympics.com.

Admission Standards
NCAA ADs adopt Rooney Rule-like hiring standards for college football.

Earning Their Stripes
adidas inks sponsorship deal with Univ. of Cincinnati football.

Going Green
Kevin Garnett's No. 5, Celtics merchandise top sales at NBA Store, NBAStore.com.