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Florida quarterback Tim Tebow insists the Bowl Championship Series national title game will have no bearing on his decision to leave school early. Moments after the top-ranked Gators were selected to play in the title game against No. 2 Oklahoma on Sunday night, the reining Heisman Trophy winner said the outcome would not affect his decision to return for his senior year.

England's decision to tour India within a fortnight of the Mumbai mayhem was not driven by their urge to stand by a terror-stricken country but by a business deal, according to media reports in London.

Kept on the field by a court decision, Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams helped stop the Detroit Lions on Sunday. A federal judge Friday in Minnesota blocked the NFL from suspending the Williamses, along with three other players, for violating the league's anti-doping policy by using a banned diuretic.

Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer, out since October with an elbow injury, was listed as the Bengals' third quarterback for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. Palmer began throwing earlier in the week, although no decision has been made whether he will need surgery. Among the inactive players for Cincinnati was tight end Ben Utecht, a former Colts player, along with cornerback David...

By RICK HERRIN PITTSBURGH — The Dallas Cowboys will be without their Pro Bowl running back today against Pittsburgh.Marion Barber’s dislocated right pinkie toe, which was injured against Seattle on Thanksgiving Day, has forced him out and he will be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Tashard Choice. Barber did not travel with the team to Pittsburgh on Saturday.Barber was expected to be a game-time decision despite not practicing all week. But Wade Phillips didn’t sound encouraged by Barber’s availability late in the week, and his loss puts more pressure on quarterback Tony Romo to have a big performance today.Barber, who said early last week he would be OK by today, will miss the first game of his four-year NFL career because of injury. The workload now falls on Choice, a fourth-round draft pick from Georgia Tech who has 30 carries for 147 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and no touchdowns this season. He is coming off season highs of 11 carries for 57 yards

By JEFF CAPLAN DALLAS — For the eighth consecutive game Josh Howard was listed as a game-time decision. Eight times the decision has been no.The small forward’s sprained left ankle continues to experience swelling, coach Rick Carlisle said, and until it improves, Howard will remain sidelined.'He had a lot of swelling,' Carlisle said. 'And he still has some swelling. We’re working through it. Injuries can be unpredictable. You’re dealing with Mother Nature, who doesn’t always cooperate. We got great medical people and [athletic trainer] Casey Smith has been living with Josh the last couple weeks.'Howard’s status is typically the first order of business during media sessions with the coach, a topic that seems to be wearing thin after nearly three weeks.'I don’t like the whole thing about coming in every day and the question: 'Is he going to play?’ We don’t know. It’s tough and I don’t like the situation for him with you g