But when Rivers subsequently skipped cleaning his room, his mother wasn’t about to let his ego swell.

She scolded him for not doing his chore, emphasizing that life does not revolve around him and how many points he could score.

“That moment made me the way I am now,” Rivers said.

“It seemed harsh the way she said it, but I knew she didn’t mean it to hurt me. She wanted me to understand it’s just not all about the individual.”

"Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. the most overrated athlete in sports?"

There was only one problem.

Athlete?

Who was writing our headlines Monday, Bill France Sr.?

The 23-year-old speedster, who led 95 of 100 laps in winning the Camping World Truck Series race, was out front for 143 of 150 laps on the 2-mile oval to earn his 22nd Nationwide victory. He became the first driver to win races in two NASCAR national touring series in the same day.

Former series champion Carl Edwards beat Busch out of the pits on the last pit stops by the leaders, but Busch powered back into the lead on the restart 16 laps from the end and pulled away.

"It's awesome," Busch said after climbing out of his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. "This is just a blast. It's pretty special to beat guys like Carl and Kevin (Harvick). To win here twice in one day is even more special."

Despite building leads of up to 11 seconds at times during the race, it all came down to the restart on lap 135 after Edwards beat Busch out of the pits by the length of the hood on his No. 60 Ford.

Bunn admitted he was a little anxious to see if the freshman could duplicate what he has done in practice since arriving at Clemson in August. After watching the lefty’s warm-up session, he reported to coach Jack Leggett that there was no reason for concern.

“I told Jack, ‘I don’t know if this means anything because I don’t know what he is going to do when the game gets started, but he didn’t throw a ball in the bullpen,’” Bunn said.

Dwyer did not throw very many in the game either. In fact, his Tiger debut was one of the more memorable ones in recent history. He allowed two hits, struck out nine with walked one in No. 19 Clemson’s 4-0 victory.

“For a first-time guy to ever step on Tiger Field, that’s pretty good,” Bunn said.

Take a look at the schedule. No sane person would conclude that it is a tough schedule. Assuming a win in the three cupcake games, Clemson only has to go 3-6 in its remaining nine games to be bowl eligible. And they get to do it in the sub-par ACC.

RAY OLSZEWSKI | Columbia

Kiffin reminds reader of a young Spurrier

Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin is a hip, young, dynamic and charismatic coach. He is not an idiot. He is an exceptional young coach who reminds me of Steve Spurrier when he got the Duke job in the 1980s.

Steve Spurrier’s USC football team will bus to North Carolina State for its season-opening game in September, saving the athletics department approximately $15,000. Like all Clemson employees, football coach Dabo Swinney and men’s basketball coach Oliver Purnell have been subject to five-day furloughs, which translates into a $7,600 salary savings for the athletics department.

USC and Clemson are examining budgets and looking for areas to trim costs. Should the economy worsen, it is conceivable schools could discontinue the practice of housing football teams in a hotel the night before home games (USC would save approximately $120,000 this coming season) and eliminate pregame meals for the media and athletics officials at home football games (savings of approximately $31,500 for USC).

“We have to be cautious,” says Eric Hyman, USC’s athletics director. “I’m always trying to be prudent in what we do. But sometimes people aren’t as prudent as I’d like for them to be. Going forward, I think people recognize the times are different.”

At Clemson, Katie Hill is the senior associate athletics director in charge of internal affairs, including the budget. She said escalating fuel costs a year ago ignited efforts throughout the athletics department to begin scaling back, particularly in travel for nonconference events.

Now 24, Priester — who says he was inspired by Tiger Woods’ 1997 Masters victory — developed his game at Junior Golf Land and became a special project for Fairway Outreach and director Bobby Foster after Priester’s father died in a 2001 fire at the family home.

After graduating from A.C. Flora and the United States Military Academy at West Point, Priester was commissioned in May as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He recently underwent combat training at Fort Benning in Georgia.

Priester is the subject of a recent article by the U.S. Golf Association’s Rhonda Glenn. Glenn recounts Priester’s life story, starting when he was learning the game from his golf-crazed great-uncles Alvin Walker and Charles Samuel and grandfather Henry Walker. She includes the family’s struggles after Priester’s father’s death.

Glenn calls Priester “a face on the long-awaited impact of the ‘Tiger Boom’” that golf officials hoped would spur play by minority youngsters.

Jason Flagler had 14 points and Jessie Burton and Carrio Bennett had 11 apiece for the Bulldogs (13-12, 8-5 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference).

The Bulldogs have won three straight games and seven of their last nine.

Michael Deloach led the Spartans (8-16, 6-7) with 26 points, while Joe Dorsett-Jeffreys had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Corey Lyons finished with 11 points for the Spartans, who have lost three games in a row and five of six.

Norfolk State led by four points at the break, but South Carolina State outscored the Spartans 47-33 to seal the win in the second half.

Dahlman, who hit two free throws with 32 seconds left in regulation to help force overtime, took over in the final minute of OT.

Alex Opacic hit two foul shots to put Furman up 82-80 with 1:46 to play in the extra frame, but Dahlman was fouled on his game-tying layup and hit his free throw to put Wofford up by one with 38 seconds left. After Junior Salters hit one free throw, Dahlman sank a free throw with 7 seconds left to cap a 7-2 Wofford run in the game's final two minutes.

Furman's last field goal came with 2:55 left in OT.

Salters finished with 21 points for the Terriers (13-12, 9-7 Southern Conference).

Not exactly the Straight Talk Express, was it?

A-Rod did admit he wasn’t taking Tic Tacs but didn’t allow much else. He wasn’t sure what his cousin was injecting into him, but, hey, he was young and stupid.

Uh, Alex, you turned 28 in 2003 when you tested positive — certainly old enough to know better. And you say you let your cousin stick you with whatever?

Yeah, right. Like one of the world’s best athletes would have no idea what was going into his body. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t let any of my cousins anywhere near me with a needle.

Beecher, a senior who will graduate from USC in May, signed with Liberty last week and will play his final season for the Division I-AA school in Lynchburg, Va.

Beecher, who was not asked to return to USC for his fifth season, committed to the Flames during an official visit this month, his mother, Pam Beecher, said Tuesday.

Because Beecher will pursue a graduate degree (Christian leadership) not offered at USC, Pam Beecher said he would be eligible to play under NCAA rules.

“We are so excited for Tommy and Liberty University,” Pam Beecher said. “What great people up there. It’s just a perfect fit.”

Reggie Holmes added 15 points and six rebounds for the Bears (14-10, 8-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference). Morgan State has now won four straight contests.

South Carolina State (10-12, 5-5) held a 31-30 lead at halftime. But the Bears jumped out to a 58-48 lead after Holmes hit a 3-pointer with 4:53 left in the game.

The Bulldogs were able to cut the lead to 60-56 after Jessie Burton's tip-in with 57 seconds left. But Morgan State shot 11-for-14 from the free-throw line down the stretch to secure the win.

Jason Johnson had 14 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bulldogs. Jessie Burton added 12 points.

Sanders finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Flames (18-8, 9-5 Big South Conference). Seth Curry added 22 points and Kyle Ohman chipped in with 12.

The Flames used an 18-2 run early in the first half to jump out to a 13-point lead with 12:38 remaining. Liberty went into halftime with a 34-27 lead.

Curry scored seven straight points to ignite a 12-4 run that gave the Flames a 58-43 lead with 4:38 left in the game.

The Blue Hose (10-14, 7-6) were led by Al'Lonzo Coleman, who finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. Josh Johnson added 10 points.

“When a ball comes off the rim, somebody has to call for it,” said Stevenson, one half of the Eau Claire girls basketball team’s dynamic duo in the post.

The two have endured enough low-post collisions while chasing rebounds to know it takes only one of them to do the job.

For coach Precious Caldwell, having two of them is something like a dream.

She waited two seasons to see how good of a player she had in Stevenson. The 6-foot center was inexperienced in her freshman season and was injured for much of her sophomore season. Now she is blossoming.

WHERE: Conte Forum, Chesnut Hill, Mass.

TV: Fox Sports Carolinas

RADIO: ESPN Radio 93.1 FM

RECORDS: Clemson 19-3, 5-2 ACC; Boston College (18-7, 6-4 ACC)

Rodriguez admitted Monday that he used banned substances while playing for Texas from 2001-03 - before he joined the Yankees. But now, everyone in pinstripes has been pulled into the story.

"We urged Alex to be completely open, honest and forthcoming in addressing his use of performance-enhancing drugs. We take him at his word that he was," the team said in a statement Monday night. "Although we are disappointed in the mistake he spoke to today, we realize that Alex - like all of us - is a human being not immune to fault."

Earlier in the day, Yankees captain Derek Jeter said he was "shocked" by a Sports Illustrated report last weekend that A-Rod had flunked a drug test. Jorge Posada said he was surprised to hear it, too.

"Alex is my teammate and Alex is going to be my friend forever. I'm going to support him any way I can," Posada said.

“That’s up to you guys,” Logano said when reporters ask how he thinks he will be evaluated in his first season at NASCAR’s top level. “I don’t know.”

It’s not fair to say he doesn’t care, but, even though he’s 18, he knows there are factors beyond his control.

“I’m focused on what I’ve got to do, and I’m doing the best I can,” he said. “I know there are a lot of expectations, but, at the same time, you’ve got to give me a chance and give me some time. ... I’ve got a great team. I know that.

“The only thing I lack is experience. ... But the only way you can do it is to be out on the race track, so that’s what I’m doing.”

But knowing his team had heard or read about all of the negatives from every media outlet, the Clemson coach took a different approach when his team gathered back at Littlejohn Coliseum for a Sunday afternoon practice.

“We let them know what the truth is,” Purnell said Monday. “We are 19-3 and we are in third place in the ACC ... I had a long talk about our basketball team and what makes us really good. We want to make sure those things show up from here on out.”

It’s that positive reinforcement Purnell believes 12th-ranked Clemson needs to hear as it embarks on a two-game road trip this week, which begins tonight at Boston College (18-7, 6-4).

“We are in the ACC — the toughest league in America,” he said. “Just look around. Look what happened this weekend, not only in the ACC, but in college basketball. Just let them know what the truth is. We got a wake call and got bitten by the upset bug like a lot of teams have, every team in this league has.

A.C. Flora at Chester

Aiken at Dutch Fork

Augusta Christian at Heathwood Hall

Batesburg-Leesville at Gilbert

Remember, this used to be the most cherished record in sports. Babe Ruth, The Sultan of Swat. Hank Aaron, class and dignity.

Who knows if the career home run mark will ever have such meaning again.

Now that heir apparent Alex Rodriguez admitted Monday to using banned substances while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-03, generations of fans may never get a chance to cheer for a home run champ who earns the title fair and square.

"To hear all that information is just sad. Sad for me, sad for him, sad for the game," said Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, who called A-Rod a friend. "I just don't understand it. I cannot understand it. Certainly it has helped him, taking this stuff. It's just bad for baseball, bad for the game."

Drum said late Monday night he got a hand-delivered letter from a district representative last Friday notifying him that Feb. 13 would be his final day at the school and in the district.

"It basically said that since I was retired and still working in the district that I'd no longer be employed in two weeks," Drum said. "It said I'd be terminated in two weeks because the district was releasing retirees to help with budget cuts.

"I can't say how long I was going to stay, but I wanted to leave coaching on my own terms. I had hoped that when that day came, I could stay on at Lewisville as the AD only. After 40 years in the business and the last 22 at Lewisville, this is like leaving my family."

Drum came to Lewisville from Lancaster to work for former football coach and AD Bennie McMurray. When McMurray retired and left to coach in Charlotte, Kim Gray was promoted to head football coach.

The Highlanders (12-10, 9-2 Big South Conference) built a 23-10 lead before Winthrop outscored Radford 15-8 in the final 9 minutes of the first half. Radford led 31-25 at halftime.

The Eagles (6-15, 5-6) tied the game at 49-all with 6:14 left in the game on a bucket by Andre Jones, but couldn't take over the lead.

Winthrop shot just 29.9 percent from the field (23 of 77), including going 1 of 20 from 3-point range (5 percent).

Chris McEachin paced the Highlanders with 19 points and Joey Lynch-Flohr added 16. Amir Johnson tallied eight assists for Radford.

In January 1992, Steele sat at the Bradenton, Fla., home of Tommie Frazier, playing spades with prep prospect who would become one of the NCAA’s most revered option quarterbacks in history.

Frazier’s mother, in particular, loved spades. Steele, a Nebraska assistant, was winning handedly when the time arrived for an assistant coach among Frazier’s other suitors — Notre Dame, Syracuse and, ironically, Clemson — showed up for his scheduled appointment.

“His mom said, ‘I’m not letting you get out of where without whipping you,” Steele said. “She said, ‘You make sure as soon as they leave, you come back.’

“I actually sat down the street so I could see the house. They were in there about an hour and a half, then they left. I pulled back up in the driveway, and we played spades about three more hours. You felt like you had a pretty good chance.’”

For Steffon Batts, whose father spent 20 years in the Army, it was not an option until recently.

Yet Hozey and Batts will join an elite group of high school football prospects who will represent their nation in the military.

Though both may take part in ceremonies at their respective schools, they will not be “signing” on Wednesday as will their peers. That is because U.S. service academies, like the Ivy schools, do not offer athletics scholarships, so no letters of intent are involved.

“I want to serve my country,” said Hozey, an A.C. Flora linebacker who plans to enroll in the U.S. Naval Academy. “I’ve always been proud of my parents for doing that, and I believe that you should put into the country what the country puts into you.”

Mehmet Okur scored 22 despite being in foul trouble most of the night. Paul Millsap scored 14 and Ronnie Price added 12 points in place of Deron Williams, the latest Utah player to be sidelined with an injury. Williams was out with a contusion above his right knee, joining forwards Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) and Carlos Boozer (knee) on the inactive list.

Raymond Felton had 16 points and nine assists to lead the Bobcats, who lost their third straight and went 1-4 on a five-game road trip. They also had 24 turnovers, leading to 32 points for the Jazz.

Emeka Okafor added 15 points and seven rebounds, but scored only three after the first quarter as Charlotte couldn't keep up its starting pace. The Bobcats led by as much as eight in the second quarter, then wilted in the third period while being outscored 27-19.

Brewer scored Utah's first 10 points of the period, starting with a three-point play and finishing with a 3-pointer that put the Jazz up 59-58.

The Panthers (6-16, 2-10 Big South Conference) snapped a seven-game losing streak while ending the Buccaneers' two-game winning streak.

Charleston Southern (7-14, 2-8) also dropped its fifth straight conference home game.

The Buccaneers held a 31-30 lead at halftime. Ahead 57-54 with 4:04 left, they failed to score the rest of the game.

Cruz Daniels added 11 points and eight rebounds for the Panthers.

Davidson will play host to Butler; Georgia Southern will play host to Jacksonville State; Appalachian State will travel to play Winthrop; and Elon will visit UNC Wilmington.

HONORS

Jason Johnson, South Carolina State, men’s basketball, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the week

Morgan Johnson, USC Aiken, women’s basketball, Peach Belt Conference player of the week

Jessie Burton also added 12 points for the Bulldogs (9-11, 4-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), who won their third straight game. Burton was 2-for-4 from beyond the arc.

Brandon Bryant led the Rattlers (6-14, 4-4) with 11 points and Joe Ballard had 10. The Rattlers have lost four in a row.

The Bulldogs built on a three-point halftime lead, outscoring the Rattlers 27-15 in the second half.

South Carolina State won the battle of the boards, outrebounding FAMU 46-28 en route to victory.

This time it's Connecticut at the top of The Associated Press' college basketball poll, the fourth straight week with a new No. 1.

The Huskies (20-1) moved up from second to replace Duke (19-2), which fell to fourth after losing on a last-second shot to Wake Forest in its one week on top.

Wake Forest (17-2) was No. 1 two weeks ago, but the Demon Deacons lost to Virginia Tech and fell out. They had replaced Pittsburgh (19-2), which was No. 1 for two weeks before losing to Louisville. North Carolina (19-2) was a unanimous No. 1 in the preseason poll and for the first seven weeks of the season before losing to Boston College.

The five teams which have been No. 1 this season are from two conferences: North Carolina, Wake Forest and Duke of the Atlantic Coast Conference and Pittsburgh and Connecticut of the Big East.

Richardson, 72, underwent heart transplant surgery Sunday at Carolinas Medical Center, where he’d been on a waiting list since mid-December.

Richardson's surgery was confirmed Monday morning by team officials and by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

In a news release, the Panthers said the heart transplant procedure began about 8 p.m. Sunday and ended about 1 a.m.

Surgeons Mark Stiegel and Eric Skipper conducted the procedure, and Stiegel told the Panthers "the donor heart was working well."

Assistant coach Pete Herrmann will be the interim coach the rest of the season. He takes over a team that is 9-11 and 0-5 in the Southeastern Conference.

"I'm disappointed that things have not worked out better," athletic director Damon Evans at a news conference. "I do think it is in the best interest of our men's basketball program that we move in a new direction. And while this may be unusual timing, I'm convinced it is the right time."

Felton had an 84-91 record and was in his sixth season at Georgia. His team won the SEC tournament last year, but was knocked out of the NCAAs in the first round. He coached five seasons at Western Kentucky before taking the Georgia job in 2003.

Lawson took an inbounds pass with 3.2 seconds left and raced downcourt, swishing his shot at near full speed from the top of the arc. As soon as the ball went through, teammates rushed over and mobbed Lawson.

"I saw there was one second on the clock and shot a floater," Lawson said outside a jubilant North Carolina locker room. "It went in luckily. I wasn't sure."

The Tar Heels overcame 32 points from Florida State's Toney Douglas, who scored 24 in the second half to help the Seminoles wipe out a 52-39 deficit and give themselves a chance to win.

Florida State (16-5, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) couldn't get off a shot on its final possession, however. The shot clock expired, giving the ball back to the Tar Heels and setting up Lawson's buzzer-beater.

James Johnson made up for a horrible final minute on defense by hitting the layup with 0.8 seconds left that helped the sixth-ranked Demon Deacons upend Duke 70-68 on Wednesday night in a matchup of the two most recent top-ranked teams.

"We knew everybody was going to key on Jeff Teague — he's the one who scores for us, puts buckets up for us," Johnson said. "I finished the play."

And, more importantly, the game. Johnson had 13 points and 11 rebounds and freshman Al-Farouq Aminu finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Demon Deacons (17-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).

They bounced back from last week's home loss that knocked them from No. 1 by forcing the Blue Devils into their worst shooting night of the season and making a statement for a second chance at the top spot.

Clemson recruiter Charlie Harbison met with him Monday. He has taken visits to Clemson, Alabama and LSU. He plans to announce on Signing Day.

Tim Simon, RB, Cordova, Ala.

Canceled a visit for this weekend to Kentucky and is down to Clemson and Ole Miss. Simon has been committed to Ole Miss but is undecided.

Bryce Brown, RB, Wichita, Kan.

The Tigers have moved the start of spring football practice back to March 9, two days later than originally planned. The team will follow that workout with sessions the next two days, then take 12 days off around the school's spring break.

Clemson returns to the practice field March 23, and will hold 12 sessions over the next three weeks. The Tigers have tentatively scheduled scrimmages for Saturday, March 28, and Saturday, April 4.

The annual spring game will take place at Death Valley on April 11.

Common Sense Media, which provides ratings and reviews of TV shows, movies and video games to parents, released the results Thursday. CSM said its staff watched 50 NFL games this season and logged more than 5,000 commercials.

Among its findings:

- 40 percent of games showed ads for erectile dysfunction drugs.

- 46.5 percent of the sexual or violent advertisements were promotions by the broadcast networks for their own programs.

Assistant coach Ron Bradley had spliced together Stitt’s foul-line trips from his second career game, last season’s 84-82 triumph at Mississippi State.

Stitt drained all eight of his free throws in that hostile environment, including six in the final 26 seconds.

After watching the disc several times, he called Bradley for discussion. Two days later, Stitt sank all six of his tries, snapping a slump in which he had hit five of his previous 13.

“That gave my mental edge back,” Stitt said. “Free throws are psychological. It showed me I can make free throws.”

A hierarchy exists. It dictates a team’s star players sit in elevated booths, taking questions from the media horde while the remainder of the team is left to fend for itself. During Tuesday’s annual publicity dance, the 11 booths housed 10 players and the coach for the respective teams.

South Carolina’s three ties at Super Bowl XLIII were on their own, roaming the sideline at Raymond James Stadium or sitting in the stands, talking to anyone who sought them out. But you can bet all three will play key roles in Sunday’s outcome.

Wilson High’s Lawrence Timmons and former Clemson standout Nick Eason are essential cogs in Pittsburgh’s top-ranked defense. Their link to the franchise’s long tradition of defensive excellence demands each to live up to a high standard.

On the other sideline, Moncks Corner native Ron Aiken, the Cardinals defensive line coach, will do his best to rally his underrated unit to one of the more unlikely Super Bowl titles in the game’s 43 years.

The school's announcement said Bowden will be paid just under $2.5 million, the same as last year.

"I am glad to get it signed up for another year like I said I would do after each year," Bowden said in a statement. "I appreciate the university's support. We are busy recruiting and looking forward to next season."

Bowden has said many times in recent weeks that he planned to return.

FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher must replace Bowden by January 2011 or the school will owe him $5 million.

Byron Faison added 12 points and George Valentine chipped in with 10 for the Eagles (6-13, 5-5 Big South Conference). Winthrop has won five of their last eight games since dropping 10 straight after winning its season opener.

Matt Dickey scored 11 points to lead the Bulldogs (9-12, 5-5) and Sean Smith added 10. John Williams grabbed 10 rebounds.

The Bulldogs have lost three of their last four games.

The Eagles hit 20 of 52 (38.5 percent) from the field, compared to a 15 of 45 mark (33.3 percent) for the Bulldogs. But Winthrop hit 10 3-pointers, while the Bulldogs managed just five.