Ladainian

During yesterday's practice, several Ravens players were questioning middle linebacker Ray Lewis about whether there will be any changes to his much-anticipated pre-game dance, which is expected to return Sunday after a yearlong hiatus. Lewis' response: His attention has been on the moves of San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and not his own. Chargers@Ravens Sunday, 1 p.m., chs. 13, 9, 97.9 FM Line: Chargers by 2 1/2

The tender ankle of San Diego Chargers All-Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson would seem, on the surface, to present the Ravens' defense with a bit of a challenge this week. Which running back should Baltimore prepare to face? Which game film should defenders study to try to pick up tendencies? Do they pore over highlights of Tomlinson, one of the best running backs in NFL history, or highlights of backup Darren Sproles, who had 23 rushing yards and 43 receiving yards, and scored the winning touchdown in a win over the Oakland Raiders?

STEELERS (2-1) @CHARGERS (2-2) Time, TV, Line -- 9 p.m., Chs. 2, 7, Chargers by 3 Trends -- It's a stage made to order for the Steelers. They're 16-6 on Monday Night Football since the 1992 season, and they've won eight straight road games going back to last season. They've won three of their past four after a bye week, as well. Attractions -- The Chargers' offense was overwhelming the past two weeks in wins over the Giants and Patriots. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for a total of 326 in those games and Drew Brees passed for four touchdowns.

U-S-A! U-S-A! Mr. Flip will lead those cheers for the American team in the World Baseball Classic, not just because he's a patriotic fan, but also because he doesn't want to be damned for all eternity. Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, speaking at a media event from the observation deck of the Empire State Building last week, said this about Team USA: "We cannot allow those clubs to beat us. It's our game," Lasorda said, according to the Associated Press. "Remember one thing: In your hearts, you better pull for the USA or you may not get into heaven."

Tomlinson not squeezed out Remember all that talk in September about how San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson was the latest star ball-carrier to get used up like a tube of toothpaste that has been squeezed empty? After the first three games of the season, Tomlinson had a total of rushing 130 yards for an anemic 2.3-yard average and one measly touchdown. Well, as Mark Twain might have observed, reports of Mr. Tomlinson's demise were greatly exaggerated. In the past 10 games, LT has been a fantasy league superstar (and kept the Chargers alive in the playoff hunt)

Baseball Major League Baseball: Named Giants OF Barry Bonds NL Player of the Month; Cardinals' Woody Williams NL Pitcher of the Month; Athletics 3B Eric Chavez AL Player of the Month; Athletics' Barry Zito AL Pitcher of the Month; Cardinals' Bud Smith NL Rookie of the Month; and Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki AL Rookie of the Month. Joliet (Independent): Named former Orioles C Matt Nokes manager. Basketball Hornets: Waived C Lorenzo Coleman and G-F Cory Hightower. Timberwolves: Exercised option on F Wally Szczerbiak through 2002-03.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH Bills QB Drew Bledsoe vs. Chargers: How's this for a mismatch? One of the league's top passers against the 31st pass defense, playing its first cold-weather game. Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Bills: Tomlinson (right), the NFL's third-leading rusher, will attempt to minimize Bledsoe's damage by running against the No. 31 run defense. Chiefs RB Priest Holmes vs. Broncos: Holmes has already gouged the No. 1 run defense for 113 yards and three TDs. Now he goes for the knockout punch.

I hung out Friday night with Hank Bauer. I know what you're thinking. But you'd be wrong. It was the former San Diego Chargers special teams captain, Hank Bauer, who played six seasons before retiring in 1983 (not by choice - he broke his neck). Bauer is in town as part of San Diego's radio broadcast crew. No surprise here, but he's picking the Chargers to win, and he believes they can go to the Super Bowl. Like many of us, he also rates LaDainian Tomlinson as the best running back in the NFL - with the hardest name to spell.

The fans who descended on Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium expecting to watch a lot of flash and flamboyance from 16th-ranked Texas Christian and Heisman Trophy candidate LaDainian Tomlinson had to be disappointed yesterday Instead of electricity, the Horned Frogs employed a work-manlike performance and handed Navy its fourth consecutive defeat, 24 - 0, with quarterback Casey Printers, fullback George Layne and a near-impenetrable defense sharing the...

EXTRA POINTS Moving up Colts' Edgerrin James passed Eric Dickerson for third place on the team's all-time rushing list. Giant mark Tiki Barber surpassed Frank Gifford for most all-purpose yards in Giants' history with 9,880. Bumpy road The Lions have lost 20 straight on the road. They haven't won outside of Michigan since Dec. 17, 2000. Sack attack The Buccaneers have at least one sack in 67 straight games, one shy of the NFL record set by Dallas from 1976 to 1980. Making their points The Titans reached the 30-point mark for the fifth straight game, matching a mark the franchise set in 1961 when it was the Houston Oilers.

Tomlinson not squeezed out Remember all that talk in September about how San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson was the latest star ball-carrier to get used up like a tube of toothpaste that has been squeezed empty? After the first three games of the season, Tomlinson had a total of rushing 130 yards for an anemic 2.3-yard average and one measly touchdown. Well, as Mark Twain might have observed, reports of Mr. Tomlinson's demise were greatly exaggerated. In the past 10 games, LT has been a fantasy league superstar (and kept the Chargers alive in the playoff hunt)

Tomlinson attains rushing milestone ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- If Mother Nature couldn't slow LaDainian Tomlinson, what chance did Buffalo have? Tomlinson was the Chargers' ideal tonic for a blustery winter afternoon, producing 178 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a 24-21 win, San Diego's sixth straight. "Every once in a while, it's actually fun to play in weather like this," Tomlinson said. With 1,324 yards rushing, Tomlinson joined Eric Dickerson as the second NFL player to reach 1,200 yards rushing in each of his first six NFL seasons.

I hung out Friday night with Hank Bauer. I know what you're thinking. But you'd be wrong. It was the former San Diego Chargers special teams captain, Hank Bauer, who played six seasons before retiring in 1983 (not by choice - he broke his neck). Bauer is in town as part of San Diego's radio broadcast crew. No surprise here, but he's picking the Chargers to win, and he believes they can go to the Super Bowl. Like many of us, he also rates LaDainian Tomlinson as the best running back in the NFL - with the hardest name to spell.

During yesterday's practice, several Ravens players were questioning middle linebacker Ray Lewis about whether there will be any changes to his much-anticipated pre-game dance, which is expected to return Sunday after a yearlong hiatus. Lewis' response: His attention has been on the moves of San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and not his own. Chargers@Ravens Sunday, 1 p.m., chs. 13, 9, 97.9 FM Line: Chargers by 2 1/2

ASHBURN, Va. -- When Washington Redskins safety Ryan Clark received a call from former teammate Antonio Pierce after Sunday's loss to the Oakland Raiders, what Pierce said nearly dropped Clark to the floor. "He said [LaDainian Tomlinson is] the best in the league," Clark said. "For Antonio [now with the New York Giants] to say that, that's a big statement because he very seldom gives out compliments. So that was big and I respect that." Only recently has Tomlinson been earning that kind of respect, despite a resume that includes a minimum of 1,236 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his first four seasons.

STEELERS (2-1) @CHARGERS (2-2) Time, TV, Line -- 9 p.m., Chs. 2, 7, Chargers by 3 Trends -- It's a stage made to order for the Steelers. They're 16-6 on Monday Night Football since the 1992 season, and they've won eight straight road games going back to last season. They've won three of their past four after a bye week, as well. Attractions -- The Chargers' offense was overwhelming the past two weeks in wins over the Giants and Patriots. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for a total of 326 in those games and Drew Brees passed for four touchdowns.

U-S-A! U-S-A! Mr. Flip will lead those cheers for the American team in the World Baseball Classic, not just because he's a patriotic fan, but also because he doesn't want to be damned for all eternity. Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, speaking at a media event from the observation deck of the Empire State Building last week, said this about Team USA: "We cannot allow those clubs to beat us. It's our game," Lasorda said, according to the Associated Press. "Remember one thing: In your hearts, you better pull for the USA or you may not get into heaven."

Tomlinson attains rushing milestone ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- If Mother Nature couldn't slow LaDainian Tomlinson, what chance did Buffalo have? Tomlinson was the Chargers' ideal tonic for a blustery winter afternoon, producing 178 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a 24-21 win, San Diego's sixth straight. "Every once in a while, it's actually fun to play in weather like this," Tomlinson said. With 1,324 yards rushing, Tomlinson joined Eric Dickerson as the second NFL player to reach 1,200 yards rushing in each of his first six NFL seasons.

EXTRA POINTS Moving up Colts' Edgerrin James passed Eric Dickerson for third place on the team's all-time rushing list. Giant mark Tiki Barber surpassed Frank Gifford for most all-purpose yards in Giants' history with 9,880. Bumpy road The Lions have lost 20 straight on the road. They haven't won outside of Michigan since Dec. 17, 2000. Sack attack The Buccaneers have at least one sack in 67 straight games, one shy of the NFL record set by Dallas from 1976 to 1980. Making their points The Titans reached the 30-point mark for the fifth straight game, matching a mark the franchise set in 1961 when it was the Houston Oilers.

As the Ravens flew to San Diego yesterday to avoid Hurricane Isabel, their thoughts were on grounding Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The Chargers' running back is the centerpiece - and the only productive piece - in what has been a puzzling start for winless San Diego. Big-name receiver David Boston has been hurt. Quarterback Drew Brees has been inconsistent. When it comes to stopping the Chargers offense Sunday, the Ravens are in agreement where it begins. "If we're going to be successful, it's got to start with him," outside linebacker Peter Boulware said.