Year Award

Slaps on wrist fail Ken Murray Baltimore Sun The AP should have taken the defensive rookie of the year award away from Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing. The organization should not have had a recount, but if I were voting, I would have left him off the ballot entirely. In the short run, Cushing loses salary, some bonus money and image. But in the long run it won't matter much. Two other defensive rookies of the year, Shawne Merriman and Julius Peppers, also failed steroids tests in the NFL, and both pass rushers are being paid very lucratively.

When he was traded to the Orioles' organization in December as part of the Ramon Hernandez deal, Brandon Waring was hoping just to get noticed by his new employers. "Going into a new season with a new team, you just try to put your name on the map," said Waring, who hit 26 homers and batted .273 at Single-A Frederick to earn the organization's 2009 Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year award. "That's what I tried to do every day, just come out and keep the same approach, not put too much pressure on myself," Waring said.

TAMPA, Fla. - It's not exactly the uniform he had hoped to be wearing this week, but Joe Flacco walked through the three-ring Super Bowl circus wearing his good suit yesterday. I say good suit, but in fact, it's his only suit. A year from now, he wants to return, he said, but as an actual participant. Here's why Ravens fans should start counting down the days until the 2009 season begins: Flacco, a guy who generally deals only with what's directly in front of him, has wasted no time shifting his focus to the future.

Maddon, Piniella earn managerial honors baseball Joe Maddon easily won the American League Manager of the Year award yesterday after guiding the Tampa Bay Rays from baseball's basement to the World Series. Lou Piniella of the Chicago Cubs took the National League honor. Maddon, who succeeded Piniella as Tampa Bay manager in 2006, was a runaway winner in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He received all but one of the 28 first-place votes - the other went to the Minnesota Twins' Ron Gardenhire.

Two of the most anticipated prospects in the Orioles' system were at Camden Yards yesterday, wearing suits and ties and providing some hope for the club's future. In an on-field ceremony, top catching prospect Matt Wieters was presented with the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year Award and his batterymate, Brad Bergesen, received the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. "It's a great year; it's a great award," said Wieters, who won it in his first pro season.

Six teachers honored for awards The county Board of Education recently recognized six teachers for winning national awards. *From the International Technology Education Association, Ruth Akers received the Teacher Excellence Award, and Angela MacCubbin earned the Donald Maley Spirit of Excellence Outstanding Graduate Student Citation Award. *From the National Art Education Association, Linda Popp was named 2008 Eastern Region Art Educator of the Year; Cecilia Terlizzi received the National Junior Art Honor Society Sponsor of the Year Award; and Robert Miller received the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design/National Art Education Association Creative Educator Scholarship Award.

Soccer -- Brazil midfielder Kaka completed a virtual sweep of annual awards yesterday by winning FIFA's World Player of the Year. The Milan playmaker received 1,047 points, ahead of Lionel Messi (504) and Cristiano Ronaldo (426), in a vote by national team captains and managers. Kaka also won European soccer's Golden Ball and World Soccer magazine's Player of the Year award. On the women's side, Marta of Brazil captured the award with 988 points, ahead of Birgit Prinz of Germany (507) and Cristiane of Brazil (150)

Awards The Anne Arundel Tech Council announced the winners of its 2007 TechAwards. Receiving the Good Chip Award was Carematic Systems Inc., developer of online software for adults with developmental disabilities; the Tech Service Award: NMR Consulting, an information technology company; and the Innovator Award: RxNT, maker of an automatic prescription system. Force 3, a 300-employee firm that provides communications networks, network management and application support to mostly government customers, was named Tech Company of the Year.

The Harford County Commission on Disabilities recently held its annual employment awards luncheon to celebrate the accomplishments of people with disabilities who overcome obstacles. The Ruth Helen Thompson Award for Community Service was presented to Joyce Bauer, vocational training specialist at Harford Community College, for her years of leading the Vocational Foundations Training Program. The Employer of the Year award went to Lora Sipes and Mars Supermarket in Aberdeen. The store's staff offered support to an employee whose mother had died and who was forced to move from his family home.