LAS VEGAS – Quinton "Rampage" Jackson had lost five consecutive matches as a wrestler at Memphis' Raleigh-Egypt High School when his kid brother, Derrick, presented him with a heavy industrial chain and an idea.

"Hey man," Derrick told him, "You ought to wear this chain, it might help you in your next fight. It might intimidate your opponent."

A prefight prop in the ever-serious world of high school wrestling? Seriously?

"He was right, I went undefeated after that," Rampage laughed. "I brought the chain and I brought the pain. I don't know what people thought. Not that many people did that."

Actually, nobody does it. Perhaps not even Rampage, although, perhaps so.

He's not just the Ultimate Fighting Championships' light heavyweight champion, he's its most comical and colorful fighter. You never know what's true, mostly true, a little true or just too true to believe.

Regardless of its origin, Rampage will wear his chain – a new one, he's not sure what happen to that old one – Saturday

LeBron James showed up in New York on Monday, part of a USA Basketball media function, and continued to bat his eyes at the city in the run up to his potential free agency in 2010.

When asked to name his favorite city he said: "New York."

Favorite borough?

"Brooklyn," James said. "Brooklyn is definitely a great place here in New York City, and some of my best friends are from Brooklyn, so I stick up for them."

Brooklyn is where the New Jersey Nets are expected to move to in 2010 (at least if community groups don’t blow it). The franchise is owned, in part, by James' friend Jay-Z, and should be stock full of young, complementary talent and a King's ransom in salary cap room.

James knows all of this. His answers weren't by accident or without meaning, no more than was wearing a New York baseball cap from an Indians-Yankees playoff game last fall just an expression of pinstriped-fandom.

This was just the latest, albeit most obvious, shot across the Cavaliers' bow. James didn't list

The NBA draft, the annual exercise in hype, hysterics and horrible trades, decisions and wardrobe, is always one of the most entertaining evenings of the year. As a service to the readers, here's our annual take on the winners and losers from New York.

WINNER

CHICAGO

The Bulls took hometown star Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick. Yes, they have a glut of backcourt players but none as good as the Simeon High product. He's a monster talent, a winner (he led Memphis to the NCAA title game) and while not a vocal leader he is the kind of player guys love playing with.

At the end of the day when a franchise can get the best player in the draft, who is a franchise point guard that is already popular in town, it's a good night.

LOSER

MINNESOTA and MEMPHIS

Two of the most puzzling front offices in the NBA were cited for creating the NBA Finals this year. Minnesota gave Boston Kevin Garnett while Memphis handed over Pau Gasol to Los Angeles.

So when they make a trade, let alone a late-night,

A year from Thursday, Brandon Jennings will be, barring injury, an NBA lottery pick.

This Thursday he is expected to receive his standardized test scores that will help influence – but not make – his decision on where to play basketball in the meantime.

Jennings is a blazing fast 6-foot-2 point guard from Compton, Calif. He is one of the top-five high school players in America, having just set single-season scoring marks at hoops powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.

The only reason he will not be drafted this week is the NBA's age limit that prohibits teams from drafting players until they're at least one year out of high school. Like every other top player, Jennings, should he qualify academically, could go to college (in this case Arizona), pretend to be a student (all he'd need are two D's in the fall semester) and then bolt to the NBA next spring.

Only Jennings isn't any other player. He looks at this entire charade for what it is, a system designed to help the NBA and the NCAA

PHILADELPHIA – Alicia Sacramone was eight years old, sprawled out on the floor of her parent's home in Winchester, Mass., as she marveled at the magic flickering from the television.

She was into dance then, not gymnastics, but as she watched 1996 Atlanta Olympics, watched America's "Magnificent Seven" gymnasts become the first non-Eastern bloc team to win the gold medal since 1950, the dream was planted.

"I was like, 'I want to do that,'" Sacramone said.

Her parents soon relented to her badgering and said they'd sign her up for gymnastics in the morning. She was so excited she couldn't wait.

"I started flipping around the house," she said. "I just remember being in awe and so amazed. That is definitely what inspired me to get into elite gymnastics, the 1996 team."

The enduring image of that championship was Kerri Strug landing a genius vault despite a badly sprained ankle and then being carried away by her coach, Bela Karolyi.

The enduring legacy could be found here Sunday at the U.S.

Tiger Woods’ definition of a great year has always been simple – win a major. If he does that, then the year is great. Anything more, and it is greater. Anything less is unacceptable.

Tiger limped his way around the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines last weekend, needing 358 strokes and 91 holes to capture his 14th major championship, and first of the year to define 2008 as great.

In the process he defied doctors' orders, had to resort to painkillers and all but admitted he reinjured or further injured his left knee.

Now he is going to miss the rest of the season to deal with it.

Tiger announced Wednesday on his website he will undergo reconstructive anterior cruciate ligament surgery on his left knee while also taking time to heal a double stress fracture on his left tibia. He also disclosed his ACL had torn last summer while jogging but he decided to wait to treat it.

His march toward breaking Jack Nicklaus' record 18 major championships is on hold until next year's Masters.

"Now, it is

SAN DIEGO – The bear hug was more survival than celebration, a spent embrace between Tiger Woods and his caddy 91 holes deep into this forever U.S. Open. Rocco Mediate's final putt had failed to fall on the playoff round's first extra playoff hole and finally this 14th major was Tiger's to embrace with a grip perhaps tighter and more appreciative than any other.

It wasn't just outlasting Rocco here with the midday California sun beating down, it wasn't even Woods' second consecutive 18th hole-overtime-forcing birdie, it wasn't even winning a mental and physical test of wills – 358 strokes to 359.

If it was just that, then maybe Woods wouldn't have been calling this his greatest major championship.

"I think this is the best," he said. "This week had a lot of doubt to it, to be honest with you."

This was about Woods simply not allowing himself to lose, perhaps because of how much he knows this one might wind up meaning. It wasn't just how difficult it was, it was the fear that this is

SAN DIEGO – Tiger Woods had leaned one of his hulking shoulders against a door frame and was sipping an energy drink named after him. He patiently was waiting for Rocco Mediate to stop talking to the media – which was going to require some patience – when old Rocco spotted him.

"You better watch yourself, pal," Rocco started yapping, pointing at Woods.

It was just part of the comedy routine that seems to rule Rocco's life. He was just joking, but still. No one calls out Tiger, not even in jest. Woods looked stunned for a second. Is he talking to me?

Then Woods just shook his head and smiled. What the heck can you do with this guy, this lovable, huggable, quotable journeyman? Tiger has enjoyed Rocco for years and why not – Mediate is good for laughs and never is a threat to, you know, actually win anything.

You don't waste your intimidation routine on a 45-year-old with a bad back and a world ranking of 158.

So Tiger the Man smiled at the joke and took another sip of Tiger the Drink.