Fast Break

College basketball

Knight hasn’t lost his fire

In his 899th win, Bob Knight was as feisty as ever.

With about 7 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half of Texas Tech’s 75-68 win over UTEP on Saturday, Knight, upset about a charging call, lost his right shoe when he kicked the scorer’s table.

Shortly after replacing his shoe, he strode the length of table during a timeout and apparently told a Big 12 and NCAA official seated there to keep an eye on the officiating.

Less than a minute later, he got a technical for arguing with officials about another call.

After the game, Knight used a more playful approach with another of his longtime nemeses, the media.

Knight lifted 21-month-old grandson Will Knight up onto the table and faced the standing toddler toward the media and addressed him.

“You see, they ask a question and you don’t answer it, and they ask another and you don’t answer it, either,” Knight said after his postgame comments. “You’re going to be a good coach. Yes, sir.”

Knight’s first shot at No. 900 comes Saturday at Oklahoma State in each team’s Big 12 opener.

NFL

Brady runaway MVP winner

For all their achievements, past Most Valuable Players John Unitas, Dan Marino and Joe Montana never had a season like Tom Brady’s 2007.

The New England Patriots’ record-setting quarterback added the Associated Press NFL MVP award in the same manner his team romped through its schedule, going 16-0.

On the way to the first unbeaten regular season since Miami went 14-0 in 1972, Brady put on a performance for the ages, which earned him all but one vote – which went to Green Bay QB Brett Farve – from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.

The eight-year veteran helped the Patriots tear through the record books by throwing for 50 touchdowns. He beat Peyton Manning’s league mark by one, and also threw 23 of those TD passes to Randy Moss, which lifted the receiver past Jerry Rice’s record of 22.

New England scored 589 points, another record, as was the Patriots’ 75 touchdowns.

Junior Hockey

Tokarski sets franchise record

Spokane Chiefs goaltender Dustin Tokarski set a franchise record with his fifth shutout of the season in a 3-0 blanking of the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick.

The Chiefs have a four-point lead over Tri-City in the U.S. Division standings in handing the Ams their first shutout loss of the season.