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Strong recruit tweets about transferring from UT

The Texas Longhorns, reeling from a 50-7 loss to TCU, became embroiled in a twitter war suggesting coach Charlie Strong is contending with a divided locker room.  The first shot was fired by freshman Kris Boyd, who during halftime of the rout re-tweeted a plea from an admirer imploring him to transfer to Texas A&M.  Boyd apologized after Strong said players should stay off social media during games.  UT’s junior safety Dylan Haines told reporters that the team’s freshmen “just want to go out and play on Saturday.  They don’t want to put in the work on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.”  Whereupon freshman defensive end Charles Omenihu tweeted:  “People get in front of cameras and just talk their heads off.  Always remember think before you speak.”  Freshman receiver DeAndre McNeil added this tweet:  “We’re supposed to be a team, but instead we’re bashing on each other. . . . If we don’t have cohesiveness then we don’t have nothing.”

More Texas tweets: Gov. Abbott disses  Cowboys

Frustrated over the Dallas Cowboys losing 26-20 in New Orleans on Sunday night, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted, “Cowboy defense: more porous than the Texas border.”  The Cowboys have allowed an average of 25.25 points per game this season – the most in the NFC East.  This was not the first time Abbott has tweeted about the Cowboys.  When QB Tony Romo was injured last month he suggested the team should sign Tim Tebow.

Retired Dolphins star Fryar sentenced for fraud

Irving Fryar, former NFL No. 1 draft pick and a pastor, was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a $1.2 million fraudulent loan scheme.  Fryar, 52, was a Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins.  His mother, Allene McGhee, 74, was involved in the scheme and was sentenced to three years’ probation.  A Justice Department spokesman called it “an elaborate and devious scheme to defraud seven banks.”

Suh’s protest: he wears sneakers to practice

A few days before the soon to be 1-3 Miami Dolphins fired their head coach, Joe Philbin, their star player Ndamukong Suh wore sneakers, instead of cleats, to practice, apparently as a silent protest of the team’s defensive strategy.  The Miami Herald reported that when the $114 million defensive tackle wore sneakers to a full-padded practice last week, his teammates “took it as a sign Suh was making a statement of dissatisfaction over the defensive coaching.”  Suh has had minimal impact (no sacks) this season but quietly blames defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle.  Philbin’s interim successor is Dan Campbell, who had been tight ends coach.  Coyle is expected to keep the staff together for now, to minimize disruption.  But Coyle’s future appears limited.  Veteran players from the Dolphins’ defense reportedly had a heated meeting with Coyle last week.

Tannehill getting testy, snaps at the practice-squad

Ryan Tannehill is throwing picks and feeling pressure while trying to be Franchise QB of the Miami Dolphins.  At a walk-through Saturday in London for their game against the New York Jets, Tannehill reportedly became upset at practice-squad players intercepting his passes.  He told them, according to the National Football Post:  “Enjoy your practice-squad paychecks.”  Two days before he was fired, Joe Philbin told the practice-squad players to go easy on Tannehill so as not to damage his confidence.  Tannehill has thrown five interceptions in his past two games.  Now he gets a much needed bye week to regain his composure.

Eagles center calls his offensive line ‘a disgrace right now’

After the Philadelphia Eagles lost to Washington to drop their season record to 1-3, their Pro Bowl center Jason Kelce said the offensive line deserves much of the blame: “We don’t run the ball when we need to and we don’t pass block when we need to, and it’s a disgrace right now. . . . We’ve got to pass block better, we’ve got to run block better and we’ve got to communicate better.”

The Eagles gave up three sacks Sunday, and they created little room for DeMarco Murray, who gained 30 yards on 8 carries.

Sabathia checks into alcohol rehab, misses playoffs

C.C. Sabathia, starting pitcher for the New York Yankees, bypassed the postseason to check into an alcohol rehabilitation center.  “It hurts me deeply to do this now,” Sabathia said, “but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right.  I want to get control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player. . .  I want to thank the New York Yankees organization for their encouragement and understanding.”  Sabathia is contracted to play for the Yankees next season for $25 million.