INDIANAPOLIS The NFL is a quarterback league. The teams with the best quarterbacks win most. The quarterbacks are protected most. The quarterbacks in the draft are valued most.

Great pass rushing can neutralize even best QBs

Trying to do his best "Tebowing," Alec Baldwin got a bit of help on stage.

‘Tebowing’ Alec Baldwin hosts NFL Honors

Peyton Manning illustrated last week why football is like anything else in entertainment. He has a future that is essentially unknowable, but storms of speculation swirled around him in a way that was curious because we’re not so good in sports at accepting “I don’t know” as a correct answer to a question, especially not in the soap-opera-for-males world of sports. This led to Yahoo! reporting that Manning’s injury is more dire than expected and ESPN reporting that he had been cleared to play, all of the conflicting information from anonymous sources, noise disguised as news, the media feeding the interest because the interest feeds the media. The truth? Ehhhh, whatever. That’s ancillary. All that really matters is the interest — both the kind given by fans and the kind given by banks.

Coverage of Peyton Manning’s injury shows media, money muddle sports news

LAS VEGAS — This is the UFC 143 live blog for Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce, a welterweight bout on tonight’s UFC pay-per-view at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Koscheck (16-5) fought once in 2011, knocking out Matt Hughes at UFC 135 in September. Pierce (13-4), who has won four of his last five fights, is coming off a split decision win over Paul Bradley last November at UFC on FOX 1.

The live blog is below.

Round 1: Pierce wastes no time going low for the takedown. Koscheck defends it, but they’re up against the cage where Pierce often likes the action. Pierce works knees to Koscheck’s legs from in tight as they both work for position. Koscheck struggles to circle free, and finally does. Pierce lands an uppercut on the way out. Pierce closes the gap again. This time Koscheck pushes him against the fence, but then pulls free. Pierce with a nice jab, then a hard right hand. Koscheck is hurt but swinging. Pierce with a hard jab. Koscheck fires off a head kick. Pierce gets inside with a hook. Pierce catches a hook and pushes Koscheck against the cage, but can’t complete the takedown. Still, it’s Pierce’s round, 10-9.

Round 2: Pierce is making this just the kind of grinding fight that he excels at. Pierce with a stiff jab. Koscheck’s not letting his hands go, looking like he’s gunning for one big shot. Somewhere along the way, Pierce got bloodied on the right side of his head. It’s a lot of blood but it’s not getting in his eye so should be no issue. Pierce forces a tie-up, and the two exchange punches from in tight.

UFC 143 Live Blog: Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce Updates

LAS VEGAS — This is the UFC 143 live blog for Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks, a middleweight bout on tonight’s UFC pay-per-view at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Herman (19-7) finished both his fights last year, stopping Tim Credeur and submitting Kyle Noke. Starks won his UFC debut last October, outpointing Dustin Jacoby in a unanimous decision.

The live blog is below.

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

UFC 143 Live Blog: Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks Updates