Glenn Frey, Eagles Guitarist, Dead at 67

"Hotel California" rocker "succumbed to complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia," band says in statement


Glenn Frey, Eagles guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, passed away Monday. He was 67. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our comrade, Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, in New York City on Monday, January 18th, 2016. Glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia," the Eagles wrote in a statement Monday.

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"The Frey family would like to thank everyone who joined Glenn to fight this fight and hoped and prayed for his recovery," the statement continued. "Words can neither describe our sorrow, nor our love and respect for all that he has given to us, his family, the music community & millions of fans worldwide."

In a separate statement, Don Henley said of Frey, "He was like a brother to me; we were family, and like most families, there was some dysfunction.  But, the bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the 14 years that the Eagles were dissolved.  We were two young men who made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles with the same dream:  to make our mark in the music industry — and with perseverance, a deep love of music, our alliance with other great musicians and our manager, Irving Azoff, we built something that has lasted longer than anyone could have dreamed.  But, Glenn was the one who started it all.  He was the spark plug, the man with the plan."  

Henley continued, "He had an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and a work ethic that wouldn’t quit.  He was funny, bullheaded, mercurial, generous, deeply talented and driven.  He loved is wife and kids more than anything.  We are all in a state of shock, disbelief and profound sorrow.  We brought our two-year History of the Eagles Tour to a triumphant close at the end of July and now he is gone.  I'm not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet.  It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it.  But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life.  Rest in peace, my brother.  You did what you set out to do, and then some."

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Frey recently suffered from "a recurrence of previous intestinal issues, which will require major surgery and a lengthy recovery period," the Eagles announced in November when they postponed their Kennedy Center Honors ceremony from December to the following year.

"The colitis and pneumonia were side effects from all the [medications],” Eagles manager Irving Azoff told The Wrap. "He died from complications of ulcer and colitis after being treated with drugs for his rheumatoid arthritis which he had for over 15 years."

The Detroit-born Frey performed with groups in the Motor City area before relocating to Los Angeles in the late Sixties. Frey would eventually meet and live with J.D. Souther — his partner in the short-lived duo Longbranch Pennywhistle — and singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. It was Souther who encouraged Linda Ronstadt, his girlfriend at the time, to hire Frey and three other artists - drummer Don Henley, bassist Randy Meisner and guitarist Bernie Leadon - to serve as her backing band during a 1971 tour. When the trek concluded, the Eagles were born.

A year later, the Eagles' inaugural lineup released their 1972 self-titled LP, featuring the Frey- and Browne-penned "Take It Easy" and the Frey-sung "Peaceful Easy Feeling." Eagles, one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, set the band on a trajectory toward being one of the biggest selling acts ever, a reputation cemented the following year with the arrival of Desperado. The latter album featured multiple hit singles co-written by Frey, including "Tequila Sunrise" and the title track.

"Sometimes I wonder if the other guys in the band know how much I like them. How much of a foundation they are. We never even talk about it. We each have our own spaces. We play sometimes and we fight sometimes," Frey told Rolling Stone in 1975. "I get so caught up in all this – the pressures of being Glenn Frey of the Eagles, the guy who talks a lot – that if Randy or Bernie needed some confidence building, I might be too self-involved to realize it. I worry about that. But even though there's a keg of dynamite that's always sitting there, this band is fairly together. I just figure we can't lose. The longer the Eagles stay together, the better it's gonna be. No matter what. We never expected to get this far, anyway. I thought we'd break up after our first album."

Frey also had a hand in writing the Eagles' "One of These Nights," "Take It to The Limit" and "Lyin' Eyes," with the guitarist contributing lead vocals to the latter. The Eagles would reach their peak in 1976 with their landmark Hotel California, with the title track - penned by Frey, Henley and guitarist Don Felder - winning the Grammy for Record of the Year; "Hotel California" and "Life in the Fast Lane" (the latter written by Frey, Henley and Joe Walsh) would become classic rock staples, and the LP itself would place Number 37 on Rolling Stone's all-time list.

In 1979, the Eagles released The Long Run, which featured the last songs they would record together until the 1994 reunion live LP Hell Freezes Over. On Long Run, Frey provided vocals on the album's most lasting single, "Heartache Tonight," while also co-writing the title track and the Timothy B. Schmit-sung "I Can't Tell You Why." The following year, a fallout between Frey and Felder ultimately resulted in the group disbanding.

As a solo artist, Frey enjoyed a string of hits that included the Beverly Hills Cop track "The Heat Is On" and "You Belong to the City," a song penned for Miami Vice. "City" would go on to take on a second life as a New York anthem thanks to its association with the 1986 World Series-winning New York Mets and Jay Z's Frey-sampling "The City Is Mine." Frey released five solo albums during this period, and also dabbled in acting, appearing in Miami Vice and later Jerry Maguire. That film's director, Cameron Crowe, famously interviewed the Eagles for a 1975 Rolling Stone cover story, which would later inspire the filmmaker's 2000 movie Almost Famous.

In 1993, thanks in part to Travis Tritt's attempts to reconcile the Eagles for the video for his "Take It Easy" cover, the Eagles lineup of Frey, Henley, Felder, Schmit and Walsh reunited for good for 1994's Hell Freezes Over, the title a nod to what it would take to get the Eagles back together. The reunited Eagles toured for nearly six years, with sporadic postponements as Frey dealt with medical issues that would occasionally plague him over the next two decades. In 1998, the Eagles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with the seven core members performing "Hotel California" and "Take It Easy" together.

In 2007, an Eagles lineup of Frey, Henley, Walsh and Schmit released Long Road Out of Eden, the band's first full-length LP since The Long Run. That was followed by a critically acclaimed documentary History of the Eagles as well as another long stretch of tour dates. In 2012, Frey released After Hours, his first solo LP in 20 years.

"I don't get up every morning and say, 'God dang! Eagles Greatest Hits is now past 30 million! It's unbelievable!' But, you know, it boggles the mind somewhat," Frey told Rolling Stone in 2012. "You have to adjust when things like this happen. You just have to keep perspective. As long as I keep taking out the garbage and cleaning up after the dogs and taking the kids to school, I'll have perspective. I don't get to bask in the afterglow much. I told the guys in my band, 'The reason I like coming out there is because people do what I say, and this is the only place where that happens.' It's very gratifying to think that we've found this place and that we are where we are."

In addition to the Eagles' statement - signed by Frey's fellow band members, their management and Frey's family - the group also shared the lyrics to Eagles' "It's Your World Now," a Frey co-written track from their Long Road Out of Eden. "But first a kiss, one glass of wine / Just one more dance while there's still time / My one last wish: someday, you'll see /How hard I tried and how much you meant to me."

Frey is survived by his wife Cindy and children Taylor, Deacon and Otis. Azoff told the Wrap that a memorial for Frey is currently being planned.

New Google Doodle Honors Charles Perrault, the Father of the Fairytale

The man behind famous fables like Cinderella was a true pioneer of storytelling

If you’ve ever read a story that begins with “Once upon a time…” then there’s a good chance you’ve come across the work of the man whose 388th birthday Tuesday’sGoogle Doodle is celebrating.

Charles Perrault, an academic from Paris who spent most of his life in the court of King Louis XV in the 17th century, may not be a household name, but Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty — two of his best-known fairytales — definitely are.

The Doodle created by artist Sophie Diao features scenes from both those stories, as well as two more of his famous fables, Mother Goose and Puss in Boots.

Perrault, who died in 1703, only started writing stories in his sixties after he had retired. He borrowed several elements from stories that were already widely narrated, but provided what were then modern twists to the narrative. Moreover, the act of presenting them in written form was itself an unprecedented move at the time, and made him a true pioneer of storytelling.

Golden Globes 2016: The winners list

Best motion picture, drama

"Mad Max: Fury Road"

"Carol"

* "The Revenant"

"Room"

"Spotlight"

Best motion picture, musical or comedy

"Joy"

"Spy"

"The Big Short"

* "The Martian"

"Trainwreck"

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama

Saoirse Ronin, "Brooklyn"

Cate Blanchett, "Carol"

Rooney Mara, "Carol"

* Brie Larson, "Room"

Alicia Vikander, "The Danish Girl"

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture, musical or comedy

* Jennifer Lawrence, "Joy"

Melissa McCarthy, "Spy"

Amy Schumer, "Trainwreck"

Maggie Smith, "The Lady in the Van"

Lily Tomlin, "Grandma"

Best performance by an actor in a motion picture, drama

Bryan Cranston, "Trumbo"

* Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"

Michael Fassbender, "Steve Jobs"

Eddie Redmayne, "The Danish Girl"

Will Smith, "Concussion"

Best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a motion picture

Paul Dano," Love"

Idris Elba, "Beasts of No Nation"

Mark Rylance, "Bridge of Spies"

Michael Shannon, "99 Homes"

* Sylvester Stallone, "Creed"

Best performance by actress in a supporting role in a motion picture

Jane Fonda, "Youth"

Jennifer Jason Leigh, "Hateful Eight"

Helen Mirren, "Trumbo"

Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina"

* Kate Winslet, "Steve Jobs"

Best director, motion picture

* Alejandro González Iñárritu, "The Revenant"

Todd Haynes, "Carol"

Tom McCarthy, "Spotlight"

George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Ridley Scott, "The Martian"

Best performance by an actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy

Christian Bale, "The Big Short"

Steve Carell, "The Big Short"

* Matt Damon, "The Martian"

Al Pacino, "Danny Collins"

Mark Ruffalo, "Infinitely Polar Bear"

Best screenplay, motion picture

Emma Donoghue, "Room"

Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, "Spotlight"

Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, "The Big Short"

* Aaron Sorkin, "Steve Jobs"

Quentin Tarantino, "The Hateful Eight"

Best original score, motion picture

Carter Burwell, "Carol"

Alexander Desplat, "The Danish Girl"

* Ennio Morricone, "The Hateful Eight"

Daniel Pemberton, "Steve Jobs"

Ryuchi Sakamoto, "The Revanant"

Best motion picture, animated

"Anomalisa"

"The Good Dinosaur"

* "Inside Out"

"The Peanuts Movie"

"Shaun the Sheep Movie"

Best original song, motion picture

"Love Me Like You Do," "Fifty Shades of Grey"

"One Kind of Love," "Love & Mercy"

"See You Again," "Furious 7"

"Simple Song #3," "Youth"

* "Writing's on the Wall," "Spectre"

Best motion picture, foreign language

"The Brand New Testament"

"The Club"

"The Fencer"

"Mustang"

* "Son of Saul"

Best television series, drama

"Empire," Fox

"Game of Thrones," HBO

* "Mr. Robot," USA

"Narcos," Netflix

"Outlander," Starz

Best television series, musical or comedy

"Casual," Hulu

* "Mozart in the Jungle," Amazon Video

"Orange Is the New Black," Netflix

"Silicon Valley," HBO

"Transparent," Amazon Video

"Veep," HBO

Best television limited series or motion picture made for television

"American Crime," ABC

"American Horror Story: Hotel," FX

"Fargo," FX

"Flesh and Bone," Starz

* "Wolf Hall," PBS

Best performance by an actor in a television series, drama

* Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"

Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot"

Wagner Moura, "Narcos"

Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"

Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"

Best performance by an actor in a television series, musical or comedy

Aziz Ansari, "Master of None"

* Gael García Bernal, "Mozart in the Jungle"

Rob Lowe, "The Grinder"

Patrick Stewart, "Blunt Talk"

Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"

Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television

Idris Elba, "Luther"

* Oscar Isaac, "Show Me a Hero"

David Oyelowo, "Nightingale"

Mark Rylance, "Wolf Hall"

Patrick Wilson, "Fargo"

Best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television

Alan Cumming, "The Good Wife"

Damian Lewis, "Wolf Hall"

Ben Mendelson, "Bloodline"

Tobias Menzies, "Outlander"

* Christian Slater, "Mr. Robot"

Best performance by an actress in a TV series, drama

Caitriona Balfe, "Outlander"

Viola Davis, "How to Get Away With Murder"

Eva Green, "Penny Dreadful

* Taraji P. Henson, "Empire"

Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

Best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television

Uzo Aduba, "Orange Is the New Black"

Joanna Froggatt, "Downton Abbey"

Regina King, "American Crime"

Judith Light, "Transparent"

* Maura Tierney, "The Affair"

Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television

Kirsten Dunst, "Fargo"

* Lady Gaga, "American Horror Story: Hotel"

Sarah Hay, "Flesh and Bone"

Felicity Huffman, "American Crime"

Queen Latifah, "Bessie"

Best performance by an actress in a television series, musical or comedy

* Rachel Bloom, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"

Jamie Lee Curtis, "Scream Queens"

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"

Gina Rodriguez, "Jane the Virgin"

Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie"

Goodell: St. Louis stadium plan inadequate, NFL won't step in to block Rams move

ST. LOUIS • The proposed riverfront stadium plan here is inadequate, and will not require the National Football League to block the St. Louis Rams from moving to Los Angeles, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Saturday in a report to team owners.

Goodell concludes that city leaders in all three of the communities hoping to keep their teams — Oakland, San Diego and St. Louis — have missed their opportunity, said a person who has read the report and spoke to the Post-Dispatch on condition of anonymity.

The report, sent Saturday morning to all 32 team owners, does not approve a Rams move to Los Angeles, the source said; NFL owners still have to vote on team relocation.

But it suggests that all three teams have satisfied the NFL’s relocation guidelines, opening a clear path for the owners to choose the Rams — the only team that could have been barred this year by a hometown effort. Oakland has not submitted a formal proposal, and San Diego’s plan is contingent on a public vote this summer.

The report is also a signal that NFL executives expect owners to vote on relocation at a league meeting Tuesday and Wednesday in Houston.

Saturday evening, an NFL spokesman confirmed that Goodell had sent the report, and that the action is prescribed in the league’s relocation guidelines, but said the NFL had no further comment.

Dave Peacock, co-chairman of the state task force planning the $1.1 billion riverfront stadium in St. Louis, said that he had heard the news, but hadn’t seen the report, and wouldn’t comment. “I’d be responding to a rumor,” he said.

A statement sent by the task force later Saturday evening said that members do not expect to see the report, “as that would be a matter between the league office and team owners.”

“We do hope the NFL will communicate with all home markets as to their status prior to any decisions next week,” the task force statement continued, “particularly here in St. Louis, where so many people have dedicated themselves over the past 14 months to producing a strong and certain stadium proposal for the NFL and our hometown Rams.”

The task force said it remained confident that its proposal would “speak extremely well on behalf of St. Louis as the NFL deliberates next week.”

Goodell’s report, according to the person who had read it, is 48 pages and examines what the NFL sees as the facts of each hometown’s proposal to build a new stadium and keep their teams.

Goodell says in the report that city leaders in each town agree that their current stadiums don’t work. And each city had “ample opportunity, but did not develop proposals sufficient to ensure retention of their teams,” the source said, citing the report.

In St. Louis’ case, Goodell says the task force’s riverfront stadium plan is uncertain. The Missouri Legislature could block payment of bonds necessary to build the facility, the report notes. And the task force asked for $300 million in league stadium funding, $100 million “in excess of the maximum provided under current policy,” the source said, again citing the report.

Goodell said in the report that the Rams have the right to relocate, as a contingent of their lease with the Edward Jones Dome, the source said. The Dome authority, a public body, failed to meet requirements of the lease, the source said, and defaulted.

In addition, Goodell’s report declares that both Los Angeles plans — Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s Inglewood stadium, and the Raiders’ and Chargers’ joint venture in Carson — are “first class stadiums,” the source said. Both can host two teams; both are ready for development now.

And NFL market research supports the conclusion that the L.A. area is capable of supporting two teams, the source continued.

Goodell also notes in the report, the source said, that the league hasn’t approved a franchise relocation in nearly two decades, and continues to place a “high value” on team stability.

Brian Urlacher Had Surgery for 8 Hours to Get His Hair Back

When he was in the NFL, Bears' linebacker Brian Urlacher was most known for being a total badass. He hit hard, he worked harder, and he made tackles. And he did it all as a bald man. Throughout almost his entire pro career, Urlacher sported the same Mr. Clean look that was equal parts practical (for avoiding helmet hair, at least) and straight-up intimidating. But now that he's retired, Urlacher wanted to live his best everyman life—which apparently included a full head of hear. As a result, he underwent an 8-hour follicle replacement surgery in pursuit of a new, bald-no-more mane.

Urlacher explained the process to Dan Patrick, which was done by a company called Restore by Katona. Throughout time, countless bald men have been duped by so-called "miracle cures" but the way Restore works is simple: follicles are taken from the back of the head (where many balding men still have hair) and placed on the top of the head. Given the fact that the average person has 100,000 hair follicles on their head, it's understandable that this process would take as long as it does. The 38-year-old didn't open up about why exactly he was tired of being bald, but he did share that his daughter thought the look was "not bad."

The hardest part about having hair, though? "Picking a hairdo," says Urlacher. Well, don't worry Brian. We've got an entire list for you to choose from. But considering you've been out of the hair game for so long, we'd suggest going for a high-and-tight to start, and getting more creative from there.

Craig Strickland's Bandmates React to His Death: 'He Is Smiling Down on Us'

When Craig Strickland was found dead on Monday (Jan. 4) at age 29, he left behind a promising country career, his wife and family, and five bandmates from the group Backroad Anthem.

Those five guys took to Facebook on Monday -- two weekends after Strickland went missing -- to mourn their late friend and bandmate.

"Today we lost our brother, our best friend, our bandmate. Craig was the most amazing person whose passion for life couldn't be matched. Thankful to know he fought his way from the water to a hill and was lying in the shape of a cross on his back looking up to his Heavenly Father."

Country Singer Craig Strickland Found Dead at 29

The band also sent love to Strickland's mom and dad, his widow, and anyone else in the late musician's life, all of whom have been awaiting news on Strickland since he and his friend Chase Morland disappeared while on a hunting trip in Oklahoma.

"We pray today for God to wrap his arms around Randy, Joanne, Helen, and the family, and to help us through this extremely difficult time. We want to thank every single friend, fan, and family member for your thoughts, prayers, and love. Today he is smiling down on us and we know he will always be with us. He will always be here to help guide us along the way. We love you Craig Strickland and we will forever miss you!"

Read their full message below:

Today we lost our brother, our best friend, our bandmate. Craig was the most amazing person whose passion for life...

PSN down: PlayStation Network buckles for first time in 2016 as Sony acknowledges service is 'experiencing issues'

The network powers all of the console's online features, including video and the store, as well as online games

The PlayStation Network has buckled for the first time in 2016.

The online service is required for playing games online, as well as for other features of the console like videos and its store.

Sony said only that the network was "experiencing issues" and its status page showed that the problems were affecting all of its major services.

PSN suffered some problems over the Christmas period, including issues playing online on Christmas Day. But the outage is the first problem of 2016.

Sony's "Network Service Status" page only showed that the problems were affecting all of the company's platforms, including the PlayStation 3 and 4 and web services. It said that people were having problems getting online and that its "engineers are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible".

NFL playoff schedule 2016: Printable bracket, TV times & Super Bowl 50 odds

The NFL playoff schedule for 2016 is finally set! It took all 17 weeks of play, but we finally know who is in, who is out and the first round matchups for the postseason. According to a Sportsline report, several teams controlled their own destiny yesterday when they hit the field, yet they let the golden opportunities in-front of them slip away.

The New York Jets had a "win and you're in" situation against the Buffalo Bills, but in the end it was their former coach Rex Ryan who got the last laugh. For the second time this season Ryan's Bills defeated his former team, this time dashing their dreams of a Super Bowl run.

While the Jets defeat was the worst of the lost opportunities on the day, since it eliminated them from the postseason, the Patriots had an opportunity slip through their hands to claim home field advantage throughout the playoffs in the AFC, falling to the Miami Dolphins 20-10.

In the NFC we already knew all six playoff teams heading into yesterday’s action, however the matchups were far from set – until now. Carolina claimed home field throughout the postseason after thrashing Tampa Bay, and the Minnesota Vikings captured the NFC crown by defeating the Green Bay Packers late last night on Sunday night football. Okay, well enough about yesterday, let’s get to the playoff schedule and Super Bowl favorites!

Interestingly enough, although the Cardinals and Patriots both looked bad yesterday in losing their final regular season games, they are the top two favorites to win the big game in January.

Below is a glance at the 2016 playoff schedule and updated Super Bowl 50 odds. You can click here to get your own playoff printable bracket.

Wild Card Weekend

Saturday, Jan. 9

4:35 p.m. ET - Kansas City (-3) at Houston (ESPN/ABC)

8:15 p.m. ET - Pittsburgh (-2) at Cincinnati (CBS)

Sunday, Jan. 10

1:05 p.m. ET - Seattle (-5.5) at Minnesota (NBC)

4:40 p.m. ET - Green Bay at Washington (PICK) -- (FOX)

Divisional Weekend

Saturday, Jan. 16

4:35 p.m. ET - 3/4/5 at New England (CBS)

8:15 p.m. ET - 3/4/5 at Arizona (NBC)

Sunday, Jan. 17

1:05 p.m. ET - 4/5/6 at Carolina (FOX)

4:40 p.m. ET - 4/5/6 at Denver (CBS)

Championship Weekend

Sunday, Jan. 24

3:05pm ET - AFC Championship (CBS)

6:40pm ET - NFC Championship (FOX)

Super Bowl Odds as of Jan 4, 2016 (Vegas Insider)

Arizona Cardinals 3/1
New England Patriots 16/5
Carolina Panthers 6/1
Seattle Seahawks 8/1
Denver Broncos 10/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 14/1
Green Bay Packers 18/1
Kansas City Chiefs 20/1
Cincinnati Bengals 25/1
Minnesota Vikings 40/1
Washington Redskins 60/1
Houston Texans 70/1

Peyton Manning's return sparks Broncos' comeback

DENVER -- In a twisting, turning type of ride the Denver Broncos have been on this season, Sunday’s 27-20 win over the San Diego Chargers may have been the wildest exclamation point.

The Broncos spent the week saying nothing had changed. Quarterback Brock Osweiler would be the starter as Peyton Manning’s foot continued to heal. But with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter Sunday, there was Manning trotting into the huddle. The crowd roared and Manning, who looked like he had already thrown the last pass of his Hall of Fame career, was back.

"It lifted the whole stadium, it lifted the O-line, the O-line got with it," Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said. " ... I don’t know if it was just his presence, but it was just a little energy came through the building."

Yes, it was straight out of a fairy tale.

Manning helped lead four scoring drives -- two touchdowns, two field goals -- and the Broncos went from team that had committed five turnovers with a playoff bye on the line to a victory and the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

"Coach (Gary) Kubiak came over to me ... and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to go with Peyton now, Brock. You played well for us -- we’re going to try to get a little spark,’" Brock Osweiler said. "Peyton … he sparked the whole team."

In his first game action since being removed from a Nov. 15 contest against theKansas City Chiefs, Manning threw the ball just nine times for 69 yards. He didn’t have a touchdown, didn’t throw an interception.

"Coach Kubiak said, ‘If we need you, can we put you in there?'" Manning said. "And I said, 'I haven’t played in six weeks, but I can go in and do something.'"

Manning was sacked once. He still looked, at times, like a quarterback who had missed six games, had countless hours of treatment, and will not be 100 percent healthy before the season ends. Asked if he thought he would start the Broncos’ first playoff game, Manning simply said: "I don’t know, we’ve got two weeks before we play again, we’ll see how I feel [Monday], we’ll see how my foot feels. I got a good welcome back to the football field -- somebody hit me hard and left a little message as he was getting back up."

Manning was steamrolled by Chargers defensive tackle Damion Square, the kind of hit that almost ended this little January fable as quickly as it began. Manning’s potential return beyond Sunday -- Kubiak said he likely would decide later in the week -- won’t repair the Broncos' issues in the offensive line or the fact they had 26 turnovers this season, which happens to be the highest total among playoff teams.

Yet now comes the really hard part, the one where the Broncos have to deal with the pressure of performing as a No. 1 seed. And that includes Manning.

Manning has to be honest about his left foot and his ability to play. In retrospect, Manning said he may have misjudged all of that on the chilly November day against the Chiefs when he was pulled from the lineup with 35 yards passing and four interceptions.

"It just affects guys differently. [Saints quarterback Drew] Brees had it and went out and threw for 400 yards," Manning said. "It wasn’t quite as kind to me. It just kind of hung around and hung around with me, and it’s kind of affected the way I felt, the way I was stepping."

As for Osweiler, he has to live with the fact he still has to be ready to go. The Broncos have yet to turn any of their three previous seasons -- 13, 13 and 12 wins -- into anything other than playoff disappointment because they couldn’t handle the biggest moments.

If Manning, as expected, is officially named the starter, it’s on a handle-with-care left foot. So, Osweiler, an unrestricted free agent at season’s end in a quarterback-starved league, has to live up to the words his body language didn’t always support Sunday night.

"As long as this football team wins games, that’s all I care about," Osweiler said. "And that’s the truth. … As long as this football team is winning games, shoot, I don’t care who’s playing quarterback."

Here they are, these Broncos -- a great, cliffhanging football adventure that still needs an ending. And how the quarterback situation is handled will have a lot to say about how it ends.

Chris Brown and His Manager Respond to Assault Allegations

After being named as a suspect in an assault and battery in at Las Vegas's Palms Casino Resort yesterday, Chris Brown has decided to sound off against his accuser. Liziane Gutierrez has alleged that Brown punched her and took her phone after she tried to take a picture with the singer. In a video Brown posted to Instagram and then later removed,now preserved by TMZ, the singer argued that he did not know Gutierrez and that she was "probably too ugly to get in" to his room for his party.
In a later post, still up on his Instagram, Brown was slightly more politic, writing, "Keeping my circle small in 2016! I'm done taking the care of grown ass men. And I'm going to be hella rich after all the lawsuits I file from these crazy individuals who keep lying on my name. Happy NEW YEAR! Time for some of us to grow the fuck up!" Gutierrez has responded with her own video, which she sent to TMZ
Also taking to Instagram, which has somehow become a venue for public comment, Brown's manager Mike G wrote a long post that begins, "Shame on the networks that gave this story life and this liar her 15 minutes." Reached by Billboard for further comment, Mike G simply said, "The post pretty much says it all.".

A representative for Brown took a more traditional route and said in a statement obtained by Billboard that the "[victim's] statements are unequivocally untrue and that a motive for her accusation may lay in the fact that she had been removed from the private party due to "disruptive and out of control" behavior. "Her claim that she had her phone in her possession inside the after party and was able to take a photo causing an altercation with Chris Brown is a complete fabrication," the statement continued. "This seems like a clear case of retaliation for her bruised ego."

TMZ has reported rumors that Brown may file a defamation lawsuit against Gutierrez as early as Monday.