Free Republic

After a fantastic regular season of college football, these four players were named as finalists for the Heisman Trophy, set to be handed out on Saturday, Dec. 11.On Monday, four finalists for the Heisman Trophy were announced on ESPN and revealed by 2011 Heisman winner Robert Griffin III: Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. This is the third year in a row there have been four Heisman finalists. The Heisman Trophy Trust announced recently it will now invite four finalists annually to New York City for the...

Last night there was a last-minute switch to the top 24 semi-finalists on American Idol ... a rep for Fox, the host network for American Idol, said: "It has been determined that Chris Golightly is ineligible to continue in the competition. AMERICAN IDOL contestant Tim Urban has replaced Golightly as part of the Top 24." ... His replacement is Tim Urban, 20, from Duncanville, TX ... Tim is not the only American Idol contestant from Texas this year. There are 6 total, including 4 from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex ... home of Kelly Clarkson, the Christian gal from Burleson who...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- NASCAR has narrowed the possible sites for its first official Hall of Fame to Atlanta, Charlotte or Daytona Beach, Fla., and expects to pick a winning city by the end of March. ``Based upon the proposals that we have reviewed internally for the past several months, we believe these three cities provide us with the best opportunity to build and develop a world-class NASCAR Hall of Fame for our millions of loyal fans,'' Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president for licensing, said Thursday in a statement. The decision eliminates Richmond, Va., and Kansas City., Kan. from consideration....

DRUDGE REPORT RIGOROUS SCHEDULE, STRESS: 'AMERICAN IDOL' FRONTRUNNER HEALTH FEARS With recording legend Luther Vandross still hospitalized after a severe stroke, concern over AMERICAN IDOL finalist Ruben Studdard's health and well-being has become a priority with recording executive Clive Davis, sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT. Pound-progressive Studdard is often captured on TV sweating profusely after only a few notes. "He sometimes can be terribly lethargic, he moves slow," one top insider explains. Music guru Davis, who has vowed to personally oversee the launch of Studdard [or Dixie favorite Clay Aiken], has been hit hard by the Vandross health crises, which...

<p>California moved a step closer Monday toward a quarter-sized defining image, as Gov. Gray Davis announced the five top designs to depict the Golden State on a two-bit piece.</p> <p>The five designs will be fine-tuned by the U.S. Mint before the official California quarter is selected by Davis. The coin is scheduled to be issued in January 2005.</p>

A key group of rebuilding officials yesterday agreed on two architecture teams they'd like to see as finalists in the search for a Ground Zero planner, sources told the New York Post.But the final decision will not be made until next week.Berlin based architect Daniel Liebeskind and a New York based team led by architects Rafael Vinoly and Fred Schwartz emerged as the top choices among board members of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, who met yesterday the sources said.A final decision on the architects will be made Monday by a seperate Ground Zero steering committee representing the Lower Manhattan...