Best sports story of the day

Earnest Graham signed a three-year, $10.8 million contract with the Tampa Bay Bucs yesterday.
Graham, who was a barely appreciated cog in Steve Spurrier's freewheeling offense at Florida, played his high school football at Mariner High School in Cape Coral, Fla. I know because I was executive editor of the local newspaper there for five years. As I do here, I helped out on the sports side during football season by covering some Friday nght games. Over a two-year period I saw Graham play several times. It was always a pleasure.
He didn't have blazing speed -- though he always seemed a little faster than the people chasing him. Graham was powerfully built, but not really that big.
He was one of those players whose various talents came together to create a special athlete.
Graham was a brute on the football field, a power-running, highly physical back who never shyed away from contact. He piled up yards and touchdowns at a record pace.
But the best thing about Earnest was the way he conducted himself. Wise beyond his years, he was also polite, intelligent and quietly determined to be successful.
President of his senior class, he was well-liked by his peers and highly respected by his teammates and opposing players.
His senior year Earnest played against another Lee County team which featured a very tough, very nasty defensive back who I'll call Buck.
On a sweep left, deep in the other team's territory, it was obvious that Earnest could race to the corner of the end zone without being touched. But out of the corner of his eye, Graham spotted the hard-hitting Buck trying desperately to get to him. Graham slowed and then veered back inside.
He and Buck collided at about the one. It sounded like a tactical nuclear weapon had detonated. The ground shook. The oxygen was sucked out of the stadium air.
For a second, both players' bodies halted at the point of impact.
Then Buck's powerful form wavered slightly. He stumbled back into the endzone. Graham crossed the line.
Touchdown.
As usual Earnest did nothing to celebrate, but that didn't keep a recovering Buck from walking up in his face.
The two players stared at each other.
An assistant principal looked to see if he had the phone number of the local riot police.
Then Earnest held his hand up in the air.
Buck eyed him for a second, then reached up with his hand and slapped it.
Respectfully.
Great play.
Great player.
Glad he got his cash.