Christmas bomb attempt prompts Super Bowl security change

The massive, multimillion-dollar security operations for the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics are being adjusted in light of recent breaches such as the attempted Christmas Day bombing of an airliner and the White House gatecrashers.

Sports and government officials say such lapses - where individuals got past guards on the ground - are leading to increased screening efforts at major upcoming events, including the NFL championship game between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints in Miami on Sunday, and the Vancouver Games starting Feb. 12.

Extensive ticket-checking procedures also are being implemented for soccer's World Cup, which begins June 11 in South Africa. Even entertainment awards shows are taking extra steps, like stricter monitoring of cars arriving at the Golden Globes Awards ceremony two weeks ago.

"We're very mindful of the world that we live in," the NFL's vice president of security, Milt Ahlerich, said in a telephone interview from Florida.

"We put our fate and our protection in the hands of that person on the front lines - those people that are protecting our gates - and being sure that someone who comes through doesn't have anything on them," Ahlerich said.

Part of the $6 million or so the NFL spends each year for Super Bowl security - on top of tax dollars spent by the government - has been devoted to what Ahlerich said were "several hours of extra training" for screeners by the Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration. He wouldn't say whether any additional screening equipment was added in response to the failed Dec. 25 attack on a flight from the Netherlands to Detroit.

Ryan apologizes for gesture: New York Jets coach Rex Ryan apologized Sunday for making an obscene gesture at a mixed martial arts event.

Ryan was booed Saturday night while doing a TV interview at the MMA event in the Bank Atlantic Center, the Florida Panthers' home arena. He was smiling when caught making the gesture by a cell phone camera.

"It was stupid and inappropriate," Ryan said. "I wouldn't accept that type of behavior from one of the coaches or players and it's unacceptable from me. I apologize to the Jets organization, the National Football League and NFL fans everywhere."

Ryan could be subject to a league fine under the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Shula honored: In tribute to Don Shula, the Miami Dolphins have a new statue and address, and the NFL has a new award.

The statue of Shula in front of the Dolphins' new stadium offices was unveiled before Sunday's Pro Bowl. The Dolphins announced the address of the offices will be 347 Shula Way, in recognition of his NFL-record 347 victories.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the creation of an annual Coach Shula Award, which will honor a coach at any level who displays the integrity, achievement and positive impact on others exemplified by Shula.

"I'm honored. I'm humbled," Shula said. "I thank my players for the things we were able to accomplish."

The 11-foot-tall statue shows Shula pumping a fist as he rides the shoulders of two of his players, replicating the celebration after the 1972 Dolphins won the Super Bowl to complete the league's only perfect season.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame coach, famous for his jutting jaw, said he had only one complaint about the statue.

"The chin is too long," Shula said. "My chin is a lot shorter."

As for the new stadium address, he said: "I like that. It's going to be easy for me to remember how to get here."