NFL-Patriots use element of surprise in Super Bowl pursuit

Jan 14 (Reuters) - "Just win, baby" was the famed motto of late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis during his team's heyday, but Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo thinks Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have gone too far.
Ayanbadejo believes the Patriots, one win away from a second consecutive Super Bowl berth, are hitting below the belt with the way they run their hurry-up offense.
"New England does some suspect stuff on offense. Can't really respect it. Comparable to a cheap shot b4 a fight," he tweeted during New England's 41-28 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday that sets up an AFC title rematch with the Ravens.
The hurry-up, or no-huddle offense, has been around for a while, but Ayanbadejo emphasized with a Houston defense caught out of position and in confusion when Brady quickly ran a play.
"Are you watching the game pats vs texans?" Ayanbadejo tweeted. "If so you see the hurry snap offense catch em b4 they set up. It's a gimmick."
But all is fair within the rules of the gridiron, however, and Ayanbadejo's complaint is akin to a tight end moaning about a disguised defense showing a blitz formation before dropping back into zone pass coverage.
Shame on Houston for not being ready and credit the Pats, who have cleverly retooled and thrived over a remarkable run that could bring them a sixth trip to the Super Bowl in the 12 years since the partnership of coach Belichick and Brady.
The big surprise of Sunday's contest was how the Patriots made up for injuries during the game to key offensive players Rob Gronkowski and Danny Woodhead as third-string running back Shane Vereen scored three touchdowns to tame the Texans.
The Patriots scraped by last year's AFC title game with a 23-20 victory over the Ravens, who had a potential game-winning touchdown pass dropped in the end zone and a 32-yard game-tying field goal missed.
New England then lost a close Super Bowl to the New York Giants, but returned this season with a revitalized running game and an improving defense to make another title run.
Drew Bledsoe, a four-time Pro Bowler who lost his starting job with the Patriots in 2001 to Brady after he went down with an injury, said adaptability is a key to New England's success.
"The thing that I noticed watching these guys over the years, and it was true again yesterday, more than any other team in the league the Patriots evolve and change and develop players through the course of a season," Bledsoe told ESPN Radio on Monday.
"You see guys go down, pivotal guys, and every team likes to say 'next man up, next man up,' but the Patriots are continuously developing players."
Against the Texans, third-string running back Shane Vereen stepped up after injuries to tight end Rob Gronkowski and running back Danny Woodhead to score three touchdowns.
"Their style of play evolves from game to game, and over the course of a year ... you're seeing them a lot more effective in the running game. Their defense has improved thoughout the course of the season," added the now retired Bledsoe.
"One of the many things that has allowed them to be successful for so long is just how well they evolve and how well they develop players during the course of a season. I think they do it better than anyone else."
Ayanbadejo also tweeted "Can't Wait!" about the Jan. 20 AFC road title rematch against the Patriots, who lost 31-30 to the Ravens in the regular season (Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue)

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Patriots use element of surprise in Super Bowl pursuit

(Reuters) - "Just win, baby" was the famed motto of late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis during his team's heyday, but Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo thinks Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have gone too far.
Ayanbadejo believes the Patriots, one win away from a second consecutive Super Bowl berth, are hitting below the belt with the way they run their hurry-up offense.
"New England does some suspect stuff on offense. Can't really respect it. Comparable to a cheap shot b4 a fight," he tweeted during New England's 41-28 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday that sets up an AFC title rematch with the Ravens.
The hurry-up, or no-huddle offense, has been around for a while, but Ayanbadejo emphasized with a Houston defense caught out of position and in confusion when Brady quickly ran a play.
"Are you watching the game pats vs Texans?" Ayanbadejo tweeted. "If so you see the hurry snap offense catch em b4 they set up. It's a gimmick."
But all is fair within the rules of the gridiron, however, and Ayanbadejo's complaint is akin to a tight end moaning about a disguised defense showing a blitz formation before dropping back into zone pass coverage.
Shame on Houston for not being ready and credit the Pats, who have cleverly retooled and thrived over a remarkable run that could bring them a sixth trip to the Super Bowl in the 12 years since the partnership of coach Belichick and Brady.
The big surprise of Sunday's contest was how the Patriots made up for injuries during the game to key offensive players Rob Gronkowski and Danny Woodhead as third-string running back Shane Vereen scored three touchdowns to tame the Texans.
The Patriots scraped by last year's AFC title game with a 23-20 victory over the Ravens, who had a potential game-winning touchdown pass dropped in the end zone and a 32-yard game-tying field goal missed.
New England then lost a close Super Bowl to the New York Giants, but returned this season with a revitalized running game and an improving defense to make another title run.
Drew Bledsoe, a four-time Pro Bowler who lost his starting job with the Patriots in 2001 to Brady after he went down with an injury, said adaptability is a key to New England's success.
"The thing that I noticed watching these guys over the years, and it was true again yesterday, more than any other team in the league the Patriots evolve and change and develop players through the course of a season," Bledsoe told ESPN Radio on Monday.
"You see guys go down, pivotal guys, and every team likes to say 'next man up, next man up,' but the Patriots are continuously developing players."
Against the Texans, third-string running back Shane Vereen stepped up after injuries to tight end Rob Gronkowski and running back Danny Woodhead to score three touchdowns.
"Their style of play evolves from game to game, and over the course of a year ... you're seeing them a lot more effective in the running game. Their defense has improved throughout the course of the season," added the now retired Bledsoe.
"One of the many things that has allowed them to be successful for so long is just how well they evolve and how well they develop players during the course of a season. I think they do it better than anyone else."
Ayanbadejo also tweeted "Can't Wait!" about the January 20 AFC road title rematch against the Patriots, who lost 31-30 to the Ravens in the regular season

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Autopsy: Chiefs LB drunk at time of murder-suicide

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit when he shot his girlfriend nine times and then killed himself in front of his coach and general manager, an autopsy released Monday showed.
The Jackson County Medical Examiner report on Belcher, 25, raised new questions about whether police should have done more before the Dec. 1 murder-suicide. Officers found Belcher sleeping in his idling car about five hours earlier, but let him go inside a nearby apartment to sleep it off.
At the time of the autopsy, Belcher's BAC was 0.17, more than twice the limit of 0.08 percent for Missouri drivers, and it was likely higher when he shot girlfriend Kasandra Perkins, 22, at the couple's Kansas City home.
A police report released previously said Belcher had gone out the night before with a woman he was dating on the side while Perkins attended a concert with her friends.
Police who found Belcher sleeping in his Bentley outside the woman's apartment told him to turn off the ignition and he complied, the report said.
The report said Belcher "initially displayed possible signs of being under the influence (asleep and disoriented)." But the report added that after a few minutes of being awake his "demeanor and communication became more fluid and coherent." The report added that officers didn't smell alcohol on Belcher, and that there were no signs of him being "violent or emotionally unstable."
Under both city ordinance and state law, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated, city prosecutor Lowell C. Gard said in an email. He said a vehicle doesn't need to be in motion for it to be determined that the person behind the wheel was operating it.
"Operation has been defined in Missouri courts to include a wide range of activity, including sitting behind the wheel of a parked car with the engine running, and sitting alone behind the wheel of a parked car with a warm, but shut off, engine," Gard wrote. "However, problems of proof arise when the arresting officer must provide evidence of that operation contemporaneous with intoxication."
Kansas City police Sgt. Marisa Barnes said in an email she wasn't aware of anyone being disciplined over the case. Even if they were, she said, she wouldn't be able to discuss it.
Belcher asked the officers who found him if he could stay inside the apartment for the night. Belcher tried to call his girlfriend, but she didn't discover the missed calls until the next morning. Two women who were up late invited Belcher to wait inside their nearby apartment after he explained his plight. They said Belcher "appeared to be intoxicated" but "seemed to be in good spirits," the police report said.
Belcher slept on their couch for a couple hours, leaving at 6:45 a.m. so he could make it to a team meeting planned for later that morning.
Upon arriving at the home he shared with Perkins, the couple began arguing. Belcher's mother, Cheryl Shepherd, who had moved in with them about two weeks earlier, heard multiple gunshots and ran to the bedroom, where she saw Belcher kneeling next to Perkins' body, saying he was sorry. The autopsy report says Perkins was shot in the neck, chest, abdomen, hip, back, leg and hand.
After kissing Perkins, his baby daughter and his mother, Belcher drove to Arrowhead Stadium. The autopsy said Belcher shot himself in the right temple as coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli looked on.
The infant, Zoe, is the subject of a custody fight between relatives of Belcher and Perkins.

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Ray Lewis' last ride has at least 1 more stop

DENVER (AP) — Deflated and nearly defeated, Ray Lewis slumped on the heated bench on the sideline, the hood of his heavy jacket pulled over his head. The final seconds of his brilliant career were slipping away, just like Demaryius Thomas had escaped his grasp minutes earlier.
"I've never been a part of a game so crazy in my life," he said.
Thomas' go-ahead touchdown had given Denver a 35-28 lead and now the Ravens were out of timeouts, deep in their territory. Under a minute to go, the "last ride" about to make its final stop on a frozen field in the Rocky Mountains.
Joe Flacco was buying time in the pocket, about to throw the ball away and bring up fourth down at his 30. Peyton Manning was about to beat Baltimore for a 10th straight time, and Lewis was about to call it a career.
Then Lewis spotted Jacoby Jones sprinting past him along the Baltimore sideline. More importantly, so did Flacco, who lofted a high-arcing pass into both double coverage and the frigid Denver night.
Safety Rahim Moore leaped for the interception, only he was a tad too early and a bit too shallow. The football settled into Jones' arms and he pranced into the end zone, his 70-yard touchdown with 31 seconds left tying the game.
Baltimore (12-6) would win on Justin Tucker's field goal in the second overtime.
Lewis' retirement party will wait for another day.
"Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. He grew up today," Lewis said of Flacco. "He grew up today and in the tunnel I told him, 'You're the general now. Lead us to a victory. You lead us today. I'm just here to facilitate things.'
"And to look in his eyes, he has something different about him today and I just wanted to encourage him. To watch what he did today is probably one of the greatest things I'll always sit back and remember."
Reminiscing can wait for at least another week. Lewis gets to play again, against either at Houston or New England in the AFC championship game.
Flacco was the hero, but Lewis wasn't a bystander. He was right in the middle of things, providing his usual unyielding leadership.
Lewis made 17 tackles one week after he led the Ravens with 13 stops against Indianapolis while playing for the first time in three months after being sidelined with a torn right triceps.
"We wanted to get this win for Ray and I was going to do everything I could possibly do to get this win," said cornerback Corey Graham.
He did just that, picking off Manning twice, taking the first one back for a touchdown and setting up Tucker's winner in the game's 77th minute with his second interception.
Lewis had a fumble recovery in the third quarter that was negated by a questionable hands-to-the-face call on cornerback Cary Williams, but the Ravens, who were thumped at home by the Broncos 34-17 a month ago, shook it off.
The Broncos (13-4) became the ninth top-seeded team to lose at home in its first game in the playoffs, and to a team that was coming off a short week and playing at altitude, no less.
"When you look back at it and let the emotions calm down, it will probably be one of the greatest victories in Ravens history," Lewis said. "It's partly because of the way everything was stacked against us coming in."
It was even better than his emotion-filled farewell to Baltimore last week, when he did his famous dance coming out of the tunnel and then again after lining up at fullback in victory formation.
"One thing about the playoffs," Lewis said, "the only way to top it is to win the following week."
He said he spoke to his team last week about dismissing all those who said they had no chance.
"What if we do the impossible?" Lewis recounted saying.
It wasn't just the lead-up to the game that was so daunting. The Ravens allowed Trindon Holliday to become the first player in NFL playoff history to return a punt and a touchdown for scores, and both his 90-yard punt return and 104-yard kickoff return were the longest in league postseason history.
"For us to come in here and win, nine- to 10-point underdogs, that's the beautiful part about sports," Lewis said. "That's the thing that, if I miss anything about my career, it will be to listen to what people say you can't do and then to go do it.

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Ravens show their spirit with stunning win in Denver

(Reuters) - The Baltimore Ravens fell behind the Denver Broncos four times on Saturday and each time they battled back to level the game with the final rally paving the way for a stunning playoffs win which epitomizes the team's fighting spirit.
"This is a team of destiny," said running back Ray Rice, who rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown in the thrilling 38-35 double overtime AFC divisional playoff victory.
"Just look at the way we played today - it wasn't pretty, it wasn't perfect, but it was us," he added.
Baltimore were 31 seconds away from elimination when quarterback Joe Flacco hurled a 70-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jacoby Jones to silence the home fans and send the game into overtime.
Then, after Peyton Manning threw an interception, Justin Tucker's 47-yard field goal sent the Ravens into the AFC Championship game for the second successive year.
"This will probably go down as one of the greatest victories in Ravens history," said linebacker Ray Lewis, Baltimore's undisputed leader, who will retire whenever this season finally ends.
Last week's 24-9 win over the Indianapolis Colts was Lewis' final home game for the team he has played for since being drafted in 1996 but his farewell could yet be at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
"It's his last ride, why not send him off the right way," said Rice, who feels that the Ravens, beaten by the New England Patriots in last year's AFC Championship game, have made a leap in quality.
"These are the games we used to lose and now we are finding ways to win them," he said.
GREW UP
The pressure was certainly on Flacco who, despite everything he has achieved, still faced questions over whether he had what it took to win in the post-season.
Three touchdowns, including that memorable pass late in the fourth, and 331 yards without an interception, were the perfect answer to the lingering doubters.
"He grew up today," Lewis said.
"I told him in the tunnel, 'lead us to victory'. To look in his eyes he had something different about him today. I've always been a Joe Flacco fan, but to watch what he did, this was one of his greatest days," he said.
The quarterback agreed.
"It was pretty incredible, we overcame some things today and we fought to the very end," Flacco said.
"When some of those things happened, none of us blinked, we just sat on the sideline and said ‘alright, it's our turn'. Slowly but surely we were able to score points when we needed to and our defense was able to stop them," he said.
In next week's AFC championship game, Baltimore will face either the Houston Texans or the Patriots, who extinguished their Super Bowl hopes last year.
"We feel it is going to take a lot for somebody to kick us off the field in the AFC Championship," Flacco added.
"We know what it felt like last year without the win, we know what we have put in this year so far to get back to this point so it is going to be a great game.

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Ravens stun Broncos in double overtime playoff thriller

(Reuters) - The Baltimore Ravens fought back for a 38-35 overtime win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday in a thrilling playoff encounter that puts them one win away from their first Super Bowl berth in 12 years.
The visiting Ravens, who entered the game as 9-1/2 point underdogs, grabbed victory when Justin Tucker kicked a 47-yard field goal in the second overtime, six plays after Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was intercepted.
Tucker's ice-cool kick in the freezing Mile High stadium ended a pulsating back-and-forth game that included a 90-yard punt return and 104-yard kickoff return for touchdowns from Denver's Trindon Holliday.
"That football game did the game of football proud," said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, "It was one of the greatest football games you are ever going to see."
Denver were heading for victory in regulation until Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones with 31 seconds left that tied the score at 35-35.
Then, after both defenses came up strong in overtime, Manning, who threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns, was intercepted for a second time when Corey Graham superbly picked off a pass intended for Brandon Stokley.
"A bad throw and the decision probably wasn't great either," said Manning.
With the win, the Ravens advance to the American Football Conference championship game on January 20, where they will play the winner of Sunday's game between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans.
The game was incident packed from the outset with Holliday opening the scoring with a spectacular punt return less than three minutes in. But Baltimore responded with quick touchdowns as Flacco found Torrey Smith with a 59-yard pass before Corey Graham intercepted Manning and ran in a 39-yard score.
Manning found Stokley with a 15-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14-14 after the first quarter.
BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT
The remaining three quarters followed the same pattern - a touchdown for Denver followed by a reply from Baltimore, ending with Jones's crowd-silencing score as he took advantage of some awful coverage from Denver safety Rahim Moore.
The Broncos had the ball with half a minute on the clock but chose to take the knee and go into overtime rather than try to make the ground needed for a field goal attempt.
Then came the overtime drama which will haunt Manning and the Broncos through the offseason.
The Ravens, with inspirational defensive leader Ray Lewis in his final season, were carried to victory by Flacco who completed 18-of-34 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns.
"It puts Joe Flacco in the elite category where he deserves to be," said running back Ray Rice, who rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown from 30 carries while receiver Smith had two touchdowns and 98 yards.
The loss was be a bitter disappointment for Manning, who had been hoping for a Super Bowl appearance in his first season for Denver after missing last season with Indianapolis following several neck surgeries.
"We thought we were peaking at the right time but we played a good team," said Manning. "A stout defense with a lot of veteran players. Its very disappointing because of how much effort and hard work this team has put into this season."
Flacco acknowledged some good fortune, in the way that Jones was allowed to get open for the crucial game-tying touchdown.
"You have to get a bit lucky, it worked out and we were able to take a shot and everybody came through and when that opportunity arose, there is no way to explain it," he said.
"It was an awesome football game. It was just crazy."

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Strahan, Sapp, Ogden among Hall of Fame finalists

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Single-season sacks leader Michael Strahan and two players who tried to block him are among 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Strahan, who had 22½ sacks in 2001 and 141½ for his 15-year his career with the New York Giants, is joined by offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden of the Ravens and guard-tackle Larry Allen of the Cowboys and 49ers.
The fourth first-year eligible to make the cut is defensive tackle Warren Sapp of the Buccaneers and Raiders.
Strahan, Ogden and Sapp all won Super Bowls.
The hall announced Friday that the other finalists are running back Jerome Bettis; receivers Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed; LB-DEs Charles Haley and Kevin Greene; guard Will Shields; defensive back Aeneas Williams; coach Bill Parcells; and former owners Edward DeBartolo Jr. of the 49ers and the late Art Modell of the Browns, who moved to Baltimore in 1996 to become the Ravens.
The two senior nominees are defensive tackle Curley Culp — who played for the Chiefs, Oilers and Lions — and linebacker Dave Robinson of the Packers and Redskins.
Between four and seven new members will be selected Feb. 2, the day before the Super Bowl, in New Orleans.
Bettis played for the Rams and Steelers — he won the 2006 Super Bowl in his final game, something Strahan did in 2008. He's in his third season of eligibility and was beaten out by fellow running backs Marshall Faulk in 2011 and Curtis Martin in 2012 for the hall.
Carter, Brown and Reed all were in the top 10 in receptions when they retired. Haley won five Super Bowls, two with San Francisco and three with Dallas.
Greene was one of the first hybrid linebacker-end defenders, which best suited his pass-rushing skills.
Shields was an ironman blocker for 14 seasons in Kansas City. Williams was a versatile defensive back who played on the corner and at safety. He had 55 career interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries.

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Golf-Late long-range birdie putts put Oosthuizen on top

DURBAN, Jan 11 (Reuters) - World number six Louis Oosthuizen ended the second round with a real flourish to complete a bogey-free 64 and seize a one-stroke lead in the Volvo Golf Champions on Friday.
Britain's Scott Jamieson, who also recorded a 64, was one behind on 11-under 133 alongside overnight leader Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand (68).
Six shots adrift in a share of fourth place on 139 were British pair Paul Lawrie (70) and Danny Willett (70), Frenchman Julien Quesne (67), Ireland's Shane Lowry (69), Dane Thomas Bjorn (70) and Jeev Milkha Singh of India (70).
Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, got his round going by holing a 15-foot putt for birdie at the third.
The South African picked up another shot at the fourth before he rattled off three consecutive birdies from the seventh to go out in 31.
The 30-year-old Oosthuizen then missed a short birdie chance at the 16th before sinking birdie putts of 45 and 25 feet at the 17th and 18th.
"Today was much better in terms of ball-striking," he told reporters. "I hit the ball really well and I putted beautifully.
"I missed a few short ones when I didn't have the right line but I generally seemed to have the speed of the greens and so I was able to make longer putts than usual. It's always nice when you know the putter is working."
Oosthuizen said he took a pragmatic approach to his eight-under round at the Durban Country Club.
"My main goal was to hit as many greens as I could," he explained. "A lot of times I didn't even go close to the pins - I just decided to hit the centre of the greens and it worked.
"You get those days when the putts won't go in and you shoot one or two-under but today the putts went in."
The second round offered something a little different, the professionals competing in a pro-am alongside the main event.
Oosthuizen and playing partner Thongchai were victorious and the sponsors agreed to exchange the South African's prize of a car for the mechanical digger he has coveted for the last two years.
"I'm walking away with a nice gift for my farm. It's going to be a lot of fun to be playing around with it," said Oosthuizen.
Jamieson, who clinched his maiden European Tour victory in Durban at the Nelson Mandela Championship last month, propelled himself into contention with five birdies on the front nine.

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Late long-range birdie putts put Oosthuizen on top

DURBAN (Reuters) - World number six Louis Oosthuizen ended the second round with a real flourish to complete a bogey-free 64 and seize a one-stroke lead in the Volvo Golf Champions on Friday.
Britain's Scott Jamieson, who also recorded a 64, was one behind on 11-under 133 alongside overnight leader Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand (68).
Six shots adrift in a share of fourth place on 139 were British pair Paul Lawrie (70) and Danny Willett (70), Frenchman Julien Quesne (67), Ireland's Shane Lowry (69), Dane Thomas Bjorn (70) and Jeev Milkha Singh of India (70).
Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, got his round going by holing a 15-foot putt for birdie at the third.
The South African picked up another shot at the fourth before he rattled off three consecutive birdies from the seventh to go out in 31.
The 30-year-old Oosthuizen then missed a short birdie chance at the 16th before sinking birdie putts of 45 and 25 feet at the 17th and 18th.
"Today was much better in terms of ball-striking," he told reporters. "I hit the ball really well and I putted beautifully.
"I missed a few short ones when I didn't have the right line but I generally seemed to have the speed of the greens and so I was able to make longer putts than usual. It's always nice when you know the putter is working."
Oosthuizen said he took a pragmatic approach to his eight-under round at the Durban Country Club.
"My main goal was to hit as many greens as I could," he explained. "A lot of times I didn't even go close to the pins - I just decided to hit the centre of the greens and it worked.
"You get those days when the putts won't go in and you shoot one or two-under but today the putts went in."
The second round offered something a little different, the professionals competing in a pro-am alongside the main event.
Oosthuizen and playing partner Thongchai were victorious and the sponsors agreed to exchange the South African's prize of a car for the mechanical digger he has coveted for the last two years.
"I'm walking away with a nice gift for my farm. It's going to be a lot of fun to be playing around with it," said Oosthuizen.
Jamieson, who clinched his maiden European Tour victory in Durban at the Nelson Mandela Championship last month, propelled himself into contention with five birdies on the front nine.
Ernie Els, Nicolas Colsaerts and Francesco Molinari were eight strokes off the lead while Padraig Harrington was a further shot adrift on 141.

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Microsoft taps Krikorian to help run its Xbox business

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it hired technology entrepreneur Blake Krikorian to help run its Interactive Entertainment Business as the world's largest software company plans bigger things for its Xbox gaming console.
Krikorian will be corporate vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business, reporting to Marc Whitten, chief product officer for the division, Microsoft added.
The appointment follows Microsoft's recent acquisition of Krikorian's company, id8 Group R2 Studios, which had developed an application that allows users to control home heating and lighting systems from smartphones.
Microsoft is trying to transform Xbox from a gaming device into a broader service that controls most aspects of home entertainment, including music, movies, TV and sports.
"We look forward to his contribution to our team as Xbox continues to evolve and transform the games and entertainment landscape," Whitten said in a statement.
Krikorian's Sling Media - which was sold to EchoStar Communications in 2007 - made the Slingbox device for watching TV over the Internet.
Krikorian resigned from Amazon.com Inc's board in late December after about a year and a half as a director at the company, the Internet's largest retailer.

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