Eagles' Dawkins takes NFC weekly honor
NEW YORK, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Philadelphia safety Brian Dawkins was selected the NFC defensive player of the week for his play against the New York Giants.
Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman took the conference's offensive player of the week award while St. Louis punter Matt Turk was the NFC's special teams player of the week.
Dawkins had a game-high 12 tackles, forced two fumbles and intercepted a pass as the Eagles kept their playoff hopes going with a 36-22 victory over the Giants. It is Dawkins' second player of the week honor but comes more than four years after he first won in the fourth week of the 2002 season.
Grossman completed 29 of 44 passes for 339 yards in pacing the Bears to a 34-31 overtime win over Tampa Bay. The victory allowed Chicago to lock up home field advantage through the playoffs.
Turk averaged 49.8 yards over his five punts last week, pinning Oakland deep in its own territory as the Rams won 20-0. One of Turk's punts traveled 74 yards, the longest by a Rams player since Bob Waterfield kicked an 88-yarder in 1948.
Tomlinson runs to AFC weekly award
NEW YORK, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran for a season-best 199 yards last week, was selected the AFC offensive player of the week.
Indianapolis defensive end Dwight Freeney was picked as the conference's defensive player of the week and Buffalo punter Brian Moorman took the special teams honor.
Tomlinson, who leads the NFL in rushing with 1,626 yards, had 199 yards and two touchdowns Sunday in the Chargers' 20-9 AFC West victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Tomlinson, who set a touchdown season record earlier, has scored an NFL season record 186 points this season.
Freeney was credited with four tackles, three sacks and three forced fumbles in the Colts' 34-16 win over Cincinnati. It was the fifth time in his career he had at least three sacks in a contest.
Moorman had seven punts last week, four of which pushed Miami inside its own 20-yard line as the Bills took a 21-0 victory. He is second in the NFL with a 39.5 yard net punting average this season.
Flyers trade for Islanders' Mike York
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- New York Islanders forward Mike York was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Randy Robitaille and a fifth-round draft pick in 2008.
York, 28, has six goals and seven assists in 32 games for Philadelphia this season. He has 117 goals and 193 assists in 481 NHL games for his career.
"Mike is a younger player," Philadelphia General Manager Paul Holmgren said Wednesday. "He has had very good offensive numbers over the course of his career with the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers and the Islanders."
York said: "I'm a fresh face and new blood coming in here. I have been in this situation before. We still have over half the season to play. There's a long way to go, so hopefully I can help the team improve."
Robitaille, 31, has five goals and 12 assists this season. This would be his second stint with the Islanders, one of eight NHL teams he's played for. Robitaille has 68 goals and 136 assists for his career.
Rondell White signs with Minnesota Twins
MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Outfielder Rondell White has signed a 1-year contract with the Minnesota Twins.
The 34-year-old White will be paid $2.75 million and the deal includes an option for 2008, the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer-Press reported Wednesday. The agreement is contingent on White passing a physical examination.
White was hampered by injuries in 2006, hitting .246 with seven home runs and 38 runs batted in in 99 games for Minnesota.
He is a career .286 hitter, has hit 194 home runs and has 748 RBI over 1,436 major league games. White's previously played for Montreal, the Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees, Kansas City, San Diego and Detroit before joining the Twins.
