Even the most feared pass-rushers in the NFL can learn a thing or two about their performance from a scientific standpoint. DeMarcus Ware (pictured above with NFL prospect Cameron Heyward) has made a living feasting on quarterbacks but that doesn’t mean he stops learning off the field. At the Super Bowl this year in Dallas, DeMarcus paired with Gatorade in order to work with their scientists at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI). He was given the opportunity to learn about his specific sports’ nutrition routine, so that he can fuel maximum performance on the field. The Scores Report was fortunate enough to catch up with DeMarcus while he was at the GSSI, so he could fill us in on what the process was like and what he learned from his testing. We also asked him for his take on Wade Phillips, on what the Cowboys need to do to reach the Super Bowl next year and on the rising success of the 3-4 defense. Of course, we couldn’t let him go without getting his Super Bowl pick as well.

DeMarcus Ware: Hello?

The Scores Report: Hey DeMarcus! How are you, man?

DW: Good! How are you?

TSR: Doing well. So you’re in Dallas?

DW: Yes sir.

TSR: You having fun or what?

DW: Yeah, I’m having a great time at radio row.

TSR: Good stuff. Talk to me about Gatorade and what you’re doing with them for the Super Bowl.

DW: You know, everybody always thinks about sports drinks as something that just quenches your thirst. But they’ve taken it to the next level and they’ve gotten this lab to where it’s built for nutrition, fitness and really helping you with your performance. Gatorade has pre-drinks, post-drinks and you know, drinks in between workouts that helps you with peek performance.

TSR: I had the opportunity to speak with Maurice Jones-Drew last year about the Gatorade science lab and he loved his experience. Have you been able to jump on the treadmill or done anything like that yet?

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Check out exclusive pre-fight videos from HeavyMMA.com for UFC 126!

Check out more MMA interviews and headlines.

Urijah Faber is mixing things up.

The decorated former WEC featherweight champion is making the move down to bantamweight, beginning tonight with his main event bout at WEC 52 against Takeya Mizugaki from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

I had a chance to catch up with the MMA legend as he gears up for Mizugaki.

During the interview Faber discusses his change in weight, the WEC/UFC merger, and what’s in his future. Enjoy.

The Scores Report: Well Urijah, it is fight week, how are you feeling?

Urijah Faber: I feel great. I am just working on getting my weight down. I am within striking distance now. I am walking around about 7 or 8 pounds over. (Faber weighed in at 136 pounds for his 135-pound fight on Wednesday night).

TSR: What has the weight cut been like? You have been fighting at featherweight for a while now and really haven’t had a strenuous cut as you have for this fight.

UF: It’s going better. My body feels great. I have been doing the cut steadily over the last few months. It has kind of been the opposite for me because before I was doing what I could to keep food in and stay heavy and now I am trying to eat lighter and lose weight. Initially the weight was easy to lose but the closer you get to 135, the harder the pounds are to shed. When I went through the practice cut, the last few pounds were pretty tough.

TSR: Do you notice anything different with your abilities at this lighter weight?

UF: I feel like my grappling is at a whole new level. When I competed in wrestling I always competed at 133 pounds, so being at this weight to fight, I feel like my skills are where I need them to be. I feel like I have great conditioning already and I feel faster and even stronger.

TSR: This fight with Mizugaki was originally scheduled for WEC 50 back in August but you had to pull out with a knee injury. Have you fully recovered from that injury?

UF: Yeah. My health is great and I am 100 percent. I have made a full recovery. It took about six weeks and even when I was recovering, I could still train and just not use the injured leg, so I was able to stay in great shape.

TSR: Give me your thoughts on your opponent. What do you feel he does well?

UF: His strength is his stand up. He has good hands and he has god takedown defense and submission defense. He has a couple decent takedowns too. The guy has a ton of heart too and he is not an easy guy to get past, but I think I have better all-around skills and will be comfortable wherever the fight goes.

TSR: The UFC recently announced it would be absorbing the WEC and its roster in 2011. What do you think of that decision and where were you when you heard the news?

UF: I basically got a call from manager at MMA INC. Had all us guys from Team Alpha Male on a conference call and told us what was going on. We were all stoked. We all went to practice that day on cloud nine. The implications for exposure and notoriety and pay all go up so much by becoming part of the UFC.

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Not that there aren’t already plenty of places on the World Wide Web where you can go to make weekly football picks, but if you’re one of the millions of people who have owned and loved Hootie and the Blowfish’s album Cracked Rear View, then it might just behoove you to offer a cursory click onto Darius Rucker’s End Zone Obsession.*

End Zone Obsession originated out of an attempt by Rucker and his “people” to figure out a more exciting way to interact with his fans, and when the talk turned to football, Rucker knew they’d hit on an idea that had serious potential. Soon, web designers were hard at work, putting together an easy-to-use site that would allow Rucker and his fans to pick the winners and losers for each week of the NFL season.

“People have been challenging me, and I’ve pretty much accepted every challenge,” said Rucker. “Last week, everybody was talking trash before the weekend, and then I won, ‘cause I picked every game right. So I was on this morning, doing the trash-talking. I’m telling them, ‘Guess you’ve got to do better next week!’”

As Rucker is a diehard Miami fan, this interview obviously took place prior to the Dolphins having been blown out of the water by the Patriots, but it’s not as though his tune will have changed as a result. Clearly, it’s far too late for that now…

* Rucker officially became a Miami Dolphins fan on January 16, 1972. “The Dolphins are playing the Cowboys in the Super Bowl, and I’m in the house with all my cousins. My two aunts are there. There’s, like, 14 kids, and every kid in there, everybody in my whole family, is pulling for the Cowboys. I decided that day that I was pulling for the Dolphins…and I remember crying when the Dolphins lost at the end. But the next year, I started playing little league football, and ever since then I’ve loved the game.”

* He has a piece of swag that would make any Dolphins fan drool. “The very first Miami Dolphins game I ever got to go to, it was a Monday night game against the Steelers back in ’94, and I got to sing the National Anthem. After that game, Dan Marino took his jersey off and gave it to his assistant and had it framed for me, and that is my favorite piece of paraphernalia that I got. I’ve lived in my house for 12 years, and my decorator laughed at me when I moved in, because that jersey was up in the house before anything else could enter.”

* There has only ever been one occasion when his devotion to Miami has wavered. “When I heard that Dave Wannstedt told Dan Marino that he thought that he had a better chance to win with Jay Fiedler than him, I really thought about switching my alliances, because I thought we had the dumbest coach that had ever coached a game of football.”

Given Rucker’s dedication to the Dolphins, he’s not afraid to admit that you can always count on him to make the same selection on End Zone Obsession week after week after week.

“I’m talking to my assistant yesterday, I’m making my picks, and he goes, ‘What do you think about the Dolphins game?’ And I said, ‘Dude, I’m picking the Dolphins sixteen times in a row.’ I can guarantee you that. I’ll be picking the Dolphins sixteen times in a row. And it’s not, like, I’m thinking in my heart, ‘Oh, well, I’ve got to pick the Dolphins.’ I truly believe they’re going to win.”

* For the record, yes, we do know that Rucker has not only continued to record well beyond Hootie’s aforementioned 1994 album but, indeed, has been shifting mass country-music units for the past several years as a solo artist, thanks to such hit singles as “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” “It Won’t Be Like This for Long, and “Alright.” But, damn, man, Cracked Rear View went platinum sixteen times over. I think that still warrants being cited as his predominant accomplishment, don’t you?

Obviously we’re doing something right here at The Scores Report if a Super Bowl MVP quarterback is willing to chat with us two years in a row.

Over the past four years, Giants’ legend Phil Simms has worked with FedEX to promote their “Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week.”

What is it? Every week during the NFL season six finalists are chosen for the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week award. Three are nominated as the FedEx air player (so quarterbacks, obviously) and three are nominated as the FedEx ground player (so punters, obviously) online at NFL.com. At the end of the season, fans nominate three finalists for each category and then two players (one air and one ground) are chosen as the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year. Last season, two worthy receipts in Drew Brees and Chris Johnson won the awards.

Why is it important? The winners of the awards will each receive a $2,000 donation in their name to a local Safe Kids coalition in the player’s areas. Over the years, FedEx has donated over $13 million to this program, which educates people on pedestrian safety – especially around schools and playgrounds.

Over the past two years, we’ve been fortunate enough to chat with Phil about his involvement in the program and what it means to him. He’s also been gracious enough to talk football with us and this year we got to pick his brain about whether or not Mark Sanchez is the Jets’ Achilles heel, what quarterback (Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers) he would select if he were starting a franchise tomorrow, and what his take is on the Brandon Jacobs situation in New York.

The video interview is below and to check out our first interview with Phil last year, click here.

The first word that comes to mind when you think about Josh Cribbs’ game is “versatile.”

While at Kent State, he set school records for total offense (10,839 yards), rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41) and points scored (246) – all records that still stand today.

Now a member of the Cleveland Browns, Cribbs continues to flash the versatility that made him a star at Kent. Arguably the Browns’ most explosive playmaker, Josh is a threat to take it to the house every time he gets his hands on the ball as either a returner, a receiver or a runner out of the Wildcat formation.

Oh, and the guy can given drop back as a quarterback and even spent some time in training camp at safety. You just don’t find players as versatile as Cribbs, who the Browns are lucky to employ (which is why they locked him up to a long-term deal this past March).

We were fortunate enough to catch Josh in between games and got to ask him what the secret is to being an elite kick returner. He also filled us in on two Browns to keep an eye on this year (fans will be extremely happy to hear what he said about one young player in particular), what his role will be in Cleveland’s offense over the course of the season and how he did in his acting debut for a September 30th episode of FX’s “The League,” in which he plays himself.

Enjoy the interview and for more on Josh, be sure to check out his Twitter Page.

The Scores Report: Hey Josh, how are you?

Josh Cribbs: Good, how you doing?

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At your local gym, you may have been offered a chance to try out a tool called the TRX Suspension Training, which is an innovation by former elite Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick.

As a Navy SEAL, Hetrick often found himself in remote safe houses with limited means to keep he and his soldiers in shape. Using only salvaged parachute materials, Hetrick created what would eventually be named the “Best Total Body Tool” by Men’s Health magazine.

The TRX Suspension Trainer was born.

One of the many trainers that have incorporated TRX not only in his athletes’ workouts, but also into his own workouts is Todd Durkin. Of the many athletes Todd works with during the offseason, perhaps his most recognized is New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees.

During the offseason, Brees flies all the way from Louisiana to train with Durkin and the TRX, which obviously speaks to Todd’s credibility as a trainer. And considering Brees is coming off a Super Bowl win this past February, clearly Todd’s methods work.

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Todd about a variety of topics, including his work with Drew, TRX and the “Get with the Movement” campaign, which is defined as a rally cry that dares American fitness enthusiasts to free themselves of their everyday routine. It encourages people to get off their exercise machines and take a more dynamic, moment-focused approach to building their overall health and achieving personal goals.

We also asked Todd to share his favorite Drew Brees story, what specific workouts he uses to train a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and how the TRX can help everybody from the “weekend warrior” to yes, even grandma.

For more on Todd, TRX and his new book The Impact! Body Plan, please visit www.fitnessquest10.com and www.todddurkin.com.

Also for more on the “Get with the Movement” campaign, visit www.getwiththemovement.com.

The Scores Report: Hey Todd, how are you?

Todd Durkin: Real good! Things have been a little crazy around here, but it’s exciting with the new book coming out.

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A year ago, few knew who Joseph Benavidez was. Even the hardcore MMA fans knew little about the 5-foot-4, 135-pound bantamweight that trains out of Ultimate Fitness in Sacramento, California.

On Aug. 9, 2009, Benavidez suffered his lone loss of his career to Dominick Cruz and since then has rattled off back-to-back wins, including a second round submission win over Miguel Torres on March 6 that put him on the map.

Now, with the MMA eye clearly on him, Benavidez looks to avenge his loss to Cruz this Wednesday at WEC 50 when he challenges Cruz for the WEC Bantamweight title from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The event can be seen live on Versus starting at 9PM ET.

I got the chance to speak to Benavidez and ask him about his title match, having his teammate Urijah Faber drop down to his weight class, and his sponsorship with AMP.

The Scores Report: Joseph, thanks for your time. I know you have a busy schedule.

Joseph Benavidez: Not a problem.

TSR: Tell me about when you found out you were getting the title fight and a chance to face Cruz again.

JB: I kind of felt like I was going to get the fight after I beat Miguel Torres and shortly after the WEC 48 Pay-Per-View event, I found out I was getting it. It was 50-50 at one point but I knew I deserved the fight and I pleaded my case some what and the WEC made their choice to have the rematch and the feeling was just unreal. Becoming champion is the reason most people fight and I felt like I took the right steps to get this opportunity. I remember when I got the contract to sign, I had this feeling that I was going to become champion. That really means everything to me. My goal is to be the best and the hardware will be cool to have, but the recognition that you are the best in the world is really what I am after. When I win that fight, my name will be in history forever.”

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Steve Kerr appeared on the B.S. Report with Bill Simmons and had some interesting things to say. Feel free to head over to ESPN and spend an hour with Bill and Steve or read the highlights below:

On Ron Artest’s game-winning put-back in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals…

I wake up at night still thinking about that rebound — I mean, why didn’t it just hit the rim, and taken a normal bounce. I’ve thought about the game constantly, but as far as how that would have impacted my job, I haven’t looked at it that way.

On Ron Artest…

He was fantastic in the last couple of games of the Finals. I just think that Artest is one of the strangest players in the league because in a normal environment, in a normal game, sometimes he doesn’t look that great. He doesn’t make shots, he takes bad shots, he makes weird decisions, but when the game becomes kind of a street fight, especially like Game 7 of the Finals, there’s nobody you’d rather have. He’s just so strong and physical. And like that play he made against us in Game 6 — or Game 5 I guess it was — he just seems to have a knack for coming up with the loose ball, the rebound, whatever it is. He’s a crafty player, he really is.

On whether or not Amare Stoudemire is worth $100 million…

I was on the same page with Robert [Sarver, the owner of the Suns], with our management. We talked about it all year long. We really wanted him back, but if the price was too much though, then it didn’t make sense. And the main reason was because of the injuries. He’s had four knee surgeries, including a microfracture. You’ve seen what’s happened over the last few years with guys like Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O’Neal — the guys who come out of high school and play huge minutes right away. Their clock ticks a lot faster and they get to 29, 30, and they really start to slow down. I think you’ve even seen it a little bit with KG and Kobe last year although both guys really turned it on in the playoffs. But because of that, with Amare, I think he’s got a few really good years left in him. You know, years four, five and six though, if he can’t go and can’t produce, now you’re really tied up and locked down with a bad contract and that can be a major problem.

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