But the hearing could set up a clash, as it did in 2011, of the president and his allies in Congress against Republicans who say Cordray's job has too much power and too few controls. Senate Republicans blocked Cordray's confirmation in late 2011 with a filibusterlike move. Later, while Congress was on break, Cordray received a recess appointment.Andrew Mills/The StarLedgerThe Giants thought the language in Plaxico Burress' contract would allow them to take back his signing bonus after he shot himself last season. But a judge ruled the Giants can't withhold Burress' money. UPDATE Let me rephrase the first paragraph: Just because the Giants had written the full signing bonus into the default portion of the contract doesn't mean they were looking to get it all back.

And then there is Baltimore's Ray Lewis, the best player in this year's Super Bowl and the most notorious from last year's, even though he didn't play in it. Twentyfour hours after Eugene Robinson, of the Atlanta