Legendary sports ancher George Michael has passed away after battling cancer the last two years.

While Michael was a staple in the D.C. area, where he was an anchor for NBC Washington from 1980-2007, he was well known nationally for his syndicated highlight show "The George Michael Sports Machine." The show launched in 1984, and at the time was groundbreaking -- it brought local markets national sports highlights from all over the country, covering all sports (and pro wrestling). ESPN was already doing something similar with "SportsCenter," but that required cable. Anyone with a TV and rabbit ears could see "Sports Machine."

Here's a promo explaining how the show works from 1985:

The show ran until Michael's departure from NBC in 2007, all the while using the same oversized flashing buttons and outdated sets. This is part of what gave the show its charm. The rest was thanks to Michael himself, who was an anti-Berman to a generation of sports fans. No cheesy catchphrases or nicknames, never unnecessarily loud or obnoxious, Michael just pushed his brightly lit buttons and showed us the video highlights, thanks to satellites and tape-technology. "Sports Machine" was everything good about "SportsCenter" -- highlights, incredible plays, scores -- with none of the noise.

Michael was 70 years old.

UPDATE: The Washington Post's Mike Wise offers a heartfelt tribute to George Michael the person, beyond what he meant to Washington DC sports. Check it out.

More coverage of the Utes victory over California from the SB Nation network:

• Mountain West Connection has a full recap of the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, and notes that this is the ninth straight postseason game Utah has won. Conversely, the loss snapped the Bears four-game bowl win streak.
• Block U is celebrating the victory and trying to determine who deserves to be the game's MVP. Jordan Wynn, who three for 338 and three TDs, is just barely edging out "YAY TEAM!"
• Meanwhile, the loss has left the guys at California Golden Blogs wondering if Jeff Tedford is still the right coach for their football team. Based on the poll currently on their site, the fans don't seem too pleased with him at the moment.

Also, for the record: SB Nation's NCAA bloggers are now 0-5 in their bowl picks thus far. Come on, Nevada!

The entire Bengals organization, along with Commissioner Roger Goodell and other NFL players, traveled to Lousiana Tuesday to attend Chris Henry's funeral. Henry died last week after falling out of the back of a pick-up truck in Charlotte, NC.

Some images from the service, all via Getty, including an open casket shot. You've been warned:

The trade sending Javier Vazquez to the Yankees from the Braves is a done deal, and the AP confirms the specifics, as reported earlier.

The Yankees get …
- Starting pitcher Javier Vazquez (and they pick up all of his remaining contract)
- Left-handed relief pitcher Boone Logan

The Braves get …
- Melky Cabrera (who may be Jeff Francoeur in disguise)
- Left-handed pitcher Mike Dunn
- Right-handed pitcher Arodys Vizcaino
- $500,000 cash money

For continuing coverage of the trade, visit our Yankees and Braves sites at Pinstripe Alley and Talking Chop.

After naming Jimmie Johnson -- he's the NASCAR driver, fyi -- their male Athlete of the Year on Monday, the AP declared Serena Williams the female recipient on Tuesday. Runner-up in the voting was some woman named Zenyatta, who is actually a ... horse? Is that right?  [/Dusts off dictionary] ...

ath⋅lete

–noun
a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.

If the horse is eligible to be Athlete of the Year, doesn't that then mean Jimmie Johnson's car should've actually won the award? You know, since we're just taking the "person" part out of the definition.

Our Braves blog, Talking Chop, is all over Tuesday’s trade with the Yankees, which sends Javier Vazquez to NY for Melky Cabrera and prospects. From Atlanta’s perspective, the deal is mostly about dumping salary:

Melky Cabrera will earn under $3 million in arbitration, and Mike Dunn replacing Boone Logan should save the Braves another million in arbitration. Subtract Vazquez’ $11.5 million salary and the Braves save around $9.5 million on this deal. That’s good money to go out and get a decent bat. This trade may also look a lot better depending who the unnamed prospect turns out to be. With this kind of return I would think it would have to be someone pretty good.

It turns out that it may just be someone “pretty good.” According to reports, the third player the Braves get back in the deal is pitcher Arodys Vizcaino, who Baseball Prospectus rates as the No. 2 overall prospect in the Yankees system.

On the other side of the deal, our Yankees blog, Pinstripe Alley, sees this as not only a deal to improve the rotation — which it does, dramatically — but also the bullpen. This move now allows Joba Chamberlain to move back to the pen full-time, thus strengthening their relief pitching as well as their starters.

by Luis Alvarez - AP

3 months ago: Atlanta Braves pitcher Javier Vazquez throws against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

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Keep in mind, Jim Zorn and special teams coach Danny Smith were so confident this play would work that they ran it even after showing the Giants the formation once, after which NY called a timeout. After the game, Zorn’s explanation:

It was good defense. That was what hurt that play. The play was unique enough where I think they didn’t smell it out [after the timeout].

There was one man blocking three Giants rushers. Yeah, that’s just good defense, not poor play design.

How Zorn envisioned this play ever working is a mystery. Perhaps the assumption was the Giants would be so confused by all the moving parts and shiny objects that they’d just collapse from mental cramps. Or maybe Zorn is just having some fun with all of us, considering he’s a dead man walking.