81.   Because Tiger Woods was the defending champion, who would help him slip into the green jacket should he win?

82.   Before you know it, the Red Sox look good enough to challenge even the defending World Series champions.

83.   Beginning tonight, they host the defending Central Division champion St. Louis Cardinals in a two-game series.

84.   Beating the defending champion, however, who happens to be Coutts, would be apt to take victory to another level for Baird.

85.   Beating the defending champions is a daunting task in any sport.

86.   Bob Gainey is the general manager of the Dallas Stars, the defending champions.

87.   Both defending champions lost the privilege of repeating because they let fearfulness interfere with fierceness.

88.   -- Jose Maria Olazabal -- The defending champion is rusty, but still a threat.

89.   A betting man would have made Irwin, the two-time defending champion, a chalk favorite.

90.   A bevy of missed Kings jumpers later, the two-time defending champion Lakers had survived the most formidable scare of their title run.