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Cazorla double helps Villarreal up to second in La Liga

MADRID, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Two goals from Spain winger Santi Cazorla helped Villarreal climb to second place in La Liga with a 3-2 comeback win away to 10-man Malaga on Monday.
All five goals came in a topsy-turvy opening 33 minutes with the game settling down only after Malaga’s Portuguese forward Eliseu was sent off in the 41st, allowing the visitors to take control.


Villarreal continued their strong start to the campaign, racking up football jersey
their fourth consecutive league win to move on to 12 points from five matches, one short of leaders and near neighbours Valencia.
Barcelona are third on goal difference, with Real Madrid fourth on 11 points.
Eliseu gave Malaga a fourth-minute lead after a free kick but two goals in three minutes turned the game on its head, Cazorla firing in a deflected shot and Italy’s Giuseppe Rossi netting a fine solo effort in the 24th.
Jose Rondon headed Malaga level in the 30th after good work from Quincy Owusu-Abeiye down the left, but the score changed again after only a few minutes.
Cazorla, who missed out on Spain’s World Cup finals squad because of an injury-interrupted season last year, proved he was back to his best with a superb winner cracked in from outside the area.
Just before the break, Spain defender Carlos Marchena got Eliseu sent off after theatrically falling to the ground clutching his face as the two went forehead to forehead.
PARIS (AP)—Sepp Blatter is promising US$25,000 (?18,500) for Kodjovi Obilale, the goalkeeper shot and badly injured in the terror attack on Togo’s team bus at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Obilale, speaking Monday by phone, said he received a letter from the FIFA president this weekend. Blatter wrote that the money would come from a FIFA humanitarian fund, Obilale said.
“It’s kind,” he said of the donation.
Obilale was shot twice in the back, suffering spinal and other injuries. He San Francisco 49ers jersey
can no longer move his right leg below the knee nor feel its foot and toes. The 25-year-old does not expect to ever again play football but hopes that, with time, he might be able to walk. For now, he uses a wheelchair.
In an interview last week with The Associated Press, Obilale said he felt that football officials abandoned him after the machine-gun attack claimed by separatists in Angola’s oil-producing Cabinda region. The Togo team’s assistant coach, its press official and their Angolan bus driver were killed.
Obilale said that neither the Confederation of African Football, which organizes the Africa Cup, nor Angola, which hosted the 2010 edition, have contacted him. He also complained that officials in Togo have been slow to help.
Frustrated, he wrote to Blatter in August asking for his assistance. Even though FIFA was not directly involved in the cup, Africa’s showpiece football tournament, Obilale felt that only football’s world governing body has the power to force CAF, Angola and Togo to come up with a decent compensation package.
“The only person who can shift all this is Mr. Blatter,” he said in the interview at his hospital in western France, where he used to play professionally.
Blatter wrote back that FIFA could not be held responsible for the “tragic” attack, Obilale said, reading the letter out by phone to The AP. But Blatter added: “We will continue to study this dossier.”
“I wish you a lot of courage,” Blatter wrote, according to Obilale.
A payment of $70,000 (?53,000) that Togo’s sports minister Buffalo Bills jersey
promised a month ago when he visited Obilale in France finally landed in his bank account last week.
Obilale said Monday that the money was sufficient to pay off three of his seven months of hospital bills. He plans to send the remainder of the bill to authorities in Togo for payment.

Let's Play Two Espanola: Just One Game Does Not a Season Make

IRVING, Texas - Some time ago, when Nor Turner was asked if he was having any fun, he uttered these everlasting words:
"Nobody is having any fun in this league."
True that.
Let's investigate.
In this particular NFL city, the center of nfl jersey
attention has been the quarterback who jetted off to New York on the off-day this week to hook up with his TV starlet squeeze, that and the fact he targeted one of his starting wide receivers just once in 35 passing attempts.
No not Dallas. T.O. and Jessica no longer are hot items here. Chicago, OK, and the Bears even won last Sunday.
Here are the first three paragraphs of the story in Thursday's most-respected Chicago Tribune:
Thankfully, nobody wasted any of Jay Cutler's weekly allotment of podium time Wednesday at Hales Hall asking him about his new favorite target.
And they said Cutler would ignore the tight end in Mike Martz's offense.
Seriously, if Cutler chose to jet to New York City to spend his off day with "The Hills" starlet Kristin Cavalla, question his fondness for reality-TV more than his time management. He's a young, single millionaire coming off a terrific game so this was a rendezvous relevant to TMZ more than the NFL.
I could not make this up. Somewhere Tony Room is laughing.
And that was followed with this quote from Cutler on why he would only complete one pass to Devin Hester in the opener: "If Devin would have gotten open, I would have thrown him the ball," and there was no tongue in cheek or a sense of sarcasm.
Whoop ... not exactly the Care Bears, 19-14 winners mind you in Week 1 over Detroit who arrive this weekend for Sunday's noon date with the Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium.
Then there is this: The Bears only converted one of four third-and-one or fourth-and-one plays, revisiting their shortcomings from the past two seasons when they picked up that one measly yard in those situations just 65.3 percent of the time, ranking them 18th - and by the way, just behind the 14th-ranked Cowboys (67.9 percent).
Ah, the one-game trend.
Or how 'bout in this other NFL city? One offensive lineman played through a foot injury. Two others returned after missing the entire preseason. And the quarterback was knocked down 10 times - eight by the same dude.
That would be in Indianapolis, the defending AFC champs run roughshod over by the Houston Texans and Mario Williams in the season opener.
Or how 'bout in this city: The starting QB already has gone down with a concussion and the starting center is out for the season.
That would be in Philadelphia.
And ... and... after losing the season opener, a disturbing trend is being exposed in this city, that this team under the current head coach has now started off seasons 1-3, 2-3, 2-3 and 0-1 in the past four years for a combined 5-10 record, yet another one of those disturbing one-game trends.
That would be San Diego, where the quarterback, Philip Rivers pleaded, "its one game out of 16. We can still get off to a fast start" after a series of penalties stalled drives and a lost fumble set up one of Kansas City's touchdowns as Nor Turner's squad went down 21-14 on Monday night at Arrowhead.
See what I mean?
Now not to find comfort in other people's misery, but the Cowboys are not alone heading into Week 2 of the NFL season. In fact they have the company of 15 as they face the Bears, who just happen to come waltzing into Cowboys Stadium with the league's No. 1 offense (463 total yards) and No. 2 defense (but 168 yards allowed), although, let's face it, they did play the Detroit Lions. And they have plenty of company with those 16 teams opening on the road, what with the visiting teams finishing Week 1 with a 4-12 record.
Welcome to the NFL, and no matter facetiously nicknamed the No Fun League, it really isn't since it's just no fun obviously when you lose, especially with those high expectations like a noose around the neck. And even when you win, well, the fun is fleeting since there's always the next game to worry about. Just think, while Cowboys fans are preoccupied this week with worries over Cutler and Matt Forte and Johnny Knox and Julius Peppers and Brian Ulcer and Tommie Harris, the Bears have their worries, too, like Demarks Ware, Anthony Spencer, Jay Ratliff, Mike Jenkins, Terence Newman, Tony Room, Miles Austin, Felix Jones, Jason Written and now Dees Bryant.
These 16-game marathons are just excruciating, no matter the record.
No, the Cowboys didn't beat the Redskins. Yes, they did give one away - both Dallas Cowboys jersey
raising the anxiety thermometer for Sunday. No, they were only one of three in the red zone, although one of those misses was an errant 34-yard field goal and the other red-zone was just three plays, the last of which a was penalty wiping out the winning touchdown on the last play of the game. So it wasn't like just abhorrent.
Yes, there were no takeaways by the defense. But for the third consecutive regular-season game, there were no touchdowns allowed, either. And for the third consecutive regular-season game there were no more than 250 yards allowed. And for the third consecutive game against the Redskins, just to be sure no one thinks Mike Shanahan is some offensive genius, the Washington's offense failed to score a touchdown on the Cowboys. And for the second time in the last three games against the Redskins, the Cowboys failed to score more than one touchdown and have not scored more than two in any of the past four meetings.
So as you see, in three of the last four games against the Redskins, no matter who their head coach has been or the starting quarterback or the defensive coordinator, the Cowboys have been one play away, one weird play like a fumble returned for a touchdown at the end of the half or a holding call on what could have been the game-ending winning touchdown, from losing.
And if you would like me to go back some more with these games against the Redskins, the Cowboys actually lost to them the two games before that, beat 'me by all of five the game before that and then for those with good memories lost at FedEx in '06 when Room drove the Cowboys in position for the winning field goal in a 19-19 game with mere seconds remaining, but instead there were the Redskins attempting and making the game-winning field goal with no time left on the clock after the Cowboys attempt was blocked and a facemask penalty was committed on the return to extend the game one more play. And Bill Parcels was coaching that team.
Now how yaw like 'deem trends?
Weird things just happen when these two teams get together. For like forever. Go ask the Redskins, they know, too. They haven't forgotten Thanksgiving of '74, losing a chance to clinch a playoff berth in the final 35 seconds thanks to some guy named Clint Longley. They haven't forgotten the Cowboys beating their 12-0 1991 team at RFK even after Troy Airman had been knocked out of the game in the third quarter. And for sure the 'Skins haven't forgotten becoming the only team in 1989 to lose to the 1-15 Cowboys, that taking place as late as Game 9 of the season, again at RFK.
Stuff happens, I swear, when these two get together.
"We played one game," Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips tried to emphasize the other day, "and I don't think there is any statistical analysis that you can say you're doing this bad or red zone, or you're doing this good - moving the ball - all those things. ... I just don't think you can say right now. If through five games we're not doing well in the red zone, if through five games were not doing something turnover-wise then ..."

This is what is so hard about opening games. Teams, but mostly fans, enthusiastically point toward that first game of the season, and do so for like four or five months, like as soon as the schedule comes out. And also the focus is on that first game almost as soon as training camp starts - at least the talk had been around here, the Redskins, the Redskins, and the Redskins.
And then you lose?
Oh my ... that's it. Cut Alex Barron. Cut David Buehler. Fire Jason Garrett. All after one game.
Expectations and anxiety walk hand in hand.
"The build up to that first game, there is so much work that is done, so much Chargers jersey
preparation, there is so much excitement, and when you lose that first game it's tough to deal with," says Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking, a veteran of a few season-opening losses. "It can really drag you down and it's something that we focused on. We can't allow that to happen. It was a loss that we should have won, just to be frank with you. We didn't make the plays to do it. We made some really bad mistakes, and that hurt us trying to accomplish that goal.
"But at the end of the day, it's just 1/16th of our season."

Mourning continues for Broncos

One was a Mohawk-wearing, superstar-in-the-making cornerback whose New Year's Eve celebration ended tragically in his white limo, sprayed with bullets from a Denver gang member.
The other was a backup running back, playing in a charity nfl jerseys
basketball tournament, only to see an apparent heart ailment take his life on the court seven weeks later.
The third was perhaps even lesser known, a fifth-round draft pick with a young son and a wide smile, but with uncertainties inside that apparently caused him to take his own life Monday afternoon.
Four years, three Denver Broncos players, all gone much too soon.
Perhaps the one common denominator in the deaths of Daren’t Williams, Damien Nash and Kenny McKinley is that they all were viewed as good guys, in their 20s, seemingly with so much life ahead of them.
"This makes the game seem kind of small at times," said Broncos coach Josh McDaniel’s, just 11 years older than McKinley, a player whose passing prompted a heartfelt press conference where emotions spilled over.
McDaniel’s went on to describe McKinley, a member of the coach's first draft class in 2009, as a "special" person, with a great big smile, a bigger personality and a promising future on the football field.
Though McKinley was on injured reserve, which meant he couldn't play this year, questions abound as to his state of mind.
Teammates and coaches, both in Denver and South Carolina, where McKinley played in college, said they saw no signs of this impending tragedy, that McKinley was all smiles even as he cleared out much of his locker a few weeks ago.
But the Arapahoe County medical examiner late Tuesday released an autopsy report ruling McKinley's death a suicide, and reporting that there was a strong smell of marijuana in the house.
It also reported a conversation McKinley had with friends while playing dominoes a month ago. "I could just kill myself," McKinley reportedly told his friends, none of whom took him seriously.
The report further noted that McKinley was depressed over a second knee operation that sidelined him for the 2010 season, and indicated he didn't know what he'd do without football.
For families of suicide victims, the reports seem all too familiar.
Tuesday marked the sixth anniversary of when Coloradoan Ante Underberg buried his son Gibe, who like McKinley was just 23 when he took his own life. That was on Sept. 21, 2004, after several failed comebacks at the University of Colorado and a senior season spent injured.
The elder Underberg said no one knows exactly what's going on inside an injured player's mind and that injuries, operations and medications may have a cumulative effect.
"If he's on IR and sees the team going (off) together and he's not going, maybe he's questioning the fact of whether he's going to go again or not," said Underberg.
"Maybe he doesn't see any hope for himself," Underberg said of McKinley. "You say, 'At 23, how can he have that narrow vision?' He's been playing since he was young. He's invested all his life in this. Then another surgery, and it's, 'You're done.'"
McDaniel’s said the decision for McKinley to have the surgery and go on IR was reached mutually.
But despite the smiles, that doesn't mean it didn't weigh on McKinley, something his agent and the coroner's report acknowledged.
An equally unanswered question is how much this will weigh on Bills jersey
a Broncos franchise that has seen tragedy after tragedy befall its players.
Publicist Jim Spaceman put it succinctly.
"There's no good time for bad news," he said.
Another team official, not wanting to speak on the record, noted that the deaths of Williams and Nash happened early in the off-season, giving the team time to grieve.
McKinley's death comes two games in, with a giant AFC showdown with the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning looming on Sunday.
How will the team deal with it? That remains to be seen.
Some players on Wednesday didn’t want to talk about it.
Others, like linebacker Mario Hagan, opened up and said he was still hurting inside.
“He’ll definitely be on my mind, will probably be on my mind ‘til I go under,” Hagan said of McKinley.
That very well could be the case as well with the emotional McDaniel’s, which visibly lost his composure Tuesday in talking about McKinley. Will overcoming this latest Broncos' tragedy be a defining moment in his young career?
Spaceman offered no predictions.
"But his upbringing has prepared him to handle a lot of things," Spaceman said in describing a young coach mature beyond his years.
While some Bronco loyalists must be wondering what's next, Spaceman, without diminishing each loss, tried to add some perspective.
"Sometimes things just happen," Spaceman said. "When daren’t was killed, he was the first active Bronco to ever pass away. The team had gone 45 years without this ever happening. Now we've had three. It's shocking and tragic. All you can do is the best you can and grieve."
McDaniel’s said the Broncos are planning a private memorial Friday, a moment of silence before the game Sunday and indicated players will wear decals with McKinley’s No. 11 on their helmets. They also will keep his locker intact at Broncos headquarters. And team representatives would be at McKinley’s funeral Monday in Georgia.
McDaniel’s further said counselors would be available to players and staff for as long as necessary.
Judging from those who have dealt with such tragedies, it won't be easy.
Underberg still has difficulty this time of year, even if he now is a volunteer with the Second Wind Fund, a youth-suicide presentation organization that he credits for saving more than 1,000 lives.
"Surgery in itself is traumatic," Underberg said. "You have to make sure everybody rehabs and transitions away from their injury. You've got to see them make that transition. You can't just patch them up, let them go home and put a Band-Aid on it."
That's why Underberg, unlike most sports fans, finds himself reading the injury reports after each game. To him, they can be more important than the main story or stats.
He's convinced there's a correlation between concussions and depression and suicide, as well as orthopedic surgeries and depression and perhaps suicide.
He pointed to former Colorado All-American Ted Johnson. The linebacker retired from the New England Patriots after a series of concussions left him not only worrying about the early onset of dementia and Alzheimer's but struggling with depression and amphetamine addiction.
Johnson has even offered, after his death, to have Boston University researchers study his brain to see what effects concussions may have had on it.
Even lesser injuries can take their toll emotionally.
Former Broncos defensive lineman/Colorado star Alfred 49ers jersey
Williams admitted the desperation he had felt because of injury.
Williams, now a Denver broadcaster, recalled numerous panic attacks, especially while flying, after surgery ended his pro career.
"I'd flown thousands of miles," he said on Denver sports radio station 104.3 FM Tuesday. "I'd never had any issues. But because of the way my career ended, it really made for some tough times. It made for a lot of soul searching. I finally threw everything that wasn't important to me out the window and focused on my family."
Williams, of course, was once a star, with a pair of Super Bowl rings.
McKinley, though the all-time leading receiver at South Carolina, was still a relative unknown with only 10 NFL touches. Though a member of the Broncos family, he was not an active part of the team anymore.

"Plenty of guys got knocked out this weekend," Underberg said of the NFL injury report. "We know who they are on Sunday mornings. Do we follow up on Monday? We don't follow the guys unless they're heroes. How many guys in Denver even knew who Kenny McKinley was?"
Former Detroit Lions quarterback Eric Hippie certainly knows now. Hippie’s 15-year-old son Jeff took his own life in April 2000, and Eric believes both the military and NFL are starting to take a closer look at depression and its consequences.
Hippie, who is on a panel speaking in Washington, D.C., this week that included former surgeon general David Snatcher, retired Buffalo Bills safety Matt Kelso and wife of retired Hall of Farmer John Mackey, said he can understand where a person’s perspective can get skewed — no matter whether they are in the NFL or not.
“The losses start stacking up,” said Hippie, who has made it his job to help educate people about illnesses and factors that lead to suicide.
“(McKinley) might have been looking at a dream lost, lost future income, loss of structure, loss of self-esteem, loss of identity. All those things lost with a single injury.”
In the end, Hippie said NFL players may be no different than the rest of the population when it comes to mental health issues. In the U.S., Hippie said there are 34,000 suicides annually. Suicide, he added, is the second-leading cause of death for those of college age, and the third-leading cause of Saints jersey
death for those aged 15-24.
“These community forums are huge. It shows this is an issue the NFL is thinking about and maybe getting out in front of,” Hippie said.
Unfortunately, it is too late for Kenny McKinley.

24 sep 10 Bucs S Tanard Jackson suspended by NFL

TAMPA, Fla. (AP)—Tampa Bay’s improved defense was dealt a blow Wednesday when safety Tanard Jackson(notes) was suspended for a minimum of a year without pay for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
The league made the announcement, saying the fourth-year pro has been suspended indefinitely but will be eligible for reinstatement beginning Sept. 22, 2011.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating and disappointing for everybody,” general manager Mark Dominik said.
Jackson sat out the first four games of cheap nfl jerseys
the 2009 season while serving a previous suspension for violating the substance of abuse policy.
A fourth-round draft pick in 2007, the 25-year-old Jackson is the only defensive player in Bucs history to start every game in his first two seasons.
Despite the four-game ban last season, Jackson finished with five interceptions in 12 starts. He had 13 tackles in two games this seasons, helping Tampa Bay to its first 2-0 start in five years.
“Tanard is a talented young man whom we hope is able to use this year to put his troubles behind him and ultimately return a stronger man and player,” Dominik said. “It’s up to Tanard whether the team and our fans eventually realize his considerable promise.”
The suspension was revealed about two hours after Colts jersey
Jackson and his teammates left the practice field. Coach Raheem Morris was not available for comment, and Dominik said the club is prohibited from releasing specific information about players in the league’s drug program.
Jackson’s replacement at free safety likely will be fourth-year pro Sabby Piscitelli(notes), who lost the strong safety job to Sean Jones(notes) during training camp. Rookie Cody Grimm(notes) and Corey Lynch(notes), who was signed off Cincinnati’s practice squad last year, are the other safeties on the roster.
“Talking to Coach Morris, obviously we have a position open. He’s going to take the next few days to determine who’s going to be the starter going forward,” Dominik said. “We are happy we did have guys like Corey Lynch and Cody Grimm and Sabby Piscitelli, and obviously Sean Jones, who played well enough to be on this team.”
When Jackson, who has eight career interceptions, returned from last year’s suspension he talked about how difficult it was being away from the team and how much football means to him.
“I could sit here and go on forever as to how much I Cowboys jersey
learned. The main thing is that this is what I love to do, this is what I’m blessed to do,” he said in October.
“I definitely felt I let my team down,” Jackson added at the time. “I disappointed myself, but your actions affect others around you, and that’s one thing that hit home.”

Special teams not so special for No. 18 Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP)—Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz had been worried about his special teams since fall camp.
Against Arizona, it didn’t take long to see why.
The Hawkeyes opened Saturday night’s 34-27 loss by allowing a quick touchdown cheap nfl jerseys
after a blocked punt deep in their own territory, then gave up another on a kickoff return in the second quarter.
No. 18 Iowa (2-1) made a valiant comeback effort against the Wildcats and were poised to take the lead in the fourth quarter after Broderick Binns’ interception return for a score. But kicker Trent Mossbrucker’s extra-point try was blocked, and Arizona responded with the winning touchdown.
The Hawkeyes fell from ninth to 18th in the polls after the loss, which can be blamed in large part on Iowa’s not-so-special teams.
Ferentz said Tuesday that the coaching staff is mulling major changes in time for Saturday’s non-conference finale against Ball State (1-2).
“Two things have to happen. Either we have to mix in some veteran guys that have done it already, and that’s one option. Or the second thing is, some other guys have step up and grow up a little bit.” Ferentz said. “The opportunity is there for guys right now, and that’s what we need. We need somebody to take a little ownership, jump in there and go.”
Iowa’s issues began in the opener, but few noticed as the Hawkeyes rolled to a 2-0 start.
Eastern Illinois surprised the Hawkeyes with a fake punt from their own 20 and rumbled 36 yards en route to their only touchdown. Iowa also struggled covering kickoffs against Iowa State, though it didn’t matter much as the Hawkeyes cruised to a 35-7 win.
But Ferentz dubbed the performance of Iowa’s coverage units Steelers jersey
against Cyclones “pathetic” and said that if it happened again in Arizona, they’d be down 28 at halftime.
Try 20.
Iowa’s Ryan Donohue, one of the nation’s top punters, never had a chance as David Roberts blew past the Hawkeyes line to block the punt and set up Arizona’s first score. Iowa later pulled within 14-7, but Travis Cobb ran 100 yards on the subsequent kickoff to give Arizona a 21-7 lead.
Iowa ranks 115th out of 120 FBS teams in allowing 30.9 yards per kickoff return, even though freshman kickoff specialist Michael Meyer has had six touchbacks in 17 tries.
“We’ve just got to either change our mindset or change some personnel, and maybe a combination of both,” Ferentz said. “We’ll look at everything this week and try to get it straightened out. I said that a week ago and it went from bad to worse, so we’ll look to change our approach.”
Iowa’s rally to tie the game—which came in part because of a fumble recovery by Shaun Prater on punt coverage—was a positive. But special teams miscues put the Hawkeyes in a hole that proved too deep to dig out of.
The Hawkeyes certainly have other issues with Big Ten play starting in two weeks, such as the somewhat spotty play of the offensive line at Arizona and depth at running back now that Jewel Hampton will likely miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
But special teams essentially cost the Hawkeyes 15 points in Vikings jersey
a seven-point loss last week, and that’s the most glaring problem in need of a fix.
“I’m optimistic it’s going to happen. I think it will happen,” Ferentz said of improved special teams play. “Hopefully sooner than later.”

It’s back to work for the Blazers with the Vols dead ahead

After its usual off-day on Monday, the UAB football team was back to work Tuesday morning for a two-hour, full-pad practice.
The Blazers began their on-field preparations for this Saturday’s road game at Tennessee, one of two non-conference contests remaining on the schedule (the other is Oct. 23 at Mississippi State).
“It was a little sloppy today,” UAB head coach Neil Callaway said. “Every Tuesday is football jersey
going to be a hard work day. You’re always putting in the new plan for whoever you’re playing that week. We’ll go back at it tomorrow and see what we have.”
The Blazers are looking to carry some momentum from last Saturday’s win over Troy into the Tennessee game. UAB came from 23 points behind to defeat the Trojans on the final play in Birmingham.
UAB will be making its fourth trip to Knoxville, Tenn., and looking for its first win there. The Volunteers own a 3-0 lead in the all-time series, including a victory two years ago. The 2005 contest provided the closest outcome with the Blazers falling 17-10.
“(Tennessee) does a nice job running and throwing,” Callaway said. “They have a big, physical offensive line and good receivers. They’re a talented football team.”
Saturday’s kickoff is scheduled for 12:21 p.m. ET (11:21 a.m. CT) at Neyland Stadium and will be televised by the SEC Network.
Before the season Iowa fans worried about how the Hawkeyes would keep three running backs happy with carries. With the news that Jewel Hampton will be out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury, Adam Robinson is now the last man standing in the backfield. The sophomore back says he is up to San Francisco 49ers jersey
the challenge and he talks about the two freshman backs who might see playing time.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)—Notre Dame and Navy will play in Dublin, Ireland, in 2012.
Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk says Aviva Stadium will be the site for the 86th meeting between the Fighting Irish and Midshipmen.
The $410 million stadium opened in May and has a seating capacity of 50,000.
“Obviously as an Irish-Catholic from Boston, Mass., I’m going to have a lot of requests for tickets—not airline tickets,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said after Tuesday’s practice in South Bend, Ind. “No, I just think it’s a great venue and I’m excited about it. That’s one of the unique things about being an Buffalo Bills jersey
independent, that you can have a game like that on the schedule. It certainly doesn’t hurt in recruiting, either.”
Navy and Notre Dame have met every season since 1927. This season they will play at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Oct. 23.

While quarterback Denard Robinson shined once again, Michigan had more troubling performances from its defense and special teams

Michigan is determined to play better after last week’s scare.
The No. 21 Wolverines might want to start doing so this week, as their next opponent has proved capable of defeating BCS opponents in recent years - especially Big Ten teams.
Michigan looks to go unbeaten in non-conference play in back-to-back seasons for nfl jerseys
the first time since 1997 when it hosts Bowling Green on Saturday.
The Wolverines (3-0) took an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter against visiting FCS opponent Massachusetts last week, but had that advantage cut to five with 2:05 remaining. An onside kick attempt that went out of bounds allowed them to hang on for a 42-37 victory.
“Last game was a reality check,” safety Cameron Gordon said. “We’re going to be very focused, very determined.”
While quarterback Denard Robinson shined once again, Michigan had more troubling performances from its defense and special teams. The Wolverines allowed a season-worst 217 rushing yards and gave up 439 overall after allowing 535 yards in a win at Notre Dame on Sept. 11.
“We were terrible on defense,” linebacker Craig Roh said. “We just didn’t look like we were prepared to play and we didn’t make adjustments during the game. … I promise you’ll not see another game like that from us again.”
A blocked punt led to the Minutemen’s final touchdown, while Michigan’s struggles on field goals also continued. Seth Broekhuizen missed on his only attempt from 38 yards after beating out Brendan Gibbons, who is 1 for 4, in last week’s open competition.
“I think the game got our guys’ attention that there’s a lot of work left for us to do,” Rodriguez said. “There’s a lot of things we need to clean up to get better.”
Without Robinson’s spectacular play, Michigan would have no chance of being unbeaten. The sophomore went 10 of 14 for 241 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while rushing for 104 yards and a TD last week.
Robinson leads the nation with 559 rushing yards and has completed nearly 70 percent of Chicago Bears jersey
his passes for 671. As a result, the Wolverines are sixth in the nation in rushing with 286.3 yards per game and 10th in total yards at 510.0.
Robinson could be in for another big day against a Bowling Green defense that’s giving up 465.7 yards a contest - 111th out of 120 in the FBS - and 194.0 on the ground.
The Falcons, however, have won 11 of their last 20 matchups with BCS opponents, going 4-5 against the Big Ten in that span.
“We cannot mess around and expect to win games. We’re not at that stage,” said Rodriguez, whose team has won its last seven non-conference matchups.
Bowling Green (1-2) is coming off a determined performance last week in a 44-28 win over Marshall. The Falcons built a 21-point lead late in the first half before seeing it erased after three quarters.
Bowling Green responded with 16 unanswered points, getting its second interception return for a touchdown of the game.
Sophomore Aaron Pankratz, who replaced an injured Matt Schilz (shoulder) in the third quarter, was 5 of 8 for 111 yards and connected with Tyrone Pronty for a 31-yard score in the final period. Schilz’s status for Saturday is uncertain.
“All year, our guys have played hard. We’ve gotten close in the fourth quarter against some good teams. We didn’t make the critical plays we needed,” coach Dave Clawson said. “Tonight, we made those plays.”
One of Pankratz’s completions was to Kamar Jorden, who leads the New Orleans Saints jersey
FBS with 34 receptions and is sixth with 343 receiving yards.
Michigan is 26-1 all-time against Mid-American Conference foes. The Wolverines won 42-7 in their only meeting with Bowling Green in 2000.

Bard still comfortable with his workload

When Daniel Bard pitched two innings in Saturday's 11-inning victory over Toronto, it wasn't as rare as one might expect.
Bard, who threw only 13 pitches while giving up nfl jerseys
a hit and walking one, had done so twice before this season. After Wednesday's 12/3-inning appearance in Game 1 against Seattle, he's now pitched an inning-plus 11 other times.
So when Red Sox manager Terry Francona was asked how rare a trick this was, giving his young setup man so much work, he said, "It might not be. We'll see. We try to monitor guys all year so when we get to this point we can do what we need to do. We're not going to hurt anybody. I think he threw 13 pitches. I mean, 13 pitches. You've got to be pretty good to do that."
Bard is pretty good at what he does, which is why he and Jonathan Papelbon are the go-to guys when a game is on the line, and Francona is hoping their services will be valuable this weekend in Tampa Bay.
Bard is fifth in the AL in appearances (57) and amongst relievers he's seventh in ERA (1.82), sixth in innings pitched (59.1), eighth in hits allowed (32), 11th in earned runs (12) and third in strikeouts (60). He also leads the AL with 28 holds, having broken Hideki Okajima's 2007 club record Wednesday. His ERA in his multiple-inning stints: 0.81 with eight holds.
Perhaps one measure of his effectiveness is his ability to go multiple innings and look so good. In his first two-inning appearance, April 21 at Texas, he struck out three. In the other, July 5 at Toronto, he struck out two. He didn't give up a hit, a run or a walk in either of those two-inning stints.
"Yeah, as long as it's not every day," he said. "They get spread out. There are Bills jersey
certain times if I hadn't thrown in two, three, four days and we need something in the seventh or eighth or whatever the case may be, I'm up for it. I just have to spread those out, I guess."
"I feel good," he said. "I'd like to finish strong and just be healthy down the stretch and hopefully be used as much as possible, as much as they need me. They've monitored it pretty closely the past month or so. I wasn't used as heavily as I was through May and June. So, yeah, I feel good, ready for the last month here."
This is Bard's first full season (he pitched 49 games in 2009) as a major leaguer, and he's been good enough that many fans have called for him to be closer instead of Jonathan Papelbon, who picked up Saturday's win.
"I'm not worried about it," Bard said. "He's here. He's one of the best in the game. As long as he's here that's the way it's gonna be. I'm gonna be throwing the seventh and the eighth and getting the ball to him with a lead, hopefully, so it's worked well all year. I think we're both comfortable in our roles and I wouldn't change it."
He says that he would like to be a closer. "It all depends on what his situation is over the next few years. A lot of factors go into that but ultimately that would be my goal."
There's little doubt, though, that as impressive as Bard was last season, he's come back even stronger for 2010.
"He stayed healthy last year," said the manager, who added Bard should be able to handle the workload for the last five weeks. "Well, we're not there yet, but I don't anticipate any problems. He's a pretty sharp kid. He's a hard worker. He prepares. I don't see any drop-off coming. He's been pretty consistent all year. You get pretty much the same stuff every time you go out. There's been a couple times where we've dug deep, we got right around the 25-pitch mark and you see his arm slot lower a little bit, but he's been pretty solid."
For now, Bard is content with his holds record, following in Okajima's 49ers jersey
footsteps. "I mean, he did it his first year, '07. He had an unbelievable year. I think he made the All-Star team, so that's pretty good footsteps to follow. He's had a great career here.
"It's just something I've worked hard for. I think as a relief pitcher all you can do is try to be as consistent as you can. All I try to do is keep things simple, and if you're as consistent as you can be, the results will be there in the long run."

Summer slip cools prospects for fall;Schedule doesn't get any easier with Yankees and Rays on

Three weeks into their make-or-break month, the Blue Jays are still making it - but that could change.
As the regular season slips away and the Yankeesnfl jersey
and Tampa Bay Rays keep winning, the Jays are hoping not to break, but going 4-5 on a road trip that ended Sunday with a 5-0 loss to the Red Sox certainly dented their long-shot playoff hopes. The Jays are a respectable 10-9 in August, but the toughest month on their schedule is about to get tougher.
With nine August games left, the Jays face five more dates against the World Series champion Yankees - 10-0 winners over the Mariners on Sunday - and historically stingy Rays, who own the two top records in baseball.
Manager Cito Gaston acknowledges the Jays could have used two extra wins on the road trip.
"We had a chance to win two more games and we didn't do it," Gaston said. "It was Chargers jersey
okay. Not bad. We've had worse. ... It doesn't cut it (in the AL East) but that's what it is."
The Jays emerged from the all-star break as the hottest-hitting team in baseball, leading the majors in homers (52) and slugging (.487) in 33 second-half games heading into Sunday.
But Sunday's game - not to mention a successful road trip and precious momentum - escaped when the Jays' bats faltered. After going 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position in Friday night's 16-2 win, the Jays went 0-for-10 in scoring situations.
Though the fourth-place Jays still nurse slim hopes of making the playoffs, or at least catching the elite three atop the AL East, they're aware of the reality of time.
With 38 games left, the Jays languish 101/2 games out of the wild-card spot, and none of Bears jersey
the teams ahead of them are slowing down.
"It's getting late in the season to be saying 'it's all right, it's all right,' " said outfielder Travis Snider, "but we've just got to keep grinding."

'RIGHT' SWITCH - LINEUP CHANGE HELPS SWISH REST

Manager Joe Girardi's original lineup yesterday had Nick Swisher batting fifth and playing right field. Yet when Swisher's left knee problem didn't allow him to run well he was scratched from the Yankees' 7-5 victory.
Marcus Thames went from designated hitter to right and nfl throwback jerseys
Lance Berkman was inserted as the DH. It was Thames' sixth start in right and 21st in the outfield. The last time Thames started a game in the outfield was July 7 at Oakland in left.
Had Austin Kearns not suffered a slightly bruised thumb working in the cage yesterday, he would have played right and Thames remained in the DH spot.
Thames launched a tworun, two-out homer in the seventh that snapped a 5-5 tie off right-hander Jason Frasor.
"It's not the right day. It feels fine walking around but once I start running it hurts," said Swisher, who missed a second straight game after being removed from Thursday's game. "Hopefully, it will get better overnight and I will be ready [today]."
After the game Swisher said the second straight day of treatment made the knee feel better.
Swisher fouled a ball off the knee Aug. 24 and didn't play the following night. He started the next seven games.
"When I try and turn it on," Swisher said when asked when he feels it. "We got a big schedule ahead. I want to make sure I am 100 percent."
Swisher, who is hitting .295 with 25 homers and 80 RBIs, hadn't undergone tests on the hinge.
"You get ready and amped up to play," Swisher said of preparing to play and then not. "I thought today was the day, but it's not." Swisher missed a chance to face lefty Marc Rzepczynski, against whom he was 4-for-6.
*** Mired in a 3-for-34 (.088) slump, Derek Jeter worked Indianapolis Colts jersey
early in the batting cage where he participated in a flip drill with hitting coach Kevin Long.
Jeter returned to the lineup after having Friday off and doubled in a run in the three-run third.
He went 1-for-4 with a walk.
*** Joba Chamberlain was wearing a UCLA football jersey in the clubhouse yesterday with No. 87 on the back below HARKEY. Yankees' bullpen coach Mike Harkey's son, Cory, wears that number for the Bruins. He is a tight end.
Chamberlain worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the seventh by fanning MLB home run leader Jose Bautista (43) on a 3-2 slider that was off the plate but called a strike by umpire Ed Hickox and getting Vernon Wells to bounce into an inning-ending double play.
Bautista was quickly ejected for arguing balls and strikes.
"I thought it was a good pitch, it was where we were going for," said Chamberlain, who hasn't given up a run in 15 of his last 17 games. "We were trying to get him off the fastball because he is a pretty good fastball hitter."
*** Jets linebacker Jason Taylor spent time on the field talking to Alex Rodriguez after A-Rod worked out in the morning. Taylor then entered the Yankees' clubhouse with Rodriguez.
*** Robinson Cano's bases-loaded, two-run single in the third lifted his average with three runners on base to .600 (9-for-15). He has 23 RBIs in those 15 at-bats.
ON DECK
Today - 1:10 p.m., YES, WCBS (880 AM) LHP Brett Cecil (117, 3.74) vs. RHP Phil Hughes (16-6, 4.10)
BLUE JAYS AT YANKEES
YANKEES: Hughes has struggled down the stretch in his first year as a fulltime starter in the Dallas Cowboys jersey
Yankees rotation. He allowed five runs on six hits in 3.2 innings Aug. 25 against the Blue Jays, before walking five guys in five innings in a win over Oakland Tuesday.
BLUE JAYS: Cecil has been strong over the course of his last several starts, with quality starts in eight of his last 10 outings. He's allowed one run and gone at least six innings in his three starts against the Yankees this year.

New York Jets learn talk is cheap in NFL

As I consider recalcitrance a virtue, I’m heartened to know that Joe Namath has a Twitter account before I do. Still, on the eve of the big game between original AFL franchises, New York and New England, I’m also encouraged to learn that he used the technology toward a worthy end.
His criticism of the Jets, however mild, was nfl jersey
well-deserved. What’s more, I’d like to think it marks his transformation from team shill to ombudsman. Without question, Gang Green could use these services.
Yes, I know he’s promoting a new radio show with my colleague, Adam Schein. Just the same, as the author of the famously tipsy Guarantee, and the strategic calculus that beat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, he’s more than qualified to offer an opinion on the New York Jets.
You need 10 yards to keep a game alive, and you run a nine-yard out? As Namath himself put it, “Disgusting.”
If Namath’s career stands for anything, it’s the notion that you’re obligated to back up your words, something the Jets have failed to do in this still very young season. "I've got to believe that this 'Hard Knocks' stuff was a distraction," Namath told Michael Kay on Thursday.
It was, however, a distraction they assumed with great glee. I’ve never seen a more candid team. Nor have I seen one embrace its own ambition with such grandiosity, an ethos – Super Bowl or bust! – that begins with the head coach. After all of one preseason, the 2010 Jets will go down as the greatest reality show in NFL history. But now Rex Ryan and his charges must learn the hard way that reality TV has little to do with reality.
Nuance counts for nothing. You’re bound only by the smack Bills jersey
that you talk. I guarantee it.
First, the Jets talk about the Super Bowl. Then they go out and pass for 74 yards on opening night. Now they get the Patriots, their second home game at a Stadium not named for the Giants.
In a rhetorical context, this is the perfect storm. I mean, I find myself wondering if Don King is promoting Sunday’s game. Again, it starts with Ryan, who might just be learning, like his father before him, that there’s a difference between players’ coaches and head coaches.
“I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings.” That’s what he said shortly after taking the job just 14 months ago. “I came here to win. ... I’m certainly not intimidated by New England.”
The Jets split their two games with the Patriots last year. But they were unencumbered by expectations. They were playing with house money. Now, the defending division champions, a team that finished, quite surprisingly, one game from the Super Bowl, finds itself three-point dogs to the Patriots at home. New England, at least on paper, hasn’t gotten much better. And the oddsmakers haven’t gotten stupider. In other words, Namath – who made his bones with contempt for a 17-point spread – isn’t alone in thinking that the Jets have talked too much, too early.
“Joe likes to sling it because that’s the kind offense they had back then,” Sanchez said earlier this week. “But we have a great running game.”
What are they teaching these kids at USC? I’d advise young Mr. Sanchez to get a tape of Super Bowl III, as it would demonstrate that the mere threat of “slinging it” can make a ground game possible. As for his contention that the Jets have “a great running game,” he’s a little young to be living in the past, no? That was last year, with Thomas Jones gaining 1,402 yards. This year, they’re praying Shonn Green doesn’t fumble, which he did twice in five carries against the Ravens.
Then there’s Braylon Edwards, another receiver with great regard for himself. After Namath tweeted that he seems to drop as many balls as he catches, Edwards responded with the old tell-me-to-my-face bit: “That’s his mouth, his words. I really don’t think Mr. Namath knows me. I’m sure he’s never followed me. He’s a Jet guy and I was in Cleveland for five years, and I had one bad season ... ”
Perhaps this could’ve been avoided then, if Namath had only drafted Mr. Edwards for his fantasy team.
Finally, don’t forget the Darrelle Revis-Randy Moss bit. It began with 49ers jersey
Revis calling the receiver a “slouch” for the way he played at the Meadowlands a year ago.
“You’ve got 60 minutes of this slouch,” Moss said the other day, after pouting for a new contract.
“I called him a slouch,” said Revis, “because I felt he played like a slouch.”

Falcons welcome return of Babineaux to D-line

The Atlanta Falcons are happy to have Jonathan Babineaux back in the middle of their defensive line.
The Falcons struggled to stop the run in their season opener, giving up nfl throwback jerseys
143 yards in a 15-9 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Only three teams surrendered more yards on the ground in Week 1.
Babineaux didn't play in that game, serving a one-game suspension stemming from a 2009 marijuana arrest. He also was fined one week's pay, which cost him $260,000 of his $2.2 million salary.
''It's a great feeling to be back out there with the fellows,'' Babineaux said. ''I'm not taking things for granted anymore. I want to have fun every moment and play my hardest.''
That's just what the Falcons want to hear. He'll be back in the starting lineup for Sunday's home opener against the Arizona Cardinals (1-0), playing alongside former first-round pick Peria Jerry in what Atlanta is hoping will be a stingier unit against the run.
''Jonathan is an integral part of what we're trying to do,'' coach Mike Smith said. ''Of all the defensive linemen last year, he probably got the most snaps. We're looking forward to getting him back. He has the ability to penetrate and create negative-yardage plays.''
Two years ago, Babineaux ranked fourth in the NFL with 9.5 tackles Chargers jersey
behind the line. Last season, he led the Falcons with six sacks - quite a coup for a defensive tackle, whose primary job is clogging up the middle of the line, tying up as many blockers as possible so the guys on the outside can swoop in to get all the glory.
Off the field, things haven't gone as smoothly.
Babineaux was arrested in 2007 for his alleged involvement in the death of his girlfriend's dog, but prosecutors cleared said there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute. Last December, he was jailed again after police found 1 1/2 ounce of marijuana in his car during a traffic stop in suburban Atlanta.
The charges were reduced to three misdemeanor counts, and he pleaded guilty shortly before reporting to training camp. He received one year on probation from the court and a one-game suspension from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
''I made a mistake and obviously I paid for it,'' Babineaux said. ''It's a lesson learned. I'm ready to move on from here. I'm ready to have a great year.''
He didn't make the trip to Pittsburgh but was watching on television when Rashard Mendenhall burst through the line to win the game on a 50-yard run in overtime.
''It's kind of weird to see your team and you're not out there playing,'' Babineaux said. ''It's like you're a fan on the outside looking in. It leave an empty feeling in your stomach. I wish I could have been there.''
He will be on Sunday in a crucial game for the Falcons, who can't afford to drop to 0-2 with a road game coming up against Super Bowl champion New Orleans.
''I feel like I've been progressing every year as a player,'' said Babineaux, Bears jersey
who's now in his sixth season. ''Once you've been in this league a while, you understand things more and you can play faster, play at a higher pace.''
NOTES: To restore Babineaux to the 53-man roster, the Falcons demoted C Rob Bruggeman to the practice squad. They had an opening after RB Dimitri Nance was picked up by the Green Bay Packers.

Johnson hoping for another chance to celebrate

Calvin Johnson is hinting at a special end zone celebration this weekend - as long as he scores a touchdown that's allowed to stand, of course.
Johnson had what looked like a game-winning touchdown catch ruled incomplete last week in Chicago, a ruling that led to a lot of discussion this week about the NFL rule for completing a reception. The Detroit receiver was coy Friday when asked if he had anything planned for his football jerseys
team's home opener Sunday against Philadelphia.
''I've thought about it. You'll have to find out, though, if I get in the zone,'' Johnson said with a laugh.
Teammate Nate Burleson revealed a little more - but not much.
''We've been talking, chatting,'' Burleson told reporters. ''Hopefully you guys will get to see it. I'm not going to give you any hints or clues as to what it is, but I know you guys will like it.''
Against Chicago last weekend with his team trailing 19-14, Johnson leaped to snag a pass from Shaun Hill in the end zone and got both feet and a knee on the ground before putting the ball on the grass and beginning to celebrate. It was ruled incomplete because Johnson didn't maintain possession of Indianapolis Colts jersey
the ball throughout the entire process of the catch.
The Bears held on to win.
''It's over with - 24-hour rule,'' Johnson said. ''What happened last week doesn't have any effect on what happens this week.''
Carl Johnson, the NFL's director of officiating, suggested the Detroit receiver might have been better off handing the ball to an official before celebrating. Calvin Johnson will no doubt be more careful next time, but the disappointment of last week doesn't appear to be holding him or Burleson back in their plans to have a little fun.
''This is what we do when we go home, if you guys are curious. We don't go home and get in the playbook,'' Burleson said jokingly. ''We go home and look in the mirror and practice our end zone dances.''
In a season in which the Cincinnati Bengals - with Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco - may try to corner the market on flashy celebrations, these two Detroit receivers are hoping to make their own mark.
''We've got better stuff than that. The Ochocincos and T.O.s, they've got the old school celebrations,'' Burleson said. ''We've got the new school stuff.''
Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward has been named to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Ward, in his 13th season with Pittsburgh, will be sworn in at the U.S. Dallas Cowboys jersey
Capitol on Tuesday.
The commission coordinates with government agencies to get Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders involved in federal programs for business, agriculture and economic development.
Ward's Helping Hands Foundation helps mixed-race children who face discrimination, especially in South Korea. Ward's mother is Korean.

Mets hold on for 8-7 victory over Pirates

NEW YORK (AP)—In a sloppy September game between non-contending teams, Angel Pagan(notes) had the big hit.
The rest of the game was marred by errors and shaky pitching as the Mets and Pirates lurched to the finish in their disappointing seasons.
Pagan capped New York’s seven-run fourth nfl jerseys
inning with a tiebreaking two-run single and the Mets handed Pittsburgh another road loss with an 8-7 victory Wednesday night.
The Pirates, who dropped to 15-58 on the road, made two costly errors while blowing a five-run lead. One was a head-scratcher by catcher Chris Snyder(notes), whose dropped throw opened the door to the tying and go-ahead runs later in the inning.
“I mean the guy’s leading baseball in fielding percentage as a catcher, drops the ball at the plate. It shocked all of us,” Pirates manager John Russell said. “We had a nice lead, and just couldn’t hold it.”
The Mets also lost 20-year-old right-hander Jenrry Mejia(notes), who left in the third inning with an acute shoulder strain. He went for an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.
Whatever is wrong with Mejia could impact his role on the 2011 Mets. He made 30 relief appearances for New York before going to the minors to get stretched out, then got hurt during his third big league start.
Mejia had a shoulder injury in the minor leagues before, but pitching coach Dan Warthen said Wednesday night’s problem was different. Initially, Warthen and catcher Henry Blanco(notes) thought Mejia had landed funny and possibly injured his leg, but the pitcher said the back of his shoulder hurt.
“We’ll see what they say tomorrow and make some decisions accordingly,” manager Jerry Manuel said.
Jose Reyes(notes) hit his 10th homer in the sixth inning for the Mets, who have won three straight.
The Pirates helped New York out with their sloppy fielding in the big fourth inning. Ike Davis(notes) and pinch-hitter Mike Hessman(notes) each had run-scoring hits for the Mets.
Paul Maholm(notes) (7-15) lasted just 3 2-3 innings for Pittsburgh, which could threaten the 1963 Mets’ record for worst road mark (17-64) in a 162-game season.
Raul Valdes(notes) (3-3) came in after Mejia left with one out. Dallas Cowboys jersey
Valdes allowed four runs in 1 2-3 innings and Hisanori Takahashi(notes), the last of seven Mets pitchers, surrendered a homer to Andrew McCutchen(notes) on his first pitch before retiring three straight for his seventh save in seven chances.
Seven consecutive batters reached after Pagan led off the fourth with a routine grounder. He came up again with two down and singled to left-center to put the Mets ahead 7-5.
“Angel has had two tremendous seasons here back to back, playing injury-free,” Manuel said. “He’s coming into his own. He’s such a tremendous athlete.”
Pagan is hitting .292 with 65 RBIs and 33 steals this season, after hitting .306 in 2009.
The Pirates let the tying run score when shortstop Ronny Cedeno(notes) mishandled a one-out grounder by pinch-hitter Joaquin Arias(notes). Before Cedeno’s miscue, Snyder dropped a throw from third baseman Pedro Alvarez(notes) on Ruben Tejada’s(notes) grounder, letting Davis and Nick Evans(notes) score.
“Everything happened but the ball going in my glove,” Snyder said. “I wish I could give you something good to put down and make it seem right, but I can’t. It’s terrible. It’s inexcusable. It’s embarrassing to me. That’s a play I make 99 times out of a hundred.
“Well, I guess now it’s 98 times.”
Maholm was charged with seven runs, just two earned, and seven hits. He walked two and struck out one.
“You have a 5-0 lead,” Maholm said. “You have to be able to make it stand up.”
The Mets had their own fielding problems in Pittsburgh’s four-run fourth.
Snyder came around on McCutchen’s two-run single when Blanco caught the ball up the line toward third, but could only lunge at him coming home. He missed, but forced Snyder wide around him and past home.
Both players dove for the plate, but when Blanco pushed himself up with his glove hand, the ball popped loose because it had been snared in the top of his webbing, and Snyder scored easily.
The Pirates have lost their only six games at Citi Field. They get another chance Thursday when this four-game series wraps up.
NOTES: Pirates pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit(notes) delivered an RBI double off Bobby Parnell(notes) in the top of the eighth. … It was Filipino Heritage Night at Citi Field. Costumed dancers performed in the outfield before the game. … The Mets honored their minor league prospects who Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
won organizational awards, having all eight of them throw out first pitches simultaneously. … Valdes’ win gave the Mets 22 by rookie pitchers this season. … Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez was shown on the big screen operating a camera during a pitching change in the eighth inning.

Dan Johnson homers twice, Rays top Yankees

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Dan Johnson(notes) to the rescue.
One of the unheralded contributors in Tampa Bay’s drive to the AL pennant two years ago is at again, hitting game-winning homers and helping the Rays make a push for another division title.
Johnson smacked a pair of cheap nfl jerseys
two-run homers Wednesday night, lifting the Rays to a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees and back into first place in the AL East.
“My goodness,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “This guy does nothing but get big hits.”
The teams with baseball’s top two records flip-flopped positions in the standings for the third straight night. The first two games of the important series went extra innings, with the Rays winning 1-0 on Monday and the Yankees regaining the division lead by a half-game with an 8-7 win on Tuesday.
The finale was filled with plenty of drama, too, even though the teams are far from finished. They’ll play four more games in New York next week, with Tampa Bay holding an 8-6 edge in the season series.
“This is about as close to a playoff atmosphere as you can get without actually being in the playoffs,” said Johnson, who also drove in the winning runs in two victories over Boston last month, including a 10th-inning walk-off homer on Aug. 28.
Two years ago, he hit a game-tying, ninth-inning pinch-hit homer off Jonathan Papelbon(notes) at Fenway Park just hours after being called up from the minors.
Four RBIs tied a career-best for the former Oakland prospect, and nine of his last 10 RBIs have come with the score tied or the Rays trailing by one.
“It’s something about the calm feeling that comes over me in those situations,” Johnson said. “Once you’ve done it a couple of times, you feel like you’re going to do it every time. I think that really helps you in those situations. If you feel like you’re going to do it, you’re probably going to do it.”
Both of the homers came off Phil Hughes(notes) (16-8), who retired two of Tampa Bay’s most dangerous hitters—Carl Crawford(notes) and Evan Longoria(notes)—before giving up a two-out single to Matt Joyce(notes) and Johnson’s winning homer in the seventh.
The Yankees had taken a 3-2 in the top of the seventh on Curtis Granderson’s(notes) two-run homer off Chad Qualls(notes) (1-0).
Randy Choate(notes) and Grant Balfour(notes) worked a scoreless eighth for the Rays. Rafael Soriano(notes) pitched the ninth, earning his franchise record-tying 43rd save in 46 opportunities by striking out Alex Rodriguez(notes) on three pitches with the potential tying run on base.
“It’s about as good as it gets,” Maddon said of playing three consecutive one-run games with first place on the line. “It was incredibly intense on both sides. Both sides were really into every pitch. Every pitch mattered.”
Rays starter James Shields(notes) scattered eight hits over 6 1-3 innings, walked two and struck out eight before departing with a 2-1 lead Johnson gave Tampa Bay with his two-run homer off Hughes in the fifth. Johnson has five homers since being called up last month from Triple-A Durham, where he was the International League MVP with 30 homers and 95 RBIs.
The Yankees went back on the top in seventh after plate umpire Lance Barksdale—over the objections of the Rays—ruled that Qualls’ first pitch struck Derek Jeter(notes) on the left arm and Granderson followed with his 18th homer.
Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon argued unsuccessfully that the ball hit Jeter’s bat, eventually drawing an ejection from Barksdale.
Jeter, who stood doubled over while receiving attention from a trainer, confessed that the ball hit the end of his bat and he sold the call to Barksdale with a good acting job.
“He told me to go to first base. I’m not going to tell him I’m not going to first, you know,” Jeter said.
“It’s part of the game. My job is to get on base. Fortunately for us it paid off at the time, but I’m sure it would have been a bigger story if we would have won that game.”
Maddon disliked the call, but didn’t fault Jeter.
“If our guys had did it, I would have Indianapolis Colts jersey
applauded that. It’s a great peformance on his part,” the Tampa Bay manager said. “Several players are very good at that. And again, I’m not denigrating it. If our guy does it, I’m very happy with that if we end up getting the call. … Fortunately it didn’t cost us.”
Although it will take a major collapse for either team to not make the playoffs, the Yankees and Rays value the division title because of the homefield advantage that comes with it in the postseason.
“There’s no question, we want to win the division. I don’t want to downplay that at all. We know what home field advantage means. We saw what it did for us last year,” Rodriguez said.
The Yankees, who stopped a season-high four-game losing streak on Tuesday, have dropped eight of 10 overall.
“We could have very easily won five of these games,” New York manager Joe Girardi said. “Sometimes you get the big hits, sometimes you don’t.”
Shields has struggled against the Yankees much of his career, going 1-7 with a 6.00 ERA in nine starts against them before this season. He’s been much more effective this year, going 2-0 and outpitching CC Sabathia(notes) in a 3-0 victory at Tropicana Field on Aug. 1.
The Yankees had at least one hit in five of the first sixth innings, but were 2 for 7 with runners in scoring position against Shields—with both of the hits coming in the first, when Mark Teixiera’s infield single sent Jeter to third and Robinson Cano’s(notes) single to left scored the Yankees captain.
Hughes, who retired 12 in a row to start the game, allowed four runs and six hits over 6 2-3 innings. He walked none and struck out five.
Notes: Maddon reiterated before the game that he had no problem with Crawford’s much-debated decision to tag up and try to advance to third base on a fly ball in the 10th inning Tuesday night. The speedy All-Star outfielder—the potential tying run—was thrown out by rookie Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
Greg Golson(notes), completing a game-ending double play. … Yankees LHP Andy Pettitte(notes), sidelined since June 19 by a strained left groin, is set to rejoin the rotation next Wednesday against Tampa Bay. RHP Javier Vazquez(notes) will shift into a long relief role. … Yankees OFs Nick Swisher(notes) (left knee) and Brett Gardner(notes) (right wrist) remained out of the starting lineup. They could return this weekend.

NFL reminds clubs of media policy

NEW YORK (AP)—The NFL sent a memo Tuesday reminding all 32 teams of its equal access and conduct policy toward the media following a TV Azteca reporter’s comments that the Jets made her uncomfortable in their locker room last weekend.
“Women are a common part of the sports media,” nfl throwback jerseys
the memo said, and included the policy. “By law, women must be granted the same rights to perform their jobs as men. Please remember that women reporters are professionals and should be treated as such. “
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello also sent an email to the Association of Women in Sports Media restating league policy.
Reporter Ines Sainz, who works for the Mexican network, said she was uncomfortable Saturday in the Jets’ locker room, where a few players made catcalls as she waited with two male co-workers to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez(notes), who is of Mexican descent. An assistant coach also seemed to deliberately throw footballs to players near where Sainz was standing on the sideline during practice.
The NFL also reacted Tuesday when Clinton Portis(notes), the outspoken running back for the Washington Redskins, said in his weekly appearance on a radio: “I think you put women reporters in the locker room in position to see guys walking around naked, and you sit in the locker room with 53 guys, and all of the sudden you see a nice woman in the locker room. I think men are going to tend to turn and look and want to say something to that woman.”
Aiello said the comments were “clearly inappropriate, offensive, and have no place in the NFL.”
Then the Redskins issued a statement by Portis, who said he Minnesota Vikings jersey
was “wrong to make the comments” and that he respects the job reporters do.
The Redskins said they “will take the necessary steps” to remind players about acting in a professional manner.
“I didn’t address it with the team, but I did talk to Clinton,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday. “I think everybody read Clinton’s apology, and my conversation with him is private, but I think he said what he needed to say.”
League policy further states that women reporters are “assigned to cover NFL teams for the same reasons as their male counterparts—because they are professional reporters with an interest in sports. When female reporters are in your locker room, they are there in a professional capacity.”
AWSM said it was in contact with the NFL about Portis’ remarks and appreciated the league’s swift response.
Jets coach Rex Ryan said league representatives spoke to Indianapolis Colts jersey
specific players on Tuesday as part of its investigation into what happened. He also volunteered to talk to the NFL.
AP Sports Writers Dennis Waszak Jr., in Florham Park, N.J., and Joseph White in Ashburn, Va., contributed to this story.

A new quarterback is at the center of team’s hope

Although two of the NFL’s worst teams entered 2010 with renewed optimism, both the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders began the season with a familiar result.
Each club would be especially disappointed to be 0-2 after their meeting nfl throwback jerseys
Sunday, when the Raiders try to avoid losing a sixth consecutive home opener and hand the Rams a 10th consecutive defeat.
A new quarterback is at the center of each team’s hopes, but Oakland had trouble protecting Jason Campbell(notes) in his Raiders debut.
Campbell, acquired from Washington in the offseason to replace JaMarcus Russell(notes), was sacked four times while going 22 of 37 for 180 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 38-13 loss at Tennessee last Sunday.
Oakland’s revamped defense also had trouble as the Titans ran for 205 yards and scored two touchdowns from more than 50 yards out.
“It’s a wake-up call for our guys,” tight end Zach Miller said. “We had a lot of confidence, maybe we were overconfident going into the season. Maybe because of the things we did we thought we could just show up.”
A lack of confidence may be a more understandable problem for the Raiders, who have lost at least 11 games in a record seven consecutive seasons.
They’re an NFL-worst 17-39 at home in that stretch, and they haven’t won a home opener since beating Buffalo 13-10 on Sept. 19, 2004, dropping their last five by an average of 15.8 points.
The Rams, however, have been the league’s worst overall team the last three years, winning a total of six games. Their 1-15 record last season gave them the top overall draft pick, which they used to select quarterback Sam Bradford(notes).
St. Louis didn’t waste any time making the former Oklahoma star the focal point of its offense. In last Sunday’s opener against Arizona, Bradford attempted 55 passes - the third-highest total in franchise history.
While throwing for 253 yards and his first career touchdown, Bradford also threw two of his three interceptions in the fourth quarter of a 17-13 loss - the Rams’ ninth straight since a Nov. 1 victory at Detroit.
“You can’t expect him to just turn things around in one day,” Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
running back Steven Jackson said. “But he’s made huge strides and he’s going in the right direction.”
Bradford was one of nine active rookies for St. Louis last weekend, but the youth movement won’t be an excuse. Jackson said the team is “not going to accept (losing) anymore,” and second-year coach Steve Spagnuolo agreed.
“It’s not good enough to say we played hard,” Spagnuolo said. “We’ve got to win.”
The Rams have lost 12 consecutive games against AFC opponents, but their last interconference win came at Oakland on Dec. 17, 2006. Jackson had 31 carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns to power the 20-0 victory.
St. Louis, however, will need to overcome a few injuries to beat the Raiders again. Linebacker Chris Chamberlain(notes) could miss up to two months due to turf toe, while the status of wide receiver Laurent Robinson(notes) (sore ankle) is uncertain.
Robinson caught Bradford’s lone touchdown pass against the Cardinals, but Mark Clayton(notes) was the rookie’s favorite target with a career-high 10 receptions for 119 yards. The Rams acquired Clayton from Baltimore on Sept. 6.
Finding a reliable wideout remains a problem for Oakland. Wide receivers accounted for 58 yards against Tennessee even though the Raiders faced a big deficit for most of the game.
Darren McFadden(notes) had the team’s best offensive day, carrying the load while fellow running back Michael Bush(notes) was inactive due to a broken thumb - his status for Sunday is uncertain. McFadden had 18 carries for 95 yards, adding six catches for 55 yards and a touchdown.
That was one of the few positives for the Raiders. Rookie center Indianapolis Colts jersey
Jared Veldheer(notes) was among those having problems on Oakland’s offensive line, while the team also needs improvement from a new group of linebackers featuring rookie Rolando McClain(notes).
“We’re not going to sit around and overanalyze it or overcook it,” coach Tom Cable said. “We’re going to look at what the issues are and fix it. We feel great about our team.”

Vick makes the most of his opportunity

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Michael Vick’s(notes) dazzling performance in the Philadelphia Eagles’ season-opening loss to Green Bay was even more impressive considering how long it had been since the former Pro Bowl quarterback played meaningful minutes in the NFL.
A total of 1,350 days, to be exact. The last time Vick started a game with the football jerseys
Atlanta Falcons was on Dec. 31, 2006.
In football terms, that’s an eternity.
Yet there he was, the same old No. 7, once known for throwing a football harder and farther than just about anyone. Back then, Vick was just as exciting running as the best running backs because of his ability to slice one way, cut the other way and race by everybody.
Four years later, he was doing it again.
“It was gratifying to go out and have fun playing the game of football, playing the way I like to play and playing the way the game is dictated and just have fun,” Vick said Wednesday.
“Sometimes we have a tendency to make the game more serious than what it is and put a lot of pressure on ourselves, which is normal, which is good,” he added, “because you have to do that in order to bring the best out of yourself.”
If Kevin Kolb(notes) can’t play Sunday because of a concussion, Vick will make his first start in 45 months when the Eagles (0-1) visit the Detroit Lions (0-1).
Instead of a half, he’ll get four quarters to showcase his skills and silence the critics who said he’d never resuscitate his career after spending 18 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation.
“My primary focus is to put this team in position to win,” Vick said. “That’s the ultimate goal. You can’t go out and try to prove yourself because that adds more pressure to this game.”
Vick already did enough to create a quarterback controversy among fans and media in Philadelphia. But there’s no question who the No. 1 guy is for the Eagles. Coach Andy Reid insists Kolb will be the starter when he’s healthy.
“I don’t want to slight Michael at all in this, because I am so happy for this kid and the progress that he’s made since being incarcerated, in both life and on the football field, and he’s worked so stinking hard to get himself to this position,” Reid said. “He did a great job. On the other hand, Kevin’s the starting quarterback for this football team.”
Vick has become the people’s choice among the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately crowd, though. That’s quite the turnaround for a guy who was greeted by protests from animal rights activists and outraged fans when he signed with the Eagles last summer.
Vick saw limited action playing behind Donovan McNabb(notes) and Kolb. He threw 13 passes, ran 24 times and accounted for just 181 yards and three touchdowns while mostly running a variation of the wildcat offense.
Clearly, Vick wasn’t the same guy who Dallas Cowboys jersey
revolutionized his position, set rushing records and routinely made head-spinning, highlight-reel plays during six seasons in Atlanta.
By the time he was 25, Vick was an iconic figure who moved merchandise— video games, high-priced sneakers, replica jerseys—and made the Falcons so popular that a franchise that used to have trouble selling out games had a waiting list for season tickets.
He also had a 10-year, $130 million contract that was the richest deal in NFL history.
He lost everything when he went to jail, but the Eagles gave him a second chance, and he’s done everything possible to turn his life and career around.
“Since the day I got here, I’ve been working as hard as I can and as diligently as I can to get better,” Vick said. “You want to strive to be great and you want to be perfect. We all know you can’t be perfect, but you want to strive for perfection. That’s what we try to do”
After missing two years, Vick obviously needed time to work himself back into football shape. He also had to learn a new offense and improve different aspects of his game. Vick had success in Atlanta, leading the Falcons to the NFC championship game against the Eagles in just his second full season as a starter in 2004, but he was far from a polished quarterback.
McNabb was an ideal mentor because they had similar skills, and Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg are excellent teachers. And for 13 months, Vick has improved.
“The system that we’re running here, he’s done very well at picking it up,” Reid said, “and he’s working very hard not only condition-wise, but also just the fundamentals of playing.”
Kolb and the rest of the offense looked awful in the first half against the Packers in the first game in the post-McNabb era. Then his backup came in, started making plays and nearly rallied the Eagles to a comeback victory. The Packers held on for a 27-20 win.
Vick completed 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown, and scrambled for 103 yards.
Anyone who thought Vick had lost a step should check the tape. All those teams who showed no interest when the Eagles put Vick on the trading block in the offseason might be reconsidering.
Vick demonstrated his uncanny escapability, displayed his lightning-quick speed and showed off his powerful arm. He eluded sacks, outran tacklers and fired throws on the run.
“I had the old feel back,” Vick said.
His swagger, too.
“I still feel like I can play at a high level,” Vick said. “I feel like if I had been out there for four quarters, maybe we would have had a chance to win the game. I feel like I’m like 25 or 26 again, even though that’s not the case.”
The 30-year-old Vick perhaps feels younger because his body hasn’t taken a pounding since ’06, when he became the only QB in history to run for 1,000 yards.
If he sticks to the game plan, he won’t have to run around like that anymore.
“In this offense, Marty allows you to get into a rhythm,” Vick said. “Play-calling is everything and putting guys in the right positions and telling them what to do and they do exactly what you tell them to do, then you’re going to excel, you’re going to be successful.
Here, you have no choice but to get better in the passing game,” he added. “It’s like a passing camp during the summer.”
Vick may have a tougher time as a starter this week.
The Packers didn’t plan for Vick, and they had a comfortable lead in the second half, so they played more of Indianapolis Colts jersey
a prevent defense and backed off blitzing. The Lions will have a chance to prepare, likely assigning a spy to limit Vick’s scrambling.
“It’s important that he focuses in on being in that pocket and throwing the football, and he’s done that since he’s got here,” Reid said. “He’s really handled that very well.”

Beckham makes long-awaited return from injury

David Beckham made his first competitive appearance in six months as Los Angeles Galaxy beat Columbus Crew 3-1 at the Home Depot Center.
Beckham had not played since rupturing his Achilles nfl jersey
playing on loan for AC Milan in March - an injury that eventually ruled him out of England's World Cup campaign - but came on as a replacement after 70 minutes of Galaxy's Major League Soccer clash.
With Galaxy three goals up when he arrived it was a low-key cameo for the 35-year-old, whose last game for the MLS side was in November, but he did find time to earn a booking four minutes after his introduction.
Beckham came on wide on the right and was quickly in the game, linking up well with Landon Donovan, seeing a shot charged down two minutes after his arrival and indulging in some heated conversations with the referee's assistant.
The former England skipper was taken off the team's 'disabled list' during the week and is now expected to play a mjaor part in their late-season schedule.
Galaxy should now be among the favourites for the play-offs as Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
they moved to 47 points, the best of either Eastern or Western conferences.
Following his return for Galaxy Beckham indicated he would still like to play for England. He has put himself in the frame for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro at Wembley on October 12.
"I'd like to be available to play for England. If I'm fit then I'm sure the (England) manager will consider me,'' Beckham said in an interview broadcast on Sky Sports News.
Beckham also revealed his initial reaction was to question if he would recover from the injury: "As positive a person as I am when I did the injury there are doubts that go through your mind. Am I ever going to play again? Being back out there and being fit again and Dallas Cowboys jersey
with the team it makes it sweet.
"When you have a serious injury like this it does cross your mind.''

f we win Sunday, it puts them two games back and

Pitching has been the story in the last two games of this matchup of the best teams in the NL West, and runs should be at a premium in Sunday’s finale.
The first-place San nfl jerseys
Diego Padres will have major league ERA leader Mat Latos(notes) on the mound at Petco Park against two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum(notes) and the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco (80-63) won the first two games of this four-game set to pull into a virtual tie for the division lead. Jonathan Sanchez(notes) and five relievers combined on a three-hitter in a 1-0 victory Friday.
The Padres (80-61) returned the favor as Tim Stauffer(notes) and three relievers combined on a three-hitter in a 1-0 win Saturday that restored a one-game lead for San Diego.
“If we win Sunday, it puts them two games back and, basically, puts us in the driver’s seat again,” Padres closer Heath Bell(notes) said.
Yorvit Torrealba’s(notes) homer in the third inning was all San Diego needed for just its fourth win in 16 games. Torrealba was 7 for 47 in his previous 15 games before getting two hits Saturday.
The Padres, who were last out of first place since June 16, improved to 10-4 against the Giants this year.
It probably won’t be easy for the Giants against Latos (14-5, 2.21 ERA), who is 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA in four starts against them. No. 3 hitter Aubrey Huff(notes) went 0 for 12 against him in those games.
Latos had his last start pushed back a day Dallas Cowboys jersey
due to stomach flu, and didn’t show any effects in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Dodgers. He allowed one run and four hits over seven innings and struck out 10.
The 22-year-old right-hander has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts.
“He’s pitched very consistently all year,” manager Bud Black said. “What you’ve seen, obviously, is a guy with great talent, with good stuff, who’s throwing strikes, who’s pitching aggressive. When you have that type of stuff and that mindset, good things will happen.”
Lincecum (13-9, 3.69) has won consecutive outings since going 0-5 with a 7.82 ERA in five starts in August. He gave up three runs over 6 2-3 innings in Tuesday’s 6-3 win at Arizona.
The right-hander has amassed 20 strikeouts in his two straight wins.
“It starts just taking over,” said Lincecum about finding his rhythm. “You start not thinking too much and things just start happening second nature and on their own.”
Lincecum has faced the Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
Padres once this year, lasting 3 2-3 innings and allowing six runs in an 8-2 home loss Aug. 15. He fell to 4-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 12 career starts against them, including 2-2 with a 1.98 ERA in six at Petco Park.
Latos is 5-2 with a 1.99 ERA in 10 home outings this year.
Padres cleanup hitter Adrian Gonzalez(notes) is 7 for 36 with 16 strikeouts in his career against Lincecum. Gonzalez is hitting .226 against the Giants this year.