Nina's Sports Bad Boys Blog World: 2011

Sunday, September 4, 2011

South Florida upsets No. 16 Notre Dame, 23-20

And now he's created an even more vivid one. Holtz and the South Florida Bulls came to South Bend and upset the 16th-ranked Irish 23-20 Saturday in a wild game that was twice disrupted by heavy storms.

"I don't know if all that's hit me yet. Notre Dame's a special place," Holtz said. "And it was great to come back."

BOX SCORE: South Florida 23, Notre Dame 20

His dad, Lou Holtz, wasn't there Saturday. But there were plenty of family members there to see one of Skip Holtz's biggest wins.

Lou led Notre Dame to its last national title in 1988. Skip graduated from Notre Dame, played a year for his father and then coached with him in South Bend.

The weather wasn't cooperating for this homecoming.

Officials asked fans to leave the stadium at halftime because of severe weather, mostly lightning, and the teams then stayed in their locker rooms for 2 hours, 10 minutes until it cleared. South Florida led 16-0 at the time.

Then with 4:21 to play, the game was delayed for 43 minutes and again fans departed the stadium with wicked lightning flickering around the stadium.

Holtz praised his team's poise.

"To have the kind of adversity they had to battle through and all the highs and lows of this day," he said. "The weather, the two-hour halftime and everything we went through as a football team. It's hard enough to come in here and play the tradition and for me a very emotional day to have the opportunity to come back, but to throw everything on top."

He also pointed to former South Florida athletics director Lee Roy Selmon, who is in a Tampa hospital after a stroke.

"It's bittersweet not to have the opportunity to share it with him," Holtz said.

USF's Kayvon Webster returned a fumble return 96 yards for a TD four minutes into the game, taking all the momentum from the Irish. They couldn't recover. The score came after Notre Dame took the opening kickoff and drove smartly to the USF 1.

"You look up and they have had the ball and have driven the length of the field and you look up and you are winning, 7-0," Holtz said. "Kind of a good feeling at that point. It kind of symbolized a little bit of the day."

What followed was a nightmare first half for the Irish that included two fumbles, a holding penalty that nullified a Cierre Wood TD run and then an interception of Dayne Crist by USF's Devekeyan Lattimore in the end zone.

"The first half just a disaster. Period," Wood said.

Maikon Bonani kicked three field goals and the Bulls had a 16-0 halftime lead.

Then things got even stranger.

With the crowd getting restless over Notre Dame's erratic play as the teams left the field for halftime, the storms moved in and officials asked fans to evacuate Notre Dame Stadium. The teams were kept in their locker rooms.

When the Irish finally emerged, they had switched quarterbacks from Crist to Tommy Rees, who led them to four straight victories as the starter at the end of last season. Crist was 7-of-15 for 85 yards.

"We didn't expect to have to make this move, obviously, so it's going to require us to obviously evaluate the quarterback situation and make another decision," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said.

"This was a step back for us as it relates to where we thought we were going. We certainly did not believe or think that we would have to make the decision that we made today. "

Right after the second delay late in the fourth quarter, Jerrell Young intercepted Rees ? Notre Dame's fifth turnover of the game.

Rees threw an 8-yard TD pass to Michael Floyd to cap a 99-yard drive with 21 seconds left as the Irish closed to 23-20. But USF recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock. Rees went 24-for-34 for 296 yards.

With the delays, the game lasted 5 hours, 59 minutes.

Rees also hit Floyd with a scoring pass in the third quarter, and Wood's 1-yard scoring run with 7:35 left made it 23-13 before the Irish failed to convert a 2-point attempt. Floyd, reinstated to the team last month following his suspension for drunken driving, made 12 catches and became the Irish's career leader in receptions, passing Jeff Samardzija (179). Floyd now has 183.

USF's B.J. Daniels completed 18-of-30 for 128 yards and also carried 12 times for a net of 37.

After a pass interference call in the end zone on Irish defensive back Gary Gray, Daniels threw a 2-yard TD pass to Evan Landi that opened up a 23-7 lead with 11 minutes left, capping a 14-play, 80-yard drive.

The Irish moved from the 20 to the South Florida 1 on the opening drive as Wood went 31 yards with a swing pass from Crist on the game's first scrimmage play and Floyd later grabbed a 26-yarder.

Wood had four carries for 21 yards to get the ball to the 1, but his backup Jonas Gray fumbled near the goal line as USF's Young stripped the ball. Webster picked it up and ran 96 yards down the sideline, a score upheld by video replay.

Bonani hit a 49-yarder to put the Bulls up 10-0 and then USF threatened to pull way ahead. After back-to-back facemask penalties on Notre Dame safety and captain Harrison Smith, the Bulls had a first down at the Irish 5.

But the Irish defense held and when Daniels was stopped on a third down from the 1 for no gain, the Bulls sent in Bonani for a 17-yarder that made it 13-0.

Later in the first half, Riddick fumbled a punt, and Victor Marc recovered for USF. Bonani hit again from 36 yards out and the lead was 16-0.

After another Notre Dame series ended with an incomplete pass, Kelly could be seen on the sidelines in an animated discussion with the struggling Crist.

Rees completed a 15-yard pass to Floyd early in the third to put the ball at the 5, but once again the Irish couldn't convert. Rees' pass intended for TJ Jones hit the receiver and deflected in the air, resulting in an interception by South Florida's Michael Lanaris.

That sent Kelly into a rage on the sideline as he lectured Jones.

Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomSports-TopStories/~3/6VKKvNWpxB0/1

Vikings Minnesota Vikings Bret Favre Redskins Lions

Pages from Packers' playbook fly off Green Bay garbage truck

Source: http://www.nfl.com/goto?id=09000d5d821b313b

LeBron James Miami Heat Cavs Cleveland Cavaliers Dan Gilbert

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Anderson: Auburn's escape; more Week 1 thoughts

Emory Blake?s onside kick recovery in the fourth-quarter set up Auburn?s game-winning touchdown. (AP)

?�No. 23 Auburn 42, Utah State 38:�The last defending national champion to lose its ensuing season opener was Michigan, which fell 36-20 to Notre Dame in the fall of 1998. The Auburn Tigers, despite their best college try, did not repeat that feat in 2011. Auburn paid $950,000 to bring Utah State to the Plains, presumably expecting the home stand to serve as a warm-up of sorts for a conference schedule that includes seven currently ranked teams. But the Tigers got their workout and then some, as Utah State?s Kerwynn Williams (whose hair looks like this)�ran right up the middle for a 43-yard touchdown four minutes into the game and true freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton (real name!) threw for 260 yards. (Anybody else have the sneaking suspicion that Auburn?s defense was covertly almost this bad last year?)

After a high-scoring first three quarters that would have belonged in broadcast tandem with last night?s TCU-Baylor shootout, two consecutive touchdowns put the Aggies up 38-28 with four minutes remaining in the game. This, however, was the Utah State defense?s moment to come completely unhinged in turn. Two of the only remaining familiar names on Auburn?s roster,�Philip Lutzenkirchen and Michael Dyer, caught one touchdown and rushed for another, separated by the most divinely executed onside kick and recovery we?ll see all season.

Was the loss of nearly every significant starter from the 2010 championship team so close to impossible to overcome, even against a WAC team? Or was Auburn looking ahead to Mississippi State? (And if it was, isn?t it weird to be looking ahead to Mississippi State? Justified, but it still feels unnatural.) The luck the Tigers lived by last year has clearly not deserted them, but they?d better hustle to knock off whatever rust remains. Auburn hosts the 20th-ranked Bulldogs of Starkville in Week 2, and it?s just a hunch, but something tells me Dan Mullen shows up prepared.�(RECAP�|�BOX)

?�No. 2 Alabama 48, Kent State 7:�Tuscaloosa faithful, you have two feathers to anoint your fitted caps today: First, that the Crimson Tide handled their non-AQ team with far greater finesse than did Auburn; second, that a starting quarterback was in fact named before kickoff. The bad news is that AJ McCarron didn?t perform quite as admirably as could be hoped, and neither did Phillip Sims, when he came in. Each quarterback accounted for two interceptions, but the Tide still racked up 298 yards through the air. If you?re wondering where Trent Richardson fits into this narrative, the answer is right where he belongs ? at the goal line, recording touchdown runs of one, one and nine yards.�(RECAP�|�BOX�|�HIGHLIGHTS)

?�Ohio State 42, Akron 0:�That?s ? that?s Todd Boeckman?s music!�Uncanny Boeckman impersonator Joe Bauserman, calling to mind the promise of the Greatest Generation, shocked a staid Big Ten to attention Saturday afternoon by�running for a 15-yard touchdown�in a game situation. Ohio State?s senior signal-caller backed off from such frivolities almost immediately, following up with three scoring passes to Jake Stoneburner�over the next two quarters ? a development I fully support because it means I get to type ?Jake Stoneburner.? Bauserman was put back into cold storage in the fourth quarter for dual-threat true freshman Braxton Miller, who added a 14-yard touchdown pass of his own. There was no real threat from an Akron team not expected to give any resistance, but the Buckeyes up their degree of MAC difficulty next week with a visit from Toledo. (RECAP | BOX�| HIGHLIGHTS)

?�Northwestern 24, Boston College 17:�The�PersaStrong Heisman campaign�may have to be packed away in mothballs after Dan Persa himself missed Week 1 with the same nagging Achilles injury that knocked him out in 2010. But at least for now, the Wildcats are soldiering on ably without him. Kain Colter is the name of the day in Evanston; Persa?s backup passed for close to 200 yards and ran for 71 more. Meanwhile red-zone anemia and poor quarterback protection dogged the Eagles; BC actually managed 34 more yards of offense than NU (454-420), but Chase Rettig was sacked three times.�(RECAP�|�BOX)

?�No. 21 Missouri 17, Miami (Ohio) 6:�Perhaps we should have expected a competitive game in Columbia. The RedHawks were the subject of last year?s most jaw-dropping W-L turnaround, after all. But they?re still a team with a first-year head coach trying to outscheme Gary Pinkel. Don Treadwell very nearly succeeded, with a little help from a decidedly lackluster and un-Gabbertly performance from sophomore quarterback James Franklin. Further tuneup reps may be hard to come by with a road trip to Arizona State looming, but the biggest hurdle to come for the Tigers will be a Week 4 road trip to play a little team in Norman, Oklahoma. (RECAP | BOX)

?�Purdue 27, Middle Tennessee State 24: As predicted in this space in August, the excellently named Caleb TerBush has taken the sad-sack quarterbacking wheel in West Lafayette. TerBush delivered what would turn out to be the deciding score at 0:57, with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Antavian Edison over the middle. But the Boilermakers wouldn?t have emerged victorious without the help of kicker Carson Wiggs, who connected on field goals of 50 and 48 yards in the first and fourth quarters. (RECAP | BOX)

?�Virginia Tech 66, Appalachian State 13: If you were wondering whether the Hokies would put down some sort of hammerstroke to erase memories of last season?s home loss to JMU ? well, now you?re not wondering anymore, are you? (RECAP | BOX | HIGHLIGHTS)

Source: http://college-football.si.com/2011/09/03/early-snaps-auburn-your-defense-woof/?xid=si_topstories

Browns Patriots Dolphins Bears Vikings

Texans' Johnson has the stats to challenge the game's greats

HOUSTON -- Numbers mean almost nothing to Andre Johnson. Or so he says -- and I truly do believe him.

I recently tried to flatter him with an amazing statistic I dug up about his career, one in which he exceeds even Jerry Rice, the man I consider the greatest football player of all time.

Johnson has averaged at least 90 yards receiving per game in each of the past four seasons for the Houston Texans. Rice never did that; his best run was three consecutive years. The only player in the top 50 receivers to do it more than four times consecutively is Lance Alworth, who did it five times with the San Diego Chargers from 1964-68.

So what did Johnson have to say about it?

"I don't get caught up into that stat thing," Johnson said.

That's Jerry Rice, Andre.

"It's [an] amazing accomplishment when you look at the guys who played the position, but I have a lot more to offer," Johnson said. "I just like to know everything when I finish playing. I don't get caught up in stats. I just do whatever I need to do to help this team to win a Super Bowl."

Even nudging Johnson to extol his virtues won't work. He is the anti-diva receiver. At a time when you have guys quitting on routes, self-promoting themselves with reality shows and Twitter and calling out their quarterbacks, Johnson just works, plays, catches passes and can do something that none of the others can do.

Stand tall as the best receiver in football.

To truly put into perspective Johnson's four consecutive seasons of 90-plus yards per game, take a look at some of the other contemporary receivers and how many seasons they've gone past 90 for a season in their entire careers.

Terrell Owens: Four times. Marvin Harrison: Three times. Torry Holt: Three times. Randy Moss: Twice. Larry Fitzgerald: Once. Reggie Wayne: Once. Chad Ochocinco: Once

Johnson's four-season average of 96.2 yards per game is higher than any four-season run Rice had in his career. The only players among the all-time leading receivers to have better four-year averages are Alworth and Marvin Harrison (1999-2002).

That's why Johnson tops the list of players with a per-game average of 79.7 yards in his career. That's over 2 yards more than Holt, who is second at 77.4 yards per game. Rice finished his career at 75.6 per game.

Johnson also has 673 catches in eight seasons. If he somehow were to play 20 seasons -- hey, Rice played 21 -- and kept up his average, he would break Rice's all-time record for catches of 1,549. That's a long way off, but it's possible.

"That's not anything I am worrying about," Johnson said.

Of course it isn't. That's not Andre Johnson's way. He keeps a low profile for sure. This is a player who could walk into a grocery story in any other city except Miami -- his home and college town -- and Houston and most people wouldn't know who he was. That's the opposite of Ochocinco, his cousin, who is everywhere and even had his own reality show.

The fact Johnson is quiet and isn't in the tabloids or all over the papers could be the reason he doesn't get his due.

"I don't think that's it," Johnson said. "If you hear people talking about top receivers, look at their teams. They're successful. When people talk about Larry [Fitzgerald], it's because of what he did in the playoffs and the Super Bowl. That elevated him. I've never been on that stage."

Johnson, who has never played in a playoff game in his eight seasons with the Texans, played the 2010 season on an ankle that required offseason surgery. The coaching staff and his teammates were truly impressed by his dedication. Mondays were brutal, yet he missed just the final three games.

"It was really tough on him, but he found a way," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "He's one of those players who will fight to stay in there. He really had to battle through it each week."

"It was tough," Johnson said. "At the end of the season, the only thing that kept me out was the ankle specialist told me it wasn't worth playing because my ankle was getting worse."

Johnsons said he is pain-free in the ankle now, which is bad news for opposing defensive backs. He's also about to get some national exposure -- courtesy of Michael Jordan, one of the most recognizable athletes ever. He is one of the few football players featured as part of Jordan's "Jumpman" Nike line. Johnson is also featured in a Men's Fitness pictorial in September.

"I've been doing a lot of photo shoots," he said.

Johnson has just one national commercial on his r�sum�, for Nike gloves. What's wrong here? Why can't the best receiver in football get some love?

Maybe it's because he doesn't crave it -- or even really seem to want it. Hate to tell you, Andre. Keep it up on the field, and it's coming your way.

You just might be the next Jerry Rice, which is saying something in my book.

Untitled

Source: http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=b741d3f55b90887287b19f0c59accdc8

Angels Cubs White Sox Braves Indians

Hall of Fame DE Selmon in 'extremely critical condition'

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Officials say former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Lee Roy Selmon has been hospitalized and remains in 'extremely critical condition.'

University of South Florida spokesman Michael Hoad also tells the St. Petersburg Times on Friday that the 56-year-old Hall of Famer is being treated at St. Joseph's Hospital.

Selmon, who once served as athletic director at the University of South Florida, was drafted by the Buccaneers in 1976. He went to six straight Pro Bowls and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1979. He left the team after the 1984 season because of a back injury.

Selmon played college ball at Oklahoma, winning the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy in 1975.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/nfl/09/03/lee.roy.selmon.hospitalized.ap/index.html?eref=si_latest

Graeme McDowell Ravens Bengals Browns Patriots

Texans' Johnson has the stats to challenge the game's greats

HOUSTON -- Numbers mean almost nothing to Andre Johnson. Or so he says -- and I truly do believe him.

I recently tried to flatter him with an amazing statistic I dug up about his career, one in which he exceeds even Jerry Rice, the man I consider the greatest football player of all time.

So what did Johnson have to say about it?

"I don't get caught up into that stat thing," Johnson said.

That's Jerry Rice, Andre.

Stand tall as the best receiver in football.

Terrell Owens: Four times. Marvin Harrison: Three times. Torry Holt: Three times. Randy Moss: Twice. Larry Fitzgerald: Once. Reggie Wayne: Once. Chad Ochocinco: Once

"That's not anything I am worrying about," Johnson said.

The fact Johnson is quiet and isn't in the tabloids or all over the papers could be the reason he doesn't get his due.

"It was really tough on him, but he found a way," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "He's one of those players who will fight to stay in there. He really had to battle through it each week."

"It was tough," Johnson said. "At the end of the season, the only thing that kept me out was the ankle specialist told me it wasn't worth playing because my ankle was getting worse."

"I've been doing a lot of photo shoots," he said.

Johnson has just one national commercial on his r�sum�, for Nike gloves. What's wrong here? Why can't the best receiver in football get some love?

Maybe it's because he doesn't crave it -- or even really seem to want it. Hate to tell you, Andre. Keep it up on the field, and it's coming your way.

You just might be the next Jerry Rice, which is saying something in my book.

Untitled

Source: http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=b741d3f55b90887287b19f0c59accdc8

49ers Rams Packers New England Saints

Thomas injury has Ross back as Giants starter; Williams signed

Source: http://www.nfl.com/goto?id=09000d5d821b2f2e

NFL CFL NHL Dwyane Wade Chris Bosh

Cunningham's 9 receptions boost Michigan State

B.J. Cunningham's record day leads Michigan State to opening win

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- In his first game as Michigan State's captain, Joel Foreman gave up his starting spot so a teammate could take the field for one heartwarming play.

Foreman allowed Arthur Ray Jr. to take his place on the offensive line for the beginning of the Spartans' 28-6 win over Youngstown State on Friday night. Four years ago, Ray was treated for cancer in his left leg. He underwent chemotherapy shortly after signing with the Spartans in 2007, and a subsequent infection postponed his comeback until now.

"Words can't describe it," Foreman said. "He's not only an inspiration to me, but to the entire team. It's not something I did, it's all Arthur."

Big Ten Blog

Big Ten ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett write about all things Big Ten in the conference blog.

?�Blog network: College Football Nation

Ray's surprising start set the tone, and B.J. Cunningham caught nine passes for 130 yards and a touchdown for No. 17 Michigan State. Cunningham moved into a tie for first on the school's career receptions list, and his 18-yard scoring reception from Kirk Cousins in the third quarter gave the Spartans a 21-6 lead.

Cousins threw for 222 yards for Michigan State, which tied for the Big Ten title last season but wasn't especially dominant against the Penguins of the Football Championship Subdivision. Le'Veon Bell scored twice on 3-yard runs.

Cunningham has 148 receptions, equaling Matt Trannon's mark.

"When I'd get to the sideline, people would tell me how many I had," Cunningham said. "A lot of great receivers have come through here. It's a blessing to be a part of that group."

Cousins completed 18 of 22 passes, and Edwin Baker ran for 91 yards for Michigan State.

Cunningham Ties School Record

B.J. Cunningham set career highs with 9 catches for 129 yards against Youngstown State. He now has 148 catches in his career, passing Andre Rison and tying Matt Trannon for the most in school history.

Most Receptions, Michigan State History

Youngstown State's Kurt Hess threw for 126 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Michigan State took a big step forward last season, winning 11 games and sharing the conference crown with Wisconsin and Ohio State, but the Spartans ended on a sour note, losing 49-7 to Alabama in the Capital One Bowl.

They looked out of sorts at times Friday, committing seven first-half penalties. Michigan State cut down on the infractions in the second half, but there were still some frustrating moments. Dan Conroy missed a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter with a horrific shank, kicking the ball low and way to the left after a shaky hold.

Coach Mark Dantonio indicated earlier this week that Ray wasn't able to practice much because of the stress on his leg, but he was in at left guard for Michigan State's first offensive play of the season. The Spartans called a pass, Ray blocked effectively, then he came out of the game.

"This wasn't Mark Dantonio being a nice guy," Dantonio said. "This was Joel Foreman being selfless."

Foreman, Ray's roommate, had planned the gesture since the spring, but he hadn't told him.

"I had no idea," Ray said. "I found out right before the game. It shows his character, how selfless he is. I've been waiting for this moment a long time."

The underdog Penguins held their own in the first half, controlling the ball for 19:36 thanks to a 14-8 advantage in first downs. After a scoreless opening quarter, Michigan State finally took the lead on a 6-yard touchdown run by Larry Caper.

The Spartans forced a punt, but Keshawn Martin muffed it, and Youngstown State then drove 62 yards in nine plays. Hess threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jelani Berassa, but the Penguins couldn't tie it. Michigan State's Jerel Worthy blocked the extra point.

Cousins found Cunningham on a deep pass over the middle for a 55-yard gain on the Spartans' next offensive play, and Bell scored on a 3-yard run to make it 14-6.

Youngstown State went 3-8 last season, although the Penguins led at some point in every game they played. They never took the lead against Michigan State.

"There are no moral victories," Youngstown State coach Eric Wolford said. "You either win or you lose. We're on the short end of the stick."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312450127

Falcons Panthers Texans Cowboys 49ers

Colorado seeking first road win since 2007

HONOLULU � Millions travel to Hawaii every year to enjoy the sand, surf and sun. Buffaloes, however, apparently aren't allowed anywhere near the water in Waikiki.

In hopes of snapping a 17-game road losing streak ? 18 if you count a loss in the 2007 Independence Bowl ? first-year Colorado coach Jon Embree didn't allow any beach time for his players as they prepared to open the season at Hawaii on Saturday night.

"The only beach they'll see is when they land and take off. I'm telling you, it's a business trip," Embree said. "So they either have to get married and have a honeymoon there or maybe we go back there for a bowl game. It's not about the beach."

The Buffaloes, making their debut as a member of the Pac-12, haven't won on the road since beating Texas Tech on Oct. 27, 2007. And Embree isn't shy about addressing the streak.

"It's not OK to lose 18 in a row," he said. "The only way you get that point across is to talk about it. I think if you don't talk about it you're pretending like something hasn't happened. You're pretending like it's not there. I'm not afraid of it and they're not afraid of it. They understand the challenge that's in front of them and looking forward to it."

Only five players on this year's squad experienced Colorado's last road victory, including senior guard Ryan Miller.

"It's humongous. I don't care what anybody says," Miller said about getting a road win. "This is where we've got to start. ... We're going to play football. We're not going to enjoy the islands of aloha."

The game marks the first time that Colorado is opening with a true road game since whipping Wisconsin in 1995 in coach Rick Neuheisel's debut.

But winning in the islands is no easy feat for any visiting team. The Warriors were 6-2 at Aloha Stadium last year, the fifth straight winning season at home. In addition to all the distractions of playing in paradise, Colorado had to endure a 3,300-mile flight and a four-hour time change.

Colorado will also be facing a Hawaii team still stinging from last year's loss in Boulder. Hawaii controlled the first half and took a 10-0 lead into the locker room, but ran out of gas in the second half and lost 31-13.

"First half we were like, 'Yeah. We're doing it.' Then it comes back to bite us in the butt," said Hawaii linebacker Corey Parades, who had a career-high 16 tackles in the game. "We can't let that happen to us this year. That kind of stuff humbled us as a team and gave us a reality check."

Parades, who led the Warriors with 151 tackles last year, said the loss was a learning experience, which helped the team focus and regroup. Hawaii would win nine of its next 10 games, with its only loss coming to Boise State, and finish the season 10-4.

For Saturday, Parades is being moved to weakside linebacker from his usual middle linebacker position after Aaron Brown was suspended for the game because of his arrest a week ago following a fight at a Waikiki nightclub. Hawaii is also without starting 6-foot-4, 230-pound wideout Darius Bright, who was also arrested and replaced by Allen Sampson, generously listed as 5-foot-7 and 145 pounds.

While Hawaii returns six starters on defense, it returned only three on offense and lost a lot of firepower, including receivers Greg Salas, Kealoha Pilares and running back Alex Green, who were all drafted in the NFL.

The Warriors will still air it out behind quarterback Bryant Moniz, who last year led the nation in yards passing per game (360) and touchdown passes (39). He became just the 11th Football Bowl Subdivision quarterback to break 5,000 yards in a season. Moniz said the new faces are ready to step up.

"It's just a different person in the helmet. We still have the same offense and our great coaching staff that taught Kealoha and Greg. Now they're teaching new guys," Moniz said. "It's just going to take some time to get comfortable in a game situation. But I think they're ready and hungry."

Embree doesn't think Hawaii's offense will be any less effective.

"As long as they have the trigger guy it doesn't really matter. I kind of equate it to Peyton Manning," he said. "He had guys go down last year and they just plugged some other guys in and he just kept on going. Their offense as long as they have their quarterback back there, they'll be just fine."

Colorado will have senior quarterback Tyler Hansen, who hasn't played a game since rupturing his spleen Oct. 23. Hansen said he'll try to help control the ball and clock to help the defense out and keep Hawaii's explosive offense off the field.

"They can't do much on the sideline, so we're going to try to keep them on the sideline as much as possible," he said.

Hawaii is favored to win the WAC in its final season in the league before leaving for the Mountain West Conference. Last year, it was picked to finish near the bottom, but ended up winning a share of the WAC title. The Warriors have relished the underdog position, but they're in a new position this year without Boise State in the conference.

"I think we have good players. I think we have good leadership. I think we have a good, young team, but we've got to come out and perform," Hawaii coach Greg McMackin said. "I can't predict (how we're going to do this season). If I could do that, everybody in Vegas could be doing that. All I know is this team has really worked hard."

___

Freelancer Monica Costello in Boulder, Colo., contributed to this report.

___

Posted

Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomCollegeSports-TopStories/~3/mUcgsRrbsnU/2011-09-02-699708464_x.htm

Pat Riley Kevin Durant Amare Stoudemire King James Cavaliers

Report: LB Briggs asks Bears for trade (AP)

CHICAGO (AP)?Unhappy with his contract, Chicago Bears Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs (notes) tells the Chicago Tribune he is seeking permission to look for a trade.

Briggs says the Bears ?made their decision, now I have to make mine? and that he?s ?100 percent a Bear, until I?m not a Bear anymore.? He says agent Drew Rosenhaus has filed a formal request to seek a trade.

A six-time Pro Bowl pick, Briggs has three years left on a six-year, $36 million deal and is scheduled to make $3.9 million this season, including bonuses. He recently approached the Bears seeking a raise, but management apparently is not budging. Chicago has about $19 million in cap room.

Rosenhaus did not return a message from the Associated Press on Friday. The Bears had no comment.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/top/SIG=11pinau10/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-bears-briggs

Cavs Cleveland Cavaliers Dan Gilbert Kobe Bryant LA Lakers

Friday, September 2, 2011

Achilles tear takes Chiefs' Siler out of linebacker competition

Source: http://www.nfl.com/goto?id=09000d5d821b1241

Athletics Ernie Els Tiger Woods Graeme McDowell Ravens

WNBA: Silver Stars coast, improve playoff hopes

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Jia Perkins scored 23 points and Becky Hammon had 16 to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars to an 86-68 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night.

Danielle Robinson added 15 points and seven assists and Danielle Adams scored 10 points to help the Silver Stars (15-15) win their second straight after a six-game losing streak. San Antonio took a two-game lead over Los Angeles for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with four games to play.

DeWanna Bonner scored 23 points and Diana Taurasi added 18 for the Mercury (17-13), who could have clinched a playoff spot with a win.

San Antonio outscored Phoenix 50-26 in the second half, leading by 26 points in the fourth quarter.

Mystics 85, Dream 81

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Matee Ajavon scored 11 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter to help Washington snap a nine-game losing streak.

Crystal Langhorne had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Jasmine Thomas scored 12 points for the Mystics (6-24). Monique Currie, making her season debut after recovering form a torn left ACL while playing in Turkey in the offseason, finished with eight points in 10 minutes.

Angel McCoughtry scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Atlanta (16-14), which snapped its three-game win streak. The Dream remained two wins from clinching a playoff spot with four to play.

After Atlanta closed to 81-79 on two free throws by McCoughtry, Ajavon made a contested 3-pointer with 1:20 to play.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/09/02/wnba.rdp.thursday.ap/index.html?eref=si_latest

Panthers Texans Cowboys 49ers Rams

Wife of Utah's Tongaonevai dies in car accident

SALT LAKE CITY -- Team officials say the wife of a Utah football player was killed in a car accident about 90 minutes after the Utes' game against Montana State.

The team released a statement saying Janelle Tongaonevai died about 10:30 p.m. Thursday in West Valley City after Utah beat Montana State, 27-10.

Nation Blog

ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson is a national college football blogger for ESPN.com.

Ron Tongaonevai is a junior defensive lineman from West Valley City. The couple was married in the summer of 2010.

The team is planning to go ahead with postgame meetings Friday but says no players or coaches will be available to the media out of respect for the Tongaonevai family.

A team tribute and funeral plans are in the works and will be announced later.

Coach Kyle Whittingham says in a statement that everyone's thoughts and prayers are with the family.

Source: http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/6922357/wife-utah-utes-ron-tongaonevai-dies-car-accident

Packers New England Saints Drew Brees Payton Manning

Making my Week 1 picks

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/09/02/week-1-pickoff/index.html?xid=si_topstories

Buckeyes Wolverines Notre Dame Trojans lockout

Wilson shines in debut as Wisconsin rolls to win

Russell Wilson shines in Wisconsin debut as Badgers roll over UNLV

MADISON, Wis. -- Russell Wilson peeked behind him on his way to a long touchdown run and saw no one in pursuit. Wide receiver Nick Toon was delivering the final punishing block ahead.

Welcome to Wisconsin, Russell. You'll find the Badgers know how to keep a quarterback safe.

Playing his first game for the Badgers, Wilson ran for a 46-yard touchdown and threw two TD passes to lead No. 11 Wisconsin past UNLV 51-17 on Thursday night.

Rittenberg: Dazzling Debut

UNLV might not have provided the greatest test, but you couldn't have scripted a much better Wisconsin debut for QB Russell Wilson, writes Adam Rittenberg. Blog

"I don't think I got touched at all today, which is pretty unbelievable," Wilson said. "The offensive line did a great job. They're tremendous up there. Got to keep getting better, but they really are special up front."

Montee Ball scored four touchdowns for Wisconsin (1-0), but all the attention was on Wilson.

The North Carolina State transfer is using his last year of eligibility at Wisconsin in hopes of getting the Badgers back to the Rose Bowl or better.

"Some moxie, some savvy, some God-given ability," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "Russell has been very impressive how he's handled everything."

He thrived against UNLV, and thanked every one of his offensive teammates on the bench after his spectacular TD run, another sign of how humble and well-liked he is after being voted a captain following just a month in the program.

"He said, 'Thanks for the block,'" Toon said. "Big play by Russell and happy to have that running ability back there at quarterback."

With Wilson, the Badgers are built to run but have a dangerous new dimension. Ball and James White overwhelmed the undersized Rebels (0-1) from the start in the hottest game in the 94-year history of Camp Randall Stadium.

Montee Ball in Elite Company

Montee Ball notched his seventh career game with multiple rushing TDs. At this rate, Ball will soon find himself in the NFL.

Most Rushing TD Since Nov. 1
BCS Automatic Qualifying Schools

"We feed off that," Bielema said. "(Wilson) really saw how that can open things up in the passing game."

Wisconsin's running game gave Wilson plenty of opportunities to pick UNLV apart, and the charismatic signal caller calmly went to the bench and sat under a giant fan flanked by a TV camera following his every move after each score. He finished 10 of 13 for 255 yards and had two rushes for 62 yards.

Ball caught Wilson's first TD pass as a Badger from 4 yards out.

In some ways it was a typical Wisconsin opener. The Badgers scored on their first drive of the season for the sixth straight year. In some ways, it was very different: the temperature at kickoff was 90 degrees.

Wisconsin made it 13-0 when Ball took a handoff, busted through two arm tackles and high-stepped to avoid Quinton Pointer's desperation dive for a 22-yard touchdown. It was 20-0 when Wilson found top target Toon for completions of 39 and 15 yards before White punched it into the end zone from a yard out.

Ball, who finished with 63 yards rushing, also scored on a pair of 1-yard runs, making it 51-3 midway through the third quarter.

UNLV, losers of 10 straight on the road, showed some of the same jitters that coach Bobby Hauck's squads have struggled with after he finished his first season 2-11.

"We weren't ready to come in here and beat a top 10 team, certainly. But with that being said, we're going to be all right," Hauck said. "I like our guys. I like the way we play. There were a lot of negatives but there were a lot of positives to build off of."

Russell Wilson Changes Debut Luck

Russell Wilson improved to 1-2 as a starter on the first night of the college football season. At NC State, he lost to South Carolina on the opening night as a sophomore in 2009 and a freshman in 2008. The 2008 loss was especially painful as Wilson finished only 1 of 5 passing and left the game with a grade-three concussion.

Russell Wilson Per Game Last 2 Seasons

Russell Wilson in Debuts

Such as new starting quarterback Caleb Herring. He threw two second-half touchdown passes that cut the lead to 51-17 in the fourth. He kept plays alive with his feet and showed poise under relentless pressure but didn't have many options and finished 18 of 27 for 146 yards.

"Caleb Herring made a lot of mistakes but he did some good things," Hauck said. "Our guys ran hard. I thought we held our own."

UNLV failed to convert its first nine third-down conversions, and one second-quarter sequence highlighted the Rebels' struggles.

Wide receiver Phillip Payne committed a 15-yard personal foul for a late hit, center Robert Waterman snapped the ball over Herring's head for an 8-yard loss, Payne dropped a pass with no defender nearby and Nolan Kohorst pulled a 52-yard field goal wide left.

"It was good especially after we got down there in the first half and didn't capitalize," Hauck said. "We had the late hit penalty on the block at the end of the route. We just didn't capitalize in the first half. It was a shame."

Wilson has been a hot topic, dubbed Russellmania, since he arrived on campus in Madison.

Expectations are high that the 22-year-old can lead the Badgers back to a BCS game following their 21-19 loss to TCU on Jan. 1 despite losing six offensive starters, including quarterback Scott Tolzien.

Wilson joined Wisconsin after a stint playing minor league baseball for the Colorado Rockies and NC State's decision to move on without him despite his stellar numbers over three years, including a win over West Virginia in the Champs Sports Bowl last season.

"He's just so true. There's not a fake thing in his body," Bielema said. "He's just so genuine."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=312440275

Knicks Magic NBA NFL CFL

Postseason Picture: Sept. 2

Cards show life with sweep; Yankees take series from Red Sox

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The race to October has officially begun.

But the first day of September showed the sporting world that despite the dwindling number of games, there is still plenty of baseball left in the regular season.

In short, the month's first day reminded us that the Cardinals, fresh off a sweep of the Brewers, are going down swinging (if they go down at all), the Braves, winners of two straight, are running wild in the NL and both races out West could get even more interesting down the stretch.

The Rangers, who lead the Angels by 3 1/2 games in the AL West, topped the Rays, 7-2, in a near-perfect effort by starter C.J. Wilson on Thursday. Not to be outdone, the Angels kept the pace by defeating the Mariners, 4-3.

The D-backs, who lead the NL West by six games, and the second-place Giants were off Thursday, but are heading for a critical showdown in San Francisco on Friday. How important is this battle by the Bay? Some believe the series could propel the Giants back into the postseason race or crush their playoff hopes and send them immediately into think-about-next-year mode.

Thursday also had baseball fans thinking about a month-long seesaw battle between Yankees and the Red Sox for the AL East title and AL Wild Card.

The Yankees edged the Red Sox, 4-2, Thursday night to take two of three games in the series.

The second day of September has its share of baseball highlights. In addition to the D-backs-Giants, the Rangers are traveling to Boston in a showdown between division leaders. The White Sox, led by John Danks, will take a shot at the Tigers and ace Justin Verlander in an American League Central division that could still be up for grabs.

And don't count out the Indians yet. It's only Sept. 2.

If the postseason started today

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit (3) at Boston (1)
Yankees (Wild Card) at Rangers (2)

NATIONAL LEAGUE
D-backs (3) at Phillies (1)
Braves (Wild Card) at Brewers (2)

Today's key games to watch

White Sox (Danks, 6-9) at Tigers (Verlander, 20-5), 7:05 p.m. ET Preview
The Tigers lead the White Sox by 5 1/2 games in the AL Central. The White Sox trail the Yankees by 13 1/2 games for the AL Wild Card.

Blue Jays (Morrow, 9-9) at Yankees (Nova, 14-4), 7:05 p.m. Preview
The Yankees trail the Red Sox by 1/2 game in the AL East. The Yankees lead the Rays by 8 1/2 games the for the AL Wild Card.

Phillies (Oswalt, 6-8) at Marlins (Hand, 1-4), 7:10 p.m. Preview
The Phillies lead the Braves by 7 1/2 games in the NL East.

Rangers (Holland, 12-5) at Red Sox (Miller, 6-1), 7:10 p.m. Preview
The Rangers lead the Angels by 3 1/2 games in AL West. The Red Sox lead the Yankees by 1/2 game in the AL East.

Dodgers (Billingsley, 10-10) at Braves (Beachy, 7-2), 7:35 p.m. Preview
The Braves lead the Cardinals by 8 1/2 games for the NL Wild Card. They trail the Phillies by 7 1/2 games in the NL East.

Brewers (Greinke, 13-5) at Astros (Harrell, 0-0), 8:05 p.m. Preview
The Brewers lead the Cardinals by 7 1/2 games in NL Central.

Twins (Pavano, 6-11) at Angels (Chatwood, 6-9), 10:05 p.m. Preview
The Angels trail the Rangers by 3 1/2 games in AL West. They trail the Yankees by nine games for the AL Wild Card.

Reds (Cueto, 9-5) at Cardinals (Carpenter, 8-9), 8:15 p.m. Preview
The Cardinals trail the Brewers by 7 1/2 games in the NL Central standings. They trail the Braves by 8 1/2 games for the NL Wild Card.

Indians (Masterson, 10-8) at Royals (Chen, 10-5), 8:10 p.m. Preview
The Indians trail the Tigers by 5 1/2 games in AL Central. They trail the Yankees by 13 1/2 games for the AL Wild Card.

D-backs (Saunders, 9-11) at Giants (Cain, 10-0), 10:15 p.m. Preview
The D-backs lead the Giants by six games in the NL West. The Giants trail the Braves by 9 1/2 games for the NL Wild Card.

Postseason 101

Magic numbers

To calculate a team's magic number, take the number of games it has remaining on the schedule and add one. Then subtract the difference in the loss column between the team and its closest pursuer.

Tie-breaker scenarios

If two teams are tied atop the division and both are assured of making the postseason, head-to-head record would be used to determine which team is the division champ and which falls to the Wild Card.

If two teams are tied atop the division and share the Wild Card lead with another club, the ties will be broken in the following fashion:
� The teams tied atop the division will play, with the winner taking the division.
� The losing team will then play the remaining Wild Card contender, with the winner making the playoffs.

If three clubs are tied atop a division or Wild Card standings, each club would be designated in one of three slots, "A," "B," or "C." Clubs get to choose their designation based on head-to-head records. Tiebreaking games would then proceed like this:
� Club A hosts Club B on Thursday, Sept. 29
� The winner of the first game hosts Club C on Friday, Sept. 30, with the winner declared champion.

2011 Postseason schedule

American League Division Series: Sept. 30-Oct. 6
National League Division Series: Oct. 1-7
American League Championship Series: Oct. 8-16
National League Championship Series: Oct. 9-17
World Series: Oct. 19-27
Full postseason schedule

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110902&content_id=24094562&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&partnerId=rss_mlb

Brewers Cardinals Mets Diamondbacks Pirates

Titans, Johnson agree to four-year extension

Holdout running back Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans agreed to a four-year extension on Thursday, the team confirmed.

Kuharsky: Is Johnson Worth $53 Million?

The Titans made a huge commitment to Chris Johnson on Thursday. ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky lists three ways the running back can prove he's worth the money. Blog

"He'll sign tomorrow and take his physical and be ready to start practicing," Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said Thursday night before Tennessee played New Orleans in a final preseason game. "It was a tough negotiation, but both sides gave some and we got it done."

A league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that the extension is worth $53 million with $30 million guaranteed. The extension will be tacked on to the two years he had remaining on his previous contract, putting him under the Titans' control through the 2016 season.

Johnson will receive $31 million over the first three years of the extension. Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, who signed a five-year, $43 million contract earlier this offseason, will get $30 million over the first three seasons of his deal.

Talks between the sides intensified on Wednesday night with both recognizing that if Johnson was going to play in Tennessee's regular-season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the deal had to get done in the next few days.

The Titans (2-1) wrap up the preseason Thursday night at New Orleans, but Tennessee's season opener is Sept. 11 at Jacksonville. With new coach Mike Munchak, having Johnson on the team for the entire season was crucial for Tennessee coming off a 6-10 season.

"We have nine days," Reinfeldt said. "The main thing is for him to get comfortable with the system."

Tennessee wanted Johnson to at least have a few days of practice with new quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in a revised offense with coordinator Chris Palmer. The only other running back with any NFL carries is Javon Ringer with 59 in his career, and he has been hurt most of the preseason. Rookie Jamie Harper from Clemson started the past two preseason games for Tennessee.

The Doug Gottlieb Show

ESPN NFL business analyst Andrew Brandt breaks down the numbers on Chris Johnson's new deal with the Titans. Brandt says this contract indicates Johnson is the face of the franchise and sets a new bar for running backs.

Fullback Ahmard Hall said Tuesday that Johnson would have some work once he does arrive to learn the changes in Palmer's offense, especially with terminology.

"You're going to have to think," Hall said. "You're not going to just be able to roll in and hit the ground running as if coach (Mike) Heimerdinger were still here. Coach Palmer has put in a lot of good things, bu the language is different. He's definitely going to have to think. The sooner he gets in the better."

Johnson has led the NFL in yards rushing the past three seasons and refused to report to the camp without a new deal. The 24th pick overall in the 2008 draft out of East Carolina, Johnson became only the sixth man in NFL history to run for 2,000 yards in 2009 when he ran for 2,006 yards.

The Titans revised his contract a year ago, moving some money up in the deal, but he still was set to earn only $1.065 million for this season.

This deal will be noticed by running backs like Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, who is in the final year of his original contract. Carolina gave Williams $21 million guaranteed in his new deal a few weeks ago. Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles, who is going into his fourth season, tweeted, "Congrads to (at)ChrisJohnson28 on the new deal well deserved...."

Johnson did not immediately respond to a message left by The Associated Press. But Titans cornerback Ryan Mouton were among those tweeting congratulations to Johnson.

On Path To Canton?

Johnson Only two running backs -- both Pro Football Hall of Famers -- rushed for more yards than Chris Johnson did in his first three seasons for the Titans.

Most rushing yards, first three seasons*

? from Elias Sports Bureau

Johnson tweeted Wednesday night that he had dinner in Orlando with his agent Joel Segal "to discuss business."

Earlier Wednesday, he created somewhat of a firestorm on Twitter after he tweeted thanks to people praying for him through his "situation."

After getting backlash from some of his followers, he told "fake Titan fans" to shut up. Some fans were calling him greedy and saying his demands are too high.

Johnson went on to write, "I don't have a regular job so don't compare me to you and I can care less if uthink I'm greedy."

He later tried to clarify his tweet about fake fans.

"My titan fans taking it all wrong I'm talking to the ones writing me racist Comments. I'm not call the Titan fans fake at all. #LUV," he wrote.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Source: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6916193/chris-johnson-tennessee-titans-agree-deal-source-says-worth-53m

players association David Stern Cliff Lee Shaun Rogers Michael Vick

Joe Sheehan: The case for ditching the wild card

No matter what happens on Thursday night at Fenway Park, the Red Sox will come out of their series with the Yankees with a small lead for first place in the AL East with just under four weeks to play, setting the stage for what could be the greatest divisional race we've seen in nearly 20 years.

Not so much.

See, while the Sox lead by just 1 games, tonight's outcome doesn't carry very much meaning. As it stands, both of the longtime rivals have large leads in what really matters, the race for postseason berths. The second-place Yankees have a 7 -game lead on the Rays for the wild card, nine over the Angels. The Red Sox' cushion, of course is a game-and-a-half larger. Just as in 2010, when the Rays and Yankees were similarly situated with a month to go, what could be a dramatic, thrilling, attention-grabbing division race is neutered by the wild card.

What hurts this year is that unlike 2010, when there was an interesting three-team race for two spots in the NL, the AL East doesn't have the rest of baseball to make up for it. The smallest lead in any of the other five divisions is 3 games, and the Braves have an 8 -game lead in the NL wild-card chase. We're looking at the real possibility of a pennant chase with no chase, just division leaders and comfortable wild-card teams cruising to the postseason.

Now, this is frustrating for fans -- as well as for the game's administrators on Park Avenue -- but it is unavoidable no matter how you set up your league structure. You can draw the line for postseason eligibility however you want, but you cannot control the distribution of wins in a given season. In some years, the standings are going to shake out in a way that doesn't allow for drama. There's nothing about a two-division system, a three-division system, a wild card, that can get around this. As a general rule, lowering the bar for playoff entry should make it more likely that there will be a race for the last spot -- the closer to .500 you draw the line, the more teams will be around that mark -- but that means nothing in any given season.

There are many people who want to solve the "problem" of the last two AL East races by adding a second wild-card team to each league. The idea is that by forcing the wild-card -- the first wild-card -- from a guaranteed spot in the Division Series to a coin-flip round (where one or three games would decide advancement, not much different from flipping a coin), there would be enough value in winning the division to force teams to fight for the crown. As so often happens, MLB is trying to fix a problem of its own creation. In 1994, when they first instituted the wild card as part of a radical realignment and playoff expansion, they sent the message that pennant races and division titles -- the trappings of September -- meant less than the short-season tournament of best-of series -- the trappings of October. A division title was no longer an accomplishment in and of itself, but rather, just another playoff spot, as it is in the NBA and NFL. When the Florida Marlins won the World Series as the wild card in 1997, this idea was cemented -- what mattered wasn't what you did in the regular season, what mattered was what you did in the postseason.

Even changing the rules won't make "a division title" valued for itself. It will just be another battle for seeding in the postseason tournament. While it will certainly make teams behave differently, it won't be because they want to hang the "2012 NL East champion" banner, but because they don't want to end up in the coin-flip round. There's a difference to those two things.

The solution to bringing back meaningful pennant races isn't more wild cards, it's fewer. Make the only path the postseason a division title, rather than allowing second-place teams a back door into October. There are a number of ways to do this -- including two-division leagues of seven or eight teams -- but in the current format, that would mean six, rather than eight, teams advance to the postseason. The team with the best record in each league advances to the LCS, while the other two division winners play the Division Series. You lose two playoff series, six to 10 games a year. However, if you think about the current Division Series setup, many of the games are played in low-value time slots because of the need to schedule them all in a short timeframe. You would eliminate the 10 a.m. PT and 10 p.m. ET starts, so the economic cost would be low.

The gain, though...the gain would be significant. You would get back September in many years, and more critically, you would get back great Septembers. You would get back what we lost in 2010, what we're losing this year: the two best teams in a league battling for a division title, battling to make the playoffs. With due respect to the wild-card races that we have seen, to the AL Central and NL West battles to get to 88 wins, nothing galvanizes the country like the daily spectacle of two great teams trying to beat each other out. Baseball traded that, nearly 20 years ago, for the possibility that more teams would stay alive late in the year, and that the extra round of playoffs would make up for the lost drama, and they've lost that bet.

MLB has spent decades trying to be more like the NBA and NFL. It hasn't worked. The solution is to embrace what is great about baseball, which is a long and meaningful regular season and the concept of a pennant race. MLB, under Bud Selig, sold September for October. Undoing that, by eliminating the wild card, is the key to making baseball's pennant races matter again.

For more from Joe Sheehan, read his newsletter or follow him on Twitter.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/joe_sheehan/09/01/wild.card/index.html?xid=si_topstories

Kyle Busch Dario Franchitti Ron Hornaday Tony Schumacher Roger Federer