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On September 27, 2015, Paris enforced its first ever car-free day. In attempt to give Parisians a chance to experience a Paris sans the pollution and dangers of cars, vehicles were banned from certain parts of the city, including major destinations like around the Eiffel Tower, Champs Élysées, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Left Bank. According to The Guardian, the chemical responsible for smog, nitrogen dioxide, dropped by 40 percent in parts of the city during the car-free ban. The experiment definitely made us think about what it would be like to live in cities without any cars at all. What would a city look like without the green, yellow and red hues that tint street corners at night? Without white and yellow stripes on the cement, and with the only lanes as bike lanes? Well, actually, you don't have to think too hard because cities that don't allow cars actually exist. We take a look at seven of those awesome cities below: 1. Giethoorn, Netherlands In the Nordic town of Giethoorn, instead of roads, they have canals. Known as the Venice of the North, Giethoorn has become a huge attraction for tourists who want to enjoy the simpler pleasures of life, and who want to enjoy a destination with no cars. The town was founded by a group of fugitives in 1230. When they stumbled across the land, they immediately noticed a pile of goat horns, presumably left from an area flood. So they named the area Giethoorn, "meaning goat horn." The remarkable feature of this town is the system of canals that the locals use for daily transportation. Colonists formed the canals when they discovered the abundance of peat in the area. Needing a way to access the peat, they carved out narrow waterways in which they could row their boats, and these waterways became the canals that make the town famous. Today, boats with small electric motors float serenely through canals, providing daily transportation for the locals and tours for the visitors. In the winter, the canals freeze over and thousands of tourists flock to the area for excellent ice skating. 2. Mackinac Island, Michigan Five hundred people live on Lake Huron's Mackinac island permanently, but that number rises over the summer as tourists flood the northern Michigan resort town's cottages and hotels. But, a reminder to all the visitors: no cars allowed. The island outlawed motorized vehicles in 1898, so if you want to get anywhere now, you have to walk, ride a bike or hop in a horse-drawn buggy. Before the ban, tourists brought cars to island, and it spooked the horses and ruined the sense of quiet that the residents of the peaceful island love. So, the townspeople banded together and banned cars. Now, the only cars that are on the island are solely there for emergency circumstances. 3. Hydra, Greece In the Aegean Sea, between the Saronic and Argolic Gulfs, sits an island called Hydra. The main city, Hydra port, as it's simply called, is the classic Greek town: white houses covering the hills of the area and a pure, clear ocean nearby. What's kept the island so pristine is its preservation law which doesn't allow the installation of new buildings that would take away from the appearance of the town. On top of that, there are no cars in the town because the roads are too narrow and steep to drive on. So, Hydra is in much the same state as it was 50 years ago. 4. Fire Island, NY No one is quite sure where Fire Island got its name. Some say it was due to a misspelling on a deed, others insist that the name originates from an instance when pirates set fire to loot on the island's shores. But the island off the coast of Long Island isn't known for its name; it's known for its size. Although it's 31 miles long, it spans only a quarter mile wide at its widest spot. The island is simply not wide enough for cars. The people of the island forgo cars for bikes. The lack of cars also means that people lug everything everywhere. A weeklong vacation equals a week of clothes, but without car trunks, residents and visitors uselarge wagons to carry their things. Instead of parking spots for cars, Fire Island haswagon parking lots. 5. Paqueta, Brazil This island off the coast of Brazil was originally home to the Tamoio Indian tribe. The Tamoio were a primarily hunting tribe, sustaining themselves by living off the land. When the French invaded their land, the Tamoio joined with the Portuguese and defeated their rivals, but this all but wiped out the Tamoio. This conflict marked the turn of the island from the hunting and gathering island that the Tamoio knew to an island that farmed to produce fruit, vegetables and timber. Today, with its cobblestone streets and absence of vehicles, Paqueta maintains its old time charm. 6. Venice, Italy Probably the most famous of all the car-less cities is the empire that is Venice. Venice is known for its wide canals and luxurious architecture. But how did Venice even become a city? In the 5th century A.D., the Roman civilization had fallen, and barbarians were taking advantage of the chaos by raiding Rome's former territories. The Romans decided to flee their homes and establish temporary settlements on the marshes of Torcello, Iesolo and Malamocco, the area that came to be known as Venice. These temporary settlements eventually became permanent, and refugees from other parts of the fallen empire came and set up camp in the marshes. Today, Venice is actually 118 separate islands connected by canals and bridges, each originally formed by a specific group of refugees. 7. Vauban, Germany This small progressive town in Germany was created to be a sustainable place for people to live. The town was purposefully planned in a way that was environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. When designing the town, the city council had a number of goals in mind. Their primary goal was to design the city in such a way where the city center was completely free of cars. Other goals included creating businesses, public parks, schools and homes in a way that created a convenient way of life for those who chose to live in Vauban. Though the city center doesn't allow cars, those who choose to have cars are required to park them in a lot on the periphery of the residential area, thus creating a 'parking-free' area where the citizens live. The 40 percent of citizens who choose to forgo cars altogether are given a monetary reward or free use of the tram. Today, Vauban has 5,000 inhabitants and 600 local jobs.
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iPhone owners visiting China who rely on Apple News for the day's headlines are in for an unpleasant surprise. Apple appears to have blocked overseas users' access to Apple News, the news reading app released in the United States in September, as long as they are connected to a Chinese telecom network. That means that news that citizens from around the globe who travel to China can read is being censored not by the Chinese government, but by Apple itself. Three different Apple users, including Larry Salibra , who runs a Hong Kong-based software startup, said when they tried to open Apple News in China, they are greeted with a message stating that the app is not supported within the country. This isn't a case of China's Great Firewall banning access to online content, as it does with Facebook or the New York Times . Instead, Apple itself appears to have deliberately neutered Apple News for all users who open it up in China, as Salibra wrote in a recent blog post . Apple appears to monitor access to Apple News by examining the mobile network they are connected to for example, Salibra had no problems accessing Apple News on China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK), a Hong Kong-based network. But switching over to China Mobile's mainland network brought about the error message when the app was opened. Another American based in Beijing, who had also purchased and registered his iPhone in the US, told Quartz that he had no trouble downloading and accessing Apple News from Taiwan, where it is unavailable in the domestic app store. But attempting to access it in China, both with or without a VPN, yields an error message: Curiously though, he tells Quartz that he has no trouble accessing Apple News on an iPad when using a different VPN. A third American Apple user, a 28-year-old startup founder based in Beijing, told Quartz that despite having full access to the US App Store and iBooks, she was taken to the following page when attempting to download Apple News, both with and without a VPN connection: Salibra said that any articles from Apple News are inaccessible to users in China, regardless of whether they are online or have been stored offline earlier, "read-it-later" style. This indicates that Apple is censoring content that you have personally stored on your device something Salibra finds particularly alarming . He wrote on Reddit: What make me uncomfortable is them enforcing rules of other countries on my device which I didn't buy in that country even when I've turned off location services. It bothers me not because Apple does it, but because they have no option but to do it and it is only going to get worse. Apple declined to comment on the situation when contacted by Quartz. At present, Apple News is technically only available in the United States, Australia, and the UK. But the service should be accessible from any country, as long as it was downloaded from the US, UK, or Australian App Store. Apple deliberately keeping Apple News from the Middle Kingdom, even for people who aren't Chinese citizens, is an aggressive move akin to Facebook blocking access to its own website within China, rather than that website being blocked by China's Great Firewall. Apple's hardware sales in China remain strong the region is responsible for 50% of its overall revenue growth . But Apple has been slow to release software and media on mainland China. Beats 1, the radio-esque music service, remains unavailable in China, and Apple didn't open the iTunes Store there until just two weeks ago . Deciding to block Apple News itself, rather than run afoul of the Chinese government, is just the latest step in the company's attempt to appease authorities in hopes of retaining access to the market. Richard Macauley contributed to reporting.
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INCHEON, South Korea Jay Haas took a deep breath, trying to calm nerves he had only ever felt on the golf course while playing. His U.S. team was one point away from winning the Presidents Cup, and the final match added another layer of emotion. American victory depended on Bill Haas, who was much more than a captain's pick. He was the captain's son. And the kid came through, never missing a shot until a birdie putt was conceded on the last hole for a 2-up victory to capture the Presidents Cup. "I was much more emotional, I think, than if it would have been anyone else on the team," Jay Haas said. "But no less proud." The father refused to look at the moment as any measure of vindication, but the coincidence was too great to ignore. For it was 20 years ago when American hopes of claiming the Ryder Cup came down to Jay Haas on the final three holes at Oak Hill. Phil Mickelson, a Ryder Cup rookie, was handily winning the anchor match. That meant Haas had to halve his match with Philip Walton, and while he was 3 down with three to play, he holed a bunker shot on the 16th and won the 17th with a birdie. If he won the final hole, the Americans would keep the cup. "It wasn't pretty down the stretch there," Haas said. He popped up his 3-wood, punched back into the fairway, hit a wedge shot that spun off to the collar of the green and missed his par putt. Walton lagged his par putt near the hole, and the European celebration was on. Those memories came back Sunday at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea for a different cup that meant just as much for different reasons. "I thought, 'That's 20 years ago.' And Bill was there watching me play," Haas said. "I've told the story many times that I wish I would have just gotten up on the 18th hole and swung as hard as I could, like I was in a driving contest, and maybe hit a better shot. He's heard me say that." Bill Haas never looked cooler under so much pressure. He knew on the 13th hole that the Presidents Cup would come down to his match, and he was clinging to a 1-up lead. The overall score was tied at 14 1/2 points. His was the last match on the course. The kid didn't swing as hard as he could, but he didn't miss. Haas hit a 3-iron into the bone-chilling wind and onto the 16th green for a two-putt par, and Bae Sang-moon had to make a 10-foot par putt to halve the hole. Haas followed with a 6-iron on the green at the par-3 17th, and halved the hole with pars that assured no worse than a tie for him. After a perfect drive on the par-5 18th hole that features water down the right side and a bunker to the left, Haas narrowly missed the green and went into a bunker, a safe place to be. He never had to make the birdie putt when Bae stubbed a chip, then chipped again and conceded the match. "That was the hardest position I've felt on the golf course in my career," he said. He was gutted for Bae, who faced the pressure of a home crowd in Korea and showed it when he fell to the ground and covered his face after the chip. It wasn't long before Haas was getting choked up when asked about being picked by his father, inserted into the final match and delivering the winning point. The son remembers Oak Hill, too. He was 13 and growing up in North Carolina, where he played some golf but really loved basketball. It was that afternoon at the Ryder Cup that changed everything. "The day I thought I wanted to play golf like he did was at that Ryder Cup," Haas said. "I remember hearing the cheers. He holed out a bunker shot on 16, birdied 17 to go to 18, and if halved the match, the match behind him would have won it. His match ended it." What stuck with the boy was the opportunity, not the outcome. "I just remember the emotion and how cool it was that my dad was doing that," he said. "It didn't work out the way he wanted, but I don't ever remember, 'Oh, my dad didn't do it on 18.' It was more how cool it was that day that he was involved in that. "And to happen in a similar way for me ... that was the most pressure I ever felt in a team event." That goes for his father, too, who walked away as a winner after watching his son thrive in a situation the captain knew all too well. "For him to do that down the stretch is not vindication or anything like that, but just how things work out. And 20 years went by in a blink," Jay Haas said. He paused briefly and smiled. "Glad it worked out," he said.
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Eli Manning took a sip of a drink on the sideline, then slammed down the cup. Not in frustration, but in celebration. Larry Donnell's spectacular catch over two 49ers with 21 seconds remaining lifted the New York Giants past San Francisco 30-27 on Sunday night, capping Manning's sensational clutch performance. BOX SCORE: GIANTS 30, 49ERS 27 Manning had a career-best 41 completions in 54 attempts and his perfect throw to Donnell finished off an 82-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown. The two-time Super Bowl winner passed for 441 yards and became the winningest quarterback in team history with 102. "This win is special," Manning said. HIGHLIGHTS: 49ers-Giants Donnell was between Antoine Bethea and NaVorro Bowman, two of the 49ers' best defenders, when he leaped to snag the pass in the back of the end zone before falling on his back, the winning catch secured. "Eli put it up there and I went up and got it," Donnell said. "Once I got it, I held on tight." New York (3-2) has won three straight and leads the NFC East. San Francisco (1-4) has lost four in a row and let this one slip away after an impressive comeback. Carlos Hyde's 2-yard run with 1:45 remaining gave the 49ers the lead. But on a night of huge plays and lengthy drives, Manning and Donnell had the topper. There were 20 plays of at least 15 yards in the game, and San Francisco had three on its late drive. Giants running back Shane Vereen had the last long play, a 24-yarder. And Manning, without his best weapon, Odell Beckham Jr., for much of the final series, engineered his 27th comeback victory in the fourth quarter or overtime. "It ranks up there as far as comebacks," said coach Tom Coughlin, who passed Hall of Famer Paul Brown for 12th in career victories with 167. "They are resilient, tough-minded, they find themselves as a scrappy bunch. "I told them in the locker room it took every guy, people were playing and pushed into roles that maybe they hadn't been in before. That's a real sign of a team." Beckham's speed and moves were too much for the 49ers. He set up New York's first touchdown by using his elusiveness for a 31-yard reception down the middle. His 15-yard catch led to a 17-yard score on which he spun neatly and sped down the left sideline. The touchdown was his last reception; he left with a hamstring injury, something that has plagued his short pro career, and returned only briefly on the winning series. Beckham finished with seven catches for 121 yards a week after he was fined for punching a Bills player in a win at Buffalo. Anquan Boldin had eight receptions for 107 yards and a TD for the 49ers. "It's good offensively to get into a rhythm like that. It's something we can build off moving forward," quarterback Colin Kaepernick said. "But we have to win games. That's why we play." Both teams staged long drives all night. In an opening half filled with field goals, New York had possessions of 76, 81, and 66 yards, San Francisco had a 76-yard series. Aside from Vereen's 2-yard TD reception in the second quarter, though, it was all field goals. Josh Brown made 22- and 41-yarders for the Giants, and Phil Dawson countered from 43 and 22. Manning forced an ill-advised pass for Beckham in the corner of the end zone that never had a chance and was picked off by Tramaine Brock to end the half. That kept the 49ers close, and they put together another long march, covering 88 yards in the third quarter, with Boldin sparking the drive on a 37-yard catch and run. He finished it with a 3-yard reception from Kaepernick for a 13-13 tie. Beckham gave the Giants the lead with his final heroics of the night, only to have San Francisco answer with an 80-yard drive helped by a 28-yard pass-interference call against safety Landon Collins. Garrett Celek capped it with a 5-yard reception. Those lengthy series had become more fruitful in the second half, but the Giants had to settle for Brown's 24-yarder with 4:29 remaining for a 23-20 lead. He tied his team record with a 17th consecutive successful field goal, but it left room for the 49ers to rally. And, ultimately, for the Giants to do the same. NOTES: New York also lost starting middle linebacker Jon Beason (concussion) and wideout Rueben Randle (hamstring). 49ers RB Reggie Bush was sidelined by a calf problem. ... The Giants dedicated the game to tight end Daniel Fells, who has a MRSA infection and is out for the rest of the season. ... Kaepernick finished 23 for 35 for 262 yards and Hyde gained 93 yards against the league's stingiest run defense. ------ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP--NFL
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The Philippines' election season kicked off Monday with politicians registering for thousands of posts, launching a typically raucous and deadly seven months of campaigning in a famously chaotic democracy. A successor to President Benigno Aquino will be chosen in the six-yearly polls, with the frontrunners a savvy politician accused of corruption, the adopted daughter of a movie star and a low-key stalwart of the ruling Liberal Party. Aquino, who has won international plaudits for tackling systemic corruption and for his solid economic stewardship, is imploring voters to choose longtime ally Mar Roxas to continue his "straight path" style of governance. "This is a campaign to continue the straight path, a campaign to make our hopes possible, a campaign that will continue the heroic story of the Filipino people," Aquino said at a rally to announce the Liberal Party's Senate ticket. But Roxas has struggled in opinion polls and is facing strong challenges from Jejomar Binay, the current vice president who is being investigated for graft, and Grace Poe, a political novice riding on her late father's popularity. The start of a week-long registration process began on Monday for more than 18,000 positions up for grabs -- from the presidency down to village captain level -- in the May elections. Binay, a former Aquino ally who now heads the main opposition party, was the first of the major candidates to register at election headquarters in Manila on Monday morning. Binay had been a clear leader in opinion polls until the Senate and ombudsman began investigating him for alleged corrupt activities when he was mayor of Makati, the financial district in the Philippine capital. Binay has insisted on his innocence. - Democracy challenges - The Philippines, a former US colony of 100 million, has struggled to establish a stable democracy, with many of the problems blamed on dictator Ferdinand Marcos's rule from 1965-1986. But his son and namesake is running for the vice presidency next year as an independent, insisting his late father's rule was benign and that voters will focus on present problems rather than the past. "There are corrupt Filipinos... within and outside the government who are killing our economy and keeping us poor," Marcos, 58, said at a weekend rally alongside his controversial mother and former first lady Imelda. Another feature of the Philippines' democracy has been politicians resorting to violence to eliminate rivals or cheating to rig polls. The mayor of a town on the turbulent southern island of Mindanao was shot dead Monday, hours after filing his candidacy for re-election. Randy Climaco was travelling with relatives and followers through his town of Tungawan when men fired upon their vehicle, a police report said. "Mayor Climaco died on the spot while four of his companions were wounded," it added. On October 1 a roadside bomb injured a local mayor and killed three of his bodyguards in the violence-wracked southern island of Basilan. The most infamous incident occurred in 2009, when the warlord family of a southern province allegedly massacred 58 people to try to stop a rival registering his candidacy for provincial governor. While some members of the Ampatuan family accused of orchestrating the massacre are behind bars and on trial for the murders, many others are expected to compete in the polls. These include Sajid Ampatuan, who has been charged with murder but was allowed to post bail this year. "I am not here to scare the people but to make their vision real," Ampatuan, who registered on Monday to run for a village mayor position in his family's stronghold, told AFP by phone. Another enduring challenge for the nation's democracy has been the power of elite clans who dominate national, provincial and local posts, according to political analysts. "Philippine politics has always been governed by the elite... I don't think the dynasties will change," Ateneo University political science professor Benito Lim told AFP. Roxas, for instance, is the grandson of a former president. And while Binay does not come from a political family, since rising to influence he has set up his own dynasty, with his wife and children becoming powerful politicians. Only celebrities, such as movie or sporting stars, have generally been able to challenge the elites. Boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, 36, is one of those. The eight-time world champion is currently a member of the House of Representatives and will next year run for a higher-profile Senate seat.
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The best kind of surprise!
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lifestyle
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An odd play happened at Minute Maid Park on Sunday during the Astros Game 3 win. Colby Rasmus hit a single off the roof in the domed stadium, and the guys react to the goofy play.
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Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick won his first professional tournament, and a £500,000 (674,500 euros/$766,000) first prize, when he finished two strokes clear at the British Masters. A final round of three under par 68, left him 15-under over 72 holes, and two strokes in front of Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen, Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti and Irishman Shane Lowry. The 21-year-old from Sheffield, who was the 2013 US Amateur champion, nailed crucial birdies at 11, 12, 15 and 17 while Kjeldsen stumbled when he hit his tee shot behind a tree at the 16th, with the two players tied, and made bogey during a key moment down the stretch. "It's an unbelievable feeling and it's not going to sink in for a little bit," said Fitzpatrick. AFP
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Australia's Adam Ashley-Cooper insists that his team are playing every game as if it's their last at the Rugby World Cup, after booking a quarter-final clash with Scotland after victory over Wales on Saturday.
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HOUSTON (AP) -- Former President George H.W. Bush, in a wheelchair and wearing a neck brace, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the American League Division Series between the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals on Sunday. The 91-year-old Bush, recovering after breaking a vertebra in his neck in a summer spill, smiled broadly when the crowd cheered after he was brought onto the field. With wife Barbara by his side, he bounced a short throw from about five feet in front of the plate to Houston's Jed Lowrie, who was set up to catch. Bush is a longtime Astros fan with a home in Houston, and for years he attended dozens of games a year in seats just behind home plate.
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DUBAI/WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - A court in Iran has convicted Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, Iran's ISNA news agency said on Sunday, but the U.S. newspaper said Tehran was working a political angle by not disclosing details. ISNA quoted judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei as saying the California-born Rezaian, the paper's Tehran bureau chief, had 20 days to appeal the verdict. Rezaian was arrested in July 2014. He was accused of espionage. "He has been convicted. ... But I don't have the details of his verdict," the news agency quoted Ejei as saying. The case has been a sensitive issue for Washington and Iran, and Sunday's announcement did little to resolve it. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United States was monitoring the case closely. "We continue to call for all charges against Jason to be dropped and for him to be immediately released," Kirby said earlier. Iran has accused Rezaian, 39, of collecting confidential information and giving it to hostile governments, writing a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama and acting against national security. The Post has dismissed the charges as absurd. The final hearing in his trial was on Aug. 10. Earlier, Ejei told a televised news conference that a ruling had been issued but did not say that Rezaian was convicted. 'VAGUE AND PUZZLING' Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron said that that statement from Tehran was "vague and puzzling," and Post foreign editor Douglas Jehl said the vague nature of that announcement showed Rezaian's case was not just about espionage but that the reporter was a bargaining chip in a "larger game." "It's increasingly clear that the final decision about how Jason's case will be handled will be made by political authorities, not by judicial ones," Jehl told Reuters. Rezaian's brother Ali had noted on Friday that his brother had been imprisoned for 444 days - the same length of time that American embassy staff were held after the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. In a statement, he said Sunday's initial announcement "follows an unconscionable pattern by Iranian authorities of silence, obfuscation, delay and a total lack of adherence to international law, as well as Iranian law." Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani hinted last month at the possibility that Rezaian could be freed in exchange for Iranian prisoners in the United States, but officials have played down the possibility of such a swap. Two other U.S. citizens - Christian pastor Saeed Abedini and Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant - also are being held in Iran. Robert Levinson, a private investigator, disappeared there in 2007. Their cases have been raised in subsequent talks, including between Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry when they met during the U.N. General Assembly in New York last month. No progress was announced. (Reporting by Sam Wilkin in Dubai and Bill Trott in Washington; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Howard Goller and Grant McCool)
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Why Clay Matthews might get fined for his first quarter hit on Nick Foles.
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North Korea wrapped up the 70th birthday party for its ruling Workers Party on Sunday with a music and dance extravaganza that included a scene of children on a butterfly-collecting trip being killed in a US bombing raid. With titular head of state Kim Yong-Nam as guest of honour, the open-air show -- held on a floating stage on Pyongyang's Taedong river -- was a chronological tribute to the party's role in shaping the country over the past seven decades. It ticked every milestone as it went along -- through liberation from Japanese rule and the Korean War, to the struggle of post-war reconstruction. If the Workers' Party was the focus, the lion's share of credit went to founder leader Kim Il-Sung and his successor and son Kim Jong-Il, whose images were repeatedly projected on a giant screen to applause from the thousands of spectators gathered on the river bank. It was a marathon event, which started at 9:00pm (1230 GMT) and took more than two hours to reach the halfway mark, at which point a substantial number of people took advantage of a fireworks display to escape the wind and cold. But many more stayed, especially those of the generation that grew up with the patriotic songbook that provided the concert's backbone. And many of the performances were given by the original artists, some now in their 60s or late 70s. The songs were interspersed with dramatic dance sequences, featuring guerrilla fighters, exhaustingly keen steel workers and, at one stage, a group of primary school children who ran on stage and acted an outing in the fields to collect butterflies. The image on the screen above then shifted from fields of flowers to a squadron of US bombers dropping their payloads on the children below. The concert was originally scheduled for Saturday evening, as the finale to a day of anniversary celebrations centred around a massive military parade in Pyongyang's Kim il-Sung square. But torrential rain that came close to extinguishing a torchlight parade forced the event to be postponed until Sunday.
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The worst part about the Denver Broncos is their quarterback, which is a strange thing to say because their quarterback is Peyton Manning. He's spent most his career carrying teams. This year the Broncos have lugged him to a 5-0 record. They have spectacular wide receivers, a fierce pass rush and a bullying, ball-hawking secondary. Their defense is definitely good enough to win a Super Bowl. The question is whether or not Manning is. The Broncos scratched out another win Sunday, sealing a 16-10 victory over the Oakland Raiders when cornerback Chris Harris returned an interception with about seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Raiders had been driving across midfield, and they were nearly in range of a potential go-ahead field goal. They remained in the game so late because Manning's offense failed to produce a touchdown. They managed only three field goals and had three points at halftime. BOX SCORE: BRONCOS 16, RAIDERS 10 Sunday, against an on-the-come Raiders defense, Manning completed 22 of 35 passes for 266 yards and threw two more interceptions bringing his season total to seven, compared to six touchdown passes, through five games. It is plainly, painfully obvious that Manning no longer possesses the necessary arm strength to play NFL quarterback. You can see it when he throws moderately deep passes he has to put so much air on the ball, he is essentially guessing at where his intended receiver will end up when the ball flutters down. You can see it in the numbers entering the week, Manning ranked as the 30th-best quarterback in the NFL according to the rankings at Pro Football Focus, slotting him between Jimmy Clausen and Johnny Manziel. It is admirable and amazing that Manning is even that good. There is a minimum threshold of physical ability required to play NFL quarterback. Manning had approached the line for years, and this year he has dipped below it. His genius at deciphering defenses and rearranging teammates allows Manning to acquit himself. But that is the kindest way to describe him. He can guide the offense and is usually not a detriment. WATCH: Charles Woodson picks off Peyton Manning for 1st time His receivers help, too, because they are both excellent and perfect in type for a quarterback with a weak arm. Demaryius Thomas can and must rip passes out of the air like a power forward rebounding. Emmanuel Sanders provides Manning the other type of target he needs, a jitterbug who can get open just a few yards off the line of scrimmage. But there are times Manning needs to make plays with his arm, and almost always he cannot, especially near the goal line. Before half on Sunday, in the red zone, Manning needed to thread a pass into a small window over the middle. The ball quivered and wobbled, and Charles Woodson sliced in front of tight end Owen Daniels and snared an interception in the end zone. Manning's deficiencies will only become more of a drain for Denver. Defenses will begin to creep closer toward the line of scrimmage, unafraid of Manning throwing it over their heads, and further stifle the Broncos already shaky running game. The cold weather and biting wind of the late figures to exacerbate Manning's glaring flaws, too. Last year, the Broncos collapsed in the playoffs as Manning's passes missed open receivers, often running deep down the sideline on patterns that demand zip on the ball. The Broncos went 12-4, and then went out with a whimper, not despite Manning, but because of him. Manning's boss, Broncos czar John Elway, provided the best-case scenario for how an all-time quarterback can leave on top. Leaning on a stout defense and running back Terrell Davis, Elway won Super Bowls at age 37 and 38 before he retired. Many have pointed to Elway as a blueprint for Manning. But Elway possessed a rocket arm and athleticism until the end. Try to imagine Manning helicoptering through the air, like Elway in the Super Bowl against the Packers. No matter how the Broncos' season plays out, Manning will retain his standing as one of the best player in the history of the league. His toughness and his intelligence are allowing him play NFL quarterback at age 39, without full feeling in his fingers because of the neck surgery he underwent three years ago. His past is certain. His immediate future, along with the fate of the excellent team around him, is anything but.
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A controlled explosion brings down some of Glasgow's Red Road towers, leaving two of the six buildings still standing. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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Although the series at London's Wembley Stadium is more recognized, the NFL's first international regular season game took place in Mexico City's Aztec Stadium. The 49ers and Cardinals were two of the NFL's most trash teams, but that didn't stop a regular season record of 103,467 fans from watching Arizona take the win. The NFL is expected to return there next season. CBS Sports reports that the league's owners supported the idea of a 2016 Mexico game in a meeting held last week. They're reportedly so supportive that the question isn't "if" but "who." "It's going to happen next year," one high-ranking official said, according to CBS Sports , "we just don't know which teams it's going to be yet." The NFL is planning to take over the world. Germany was presented as a possible sight for an NFL game, and it looks like it's not off the table. The league has also been looking into bringing the 2017 Pro Bowl into Brazil as if Brazil doesn't deserve better. Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to [email protected] [ via CBS Sports ]
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CONCORD, N.C. There is a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning, as Jimmy Buffett once sang. And so it was at the rain-delayed Bank of America 500. Originally scheduled to be run on a wet and nasty Saturday night, the race was postponed until Sunday. Those who headed back out to the track on Sunday morning found themselves bathed in sunshine and eventually would see Joey Logano dominate and win. Sunday was a perfect October day in terms of the weather, but not so much in terms of the race. A green-flag pass for the lead at Charlotte Motor Speedway has become as rare a sight as Danica Patrick finishing in the top 10. This is a track where NASCAR's new low downforce package cannot come soon enough. That package has been experimented with at other tracks this year and absolutely must be instituted for all of the Charlotte events in 2016 to improve the mediocre racing. What you generally had for this race was 43 cars out for a no-passing-allowed Sunday drive albeit at 185 mph. "Just extremely hard to pass," said Kevin Harvick, who finished second. "It was so hard to pass out there today," third-place finisher Martin Truex Jr. said. "Nearly impossible." Still, if you had gotten drenched with rain like so many of the people at the track had on Saturday, you would happily take a humdrum race on a sunny day over no race at all. Certainly, Logano and his teammates were happy. Handed a spectacular car by crew chief Todd Gordon, Logano led 227 of 334 laps. It felt like more than that, as Logano found a home in clean air on the very lowest part of the track. "I was pretty much like a catfish today," Logano said. "I was just on the bottom." Although the racing itself was forgettable, it did bring the cream to the top. Three of the top four finishers Logano, Harvick and fourth-place finisher Denny Hamlin all made the Chase's final four at Homestead in 2014. Of the top nine finishers Sunday, eight are currently competing in this year's Chase. Only Logano, however, by virtue of this win has a guaranteed spot in the next round as the playoff field begins culling itself from 12 drivers to eight. Races at Kansas and at the notoriously fickle Talladega remain before the next cut is made. "Logano is the only one that's going to sleep for the next two weeks," Truex said. The modest crowd at the speedway Sunday did not see a lot of good things from several of the fan favorites. Jeff Gordon finished a respectable eighth in his last race at CMS but never really contended. Jimmie Johnson had engine trouble and, after briefly leading, was 39th. "It's a bummer," Johnson said. Dale Earnhardt Jr. kept glancing his car off the wall "I lost count of how many times we hit it," he said and was 28th. Meanwhile, the No. 22 Ford was cruising to a victory that would have only been in jeopardy had there been a late caution flag. There wasn't. Logano, 25, won for the fourth time this season. It may well come down to Logano and Harvick in late November for the title. Harvick, the defending champion, remains as good a driver under pressure as there is in NASCAR. As Roger Penske, owner of Logano's No. 22 Ford, said Sunday: "When you can beat the 4 car 1/8driven by Harvick3/8 any day, any time, that's a big deal for us." But Harvick couldn't catch Logano in the final laps. And by the time Logano stood on his car, brandished his steering wheel and screamed in Victory Lane, there was no doubt who the two kings of this day were: The sunshine and Logano.
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Daryl Johnston and Justin Kutcher break down the Cardinals' win over the Lions.
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NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira on the NFL's response to the missed call during last week's Monday Night game and how the refs responded on Sunday.
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The Dodgers' Chase Utley has been suspended for Game 3 and 4 of the NLDS after his takeout slide broke the leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada in Game 2, Major League Baseball announced Sunday night. Utley was under consideration to start Game 3 Monday night, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said earlier Sunday. "I haven't really set the lineup yet or put it out," Mattingly said. "Usually don't talk about it until the day of the game, but (Utley) will definitely be a possibility." It appears now Utley will not be a possibility to start, although Fox Sports reports he will appeal the suspension and could be available while waiting on the appeal. FOLLOW THE DAILY NEWS SPORTS ON FACEBOOK. "LIKE" US HERE Joe Torre's statement on the suspension ended with: "Unless appealed, the suspension of utley will begin in Game Three. if appealed, the discipline will be held abeyance until the process is complete." The Mets released a statement after the suspension was announced: "The New York Mets completely support the decision made by Major League Baseball to suspend Chase Utley for two games and feel this was the appropriate course of action. With this decision behind us, the team and our fans can now focus on playing winning baseball." Utley is 6-for-18 (.333) with one home run in his career against the Mets Game 3 starter, Matt Harvey. Regular starting second baseman Howie Kendrick is only 1-for-6. The Dodgers came back to win Game 2 after the controversial takeout slide, which left the Mets fired up after the game. The series is tied 1-1. Mattingly said he wasn't concerned with the emotions carrying over to Game 3, even before he'd learned of the two-game ban. "Just one of those things I don't really concern myself with," Mattingly said. "We've been involved with a few things over the years, and we really don't start anything, but we've never backed away. The five years I've been here, we've had a few altercations. I don't feel like we've started any of them, but we really haven't backed away either."
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One man arrested in connection with the two bombs
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On Sunday, St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis did something that hasn't happened in a long time -- he intercepted an Aaron Rodgers pass at Lambeau Field. Laurinaitis caught a pass tipped by Mark Barron in the first quarter to snap a streak that dated back to Dec. 2, 2012. On that cold Wisconsin afternoon, it was Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith who out-jumped Greg Jennings to come down with a Rodgers bomb. This time it was a little bit of bad luck at the line of scrimmage that resulted in the turnover: In between, Rodgers went 19 full games without an interception in Green Bay, going 317-of-456 for 4,299 yards and 43 touchdowns. The Green Bay Packers went 14-1 during the streak (Rodgers missed seven games with a collarbone injury in 2013). The total streak, including the end of the Minnesota game and the start of Monday night's contest, covered 587 attempts, including 48 touchdowns -- all of which are NFL records. Of course, Rodgers' ridiculous stats at Lambeau aren't limited to those 19 games. Coming into Monday night, his career passer rating at home is a league-record 113.4, almost 13 full points ahead of Peyton Manning's 100.6, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio of 5.9 is a long way ahead of second-place Tom Brady's 3.7.
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Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson tells CBS' Face the Nation that Americans need to be armed in case "we have the wrong people in office". Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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Terry Collins made it official Sunday afternoon rookie Steven Matz will start Game 4 of the division series Tuesday and Jacob deGrom will go on regular rest if a deciding Game 5 is necessary. While the Mets did not work out at Citi Field Sunday, Matz threw a bullpen session from the mound on the field with Terry Collins and pitching coach Dan Warthen watching and pronounced himself it. Matz, a lefty, has been battling stiffness in his right shoulder but was fine after throwing a sim game in Port St. Lucie last week to prepare for potential playoff work. "I'm 100%, yeah," Matz said Sunday. "I'm there…I feel like I'm ready, I can go deep into the games if I can take myself there. I'm feeling good." Matz was either being coy or had not been told for sure he was starting because when he was asked about that possibility, he said, "They told me just be ready for Tuesday, so that's what I'm going to do." FOLLOW THE DAILY NEWS SPORTS ON FACEBOOK. "LIKE" US HERE Matz., 24, was 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in six starts this season, but dealt with several injuries, including a lat injury that cost him two months on the shelf. Matz did not go to Los Angeles for the first two games of the division series, instead remaining in Port St. Lucie. He watched part of Game 2 on his flight to New York Saturday evening and got home in time to see the end. "It's awesome, especially being here back home," the Long Island native said. "All of my friends and Met fans are really excited. I definitely have an appreciation for it. "I imagine it'll be pretty exciting. This place will be pretty electric. I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun." Matz also said he's hoping that the strong starts by deGrom and Noah Syndergaard will spur he and Matt Harvey, the Game 3 starter. "It's really impressive watching Jacob deGrom throw that first gem and Noah last night, doing the same type thing," Matz said. "We're going to try to build off that. "They say hitting is contagious and I think the same is true about pitching. I think Matt will be great. Having him as your third starter is insane. I'm really excited to watch him pitch."
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President Barack Obama said Donald Trump was "the classic reality TV character" who had tapped into something real in the Republican Party but was unlikely to end up as president. "He is a great publicity-seeker - and at a time when the Republican Party hasn't really figured out what it's for as opposed to what it's against," Obama said of Trump during an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes" program airing on Sunday night. Opinion polls put Trump at the front of a crowded Republican field seeking the party's nomination for the November 2016 presidential election. The billionaire real estate mogul and television personality has aroused controversy with his provocative remarks on illegal immigration. He has promised to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and to deport the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already in the United States. Obama said Trump had tapped into something that "exists in the Republican Party that's real. I think there is genuine anti-immigrant sentiment in the large portion of at least Republican primary voters." "He is, you know, the classic reality TV character," the Democratic president said, adding it was not surprising Trump had received a lot of attention in the campaign's early stages. Asked if he thought Trump would eventually disappear from the race, Obama replied: "I'll leave it up to the pundits to make that determination. I don't think he'll end up being president of the United States." Obama also said in the interview that he did not know about Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was his secretary of state but that it did not pose a national security problem. "She made a mistake. She has acknowledged it," he said. "I do think that the way it's been ginned up is in part because of politics. And I think she'd be the first to acknowledge that maybe she could have handled the original decision better and the disclosures more quickly." Discussing Joe Biden's possible entry into the Democratic race, Obama called him one of the finest vice presidents ever and said: "If you're sitting right next to the president in every meeting and ... wrestling with these issues, I'm sure that for him he's saying to himself: 'I could do a really good job.'" Asked if he thought he himself could be re-elected if not constitutionally barred from a third term, Obama replied: "Yes." (Additional reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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WASHINGTON President Obama on Sunday called Hillary Rodham Clinton's use of a private email server "a mistake," but said it had not endangered national security and had been "ginned-up" into a political attack by Republicans eager to keep her from being president. Mr. Obama made the comments during an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" program in which he also defended his policy in Syria during a lengthy, contentious exchange with Steve Kroft, a veteran correspondent. Mrs. Clinton's use of the email server during her tenure as secretary of state has become the centerpiece of Republican-led investigations into the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. She is certain to face questions about the emails during Tuesday's Democratic presidential debate and later this month when she is set to appear before a House committee. Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter In the interview, which was taped Tuesday and broadcast Sunday evening, Mr. Obama called those questions legitimate and said without directing the comments specifically at Mrs. Clinton that public officials in high office should know better. "As a general proposition, when we're in these offices, we have to be more sensitive and stay as far away from the line as possible when it comes to how we handle information, how we handle our own personal data," Mr. Obama said. "And, you know, she made a mistake. She has acknowledged it." The president said Mrs. Clinton "could have handled the original decision better" and might have been quicker to disclose work-related emails that had been kept on a private server outside government control. Mr. Obama said her possession of the email server "is not a situation in which America's national security was endangered." He declined to say whether the email controversy was "not that big a deal," but he chided Mrs. Clinton's critics for their single-minded focus on the issue. "The fact that for the last three months this is all that's been spoken about is an indication that we're in presidential political season," he said. On Syria, Mr. Obama acknowledged the failure of his $500 million mission to "train and equip" as many as 5,000 fighters in the battle against the Islamic State. The president said he had long been skeptical that the program could create an effective "proxy army," but tried it anyway in an effort to confront what he called a "difficult problem for the entire world community." Mr. Kroft repeatedly challenged the president on his policy in Syria and at one point complained that Mr. Obama was "filibustering" with long answers. Mr. Obama at times appeared exasperated by Mr. Kroft's questions, once responding: "If you ask me big, open-ended questions, expect big, open-ended answers." The president accused critics of expecting better results in Syria after just a year of American intervention, noting that Afghanistan still needs attention over 13 years after the United States sent its military there. He said the situation in Syria would not be resolved by American troops. "Resolving the underlying crisis is going to be something that requires ultimately the key players there to recognize that there has to be a transition to new government," he said. "And in the absence of that, it's not going to work." Mr. Obama angrily rejected the idea that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is challenging American leadership by using fighter jets and missiles in Syria . "If you think that running your economy into the ground and having to send troops in, in order to prop up your only ally, is leadership, then we've got a different definition of leadership," the Mr. Obama said. He added later: "The fact that they had to do this is not an indication of strength." Mr. Putin's aggressive moves into Syria, in particular strikes by warplanes and missiles, in the last several weeks appeared to take the United States government by surprise. But Mr. Obama suggested in the interview that officials had some warning of the Russian plans. "We had pretty good intelligence," he said in response to a question about whether Mr. Putin told the president about the military moves when the two met at the United Nations last month. "We knew that he was planning to provide the military assistance that Assad was needing," Mr. Obama continued, referring to the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, "because they were nervous about a potential imminent collapse of the regime." Follow the New York Times's politics and Washington coverage on Facebook and Twitter , and sign up for the First Draft politics newsletter .
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Chants of "Bra-dy" arose several times from a large New England contingent in Tom Brady's first visit to the $1.2 billion showplace of the Dallas Cowboys. First after a 1-yard plunge for his first rushing touchdown in almost three years, again after a long touchdown pass to Julian Edelman that helped seal the outcome and finally about 15 minutes after the end of the Patriots' 30-6 victory Sunday. BOX SCORE: PATRIOTS 30, COWBOYS 6 It wasn't as easy as his boisterous fans made it sound. Brady threw a pair of touchdowns in the second half after enduring five sacks in the first half, including two for Greg Hardy and one from Rolando McClain in their season debuts after four-game suspensions, and New England pulled away from a powerless Dallas offense missing Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. "There were a lot of adjustments today," Brady said. "I don't think we practiced a lot of what they were doing, but I think our defense played great. Offense, we made a few plays but we can play better than that." HIGHLIGHTS: Patriots vs. Cowboys The Super Bowl champion Patriots (4-0) won their seventh straight game going back to the playoffs last year. The Cowboys lost their third in a row without Romo and Bryant, both sidelined by injuries. Dallas (2-3) has at least four more games without Romo (broken left collarbone), and this was the biggest struggle so far for backup Brandon Weeden. He lost his 11th straight game as a starter going back to his time as a first-round draft pick in Cleveland. The Cowboys had just 59 yards at halftime, and trailed 20-3 before their first long drive, which ended with the second of their two field goals late in the third quarter. Coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys would evaluate the quarterback spot during their upcoming bye after Weeden went 26 of 39 for 188 mostly meaningless yards. The Dallas running game was almost mostly ineffective until it was too late. "Brandon didn't play well enough, but we didn't play well enough," Garrett said. "We just need to be able to control the line of scrimmage more in the running game and they did a good job loading the box up." Brady, in his 16th season, joined Peyton Manning and Fran Tarkenton as the only NFL quarterbacks with 4-0 starts at least four times. It wasn't easy early. The 38-year-old hadn't been sacked more than five times in the regular season since Buffalo had seven in 2001, the year he took over as the starter and won the first of four Super Bowls. Hardy, the defensive end making his Dallas debut after a four-game ban for his role in a domestic violence case, was credited with two sacks, including one that resulted in a fumble recovered for a short gain by the Patriots. He made headlines during the week for commenting on Brady's supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, after being suspended because the NFL believed he roughed up his former girlfriend last year. McClain, in the first game of his second season with Dallas following a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy, had the first sack. "Those are two great players," said Brady, who threw for 275 yards, about 96 fewer than he averaged in the first three games for the league's No. 1 offense. "They add `em to the mix and they've got a defense." But the Cowboys didn't get to Brady after halftime, and the offense got rolling on a pair of throws to tight end Rob Gronkowski, who had 51 of his 67 yards receiving on the opening drive of the second half. Dion Lewis had a 10-yard scoring catch to finish that drive. Brady's sneak to put New England ahead for good in the second quarter was his first rushing TD since Dec. 16, 2012, when he had the last of his career-high four that season. His 59-yard scoring pass to Edelman put New England up 27-6 early in the fourth. Brady was 20 of 27, and Edelman had 120 yards receiving. "We made those adjustments from the first series," New England coach Bill Belichick said. "We didn't wait until halftime. There's nothing magic about halftime. As soon as we see it, we're doing it." NOTES: Stephen Gostkowski extended his NFL-best streak of made field goals to 19 with three, including a career-long of 57 yards in the final seconds of the first half. His previous long was 54. ... Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower didn't return after leaving with a rib injury in the first half. He sacked Weeden before the injury. ------ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP--NFL ------ Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler
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Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday about the possibility of a political solution in Syria, where Moscow has been conducting airstrikes since late September The two huddled in the southern Russian city of Sochi and were joined by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Energy Minister Alexander Novak. "We have closely cooperated with Saudi Arabia for years on the crisis in Syria," Lavrov told journalists, according to remarks broadcast on television. "The two parties confirmed that Saudi Arabia and Russia have similar objectives when it comes to Syria. Above all, it is to not let a terrorist caliphate take over the country." "After today's talks, we understand better how to move toward a political solution," Lavrov said. Mohammed bin Salman said that Riyadh was worried about Russia's military intervention in Syria, and the country's possible alliance with Iran. He added that Saudi Arabia was in favour of a political solution in Syria, but one which includes the departure of President Bashar al-Assad, a staunch ally of Moscow. Lavrov also said that Moscow was ready for closer cooperation with Riyadh to make clear that the country was in fact targeting Islamic State, Al-Nusra and other terrorist strongholds in Syria. Using modern jets and older Soviet aircraft, Russia has bombed command posts and training camps of what it says are radical "terrorists", backing a ground offensive by the forces of Assad. Moscow has flexed its muscles with the bombing campaign across the war-torn country that has put a US-led coalition in the shade and angered Washington and its allies. Putin said Sunday that the Russian operation's objective was to "stabilise the legitimate authorities and create conditions for finding a political compromise."
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HOUSTON Until Sunday, the Houston Astros had not played a postseason game at home since 2005, and it must have felt like they had not been back in Texas for that long. After finishing the final week of the regular season on the road, the Astros traveled to New York for the wild-card game, then to Kansas City for the first two games of this American League Division Series. After 12 days away, they finally got to play again at Minute Maid Park, where Houston and Dallas Keuchel reign supreme. BOX SCORE: ASTROS 4, ROYALS 2 No team in the AL and no pitcher in the history of the game have experienced more success at home than the Astros did this season, so this was the perfect chance to take control of the series, and the Astros did not disappoint a stoked crowd of 42,674 as they defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday to go up 2-1 in the ALDS. For the fans who endured eight consecutive losing seasons before this one, and three last-place finishes in a row amid that spell of futility, the wait felt endless and Sunday's victory cathartic. "I think a lot of it hinges on just the 10-year absence from the playoffs,'' Keuchel said of the crowd's fervor throughout the game. "Guys hate losing, but I think it was a good 10 years because the stadium was absolutely rocking, and it's been building all year. We knew it was going to be pretty nuts today, and we fully expect it to be nuts (Monday).'' That's when the Astros can advance to the AL Championship Series, a fate even their top brass could not have possibly anticipated, not with a club that relies on youngsters up and down the roster. But they are one step away from knocking off the defending AL champions in large part because of Keuchel, a strong Cy Young Award contender who was again brilliant within the confines of the Astros' cozy yard. After setting a record for most wins by pitcher who went unbeaten at home in a season with 15, Keuchel improved to 16-0 with a 1.45 ERA at Minute Maid Park this year. He did it in classic fashion, spotting his 90-mph fastball in places where Royals hitters could do little with it and getting them to chase his changeup and slider. Keuchel allowed five hits and just one run -- on Lorenzo Cain's homer in the fourth in seven innings to improve to 2-0 in the postseason, with an ERA of 0.69. If not quite Arrieta-like, that's plenty effective. The last American League pitcher to win 16 home games, including the postseason, was the Minnesota Twins' Jack Morris, who went 16-3 in 1991. "He threw a great game,'' Royals manager Ned Yost said. "At times with runners in scoring position we swung at some balls that probably wouldn't have been called strikes, but that's what good movement does. … I think he should be the Cy Young winner this year.'' Keuchel got run support from two hitters who struggled much of the season in Chris Carter and Jason Castro. The Astros managed just a single in the first four innings off Royals starter Edinson Volquez, who was mixing his pitches well and mesmerizing batters with his curveball. But with the Astros trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Castro found a changeup to his liking and slapped it up the middle for a two-run single. Those were the first postseason runs by the home team seen around these parts since 2005. "Good time to get my first hit in the postseason, that's for sure,'' Castro said. Carter, who finished with three hits, pounded a mammoth homer in the seventh for a 4-1 lead, giving him seven home runs in his last 16 games. And center fielder Carlos Gomez, the energizing force who has had trouble staying in the lineup because of a painful rib injury, contributed an RBI single in the sixth and a beautiful running catch in the ninth, when the Royals scored once and threatened to make more noise against the Houston bullpen. Gomez, among the Astros players blown away by the sea of orange in the stands, said he has shortened his typically ferocious swing although it's hard to tell to compensate for the injury. Of his key hit, Gomez said, "I tried to keep myself breathing, have a good at-bat and look for the (right) pitch and not miss it, because when I miss it, you don't want to know how I feel.'' In case anybody wonders how the Royals feel, Yost emphasized they still have plenty of fight left and were fired up during that comeback attempt in the ninth. And as unappealing as it might be to have to play Game 4 at Minute Maid Park where the Astros' 53-28 mark during the season tied the Toronto Blue Jays for the AL's best Yost pointed out one win sends the series back to Kansas City. "We've got to win two, they've got to win one,'' Yost said. "But we come out tomorrow and we win, then it's excitement back at the K for Game 5. So we're looking forward to that.''
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Rod Stewart Rod Stewart gets his "best ideas" when he's driving. The 'Maggie May' hitmaker finds getting behind the wheel of one of his many vehicles clears his head and helps his creativity. He said: "I love to drive. It clears my head and I get my best ideas then. "The one thing I don't do any more is drive at night because I like to have a drink of wine every night." Rod finds songwriting "wonderfully fulfilling" and thinks of his songs as being his "babies". He explained: "I long for the next song to be written but, in says that, I wouldn't write unless I had to. "It's wonderfully fulfilling, when it's right, and you go, 'Blimey, did I write that?' One minute your page is empty, later it's got some stuff on it. "It gives me even more satisfaction, because my songs are like babies. You create them, you nurture them, and you bend them and twist them and then you put them out to the public and then you hear them on the radio and you go, 'That's amazing'. To hear it back." And the 70-year-old star still gets excited when he hears his work on the radio. He added to Uncut magazine: "That buzz hasn't left me after all these years, to hear it on the radio."
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Hundreds died during suicide bombing at a peace rally
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Online entertainment just keeps getting better, cheaper...and sometimes even free-er. Next time you're flipping through your preferred streaming services looking for something to watch, keep The Paramount Vault in mind. The recently launched YouTube channel offers a mix of popular clips from the studio's huge library of films. It also has full length movies divided up into the basic categories: Sci-Fi, Horror, Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, and Classics. Ninja movies abound on the channel--ranging from the first three American Ninja films to Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination.
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The rapper auditioned for the final season of the singing competition show and scored a golden ticket to Hollywood!
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Daelin Hayes announced on Twitter that he is decommitting from USC. Based on Steve Sarkisian getting placed on leave, do you think this will become a trend? #120Talk
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Wikimedia Commons There's a lot to be worried about in the stock market. The bull market is in its sixth year as earnings growth taper and the global economy slows.But even if the markets and economy as a whole were to turn, there will continue to be growth stories here and there that'll deliver no matter what.These are the secular growth stories.On Tuesday, Morgan Stanley released its annual list of secular growth stocks."To build this Secular Growth Stocks list, we started by screening Morgan Stanley's North America coverage for stocks rated Overweight or Equal-weight, where our analysts forecast 2014-17 growth of at least 15% for EPS and at least 10% for revenue," Morgan Stanley explained. "We then we asked our analysts to identify the stocks from this universe for which they had high conviction in the company's 'secular growth' characteristics, regardless of the economic environment, including some stocks that exhibited strong growth but fell slightly outside the original screen's parameters (for example, several of the names had negative base-year EPS)." We've summarized Morgan Stanley's list here, including projected compound annual growth in earnings per share from 2014 and 2017, the projected 2016 price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, and the price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio. Growth stocks with lower PEGs are generally considered cheaper.You'll not only find some well-known names on the list including Google, Facebook, and Apple but also a smaller companies that Morgan Stanley says are under the radar. Morgan Stanley's growth stocks list There's a lot to be worried about in the stock market. The bull market is in its sixth year as earnings growth taper and the global economy slows. But even if the markets and economy as a whole were to turn, there will continue to be growth stories here and there that'll deliver no matter what. These are the secular growth stories. On Tuesday, Morgan Stanley released its annual list of secular growth stocks. "To build this Secular Growth Stocks list, we started by screening Morgan Stanley's North America coverage for stocks rated Overweight or Equal-weight, where our analysts forecast 2014-17 growth of at least 15% for EPS and at least 10% for revenue," Morgan Stanley explained. "We then we asked our analysts to identify the stocks from this universe for which they had high conviction in the company's 'secular growth' characteristics, regardless of the economic environment, including some stocks that exhibited strong growth but fell slightly outside the original screen's parameters (for example, several of the names had negative base-year EPS)." We've summarized Morgan Stanley's list here, including projected compound annual growth in earnings per share from 2014 and 2017, the projected 2016 price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, and the price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio. Growth stocks with lower PEGs are generally considered cheaper. You'll not only find some well-known names on the list including Google, Facebook, and Apple but also a smaller companies that Morgan Stanley says are under the radar. Abiomed Ticker: ABMD Projected EPS growth: 86% Projected 2016 P/E: 110.6 PEG ratio: 1.3 Comment: "While the bulk of recent growth has been increased utilization at existing sites, management sees a clear runway as interventional cardiologists shift focus from single-vessel stenting to treatment of complex high-risk patients (CHIP) with triple-vessel disease and poor ejection fractions who are risky candidates for surgery," said analyst David Lewis Alexion Pharmaceuticals Ticker: ALXN Projected EPS growth: 19% Projected 2016 P/E: 29.9 PEG ratio: 1.6 Comment: "Alexion's growth continues to be driven by its key drug, Soliris, expected to read-out label expansion studies in two additional rare diseases in 2016, which could add an additional ~$1B to top-line sales," said analyst Matthew Harrison. American Tower Corp. Ticker: AMT Projected EPS growth: 16% Projected 2016 P/E: 33.6 PEG ratio: 2.1 Comment: "We favor the fundamentals of the tower business model, the secular growth story around mobile data, and high visibility," said analyst Simon Flannery. "We believe the set-up is attractive into 2016 in the United States, and trends look to be stabilizing in certain key markets, such as India and Mexico." Apple Ticker: AAPL Projected EPS growth: 20% Projected 2016 P/E: 10.7 PEG ratio: 0.5 Comment: "We see premium pricing, high usage, repeat purchases, and category expansion as reasons AAPL should trade more in line with platform stocks longer term," said analyst Katy Huberty. Avago Technologies Ticker: AVGO Projected EPS growth: 28% Projected 2016 P/E: 12.7 PEG ratio: 0.4 Comment: "The company has dominant market share of 75-80% in premium filters for smartphones, where we expect the total addressable market to nearly double to $4bn by 2017, led by increasing adoption of LTE phones," said analyst Craig Hettenbach. Celgene Corp Ticker: CELG Projected EPS growth: 29% Projected 2016 P/E: 19.6 PEG ratio: 0.7 Comment: "Celgene continued to be dominated by Revlimid, its treatment for multiple myeloma, which helps drive sustained top-line growth of >20%," said analyst Matthew Harrison. "We look for diversification from the pipeline starting late in the decade around 2018 and beyond." Cerner Corporation Ticker: CERN Projected EPS growth: 21% Projected 2016 P/E: 24.2 PEG ratio: 1.1 Comment: "As one of the leading players, Cerner looks well-positioned from the secular trend toward increased health record digitization and management of insurance risk using advanced analytics on patient data," said analyst Ricky Goldwasser. "Having recently won the Department of Defense EMR contract, one of the largest the industry has seen, Cerner is likely to continue to be a leader in the space." Chipotle Mexican Grill Ticker: CMG Projected EPS growth: 17% Projected 2016 P/E: 34.8 PEG ratio: 2.0 Comment: "Over time, we believe Chipotle has the potential to apply its formula to secondary concepts, driving strong domestic unit growth for the foreseeable future, as well as to pursue international expansion," said analyst John Glass. Edwards Lifesciences Ticker: EW Projected EPS growth: 20% Projected 2016 P/E: 31.7 PEG ratio: 1.6 Comment: "We expect the aortic valve market to increase in size by up to 5x over the next ten years, and the mitral market could be even bigger (though mitral risk remains very high)," said analyst David Lewis. Facebook Inc. Ticker: FB Projected EPS growth: 28% Projected 2016 P/E: 32.2 PEG ratio: 1.1 Comment: "As the world's largest social network of ~1.5B users worldwide, we believe Facebook has an enormous opportunity to capitalize in the secular shift from traditional to online advertising," said analyst Brian Nowak. "In the past several years, Facebook has acquired, and scaled, two more social platforms in Instagram and WhatsApp. In our view, these platforms have huge potential. Facebook is likely to remain a leader in the online advertising space as a result of its unique and scaled network of social data." Fitbit Inc. Ticker: FIT Projected EPS growth: 36% Projected 2016 P/E: 38.3 PEG ratio: 1.1 Comment: "We believe the wearable market is large enough for at least two successful brands long term," said analyst Katy Huberty. "That view is supported by the latest survey, where Fitbit's purchase intention share improved to 17%, from 15% in the May survey, despite improving Apple Watch distribution." Google Ticker: GOOGL Projected EPS growth: 17% Projected 2016 P/E: 19.8 PEG ratio: 1.2 Comment: "As the dominant player in paid search, Google continues to experience secular growth as advertising dollars shift into digital," said analysts Brian Nowak. KKR and Co. Ticker: KKR Projected EPS growth: 23% Projected 2016 P/E: 6.0 PEG ratio: 0.3 Comment: "The evolving liquidity conundrum in fixed income as banks pull back due to regulatory pressure should present strong deployment opportunities for the alternative asset managers due to the long-term locked-up nature of their capital," said analyst Michael Cyprys. LendingClub Corp. Ticker: LC Projected EPS growth: 110% Projected 2016 P/E: 126.5 PEG ratio: 1.1 Comment: "LC challenges the traditional financial institutions by directly connecting borrowers to investors," said analyst Smitti Srethapramote. "It capitalizes on both cost advantages and on improvements in user experience (speed, ease of use), and appears poised for years of rapid growth as it targets what we estimate is a massive addressable market." Lifepoint Hospitals Ticker: LPNT Projected EPS growth: 21% Projected 2016 P/E: 15.6 PEG ratio: 0.7 Comment: "Premier rural healthcare provider with a diverse geographic footprint and service offerings, which position the company well to capitalize on positive secular growth trends in the industry including healthcare reform, the aging of the US population, and improving utilization trends over the next few years," said analyst Andrew Schenker. LinkedIn Corp. Ticker: LNKD Projected EPS growth: 42% Projected 2016 P/E: 38.3 PEG ratio: 0.9 Comment: "LNKD is benefitting from the secular shift of job searching and recruiting from offline to online channels," said analyst Brian Nowak. Medidata Solutions Inc. Ticker: MDSO Projected EPS growth: 27% Projected 2016 P/E: 37.9 PEG ratio: 1.4 Comment: "A provider of cloud-based solutions for drug clinical trial management, Medidata is well-positioned to continue to benefit from an increase in biotech spending and innovation, growing drug trial complexity, and new sources of data such as wearable devices," said analyst Zachary Sopcak. Mobileye NV Ticker: MBLY Projected EPS growth: 96% Projected 2016 P/E: 65.2 PEG ratio: 0.7 Comment: "We believe MBLY is the only pure play on two of the fastest-growing and most powerful trends in the Auto industry today autonomous cars and software," said Adam Jonas. Molina Healthcare Inc. Ticker: MOH Projected EPS growth: 47% Projected 2016 P/E: 20.5 PEG ratio: 0.4 Comment: "Medicaid pure-play managed care company with operations in a number of states including California, Florida, and Texas," said analyst Andrew Schenker. "The company looks well-positioned for long-term growth from 3 areas in the Medicaid space, including (1) expansion in lives, (2) dualeligibles members, and (3) the movement of new Medicaid populations into managed care or the expansion of existing programs." Monster Beverage Group Ticker: MNST Projected EPS growth: 23% Projected 2016 P/E: 30.6 PEG ratio: 1.3 Comment: "We believe valuation does not fully reflect MNST's long-term EPS growth potential, and we expect upside vs. consensus in 2016/17 driven by a rebound in US trends behind higher pricing and rebounding consumer spending, as well as a significant international sales acceleration and margin boost as the benefits of the KO deal ramp-up," said analyst Dara Mohsenian. Oaktree Capital Group, LLC Ticker: OAK Projected EPS growth: 15% Projected 2016 P/E: 9.5 PEG ratio: 0.6 Comment: "We see continued secular growth in allocations to alternative investments driven in part by demographic trends, a persistent low interest rate environment, and investors struggling to meet hurdle rates," said analyst Michael Cyprys. Palo Alto Networks Inc. Ticker: PANW Projected EPS growth: 93% Projected 2016 P/E: n/m PEG ratio: n/m Comment: "Perhaps more importantly, we believe Palo Alto Networks displays the unique combination of both durable top-line growth drivers and an expanding operating margin profile," said analyst Keith Weiss. "Thus, PANW still represents one of the lowest FCF multiples on a growth-adjusted basis in our coverage group and remains our favorite story in the security space." Pandora Media Inc. Ticker: P Projected EPS growth: 37% Projected 2016 P/E: 90.2 PEG ratio: 2.4 Comment: "Fundamentally, we are bullish that internet radio's superior consumer value proposition vs. broadcast radio will enable Pandora to disrupt the $15B radio advertising market," said analyst Benjamin Swinburne. "Free music is likely to continue to dominate over paid services, and we think that the vast majority of users (around 80%) are not likely to pay for music consumption." Proofpoint Inc. Ticker: PFPT Projected EPS growth: n/m Projected 2016 P/E: n/m PEG ratio: n/m Comment: "As a share gainer in a market still ripe for disruption, with a growing cross-selling opportunity and direct exposure to ramping cloud infrastructure/app adoption, PFPT is one of the more compelling vendors in security, in our view," said analyst Melissa Gorham. "With the top 5 vendors in the email security market holding 40-45% share today, Proofpoint looks to have plenty of runway for continued growth in its core email security market." Sabre Corp. Ticker: SABR Projected EPS growth: 20% Projected 2016 P/E: 20.1 PEG ratio: 1.0 Comment: "SABR has been one of the best-performing stocks in our coverage universe year-to-date and we see room for additional upside as we head into the end of 2015," said analyst Brian Essex. "With substantial barriers to entry, the company enjoys consistent durable cash flow from its core GDS business with upside potential from its higher-growth Airline and Hospitality solutions business." Salesforce.com Ticker: CRM Projected EPS growth: 40% Projected 2016 P/E: n/m PEG ratio: n/m Comment: "With a SaaS-based application suite extending from Sales to Customer Support, to Marketing, to Platform services, to Analytics and Internet of Things, Salesforce.com remains one of the best-positioned names in Software to benefit from the increased shift of applications to the cloud, in our view," said analyst Keith Weiss. ServiceNow Inc. Ticker: NOW Projected EPS growth: n/m Projected 2016 P/E: n/m PEG ratio: n/m Comment: "ServiceNow is a disruptive share gainer with a well-established position in the $6B market for ITSM and an expanding product set addressing an additional $39B of market opportunity," said analyst Keith Weiss. "The company has been effectively scaling to address this large opportunity and we forecast a ~40% revenue CAGR through CY16e." Skechers USA Inc. Ticker: SKX Projected EPS growth: 40% Projected 2016 P/E: 20.8 PEG ratio: 0.5 Comment: "We expect strong global growth to continue due to better infrastructure, an improved brand image, and a compelling value proposition," said analyst Jay Sole. "The company is in the early innings of international expansion and sales can double over the next several years, in our view." Splunk Inc. Ticker: SPLK Projected EPS growth: n/m Projected 2016 P/E: n/m PEG ratio: n/m Comment: "Splunk offers a disruptive platform used to collect, index, store and analyze machine data that is highly scalable, flexible, and extensible to multiple use cases, in our view," said analyst Keith Weiss. "Machine data analysis represents a large untapped value opportunity, one that we believe Splunk is well positioned to address." Starbucks Corp. Ticker: SBUX Projected EPS growth: 18% Projected 2016 P/E: 31.1 PEG ratio: 1.7 Comment: "Starbucks is beginning to capitalize on recent acquisitions to boost sales outside of coffee (food, tea), which, combined with its leading digital platform and mobile ordering, should drive continued comps momentum," said analyst John Glass. Tableau Software Ticker: DATA Projected EPS growth: 40% Projected 2016 P/E: n/m PEG ratio: n/m Comment: "Tableau's software reduces the complexity and inflexibility associated with traditional business intelligence tools, allowing a broader population of users to derive insights from a diverse set of data sources," said analyst Keith Weiss. "By expanding the overall market opportunity to more users, DATA should sustain 30%+ growth for the next several years, in our view." Tesla Motors Inc. Ticker: TSLA Projected EPS growth: 134% Projected 2016 P/E: 194.1 PEG ratio: 1.4 Comment: "We estimate that ten trillion vehicle miles are driven annually," said analyst Adam Jonas. "And in our view, firms with expertise in autonomous tech and networked machine learning will be able to exploit the inefficiencies in the current model. We believe Tesla may be uniquely positioned to succeed here through its own app-based, on-demand mobility service." Under Armour Inc. Ticker: UA Projected EPS growth: 26% Projected 2016 P/E: 67.0 PEG ratio: 2.6 Comment: "Under Armour looks to benefit from the continued consumer trend toward health and fitness," said analyst Jay Sole. Veeva Systems Inc. Ticker: VEEV Projected EPS growth: 38% Projected 2016 P/E: n/m PEG ratio: n/m Comment: "A Vertical SaaS leader in the Life Sciences space, Veeva should be able to parlay its leadership in Sales Force Automation into new market segments like Data Management and Content Management, expanding its total addressable market and increasing the company's lead as the preferred Cloud provider for Life Sciences IT," said analyst Stan Zlotsky. WhiteWave Foods Co. Ticker: WWAV Projected EPS growth: 19% Projected 2016 P/E: 29.2 PEG ratio: 1.5 Comment: "The combination of sustained 8-10% organic growth and 50-75 bps of annual margin expansion provides WWAV capacity to deliver peer-leading, mid-teens base business EBITDA growth over the next few years," said analyst Matthew Grainger. Workday Ticker: WDAY Projected EPS growth: n/m Projected 2016 P/E: n/m PEG ratio: n/m Comment: "With continued enhancements to the core HR and Financials solutions and Workday in aggressive pursuit of edge use cases in both product markets, we think the company is positioning itself for a much longer and sustained growth trajectory (albeit at potentially lower rates) than investors expect," said analyst Keith Weiss.
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The only participant at the first Democratic debate of the 2016 presidential campaign with nothing to prove is Sheryl Crow, the singer slated to open the evening by singing the National Anthem. But for Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley, Jim Webb and Lincoln Chafee, the stakes in Las Vegas Tuesday are going to be high. The two Republican debates held so far boosting neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former CEO Carly Fiorina into top GOP ranks have demonstrated the impact the nationally televised forums can have to shape and reshape voters' impressions. Here's a quick look at what each of the Democratic candidates needs to do. The debate, sponsored by CNN and moderated by Anderson Cooper, starts at 8:30 PM ET. 'HELLO, I'M HILLARY' Since Hillary Clinton formally announced her campaign in April, she's seen her poll standings fall and the controversy over her use of a private email server while secretary of State heat up. After a quarter-century in national politics, she no longer has a chance to make a first impression, but the debate does offer an opportunity for her to explain who she is and why she's running. "Whatever her message has been, it's been drowned out by emails and servers and the opposition," Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, a veteran of past presidential campaigns, said in an interview. ""This is a real chance for her to lay it out." What analysts don't expect her to do is attack challenger Bernie Sanders, whose supporters she will need if and when she wins the nomination. "Frankly, both Sanders and Clinton need to communicate warmth," says Democratic pollster Margie Omero. In contrast to the confrontational back-and-forth of the Republican debates, she says, "we may be able to determine the winner by looking at which candidate smiled the most." That's not to say Clinton won't be attacked by others, on issues ranging from her 2002 vote in favor of the Iraq war to her reversal last week to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership. "She has to be prepared to answer the inevitable flip-flop question," says political scientist Dante Scala of the University of New Hampshire. Strategists say Clinton, who has been on the defensive for months, needs to project an open manner. "This is really about her not having a shield up," Trippi says. A PLAUSIBLE PRESIDENT Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders arrives at the debate in a stronger position than even some of his top strategists initially thought possible. He has become a hero to progressive voters and the chief challenger to Clinton, and he is now drawing bigger crowds, more enthusiasm and nearly as much money as she is. Expanding his appeal beyond his liberal base is his next task. "It's enough to get you 25%, 30% of the vote and you're done," Trippi warns. "If you can't broaden to moderate blue-collar Democrats, Catholic Democrats, to African Americans and Hispanics, you can't win the nomination." When the debate ends, success for Sanders would be "that Democratic primary voters find a Sanders presidency plausible," says Scala, co-author of The Four Faces of the Republican Party , being published by Palgrave Pivot next month. "It's one thing to be a prophet in the wilderness. It's another to be presidential. That's Sanders' challenge." Sanders says his message espousing economic equity is one that resonates with many voters, including those who may not consider themselves particularly liberal. But the cost of his proposals are jaw-dropping. A Wall Street Journal analysis calculated it at $18 trillion in new government spending over the next decade. "The big issue he'll need an answer for is on guns," Omero predicts. Sanders has opposed some proposals to limit access to guns, a record he argues reflects the sentiments of his constituents. The mostly rural Green Mountain State has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the country. I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE If Sanders arrives at the debate in a stronger position than expected, Martin O'Malley arrives in a weaker one. The former two-term governor of Maryland has campaigned hard but still barely registers in national polls. The RealClearPolitics average of recent surveys puts his support at less than 1%. "For the first time, O'Malley is finally going to have an audience," Trippi says. O'Malley has been more willing than Sanders to go after Clinton on the email controversy and on her changes in position in recent weeks to oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Pacific trade deal. O'Malley needs a breakthrough moment or an exchange during the debate that convinces Democratic voters to consider his candidacy. REMEMBER IRAQ Former Virginia senator Jim Webb has been running a low-profile, low-budget campaign. But his centrist views and his blunt manner gives him the potential to challenge the contenders seen as more likely Democratic nominees. He supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, for instance, and argues that President Obama wasn't tough enough in the Iran negotiations. He also cites his opposition to the invasion of Iraq as a key selling point, which means he is likely to force Clinton to defend or at least discuss her 2002 vote to authorize the military action when she was a senator from New York. That was the main issue Barack Obama used in challenging Clinton in the 2008 primary campaign which he won. RHODE ISLAND RESUME Lincoln Chafee has the broadest political experience of anyone running for president in 2016. The Rhode Islander has served as a mayor, U.S. senator and governor, and he's run for office as a Republican, then an independent, and now as a Democrat. "He seems like a decent fellow," Trippi offers. That said, Chafee's resume hasn't made him a particularly serious contender. In the debate, he needs the same sort of breakthrough moment as O'Malley and Webb, but analysts say his reserved manner may make it harder for him.
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Joey Logano held on to beat reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick at Charlotte Motor Speedway to earn an automatic berth into the third round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
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With his first-quarter catch Sunday against the Cardinals, Calvin Johnson passed Herman Moore as the all-time leading receiver in Lions history. The 9-yard completion from Matthew Stafford gave Johnson, in his ninth season out of Georgia Tech, 671 receptions. The five-time Pro Bowler set the NFL single-season record in 2012 with 1,964 receiving yards on 122 receptions, which at the time was the fourth-most in a season. Johnson tied Moore last Monday against the Seahawks, but fumbled through the back of the end zone on the play to give the Seahawks a controversial victory . MORE: Scoreboard | Worst of Week 5 | Greg Hardy delivers on promise, sacks Brady | Charles injury Johnson caught 96 passes in 2011, when he led the NFL with 1,681 receiving yards. His 12 touchdowns in 2008, when he caught 78 passes for 1,331 yards, led the league. Moore played for the Lions from 1991 to 2002, leading the league with a then-NFL record 123 receptions in 1995 and 104 receptions in 1997. So far this season, including the first quarter Sunday at Ford Field, the 6-5 "Megatron" has 30 receptions for 295 yards and a touchdown. His catch Sunday came on Detroit's second series in a scoreless game. He caught an 18-yard pass later on the same series, which ended with an Ameer Abdullah fumble at the Cardinals 42-yard line. The Lions, the NFL's last remaining winless team, scored on their next series to grab a 7-0 lead.
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The Mexican attorney general has made public the file on last year's disappearance of 43 student teachers who clashed with the police. Arely Gomez Gonzalez released more than 80 volumes of material. The case has prompted protests across Mexico, increasing pressure on President Enrique Pena Nieto. Relatives dispute his government's account that police in Guerrero state handed the students over to a gang who killed them and burnt the bodies. The attorney general's office said the document had taken around 100 investigators seven months to compile. But an international panel of experts said it had found many flaws in the investigation. It concluded that the government's account that the students were incinerated beyond identification at a rubbish dump was physically impossible. It said official reports appeared to downplay the presence of federal police and troops near the areas where the students were seized. The experts said the army had refused to allow them to interview soldiers. The attorney general has said her office has not closed the file and will continue to investigate the case.
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When it ends, and it's certainly trending more toward sooner rather than later, the Steve Sarkisian era could mark a turning point in the way athletics directors view football coaching hires. Let's put aside Sarkisian's health issues, which have forced him to take an indefinite leave of absence. This discussion is strictly about the football. Though sometimes the labels aren't fair, coaches largely get put into either the "recruiter" box or the "X-and-O guy" box, even though most coaches have a mix of attributes that make them successful. Whereas Mark Dantonio and Gary Patterson are obviously good recruiters and talent evaluators, their teams are great because they're great at the coaching stuff. Conversely, Hugh Freeze and Les Miles are adequate on the sidelines and good enough most days because they are able to convince elite players to come to their schools in a highly-competitive recruiting environment. Only a few coaches Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and probably Jim Harbaugh are elite in both aspects, which is why their teams will win big every single year. Because there aren't many of those available, most schools will have to make a choice. At Ole Miss, where you're not going to just fall into talent that can compete in the SEC, Freeze has more value. (They already tried an elite X-and-O coach with David Cutcliffe, and he got fired after a moderately successful six-year run). At Michigan State, where you're not going to land many five-stars, you need a coaching advantage because you're not going to have a talent advantage over the programs you're trying to beat. Which makes it all the more interesting to watch things as they unfold at USC, which has now suffered two inexplicable home losses to Stanford and Washington despite being picked to win the Pac 12. Sarkisian is undoubtedly on thin ice, based both on his penchant for losing games he's not supposed to lose and the off-field issues, which first became public at the preseason "Salute to Troy" booster event incident in which athletics director Pat Haden had to pull him off stage during a speech because he appeared drunk. And if USC makes a change, it will be interesting to see if the school goes back to the "recruiter" well for a third straight time following Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian or seeks out a coach with a reputation for out-coaching the competition. Though USC has had some ancillary issues related to NCAA sanctions, the team has not lacked for talent. Sarkisian inherited some legitimate stars from Kiffin and signed recruiting classes ranked Nos. 10 and No. 2, respectively, in his first two years. And yet how much talent does he have to amass to insulate USC from a chronic lack of focus and intensity, silly penalties, inconsistent execution and obvious coaching gaffes against quality opponents? There's no doubt talent wins games and there's a baseline level of recruiting required to win championships, but a place with USC's location and tradition shouldn't need tricks to recruit. If you put a competent product on the field, develop players and send them to the NFL, recruits will come. No matter how many No. 1 classes Sarkisian signs, the margins in college football are small enough that coaching competence will be the difference between winning championships and going 9-3. USC would be wise to remember that next time it has to hire a coach which may not be that far away. (Disclaimer: This isn't a ranking of worst teams, worst losses or coaches whose jobs are in the most jeopardy. This is simply a measurement of a fan base's knee-jerk reaction to what they last saw. The way in which a team won or lost, expectations vis-à-vis program trajectory and traditional inferiority complex of fan base all factor into this ranking.) (Disclaimer No. 2: By virtue of their decision to make coaching changes, Maryland and North Texas are hereby excluded from this and future editions of the Misery Index, as fans can look forward to a new regime taking hold in 2016.) 1. Southern California: There's no way to spin it. The Trojans' 17-12 loss to Washington on Thursday night was needless and putrid and emblematic of everything wrong with the Sarkisian era on the field. One week after playing very well at Arizona State, the Trojans were lethargic and sloppy against a young Washington team. If it was the first time that happened, it wouldn't be so alarming for USC fans, who were already skeptical of Sarkisian based on his 34-29 record at Washington. But the whole "play great one week, lay an egg the next" has been a theme for Sark's teams at USC, too. (Remember the trip to Boston College last season?) That may fly some places, but it shouldn't at USC.. 2. Georgia: When the Misery Index visited with Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity before the Alabama game, his view was that the lack of a breakthrough championship season was less important than the fact that Mark Richt had kept the program nationally relevant every year but one.That exception was 2010 when Georgia finished 6-7, giving rise to legitimate hot seat talk. The following year, the Bulldogs started 0-2 but won their next 10 and made the SEC championship game, and Richt hasn't felt much heat since. But McGarity's relevance argument doesn't exactly hold up to scrutiny. After Georgia's crushing 38-31 defeat at Tennessee on Saturday, dropping the Bulldogs to 2-2 in the SEC, it's now fair to look at Richt's career in two blocks. In his first eight years, Richt led Georgia to two SEC championships, six double-digit win seasons and six top-10 finishes. That's an unbelievable résumé by any measure. But let's look at what's happened since. In 2009, the Bulldogs started 3-3 and were out of the race for anything significant by early October, finishing 8-5. Then came the 2010 debacle. Though 2011 was a nice rebound from starting 0-2, the reality is Georgia took advantage of a weak SEC East and got blasted by LSU in the championship game, then lost to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl. Georgia was certainly good enough to win a national title in 2012, coming up just short against Alabama in the SEC championship game and finishing No. 4 for the year. Georgia was injury-plagued in 2013 and lost consecutive October games to Missouri and Vanderbilt to remove itself from contention for anything significant. And though last season Georgia went 10-3, it was disappointing because of losses to mediocre teams in South Carolina and Florida and a failure to win the exceptionally down SEC East. In other words, while Richt's first eight years were tremendous, the last seven have been pretty unexceptional with only one team even close to good enough to compete for an SEC or national title, which makes 2012 the outlier in the second stage of Richt's career. And this Georgia team just isn't as good as its 4-0 start against weak competition made it appear. Its quarterback has been exposed, its defense got picked apart by a Tennessee team that was struggling all season to generate a passing game and its special teams were generally awful, including a game-changing turnover late in the second quarter (special teams have been a frequent sore spot under Richt). Depending on what you think Georgia should be accomplishing given its location and resources, you can make a case that Richt should be the coach forever or that he should be fired immediately. Either way, that conversation is going to start heating up again. 3. Oklahoma: You can argue, if you want, that Bob Stoops has suffered more surprising losses than Saturday in the Red River Rivalry. (That 2001 loss to a bad Oklahoma State team was a true head-scratcher). You can argue he has suffered more damaging losses. (Getting beat by Texas Tech in 2011 as a huge favorite while being ranked No. 3 in the country was pretty bad.) You could argue he has suffered more embarrassing losses. (Getting run off the field by Baylor the last two years by a combined 89-26 isn't good for the ol' résumé.) But all told, few if any losses in Stoops' tenure will make fans madder Saturday's 24-17 loss to Texas. Even with the caveat that funny things happen in rivalry games, this should have been a layup for Oklahoma. We can argue whether the Sooners' wins against Tennessee and West Virginia made them a legitimate contender, but if you want to be taken seriously you have to beat this version of Texas. Yes, the Longhorns have some young talent, but there's a reason they started 1-4 this season and were 17-point underdogs on Saturday. Putting aside how huge it was for Charlie Strong to get a big win, which was appropriately the dominant story line, Texas is going to struggle to get to 6-6. And yet the Longhorns owned Oklahoma on the line of scrimmage, which has been a theme of this rivalry in recent years. Texas played harder and Oklahoma fell into the trap of relying too much on its passing game. For Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon to carry the ball a combined 16 times is ridiculous. That's how you get beat as a double-digit favorite, which Oklahoma has done quite a few times the last three years. But this one might have been the worst of all. 4. Oregon: The post-Mariota drop-off is real, and it's not going away. That must be the heart-sinking takeaway for Oregon fans after watching the Ducks lose to Washington State on Saturday, 45-38 in overtime. Even if you were inclined to write off the 62-20 disaster against Utah to a combination of flukeish factors, suffering a second home loss and not even to one of the Pac 12's best teams is alarming. One of the nation's most consistently great programs over the past decade is in real danger of falling off the cliff just one year after playing in the national title game. It might not be fair, but non-bluebloods such as Oregon don't have long windows to maintain their credibility as powerhouse programs. The Floridas and USCs can dip but come back quickly because the brand sustains and attracts good enough players for a new coach to recruit his way out of a hole. It's unclear whether Oregon has that kind of juice, which adds to the urgency for the Ducks to get back to their winning ways quickly or face the real danger of becoming just a nice regional program as opposed to a national contender. Meanwhile, unless the Ducks get better quarterback play this year (or at least get Vernon Adams back from his finger injury) they will have a hard time extending their streak of consecutive bowl appearances to 11. And unless they have an answer for next season, coach Mark Helfrich could find himself quickly on the hot seat. 5. Nebraska: Maybe it's the Curse of Faux Pelini, the parody Twitter persona of the Huskers' former coach Bo Pelini. "LET THE HATE CONSUME YOU MIKE," @FauxPelini Tweeted moments after Nebraska lost 23-21 at home to Wisconsin on Saturday, dropping the Huskers to 2-4. It wasn't particularly controversial when Nebraska sent Pelini packing after seven consecutive seasons of winning nine or 10 games, but maybe it should have been. Pelini's consistency even if the ceiling for his program never seemed particularly high has to be preferable to what is going on now at Nebraska, which has lost four times in devastating fashion already in Mike Riley's first season. After the Hail Mary against Brigham Young, the overtime loss at Miami and a blown clock management situation that led to a loss at Illinois, Nebraska invented a new way to lose Saturday. Down 21-20, Wisconsin kicker Rafael Gaglianone missed a 39-yard field goal with 1:26 remaining. That should have been the ballgame, right? Not with this Nebraska team. The Huskers played it super-conservative, forcing Wisconsin to use its timeouts before punting the ball with 63 seconds remaining. That was enough time for Wisconsin to get in position for another field goal, this time from 46 yards. It was good. Nebraska's record is bad. And the pressure on Riley, even in his first season, is getting cranked-up big time. 6. Boston College: There is nothing in sports more deflating than being a fan of a team that does one thing really, really well and basically can't do anything else. That is the plight of Boston College, a team that has allowed a total of 40 points in its last four games and has only one victory against Northern Illinois to show for it. In the era of flashy offenses, Boston College seems like a prehistoric fossil of a football team. The Eagles held Florida State to 217 yards and lost. They held Duke to 228 yards and lost. They held Wake Forest on Saturday to 142 yards and lost 3-0. That's a miserable team to watch and probably more miserable to root for because no matter how much Boston College dominates on defense, its offense is so inevitably poor that very winnable games seem impossible. Though the Eagles were handicapped when quarterback Darius Wade broke his ankle in the Florida State game, the lack of success offensively in the ACC means this is going to be a long and painful year to watch play out. Coach Steve Addazio has built the program on his mantra of "Be a dude." How about a new one: "Score a point." 7. Miami (Fla.): Better, but not good enough. That's the takeaway for Miami fans, who have upped the ante from flying airplane banners imploring the school to fire Al Golden and instead moved on to hacking his Wikipedia page, accusing him of "burying any leftover ashes of the once famed football program that remained as deep into the ground as possible." Heck, even Florida State fans got into the act this weekend, with one store selling shirts in Tallahassee that read: "Keep Al Golden." It's ugly in Miami, but Saturday was actually one of the Hurricanes' better efforts against a quality opponent under Golden. They lost at Florida State 29-24 but had several chances in the fourth quarter to drive down the field and win. It's not out of the question for Miami a pretty young team to get to 8-4 and possibly save Golden's job. On the other hand, that record isn't going to impress the fans and former players currently calling for change. The bottom line is Florida State has won six in a row against Miami, and until the Hurricanes can change that, they won't be nationally relevant. 8. Michigan State: The Spartans are in a strange spot. They are 6-0 but clearly not playing as well as they were supposed to play, holding on for dear life the last two weeks against Big Ten bottom-feeders Rutgers and Purdue. The 31-28 Week 2 win against Oregon, meanwhile, now doesn't look like much of an accomplishment at all and injuries are piling up. This has put Michigan State fans on the defensive. Amongst each other, they complain about the play of this team, which was supposed to be one of those once-in-a-generation type of teams at Michigan State that could win a national title if things broke right. And yet whenever a reporter brings up how Michigan State has not played up to its national ranking and that Michigan gasp might be the best team in the Big Ten right now, they throw a fit and cry about disrespect. We'll find out who's right soon enough. The Spartans head to Michigan on Saturday for a game that, truth be told, has to terrify their fan base. This is the year Michigan State had to make good on being the big dog in the state before Jim Harbaugh's influence started to tip the balance in recruiting and on the field. Hardly anyone expected that Michigan might actually be the better team this year. But that's a very possible scenario right now, with Michigan State scuffling along in wins and the Wolverines coming off three consecutive dominant, shutout victories. If Michigan wins this game, effectively ending the Spartans' hopes of making the College Football Playoff, it may be years before Michigan State fans recover from the gut-punch. 9. Texas-El Paso: We know there are worse teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision simply by virtue of the fact that Kansas, New Mexico State, Wyoming and Idaho still play. But the Misery Index couldn't help but notice what was happening with the Miners this weekend in their first Conference USA road game of the season at Florida International. UTEP was down 21-0 after one quarter and 42-3 after 24:19 of game time before FIU applied some mercy in the second half and cruised to a 52-12 win. UTEP ranks 116th nationally in total offense and 104th in total offense and has lost games by 35 (to Arkansas), 49 (to Texas Tech), 19 (to Texas-San Antonio) and now 40 to FIU. That's a very swift and sudden fall for the Miners, who were quite competitive overall last season under Sean Kugler and made a bowl game at 7-6. UTEP lost quite a bit of talent off that team, but getting blown out at FIU and looking that inept is not something the fans in El Paso will or should accept. 10. Fresno State: What in the world has happened to this program? For his first two years, it looked like Tim DeRuyter had it rolling and would regularly challenge Boise State for supremacy in the Mountain West (before, presumably, leaving for a bigger job). Of course, that was when the Bulldogs had Derek Carr at quarterback, who led them to 20 wins in those two seasons and made things seem pretty easy for a program that traditionally has been among the best outside the power conferences. It wasn't a huge surprise that Fresno State regressed in 2014 without Carr and they did regress, pretty significantly but the Bulldogs were still able to win their division and play in a bowl game. This year, though, the bottom appears to have fallen out. Fresno State is 1-5 overall and has essentially been blown out in every loss. Though losing by big margins to Ole Miss and Utah wasn't unexpected, Fresno State is getting pummeled on a weekly basis by programs that should not be doing any pummeling. A 26-point loss to San Jose State? A 14-point loss to San Diego State? A 42-point loss at home to Utah State? And it's happening while DeRuyter has trotted out four different starting quarterbacks, which doesn't speak very well of the recruiting job his staff has done. DeRuyter, by the way, is signed to a contract that pays $1.5 million annually through 2018 fully guaranteed which makes him one of the most highly compensated and secure coaches in a non-Power 5 job. That's a lot of money for a product that looks like it may not win another game this season. Honorable mention (Miserable, but not miserable enough): Purdue, Syracuse, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Central Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Wyoming, Rutgers GALLERY: AMWAY COACHES POLL
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DETROIT (AP) -- Carson Palmer earned a break. Matthew Stafford was forced to sit. Palmer threw for three touchdowns, Stafford was benched after throwing a third interception, and the Arizona Cardinals routed the Detroit Lions 42-17 Sunday. Palmer was poised and efficient, completing 11 of 14 passes for 161 yards. He threw a 14-yard pass to Darren Fells, an 18-yard connection to John Brown, and a 2-yard strike to Larry Fitzgerald for scores. BOX SCORE: CARDINALS 42, LIONS 17 "I feel comfortable and confident," said Palmer, whose 154.2 passer rating was the second highest of his career that started when Cincinnati drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003. The Cardinals (4-1) have a two-game lead in the NFC West and Larry Fitzgerald said no one on the team would be celebrating on the flight home. "It's far too early," he said. "At this point of the season last year, we had a two-game and we didn't win it." It may not be too early to wonder when Detroit is going to win. The Lions (0-5) have the dubious distinction of being the NFL's only winless team, for a second straight week, and are off to their worst start since becoming the league's only 0-16 team in 2008. When they host Chicago (2-3) next week, Stafford is expected to start. Caldwell said he simply substituted Stafford out as a manager would with a pitcher. "Going forward, we do think he's our best quarterback," he said. Arizona defensive end Cory Redding, who played for the Lions' infamous team seven years ago, had an interception that he almost returned for a score, only to be stopped by Stafford. Redding hopes the Lions snap their skid because he doesn't want the current players to join him and his former teammates in league infamy. "I don't wish that on my worst enemy," Redding said. Stafford was picked off on passes well short of receivers and missed at least one wide-open option. Stafford was told to stay on the sideline in the third quarter and wasn't surprised because of what he heard from coach Jim Caldwell at halftime. "He warned me at halftime that I only got one more," Stafford recalled. Stafford was 20 of 32 for 188 yards with a 6-yard TD pass to Theo Riddick that gave Detroit a 7-0 lead after its defense didn't allow the Cardinals to score a point -- or even pick up a first down -- following two turnovers in the first quarter. He was replaced by Dan Orlovsky, who threw his first pass since 2012 and took a snap for the first time in two years. In Detroit at least, he is best remembered for obliviously running out of the back of the end zone when rolling out to pass for a safety during a setback at Minnesota when the franchise set a record it didn't want. After the Lions lost every game in 2008, they drafted Stafford No. 1 overall out of Georgia, ignoring questions about his inability to throw accurately. Now, they are relatively stuck after signing him two years ago to a $53 million, three-year extension that keeps him under contract through 2017. Orlovsky completed 21 of 38 passes for 191 yards with a TD late in the game and an interception. Stafford and Orlovsky combined to set an NFL record with 70 pass attempts in a regulation game, surpassing the 69 thrown by Vinny Testaverde of the New York Jets in a 2000 loss to Baltimore, according to STATS. Palmer helped the Cardinals average an NFL-high 37 points entering the game, and they surpassed that with a mixture of plays. Chris Johnson had 11 carries for 103 yards, giving him nearly 300 yards rushing in three games. Rookie David Johnson took over in short-yardage situations, scoring on a 4-yard run to put Arizona ahead 14-7 early in the second quarter and a 2-yarder late in the first half. Rashad Johnson matched a career high with two interceptions. Patrick Peterson picked off a pass and limited Calvin Johnson to five receptions and 67 yards. "Once we got the first couple turnovers, it was like piranhas with the blood in the water," Arizona coach Bruce Arians said. "I was just worried we were going to start taking the ball away from each other." NOTES: Cardinals LB Alex Okafor and LB Kenny Demens both had knee injuries during the game. ... Lions LB DeAndre Levy was cleared to return from a hip injury only to aggravate it against Arizona. --- AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL --- Follow Larry Lage at http://www.twitter.com/larrylage
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Those '50s-era dreams of taking pills to solve all your problems? They're more realistic than you might think. Researchers have created a blueprint of the molecular-level muscle reactions to exercise that should lead to treatments which mimic workouts. Yes, that means that you could eventually take an exercise pill that produces the effects of hitting the gym without all that pesky time and effort. Any pill would be "at least a decade" away, the University of Sydney's Dr. Nolan Hoffman explains , but the scientists are "actively working on" that vision -- it's not just a daydream. It's tempting to see any future pill as little more than a dietary supplement for the health-conscious, but the discoverers believe that it could be a powerful medical tool. Many people can't exercise all their muscles the way they'd like, such as sufferers of cardiovascular diseases. A treatment like this could keep those patients in better shape, and might even help some of them resume real exercise. Could it result in the laziest generation yet? Possibly, but that trade-off could be worthwhile if it improves the health of humanity as a whole. Cell Metabolism
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CHICAGO - It will forever be known as the Chase Utley Rule. Or, perhaps. the Ruben Tejada Rule. Utley had a wonderful career, and will be revered in Philadelphia for helping the Phillies win a World Series, but all he'll be remembered for - in the minds of casual fans, certainly- will be that slide on the night of Oct. 10. It will be the night baseball changed forever. The moment this postseason ends, the takeout slide at second base will be declared illegal. We had the Buster Posey rule two years ago, with players no longer permitted to clobber catchers at home plate, reducing the number of concussions and other injuries. Well, now we'll have the Utley rule, where players can no longer wipe out middle infielders at second base, reducing the number of broken legs. It was just three weeks ago when Chicago Cubs outfielder Chris Coghlan slid full speed into second base against the Pittsburgh Pirates, crashing into shortstop Jung Ho Kang, and breaking his leg, ending his season, and putting a significant dent in the Pirates' World Series hopes. Now, in a much more aggressive, yes, reckless and perhaps even dirty slide by Utley, New York Mets shortstop Tejada's season is over, with a broken leg, perhaps also ruining the Mets' championship dreams. The baseball world spent all night debating and arguing and screaming whether Utley's slide was simply an ol' fashioned aggressive slide, or an absolutely sickening dirty slide with baseball men calling for his immediate suspension. The slide was high. The slide was late. And, yes, we agree with Mets outfielder Michael Cuddyer: It sure looked more like a tackle than a slide. "That was a [expletive] terrible late slide that's not hard nosed!!,'' former All-Star outfielder Mike Cameron said in a tweet. "Sorry, and everybody who played baseball knows that, including Utley. "I was the one who always went in hard, but never tried to hurt the defensive player, just disrupt the throw, that's what you supposed to do.'' Really, all we can agree on is that Utley didn't intentionally try to injure Tejada, but we'll never be able to agree on whether it was ultra-aggressive, or cheap and dirty. "A guy has a damn broken leg on a freaking horrible slide," one former All-Star said in a text message, "and players are tweeting, 'Way to go Utley.' What in the hell is going on?" Even MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre said of the slide: "I'd hate to think that Utley tried to hurt somebody. It certainly was late. That concerns me, the lateness of the slide. I'm looking at it just to see if there's anything we feel should be done.'' Dusty Baker, the former veteran manager, said that Utley should be suspended immediately. All we know is that the last time we saw Kang on the field during the Pirates' wild-card loss to the Cubs, he was in a wheelchair, being pushed to the baseline for the preagme lineup announcements. If we see Tejada again in this series, he may be in a wheelchair too. There were 10 teams that made this year's postseason tournament, and two of the teams' shortstops are out with broken legs. That's an epidemic, folks. It must be stopped. Sure, you can argue that aggressively breaking up double plays is simply part of baseball, and has been around since the game has been invented. Yet, Abner Doubleday never imagined when he drew up the rules that it would be more dangerous to be a middle infielder these days than an NFL quarterback. Major League Baseball executives were alarmed when Kang's injury happened, particularly when Coghlan went straight for his legs, but the controversy dissipated almost immediately when the Pirates never complained, calling it an aggressive play. ""It's unfortunate that what would be considered heads-up baseball would cause such a serious injury,'' Kang said in a release from the hospital. "That said, Coghlan was playing the game the way it should be played. I'm confident he meant me no harm. I appreciate everyone's support.'' Kang and the Pirates helped douse a potential nasty retaliation, and all that happened to Coghlan was being vociferously booed when his name was announced during the introductions. This time, it's completely different. The Mets are outraged, calling the slide dirty. The Dodgers awkwardly support Utley, but certainly understand the Mets' anger. "Well, I don't know if I need to get into whether it's clean or anything else," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "The one thing I probably know 100%. ... I know Chase is not trying to hurt anybody.'' Said Mets manager Terry Collins: "It broke my shortstop's leg. That's all I know." Mets infielder Kelly Johnson, who has played 842 career games at second base, was the most vocal of his disgust with Utley, and had no filter discussing his view of the play. "It was dirty," Johnson said. "There are so many things wrong with that play. Our starting shortstop is out of the playoffs with a broken leg. …I want a rule about a guy going into Ruben like that. We don't have a rule about that slide, or whatever that was, that tackle. ..Obviously he went in and got our player before he even touched dirt. "It's sad. I don't get it, I really don't.'' No matter your viewpoint, Utley has now become the most hated baseball player in New York since John Rocker. You can be assured that MLB will have extra police protection at Citi Field for Utley's safety, just as they did Rocker, when he littered New York with racist comments. But there's no cop on the planet who can stop the Mets from their own vigilante plan, and drill Utley when he's at the plate, or sliding as hard as they can into second base, deliberately trying to break a bone or two. It's going to get nasty, and baseball better change the rules this winter, making sure we never see anything like this again. MLB must rewrite the rules and require that baserunners slide directly at the base, not at the baserunner. Torre acknowledged Saturday night they are testing just such a plan in the Arizona Fall League, a setting for prior experiments such as instant replay and between-innings clocks. We all love aggressive plays, but when you're talking about players' livelihoods, and potentially ruining careers, permitting beanball wars makes more sense than what's happening now. At least in the batter's box, you're wearing helmets. And you can be assured that changing the rule will be the hot topic of conversation in November at the general manager's meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., and by the winter meetings a month later, the rule will be adopted, signed off by the owners. Simply, this can no longer go on. "I just want to know why there's not something in place that's going to protect us,'' Johnson said. "I just don't get that. He's [Utley] in the vicinity of the bag, yes, [Utley] probably could have touched the bag had he put his hand out on it. But there's got to be something in there that says we've got to hit dirt. "We've got to slide, not jump into, break fibulas, and knock players out of games.'' You're' talking about plenty of money lost, too, with these injuries. You aren't on the disabled list for two weeks. You're done for the season. Can you imagine if anyone ever took out Derek Jeter, and prematurely ended his career? How about being the guy who wiped out Cal Ripken Jr., ending his consecutive games streak? For everyone's sake, and even the guys who love to play good ol' fashioned hardball like Utley, it must stop. It's a shame that Utley, whose career is coming to an end, will now be remembered for the slide more than anything he ever accomplished as a player. "I did not intend to hurt him whatsoever,'' Utley said. "I was just trying to break up the double play. I was trying to put a body on him to break up the double play. That's winning baseball. "I feel terrible that he was injured.'' It doesn't matter. The damage is done. Tempers are flaring. Utley will never again be looked upon the same. And should the Dodgers go on to win the World Series, everyone will remember the key rally that turned around their Division Series was aided significantly by a dirty play. That's still a ways off, though. Both clubs are tasked with handling the emotional fallout as Game 3 looms Monday night. "You got to take the emotion and keep your focus,'' Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters. "You can't lose control. …We'll control it, but yeah, [the Mets players] are angry. You lose in a playoff series to that serious of an injury, yeah, they're not very happy about it. "I think our guys will be certainly very, very anxious to get back on the field on Monday.: And perhaps just as eager to see Utley being taken off the field himself. Yes, we're talking vengeance, and that's the scariest part of all about this mess. It's not over, and will never be over, until baseball steps in and stops it with a rule change. Enough is enough. Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale GALLERY: Dodgers, Mets clash in Division Series
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Scuffles break out at the site of twin bomb blasts that killed up to 128 people in Ankara the day before, as families of the victims mourn their dead. Gavino Garay reports.
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E-mail Rich Cirminiello Follow me ... @RichCirminiello Maryland has fired Randy Edsall midway through his fifth year with the program. Mike Locksley will coach the Terps on an interim basis until the end of the regular season. Edsall leaves the Terrapins with a 22-34 mark, the quantifiable proof of a failed tenure in College Park. He was hired in early 2011 in a move new AD Kevin Anderson saw as the first step to elevating the football brand. But it never paid dividends. Edsall was unpopular from the get-go, in the locker room and in the local community, replacing well-liked Ralph Friedgen who was named ACC Coach of the Year just weeks after being canned by Anderson. Under Edsall, the Terps never gained traction, couldn't keep quarterbacks healthy and failed to replicate the rare magic the coach concocted at UConn. With the Huskies, Edsall was able to beat the odds with try-hard kids who were overlooked coming out of high school. In the ACC and now the Big Ten though, Edsall's blueprint for success didn't translate. And an inability to develop consistency behind center haunted the coach and his staff. In four-plus years, Edsall's quarterbacks were picked off 69 times, evidence of a staff completely unable to develop young passers. Now, with Maryland a member of the Big Ten, and with so much Under Armour money flowing through the campus, mediocrity just isn't going to be tolerated going forward. Edsall was the embodiment of mediocrity at best so it was time to move in another direction. Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, a former Terp player, believes Maryland can become to the East Coast what Oregon is out in Eugene. And with a bar set in the clouds, there's no doubt that Anderson will go big-game hunting when searching for Edsall's successor. When Edsall left Storrs five years ago, he labeled Maryland a 'dream job'. Becoming a Terrapin, though, wound up being a nightmare for a coach who was a blazing hot commodity for transforming UConn into a respected football entity and a Big East champ. Edsall will be fine financially, still owed $2.6 million from his original contract. But he'll have a real difficult time returning to the sidelines anytime soon after this stint with the Terps failed to even approach the administration's expectations.
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Sitting on the campus of a historically black college in July, Baltimore teen Scott Thompson II was in his comfort zone. In a stroke of luck and good timing, Scott's mom, Myeisha Thompson, had been able to enroll the 13-year-old in the Maya-Baraka Writers Institute, a five-week intensive summer writing camp hosted by the college for the city's youth. Infused with the spirit of the Institute's namesakes Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka, two socially and racially-conscious black storytellers Scott set out to write a verse expressing his take on school systems and police departments that only see young, black males as problems. Inquisitive. Confident. Reflective. Observant. Adjectives used by family members and a former teacher to describe Scott, who is in some ways an anomaly and in others the prototypical teenager: listening to music with earbuds affixed in ears; showing off a new move honed this summer on the basketball court; adjusting to his freshman year at Baltimore's top-ranked magnet high school, Baltimore City College. In his bedroom sits an Xbox console that's the casualty of a grueling homework load. His wavy long locs pulled back behind his shoulders, Scott shares his dreams of going to UCLA and becoming an actor, director, or playwright. His devotion to the arts flows naturally from a mom who loves musicals watching and reciting the songs of The Sound of Music together was a Christmas tradition until Scott outgrew the practice last year and a dad who loved photography. Bubble-wrapped, framed pictures of Scott, candid photos capturing the spontaneity of his childhood, fill their new apartment in Mount Washington, a quaint, nature-filled area on the outskirts of Baltimore City. Trips to the Inner Harbor and Baltimore Zoo with his mom are common weekend outings; bike rides with his dad around Druid Hill Park are a fond memory. In many ways, Scott is a black youth who both lives apart from and among the conditions that have come to define West Baltimore. "If I make it as a big actor, people will know where I came from and will know I'm a black boy from Baltimore," he said on a recent Saturday afternoon traveling around the city. "I know what's wrong with my city, but it's still [mine]. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Mired in unemployment, poverty, and crime, West Baltimore is a community made famous as the setting for HBO's The Wire , a drama series that centered on the city's drug trade. In April the area was again thrust into the national spotlight with the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray . Gray's death touched off mass protests against police brutality, followed by eruptions of violence with arson and looting. City and state officials declared a state of emergency, imposed a citywide 10 p.m. curfew, and deployed the National Guard to patrol Baltimore streets. The memory of cars burning, armored vehicles, and "the longest line of police cars… it felt like it wasn't going to stop," shocked and disappointed Scott. "It just hit me hard in my soul," he says. "Not even 30 minutes after me and my mom were driving on that street, we look on the news and this is happening [just] minutes away from me." Most upsetting was the rioting at Mondawmin Mall, where police clashed with a crowd of high-school students only blocks from Scott's grandmother's home. "My family in the city, I was worried about them," he says. "I saw fires and explosions. I saw a lot of people getting locked up. It was very stressful because I've never seen my community get to that point." For 35 years, Scott's grandmother, Florence Thompson, has lived in her West Baltimore home, which sits on a tree-lined street of neatly maintained row houses. It's been the primary gathering spot for the large, extended Thompson clan for four generations. Scott's sister Monica, 32, visits regularly. Her 6-year-old daughter, Daryn Keith, cuddles in Granny's lap. Just inside the front door, wall notches track Scott's height since he was a toddler. Stacked upstairs in a bedroom office sit copies of his many report cards. "This has always been a very homey place for me. It brings a lot of good vibes. It gives me comfort," says Scott, pulling out an oversized deluxe edition Scrabble board, trimmed in gold and set on a Lazy Susan. A raucous game ensues "I don't think h-u-n is a word," "Get the dictionary!" "Then why do people call each other h-o-n?" "That's short for honey!" with Scott sitting hunched over the board. According to Monica, the tight family bond nurtured around Florence's living room table helped inoculate Scott from many of the surrounding community's ills. Generational poverty and unemployment pose an unbeatable challenge for many black youth like Scott, complicated by subpar educational options that leave them helpless to change the trajectory of their lives. For Scott, the answer lies in opportunities and hope. "I believe that most people have that good spirit inside of them [to] become something bigger, [but] because they're born into something smaller, they don't have the confidence," he says, highlighting the importance of familial support. "Becoming somebody is not easy, but it can be done... [My family] won't allow me to not be something. If I fall, I need to get right back up because I don't want to become the embodiment of what's happening in my city." The reality is that Baltimore can be a crushing place to be a black child. A sober picture emerged following Freddie Gray's death. Black youth in West Baltimore are almost just as likely to get arrested as they are to graduate from high school; the area's juvenile-arrest rate is the highest in Baltimore City. Meanwhile, an analysis of police records by the Baltimore Brew in August found that Baltimore is the second most violent city in America, right after St. Louis. For Scott, the statistics became more than facts and figures in August 2013 when Scott's dad was murdered just four blocks from his grandmother's oasis. Scott, who had lived part-time with his dad, was home with him that morning until 11 a.m. or so, when his mom picked him up because he was performing in a play. The police suspect the gunman who is still at large shot his father at home just a few hours later. "I've always heard about violence in Baltimore. But it never personally affected me until my dad died and it just changed my view of things," says Scott. "[The violence] has now come into my life." It's an experience too many black children across the country share. Data from the National Center for Victims of Crime shows that black youth experience an "alarming rate of exposure to violence and victimization." Yet despite the widespread impact on children and teens, few receive support and services to treat their trauma. While mourning what he's lost "My dad was always a big part of my life... my best friend… me and him were always the closest of the close" Scott takes solace in his dad instilling in him his curiosity and good judgement. The teen's 29-year-old cousin and surrogate big brother, William Baker, is now the adult male figure in Scott's life. "We like to call each other stand-up men... somebody that you can pick out of the litter and know he's different." In the hours following his father's death, writing poetry consoled Scott's pain. As family gathered at his grandmother's house, Scott got a notepad and pen and wrote one of his longest poems. "I had tears falling on the pages. It was really real, and it was a way for me to talk to him in a way that I know I could. It was explaining who he was to me and how much he affected my life." For Scott, poetry was a way to grapple with the trauma he endured a tool that some educators and schools now use to help children heal from exposure to violence. Looking back on that period of life, Scott recalls school particularly the support he got from his peers and favorite teacher at Southwest Baltimore Charter being his lifeline. To transition students from middle to high school, Southwest Baltimore Charter School organizes students into gender-exclusive teams "crews" of about a dozen students each who meet daily in grades 6-8. The crew model fosters strong, consistent relationships between students. The closeness of the all-male group gave Scott the security to grieve and surrender to his sadness. "We are honestly like brothers. I always felt safe in my crew room. I knew I could talk about anything, or if I was having a bad day... I could always connect with them." His friends gave consolation and in his humanities class, teacher Valencia Clay let him write. "I would be in a calm space where I could write anything, and I could really focus." Now teaching at a charter school in New York City, Clay's teaching philosophy focuses on "educating our children with mirrors" allowing black students like Scott to reflect and make connections between historical and contemporary events and themselves. Her extensive use of poetry in the classroom gave Scott an outlet for the heartache of losing his dad. "When my dad died, I went to an even deeper place. It just flowed more. It was more relatable. I could talk about things that I couldn't talk about before, experiences I've been through and only me." Sitting in basketball shorts at the YMCA, Scott recalls recent events that left his city bruised, but not defeated. "With the riots, I may not agree with what they did, but I completely understand it. They were fed up. They were fed up and not everyone is peaceful." As his poem narrates, to rid his city of racial profiling and police brutality requires "somebody to control the controllers," Scott says. "I have nothing against the police. I have something against bad or abusive police. When people are disobeying the law and acting inappropriately, you have the police to handle it. But when the police are acting inappropriately and disobeying the law, who do we have to handle them?" With the trials for the police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray approaching, Scott wants justice which for him means jail time: "They seriously injured this man... they definitely need to do time." But most pressing for him in the coming months will be practicing for the school play, You Can't Take It With You . Scott makes his debut playing the character of Donald on December 10. And as is customary, the entire Thompson family will be in the front row.
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USC Athletic Director Pat Haden has reportedly asked HC Steve Sarkisian to take a leave of absence. Clay Helton will be the interim head coach for the Trojans.
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HOUSTON A former member of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's platoon said Sunday he's angered by an Army officer's recommendation that Bergdahl face a lower-level court martial and be spared the possibility of jail time for leaving his post in Afghanistan. Josh Korder, an ex-U.S. Army sergeant, said Bergdahl should face life imprisonment because he holds him responsible for several deaths that occurred after Bergdahl abandoned his post in 2009, leaving his platoon in Blackfoot Company. "Was it during the search for Bergdahl that we lost men in Blackfoot company? No. But was it as a result of that search and as a result of him leaving that we lost members of Blackfoot company? Yes," Korder said in a telephone interview. The Pentagon has said there's no evidence anyone died searching for Bergdahl. But his commanding officers in Afghanistan testified last month at an Article 32 hearing which reviewed evidence against Bergdahl that a 45-day search for him put soldiers in danger. Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban after leaving his post in June 2009, and held until last year, when he was exchanged for five Taliban commanders. Bergdahl was charged in March with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, a charge that carries up to life in prison. Eugene Fidell, Bergdahl's attorney, said Saturday Lt. Col. Mark Visger has recommended that Bergdahl's case be referred to a special court martial, which is a misdemeanor-level forum. It limits the maximum punishment to reduction in rank, a bad-conduct discharge and a term of up to a year in prison. Fidell also said Visger, who presided over last month's hearing in Texas, recommended that there be no prison time or punitive discharge against Bergdahl. Korder, who now lives outside Detroit, said other platoon members he's kept in contact with since leaving the Army have long believed Bergdahl will not face legal consequences for his actions. "They're very disheartened with the whole procedure and a lot of them saw it coming, that they felt like he was not going to be punished," he said. Gen. Robert Abrams, the commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command, will ultimately decide whether the case should be referred to a court-martial. No timeline has been given for a decision from Abrams. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70
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Prince Harry Caroline Flack had a brief romance with Prince Harry. The UK 'X Factor' presenter - who previously dated One Direction's Harry Styles - revealed that she and the royal got close after meeting through a mutual friend, however they called off their relationship after it was made public. In her new autobiography, 'Storm in a C Cup', serialized in The Sun newspaper, Caroline said: "I knew my friend was friends with Prince Harry, and I'd never met him, so I thought, 'Oh, that's quite exciting,' and for a moment I perked up. So I was just sitting there and he arrived with a few others in tow and we all spent the evening chatting and laughing. "[But] once the story got out, that was it. We had to stop seeing each other. I was no longer Caroline Flack, TV presenter, I was Caroline Flack, Prince Harry's bit of rough." Caroline, 35, also spoke about her romance with One Direction's Harry and the abuse she received when, aged 31, she started dating the 17-year-old singer. Caroline said: "It began to go wrong when Harry was pictured coming out of my house one morning. And once that was out, it was open season. "After that anyone could say anything. In the street people started shouting at me 'pedophile' and 'pervert'. A One Direction fanzine had me as a voodoo doll, with arrows (pins) pointing to bits of my anatomy."
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PHILADELPHIA All those playmakers Chip Kelly acquired made plays in the same game. Sam Bradford overcame two red-zone interceptions and threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns, Ryan Mathews and DeMarco Murray each rushed for touchdowns, and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New Orleans Saints 39-17 on Sunday. BOX SCORE: EAGLES 39, SAINTS 17 "After what we were able to do in the preseason, everybody has been waiting for this," Bradford said. "It's a great feeling. Now, we have to build off it." Bradford, Murray and Mathews were key offseason additions when Kelly took control of personnel decisions and made massive changes. Bradford led the offense to four touchdowns in his only four series in the preseason, raising expectations. But the team didn't play like a playoff contender in the first four games. "There's a lot of playmakers on offense, a lot of new parts," Murray said. "I think everyone is getting a feel for each other." Fletcher Cox forced two fumbles on sacks to help the Eagles (2-3) snap a three-game losing streak at home that dated to last season. Drew Brees had three turnovers leading to 17 points for Philadelphia, and the Saints fell to 1-4 a week after an overtime win against Dallas. "You can't give it away four or five different times and expect to win. You just can't," Saints coach Sean Payton said. It looked like more of the same problems for the Eagles after Bradford threw two INTs in the end zone, but he bounced back from the rough start. Bradford got going with a 41-yard catch-and-run TD pass to Josh Huff, who did a flip into the end zone to tie it at 7 in the second quarter. The Eagles broke the game open in the third period. Mathews ran in from the 2 to complete a 65-yard drive to give Philadelphia a 17-10 lead. Bradford connected with Huff for 19 yards a play before the score. On the Saints' next snap, Cox sacked Brees, forced a fumble and recovered it at the 13. Bradford connected with Brent Celek on the following play to put Philadelphia ahead 23-10, but Caleb Sturgis missed the extra point. Walter Thurmond intercepted Brees and returned it 44 yards to the 4 to set up Murray's 4-yard TD run that made it 39-10. Brees threw a 14-yard TD pass to Brandin Cooks on the final play. Kelly ran onto the field toward Brees to shake hands, but had to go back to the sideline for the extra point. Late in the second quarter, Cox sacked Brees and forced a fumble recovered by Jordan Hicks at the Saints 39. Sturgis kicked a 39-yard field goal to give the Eagles a 10-7 halftime lead. The Eagles had a first down at the Saints 12 when Bradford was picked off by Brandon Browner in the end zone in the first quarter. Brees immediately drove New Orleans downfield and threw a 6-yard TD pass to Ben Watson for a 7-0 lead. On Philadelphia's next possession, Devin Breaux intercepted Bradford's pass from the 14 in the end zone. But the defense forced a punt. "It needs to be better. We're not scoring enough points," Brees said. Kelly has been heavily criticized for his personnel decisions, play-calling and overall philosophy. He silenced his critics for at least one week. "We executed," Kelly said. "We didn't change what we were doing from a schematic standpoint." NOTES: Brees finished 26 of 43 for 335 yards, two TDs and one interception. ... Murray had 83 yards rushing on 20 carries. Mathews had 73 yards on eight carries. ... The Eagles were missing starting LBs Kiko Alonso (knee) and Mychal Kendricks (hamstring). ... Saints didn't have four-time All-Pro G Jahri Evans (knee). WR Marques Colston left with an arm injury. ... Bradford has nine career 300-yard games. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org ___ Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) A 36-year-old man has been charged with felony possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of an off-duty Memphis officer, police said Monday. Memphis police spokesman Louis Brownlee said Lorenzo Clark is a neighbor of 31-year-old Terence Olridge, who died Sunday after being shot multiple times at a home in the Memphis suburb of Cordova. Brownlee declined to give further details or say whether more charges would be filed in the case. Clark was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. Court records did not show whether he had a lawyer who could be contacted for comment. Olridge is one of four Memphis officers have been shot to death in just over four years and the second fatally shot in the past 2.5 months. "It just doesn't get any easier," Armstrong told reporters Sunday. "I didn't think that we'd be here again so soon." He noted that the investigation is in its early phases, adding that "details are sketchy." Police on Sunday blocked the street in front of the house where the shooting happened. A plainclothes detective spoke with a neighbor. Uniformed officers also were on the scene. Olridge, who joined the department in September 2014, had a fiancee who is four months pregnant, Armstrong said. Relatives of the officer could be seen crying outside the hospital where he was taken. In August, Memphis police officer Sean Bolton was fatally shot in the line of duty. Police have charged 29-year-old Tremaine Wilbourn, who was on probation for an armed bank robbery, with first-degree murder in Bolton's death. Officer Tim Warren was killed while responding to a shooting at a downtown Memphis hotel in July 2011. In December 2012, Officer Martoiya Lang was killed while serving a warrant.
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OAKLAND, Calif. After spending most of his career carrying his team to wins, Peyton Manning is just along for the ride this year with Denver. Chris Harris Jr. returned a fourth-quarter interception 74 yards for a touchdown and the Broncos overcame a shaky day from Manning to beat the Oakland Raiders 16-10 on Sunday. BOX SCORE: BRONCOS 16, RAIDERS 10 "You never know who it's going to be, but we've got a team full of play-makers on defense," Harris said. "If we got to win on D, we feel we can do it." They've done it so far with 22 sacks, 14 turnovers and three defensive touchdowns as Manning and the offense have struggled for long stretches. Manning has more interceptions (seven) than TD passes (six) through five games for the first time since his rookie season. He was intercepted twice by 1998 draft classmate Charles Woodson and failed to lead the Broncos (5-0) to an offensive touchdown for the second time in five games. "We want to play better offensively," Manning said. "We want to do our job. Somehow, some way it's about getting the Denver Broncos a win. There's no question offensively we want to play better. ... Everybody wants to do a better job and that starts with me." Derek Carr threw for 249 yards and a 3-yard TD pass to Marcel Reece for the Raiders (2-3) but was done in by the interception midway through the fourth quarter with Oakland in position for a possible go-ahead field goal. But Carr's third-down pass over the middle was off target and Harris picked it off and returned it for the score, silencing what had been a loud crowd in Oakland. The Raiders added a late 50-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski but Denver recovered the onside kick to seal it. "It's hard. It's really hard because we feel like we left something on the field," Carr said. "We feel like we left wins out there." Manning finished 22 for 35 for 266 yards but was sacked twice and had two interceptions. Denver ran for only 43 yards but used Harris' interception return and a sack-fumble by Von Miller that set up a field goal to beat the Raiders. This was Denver's second-lowest scoring regular season with Manning as quarterback, ahead of only a seven-point effort last year against St. Louis. "We got to get better offensively," coach Gary Kubiak said. "The sad thing is we do some good stuff and we don't finish anything. That's what's disappointing. Then it all keeps going back to (Manning). That's not fair." The Broncos have now won eight straight in this series but the Raiders had plenty of chances in this one. Janikowski missed a pair of field goals before Carr's late gaffe ended Oakland's hopes. Before Harris' big play, the highlight of the game had been the play of Woodson, who turned 39 on Wednesday. Woodson, who beat Manning out for the Heisman Trophy in 1997, talked earlier in the week about wanting to get his first interception against Manning. He ended up with two, becoming the oldest player in NFL history with more than one interception in a game. "Those things are the shiny things, the shiny toys that you like, but it's about wins and losses," Woodson said. "Our mission is to win our division and the only way we can do that is to beat the team that's won it the last few years. Today we dropped the ball on that." Janikowski, who set a Raiders record by playing in his 241st career game, missed his second field goal of the game from 40 yards after Woodson's second interception, costing Oakland a shot at the lead. Janikowski also had a 38-yard attempt blocked by Sylvester Williams in the first quarter. "He's had many great games and today wasn't one," coach Jack Del Rio said. The Broncos managed just two field goals on three trips into the red zone. Brandon McManus added a 52-yard field goal in the third quarter to give Denver the lead for good. NOTES: The Broncos won their record 14th straight road game against a division opponent. ... Denver LB DeMarcus Ware left the game with a back injury. ... Raiders DE Justin Tuck left with a shoulder injury. ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL
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HOUSTON Breaking down Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Sunday at Minute Maid Park: Astros 4, Royals 2: Houston leads the series 2-1. *** The game: Houston erased a 1-0 lead on Jason Castro's two-run single in the fifth, and Dallas Keuchel and the bullpen made it stand as the Astros pushed the defending AL champions to the brink of elimination. Houston tacked on insurance runs in the sixth and seventh, the latter courtesy of a mammoth home run by Chris Carter, who had three hits. BOX SCORE: ASTROS 4, ROYALS 2 *** State of the series: The Astros tied for the best home record in the American League at 53-28, and with a vibrant, orange-clad crowd behind them, may be ready to go for the kill on Monday. The Astros, who played their last week of the season on the road, had not been home since Sept. 27, and they enjoyed a festive atmosphere in their first postseason game at Minute Maid Park in a decade. In Game 4, Astros rookie Lance McCullers, who went 6-7 with a 3.22 ERA in the regular season, will make his playoff debut against Yordano Ventura, pitching on three days' rest. McCullers, who held the Royals to one run in seven innings in a June 29 start, did not bother pretending this start won't be special. "You can't go into a game like tomorrow and just say to yourself, 'Oh, it's like every other game you ever pitched in,' because it's not,'' he said. "And I'm OK with that. I'm going to attack that head-on, understand that the moment's bigger, the stage is bigger.'' Ventura, who fashioned a 2.38 ERA in his last 11 starts during an up-and-down season, did not come back after a 49-minute rain delay in Game 1. He gave up three runs in two innings and was charged with the loss. The Royals believe Ventura, 24, is well suited to pitching on short rest because he recovers quickly after starts and had a brief outing last time. *** Man of the moment: Keuchel. After setting a record for most wins by pitcher who went unbeaten at home in a season, Keuchel improved on his 15-0 ledger at Minute Maid Park this year. He did it in classic fashion, spotting his 90-mph fastball in places where Royals hitters could do little with it and getting them to chase his changeup and slider. Keuchel allowed five hits and just one run -- on Lorenzo Cain's homer in the fourth in seven innings to improve to 2-0 in the postseason, with an ERA of 0.69 in 13 innings. If not quite Arrieta-like, that's plenty effective. *** Pivot point: The Astros managed just a single in the first four innings off Royals starter Edinson Volquez, who was mixing his pitches well and mesmerizing them with his curveball. One such bender caught Castro looking for a strike three in the third inning, and the Houston catcher was up again in the fifth, this time with runners on second and third as the Astros trailed 1-0. Castro did not have much of a history against Volquez a single and a walk in four career plate appearances but found a changeup to his liking and slapped it up the middle for a two-run single that put Houston ahead and sent the sellout crowd of 42,674 into delirium. Those were the first postseason runs by the home team seen around these parts since 2005. *** Needing a mulligan: Eric Hosmer. The Royals first baseman had one hit in eight at-bats coming in, and his series took a turn for the worse. Hosmer went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts two against Keuchel, one when facing reliever Tony Sipp and left runners in scoring position in the first and fifth innings. In fairness, those are tough matchups for a left-handed hitter, but Hosmer actually had four hits in six career at-bats against Keuchel. *** Manager's special: The Astros were holding on to a 3-1 lead in the seventh with a runner on third when Royals manager A.J. Hinch came out to visit Keuchel, who had already thrown 118 pitches. At the plate was Cain, responsible for Kanas City's only run to that point. He had also drawn an intentional walk in the fifth. Rather than turn to his shaky bullpen, Hinch left Keuchel in the game and was rewarded, as the lefty struck out Cain on a 3-2 fastball to close out the inning. *** A Tropicana moment: With a runner at first in the eighth, hot-hitting Colby Rasmus launched a drive to right that elicited a roar from a crowd anticipating his fourth home run in four playoff games. Instead, the sky-high drive bounced off a beam on the closed roof and dropped into short right for a single. *** What you missed on TV: The first couple of Houston sports, former President George H.W. Bush and wife Barbara, came out for the ceremonial first pitch and were greeted with the standard large, bipartisan ovation. The ex-Yale first baseman, now 91, was brought out in a wheelchair and signed an autograph for infielder Jed Lowrie. Barbara Bush, 90, scooted around pretty well with a walker. GALLERY: ASTROS vs. ROYALS
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Dallas Keuchel tossed seven shutout innings Sunday to help the Astros beat the the Royals 4-2 in Game 3 of the ALDS. The Royals took an early 1-0 lead when outfielder Lorenzo Cain belted a solo shot in the fourth inning. But the Astros rallied, scoring four runs in the next three innings to take control of their first home postseason game since 2005. MORE: Best photos from American League Division Series games | Every MLB team's worst postseason memory, revisited | Dear Matt Harvey: Don't throw at Chase Utley Astros closer Luke Gregerson provided some tense moments in the ninth inning when he gave up a solo home run to Alex Gordon and a hit to Alcides Escobar, putting the tying run at the plate. But he got Ben Zobrist to ground into a fielder's choice, then struck out Cain to end the game. The Astros now lead the series 2-1. Here are our five takeaways from Game 3: 1. Dallas Keuchel is unbeatable at home. The Astros ace entered the postseason with a remarkable 15-0 record and 1.46 ERA at Minute Maid Park during the regular season and, despite serving up the fourth-inning solo home run to Cain, was unflappable in front of his home fans once again Sunday. The AL Cy Young favorite earned his second win of the playoffs after tossing seven innings of one-run baseball with seven strikeouts in Game 3. He tallied 124 pitches, the most so far this postseason, proving he will be able to go the distance to help the Astros. 2. Chris Carter came to play. The Astros first baseman has been in and out of the starting lineup this season, as he's struggled with consistency at the plate. He finished the regular season below the Mendoza line, finishing with a .199 average. But Carter put his struggles behind him in Game 3. After lazily jogging to second and into an out on what appeared to be a stand-up double in his first at-bat, he stepped up and smacked another one down the third-base line and made it to second base easily. He then sent an absolute moonshot over the left-field wall in the seventh inning to complete his 3-for-3 day. 3. Carlos Gomez is one of the most emotional players in baseball, and the Astros are fine with that. The mercurial outfielder has seen his share of controversy since joining MLB in 2007, with exuberant bat flips and unnecessary jawing directed at pitchers, infielders, guys on opposing benches, and even managers. But Houston's young, quiet team needed a spark, so they went out and traded for Gomez before the July 31 trade deadline. Despite batting a measly .231 since the All-Star break, Gomez has proven his worth this postseason, highlighted by his RBI-single in the sixth inning Sunday. 4. The Royals are getting a taste of their own medicine. It's tough to repeat the success of a Cinderella season, like catching lightning in a bottle twice. But the Royals became everyone's favorite team last year as they battled the American League's giants to reach the World Series. This year, the young, inexperienced Astros are giving them a good look in the mirror as the underdog wild-card team in a position to make a run. 5. The Royals' lack of an ace is hurting them . It seems as though all good baseball teams have at least one guy they can depend on to win whenever they step on the mound. The Astros have that in Keuchel, the Cubs have Jake Arrieta, the Dodgers have Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, and the Mets have an entire rotation of future aces. But the Royals have a glaring weakness in the rotation, one Johnny Cueto was supposed to fill when he joined the club before the trade deadline. That has yet to happen, and time is running out. Sunday's starter, Edinson Volquez, was serviceable but paled in comparison to Keuchel. He allowed three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings and was credited with the loss. What's Next: Game 4 at 1:07 p.m., channel TBD The Royals send Game 1 starter Yordano Ventura (13-8, 4.08 ERA) back to the mound after lasting just two innings in the series opener to face Lance McCullers Jr. (6-7, 3.22 ERA), who hopes to clinch the series for the Astros.
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WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Sunday predicted that the departure of Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) could worsen congressional gridlock as conservative members continue to obstruct Obama's agenda and threaten the country's fiscal future. "I am a little concerned that the reason he left was because there are a group of members of Congress who think having somebody who is willing to shut down the government or default on the U.S. debt is going to allow them to get their way 100 percent of the time," he told CBS' Steve Kroft on "60 Minutes." Although Obama declined to say whether he would miss the outgoing speaker, with whom he has sometimes shared a tense relationship, he praised Boehner's willingness to compromise, unlike some members of the GOP's conservative wing. "John Boehner and I disagreed on just about everything, but the one thing I'll say about John Boehner is he did care about the institution. He recognized that nobody gets 100 percent in our democracy. I won't say that he and I were ideal partners, but he and I could talk, and we could get some things done," Obama said. The interview was taped on Tuesday, before House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) abruptly dropped out of the race to replace Boehner, leaving the House Republican caucus in chaos. Regardless of which GOP legislator succeeds Boehner, Obama seemed skeptical that he could pass a substantial amount of legislation. Instead, he accepted he'd have to set "more modest" legislative priorities. "Given that this Congress hasn't been able to get much done at all over the last year and a half, two years -- or for that matter, for the last four -- it would be surprising if we were able to make huge strides on the things that are important. But I have a more modest goal, which is to make sure that Congress doesn't do damage to the economy," he said, referring to the ongoing budget crisis and GOP efforts to shut down the government. Congress passed a measure last month narrowly averting a government shutdown and keeping the government open until December, but legislators continue to wrangle over more permanent solutions. They will also have to develop a long-term source of funding for the highway trust fund and find ways to repair America's crumbling infrastructure, another item that Obama said he hopes to prioritize. With a little over a year left in his presidency, Obama reflected on his own legacy in Sunday's interview. "You go into your last year, and I think it's bittersweet. On the one hand, I am very proud of what we've accomplished and it makes me think, I'd love to do some more. But by the time I'm finished, I think it will be time for me to go," he said. "I think having a fresh set of legs in this seat, I think having a fresh perspective, new personnel and new ideas and a new conversation with the American people about issues that may be different a year from now than they were when I started eight years ago, I think that's all good for our democracy. I think it's healthy." But when Kroft asked him whether he could win a third term if he were allowed to run again, he did not hesitate. "Yes," he replied. "I do." Also on HuffPost:
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During Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the Dodgers and Mets, Chase Utley slid into second base, taking out shortsop Ruben Tejada in the process. The result of the play was a fractured right fibula for Tejada. Utley reached out to Tejada after the game, offering an apology . However, the damage was already done and Utley had already become Public Enemy No. 1 for a move many labeled as dirty. On Sunday, Major League Baseball announced Utley would be suspended for the next two games for his slide into second base. MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre issued the following statement in a press release: "I recognize that there has been much commentary and many questions regarding the unfortunate play in last night's game in which Ruben Tejada was injured. As I said after the game, the determination of whether a baserunner has intentionally interfered with a player attempting to turn a double play is left to the judgment of the Umpire on the field, and that judgment call is not subject to review. I should add that determining where to draw the line between an illegal slide and a legitimate hard play is an extremely difficult call for our Umpires." "However, after thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley's action warrants discipline. While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his Club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a)(13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base." "We have been in discussions with the Players Association throughout the year regarding potential rule changes to better protect middle infielders, and we intend to continue those discussions this offseason." As Ken Roesnthal notes , Utley will appeal the suspension using examples of similar slides that did draw punishment. Howie Kendrick started the first two games of the series at second base for the Dodgers, with Utley appearing as a pinch hitter both days. He appeared in 34 games for the Dodgers during the regular season after being acquired from the Phillies via trade in August.
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Rick Kenny is now $100,000 richer after purchasing a losing scratch-off ticket.
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The Astros defeated the Royals 4-2 on Sunday to take a 2-1 lead in the ALDS. Dallas Keuchel pitched seven strong innings, while Jason Castro knocked in two runs for Houston.
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School administrators at a major Swedish university announced late Sunday afternoon that classes Monday, Oct. 12, would be canceled in light of a menacing online threat. On the Lund University website, administrators wrote that there was an anonymous "threat on Sunday leveled against the university and its students" and that police deemed it "very serious." Swedish news outlet Sydsvenskan reported that the anonymous post referenced the Oct 1. shooting at an Oregon community college, but police have yet to release any official details. "Police have called in extra resources to work with the matter," Sydsvenskan noted (according to Google Translate). "It is about assessing whether some form of monitoring [should] be deployed and to see if the anonymous" user can be tracked. According to school administrators, the threats were made through the app Jodel. Jodel is a German anonymous messaging platform geared for college students."In real time you'll see recent Jodels (posts) and interact with other users without exposing your personal information," the app notes on its site. The app is similar to Yik Yak, a Georgia-based anonymous app commonly used by high school and college students. This is hardly the first time anonymous online threats have led to school shutdowns. In March 2014, for instance, threats made over Yik Yak at a Boston-area high school led to a school evacuation . A few months later, in November 2014, more anonymous threats made over Yik Yak shut down two California high schools in one week. Lund University is one of the oldest and largest schools in Sweden. Founded in 1666, it has about 42,000 full-time students and an academic staff of 4,300.
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Although he's signed through 2017, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton could be a hot commodity after this season. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter , multiple teams are expected to inquire about Payton. Among those teams are the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts. The Dolphins are currently led by interim head coach Dan Campbell, while Chuck Pagano is seemingly on the hot seat in Indianapolis. As Schefter reports, there is no sign that the Saints or Payton, himself, would consider offers from other teams. And because Payton is still under contract, the Saints would be in line to receive compensation if he does leave New Orleans. As of now, the Dolphins are the only team with an interim head coach, as the Colts aren't a sure bet to fire Pagano. MORE NEWS: Want stories delivered to you? Sign up for our NFL newsletters.
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Chase Utley's aggressive baserunning broke Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada's right leg on Saturday. Afterward, the Dodgers veteran was reaching out to apologize. FOX Sports 1 MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal says Utley asked a friend of his with the Mets to pass along his apology, and to tell Tejada that he didn't mean to hurt him. #Dodgers ' Utley sent an apology to Tejada last night through a player on the #Mets that he knows well. Intent was not to injure. Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 11, 2015 The controversial play gave the Los Angeles Dodgers new life and helped them rally for four runs in the seventh inning in a 5-2 Dodgers win that tied their NL Division Series at one game apiece. "I feel terrible that he was injured. I had no intent to hurt him whatsoever," said Utley, who had reached with a pinch-hit single. "Any time there's a double play you should do your best to break it up." You can see the play in the video above or check it out frame-by-frame in still images and judge for yourself.
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Georgia running back Nick Chubb is likely to undergo surgery later this month to repair the knee injury suffered Saturday in the Bulldogs' 38-31 loss to Tennessee, the player's mother said. Writing on Facebook, La'Velle Chubb said Sunday the surgery will possibly take place in two weeks to allow swelling to subside. The damage inludes a tear to the posterior cruciate ligament. "Nick has A PCL tear along with 2 other ligaments," she wrote. "It's not nearly as bad as it could've been. They'll wait for swelling to go down to decide when to have surgery." Chubb was injured on his first carry of the game and had to be helped off the field. Bulldogs coach Mark Richt was initially optimistic that surgery might not be needed, but the subsequent exam dashed those hopes. Chubb had rushed for at least 100 yards in 13 straight games. He entered Saturday's loss ranked third nationally with 801 yards on 91 carries.
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What's in your wallet? If you plan on traveling any time next year, the question is a pertinent one. Travelers with driver's licenses from New York , Minnesota, New Hampshire, Louisiana, American Samoa or another state or territory the Department of Homeland Security deems not-compliant with the federal REAL ID act may soon be barred from using theirs as legal identification at the airport. Up in the air, however, is whether "soon" means early or late 2016 or a year or more. DHS has already completed three separate phases of its ID enforcement plan, which covers access to nuclear plants and a wide array of federally protected facilities. However, the next phase adds commercial aircraft to the agency's access list, and will take place sometime after the turn of the calendar year. The exact rollout date will be announced soon, DHS spokeswoman Amanda DeGroff told CNBC, adding that the agency will "ensure that the traveling public has ample notice before any changes are made that could possibly affect their travel planning." Until then, DeGroff said the Transportation Security Administration will continue to accept state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards from all states. In 2005, Congress enacted REAL ID as an anti-terrorism measure that sets minimum standards for states that issue licenses and state identification. The catch is that DHS is barring federal agencies , in this case the Transportation Security Administration, from accepting state IDs that fall short of the more stringent criteria. All this means more than a few travelers may be in for an unpleasant surprise when they venture to the airport next year. While almost two dozen states issue driver's licenses that are compliant with the law, numerous others have raised privacy and cost concerns. They, along with some independent advocacy groups, actively oppose the measure. Some states, like Oklahoma, have laws on their books that explicitly prohibit complying with REAL ID; meanwhile, about two dozen non-complaint states have been granted extensions. Yet some observers say it's unlikely the rule will take effect January 1, given the hurdles to compliance and the broad opposition. Still, other states aren't yet worried citizens will get caught by surprise, given the lead time DHS gave states to implement the first three phases of the rule. "We expect that New Yorkers with standard-issue licenses will have more than a year notice before any change is implemented," said Casey McNulty, a spokesman for the Empire State's Department of Motor Vehicles. "New York has also applied for an extension to the law." When the final phase does ultimately take effect, travelers age 18 and over from states that remain non-compliant will need to a secondary or alternate form of identification. These include a U.S. passport or passport card, or one of the documents TSA's authorized ID list, to pass through airport security checkpoints. Travelers who do a little planning shouldn't have a problem getting on their planes, but "rushes on passports will likely result in delays in getting applications processed," noted Andrew Meehan, policy director of advocacy group Keeping Identities Safe and a Real ID supporter. Still, "airports in noncompliant states will likely see long lines as travelers unaware of the changes will be turned away." Harriet Baskas is the author of seven books, including " Hidden Treasures: What Museums Can't or Won't Show You , " and the Stuck at the Airport blog. Follow her on Twitter at @hbaskas . Follow Road Warrior at @CNBCtravel .
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Comedian Amy Schumer hosted NBC's "Saturday Night Live," and during her monologue she discussed the importance of female role models.
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Randy Edsall is out as the head coach at Maryland, a source told FOX Sports Sunday morning. He was informed of the news that he was being let go. A university press conference is expected at 4 p.m. ET. The 2-4 Terps lost to Ohio State on Saturday, 49-28. All four of Maryland's defeats this season have come by at least 21 points. Edsall, amid reports that he was about to lose his job, stormed out of his post-game press conference Saturday after being first asked whether he expected to coach the Terps next game, and then about whether he normally shook the hand of every player during their pregame stretches. The 57-year-old Edsall, who led the Terps to bowl games in each of the past two seasons, was just 10-24 in five seasons of conference play. After losing to Ohio State, Edsall's record fell to 22-34 with the Terrapins. Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will take over as the interim head coach. Maryland had much more success offensively against the Buckeyes Saturday going to more of a read-option attack and expect more of that with Locksley now running the whole show.
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Leonard Fournette's Heisman Trophy candidacy is built on a level of high consistency rarely matched in the history of college football. With 158 yards in LSU's win against South Carolina his lowest single-game total of the season Fournette became just the 10th running back to reach 1,000 yards rushing in just five games. Fournette's in the lead, but TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin isn't far behind. His push for the Heisman involves highlight-reel moments in the face of dire straits, as seen in the Horned Frogs' win against Kansas State: Boykin's 69-yard touchdown run and long scoring pass to wide receiver Josh Doctson allowed TCU to overcome a sizable second-half deficit. It's Fournette, then Boykin, then everyone else. California quarterback Jared Goff stumbles after his five-interception game against Utah. Georgia running back Nick Chubb is out indefinitely after a knee injury. It's a two-player race for the Heisman. 1. LSU RB Leonard Fournette 2. TCU QB Trevone Boykin 3. Baylor WR Corey Coleman 4. Utah RB Devontae Booker 5. Florida State RB Dalvin Cook
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Jurgen Klinsmann has taught us all something very valuable: we have to fire Jurgen Klinsmann. Jurgen Klinsmann might be the most patient teacher this side of Mister Miyagi. He's said over and over again exactly how the United States needs to grow up and leave its seat at the kiddie table of world soccer. How he wants to educate us as a soccer nation to talk and think the right ways. How American supporters and the public need to put more pressure on the team to succeed. How the way we, as those invested in the fate of the USMNT, discuss the team has to evolve. And he's right. He's obviously right, in fact. We do need to more openly put tangible pressure on the team to win when it matters. Like, say the Gold Cup , our regional championship. Or, for instance, the Concacaf Cup, against our biggest rival, with a trip to the Confederations Cup on the line. If the organization, from Sunil Gulati to the players on the field down to the kit man, didn't feel pressure to win this summer or this weekend, then we failed to make them feel it. We also need to change the way we talk about the sport and the national team. What kind of person talks about referee decisions from a different game when making excuses for a loss? What kind of fan bashes the player pool, expanded as it's been in recent years, as insufficient to compete against the same competition we've been dominating when the bright lights come on for more than a decade? Who are we if we can't even discuss consecutive failures to qualify for the Olympics? (Though, there is still a potential way in on that last one.) Through all this, though, Klinsmann has stuck with us. He has waited patiently for us to finally get it and stand up as the powerhouse we're waiting to be. He keeps us in his tutelage, trying different teaching techniques and hoping that he will finally break through and really reach us. At a certain point, it's on us to take his gifts, his investments in us, and run with them. It's time, at long last, to internalize the many valuable lessons Herr Klinsmann has taught us all over the last four years and finally take the next step toward the grown-ups' table. We have to fire Jurgen Klinsmann. It's the only way to show Jurgen Klinsmann the manager and technical director that we are worthy of Jurgen Klinsmann the teacher. He won't go on his own. He can't - he's a true teacher, and he will stay at his post until his pupils finally stand up on their chairs reciting O Captain My Captain with knives drawn. Only when his head is on the platter will he be confiident that we have learned what we need to learn from him. Only then can he know we can find our own way forward. It's the only way to really show Klinsmann, and ourselves, that we understand how to apply pressure and hold the manager and technical staff accountable for failure. Only by enumerating those myriad failures - his missing the podium at the Gold Cup, his failing to qualify for the Confederations Cup, his becoming the first U.S. manager ever to lose to a Caribbean opponent on American soil, his inability to improve on Bob Bradley's finish at the World Cup , his repeated refusal to match his actions to his words, the list goes on and on - can we demonstrate we are in fact well versed enough in the notions of soccer and athletic competition to do what is necessary. To do what any grown up soccer country would do in the face of such failure. Only by firing Klinsmann can U.S. Soccer graduate into the adult world of international soccer. It's too bad Sunil Gulati has skipped out of class and will hold the rest of us back for another year.
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SEASIDE, Calif. The Presidents Cup is over , so step back, take one good, long deep breath and relax. Then get ready for the new PGA Tour season because it begins, like, now! That's right, the 2015-2016 PGA Tour wraparound season is about to get in your face. Hope you had time to unpack your luggage, pro. Officially, the first round of the season lid-lifter, the Frys.com Open, will happen Thursday at the Silverado Resort and Spa's North Course in Napa, Calif. Technically, however, the first strokes of the Frys.com Open are slated to happen here on Monday, 150 miles away and three days earlier, with the Monday qualifying round. Ninety-two players will tee it up at the notoriously difficult Bayonet Course to play for four spots in the Frys.com Open field. It's odd to have the Monday qualifier so far removed from the tournament site. The Frys.com Open had been held for years at CordeValle Golf Resort in Gilroy, Calif., just a few miles north of the Monterey Bay area. The tournament moved to Silverado last year in the Napa Valley, however, and it's curious that the Monday qualifier didn't move to at least be in the same area code as the Frys.com Open. The best-known name in Monday's lineup is Anthony Kim but hold on a minute. It's not The Anthony Kim, the former Ryder Cupper known as A.K. who has been out of golf and mysteriously out of the spotlight due to injuries for the last handful of years. This is a different golfer who also just so happens be named Anthony Kim. There are two former Ryder Cuppers in the field Chris Riley and Vaughn Taylor and assorted former PGA Tour winners, including Ted Purdy, Chris Smith, Frank Lickliter, David Gossett, Heath Slocum and Billy Mayfair. Other names familiar to golf observers include Greg Chalmers, Kevin Tway and Luke List, Brian Davis and John Merrick. The tournament field itself is headlined by former world No. 1 player Rory McIlroy, who is fulfilling an agreement he made with the Tour to play in this tournament as payback for being allowed to play an event in Turkey three years earlier that was held opposite the Frys.com Open. Three players who competed in the Presidents Cup for the International team are scheduled to fly back from South Korea to play this week Steven Bowditch, Hideki Matsuyama and Charl Schwartzel. England's Justin Rose, ranked seventh in the world, is also listed among the entries. Also competing for the first time since July, when he was suspended for using an over-the-counter drug (DHEA) that is on the PGA Tour's banned substance list, is former Tour winner Scott Stallings.
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Kyle Field was expanded for days like this. No. 9 Texas A&M (5-0), coming off an open date, meets No. 10 Alabama (5-1) in a Saturday showdown that will greatly impact the College Football Playoff race and the SEC West Division standings. The Aggies own most of the intangible advantages heading into Saturday's game in College Station (2:30 p.m., KTVT/Ch. 11). They're playing at home, where a crowd in excess of Kyle Field's listed capacity (102,512) is expected. They've had an extra week to prepare. They're better at protecting the football, based on the teams' national rankings in turnover margin: plus-2 for A&M (43rd), even for Alabama (73rd). This qualifies as the statement opportunity A&M has sought since joining the SEC in 2012. A win Saturday over Alabama suggests A&M will be a factor in playoff and SEC title discussions through the end of the regular season, when the Aggies close with a Nov. 28 game at No. 6 LSU (5-0). But another loss to the Crimson Tide, which won last year's meeting by a 59-0 margin, brings back vivid memories of a midseason swoon that turned the 2014 Aggies from a 5-0 frontrunner to an 8-5 also-ran in their new neighborhood. Are these Aggies tougher mentally than the group that cratered at midseason a year ago? Coach Kevin Sumlin will find out Saturday when A&M seeks to improve on its puzzling 5-7 mark against SEC opponents in the cozy confines of Kyle Field since joining the league in 2012. We don't have all the answers yet. Texas A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis, on his unit's improved stats Sumlin identified personnel changes, on the field and on his coaching staff, as the primary offshoot of last year's landslide loss to Alabama. "It's two different teams," Sumlin said. "A lot of people played in last year's game who aren't even on the field [this season]. This year's very different." But the comparative stats are similar to those that have surfaced heading into this matchup for four consecutive years. A&M produces more yards (480.4 per game) and points (39.2 avg.) each week than Alabama. The Tide is stingier on defense, allowing 110.3 fewer yards each week than the Aggies. A fresh stat twist to watch: In scoring defense, A&M (21.7 avg.) is closer to Alabama (15.7 avg.) than it has been heading into prior matchups. John Chavis, A&M's first-year defensive coordinator, has been encouraged by the Aggies' crunch-time efforts in closing out SEC wins over Arkansas and Mississippi State. But he acknowledged progress must be made this week to knock off Alabama, last year's league champion. 189 Consecutive minutes of shutout football by the Michigan defense, which has not allowed a point since Sept. 19 "In a lot of ways, we're a long ways ahead of where I thought we'd be," said Chavis, who installed his 4-3 scheme in spring drills. "But there's some areas where we're not. We don't have all the answers yet." Many of them will surface Saturday. In other developments destined to impact the playoff and local college football landscapes: Shaky top spot benefits Baylor. No. 1 Ohio State, a unanimous top pick in The Associated Press' preseason poll, received only 27 of 60 first-place votes Sunday but held the top spot. Others with double-digit totals for first-place votes included No. 2 Baylor (13) and No. 4 Utah (16). No. 3 TCU received five top votes. Six schools, including No. 9 A&M, received at least one top vote. Chaos could reign when the first playoff rankings are released Nov. 3. Until then, Baylor fans should enjoy the school's highest-ever football ranking, achieved by Sunday's climb to No. 2, and realize the Bears (5-0) could grab the top spot soon if Ohio State continues to struggle. Harbaugh factor is real. First-year coach Jim Harbaugh has No. 12 Michigan (5-1) on a three-game shutout streak heading into Saturday's game against No. 7 Michigan State (6-0) in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Wolverines have not allowed a point in 189-plus minutes, dating back to a 28-7 victory over UNLV on Sept. 19. With consecutive blankings of Brigham Young (31-0), Maryland (28-0) and then-No. 13 Northwestern (38-0), Michigan looms as a threat to Michigan State and Ohio State in efforts to earn a playoff spot and a Big Ten title. After logging two sacks against Northwestern, Michigan defensive tackle Willie Henry said: "We expect to dominate our opponents. We don't want teams to score." Charlie in charge: Texas' 24-17 upset of then-No. 10 Oklahoma provides relief for coach Charlie Strong and his 2-4 team heading into an open date. School president Greg Fenves posted a congratulatory message to Strong on his Twitter account (@gregfenves) after the game and the Longhorns could make a second-half run toward bowl eligibility with remaining games against Kansas State (3-2), Iowa State (2-3), Kansas (0-5), West Virginia (3-2) and Texas Tech (4-2). In assessing the impact of Saturday's win on his inconsistent team, Strong said: "One thing they're not missing is confidence. They can build on something special here." Sitting pretty in Stillwater: No. 16 Oklahoma State (6-0, 3-0 in Big 12) holds a share of first place in the league race with road victories against Texas and West Virginia in the rearview mirror. OSU plays four of its last six games at home, with No. 3 TCU (Nov. 7), No. 2 Baylor (Nov. 21) and No. 19 Oklahoma (Nov. 28) all slated to visit Stillwater, Okla. in crunch time. Jimmy Burch: 817-390-7760, [email protected], @Jimmy Burch Key games this week No. 10 Alabama at No. 9 Texas A&M: The Aggies get a chance to prove their College Football Playoff pedigree Saturday in Kyle Field. No. 7 Michigan State at No. 12 Michigan: The Wolverines' defense, which has shut out three consecutive opponents, could derail the Spartans' undefeated season Saturday. No. 3 TCU at Iowa State: The Horned Frogs hit the road Saturday in a season when road wins have been hard earned.
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President Vladimir Putin has defended Russia's military operations in Syria, saying the aim is to "stabilise the legitimate authority" of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Mr Putin told Russian state TV Moscow also wanted to "create conditions for a political compromise" in Syria. He denied that Russian air strikes were hitting moderate opposition groups rather than Islamic State militants. Syrian forces are said to have made significant advances against rebels. Government gains in Idlib, Hama and Latakia provinces were on Sunday reported both by Damascus and opposition activists. The main battlefront is currently close to the key highway that links the capital with other major cities, including Aleppo, and Mr Assad's forces are believed to be seeking to cut off rebels in Idlib. 'Under siege' In the interview with Rossiya One TV broadcast on Sunday, President Putin said Russia's aim was to "stabilise" the government in Damascus. He stressed that without Moscow's support for President Assad there was a danger that "terrorist groups" could overrun Syria. Mr Assad's government was currently "under siege", Mr Putin said, adding that militants were "at the edge of Damascus". The Russian leader also urged other nations to "unite efforts against this evil (terrorism)". The US-led coalition - which has been carrying out its own air strikes in Syria - earlier said it would not be co-operating with Russia. Several countries - including the UK and Turkey - have described Russia's support for President Assad as a "mistake". Russia said on Sunday its aircraft carried out more than 60 missions over Syria in the past 24 hours, and that IS was its main target. Russia began its strikes on 30 September. Analysis: Jim Muir, BBC News, Beirut Government forces are basically trying to win back areas they lost earlier this year, to the north of the city of Hama, and in the northern mountains of Latakia province near the coast. Rebels had penetrated there after unifying their ranks and with more concerted backing from their outside supporters, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. That posed a real threat to the heartland of Bashar al-Assad's regime, and it is almost certainly what triggered the Russian intervention and a stepped-up role by Iran. A senior commander of the al-Nusra Front, the al-Qaeda affiliate which has forces in the area, has issued a call to all the rebel groups to unify and launch a co-ordinated counter-attack on all fronts. He said if the rebels lost the initiative to the regime and the Russians, they would suffer a series of collapses and their future would be bleak. The battle for Syria and Iraq in maps Syria's civil war explained Syria's civil war Why is there a war in Syria? Anti-government protests developed into a civil war that four years on has ground to a stalemate, with the Assad government, Islamic State, an array of Syrian rebels and Kurdish fighters all holding territory. Who is fighting whom? Government forces concentrated in Damascus and the centre and west of Syria are fighting the jihadists of Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, as well as less numerous so-called "moderate" rebel groups, who are strongest in the north and east. These groups are also battling each other. What's the human cost? More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed and a million injured. Some 11 million others have been forced from their homes, of whom four million have fled abroad - including growing numbers who are making the dangerous journey to Europe. How has the world reacted? Iran, Russia and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement are propping up the Alawite-led Assad government, while Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the more moderate Sunni-dominated opposition, along with the US, UK and France. Hezbollah and Iran are believed to have troops and officers on the ground, while a Western-led coalition and Russia are carrying out air strikes.
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The Panthers' bags were packed and ready for a Sunday afternoon flight to Philadelphia where they will be expecting anything but brotherly love on Monday from an embarrassed group of Flyers after Florida's season-opening 7-1 historic blowout victory. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if Panthers equipment gurus Chris Scoppetto and Chris Moody packed boxing gloves instead of hockey gloves. "They are going to be [ticked] off and it won't be easy," Panthers center Dave Bolland said. "I've played a lot of games in Philly and they're not easy games. They're a tough team, have a lot of firepower and fight in them. They didn't back down." The Flyers (0-1-1) were so angry that they held a player-only closed-door meeting after just their second game of the season. They were shell-shocked after the Panthers set a modern day NHL record for the fastest four goals to start a season (6:46) while also establishing a franchise mark for their quickest four goals in any game, eclipsing the 9:35 record set in a 6-5 overtime loss against the Devils on Oct. 30, 2000. The game got chippy after that with several scrums breaking out. "Obviously an embarrassing one," said Flyers defenseman Luke Schenn, who notched a minus-3 ice rating. "We're not going to dwell on this. ... We definitely have to come out a lot harder and compete a lot harder Monday night, especially in our own building." Rest assured that Panthers enforcer Shawn Thornton will be in the lineup again Monday after he notched a TKO over Flyers' toughie Ryan White in the first period after Florida had built a 4-0 cushion. "I would assume there's going to be a little edge to their game," Thornton said after a quick practice Sunday at the BB&T Center. "[Wells Fargo Center] is a fun building but a notoriously tough building, even going all the way back to the Spectrum when I played there in the minors and had three fights on Sunday afternoons. "They have a lot of heart and that organization has been filled with character for many years so I expect a hard night on Monday." Panthers coach Gerard Gallant enjoyed his team's three power-play goals - two by newcomer Reilly Smith - and balanced scoring from three different lines. But he knows the Flyers will be fired up for their home opener. "It was a little bit feisty at times, and it's early in the season," Gallant said. "Teams want to win games and it's not about fighting. You expected something like that to happen when it's a 4-0, 6-1 hockey game at times. "You're going to battle hard and I think they're going to be ready to play and it's going to be a different game." ... Jaromir Jagr, the NHL active leader in goals with 724, scored two goals, his second multiple-goal outing in his 21st game with the Panthers. ... Panthers rookie left wing Connor Brickley literally had an impact in his first NHL game as he had a game-leading seven hits to go with his first roughing penalty and a takeaway in 9:12 of ice time. Luukko with mixed emotions Panthers executive chairman Peter Luukko admitted to having slightly mixed feelings with two quick games against his beloved Flyers. Luukko served as president and CEO of Comcast-Spectacor for more than 25 years while overseeing the Flyers arena operations before leaving in 2013 and joining the Panthers last February. Luukko's son, Nick, was drafted by the Flyers in 2010 after playing at Vermont with Brickley. "We certainly want to win and we know we need these points in October," Luukko said of the Panthers. "I hear people say 'it's just another game' but these guys are my friends." Luukko believes last year's finish, then re-signing Jagr and hosting the NHL draft has given the franchise momentum which led to Saturday's sellout. "People see the commitment. Our expectations are to make it [to the playoffs]," he said. "We're not here for fun. ... We're just rolling the snowball here."
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USC football head coach Steve Sarkisian was conspicuously absent on Sunday during practice, and now we know why. According to Lindsey Thiry of the Los Angeles Times, Athletic Director Pat Haden has placed Sarkisian on a temporary leave of absence . I'm told players just met w/Pat Haden and Clay Helton is interim coach as Haden has asked Sarkisian to take a temp. leave of absence #USC Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) October 11, 2015 Sarkisian was scheduled to speak to the media after practice on Sunday but obviously won't be doing so. In his stead, offensive coordinator Clay Helton has taken over in the interim, and he was the one who gathered the team as practice ended. Media members were told that " someone " would be speaking after practice, and while Sarkisian was absent, J.K McKay, Pat Haden and Steve Lopes were all in attendance . There has been plenty of speculation about Sarkisian's job security since August, when he combined some medications with alcohol by accident and went on an inhebriated rant at a recent donor event . Since then, USC has lost two games at home to Stanford and then again on Thursday to Washington, which could have been the last straw . When more information becomes available, we'll pass it along. But for now, following another home loss, things don't look good for Sarkisian at USC.
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For Andy Dalton and the Bengals, things had just been too easy. They came into the Week 5 matchup against the defending NFC champion Seahawks not just undefeated, but having trailed for only 1:52 of the 240 minutes they played. It even started easy on Sunday, with Dalton cruising through an opening seven-play, 86-yard drive in which he went 4-for-4 passing and closed with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Eifert. MORE: NFL scoreboard | Rough Week 5 for these guys | Thomas Rawls' rise But then things got hard. And, on the way to a 27-24 overtime win at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday, that's the best thing that could have happened to the Bengals. This team, after all, is churning through the regular season under the cloud of recent playoff failure four straight first-round losses, all on Dalton's watch and hoping to somehow be better prepared this time around. A win like the one they posted Sunday does exactly that. After the Cincinnati's fast start, the Seahawks came right back in the first quarter and tied the game on a Russell Wilson pass to Jermaine Kearse. Seattle began to play a bit more like its Super Bowl self, switching up coverages on defense, moving around cornerback Richard Sherman, limiting star receiver A.J. Green and controlling the clock with the running game. Dalton responded with two stalled drives and, after taking the Bengals to the Seattle 21-yard line in the second quarter, was picked off by Earl Thomas at the goal line. That was just Dalton's second interception of the season, and marked a departure. He entered the game with nine touchdowns, and led the league in yards per attempt (10.2) and yards per catch (15.2). He was averaging 296.8 yards, a career high, and a quarterback rating of 123.0, also a career high. Dalton was not making the jittery mistakes and forced throws that have long marked his NFL tenure. He looked confident. Things had been easy. After the opening drive, though, the Seahawks took the sheen off Dalton and the Bengals offense, first with the interception and then, in the second half, with a returned touchdown off a fumble by running back Rex Burkhead. That put Seattle up 24-7, and put the Bengals' undefeated mark on the ropes. But Dalton did something that we have not seen enough from him in his five NFL seasons: He bucked up, steeled his focus and scrambled a win out of a certain loss. From the end of the third quarter through Mike Nugent's game-winning kick, Dalton was nearly flawless. He was 12-for-13 passing in the fourth quarter and overtime, completing throws to five different receivers and putting the Seahawks' vaunted defensive backs on their heels. He threw a touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, and pulled a heads-up play from Seattle's 5-yard line on the following drive, when he had the Seahawks' defense spread and decided to call his own number. He broke through an empty middle of the field to dive ahead for the score that brought the Bengals back to 24-21. Even when Dalton did falter he took a hit in bounds as time wound down in regulation, which nearly left the Bengals unable to get off the tying field-goal attempt his teammates were able to scurry onto the field and put the game into overtime. It is only Week 5, and Dalton will be among the first to point out that there's far too long to go to draw any major conclusions from the Bengals' early run. This season in Cincinnati will only be judged by what happens in January, when the Bengals will need to at least win one game and lift the burden of the franchise's grinding 25-year playoff victory drought. But it is encouraging to see Dalton lead the Bengals to the kind of win they would have just let slide into the loss column in previous years, against a good team and in the face of a sizable deficit. It's also encouraging to see Dalton figuring out how to come through in the clutch, as great ones do. Remember, it's not just that the Bengals have lost in the playoffs, it's that they completely fall apart once the competition stiffens, Dalton included. The Bengals last three playoff games were within a field goal at halftime, and the one four years ago was within a touchdown. But in Dalton's four postseason losses, the Bengals were outscored 57-6 in the second half. It's not the playoffs, but gaining experience in these kinds of games does matter. Things had been a bit too easy for Dalton and the Bengals until now. When things got hard, he was ready.
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This weekend, the much awaited Steve Jobs film opened in San Francisco and select cities. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who also pennedThe Social Network, the 2010 drama about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, had many more years of biographical material to work with around Jobs and it results in a more interesting film, which takes place over three acts each one tied three of the most important product launches in Jobs's career: the original Macintosh in 1984, the NeXT in 1990, and the iMac in 1998 is less about computers and more about humans. The launches are a backdrop, a kind of play within the play, to something more compelling: Jobs' broken relationship with his daughter, Lisa Brennan. That is the driving force behind the film. With that as his aim, Sorkin takes creative license with some of the events in Apple's history and Jobs' own life so don't expect a surgically accurate biopic. Jobs' other family, for example, isn't even mentioned. The movie, Sorkin said, is intended to be a "painting instead of a photograph." And thanks to director Danny Boyle of Slumdog Millionaire fame, and cinematographer Alwin H. Küchler, it's a visually stunning one.
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Check out the best and worst moments from Buffalo Bills fans so far in 2015. Is there a crazier fan base in the NFL?
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COLUMBIA, Mo. - Like the pick-six he had earlier in the night, Florida cornerback Jalen Tabor firmly grasped the enormity of the upcoming visit to LSU and ran with it. After the Gators' clinical 21-3 win at Missouri, Tabor weighed in on the heavyweight matchup set for 7 Saturday night on ESPN. The clash between the No. 6 Tigers (5-0, 3-0 SEC) and No. 8 Gators (6-0, 4-0) has everything a player, coach, fan or TV executive could want in a mid-October college football game. Two SEC unbeaten division leaders ranked in the top-10 in the polls. The Gators' elite defense versus the Heisman Trophy frontrunner. The SEC's top two secondaries vying for the fictitious crown of "DBU" - Defensive Back University. Each storyline line will be thrown into a stew and put under the intense heat and pressure generated during a night game in LSU's Tiger Stadium, better known as "Death Valley." "This is going to be a real exciting game between us and LSU," Tabor said. "A dream of mine to play there in Death Valley, so it should be a good game. And we have a little bit of animosity built up with the DBU thing. We feel like we're DBU, they feel like they're DBU. We circled this game before the season. I'm pretty sure they circled the same game. "They're undefeated, we're undefeated. Big-time SEC matchup." The key matchup on the field is one every college football fan cannot wait to see. No one has been able to slow, muchless stop, LSU sophomore tailback Leonard Fournette, who averages 204 rushing yards and 8.6 yards per carry. "Wow. Wow," UF coach Jim McElwain said. "This guy's maybe as good as anyone who's played the position. He'd go in there with all those great running backs. He's got the combination of a little bit of everything, and they run it with a purpose." But the Gators' defense is as talented, tenacious and confident as any he will face this season. A week after shutting down Ole Miss' high-powered offense and hitting quarterback Chad Kelly 42 times, the Gators ran roughshod over Missouri. The Tigers managed a field goal after their opening drive, but their ensuing 13 drives ended in nine punts, two interceptions, a turnover on downs and a missed field goal. "They're tuned in, they're locked in, they're challenging each other, they're challenging the offense," McElwain said. "It's fun to watch and I've got to tell you, they play the game fast. They're definitely one heck of a unit." Florida's defense versus Fournette undoubtedly will decide which school remains in the driver's seat in its division. "Without a doubt, best defense in the country against the best player in the country," Tabor said. If the Gators' defense can contain the 6-foot-1, 230-pound man-child, LSU will have to turn to sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris and the SEC's least-productive passing offense. The Tigers have SEC lows in average passing yards (122) and touchdown throws (four). Harris has fewer pass attempts than any starting quarterback in the SEC other than Perry Orth for struggling South Carolina, which is winless during four conference games. But if Fournette is able to find his stride against the Gators, Florida quarterback Will Grier and the offense will have to play much better than it did Saturday night at Mizzou. The Gators scored touchdowns on two of their first three possessions against the Tigers, but they punted eight times on their next 10 possessions. The other two Florida drives ended in a missed field goal and a turnover on downs. Veteran tailback Kelvin Taylor grinded out 99 yards on 28 carries and had two one-yard touchdown runs, but Grier and the offensive line struggled after building a 14-3 first-quarter lead. "It's disappointing because I thought we were heading in the right direction," McElwain said. "I've got to challenge our guys up front and we've got to dominate the line of scrimmage. We'll see how it goes, but we need to get a lot better offensively." At Missouri, Grier and the offense did enough for Tabor and Co. "If we have 14 points," Tabor said of his defense, 'it's going to be tough to beat us." It likely will take more from both sides of the ball to defeat Fournette and LSU. [email protected]
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CNN's Ben Wedeman reports on continued Israeli-Palestinian violence.
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Things just keep getting even more glamorous for rapper and fashion designer Kanye West. On Saturday, he received some presidential advice from Barack Obama and performed at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in San Francisco. And if that weren't enough, the rapper then capped it off with a surprise audition for American Idol. Tryouts for the singing competition's upcoming final season rolled into the Bay Area this weekend. West stunned judges Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and host Ryan Seacrest by showing up to deliver an a cappella rendition of his hit "Gold Digger." Kim Kardashian first shared photo of her husband trying out for the American Idol judges. Later, Seacrest posted a celebratory photo of the rapper revealing his coveted Golden Ticket to the competition's Hollywood Week.
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Officials claim missiles for defense purposes only
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What if there was a way you could prevent your relationship from slipping so far off track that the only possible resolution is dissolution? According to divorce mediators Don Desroches and Dana Greco, authors of the recently released Conscious Coupling , there are things that couples can do regularly that help keep their relationship on track before they end up seeking counsel. "The disappointing part of our job is that most of the time we can see where couples went wrong in their marriage," say Desroches and Greco (who is also a licensed couples and family therapist). "If they had recognized the signs and put some more effort into the relationship and into themselves earlier, they would have been able to be in a much better place with each other… instead of sitting in front of us." Here are some of the top reasons relationships (married or otherwise) fall apart and what you can do to correct your course prior to permanently calling it quits. The Split Source #1: Emotional disconnect Once a couple marries, they get caught up in the domestic chores and day-to-day living and do not feed each other. The relationship falls to the wayside because everything else becomes a priority. The Fix: Ask personal questions Get a list of questions to ask each other (at least one per week, but perhaps even one per day). Discuss personal things such as the most embarrassing moment in your partner's life, a special memory you both have about your parents growing up, etc…. Keep asking questions to learn as much as you can about this person you've chosen to be with. This will re-infuse your relationship with connecting threads and help keep bringing you closer, even if you've been "together forever." Remember, there is always something new to learn about each other. The Split Source #2: Unspoken expectations When people get married or even just together there are immediate expectations set by one person for the other and most times these are never agreed upon if even articulated (which can lead to relationship meltdowns). The Fix: Pretend you're not in a relationship with this person One really simple and surprising thing is to change the expectations you have for your partner, by pretending they're not your partner. "Sometimes telling people to just imagine they are not married [or coupled exclusively] and not having expectations for the other person will reduce the stress for everyone and immediately make things better," say Desroches and Greco. "Expectations should be agreed and not assumed." What this means is that if each partner does have legitimate needs that they need their partner to meet, they need to discuss these expectations with each other. Discussions must not be broad as in "I need you to handle the finances" but instead specific i.e., do you need them to balance the checkbook, complete financial planning for the family, start a college fund for your kids? Spell it out. Anything assumed or omitted is a chance for miscommunication. "It is a process and you most likely will not get it right the first time," say Desroches and Greco. "Better explanations are key and don't let the frustration lead to someone saying, 'Forget It, I will take care of it!'" The Split Source #3: Boredom After years of being together and getting into a routine, couples are often bored with the everyday humdrum life they have come to know. Once things start getting familiar and routine, the passion leaves the relationship. The Fix: "Required" activities Every month, make it a habit that you and your partner pick two things you want to do together and the other person can't say no to your selection (within reason of course). "Activities you both have never experienced will rejuvenate the relationship and give you something different to discuss," say Desroches and Greco. "Try to make these kid-free activities and get a babysitter." Now that doesn't mean you couldn't do fun things with your kids as well another time, but do an activity together just the two of you in order to mix it up and give you adult things to talk about. Also consider having outside activities independent of each other, or read different books, so you can bring that experience to your partner for discussion. Keep learning and growing so you have something to chat about at the dinner table. The Split Source #4: Focusing too much on children Many times once the children are born, the love affair that a woman once had with her husband is now with the child. For the husband, he may also make the children the focus and not really care about the relationship. Eventually, the relationship is broken and the romance is gone. The Fix: Public displays of affection No, we're not talking the "get a room" type of PDA, but it is good to remember each other when it comes to daily displays of affection. Children often demand your time and rapt attention, but it's not selfish for you to tell them when it's Mommy and Daddy time (and assure them they'll get their needs met later). "Make sure your children see you kissing, hugging, dancing and loving being together," say Desroches and Greco. "Keep your couple-hood and don't let the kids' lives take over. They do not have to come first. If you two are happy, they will be happy." Passion fades just 12 months into a long-term relationship ouch! The Split Source #5: Conflicts and arguing Sometimes it can be a huge release to throw stones, call names and bring up anything and everything wrong with your partner. However, these actions invariably put an emotional strain on the relationship. The Fix: Talking about what's bugging you right away Instead of letting something fester and boil before it gets out of control, communicate to your partner as soon as you are feeling an emotion as best you can (i.e., If you find yourself feeling hurt or angry for some reason, voice that). You may have to discuss the emotion to fully understand where it originated and why. "Did your partner say or do something that caused that feeling... if so try to understand why it mattered to you and what can change," say Desroches and Greco. "Without this exploration, your self-awareness and the awareness of the relationship cannot grow and develop." Though it often strikes fear into the hearts of many, the best way to bring up an issue that could be uncomfortable is to actually say, "I'd like to discuss something with you, when is a good time?" Healthy relationships will respond well even though one partner might be feeling "uh oh." Better to plan ahead and set aside space for a focused conversation, rather than potentially have an emotional outburst at an inopportune time down the line. "Safety is the key to a positive outcome, this reduces the anxiety and defensiveness," say Desroches and Greco. Above all, be proactive in your relationship. "Most couples go to therapy when there is an issue instead of feeding and watering the relationship all the time," say Desroches and Greco.
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The European Investment Bank (EIB) will examine whether Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) used any loans from the European Union to cheat on emissions tests for diesel vehicles and could demand money back, EIB chief Werner Hoyer told a German newspaper. "The EIB could have taken a hit (from the emissions scandal) because we have to fulfil certain climate targets with our loans," the Sueddeutsche Zeitung quoted Hoyer as saying in a summary of an article to be published on Monday. Europe's largest carmaker has admitted cheating in diesel emissions tests in the United States and Germany's transport minister says it also manipulated them in Europe, where VW sells about 40 percent of its vehicles. The EIB has granted loans worth around 4.6 billion euros ($5.2 billion) to Volkswagen since 1990, among other for the development of engines with lower emissions and manufacturing sites in South America, according to Sueddeutscche Zeitung. Of that figure, around 1.8 billion euros are still outstanding, the paper said. The EIB will conduct "very thorough investigations" into what VW used the funds for, Sueddeutsche quoted Hoyer as saying on the sidelines of an International Monetary Fund meeting in Lima, Peru. If it finds that the funds were used for purposes other than intended, the EU bank will have to "ask ourselves whether we have to demand loans back," he said. He also said he was "very disappointed" by Volkswagen, adding the EIB's relationship with the carmaker would be greatly damaged by the scandal. (Reporting by Maria Sheahan, editing by William Hardy)
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Lovie Smith's fingerprints were all over Tampa Bay's first home victory in nearly two years. The Buccaneers ran the ball with authority, young quarterback Jameis Winston didn't make any costly mistakes, and an improving defense did its part, too, in Sunday's 38-31 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. BOX SCORE: BUCS 38, JAGS 31 "This was just smash-mouth football. We lined up in two-tight end formations, two-running back formations and pounded that football," Winston said. "And when you are able to force your will upon somebody else, and you've got a running back that's just getting 4 and 5 yards and then popping one for 20, that's great football." When Smith took on the challenge of turning around a struggling franchise, he promised the Bucs would win by running the ball, playing solid defense and getting smart play from their quarterback. He's especially committed to the formula after going 2-14 in his first season in Tampa Bay and drafting Winston No. 1 overall this year. Doug Martin ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns, helping the 21-year-old quarterback rebound from his worst performance. And it helped the team snap an 11-game home losing streak that dated to December 2013, the same month the Jaguars (1-4) began an equally agonizing road skid that now stands at 12. Winston threw for 209 yards and one touchdown without an interception, redeeming himself after turning the ball over five times in a 14-point loss to Carolina the previous week. "We realized this past week that you can't win football games unless you protect the ball," Smith said. "It's about ball security on the offensive side. Jameis and the rest of our crew did that." Blake Bortles passed for 303 yards and four TDs, but was sacked six times and also threw an interception that set up a Bucs touchdown. The Jaguars gave up a 58-yard punt return that led to Martin's 10-yard TD reception, and rookie Corey Grant lost a third-quarter fumble that defensive end Jacquies Smith returned 3 yards for a score that put Tampa Bay ahead for good. "This one is painful. It's on all of us, players, coaches, and we've got to take full responsibility for what went on out there. That wasn't our best, and it's not acceptable," Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. "I'm hoping this setback shocks us to get things right," Bradley added. "I believe in these guys. They're capable of better." Martin, hindered by injuries the past two seasons, also scored on a pair of 1-yard runs. He averaged 5 yards per carry on 24 attempts and had three receptions for 35 yards. Bortles threw TD passes of 13 and 15 yards to Allen Robinson, the latter trimming Tampa Bay's lead to 38-31 with 1:05 remaining. Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson recovered the ensuing onside kick, and Winston kneeled twice to run out the clock. The Bucs won for the first time at home since beating Buffalo 27-6 on Dec. 8, 2013, one week after Jacksonville last won on the road, 32-28 at Cleveland. The Jaguars rallied from 13 points down to take a 24-20 on Bortles' 4-yard TD pass to T.J. Yeldon, but couldn't finish the job for the second straight week. Jacksonville lost 16-13 to Indianapolis in overtime after missing potential game-winning field goals in the fourth quarter and extra period. Bortles also threw a 12-yard TD pass to Allen Hurns and finished 23 of 33 with one interception. Falling behind early forced the Jaguars to abandon the running game, which produced just 55 yards on 17 attempts. Winston completed 13 of 19 passes and made it through a home game for the first time without throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown. He was sacked twice. "It's my job to take care of the ball," Winston said. "I made a lot of really simple decisions today, and the running game was amazing. "When I'm making the right decision and not turning the ball over, you see how productive our offense can be." NOTES: TE Julius Thomas made his debut for Jacksonville, playing for the first time since breaking his right hand in the Jaguars preseason opener. He had two catches for 20 yards. ... Since 2011, the Jaguars are 0-30 when losing the turnover battle. ... As part of the Bucs' breast cancer awareness initiative, U.S. Air Force captain Joshua Gunderson was flown home for a surprise visit with his mother, Bucs honoree Reina Campbell, who is battling cancer. --- AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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Joey Logano's win at Charlotte gives him a free pass into the next round of The chase. Nick DeGroot joins the gang to weigh in on the Bank of America 500.
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For the second straight weekend four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon took an ill-handling car at the start of the race and brought it home for a solid finish. On a day when several other Chase for the Sprint Cup contenders encountered troubles, Gordon's eighth-place finish put him in a favorable position heading into the final two races of the Contender Round of the Chase. Starting 22nd for Sunday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gordon had his work cut out for him from the drop of the green flag. Running the deepest of the Chase drivers in the opening segments of the race, Gordon finally broke into the top 10 on Lap 228 of 334. Continuing to move forward, the five-time Charlotte winner ultimately finished the day eighth in his final drive at the 1.5-mile speedway. In 46 career starts at the 1.5-mile track, Gordon recorded five wins -- including his very first -- 17 top fives, 25 top 10s and led 788 total laps. Gordon already has announced he is retired as a driver at the end of this season. By coming home in the top 10 and ahead of four other Chase drivers, Gordon heads to Kansas Speedway for the second race of the Contender Round seventh in the standings. "That's very solid," Gordon said after Sunday's race. "The pit crew was amazing. We've been working really hard on that and it certainly paid off for us today. We just put ourselves in such a hole starting 22nd. It was so hard to pass. I'm glad it was a day race because it widened the groove out and made passing more doable." Gordon admitted he was "really nervous" about not starting off great at the beginning of the race and commended crew chief Alan Gustafson for continuing to adjust on the car throughout the duration. "The way we started I thought we were going to be in big, big trouble today," he said. "Alan is just so good at this stuff. I know we missed it at the beginning of the race, but he knew exactly how to get the car better. We talked about it, we communicated well, they made great adjustments, and we found something that was in the right direction and as soon as we found that we got a little bit more of it and were able to continue on and be a really solid top-10 car." While he was unable to score his first victory of the season, Gordon was pleased the team was able to overcome their struggles Sunday and bring the car home in a solid position both on the leaderboard and in the Chase standings. "(That's) half the battle on this whole thing," he said. "Of course you want to be where (race winner) Joey Logano is and be secure over the next couple of weeks and move on to the next round. The other part is you've just got to fight, fight, fight and not make big mistakes and keep yourself in it. That's exactly what we did today, and I'm really proud of that."
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A skunk appeared on a morning show in Omaha, Nebraska. What could possibly go wrong?
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Frederick Breedon/Getty New York Giants tight end Daniel Fells is in serious danger of having his foot amputated to fight off a staff infection, NFL.com Insider Ian Rapoport reported early Sunday. Fells has already had five surgeries, and is expected to have more in an effort to save his foot from amputation. According to Rapoport, the situation arose when Fells suffered a toe and ankle injury, and received a cortisone shot. After a week of continued pain, Fells was rushed to the hospital by his wife, where he learned his foot and ankle had contracted MRSA, a dangerous and often antibiotic-resistant staff infection. While doctors are hoping to avoid amputation, there is also the graver fear that the MRSA has already spread into the bone and that it could also travel into his blood. Fells' situation is not the first time MRSA has been a problem in the NFL. In 2013, MRSA spread in the Tampa Bay locker room. Former Buccaneers kicker Lawrence Tynes, who contracted the infection, is suing the organization over their mishandling of the situation, claiming it ended his career prematurely. After the Giants got word of Fells' infection, they worked with infectious disease specialists to fully scrub and sanitize their locker rooms, training rooms, and meeting rooms. The players were also briefed on how to prevent the spread of the disease. "This is a serious situation that has been taken seriously from the beginning. We're all fighting for Daniel," Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said in a statement. NOW WATCH: Fantasy sports employees may be cheating the competition
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How to Layer Rugs So Your House Looks Like a Hip Shelter Magazine Eclectic. Cozy. All-around chic. You already know how to layer jackets, sweaters and jewelry. But did you know you should also be layering your… rugs ? The newest trend in home decor takes its cues from the casual beach-house aesthetic. Here's how to mix patterns, textures and sizes to create your very own visual symphony. Center a smaller throw on top of an area rug The calfskin says "I'm an adventurous world traveler" while the flat weave says "sensible homebody." Or overlap edges to lead from one space to another So effortless. So chic. Stick with the same type of rug but in different patterns or colors This room feels eclectic but unified, thanks to three flat-weave rugs in contrasting designs. Change it up from season to season For an instant room makeover, we love the idea of switching out the top patterned rug to something graphic and modern. Combine small rugs into a larger area rug Busy? More like fabulous. Make a graphic pattern pop with color on top Great for that black-and-white chevron rug you're totally bored by. And when all else fails, go sheepskin Who doesn't want to step right out of bed and onto a cloud?
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WASHINGTON When the House select committee investigating the 2012 attacks on American government outposts in Benghazi, Libya, was created, Democrats immediately criticized it as a partisan effort to damage the political fortunes of Hillary Rodham Clinton. But Representative Trey Gowdy, the South Carolina Republican and former federal prosecutor who is the committee's chairman, told Fox News at the time: "I have no friends to reward and no foes to punish. We're going to go wherever the facts take us." Now, 17 months later longer than the Watergate investigation lasted interviews with current and former committee staff members as well as internal committee documents reviewed by The New York Times show the extent to which the focus of the committee's work has shifted from the circumstances surrounding the Benghazi attack to the politically charged issue of Mrs. Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter A committee with a stated initial goal of learning more about how four Americans, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, were killed in Libya has created a political whirlwind in Washington, affecting not only Mrs. Clinton's presidential campaign, but now also the race for House speaker. Mrs. Clinton is scheduled to testify in front of the committee on Oct. 22. The committee has conducted only one of a dozen interviews that Mr. Gowdy said in February that he planned to hold with prominent intelligence, Defense Department and White House officials, and it has held none of the nine public hearings with titles such as "Why Were We in Libya?" that internal documents show have been proposed. At the same time, the committee has added at least 18 current and former State Department officials to its roster of witnesses, including three speechwriters and an information technology specialist who maintained Mrs. Clinton's private email server. Top Republican aides on the select committee dispute any suggestion that their inquiry, which has already cost more than $4.5 million, has been partisan or ineffective or that it changed course. They say that although seven other congressional committees have already examined the attacks, the select committee has been able to unearth new information on Benghazi because, unlike the other committees, it has a mandate to look across multiple agencies and see the "entire elephant," as Dana K. Chipman, the select committee's chief counsel, put it. The committee's focus on Mrs. Clinton's email, a Republican spokesman said, is a required part of the investigation into what happened in Libya. "Secretary Clinton's unusual email arrangement with herself has only made it more difficult for the committee to ensure the public record with respect to Libya and Benghazi is complete," the spokesman, Jamal Ware, said in a statement on Sunday. Republican committee members and staff members said they had interviewed more than 40 people who were never deposed by congressional investigators for other committees a tally disputed by Democrats. In an interview last week, Mr. Gowdy defended the committee's work on Benghazi and said only two of the people interviewed by the committee were related to Mrs. Clinton's email. He said that at one point this spring he told John A. Boehner, the House speaker, that he feared the task of investigating the email issue would distract from his committee's work. Now, as the committee prepares to question Mrs. Clinton next week, what Mr. Gowdy feared as a distraction has led to accusations of bias from a former staff member. Bradley F. Podliska, an Air Force Reserve officer who began working for the Republican staff of the committee in September 2014 but has since been fired, said in an interview that the panel changed its focus this spring, shortly after staff members learned that Mrs. Clinton had exclusively used a private email account as secretary of state, including during the Benghazi attacks. The committee dismissed Major Podliska in June, and he has said he plans to file a complaint in federal court about his termination. Major Podliska described an odd encounter with one of his bosses in April. "Keep your head down," Major Podliska said, recalling what Christopher Donesa, the committee's deputy staff director, had told him after praising his progress. Mr. Donesa paused for a moment, according to Major Podliska, then added, "This is taking a turn." Major Podliska said the committee was becoming focused primarily on the State Department, and in particular on Mrs. Clinton. Republican staff members said Major Podliska had been dismissed in part because he had demonstrated "improper partiality and animus in his investigative work" toward Mrs. Clinton and had mishandled classified material, which Major Podliska disputes. But for months, documents and interviews show, the work of the Benghazi committee has been affected by delays and dysfunction. The process of setting up an electronic system to manage more than 50,000 pages of documents that the committee has assembled is still not complete, meaning that staff members sometimes have to search through boxes to find critical pieces of paper an almost comical task, staff members said. They have spent months sparring with Obama administration agencies trying to get documents, eating up time the committee had planned to use investigating the attacks. With the slow progress, members have engaged in social activities like a wine club nicknamed "Wine Wednesdays," drinking from glasses imprinted with the words "Glacial Pace," a dig at Representative Elijah E. Cummings, Democrat of Maryland and the committee's ranking member, Major Podliska said. Mr. Cummings used the term to question the speed of the committee's work. At one point, several Republican staff members formed a gun-buying club and discussed in the committee's conference room the 9-millimeter Glock handguns they intended to buy and what type of monograms they would inscribe on them, Major Podliska said. The documents do show that since the March revelations about Mrs. Clinton's email server, the committee has continued to interview officials outside the State Department. Since then 10 intelligence officials including C.I.A. operatives who were on the ground in Benghazi and four from the Department of Defense have been interviewed. But an approximate tally produced by the Democratic minority staff shows that the committee has so far followed up with only a third of the potential witnesses from the intelligence community, none of the six from the White House and fewer than half from the Defense Department. Meanwhile, more than 70 percent of the potential witnesses from the State Department have been interviewed. Mr. Ware said the focus on the State Department made sense, regardless of Mrs. Clinton, because it was where the most relevant witnesses worked. Mr. Gowdy said in the interview last week that he had pressed Mr. Boehner to have another House committee examine the matter of Mrs. Clinton's emails, but that Mr. Boehner had rejected the request. "I would have liked nothing more than for the speaker to find another committee," Mr. Gowdy said. Senior Republican officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were discussing confidential conversations, said that Mr. Boehner had long been suspicious of the administration's handling of the attacks and that Mrs. Clinton's emails gave him a way to keep the issue alive and to cause political problems for her campaign. But he thought that the task was too delicate to entrust to others and that it should remain with Mr. Gowdy, the former prosecutor. Late last month, preserving the investigation's credibility became more difficult when Representative Kevin McCarthy, the House majority leader, inadvertently offered corroboration of Democrats' suspicions. "Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right?" he said on Fox News . "But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping." Mr. McCarthy subsequently withdrew his candidacy for House speaker, citing in part the uproar over those comments. Representative Adam B. Schiff, a California Democrat and a member of the Benghazi committee, effectively agreed with Mr. McCarthy's assessment. He has called for the committee to disband. "Clearly, the committee's true interest was not in providing new answers or information about the Benghazi attacks, but in damaging Secretary Clinton," Mr. Schiff said. Democrats and Republicans who remember the Watergate and Whitewater investigations have said this is not the first time that a committee started off focusing on one issue and ended up looking at another. Committee Created The Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi, Libya as the panel is officially known was created in May 2014 by a bitterly divided House of Representatives, based on an almost entirely party-line vote. Mrs. Clinton had already taken responsibility for the attacks. Previous congressional investigations into Benghazi had already concluded that State Department officials had erred in not better securing the diplomatic compound amid reports of a deteriorating security situation. They also concluded that the attacks had come with little warning and that it would have been difficult to intervene once they began. The investigations generally agree that the administration's post-attack talking points a matter of much dispute were flawed but not deliberately misleading. Democrats began blasting the new effort even before Mr. Boehner had named t he seven Republican members of the 12-member panel. "Let's call this what it is it is nothing more than a political ploy," Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democrat of Florida and the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, told reporters in early May 2014, while Democrats were still debating whether to even fill their five seats on the panel. The Republicans moved to defuse these criticisms by naming Mr. Chipman as their chief counsel. He is a graduate of West Point and Stanford Law School who served as the Army's judge advocate general, or the commanding officer of its in-house lawyers. Mr. Chipman began the investigation with a commitment to stay focused on the front-line personnel who were on the ground in Benghazi before and during the attacks. "These are people I served with for 10 years," Mr. Chipman said in an interview, referring to his work in the Army overseeing military intelligence teams. "That is what brought me to this committee finding out what happened with these guys." Specifically, the majority staff members said they wanted to test claims that there was little the Defense Department could have done on the day of attacks to have saved the lives of the four Americans, and also to re-examine how the administration had handled the aftermath of the attacks, including how quickly intelligence reports from Benghazi had reached top administration officials. The investigation was initially organized into three "tranches" one for events before the attacks, one for the attacks themselves and one for events after. In December, in an early sign of bipartisanship, Democratic and Republican staff members traveled to a Marine base in Quantico, Va., where the committee received briefings on how Defense Department personnel handle security at American embassies and other overseas facilities. They also met with families of the victims of the attacks. The staff members, including Major Podliska, began interviews with officials from the Department of Defense, the State Department and the intelligence community, to learn, as Mr. Chipman said: "How did the U.S. government respond to people in distress? What did they say about what had occurred? And how did they craft the subsequent narrative, perhaps for political reasons, and is that narrative accurate?" At the end of 2014, the committee Republicans announced an ambitious agenda, including the nine proposed public hearings from January through October with tentative titles such as "What Happened?" and "What Should We Fix?" Still, Democrats questioned how much new was being learned. They pointed out that many of these interviews were focused on conditions in Libya in 2011, before Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi , the Libyan dictator, was killed and the situation there changed radically. "None of the committee's new interview subjects has substantiated any of the wild claims Republicans have been making," Mr. Cummings said. Email Account The committee first noticed something unusual in Hillary Clinton's emails in August 2014, when documents the State Department was handing over showed that she had been using a personal account. The staff members assumed that it was only a matter of time before they would see correspondence from her government account. This February, the State Department gave the committee 300 of Mrs. Clinton's emails. That month, in what one committee member described as a "very tense" meeting, State Department officials acknowledged that Mrs. Clinton had not had a government account. She had used her private email for all of her official business, leaving open the possibility that her account contained classified information. (Having classified information outside a secure government account is illegal.)Things changed for the Benghazi committee on March 2, after The New York Times broke the story of Mrs. Clinton's email account. There was a growing sense of opportunity within the committee that this could be a lifeline. "The committee became relevant again," Major Podliska said. "There was a renewed vigor in the investigation." Major Podliska happened to be called to active duty just at that critical moment; he was sent to Germany for two weeks in March. When he returned, he said he discovered that the committee's three-tranche structure had collapsed into a single "agency centric" investigation, as it was known internally. As a practical matter, the focus was overwhelmingly on one agency. "The reality was it was the State Department," Major Podliska said. In the spring and summer, the committee drew up new lists of targets for interviews that to Major Podliska and other committee staff members, particularly Democrats, seemed to have little to do with Benghazi. Among the targets were Bryan Pagliano, a State Department aide who helped set up Mrs. Clinton's email system, and Sidney Blumenthal, a friend and informal adviser to Mrs. Clinton who had sent emails to her about Libya before and after the attacks. The questioning of Mr. Blumenthal and others, in sessions that took place in a closed-door conference room and frequently lasted seven or eight hours, also ranged far afield of Benghazi. During one daylong session, Mr. Blumenthal was asked more than 160 questions about his relationship and communications with the Clinton family, according to a count by Democratic staff members based on an interview transcript. That included more than 50 questions about the Clinton Foundation and more than 45 questions related to David Brock, who runs a group that defends Mrs. Clinton against political attacks. The count by the Democratic staff members shows that the committee also asked Mr. Blumenthal more than 270 questions related to his business activities in Libya. He was helping a private businessman pursue deals there. The committee asked him fewer than 20 questions about the Benghazi attacks. Mr. Blumenthal declined to comment on Sunday. Mr. Gowdy has defended these questions, saying that Mr. Blumenthal's for-profit business pursuits in Libya " show an individual who tried to heavily influence the Secretary of State to intervene in Libya" militarily and suggesting that this intervention contributed to the September 2012 attacks, a claim the Democrats dismiss. Republicans also point out that Mr. Blumenthal was being paid by the Clinton Foundation and Mr. Brock's nonprofit group, and they say that roughly half of all the emails sent to Mrs. Clinton related to Benghazi and Libya before the attacks had involved Mr. Blumenthal. "The content of these emails are quite remarkable," Mr. Gowdy said in a letter he sent to Democrats last week. The committee obtained 1,500 more emails from Mrs. Clinton just last month proof, he said, that critical materials had emerged because of the committee's efforts. But even as these new materials came in, the committee put aside all of its proposed public hearings focused on the attack and never followed up on most of its announced witness interviews with top Defense Department and intelligence officials. Mr. Gowdy said the hearings had been canceled because of objections from intelligence officials about discussing the matters in a public setting. Republican staff members and Mr. Gowdy said that they were confident they had made important progress in understanding what had happened in Benghazi. Tentative findings, they said, include new details that might undercut Defense Department assertions that nothing could have been done in time to save Mr. Stevens and the others. They added that those details would be made public at the end of the inquiry. Now, with her testimony before the committee imminent, Mrs. Clinton has turned its work to her favor. Only days after Mr. McCarthy's assertion that the committee had succeeded in driving down her poll numbers, her campaign had a TV spot attacking it. Follow the New York Times's politics and Washington coverage on Facebook and Twitter , and sign up for the First Draft politics newsletter .
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The industry is growing and the workforce is aging. Trucking needs a facelift, and about 50,000 new employees.
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A uniformed Kansas City, Mo., cop hoping to celebrate his birthday with lunch at Olive Garden on Sunday was kicked out because of his duty firearm. A hostess caught sight of Officer Michael Holsworth's holstered handgun as he waited for his family and asked the decorated officer to leave the restaurant at once, he ranted in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon. "I never in my wildest thoughts would of thought this would happen in the Kansas City area. I see it happening all over the United States to other officers, but never thought it would of happened to me," he wrote after leaving the restaurant. It's legal to openly carry handguns in Missouri, but the Olive Garden hostess told Holsworth guns were prohibited in the restaurant. The restaurant's refusal to serve Holsworth brought on a flurry of outrage spearheaded by the city's Fraternal Order of Police, which promised to organize protests outside the southeast Kansas City restaurant. The order's president, Brad Lemon, and Kansas City Police Chief Darrl Forte came to Holsworth's defense in public messages aimed at the chain's national Twitter account. "Facts are being gathered," Forte wrote. It's not clear why the restaurant franchise took a stance against Holsworth's gun. Olive Garden insists it was a misunderstanding. "Law enforcement are always welcome to dine (with) us we heart serving them and have great relationships," an Olive Garden spokesman said. The chain's president, Dave George, has since called Holsworth to apologize, said Lemon, the order's liaison to Kansas police. Lemon took a pointed stand against Holsworth's treatment, demanding respect for all law enforcement officers. "It's been an incredibly difficult day for our brother, and our entire family. All we ever ask is to be treated fairly and with the same respect to due anyone else. When we are treated poorly because of our chosen occupation, it hurts," Lemon wrote in another statement to Facebook. "It's not okay to treat law enforcement poorly. We deserve, and have earned, the same level of respect due to each and every member of society." Holsworth declined to speak of Sunday's ordeal further after his public Facebook post went viral with more than 5,600 shares. Holsworth earned his department's Distinguished Service Medal in 2014 for being one of three police officers who shot and killed a burglar linked to a triple homicide, according to city records. [email protected]
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Kanye West Kanye West surprised 'American Idol' judges Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick, Jr., and Keith Urban with a joke audition. The 38-year-old rapper arrived at auditions for the reality TV show in San Francisco over the weekend, where he performed his 2005 song 'Gold Digger' a cappella. And Kanye sailed through, coming out with a golden ticket to Hollywood. Kanye's audition comes after President Barack Obama recently offered him advice on running for office. The 54-year-old politician joked about the 'Bound 2' hitmaker's recent proclamations that he intends to run for office and suggested the rapper's marriage to 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' star Kim Kardashian West would help him in his potential future career. Speaking in San Francisco's Warfield Theater ahead of Kanye's performance at a Democratic National Committee (DNC) fundraiser, he quipped: "In a little while you are going to hear from a guy who is thinking about getting into politics. "In case Kanye's serious about this whole POTUS thing, or as he calls it, Peezy, I do have advice for him; "You've got to deal with strange characters who behave as if they are on a reality TV show. So you've got to be cool with that." And in reference to Kanye's 2010 album 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy', he added: "This is the second tip, saying that you have a beautiful, dark, twisted fantasy. That's what's known as 'off message' in politics, you can't something like that." And Obama even poked fun at himself while questioning Kanye's chances of being voted into office. He said: "Do you really think this country is going to elect a black guy from the south side of Chicago with a funny name to be President of the US? That is crazy! That's cray."
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The five Democrats running for president will debate Tuesday night in Las Vegas, a much-anticipated showdown in which someone not onstage Vice President Biden will continue to loom over the proceedings as he considers whether to join the race . People close to Biden insist that no decision on a presidential run will come before Tuesday night, but a broad expectation is that we are nearing the conclusion of a months-long public conversation about whether he will throw his hat in the ring. Although Biden's presence, and speculation about what might ensue if he joins the race , will be a hot topic of conversation, plenty onstage should keep you entertained. Here's my handicapping of what to expect from the four men and one woman onstage Tuesday night. Hillary Rodham Clinton : People forget that of the 203 debates that's a rough estimate in the 2008 Democratic primaries, Clinton won 80 percent of them. She's a far more tested debater than anyone else who will be on the stage Tuesday and has faced far tougher circumstances than this one; in 2008, she went against Barack Obama, John Edwards (who made his fortune as a trial lawyer), and the likes of Biden and Chris Dodd who knew something about debating given their time in the Senate. Clinton has considerable command of the issues and thinks well on her feet. Her relentless commitment to being on message serves her well in debates. She's an able counter-puncher when she needs to be. The important question in this debate is one that is out of her hands. How hard do any of her opponents go after her, and on what? Does the controversy over her e-mail server come up? If so, who does the attacking, and how negative (if at all) does Clinton go in return? Bernie Sanders : This debate has almost nothing but an upside for the Vermont socialist . His supporters will drink up his authenticity and willingness to say things that the others most notably, Clinton won't. For Democrats who might not know Sanders yet, his strict adherence to liberal principles will appeal. Sanders would be well served to push his differences with Clinton his early opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership , for instance in front of what will be the largest audience of the campaign to date. But his stated unwillingness to attack may preclude a true hit on her. That would be a mistake. Martin O'Malley : No one knows who the former Maryland governor is, so simply being onstage with Clinton and Sanders is a very good thing for his presidential campaign. Beyond benefiting from the "Oh, he's that guy" phenomenon, O'Malley needs a moment (or three) that allows him to stand out to voters and to the people (like me) who watch this stuff obsessively. O'Malley is well aware of his need to break out and that makes him the most interesting and unpredictable force in this debate. He will almost certainly go after Clinton as overly political and cautious to draw a contrast with what he will deem his principled liberal leadership during his eight years as the governor of Maryland. But will he take on Clinton's e-mail server and the questions of whether she is honest and trustworthy enough to be the party's nominee? Attacking Clinton in a debate setting isn't as easy as it might look since as I mentioned above she is an able debater and will, no doubt, be ready for it. For O'Malley, though, the reward is probably worth the risk. If he doesn't start moving soon, he never will. Jim Webb : The former one-term senator from Virginia is an acerbic personality who doesn't back down ever. Couple that with the fact that he has nothing to lose, and it's possible that Webb stirs things up by going after Clinton or Sanders. On what? That's harder to know, because why Webb is running and on what issues has been remarkably hard to figure out. My guess is that he tries to make his mark on issues of foreign policy and national security, given his background as secretary of the Navy and his service as a Marine in Vietnam. That might well mean that he and Clinton come into conflict over Syria, Iran and, maybe, the initial decision to go into Iraq, which Webb opposed and Clinton supported. Lincoln Chafee : Chafee is, if possible, even less well known among Democrats and the general public than Webb. (And, trust me, that is no easy task.) Stylistically, Chafee will have a hard time standing out or being noticed at all as he is unassuming and very soft spoken. He will benefit from the fact that only four other people will be onstage, meaning that by default, he will get a decent amount of speaking time. Expect Chafee to focus on the fact that he was the lone Republican in the Senate to vote against authorizing the use of military force against Iraq (Clinton voted for it) and to talk about why he left the Republican Party.
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Amber Rose Amber Rose and Blac Chyna have pulled the plug on their reality TV show. Amber, estranged wife of Wiz Khalifa with whom she has a two-year-old son Sebastian, and Blac Chyna, who has King Cairo, two, with her former fiance Tyga, had been working on a pilot together but have now pulled out citing busy schedules. According to TMZ: "Amber says she's in the process of getting her own talk show, and Blac Chyna says she has various product deals." This comes less than two months after it was revealed that the two former strippers were working on the show together. A source said at the time: "Amber is working with a top team of producers and they have turned even the pilot episode in Los Angeles is very excited She will tell definitely a lot about their own lives, the producers just want to be themselves." Back in August, the pair wore matching bright ensembles to the MTV Video Music Awards, which were emblazoned with the words "bitch", "gold digger" and "stripper". Of the outfits, Blac said: "We're painting a picture of what everybody already says about us." Amber added: "They call us sl**s and w****s all the time, so we just embrace it."
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Iran's parliament gives preliminary backing to a bill approving Tehran's nuclear agreement, but supportive voices had to overcome determined opposition from conservative lawmakers. Mana Rabiee reports.
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(Bloomberg) -- Global policy makers used nearly all their tools to get the world economy out of a stall six years ago. What's vexing them now is how to shift into higher gear. The prospect of the world's biggest economy being healthy enough for its central bank to raise interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade would usually be reason to cheer. So might efforts by the next-largest to move toward more balanced growth. A sluggish and uneven global recovery is making these turning points -- the Federal Reserve's plan to raise rates and a slowing of China's once high-flying economy -- harder to digest for central bankers and finance chiefs who met over the weekend in Lima. Clouding the picture is lackluster investment from companies sitting on cash, still too reluctant to deploy the capital that typically drives recoveries. "The world is not in crisis, but there's a great sense of unease, and that sense of unease explains why globally, almost everywhere, private investment is much weaker than you would expect at this stage in the cycle," Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said in the Peruvian capital at the International Monetary Fund's annual meeting, which wrapped up Sunday. Great Moderation The last time the Fed was preparing to begin a tightening cycle, in 2004, the U.S. economy was poised to grow 3.8 percent on the year, while global output was on track to expand 5.2 percent, according to IMF data. Policy makers can only dream of such bounty now. A slowdown in emerging markets driven by weak commodity prices forced the IMF last week to cut its outlook for global growth in 2015 to 3.1 percent, the weakest since 2009, from a July forecast of 3.3 percent. The Washington-based fund raised its projection for U.S. growth this year to 2.6 percent, from 2.5 percent in July. "We carry with us a backpack called the Great Moderation," said Stefan Ingves, governor of Sweden's central bank, referring to the period of steady growth and low inflation that began in the mid-1980s and ended during the financial crisis. "Everything we've done since is trying to fix problems hoping that we get back to another Great Moderation. The hard part is that it's very difficult to be sure things will normalize in that particular way," he said during a panel discussion in Lima. Excessive Borrowing The IMF also warned that over-borrowing by companies has left developing economies vulnerable to financial stress and capital outflows. In 2015, emerging markets will see their first year of negative capital flows since 1988, as investors pull $541 billion from countries such as China and Brazil, the Institute of International Finance said in a report last week. Markets are reflecting the lack of a clear direction. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index of equities, after slumping for five straight months, is up 8.5 percent this month. Bloomberg's USD Emerging Market Sovereign Bonds Index last week staged its biggest weekly gain since September 2013, after falling to a nine-month low last month. "I wouldn't paint a dark picture," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told reporters in Lima. "I would simply insist on the policy mix that can be applied in order to move from an uneven and modest recovery, which has decelerated, to something that is definitely stronger." IMF officials say many emerging markets are well prepared for a financial shock, having built up foreign-currency reserves and adopted flexible exchange rates. They say the added cushion could well prevent a replay of the crises that roiled Latin America during the early 1980s and Asia during the late 1990s. 'Broken' Models But with China slowing and countries such as Brazil and Russia in recession, emerging markets are suffering from a "broken growth model," David Lubin, head of emerging markets economics at Citigroup Global Markets Ltd., said at an IIF conference in Lima. "Historically, emerging-markets crises were located in the balance of payments," Lubin said. "This is not. This is a growth crisis." Willem Buiter, chief economist for Citigroup, is predicting a global recession will start in 2016, led by China. The IMF left its forecast for China's growth at 6.8 percent this year and 6.3 percent in 2016. Still, the fund warned the "cross-border repercussions" of slowing Chinese growth "appear greater than previously envisaged." "I'm getting to the point where I don't see concerns about China going away -- maybe ever," said David Fernandez, head of fixed-income research for the Asia-Pacific at Barclays Bank PLC. To be sure, the Fed's move to tighten monetary policy and China's shift to more consumption-driven growth may turn out to be welcome developments, Brazilian Finance Minister Joaquim Levy said. Turning Optimistic "My impression of the discussions is that they started with a somewhat gloomy mood, but people have realized that the risks we're facing are somewhat positive problems," because they point to "most economies moving away from the old problems and starting a new phase," he said. Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said Sunday the U.S. economy may be strong enough to merit an interest-rate increase by year end, while cautioning that policy makers are monitoring slower domestic job growth and international developments. "We remain committed to communicating our intentions as clearly as possible -- but not more clearly than the facts warrant," he said. For some, the day of Fed liftoff can't come soon enough. "Our recommendation is just do it," said Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. "Take the mystery out of the thing." --With assistance from David Biller, Rainer Buergin, Svenja O'Donnell, Keiko Ujikane and John Quigley in Lima. To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Mayeda in Lima at [email protected] To contact the editors responsible for this story: Carlos Torres at [email protected] Brendan Murray
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It often appears that no matter what the Federal Reserve does, its actions are destined to draw the ire of market participants. Now, it appears that what it doesn't do is at least as likely to ruffle feathers. The recently released minutes to the Fed's September meeting showed the committee fretting about the sharp drop stocks had suffered over the past month. It was mentioned as a negative in the economic outlook prepared by the committee staff, and factored into the policymakers' economic outlook. Those factors, along with several others, are widely seen as keeping the central bank from meting out its first rate hike in almost a decade. "The growing debacle surrounding the election of a new Republican House Speaker and the potential crisis if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling within the next month are additional risks that have sprung up in the past couple of weeks," Capital Economics said in a research note last week. "Accordingly, we now expect the Fed to wait until early 2016 before beginning to raise interest rates." However, the Fed's emphasis on downside risks is injecting a degree of uncertainty and volatility into markets, a factor not lost on global policymakers that are calling on the Fed to end its handwringing and begin the tightening cycle. "In the United States, equity prices fall, on balance, amid significant volatility, and risk spreads for businesses widened," the Fed minutes note. "Many participants judged that the effects of these developments on domestic economic activity were likely to be small, but they acknowledged the risk that they might restrain U.S. economic growth somewhat." The minutes go on to state that the stock drop was not a primary factor behind the Fed's widely anticipated decision to keep its interest rate target on hold. However, it added that "participants indicated that they did not see the changes in asset prices during the inter-meeting period as bearing significantly on their policy choice except insofar as they affected the outlook for achieving the Committee's macroeconomic objectives and the risks associated with that outlook." Still, it was clearly a factor lurking in the background, to the extent that the market drop has weighed on inflation expectations. Although the central bank has played down its impact on the market, the irony is that the Fed has itself complained about high stock prices. In May, Fed chair Janet Yellen chose to "highlight that equity market valuations at this point generally are quite high," adding that "there are potential dangers there" particularly because valuations may be high partially as a result of low bond yields, and yields could spike when the Fed raises rates. A year earlier, in July of 2014, Yellen said valuations were generally in line with historical norms, but "some things may be on the high side, and there may be some pockets where we see valuations becoming very stretched." At the time, Yellen appeared to single out social media and biotech stocks. Lo and behold, the industry group that contains biotech names has been the worst-performing group in the S&P 500 (.SPX) over the past three months, falling nearly 9 percent during that time. Cramer: Biotech infecting the market Will it stop? That might suggest that the Fed should cheer, rather than bemoan, the recent volatility. To its credit, the Fed seems to be aware of this inherent conflict. Some members of the FOMC apparently "commented that the recent decline in equity prices needs to be viewed in the context of overall valuation levels, which they saw as relatively high, and a couple noted that volatility had begun to subside," according to the Fed's minutes. Yet an argument can be made that what the Fed was really worried about is not the level of equity prices, but their volatility. The minutes use that word six times, even delving into the world of derivatives, in recording that "one-month-ahead options-implied volatility on the S&P 500 Index reached levels last seen in 2011." The Fed clearly considers rising market volatility to be a mark of deteriorating financial conditions, and hence an economic risk factor. Since it might weigh on the Fed's near-term economic expectations, it would also serve the function of delaying a rate hike even more. All of this suggests that the Fed may not be cheerleading higher stock prices. However, the context of assuaging jittery investors is key. If stock prices fell while volatility declined which would admittedly be a unusual turn of events it might actually decrease the perceived risks of raising rates. That could make the Fed more willing to step away from stimulative policies, and from attempts to handicap the market's gains. By CNBC's Alex Rosenberg. Watch " Futures Now " Tuesdays & Thursdays 1 p.m. ET exclusively on FuturesNow.CNBC.com !
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On the final day of the trade deadline, July 31, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired J.A. Happ from the Seattle Mariners in a quiet, under-the-radar trade. What the Pirates received, however, was an impact lefty arm in their rotation. In 11 starts with Pittsburgh, Happ went 7-2, pitching to a 1.85 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 63 1/3 innings pitched. Clearly, something clicked with Happ in Pittsburgh as he held a 4.64 ERA in 21 starts with the Mariners prior to the trade. Happ enters this offseason as a free agent, but told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he is interested in coming back to the Pirates. "It's a team I would definitely consider, absolutely," Happ said. "Whatever happens, happens. I'm happy with where I'm at right now, and we'll see what's down the road." GM Neal Huntington confirmed the mutual interest. "There is interest," Huntington said. "It's just a matter of how it all comes together, how it works for him and how it works for us." This will be Happ's first time through free agency. With a loaded free agent class, it will be interesting if the Pirates get out in front of the market to secure their guy. (h/t HardballTalk ) MORE MLB: Want stories delivered to you? Sign up for our MLB newsletters.
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The Broncos offense was held without a touchdown Sunday, but three field goals and a defensive touchdown were enough to beat the Raiders. Denver cornerback Chris Harris returned an interception of Derek Carr 74 yards with 6:53 remaining to give the Broncos a 16-10 win at O.co Coliseum. MORE: Scoreboard | Ranking the unbeatens | Most miserable Week 5 performances It was the only interception of Carr, who threw for 249 yards and a touchdown to Marcel Reece to give Oakland a 7-3 lead in the second quarter. But the unbeaten Broncos kept chipping away, despite a poor performance from quarterback Peyton Manning. Denver settled for three Brandon McManus field goals to hold a 9-7 lead before Harris' pick-six. Manning, the No. 1 overall pick by the Colts in the 1998 NFL Draft, threw for just 266 yards and was intercepted twice by Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson, the No. 4 overall pick in the same draft. It was the first time in Woodson's illustrious career that he had intercepted Manning. The first interception came in the end zone on a pass intended for Broncos tight end Owen Daniels, who was held without a catch. Manning finished 22 of 35 for 266 yards and the two picks for a passer rating of 62.3 It wasn't all good for the Broncos defense. Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware was taken to the locker room on a cart in the first half with a back injury and did not return. Cornerback Aqib Talib suffered an ankle injury in the second half.
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An expedition underway in the Gulf of California aims to get the most accurate count to date of the endangered vaquita a small species of porpoise that has been nearly wiped out largely as a result of illegal fishing. Elusive and isolated to one corner of the Gulf of California, the vaquita has long been difficult to spot. Now they are almost gone, with fewer than 100 believed to remain in the wild. The survey to get an accurate count of the porpoises began on Sept. 26 and will continue through early December.
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10. Here come the Hawkeyes Don't look now but Iowa is 6-0 after the Hawkeyes beat a surprising Illinois team. The Hawkeyes could have suffered a letdown after an emotional win against Wisconsin, but Iowa got a monster game from Jordan Canzeri to the tune of 246 yards and a touchdown on 43 carries to grind out the win. All was not rosy for the Hawkeyes as they lost senior defensive end Drew Ott to an ACL injury. Iowa gets a reeling Northwestern team next week, and the remainder of the schedule is missing Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, and Michigan who have a combined 22-2 record. Right now, Iowa looks like the favorite to represent the Big Ten West in the Big Ten Championship Game. 9. Is Michigan State a Top 5 Team? Michigan State has looked mediocre this season. The signature win on the season came at home against an Oregon team that got boat raced in Eugene by Utah and looks a far cry from the Ducks we've known the last decade. The Spartans struggled with Rutgers and Purdue, and they looked less than impressive against Air Force. We'll get the answer to our question next week when the Spartans travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines who absolutely look like a Top 5 team right now. Keep winning and style points won't matter, the Spartans will make the playoff. But right now Michigan State doesn't look like a real contender. 8. Are They Top 5 Part II? TCU is good, real good. They can score on anyone, but can they stop anyone when it matters. It's hard to take a team seriously as a contender when they routinely give up 40+ points per game. Trevone Boykin is sublime and a legitimate Heisman contender, but the Horned Frogs can't fall behind by three scores to a team that has defense and a running game and expect to win. TCU will continue to be challenged this year with West Virginia, unbeaten Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Baylor on the schedule. There are teams that can lose one game and still advance to the playoffs, TCU is not one of those teams. Heck, they can go unbeaten and not be one of those teams. That won't happen this year, but when you play a brand of football like TCU is playing right now, there's no margin for error. 7. Hold that Tiger Any worry that Clemson might suffer a let down against Georgia Tech's option offense after a big win over Notre Dame was quickly alleviated. Clemson ran up a 26-3 lead in just over 16 minutes. Two Georgia high school prep stars in quarterback Deshaun Watson (Gainesville, Ga.) and running back Wayne Gallman (Loganville, Ga.) tore the Jackets apart. Watson was a cool 21/30 for 265 yards and two touchdowns, and Gallman ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 carries. Remember Notre Dame's big win over No. 14 Georgia Tech? That seems like years ago to the Jackets who have now dropped four straight. Clemson has one ranked team left on the schedule, and they get the Seminoles at home on November 7th. South Carolina is in shambles, and the schedule is stacked nicely. Now is the time for the Tigers to pounce. 6. Gators on Top? The Florida Gators are undefeated. They dominated Ole Miss who beat Alabama. They just dominated two time defending SEC East Champion Missouri in their own house. They have arguably the best defense in the SEC, a quarterback who gets better every week, and a running game that gets it done. There's a good argument for LSU to be there, but in any ranking, Florida should be no worse than No. 2 in the SEC when the polls come out. 5. Two Teams, Two Directions This one had to be particularly sweet for the Washington Huskies as they got a big win on the road against the coach who left them in Steve Sarkisian and USC. At the time Washington fans and many neutral observers believed that Washington actually upgraded with Chris Petersen after Sarkisian had left them. I'm not sure many USC fans would argue with them right now. While it's early in Sarkisian's USC career, his antics off the field ( link ), coupled with the fact that he wasn't an entirely popular choice among Trojan fans, means the scrutiny on Sarkisian will only get more intense. Things could turn around in a hurry or sink fast with the next three games coming against Notre Dame, Utah, and Cal. The Huskies can use this game as a springboard or come back down to earth quickly. With games coming up against Stanford and Oregon, the Huskies are all of a sudden in the thick of the Pac-12 North race. 4. Two Teams, Two Directions Part II Almost immediately the game itself became the secondary story as Georgia's Nick Chubb went down with a gruesome knee injury on the first play from scrimmage against Tennessee. CBS showed one replay then thankfully didn't show it again during the broadcast. Former Bulldog Todd Gurley tweeted his prayers to Chubb during the game while Georgia was building a 24-7 lead over the Vols. Tennessee looked to be left for dead after Reggie Davis returned a punt to give the Bulldogs the 24-7 lead, but the Vols had 24 unanswered points including 14 points in roughly 30 seconds to close out the first half. That propelled the Vols to a 38-31 win. While no one wants to minimize the importance of Nick Chubb's injury, the narrative of the game finished with the Vols finally getting over the hump, and how hot is the seat under Mark Richt right now? Is it possible that both Georgia and Georgia Tech could be looking for new head coaches at the end of the season? 3. Boy did they need that… The Texas Longhorns were in big trouble. They weren't just playing bad football and getting blown out by teams they used to beat handily (see 24 game winning streak over TCU from 1968-1991), they had players retweeting transfer requests while the Longhorns were getting thumped. Nothing cures ills like beating your biggest rival, and Texas jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and made it stand as the Horns had a total team effort to hold off Oklahoma. Quarterback Jerrod Heard ran for over 100 yards and threw a touchdown. Quarterback Tyrone Swoopes ran for a score and threw for another, and running back D'Onta Foreman added another 100 yards. The Horns defense which looked awful against TCU never let the Oklahoma ground game get going as the Sooners ran for only 67 yards. Despite being 2-4, Texas is only a play or two away from being 4-2. With several winnable games coming up in the Big 12 including Kansas State, Iowa State, and Kansas, the Longhorns have a chance to build up some momentum after the huge win over the Sooners. 2. Should Utah be No. 1? Cal and Utah opened the game as if they both were intimidated by the big stage. They had three turnovers each in a little over 20 minutes into the game. If either team played with poise they could have run away with it in the first half. Utah jumped to a 24-10 lead in the second quarter after the turnover-fest, and then made it stand through the second half while relying on two trusty weapons: defense and running game. The Utes pressured Cal quarterback Jared Goff into five interceptions on the night while Devontae Booker rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries. Utah came into the game ranked No. 5 in the AP poll including seven first place votes. While it's hard to say a Top 5 team is being disrespected, if we throw out all of our pre-conceptions about what teams could and should be based on the 2014 season and only focus on what has happened this year, no one has had a more impressive body of work than the Utah Utes. Which game looks like the real early season match up of the year, No. 7 Oregon at Michigan State, or a little talked about battle between unranked teams in Utah and Michigan? A 42 point win over Oregon on the road and wins over Cal and Michigan should put Utah in the Top 2. Playing in the Pac-12 Utah controls its own playoff destiny, so it's really a moot point, but polls are the kinds of things we talk about right now, and Utah is under-ranked at 5. 1. That Blue Defense This was supposed to be the marquee game of the weekend. It was a showcase alright. It was a showcase of the Michigan Wolverine defense. The Wolverines have pitched three straight shutouts. Two of the opponents were ranked at the time (BYU/Northwestern) and two of the opponents were conference games (Maryland/Northwestern). I've been watching college football for a long, long time, and I can't remember three straight performances that dominant. The 1992 Alabama defense didn't have three straight games like this. The 1997 Michigan defense didn't have three straight like this. This is the top scoring defense through six games in 30 years, and the average is going down every week… drastically. After those two dominant performances with the only loss coming to No. 5 Utah, the Wolverines still found themselves ranked in the bottom half of the Top 20. It's time to change that.
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