TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP & Staff) — Alabama’s Trent Richardson is eager to show what he can do against No. 1 LSU. Not because Saturday night’s showdown is the type of game that serve as a showcase for the Heisman Trophy candidate. The star tailback for the No. 2 Crimson Tide said it’s because he was injured and didn’t play much against the Tigers. “This game means a lot to me because I didn’t get to play in it last year except for about one quarter,” Richardson said. “So I really can’t wait to showcase what a healthy Trent can do in this game.” Richardson was hurt when LSU’s Patrick Peterson slammed him to the ground on a short touchdown catch and became an otherwise nonfactor in last year’s game, carrying six times for 28 yards. He left it with a torn abdominal muscle, a slightly torn knee ligament and a bitter memory. Richardson missed the next two games and wasn’t particularly effective in the final two behind Mark Ingram. The nation’s No. 3 run defense will greet him on Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and Richardson has an idea of what to expect after last year’s run-in. “That’s always in the back of my head, these guys took me out,” he said. “And I had to sit out two more games after that. It’s in my head already that I know they’re going to try to come right at me and they’re going to try to take me down.” The Tigers have already withstood one of college football’s best running backs, holding Oregon’s LaMichael James to 54 yards on 18 carries in the opener. Both are Heisman candidates and prolific runners, but have decidedly different styles. “LaMichael James was more of a speedster,” LSU defensive tackle Bennie Logan said. “To contain him, you just had to keep your head up. Trent Richardson is more of a power ball guy. No one man is going to tackle him. We are working on pursuing the ball. We can’t let just one man tackle him. We have to group tackle him.” Richardson’s 989 rushing yards leads the league and his 18 total touchdowns — including one receiving — puts him tied for second nationally in scoring. Only one SEC quarterback, Georgia’s Aaron Murray (18), has more TDs passing than Richardson has rushing. LSU coach Les Miles singles out Richardson’s 76-yard run against Mississippi [...]
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(AP & Staff) Poor Houston. College football’s most overlooked undefeated team will spend another week toiling in relative obscurity. Record-breaking quarterback Case Keenum and the super-charged and 14th-ranked Cougars (8-0) are at lowly Conference USA rival UAB on Saturday. The game kicks off at old and antiquated Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., at 7 p.m. EDT. That’s right, an hour before No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama get going in Tuscaloosa. The Blazers don’t draw well even when they are the only game in town. The announced attendance for UAB’s home game against Central Florida on Thursday, Oct. 20 was 8,872. Overall, UAB has averaged 18,294 for its three home games, 108th in FBS. Even if a huge contingent of Cougars fans makes the trip East, there will be plenty of seats available at Legion Field — capacity about 71,500 — for what is likely to be another record-breaking night for Keenum. The sixth-year senior tossed nine touchdown passes in 73-34 victory against Rice last week to become the NCAA’s career leader in TD passes. He’s already passed the career total offense mark held by Hawaii’s Timmy Chang this season and with 267 yards passing against the Blazers — a solid half for Keenum — he’ll break the NCAA career record of 17,072 held by Chang. If a record falls in a stadium with nothing but empty seats, does it count? The game will be on national TV, too. CBS Sports Network, with former Michigan and West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez as the analyst, will carry it. Of course, it was CBS that put Houston at UAB in this unfortunate position. LSU vs. Alabama would have normally been played at 3:30 p.m., but the network negotiated with ESPN to put the game of the year in prime time. The Cougars may be relegated to the small stage, but there’s a good chance they’ll outscore both of those other undefeated teams playing at Bryant-Denny Stadium all by themselves. The picks: FRIDAY No. 21 Southern California (minus 21 1-2) at Colorado Lane Kiffin has already submitted his preferred timeout schedule … USC 45-14. SATURDAY No. 1 LSU (plus 5) at No. 2 Alabama Round 1? … ALABAMA 23-17. No. 17 Kansas State (plus 21) at No. 3 Oklahoma State From undefeated to consecutive blowout losses for Wildcats … OKLAHOMA STATE 54-24. No. 4 Stanford (minus 21) at Oregon State Cardinal winning [...]
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ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP & Staff) — As far as Ndamukong Suh can tell, there’s a fine line between a good, aggressive play and a penalty. After a season-and-a-half of flags and fines, Detroit’s star defensive tackle met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday. Suh requested the session in New York at NFL headquarters, and both he and Goodell said the visit was productive. On Wednesday, Suh spoke with reporters at Detroit’s practice facility and said he doesn’t expect to alter his style. “I’m not going to change the way I play,” Suh said. “I feel that the way I’m playing and the way I have played in the past is continuing to play within the rules.” The 6-foot-4, 307-pound Suh was drafted No. 2 overall out of Nebraska before last season. Since then, his rough play has led to $42,500 in fines. Suh wonders if his power — which looks effortless at times — might work against him. “I’m just a different breed. I hate to say that, but it’s kind of like, no athlete in the NFL is like any other person,” Suh said. “You can’t treat everybody the same exact way. That would be unfair, but there’s guidelines that everybody needs to follow behind, so that’s more or less the understanding that I needed to see.” According to STATS, LLC, Suh was penalized 10 times as a rookie, including twice for unnecessary roughness, once for a facemask, once for roughing the passer and once for a horse-collar tackle. Through the first half of this season, he’s been penalized four times, including once for a facemask, once for roughing the passer and once for unsportsmanlike conduct. “You look at Tom Brady. When he gets hit, you always wonder if there’s going to be a flag. There’s certain things that may be called for him that may not be called for other quarterbacks just because of his stature or whatever, how he is in the league,” Suh said. “That’s the same thing with defensive players. I think my hits may look a little bit different because of the type of strength and athleticism that I have, compared to some other defensive linemen. It’s just the way the world works.” The Lions are off to a 6-2 start and have an open date this weekend. Goodell said after the meeting that there was video evidence showing that Suh has [...]
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP & Staff) — The Kansas City Chiefs look to extend their winning streak after catching lucky breaks in their four-game run. A couple of wins over division doormats. A shutout of a Raiders team playing without its starting quarterback. An inexplicable fumble that eventually led to an overtime victory. The Kansas City Chiefs realize everything has been going their way during a four-game winning streak, one that has taken them from NFL laughingstock to a tie atop the AFC West. That’s why coach Todd Haley warned everyone after a 23-20 overtime win over San Diego on Monday night to keep an even keel. Hard as that might be right now. “We’ve got some fighters,” Haley said. “They don’t care much what anybody says, they just believe in what they’re doing, and what they’re going to be, and what they’re going to accomplish.” What they’re going to accomplish is anyone’s guess. How could anyone have any clue after the dramatic turnaround they’ve already experienced? Left for dead after losing their first two games by a combined 89-10, the Chiefs (4-3) showed some resolve during a road loss to San Diego. They came back home and squeaked out a win over Minnesota, rallied from a big deficit to beat Indianapolis, and then beat the Jason Campbell-less Raiders last weekend to give them tons of momentum heading into a showdown with San Diego. Under the bright lights on Monday night, with a frenzied Halloween crowd on hand at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs led the whole way against the division-leading Chargers. Still, San Diego had a chance to win the game in regulation with the ball at the 15-yard line and 48 seconds on the clock. Philip Rivers dropped under center, called for the snap — and never got the ball. It squirted under a pile, a fumble at the most inopportune time, and the Chiefs’ Andy Studebaker came away with it to keep San Diego from kicking a potential winning field goal. That allowed the game to reach overtime, and Ryan Succop ended it with a 30-yard field goal. “That was a lot of fun,” said Succop, who had three field goals in the game. “Everybody on our team fought as hard as they could. We put everything into it, and to come out on top is great.” The Chiefs are the first team in NFL history to lose [...]
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP & Staff) — Fitzgerald Toussaint ran for a career-high 170 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 17 Michigan to a 36-14 win over Purdue on Saturday. The Wolverines (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) gave up a TD on the opening drive of the game, then scored 36 straight points to bounce back from their first loss of the season, two weeks ago at Michigan State. The Boilermakers (4-4, 2-2) haven’t won or lost consecutive games this year. Toussaint had 155 yards rushing through three quarters, helping Michigan find a rusher to take some of the load from quarterback Denard Robinson. Backup Michael Shaw ran for a 37-yard TD on his first carry early in the fourth for a 36-7 lead. Purdue was effectively shut down after Caleb TerBush threw a 48-yard TD pass to Gary Bush 1:24 into the game. The Boilermakers wasted their first good chance to end the drought early in the fourth when TerBush was stopped inside the Michigan 1 on a fourth-down run. Purdue finally scored with 15 seconds left on Robert Marve’s 19-yard pass to O.J. Ross. Michigan bounced back well from its 28-14 setback in East Lansing with a performance that might help college football’s winningest program prevent another late-season slide. The Spartans handed the Wolverines their first loss in each of the previous two years, touching off six- and seven-loss finishes that eventually brought about the firing of Rich Rodriguez and hiring of Brady Hoke. Michigan has tried to re-establish a traditional power running game this season and gotten mixed results — until pounding Purdue with a heavy dose of Toussaint left, right and up the middle. Robinson completed five of his first six passes, before locking in on a target and throwing an interception in Purdue territory. He finished 9 of 14 for 170 yards. Robinson ran 15 times, his third-lowest total this year, for 63 yards and a score on Michigan’s first drive that made it 7-all midway through the first quarter. Devin Gardner threw an interception on his first attempt, an ill-advised throw into coverage that sailed high and fell short of the receiver near the end zone. Gardner completed a 26-yard throw on his only other pass and gained experience while giving Robinson a break in the fourth quarter. Mike Martin brought down TerBush in the end zone to put Michigan ahead for the first [...]
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NORMAN, Okla. (AP & Staff) — Seemingly invincible for so long at Owen Field, No. 3 Oklahoma finally proved fallible at home. Seth Doege threw for 441 yards and connected with Alex Torres on three of his four touchdown passes, and Texas Tech snapped the Sooners’ 39-game home winning streak with 41-38 victory Saturday night. About 2 hours after No. 4 Wisconsin lost, a second top-five team went down on the first day of the college football season that really shook the rankings. “I don’t know that it has to be all that surprising,” coach Bob Stoops said after just his third loss in 78 home games at Oklahoma. “The teams we play can come in here and beat us. And sometimes maybe too much is said about it like it can’t happen. “I told the players that anyone who we’ll play the rest of the year will whoop us if we don’t play better than we did today. They just flat out beat us.” Without some significant dominoes falling in their favor, the Sooners’ dreams at winning a national title — the primary reason All-American receiver Ryan Broyles and linebacker Travis Lewis came back for their senior seasons — are likely shot. Taken down by the Red Raiders, who were four-touchdown underdogs after back-to-back losses to ranked opponents by a total of 12 points the last two weeks. “It’s one game, but it’s a huge game for recruiting, for national stature. Obviously, you don’t read too much about Texas Tech,” Tommy Tuberville said after the first landmark win of his brief tenure as Tech’s head coach. “For some reason, I haven’t seen much on TV. I bet you see it the next few days. We’re going to be proud of that. When you go on the road and beat a No. 1 team (in the coaches’ poll), it’s really special. That’s almost impossible to do.” Doege carved up an Oklahoma defense missing three starters, helping the Red Raiders (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) become the first opponent since TCU in the 2005 season opener to win in Norman. Oklahoma State pulled off the only other win against Stoops in Norman, in the 2001 regular-season finale. The Sooners gave up 572 yards of total offense. “It’s shocking,” defensive end Frank Alexander said. “We never want to give up that many yards on defense. We pride ourselves on being a great defense. [...]
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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP & Staff) — USC safety Jawanza Starling saw the ball rolling around and bouncing on the ground and knew if he could control it, somehow pick it up, an open field was in front of him. Talk about a game-changing play. Starling made the biggest one Saturday night, an 80-yard return of a fumbled snap as the Trojans started strong and then held off Notre Dame for a 31-17 victory. “I would say it’s our team’s biggest win since we’ve been here because of all the stuff around it,” second-year USC coach Lane Kiffin said of the electric atmosphere surrounding Notre Dame’s first home night game in 21 years. With the Trojans nursing a 17-10 lead, Notre Dame had the ball at the USC 1 and was on the verge of tying the game when backup quarterback Dayne Crist lost the handle on the snap. “I was just like ‘I got to get it. I had to get it,’” Starling said. “I didn’t dribble it. I just had to wait for the perfect bounce because I didn’t want to try and go for it too soon and miss it. So I was just taking my time with it. Scoop and score, everything we do in practice and I took it the house.” Matt Barkley passed for three TDs for the Trojans (6-1), who jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first half. USC, which has now won nine of the last 10 meetings in the long rivalry, had a 443-267 advantage in total yards. Notre Dame (4-3) had three second-half turnovers, couldn’t stop the Trojans’ rushing attack and saw its four-game winning streak end. A disappointed coach Brian Kelly promised a tough week of practice ahead. “Losing stinks. For me, it’s hard for me to put a stink meter on losing. They all stink,” Kelly said. “This is the first time that I’ve leaned on my guys pretty hard in the locker room. I was not happy. Because we are better than that. We are better than that. And, to turn the ball over in the ridiculous fashion that we have … just makes me crazy. I just don’t understand how something so easy can come out the way it does,” Kelly added. “I told our guys, listen, every time we try to take a step forward, we seem to want to take one step [...]
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(AP & staff) – As Super Bowl rematches go, this one isn’t quite so super. The Steelers edged the Cardinals 27-23 in 2009 in one of the more memorable NFL championships, with Santonio Holmes’ tightrope-walking act in the back corner of the end zone giving Pittsburgh the winning score and its record sixth Super Bowl crown. That catch ended Arizona’s stunning and sensational run to its first shot at a league title since 1948 — when the Cardinals lived in Chicago and were blanked 7-0 by Philadelphia in the championship game. Neither team has resembled a threat for the crown thus far. Although Pittsburgh is 4-2, it hasn’t been particularly impressive on either side of the ball. Yes, the Steelers are first in overall defense and against the pass, but they have been sloppy and injury prone on D despite those yardage rankings. The offense has scored 29 points fewer than division rival Baltimore, and the Ravens have played one fewer game. Still, Pittsburgh is a 3½ point favorite at Arizona, which is 1-4, has 11 giveaways and comes off a bye that followed a distressing 34-10 flop against previously winless Minnesota. Making the Steelers a favorite on the road is dangerous business. They are 1-2 away from Heinz Field, and the victory was a close one at weakling Indianapolis. “It’s very obvious we’ve performed to a winning level at home, we haven’t done so on the road,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “We’ve got to perform better on the road than we have.” Arizona has lost four straight overall since an opening win against Carolina. Here comes No. 5. STEELERS, 26-20 Baltimore (minus 7½) at Jacksonville, Monday night Ravens have looked like the AFC’s best team so far. Jacksonville isn’t its worst, but is close to the bottom. BEST BET: RAVENS, 23-6 Denver (plus 3) at Miami The stands will be packed at Sun Life Stadium, with fans shouting T-E-B-O-W, T-E-B-O-W. UPSET SPECIAL: BRONCOS 16-13 Chicago (minus 1) vs. Tampa Bay at London Bucs headed to London early in week, Bears don’t arrive until later. Shorter trip will be more fruitful. BEARS, 20-17 Kansas City (plus 3½) at Oakland Carson Palmer to the rescue with Jason Campbell injured. Funny feeling Palmer won’t help this week. CHIEFS, 23-21 Atlanta (plus 3½) at Detroit Wonder if Mike Smith’s handshake/back slap will offend Jim Schwartz. Won’t matter because Lions will win. LIONS, 24-22 [...]
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ASHBURN, Va. (AP & staff) — John Beck and Rex Grossman took turns at the burgundy podium expressing excitement and frustration, just as they did six weeks ago. Only, this time, the roles were reversed. Beck was pumped, anxious to start an NFL game for the first time in four years, while Grossman was the one with the uncomfortable pauses in his answers. “Things change,” Beck said, “in the blink of an eye.” Beck was anointed as the new Washington Redskins No. 1 quarterback Wednesday, chosen by coach Mike Shanahan to start Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. The 30-year-old former second-round pick gets the nod for the first time since 2007, when he was a rookie for a Miami Dolphins team that went 1-15. “Definitely excited. There’s been a lot of hard work that’s gone into this,” Beck said. “You never know when your opportunity’s going to come, and you’ve always got to stay ready. I’ve tried to do that.” Grossman gets the demotion after throwing four interceptions in a 20-13 loss to Philadelphia. He was benched after three quarters; Beck came in and led the Redskins’ only touchdown drive of the game. Shanahan called the quarterbacks into his office Tuesday to inform them of the switch. “I was frustrated,” Grossman said. “Not completely surprised, but I’m disappointed that I wasn’t able to come back off that game.” Although the Redskins (3-2) have a winning record, Grossman hasn’t been able to shake reputation as a turnover machine. His nine interceptions tie him for the NFL lead with Carolina’s Cam Newton, who has 42 more attempts. Grossman has 11 total turnovers — including two fumbles — through five games this season, and 18 in eight Redskins starts dating to last season. He has 46 touchdown passes and 49 interceptions in a career that reached its peak when he led Chicago to the Super Bowl after the 2006 season. Grossman’s 66.5 quarterback rating ranks 32nd of 33 quarterbacks in the league. He’s ahead of Indianapolis’ Kerry Collins, who hasn’t played since Week 3. Yet Grossman on Wednesday repeatedly defended his body of work leading up to the Philadelphia game. “I thought I played well in the first four games,” he said. “But you can’t have games like that against the Eagles. The frustrating part about it is I do think that they were good performances. The frustrating part is they should [...]
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NEW YORK (AP & staff) — The NFL players’ union has told the league to hold off collecting blood for HGH testing. “We informed the NFL (Tuesday) that absent a collective agreement on several critical issues, blood collection is not ready to be implemented on Monday,” the NFL Players Association said in a statement released Wednesday. “We have advised the players.” The league was preparing to draw the blood samples beginning Monday, although full testing for HGH was not yet scheduled. The NFL and the players agreed to begin blood testing for HGH as part of their new collective bargaining agreement reached in late July — but only if the union agreed to the methods. The union has delayed implementing the test, asking for more scientific data to prove it is reliable. One of the key items the NFLPA is seeking is a population study of the test — the data from the athletes who were used to originally set thresholds as to what constitutes a positive test. The union wants to compare that data to a population study on football players; the union believes players could have naturally higher HGH levels above those of other athletes. Earlier this month, nearly two dozen scientists and lab directors from around the world signed a letter sent to the NFL and the union stating the current test for HGH is safe, scientifically reliable and appropriate for use in professional sports leagues. The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, was dated Oct. 3 and sent to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and union Executive Director DeMaurice Smith.
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CINCINNATI(AP & Staff) — The Bengals reversed course and were negotiating a trade Tuesday that would send quarterback Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders, a person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press. The Bengals had been adamant that they wouldn’t trade Palmer, who hasn’t played since the end of last season. The franchise quarterback decided he wanted out of Cincinnati, which has only two winning records in the last 20 years. Owner Mike Brown repeatedly insisted he wouldn’t consider Palmer’s request for a trade because he didn’t want to reward him for holding out. He changed his mind after the Raiders offered a first-round pick as part of a package for the 31-year-old quarterback, according to the person familiar with the talks, speaking on condition of anonymity because no deal was done. The Raiders (4-2) became desperate for a quarterback after Jason Campbell broke his collarbone during a win over the Browns on Sunday. Oakland was left with Kyle Boller as the starter. The message board by the entrance to the Bengals’ locker room Tuesday had an anonymous scrawled message: “Let My People Goooooo!” Otherwise, there wasn’t much reaction from a team that had moved on from Palmer a long time ago. “I don’t think even one player in this locker room’s even thought about that,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “We haven’t worried about it. We’ve gone forward with the guys we have and tried to play as good as we can and that’s all we can do.” “I think guys respect him,” he added. “You realize that he didn’t want to be here and he didn’t believe in this place, and you go forward. You still respect him as a friend and the years we put in together, but you realize that he just made a choice he felt was best for him and his family.” If the Raiders hadn’t made a first-round pick as part of its offer, the Bengals were content to let Palmer sit out the entire season and consider trading him next year. Campbell’s injury changed the scenario. Palmer would be a good fit with the Raiders, who like to throw downfield. Palmer won the Heisman Trophy at Southern California after the 2002 season and was the first overall pick in the following NFL draft. Raiders coach Hue Jackson was the offensive coordinator at USC from 1997-2000 and a Bengals assistant from 2004-06, [...]
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PITTSBURGH (AP & Staff) — Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu should be “good to go” for Sunday’s game against Arizona after passing a concussion test. The Steelers removed Polamalu for the final two defensive series of a 17-13 win over Jacksonville with concussionlike symptoms. The team did it as a precaution after Polamalu took a knee to the head while tackling Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Tomlin says Polamalu has been cleared for practice by team doctors. He added he had no issue with Polamalu talking to his family on a cell phone while still on the field Sunday. Tomlin said Polamalu wanted to assure his wife he was OK. The Steelers (4-2) also expect left guard Chris Kemoeatu and right tackle Marcus Gilbert back. Both missed the Jacksonville game with injuries.
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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AP & staff) — Disgraced former FIFA vice president Jack Warner has threatened to release a “tsunami” of corruption allegations against FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Warner said Tuesday he will make the allegations after former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam completes his appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport against a life ban for bribery. “I have promised in the past a tsunami that would hit the FIFA, and indeed, it will come,” Warner, a member of FIFA’s ruling executive committee for 28 years, wrote in a letter to a newspaper in his native Trinidad. A verdict in bin Hammam’s appeal to CAS is not expected for several months. The bribery scandal ended Warner’s career in soccer when he resigned in June to avoid investigation of his role in arranging $40,000 payments for Caribbean voters during bin Hammam’s election challenge to Blatter. Warner’s 1,300-word missive published by the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian stated that he and bin Hammam helped Blatter win “bitter” and “brutal” elections in 1998 and 2002. He said his revelations would make FIFA’s sponsors — which include Adidas, Coca-Cola, Sony and Visa — “cringe with painful surprise.” The threats were published three days before Blatter will announce details of an anti-corruption drive promised when FIFA member nations gave the 75-year-old Swiss official a final four-year term unopposed in June. “Blatter now suddenly sees the need to reform the FIFA from within in his last term of office and in the sunset of his days,” Warner wrote. “This is hypocritical to say the least for it is public knowledge that his four terms of office have been dogged with controversy and allegations of corruption to which he has never responded.” Warner said he and bin Hammam backed Blatter’s first campaign in 1998 and to secure re-election four years later, when the governing body was mired in a financial scandal. “We took (Blatter) on a worldwide crusade through Africa and Asia begging for support for him, and he won!” Warner recalled his first meeting with Petrus Damaseb, who chaired the FIFA ethics panel that expelled bin Hammam in July. He implied that Damaseb, then Namibia soccer federation president, accepted a payment in 1998. FIFA introduced an ethics code in 2006 that prohibited cash gifts. “I will tell the world what gift Bin Hammam gave to (Damaseb) which was not a bribe then as he [...]
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ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP & Staff) — When Detroit coach Jim Schwartz talks during the week, he’s like many NFL coaches — choosing his words carefully, avoiding controversy and saying little that might motivate an opponent. Once the game starts, however, Schwartz becomes a lot more demonstrative. “Coach is fiery. We love that about him,” offensive lineman Rob Sims said. “I think he’s a great leader in regards to that, just staying positive, being emotional. Some guys, they try to just hide.” Schwartz wasn’t about to back down Sunday after his team’s 25-19 loss to the 49ers. When San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh gave him an exuberant handshake and a firm slap on the back, Schwartz took exception and chased him all the way to the tunnel. The two were kept separated, but the dustup became the talk of the league. “I think that it is unfortunate that the events after the game have overshadowed the fact that it was probably one of the better games played yesterday,” Schwartz said Monday. “It’s unfortunate. The game’s played by the players on the field, and you certainly don’t want things like that to occur, but there’s competitive people in the league. That’s said, we need to do a better job of just leaving it to the players on the field.” The NFL did not fine either coach. Schwartz said he talked with the league Monday morning — and also had an opportunity to talk to Harbaugh after the game. “Afterwards, in the tunnel, I got a brief chance to speak with him, sort of,” Schwartz said. “Everything had died down a little bit. I’m sure we’ll talk again.” Schwartz is a big part of Detroit’s resurgence. The Lions went 0-16 in 2008, the season before he became their coach. After a couple losing seasons, Detroit started 5-0 before losing to San Francisco. The Lions actually had a nine-game winning streak — dating to last year — before Sunday’s loss. Along the way, Schwartz was as emotional as ever on the sideline. He charged onto the field and pumped his fist after a dramatic overtime win at Minnesota last month, and the following weekend, he appeared to have words for Dez Bryant after the Dallas receiver’s catch was overturned on a challenge by Schwartz. In the first half against San Francisco, Schwartz seemed to yell something across the field when the 49ers tried [...]
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HOUSTON (AP & staff) — The Phoenix area was awarded the 2015 Super Bowl by NFL owners Tuesday, beating the only other candidate — Tampa, Fla. This will be the third time the Phoenix area has hosted the game, which will be played in Glendale. “We are thrilled to be back in Arizona,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “I will say it was a difficult choice.” Phoenix won on the second ballot, prompting screams of joy from the Arizona committee. “Everyone pulled together throughout the Phoenix area to put together a terrific package we were able to present to the owners,” Arizona Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said. “We are delighted.” The Super Bowl also was held at University of Phoenix Stadium in 2008, when the Giants beat the Patriots 17-14. Tempe, Ariz., was the 1996 host, with Dallas defeating Pittsburgh 27-17. Tampa hosted the game in 1984, 1991, 2001 and 2009. Next year’s game is in Indianapolis, followed by New Orleans in 2013 and the New York/New Jersey area in 2014. The 2015 game is the 49th Super Bowl. There is speculation that the 50th anniversary of the championship game will wind up in Los Angeles, where the first Super Bowl was played in 1967, if a suitable stadium is available. Neither Arizona nor Tampa received the required 24 of 32 votes on the first ballot, meaning a simple majority was needed on the next vote. Goodell spoke with the Tampa Bay group immediately after it lost the bidding. “Anytime we are invited to participate, we will do so,” said Paul Catoe, outgoing CEO of Tampa Bay & Co. Bidwill said the estimated economic impact in Arizona in 2008 was more than $500 million, and he expects it to be higher in 2015. The NFL also set Feb. 2, 2014 as the date of the Super Bowl in the New Jersey Meadowlands, the first outdoor Super Bowl at a cold-weather site. That date will not conflict with the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
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(AP & staff) – Interim Big 12 Commissioner Chuck Neinas said Tuesday that the league is set with 10 teams for 2012 with the addition of TCU, even though Missouri is exploring a possible departure to the Southeastern Conference. “If Missouri was going to change horses, it wouldn’t be for 2012 anyway,” Neinas said. The Big 12 has given no deadline for a decision from Missouri, though Neinas said there would need to be some determination by the end of the current academic year. The school has not ruled out remaining part of the Big 12. Neinas said the Big 12 needs to know what Missouri plans to do before the league can fully evaluate whether to stay at 10 members or expand back to 12. “We can’t address the 10 vs. 12 until we determine that Missouri is going to be one of the 10,” he said. “There’s no consensus at the present time between the conference members as to 10 or 12.” TCU accepted an invitation Monday to join the Big 12. The Horned Frogs will replace Texas A&M, keeping the league at 10 members when the Aggies leave for the SEC next July. While TCU will be the first new member since the Big 12 started play in 1996, Texas A&M will be the third school to leave. Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left this year. There were some indications after Big 12 athletic directors met last month that some might be in favor of staying at nine members. That has apparently changed. “I don’t think anyone is holding that position now. I think the idea would be 10 or 12,” Neinas said, adding: “It won’t be 16.” A 45-page document presented to Missouri curators earlier this month suggests the school would hope to get as much as $12 million more each year in additional revenue with a move to the SEC if TV deals are renegotiated. The document, which was obtained by The Associated Press, was shown to the curators after they gave Chancellor Brady Deaton authority to explore a departure from the Big 12. Asked about the report and the financial projection, Neinas responded, “I don’t think that’s accurate.” Such projections would suggest the SEC would have to redo current deals and increase its annual TV income by $168 million based on a 14-team league, he said. Big 12 leaders recently agreed to switch [...]
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CLEVELAND (AP & staff) — Browns defensive end Marcus Benard is facing two charges after crashing his motorcycle following practice. Benard broke his hand Monday when he slammed his three-wheel motorcycle into a guardrail on Interstate 71. He remains hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic. Brooklyn Police Sgt. Scott Mielke said Benard has been charged with driving under suspension and reckless operation. He is due in court Oct. 18 in Parma. Mielke said Benard lost control, smashed into the guardrail and “flew” over it. Mielke said no other vehicles were involved and police were trying to determine how fast Benard was driving. Benard led the Browns in sacks last season and has played in all four of Cleveland’s games this season.
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ZURICH (AP & staff) — The latest wave of FIFA election bribery cases began Tuesday, as 15 Caribbean soccer officials started explaining their part in an alleged plot involving former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam. FIFA said its ethics committee would hear the defendants over three days, and was expected to deliver verdicts on Friday. The 15 officials from 11 Caribbean countries are accused of accepting $40,000 cash payments in Trinidad during Bin Hammam’s later-abandoned challenge to FIFA President Sepp Blatter. They were charged after FIFA appointed former FBI director Louis Freeh to continue leading an investigation that began in May. FIFA’s gravest scandal in 107 years has removed two of its most influential powerbrokers — Asian football president Bin Hammam and FIFA vice president Jack Warner — from office after a combined 43 years sitting on world soccer’s ruling executive committee. Bin Hammam, who denies bribery, is appealing his lifetime ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and FIFA dropped charges against Trinidad and Tobago government minister Warner after he resigned his soccer positions in June. The defendants now facing bans include FIFA committee members Yves Jean-Bart of Haiti and Richard Groden of Trinidad and Tobago. Jean-Bart sits on the associations panel that monitors FIFA’s 208 national members and Groden helps allocate tens of millions of dollars of development funding as a member of the Goal Bureau which Bin Hammam chaired for 12 years. The Haitian official is among five national association presidents answering charges this week, including one of soccer’s most senior women officials: Franka Pickering of the British Virgin Islands. Former international referee Mark Bob Forde of Barbados has also been charged and faces a ban from soccer duty. Along with Bin Hammam in July, FIFA’s ethics panel suspended two Caribbean Football Union members of staff after ruling that they distributed $40,000 cash payments in brown envelopes in a Trinidad hotel. Caribbean Football Union vice president Colin Klass, a longtime Warner ally, received a 26-month FIFA ban after a separate hearing last month. The Guyana federation president lost his seat on FIFA’s futsal and beach soccer committee. Qatari candidate bin Hammam withdrew his election bid three days before the FIFA poll in June. Blatter was left unopposed to receive a fourth four-year presidential term, and was endorsed by 186 FIFA members, including most Caribbean islands. Blatter is scheduled on Oct. 21 to provide details of his [...]
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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP & staff) — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell considers longtime Oakland Raiders owner and Hall of Famer Al Davis a “true legend” of the game. The 82-year-old Davis died at his home in Oakland on Saturday morning, while his beloved team was in Houston preparing to play the Texans on Saturday. That Davis was not with his team was telling as he is believed to have missed only three games since joining the team as coach in 1963. Davis, one of the most important figures in NFL history, followed his famous “Just Win Baby” motto on and the field and in the courtroom to three Super Bowl titles in a trailblazing career. “Al Davis’s passion for football and his influence on the game were extraordinary,” Goodell said. “He defined the Raiders and contributed to pro football at every level. The respect he commanded was evident in the way that people listened carefully every time he spoke. He is a true legend of the game whose impact and legacy will forever be part of the NFL.” Davis was best known as a rebel who established a team whose silver-and-black colors and pirate logo symbolized his attitude toward authority, both on the field and off. It was his rebellious spirit, that willingness to buck the establishment, that helped turn the NFL into the establishment in sports — the most successful sports league in American history. For decades, his team was one of the most successful in the game, living up to his trademark philosophy of “Just Win Baby.” Since going to the Super Bowl following the 2002 season, the Raiders have not had a winning record. Davis has fired five coaches since then and in recent years those became bizarre spectacles that were the only window into Davis. Once a constant presence at practice, training camp and in the locker room, Davis was rarely seen in public beyond those news conferences where he spent more time disparaging his former coach than praising his new one. He did not appear at a single training camp practice this summer and missed a game in Buffalo last month. Davis did attend Oakland’s home game last week against New England. Although he was no longer as public a figure, he was still integrally involved in the team from the draft to negotiating contracts to discussing strategy with his coaches. Coach Hue Jackson has said [...]
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(AP & staff) – There they stand, the first-place Buccaneers and the first-place 49ers, ready to face off at Candlestick Park. Can’t be, you say. Believe it. Both teams are 3-1, with Tampa Bay tied atop the highly competitive NFC South with New Orleans. San Francisco not only is alone in first place in the NFC West, it already has a two-game lead. And the Niners come off a successful two-game road trip during which they didn’t bother to return to the Bay Area, following a victory at Cincinnati with what quarterback Alex Smith dubbed “a mini-training camp” in Youngstown, Ohio. Then they headed to Philadelphia, rallied from a 23-3 second-half deficit and beat the struggling Eagles. Rookie coach Jim Harbaugh has instilled a winning attitude in a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2002. He wants them to believe in themselves, just not too much quite yet. “I told them the other day they’re good, and the longer it takes them to figure that out the better off we’ll all be, because when people start thinking they’ve arrived that’s when they stop working and doing the things that got them there,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll keep pretending we have a long way to go, and we do. We don’t have to pretend.” The Buccaneers, a 2½-point underdog, are attempting a difficult feat. They had to go down to the wire at home against winless Indianapolis on Monday night, resumed practice Wednesday and must fly west in a short week to face a team on the rise. “Survive and advance. That’s what we’re after,” coach Raheem Morris said. “The fact is you’re 3-1. And you’re very excited about it. Got a short week and we’re going to San Francisco. Let’s get to it.” This matchup could hinge on turnovers. The 49ers are plus-6 and have only two giveaways. Tampa Bay is even. The Buccaneers are the better team, yet have a few things working against them this week. Just not enough things. BUCCANEERS, 20-17 N.Y. Jets (plus 9½) at New England It’s bad enough for the Jets that their offense can’t protect Mark Sanchez and they can’t run the ball. Then there are the turnovers and, oh, yes, a bit of a revenge factor for New England. BEST BET, PATRIOTS 37-20 Oakland (plus 6) at Houston Should be a dandy running affair with Darren McFadden, Arian Foster and Ben Tate. [...]
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CLEVELAND (AP & staff) — Fearing Peyton Hillis was weakened from strep throat and could risk injury, his agent advised the Browns’ bruising back not to play on Sept. 25 against Miami. Hillis left Browns Stadium about two hours before kickoff, a decision that has led to speculation he was upset over negotiations with the club on a contract extension. However, agent Kennard McGuire told The Associated Press that Hillis was too sick to play, and that if he had chanced playing at less than 100 percent, he could have jeopardized his career. “I would give him the same advice to him or any of my clients as if he were my son,” McGuire said in a phone interview. “The game is physical enough, and the way Peyton plays the game, he needs all the elements of his physical game. Him being sick, and the level of his sickness, is the equivalent of being injured. “Not only could he have hurt himself but he could have hurt his team. Nobody embodies Cleveland like Peyton Hillis. If anyone wants to point a finger, point it at me.” In the aftermath of Hillis’ decision not to play, suspicions have been raised about the 25-year-old’s motives and some have questioned if he sat out in protest. On Sunday, citing unidentified sources, ESPN reported that some players in Cleveland’s locker room wondered if Hillis’ contract situation was a factor in him deciding not to play. McGuire, like coach Pat Shurmur, was disturbed that if there were teammates who felt that way, they should have had the “courage” to speak out publicly. McGuire said Hillis, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season with Cleveland, has been affected by ongoing contract talks with the club. “He’s human, of course it’s on his mind,” said McGuire, adding he has been in “constant contact” with the Browns. “Would it affect him being a pro? No. Does he feel underappreciated? Yes. He’s human. We all in life have a perceived value of our worth now, but we do believe that he’s deserving of something that mirrors his production of last year.” Hillis carried Cleveland’s offense in 2010 under former coach Eric Mangini. Acquired in a trade from Denver for quarterback Brady Quinn, Hillis didn’t take long to storm into the hearts of Browns fans with a bulldozing running style that matched this blue-collar [...]
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WASHINGTON (AP & staff) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he’s “still hopeful” the league will be able to test players for human growth hormone this season. After giving a speech to neurological surgeons Monday, Goodell told reporters: “I think the science has proven there’s a valid (HGH) test, and we’re hoping we’ll get the green light from the union.” When the NFL and the players’ union agreed to a new labor contract in August, the sides said they would institute blood testing for HGH, but only after the union agreed to the methods. The union has questioned the safety and reliability of testing. Two members of Congress invited Goodell and union head DeMaurice Smith to meet about HGH testing. Goodell expects that to happen in the next two weeks.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP & Staff) — Trent Richardson slipped through a hole, cut toward the sideline and found no one between him and the end zone. The closest Florida defender, safety Josh Evans, was yards away. He might as well have been miles. It would have been more appropriate given the apparent distance between the two programs. Richardson ran for a career-high 181 yards and two touchdowns, breaking tackles and carrying defenders along the way, and the third-ranked Crimson Tide rolled the Gators 38-10 Saturday night in an early season matchup of Southeastern Conference heavyweights. Alabama looked every bit ready to reclaim the league’s top spot and showed the Gators how far they have to go to get back to championship form. “This was very sweet because it was against Florida,” said Richardson, a junior from nearby Pensacola. “I really wanted to play well in this game and help us get a win.” Richardson finished with his fourth consecutive 100-yard game, and the latest one should solidify his position as one the Heisman Trophy front-runners. With Richardson leading the way, the Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0 SEC) extended its recent dominance in the series. Alabama has outscored Florida (4-1, 2-1) 101-29 in the last three meetings, all wins. The latest one was over by halftime, a clear knockout in a game billed as Florida’s speed vs. Alabama’s power. It also denied new Florida coach Will Muschamp a victory against his mentor, Alabama’s Nick Saban. “Obviously, we didn’t do many things well,” Muschamp said. “We have to correct the issues we have because we’ll see them again.” It was Florida’s worst home loss since falling to LSU 36-7 in 2002 — the beginning of the Ron Zook era. Saban-coached teams dealt Florida both losses. It could get worse, too. The Gators play at top-ranked LSU next week — and they might be without quarterback John Brantley. Brantley threw a perfect deep ball to Andre Debose on the game’s opening play, a 65-yard touchdown pass that energized the second-largest crowd (90,888) in the history of Florida Field. It ended up being one of few highlights for the Gators. “We showed the maturity to overcome the adversity we created for ourselves,” Saban said. “I liked our resiliency. This is about as good as it gets.” Florida couldn’t run, couldn’t stop the run and lost Brantley to a right leg injury late in the second [...]
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