Sports Quote of the Day:
“When you're good at something, you'll tell everyone. When you're great at something, they'll tell you.” ~ Walter Payton, Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Running Back
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Bears' rally falls short, drop to 3-1.
By Larry Mayer
After opening the NFC North showdown in Detroit with a punt, the Lions scored on six straight possessions, storming to a 30-10 second-quarter lead en route to a 40-32 win over the Bears.
In falling from the ranks of the undefeated, the Bears (3-1) allowed the Lions (3-1) to follow three straight field goals with three consecutive touchdowns in a 4:32 span late in the first half. The two teams are now tied for first place atop the NFC North, ahead of the idle Packers (1-2).
"Let me start out my saying congratulations to the Lions," said coach Marc Trestman.
"They played a very good football game. They won all three phases and they deserved to win the game."
The 27 points were the second most the Bears have ever allowed in the second quarter of a game in their 94-year history, topped only by a 31-point outburst in a 1985 loss at Miami.
Early in Sunday's game, the Bears forced Detroit to settle for field goals and took a 10-6 lead onMatt Forte 's 53-yard touchdown run with 13:44 left in the first half.
After that, the Lions poured it on. They closed the gap to 10-9 on David Akers' 41-yard field goal and then put on a clinic, scoring TDs on Matthew Stafford's 1-yard plunge, Stafford's 2-yard pass to Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush's 37-yard run to take a 30-10 lead.
Stafford's TD came after Michael Sprulock returnedAdam Podlesh 's line drive punt 57 yards to the Chicago 22. Stafford lost the ball when hit by Lance Briggs at the goal line but caught it in mid-air and dove into the end zone.
On the Bears' next play,Jay Cutler tried to beat a blitz and lofted a deep pass down the right sideline to Brandon Marshall. But safety Glover Quin ranged over and intercepted the underthrown ball, returning it 42 yards to the 2. On the next play, Johnson beat Charles Tillman on a fade route in the left corner of the end zone.
Cutler threw three interceptions in Sunday's loss after entering the game with just one pick in nine career starts against the Lions. He also lost a fumble when sacked by Ndamukong Suh that Nick Fairley returned four yards for a TD late in the third quarter.
"I've got to give us a better chance of winning," Cutler said. "Three picks, it's hard to come back from that, and the fumble return. I've got to play better. I felt good about my decision-making. I'm just missing throws."
Before the Lions converted Cutler's fourth turnover of the game into a 37-16 lead, the Bears had closed the gap to 30-16 withRobbie Gould field goals of 28 yards on the final play of the half and 25 yards early in the third quarter.
After Akers' 43-yard field goal widened the margin to 40-16, Cutler threw TD passes of 14 yards toAlshon Jeffery with 4:00 to play and 10 yards to Earl Bennett with :43 to go, following both with two-point conversion passes to Jeffery and Marshall to draw the Bears to within 40-32.
But the Lions recovered Gould's onside kick with :42 remaining to ice the win.
Cutler finished the game completing 27 of 47 passes for 317 yards with two TDs, three interceptions and a 65.6 passer rating while being sacked three times.
Offensively, the Bears were 1-of-13 on third down. Defensively, they had no answer for Bush, who rushed for 112 of his game-high 139 yards on 11 carries in the first half.
"I think the biggest thing was just tackling," said defensive endCorey Wootton . "We were in the right place at the right time, but he made some good moves.
"With a guy like him, you've got to rally to the football because he's going to make one person miss.
It's just the type of athlete he is, and I didn't feel we were rallying as much as a whole and that's why he had some success, especially in the first half."
Chicago Bears players say former teammate Israel Idonije was feeding Detroit Lions their defensive calls.
By Eric Edholm
Stealing signs, as Spygate taught us, is not just a baseball thing. And it's common that when a team faces one of its former longtime players, it will change up its terminology slightly just so that player's new team can't gain an advantage.
Well, the Chicago Bears seem to think that defensive end Israel Idonije, now with the Detroit Lions, tipped his new team off about what defensive schemes the Bears were running.
Michael C. Wright @mikecwright
Justin Rogers @Justin_Rogers
If Idonije was able to tip off Detroit about Chicago's play-calling, that's bad coaching by the Bears staff.
7 Retweets
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? 2013-14 Opening Night and Banner Raising Ceremony.
In falling from the ranks of the undefeated, the Bears (3-1) allowed the Lions (3-1) to follow three straight field goals with three consecutive touchdowns in a 4:32 span late in the first half. The two teams are now tied for first place atop the NFC North, ahead of the idle Packers (1-2).
"Let me start out my saying congratulations to the Lions," said coach Marc Trestman.
"They played a very good football game. They won all three phases and they deserved to win the game."
The 27 points were the second most the Bears have ever allowed in the second quarter of a game in their 94-year history, topped only by a 31-point outburst in a 1985 loss at Miami.
Early in Sunday's game, the Bears forced Detroit to settle for field goals and took a 10-6 lead on
After that, the Lions poured it on. They closed the gap to 10-9 on David Akers' 41-yard field goal and then put on a clinic, scoring TDs on Matthew Stafford's 1-yard plunge, Stafford's 2-yard pass to Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush's 37-yard run to take a 30-10 lead.
Stafford's TD came after Michael Sprulock returned
On the Bears' next play,
Cutler threw three interceptions in Sunday's loss after entering the game with just one pick in nine career starts against the Lions. He also lost a fumble when sacked by Ndamukong Suh that Nick Fairley returned four yards for a TD late in the third quarter.
"I've got to give us a better chance of winning," Cutler said. "Three picks, it's hard to come back from that, and the fumble return. I've got to play better. I felt good about my decision-making. I'm just missing throws."
Before the Lions converted Cutler's fourth turnover of the game into a 37-16 lead, the Bears had closed the gap to 30-16 with
After Akers' 43-yard field goal widened the margin to 40-16, Cutler threw TD passes of 14 yards to
But the Lions recovered Gould's onside kick with :42 remaining to ice the win.
Cutler finished the game completing 27 of 47 passes for 317 yards with two TDs, three interceptions and a 65.6 passer rating while being sacked three times.
Offensively, the Bears were 1-of-13 on third down. Defensively, they had no answer for Bush, who rushed for 112 of his game-high 139 yards on 11 carries in the first half.
"I think the biggest thing was just tackling," said defensive end
"With a guy like him, you've got to rally to the football because he's going to make one person miss.
It's just the type of athlete he is, and I didn't feel we were rallying as much as a whole and that's why he had some success, especially in the first half."
Chicago Bears players say former teammate Israel Idonije was feeding Detroit Lions their defensive calls.
By Eric Edholm
Stealing signs, as Spygate taught us, is not just a baseball thing. And it's common that when a team faces one of its former longtime players, it will change up its terminology slightly just so that player's new team can't gain an advantage.
Well, the Chicago Bears seem to think that defensive end Israel Idonije, now with the Detroit Lions, tipped his new team off about what defensive schemes the Bears were running.
Michael C. Wright @mikecwright
A few Chi players think former DL Izzy Idonije tipped off Lions to their stunts. Said Bush burned them every time they did "power" stunt.
Justin Rogers @Justin_Rogers
If Idonije was able to tip off Detroit about Chicago's play-calling, that's bad coaching by the Bears staff.
7 Retweets
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? 2013-14 Opening Night and Banner Raising Ceremony.
The Chicago Blackhawks are set to raise the 2013 Stanley Cup championship banner at the first home game of the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 1, before they take on Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network and WGN 720.
Here is all the information you need to know before coming out to the Opening Night festivities.
2013-14 OPENING NIGHT SCHEDULE
3-5:30 P.M.: Madison St. closed (Between Damen St. and Wood St.)
3:30 P.M.: United Center parking lots open
4:15 P.M.: Players arrive at Red Carpet Event
5:00 P.M.: United Center gates open
6:30 P.M.: Be in your seat for banner raising
4:15-4:30 p.m.: The red carpet is rolled out for Blackhawks players as they arrive for the first game of the season. Get a high-five from your favorite Blackhawk as he makes his way down the runway.
5:00 p.m.: The United Center will open the gates for the first regular-season home game of the 2013-14 campaign. Remember, with most home contests slated for a 7 p.m. start, allow plenty of time to explore the activities on the concourse in order to get back to your seats for the action to begin!
Fans are encouraged to be seated by 6:30 p.m. for the Banner Raising Ceremony. The ceremony in 2010 was spectacular, so the 2013 event will be one for the books!
Just another Chicago Bulls Session... No shortage of talent, depth as Bulls open camp.
By Sam Smith
The Bulls Friday opening training camp for the 2013-14 season, and this is the best Bulls roster I’ve seen since the 1997-98 season.
Actually, better.
The starting lineup to open that last championship season was Michael Jordan, Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, Jason Caffey and Luc Longley. Scottie Pippen had held off surgery until September and didn’t play until January. Dennis Rodman had missed the preseason trip to Paris with an injury and began the season late. Harper was a few years away from the end of his career at 33; Longley was in decline as well and soon to go out with a shoulder separation from surfing. And Pippen would years later admit even as he did return he was never the same player as his explosiveness was gone after that surgery.
Which isn’t also to say this Bulls team is going to win a championship.
The NBA is deep in talented teams this season, and the Bulls have yet to show they can sustain a playoff run or even a regular season.
But while the Bulls led the league in wins in coach Tom Thibodeau’s first two seasons, 2010-11 and 2011-12, they were a surprise team in 2010-11. And they were a team holding its breath through injuries in 2011-12. Which in the end proved not for long enough as Derrick Rose suffered his catastrophic knee injury to open the 2012 playoffs and was lost for all last season.
The Bulls, though they had a few threatening seasons with their Baby Bulls of Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon, were never truly serious contenders until Rose assumed a major role with the team.
So this season with Rose’s return becomes first and mostly a daily examination, at least for the first few months, of Rose’s ability to remain healthy and recover his previous playing ability.
All the preliminary indications are positive. But no one will truly know, including Rose, until those regular season games begin.
So if you can assume Rose playing at a high level, you also look at one of the best starting lineups in franchise history.
Rose is a former league MVP.
He’ll likely play in the backcourt with Jimmy Butler, an emerging potential high level player given his all around play and defensive abilities. Though he is becoming a starter to open a season for the first time, Butler may be the best all around shooting guard the Bulls have had since Jordan.
Gordon was a much better scorer and shooter. But he was a major liability on defense. Harper was a smart veteran, but long robbed of his athletic ability. Jalen Rose likewise was a defensive liability and past his best years. Consider also this Bulls core won 62 games in 2010-11 with Keith Bogans starting at shooting guard.
Actually, better.
The starting lineup to open that last championship season was Michael Jordan, Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, Jason Caffey and Luc Longley. Scottie Pippen had held off surgery until September and didn’t play until January. Dennis Rodman had missed the preseason trip to Paris with an injury and began the season late. Harper was a few years away from the end of his career at 33; Longley was in decline as well and soon to go out with a shoulder separation from surfing. And Pippen would years later admit even as he did return he was never the same player as his explosiveness was gone after that surgery.
Which isn’t also to say this Bulls team is going to win a championship.
The NBA is deep in talented teams this season, and the Bulls have yet to show they can sustain a playoff run or even a regular season.
But while the Bulls led the league in wins in coach Tom Thibodeau’s first two seasons, 2010-11 and 2011-12, they were a surprise team in 2010-11. And they were a team holding its breath through injuries in 2011-12. Which in the end proved not for long enough as Derrick Rose suffered his catastrophic knee injury to open the 2012 playoffs and was lost for all last season.
The Bulls, though they had a few threatening seasons with their Baby Bulls of Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon, were never truly serious contenders until Rose assumed a major role with the team.
So this season with Rose’s return becomes first and mostly a daily examination, at least for the first few months, of Rose’s ability to remain healthy and recover his previous playing ability.
All the preliminary indications are positive. But no one will truly know, including Rose, until those regular season games begin.
So if you can assume Rose playing at a high level, you also look at one of the best starting lineups in franchise history.
Rose is a former league MVP.
He’ll likely play in the backcourt with Jimmy Butler, an emerging potential high level player given his all around play and defensive abilities. Though he is becoming a starter to open a season for the first time, Butler may be the best all around shooting guard the Bulls have had since Jordan.
Gordon was a much better scorer and shooter. But he was a major liability on defense. Harper was a smart veteran, but long robbed of his athletic ability. Jalen Rose likewise was a defensive liability and past his best years. Consider also this Bulls core won 62 games in 2010-11 with Keith Bogans starting at shooting guard.
Luol Deng is a two-time All-Star and all-defensive team player along with All-Star and all-defensive team center Joakim Noah. Carlos Boozer has been an All-Star and member of a USA Basketball gold medal winning team. The bench includes another former all-league defensive player, Hinrich, and in Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Taj Gibson three players who could start on many teams.
One can make the case the Bulls never have started such a decorated five with four reigning and former All-Stars, a league MVP and three all-league defensive players.
Obviously, Michael Jordan, Pippen and Rodman are Hall of Famers. So one doesn’t compare any teams with those. But those teams were three-peat champions. And they started the likes of Longley and Harper, neither of whom would probably start for this Bulls team.
Again, it hardly guarantees a championship or close.
One reason may be because there’s a Bulls dynasty type team in the league. That’s Miami, going for its three-peat and a fourth consecutive Finals appearance, which even the Bulls never reached.
Sometimes you are born at the wrong time.
Like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing were.
They all should have and could have led their teams to titles.
But when they were at their best they effectively were blocked by Jordan.
Sometimes there’s a guy just too good, like Russell with a half dozen Celtics Hall of Famers, Magic and Kareem in the 80’s in the Western Conference and Jordan in the 90’s.
It could be LeBron now.
He’s kept Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony and basically all the top guys away from titles, and in his prime no one else may win one. Ewing, Barkley and Malone got close. But Jordan generally closed them out. It could be the same with James.
Or not.
This is going to be a problematic season for Miami to win again.
There’s the obvious question regarding the seemingly declining physical health of Dwyane Wade. It’s been a hard 10 years for him, and he’s not a big guy.
But even the experience of the Bulls shows how difficult it is to win that third consecutive time. As great as the Bulls were, and there’s few who deny Jordan being the greatest, the Bulls barely got through those third title seasons. And they had much more talent than Miami.
The Bulls looked out in the 1993 conference finals against the Knicks, trailing 2-0 as they had to open on the road without home court. They also didn’t have home court in the Finals and were an unlikely John Paxson three away from a Game 7 on the road.
Then in 1998, the Pacers just about had the Bulls in Game 7 in Chicago in the conference finals. And without home court in the Finals, Jordan had to pull off a miracle ending to win in Salt Lake City.
And that was a Bulls team that wasn’t in their fourth season of going through all four playoff rounds. And with best of seven in the first round now compared with best of five then. So that’s a lot of games on those Miami legs.
It’s also a very rugged and well matched league this season, which doesn’t much help the Bulls, either.
A case can be made for the Indiana Pacers or Brooklyn Nets to be Finals teams. Both are exceptionally deep with tough players and a Nets group from the Celtics who will be better in the playoffs with more support than they had in Boston.
Then the Western Conference is loaded with a rejuvenated Houston team with Dwight Howard, Oklahoma City, one of the rare teams these days with two high level stars once Russell Westbrook returns and the Spurs, a moment from a championship last June. There’s tough outs like Memphis and Golden State.
So you can have a really good season and be a really good team and not win a championship and not get to the Finals this season. Several teams will experience that frustration.
But this 2013-14 Bulls team looks like it can be very good, the season long caveat being the health and recovery of Rose. But assuming it goes well, the Bulls look to have a star, a potentially great defense, one of the league’s top coaches, a strong bench, three or four players who’ll make bids to be on the All-Star team and the first team since 1997-98 that truly opens a full season with a chance to play into June.
It should be fun. It starts Friday.
2013 MLB playoffs — Here’s the schedule for the opening rounds.
By Mike Oz
We're now done with every regular season game on the 2013 MLB schedule, and the postseason picture still isn't as clear as it's supposed to be. Close, though.
With Sunday's action in the books, there are now 11 teams still vying to win the World Series, a number only slightly complicated by the fact that there are 10 playoff spots.
Monday, the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers will meet in a one-game tiebreaker to decide who gets the second AL wild card spot. The last time a tiebreaker was needed was 2009 when the Detroit Tigers played the Minnesota Twins.
Aside from wild-card madness, everything else is set. The St. Louis Cardinals (97-65) and Boston Red Sox (97-65) have home-field advantage in their respective leagues.
As the No. 1 seeds, they both await wild card winners in the five-game LDS round.
The Cardinals' first game is on Thursday and the Red Sox play again Friday. The wild card round begins Tuesday, with the Cincinnati Reds (90-72) visiting the Pittsburgh Pirates (94-68). The winner of Monday's tiebreaker plays the Cleveland Indians (92-70) on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the second NLDS and ALDS series are completely set: the Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70) plays the Atlanta Braves (96-66) starting Thursday, while the Detroit Tigers (93-69) visit the Oakland Athletics (96-66) starting Friday.
Here's the full playoff schedule for the wild-card and LDS rounds:
(all times TBD unless listed, all games broadcast on TBS, except where noted)
Monday
AL wild card tiebreaker: Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers, 8:07 p.m. ET
Tuesday
NL wild card: Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates, 8:07 p.m. ET
Wednesday
AL wild card: Rays/Rangers at Cleveland Indians, 8:07 p.m. ET
Thursday
NLDS Game 1: Wild card winner at St. Louis Cardinals
NLDS Game 1: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves
Friday
With Sunday's action in the books, there are now 11 teams still vying to win the World Series, a number only slightly complicated by the fact that there are 10 playoff spots.
Monday, the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers will meet in a one-game tiebreaker to decide who gets the second AL wild card spot. The last time a tiebreaker was needed was 2009 when the Detroit Tigers played the Minnesota Twins.
Aside from wild-card madness, everything else is set. The St. Louis Cardinals (97-65) and Boston Red Sox (97-65) have home-field advantage in their respective leagues.
As the No. 1 seeds, they both await wild card winners in the five-game LDS round.
The Cardinals' first game is on Thursday and the Red Sox play again Friday. The wild card round begins Tuesday, with the Cincinnati Reds (90-72) visiting the Pittsburgh Pirates (94-68). The winner of Monday's tiebreaker plays the Cleveland Indians (92-70) on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the second NLDS and ALDS series are completely set: the Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70) plays the Atlanta Braves (96-66) starting Thursday, while the Detroit Tigers (93-69) visit the Oakland Athletics (96-66) starting Friday.
Here's the full playoff schedule for the wild-card and LDS rounds:
(all times TBD unless listed, all games broadcast on TBS, except where noted)
Monday
AL wild card tiebreaker: Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers, 8:07 p.m. ET
Tuesday
NL wild card: Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates, 8:07 p.m. ET
Wednesday
AL wild card: Rays/Rangers at Cleveland Indians, 8:07 p.m. ET
Thursday
NLDS Game 1: Wild card winner at St. Louis Cardinals
NLDS Game 1: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves
Friday
ALDS Game 1: Wild card winner at Boston Red Sox
ALDS Game 1: Detroit Tigers at Oakland A's
NLDS Game 2: Wild card winner at St. Louis Cardinals
NLDS Game 2: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves
*one of these games will air on MLB Network
Saturday
ALDS Game 2: Wild card winner at Boston Red Sox
ALDS Game 2: Detroit Tigers at Oakland A's
Sunday, Oct. 6
NLDS Game 3: St. Louis Cardinals at wild card winner
NLDS Game 3: Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers
Monday, Oct. 7
ALDS Game 3: Boston Red Sox at wild card winner
ALDS Game 3: Oakland A's at Detroit Tigers
NLDS Game 4*: St. Louis Cardinals at wild card winner
NLDS Game 4*: Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers
*one of these games will air on MLB Network
Tuesday, Oct. 8
ALDS Game 4*: Boston Red Sox at wild card winner
ALDS Game 4*: Oakland A's at Detroit Tigers
Wednesday, Oct. 9
NLDS Game 5*: Wild card winner at St. Louis Cardinals
NLDS Game 5*: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves
Thursday, Oct. 10
ALDS Game 5*: Wild card winner at Boston Red Sox
ALDS Game 5*: Detroit Tigers at Oakland A's
* If necessary, all series are best of five
Tiger Woods wins Player of the Year despite no major wins in 2013.
By Shane Bacon
Although a lot of people believe that the only thing we can measure Tiger Woods by these days is major championships, it was another incredible achievement that was announced on Thursday morning.
Woods was named PGA Tour Player of the Year for the 11th time in his 18 year career, beating out major winners Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott for the award.
Some people thought there was a chance that Mickelson or Scott could jump Tiger in the voting considering they won a major championship and a PGA Tour event in '13, but Tiger's five victories this season were pretty incredible and good enough for the award.
It was a pretty great year for Woods, who took home trophies at the Farmers Insurance Open, WGC-Cadillac Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players Championship and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but it was also a consistent season for Woods, who made every cut on the PGA Tour and finished in the top-10 in eight of his 16 starts.
If there was a disappointment for Tiger in 2013 it was at the major championships, but despite not winning one of the four, Woods was able to finish in the top-six at both the Masters and the British Open.
Jordan Spieth, the 20-year-old sensation that started the season with no status on the PGA Tour, picked up Rookie of the Year honors thanks to a win at the John Deere Classic and an amazing 13 top-25s in his 23 starts.
Both Woods and Spieth were the favorites to take home these awards, and while they shared some hardware on Thursday, a lot of fans are hoping they'll be sharing the same grouping next week at the Presidents Cup.
Dover win pushes Jimmie Johnson to second in points and atop track’s win list.
By Nick Bromberg
There can now be no debate: Jimmie Johnson is the best driver in Dover International Speedway history.
Johnson pulled away from teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. over the race's final 26 laps to win the AAA 400 Sunday and pull within eight points of points leader Matt Kenseth.
The win was Johnson's eighth at the concrete one-mile oval, which is the most of any driver in the track's history. Johnson entered Sunday tied with Bobby Allison and Richard Petty for the most wins at Dover, and his eighth win came in just his 24th start. Allison's seven wins came in 35 starts while Petty's came in 46.
(Keep in mind that Sunday could have easily been Johnson's ninth win at Dover. In June, he was penalized for jumping the race's final restart and had to serve a pass-through penalty on pit road that cost him the lead and likely the win.)
Johnson chose the high line on the race's final restart after a debris caution and had Junior behind him. Junior had pitted for four tires and immediately jumped to second behind Johnson through turns one and two. Was the fresher rubber going to be a catalyst for Junior's first win since Michigan in June of last year?
No. Johnson opened up a half second lead after Junior tried a higher line in turns one and two to no avail and steadied the gap the rest of the way.
"That's real disappointing there, but Jimmie's just that fast," Junior said. "He's just that good around this place. I thought we might be able to get to him, and I was definitely going to do whatever I could to win if I could get him within reach. I just couldn't get to him."
Johnson said he was a little nervous when he saw Earnhardt in his mirror in second immediately after the restart.
"Two worked good for us in practice -- I wanted to see four tires line up in the fourth and fifth row (on the restart). They lined up right behind me and I thought I was going to have my hands full," Johnson said. "Junior drove a whale of a race and track position really gave me the advantage I needed to hold him off."
Oh yes, the dreaded words of track position. Four tires was a superior strategy to two tires throughout Sunday's race. That strategy had worked for Junior earlier in the race, he just didn't have enough time to make it work at the end. Though part of the reason it was so successful was because the 400 lap race featured just three caution flags and, subsequently, lots of long green flag runs.
Kenseth, winner of the first two races of the Chase, faded from fourth to seventh over the races final stint. Kyle Busch, who entered Dover in second in the standings, finished fifth and is 12 points behind Kenseth in third place.
Suarez, Sturridge the best, says Liverpool boss.
AFP
Brendan Rodgers insists Liverpool have the best strike pair in the Premier League after watching Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge cement their growing partnership.
Suarez scored twice on his return to top flight action after a 10-game ban, both goals set up by Sturridge, who broke the deadlock in a 3-1 win at Sunderland that pushed Rodgers' side back up to second.
The Liverpool manager expects the duo to keep on improving together, and warned their Premier League rivals: "I'm not sure there's a better front two in the league."
He added: "Of course you've got van Persie and Rooney at Manchester United, but our two are up there with the best in the country.
"The two of them will only get better the longer they play together. They're working hard in training, and it helps that they're two different types of player. One has pace, power and two good feet, and one is a wriggler who ends up in the box and is hard to track.
"Luis isn't fazed by much. There's a remarkable mentality and the steel in his mindset, he's just so focused and it's like a new signing with him coming back. It's great for the team and great for the supporters, who deserve to see someone of that quality."
While Sturridge has 11 goals in his last 11 top flight appearances, Suarez hit the ground running, finding the net on his first Premier League appearance in 161 days, punishment for sinking his teeth into Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April.
The Uruguayan, who now boasts seven goals in six games against Sunderland, has stayed sharp thanks to a rigorous fitness regime during his enforced absence.
"Goalscorers are judged on goals and assists. Daniel got one and set up two, and they both have a hunger to score," said Rodgers.
"Luis has not been cocooned away and then just come back in. He's someone who loves football and I knew how much it would hurt him not to be playing, so he's been doing extra finishing sessions and conditioning sessions to help him get back up to speed.
"It'd be hard for anyone to say he wasn't very good today, and his performance is credit to our conditioning team for the work they've done with him."
Sunderland remain bottom with a point from six games.
They're without a Premier League win for more than five months, despite a performance from which interim head coach Kevin Ball drew plenty of positives.
The managerless Wearside club continue to search for a successor to Paolo Di Canio, having already held talks with ex-Brighton manager Gus Poyet and Rene Meulensteen, the former Manchester United coach.
Chief executive Margaret Byrne said: "Our efforts are focused on appointing a new head coach.
"There's been a lot of interest but there is no definitive timescale as we're carefully examining all the options available to us.
"We've had contact with interested parties and have others to speak to in the coming days. As soon as we've identified the right person to take the club forward we will make an announcement."
2013 NCAA Football Rankings - Week 6 (Sept. 29).
ESPN
Top 25
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
| 1 | Alabama (55) | 4-0 | 1495 |
| 2 | Oregon (5) | 4-0 | 1422 |
| 3 | Clemson | 4-0 | 1354 |
| 4 | Ohio State | 5-0 | 1305 |
| 5 | Stanford | 4-0 | 1280 |
| 6 | Georgia | 3-1 | 1171 |
| 7 | Louisville | 4-0 | 1091 |
| 8 | Florida State | 4-0 | 1069 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 4-1 | 1012 |
| 10 | LSU | 4-1 | 979 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 4-0 | 838 |
| 12 | UCLA | 3-0 | 834 |
| 13 | South Carolina | 3-1 | 812 |
| 14 | Miami (FL) | 4-0 | 753 |
| 15 | Washington | 4-0 | 665 |
| 16 | Northwestern | 4-0 | 550 |
| 17 | Baylor | 3-0 | 536 |
| 18 | Florida | 3-1 | 481 |
| 19 | Michigan | 4-0 | 471 |
| 20 | Texas Tech | 4-0 | 264 |
| 21 | Oklahoma State | 3-1 | 230 |
| 22 | Arizona State | 3-1 | 192 |
| 23 | Fresno State | 4-0 | 187 |
| 24 | Ole Miss | 3-1 | 132 |
| 25 | Maryland | 4-0 | 119 |
Dropped from rankings: Ole Miss 21, Notre Dame 22, Wisconsin 24
Others receiving votes: Northern Illinois 104, Virginia Tech 49, Wisconsin 46, Nebraska 20, Missouri 14, Notre Dame 12, UCF 6, Michigan State 5, Rutgers 2
PRESIDENTS CUP 2013: A stacked US team tries to stay perfect at home.
The Associated Press
The Presidents Cup looks more like the Ryder Cup every year, at least in one respect. One team does all the winning.
It's about the only cup the Americans can win anymore.
Tiger Woods, who has won the Memorial five times, returns to Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, with a strong American team that is a heavy favorite to win the Presidents Cup and keep its record perfect on home soil.
Since this event began in 1994 as a chance for players outside Europe to compete in matches styled after the Ryder Cup, the International team has won just one time.
That was 15 years ago in Australia, where the Americans spent most of their time counting money won at the casinos or spending it while shopping online for Christmas gifts.
The last three matches haven't even been close.
"It's not a question of beating the Americans. It's a question of winning the cup. And I think that's something that's really important to the International team," said Nick Price, who takes over the captaincy from Greg Norman. "We've had a tough time. So what I'm trying to figure out is how do we turn the tide?"
International players have been talking over the last several years about the need to win — or at least make it interesting on Sunday — to keep golf fans from losing interest. Woods, not surprisingly, doesn't see it that way.
Then again, the International team might feel as though it has nothing to lose.
The pressure will be on the Americans. If they fail to win, it will be the first time they have not held any of the professional cups — Europe has won the Solheim Cup the last two years, including last month in Colorado, and Europe has won the last two Ryder Cups, and seven of the last nine.
So why can't they seem to lose the Presidents Cup?
The pressure isn't as great, for starters. Europe plays for its tour in the Ryder Cup. The International team plays under a manufactured flag. Most of the players already are PGA Tour members, and in many cases live in the same neighborhood as the U.S. players.
Muirfield Village is the course Jack Nicklaus built for his Memorial. It becomes the first golf course to host the Ryder Cup (1987), Solheim Cup (1998) and Presidents Cup. History could be on the side of the International team. It was at Muirfield Village that the Americans lost the Ryder Cup at home for the first time.
Ernie Els is the only player who celebrated an International win, even though they seem to celebrate just as hard when they lose. Masters champion Adam Scott was on the team in South Africa in 2003, and he was among the most vocal on the second green when captains Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player agreed to tie the cup. That's when Nicklaus reminded Player that the defending champion keeps the cup. Scott wanted Els to keep playing, and then they teams agreed to share the cup.
Still, the Australian has been on every team since then and it always ends the same way.
"I feel it's important for the Internationals to win and just for myself, for my own satisfaction of being on a winning team, which I haven't done in my career," Scott said. "I want to experience that kind of elation with a bunch of other guys around me."
Even on a team with Woods, most of the American attention is on Spieth, the 20-year-old who has dazzled this year. Unlike the Ryder Cup, the captains are together when they fill in their lineups — six foursomes and fourballs matches Thursday and Friday, five of each format on Saturday, 12 singles on Saturday.
It might be fitting for Spieth to take on 21-year-old Hideki Matsuyama of Japan on Sunday, who has had a big year himself. Matsuyama has won three times in Japan, risen to No. 30 in the world and had top 10s in the U.S. Open and British Open.
It would be even better if their match actually meant something, instead of the Americans sailing to another win.
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