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Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Bears, Cowboys get prepped for frigid Monday game.
By SCHUYLER DIXON (AP Sports Writer)
Marc Trestman broke out the heaters in practice for the Bears this week. Jason Garrett sent the Cowboys outside on a bitterly cold day in Dallas.
Both coaches were preparing for a frigid Monday night game in Chicago, with temperatures likely to be in the teens and a wind chill possibly below zero.
''Everything we're doing is a dress rehearsal for Monday night,'' Trestman said. ''We can't control the digits out there in terms of what the weather is. But we can go out there and work and practice fast and do it efficiently.''
It's like any other day for Trestman to simulate a December game in the Windy City. Garrett was actually lucky that a rare winter storm covered the Dallas area in ice for two days.
The Cowboys were forced inside for a day at a high school facility because there was too much ice on their field at team headquarters Friday. But with temperatures still in the low 20s Saturday, the Cowboys held their last full practice of the week outside.
It didn't really matter one way or the other to cornerback Orlando Scandrick.
''I'm not a believer that it helps at all because whether I practice in it or whether I play in it, you're going to be cold,'' Scandrick said. ''You're going to have to have the mental toughness and the focus and just the will to go out and do it.''
Dallas (7-5) got a similar break before the first of back-to-back wins. Before facing the New York Giants two weeks ago, the first cold spell of the season hit Dallas, and Garrett kept his players outside all week.
The Cowboys took a 21-6 lead in the third quarter, and after they squandered it, Tony Romo led a 14-play drive to Dan Bailey's winning field goal on the final play.
''I think for the people that it matters, your quarterback, I think he does a real good job of throwing in that weather,'' Cowboys tight end Jason Witten said of Romo, who played at Eastern Illinois. ''He grew up in Wisconsin. I think he plays well in it, and I think all of us have to adjust to it and be able to handle the surface more than anything.''
Bears quarterback Josh McCown, on the other hand, grew up in Texas, played in college there at SMU and Sam Houston State, and made more than half his NFL starts in Arizona.
''A good hand warmer obviously is important, and those little hot packets in there help,'' said McCown, expected to make his fourth straight start with Jay Cutler sidelined by an ankle injury. ''For me, I just want my hands to feel kind of warm, almost sweaty. That's when I feel good.''
Romo's center, rookie first-round pick Travis Frederick, also grew up in Wisconsin and remembers playing a high school game in sub-zero temperatures. He was asked a lot about his long beard after he was drafted, with 100-degree days coming soon.
Frederick did trim it for the summer, but it's getting long again - and looked a lot more appropriate during the cold spells.
''If I had to choose between really, really hot or really cold, I would choose cold,'' Frederick said.
That's what he'll get Monday night.
Singletary: Ditka all about hard work and fundamentals.
CSN Staff
Former Bears linebacker Mike Singletary respects Mike Ditka’s passion.
With the Bears set to retire No. 89 at halftime of Monday’s game vs. the Dallas Cowboys, Comcast SportsNet caught up with Singletary at Vikings practice in Minneapolis to discuss Ditka's passionate years in the Windy City.
The current linebackers/assistant head coach for the Vikings shared many thoughts on his former Super Bowl-winning coach.
“For me, when I think about Coach Ditka, I love him, he’s crazy, he’s funny, he’s a lot of different things, but if he’s going to be wrong, he’s going to be 100 percent wrong,” Singletary said. “He knows what he believes, but it may be 100 percent wrong. He’s going to stand on it until you convince him it’s something else.
“The reason I love coach Ditka is because he’s passionate. He believes in doing things and he may not know exactly how to do it, but the passion that he has and the conviction that he has about achieving it, you want to help him with everything you have. He’s all about hard work and fundamentals. He’s not going to flash you, smooth talk you or cheat you. He’s going to tell you the way it is and you can take it or leave it, but you will know exactly what you are getting into, guys like that I can appreciate and respect. Even if you don’t agree with them sometimes you can respect them. That’s important, to be able to respect the people that you work with."
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Without Crawford, Blackhawks top Panthers 6-2.
By MATT CARLSON (Associated Press)
Corey Crawford left in the first period because of a lower body injury.
Patrick Sharp had a goal and two assists, and the Chicago Blackhawks scored a season-high three times on the power play in a 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday night.
Marian Hossa, Brent Seabrook and Brandon Saad each had goal and an assist, and Michal Handzus and Andrew Shaw also scored. Patrick Kane had three assists for Chicago, which ended a three-game losing streak - its longest regular-season skid since February 2012.
Rookie Antti Raanta, recalled after veteran backup Nikolai Khabublin was injured on Nov. 16, stopped 29 of 31 shots for the win in relief of Crawford, who made four saves.
Crawford was forced out with 6:15 left in the first, and the Blackhawks ahead 2-0, moments after he went down to make a right pad save on Marcel Goc.
He was unable to get back up on his skates, and had to be helped from the ice by teammates and a trainer.
Dylan Olsen and Goc scored for Florida. Scott Clemmensen made 26 saves in his third start and fifth appearance this season.
The Blackhawks went 3-for-4 on the power-play and stopped all five Florida advantages.
Olsen, a defenseman who was traded from Chicago to Florida on Nov. 14, connected in his first game against his former team.
Sharp and Seabrook scored power-play goals in the first period to give Chicago a 2-0 lead.
Seabrook made it 2-0 when he pinched to the right circle, took a cross-ice pass from Saad, and fired in a low shot.
Raanta made a couple of close-in saves late in the first to preserve the lead.
Hossa increased Chicago's advantage to 3-0 just 37 seconds into the second, popping in a rebound of Sharp's shot.
Goc trimmed it to 3-2 with an unassisted goal after Raanta failed to clear the puck off the boards.
Handzus' goal with 2:34 left in the second made it 4-2.
Shaw's power-play goal at 2:44 of the third, extended Chicago's lead to three goals.
Hayes knocked off Raanta's mask at 8:39 of the third when he drove hard to the net.
Saad completed the scoring on a breakaway with 56 seconds left.
NOTES: Shaw returned after missing two games with an upper-body injury. ... Chicago D Michael Kostka was activated from the injured list and recalled from Rockford (AHL) but didn't play.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls-Bucks Preview.
Yahoo Sports
Central Division foes will battle when the Chicago Bulls take on the Milwaukee Bucks at United Center. The Bulls have not found their stride this season, currently holding an 8-10 record. On the opposite side, the Bucks are 12 games below .500 on the year and sport a record of 4-16. Their season has been especially tough, as they have lost eight of their last 10 games. This game has a start time of 8:00 pm EST and FSN-WIS and CSN-CHI will be providing coverage of the contest.
The Bulls are regrouping after their loss to the Pistons, 92-75. Despite the loss, Taj Gibson earned his second double-double of the year. He recorded 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls. Meanwhile, the Bucks are coming off a 90-82 loss to the Nets. O.J. Mayo had a team-high 22 points.
The stingy Chicago defense could make it difficult on Milwaukee's shooters. They rank second in the NBA in forcing misses (opponents' eFG% of 47.0%), while the cold-shooting Milwaukee offense is 26th with a mark of 46.5%. Moreover, foul-shooting opportunities could prove to be quite rare for the Bucks. They are 27th in the league in FTA rate (23.7), while the Bulls are among the league's least foul-prone teams (allowing a rate of just 24.6, ranking fourth in the NBA).
Cubs: Theo sticking to the plan amid Hot Stove madness.
By Tony Andracki
The Cubs won’t be looking to make a big splash as they head into Orlando for the winter meetings.
Robinson Cano is a Seattle Mariner. Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran are New York Yankees. Masahiro Tanaka's future is still up in the air.
Theo Epstein is confident in the plan. As new manager Rick Renteria was introduced on Thursday at Wrigley Field, the Cubs president stood away from the mob of Chicago reporters, casually checking e-mails on his phone.
As Major League Baseball went through an insane week of Hot Stove action -- "I don't think I've ever seen it this crazy," Epstein said -- the Cubs have remained quiet, picking up backup catcher George Kottaras and left-handed reliever Wesley Wright.
Reinforcements will come from within the organization, like flamethrower Arodys Vizcaino, the main piece in the Paul Maholm deal with the Atlanta Braves at the 2012 trade deadline.
Vizcaino, 23, was ranked among Baseball America's Top 100 prospects for four straight years, but has missed the last two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Vizcaino is healthy now -- Epstein said he was throwing 98 mph in the Dominican instructional league -- and the Cubs will put him in the bullpen in 2014.
"Knock on wood, but he looked really healthy, like he could step into a game in spring training right now," Epstein said. "He made half-a-dozen appearances and then we shut him down so he could rest up. He'll ramp up for spring training like any other pitcher, but the stuff was electric coming out of his hand."
The Cubs are in the market for another starting pitcher, but if they go through another mid-summer sell-off where 40 percent of the rotation is traded, Kyle Hendricks could emerge as a nice option in Chicago.
Hendricks, the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2013, dominated in 27 starts between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa last season (13-4, 2.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP). But he won't break camp with the big-league club. The 6-foot-3 right-hander turned 24 on Saturday and came out of the deal that sent Ryan Dempster to the Rangers in July 2012.
"Kyle has made tremendous strides the last couple years and put himself in a great position," Epstein said. "I really believe in him. I think he's going to be a very good big-league starter.
"But I still think there are things for him to work on in Triple-A. We talked to him about some of those and his player-development plan still has a few boxes to check."
The same can be said for Kris Bryant, who along with Javier Baez has energized the fanbase after an eye-popping 2013 campaign.
Bryant won the Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the best amateur player in the country, was named MVP of the Arizona Fall League and helped advanced Class-A Daytona win a championship.
Bryant, the No. 2 overall pick in last June's draft, hit 46 homers combined in 118 games between the AFL, college and three levels in the Cubs organization. But the Cubs have no intentions of rushing him to Chicago.
"That creates a lot of momentum and we're really enthused about him," Epstein said.
"But we have to remember that he's really new as a professional player and there's a high bar for him to reach his ceiling because he has a chance to be a really special player.
"He's going to come to spring training and continue his development. There are things he's going to continue to work on and there are adjustments professional pitchers are going to make to him. He's going to have to adjust back. We're really excited about the talent and the character that he brings to the table.
"But getting that first full season under your belt is important. It will be in the minor leagues."
It may only be a matter of time until Bryant finds his name on Renteria's lineup card each night. But the first-year manager is focused on the guys at the big-league level, including franchise cornerstones Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo.
"I'm excited about the guys we have right now," Renteria said. "I look at the players that are coming and we have some talent in the organization. I think they've done a wonderful job drafting and selecting some of these players.
"Right now, my focus, quite frankly, is on the guys that are here. They're extremely talented and they have to move forward between the lines. We have to maintain a consistent, positive message that we'll be able to have some of these players do what they're capable of doing.
"Obviously, there's peaks and valleys, but as a manager and a coaching staff, we have to remain even-keeled. It gives them an opportunity to keep moving forward."
Johnson shocks Woods to win World Challenge.
By Ryan Lavner
Zach Johnson accepting the World Challenge Trophy
The final Northwestern Mutual World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club was a doozy, as Tiger Woods missed a 4-foot par putt to lose to Zach Johnson on the first playoff hole.
Here’s the skinny on a dramatic final round:
The leaderboard: Zach Johnson and Tiger Woods at -13, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar at -9, Webb Simpson (-7).
What it means: It’s sweet redemption for Johnson, who was up by one with two to play against Woods in 2011, only to lose by one. This is his second win in his last five starts, dating to the FedEx Cup playoffs, when he won the BMW Championship. Johnson’s victory denied Woods his sixth title of the season. In this event, Woods has five wins and five other runners-up.
Round of the day: It was a shocking finish to this one, as Woods had a four-shot lead with eight holes to play but was all square as he stood on the 18th tee. Woods had a hanging lie from the left rough on the home hole, and his second shot found the greenside bunker. It looked like Woods would be bailed out by Johnson, who, from the middle of the fairway, hit a semi-shank into the water. But Johnson followed up that terrible shot by holing his wedge shot from the drop zone. Woods had to get up-and-down from a difficult spot in the bunker to force a playoff, and he did, splashing out to 2 feet.
In the playoff, both players found the fairway off the tee but Woods again found the bunker with his approach, while Johnson hit his second shot about 25 feet left of the cup. Woods blasted out to 4 feet, but his par putt carried too much pace and spun out.
Best of the rest: Matt Kuchar squandered his chance to win with a Saturday 76, but he rebounded in the final round with the low score of the day, a 5-under 67 to finish joint third. Webb Simpson made six birdies en route to a 4-under 68 that vaulted him to solo fifth.
Shot of the day: After nearly holing out iron shots on Nos. 16 and 17, Johnson spun his wedge shot into the cup on the 72nd hole to make par and force a playoff. Said Johnson, “I guess I was just teasing it the holes previous.”
Quote of the day: “I don’t know how the last three iron shots didn’t go in the hole. It was pretty impressive what he did on 16, 17 and 18, and he got me.” – Woods, on Johnson.
Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota share Buddy Shuman Award.
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
In a testament to the effective collaboration of competitors toward a common goal, the three auto makers involved in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing -- Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota --shared the Buddy Shuman Award, presented annually by the Champion brand to individuals and organizations that have played key roles in the growth and development of stock car racing.
The three automakers worked closely with NASCAR and with each other to speed the development of the Generation-6 race car introduced into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season.
"I don't know whether or not you could get three insurance companies to come together and work together, but the fact of the matter is we're not afraid of one another," said Ed Laukes, vice president for marketing communications and motorsports for Toyota.
"We compete on the race track, we compete in the showroom, we compete in auto shows, we compete everywhere all year round. I don't know whether that could happen in any other industry. It's really special for the automotive industry."
Chevrolet Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell suggested a fourth recipient of the Shuman award might have been appropriate.
"I really felt like, in addition to the three manufacturers, they should have had somebody from NASCAR up there -- Robin Pemberton (vice president of competition and racing development) and his team," Campbell said. "Without that work, it would have never happened."
Tim Duerr, motorsports marketing manager at Ford, said the advent of the Gen-6 car and its heightened brand identity was helping Ford achieve its primary goal of selling cars.
"Fusion sales are at a record pace," Duerr said. "We're very proud of what the new Fusion has done from an appearance, quality and performance standpoint. To put that car out on the track every weekend in front of the 75 million NASCAR fans is just a great benefit to Ford Motor Company."
"We compete on the race track, we compete in the showroom, we compete in auto shows, we compete everywhere all year round. I don't know whether that could happen in any other industry. It's really special for the automotive industry."
Chevrolet Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell suggested a fourth recipient of the Shuman award might have been appropriate.
"I really felt like, in addition to the three manufacturers, they should have had somebody from NASCAR up there -- Robin Pemberton (vice president of competition and racing development) and his team," Campbell said. "Without that work, it would have never happened."
Tim Duerr, motorsports marketing manager at Ford, said the advent of the Gen-6 car and its heightened brand identity was helping Ford achieve its primary goal of selling cars.
"Fusion sales are at a record pace," Duerr said. "We're very proud of what the new Fusion has done from an appearance, quality and performance standpoint. To put that car out on the track every weekend in front of the 75 million NASCAR fans is just a great benefit to Ford Motor Company."
World Cup draw: the strong, the weak, the lucky.
By Barry Wilner
Who wound up in difficult groups and who got away easy from Friday's World Cup draw (average world ranking for four teams in parentheses):
GROUP A (24.25) — Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon.
As if the hosts and five-champions needed any help ...
The Brazilians certainly benefited from the draw. This should be a stroll into the second round for the Selecao.
None of the opponents in this group is elite, with Mexico and Cameroon not nearly the best from their continents. Croatia had to beat Iceland in a playoff to get into the tournament.
Mexico had to do the same against New Zealand.
Brazil would be a strong favorite against most any combination, and anything less than three victories would be disappointing. There will be plenty of pressure on the Brazilians in a country where soccer is almost religion, but Brazil won't feel it here.
GROUP B (21.00) — Spain, the Netherlands, Chile, Australia.
Never have the two finalists from the previous World Cup met in their opening game of the next tournament. The nasty final in South Africa was not a display of the best Spain and the Netherlands, but hopefully their match in Salvador on June 13 will show the brilliance both countries are capable of.
The Spaniards are on an unprecedented run of two European titles and one world championship. Although aging, they remain the measuring stick, with the deepest roster and a creative, attacking style few opponents can handle.
But the Dutch are one team that could do so, if they don't resort to the brutish tactics of the Johannesburg finale.
Netherlands striker Arjen Robben says a friend told him to avoid Chile, but no such luck. The Chileans were a steady third in the rugged South American qualifying and certainly present a threat to the Spaniards and Dutch. Australia does not.
A relatively even grouping with no clear favorite because neither Colombia nor Greece has a strong record of World Cup performances.
Colombia finished second in South American qualifying and even tied 0-0 at Argentina, but such impressive performances don't usually translate outside of that continent for the Colombians.
Greece could sneak off with this sector if it really has discovered some scoring. It did so in its qualifying playoff vs. Romania.
Ivory Coast is like many African teams: fun to watch and totally unpredictable. If star Didier Drogba brings his best game, something he couldn't do in 2010 because of injury, he's the most dangerous attacker in this group.
Japan tends to struggle in games away from Asia, but has upgraded its offense and has a chance in this division.
GROUP D (14.25) — Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy.
The Ticos from Costa Rica must be wondering who doesn't like them.
Their chances of getting out of this group are, well, pretty much nil. Even with England on something of a downslide and Uruguay needing to win a playoff with Jordan, the Central Americans are a distant fourth.
Italy, winner of the 2006 World Cup for its fourth crown, should be a solid favorite because it didn't lose in qualifying and it has some dynamic scoring led by mercurial Mario Balotelli to go with its staunch defense.
The English have tons of question marks on defense and at goalkeeper.
GROUP E (22.75) — Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras.
Call this the group of the Fortunate French.
France has been either title quality or awful in recent World Cups, and it need be no more than decent to escape this division.
The Swiss didn't lose in qualifying, albeit in a weak group, and must show they can score when facing elite opponents. Honduras plays well in CONCACAF, not anywhere else. And Ecuador scored only 20 goals in 16 qualifiers, showing a distinct inability to finish.
GROUP F (26.25) — Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Hey, Lionel, take the first round off. Your country won't need you.
The Albiceleste not only are ranked third in the world, they have the sport's best player, Lionel Messi. There have been injury issues for Messi, and he rarely performed at his best for Argentina until this cycle of qualifying. His nation can snooze through this group and still win it, though.
Bosnia-Herzegovina looked great in qualifying with strong offense and defense: 30 goals scored, six allowed.
Nigeria, if it bothers to play some defense, could be dangerous for second place.
Iran figures to be an also-ran.
GROUP G (11.25) Germany, Portugal, Ghana, United States.
The Americans say they welcome a challenge. They've got quite a doozy with this bunch, the toughest group of all.
Getting Germany is somewhat ironic considering U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann won a World Cup playing for that country, then coached it to third place in 2006.
Klinsmann brought both precision and flair he learned in Germany to the United States.
For the Americans to have any chance to advance, they must beat Ghana in the opener. The Black Stars beat the U.S. in each of the last two World Cups.
Portugal can be nearly as formidable as Germany and has one of the world's top players, Cristiano Ronaldo.
GROUP H (28.25) Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea.
There's not much experience in what is, statistically, the easiest group. South Korea regularly gets in, but apart from 2002 when it made the semifinals as co-host, it has been a World Cup bust.
After a run of six straight World Cups, Belgium missed the last two. It's become a fashionable dark horse for this event after romping through qualifying, yielding only four goals.
Russia was nearly as impressive in a slightly easier European group and should be considered at least an equal favorite here with the Belgians.
Algeria doesn't attack much and that could be costly.
GROUP A (24.25) — Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon.
As if the hosts and five-champions needed any help ...
The Brazilians certainly benefited from the draw. This should be a stroll into the second round for the Selecao.
None of the opponents in this group is elite, with Mexico and Cameroon not nearly the best from their continents. Croatia had to beat Iceland in a playoff to get into the tournament.
Mexico had to do the same against New Zealand.
Brazil would be a strong favorite against most any combination, and anything less than three victories would be disappointing. There will be plenty of pressure on the Brazilians in a country where soccer is almost religion, but Brazil won't feel it here.
GROUP B (21.00) — Spain, the Netherlands, Chile, Australia.
Never have the two finalists from the previous World Cup met in their opening game of the next tournament. The nasty final in South Africa was not a display of the best Spain and the Netherlands, but hopefully their match in Salvador on June 13 will show the brilliance both countries are capable of.
The Spaniards are on an unprecedented run of two European titles and one world championship. Although aging, they remain the measuring stick, with the deepest roster and a creative, attacking style few opponents can handle.
But the Dutch are one team that could do so, if they don't resort to the brutish tactics of the Johannesburg finale.
Netherlands striker Arjen Robben says a friend told him to avoid Chile, but no such luck. The Chileans were a steady third in the rugged South American qualifying and certainly present a threat to the Spaniards and Dutch. Australia does not.
A relatively even grouping with no clear favorite because neither Colombia nor Greece has a strong record of World Cup performances.
Colombia finished second in South American qualifying and even tied 0-0 at Argentina, but such impressive performances don't usually translate outside of that continent for the Colombians.
Greece could sneak off with this sector if it really has discovered some scoring. It did so in its qualifying playoff vs. Romania.
Ivory Coast is like many African teams: fun to watch and totally unpredictable. If star Didier Drogba brings his best game, something he couldn't do in 2010 because of injury, he's the most dangerous attacker in this group.
Japan tends to struggle in games away from Asia, but has upgraded its offense and has a chance in this division.
GROUP D (14.25) — Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy.
The Ticos from Costa Rica must be wondering who doesn't like them.
Their chances of getting out of this group are, well, pretty much nil. Even with England on something of a downslide and Uruguay needing to win a playoff with Jordan, the Central Americans are a distant fourth.
Italy, winner of the 2006 World Cup for its fourth crown, should be a solid favorite because it didn't lose in qualifying and it has some dynamic scoring led by mercurial Mario Balotelli to go with its staunch defense.
The English have tons of question marks on defense and at goalkeeper.
GROUP E (22.75) — Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras.
Call this the group of the Fortunate French.
France has been either title quality or awful in recent World Cups, and it need be no more than decent to escape this division.
The Swiss didn't lose in qualifying, albeit in a weak group, and must show they can score when facing elite opponents. Honduras plays well in CONCACAF, not anywhere else. And Ecuador scored only 20 goals in 16 qualifiers, showing a distinct inability to finish.
GROUP F (26.25) — Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Hey, Lionel, take the first round off. Your country won't need you.
The Albiceleste not only are ranked third in the world, they have the sport's best player, Lionel Messi. There have been injury issues for Messi, and he rarely performed at his best for Argentina until this cycle of qualifying. His nation can snooze through this group and still win it, though.
Bosnia-Herzegovina looked great in qualifying with strong offense and defense: 30 goals scored, six allowed.
Nigeria, if it bothers to play some defense, could be dangerous for second place.
Iran figures to be an also-ran.
GROUP G (11.25) Germany, Portugal, Ghana, United States.
The Americans say they welcome a challenge. They've got quite a doozy with this bunch, the toughest group of all.
Getting Germany is somewhat ironic considering U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann won a World Cup playing for that country, then coached it to third place in 2006.
Klinsmann brought both precision and flair he learned in Germany to the United States.
For the Americans to have any chance to advance, they must beat Ghana in the opener. The Black Stars beat the U.S. in each of the last two World Cups.
Portugal can be nearly as formidable as Germany and has one of the world's top players, Cristiano Ronaldo.
GROUP H (28.25) Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea.
There's not much experience in what is, statistically, the easiest group. South Korea regularly gets in, but apart from 2002 when it made the semifinals as co-host, it has been a World Cup bust.
After a run of six straight World Cups, Belgium missed the last two. It's become a fashionable dark horse for this event after romping through qualifying, yielding only four goals.
Russia was nearly as impressive in a slightly easier European group and should be considered at least an equal favorite here with the Belgians.
Algeria doesn't attack much and that could be costly.
Florida St-Auburn title game to usher out BCS era.
By RALPH D. RUSSO (AP College Football Writer)
As college football prepares for the final Bowl Championship Series, featuring a Florida State-Auburn championship game, it's easy to see why the coming four-team playoff won't solve all the postseason problems.
Heck, we might just miss the BCS. Maybe?
It sort of worked out this season. Top-ranked Florida State (13-0) was the only team to get through the regular season unbeaten, and the Seminoles did it in dominating fashion.
Auburn (12-1) won the Southeastern Conference, and among the teams with imperfect records the Tigers' resume is best.
The pairings become official Sunday night when the final BCS standings came out, but there's no question about 1 and 2. It'll be the 'Noles and Tigers at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 6 for the national championship.
In the other marquee bowls:
- Alabama will play Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.
- Clemson will play Ohio State in the Orange Bowl.It sort of worked out this season. Top-ranked Florida State (13-0) was the only team to get through the regular season unbeaten, and the Seminoles did it in dominating fashion.
Auburn (12-1) won the Southeastern Conference, and among the teams with imperfect records the Tigers' resume is best.
The pairings become official Sunday night when the final BCS standings came out, but there's no question about 1 and 2. It'll be the 'Noles and Tigers at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 6 for the national championship.
In the other marquee bowls:
- Alabama will play Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.
- Michigan State will play Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
- Baylor will play UCF in the Fiesta Bowl.
Of course, Big 12 champion Baylor (11-1) and Big Ten champion Michigan State (12-1) might argue with that top two. But over 16 seasons college football fans have built up what can be called BCS acceptance, learning to live with the fact that there is only room for two.
Fans of particularly aggrieved teams (2000 Miami, 2004 Auburn, 2008 Texas, just to name a few) still burn over the slights. Generally, though, by the time the championship game kicked off, most everybody was on board.
2013-14 College Football Bowl Schedule.
By Yahoo Sports Staff
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Albuquerque, N.M. – 2 p.m. ET, Dec. 21
Washington State vs. Colorado State
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas, Nev. – 3:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 21
Fresno State vs. USC
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Boise, Idaho – 5:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 21
San Diego State vs. Buffalo
New Orleans Bowl
New Orleans, La. – 9 p.m. ET, Dec. 21
Tulane vs. La.-Lafayette
Beef O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl
St. Petersburg, Fla. – 2 p.m. ET, Dec. 23
Ohio vs. East Carolina
Hawaii Bowl
Honolulu, Hawaii – 8 p.m. ET, Dec. 24
Oregon State vs. Boise State
Honolulu, Hawaii – 8 p.m. ET, Dec. 24
Oregon State vs. Boise State
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
Detroit, Mich. – 6 p.m. ET, Dec. 26
Pittsburgh vs. Bowling Green
Poinsettia Bowl
San Diego, Calif. – 9:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 26
Northern Illinois vs. Utah State
Military Bowl
Annapolis, Md. – 2:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 27
Maryland vs. Marshall
Texas Bowl
Houston, Texas – 6 p.m. ET, Dec. 27
Syracuse vs. Minnesota
Fight Hunger Bowl
San Francisco, Calif. – 9:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 27
Washington vs. BYU
Pinstripe Bowl
Bronx, N.Y. – 12 p.m. ET, Dec. 28
Notre Dame vs. Rutgers
Belk Bowl
Charlotte, N.C. – 3:20 p.m. ET, Dec. 28
North Carolina vs. Cincinnati
Russell Athletic Bowl
Orlando, Fla. – 6:45 p.m. ET, Dec. 28
Miami vs. Louisville
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
Tempe, Ariz. – 10:15 p.m. ET, Dec. 28
Kansas State vs. Michigan
Armed Forces Bowl
Fort Worth, Texas – 11:45 a.m. ET, Dec. 30
Navy vs. Middle Tennessee State
Fort Worth, Texas – 11:45 a.m. ET, Dec. 30
Navy vs. Middle Tennessee State
Music City Bowl
Nashville, Tenn. – 3:15 p.m. ET, Dec. 30
Mississippi vs. Georgia Tech
Alamo Bowl
San Antonio, Texas – 6:45 p.m. ET, Dec. 30
Texas vs. Oregon
Holiday Bowl
San Diego, Calif. – 10:15 p.m. ET, Dec. 30
Arizona State vs. Texas Tech
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
Shreveport, La. – 12:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 31
Arizona vs. Boston College
Sun Bowl
El Paso, Texas – 2 p.m. ET, Dec. 31
Virginia Tech vs. UCLA
Liberty Bowl
Memphis, Tenn. – 4 p.m. ET, Dec. 31
Mississippi State vs. Rice
Chick-fil-A Bowl
Atlanta, Ga. – 8 p.m. ET, Dec. 31
Texas A&M vs. Duke
Atlanta, Ga. – 8 p.m. ET, Dec. 31
Texas A&M vs. Duke
Gator Bowl
Jacksonville, Fla. – 12 p.m. ET, Jan. 1
Georgia vs. Nebraska
Heart of Dallas Bowl
Dallas, Texas – 12 p.m. ET, Jan. 1
UNLV vs. North Texas
Capital One Bowl
Orlando, Fla. – 1 p.m. ET, Jan. 1
South Carolina vs. Wisconsin
Orlando, Fla. – 1 p.m. ET, Jan. 1
South Carolina vs. Wisconsin
Outback Bowl
Tampa, Fla. – 1 p.m. ET, Jan. 1
LSU vs. Iowa
Cotton Bowl
Arlington, Texas – 7:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 3
Missouri vs. Oklahoma State
BBVA Compass Bowl
Birmingham, Ala. – 1 p.m. ET, Jan. 4
Houston vs. Vanderbilt
GoDaddy Bowl
Mobile, Ala. – 9 p.m. ET, Jan. 5
Ball State vs. Arkansas State
BCS Bowls
Rose Bowl
Pasadena, Calif. – 5 p.m. ET, Jan. 1
Michigan State vs. Stanford
Fiesta Bowl
Glendale, Ariz. – 8:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 1
Baylor vs. Central Florida
Sugar Bowl
New Orleans, La. – 8:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 2
Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Orange Bowl
Miami, Fla. – 8:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 3
Clemson vs. Ohio State
BCS Title Game
Pasadena, Calif. – 8:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 6
Florida State vs. Auburn
NCAA Top 25 Basketball Rankings
Yahoo Sports
Division I Polls
AP Top 25
- 1.Michigan St. (63)
- 2.Arizona (2)
- 3.Kentucky
- 4.Syracuse
- 5.Ohio St.
- 6.Kansas
- 7.Louisville
- 8.Wisconsin
- 9.Oklahoma St.
- 10.Duke
- 11.Wichita St.
- 12.Connecticut
- 13.Oregon
- 14.Villanova
- 15.Florida
- 16.Memphis
- 17.Iowa St.
- 18.UCLA
- 19.Gonzaga
- 20.Baylor
- 21.Massachusetts
- 22.Michigan
- 23.Iowa
- 24.San Diego St.
- 25.Dayton
Prater, Manning lead Broncos, 51-28 over Tennessee. Also, NFL field goal record set, 64 yards!!!
By EDDIE PELLS (AP National Writer)
Peyton Manning and Matt Prater were more about big numbers than the little one Sunday.
As in, an NFL-record 64-yard field goal to go along with 39 completions, 397 yards passing and, of course, 51 points.
That the temperature was only 18 degrees at kickoff and only 14 when Prater kicked his way to one of the most iconic records in the game felt more annoying than anything. Same for the opponent - the Tennessee Titans, who fought gamely for a half before falling 51-28 on Sunday to the Broncos, who clinched a playoff berth.
As for all those doubts about Manning's abilities in the cold: ''I won't try to answer it because I didn't give it any validation in the first place,'' said the quarterback, who is now 4-7 in games where the temperature is 32 or below at kickoff.
The cold certainly didn't bother Prater, who lashed his 64-yarder through the icy air on the last play of the first half. Yes, it was at altitude, same as two of the four 63-yarders from years past.
''But I think the 10-degree weather takes out the altitude,'' Prater said.
Manning's 39 completions set a team record. His 59 attempts matched a franchise high. His seven games with at least four touchdowns are the most in NFL history. He's now in the playoffs for the 13th time, which breaks a record for a quarterback that he shared with Brett Favre. Manning led the Broncos (11-2) past the 50-point mark for the third time the year.
The Broncos ran a whopping 91 plays on offense, giving them plenty of chances to eat away a 21-10 second-quarter deficit.
''We were doing well at the beginning, but they took off like a rocket,'' Titans cornerback Alterraun Verner said.
Despite the gaudy numbers, Manning and Prater were about the only Broncos clicking on all cylinders on the day coach John Fox rejoined the team and coached from the sideline after missing four games because of heart surgery.
The special teams gave up a 95-yard kickoff return - the second return of 90-plus it has allowed in the last two games.
The Titans (5-8) burned the Denver defense frequently, most notably when Ryan Fitzpatrick (13 for 24, 172 yards) picked on rookie cornerback Kayvon Webster on the first drive for a 57-yard completion to Justin Hunter that set up the game's first touchdown.
There were about a half-dozen dropped passes and the Broncos had a whale of a time punching the ball in from the 1. They needed 11 snaps from that distance to get two touchdowns and a field goal.
Those struggles turned Prater's record-setting attempt into much more than a theatrical flourish, which is what most field goals are for a team that has now put up 515 points through 13 games.
Denver had cut its deficit to 21-17 and a penalty forced Manning to start from his 15 with 52 seconds left in the first half. An 18-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas got the ball near midfield with 7 seconds left. Then Manning completed a quick 7-yarder to Jacob Tamme, who went out of bounds with 3 seconds.
On came Prater. With steam pouring from his mouth, he lined up on the right hash mark at the Denver 46, just a few steps over from the eye of the Broncos logo. The kick cleared the crossbar with a bit of room to spare, and holder Britton Colquitt jumped piggyback onto the kicker to celebrate.
''I think I just said, 'Kick it as hard as you can,''' Colquitt said. ''I didn't want to put that bug in, 'Hey, this is the record.'''
Prater broke the mark held by four kickers, set first in 1970 by Tom Dempsey and most recently matched by David Akers, whose kick last season in Green Bay bounced on the crossbar before going over.
Three of the five longest field goals have been kicked in Denver.
Manning led the Broncos on an 80-yard scoring drive to open the third quarter and the Broncos didn't trail again.
And speaking of big numbers: The quarterback's 4,522 yards and 45 touchdowns this season remain on pace to break the NFL records of 5,476 and 50.
Notes: The Broncos dedicated the press box to longtime public-relations man Jim Saccomano, who is retiring after the season. ... Titans WR Justin Hunter cracked the 100-yard mark for the second time in three weeks, finishing with four catches for 115 yards. ...
Knowshon Moreno and Wes Welker each reached double digits in touchdowns Sunday and the Broncos became the first team to have four players score 10 or more in a season.
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