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Seahawks 36, Giants 25

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Unsung is an understatement for the guys who lifted the Seahawks to victory Sunday.

Doug Baldwin, Brandon Browner and Charlie Whitehurst were the unlikely stars as Seattle beat the Giants at their game: with a fourth-quarter rally.

Backup quarterback Whitehurst threw a 27-yard touchdown to Baldwin with 2:37 left and Browner returned an interception 94 yards to thwart a desperate challenge by the Giants as the Seahawks won 36-25 on Sunday.

"We believe in ourselves and we believe in each other," said Baldwin, who had eight catches for 136 yards. "It's believing the guys next to you will do it."

Baldwin, an undrafted free agent from Stanford, leads the team with 20 receptions. Browner spent four years in the CFL before joining the Seahawks. His romp down the right sideline — with coach Pete Carroll sprinting with him for a few yards — finished off New York, which had rallied to win its previous two.

Whitehurst replaced the injured Tarvaris Jackson in the third quarter and led the Seahawks on an 80-yard touchdown drive capped with his pass to Baldwin on a play in which the Giants seemed to stop after defensive end Osi Umenyiora jumped offside.

The Giants drove to the Seattle 10 when Eli Manning looked to Victor Cruz, who earlier had a 68-yard touchdown on a spectacular multi-tip catch and run. But at the end a pass tipped off Cruz's hands, bounced off Kam Chancellor and was picked off at the 6-yard line by Browner, who went the distance.

"You're not going to win football games when you're handing people the ball at point-blank range," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said.


Sports in Brief

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

NEW YORK — The NBA owners and players met Sunday night in likely the last chance to avoid losing regular-season games, according to multiple reports. There was no report on any progress.

Commissioner David Stern has set today as the deadline for a new deal before the first two weeks of the season, set to start Nov. 1, would be canceled. No meetings had been scheduled before the sides agreed to talk Sunday.

Union director Billy Hun­ter was to fly to Los Angeles today for a meeting with players. His could stay if there was progress. But union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers said there will be a meeting even if Hunter isn't there.

The union said Friday that the owners insisted on a 50-50 split of revenue as a condition to meet. The demand was dropped, the Associated Press reported. Still, the owners have said they won't give the players more than 50 percent.

Players were guaranteed 57 in the previous deal and said they won't go below 53, which would be a pay cut of about $160 million per year; 50-50 would be about $280 million.

But even if the sides agreed on the split, the structure of the salary cap hasn't been worked out. And numerous other issues haven't even been discussed because of the revenue debate.

Tennis

Murray finally beats Nadal

Andy Murray beat Rafael Nadal 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 to win the Japan Open in Tokyo. Murray, who also won last week in Bangkok, won 12 of the final 13 games to end a five-match losing streak against Nadal.

"There were a lot of close games in the first set and early in the second set. Then I started to get the momentum," Murray said. "I played some great tennis, especially in the third set."

Nadal, who hadn't lost a service game during the tournament, is 3-7 in finals this season. The first six losses came against Novak Djokovic.

China Open: Tomas Berdych defeated Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in Beijing for his first title since May 2009. It lifted Berdych into seventh in the season standings. The top eight qualify for November's World Tour Finals. In the women's final, Agnieszka Radwanska beat Andrea Petkovic, 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 for her second straight title. Radwanska, who won in Tokyo on Oct. 1, is 5-0 against Petkovic.

Et cetera

Soccer: South Africa appealed to the continent's governing body, saying it should have qualified for next year's African Cup of Nations. South Africa, Niger and Sierra Leone finished tied. South Africa, believing it advanced based on goal differential, celebrated after Saturday's scoreless tie against Sierra Leone. But officials ruled Niger qualified based on having the best record in games among the three. There is no timetable for a ruling.

Gymnastics: Host Japan's men led after the first day of qualifying at the world championships with the United States 2.7 points behind in second. Qualifying continues today with the field including China, the Olympic champion and winner of the past four world titles, and Russia. The finals are Wednesday with the top eight earning spots at the 2012 Olympics.

Horses: Aruna beat Pachattack by 1½ lengths in the $500,000 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. It earned a spot in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic.

Times wires

NBA

Sides meet in effort to save games

Shooting from the lip

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, October 9, 2011

Most interesting replacement

Interesting decision by Fox to use Terry Francona, top, as a replacement for Tim McCarver for the first two games of the American League Championship Series. McCarver is expected to return for Game 3 on Tuesday after missing time for a minor medical procedure.

As far as Francona's performance, it's hard to critique someone whose broadcasting career had consisted of one Arizona Fall League game more than 10 years ago. Never­theless, Francona did fine Saturday night. It felt like announcer Joe Buck was interviewing Francona to get him to talk early, but Francona relaxed and eventually eased into offering solid analysis. He was best when giving insight into the strengths and weaknesses of pitchers and hitters and, of course, when dissecting and predicting the strategies of the managers.

What's more interesting is why Fox would turn to a novice for some of the biggest games of the year. Obviously, it was a way to drum up interest for its broadcasts. By doing so, it passed over Eric Karros and Mark Grace, each of whom worked regional games during the season. Karros did work the pregame show, but Fox's turning to Francona must have felt like a slap in the face to Karros and Grace.

It does make you wonder what Fox will do when McCarver, who turns 70 on Sunday, ultimately retires. It seems like using Francona wasn't exactly a vote of confidence for anyone in Fox's baseball broadcasting stable.



Best memories

T he passing of legendary Raiders owner Al Davis was the major story on all the NFL pregame shows Sunday. All handled it well, appropriately pointing out that Davis' impact was overwhelming and should not be measured by the past 10 years or so when he was portrayed as a kook. • Former Raider Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw had touching stories on Fox NFL Sunday, but ESPN and NFL Network had the best tributes, partly because they have longer pregame shows. • When news broke Saturday that Davis had died, ESPNews became must-see television with interviews, analysis and highlights of Davis' career. Sunday NFL Countdown analyst Tom Jackson correctly pointed out that Davis' career will now be revisited and younger generations will get to see how much Davis meant to pro football. • NFL Network's Steve Mariucci said it best about Davis: "If there's a Mount Rushmore for football, he's on it." • Agreed. Davis would be on my NFL Mount Rushmore with Pete Rozelle, George Halas and John Madden. Surprised by Madden? He makes it because of groundbreaking broadcasting.

Best interview

CBS NFL analyst Boomer Esiason, below, grew up on Long Island as a Jets fan. He spent three seasons with the Jets. He hosts a talk-radio show in New York. Yet all of those things didn't stop him from asking Jets coach Rex Ryan tough questions during Sunday's NFL Today. It wasn't exactly Mike Wallace grilling someone on 60 Minutes, but Esiason showed that an interviewer can ask good questions and get good answers without being confrontational. Give Ryan credit, too, for answering Esiason.

Speaking of Ryan and his shenanigans in the media, Fox NFL Sunday analyst Terry Bradshaw said, "He is getting ready for television. He does stupid stuff like that so that when he gets fired, someone will say 'Wow, he's a colorful guy.' " And you know what? If Ryan were fired today, it would take 10 minutes before he had offers from every network that carries the NFL.

Worst math

Usually when you know what an announcer is trying to say, fair-minded media critics won't nitpick over a slight stumble. But this was too funny to let slide. The New York Post's Phil Mushnick pointed out that TBS baseball analyst Ron Darling said, "Victor Martinez is hitting .343 after Miguel Cabrera walks, so he comes through more often than not." Darling's point was Martinez is a good hitter in those situations, but technically hitting better than .500 would be coming through more often than not, right? Mushnick also pointed out that Darling went to Yale. We're poking fun at Darling, but the fact is Darling and fellow analyst John Smoltz have been nothing short of outstanding on TBS's coverage of the baseball playoffs. In fact, the two might be the best in baseball.

Most backward statement

Tony Romo's problems prompted Fox NFL Sunday analyst Jimmy Johnson to suggest that the Cowboys quarterback should be benched if he continued to turn over the ball. But Johnson changed his stance Sunday.

"I wouldn't bench him, but I'd have him study a third-year quarterback in this league — Josh Freeman," Johnson said of the Bucs quarterback. "Josh Freeman is a smart quarterback, he knows how to play situational football, and he knows how to protect the lead. He's come from behind eight different times to win the game. Study Josh Freeman, you'll learn how to play the game."

After Sunday's Bucs-49ers game, one has to wonder if Freeman has been studying Romo.

Sad, but true

Yikes, not a good weekend for Florida football. The Gators were pounded. The Hurricanes lost a heartbreaker. The Seminoles lost their third straight. The best news? USF was off. And it's hard to disagree with CBS's Gary Danielson, who said, "Florida State takes the mantle of the most disappointing team of the season."

Saddest news

Most of you probably never heard of Joe Aceti, but you know his work. Aceti, who died last week at age 76, was one of the most prominent sports television directors of all time. He was a part of five Olympics, three World Series, the U.S. Open tennis tournament and countless NBA and NCAA games. He was a coordinating director of ABC's Wide World of Sports for 10 years. But he was best remembered for his boxing work. He directed 80 boxing broadcasts, including the classic "Thrilla in Manila" between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

Three things that popped into my head

1 I'm guessing lots of folks out there feel terrible for those nice Philadelphia fans now that the dream-team Eagles are 1-4 and the 102-win Phillies have started their winter vacation.

2 Boy, the Brewers sure are a mouthy bunch for a team that hasn't won much of anything. Ever.

3 Small-market baseball franchises should be dismayed that big spenders such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Angels, Cubs and White Sox are out of the hunt this season because it only adds credence to the argument that payrolls aren't a major factor in producing a winning team.

Biggest local news

The big news in local broadcasting over the weekend was the announcement that Rich Herrera will not return next season as the Rays' pregame and postgame host. Some think this is great news, while others are saddened. Herrera was a polarizing figure. Many didn't care for his rude dismissal of those who criticized the Rays during the postgame call-in show. Others liked Herrera's passion for baseball and support of the Rays.

I tended to agree with those who became frustrated with Herrera consistently belittling the voices of those who wanted to vent when the Rays were playing poorly. I've always believed that postgame call-in shows are for the fans, not the host. Hopefully whomever the Rays hire will think that way, too, and allow fans to criticize the team if they want.





tom jones' two cents

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.

Five-time Sprint Cup champ Jimmie Johnson moves up to third after victory at Kansas

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Jimmie Johnson didn't qualify where he wanted, and his car never quite cooperated during the final practice session at Kansas Speedway. So he spent Saturday evening in the garage area, going over different setups with the rest of his team.

That attention to detail is a big reason he's chasing his sixth straight Sprint Cup title.

Johnson stormed to the front Sunday at the Hollywood Casino 400, then weathered a series of late cautions before holding off Kasey Kahne in a green-white-checkered finish for his first win since April. It also moved him from fifth to third in the Chase behind Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick.

"I know what my team is capable of," Johnson said, "and we showed today what we're capable of when we're all performing at the top of our game."

"Jimmie was very dedicated (Saturday night) with us, trying to figure out the setup of the car," crew chief Chad Knaus said. "We pored over a lot of combinations, and we came up with a good one."

Johnson led 197 laps in one of the most dominant performances the track has ever seen. The victory was the 55th for Johnson, moving him into a tie with Rusty Wallace for the eighth on the career list, and the 199th for team owner Rick Hendrick.

Jeff Gordon made things interesting until his engine blew up with three laps left.

Johnson chose not to pit before the sprint to the finish but still managed to drive away from Kahne and Brad Kese­lowski on worn-out tires. Kese­lowski, who won the Nationwide race Saturday, finished third and climbed into fourth place in the Chase with six races left.

"It all comes back to having a good team," Keselowski said. "Good teams have good cars, they're the best at the end, the fastest at the end, they have good pit strategy, and they're strong through adversity, and I just have a really good team."

Tony Stewart spent most of the afternoon trying to chase down Johnson and, at times, appeared to have the car to do it. Stewart had climbed 17 spots to sixth after about 50 laps, and at one point he brashly told his team over the radio, "I'm in a hurry … I've got things to do."

A series of mistakes near the end cost him, though. He chose to pit when Gordon brought out the final caution but carried too much speed down pit road and slid through his stall. By the time his team backed him up and changed tires, Stewart had fallen to 17th, and he crossed the finish line in 15th.

Stewart won the first two races of the Chase to vault into the points lead, but he struggled all weekend at Dover and finished 25th. He'll now head to Charlotte eighth.

Edwards and Harvick came in tied for the Chase lead, with the top nine drivers separated by just 19 points. Things shook out a bit Sunday, but Edwards and Harvick are still on top.

Edwards struggled with a tight car all afternoon, and he dropped a lap down at one point, but he got back on the lead lap after a caution and stormed to a fifth-place finish.

The Missouri native climbed out of his car and said he felt as if he'd won.

"We're lucky," Edwards said. "We had two cautions that were timed perfectly, so that was a big deal. We've messed up enough in the past that I'm pretty proud of our ability to take our bad days and keep plugging along. We messed up … in the past, and I believe we've learned from that. It's a little test when you go through this to see if someone melts down."

Edwards leads the Chase by a point over Harvick, who finished sixth.

There are still just 19 points separating the top eight drivers. They're all chasing Johnson.

"He's going to be tough," Kese­lowski said. "The real question is we've got two big wild-card races with Phoenix and Talladega, and I don't think you can rule anyone in or out until those two races are over and we get to Homestead."

Chief optimistic: NASCAR chairman Brian France said despite teams' mounting financial concerns, he believes the economy will not cause long-term problems for the sport. He also confirmed negotiations have begun with Sprint, in the eighth year of a 10-year deal, to remain the title sponsor. The wireless carrier posted its 15th straight quarterly loss in July.

Winnipeg goes wild but Jets not as high

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

WINNIPEG — The NHL returned to Winnipeg with a cold reminder of the challenge that lies ahead. It did little to dampen the warmth brought on by a massive civic celebration.

As the clock ticked down Sunday in Winnipeg's 5-1 loss to the Canadiens, the fans at MTS Centre gave the Jets an ovation that was 15 years in the making.

"That's pretty incredible," said forward Mark Scheifele, who played his first NHL game. "… Definitely to hear that, to get a standing ovation when we lose, it just shows that we're going to have fans behind us regardless."

Indeed, it appears the honeymoon will last a long time between the fans and a young team that has work to do in order to make good on coach Claude Noel's assertion it can qualify for the playoffs. Last season in Atlanta, the franchise finished 12th in the Eastern Conference and all but four players who dressed for the Jets on Sunday were part of that team.

Carey Price had 30 saves for Montreal, and Mike Cammalleri, Tomas Plekanec, Yannick Weber, Travis Moen and Max Pacioretty scored for the Canadiens.

The roof was nearly blown off by the sold-out crowd inside the 15,004-seat building, the smallest in the league, when Nik Antropov scored the first goal for the reincarnated Jets early in the third period. Antropov made it 2-1 by driving to the net and shoveling a rebound behind the goalie with Brett MacLean parked in front.

A surge of momentum followed as Winnipeg poured on the pressure in an effort to tie it, but Weber made it 3-1.

Wild suspended: Minnesota forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard was suspended for two games without pay for high-sticking Columbus' Matt Calvert in the face Saturday. The suspension will cost Bouchard $44,108.

Waiver return: The Canadiens returned Blair Betts to the Flyers after the center claimed off waivers last week failed a medical examination.

Canadiens1135
Jets0011

First Period1, Montreal, Cammalleri 1, 3:05. PenaltiesSlater, Wpg (holding), 8:35; Cole, Mon (tripping), 14:26; Gill, Mon (interference), 18:49; Emelin, Mon (hooking), 19:30.

Second Period2, Montreal, Plekanec 1 (Moen, Weber), 14:17. PenaltiesBogosian, Wpg (holding), 1:44; Weber, Mon (holding), 3:22; Byfuglien, Wpg (interference), 6:53; Gomez, Mon (holding), 12:15.

Third Period3, Winnipeg, Antropov 1 (Stuart, Burmistrov), 2:27. 4, Montreal, Weber 1 (Plekanec, Desharnais), 4:51 (pp). 5, Montreal, Moen 1 (Plekanec), 10:31. 6, Montreal, Pacioretty 1 (Gorges), 12:32. PenaltiesSubban, Mon (cross-checking), 3:43; Stuart, Wpg (roughing), 3:43; Byfuglien, Wpg (interference), 4:28; Diaz, Mon (interference), 17:15; Subban, Mon (interference), 19:58. Shots on GoalMontreal 7-9-6—22. Winnipeg 8-9-14—31. Power-play opportunitiesMontreal 1 of 4; Winnipeg 0 of 7. GoaliesMontreal, Price 1-1-0 (31 shots-30 saves). Winnipeg, Pavelec 0-1-0 (22-17). A15,004 (15,015). T2:26.

Oilers00102
Penguins10001
Edmonton wins shootout 2-1

First Period1, Pittsburgh, Letang 1 (Sullivan, Kennedy), 3:13 (pp). PenaltiesEdmonton bench, served by Omark (too many men), 2:33; Vitale, Pit (holding), 4:58; Lovejoy, Pit (cross-checking), 8:23; Letestu, Pit (cross-checking), 13:44; Dupuis, Pit (hooking), 15:13; Petry, Edm (interference), 17:29.

Second PeriodNone. PenaltiesNugent-Hopkins, Edm (tripping), 2:45; Gilbert, Edm (hooking), 10:14; Jones, Edm (goaltender interference), 17:06; Staal, Pit (hooking), 17:52.

Third Period2, Edmonton, Nugent-Hopkins 1 (Hall, Petry), 15:05. PenaltiesSutton, Edm (delay of game), 1:30; Engelland, Pit (roughing), 8:33; Belanger, Edm (roughing), 8:33; Barker, Edm (interference), 9:12; Smyth, Edm, major-game misconduct (elbowing), 15:35.

OvertimeNone. PenaltiesNone.

ShootoutPittsburgh 1 (Letang NG, Neal G, Sullivan NG), Edmonton 2 (Eberle G, Hemsky G, Omark NG). Shots on GoalPittsburgh 9-9-13-3—34. Edmonton 13-8-13-1—35. Power-play opportunitiesPittsburgh 1 of 8; Edmonton 0 of 5. GoaliesPittsburgh, Johnson 0-0-1 (35 shots-34 saves). Edmonton, Dubnyk 1-0-0 (34-33). A16,839 (16,839). T2:44.

NFL news and notes

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

Around the league

RAIDERS, LEAGUE PAY TRIBUTE TO LATE AL DAVIS

HOUSTON — The Raiders wore decals on their helmets to honor owner Al Davis during their game Sunday against the Texans.

The stickers read "AL" in silver letters over the black Raiders shield.

Davis died Saturday at his home in Oakland, Calif. He was 82. The Raiders and Texans also observed a pregame moment of silence.

Raiders QB Jason Campbell, who threw two touchdown passes in their win, said it was a difficult day.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game," he said. "We were fighting against our emotions to hold them back, but at the same time go out and win a game for him."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said a moment of silence would be held before every game this weekend.

The team will remain in the Davis family with Al's widow, Carol, the majority owner and his son, Mark, expected to run the franchise.

HISPANIC HISTORY: Cuban referee Alberto Riveron called a penalty in Spanish in the first half of the Bengals-Jaguars game, part of the league's recognition of Hispanic heritage month.

BILLS: WR Donald Jones (left ankle) was on crutches after the game. … The team has already matched last year's win total, four.

BRONCOS: S Brian Dawkins left with an apparent neck injury after a collision in the end zone.

CHARGERS: RBs Mike Tolbert (concussion) left in the first half.

CHIEFS: RB Le'Ron McClain injured his neck late in the first half.

COLTS: RB Joseph Addai (right hamstring) left in the first quarter.

EAGLES: Michael Vick rushed for 90 yards to give him 4,948 for his career, passing Randall Cunningham for most rushing yards by an NFL quarterback.

GIANTS: G Chris Snee and long snapper Zak DeOssie sustained concussions. … The team had six sacks led by former USF star Jason Pierre-Paul with 2.5; the second-year defensive end has seven this season.

JAGUARS: CB Drew Coleman (concussion) and OT Eugene Monroe (shoulder) left injured.

PACKERS: OT Chad Clifton (hamstring) left in the second quarter.

SEAHAWKS: QB Tarvaris Jackson left with a pectoral injury; he was scheduled for an MRI exam when the team returned to Seattle.

STEELERS: OT Marcus Gilbert, a rookie out of Florida, injured his left shoulder.

TEXANS: DE Mario Williams left with a pectoral injury; his status was unknown.

VIKINGS: WR Bernard Berrian was a surprise healthy scratch for the first time in his eight seasons. Coach Leslie Frazier said it was for an unspecified disciplinary reason.

Times wires

Molder has long wait for first win

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

SAN MARTIN, Calif. — Bryce Molder waited 132 tournaments before winning for the first time on the PGA Tour. He didn't mind going an extra six holes Sunday at the Frys.com Open in the longest playoff of the year.

Molder made a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole — the fourth time he had to play the closing hole at Cordevalle in 90 minutes — to outlast Briny Baird in a playoff that both players had chances to win.

"It's a little surreal right now," Molder said. "That's a lot of golf."

It was the 17th playoff this year on the PGA Tour, setting a record dating to the modern era that began in 1970.

Baird chipped in from short of the 17th green for eagle in regulation to take a one-shot lead. In the group ahead of him, Molder rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th to close with 7-under 64.

Baird, 0-for-348 in 12 years on tour, shot 4-under 67. He twice had birdie putts on the 18th in the playoff to win, missing from 8 feet and 12 feet. Molder had three chances to win with eagle putts on the 284-yard 17th, missing from 20 feet, 15 feet and 12 feet, all from about the same line.

They finished at 17-under 267, then looked as though they would never finish.

Tiger Woods had three rounds in the 60s for the first time in more than a year but finished 10 shots behind in a tie for 30th. Are his best days behind him?

"I've heard that before," he said curtly. "It's not the first time."

Bud Cauley, the 21-year-old who turned pro this summer, shot 66 and finished third to earn $340,000, likely enough to earn him a card next year without having to go through the qualifying tournament.

On the fourth extra hole, Molder drove into a hazard on the 18th. He hammered out a shot to the front of the green and hit a lag from 80 feet to escape with par.

"It wasn't an easy shot. It certainly wasn't heroic," he said. "I knew if I could get a decent club on it, it would go somewhere where I was looking."

CHAMPIONS: Brad Faxon won the Insperity Championship at The Woodlands, Texas, without hitting a shot when heavy rain washed out the final round.

Faxon, an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour who turned 50 on Aug. 1, shot 7-under 65 in windy conditions Saturday to take a one-stroke lead at 10-under. Tommy Armour III was second, and Eduardo Romero finished two strokes back.

LPGA: Top-ranked Yani Tseng won the Hana Bank Championship in Incheon, South Korea, for her sixth tour victory of the season and ninth title overall, shooting 5-under 67 to edge Na Yeon Choi by a stroke. The Taiwanese star finished at 14-under 202.

Seminole's Brittany Lincicome shot 6-under 66 and finished in a tie for third at 11 under. It was Lincicome's sixth top-10 finish this season. Tampa resident Kristy McPherson shot 69 and finished at even par.

Fireworks are all in Brewers' bats

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

MILWAUKEE — Even before the first pitch, the Brewers took a swing at the Cardinals.

Come Sunday, they swapped their barbs for bats, and just kept bashing.

Needing a comeback in the NL Championship Series opener, Milwaukee turned to its power duo of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, then got a clutch hit from Yuniesky Betancourt to beat St. Louis 9-6.

The Brewers celebrated wildly as the big hits came during a rapid-fire rally.

"It's the playoffs, bro," Fielder said. "You've got to let it all out."

Braun launched a two-run, 463-foot homer in the first inning and added a two-run double during a six-run burst in the fifth. Fielder hit a two-run homer, and the light-hitting Betancourt added a two-run homer to cap it.

The midgame turnaround came so fast that the crowd wasn't done cheering Braun's big hit when Fielder went deep.

"I don't even know if I heard the ball come off Prince's bat," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I knew it was a good swing and came off nice, but when you can't hear the ball, the sound of it, because of all the people yelling. I wasn't sure what was going to happen there until I saw the ball flight."

At least for one game, the bitter NL Central rivals avoided any onfield confrontations in their first postseason matchup since the 1982 World Series.

That's despite an already tense atmosphere that gained some steam when Brewers starter Zack Greinke let it slip Saturday that some of his teammates don't like the Cardinals' Chris Carpenter, a comment that drew a stern rebuke from St. Louis manager Tony La Russa.

Greinke hinted that he heard a few comments from the Cardinals dugout Sunday, but he said it was nothing out of the ordinary.

"They're yelling from the dugout some, but most teams do that," Greinke said. "Everyone always makes fun of me grunting when I throw a fastball. It's kind of funny sometimes, but no big deal."

The atmosphere was tense even before the first pitch, as La Russa was showered with boos during pregame introductions. He calmly tipped his cap.

La Russa said afterward that he hoped the tension wouldn't overshadow the competition, although he said he had a sense that some fans and media members would be disappointed if there aren't any repeats of the confrontations the teams have had in the recent past.

"I don't want our players and their players to be egged on, and I don't think they will," La Russa said. "We're going to play as hard and good against each other as we can."

Greinke struggled at times, but reliever Takashi Saito got Cardinals star Albert Pujols to ground into a key double play in the seventh.

"We'll come back out," Cardinals star Lance Berkman said. "The same thing happened to us in the first game against Philly. We were able to regroup."


RB Green-Ellis, defense spark Patriots this time

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady finally got plenty of help — from a running back who nobody drafted and a defense that everybody exploited.

The Patriots, in their most complete game of the season, beat the Jets 30-21 Sunday in the latest renewal of a fierce rivalry.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns, the Patriots allowed a season-low 255 and Brady, who led the league at 388 yards passing per game coming in, threw for 321.

"Obviously, our passing game has been unreal," said Green-Ellis, signed in 2008 as a rookie free agent from Mississippi, "so we want to be an offense that can be able to do whatever we want to do, run or pass, and complement our defense."

The Patriots never trailed and won their 19th straight regular-season game at home. The Jets lost their third straight.

"I never thought we'd have a three-game losing streak like this," quarterback Mark Sanchez said. "It's just frustrating."

The Patriots had allowed a league-high average of 477.5 yards. But they held Sanchez to 16 completions for 166 yards and two touchdowns one week after he threw for just 119 yards in a 34-17 loss to Baltimore.

"I think every week we've been getting better and better and better (defensively), and (Sunday) was a good day to get back on track," New England defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said.

And they did it without star linebacker Jerod Mayo, sidelined with a serious knee sprain.

In the most recent meeting, Sanchez outplayed Brady in New York's 28-21 playoff win Jan. 16. But the crowd was unusually subdued throughout the first half Sunday, perhaps because of the lackluster play that included six penalties by each team.

Brady had one TD pass and one interception as the Pats scored at least 30 for the 13th straight regular-season game, one shy of the league record held by the Rams (1999-2000).

"Obviously, they're the better team right now," said Jets coach Rex Ryan, his usual bravado missing. "Against New England, you've got to get off the field. They did a great job sustaining drives."

The Jets staged a comeback after falling behind 27-14, marching 85 yards to a 21-yard scoring pass from Sanchez to Santonio Holmes. But the Patriots came right back, holding the ball for 6:12 and scoring with 1:02 left on Stephen Gostkowski's 28-yard field goal, his third of the game.

Green-Ellis, who had 27 carries, scored his second 3-yard touchdown with 1:20 left in the third quarter, and Gostkowski added a 24-yard field goal with 12:57 to go.

"BenJarvus is a great guy to block for," Patriots guard Logan Mankins said. "He reads the play out, he finds the hole and he won't fumble."

Rain pushes back Game 2

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

ARLINGTON, Texas — Game 2 of the AL Championship Series was postponed because of rain and rescheduled for 4:19 p.m. today. The teams will lose their travel day, and the series is slated to resume with Game 3 on Tuesday in Detroit.

Game 1 Saturday night was delayed twice by rain. More rain was predicted in the area for Sunday night.

"We felt with the forecast that we had that we didn't want to experience what we did last night. … With the forecast for this evening, it appears that it's going to be a duplication of what we saw," Rangers president Nolan Ryan said Sunday. "The one thing we're concerned about is the integrity of the game and not put either team in a situation where there is a possibility the elements could affect the outcome of the game."

Saturday's rain delays were the first at Rangers Ballpark since May 24.

Rangers win opener

ARLINGTON, Texas — A few minutes past midnight, the Rangers had one more victory over Justin Verlander, and the Tigers lost another wet playoff opener started by their ace.

"If anywhere in the country has a drought, just bring me in and I'll fix that," Verlander said after the Rangers beat him 3-2 Saturday night.

Before the game was interrupted twice by rain for a total of 1 hour, 50 minutes in the top of the fifth inning, Nelson Cruz broke a postseason slump with a home run, and the defending AL champions scored all their runs off Verlander.

"He's throwing 100 miles an hour. You're just up there battling against a guy like that," outfielder David Murphy said. "We didn't have a lot of hits against him, but our at-bats were awesome. We were having five-, six-, seven-pitch at-bats."

Texas faced Verlander once during the regular season, a 2-0 win April 11. Verlander had allowed three runs in 21 career innings at Rangers Ballpark. Texas matched that total in four innings when it counted most.

"I just didn't have it. My location wasn't very good at all," said Verlander, who threw one inning and 25 pitches in the ALDS opener at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 30 when that game was suspended by rain.

ALCS: Rangers 1, Tigers 0

Game 1: Rangers 3, Tigers 2 Today, 4:19: Tigers (Scherzer, 15-9, 4.43) at Rangers (Holland, 16-5, 3.95) Tuesday, 8:05: Rangers (Lewis, 14-10, 4.40) at Tigers (Fister, 11-13, 2.83) Wednesday, 4:19: Rangers (Harrison, 14-9, 3.39) at Tigers (Porcello, 14-9, 4.75) Thursday, 4:19: Rangers (Wilson, 16-7, 2.94) at Tigers (Verlander, 24-5, 2.40) * Saturday, 8:05: Tigers (TBA) at Rangers (TBA) * Sunday, 8:05: Tigers (TBA) at Rangers (TBA) *

* If necessary; all games on Ch. 13

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers: How they scored

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Times staff
Sunday, October 9, 2011

First quarter
Scores
7-0 49ers10:264 plays, 50 yards, 2:28
Delanie Walker 26-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick) Key plays: The Niners set up at midfield after a 22-yard punt return by Ted Ginn. They picked up 18 yards on two short passes to RB Frank Gore then scored when Smith hit Walker despite triple coverage by the Bucs.
7-3 49ers3:5813 plays, 74 yards, 6:28
Connor Barth 24-yard field goal. Key plays: The Bucs got into 49ers territory for the first time thanks to a 33-yard catch-and-run by Arrelious Benn to the 49ers 47. They picked up three more first downs, mostly via short passes, then settled for Barth's field goal.


7-3

Second quarter
Scores
14-3 49ers14:46None
Carlos Rogers 31-yard interception return (David Akers kick). Key play: The Bucs dodged a bullet two plays earlier by recovering a fumble at their 10. But Rogers stepped in front of TE Kellen Winslow.
21-3 49ers7:565 plays, 57 yards, 2:35
Frank Gore 2-yard run (David Akers kick) Key plays: San Francisco started at its 43 thanks to another interception and picked up 24 yards on a pass interference call against LB Dekoda Watson.
24-3 49ers4:296 plays, 32 yards, 2:23
David Akers 37-yard field goal. Key plays: A 36-yard punt left San Francisco again starting near midfield. Frank Gore took over from there, rushing three times for 33 yards.


24-3

Third quarter
Scores
31-3 49ers9:437 plays, 80 yards, 5:17
Vernon Davis 23-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick). Key plays: Smith kept the drive alive with a 15-yard pass to Michael Crabtree on third and 14. He hit Josh Morgan for 24 yards three plays later then hit Davis for the touchdown on the next play.
34-3 49ers2:3610 plays, 57 yards, 4:26
David Akers 27-yard field goal. Key plays: Frank Gore had runs of 18 and 19 yards. His backup, Kendall Hunter, added a 14-yarder as San Francisco drove as close as the Bucs 7 before Akers kicked his second field goal of the day.


34-3

Fourth quarter
Scores
41-3 49ers14:524 plays, 36 yards, 1:15
Vernon Davis 14-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick). Key plays: After a Mike Williams fumble at the Tampa Bay 36, it appeared the Bucs had held the 49ers to a field goal. But LB Dekoda Watson was flagged for leverage — jumping on the back of other players in an effort to block the kick — giving San Francisco a first down at the Bucs 14. Smith hit a wide open Davis for the score on the next play.
48-3 49ers3:4811 plays, 90 yards, 6:09
Anthony Dixon 1-yard run (David Akers kick). Key plays: Backup RB Kendall Hunter picked up 44 yards on a sweep, and backup QB Colin Kaeper­nick connected with Josh Morgan for a 19-yard gain to the 1.


48-3

Tigers lose another outfielder to injury

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

ARLINGTON, Texas — RF Magglio Ordonez will miss the rest of the postseason because of an ankle injury, the second Tigers outfielder out of the ALCS.

Manager Jim Leyland said Sunday that Ordonez is having problems with the right ankle he broke last season, an injury that caused him to miss more than a month this summer. Leyland said Ordonez will be replaced on the ALCS roster.

Ordonez came out of Saturday's opener after the second of two rain delays in the top of the fifth inning. He drew a walk during a short resumption of play between the delays and was replaced by a pinch-runner when the game resumed for good.

"Magglio had just been talking three or four days ago about how he felt great, how he felt as good as he's felt for a long time," Leyland said. "When the trainer came in during the rain delay and told me, I was almost flabbergasted, to be honest with you."

Former Ray Delmon Young was taken off the roster Saturday because of an oblique injury.

AXFORD'S ARM: Brewers closer John Axford sported a heavily bandaged right forearm in the clubhouse after being hit by Jon Jay's liner on the final play of Sunday's 9-6 victory over the Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLCS. X-rays taken afterward were negative. "Everything is good," he said.

Axford, who wore a medical sleeve over trainer's tape, said he'll throw before tonight's game to determine if he can pitch.

PUJOLS STRUGGLING: 1B Albert Pujols failed to deliver in a big moment during the Cardinals' loss.

With St. Louis trailing by three in the seventh, Pujols grounded into a double play with runners at the corners and no outs, thwarting a rally. The three-time NL MVP has one RBI in six playoff games.

ROSTER MOVES: The Cardinals added RHPs Kyle McClellan and Lance Lynn to their NLCS roster, replacing RHP Jake Westbrook and utilityman Skip Schumaker.

As bad a loss as Tampa Bay Buccaneers have ever had

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By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, October 9, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO

It was not so much the disappointment. It was the devastation.

It was no so much the splatter. It was the spread.

It was not the time zone, and it was not the short week, and it was not the slow start. It was annihilation. It was brutal. It was lopsided. And it was miserable.

On the other hand, I am fairly certain that at any minute, that mushroom cloud over the Golden Gate Bridge will dissipate.

Won't it?

The Bucs didn't just lose to the 49ers on Sunday. They were clobbered. They were assaulted. Along the way to a 48-3 drubbing, you hope they had the common decency to be embarrassed. It was men vs. boys. It was trolley car vs. pedestrian. It was bug vs. windshield.

It was 48-3, and it was as bad as any defeat in Bucs history.

Soon, maybe somewhere around Thursday, 49ers running back Frank Gore will clean the last of the Bucs defense from the bottom of his cleats.

How do you explain this? The Bucs had won three in a row, and the defense was growing up, and the offense owned the second halves. Then the team woke up Sunday morning, and just like that, it was 2009 again, and the team spent most of the afternoon trying to block the 49ers' extra points.

"We were flat in the beginning, flat in the end and flat in the middle," summed up Bucs coach Raheem Morris.

Yes, flat. Also, flattened.

"You have to believe it was an aberration," cornerback Ronde Barber said.

You might have suspected the Bucs had outgrown a day such as this. Evidently, they have not. The 49ers, a team the Bucs beat 21-0 in Candlestick last year, had more energy, more quickness, more fierceness. Either the fired Mike Singletary was a far worse coach than anyone suggested, or new coach Jim Harbaugh is about to be the next big thing in San Francisco. Coming soon: Harbaugh-a-Roni.

How bad was it?

It was worse than Bill Walsh vs. Leeman Bennett in 1986.

It was worse than Joe Montana vs. Vinny Testaverde in 1990.

It was worse than Steve Young vs. Trent Dilfer in his first start in 1994.

It was worse than anything you have seen and worse than you might have imagined. Even with their three-game winning streak, the Bucs are still young, and they still have flaws. It was not a stretch to imagine them losing to the 49ers. But who thought they would be shoved around the field all afternoon? Who thought that even 49ers players would end up making sport of them?

"They were really frustrated," San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis said. "I mean, I felt like they gave up. That's what I saw. I was trying to tell, I think it was Barber, 'Get your guys, get your guys. Y'all got to play harder. Y'all got to play harder.' "

Definition of a bad loss? That's when the other team is urging you to step it up.

Remember how the Bucs had given up only three touchdowns in their previous 10 quarters? The 49ers scored six. Remember how they gave up 149 yards rushing in 2½ games? The 49ers trampled them for 213. Remember how Josh Freeman looked like the brightest young quarterback in the league? Not so much lately.

Freeman threw two more interceptions Sunday, and suddenly, his total after five games (six) is the same as it was over 16 games last season. He had a rating of 43.4 Sunday, which was only 73.8 points lower than 49ers immortal Alex Smith had. This loss was so bad, it made you want to retract every good thing you had ever said about the Bucs. Me, too.

For crying out loud, those were the 49ers who bullied the Bucs. This wasn't the Jets from '09 or the Steelers from last year, games where you understood the Bucs' challenge was somewhat ahead of their development. This was the 49ers, and no one has accused them of being Huns in a very long time. They hadn't beaten a team by 45 points since 1987. They hadn't had a winning record since 2002.

This? There is no logic for this.

"We didn't even get off the plane this time," Morris said.

Here's the question, though. Why didn't the Bucs get off the plane? And who is the head flight attendant in charge of unloading? And isn't San Francisco a long way to travel to take a step backward?

For the Bucs, there is a lesson here (and certainly not much else). They are too young for cruise control. They are not accomplished enough to take a week off. They cannot run on half-energy or quarter-intensity. They cannot unravel as they did.

I know. Bad losses can happen to good teams, and the only other time the Bucs were crushed by 45 points was back in 1999. That year, Tampa Bay recovered nicely enough on its way to the NFC Championship Game.

This is a younger team, however, and resiliency might be harder to come by. For the Bucs, however, there is no other choice.

Learn from the shellacking, or it will happen again. Soon.

And next time? How about leaving the plane?

Chargers 29, Broncos 24

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

Tebow rally falls short for Broncos

DENVER — Once again, fans chanted "Tebow! Tebow!" as the Broncos trudged off the field in defeat. Only this time, the fans were imploring coach John Fox to keep Tim Tebow under center after he nearly helped Denver erase a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit against San Diego.

Tebow, the former Heisman winner at Florida, ran for a touchdown and threw for another after replacing Kyle Orton to start the third quarter. A last shot at a win was denied as Tebow's final pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

"Tim Tebow sparked the team today," said Fox, whose team heads into a bye week. "(But) we haven't had a chance to watch the tape … we do need to improve offensively, and it will all be up for discussion."

"I have no idea," Tebow said. "Thankfully, I don't have to make those decisions."

While all the drama surrounded Tebow, Chargers counterpart Philip Rivers overcame two big turnovers in victory.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. San Francisco 49ers: Gimme 5

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By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, October 9, 2011

Talk of the town

Five topics suitable for inane debate on talk radio.

Just to clarify: The head coach is fond of saying that stats are for losers. For the record, so are turnovers, penalties, busted coverages and silly decisions.

Living and dying with the QB: The final score may have been embarrassing, but it's not as worrisome as Josh Freeman's turnovers. The Bucs can absolutely recover from a 48-3 loss, but they will go nowhere if Freeman continues throwing interceptions at nearly triple the rate of last season.

Here's an idea: Stop complaining to the officials. Either way, you weren't covering the spread.

Cross your fingers: He is not yet dominant, but Gerald McCoy has been getting better and better. If he's out for any length of time, the Bucs have a serious problem.

Batteries not included: You better hope Jim Harbaugh didn't just give the rest of the NFL a blueprint for attacking Tampa Bay's defense. Long before Frank Gore heated up, the 49ers found ways to match quicker receivers against linebackers Dekoda Watson and Geno Hayes, and the results were not pretty.

A list of five

Five ways to bounce back against the Saints.

5. Due to blackout, charge Saints to get in.

4. Copy Hank Williams Jr.'s stellar comeback plan.

3. Sneak into ref's locker room and steal all the yellow flags.

2. Gerald McCoy's replacement? Chris Christie.

1. Sign Darren Sproles. (Not so funny now, is it?)

Memories of five Buc blowouts

Dec. 19, 1999: Maybe it's a vineyard thing. Tampa Bay's other legendary rout was also in the other bay area when the Raiders beat the Bucs 45-0. If you're looking for a silver lining, the Bucs recovered to go 11-5 and reach the NFC Championship Game.

Nov. 17, 1991: Deion Sanders picked off Vinny Testaverde twice in this 43-7 loss at Atlanta. It had the potential for a historic beating, but backup quarterback Jeff Carlson screwed up by driving for a late touchdown.

Nov. 17, 1985: This one had a backstory. A year earlier, the Bucs purposefully let the Jets score late so they could get the ball back and James Wilder could set a rushing record. The host Jets didn't forget. They pummeled the Bucs 62-28.

Oct. 21, 1984: This was one of John McKay's final games as coach. And it was the worst home loss in franchise history. Walter Payton and the Bears won 44-9.

Oct. 2, 1983: The Bucs were losing to the host Packers 49-7 — at halftime. Green Bay eventually won 55-14. McKay called it the worst performance he'd ever seen. When a reporter tried to ask a question, McKay threatened to punch him in the mouth.

Five super picks

Checking out the best bets for Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.

1. Patriots: At least until the Bills beat them again.

2. Saints: Forget the Saints. How hard is it going to be to beat Carolina?

3. Packers: Brett Favre speaks. Packers stock goes down.

4. Lions: Last time Tigers and Lions were both playoff teams? 1935.

13. Bucs: Only franchise with two losses of 45 points or more in the past 20 seasons.

Final five words

Sometimes youngry can be yawful.


What they're saying: Reaction to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-San Francisco 49ers game

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Times staff, wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

Raheem Morris, Bucs coach, on what's next:

"We'll go back and find out what went wrong. We'll go back and try to detail them, try to get it better, go out and play. There are a lot of men that are going to be accountable tomorrow. I know my guys, and that's what they do. They're a very accountable crew. … We'll stick together. We've been here before. We had big losses last year and we bounced back and played pretty well off of them."

Josh Freeman, Bucs QB, on what's next:

"… We have to look at this film, get it out of our system and move on. We know we are a good football team. This happens every now and then. You hate to see it happen and you feel horrible about it. … Really, it was just one of those games that slowly starts to get away from you when you feel like you're going to start coming back. Just slowly gets away from you, but at the same time we are not panicking. We understand that everyone has their day, that is just an off day."

Earnest Graham, Bucs RB, on Freeman:

"It's a tough league to play in. People are watching film the whole offseason, watching game to game and starting to get an understanding of the player you are. You also expect a good player like Josh to respond, which he will."

Ronde Barber, Bucs CB, on getting blown out:

"It happens, you have to believe it is an aberration."

Jeff Faine, Bucs C, on getting blown out:

"We knew it was going to be a tough game. Definitely, we didn't foresee come in here and losing by 40 points."

Jim Harbaugh, 49ers coach, on CB Carlos Rogers' interception return:

"I thought that was huge because we had just turned the ball over on the fumble when we had knocked it down in there on a long drive and came away with no points. But then, Carlos gets that interception, that puts us right back in business."

Harbaugh, on the 49ers secondary vs. Freeman:

"We were doing some things, we were changing some things up. … I thought that our players, especially in the secondary, were just breaking on balls and fast. Fastest I've ever seen our guys break and cover and read."

Carlos Rogers, 49ers CB, on his interception:

"We were in a Cover 2 zone man under. Once I saw my man go toward the safety I just gave it a little comeback. It's something we practiced all week and we got in the right coverage and I made the pick."

Pat Yasinskas, ESPN.com NFC South blogger:

You can blame it on the long trip across the country. Or you can blame it on the short week after the Monday Night Football victory against Indianapolis. I'm not taking either route. I'm thinking the Bucs weren't as good as their record might have indicated. We'd seen some holes even when the Bucs were winning against ordinary or bad teams. The 49ers are pretty good, but it's not like Joe Montana or Steve Young is leading this team. San Francisco was able to exploit all sorts of Tampa Bay's problems on offense and defense.

Chris Burke, SI.com:

Tampa Bay has been a slow-starting team this year and the schedule this week — home last Monday, followed by a trip to the West Coast — looked like a recipe for disaster. The Bucs did nothing to disprove that theory.

Scenes from Candlestick Park: Mike Williams' sophomore slump... LeGarrette Blount, Gerald McCoy leave with injuries... Frank Gore gashes Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense

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Stephen F. Holder, Times staff writer
Sunday, October 9, 2011

McCoy leaves after injury

Bucs DT Gerald McCoy will be examined today in Tampa after suffering a possible serious left ankle injury against the 49ers. The early diagnosis was that McCoy did not suffer a broken bone but rather a badly sprained ankle.

While engaged with a defender in the first quarter, another player fell on the back of McCoy's leg. McCoy then fell while his leg was trapped under a mass of bodies.

McCoy's loss was significant and presumably played a role in 49ers RB Frank Gore breaking out with a 125-yard performance on 20 carries.

McCoy returned to the sideline on crutches and had a walking boot on his foot, but team officials did not specify the extent of his injury. An MRI exam is expected to be performed today.

If the 2010 third overall draft choice misses an extended period, "We would lose a leader. He brings a lot of energy," NT Brian Price said. "But I have a lot of faith that he'll be back. That's our guy. We're counting on him."

McCoy missed the final four games of last season with a torn biceps and was not fully recovered until late summer.

Coach Raheem Morris didn't obsess over what would be a significant loss. "Whoever's healthy will play," he said.

Another flag day

Another game, another alarming number of penalties for the Bucs.

A week after shaking off 14 penalties in a win over the Colts, the Bucs committed nine penalties for 96 yards against the 49ers, continuing a trend that is becoming difficult to overcome.

And the penalties ran the gamut, from an unsportsmanlike conduct call on coach Raheem Morris for his run-in with an official to a 14-yard penalty on LB Dekoda Watson for using an opponent for leverage in trying to block a field-goal attempt.

Many of the penalties are typical of those young teams make.

"We are young, and that's something that we have to correct," Morris said. "That's something that we have to correct, and that's something that we have to get better at, period."

Captain C Jeff Faine put it in more demonstrative terms.

"If we do the same thing and make the same mistakes we made (Sunday), next week we'll have the same result," he said. "You just can't do that in the NFL. You can't come into an environment like this where (the 49ers) are playing good football, believing in their team, believing in themselves, and continue to make the same mistakes and continue to shoot yourselves in the foot. If you do, when you play against a good team, this is going to happen every single time."

Bruising Blount suffers a blow

Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount's unspecified left leg injury sustained on a hit from 49ers S Dashon Goldson sidelined him for much of the second half.

Asked whether Blount, left, could have returned, coach Raheem Morris said, "I just listen to what my doctors tell me. I know he didn't come back. He was icing down. Healthy men have to play. That was Kregg Lumpkin and Allen Bradford when we pulled (Earnest Graham) out of there."

Graham is the next back off the bench, and he finished the third quarter before giving way to Lumpkin and Bradford.

Asked after the game about his injury, Blount declined to comment.

Bucs run down

The Bucs knew the task would be difficult. The 49ers recently gave RB Frank Gore a three-year contract extension worth $21 million because he's one of the game's finest running backs. He proved as much against the Bucs, efficiently running through the defense for 125 yards on 20 carries, averaging 6.3 yards. The Bucs' effort in tackling Gore and in taking on waves of blockers was poor. And that was compounded by Gore making savvy reads, cutting back several runs that turned into long gains. "I would say it was him making some good reads and being a really good runner, but at the same time, I think it was a combination," MLB Mason Foster said. "We really helped him out. They had a good offensive line and a good running game. And with guys like that, it's tough to stop them when they get rolling. We have to do a better job (tackling)." Gore took advantage of wide cutback lanes in the Bucs defensive front. After spending the offseason recovering from a season-ending hip fracture sustained in November, Gore averaged just 49.3 yards in the season's first three games. He has run for a combined 252 in the two games since. "I thought he was seeing things really well," first-year 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "I thought he was seeing holes. He was planting very well; he was making the shallow cuts. He had his burst back. He looked like Frank."

Small talk has drawn a big fine

After concluding an investigation that included the examination of phone records, the NFL fined the Bucs $250,000 for coach Raheem Morris' decision to contact players during the lockout, according to multiple media reports Sunday.

News of Morris' illegal contact with players surfaced Sept. 11 in a report on CBS by Charley Casserly. A team source said Morris had telephone conversations with players on seven occasions, three of them less than a minute including one with TE Kellen Winslow after the birth of his child and one between Morris and former LB Niko Koutouvides, who was a free agent and no longer with the team.

The day after reports surfaced, Morris admitted to contacting Winslow and CB Aqib Talib when Talib was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon in March.

Morris said his phone records were checked to establish whether violations had taken place. The league was explicit in warning teams and coaches they would be fined if there was contact with players during the lockout.

The Bucs had no comment.

Mike Williams'struggles continue

Bucs WR Mike Williams didn't make excuses or try to deflect blame. He said he should've made the third-quarter play on which he was leveled by 49ers S Dashon Goldson and fumbled.

"I always hold myself to a high standard," Williams said. "I'm supposed to come down with that catch. It was a hard hit, but I should've come down with it. I just didn't. I expected to."

But in the larger context, Williams hasn't gotten off to nearly as hot a start as he did last season, when he led all rookie receivers in catches and yards.

And he has had his share of arguable drops lately on passes that he seemed to come up with last season.

There was one such play Sunday, but Williams said a defender got a hand on the ball.

"It got to my hands, but he knocked it down," Williams said.

Williams, settling for short, underneath routes that seemed to be available, finished with four catches for 28 yards. "Basically I want to help my team win," he said. "If it's blocking more, catching short passes. Whatever I can do to help my team win more is what I'm going to do."

Tough day for a sub

Bucs strongside LB Dekoda Watson made his third career start in place of LB Quincy Black, and it was admittedly not pretty. Watson was partially to blame for the opening score, a 26-yard touchdown pass from 49ers QB Alex Smith to TE Delanie Walker. Later, Watson was guilty of pass interference in the end zone after allowing TE Vernon Davis to run by him. That infraction put the ball at the 1-yard line, with RB Frank Gore punching it in two plays later. Watson was the Bucs' second leading tackler, with seven stops, but he was far from happy with his performance.

"On that touchdown, all I had to do was hold my feet," Watson said. "I needed to be better with my feet so I wouldn't get crossed up. That's something I know. But something that small can cost you a big touchdown. You have to be on point in everything that you do."

Watson has proved to be effective as a situational pass rusher, but when playing for Black, he is charged with playing in coverage — not his strength. Watson said he should have located the football on the second-quarter play on which he was flagged for interference. Instead, Watson face-guarded, making contact with Davis' facemask and preventing him from having a chance to make the play.

"It's the small things that I need to improve," Watson said. "Those things are usually the difference. I have to contribute a lot more than I did this week. I'm not afraid to admit that. I'm not afraid to admit my faults. I'm a man about it. It's a team game, and I'm going to be ready to go next week."

Rodgers leads Packers to rally

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Times wires
Sunday, October 9, 2011

ATLANTA — After a sluggish start Sunday night for Aaron Rodgers and the Super Bowl champs, the result was the same.

Another win in Atlanta for the Packers.

Following up on a blowout of the Falcons in last season's playoffs, Rodgers threw for 396 yards and two touchdowns to rally the Packers from an early 14-point hole, keeping Green Bay unbeaten with a 25-14 victory.

Green Bay is 5-0 for the seventh time, and it has won the NFL title on the other six occasions, according to NBC.

The high-scoring Packers were held to two field goals in the first half by Atlanta, which was trying to make up for an embarrassing 48-21 home loss to Green Bay in January as the NFC's No. 1 seed.

The Falcons had the Georgia Dome rocking when they raced to a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter, scoring on their first two possessions. After that, the home fans had little to cheer about.

Green Bay settled for three field goals by Mason Crosby, closing to 14-9 before Rodgers got rolling. He connected with James Jones on a 70-yard touchdown to give Green Bay its first lead late in the third. Then, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Rodgers connected with Greg Jennings on a 29-yard scoring play that stretched the lead to 22-14.

Jennings turned on a burst of speed to get around the corner, then stretched out with one hand to get the ball past the pylon for the 29-yard scoring play.

Crosby clinched it with his fourth field goal, a 30-yarder with 1:10 left. Earlier he tied his own record for the longest field goal in team history, a 56-yarder.

"We just stayed patient," Rodgers said. "It's just one of those games. The rhythm wasn't there all the time, but we stayed with it."

The Falcons looked as good as they have all season with those first two drives. Then, nothing.

"The way we played the first quarter is the way we want to play football," coach Mike Smith said. "After that, it was not what we wanted. We made way too many mistakes."

Atlanta didn't crack 200 total yards until late in the game. Matt Ryan had another tough night against the Packers, throwing for just 167 yards with two interceptions after turning it over three times in that playoff debacle.

With a makeshift line — Green Bay missed one starting tackle and lost another, Chad Clifton, to an injury in the first half — Rodgers was sacked four times.

Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg clarifies comments in letter to season-ticket holders

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, October 10, 2011

Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg clarified in a letter e-mailed to season-ticket holders that his recent comments about the "precarious" future of the franchise were not a complaint nor meant to sound ungrateful about the support they do have, but the reality of their situation. Also, he provided assurance that their organization remains committed to finding a solution to the region-wide issue.

"It would be easy to assure you and all Rays fans that everything will be fine, but that would be disingenuous,'' Sternberg wrote. "It has been a thrilling past six years for the Rays. We have experienced success on the field that most everyone believed to be impossible. This success has exposed questions from which neither the Rays nor the Tampa Bay region can hide. I assure you that our organization is committed to doing all that we can to find solutions.''

Here is the full text of the letter:

Thank you for being such a big part of a wonderfully improbable season!

I know you share my pride in our ballclub's successes over the past six seasons. We are one of three teams to reach the Postseason three out of the past four years. To do it from the AL East, while winning the East twice, makes it all the sweeter.

Rays fans support the team in many ways. Perhaps they attend a few games each year, coordinate a group outing, or watch or listen from a distance. I am grateful for each and every Rays fan.

But it is our season ticket holders who have been and continue to be our foundation. Without your loyal support, we could not begin to do what we do. I can't emphasize enough how much I appreciate the time and hard-earned money you invest in the Rays. You are the ones who support the team through thick and thin. You spread word throughout our community about the great experiences you have at Tropicana Field, as well as your memories and friendships that are connected to Rays baseball.

We all care deeply about the organization. We want it to succeed. We want it to be a fixture in Tampa Bay. We want the seats filled, the atmosphere charged, and the play on the field to be of high quality. Each Spring, we want to look forward to the bright prospects of a new season.

As in the past, I will continue to communicate with you honestly and with candor.

I became the principal owner of the Rays in 2005 because I believed that Major League Baseball could thrive in Tampa Bay. The transformation of the franchise has been breathtaking: a rebranding of the team to become the Rays, significant investments in Tropicana Field, top notch fan experience and customer service, and, of course, development of an acclaimed baseball operations department.

Just as when this organization was "under construction" back in 2005, we continue to face major challenges. At that time, I said that there were no quick, easy fixes. I asked for patience as we built the Rays from a team that had never experienced success into what it is today.

Recently, I have acknowledged that the future of the Rays and Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay is precarious. I have expressed concern about the long-term health and vitality of our franchise. When asked by the press, I did not shy away from answering questions about attendance and our future. For the sake of our franchise, we cannot ignore these questions. Doing so would be a disservice to the organization, its employees and all of its loyal supporters.

Please do not take my remarks as a complaint -- they were not intended to be. I was not pointing fingers. I was not blaming anyone. I do not mean to sound ungrateful to our fans for their support, and I certainly will not tell anyone how to spend his or her money. I was simply being forthright about a reality that must be faced. It would be easy to assure you and all Rays fans that everything will be fine, but that would be disingenuous.

It has been a thrilling past six years for the Rays. We have experienced success on the field that most everyone believed to be impossible. This success has exposed questions from which neither the Rays nor the Tampa Bay region can hide. I assure you that our organization is committed to doing all that we can to find solutions.

I am proud to be the principal owner of the Rays, and I am truly grateful for your support, dedication and passion. Thank you for being a season ticket holder. Your support does not go unnoticed by any of us within the organization.

I look forward to seeing you on Opening Day 2012 for the next edition of our Rays.

Sincerely,

Stuart Sternberg

Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg writes e-mail to season ticket holders

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, October 10, 2011

Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg clarified in a letter e-mailed to season-ticket holders that his recent comments about the "precarious" future of the franchise were not a complaint nor meant to sound ungrateful about the support they do have, but the reality of their situation. Also, he provided assurance that the organization remains committed to finding a solution to the region-wide issue.

"It would be easy to assure you and all Rays fans that everything will be fine, but that would be disingenuous,'' Sternberg wrote. "It has been a thrilling past six years for the Rays. We have experienced success on the field that most everyone believed to be impossible. This success has exposed questions from which neither the Rays nor the Tampa Bay region can hide. I assure you that our organization is committed to doing all that we can to find solutions.''

Here is the full text of the letter:

Thank you for being such a big part of a wonderfully improbable season!

I know you share my pride in our ballclub's successes over the past six seasons. We are one of three teams to reach the Postseason three out of the past four years. To do it from the AL East, while winning the East twice, makes it all the sweeter.

Rays fans support the team in many ways. Perhaps they attend a few games each year, coordinate a group outing, or watch or listen from a distance. I am grateful for each and every Rays fan.

But it is our season ticket holders who have been and continue to be our foundation. Without your loyal support, we could not begin to do what we do. I can't emphasize enough how much I appreciate the time and hard-earned money you invest in the Rays. You are the ones who support the team through thick and thin. You spread word throughout our community about the great experiences you have at Tropicana Field, as well as your memories and friendships that are connected to Rays baseball.

We all care deeply about the organization. We want it to succeed. We want it to be a fixture in Tampa Bay. We want the seats filled, the atmosphere charged, and the play on the field to be of high quality. Each Spring, we want to look forward to the bright prospects of a new season.

As in the past, I will continue to communicate with you honestly and with candor.

I became the principal owner of the Rays in 2005 because I believed that Major League Baseball could thrive in Tampa Bay. The transformation of the franchise has been breathtaking: a rebranding of the team to become the Rays, significant investments in Tropicana Field, top notch fan experience and customer service, and, of course, development of an acclaimed baseball operations department.

Just as when this organization was "under construction" back in 2005, we continue to face major challenges. At that time, I said that there were no quick, easy fixes. I asked for patience as we built the Rays from a team that had never experienced success into what it is today.

Recently, I have acknowledged that the future of the Rays and Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay is precarious. I have expressed concern about the long-term health and vitality of our franchise. When asked by the press, I did not shy away from answering questions about attendance and our future. For the sake of our franchise, we cannot ignore these questions. Doing so would be a disservice to the organization, its employees and all of its loyal supporters.

Please do not take my remarks as a complaint -- they were not intended to be. I was not pointing fingers. I was not blaming anyone. I do not mean to sound ungrateful to our fans for their support, and I certainly will not tell anyone how to spend his or her money. I was simply being forthright about a reality that must be faced. It would be easy to assure you and all Rays fans that everything will be fine, but that would be disingenuous.

It has been a thrilling past six years for the Rays. We have experienced success on the field that most everyone believed to be impossible. This success has exposed questions from which neither the Rays nor the Tampa Bay region can hide. I assure you that our organization is committed to doing all that we can to find solutions.

I am proud to be the principal owner of the Rays, and I am truly grateful for your support, dedication and passion. Thank you for being a season ticket holder. Your support does not go unnoticed by any of us within the organization.

I look forward to seeing you on Opening Day 2012 for the next edition of our Rays.

Sincerely,

Stuart Sternberg

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