Parise on His Contract Status, His Knee and Batting Practice

Zach Parise was named captain of the Devils on Wednesday; that was the easy part. In this interview, Parise discusses his comeback this season after surgery for a torn meniscus in his knee and his approach to handling questions about being in the final year of his contract.

Before training camp a year ago, you and your pal Kyle Okposo took batting practice with your hometown baseball team, the Minnesota Twins? Did the knee injury from last season make you take a pass on BP this year?

Nah. My health is good. It had more to do with our Twins’ having a rough season. As pro athletes, we figured it wouldn’t be right for us to be out there having a blast on the ballfield when the Twins were going through some bad times. Hopefully next year they’ll be back on top and we can have some fun again. That was a real thrill for me.

So let’s talk about the knee. Would you say you’re 100 percent going into the opener against the Flyers on Saturday?

No question in my mind. It feels good. More importantly, it’s out of my head. I worked hard to get it to this point and got great treatment and advice from the trainers and medical staff. With each exhibition game, I felt more confident and like I had added energy. I’m ready to go and can’t wait for the games to start for real.

You were around the team for most of last season while you were injured, but it can’t be the same emotionally as being in the lineup and contributing.

You really miss the little things. Like you said, I was around, but it’s so different when you’re not throwing on the jersey before warmups. You miss all the little things about being on the road with your friends and trying to be better than the other team. I’d always heard athletes say this, but now I know the feeling. When you’re away from the game for just about the entire season, you appreciate your team and everything you have even more.

You came back to play one game late in the season, which I admit surprised me. In hindsight, was it the right thing to do?

Absolutely. No one has any regrets with how we handled it. The one game I came back for, that’s when we were fighting for our playoff lives. I told everyone then that I was good enough to play. We ended up losing the game and were eliminated from getting a playoff berth, so we all got together and decided the smart thing to do was to shut me down. I’m glad I gave it my best shot, and shutting down for the last few games of the year gave me a jump-start on my off-season training. It was not a fun process, but every step of the way I feel we did the right thing.

It’s one thing to be asked every few weeks by the New Jersey and New York beat writers you deal with on almost a daily basis. But I’m wondering if you have an answer about your contract status prepared when you visit the hockey-mad cities like Toronto and Montreal during the season. You have to know you’ll be surrounded at the morning skates.

[Laughs] That’s a good point. I haven’t prepared anything, no. I guess I’ll just tell them what I tell everyone else: “I’m not worried about it, I’d like to stay and I’m sure something will get worked out, but my focus is on our team and this season.” That’ll have to do.

Giants ace Tim Lincecum slapped with lawsuit

Is San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum a rowdy house guest?

Well, that's what his former landlord is claiming in a lawsuit against Lincecum, saying the two-time Cy Young award winner stole and destroyed items in a San Francisco appartment he rented.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in San Francisco Superior Court by Mindy Freile, is seeking $350,000 in damages. The lawsuit alleges Lincecum returned to his apartment after the lease expired and "broke, stained, defaced, tore, injured or destroyed" the property. It also claims Lincecum failed to pay rent on time and destroyed personal items belonging to the landlord.

A Giants spokeswoman told the Associated Press the team had no comment.

ALSO:

Former All-Star Robin Ventura named White Sox manager

Dodgers' argument fails to move bankruptcy judge

-- Austin Knoblauch

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: San Francisco starter Tim Lincecum sits in the dugout during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 24. Credit: Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press

 

UFC 136: Frankie Edgar – Gray Maynard threw the kitchen sink at me and could not put me away – he fears that

Frankie Edgar spoke to Telegraph Sport ahead of his defence of the UFC lightweight title against Gray Maynard in Houston, Texas, on Saturday night, the headline event at UFC 136.

Frankie, how does it feel facing Gray Maynard for a third time and twice in a title fight?

It’s quite strange. We’ve been in there so many rounds with each other we now know each other’s moves pretty well. But I still have to prepare in the same environment but a different camp, a different style and, strangely, they know a bit more about you and you know more about them. It equals things out but the bottom line is that a training camp is still the same thing and you push yourself to the limit.

Maynard almost had you knocked out in the first round in the last fight, have you watched the fight back?

Yes, I wasn’t aware in that first round. I was in survival mode…I don’t remember much of it but I was proud of the way I was able to bounce back. You don’t want to have too many of those rounds in your career. I looked at the tape and I studied what I did wrong in that first round and what he did well and I will try to negate it this time.

What did the corner do between rounds to get you back and focused?

There was no voodoo (laughs). They made sure they caught my eye and made sure I was listening to them and then calmed me down to get me through it.

In those moments, as in the first round, pretty much you don’t remember very much at all and you don’t really remember much of it afterwards.

Will this mean a change of strategy this time, a game of chess between you and Maynard?

Yes, I definitely think it will be more strategic given that we have been there so often against each other but the baseline for me is that I’ve got to sort all my skills. The best things I can do in a fight. I don’t know what plan he’s going to come in with. So the best way for me to prepare is to have the me in every facet of the game. If I can do that, I’ve prepared properly.

The second time you defeated BJ Penn defending the lightweight title, you were more dominant over him. What do you put that down to?

More than strategy it was my confidence going into that fight. The first time against BJ – you are in there against this great champion who has this presence. There is an aura there. Once I knew I could beat him, the second time I faced him I felt that I had a presence. That last fight with Gray, to get through it and show my toughness has only helped my confidence that much more.

Aren’t you talking about the heart and mentality of a champion?

Absolutely. Sometimes champions just wipe through everybody but don’t get to show it [their toughness and resilience]. I got to show it. In that way I was very fortunate.

If you beat Gray Maynard this time would you consider doing what Randy Couture and BJ have done and go for holding two belts in different weight divisions? Does that interest you?

It’s intriguing to me. As a competitor who doesn’t want to test themselves in every which way possible. To go up to 170lbs might be a bit tough. I’m already a small 155lbs fighter so 145 is definitely an option for me. I’d like to play it out against all the best 155 fighters first and see how that goes but you know if the UFC approached me, I’d be into it [against Jose Aldo].

Can you make the weight easily at 145?

I wrestled at 141 in college five or six years ago and I’m not bigger than I was then so I don’t think it would be a problem for me.

A fight between yourself and Aldo [or Kenny Florian] is one the fans would be fascinated by especially as you and Aldo are highly ranked in the pound-for-pound list. What do you think?

Look, obviously I cannot look past Gray Maynard because if you take your eyes off your next opponent you can lose the belt that quickly.

Why is Gray Maynard talking a bigger fight this time?



He was this close [puts thumb and forefinger an inch apart] to being a champion the last time we fought so he really needs to talk himself into it this time. He didn’t get there – I didn’t let him. I was about as close as I could be to being put away. He threw everything and the kitchen sink at me, and he didn’t put me away. I don’t know if that scares him or what, but that’s why he is pumping himself up.

Has life changed a lot for you since becoming the lightweight champion? Are you still working with your father in his plumbing firm?

You know – I don’t anymore. I’m so busy with my MMA career, and I don’t plan to go back up on the roofs or under sinks plumbing. I plan to do something in the fight world for the rest of my working life. My life hasn’t really changed a lot in the last 18 months, I hang out with the same kids I hung out with at high school and when I’m not fighting or in training camp I’m at home where I have two young sons.

Finally, Frankie, would you be pushing to be on the card when MMA is finally sanctioned in New York for an event at Madison Square Garden?

Of course that would be massive for me. I grew up in New Jersey and I’ve been going to the city all my life. I train in the city two to three times a week and New York City is like a second home to me. Madison Square Garden is known as one of the world’s most famous arenas for fights and has all that mystique going right back to the likes of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fighting there. It would be an amazing experience to be involved in such an event.

Chicago White Sox hire former Dodger Robin Ventura as manager

The Chicago White Sox have hired Robin Ventura as their manager, the club announced Thursday.

Ventura, a two-time All-Star, was a third baseman and first baseman for the White Sox (1989–98), New York Mets (1999–2001), New York Yankees (2002–03) and the Dodgers (2003–04).

He is the 17th former White Sox player who has become team manager.

Ventura was hired by the White Sox in June as a special advisor to director of player development Buddy Bell. The White Sox said that Ventura agreed to a multiyear deal as manager.

Ventura will replace Ozzie Guillen, who resigned last week after eight seasons with the team. Guillen was immediately snatched up by the Florida Marlins as their manager.

MORE:

Matt Kemp: Bill Plaschke, T.J. Simers discuss paying the price

Before Dodgers' off-season plans unfold, first domino must fall

--Melissa Rohlin

Photo: Robin Ventura. Credit: Doug Benc / Getty Images

Steve Jobs used Wayne Gretzky as inspiration

Technological icon Steve Jobs, who passed away Wednesday after a long battle with cancer, always seemed to be one step ahead of the competition when it came to developing innovative concepts.

He gave a glimpse into the concept he believed in at the end of the Macworld Conference and Expo in January 2007 by quoting hockey legend Wayne Gretzky:

"There's an old Wayne Gretzky quote that I love. 'I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.' And we've always tried to do that at Apple. Since the very very beginning. And we always will."

Jobs changed the world in which we lived. Our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones.

RELATED:

Memorial grows at Apple headquarters

Jobs' genius paid off for Apple stockholders

Steve Jobs' family building memorial website

--Houston Mitchell

Photo: Wayne Gretzky with the Kings. Credit: Associated Press.

 

Tiger Woods is one-over after front nine at Frys.com Open

 

A confident Tiger Woods insisted that he planned on winning the Frys.com Open this week, but after the front nine of the first round, he might aim a little lower – like beating the other two golfers in his threesome.

Woods followed an opening birdie with some forgettable golf, hitting too many wayward drives and not enough accurate putts to stand at one-over at CordeValle in San Martin, Ca.

His playing partner, UCLA sophomore Patrick Cantlay, looked far more assured, sinking a birdie putt on the ninth hole to reach three-under. Louis Oosthuizen made the turn at par.

A trio of golfers held the lead at four-under on a blustery day of alternating sunshine and rain.

RELATED

Tiger Woods says a fast start is possible

 

--David Wharton, reporting from San Martin, Calif.

Photo: Tiger Woods on the second hole Thursday. Credit: Robert Galbraith / Reuters.

 

 

 

Hank Williams Jr. fired by ESPN

A country boy can survive.

But not in this case.

ESPN has pulled the plug on the longtime "Monday Night Football" theme song after singer Hank Williams Jr. used an analogy that included Adolf Hitler and President Obama to make a political point on Fox News. 

No longer will "All My Rowdy Friends" be used as the introduction to the game.

"We have decided to part ways with Hank Williams Jr.," ESPN said Thursday in a statement. "We appreciate his contributions over the past years. The success of 'Monday Night Football' has always been about the games and that will continue."

The incident in question happened Monday on "Fox & Friends" when Williams said of Obama's golf outing with House Speaker John Boehner: "It'd be like Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu," referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Williams then referred to Obama and Vice President Joe Biden as "the enemy."

Immediately after the comments, ESPN declined to use the song for Monday's game between Indianapolis and Tampa Bay.

On his website, Williams said he quit ESPN, not the other way around.

"After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision," he wrote. "By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It's been a great run."

MORE:

Is the Silver and Black back?

NFL coaches shy away from trick plays

Rose Bowl keeps on improving while other stadiums decline

  -- Sam Farmer

Photo: Hank Williams Jr. Credit: John Raoux / Associated Press.

Parise On His Contract Status, His Knee– and Batting Practice

Zach Parise was named captain of the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday; that was the easy part. In this one-one-one interview, Parise discusses his comeback this season after surgery for a torn meniscus in his knee and his approach to handling questions about being in the final year of his contract.

Before training camp a year ago, you and your pal Kyle Okposo took batting practice with your hometown baseball team, the Minnesota Twins? Did the knee injury from last season make you take a pass on BP this year?

Nah. My health is good. It had more to do with our Twins’ having a rough season. As pro athletes, we figured it wouldn’t be right for us to be out there having a blast on the ballfield when the Twins were going through some bad times. Hopefully next year they’ll be back on top and we can have some fun again. That was a real thrill for me.

So let’s talk about the knee. Would you say you’re 100 per cent going into the opener against the Flyers on Saturday?

No question in my mind. It feels good. More importantly, it’s out of my head. I worked hard to get it to this point and got great treatment and advice from the trainers and medical staff. With each exhibition game, I felt more confident and like I had added energy. I’m ready to go and can’t wait for the games to start for real.

You were around the team for most of last season while you were injured, but it can’t be the same emotionally as being in the lineup and contributing.

You really miss the little things. Like you said, I was around, but it’s so different when you’re not throwing on the jersey before warmups. You miss all the little things about being on the road with your friends and trying to be better than the other team. I’d always heard athletes say this, but now I know the feeling. When you’re away from the game for just about the entire season, you appreciate your team and everything you have even more.

You came back to play one game late in the season, which I admit surprised me. In hindsight, was it the right thing to do?

Absolutely. No one has any regrets with how we handled it. The one game I came back for, that’s when we were fighting for our playoff lives. I told everyone then that I was good enough to play. We ended up losing the game and were eliminated from getting a playoff berth, so we all got together and decided the smart thing to do was to shut me down. I’m glad I gave it my best shot, and shutting down for the last few games of the year gave me a jump-start on my offseason training. It was not a fun process, but every step of the way I feel we did the right thing.

It’s one thing to be asked every few weeks by the New Jersey and New York beat writers you deal with on almost a daily basis. But I’m wondering if you have an answer about your contract status prepared when you visit the hockey-mad cities like Toronto and Montreal during the season. You have to know you’ll be surrounded at the morning skates.

[Laughs] That’s a good point. I haven’t prepared anything, no. I guess I’ll just tell them what I tell everyone else: “I’m not worried about it, I’d like to stay and I’m sure something will get worked out, but my focus is on our team and this season.” That’ll have to do.

Who should replace Hank Williams Jr. in the opening of "Monday Night Football" [poll]

Hank Williams Jr. is out, but who will replace him?

We have come up with a list of possible replacements, some realistic, others not so much.

Vote now to let us know who you would pick, or leave a comment if you have another suggestion.

 

UCLA football: Chris Foster discusses how Bruins can still reach a bowl game [video]

Chris Foster discusses how UCLA can still salvage a trip to a bowl game this season:

 

 

Week 5 in Fantasy Football: Favorable and Unfavorable Matchups

Jason and Justin Sablich are here to help you with your fantasy football team. The Sablich brothers will provide fantasy football advice throughout the season on this blog and on Twitter (@5thDownFantasy).

If you submit one of the 50 most accurate responses this week, you can win a prize from FantasyPros.com.

Will the “ground and pound” return this week? Jets Coach Rex Ryan said it would, and after watching the train wreck that was Mark Sanchez and the passing game Sunday night, the Jets might not have much of a choice. This will hopefully ease the growing concerns of the increasingly impatient Shonn Greene owners (us included). He is among our favorable matchup picks for Week 5.

Do you have a “start or sit” question? We are taking questions on Twitter. Follow us at @5thDownFantasy. Also, check out our complete rankings for Week 5.

Favorable/Unfavorable Quarterback Matchups

Favorable

Matt Ryan (ATL) vs. Green Bay – Ryan has delivered at least 20 fantasy points for three consecutive weeks now, despite the lackluster play from his offensive line and the WR1 option Roddy White (league-high six dropped passes). No team is more generous to quarterbacks than the Green Bay Packers, who most recently allowed a struggling Kyle Orton to throw for 273 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Donovan McNabb (MIN) vs. Arizona – It’s not easy recommending a guy who has played as poorly as he has played this season, but those of you who start two quarterbacks or are dealing with a bye week might want to consider him with the visiting Cardinals allowing 24 points a week to the position.

Josh Freeman (TB) vs. San Francisco – Freeman scored his second consecutive rushing touchdown in two games Monday night in what was his best fantasy outing of the season. The 49ers rank as the 10th best matchup for quarterbacks (24 FPPG) and have allowed the third most rushing yards to the position.

Unfavorable

Jay Cutler (CHI) vs. Detroit – Cutler’s embarrassing 5-point fantasy clunker against the Panthers last week has got to make you hesitant about starting him against the Lions and their impressive defensive front. There’s potential to wreak total havoc on Cutler this week against that porous offensive line.

Matt Schaub (HOU) vs. Oakland – The Texans leaned on Arian Foster for most of last week after Andre Johnson went down. Expect a lot more of the same this week under almost identical circumstances.

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) vs. Tennessee – The way his banged-up line has been protecting him lately, it was only a matter of time before Big Ben started showing up on the injury reports. While he is expected to play, you might want to explore better options if you can since his meeting with the Titans isn’t projected to be a friendly one.

Favorable/Unfavorable Running Back Matchups

Favorable

Fred Jackson (BUF) vs. Philadelphia – A hobbled Frank Gore was the latest running back to gash the Eagles’ feeble run defense, which is now third worst with 139 rushing yards allowed per game. Jackson should have a field day.

Chris Johnson (TEN) vs. Pittsburgh – Last year’s top-ranked run defense hasn’t shown up yet this season, allowing two games of at least 150 rushing yards over the first four weeks. They will also be losing the 2008 N.F.L. defensive player of the year, James Harrison, for a number of weeks because of a fractured orbital bone. Johnson has had his fair share of struggles as well, but he did notch his first 100-yard game last week. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for owners who don’t play in any of our leagues.

Dexter McCluster (KC) vs. Indianapolis – McCluster gets his first real ”plus” matchup this week as the Colts have allowed the eighth most fantasy points to the position, but his season-low 38 total yards and touches (9) against the Vikings in Week 4 keep you from getting too excited. Nonetheless, he is a decent bye-week replacement if you’re hurting to fill active slots in your starting lineup.

Shonn Greene (NYJ) vs. New England – The Patriots are allowing 4.8 yards a carry, and that number could rise with linebacker Jared Mayo out indefinitely. Also consider LaDainian Tomlinson a flex option if you’re bye-week desperate, as he may be called on for more touches, especially if Greene continues to struggle.

Unfavorable

LeGarrette Blount (TB) vs. San Francisco — The 49ers can’t stop the pass but they have completely stifled running backs through the first four weeks. No one has rushed for more than the 64 yards Cedric Benson posted in Week 3 and they are the only remaining team that hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown.

Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX) vs. Cincinnati – After limiting one of the N.F.L’s best offenses last week to 13 points, you have to start taking this defense seriously. Allowing a league-low 3.1 yards a carry and 86 yards a game on average, Jones-Drew has a tough one ahead of him.

Rashard Mendenhall/Isaac Redman (PIT) vs. Tennessee – Whoever gets the start for Pittsburgh this week will have his work cut out for him, considering the Titans have allowed just 3.2 yards a carry and 1 rushing TD on the season.

Willis McGahee (DEN) vs. San Diego – Last week’s surprising performance against the then No. 1 ranked rushing defense (Packers) was great for the 5 percent of owners who actually started him. He still carries considerable risk, with Coach John Fox taking the ”hot hand” approach, and the risk will increase the healthier Knoshown Moreno gets. All of that aside, the Chargers are pretty good at stopping the run, as no back has hit the century mark on them so far this season, including Adrian Peterson.

Favorable/Unfavorable Wide Receiver Matchups

Favorable

Jordy Nelson (GB) vs. Atlanta – Any team that allows Tavarias Jackson to look like Joe Montana (career-high 319 passing yards, 3 TDs) is going to find themselves on the favorable side for somebody the following week. Reaching the end zone in three of his first four games, Nelson is clearly Rodgers’s number two wideout regardless of what the depth charts say. He’s an elite WR2 fantasy option as well this week.

Julio Jones (ATL) vs. Green Bay – While Jones has yet to drop a pass this season, unlike his gifted counterpart (White), he has yet to find the end zone. That could change this week, keeping in mind that the Packers gave up two touchdowns to Denver’s No. 2 option Eric Decker last weekend.

Dwayne Bowe (KC) vs. Indianapolis – So far, so good, for owners who took a chance on Bowe despite all the talk that he was in for a major downgrade this season. He’s averaging 10 fantasy points a game, just 2 points lower than he did last year. The Colts have not defended the pass well of late, allowing 22 points a week to receivers on average.

Mike Williams (TB) vs. San Francisco – Williams posted his highest yardage totals of the season (66) Monday night and has a chance to build off that against a really bad 49ers secondary that has allowed almost 30 fantasy points a game to receivers through four weeks. He’s still just a WR3 start, however, considering how effective teams have been able to contain him with double coverage this year.

Unfavorable

Mike Wallace (PIT) vs. Tennessee – Wallace has a banged-up quarterback, running back and terrible offensive line play to deal with, not to mention the Titans’ stout passing defense, which has yet to allow a receiver to post more than 57 yards in a game (third worst matchup).

A.J. Green (CIN) vs. Jacksonville
 – Outside of Kenny Britt’s huge 136-yard, 2-TD day in Week 1, this unit has been tough on opposing receivers, limiting Santonio Holmes, Steve Smith (South) and Lance Moore to a mere 35-yard average over the last three weeks.

Nate Washington (TEN) vs. Pittsburgh
 – He was contained by Joe Haden, as we expected him to be, last week, and his 57-yard reception came on a play the shutdown corner was sitting out on. Things don’t get any easier this week against the top-ranked pass defense in the N.F.L. (9.9 FPPG, worst WR matchup)

.

Deion Branch (NE) vs. Jets
 – New England’s Wes Welker had successful games against this secondary last season (11.5 average in 2 games) and is way too hot to bench, but a guy like Branch, who has just four targets over the last two weeks, is certainly fair game.

Favorable/Unfavorable Tight End Matchups

Favorable

Owen Daniels (HOU) vs. OAK – The Raiders did an outstanding job shutting down Rob Gronkowski last week, but with Andre Johnson out, who else is Matt Schaub going to throw to?

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) vs. Chicago – Having the second most targets next to Calvin Johnson for two straight weeks now, Pettigrew is emerging as Stafford’s No. 2 option at Nate Burleson’s expense. He’ll get the best matchup a tight end can have so far this season on Monday night (14 FPPG).

Unfavorable

Jimmy Graham (NO) vs. Carolina
 – You can’t bench him, but he might be in for a more average statistical line this week since the Panthers have played pretty well against the position, tied for the lowest amount of receptions allowed (11). They held Jermichael Finley in check in Week 2 (5/68/0 TDs), and with Marques Colston fully healthy, his targets will most likely take a hit.

Favorable/Unfavorable Defense/Special Teams Matchups

Favorable

Detroit vs. Chicago, Giants vs. Seattle, Tennessee vs. Pittsburgh, San Diego vs. Denver, Cincinnati vs. Jacksonville

Unfavorable

Atlanta vs. Green Bay, Buffalo vs. Philadelphia, Chicago vs. Detroit, Green Bay vs. Atlanta

Do you have a “start or sit” question? We are taking questions on Twitter. Follow us at @5thDownFantasy.

Tailgating Recipes: Buffalo Chicken Wraps

When The Quad, the Times’s college sports blog, put out a call for readers’ recipes for tailgating parties, we honestly didn’t expect much healthy eating. Of course, we’ve been surprised by some of the submissions. What should not have surprised us was that a recipe from a Southern city had an eye on calorie counting. We wouldn’t expect that from Chicago, Green Bay or New York, where fans are pretty well bundled up for most of the season. This week’s recipe is Buffalo chicken lettuce wraps, the spicy wing dish with a few of the calories lopped off. It’s not too late to submit your own recipe for barbecue or chowder, or whatever makes your pregame feast tasty.

Matt Kemp: Bill Plaschke, T.J. Simers discuss paying the price

Matt Kemp finished the season with 39 home runs, 126 runs batted in and a very strong bid for the National League MVP.

After next season, he's up for free agency.

In a recent column, Bill Plaschke argued that the Dodgers must make Kemp the highest-paid player in franchise history in the next six months or he could jump ship. T.J. Simers called him the "Dodgers great hope ... for better days ahead."

But can a bankrupt team afford to pay the price for Kemp? And even if they can, should they make a roster change considering that the Dodgers were barely a .500 team (82-79) that missed postseason play?

Simers and Plaschke discuss the topic in their new video series, L.A. Loud, moderated by Times sports reporter Melissa Rohlin.

MORE:

Plaschke-Simers video: Should Kobe Bryant play overseas?

Plaschke-Simers video: Are the Chargers the best NFL team for L.A.?

Plaschke-Simers video: Should Clayton Kershaw win the Cy Young award?

-- Melissa Rohlin

Big 12 authorizes move to invite Texas Christian

Wait a minute ... wasn't Texas Christian heading to the Big East?

Yes, but that was yesterday. A lot can change in the rapid-fire world of college football. The Big 12 Conference, seemingly on the brink of extinction only days ago, announced Thursday morning that it had authorized its board of directors to begin negotiations to make TCU its 10th member.

"The action of the board was without dissent," the Big 12 said in a statement. "On the advice of legal counsel The University of Missouri did not participate in the vote."

This really is an Abbott and Costello routine. Missouri did not vote because it is mulling a decision to join the Southeastern Conference. Texas Christian, which plays in the Mountain West Conference, agreed last year to join the Big East Conference in 2012.

But nothing lasts forever in the breakneck world of college football realignment. Sometimes, things never get started.

The TCU move, if approved, is a boon to the Big 12 and a blow to the Big East, which has already lost Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the Atlantic Coast Conference and now must scramble to stay solvent.

"We’re proud that TCU has been invited to join the Big 12," Texas Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds said in a statement. "Their commitment to academics and success on the field make them an excellent fit. With a solid budget and strong financial support, they have been proactive at improving facilities. Their close proximity to all conference institutions makes for a comfortable travel situation."

The Big 12, which lost Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac 12), will technically be back to 10 teams if TCU joins and Missouri stays.

If Missouri ends up becoming the SEC's 14th member, the Big 12 will need to add another team and might possibly add three more. The Big East will be down to six football-playing schools and will need to restock quickly to remain in the BCS rotation.

Ironically, the Big East may have to invite Temple back into the fold. The Owls were kicked out of the Big East after the 2004 season because of their lack of success in football. Temple is currently a member of the Mid-American Conference.

-- Chris Dufresne

chris.dufresne@latimes.com

Week 5 N.F.L. Game Probabilities, Including Jets-Patriots

This Sunday features an A.F.C. East showdown when the Jets travel to Foxborough to take on the Patriots. I looked at my write-up for this same matchup from Week 13 last season, and much of what I wrote a year ago could be cut and pasted for this week, complete with the unstoppable force-immovable object cliché.

Again, New England leads the league in offense, and not just by a little. The Patriots top the league with 9.0 net Yards per Attempt (YPA). In their historic 2007 season, they averaged 7.8 net YPA. It’s likely that  they’ll regress toward the league mean over the remaining 12 games of the regular season, but 9.0 net YPA is a very high perch from which to regress.

The Jets’ defense is No. 1 according to my efficiency model, with near-league-leading efficiencies in pass defense, run defense and defensive interceptions. It’s going to be fun watching the matchup when the Patriots have the ball.

The other half of the game will feature a mediocre Jets offense against a league-worst Patriots defense. At 8.6 net YPA allowed, New England’s pass defense is almost as dreadful as their pass offense numbers are amazing. So despite Rex Ryan’s re-commitment to his ground-and-pound strategy, it’s probably best for the Jets to take to the air at New England. Center Nick Mangold is expected to return to the lineup, and the Patriots haven’t been able to effectively pressure quarterbacks. We might finally see what the tandem of Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes can do given the chance.

Unfortunately for Jets fans, the Patriots are going to be favored in this one because of  a couple of factors. First and most obvious is home-field advantage. And the second factor is that great offenses tend to be greater than great defenses. The distribution of offensive performance is significantly wider than that of defenses. In other words, defenses tend to be bunched nearer the league average. Offenses tend to drive game outcomes more than defenses.

I believe this phenomenon is due to the pre-eminent importance of the quarterback. You may have noticed that in solo sports, players can regularly dominate the field. In sports like golf and tennis, greats like Tiger Woods or Roger Federer are favored against a field of dozens throughout a majority of their careers. In a sport like basketball, where there are relatively few players, one competitor with outlier skills like Michael Jordan can still rule an entire league. But when team talent levels are averaged out over 11 players on the field, their distribution is naturally going to be bunched tighter.

Defensive team talent levels are like that. More or less, all 11 guys are equally important. In contrast, the offense places unique burdens on the quarterback. From reading defenses, to audibles, to in-play decisions, to actually throwing the ball, the quarterback carries far more than one-eleventh of the  responsibility for his team’s success. In this way, offenses are a hybrid of the solo type of sports and a large team sport, which is why we see teams like Peyton Manning’s Colts (until this season) and Tom Brady’s Patriots dominate the conference for nearly a decade.

With that, here are the game probabilities for Week 5:

Brian Burke, a former Navy pilot who has taken up the less dangerous hobby of N.F.L. statistical analysis, operates Advanced NFL Stats, a blog about football, math and human behavior.

The Jets and Jones-Drew

With the N.F.L.’s trade deadline approaching (Oct. 18) and the Jets in need of a jolt, should they be among the teams looking to buy? If so, Jacksonville could be a place to look.

Did Jacksonville’s game against Carolina two weeks ago rub off on Jaguars Coach Jack Del Rio that much?

As the rest of the N.F.L. world is in the process of discovering, Carolina has decided to turn the rookie quarterback Cam Newton loose. Newton was supposed to have trouble adjusting to the rigors of an N.F.L. passing offense, but instead has lit up the skies in the first four weeks of the season, throwing for 1,386 yards and 5 scores. Carolina is 1-3  under the new coach Ron Rivera, but the message is clear: The Panthers are going to win or lose with the ball in Newton’s hands.

The Newton-Del Rio connection comes into play based on how the Jaguars played the Saints last Sunday. Del Rio, a coach who loves to run the ball, called seven consecutive pass play in the Jaguars’ first possession after winning the coin toss. The possession ended with Blaine Gabbert, Del Rio’s rookie quarterback, throwing incomplete on fourth-and-six from the Saint 38.

It didn’t stop there. The Jaguars threw on 75 percent of their plays in the first half as they fell behind, 14-10. Gabbert was busy, completing 12 of 24 passes for 165 yards and a score. He also ran twice for 14 yards.

And what of Maurice Jones-Drew?

He rushed three times for 0 yards.

The Jaguars were held scoreless in the second half of the Saints’ 23-10 victory. Gabbert struggled in that half and finished 16 of 42 for 196 yards. What bears watching, though, is the approach Jacksonville (1-3) may be taking. Are they going to continue to let it fly with Gabbert? If so, how does that affect the status of Jones-Drew? The Jaguars have already cut David Garrard, their former starting quarterback, in a cost-cutting move. The Jaguars are committed to going with a younger roster. On a financial note, Jacksonville regularly has trouble selling out its stadium.

If the Jaguars were to lose this Sunday to Cincinnati, they would be 1-4 with a game at Pittsburgh the following Sunday. Would another cost-cutting move be out of the question? Would they dare part with the popular Jones-Drew?

If Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum is going to earn his money this season, he needs to continue to monitor every situation around the league. And not just at running back. The Jets reportedly have some room to maneuver under the salary cap.

Jones-Drew, who finished the game against the Saints with 84 yards on 11 carries, is in the third year of a five-year, $30.95 million contract. He is due to make $4.05 million this season.

Jets fans may only be able to dream of a backfield of M.J.D., L.T. and Shonn Greene —  instantly one of the N.F.L.’s best.

But the least Tannenbaum can do is make a phone call.

Are you ready to talk some football? Join the discussion on this and other topics with George Bretherton and Bret Leuthner tonight from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. by clicking here. Listen in or call us at 609-910-0687.

Rugby World Cup 2011: Close encounters of the quarter-final kind… with wins for NZ, England, SA and Ireland

Twelve wannabe pretenders to the crown are already snugly tucked up in bed at home – and four more will have joined them come Sunday night. But who will they be?

At face value two of the weekend’s quarter-finals look to be safe bets, and two are absolute humdingers that only a fool would re-mortgage the house for to lay a bet.

But all eight teams, some more convincingly than others, have deserved their place in the knockout stage – and you just have to think back to Cardiff at RWC 2007 that no quarter-final is signed and sealed before the kick-off.

And while purely of academic interest, how different might the draw have looked if the outcomes of a few close games had been reversed… if Argentina had held on to their lead against England, if Scotland had not choked against the Pumas, if the world rankings had held sway between Australia and Ireland?? But that’s how this wonderful game goes, and now we’re guaranteed a southern v northern hemisphere final.

So here some thoughts and predictions… and would like to hear your take on the weekend.

New Zealand v Argentina One of the two ‘bankers’. Even without Dan Carter, even with Richie McCaw carrying an injury, the All Blacks should have far too much class for the enthusiastic but ultimately limited Pumas. There should be some parity among the tight five, the All Black loosies should secure plenty of fast ball, and the backs will have a field day. Game over. New Zealand 32 Argentina 15.

England v France The game between the two teams who’ve made more off-field headlines than set the world alight with their play. The drinking, kissing, lewd dwarf-tossers versus the bitching in-fighters intent on starting a new French revolution. Martin Johnson’s team have hardly been electrifying, squeaking past only reasonable opposition in Argentina and Scotland.

But so be it, they key is they stayed composed and won – and nothing else matters. France, in turn, have been a disgrace, and are the only team to have lost two matches and still qualified for the play-offs.

All signs point to a convincing win for England – and deservedly so. But this – need we any reminding? – is France. Tempestuous, arrogant mavericks that can lose by 50 today and beat the same opposition by two tomorrow. Supporters will hope, opponents will fear, that they have their customary 80 minutes of sublime RWC magic in them, when every bounce of the ball goes their way.

Just don’t see that happening. This France team make their 2010 Football World Cup counterparts look smart and disciplined, while England have enough grunt upfront to silence the calls of Allez Bleus. England 28 France 17.

Australia v South Africa Compelling, fascinating, thrilling… almost an injustice that the world No 2 and 3 teams should meet so early, and a match that won’t be settled until the final 10 minutes. If the Wallaby loose forwards compete like they did against New Zealand in Brisbane in August, and free up their hard-running backs, they could sneak this one. But the Springboks have shown in close matches against Wales and Samoa that they know how to hold their nerve. South Africa 21 Australia 18.

Ireland v Wales To neutrals surely the match-up of the weekend. Ireland, so brilliant against Australia, have gone about the business with understated grit and determination, throwing the pre-RWC form book right out of the window. A true all-round side, boasting presence upfront, a magnificent back-row and hard-running backs. And there’s the rub… with slightly different emphasis, we could say the same about Wales, who’ve done well to overcome that heart-breaking defeat in their opener to the Springboks.

I’ve tossed my lucky 50p coin untold times – and still it’s even between tails and heads. A draw perhaps at full-time with the tie settled in extra time? Virtually impossible to call in on-field skill, so I’ll predict it on perceived mental strength. Ireland, I think, just have that bit more self-belief than Wales, so it’s Brian O’Driscoll’s team by a whisker. Ireland 24 Wales 22.

Prepared to put a tenner on each of the outcomes. How do you see it?

This blog is supported by Maximuscle, suppliers of sports nutrition to Courtney Lawes, Joe Simpson and the Welsh Rugby Team.

2-on-1: Are Rangers Stanley Cup Contenders, or Just a Good Hockey Club?

In the second installment of our season preview conversations, New York Times hockey writers Jeff Z. Klein and Christopher Botta discuss talk about the Rangers, whose season opens Friday in Stockholm against the Los Angeles Kings.

Botta: Jeff, are you finding it as difficult as I am to make a prediction about the Rangers’ season when we don’t know the status of Marc Staal, their do-everything, 30-minute defenseman?

Klein: Yes, Chris, I am. And really, given what we already knew about Sidney Crosby and his concussion last February, I can’t believe the Rangers had Staal back in the lineup when he was still symptomatic— and I’m surprised Staal went along with it.

More than that, I still really can’t believe his brother, Eric, saw fit to slaughter Marc when a simple body check would have been just as effective for taking the puck. Talk about a series of actions that show just how much the N.H.L. mind-set has to change.

Botta: It’s scary to think that Marc is still not feeling well as a result of a hit delivered in a game in February, yet he logged big minutes in the Rangers’ run for the playoffs the next two months.

But for this discussion, let’s make the leap that Staal comes back within the first 20 games and maintains good health. Are the Rangers contenders to represent the East in the Stanley Cup finals or merely a very good team capable of winning a round, maybe two?

Klein: I figure with Brad Richards and another year under the belt for Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Dan Girardi, Michael Sauer, Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan and the rest of the young veterans, they’ve got to improve. A couple of playoff rounds, sure. But they just don’t look like true Cup material to me.

Botta: I’d have to agree. The one thing we know with the Rangers, however, is they have the resources and desire to make a major deal before the trade deadline if Glen Sather thinks an acquisition will put them over the top. So we cannot rule anything out when it comes to the playoffs, which I’m fairly certain they’ll make.

Who do you think is the best left wing to play on the line with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik? And do you feel Richards and Gaborik will have any trouble establishing chemistry? In addition to the health of Staal, the success of the Rangers’ season depends on those two big-contract stars.

Klein: Aye, you’ve got that right.

Botta: Let me jump in here and tell the readers that Jeff really does say things like “Aye.”

Klein: I think Richards, one of the best assist men playing the game today, can establish a potent partnership with Gaborik and feed him plenty of goals. Not sure it’s really important who the other winger will be. Sean Avery might’ve been a good fit with his ability to dig the puck out from behind the net and zing it into the slot, but I guess we won’t be seeing that anytime soon.

Botta: No, we won’t. Sean’s departure is a big loss for New York’s hockey writers and the producers of HBO’s “24/7.” Let me ask you this, Jeff: what are the Rangers’ weaknesses?

Klein: One’s obvious, and one’s hidden. The obvious one is they’ve got to limit Henrik Lundqvist to 60 games, maximum, come hell or high water. Every Stanley Cup-winning goalie of the last five years has played about that number, and Lundqvist ought to as well, because he enters every postseason stretched too far. The other, hidden, weakness is Brad Richards’s two-way play: he’s minus-72 for his career.

Botta: Centering Callahan’s line, Artem Anisimov is poised for a breakout season. I guess I’m showing my skepticism here, but do you think Anisimov is consistent enough and ready, at age 23, to be a strong second-line center?

Klein: Depends. There are decent second-line centers, which Anisimov seems destined to be, and then there are really, really good second-line centers, like Vinny Lecavalier, Patrice Bergeron, Patrick Sharp, Henrik Zetterberg, Mike Richards, Ryan Kesler. … I’m not trying to be mean, but that’s one surefire way to tell a real Cup contender from a Cup pretender.

Botta: I can understand what you’re saying. Anisimov had 18 goals and 44 points last season, so a true breakthrough would be something like 25 goals and 60 points. I don’t know if he has the competitiveness, the fire, to produce on that level. Callahan’s staying healthy would help.

I was wondering who you think are the most underrated players on the Rangers.

Klein: Michael Sauer and Ryan McDonagh, the quietly efficient young defensive pair.

Botta: Agree on Sauer. The kid’s come out of nowhere to be a really solid No. 4 defenseman and I feel his positive attitude has been infectious even on the older players. I like McDonagh. He has more upside than Sauer, but I would be concerned about a bit of a step-back year for him, especially with the increased workload while Staal recovers. But I see you put a lot of stock in plus/minus, Jeff.

Klein: Plus-20 and plus-16 for Sauer and McDonagh, respectively, easily the best on the team.

Botta: So what’s the final math? After 82 regular-season games, where will the Rangers finish in the East? This is a collection of athletes that’s easy to like, but I’m not ready to sign on as a true believer. I see them finishing in sixth place in the conference.

Klein: I see them improving from last year’s eighth all the way up to fifth. But I can’t see them reaching the level of Boston, Washington, Tampa Bay or Pittsburgh.