THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 SPORTS Brady ready for business as NFL season opens

LOS ANGELES: The New England Patriots Bowl champions since their own back-to- In another conference championship the all-time list. Manning isn’t the only QB squad, the former rugby league star is and superstar quarterback Tom Brady back triumphs in 2004 and 2005. rematch, Andrew Luck and the Colts host eyeing a milestone. New Orleans’ Drew already putting the NFL on the map in his launch their drive for a fifth Super Bowl They denied Seattle a second straight New England in Indianapolis seeking to Brees needs four touchdown passes and homeland. Niners coach Jim Tomsula title on Thursday with a resounding victo- crown with a dramatic victory in the avenge their loss in Foxborough in the Brady six to become the fourth and fifth called Hayne’s successful leap a “tremen- ry already in the books. championship showcase in February, but game that brought the world “Deflate- signal-callers to throw 400 TDs in a career. dous achievement”. Brady lines up against the Pittsburgh the Seahawks insist they’ve moved on gate.” For Indianapolis, 2015 is being Dallas Cowboys’ Jason Witten needs “It’s the true story, the American way Steelers a week to the day after a judge from the last-play heartbreak in Phoenix painted as a “Super Bowl-or-bust” season, 57 catches to join Tony Gonzalez as the or the Australian way,” Tomsula said of overturned his four-game suspension in and are ready to challenge again for the with the Colts counting on Luck to con- only tight ends with 1,000 career recep- Hayne’s appeal. “Work hard, keep driven, the “Deflate-gate”saga in a ruling widely National Conference crown. tinue the progress that saw him take tions. In Tampa Bay and Tennessee, all and you’ve made it.” seen as a rebuke to NFL Commissioner Expect the Indianapolis Colts, them deeper into the post-season in each eyes will be on a pair of rookie quarter- It’s a go-get-em philosophy the NFL Roger Goodell. However, the perception Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos to of his first three campaigns. backs taken first and second in the NFL continues to market to great effect over- of executive ineptitude as well as con- have something to say in whether the The marquee quarterback match-up draft. seas, and this year again sees it take it’s cerns over domestic violence, concussion Patriots again emerge from the American of Brady v Peyton Manning highlights The Bucs’ Jameis Winston and the bone-crunching brand of action to Britain dangers and the emotive issue of team Football Conference, while in the National week 12 when Manning’s Broncos host Titans’ Marcus Mariota will be trying to for three regular-season games in relocation have done little to dent the Football Conference the Green Bay the Pats in Denver. have the same immediate impact that London. sport’s popularity. All will be shoved to Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Carolina The Broncos’ title hopes rest squarely Luck and Washington’s Robert Griffin had The number might have been more the sidelines when the race to Super Bowl Panthers are top contenders in their divi- on Manning’s 39-year-old shoulders. A when they led their teams to the playoffs but for the demands of this year’s Rugby 50 at the San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s sions. The Packers, led by quarterback revamped offense under new coach Gary in the same year they were drafted one- World Cup, with talk of a London NFL Stadium on February 7 begins. Aaron Rodgers, will get a quick shot at Kubiak should ease wear-and-tear on the two. franchise getting louder every season “It’s time for me to do my job,” Brady revenge when they host the Seahawks in veteran star, who starts the year with In San Francisco, Australian import even as the league targets growth in said. New England will be trying to an NFC championship game rematch in 69,691 passing yards and needs 2,148 to Jarryd Hayne is in the spotlight. Having neighbors Mexico and Canada and dis- become the first team to repeat as Super the second week of the season. surpass Packers legend Brett Favre atop played his way into the 49ers’ 53-man tant China. —AFP Stewart urges caution on closed F1 cockpits

LONDON: Triple world champion Jackie something had to be done because ‘it’s not Stewart has urged Formula One to tread the 1970s...I think we’ve all had enough carefully before making any decision about now.” introducing closed cockpits in the wake of Stewart, who retired in 1973 after the recent race tragedies. death of Tyrrell team mate Francois Cevert The 76-year-old Scot, a famed safety at Watkins Glen in the United States, dis- campaigner who this month marked the agreed. 50th anniversary of his first grand prix win “I don’t see it as that bad. How many at Italy’s Monza circuit, told Reuters a lot incidents have we had? I mean one thing more research and development needed to was changing safety-the racetrack, the be done. deformable structures, the cars, every- “One has got to be just a little careful thing,” he said. that you don’t run too fast before all of the “(The death of) Henry Surtees, and this research has been done because there’s accident that happened in America, that’s other types of accidents where it could be a two incidents. I don’t think Jules’s incident disadvantage,” he said. was anything to do with that (not having a Stewart, who entered Formula One closed cockpit).” when the sport was at its deadliest and Surtees, the teenage son of 1964 world won his titles in 1969, 1971 and 1973, lost champion John, died in a Formula Two numerous friends in accidents during his accident at Brands Hatch in 2009 when he career and campaigned for safety improve- was hit on the head by a loose wheel ments including seat belts and full-face hel- bouncing across the track. mets. IndyCar’s last fatality before Wilson was However, he remained unconvinced by that of compatriot Dan Wheldon, the dou- the idea of fully enclosing the driver. “No, I ble Indy 500 winner, in a fiery crash at Las don’t think so,” he said when asked whether Vegas in 2011. something like that had to be done. The Formula One’s governing body has said world of racing has been shocked by the it will carry out more tests this month on GERMANY: France’s Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia drive their Volkswagen Polo R-WRC through the vineyards near deaths of two top drivers in the last two devices to protect drivers’ heads. However Kluesserath, southwestern Germany in this file photo. —AP months from severe head injuries sus- previous ones have failed to overcome tained on the track, with increased calls for problems with obstructed vision and the greater protection. difficulty of extracting the driver in an Ogier set to clinch third Frenchman Jules Bianchi, who raced for emergency. Marussia in Formula One, died in July of his “I think there’s a lot of research and injuries after slamming into a recovery trac- development has to take place,” said tor at the Japanese Grand Prix last October. Stewart. “Everyone’s talking about a missile World Rally Championship Britain’s Justin Wilson, who drove for the hitting the thing. What if there’s another Minardi and Jaguar F1 teams in 2003, died accident, not with a missile coming back, last month after being hit on the head by and an impact? COFFS HARBOUR: After a Volkswagen sweep of the Utungun, Bakers Creek and Northbank, south of 311.36 kilometers (192.20 miles). flying debris and crashing heavily in an “Is it a problem that the driver might not podium in last month’s home race of the German the event’s Coffs Harbour base, will be run in the Norwegian driver Mads Ostberg and co-driver IndyCar race in Pennsylvania. be able to get out correctly? There’s a lot of manufacturer, Sebastien Ogier can clinch his third morning and repeated in the afternoon. “They are Jonas Andersson, who sit in fourth place in the Wilson’s funeral will be held near things that you have to take into considera- World Rally Championship in a row with a victory on fast, technical, set in magnificent countryside and overall standings, sustained minor injuries after Silverstone on Thursday, with many of his tion. Sunday over the forestry and farmland roads which truly some of the best roads in the rally world,” their car crashed with a truck during a reconnais- old friends from Formula One and other “Are you going to get proper ventila- make up Rally Australia. clerk of the course Adrian Stafford was quoted as sance drive on Tuesday afternoon. The head-on series set to attend. tion? It’s a very complicated thing, it’s not France’s Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia saying on the Rally Australia website. crash with the heavy vehicle occurred on a narrow The Briton’s death has led to a rethink just a simple bubble. “And sometimes you’ll have 207 points in the standings with three races The stages are split between the Coffs Coast section of roadway as the Citroen crew prepared about closed cockpits, with several Formula be doing 280 or 300kph and an object left after Australia. He could also clinch the 2015 state forests and open farmland, with many of the pace notes. One drivers who were previously opposed comes. Is it going to damage the cell so title if he finishes ahead of his Volkswagen team- country shire roads lined by trees that leave little “It took some time getting out of bed today,” now speaking out in support of measures that it can’t be taken off? A driver could be mate Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland, who is in sec- room for error. There will be two passes on Saturday Ostberg posted Wednesday on his Facebook page. that would offer more head protection. trapped in it. “And do the spectators want it ond place with 114 points. through the 50.80-kilometer (31.35 mile) Nambucca “We had quite the impact yesterday, but we were McLaren’s Jenson Button, the 2009 world either? I think you have to be very, very cer- Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway, who finished stage, one of the longest and most difficult stages of lucky. It could have been much worse when you champion, said at Monza last week that tain that it’s going to work.” —Reuters third in the Rally of Germany, has 98 points after the season. The 7.94-kilometer (4.9-miles) Valla stage look at our race car. “We’ve been cleared to contin- nine rounds. After a ceremonial start on Thursday is also driven twice, the second after dark. ue by the medics. Luckily there were no fractures, night, the rally officially begins Friday with three Five more tests north of Coffs Harbour on only two bruised ribs causing me a bit of discom- new first-day speed tests. The new stages of Sunday complete the rally. The 17 stages cover fort. So we’re going to race again today.” —AP Edwards wins Southern 500

DARLINGTON: wanted “This is the Southern 500. This is amaz- If there’s any way we can run this in the top 30 drivers. Busch missed the momentum heading into NASCAR’s ing.” Edwards has won multiple races the Chase, I hope we do it.” Keselowski first 11 races after a horrific crash in championship chase. He found it at in season for the seventh time in 11 agreed. “It separates the race car driv- the Xfinity race at Daytona. Darlington Raceway. Edwards rallied seasons as a fulltime driver. ers from the pretenders and that’s the NASCAR returned the Southern after falling two laps down because of a Keselowski started on the pole and by way it should be,” he said. 500 to Labor Day weekend for the first flat tire, then beat Brad Keselowski off far led the most laps with 196. But he Keselowski hoped to use time since 2003. The track, the sport’s pit road for the lead 12 laps from the was beaten out of the pits by Edwards Darlington to springboard into the oldest superspeedway, closed end and held on for his first Southern on Darlington’s record-setting 18th Sprint Cup playoffs, which start in NASCAR’s summer as one of its crown 500 victory Sunday night. Edwards won caution period with 12 laps left. Chicago in two weeks. He said his jewel events for 53 years until losing the Coca Cola 600 in May and had six out in Sprint Cup realignment. top-10s in the past seven races. Still, he But NASCAR leaders thought the was looking for a boost that would pro- time was right to put the iconic race Park Inbee pel his first-year pro- back in its traditional sport. The race gram into the playoffs. “This is what we featured a 1970s, throwback theme, Inbee seeking career needed,” Edwards said. “We really need- with 35 teams racing in retro paint ed a shot in the arm.” schemes. And now Edwards heads into the Kyle Larson, his No. 42 sporting Grand Slam at Evian chase bursting with confidence - in Kyle Petty’s old Mello Yello colors, the entire team. He was two laps came out for driver introductions in a EVIAN: Park Inbee, the world No.1, aims to end major. Morgan Pressel was 18 years and ten behind after this flat around Lap 90. curly wig with a mustache grown for any doubt over her claims on a career Grand months when she set the record at the 2007 He was in 36th place on Lap 140. But the weekend. NBC Sports got into the Slam by winning the Evian Championship Kraft Nabisco Championship. there he was at the end, pushing pole- spirit, too, having Hall of Famers Ken starting today. Ko came close to winning the title as a 16- sitter Keselowski and defending Squire, Ned Jarrett and Dale Jarrett in Park has won the Evian Masters in 2012 - year-old two years when she finished runner- Southern 500 winner Kevin Harvick 40 the TV booth to call some of the race. the year before the tournament changed its up to Norway’s Suzann Pettersen. Since then, laps from the end. While the hype was huge, the true name and became the women’s fifth major. the teenager has gone on to hold the world Crew chief Darian Grubb made throwback was Darlington, which was Last month, the South Korean won her first No.1 ranking and she has eight LPGA titles to strong calls throughout the night, the same tire-chewing track that’s women’s British Open, her seventh major title her name. “I never really think about records, Edwards said, and his pit crew did the befuddled NASCAR’s best for genera- to set alongside three LPGA Championships, but it is my goal to win one major before my job at the most crucial time. “Everyone tions. Chase Elliott, running his last two US Women’s Opens and the 2013 Kraft career is done,” said the 18-year-old who has did their job in this one,” Edwards said Sprint Cup race before slipping into Nabisco Championship. “Winning all the already declared that she will retire from the after his 25th Sprint Cup victory. retiring Jeff Gordon’s seat in the No. 24 majors has always been my goal,” said the 27- game at the age of 30. Keselowski was second and Denny car next season, spun out just eight year-old. “I’ve got my name on every major South Korea’s Kim Hyo-Joo defends the title Hamlin finished third. Joey Logano DARLINGTON: Carl Edwards celebrates in victory lane after laps in to bring out a caution. championship trophy but I won Evian before it she won as a 19-year-old, having started the was fourth, followed by Harvick and winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Darlington It was far from the last - for became a major. So it would be really good to Championship with a record 61. the Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle. Raceway. —AP Darlington and for Elliott. Bill Elliott’s win it again this year.” Evian is the final event before the Solheim Edwards gave Joe Gibbs Racing its son, who won the Xfinity race here in Park has another remarkable feat in her Cup, and the US and European team members seventh victory in the last 10 events. Almost as much as drivers enjoyed team still has work ahead. 2014, was involved in another spin sights this week. She won three majors in 2013 will be hoping for a morale boosting victory JGR swept the weekend, with Hamlin Darlington’s throwback paint schemes “Just one spot short at the end,” he that took him out of the race for good. and victory on Sunday would again be a third before heading for Germany on Monday. winning the Xfinity race Saturday. and retro-1970s theme, they loved the said. “We’re right there. We’ve just got stayed out during major of the season. In June, she captured a Europe defends the Cup having won for a Edwards did his signature victory low downforce package given the cars to find one more level to win these one of the cautions while the field pit- third successive LPGA Championship. “It’s first time on US soil in Colorado two years ago. backflip in the race’s return to Labor - the same that was used to rave driver races and win this championship.” ted and wound up leading for 10 laps, already been a great season and I always love France has six players in the field. The two Day weekend. “I guess we made it reviews in Kentucky earlier this year. NASCAR’s regular season ends next the first time he’s run up front since coming to Evian,” she continued. “It’s one of the Solheim Cup players, Karine Icher and Carlington for a couple of minutes,” “Man, I loved it. This is as good as it week at Richmond, where the field of Talladega last May. But Stewart was most beautiful venues on the Tour.” Gwladys Nocera, are joined by a trio of French Edwards said after his crew taped over gets,” Edwards said about the low- 16 contenders will be set. , quickly run down by the pack of front But Park won’t have it all her own way. For amateurs, Mathilda Cappeliez, Agathe LaisnÈ part of the “D” on the painted downforce package. “This is what it’s with four victories, clinched a spot by runners, led by Harvick and World No.2 Lydia Ko, it is the final chance to and CÈline Boutier, plus professional Joanna Darlington sign along a retaining wall. about: sliding cars, the tires falling off. guaranteeing he would finish among Keselowski. —AP become the youngest winner of a women’s Klatten. —AFP