QUICK LINKS: RECRUITING > 4 COLLEGE FOOTBALL > 6 NFL > 18 MLB > 32 NHL > 38 NBA > 41 COLLEGE BASKETBALL > 42 NASCAR > 43 No. 20 Miami 33, No. 14 Georgia Tech 17 L.A. Angels 4, Boston 3 Miami’s LaRon Byrd caught five passes, including this 40-yard TD, as the Canes ripped the Yellow Jackets to end a four-game losing streak to Tech. FRIDAY CHARLES KRUPA / AP Page 6 SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 A frustrated David Ortiz struck out in SEE A DIFFERENT GAME the ninth as the Red Sox fell to their HANS DERYK / AP VOLUME 2 ISSUE 58 likely ALDS opponent. Page 35 Trojan force Postseason power poll If Matt Barkley can’t go, Aaron What’s real and what’s fiction How MLB’s playoff probables Corp will give USC something it rank with two-plus weeks hasn’t had in the Carroll era: A QB about Week 2’s best matchups remaining in the regular season: who can hurt you with his legs. Mythbusters Matt Hayes, Page 8 Yankees. Powerful lineup, Mariano Rivera and home- BY ALBERT BREER New Orleans at Philadelphia 1. field advantage make them the Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX) Scoreboard [email protected] favorites. Red Sox. Three reasons Myth: The Saints’ defense is no match for the Eagles’ offense. College Football Five sets of 1-0 teams they are ranked this high: Reality: The Saints’ D played better last week than the 2. Top 25 go head-to-head this lineup, rotation, bullpen. scoreboard showed, and coordinator Gregg Williams is sure No. 20 Miami 33, No. 14 Georgia Tech 17 weekend. Four of those Phillies. Late-inning relief is to attack QB Kevin Kolb, if he makes his first NFL start. matchups hit the 3. a big concern, but with their Baseball marquee (sorry, 49ers, offense, they might not have many Baltimore at San Diego close games. American League Seahawks ... but we’ll wait and see). Sunday, 4:15 p.m. (CBS) Cardinals. They have Albert Kansas City 9, Detroit 2 Too early to float the 4. Pujols and arguably the best Seattle 4, Chicago White Sox 3, 14 innings term “Showdown”? Myth: The Ravens’ offense can’t keep up with San Diego. 1-2 pitching punch (Chris Carpenter Tampa Bay 3, Baltimore 0 “This is the ‘New Reality: San Diego got pushed around by the Raiders last and Adam Wainwright). But they are L.A. Angels 4, Boston 3 England Factor’ for week, and then there’s Baltimore’s suddenly balanced, pro- 6-10 vs. Philly, Colorado and L.A. Oakland 5, Cleveland 2 us,” Jets safety lific offense that went for 501 yards in Week 1. Angels. They hit, run, pitch and play defense as well as Kerry Rhodes 5. anyone. But they can’t beat Boston. said. “Whenever New England at N.Y. Jets National League Dodgers. Lack of an ace is they come in Milwaukee 7, Chicago Cubs 4 Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS) 6. their only flaw, but that’s a Philadelphia 4, Washington 2 here, it’s going to significant October flaw. Myth: The Patriots have a big edge in personnel. Cincinnati 3, Florida 2 be turned up Rockies. The N.L.’s hottest naturally.” Reality: At QB and receiver, yes. Things are even else- Atlanta 7, N.Y. Mets 3 7. team since June (63-35) Real or imagined, where offensively, and the Jets’ defensive personnel is far Tony Romo might be running out of steam. even in Week 2, these superior. But don’t overlook Bill Belichick’s matchup ability. Tigers. Their best—Justin NHL AP four games are getting 8. Verlander and Miguel Preseason plenty of hype. Here’s a Cabrera—aren’t as good as other Myth: Tony Romo struggles against the Giants. Results, schedule, Page 39 quick guide to cut 1144 PPAGES contenders’ best. AGES Reality: Romo didn’t play well in the January ’08 playoff through some of it (all NFLNFL WEEK 2 — Stan McNeal WEEK 2 game, but is 4-0 in the regular season vs. New York, the last WNBA times ET): COVERAGE N.Y. Giants at Dallas three double-digit wins. The Giants are relentless. “Hopefully, Playoffs PAGES 18-31 Sunday, 8:20 p.m. (NBC) we can account for guys and make them pay,” Romo said. ALDS debate: Red Sox Results, schedule, Page 42 or Angels? , Page 33 SPORTING NEWS TODAY www.sportingnews.com See a Different Game FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 2 GUIDE OFF THE FIELD AUTO RACING Tune In Today Noon SPEED—NASCAR, Sprint LeBron leaping to big screen A quick look at the best sports on TV Cup, practice for Sylvania — all times Eastern 300, at Loudon, N.H. LeBron James is leaving Cleveland—for 3 p.m. Hollywood. COLLEGE FOOTBALL ESPN2—NASCAR, Sprint Cup, pole qualifying for The Cavaliers superstar and reigning NBA No. 10 Boise State Sylvania 300, at Loudon, MVP will make his feature film debut by play- N.H. ing himself in an upcoming comedy. 10:30 p.m. James will appear in Fantasy Basketball Camp by at Fresno State VERSUS—IRL, Indy Japan 9 p.m., ESPN 300, at Motegi, Japan Universal Pictures. The movie is about five guys from different backgrounds who come to Las Two wins down, 11 to go for the Broncos in BOXING Vegas to live out their fantasy by attending James’ their quest for an unbeaten season and a possible 9 p.m. BCS bowl berth. Boise State has allowed just basketball camp. Production will begin next sum- ESPN2—Junior feather- mer, when James can become a free agent. eight points all season, and its offense seemed weights, Giovanni Andrade to click last weekend in a drubbing of Miami (52-11-0) vs. Guillermo James is experienced in front of the camera. (Ohio). Fresno State plays tough at home and, Rigondeaux (2-0-0), at Along with appearing in numerous TV com- after its performance in a double overtime loss at Miami mercials, he has hosted Saturday Night Live. Wisconsin, might rank as Boise’s toughest remain- ing game. The Broncos have lost only two WAC COLLEGE FOOTBALL New claim from QB 9 p.m. games since 2002; one came in 2005 at Fresno. Lawyers for Ben Roethlisberger claim in new — Dave Curtis ESPN—Boise St. at Fresno court documents that the woman accusing the GENERAL St. Steelers QB of raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel- Today Show GOLF casino concocted the story in part to try to ANDY KROPA / AP 9 a.m. shield herself from possible layoffs at the Producer Brian Grazer says LeBron James, above, can 7 a.m., NBC TGC—European PGA Tour, easily make the transition from NBA star to movie star. Austrian Open, second resort. Before we get our first official look at the round, at Vienna, Austria Cowboys’ new $1.2 billion stadium on Sunday 3:30 p.m. Crimes and courts case of sophomore lineman Max Gilpin’s death from Night Football, Matt Lauer and Al Roker will be TGC—Champions Tour, A judge in California ruled that Lakers star Kobe heat stroke. Prosecutors contended that Stinson, broadcasting live from the venue this morning. Greater Hickory Classic, first Bryant’s former housekeeper can continue her 37, withheld water from players and ran them Lauer and Roker are getting a guided tour of round, at Conover, N.C. the facility by former Cowboys great Emmitt 6:30 p.m. wrongful discharge case but can’t sue for emo- excessively in a series of sprints known as “gas- Smith, while Lauer will be interviewing team TGC—Nationwide Tour, tional distress. Maria Jimenez says she was denied sers.” Defense attorneys, however, presented for- owner Jerry Jones. But Roker has perhaps Boise Open, second round, health insurance and was forced to quit because mer Kentucky chief medical examiner George the best assignment of all—interviewing the at Boise, Idaho (same-day the Bryants demeaned and humiliated her. Nichols and Daniel Danzl, chairman of the University Cowboys cheerleaders. tape) of Louisville department of emergency medicine, — Roger Kuznia 8:30 p.m. TGC—LPGA, Samsung Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles who testified Gilpin was not dehydrated and that World Championship, Rogers was arrested on a drunken-driving charge excessive running did not contribute to his heat BASEBALL second round, at La Jolla, after he refused a Breathalyzer test. Rogers was stroke. Calif. (same-day tape) arraigned Thursday on charges of operating The Faces of RBI 2009 while intoxicated and operating without a valid Quick hit RUGBY 8 p.m., ESPN2 11 p.m. license. He was ordered held on $50,000 bond. The Suns and Phoenix’s Metro light rail system With this year’s RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner SPIKE—NRL, playoffs, A pretrial conference is set for Monday. have partnered on a new program—the first of its Cities) World Series in the books, it’s time to take semifinals, Gold Coast vs. kind, according to the team—in which customers a deeper look at the kids who play in RBI, the Parramatta, at Sydney, A Jefferson County (Kentucky) jury acquit- who buy tickets to a Suns game or any other event coaches that teach them, and the volunteers and Australia (same-day tape) ted former Pleasure Ridge Park High School foot- at US Airways Center will receive free transpor- MLB executives that help make the program go. SOCCER ball coach Jason Stinson on charges of reckless tation on the Metro on the day of the event, Sports- The show, hosted by former RBI alumnus and homicide and wanton endangerment in the death Business Journal’s John Lombardo reported.