#1

ns, but still my focus is on his two sacks and three interceptions and I enjoy a bit of a diabolical laugh under my breath. Yet

in Mariah Carey Thu Oct 31, 2019 5:17 am
by gf1234566 • 150 Posts

CLEVELAND -- Sporting sunglasses, a teal shirt and a backpack hanging from his shoulder, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon looked like a tourist as he arrived late for his news conference. Maddon didnt have time to slip into his uniform and had a valid excuse. The Rays have been on the road. In the past week, theyve gone from Tampa to New York to Toronto to Texas to Cleveland, a journey covering 3,627 miles. On Wednesday night, the Rays hope to book a trip to Boston. Getting a complete game from starter David Price, Tampa Bay beat Texas 5-2 in a tiebreaker on Monday night, earning the Rays a wild-card spot for the third time in four years and a chance to face the Indians, making their first appearance in October since 2007. Forced to win almost every day down the stretch as they went neck-and-neck-and-neck with the Indians and Rangers in a thrilling wild-card scramble in the final weeks of September, the Rays won in Toronto on Sunday before travelling deep in the heart of Texas and surviving a win-or-go-home scenario. "Ill tell you what," said Maddon, whose team went 14-5 after Sept. 12. "Weve already played this wild-card game a couple times. We did it in Toronto a couple days ago. We did it yesterday in Texas, and were going to come here tomorrow and do it again. I dont know if theres a battle-tested component to that, if you get immune to whatever that pressure is and you go play." Wednesdays winner will meet the Red Sox in Game 1 of the division series on Friday. The Rays always believed theyd be in position to make a run at a first World Series title. And although theyve racked up some frequent-flyer miles and lived out of their suitcases to keep their season alive, theyre confident their season isnt about to end. "When you get into this momentum kind of a thing on a daily basis and youre playing great competition and youre going from city to city to city and its an adverse territory, all of this stuff is what you train for and you really dig and you love it," Maddon said. "You dont have time to get nervous or overthink, youve just got to get ready and go play -- and for our guys, they kind of like that moment right now." Like the Rays, the Indians had to scrap their way into the post-season. Cleveland ended a topsy-turvy regular season under manager Terry Francona by ripping off 10 wins in a row, playing error-free ball during the stretch. Now, when every mistake is magnified and theres no room for lapses, the Indians want to keep rolling and will start rookie Danny Salazar in their biggest game in six seasons. "This team wasnt expected to do anything," said right fielder Nick Swisher, one of the teams high-profile free-agent signings. "Just to be where we are right now is awesome, man." Tampa won four of the six games against Cleveland this season, but the teams havent met since early June. Rays starter Alex Cobb (11-3) was asked what he learned about the Indians in his one start against them on April 6. "That was so long ago, I dont know if that really applies anymore," he said. "Plus," Maddon said, interrupting his young right-hander. "That was before you got hit in the head." Fortunately, the Rays can now make light of the scary situation involving Cobb, who was struck in the head by a line drive hit by Kansas Citys Eric Hosmer on June 15. Cobb missed 50 games with a concussion, but hes been a different pitcher since the injury, going 5-1 with a 2.41 ERA in nine starts. Cobb said two months of rest may have helped, but he was also driven to pitch in the post-season after missing out in 2011 when he underwent surgery to remove a blood clot in his ribs. "Watching the post-season and just the feeling of being left out is indescribable," he said. "Its a terrible feeling that you dont want to have again, so I think it was extra motivation to get back and it definitely fueled the fire even more to get back to the post-season and know that we have a special group that can go far." The Indians feel just as strongly about making this an unforgettable season, perhaps even ending Clevelands 65-year drought between World Series titles. Francona has no hesitation in handing the ball to Salazar (2-3), an unflappable 23-year-old who began the season at Double-A Akron but zoomed to the majors and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his debut. The Rays have never faced him. "Believe me, we wouldnt pitch him if we werent confident in him giving us the best chance to win," Francona said. "Danny has done nothing to make us think he cant handle this. Hes so poised. If I had stuff like him, Id be poised, too. But theres a difference between throwing 100 mph and being able to get major league hitters out. Danny can do that." NOTES: Indians CF and leadoff hitter Michael Bourn did some agility drills and ran the bases before working out with his teammates. He pulled up with a leg injury on Sunday in Minnesota, and his status for Wednesday is not yet known. ... The teams have to have their 25-man rosters set by 10 a.m. Wednesday. .... Francona followed up on his joke about the Indians avoiding chicken and beer during his September surge, a jab at his final days in Boston. "I lied about that," he said. "We have had some chicken." Cheap Nike Air Max 90 . With one week left in the regular season, Cornish - voted The Toughest Player To Bring Down - is a leading candidate for the CFLs Most Outstanding Player award. He has rushed for 1,799 yards and could break Willie Burdens club record for rushing yards in a single season with a 98-yard performance against the B. Nike Air Max 90 Outlet . But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club. https://www.cheapnikeairmax90china.us/. Kalish got his first hit since Sept. 11, 2012, when he rapped an RBI triple in the first inning Sunday in the Chicago Cubs 8-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Fake Nike Air Max 90 . Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer. Nike Air Max 90 Sale . You can see all the action on TSN2 beginning at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. Chicago won two of three games during its stay at the United Center. The club began the homestand with a 5-1 win over Pittsburgh on March 1 and fell to Colorado on Tuesday before posting another blowout win in Thursdays tilt against Columbus.Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - I really do try my best not to hate anyone, seeing as how that word can be thrown around rather easily, which is why it was so tough watching the Florida State-Louisville game on Thursday night. Granted, I try to remain impartial when I dont have a dog in a particular fight, and last night was no different. But it was still an emotional roller coaster due to the fact that both teams had someone on the sidelines, or in the game, that represents all that is wrong with college sports. On one hand, I was thrilled to see the mighty Seminoles fall behind by three touchdowns in the second quarter as Jameis Winston tossed three interceptions, but at the same time I was somehow rooting for a man who has done just as much damage to the integrity of sports as anyone else in Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino. With every mistake and lost opportunity, I was shown Winston getting in the face of teammates and pleading his case with his coaching staff. I couldnt be happier to see the reigning Heisman Trophy winner being knocked off his pedestal. Maybe, just maybe, with their first loss in two seasons the Seminoles would then take more seriously the behavior of their star quarterback and perhaps begin treating him in a manner that every other student-athlete should. Was I cheering on behalf of Petrino so that Winston could get his comeuppance? I cant say that I was, because if the Cardinals were playing any other opponent I would be quietly pleading for the coach to get his head handed to him. Here is a man who took a job in the NFL and then walked out on his team late in the season when he realized a 3-10 record wasnt cutting it, particularly for someone who signed a five-year, $24 million contract. The coach resigned and left laminated notes on the lockers of his players instead of facing them in person, reminiscent of how the Baltimore Colts loaded up trucks and escaped to Indianapolis under the cover of night. Petrino bolted from the Atlanta Falcons to take over at Arkansas where he proceeded to bring about a scandal over an ill-fated motorcycle ride that involved a former Arkansas volleyball player-turned student-athlete development coordinator for the football program. I still cant get the image of him in a neck brace, with cuts and scrapes on his face out of my mind. Petrino then latched on with Western Kentucky in late 2012, signing a four- year contract, but you better believe he didnt stick around to fulfill his responsibilities there. After just one year, with Louisville head coach Charlie Strong taking the job with the Texas Longhorns, Petrino returned to his old stomping grounds. This guy has nine lives and been given more than his fair sharre of second chances, and yet I was somehow rooting for his team to knock off the second- ranked program in the country because Petrino seemed to be the lesser of two evils in my book.dddddddddddd Winston threw three picks in four possessions between the second and third quarters as the Seminoles dealt with a massive deficit. I was rooting more against the FSU signal caller than I was for the Cardinals, kind of like wanting Michael Jordan to have a game for the ages against my Philadelphia 76ers, but still having the team overcome the man in the end. Trailing 21-0 in the second frame, I was already trying to figure out how the college playoffs would transform after this week, but I was clearly jumping the gun. Florida State was not going to go away quietly, and Winston was the reason the Noles still held out hope. The quarterback engineered one scoring drive after another and what had been a three-touchdown deficit eventually turned into a double-digit advantage and yet another win for a despised FSU program. That despised thing probably has as much to do with my disdain for Winston and all of his antics, as it does for wanting to see a favorite bite the dust, but you have to give the Noles credit for coming up big yet again. I cant say enough about our players, and assistant coaches, FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher said after the game. They did a great job of making adjustments at halftime, and along the game. I thought the defense made some outstanding plays and some amazing adjustments. The turnovers put the defense in a bad situation but Im very proud of the way they played. If nothing else, while Florida State might be destined for another national title, I can cheer a little bit for the fact that, unless something drastic happens to the other contenders and he is able to rally in these last few regular season games, Winston will not be bringing home another Heisman Trophy this year. I look at Winstons stat line, the one that shows 401 passing yards and three touchdowns, but still my focus is on his two sacks and three interceptions and I enjoy a bit of a diabolical laugh under my breath. Yet it still pains me to know that he is one of the top players in the country, along with being one of the most immature. I begrudgingly give him credit for turning the game around and understanding that he hurt the team as much as he helped. Obviously I have to lay low on the turnovers thats what really killed us, Winston noted. Overall our offense had an amazing game. Running game was great and so was the passing game. Turnovers hurt us and I cant turn the ball over. I just wish the game could have played to a tie, then I wouldnt feel so disappointed this Friday morning. ' ' '

Scroll up


Visitors
0 Members and 51 Guests are online.

We welcome our newest member: game kingfuntvnet
Board Statistics
The forum has 2296 topics and 2315 posts.