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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The championship was locked up by halftime. By the time the confetti landed, Alabama was already looking ahead to the next one. Thats the way it is for the latest dynasty in Tuscaloosa. Win a title. Move on. Quieting the Irish on the very first drive, Eddie Lacy, AJ McCarron and the No. 2 Crimson Tide rolled top-ranked Notre Dame 42-14 for the BCS championship Monday night, locking up a second straight national title and third in four years with another laugher of a title game. The Bear wouldve been especially proud of this one -- Nick Saban and the Tide romping to the second-biggest rout of the BCS era that began in 1999. Now, back to work. "The process is ongoing," said Saban, still tightlipped as ever and showing little emotion after the fourth national title of his coaching career. "Were going to enjoy it for 24 hours or so." The Crimson Tide (13-1) wrapped up its ninth Associated Press national title, breaking a tie with Notre Dame for the most by any school and gaining a measure of redemption for a bitter loss to the Irish almost four decades ago: the epic 1973 Sugar Bowl in which Ara Parseghians team edged Bear Bryants powerhouse 24-23. Bryant won five AP titles during his brilliant career. The way things are going, Saban might just chase him down. Lacy, the games offensive MVP, ran for one touchdown and caught a pass for another in the final minute of the opening half. He spun away from the vaunted Notre Dame defence not once, but twice, to cap a 28-0 blitz before the bands even got on the field. "They just did what Alabama does," moaned Manti Teo, Notre Dames star linebacker and Heisman Trophy finalist. Lacy finished with 140 yards on 20 carries, coming up with two of his best performances in the two biggest games of the year. He rushed for a career-high 181 yards in a thrilling victory over Georgia in the SEC title game, and was nearly as dominant against the Irish (12-1). McCarron wasnt too shabby, either, completing 20 of 28 passes for four touchdowns and 264 yards, adding another dazzling effort on top of being MVP in last years title game. You could almost hear television sets around the country flipping to other channels, a hugely anticipated matchup between two of the nations most storied programs reduced to nothing more than the second straight BCS blowout for the Crimson Tide. And, it would seem, theyre not content yet. "Were going for it next year again," said offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandijo, only a sophomore but already the owner of two rings. "And again. And again. And again. I love to win. Thats why I came here." While Saban insisted he was "happy as hell" and "has never been prouder of a group of young men," it was hard to tell. He was already talking about reporting to the office Wednesday and getting started on next season. "One of these days, when Im sitting on the side of the hill watching the stream go by, Ill probably figure it out even more," Saban said. "But what about next years team? Youve got to think about that, too." Alabama scored 69 straight points against its title game opponents, going back to getting the final 13 against Texas in 2010, followed by a stifling 21-0 victory over LSU for last years crown, then scoring the first 35 points on Notre Dame. Sabans team made the Irish look like a squad that would be hard-pressed to finish in the middle of the pack in the mighty Southeastern Conference, which has now won seven straight national championships. Saban, the diminutive man with the perpetual scowl, has guided Alabama to the top spot in the rankings three times since arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2007, and if hes serious about finishing his career with the job he has, there seems no reason he cant win a few more before hes done with "The Process." Already, Saban is the first coach in the BCS era to win national titles at different schools, capturing his first at LSU during the 2003 season. Now, hes the first coach with back-to-back BCS titles, and given the youthfulness of his team, Alabama figures to go into next season as a heavy favourite. In an interesting twist, Sabans fourth title came in the stadium where he had the only stumble of his coaching career, a two-year tenure with the NFLs Miami Dolphins that ended ugly, with the coach insisting he wasnt planning to leave -- then bolting for Alabama just two weeks later. His tactics may have been underhanded, but its hard to argue with the call he made. Before a record Sun Life Stadium crowd of 80,120 that definitely included more green than crimson, Lacy ran right through Teo and the Irish on a 20-yard touchdown run before the game was 3 minutes old, capping an 82-yard drive that was longest of the season given up by the Fighting Irish. It would only get worse. Alabama marched right down the field on its second possession, this one a 10-play, 61-yard pounding that finished with McCarron completely faking out the defence and lofting a 3-yard touchdown pass to Michael Williams, standing all alone in the back of the end zone. On the first play of the second quarter, T.J. Yeldon powered over from the 1 to make it 21-0, the finish to another impressive drive -- this one covering 80 yards -- that included two long completions by McCarron. First, he went to Kevin Norwood on a 25-yard gain. Then, he hooked up with freshman Amari Cooper for a 27-yard gain to the Notre Dame 6. By that point, it was clear to everyone that Notre Dames hopes of winning its first national championship since 1988 were all done. But Alabama just poured it on. "Weve got to get physically stronger, continue close the gap there," said Brian Kelly, the Irishs third-year coach. "Just overall, we need to see what it looks like. Our guys clearly know what it looks like now -- a championship football team. Thats back-to-back national champions. Thats what it looks like. Thats what you measure yourself against there. Its pretty clear across the board what we have to do." Lacys 11-yard touchdown reception with 31 seconds left in the half left the Irish fans shaking the heads in disbelief, while the Alabama faithful broke out that familiar "SEC! SEC! SEC!" Alabama made it 35-0 on McCarrons second TD pass of the night, a 34-yarder to Cooper without a Notre Dame defender in sight. The Irish finally scored late in the third quarter, a 2-yard run by Everett Golson that served no other purpose except to end Alabamas remarkable scoreless streak in the BCS title games, which stretched to 108 minute and 7 seconds -- the equivalent of nearly two full games -- before the Notre Dame quarterback fought his way into the end zone. The only BCS title game that was more of a blowout was USCs 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in the 2005 Orange Bowl, a title that was later vacated because of NCAA violations. About the only time Alabama stumbled was when McCarron had a miscommunication with his All-American centre, Barrett Jones, in the closing seconds. The fiery McCarron shouted at Jones, who just shoved him away. But as the seconds ticked off, they were right on the same page, hugging Saban and celebrating another title. Notre Dame went from unranked in the preseason to the top spot in the rankings by the end of the regular season, winning two games in overtime and three other times by seven points or less. But that long-awaited championship will have to wait at least one more year. Golson completed his first season as the starter by going 21 of 36 for 270 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. But he got no help from the running game, which was held to 32 yards -- 170 below its season average. Kelly had vowed this was only beginning, insisting the bar has been raised in South Bend no matter what the outcome. "We made incredible strides to get to this point," he said. "Now its pretty clear what weve got to do to get over the top." Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys . It was also their last game at Canad Inns Stadium. Both teams played backup quarterbacks, Montreal because they chose to sit Anthony Calvillo and Winnipeg because Buck Pierce was hurt for the third time this season. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys China . Living in Bosnia at the time, his parents were both Elvis Presley fans but his dad was also a huge Bruce Lee buff. http://jasonhavens.org/cheap.html .C. Lions poised to become just the fourth team in league history to win the Grey Cup at home. KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- In the 55 years since the PGA Championship switched over to stroke play, there has never been a tougher round than Friday at Kiawah Island. One score in the 60s, two in the 90s. Of the 41 players who failed to break 80, nine of them could be found among the top 50 in the world ranking. Through 11 hours of relentless wind, with gusts up to 30 mph that turned the Atlantic Ocean choppy with white caps, about the one thing that looked vaguely familiar was Tiger Woods making one putt after another. He had a 1-under 71, one of only four rounds under par on the Ocean Course, to share the lead with Vijay Singh and Carl Pettersson going into the weekend. Just like that, the major known as "Glorys Last Shot" turned into one last chance for Woods to finally win another major. "I thought going out today, anything even par or better was going to be a good score," Woods said. "So I went out today and I accomplished that. It was a tough, tough day. It was blowing all day. I dont think anyone had an advantage." Singh turned a remarkable round, the only player to break 70 with five birdies in his round of 69 that gave the 49-year-old Fijian hope that four years without winning could be about to end -- at a major championship, no less. Pettersson also made big putts, most of them for par and even one for bogey, until the mistakes caught up with him. He had a 74. They were at 4-under 140, and while Woods and Singh are familiar faces, Woods wasnt just trying to quell the anticipation by saying this major was a long way from being over. Remember, he had a share of the lead at the U.S. Open this summer until rounds of 75-73 plunged him into a tie for 21st. Twenty players were within five shots of the lead, starting with Ian Poulter one shot back, and including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson, Graeme McDowell and even John Daly. Mickelson and Poulter also had 71. The four rounds under par were the fewest for the opening rounds of the PGA Championship since there were only three sub-par rounds in the second round at Oak Hill in 1980. There would have been five rounds except for a gutsy display of honesty by Michael Hoey of Northern Ireland. Some six hours after his round, he reported a violation on himself. Hoey had an embedded lie in a sandy area on the ninth hole, brushed sand away to identify his ball, and then forgot to re-create the original lie by replacing the sand. He notified PGA rules official of his oversight. Because it carries a two-shot penalty, Hoey was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. For Woods, the PGA Championship is yet another chance to end four years without a major, and perhaps resume his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus record 18 professional majors. Woods won his 14th major in 2008 at the U.S. Open. "Ive been in this position many times over my career," he said. "Again, were just at the halfway point. We have a long way to go." Six players were atop the leaderboard on this day of survival. Singh was the first to post at 4-under 140, and it didnt look as though anyone would be able to even match that as the wind never let up on The Ocean Course. Pettersson stayed in the lead as long as he could until a few errant tee shots cost him at the end of his round and he had to settle for a 74. Woods, playing on the opposite side of the course, showed early on that he figured out something with his putter. Along with birdie putts of 15 feet and 40 feet on the opening four holes, there was a collection of big par saves -- from 20 feet on the third hole, a pair of 8-foot par putts a few holes later. There were even two short par putts that swirled 360 degrees around the cup and dropped. The only disappointment was the way it ended. After hooking a tee shot that rattled around the corporate tents and allowed him a shot into the 18th, he ran his birdie putt about 6 feet by the hole and three-putted for bogey. It cost him his first outright lead in a major in three years, but this was not a day to complain. "It was fun, but it also was tough," Woods said. "You were getting blown all over the place. It was just a very difficult day." Poulter was tied for the lead until a bogey on his last hole, though he showed again that he can thrive in windy, demanding conditions. The last time he was in serious contention at wind-swept Royal Birkdale in 2008, when he was runner-up to Padraig Harrington. "The golf shots this golf course asks you to hhit time and time and time and time again .dddddddddddd. you really have to hit phenomenal golf shots," Poulter said. "The room for error is so tiny, and when you get it wrong, you can be 15 feet below the level of the green in a bad lie with not much of a shot." The course played so difficult that the afternoon groups were delayed 20 minutes, and one player failed to finish -- Joost Luiten of the Netherlands, who was 1 over for the tournament and will return Saturday morning to complete his round. The scoring average was 78.11. The previous record for the PGA Championship was 76.8 in the opening round at Llanerch Country Club in 1958. Singh stood tall in the wind, however, even as he kept his head down. "After a while, you dont really think about your score," said Singh, whose last major victory was at the 2004 PGA on the first visit to Whistling Straits. "You just think about each hole, each shot and just try not to mess up. It was one of my better rounds. I didnt strike the ball as good, but I scored really, really well. And I think that was the key." There were 44 players under par after the opening day. Going into the weekend, there were only 10. McIlroy didnt make a birdie until his 14th hole -- a tough par 3 that he has birdied both rounds -- and had a 75. He was at 2-under 142, along with Jamie Donaldson of Wales, who had a 73 and was thrilled after his morning round. "Thats the best I can do," he said. Scott also had a 75 to join the group at 143 that included Aaron Baddeley (75), Blake Adams (72) and former Masters champion Trevor Immelman (72). "I thought 2 over today was like shooting 2 under yesterday," Pettersson said. "I hit some squirrely shots, which is typical when its blowing 30 mph. But I hit some really good ones, too." Mickelson, who is No. 8 in the Ryder Cup standings going into the final week of qualifying, came out firing into the wind with a 4-iron to about 2 feet and then a driver off the fairway to give himself a decent chance at birdie on the 11th. He didnt advance any further up the leaderboard. He also didnt fall too far back, and that was just as important. He was in the group at even-par 144, not knowing what the weekend will hold. McDowell had a 76 and was tied with Mickelson, still only four shots behind. "I was very happy to get off that golf course, I have to say," McDowell said. "Im trying to think of the last time I remember a golf course playing this difficult, because its a links wind, blowing across a golf course which is super soft, with some of the most difficult pins on the course out there. Its brutal." Daly, who opened with a 68, bogeyed his first three holes and shot 77. Even so, he was only five shots behind. Woods was not immune to the windy conditions. With a sand wedge in his hand on the third, he knocked it over the green and appeared headed for bogey until his 20-foot par putt was true all the way. He looked solid on par putts at No. 5 and No. 7, and his chip from below the ridge on the ninth stopped a turn from falling. He never looked as if he would miss, even rolling in a 12-foot par putt on the 17th. The only big blip came at the 18th, his second bogey of the round. Already this week, the PGA statisticians have Woods for 23 one-putt greens. Asked if there was a putting performance that stood out among his 14 majors, he cited the 1997 Masters and 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He won those two by a combined 27 shots. Then again, he had put some distance between him and the field. This PGA Championship remains wide open, and so much depends on whether the wind continues to blow, and the scores continue to soar. Doug Wade, a club pro from Dayton, Ohio, had a 93. That was one shot away from the PGA Championship record for the worst score. Michael Frye, a club pro from Sedona, Ariz., finished par-birdie-par on three of the tougher holes for a 90. They werent alone, of course. Hunter Mahan and Rickie Fowler had 80, Matt Kuchar an 82, and Nick Watney an 81. It was a long list of suffering, so difficult that no one would embarrassed or angry. Most were just happy to be off the golf course. "If you had a golf course like this and you asked me to go and play golf in windy conditions, Id say, No, Im not going to play. I guess nobody is going to go out and play in conditions like this," Singh said. "But its a major, and we have to go out there and just struggle and manage yourself the best you can." ' ' '

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