What types of businesses can use - VoIP phone systems?

Choose be quite difficult for a variety of applications telephone company in the market can, and indeed can be a stressful experience for those who do not know where to start. After all, there are many different types of business telephone systems nfl jerseys
on the market are quite dizzy. One of the most common types of VoIP phone technology is today. VoIP phone systems are in the world in almost every office. For those who do not know whether your company needs this kind of telephone system, there are some things to consider. The first thing you think when you have employees who must work outdoors. If so, make sure that your settings are looking to integrate VoIP, and employees outside the office can simply take their phone to communicate with them and have an Internet connection where they are always working to decide. These can be connected to your employees, and is one of Cowboys jersey
the most useful features of the other important thing to consider is whether your company can afford to move to VoIP. In some situations it is possible for a VoIP system for less than it would have a fixed network to implement. This usually happens with companies with employees who spend time outside of the workplace to work. On the other hand, if you're not in this situation, it can sometimes cost a little more to go with VoIP. The difference in the quality and overall ease of use is generally considered more worthwhile. VoIP phone business systems are useful for companies that had a large number of telephone conferences. VoIP, conference calls easier than the traditional telephone business and can handle the overall experience much less stress. regularly for business conference calls, the VoIP phone systems are essential. Note that VoIP configuration can sometimes cost Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
a little more money than the traditional telephone company facilities, as the superior general. If you think your company will benefit from this type of phone system, start to buy into it.

Injury-hit Arsenal to face Partizan in Belgrade

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)—Arsenal will be seeking to overcome a disappointing home loss and a lengthening injury list in the Champions League match against Partizan Belgrade on Tuesday.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger lost goalkeeper Manuel nfl jerseys
Almunia to an elbow injury on Monday, joining Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner, Thomas Vermaelen and Theo Walcott on the sidelines.
While the team’s 3-2 loss at home to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday has taken the gloss off its 6-0 win over Braga in its opening Group H game in the Champions League.
Almunia was hurt saving a penalty in the West Brom loss and Lukasz Fabianski will replace him at Partizan’s sold-out Yugoslav Army Stadium in Belgrade.
Almunia was criticized for West Brom’s second goal but Wenger said he would have played against Partizan if not for his injury.
“(The goalkeeper) is always the easy target, the easy scapegoat,” Wenger said. “But we win together and we lose together, even if people think he made a mistake on the second goal.


“There will be some changes, that is for sure,” Wenger said to play Partizan. “I don’t know yet (how many).”
The goalkeeping position is regarded as a problem area for Wenger, who Colts jersey
failed to sign Fulham’s Australian international, Mark Schwarzer, in the offseason.
Fabianski has also come in for criticism at Arsenal, notably for two howlers in a last-16 match against FC Porto in the Champions League last season.
Partizan striker Cleo, a Brazilian who was granted Serbian citizenship last week, has a knee injury but says he won’t “miss the biggest match of my career.”
“We are not afraid,” Cleo said. “We can beat the Gunners, especially because of their injury problems.”
Partizan coach Aleksandar Stanojevic said he will not accept “cowardly play” by his team on Tuesday.
“It’s 11 players against 11,” he said. “We should not feel inferior.”
Partizan lost its Champions League opener 1-0 against Shakhtar Donetsk, which travels to Portugal to face Braga in the other Group H match.
Braga, a surprise runner-up last season in Portugal, is currently third this season with 11 points—seven behind leader Porto.
Braga hasn’t lost at home for more than a year and will be hoping Shakhtar Donetsk provides an easier clash than Arsenal.
Nigerian left back Elderson Echiejile and Brazilian midfielder Leandro Salino return for Braga after missing the Arsenal match.
Shakhtar will be missing influential former Barcelona defender Dmytro Cowboys jersey
Chygrynskiy and Brazilian playmaker Fernandinho, who are both injured.
“Technically, it is a very strong team where Brazilians set the pace,” Shakhtar forward Eduardo said. “Braga has the will to win, but also has one disadvantage: it has never played in the Champions League.”
Associated Press writer Steve Douglas in London contributed to this report from London

Double Play Notes: Forte Takes Faulk's Old Martz Role

IRVING, Texas - Wherever his high-powered offense goes, Mike Martz usually has a versatile running back.
Marshall Faulk in St. Louis' old "Greatest Show on football jersey
Turf." Then Frank Gore in San Francisco. Now in Chicago, it's Matt Forte.
The Bears' offensive coordinator got 201 total yards (151 receiving, 50 rushing) and two touchdown catches from Forte in last Sunday's 19-14 victory over Detroit. The third-year veteran looks back to his explosive self after hamstring and knee injuries limited him a year ago. In addition to running some between the tackles, Forte is a tough cover for linebackers and safeties.
The Cowboys faced a resourceful running back twice annually in recent seasons. Ex-Eagles star Brian Westbrook required attention on every play because he presented a dual threat out of the backfield.
Same with Forte this Sunday.
"It's a challenge for linebackers any time a back can run what I call 'receiver routes,'" Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said. "A lot of backs can run normal back routes, but receiver routes are tough to run and he can run those types of routes."
The Cowboys only have five games' worth of film on Martz's Chicago offense (four preseason, one regular season). They have faced Martz's system twice in the last three years, though, with victories over Detroit (2007) and San Francisco (2008).
Veteran quarterback Jon Kina and wide receiver Roy Williams played in the Lions' scheme, and inside linebacker Keith Brooking also faced Martz's Rams several times and said Forte's role is very similar to Faulk's. The key is the linebackers playing with good leverage depending on the coverage and being in position 49ers jersey
to make the tackle.
"It hasn't changed at all," Brooking said. "The routes are the same passing concepts, route concepts. It's very important to really be good this week with our film study and know when they get in certain formations, regardless of how they try to disguise it, what's coming, and just prevent the big play because they're the type of offense that wants to make the big play in the passing game."
Roster Set for Now
Deon Anderson's knee surgery, requiring a 2-4 week recovery, affects two positions: fullback and tight end, because rookie Chris Gronkowski assumes starting fullback duties Sunday against Chicago instead of a dual fullback/tight end role.
Still, Phillips said the Cowboys would not add depth to the active roster this week. A future move is possible, though, because the Cowboys do have two tight ends on their practice squad: Martin Rucker and Scott Chandler.
Welcome Back

The Cowboys had a familiar face in the locker room Friday as rookie cornerback Bryan McCann returned to the team after a two-week absence.
McCann, an undated corner from SMU, was cut on Sept. 4 as part of the final roster moves to trim down to 53 players. While the Cowboys were hoping to get him on the practice squad, McCann was claimed off waivers by Baltimore, where he spent the first week before getting cut on Wednesday.
McCann cleared waivers this time and is now backing with the Cowboys.
"(The Ravens) wanted me to be on their practice squad but I just Saints jersey
thought this was a better situation for me," said McCann. "With only three (corners) here, I think I have a good chance of getting called up here. And this is where I was all off-season and I know the coaches and players. So I'm glad to be back."

Cardinals looking for identity without Warner

While Kurt Warner dances a Viennese waltz, the Arizona Cardinals struggle on without him.
Warner, who retired last year after leading the once-lowly Cardinals to unprecedented success, was all smiles as he made it through the first round of ''Dancing with the Stars'' this week.
His old team, on the other hand, is reeling from a 41-7 rout at cheap nfl jerseys
Atlanta, working to fix myriad mistakes as it prepares for Sunday's game against Oakland, Arizona's first home game of the post-Warner era.
Running back Beanie Wells says it is difficult to escape the considerable shadow Warner left behind.
''When somebody leaves like Kurt,'' Wells said, ''it doesn't just go away overnight.''
Warner wasn't just a prolific gunslinger of a quarterback on the field; he was the confident, tough leader of the team in the locker room and away from the field. He led the Cardinals to the Super Bowl, for goodness sake, and took them back to the playoffs the next season before deciding to call it quits when he still was at the top of his game.
''He was definitely a leader out there,'' Wells said, ''and an even better person.''
Warner was the master of the perfect passing touch and, especially late in his career, as good as any quarterback at improvising at the line of scrimmage to burn teams that chose to blitz.
Arizona's new quarterback, Derek Anderson, like Warner, is tough. He has already taken several brutal hits in the first two games. He is fiercely competitive on game day and a joker at other times, a combination that won over his teammates.
But accuracy and passing touch have been a problem. With every bad pass, the comparisons with Warner by fans are inevitable.
''You come behind Kurt Warner, that's the way it is,'' running New Orleans Saints jersey
back Tim Hightower said. ''I don't think he suffers from it, but you have a guy who played at such a high level in front of you, you're going to be criticized, you're going to be critiqued. It's one of those things where everything you do that's not right is going to be magnified.''
Not that Anderson seems bothered by that.
''You don't see a lot get to Derek,'' Hightower said. ''As a quarterback, that's a good thing. He's able to shake stuff off. ... I don't think he's too worried about what people are thinking and the pressure that they're putting on him. He loves playing the game.''
Anderson said he has no intention of trying to fill Warner's shoes.
''It's not something that I'm thinking about. I'm trying to play the best I can and be me,'' Anderson said. ''I understand that I'm not Kurt. I just want to lead the guys and win football games.''
Warner wasn't perfect. He threw five interceptions in a game twice last season.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt also noted that Warner was initially booed off the field in Arizona. It was only when Matt Leonard was injured five games into the 2007 season that Warner became a starter.
Warner went on to play with his injured left elbow in a sling part of that season. Then came the magical 2008 campaign, which resulted in a close loss to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. Last year, Warner had one of the best playoff performances in NFL history against Green Bay.
So following that act, trying to fill that void, was bound to be San Francisco 49ers jersey
a challenge, especially when other major contributors - linebacker Carlos Danby, wide receiver Naquin Bolden and safety Antler Role - also left the team.
Whisenhunt said these Cardinals are ''trying to find our own identity.''
''Kurt was a great player for us,'' the coach said. ''We had a lot of success and he was a huge part of that. But you know, at some point, that it was going to end.''

24 sep 10 Jenkins, Witten, Bryant limited for Cowboys

IRVING, Texas (AP)—Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins(notes), tight end Jason Witten(notes) and receiver Dez Bryant(notes) have been limited in practice because of injuries, but are expected to play Sunday against Houston.
Nose tackle Jay Ratliff(notes) also was absent Wednesday football jerseys
because he went to be with family following the death of his grandparents last week. He is expected to return Friday and should play against the Texans.
Coach Wade Phillips said Jenkins only has a bruised knee. Witten is recovering from a head injury that Phillips said may be less serious than the club initially thought.
Bryant has a ribs problem sustained in the opener.
Rookie offensive tackle Sam Young(notes) practiced for the first time in the regular season. He’s been recovering from a knee injury.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Running back Joseph Addai(notes) and defensive captain Gary Brackett(notes) have missed Colts practice.
Five Indy starters sat out Wednesday, including Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney(notes) who took his customary extra day of rest.
Addai was out with an undisclosed knee injury. Brackett missed practice after hurting his back and linebacker Clint Session(notes) missed practice with a hamstring injury. Left tackle Charlie Johnson(notes) also sat out with a sprained right foot.
Receiver Anthony Gonzalez(notes) (ankle), linebacker Ramon Indianapolis Colts jersey
Humber(notes) (hand) and safety Bob Sanders(notes) (biceps) didn’t practice and already have been ruled out of this week’s game at Denver.
Receiver Pierre Garcon(notes) (hamstring) and Jeff Saturday(notes) (knee surgery) did limited work.
The Texans announced the signing of OT Ephraim Salaam(notes) on Wednesday. Salaam's signing comes one day after Duane Brown(notes) was suspended for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Salaam likely will back up Rashad Butler(notes), who will start in Brown's place Sunday vs. Dallas.
Salaam, 34, made 30 starts at left tackle for Houston from 2006-07. He appeared in 13 games with Houston as a reserve in '08. He played five games with Detroit in 2009. The Lions released him on Dec. 7, 2009, and the Texans signed him 15 days later. He did not appear in a game with Houston last season.
The way we see it

Butler, a five-year veteran, is making his first career start. Dallas Cowboys jersey
"We're expecting Butler to do his job and the people around him to help him do his job," head coach Gary Kubiak said Wednesday.
Obviously, whether Butler can contain star Cowboys ROLB DeMarcus Ware(notes) is a major concern

No. 8 Sooners face Cincinnati in first road game

NORMAN, Okla. (AP)—With their own fans surrounding them in the friendly confines of Owen Field, the Oklahoma Sooners have been practically invincible.
It’s been more than five years and 33 straight games since football jersey
the eighth-ranked Sooners (3-0) lost at home, the longest stretch in the country.
Get them playing somewhere else, and it’s a different story.
Under Bob Stoops, Oklahoma has a sparkling 69-2 record at home but is just 51-27 elsewhere—including five losses in the last seven games on the road or at neutral sites. This season’s first test away from home comes Saturday night, when the Sooners face Cincinnati (1-2) at Paul Brown Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Bengals.
“It shouldn’t matter if we’re on the road or not,” said defensive end Jeremy Beal, one of the team’s captains. “We should always play the same.”
As Beal would admit, that can be easier said than done and recent history shows it. The Sooners outscored opponents 276-47 in six home victories last season, notching three shutouts and scoring at least 27 points in each game. They didn’t score half that many in four of their five losses away from home, where they averaged about two extra turnovers.
“You get out there and the crowd starts yelling,” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. “Do you lose your edge or do you feed off the energy of the opposing crowd to have the energy that we have at home? Can we have that kind of energy on the road?”
At home, Oklahoma’s players are used to feeding off the 80,000-plus fans that have sold out all 71 games since Stoops took over in 1999. On the road, it’s more about playing the role of the antagonist and getting excited about plays that silence the opponent’s fans.
“You have to take the crowd out,” defensive tackle Adrian Taylor said. “You have to take everybody out but your coaches and your teammates and learn how to play not dependent on the crowd.”
Taylor said the Sooners hope to recreate the vibe of the 2008 team, which went 6-1 away from home before losing to Florida in the BCS championship game. The Sooners had four future first-round NFL draft picks that year.
“Maturity and experience and good players make a big difference,” Saints jersey
Stoops said. The keys for Oklahoma this week are “character, toughness and attitude.”
“Not just with Cincinnati but with our remaining schedule, we have some tremendous challenges and opportunities to go play well on the road and great teams do that,” Wilson added. “If we’re going to be a good team, we’ve got to embrace this opportunity of playing well on the road.”
The game serves as a tuneup for a far different neutral site experience a week later: the Red River Rivalry game against No. 7 Texas in Dallas with the Cotton Bowl crowd split between fans of the two schools.
Stoops’ Sooners are just 3-2 in road games played the week before the rivalry. And while Cincinnati is struggling to play at the same level it did during an undefeated 2009 regular season, the Sooners might be tempted to look past the Bearcats to the Longhorns.
“We’re always talking about it, we’re always excited,” receiver Kenny Stills said. “They’re always on our mind in the back of our head because that’s always a big game for us.”
This year, there’s the additional challenge of having more freshmen than usual playing meaningful snaps. A dozen freshmen have already played, with Stills, nickelback Tony Jefferson and fullback Trey Millard in starting roles. Another seven redshirt freshmen and sophomores figure to make their first road starts.
Safety Jonathan Nelson, a junior with just two career starts away from Owen Field, said he has learned quickly how important it is to ignore the distractions that can come with traveling.
“I think that’s one thing where experience can help you out because the San Diego Chargers jersey
older you get, the more you realize that you’re not going to remember any of that when you get older,” said Nelson, whose first start came in a 41-13 loss at Texas Tech.
“You’re going to remember the games, not the hotel, not the plane ride, not the bus ride to the airport. Just the actual game and how you performed in that game is the main key, and that’s what you’re going to remember.”

Paterno toughens up Penn St. practice

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP)—It’s tough love time at Penn State.
Increase the intensity at practice, coach Joe Paterno has told his 23rd-ranked Nittany Lions. Be more aggressive. Show younger players the hard work it takes to win.
Looks like the message has sunk in.
“If you don’t perform, then you won’t start. We didn’t perform well a couple nfl jerseys
games,” cornerback D’Anton Lynn said Tuesday. “So that starts in practice. If you don’t perform in practice … they’re definitely not hesitating to switch your spot.”
Paterno began turning up the heat last week, unhappy after the 21-point loss at top-ranked Alabama. The team responded Saturday with a 24-0 shutout—albeit sloppy, at times—of Kent State.
After the game, some players relayed how coaches told them in practice jobs were on the line if play didn’t improve. Others talked about more spirited practices.
“I think some of the guys you talked to were dreaming,” Paterno joked to a reporter at Beaver Stadium. “We only put full pads on them once, but we put the shoulder pads on them, and we were a little bit more aggresssive.”
Don’t expect a change this week as the Nittany Lions get ready for Temple on Saturday.
“We’ll be pretty close to a normal week, but much more demanding in the sense that you can’t go tough two plays and take one off … (we’ve) got to get away from that,” Paterno said. “We’ll get better.”
Minor injuries may have played a role in some noticeable lineup changes. Ends Jack Crawford (hip) and Eric Latimore, who had an undisclosed injury, are both still listed as starters despite not starting Saturday, when Pete Massaro and Sean Stanley each made their first career starts.
Better pass rush has been a point of emphasis recently, and the pressure improved against Kent State—including a sack by Crawford.
Paterno said safety Drew Astorino’s surgically repaired left shoulder has Bills jersey
been bothering him again of late, so he’s been limited in practice. Backup Andrew Dailey played most of the Kent State game in the base defense, with Astorino subbing on passing downs—though defensive coordinator Tom Bradley has also said assistants had been upset with Astorino on a missed tackle.
No position has been analyzed more in recent weeks than tailback, where star Evan Royster has just 110 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries over three games. It’s a disappointing start for a senior just 371 yards shy of the school career rushing record of 3,398 held by Curt Warner for nearly three decades.
In the second half against Kent State, Stephfon Green carried the load during a third-quarter drive that stabilized a struggling offense leading 14-0. Royster had just four yards on three carries after halftime.
Paterno said he thought the Nittany Lions had control of the game, and wanted to simply get experience, for Green, a junior and talented third-string freshman Silas Redd.
“For me to tell ‘so-and-so is going to carry the ball X number of times,’ I can’t,” Paterno said. “I think we have two, three good running backs, and I think any one of (them) can handle the situation if they give us an opportunity to run.”
Royster remains atop the depth chart, though. Paterno stressed he’s not worried about Royster, and that, whether in lopsided wins or the blowout loss to Alabama, Royster hasn’t been needed as much.
He also wants more consistency from the offensive line in the run game.
“I’ve challenged all those guys. I said you guys have to carry this football team. You have to tell these young guys what it takes to win … and Royster has done that,” Paterno said.
The Nittany Lions have a fair share of sophomores or untested juniors playing 49ers jersey
expanded roles—not to mention freshman Rob Bolden at quarterback. That leaves players such as Royster among the few senior skill position players with extensive experience.
Those guys haven’t been immune, either, from the tough talk.
“I think he’s trying to send a message that we have a lot of depth, a lot of guys who can play,” senior receiver Graham Zug said. “He’s trying to make a point you can’t settle down, can’t settle in.”

Cougars prepare for No. 20 USC

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP)—Washington State is struggling to show improvement under third-year coach Paul Wulff, and the battle gets tougher this Saturday against No. 20 Southern California.
No Pac-10 team has a better record against WSU than the Trojans (3-0), who nfl jersey
have won 85 percent of the games since the first in 1921, including the past seven in a row. But these Trojans, banned from postseason play for NCAA violations, are not the USC of old. They’ve struggled to beat Hawaii, Virginia and Minnesota.
Wulff said the Cougars (1-2) are feeling good about the game, which is the Pac-10 opener for both teams.
“I think they have confidence they can come in and be successful in this football game,” Wulff said Tuesday of his team. “We’ve got the right attitude.”
Last year, the Cougars lost 27-6 in Los Angeles, but gave up just one touchdown over the final three quarters. That game was the debut for freshman quarterback Jeff Tuel, now the WSU starter.
“I hope and believe it’s going to be better,” Wulff said.
Through the first three games, Tuel is completing nearly 55 percent of his passes for 700 yards, with five touchdowns and just one interception.
“He’s played extremely well,” Southern Cal coach Lane Kiffin said. “He’s very efficient.”
The Cougars played a good first half against SMU last weekend, and the teams were tied 14-14 at halftime. But SMU scored 21 unanswered points in the second half for a 35-21 win.
Despite the loss, the game marked the first time WSU had scored a Chargers jersey
first quarter touchdown on the road since 2008, and was the first time since 2007 that WSU did not trail at halftime against an FBS opponent.
That qualifies as improvement for a program that is 3-22 the past two seasons.
Washington State will need a rare 60-minute effort to have a chance against even a depleted Southern Cal. The Trojans average 32 points per game, and will be facing a defense that has allowed 40 per game so far.
The Trojans’ offense is led by quarterback Matt Barkley, among the nation’s leaders in passing efficiency. Kiffin is still looking for a leader to emerge among four running backs. Marc Tyler and Allen Bradford have each posted 100-yard games.
“They have not separated themselves as we had hoped,” Kiffin said.
But the Trojans average nearly 200 yards rushing per game, double what WSU averages.
The defensive secondary continues to be a problem for the Trojans, as teams are gaining 291 yards per game through the air against them.
“We’re going to be able to do some things,” Wulff said of Bears jersey
his aerial attack.
Freshman receiver Marquess Wilson already has four receptions of 40-plus yards in the first three games, and gained 134 yards against SMU.
Beating the Trojans has never been easy for WSU. Southern Cal leads the all-time series 57-8-4, and handed the Cougars the worst loss in program history, 69-0, the last time they were in Pullman in 2008.

Phillies Notebook: Phils' skipper decides Utley needs a day off

Chase Utley got his first day off since returning from a 7-week layoff due to thumb surgery. It was a logical spot.
The Phils were playing a day game after a night game and were facing Nationals lefty Scott Olsen. Utley has three career home runs against Olsen. But, he entered yesterday's game just 5-for-30 with 10 strikeouts overall. The eight regular position players who started had combined to go 43-for-130 (.331) with nine homers, nfl jersey
seven doubles and a two triples off Olsen, including Ryan Howard's 14-for-32 with two homers and three doubles and Jayson Werth's 10-for-20 with three homers and two doubles.
"He played 5 days in a row," manager Charlie Manuel said of Utley. "I just wanted to sit him down. He was starting to stride real quick, get over his front side. I felt like maybe we could give him a break. He was out, what, 6 or 7 weeks? It's kind of like spring training all over again for him in some ways."
Utley had started five straight games since returning from the disabled list on Aug. 17, reaching base in the last four, and going 4-for-18 with a double, two walks, an RBI and three runs scored.
In an 8-1 loss to the Nationals Saturday, he was 0-for-3 with a walk. He has struck out just once since returning.
"Utley's kind of funny because sometimes he can go and come back and jump right out and start swinging pretty good," Manuel said. "But I noticed in the last 3 or 4 days I felt like he probably needed a little rest. He needed a break."
Utley's replacement, Wilson Valdez, grounded into an inning-ending doubleplay with runners on first and second in the second, but hit a two-run single, after Carlos Ruiz was intentionally walked to load the bases, with two outs in the sixth, to give the Phils a 4-0 lead.
The NaturalRoy Hobbs, he ain't. But Roy Oswalt did go 2-for-3 with a pair of Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
singles for his 15th career multihit game and his first since June 29, 2009, against the Padres. Oswalt made a valiant effort at his first three-hit game, sending a hard-hit fly to left-center in the sixth inning that ultimately died in the glove of leftfielder Roger Bernadina. Don't expect to see such power rear its head with any sort of frequency: In 596 career at-bats, Oswalt has eight extra-base hits (seven doubles and a home run). To put that in perspective, Cole Hamels already has nine career extra-base hits - all doubles - despite 300 fewer at-bats.
Division foesThe Phillies have won four consecutive series against NL East teams, going 9-3 during that stretch. Their 25-22 record against the division is tied with the Marlins for the best winning percentage among the East's five teams. Atlanta, which leads the Phillies by 2 1/2 games, is 23-21. For the next 2 weeks, the Phillies make a foray through the NL West and NL Central, with series against the Astros (home), Padres (away), Dodgers (away) and Brewers (home), along with a rescheduled rainout in Colorado on Sept. 2.
No matterOswalt said he doesn't mind missing a chance to face his old teammates. The Phillies begin a four-game series against the Astros tonight. Because he pitched yesterday, Oswalt will be the only Phillies starter not to pitch.
"It doesn't matter," said Oswalt, who was in his 10th season in Houston when he Minnesota Vikings jersey
was traded. "Once you step across the lines, nobody is really friends no more."
PhillersHeading into the series, J.C. Romero hadn't pitched in 8 days and had allowed five earned runs in his previous four outings while recording just three outs. But he followed up 1 1/3 scoreless innings on Saturday with a scoreless inning yesterday . . . Since Aug. 1, Cole Hamels and Kyle Kendrick are the only Phillies starters to be charged with losses.

Jays plucked 11-5 by Yanks

Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada each homered and had four hits as the New York Yankees used five home runs to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 11-5 last night.
Right-hander Dustin Moseley (4-2) held the Blue Jays to nfl throwback jerseys
five hits and two runs over six innings before a crowd of 30,567 at Rogers Centre.
Curtis Granderson hit his 14th with two on, Marcus Thames his fifth with one on and Derek Jeter hit his 10th to go with Teixeira's 28th homer and Posada's 16th of the season.
The teams play the rubber match of the three-game series today. The Blue Jays (65-60) still leading the season series 6-5 with the Yankees (78-48), who entered the game tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for first in the American League East.
Despite some minor tinkering with his pitching mechanics, it was another Colts jersey
short outing for Marc Rzepczynski. The left-hander was pummelled for six runs and eight hits, including three home runs, in three innings.
The Yankees scored once in each of the first two innings. Teixeira chopped a single up the middle in the first to score Nick Swisher, who had doubled.
In the second, Thames led off with a single. He took third when right-fielder Jose Bautista misjudged Posada's fly that went for a single.
Thames was thrown out at home after Rzepczynski fielded a grounder by Austin Kearns. Thames knocked the ball out of catcher John Buck's grasp but missed the plate and Buck recovered to tag him out.
After a walk to Granderson, Eduardo Nunez grounded to second. He avoided the double-play when he beat the throw to first from shortstop Yunel Escobar who had no chance after a slow, soft feed from second baseman Aaron Hill.
No such subtleties helped the Yankees in the third as Teixeira, Cowboys jersey
Thames and Posada homered for four runs. Robinson Cano walked before the homer by Thames.
The Blue Jays didn't have a runner on base until Edwin Encarnacion. The Blue Jays scored once in the fourth but it should have been more. Vernon Wells drove in the run with a single to right.

D.C. COMICS - LOWLY NATS POUND PELFREY

WASHINGTON - Mike Pelfrey provided a primer for young Dillon Gee yesterday on how not to perform tonight when he makes his major-league debut.
Don't walk three batters in the same inning. football jerseys
Don't miss high in the strike zone. Don't head to the showers in the fourth. Don't be like Mike.
Pelfrey's pathetic performance against a putrid opponent set the bar low. With Pelfrey as the ring-leader, the Mets lost 13-3 to the Nationals, marking their sixth loss in eight games on this road trip.
Gee, a 24-year-old right-hander, will become the second Mets pitcher in four games to make his major-league starting debut when he gets the ball tonight at Nationals Park. He can only hope he fares better than Jenrry Mejia, who surrendered four runs over five innings in losing to the Cubs on Saturday.
It's an opportunity Gee thought he might receive last season, except that a torn labrum derailed any dreams he had of pitching in the big leagues in 2009. He recovered to go 13-8 with a 4.96 ERA at Triple-A Buffalo, where he set a modern franchise record with 165 strikeouts in 161 1/3 innings.
"My main goal was just to go out this year and prove that I'm healthy again and I can still pitch," Gee said. "I think I proved that in close to 170 innings right now."
Manager Jerry Manuel said Gee impressed him during spring training of 2009.
"He's a pitcher," Manuel said. "He's a command guy, and what I saw was a good changeup. Steelers jersey
I liked that. He was able to throw changeups at any point in the count. He had a setback with the injury, but he's a guy that has pitch-ability."
Pelfrey (13-9) is an "enigma," according to the manager.
The Mets gave the right-hander a 3-0 lead in the third, only to watch him surrender a solo homer to Danny Espinosa in the bottom of the inning and five more runs in the fourth. The rookie Espinosa hit a grand slam against Ryota Igarashi in the sixth to make it a runaway.
The Mets (67-71) thought Pelfrey had turned a corner last month, when he gave the team four straight strong performances. He has since regressed, with consecutive duds.
"We're talking about [Pelfrey's] fourth year, getting to that point where you say, 'This is who you are and this is what we're going to get,' " Manuel said. "And we're still fighting some different things. That part probably is the most frustrating. You know the tools are in the shed in which to work with, you've just got to get them in the right places."
METS: In a battle of pitchers making their major league debuts, the Mets send the 24-year-old Gee to the mound. In 28 starts for Triple-A Buffalo this season, Gee was 13-8 with a 4.96 ERA. His mid90s fastball got him 165 strikeouts, leading the International League and setting a Buffalo franchise record.
NATIONALS: Maya is a 29-year-old Cuban defector who is in his first season playing American pro ball. His most recent stop was in Triple-A Syracuse, where in his two starts he pitched 10 1/3 innings, allowing one run on eight hits, with five walks and nine strikeouts.
WHO'S HOT
Nationals September call-up shortstop Danny Espinosa went 4-for-5 yesterday with six RBIs. He's 9-for-16 (.563) with 10 RBIs in four games.
WHO'S NOT
Since making his major league debut on Sept. 1, Lucas Duda is 1-for-20 Vikings jersey
(.050), including going 0-for-3 yesterday. He also has nine strikeouts.
STAT SO?
David Wright went 0-for-1 with an RBI yesterday, but has a career average of .258 in Nationals Park, his second worst average in any park (behind Citizens Bank in Philly, .257) where he has played more than seven games.

NFL Week 2 picks and predictions

The biggest takeaway from Week 1? Any given Sunday.
O Thursday. Or Monday night. Or Tuesday morning, if you happen to live on the East Coast.
Seven of 12 playoff teams from 2009 were losers on opening weekend, while two of the league’s five worst teams from a year ago — the Chiefs and Redskins — beat defending division champions. The Seahawks, a squad everyone said would struggle immensely in Year 1 of nfl throwback jerseys
the Pete Carroll era, flat-out embarrassed a 49ers team that the media already crowned as the 2010 NFC West champions back in July. Eleven of the 16 games played in Week 1 were decided by seven points or less, an NFL opening weekend record. What can we expect in Week 2?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Let’s dig right into the picks.
Last Week’s Record: 8-8
Overall Record: 8-8
1 p.m. EST games
Kansas City at Cleveland: How about those Chiefs rookies? In Week 1’s dramatic, rain-soaked 21-14 victory over San Diego, bite-size former SEC stars Dexter McCluster and Javier Arenas each had big punt returns, fifth overall selection Eric Berry laid the wood at safety, and tight end Tony Moeaki caught a touchdown pass. As for the Browns? Well, they squandered a late fourth-quarter lead and lost to an absolutely mediocre Bucs team. I guess some things never change. Romeo Crennel returns to the Dawg Pound on Sunday and leaves as a victor. Eric Mangini's seat suddenly gets a little warmer.
The Pick: Chiefs 27, Browns 16
Tampa Bay at Carolina: Though the Bucs’ roster features just three players over the age of 30, the Panthers are actually the league’s youngest team. The Buccaneers' roster averages 26 years. Carolina's average age is 25 years, 233 days, according to STATS LLC. And that’s with ancient kicker John Kasay’s 41 years of age factored in. I can hear Dick Stockton’s voice now, “It’s Team Blue’s Clues vs. Team Backyardigans, coming up next on FOX!” Give me the home team in this one, led on defense by the player who may end up being the steal of the 2010 NFL Draft, sixth-round pick Greg Hardy. In his first career game last Sunday against the Giants, the former Ole Miss star had four tackles, blocked a punt and recovered a fumble. Expect plenty more of that this season if — and with his history, it’s a big if — he stays healthy.
The Pick: Panthers 17, Buccaneers 13
Chicago at Dallas: Seemingly every talking head on TV, radio and Twitter took their shots at Alex Barron on Sunday night following the Cowboys’ 13-7 loss in Washington. Sure, Barron committed three holding penalties in the final 31 minutes, and yes, he's the most penalized player since 2005. But if Barron doesn’t commit that last penalty, Romo gets sacked, possibly injured and there’s no game-winning pass attempt at all. Without that hold, Jon Kitna’s quite possibly your Week 2 Cowboys quarterback!
It pains me to hear that Barron felt the need to apologize to Roy Williams on the team plane after the game. Where was $3 million man Jason Garrett apologizing to Cowboys Nation for an offensive game plan that netted just 7 points? Where was kicker David Buehler apologizing to the state of Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
Texas for missing a chippy 34-yarder? Where was Tony Romo apologizing for dumping a 2-yard pass off to Tashard Choice with four seconds left on the clock in the second quarter when taking a knee would have been sufficient? And while we're at it, where was Jerry Jones apologizing to Cowboys Nation for drafting Dez Bryant, a receiver on a team already loaded with receivers, over Rams opening day starting offensive tackle Rodger Saffold in April’s draft?
Alex Barron didn’t play well Sunday night, but he didn’t deserve the slaying he received from the media hounds and Cowboys fans after the game. I think Dallas regroups and finds a way at home on Sunday, and Garrett has Romo take a knee the next time there’s four seconds on the clock and more than 50 yards to go before the half.
The Pick: Cowboys 27, Bears 17
Philadelphia at Detroit: Though they tend to get a bad rap (Booing Santa? What’s so wrong with that? C'mon, he had a bad year!), you’ve gotta love Eagles fans. We’re less than seven days into The Kevin Kolb era in Philly, and they already want it to be over. Can you blame them? In relief of an injured Kolb on Sunday, Michael Vick rushed 11 times for 103 yards, completed 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and finished with a 101.9 passer rating in just two and half quarters of action. Let the controversy begin. As for Lions fans? Well, it's hard not to feel at least a little bad for them. Detroit’s now 3-30 in their last 33 games and haven’t won a road game since the G Dubbya Bush regime was in office. Losing on a peculiar (even if it was right) call like the one that decided Sunday’s game has to be devastating. And anytime you see the name of your franchise quarterback and the name Dr. James Andrews scrolling next to each other on a sports ticker, you know you’re in for another looooooong season.
The Pick: Eagles 27, Lions 16
Arizona at Atlanta: How about everyone’s sexy Super Bowl pick of the summer, the 2010 Atlanta Falcons? In Week 1’s 15-9 overtime loss in Pittsburgh, Matt Ryan — after a summer of watching thousands of hours of game film — struggled to throw the ball more than 10 yards. Michael Turner, finally healthy and several pounds lighter than the bloated version we saw last season, averaged just 2.2 yards per carry. And Tony Gonzalez — he of 1,001 career catches and zero career playoff wins — only caught two balls. Look for the Minnesota Vikings jersey
Falcons offense to get cured this weekend with a much-needed win over Arizona on Sunday. If they don’t, it could mean panic mode down in Flowery Branch.

Top 10 sleepers: Backup RBs Stewart, Jackson to contribute

Ryan Grant’s season-ending injury has forced his fantasy owners to replace him with another running back starter.
Some owners are scrambling to start other wideouts and tight ends on their roster after disappointing Week 1 production.
Fortunately, last week’s sleepers of Jay Cutler, Jabar football jerseys
Gaffney, Deion Branch, Santana Moss and Ahamd Bradshaw helped some fantasy teams score better with their Week 1 starters and clinch a victory.
Start these emerging players or overlooked veterans with favorable matchups. They can solve lineup decisions at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end or the flex positions.
10. Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, Minnesota vs. Miami
He emerged as Brett Favre’s most prolific target in the opener, catching four passes for 76 yards and a score. Minnesota’s top wide receivers are injured, so look for Shiancoe to be one of Favre’s top receivers against Miami.
9. Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia at Detroit
Detroit’s defense continued its recent seasons of struggles against quarterbacks in the opener. Jay Cutler threw for 272 yards and two scores and added 22 rushing yards. Michael Vick had a superb opener, throwing for 175 yards and one score and running for 103 yards. Kevin Kolb is likely to miss Week 2, so look for his backup Vick to post his second straight outstanding fantasy game.
8. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta vs. Arizona
The Cardinals ranked in the bottom 10 against the pass last season, and their defense became weaker with the losses of Antrel Rolle in the secondary and pass-rusher Karlos Dansby. Arizona also permitted a rookie quarterback to throw for 253 yards and one score in his first start.
Ryan will have a chance to throw for multiple scores against a questionable Arizona pass defense. It struggled at the end of last season during the playoffs against quality foes. It permitted Aaron Rodgers to throw for 423 yards and four scores, and allowed Drew Brees to pass for 247 yards and three touchdowns in the second playoff game.
7. Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland vs. St. Louis
The Rams rated as the league’s fourth-worst overall defense and allowed the most rushing scores (24) last season. It also struggled in the opener against Arizona’s running backs, allowing Tim Hightower to total 94 yards and one touchdown.
McFadden also has solid all-around skills and had one of Colts jersey
the top Week 1 fantasy performances. He totaled 150 yards and a score at Tennessee in the opener by running for 95 yards and gaining 55 yards and a score from six receptions.
6. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Philadelphia at Detroit
Maclin goes from facing last year’s No. 5 pass defense of Green Bay to 2009’s worst pass defense of Detroit. He’ll be aiming to score for his second straight game against Detroit’s pass defense that allowed the most touchdowns (35) last season.
5. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina vs. Tampa Bay
Stewart posted two of his best games against the Bucs last season. He ran for 110 yards and one score in Week 6, and rushed for 120 yards and one touchdown in Week 13. The Bucs upgraded its run defense, but they still remain inexperienced and susceptible to the running game after allowing Jerome Harrison to average 5.8 yards per carry in the opener.
4. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City at Cleveland
Charles needed only one big scoring play of 56 yards to post a solid fantasy day of 100 total yards and a touchdown against the Chargers. Cleveland’s defense is worse than San Diego’s after ranking as the NFL’s second worst overall and fifth-worst against the run last season. So Charles has a chance to record his second straight 100-yard game to start the 2010 season.
3. Brandon Jackson, RB, Green Bay vs. Buffalo
The Bills ranked as the NFL’s third-worst rushing defense and allowed the third-most rushing scores (19) last season. It permitted both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams to combine for 127 rushing yards. Look for Jackson to receive the majority of carries as Green Bay’s featured back.
2. LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia at Detroit
McCoy is Philadelphia’s featured running back, and he’ll have an excellent fantasy day against Detroit’s poor defense that ranked as the NFL’s worst last season. Matt Forte showed why when he totaled 201 yards and two scores vs. the Lions in the opener. Of note, McCoy totaled 82 yards and one touchdown against last year’s No. 2 Green Bay defense.
1. Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, New York Giants at Indianapolis
The Colts have struggled against the run during recent seasons, and their woes continued in the opener when Arian Foster ran for 231 yards and three touchdowns. Bradshaw is the Giants’ featured all-around runner, and he ran for 74 yards and a score in the opener. He also added 21 yards from two Cowboys jersey
receptions.
He’s a great start to replace running backs with tougher matchups like Fred Taylor at the Jets, C.J. Spiller at Green Bay, Cadillac Williams at Carolina and Justin Forsett at Denver.

49ers' Mike Singletary: I smell a rat

He’s upset about it, too. The San Francisco 49ers coach believes someone is trying to undermine his team after reading a story published on Yahoosports.com that suggested communication problems in the coaches’ booth with offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye.
Singletary was angry that the story quoted an unnamed source. He nfl jerseys
also said the story was not accurate.
“If a man has something to say, he’s going to try to find a way to come and tell you,” he said Thursday. “But I don’t want to deal with a rat. I don’t want to spend my time trying to find out who said this, who said that. No. 1, the article is not factual. No. 2, I don’t want to spend my time trying to find a rat. In time, the smell will come.”
Asked how he might react if he found that the source of the story was in the team building, he said, “If the rat is in the building, it will show in time. But I’m not going to try and find it. It’ll show.”
The Yahoo story, written by Jason Cole and published Tuesday, claimed Steelers jersey
that Raye was slow to relay play calls to the field, in part because he was relying too much on his memory.
Cole quoted a source saying: “It seems like Jimmy calls plays from memory a lot of the time and not exactly the way it’s written down. He knows the plays and he knows the right thing to call, but he’s fumbling through his papers and it’s like, ‘Hey, we need to get a play called.’” Cole wrote that plays often get garbled.
Raye’s response: “I think I speak with good diction. I don’t garble anything. … So whoever Yahoo is, maybe he should come call the plays.”
Singletary typically leaves the media tent at the team’s practice facility when he’s finished talking and another coach or player is scheduled to speak. But he stayed nearby when Raye addressed writers, most likely as a sign of support for his assistant coach.
Singletary was clearly agitated by the story, but he said he Vikings jersey
was more disappointed.
“Am I pissed off about it?” he said, repeating a question. “I would say this: It’s just something that disappointing. Pissed off (is) maybe a little immediate reaction. But to put it in perspective, you’re just disappointed that something like that is written.”

Orioles beat Blue Jays 3-1 despite Bautista HR

BALTIMORE (AP)—Three batters into the game, Jose Bautista(notes) hit his 47th home run to provide Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kyle Drabek(notes) a lead to work with in his major league debut.
Drabek threw well enough to win. Unfortunately for the nfl jerseys
newcomer, the guy who surrendered Bautista’s milestone homer was even better.
Brad Bergesen(notes) pitched a seven-hitter, and the Baltimore Orioles completed a three-game sweep with a 3-1 victory Wednesday night.
Bergesen (7-10) struck out three and walked none in his third career complete game, second this season. The right-hander came in with a 6.99 ERA in five lifetime starts against the Blue Jays, but dominated this one after yielding Bautista’s solo shot in the first inning.
“It feels like a lot of other outings,” Bergesen said. “You face a team like Toronto (with) such a deadly lineup, they get up there swinging. So if you are able to make your pitches, you can get some quick outs.”
Which is precisely what happened. Bergesen needed only 95 pitches to get it done, and the game was played in a brisk 1 hour, 55 minutes—the first time the Orioles have completed a game in under 2 hours since May 25, 2005, against Seattle.
Bergesen was aided by two double plays, and the Orioles threw out a runner at the plate. Shortstop Cesar Izturis(notes) contributed four assists and three putouts, including a diving grab of a low liner by Lyle Overbay(notes) in the seventh inning.
“Bergy was the story tonight,” manager Buck Showalter said, “but I’ve got to tell you Izzy is a close second.”
That’s exactly how first baseman Luke Scott(notes) saw it.
“Cesar made some great plays, but Brad set the tempo for us on the mound,” Scott said. “He was around the zone, and their guys were in swing mode. He put the ball where he wanted to. He kept the ball down, it had late movement, and when that happens you keep your defense involved.”
Baltimore has won nine of 11 and captured four straight series. The Orioles are 26-15 under Showalter, including 9-6 against the AL East.
One reason for the resurgence is Bergesen, who was 3-9 on July 26 and has since surrendered three runs or fewer in eight of Dallas Cowboys jersey
his nine starts.
“To be able to persevere and come back and try to contribute to this team, it’s a satisfying feeling,” he said.
Bautista’s drive tied the Toronto club record set in 1987 by George Bell. It was his seventh of the season versus the Orioles, the most against any team, and second off Bergesen.
“It was nice to do it for the fans, but ultimately the reason you play the game is to win and we didn’t do that,” Bautista said. “It’s been a very fun year on a personal level.”
One more homer will enable Bautista to stand alone among Toronto’s season leaders. For now, he’s happy to share the record with Bell.
“He’s a guy I got to know over the years. He was a great baseball player and had a great career for the Toronto Blue Jays,” Bautista said. “Hopefully, I’ll have as good a career.”
Toronto has hit at least one home run in 17 consecutive games, the longest run in the AL this year and one short of the streak of 18 straight by Cincinnati from May 11-29.
Drabek, the son of former Cy Young winner Doug Drabek, gave up three runs and nine hits in six innings. The Eastern League player of the year struck out five and walked three.
“He did a good job. He kept us in the ball game,” Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. “We just didn’t score runs for him.”
Drabek’s father was in attendance. Doug Drabek made his debut in Baltimore for the New York Yankees in June 1986.
“The best advice he gave me was to stay calm, be aggressive and throw strikes,” Kyle said of his father. “Early on, I didn’t throw as many strikes as I wanted to. (But) I came in here knowing it could only get better.”
He said his father “was probably more nervous than I was.”
After Bautista’s homer, Vernon Wells(notes) reached on an error and was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a double by Overbay.
In the bottom half, Drabek yielded singles to the first two batters he faced. The Orioles then pulled off a double steal before Scott hit an RBI groundout.
Baltimore missed a scoring opportunity in the third when Izturis was tagged out trying to score on a double by Brian Roberts(notes).
But the Orioles took the lead with a two-run fourth. Indianapolis Colts jersey
After Corey Patterson(notes) hit an RBI single, another run scored when Roberts bounced into a double play.
Notes: Toronto has lost seven of eight overall and 10 of 13 on the road. … Roberts has reached base safely in 25 straight games. … Baltimore was 0-12 against Toronto before this series.

Defendant’s kin testifies in pitcher’s death case

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP)—The stepbrother of a man charged with murder in a drunken-driving crash that killed rookie Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart(notes) and two others testified Wednesday that he persuaded the defendant to keep drinking after he said he wanted to stop.
Raymond Rivera said he and nfl jersey
defendant Andrew Gallo spent hours drinking at two bars before the deadly crash. When Gallo went to the restroom, Rivera said he ordered two more beers but Gallo got upset and wanted to go home rather than drink them.
Rivera told jurors he egged Gallo on, telling him that he paid for the beers and they should finish them.
“I told him I had wasted my last couple of bucks on it and you’re not going to drink it. I thought you were my brother,” Rivera said, who had to pause to compose himself. “He wanted to stop. I persuaded him to continue.”
Gallo, 23, covered his eyes and appeared to be crying at the defense table.
He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of the Adenhart, 22, Courtney Stewart, 20, and Henry Pearson, 25. He has also pleaded not guilty to one count of felony hit-and-run and two counts of driving while drunk and causing injuries to Rivera and another passenger in the other car.
Gallo, whose blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit at the time of the collision, could face a maximum sentence of more than 50 years to life in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors have charged him with murder—instead of the lesser charge of manslaughter—in part because he had a prior DUI conviction in 2006 and signed documents then saying he understood he could be charged with murder if he killed someone while driving drunk.
Prosecutor Susan Price spent much of Wednesday questioning Rivera about the hours leading up to the collision, which happened just hours after Adenhart had pitched six scoreless innings in his Angels season debut.
Rivera said he drove his parents’ minivan as he and Gallo ran errands and wound up at a bar and restaurant where Gallo’s girlfriend worked.
After Gallo gave his girlfriend a rose, the pair sat down at the bar and began drinking, Rivera testified.
The two were in a good mood because Gallo was starting a new job the next day and had received a government assistance check and Rivera believed he had landed a second job at Sears.
The pair drank several beers each at the first bar and did a tequila shot before going to a bikini bar called The Well. There, they drank “boombahs,” or beers in foot-tall glasses that hold the equivalent of about three pints each, Rivera said.
Rivera said he blacked out at the second bar, but recalls buying himself and Gallo a pint each of Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
a specialty beer that’s notorious for having such a high alcohol content that some bars don’t serve it.
The prosecutor also presented a witness who worked a third bar a few doors down from The Well who testified the two brothers came in and each ordered a beer and a shot.
Rivera said he doesn’t remember going to that bar or getting in the minivan.
The next thing he remembers from the evening, he told jurors, was looking at Gallo in the driver’s seat after the collision.
“The next time I saw him, it was in court,” Rivera said.
Rivera said he checked on the occupants of the other car after the collision and realized they were “hurt pretty bad.”
Stewart, the driver, was killed instantly. Adenhart was in the front passenger seat and Pearson, who also was killed instantly, was in the right rear seat. A fourth passenger who survived, Jon Wilhite, was in the left rear seat.
Adenhart died in surgery a short time later.
“I saw the driver. She was sitting up, with her head down,” Rivera recalled. “I saw the driver’s side passenger. …They were just really slumped toward the door. It looked really unnatural. I could not get in that position if I wanted to.”
Under questioning from Goodman on Wednesday, Rivera said he always drove his stepbrother around because Gallo had a suspended license. He said he insisted on taking his stepbrother to the second bar when Gallo instead wanted to go grocery shopping and go home.
Rivera also said under cross-examination that Gallo didn’t realize how drunk Rivera was until the end of Minnesota Vikings jersey
the night and didn’t realize he would have to drive home instead.
“I drove all the time,” he said. “He was drinking thinking he wasn’t going to have to drive.”

Steelers defense stays with what works

PITTSBURGH (AP)—NFL rosters change frequently from season to season due to salary cap restrictions, free agency and the draft, yet the Pittsburgh Steelers are an anomaly during a time when one bad game or one bad season can cause a team to shed a player.
When they began practicing Wednesday for their game at football jerseys
Tennessee on Sunday, all 11 players who started on defense for them during the Cardinals-Steelers’ Super Bowl two seasons ago were on the field. Ten of the 11 remain starters; only linebacker Larry Foote(notes) is a backup.
By contrast, the Cardinals have only four holdover starters, although linebacker Clark Haggans(notes) would be among that group if he hadn’t missed the Super Bowl with a foot injury.
That 2008 Steelers defense was one of the best in NFL history, leading the league in overall and passing defense while giving up the fewest points— despite playing one of the most difficult schedules of any Super Bowl winner, opposing the Ravens (twice), Chargers (twice), Cowboys, Patriots, Eagles, Giants, Titans and Colts.
This defense matched that ’08 level of performance by holding Atlanta without a touchdown during a 15-9 overtime victory Sunday in which the Falcons ended only one drive inside the Pittsburgh 20-yeard line.
“I don’t compare our seasons like that, but it was a good start for us,” linebacker James Farrior(notes) said Wednesday. “I think everybody was on their stuff during that game. We’ve just got to keep it up. It was similar, but we’ve got a long way to go.”
Of course, this defense is accustomed to being together for long stretches.
By deftly managing the salary cap, the Steelers have kept defensive end Aaron Smith(notes) for 12 seasons, nose tackle Casey Hampton(notes) for 10; Farrior, defensive end Brett Keisel(notes) and backup lineman Chris Hoke(notes) for nine each, safety Troy Polamalu(notes) and cornerback Ike Taylor(notes) for eight apiece, linebacker James Harrison(notes) for seven, and linebacker LaMarr Woodley(notes) and safety Ryan Clark(notes) for five seasons. Inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons(notes) is the least-experienced starter, and he’s been with them for four seasons.
Seven of the 11 starters are 30 or older, and Polamalu and cornerback Bryant McFadden(notes) both turn 30 next year.
Many teams are reluctant to accumulate so many players above the age when performance can begin to decline and injuries become more frequent. However, the Steelers are reluctant to break up a unit that statistically was No. 1 in 2007, 2008 and 2004 and has Dallas Cowboys jersey
finished below No. 5 only once since 2003.
Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is 73 and, understandably, is sensitive to questions about how age affects performance. He suggests his defense draws motivation from the frequent talk it’s getting too old to remain among the best.
“We’re going to let the season speak for us on that,” he said.
With Polamalu and Smith out with injuries much of last season, the Steelers played below their usual level by losing five times after leading in the fourth quarter. The Falcons game suggests the Steelers are significantly improved with Polamalu and Smith back, but a single game against an opponent that doesn’t see them very often can be misleading.
Opposing the Titans (1-0) could prove to be a better indicator of where this defense is. The Titans were the only team to beat the Steelers decisively in 2008, winning 31-14.
“Honestly, I can’t even remember that game. We played them last year in Heinz Field and won in overtime (13-10), and that was a whole different makeup,” wide receiver Hines Ward(notes) said. “This team is different.”
Pittsburgh also will be without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger(notes) as he serves the second game of his four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Titans quarterback Vince Young(notes) hasn’t opposed the Steelers before as a starter, but he understands what he’s getting into from watching on tape—a defense that knows what it’s doing and does it as well as any unit in the league. He saw that by watching the Falcons offense struggle to give quarterback Matt Ryan(notes) enough time to dodge Pittsburgh’s frequent blitzing and throw enough accurate passes to mount a consistent offense.
“You have to be Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
very patient and take what they give you, until something breaks,” Young said. “I have a lot of respect for them. This is my first time and I’m definitely looking forward to it because you always want to test yourself against the best. That is how much respect I have for those guys.”

Giants ability to run may decide Manning Bowl II

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—There’s a good chance that the second Manning Bowl may not be decided by either Eli or Peyton.
If the New York Giants (1-0) can run the ball against the Indianapolis Colts (0-1) the way the Houston Texans did last weekend, the game is going to be decided on the ground.
That’s how the Texans beat the defending AFC nfl jerseys
champion Colts on Sunday as Arian Foster(notes) rushed for a team-record 231 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-24 decision.
While the Giants struggled running the ball last season, they showed signs of getting their attack back in the second half of their 31-18 win over the Carolina Panthers as Ahmad Bradshaw(notes) and Brandon Jacobs(notes) ran for 110 of the team’s 118 yards.
“We are going to establish the run game. That’s Giants football,” Eli Manning(notes) said Wednesday. “It’s something we’re going to try to do and a part of that is being able to throw the ball successfully also.”
The Colts obviously will be working on their run defense this week, but they will be without safety Bob Sanders(notes). The NFL defensive player of the year in 2007 had surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn biceps muscle in his right arm and will be out indefinitely.
“You can’t hide from the fact that last week we did not perform very well,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said Wednesday. “Our objective is we make no excuses. We have to get better because we are facing a team that can obviously run the ball with some very, very capable backs in terms of Bradshaw and Jacobs. Those two guys can run it at you so we have to be better.”
Jacobs said there is no doubt in his mind that the Colts’ run Indianapolis Colts jersey
defense will improve.
“After a week like that, we know they’re going to concentrate more on the run than they probably ever did,” he said. “We look at the Houston game and look at certain run keys and reads, but we know it’s going to be a tough, physical game.”
Jacobs, who gained 44 yards on 12 carries in his new role as Bradshaw’s backup, felt Houston got most of its rushing yards with a couple of big plays and a good scheme.
“Things like that have happened in the first game of the season every year in this league,” he said. “You have to go in there and expect something different than what they did last week.”
Offensive tackle David Diehl(notes) said that the line is going to have to push hard this week because everyone knows the Colts won’t allow themselves to be embarrassed again.
“For us, we always think that to win football games we have to get the run game going to open things downfield,” Diehl said. “It’s nothing against Eli and our receivers, we have all the faith in the world in them, but up front we think we are at our best when we get our run game going so we can play smash-mouth football and take the edge off the defense.”
In getting the running game going last week, Diehl said the offense made some great halftime adjustments, stopped the negative plays and turned the 2-to-3 yards gains into some longer runs.
The Texans’ ability to run the ball last week forced the Colts to throw the ball 57 times. They only ran it 10 times.
Peyton Manning(notes) doesn’t believe that Houston showed everyone how to beat the Colts.
“I think what Houston showed that we Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
won’t play well, if we make mistakes and don’t execute some of the basic fundamentals of the game, that it’s tough to win and especially against a good team,” Peyton Manning said. “I think that was the case on Sunday. Houston played well, and I thought we didn’t play well enough at some critical times.”

Foster, Vick top pick 6 of surprise stars

The opening weekend of the NFL season produced some surprise stars, ranging from an undrafted free agent who spent last season on a practice squad to a former Pro Bowl quarterback looking to show he’s as dynamic as he used to be.
Here are six players who made a splash in Week One:
— Arian Foster(notes), rb, Texans. Ever hear of cheap nfl jerseys
this guy? The 6-foot-1, 227-pounder carried 33 times for a team record 231 yards and scored three touchdowns in Houston’s 34-24 win over the defending AFC champion Colts. A second-year player from Tennessee who spent ’09 on the practice squad, he posted the NFL’s second-best rushing total for an opening weekend since 1933 (O.J. Simpson had 250 against the Patriots in 1973). “He’s grown up a lot,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said.
— Michael Vick(notes), qb, Eagles. Replacing Kevin Kolb(notes) (concussion) to open the second half, Vick nearly led Philadelphia to an improbable comeback in a 27-20 loss to the Packers. The former Falcons star carried 11 times for 103 yards and hit 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a TD, but was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-1 in Packers territory late in the game.
— Aaron Kampman(notes), de, Jaguars. In his Minnesota Vikings jersey
first game with his new team, the two-time Pro Bowler had nine tackles, six quarterback pressures and was involved in two sacks in 24-17 win over the Broncos. Playing nine months after reconstructive surgery on his left knee, the 6-4, 286-pounder was on the field for nearly every one of Denver’s 61 plays.
— Hakeem Nicks(notes), wr, Giants. Three of his four catches for 75 yards went for touchdowns in the Giants’ 31-18 win over the Panthers. The second-year wideout caught TD passes from Eli Manning(notes) of 26, 19 and 5 yards—all in the left corner of the end zone.
— Derrick Johnson, lb, Chiefs. Started sixth season with 11 tackles in a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
21-14 win over Chargers on a rainy Monday night. His biggest hit caused a fumble by Chargers rookie Ryan Mathews(notes) and led to a Chiefs’ touchdown.
— David Garrard(notes), qb, Jaguars. He’s still around? The 6-1, 244-pound quarterback, produced the best passer rating (138.9) in his nine-year career, hitting 16 of 21 for 170 yards and three touchdowns in a 24-17 win over the Broncos.

AP source: Dolphins’ Odrick to miss 1 or 2 games

MIAMI (AP)—Dolphins rookie defensive end Jared Odrick(notes) is expected to miss one or two games with a slight hairline fracture in his right leg, a person familiar with the injury said Tuesday.
The person, who said surgery won’t be necessary, spoke to The Associated Press on condition of nfl jersey
anonymity because the Dolphins had not disclosed the severity of Indianapolis Colts jersey
the injury.
Odrick, the Dolphins’ first-round draft pick, was hurt Sunday in their season-opening victory at Buffalo. He had a tackle for a loss before leaving the game in the third quarter, and won praise for his play from coach Tony Sparano.
The 2009 Big Ten defensive player of the year at Penn State, Odrick began lining up Dallas Cowboys jersey
with the first team at right end at the start of training camp. His most likely replacement for Sunday’s game at Minnesota is veteran Tony McDaniel(notes).

Rangers recall 1B Chris Davis

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—The Texas Rangers recalled first baseman Chris Davis(notes) from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday following the RedHawks’ elimination from the Pacific Coast League playoffs.
Davis opened the season as a starter for the football jersey
Rangers, but he struggled at the plate and was demoted on April 23.
In his third stint for the Rangers this season, Davis is batting .188 with no homers and three RBIs in 31 games for Texas. He hit .327 with 14 homers and 80 RBIs in 103 games for the RedHawks.
Davis’ problems with the bat provided an opening at first base for rookie Mitch Moreland(notes), who’s hitting .263 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 31 games for Texas.
Rangers manager Ron Washington said Davis will Minnesota Vikings jersey
be used as a pinch hitter and occasional late-inning defensive replacement.
Washington still thinks Davis can be a big league regular.
“We still have a lot of hope for Chris Davis,” Washington said. “We sent him down to work on some stuff, he did a great job and he’s still in our future.”
But Davis is running out of chances with the Rangers.
“It’s been an emotional roller-roaster,” Indianapolis Colts jersey
Davis said. “I was put in a tough spot, I didn’t produce.”
Washington said the Rangers are done with their minor league callups.

Mets hold on to beat Phils, give Pelfrey 14th win

NEW YORK (AP)—Mike Pelfrey(notes) was dominant into the eighth inning to earn his career-high 14th victory, Ike Davis(notes) kept up his big September with four hits and three RBIs and the New York Mets stopped the Philadelphia Phillies’ four-game winning streak 4-3 Saturday. Jose Reyes(notes) homered for the Mets, helping quiet the red-clad Philadelphia fans in the Citi Field crowd of 35,788.
New York was able to slow the surging Phillies in their pursuit of nfl jersey
a fourth straight NL East title even without center fielder Carlos Beltran(notes), who sat out with tendinitis in his left knee. He said the injury was a result of overcompensating during the rehabilitation of his surgically repaired right knee this spring. Beltran is day to day.
The Phillies held a one-game lead over Atlanta entering Saturday. This was the first of their final 20 games, all against teams in the East—Philadelphia dropped to 29-24 against the division but made it close by rallying for three runs in the eighth.
Hisanori Takahashi(notes) gave up a one-out double off the left-field wall to pinch-hitter Mike Sweeney(notes), then retired Wilson Valdez(notes) and pinch-hitter Carlos Ruiz(notes) on groundouts for his sixth save in six chances.
The Mets held a brief pregame ceremony to mark the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was in attendance. Both teams lined up along the first- and third-base lines as a video tribute was shown and a New York City firefighter sang the national Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
anthem. Several first responders threw out ceremonial first pitches.
Pelfrey (14-9) then didn’t allow a runner past first base until Jayson Werth(notes) reached second on Raul Ibanez’s(notes) single in the seventh. Pelfrey bested his 13 victories in 2008, needing three tries to get No. 14.
After Pelfrey gave up Shane Victorino’s(notes) RBI single with one out in the eighth, Mets manager Jerry Manuel removed the starter. The right-hander stood with his back to Manuel and didn’t relinquish the ball until he slapped it into Bobby Parnell’s(notes) glove before walking slowly off the field, head down, to the opposite end of the dugout.
Pelfrey allowed two runs and six hits, struck out five and walked none.
Parnell allowed a single to Placido Polanco(notes) and was lifted for Pedro Feliciano(notes). After an out, Ryan Howard(notes) hit a two-run single to make it 4-3. Manny Acosta(notes) struck out Jayson Werth to end the eighth.
Davis had an RBI ground-rule double down the right-field line off Kyle Kendrick(notes) (9-9) in the first. He added a two-run single off J.C. Romero(notes) that made it 4-1 in the seventh after Jose Contreras(notes) intentionally walked David Wright(notes) to load the bases. Davis is 16 for 34 (.471) in 10 September games with 10 RBIs.
With the late-afternoon shadows creeping past the pitcher’s mound and out to right field, Reyes sent a drive into the deck overhanging the right field wall for a 2-0 lead in the third.
Kendrick, whose spot in the rotation has been tenuous after posting a 7.84 ERA in his last four starts, was pulled after five innings and 64 pitches. He allowed two runs, five hits and two walks.
The Mets also loaded the bases in the sixth but Indianapolis Colts jersey
came up empty when Werth caught Luis Hernandez’s(notes) shallow fly in right-center field and threw out Wright at home plate.
NOTES: Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins(notes) sat out his second straight game with tightness in his right hamstring. manager Charlie Manuel said there is no guarantee he’ll be ready to play Sunday. … Pelfrey had a 10.38 ERA in his first two attempts at his 14th win.

Reds celebrate Rose’s record hit

CINCINNATI (AP)—Pete Rose stood on first base and tipped his cap to the screaming crowd—a little bit like 25 years ago.
The banished hits king made a rare on-field appearance Saturday while the Reds commemorated the 25th anniversary of his record-setting hit No. 4,192 at Cinergy Field.
Wearing a No. 14 Rose jersey, he was driven nfl jerseys
onto the field at Great American Ball Park, walked over to first base and stomped on it with his booted right foot while a less-than-capacity crowd stood and cheered. Rose broke Ty Cobb’s hits record with his single off San Diego’s Eric Show on Sept. 11, 1985.
The 69-year-old Rose was greeted at first base by former teammates Tony Perez and Cesar Geronimo, along with a few other former Reds players. Owner Bob Castellini gave him a trophy commemorating the anniversary.
Rose didn’t do interviews or speak directly to the Dallas Cowboys jersey
crowd. Highlights of his pursuit of the historic hit, along with his recollections of it, were shown on the videoboard.
Fans chanted “Hall of Fame” before the left on the cart.
Rose finished his career with 4,256 hits. He agreed to a lifetime ban in 1989 for gambling on baseball. After denying for more than 14 years that he ever bet on baseball, Rose acknowledged in a 2004 autobiography that he bet on Reds games.
It was his first appearance on the field at Great American Ball Park since it opened in 2003, next to where Cinergy Field stood. A rose garden outside the ballpark commemorates the spot where his record hit landed.
Rose’s lifetime ban prohibits him from doing anything more than a regular fan. He occasionally attends games in his hometown, sitting in the seats. He’s barred from the Hall of Fame because of his ban.
Major League Baseball gave permission for Rose to go on Indianapolis Colts jersey
the field for the 25th anniversary commemoration before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rose also was allowed to go onto the field in Atlanta before a World Series game in 1999 so he could be honored as part of baseball’s All-Century team. During that ceremony, reporter Jim Gray asked him about his gambling.

Morneau optimistic he’ll be back this season

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Justin Morneau(notes) hasn’t played in a game in more than two months, and it’s been difficult for him to watch his Minnesota Twins slug through a pennant race without him—in more ways than one.
Morneau said on Wednesday that he is still optimistic nfl jersey
that he will eventually return from his concussion to help out in 2010, even though he still can’t sit in the dugout to watch a full nine innings.
“To keep the symptoms down they say to limit the stress,” Morneau said with a sheepish shrug.
Easier said than done for a player as competitive as Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP and one of the pillars of the Twins clubhouse. He went on the disabled list after taking a knee to the head while sliding into second base in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 7.

He took some batting practice in August and has sat in the dugout for some games at Target Field, but doctors have advised him to take it slowly in those stressful activities to expedite the recovery process.
“We’re late in the game, it’s more wanting to be out there,” Morneau said. “We got a tie game or we’re up by one and we’ve got runners on base, you’re sitting there wanting to be out there. The adrenaline starts going and you starting thinking about what you would do in that situation. We’re just trying to limit that stuff. That’s part of it.”
Morneau hasn’t played since and is still feeling symptoms from the concussion. But he did say he is “having more good days than bad” this week.
“It comes and goes. The last couple days I’ve felt pretty good and been really encouraged,” he said. “It’s going to take a few days like that. It’s not going to be just one or two where I can all of a sudden go out there and play. I have to feel like myself.”
His return sure would be a boost to the Twins, who have surged to the top of the AL Central even without their slugger in the lineup. Michael Cuddyer(notes) has moved from right field to first base and filled in admirably and the Twins led the Chicago White Sox by Indianapolis Colts jersey
4 1/2 games when the day started on Wednesday.
It’s the second straight September that Morneau has been forced to watch from the bench. He missed the final three weeks of last season and the playoffs with a back injury.
“Being in here after the game and seeing everybody excited, it’s tough for me to be around that,” Morneau said. “As good as it is to see it, it’s definitely hard to be around, not feeling like you’re a part of it.”
Morneau was hitting .345 with 18 homers and 56 RBIs when he went down the first week in July. Even though he hasn’t played in two months, only Jim Thome(notes) (22) and Jason Kubel(notes) (19) have more homers than Morneau on the Twins.
“It’s just a long process,” he said. “It’s frustrating watching it and not being a part of it. This is what we play for and you never know how many chances you’re going to get to win.
“Being the first year in this stadium and not being able to be a part of it has been very difficult. The boys are playing well, that’s made it easier. It’s still my goal of making it back this year.”
It hasn’t been all bad news for Morneau. He was recently nominated as a finalist for the Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to a major league player who combines community service with excellence on the field.
“It’s a real special honor,” Morneau said. “What he did as a player and off the field helping so many people was something special and it’s very humbling to be nominated and recognized.”
Morneau grew up in the Vancouver area and idolized Canucks forward Trevor Linden, who was also very active in the community. He made it a priority to do the same thing when he made it to the big leagues.
“When you do anything off the field it’s not Minnesota Vikings jersey
for recognition or awards or anything like that, it’s to try and make a difference in someone’s life,” Morneau said. “It’s very special to be recognized and it’s nice, but there’s a whole lot of guys in here doing great things.”

“I can only do my job and it just hasn’t been there,”

As Jered Weaver(notes) tries to snap the longest losing streak of his career, the Los Angeles Angels ace will be happy to face an opponent he’s beaten more often than any other.
Some run support would also help Weaver, who’s looking to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat as the Angels open a three-game set against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
Los Angeles’ anemic offense has contributed to nfl throwback jerseys
Weaver (11-11, 3.14 ERA) going without a victory since Aug. 6, scoring two runs over 34 innings for the right-hander in his last five starts - with Weaver going 0-4 with a 4.85 ERA in that stretch.
The last two outings were especially frustrating for Weaver, who went 0-2 despite a 2.40 ERA. He was outpitched by Oakland’s Trevor Cahill(notes) in a 3-1 loss Saturday.
“I can only do my job and it just hasn’t been there,” Weaver said. “I’m going to go out there and battle as best I can and let the chips fall where they may and the chips aren’t falling in the right spot right now.”
Only the last-place Mariners (55-85) have averaged fewer runs than Los Angeles since Aug. 15. The Angels (67-73) have scored one or zero runs 10 times while going 7-15 in that stretch, all but extinguishing any chance of a fourth consecutive AL West title.
They managed six hits in 16 innings against Cleveland on Wednesday, although they avoided a three-game sweep when Jeff Mathis’(notes) sacrifice fly gave them a 4-3 win.
“On the offensive side, it was like root canal. Some things Dallas Cowboys jersey
are a little painful right now,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We just couldn’t execute some little things that might have ended it a lot sooner.”
Los Angeles may not need much offense to win Friday, considering Weaver is 2-0 with a 0.84 ERA in three outings against the Mariners this year. He’s helped the Angels go 12-4 in the season series, and his 10 wins against Seattle are his most against any team.
Weaver, who needs five strikeouts to take over the major league lead from the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez(notes), has been especially sharp at home in 2010, posting a 1.60 ERA in 13 outings. He’s worked at least seven innings while allowing two or fewer earned runs in each of his last nine games at Angel Stadium.
Mariners starter David Pauley(notes) (2-7, 4.42) can relate to Weaver’s recent woes. The right-hander hasn’t gotten any run support while losing his last three starts, although he has a 6.11 ERA in that stretch.
He allowed four runs in six innings of a 5-3 loss to the Angels on Aug. 30.
Hideki Matsui(notes) had one of three home runs off Pauley in that game - part of an impressive stretch for the designated hitter, who is batting .403 with 17 RBIs in his last 20 games.
Ichiro Suzuki(notes) has been Seattle’s hottest hitter, going 18 for 44 during a 10-game hitting streak. He’s 17 hits shy of a record 10th consecutive 200-hit season.
The Mariners have still struggled to establish any Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
offensive momentum and are last in the majors in runs, batting average and on-base percentage. They were held to three runs or fewer for the 15th time in 17 games Wednesday, blowing an early 3-0 lead and losing 4-3 at Oakland.

Dodgers manager Torre delays decision on future

SAN DIEGO (AP)—Joe Torre says he’s waiting to announce whether he’ll return to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers next year.
Torre had previously said he would make the announcement football jerseys
around Labor Day. But he said before Wednesday’s game against the San Diego Padres he is not yet ready to divulge it.
Torre says he’ll let everyone know once the Dodgers clinch a Indianapolis Colts jersey
playoff spot or are eliminated.
The Dodgers started the night 10 games behind in the NL West and wild-card races.
Torre guided the New York Yankees to four Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
World Series titles. He led the Dodgers to NL West titles the last two years.