Funkerstation » tter and win.Guys are showing up a

HOUSTON -- The carnage that Louisville needed to make inroads in the College Football Playoff picture unfolded during this past chaotic weekend. Suddenly, the ball is in the Cardinals court with an opportunity to hold serve.With three of the top four teams in the CFP rankings falling on Saturday -- Clemson, Michigan and Washington, with the Tigers and Wolverines losing to unranked teams -- the door swung open for the Cardinals to secure a coveted spot in the national semifinals. Louisville, which is 9-1 and ranked No. 3 in this weeks Associated Press poll, needed a 34-point fourth quarter to subdue stubborn Wake Forest, but in doing so secured its highest ranking ever.And now, with two games remaining in their regular season, including a critical Thursday night showdown against Houston (8-2) at Houstons TDECU Stadium, the Cardinals have a viable path to a national championship. Well, at least one less treacherous than the road that faced Louisville following its 42-36 loss at Clemson on Oct. 1.For our players they just have to understand that we need to go out and play well and play the type of football that were capable of playing, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said. Really thats what we need to do our last two games. Whatever happens happens; we cant control any of that. Weve just got to go play the way were capable of playing.Obviously we know its on national TV; nobody else is playing. Everybody will be watching it. But those are the types of games we like, something thats fun as a team, something that weve always felt has helped us in recruiting. And we are used to playing midweek games.The Cardinals will play their fourth non-Saturday game this week. Managing a schedule that undermines the routine of weekly preparation requires both mental and physical flexibility, but at this stage of the season Louisville has endured the drama and sidestepped the pitfalls that befell Clemson, Michigan and Washington.Following the loss to Clemson and prior to their rally against the Demon Deacons, the Cardinals survived close calls against Duke and Virginia. Against lesser foes their defense has thrived, but when challenged by elite offenses Louisville has wavered. Quarterback Lamar Jackson remains a Heisman Trophy frontrunner, yet against Wake Forest he mustered just one touchdown, and that came with 4:05 left to play.Dynamic Houston senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr. is a handful under normal circumstances. Having to prepare for the Cougars high-scoring offense on a short week only ramps up the potential for Louisville to stumble like so many others have.Weve had full steam ahead for this game, Petrino said. We play 7 oclock on a Saturday night then again on Thursday, thats a short turnaround for our players and our coaches. It required us to do some work last week on Houston.Usually on Fridays I get to let our coaches take their kids to school and then come in here later on Friday morning. This week we were in the office at 7 a.m. working on Houston. Usually they get to spend some time Saturday morning. We were up at 7 oclock Saturday morning working on Houston. We had to adjust schedules. Probably dont know a whole lot whats going on in the world besides getting ready for the Houston game.Following a 5-0 start and their climb to No. 6 in the national polls, Houston started eying the Louisville game for its potential to thrust the Cougars into the CFP conversation. But Houston followed with a three-game lull that not only snuffed those hopes, but also put in peril a shot to win an American Athletic Conference title.Houston followed a road loss to Navy with a white-knuckle home win over Tulsa and a shocking defeat against middling SMU. Given those setbacks, the Cougars lack the sizzle they had prior to Navy stunning them and sending their season into a tailspin.That fact doesnt mean the Cougars arent relishing the opportunity ahead.This is extra anticipation and extra excitement knowing whos coming into town, theres no hiding from that, Cougars coach Tom Herman said. But, at the same time, its business as usual. The way we prepare is not going to change. The way we go about our business minute-to-minute and day-by-day, from a preparation standpoint is business as usual. I think our guys are excited to go against a top five team such as Louisville. Air Max 720 Schweiz Online . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants. Günstig Nike Schuhe Schweiz . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. http://www.airmax720sale.ch/ . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Air Max 720 Günstig . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Air Max 720 Schweiz .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are feeling as if it is September.That means different things to the clubs, which meet Tuesday in the middle game of a three-game series at PNC Park.The Cardinals blistered the Pirates 12-6 in the series opener Monday, inching themselves closer to a playoff spot, while Pittsburgh lost for a season-worst seventh game in a row and might be seeing the possibility of the postseason slipping away.Pittsburgh is 4 1/2 games behind St. Louis, which sits in the second National League wild-card spot and has a chance to overtake the San Francisco Giants for home-field advantage in the wild-card game.Its a big one, a big win against a very tough team in a tough place to win here in Pittsburgh. Well take it, man, said St. Louis starter and winner Monday, Adam Wainwright. Well take it and well move on to the next one.Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had such a good time watching his club produce on offense Monday that the nearly 3 1/2-hour game flew by.Were scoring, I dont care how long we stay out there, said Matheny, whose team has won two games in a row following a three-game losing streak during which St. Louis scored just four runs. I just like watching guys get into a good place offensively.Offense has been just one of the problems for Pittsburgh.While starting pitching has been mostly a strength with the bullpen inconsistent, the Pirates had their rookie starter, Chad Kuhl, knocked out after two innings Monday, and the bullpen wasnt a lot better.In addition, the Pirates are struggling to score. Their six runs Monday was their most in seven games. They have been shut out in three of theirr past six games.dddddddddddd.Were trying to figure ourselves out and get out of this and get back to playing baseball the way we want to play, Pittsburgh shortstop Jordy Mercer said. We just have to keep going. Every day is a new day, a new start.I dont know the reason for it. We just havent played the baseball we want to play.Manager Clint Hurdle, who heard the home fans boo loudly at times Monday, is keeping his chin up.Youve got to fight every day for success, he said, and he believes his players are still willing to do that.I think theyre realistic about it, Hurdle said. There comes a point in time you play at this level, honest self-evaluation plays a part of it. Its not just a trend. Its not just a cycle. Youve got to find ways to get better and win.Guys are showing up and playing. Sometimes you just dont play as well as you need to play to win a game.St. Louis right-hander Luke Weaver (1-2, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to make his fifth major league start Tuesday against Pittsburgh. He has 17 strikeouts over his past two starts. Weaver has never faced the Pirates.Pittsburgh will counter with veteran right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (3-4, 3.56 ERA). He is 2/3 with a 3.44 ERA in six starts since being reinstated from the disabled list after surgery for facial fractures.Vogelsongs lone appearance against St. Louis this year came in relief, when he allowed two hits and a walk but no runs in one-third of an inning on May 8. For his career against the Cardinals, Vogelsong is 3-7 with a 5.75 ERA in 22 games (11 starts). ' ' '