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Is the no-hitter becoming so common that it's losing its luster? Over the past three seasons, no-hitters are about as common as your cable bill: they come almost once a month. The perfect game by Matt Cain Wednesday in San Francisco was the 14th no-hitter in the past 2 1/3 seasons.
Back at the start of May, when Jered Weaver threw the second no-hitter of this season, I wrote, "At the rate we're going these past three years, you can expect three or four more no-hitters before the season is over." I didn't expect we would get three more just within a 13-day span this month.

This seems crazy, but it's actually nothing we haven't seen before. You just have to go all the way back to the late 1960s, when hitting was so bad they had to make two huge rules changes: they lowered the mound (1969) and added the designated hitter (1973). It is tougher to get a hit in the major leagues this season (.253) than any season since 1972 (.244), the last year without a DH.
How much more common have no-hitters become in the past three years? This quick look at the rate of no-hitters in the Modern Era will give you an idea:
1901-2009: 1 every 794 games
2010-2012: 1 every 414 games
So the rate of no-hitters has increased 48 percent in the past three seasons as compared to the modern era up to that point. But what if we compare the past three years to baseball late-1960s doldrums? Here you go:
2010-2012: 1 every 414 games
1967-1969: 1 every 345 games
We've essentially brought the game back to pre-DH levels. This has been an undeniable trend over a decade, but especially in the past four years. The major league batting average has declined for six straight years. Go back to 2000 -- the height of The Steroid Era -- and the major league average was .270 with 10.28 runs scored per game. Now it's .253 and 8.60 runs per game. That's a 16 percent cutback in scoring. In raw numbers, based on projected numbers for this year, that means pitchers have removed 4,086 runs and 3,461 hits from a baseball season.
Chew on this for a minute: There have been more no-hitters in one-third of a season this year (five) than in the last three full seasons without steroid testing (four, from 2000-02). But testing for steroids is only one ingredient to why pitchers are taking back the game. The need and emphasis on pitching development was a response to the wild offensive years of The Steroid Era. Coupled with that is the emphasis on defense, including the use of defensive metrics and defensive positioning.
The biggest play in Cain's perfect game was made by a player who would have had no place in The Steroid Era -- Gregor Blanco, a small, speedy corner outfielder with six career home runs -- and was positioned in a place that would have seemed unlikely more than a decade ago -- shaded toward right-centerfield against a lefthanded hitter. The Gregor Blancos of the world have been welcomed back into major league baseball because the game has returned to an emphasis on pitching and defense. As I wrote recently, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, the biggest proponent of using defensive metrics, said the flood of intelligence in baseball has been almost entirely to the advantage of the defensive side of the game, with little upside for offense.
The last time the game truly belonged to pitchers, back in the late 1960s, the lowering of the mound and the addition of the DH were designed to make the game more attractive to fans. But this depressed run-scoring environment is occurring at a time when baseball is wildly popular. Attendance is up 7 percent this year, with 20 of the 30 clubs reporting an increase in ticket sales.
And you know that legend that owners let steroids go unchecked because they were raking in the dough from ticket sales? It's a myth. Per-game attendance went down three of the next five seasons after the seminal 1998 season and the great home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Per-game attendance this year in a depressed run-scoring environment (30,416) is better than any of the last nine seasons when players were free to juice up without any penalties (1995-2003). It seems fans dig these close low-scoring games.
Finally, there has been a lot of talk about how Cain just might have pitched the best game in baseball history, seeing as he tied the record of Sandy Koufax for most strikeouts in a perfect game (14). In other words, Cain took care of the majority of outs himself without letting anybody on base. That puts his game among the greatest ever, though for importance, there's no way it stands up to Dan Larsen throwing a perfect game in the 1956 World Series against a Dodgers team that led the NL in on-base percentage, was second in runs scored and had four future Hall of Famers in the lineup.
But you also have to keep in mind that there are more strikeouts in today's game than ever before in history. When Koufax fanned 14 Cubs in his perfect game in 1965, NL batters struck out once every 5.74 at-bats. This year they are punching out once every 4.42 at-bats -- a 23 percent increase in the rate of strikeouts. The less often the ball is in play, the more likely a no-hitter becomes. And that's another reason why -- okay, I'll say it again -- we will see another three or four no-hitters before the year is out.
Moreover, that's why Ken Holtzman of the Chicago Cubs may have thrown one of the most impressive no-hitters ever, strikeouts be damned -- literally. Holtzman no-hit the Braves on Aug. 19, 1969 at Wrigley Field without striking out a single batter. The ball was put in play 27 times -- 15 times in the air and 12 times on the ground -- and 27 times an out was recorded. It was done once before, by Sam Jones in 1923, and never again. Let's see one of today's pitchers pull off that trick. Now that would be rarer than your cable bill.

Oklahoma City struck first in the NBA finals, giving Thunder starKevin Durant early bragging rights over three-time league MVPLeBron James.

"For this whole playoffs, I'm just trying to play my game, be aggressive, and if I see a shot I have to take it," said Durant. "I have to go back tomorrow and watch film and see how I can get better and hopefully have a better game."

The 2012 NBA finals is defined by the two best players in the game -- Miami's James and three-time scoring champion Durant.

Durant finished with 36 points, eight rebounds and four assists as Oklahoma City came from behind to defeat James' Miami Heat 105-94 in game one Tuesday in front of a crowd of 18,203 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Durant and James were given the task of guarding each other during portions of game one and for awhile, especially in the second quarter, it looked like James might get the better of Durant.

James had 10 of his team-high 30 points in the second quarter for the Heat who shot 51 percent from the field in the first half.

"I'm not worried about the one-on-one match-up, it's just about the team, and he (James) does such a great job of guarding everybody," said Durant, whose 36 points matched his 2012 playoff high.

Miami and Oklahoma City are not complete strangers to the final series but just three teams, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Antonio are responsible for 10 of the last 13 NBA titles.

James has essentially spent the past five years answering for his playoff failures. Now he's determined to prove he can close this out in his third trip to the NBA finals.

The Thunder are only thing standing between King James and his crown.

"Obviously, LeBron wants to win a championship," Miami teammate Dwyane Wade said. "I can't say that he wants to win more than the next man, than anybody on OKC. I can't say that. But obviously he wants to win and get another opportunity. I'm sure he will try to seize it a little bit better than he did the first two times."

James said there is no panic in the Miami locker room and the Heat will come back with a better game plan in Thursday's game two.

"This was the feel out game," said James, who registered his fourth straight contest of scoring 30 or more points. "We come out with a lot of energy, and tried to steal game one. And now we get an opportunity to go to the chalkboard and go to the film. We've already seen what they are capable of doing."

These two franchises have never met in the NBA playoffs previously and each have one NBA championship to their credit.

The Heat defeated Dallas in six games in 2006 while the Thunder won a title in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics, beating the Washington Bullets in five games.

Except to the guys who share the top billing.

One of them will emerge with his first championship and probably the title of best player in the game.

It could be James, the three-time MVP. Or it might be Durant, the league's scoring champion the last three years.

All they know is whoever it is won't have done it alone.

''Everybody is going to make the most out of the matchup of me versus LeBron, but it's the Thunder versus the Heat,'' Durant said Monday. ''One guy versus another guy, it's not going to be a 1-on-1 matchup to win the series, it's going to be all about the team.''

Maybe, but it's easy to get caught up in their individual brilliance.

It's the first time the MVP and scoring champ have met in the finals since 1997, when Michael Jordan's Bulls knocked off MVP Karl Malone and Utah.

They are friends and workout partners, play the same small forward position and are blessed with unlimited basketball talent. After years of waiting on a James-Kobe Bryant finals matchup that never materialized, the league gets one starting Tuesday that's perhaps even better, if not quite as sexy, to wrap up a successful season after the lockout.

''It's great for the NBA,'' Miami's Shane Battier said. ''I anticipate record ratings, which is great, so maybe we can get some of the escrow check back from the owners. First and foremost, that's why I'm excited to see Kevin Durant versus LeBron James. But selfish reasons aside, it's just a great matchup.

''There's so many young, great players in this league and established players and All-Stars. If you're a basketball fan, you're missing out if you're not watching this series.''

Both have sworn off Twitter, at least for the time being, James posted his last message on April 27 and Durant on May 1.

For now, KingJames and KDTrey5 will stick to making their statements on the court.

''Kevin is locked in on what he needs to do to help the team win,'' Thunder All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook said. ''It's going to be a great series for both teams and hopefully we can come out with the win.''

James is back for a third crack at his first championship, his Cleveland Cavaliers swept aside by San Antonio in 2007 just a couple of weeks before Durant was drafted by the then-Seattle SuperSonics with the No. 2 pick in the draft.

James fell short again last year in his first season with Miami, then carried the Heat to another chance with victories in the final two games of the Eastern Conference finals against the Celtics, starting with a sensational, 45-point, 15-rebound Game 6 performance in Boston.

''You know, third time in the finals in nine years, there's a lot of guys who don't get there once,'' Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. ''Of course, that right there in itself is an honor. But you want to win one. You want to get there and win one. Obviously, LeBron wants to win a championship. I can't say that he wants to win more than the next man, than anybody on OKC. I can't say that. But obviously he wants to win and get another opportunity. I'm sure he will try to seize it a little bit better than he did the first two times.''

A disappointment last year in the Heat's six-game loss to Dallas, James has said he's been in a better frame of mind this season and is looking forward making up for his previous failure.

''I didn't play well. I didn't make enough game-changing plays that I know I'm capable of making and I felt like I let my teammates down,'' he said.

''I'm happy and I'm humbled that I can actually be back in this position less than 12 months later to do a better job of making more plays, more game-changing plays out on the floor on a bigger stage. So we'll see what happens.''

Though their core of Durant, Westbrook, sixth man of the year James Harden and Serge Ibaka are all 23 or younger, the Thunder enter as the favorites in their first finals appearance since moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008.

With signs backing the Thunder hanging from buildings throughout the city, Oklahoma City has watched Durant grow up from the player who arrived here as the rookie of the year. He received some guidance along the way from James, who reached out to Durant when he was in high school and then invited him to his home in Akron, Ohio, to work out last summer.

''For me, I understood what the situation he was getting himself into being drafted as high he was, and the things that came with being drafted to a team that needed a marquee player or superstar,'' James said. ''You know, from Day One I always lent my hand out to guide him if he needed it through anything, and that's on and off the floor, because to that point I seen everything, and I'm still learning. ...

''Our relationship is really good. Our relationship is going to continue to grow and I'm happy to be in this position where I can compete against him.''

Only one can be considered the best player in the game, and it's probably the guy who walks out of this series as a champion.

''I think it's going to bring the best out of both of them, and it's going to be the best for the game,'' Wade said, ''and it's going to be a great show.''

X-rays on the injured ankle of Vikings’ star running back Adrian Peterson have come back negative.

“I just got my ankle caught up on a defender and it got twisted up pretty bad,” Peterson said via Viking Update. “The X-ray came back negative, so that’s a plus.”

The superstar runner said he didn’t have any swelling on the ankle, but that was normal for his body, and that he would have an MRI on Monday to determine the full extent of the injury.

Peterson doesn’t believe the injury is season-ending.

“No, not at all,” Peterson said when asked if thought his season might be over. “That’s not in my DNA. I’m going to try and get back as fast as I can and, God willing, I’ll be up and ready to run this weekend.”

It was a day of injuries, frustration, and one big quarter which was enough for the Raiders to send the Vikings to their 8th loss in 10 games in the 2011 season.

Carson Palmer threw for a touchdown and ran for another during a big second quarter, which the Raiders used to hold off the Vikings, 27-21, at the Metrodome.

Palmer passed for 164 yards and Michael Bush ran for 109 with a touchdown for the AFC West-leading Raiders (6-4), who have won their last two games. They also intercepted Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder three times, including once in the end zone.

Ponder threw for 211 yards and two scores for the Vikings, who dropped their second consecutive game and lost running back Adrian Peterson to an ankle injury in the first quarter.

Oakland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey left the game on a stretcher during the fourth quarter, after receiving a hit to his head.

The Raiders faced a 7-3 deficit after the first quarter, but Matt Giordano’s interception of Ponder early in the second jump-started a 21-point period.

The interception gave the Raiders the ball at their own 47, and they initially went backward because of a holding penalty and rushing loss. But Palmer sparked the drive with his 21-yard pass to Brandon Myers, and later found Denarius Moore for a 14-yard gain.

Then, on 3rd-and-8 from the Minnesota 11, Palmer connected with Chaz Schilens for a touchdown that was upheld after review.

The Vikings lined up for a field goal during the ensuing drive, but Chris Kluwe didn’t handle the snap correctly and was tackled for a 12-yard loss. That set the Raiders up at their own 43, and they again took advantage of the short field.

Palmer hit Marcel Reece with a 12-yard throw on 2nd-and-9 from the Minnesota 14, and Bush ran it into the end zone on the next play. The touchdown gave Oakland a 17-7 lead with just 1:20 left in the half, and a fumble by Lorenzo Booker on the kickoff gave the Raiders another scoring chance.

They started at the Vikings’ 16 and used an 11-yard pass by Palmer to move to the one. After calling timeout with 12 seconds to go, Palmer plunged up the middle and across the goal line.

Armed with the 24-7 halftime lead, Oakland’s defense held on during the second half.

It forced the Vikings to punt on their first two possessions of the third quarter, and Ponder was intercepted by Tommy Kelly on their third.

But after Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 26-yard field goal, Minnesota did get a second touchdown thanks to two big gains. Ponder hit Devin Aromashodu with a 42-yard pass on the final play of the third quarter, and Percy Harvin scored on a 26-yard catch-and-run during the opening play of the fourth.

Heyward-Bey was injured during Oakland’s following drive, when he caught the ball across the middle and was tackled. As he fell to the ground, the back of his head hit the leg of Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson.

Heyward-Bey’s helmet popped off and he lay on the field, visibly in pain. Trainers examined him on the field for several minutes before a cart drove the receiver, strapped to the backboard, off the field.

That third-down play preceded Janikowski’s blocked field-goal try, which gave Minnesota the ball at its own 40 with more than 11 minutes to play. The Vikings marched into Oakland territory and were in position to score, with a 1st-and-goal at the 10.

But on third down from the five, Ponder tried to connect with Aromashodu in the right-front corner of the end zone, where Stanford Routt picked off the ball.

Bush’s fumble four plays into the ensuing Raiders drive gave Minnesota another chance, and this time the Vikings capitalized. Ponder’s 37-yard pass to Visanthe Shiancoe put the ball at the one, and he completed a touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph on the next play.

That score brought the Vikings within 27-21 with 5:08 left on the clock, and they got the ball back with three minutes to go after forcing Oakland the punt. But they didn’t cross midfield, and the Raiders ran off all but two seconds to secure the victory.

Peterson’s 12-yard touchdown run with 5:17 left in the first quarter opened the scoring, but he injured his left ankle later in the frame during another 12-yard rush. He was helped off the field by trainers, rode a cart into the tunnel and did not return to the game.

Janikowski kicked a 29-yard field goal with 57 seconds left in the first to put Oakland on the board.

WHEN THE RAIDERS HAVE THE BALL

Oakland’s philosophy under Jackson of running the ball with authority and stretching the field with deep passes was fully on display against the Chargers, and executed to near perfection as well. The diverse backfield tandem of the 245-pound Bush (490 rushing yards, 14 receptions, 5 total TD) and rookie speedster Taiwan Jones (70 rushing yards) combined for 196 rushing yards, while half of Palmer’s 14 completions on the night went for gains of 20 or more yards. Most of those were hauled in by Moore (23 receptions, 4 TD), with the first-year find finishing with 123 yards and two scores on his five catches, and he’ll be the main target again this week with fellow big-play threat Jacoby Ford likely out after spraining his foot in the critical win. Though Palmer (747 passing yards, 5 TD, 7 INT) has clearly become more comfortable with the playbook and the game-breaking McFadden isn’t expected to suit up, the Raiders remain a run-first operation. Oakland is third in the NFL in rush attempts and fourth overall in yards gained via the ground (156.2 ypg), and 41 of its 62 plays versus San Diego were of the run variety. That figures to mean another heavy load for Bush, whose 242 yards from scrimmage in Week 10 was the most by a Raiders player since 1963.

Bush may find the yards a bit tougher to come by this week, however, as the Vikings rank sixth in the NFL in run defense (93.9 ypg) and are holding opponents to a modest 3.7 yards per carry on the season. Minnesota fields a strong trio of linebackers in the brother combo of E.J. Henderson (46 tackles, 1 sack) and Erin Henderson (42 tackles, 1 sack) and 2010 Pro Bowl alternate Chad Greenway (73 tackles), and they’re backed by a five-time All-Pro honoree in veteran tackle Kevin Williams (13 tackles). Stopping the pass has been another matter altogether, though. The Vikings are permitting 272.8 yards per game through the air (30th overall) and have given up 10 passing touchdowns over their last three tests, and the team was powerless in its attempts to slow down Rodgers and his cast of weapons on Monday. Not having the savvy Winfield or Cook further compounds the problem, and Abdullah (49 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) is the team’s best safety and second-leading tackler. Minnesota will try to get by at the corner spots with the struggling Cedric Griffin (48 tackles, 8 PD) and Asher Allen (33 tackles, 1 INT), while journeyman Bennie Sapp was signed for a second go-around with the organization on Wednesday to provide needed depth. At least the Vikings have the league’s best pass rusher this season to rely on in lineman Jared Allen (41 tackles, 1 INT). The relentless end has compiled an astounding 13 1/2 sacks on the year and has notched at least a half-sack in a club-record 11 straight games.

WHEN THE VIKINGS HAVE THE BALL

Like the Raiders, Minnesota’s plan is to pound the ball on the ground with its own workhorse back, which makes sense considering the team possesses one of the game’s premier runners in Adrian Peterson (846 rushing yards, 16 receptions, 11 total TD) and a rookie quarterback who’s still learning the ropes in 2011 first-round choice Christian Ponder (744 passing yards, 3 TD, 3 INT). The Vikings stand just behind Oakland in the league rankings in rushing with an average of 145.2 yards per game (5th overall), while Peterson’s 180 carries are the second-most of any individual player this season. Though the four-time All- Pro was less of a factor in Monday’s loss due to Minnesota falling behind by double-digits early on, he still scored a touchdown for a fifth straight game and is clearly the best playmaker on the offense. Ponder’s three starts since supplanting the ineffective Donovan McNabb under center have gone about as expected, with the 23-year-old displaying flashes of great promise but often scuffling as well, and he enters Sunday’s clash having completed just 50.5 percent of his throws. The Florida State product also hasn’t gotten much support from a pedestrian group of receivers, as dangerous wideout Percy Harvin (37 receptions, 1 total TD) hasn’t been as explosive as in years past due to a series of injuries and both opposite-side starter Michael Jenkins (32 receptions, 3 TD) and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (24 receptions, 2 TD) are more possession-types. The Vikings are just 28th overall in passing offense, averaging 180 yards per game.

Peterson will be going up against an Oakland defense that’s allowing a subpar 5.2 yards per rush attempt on the season, tied with New Orleans for the worst mark in the league, and was shredded for 299 yards on the ground by Denver’s unconventional read-option scheme two weeks back. The unit has had its moments, however, as it limited Houston’s potent running game to a harmless 70 yards on 25 carries in a Week 5 road win and yielded just 75 rushing yards to San Diego last time out. The Raiders have been very good at pressuring the quarterback, and their pass rush was simply overwhelming in the club’s recent win over the Chargers. With Wimbley (37 tackles, 6 sacks) leading the charge with a dominant showing, Oakland recorded six sacks of Rivers and harassed the accomplished quarterback into a host of hurried throws, and the ability of tackles Richard Seymour (24 tackles, 5 sacks) and Tommy Kelly (27 tackles, 3.5 sacks) to collapse the pocket is another reason why enemy passers have completed a mere 52.1 percent of their attempts on the Silver and Black, the second-lowest rate against an NFL team this season. Another is the solid play of cornerback Stanford Routt (31 tackles, 1 INT, 8 PD), who’s made Raider nation quickly forget about Nnamdi Asomugha’s free-agent departure in the offseason by turning in an excellent campaign.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Oakland’s success this season has been predicated on whether or not the defense is able to adequately contain the run, In the five games in which the Raiders have allowed 100 rushing yards or less, they’ve won each time. Conversely, they’ve given up a troubling average of 211 rushing yards per game in their four defeats. The Vikings are a good running team and have a true difference- maker in Peterson, and keeping him from going ballistic will be a challenge for Oakland’s inconsistent group.

The Raiders will be sure to attack a Minnesota secondary that’s been beset by injuries and off-field issues throughout this season and was hardly an air- tight crew when it was at full strength. Oakland isn’t a dink-and-dunk sort of team — it prefers to swing for the fences when throwing the ball — and the Vikings won’t have much of a chance if their defensive backs let the Raiders’ lightning-fast receivers get behind them for big plays.

Quarterback play. Minnesota is capable of winning this game if Ponder performed like he did in a victory at Carolina two weeks back, when the rookie threw for 236 yards on a sharp 18-of-28 passing and didn’t have a turnover. It’ll be tough to come out on top if he’s hitting on half of his attempts, however. Likewise, Palmer needs to be the guy who skillfully bombed away on the Chargers and not the quarterback who was giving the ball away at will in his first two games as a Raider.

Prediction – The Raiders are the better of these two teams and have played well on the road, and a repeat of their most recent effort would surely get the job against a Minnesota outfit that has it’s share of liabilities. They’ve also been wildly erratic, however, as the back-to-back home losses to the Chiefs and Broncos will attest, and Peterson could pose a major problem for a defense that’s been suspect against the run. The Vikings won’t be as overmatched as they were on Monday and should be eager to atone for a brutal performance, and it’s unlikely Bush will have quite the impact he did in the San Diego game this time around. In a matchup in which neither participant inspires a great deal of confidence, Minnesota’s potent running game and Oakland’s tendency to throw in a clunker may give the home team an ever-so-slight edge. Vikings 31 Raiders 27

After a tough loss against the Packers last week, the Vikings hope to bounce back as they take on the Oakland Raiders at Mall of America Field. Jason Horowitz and NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan have the preview. Watch the game Sunday at 1 PM ET on CBS.

The Race For Andrew Luck will get more and more complex as organizations mull over other top prospects and as they get used to the dynamics of trading across the first round in the draft salary cap era. I could make a list of the teams scheduled to get the first give picks in order, but I thought it’d be better to just list the five worst teams because the final standings should be close to this.
1. Colts. 0-10; Offense: 30th with 13.1 PPG; Defense: 32nd with 30.0 PPG; 31st with a -10 turnover differential.
There’s no way a team should lose their quarterback – no matter how legendary -, Melvin Bullitt and Gary Brackett and be this terrible. They miss Clint Session, who’s now with Jacksonville. Do they need a quarterback? Yes, they could use a back-up and/or a quarterback of the future.
2. Browns. 3-6; Offense: 29th with 14.6 PPG; Defense: 11th with 20.3 PPG; 15th with a 0 turnover differential.
They lack dynamic athletes, outside of Joe Haden, Josh Cribbs and Evan Moore. The Browns could stand to get considerably better in every aspect of the game: special teams, run offense, pass offense, run defense, pass defense. Do they need a quarterback? Yes, as – unfortunately – quarterbacks don’t get as long to develop as they used to. A team would typically look to free agency or trade – Matt Flynn? – to get a guy to compete with Colt McCoy, but this will be a great quarterback draft.
3. Panthers. 2-7; Offense: 19th with 21.1 PPG; Defense: 30th with 26.3 PPG; 24th with a -4 turnover differential.
Even with the linebackers coming back healthy next season, the defensive line hasn’t generated a pass rush and their secondary hasn’t generated turnovers. They at least have a good offense. Do they need a quarterback? No.
4. Vikings. 2-7; Offense: 23rd with 19.9 PPG; Defense: 31st with 27.1 PPG; 7th with a +4 turnover differential.
Of all the teams in this group, the Vikings have probably the fewest number of players who can start on a playoff team. Those players are so good, however, that the team doesn’t get exposed all that regularly. Do they need a quarterback? They need a back-up, because Joe Webb still might be raw.
5. Cardinals. 3-6; Offense: 22nd with 20.3 PPG; Defense: 22nd with 23.7 PPG; 21st with a -3 turnover differential.
I think the Cardinals are headed in the right direction – and there are three additional teams with slightly worse rosters – but I think Ken Whisenhunt and his offensive system have held them back for years and he does more damage to his team than any other coach. Do they need a quarterback? Possibly. One of their superior needs will be addressed in the first round. They have a lot of money in Kolb; Also, Skelton and Bartel have shown flashes.

Notice I didn’t put the Dolphins on this list, or Jacksonville or the Redskins. I think all of those teams have good foundations and can hang with and maybe beat just about any team. Jacksonville has a better defense than any of the teams on the list. The Rams have had worse injuries – losing 3 corners to IR – than the Colts but have 2 wins.

It was a day of injuries, frustration, and one big quarter which was enough for the Raiders to send the Vikings to their 8th loss in 10 games in the 2011 season.

Carson Palmer threw for a touchdown and ran for another during a big second quarter, which the Raiders used to hold off the Vikings, 27-21, at the Metrodome.

Palmer passed for 164 yards and Michael Bush ran for 109 with a touchdown for the AFC West-leading Raiders (6-4), who have won their last two games. They also intercepted Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder three times, including once in the end zone.

Ponder threw for 211 yards and two scores for the Vikings, who dropped their second consecutive game and lost running back Adrian Peterson to an ankle injury in the first quarter.

Oakland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey left the game on a stretcher during the fourth quarter, after receiving a hit to his head.

The Raiders faced a 7-3 deficit after the first quarter, but Matt Giordano’s interception of Ponder early in the second jump-started a 21-point period.

The interception gave the Raiders the ball at their own 47, and they initially went backward because of a holding penalty and rushing loss. But Palmer sparked the drive with his 21-yard pass to Brandon Myers, and later found Denarius Moore for a 14-yard gain.

Then, on 3rd-and-8 from the Minnesota 11, Palmer connected with Chaz Schilens for a touchdown that was upheld after review.

The Vikings lined up for a field goal during the ensuing drive, but Chris Kluwe didn’t handle the snap correctly and was tackled for a 12-yard loss. That set the Raiders up at their own 43, and they again took advantage of the short field.

Palmer hit Marcel Reece with a 12-yard throw on 2nd-and-9 from the Minnesota 14, and Bush ran it into the end zone on the next play. The touchdown gave Oakland a 17-7 lead with just 1:20 left in the half, and a fumble by Lorenzo Booker on the kickoff gave the Raiders another scoring chance.

They started at the Vikings’ 16 and used an 11-yard pass by Palmer to move to the one. After calling timeout with 12 seconds to go, Palmer plunged up the middle and across the goal line.

Armed with the 24-7 halftime lead, Oakland’s defense held on during the second half.

It forced the Vikings to punt on their first two possessions of the third quarter, and Ponder was intercepted by Tommy Kelly on their third.

But after Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 26-yard field goal, Minnesota did get a second touchdown thanks to two big gains. Ponder hit Devin Aromashodu with a 42-yard pass on the final play of the third quarter, and Percy Harvin scored on a 26-yard catch-and-run during the opening play of the fourth.

Heyward-Bey was injured during Oakland’s following drive, when he caught the ball across the middle and was tackled. As he fell to the ground, the back of his head hit the leg of Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson.

Heyward-Bey’s helmet popped off and he lay on the field, visibly in pain. Trainers examined him on the field for several minutes before a cart drove the receiver, strapped to the backboard, off the field.

That third-down play preceded Janikowski’s blocked field-goal try, which gave Minnesota the ball at its own 40 with more than 11 minutes to play. The Vikings marched into Oakland territory and were in position to score, with a 1st-and-goal at the 10.

But on third down from the five, Ponder tried to connect with Aromashodu in the right-front corner of the end zone, where Stanford Routt picked off the ball.

Bush’s fumble four plays into the ensuing Raiders drive gave Minnesota another chance, and this time the Vikings capitalized. Ponder’s 37-yard pass to Visanthe Shiancoe put the ball at the one, and he completed a touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph on the next play.

That score brought the Vikings within 27-21 with 5:08 left on the clock, and they got the ball back with three minutes to go after forcing Oakland the punt. But they didn’t cross midfield, and the Raiders ran off all but two seconds to secure the victory.

Peterson’s 12-yard touchdown run with 5:17 left in the first quarter opened the scoring, but he injured his left ankle later in the frame during another 12-yard rush. He was helped off the field by trainers, rode a cart into the tunnel and did not return to the game.

Janikowski kicked a 29-yard field goal with 57 seconds left in the first to put Oakland on the board.

"UFC on FOX 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos" takes place Nov. 12 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The night's main event, which will be broadcast during a one-hour FOX special, sees UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez (9-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) defend his title against top contender Junior Dos Santos (13-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC).

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT local time).

However, pre-sale periods are set for UFC Fight Club members (Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. ET) and UFC.com e-newsletter subscribers (Thursday, Sept. 15, at 1 p.m. ET).

In addition to the headliner, the evening's preliminary card sees high-energy lightweights Clay Guida (29-11 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and Ben Henderson (14-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) meet in a key contest in the 155-pound division.

UFC officials have yet to announce broadcast plans for the evening's preliminary card.

While the full bout list is still being assembled, the current UFC on FOX 1 fight card currently includes:

MAIN CARD (FOX)

    * Champ Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos (for heavyweight title)

PRELIMINARY CARD

    * Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson
    * Pablo Garza vs. Dustin Poirier
    * Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Darren Uyenoyama
    * Ricardo Lamas vs. Cub Swanson

As a reminder, a press conference to kick off ticket sales for November's "UFC on FOX 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos" event will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 20, and the public is invited to attend.

Starting at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT local time), the session takes place at Los Angeles' W Hotel Hollywood, located at 6250 Hollywood Blvd.

UFC president Dana White is expected to be in attendance, as are main-event competitors Cain Velasquez (9-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and Junior Dos Santos (13-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC).


The press conference will also stream live on UFC.com.

"UFC on FOX 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos" takes place Nov. 12 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The night's main event airs on FOX during a one-hour special.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Sept. 23, though pre-sale opportunities begin on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Tickets range from $40 to $350.

In addition to the headliner, the evening's preliminary card sees high-energy lightweights Clay Guida (29-11 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and Ben Henderson (14-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) meet in a key contest in the 155-pound division.

UFC officials have yet to announce broadcast plans for the evening's preliminary card.

While the full bout list is still being assembled, the current UFC on FOX 1 fight card currently includes:

MAIN CARD (FOX)

    * Champ Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos (for heavyweight title)

PRELIMINARY CARD

    * Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson
    * Pablo Garza vs. Dustin Poirier
    * Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Darren Uyenoyama
    * Ricardo Lamas vs. Cub Swanson

The UFC is hosting a press conference at 4 p.m. ET to promote their debut show on the Fox network. UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, challenger Junior dos Santos , and UFC President Dana White will appear at the press conference. Video will stream at UFC.com.


Cain Velasquez (9-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) will attempt to make his first defense of the heavyweight belt he won from Brock Lesnar last October at UFC 121. Velasquez injured his rotator cuff in the fight against Lesnar. The subsequent surgery and rehab kept him out of training for over six months.

Junior dos Santos (13-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) reaffirmed his place as the number one contender with a dominant decision victory over Shane Carwin at UFC 131. Dos Santos was originally scheduled to fight former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, but another round of diverticulitis forced Lesnar off the card.

The press conference takes place at W Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, California, and it is open to the public.

The UFC will make its long awaited debut on network TV on Nov. 12 when it brings a heavyweight championship showdown to Anaheim, California, on FOX.

Cain Velasquez will make his first defense of the title he ripped away from Brock Lesnar against number one contender and noted knockout artist Junior dos Santos.

Remember, though, this is just a taste of what's to come. The one-hour primetime special on Nov. 12 is simply an appetizer for the deal that will kick in starting in January of next year. UFC President Dana White has promised a completely different look to his product and we're getting a peak at that with these promos for the debut show.

Coral Reef Club is a country house hotel in Barbados, spread over 12 acres of glorious gardens. Ocean Two Resort & Residences is a seven-storey, beachfront hotel with snazzy suites on the south coast of Barbados. Sandy Lane, Barbados, is arguably the
Barbados Resorts. Whether you are newly wed couple or an aged couple this is the only place where you can feel the romance floating in the air. Barbados is said to be the most romantic and lovable place because of its marvelous blue seas,
Land Get a fourth night free and a $100 resort credit at any of five resorts in the Caribbean and Latin America. The deal, good for stays through Dec. 17, applies to Doubletree Resort by Hilton Costa Rica Puntarenas and to Hilton's Barbados Resort,
One of the most popular of the Caribbean's 7000 islands, Barbados offers a versatile experience: it has some of the Caribbean's best hotels, resorts, shopping and nightlife. The mountainous interior offers spectacular views of the choppy Atlantic
So the African in the Caribbean has come to this region as the third layer of post-Columbian immigrants, but in the case of Barbados, the African arrived here with the Englishmen and as Alfred said at the beginning, we don'tLand Get a fourth

The Marlins continued their free-agent push by talking to Mark Buehrle, who pitched for Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen with the White Sox. Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buerhle winds up to deliver a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning
Previously the Florida Marlins, Miami Marlins' Anibal Sanchez he introduces the Marlins new uniform, name and logo during an unveiling in Miami, on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz) Previously the Florida Marlins, Miami Marlins' Omar Infante
This Sun Sentinel blog has all the news, stories, and MLB player info for the professional baseball fan in South Florida. Pujols might cost the Marlins more than Buehrle and Reyes combined. The Cardinals, according to
After fan voting was completed, the Fish Stripes All-Time Florida Marlins Team Catcher is announced. Who will it be?
Florida Marlins. « Previous Post More specifically as to whether the Marlins' could accommodate all three players on their 2012 payroll, Samson added: “It's a problem we never suspected could happen. That's the true

The David Nelson Band has been recording and performing around the country since 1994. Their broad musical palette spans the Almost Acoustic style that Nelson p.
And it's on this fortuitous occasion that Olive Way bar Tommy Gun hosts guests bartender David Nelson tonight from 5 to 9 pm Nelson has vast experience behind the bar. Just look at the number he's tended that are no more: Union, Campagne, the original
The David Nelson Band has been recording and performing around the country since 1994. Their broad musical palette spans the Almost Acoustic style that Nelson played with Jerry Garcia, through roots rock n' roll, and
(Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer) Two Worthington Christian players show their support for Hawken's David Nelson after defeating the Hawks in the Division III state championship game. – (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer) Columbus — Second place is not
The final whistle is about to blow on the high school career of the youngest Nelson sibling — but not before he gets one more shot at glory for his school, for himself and for his family. At noon Friday, senior striker David Nelson and his Hawken

It’s last call for the Florida Marlins on Thursday in a special event at the new ballpark in Little Havana.
The Marlins Community Foundation will host the fifth Annual Fish ‘N Chips Casino Party “Last Call” that evening at 6:30.
The charity event is already a sellout. THose who were able to secure a spot will be joining Marlins players, coaches, alumni and community leaders for an evening at the craps, blackjack, roulette, dominos and poker tables.
“This marquee occasion will serve as a celebration of the “last call” of the Florida Marlins brand before we transition to the new Miami Marlins on 11-11-2011.” said PJ Loyello, senior vice president of communications.
The franchise will be rebranded at the Miami Marlins on Friday when they unveil a new logo and uniforms at an invitation-only gala at the ballpark.
Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen and players Emilio Bonifacio, John Buck, Omar Infante, Josh Johnson, Logan Morrison, Ricky Nolasco, Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez and Gaby Sanchez are expected to participate in the casino party.

For those interested in working in sports and entertainment, two career fairs next week will provide an opportunity to pursue that ambition.
Moving into their new home in Miami, the Marlins are looking to fill more than 2,000 positions. They will hold a job fair on Nov. 15 and 16, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, 2901 W. Flagler Street, Miami.
The Marlins together with their partners Johnson Controls, Contemporary Services Corporation, Levy and Pritchard will have positions available that will vary from managerial to event day opportunities. The Marlins will have employment opportunities available in customer service, sales, grounds, guest services, security, ticket operations, finance and retail operations. Their partners will have positions available in the areas of maintenance, concessions, janitorial and event services.
Meanwhile, another career fair will be held at Sun Life Stadium on Nov. 15 will offer tips on how to break into the sports and entertainment industry, as well as to make contact with a number of Florida teams. The fair, from 3-7 p.m., will offer insight into careers in marketing, sales, advertising, ticketing, public relations, finance and others through a series of panel discussions.
Participants will also have the opportunity to meet and greet with executives in the sports and entertainment field. Teams and companies in attendance include:
Miami Dolphins
Miami Marlins
Florida Panthers
Tampa Bay Rays
University of Miami Athletic Department
Discover Orange Bowl Committee
FIU Athletic Department
Univision Radio
Ft Lauderdale Strikers
Ft. Myers Miracle
Palm Beach Cardinals
Calder Casino & Race Course
Jupiter Hammerheads
World Golf Championships – Cadillac Championship
FAU Athletic Department
Attendance is limited to 200 participants and admission is $55 per person, which includes a game ticket to the Miami Dolphins-Buffalo Bills game on Nov. 20. Business attire is required. Parking is free.
For more information or to purchase admission, please visit www.Dolphins.com/careerfair.

Pondering a chance to put the Baltimore Ravens on the ropes, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin lost track of time.

His hesitation cost the Steelers the inside track to the AFC North title.

A late delay of game penalty pushed the Steelers out of field goal position, and when Pittsburgh punted instead the Ravens took advantage by driving 92 yards for the game-winning touchdown in a 23-20 victory on Sunday night.

Torrey Smith hauled in a 26-yard pass from Joe Flacco with 8 seconds remaining to snap Pittsburgh's four-game winning streak and allowed the Ravens to sweep their rivals for the first time in five years.

"That's a tough defeat for us," Tomlin said. "We didn't make enough plays to win the game."

Just one during Baltimore's 13-play drive would have done the trick.

Instead the Steelers (6-3) head into a showdown with surprising Cincinnati next week wondering how the NFL's top pass defense let Flacco lead the Ravens the length of the field in the final 2:24.

"We had a four-point lead and our defense was on the field," Tomlin said. "As you can see, Joe Flacco and company did a nice job."

Flacco finished with 300 yards passing as the Ravens exorcised some demons the same field where two of their last three seasons have ended with playoff losses to their rivals.


"This Steelers-Ravens game is a game for men," Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. "This is a game for big men. You've got to shine bright in this game if you want to win this game. And nobody shined brighter than Joe Flacco in this game."

The Steelers appeared to be in control after rallying from a 10-point deficit to take a 20-16 lead with less than 5 minutes to go when Ben Roethlisberger hit Mike Wallace for a 25-yard score.

Pittsburgh's defense held once and the Steelers moved in range for Shaun Suisham to attempt a 47-yard field goal that could have bumped its lead to seven.

Instead the Steelers wasted precious seconds deciding whether to kick or go for it, and when the flag was throw for delay of game the penalty moved Pittsburgh out of field goal range.

"I accept responsibility for that," Tomlin said. "There was some hesitation on my part."

Flacco, who fumbled midway through the fourth quarter to set up Roethlisberger's strike to Wallace, atoned with 2:16 of brilliance.

He converted a fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 49 with less than a minute to go to keep Baltimore's hopes alive, and Smith made up for a drop with the biggest play of his young career.

The Steelers got the ball back with 8 seconds left but Antonio Brown fumbled a lateral from Wallace and the Ravens poured onto the Heinz Field turf in celebration.

How excited were the Ravens? Harbaugh received a cut on his chin after being dropped by Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome.

"We swept them, but don't be fooled – we'll see them again in January," Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "This is the only team in the world that can play like we play and match us blow for blow."

With one dramatic drive, Baltimore ended Pittsburgh's surge and moved into a tie with the Bengals atop the AFC North at 6-2.

Flacco, who had come under fire from his teammates for inconsistent play, completed 28 of 47 passes and kept his head late after spending much of the second half trying to avoid Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.

The All-Pro sacked Flacco three times in his first game back after missing a month with a fractured orbital bone around his right eye, but Pittsburgh's pass rush disappeared on Baltimore's final drive. Given time to work, Flacco picked apart the NFL's top-ranked pass defense.

Gay couldn't stop Flacco from hitting Anquan Boldin on the crucial fourth down and then couldn't stay in front of Smith on the game-winning play.

"That was, on my part, the worst drive ever," Gay said.

And perhaps the finest moment of Flacco's career.

"You don't really have anything to lose," Flacco said. "You either score or you don't score. ... You take a couple of shots at the end zone and see what comes of it."

The Steelers trailed by 10 going into the fourth quarter but roared back behind Roethlisberger. Rashard Mendenhall scored from 1 yard out to pull Pittsburgh within 16-13 and Harrison swatted the ball out of Flacco's hand on Baltimore's next possession.

Gay recovered and Roethlisberger put the Steelers in front when he rolled right to avoid pressure and threw in the direction of Brown. Wallace streaked in front of his teammate for the score and Pittsburgh appeared to be on its way to avenging a 28-point loss to the Ravens in the season opener.

Roethlisberger finished with 330 yards passing to become the first Pittsburgh quarterback to top 300 in three consecutive games, but the Steelers' defense couldn't contain Flacco at the end.

Suggs picked off Roethlisberger's pass in the third quarter to preserve a 9-6 Baltimore lead. A dozen plays later, Rice darted in from 4 yards out to put the Ravens up 16-6.

The NFL's top-ranked defense couldn't make it hold up, though for once Flacco bailed the defense out in a relationship that's often been vice versa.

Now it's the Ravens, not the Steelers, who head into the second half of the season with the upper hand.

"We can only focus on the things that we can control and that's the next game," Pittsburgh linebacker Lawrence Timmons said. "That's what's most important right now."

NOTES: Steelers WR Hines Ward left in the second quarter with concussion-like symptoms after a helmet-to-helmet hit by Baltimore LB Ray Lewis. Tomlin called the injury "minor." ... Pittsburgh punter Jeremy Kapinos averaged 33.3 yards on three kicks a day after being signed to replace injured Dan Sepulveda, who is out for the season with a knee injury. ... Rice, who ran for more than 100 yards against the Steelers in the opener, was held to 43 yards on 18 carries. ... Smith finished with five receptions for 71 yards.