Tuesday, September 30, 2014

It was time for the NFL's blackout rule to get blacked out

The NFL blackout rule is largely symbolic these days – just two games were kept off local airwaves due to the lack of a sellout during the 2013 season.
It’s a controversial measure, however, because taxpayers regularly dole out hundreds of millions in direct and indirect support to construct NFL stadiums that are owned and operated by the teams. You could argue, and the lobbying group Sports Fan Coalition did, that even the guy in his living room is a paying customer these days.
It apparently worked. On Tuesday, the FCC, at last, eliminated the old blackout rule.
While the FCC declared it a “victory for sports fans,” don’t celebrate too much. The league can still negotiate a private deal with its broadcast partners to keep non-sellouts off the air and the government probably wouldn’t interfere with that (although it could).
Still, this remains a historic moment if only because the government protection of blackouts has been under attack for more than six decades.
Perhaps never more so than on the eve of the 1972 playoffs, when a passionate and desperate football fan also happened to be the 37th President of the United States of America.
The week before Christmas that year, Richard Nixon was concerned because Washington was set to host Green Bay in a highly anticipated playoff game. Due to the NFL’s then-federally protected blackout rule, the game was not going to be shown on local television however. This despite the fact Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (named after a man who was coincidentally assassinated while running for president in an election Nixon would win) was sold out.
Back then, the NFL was able to black out all home games in local markets even if they were sold out. This even included sold-out playoff games.
The league argued this was a way to protect the ticket buyer, for whom it wouldn’t be fair if a fan back home that didn’t pay for the right to watch the game got to see it for free on TV. They claimed this was in the "public interest."
In 1953 President Eisenhower had his Justice Department sue the league over this but a federal judge ruled in the NFL’s favor. By 1961, the league’s vaunted lobbying efforts resulted in the protection being written into the Sports Broadcasting Act.
Nixon was having none of it, though. A local blackout of the Washington game also applied to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. (although here’s guessing he could’ve gotten to see the game via the Pentagon, CIA, FBI or some other way).
On Dec. 19, 1972, Nixon placed a phone call from the Oval Office to his Attorney General, Richard Kleindienst. The call was recorded and uncovered in 2012 by the Associated Press on presidential tapes that sit in the National Archives.
On the tape, Nixon spends plenty of time venting about how outrageous the blackout rule is.
"The folks should be able to see the goddamn games on television," Nixon said. "Playoff games. Playoffs, all playoff games should be available."
He later notes that this would be a great victory for the common man, and thus politically for his administration.
"If we can get the playoff games [on TV], believe me, it would be the greatest achievement we've ever done," said a president who also opened U.S. diplomatic relations with China and oversaw man landing on the moon.
As such, Nixon tells the AG to offer then NFL-commissioner Pete Rozell a deal: put the sold-out playoff games on local television and he’d make sure the NFL would get presidential protection on all other issues.
"If you make the move, for these playoff games, we will block any – any – legislation to stop anything else," Nixon instructed Kleindienst to tell Rozelle. "I will fight it personally and veto any – any – legislation. You can tell him that I will veto it. And we'll sustain the veto. … Go all out on it and tell him he's got the President's personal commitment."
What Nixon thought was a magnanimous offer, Rozell saw differently. He rejected it immediately. That’s how much the NFL coveted its blackout rule; they told a begging president to go pound sand.
"Pete Rozelle won almost every battle he had with Congress and the White House," said veteran sportswriter Jerry Izenberg, author of "Rozelle: A Biography," which details the old commissioner’s life, career and impact on the league. "He was going to write the deal how he saw it even if that meant standing up to the President."
The immediate result was the only people in Washington who saw the home team win 16-3 were inside RFK.
In the short term, this was a mistake by Rozell. Nixon was none too pleased, and by 1973 the Sports Broadcasting Act was amended against stiff NFL opposition. Teams now could only black out games (regular season or playoff) if they weren’t sold out within 72 hours of kickoff. Originally all Nixon wanted was playoff games.
In the long run, though, the NFL discovered televising its games was a boon, and making the local action available led to a surge in popularity that continues unabated to this day. Studies show television revenue now accounts for over 60 percent of team revenue compared to just 20 percent from gate, concession and other game-day earnings.
Even with the games on TV, attendance and ticket prices soared, and teams were able to demand sweetheart public financing deals for stadiums that generated more and more profit via luxury boxes, club levels and personal seat licenses.
Still, the NFL has fought relentlessly through the years to maintain its blackout protection, even as its argument became less and less popular.
If anything, the decision by the FCC to finally strip it – essentially do what Eisenhower, Nixon and scores of others couldn’t – could be the start of Washington taking a more adversarial stance against the league as it’s grown immensely profitable while getting swamped in high-profile scandals ranging from brain injuries to domestic violence.
Time will tell on that. The league remains extremely active in lobbying governments at all levels. Individually its 32 ownership groups feature powerful private citizens and major local and national business interests. They’ve got politicians boxed in every which way.
That’s part of what makes Tuesday a historic day. The NFL doesn’t lose often, and 61 years after beating Ike’s Justice Department in court, this one seemed like it would never slip away.
It did though and somewhere President Nixon can feel good that the government is no longer standing in the way of the folks being able to see all the goddamn games on television.

Michael Phelps arrested for DUI in Baltimore

Michael Phelps, the winningest Olympian of all time, has been arrested for DUI in Baltimore, police are reporting. Maryland Transit Authority police arrested Phelps about 1:40 a.m. in the Fort McHenry Tunnel on I-95.
“A Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Police Officer was operating stationary radar on southbound I-395 leaving Baltimore City when a White 2014 Land Rover entered the radar’s area of influence at excessive speed (84 mph in a 45 mph zone)," the MDTA said in a statement. "The officer followed the vehicle onto northbound I-95, through the tunnel and initiated an enforcement stop just beyond the tunnel’s toll plaza. Mr. Phelps was identified as the driver by his driver’s license and appeared to be under the influence. He was unable to perform satisfactorily a series of standard field sobriety tests. Mr. Phelps was cooperative throughout the process.”
Phelps was charged with driving under the influence, excessive speed, and crossing double lane lines, and was later released. Phelps, 29, was also arrested in 2004 on DUI charges. In a plea agreement, he was placed on 18 months' probation.
“I recognize the seriousness of this mistake,” Phelps said at the time. “I’ve learned from this mistake and will continue learning from this mistake for the rest of my life.”
Phelps last swam in the Olympics in 2012, but has been swimming competitively in recent months as part of an apparent comeback for Rio 2016.

Raiders make Tony Sparano interim coach

The Oakland Raiders promoted offensive line coach Tony Sparano to interim coach on Tuesday, a day after firing head coach Dennis Allen.
General manager Reggie McKenzie announced the move to Sparano after cutting ties to Allen four games into his third season as coach.
Sparano had a 29-32 record as head coach in Miami from 2008-11. He took over a one-win team in 2008 and led the Dolphins to an 11-5 record and an AFC East title. That was his only winning season and he was fired with three games remaining in 2011.
Sparano has been offensive line coach the past two seasons in Oakland.
''Tony Sparano has a strong presence in this organization,'' McKenzie said. ''His experience and leadership qualities will serve the team well in helping reach the goal of everyone here, which is to win football games.''
Sparano becomes Oakland's eighth coach in the past 12 seasons. The Raiders have not made the playoffs or had a winning record since winning the 2002 AFC championship.
The Raiders are off this week after losing 38-14 to Miami in London on Sunday for their 10th straight loss dating to last season. Oakland next plays at home against San Diego on Oct. 12.
Allen was the first head coach hired by Oakland after Al Davis' death in October 2011. His 8-28 record is the worst for the franchise since before Davis arrived in 1963. His contract was set to run through next season.
''After thorough evaluation, we have determined to move in another direction,'' McKenzie said. ''We appreciate Dennis Allen's dedication to the organization and wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future.''
Allen is the third coach fired during the season by Oakland since Davis arrived. Mike Shanahan was fired after four games in 1989 and Lane Kiffin was let go four games into the 2008 season.
The Raiders have had 11 straight seasons without a winning record or a playoff berth. Oakland will now have its eighth coach since 2003.
Allen and McKenzie were hired after the team finished 8-8 under coach Hue Jackson in 2011, falling one game short of a playoff bid.
They were expected to steady a franchise that ran into disrepair during Davis' final years as owner. Instead, the team has only gotten worse.
The two were hamstrung their first two seasons by a lack of premium draft picks and a difficult salary-cap situation due to bad contracts handed out by Davis.
But after spending their first two years tearing down the team, owner Mark Davis expected the Raiders to be much more competitive this season after having ample salary cap room in the offseason and a near-full complement of draft picks.
Instead, the Raiders have looked overmatched at times. They fell behind 27-0 after three quarters of their only home game against Houston and trailed by 31 points after three quarters against the Dolphins.
In all, Allen had more losses by at least 20 points (nine) than wins. It was performances like those that Mark Davis said he no longer wanted to see in Allen's third season and that ultimately led to his downfall.
Allen was a former defensive coordinator in Denver who was expected to modernize a defense that ran what were considered outdated schemes under Al Davis' watch.
The defense, instead, has gotten worse. Allen has overseen two of the three highest-scoring seasons by opponents in franchise history. The Raiders have yielded 27.8 points per game since the start of the 2012 season, allowing opponents to complete 67.6 percent of their passes with a 101.6 passer rating.
With Allen out, the pressure is now on McKenzie, who has two seasons left on his contract. McKenzie's first two draft classes have had almost no impact, with the biggest disappointment being 2013 first-round cornerback DJ Hayden, who has struggled with injuries. Hayden was exposed in eight games as a rookie and hasn't played at all this season because of a foot injury.
This year's draft class appears to be much stronger, led by first-round linebacker Khalil Mack and second-round quarterback Derek Carr. But whether that will be enough for McKenzie to keep his job remains to be seen.
McKenzie also has botched two offseason trades for quarterbacks, with Matt Flynn in 2013 and Matt Schaub this year failing to win starting jobs after being acquired to start.

Colts give Mathis 1-year contract extension

Indianapolis is keeping Robert Mathis around through 2016.
The team announced Tuesday it had given the 2013 NFL sacks leader a one-year contract extension. Financial terms were not immediately available.
Mathis is the Colts career leader in sacks and set a single-season franchise record with 19 1/2 sacks last season. But this season has been a washout.
He was suspended for the first four games after violating the NFL's the league's performance-enhancing substance policy, then sustained a season-ending torn Achilles' tendon during a private workout while he was away from the team. Indy (2-2) put Mathis on the reserve/non-football injury list Monday.
The Colts also signed free agent cornerback Jalil Brown and added receiver Chandler Jones and linebacker Rob Ruggiero to the practice squad.

NFL says Abdullah should not have been penalized

The NFL said Tuesday that Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah should not have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct when he dropped to his knees in prayer after an interception.
The league's rule book prohibits players from celebrating while on the ground, but spokesman Michael Signora wrote in an email Tuesday that the ''officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play.''
The flag thrown in the fourth quarter of Kansas City's 41-14 victory over the New England Patriots on Monday night led to criticism on social media, with many wondering how it was different from players such as former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow dropping to one knee in Christian prayer.
Abdullah is a devout Muslim who took a year off from football to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. He said after Monday's game that he knew before he even reached the end zone he would drop to his knees in thankful prayer after intercepting Tom Brady.
After he slid to the grass in Arrowhead Stadium, yellow flags came flying from the officials.
''I don't think it was because of the actual prostration that I got the penalty,'' Abdullah told The Associated Press afterward. ''I think it was because of the slide.''
And that's precisely the explanation that Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he received from the game officials. They had no issue with the prayer, Reid said, only the celebratory slide.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil liberties and advocacy organization, issued a statement early Tuesday asking that the NFL take steps in response to the penalty.
''To prevent the appearance of a double standard, we urge league officials to clarify the policy on prayer and recognize that the official made a mistake in this case,'' CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said.
Reid didn't agree with the penalty, but he also didn't make much of it.
''When you go to Mecca,'' he said, referring to the end zone, ''you should have the privilege to slide anywhere you want to slide. We have two priests in here. I think they will vouch for me.''
Indeed, there were two pastors sitting in Reid's postgame news conference.
Abdullah is in his second year with the Chiefs after spending an entire season away from the game. He decided that, in the prime of his career, he would join his brother Hamza - who also was playing in the NFL at the time - to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. The Fifth Pillar of Islam is The Hajj, the pilgrimage that all Muslims are supposed to make once in their lifetime.
Abdullah, who also fasts during Ramadan, told the AP in an interview last year the brothers wanted to make sure they did the pilgrimage while they still had the health and means to go.
In the case of Hamza, it proved costly. He never got a shot to return to the NFL.
Husain Abdullah said he didn't expect any repercussions from his penalty Monday night, least of all from his coach. After all, it was Reid who gave him an opportunity to work his way back into the league after he had stepped away.
''I'm pretty sure he understands who I am, what my faith is,'' he said. ''And again, I think the prostration is all right. It's the slide. Come to a full stop, get down, make the prostration, get up and get out.''

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 30TH

1904 - White Sox lefty Doc White, pitches his 5th shutout in 18 days.
1926 - Robin Roberts, pitcher (Phillies, Won 28 in 1952) is born.
1927 - Babe Ruth hits record setting 60th HR (off Tom Zachary).
1934 - Babe Ruth's final game as a Yankee, goes 0 for 3.
1939 - First televised College Football game (Fordham vs Waynesburg at NYC).
1939 - White Sox reliever Clint Brown sets record of 61st relief appearance.
1947 - Yanks beat Dodgers 5-3-largest WS crowd 73,365-1st WS televised.
1956 - White Sox Jim Derrington, 16, is youngest to start a game (he loses).
1968 - AL & NL umpires form a new Association of Major League Umpires.
1973 - Mel Gray begins NFL streak of 121 consecutive game receptions.
1978 - Major Indoor Soccer League grants 1st 6 franchises to Cincinnati.
1984 - California Angels Michael Witt is 11th to pitch a perfect baseball game.
1984 - Bowie Kuhn ends career as Baseball Commissioner.
1984 - California Angel Mike Witt, pitches a perfect game over Texas Rangers, 1-0.
1984 - NY Yankee Don Mattingly wins AL batting crown with .343 avg.
1989 - Nolan Ryan's perfect game broken in 8th, but gets his 300th strikeout.
1990 - Chicago White Sox beat Seattle 2-1 in last game at Comiskey Park.
1997 - Yankees Tim Raines, Derek Jeter & Paul O'Neill are 1st to hit
3 consecutively homers in post season (Yanks beat Indians 8-6).
1998 - Dan Quisenberry, baseball pitcher (b. 1953) was diagnosed with
grade IV astrocytoma in January of 1998, a highly malignant form of
brain cancer. He died 8 months later in Leawood, Kansas

Monday, September 29, 2014

Report: Dennis Allen informed by Oakland Raiders that he's been fired

Fox's Jay Glazer is reporting that the Oakland Raiders have informed Dennis Allen that he has been fired.
Allen's Raiders dropped to 0-4 — their 10th loss in a row dating back to last season — after Sunday's 38-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins in London.
And it apparently happened today over the phone, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Despite Allen and the team having to spend 12 hours on a plane together coming back from overseas.
It has been widely speculated that either assistant head coach/offensive line coach Tony Sparano or offensive coordinator Greg Olson would replace Allen on an interim basis.
This was the call of owner Mark Davis. General manager Reggie McKenzie might also be on the hot seat give the status of the Raiders' shaky roster.
There had been a report by the Associated Press that Allen would be fired, but it was retracted. The Raiders returned from London on Monday but no announcement was made.
Allen's contract had run through the 2015 season.
We wrote Sunday that Allen was on borrowed time after an 8-28 record in his two-plus seasons as the Raiders' head coach.
The Raiders are on bye in Week 5. They face the San Diego Chargers in Week 6.

Boxing promoter Dan Goossen passes away at 64 after battle with liver cancer

Dan Goossen, a colorful, gregarious man who turned boxing promoting into a family business, died early Monday at 64 following a battle with liver cancer.
Goossen promoted many of boxing's top stars over the past quarter of a century, including James Toney, Michael Nunn, Terry Norris, Andre Ward, David Reid, Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas, Chris Arreola, David Tua, Joel Casamayor, Paul Williams, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather.
"It is with overwhelming regret that we announce the passing of Dan Goossen, 64, from complications relating to liver cancer," the family said in a statement. "The sudden news of his diagnosis was very much a private matter and his final days were spent surrounded by his family and closest friends.
"Sadness is difficult to escape as we grieve his passing. However, we are filled with pride by the fact that Dan Goossen battled this aggressive illness with boundless strength and the last days of his life were fought and lived with unflinching bravery, pure love and grace beyond measure."
Goossen began in the sport when, along with his nine brothers and sisters, he founded Ten Goose Boxing, promoting regular shows at Reseda Country Club in Reseda, Calif.
His best work probably came after he founded America Present when he promoted David Tua, leading him to the brink of the heavyweight title. Goossen came up with the idea to create "The Tuaman" persona for Tua, pitching him as a Samoan warrior.
Always clever and willing to think outside of the box, Goossen once held a luau to promote a Tua fight, except that he called it a "Tuau."
Goossen moved Tua to the No. 1 contender status. When Tua walked to the ring to face Lennox Lewis for the title, there was a thunderous ovation to welcome Tua, as much a tribute to Goossen's brilliant work promoting him as it was to Tua's popularity.
Longtime Los Angeles Times boxing writer Steve Springer, who is now retired, was so close with Goossen that people jokingly referred to him as the 11th Goose.
He remembered Goossen as a fun-loving guy who began selling stationary in a boiler room and made it to the top of the boxing profession.
Springer said before all of the big fights, Goossen would arrange a softball game in Southern California that would feature his family members on one side and fighters, trainers and media members on the other.
"This was a guy who started literally from nothing," Springer said. "They had a part of the property in the back where they used to play whiffle ball. He put up four ropes around a canvas to make a makeshift ring out of it. He started with nothing; really, started with nothing.
"You think of guys like [Bob] Arum and [Don] King and all of the resources they had and here was a guy in the San Fernando Valley, North Hollywood, with a backyard gym. It was not even a gym, it was a ring, and he became a major promoter. That was all Dan. His focus was always on moving ahead."
Springer noted that the Ruelas brothers got involved with Goossen after knocking on the door of the gym selling candy, while they were 12 and 13 years old.
Goossen allowed them to come in and watch sparring, and eventually, they both went on to become world champions.
"That's the evidence of how it really was the ultimate mom-and-pop operation," Springer said.
Goossen, who for several years worked as a vice president at Top Rank, was a passionate advocate for his fighters. He was popular among media because he was easily accessible, always a source of news and had plenty of quips and stories ready.
He was extremely close with his family and worked personally with many of them. His brother Joe became one of the sport's top trainers and they worked hand-in-hand on numerous shows.
One of his notable achievements was signing Reid and Ward, the last two American men to win Olympic boxing gold medals, in 1996 and 2004, respectively, to promotional contracts.
Under Goossen's guidance, Ward won Showtime's Super 6 tournament and managed to get all of his round-robin matches at his home in Oakland, Calif.
Ward and Goossen were locked in a legal battle at the time of Goossen's death, a dispute that frustrated Goossen immensely.
"I was deeply saddened to learn the news of Dan Goossen's passing early this morning," Ward said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers have been with Dan and his family since I received the news of his illness last week. While Dan and I recently had our professional struggles, he was a great man, father and husband. He will be greatly missed by the boxing community. I will continue to keep the Goossen family in my prayers."
Goossen's promotional company had a string of bad luck in the past several years in which his fighters couldn't win the big one to put them over the top. He helped Reid land a lucrative HBO deal coming out of the Olympics and win a world title in just his 12th bout.
Goossen positioned Reid for a mega-fight with Felix Trinidad outdoors in Las Vegas on March 3, 2000, which, had Reid won, would have made him one of the sport's biggest stars. Instead, he was knocked down four times and was never the same fighter.
It also happened to Goossen with Tua, who was routed by Lewis, and Chris Arreola, who lost a bout with Vitali Klitschko.
Goossen was predeceased by his older brother, Greg, a former Major League Baseball player. He is survived by his wife Debbie; sons Craig, Chris, Max and Rex; brothers Joe, Gordon, Pat, Mike, Larry and Tom; and sisters Ellorie and Sandra.

Twins fire manager Ron Gardenhire after 13 seasons

He was the third base coach who gave Kirby Puckett a high-five to punctuate his winning homer in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series.
He was the trusting candidate who took Minnesota's managing job when many thought the Twins were about to be contracted in 2002.
He was the affable everyman who presided over the team's turn-of-the-century renaissance and turned the AL doormat into a six-time division champion.
Ron Gardenhire was just about everything in the 27 years he spent in the Twins organization. But even he couldn't survive the worst four-year stretch in franchise history.
The Twins fired Gardenhire on Monday, saying it was time for a new voice after his 13-year tenure concluded with 383 losses over the last four seasons.
''The reason for this change, I think it's safe to say, the last couple years we have not won enough games,'' Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. ''That's what it comes down to. It's nothing more, nothing less than that.''
The move was made with one season left on Gardenhire's contract, ending the second-longest active tenure in the major leagues behind Mike Scioscia of the Angels.
Gardenhire played an integral role in the franchise's turnaround, guiding the Twins to the playoffs six times in nine seasons from 2002-10. But Gardenhire's teams only got out of the first round once, and his postseason record was 6-21 with the last win coming in 2004.
The Twins have long been the model of stability in not only baseball but major professional sports, with only two managers over the last 28 years and two general managers over the last 20 seasons.
But all the losing of late became too much to overcome. Over the last four years, the Twins went 78-148 from Aug. 1 on for an abysmal .345 winning percentage.
''I'm gone, I'm outta here because we didn't win,'' Gardenhire said. ''That's what it gets down to in baseball. That's what it should get down to. You have to win on the field and these last four years have been tough for all of us.''
The Twins finished this season at 70-92, making Gardenhire just the fourth manager in the game's history to preside over at least four straight 90-loss seasons with the same team, joining Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics (nine), Zach Taylor of the St. Louis Browns (four) and his predecessor with the Twins, Tom Kelly (four). Kelly returned for one more season after his streak, and he retired after an 85-77 finish in 2001.
''One of the things we hope to get back to here is a winning culture across our organization, and not just with the major leagues,'' Twins President Dave St. Peter said, later adding, ''That's clearly one of the goals with this move is to jumpstart that. Not to say that Ron wasn't capable of that ... but I think we believe very strongly that we've gotten away from that in recent years.''
In an era when job security for managers is seemingly measured in months, Gardenhire's longevity has been truly unique. The outspoken and fiery Gardenhire quickly became one of the faces of the franchise, as synonymous with the Twins as the interlocking T and C on their caps. He took over for the revered Kelly, who won two World Series championships, just as the organization was starting to regain its footing after years of bad baseball.
''I feel like he's my brother, not my manager,'' said a glassy-eyed Ryan, who has known Gardenhire dating to their days together in the New York Mets system in the 1980s.
Ryan spent some time away from the organization this year to get treatment for cancer. He said Monday that a recent physical came back favorable and that he will return to the Twins next season.
Ryan offered Gardenhire a chance to remain in the organization, but Gardenhire doesn't believe he's done managing just yet.
''I would have loved to have won a World Series, but that didn't happen,'' Gardenhire said. ''Maybe it's still to come.''
Gardenhire clashed with some players over the years, but there was an expectation and hope among the players that he would return.
''We as players had a responsibility to the organization, fans, and coaches to win this season,'' starting pitcher Phil Hughes tweeted. ''We failed.''
Gardenhire joined the organization in 1987 and was added to Kelly's staff in 1991. His record as Twins manager was 1,068-1,039. He won the American League Manager of the Year award in 2010, the last time the Twins not only made the playoffs but had a winning record.
''As good as it gets in my opinion. Comes to the park ready to win each and every day. Kind of a players' manager,'' second baseman Brian Dozier said last week. ''Always in good spirits. He knows the game better than anybody I've been around. I 100 percent want him back.''
The contracts of Gardenhire's coaches were expiring, but some of them could be brought back. Bench coach Paul Molitor is sure to be considered for Gardenhire's replacement, but Ryan's search will spread outside the organization, too.
''Sometimes people need to hear a different voice,'' Gardenhire said. ''They need a new face. I just want this organization to win; I'll be rooting just like everybody else.''
The run of futility has disillusioned a once-passionate fan base, with attendance in Target Field's fifth year the lowest for the Twins since 2004.
Owner Jim Pohlad said dwindling attendance had ''virtually zero'' impact on the decision and they would have brought Gardenhire back next season if Ryan recommended it.
''He connected with me and our family way more than any single person in our entire career as owners of the team,'' Pohlad said. ''He's just a special guy. He's loved. He's loved by us. I'll always remember him as a winner.''

AJ Hinch hired to manage Astros

A.J. Hinch was hired as the manager of the Astros on Monday, and general manager Jeff Luhnow is confident he'll be the man to return Houston to success.
''I think A.J. is going to be the manager that's going to be here when we win the World Series,'' Luhnow said.
Hinch takes over for Bo Porter, who was fired on Sept. 1 in his second year and replaced on an interim baseis by Tom Lawless. The Astros finished 70-92 and fourth in the AL West.
Houston has been in a long rebuilding process and hasn't finished above .500 since going 86-75 in 2008.
Hinch takes over a team that made a 19-game improvement over last year to end a streak of three straight 100-loss seasons and one that features AL batting champion Jose Altuve.
''The goal is to win championships,'' Hinch said. ''It's easy to say but a lot of work. We need to build on the success that this organization has seen.''
Hinch managed Arizona from May 2009 until July 2010, when he was fired after 31-48 start. He was the vice president of professional scouting for San Diego from 2010 until August.
Porter was a first-time manager and Luhnow said he wanted someone that had managerial experience this time around. Hinch was also attractive to Luhnow because he had worked in baseball front offices as well as been a manager.
''He's well-rounded - understands my perspective,'' Luhnow said. ''He comes with a breadth of experience that very few guys have. The whole combination, the whole package was very unique.''
The 40-year-old is a former catcher who spent seven seasons in the majors with the Athletics, Royals, Tigers and Phillies.
He thinks his experience with the Diamondbacks will help him in his second shot at managing.
''You learn a lot in this game every day,'' Hinch said. ''Through getting knocked down a little bit ... through losing a little bit too much you reflect on that and try to get better.''
He wouldn't put any numbers on what he expects from the team next year.
''We're going to get this right ... however many wins that means,'' Hinch said. ''I believe we can do things sooner rather than later.''
Other standouts on his new team are Chris Carter, whose 37 home runs were tied for second in the majors, and Dallas Keuchel, who showed he could be a front-of-the rotation starter.
The Astros still aren't good but finally have a solid foundation in place.
Altuve finished with a franchise-record 225 hits and a .341 average, which both topped the majors. The 24-year-old also led the AL with 56 stolen bases to go along with 47 doubles and 59 RBIs. He became the first Astro to win a batting title.
''It was a good season for us and what a big improvement,'' he said.
A year after leading the team with 29 homers and 82 RBIs, Carter shook off a tough start to again top the Astros in homers and RBIs (88).
''I was able to become more consistent and it's good that I've had some success now and something to go off of and something go into the offseason with,'' Carter said.
Keuchel's 2.93 ERA was another highlight for the Astros and he had a team-leading 12 wins in 29 starts. Houston also got a boost from the development of 27-year-old rookie Collin McHugh, who was claimed off waivers in the offseason. He finished with 11 wins and led the rotation with a 2.73 ERA.
It was also a season where two of the organization's top prospects finally joined the team in outfielder George Springer and first baseman Jon Singleton.
Springer, the 11th overall pick in the 2011 amateur draft, hit .231 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs in 78 games. His season was cut short when he injured his left quadriceps on July 20 and he didn't play again. The Astros were encouraged by his adjustment to the majors and are looking forward to his development next year in what will be his first full season in the big leagues.
Singleton, who was considered the top first base prospect in baseball entering the season, didn't fare nearly as well after signing a $10 million, five-year contract and being called up in June. He hit just .168 with 13 homers and 44 RBIs in 95 games and said the transition to the majors was harder than he expected and that he'll use the offseason to try and improve to be better in 2015.
Though the Astros certainly weren't contenders in 2014, for the first time in years they felt like they could at least compete every night. It's a key shift for a team that had lost 324 games over the previous three years combined, including a franchise-record 111 games in 2013.
''I think we're the most improved team by far and that's something that we're all happy about,'' Keuchel said. ''Ultimately we're not to where we want to be, but we're getting there and that's what everybody is happy about.''

Bills bench quarterback Manuel, to start Orton

EJ Manuel is out as the Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback, and veteran Kyle Orton is in.
Coach Doug Marrone's patience ran out following two straight losses that exposed 2013 first-round draft pick Manuel's lack of development. Marrone benched Manuel on Monday, one day after he completed less than half his passes and threw two interceptions in a loss to Houston.
Orton will start Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. The Bills signed Orton on Aug. 30 to back up Manuel.
''It's not all EJ's fault,'' Marrone said, ''but we need to get better production, obviously, out of that position.
''We have to make adjustments. We've got to make some changes because we can't keep going in the direction that we're going.''
Manuel started 14 games over the past two seasons.
The Bills (2-2) have sputtered on offense during two straight losses. Manuel had a season-low quarterback rating of 59.4 and threw an interception to J.J. Watt that was returned for a momentum-changing touchdown Sunday during the 23-17 loss.
Manuel has completed just 58 percent of his passes through four games this year.
''We've got to get better in a lot of situations,'' Marrone said. ''Just the overall offense in itself. You can start on first downs, which we're not doing a good job of. Third downs, red zone touchdowns, I think all those things that you see, again, it's not pinning it just on one player, but we all have to do a better job in those areas.''
Marrone had previously said he wanted to be patient with Manuel's development.
Orton, a nine-year NFL veteran, spent the past two seasons in Dallas before being cut by the Cowboys in mid-July after he skipped the team's offseason workouts amid reports he was considering retirement. Orton has a 35-35 career record split among four teams since being selected by Chicago in the fourth round of the 2005 draft. He has been a starter with every team he has joined, as well as a backup, and spent two years behind Tony Romo in Dallas.
Marrone said he made the decision to change quarterbacks, then informed general manager Doug Whaley, Manuel, and the rest of the team.
''This decision was based on what's giving us the best opportunity to win,'' Marrone said. ''I believe that we have a playoff-caliber team. I think that we have to play better than we did the last two weeks, though.''
While Manuel has size and mobility, his decision-making and leadership have been questioned. He acknowledged needing better command of the offense days before the season opener, and understood he had plenty to prove as a bona fide starter.
Manuel also faced injury issues last year that hampered his development. He missed six regular-season games and went 4-6 in 10 starts.
The Bills invested heavily to improve their offense this season in order to give Manuel every chance to succeed. They made the biggest splash in the draft when they traded next year's first-round selection to move up five spots and select dynamic receiver Sammy Watkins with the No. 4 pick. The Bills also used three of their seven selections on offensive linemen, and acquired wide receiver Mike Williams in a trade with Tampa Bay.
Marrone said as Orton began practicing with the team that the Bills first targeted Orton early in training camp as a backup; the need for a contingency plan emerged when former backups Thad Lewis and Jeff Tuel didn't show enough progress.
Before being informed of the change, Bills players backed Manuel earlier Monday.
''You can't put it all on him,'' tight end Scott Chandler said. ''I think he made a lot of great plays, a lot of great throws that we didn't help him out on.''
''It's not a one-man show,'' running back C.J. Spiller said. ''In this league, the quarterback is the focal point and the emphasis of wins and losses of teams. Obviously, he didn't have his best day, and we didn't give him a lot of help either, as well.''

Stewart never considered retiring after Ward death

Tony Stewart said Monday he never considered retiring from racing following the death of Kevin Ward Jr.
The three-time NASCAR champion talked with reporters Monday at his first news conference since a grand jury decided last week not to charge him in Ward's death. The 20-year-old driver was struck and killed by Stewart's car during a sprint car race in upstate New York on Aug. 9.
''This is what I've done all my life. This is what I've done for 36 years, and I wouldn't change anything about it,'' he said. ''I love what I do. I love driving race cars, but I think it might change right now as far as how much of it and what I do, but there was never a thought in my head about stopping. That would take the life out of me.''
Stewart took 29 questions over 36 minutes at Stewart-Haas Racing, but did not discuss what he remembers about the incident that killed Ward. He has been advised by legal counsel not to discuss it because he still could face a civil lawsuit from Ward's family.
He admitted he's not been properly engaged with the four-car race team he co-owns. He missed three races following Ward's death as he secluded himself at his Indiana home, but has been back since the Aug. 31 race at Atlanta.
The 43-year-old Stewart didn't earn a berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, but teammates Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch both made the 16-driver field. Busch was eliminated Sunday at Dover.
Stewart, who barely watched the three races he missed, said he has not been the leader he'd like to be for his team.
''I've let my team down from that standpoint. I've been a little bit of a cheerleader, but that's about all I've been able to contribute here the last seven weeks,'' he said. ''It's been hard for me to function day-to-day. There hasn't been anything normal about my life the last seven weeks, so it's been very hard to try to do anything to be productive to help those guys.''
Stewart has also been absent from the sprint car teams he owns via Tony Stewart Racing, and from the three race tracks he owns. He has watched his drivers compete online and watched several nights of racing at Eldora Speedway on his computer, but has not been a part of any of his businesses.
He was appreciative of the support he's received from sponsors, particularly Mobil 1, Bass Pro Shops and Rush Truck Centers, but acknowledged it's been difficult on the companies. Stewart also missed the final 15 races of the 2013 season with a broken leg suffered in a sprint car crash last August.
''It's obviously a tough circumstance for anybody to be a part of it, for a corporation to be part of it as well, but they've been very supportive through this whole process,'' he said. ''I can't speak to what the future will be for them. They've been supportive to this point and that's something I've been very grateful for.''
Stewart has been receiving professional help to cope with Ward's death. Asked Monday if he could go back and change anything about the last seven weeks, Stewart said he would not have gone to Canandaigua Motorsports Park for what turned into a tragic sprint car race.
''I'd have stayed at Watkins Glen that night,'' he said. ''You know, I do this stuff and I go run those cars to have a good time and that's all I wanted to do that night. I wanted to go have fun. It wasn't a big paying race for sprint car standards. I just wanted to go run my sprint car for a night. I do it to have fun, and it didn't end up being fun that night.''
Stewart told The Associated Press last week that he had lost his desire to race sprint cars and he repeated that Monday.
''When I got hurt, it was as soon as I got healed, and as soon as things got settled in with the Cup car I was set that I was wanting to get in one,'' he said, ''but right now, I wouldn't even be able to give you a small idea of if and when I'll ever get back in a car.''

Cowboys Claiborne has season-ending knee injury

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne will have season-ending surgery after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee.
Coach Jason Garrett said Monday that Claiborne will have surgery in the next couple of days and be put on injured reserve.
Claiborne got hurt in Sunday night's 38-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints, when he was down on the field at the end of a play with about 6 minutes left in the first quarter. The sixth overall pick from the 2012 draft had to be helped off the field with people on both sides of him.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones immediately after the game expressed concerns about the severity of the injury, and further tests Monday confirmed that.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 29TH

1793 - Tennis is 1st mentioned in an English sporting magazine.
1890 - 1st pro baseball game, NY Metropolitans beat
Washington Nationals 4-2 in 5 innings at Polo Grounds in NYC.
1913 - Wash Senator Walter Johnson wins his 36th game.
1914 - Boston Braves, who were in last place in mid-July, clinch NL pennant.
1915 - Philadelphia Phillies clinch their 1st pennant.
1941 - Million jam downtown Brooklyn to cheer NL champ Dodgers in a parade.
1945 - Cubs clinch NL pennant.
1946 - 1st time NL pennant ends in a tie (Cards & Dodgers).
1946 - Los Angeles (previously Cleveland) Rams play 1st NFL game in LA.
1947 - Former Yank manager Joe McCarthy signs to manage Red Sox.
1947 - Record World Series crowd of 73,365 at Yankee Stadium ($325,828).
1952 - Stan Musial makes his only major league pitching appearance.
1954 - Willie Mays famous over-the-shoulder catch of Vic Wertz' 460' drive.
1956 - "I Love Mickey" by Mickey Mantle & Teresa Brewer peaks at #87.
1957 - NY Giants play & lose their last game at Polo Grounds (9-1 to Pitts).
1965 - Phillies catcher Pat Corrales sets record by reaching base twice
on catcher's interference in one game & 6 times in one season.
1968 - Carl Yastrzemski .3005 avg wins his 2nd straight batting crown.
1975 - Casey Stengel, NY Yankee manager (1949-60), dies in Glendale at 85.
1976 - SF Giant John Montefusco no-hits Atlanta Braves, 9-0.
1977 - Eva Shain is 1st woman to referee a Heavyweight championship.
1979 - Astros' J R Richard strikes out NL season righty record of 313.
1983 - Oakland A's Mike Warren no-hits Chicago White Sox, 3-0.
1985 - Houston QB Warren Moon sacked NFL tying record 12 times (by Cowboys).
1986 - Cubs Greg Maddux defeats Phillies Mike Maddux (1st rookie brothers).
1986 - Indians Jay Bell is 10th to hit a HR on 1st major league pitch he sees.
1986 - Mary Lou Retton retires as a gymnast.
1988 - Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder basketball player is born.
1989 - A A Busch Jr, brewer/baseball owner (St Louis Cards), dies at 90.
1994 - Don Watson, race car driver, dies in an accident at 46 is born.
1996 - Houston Astro's retire Nolan Ryan's #34.
2005 - Chicago White Sox clinch their first division title since 2000
and become just the 10th team in the history of baseball to be in
first place on every day of the season.
2013 - L. C. Greenwood, American football player, dies from kidney failure at 67.

Jeter leaves with hit and 9-5 win over Red Sox

The ball, marked and numbered for the occasion, bounced high off the dirt and down the third-base line, where a rookie who was 4 years-old when Derek Jeter made his major league debut leaped into the air to attempt a barehanded play.
It went off of his palm and onto the grass, and by that time Jeter was safe at first with hit No. 3,465 - the last of a career in which he established himself as the New York Yankees' consummate captain and, for two decades, the face of baseball.
''It's been a blessing,'' Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, holding back tears. ''To play along with such a great player, to manage a guy that is what you want in every player, what you want every player to care about, what you want every player to fight for, what you want every player to do. It's been a real blessing.''
Jeter bid baseball adieu on Sunday with an RBI single, a dugout full of hugs and a final wave to the fans, concluding his Hall of Fame career by helping the Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 9-5.
Three days after an emotional farewell in New York, pinstripe-wearing fans filled Fenway Park for Jeter's finale, chanting for him and the visiting Yankees and standing for each of his at-bats. After a hard line-drive out in the first inning, Jeter delivered his final hit as part of a four-run third inning, then left for a pinch runner and headed into retirement.
''I felt like the time was right,'' Jeter said. ''My emotions were so all over the place on Thursday in New York, and when I got here I was ready; I was ready for my career to be over with. I'm happy I had an opportunity to come up and play here a couple of games. I'm ready for this to be the end.''
Jeter's departure gave some import to an otherwise meaningless game between the longtime AL East rivals, who missed the playoffs together for the first time in 20 years. The last-place Red Sox - the defending World Series champions - are the first team in baseball history to go from worst to first and back to last in three consecutive seasons.
Michael Pineda (5-5) earned the victory as the Yankees finished in second place, 12 games behind the division-winning Baltimore Orioles and too far back in the wild-card standings to make the weekend series meaningful. Clay Buchholz (8-11) gave up Ichiro Suzuki's two-run triple in the fourth, then entered trivia history as the last pitcher to give up a hit to Jeter.
After a walk and a single and a wild pitch put runners on second and third, Suzuki lined the ball into the Fenway triangle, the deepest part of the ballpark, where it rolled under the 420-foot marker and stopped. Fans moaned that he was not waved home for an inside-the-park homer, but with Ichiro at third it meant that Jeter would be coming to bat with another RBI opportunity.
The 40-year-old shortstop, in the lineup this weekend as the designated hitter, took a strike, took a ball and then fouled a pitch off before bouncing a high chopper to third.
''I don't know if I make the play if I bare-hand it,'' said 23-year-old Garin Cecchini, who met Jeter during the pregame ceremony. ''I told him when I shook his hand, 'Congratulations and thanks for being such a good role model.' I think that's the best compliment anyone can have.''
All eyes in the sold-out crowd of 36,879 turned to the Jeter, safe at first, waiting to see if that was it. And when Brian McCann came out of the dugout to replace him as a pinch runner, the Captain's career was over - 46 years to the day after Mickey Mantle ended his on the same field. And it marked the last appearance in a game of any Yankee with a single-digit uniform number.
Jeter pointed at the applauding Red Sox, hugged pitcher Clay Buchholz and then stopped in front of the Yankees dugout to tip his helmet to the crowd. Buchholz waited behind the mound to give the cheers a chance to subside, and then Jeter disappeared into the dugout.
The final hit raised Jeter's lifetime batting average to .310, gave him 1,311 RBIs and made the score 4-0. The Yankees scored five more in the top of the seventh inning and Boston put five across in the bottom half, but by that time the ballpark was half-empty.
The fans had gotten what they wanted - even the ones from Boston.
''I don't know how people could really unite a crowd like he did today,'' Girardi said. ''Such big rivals, so much history between the teams, but you would have thought that it was one team, in a sense, today. And I don't know how many players can do that in any sport. But I think it shows you the respect he has even against your toughest rival.''
The sun-soaked day began with a 30-minute ceremony in which Jeter was serenaded with ''Respect'' and presented with some local baubles: second base emblazoned with his No. 2, a pair of Yankees-themed boots and a check for $22,222.22 to his Turn 2 Foundation. Former Red Sox players from Carl Yastrzemski to Fred Lynn came out to greet him along with captains from the other local teams: Bruins Hall of Famer Bobby Orr, the Celtics' Paul Pierce and the Patriots' Troy Brown, followed by the entire 2014 Red Sox team.
Jeter's parents made the trip for his final series, along with thousands of New Yorkers who clogged the MassPike on their way to the game. Fans in Jeter's No. 2 pinstripes milled unharassed inside the ballpark - a scene unimaginable a decade ago - mixing with Bostonians showing their esteem for a player who relished the rivalry as much as they do.
''JETUH,'' said one T-shirt in Red Sox colors and his name translated into the local dialect.
And on the back: ''WICKED RE2PECT.''

Zimmermann's no-hitter for Nats ends on great grab

One out away from pitching the Washington Nationals' first no-hitter, Jordan Zimmermann watched his 104th pitch on a crisp, clear Sunday afternoon get smacked toward deep left-center.
Zimmermann leaned his head back and winced. His first thought: ''Double. No-doubt double.''
''And then,'' the right-hander said later, ''he comes out of nowhere and makes that catch.''
Thanks to a dramatic, diving grab by little-used rookie Steven Souza Jr., who came on as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning, Zimmermann completed his gem, a 1-0 victory for the NL East champion Nationals over the Miami Marlins.
''I thought there was no way this would ever happen. My career numbers are something like one hit per inning, so I figure if I can make it out of the first, the hit's coming in the second,'' said the 28-year-old Zimmermann, a quiet guy who was a second-round draft pick in 2007 out of Division III University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. ''But today was one of those special days.''
Almost morphed into a one-hitter, though. With two outs in the ninth and a 2-1 count, Marlins leadoff man Christian Yelich turned on a 94 mph fastball over the plate.
Souza was shaded well over toward the left-field line at a coach's prompting.
''He probably couldn't have been more out of position,'' said right fielder Jayson Werth, who watched it all unfold from what became a nearly silent home dugout.
''I was just thinking to myself, 'It is not optimal to be Steven Souza right now, because as soon as you come into the game, every time, the ball's going to find you,''' Werth said. ''I had a feeling something crazy would happen. But not that crazy, that's for sure.''
Souza sprinted, extended his glove and leaped for the sensational catch, using his bare hand to squeeze the ball in his mitt as he fell.
''The one thing on my mind is, no matter how I'm going to get there, I'm going to get there,'' Souza said. ''Getting there, I kind of blacked out.''
Souza held his glove aloft to show he had the ball. Zimmermann raised both arms. Nationals relievers in the home bullpen lifted their arms, too. So did thousands in the Nationals Park crowd of 35,085, who roared with every pitch late.
''I don't think anyone in the stadium expected Souza to get to that,'' Zimmermann said.
Indeed, Miami's Mike Dunn said he and other relievers in the left-field visitors' bullpen started cheering as the ball headed their way.
''When he caught it,'' Dunn said, ''it was just like, 'Really? Did that just happen?'''
Said Yelich: ''With that on the line, that might be one of the best plays I've ever seen. Ever.''
Souza jogged in and Zimmermann greeted him with a hug. Souza handed over the baseball, which Zimmermann shoved in his back pocket.
''It was too loud to hear everything he was saying,'' Souza said. ''But I heard, 'I love you' and 'Thank you.'''
Souza's name now belongs alongside those of other players delivering superb catches to save no-hitters. The name that kept coming up in the Nationals' clubhouse was Dewayne Wise, the defensive replacement whose juggling, tumbling grab in the ninth saved Mark Buehrle's perfect game for the White Sox in 2009.
No major leaguer had thrown a no-hitter in Washington since Bobby Burke did it for the Senators in 1931 against Boston.
Quite a way to cap a regular season in which the Nationals finished with the NL's best record, 96-66. Washington hosts San Francisco or Pittsburgh in Game 1 of a division series Friday.
''Just an epic day for an epic season,'' said Denard Span, who set a Nationals season record with his 184th hit.
Zimmermann (14-5) struck out 10 and allowed only two baserunners. After retiring the first 14 batters, he walked Justin Bourn on a low, full-count fastball with two outs in the fifth. In the seventh, Garrett Jones reached first base on a strike-three wild pitch; moments later, catcher Wilson Ramos picked him off.
Zimmermann's accuracy was unassailable: 79 strikes and 25 balls.
Starting on seven days' rest because his pitching shoulder got bruised by a line drive his last time out, Zimmermann poured in fastballs in the mid-90s mph, used his mid-80s slider to great effect and had his changeup fooling a Marlins lineup without NL home-run champion Giancarlo Stanton.
It was the fifth time there has been a no-hitter on the final day of the season. Happened last year, too, when Henderson Alvarez of the Marlins did it against Detroit. On Sunday, Alvarez (12-7) was Miami's starting pitcher against Zimmermann, allowing Ian Desmond's 24th homer for the only run.
With only a few clouds and the first-pitch temperature at 79 degrees, Zimmermann didn't need a whole lot of defensive help until Souza's memorable play. That might have been a good thing, because Nationals manager Matt Williams pulled his starters as the game went on.
The closest Miami came to hits before Yelich were three liners in the fifth grabbed by backup infielders - Tyler Moore at first, Kevin Frandsen at third, and Danny Espinosa at shortstop.
''Three rockets, and right at guys,'' said Zimmermann, who had shaving cream in both ears from the on-field celebration. ''That's when I knew there might be something special happening.''
Frandsen wasn't so sure, saying: ''Fifth inning's a little early to think, 'He's got a no-hitter.'''
Maybe. But after the third, pitching coach Steve McCatty pulled Williams aside to point out that their initial plan to let Zimmermann have a light day's work with an eye to the postseason might not hold up.
''I said, 'What do we do if we're going to give him six (innings) and he doesn't (allow) a hit?''' McCatty recounted. ''He just looked at me and said, 'That's not funny.' I said, 'Well, there's a good chance that's going to happen.'''
Thanks in part to Souza, it did.

Europe wins the Ryder Cup again

The tone was set by Rory McIlroy, the best player in the world. The winning shot came from Jamie Donaldson, a Ryder Cup rookie.
Europe added another layer to its Ryder Cup dominance on Sunday by leaving no doubt who had the best team, if not the best players. Behind two early comebacks that showed its resolve, Europe clinched the cup with four matches still on the course.
With a 16 1/2-11 1/2 victory, Europe kept that gold trophy for the eighth time in the last 10 tries.
McIlroy played some of his best golf this year - even for a guy who won the last two majors - by trouncing Rickie Fowler to put the first point on the board. Donaldson finished off the Americans with a 9-iron that settled 18 inches from the cup on the 15th hole at Gleneagles and set off the celebration.
''It came down to me to close it out,'' Donaldson said. ''But it's all about the team.''
That concept appeared lost on the Americans.
Not long after the closing ceremony, Phil Mickelson said the Americans have strayed from the winning formula at Valhalla in 2008 under Paul Azinger - their only victory in these matches dating to 1999. Even with U.S. captain Tom Watson sitting six seats away, Mickelson said that American team was invested in each other, which was different from Watson's style of doing it his way.
It was an awkward way to end another bad week for the Americans in the Ryder Cup.
Watson defended his philosophy, though he conceded he might have erred in using some players who were too tired, leading to a 10-6 deficit going into Sunday singles.
''The bottom line is they kicked our butts,'' Watson said. ''They were better players this week.''
Watson said he had a pit in his stomach watching the Americans blow a 10-6 lead two years ago at Medinah. The PGA of America brought him back as captain - at age 65, the oldest in Ryder Cup history - hopeful he could repeat some history. Watson was the last captain in 1993 to win on European soil.
It might not have mattered where this was played.
Graeme McDowell rallied from 3 down after five holes to close out his match against Jordan Spieth on the 17th hole. Justin Rose was 4 down after six holes when he won four straight holes with birdies against Hunter Mahan, and got up-and-down for birdie on the 18th to give Europe a half-point.
Rose went unbeaten for the week at 3-0-2.
That set the stage for Donaldson, a 38-year-old from Wales playing in his first Ryder Cup. He seized control over Keegan Bradley at the turn, and then it was a matter of when Europe could pop the champagne. Donaldson was so locked in on his task that he was unaware that he had retained the cup for Europe when he was 4 up with four holes to play. From 146 yards in fairway, he fired a 9-iron at the flag and let the club twirl through his hands.
It was close to perfect.
Watson walked over and shook his hand, and then put his arm around McGinley as they headed to the green. Bradley got onto the putting surface, and as soon as he saw Donaldson's ball next to the cup, he removed his cap and shook hands.
McGinley talked all week about a template of European success. The message was to embrace their role as the favorites, and to be proud that they had earned it. And the final instruction was to avoid complacency. Europe won the Sunday singles session for the second straight Ryder Cup.
''I didn't execute the plan. All these guys sitting at this table did,'' McGinley said with the 17-inch trophy on display. ''I know how difficult it is to play in a Ryder Cup. I know when your heart is jumping out of your chest how incredibly excited and nervous you are. But we relish this challenge. We did it with a smile on our face, which is so important. And we did everybody proud.''
The Americans had a few bright spots.
Patrick Reed went unbeaten as a rookie. Reed and Spieth had to settle for a half-point Saturday afternoon, in part because Reed missed a 2-foot putt. The gallery heckled him before he teed off against Henrik Stenson, and it inspired him. Reed rallied from an early deficit, putting his finger against his lips to hush the crowd, and he won the point on the 18th hole when Stenson missed a 4-foot putt. Reed went 3-0-1 and earned the most points for the Americans.
The three American rookies - Spieth, Reed and Jimmy Walker - contributed nearly half of the points for the U.S. team.
Going into the Ryder Cup, Watson had singled out Ian Poulter as the European with the best record and the man to beat. Poulter wound up playing only three matches and he didn't win any of them, settling for two halves.
It wasn't about Poulter, though. It was about Europe, a formidable team.

Rodgers throws for 4 TDs, Packers roll Bears

Aaron Rodgers urged Packers fans to relax. Maybe they will after this one - the 700th regular-season victory in team history.
Rodgers threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns, and Green Bay shook off one of its worst offensive performances in years with a 38-17 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon.
The Packers (2-2) scored on their first six possessions to build a 38-17 lead. They racked up 358 yards after being held to 223, their lowest total since 2008, a week earlier in a 19-7 loss at Detroit.
They intercepted Jay Cutler twice in the third quarter to pull away from the Bears (2-2). That gave Green Bay five straight wins at Soldier Field, including the NFC title game four years ago and a playoffs-or-bust finale for both teams last season.
Rodgers called on Packers fans to take a deep breath during the week, and he gave them reason to exhale with this performance.
''I just wanted to remind everybody that it's a long season, and at some point, we're going to get this thing figured out,'' Rodgers said.
He had all the answers in this one, which allowed Green Bay to join the Bears (732) as the only teams with at least 700 regular-season wins.
Rodgers posted a 151.2 rating for the game, completing 22 of 28 passes, and had all the time he needed with five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen sitting out because of an illness.
He threw two touchdown passes each to Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, and a fifth got called back by a penalty. That happened early in the third when a scrambling Rodgers got hit by at least one defender while unleashing an awkward, wobbly 34-yard pass that somehow connected with Davante Adams in the end zone.
Cobb had seven catches for 113 yards. Nelson had 10 receptions for 108 yards, and the Packers came away with the win despite allowing 496 yards.
The offenses were so effective - or the defenses struggled so badly - that neither team punted. That happened only once before in a regular-season NFL game, 22 years ago.
''Interesting,'' Nelson said. ''Obviously, turnovers were a big thing. It's fun, especially when you're putting up points and having a good time.''
The Bears basically matched Green Bay score for score before Cutler threw those interceptions. He wound up passing for 256 yards and two TDs but fell to 1-10 lifetime against Green Bay, counting the postseason.
Matt Forte ran for 122 yards on 23 carries. Martellus Bennett had nine catches for a career-high 134 yards, but Chicago came up short after back-to-back wins at San Francisco and the New York Jets.
''I thought we were playing well, I thought we were moving the ball well,'' Cutler said. ''We were changing it up. I thought (coach Marc Trestman) called a really good game. We just had some unfortunate things happen to us that kind of derailed us, and they didn't.''
Mason Crosby kicked a 53-yard field goal on the opening possession of the second half to extend the Packers' lead to 24-17, and things unraveled for the Bears after that.
Chicago had the ball on the Green Bay 24 when Cutler hit cornerback Tramon Williams in the chest with a pass. The ball ricocheted to Clay Matthews, who returned it 45 yards. That led to an 11-yard scoring pass from Rodgers to Nelson, making it 31-17.
Another interception set up another TD for the Packers. This time, Brandon Marshall went long when Cutler expected him to cut back toward the quarterback.
The pass went right to Sam Shields, who crossed the field on a 62-yard return to put the ball at the 11. Chicago's Jonathan Bostic got called for a hold, negating a field goal by Crosby to start the fourth quarter, and Rodgers hit Cobb from the 3 to make it 38-17.
The Packers took a 21-17 lead to the locker room after the two teams combined for 508 yards. Chicago missed a touchdown by inches when Bennett got stopped just short of the end zone on an 8-yard catch. Cutler thought Bennett reached across the goal line before getting taken down, but the call was upheld after a review.
Then, in the third quarter, Green Bay created some breathing room.
''I don't feel like I need to prove anything, but it sure is nice when people start doubting us to go out and have a performance like this,'' Rodgers said.
 
Notes: The only other regular-season game without a punt was between Buffalo and San Francisco on Sept. 13, 1992. ... Green Bay's Julius Peppers was in on two tackles in his return to Soldier Field, and fans booed the former Bear when he stopped Forte on the game's first play from scrimmage. ... Forte eclipsed 10,000 total yards for his career. He has 10,037.

Tigers win AL Central with 3-0 victory over Twins

In an AL Central race that went down to the last day, Detroit's extra ace made the final difference.
David Price pitched the Tigers to their fourth straight division title with the type of performance they acquired him for, taking a shutout into the eighth inning of a 3-0 victory over Minnesota on Sunday. Detroit clinched the championship while second-place Kansas City was still playing in Chicago against the White Sox. The Royals ended up winning to finish one game behind the Tigers.
''It felt good to be able to step up,'' Price said in Detroit's jubilant clubhouse after the game. ''These guys have done a great job of making me feel a part of the team, especially in the locker room and the dugout.''
The Tigers face the Orioles in an AL division series. Game 1 is in Baltimore on Thursday.
Price (15-12) came to the Tigers from Tampa Bay in a blockbuster deal moments before the trade deadline, but what looked like a dream rotation for Detroit never fully materialized. Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander dealt with injuries, while Price, Rick Porcello and defending Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer all had their share of shaky outings.
The Tigers wrapped up at least a wild card during the final week, but the division remained in doubt, especially when Minnesota pounded Detroit pitching for 23 runs over two games Friday and Saturday. Then Price took the mound and allowed only four hits in 7 1-3 innings in the finale.
''He was unbelievable,'' said manager Brad Ausmus, who guided the Tigers to a first-place finish in his first season after taking over for Jim Leyland. ''On a day where we needed an enormous outing after giving up 20-something runs over the previous two, he stepped right up. He showed why he's a true No. 1.''
Joba Chamberlain relieved Price in the eighth, and Joe Nathan finished for his 35th save in 42 chances. Nathan has been a target of frustrated fans throughout the season, finishing with a 4.81 ERA, but with the Twins down to their final out, the home crowd was chanting ''Let's go, Joe!'' at Comerica Park.
''The only thing I can keep doing to help this city, to help this team, to help myself, was keep fighting and know I was going to get better,'' Nathan said. ''I continue to thank everybody for their support. ... A challenging year, but I'm so happy to be where we are.''
Nathan retired Oswaldo Arcia on a foul popup to end it, and the Tigers spilled onto the field to celebrate in front of a delighted crowd at Comerica. Detroit hadn't clinched a division title at home since 1987 - and this game was eerily similar to that one for a while.
Detroit won 1-0 in that '87 clincher at Tiger Stadium, with Frank Tanana pitching a shutout. Price throws nothing like the soft-tossing Tanana, but the 29-year-old left-hander etched his own name into Tigers lore Sunday.
Over the last four years, Detroit's most triumphant moments have generally occurred on the road. The only exception was in 2012, when the Tigers finished off the New York Yankees at Comerica to win the American League pennant.
''I've been very fortunate to be here and be a part of so many celebrations,'' Scherzer said. ''Any time you can do it in front of your fans and let them experience the energy as well, there's nothing like it.''
Detroit started the season 27-12, and the Tigers looked like heavy favorites in the division after acquiring Price, but they ended up in a tight race throughout September.
''We've been kind of envisioning this type of celebration for a few days now,'' Ausmus said. ''Kansas City has played extremely well this last week - and really pushed us to the limit.''
Minnesota's Kyle Gibson (13-12) nearly matched Price, but Ian Kinsler homered in the third to open the scoring. Kinsler added an RBI single in the eighth to chase Gibson, and Torii Hunter followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
''That was a fun day. It was definitely a playoff atmosphere against a team that's pretty good and David Price on the other side,'' Gibson said. ''There was definitely a lot of positives today. But I wish I would've finished that eighth inning a little bit differently.''
Price struck out eight with two walks and passed Cleveland's Corey Kluber for this year's major league lead in strikeouts with 271.
There was an audible groan from the crowd when Ausmus pulled Price in the eighth after 112 pitches, but Chamberlain and Nathan retired the last five Minnesota batters without a hitch.
Now Detroit will try to reach the AL championship series for the fourth straight season as well. The Tigers have not won the World Series since 1984.