American Pharoah wins Breeders' Cup Classic in final race

Hail and farewell, American Pharoah.

The Triple Crown champion won the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic by 6 1/2 lengths Saturday, taking charge out of the gate in his final race before retirement.

The 3-year-old colt ran 1 1/4 miles in a track-record 2:00.07 as the sentimental 3-5 favorite among the crowd of 50,155 at Keeneland. Fans stood 20-deep all along the rail, cheering and snapping cellphone photos of the superstar horse and jockey Victor Espinoza.

Except American Pharoah didn't hear them. He wears ear plugs to muffle any sounds that might startle him.

''This was for Pharoah,'' trainer Bob Baffert said. ''We wanted him to go out the champion he is.''

American Pharoah took on seven rivals after Smooth Roller and champion mare Beholder dropped out. Beholder had the speed and the class to potentially make the race a contest, but a lung ailment sidelined her on Thursday.

It probably didn't matter how many faced American Pharoah on a cloudy, cool day in the cradle of American horse country.

He smashed the old track record of 2:05.36 by more than five seconds.

''The winner is one of the most amazing things I've seen,'' said Irishman Aidan O'Brien, who trained last-place Gleneagles.

It was a feel-good moment for a sport that has been battered and bruised - all the troubles of declining attendance and drug controversies were wiped away in two magical minutes.

''It's a horse racing fairy tale and I just happen to be in it,'' Baffert said.

American Pharoah was moving easily under Espinoza, keeping Effinex a length back in second for the first half-mile. Effinex was never a threat, though, and American Pharoah extended his lead to 3 1/2 lengths turning for home.

''I was trying to open it up as much as I can,'' Espinoza said. ''I saw the wire maybe 20 yards (away), and for me it was not coming fast enough because I want to cross that wire and get it over with.''

After easing across the finish line, Espinoza took the colt far up the first turn before slowly walking past the grandstand to the winner's circle, accompanied by raucous cheers all the way. The champion even had his own military escort walk him back to his barn.

The fans knew they had just witnessed history, the final chapter in a story that may never be repeated.

American Pharoah put an exclamation point on a brilliant career in which he lost just twice - in his debut last year at Del Mar and again in the Travers on Aug. 29.

In the Classic, he paid $3.40, $3 and $2.40. The win, place and show pool wagered on the race was $8,269,736.

Effinex, a 33-1 shot, returned $14.20 and $6.60. Honor Code was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third and paid $3.40 to show.

Keen Ice, who vanquished him at Saratoga, finished fourth in the Classic. Tonalist, the 2014 Belmont winner, was fifth, followed by Hard Aces, Frosted and Ireland-bred Gleneagles.

Frosted unexpectedly pressed American Pharoah on the lead in the Travers, leaving him vulnerable to the rally by Keen Ice.

This time, no one could keep up with the champ.

''It's a lot of pressure to train a horse like this because I didn't want to let the horse down and I didn't want to let the fans down,'' Baffert said. ''I'm just so proud of him; it's like watching my child out there.''

American Pharoah won nine of his 11 career starts, including the first sweep of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in 37 years this spring. He earned a total of $8,650,300 for Ahmed Zayat, the Egyptian-born owner who chose to keep his popular horse in training so fans could see him run.

''We wanted him to go out as a winner,'' Zayat said. ''He is a winner.''

American Pharoah had already ensured his place in history by ending the Triple Crown drought. He won the Derby by a length and then easily handled a sloppy track in the Preakness to win by seven lengths. In the Belmont, he led all the way en route to a dominating 5 1/2-length victory.

After winning the Haskell Invitational in early August in Zayat's home state of New Jersey, American Pharoah took his show to upstate New York to run in the Travers. His loss by three-quarters of a length raised the question of whether he had peaked, and an emotional Zayat considered retiring him.

But the colt went back to his Southern California base with Baffert and regrouped. He quickly showed he was regaining his old form in training, in between entertaining visitors from children to Julia Roberts alike at his Santa Anita barn.

In a sport rife with jealousy, Baffert earned kudos from his rival trainers for how he handled the horse. Fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas popped into the post-race news conference to congratulate Baffert.

''I knew he'd break their heart at the half-mile pole, and he did it,'' Lukas said. ''You had him ready. On behalf of every trainer who gets up and tries to make a living, I want to congratulate you.''

American Pharoah was a remarkable blend of exceptional talent and a winning personality. Unlike most high-strung, unpredictable thoroughbreds, he was friendly and patient with fans who wanted to pet and pose with him.

''The kindest, friendliest, happiest, easiest, most brilliant horse I've ever seen in my life,'' Zayat said. ''He connected with people. He loves people. I knew he got it.''

Next up for American Pharoah is a new career as a breeding stallion at a farm in Kentucky bluegrass country near Keeneland.

''It's going to be sad to see him go,'' Baffert said. ''But I think he's done enough. He's proved enough.''

Turning to his 10-year-old son Bode, the trainer said: ''We're going to miss him, aren't we, buddy?''

Boise State breaks out awesome Halloween helmets

Boise State is breaking out special helmets for Halloween on Saturday afternoon at UNLV.

Take a look at these black and orange beauties:

 

	Boise State Recruits @BSURecruits
New Halloween Edition helmet was waiting for the guys in the locker room! 🎃#BTB 🔷🔹🐴🔸🔶 pic.twitter.com/sbzqwgdcF8 10:32 AM - 31 Oct 2015 Twitter by:Boise State Recruits@BSURecruits

Here's how the helmet pairs with the rest of the team's combination.

 

 

	Boise State Recruits @BSURecruits
A closer look at the uni combo for our game against UNLV! Kickoff in about an hour! 🎃#BTB 🔷🔹🐴🔸🔶 pic.twitter.com/BEvn2i6S6T 11:33 AM - 31 Oct 2015 from Whitney, NV Twitter by:Boise State Recruits@BSURecruits

We’ve seen a few other programs get in the Halloween spirit, including Texas A&M’s blackout uniforms, but these helmets definitely are the best of the weekend.

Boise improved to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in Mountain West play last weekend by beating Wyoming. The Broncos need a win over UNLV to keep pace with Utah State in the Mountain Division after USU beat Wyoming on Friday night.

Patrick Kane won’t be criminally charged in rape case

The Patrick Kane case is back in the spotlight.

It's been off the front pages since that remarkable 24 hours in late September when the complainant's lawyer abruptly quit after her mother’s tale about discovering an empty rape kit at her home – a claim that the lawyer called a press conference to discuss one day earlier – was discovered to have been “an elaborate hoax.”

On Saturday night, the Buffalo News dropped a bombshell. According to three sources, “it appears no criminal charges will be filed against the Chicago Blackhawks hockey star,” the paper reported.

 

The three sources also said they do not believe the case will be presented to a grand jury. “This case is going nowhere,” one knowledgeable source told The Buffalo News when asked about the possibility of criminal charges.

“I was told … the case will be administratively dismissed” without being presented to a grand jury, a second knowledgeable source added.

 

Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III postponed scheduled grand jury proceedings back on Sept. 8. To the surprise of no one, he declined to confirm the Buffalo News report:

 

“I am waiting for the investigation to be completed to my satisfaction,” Sedita said, “and to confer with the assigned prosecutor, who is on her vacation six time zones away, before announcing anything further.”

 

Kane has been under investigation since Aug. 2, when a Buffalo area woman went to police with a claim that Kane raped her at his home in the early morning hours, after the two met at a bar earlier in the evening.

Over the next three months, the case crawled along but had several significant evidence leaks, including one involving DNA evidence. Then came the rape kit hoax, which at first threatened to derail the case based on evidence tampering but may have done so anyway for other reasons.

Kane’s attendance at Blackhawks training camp was divisive and controversial, which included a farcical press conference. But support for Kane from a healthy portion of the Blackhawks fan base and team management never waned, and the NHL kept its hands out of the controversy. (Save for keeping Kane away from its World Cup of Hockey preseason event, a tournament that he promoted for the NHL at the all-star game.)

Kane has six goals and eight assists in 11 games this season.

Oklahoma State beats Texas Tech to remain undefeated

It was evident early on in Saturday’s Oklahoma State-Texas Tech game that it would be a shootout. Oklahoma State was perfectly fine with that.

After the Red Raiders jumped out to a 17-0 lead, the 12th-ranked Cowboys stormed back to knock off the Red Raiders 70-53 in Lubbock and remain undefeated on the season.

The Cowboys put up a whopping 662 yards of total offense against an inept TTU defense, including nearly 500 yards through the air combined from Mason Rudolph (21/35, 285 yards, 2 TDs) and J.W. Walsh. Walsh, who played most of the tightly contested fourth quarter, attempted only five passes, but totaled 167 yards and two scores, including the game-sealing 73-yard deep ball to James Washington with under four minutes to play. He also added 80 yards and a score on the ground.

And though Walsh was in the ballgame when it mattered most, it was Rudolph who brought the Cowboys back from a deficit that was as large as 31-14 early in the second quarter. After shaking off an early interception, Rudolph led the Cowboys to touchdowns on four straight drives to end the first half, cutting Tech’s lead to 38-28 at halftime.

Both offenses were sluggish to start the second half, but OSU was jumpstarted by the speedy Jalen McCleskey, who returned a punt 67 yards for a score midway through the third. And after Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes (38/55, 480 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs) fumbled later in the quarter, the Cowboys took their first lead, 42-38, on a 28-yard touchdown run by Raymond Taylor.

The teams traded touchdowns on the next three drives, but the big turning point came when Mahomes, with Oklahoma State leading 49-45, threw a critical interception deep in OSU territory. Three plays later, Washington scored from 75 yards out on an end-around, extending the Cowboys lead to 56-45.

TTU cut the lead to three on its next possession, but Walsh’s long ball to Washington sealed the deal, which was later capped off by a pick six in the final minute to give the Cowboys the 70-53 victory.

The win sets up a huge battle with TCU in Stillwater next Saturday. TCU, also unbeaten at 8-0, dominated West Virginia 40-10 on Thursday night.

The stretch run for the Big 12 title is still completely wide open. Baylor is also undefeated at 7-0 heading into a Thursday night game at Kansas State. Meanwhile, Oklahoma, at 7-1, is also still hanging around in the race for the Big 12 crown with games against the Bears, Horned Frogs and Cowboys all still on the schedule.

November should be a wild month in the Big 12.

An aching LeBron James says he wants to play all 82 games this season

We’ve discussed LeBron James’ minutes problems and fatigue issues quite considerably here at BDL, so it was a bit of a surprise to hear what his game total goals were for 2015-16 on Friday.

 

From Tom Withers at the Associated Press:

As the NBA keeps an eye on an ongoing issue with his back and wonders if the planet's best player is beginning to show signs of breaking down, James was asked Friday if he had a number in mind of how many games he intends to play in this season.

''Eighty-two,'' he said.

Is that realistic?

''Yeah,'' he said.

It’s realistic, but would it be a good thing?

James missed 13 games last season, which was a career high for him. He’s never played all 82 games in his 13-year career, but 2014-15 counted as the first time he’d missed double-digit contests in a season. Counting Friday’s Cleveland win over Miami, James has played in 914 career regular season games alongside a whopping 178 total postseason contests.

Due to the fact that James joined the NBA directly after finishing high school, his workload is just about unprecedented. At the same age that Kobe Bryant was coming off of the bench for the Lakers, and at the same age that Michael Jordan was playing 30 games a year for North Carolina, James led the league in minutes played and minutes per game at 42.4. He would average even more the next season, all while carrying several lacking Cavalier squads.

The idea of resting LeBron didn’t really take hold until 2013-14, when he sat several contests, and it was a point of emphasis in 2014-15: James missed 13 games with back and knee woes, and his 36.1 minutes a contest was a career low.

James played in 20 more playoff contests at 42.2 minutes per game following that regular season, though. He entered training camp wishing he’d had even longer off after playing deep into June, and he missed the bulk of the Cavaliers’ exhibition schedule after taking a shot to quell the pain in his aching back. During breaks in action he can be seen resting, Larry Bird-style, on the sideline next to the Cleveland bench.

James has already played more career minutes than Bird, and he fully expects to be playing some seven and a half months from now with the Cavs acting as massive favorites in the Eastern Conference. The NBA has done good (if unfinished) work in eliminating most four-game-in-five-night scenarios, but the fact of the matter is that LeBron James still probably has a hundred games to go.

If he wants to suit up for 79 more regular season games, that’s on him – nobody knows his body better. Why he would want to do that when his team flies to Philadelphia in January, or Charlotte in February (with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving presumably playing at an All-Star level) might be a bit of a sticking point for the Cavalier coaching staff.

Then again, LeBron James more or less is the Cavalier coaching staff.

At one point in the 2015 Eastern Conference semifinals the Cavs were working without home court advantage, and they entered the Conference finals without the same advantage. Cleveland still took both series behind a rampaging LeBron James. It’s admirable that James, after rigorous offseason training, wants to give the fans their money’s worth each night out.

What he might want to consider, however, are the same Cleveland fans that would like to be watching him at his best in June.

Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett suspended for Minnesota game after OVI

Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett has been suspended for the Buckeyes' game against Minnesota on Nov. 7 after he was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated early Saturday morning.

The Buckeyes are off this weekend. The school announced his suspension after 9 a.m. ET Saturday.

Ohio State University student-athlete J.T. Barrett was cited by Columbus police Saturday morning at a campus area check point with a misdemeanor offense of OVI. Barrett has been suspended by head coach Urban Meyer from playing in Ohio State’s game against Minnesota on Nov. 7.

Barrett's absence means that Cardale Jones will resume being Ohio State's starting quarterback. Jones, who replaced Barrett after Barrett broke his ankle against Michigan in 2014, started the season as the Buckeyes' QB. Barrett saw some playing time and after he was more effective than Jones, especially in the red zone, he was named the starter for Ohio State's game against Rutgers.

According to ElevenWarriors.com, Barrett blew slightly over the legal limit of 0.08 when he was stopped at the checkpoint. He was given a ride home by Jones.

The site also notes that Barrett could be subject to a two-week suspension as part of Ohio State's athlete code of conduct since it's an alcohol-related offense and he's underage. If the suspension were to start immediately, he would only miss the Minnesota game.

Barrett is 41-of-62 passing for 472 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions this season. He also has 42 carries for 329 yards rushing and he's Ohio State's second-leading rusher behind Ezekiel Elliott.

Jones is 96-of-152 passing for 1,266 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions. He chose to stay in school after leading Ohio State to the College Football Playoff title instead of heading to the NFL draft where he could have been a high-round pick because of his size and arm strength.

The two quarterbacks competed to be the starter through the summer and fall after Braxton Miller, who missed the 2014 season because of a shoulder injury, announced he would swich to H-back. Miller is Ohio State's third-leading rusher and receiver. The Buckeyes, 8-0, are widely expected to be in the top four, if not at No. 1, when the College Football Playoff committee releases its first set of rankings on Tuesday.

USC's win against Cal keeps it in the hunt for the Pac-12 South title

USC’s dream of a Pac-12 South title is alive for another week.

The Trojans defeated California 27-21 to earn their second consecutive victory and remain in the hunt for the division title. USC still trails Utah by a game, but if the Utes slip up, the Trojans do own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

What was most fascinating about USC’s victory was that it came because of strong play on the ground. The Trojans ran the ball 50 times compared to just 19 passes from quarterback Cody Kessler.

Ronald Jones, Tre Madden and Justin Davis all had double-digit carries as the Trojans racked up 185 yards on the ground, which included two touchdowns. However, the most significant running game contribution may have come at the end of the game when the Trojans rushed for two first downs in the final three minutes following a Cal touchdown to cut the score to six.

Cal opted not to onside kick and put the game in the hands of its defense, which had played well most of the game. However, the Bears weren’t able to slow the progress of a determined USC team that is now 2-1 under interim coach Clay Helton.

Cal scored the first touchdown of the game, but USC scored the next 24 points, including a touchdown off an interception of quarterback Jared Goff. Cal got a couple key defensive stops, but Goff threw another pick that set up a USC field goal. Cal’s final touchdown came with 3:52 remaining.

Cal started the season 5-0, but has lost three straight to Utah, UCLA and USC. The Bears have dropped to fourth in the Pac-12 North standings and are now just vying to reach a bowl game for the first time since 2011.

USC got some bad news after the game, however. Leading receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster suffered a fractured hand during the game according to interim coach Cley Helton. Smith-Schuster has had a similar injury before and Helton said after the game that his availability going forward will be dependent on pain tolerance. Smith-Schuster has 47 catches for 901 yards and eight touchdowns

Rugby League star Jarryd Hayne waived by 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers announced Saturday that running back Jarryd Hayne is being waived and Kendall Gaskins promoted to the active roster. It's the kind of football move that teams make every single week, but Hayne's story as a Rugby League star turned NFL running back captured the imagination of NFL and NRL fans alike.

Hayne dazzled with dynamic punt returns and solid running in preseason, but this failed to materialize during the regular season. He had limited touches behind Carlos Hyde and failed to impress when given opportunities. In six games he carried the ball eight times for 25 yards, for an average of 3.1 yards per carry.

More concerning than his lack of impact in the running game was his punt returning, which Hayne earned a roster spot for. In eight returns he fumbled a total of three times, including one lost to the opposition. It's a position that requires near-perfection, and the former NRL star was anything but.

It's unclear where Hayne goes from here. It's likely the 49ers will attempt to re-sign him and place him on the practice squad, but there's a chance an NFL team will take a flyer on him as an athlete, hoping he can be coached up. At this point in the season it's unlikely Hayne will find a home on a new team with any kind of locker room stability, which makes San Francisco his best possible landing spot -- even now.

The other aspect to Hayne being waived cannot be understated: He became a distraction by no fault of his own. Hayne wanted to be an athlete trying to make the NFL like everyone else, but media in Australia couldn't resist heaping unnecessary pressure on his shoulders. Hayne became the hopes of a nation -- a player who would usher in a new era of opportunity for rugby players in the NFL. This was coupled with a 49ers coaching staff that was routinely asked about Hayne's status, his playing time and his lack of opportunities, garnering attention in a way no other third-string running back is used to.

Hayne understood the difficulty in making an NFL roster, even when Rugby League fans in Australia couldn't. He knew it wouldn't be easy, even though he made it look simple in preseason. This isn't the end of his bid to become an NFL running back, but it is a setback -- hopefully one that will take the spotlight off him and allow him to work on being a complete football player, not being forced to be a prototype for a new era.

Ashley Wagner wins Skate Canada in feat not seen since 2010

Ashley Wagner held on to beat the reigning World champion for her fourth Grand Prix series victory at Skate Canada on Saturday.

Wagner, a three-time U.S. champion, totaled personal bests in her short program Friday (70.73 points) and free skate Saturday (131.79) at the Lethbridge, Alberta, event.

“Backstage [before the free skate], I was looking at [coach Rafael Arutyunyan], and I was just like, ‘I’m not ready to do this. I don’t want to do this,'” Wagner said at a press conference. “So I’m glad that I looked composed by the time I got out there.”

Russian World champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva improved from seventh after a disastrous short program to finish second to Wagner, but 13.6 points behind. Tuktamysheva outscored Wagner by 1.83 in the free skate, landing a triple Axel.

“I’m happy that I was able to pull myself together for today and to show all jumps that I can do,” Tuktamysheva said through a translator at a press conference. “I tried to forget about the short program. Everybody can make mistakes. There’s nothing terrible about it.”

Wagner, skating last on Saturday, landed seven triple jumps in her free skate, though three of her overall jumps were under-rotated.

“I knew how well Elizaveta had skated,” Wagner said. “I was backstage just thinking, thinking, thinking about what I had to do, and then Raf pulled me aside and reminded me that — it sounds so cheesy — but he told me it wasn’t about what everybody else was doing. It was just another day on the ice. It was practice for me and an opportunity to train the program under pressure for Nationals and Worlds, which are my main focuses this year.”

NBC and NBC Sports Live Extra will air coverage Sunday from 4:30-6 p.m. ET.

Wagner, 24, became the first U.S. singles skater to win an event that included a reigning Olympic or World champion since Evan Lysacek dethroned Yevgeny Plushenko at the 2010 Olympics.

Wagner’s career record includes Grand Prix victories at Trophee Bompard (2012, 2013) and Skate America (2012) and the Four Continents Championship (2012). Her best finish at an Olympics or Worlds is fourth, as no U.S. woman has earned a medal at the two most prestigious events since 2006.

Wagner’s next competition is NHK Trophy in Japan in four weeks, an event headlined by three-time World champion Mao Asada, the only active skater with more Grand Prix series wins than Wagner. Asada has 14 Grand Prix victories.

Former No. 1 overall pick Matt Bush released from prison

According to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, former No. 1 overall pick Matt Bush was released from prison Friday after serving a sentence in Charlotte County, Florida for severely injuring a 72-year-old man while driving drunk.

Originally drafted by the Padres, Bush was in spring training with the Rays in March of 2012 when he ran down Tony Tufano with an SUV and left the scene. His blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit at the time. Tufano, who was riding a motorcycle, nearly died from Bush’s actions, suffering a collapsed lung, brain hemorrhaging and several broken bones.

Bush was sentenced to 51 months in jail after accepting a no contest plea deal. His attorney, Russell Kirshy, said Bush recently completed a nine-month work release program.

“He had the right attitude,” Kirshy said. “My concern with him while he was in custody was he was very much about, ‘This is my pennance, and I’ve got to pay for it and make the best of it.'”

Bush, who turns 30 in February, is expected to move closer to his family in Southern California now that he’s out of prison. Any baseball angle to this story is irrelevant at this point, but hopefully he can turn his life around.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - OCTOBER 31ST

1888 - Scottish vet John Boyd Dunlop patents pneumatic bicycle tyre.

1900 - Carl Hubbard, Missouri, baseball & football Hall of Famer is born.

1920 - Dick Francis, Wales, jockey/detective writer (Whip Hand, High Stakes) is born.

1921 - Federation Sportive Feminine International forms

(1st woman track & field association).
1943 - Washington Redskin Sammy Baugh

passes for 6 touchdowns vs Brooklyn (48-10).

1947 - Frank Shorter, Munich, US marathoner (Oly-gold/silver-72, 76) is born.

1951 - Nick Saban, American college football coach is born.

1968 - Milwaukee Bucks win their 1st game beating Detroit 138-118 (6th game).

1983 - George Halas [Papa Bear], NFL pioneer and owner

of the Chicago Bears, dies of pancreatic cancer at 88.

1987 - First jockey to win 9 races in 1 day (Chris Antley at Belmont).

1988 - First Monday Night NFL game in Indianapolis, Colts beat Denver 55-23.

1993 - 25 people killed during Ghana-Ivory Coast soccer match.
1993 - US wins Nichirei International LPGA Golf Tournament.
1995 - NHL NJ Devils agree to stay in NJ.
1999 - Yachtsman Jesse Martin returns to Melbourne after 11 months

of circumnavigating the world, solo, non-stop and unassisted.

2010 - Maurice Lucas, American basketball player (b. 1952) dies.

2014 - 2014 baseball HOF inductees: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine,

Frank Thomas, Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa and Joe Torre.

Jeremiah Ratliff told Bears 'I am the devil' and 'felt like killing everybody in the building'

The Bears released Jeremiah Ratliff last week after the veteran tackle showed up to Halas Hall in no condition to work and got into a heated exchange with GM Ryan Pace.
Sources told CSNChicago.com's John "Moon" Mullin that Pace attempted to dial down the moment, but Ratliff's threatening behavior prompted the team to call the Lake Forest Police Department because they feared for their safety.

On Friday, a report from TMZ Sports showed why exactly the Bears had a reason to be concerned.

According to the report, Ratliff told somebody at Halas Hall that he "felt like killing everybody in the building" before gathering his belongings and leaving the team facility without further incident.

However, Ratliff returned later on that day saying that he needed to retrieve his cell phone from his locker. When escorted into the locker room to retrieve his phone Ratliff told another person "I am the devil" and that he "wished staff member's children would die."

The Bears then ordered Ratliff to leave the property and not return.

Bears director of security John Tarpey then called the police non-emergency number, which TMZ Sports obtained here, for police assistance at Halas Hall because they believed Ratliff owns multiple firearms.

"Since the day of the call, he has not been back to the facility and they have had no further problems," Lake Forest PD Deputy Chief Karl Walldorf told TMZ Sports.

Ratliff has yet to be charged with a crime nor has he signed with another NFL team.

Check out the full police report below:

Jay Ratliff Police Report by Matty Schwer

Hall of Famer and Pacers legend Mel Daniels dies at 71

One of the best players in the history of the American Basketball Association died suddenly on Friday when Mel Daniels, a three-time ABA champion with the Indiana Pacers, died at the age of 71. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012, the 6-9 center excelled over eight ABA seasons and spent one year in Italy before his lone NBA season after the merger with the New Jersey Nets in 1976-77. Daniels made the ABA All-Star team in all eight of his seasons and won two MVP awards. The Pacers retired his No. 34 jersey in 1985, and he remains one of the greatest players in franchise history.

The circumstances of Daniels's death have not yet been publicized. Peter Vecsey, who first reported the story on Twitter, noted that Daniels had "recently undergone open-heart surgery."

A Pacers.com article on the sad news features several statements from franchise luminaries, including these:

"The tremendous outpouring of prayers being sent our way is overwhelming," said [his wife] CeCe Daniels. "We are so grateful for all the love. His charisma, poise and passion for life - be it horses, basketball or friends - is a template for us all, his family and his fans."

"I join our extended Pacers family in offering my sincerest condolences to CeCe and Mel's family," said Pacers Sports & Entertainment owner Herb Simon. "We will miss him greatly, but when we look at that Hall of Fame banner in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, we will be forever reminded of what he meant to this franchise." [...]

"Words cannot express the depth of my sadness today," said fellow Hall of Famer and former Pacers great Reggie Miller. "Mel Daniels was a father figure, brother, consigliere, but most of all 'MY UNCLE MEL.' He helped raise me into the man I am. I hope I made him proud in everything I tried to do on, but more importantly off, the basketball court. My heart goes out to CeCe and the Daniels family."

"I am saddened by the news that Mel Daniels has passed away," said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird. "I have known him since I was in college and he was one of my coaches. His competitive attitude reflected his success on the floor with the Pacers and the ultimate recognition, a well-deserved induction into the Hall of Fame. I offer sincere condolences to CeCe and his family."

The Pacers have already planned a moment of silence for Saturday's home game against the Utah Jazz and will announce further tributes at a later date.

Current and former Pacers players and officials joined in on Twitter with fond memories of Daniels:

 

	Roy Hibbert @Roy_Meets_World
RIP to Mel Daniels always had words of wisdom for me during my 7 years with the @pacers. Firmest handshake ever! 3:34 PM - 30 Oct 2015   David Benner @PacersDMB Saw Mel Daniels at Pacers' game last night, got the vice grip handshake. Hand still hurts. Glad it does. God bless him and his family. 1:52 PM - 30 Oct 2015   Solomon Hill @solohill rest in peace mel daniels, crazy was just walking through the locker room yesterday... 12:52 PM - 30 Oct 2015

Daniels entered the ABA in 1967 after three excellent seasons at New Mexico, turning down an offer from the NBA's Cincinnati Royals, who had made him the ninth pick in the NBA draft. He joined the Minnesota Muskies and thrived immediately, leading the league in field goals made and attempted and total rebounds while putting up averages of 22.2 points and 15.6 rebounds per game. The financially insecure Muskies traded Daniels to the Pacers that offseason, which allowed his career reached its greatest heights. He captured his first MVP award in 1968-69 and his first championship in 1970 on great teams that featured fellow Hall of Famers Roger Brown on the wing and Bobby "Slick" Leonard as head coach.

The Pacers also won titles in 1972 and 1973 and are remembered as one of the best teams in ABA history. Daniels went on to hold several titles with the franchise and served as one of Bird's assistant coaches during his time at Indiana State in the late '70s.

Apart from his on-court exploits, Daniels is remembered as a warm personality with a legendarily strong handshake. Longtime Indianapolis reporter Mike Wells, now with ESPN, remembers him fondly:

 

	Mike Wells @MikeWellsNFL
Anybody that met Mel Daniels quickly found out he had one of the strongest handshakes. But in reality, he was just a big giant teddy bear 12:45 PM - 30 Oct 2015

Our Kelly Dwyer added over email that working Pacers games always carried the added bonus of hearing Daniels tell amazing stories in the press room. The man contained multitudes — former Pacers exec and current consultant Donnie Walsh indicates that Daniels was preparing to release a book of poetry, and the official website's article also mentions his skills as a horseman. Vecsey confirmed the same with his own tribute:

 

 

	Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
2 of my horses have been under Mel's expert care 4 yrs. An accomplished poet, he'd just written poem 4 my wife about friend, 62, who passed 12:30 PM - 30 Oct 2015 from New York, USA

The basketball world will be less interesting without Mel Daniels. Our condolences go out to all those who knew and loved him.

Jason Pierre-Paul's injured hand

Jason Pierre-Paul's hand has been a mystery for months.

The New York Giants' defensive end injured his hand in a fireworks accident on July 4, then basically went into hiding. Even the team wasn't allowed to see him for a long time. There was a report, off a leaked medical record, that he lost an index finger (which you can see, he did). A few photos shot at long range eventually surfaced. His teammates were taking a peek on Wednesday, when Pierre-Paul finally returned to practice.

Pierre-Paul met with the media on Friday, and along with his comments was the first direct look at his severely injured hand.

Clearly this is a significant injury Pierre-Paul is dealing with. It's hard to figure out how his football career will be affected. Defensive ends use their hands a lot, and Pierre-Paul will have to change his whole game to adjust to this injury. He was asked how it would affect him.

"Hopefully it doesn't," Pierre-Paul said, according to the transcript from NJ.com. "I'm still the same Jason Pierre-Paul. The skill set hasn't changed. I've probably gotten even better. I'm ready to play football and help my team win."

Earlier this week Pierre-Paul signed a one-year deal with the Giants. When he met with the media, Pierre-Paul didn't want to talk much about the incident itself, but shed some light on why he found himself in that situation that night.

"It wasn't frightening at all. I'm not going to go into detail with it, it's something [the fireworks] I did every year for the kids," Pierre-Paul said, according to NJ.com's transcript. "Because when I was growing up, I was less fortunate to have fireworks. And it just happened. I did it for six, seven years now. And it happened. It is what it is. I've lived and learned from it and moved on."

And Pierre-Paul has obviously been through a lot since July 4, but he put his accident in perspective very well on Friday.

"When I was in the hospital, I don't want to get into the details, but I saw a kid die," Pierre-Paul said. "I'm just very fortunate that I'm alive. I look every day and see my hand and say, 'Thank you, Lord.' I saw 12 people in the hospital and my hand was the best one."

 

Ben Roethlisberger officially probable for Sunday

Barring an unforeseen calamity, the Steelers are going to have Ben Roethlisberger back at quarterback on Sunday afternoon.

The team listed Roethlisberger as probable on their final injury report of the week on Friday, which all but ends any lingering suspense about the team’s plans at quarterback this weekend. Most of it had already disappeared over the course of the week as Roethlisberger practiced without any issues in his injured knee.

Roethlisberger’s previous performances in his first game back from injuries isn’t great, although the team and Roethlisberger seem to have taken their time with his recovery this time around to ensure that he’s not playing at less than 100 percent.

Roethlisberger’s return gives the Steelers the fullest offensive group they’ve had all season. Sunday will be the first time that Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant, Heath Miller and Antonio Brown have been in the lineup together this season, which should give a boost to their chances of handing the Bengals their first loss of the season.

Return of Zach Mettenberger! Tennessee Titans to sit Marcus Mariota again

Brett Favre started 297 consecutive games at quarterback in the NFL. Marcus Mariota made it five.

Mariota will miss his second straight game this week, and the Favre comparison isn't to question Mariota's toughness. He shouldn't be playing through a sprained MCL; that would be foolish for him and the Tennessee Titans. It's to show how incredibly lucky you need to get in the NFL to be healthy enough to answer the bell every week.

Mariota got hit low by Miami Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon a couple weeks ago, a play that was penalized and fined, and one of the league's bright young rookies has had to miss time as a result. Mariota practiced this week but on Friday (which is Mariota's 22nd birthday, by the way), the Titans announced that he wouldn't be playing against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Zach Mettenberger will get the start, and hopefully for the Titans he's better off in his second start this season. The Titans had a shot to beat a sluggish Atlanta Falcons team last week, but got just one touchdown and lost 10-7. Mettenberger had just 187 yards on 35 attempts and threw two interceptions.

The Titans are 1-5 and their season isn't going anywhere, so the coaching staff is being smart putting its own interests aside and doing what's best for the future of the franchise. Mariota will return when he's ready, and the NFL will be more interesting when he is back, but it's just not worth the gamble to start him before he's 100 percent.

Dolphins' Wake suffers season-ending torn Achilles tendon

Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake has a torn left Achilles tendon that will end his season.

An MRI Friday confirmed the diagnosis, the team said. Wake was hurt in Thursday's 36-7 loss at New England.

It's possible the four-time Pro Bowl end has played his final game for Miami. Wake, 33, is under contract through 2016, but he has a cap number of $9.8 million next year, and the Dolphins could save $8.4 million in cap space by cutting him.

Wake was slowed by a hamstring injury early this year but had seven sacks and four forced fumbles in the past three games. He ranks second on the Dolphins' career sack list with 70, behind only Jason Taylor's 131.

Pat Haden leaves College Football Playoff committee

USC athletic director Pat Haden is vacating his post on the College Football Playoff committee.

The Playoff announced the decision on Friday.

“I am reluctant to step down, but my doctors advised me to reduce my traveling,” Haden said in a CFP statement. “With the weekly CFP meetings about to start and the travel commitment involved, I had to make this difficult decision. I feel it is in the best interest of the CFP and also of USC, with our current football coaching change and our upcoming Coliseum renovation.

“It was an honor to serve on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. I have such high regard for the CFP process and for the committee members, who devote such time and energy to the great sport of college football. It was a pleasure to serve alongside them. I want to thank the committee members, as well as CFP executive director Bill Hancock and his staff. They all do wonderful work.”

Haden had become lightheaded during the team's trip to Notre Dame two weeks ago. Haden, 62, had to go to a knee and was escorted off the field by medical officials. He later flew home with the team.

His departure leaves the committee with 12 members. The Playoff said it will not immediately replace Haden and operate with 12 for the rest of the season. The first ranking for the CFP are set to be released Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Times detailed Haden's multiple responsibilities outside of being USC's athletic director in a piece earlier this month.

But he also juggles extensive obligations outside USC as a member of more than a dozen corporate and nonprofit boards, side work that pays him at least a half-million dollars a year (including stock options and share awards), a Times review of proxy statements and federal tax records has found.

He's also about to embark on a coaching search, assuming he doesn't keep interim coach Clay Helton in the permanent role. USC fired coach Steve Sarkisian after Haden said the school found out that Sarkisian had not followed the guidelines agreed upon after an alcohol-and-medication-fueled rant at an August booster function.

Sarkisian was previously granted a leave of absence before he was fired and went to seek treatment.

Haden's involvement with the committee was also not without (an overblown) controversy. During a game last year against Stanford, Haden went down to the sidelines to confront officials. He said he had been summoned to the sideline by Sarkisian. Haden was subsequently reprimanded and fined by the Pac-12.

Haden was one of five athletic directors on the 13-person committee. His departure leaves chairman Jeff Long (Arkansas), Barry Alvarez (Wisconsin), Kirby Hocutt (Texas Tech), and Dan Radakovich (Clemson) as the athletic directors still on the panel.

Additionally, it's the second time the committee has been reduced to 12 during the season. Archie Manning took a leave of absence in October 2014 and was replaced by Bobby Johnson this spring.

Oscar De La Hoya says he's ready to promote Ronda Rousey if she wants to box

Ronda Rousey piqued fans’ interest earlier this week when she said she wants to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time, a boxing champion and a WWE women’s champ.

Rousey already has the sport of MMA on lock, and Hollywood is directly in her crosshairs. WWE exec Paul “Triple H” Levesque told Rousey that he would “leave the light on” for her at the WWE performance center and that she was always welcome.

With the MMA and sports entertainment realms just about covered, Rousey appears to now have a “golden” opportunity awaiting her in boxing if she decides to make the jump.

“Absolutely. Look, we’ve discussed it,” boxing Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions owner Oscar De La Hoya said in a recent interview with FIghtHub TV about a Rousey foray into boxing. “And whenever she’s ready to step into the ring as a fighter – as a boxer – then obviously Golden Boy Promotions will be right there with her.”

The 28-year-old MMA superstar appeared on the most recent issue of the sweet science’s holy grail of print publications, Ring Magazine. It was a first for an MMA fighter, and Rousey is the first woman since Cathy “Cat” Davis in 1978 to be on the cover.

Rousey is slated to meet former boxing world champion Holly Holm at UFC 193 on Nov. 15. Rousey is the heavy betting favorite, but some still question if the Olympic judoka has the stand-up skills to deal with upper-echelon strikers.

If she can authoritatively dispatch Holm, expect the MMA-boxing crossover talk to pick up.

Rousey’s skills are undeniable in the sport of MMA. She’s also a mental powerhouse who seems to be able to overcome any obstacle put in front of her.

De La Hoya believes that it is that rare combination that will help Rousey if she decides to make the move to boxing.

“She’s tough,” he said in the interview. “She’s really good. Speed, power and instinct, which is very important. She dares to be great. That’s the difference with a lot of fighters: She takes the risks. And that’s what I love about her.

“It’s just a matter of having that first fight and proving it.”

Tiger Woods has follow-up procedure to back surgery to relieve discomfort

For the second time in the last two months, Tiger Woods has gone under the knife.

Woods announced Friday that he had an undisclosed follow-up procedure on his twice-operated back to relieve pain caused by a second microdiscectomy in two years. The follow-up to Woods' Sept. 16 surgery was performed Wednesday in Utah by Dr. Charles Rich, who has been the neurosurgeon for both of Woods' microdiscectomies, including the first in March 2014.

"It's one of those things that had to be done," Woods said, according to his website. "I have an outstanding team of doctors, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

Woods is now on bed rest. He'll miss the final design visit to Bluejack National, the Houston-area club which is his first U.S. golf course design. He'll also skip a planned news conference to discuss the work at the property.

After his first microdiscectomy procedure in 2014, Woods returned three months later to compete in the Quicken Loans National, which benefits his foundation. He admitted that week his return was premature, placating a new title sponsor and biennial host club Congressional Country Club, which had recently voted to continue hosting the event every other year.

It's unclear how much this follow-up procedure might delay Woods' timetable for returning to competitive action. In a news conference last week in Mexico ahead of the America's Golf Cup, Woods said the recovery and rehab would be "long and tedious" but did not indicate a timeframe for playing golf again.

Woods' 2014-15 PGA Tour season ended in a last-minute effort to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs at the Wyndham Championship. Needing a win to get into the PGA Tour's postseason, the 14-time major winner was in contention on Sunday, Woods stumbled and finished T-10. That week, he showed signs of physical discomfort, suggesting it was a hip issue. Several weeks later, an exam revealed a disc in his back was pinching a nerve.

As of this week, Woods is ranked 351st in the Official World Golf Ranking.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - OCTOBER 30TH

1871 - Philadelphia beat Chicago for first National Association baseball pennant.

1918 - Robert Feller, Van Meter Iowa, MLB pitcher

(Cleveland Indians, led AL in strikeouts 7 times).
1919 - Baseball league presidents call for abolishment of spitball.
1922 - Anxious to compete with the Yankees, the NY Giants pay $65,000

& 3 players for Jack Bentley (hits .349 & is 13-1 as pitcher in 1922).
1945 - Branch Rickey signs Jackie Robinson to a Montreal Royals.
1954 - First use of 24-sec shot clock in pro basketball (Rochester vs Boston).
1956 - Dodgers sell Ebbets Field to a real estate group. They agree to stay

until 1959, with an option to stay until 1961.

1960 - Diego Maradona, Buenos Aires, soccer player (World Cup-hand of god) is born.

1967 - Arthur Allyn says White Sox will play 9 games in Milwaukee in 1968.

1974 - California Angel Nolan Ryan throws fastest recorded pitch (100.9 MPH).

1974 - Muhammad Ali KOs George Foreman in 8th round

in Kinshasa Zaire ('The Rumble in the Jungle').
1975 - Giants pitcher John "the Count of" Montefusco wins NL Rookie of Year.
1975 - John Bucyk, Boston, became 7th NHLer to score 500 goals.

2005 - Al Lopez, American baseball player and manager (b. 1908) dies.

Mets hope to rediscover their postseason magic at home

It's all so fleeting, every minute and every inch of it, and if the New York Mets hadn't learned that themselves over two sobering nights in Kansas City, they'd only have to consider what they awoke to early Thursday morning.

The general manager in Toronto, having built that city's first division winner in a generation, was out amid what everyone seems to be calling philosophical differences, which Alex Anthopoulos apparently could not live with. His former bosses said they regretted Anthopoulos had walked away from a five-year contract offer, which is a not-so-sneaky way of revealing the five-year contract offer, which is really kind of lousy.

The erstwhile manager in Los Angeles had jumped at one of baseball's worst gigs, that being Jeffrey Loria's head chew toy. Don Mattingly had worn two uniforms – Yankees and Dodgers. Now he'll wear the one in which seven previous managers have been buried in just the past five years. He went willingly and, it appears, suspiciously quickly. As a side note, Loria's former chew toy was fired, that being Dan Jennings, which the Miami Marlins could have announced on the day he took the manager's job and folks would not have been any less surprised Thursday.

There's change on the top steps in Washington D.C., Seattle and San Diego, and more's coming in L.A., and the Mets, of all people, should know that baseball, like everything, doesn't always play to the script (except in Miami). After all, it's why they, and not the Nationals, won the NL East. Why they, and not the Dodgers or Cubs, are here, two games into a World Series that hasn't gone at all as they planned. Why their leading men – general manager Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins – could hardly do anything right in their public's eyes for years, then rode around on the fans' shoulders for a few weeks, and now have to do something to fix this!

Yeah, everybody's going about their offseasons while the Mets are, you know, trying to play some freakin' baseball over here.

Problem is, as far as the people in and around the Mets are concerned, they're sneaking up on some must-win games in Queens, and a best-of-seven series sure seems like a lot of baseball until you lose the first two. Their best pitchers haven't pitched like it, they've scored one run in the last 14 innings, now even Daniel Murphy isn't hitting, and after Noah Syndergaard's Game 3 start they'll come back in Game 4 with Steven Matz, a nice young pitcher whose ninth career start could be to save their season.

That's a lot going on. And it goes fast. Ask the Cubs.

It was Jacob deGrom who, in the aftermath of a messy Game 2, repeated the same phrase several times. That was, "You gotta win four." Come to think of it, that's not that different from, "You gotta believe," which served them well once, though the players probably did most of the work.

The last team to come back from oh-two in the World Series was the '96 Yankees. Before that, the '86 Mets. None of that matters. Only Syndergaard does, and a lineup hitting .165 with one extra-base hit through two games, and two or maybe three home games to do something about it.

Collins was reminded Thursday by a writer of the adage that a series doesn't start until a team loses at home, which really only applies to sports in which there's postseason home-field (-court, -rink) advantages. To which Collins affably replied, "I don't play hockey," because Collins worked too damned long and hard for this to let oh-two wreck his World Series.

Still, he said, "We're glad to be home. We've got our fan base behind us now, and that brings out a lot of energy in our guys. There's a lot of confidence in that clubhouse. I talked to them when we got back off the field [Wednesday] night. It was a similar refrain from the night before, that is, we're down but we're not out. We fought back so many times this year, that this is just another challenge that we have to meet and so far we've met them all."

Maybe the Mets, as a group, are sure they can do this. Maybe not. They're certainly not the best team you've ever seen. They're not the best team you've seen in the last, oh, 24 hours. But here they are, at home, a big ol' hoss on the mound, Billy Joel on the anthem, with nothing having been done to them yet that can't be undone.

"You gotta win four," deGrom said with his lips pulled tight across his teeth and his eyes dark, almost like a threat.

So that's it. Win four. If they don't, the Royals will. And it could go fast.

Heat is on: Mets need it from Noah in Game 3 at home

The man-child on the mound was simply getting some work in, two simulated innings to sharpen up for the World Series.

It was late afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, dimmed by dark clouds on this overcast day in Kansas City, and even his New York Mets teammates wanted no part of 6-foot-6 Noah Syndergaard.

David Wright bounded into the batting cage, watched a few fastballs whizz by like pellets fired from a BB gun, and stepped right back out.

''How are you supposed to hit that?'' he asked buddy Michael Cuddyer.

A chuckling group of Mets marveled at Syndergaard's sizzling cheese the day before the Series opener - but now they've placed the heat squarely on their rookie starter. With the National League champs trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven set, the 23-year-old thunderbolt aptly nicknamed Thor pitches Friday night against Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura.

And the Mets know perfectly well they can't afford to lose.

''I feel like being able to watch the past two games has really helped me out and helped me devise a game plan,'' Syndergaard said.

Both teams canceled workouts Thursday at Citi Field, all dressed up to host its first World Series with a game featuring two of the best arms in baseball.

Syndergaard's fastball averaged 97.1 mph during the regular season, the highest velocity of any major leaguer who pitched at least 150 innings, according to STATS.

The 24-year-old Ventura ranked third at 96.3 mph.

In the NL playoffs, Syndergaard threw 22 pitches at least 100 mph and topped out at 101, STATS said.

Ventura can touch the century mark, too.

''Right now I'm not worried about velocity at all. I just want to go deep in the game,'' Ventura said, with teammate Christian Colon translating.

But while Syndergaard certainly brings it, so do Mets aces Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom. And despite their 95-98 mph heat, neither one was able to throttle a Royals lineup that's mastered the lost art of consistently making solid contact.

''This team likes the fastball,'' said ALCS MVP Alcides Escobar, the first batter Syndergaard will face.

Kansas City's aggressive leadoff man is batting .364 with 12 runs, eight RBIs and seven extra-base hits this postseason.

''It's something else being able to watch Escobar walk up there and swing at the first pitch almost every single game,'' Syndergaard said. ''I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I'll be able to break out tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to it.''

Scolded by Wright in spring training for eating lunch in the clubhouse during an intrasquad game, Syndergaard acknowledged a rookie mistake and agreed he should have been on the bench looking to learn something.

And despite all the attention his fastball draws, the rapid development of Syndergaard's secondary pitches has been the key to his immediate success.

''The amount of confidence that I've gained throughout this entire season and the journey has been an unbelievable experience for me,'' he said.

After making his major league debut in May, Syndergaard picked up a two-seamer that runs to his arm side and fine-tuned his changeup. He gained control of his sharp slider without losing the ability to bend in that slower curveball.

Veteran teammate Michael Cuddyer used the words maturity, transformation and evolution in describing Syndergaard's season.

''We're really excited to see him on this stage and see him pitch tomorrow night, and very confident to have him out on the mound,'' Cuddyer said.

All the improvements along the way helped Syndergaard finish 9-7 with a 3.24 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 150 innings - not to mention a long home run to straightaway center field.

Then the right-hander went 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA in three NL playoff games, including his first career relief appearance.

Powerful arm, swift progression.

''He's a very fast learner,'' Mets manager Terry Collins said. ''He has no fear.''

Ventura generates velocity with a whip of his slender frame, perhaps generously listed at 6-feet tall. Syndergaard, by contrast, is a 240-pound hammer who revels in his larger-than-life image.

With long, golden locks flowing out from beneath his baseball cap, 11 letters to that unusual last name arched around his shoulders on the back of a Mets jersey, Syndergaard resembles some sort of Viking pitcher sent from the ancient past.

The ninth century nearly straight to the National League, with an impressive pit stop at Double-A Binghamton.

''This guy threw six innings at 100 mph in Los Angeles. Please show me anybody that's done that, outside of Nolan (Ryan), maybe. And that's where this guy for me has risen to the occasion,'' Collins said. ''I think he's come a long way. I think as much as you'd like to go to that crusty, veteran guy who's been here, who's done it, to help bail you out of the hole you're in, we're not asking that. We're asking this kid to go out and pitch his game, and his stuff should play.''

Syndergaard was given the moniker Thor - the Norse god known for ferocious storms - after tweeting a photo of himself in costume doing squats on Halloween two years ago.

Before his NL Championship Series start against the Cubs, he changed the photo atop his Twitter page to a shot featuring lightning striking Chicago's famous Willis Tower. For the World Series, bolts descending on the Kansas City skyline.

''He's a unique guy,'' Collins said.

Syndergaard has ''Thor'' embroidered in gold on one of his gloves. There's also a ''Tyrion'' model from ''Games of Thrones'' and ''Drago'' from ''Rocky IV'' and ''Heisenberg'' from ''Breaking Bad,'' among others.

''Characters I like,'' he explained.

Off the field, however, Syndergaard is not all nasty.

He speaks in soft tones with an air of confidence, and graciously posed for cellphone photos Monday night with Mets and Royals rooters alike - even a disgruntled Cubs fan - following dinner at a popular Kansas City barbecue joint.

A year ago, Ventura was a rookie when he won a World Series game his team had to have, Game 6 against San Francisco.

Now, back home where he's pitched his best, Syndergaard will try to do the same.

''His name was mentioned to open up the World Series. That's how well we think he's pitching,'' Collins said.