EVENTS TO WATCH
Soccer » FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt • Monday-Friday, 10 a.m., ESPN360
This is soccer’s biggest event for the under-20 players and the entire tournament from Sept. 24 till the title game Oct. 16 can be followed via broadband on ESPN360.
MLB » “Path to the Pennant” • Monday, 5 p.m., MLB Network
As the playoffs picture begins to come into focus, “Path to the Pennant” will give viewers an in-depth look at the teams and the players likely to star in the postseason.
NHL » Capitals at Bruins • Thursday, 7 p.m., VERSUS
When last we left the Caps, they had just lost game seven of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to Pittsburgh. Great expectations begin with Alex Ovechkin and the Caps in the regular season opener in Boston.
BOLD PREDICTIONS
1. The Nets will win an NBA championship within three years » Like it or not, Russians who are rich and buy sports teams win things. They don’t care about salary caps and luxury taxes when they have pools of money deeper than Scrooge McDuck. Mikhail Prokhorov is the richest man in Russia. He has a tentative deal to buy 80 percent of the New Jersey Nets and finance half of their new arena in Brooklyn, but don’t expect him to stop there. The precedent was set by Roman Abramovich, who bought English Premier League club Chelsea in 2003, and immediately went on a spending spree that resulted in a runner-up finish in his first season as an owner — the club’s best finish in 49 years — and a league title the following year. Although the Nets have been to the NBA Finals twice this decade, some cold, hard Russian cash will be enough for their first title since 1976, when they won it all in the ABA.
2. Niners over the Vikings » The San Francisco 49ers (2-0) have plenty of doubters, but there’s no denying their improvement under Mike Singletary. The Niners have seven straight losing seasons, but have won seven of their last nine games with a simple formula — blocking and tackling. Mirroring Singletary’s intensity, the Niners defense, led by linebacker Patrick Willis, has limited opponents to 13.8 points per game since week 13 of last year, easily the best in the NFL. This week at Minnesota (2-0), Singletary’s team will emerge from under the radar. The Vikings have wins at Cleveland and Detroit, teams in transition on the sideline and under center. But San Francisco presents a completely different challenge. For the Vikings first home game with Brett Favre the Metrodome will be rocking, but look for the Niners to stop Adrian Peterson enough times to force Favre to the air and their pressure will be too much for the creaky 39-year-old.
3. The weather in Buffalo calls for little Brees » Saints quarterback Drew Brees has averaged 334.5 yards and 4.5 touchdowns per game after two weeks. Even the Lions couldn’t stop the prolific offense. A main reason New Orleans is averaging 46.5 points per game: They have capitalized on turnovers. Against the Eagles last week, the Saints took advantage of a fumble recovery on the second half kickoff and a Kevin Kolb interception on the following possession for two scores with short field position. Aside from a certain Leodis McKelvin fumble, the Bills take care of the football and Fred Jackson has rushed for 220 yards. A quality rushing attack is key to keeping the Saints’ offense on the sideline. New Orleans won’t completely be shut down, but don’t expect another shootout. Buffalo will win and the Saints offense will sputter.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Clayton Kershaw • Los Angeles Dodgers • SP
The Dodgers have a stable of young, strong arms that even some people in the business have trouble bringing to mind. Clayton Kershaw is coming off a non-throwing shoulder injury earlier this month that appears to have healed up nicely. Kershaw jumped back into the swing of things, throwing the final two-innings of blowout baseball at Nationals Park, a 14-2 drubbing on Tuesday, ringing up four strikeouts while allowing just one baserunner — on a walk. Kershaw’s record, much like the Royals’ Zack Greinke, belies his effectiveness this season. The southpaw is 8-8 in 28 starts, but sports a 2.85 ERA in 161 innings and has only given up 112 hits. We’ll see today (at Pittsburgh, 1:35 p.m.) if the lefty can hold up against starter’s innings — though the Pirates’ lineup should be a good way to ease back in. If Kershaw is over his injury, he is a good bet to be a force in L.A.’s postseason rotation — where people may start to remember more about those Dodger pitchers.
FIVE UP & FIVE DOWN
UP
1. The Ol’ Ball Coach » Well, how about Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks taking down No. 4 Ole Miss?
2. San Francisco 49ers » At 2-0, focus is rightly on coach Mike Singletary, not holdout wide receiver Michael Crabtree.
3. Matt Cassel’s bank account » Lukewarm love from coach Todd Haley can’t change $28 million deposit made earlier this year.
4. Prospects for a Yankees-Red Sox postseason showdown » AL East leaders pulling away from the pack with stellar Septembers.
5. Partying at 2010 Olympics in Vancouver » Bode Miller says he’s rejoining the U.S. Ski Team.
DOWN
1. Tony Dorsett » The beer commercial and 99-yard run are enough. The anti-Tony Romo angst is unnecessary.
2. Bruce Pearl » Tough to get the red out of his orange-painted chest after an inappropriate joke about rural Tennessee.
3. Jerry Jones » Nothing like having a finger up your nose when you’re on the world’s biggest video screen.
4. Zack Greinke » Ejection vs. Red Sox could be a wrench in his campaign for the AL Cy Young Award.
5. Wayne Gretzky » “Great One” applies only on the ice — Phoenix coach out after four seasons with a career losing record and no playoffs.
