a, California, mingling with runners for a company that makes jerk

The best thing about college football is that we all feel like we own it. Thats occasionally the worst thing, too. But the passion that the sport engenders is what separates it from the NFL, thank goodness.This has been an unusual year, from the uber-dominance of Alabama every single week to the uber-goofiness of the Big Ten Conference race, college footballs postseason inkblot test. If you have an opinion about the College Football Playoff, theres a Big Ten team for you.Believe in the sanctity of a conference champion? Believe in rewarding the best team? Believe that a good loss is better than a bad win? Yeah, the Big Tens got that.I walked into Lucas Oil Stadium in high dudgeon that a victorious Penn State would be jobbed, that the Big Ten champion that beat Ohio State should be in line ahead of the Buckeyes. In theory, perhaps. In reality, the Nittany Lions neither looked nor played like one of the four best teams in the nation Saturday night. Their chemistry is undoubtable, their spirit unquenchable, and no team east of USC improved more over the course of the season.But I would say the four teams in the playoff are better than Penn State, and No. 6 Michigan beat the Nittany Lions by 39 points. I dont want to see Penn State playing Alabama.The committees decision to reward Ohio State, and not the Big Ten champion, will be fodder for the eight-team playoff crowd. Maybe someone out there wants to decry the injustice of not seeing a rematch of No. 1 Alabamas 52-6 defeat of No. 9 USC, or would love to see an Ohio State-Michigan quarterfinal rematch, or see Clemson play Oklahoma in the postseason for a third consecutive season. The charms of those three matchups escape me.Lets face it. We all see Alabama walking down the 18th fairway of the final round of The Open, and we expect the telecast director to cut to the shot of the engraver etching Nick Sabans name onto the Claret Jug one more time. By this time, the guy ought to be able to do it in his sleep.Alabama is courting history in the College Football Playoff. The semifinals will reprise one famous college football game, and one infamous.Southern football announced itself on the national stage in the 1926 Rose Bowl when Alabama, invited only after Dartmouth, Yale and Colgate said no, beat a Washington team considered unbeatable. The Tide spotted the Huskies a 12-0 lead, but then came back in the second half to win 20-19.We will spend the next four weeks debating Alabamas place in history more than we will debate whether Washington, a team with the kind of speed at the skill positions that has challenged the Crimson Tide, not to mention a smart, athletic defense, will pull off the upset.No team needs a respite more than the Crimson Tide, which lost another defensive starter to injury Saturday when linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton suffered a right knee injury. Safety and kick returner Eddie Jackson already is out for the year, and cornerback Marlon Humphrey has a tender hamstring.Ohio State and Clemson forever will be linked by the 1978 Gator Bowl, when elderly, infirm Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes punched Tigers linebacker Charlie Bauman after his late interception sealed Clemsons 17-15 victory. Ohio State fired Hayes the next day, guaranteeing Bauman fame he never desired. More college football fans think of that game than of Clemsons 40-35 victory over Ohio State three years ago.The Buckeyes and the Tigers shared a propensity for winning close games, a muscle that Alabama barely even flexed. Ohio State won four games by one score, two of them in overtime over the Wolverines and No. 8 Wisconsin, and two of them over 6-6 Northwestern and 3-9 Michigan State. Perhaps the latter two are why the Buckeyes fell to No. 3.Clemson won six games by seven points or fewer, which begs the question at what point a virtue becomes a liability. The selection committee evidently appreciated that four of Clemsons close victories came against teams in the final 25.But lets not allow the Xs and Os to overtake these games just yet. History is hovering close by, no matter who wins. If Alabama extends its winning streak to 27 games, the comparisons to the sports greatest teams will begin in earnest. And if Washington, Clemson or Ohio State knocks off Alabama, there will be a page in college footballs family bible for that game, too.Either way, the playoff will be making history.Fake NHL Jerseys . Los Angeles star goalie survived those perilous gymnastics with no problem, and he eventually backstopped the Kings to a skid-snapping win. Quick stopped 27 shots in his return from a 24-game injury absence, Jeff Carter scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 to play, and the Kings snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. Wholesale NHL Jerseys Authentic . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. http://www.cheapnhlcustomjerseys.com/ . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. NHL Jerseys From China . 9. Price, heading to the 2014 Olympics for Canada, was named the First Star after posting wins in three starts with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .971 save percentage.By now, Meb Keflezighi is familiar with every patch of asphalt on the New York City Marathon route.He has run the race 10 times, finishing as high as first and as far back as 23rd. Its a race he holds dear for his 2009 victory -- coming at a time when some believed his career was over -- and for the way the city has opened its arms to him, time and again. Fans have cheered his every stride through the five boroughs. He calls it the marathon of the world for its diverse field and crowds.So, hes excited to return to New York for Sundays race. This time, hes even guaranteed a lead position.For the first time since 2012, Keflezighi, 41, wont be running. Instead, hell be one of the races grand marshals, along with his U.S. marathon teammates from this summers Olympics. Hell be in the lead vehicle with a chance to see the race unfold without breaking a sweat.Its going to be a whole different perspective, he said.Related story from Competitor.com: How to watch the NYC MarathonRelated story from Competitor.com: Molly Huddle ready for her marathon debutThese days, Keflezighi is taking some time to look at everything from a new angle. After competing in his fourth Olympics, hes transitioning into a retirement that could take many shapes. Its a transition that will take a while.He plans to run two more marathons, both in 2017. That would give him 26 career marathon finishes.Twenty-six marathons for the distance, he said, referring to the races 26.2-mile length. And Im also going to be 42 years old. In terms of running international, its 42 kilometers and 195 meters. So, 42 years old and 26 marathons in honor of the distance.He said nothing is official on which races hell run. Hes hopeful they will be Boston and New York. A finale in New York would be a fitting farewell. He made his marathon debut there in 2002.But were still working out the details, he said.Keflezighi will continue to train and run through next year and beyond, but he knows its time for his marathon career to end. After that, hell run half-marathons, 15Ks, 10Ks and other shorter distances, while putting most of his attention on his family, his Meb Foundation and business and charitable interests.Ive been running 26 years, he said. I just dont want to do competitive marathons where people, believe it or not, still expect me to win. Even though Im 41, 42, they want me to win. But expectations, external and internal -- even though I have the desire to do those things, go to Rio, get the gold -- I wish it were that simple. Everything has to click. Sometimes, you just have to be thankful for the things you have earned.No unturned stonesWhat Keflezighi has earned has been remarkable.Hes the only marathoner to have won an Olympic medal (silver in 2004) while also winning at Boston and New York. He was on the 2000, 2004, 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic teams. He won 23 national championships at various distances. And he won four NCAA titles at UCLA before turning pro in 1998.My career has been more special than I could have ever imagined, he said. Im grateful for that.He said theres no unturned stones in his marathon career. He has accomplished more than he dreamed. His only goal for his final two marathons will be to finish in the top 10. They wont be ceremonial strolls.I dont want to say, Ahh, I just finished it, he said. I want to finish strong and be as competitive as I can be.Keflezighi, who came to the United States with his familly from war-torn Eritrea at the age of 12, discovered running as a middle schooler in San Diego.dddddddddddd He then became a standout at San Diego High School and earned a scholarship to UCLA. He excelled at cross country and the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. He made his first Olympic team in the 10,000 and competed in the 2000 Sydney Summer Games. The following year, he set a U.S. 10K record (27:13.98).It wasnt until 2002 that he ran his first marathon, finishing New York in 2:12:35, good for ninth place.At the time, he said he never wanted to do a marathon again -- yet he actually had found his calling. Now he laughs when sharing his only regret: What I now know, I wish I knew then.Whats next?Keflezighis whole focus earlier this year was on making the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and doing as well as possible. He qualified by finishing second in the U.S. trials in Los Angeles in February, running 2:12:20. At 40, he became the oldest American marathoner to qualify for the summer games.He went into the Olympics feeling strong, but he got sick on race day and had to stop several times to throw up. He willed himself to continue. Then, as he approached the finish, he slipped on the wet pavement and fell face down across the line -- where he promptly did three pushups to show he was fine, got up and celebrated his 33rd-place finish in 2:16:46.Though disappointed, hes proud of what he did in Brazil. One reason he wanted to go to a fourth Olympics was so his three daughters (ages 10, 8 and 6) would have a memory of their father in the Rio Games.They were there at the finish with wife Yordanos, brother Hawi and longtime coach Bob Larsen.They remember it, Keflezighi said. That was the whole goal. My youngest daughter does remember. When she was asked what was the best part of the summer, she said, When Daddy competed in Rio.Time with his wife and daughters is at the top of Keflezighis wish list now, as he transitions into retirement. He said travel and training have taken too much time from them.He hopes to blend family time with the work he does for the Meb Foundation, which is focused on helping children to be healthy and successful. Also on that list is doing public speaking and coaching. Hes interested in coaching every type of athlete, from collegiate standouts to men and women who simply want to complete in a half-marathon.Keflezighi said he doesnt want to be known as just a fine runner but also as a positive citizen and contributor to society.And Keflezighis post-marathon world also will be filled with appearances and work for his many sponsors. Last weekend, he was at a half-marathon in Sonoma, California, mingling with runners for a company that makes jerky products. Included among his other sponsors are companies that make shoes, printers, nutrition bars, compression socks, sunglasses and tires.Though he wont be running in Sundays New York City Marathon, hes still having a busy race week. On Tuesday, he received an award from famed distance runner Grete Waitzs AKTIV Against Cancer organization for his philanthropic work, and hell take part in a news conference with the grand marshals Thursday.Twenty-four marathons down, two to go. Theres still more work to do.It is my plan, said Keflezighi, laughing, but sometimes you wonder why you come up with these things. ' ' '