Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EST on Friday, Aug. 28
Aug. 28 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Friday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - COLLEGE FOOTBALL Playoff potential realistic for UGA, but who's the QB? ATHENS, Ga. - With only one week left before the table is set for ninth-ranked Georgia's season-opening pregame meal, head coach Mark Richt still isn't positive which quarterback will take the first snap for the Bulldogs on Sept. 5. (FBC-GEORGIA-PREVIEW/, The Sports Xchange, by David Purdum, 915 words) See also: Draft prospects to watch: Georgia (FBC-GEORGIA-ANALYSIS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Rob Rang, 1,400 words) - - Georgia Tech no longer under the radar ATLANTA - Coach Paul Johnson won't be able to play the "us vs. them" card this year. After being overlooked a year ago by the pundits, the Yellow Jackets went 11-3 and finished No. 7 in the nation. (FBC-GEORGIATECH-ANALYSIS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Stan Awtrey, 989 words) See also: Draft prospects to watch: Georgia Tech (FBC-GEORGIATECH-ANALYSIS/, The Sports Xchange, by Dane Brugler, 1,030 words) - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Rams coach Fisher doubts rules can impact zone-read plays It's a well-worn discussion for St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, a member of NFL Competition Committee, who doesn't see rules changing to project quarterbacks on zone-read plays. Fisher is responding to the most recent debate after Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs' hit to the knees of Eagles QB Sam Bradford. (FBN-RAMS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - Seahawks' Chancellor still AWOL, wants new deal RENTON, Wash. - The holdout of strong safety Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks reaches day 28 with no real end in sight. Coach Pete Carroll says there's nothing new on the situation with Chancellor, who wants a new contract or at least some alterations to his current deal. (FBN-SEAHAWKS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - Dolphins make contingency plans in case hurricane hits The Miami Dolphins are making contingency plans in case the hurricane hits South Florida next week. The Dolphins hold discussions about next week's practices ahead of their season opener against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 13. (FBN-DOLPHINS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - NFL roundup Capsule recaps of Friday's preseason action. (FBN-ROUNDUP/, expect first version ASAP after 7 PM ET games end; will be led, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - NFL notebook News and notes from around the NFL. (FBN-ROUNDUP/, expect by 8 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400-600 words per team) - - - - TENNIS Serena gets set for shot at Grand Slam We look ahead to the Aug. 31-Sept. 13 U.S. Open with an eight-part package that includes overall previews on both the women's and men's tournaments, a profile on Serena Williams as she chases a Grand Slam, a look at the next great U.S. hopefuls, key players to watch, and list of former champions. (TENNIS-OPEN/WOMEN (PREVIEW), expect by 7 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 400 words) See also: (TENNIS-OPEN/MEN (PREVIEW), expect by 7 PM ET, by Tim Wharnsby, 400 words) (TENNIS-OPEN/SERENA, expect by 7 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 500 words) (TENNIS-OPEN/USA, expect by 7 PM ET, by Andrew Both, 500 words) (TENNIS-OPEN/WOMEN-PLAYERS, expect by 7 PM ET, 400 words) (TENNIS-OPEN/MEN-PLAYERS, expect by 7 PM ET, 400 words) (TENNIS-OPEN/WOMEN-WINNERS expect by 7 PM ET, 500 words) (TENNIS-OPEN/MEN-WINNERS, expect by 7 PM ET, 500 words) - - WTA: Connecticut Open, New Haven, Connecticut Giant-killer Tsurenko faces Safarova in last four Ukraine's lucky-loser entry Lesia Tsurenko, who has yet to drop a set at the tournament, looks to continue her giant-killing role when she takes on fourth-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova in the last four. (TENNIS-US/NEWHAVEN, expect first story by 5 PM ET, 250 words) - - - - GOLF PGA Tour: The Barclays, Edison, New Jersey Johnson, Stenson, Finau clubhouse leaders at The Barclays EDISON, N.J. - British Open champion Zach Johnson, Sweden's Henrik Stenson and American rookie Tony Finau share the early clubhouse lead in today's second round of The Barclays, the opening event of the FedExCup playoffs. (GOLF-PGA/BARCLAYS (PIX), moved; will be led, by Larry Fine, 450 words) - - Presidents Cup must eventually mirror Ryder format, says Price LOS ANGELES - A points change for this year's Presidents Cup is "a move in a positive direction" but in the long-term the biennial team competition should mirror the format at the Ryder Cup, says International captain Nick Price. (GOLF-PRESIDENTS/PRICE (INTERVIEW), expect by 5 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 650 words) - - LPGA: Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic, Prattville, Alabama Second round action at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. (GOLF-LPGA/ (PIX), expect end-of-day lead by 8:30 PM ET, 350 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL M's move on from GM SEATTLE - General manager Jack Zduriencik is fired by the Seattle Mariners in the midst of a disappointing 59-69 season for a team many experts pegged as a contender entering the year. (BBO-MARINERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - Matheny won't let injuries derail Cardinals PHOENIX - Next-man-up is a philosophy serving the St. Louis Cardinals well these days. (BBO-CARDINALS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jack Magruder, 422 words) - - Verlander's return to form comforting Tigers DETROIT - Justin Verlander's near no-hitter not only gave the Detroit Tigers a tension-packed thrill ride for a night. It provided real hope for the future. (BBO-TIGERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Dana Gauruder, 394 words) - - Pirates not likely to promote top prospect MIAMI - What you see with the Pittsburgh Pirates is what you will get in September in terms of personnel ... unless right-handers A.J. Burnett and/or Tyler Glasnow join the pitching staff. (BBO-PIRATES-ANALYSIS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by John Perrotto, 399 words) - - MLB Notebook News and notes from around the diamond. (BBO-ROUNDUP/, expect by 7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - Today's MLB schedule at a glance - - American League Detroit at Toronto, 7:07 PM ET (PIX) Kansas City ay Tampa Bay, 7:10 PM ET (PIX) Los Angeles Angels at Cleveland, 7:10 PM ET (PIX) Baltimore at Texas, 8:05 PM ET (PIX) Houston at Minnesota, 8:10 PM ET (PIX) Seattle at Chicago White Sox, 8:10 PM ET - - National League Colorado at Pittsburgh, 7:05 PM ET (PIX) Miami at Washington, 7:05 PM ET (PIX) San Diego at Philadelphia, 7:05 PM ET Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 8:10 PM ET (PIX) Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10:10 PM ET (PIX) St. Louis at San Francisco, 10:15 PM ET (PIX) - - Interleague Boston at New York Mets, 7:07 PM ET (PIX) New York Yankees at Atlanta, 7:35 PM ET (PIX) Oakland at Arizona, 9:40 PM ET (PIX) - - MLB Roundup Running capsule recaps of all the games on the MLB schedule. (MLB-ROUNDUP/, expect first version ASAP after conclusion of the first game of the day, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION NBA roundup News and notes from around the NBA. (BKN-ROUNDUP/, expect by 7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 280 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Al Arbour, former longtime coach of the Isles, dies Former longtime New York Islanders coach Al Arbour, who ranks second in all-time wins as a coach in National Hockey League, dies at the age of 82. (NHL-ISLANDERS/ARBOUR (PIX), moved, by Steve Ginsburg, 354 words) - - NHL roundup The latest news and notes from the NHL. (HKN-ROUNDUP/, expect by 7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - TRACK & FIELD World Championships, Beijing Schippers shifts up a gear to take 200m gold BEIJING - Dutch flier Dafne Schippers completes her transformation from heptathlete to world champion sprinter as she runs the fourth fastest 200 meters of all time to win by a nose at the Bird's Nest. (ATHLETICS-WORLD/ (WRAPUP 1, PIX), moved, by Nick Mulvenney, 814 words) See also: Dutch sensation Schippers edges Thompson to 200 meters gold (ATHLETICS-WORLD/200 (UPDATE 2, PIX) Russian walker out of worlds due to doping investigation (ATHLETICS-WORLD/RUSSIA-DOPING (UPDATE 1) Note: There are additional sidebars on the wire other than those listed below. - - American Bartoletta rolls back years in long jump BEIJING - American champion Tianna Bartoletta becomes the long jump world champion once again, snatching the gold medal with a leap of 23 feet, 4 inches in the final round. (ATHLETICS-WORLD/LONG (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved, 317 words) - - Ailing American Merritt takes the bronze BEIJING - Olympic champion Aries Merritt claim an extraordinary bronze medal days before he undergoes a kidney transplant as Russian Sergey Shubenkov storms to the world 110 meters hurdles title. (ATHLETICS-WORLD/MEN-HURDLES (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved, by Nick Mulvenney, 510 words) - - Back injury knocks American Hardee out of decathlon BEIJING - Two-time former champion Trey Hardee withdraws from the decathlon at the world championships with a back injury, dealing another blow to U.S. hopes of topping the medals table in Beijing. (ATHLETICS-WORLD/HARDEE (PIX), moved, 219 words) - - Williams wins surprise gold as Americans eliminated early BEIJING - Jamaica's Danielle Williams wins the world championship 100 meters hurdles gold, as Americans Dawn Harper-Nelson and Keni Harrison, strong medal hopes, are eliminated in the semifinals. (ATHLETICS-WORLD/HURDLES-WOMEN (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved, 292 words) - - - - OLYMPICS German sailor treated for infections after Rio test event BERLIN - German sailor Erik Heil, who was third at the Rio De Janeiro Olympic test event this month, is being treated for several infections which he says were caused by the polluted waters during the sailing regatta there. (OLYMPICS-RIO/POLLUTION (UPDATE 1), moved, by Karolos Grohmann, 512 words) - - - - SOCCER Platini ducks FIFA talk, praises his work at UEFA MONACO - Michel Platini declines to discuss his bid for the FIFA presidency, preferring instead to deliver a glowing assessment of his own performance in charge of European soccer's governing body UEFA. (SOCCER-PLATINI/ (WRAPUP 1, PIX, TV), moved, 610 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)
