The Lineup: Saturday & Sunday, September 21-22
ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP/Getty Images
I don't swim in your toilet, don't Puig in my pool. Send any suggestions to SI.TheLineup@gmail.com. (Bold indicates a national broadcast. All times Eastern.)
Pregame Reads
- Jenny Vrentas goes behind the scenes of an NFL player's ACL surgery for MMQB.
- The MLS is trying to eliminate vulgar crowd chants. Andrew Keh of the New York Times explains.
- Rick Reilly, who once argued against teams who have Native American mascots, now argues on their behalf. So.
Starter
Basketball FIBA Eurobasket Final: France vs. Lithuania, 2:50p.m. Sunday (ESPN3)
Friday's semifinal between France and Spain was easily the most entertaining basketball game since the NBA season ended. The Spurs' GM has been calling for Tony Parker to save his energies. Parker responded by playing 37 minutes and dropping 32 points as Le Bleu came back from a 14 point deficit to conquer their nemesis in OT. If you don't think international basketball matters, check out how excited a three-time NBA champ got after winning.
Reserves
NFL (Coverage Map)
Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1:00p.m. (CBS)
San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:00p.m. (CBS)
Cleveland Browns vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1:00p.m. (CBS)
New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers, 1:00p.m. (Fox)
Detroit Lions vs. Washington Redskins, 1:00p.m. (Fox)
Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints, 1:00p.m. (Fox)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New England Patriots, 1:00p.m. (Fox)
Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00p.m. (Fox)
St. Louis Rams vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1:00p.m. (Fox)
Atlanta Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins, 4:05p.m. (Fox)
Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets, 4:25p.m. (CBS)
Indianapolis Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:25p.m. (CBS)
The whole NFL world said "WHHHAAATTTT?" when the Browns sent Trent Richardson to Indy this week. Trent gets an unfortunate welcome gift in the form of San Francisco's dominant D-Line, though he may be lucky enough to avoid facing Aldon Smith
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:25p.m. (CBS)
Chicago Bears vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:30p.m. (NBC)
College Football (Blue Indicates Top 25)
Florida A&M vs. #4 Ohio State, 12:00p.m. (BTN)
Florida International vs. #7 Louisville, 12:00p.m. (ESPN3)
North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech, 12:00p.m. (ESPN)
Vanderbilt vs. Massachusetts, 12:00p.m. (ESPN News)
San Jose State vs. Minnesota, 12:00p.m. (ESPN2)
Marshal vs. Virginia Tech, 12:00p.m. (ESPNU)
Wake Forest vs. Army, 12:00p.m. (CBS Sports)
Toledo vs. Central Michigan, 12:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Western Michigan vs. Iowa, 12:00p.m. (BTN)
Louisiana Tech vs. Kansas, 12:00p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
North Texas vs. #9 Georgia, 12:21p.m. (ESPN3)
Pittsburgh vs. Duke, 12:30p.m. (ESPN3)
Tulane vs. Syracuse, 12:30p.m. (ESPN3)
Ball State vs. Eastern Michigan, 1:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Austin Peay vs. Ohio, 2:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Jacksonville State vs. Georgia State, 2:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Idaho State vs. #17 Washington, 3:00p.m. (Pac 12 Network)
Maine vs. #18 Northwestern, 3:30p.m. (BTN)
Tennessee vs. #19 Florida, 3:30p.m. (CBS)
Michigan State vs. #22 Notre Dame, 3:30p.m. (NBC)
Purdue vs. #24 Notre Dame, 3:30p.m. (ABC or ESPN2)
Utah State vs. USC, 3:30p.m. (ABC or ESPN2)
West Virginia vs. Maryland, 3:30p.m. (ESPNU)
South Dakota State vs. Nebraska, 3:30p.m. (BTN)
Arkansas vs. Rutgers, 3:30p.m. (ESPN)
Murray State vs. Bowling Green, 3:30p.m. (ESPN3)
Kent State vs. Penn State, 3:30p.m. (BTN)
Louisiana-Monroe vs. #20 Baylor, 4:00p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
Cincinnati vs. Miami (OH), 4:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Arkansas State vs. Memphis, 4:30p.m. ESPN3)
Bethune-Cookman vs. #8 Florida State, 6:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Akron, 6:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Lehigh vs. Princeton, 6:00p.m. (NBC Sports)
Colorado State vs. #1 Alabama, 7:00p.m. (ESPN2)
#23 Arizona State vs. #5 Stanford, 7:00p.m. (Fox)
Southern Methodist vs. #10 Texas Tech, 7:00p.m. (ESPNU)
Savannah State vs. #16 Miami (FL), 7:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Morgan State vs. Western Kentucky, 7:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Eastern Illinois vs. Northern Illinois, 7:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Oregon State vs. San Diego State, 7:30p.m. (CBS Sports)
Troy vs. Mississippi State, 7:30p.m. (ESPN3)
Auburn vs. #6 LSU, 7:45p.m. (ESPN)
#15 Michigan vs. Connecticut, 8:00p.m. (ABC & ESPN3)
Missouri vs. Indiana, 8:00p.m. (BTN)
Kansas State vs. Texas, 8:00p.m. (ABC & ESPN3)
Utah vs. BYU, 10:15p.m. (ESPN2)
Wyoming vs. Air Force, 10:15p.m. (ESPNU)
New Mexico State vs. #13 UCLA (Pac 12 Network)
Cowardly Copout of the Week
Virginia Military Institute vs. Virginia, 3:30p.m. (ESPN3)
Every week we pick the most pathetic non-conference matchup between a power conference school and a sad little cupcake. This week the Cavaliers brave the mighty Keydets of the Virginia Military Institute, a school of just 1569 students. VMI's most noteworthy element is its mascot, Moe the kangaroo.
High School Football
Providence Catholic (IL) vs. Loyola Academy (IL), 2:30p.m. Saturday (ESPN3)
Canadian Football
Saturday
Montreal Alouettes vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 4:00p.m (ESPN3)
Toronto Argonauts vs. Calgary Stampeders, 7:30p.m. (ESPN3)
Saturday
British Columbia Lions vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders, 4:30p.m. (ESPN3)
MLB (Saturday time first, then Sunday)
Orioles vs. Rays, 1:05p.m., 1:40p.m.
Giants vs. Yankees, 1:05p.m., 1:05p.m. (TBS)
Braves vs. Cubs, 4:05p.m., 2:20p.m.
Astros vs. Indians, 6:05p.m., 1:05p.m.
Reds vs. Pirates, 7:05p.m., 1:35p.m.
Marlins vs. Nationals, 7:05p.m., 1:35p.m.
Mets vs. Phillies, 7:05p.m., 1:35p.m.
White Sox vs. Tigers, 7:08p.m., 1:08p.m.
Cardinals vs. Brewers, 7:10p.m., 8:05p.m. (ESPN)
Rangers vs. Royals, 7:10p.m., 2:10p.m.
Blue Jays vs. Red Sox, 7:10p.m., 1:35p.m.
Diamondbacks vs. Rockies, 8:10p.m., 4:10p.m.
Dodgers vs. Padres, 8:40p.m., 4:10p.m.
Mariners vs. Angels, 9:05p.m., 3:35p.m.
Twins vs. Athletics, N/A, 4:05p.m.
MLS
Saturday
Vancouver vs. Montreal, 2:00p.m.
Sporting KC vs. Toronto FC, 4:00p.m.
Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30p.m.
DC United vs. New England Revolution, 7:30p.m.
Chivas USA vs. Houston Dynamo, 8:30p.m.
San Jose vs. Real Salt Lake, 9:00p.m.
Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy, 10:30p.m. (NBC Sports)
Sunday
Heredia vs. Montreal Impact, 8:00p.m.
English Premiere League
Saturday
Norwich City vs. Aston Villa, 7:45a.m. (NBC Sports & Live Extra)
Newcastle United vs. Hull City, 10:00a.m. (Live Extra)
West Ham United vs. Everton, 10:00a.m. (Live Extra)
West Bromwich Albion vs. Sunderland, 10:00a.m. (Live Extra)
Liverpool vs. Southampton, 10:00a.m. (NBC Sports & Live Extra)
Chelsea vs. Fulham, 12:30p.m. (Live Extra)
Sunday
Arsenal vs. Stoke City, 8:30a.m. (CNBC & Live Extra)
Crystal Palace vs. Swansea, 8:30a.m. (Live Extra)
Cardiff City vs. Tottenham, 11:00a.m. (Live Extra)
Manchester City vs. Manchester United, 11:00a.m. (NBC Sports & Live Extra)
Noted United fan and world's fastest man Usain Bolt paid a visit to City practice ostensibly to help striker Sergio Aguero with his speed. But Bolt played double agent, trying to tire out the team's biggest threat. The most important part of this story is that it introduced the word nobble into my vocabulary.
Soccer
Saturday
NCAA Men's: Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh, 7:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Sunday
Brazil League: Fluminense vs. Coritiba, 4:00p.m. (ESPN3)
Women's Friendly: China vs. Mexico, 7:25a.m. (ESPN3)
Women's Friendly: Brazil vs. New Zealand, 10:25a.m. (ESPN3)
NCAA Women's: Virginia vs. Pittsburgh, 1:00p.m. (ESPN3)
NCAA Women's: North Carolina State vs. Florida State, 1:00p.m. (ESPN3)
NCAA Women's: Stanford vs. Santa Clara, 10:00p.m. (ESPNU)
FIFA Beach World Cup
Saturday
United Arab Emirates vs. Spain, 9:48p.m. (ESPN3)
Solomon Islands vs. Argentina, 11:18p.m. (ESPN3)
Sunday
United States vs. Tahiti, 12:48a.m. (ESPN3)
El Salvador vs. Netherlands, 2:18a.m. (ESPN3)
Japan vs. Ivory Coast, 9:48p.m. (ESPN3)
Iran vs. Ukraine, 11:18p.m. (ESPN3)
WNBA
Saturday
Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics, 7:00p.m. (NBA TV)
Los Angeles Sparks vs. Phoenix Mercury, 10:00p.m. (NBA TV)
Newly-crowned MVP Candace Parker leads her team up against the Mercury and Diana Taurasi, who can get the last laugh by eliminating the Sparks with a win today.
Sunday
Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever, 3:00p.m. (ESPN2)
Minnesota Lynx vs. Seattle Storm, 5:00p.m. (ESPN2)
Golf
Tour Championship, 10:00a.m. Saturday & 12:00p.m. Sunday (Golf)
Champions Tour: Pacific Links Hawaii Championship, 6:30p.m. Saturday & 7:00p.m. Sunday (Golf)
Racing
Saturday
Sailing: America's Cup, 3:30p.m (NBC Sports)
AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals Qualifying, 11:30a.m. (ESPN News)
American Le Mans Circuit of The Americas, 4:30p.m. (ESPN3)
NASCAR Nationwide Series at Kentucky, 7:30p.m. (ESPN News)
Sunday
F1: Singapore Grand Prix, 10:55a.m. (NBC Sports)
NASCAR Pro Series East, 12:00p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
Lucas Oil ate Model Dirt Series, 2:00p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire, 2:00p.m. (ESPN)
Global Rallycross Championship, 4:00p..m. (ABC)
AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals, 8:00p.m. (ESPN2)
MMA
UFC 165 Prelims, 8:00p.m. Saturday (Fox Sports 1)
UFC 165, 10:00p.m. (Pay Per View)
UFC Ultimate Knockouts, 8:00p.m. Sunday (Fox Sports 1)
College Sports
Women's Volleyball: Kentucky vs. Lipscomb, 3:00p.m. Saturday (ESPN3)
Women's Volleyball: Notre Dame vs. Kansas, 2:00p.m. Sunday (ESPN3)
Field Hockey: Princeton vs. Syracuse, 3:00p.m. Sunday (ESPN3)
Deep Bench
Adam Richman's Fandemoniuom, 9:30p.m. (Travel)
Mr. Man vs. Food is no longer eating absurd quantities of food (and looks much better for it). Now he's traveling the country looking for the best group of fans out there. This week Adam down beers with the Milwaukee Brewers faithful and joins a roller derby team for the New Orleans running of the bulls.
Birthdays
Saturday
Greg Jennings, Minnesota Vikings WR, 30
Sunday
Sabine Lisicki, Pro Tennis Player, 24
Thiago Silva, Brazilian Soccer Player, 29
Maarten Steklenburg, Dutch Goalkeeper, 31
Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox Shortstop, 32
Harry Kewell, Australian Soccer Midfielder, 35
David Stern, NBA Commissioner, 71