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Page 4B SPORTS East Oregonian Saturday, January 23, 2016 NFL Brady-Manning XVII likely last meeting Lynch may be leaning toward retirement By TIM BOOTH Associated Press SEATTLE — Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch may be “leaning toward retirement,” general manager John Schneider said in a pair of radio interviews Friday. Schneider said in separate interviews with KIRO-AM and KJR-AM that he believes Lynch is leaning toward calling it a FDUHHUDIWHUDQLQMXU\¿OOHG season. 6FKQHLGHU ¿UVW DSSHDUHG RQ .,52 WKH WHDP¶V ÀDJVKLS station, saying the team was going to give Lynch time and leeway to decide what he wants to do, but added he was Lynch “under the impression,” Lynch was leaning toward retirement. Later on KJR, Schneider hedged his comments slightly, but reiterated that he thought Lynch was considering stepping away. “I really, honestly don’t know at this point,” Schneider said. “If you put a gun to my head I would say he is leaning toward retirement. But I think with Marshawn you never really NQRZ+H¶VD¿HUFHFRPSHWLWRU We just have to handle it the right way in terms of showing him as much respect as we possibly can for everything he’s done for this organization.” Lynch was limited to just seven regular-season games in ¿UVWERWKHUHGE\KDPVWULQJ and calf issues and later missing WKH ¿QDO VHYHQ UHJXODUVHDVRQ games with an abdominal injury that required surgery. Lynch returned for the NFC divisional playoff game at Carolina but was mostly a non-factor with the Seahawks falling behind 14-0 in the opening moments of the loss. Lynch was limited to just 111 carries and 417 yards in the UHJXODU VHDVRQ WKH ¿UVW VHDVRQ of his career where injuries KDYH EHHQ D VLJQL¿FDQW IDFWRU He has contemplated retirement in the past and will turn 30 in April. And Seattle appears to have an heir apparent after rookie Thomas Rawls had four \DUG JDPHV ¿OOLQJ LQ IRU Lynch. 7KHUH¶V DOVR WKH ¿QDQFLDO consideration. Lynch would FRVWWKH6HDKDZNVPLOOLRQ against the salary cap for the 2016 season, a massive number for a running back of his age. Schneider indicated that if Lynch wanted to return for another season, there would need to be changes to his contract. “Sure if he were to want to come back and play we would have to adjust some things,” Schneider said. “But at this point it’s so early we’re not in that train of thought yet.” 26-16 win in the conference cham- pionship two years ago. That game was also in the Mile High City, where Brady has walked off the victor in just two of his eight visits. Although the two are never RQ WKH ¿HOG WRJHWKHU VDYH IRU WKH By ARNIE STAPLETON pregame warmups and postgame Associated Press handshakes, each is acutely aware of the other’s presence. They know '(19(5 ² 7KH ¿QDO FKDSWHU they must minimize mistakes and of the greatest quarterback rivalry magnify precious possessions. in NFL history plays out in all “He’s an incredible player and likelihood Sunday with the 17th any time you factor that caliber meeting between Tom Brady and of player ... you’ve got to be at Peyton Manning. our best,” said Brady, who led the New England and Denver play league with three dozen touchdown again next season, but Manning is passes this season despite missing expected to have received his gold many of his top targets for parts watch — and maybe another silver of the schedule. “You can’t play trophy — by then. anything less than your best and In that case, Sunday’s showdown expect to win, because he’s going in the AFC championship between to play well and he’s going to have the Patriots and Broncos would that team playing well. mark both the crest and the culmi- Manning never likes to make it QDWLRQRIDFODVKWKDWGH¿QHVWKHWZR about himself, but he, too, realizes quarterback greats who transformed there’s less room for error when the game and transcended the sport. Brady is waiting along the opposite “This is Jesse James and Wyatt sideline. Earp standing out in the street at high “I’ve always kind of given the noon for the last showdown,” Joe boring answer, ‘Hey, it’s the Colts Theismann said. “You’ve got argu- versus the Patriots and now it’s ably the two greatest players that ever the Broncos versus the Patriots,”’ played the position. Peyton revolu- Manning said. “All I can say about tionized the game and Tom, through Tom Brady is he plays the position his championships, has proven he’s people, and it especially draws the Trophy. This, less than a year after the way it’s supposed to be played. the commissioner suspended him in He’s extremely talented. He’s a very the best that’s ever played the game.” casual people to the game.” This generation of football fans WKHVFDQGDORYHUGHÀDWHGIRRWEDOOV hard worker, very competitive guy Their respectful rivalry — they’re neither best buddies nor may never see anything like it again. a ban that was overturned in federal and he just plays the position the “Every football fan should watch court last summer. mortal enemies — began on a right way. When you do that, there’s With a fourth trip to the Super a reason you play for a long time cloudy afternoon in Foxboro this game because very seldom in Stadium on Sept. 30, 2001, and life do you get to see two compet- Bowl, Manning, two months shy and play well for a long time. grew into something on par with itors as great as they are with this RIDQGDVKDGRZRIKLV¿YHWLPH “There have been a lot of Arnold Palmer vs. Jack Nicklaus or much at stake,” Theismann said. MVP self, would have a chance to different players that have played “It’s what’s at stake that makes this EHFRPHWKH¿UVWVWDUWLQJTXDUWHUEDFN in 16 of those games, but as the Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell. to deliver a Lombardi Trophy to quarterback, it’s always been a “Our sports society is built one more interesting.” At stake: a shot at history and the headquarters of two franchises. great honor and privilege to have around stars, and stars draw people He’d also have a shot at recouping competed against him that many to the game, those are the players sweet revenge. With a seventh trip to the Super every penny of the $4 million pay times over the course of the past 16, they want to watch. You want to watch Ali and Frazier, Bird and Bowl, Brady, still on top of his cut he took last winter and get the 17 years he and I have been in the Magic, Brady and Manning,” said considerable game at age 38, would chance to ride off as a champion league together.” While Brady seemingly has many Tony Dungy, the coach of the Colts JHW D FUDFN DW D ¿IWK 6XSHU %RZO into that orange sunset — like his for Manning’s only Super Bowl ring, something no starting QB boss, John Elway, did nearly two more chances for glory, Manning’s career is clearly at its sunset. win. “We are seeing two just top-tier has ever accomplished. He’d also decades ago. Brady has won 11 of the 16 And on Sunday he gets to face guys and everyone will root for one put himself one win away from the and against the other and pick sides satisfaction of seeing Roger Goodell previous meetings, but they’re 2-2 Brady one more time, the stakes and argue who is the best. It draws hand him another Lombardi in the playoffs, including Denver’s never higher. Aging quarterbacks meet in AFC Championship Panthers struggling with keeping leads, closing out games rallying to win 29-26. The following week against Green Bay a 23-point fourth quarter lead dwindled to eight before Thomas CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Davis sealed the win with a pick in Carolina Panthers problem hasn’t WKHHQG]RQHLQWKH¿QDOWZRPLQXWHV been building big leads this season, And in December Carolina let an it has been keeping them. entire 28-point lead slip away before Four times the Panthers have led Cam Newton led a late drive to set by 17 points or more in the second XS WKH ZLQQLQJ ¿HOG JRDO DV WLPH half, only to watch an opponent expired. storm back. All four games the Rivera said the common denomi- Panthers have escaped with wins, but nator in those four games was facing far too often it has been too close for a top-tier quarterback, referring to comfort. Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Coach Ron Rivera said he’s Luck and Eli Manning. “concerned” about his team’s strug- “When you get a big lead like gles closing out games, but refused that, one of the things is you have to to dwell on it as the Panthers stepped learn to not relax,” Rivera said. “You up preparations for Sunday’s NFC have to learn to continue to attack.” championship game against the The Cardinals have done a much Arizona Cardinals. better job of putting teams away “I’ll be honest, I get it, I under- after building big leads. But they stand,” Rivera said after the Panthers did surrender a 19-point advantage nearly squandered a 31-point half- against Seattle this year before time lead last weekend but held on coming back to win 39-32. to beat the Seattle Seahawks 31-24 in “As coaches, you tend to guard the divisional playoffs. against the bad things that can happen “But, shoot, we won those and you don’t want that to happen, football games and look at who we so you’ve just got to keep your foot played against. If this was someone on the gas,” Cardinals coach Bruce that was 2-14 that did this to us, Arians said. then I’d be really concerned. But That isn’t always easy to do. it wasn’t. Am I concerned? Yeah. ³,W¶VD¿QHOLQHLQNHHSLQJLWZLGH But are these things correctable and open and also trying to call plays that ¿[DEOH" 0RVW FHUWDLQO\ /HW¶V VWD\ focused on what we did — we won 3DQWKHUV KDYH ÀLUWHG ZLWK DQ HSLF fourth quarter lead in Week 8 to the are really good that also will keep the collapse. Indianapolis Colts, falling behind clock moving,” Panthers offensive the football game.” Carolina surrendered a 17-point E\ D ¿HOG JRDO LQ RYHUWLPH EHIRUH coordinator Mike Shula said. 6XQGD\ ZDVQ¶W WKH ¿UVW WLPH WKH By STEVE REED Associated Press Australian Open )HGHUHUEHFRPHV¿UVWPDQWRZLQVLQJOHVPDWFKHVDW*UDQG6ODP Dimitrov. He compared the latest milestone to his 1,000th win MELBOURNE, Australia in tour-level matches, which — The countless records and he sealed 12 months ago in accolades accumulated over Brisbane. “It was a big deal a long and illustrious career for me.” Federer is now 67 wins don’t in any way diminish Roger Federer’s satisfaction ahead of No. 2 and long-re- when he sets yet another tired Jimmy Connors in terms of Grand Slam singles benchmark. Federer became the wins, so the mark is safe for ¿UVW PDQ WR ZLQ *UDQG a while. “It’s not something I Slam singles matches when he beat Grigor Dimitrov, ever aimed for but when it a player formerly dubbed happens, it’s very special,” he “baby Fed” for the likeness said. “You look deeper into of their styles, in the third it, where it’s all happened round of the Australian Open and how. So it’s very nice.” Federer’s next aim is to on Friday. The 34-year-old Federer break a Grand Slam title already tops many “most of” drought that dates back lists in men’s tennis — from to Wimbledon 2012. He the number of major titles UHDFKHG WZR PDMRU ¿QDOV LQ won (17) to the number of ORVLQJ WKHP ERWK WR consecutive Grand Slam Novak Djokovic, who has WRXUQDPHQWV FRQWHVWHG replaced him as the most Yet he still gets a thrill from dominant man in the draw. He could meet Djokovic in the numbers. “It’s very exciting, I must WKHVHPL¿QDOV Djokovic took care of the tell you,” Federer told the crowd following his 6-4, man who ended Federer’s 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over run in the third round here By JOHN PYE Associated Press “I played a quality player who took out Federer last year here and who has been on the tour for many years,” Djokovic said. “It was a great test. It was a physical match. I’m just glad I got through.” After extending a streak of making the fourth round or better at every major since a third-round exit at the 2009 French Open, Djokovic will play No. 14 Gilles Simon in the Round of 16. Federer will SOD\'DYLG*RI¿Q Williams raced to a 6-1, ZLQ LQ PLQXWHV RYHU AP Photo/Aaron Favila 18-year-old Russian Daria Roger Federer of Switzerland makes backhand return Kasatkina on Rod Laver to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during their third round Arena to set up a fourth- match at the Australian Open tennis championships in round match with Margarita Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. Gasparyan, whom she beat last year, the Swiss star’s 7KH ¿YH early at Wimbledon last year. If the fourth-round results worst run at the Australian time Australian Open cham- pion was playing at the same go on rankings, she’ll meet Open since 2001. The No. 1-ranked time as Serena Williams, a 1R 0DULD 6KDUDSRYD LQ D 'MRNRYLF QHHGHG RQO\ six-time Australian Open TXDUWHU¿QDO PDWFK WKDW ZLOO PLQXWHV WR ZLQ WKH ¿UVW ZLQQHUVRKHVKXIÀHGRYHUWR feature both of last year’s ¿QDOLVWV :KLOH :LOOLDPV¶ set against No. 28-seeded Margaret Court Arena. He noted how he liked form has been good, it hasn’t Andreas Seppi but had a tougher time in the next two, the renovation — the No. 2 drawn quite the same atten- saving two set points in the stadium has had a roof installed tion as her bright yellow crop top and pleated mini-skirt. tiebreaker before winning since his last outing there. “I just wanted to push the envelope again, just bring pop culture to tennis, kind of make it really fun,” she said. “It’s GH¿QLWHO\QRWEXLOWIRUZDUPWK but it’s built for speed.” Sharapova had a mile- stone victory when she beat /DXUHQ 'DYLV 6-0 to record her 600th win at tour level, becoming the 17th and only fourth active women’s player to reach the mark. “I think it’s a proud number,” the 2008 champion and four-time Australian 2SHQ ¿QDOLVW VDLG 6KH QH[W plays No. 12 Belinda Bencic. No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska advanced to a fourth-rounder against Anna- Lena Friedsam, who beat Roberta Vinci — the Italian player who ended Williams’ bid for a calendar-year Grand 6ODPLQ Also progressing were No. 10 Carla Suarez Navarro and Russian-born Australian Daria Gavrilova, who held off No. 28 Kristina Mlade- novic 6-4, 4-6, 11-9.
