Kritik und Lob » Defensive end Carl Granderson had a sack and a

CHICAGO -- The game ended less than an hour ago and Ive already made my way back through the smiling, singing crowds around Wrigley Field. From my hotel room on the 18th floor, I can hear the dull thump of celebratory music from somewhere down below, and as soon as I finish writing this column, Im headed back out into the madness. Chicago feels like a South American capital after a big World Cup win. Right now, I can hear a driver laying on his horn.Its a great night to be alive, whether youre a player on a baseball team going back to Cleveland, or a person who believes deeply in what that teams success might mean to them and their family. Of course, it felt that way even before the sun went down and the stadium filled up, the potential end of a magical season layering the party atmosphere in the streets with a sense of dread and stress. The drum machine patter and synth riffs of In the Air Tonight floated out into Waveland Avenue as I passed through the gates into the Wrigley Field bleachers.Writing this, I just put that song on repeat, and a few images returned immediately. The man singing Frank Sinatra as he checked IDs and handed out the over-21 pink wristbands. My kind of town, Chicago. The smiles of people clutching World Series tickets, which evoke long buried nostalgia in a way that a Super Bowl ticket never does. The neon green of the sweet relish on the hot dog -- the green of a muscle car paint job -- and the strip of yellow mustard, and how the father and son sitting to my left both ate theirs that way. Ketchup is for communists and Cardinals fans. The strange and beautiful halogen glow hanging over the field, from the six banks of floodlights perched atop the grandstands. Years from now, long after I forget the score, or who played well and who played poorly, I will remember how the lights looked. And years from now, after the laughter and sense of community forged during three and a half long hours in the bleachers have faded away, I will remember the tension of the last three outs.Mark and Dustin Columbatto sat next to me, freaking out. Mark is 60 and wore a Billy Williams jersey. Dustin is 28 and wore a Alfonso Soriano jersey. They hugged when Chapman headed back out to the mound for the ninth.One more inning, Mark said. Its what we came here for.The bleachers had been loose and fun the whole night, cracking on the opposing pitchers, people being careful not to crowd their neighbors. But during the commercial break before the ninth inning began, that easy vibe evaporated. The stadium speakers played Eminems Lose Yourself and many of the people around me sang along, making the hair stand up on each others arms. It was 3-2, with one half inning to go. The bleachers rapping got louder -- This opportunity comes once in a lifetime -- and the air didnt feel as cold anymore.The man behind me kept score carefully, and the man in front of me checked his Twitter. They felt like nervous tics. The guy whod been cracking jokes all night didnt have any more jokes. People got quiet, with lots of crossed arms.I have hope, Mark said, even if they lose. Theyll be back.Chapman got two outs on nine pitches, a ground ball and a fly ball to right field.Dustin held up his index finger.One more, he said.Mark and Dustin held onto each other, hoping, waiting. Trying to describe how the ballpark felt in those long minutes seems a little goofy now, because everything I type feels overcooked on the page and yet somehow still doesnt properly convey just how f----- nervous everyone got. People packed in close together, someone saying a Hail Mary, another just growling. Mark texted his wife. Dustin looked out at the field with hope. On this night, his faith was rewarded with one final out, a dramatic swinging strikeout that shook the stadium.The first chord of Go Cubs Go rang out, and people smiled and floated down the ramps into the street. Wrigley Field emptied for the final time this year, with the ivy on the walls just a few days from changing, and soon the stadium will slip into hibernation, waiting until spring to either welcome home the world champions, so many ghosts finally at rest, or to start the long grinding wait for another night like tonight. Maybe it will come soon, next October, or maybe Dustin will be an old man the next time he sits in the bleachers for a World Series game, explaining to his son how, a long time ago, he and his father believed. Keith Yandle Panthers Jersey . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. Evgenii Dadonov Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline.com/mark-pysyk-hockey-jersey/ . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. Frank Vatrano Jersey . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. Mike Hoffman Panthers Jersey . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming running back Brian Hill says he and the offensive line feed off of each others hard work during a game.If I can give them what they need, they can give what I need, Hill said after rushing for 207 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-22 win over UC Davis on Saturday.It is the sixth time Hill has rushed for more than 200 yards in a game during his three-year college career. He is now ranked third on Wyomings all-time rushing list.Hill carried the ball 25 times for an average of 8.3 yards per carry as the Cowboys (2-1) gashed the Aggies defense for 274 rushing yards.Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes as Wyoming dominated its FCS opponent on both sides of the ball.I thought the keys to the game were our ability to control and maintain the line of scrimmage and it got a running game going, Wyoming coach Craig Bohl said.Allen completed 11 of 15 passes for 198 yards. He had TD passes of 16, 39 and 37 yards to three different receivers.UC Davis (1-2) was led by Ben Scott, who completed 18 of 31 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an injury to his left leg. He also had one interception.THE TAKEAWAYAfter throwing five interceptions and fumbling once the previous week at Nebraska, Allen needed to bounce back for his own sake and for the team. On Wyomings first possession against UC Davis, Allen connected for 17 yards to Jacob Hollister and on a 16-yard TD to Tanner Gentry. Allen lost a fumble in the second quarter that safety Keleen Culberson returned 21 yards for a score.Allen said he was upset by the fumble that led to a score by the Aggies.As an offense we were able to get past that, he said.He ended the day with no interceptions and no more fumbles while tossing three TD passes.ddddddddddddUC Davis entered the game averaging 504.5 yards of total offense thanks to running back Manusamoa Luuga, who averaged 120.5 yards a game, and Scott, who was averaging 342 yards passing a contest. However, against the Cowboys defense, the yards didnt come so easily as the Aggies managed just 74 yards on the ground and Scott was held to 178 yards total passing.Offensively, we couldnt get the run game going, Aggies coach Ron Gould said. I knew going in they had a really, really good defense. They got us on our heels a little bit.NOTABLESWyoming junior cornerback Rico Gafford had his first interception as a Cowboy and returned it 32 yards to set up Wyomings second touchdown of the game. Defensive end Carl Granderson had a sack and a forced fumble and has now recorded a sack in each of the three games this season. He is the first defensive lineman at Wyoming to record a sack in his first three games since 1986.UP NEXTWyoming: The Cowboys spend the next two weekends on the road, beginning with a non-conference visit to Eastern Michigan. It will be Wyomings second game this season against a member of the Mid-American Conference. In the first game this season, the Cowboys beat Northern Illinois 40-34 in triple overtime.UC Davis: The Aggies open Big Sky Conference play at home next Saturday when they host Weber State. The Aggies and Wildcats are 2-2 in their all-time series with Weber State winning 23-3 last season.---AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '