Purdue interim coach Gerad Parker sees a different bounce in his players steps.The staff has picked up the pace at practice, gotten creative and urged players to enjoy the rest of this season. On Saturday, against Northwestern, everyone will find out if it makes a difference for a team that has lost three straight since a rare midseason coaching change.Theyve been through some tough stuff, and we have as coaches, too, especially the guys that have been here throughout, Parker said, referring to the past several years. So what is the sense in feeling sorry for ourselves and not having fun with this staff and these players for the last three weeks?Since the firing of Darrell Hazell last month, Purdue has shown some spark by building halftime leads three times only to blow those leads in the second half. The Boilermakers (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) are one loss away from knowing they will finish another season without a bowl bid.Northwestern (4-5, 3-3) , meanwhile, is trying to play itself into postseason position after losing two in a row. But coach Pat Fitzgerald isnt writing off the Boilermakers.Very impressed with how theyre playing since the change, which could have turned the team into a negative, Fitzgerald said. I think although their record isnt positive I think theyre playing very hard, winning all three games at halftime, playing with a lot of passion and emotion.But can an attitude adjustment help turn things around in West Lafayette?Parker, who is still seeking his first win, believes it will.Weve still got three games left, plenty to play for, going down the stretch and finish with something to be proud of, Parker said. There are a lot of teams fighting to be bowl eligible and have something to finish on.Here are some other things to watch Saturday:CARRS CATCHESNorthwestern receiver Austin Carr has wreaked havoc on opposing secondaries all season. Hes already become the schools first 1,000-yard receiver in five years. And after shredding Wisconsins defense for 12 catches and 132 yards last week, the Big Ten leader in receptions (70), yards receiving (1,010) and TD catches (10) has a better matchup.DEFENSIVE DILEMMAPurdues defense hasnt just been bad the past two weeks. Its been battered. The Boilermakers gave up a Ross-Ade Stadium record 62 points to Penn State two weeks ago and 43 more points at Minnesota last week. Those two games have put Purdue in the Big Tens basement of scoring defenses (37.8 points).HISTORIC RUNRB Justin Jackson is chasing history this weekend as he tries to become the first Northwestern player to rush for 1,000 yards three times. Jackson needs 90 yards to achieve the feat, and it certainly looks doable against a defense allowing 248.3 yards per game. Jackson has rushed for 147 yards and 116 yards in his first two games against Purdue.OH-FOR-THREEThe Boilermakers have lost the last three by a combined total of 63 points. Even worse, all three losses were by double digits. But this might be Parkers best chance so far. Purdues previous opponents -- Nebraska, Penn State and Minnesota -- have a combined record for 21-6. Northwestern is the first team with a sub-.500 record Parker will face.LOOK OUTPurdue faces a daunting challenge against Northwestern DE Ifeadi Odenigbo. He leads the Big Ten with eight sacks and earlier this season became the first Northwestern payer to record multiple sacks in consecutive games. If Purdue really wants to check out Odenigbo, it can plug in the tape from the Iowa game. Odenigbo set a single-game school record with four sacks that day.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org . Discount Air Max Australia Online . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. Clearance Air Max Australia Store . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. http://www.airmaxaustraliacheap.com/ . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. Authentic Air Max Australia Shoes . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. Nike Air Max Australia Outlet . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. OLYMPICSDOHA, Qatar -- Los Angeles sought to allay concerns over Donald Trumps election, Paris played up its glamorous venues and Budapest set itself apart as a mid-sized alternative as the three cities made their first public pitches in the race to host the 2024 Olympics.With 10 months before the vote, the three candidates had a chance to deliver their message in 20-minute presentations to the general assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees, a gathering of more than 1,000 delegates from around the world.The meeting occurred exactly after a week after Trumps victory over Hillary Clinton in the American presidential election, a result that could have an impact on Los Angeles hopes of bringing the Summer Olympics back to the U.S. for the first time since Atlanta hosted in 1996.Trumps comments during the divisive campaign about Muslims and Mexicans and some of his foreign policy views may not help the California citys chances with some of the IOCs 98 members, who represent a range of nationalities, cultures and religions.PRO FOOTBALLFRISCO, Texas -- Tony Romo said Dak Prescott has earned the right to take his job as starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.In a five-minute prepared statement, a solemn Romo described the difficulty of dealing with the news of the latest back injury to sideline him, and the 36-year-old reflected on his early days as an unheralded free agent trying to earn a job.Romo quickly left the brief news conference after saying he wouldnt take questions following his statement.With Prescott leading the way, the Cowboys (8-1) have the best record in the NFL after tying a franchise season record with eight straight wins. Romo broke a bone in his back in a preseason game.Romo is expected to be Prescotts backup Sunday at home against Baltimore (5-4). It would be the first time Romo is active for a game since Thanksgiving last year.SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Colin Kaepernick is standing behind his decision not to vote in the presidential election or even register to take part in the democratic process, saying he can effect change in other ways besides through a ballot.The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has knelt through the national anthem all season to protest police brutality and the treatment of minorities, drawing criticism and acclaim alike. He took more heat for not voting last week.I thought a lot of different things about the process and what I could and couldnt do, he said. Once again, the system of oppression is what I have an issue with. ... I dont agree with the system of oppression and thats something that I will continue to not agree with.COLLEGE FOOTBALLOhio State moved into second in the College Football Playoff rankings behind Alabama, with Michigan and Clemson still in the top four after losing for the first time this season.Louisville was fifth and Washington dropped from fourth to sixth after its first loss.The margin of separation between teams two and six was very small, selection committee chairman Kirby Hocutt, who is also the athletic director at Texas Tech, said.Clemson, Michigan and Washington -- the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 teams in last wweeks rankings -- all lost to unranked teams on Saturday.ddddddddddddThe Wolverines, who have three victories against teams in the selection committees top 10, did not move after losing to Iowa. The Tigers ended up dropping two spots to No. 4 after losing to Pittsburgh.Wisconsin was seventh and Penn State eighth, giving the Big Ten four teams in the top 10. Oklahoma was the highest rated Big 12 team at nine and Colorado was 10thBASEBALLNEW YORK -- Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers has won the National League Manager of the Year award and Terry Francona of the Cleveland Indians has earned the AL honor.Roberts won in his first year as a manager. A former backup outfielder, his highlight as a player was a key stolen base in the 2004 playoffs for a Boston team guided by Francona.Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America voted at the end of the regular season.Roberts beat out Joe Maddon, who led the Chicago Cubs to the World Series championship, and Washingtons Dusty Baker.Roberts led Los Angeles to the NL West title despite the Dodgers putting 28 different players on the disabled list, more than any team in the last 30 years.Francona guided a club beset by injuries and drug suspensions to a surprising first-place finish. The Indians had a 3-1 lead in the World Series before the Cubs rallied.Texas Jeff Banister was second and Baltimores Buck Showalter was third.COLLEGE BASKETBALLSOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The NCAA says 77 percent of black mens Division I basketball players who entered college in 2009 earned a degree within six years, up five points from a year earlier and a record high.The NCAA said improvement helped the Graduation Success Rates of all student-athletes match last years record high of 86 percent graduating within six years. Of all black Division I athletes, 74 percent graduated within six years. NCAA President Mark Emmert called the improved rates hugely significant.The statistics show graduation rate for black basketball players is up 31 percentage points over the past 15 years.B. David Ridpath, an associate professor and sports business and president of The Drake Group, an NCAA watchdog, said the GSR provides only a partial picture.PRO BASKETBALLINDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James said he lost respect for Phil Jackson after the famed NBA coach used the word posse to describe the Cleveland stars business partners.James responded harshly to Jacksons use of the term in a recent interview. James says such comments underscore the difficulties young African-Americans have in gaining respect, especially in the business world.The Cavaliers superstar says he had no previous relationship with Jackson, the current New York Knicks president who won 11 titles with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. James adds that he respected what Jackson did with those teams, but Ive got nothing for him.The three-time champion was criticized for surrounding himself with friends as business associates, but the group has built a highly successful enterprise. Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jersyes Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '