TEXAS LEAGUE PLAYOFFS: TRAVELERS 4, NATURALS 1 : Travelers rally in 8th

BY TODD TRAUB

Arkansas Travelers first baseman Mark Trumbo has pounded the baseball this year. - Friday, September 5, 2008

NFL : Giants’ defense delivers

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants won the Super Bowl with defense and they kicked off defense, of that title with more of the same. - Friday, September 5, 2008

ARKANSAS VS. LA.-MONROE : Run defense causes concern for coaches

BY TOM MURPHY

FAYETTEVILLE — Willy Robinson would rather coach on the field than in the press box, but Arkansas’ defensive coordinator was happy to be behind the glass Saturday when the Razorbacks’ run defense was springing leaks. - Friday, September 5, 2008

No. 1 Rebels top Rockets

Senior tailback Daniel McGee carried 23 times for 140 yards to lead top-ranked Fort Smith Southside to a 22-14 victory over No. 10 Little Rock Catholic in a Class 7A nonconference game Thursday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. - Friday, September 5, 2008

U.S. OPEN : Angry Djokovic eliminates Roddick

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic heard what Andy Roddick said about him and didn’t like it one bit. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Bucknam ready for first meet with Razorbacks

BY BOB HOLT

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas is opening a cross country season without John McDonnell as its head coach for the first time in 35 years. - Friday, September 5, 2008

TOP 25 : Vanderbilt opens SEC with upset

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Chris Nickson threw for a touchdown and ran for another and Vanderbilt finally beat a ranked opponent on its own field Thursday night, upsetting No. 24 South Carolina 24-17 in the SEC opener for both teams. - Friday, September 5, 2008

LIKE IT IS : Rain won’t dampen spirit of tailgating crowd

WALLY HALL

Yes, there has been a lot of rain this week, but unless you see a bearded guy building an ark and animals lining up in pairs, War Memorial Golf Course will be open for tailgating Saturday. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Second thoughts

Compiled by Mike Marino

Driver gets college team all revved up When NASCAR’s Kurt Busch is done driving race cars, maybe he should consider motivational speaking as his next career. - Friday, September 5, 2008

COMMENTARY : A few minor changes might enhance NFL

BY ALAN SCHMADTKE THE ORLANDO (FLA.) SENTINEL

You might not call the NFL “America’s pastime,” but it’s certainly our sports king. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Rain washes out first round at Bellerive

DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE PRESS SERVICES

ST. LOUIS — When the fans came out to watch Tiger Woods, there was no tournament. Arnold Palmer once played in a tournament, but fans couldn’t get to the golf course. - Friday, September 5, 2008

UA women expect big test in Bahamas

BY ROB KEYS

FAYETTEVILLE — Coach Tom Collen said a trip to the Bahamas highlights Arkansas’ women’s basketball schedule, which was released Thursday, but his excitement doesn’t center on the sand or surf. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Brothers split, but family sticks together

BY RICK FIRES

ROGERS — Rogers becomes a divided football town tonight. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Har-Ber , Greenwood sport new looks this season

BY RICH POLIKOFF

Splitting snaps between two quarterbacks isn’t always an ideal situation, but Greenwood Coach Rick Jones isn’t worried about his team’s situation under center heading into tonight’s season opener. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Springdale’s defense facing big challenge

BY RICK FIRES

SPRINGDALE — Springdale opened last season by scoring 33 points on one of the best high school teams in Missouri. - Friday, September 5, 2008

It’s Tamba’s time in Kansas City

THE KANSAS CITY STAR

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Everyone keeps telling him to wait his turn and the sacks will come, but Tamba Hali can’t. Not any longer. - Friday, September 5, 2008

CLASS 4A : QB Ramsey sparks Gentry past Colcord

BY TIM RITTER BENTON COUNTY DAILY RECORD

GENTRY — Gentry Coach Brian Little was all smiles Thursday following the Pioneers’ 21-14 victory over Colcord, Okla. - Friday, September 5, 2008

CLASS 7A : Southside rallies to beat Catholic

BY ROBERT YATES

This time, Fort Smith Southside won the close one. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Razorbacks report: Week ends better than it started

By Tom Murphy and Bob Holt

Week ends better than it started FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino gave a tentative thumbsup Thursday to his team’s turnaround since a sluggish Tuesday practice. - Friday, September 5, 2008

SECond Takes

Compiled by Shon McPeace

Rankings, results tell the story A sampling of what writers around the nation and are saying about SEC football: It’s no coincidence that teams from the SEC have won the past two national championships, even if you believe Florida and LSU both were lucky to draw Ohio State in the title game. The SEC is so much better than its college football brethren at the moment that whoever wins the conference this season should be handed the Bowl Championship Series championship and then shifted to the NFC North. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Botkin fondly recalls Warhawks

BY BOB HOLT

FAYETTEVILLE — Kirk Botkin got to enjoy being part of Louisiana-Monroe’s 21-14 victory at Alabama last season. - Friday, September 5, 2008

THE RECRUITING GUY : Coaches dialed in on recruiting trail

RICHARD DAVENPORT

Monday was the first day college coaches could call prospects since May, and Razorbacks coaches took advantage of every second. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Football Championship Series report

By Doug Crise and Nick Walker

Thumb is hindrance for Moore Maybe there’s a reason Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s pass offense was so abysmal in its 21-7 season-opening loss against Arkansas-Monticello. - Friday, September 5, 2008

State college report

By Doug Crise

Buffaloes celebrate 1st victory Well that didn’t take long. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Arkansas State wants to keep focus on task at hand

BY TODD TRAUB

Arkansas State Coach Steve Roberts has had to walk a fine line since the Red Wolves upset Texas A&M 18-14 Saturday in College Station, Texas. - Friday, September 5, 2008

THURSDAY’S GAME : Central Missouri tops ATU

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Arkansas Tech fell hard in its second and final nonconference game Thursday night, losing to Central Missouri 49-13 before a crowd of 5,400 at Walton Stadium. - Friday, September 5, 2008

AMERICAN LEAGUE : Royals end streak in style with doubleheader sweep

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jose Guillen drove in three runs, Kyle Davies ended a four-game losing streak and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 9-6 on Thursday night to complete a doubleheader sweep. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Playoff glance

— Todd Traub

WHAT Northwest Arkansas at Arkansas WHEN 7:10 p.m. Central today WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock PITCHERS Northwest Arkansas — Blake Wood (righthander, 5-7, 5.30 ERA); Arkansas — Dan Denham (righthander, 9-10, 4.44 ERA) RADIO KWBF-FM, 101.1, in Little Rock (broadcast begins 20 minutes before first pitch); KURM-AM, 790, in Northwest Arkansas WEB SITE www.travs.com; www.nwanaturals. com WEBCAST www.travs.com (click on the “Listen Live” icon) PROMOTIONS/TICKETS Gates open one hour before first pitch. Tickets are $10 box seats, $8 reserved, $6 general admission. Berm and beer garden seating is free to persons displaced by Hurricane Gustav presenting valid driver’s license at the Travelers ticket office. Kids run the bases after the game and receive a gift from Gator Park. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Box score key

AB: at-bats ; R: runs; H: hits; BI: runs batted in; BB: walks; SO: strike outs; AVG: post-game batting average; E: errors; LOB: runners left on base; 2B: doubles; 3B: triples; HR: home runs; SB: stolen base; CS: caught stealing; S: sacrifice; SF: sacrifice fly; GIDP: grounded into double play; DP: double plays; TP: triple plays; IP: innings pitched; ER: earned runs; NP: number of pitches; ERA: postgame earned run average; W: winning pitcher; L: losing pitcher; S: save; BS: blown save opportunity ; H: hold (pitcher holds lead but doesn’t qualify for save); IBB: intentional walk; HBP: batter hit by pitcher; PB: passed ball; WP: wild pitch; T: length of game. - Friday, September 5, 2008

Rick Lee’s Louisiana Downs selections

FIRST POST — 1:25 P.M. - Friday, September 5, 2008