Rivers, Chargers gouge reeling Jaguars, 38-14
No matter how many interceptions he threw, no matter how many turnovers he committed, Philip Rivers refused to play it safe.
He knew things would change.
They finally did. On "Monday Night Football" no less, and with his San Diego Chargers in the deepest of holes.
Rivers threw for 294 yards and three touchdowns, burning Jacksonville's depleted secondary early and often, and the Chargers beat the Jaguars 38-14 to snap a six-game losing streak.
The Chargers (5-7) had been waiting for the three-time Pro Bowl selection to return to form. Some questioned whether it would happen this season. But Rivers never lost faith even though he leads the NFL in interceptions (17) and turnovers (21) and was a key part of the team's disappointing slide.
"It's been a rough six weeks," Rivers said. "I haven't put a complete game together, but I don't care about the numbers. I just want to win."
Rivers was nearly perfect against Jacksonville (3-9), adding to the team's tumultuous week.
He completed 22 of 28 passes - hooking up with Vincent Brown , Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd for long scores - before sitting out the final few minutes. Rivers finished with a 146.1 QB rating, by far his highest of the season.
The Chargers scored on five of their first six drives, then sent most of the home crowd scrambling for the exits with Ryan Mathews ' 31-yard TD run in the fourth. Mathews ran 13 times for 112 yards.
"That's the type of chemistry coming into this season we knew we had," tight end Antonio Gates said. "We stayed on course despite what we've been through these last six weeks. That we were able to get a win tonight speaks volumes for this team."
It was a much-needed victory for a team that trails Denver and Oakland by two games in the AFC West with four to play.
And it was another blow to the Jaguars, who endured the most sweeping changes in the 17-year history of the franchise last week.
Team owner Wayne Weaver fired coach Jack Del Rio and announced he was selling the club to Illinois businessman Shahid Khan. Interim coach Mel Tucker fired receivers coach Johnny Cox, reassigned quarterbacks coach Mike Sheppard and waived starting receiver Jason Hill .
The moves seemed to invigorate a franchise that had seemingly gone stale in Del Rio's ninth season. Fans showed up energized for a prime-time game that signaled the start of a new era. Some wore "Yes We Khan" T-shirts. Other donned fake mustaches to emulate the owner-in-waiting.
It made little difference on the field, mostly because Jacksonville's defensive injuries proved too much to overcome.
The Jaguars played without their top three cornerbacks - Rashean Mathis , Derek Cox and Will Middleton - and lost safety Dwight Lowery (shoulder) and defensive end John Chick (knee) during the game.
"No excuses here," Tucker said. "We won't allow ourselves to go down that road."
Rivers took advantage of the injuries, picking on a pair of cornerbacks who were signed off the street in recent weeks.
Rivers threw a 22-yard TD pass to Brown and a 35-yarder to Jackson on the final two drives of the first half as the Chargers overcame a brief deficit to seize control. Those scores came in the final 2:32 of the half.
The opening drive of the third quarter didn't take long, either. On the fifth play, Rivers found Floyd deep down the right sideline for a 52-yard score. Floyd, activated Monday night after missing six games with a hip injury, beat Ashton Youboty badly on the play. Floyd finished with four receptions for 108 yards.
"He's just an outstanding player," Chargers coach Norv Turner said of Rivers. "Like any quarterback, it starts with protection, with the guys up front. He's missed Malcom. We've missed Malcom. When Philip has all his guys, and he can operate like he did today, he's as good as anybody."
It was the second TD given up by Youboty, who was replaced on the next possession by Morgan Trent , signed five days ago.
The biggest cheer for the Jaguars came late in the third quarter, when Weaver was shown on the stadium's large video board. Weaver and his wife received a standing ovation.
The $760 million sale must be approved by the NFL later this month. Khan chose not to attend the game, which turned out to be a good move.
"I don't think anyone has been through anything like that," said Maurice Jones-Drew, who finished with 188 total yards. "This is a $9 billion business. Other than that, we played football. We've got to figure out how to keep going for four quarters and not two."
Jones-Drew was the lone offensive star for Jacksonville - again. He finished with 97 yards rushing and 91 yards receiving. He leads the NFL in rushing with 1,137 yards.
MJD caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Blaine Gabbert to cap a 79-yard drive at the start of the second quarter. The Jaguars managed only 27 yards in the opening quarter.
After a three-and-out by the Chargers, Gabbert and Drew hooked up on a 48-yard shovel pass. It was a beautifully executed play, with Gabbert flicking the ball five yards with his left hand to Drew, who had the middle of the field all to himself and ran down to the 4-yard line.
Chargers cornerback Antoine Cason broke up a potential touchdown pass to Jarett Dillard , but on third-and-goal from the 5, Gabbert found Cecil Shorts in the back corner of the end zone to give the Jaguars a 14-10 lead.
It was all San Diego after that, mostly due to Rivers.
West Indies stay alive
West Indies kept their five-match series with India alive when they beat the hosts by 16 runs in the third one-day international here yesterday.
Defending 260 for five off their 50 overs, the Caribbean side made key strikes at crucial moments late in the contest at the Sardar Patel Stadium to limit India to 244 all out off 46.5 overs.
Rohit Sharma seemed to be carrying India towards their third consecutive win, but he was brilliantly run out by captain Darren Sammy in the 44th over to swing the pendulum the West Indies' way.
Man of the Match Ravi Rampaul claimed four for 57, including two wickets in the second over of the innings that left India reeling at eight for two.
He returned to break a worrying last-wicket stand of 28, removing Abhimanyu Mithun for 23 and sealing victory for the Windies.
The tourists had earlier got 58 from Marlon Samuels, but it was a whirlwind unbroken 79-run, sixth-wicket stand off 46 balls between Sammy and the exciting all-rounder André Russell, that injected life into the West Indies innings.
Losing their way at 181 for five, Sammy blasted 41 from a mere 17 balls and Russell added 40 from 18 balls, as they spectacularly added 73 runs from the last five overs.
Sammy clobbered five fours and two sixes, while Russell matched him blow for blow, counting four fours and two sixes.
Asked to bat first, West Indies were off to a bad start losing in-form opener Lendl Simmons (1) to a catch behind in the day's third over.
Samuels then added 40 with Danza Hyatt (20) and put on another 55 with Darren Bravo before the left-hander retired hurt on 26 in the 26th over.
The right-handed Samuels hit five fours and a six off 93 balls, but was bowled by off-spinner Ravi Ashwin, backing away to give himself room to hit through the off-side in the 34th over.
Denesh Ramdin (38) and Kieron Pollard (29) posted 55 for the fourth wicket but were out in consecutive overs, paving the way for Sammy and Russell to blast West Indies out of trouble.
India had a bad start again with Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir both falling for first-ball ducks to Rampaul.
Sehwag was caught at the wicket slashing, while the left-handed Gambhir offered no stroke and was plumb lbw.
Opener Parthiv Patel (39) and Virat Kohli (20) repaired the innings with a 25-run, third-wicket partnership, but the in-form Kohli became the first of debutant off-spinner Sunil Narine's (2-34) two wickets when he was lbw in the ninth over.
Possible victory
Patel's dismissal at 79 for four in the 15th over sparked a slide which saw India lose three wickets for 26 runs to fall to 105 for six.
Sharma, who faced 100 balls and hit 10 fours and a six, then added 91 for the next wicket with Ashwin (31), to rescue India from collapse and put them in sight of a possible victory.
Ashwin became Narine's second wicket while Vinay Kumar (3) was bowled by pacer Kemar Roach, as West Indies hit back.
The match was turned on its head moments later when Sharma was brilliantly run out by a direct hit from Sammy at mid on and the last-wicket fireworks were merely temporary.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES
L Simmons c wkp Patel b Vinay Kumar 1
| D Hyatt c wkp Patel b Mithun | 20 |
| M Samuels b Ashwin | 58 |
| D Bravo ret hurt | 26 |
| +D Ramdin c wkp Patel b Yadav 3 | 8 |
| K Pollard c Jadeja b Vinay Kumar | 29 |
| A Russell not out | 40 |
| D Sammy not out | 41 |
| Extras (lb2, w5) | 7 |
| TOTAL (5 wkts, 50 overs) | 260 |
Did not bat: K Roach, R Rampaul, S Narine.
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Simmons, 2.4 overs), 2-42 (Hyatt, 13.1), 2-97(Bravo, ret not out, 26), 3-122 (Samuels, 33.4), 4-177 (Ramdin, 43.5), 5-181 (Pollard, 44.2).
Bowling: Vinay Kumar 8-1-39-2, Yadav 9-1-75-1, Mithun 7-0-47-1, Jadeja 10-1-37-0, Ashwin 10-0-33-1, Raina 6-0-27-0.
INDIA
| +P Patel b Samuels | 39 |
| V Sehwag c wkp Ramdin b Rampaul | 0 |
| G Gambhir lbw b Rampaul | 0 |
| V Kohli lbw b Narine | 20 |
| R Sharma run out | 95 |
| S Raina c wkp Ramdin b Rampaul | 2 |
| R Jadeja run out | 11 |
| R Ashwin lbw b Narine | 31 |
| R Vinay Kumar b Roach | 3 |
| A Mithun lbw b Rampaul | 23 |
| U Yadav not out | 11 |
| Extras (b1, lb2, w3, nb3) | 9 |
TOTAL (all out; 46.5 overs) 244
Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Sehwag, 1.1 overs), 2-8 (Gambhir, 1.2), 3-43 (Kohli, 8.2), 4-79 (Patel, 15), 5-84 (Raina, 16), 6-105 (Jadeja, 20.5), 7-196 (Ashwin, 40), 8-200 (Vinay Kumar, 41.3), 9-216 (Sharma, 43.4), 10-244 (Mithun, 46.5).
Bowling: Roach 10-0-54-1, Rampaul 8.5-1-57-4, Narine 10-0-34-2, Samuels 10-0-50-1, Russell 4-0-25-0, Sammy 1-0-7-0, Simmons 2-0-10-0, Pollard 1-0-4-0.
Result: West Indies won by 16 runs.
Series: India lead five-match series 2-1.
Man of the Match: Ravi Rampaul.
Toss: India.
Umpires: S Asnani, A Hill; TV - V. Kulkarni.
CARICOM concern over plot
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Monday expressed concern over reports of an alleged plot to assassinate the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and senior members of her cabinet.
“The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) views with deep concern, the disclosure of an assassination plot against the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and some members of her Cabinet.
“CARICOM is relieved to know that this criminal plot was thwarted and commends the security forces of Trinidad and Tobago for their vigilance,” said CARICOM Chairman, Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.
Dr. Douglas, who is also the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, said that the “plot disclosed by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago runs completely counter to the norms and mores of our societies and is strongly condemned.
“The Community expresses its solidarity with and support for the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago, as the country moves beyond this threat to the security of the leadership of the State and continues to play its leading role in the Region’s integration movement,” Dr. Douglas said in a statement.
Law enforcement authorities in Trinidad and Tobago Monday confirmed that there has been insufficient evidence to link the 17 men, including a senior police officer, to the alleged plot.
Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley has said that Prime Minister Persad Bissessar “must prove that the hysteria she caused in this country for no good reason was justified”.
Nation news
IDs for new voters tomorrow
VOTER identification cards for the new electors who were added to the November 30 voters list, should be ready for distribution to constituency offices by tomorrow.
Public Education Officer at the Electoral Office, Christin Senior, said the office is currently printing and packaging the identification cards for distribution to the offices.
“Several of them have already been printed and they have been sent out by regions to the constituency offices, but we hope to begin officially distributing them by Wednesday,” Senior said.
Last week, the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EoJ) published its latest voters list of 1,648,036 million, of which there are 41,607 new electors.
For persons who were on the voters list prior to the publication of the November 30 list (those who were added on or before May 31, 2011) those ID cards are also available for collection.
“About a month ago at our last check, we had 300,000 ID cards that were yet to be collected,” Senior said.
She said the ID cards “must be collected by the (owner) at the constituency office where you are registered. You cannot send somebody for it; it is not delivered by mail or anything like that. You have to sign for it and we will also verify that the information is correct and we will also verify your identity.”
In terms of voting on election day, Senior explained that if voters do not have their ID card they will still be allowed to vote once their name is on the voters list and their identity can be verified.
Jamaicans will go to the polls on Thursday, December 29.
Jamaica Observer
‘Dudus’ sentencing now Jan 17
The sentencing of Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, the former Tivoli Gardens strongman, has been postponed until January 17, officials close to the case told the Observer.
Coke’s sentencing had originally been scheduled for this Thursday, following a plea bargain which was reached between his attorneys and prosecutors in August.
He faces more than 20 years in prison under the agreement, and while no reason has been given by the Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, which is handling the case, there is heightened speculation within the Jamaican community here that the postponement is linked to the possibility of more indictments arising from the case for which Coke was convicted.
Coke has been incarcerated for more than a year after waiving extradition rights on drugs and gunrunning charges. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges during an August 31 court appearance after prosecutors presented his legal team with compelling evidence in the case.
The evidence included the planned testimony of several persons from Tivoli Gardens who are incarcerated here on various charges.
Since reaching the plea agreement, Coke has written to Judge Robert P Patterson seeking leniency in his sentence.
Jamaican Observer
Dominican Republic nationals arrested in major drug haul
Five nationals of the Dominican Republic have been nabbed with around US$6.3 million dollar in drugs near Puerto Rico.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said the Dominicans were arrested after the vessel on which they were transporting the 661.37 (300 kilos) pounds of cocaine was intercepted about 50 miles north of the coast of Aguadilla Saturday afternoon.
The CBP said the twin-engine fiberglass vessel was spotted by one of its Maritime Surveillance Aircraft heading on a southeasterly course at approximately 10 knots.
“Two CBP marine interceptors, with Puerto Rico Police FURA agents on board, were launched to intercept the vessel along with a CBP medium lift helicopter that provided coverage for the marine units during the intercept,” it said in a statement.
“Upon obtaining visual contact with the suspect vessel, persons on board started throwing large bales overboard, forcing one marine unit to stop pursuit to recover the packages in the water.”
The vessel yielded to the CBP marine unit shortly after it attempted to elude the authorities.
Some 254 bricks of cocaine were found in the eight bales of contraband recovered from the water, while two bales were found onboard the vessel, the statement added.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations said they have assumed custody of the narcotics and the five individuals while investigations continue.
Caribbean 360 News
St Kitts lawmakers debate OECS Economic Union treaty legislation
Lawmakers will tomorrow begin debating legislation that would give effect to the Revised Treaty of Basseterre, which establishes the OECS Economic Union.
This comes almost 18 months after the treaty was signed by OECS states and ratified in January this year.
The economic union allows for the free movement of people among the member states, and incorporates other arrangements, including a common market, monetary policy, maritime jurisdiction and maritime boundaries and civil aviation.
“The goal is to increase competitiveness and total output, among the countries involved so as to improve the welfare and quality of life of the people,” stated the Explanatory Notes accompanying the 57-page draft bill that goes before the National Assembly.
“Our service providers can now sell their services throughout the OECS without being burdened with having to acquire a work permit. It should be noted that the Economic Union will give us access to a market of over 500,000 potential customers. Nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis should therefore see these member states as part of our domestic market and benefit from the opportunities that exist there. In the long run this can only help to increase competition among the businesses throughout the OECS thus leading them to provide improved services for all OECS nationals.”
The document pointed out that Eastern Caribbean countries are a prime example of what can be achieved when member states of an organization such as the OECS merge to form a single entity with the express purpose of regional cooperation.
It noted that OECS leaders have come to the realization that the sub-grouping can only become a meaningful player on the international scene by deepening and strengthening the economic integration process.
“The process of functional cooperation through economic integration will help to reduce our vulnerabilities and increase our resilience to external impacts. The Revised Treaty addresses the new circumstances confronting the Member States, especially as they relate to the weaknesses in implementing sub-region wide policies by instituting legislative and executive procedures,” it explained.
Lawmakers are also expected to approve legislation that exempts OECS nationals from requiring a temporary permit to drive in the federation once they are holders of a valid driver’s license issued by a member state.
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are full members of the OECS, while Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands are associate members.
Caribbean 360 News
Germany's Schaeuble welcomes eurozone downgrade threat
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has said Standard & Poor's (S&P) threat to downgrade eurozone countries is the "best possible incentive" ahead of Friday's summit.
S&P put almost all eurozone countries on "credit watch" on Monday.
It means that six countries with top AAA ratings have a 50% chance of seeing their credit ratings downgraded.
European markets were lower on Tuesday morning, with the Dax in Frankfurt down 0.6% and the Cac 40 in Paris down 0.1%.
The borrowing costs of Spain and Italy rose slightly, but yields on Italian 10-year bonds remained below 7%, the rate which is considered to be unaffordable.
"S&P's analysis is backward-looking, identifying the structural weaknesses in the currency union that have been conspicuous to investors for months and which the eurozone's leaders are trying to solve," said BBC business editor Robert Peston.
Mr Schaeuble said that the eurozone summit on Friday must now act to regain the confidence of investors.
"The solution to the crisis must be... verifiable, credible and confidence-building," he said.
"The truth is markets worldwide don't trust the eurozone at all right now."
Earlier, Norbert Barthle, an aide to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the warning could help Mrs Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to push through their plans for greater budget discipline.
The announcement from Standard & Poor's came after talks in Paris between the two leaders.
They said that all 17 eurozone states should should face greater checks on their budgets and sanctions if they run up deficits, and that a new treaty should be completed by March to ensure such a crisis never happens again.
'Systemic stresses'
S&P announced on Monday that it had placed its "long-term sovereign ratings" on 15 eurozone nations on credit watch "with negative implications".
The ratings agency said the decision was prompted "by our belief that systemic stresses in the eurozone have risen in recent weeks to the extent that they now put downward pressure on the credit standing of the eurozone as a whole".
As well as Germany and France, Austria, the Netherlands, Finland and Luxembourg also currently have a top AAA rating.
S&P's announcement means that there is a one in two chance that those countries will see their credit rating fall within 90 days.
Analysts also say S&P's move reflects uncertainty about what would happen were a larger eurozone country - such as Italy - to default in future.
The only two countries not put on credit watch on Monday were Cyprus, which is already under review, and Greece, whose rating has already been severely downgraded.
Gasoline: The new big U.S. export
The United States is awash in gasoline. So much so, in fact, that the country is exporting a record amount of it.
The country exported 430,000 more barrels of gasoline a day than it imported in September, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is about twice the amount at the start of the year, and experts and industry insiders say the trend is here to stay.
The United States began exporting gas in late 2008. For decades prior, starting in 1960, the country used all the gas it produced here plus had to import gas from places in Europe.
But demand for gas has dropped nearly 10% in recent years. It went from a peak of 9.6 million barrels a day in 2007 to 8.8 million barrels today, according to the EIA.
The drop was caused partially by the recession but also by the advent of more fuel efficient vehicles, higher prices and the greater use of ethanol as an ingredient in gasoline. Demand for other products made from crude oil like diesel and jet fuel has also declined, although not as much.
To be sure, the United States is still importing plenty of oil to make that gasoline -- and is still dependent on foreign countries for well over half the crude it uses. (Read: OPEC: We want clean energy.)
But now the country's massive refining infrastructure is producing more gasoline, diesel and jet fuel than the United States needs, freeing it up to be exported to places like Brazil, Mexico and Chile where demand is still strong.
The Wall Street Journal, which reported on the export trend last week, said the United States is on track this year to be a net exporter of refined products for the first time in 62 years.
"We've got plenty of excess refining capacity," said Jonathan Cogan, a spokesman for EIA. "It's a reminder that this is a global oil market, and it's reflected by the movements of products to where they will get the highest prices."
Mark Williams, global head of refining, trading and marketing for Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA), said exporting diesel and other refined products from the United States used to happen fairly irregularly but is now becoming much more common.
"It's growing as a new business," he said, although he cautioned that the United States would probably not become a huge exporter of fuel.
Still, the ability to export oil is good news for Shell and other oil companies like Exxon Mobil (XOM, Fortune 500), BP (BP) and Chevron (CVX, Fortune 500). They can use their extensive and modern refineries in the United States to make gasoline for the rest of the world.
But it may be bewildering for American drivers, who could experience record high gas prices next year even though U.S. demand could hit the lowest level in a decade, said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service.
"I can understand it, from a truck driver's perspective," said Kloza. "You're paying $4 or $4.50 a gallon to run your rig, yet we're exporting the crap out of this fuel. I'd be outraged too."
Still, he cautioned against restrictions on exports of diesel or gasoline, a move he expects politicians to at least talk about in 2012.
Apple in EU e-book market probe
Apple and five publishers are to be investigated over anti-competitive practice in the e-book market, says the European Union's anti-trust watchdog.
As well as the tech giant, the inquiry centres on Hachette Livre, Penguin, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holzbrinck.
The Commission said it would focus on alleged illegal agreements restricting competition in the EU.
The UK's Office of Fair Trading has already carried out a similar inquiry.
The character and terms of agreements that the companies made with agencies are to be examined for breaches of EU rules on cartels, the Commission said.
The Office of Fair Trading has now finished its own investigation, but continues to work closely with the Commission, which is extending the scope of the inquiry across the whole of Europe.
The Commission carried out "unannounced inspections" on the companies in March 2011 as part of its investigations at premises in several European countries.
Apple's iBook store, which supplies e-books to the company's iPad tablet computer and the iPhone, is likely to come under scrutiny.
The EU announced an investigation into Google for potential anti-competitive behaviour in November.