Für unsere Gäste » rekindled through a timed two-mile run th

Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Wednesday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EDT:- CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs are headed to their second straight NLCS. This time, theyre hoping for a different result. The Cubs, with the best record in the majors and a championship drought dating to 1908, will meet the Los Angeles Dodgers or Washington Nationals, after scoring four runs in the ninth inning Tuesday to knock out the San Francisco Giants in a thrilling division series.- WASHINGTON -- After the Los Angeles Dodgers started Clayton Kershaw on short rest to stay alive in the NL Division Series, the Washington Nationals are glad to have Cy Young Award candidate Max Scherzer on the mound for Thursdays deciding Game 5 at home. A showdown with the Chicago Cubs is at stake.- Going on the road on a short week against a division rival is usually a challenge for most teams. For the Denver Broncos, it is extra difficult this week. Coming off their first loss of the season, the Broncos will be without head coach Gary Kubiak when they go on the road to face the reeling San Diego Chargers on Thursday night.- SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Making the switch at quarterback Blaine Gabbert to Colin Kaepernick wont dramatically change the offense for the San Francisco 49ers. The hope for the Niners is it will change results.- Big games for sure. But must wins? Far from it. If No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Ohio State are going to lose this season, this would be an excellent week to do so.- GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Southeastern Conference could have a record number of first-round picks in the 2017 NFL draft. Yes, its early and the big event is still six months away. But with mock drafts being updated weekly, its becoming clear that the SEC is loaded with top NFL talent. There might even be more than ever before.- CLEMSON, S.C. -- North Carolina State is looking to turn the Atlantic Coast Conference from a runaway into a free-for-all. Halfway through the season, powerhouse No. 3 Clemson (6-0, 3-0 ACC) is a heavy favorite for a second straight ACC title and berth in College Football Playoffs. But the Tigers path back, starting with North Carolina State (4-1, 1-0) on Saturday, is crowded with ACC speed bumps -- both in the Atlantic and Coastal divisions.- CHICAGO -- NHL MVP Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks take on Vladimir Tarasenko and the St. Louis Blues in the season opener for each team. St. Louis eliminated Chicago in seven games in the first round of the playoffs last season. Game starts 8 p.m.- SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The defending Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks open the season against the rival Los Angeles Kings. Game starts 10:30 p.m.- ARLINGTON, Va. -- Itll sting a little bit for the Washington Capitals to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins raise the Stanley Cup banner to the rafters in their season opener Thursday night. The Capitals have been the visitors on banner night before, but this is different since the Penguins beat them in the playoffs on the way to the Cup.- New Orleans loses a game, and the Pelicans lose Anthony Davis as well. Davis sprains an ankle in a preseason loss to the Houston Rockets in China, though early indications suggest there isnt much cause for concern.- NAPA, Calif. -- Two weeks after a Ryder Cup victory where Phil Mickelson had the most at stake, he plays in the Safeway Open and tries to win something on his own.Wade Boggs Jersey ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. Mark Teixeira Jersey . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. http://www.customyankeesjersey.com/custom-derek-jeter-jersey-large-74i.html .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. Jonathan Loaisiga Jersey . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Custom Wade Boggs Jersey . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead.FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Kenyan-born runner Hillary Bor wont be content with just wearing the red, white and blue at the Olympics.Hes willing to protect his new country, too.The sergeant in the U.S. Army heads to Rio this month while his unit -- which includes his older brother -- is already deployed to Afghanistan. Bor stayed behind this time, but it could be his turn soon.Thats the reality for Bor and three other runners of Kenyan descent whove taken a unique path to the Olympics through enlisting in the Army, earning U.S. citizenship, training with the military branchs World Class Athlete Program and making Team USA.They understand the risks. Theyve pledged allegiance to America -- as soldiers to defend and now as runners hoping to bring home an Olympic medal.I might be told tomorrow, `Hey, pack your things, were deploying. I cant say, `I have the Olympics coming up, said Army specialist Paul Chelimo, whos from Iten, Kenya, and earned a spot in the 5,000 meters at U.S. Trials in July. Whatever happens from now to the Olympics, into the future, Im here to follow the orders.Simply the Army way of life for specialists Leonard Korir and Shadrack Kipchirchir, Chelimo and Bor.- Korir hails from Iten, Kenya, and was a two-time NCAA champion at Iona College before joining the Army in May 2015 as a motor transportation operator. He qualified in the 10,000 meters at trials.- Kipchirchir is from Eldoret, Kenya, and was an All-American at Oklahoma State University. He enlisted in June 2014 as a financial management technician. Hes going in the 10,000.- Bor, a 3,000-meter steeplechase runner, arrived from Eldoret as a teenager, running for Iowa State and entering the military in July 2013. Hes one of three Bor brothers in the Army -- the other two following his lead.- Chelimo became a standout at University of North Carolina-Greensboro, before joining in May 2014. He balances his time between training and his duties as a water treatment specialist.If you have a contract with a big shoe company, thats predictable -- you know whats going to happen, Chelimo explained. With the Army, you dont know.All four are part of the Armys World Class Athlete Program, which formally began in 1997 and is designed to give soldier-athletes the support necessary to compete at the highest levels. The program -- headquartered in Fort Carson, Colorado -- includes a variety of sports, with more than a dozen soldier-athletes and three coaches making the trip for the Rio Olympics and Paralympics.A number bolstered by the Kenyan-raised runners.Its a pretty humbling moment to think that somebody would want to leave their countrry and come to yours and do so to the degree in which they would die for something they havent even been a part of yet, said Army Capt.dddddddddddd Matthew Hickey, who supervises the program. WCAP provides a lot to the U.S. Army -- we help train soldiers, help make more ready and resilient troops.However, if all hell broke loose, everybody in the U.S. Army is a soldier first and expected to go deploy and defend the country.Bor was nearly sent to Afghanistan in February, when his unit needed either him or his brother to go.His older brother, Julius, instantly volunteered.It takes courage for someone to raise their hand and say, `Im going to fight for my country. Its something I admire, Hillary Bor said. He knew I had a chance to make the team.Growing up, Bor preferred soccer over running, which he didnt really even take seriously until after high school when his uncle, Barnaba Korir, a standout at Iowa State, enticed him to come to America and give college running a try.Bor followed his uncles lead to Ames, Iowa, and in no time unlocked a talent for the steeplechase, a 3,000-meter race around the track that includes jumping over barriers and into water. Bor became a four-time All-American at Iowa State.After graduation, his running career seemed to hit a road block. So he took an assistant teaching position in New Mexico before joining the Army not so much as a path to Olympics -- he didnt know about WCAP -- but simply because, I wanted to be American, he said.Later, his two older brothers followed his lead -- Julius joining him at Fort Carson and Emmanuel at Fort Bliss, Texas.Bors running career was rekindled through a timed two-mile run thats required for soldiers.He finished in roughly 10 minutes.Everyone was like, `You should compete for the Army team, Bor said.Not as simple as that, though. First, he had to earn his place in WCAP by running a qualifying time. It took him nearly three years -- and stepping up his training largely on his own -- to earn inclusion.A typical day for him went like this: Rise at dawn for training runs with an off-base coach, return to perform his Army tasks and train again at night.In May, Bor ran the necessary time to earn a spot in WCAP. And in July, he finished second at trials to secure his place in Rio.Fittingly, Bors first message was to his brother in Afghanistan.This is not only for my brother, but for my whole unit, Bor said. Its for every soldier thats deployed now.---On the web: http://www.armymwr.com/wcap/default.aspx ' ' '