Für unsere Gäste » I think from an offensive standpoin

LOS ANGELES -- Among Candace Parkers favorite Chicago meals is the sort of thing you should ever eat unless you burn calories the way a world-class athlete like Parker does.Chili cheese dog with extra cheese, French fries, chocolate-cake milkshake, she said, laughing. Its very healthy food.Parker, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Naperville, will be going home to the Windy City on Sunday for the third -- and potentially decisive -- game of the Los Angeles Sparks WNBA semifinal series with the Chicago Sky. Los Angeles 99-84 victory Friday at Staples Center gave the Sparks a 2-0 series lead. One more victory will earn the Sparks their first trip to the WNBA Finals since 2003.That would be a milestone for Parker, the Sparks No. 1 draft pick in 2008 and a two-time league MVP. She has won everything else in her career except a WNBA title, and in truth she has had a lot of frustration in just trying to advance to the leagues championship series.On the way to the postgame meeting with reporters Friday, Parker mentioned to teammate Nneka Ogwumike that the Sparks have had a some very disappointing trips to the media room during past playoffs.Weve had to do a lot of press conferences talking about next year and what we need to do to improve, Parker said. My rookie year -- it seems like it was just yesterday -- we barely missed the [WNBA] Finals. And when we left the court, I was like, Oh, well be back next year! And that hasnt happened.Parker was referring to the 2008 Western Conference finals, when the Sparks beat San Antonio by 15 points in the series opener, and were 1.3 seconds away from closing out the best-of-three series. But the Stars Sophia Young took an inbounds pass, spun around and tossed up a shot from just inside the arc that bounced in for a 67-66 victory. San Antonio then won the third game, 76-72.The Sparks also lost in the conference finals in 2009 to Phoenix and 2012 to Minnesota. In Parkers career, Los Angeles also has fallen in the conference semifinal four times, including 2-1 to Minnesota last year.So its understandable just how intense the feeling is now for Parker and the Sparks to not let this chance at the WNBA Finals get past them.You have to take advantage of the opportunities you have, Parker said. Weve focused on the little things, while seeing the bigger picture.The Sparks fully expect the Sky to give them a battle Sunday (ESPN, 3 p.m. ET) when facing elimination back at Allstate Arena. But so far in this series, Chicago hasnt been able to impede the Sparks offense. Parker had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists Friday. That followed a Game 1 performance in which she had 30 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.Ogwumike won the leagues MVP award, and no one was happier for her than Parker. They have genuinely great chemistry with each other, and that has been critical to the Sparks this season.But these past two games, Parker has played like she wants to make the statement that shes really at her peak for the playoffs.Its important to her, Sparks guard Kristi Toliver said. And we want to win a championship for her. Shes been here the longest, and she just wants it so bad.The Sparks as a unit all have been playing with that kind of fervor. Three other Los Angeles starters scored in double figures Friday as Ogwumike had 18 points, Toliver 15 and Essence Carson 11.Jantel Lavender came off the bench to do her thing in a big way, going 10 of 11 from the field for 20 points, plus 5 rebounds. Alana Beard had 2 points, but her defense was one of the key reasons the Sky shot 38.5 percent from the field (30 of 78).Chicago got a lift off its bench, with Clarissa Dos Santos, Jamierra Faulkner and Allie Quigley combining for 40 points. But with the Sparks shooting 53.7 percent from the field (36 of 67) -- including 10 of 23 from behind the arc -- Chicago, which is without injured Elena Delle Donne, just didnt have anywhere near the firepower to stay with Los Angeles.Parker wants a chance to be in the WNBA Finals, and she would be pumped up for Sundays game no matter where it was played. But the fact that its in Chicago is especially meaningful for her.Im excited to play in front of my family and my friends and some people who were there from my first game in high school, she said. Its a lot of fun to go home. Some really talented basketball players have come out of Chicago, and it was very competitive for me growing up.Parker can impact games in so many ways, and that has been something Sparks coach Brian Agler has seen her do at a high level all season.When shes playing like she is right now, shes clearly one of the best in the world, he said. To me, it has a lot to with focus and her desire and passion. Shes been a really good leader for us this year and a tremendous teammate. I think were having this year because of how she has tried to elevate everybodys play. Ronde Barber Youth Jersey . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Mike Edwards Womens Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. http://www.authenticbuccaneerspro.com/Anthony-nelson-buccaneers-jersey/ . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. Jamel Dean Youth Jersey .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Jamel Dean Jersey . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Miami-Notre Dame game Saturday wont be Catholics vs. Convicts as the game was known in its heyday.The winner of the rivalry game won the national championship each year from 1987-89. There also was bad blood, with Notre Dame upset at Miami coach Jimmy Johnson for running up the score 58-7 in Gerry Fausts last game as coach after announcing his resignation in 1985. There was a pregame fight in 1988 and pregame taunting the next year.With the Hurricanes (4-3) limping in with a three-game losing streak and Notre Dame (2-5) seeking to avoid a four-game home losing streak , theres no chance Saturdays game will have that intensity, especially because the two have only played twice since Notre Dame officials ended the series in 1990 because it was growing too intense.That is why Irish coach Brian Kelly hasnt talked much about the rivalry.Its really not central to what were going through right now, he said. Whats central to this football team, in my estimation, is execution and confidence and all of the things that are more germane to this team. Its not about retribution and tradition and things of that nature.Miami coach Mark Richt, the starting quarterback when the Hurricanes lost to the Irish 16-14 in 1982, planned to talk to his players about the series.I think its important for them to know the history of the series and some of the great games that have been played by two teams that have a national brand, he said.Players on both sides, who werent born when the series ended, dont know a lot about it.I dont know if they played with my dad in the early `80s, said Notre Dame right guard Alex Bars, whose father, Joe, played for Notre Dame from 1981-84 and faced the Hurricanes each year. Catholics-Criminals? I dont know.Hurricanes defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, a Miami native, still thinks the game is important.At Miami, you get judged by whether you beat Notre Dame or nnot.dddddddddddd If you dont beat Notre Dame, its a failure, he said. Its a big deal. Its a big thing in this university. Its a big thing in this town. And if were both 12-0 or 0-12, playing here, there, or on the moon, Miami must beat Notre Dame.Some other things to be aware of when Miami faces Notre Dame on Saturday:LESS IS MORESimplifying the defense has led to improved play, so now Notre Dame is going to try to do the same for its struggling offense.We have fallen into a similar trap that we were dealing with earlier defensively, is were probably doing a little too much, Kelly said. I think from an offensive standpoint, we can just be who we are. Lets practice what were good at and lets be better at execution in this kind of game.LOT OF YOUTHNotre Dame and Miami have combined to use 41 freshmen this season, including 27 true freshmen. Notre Dames use of 14 true freshmen is already a record for the Kelly era in South Bend, and more than half of the players Miami had on the field in its last game at Virginia Tech were either freshmen or sophomores.PASS RUSH VS. PASS BLOCKINGNotre Dame ranks 125th in the nation in sacks with six in seven games. Only one of those sacks is by a lineman. Miami surrendered eight sacks against Virginia Tech last week after giving up seven through the first six games.OCTOBER TO FORGETMiami is trying to avoid losing four October games for the first time since 1953. In the last 40 years, theres only been one instance of the Hurricanes losing four games in any month -- November 2007.HONEYMOON IS OVERNotre Dame wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. spent his day off last Saturday getting married to his longtime girlfriend.I knew she was the one, so I wasnt really nervous about it, he said.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '