SportsNet - September 2012

           Minnesota has not been kind to the San Francisco 49ers. They have lost their last two games there, one on a miraculous throw by Brett Favre, (here, turn away Niner fans) and the other an absolute clunker this past Sunday. Despite the somewhat embarrassing loss, the 49ers still stand at 2-1, a record most fans would take given the difficulty of the first two games. However, whether it was overlooking their opponent, not preparing properly, or just playing poorly, the loss to the Vikings exposed some flaws in a team that many had deemed the favorites to win the NFC. If the 49ers want to live up to that billing, they’ll need to address the following things.  

The Oakland Raiders have boosted their anaemic pass rush, by signing veteran rush end Andre Carter, according to NFL.com.

This is a smart move by the new Raiders regime and one they had to make. Rookie head coach Dennis Allen's defense currently ranks 31st in sacks. The unit has a mere three quarterback takedowns to its credit.

Carter is sure to improve those numbers. The 33-year-old is still a skilled and savvy pass-rusher with excellent takeoff speed. He collected 10 sacks as a member of the New England Patriots in 2011 and two years earlier, recorded 11 sacks with the Washington Redskins.

The 11-year pro operates best in the kind of 4-3 scheme the Raiders run. He will certainly benefit from the presence of hulking defensive tackle duo Tommy Kelly and Richard Seymour.

Carter has been fortunate to play alongside some stellar defensive tackles during his career. He has worked with the likes of Bryant Young and the controversial, yet supremely talented Albert Haynesworth.

Los Angeles Lakers fans are at a fever pitch of excitement and expectation over the prospect of winning another NBA championship. The Lakers pulled Chris Paul out of the trade pot only to have the NBA serve him to the competition. The Lakers brass responded by waiting.

When no one was looking General Manager Mitch Kupchak with a little help from Kobe Bryant, pulled a rabbit out of the hat by convincing the Phoenix Suns, two-time league MVP Steve Nash that where he needs to be is in L.A. The acquisition of Antawn Jamison, the player who finds points and offense rebounds out of the flow of the game, adds credibility to the Lakers bench. The summer's big catch, Dwight Howard did some fishing of his own after the Brooklyn Nets moved their boat away. The Lakers docked by Howard sightings and tossed their big championship Hollywood bait on the hook. Howard took the bait.

Four of the last five Ryder Cups have gone to the Europeans with a 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 win in Wales two years ago, and it's time for the Americans to up their game at Medinah Country Club in the Chicago, IL area this Sept. 28-30. The US team has experienced mostly losses, and its counterpart has had just the opposite. Captain Davis Love III and his four assistants including Michael Jordan can find better pairings, line-ups, and strategies to beat the European Team who brought the Ryder Cup Trophy with them this week. Mostly, though, it's time for the American men to step up collectively for pride and home and take back the 39th Ryder Cup in front of a spirited home crowd.