Pirate Galaxy » t after a 1/3 start, his focus i

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Adam Jahn scored twice for Columbus, but the Chicago Fire held on for a 2-2 draw and eliminated the Crew from playoff contention on Thursday night.Jahn capped the scoring with a roundhouse strike in the 80th minute and opened it with a run from the right wing in the 13th. The Crew (8-12-12) won three of their last four coming in to the match but needed another win to stay in the MLS Cup playoff race.Arturo Alvarezs cross to David Arshakyan at the top of the area led to Crew defender Michael Parkhursts own goal in the 53rd minute. The Fires Michael de Leeuw finished Alvarezs cross four minutes later to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.The last-place Fire (6-16-10) have been out of playoff contention since Sept. 28. Cheap Patriots Jerseys . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. Custom Patriots Jerseys . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. http://www.custompatriotsjersey.com/ . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. Wholesale Custom Patriots Shirts . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games. Cheap Custom Patriots Jersey .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Notre Dame defense is about to find out just how much it has improved since its dismal start.Statistically, the Irish look much better since Brian VanGorder was fired as defensive coordinator on Sept. 25, the day after 38-35 loss to Duke. The Irish were ranked 103rd out of 128 teams in total defense, giving up 456 yards a game, when they fell to 1-3.Heading into their final two games against Virginia Tech (7-3) and USC, Notre Dame (4-6) ranks 39th in the nation in total defense, giving up an average of 371 yards a game. Take away those first four games and the Irish are surrendering 315 yards a game, which would place them 14th in the nation in total defense.The Irish, though, are about to face two of the three best offenses theyve faced all season. The Hokies rank 43rd in the nation in total offense at 444 yards a game and USC (7-3) ranks No. 29 at 469 yards a game.The only team the Irish have faced with a higher-rated offense is Texas at No. 14 at 503 yards a game. The Longhorns beat the Irish 50-47 in double overtime in the season opener.Coach Brian Kelly said while the Irish could become bowl eligible with two victories and improve their image with wins over Virginia Tech, which was ranked No. 18 beforre being upset by Georgia Tech last week, and No.dddddddddddd. 15 Southern California, which has won six straight after a 1/3 start, his focus is building on Notre Dames best all-around performance in a 44-6 win over Army on Saturday.You want all of the things that you worked so hard on all year to come together in these last two games, he said. That is, for us, finishing games, playing the game for us with a mental and physical toughness that at times was not at its best. Its now coming together. And I think that regardless of how were perceived, I think the most important thing is to play the way were capable of playing. Thats what Im looking at more than anything else.Kelly said hes not losing sleep over whether the Irish will get to a bowl. Kelly was asked whether he would want to play in a bowl with a 5-7 record. Last season three 5-7 teams went to bowl games because there werent enough teams with records above .500.I havent given it much thought, to be honest with you. I think those scenarios I would address at the end of the year, he said.---More AP college football at www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '