Zachary J. Irwin Writing Samples for Late Monday, October 8, 2012

ASU/COLORADO PREVIEW

ASU GETS READY FOR CU AFTER BYE WEEK

                The Arizona State Sun Devils get to work as they get set to take on the University of Colorado on Thursday Night.  ASU is coming off its bye week as is Colorado.  Sun Devil Quarterback Taylor Kelly comes into the game with the Pac-12’s best passing efficiency rating at 166.3.  The Sun Devils come into this matchup 4-1, 2-0 in conference play, good enough for first place in the PAC-12 South division.  Colorado is 1-4, 1-1 in the conference.  Kickoff is set for 6 PM in Boulder and you can catch the game on ESPN.

GEORGIA TECH/AL GROH

GEORGIA TECH FIRES DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, DID NOT 'GROH' IN YEAR 3

                Georgia Tech fired Defensive Coordinator Al Groh on Monday.  Georgia Tech’s defense has allowed more than 500 yards and 40 points per game in each of the last three games, prompting the school and Head Coach Paul Johnson to replace the 45-year football coaching veteran in his third season at Tech.  Secondary Coach Charles Kelly will take over the Defensive Coordinator position for the remainder of the season.  The transition comes at a good time for the Yellow Jackets.  Georgia Tech has the week off and will get back on the field in less than two weeks when it hosts Boston College on October 20^th.

OREGON STATE/SEAN MANNION

BEAVERS LOSE STAR QUARTERBACK FOR A WHILE

                Number Ten Oregon State will be without Quarterback Sean Mannion for an indefinite amount of time.  Mannion suffered a left knee injury in the Beavers’ 19-6 victory over Washington State on Saturday.  Oregon State is 4-0 and 3-0 in the Pac-12 North, tied with Number Two Oregon for first place in the division.  Oregon State will battle BYU on the road in a non-conference game on Saturday and will seek its first 5-0 start in 73 years.  OSU is ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for the first time since the start of the 2001 season.

CARDINALS/RYAN WILLIAMS

WILLIAMS OUT FOR THE SEASON AGAIN

                The Arizona Cardinals got a few extra days of rest this weekend and will get ready to battle the Buffalo Bills at the University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday.   The Cardinals will have to start a new winning streak without Running Back Ryan Williams.  He is expected to miss the remainder of the season with an injured left shoulder.  Williams suffered the injury in the 4^th quarter of Thursday Night’s 17-3 loss to the St. Louis Rams.  Williams suffers a season ending injury for the second year in a row.  The Cardinals are tied with the San Francisco 49ers for first place in the N-F-C West with a 4-1 record.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL/TEXANS VS. JETS

TEXANS HOLD ON TO BEAT JETS

                The Houston Texans remain perfect in 2012.  Arian Foster ran for 152 yards and a Touchdown as the Texans beat the New York Jets on Monday Night Football 23-17.   Joe McKnight returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to cut the Texans lead to 20-14.  It was another tough game for Mark Sanchez as he passed for 230 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions on only 14 of 31 completions.  The Texans remain one of only two unbeaten teams in the NFL alongside the 5-0 Atlanta Falcons.  The Jets fall to 2-3, 1-2 at home at MetLife Stadium.

INDIANS/TERRY FRANCONA

INDIANS HIRE WORLD CHAMPION MANAGER

                The Cleveland Indians hired Terry Francona to be their new manager.  Francona comes from ESPN after serving as a baseball analyst and commentator for the 2012 season.  Before that. he spent the previous eight seasons Managing the Boston Red Sox, winning world championships in 2004 and 2007.  Francona takes over in the dugout for Interim Manager Sandy Alomar Sr. after the team fired Manny Acta with six games remaining in the season.  The Cleveland Indians have not made it to the playoffs since the 2007 season and have lost at least 90 games in three of the past four seasons.

GAME 2 NLDS/NATIONALS VS. CARDINALS

CARDINALS DELIVER CAPITAL PUNISHMENT TO NATIONALS

                The St. Louis Cardinals slammed four home runs, two of them by Carlos Beltran, as the Cardinals trounced the Washington Nationals 12-4 in game two of the National League Division Series.  With the win the Cardinals even the best of five series at one win a piece.  The series shifts to Washington for games three, four, and if necessary, game five.  Chris Carpenter goes on the mound for the Cardinals against Edwin Jackson for the Nationals in game three in DC.  First pitch is set for Wednesday Afternoon at 1:07 PM ET (10:07 AM PT).

GAME 2 ALDS/YANKESS VS. ORIOLES

ORIOLES TIE SERIES WITH YANKEES

                Chris Davis’s two-run single in the bottom of the third gives the Baltimore Orioles a lead that they would never give up.  Rookie Wei-Yin Chen pitched six-and-a-third innings of eight-hit ball while allowing only 2 runs as the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 3-2.  The Orioles tie the American League Division Series with the Yankees at one win a piece as the remainder of this series shifts to Yankee Stadium starting on Wednesday.  The Yankees will send Hiroki Kuroda on the mound against Baltimore’s Miguel Gonzalez.  First pitch is set for 7:37 PM ET/4:37 PM PT.

GAME 3 NLDS/GIANTS VS. REDS

REDS LOOKING FOR THE SWEEP IN CINCY

                The Cincinnati Reds look for a three game sweep and an appearance into the National League Championship series for the first time since 1995.  The San Francisco Giants look to avoid a sweep and extend their postseason run.   First pitch is at 5:37 PM ET and 2: 37 PM PT in Cincinnati.

GAME 3 ALDS/TIGERS VS. ATHLETICS

TIGERS SEEK TO SWEEP A'S OUT OF POSTSEASON

                A’s look to extend their season while the Tigers look for the sweep and a second straight berth into the American League Championship Series.  First pitch is scheduled for 9:07 PM ET and 6:07 PM PT in Oakland.