s to speak as adults. Thats the power of sports. Thats when sports matter. Sports helped improve a familial dynamic.Grace is omnipresent, but it demands awareness. Maybe its a smile fr

BASEBALLSAN FRANCISCO -- Oh, Buster Posey knew all about how long he had gone without a home run.All that talk about the star catchers second-half power drought was answered with one mighty swing in a September game that mattered, and his two-run shot helped the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-2 in a matchup of playoff contenders.Posey drove in four runs and the Giants stayed four games back of the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, who won at Arizona. San Francisco maintained its one-game lead over the New York Mets for the leagues top wild card, moving three games up on the Cardinals in the wild-card standings.NFLCANTON, Ohio -- The inclusion of former NFL safety and convicted rapist Darren Sharper on the Pro Footballs Hall of Fame nomination list, shocked some people Friday and has started a national debate over who should be eligible for induction.Sharper, a five-time Pro Bowler, appeared on the list because at least one Hall of Fame selector nominated Sharper. He also was nominated last year -- before he pleaded guilty in a case in which he was accused of drugging and raping up to 16 women in four states. U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced him to 18 years in prison last month.Hall of Fame spokesman Joe Horrigan explained that there is no character clause in the bylaws, which are approved by the Hall of Fames board of directors.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Rex Ryan is holding himself answerable for the Buffalo Bills slow start. At the same time, hes made a significant change to his coaching staff by firing offensive coordinator Greg Roman.Roman was let go Friday in a bid to kick start the Bills sputtering Tyrod Taylor-led attack.The team announced the move in an email released a day after Buffalo fell to 0-2 following a 37-31 loss to the New York Jets.Running backs coach Anthony Lynn will take over as coordinator. Lynn also serves as an assistant head coach and has spent the past eight years working under Ryan.THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Jared Goff is one step closer to the field for the Los Angeles Rams.The No. 1 overall draft pick will be the Rams backup quarterback Sunday, putting him in uniform for the first time in his rookie season. Coach Jeff Fisher made the announcement after Los Angeles final practice for its home opener against Seattle.Goff was the inactive third-stringer for the Rams 28-0 loss at San Francisco in their season opener Monday. Sean Mannion served as the backup to Case Keenum, who went 17 for 35 for 130 yards with two interceptions.COLLEGE FOOTBALLSTATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- As night fell over Happy Valley on Friday, hundreds of Joe Paternos former players gathered outside the schools baseball stadium to celebrate their accomplishments and the coach who inspired them before he left a polarizing legacy.About 50 yards from where a statue of Paterno was removed by the university after the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, and Paternos possible role in it, rocked the small Central Pennsylvania town in 2011, former players hugged, laughed and told stories about Paterno as they filed into the private ceremony.AUTO RACINGJOLIET, Ill. -- Kyle Busch overcame a race-record 11 cautions for his 46th career NASCAR Truck Series victory, dashing the hopes of full-time drivers needing wins to claim a spot in the debut Chase for the championship.The Sprint Cup stars second circuit win of the season and fifth trucks win at Chicagoland Speedway meant Daniel Hemric and Timothy Peters earned the final two spots in the eight-driver playoff field based on points.GOLFEVIAN-LES-BAINS, France -- In Gee Chun shot a 5-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead in the Evian Championship, keeping the South Korean player on course for the second major title.The 22-year-old Chun, the 2015 U.S. Womens Open champion, had six birdies and bogey in in rainy and overcast conditions to reach 13-under 129 on the picturesque resort overlooking Lake Geneva.South Koreas Sung Hyun Park, tied for the first-round lead with Chun after a 63, to match Chinas Shanshan Feng (68) at 11 under.So Yeon Ryu, also from South Korea, was 10 under after a 66. Defending champion Lydia Ko was 4 under after a 68. Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn was 11 strokes back following a 73 with a 67.PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Paul Broadhurst shot a 6-under 66 at Pebble Beach to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the PGA Tour Champions Nature Valley First Tee Open.U.S. Senior Open winner Gene Sauers, Craig Parry, Jay Don Blake, Kevin Sutherland and Tom Pernice Jr. were 4 under. Sauers, Parry and Blake shot 68 at Pebble Beach, and Sutherland and Pernice shot 67 at Poppy Hills.Bernhard Langer opened with a 70 at Poppy Hills. John Daly had two triple bogeys in a 74 at Pebble Beach. Fellow major champion Vijay Singh had a 75 at Pebble Beach, making three bogeys in a birdie-less round.BOISE, Idaho -- Andrew Johnston shot an 8-under 63 to take a two-stroke lead in the Albertsons Boise Open, putting the bearded Englishmen in position to wrap up a PGA Tour card.Eighth in the British Open in July, Johnston had 10 birdies and two bogeys to reach 13-under 129 at Hillcrest in the second of four Web.com Tour Finals events.Three-time PGA Tour winner Scott Stallings and Argentinas Miguel Angel Carballo were tied for second. Stallings had a 65, and Carballo shot 64.STUNT JUMPTWIN FALLS, Idaho -- Professional stuntman Eddie Braun successfully jumped over the Snake River Canyon in an ode to his boyhood idol, Evel Knievel.Braun soared over the southern Idaho canyon in a custom-built rocket dubbed Evel Spirit.It launched off a steep ramp on the edge of the canyon rim just before 4 p.m. as hundreds of onlookers watched. The rocket reached an estimated 400 mph before its parachute deployed, allowing Braun and the ship to land safely in fields on the other side of the 1,400 foot-wide canyon.Angel Di Maria Argentina Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. Custom Argentina Soccer Jersey . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. http://www.argentinasoccerauthentic.com/Facundo-Roncaglia-Copa-America-Jersey/ . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Martin Demichelis Jersey . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Federico Fernandez Jersey .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers.I want to tell you a story about a friend of mine. Political correctness says Im not supposed to call her special, but thats what she is to me. Special. Her name is Olivia. Shes a runner and shes a fighter and shes a champion at both.Olivia ran like the wind, past the prejudice and doubt that accompanies autism for so many and with a fundamental perspective as vibrant as the New York skyline she so loved. Her spirit nourished all within her garden. All the while, she fought cancer and uncertainty without yield, by example, without complaint.That was Olivias fightin style: graceful.In the past 18 months she redefined bravery for me and for millions of people across the globe.Its difficult to articulate spiritual depth, passion and compassion. The measurability and impact of those emotions is subjective. No two people react precisely the same way by a single action. But when we are all moved emotionally to some degree, and when we all recognize that emotion to be deeper than we can define, it is unique and rare.And it is an awakening. It is a unifying force.That was the joy with which Olivia infused all whom she met -- and scores she would never meet -- since July 2015. Olivia had autism, but autism didnt define her. Not for me, anyway. Shed long been told by healthcare providers shed never live alone or hold a job. Neither she, nor her parents, Judy and Dan, would suffer those fools.Olivia achieved both, by the way.Joy, compassion, boundless love and indomitable will are the traits that comprise Olivias legacy. She lived those traits. And she taught us to live them, too.Olivia Quigley, 25, died in the early morning hours of Nov. 8, 2016. The breast cancer shed so tirelessly battled spread and finally took her body.Her soul and the lessons it provided are eternal. Few individuals display their souls while theyre here. Olivia had that rare gift. She was a human unifying force. And she shared that gift with me.I met her in the University of California Riverside track stadium on a hot July day last summer. She was sitting on an aluminum bench, stretching her legs. She was bald and seated alone, and I was intrigued. So I walked over and sat with her and asked why she was over there all by herself.She explained that she was exhausted. Perplexed, I asked why. And how. Practice for the Special Olympics World Games had only just begun.She said one word: chemotherapy. Time stopped. Shed battled Stage IV breast cancer for months, but she wouldnt be denied the opportunity to run at the World Games. Nothing short of death would deny her that. So she quit chemo and got on a plane from Wisconsin to Los Angeles.Thats where our friendship began. During the week that followed that cchance meeting she won two gold medals.dddddddddddd On her shoulders she carried years of emotion from her peers with every stride, though she didnt know it. She gave a voice and a face to what those with intellectual disabilities can do.When she reached the finish line each time she nearly crumbled in exhaustion, the smile on her face masking years of frustration at being told, cant. Olivia didnt believe in cant, and I adore her for that. I always will. Above that, I adore her for her treatment of others.Her intentions were always genuine. Her perspective was always just and sweet. Olivia knew no judgment of others. She was not superficial. We did not small talk or feel each other out or search for reasons why the conversation mattered.It just mattered. We can all learn a lot from that.Theres a George Strait song entitled I Saw God Today. Its premise is a musical reminder of how much wonder there is all around us, all the time, provided were open-hearted and open-minded enough to recognize it and accept it and appreciate it.Theres an adage about beauty in simplicity, and gracious is it accurate and powerful. Olivias mother, Judy, shared that concept with me about her daughter: Olivias perspective was so simple, and therefore, in a fractured world, so profound.Olivia is the consummate example of the Special Olympics power and impact. Judy once told me there were times when Olivia was very frustrated in life, and that her experience at World Games helped quell that. It infused her with self-confidence. And in turn it enabled the Quigleys to speak as adults. Thats the power of sports. Thats when sports matter. Sports helped improve a familial dynamic.Grace is omnipresent, but it demands awareness. Maybe its a smile from a stranger that improves your mood. Maybe its a guy letting you into traffic that offers the precious moments needed to arrive on time. Maybe its help changing a tire or watching the kids while you run out for an errand or forgiveness for stupid mistakes.Maybe its a simple hello. All of that is grace. And its God.Judy sent me a note Tuesday morning regarding Olivias passing. She wanted me to know that Olivia considered me a good friend, and that shed created a brief last will. Within that will, there were instructions to send her 100-meter gold medal to me.I weep every time I think about her considering that.Olivia was completely devoid of preconceived notion or political gain or self-absorption. She was a spitfire. Genuinely. And when I sat down on that bench that day, I saw God.And Ill take that with me for all my days. ' ' '