Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EDT on Thursday, Oct. 30

Reuters

Oct. 30 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Thursday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Saints at Panthers CHARLOTTE - First place is on the line between underachieving NFC South teams as Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints meet Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. (FBN-PANTHERS-SAINTS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the by 0025 GMT/8:25 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 800-word writethru) See also: Panthers-Saints: What we learned (FBN-PANTHERS-SAINTS-NOTEBOOK/, expect ASAP after the 0025 GMT/8:25 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 900 words) - - Garrett, Cowboys optimistic Romo will go IRVING, Texas - As the Dallas Cowboys (6-2) prepare for Sunday's showdown with the Arizona Cardinals (6-1) at AT&T Stadium, optimism is on the upswing regarding the status of quarterback Tony Romo. (FBN-COWBOYS-NEWS/, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - Redskins going with Griffin ASHBURN, Va. - Robert Griffin III will be back under center for the Washington Redskins barring an unexpected setback. Griffin is fully healthy and "ready to go" after dislocating his ankle in Week 2. (FBN-REDSKINS-NEWS/, expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 425 words) - - Week 9 Preview: Ravens at Steelers Keys to the game, player spotlight, matchup to watch and fast facts for the Week 9 game. (FBN-RAVENS-STEELERS-NOTEBOOK/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Derek Harper, 400 words) - - Week 9 Preview: Cardinals at Cowboys Keys to the game, player spotlight, matchup to watch and fast facts for the Week 9 game. (FBN-CARINALS-COWBOYS-NOTEBOOK/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 400 words) - - Week 9 Preview: Broncos at Patriots Keys to the game, player spotlight, matchup to watch and fast facts for the Week 9 game. (FBN-BRONCOS-PATRIOTS-NOTEBOOK/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 400 words) - - Jaguars QB envy at forefront vs. Dalton, Bengals JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Andy Dalton didn't experience extreme growing pains the way Blake Bortles has in Jacksonville, but the Jaguars are trying to accentuate the positives with their rookie starter. (FBN-JAGUARS-NEWS/, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - Key to Vick-tory: QB must act his age FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Michael Vick says his three turnovers in relief of Geno Smith last week were a result of getting "greedy" and he's ready to conform to the plan Sunday. (FBN-JETS-NEWS/, The Sports Xchange, by Jerry Beach, 500 words) - - Ravens draw up plan for Big Ben BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Ravens' defense is about to face an extremely difficult challenge Sunday night against a Pittsburgh Steelers offense headlined by red-hot quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. (FBN-RAVENS-NEWS/, The Sports Xchange, 525 words) - - NFL roundup News and notes from around the league. (FBN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 2345 GMT/7:45 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - COLLEGE FOOTBALL Florida State at Louisville LOUISVILLE - Bobby Petrino and No. 25 Louisville welcome No. 2 Florida State for a primetime tussle at Papa John's Stadium. (FBC-LOUISVILLE-FLORIDASTATE-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2330 GMT/7:30 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by James Dent, 400-word first lede, 750-word writethru) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION TSX covers all NBA games. Key matchups highlighted below - - Knicks at Cavaliers CLEVELAND - LeBron James can expect a hero's welcome in his first regular-season game since returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a favorite in the East that welcomes the New York Knicks. Carmelo Anthony & Co. arrive on the heels of the franchise's second-worst opening night loss. (BKN-CAVALIERS-KNICKS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2330 GMT/7:30 p.m. ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Jason Lloyd, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Invigorated Clippers set to launch new season with great expectations LOS ANGELES - With former owner Donald Sterling a relic of the past after he was banned for life by the NBA over a racism scandal, the Los Angeles Clippers will launch their 2014-15 campaign with great expectations and a surge of fresh energy under new owner Steve Ballmer as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. (NBA-CLIPPERS/ (PIX), expect by 0500 GMT/1 AM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 400 words) - - NBA Wrap: LeBron's Cavs open season with clash vs. Knicks LeBron James's highly anticipated return to the Cleveland Cavaliers gets underway when they open their season at home versus Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks in one of five games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 600 words) - - Today's NBA schedule at a glance Washington at Orlando, 7 PM ET Detroit at Minnesota, 8 PM ET New York at Cleveland, 8 PM ET Utah at Dallas, 8:30 PM ET Oklahoma City at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 PM ET - - NBA Roundup The latest moves and news from the NBA. (BKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - GOLF Asian Tour's Karlberg leads CIMB Classic in Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR - Asian Tour member Rikard Karlberg upstages his illustrious PGA Tour counterparts by firing a bogey-free, seven-under-par 65 to lead the co-sanctioned CIMB Classic after the first round. (GOLF-PGA/MALAYSIA, moved, 500 words) - - China specialist Levy leads in wet Shanghai SHANGHAI - Frenchman Alexander Levy continues his love affair with China's golf courses by kicking off the European Tour's Final Series with a seven-under-par 65 to lead after the first round of the BMW Masters. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/SHANGHAI, moved, 525 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Giants, Royals play series to remember KANSAS CITY, Missouri - We look back on the World Series between the champion San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals, a pair of wild card postseason teams that played the first seven-game championship round in 12 years. (BASEBALL-WORLDSERIES/ (PIX), expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 500 words) - - Cubs, the All Maddon Team CHICAGO - The time and timing are right for the Chicago Cubs to shift Project Theo (Epstein) into overdrive. The Cubs' president found the perfect fix for the future of the franchise by flashing back to his past to hire Joe Maddon as the team's fifth manager in six years. (BBO-CUBS-COLUMN/, expect by 2345 GMT/7:45 PM ET, by Tom Musick, 750 words) - - Royals lament close call KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Back in the World Series after a 29-year playoff drought, the Kansas City Royals couldn't quite capture their second championship. (BBO-ROYALS-GIANTS-NEWS/, moved, by Alan Eskew, 400 words) - - Giants ride Bumgarner to Series victory KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The San Francisco Giants were not the dominant team in the regular season, winning only 88 games, failing to win their division and sneaking into the postseason with the NL's second wild card. However, they had the dominant pitcher in the playoffs and World Series, Madison Bumgarner. (BBO-GIANTS-NOTEBOOK/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by David Smale, 400 words) - - MLB 2015 Power Rankings: Nats No. 1 Washington has the talent, the pitching and top spot in The Sports Xchange 2015 MLB power rankings. (BBO-COLUMN/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by John Perrotto, 700 words) - - MLB free agency preview: Pitching pool is deep The biggest paydays figure to go to a pair of 30-year-olds: Detroit Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer and Oakland A's left-hander Jon Lester but there are plenty of arms to be had in free agency. (BBO-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Rick Kaplan, 3,000 words) - - Cubs closing on Maddon Joe Maddon is near a deal to become the Chicago Cubs' fifth manager in six years. (BBO-CUBS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE The Sports Xchange covers all NHL games. Key matchups highlighted below - - Red Wings' Weiss hurt again Detroit Red Wings forward Stephen Weiss returns from Grand Rapids to be evaluated for a groin injury. (HKN-REDWINGS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 150 words) - - Blue Jackets add Letestu, Wisniewski to IR The Columbus Blue Jackets place center Mark Letestu and defenseman James Wisniewski on injured reserve and bring up centers Sean Collins and Brian Gibbons from the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. (HKN-BLUEJACKETS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 200 words) - - Kings at Penguins PITTSBURGH - Los Angeles might give goaltender Jonathan Quick a breather tonight as the champion Kings take on the Pittsburgh Penguins (5-2-1). (HKN-PENGUINS-KINGS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2300 GMT/7 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - NHL Wrap: Crosby and Pens host Kings, Habs battle Canucks Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins host the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings and the Montreal Canadiens try to pad their lead atop the Eastern Conference when they visit the Vancouver Canucks in two of the 10 games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 200 words) - - Today's NHL schedule at a glance Boston at Buffalo, 7 PM ET Winnipeg at New Jersey, 7 PM ET Los Angeles at Pittsburgh, 7 PM ET Chicago at Ottawa, 7:30 PM ET Philadelphia at Tampa Bay, 7:30 PM ET Arizona at Florida, 7:30 PM ET Anaheim at St. Louis, 8 PM ET San Jose at Minnesota, 8 PM ET New York Islanders at Colorado, 9 PM ET Montreal at Vancouver, 10 PM ET - - NHL Roundup The latest moves and news from the NHL. (HKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - SOCCER Sporting KC at NY Red Bulls NEW YORK - Sporting KC won the MLS Cup in 2013, and the New York Red Bulls finished second in total points. Tonight, they are meeting for the right to play D.C. United in a first-round series in the MLS playoffs. (SCR-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0000 GMT/8 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Everett Merrill, 400-word first lede, 750-word writethru) - - MLS unveils new LA-based team, aims for 2017 start Major League Soccer's new Los Angeles franchise is unveiled, led by a 22-person ownership group being headed by Vietnamese-American venture capitalist Henry Nguyen. (SOCCER-MLS/LA (PIX), moved, by Simon Evans, 225 words) - - Former Real forward Raul joins New York Cosmos NEW YORK - Former Real Madrid and Spain forward Raul joins New York Cosmos for the 2015 season on a "multi-year" contract pending a medical, the North American Soccer League club says. (SOCCER-US/COSMOS-RAUL (UPDATE 1), moved, 550 words) - - - - AUTO RACING Keselowski facing must-win again Brad Keselowski knows winning - he has a Sprint Cup-series best six this season. He also knows delivering under pressure. Good thing, since the No. 2 Miller Lite is in a win-or-else spot yet again. (CAR-NEWS, moved, The Sports Xchange, special from NASCAR Wire Service, 550 words) - - - - TENNIS Murray qualifies for Tour Finals with Dimitrov win PARIS - Briton Andy Murray continues his recent resurgence as he qualifies for the ATP World Tour Finals by reaching the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters with a straight-set win against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov. (TENNIS-MEN/PARIS (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved; will be led, 325 words) - - - - SPORTS BUSINESS FEATURE Bad bets take a big toll on the Super Bowl's host city GLENDALE, Arizona - Welcome to the sports-crazy home of February's Super Bowl. The city has the Arizona Cardinals, the Arizona Coyotes and a baseball facility where the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox. But Glendale's love of sports has come at a cost: red ink and jobs lost. (USA-SUPERBOWL-GLENDALE-INSIGHT/, moved, by Robin Respaut, 1,375 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)