Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EDT on Tuesday, Oct. 1

Oct. 1 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Tuesday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Talib standing tall in Patriots' secondary FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Cornerback Aqib Talib is making a case that he's the most valuable New England Patriot, including Tom Brady. (FBN-PATRIOTS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 750 words) - - Suggs joins Lewis in Super Bowl conspiracy theory Terrell Suggs shares his hunch on the Super Bowl blackout, alleging NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "had a hand in it." (FBN-RAVENS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 250 words) - - Steelers search for answers PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Steelers are finding out how the other half lives. At 0-4, they're off to their worst start in 45 years, before legendary coach Chuck Noll and the NFL merger arrived. (FBN-STEELERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 275 words) - - Jaguars welcome back WR Blackmon JACKSONVILLE - Justin Blackmon is expected to be back Sunday in St. Louis after he missed the first four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy. (FBN-JAGUARS-NEWS/, expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - NFL notebook The latest news and notes from around the league. (FBN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 2300 GMT/7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - - - COLLEGE FOOTBALL Passing fancy: Ohio State's exploding aerial attack These certainly aren't Woody Hayes's Buckeyes. Ohio State is averaging nearly 50 points per game as Urban Meyer's playmakers have opened up the offense in 2013. (FBC-OHIOSTATE-NEWS/, expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 700 words) - - Air Force-Navy shutdown threatens Saturday sellout The Department of Defense suspended all intercollegiate athletics due to the government shutdown Tuesday. A decision on Saturday's Air Force-Navy game is expected by Thursday at noon. (FBC-NAVY-AIRFORCE-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 225 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Reds at Pirates PITTSBURGH - Francisco Liriano was 8-1 with a 1.47 ERA at PNC Park this season. He matches up with the Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Johnny Cueto for the right to play St. Louis in the NLDS. (BBO-PIRATES-REDS-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect ASAP after 0005 GMT/8:05 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by John Perrotto, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Indians embrace team theme CLEVELAND - The American League wild-card game will feature a team loaded with playoff experience and a team filled with postseason neophytes. (BBO-INDIANS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 650 words) - - Confident Rays roll into Cleveland behind Cobb ARLINGTON, Texas - Manager Joe Maddon believes it can only help Tampa that the Rays have been in "elimination mode" for a week. (BBO-RAYS-INDIANS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - MLB's biggest disappointments of 2013 The Sports Xchange correspondents name the biggest disappointment for all 30 MLB teams. (BBO-NEWS/, expect by 1830 GMT/2:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 2,650 words) - - Resurgent Dodgers aim to cap astonishing season Twenty-five years after winning their most recent National League pennant, the resurgent Los Angeles Dodgers have their sights set on World Series glory to cap what has been an astonishing 2013 season. (BASEBALL-PLAYOFFS/DODGERS (FEATURE), expect by 1800 GMT/6 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 625 words) - - Refashioned Red Sox hope they are good fit for postseason The Boston Red Sox, whose makeover from a 69-93 last-place finish in 2012 resulted in the American League's best record at 97-65, hope they have the players in place to return to the World Series glory they tasted with two Fall Classic crowns last decade. (BASEBALL-PLAYOFFS/REDSOX (FEATURE), expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 500 words) - - - - GOLF Presidents Cup Cup captain Couples says Johnson 'fine' despite flu scare DUBLIN, Ohio - Zach Johnson joins his United States teammates ahead of this week's Presidents Cup despite suffering from the flu for the past three days, United States captain Fred Couples says. (GOLF-PRESIDENTS/COUPLES (PIX), moved, 400 words) - - Cup needs to be 'very competitive,' says Price DUBLIN, Ohio - Nick Price is reluctant to describe this week's Presidents Cup as a 'must-win' for his International team but he knows how important it is for United States dominance to be broken in the biennial competition. (GOLF-PRESIDENTS/PRICE (PIX), moved, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 675 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE *The Sports Xchange covers all NHL games. Key matchups highlighted below - - Washington at Chicago CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks will celebrate their 2012-13 season with a banner raising at United Center before kicking off a new year and the 2013-14 season against the Washington Capitals. (HKN-BLACKHAWKS-CAPITALS-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect ASAP after 0000 GMT/8 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Jerry Bonkowski, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Leafs at Canadiens MONTREAL - A storied rivalry begins the 2013-14 NHL season. (HKN-CANADIENS-MAPLELEAFS-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect ASAP after 2300 GMT/7 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Sean Farrell, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Toronto's Kessel cashes in The Maple Leafs sign forward Phil Kessel to an eight-year, $64 million deal on the eve of his 26th birthday. (HKN-MAPLELEAFS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 200 words) - - Curtain raises on 2013-14 NHL season The Chicago Blackhawks raise their Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters before hosting the Washington Capitals as the 2013-14 NHL season begins with three games, including an Original Six matchup between Montreal and Toronto. (NHL-OPENER/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, 300 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Thunder's Westbrook undergoes knee surgery Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook will miss the first 4-6 weeks of the regular season following surgery to reduce swelling in his knee. (BKN-THUNDER-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 225 words) - - Cavs: No. 1 pick Bennett cleared, Bynum not No. 1 overall draft pick Anthony Bennett is cleared for the start of training camp with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Andrew Bynum remains in rehab mode. (BKN-CAVALIERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 200 words) - - T-Wolves' Budinger undergoes knee surgery After being limited to 23 games with left knee issues last season, Minnesota Timberwolves swingman Chase Budinger is out indefinitely following a procedure on his left knee. (BKN-TIMBERWOLVES-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 125 words) - - - - MARK CUBAN SEC lawyer: Cuban 'cheated' with insider trading DALLAS - Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban "cheated" by selling his stake in a small Internet search company upon learning that holding on might cost him money, a government lawyer tells jurors at the start of the billionaire's insider trading trial. (SEC-CUBAN/, expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, by Jana J. Pruet, 600 words) - - - - HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS Globetrotters sold to theme park company The world famous Harlem Globetrotters exhibition basketball team is sold to theme park operator Herschend Family Entertainment. (HARLEMGLOBETROTTERS/, moved, 150 words) - - - - SOCCER FIFA likely to delay decision on 2022 World Cup dates LONDON - Despite speculation that FIFA will vote to switch the dates of the 2022 World Cup on Friday, soccer's world governing body will probably delay making a decision and instead set up a task force to analyze the huge implications of moving the tournament from the searing heat of the Middle East summer. (SOCCER-WORLD/FIFA-QATAR, moved, by Mike Collett, 1,000 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0001 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)