Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EST on Thursday, March 5

March 5 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Thursday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Buccaneers trapped in QB guessing game There is a simple reality facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - and any other team hoping to mine gold at the league's most important position in the 2015 NFL Draft - there are no guarantees, and most quarterbacks selected at the top of the draft are failures. (FBN-COLUMN/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Ira Miller, 800 words) - - Peyton passes physical, will play in '15 Quarterback Peyton Manning passes his physical and will return to the Denver Broncos for the 2015 season. (FBN-BRONCOS-NEWS/, expect by 2:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - Wilfork says Patriots won't pick up option Nose tackle Vince Wilfork says the New England Patriots will not pick up his 2015 option. (FBN-PATRIOTS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 343 words) - - DE Hardy eligible to sign free agent contract Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy is eligible to sign a free agent contract even if he remains on the commissioner's exempt list. (FBN-PANTHERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 291 words) - - NFL free agency previews for all 32 teams The Sports Xchange sets the stage for the start of 2015 free agency with team-by-team previews. (FBN-TEAMNAME-NEWS/, reports moved Wednesday, select noteworthy teams listed below, The Sports Xchange, 500-700 words per team) - - Cowboys 'have limitations' in offers to Murray When free agency hits officially on March 10, look for the Dallas Cowboys to be in reaction mode rather than action. (FBN-COWBOYS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 550 words) - - 49ers prepared to lose several key players The 49ers knew the day was coming that one of the NFL's most talented rosters would demand a pick-and-choose approach. That day is here. (FBN-49ERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 321 words) See also: Dockett jumps to Niners from Cards (FBN-49ERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 142 words) - - Seahawks expected to again focus on keeping their own With Russell Wilson's contract extension looming, the Seattle Seahawks will not plan to be big shoppers in free agency. The plan remains to draft well and keep their homegrown talent whenever possible. (FBN-SEAHAWKS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 567 words) - - NFL roundup News and notes from around the league. (FBN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 7:45 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION - - TSX covers all NBA games, highlighted matchup below - - Oklahoma City at Chicago Russell Westbrook, averaging 37 points, 13.5 rebounds and 10.5 assists over his last four games -- all without All-Star teammate Kevin Durant -- looks to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to their 10th win in their last 12 games when they visit the injury-riddled Chicago Bulls at the United Center. (BKN-THUNDER-BULLS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 8 PM ET scheduled tip-off, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Today's NBA schedule at a glance Oklahoma City at Chicago, 8 PM ET (PIX) Dallas at Portland, 10:30 PM ET (PIX) - - NBA Roundup Roundup of all of the day's action in the NBA. (BKN-ROUNDUP/, running copy beginning with the end of the first game of the day, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - NBA Notebook The latest moves and news from the NBA. (BKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - COLLEGE BASKETBALL Top 25 schedule at a glance (6) Wisconsin at Minnesota, 7 PM ET (PIX) (18) Arkansas at South Carolina, 7 PM ET (PIX) California at (5) Arizona, 9 PM ET (PIX) (13) Utah at Washington St., 11 PM ET (PIX) - - Top 25 Roundup Roundup of all Top 25 games played Thursday. (CBK-ROUNDUP/, expect first version by 8:15 PM ET, The Sports Xchange) - - GOLF PGA Tour: WGC-Cadillac Championship, Miami McIlroy heads top-notch field at Doral Northern Irish world No. 1 Rory McIlroy and every other player in the top 50 of the official rankings is scheduled to tee off in the opening round at Trump National Doral in Miami in the first of the year's four elite World Golf Championships events. (GOLF-PGA/ (PIX), expect by first lead by 5 PM ET, 400 words) - - PGA Tour: Puerto Rico Open, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico Hadley back in Puerto Rico for title defense American Chesson Hadley defends the title he won by two shots last year as a PGA Tour rookie after surviving a late charge in the final round by New Zealand's Danny Lee. (GOLF-PGA/PUERTORICO, expect end-of-day lead by 5 PM ET, 250 words) - - U.S. Ryder changes a "shrewd" move, says Europe's McGinley NEW YORK - Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley thinks the recent changes the struggling U.S. side has made in its approach to the premier match play event are "shrewd" moves. (SPORT-SUMMIT/RYDERCUP, expect by 4 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 400 words) - - Tseng revival continues with solid Singapore opening SINGAPORE - Yani Tseng had the golfing world at her feet during a glorious five-year spell from 2008 that saw the Taiwanese pick up five major victories and top the world rankings for 109 consecutive weeks. Then the wheels fell off. (GOLF-LPGA/CHAMPIONS-TSENG, moved, by John O'Brien, 445 words) - - HBSC Women's champions, Singapore Yani Tseng and Inbee Park open play with rounds of 6-under to set the pace at the HSBC Women's Champions at Sentosa Golf Club, The Serapong Course, in Singapore. (GLF-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Reds' starting rotation open for debate Barring an unforeseen occurrence, Johnny Cueto, the Reds' 20-game winner and National League Cy Young runner-up, will start Opening Day on April 6 against Pittsburgh. Right-hander Mike Leake will pitch the second game of the season on April 8. After that, it's anyone's guess. (BBO-REDS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, By Jeff Wallner, 398 words) - - Chicago Cubs report A report from spring training with the Chicago Cubs. (BBO-CUBS-NEWS/ (PIX), expect by 7:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - Milwaukee Brewers report A report from spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers. (BBO-BREWERS-NEWS/, expect by 8 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - Pittsburgh Pirates report A report from spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates. (BBO-PIRATES-NEWS/ (PIX), expect by 7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - St. Louis Cardinals report A report from spring training with the St. Louis Cardinals. (BBO-CARDINALS-NEWS/ (PIX), expect by 7:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Panthers G Luongo out next two games Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo will miss the next two games due to an upper-body injury. The Panthers say they hope to have Luongo back by March 12 to face the Winnipeg Jets. (HKN-PANTHERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 159 words) - - Leafs' Panik fined for diving/embellishment Toronto Maple Leafs forward Richard Panik is fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment. (HKN-MAPLELEAFS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 113 words) - - TSX covers all NHL games, highlighted matchup below - - New York Islanders at Nashville NASHVILLE - The Nashville Predators, two points in back of front-running Anaheim in the Western Conference, look to end a season-high four-game skid when they host the New York Islanders, a club tied for second place in the East, just two points behind Montreal. (HKN-PREDATORS-ISLANDERS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after 8 PM ET scheduled start, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Today's NHL schedule at a glance Calgary at Boston, 7 PM ET (PIX) St. Louis at Philadelphia, 7 PM ET (PIX) Minnesota at Washington, 7 PM ET (PIX) Toronto at Tampa Bay, 7:30 PM ET (PIX) Dallas at Florida, 7:30 PM ET (PIX) New York Islanders at Nashville, 8 PM ET (PIX) Vancouver at Arizona, 9 PM ET (PIX) Montreal at Los Angeles, 10:30 PM ET (PIX) - - NHL Roundup Running capsule recaps of all the games on the NHL schedule Thursday. (HKN-ROUNDUP/, expect first version ASAP after 7 PM ET games end, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - NHL Notebook The latest moves and news from the NHL. (HKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - SOCCER U.S. no longer a barren land as MLS turns 20 MIAMI - After beginning as a promise to FIFA to help secure the hosting of the 1994 World Cup, Major League Soccer is set to open its 20th season, having finally established the sport at the professional level in North America. (SOCCER-MLS/FEATURE (FEATURE), expect by 5 PM ET, by Simon Evans, 696 words) See also: Timeline of key events in growth of Major League Soccer (SOCCER-MLS/TIMELINE) - - New boys Kaka and Villa kick off 20th MLS season WASHINGTON - Having avoided a potential work stoppage when league owners and the players union struck a last minute deal on a new collective contract, Major League Soccer teams will open the North American league's 20th season this weekend with plenty of new faces. (SOCCER-MLS/PREVIEW, expect by 5 PM ET, by Simon Evans, 386 words) See also: Five of the best new faces in Major League Soccer (SOCCER-MLS/PLAYERS (FACTBOX) A look at the 2015 MLS season (SOCCER-MLS/ (FACTBOX) - - For MLS's Garber, soccer is maturing in the U.S. WASHINGTON - Despite a grueling four straight days and nights of negotiations, there was a spring in the step of Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber as he left the offices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. (SOCCER-MLS/GARBER (INTERVIEW), expect by 5 PM ET, by Simon Evans, 793 words) - - Adjusting to America, Owen Coyle aiming to make his mark MIAMI - With a salary cap, collective bargaining agreement, 'designated players' and a transfer system unlike any other, Major League Soccer can be baffling for a fresh arrival to the league from abroad. (SOCCER-MLS/COYLE , expect by 5 PM ET, by Simon Evans, 848 words) - - Beckham effect 'pretty significant' on MLS LOS ANGELES - As Major League Soccer prepares to open its 20th season, the impact made on MLS by former England captain David Beckham during his six years with LA Galaxy is widely viewed as "pretty significant." (SOCCER-MLS/BECKHAM (FEATURE), expect by 5 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 649 words) - - - - JURISPRUDENCE Criminal charges will not be filed against NASCAR's Busch No criminal charges will be filed against suspended NASCAR driver Kurt Busch in a domestic abuse case involving his former girlfriend. (NASCAR-BUSCH/CHARGES (UPDATE 3, PIX), moved; may be led, by Steve Ginsburg, 391 words) - - Man testifies about seeing Boston bombing's youngest victim dead BOSTON - A father of three whose son was badly injured in the Boston Marathon bombing recalls in court that he saw people trying in vain to revive 8-year-old Martin Richard, the youngest person killed in the attack. (BOSTON BOMBINGS-TRIAL/ (UPDATE 2, PIX, TV), moved; will be led, by Scott Malone, 673 words) - - - - BOXING Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight won't halt boxing's decline The superfight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is expected to be the highest grossing bout in history but will do nothing to resuscitate a sport that has been in perpetual decline for years. (BOXING-MAYWEATHER/ (ANALYSIS), moved, by Frank Pingue, 654 words) - - - - AUTO RACING Johnson goes for jackpot in Vegas After clinching a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth with his win at Atlanta Motor Speedway last Sunday, one might surmise Jimmie Johnson could race stress free until the opener of NASCAR's playoffs at Chicagoland Speedway on September 20. Think again. (CAR-SPRINTCUP-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 3 PM ET, The NASCAR Wire Service, distributed by The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - NASCAR Column Weekly column by Jonathan Ingram. Topic TBA. (CAR-SPRINTCUP-COLUMN/, expect by 4:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Jonathan Ingram, 900 words) - - - - SPORTS Hassan Al-Thawadi discusses challenges facing Qatar World Cup NEW YORK - Hassan Al-Thawadi, secretary general of the Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy of the 2022 World Cup, is the keynote speaker at the Sport Business Summit where he will discuss the unique and controversial challenges of hosting one of sport's biggest events. (SPORT-SUMMIT/QATAR, (PIX, TV) expect by 2:30 PM ET, by Steve Keating and Larry Fine, 450 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)