Die Macht » Seattle last week. Brady missed f

RENTON, Wash. -- During his decade in Los Angeles, Pete Carroll felt the void.Even though USC football was the biggest thing in the Los Angeles area during the 2000s and Carroll was the architect behind the dominant Trojans, there was something missing in the football community without the NFL.It just didnt feel right, Carroll said. There was a hole there that was so obvious. Thats why the league was so adamant and so diligent about staying with it and eventually getting it done.Perhaps its just coincidence -- but most likely not -- that Carrolls Seattle Seahawks will be the first visiting NFL team to play in Los Angeles in 22 years when they face the Rams on Sunday. Six other teams will visit the Coliseum this season. Many of those will have a number of players from California, typically one of the top states for producing NFL players.But few of those will match the connections and history that the Seahawks have.There is still a connection. It was that deep of an experience with the fans and the school and the community and all that, Carroll said.Carroll has the most obvious history from his nine years as the head coach at USC. He arrived at USC under heavy scrutiny as a twice-fired NFL reject and made the Trojans champions again.I saw it really as an opportunity, Carroll said. Our first game we played San Jose State and there were like 40,000 people there. When theres 40,000 people in that stadium its like theres nobody home, its like a spring game. I was kind of disappointed, I was like, `This is what its like? It changed after a while. It was always obvious to me that there were tremendous opportunities.There are others who are relishing their opportunity to play in LA. Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner grew up 45 minutes from the Coliseum and hoped to play for the Trojans in college. He ended up at Utah State instead, making this weekend his first opportunity to play in the venerable stadium.When I saw that on the schedule I definitely was excited to not only play my first game in L.A., but to also play the first game since whenever it was, Wagner said. I think its a fun opportunity, we have a lot of California guys that are looking forward to it. Ive never gotten a chance to have all my family there. I have family who cant travel because of certain things, so to be 45 minutes away and have them come see a game, Im looking forward to it.Richard Sherman also has a lengthy history, one that Carroll would rather forget. During his time at Stanford, Sherman was part of two of the more memorable Cardinal wins at the Coliseum.Sherman caught a key fourth down pass on the winning drive of Stanfords 24-23 upset of USC in 2007 that ended the Trojans 35-game home winning streak. Two years later, Sherman came back as a cornerback and returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown in Stanfords 55-21 blowout that became known as the Whats your deal game.Im sure its going to be huge for Pete, its going to be cool, Sherman said. He has a lot of good memories and some bad memories in that stadium. Its going to be fun. I have a lot of great memories, very fond.Game notes QB Russell Wilson practiced Wednesday despite the sprained right ankle suffered in Sundays win. His attitude is as charged up as you can imagine, Carroll said. ... Carroll said RB Thomas Rawls will get the start against the Rams. Christine Michael was the starter in the opener. ... RB C.J. Prosise is practicing this week but has a large protective club on his right hand after suffering a small bone fracture in the opener.---Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Swell Suomi . With their top three point guards and Kobe Bryant all sidelined by injury, the Lakers signed Marshall out of the D-League on Friday before their home game against Minnesota. Swell Pullo Suomi . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. http://www.swellbottlesuomi.com/ .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place. Swell Bottle Suomi . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). Swell Vesipullo . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. NEW ENGLAND (7-2) at SAN FRANCISCO (1-8)Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE -- Patriots by 14RECORD VS. SPREAD -- New England 7-2, San Francisco 2-7SERIES RECORD -- 49ers lead 8-4LAST MEETING -- 49ers beat Patriots 41-34, Dec. 16, 2012LAST WEEK -- Patriots lost to Seahawks 31-24; 49ers lost to Cardinals 23-20AP PRO32 RANKING -- Patriots No. 3, 49ers No. 31PATRIOTS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (8T), RUSH (13), PASS (8).PATRIOTS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (18), RUSH (14), PASS (19).49ERS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (29), RUSH (7), PASS (30).49ERS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (32), RUSH (32), PASS (14).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES -- Patriots only road win vs. 49ers came in 2008 with Matt Cassel at QB. Tom Brady, who grew up in Bay Area, has never played at San Francisco. ... With win, Brady ties Brett Favre for second most for QB with 199. Peyton Manning holds record with 200. ... New England opened season with record 258 straight passes without INT until Brady threw one vs. Seattle last week. Brady missed first four games this season while suspended. ... Wiin would assure Patriots of 16th straight non-losing season.dddddddddddd ... New England RB LeGarrette Blount has 12 TDs on ground, two shy of Curtis Martins franchise record. ... Niners have lost eight straight games, one shy of franchise worst set in 1978. ... San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick threw four TD passes in only meeting vs. Pats in 2012, season 49ers went to Super Bowl. ... 49ers K Phil Dawson needs one FG to become 10th in NFL with 400 for career. ... San Francisco had allowed 100-yard rusher in NFL record seven straight games before holding David Johnson to 55 yards and Arizona to 80 total last week. ... Fantasy Tip: Patriots TE Martellus Bennett coming off third 100-yard game of season and could be in for another big day with Rob Gronkowski nursing injury and listed as out for the game on Fridays injury report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '