Die Macht » nia has looked strong in the first part of it

As the World Series returned to Chicagos Wrigley Field for the first time since 1945, there were many nods to the past outside Major League Baseballs second-oldest stadium.Just north of the ballparks famed ivy-covered left-field wall, a group of nervous men huddled around a radio on Waveland Avenue, hanging on every pitch as the Indians scored the only run of the Series Game 3. Moments later, as famous actor and Cubs fan Bill Murray belted out Take Me Out to the Ballgame, three men dressed as the famous 1908 double-play trio of Tinkers to Evers to Chance stood together and joined in.During Game 4, more memories of the past were summoned -- one fan unsuccessfully tried to turn the Cubs mojo around by bringing a goat to the ballpark, while dozens of others dressed up as famed announcer Harry Caray.Inside and outside the park, lifelong faithfuls held signs touting how long they have been waiting for a Cubs postseason to end with a win. Although the Indians 3-1 series lead has concerned the home fans, Chicago supporters are trying to keep hope alive that the Cubs 2016 championship run doesnt continue this baseball teams centurylong version of its famous fans famous movie Groundhog Day.Jaime Banda aka El Cubo Libre surveys the scene on Sheffield Avenue before Game 3.A young Cubs fan doesnt let being on crutches stop him from attending the Cubs first home World Series game of his life.A ticket holder purchases a program, hoping it becomes an important piece of history, upon arrival at Wrigley Field for Game 3.Cubs fans exit a jam-packed CTA Red Line train at the Addison Street station before Game 3.As the Cubs prepared to play their first home World Series game in 71 years, ticket broker Just Great Tickets, across the street from Wrigley Field, was taking advantage of record demand and record prices. The average resale price for a Game 3 field-level seat was $8,000.Cubs second basemen Javier Baez is interviewed by Baseball Tonight before Game 3.A father and his two children react as they walk up the steps and see Wrigley Field hosting a World Series game.Ball hawks on Waveland Avenue look for batting-practice home runs sailing outside the park.An image of Cubs pitcher Hector Rondon adorns a construction fence on the west side of Wrigley. Major renovations are taking place at the Friendly Confines.Standing-room-only tickets for the Cubs first home World Series game since 1945 were selling for nearly $2,000.A row of rooftop bars on Waveland Avenue are equally packed.Joe Sargis and his son, Michael, traveled to Chicago from New Canaan, Connecticut, for Game 3. Unbeknownst to Sargis, one of his two tickets was directly behind a Wrigley Field support beam.Longtime Cubs fan Michael Lyp leans against a Chicago Police Department vehicle on Waveland Avenue during Game 3.Dressed as the ghosts of Tinkers and Evers and Chance, the famous Cubs double-play trio from 1908, three fans sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh-inning stretch.Outside Wrigley Fields left-field wall, on the corner of Waveland and Kenmore avenues, Chicago Cubs fans Jay Peterson, Ryan Dohr and Jason Gilley huddle around a radio as they listen to play-by-play of Game 3.Pitcher Travis Wood stretches in left field before Game 4.Players from the 2016 Little League World Series-champion Maine-Endwell Little League team from Binghamton, New York, look around Wrigley Field before Game 4.Cubs teammates huddle before they begin their stretching routine for Game 4.Peanut shells cover personalized bricks outside Wrigley Field before Game 4.Before Game 4, Cubs fan Kate Ryan does her best Harry Caray impression near Carays statue outside Wrigley Field.Munenori Kawasaki of the Cubs stretches with teammates before Game 4.77-year-old Cubs fan Leslie Kronenberg, who was 6 years old the last time they played in a World Series, makes his way up Sheffield Avenue to enter Wrigley Field for Game 4.Brock Tomlinson of Washington, D.C, looks out at the crowd arriving at Clark and Addison streets for Game 4.Indians pitcher Corey Kluber warms up in the bullpen before his Game 4 start.Fans in the center-field bleachers react as Kris Bryant commits an error, allowing the Cleveland Indians to score the go-ahead run, in the second inning of Game 4.Keeping hope alive, Cubs fans celebrate a baserunner during Game 4.Jim Klod of Westchester, Illinois -- who modified his Cubs Next Year jersey to read This Year -- watches Game 4 at Wrigley.Amir Tubad Gray, right, and Jordan Bosman entertain Cubs fans at the corner of Clark and Addison streets.Cubs fan Joe Roetter of Grand Haven, Michigan, brought his goat, Millie, to Game 4 of the World Series at Wrigley Field in hopes of breaking the Curse of the Billy Goat.Cubs fans react as Indians take a 7-1 lead in the seventh inning of Game 4, securing a 3-games-to-1 advantage heading into the last 2016 World Series game to be played on Sunday at Wrigley. Discount Shoes Ireland . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Fake Shoes Ireland . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. https://www.shoesirelandsale.com/ . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. Cheap Shoes Ireland Online . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Buy Shoes Ireland . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Well find out a lot more about where things stand in the race for the College Football Playoff when the official rankings come out next week. Leading up to the big reveal, our college football experts narrowed the field to the 10 teams with the best shot at the national title.Heres a look at West Virginias title chances; to vote for who you think will win it all, go to our poll page or scroll to the bottom of this feature:The case for West VirginiaDespite being the lowest-ranked undefeated Power 5 team by the AP Poll (No. 10), West Virginia ranks fifth in the FBS in strength of record (ahead of Washington, Nebraska and Baylor).The Mountaineers have already beaten five teams currently ranked in the top 50 of FPI. Alabama is the only other FBS team that has five wins against FPI top 50 teams this season.-- ESPN Stats & InfoThe case against West VirginiaWest Virginia has not played an AP Top 25 team this season and has lost six straight games against ranked opponents, with its last such win coming in 2014 against No. 4 Baylor. ?West Virginia may be undefeated, but FPI projects a two-loss Oklahoma team as the favorite to win the Big 12.-- ESPN Stats & InfoTalking pointsVegas odds:?West Virginia has 40-1 odds to win the national title, according to Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.What FPI says: According to ESPNs Football Power Index, the Mountaineers have a 7.2 percent chance of winning out through the regular season and a 31.9 percent chance of winning the Big 12. Their remaining schedule -- which includes matchups against No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 6 Baylor -- ranks as the 37th most difficult.ESPNs Mackenzie Kraemer:?After opening with 300-1 odds to win it all, the unbeaten Mountaineers are now 40-1 to win the College Football Playoff. They will be an underdog on Saturday against Oklahoma State, the first time they will be iin that role all season.dddddddddddd It is the only game FPI lists them with less than a 50 percent chance to win. FPI gives them a 32 percent chance to win the Big 12 and an 8 percent chance to run the table.ESPN Insider Brian Fremeau:?West Virginia has looked strong in the first part of its Big 12 schedule, knocking off Texas Tech and TCU in the past two weeks and playing very strong defense against both teams. The Red Raiders are averaging more than 50 points per game and TCU is scoring more than 35, but the Mountaineers held them to just 17 points and 10 points respectively, their lowest point totals of the season. Still, there are plenty of tough conference games ahead, starting with a road trip to Oklahoma State next weekend. If they get past the Cowboys, the next toughest games on the schedule project to be a home game against Oklahoma on Nov. 19 and a home game against Baylor on Dec. 3, each of which could have major conference title ramifications.ESPN staff writer Adam Rittenberg: Its a team that, in practices, showcases aggressive schemes on both sides of the ball, as well as unconventional looks, to prepare every player for everything he could see on Saturdays. ...Heres also whats good: a 6-0 start, West Virginias first since 2006. Thanks largely to the defense, the Mountaineers look like the Big 12s best playoff hopeful.They have allowed just 27 total points the last two weeks against offenses averaging 50.3 (Texas Tech) and 35.9 (TCU). WVU is especially stingy in the red zone, ranking ninth nationally in touchdown percentage against (42.9 percent).Now that youre stuffed with numbers and analysis, are you convinced the Mountaineers are going all the way? Cast your vote below. ' ' '