Rookie

1. Patriots Proved to be the best with late comeback in Indy. 2. Colts Lost home-field advantage for possible AFC title rematch with Patriots. 3. Cowboys League's second-ranked offense will face stiff test vs. Giants. 4. Packers Brett Favre has Comeback Player of the Year locked up. 5. Giants Bye week could cool off team going for its seventh straight win. 6. Steelers Are Steelers that good or the Ravens that bad? 7. Titans Much-improved defense is more responsible than Vince Young for 6-2 start.

While many of the Ravens players were enjoying their offseason, Drew Olson had to endure language barriers, strange food and indifferent attitudes as he played football for the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europa. And Olson wouldn't have had it any other way. "It was a good experience," he recalled. "It was good to kind of bring the game to Europe and show the people what one of the biggest games over here is like. It was definitely different playing in a setting where, to the people, it was just foreign to them.

CHICAGO -- His performances had been mostly overshadowed by the emergence of Jeremy Guthrie, but as far as pleasant surprises are concerned, Brian Burres takes a back seat to no one on the Orioles. Without a top prospect's pedigree and a power pitching arm, two things Guthrie has, Burres succeeded when injuries gave him an opportunity to prove himself in the rotation. But in the rookie's last start of the first half, his feel-good story came to a crashing halt. Orioles@Rangers Tonight, 8:35, MASN2, 105.7 FM Starters: Jeremy Guthrie (4-2, 2.63)

EastIf last week's rout of the Bills was a statement game for the new and improved Colts, today's contest against the Patriots in Foxboro, Mass., could stamp their legitimacy as a turnaround team in 1999. With 10 new starters and quality players at the offensive skill positions, the Colts, 3-13 a year ago, are a team to watch this season. Rookie RB Edgerrin James' running complements QB Peyton Manning's passing game nicely, and new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio goes after the quarterback (he sent at least five players after the Bills' Doug Flutie on almost every passing down)

WEST POINT, Miss. -- Considering everything she accomplished as a rookie last season, maybe anything Se Ri Pak did this year would have constituted a sophomore jinx.Yet the signs were there even last summer and fall that Pak was heading for problems.After the last of her four victories that included both the U.S. Women's Open and LPGA Championship -- starting with the Open, three came in a stretch of four weeks -- there were rumors and indications of burnout.Going into the 54th Women's Open, which begins here tomorrow at the Old Waverly Golf Club, Pak is not yet back.

Quote: "I kind of looked up at the board like an idiot when I went out there, got a little nervous and I guess the nerves got the best of me."-- Twins rookie Joe Mays, who lost his perfect game in the sixthIt's a fact: The Twins are still capitalizing on Eric Milton's no-hitter by pushing unsold tickets and game programs for $10.Who's hot: The Indians passed the AL record of 11 slams in a season. The Mariners and Orioles each had 11 in 1996.Who's not: White Sox rookie Aaron Myette has allowed 25 base runners in 9 2/3 innings.

LONG POND, Pa. -- Tony Stewart has come on the Winston Cup circuit like a whirling dervish in his bright orange-and-white Pontiac.Compared to current star Jeff Gordon and the late Davey Allison, who as a 1987 rookie was the last to win in his first season, he has Winston Cup regulars eyeing him as one more driver they have to beat."

In a lineup dominated by Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison, Terrence Wilkins might be the ultimate secret weapon for the Indianapolis Colts.James, a running back, appears a lock to win Rookie of the Year honors with 1,210 rushing yards and eight 100-yard games. Manning-to-Harrison is fast becoming the most feared passing combination in the NFL.But Wilkins, a 5-foot-8 undrafted rookie wide receiver out of Virginia, has also played a key role in the Colts' resurgence this season.

Steve Armas, 22, midfielder: Rookie. Starred last fall at Maryland. On all-NCAA Tournament team. Grew up in Potomac. Parade All-American three times at Bullis Prep. On 1994 U.S. Under-17 Youth World Championship team.Lloyd Barker, 28, forward: A-League veteran of three seasons with the Montreal Impact. Jamaican international 1995 and 1996.Chris Brown, 27, defender: London-born, Dallas-raised U.S. citizen was on A-League's New Orleans Storm last season. American University alumnus. Has played in Germany, Jamaica.

Quote: "If I could pitch 20 more years and play with the other 19 teams, I would."Mike Morgan, Rangers pitcher, who has appeared for a record 11 major-league teams and last night became the first to win a game for 10 different clubs. It's a fact: The Yankees are 17-5 in Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez's 22 starts over the past two seasons.Who's hot: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was 7-for-13 in three games against Oakland, including a double, a triple and a home run.Who's not: Athletics rookie third baseman Eric Chavez, touted as a potential Rookie of the Year candidate, is 1-for-10.

Perhaps more than anyone, Jim Morris knows what Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher will experience in the coming weeks. Like Oher and the soon-to-be-released movie, "The Blind Side," Morris' life story was made into a major motion picture in 2002. But Morris was retired from Major League Baseball for more than a year when "The Rookie," starring Dennis Quaid, was released. Not even "The Rookie" was a rookie when his life was immortalized on film - demonstrating Oher's unique situation.

A look at some of the best and worst of the Orioles' otherwise forgettable 2009 season: Team MVP: Second baseman Brian Roberts set career highs in runs and RBIs, and his 56 doubles were a franchise record and the most by a switch-hitter in baseball history. From the leadoff spot, he was fourth on the team in home runs with 16, and he played in 159 of 162 games, not bad for a guy who had several nagging injuries and whose focus and effort were questioned earlier in the season. Most disappointing player: While the offensive dropoffs of Melvin Mora and Aubrey Huff drained the lineup, it's hard to argue against the choice of Opening Day starter Jeremy Guthrie, who went 10-17 with a 5.04 ERA. Guthrie didn't miss a start and pitched 200 innings, extremely valuable for a club with four rookies in the rotation.

His every move is no longer scrutinized as it was 3 1/2 months ago when Orioles catcher Matt Wieters made his much-anticipated big league debut before a packed house and enormous expectations. But there remains plenty of attention on Wieters, and there are a slew of questions that his rookie season has left unanswered. Wieters fueled a five-run comeback Tuesday with a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth, and he eliminated any lingering drama with a three-run homer in the eighth as the Orioles secured a 10-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in front of an announced 11,575 at Camden Yards.

In a surprising development Saturday, the Ravens released five wide receivers - a group that included Justin Harper and Yamon Figurs - signaling their intention to go into the regular season with just four wide-outs. The organization also traded defensive back Derrick Martin to the Green Bay Packers for offensive lineman Tony Moll and cut rookie kicker Graham Gano, thereby giving the kicking duties to second-year kicker Steve Hauschka. The club also parted ways with rookie linebacker Tony Fein, who was charged Aug. 23 with assaulting a Baltimore city police officer at the Inner Harbor.

College field hockey Muracco, O'Donnell lead Terps over Northwestern, 7-2 The No. 1 Maryland field hockey team won the 2009 Wildcat Classic with a 7-2 victory over tournament host Northwestern. The Terps moved to 3-0 on the year. Nicole Muracco scored three goals for Maryland, and Brigitte Strother added two. Katie O'Donnell contributed a goal and two assists, and Ameliet Rischen had one goal and one assist. Emma Thomas, Colleen Gulick and Janessa Pope each added an assist. More colleges Three Navy women's soccer players earn weekly honors Three Midshipmen were recognized Monday by the Patriot League for their standout early-season performances.

BAG OF TRICKS: : The team unveiled a couple of different looks Saturday. Special teams ran 13 fake field-goal plays, and the scout team went to a Wildcat formation with rookie running back Cedric Peerman taking direct shotgun snaps. YELLOW FLAG WATCH: : The team was flagged just three times Saturday. The offense was cited for a false start and illegal motion, while the defense jumped offside once. AGE IS JUST A NUMBER : Ray Lewis might be 34, but the linebacker loses a few years when he gets on the field.

DROPPING THE BALL:: There were many dropped passes during practice Friday. Unofficially, there were 11, including two each by wide receiver Jayson Foster and rookie tight end Davon Drew. YELLOW FLAG WATCH:: On the flip side, the team committed just three penalties. Rookie wide receiver Eron Riley was flagged for pass interference, rookie offensive tackle Michael Oher moved early and the offense was cited for illegal formation when three linemen were not on the line of scrimmage. DEFENDING THEIR TURF:: Cornerback Frank Walker intercepted a pass from quarterback John Beck in the end zone, and linebacker Tavares Gooden sacked Joe Flacco during live, full-team drills.

When the Orioles' rotation of the future is considered, David Hernandez is usually forgotten. The right-hander with the mid-90s fastball is perceived as a back-end starter at best and, oftentimes, he's penciled in as a reliever on the Orioles' eventual dream team. Yet on a balmy night at Camden Yards, with thousands wearing free T-shirts bearing the name of Brad Bergesen, another of the club's rookie starters, it was Hernandez who delivered a key, convincing performance in a 3-2 win over the Oakland Athletics and their heralded young right-hander Trevor Cahill.

Oakland swept the Orioles at home the first weekend of June, but the A's have made significant changes since then. They traded star outfielder Matt Holliday to the St. Louis Cardinals and then jettisoned veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera to the Minnesota Twins. Oakland also released slumping slugger Jason Giambi, who was unable to jump-start an offense that is last in the American League in home runs, batting average, slugging percentage and extra-base hits. Entering Sunday's series finale at the Kansas City Royals, rookie closer Andrew Bailey had converted 10 straight save opportunities and ranked second among major league relievers with 71 strikeouts.

Camp highlights REVIEWING THE RECEIVERS: : Derrick Mason's return was the big news of the morning, and he made a nice sliding catch of a pass from Joe Flacco on a post route. Demetrius Williams, Justin Harper and Kelley Washington made a few grabs, but they were of the shorter variety. HIT OF THE DAY: : During a one-on-one blocking drill, linebacker Antwan Barnes trucked rookie tight end Davon Drew, and linebacker Prescott Burgess did the same thing to rookie running back Cedric Peerman.