Unser Chat » Add to them 49ers-Seahawks, with a history

RENTON, Wash. - Packers-Bears. Steelers-Browns. Cowboys vs. anybody in the NFC East. Those are long-standing NFL rivalries. Add to them 49ers-Seahawks, with a history of nastiness emanating from the college ranks for their coaches, and a hefty animosity built up in annual doubleheaders in their division. Now they meet for a spot in the Super Bowl. Are those hard feelings for real? "I think so, but itll always be that way when you have two good teams in the same division," 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin said. "You play each other a couple times a year and if youre good enough, possibly three times a year. It was the same way when I was in Baltimore playing against Pittsburgh. You respect each other as foes, but there is really a dislike." Its a healthy thing, really, because it makes for even more uncompromising action — on the field and on the sideline. One of these teams will emerge Sunday from ear-splitting CenturyLink Field headed for New Jersey to play for the sports biggest prize. The other will carry into the off-season even more loathing for this opponent. "There is no love lost; there is no love found," said Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who will find himself lined up often against Boldin in the NFC championship game. "Its going to be intense. Its going to be physical. I dont know if there are going to be handshakes after this one." That almost goes without saying with the coaches. When 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was at Stanford — where, incidentally, Sherman played after being recruited by current Seahawks coach Pete Carroll when he was at Southern California — he ran up the score in a 2009 win at Los Angeles that prompted Carroll to ask him at games end: "Whats your deal." Harbaughs deal has always revolved around being a hard-edged player and coach. His teams embody that attitude, and it certainly has worked in San Francisco. The 49ers are 41-13-1 in his three seasons in charge, are in their third straight conference title game, and back down from no one. That can make for some uncomfortable moments, whether its Harbaughs overzealous handshakes and back slaps after wins or his team playing up to (and sometimes beyond) the whistle. Carroll claims the acrimony between them is overblown. "For whatever reasons, you guys have had a field day with this," Carroll told reporters Thursday. "We have not been friends over the year, we just know each other through the games. We have a very confined relationship. "I have great respect for Jim. Thats it — you guys have had a blast with it." Carrolls Seahawks arent exactly wallflowers, either. Defensively, at least, these are the NFLs two most physical and intimidating units. That, in turn, can lead to ill will. "I dont hate anybody," All-Pro cornerback Sherman said. "So I dont think (theres) hate. But passion, definitely. There will be some passion, some dislike — some strong dislike. But there will be some intensity. Its playoff football. "So even if we werent two teams that are familiar with each other ... theres going to be a lot of intensity, a lot of chippiness, and a hard-fought game." Where might this antipathy show most? Try whenever Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch — his nickname, "Beast Mode," says it all about his style of play — meets up with All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and his fellow linebackers, the best group in the NFL. Or when Boldin, among the best clutch receivers in football, uses his physicality against Sherman, safety Earl Thomas, a fellow All-Pro, and the rest of the games top secondary. All of the matchups for Sunday are familiar to both sides, of course. And when division foes meet for the conference title — each team won at home this season — the results hardly are predictable. Since the 1970 merger, there have been 15 third meetings in conference championships, 10 in the AFC, including the Seahawks losing to Oakland when Seattle was an AFC franchise in 1983. The 49ers beat the Rams in such a meeting in 1989. In 10 of those games, the host won. What can be forecast for Sunday: hard feelings all around, even if 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis tones it down slightly. "Theres no question theres a lot of hostility between us," Willis said, "but at the end of the day theyre another football team. So, theres always going to be dislikes. Theyre an opponent of ours and we want to win. "If we werent in this race right now thered be no doubt that if they were playing against someone else, I would wish them well because its in our division. But its us playing, so theres not going to be any like at all there." ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org Jarrad Davis Jersey .5 million, four-year contract with the Texas Rangers that could be worth $32. Barry Sanders Jersey .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at LeBron James and the Miami Heat winning their second straight NBA championship. http://www.officialdetroitlionspro.com/Customized/ . They have homered once every 27.3 at bats, which just happens to be the third best mark in the American League, albeit just 10 games into the season. Kerryon Johnson Jersey . The striker headed Spurs into a 35th-minute lead and tapped in their third in the 71st after Chico Flores own goal. Wilfried Bony hit the bar and had a good penalty appeal for a push by Tottenham captain Michael Dawson turned down in the first half, before getting Swanseas consolation late on. Kenny Golladay Jersey . This week, topics cover the World Series champion Red Sox, John Farrell and what to look forward to this off-season. NEW YORK -- LeBron James understands it will take time, but he wants Donald Sterling out of the NBA. And he said Sunday that players believe nobody in Sterlings family should be able to own the Los Angeles Clippers if hes gone. Sterling has been banned for life for making racist comments and Commissioner Adam Silver has urged owners to force Sterling to sell the franchise. While Silver has said no decisions had been made about the rest of Sterlings family, NBA spokesman Mike Bass released a statement Sunday night clarifying the leagues authority in the matter. "Under the NBA constitution, if a controlling owners interest is terminated by a three-quarter vote, all other team owners interests are automatically terminated as well," Bass said. "It doesnt matter whether the owners are related as is the case here. These are the rules to which all NBA owners agreed to as a condition of owning their team." Shelly Sterling, Sterlings estranged wife, said she intends to keep her 50 per cent of the franchise. "As players, we want whats right and we dont feel like no one in his family should be able to own the team," James said after the Miami Heat practiced for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Brooklyn. But Shelly Sterling told ABC News Barbara Walters that she doesnt believe she should be punished for what her husband said. "I will fight that decision," she said in the interview. "To be honest with you, Im wondering if a wife of one of the owners, and theres 30 owners, did something like that, said those racial slurs, would they oust the husband? Or would they leave the husband in?" James was one of the first and strongest voices to speak outt after a recording of Donald Sterlings remarks to V.dddddddddddd Stiviano were posted on TMZs website last month, saying the comments were unacceptable and that there was no place in the league for Sterling. The league is trying to act quickly to remove him. Dick Parsons has been installed as the Clippers interim CEO, and the owners advisory/finance committee has held conference calls each of the last two weeks to discuss that process and timeline for a forced sale. That would require a three-fourths vote of owners. But Donald Sterling, who bought the team in 1981 and is the NBAs longest-tenured owner, could choose to fight those attempts by the league. "At the end of the day, this is going to be a long litigation when it comes to that," James said. "This guy whos owned the team since the 80s is not going to just give the team up in a day. So we understand its going to be long, but we want whats right." In his first public comments since being banned, Donald Sterling apologized Sunday for the racist comments captured on tape, saying they were a "terrible mistake." "Im not a racist," Sterling told CNNs Anderson Cooper in excerpts posted from an interview taped Sunday and set to air Monday. "I made a terrible mistake. Im here to apologize." Sterling said years of good behaviour as an owner should count toward his future. "Im a good member who made a mistake," Sterling said. "Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. Am I entitled to one mistake? Its a terrible mistake, and Ill never do it again. ... If the owners feel I have another chance, then theyll give it to me." 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