Cardinals task now is a perfect finish they hope will keep them on the radar

ATLANTA -- Six years and one month ago, Bubba Watson lost a playoff at the PGA Championship in his bid for a first major title. He shook the hand of the winner, Martin Kaymer, then walked off the final green and immediately asked the next person he saw a question that had been weighing on his mind throughout the conclusion of the tournament.Did I make the Ryder Cup team?Watson can be criticized for flaws in both performance and demeanor at times, but his desire has never wavered -- especially when it comes to representing his country.That was true then, when he did indeed qualify for the U.S. team, and it remains true today, as he hopes for the 12th and final spot on the roster going into next weeks competition at Hazeltine National.Its everything, he said of making the team after an opening-round 2-over 72 at the Tour Championship on Thursday. The only two things that were important this year were making the Olympics and making the Ryder Cup team.On this day, one which began with a bogey on the first hole and ended with bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes before a disappointing par on the par-5 finisher, Watson didnt ask any questions about making the team as he walked off the final green.Instead, he was the one being asked the questions -- and insisted he doesnt have any answers as to whether hell be captain Davis Love IIIs final wild-card pick on Sunday evening.I know the same as you know, he told the assembled media. The only thing I know that he told me -- and hes told everybody -- is that its about who matches up well. I dont know what that means. I dont know if its about partners. If a guy matches up better with two people or a guy matches up better with three people. I dont know that.He actually knows a little more than that.He knows that -- according to the captain, at least -- his result at East Lake Golf Club wont determine his fate for being on the team. As much of a head-scratcher as it sounds, considering the task force charged with overseeing the team pushed back the final pick specifically to allow room for a hot player to be chosen late, Love has told Watson and others that their performance this week wont impact the selection process.Theres nothing I can do now, Watson explained. Davis said its all about strategies and different things. Its not about my play. Its not about anybodys play. So I cant worry about that.He also cant -- and wont -- worry about being the focal point of discussions surrounding that final pick.There are some who are adamant that itll be him, no matter what; there are others who maintain he definitely wont be it. There are some advocating that his booming drives will put pressure on the European counterparts; there are others who believe his tendency to sulk when struggling is a deficiency the U.S. team cant afford.Not that Watson has heard any of this chatter.He insists that he hasnt watched, read or listened to any media in two years -- especially media analyzing, writing or speaking about him.What he has heard about is what some potential teammates have said about having the worlds seventh-ranked player in the team room next week.People came up to me and said, Do you know what Jordan [Spieth] said about you? Do you know what Brandt [Snedeker] said about you? So I thank both of them, he said. That was the only clips of media I know about.Its true. If there is a contingent of U.S. players lobbying for Watson to be excluded, they might be part of a silent minority.I dont know where everybody gets this idea that Bubba Watson is a bad teammate, Snedeker said earlier this week. He is probably one of the best teammates you could possibly have. I want that out there for everybody to hear. Bubba Watson is a great teammate. So I dont know why everybody keeps making this diversion of the truth, making Bubba out to be this bad guy.He is a great teammate. He was unbelievable on Monday [in a practice round at Hazeltine]. Hes been unbelievable all year. And we would be lucky to have him on the team as a teammate, period, end of story.Snedeker and the other players might want him there no matter what.On Thursday, Watson revealed that he texted Love recently and asked if he could serve as an assistant captain if hes not picked for the team.Theres going to be one year, hopefully before I pass away, that we actually win, he said with a smile. I want to be a part of it.Hed prefer that role come as a player, but that wont be announced until Sunday evening.When Watson walks off the final green this time, instead of asking the next person he sees whether he made the Ryder Cup team, hell await a phone call from the captain, determining whether his inherent desire to represent the U.S. will culminate in an official tee time next week. Cory Littleton Youth Jersey . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Kurt Warner Youth Jersey . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/orlando-pace-jersey/ . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. Tyler Higbee Youth Jersey .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Aaron Donald Rams Jersey . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. Seventh-ranked Louisville welcomes some down time after slipping out of the national title discussion.Plenty of time remains for the Cardinals to be reconsidered, though, and much now depends on how they and Heisman Trophy front-runner Lamar Jackson rebound from last Saturdays loss to No. 3 Clemson.Coach Bobby Petrino said this weeks bye comes at a good time for Louisville (4-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Besides allowing players to heal from a grueling opening stretch that included complete domination of then-No. 2 Florida State and a tough 42-36 loss at Clemson, the Cardinals get to regroup and figure out how to run the table.Even with the loss, theyre obviously in a better place one year after entering the break 2/3 and trying to salvage a season.Weve had a very grueling schedule and a lot of intensity, a couple of huge, huge games, Petrino said this week. So I think its a good opportunity for us to settle in and get our schoolwork done and everything we need to do with class work, get back to technique and fundamentals, kind of go back to half of the practice being camp practice where you go ones-on-ones and work hard on it.Then, some of your guys are able to heal up, he said. So, for us its a great time for our bye.Especially since it allows Jackson to recharge and follow up his dynamic start.Any discussion of the Heisman has begun with the 6-3, 204-pound sophomore, who has passed and rushed for 14 touchdowns each and combined for 2,313 yards. The national leader in several offensive categories has room for improvement after throwing a career-high three interceptions and fumbling once at Clemson, but his leadership showed as he finished with 306 yards passing and positioned Louisville to have one final chance that fell a yard short on fourth down.ddddddddddddThe frustrated look on Jacksons face after his mistakes spoke volumes about his desire to get it right, an attitude he has shown in workouts this week.Well mess up a play and Lamar will immediately come back with, `Lets do it again, Louisville wide receiver Jaylen Smith said on Petrinos weekly radio show. You have to want to be perfect.The Cardinals task now is a perfect finish they hope will keep them on the radar for the four-team playoff. Their remaining schedule seems favorable toward regaining that dominance.Louisville hosts Duke on Oct. 14 in the first of five straight ACC games before the Cardinals visit No. 6 Houston in a non-conference showdown on Nov. 17 that could shape their playoff prospects. That conference docket certainly isnt easy, with North Carolina State, Boston College and Wake Forest all boasting winning records.Overtaking Clemson to win the Atlantic Division would require two losses by the Tigers, an unlikely scenario considering they seem energized by clearing their toughest challenge to date. Louisville remains unfazed and challenged to improve on offense, defense and special teams and play its best football from here on.Weve got a lot of pride on our team, Petrino said, and guys were able to watch the (Clemson) video and know that we competed extremely hard. (We) just had 15 or 20 plays in there, where if we make one of them, the outcomes different.Were going to stick together as a team, have a great attitude and continue to work hard and try to improve, the coach added.---AP College Football: collegefootball.ap.org---Follow Gary B. Graves on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GaryBGraves ' ' '