Dein erstes Forum » coming just ahead of the NADA hearin

The upcoming bowl games provide the Southeastern Conference a chance at redemption.A league that prides itself as the nations strongest has only one team -- No. 1 Alabama -- ranked higher than 17th in the Top 25 . The SEC went just 6-8 in nonconference games against other Power Five teams during the regular season, including a 3-6 mark against the Atlantic Coast Conference.With 12 of its 14 members playing in bowl games, this is a chance for the SEC to restore its reputation.We are the SEC, and obviously we have a higher benchmark than other conferences out there, Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. People expect certain things out of the SEC.Although the bowl season starts Dec. 17, SEC teams wont get involved until Dec. 26, when Mississippi State faces Miami (Ohio) in the St. Petersburg Bowl and Vanderbilt meets North Carolina State in the Independence Bowl .The SEC would love to see this years bowls turn out as well for the league as last years postseason.One year ago, the SEC encountered similar criticism after only one of its members -- Alabama, again -- was ranked in the top 15 at the end of the regular season. Before 2015, the last time the SEC had only one top-15 team was in the final poll of the 2000 season.The SEC bounced back last year by going 9-2 in bowl games, including Alabamas victory over Clemson in the College Football Playoff championship game. The SEC set an NCAA record for bowl victories in a season.I think bowl games are a big indicator of conference strength, Tennessee defensive end LaTroy Lewis said. Last year everybody scrutinized the SEC, and we had great success in the bowl games.The SEC isnt the only conferences have much at stake this postseason.The Big 12 has an opportunity to prove its worth in lesser bowl games after getting left out of the playoff for the second time in three years. The Big Ten wants to solidify a banner year as it enters the postseason with four teams ranked eighth or higher. The ACC heads into bowl season with its highest nonconference winning percentage (.750) since 1990.But theres particular pressure on the SEC due to its status as the nations premier conference for the last decade. SEC teams have won eight of the last 10 national championships.I would remind and caution everyone that youre judging us against the standard which we set, and we set that standard over 10 years -- actually probably 12 years -- in a continuing manner, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said last week when he was asked about the leagues relative struggles this season. Weve got one year that well talk about and well analyze, but our expectations for excellence dont change at all.Even in whats considered a disappointing season, the SEC still has gone 42-12 in nonconference games and owns the highest nonconference winning percentage (.778) of any league. The SEC hadnt lost as many as 12 nonconference games in a season since going 31-15 in nonconference play in 2003, and it hasnt finished a season with nonconference winning percentage below .800 since 2008.Another stellar bowl performance could quiet the SECs critics, but the league faces a tougher road in this years postseason.SEC teams were favored in nine of their 11 bowl games last year, including the playoff championship game. The favorite won each of the 11 postseason games involving SEC teams.The SEC is dealing with tougher matchups this time. SEC teams are favored in six of their 12 bowl games and are underdogs in five other bowls. The Georgia-TCU Liberty Bowl is rated as a toss-up.SEC coaches have defended the conference by citing the depth that has allowed the league to have 12 bowl representatives, though that includes two 6-6 teams (South Carolina and Vanderbilt) and one 5-7 squad (Mississippi State). Tennessee coach Butch Jones noted the week-to-week grind of playing in this league and said if youre not at your best, youre going to get beat.Its still the most competitive, toughest football conference in the country, Jones said.The bowl season offers the SEC one last chance to back up that statement.---AP freelance writer Chip Cirillo in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee Bill Kirchiro Jersey Retro . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. 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NADA has also found his food supplements clean, contrary to his claims of them being tampered with. The result comes as a huge setback for the wrestler, coming just ahead of the NADA hearing on his appeal.Its the same substance that was found in the first test. It was unlikely that it would go out of the system, a Wrestling Federation of India source said -- referring to banned anabolic steroid methandienone.Parveen Rana was named as Narsinghs replacement in the 74-kg category for the Rio Olympics late on Tuesday. Narsingh will have to be able to prove allegations of tampering before the NADA panel on Wednesday to salvage his Olympic hopes. The 26-year-old wrestler has been accused of taking an anabolic steroid, methandienone, and is under provisional suspension.Meanwhile, Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel on Wednesday said that doors are almost shut for Narsingh to go to the Ollympics, adding that it is time for the conspiracy theories to stop.ddddddddddddI dont think it is a debatable issue because whatever be the reason of doping, the whole world is watching and I think it will be extremely difficult for him to go to Rio. There are no proofs of these rumours and I want all these suspicions of foul play to stop and our anti-doping agency will give a final report within a few days.Earlier, Narsingh had lodged an FIR in Sonepat against the boy, reportedly a cadet wrestler from Delhi, for spiking his food which resulted in the positive dope test. With the needle of suspicion falling on Sushil Kumars camp for orchestrating the idea, the two-time Olympic medallists coach Satpal Singh rubbished the allegations, claiming that they had nothing to do with the matter. The Sushil camp is expected to hold a press briefing later on Wednesday. ' ' '