s gouged in the second half against Tennessee, and the offense has bee

The AFLs greatest modern rivalry is back where it matters most, with Geelong playing Hawthorn in the finals.Their previous 19 games makes Friday nights qualifying final at the MCG the most intriguing clash of the weekend.The Cats strong finish to the regular season means they are the slight favourites, but form is irrelevant.The three-time defending premiers are guaranteed to be ready, given it is the finals and the opposition is Geelong.Between them, Hawthorn and Geelong have won seven of the last nine premierships.Their rivalry started when the Hawks upset the Cats to win the 2008 premiership.The loss infuriated Geelong and their players made a private pact never to lose to Hawthorn again.Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett then claimed before their next match at the start of the 2009 season that Geelong lacked his teams mental drive.Geelong won the next 11 matches and the streak became known as the Kennett Curse.It only ended once Kennett had resigned as Hawks president.Hawthorn beat Geelong by five points in the 2013 preliminary final and a week later, took out the first of their three-straight premierships with the grand final win over Fremantle.In 2014-15, the Hawks had built a five-game winning streak over the Cats.But that was snapped in round one this year when Patrick Dangerfield made the mother of all club debuts.The former Adelaide star racked up 43 possessions for Geelong in their 30-point win.Hes a great player but ... theyve got enormous depth through the middle of the ground, said Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.Its no secret that its going to be a key battle for the contest.If we can get enough supply in that part of the ground then we give ourselves a chance.But in the only game weve played this year theyve won that battle and it cost us the game.Hawthorn have regained Ben Stratton and Ben McEvoy, while Geelong recalled Scott Selwood for a likely stopping role on Sam Mitchell.Forecast rain on Friday could also force a late change or two.Wholesale Jerseys Outlet . 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Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings.GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Florida-Georgia rivalry begins a new era this weekend, with Kirby Smart making his head coaching debut in the neutral-site game.It will have a familiar feel for the men in charge.Smart and second-year Florida coach Jim McElwain became close friends while spending four years together at Alabama (2008-11). Between meals, meetings, practices, late nights, long hours and road trips, they forged a bond that extends well beyond the football field. Winning helped, too. With Smart and McElwain as coordinators, the Tide went 48-6 and claimed two national championships.Smart and McElwain will reunite in Jacksonville on Saturday as the Bulldogs (4-3, 2/3 Southeastern Conference) try to salvage their season against the 14th-ranked Gators (5-1, 3-1).This will be a great chess match, McElwain said.Smart and McElwain know each other well enough to predict every move. Of course, that wasnt always the case.When McElwain arrived in Alabama in January 2008 to help Nick Saban get the Crimson Tide back to national prominence, he had never heard of Smart. The former Georgia safety was coming off brief stops at Valdosta State, Florida State, LSU and in the NFL before following Saban to Tuscaloosa and being put in charge of the defense.I didnt know anything about him before I got there, McElwain recalled. And yet he was one of the first guys to welcome me in the door, which tells you what kind of guy he is. When you work together like that in an environment like that, you get to know each other pretty well. Our wives know each other.I mean, it becomes a family.With McElwain drawing up plays and Smart trying to stop them, they made practices intense and raised the bar in Tuscaloosa.All that success helped McElwain land his first head coaching job at Colorado State and eventually make the move to Florida. Smart remained with the Tide another four seasons -- picking up 50 additional wins and two more national titles -- before leaving for his alma mater.He had a bunch of opportunities along the way, obviously, McElwain said. I think he did a great job of being patient andd taking the one that he had his eyes on.ddddddddddddSmart downplayed how much the coaches common background will be a factor this weekend, saying itll be mostly meaningless after kickoff.I dont know that it does provide advantage, because for every advantage I might have, they have the same, Smart said. I think you can overthink these things.We know what we do, and the players got to go make the plays.The Bulldogs havent made enough plays lately. They have dropped three of their last four games , including an embarrassing home loss to Vanderbilt two weeks ago.Freshman quarterback Jacob Easons inexperience has been obvious at times. The running game, even with Nick Chubb healthy, has been inconsistent behind a mediocre offensive line. The defense has been decent, no surprise given Smarts background. But special teams have been downright awful.I want to play our best game in all facets of the game, being able to be balanced on offense and being able to control the line on scrimmage on defense and play well in the kicking game. Thats the part that weve got to be able to do all three, and some of them have hit on all cylinders at all different times. We need them to hit all the same time.Even though the Gators sit atop the Eastern Division, they have been far from perfect. Floridas vaunted defense was gouged in the second half against Tennessee, and the offense has been hit and miss because of quarterback Luke Del Rio s limitations and a lack of playmakers outside receiver Antonio Callaway.McElwain and Smart have spent the last two weeks dissecting every aspect of the matchup. When they see each other on the field before the game Saturday, theyll be able to relax -- for a few minutes.Well get together and laugh about some stories, and thats always fun, McElwain said. And yet it doesnt matter. When you kind of blow the whistle, its your guys against their guys and see who comes out (on top).---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '