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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Since You Asked: Crater Lake Avenue road sign confuses motorist Britt upgrades to be re-examined after state land-use ruling Jordan Cove would be 'game-changer,' but coast residents worry about impacts, dangers Get Up & Go: Dec. 29 Missing girl's family, friends, want more info from police Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Missing girl's family, friends, want more info from police Emergency Services Emergency Services Suspect in high-speed chase still unaccounted for Emergency services Politics and Elections State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change GMO labeling votes recounted under careful watch in Jackson County Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means Education Traveling artist sets the stage for Ruch School amphitheater Ruch school class focuses on the natural environment Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU St. Mary's plays host to youth robotics tournament Environment Monument expansion expected to increase tourism, protect resources Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure Bird flu discovered in Winston backyard flock Jackson County holds back on enforcing GMO ban for now No fish, no funding for problem dams State News Oregon missionary deported back to U.S. faces molestation charges Poverty rate in Oregon schools jumps since 2007 Northwest poultry producers fear bird flu outbreak may hurt exports John Day loggers, conservationists cut a deal to save a mill Seaside man accused in child's death Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Obituaries Patricia Ann Burton Alan Leslie Kenmoen Sharon Kay Boldt David A. Schneider Dovie Mae Stout Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Barry, North heat up in win Reyes scores 28 to power Crater Panthers pull away Pistons rout Cavs, elicit boos from fans Matthews sharp from long range in Blazer win Varsity 541 College Sports Beavers' Andersen hires offensive coaches No. 10 Beavers fall to No. 8 Vols UCLA isn’t looking back after Kentucky shellacking No. 1 Kentucky holds off No. 4 Louisville Winston is in his 'sanctuary' at Rose Bowl Pro Sports Pistons rout Cavs, elicit boos from fans Matthews sharp from long range in Blazer win Harbaugh, 49ers agree to part ways Raptors halt Clippers' home streak NBA’s trading season has started early Community Sports Keeping Fit: Runners need to do more than run to stay in shape Business Latest Stories LNG project: Where the gas would flow, so would the money Southern Oregon Surrogacy Center opens in Medford Silvio Calabi: GLA250 is a Merc for the masses Blog: The Holidays Have Arrived Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Real Estate News Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate More sales, but no change in residential housing median price People In Business People in Business, Dec. 3 Transportation Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Agriculture K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Southern Oregon wine industry had a robust 2013 Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, Dec. 29 Our View: Council is barking up the right tree Letters to the Editor, Dec. 28 Another View: Jeb Bush's Republican primary hurdles Dana Milbank: Larry Klayman's legal massacre Editorials Our View: Council is barking up the right tree Other Views: Roseburg VA director sets the right goals Our View: Thanks to four departing leaders Other Views: Yes, Virginia ... Our View: Small post offices no longer practical Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Dec. 29 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 28 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 26 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 25 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 24 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Guest Opinion: Forest thinning means water for the future Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Guest Opinion: SOU pool decision short-sighted Guest Opinion: It's time for biologists to let OR-7 go dark Lifestyle Latest stories Family Time: Your teen’s loud music could be permanently damaging their hearing Marketta Gregory: Measure a year Time for a year-end memory workout This local dog has his say Blog: BOOK IT! Friday: Last 3-Team Parlay of 2014 Keeps the Empties in the Garage Longer Food Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Kitchen Call: The comfort of creamy soups Community blog: Baking contest finalists combine cookies, candies Community blog: 'Cookbook Book' digests genre's past 300 years Community blog: Liver pat� an easy nosh for Hanukkah and beyond Home and Garden Dear Monty: Can a rookie real estate agent be a good choice? Bathtub or shower: What’s best for you? Home Help: Home safety tips for a safe and happy winter season How NOT to install drywall Dear Monty: Siblings dispute inherited real estate Health Community blog: Why New Year�s Resolutions Don�t Work and What to Do Instead Community blog: I Get It. Took a While. Health Watch: Small diet changes can make a big difference Community blog: Removing Barriers Is Good Insurance Health Watch: Change up your treadmill workout Hiking Biking Faith (No heading) Churches, synagogs host seasonal events Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Milestones and Achievements Pear Blossom queen has open heart surgery Hundreds enjoy Christmas dinner, gifts at St. Vincent de Paul SinceYou Asked: SBA would work with Mt. Ashland Ski Area about loan Fans, friends and family welcome home victorious SOU team at airport Wedding: Boldt-Mahon Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Dobra Tea menu offers hundreds of brews SugarBeats headline an all-ages dance party at Historic Ashland Armory In the Pocket releases 'I Got News' Live Music in Local Clubs Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Theater ACT presents reading of 'The Quality of Life' Meet the real Jacob Marley This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Plumbing the depths of meaning TMTO presents 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical' Music SugarBeats headline an all-ages dance party at Historic Ashland Armory In the Pocket releases 'I Got News' Live Music in Local Clubs Southern Oregon Repertory Singers present 'The Holly and the Ivy' Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Community Events Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Stefan Baumann and Eugene Bennett highlight Third Fridays Dancing People Company celebrates the solstice Dance to the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra Dining Dobra Tea menu offers hundreds of brews Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Coffee shops roll out holiday-inspired drinks Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Ooblies Artisan Waffle Sandwiches Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Our View: Council is barking up the right tree ... Suspect in high-speed chase still unaccounted for ... Southern Oregon Surrogacy Center opens in Medford ... Our View: Council is barking up the right tree ... Suspect in high-speed chase still unaccounted for ... Southern Oregon Surrogacy Center opens in Medford ... NFL COMMENTARY League heads into 2015 with popularity intact ... and issues Comment By Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times MailTribune.com By Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times Posted Dec. 24, 2014 @ 4:01 pm By Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times Posted Dec. 24, 2014 @ 4:01 pm » Social News The nation’s most popular sports league put that fan loyalty to the test this season. Amid the domestic-abuse scandals involving star running backs Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, the NFL lurched through the most turbulent fall in its 94-year history. There are all sorts of questions about how the league will handle player discipline and navigate its acrimonious relationship with the players’ union. On the field, the NFL is as successful as ever, with new stars emerging, including this season’s crop of phenomenally talented rookie receivers: Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants, Carolina’s Kelvin Benjamin, Buffalo’s Sammy Watkins and Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans. There’s the familiar success of coach Bill Belichick in New England, and the electrifying rise of the onetime Patriots coach he replaced, Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks. There’s the pinpoint accuracy of quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay; the poise of Seattle’s Russell Wilson, who is so calm under pressure it’s as if he can stop time; the all-around excellence of Andrew Luck in Indianapolis; and a couple of legends in Peyton Manning and Tom Brady who can pass all day but refuse to pass the torch. Among the questions going forward: Can the NFL and the players union find a happy medium when it comes to punishments? The acrimony between the league and the NFL Players Association has reached a full boil, and Commissioner Roger Goodell’s modified personal conduct policy hasn’t turned down the heat. Although Goodell has stepped away from the first stage of player punishment, he has retained control of the appeals process. The union argues that should be handled by a neutral third party. This figures to be an issue that will bubble to the surface in every high-profile punishment case. Have the Browns seen enough of Johnny Manziel to know what they have? So far, Johnny Football has been Johnny Crash. The diminutive rookie quarterback’s something-out-of-nothing style has been a flop in his first two starts, and he lasted only three full possessions at Carolina before being sidelined by an injury. Cleveland needs to figure out its future at the position because Brian Hoyer becomes a free agent after the season, and he doesn’t want to ride the bench. Is there a future for Robert Griffin III in Washington? The Redskins are feeling better about their quarterback after his solid performance against Philadelphia on Saturday, but those sentiments seem to change from week to week. The tension has been thick this season between RGIII and first-year coach Jay Gruden. The primary reason the team hired Gruden was to bring out the best in the quarterback, but that relationship is already on shaky ground. How long will the window of opportunity stay open for Peyton Manning and Tom Brady? Denver’s Manning, 38, is focused on short-range goals. “Our strength coach, Luke Richesson, I feel like he’s really set out a good plan for me,” Manning told the Los Angeles Times in August. “He kind of jokes that he has this five-year plan for me. I say, ‘No, I’m on the 2014 plan. Let’s hone in on that.’” New England’s Brady, 37, has a different approach. He recently told Sports Illustrated he wants to keep playing into his 40s and his throwing coach Tom House told the magazine: “Tom is pushing back the aging process. There’s no reason he can’t do at 45 what he did at 25.” What will the demand be next season for Peterson and Rice? Rice’s domestic-abuse suspension was lifted on appeal in November, and teams have been eligible to sign him since then. He’s unlikely to generate much demand, not only because of the stigma he carries, but also because he’ll be 28 in January and his numbers were on the decline before he got into trouble. Peterson, suspended until at least April 15 after pleading no contest to striking his 4-year-old son with a switch, will wind up playing somewhere, though it might not be with the Minnesota Vikings. Age is a factor with him too — he turns 30 in March — but to this point he’s been a once-in-a-generation back. Will Dallas’ quarterback ever get off the Romo-coaster? The end of this season will be a good indicator if Tony Romo, 34, has more than warning-track power. The up-and-down quarterback has a rock-solid offensive line, the league’s leading rusher in DeMarco Murray, and a dominant receiver in Dez Bryant. The Cowboys are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2009, and now’s the time Romo can prove he’s capable of getting the job done. What happens to Jim Harbaugh? He led San Francisco to three consecutive NFC championship games and one Super Bowl, but Harbaugh and the 49ers are likely to part ways at the end of the season. The University of Michigan, Harbaugh’s alma mater, reportedly has offered him a six-year deal worth $48 million. Can he pass on that? Might he move across the bay to coach the Oakland Raiders, for whom he once was an assistant coach? It’s highly unlikely the notoriously cheap Raiders can match that Michigan money, but they’re badly in need of someone to rebrand the foundering franchise. Plus, it would be a poke in the eye of their NFL neighbors. If the Jets give their coach the boot, where will Rex Ryan wind up next? Yes, his team made the conference championship his first two seasons and then things got progressively worse, but Ryan shouldn’t have a problem landing a head-coaching job elsewhere in the league. He had success early with the Jets, and he’s got a colorful personality that will be attractive to some clubs. Oakland could be a fit, or maybe Atlanta if the Falcons get rid of Mike Smith (although they have a chance to salvage their season by winning the division). Hard to imagine Ryan in San Francisco. Maybe he goes back to Chicago, where his dad, Buddy, had so much success as Bears defensive coordinator. Who’s the next college coach to follow in the footsteps of Pete Carroll, Harbaugh and Chip Kelly, and find success in the NFL? There’s speculation that Baylor’s Art Briles might make the jump up at some point, or maybe Stanford’s David Shaw. And what about the coach Carroll replaced in Seattle? Does UCLA’s Jim Mora feel the pull of the league he left? There are murmurs that the 49ers could be eyeing Mora, their onetime defensive coordinator, and that could put him back in the Seahawks’ division to go head-to-head with Carroll twice a season. What happens with the quarterbacks at the top of the upcoming draft? ‘Tis the season for teams to fall in — or out of — love with quarterback prospects. Will Oregon’s Marcus Mariota go No. 1 overall, even though the market has cooled on run-pass threats such as Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton and RGIII? (Russell Wilson’s stock keeps climbing, though.) Will Florida State’s Jameis Winston slip in the draft amid character questions, or will the player who has never lost a college football game convince NFL teams that he’s the best prospect in this draft class? The Winston question figures to be the hottest topic at the scouting combine. And what happens with UCLA’s Brett Hundley? What can the league do to make Thursday night games more competitive? Blowouts were the norm in midweek games, particularly early in the season. Many of the highly anticipated matchups were downright unwatchable. The league needs to consider scheduling Thursday games only in the immediate aftermath of the participants’ week off. Now that the Chargers, Rams and Raiders are staying put in their cities for at least another year, how does the league maintain momentum in the Los Angeles market? Watch for the NFL to zero in on a specific stadium site, whether it’s the Farmers Field proposal downtown, the Hollywood Park area, Carson or somewhere else. You can expect the league to turn its attention to a venue concept, and come up with financing alternatives, and then wait to determine which team or teams might relocate — if that ever happens. By Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times MailTribune.com By Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times Posted Dec. 24, 2014 @ 4:01 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Week 17 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Dec. 28, 2014 at 10:00 am Last-Minute Outlook for Fantasy Flex Players Dec. 28, 2014 at 9:00 am Last-Minute Fantasy Advice for Week 17 Dec. 28, 2014 at 7:00 am Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 17 Dec. 27, 2014 at 12:00 pm Final NFL Week 17 Odds Projections and Fantasy Stars to Watch Dec. 27, 2014 at 10:00 am Fantasy Football Daily League Guide to Week 17 Dec. 27, 2014 at 8:06 am calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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