LONDON -- The latest installment of international soccers oldest rivalry is a jarring reminder for Scotland of just how far the team has fallen -- and keeps on plummeting.The balance of power has firmly been in Englands favor for decades.And yet thousands of Scotland fans will still travel south to London for Fridays World Cup qualifier while fatalistic about their teams chances.I feel sorry for the younger fans because the future looks bleak, said Hamish Husband, a 58-year-old member of a Scottish supporters group. The reasons are self-inflicted. Not unlike England, we have this belief that because we invented football then somehow we had a right to success.We have just been left behind. Modern football has changed and Scottish football has not changed with it.The rivalry that began in 1872 is being renewed at Wembley Stadium for the 113th time. It was forged on fading memories of fiercely-competitive tussles on the field and fiery exchanges that often turned violent around the stadium. They were times when both England and Scotland contested major tournament finals and both teams could deploy gifted players.England constantly agonizes over its limited international success, with the 1966 World Cup its only title and no final appearance since then. But England is reaching tournaments -- with rare slip-ups -- unlike Scotland, which last qualified for the World Cup in 1998.When the newly-expanded 24-team European Championship took place in France this year, all the British teams participated apart from Scotland. Even Iceland, with a population of 330,000, qualified for the first time and reached the quarterfinals. Scotland, whose population exceeds 5 million, is trying to figure out why it has fallen so far behind and allowed other countries to race ahead.We look at countries like Iceland, which is showing what can be achieved with limited population and limited resources, SFA chief executive Stewart Regan told The Associated Press.Thousands of members of the Tartan Army heading to Wembley will do so knowing there is little point booking trips to Russia for the 2018 World Cup. The Scots are only in fourth place in their qualifying group.The SFA is aware of the negativity surrounding the team and tapped into that sentiment in a rallying cry for fans ahead of Fridays game that was downbeat while still trying to offer a flicker of hope.Arent we a picture of sadness at time like these? Dour-faced at the idea of not qualifying, sitting there thinking -- tragedy, the narrator says on the video posted to the SFA Twitter account. Results suggest we are in for a bumpy ride, but whats new about that?After three matches in Group F, England is already out in front in the only automatic qualification place. But the video implores: We are only three games in and just three points off top spot. Boom! Were not dead yet. Its not impossible. Weve beaten them at their bit before.Not since 1999, when Scotland won 1-0. But a 2-0 loss in Glasgow meant England won the playoff and went to Euro 2000 instead.Now, Scotland cant even beat 98th-ranked Lithuania on home soil, held 1-1 last month. In the FIFA rankings, Scotland is 57th, sandwiched between Macedonia and Mali, while England is 12th.Thirty years of decline cant be fixed instantly as much as there is a desire for overnight success, Regan said. The pipeline of players we have got isnt flowing quite as fast as its flowing in England.For Regan, theres a correlation between the decline of Scottish football and the rapid growth of the English game, where the Premier League has become the worlds richest football competition since being established in 1992.The TV money came into England and clubs were able to purchase players from overseas, Regan said. More and more foreign players came into the game and those foreign players took slots in the squad that Scottish players had previously had taken.The Scottish players were no longer getting game time but were still prepared to go south because the wages that they are earning are still greater than they could earn in Scotland.In an attempt to bolster the pool of players available to Scotlands national teams, 33 million pounds ($41 million) has been spent on Oriam, the SFAs newly-opened performance center.We are horrific in Scotland at the moment, Scotland coach Gordon Strachan said. We are in the worst state weve ever been. I am not talking about the Scotland national team, but the standard of kids coming through.Only six members of the 25-man squad for the England game play in the Premier League. Another nine from are lower-league clubs in England. Just four are from Scottish champion Celtic. The standout name is winger Oliver Burke, who joined Bundesliga club Leipzig in August to develop his game.Husband, who is preparing to make his 13th trip to Wembley as a Scotland fan, remembers a time when the national team featured world-class players like Denis Law, a title winner with Manchester United in the 1960s, and Kenny Dalglish, who collected trophies as a player and manager at Liverpool in the 1970 and 80s.There is no sign of players of that stature appearing in the near or significant future, Husband said. Unfortunately theres fatalism about the Scotland fans because the decline in our fortunes has happened for a long number of years and none of us have the answer.---Rob Harris is at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReportsDan Majerle Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Grant Hill Jersey .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. http://www.officialsunsfanstore.com/deandre-ayton-suns-jersey/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. George King Suns Jersey . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. Richaun Holmes Suns Jersey . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start.BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles long ago established their identity as a team built for power.Its already gotten them into position to reach the postseason, and now they intend to flex their muscles and hit home runs all the way into October.Mark Trumbo hit his major league-leading 41st homer to cap a six-run second inning, and the Orioles peppered the New York Yankees with four long balls in an 8-0 victory Friday night.Pedro Alvarez and Chris Davis hit two-run homers in the second inning and Manny Machado added a two-run shot in the fourth. Baltimore leads the majors with 213 home runs, including 117 at home.Ive got a really good seat and I dont ever take it for granted, the things that they do against the best pitchers in the world, manager Buck Showalter said. Its not like theyre sneaking up on anybody, either. Its just been a consistent threat weve had all year.Let the other guys rely on speed or bunts or the hit-and-run. The Orioles are taking aim at the fences with no apologies.Its who we are, and thats OK, Showalter said.When Alvarez went deep, the Orioles became the 19th team in big league history to have six players hit at least 20 in the same season. Alvarez joins Trumbo, Machado (33), Davis (33), Adam Jones (24) and Jonathan Schoop (21).Well, when youve got six guys in your lineup that have hit 20 home runs -- and one of them (Alvarez) is a platoon player -- you know that theres a lot of power, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. We werent able to keep the ball in the ballpark, and its how this club is extremely dangerous.Dylan Bundy (8-5) allowed two hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. In his previous start, the right-hander took the loss Saturday at Yankee Stadium after giving up five runs and seven hits in four innings.It was only the third win in eight games for the Orioles, who started the day tied with Detroit for the second AL wild-card slot.New York finished with only two hits and fell 3 1/2 games behind Baltimore. The Yankees came to town with a streak of four straight series wins.Rookie Chad Green (2-4) yielded four runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings before leaving with right elbow pain.Obviously he needs to have an MRI on his right elbow, Girardi said.dddddddddddd. That will take place (Saturday) and well have a better idea.After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, the Orioles batted around in the second. Jones singled in a run before Alvarez launched a drive that landed on Eutaw Street beyond the 25-foot scoreboard in right field. Green left after walking Machado, and Davis greeted Nick Goody with a home run.Trumbo followed by going deep on an 0-2 pitch, the 17th time this season the Orioles have hit back-to-back home runs.Pitchers really have to pick and choose who they want to go after, Trumbo said. If we have some depth in the lineup -- which we definitely do -- that can make for a pretty tough time for the opposition if were going well.Two innings later, Machado connected off Kirby Yates for an 8-0 lead.WELCOME ABOARDYankees: New York recalled several players from its minor league system, including Goody and RHP Jonathan Holder, who threw a scoreless inning in his major league debut.Orioles: Obtained in separate transactions Wednesday, OFs Michael Bourn and Drew Stubbs made their debut with the Orioles as defensive replacements. ... The Orioles recalled RHP Tyler Wilson, LHP Jayson Aquino and C Caleb Joseph from Triple-A Norfolk.TRAINERS ROOMYankees: OF Aaron Hicks had an MRI on his right hamstring, and the news was not favorable. Hes a guy thats going to be out for a while, Girardi said. The injury occurred Wednesday night.Orioles: RHP Chris Tillman (right shoulder bursitis) has been penciled in to return Sept. 11 in Detroit. ... RHP Darren ODay (rotator cuff strain) will throw off a half mound Sunday. ... Jones returned to action after missing a week with a strained left hamstring.UP NEXTYankees: CC Sabathia (8-11, 4.31 ERA) vies for his 20th career win against the Orioles on Saturday night. Hes 19-9 vs. Baltimore but 1-2 this season, including a loss last Sunday.Orioles: Kevin Gausman (6-10, 3.73) seeks to win his fourth straight start, a streak that includes a 5-0 victory over Yankees on Sunday in which he struck out nine in seven innings. ' ' '
