CHICAGO -- Hall of Famer Mike Ditka will have his No. 89 retired by the Chicago Bears next season. The Bears say the number will be retired at halftime of their Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field on Dec. 9, a fitting tribute for a player who revolutionized the tight end position with his pass-catching ability and later coached the 1985 team to the Super Bowl championship. In a statement, he calls it "a tremendous honour" and says hes "very humbled by it." Chairman George McCaskey says Ditka "embodies the spirit of everything the Bears are about."Custom Baltimore Orioles Jerseys . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. Orioles Jerseys 2019 . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. https://www.cheaporioles.com/ . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. Baltimore Orioles Pro Shop . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. Stitched Orioles Jerseys . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- In a rivalry that features six Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks, the signal callers for Saturdays matchup between Florida and Florida State arent commanding the spotlight.It has been the play, however, of No. 13 Floridas Austin Appleby and 15th-ranked Florida States Deondre Francois that has allowed both teams to gain momentum late in the season.Appleby, who is a graduate transfer from Purdue, threw for 144 yards and a touchdown in the Gators win at LSU last Saturday. That win allowed Florida (8-2) to clinch the SEC East Division and a spot in the conference championship game.In five starts at Florida, Appleby has completed 61.8 percent of his passes with six touchdowns against two interceptions. He had a 98-yard touchdown pass to Tyrie Cleveland that is the second-longest pass play in school history.For him to be able to do what hes doing, guys around him believe in him. And that has to do more so because they see the work that he puts in studying, playing and affecting the people around him in a positive way, Florida coach Jim McElwain said of Appleby,Francois leads all freshmen QBs nationally in passing yards per game (271.8). He threw for 315 yards at Syracuse last week which marked his fifth 300-yard game.One thing that Francois is also doing a good job of is taking care of the football. He has only five interceptions, which is the fewest among freshmen QBs, and 17 touchdowns, which is third.I think his understanding of all the little details and why they are so important to create the inches to win, Fisher said of how Francois has matured this season. I see his understanding why things are done now and the urgency to want to do them right even if he messes them up, to turn around and want to go get them again.Florida State (8-3) is looking for its fourth straight win over Florida, which would mark only the third time in series historry -- and first since 1990 -- that happened.dddddddddddd---Some other things to watch as the Seminoles are 5-1 over the Gators with Fisher as coach:COOK REMAINS HOT: Dalvin Cook became Florida States career rushing leader last week. The junior is averaging 163.5 rushing yards in two meetings against Florida and has 10 straight 100-yard games at home against FBS teams.TOUGH ON DEFENSE: Florida comes into the game ranked in the top five in six defensive categories including third in scoring (13 points per game) and fourth in passing yards allowed (160 per game).DEJA VU? Florida comes into the game in the same situation as last year but it dropped games to FSU, Alabama (SEC championship) and Michigan (Citrus Bowl) by an average of 24.3 points. The Gators are hoping for a stronger finish this time.KEEP AN EYE ON: Florida State defensive end DeMarcus Walker, who is second in the nation in sacks with 13. In last years game against Florida, Walker had 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and blocked a field goal. In five games ranked teams this season, he has 31 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked extra point.SEEING RED: Florida State comes into the game with the nations top red zone offense, scoring on all but two of its 51 possessions inside the opponents 20 (39 touchdowns, 10 field goals). The Seminoles have scored on 24 straight red zone trips and have a string of 14 straight touchdowns. Florida has the nations top red zone defense by not allowing a score on 9 of 26 possessions. One of those was a goal-line stand on the final series against LSU last Saturday.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 .---Follow Joe Reedy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/joereedy . ' ' '
