Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/632406
MIKEMCCARN—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera celebrates with Jonathan Stewart a er the NFC Championship game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C. BySteveReed The Associated Press CHARLOTTE,N.C. CarolinacoachRon Rivera remembers turning to Dave Gettleman following a training camp practice this summer, and asking the Panthers general manager, "Am I see- ing what I think I'm seeing?" Rivera wanted verification that this Panthers team was clearly the most talented he's coached in five seasons — one he thought had Super Bowl po- tential. Well, turns out Rivera was right. And now that the Panthers have re- alized those expectations, the fifth- year coach believes they're capable of bringing home the organization's first Vince Lombardi trophy. "The thing we've got to remember is what we're playing for, and that's to win it," Rivera said Monday. "It's not about getting there. It's not about being a part of it. It's about winning it. And that will be our main focus." Said quarterback Cam Newton: "We're not finished." Rivera, who won a Super Bowl ring with the 1985 Chicago Bears as a line- backer, said he'll rely on his former coach Mike Ditka, among others, for advice leading up the Feb. 7 Su- per Bowl against the AFC champion Denver Broncos. "One of the things coach Ditka em- phasized to us was to enjoy the mo- ment," Rivera said. "The moment doesn't come very often. It's hard. It's hard to get to where we are right now." The Panthers have remained a loose, confident team throughout the season. They're also a tightknit group, reg- ularly hanging out off the field to- gether, and seem to thrive playing the underdog role — even though they opened as a 4-point favorite against Peyton Manning and the Broncos. That harkens back to when some believed Carolina was the worst of the 5-0 teams in October. The Panthers would prove doubt- ers wrong, winning 14 straight games to open the season before suffering their only loss at Atlanta. They fin- ished the season as the No. 1 scoring offense in the league and led the NFL on defense in takeaways. They rebounded from that Atlanta loss to win three straight, including home playoff games against the Seat- NFL PanthersnotcontentinSB Carolina doesn't just want to be there, wants to win championship By Stephen Wade The Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO The former CEO of World Sailing says he was fired for pushing to get rid of polluted Guanabara Bay as the sailing venue of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Peter Sowrey tried to change the venue, or at least have a "B plan" but says "I was told to gag myself on the subject." Andy Hunt took over just two weeks ago as the new CEO, and sailing is still scheduled to begin in August in the sewage-filled bay. In interviews with The Associ- ated Press, Sowrey and Hunt said the bay — overlooked by the fa- mous Christ the Redeemer mon- ument and Sugarloaf Mountain behind it — may give sailing the kind of television coverage it sel- dom enjoys. It could also bring unwanted attention if sailors fall ill, or if floating rubbish — plastic bags to door frames to animal carcasses — fouls rudders and costs some- one an Olympic gold medal. Sowrey proposed moving the event to Buzios, a coastal resort about 100 miles from Rio that has been host to large sailing events. Of course, it's too late now for that change. Sowrey, who left in December OLYMPICS Ex-CEOof ISAF says fired over Rio water By John Pye The Associated Press MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Serena Williams has never lost in the semifinals of the Australian Open. Neither has Novak Djokovic. A key difference between the defending champions is that Williams beat the most-experi- enced and highest-ranked chal- lenger in her half of the draw when she extended her streak to 18 consecutive wins against Maria Sharapova with a 6-4, 6-1 quarter- final victory on Tuesday. Williams said she wasn't aware that she had won the Australian Open all six previous times she won her quarterfinal match, "but that's good." "It's not a stat that's set in stone," Williams said. "I still have to win two matches." Five-time champion Djokovic, after beating No. 7 Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, still has a daunting semifinal match against Roger Fe- derer, who has won four of his 17 Grand Slam titles in Australia. Federer reached his 12th Aus- tralian Open semifinal, and 39th in a Grand Slam event, with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 6 Tomas Berdych. He hasn't gone past the semifinals at Melbourne Park AUSTRALIAN OPEN Williams wins; Djokovic faces Federer next By Arnie Stapleton The Associated Press DENVER Peyton Manning isn't saying that Super Bowl 50 is his grand finale. He's just saying it could be. NFL Network cameras caught an intriguing exchange between Manning and New England coach Bill Belichick after Den- ver's 20-18 win over the Patriots in the AFC championship game on Sunday. When they embraced, Man- ning leaned in and told Belich- ick, "Hey listen, this might be my last rodeo. So, it sure has been a pleasure." Belichick responded, "You're a great competitor ..." Neither spoke of their ex- change afterward. Earlier this month, Manning said, "I'd be lying if I said I'm not thinking about that," when asked if this could be it for him. The five-time MVP's season ends Feb. 7 in the Super Bowl against Carolina. There are other signs that Manning is preparing as if he could ride into retirement next month. He let his little boy stand be- side him during his news con- ference after the AFC champi- onship, just as he had taken him to the sideline before one of the games he missed in December. These are things the mani- cally focused Manning never had done before. Long after the delirious crowd disappeared Sunday night, Man- ning walked through the north end zone at Sports Authority Field with his family, picked up pieces of thin blue and orange confetti and took in the scene, including the giant scoreboard in the south end zone that read, "Next Game: Super Bowl 50." Pushing 40, Manning will be the oldest quarterback to start a Super Bowl when he takes the field for his 293rd career game, including 27 postseason appear- ances. It's a chance for Manning to cap his most maddening season by becoming the first starting QB to win Lombardi Trophies for two different teams. No. 18's 18th NFL season was his most trying. It included a rash of injuries and insults and saw him serve as a scout team quarterback for the first time ever and a backup QB for the first time since his freshman year at Tennessee. Bothered by a left foot in- jury, Manning threw just nine TD passes and 17 interceptions in nine starts, but he was 7-2 in those games, one of the losses coming against Kansas City on Nov. 15 when he left the game injured. He missed the next seven starts but won his starting job back from Brock Osweiler on Jan. 3 when he entered in the third quarter against San Diego and ignited a stagnant, mistake- prone offense. Manning led four scoring drives and the Broncos' 27-20 win earned them the AFC's No. 1 seed. Manning was methodical in a 23-16 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round and he threw two TD passes to tight end Owen Daniels while dethroning the defending cham- pions Sunday. NFL MANNING: 'MIGHT BE MY LAST RODEO' Broncos quarterback caught on camera talking to Belichick a er AFC title game CHARLIE RIEDEL — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning holds the AFC Championship trophy following the AFC Championship game Sunday against the New England Patriots in Denver. CHRIS CARLSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning waves to spectators following the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots on Sunday in Denver. The Broncos defeated the Patriots 20-18to advance to the Super Bowl. PANTHERS PAGE 2 MANNING PAGE 2 TENNIS PAGE 2 OLYMPICS PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, January 27, 2016 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1