The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 44

Boston Sunday Globe OCTOBER 21, 2007 IMIIIIIIIIinillillllltllinillllllltilHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIttMltlltllllllinillllllltlMIMMMIItlllllll Fan's Guide NEXT GAME What They Were Thinking BY STAN GR0SSFELD, GLOBE STAFF i TODAY, 1P.M. TONIGHT, 8 New England ALCS: Cleveland at Miami at Boston TOMORROW, SATURDAY, 7:30 730 P.M. New England Boston at Montreal at New York Ch. 4, WBCN (104.1) Ch. 25, WRKO (680) NESN, WBZ (1030) Fox Soccer, WEEI (850) ALSO ON THE AIR D2 A- I fKsT s- 1 w- AUTO RACING TIME JV RADIO Formula One: Brazilian Grand Prix Speed Nextel Cup: Subway 500 1:30 p.m.

Ch.5 1510 PRO BASEBALL Globe Red Sox pregame show 7 p.m. NESN COLLEGE FOOTBALL Southern Mississippi at Marshall 8 p.m. ESPN EXTREME SPORTS AST Dew Tour: PlayStation Pro 3 p.m. Ch.7 PRO FOOTBALL San Francisco at NY Giants 1p.m. Ch.25 St.

Louis at Seattle 4 p.m. 890 Minnesota at Dallas 4:15 p.m. Ch.25 GOLF European: Portugal Masters 10 a.m. TGC PGA: Fry's Electronics Open 4 p.m. TGC Champions: Championship (tape) 7 p.m.

TGC COLLEGE HOCKEY Boston College at Vermont 4 p.m. 1150 PRO HOCKEY AHL: Hartford at Toronto 4 p.m. 1410 AHL: Springfield at Portland 4:05 p.m. 560 AHL: Providence at Worcester 4:05 p.m. 1450 SOCCER Premier: West Ham vs.

Sunderland 11a.m. Fox Soccer RAJON RONDO, Celtics guard, skidding across the Garden floor after losing one of his size-13 sneakers while diving for a loose ball against the Knicks, Oct 17, 2007 "I remember my shoe coming off. I double-tie my shoes but I don't really think about them. This year it hasn't come off in practice. I'm thinking I need to get my shoe back on and just get back in the play.

I think I dove over two players. I guess a guy landed on my foot. I didn't get hurt. I landed smoothly. I didn't get any strawberries.

It depends how you skid. I got up pretty quickly. I didn't feel bad I didn't get it. I tried my hardest. I dove for it.

Sometimes you get it, sometimes you don't." What They Were Thinking is a Sunday feature in which the subject of a photograph shares the story behind the picture. Revolution get in the mood 1 1 ft i a i 1 Finale features postseason feel By Frank Dell'Apa GLOBE STAFF TORONTO -Michael Park-hurst has been told by Revolution coaches not to advance past the center circle. Parkhurst followed orders yesterday, but also took the first shot of his MLS career, driving home a 57-yard goal in first-half added time during the Revolution's 2-2 tie with Toronto FC. This was Parkhurst's first shot attempt in 95 games (playoff and regular season) since joining the Revolution in 2005, and it appeared to have launched the team toward victory. Taylor Twellman scored three minutes into the second half to make it 2-0, but Toronto rallied, tying the score on Danny Dichio's goal in added time.

The Revolution's first trip to Canada served as a good warm-up for the postseason, the match played in a combination party playoff atmosphere. The capacity crowd of 20,374 at BMO Field helped inspire a Toronto team (6-17-7, 25 points) that concluded its first season by winning just once in the final 16 games (1-10-5) since July 4. The artificial surface at BMO Field is similar to what the Revolution (14-8-8, 50 points) will play on in their first-round playoff matches, at New York Saturday and at Gillette Stadium Nov. 3. And though Dichio lacks mobility, he provided the guile the Revolution could confront with the Red Bulls' Juan Pablo Angel.

"If it had stayed 2-1, that would have been a fair result," Revolution coach Steve Nicol said. "We deserved to win the game. The goals we are giving up are scrappy goals. The first one, I thought we had coped with it, but the ball came off the post and they scored. The second should have been a free kick to us it wasn't close, it wasn't 50-50, it was just a free kick, and we didn't get it." On the tying sequence, Revolution defender Jay Heaps gained position for a headed clearance but appeared to get hit from behind.

Dichio then lofted a half vol- MlllllllltlMIIIIIMIIHMIIIIfllMIIIIIIMIIIIMIIIHMIIIIIIIIIMIIMtlllllllMIIIIIMIIIIIIIIMI Sports Log BASKETBALL Nuggets suspend Smith for 3 games Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith was suspended yesterday for the first three games of the regular season "for conduct detrimental to the team." Nuggets player personnel director Mark Warkentlen wouldn't specify Smith's transgression. "I take full responsibility for my actions that led to this suspension," Smith said in an apology distributed by the team. Smith served a 10-game suspension last year for his role in a light with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, and was injured in a car crash last summer in New Jersey that killed his friend, Andre Bell Sacramento Kings reserve center Justin Williams and his girlfriend had consensual sex with the woman who is accusing him of sexual assault, the player's attorney, William Porta nova, said. Williams was given an indefinite leave of absence from the team after police announced the investigation.

No charges had been filed against Williams or his girlfriend. DOPING Investigator Steroid bust names many The lead investigator in the latest federal crackdown on illegal steroids said athletes "at every level" have been identified in the case, and he would like to share those names with antidoping enforcers in their various sports. Special Agent Jack Robertson of the US Drug Enforcement Administration was the lead investigator in the recently executed Operation Raw Deal, a bust that recovered 1 1 million doses of steroids from 56 labs in the largest crackdown on illegal steroids in US history. Robertson reiterated that the DEA targeted labs and suppliers, not athletes, but he acknowledged suppliers compiled customer lists. TENNIS Henin to play Golovin in Zurich final Justine Henin rallied to defeat Nicole Vaidisova, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, and advanced to today's final of the Zurich Open.

The top-ranked Henin will play Tatiana Golovin, who defeated Franceses Schiavone, 6-0, 6-4, in the other semifinal Defending champion Roger Federer will play David Nalbandian in the final of the Madrid Masters. Federer defeated Nicolas Kiefer, 6-4, 6-4, and Nalbandian defeated third-ranked Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). BOXING Sturm retains title with draw vs. Griffin Germany's Felix Sturm (28-2-1, 12 KOs) retained his World Boxing Association middleweight title, fighting to a draw with American Randy Griffin (24-1-3, 12 KOs) in Halle, Germany. Both fighters traded shots nonstop for 12 rounds, standing toe-to-toe for many of them.

One judge ruled the fight, 114-114, while the other two had it 117-1 14 for Griffin and 1 15-1 14 for Sturm. HORSE RACING Dr. V's Magic wins Empire Classic Dr. Vs Magic overcame a stumble at the start to win the $250,000 Empire Classic Handicap at Belmont Park. The Classic was the richest of 10 races, including eight stakes, on New York Showcase Day a card devoted exclusively to horses bred in the state.

Dr. Vs Magic rallied to beat Who What Win by a half-length. The 3-year-old ran the 1V6 miles on the fast track in 1 minute 48.70 seconds and paid $32.80 to win Xep for Elmer, in his first start since April, held off Rotation and Tift late in the race for a 2Vi-length victory in the 5V4-furlong featured eighth race at Suffolk Downs. MISCELLANY Alinghi rejects BMW Oracle proposal Alinghi has rejected a proposal from BMW Oracle to resolve their differences over the rules for the next America's Cup and a court case will go ahead tomorrow, the US team said In a statement. BMW Oracle, bankrolled by software mogul Larry Ellison, is suing Alinghi over the rules they say would give the Swiss team an unfair advantage in the 33d America's Cup in 2009.

Alinghi is owned by biotech billionaire Ernesto Bertarelll Heather O'Reilly saved the US women's soccer team from a season-ending loss to Mexico, scoring the tying goal in the second half of a 1-1 draw in Albuquerque Cadel Evans captured the Cycling Pro Tour title at the Giro di Lombardia, finishing sixth behind winner Damiano Cunego in Como, Italy. Cunego covered the 150-mile route from Varese to Como in 5 hours 52 minutes 48 seconds. He beat Riccardo Ricco in a sprint finish Felipe Massa took the pole position in Sao Paulo for the decisive Brazilian Grand Prix, edging overall leader Lewis Hamilton. Massa drove his Ferrari around the 2.6-mile Interlagos track in 1:11.931, .151 faster than Hamilton and .391 faster than teammate KIml Raikkonen South Africa won its second Rugby World Cup by beating defending champion England, 15-6, In Saint-Denis, France. "I'm sitting here and trying not to cry" Springboks captain John Smit said.

"It's a feeling you can't put into words. It's a reward for four years of dedication and hard work." Vladimir Sobotka scored two goals and the Providence Bruins also got goals from Martins Karsums, Petterl Nokelal-nen, Chris Collins and Nate DICasmlrro to defeat the host Philadelphia Phantoms, 6-3. IMIIIIIIIIIIIIIMItllMMMIIMIIIIinillMIIMMI Revolution 2, Toronto FC 2 BMO Field, Tnrmta Nw Entfai (1444) 1 1 2 2 Scoring: NE, Michael Parkhurst 1 (unassisted) 47th minute; NE, Taylor Twellman 16 (Steve Ralston) 48th; Collin Samuel 3 (unassisted) 59th; Danny Dichio 6 (Carl Robinson) 92d. Shots: New England 8, Toronto 10. Comer kicks: New England 7, Toronto 3.

Offsides: New England 3, Toronto 3. Fouls: New England 9, Toronton 17. Yellow cards: NE, Wells Thompson 42d: Andrea lombardo 7th, Robinson 43d. Saves: NE, Matt Reis Kenny Stamatopou-ks3. Attendance: 20,374 (21.193).

TORONTO Kenny stamatopoulos; Tyler Hemming, Andrew Boyens, Tyrone Marshall. Todd Dunivant; Marvell Wynne, Carl Robinson, Maurice Edu, Collin Samuel: Andrea Lombardo (Chris Pozniak 53d), Jeff Cunningham (Danny Dichio 46th). NEW ENGLAND Matt Reis: Jay Heaps, Michael Parkhurst, Avery John; Wells Thompson (Andy Dorran 51st). Shalrie Joseph, Jeff Laren-towtcz, Steve Ralston, Khano Smith (James Riley 84th); Pat Noonan (Adam Cristman Beth). Taylor Twellman.

soon as that happened. I took a peek, the goalkeeper was off his line, I got a good first touch, and the wind was behind me, so I took it" The Revolution started the second half with a composed passing game and it paid off in a one-touch buildup, Noonan centering for Twellman, Todd Dunivant making a saving play. The Revolution capitalized on the comer kick, Twellman heading from just inside the penalty area, Dunivant's attempted headed clearance deflecting the ball into the roof of the net. But the addition of Dichio as a replacement for Jeff Cunningham in the second half seemed to motivate Toronto and also gave it a point of reference. Samuel scored Toronto's first goal in three games against the Revolution, finishing a Marvell Wynne shot off the right post in the 59th minute.

The Revolution remained content to defend. Ralston retreated to right back in the final minutes, but Toronto's all-out pressure paid off in several chances. "The conditions were exactly what we are going to face next week," Nicol said. "It's a great atmosphere, but it's a tough field to play on, and in those conditions, it's all about doing the dirty jobs. I think we did that and we were dangerous at times going forward.

"We were confident at 2-nil. We were absolutely cruising, and to give away the second goal when we did it's the second one that sticks in the throat." Luciano Emilio and MLS career goals leader Jaime Moreno to mild ankle sprains. Moreno and Emilio said they didn't know if they would be ready for the first playoff game. Real Salt Lake 1, Rapids 0 Robbie Findley scored in the 87th minute and Nick Rimando made six saves as visiting Real Salt Lake ended Colorado's hopes of making the postseason. Colorado (9-13-8) needed a win and some help to get to the REUTERS cause, Shalrie Joseph bends clash with Andrea Lombardo.

into defense. Pat Noonan's shot (21st minute) was tipped by Kenny Sta-matopoulos, rolling off the left post. Then both teams spent the rest of the half struggling to maintain possession, defensive midfielders Shalrie Joseph and Jeff La-rentowicz (Revolution) and Carl Robinson (Toronto) breaking up plays in the center of the field, long balls affected by a strong wind blowing off Lake Ontario. The intensity and tempo increased as the half progressed, Robinson being treated on the field after a clash (36th) with Joseph, Wells Thompson (42d), and Robinson (43d) cautioned by referee Steven DePiero. Then Parkhurst's class paid off.

He pulled up to near the center circle, picked off a loose ball, took a touch, and lofted a shot from just behind the halfway line a 57-yarder over a retreating Stama-topoulos and just under the crossbar. "I've thought about taking that shot a couple times," Parkhurst said. "They gave the ball away quickly and I thought about it as season on a high note while handing league-leading D.C. what could be a costly loss. The Crew, already eliminated from the playoffs, snapped Unit-ed's 13-game unbeaten streak.

United (16-7-7), which lost for the first time since July 22, already had clinched the Supporters' Shield, awarded to the MLS team with the most regular-season points. United, which could meet the Revolution in the Eastern Conference final, lost league goals leader When it comes to the Revolution over backward, evidenced in this ley from outside the right side of the penalty area, the ball sailing over Matt Reis into the far side of the net. The Toronto fans, who threw streamers and chanted for the entire match, celebrated Dichio's goal. After the match, they went on the field by the hundreds, remaining for nearly an hour before carrying on outside the stadium. The Revolution midfield, retooled to perform around Steve Ralston's playmaking, showed signs of being able to maintain possession for extended periods and to break down defenses with one-touch passing.

The Revolution realized they were in a much different setting than most MLS venues when an early Ralston corner kick was delayed for more than a minute as the ball was completely covered by streamers tossed from the stands. Reis saved a Collin Samuel point-blank left-foot shot (eighth minute) following a giveaway in midfield. The Revolution began finding combinations, though, causing Toronto forward Andrea Lombardo and Samuel to retreat lar-season game. Los Angeles (34 points) needs a victory to make the playoffs. Chicago (37 points) needs only a tie to clinch the final berth.

The first-round opponent of Kansas City (11-12-7, 40 points) won't be determined until the conclusion of today's game. FC Dallas (13-12-5, 44 points) already had clinched a berth In the first round. Crew 3, United 2 Robbie Rogers scored two goals and visiting Columbus finished a disappointing Sealy strikes help Wizards seal playoffberth FROM WIRE SERVICES The Kansas City Wizards are in, the Colorado Rapids are out, and David Beckham and the Los i Angeles Galaxy are mLi still alive. roundup Kansas City be- came the seventh team to qualify for the playoffs, Scott Sealy scoring two goals to lead the Wizards to a 2-0 victory over FC Dallas last night in Frisco, Texas. The Chicago Fire play host to the Galaxy today in the final regu.