Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Tuesday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EDT:- RALEIGH, N.C. -- Could the NCAAs decision to pull championship events from North Carolina finally force state Republican leaders to rethink their support for a state law that discriminates against the LGBT community? Unlike the NBA and various artists canceling one-time events, the NCAAs decision could reverberate for years across the state, force the ACC to pull its championship games and give moderate and conservative voters a reason to question if the price the state is paying has finally become too high.- This has been the life of an Ethiopian marathon runner since he made an anti-government gesture at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics: Traveling from country to country for fear of a return home. Constant worry for his family who remained behind. Still, its a stand Feyisa Lilesa felt he had to make.- SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers opened the Chip Kelly era with a bang, beating the Los Angeles Rams 28-0.- PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers offense looked just as good as advertised in a 38-16 dusting of Washington. A sterner test awaits Sunday when AFC North rival Cincinnati visits Heinz Field in the first meeting since Pittsburghs testy and controversial playoff win nine months ago.- TORONTO -- Josh Donaldson could be back at third base for Toronto, a day after he was out of the lineup and both benches and bullpens cleared after the Blue Jays wrapped up a 3-2 win. Marcus Stroman (9-7) starts for Toronto against lefty Drew Smyly (6-11). Game starts 7:07 p.m.- WASHINGTON -- The NL East-leading Washington Nationals host the New York Mets, who are in tight race with St. Louis and San Francisco for two NL wild cards. The Mets send ace Noah Syndergaard (13-8) to the mound, while A.J. Cole (1-2) goes for the Nationals. Game starts 7:05 p.m.- NEW YORK -- In a matchup of left-handers, 20-year-old rookie Julio Urias (5-2) starts for the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers against veteran CC Sabathia (8-12) and the AL wild-card chasing New York Yankees. Game starts 7:05 p.m.- WASHINGTON -- The United States plays its final exhibition game before the World Cup of Hockey against Finland. Coach John Tortorella wants to use the game to iron out some problems, big and small, before the World Cup begins Saturday in Toronto. Game starts 7 p.m.- RIO DE JANEIRO -- Theres more money in the Paralympic Games, younger athletes and better training and equipment. Paralympic officials believe the sport is largely clean, but there are ways athletes try for an edge: gaming a complicated classification system, doping and something called boosting.T. J. Carrie Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Browns Jerseys China . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. http://www.cheapbrownsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-austin-seibert-jersey . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. Chris Smith Jersey . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Joe Thomas Jersey . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend.(STATS) -- Jason Simpson has no problem speaking his mind. Especially at this time of year when a playoff spot is again on the line for UT Martin.In a glass half-filled world, the longtime Skyhawks coach would be confident that even if his squad did not record a sixth consecutive Ohio Valley Conference victory by upsetting Jacksonville State on Saturday to win the league title and its automatic FCS playoff bid, it would still be good enough to earn the programs first postseason appearance since 2006 as an at-large selection.Closer to reality, Simpson knows receiving an at-large berth might be tougher than taking down the two-time defending OVC champions and reigning FCS runner-up Gamecocks (9-1, 6-0) at Burgess-Snow Field.It looks like on paper right now that (the NCAA selection committee is) only going to take the automatic qualifier (from the OVC), said Simpson when referencing the scenario should his team lose Saturday.To penalize this football team if we dont win this week. .. And not get an at-large bid ....Three of Simpsons teams over the past four years won at least seven games. The Skyhawks finished third in the league in three of those seasons and went 6-2 in the conference for two, yet have not been rewarded. Since the FCS playoffs started in 1978, the OVC has received two bids 21 times and once -- in 2013 -- it got three.This year, Jacksonville State will make it win or lose Saturday.But possibly because UT Martin and 6-4 Tennessee State are the only other league teams with winning records overall, the Skyhawks only postseason chance is to win the conference. It probably wont matter that UT Martin played three FBS schools, and competed well in a 28-7 loss at Cincinnati and 41-36 setback at Hawaii to open the season. The Skyhawks lost 31-6 at Georgia State last month.Martin averages 34.6 points to lead the OVVC and ranks second in total defense at 323.dddddddddddd9 yards per contest -- JSU is first in the FCS at 246.1. The Skyhawks have outscored their last three opponents 90-30.We have a lot of confidence in our defense, Simpson said. Certainly the guys are comfortable. They believe in our defensive system. Certainly theyll have to play a great game this week.I mean, if you walk into this game thinking youre going to outscore them, thats not a good way to approach this football game. Its a playoff-style type game, field position is crucial, turnovers are crucial, touchdowns in the red zone are crucial. Our defense is going to have to play a huge part in setting up any success for our offense.Simpson believes Jacksonville State, second in the STATS FCS poll and winner of 30 straight games against non-FBS opponents, will be as tough as any of the Skyhawks FBS foes.The three FBS teams we played, they would not want to play Jacksonville thats for sure, Simpson said.The Gamecocks, who have never dropped a league contest in coach John Grass three seasons, last lost to Martin at home in 1987. However, the Skyhawks nearly came back from a 48-20 fourth-quarter deficit last season, scoring the final 21 points and putting a bit of a scare into JSU before falling 48-41 at home.Gamecocks star Eli Jenkins threw for three touchdowns -- all to receiver Josh Barge, who had nine catches for 107 yards.This game is always a good one because those guys are never out of a game, Grass e those guys are never out of a gamurl=http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticmlb.com/]Wholesale Baseball Jerseys[/url] ' ' '