Six weeks is so far from here in the footbal

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- At the end of the day, its a decision that wont be easy and it sure wont be fair.But if Team USA has a hope of winning the World Cup of Hockey, then it better be the right decision.Over the course of a handful of practices and two pre-tournament games, head coach John Tortorella and his staff will have to decide between a goaltender in Jonathan Quick, who has won two Stanley Cups and was once named playoff MVP, two-time Vezina Trophy finalist Ben Bishop and the technically superb Cory Schneider.Theres certainly not enough time to make a true determination of who wins a job, Tortorella admitted on Tuesday after the teams second day of on-ice workouts. When we make the decision, its going to suck for the other guys. Plain and simple, its not going to be fair. So Ill put that out there right now. Its not going to be fair to the other guys, but we have to eventually make a decision [about] whos going to start.And no, he insisted, he does not know who his starter will be. But the clock is ticking.Its a nice problem to have, he said with a laugh, even if the goaltending conundrum has haunted him all summer.Although the U.S., like all of the eight teams competing in the tournament, has three pre-tournament games -- beginning Friday at 8 p.m. ET against Canada -- and it might seem simple to just give each netminder one game in which to make his case, Tortorella wants to have a starter in mind by the third and final pre-tournament game.That means each netminder will have less than a full game, plus practice sessions, to prove his bona fides.For guys who have already established themselves as elite starting netminders in their own markets, the dynamic here at the U.S. training camp is both challenging and more than a little nerve-wracking.Theres so little time to prove yourself and get in any kind of rhythm, said longtime NHL goalie Darren Pang, who is providing analysis for ESPN during the World Cup. You have to seize every single shot against. Its almost like youre playing every situation in practice desperately -- which can be good and it can be harmful.Bishop, who has led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup finals and the Eastern Conference finals the past two seasons, respectively, and has a .927 save percentage in 36 NHL playoff games, remains philosophical.I guess its a little different, but at the same time I think were all old enough and mature enough to realize the situation that were in, the 29-year-old said. If Im in there, I feel like Im capable of winning, and if those guys are in there, I know they can do the same. Im glad I dont have to make the decision. I dont think theres a right or wrong answer.What Tortorella has made clear is that once he names a starter, that goalie will basically play the entire tournament -- barring a drop-off in play or injury.That means even the workouts that will lead up to Fridays first pre-tournament game take on even more importance in terms of staking a claim to the starters role.Its not like its written in stone or clear-cut like some other teams, said Schneider. I think here it could be any one of us. We all have to make sure were playing well because if you have a down practice or a down game, thats all its going to take because the other two guys, you know theyre going to be good. I think its good, though.It forces you to raise your game and brings me back to when I was playing behind guys like Roberto Luongo and?Marty Brodeur. You get that drive to try to out-compete them and beat them, and I think it brings the best out of?you as a player, added Schneider, 30. Im enjoying it. Were having fun. Were competing, but were also on the same team and we want the same thing. I think thats the most important part.Two days into the process, all three have looked solid -- although Quick has prompted some oohs and aahs from observers thanks to a handful of spectacular saves during drills.The mindset is, they give you an opportunity to play, [so] you try and help the team win, whether its preseason or tournament games, said Quick, who won Stanley Cups with the?Los Angeles Kings?in 2012 and 2014 and was the No. 1 for Team USA at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. I think thats not only working on your own game individually, but as a team youre working on winning.All three goaltenders have qualities that would make them ideal starters for this tournament, Pang noted.Quick is brilliantly athletic, Schneider is methodical and efficient and incredibly technically sound, Pang said. And Bishops play in crucial playoff moments the past two years has been outstanding. He is also the best puck handler of the three, Pang added.For those reasons, Pang said he would choose Bishop as the starter. Now we have to wait to find out whether the Team USA coaching staff shares that assessment. Adidas Superstar Free Shipping . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. Wholesale Adidas Superstar . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. http://www.superstardiscount.com/ .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Adidas Superstar Discount . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games. Adidas Superstar Sale Us . Fernandez, coached in Toronto by former two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, scored 267.11 points and is the first champion to successfully defend since Russias Evgeny Plushenko in 2005 and 2006. LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Mississippi State coach Dan Mullens unbeaten mark against Kentucky could be in jeopardy.The Bulldogs (2-4, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) are 7-0 against the Wildcats under Mullen but have struggled this year after the departure of quarterback Dak Prescott to the NFL. Mississippi State has lost three of its past four, making Saturday nights game at Kentucky (3-3, 2-2 SEC) a must-win if the Bulldogs hope to extend their run of consecutive bowl appearances to seven.Despite the first-half disappointment, Mullen remains confident the Bulldogs can finish strong and keep their string intact.When you face a little bit of adversity, it tests your character, but it can really pull a team closer together, Mullen said. Stuff like that can actually help pull the team closer together at times.Kentucky understands. After struggling early, the Wildcats still have a chance to become bowl eligible.Since starting 0-2, Kentucky has won three of its last four with two SEC victories. A defense that ranked last in the league a month ago now stands 11th and is a key reason for the surge.The Wildcats are coming off a bye that gave them an opportunity to recharge for the seasons final six weeks. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said his team used the week off to address areas of concern as it aims to finish the stretch run better than the past two years.I felt like we used it wisely to heal up and look at all areas we need to improve on and continue to build on all the things we were doing well, he said.The Wildcats now just need to break through against the Bulldogs.Kentucky is 0-3 against MSU under Stoops and lost 42-16 to the Bulldogs last season in Starkville. Stoops is relieved Prescott has moved on to the pros but said that doesnt make ending the Wildcats drought against the Bulldogs anyy easier.dddddddddddd.They are still difficult to defend, Stoops said. They have always been multiple and coach (Dan) Mullen has always been difficult to defend.---Some other things to watch as Mississippi State visits Kentucky:FOCUSED ON NOW: Kentucky is tied with Tennessee (5-2, 2-2) in the SEC East with four league games remaining and can finish in the divisions upper half. But Stoops said his team cant look ahead, with good reason: the Wildcats are a combined 1-11 in the second half the past two years and have fallen just short of the six-win threshold for bowl eligibility both times. It is so hard to look at that big picture, he said. Six weeks is so far from here in the football world. We are worried about today.FITZGERALDS THE KEY: Mississippi State sophomore quarterback Nick Fitzgerald is the teams leading passer and rusher this season. He ranks fifth in the nation in average rushing yards for a QB with 78 per game. Hes one of just three signal callers in the country who has had 300 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in a game this season.JOHNSON REBOOT: Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson is 2-1 as a starter and has led the Wildcats to three victories since relieving an injured Drew Barker against New Mexico State on Sept. 17. But he threw for just 49 yards against Vanderbilt two weeks ago and used the bye week to regain his rhythm.FEASTING ON THE EAST: The Bulldogs have recently given SEC East teams fits with five straight wins against the division, all by double digits. Mullen is 14-4 against the SEC East.---AP Sports Writer David Brandt in Starkville, Mississippi, contributed to this report.---AP College Football: collegefootball.ap.org. ' ' '