FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Philadelphia's Shane Victorino ducks under a pitch from Los Angeles righthander Hiroki Kuroda in Game 3 of the NLCS.

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Hiroki Kuroda | The 33-year-old rookie right-hander, an 11-year veteran of Japan's Central League, surrendered just five hits and two runs through six innings in L.A.'s crucial 7-2 win over the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLCS. But it was Kuroda's pitch near the right ear of Philly's Shane Victorino -- an apparent retaliation for Brett Myers' throw at Manny Ramirez in Game 2 -- which lit a fire under the Dodgers and changed the complexion of a previously lopsided series.

The Redskins' offense | Washington was proven guilty of overconfidence in a shocking 19-17 loss at the hands of the woebegone Rams. After entering the contest as the only team in NFL history to open a season with zero offensive turnovers through its first five games, the 'Skins lost three fumbles in a span of four possessions, setting the stage for their surprising upset loss.

Texas football | The Longhorns ascended to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 during the regular season for the first time in 24 years in the wake of their resounding 45-35 victory over Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday. Texas, previously ranked fifth, made the largest jump to No. 1 in a single week since Miami went from No. 6 to No. 1 on Aug. 29, 1988.

Brad Childress | The head coach of the Vikings heard the calls for his head from thousands of fans at the Metrodome during his team's languid performance against the winless Lions. Only a questionable pass interference penalty on Detroit cornerback Leigh Bodden allowed Minnesota to escape with a 12-10 victory on Ryan Longwell's 26-yard field goal. Even though the Vikings won their second straight game to climb into a tie for first place in the NFC North, the vocal dissent from the masses should make for an interesting week in Eden Prairie.

Jelena Jankovic | The 23-year-old Serbian, who supplanted Serena Williams atop the world rankings last week, topped Russia's Vera Zvonareva in straight sets to secure the Kremlin Cup -- her third title in three weeks. Said Jankovic: "I'm quite close to finishing the year as the No. 1 player in the world, so it's really a huge achievement for me."

Chris Iwelumo | The 30-year-old striker made his international debut for Scotland over the weekend as a substitute in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Norway. But his inability to score on this wide-open attempt just three feet from the goal has made Iwelumo the target of national derision.