Sports

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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Ross Detwiler (48) goes one, two, three in the first inning. (Craig Bisacre/The Washington Times)

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Ross Detwiler (48) and Washington Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki (24) take the field to start the game against Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park. (Craig Bisacre/The Washington Times)

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Washington Nationals center fielder Bryce Harper (34) hits a fly ball to left field the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012. (Craig Bisacre/The Washington Times)

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Where once manager Davey Johnson saw four or five positions locked up for the future, he now believes all eight are set for his team. (Associated Press)

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One reason the Nationals have improved by at least 10 games each year from 2010 through this season is that they have solidified positions in their lineup that once were question marks. Rookie Bryce Harper has done his share in the outfield since being called up April 28. (Associated Press)

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Teddy Roosevelt is the only one of the four Racing Presidents yet to win a race. On Thursday, President Obama joined the bi-partisan chorus in D.C. to let the 26th president finally beat George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. (Associated Press)

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Jim Harbaugh, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, disputes a pass-interference call against his team, as referees Derrick Rhone-Dunn (84) and Brad Hudspeth (53) confer in a preseason game against the Houston Texans in August. (Associated Press)

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Kountze High School cheerleader Brooke Coates writes Scripture verses on a vehicle. The southeast Texas community is backing cheerleaders after they were told not to use Scripture verses on their banners at football games. The court has intervened in the issue of religion in public schools. (Associated Press)

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File - In this Aug. 25, 2012 file photo, Buffalo Bills' Vince Young kneels on the turf after throwing an interception against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half of a preseason NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y. Six years after entering the NFL as the third player taken in the draft, Young finds himself without a team and with only a fraction of the money he received from a contract that paid him a guaranteed $26 million. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert, File)

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FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2012, file photo, Texas Tech coach Billy Gillispie gestures during the second an NCAA college basketball game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. Gillispie has resigned, due to health reasons. The school announced the move on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012. Gillispie's departure comes less than a month after Texas Tech said it was looking into allegations of player mistreatment by the veteran coach and that it had reported practice-time violations to the NCAA. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)