National Anthem

1. The point spread. I'm taking Green Bay and laying the 2 1/2 points. The Packers have been in playoff mode since Week 15 and needed the breather that came after the NFC title game. I'm looking for a strong night out of a rested Aaron Rodgers, but won't sweat it if he's a little off. Green Bay still can cover a low-scoring game and will roll if it's a shootout. 2. Heath Miller's receptions. The over/under is 3 1/2 and I'm going with the over. Miller gets targeted a half-dozen times per game and had seven catches for 118 yards when the Steelers played the Packers 2 years ago. 3. Aaron Rodgers' passing attempts.

Canucks lose to Wild, Rypien goes wild Marek Zidlicky had a goal and two assists, and the Minnesota Wild scored three times on the power play to beat the visiting Vancouver Canucks , 6-2, Tuesday. Vancouver center Rick Rypien could be facing disciplinary action. First, as Rypien was pulled by linesman Don Henderson away from a confrontation with Minnesota's Brad Staubitz toward the Canucks' bench, he appeared to push the official. Then, on his way down the tunnel to the dressing room, Rypien pushed a Wild fan who was applauding at the railing.

Here's a summary of the activities at Citizens Bank Park, leading into tonight's Game 2 of the National League Division Series game between the Phillies and Cincinnati Reds: 10 a.m. Majestic Clubhouse Store opens with new postseason merchandise. 3 p.m. Phillies Postseason Party begins on Citizens Bank Way with music by Mr. Greengenes and games. Food, drinks and merchandise are for sale. 3:35 p.m. Ashburn Alley opens. 4:05 p.m. All gates open. Rally towels for all fans.

LAUREN HART, daughter of legendary Flyers announcer Gene Hart, has been singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" regularly at Flyers games since 1998. She also has been called on during monumental games to perform a duet of "God Bless America" along with a taped version of Kate Smith. Hart won't be on the ice tonight. She will be at soldout Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies have invited her to sing "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch of Game 1 of the NLDS against the Reds.

At Toms River High School East, students filed into their homerooms Thursday as they always do. They stood for the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem, and listened to announcements over the public address system. This time, though, the news shook them. Principal Anne Baldi asked for a moment of silence to honor a 2003 graduate, a Navy SEAL who died at 24 in Afghanistan. Special Warfare Operator Third Class Denis Miranda was one of nine U.S. service members killed Tuesday in the deadliest helicopter crash for the coalition since May 2006, when a Chinook went down, killing 10 Americans.

At Toms River High School East, students filed into their homerooms Thursday as they always do. They stood for the Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem and listened to announcements over the public address system. This time, though, the news shook them. Principal Anne Baldi asked for a moment of silence to honor a 2003 graduate, a Navy Seal who died at age 24 in Afghanistan. Special Warfare Operator 3d Class Denis Miranda was one of nine U.S. service members killed Tuesday in the deadliest helicopter crash for the coalition since May 2006 when a Chinook went down killing 10 Americans.

CHESTNUT Hill, Mass. - All around Boston College's Alumni Stadium, in every section, fans wore jerseys with the number 94. "That really, really hit me," Sandy Herzlich said of all the shirts honoring his son. Dad remembers just a couple of years ago, when he hand-crafted No. 94 jerseys for friends and family. "I probably broke every copyright law," he joked. Mark Herzlich, at the center of it all, understood there was a lot of feeling in the stadium. He was a little surprised, the Conestoga High graduate said, that for him "the emotion didn't stray at all from football.

And the starting quarterback for Penn State in its season opener Saturday afternoon against Youngstown State is . . . To be continued. Just when you thought Joe Paterno was finally going to make a commitment to someone in the cast of thousands (hey, just kidding) bidding to succeed two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection Daryll Clark as the Nittany Lions' passer du jour, the 83-year-old coaching legend used the occasion of his first weekly news conference of the 2010 season to continue waffling.

Question: I have been with my boyfriend for seven years. We began dating because I asked him out. I was the first to say "I love you. " I was the one, after two years, who brought up moving in together. He had no children and wanted a child, but I am the one who brought up children: My daughters were adults when my boyfriend and I had our child. In seven years, I seem to have been the only one making decisions about our future. So I refuse to bring up marriage. I wanted it to come from him, I needed him to want it, and I waited very patiently.

Melissa Menkeng had picked out her special dress - white and frilly, with black trim - for the ceremony, which was held Sunday in the muggy shade of the Betsy Ross House courtyard. Sitting in the front row, the sixth grader nervously twirled a small American flag while she waited, one of 13 children from different countries who would become U.S. citizens. The half-hour ceremony was part of "Let Freedom Ring" events to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and was sponsored by the American Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial and by the Flag House Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.