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SPORTS Monday 10 deceMber 2018

ATL United

Continued from Page 18 bration and sending coach
Tata Martino out with a title
Cheered on by the largest in his final game as coach.
crowd in franchise history, He’s reportedly headed to
United captured the crown Mexico to take over as that
in just its second season to country’s national coach.
set off a huge celebration “If I had to choose the way
in a city that has known so to leave somewhere, this
much sporting heartbreak. is the best way,” Martino
Owner Arthur Blank lifted said. “This is the way I want-
a trophy and got soaked ed it to happen.”
with champagne — less Atlanta reveled in its first
than two years after his title since the Braves won
other team, the NFL’s At- the 1995 World Series — a
lanta Falcons, squandered gap of 8,442 days, for those
a 25-point lead in an epic counting.
Super Bowl collapse. “Most of us aren’t from
“My first night in my new here, so we don’t know
house in Atlanta, I went to the pain that they’ve been
bed at halftime of the Su- through,” said United cap-
per Bowl,” defender Jeff tain Michael Parkhurst, Atlanta United celebrates winning the MLS Cup championship soccer game 2-0 over the Portland
Larentowicz said. “I woke who finally broke his own Timbers, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018, in Atlanta.
up and I read the head- drought after playing on Associated Press
lines and I couldn’t believe four runner-up teams. “I’m season,” coach Giovanni ed carried the sport to in 2002. Queen’s “We Are
what I saw.” just happy that we could Savaarese said. “To be unprecedented levels in The Champions” blared
Now, United had written a come through for them to- able to get to the MLS Cup, North America. The team throughout Mercedes-Benz
new headline. night. I know there were a we played a lot of difficult shattered the MLS atten- Stadium.
Champs . lot of anxious and stressed- teams.” dance record a year ago “The first goal is always go-
“Hopefully, we can tran- out fans.” Since major league sports in its first season, and then ing to be massive one way
scend that past,” Larento- After a surprising run in the came to Atlanta in 1966, took the mark even higher or the other,” Guzan said.
wicz said, “and move on to playoffs, the Timbers were the only other team to win by averaging more than “The second one really
a new future for the city.” denied their second MLS a championship in one of 53,000 per game this year broke their backs.”
Martinez, capping the championship after win- the five major sports also — a level of support that United kept the ball in
greatest goal-scoring sea- ning the cup in 2015. They came on the soccer pitch. would fit right in with the Portland’s end of the field
son in MLS history, put Unit- prevailed on the road at The Atlanta Chiefs claimed Premier League or La Liga. much of the first half. It
ed ahead in 39th minute. Dallas, Seattle and Kan- the title in the North Ameri- The crowd of 73,019 on seemed only a matter of
Escobar added an insur- sas City before coming up can Soccer League’s inau- Saturday easily eclipsed time before Atlanta broke
ance goal in the 54th, turn- short in Atlanta. gural season in 1968. the previous record for an through.
ing the final minutes into a “I’m extremely proud of the While that team laid the MLS Cup — 61,316 at New Appropriately enough, it
raucous, flag-waving cele- work we’ve had the entire groundwork, Atlanta Unit- England’s Gillette Stadium was Martinez.q

Harbaugh says he’s staying at Michigan, not returning to NFL

By LARRY LAGE the Peach Bowl. he was a star quarter-
AP Sports Writer Why did he address it with back after going 44-19-1
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — ESPN? “To make a state- with the 49ers, winning the
Jim Harbaugh insisted he ment of it, to go on record 2012 NFC championship.
is staying at Michigan. and not be asked any- “I’m so happy that he’s
Responding to specula- more after that by people our coach,” Michigan
tion he’s returning to the who like to yap and ask athletic director Warde
NFL, the former San Fran- questions,” Harbaugh told Manuel said. “And I look
cisco 49ers coach told reporters. Michigan won forward to him coaching,
ESPN he is not going any- 10 games this season for as I said before, until he
where . “This is a choreo- the third time under Har- retires from Michigan and
graphed message that baugh but dropped to ends his career here.”
comes up at this time 0-4 against the rival Buck- Manuel said it is a credit to
every year before sign- eyes and fell out of the Big Harbaugh that his name
ing day,” Harbaugh told Ten and national champi- is often mentioned to fill
ESPN. “It’s people spread- onship races. The Wolver- openings in the NFL.
ing messages to further In this Sept. 1, 2018, file photo, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh ines face No. 10 Florida “Jim is one of the great-
their own personal agen- stands on the field before the team’s NCAA college football on Dec. 29 in the Peach est coaches — college or
da. But I’m on record game against Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. Bowl. Harbaugh, who is pro,” Manuel said.
right here, right now: I’m Associated Press 38-13 at Michigan, is in Wolverines quarterback
not going anywhere. I’m analyst Cris Carter has were celebrated Sunday the fourth year of a sev- Shea Patterson said he
staying at Michigan. We said Harbaugh is a poten- at a banquet, he didn’t en-year contract with a hasn’t thought about
have big plans here, and tial candidate to lead the want to discuss the top- compensation package whether he will stay in
there’s a lot we want to Green Bay Packers and ic much at a previously that gives him more than school or pro, adding he
accomplish.” Cleveland Browns. scheduled news confer- $7 million per year. He re- plans to talk about his fu-
Former Ohio State star After Harbaugh and the ence to promote the turned nearly four years ture with Harbaugh and
receiver and Fox Sports eighth-ranked Wolverines team’s appearance in ago to the school where his family.q