ints.---AP Sports Writers Fred Goodall, Charles Odum and Steve Reed c

ABOARD THE LAKE SHORE LIMITED -- As the Amtrak train slowly chugged through the Ohio night, past factories along the Lake Erie shore illuminated by pinkish lights, Marvin Thomas stretched across a pair of seats, proudly wrapped in a blue satin Cubs jacket.The 51-year-old Chicagoan had made the trek to Cleveland for the Cubs first World Series games in 71 years, and now it was time to go home following Wednesday nights 5-1 victory over the Indians, which tied the Series 1-1.Ernie Banks lived down the street from us when I was a kid, said Thomas, who paid $800 a ticket to attend Games 1 and 2. This is the most unbelievable feeling Ive had outside my children being born. There was no way I wasnt going to be here.Salvador Cardenas, a 28-year-old dentist from Aurora, Illinois, paid $746 to stand along a rail in left field during Game 2. He high-fived other Cubs fans at Cleveland Lakefront Station before the trip home.I had to call all my patients off. I said: `Hey, got to do this! I got to go to the World Series! he exclaimed. Im a die-hard Cub fan, so I felt like that came first.European soccer fans jam trains for high-profile matches. England supporters urinated in the aisle en route from Bologna to Venice after an extra-time win over Belgium at the 1990 World Cup, and Italian tifosi chanted until they were hoarse at the Kaiserslautern train station after a 1-1 draw against the United States at the 2006 tournament in Germany.But only about two dozen Cubs fans boarded Amtrak trains 49/449 at 3:45 a.m. Thursday for the 341-mile trip to Chicagos Union Station, far fewer riding the rails than during the 2009 Acela Series between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia or the 1983 Phillies-Baltimore Orioles matchup. And there was none of the hoopla of the Union Pacifics nine-hour 1985 World Series special from Kansas City to St. Louis that included Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Bob Gibson plus Missouri Gov. John Ashcroft and former Gov. Kit Bond.A one-way ticket to Chicago purchased Saturday cost $56.The Lake Shore Limited, which began service in 1975, originates from New York City and Boston before joining in Albany, New York, and its stock includes sleeper compartments and a club diner.Most passengers tried to sleep through the night on a journey scheduled to take seven hours. After a 4-hour, 4-minute game, the train also had pace issues and did not pull in until 10:45 a.m. CDT.When the Cubs last won the World Series in 1908 and even when they last appeared in 1945, the train was the standard method of big league travel. The 1946 Yankees were the first team to charter flights regularly, boarding a Douglas DC-4.In the weeks after V-J Day, Major League Baseball still used its special wartime Series format, with three games scheduled in one city and four in the other, rather than the usual 2-3-2 that began in 1924.Chicago headed home with a 2-1 Series lead after winning Game 3 by a 3-0 score at Detroits Briggs Stadium behind Claude Passeus one-hitter. The Tigers boarded a special train at 4:30 p.m., according to Arch Wards account in the Chicago Tribune, followed by the Cubs at 4:45 p.m. and a newspaper mans special at 5:30 that included several reporters just back from stints as war correspondents.These days, chartered jet planes are the mode in vogue, and the Cubs had time to sleep in their own beds before heading to Wrigley Field to meet the media at 1:45 p.m. Thursday. The Indians were set to be at the 102-year-old brick-and-ivy ballpark by 5 p.m. to get dressed in the cramped visiting clubhouse for an evening workout.Thomas, who works in pharmaceutical sales, attended his first game at Wrigley Field when he was 8 years old. He had tickets for the World Series in 2003 -- only to watch the Cubs blow a 3-1 lead against the Florida Marlins in the NL Championship Series. His then-10-year-old son, Marvin Thomas III, could not console him.I cried. Im not going to lie. My son was like, `Itll be OK. I just told him to go back to his room.When Cardenas arrived in Cleveland at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday, he walked to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, found a bench in front and fell asleep with his Cubs blanket covering him. An Indians fan took pity on the chilly morning and added a second blanket, telling him to leave it there when he was done napping.Later at the Hall, Cardenas saw Cubs owner Tom Ricketts.I was like, `Hey, Tom! like I knew him, Cardenas said. He waved to me. He said hello. He smiled.Air Max 1 Ireland Outlet . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Clearance Air Max 1 Ireland Store . "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.airmax1cheapireland.com/ . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Wholesale Air Max 1 Ireland . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Air Max 1 Ireland . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR.For the first time since the NFL created its current divisional structure in 2002, there is talk of a potential dynasty in the NFC South.None of the divisions four teams managed even two straight first-place finishes until the Carolina Panthers did it in 2013 and 2014. Last season, the Panthers made it three in a row and advanced to the Super Bowl.This season, Carolina remains the clear favorite. None of its divisional challengers -- the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints -- managed winning seasons in 2015.The Panthers hemorrhaged some proven talent in free agency, particularly with All-Pro cornerback Josh Normans leaving for Washington. Yet Cam Newton remains at quarterback for an offense that has all but one starter back and might be the most potent in the league.Thats our expectation and something well strive to do, Newton said.Carolinas defense still has most starters back, while promising young players have competed to fill vacancies created by Normans departure, and the retirements of defensive end Jared Allen and cornerback Charles Tillman.As far as All-Pro linebacker Thomas Davis is concerned, Carolinas 2016 roster has more talent overall than a year ago.No question about that. I feel like we have gotten better in the offseason as a football team and with the additions that we have made to this team, Davis said. When you look at the competition level across the board, I think it has raised everyones level of play. We are definitely heading in a great direction.Here are some other things to know about the NFC South:SECONDARY CONCERNS: Carolina will have two new starters at cornerback, and the players most likely to step in are both rookies: James Bradberry and Daryl Worley. The Panthers led the NFL in takeaways last season with 39, and the secondary was a big reason. But defensive leaders such as Davis tend to downplay the extent to which turnovers at those key skill positions could become a liability.These young guys have come in and done everything that has been asked of them, Davis said. The coaches are really good at what they do and they will get those guys ready. ... We have a lot of faith in our young players.Offensively, the Panthers look as good as ever -- and thats saying something for a franchise that scored an NFL-best 500 points, and which has posted at least 100 yards rushing in an NFL-best 32 straight games (including playoffss).ddddddddddddRYANS RESPONSE: Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is coming off one of the worst seasons of his largely productive career. Despite having top receiver Julio Jones in all 16 games, Ryans 21 TD passes were his fewest since his rookie season in 2008, and he threw 16 interceptions.Atlanta hopes bringing in three-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack from Cleveland helps shore up Ryans protection. The Falcons also needed to address one of the NFLs worst pass rushes and hope theyve done so with veteran free agent end Dwight Freeney, going into his 15th season.If those moves pan out, the Falcons might improve upon the eight victories in 2015 in coach Dan Quinns first season.BETTER BUCS: Tampa Bay has finished last in the NFC South five straight times, hasnt made the playoffs since 2007, and has changed coaches three times in four years. But the offense showed potential under top overall 2015 draft choice Jameis Winston, who passed for more than 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns. Now hell be under a new head coach in Dirk Koetter, who also has to be encouraged by moves made to improve his defense. The Bucs drafted cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III and defensive end Noah Spence in the first two rounds after signing three new starters in free agency: cornerback Brent Grimes, pass rusher Robert Ayers, Jr., and linebacker Daryl Smith.SAGGING SAINTS: Coach Sean Payton, who received a lucrative extension despite consecutive 7-9 records, hoped his team was moving in the right direction when it finished 2015 with three victories in its final four games. Yet, in three preseason losses this summer, New Orleans hasnt demonstrated its offensive line can consistently protect 37-year-old star QB Drew Brees, or that its defensive line has considerably improved a pass rush that was anemic in 2015.The secondary is young and largely unproven, particularly after the release of veteran cornerback Keenan Lewis during training camp.Depth at numerous positions also is a concern because the Saints were constrained in free agency by meager salary cap space.PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: Panthers, Falcons, Buccaneers, Saints.---AP Sports Writers Fred Goodall, Charles Odum and Steve Reed contributed.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '