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Owings Mills, MD (SportsNetwork.com) - Gary Kubiak made it known he will not take one of the NFLs vacant head coaching positions, saying Sunday he will remain the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Kubiak said it was flattering and humbling to be invited to interview for the open spots but opted to stay with the Ravens, who hired him last January after he was fired as the head coach of Texans. This is a special organization and we, like [head] coach [John] Harbaugh says, are building something great. I want to be a part of that and contribute in whatever ways I can, Kubiak said on the teams website. Baltimore posted a franchise record 364.9 yards per game and its offense finished 12th in the league under Kubiak this season, which ended Saturday in a divisional round loss to the Patriots. Kubiak was hired as the Texans head coach in 2006 and compiled a 61-64 record. He led Houston to the playoffs twice. Prior to joining the Texans, Kubiak was the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1995-2005. . The former Toronto FC designated player played three of his 15 professional seasons with the team. . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. . -- Wide receiver Sidney Rice should be fully recovered from a torn knee ligament by the time the Seattle Seahawks start defence of their Super Bowl title, general manager John Schneider said Wednesday. . Sundays game against the Colorado Rapids at B.C. Place Stadium has important implications in determining Major League Soccers playoff picture and will also mark the final game in the career of veteran South Korean defender Young-Pyo Lee. .And although FIFAs investigators are preparing to release the findings of a World Cup corruption probe, Hassan Al Thawadi dismissed any chance of Qatar losing the showpiece event.PITTSBURGH -- Andrew McCutchen has a broken bone in his ribcage wo days after being hit by a pitch, but the Pittsburgh Pirates centre fielder and last years NL MVP hopes to avoid going on the disabled list. McCutchen left in the eighth inning of Sundays loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Phoenix after feeling pain in his side when he swung at a pitch. He had to be helped down the dugout steps to the clubhouse and also needed help getting dressed after the game. McCutchen said he couldnt be sure that getting hit might have caused the injury but wouldnt rule it out. "I dont know but Ive taken a million swings and have never felt anything in my side until Sunday," McCutchen said. McCutchen was hit in the back by a pitch from Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Randal Delgado on Saturday night. Though Delgado said the pitch got away from him, the Pirates suspected it was payback for Diamondbacks star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt suffering a season-ending broken left hand a night earlier when hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh reliever Ernesto Frieri. "Im not going to play today and Im not going to play tomorrow but well see after that," McCutchen said Tuesday.dddddddddddd "Two days ago, I couldnt even bend down to put my shoes on. Now, I can ... get dressed like normal, so Im getting better." While McCutchen was not in the lineup for Tuesday nights game against the Miami Marlins, the Pirates are waiting before making a decision on whether he needs to on the DL. Starling Marte, normally the Pirates left fielder, was activated from the 7-day disabled list and started in centre field. He took the roster spot of third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who was placed on the bereavement list. That left the Pirates a man short. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said the Pirates medical staff is having difficulty putting a timetable on McCutchens return because the injury is a rarity in baseball. "They are trying to get as much information as they can," Hurdle said. "At this point were weighing whether Andrew might be able to come back in less than 15 days against playing a man short. For now, were going to wait and keep him on the active roster." ' ' '
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