Not even a defeat could stop Daniel Hourcade from taking pleasure in his surroundings. The head coach of Argentinas rugby team expressed a good many regrets at the end of a 33-21 loss to Australia this month, from his teams failure to capitalize on key opportunities to a shortage of contested scrums. But the decision to give up home-field advantage and stage this game in England was not among them.It was a great experience. Playing here at Twickenham [Stadium] is really an honor, said Hourcade. He went on to describe the venue as the cathedral of rugby.Time will tell whether Twickenham can make a similar impression on Jeff Fisher. The Los Angeles Rams head coach could be forgiven for feeling unenthusiastic about surrendering one of his teams home games to host the New York Giants in London at a potentially pivotal moment in the NFL season.Fisher took the Rams across the pond once before, in 2012. They were shellacked 45-7 by the New England Patriots in what remains the most lopsided NFL International Series result.That game, though, was held at Wembley Stadium. Sunday will mark the NFLs first visit to Twickenham. This change of setting might not mean much to Fisher, whose only focus right now will be on picking his team up after consecutive defeats. The rest of us, though, might find intrigue in the prospect of an American football game being staged at the spiritual home of English rugby.Humble beginningsThere was a time when people might have scoffed at the suggestion that Twickenham should host any sport other than rugby. Then again, there was a time when people scoffed at the suggestion that it could host any sporting event at all.The decision by Englands fledgling Rugby Football Union to invest almost ￡5,600 on a 10?-acre parcel of land on the southwest outskirts of London back in 1907 was greeted with incredulity by the national press. For journalists who lived and worked in the city center, Twickenham might as well have been Timbuktu -- 12 or so miles from Piccadilly Circus and with poor transport links.This was not prime real estate but farming land -- previously in use as a mix of orchards and market gardens. Worse, it was located in a flood plain. The RFU had to arrange for the field to be raised using dirt excavated during the creation of the London Undergrounds Metropolitan line.The venue was quickly nicknamed Billy Williams Cabbage Patch -- a jab at the RFU committee member who had proposed the site. More pointed words were chosen by the Daily Mirror newspaper, which characterized the whole project as a costly white elephant.Twickenham would defy such dire assessments. Despite occasional flirtations with different venues, England Rugby has never left. Instead, the stadium has gradually expanded -- with stands rebuilt on the same site several times over -- from a capacity of 18,000 at its first international game through to 82,000 today (although various NFL-specific modifications will reduce this to 75,000 on Sunday).As it has grown, the stadium has been modernized. It now incorporates a fitness center and a Marriott hotel, with suites looking out over the field. But this is not a place that has lost touch with its history. The east stand is home to the World Rugby Museum, where Phil McGowan, who authored a history of the stadium in 2014, works as the interpretation and education officer. McGowan is quick to point out that at least one part of Twickenham remains forever unchanged.The pitch is still in the exact same place as it was in 1909, McGowan said. The grass itself has been relaid many times over, and in 2012, it was upgraded with a partially artificial base that helps to keep the playing surface in better condition. Otherwise, McGowan said, Its still exactly the same height. When theres a game, theyre still playing on top of the old dirt dug out from the Metropolitan line.That field has been the stage for iconic rugby games, from Englands win over Wales in Twickenhams first full international game, in 1910, right through to World Cup games in 1991, 1999 and 2015. And yet some of the most important chapters in its history have nothing to do with rugby. During World War I, Twickenham was used by the British army to graze and train horses before they were sent out to the front.Then, during the second world war, the whole stadium was given over to the war office, and it became a civil service depot, McGowan said. The West Car Park was turned into a coal dump. The fire brigade took over the south terrace and put all their vehicles underneath, which were then used during the Blitz. The west stand was turned into a medical response center, so there were lots of hospital beds put there, to be used in the event of a chemical attack in London.Only the RFU secretary remained in his office, which he kept to himself. After the war had finished, there are photos with the roofs of the stands covered in holes from shrapnel damage during the Blitz. That was the case for 20, 30 years after -- you could see these patched-up holes in the roof of the stands.Bathing in a century of historyThe Rams and Giants are not in London for a history lesson. It seems unlikely that players will use what little free time they do have to visit the World Rugby Museum. But they will get at least a flavor of what makes this place unique as they make their way into the stadium.On the drive in, team buses are routed through the West Car Park. This is the spot where fans gather before games to eat and drink before kickoff.If that sounds like a familiar ritual to any NFL fan, then the devil is in the detail. Rugby union, in part because of its long-standing commitment to amateurism that lasted right up until the mid-1990s -- with the effect that only those with money could afford to give up the time required to compete at a high level -- has historically drawn a well-heeled crowd. Instead of beer and brats, the West Car Park was famous for champagne and caviar.I mean, its tailgating in the States, isnt it? Martin Johnson, a former World Cup-winning captain for England, said with a chuckle. But its having a spot of lunch in the West Car Park at Twickenham.The scene has become less genteel in recent years, with food concessions and beer tents encroaching into areas where parking is no longer permitted. It might look different this Sunday, in any case, with the NFL using that area for its own official tailgate.Once inside the stadium, though, players will walk down a tunnel adorned with great names and games from English rugby history. Inside the home locker room, cubicles are adorned with the names of the countrys most capped players at each position. An adjoining corridor carries the list of every player who ever represented England.More vivid than any of these things might be the two standalone iron baths positioned beside the new hydrotherapy baths in the home locker room. First purchased back as part of a set of six in 1931, these were for many decades the primary means of players getting clean after a game. They would be half-filled with cold water before kickoff, then topped up with hot at full-time.For a lot of the boys, that used to be part of the fun after a game, Johnson said. Just to sit in there and soak it all up. When they rebuilt the west stand in the 1990s, we didnt know if they would keep them. While they were doing it, [then England prop] Jason Leonard tried to walk off with one. He drove up with his van and tried to take one away. But they caught him in the act.Anyway, when they rebuilt the stand, they did put a couple of them back in there. But now theyve started filling the baths with ice instead of warm water, so its not quite so good!A surprising hymnSundays game will be preceded, as with every other NFL International Series game in London, with the singing of both the American and British national anthems. But perhaps the most fascinating question before this game at Twickenham is whether there will be enough rugby fans in the crowd to follow that up with another song that has become a part of the lore of this place.A rendition of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,?the spiritual originally sung by slaves in the U.S. in the 19th century,?became the unofficial anthem of English rugby more than a century later.Precisely how that happened is a matter of dispute. The most popular story has it that the song was first introduced to Twickenham by a group of schoolboys celebrating a virtuoso performance by Chris Oti, Englands first black player in more than 80 years, against Ireland in 1988.Whatever the truth of that account, however, it is known that Swing Low, Sweet Chariot had been sung in English rugby clubhouses for years before it became associated with the national team. Johnson recalls it being popular when he was playing as teenager in the 1980s.Ill be frank, when most teams used to do it, that used to involve taking their clothes off, as well, he said. That was part of it. It was with a few pints, and half the time half the team would be naked by the end.Stripping in the stands at Twickenham is generally frowned upon -- even if one exhibit in the World Rugby Museum does claim that this stadium was the setting for the first streaker at a professional sporting event. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, however, has persisted to this day.Ive been lucky enough to play for England against New Zealand at Twickenham, said Northampton back Ben Foden. Obviously, they have the Haka [New Zealands pregame war dance], which is something thats steeped in tradition, as well. But when they do that at Twickenham, our fans always sing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot at the top of their lungs to drown it out. Its pretty special. You really notice the crowd and the impact they can have on a game.When planning out Twickenhams latest major redesign, in 1988, architect Terry Ward stated his intention to create a stadium for England that would give them a five-point advantage in every home game. Whether he succeeded on that front is difficult to quantify, but certainly he created a venue that can get deafeningly loud at times.That much will be nothing new to NFL players. But a round of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot would certainly feel unique. English fans serenaded Argentina and Australia with the song during that game earlier this month at Twickenham. What sort of cathedral, after all, would let a new congregation leave without hearing its most stirring hymn? . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee was dominant enough for one six-minute stretch to make up for any youthful mistakes it made the rest of the night.Robert Hubbs III scored 16 points to lead six Tennessee players in double figures Tuesday as the Volunteers capitalized on a 21-0 first-half spurt in a 103-94 victory over Appalachian State.Tennessee, which has seven true freshmen and one redshirt freshman on its roster, bounced back from a season-opening 82-69 home loss to Chattanooga and avoided its first 0-2 start since 1965-66.I cant imagine theres a younger team, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. I do think we did some things better from the first game, but we still, at times tonight, acted like the really young basketball team we are.The Vols (1-1) trailed 11-9 early before reeling off 21 straight points by feasting on Appalachian State turnovers. Jordan Bone and Grant Williams each scored five points during that 21-0 run, which culminated with a 3-pointer from Jordan Bowden.Tennessee led by as many as 26 points during a first half in which the Vols forced 15 turnovers.I think we missed some easy ones and I think they ramped up their pressure, Appalachian State coach Jim Fox said. It slowed us down. Our guys were making uncharacteristic mistakes. If we passed the ball up, we caught the ball right by halfcourt so they trapped us. We were really tentative with things that we did. Credit them. They did a great job. Theyre tremendously athletic.The Vols werent quite as effective the rest of the way. Appalachian State (0-2) got the margin all the way down to seven with 58 seconds left but couldnt get any closer.Tennessee won with a balanced scoring attack.Lamonte Turner scored 15 points, Bowden had 14. Kyle Alexander and Williams each had 13 and Shembari Phillips added 11 for Tennessee.I feel like everybody on our team can score the ball, Bowden said. Everybody gives the ball and is not really selfish on offense.Ronshad Shabazz and Patrick Good each scored 21 for Appalachian State. Griffin Kinney had 13 points and Kelvin Robinson added 12.ddddddddddddTHE TAKEAWAYAppalachian State: The Mountaineers inability to take care of the ball in the first half proved costly. Appalachian State had 15 turnovers in the first half. Tennessee outscored Appalachian State 22-8 in first-half points off turnovers. The Mountaineers deserve some credit for chipping away at the deficit rather hanging their heads once they trailed by 26.Tennessee: The Vols corrected many of the mistakes theyd made in their loss to Chattanooga. Tennessee shot 1 of 16 from 3-point range and had 18 turnovers and four assists against Chattanooga. The Vols were 8-of-19 on 3-pointers and had 26 assists and 12 turnovers Tuesday. Bone, who had just one assist in the Chattanooga game, had eight assists and two turnovers against Appalachian State.LINEUP CHANGEBarnes responded to Tennessees season-opening loss by having Bowden and Phillips replace Admiral Schofield and Detrick Mostella in the starting lineup.Bowden had played just six minutes in the Chattanooga game, but the freshman guard shot 4 of 8 from 3-point range and scored 14 points Tuesday.We started (Bowden) because he earned it, to be quite frank, Barnes said. The other night, the reason we switched the lineup a little bit is some of those guys that started (against Chattanooga) didnt do the things that we wanted them to do defensively.REDSHIRT DUOBarnes said he is planning on redshirting freshman guard Jalen Johnson and freshman walk-on Jacob Fleschman.INJURY UPDATETennessee guard Kwe Parker missed a second straight game while wearing a walking boot on his left foot.NEXT UPAppalachian State hosts Warren Wilson College on Thursday.Tennessee faces Wisconsin on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Maui.---More AP College Basketball:
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