but Stoudemire is credited for signing

The gap separating defending national champion Alabama from its Southeastern Conference rivals doesnt seem to be closing.If anything, its getting wider.While every other team in the SEC either already has lost a game or had a relatively close call, No. 1 Alabama (2-0) has outscored its first two opponents 90-16 and is still finding things it could have done better .Its the Bama way, Alabama tight end O.J. Howard said. Its just the way that we carry ourselves. We are a hard-nosed football team. We want to play at our standard that makes people not want to play us anymore, and I think we didnt play that way Saturday. So its a disappointment right now.The seemingly widening gap is also disappointing for the rest of the league.A test of Alabamas superiority comes Saturday when it opens SEC competition at No. 19 Mississippi (1-1), the one team that seems to have the Crimson Tides number . Alabama is 0-2 against Ole Miss and 28-1 against all other opponents since the start of the 2015 season.I have great respect for (Alabama coach Nick Saban) and the job hes done, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. They just continue to stockpile depth with four- and five-star kids. Its very difficult to say that youre ever going to overcome the gap. I think weve closed it considerably. Obviously, the proof is on the field.No one in the league is conceding anything to the Crimson Tide. In some respects, the SEC looks as deep as ever with eight of its 14 members in this weeks Top 25 .The SECs the SEC, Tennessee defensive tackle Kendal Vickers said. Its why everybody wants to come to the SEC. Its the best conference in the world. Youll see when SEC play comes. Youll see all the talent that comes out.But a closer look at the poll indicates Alabama is indeed separating itself from everyone else.Alabama, which has won four of the last seven national titles, is the only SEC team ranked 14th or higher. That also was the case in the last two regular-season polls in 2015 before Ole Miss climbed to 10th in the final rankings.Before 2015, the last time only one SEC team was ranked 14th or higher was in the final poll of the 2000 season. The last time the SEC had only one team ranked in the top 14 of a September poll was in 1989.I think theres a little bit more of a gap, especially based on what weve seen the first two weeks, said SEC Network analyst Marcus Spears, who played at LSU from 2001-04. They seem to be the only team that hasnt struggled to get wins. I think for the most part, though, its just so early. Youll see teams get better.Joining Alabama and Ole Miss in the Top 25 are No. 15 Tennessee, No. 16 Georgia, No. 17 Texas A&M, No. 20 LSU, No. 23 Florida and No. 24 Arkansas.All the ranked teams other than Ole Miss and LSU are undefeated but havent been dominant.Tennessee was taken to overtime by Appalachian State and erased an early 10-point deficit against Virginia Tech . Georgia eked out a two-point victory over Football Championship Subdivision program Nicholls. Texas A&M beat UCLA in overtime. Florida only led Massachusetts 10-7 through three quarters before pulling away for a 24-7 victory . Arkansas owns a one-point win over Louisiana Tech as well as an overtime road upset of TCU .Spears believes Alabamas top challenger is probably Texas A&M up to this point. He also mentioned Tennessee and Florida, though he noted the Volunteers need to let quarterback Joshua Dobbs use his athleticism like they did against Virginia Tech when they started having success and not try to make him a pocket passer.While there are questions about all the other SEC contenders, Alabama appears to have solved its biggest preseason concerns. Damien Harris has taken over for Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry and has averaged 9.1 yards per carry. Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has seamlessly replaced Jake Coker.Alabama has signed the nations top recruiting class each of the last six years, according to composite rankings of recruiting websites compiled by 247Sports. That gives Alabama an edge in talent that can be difficult to overcome.Your depth chart may not be on the even playing field, Freeze said. But if you have a two-deep who are good enough to play and you get the right system and the right plan that has a chance to be successful against them, I think you have a fighting chance. Ill know more about that after Saturday.As will the rest of the league.---AP sports writers David Brandt in Oxford, Mississippi and John Zenor in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, contributed to this report.---AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.orgOffcial Jerseys . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Custom Jerseys .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . Haas said he "felt a lot of pain" in his right shoulder when he slammed his racket to the ground in frustration after losing his serve at 3-3 in the first set. China Jerseys . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. Cheap Jerseys From China .Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats.Amare Stoudemire announced at a news conference on Monday that hes playing next season in Israel.Stoudemire will join Hapoel Jerusalem as an active player on a 2-year deal. As part of the agreement,?Stoudemire will sell his shares in the team to president and majority owner Dr. Ori AllonStoudemire is scheduled to travel to Israel next week as part of an NBA Cares initiative organized by the first Israeli to ever play in the NBA -- Sacramentos Omri Casspi -- and has taken a great interest in the country over the past few years since revealing that he has Jewish roots on his mothers side.?Last Tuesday, Stoudemire signed a contract with the New York Knicks and was immediately waived in a move designed to allow him to retire as a Knick.I came to New York in 2010 to help revitalize this franchise and we did just that, Stoudemire said Tuesday in a statement. Carmelo [Anthony], Phil [Jackson] and Steve [Mills] have continued this quest, and with this years acquisitions, the team looks playoff-bound once again. Although my career has taken me to other places around the country, my heart had always remained in the Big Apple. Once a Knick, always a Knick.Stoudemire, 33, averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in 846 games over 14 seasons with Phoenix, New York, Dallas and Miami. The 6-foot-10 big man was named an All-Star six times and selected to two All-NBA first teams after turning pro out of high school, rising to prominence firsst as the NBAs Rookie of the Year in 2003, then as part of a devastating pick-and-roll combo with Steve Nash.dddddddddddd?The Suns released a statement congratulating Stoudemire on his career, saying: Amares eight seasons with our franchise provided some of the most exciting Suns basketball this city has ever seen. Off the court, Amare represented himself with integrity and class every step of the way, leaving an indelible impression on countless kids in our community. Were proud to have called Amare one of our own and wish him nothing but the best in his retirement. Congrats, STAT!Stoudemire played parts of five seasons in New York, signing as a free agent in the summer of 2010. His Knicks tenure was marred by injury, but Stoudemire is credited for signing with New York at a time when other big-name free agents werent seriously considering the club. He averaged 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds and was named to the All-NBA second team in his debut season with the Knicks.?For parts of six years, Amare Stoudemire was the face of the New York Knicks franchise because of his excellence on the court and his dedication to our community and our fans across the world, said Knicks GM Steve Mills.When Amare asked us to retire as a Knick, we were honored to oblige.ESPNs Ian Begley contributed to this report. ' ' '