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SEATTLE -- The guitar riffs ripped from the hotel ballroom where owner Paul Allens band was performing and filled the lobby. Carlos Pena Mexico Jersey . Down on the lower level, Hall of Famer Walter Jones posed for pictures with exuberant fans. This celebration in the wee hours of Monday morning was what Pete Carroll envisioned when he arrived in Seattle in January 2010 and was finally given the full say over an NFL franchise in the hopes of replicating at the professional level what he was able to accomplish in college. Celebrating was standard practice when Carroll was at USC. But the party that followed Sundays 43-8 blowout of Denver that gave Seattle its first NFL title topped all those previous celebrations. It may just be the beginning for the Seahawks. "This is exactly what we envisioned from day one. We were going to be right here and win this football game -- and it just happened to be in New York. which makes it even more special -- in the fashion that we were able," Carroll said. "We deserved it and we earned it because this is exactly what weve been preparing for, and we expected it. That may sound cocky. That may sound arrogant. But its a mentality you cant get in one week." Seattles coronation was the culmination of an overhaul that Carroll and general manager John Schneider embarked upon when they took control of the Seahawks. Nearly 1,000 roster moves later, they could finally take the ultimate satisfaction in what they had created: the envy of the NFL. The Seahawks are mean and talented on defence. They have one of the most dynamic young players in the game in quarterback Russell Wilson. And the surrounding cast complements him well. There is very little indication this will be a one-year flash. "One of the things that happens every so often is teams have a big fallout after they win the Super Bowl," Carroll said. "Were not in that situation." Seattles title will be remembered for a dominating defence that will be regarded among the best in league history. Richard Shermans play at cornerback -- and sometimes his mouth -- drew the attention but that defence was far more than Sherman and his "Legion of Boom" teammates in the secondary. Linebacker Bobby Wagner was even better in his second season, while Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith was called upon to play different positions throughout the season. The signings of Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett on the defensive line, and the re-signing of Clinton McDonald after Week 1, gave the Seahawks the deepest defensive line rotation in the league, all with plenty of energy to chase Colin Kaepernick in the NFC title game and harass Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl. Offensively, the Seahawks were without their top two wide receivers for most of the season between Percy Harvins preseason hip surgery and Sidney Rices midseason knee injury. But Harvin showed just why the Seahawks made the investment with his 87-yard kickoff return touchdown that was essentially the final blow in the Super Bowl. Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin believed they were disrespected all season and were intent on proving critics wrong. For the most part, they did, while Jermaine Kearse continued to play the role of another undrafted gem discovered by Schneider. The offensive line missed both starting tackles -- Breno Giacomini and Russell Okung -- for more than half the regular season due to injuries but managed. And Marshawn Lynch continued to go "Beast Mode" at just the right times. Seattle should be able to keep its core together but there will be difficult decisions to make. There are key free agents, including Baldwin and Tate. There are also potential salary cap decisions to be made with players like Rice, Zach Miller, Chris Clemons, Brandon Mebane and Red Bryant. Then there are the two looming extensions that could get done this off-season -- Earl Thomas and Sherman. Both players can be extended before the start of next season, but the likelihood is that Seattle tries to get a deal done with Thomas first and then see if an extension will work for Sherman. So far, Sherman has been the ultimate bargain for Seattle, scheduled to make less than $700,000 in base salary next season. Thomas and Sherman are entering the final year of their rookie contracts in 2014 and with both now two-time All-Pro selections, each is likely due a hefty raise. If Seattle can get both extensions done, it would allow them to focus on Wilson during the 2014-15 off-season when his rookie deal can be redone. "We are looking two to three years ahead so last year we knew we were going to have some things coming and how to handle certain players and to know just where we are headed," Schneider said recently. "We put different models together. Matt Thomas does a phenomenal job with it. Figure out the best way to navigate it. They are really good problems to have." Rafael Marquez Jersey . Sean Monahan scored two goals, including the overtime winner, as the Flames snapped a two-game losing skid with a 2-1 victory over the Oilers in a game between two of the NHLs current lesser lights. Raul Jimenez Jersey . Gretzky was asked if he believes Montreal Canadiens defenceman PK Subban should be on Canadas blueline in February at the Sochi Olympics. "Im not going to get in the middle of that controversy because Stevie Yzerman obviously knows what hes doing, he won a gold medal in 2010," said Gretzky.LIBREVILLE, Gabon -- Ivory Coast will play Zambia in the final of the African Cup of Nations after Gervinhos goal on the stroke of halftime ensured the title favourite edged out Mali 1-0 on Wednesday. The Arsenal forward capitalized on a defensive error at Stade de lAmitie to race half the length of the pitch and shoot past goalkeeper Soumaila Diakite, sending the Ivorians to their second final in six years and giving them another chance at a first African title in two decades. Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure both hit the post as Ivory Coast dominated a stubborn Mali for most of the semifinal but couldnt give itself some breathing space. The Ivorians still reached the deciding game with five straight wins and without conceding a single goal at the tournament. They are now in touching distance of the Cup of Nations triumph that would befit their star-studded squad, which has lost in the final, semifinals, and quarterfinals at the past three tournaments. "We suffered a bit of nerves," Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui said. "There were signs of stress and I showed signs of stress, but it worked out. "We came here with a lot of expectation and pressure. With the failures weve had in the past, we understand we havent won it yet." Zambia advanced to Sundays decider after surprising Ghana 1-0 in the first semifinal at Estadio de Bata. The southern African team is now probably every neutrals choice to win the tournament on its return to Libreville 19 years after a tragic plane crash in the Gabonese capital robbed the country of one of its best-ever teams. "There will be a lot of emotions on both sides," Zahoui said. "Zambia is a young team and we know they are a team of emotion. We respect them a lot." In Libreville, Gervinho led the celebrations at fulltime as Ivory Coasts relieved players ran across to dance and applaud in front of their orange-clad fans, who had been outnumbered by Malis supporters in a stadium that was maybe half full. The West African countrys only previous Cup of Nations title came in 1992, when it beat Ghana in a marathon penalty shootout. "We are going to stay concentrated because we want to have a party on Sunday," captain Drogba said. "Well stay concentrated and above all respect the Zambian team." At Stade de lAmitie, which will stage the final, Gervinho finallly made Ivory Coasts first-half dominance count in the 45th minute when he flicked the ball past defender Ousmane Berthe on the halfway line, sprinted down the left wing unchallenged, cut in on goal and sent a right-footed shot into the far corner. Raul Jimenez Mexico Jersey. Malis defensive slip, as Berthe rushed up on the Arsenal forward and was beaten and with Cedric Kante giving him too much space, caused a furious reaction from coach Alain Giresse. Malis coach slapped his hand against the team dugout in frustration as Ivorian players congratulated Gervinho going down the tunnel at halftime. In the second half, the Malians finally ran out of gas after showing great resilience to lift themselves from a group-stage defeat to Ghana and then come from behind against co-host Gabon to win a penalty shootout in the quarters. "We can be proud of the team," Giresse said. "We almost succeeded; we werent far from succeeding." Drogba gave Mali an early warning when he glanced a downward header off the back of his head that came off the post in the sixth minute. Toure slammed a shot off the other post soon after from close range after surging from midfield and receiving a pass from Salomon Kalou on the right wing. Gervinho sent a header over the crossbar in the 18th, as Africas top-ranked team went close with nearly every attack. Behind to Gervinhos opportunist strike, and with Ivory Coast in control, Mali rallied for Mustapha Yatabare to shoot just over in the 73rd with goalkeeper Boubacar Barry stretching. But it was the best of few Mali openings in the second 45 as Ivory Coast tightened its grip and closed out the game. Drogba broke clear again down the right wing in the 77th and held off Kante to hit an angled shot that Diakite half-blocked, and Mali scrambled the ball away from in front of goal. The Malians defended bravely but couldnt threaten at the other end. ------ Lineups: Ivory Coast: Boubacar Barry, Kolo Tour
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