emerged in the AFC West.For now, Arizona and Carolina are outsiders who must sh

MIAMI -- President Barack Obama has invited the World Series champion Chicago Cubs to visit him at the White House.The team will have to make travel arrangements quickly, though, because Obama leaves office in mid-January. Obama extended the invitation to manager Joe Maddon during a congratulatory telephone call Thursday evening as he flew back to Washington aboard Air Force One.Obama tweeted the invitation early Thursday, shortly after the Cubs won their first championship since 1908 by defeating the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in 10 innings.It happened: (at)Cubs win World Series. Thats change even this South Sider can believe in. Want to come to the White House before I leave?The Cubs arent Obamas preferred baseball team; his loyalties lie with the White Sox.White House spokesman Eric Schultz said Obama rooted for the Cubs because hes from Chicago and the White Sox didnt make it to the championship. He said Obama watched the final innings of the game at his hotel in Miami late Wednesday after campaigning for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.Obama congratulated the Cubs at another Clinton rally Thursday. He said he had heard someone explain that, when the Cubs last won the World Series, inventor Thomas Edison was alive and sliced bread wasnt yet invented.Obama said the championship is actually, for Cubs fans, the greatest thing since sliced bread.---Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleapWholesale Nike Air Max . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. Fake Nike Air Max Shoes . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. https://www.fakeairmaxwholesale.com/ . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Nike Air Max Discount . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Fake Nike Air Max Free Shipping . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home.A mere five weeks into the NFL schedule and theres already been a massive separation between the true Super Bowl contenders, the pretenders, and the vast ocean of mediocrity in the league.For fans in New England, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Seattle, and perhaps Green Bay, making travel plans for late January and early February is not farfetched. Those appear to be legitimate championship threats.Evaluating other successful teams -- Atlanta, Oakland, Dallas, Philadelphia -- and even the defending champion Broncos, who have lost two in a row, is more difficult.And then there are the clubs who stand just outside the morass that makes up most of the league right now: Buffalo, Los Angeles, Washington, Kansas City. It probably will take two more months to figure out whether they belong in the postseason.I can tell you that 100 percent of our attention and our focus is to try to accomplish that, says Bills coach Rex Ryan, whose franchise has an almost unfathomable string of non-playoff seasons dating to 2000. But playoffs, anything like that, were not even close to that. And as Ive mentioned before, weve still got a lot of dirt on us from opening up the season, losing those first two games.What seems certain is that the NFL has too many substandard teams, even though a few of them (AFC South members, thats you) figure to be in the race right up until 2016 ends.But you cant get ahead of yourself, says Colts coach Chuck Pagano, whose team could tie for the division lead with a win at Houston this Sunday. And with the Titans (2-3) hosting winless Cleveland, a three-way tie is quite possible. You cant sit there and look at what could be. If we do this, were this -- youve got to go take care of business now. You have to worry about today. Youve got to prepare.So, looking at the NFL today:TRUE CONTENDERSTheres no denying that the 5-0 Vikings, the leagues only unbeaten squad despite several devastating injuries (Adrian Peterson, Teddy Bridgewater, Matt Kalil), have proven they belong in the conversation. Their defense, led by Everson Griffen and Harrison Smith, is championship material, and the way Sam Bradford has stepped in to replace Bridgewater at quarterback has been inspiring.Theres also no denying that the offensive firepower of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Co. in Pittsburgh, and Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and the boys in New England has those teams on a collision course atop the AFC. We get a showdown in Steel City next Sunday, too.Seattle tends to build toward the winter monthhs, and might have the most-balanced roster around.ddddddddddddThe Packers have Aaron Rodgers, pedigree as a playoff team and, for once, a defense that looks reliable.POTENTIALSAvoiding overreactions after each game is tough in a 17-week season. So Denvers demise is not at hand, folks; comparing these Broncos to the 2015 champions simply is unfair at this point, particularly on the Peyton-less offense. Dismissing that defense, though, is unwise.Teams on the upswing with more to prove are in position to do exactly that this weekend, when the Cowboys visit the Packers , the Eagles are in Washington,the Falcons are at the Seahawks, and the Raiders host their archrivals, the Chiefs.The biggest statements would be made by Dallas if it can move to 5-1 behind rookies Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott, and by Atlanta. Coming off the most impressive victory of the season at Denver, the Falcons would stamp themselves as legitimate candidates to be in Houston in February with a victory in Seattle.Sure, they went 6-1 last season before flopping to 8-8, but this version is more balanced and experienced.One negative thing happened and then it was like a snowball effect on us, star receiver Julio Jones says of 2015. This year, were definitely a different ballclub as far as the mentality of the team. Were just sticking together and holding each other accountable.MUCH TO PROVEThe Bills, Rams, Redskins, Ravens and Texans all have winning records. Anyone out there really believe in any of them as title threats?Kansas City needs a lengthy streak of wins like it had a year ago to make us take notice, something even less likely with Oakland having emerged in the AFC West.For now, Arizona and Carolina are outsiders who must show they can emulate in some way the clubs that reached the NFC championship last January. The Cardinals seem vastly more capable of that than the banged-up Panthers.THE SORRY SETIt sure is a challenge to have any faith in the Jets and Bengals, who each won at least 10 games a year ago, but have been either unimpressive (Bengals) or unwatchable (Jets).Pretty much everywhere else stands the uninspiring, teams such as the Dolphins and Bears and 49ers, who we expect to remain also-rans when the holidays hit.As for that AFC South race, well, a four-way slog to the finish wouldnt be a surprise.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '