CHICAGO -- Paul Konerko will likely be watching from the bench for the start of what figures to be his 16th and final opening day with the Chicago White Sox And the 38-year-old first baseman is comfortable with that decision, which ends a streak of 15 consecutive opening-day starts. Konerkos new role is as a right-handed-hitting platoon player at designated hitter. With Minnesota starting right-hander Ricky Nolasco, left-handed-hitting Adam Dunn will start. "I just think its the way it should be," Konerko said Sunday as both teams conducted voluntary workouts. "Its just not part of the blueprint of what were going to do here. ... Its pretty simple. Theres a plan and roles of when guys play and when they dont." A six-time All-Star, Konerko agreed in December to a $2.5 million, one-year contract. White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Konerko made the choice to stay with the platoon. "In talking to Paulie, its not an easy decision," Ventura said, "but when you go over how youre going to do this and make this work, he made it clear this is kind of what he signed up to do." Left-hander Chris Sale starts for the White Sox. He was surprised by Konerkos decision but said he respected it. "I think he should be out there," Sale said. "What hes done for this city, what hes done for this team, who hes been throughout his career, I think hes earned that. But what he says, goes." Starting his second White Sox opener, Sale faces Nolasco in only the third time opening-day meeting between the teams and the first since 1993. After a lengthy and severe Chicago winter, Mondays forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a 65-degree temperature. The White Sox are coming off a 63-99 season, their poorest record since 1970. Their projected lineup features five players making their opening-day debuts, including Cuban slugger Jose Abreu, who signed a $68 million, six-year contract. "I dont really know where Im going to be hitting, but it doesnt matter," Abreu said through a translator. "To be honest with you, thats irrelevant. Im ready to hit wherever they put me. Im here to help the team." Minnesota (66-96) committed $73 million to sign Nolasco (13-11 for Miami and the Los Angeles Dodgers) and Phil Hughes in an effort to rebuild its pitching. "Its important to get off to a good start," Nolasco said. "I know theyve been struggling the last couple years, but weve been working hard as a staff trying to go out there do quick, efficient innings, get us back in the dugout and try to swing the bats." Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Nolasco is ready for the season. "Rickys game on," he said. "Im not worried about him one bit. Hell go until he tells us hes tired. Hes very sure of what he needs to do to win." Despite snow piles and a frozen field earlier this month, Roger Bossards groundskeepers got the playing surface ready at U.S. Cellular Field. "Im impressed," Ventura said. "We thought thered be an iceberg out in left field with all the reports we got. ... But we knew Roger would pull it off this off." Cheap Shoes NZ . They never thought it would take some blood, too. Kevin Love grabbed his 4,000th career rebound as part of a 19-point, 13-board effort to lead the Timberwolves over the Utah Jazz 112-97 on Tuesday night. Shoes NZ 2020 . Left-handed reliever Boone Logan agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract on Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. https://www.shoesnzonline.com/. This week they discuss the Philadelphia 76ers, Gregg Popovich, Royal and Ancient Golf Club and Bill Belichick. Shoes NZ Sale . The Grizzlies erased most of a 25-point deficit before Durant, the leagues scoring champion, got hot. Wholesale Shoes NZ . - Frankie (The Answer) Edgar dominated B.ARLINGTON, Texas - Tony Romo helped dump a bucket on Jason Garrett and playfully shoved him the same way the Dallas coach often does to his players.The Cowboys had long since known their four-year playoff drought was over Sunday when they finally got to celebrate in the final seconds of a dominating 42-7 win over Indianapolis that clinched the NFC East title.A special moment made perfect sense for the quarterback with a history of crushing late-season failures and a coach who kept getting Dallas to meaningful finales but couldnt shake questions about his future because he couldnt break through with a post-season trip.In so many ways, this is such a long journey and to get to a point to achieve your first goal of winning the division title, a lot goes into that, said Garrett, in his fourth full season. I think the way you play in securing that matters, and I thought we played really, really well.Romo threw four touchdown passes and broke Troy Aikmans franchise record for yards passing while the Cowboys (11-4) emphatically ended a three-game home losing streak, scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions.Dallas had an opening for its first division title and post-season berth since 2009 because of Philadelphias 27-24 loss at Washington on Saturday. The Eagles were eliminated with the Cowboys win.The Colts (10-5) didnt have much to play for with the AFC South title secured, and looked like it while they barely avoided their first shutout loss in 21 years.Yeah, it was a dismal start, said Andrew Luck, who threw for a season-low 109 yards with two interceptions and was pulled in the third quarter with the game out of hand. It was bad. A lot of bad. Not much good, if any.The Cowboys had already ended their three-year rut of 8-8 finishes that included losses in finales that kept them out of the playoffs. But they had to keep winning to make sure they got in.Tight end Jason Witten had a touchdown catch and 90 yards receiving to reach his 11th straight season with at least 600 yards. He had the memorable one-liner that it couldnt be the same old story before training camp during the string of frustrating .500 finishes.Then it kept being the same old story — until Sunday, when Dallas kept alive its hopes for a first-round bye as well.Romo led scoring drives of 80 and 75 yards, the latter ending on a 24-yard pass to Cole Beasley. He spun away from a shoulder tackle by DQwell Jackson and ran the final 13 yards to the ennd zone.ddddddddddddThe 34-year-old Romo broke Aikmans record on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Witten, his teammate since they came into the league together 11 years ago.Hes obviously just got a special place in my heart, said Romo, who has 32,971 career yards, 29 more than the three-time Super Bowl winner.Coming off back surgery that kept him out of last years season-ending loss to the Eagles, and another back injury sustained against Washington in October, Romo had his fifth game with a passer rating of at least 135. He completed 18 for 20 passes for 218 yards.I think the way hes played this year, the way great quarterbacks in this league have played for a long time, thats how Troy played, said Garrett, who was Aikmans backup in Dallas. We ran the ball really, really well, controlled the line of scrimmage. And when Tony had opportunities today, and really throughout the year, he cashed in on them.NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray played with a broken left hand, but the Cowboys didnt need much from him. He had 58 yards, with a 1-yard score.With a home playoff game already in hand and little chance to get a first-round bye, Indianapolis sat receiver T.Y. Hilton (hamstring injury) and right tackle Gosder Cherilus, who is nursing a groin problem.Trailing 35-0 in the third quarter, Luck went to the bench in favour of Matt Hasselbeck as the Colts set season lows in points and total yards (229) for the second straight week. They had just 1 yard rushing.They played at a different speed than we played at, and the score is indicative of that, Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. Were going to have to get over this in a hurry.Indianapolis had Dallas beaten on a fake punt after three straight running plays on its first possession. But a backpedaling Dewey McDonald, left uncovered on the outside, dropped punter Pat McAfees perfect throw.On the next play, Romo put Dallas up 14-0 with a 19-yard pass to Dez Bryant, who caught a scoring pass in his 12th consecutive game against the AFC to extend the longest interconference streak since the 1970 merger.NOTES: Murray now has 1,745 yards and needs 29 to break career NFL rushing leader Emmitt Smiths franchise record of 1,773 yards from 1995. ... The Colts barely extended their scoring streak to 336 games, second-longest behind Denvers 355.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler ' ' '