RENTON, Wash. - After beating up on each other twice earlier this season, Pete Carroll was not surprised to see San Francisco as the opponent coming to Seattle for the NFC championship game. He believes the division foes, with one of the most heated rivalries in the NFC, meeting for a trip to the Super Bowl is validation for how good the once-mocked NFC West has become. "This matchup is exactly what everybody is looking for and its an exciting one with a lot of background," Carroll said on Monday. "Im grateful its coming from our division. I think our division really made a statement this year about how good we were and lot of losses came within the division. When you look at it this is a fantastic matchup with a great opportunity for both teams." Seattle (14-3) advanced to the NFC title game after knocking off New Orleans 23-15 in the divisional round on Saturday. Its the second NFC championship game appearance for Seattle and third overall having once played for the AFC title. There is familiarity and contempt when it comes to San Francisco and Seattle. Theyve played six times since San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh arrived before the 2011 season with the 49ers holding a 4-2 advantage. But of Seattles four losses, only one — the first — has been by more than seven points. Seattle and San Francisco split the two games this season with each winning at home. The Seahawks rolled to a 29-3 win in Week 2, and the 49ers kicked a late field goal for a 19-17 win in Week 14. Perhaps its appropriate that the series record is tied 15-15 heading into Sunday with more at stake than ever before. "It shows how good the NFC West has been over the past couple of years," Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson said. "Its going to be a great challenge for both teams. Its going to be a physical game. Its going to be a game where everybody knows each other and everybody knows everybodys techniques so we just have to play great football and execute and be on time make the plays when we need to make them." Seattle goes into the week with two lingering injury questions. The first is with wide receiver Percy Harvin, who made his return on Saturday and suffered a concussion late in the first half. Carroll emphasized Monday they will "respect the heck" out of the process for Harvin to get cleared and said Wednesday and Thursday will be the important days if hes able to get back on the field. Harvin took two big hits in the game, the first coming from Rafael Bush on the third play and drawing a 15-yard roughing penalty. Harvin also was hit by Malcolm Jenkins as he hit the field on the play he was injured. Before he was injured, Harvin showed the flashes Seattle believed it was getting in mass quantity when it traded for him during the off-season. Carroll said Harvin had no issues with his hip that was surgically repaired in August and the concern this week is strictly for his head. He added that Seattle playing on Saturday and Harvin having an extra day of recovery could be significant. "Were going to take care of Percy and make sure we do the right thing. Were not going to stretch the limits at all. Were going to be very careful here. Well do that every step of the way." Aside from Harvin, Seattle is also waiting to see if linebacker K.J. Wright will play for the first time since suffering a fracture in his right foot against San Francisco in Week 14. Wright had surgery after the injury and was back running last week. Carroll said he would be tested on Wednesday to see where he is at in his recovery. "We ran well today and over the weekend," Carroll said. "Hell come back out on Wednesday and well see where he is. He has a chance and were excited for him." Tim Hardaway Heat Jersey . - The Cleveland Indians will place centerfielder Michael Bourn on the disabled list before their opener at Oakland on March 31. James Johnson Heat Jersey . Algeria led 3-0 at halftime, but withstood a stronger South Korean second half performance to claim its first World Cup win since 1982 and move into second place in Group H with one match left to play. Defeat for South Korea means it must now beat already-qualified Belgium to stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stages. https://www.heatlockerroom.com/Kyle-Alex...ition-Jersey/.Y. -- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire will have less time to remain eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot under changes made Saturday. Tyler Johnson Jersey . Louis Blues, having added Ryan Miller and Steve Ott from Buffalo, remain the No. Tyler Herro Jersey . The $145.7-million Tim Hortons Field was slated to open this month, a year before it was to host all 32 mens and womens soccer competitions. The delay has forced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team to use a smaller facility for the first two home games of the season.Tennessee general manager Ruston Webster thinks Mike Munchak helped the franchise that drafted him back in 1982 through a challenging time through three seasons as head coach. Unfortunately for Munchak, loyalty to the NFL team with which he spent 31 seasons just wasnt enough anymore. The Titans fired Munchak on Saturday after spending the past week talking about changes needed for a franchise that has not reached the playoffs since 2008 and last won a post-season game in January 2003. "In the end, we were not able to agree just on the future or the direction of the franchise, and I felt it was time to make a change," Webster said at a news conference. "We move ahead into the next phase of the Tennessee Titans and look for the next coach, and also looking for great things." Munchak became the seventh NFL coach fired. He said in a statement issued through the team that he had hoped this day would never come and that he couldnt express his sadness at leaving a franchise he had been with for more than 30 years. "My goal as head coach was to do things the right way with the right people, and I felt confident that the results would follow," Munchak said. "Sometimes rebuilding a team and its culture takes time, but I truly believe we were on the verge of great things. Unfortunately, my vision did not match that of the organization, so we will part ways." Webster now has to oversee this franchises first coaching search since February 2011 when Munchak was promoted and only the second since this franchise left Texas for Tennessee in 1997. Munchak flew to Texas on Friday morning to meet with team president and CEO Tommy Smith and Webster. They returned late in the afternoon. Smith said in a statement that those talks continued into Saturday before the decision to let Munchak go. "Ultimately, we decided it was best to move in different directions," Smith said. "As I told him, we appreciate his efforts as head coach and I think he helped us progress as a team." Munchak had a season left on his contract and was 22-26 overall. He had been with this franchise since 1982 when the then-Houston Oilers made him a first-round draft pick, and he joined the coaching staff as an assistant the year after he retired. The Titans made Munchak their 16th head coach when late owner Bud Adams promoted him after firing Jeff Fisher. But Munchaks first off-season was wiped out by the NFL lockout before his only winning season att 9-7.dddddddddddd He went 6-10 after the second off-season was chewed up when Adams ordered his front office to chase Peyton Manning. Adams spent more than $100 million this past off-season to restock the Titans roster and made it clear he wanted a playoff berth. That spending spree landed 13 new free agents, along with seven draft picks making the roster. Smith, Adams son-in-law, was named president and CEO a week after Adams died in October. The Titans went 7-9 losing six games by one possession and also won six games decided by a possession. They also dropped eight of 10 games in one stretch, including five straight at home, with fans showing their displeasure by staying away by the thousands. That didnt change in the season finale with Smith watching even as the Titans beat Houston 16-10. Webster, who praised Munchaks professionalism, said the decision was shared by telephone Saturday. "He was a bridge between having a long tenured coach that had just left, and things had been done a certain way, and an older owner who in his tenure passed away," said Webster, promoted to general manager in January 2012. "I think weve been in a pretty major transition and he was part of that. Hes actually made the place better." Munchak had made it clear over the past couple of weeks that he thought having quarterback Jake Locker available for all 16 games likely would have been the difference in the two or three wins needed to earn this franchises first playoff berth since 2008. Webster wouldnt comment when asked if Munchak wanted an extension past 2014, and changes to the coaching staff likely was another issue. Defensive co-ordinator Jerry Gray and senior assistant coach for defence Gregg Williams both have expiring contracts, and special teams had problems on kick and punt returns until the team signed Leon Washington late. Munchak also promoted an old friend, Chet Parlavecchio, already on his staff as linebackers coach for 2013, and a young group featuring Zach Brown, Colin McCarthy and Akeem Ayers struggled most of the season. Asked if Munchak had been asked to fire six assistants as a condition to stay, Webster called that a "big number." Left guard Andy Levitre, who signed as a free agent in March to play for Munchak, wrote on Twitter: "Unfortunate to hear the news about Coach Munchak. Couldnt be more thankful 4 him giving me this opportunity in Nashville. Wish him the best." ' ' '