GLENDALE, Ariz. Discount Nike Air Vapormax . - Pitcher Kenley Jansen and the Dodgers agreed Tuesday on a $4.3 million, one-year contract, avoiding salary arbitration. Jansen had 28 saves with a 1.88 ERA last season after he took over the closers role from Brandon League. He had been seeking $5.05 million. The Dodgers offered $3.5 million. Said Jansen: "Its kind of a relief that its over now. I tried my best not to let it distract me. At the same time, now I can just focus on opening day." Jansen is one of five closers on the Dodgers spring-training roster, which also includes League, Brian Wilson, Chris Perez and J.P. Howell. Fake Nike Air Vapormax . - Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II says the NFL has told the team it will not be docked a pick in this years draft for coach Mike Tomlins foray onto the field against Baltimore last November. Nike Air Vapormax Sale . -- LeGarrette Blount made one last big splash into a soggy end zone. https://www.fakevapormaxwholesale.com/ . Ashley Wagner will skate in the womens short program for a U.S. team thats in seventh place. Davis and White won the silver medal at the Vancouver Games and are two-time world champions.The Buffalo Sabres have been a complete mess in the 2013-2014 NHL season, accumulating just nine points in 20 games, and it cost general manager Darcy Regier and head coach Ron Rolston their jobs Wednesday, with Sabres legend Pat Lafontaine taking over as President of Hockey Operations and Ted Nolan assuming head coaching duties. Scott Cullen looks at the state of a team for which things can only look up. Last season, the Sabres finished with 48 points in 48 games, finishing 22nd out of 30 teams; not nearly good enough for the playoffs, but not utterly disastrous, which means not bad enough to secure a premium pick at the top of the first round. They traded veteran winger Jason Pominville and defenceman Jordan Leopold during the season, but seven of their top eight scorers were returning for the 2013-2014 season. Even so, the Sabres ranked 29th in my preseason Power Rankings, with not enough proven talent, aside from left winger Thomas Vanek and goaltender Ryan Miller who, as pending unrestricted free agents, were prime candidates for trade. Of course, Vanek was traded, to the New York Islanders and the Sabres received a quality package in return, but it is a curious turn of events to allow Darcy Regier to oversee the start of a rebuilding process and take responsibility for trading the clubs best player, only to clean house in the front office two-and-a-half weeks later. Now, this doesnt mean that people shouldnt have been fired (On XM NHL Network Radio last Friday, I said that Rolston was my pick to be the next coach canned). The Sabres have been unabashedly terrible. They have one regulation win in 20 games and that was in a game at Florida in which they were outshot 45-21 by the Panthers, a team that sits a lofty 28th in the NHL standings. The Sabres have the worst puck possession stats in the league, by a sizeable margin and, given these poor underlying conditions, will need patience in order to develop a roster that is consistently competitive because they cant even argue that theyve been especially unlucky to have this poor record. Matt Moulson, a pending unrestricted free agent who was acquired as part of the package in exchange for Vanek, has 17 points in 18 games with the Islanders and Sabres, and Cody Hodgson has 15 points in 20 games; they are the only Sabres with more than 10 points through the first 20 games of the season. These are the skaters at the top of Buffalos pay scale: RW Drew Stafford, who has a $4-million cap hit, has two goals and six points. A three-time 20-goal scorer, Stafford topped out with 31 goals in 62 games as recently as 2010-2011. LW Ville Leino, a $4.5-million cap hit through 2016-2017, has one point in eight games and has been a healthy scratch even when hes not injured. D Christian Ehrhoff, signed through 2020-2021 at a $4-million cap hit, has four assists in 19 games. Hes not playing poorly, but isnt good enough to be a difference-maker on a bad club. D Tyler Myers, inked through 2018-2019 for $5.5-million per, has four points and is minus-9. His play has declined dramatically since his impressive rookie campaign of 2009-2010. No team can generate positive results in a salary cap league when their highest-paid players are so unproductive. The highest-paid player remaining in Buffalo is G Ryan Miller, who has a $6.25-million cap hit on a contract that expires at seasons end. Miller has a .916 save percentage, pretty much his standard since 2010-2011, and good enough that he will likely hold some appeal on the trade market when the time finally comes to move out a 33-year-old who is not a fit for a team at this level of rebuilding. Once Miller is moved, that would be right down to the foundation. Is there hope for the future? Sure, eventually. The Sabres have given substantial playing time to young players this season. Teenage defencemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov have played more than 17 minutes per game, immediately after they were drafted in 2013 and 21-year-old rookie Mark Pysyk plays 21 minutes per game on the blueline, ranking third behind Ehrhoff and Myers. As the experience with Myers has shown, there is not necessarily a linear path from teen NHL defenceman to future NHL star, so even if the young defencemen pan out, there is some risk andd it should take time before they can be counted on to anchor the unit. Clearance Nike Air Vapormax. The Sabres also have prospects Brayden McNabb and Chad Ruhwedel toiling in the AHL for Rochester and they could be due for a look this season. Add in University of Wisconsin defenceman Jake McCabe and Buffalo has a solid crop of blueliners in the organization. Solid enough that they might want to consider sending Zadorov back to the Ontario Hockey League for another season rather than letting the first year of his entry-level deal burn as part of this disastrous campaign. The story is less promising up front. Hodgson, Tyler Ennis, Marcus Foligno, Johan Larsson, Zemgus Girgensons, and Mikhail Grigorenko are all under 25, and Joel Armia holds potential as a scoring winger but, even in the best-case scenario, its going to be a while before they become impact players, if any are going to have a notable impact at all. (Incidentally, Armia is ready to make his AHL debut after suffering a broken hand in training camp). Assuming that Miller gets moved, the Sabres will have Jhonas Enroth and Matt Hackett as their top two goaltenders (depending on the return for Miller). Thats not the strongest duo, but Enroth has a .914 save percentage in 60 NHL games as Millers backup, so hes worth a try, at least while the rebuilding process is in full effect. What is most promising for the Sabres is that they have seriously stockpiled draft picks over the next couple seasons (something for which the next GM, or even Lafontaine, can thank Regier. The Sabres own the Islanders first-round pick in 2014 (Vanek trade) as well as second-round picks from the Kings (two, for Robyn Regehr), Wild (Pominville deal) and Islanders (Vanek) over the next two seasons, plus whatever returns they might get for their veteran unrestricted free agents that could be moved before this seasons trade deadline. Including their own first and second-round picks, the Sabres will have eight picks in the first two rounds over the next two drafts. Then consider that Miller, Moulson and Steve Ott are all pending unrestricted free agents that should hold significant appeal around the league. Getting picks and prospects in return could give the Sabres in the neighbourhood of a dozen picks in the first two rounds over the next two drafts. Times are tough now, but those picks should really replenish the talent in the organization. (Note: the Sabres likely cant empty the cupboard completely because they will have to get to the salary cap floor in 2014-2015 and, per Cap Geek, they have 14 players under contract for $34.9-million next season.) Draft picks and prospects are uncertain, but if a team is as bad as the Sabres are currently, its encouraging to have picks that could help change the direction of the franchise and, given their current place in the standings, the Sabres are not likely to be dramatically better as soon as next season, which means they could be in contention for the Connor McDavid Sweepstakes, also known as the 2015 NHL Draft. Acquiring talent through the draft should ultimately change the Sabres fortunes, but that build is a slow process -- it could be five years before a playoff berth is a reasonable expectation (or, ask the Edmonton Oilers, the process can take even longer). In the meantime, Ted Nolan is going to have to instill a work ethic in the Sabres young players; something could have a lasting effect going forward. Given that this is already a lost season, there is no reason for Nolan not to play his young players and play them a lot, since they might as well find out who can handle playing at the NHL level. There is a feeling, in some circles, that by digging into the franchises past to hire Lafontaine and Nolan (and rumours have begun that ex-Sabre Rick Dudley could be the next GM), the Sabres are merely looking for some positive PR spin. Maybe thats the case. Well have to see what kind of decisions the new braintrust makes and how well they set the franchise up for the future. It will be a big job for a team is going to have a lot of long nights for this season and beyond. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '

MARTINSVILLE, Va. LaMarcus Aldridge Jersey . -- Kurt Buschs Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, in some ways, was like his career wrapped into one afternoon. It started with a pit road confrontation with Brad Keselowski, one that had Busch threatening over his radio to rearrange Keselowskis face when the race was finished, and ended with Busch ending an 83-race victory drought. The victory was his first for Stewart-Haas Racing, in just their sixth race together, suggesting that it could prove a very productive partnership, and one that a reflective Busch said he has learned to approach with a more mature attitude. "I ran a lot of my early part of my career as an individual and I didnt respect my team, my team owners," Busch said, adding that having Tony Stewart as a team owner has helped him learn the value of better team communication. Celebrating in Victory Lane also was emotional, too, because he got to do it for the first time with his son, Houston. "It was pretty emotional. To see him starry eyed and not knowing what he needed to do and I was directing him where he needed to stand and where he could see it all better and put him up on stage," Busch said, his voice cracking. "And to have him break down in tears, it got me crossed up because Ive been trying to deliver for him ... It kind of took it to a new level." Busch did it by passing Martinsville master Jimmie Johnson for the lead with 10 laps to go and holding off the eight-time winner to win at the track for the first time since October 2002. It was his 25th career Cup-level victory, and that it came in the most unlikely of places suggested to Busch that hes finally in the right place, team-wise and personally. "Youve got to put life in perspective, and you have to learn from your mistakes and you cant just sit there and try to muscle your way individually through certain situations," he said. "And so you rely on your experience level, you rely on your team, and this is a great day for me to be able to lift the trophy in Victory Lane for Stewart-Haas Racing." Johnson, with eight wins in 25 career starts on the 0.526-mile oval, led 11 times for 296 laps. He seemed on his way to another victory when he took the lead from Busch with 17 laps remaining. But Busch stayed close, ducked underneath Johnson seven laps later and Johnson had nothing left to make a run at the lead, making for a polite-looking finish. "Thats all I had," Johnson said. "Man, I ran the rear tires off the car. I flipped every switch and knob I could in there to get front brake and turns fans off and try to help bring my balance back." Just ahead, Busch wasnt sure he could hang on. He hadnt finished in the top 10 in his last 16 starts here. "I didnt know if wed be able to do it, you know? The 48 car is king here, him or the 24," he said in Victory Lane, referring to Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon, who also has eight Martinsville victories. "Ive been on this journey for a while and every time you come to Martinsville, you just kind of draw a line through it like theres no way Ill be able to challenge those Hendrick guys or be up in the top 10," Busch said. When it was over, Busch brushed aside talk about his in-race comments about his feud with Keselowski, who claimed that Busch "just drove right through me and ruined my day" on pit road, causing Keselowski to lose 30 laps and retaliate. "He tried to flatten all four of my tires," Busch said of his former teammate with Roger Penske Racing. "Thats a no fly zone. ... He will get what he gets back when I decide to give it back." The race featured an event-record 33 lead changes, and Johnson expected there would be one more, but on a slippery day on the smallest circuit in NASCARs premier series, the cars at the end werent conducive to typical short-track racing. "Man, we were so on edge slipping and sliding," Johnson said about the final laps duel, during which there was very little of the beating and banging that usually typifies end-of-the-day racing at Martinsville. "I think the lack of security in our own car kept us from feeling more racy and putting a bumper to someone or really getting inside someone aggressively." Dale Earnhardt Jr. was third, followed by Joey Logano and Marcos Ambrose. Virginia native Denny Hamlin, a four-time winner at Martinsville stung by criticism when he missed last weeks race in Fontana, Calif., because of an eye infection, promised Friday that he would win, and qualified second, but finished 19th. Bruce Bowen Spurs Jersey . MLB.com reported that the Dodgers locked the left-hander in for one year at $10 million with up to $4 million in incentives. Luka Samanic Spurs Jersey . -- The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena to a $25 million, five-year contract Saturday. https://www.spurslockerroom.com/Keldon-Johnson-City-Edition-Jersey/ . - Novak Djokovic beat John Isner 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-1 on Saturday to reach the final of the BNP Paribas Open, where hell resume his longtime rivalry with Roger Federer.Last week I broke the numbers down for all 20 Premier League teams on how they perform when they are leading in games this season. This week we flip the script as I run the numbers on how Premier League teams perform when they are losing games. Manchester Uniteds 2012-13 season will always be known as Sir Alex Fergusons final campaign as manager. Yet, if the Scot hadnt retired it would have been known as one of the most remarkable title-winning seasons in league history. Uniteds 29 points gained from losing positions was the second most in Premier League history (Newcastle of 2001-02 had 34) and easily the most achieved by the eventual winners. Obviously, a team that wins a lot of games, which it takes to win a title, does not spend too much time losing so cannot acquire too many points for this category. Last season, Manchester United were different. In Fergies final year, United trailed in more matches (16) than Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. In total they went behind 22 times but, remarkably, cancelled out those deficits 17 times (77 per cent of the time) and in nine of the 16 matches they not only levelled but also went on to win the match. Uniteds ability to score goals and be more efficient, thanks largely to a healthy Robin Van Persie, ensured they spent little time behind, leaving less time for anxiety to settle in, which has happened this season. In total last season United trailed for 419 Premier League minutes out of the 3,420 officially played (injury time counts as 45 and 90) for a losing percentage of just 12.2 per cent despite them losing in 42 per cent of their matches. This season, United have already trailed in 416 Premier League minutes out of the 1,890 officially played for a losing percentage of 22 per cent. In total, they have been behind in 10 of their 21 games (47.6 per cent) but have managed to win just three, draw one and lose six. It is no surprise that United are unable to continue last seasons statistic, a clear outlier, when it comes to how they play when losing and it is interesting to note that six losses, from 10 games losing in, currently puts them at a 40 per cent rate in terms of not losing a game they were trailing in. Rivals Manchester City have trailed the least amount of time this season and this is one of the leading indicators to show their dominance. Manuel Pellegrinis men have trailed for just 119 minutes this season, which averages out to less than six minutes per game. Here is a look at all of the teams in the Premier League in order of least amount of time trailed and how they have played when losing this season. 1. Man City - 119 mins (6.3 per cent) - City went behind in five of their first 11 games but in the last two months have trailed for just seven minutes, when Vincent Kompany levelled Phillippe Coutinhos opening goal on Boxing Day. City have six points from losing positions, winning against Liverpool and Everton when behind. 2. Arsenal - 203 mins (10.7) - Much of Arsenals improvement this season can be put down to them not conceding the games opening goal. Arsenal have gone behind a PL-low six times this season, stopping the early goals conceded that haunted them last season. This still needs to be worked on against the top teams (Man City twice, Chelsea twice and Man Utd all scored first half goals last season to go ahead 1-0 and both Manchester teams did it this season). Arsene Wengers team have so far reduced their total minutes losing dramatically this season (from 18 per cent to just over 10 per cent) taking the panic away that often came into their game when things didnt go their way. The sample size is small but in the five games they have trailed in, Arsenal have one win, one draw and three losses. 3. Chelsea - 232 mins (12.3) - Last season no team trailed less than the Blues, yet their frailties shone through once they went behind. Some of the frailties remain but the team is much better this season when they trail, currently leading the league with 14 points won from losing positions (4W, 2D, 3L). It has been that ability to excel, when behind, that has given them the confidence to look more and more like title contenders in recent weeks. Jose Mourinho continues to tinker with his shape as he tries to get his team more solid and after trailing in eight of 12 games from September to early December, Chelsea have now only trailed for 14 minutes combined in their last six matches and, like Man City, those minutes turned into a victory over Liverpool. 4. Everton - 259 mins (13.7) - The Toffees are having a great season and had to be this high by virtue of their low position in minutes led during last weeks study. Roberto Martinezs men have lost a league-low two matches but even more impressive is their conversion rate at cancelling out leads - a whopping high of 78 per cent, achieved by coming from behind seven times from the nine times they have trailed this season. That is even higher than what United managed last season. 5. Liverpool - 278 mins (14.7) - Liverpools five losses is too many for the short amount of time they have spent behind. This is because they have yet to win a match this season in which they trailed in, losing five and drawing three of those eight games. This needs to improve if they want to cement a top-four spot. 6. Tottenham - 363 mins (15.4) - Spurs won three games in December from a losing posiition. Patty Mills Spurs Jersey. The first two - at Fulham and Sunderland - were enough to convince Chairman Daniel Levy that the performances werent good enough under Andre Villas-Boas. The third one - at Southampton - convinced Levy to hire caretaker boss Tim Sherwood full-time. Spurs havent trailed in a game since. 7. Man United - 416 mins (22) - Four more minutes behind will give them more time spent chasing a game than the entire last season. Watching United closely when trailing this season has been fascinating. Yes, they have gained 10 points from losing positions but the performances in those games - Sunderland (a), Stoke (h), Spurs (a) Hull (a) - werent very good, unlike last season when they were, quite easily, the better side for a lot of their games, even when trailing. For United to climb the table they do not look like a team good enough to consistently get key points from losing positions. 8. Hull City - 470 mins (24.9) - Last weeks study showed Hull have spent a high number of minutes in the lead and, consequently, that has helped them spend so few time behind, No surprise, for a team in need of more goals, that one win and 10 losses come from the 11 games they trailed in. 9. West Ham - 475 mins (25.1) - This will surprise many but not any Hammer fans. Far too many games have been lost late this season for Sam Allardyce but he can find positives in the fact that his team have spent almost three-quarters of the season not losing. When they are losing, however, the picture is dull, achieving just one point from the 12 games theyve been losing in. 10. Stoke - 484 mins (25.6) - Stoke already have as many wins from losing positions (two) than last season. They showed fight in a crazy 5-3 game on Sunday to Liverpool, getting it back to 2-2, but played 79 of those 90 minutes behind. That pushed their percentage to over 25 per cent and away from the 22 per cent that was with them before, which matched their total from last season under Tony Pulis. 11. Newcastle - 535 mins (28.3) - The Magpies would be higher on this list and have a better per cent had their equalizer against Man City on Sunday been allowed to stand. Alan Pardew had many reasons to be frustrated but one not mentioned was that it appeared his team had levelled a deficit for just the third time in 10 attempts this season. They have trailed in just eight games this season but have gone on to lose seven of them. 12. Southampton - 564 mins (29.8) - The Saints have gone behind more times this season than West Ham, West Brom, Stoke, Norwich and Cardiff yet stand well above them in the league table. Part of that reason is their conversion rate at cancelling out leads - 50 per cent (8 of 16). 13. West Brom - 584 mins (30.9) - For a struggling team, WBAs conversion rate at cancelling leads is impressive (7 of 15 - 47 per cent) and suggests they should stay away from the bottom three this season. 14. Cardiff - 611 mins (32.3) - Cardiff are last in the league in minutes led but can take pleasure in knowing that last season the three relegated teams were in the bottom three in minutes trailed. 15. Aston Villa - 639 mins (33.8) - Last season Villa trailed in just 27.5 per cent of their matches despite losing over 44 per cent of their games (17 of 38). This season their losing record is similar but, expectedly, the minutes trailed has increased with it. In fact, it would be much higher had Villa not managed to cancel out seven of their 17 deficits so far (41 per cent). 16. Swansea - 663 mins (35) - In 2012-13, Michael Laudrups men trailed for just 595 minutes all season. Already they have passed that mark through 21 games. Winning just one of 19 games last season pointed to this increase, if things worsened, and struggles with Europa League demands and injuries has contributed to them losing in more games. Through a season and a half, under Laudrup, Swansea have now trailed in 33 games and won just one of them. 17. Crystal Palace - 717 mins (37.9) - Palace were the last team to pick up a point from a losing position when they drew against Norwich on New Years Day. Their play has improved under Tony Pulis but a conversion rate of 13 per cent in cancelling out leads (2 of 16) must improve if they want to avoid relegation. 18. Fulham - 721 mins (38.1) - Martin Jols Fulham were made for this study. Get behind and they rarely, if ever, won. Simple. Last season they trailed in 22 games, drew four and lost 18. In the thirteen games he managed this season, they trailed in 10 and lost nine. Slow clap for the one win against Crystal Palace. New manager Rene Meulensteen did in a week, what Jol couldnt do in 18 months, over the holidays, with wins over Norwich and Hull, showing good signs for the future. 19. Norwich - 732 mins (38.7) - When you struggle to score and preach a need for a defensive philosophy your job cannot be secure if you are in charge of a team this low on the list. Chris Hughton has guided his team to one win in 14 games that theyve trailed in this season. 20. Sunderland - 744 mins (39.4) - Sunderland, West Ham and Crystal Palace all have a PL-low one point gained from losing positions. Last season Fulham showed this doesnt mean you will get relegated but it does heighten the need to stay away from losing scenarios as often as possible. Gus Poyet has so far managed to do that in seven of the 14 games he is taken charge of. ' ' '

Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork. Luguentz Dort Thunder Jersey .com) - Gustav Nyquist scored twice on power plays and had an assist during a four-goal first period that carried the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings at Joe Louis Arena. Pavel Datsyuk contributed to the early barrage with a goal and a helper and added an empty-netter in the third period after the Kings closed the gap. Jimmy Howard made 28 saves for the Red Wings, who have won two straight and five of their last seven games. Tyler Toffoli and Alec Martinez supplied the goals for Los Angeles, which has lost each of its first three stops on a five-game road trip. Jonathan Quick was beaten four times on 12 first-period shots, but made 22 saves over the last two frames. Nyquist scored from the slot off a feed from Henrik Zetterberg 5:51 into the game. Datsyuk stole the puck from Dwight King in the Los Angeles zone and tried to make a pass to Zetterberg, but the puck deflected in off Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin at 9:42. Nyquist scored his second goal just over two minutes later. A Niklas Kronwall point shot caromed off the end boards and Nyquist was at the left side of the net to put the puck home. Tomas Tatar then converted a pass from Nyquist with 4:32 remaining to cap the flurry. Martinez scored at 10:41 of the second period after Mike Richards dug out a puck Howard believed was frozen, and the defending champs halved their deficit as Toffoli buried a rebound for his third short-handed goal of the season at 1:48 of the third period. With Detroit still on the power play, Kings captain Dustin Brown was tripped by Danny DeKeyser on a breakaway, triggering a penalty shot. Howard made a stick save as Brown tried to go five-hole. Datsyuk lit the lamp a second time with 1:10 remaining into a vacant cage. Game Notes The Red Wings have won four straight and five of the last six meetings ... Zetterberg and Kronwall both had two assists ... Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was a minus-3. Terrance Ferguson Thunder Jersey . -- Former NHL star Jeremy Roenick shot a second-round 69 to take the lead after 36 holes and former LPGA great Annika Sorenstam and Chad Pfeifer, who lost his left leg above the knee serving in Iraq, are among several players in contention in the American Century Championship tournament on Saturday. Hamidou Diallo Thunder Jersey . Torres calmly stroked a 51st-minute spot kick down the middle with goalkeeper Romel Quinonez diving right to convert a penalty earned by Javi Martinez. Spain controlled play at the Sanchez Pizjuan but found it hard to convert against a well-organized Bolivian team before Iniesta charged forward to curl around Quinonez in the 84th to seal victory. https://www.thunderrookiesshop.com/Danilo-Gallinari-City-Edition-Jersey/ . The Argentine midfielder made the announcement himself on Twitter on Tuesday and posted a picture of his swollen left foot. His message said he would be out "at least three weeks. SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors have made another move in hopes of finding a reliable backup to point guard Stephen Curry. The Warriors acquired Steve Blake from the Los Angeles Lakers for reserve guards Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks on Wednesday night, adding a veteran ball-handler to their beleaguered bench. Word of the deal started to spread just before the Warriors played in Sacramento and the Lakers hosted Houston, with the three players involved saying goodbye to teammates and coaches in the locker room. Both teams confirmed the trade before halftime of their games. "We think this just bolsters the bench and gives us some more options, some more weapons and a player when you give him the ball you know you can trust him," Warriors general manager Bob Myers said during intermission in Sacramento. "We just think it was a chance to improve our roster and that was our justification." The trade gives Golden State a savvy veteran off the bench without sacrificing any of its core players or moving into the leagues luxury tax. The Warriors used a $4 million trade exception they got in the deal with Denver that landed free agent Andre Iguodala last summer. The team is about $400,000 under the luxury tax, Myers said. The Warriors were hoping Blake would be uniform when they host Houston on Thursday night in Oakland. Blake, who is making $4 million in the final year of his contract, averaged 9.5 points and 7.6 assists while starting all 27 games he playeed for the injury-depleted Lakers this season. Shawn Kemp Thunder Jersey. The Warriors are counting on the 33-year-old veteran to improve a bench that has been searching for a solid ball-handler since Jarrett Jack left for Cleveland in free agency last summer. The Warriors acquired Jordan Crawford and Brooks from Boston in a three-team trade on Jan. 15. Golden State sent struggling backup Toney Douglas to Miami in that deal. Crawford has been, at times, a prolific scorer but is still learning how to be a better distributor and playmaker on a Warriors team that has plenty of shooters. He entered Wednesday averaging 6.3 points and 2.2 assists in his first 13 games with the Warriors after starting for the Celtics while Rajon Rondo was injured. "We like our core, and I think our core likes each other. I think its a core that can win," Myers said. "And our bench, for whatever reason, struggled early on. Anything we could do to fortify it, we tried to do without removing what we consider our core." The Lakers received some salary cap relief and a pair of young and unproven players in the deal. Brooks appeared in just seven games with the Warriors and never caught on in Mark Jacksons rotation. Bazemore, best known for his animated cheering on Golden States bench, also struggled in limited action the past two seasons. Both had split time with the teams NBA Development League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, but should get more of an opportunity with the rebuilding Lakers. ' ' '

SAN DIEGO -- For one day at least, the moderate-payroll San Diego Padres are in first place in the NL West, ahead of the big-spending Los Angeles Dodgers. Shoes China . Seth Smith hit a towering drive for a tying homer leading off the eighth and Chris Denorfia singled home two runs to give the Padres a 3-1 victory against the rival Dodgers in baseballs North American opener Sunday night. Smiths first hit with the Padres came on a 2-0 pitch from Brian Wilson, who started the eighth after Hyun-Jin Ryu threw seven scoreless innings. It sailed an estimated 360 feet into the right-field seats. It was his seventh career pinch-hit homer. He was acquired in an off-season trade with Oakland for reliever Luke Gregerson. Wilson (0-1) walked pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal, who advanced when the veteran reliever couldnt handle Everth Cabreras bunt for an error. Grandal stole third and Cabrera took second on indifference before Denorfia hit a bouncer up the middle to bring them both in. "Theyre all just one game, but when youre facing a team like the Dodgers, full of great players, Brian Wilson, a guy who knows how to get it done in those situations, its not easy to do what our hitters did," said Huston Street, who pitched a perfect ninth for the save. "To come back and get three right there in that situation, especially after leaving guys on base early, thats what this team is going to have to do to win. Were going to have to battle all year long." The Dodgers set a record with an opening-day payroll of $234 million. The Padres are 23rd at just under $90 million. Street said he has no problem with the discrepancy. "Theyve got a lot of talent and their talent has earned those salaries," Street said. "Theyre not just given. At the same time, a lot of guys in this locker room are young guys. They havent hit that free agency mark. They havent hit those big salary years. We could be sitting on a higher payroll team. You dont worry about it too much just because baseball is such a game of execution." Dale Thayer (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth for the win. Smith was acquired to provide a left-handed bat off the bench. He went deep on a cutter. "You get in the box and its an at-bat," he said. "As a professional ballplayer you hope that you can kind of flush the fact that its your first at-bat with your team or its in a big spot or whatever, and just do what youve been practicing for the last six weeks." Wilson said it was tough to deal with because Ryu "pitched such a marvelous game. Its a hard one to swallow." He said he threw a pitch "that was a little bit uncharacteristic of me. Right then and there, the tire deflated." The defending NL West champion Dodgers had started the regular season with a two-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks in Sydney. Ryu got the start after reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw was scratched due to a swollen back muscle and then placed on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his seven-year career. In a scheduling quirk, the left-hander started consecutive regular-season games. He made his season debut a week earlier, when the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks in their second game in Australia. Ryu retired 16 in a row from the second inning until one out in the seventh. He then walked rookie Tommy Medica, who was then erased in a 3-6-3 double play. Ryu allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked three. The Dodgers grabbed the lead on a nice piece of hitting by Carl Crawford with two out in the fifth. Crawford went the other way with an 0-2 pitch from Andrew Cashner, hitting it over third baseman Chase Headley to bring in Dee Gordon from second. Gordon had reached on a walk and advanced when Cashner fielded Ryus bunt and forced A.J. Ellis at third. Cashner allowed four hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked two. NOTES: The Padres renamed the broadcast portion of the press box the Jerry Coleman Broadcast Center in memory of the Hall of Fame broadcaster who died on Jan. 5 at 89. His widow, Maggie, and daughter, Chelsea, threw out the ceremonial first pitches. ... Sunday nights attendance of 45,567 set the Petco Park single-game record. ... Padres manager Bud Black said LF Carlos Quentins time on the disabled list will go beyond April 10, when hed be eligible to be activated. He was placed on the DL on Saturday, retroactive to March 25, with a bone bruise in his left knee. Quentin was hurt diving for a ball in a spring training game. ... Monday is an off day. Tuesdays scheduled starters are Zack Greinke for Los Angeles and Ian Kennedy for San Diego. Fake Shoes From China . They were expecting him there all along. The Pacers announced Friday night that George has been cleared "to return to normal basketball activity," a decision made three days after he was concussed in Game 2 of the Indiana-Miami series. Cheap Shoes .com) - The surging Montreal Canadiens will try to match their longest winning streak of the season when they visit the Florida Panthers for Saturdays clash at BB&T Center. https://www.fakeshoeswholesale.com/ . They know how difficult it is to beat the San Antonio Spurs. George scored 28 points and Indiana defeated San Antonio 111-100 on Saturday night, snapping an 11-game skid against the Spurs.WEST POINT, N.Y. - Freshman forward Tyler Pham of the Army Black Knights has been suspended for one game for slew footing.Atlantic Hockey Commissioner Robert DeGregorio announced the suspension on Wednesday.Slew footing occurs when a player sweeps or kicks out an opposing players skate or trips from behind, causing the player to fall baackward. Shoes Outlet. Pham was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct during Armys road game at archrival Air Force on Saturday. The Falcons won the game 3-1.Pham, Armys leading scorer and one of the top freshman scorers in the nation, will be ineligible for Armys next NCAA contest against Princeton on Tuesday. ' ' '

MONACO, Monaco - Monaco and Colombia striker Radamel Falcao says he has not given up hope of playing in this years World Cup despite tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a French Cup game on Wednesday. Adam Plutko Indians Jersey . Falcao will have major surgery to repair the damage in coming days, and typically rehabilitation from such injuries takes many months. The World Cup in Brazil starts on June 12, and Colombias first match is on June 14 against Greece. Japan and Ivory Coast are also in Group C. "I am not going to hide that my sadness is huge," Falcao said Thursday on Twitter. "My heart is destroyed. But I still hold faith of playing at the World Cup. God makes the impossible possible. I believe in Him". Falcao was stretchered off the field after damaging his knee during a French Cup match on Wednesday when he was tackled by Chasselay centre half Soner Ertek. "The player will have surgery in next few days. Doctors will do everything possible to speed up recovery," Monaco said in a statement. Falcao has 20 goals in 51 international appearances, including nine goals in qualifying for this years World Cup. "He choose to go to Portugal, where he knows doctors he trusts, and were following his condition," Colombian federation president Luis Bedoya said. Falcao was examined in Portugal by Dr. Jose Carlos Noronha, who told the Colombian radio station Caracol that swelling must subside before a date for the operation can be set. "I cannot say that he will miss the World Cup," Noronha said. After Wednesdays game, Monaco coach Claudio Ranieri criticized referee Philippe Kalt for not taking firmer action against Chasselays players. "If Falcao has a serious injury, its the referees fault. Its not possible to let things go like that," Ranieri said. "When there are fouls, you have to whistle. When its a bad foul, you have to get a yellow card out, and if theres another bad foul, then its a red. Tonight I saw neither." Rocky Colavito Indians Jersey . This weeks topics include his take on the Kevin Pillar incident, All-Star snubs, the firing of Padres general manager Josh Byrnes and more. Willie Mays Hayes Indians Jersey . Luis Enrique signed the deal with club president Josep Bartomeu two days after it was announced by the club. That was two days after coach Gerardo Martino stepped down when Barcelona finished its first season without a major trophy in six years. https://www.cheapindiansonline.com/1818u-mike-hargrove-jersey-indians.html . On Wednesday night, they showed that stellar defence and a little small ball can get the job done too. With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line.Chris Tierney and Gyasi Zardes each scored in regulation time and the MLS Cup final is heading to a 30-minute extra-time session in a 1-1 tie. Watch the Galaxy vs. Revolution LIVE NOW on TSN1, TSN4 and TSN5. The Galaxy are looking for their third title in four seasons, having watched last seasons final from the sidelines. The Galaxy hammered Real Salt Lake 5-0 in the Conference semifinal home leg, exacting revenge on the team that sent them home in 2013. They advanced to the final by besting the Seattle Sounders 2-2 on the away goals rule. Jose Mesa Indians Jersey. New England, meanwhile, is trying to complete a miraculous turnaround to claim a first-ever MLS Cup for the franchise. The Revs started 2013 coming off a third straight single-digit win season. The club finishe dninth in the East in back-to-back years and the once-competitive franchise was floundering. However, they returned to the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2013 (losing in the Conference semifinals) and have bested the Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls to advance to their fifth final in franchise history. ' ' '

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. Kevin Durant Warriors Jersey . -- For the first time in four years, Novak Djokovic is without a big title to start the year. Or any title. The Serb is used to arriving at the BNP Paribas Open with the Australian Open in his back pocket, having won the seasons first Grand Slam three straight years. He lost in the quarter-finals in Melbourne in January, and then lost in the semifinals at Dubai last month. "That is a different feel from previous years," he said. So Djokovic is especially eager to hoist the trophy at Indian Wells, where hes a two-time champion. He took a step toward that goal with a 6-1, 6-3 quarterfinal victory against Frenchman Julien Benneteau in just over an hour on Friday. "Im on the right path and playing semifinals, which is always of course a challenge and a good result," he said, "but I want to try to go as far as I can." On the womens side, Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta handed top seed Li Na just her second loss of the year, winning their semifinal 7-6 (5), 6-3. The women combined for eight straight service breaks in the first set, which Li lost with her eighth double-fault. Pennetta then broke the No. 2-ranked Li two more times in the second set and closed out the win with a backhand down the line. Li, the reigning Australian Open champion, fell to 17-2 on the year. She was the top seed for the first time at one of the top-level WTA events. "It was pretty high-level match," said the Chinese star, who made more than 50 unforced errors. "I lose the match, a little bit sad, but I still can see a lot positive. At least, I like the way I hit the ball." Pennetta will play No. 2 seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in Sundays final. Radwanska beat sixth-seeded Simona Halep of Romania 6-3, 6-4 to reach her first final in eight appearances at the tournament. "Ive been here so many times and finally I did it," Radwanska said. Halep had Radwanska on the run most of the match, but the Polish player was up to the challenge, continually chasing down balls and making well-placed returns. "What I was trying to do was playing aggressive from the beginning of the match and just trying to go for my shots," Radwanska said. "Pretty much all the games, doesnt matter who was serving, it was really tight games. I was better just a few points each set." Halep is projected to move up two spots to a career-best No. 5 in the world in Mondays WTA rankings, the highest ever by a Romanian woman. Djokovic never faced a break point on his serve against Benneteau, the only unseeded player left in the mens draw. The Serb held break points on Benneteaus serve in seven of eight games, and broke him four times during the match. It was Djokovics easiest match so far. He needed three sets to get by Marin Cilic and Alejandro Gonzalez, and had to win a tiebreaker against Victor Hanescu in his opening match. "I felt like I was very focused on the court from the start, and its what I was looking for. First few matches I played good tennis but I had some ups and downs," Djokovic said. "He made a lot of unforced errors, and obviously I just needed to make him play an extra shot and serve well." Djokovic will next play 12th-seeded John Isner, the lone remaining American, in Saturdays semifinals. Isner beat Djokovic at the same stage in 2012 before losing to Roger Federer in the final. Federer, a four-time winner here, will meet Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine in the other semifinal. Isner fired 13 aces to beat 20th-seeded Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) in Fridays other quarterfinal. Isner dropped serve twice to fall behind 4-2 in the second set, but broke back to level the score at 5-all and then dominated the tiebreaker. "I had all my energy going for me," he said. "I know I have those serves in my arsenal. Its just a matter of me pulling them out and I went for them." The American is projected to return to the top 10 in Mondays ATP rankings, the first time he has been there since September 2012. "Its hard to stay there," he said. "I fell back, but I have been knocking on the door for quite some time. It feels good to get back in there." Jacob Evans Jersey .C. -- Jackson Whistle made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season as the Kelowna Rockets blanked the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-0 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. Alec Burks Jersey . The Thunder earned the Game 1 win with a 100-86 victory Saturday night. Oklahoma City dominated the first half and led by 22 at the break, but saw its lead shrink to just two points in the fourth quarter. https://www.warriorsrookiesshop.com/Chris-Mullin-City-Edition-Jersey/ .C. -- When Michael Jordan speaks, people still listen. SUN CITY, South Africa -- The birdie celebrations were muted and the crowd a little quiet all though Friday. Gary Player cried on the tee before an early-morning round under grey skies and Ernie Els remembered the photo he has of himself and Nelson Mandela on his desk back at home in Florida. "It is a very sad day," Els said. "A very sad day for South Africa and the world." A sombre mood hung over the Nedbank Golf Challenge, South Africas first major sporting event since former president and anti-apartheid leader Mandela died late Thursday aged 95. Jamie Donaldson, wearing a black ribbon like all the players, emerged from the emotional day to go to 11 under and hold a three-shot lead over Ryan Moore and Henrik Stenson. The 30-man field spent around nine hours out on the course to make up for lost time when the first round was halted for lightning a day earlier. Donaldson had seven birdies and a bogey in a second-round 66 to go with his opening 67, with the Welshman saying he played "aggressive but not daft." Moore had a round-leading 65 having finished up a 71 in the first round in the morning for a share of second at 8 under with Stenson. The Swede moved back into contention with a 67 at the end of the second day. Thomas Bjorn and defending champion Martin Kaymer were tied for fourth another shot back on 7 under. Sergio Garcia had led after the first round before slipping down to a share of ninth with a 73. Perhaps struggling with the emotions, Els and the reest of the South Africans failed to shine, with Charl Schwartzel the leading home player on 6 under, five off the lead. Draymond Green Jersey. Els has gone 75, 71 in the first two rounds. In the early morning, the players had stood with their caddies, some with caps removed, for a moments silence for Mandela before the first round restarted. Flags drooped at half-mast around the Gary Player Country Club. A hooter sounded to start the brief moment of reflection on the life of the beloved anti-apartheid leader. One of South Africas first sporting heroes under Mandelas presidency, four-time major winner Els had walked out of the players lounge a little after 6:30 a.m. to talk to reporters and share some of his precious memories of the time he spent with Mandela. Els said that since about 1996 and well into his old age, Mandela used to call the golfer every time he won a tournament. "They were special times and the little time we had together was very special. He was just the most amazing person I have ever met," Els said. Player, South Africas most successful golfer and whose career so often clashed with South Africas dark years of apartheid, said he and three friends had prayed and then cried together over Mandelas passing before playing a casual round first thing in the morning before the field went out. "We all had a tear in our eyes, but its also a day of celebration because hed want us to celebrate," Player said. "And weve got to celebrate for what he actually gave this country." ' ' '

Fargo, ND (SportsNetwork. Nike Air Max Clearance .com) - Whew! North Dakota States reign as the three-time FCS national champion was pushed to the limit by South Dakota State on Saturday, but freshman R.J. Urzendowskis second touchdown reception of the game with 54 seconds left lifted the second- seeded Bison to a 27-24 win in the second round of the playoffs Saturday. Urzendowski caught a 12-yard fade pattern from quarterback Carson Wentz to erase South Dakota States go-ahead touchdown just minutes earlier and send North Dakota State (12-1) to next weekends national quarterfinals, where they will host seventh-seeded Coastal Carolina (12-1). A year ago, NDSU eliminated Coastal, 48-14, in the quarterfinals. Before South Dakota State fell for the seventh straight time to Missouri Valley Football Conference rival North Dakota State, the Jackrabbits (9-5) thought they might have a stunning upset. Quarterback Austin Sumners 3-yard touchdown pass to freshman Jake Wieneke with 3:18 left put the visitors ahead, 24-20. But the Bison drove 76 yards in eight plays, helped by a pass interference that moved the ball 14 yards to the South Dakota State 7. After Wentz threw an incompletion and the Bison were moved back five yards by a false start, Wentz faked a handoff to John Crockett and lofted the game-winning pass over SDSU cornerback Dallas Brown and into the hands of the 6-foot Urzendowski just inside the end zone. On the first play of South Dakota States ensuing possession, Tre Dempsey intercepted Sumner at the Jackrabbits 25 to put North Dakota States escape on ice. The Bison overcame South Dakota State senior running back Zach Zenner, who rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns while becoming the first player in NCAA history to surpass 2,000 yards in a season for a third time. He finished the season with 2,019 yards. Zenner kept South Dakota States go-ahead drive alive with a 5-yard run on 4th- and-2 at the Bison 32. The Jackrabbits scored when Sumner faked a handoff to Zenner and fired a quick slant to Wieneke in the Bison end zone with 3:18 left to play. North Dakota State built a 14-0 lead in the first half as Wentz fired a 27-yard touchdown pass to Urzendowski and then ran in a 27-yard score. Urzendowski finished with four receptions for 109 yards. Crockett rushed for 102 yards on 23 carries and Wentz had 70 yards on 13 carries. South Dakota State fought back to tie the game 14-14 before halftime on two Zenner touchdown runs in the second quarter. Justin Syrovatkas 33-yard field goal at the 6:43 mark of the third quarter put the Jackrabbits ahead 17-14, but NDSUs Adam Keller countered with two field goals and the Bison went back ahead 20-17. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Coastal Carolina 36, Richmond 15 Conway, SC - Coastal Carolina could have stewed for the last two weeks over a blocked field goal attempt on the final play of the regular season, which spoiled its perfect record. Instead, the Chanticleers went out and did something about. Seventh-seeded Coastal took its frustration out on Richmond with a 36-15 rout in the second round. Coastal (12-1) will travel to second-seeded North Dakota State for the national quarterfinals next weekend. A year ago, the Chanticleers fell to NDSU, 48-14, in the final eight. The only blemish on Coastals record was the 15-14 loss to Liberty to end the regular season on Nov. 22. The Chanticleers had a 24-yard chip shot blocked to end that game and were forced to share the Big South Conference title with Liberty. But coach Joe Moglias squad, coming off a first-round bye, played with focus in ending Richmonds season one week after the visiting Spiders (9-5) eliminated Morgan State from the playoffs. The Chanticleers rushed for 316 yards to overcome Richmond quarterback Michael Strauss 402 passing yards. Coastal Carolina clung to a 6-0 lead late in the second quarter until they capped an 11-play, 58-yard drive with Alex Ross 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Craig Weick with 33 seconds left in the first half. Austin Cain ran in the two-point conversion and the Chanticleers had a 14-0 halftime lead. It got much worse for Richmond in the third quarter. Andre Johnson scored on a 9-yard run to give Coastal a 21-0 lead at the 12:13 mark. The Spiders answered with Strauss 76-yard touchdown pass to Brian Brown to pull within 21-7. But Henderson broke off a 50-yard touchdown run on the Chanticleers ensuing drive and Ross scored from 1 yard out just before the end of the quarter to push the lead to 36-8. Henderson finished with 134 yards on 19 carries and Ross was 22-for-41 for 171 yards and a touchdown, adding 52 yards on the ground. Senior linebacker Quinn Backus was dominant as he led the Coastal defense with 10 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 1.5 tackles for losses, two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. Richmond entered the game ranked No. 1 in the FCS on third down conversions, but the Spiders went 2-for-13. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- New Hampshire 44, Fordham 19 Durham, NH - New Hampshire has the nations top ranking and No. 1 playoff seed to motivate opponents, but the Wildcats announced they feel ready for the challenge by dispatching Fordham, 44-19, in the second round of the FCS postseason. UNH (11-1) extended its school-record winning streak to 11 games as its began its 11th straight appearance in the playoffs. The Wildcats will host eighth- seeded Chattanooga (10-3) in the national quarterfinals next weekend. The CAA Football champions had terrific offensive balance with 274 passing yards and 270 rushing yards. Nico Steriti rushed for a season-high 110 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on 14 carries to fuel the win, while quarterback Sean Goldrich passed for 240 yards and had 48 yards and a touchdown on the ground. If it wasnt for Fordham freshman sensation Chase Edmonds (208 rushing yards, 385 all-purpose yards, one touchdown), the score could have been worse for the Rams (11-3), the Patriot League champions who were coming off a first-round win over Sacred Heart. New Hampshire had six sacks of Fordham quarterback Mike Nebrich in the games first nine minutes and threatened to swamp the Rams. Jimmy Owens scored on a 51-yard run on the Wildcats first offensive play and Goldrich capped their second drive with an 8-yard scoring run on 4th-and-2 as they built a 14-0 lead in the games first 6 1/2 minutes. But two turnovers by New Hampshire kept the Rams in the game and they pulled within 14-12 in the second quarter on Edmonds 91-touchdown run and two Michael Marando field goals. The Wildcats then regained firm control of the game by halftime. Steriti scored on an 11-yard touchdown run with 3:07 left in the second quarter and Brad Prasky kicked a 30-yard field goal to end the half, pushing their lead to 24-12. Steriti scored on two more runs (1 and 7 yards) in the third quarter to sandwich around a Fordham score that was set up Edmonds 65-yard kickoff return and New Hampshire led 37-19 after three quarters. Steriti added his fourth touchdown on a 24-yard touchdown with 4:48 to play. Nebrich, averaging 312.5 passing yards per game, was held to 161 yards on 12- of-30 passes with one touchdown and one interception. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Chattanooga 35, Indiana State 14 Chattanooga, TN - The Southern Conference had a subpar season after the departure of its traditional FCS playoff teams, but new power Chattanooga clearly is as good as ever The Mocs followed the lead of junior quarterback Jacob Huesman as they gained their first playoff win with a 35-14 triumph over Indiana State in the second round. Huesman accounted for 394 yards and three touchdowns as No. 8 Chattanooga advanced to the national quarterfinals. The Mocs (10-3) will visit top-ranked and top-seeded New Hampshire (11-1) next weekend. Chattanooga has won the last two SoCon titles. Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, who won a combined nine national titles in the FCS, have left the conference for the FBS level. Huesman rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, and completed 15-of-24 pass attempts for 241 yards and one touchdown. Keon Williams rushed for another 70 yards and a touchdown as the Mocs kept a balanced attack and outgained Indiana State (8-6) 503 yards to 178 while holding the ball for 42 minutes, 57 seconds. Chattanooga had lost its only other playoff game in 1984, but the Mocs grabbed control of the game in the first quarter. On the games third play from scrimmage, Mocs safety Semaje Kendall intercepted Indiana State quarterback Mike Perish at the Sycamores 30-yard line and returned the ball to the 3. One play later, Williams scored just one minute into the game. The Mocs balanced out the short possession with a long scoring drive, going 90 yards on 14 plays, with Huesmans 1-yard run pushing the lead to 14-0 at the 5:03 mark. Indiana State, a Missouri Valley Football Conference member coming off a playoff win against Eastern Kwentucky, cut its deficit in half on Perishs 75- yard touchdown pass to A.J. Johnson with 51 seconds left in the first quarter. But Huesmans 29-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Hudson with two minutes left in the first half pushed Chattanoogas lead to 21-7 by halftime. Huesman then capped the opening drive of the second half with a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Mocs ahead, 28-7. The drive went 84 yards over 11 plays. Chattanooga won despite place-kicker Henrique Ribeiro missing all three of his first-goal attempts. The Mocs forced three turnovers, including two interception of Perish. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Illinois State 41, Northern Iowa 21 Normal, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Illinois State enacted revenge for its only loss of the regular season by pounding Northern Iowa, 41-21, in a matchup of Missouri Valley Football Conference teams in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The result was surprisingly one-sided after Northern Iowa won the regular- season meeting, 42-28, at home, but fifth-seeded Illinois State (11-1) kept its two-season home winning streak intact while powering into the national quarterfinals next weekend. They will travel to fourth-seeded Eastern Washington. Illinois State, which has won 13 straight games at Hancock Stadium, built a 24-0 halftime lead to dispatch of UNI (9-5). Quarterback Tre Roberson finished with 382 yards and four touchdowns through the air and running back Marshaun Coprich had 148 yards and a score on the ground. Coprich became the Redbirds single-season record holder with 1,831 rushing yards after his 12th straight 100-yard game to open the campaign. Illinois State scored on its first three drives to take a commanding 21-0 lead. Roberson connected on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Meredith to cap the games opening drive and then Coprichs 29-yard run on the Redbirds second possession set up his 1-yard score to make it 14-0 with 8:16 left in the first quarter. The Redbirds third drive began midway through the first quarter and ended in the first minute of the second quarter after they went 87 yards in 15 plays with Roberson and Meredith connected on a 2-yard touchdown pass. Nick Aussiekers 45-yard field goal to end the first half pushed Illinois States lead to 24-0. The Redbirds had a 345-52 advantage in offensive yards and a 16-3 advantage in first downs in the half while holding the ball nearly twice as long as the Panthers. James OShaughnessy (four receptions, 115 yards) caught two touchdowns in the second half and joined Meredith (seven receptions, 105 yards) with over 100 receiving yards. Northern Iowa All-American David Johnson had only 48 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, but he finished with 108 yards on four kickoff returns and another 30 yards on five receptions. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Eastern Washington 37, Montana 20 Cheney, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - When the Eastern Washington running game is outproducing the passing offense, and the defense is making big plays, then the Eagles are incredibly tough to beat. Thats because theres only so much an opponent can slow down quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. He accounted for three touchdowns and the defense matched that number in turnovers as fourth-seeded Eastern Washington eliminated Big Sky Conference rival Montana, 37-20, in an FCS second-round playoff game at The Inferno on Saturday. EWU (11-2), which has won the last three Big Sky titles, will host fifth-seeded Illinois State (11-1) from the Missouri Valley Football Conference in the national quarterfinals next weekend. The Eagles, who defeated Montana, 36-26, on Nov. 8, never trailed against the Grizzlies (9-5) and controlled the game clock with 212 rushing yards, led by Quincy Forte, who had 128 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Adams threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Terry Jackson II to open the scoring in the first quarter and a 23-yarder to Cory Mitchell in the third quarter. In between, Adams had a 3-yard touchdown run with nine seconds left in the first half to give EWU a 13-3 halftime lead. Adams went over 10,000 passing yards in his career, throwing for 182 yards on 24-of-35 passes. Todd Raynes had two interceptions of Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson, including a 40-yard touchdown return with 1:40 left, sealing the win. Mattew Sommer recovered a fumble deep in Grizzlies territory to set up a Tyler McNannay field goal. Johnson was 18-for-33 for 223 yards in the final game of his career. He threw a 30-yard touchdown to Travon Van, who had nine receptions for 161 yards. The game was the final one for retiring Montana coach Mick Delaney. Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin has been speculated in the media as a possible replacement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Sam Houston State 37, Jacksonville State 26 Jacksonville, AL - When Sam Houston State had a 1-3 record, the Bearkats were just looking for any victory, let alone reaching the FCS playoffs. The Bearkats turned their season around and won for the second time in the playoffs on Saturday, dispatching third-seeded Jacksonville State, 37-26, as quarterback Jared Johnson accounted for four touchdowns. Sam Houston (10-4), under first-year coach K.C. Keeler, will travel to sixth- seeded Villanova (11-2) for the national quarterfinals next weekend. The Bearkats, making their fourth straight playoff appearance, have won seven straight games and nine of their last 10 since falling to Division II Colorado State-Pueblo on Sept. 13. They shared the Southland Conference title with Southeastern Louisiana and then eliminated the Lions in the playoff first round a week ago. Johnson completed 13-of-19 pass attempts for 161 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. The Bearkats trailed 26-24 at halftime after Jacksonville States Connor Rouleau ended the first half with a 42-yard field goal. Johnson then connected with LaDarius Brown for a second touchdown pass - this time a 49-yarder - to put Sam Houston ahead, 30-26, with 8:03 left in the third quarter. The Bearkats defense stopped Jacksonville State (10-2) on downs at the Sam Houston 43. On the sixth play of the Bearkats ensuing drive, Jalen Overstreet scored on a 33-yard run to push the lead to 37-26. Overstreet finished with 83 yards on 10 carries. Jacksonville State, the Ohio Valley Conference champion whose 10-game winning streak ended, outgained Sam Houston 513 yards to 402, but quarterback Eli Jenkins threw two interceptions in addition to rushing for one touchdown and passing for one. Gamecocks tailaback DaMarcus James carried the ball 19 times for 128 yards and a touchdown. Running back Keshawn Hill caught Johnsons other touchdown pass. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Villanova 29, Liberty 22 Villanova, PA - Villanova quarterback John Robertson says the Wildcats thrive on playing from behind. They faced their biggest deficit of the season in the FCS playoffs, but rallied to beat Liberty, 29-22, behind Robertsons TD pass and run in the fourth quarter of their second-round matchup. The sixth-seeded Wildcats (11-2) will host Sam Houston State (10-4) in the national quarterfinals next weekend. Sam Houston went on the road to upset third-seeded Jacksonville State on Saturday. Villanova faced a 13-0 deficit in the second quarter and was behind the Big South Conference co-champion 22-14 entering the fourth quarter. But Robertson connected on a 70-yard bomb to Kevin Gulyas to pull Villanova within 22-20 with 13:17 left to play. Robertson then ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game. After Villanova stopped Liberty (9-5) on a three-and-out Robertson took the Wildcats on an 18-play, 84-yard march and ran in the winning touchdown from 1 yard out with 1:12 remaining. Robertson also scored from 3 yards out in the second quarter and finished with 100 yards on 18 carries. He added 217 passing yards for the second-place team in CAA Football. Kevin Monangai carried the ball 20 times for 102 yards. Villanova had a 447-246 advantage in yards. Liberty quarterback Josh Woodrum scored on a 1-yard run and Nick Newman had a 58-yard fumble return for a touchdown. John Woodrum kicked three field goals, including a 50-yarder - his fifth of the season from at least that distance. The visiting Flames appeared in the playoffs for the first time this season. They defeated another CAA team, James Madison, on the road last Saturday. Fake Nike Air Max China . -- Kenneth Faried made a turnaround hook shot over Draymond Green with a half-second remaining, and the Denver Nuggets made Golden State wait at least one more game to secure a playoff berth with a stunning 100-99 win over the Warriors on Thursday night. Cheap Nike Air Max .J. -- The New York Jets have promoted Tony Sparano Jr. https://www.fakeairmaxwholesale.com/ . Then again, he really was at his home away from home. "It was nice to sleep in my own bed last night," Shields said after pitching Kansas City past the San Diego Padres 8-0 Wednesday. PARIS -- With dramatic first and last tries, France stole a 26-24 win over England on Saturday to restore some Six Nations confidence in a team shaken by last years wooden spoon embarrassment. Right winger Yoann Huget scored the first try after 30 seconds and, after England rallied from 16-3 down to lead 24-19 with four minutes left, centre Gael Fickou collected a pass from fellow substitute Dimitri Szarzewski after the hooker made a superb run down the left. Fickou cut inside his marker and ran round behind the posts. Maxime Machenaud kicked the extras. "We were the first to shoot and the last to shoot," France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said. "In the second half we really struggled physically and missed a lot of tackles. But the watchword was to never ease up. In terms of confidence and for 2014 its a very important win. We caused the English quite a few problems in the first half. But they attacked us through the middle and made it very hard for us in that zone." With its third win in its last 12 tests, France should avert the wooden spoon with Italy next up at home. "Last year we had a lot of setbacks, but thats also what unites a team," captain Pascal Pape said. "Its been a long time since Ive seen the players smiling like that in the dressing room. So lets savour it tonight and go back to work tomorrow." England, runner-up in the last two Six Nations, travels to Scotland next weekend. "Having got ourselves back in the game, to lose from that position was very disappointing," England coach Stuart Lancaster said. "It was a great performance in lots of ways. Once we get away from the initial disappointment well take a lot of positives from the game." Lancaster gave "credit to the French team for how they created the opportunity from inside their own half" but underlined his teams need to limit mistakes. "Games are never won or lost in one moment," he said. "Everything matters at this level." England had punished weak defending to go within minutes of an improbable victory. No. 8 Billy Vunipola was the heaviest player on the pitch and Englands most dangerous runner, setting up bothh tries for fullback Mike Brown and outside centre Luther Burrell on debut. Fake Nike Air Max. "There were five of our pack making their first starts here in France -- the youngest pack in the championship," Lancaster said. "I think weve learnt a lot from this." Huget scored two tries for France in the first half. Both sides are in somewhat of a rebuilding process. Saint-Andre surprisingly chose scrumhalf Jules Plisson alongside flyhalf Jean-Marc Doussain -- both are 22 and had never played together -- while Alexandre Flanquart won only his third cap. Winger Jack Nowell also made his England debut. "We took the challenge of showing these young players the highest level and, believe me, they experienced it," Saint-Andre said. Huget brought Stade de France to its feet in the first minute. Plissons kick ahead deflected into the path of Huget, who scooped it up and ran into the right corner for an unconverted score. England charged straight back and, following a period of pressure, England flyhalf Owen Farrell nailed a difficult kick from wide right to make it 5-3. But Doussain slotted over from close range for 8-3. But it was on the other flank where England struggled, and after a turnover, Doussain kicked ahead. The bounce favoured Huget and his pace took him clear for his fifth international try. Doussain missed the conversion but made amends with a more straightforward penalty kick for 16-3. Moments before the interval, Brown wriggled his way past three defenders and into the left corner. France was up 16-8 at halftime. The French led at halftime last year at Twickenham before losing 23-13, but this time held on. After Farrell made it 16-11 with a penalty, he exquisitely timed a pass for Vunipola to burst through the midfield, and with French players hanging off him he offloaded for Burrell to sprint in for a converted score. Cares dropped goal made it 21-16. Replacement scrumhalf Machenaud slotted a penalty, but Alex Goode responded shortly after to leave France needing some magic. England left winger Jonny May left the field in the second half with a broken nose, but after Fickous late try it was a case of broken English hearts. ' ' '

LONDON -- Canadas Meaghan Benfeito won a silver medal in the womens 10-metre tower competition Sunday at the third stop on the FINA World Series diving circuit. Fake Jerseys From China . Ruolin Chen of China won the gold with 400.55 points. Benfeito, from Montreal, was next with 394.75 points and Pandelela Rinong Pamg of Malaysia was third with 380.70. "I showed today the Chinese are beatable," said Benfeito. "I am extremely proud of my performance. I felt great going into the competition, practice had been going well but I never expected to dive this well." World Series leader Huixia Liu of China was fourth with 368.75 points, just ahead of Roseline Filion of Laval, Que., who was fifth with 364.70. On Friday, Benfeito and Filion finished third in the 10-metre synchro event. Wholesale China Jerseys . The rookie is rewarding their faith with a stellar first season. MacKinnon had a goal and two assists, Jamie McGinn had two goals and an assist, and Colorado beat the Buffalo Sabres 7-1 on Saturday. Cheap Jerseys From China . Less than 24 hours after the Wolves lost at home to the Mavericks, 100-98, NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn announced Tuesday that Kevin Love was fouled on his right arm by Shawn Marion in the closing seconds and should have been awarded two free throws. https://www.fakejerseysfromchina.com/ . 15 in Hamburg. The fight was originally slated for Sept. 6 but had to be postponed after Klitschko tore a bicep in sparring and was forced to miss four weeks of training.Sky Sports F1 pundit Johnny Herbert expects Lewis Hamilton to return to the top of the podium at odds-against for the first time in this weekends Russian Grand Prix. While Hamilton has struggled, team-mate Nico Rosberg has made a flying start to this seasons Drivers Championship with a hat-trick of victories in Australia, Bahrain and Shanghai.The German driver has already established a 36-point lead over his Mercedes team-mate and is now the bookies odds-on favourite to win a first world title. But Herbert believes Hamiltons excellent previous form at the Sochi Autodrom circuit will help kick-start his bid for a third straight world crown.Herbert said: Nico has been driving well but has had all the luck go his way so far.Surely this weekend the man who has led 100 of the 106 Russian Grand Prix laps so far will step back on to the top step of the podium. And its the best price at 5/4 with Sky Bet for a Lewis win in a long time too.The former F1 driver is also backing Williams Valtteri Bottas to secure a top-six finish this weekend.The Finn was denied a podium finish and failed to finish when he collided with Kimi Raikkonnen in the final lap of last years race, but Herbert likes the 6/4 price available on the 26-year-old securing eight points or more. Fake Jerseys. He said: Lets face it, Valtteri would have been on the podium last year were it not for Kimi Raikkonens last-lap lunge that cost them both dear.In what hasnt been the best of starts for Williams to this season, I expect a few smiles in the team garage when Valtteri comes home in the top six.Herbert is also expecting better things from Force India this weekend and feels the Sochi circuit is perfectly suited to the car, tipping Sergio Perez to score his first points of the season.He added: Somethings not quite right at Force India at the moment, or as the team state, theyve just been plain unlucky.The long straights of Sochi should suit their car and on a track where Sergio brilliantly managed his tyres to claim a podium last season, a points finish is the least of their expectations.Johnny Herberts Charity tips this season are supporting Sporting Memories. Also See: F1 gossip column Every 2016 race live ' ' '

BUFFALO, N. Dylan Windler Cavaliers Jersey .Y. -- None too happy about Paul Ranger trying to kick the puck past him in the shootout, Buffalo Sabres goaltender Jhonas Enroth slashed the Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman as he skated by. "My first reaction was that he tried to embarrass me there a little bit, but when I look at it now, its good (the) guys trying to be creative, I guess," he said. Enroth had plenty of time to think because the shootout went an incredible 15 rounds, including 29 combined shooters who didnt score a goal. When it was over the Leafs had a 3-2 victory Saturday night thanks to Jay McClements winner, but the Sabres got their kicks out of the pre-season marathon. "At one point I think both refs were just going to call it a draw and kind of pick up the puck and go home and be old-school NHL there for a second and call it a tie," Sabres forward Steve Ott said. "But both performances by both goalies in the shootout was pretty spectacular to watch. Ive never seen that before." Leafs goaltender James Reimer stopped all 15 shots he saw after making 38 saves in regulation and overtime. Reimer went 0 for 5 in shootouts last season with a .625 save percentage, and wasnt making much of this. "Its good to get out there and for me to stop some pucks and for guys to get some reps, but its exhibition and its a little looser," Reimer said. "I think its a little different when its during a game and two points are on the line." Ranger probably wouldnt have tried this in a real game. He learned his "kick shot" from a friend at the age of 10 or 11 and perfected it enough that it beat goalies in practice plenty. "Its gotten to the point where I can rip it pretty good, I feel like," he said. "The cool part of it is I have no idea where its going, and the goalie doesnt either because I sure dont." Asked about Enroths slash and the idea that it was not the right thing to do, Ranger said: "Not the right thing to do? Im trying to score. Quite honestly its fun and, to be honest, Im not trying to show boat, and if he thought that, then it is what it is. Whatever." Ott gave Ranger credit for the kick being a "pretty heavy shot." But it was a deke by McClement that finally ended things. "A lot of light-heartenedness taking place on the bench," Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. "A lot of guys betting on Jay, so we waited right till the end." Before the shootout, the game had the chippiness normally reserved for the regular season. It featured three fights, including Troy Bodie taking on Patrick Kaleta after the Sabres agitator went after captain Dion Phaneuf. From the Leafs perspective, Ott started the trouble before that dust-up. "I think Ott intentionally shot the puck at Dion," Carlyle said. "Thats what it appeared from where we were. Those are the kind of things that in exhibition are kind of questionable at this point." The Leafs and Sabres played on the edge all night. Carlyle said it the 15-round was something he had never seen before, but even for those with similar experiences this was something unique. "We had one in Rochester, I think we went through everybody except for maybe Joe Finley. I think we had a call-up score," Rolston said. "(This one) was bizarre, especially with no goals." Kyrie Irving Jersey . The 20-year-old Barkley, whose impressive form this season could earn him a place in Englands World Cup squad, was hurt in Evertons 4-0 win over Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup on Jan. Brad Daugherty Cavaliers Jersey . Beckham says "nothing has been confirmed yet, but its something I am very excited about." He adds that "Miami is something that really excites me because there is a great energy down there. https://www.thecavalierslockerroom.com/Brad-Daugherty-City-Edition-Jersey/ . -- The Denver Broncos retired John Elways No.BUFFALO, N.Y. - Former Buffalo Bills star linebacker Darryl Talley told The Buffalo News that he is suffering from depression and has contemplated suicide in what he considers side-effects from his hard-hitting playing days.The 54-year-old Talley said in an interview published in the newspaper Thursday that it would be easy to call it a day. Talley reverses those thoughts by saying his parents didnt raise a coward and that he wants to be around for his grandchildren.Talley says he has bouts of memory loss and has trouble sleeping.Talley says he is unable to estimate the number of concussions he sustained during his 14-year NFL career.Too many to count, he said, noting there were at least 75 times he saw flashes of lights after being hit.He also lives in constant pain as a result of 14 operations he had during his playing days to repair various injuries.Talley spent 112 seasons in Buffalo, where he was part of an attacking defence that helped the Bills win four consecutive AFC championships from 1991-94. Nik Stauskas Jersey. He then played for Atlanta and Minnesota before retiring after the 1996 season.A two-time Pro bowl selection, Talleys name is among those included on the Wall of Fame at Ralph Wilson Stadium.Talley is also having difficulty making ends meet after the company he owned was forced to close during the 2008 financial crisis.Former Bills teammates, including Hall of Famers Bruce Smith and Thurman Thomas, have provided monetary assistance to Talley and his wife to rent their home in Orlando, Florida. They also assisted in paying part of his daughters college tuition.Im not convinced that Im dead yet, Talley said. But the future doesnt look bright.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '

For awhile it looked like video-game baseball: The Winnipeg Goldeyes just kept hitting and running and scoring and it didnt matter who was pitching, the Kansas City T-Bones couldnt stop them. Adidas Eqt Norge . When the dust (pixels?) cleared at Shaw Park on Thursday night, the Goldeyes had set a team home record with 25 hits – 20 of which were singles – and blasted the T-Bones 18-10. Ray Sadler belted a homer and had three hits, while Reggie Abercrombie, Casey Haerther and Donnie Webb each had had four hits and Brock Bond, Luis Alen and Ryan Pineda all had three-hit nights. Pineda and Bond each had three RBI, while Sadler, Haerther and Alen had two each and Webb and Kuhn had one each. The Goldeyes scored two runs as a result of wild pitches and another on a passed ball. Sadler, Abercrombie and Bond each scored three runs while Kuhn, Haerther, Webb and Alen all scored twice. With the victory, the Goldeyes swept back-to-back series at home from the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and Kansas City. The Goldeyes have now won eight straight games (seven straight at home), 11 of their last 12, are 31-14 on the season and remain at least 6 1/2 games ahead of Fargo and the St. Paul Saints in the race for first in the American Associations North Division. "Ive been struggling, so Im just trying to put a good swing on the ball," said Sadler. "I havent been getting many of my pitches to hit. During this series, it seems theyve been busting me inside all the time so on the home run, I just looked for something inside then tried to get my hands in and put a good swing on it. I didnt know it was out when I hit, but when I heard the crowd, thats when I knew." After going down one-two-three in the first, the Goldeyes opened it up in the second. Sadler led off with a solo homer and then Donnie Webb singled, Abercrombie singled, Brock Bond singled and Luis Alen singled to drive in Webb. Then Pineda singled to drive in Abercrombie and Bond. Tyler Kuhn was safe on a fielders choice and then Haerther singled to drive in Alen. A passed ball then scored Kuhn and the Goldeyes had put up a six spot in the second. The Fish scored one in the third as Pineda drove home Bond and then, in the fourth, Winnipeg added three more as Haerther singled, Sadler singled, Abercrombie singled and Bond singled to drive home Haerther and Sadler. Alen then singled to drive home Abercrombie. The Goldeyes scored two more in the fifth with three straight doubles: With one out, Haerther doubled, Sadler doubled to score Haerther and Webb doubled to score Sadler. In the eighth, the Goldeyes added six more runs. The T-Bones scored five in the sixth off Winnipeg starter Nick Hernandez and five in the ninth off reliever Kyle Bellamy. Hernandez (5-0, 3.88 ERA) picked up the win for Winnipeg, while K.C. starter Kyle Devore (2-2, 4.37 ERA) suffered the loss. There was no save, but Taylor Sewitt threw 2.2 innings of outstanding scoreless relief for the Fish. The Goldeyes will now head out onto the road for a three-game series in Fargo. Matt Jackson (6-2, 2.98 ERA) will get the start on Friday night for Winnipeg. Fargo manager Doug Simunic has yet to name his starter. Fridays game can be heard live with Steve Schuster at the microphone beginning with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. on The Jewel 101 (100.7 on your dial). The Goldeyes will return home to open three-game series with the Sioux City Explorers next Tuesday night. It will be the first game of a homestand in which the Goldeyes will play 11 games in nine days. Adidas Nmd Salg .Jeff Green, playing in his second preseason game after missing the first four because of a calf strain, had 18 points. The Celtics (3-3) shot 47.2 per cent from the floor and made 15 of 37 3-point attempts. Billig Nmd Sko . Cavaliers shooting guard Craig Ehlo makes a solid play on the ball, but still Jordan hits the amazing shot. http://www.nmdnorgesalg.com/gazelle-sko-norge.html . Klein went undrafted in the NFL last year following his senior season with the Wildcats. He was invited to the Houston Texans rookie camp, but was not offered a contract.Spains 5-1 humiliation at the hands of the Netherlands on Friday came as a shock to everyone who follows the beautiful game. It also served as a reminder that at the highest level of the game, the margin for error is incredibly small. Up 1-0 in the first half after Xabi Alonso had converted a dubious penalty kick, Spain had a glorious chance to double their lead in the 43rd minute. An exquisite reverse pass from Andres Iniesta (pictured below) sent David Silva in alone on the Dutch goal. Unfortunately, Silvas finish wasnt up to the same standard as Iniestas pass. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) Just one minute later, the Netherlands equalized through a spectacular Robin van Persie diving header. With no apparent danger coming from the Netherlands, Spain set up in a very narrow defensive shape. (Spains opponents will do well to take note – exploiting this is a key to success against the reigning World Cup champs.) Yet just two passes later, the ball was in the back of the Spanish goal. The first pass came from Bruno Martins Indi to Daley Blind, who took up a wide position on the left flank. It was a free pass, with no Spanish player in a position to put pressure on Blinds first touch. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) Once Blind received the ball, Spains back four was vulnerable to the diagonal ball over the top to van Persie – because Sergio Ramos, the left central defender, fell asleep and got caught ball-watching. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) With no pressure on the ball, Blind was able to spot that van Persie managed to get a step in front of his marker, Ramos. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) The ball from Blind was exquisite, and it was matched only by the finish from van Persie - a diving, looping header over Iker Casillas in Spains goal. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) So what could Spain have done differently? In this situation, when the ball went wide to Blind, Gerard Pique was tight with Arjen Robben, the first striker – as he should be. Nmd Xr4 Norge. His defensive partner, Ramos, needed to be in a deeper covering position, so that he could support Pique while also nullifying the threat of the ball in behind to van Persie. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) It is only a matter of Ramos being 3-4 yards deeper, but at the World Cup, that is sometimes all that is needed to create scoring opportunities. Had Spains back-four been properly aligned (highlighted in yellow, above), Blind would never had played the ball forward for van Persie to run onto because Ramos would have been in a position to head the pass away. This goal, scored right before the half-time break, was a real blow to Spains confidence. From nearly doubling their lead a minute earlier, to conceding a wonder goal to the Dutch, the momentum turned in favour of the Netherlands going into the second half. The Spanish collapse after the break – where they conceded four unanswered goals – should have been prevented, though. The second goal was down to a combination of wonderful skill from Robben and slack marking from Pique and Ramos; the third and fourth goals down to mistakes from Casillas, with the fifth goal a classic counter-attacking move from the Dutch. It would be naïve to presume that this result – as shocking as it was – is an indication that Spains style of play is now ineffective. La Roja still possess a squad full of some of the worlds most talented players, and they will continue to employ their tiki-taka possession game to great effect. Players like Alonso, Xavi, Iniesta and Silva are still a joy to watch, and they will go into their next game with Chile knowing they must win, as a loss will effectively end their tournament. What it does prove, though, is that even the best are fallible on an off day. ' ' '