NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez gets to start arguing his case Monday. In a hearing room before arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, lawyers for the New York Yankees third baseman will argue why the 211-game suspension imposed by Major League Baseball on Aug. 5 should be overturned. "Obviously this is going to be a grueling process all the way through," Rodriguez said. "This has been a burden. Its been a big burden. So lets get it on." A three-time AL MVP, Rodriguez is fourth on the career home run list with 654. The Major League Baseball Players Association says the penalty imposed by baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is excessive. Unless there is a settlement, a decision isnt expected until the winter. A veteran of baseball salary arbitration, the 64-year-old Horowitz took over as the sports grievance arbitrator in June 2012 from Shyam Das, fired a month earlier by management after almost 13 years. Das had overturned a 50-game suspension of Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun in February after the players association argued the urine sample was not handled properly. In Horowitzs only decision thus far, he upheld a 100-game suspension imposed last year on San Francisco reliever Guillermo Mota for a second positive test. He has initially set aside Monday through Friday for the hearing, where each side can introduce evidence, present witnesses and cross-examine them. After the hearing days conclude, the sides will be given several weeks to submit final briefs. Horowitz will then take time to make his decision. While technically chairman of a three-person panel, Horowitz is the independent member joined by one representative of each side. Rodriguez has four law firms working for him, with team A-Rod including Joseph Tacopina of Tacopina Seigel & Turano (known for taking cases with a high media-profile); David Cornwell of Atlanta-based Gordon & Rees (who worked on Brauns case); Jordan Siev, co-head of the U.S. commercial litigation group at Reed Smith (a firm used by Rodriguez pal Jay-Z); and Bruce Simon of Cohen, Weiss & Simon (who represented MLB umpires in 1999). Earlier this year, Rodriguez retained and then terminated two other firms. Yet, for all the outside legal help, much of the case will be presented by 55-year-old David Prouty, a Harvard Law School graduate hired by the players association in 2008 from UNITE HERE, which represents employees in the hotel, gaming and food service industries. Prouty was promoted to MLBPA general counsel in February, when union head Michael Weiner gave up that role a half-year after he made public he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Rob Manfred and Dan Halem, MLBs top labour lawyers, will direct managements case with assistance from Proskauer Rose, a law firm that represents several U.S. leagues. Rodriguez was suspended for his involvement with the now-closed Biogenesis of America clinic in Coral Gables, Fla. The 13 other players penalized accepted their suspensions, which included a 65-game ban for Braun and 50-game penalties for the others. MLB said Rodriguezs was suspended under baseballs joint drug agreement "based on his use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth hormone over the course of multiple years." He also was disciplined under the collective bargaining agreement "for attempting to cover up his violations of the program by engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the office of the commissioners investigation." Rodriguez is being treated as a first offender under the drug program, which means any suspension doesnt start unless upheld by an arbitrator. Following hip surgery in January and a leg injury sustained during a minor league rehabilitation assignment in July, Rodriguez returned to the Yankees on the day he was suspended. The 38-year-old hit .244 with seven homers and 19 RBIs in 44 games. "Im really looking forward to at least one full off-season of hardcore training," he said. "I havent had that in quite a long time -- then come back in tremendous shape and help this team win. This team has a lot of things to do over the winter. Obviously my situation is going to play a big part in it." A-Rod and New York squawked at each other in the summer, with Rodriguez maintaining the Yankees were trying to keep him from returning. The team denied the accusation. He is owed $86 million by the Yankees over the last four seasons of his record $275 million, 10-year contract. If he is suspended for the bulk of next season, the team has a chance to get under the luxury tax threshold of $189 million. But the length of any suspension will be decided by either Horowitz or in an agreement among Rodriguez, MLB and the union. "I will be there every day," Rodriguez said. "Im fighting for my life and my whole legacy." Air Max 270 Black Cheap . Catch all the action on TSN2 and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. San Antonio took the series lead Monday night with a 122-105 home victory in Game 1. The Spurs used a balanced scoring attack and clamped down defensively late in the third quarter to claim the win. Air Max 270 All Black Mens . Los Angeles announced its new deal for Kupchak late in the fourth quarter of a 145-130 loss to the Houston Rockets. Kupchak had one year left on his current contract. http://www.max270cheap.com/air-max-270-womens-sale.html. Interestingly, the culprits were not rookies, but well paid, experienced pros. The first gaffe came in the 24th minute of arguably the biggest early season MLS game in history between Seattle and Toronto. Sounder newcomer Marco Pappa, (with over 100 MLS games, and 39 Guatemalan Caps to his name) attempted a back pass to one of his central defenders. Air Max 270 Black And White Cheap .com) - Blake Griffin led five Clippers in double figures with 24 points and the LA Clippers got back on track with a 101-97 win over the Utah Jazz. Air Max 270 Just Do It White . The kind he has every so often. The kind he has when Dwyane Wade sits. James scored 43 points -- 25 in a bewildering first-quarter shooting display -- and Chris Bosh added 21, leading the Miami Heat to a 100-96 win Tuesday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who played their first game without injured All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.The New York Rangers returned home Sunday with a bad taste in their mouth. Unable to hold a two-goal lead on three occasions in their 5-4 overtime loss to the Kings, the Rangers had plenty to rue in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final at Staples Center on Saturday night. But they were especially upset at a non-call early in the third period when Dwight King scored to pull the Kings to within one at 4-3. As Justin Williams moved the puck to Matt Greene at the point, the six-foot-four 230-pound King headed to goal as he had done all night. Rangers defenceman Ryan McDonagh engaged him at the top of the blue paint and soon King, McDonagh and goalie Henrik Lundqvist were tangled together like a three-headed octopus. King somehow managed to tip Greenes shot from the point as Lundqvist was unable to move. Marian Gaborik scored 5:38 later to tie it at 4-4 and Dustin Browns tip-in of a Willie Mitchell shot ended the drama at 10:26 of double overtime. On the wrong end of two overtime contests, the Rangers trail two games to none going into Game 3 Monday at Madison Square Garden. Asked it was goalie interference on the King goal, a tight-lipped Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said: "Ask the NHL." Goalie interference is not reviewable under the current rules. Lundqvist was clearly unhappy, throwing his arms up in disbelief after the goal as he was pinned under King and McDonagh. He talked to the referee during a TV timeout soon after, seeking an explanation. Lundqvist said after the game that he just wanted consistency, pointing to a goalie interference penalty to Rangers forward Benoit Pouliot in the second period. "If they dont call that, you cant call that they called in the second period," said Lundqvist, who thought Pouliot had been pushed into Jonathan Quick. "We have the same play and they score. Like I said, I dont think its a penalty but youve got to stop the play if the goalie cant move in his crease. And its not like Im outside the crease. I play pretty deep. Just be consistent with it." Kings forward Jeff Carter was called for goalie interference in the first overtime period, after contact with Lundqvist that left the New York goaltender taking his time to get his equilibrium back. Still Rangers forward Derek Stepan also didnt like what he saw on the King goal. "I dont really want to get myself woorked up right now," he said.dddddddddddd "From my point of view, I think that their (Kings) goal shouldnt have even happened. But Im not the one making the calls, Im the one playing. Im not the one that saw what he saw and we go from there." King was a thorn in the Rangers side all night, screening Lundqvist on Willie Mitchells second-period goal. Vigneault tried to look at the positives. "Both games we had opportunities," he said. "We didnt get it done. Were going home in front of our great fans. Were going to be ready for the next game. " The non-call was just one of many talking points. Like the Kings, the Rangers were punished for mistakes. And they had chances to score, with Jonathan Quick stopping Brad Richards at point-blank range in the third and Chris Kreider hitting the post in overtime. Lundqvist pointed to the razor-edge margin in the first two games. "Its just one bounce here and there and its a different score. We came up short in two games. Now we have to go home to New York and turn this around." Stepan said the goal for New York was simple. "Just relax and play. Weve got to make sure we take care of ourselves, get home and get that Garden rocking." Los Angeles was judged to have yielded 33 giveaways Saturday, to 15 from New York. Thats 51 giveaways from LA in two games, compared to 25 for the Rangers. Kings centre Anze Kopitar is expecting a Rangers pushback at Madison Square Garden. "We can play better hockey. And weve done it before. Everybody knows that were going to have to do it at MSG because their building is going to be loud," Kopitar said. "Im sure theyre going to be very desperate. Theyre going to throw everything at us that theyve got and were going to have to match all of the above." The Rangers loss came despite leading 4-2 after 40 minutes. That snapped their 10-0 record when leading after two periods this post-season. Forty-eight teams have taken a 2-0 series lead since the Stanley Cup final went to the best-of-seven format in 1939. Of those clubs, 43 (89.9 per cent) have gone on to win the Cup, including the 2012 Kings. Home teams sweeping Games 1 and 2 of the Cup final have gone 32-3 (.914 per cent). But two of the exceptions were recent with Pittsburgh (2009 against Detroit) and Boston (2011 against Vancouver) rallying to win the Cup. ' ' '