Veteran skip Glenn Howard wasnt sure what to expect when he called on old friend Richard Hart to fill in as a substitute for a week last season. Philadelphia Phillies Pro Shop .Hart spent a number of successful campaigns on Howards team before stepping aside in 2011 to concentrate on the family business. He made a one-off return at a 2013 competition in Brockville, Ont., and was a pleasant surprise.He came out, hadnt played at all and played amazing, Howard recalled. He kind of amazed himself.A year later and the old teammates are back at it again, this time on a regular basis.Hart returned to Team Glenn Howard during a busy off-season loaded with big moves around the domestic mens curling scene.Howard suspected hed have to replace second Brent Laing, who ended up leaving the rink to join Team Kevin Koe. However, he wasnt expecting the departure of third Wayne Middaugh, who couldnt commit to a full-time schedule.I respect that (and) it was obviously very unfortunate to hear that, Howard said in a recent interview. I was somewhat devastated to lose him because hes unbelievable. One of the best curlers to have ever played.With lead Craig Savill still on board, Howard first turned his attention to finding Middaughs replacement. He landed Jon Mead from Jeff Stoughtons old team and quickly started work on adding a second. Unaware of the changes at the time, Hart sent Howard a text asking when he was going to announce his new lineup. He was surprised to learn that Middaugh was out at third and Mead was in.Hart let Howard know that hed love to return at second if there was interest. Howard said it would be a a no-brainer for him, but he wanted to touch base with his teammates before finalizing the move.Savill and Mead were both on board. Mead even suggested that Hart take his spot at third, given the history that Hart and Howard have together. I went, Wow. What a class act, Howard said of the gesture.Howard and Hart formed the back end of the Ontario rink that won national and world titles in 2007. Both have glowing resumes — Howard is a four-time Brier and world champion while Hart won Olympic silver at the 1998 Nagano Games with skip Mike Harris.Mead, meanwhile, won national titles with Stoughton in 1999 and 2011. They finished second at the 99 world championship and took gold at the 11 playdowns.An unbelievable curler. Hes done it all, Howard said of Mead. Arguably one of the best that ever played and now hes going to play second for me? Like, Cmon, its unbelievable.With his new rink intact, Howard and his teammates got together with family members for some team bonding at Harts cottage over the summer. A team camp session followed and they were soon back out on the ice.Strong team chemistry has been a constant with Howard and this lineup looks no different. The new-look team has played well from the start, reaching three straight semifinals at early-season events before falling to Olympic champion Brad Jacobs in a playoff tiebreaker at last weeks Masters.Jonny has fit in remarkably well, Howard said. Not a surprise by any stretch. Hes just a great guy, a great personality, he likes to have fun, hes got a great sense of humour which fits in on our team because we all do.Weve had a blast already and we really havent done anything yet. I think that the chemistry is going to be top notch and I dont expect that to change.Howard also described Harts return as seamless after three seasons away from the competitive scene.The team is working now to find that steady rhythm when it comes to things like releases, weight, timing and communication.You take it for granted with longtime teammates, Howard said. That is a little different now, so thats a bit of a learn thing. You cant really get that and put it in place until you play lots of games. So were going to be working on that and (by) the same token, as that goes on we want to win games.Annual provincial and national championships are still highlight events for teams, but the sports inclusion at the Winter Olympics has forced curlers to look at four-year cycles. Howard will be 55 when the Pyeongchang Olympics begin in 2018.I havent come out and said, Yeah Im going to do a four-year run, Howard said. But Im about 80-90 per cent Im going to just because I love the guys I have, I think Im capable, Im keeping myself personally in great shape.Im in the best shape Ive ever been in in my life and you have to at 52. And it is just a number.For now, the current season has his full attention as he aims to get back to the Brier.Sometimes a (lineup) change is great — this one kind of came out of nowhere, it wasnt designed by me by any stretch, Howard said. But changes are good. You feel renewed. I found I have a little more jump in my step because Ive got a new team.Howard won his first world title way back in 1987. He still has the same spark that he had when he was breaking into the sport decades ago.Im probably a little bit more excited than I have been in years just to see what this team can do, he said. Ive got high hopes and I think were going to do a lot of damage out on the tour this year.———Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter. Fake Phillies Jerseys . And follow TSN.ca right through Wednesdays 3pm et trade deadline for all the updates. Blue line help for Red Wings? In addition to what he reported in Insider Trading, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote on ESPN. Phillies Jerseys 2020 . Watching them over the past year - and in some cases, two years - has given us a starting point for this seasons Craigs List. https://www.cheapphilliesjerseys.us/ . The Flames are in the midst of a six-game slide (0-5-1), their longest losing streak since an 0-6-3 skid from Jan. 11-28, 2010. They havent won since Nov. 3 in Chicago and most recently went winless on a three-game homestand.SASKATOON - Tri-City used three straight goals in the second period to beat the Saskatoon Blades 5-3 on Thursday night in Western Hockey League action.Parker Bowles, Parker Wotherspoon and Rodney Southam all scored for the Americans (5-3-0) in the second period. Brian Williams scored a power-play goal late in the first period, while Beau McCue added an empty-net goal to round out the scoring. Sam McKechnie, Cory Millette and Jordan Thomson supplied the offence for Saskatoon (0-6-0). With the loss, the Blades remain winless on the season.Evan Sarthou made 28 saves for the win while Nik Amundrudd turned aside 27 shots in the loss. Philadelphia Phillies Gear. Tri-City went 2 for 5 on the man advantage with Saskatoon scoring once on five attempts.---WARRIORS 3 ICE 1MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Brett Howden scored the game-winning goal in the third period as Moose Jaw held off a late attack by Kootenay to hang on for the win.Torrin White had a second period power-play goal for the Warriors (4-3-1) and Tanner Eberle added an empty-net goal to round out the scoring.Luke Philp scored shorthanded at 18:14 in the third period for the Ice (2-5-0) while Keelan Williams was solid in net, making 35 saves. ' ' '
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard felt the deciding goal shouldnt have counted in the Red Wings 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. Fake Football Jerseys . "I guess its something to remember here and keep in the back of our minds -- if you knock the net off, just throw (the puck) in there," he said. "It should count." Cam Atkinson scored a goal confirmed by video replay in the third period, and Ryan Johansen added an empty-netter for his second of the game to lead the Blue Jackets to a win that further tightens the already close Eastern Conference playoff race. On an odd-man rush, Matt Calverts shot from the left wing was stopped by Howard, although the puck popped loose behind the goalie. Atkinson, racing down the right wing, was hit by Detroit defenceman Brendan Smith. Atkinsons leg knocked the net off its moorings as he backhanded the loose puck into the cage as it was sliding away from the goal line. The goal, at 6:58 of the third, was ruled good because Smiths hit on Atkinson had knocked the net loose -- bringing a loud cheer from the crowd of 15,103. "I wasnt really sure," Atkinson said about the goal. "The net went off, but their explanation was the puck was going in as the net was coming off. Matty just made a good play. The puck kind of snuck out between his legs, and I was at the right place at the right time." Columbus, Detroit, Washington and Toronto are all tied with 80 points for places 7-10 in the East. The Blue Jackets win any tiebreaker, and Detroit and Columbus also have more games left (10) than the Capitals (9) and Maple Leafs (8). Columbus had lost three of four. "We got some fortunate bounces," Johansen said after goals 28 and 29. "Thats what we needed." Brandon Dubinsky and Johansen had power-play goals in the first period after the Blue Jackets had failed to score on their previous 36 opportunities with a man advantage over a 10-game span. James Wisniewski assisted on both and added another helper. "You know what Im pleased about? Hopefully after tonight I wont get any more questions about the power play," Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said. "When we scored the first one I said, Good. Now we can stop talking about it." Curtis McElhinney stopped 22 of 23 shots in relief of Sergei Bobrovsky, who left after the first period because of the flu. McElhinney made Atkinsons goal stand with big stops on Darren Helm with 8 minutes left, making a sprawling pad save, and again a minute later on Johan Franzens wraparound. With 1:44 left, he deflected Kyle Quinceys wicked blast from the high slot with his right shoulder. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock refused to blame the call on the Atkinson goal for the loss. "It doesnt matter what I think, obviously," he said. "They made a decision. I thought when the net was off, the goal didnt count but they evidently thought our guy pushed their guy in. So its a goal. Theres no sense disputing that. We had to get one more goal." Gustav Nyquist, last weeks No. 1 star in the NHL, maintained his hot hand with two goals for the Red Wings, who were 3-0-1 in their previous four. He has 20 goals in his last 24 games. "It doesnt really matter," he said of his two goals. "It was an important game. Well forget about this one and move on." NOTES: With a TV camera just a couple of feet away on the other side of the glass during a break, Johansen grinned and tore off a piece of athletic tape and playfully stuck it on the glass to shield the cameras view. ... Howard stopped 23 of 26 shots. ... Last week, Nyquist had six goals and seven points in four games; the Blue Jackets had six goals as a team in their previous five games. ... RW Mitch Callahan, recalled on Monday from AHL Grand Rapids, made his NHL debut for the Red Wings, skating on the fourth line. Fake NHL Jerseys . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Fake Jerseys For Sale .com) - The Columbus Blue Jackets rewarded starting goaltender and pending restricted free agent Sergei Bobrovsky with a four-year contract extension on Friday. https://www.fakejerseys.us.com/ . Inter moved five points behind fourth-place Fiorentina and eight points behind third-place Napoli, which visits relegation-threatened Sassuolo on Sunday.CALGARY – No team in the NHL has shot the puck with greater accuracy this season than the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Were just a very opportunistic team,” said Nazem Kadri, who has scored five times on just 24 shots this fall. “We dont need many chances to score goals.” Despite being outshot for the 12th time in 14 games this season, the Leafs found the means for their third straight win, beating Calgary on the second leg of a three-game swing through Western Canada. Totaling about half the shots of the Flames – 22 to 43 – they managed victory yet again (10-4-0) with continued accuracy, a sturdy penalty kill and more mastery in the crease, on this night a 41-save performance from Jonathan Bernier. In question is whether the Leafs are simply opportunistic with mighty goaltending and terrific special teams or very fortunate considering lingering troubles defensively. “Obviously great goaltending and our special teams have been great winning us games,” said Kadri, after the second end of a back-to-back set, the Leafs winning in Edmonton a night earlier. “Thats only going to get you so far, but when youre not playing your best or maybe if its an off-night coming into a pretty tough building you have to rely on those things to get you through.” Firing at a league-leading 12.7 per cent clip (according to the extraskater.com) the Leafs continue to shoot and score with unlikely precision; four goals on 22 shots (including an empty-netter) in a victory over the Flames following four goals on 26 shots in victory over the Oilers. Unsustainable luck, or strategic accuracy? Also the league leaders in shooting percentage last season, the Leafs tend to believe the latter. “I guess were not a team that just shoots from anywhere like some of these teams,” said Kadri, who had one shot and one assist in 20 minutes against the Flames. “The Pittsburghs and the Chicagos, even Calgary, any opportunity they have theyre just throwing it at the net and then seeing what happens. A lot of times thats not a bad thing. But for us, we wait for our odd-man rushes or if we outman someone in front of the net to get good scoring chances usually were putting them in.” The theory proved true on Wednesday night. Joffrey Lupul out-manned several Flames in front for the games opening goal; James van Riemsdyk broke loose on a shorthanded rush with Jay McClement for second marker; Mason Raymond tallied the eventual winner on the door-step following a David Clarkson takeaway and rebound. Not only are they scoring with precision – the Leafs rank third in offence so far – but yielding a mighty sum of shots against; 40-plus for the second consecutive night and 36 per game this season. But as was the case in Edmonton – a 43-save night from James Reimer – and really all season there was another load-bearing performance in goal; Bernier stopped 41, including 34 of 35 through 40 minutes. The Leafs goalie tandem now boasts a .939 collective save percentage, amongst the best in the league. Whether such effectiveness can continue under the strain of such a mighty nightly barrage is uncertain. Helping the cause additionally against Calgary and throughout the season were game-changing special teams. The Toronto penalty kill stoned the Flames on all five power-play opportunities and sits as the fourth best unit in the league. Silent on this night, the power-play ranks third overall. Lying under the cover of wins are stats which point toward some degree of good fortune. But for the Eastern Conference leading Leafs the numbers in the standings prove satisfying. “We got two points,” said Randy Carlyle after the most recent win. “No matter how you get them theyre still two points in the standings. Im sure theres going to be games throughout the course of this season that wed say we were unlucky that we didnt win and theres going to be more games that were going to say were lucky to win. I think it all evens out in the end. Obviously wed like to play better defensively as every team would.” Five Points 1. Rising Shots Against Wednesday marked the 13th time the Leafs have allowed 30-plus shots and the second straight night of more than 40 against. Only the struggling Senators allow more on a nightly basis. “Well give them perimeter shots,” said Kadri. “We have no problem doing that. Its just boxing out in front. Thats where weve got to make sure were good. And really a lot of shots did come from the outside. Bernier did a great job looking aat all of them. Fake Baseball Jerseys. There were probably countless point shots tonight which arent terrible to give up.” Still, the 23-year-old conceded to the danger of yielding so many shots and subsequent chances against. “Yeah, there is [danger],” he agreed. “But really it depends whos in front. Thats our job to make sure that our goaltenders can see the puck. Shots from the point with traffic are pretty dangerous; if were giving that up weve got to make sure were good in that blue paint.” 2. Cutting Down Those Shots... As for cutting down the amount of shots opponents have had, Jay McClement pointed to possession. “Its playing with the puck I guess,” said McClement, who won 21 of 28 faceoffs against the Flames. “We get into trouble when we dont possess the puck enough. Part of that is turnovers and part of its just executing when we do have it and not [making] bad passes or bad dumps or what have you. “Were lucky we have two great goalies,” he added. 3. More of the Same Bernier nearly matched the efforts of his teammate from one night earlier. James Reimer stopped all 43 shots in victory over the Oilers on Tuesday. Though he wasnt quite so flawless, the 25-year-old was nonetheless effective in keeping the puck out, most notably during a second frame that saw the Flames fire 20 shots on goal. “That second I was a little tired at the end,” said Bernier afterward. “You cant look past your goaltender,” Carlyle added. “Hes given us a chance no matter who weve put in the net.” Bernier sits tied for seventh with a .933 save percentage, just a little ways behind Reimer, who remains second overall with a sizzling .949 mark. 4. Growth from Calgary Dion Phaneuf first suited up for the Flames on Oct. 5, 2005. He played over 24 minutes in Minnesota that night, a 6-3 loss to the Wild. From the point of his NHL debut to where he stands with the Leafs in the present, Phaneuf says growth has been most poignant defensively. “I think that thats a learning curve that a lot of young [defencemen] have when they come in,” said the 28-year-old before the game. “When you first start at a young age youre usually protected by different matchups and the coaching staff usually puts you out there against the guys that they want to match you up against and as you get older and as you gain more experience youre playing against better players. I feel that Ive grown in my role and the way that I play the game defensively.” 5. Opposing Perspective Former Leaf Matt Stajan played alongside Phil Kessel when he first landed in Toronto in the fall of 2009. He offered the following assessment of Kessel on Wednesday morning, the 26-year-olds four-game goal and point streak coming to an end against the Flames. “I just think hes making good decisions with when to take off in his own end,” said Stajan. “And he obviously has some chemistry with the guys he plays with now; they know exactly what hes thinking and when to get him the puck.” Kessel equaled the best opening month production of his NHL career this October, totaling nine goals and 18 points in 14 games. Back in Oct. 2011, he mightve been even better, compiling 10 goals and 18 points in 11 games. Stat Pack 13 – Times this season the Leafs have allowed 30 shots or more. 21-28 – Mark for Jay McClement in the faceoff circle against Calgary. McClement finished 9-10 opposite rookie Sean Monahan. 22.2 per cent – Team-leading shooting percentage for Dave Bolland, who has scored six goals on 27 shots. 12.7 - Shooting percentage for the Leafs this season, first in the league. 1 – Point for David Clarkson on Wednesday, his first as a Leaf. Clarkson assisted on Mason Raymonds eventual game-winner. 12 – Number of times the Leafs have been outshot this season. 5 – Consecutive games with a point for James van Riemsdyk. He has two goals and seven points in that span. 23:33 – Team-leading ice-time for van Riemsdyk on Wednesday, including 6:17 on the penalty kill. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-1 PK: 5-5 Quote of the Night “Im sure theres going to be games throughout the course of this season that wed say we were unlucky that we didnt win and theres going to be more games that were going to say were lucky to win. I think it all evens out in the end.” - Randy Carlyle following the victory in Calgary. Up Next The Leafs conclude their three-game swing through western Canada with a Saturday date in Vancouver. ' ' '
Palermo, Italy (SportsNetwork. Detroit Tigers Gear .com) - Roma failed to move level with Juventus at the top of the Serie A table on Saturday after being held to a 1-1 draw at Palermo. Roma has now drawn three of its last four games in league play, leaving the club two points back of Juve, which can extend that lead on Sunday with a win at home against Hellas Verona. Palermo capitalized on an early mistake to take the lead inside of two minutes through Paulo Dybala, while Roma answered after halftime courtesy of Mattia Destro to claim a point. Davide Astori was largely to blame for the opening goal as he made a poor pass inside his own half of the field that was cut out by Palermos Franco Vazquez. He then played Dybala into the area, allowing the Argentine to slot his shot past goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis for a 1-0 Palermo lead. De Sanctis was called into action six minutes before halftime and he needed to produce a diving save on a flicked header from Edgar Barreto following Michel Morganellas cross to keep his side within a goal. Roma failed to register a shot on target in the first half, and the visitors had trouble mounting a consistent attack throughout the match. However, a left-wing free kick from Miralem Pjanic in the 54th minute set up the equalizer as the ball was played to the back post for Kevin Strootman, who nodded it back to the front of goal for Destro to redirect inside the left post. Saturdays other match saw Inter Milan and Empoli battle to a 0-0 draw prevents Inter from moving into the top six. Detroit Tigers Store . - Pierre-Maxime Poudrier scored twice and added an assist, and Antoine Bibeau made 43 saves as the Val-dOr Foreur downed the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 6-3 on Sunday to force Game 7 in their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final series. Custom Detroit Tigers Jerseys .com) - Mikko Korhonen carded a 5-under 67 on Thursday to claim medalist honors at the European Tours Final Qualifying Stage tournament. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . Patty Mills had 20 points, Tim Duncan had 11 points and 13 rebounds in limited action, and San Antonio rolled to a 110-82 victory over Milwaukee that kept the Bucks winless in the new year.Auburn Hills, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Brandon Jennings and Greg Monroe posted double-doubles and the Detroit Pistons got back in the win column with a 98-93 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Jennings scored all 20 of his points in the second half and handed out 11 assists while Monroe finished with 16 points and a season-high 17 rebounds for Detroit, winners in eight of nine since waiving Josh Smith. The Pistons won seven straight before falling to the Eastern Conference- leading Hawks 106-103 on Friday. Winning is always fun, Monroe said. We just want to keep it going. Joe Johnson led six Nets in double figures with 17 points, while Brook Lopez contributed 11 points and 15 rebounds off the bench. Brooklyn has lost five in a row. The Pistons led by five after three quarters, but their lead was down to 84-82 following Darius Morris layup with 4 1/2 to play. Out of a timeout, transition layups by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jennings pushed the spread back to six. Jennings then hit a 3-pointer from the leftt corner, and after empty possessions both ways and a media timeout, Monroes layup with just under two minutes to play gave Detroit a 93-84 advantage. Cheap Tigers Jerseys. Jonas Jerebko then nailed the dagger a minute later, a top-of-the-key 3 at 1:10. When you give teams easy, uncontested layups its hard to win, Nets center Mason Plumlee said. The Pistons led for most of the first half, only trailing for one minute and 16 seconds in the second quarter, but never created much distance. Down by three following four straight Brooklyn free throws -- two each by Bojan Bogdanovic and Alan Anderson -- Kyle Singler hit a 3-pointer just before halftime to tie it at 47-47. Jennings scored 13 points in the third. Game Notes Lopez hit his first career regular-season 3-pointer with 16 seconds left ... The Nets had won three straight in this series ... Bogdanovic scored 14 points in his first start since Dec. 8. ... Plumlee also had 14 for Brooklyn. ' ' '
OAKLAND, Calif. Nike Air Max 90 Sverige . -- Golden State Warriors backup centre Jermaine ONeal is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist Friday. The team said a timetable for ONeals return will be announced following the procedure, which threatens to end his season -- and possibly his career. The 35-year-old ONeal is in his 18th NBA season and has had previous knee and wrist surgeries. The Warriors said ONeals latest operation is "to address a torn ligament in his right wrist." ONeal has appeared in 17 games this season, averaging 6.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 18.6 minutes. Hes the third reserve centre for Golden State to have surgery this year. Festus Ezeli is expected to be out until at least late January while he recovers from right knee surgery. And Ognjen Kuzmic will be sidelined at least another four weeks after fracturing a bone in his right hand. Nike Off White Sverige .J. - Trying to learn and absorb the new West Coast offence being installed by new offensive co-ordinator Ben McAdoo, the New York Giants wrapped their final organized team activity Thursday before a three-day mini-camp next week. Nike Air Max 720 Rabatt .ca. Mr. Fraser, I think everyone would like to hear your opinion on what sort of suspension Zac Rinaldo should get. His comment after the game of I changed the whole game, man. http://www.reaairmaxsverige.com/air-max-off-white-rabatt.html . -- The Orlando Magic finally are showing the patience in critical moments that coach Jacque Vaughn has been waiting for all season.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Carolina coach Ron Rivera said its too soon to know who will start at quarterback next Sunday when the Panthers host the Cleveland Browns.With Cam Newton resting his back following an automobile accident, Derek Anderson threw for 277 yards and a touchdown and picked up his second win of the season in a 19-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Rivera said he wont make any decisions until possibly mid-week on Newton, who is recovering from two lower back fractures after flipping his truck on Tuesday in a two-car wreck.Im not making any decisions until I get the opportunity to watch him on the football field, listen to what the trainers and doctors have to tell me, and then we will make our decision, Rivera said. But to make any judgment right now would be premature and would be a mistake.Anderson is 2-0 as Carolinas starter this season, although both wins have come against the lowly Bucs (2-12). Newton is 3-8-1.Rivera thought Anderson did some good things, but wanted him to get into the end zone more. The Panthers reached or started in Tampa Bay territory on every possession Sunday, but scored just 19 points.I wanted more for Derek Anderson, Rivera said. Derek is a very capable football player and he knows it. We talked about it during the game. He knows he could have put some more points on the board.Newton appeared to be moving around well on the sideline, but Rivera said hes unsure when the fourth-year quarterback will begin throwing the ball. He said hell know more on Wednesday.Anderson said he knows once Newton is healthy, hell be handing the reins of the offence back to the two-time Pro Bowl selection.I know what kind of person he is, what kind of competitor he is, Anderson said. If he can play, if he feels like he can play and go out there and win football games for us, hell do that.Here are some things to know about Carolinas second straight win and Tampa Bays fourtth straight loss:FLOUNDERING OFFENSE: The Bucs have scored 17 points or fewer in 11 of their 14 games, including each of the last four. Nike Air Max 90 Rabatt. On their first four drives of the third quarter on Sunday, the Bucs totalled minus-2 yards on offence.OLSEN ON A TEAR: Panthers tight end Greg Olsen appears to be on his way to his first Pro Bowl. For the second straight week, Olsen caught 10 passes. He finished with 110 yards. He has 81 receptions for 960 yards and six touchdowns this season. If I see him one-on-one with a guy that I know cant cover him, I have a lot of confidence in what hes going to do, Anderson said.MOVING PARTS: Tampa Bay coach Lovie Smith shuffled his offensive line by benching Anthony Collins and moving Demar Dotson to left tackle. Oniel Cousins started at right tackle. The Bucs ran for 155 yards, but surrendered three sacks leading to two forced fumbles. We just thought for him in general, our best tackle, can he play the left side? Smith said. Trying to win football games, but thought he would be able to handle that. ... I thought he did a decent job.STILL IN THE HUNT: Amazing as it sounds, the Panthers lead the NFC South despite a 5-8-1 record. New Orleans is 5-8 heading into Monday nights game at Chicago, and Atlanta dropped to 5-9 with Sundays 27-20 loss to Pittsburgh. Its pretty crazy, Olsen said. But were not going to apologize for it.DEFENSIVE IMPROVING: Carolinas defence has been steadily improving over the past half-dozen games. It limited Tampa Bay to 287 yards and 15 first downs on Sunday, while sacking Josh McCown three times and forcing three turnovers. That might be enough to get by in upcoming games against Cleveland and Atlanta, but what remains to be seen is if they have improved enough to compete against a playoff-calibre team should the Panthers qualify for the post-season.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '
With the puck set to drop on the 2014 STANLEY CUP® PLAYOFFS, TSN and TSN GO present a prime-time marathon of extensive NHL Playoffs preview coverage tomorrow night (Tuesday, April 15), headlined by the 2014 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY at 8 p. China Shoes To USA .m. ET. TSNs NHL Playoffs preview coverage includes the following (see below for additional details): TSN THE REPORTERS WITH DAVE HODGE – today at 5:30 p.m. ET THATS HOCKEY– tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET NHL ON TSN PLAYOFF FANTASY SPECIAL – tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET 2014 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY – tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET NHL ON TSN STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS PREVIEW SHOW – tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. ET All of TSNs 2014 STANLEY CUP® PLAYOFFS programming is also available live on TSN GO.2014 NHL DRAFT LOTTERYRepresentatives from each of the five teams most likely to win the 2014 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY join NHL ON TSN host James Duthie in the TSN Studio as NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly reveals the draft order live tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET exclusively on TSN and TSN GO. The top-seeded Buffalo Sabres (25.0%) have the best chance of winning the lottery, followed by Florida Panthers (18.8%), Edmonton Oilers (14.2%), Calgary Flames (10.7%) and New York Islanders (8.1%). The Vancouver Canucks (6.2%), Toronto Maple Leafs (3.6%), and Winnipeg Jets (2.7%) complete the group of five Canadian teams with a chance to choose #1overall.The lottery winner will select first overall during the 2014 NHL DRAFT, which includes Barrie Colts defenceman Aaron Ekblad, Kootenay Ice centre Sam Reinhart, and Kingston Frontenacs centre Samuel Bennett. TSNs coverage of the 2014 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY is also available live on TSN Radio stations across the country and on NBC Sports Network in the United States. As each teams draft position is unveiled, TSN.ca complements TSNs coverage of the 2014 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY with a live blog, giving fans the chance to discuss and debate both the draft order as well as topics from around the league. The live blog includes all the latest news, top prospect rankings, and video highlights at TSN.ca/DraftCentre. TSN also has live coverage of the first three rounds of the 2014 STANLEY CUP® PLAYOFFS (click here for a broadcast schedule of the First Round), as well as the 2014 NHL DRAFT on June 27 from Philadelphia. TSNs NHL Playoffs Preview Coverage TSNs jam-packed NHL Playoffs preview lineup is as follows: TSN THE REPORTERS WITH DAVE HODGE – today (Monday, April 14) at 5:30 p.m. ET TSN THE REPORTERS WITH DAVE HODGE host Dave Hodge and sports columnists Bruce Arthur, Michael Farber, and Steve Simmons debate all the key storylines and breaking news from the 2014 STANLEY CUP® PLAYOFFS. THATS HOCKEY– Tuesday, April 15 at 7 p.m. ET Gino Reda hosts a special playoff preview edition of TSNs daily hockey show, with a guest panel featuring the networks Hockey Insiders and experts, who focus in on the Montreal Canadiens with reports from Montréal, break down all eight playoff series, and evaluate the their top Cup contenders. NHL ON TSN PLAYOFF FANTASY SPECIAL – Tuesday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET TSNs annual playoff pool tradition debuts a brand new format this year, as familiar foes Darren Dreger, Aaron Ward, Dave Hodge, and Keith Jones select players according to the rules of the TSN Playoff Hockey Challenge presented by Kia Canada, the online playoff fantasy game on TSN.ca. Fans can sign up online to choose 12 players under a salary cap of $100 million, and play alongside TSNs experts. Their four fantasy squads will be revealed as James Duthie hosts the NHL ON TSN PLAYOFF FANTASY SPECIAL. 2014 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY – Tuesday, April 15 at 8 p.m. ET James Duthie hosts TSNs exclusive live coverage of the 2014 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY from the TSN Studio as NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly reveals the results in reverse order, alongside representatives from the leagues five teams most likely to win the lottery. During the 30-minute TSN original production, Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie unveils his consensus Top 10 prospects and TSNs Director of Scouting Craig Button projects how the first 13 picks will unfold. NHL ON TSN STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS PREVIEW SHOW – Tuesday, April 15 at 8:30 p.m. ET Hosted by James Duthie, this live 90-minute TSN original production prepares fans for the playoffs with in-depth analysis of all eight First Round matchups, highlighting the biggest storylines from the 2014 STANLEY CUP® PLAYOFFS. Duthie is joined by the acclaimed NHL ON TSN panel, featuring Hockey Insiders Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger, plus analysts Aaron Ward, Ray Ferraro, Mike Johnson, Jamie McLennan, Martin Biron and Craig Button. China Shoes Online .com) - Markus Granlund scored the game-winning goal as the Calgary Flames used an early offensive flurry to defeat the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, on Monday. China Shoes Store . -- Stacy Lewis shot 7-under 65 to lead the LPGA Tour team to the championship of the 3Tour Challenge on Tuesday. https://www.chinashoes.us/ . Chan captured two silver medals at last months Sochi Winter Games — mens singles and the inaugural team event. But he doesnt have the urge to resume training to defend his world title when the event is held in Saitama, Japan, later this month.SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Neymar showed why he is carrying Brazils hopes at the World Cup, scoring twice on Thursday to help the underwhelming hosts escape a disappointing start to the tournament. With Brazil struggling and down a goal against a spirited Croatian team, Neymar came through to lead his team to a 3-1 win in the opening match, scoring once in each half. The killer goal to make the score 2-1 was a hotly contested penalty awarded by Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura. "Things werent going well," he said. "The first match is always difficult, we were anxious, we were nervous. Im glad I was able to get the goals we needed at the time we needed them." "He is a special player and we know that," Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. "And he needs to know that we know that." Brazil got off to a slow start in its home tournament. Defender Marcelo found his own net while trying to clear a low cross by Ivica Olic in the 11th minute, stunning the crowd of more than 62,100 packing the Itaquerao Stadium. But Neymar equalized in the 29th, firing a perfectly placed low shot that went in off the post. He said he didnt hit the ball perfectly, "but it went in, its all that matters." "Its important to start these tournaments on the right foot, with a victory," said Neymar. "Im happy that I got to score, but the entire team deserves credit. We maintained our calm and showed we could battle back." The game turned on a controversial penalty awarded by Nishimura in the second half after striker Fred went down inside the area under minimal contact from defender Dejan Lovren. Neymar scored from the spot in the 71st minute, getting his 33rd goal with Brazil. Croatiaa goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa nearly saved Neymars shot, but it was struck hard enough to deflect into the net. Fake China Shoes. The Croatians were furious. "If that was a penalty, we should be playing basketball. Those kinds of fouls are penalized there," Croatia coach Niko Kovac said. "That is shameful, this is not a World Cup referee. He had one kind of criteria for them and another for us. The rules were not the same," Kovac said. As Croatia searched desperately for an equalizer, Oscar added to the lead in the first minute of injury time with a toe poke from just outside the penalty area. A draw would have been a huge disappointment for Brazil, which had won its opening match the last eight times and is overwhelming favourite to win the competition. "The team didnt give up," Brazil defender David Luiz said "We knew it would be hard but we played well and got that first goal and then the victory." The tournament finally got underway as planned after months of talk about the preparation problems that plagued Brazil since it was picked as host seven years ago. The troubled Itaquerao, which wasnt fully finished for the opener, held up without major setbacks to fans or the match itself, although part of the lights atop the pitch went out a few times for brief periods in the first half. ------ Lineups: Brazil: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo, Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho (Hernanes, 63), Oscar, Neymar (Ramires, 88), Hulk (Bernard, 68), Fred. Croatia: Stipe Pletikosa, Sime Vrsaljko, Darijo Srna, Dejan Lovren, Vedran Corluka, Ivan Rakitic, Nikica Jelavic (Ante Rebic, 78), Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Ivica Olic, Mateo Kovacic (Marcelo Brozovic, 61). ' ' '
ST. Wholesale China Shoes Free Shipping . PETERSBURG, Florida – Gareth Morgan sat in the dugout before Tuesday afternoons sun-soaked Baseball Canada Junior Teams tilt against the Blue Jays, visualizing what was to come both in the short term and in the future. "Its pretty cool and humbling," said Morgan. "Its an honour to be a part of this team and get an opportunity to do this. Its not everyday you get to put your uniform on and play against big leaguers." Morgan, who turns 18 next month, is a presence at 64", 220 pounds. He is the top-ranked Canadian heading into Junes amateur draft. Some projections have the product of Torontos Vaughn Road Academy going in the first round. An outfielder, he possesses all the tools over which scouts salivate. "Hes a high school player so sometimes I think the expectation is unrealistic given the skill set," said head coach Greg Hamilton. "He has tremendous talent. Hes got everything youre looking for. Hes got size. Hes got power. Hes got speed for a big man. Hes got a plus arm. Its a complete package. Its a major league right fielder in the making if everything falls into place and he stays healthy, obviously." Morgan grew up splitting his summers and winters between baseball and hockey. Three years ago, his first in high school, Morgan made a choice. He would commit to playing baseball full-time and, having already gone through a growth spurt, was showing signs of the imposing figure hes become. Fast forward three years, through all the games and the tournaments and the travel with the junior team, and he feels like he belongs. "I feel like Ive come a long way both mentally and physically," said Morgan. "I was a lot smaller back then and my skills werent as good. On the mental side, Ive gained more confidence and I just feel more comfortable with what Im doing." He recently spent a week visiting Larry Walker in West Palm Beach, Florida. They hit, shagged flies, worked out and talked the tools of the trade. It was an opportunity to pick the brain of a former great about life in the big leagues. "It was awesome," said Morgan. "We hung out, went kayaking, played a little baseball, hit with the Cardinals." Theres a big decision looming on the horizon. As he awaits the June draft, Morgan also has a scholarship offer from North Carolina State University. Hell have to weigh the value of signing with the pro club that selects him versus a free education at a strong ACC school. "It crosses your mind sometimes, of course youre going to think about it, but the less you think about it the better it is," said Morgan. "Just go out and play the game you love and have fun with it." "We try to give them the information thats objective so that they know all the opportunities available to them and then they qualify what resonates to them the most," said Hamilton. "As long as they understand what a Division I scholarship means and what that experience means; what signing out of high school and minor league baseball and the challenges that come with that mean, the day to day grind that theyre going to go through means to them on a personal level and where they are physically and mentally, I think if theyve got the comparables in front of them, everythings in order, then it becomes a personal decision. We try to convince them its not always about dollars." Morgan cites Brett Lawrie as his favourite ballplayer. The two shared the same field together on Tuesday. A few years from now, it could happen again. ONYSHKO GRINDS IT OUT Left-hander Ben Onyshko, a 17-year-old from Winnipeg, admitted to being nervous in the first inning. He walked the first two hitters he faced, Munenori Kawasaki and Colby Rasmus, almost hitting Kawasaki twice. Brett Lawrie followed with a single, loading the bases with nobody out for Jose Bautista. "I mean, I tried not to think about it," said Onyshko. "I tried to just execute pitches the same as always but Ive got to admit, my mind was racing a little bit. It was surreal." Bautista flew out to deep left centerfield for a sacrifice fly. "I was scared for a split second when he hit the ball," said Onyshko. "Once I was able to get that first out I think things started to roll a little bit better. I settled in." He certainly did settle in. Onyshko limited the Jays to that one run in the first and allowed two runs over his three innings of work. Onyshkos curveball caught the attention of onlookers. Its a pitch he started throwing when he was 12. "I just remember hanging in the backyard with my dad, just working on it, throwing it," said Onyshko. "He would sit there catching bullpens for me every couple of days." LAWRIE HAS FLASHBACKS It wasnt too long ago Brett Lawrie was playing for the Baseball Canada junior team in games like Tuesdays. "Its a lot of fun for me," said Lawrie. "Especially nowadays because theres a lot more guys coaching that Ive played with and had a chance to play with that are across the other way now. Its good to see those guys coming back and helping the young guys. It sets a good example for all them because the guys I played with were the good players and theyre fun to play with so things are probably pretty light in the clubhouse, which is cool." Lawrie and his Blue Jays teammates did most of the talking as they mingled with the young Canadians before the game. "I think its kind of keep your ears open, more or less," said Lawrie. "Theyre a little nervous, which I anticipated so I think, more or less, they just kept their ears open, listened to how the boys talked and just taking it all in." HAMILTON APPRECIATES BLUE JAYS APPROACH Brandon Morrow started for the Blue Jays. Baseball Canada alum Brett Lawrie, Jose Bautista, Colby Rasmus, Adam Lind and Dioner Navarro were in Torontos starting lineup on Tuesday. Head coach Greg Hamilton appreciated the Jays willingness to send some of the clubs top stars to the game. The rest of the roster was in Lakeland for a game against the Tigers. "Its a special day and an opportunity to come out on the field and play against the players that you watch on TV and aspire to be like is incredibly special," said Hamilton. Fans will follow the paths of these young players. Visit www.baseball.ca to learn more about the program. "Every player that weve got has a chance to play beyond high school," said Hamilton. "At minimum theyre going to go on scholarships and play collegiate baseball. You never know. You extend your playing career and you figure a few things out and there are some here today you think will be for sure potential major league prospects and there are others who will sneak up on you too just by having the opportunity to continue to play." Wholesale Shoes Brands . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Wholesale Shoes From China . The first of the three games will be played in Week 4, when the Oakland Raiders will take on the Miami Dolphins on Sept. http://www.wholesaleshoes.us.org/ .com) - The Miami Heat stopped a four-game losing streak last time out and thats the same length slide their opponents Wednesday night, the Denver Nuggets, will try to halt when the two teams meet at the Pepsi Center.RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Rafael Nadal is back -- and its all about his back. Top-ranked Nadal injured his back warming up for the final of the Australian Open almost three weeks ago, eventually losing against Stanislas Wawrinka -- a match he was an overwhelming favourite to win. Nadal has practiced little since then, getting treatment at home in Mallorca. His first test comes in next weeks Rio Open, a new stop on the ATP Tour. "Well have to see how it goes," he said Friday. "I hope I can tolerate it." Nadal knows the clock is ticking. He made a comeback last season from a left knee injury, which kept him out of the 2012 London Olympics. Hes won 13 Grand Slams. Hes one behind Pete Sampras, and hes closing in on Roger Federers record of 17. Hes sure one got away in Australia. "In Australia I lost a good opportunity to add another Grand Slam," Nadal said. "It didnt happen. The opportunities are not infinite. They have an expiration date." Nadal has played more than 11 years as a professional, perhaps sustaining somee injuries because of his big swings and attacking temperament. Wholesale Shoes 2020. "I heard a lot of times in my career that I will have a shorter career because of my style of game," he said. "I really think its something that will not happen. If I stopped today, I already will have more than 11 years on tour." The Spaniard said hes still motivated, positive about the 2014 season. "I cannot predict the future for how long I will be here competing well," he said. "I cant say when thats going to end. The only thing I can say is today I feel happy about what I am doing. I am feeling motivation mentally to keep playing, to keep competing well." Hell be 30 when the 2016 Rio Olympics begin. He called winning gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics "one of the best experiences" of his career. "It was a very hard moment for me when I made the decision not to play the Olympic Games in London," Nadal said. "After that, I always say my goal is to arrive to the 2016 Olympic Games here in Rio." ' ' '
ANAHEIM, Calif. Nmd Günstig Fake . -- Defenceman Mark Fistric has agreed to a three-year, $3.8 million contract extension with the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks announced the deal Wednesday with Fistric, who has become a regular on the blue line in his first season with the overall NHL leaders. Fistric has five points and a plus-8 rating in 27 games with the Ducks, who signed him as a free agent in August. The hard-hitting defenceman is second on the Ducks with 123 hits despite playing in only about half of their games this season. The former first-round pick didnt crack Anaheims lineup until mid-November when defenceman Luca Sbisa injured his right hand. Fistric also has played for Dallas and Edmonton during his NHL career. He scored six points for the Oilers last season. Adidas Nmd r2 Schweiz . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Adidas Ultra Boost Schweiz ." Bach is in Rome for the European Olympic Committees general assembly and meetings with Pope Francis. He also visited with Italian Premier Enrico Letta. "The prime minister appeared to be interested in a bid from Italy for 24, because he has realized that the games can serve as a catalyst for development for a city and a country," Bach told The Associated Press on Saturday. http://www.nmdschweizkaufen.ch/ .J. -- Fabian Johnson scored his first international goal and Clint Dempsey doubled the lead after a defensive lapse as the United States beat Turkey 2-1 Sunday in the second of three World Cup warm-up matches for the Americans before they head to Brazil.TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona coach Bruce Arians did nothing on Friday to clear up the quarterback situation for the Cardinals heading into Sundays game against the Washington Redskins.All three quarterbacks participated in practice today, he said, and, honest to God, for the first time in 20 years, I really dont know whos starting. Well see how it goes. Theyre all ready.Arians said Carson Palmer was able to throw at about 80 per cent of his usual velocity and after practice returned to Denver for more treatment of the damaged nerve in his throwing shoulder. Drew Stanton headed to a final concussion test after practice and could be cleared to play. Both Palmer and Stanton were listed as limited in practice Friday.If neither of them can go, the job goes to rookie Logan Thomas.We can wait all the way until right before kickoff and make the decision on whos healthiest and ready the most to go, Arians said.It was the treatment in Denver over the weekend that finally managed to give some life to the dead nerve in his arm.He had some good velocity, lobbed some balls deep today, Arians said. Hell get another treatment and then get back.Palmer hasnt played since landing on the shoulder while trying for a first down in the Cardinals season-opening victory over San Diego. Although he hasnt thrown much, he has gotten the mental reps necessary if is to go against Washington, Arians said.Stanton, who hadnt played in a regular season game in four years, started the last three. Adidas Originals Gazelle Schweiz. . He helped Arizona beat the New York Giants and San Francisco, then went down with a concussion in the second half of Sundays 41-20 loss in Denver.Stanton said on Thursday that he is symptom free but had not passed the NFL-mandated protocol for players who have concussions.Thomas, a fourth-round draft pick out of Virginia Tech, has a strong but sometimes inaccurate arm. He completed one of eight passes against the Broncos, but the one completion, to Andre Ellington, went 81 yards for a touchdown.I was very pleased with his progression this week, Arians said, and I feel very comfortable if hes starting.Thomas worked all week with the first unit offence.I feel comfortable. I understand whats going on, he said. Im confident in what I can do.Thomas said its the first time hes gone into a game not knowing whether he can start or not.Ill prepare like its my game, he said. Obviously Carson is the starter around here. Drews the No. 2. Im the No. 3. If either of those guys is here, its their game. I understand that. I understand my place.Arians said its possible that all three quarterbacks will be on the active roster for Sundays home game. If Palmer and Stanton are inactive, expect the Cardinals to elevate Dennis Dixon from the practice squad. Dixon was signed on Tuesday.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '
The Columbus Blue Jackets reached the playoffs for the second time in franchise history and appear to be moving in the right direction. Nike Shoes From China . Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Blue Jackets may do to build upon last seasons success to return to the playoffs again next year. Theres lots of reason to be optimistic about Columbus, as they have a young core, headlined by 21-year-old centre Ryan Johansen. The only expected returnees older than 30 are defencemen Fedor Tyutin and James Wisniewski. Winger R.J. Umberger is 32, but is looking to move on, so the Blue Jackets largely have a roster around which they can build for the next couple seasons. GM Jarmo Kekalainen and head coach Todd Richards were buoyed by the Blue Jackets progress last season, but both know that there is still much room to improve. "We have to be careful. We want to keep our good chemistry," said Kekalainen. "We always want to bring in the right kind of people, not only as hockey players but as teammates and human beings. Its going to be an important part of our scouting manual." Scouting is, naturally, important to Kekalainen who, at one time, had been the St. Louis Blues director of amateur scouting. He stocked the prospect cupboard with three first-round picks last year and that gives the Blue Jackets organizational depth. Its easier to be optimisic about Columbus future when they have more good prospects on the way, because its one thing to have Johansen, Boone Jenner and Ryan Murray in prominent roles, but having Alexander Wennberg, Kerby Rychel and Oliver Bjorkstrand (among others) on the way makes it more likely that success can be sustained. The TSN.ca Rating is an efficiency rating based on per-game statistics including goals and assists -- weighted for strength (ie. power play, even, shorthanded) -- Corsi, adjusted for zone starts, quality of competition and quality of teammates, hits, blocked shots, penalty differential and faceoffs. Generally, a replacement-level player is around a 60, a top six forward and top four defenceman will be around 70, stars will be over 80 and MVP candidates could go over 90. Sidney Crosby finished at the top of the 2013-2014 regular season ratings at 87.12. Salary cap information all comes from the indispensable www.capgeek.com. CF% = Corsi percentage (ie. percentage of 5-on-5 shot attempts), via www.extraskater.com. GM/COACHJarmo Kekalainen/Todd Richards Returning Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Cap Hit Brandon Dubinsky 73.57 76 16 34 50 52.2% $4.2M Nick Foligno 69.96 70 18 21 39 51.2% $3.083M Cam Atkinson 68.91 79 21 19 40 51.2% $1.15M Artem Anisimov 68.45 81 22 17 39 50.6% $3.283M Matt Calvert 68.04 56 9 15 24 52.0% $988K Boone Jenner 66.51 72 16 13 29 50.2% $778K Nathan Horton 66.08 36 5 14 19 52.2% $5.3M R.J. Umberger 65.73 74 18 16 34 46.4% $4.6M Mark Letestu 63.78 82 12 22 34 49.0% $1.25M Jared Boll 54.04 28 1 1 2 40.6% $1.7M Free Agent Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Class 13-14 Cap Hit Ryan Johansen 76.42 82 33 30 63 50.5% RFA $1.945M Blake Comeau 62.22 61 5 11 16 53.0% UFA $1.0M Derek MacKenzie 61.44 71 9 9 18 49.2% UFA $1.0M Jack Skille 61.22 16 4 0 4 47.0% UFA $675K Corey Tropp 57.76 53 2 9 11 46.3% RFA $578K Matt Frattin 57.68 44 2 5 7 52.8% RFA $875K Brandon Dubinsky may not be a star, but hes a valuable player, able to handle tough assignments with defensive zone starts and still produce offence. Dubinsky had the second 50-point season of his career in 2013-2014, but took his game up a notch in the postseason, when he was consistently one of the best performers in the series against Pittsburgh. That he brings an edge to his game -- one of six forwards to have at least 250 points and 600 penalty minutes over the past seven seasons -- is all the better. Another forward who offers some skill with a physical game, Nick Foligno is one of seven forwards (including Dubinsky) to have at least 100 points and 200 penalty minutes over the past three seasons. Both Dubinsky and Foligno are headed into the final year of their respective contracts. Small scoring winger Cam Atkinson broke through with a 21-goal, 40-point season, and hes a positive possession player, which makes him a nice complementary player. Can the 24-year-old raise the bar higher so that hes an even bigger part of the Blue Jackets plans? Artem Anisimov cracked the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career, playing a career-high 16:36 per game, and he managed to at least tread water in possession terms, despite starting more of his shifts in the defensive zone. An industrious winger with some skill who isnt afraid to mix it up, Matt Calvert spent most of his time playing with Dubinsky and Atkinson, a line that contributes offensively, but also had favourable possession stats. Calvert scored a career-high 24 points in 56 games last season, but that could be a jumping-off point, if he can continue to play a reliable two-way game. A physical winger whose role expanded as his rookie season played out, Boone Jenner had 24 points in his last 47 games (after five in his first 25) and spent quite a bit of time on the wing with Ryan Johansen, a good spot to grow going forward and it could raise Jenners offensive ceiling. Recovering from shoulder surgery cost Nathan Horton nearly half of his first season in Columbus, then he added further maladies, including an abdominal injury that kept him out of the playoffs, so his year was far from complete. At the same time, even though he put up modest scoring numbers, Horton continued to be a strong possession player. The 28-year-old has not had an easy time of it, health-wise, in recent seasons, so its difficult to place significant expectations on him, but he could be a useful top-six forward. R.J. Umberger has been an effective winger, scoring at least 18 goals in five of the past six seasons, but hes been overwhelmed against difficult competition in the past couple seasons and his ice time of 16:11 per game was his lowest since 2006-2007. Perhaps, then, it should come as no surprise that Umberger has asked for a trade and while it might be part of the offseason plans, it may be not be easy to deal an older winger who is still owed $13.5-million over the next three seasons. Mark Letestu has emerged as a valuable complementary piece for the Blue Jackets, with power play production an appealing part of his contribution, or it might be if he didnt rank 10th among Blue Jackets forwards in average power play ice time last season. Nevertheless, Letestu scored a career-best 34 points in 2013-2014 and has missed two games, total, over the past couple seasons. Enforcer Jared Boll has been battling injuries and, when he does play, has been getting destroyed in puck possession. His three-year contract extension begins next year, but hes going to have to do more than drop the gloves to remotely justify a regular turn in the lineup. Ryan Johansen burst through last season, after he had 33 points in 107 games through his first two years, then scored 33 goals and 63 points in 82 games last season. Johansen has prototypical size to be a No. 1 centre and, in addition to his scoring stats, generated positive possession numbers despite playing high quality competition and starting more of his shifts in the defensive zone. He has quickly become the Jackets franchise player and, as a restricted free agent, will be looking at a contract befitting that role this summer. Scooped off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres, Corey Tropp brought energy to the fourth line, but hasnt done enough (scoring 19 points in 87 career NHL games) to this point in his career to feel comfortable with a roster spot. Matt Frattin had been making progress with Toronto before splitting last season between Los Angeles and Columbus, finishing with two goals in 44 games. Hes a viable depth player but, prior to last year, had shown that he could chip in offensively by using his speed. For the Blue Jackets to feel comfortable with their roster going into next season, they could use another proven scorer. Free agents Thomas Vanek, Matt Moulson, Ryan Callahan, Mike Cammalleri are among those that could have some appeal. Returning Defence Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Cap Hit James Wisniewski 74.66 75 7 44 51 54.1% $5.5M Jack Johnson 68.06 82 5 28 33 47.9% $4.357M Fedor Tyutin 68.00 69 4 22 26 49.0% $4.5M Ryan Murray 64.29 66 4 17 21 51.6% $894K Free Agent Defence Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Class 13-14 Cap Hit David Savard 64.06 70 5 10 15 47.7% RFA $709K Dalton Prout 60.19 49 2 4 6 49.7% RFA $667K Nick Schultz 56.20 69 0 5 5 41.8% UFA $3.5M Nikita Nikitin 62.42 66 2 13 15 49.2% UFA $2.15M So long as hes not matched up against the oppositions best forwards, and his 22:37 time on ice per game last season was his lowest since 2008-2009, James Wisniewski can be very effective, particularly on the power play. Hes physical and put up excellent possession stats last season. There may be no more polarizing figure between statheads and old-school hockey minds than Jack Johnson, the player that Blue Jackets coaches played more than anyone else by a large margin last season. When you look at Johnsons with-or-without-you stats, nearly everyone hes played with over the past three years has better possession stats when they play without Johnson and while some of that can be due to Johnson playing a high calibre of competition, its troubling when its almost universal that players have worse numbers when sharing the ice with Johnson. Johnson is held in such esteem that he would figure to be a useful trade chip -- because teams want defencemen that can play 24 minutes a night -- but the Blue Jackets dont seem inclined to get rid of him. In the past seven seasons, there have been 15 defencemen to record at least 20 points in all seven seasons and one of them is Fedor Tyutin, a steady two-way performer who has never played less than 20 minutes per game in an NHL season. After a strong rookie season, Ryan Murray will be expected to handle more responsibility as a sophomore. Murray had strong possession numbers in his first year, but should see more difficult competition as he plays more minutes going forward. David Savard earned a regular turn on the Columbus blueline last season, but his possession stats werent ideal considering the quality of competition that he faced. But, hes also just 23-years-old, so there is time for him to improve and earn a bigger role. Praised for his plus-15 rating in 28 games during the 2012-2013 season, Dalton Prout had better possession numbers last season, which isnt to say that Prout is a possession ace, but he was okay and his size and toughness should keep him around. It seems like Tim Erixon has been a prospect forever nad the 23-year-old has played 51 NHL games, but next season might be his opportunity to step into a regular job with the Blue Jackets, unless Columbus takes to the free agent market. Returning Goaltender Player Rating GP W L OTL GAA SV% Cap Hit Sergei Bobrovsky 74.82 58 32 20 5 2.38 .923 $5.625M Free Agent Goaltender Player Rating GP W L OTL GAA SV% Class 13-14 Cap Hit Curtis McElhinney 63.20 28 10 11 1 2.70 .909 UFA $600K Sergei Bobrovsky has emerged as one of the games better goaltenders and, even though his numbers dipped from his 2013 Vezina-winning performance, he ranks among the top half dozen in save percentage over the past four seasons. Bobrovsky has handled a significant workload over the past couple seasons, so the backup job is one that requires performance in limited playing time. Curtis McElhinney was fine in that role last season. Free agents Chad Johnson, Carter Hutton or Ilya Bryzgalov could be serviceable inexpensive backup options. Top Prospects Player Pos. Team/League Stats Alexander Wennberg C Frolunda (SHL) 16-5-21, -5, 50 GP Tim Erixon D Springfield (AHL) 5-33-38, -4, 40 GP Kerby Rychel LW Guelph (OHL) 34-56-90, +41, 58 GP Oliver Bjorkstrand RW Portland (WHL) 50-59-109, +44, 69 GP Oscar Dansk G Erie (OHL) 2.39 GAA, .909 SV%, 42 GP Mike Reilly D Minnesota (Big 10) 9-24-33, +19, 41 GP Marko Dano C Bratislava Slovan (KHL) 3-2-5, -11, 41 GP Josh Anderson LW London (OHL) 27-24-51, +31, 59 GP Michael Chaput C Springfield (AHL) 19-26-45, -4, 55 GP Dillon Heatherington D Swift Current (WHL) 6-29-35, +24, 70 GP T.J. Tynan C Notre Dame (HE) 8-30-38, +12, 40 GP Anton Forsberg G Modo Ornskoldsvik (SHL) 2.44 GAA, .919 SV%, 22 GP The 14th pick in last summers draft, Alexander Wennberg is a skilled forward who may have a shot to win a job in Columbus next season. Hes getting stronger and will have to make an adjustment to the North American game, but Wennberg has playmaking potential. As noted above, Tim Erixon has been in the prospect pipeline for a while and, after scoring 38 points in 40 AHL games last season, hes knocking on the door, ready for an opportunity to play. Taken with the 19th pick last summer, Kerby Rychel had a big year, scoring 83 points in 51 (regular season plus playoff) games with Guelph, after putting up 39 points in 27 games with Windsor. After scoring 115 goals over the past three OHL seasons, hes shown what he can do in junior. Danish winger Oliver Bjorkstrand was drafted in the third round last year and followed that up with a monster offensive campaign, ranking second in the WHL in goals and third in points. Between Wennberg, Rychel and Bjorkstrand, the Blue Jackets have some skilled forwards that will be pushing for jobs in the coming years. A second-round pick in 2012, Oscar Dansk is a highly-regarded goaltending prospect, but that comes with all sorts of uncertainty and his playoff performance for Erie was disastrous. But, hes a 20-year-old goaltender; it takes time. Mike Reilly is returning to Minnesota for his junior season, and the 2011 fourth-round pick needs to get stronger to handle the pro game, but hes made terrific progress and was a First-Team All-American as a sophomore. The third of last years three first-round picks, Marko Dano hasnt done much in the KHL, though thats not unusual for a teenager. He did, however, have eight points in 15 (regular season plus playoff) games with Springfield in the AHL late in the season, so the 19-year-old should hit the ground running next year. A power forward picked in the fourth round in 2012, Josh Anderson doesnt have a lot of frills to his game, but he can get up and down his wing banging bodies along the way. Acquired from Philadelphia in a trade for Tom Sestito, Michael Chaput got into 17 games with the Blue Jackets last season, and while he got stomped in possession, Chaput did have a solid year in the AHL and is likely in position to be recalled if the Blue Jackets need a checking forward. Picked in the second round last year, Dillon Heatherington is a big defensive defenceman who is plus-49 over his past two seasons in the Western Hockey League. Hes just turned 19, so he will need time to develop. A small forward who scored 161 points in 164 games in four seasons at Notre Dame, T.J. Tynan makes the jump to pro hockey and, starting in the AHL, can show that his scoring will translate at the next level. Taken in the seventh round in 2011, Anton Forsberg had a nice year with Modo before getting into half a dozen games with Springfield in the AHL. The 21-year-old goaltender should have a shot at decent playing time with Springfield next season. Blue Jackets advanced stats and player usage chart from Extra Skater DRAFT16th - Robby Fabri, Sonny Milano, Dylan Larkin. FREE AGENCYAccording to www.capgeek.com, the Blue Jackets have approximately $48.4M committed to the 2014-2015 salary cap for 15 players. Check out my possible Blue Jackets lineup for next season on Cap Geek here. Needs: One top six forward, depth forwards, two defencemen, backup goaltender.What I said the Blue Jackets needed last year: One top six forward, one defencemanThey added: Boone Jenner, Nathan Horton, Ryan Murray, David Savard. TRADE MARKETR.J. Umberger, Matt Frattin, Jack Johnson, David Savard, Dalton Prout. 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. China Shoes .com) - Nino Williams posted 18 points and seven rebounds, as Kansas State edged No. Air Max From China . Ibrahimovic put PSG ahead when he got in front of his marker to neatly flick in Lucass cross in the 59th minute. New signing Yohan Cabaye came on as a second-half substitute and headed Ezequiel Lavezzis cross against the post in the 87th. Moments later, Lucas set up another goal from the right when fellow countryman Alex turned in his corner with a strikers finish. https://www.chinashoes.us/ . Rodgers was ruled out on Friday by Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Matt Flynn will make his second consecutive start for the Packers.VERNON, B.C. -- Derek Falloon could not have asked for a better way to end his junior hockey career Sunday. Falloons goal at 15:01 of overtime sealed the Yorkton Terriers first RBC Cup championship with a 4-3 victory over the Carleton Place Canadians. He jammed in a rebound to cap Yorktons comeback from a 3-1 deficit with less than three minutes left in regulation time. "Its unbelievable. Its just the best feeling and I dont think Ill ever score a bigger goal than that for the rest of my life," said Falloon, 21, who has used up his junior eligibility. Falloons goal gave the Terriers their first Canadian Junior A championship in their fifth trip to the tournament. Yorkton placed second to the Burnaby Express, led by current Ottawa Senators centre Kyle Turris, in their last trip to the RBC Cup in Streetsville, Ont., in 2006. The Terriers had finished no better than third in their three other trips, all in the 1990s. The puck barely crossed the line as Carleton Place goaltender Guillaume Therien attempted to cover it. While the crowd waited, the referee confirmed it was a goal. After trailing 3-1 at the end of the second period, the Terriers forced overtime with goals from Tanner Lishchynsky and Dylan Johnson eight seconds apart in the last three minutes of the third period. Daylan Gatzke had Yorktons other goal and Kale Thompson made 31 saves. Anthony McVeigh, Stephen Baylis and Andy Sturtz scored for the Canadians while Therien stopped 42 shots in the losing effort. Falloons overtime winner was his second of the tournament. He also scored in extra time against Dauphin in the round robin. "I guess I just happened to be at the right place at the right time," said Falloon. "Im sure any of the boys could have (done) it. Lucky me, I guess." Falloon missed the first three games of this tournament with his third concussion of the season, suffered in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs. He missed most of the Western Canadian championship tournament, from which Yorkton qualified for the RBC Cup. Yorkton coach Don Chesney said Falloons return brought life to Yorktons lineup. "He has a flair for the dramatic," said Chesney. "I joked around (saying) his first (overtime goal) didnt make the back of the net. (The RBC Cup-winning) one, I think, made it -- maybe a few inches over the goal-line. But in 10, 20 years, thatll be the nicest goal he ever scored and the biggest goal he ever scored." Johnson also provided some drama as his tying goal, at 17:20 of the third period atoned for an interference penalty he took at 14:05. "To bee honest, when we got that penalty with five minutes left, it was not looking too good, and they shut us down pretty good," said Chesney. China Shoes Online. "We didnt create a lot of high-quality scoring chances." Added Johnson: "That (goal) felt great, especially after getting that penalty a couple minutes before that. Getting that goal was unreal. It brought the life back into the fans. After we got that, we knew this was ours." Until then, the Canadians had a good reason to think they would claim the crown in their first RBC Cup appearance. "Looking back on it now, maybe I should have called a timeout after the second goal," said Carleton Place coach Jason Clarke. "But weve just been so resilient all year. Things didnt really seem to bother us." Baylis put the Canadians ahead 2-1 at 4:12 of the second period as he fired a shot from the slot after his teammates fought to keep the puck in at the blue-line along the boards with little space to work with. Sturtz increased the Carleton Place advantage midway through the second, stealing the puck from a Terrier in one corner and skating to the opposite side to put in a backhand. But just when it looked like the Canadians could begin to rest easy, Lishchynsky and Johnson sent the game to overtime, setting up Falloons special moment. "Were proud (of getting to the final), but its a sour taste, for sure," said Clarke. Falloon received advice from his cousin Pat Falloon, the former NHLer who was drafted second overall by the San Jose Sharks after Eric Lindros in 1991. "(Pat) was talking to my dad," said Falloon. "We family-farm with him (in Foxwarren, Man.) We keep in touch with him. He was texting my dad and telling me to keep calm and just do what I can do." The RBC Cup adds a second Canadian junior crown to the extended Falloon family. Pat Falloon won a Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs in 1991, when he was named the tournaments most valuable player. "Ive heard stories," said the younger Falloon. Falloons hockey future is far from certain. He only knows how he will spend his summer. "Were just going to celebrate, and then Im going to go back (home)," he said. "Ive got to get to work on the farm." Notes: The game marked the first time in 19 years that the Canadian Junior A final went to overtime. ... Los Angeles Kings centre Jarret Stoll sent a congralutory tweet to Yorkton for reaching the final. Stoll grew up in the Yorkton/Melville area. a Yorkton assistant coach John Odgers is the son of former NHLer Jeff Odgers. ' ' '
Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork. Cheap Air Max 95 .com) - The Los Angeles Kings are expected to have forward Tyler Toffoli back in the lineup when the defending Stanley Cup champions return from the All-Star break to host Chicago on Wednesday. Toffoli was activated from injured reserve prior to Wednesdays game. The 22- year-old wing has been sidelined since Jan. 8 by a bout with mononucleosis, keeping him out of the Kings final six games prior to the break. In his second full NHL season, Toffoli leads Los Angeles in plus-minus rating (+16) and is tied for third on the team with 12 goals. His 27 points through 41 games are the fourth-most among Kings players. Wholesale Air Max 270 . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. Nike Air Max Cheap Wholesale . -- Canadian ski cross star Marielle Thompson accomplished two goals in one race Saturday. http://www.airmaxsneakersonsale.com/cheap-air-max-tn.html .com) - Sergio Agueros 63rd-minute goal was enough to lift Manchester City to a 1-0 win over 10-man Manchester United on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics begin a home- and-home series, starting Sunday afternoon at TD Bank Garden, and ending Monday in Washington. The Wizards take a four-game winning streak into Sundays matinee and own the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the Toronto Raptors. Washingtons winning streak coincided with a four-game homestand. The Wiz knocked off the New Orleans Pelicans, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets during the residency. On Friday, the Wizards had little difficulty in dispatching the Nuggets, 119-89. That was the fourth consecutive game Washington held the opponent under 96 points. When were playing well, were playing great defense, said Paul Pierce, who will return to Boston after being gone for a season-plus. Thats what we hang our hat on every night. Kris Humphries scored 20 points to lead the Wizards on Friday. He started the last six games as Nene has dealt with an injured foot. Nene returned against the Nuggets and came off the bench to score eight points. Rasual Butler and Kevin Seraphin each scored 16 points for the Wizards. John Wall nearly had a triple-double as he scored nine points with eight rebounds and 12 assists. Marcin Gortat finished witth 15 and Bradley Beal added 14. Cheap Air Max 90 Womens. Pierce logged 11 points in just over 20 minutes of action. The Celtics have won two in a row after a five consecutive losses. They knocked off the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, then prevailed against their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Both victories came at home. Tyler Zeller had 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting and pulled down 14 rebounds in the Celtics 113-96 victory over the Lakers. Tylers got that nice little flip shot at five or seven feet, where he can shoot it with either hand and he doesnt have to get all the way to the rim to finish, said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. So (Rajon) Rondo looks for him, and thats a good thing. Jeff Green added 19 points for the Celtics. Jared Sullinger tallied 17 points and 13 boards, Avery Bradley donated 16 points and Rondo scored 12 points and dished out 16 assists. The Celtics shot the ball brilliantly from the floor versus the Lakers. They went for 51.1 percent from the field and 40 percent from long range, although they struggled at the foul line to the tune of 13-for-22. The Wizards won three of four against the Celtics last season to halt a seven- game series slide. Washington won two straight in Boston after it lost six in a row as the visitor. ' ' '
NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball sent a memo to teams and umpires clarifying this years experimental rule intended to limit collisions at home plate, saying runners should not be called safe if the ball clearly beats them. Stitched Mariners Jerseys . The rule, announced in February, says a catcher cant block the plate if he doesnt have the ball. There have been several disputed calls, including a pair of decisions in the last 5 1/2 weeks that led to runners being called safe after video review. The guidelines sent to teams Tuesday say the catchers positioning shouldnt change the call when the throw clearly arrives ahead of the runner. They also say if the catcher is entirely in fair territory, he should not be considered to have blocked the plate. Photo examples were included. "Its basically the same thing, but the officials in New York got to use a little bit of common sense," Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "If youre out by 40 feet ... lets not call that guy safe because of that." The new guidelines were tested immediately when Tampa Bay left fielder Matt Joyce threw out the New York Yankees Stephen Drew trying to score in the fifth inning Tuesday night. Ryan Hanigan gave Drew no lane to the plate as the Rays catcher waited for the throw, which arrived in plenty of time. Hanigan tagged the sliding runner and Drew was called out by plate umpire Vic Carapazza. The ruling was upheld following a replay review, leaving the Rays with a 4-3 lead. Overturned calls led to tying runs for the home team in the late innings at Cincinnati on July 31 and at San Francisco on Aug. 13. In both cases, the hosts went on to score more runs in the inning and win. "Theres been a few plays this year where it looks like the guys been out by 10 feet and they call him safe because he felt like the catcher -- he took the plate away," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. "Youve got to add some common sense to the rule." On July 31 at Cincinnati, Miami led 1-0 in the eighth when Todd Frazier flied out to right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, who threw home as Zack Cozart tried to score from third. Catcher Jeff Mathis tagged Cozart, who trotted in without a slide, and the runner was called out by umpire Mike Winters. After a 6-minute, 10-second review, the call was overturned, and Ryan Ludwick followed with a two-run single that sent the Reds to a 3-1 win. Marlins manager Mike Redmond was ejected after throwing his hat to the ground and arguing with umpires. Then he kicked his hat on his way back to the dugout. San Francisco trailed the visiting White Sox 1-0 in the seventh inning on Aug. 13 when Chicago first baseman Jose Abreu fielded Joe Paniks broken-bat grounder and threw out a sliding Gregor Blanco by about 10 feet. The runner was called out by plate umpire Chris Segal, but after a video review that lasted 4 minutes, 55 seconds, replay umpires in New York ruled Blanco safe, citing catcher Tyler Flowers for blocking the plate with his left leg in violation of the new rule. Chicago manager Robin Ventura ran onto the field, was ejected and repeatedly kicked home plate. The Giants went on to a seven-run inning and won 7-1. "If a guy, you can tell hes going to be out, he should be out," Ventura said Tuesday. "I understand protecting the catchers. I think most of their injuries probably come from foul tips, not actual plays at the plate. You dont want guys charging the catchers coming into the plate. In the end when you get a guy out, you make the play, everythings done effectively, you want the guy to be out." The new rule followed debate that intensified following May 2011, when San Francisco slugger Buster Posey was injured as the Marlins Scott Cousins crashed into him at the plate. Posey, an All-Star catcher, sustained a broken bone in his lower left leg and three torn ligaments in his ankle, an injury that ended his season. In Game 5 of last years AL championship series, Detroit backstop Alex Avila was pulled a couple of innings after being run over at the plate by Bostons David Ross, a fellow catcher. Seattle Mariners Pro Shop .Voegele will next play Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia, who saved 10 of 16 break points to defeat Annika Beck of Germany 7-6 (6), 6-4.Also, Marina Erakovic of New Zealand defeated eighth-seeded Caroline Garcia of France 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Seattle Mariners Shirts . Grilli hasnt pitched since straining his left oblique in late April. Manager Clint Hurdle says the right-hander will make a couple of appearances in middle relief before the team determines whether to return Grilli to the back end of the bullpen. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ . PETERSBURG, Fla.MELBOURNE, Australia -- Montreals Eugenie Bouchard has been preparing for the Australian Open semifinal her entire life. Bouchard became the first Canadian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi in three decades with her 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 quarter-final win over former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic on Monday. She faces Chinas Li Na on Thursday in the Australian Opens final four. "This is something Ive been doing since I was five years old and working my whole life for and sacrificing a lot of things for," said Bouchard. "So its not exactly a surprise. I always expect myself to do well. Im just happy to have gone through this step. Im not done. I have a match on Thursday. Im just looking forward to that." The semifinal pairing of the 19-year-old Bouchard versus the 31-year-old Li, who won the 2011 French Open, has captured the attention of tennis fans around the world. Li has played two of the last three finals at Melbourne Park. That kind of WTA rep does not bother the confident Bouchard, whose ad-hoc Genie Army of a dozen or so Aussie fans will surely be out in full force for the showcase event. "Lis a great champion, shes won a Slam, as well, its going to be really tough," said Bouchard, playing in the main draw of a major for only the fourth time. "I played her once in Montreal two years ago. We had a close match, one of my first bigger matches. "It will be interesting to play her. I know shes very solid, very good from the back. Its going to be hard, but Im looking forward to it." Beside her tennis, its Bouchards bubbly personality that has captured fan fancy, with commentators already labelling her the next bbreakout womens star. Cheap Mariners Jerseys. The Canadian extrovert, who confesses to possessing a Type A, get-it-done personality -- especially on the court -- is dealing with the expectations well. "Im a really focused person, really driven. Off the court Im almost impatient in a way," said Bouchard. "On the court Im the same way. I really just want to play my game, be aggressive, take it to my opponent, and not just wait around and wait for opportunities. "I think its a good thing to take my chances when Im on the court." Bouchards not intimidated by the big stage of a Grand Slam tournament, either. "The matches I had last year on the big courts, like (Maria) Sharapova at the French Open, Ivanovic at Wimbledon, just being on those big stages gave me a lot of experience," she said. "Now walking out on centre court in Australia, I feel like Ive been here before. Ive been able to perform on big stages as well. It gives me that extra confidence." While she wont make any predictions about her match with Li, Bouchard is fairly certain that her supporters will be tossing another stuffed Aussie animal onto the court after the match, bringing her tournament total to five. The bulky mementos have a special place in her heart, with Bouchard bringing each new one to post-match media availability and sitting it proudly next to the microphone. Getting the growing menagerie back to Quebec should not be a problem for the resourceful Bouchard. "I have a koala, and kangaroo, a kookaburra, and a wombat," she said. "I will create luggage space. Its worth it to take my wombat home." ' ' '
NEW YORK - In the summer of 2006 John Salmons nixed a sign-and-trade deal that would have made him a Raptor heading into the prime of his career. Jaxson Hayes Jersey . He was 26 years old at the time and coming off his best season in Philadelphia. But his faith had led him in a different direction, it led him to Sacramento. Over seven years later, his career has come around full circle. He starred for playoff teams in Chicago and Milwaukee, ended up back with the Kings and now, fate - in the form of a seven-player swap - has finally steered him to Toronto. The 34-year-old swingman was supposed to be a spare part in the salary dump of Rudy Gay, a contract that could be bought out at an affordable price in the offseason or moved at the deadline. He still may end up being those things but two weeks into his ironic tenure in Toronto, he has brought something no one expected him to, something the Raptors have been without for years. As head coach Dwane Casey has put it, Salmons brings "old-school toughness." "He has a settling effect when hes in the game and it helps us," Casey said of Salmons, who is averaging 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds, playing just under 26 minutes per game in six contests with the Raptors. "He doesnt get rattled." A versatile defender, Salmons has been used to frustrate the opponents best wing player, most notably Monta Ellis and Kevin Durant in a pair of surprising road victories last week. Hes been one of the first players off Caseys bench, a facilitator in the offence down the stretch but most importantly, hes been a calming presence in the face of adversity and thats rubbing off on his new teammates. After engineering a 19-point comeback in Dallas and withstanding a run from the leagues best team in Oklahoma City, the team pointed to Salmons and his understated brand of leadership. "Im not a rah-rah guy at all," the even-keeled Salmons admitted after Sundays win over the Thunder. "But Ive been around for a long time, Ive experienced a lot so I just try to give my advice when I can." "Being in the league as long as Ive been Ive seen a lot of things and I just try to show poise on the court and lead like that." If you didnt know any better you could easily mistake Salmons unflappable persona for indifference but that, as his new coach has learned, is not the case. "Hes very quiet, [a] quiet leader," Casey said. "He does more [with] his actions than his words but hes a solid man. You engage him in conversation and he has a lot to say. People take that quietness for, whatever but he has a lot to say once you sit down and talk with him. "I like his demeanour. I like his approach. Hes an old-school pro." Its been some time since the Raptors have rostered a vet able and willing to make that type of impact on the teams younger players. You may have to go all the way back to the days of Charles Oakley, Kevin Willis, Doug Christie and the veteran-laden teams that helped turn Vince Carter into an overnight superstar. "I remember walking in [on] day two," Carter reminisced before facing the Raptors in Dallas last week. "And Oak grabbed me by the shoulder and said, hey, Im going to take care of you and show you how to be a professional and be a pro in this league. "And I think of those days and I think of coming to practice when they used to kick the ball in the stands and what do you say? Nothing, youve just got to go get it. You learn a lot from that." Salmons is not Oakley - few are - but his experience and know-how could go a long way in the continued development of sophomores Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas. Then theres DeMar DeRozan, another willing student who, in his fifth NBA season has been forced to learn on the fly without the benefit of a mentor. Veteran players have come and gone - DeRozan credited Reggie Evans and Jarrett Jack - but the roster has mostly been in flux since the 24-year-old was drafted. No one has been around long enough to truly take DeRozan under their wing. Salmons may not be a long-term fixture either, but for now DeRozan is taking in what he can. "Hes played in the playoffs, hes been a leader a long time, played with a lot of great guys," DeRozan said of his new teammates. "He knows how to play the game. "Were definitely paying attention to it, Im even paying more attention to it. I always look at it like, I could always learn more and thats what were doing." Salmons is due to make $7 million next season but the Raptors will only owe him $1 million should they waive him prior to June 30. For that reason, he could become a valuable trade chip and thanks to Masai Ujiris timely acquisition of the four Kings players, he can be repackaged before the February deadline. His time in Toronto may end up being short-lived but even as a temporary player, he could have a long-lasting impact on the future of the Raptors franchise. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . The Mavericks avoided a season sweep by the Nuggets, who ran away with a win in Denver two weeks ago to hand Dallas its longest losing streak at three games. Dallas (42-28) got a boost in the playoff race when Miami rallied from seven down in the last 3 1/2 minutes to beat Memphis 91-86 Friday night. Josh Hart Pelicans Jersey . Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Blue Jackets may do to build upon last seasons success to return to the playoffs again next year. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Nikola-Mirotic-City-Edition-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks won the matchup of unbeaten teams.New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Major League Baseball is returning to Panama for the first time since 1947 when the New York Yankees meet the Miami Marlins in exhibition play. The "Legend Series" will be played on March 15th-16th at Panama Citys Rod Carew Stadium and will honor the legacy of newly retired Yankees great and Panama native Mariano Rivera, the games all-time saves leader. Rivera will serve as one of the promoters of the affair and the series will also include charitable events off the field, including a gala featuring representation of both teams on March 14 that will benefit the Mariano Rivera Foundation. "As long as I can remember, it has been my dream to bring my team, the Yankees, to play baseball in Panama," Riveera said. Nikola Mirotic Jersey. "I grew up in Puerto Caimito, where I developed my passion for baseball and began a journey that brought me to New York. It is my hope that this legacy series will inspire other young players to pursue their dreams. I am grateful to Major League Baseball, the Players Association, the Yankees and the Marlins in making this dream become a reality." The games will be a rematch of the 2003 World Series and Panama will become the seventh country to host games between major league clubs (Mexico, Japan, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and China). In the spring of 1947, the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers played exhibition games in Panama during a trip that also featured stops in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. ' ' '
SCOREBOARDMonday, Dec. Cheap Orioles Jerseys . 1Miami vs. N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m. ESPN. Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins (6-5) are hoping to make the post-season for the first time since 2008, while Rex Ryan and the struggling Jets (2-9) would love nothing more than to put a crimp in Miamis playoff plans. The teams have met 12 times on Monday nights, with the Jets winning seven.___STARSPassing— Ryan Fitzpatrick, Texans, threw for a franchise-record six touchdowns while passing for 358 yards as the Houston Texans set a team record for points, rolling to a 45-21 win over the Tennessee Titans.— Andrew Luck, Colts, threw for 370 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in Indianapolis 49-27 victory over Washington.— Drew Brees, Saints, threw five touchdowns for the ninth time in his career as New Orleans dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-32.— Philip Rivers, Chargers, went for 34 for 45 for 383 yards and three touchdowns, two to Keenan Allen, in San Diegos 34-33 win at Baltimore.— Matt Ryan, Falcons, was 30 of 41 for 361 yards and a pair of TDs in Atlantas 29-18 win over Arizona.— Aaron Rodgers, Packers, threw for 368 yards and two touchdowns to lead Green Bay past New England 26-21.___Rushing—C.J. Anderson, Broncos, rushed for 168 yards and had a 15-yard touchdown catch in a 29-16 win at Kansas City.— Tre Mason, Rams, rushed for two touchdowns and 117 yards and added three catches for 47 yards in St. Louis 52-0 rout of Oakland.— LeVeon Bell, Steelers, ran for 95 yards and a touchdown and also caught eight passes for a career-high 159 yards in Pittsburghs 35-32 loss to New Orleans.— Mark Ingram, Saints, ran for 122 yards on 23 attempts to help lead New Orleans to a 35-32 win over Pittsburgh.— Justin Forsett, Ravens, rushed for 106 yards on 24 carries and went over 1,000 yards in a season for the first time in his seven-year career in Baltimores 34-33 loss to San Diego.— Rashad Jennings, Giants, ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns in a losing cause as New York fell 25-24 at Jacksonville.___Receiving— DeAndre Hopkins, Texans, had a career-best 238 yards receiving and two scores on nine catches in Houstons 45-21 romp over the Tennessee Titans.— Julio Jones, Falcons, caught 10 passes for a career-best 189 yards and a touchdown to keep Atlanta atop its division with a 29-18 victory over Arizona.— Kenny Stills, Saints, caught five passes for a career-high 162 yards and a score as New Orleans edged Pittsburgh 35-32.— Donte Moncrief and Coby Fleener, Colts, each caught two touchdown passes from Andrew Luck in Indianapolis 49-27 win over Washington. Moncrief had three catches for 134 yards, while Fleener had four receptions for 127 yards.— Keenan Allen, Chargers, caught two touchdown passes in San Diegos 34-33 win at Baltimore.___Special Teams— Adam Thielen and Everson Griffen, Vikings, each returned blocked punts for touchdowns, the first time in 24 years a team had two in the same game, in Minnesotas 31-13 victory over Carolina.— Josh Scobee, Jaguars, kicked a 43-yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining in the game to lead Jacksonville to a 25-24 win over the New York Giants.— Joe Haden, Browns, blocked Dan Carpenters 53-yard field goal attempt in Clevelands 26-10 loss at Buffalo.— Matt Bryant, Falcons, kicked a career-best five field goals in Atlantas 29-18 win over Arizona.—Connor Barth, a newcomer to the Broncos, tied a franchise mark when he made five field goals in a 29-16 victory over the Chiefs.___Defence— J.J. Watt, Texans, had his third touchdown reception, two sacks, and forced and recovered a fumble in Houstons 45-21 victory over the Tennessee Titans.— DaNorris Searcy and Jerry Hughes, Bills. Searcy intercepted Brian Hoyer twice and Hughes scored on an 18-yard fumble return in Buffalos 26-10 win over Cleveland.— J.T. Thomas and Aaron Colvin, Jaguars. Thomas recovered a fumble in the end zone for a TD, and Colvin returned one 41 yards for a score in Jacksonvilles 25-24 victory over the New York Giants.— Jason McCourty, Titans, caused a fumble, recovered it and raced 62 yards for a touchdown in Tennessees 45-21 loss to Houston.— Robert Quinn and Trumaine Johnson, Rams. Quinn had three sacks and forced two fumbles, and Johnson had two interceptions, returning the second 44 yards for a score in St. Louis 52-0 win over Oakland.— DQwell Jackson, Colts, returned a fumble 35 yards for the second touchdown of his career in Indianapolis 49-27 win over Washington.— Rashad Johnson, Cardinals, returned an interception 88 yards for a touchdown in Arizonas 29-18 loss to Atlanta.—Von Miller had 1 1-2 of Denver six sacks of Alex Smith in a 29-16 victory at Kansas City.___MILESTONESHoustons J.J. Watt has 11 1/2 sacks and five touchdowns to make him the first player to have at least 10 sacks and three or more touchdowns in a season since 1982, when sacks became an official statistic. Hes also the first NFL player with at least three offensive touchdowns (three receiving) and two or more touchdowns on takeaways (one interception return, one fumble return) in a season since Joe Golding of the Boston Yanks in 1948. ... Andrew Luck threw for 370 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in the Indianapolis Colts 49-27 win over Washington, breaking Peyton Mannings franchise record for most 300-yard games in one season with 10. He also became the fifth NFL player since 1970 to win 30 regular-season games in a players first three seasons, and joined the short list of players to throw for 4,000 yards in two of their first seasons, a club that previously included only Manning and Dan Marino. Luck also became the first quarterback in Colts history to throw two touchdown passes of 70-plus yards in the same game and the third Colts quarterback with 30 TD passes in a season, joining Manning and Johnny Unitas.___STREAKS & STATSThe Buffalo Bills beat the Cleveland Browns 26-10 on Sunday, matching their best start since also opening 7-5 in 2000. ... Baltimores 34-33 loss to San Diego was its first defeat at home in November since 2009. The Ravens, who were 11-0 all-time at home against West Coast teams, last lost a game when they scored 30 points in October 2009, a 33-31 defeat at Minnesota. The last time it happened at home was in 2007, 33-30 in overtime against Cleveland. ... Cincinnati snapped a six-game losing streak to Tampa Bay with a 14-13 win. It was the Bengals first win over the Bucs since a 56-23 rout at home in 1989. ... Aaron Rodgers extended his NFL-record streaks to 360 consecutive passes at home and 31 touchdown passes in a row at home without an interception in Green Bays 26-21 win over New England. His last interception at home came nearly two years ago on Dec. 2, 2012. ... The Indianapolis Colts scored six touchdowns of at least 30 yards in a 49-27 win against Washington, becoming the first team to score at least six TDs of 30 yards or more in the same game since Washington (seven) did so on Nov. 27, 1966, against the New York Giants. ... Denver has beaten Kansas City six straight times.___STEPPING INRyan Fitzpatrick threw for a franchise-record six touchdowns as the Houston Texans set a team record for points, rolling to a 45-21 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Fitzpatrick started after being benched for two games for Ryan Mallett, who suffered a season-ending chest injury last week.___STRONG IN DEFEATColt McCoy was 31 of 47 for a career-best 392 yards and three TD passes in a losing cause as Washington fell 49-27 at Indianapolis. ... Ben Roethlisberger passed for 435 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions in Pittsburghs 35-32 loss to New Orleans.___ROLLIN RAMSSt. Louis scored 38 points in the first half, tied for second most in franchise history, in a 52-0 rout of Oakland on Sunday. The 38-point halftime lead was the largest in franchise history, one more than against Green Bay in 1980, and the final margin was the second largest for the Rams, topped only by a 59-0 victory over Atlanta in 1976. The Raiders (1-11) took their second-worst defeat in the franchises 54-year history, falling just shy of a 55-0 rout at the hands of the Houston Oilers in 1961 in the AFL. The Rams scored touchdowns on their first five possessions, then got a field goal on the sixth midway through the second quarter to top their previous-best scoring total for a game this season.___COMEBACK KIDSBlake Bortles notched his first game-winning drive, and Jacksonville managed its largest comeback ever, rallying from a 21-point deficit to beat the New York Giants 25-24 on Sunday for their second victory of the season. The game marked the fourth time this season that a team has overcome a deficit of at least 21 points to win, tied for the most of any season in NFL history. Bortles is the third rookie starting QB to help his team overcome a deficit of at least 21 points to win since at least 1970, joining Detroits Matthew Stafford (2209) and Tennessees Vince Young (2006).___HERES JOHNNYCleveland rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel provided a lift by scoring his first touchdown on a 10-yard run, but it wasnt enough in the Browns 26-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Manziel came in with 12:01 left after starter Brian Hoyer threw his second interception, which set up Dan Carpenters 34-yard field goal that put Buffalo ahead 20-3. The Browns responded behind Manziel, who enjoyed his most significant playing time of the season and in his first appearance since a 23-21 loss to Baltimore in Week 3. He finished 5 of 8 for 63 yards, and two carries for 13 yards. After going 0 for 1 in a 26-24 win over New Orleans in Week 2, Manziels first NFL completion was a 12-yard pass to Miles Austin on his first attempt Sunday.___STANDING TOGETHERIn a show of solidarity for protesters in nearby Ferguson, Missouri, five St. Louis players stood with their hands up before trotting onto the field during pregame introductions. There have been riots, looting and buildings burned in Ferguson since a grand jury declined last Monday to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of unarmed Michael Brown in August. Everything about the situation touched me because it could have happened to any of us, said tight end Jared Cook, who joined wide receivers Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens in the pregame gesture. After Tre Mason scored on an 8-yard run in the fourth quarter, he and Britt raised their hands together.___BLOCK PARTYMinnesotas Adam Thielen and Everson Griffen each returned blocked punts for touchdowns, the first time in 24 years one team had two in the same game, and the Vikings handed the Panthers their sixth straight loss with a 31-13 victory Sunday. The last time a team scored on two blocked punts in the same NFL game was on Sept. 30, 1990, when Kansas City did it against Cleveland. This was the fifth time it happened in league history, according to STATS research dating to 1940. It was also the first blocked punt return touchdown by the Vikings since Oct. 12, 1986, the longest active NFL streak without one. Minnesota is also the first team since the 1975 Detroit Lions (Sept. 21 at Green Bay) to return two blocked punts for touchdowns in a half.___SIDELINEDTennessee quarterback Zach Mettenberger injured his right shoulder in the third quarter against Houston on Sunday. The rookie quarterback left the game when driven to the ground by J.J. Watt. Jake Locker replaced him and threw an interception on his first play. Houstons Johnathan Joseph injured his Achilles tendon in the third quarter and didnt return, but said after the game that he was OK. The Titans said that wide receiver Justin Hunter has a lacerated spleen and will spend the night in a Houston hospital. ... Giants right tackle Geoff Schwartz, playing in place of starter Justin Pugh, injured his left ankle and left on a cart. His replacement, James Brewer, also left with a concussion. Running back Rashad Jennings went down with an ankle injury. ... Cleveland receiver Miles Austin will remain in a Buffalo hospital overnight after sustaining a kidney injury during a 26-10 loss to the Bills. ... Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields left the game against New England because of a concussion. ... Arizona safety Tyrann Mathieu left the Cardinals loss at the Falcons with a broken thumb. Running back Andre Ellington left the game after aggravating a hip injury.___SPEAKINGIn the NFL, nothing is game, set, match as long as there is time on the clock. Were up 10 at home in the fourth quarter and our offence gave us 33 points. Usually thats enough. It wasnt. Thats why this is extremely disappointing. — Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs after the Ravens were edged by the San Diego Chargers 34-33 on Sunday.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFLBaltimore Orioles Shirts . - Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery was so busy in free agency he didnt mind having a few extra weeks to prepare for the draft. Orioles Jerseys China .com) - The Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics both entered Wednesday nights game riding lengthy losing streaks. https://www.cheaporioles.com/ . The Brazil defender was substituted 13 minutes into Wednesdays 2-1 Copa del Rey win at Athletic Bilbao because of a right hamstring problem. Scans revealed a second grade tear which could keep him out for a reported four to six weeks.BOSTON – It was just one game but it was an ugly one for the St. Louis Cardinals, who will be looking to bounce back from last nights 8-1 defeat to the Red Sox in the World Series opener. A lot will be asked of Cardinals rookie starter Michael Wacha, especially with the apparent reemergence of David Ortiz as a potent offensive threat for the Red Sox. Heres a closer look at tonights game. GAME TWO PREVIEW: PITCHING MATCHUP Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (Regular season: 4-1, 2.78, 1.098 WHIP in 64.2IP; Playoffs: 3GS: 3-0, 0.43, 0.571 WHIP in 21IP) Wacha has never faced the Red Sox or any of Bostons hitters. LINEUP CONSIDERATIONS The Cardinals will make a decision on Carlos Beltrans availability after he takes part in warm up drills and baseball activities this afternoon. Beltran badly bruised the right side of his rib cage crashing into the right field wall while he robbed David Ortiz of a second inning grand slam. Beltran finished the inning in the field but did not return in the third. If Beltran cant play, the Cardinals offence takes an obvious hit. Even if Beltran is in the lineup, he wont be 100 per cent, which will render St. Louis with two hitters in the heart of its order playing under less than ideal conditions. Allen Craig, St. Louis first baseman/dessignated hitter, went 1-for-4 in Game 1, his first action since spraining his foot on September 4 in Cincinnati. Stitched Orioles Jerseys. Well see how Craig performs throughout the series but its asking a lot of a player to immediately find his timing and be productive batting in the clean up spot. Red Sox RHP John Lackey (Regular season: 10-13, 3.52, 1.157 WHIP in 189.1IP; Playoffs: 2GS, 2-0, 3.00, 1.167 WHIP in 12IP) Only two Cardinals have ever faced Lackey (Carlos Beltran, Matt Holiday) and neither have a hit in 16 combined at-bats. LINEUP CONSIDERATIONS David Ortiz, held to just two hits in the ALCS (granted one, his Game 2 grand slam, was very important) had as many hits in the World Series opener. He could have had one more but he was robbed of a second inning grand slam by Carlos Beltran. Ortiz singled in the fifth and then hit a two-run home run in the seventh. Bostons 3-4-5 hitters (Dustin Pedroia-Ortiz-Mike Napoli) went 5-for-12 in the game with five RBI and four runs scored. If Ortiz is indeed heating up, the Red Sox are in good shape to win this series. GAME TWO PREDICTION The Cardinals play much better, this is if they stop kicking around the baseball, but the Red Sox get to Michael Wacha and prevail, 5-3, to take a 2-0 series lead to the Midwest. ' ' '
STANFORD, Calif. Devin Robinson Raptors Jersey . -- New Southern California coach Steve Sarkisian smiled, pumped his fist and threw his arms in the air as his players jumped around the sideline at Stanford Stadium. All of the emotions that had been lacking for USC the past few years finally came pouring out on the road, against a rival and in front of a national television audience -- sometimes even a bit too much. Few things looked pretty for the Trojans on Saturday except for the final score: USC 13, Stanford 10. Andre Heidari kicked a career-long 53-yard field goal with 2:30 remaining, J.R. Tavai forced a fumble to end the Cardinals comeback bid and the 14th-ranked Trojans upended No. 13 Stanford in dramatic fashion again. "I think it says a lot that we can come in against this team, in this environment, and the game not really going our way and not really in our favour, just for whatever reason, and find a way to win," Sarkisian said. A game that featured an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Sarkisian for standing too close to the field, linebacker Hayes Pullard getting ejected for targeting and athletic director Pat Haden yelling at officials in a weird and wild sideline scene, ended with USC making all the big plays on the field in the closing moments. With Stanford threatening to tie or take the lead, Tavai came from Kevin Hogans blindside to jar the ball loose. Scott Felix recovered at the Trojans 26-yard-line with 19 seconds to play, sealing Sarkisians first major victory at USC (2-0, 1-0) and dealing a major blow to the Cardinals chances of a third consecutive Pac-12 title. "I just heard everybody screaming. I was just running to the sideline. Coaches were hugging me. I guess something good happened," Tavai said. Javorius Allen ran for a career-high 154 yards, Nelson Agholor had a career-high nine receptions for 91 yards and Justin Davis ran for a short touchdown to help USC create just enough offence to win at Stanford Stadium for the first time since 2008. The Trojans had gained 701 yards while running a conference-record 105 plays in a 52-13 win over Fresno State last week. But Stanford (1-1, 0-1) slowed down Cody Kessler and USCs up-tempo offence most of the afternoon, holding the Trojans to 59 plays. Stanford outgained USC 413 to 291 yards but couldnt overcome its own mistakes. The Cardinal committed two turnovers, eight penalties for 68 yards and Jordan Williamson missed two field goals. The loss snapped Stanfords 17-game home winning streak, which was the longest active streak in the country. "You got to make field goals. You got to take advantage of field position. We just did not," Cardinal coach David Shaw said. Kessler underwent an unspecified procedure on one of his toes this week but showed no effects of the injury. He completed 15 of 22 passes for 135 yards and directed the Trojans when it mattered most. Sarkisian sent his offence on the field for a fourth-and-5 from the 35-yard line before calling a timeout to go for a field goal at the end of USCs final drive. Heidari then connected from 53 yards, turned around and gestured at the Trojans faithful in the far corner of the crowd. Heidari had kicked a 47-yard field goal with 19 seconds to play in USCs 20-17 win over the Cardinal last year in Los Angeles. "I trusted myself, I trusted the ball, the holder, the snapper. Im glad I had the opportunity to do what I did last year," he said. Stanford still had one last chance to avoid another painful memory. Hogan completed 22 of 30 passes for 285 yards and put the Cardinal in position to come back before Tavai sprinted from his blindside and forced the fumble to cap an emotional day on the USC sideline. Pullard was ejected after his hit near the head of Stanfords Ty Montgomery at the end of a punt return in the third quarter, and Haden was caught by television cameras disputing with officials on the sideline before the fourth quarter. Haden, who is slated to serve on the new College Football Playoff selection committee the next two years, said somebody from compliance sent him a text message to come down and calm the situation at Sarkisians request. He said the incident wasnt a big ideal. All the theatrics aside, it was the plays on the field that led the Trojans to victory. USC stuffed Stanford fullback Daniel Marx on fourth-and-1 from the 3-yard line, and Heidari finished off USCs next drive with a tying 35-yard field goal late in the third quarter. Hogan had a 28-yard TD pass to Austin Hooper wiped away by a 15-yard penalty on Remound Wright for an illegal block in the back in the fourth quarter. The Cardinal punted from USCs 32 instead of trying a long field goal. Fullback Patrick Skov, brother of former standout middle linebacker Shayne Skov, bulldozed through the line from 2 yards out for the first touchdown of his career -- and the only one Stanford scored -- in the second quarter. Matt Thomas Jersey . Lexie Lou earned a commanding 4 1/2-length win Sunday in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks. Serge Ibaka Jersey . An offseason trade acquisition from Kansas City, Greinkes National League debut was delayed by a non-baseball injury in the spring, and he was 0-1 after dropping an 8-0 decision at Atlanta in his initial appearance with the Brewers on May 4. https://www.raptorsrookiesshop.com/Rondae-Hollis-Jefferson-City-Edition-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59.DONETSK, Ukraine -- The professional ice hockey club in the war-torn city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine says armed men have occupied its offices. The Donbass Donetsk club says that a group of "armed men broke into the building" on Wednesday afternoon and "seized" the offices. In May, the clubs arena suffered severe fire damage after being looted by men thee club called "bandits" representing the pro-Russian separatist Donetsk Peoples Republic. Tracy Mcgrady Raptors Jersey. The club did not say whether the armed men involved in Wednesdays incident came from the same group. Donbass played in the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League until it withdrew from the competition in the summer because of the damage to its arena. ' ' '
DALLAS -- Monta Ellis is headed to his first Game 7, and DeJuan Blair gets a chance to play his old team in San Antonio one more time after all. Cheap Shoes Outlet Stores . Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki will return to the site of one of the best moments of his stellar career. Ellis scored 12 of his 29 points to lead a fourth-quarter comeback that also got an energetic boost from Blair in his return after getting suspended, and the Mavericks forced a deciding game in their first-round series with top-seeded San Antonio, beating the Spurs 113-111 on Friday night. "Put all of our chips on the table and see what happens," said Ellis, whose 3-pointer put eighth-seeded Dallas ahead for a good at 94-92 with 5 minutes to go. Tony Parker matched Nowitzki with 22 points to lead the heavily favoured Spurs, who are stuck in a tossup series after they won all four games against the Mavericks during the regular season and had a 10-game winning streak against them after taking the opener. The only other time these teams played a Game 7, Nowitzki had an improbable three-point play to force overtime in San Antonio in 2006. The Mavericks went on to win the second-round series and reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. "Well, its the ultimate thrill," said Nowitzki, who is 4-0 in Game 7s in his career. "Nothing matters anymore. Just this one game." And Blair will be there. He missed Game 5 in South Texas after the league suspended him for kicking Tiago Splitter in the head when he was called for a foul when the pair got tangled up and fell to the court in Game 4. He never said he was mad that the league suspended him, but he showed it, knocking Parker the court with a hard screen that led to a three-point play at the end of the first half for Devin Harris. Then, he had four rebounds and two steals in the fourth quarter -- and finished with 10 points and 14 boards for his second double-double of the series. "His energy was great," said his old coach, San Antonios Gregg Popovich. "He was a man possessed on both ends of the floor. Thought he was really super." Blair had plenty of time to think about Game 6 after watching the previous game alone in his hotel room in San Antonio. "Winning on their court would be the best revenge," said Blair, who spent his first four seasons with the Spurs and was with them for a heartbreaking loss to Miami in the NBA Finals last year. "We just have to bring it next game." The Mavericks handed the Spurs their first road defeat when leading after three quarters this season on the same floor where Vince Carter had given them a 2-1 series lead and sent the crowd into hysterics with an improbable winning 3-pointer. Fans were standing the entire fourth quarter this time, when the Mavericks trailed by five points to start the final 12 minutes before a 14-2 run for an eight-point lead. Parker got the Spurs close again and had a duel of driving layups with Ellis in the final 2 minutes. Parker, who had 13 of his points in the fourth and added six assists, spun through the lane before shovelling one up over Nowitzki with his left hand to get the Spurs within 106-105. The Mavericks pushed the lead back to six before the Spurs made it interesting again with 3-pointers from Danny Green and Patty Mills. It wasnt over until a shot by Mills on an inbound play with 0.4 seconds left was ruled to have been late. It was short anyway. "I thought we just made too many mistakes tonight," said Tim Duncan, who had 16 points and nine rebounds. "Giving up 37 points in the last quarter is just too much for us. Defensively, weve got to be a little more solid than that." Both teams had six players in double figures, with Splitter making 11 of 12 free throws for a playoff career-high 19 points. Danny Green had 17, matching his total for the first five games of the series combined, and Tim Duncan had 16 points and nine rebounds. Carter finished with 13, and Jose Calderon had 12 points and six assists. NOTES: The Spurs were 25-0 on the road when leading after three quarters before this game. Theyre now 55-2 overall for the season. ... The Mavericks had seven turnovers in the second quarter, and the sloppy stretch helped the Spurs cut an 11-point deficit to two at 41-39. Dallas had seven more turnovers in the third, when a six-point lead turned into a five-point deficit. ... Mavericks C Brandan Wright did not play for the first time in the series after playing a series-high 26 minutes in Game 5 when Dallas pick-and-roll defence was shredded. Trendy Wholesale Shoes . Smith has spent the last three seasons with the Rockies, playing both left and right field, and has a .275 batting average with 51 homers and 181 RBIs in 487 major league games. Cheap Shoes Online Free Delivery .FIFA says it is relaxing the rule which forced match officials to leave its international list at the end of the year they turned 45. http://www.cheapshoes.us.org/ .com) - Real Madrid claimed its 20th consecutive win across all competitions by cruising to a 4-1 victory at Almeria on Friday.The Oscar Pistorius trial has resumed following a month long break. During that time, Pistorius underwent a psychiatric evaluation at the direction of the court to determine if he suffered from general anxiety disorder (GAD) at the time he killed Reeva Steenkamp. The Charges The issue being determined at trial is whether Pistorius killed Steenkamp intentionally, or as Pistorius alleges, he killed her by accident believing her to be an intruder. Form a legal standpoint, this distinction is really important since it ties into the charges faced by Pistorius. There are three possible scenarios with respect to the charges: Premeditated murder, murder and culpable homicide. Premeditated murder requires an intent to murder plus planning the murder. Premeditation is reserved for more robust planning and generally doesnt capture an intent that materialized right before a crime was committed. There was no significant planning to the crime, so premeditated murder will likely fail. Even if the prosecution cant make out premeditated murder, it can still get Pistorius on the lesser charge of murder. In order establish murder, they only need to show that he intended to kill Steenkamp (no planning element needed).Should the prosecution fail on murder, there is another lesser charge that could come into play: culpable homicide. This charge means that Pistorius negligently killed Steenkamp (or that he killed her by accident). Premeditated murder would get Pistorius a compulsory life sentence, while murder would result in a compulsory sentence of 15 years. For culpable homicide, the sentencing is discretionary (varies from fines to prison time), although its not unusual to see prison time in South Africa of 5-10 years for this type of crime. Facing very serious charges, the defence team wanted to establish that Pistorius should not go to jail because he was mentally ill when he fired those four gunshots the night of Valentines Day. And thats where GAD comes into play. General Anxiety Disorder And Diminished Capacity A defendant that suffers from a mental disorder can be found not criminally responsible on the basis that he or she could not appreciate the difference between right and wrong at the time the crime was committed. If such a finding is made, one possible outcome is the trial ends right then and there, and the defendant is committed to an institution indefinitely. In essence, it would look very much like an acquittal with ongoing psychiatric care. So if it was concluded that Pistorius had a mental disorder that made him incapable of appreciating the wrongfulness of his act, the trial could have come to a very abrupt end and Pistorius could have avoided jail time. Psychiatric Finding The psychiatric report concluded that Pistorius was not mentally ill at the time he killed Steenkamp. As per the report, "at the time of the alleged offenses, the accused did not suffer from a mental disorder or mental defect that affected his ability to distinguish between the rightful or wrongful naturee of his deeds". Authentic Shoes For Cheap. So that means the trial continues and Pistorius does not avoid prison in favour of an institution. Mental Illness No. 2: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Things didnt end with GAD. On July 2, the defence team declared that Pistorius was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and as result was suicidal. "He is...mourning the loss of Ms Steenkamp," said Barry Roux, Pistorius lawyer. "Should he not receive proper clinical care, his condition is likely to worsen and increase the risks for suicide." Is this a meaningful finding with respect to exonerating Pistorius? No. This mental disorder speaks to Pistorius state of mind AFTER the murder and not before or during the act. The key is in the name of the affliction: POST-traumatic stress disorder and not PRE-traumatic stress disorder. So that means that even if it can be shown that Pistorius suffers from PTSD, his mental illness did not render him unable to appreciate the difference between right and wrong at the time of the killing since he would have only developed the illness after the crime. Accordingly, as far as being a defence to the core issue in this trial, namely that Pistorius did not intend to kill Steenkamp, its irrelevant and of no import. However, the defence team may have raised PTSD as further evidence that Pistorius did not intend to kill Steenkamp. The defence team would argue that Pistorius is distraught to the point of being suicidal because he never intended to kill Steenkamp. If he did intend to kill Steenkamp, he would not be suicidal. Of course, this argument is vulnerable to attack. Pistorius intending to kill Steenkamp is not incompatible with feeling profound remorse and guilt after the fact. Indeed, it could be argued that experiencing feelings of anguish and accountability after intentionally killing someone is not unusual in this type of circumstance. The defence team also raised PTSD so they could rely on it as a possible mitigating factor to reduce his prison time come sentencing. The idea would be that he would need ongoing psychiatric care, which could only be adequately provided in an institution outside of prison. Next Steps Once the defence has called all its witnesses, it will close its case. That should within the next week or so. After that, both parties will present their closing arguments with a view to persuading the court of their respective positions. Once closing arguments wrap up, the Court will schedule a date to announce the verdict. Following the determination of guilt, a sentencing hearing will be held where both sides will present arguments with respect to the appropriate sentence. Thereafter, Judge Masipa will hand down her sentence. At the rate the trial is proceeding, expect it to conclude sometime in mid-summer. Pistorius claims lack believability and veracity. Given the number of improbabilities in his story (as discussed here), it would not be a surprise to see Pistorius convicted of murder. ' ' '
Sidney Crosby may be going under the knife. Chris Capuano Brewers Jersey . According to a source with The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Penguins captain is set to have arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist within the week. The source added to the Post-Gazette that the surgery "is not major," but is set to repair damage that impeded his postseason performance. The surgery is not expected to force Crosby to miss any time in the upcoming season. Crosby scored one goal and added eight assists in 13 playoff games with the Penguins, who were eliminated in Round 2 by the New York Rangers. The 26-year-old was awarded the Hart Trophy as the NHLs most valuable player in 2013-14. Rob Deer Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Jordan Lyles Jersey . - No matter the lineup or location, the San Antonio Spurs are rolling through the NBA again this spring, just the way they have for most of the last two decades. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/1659y-rob-deer-jersey-brewers.html . -- Zach Johnson is like most players at the World Challenge, not sure whether hes still playing in 2013 or if hes in the middle of the new wraparound season that officially started in October. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry received the NBAs yearlong community assist award, spoke passionately about his charitable works, then dished out another assist to his former coach. In his first extended public comments since Mark Jackson was fired, Curry said Thursday that he voiced his support for the coach but the team "made a decision otherwise." He also said the "semi-quick hire" of Steve Kerr was "kind of a shock" to most of his teammates. "Theres no sugarcoating it -- it was a weird, expedited situation that we didnt see coming," Curry said. "And guys are human. You have to be able to adjust to it and have some time to respond. Thats kind of what happened. I think well be fine once we have a clear picture of whats going on next year." Curry had been the strongest supporter of Jackson before the Warriors dismissed the coach May 6 after a 51-win season and back-to-back playoff appearances. Golden State agreed to a five-year, $25 million deal with Kerr on May 14 and introduced him at a news conference in Oakland on May 20. Even with owner Joe Lacob and general manager Bob Myers going against Currys request, the All-Star point guard insists he still believes in the franchises commitment to winning. "One thing I can say about this organization, they want to win," Curry said. "Each decision is geared toward winning. Thats something that flies well with a lot of players -- that theyre going to try to put us in the best position to win. Obviously, I had a certain opinion of Coach Jackson that they made a decision otherwise, and I heard the reasons, but I wont dwell on it. "As long as were focused on winning and taking advantage of the roster we have and the opportunity we have with this window to try to continue to get better, Im just looking forward to next year and getting back to making that happen," Curry said. "I havent lost faith in that at all. As much as I supported Coach Jackson and loved everything about playing for him, I think theyree about winning. Keston Hiura Brewers Jersey. " Curry said he has spoken to Kerr three or four times by phone already. He said the conversations have been more informal than any basketball strategy, and hes looking forward to in-person meetings after Kerr finishes his job as a broadcast analyst for TNT in the Western Conference finals. Curry said his support of Jackson stems from their bond off the court and his memories of the organization before the coach arrived: a lot of losses -- and two ankle surgeries -- under Don Nelson and Keith Smart. "He was a sign of stability for me," Curry said. "I had three coaches in three years, and he embodies what I know is good around here with the Warriors -- winning and that kind of feel. It was a lot different in my first few years." But Curry said he will adjust, learn Kerrs style and play just as hard for him as he did for Jackson. And he has no doubt his teammates will, too. "At the end of the day, all of the guys in the locker room are trying to win," Curry said. "I know Steve Kerr has that mentality and that mission as well. Those two things will align, and well be fine." Earlier, Curry was awarded the NBAs 2013-14 Kia Community Assist Seasonlong Award in front of a crowd on Golden States practice floor that included many of the individuals and groups he impacted. Currys charity of choice, ThanksUSA, will receive $25,000 from the NBA and Kia Motors. ThanksUSA provides college, technical and vocational school scholarships for children and spouses of active-duty military personnel. Curry has served as a spokesman for the charity since 2010. Currys other charitable works included distributing 38,000 bed nets in Tanzania last summer with the "Nothing But Nets" campaign. He also helped raise money for the fight against malaria in Africa by donating three bed nets for every 3-pointer he made. Curry called the award a "huge honour" and a team effort. He thanked his family, agents, members of the Warriors, the NBA, and several organizations for partnering with him. ' ' '
Golden States NBA MVP Stephen Curry has suffered another injury and is a doubt for the rest of the play-offs. Nike Air Max Korting . Curry returned from an ankle injury in Game Four of the play-off series between the Warriors and the Houston Rockets only to slip on a wet spot on the court and suffer a knee injury. The Warriors guard tested his knee on court at half-time but, on the advice of team doctors, he did not return to the game as Golden State completed a 121-94 victory to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.Curry, who missed the previous two games in the Western Conference first-round series after spraining his right ankle in the opener, is scheduled to have an MRI scan on his right knee on Monday.I just feel awful for him, said coach Steve Kerr. Now hopefully hes going to be okay before not too long. We dont know.Hes been healthy all year long and all of a sudden the play-offs start and a couple of fluke things.Kerr said that Curry, the leagues leading scorer, who averaged 30.1 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds during the regular season, had been eager to return to the court for the third quarter.I said to him, Are you okay? And he said, Im okay. I said, Are you sure? Youve got to be honest with us. And he just put his head down and he knew, Kerr said.He knew it was not a wise thing to do, to go out there. We had talked with the doctors about just seeing how he felt, trying it out with a warm-up session. He went out there, tried to move on it and it wasnt right.He still wanted to play and we wouldnt let him. You saw. He was very upset. Nike Air Max 180 Nederland . His team rose to the occasion Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. "The sting from yesterday is not something we hid from or pretend didnt happen," Dineen said. Nike Air Max 270 Goedkoop . - Suspended Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon has voluntarily checked into a treatment facility and seems to be doing well. http://www.airmaxkopennederland.com/ . Nick Young scored 17 points for Los Angeles, which lost five of its last seven before trouncing the Pelicans, who beat them handily last week in New Orleans. Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry scored 15 points apiece for the Lakers, who led by 20 points in the first half before coasting to their 12th win in their last 13 regular-season meetings with New Orleans.Renan Barao made a statement as the undisputed bantamweight champion at UFC 169 on Saturday in New Jersey, but was his victory over Urijah Faber called too soon by referee Herb Dean? The champion looked superior from start to finish, exposing the challanger with overwhelming speed and accuracy. Midway through the first round Barao dropped Faber with a hard right hand and pounced on his wounded opponent. As Barao began to unleash a flurry of strikes, Faber turtled on his hands and knees and tucked his arm against the side of his head to protect himself. Dean stopped the fight at 3:42 of the opening round after Barao landed more than a dozen blows to the shoulder, forearm and neck area of the huddled Faber. A conscious and alert Faber looked uup at Dean in confusion at the stoppage. Nike Air Max 97 Goedkoop. He said in the post-fight interview that he assured the referee he was still fighting despite a lack of movement during Baroas onslaught. The UFC defines a knockout as a fighter who is knocked down and "either unconscious, disoriented or unable to intelligently defend himself." Also that a referee is "the sole arbiter of a contest and is the only individual authorized to stop a contest." The question is, does a lack of movement mean a lack of intelligent or conscious defending? Barao believed he had won, while Faber thought he had more time. Did Dean miss the mark with his stoppage of the fight, or was his judgment spot on? As always, its Your! Call ' ' '
WASHINGTON -- Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Saturday that the pro football teams nickname is "respectful" toward Native Americans. Wholesale Shoes From China . On Thursday, half the U.S. Senate urged National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell to change the Washington clubs name, saying it is a racist slur and it is time to replace it. The franchise responded by releasing Allens letter. "Our use of Redskins as the name of our football team for more than 80 years has always been respectful of and shown reverence toward the proud legacy and traditions of Native Americans," he wrote. The letter references research that "the term Redskins originated as a Native American expression of solidarity." It notes that the teams logo was designed by Native American leaders and cites surveys that Native Americans and Americans as a whole support the name. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has refused to change the name, citing tradition, but there has been growing pressure including statements in recent months from President Barack Obama, lawmakers of both parties and civil rights groups. Last month, Reid took to the Senate floor to say Snyder should "do what is morally right" and change the name. In a letter Thursday, 49 senators mentioned the National Basketball Associations quick action recently to ban Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life after he was heard on an audio recording making offensive comments about blacks. They said Goodell should formally push to rename the Redskins. "We urge you and the National Football League to send the same clear message as the NBA did: that racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports," read the letter, which did not use the word "Redskins." Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida wrote his own letter saying he doesnt believe that retaining the Redskin name "is appropriate in this day and age." In a written response Thursday, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said "the intent of the teams name has always been to present a strong, positive and respectful image." Reid and Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington state led the letter-writing effort. All senators on the letter are Democrats. Cantwell spokesman Jared Leopold said Republicans were not asked to participate. The senators noted that tribal organizations representing more than two million Native Americans across the U.S. have said they want the Redskins name dropped. Despite federal laws protecting their identity, "Every Sunday during football season, the Washington, D.C., football team mocks their culture," they wrote. "The NFL can no longer ignore this and perpetuate the use of this name as anything but what it is: a racial slur." Wholesale China Shoes Free Shipping . Scotlands Greg Laidlaw made one of two penalty kicks and all three conversions, and Stuart Hogg added a try in the second half. "The most important thing to come out of the game is that we did not get scored against," Laidlaw said. Cheap Replica Shoes China . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.wholesaleshoes.us.org/ . - Carter Verhaeghe scored the winner with 41 seconds to go as the Niagara IceDogs edged the North Bay Battalion 3-2 to even their first-round series at a game apiece in Ontario Hockey League playoff action on Sunday.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jacksonville Jaguars might be evaluating more than players at the Senior Bowl.Coach Gus Bradley and his staff took a charter bus to Mobile, Alabama, on Monday to coach the South team in the college all-star game. Bradley also could end up hiring an offensive co-ordinator during the weeklong event.Bradley already interviewed seven candidates for the job, which opened when Jedd Fisch was fired two days after the regular season ended.Bradley interviewed Minnesotaa running backs coach Kirby Wilson on Jan. Cheap Shoes China Wholesale. 8, followed by San Francisco offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman (Jan. 10), former Buffalo head coach Doug Marrone (Wednesday), Oakland offensive co-ordinator Greg Olson (Thursday), former Buffalo offensive co-ordinator Nathaniel Hackett (Friday), Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn (Saturday) and former Denver offensive co-ordinator Adam Gase (Sunday).___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '
PORTLAND, Ore. Chicago White Sox Shirts . -- Portland reserve point guard Mo Williams is unlikely to play in Game 3 against San Antonio on Saturday night because of a groin injury. Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters Friday he doesnt anticipate Williams will play. Earl Watson and Will Barton will come off the bench in his place. Williams, who provided a spark for the Blazers all season in backing up starting point guard Damian Lillard, played only 9 minutes in Portlands 114-97 loss in San Antonio on Thursday night. He is averaging 7.4 points and 23.4 minutes in the post-season. White Sox Jerseys China . The Twins announced Thursday the 28-year-old Albers cleared waivers. He will join the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization. Chicago White Sox Store . Re-signed by the club to a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract on July 5, Bass appeared in three preseason games with Columbus prior to breaking a bone in his hand on Sept. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/ . Right-hander Todd Redmond took the loss. Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the spring. Here are a handful of tidbits from around camp: Hutchison impressive The Blue Jays are being cautious when talking about their young arms but internally, excitement is building over the way Drew Hutchison is looking and performing this spring.In a surprising move, the New York Mets invested in an aging hitter to kick off the free agent season. Numbers Game breaks down the Mets’ addition of Michael Cuddyer. The Mets Get: OF Michael Cuddyer. Cuddyer, 35, is coming off an injury-plagued season, but he’s been a very productive hitter for Colorado the past two seasons. It’s no coincidence, however, that those seasons have occurred in Colorado. Cuddyer has played 179 games over the past two seasons, hitting .331 with a .928 OPS, but those numbers are, not surprisingly, tilted towards the Rockies’ home field. HOME-ROAD SPLITS 2013-2014 LOCATION AB HR AVG OPS Home 305 17 .367 1.061 Road 374 13 .302 .815 Three of Cuddyer’s four highest home-run-to-flyball rates have come in the past three years, while playing for the Rockies, including last season’s career-best 22.7%. All this while swinging at more pitches outside the strike zone than ever before, something that would seem to be a nasty habit when the confines of the home park aren’t so friendly. Even if we can rest assured that Cuddyer will no longer receive the Colorado boost to his offensive numbers, there is still the opportunity that he could be a productive hitter. The trouble is, at his age, he’s not much more than a hitter. Whie he can still run a little bit (stealing 32 bases in 39 attempts over the past four seasons), Cuddyer is a liability in the field. In right field, where’s he’s spent most of his outfield time, he hasn’t had a positive Defensive Runs Saved ratting since 2005, and is minus-18 runs in that metric over the past two seasons. Stitched White Sox Jerseys. . His Ultimate Zone Rating has been similarly negative and now that he’s in his mid-30s, there’s no reason to believe that it’s going to get better. In New York, Cuddyer figures to shift to left field, which could help mitigate some of his fielding woes, but will also mean that CF Juan Lagares and RF Curtis Granderson will have to be prepared to cover a lot of ground. Over the past two seasons, Cuddyer has, cumulatively, been good for three-to-four wins above replacement (3.0 BBRef WAR, 3.9 fWAR) and that makes him a useful player and two years, at a total of $21-million isn’t unreasonable for solid bat, when healthy. Whether that makes him worth forgoing the 15th pick in the first round of next year’s draft – the compensation that the Mets owe for signing him – is another matter entirely. Colorado is already rather crowded in the outfield, with young inexpensive options like Corey Dickerson, Brandon Barnes and Charlie Blackmon pushing for bigger roles, so they can afford to lose Cuddyer. Getting a first-round pick out of the deal is a reward for being willing to make a $15.3-million qualifying offer to Cuddyer in the first place. Verdict: Cuddyer could be a solid bat for the Mets, but he’s played 280 (of a possible 486) games over the past three seasons and health questions for a player in his mid-30s don’t figure to go away. Mix in expected decline with a change in home park and it is hard for the Mets to justify the long-term impact of giving up a first-round pick. Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.ca ' ' '
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Bernardo Anor scored twice after Marco Di Vaio had given Montreal the lead and the Columbus Crew ended a seven-game winless streak with a 2-1 victory against the Impact on Saturday. Texas Rangers Gear . Anor had not scored since getting his first two goals of the season vs. Philadelphia on March 22 but struck with laser precision from distance in the 56th and 75th minutes. Montreal (3-10-5) lost its third straight and Impact coach Frank Klopas said it literally was a case of his players not stepping up. Both Anor goals came from outside the penalty after he found time and space. "I think we could have stepped on him a little bit quicker and we didnt," Klopas said. Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark made five saves and was spectacular in shutting down the Impact after Di Vaios goal in the 35th minute. Clark kept the match level at 1-1 in the 62nd minute with a diving stop of Felipe Martins then followed two minutes later with rapid-fire denials of Di Vaio and a second-chance effort from Andres Romero that brought the sellout crowd of 21,112 in Crew Stadium to their feet. Moments after Columbus (5-8-7) forward Aaron Schoenfeld sent a glancing header off the right post, Clark lunged left to his left for another save on Romero in the 69th minute. "(Anor) scored two fantastic goals but Steve was our man of the match," Columbus coach Gregg Berhalter said. The Impact felt the Crew were ripe for the taking because Columbus was 0-3-4 in its previous seven matches and coming off a loss to Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday while Montreal was idle. "Its games like this you feel youve got to get something out of it," Klopas said. Instead, the Impact fell to 0-6-3 on the road with another away match Thursday at Real Salt Lake. "Weve got to get results," said Montreal captain Patrice Bernier. "Theres a short, short window left for us to believe that something can be done. After that, you start thinking maybe next year." Klopas gave Ohio native Evan Bush his first MLS start of the season and third of his MLS career over Troy Perkins. "There are moments in the season when one guys not in the best form and the other guy is," Klopas said. "You have to reward the guy who is." Montreal started well in front of Bush as Di Vaio continued his hot stretch with his fourth goal of the season and third in the past four games. The Impact took advantage of a turnover by defender Michael Parkhurst, who prior to the match was named to the MLS All-Star team that will face Bayern Munich on Aug. 6 in Portland, Ore. Justin Mapp plucked the ball from his feet and fed Di Vaio on the right wing. Di Vaio did the rest from there, faking Costa Rican World Cup defender Giancarlo Gonzalez then driving the ball past Clark from just inside the box. It was the sixth time in 10 home games that the Crew conceded the first goal. Montreals Jack McInerney missed an open look that would have made it 2-0 in the 54th minute and Anor made the Impact pay with his strike from the top of the arc two minutes later and a screaming blast from 25 yards for the victory. "Thats the first time this season that I can say Im at a loss of words," Montreal defender Heath Pearce said. "Of course it feels like since the very first game of the season weve been swimming against the current." Stitched Rangers Jerseys . Brassard and Coyotes defenceman Derek Morris were battling for position in the crease when a nudge from Morris sent Brassard on top of Smith late in the third period. Wholesale Rangers Jerseys .J. - The New Jersey Devils know the odds are against them as they chase a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/ . Pretty good hitting, too. Dan Haren pitched six innings and sparked the go-ahead rally with a single, leading Los Angeles to another win over the skidding Atlanta Braves, 4-2 on Tuesday night.NORTH BAY, Ont. -- Connor Jarvis and Jared Steege each had two goals and an assist as the Battalion capped their first season in North Bay with a decisive 12-1 win over the Ottawa 67s in Ontario Hockey League action Sunday. The Battalions first season since moving from Brampton after last season was a big success on the ice. The Battalion finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak and clinched the Central Division title with a 38-24-6 record. North Bay enters the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Niagara IceDogs in the first round. Brett McKenzie also scored twice for North Bay, while Ben Thomson had a goal and two assists. Marcus McIvor, Vincent Praplan, Alex Henriksson, Zach Bratina and Jamie Lewis had the other Battalion goals. Barclay Goodrow added three assists. Ryan Van Stralen had the only goal for Ottawa (23-39-6), which finished last in the East. Brendan ONeill made 31 saves for North Bay. Philippe Trudeau stopped 38 of 47 shots before being replaced by Liam Herbst, who stopped five of eight in relief. --- FRONTENACS 4 STEELHEADS 1 MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Kingston scored four power-play goals to build an insurmountable lead over the Steelheads. Ryan Kujawinski, Darcy Greenaway, Lawson Crouse and Samuel Schutt supplied the offence for the Frontenacs (39-23-6), while Lucas Peressini made 30 saves for the win. Lucas Venuto was the lone scorer for Mississauga (24-38-6). Spencer Marrtin stopped 35 of 39 shots. Custom Texas Rangers Jerseys. --- ICEDOGS 5 PETES 4 ST. CATHARINES, Ont. -- Eric Ming, Billy Jenkins and Graham Knott all scored in the shootout as Niagra edged Peterborough. Ming also scored in regulation for the IceDogs (24-35-9), while Jordan Maletta, Brendan Perlini and Johnny Corneil also had goals in regulation time. Brent Moran had 16 saves to earn the win in net. Anthony Stefano, Josh MacDonald, Eric Cornel and Hunter Garlent scored for the Petes (32-30-6) in the first three periods of play. Goalie Jason Da Silva stopped 34 shots. --- GREYHOUNDS 7 KNIGHTS 5 SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. -- Andrew Fritsch struck twice as the Greyhounds topped London. Bryan Moore, Dylan Corson and Blake Speers all had a goal and an assist for Sault Ste. Marie (44-17-6), while Michael Bunting and Tyler Hore also scored. Matt Rupert had a pair of goals for the Knights (49-14-5). Gemel Smith, Michael McCarron and Mitchell Marner chipped in as well. Jake Patterson stopped 27 of 33 shots. Brandon Halverson turned aside 33 shots for the win. --- WOLVES 2 GENERALS 1 OSHAWA, Ont. -- Connor Crisps power-play goal late in the third period was the winner as Sudbury rallied past the Generals. Dominik Kahun tied the game 1-1 for the Wolves (33-24-11) at the 11:50 mark of the third. Joe Manchurek scored early in the first period for Oshawa (42-20-6), while Ken Appleby stopped 30 shots. Sudburys Troy Timpano made 34 saves for the win. ' ' '
OTTAWA - The University of Ottawa is refusing to release a pair of investigative reports into misconduct that led to the suspension of its mens hockey team, revealing for the first time that the probe was launched as part of a pre-emptive legal strategy. Paul Molitor Brewers Jersey .As a result, the varsity players find themselves in the odd situation of having participated willingly in an investigation, overseen by a major law firm, that was aimed at protecting the university from possible lawsuits.Police in Thunder Bay have charged two players with sexual assault in connection with an incident involving a 21-year-old woman during a road trip in February 2014. The team was initially suspended for the remainder of the 2013-14 season, and now the mens hockey program has been put on hold through 2015-16.The remaining 22 players are represented in a $6-million class-action lawsuit against the university that alleges their reputations were unnecessarily tarnished.Lawrence Greenspon, the lawyer representing the players in the suit, said its fundamentally wrong to withhold the reasons behind the suspension.If youre going to punish somebody for something that you said they did wrong, you have to at least disclose to them the basis for the punishment ... its fundamental fairness to human beings, Greenspon said in an interview.Youre clearly punishing these guys, youre clearly affecting their lives, and youre refusing to release the results of the investigation that they say is the basis for this punishment.Last June, university president Allan Rock told a news conference that independent investigator Steven Gaon had delivered a report. Rock said the university fired hockey coach Real Paiement based on the finding he did not inform school officials about the Thunder Bay incident.In a subsequent letter to the Globe and Mail, Rock said the investigation also disclosed widespread behaviour that was disreputable and unbecoming of representatives of uOttawa and suggested an unhealthy climate surrounding the team.Gaon was actually hired and directed by the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright Canada, which in turn had been retained by the university.Norton Rose Fulbright..retained an independent investigator to probe the facts underlying the allegations, in order to be in a position to give legal advice to the university on potential legal claims arising from the mens hockey team matter, the firm said in a submission to Ontarios information commissioner in December.The Canadian Press lodged a complaint with the commissioners office after the university refused to release any part of the investigations findings under the provinces freedom of information law.In May, Gaon delivered not one, but two reports — one about allegations of sexual misconduct, and the other on excessive drinking. Those reports were also prepared for use in giving legal advice, according to university lawyer David Bolger.The university said in a June press release that Gaons findings would not be published to avoid any interference with the ongoing police investigation and out of respect for the universitys privacy obligations.But in its submissions to the information commissioner, the university cites as its primary concern the fact that the records are considered legal advice.The records should not be disclosed. They are protected by solicitor-client privilege, both at common law and under the statutory exemption created by the Act, the university wrote.Anne-Marie Roy, president of the University of Ottawas student federation, said it is in the interest of the wider university community to have the information released.How are we supposed to hold this university accountable for cases of sexual violence if theres absolutely no transparency, if we dont know whats actually happening? said Roy.If there are serious findings in that report, how am I supposed to make sure that the University of Ottawa is properly taking steps to make sure that doesnt reoccur?The university also cites concerns over privacy and the police investigation in its refusal to release the documents. It said the records are replete with personal information about the members of the mens hockey team and the mens hockey teams former coach, details about the alleged assault that have not been made public, and sensitive details about the alleged victims interactions with members of the mens hockey team.Given that the reports conclude that [name(s) withheld] had changed their stories over time, there is a very real risk that the release of this information would result in [name(s) withheld] colluding (intentionally or unintentionally) when they are called to give evidence, reads the submission.An edited copy of the sexual misconduct report was prepared by the university to see if there was an possibility of releasing them to The Canadian Press. But it concluded that this would compromise the universitys ability to seek appropriate legal advice and be fully informed about its legal rights and responsibilities.It also worried that there would be a risk of the public deducing the identity of players, even with their names withheld.The University of Ottawa released last summer an evaluation by two outside academics on the institutions policies, practices and procedures. Chris Capuano Jersey . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City. Yasmani Grandal Jersey .com) - Sixth-seeded Feliciano Lopez was a first-round winner on Monday at the Delray Beach Open tennis event. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/1739y-jordan-lyles-jersey-brewers.html . - Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying.CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox reinstated ace Chris Sale from the 15-day disabled list before Thursdays start against the New York Yankees. An All-Star the past two seasons, Sale went on the disabled list April 22 with a flexor strain in his left arm. He allowed one run and one hit in seven innings againstt Boston on April 17 in his previous start, throwing a career-high 127 pitches, and reported he was sore the next day. Adrian Houser Jersey. Sale was 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA in four starts before Thursdays game. The White Sox also designated right-handed pitcher Frank Francisco for assignment on Thursday ' ' '