BRISTOL, Conn. Marc-Andre Fleury Jersey . -- Theres a quiet, reserved manner in which UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic carries himself that lies in perfect contrast with his reputation as a feared slugger inside the Octagon.I dont think that I have any swagger, he said. Thats the problem. I just like to fight. I just like to do my thing and walk out.Miocic (15-2) visited ESPN headquarters Tuesday to discuss his first title defense, which takes place Saturday at UFC 203 against Alistair Overeem at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.The demands of media at this level are relatively new for Miocic, 34, who despite steadily climbing the UFC ladder in recent years remains a newcomer to the spotlight after knocking out Fabricio Werdum with one punch in May at UFC 198 in Brazil to capture the title.While Miocic admits hes getting better at handling the attention, he wouldnt go as far as saying that it comes naturally for him.Honestly, I just like fighting, he said. I honestly dont like the media and stuff like that. Its not that you guys are mean or anything, Im just not that good at talking. I talk a lot and talk fast and mumble a lot. I just get real nervous in front of a camera, and I cant be myself.Its interesting to imagine a 6-foot-4, 245-pound man with Miocics power feeling less nervous fighting in front of millions inside a cage than when hes answering questions on a television set. But as Miocic likes to say, thats his job.Im always nervous walking into the cage, but Ive been doing it for so long that its just business, Miocic said. I want to go out there and do my job. Ive been training for it much too long to go in there scared. Im nervous and everything, but once the Octagon door closes, its game on.The last four months have been life-changing for Miocic, who won the title in May and got married to his girlfriend, Ryan, one month later. Along the way, he played a major part in the resurgence of the sports landscape in Cleveland, a short drive from where he was raised in the suburb of Euclid, Ohio.Miocics win over Werdum happened on the same night the ESPN 30 for 30 film Believeland made its debut, chronicling the 50-year title drought in the city of Cleveland. Soon after, the Cavaliers rallied to win an NBA title. Miocic appeared in the teams parade and became a spokesman of sorts for the citys new championship identity.It has been an amazing whirlwind, Miocic said. Its what Cleveland needed.But Miocic said he isnt worried about his homecoming narrative entering Saturdays fight, admitting it will be no different than if he were training in Brazil with no one worrying about him. His lone focus is to guarantee he exits the cage with the title he has yet to defend.Considering the recent climate in the UFC this year, with one upset after another in title fights, Miocics concern makes sense. Theres also the promotions history in the heavyweight division, where no champion has ever made more than two consecutive title defenses.Miocic said he believes he is only scratching the surface of his potential and admits to having extra motivation to prove people wrong.I think a lot of people underestimate me, Miocic said. I think they see me, and they dont think that Im that good of a fighter. But then I shut people up, which Im good at doing.Despite headlining Saturdays card, Miocic will be sharing the bill in a way with former WWE star Phil CM Punk Brooks, who makes his long-awaited UFC debut against?Mickey Gall in a welterweight bout on the pay-per-view main card.Miocic has heard the naysayers who have questioned whether an entertainer such as Brooks should get the push into a prominent slot on the card, but he said he doesnt agree with them.I hope he goes out there and shocks a lot of people, Miocic said. I can tell he has put in his time and effort. It is what it is. If people dont like him because hes a WWE guy and is getting a fast track, well guess what? Its part of what makes the sport more popular.He has put in the time, and now its time to fight. I give him all of the credit.Miocic said he has equal respect for Overeem (41-14), whom he calls an amazing fighter with experience facing the best fighters in the world.Hes an amazing kickboxer, hes good on the ground and hes strong, Miocic said. Hes real savvy and a veteran. But Ive seen a lot of things where he makes mistakes. We all make mistakes and have flaws. But he hasnt faced someone like me yet.Even while delivering quotes that are filled with tough guy imagery, Miocic has a way of retaining his calm, everyman feel. Its no surprise, considering he hasnt quit his day job as a firefighter and paramedic in Ohio despite becoming the UFC heavyweight champion.Miocic might bring a blue-collar feel to the term baddest man on the planet, a title typically reserved for the heavyweight champion of any combat discipline, but make no mistake -- theres dynamite in his fists. Miocic said he expects nothing but action when he stands across the cage from Overeem.There will definitely be fireworks between us, Miocic said. It will be a great fight, but Im going to walk out [and hear], And still, with the belt wrapped around my waist. Jon Merrill Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Cody Eakin Jersey . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. http://www.cheapgoldenknightsjerseyschina.com/nate-schmidt-jersey/ .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. Is Tiger Riewoldt on the trade table?Now that the home-and-away season is finished, stand by for a flurry of player trade speculation. And much of it will involve Richmond, a club at its lowest ebb for many years - so much so that Tigers legend Kevin Bartlett this week tipped a bottom-four finish for them next season.Highly-rated Gold Coast midfielder Dion Prestia announced on Wednesday that he wanted to be traded and the Tigers were his preferred club, which was some good news for long-suffering Richmond fans. But there is one big hurdle to be cleared before Prestia dons the yellow and black.The Suns want a very good player in return for Prestia - not draft picks, of which they have a poultice. Suns officials first inquired about Tigers captain Trent Cotchin as a possible swap and, when they were told Cotchin was completely off limits, then asked about full-forward Jack Riewoldt.The answer they received was not quite as emphatic as the one they got about Cotchin.Which has given rise to growing speculation that the enigmatic spearhead, who was controversially left out of the players leadership group, might become Tiger trade bait in the coming month.Perhaps catching a whiff of this, an Essendon supporter - posting on a Bombers fan forum - claimed on Wednesday that he had seen Dons list manager Adrian Dodoro having a meeting with Riewoldt at a suburban café.As we say, stand by for a flurry of speculation, rumour and innuendo, some of which will have some basis in fact; others of which will be arrant nonsense.Lions gain could be Hawks lossIf Hawthorn footy operations boss Chris Fagan is appointed Brisbanes new coach - and hed be posted up there in a flash if the AFL had its way - the wailing from Hawks HQ will be heard all the way to the MCG.For Fagan, you see, is considered by many at Hawk-land to be the glue that holds the whole show together.Not just a great footy brain and a cool head in a crisis, the 55-year-old is also a calming influence for the Hawks combustible coach Alastair Clarkson - and someone who knows how to keep Clarksons sometimes rampant ego in check.Of course, no-one would ever decry any aspect of Clarksons performance as the clubs four-time premiership coach. The clubs position of pre-eminence in the AFL certainly wouldnt have happened without him.But Fagan is just about the best behind-the-scenes fixer, second-in-command, man manger and match-day deputy there is in the game.Which is why one Hawthorn insider said this week, when news emerged that Fagan had emerged as a frontrunner for the vacant Brisbane job: Clarko will be apoplectic, and (chief executive) Stuart Fox absolutely beside himself ....Fagan, a Tasmanian who has had stints in the footy departments at Melbourne, Tassie Mariners, North Hobart and Sandy Bay, is among a group of current AFL assistants (including Scott Burns, Robert Harvey and Adam Kingsley) in line for the Lions job vacated when Justin Leppitsch was sacked on Monday.The AFL will ensure the right people are put in place at Brisbane, just as it did with the hapless Melbourne three years ago, by overseeing the appointment of the coach and other key staffers. Two of the leagues top men, Mark Evans and Travis Auld, have been tasked with getting the Lions back on their feet and competitive again, on and off the field.Leppitsch sacking a disgraceThe fallout from Leppitschs axing continues to be felt, with former premiership defender Chris Johnson describing the boards recent conduct in sacking two of the clubs most decorated stars as coaches - first Michael Voss and now Leppitsch - as a disgrace.Johnson, who played in Brisbanes 2001, 2002 and 2003 flag-winning teams, said the club was squarely to blame for its current position languishing near the bottom of the ladder.Its a disgrace (sacking Leppitsch), Johnson told ESPN. It goes right back to how they treated Michael (Voss), a captain Id go to war with any day of the week. They got that wrong and now theyve done it again to Justin (Leppitsch).It is a cut-throat industry, I know that, but I wish they had both been given a little more time to work the list that will be at some stage a very good contender.Johnson said he feared the club was fraying in a similar way to Fitzroy in its final days 20 years ago. But he said the Lions playing stocks, which feature plenty of talented young draftees, meant they were in a much better position to turn around their fortunes.Whoever they appoint as coach will be very lucky, Johnson said. The club has a wealth of kids who look promising and can be the building blocks to something special.Roy boys still feel betrayed by Fitzroys demiseIt is 20 years - almost to the day - since Fitzroy played its final AFL match: a 86-point drubbing against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on September 1, 1996.Chris Johnson recalled this week how he was overcome with emotion during one of his final training sessions ahead of that sad farewell game in Perth.The club did everything they could to give me the best opportunity to achieve the best outcomes as an athlete, but also as a person, Johnson told ESPN.Without the clubs guidance, I could have taken the path of crime and the sort of stuff that happens in Westmeadows and Broadmeadows where I grew up.It hit me like a sledgehammer at that training and I became quite emotional.Years of underperforming and mounting debt saw the 113-year-old Lions merge with the equally troubled Brisbane Bears to create a new entity, the Brisbane Lions.Johnson, one of eight Fitzroy players to relocate to Brisbane, says he feels sadness and betrayal when he reflects on his old clubs demise.Weve seen two franchise teams - Gold Coast and GWS - as well as Port Adelaide and Fremantle brought into the competition since then, Johnson said.?They (the AFL) bring in four other teams and kill one of the teams thats probably got the longest history in the game.It was probably an easy opption for the AFL in those days to just clear the debt of Fitzroy instead of relocating the whole football club somewhere else with the amalgamation with Brisbane. Clayton Stoner Jersey. .It will never be Fitzroy and it will never be the Brisbane Bears. Theres still a fair bit of history there but the AFL just ripped the heart out of them.Johnson sought a return to Melbourne from Brisbane when homesickness and a lack of senior opportunities took their toll in the 1998 season. But, after meeting with a number of Victorian-based teams, Johnson remained at the Lions after club official Scott Clayton removed the youngsters name from the trade table.The sliding doors moment allowed Johnson to be a member of the clubs historic three premierships from 2001.Its incredible how it turned out. It allowed me to be a part of one of the better teams the league has seen in a long, long time, he said.We had a couple of dark years finishing on the bottom. Winning those premierships did make it all that sweeter knowing how much the club, players and supporters endured.Hird a forgotten figure James Hird continues to work in London for sports consultancy group, Gemba, while making occasional forays back to Melbourne where his wife Tania and four children live.As Essendon set about welcoming back all their banned players for season 2017, and the drug saga which enveloped the club over the past three seasons fades slowly into the background, Hird remains footballs forgotten figure.The former coach, who received a 12-month ban for his part in the Bombers peptides scandal and later resigned his post, has sought to escape the media spotlight, as much for his familys sake as anything, by living and working overseas.His three boys have all turned their backs on Australian football - despite showing promising signs as juniors - and have taken up soccer, playing for South Melbourne.His eldest daughter is a highly accomplished tennis player.Yet Hird, an Essendon favourite son who was ranked as the clubs third-greatest player, remains in a strange state of limbo, shunned by the game that helped make his name - but, conversely, showing no signs of ever wanting anything to do with the code, as long as it is administered by the same people who forced his ignominious exit.Young gun doesnt regret swift exitFormer West Coast midfielder Tom Swift, who sacked football long before it had a chance to sack him, doesnt regret retiring prematurely to fully immerse himself in his tertiary studies.The 26-year-old sensationally quit the game four years ago, at the end of 2012, so he could study medicine.Four years after dropping that bombshell, Swift - who played 34 games in four years and was on the verge of establishing himself in the Eagles midfield - spoke about that momentous decision.I didnt want to be 30 years old being spat out the end of an AFL system without really having direction as to where I wanted to go, Swift, who is now living in Melbourne, told ESPN.I got to that fork in the road at the age of 22.His body hadnt failed him, nor had he lost his passion for the game.?He just felt the time was right to pursue his studies in the hope of becoming a doctor.From a personal development perspective I felt as though I sucked everything out of football, he said. Football gave me a platform to catapult the rest of my professional career.I was quite realistic that I was never going to be a 300-game Brownlow medallist, which sat fine with me.Swifts decision to turn his back on the fame and fortune of the AFL has led him to new ventures he never envisaged for himself. And they have nothing to do with medicine.The 26-year-old recently made the pilgrimage from Perth to Melbourne where he is an investment bank analyst with Citi Group, a position he has held since the start of the year.I had a few false starts in different areas. I never made too many steadfast plans. I was just floating along, taking opportunities as they came, he said.I was tracking along with a commerce/finance degree while I was playing football and that just progressed into this current opportunity.Its a challenging job and intellectually very stimulating, which was something I was looking for post-football.Swift, who went at pick No.20 in the 2008 draft, says the day he confronted then-Eagles coach John Worsfold about pursuing his academic dream was the most difficult conversation hes had.Telling people who had dedicated so much time and resources into my development was undoubtedly the hardest thing Ive had to do, he said.It was never a loss of passion or a loss of love for the game, it was more just pursuing other opportunities.As last years grand finalists embark on another finals campaign, the two-time Claremont premiership player doesnt regret his decision to leave footy prematurely.I definitely dont have any regrets. I miss it (football) every day. It was four or five of the best years of my life.Players socially aware of gong First-time members of the All-Australian squad learnt of their career-defining accolade via social media, rather than a formal announcement by their respective clubs or the AFL.ESPN has been told some debutants to the preliminary 40-man squad, which was unveiled on Monday, were made aware of their achievement via Twitter, which some felt downplayed the significance of the award.As many as 24 players could earn national honours for the first time, including ESPN columnist Josh Jenkins, Richmond ball magnet Dustin Martin and much-loved Melbourne ruckman, Max Gawn.Adelaide is crowing about its talent depth after it had a league-high six players nominated, further enhancing its depth after it had the most representatives in the AFLPAs under-22 squad with seven. Essendon and Brisbane were the only clubs to not have a player nominated. 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