Ackermann told the Afrikaans-language Die Burger. from zgr123's blog
SUNRISE, Fla. Ramon Sessions Hornets Jersey . - Gerard Gallant needed no sales pitch from the Florida Panthers. Hes aware that they have not won a playoff series in nearly two decades, that they missed the playoffs by a mile last season and that they change coaches on an all-too-regular basis. None of that deterred him, either. "You look at their roster, you look at their team, you look at their core players," Gallant said. "I think its a great opportunity and Im looking forward to working with this hockey club." He now has that chance, after being introduced as the 13th coach in Panthers history and the teams eighth bench boss since 2003. Gallant hasnt been an NHL head coach since 2006, but has plenty of experience as an assistant and a very successful stint as the head coach of the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. His best player there was current Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau, whos considered a key part of Floridas plan to turn things around. "Of course I was excited to hear that news," Huberdeau said of his reaction to Gallants hiring. "Gerard has been a great coach for me. He taught me a lot of stuff when I was in juniors and its because of him that Im in the NHL right now." When Gallant and Huberdeau were paired in juniors, their team won just about every night, or so it seemed. No ones expecting that in Florida, but some parallels will exist from that team and now, Gallant said. "Jonathans a great kid," Gallant said. "I knew the kid for three years and we worked well together. Were going to have 23 players who are going to work hard and compete." Panthers general manager Dale Tallon called the search exhaustive, and the team was linked to plenty of other candidates throughout the two-month process, most notably the likes of Peter Laviolette, Barry Trotz and Dan Bylsma. When he met with Gallant, Tallon expected him to be in a downtrodden mood — the first interview was two days after the Montreal Canadiens, with whom Gallant was an assistant coach the past two seasons, were eliminated from this years playoffs. Instead, Gallant was high-energy, eager, excited. Tallon was impressed. "Ive never heard a negative word said about Gerard Gallant in any capacity in hockey," Tallon said. Its the start of a hectic time for Florida, which holds the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NHL Draft — one they could trade away — and is expected to be a busy player when free agency begins July 1. And Gallant knows very well how quickly things can turn around. When he was hired in Montreal, the Canadiens were coming off a season where they finished with the fewest points in the East. With Gallant on the staff, the Canadiens won a division title in 2012-13, and topped the 100-point mark in the standings last season. The Panthers would enjoy nothing more than him being part of a similar turnaround in Florida. "The league is so close," Gallant said. "The teams are so close together now." Marvin Williams Hornets Jersey . - The Oakland Athletics have finalized an agreement on a 10-year extension to play at the Coliseum through the 2024 season. Marco Belinelli Hornets Jersey . A broadcast source said the deal is for five years. The agreement calls for a minimum of 17 regular-season games as well as the East and West Division finals being broadcast annually on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS.CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- Victor Matfield will return to top-level rugby in this years Super 15 and make himself available again for the Springboks, it is being widely reported in South Africa. Numerous reports say the 2007 World Cup-winning lock, who has played 110 tests for South Africa, will end his two-year retirement to again represent the Pretoria-based Bulls in Super Rugby from next month. He will be 37 in May. Matfield may also be considered for the Springboks, with national coach Heyneke Meyer a former coach of Matfield at domestic level with the Bulls and a big fan of the second-rower. Neither the Bulls nor the South African Rugby Union are commenting on a possible return for Matfield but he has been photographed training with the Bulls playing squad at a preseason camp, strengthening speculation over a comeback which was first rumoured in 2012, when Meyer indicated that Matfields return would be welcome. Meyer has also recently shown his willingness to recall veteran players to the national team, although none as old as Matfield, who is a member of the Bulls coaching staff. While Matfields ability as one of the best lineout forwards to play was still undisputed when he retired at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, he is risking diminishing his legacy as a great if hes unable to match those towering standards when he returns to the highest levels of the physically demanding sport after a long absence. "If (Victor) can play as he has in the past, it will be good news for Southh African rugby, but at his age it just gets harder and harder to compete at the same level," former South Africa lock Mark Andrews, a 1995 World Cup winner, told Die Burger newspaper. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Jersey. "And the 2015 Rugby World Cup is a long way away." Matfield could surpass Johan Ackermann as the oldest Springbok in the modern era if he plays for South Africa in the southern hemispheres Rugby Championship, which starts in August. Ackermann, the coach of the Johannesburg-based Lions, was also 37 when he played his last test in 2007. Ackermann backed Matfields return, even for the next World Cup in Britain, when Matfield would be 38. "Matfield is fit, athletic and his experience will add great value to the Springboks," Ackermann told the Afrikaans-language Die Burger. "I believe he is definitely still in Heyneke Meyers Springbok plans. He offers Heyneke security going into next years World Cup and is an ideal player to fall back on." Yet there was also a warning from Ackermann that Matfield shouldnt hold up younger players, something that led to criticism of the national team and former coach Peter de Villiers when former captain John Smit was picked at hooker at the end of his career ahead of Bismarck du Plessis, who was widely considered to be a better player at the time. Some argue that the Springboks should be developing a partnership between young locks Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit for the World Cup rather than gambling on Matfield. 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The Wall