zgr123's blog
NEW YORK -- The NHL has suspended Senators defenceman Jared Cowen two games for a head shot on Zemgus Girgensons of the Sabres. Xavi Hernandez Barcelona Jersey . Cowen struck Girgensons in the head late in the third period of Ottawas game in Buffalo on Tuesday night. No penalty was called on the play. Girgensons was not injured and later scored the shootout winner for the Sabres. That factored in to NHL vice-president of player safety Brendan Shanahans decision, as did Cowens lack of a disciplinary history. Cowen will miss Thursdays game against Buffalo and Saturdays game against Los Angeles. The Senators defenceman will forfeit $31,794.88 as a result of the suspension. Marcelo Diaz Jersey . Mauer drove in two runs before leaving with an injury, Eduardo Nunez homered and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 10-2 on Tuesday night. Jeremy Mathieu Barcelona Jersey .com) - The New York Jets have named Mike Maccagnan their new general manager. ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions made it crystal clear to Golden Tate that he was their top target in free agency. They booked a flight for the wide receiver on Tuesday -- when free agency began -- and courted him the next day at team headquarters. The pitch included a chat with team vice chairman Bill Ford, just three days after the death of his father, team owner William Clay Ford. Tate, who was the top receiver last season for the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, liked what he heard and saw and agreed to join the Lions as NFL free agency reached its second day Wednesday. He got a five-year deal worth $31 million with $13.25 million guaranteed, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. "Theres a ton of upside to this organization," Tate said. "And one thing that really stood out to me is that Mr. Ford found some time to meet with me. I know hes been going through a lot lately with family issues. So for him to find time in his busy schedule to meet with me and to have a conversation, that meant a lot. I felt like I was wanted here." Tate said the Seahawks made him an offer to stay, and that the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars also expressed interest. He insisted it wasnt tempting to find out if the Jets or Jaguars would offer him more than the Lions did, but acknowledged it was tempting to ask the Seahawks to make another offer. "I had a great four years in Seattle," he said. "Im going to miss that place to death. Great city, great people, great fans. But for me, it just made more sense to come here." First-year Lions coach Jim Caldwell said landing Tate was a big deal for the team, which has been looking to complement All-Pro receiver Calvin Johnson. "We were looking, from an offensive standpoint, to find a guy who could go on the other side and be our No. 2 and play opposite to Calvin and give us some work inside and out,&qquot; Caldwell said. Blank Chile Jersey. "Golden Tate is going to be that individual." Tate led the Seahawks with 64 catches and 898 yards receiving last season, both career highs. The former Notre Dame star also scored five touchdowns last season, giving him 15 in his four-year career. He is expecting to flourish with quarterback Matthew Stafford throwing to him in one-on-one coverage while defences assign two or three receivers to slow down Johnson. Stafford threw almost 40 passes a game last season and Russell Wilson threw an average of 25 for the Seahawks. "Im leaving a run-heavy offence to a pass-happy offence and thats exciting," Tate said. "And, I can get to play with one of the best to ever play the game." The Lions also signed running back Joique Bell and confirmed they had hosted centre Phil Costa. They are expecting to visit with fullback Henry Hynoski on Thursday. Costa was cut by the Dallas Cowboys last week. He played sparingly the past two years after starting all 16 games in 2011, his second NFL season. The New York Giants started Hynoski in 17 of 30 games, including 11 in 2012, over the previous three seasons. Bell was paired with Reggie Bush, giving Detroit a formidable backfield. He had a team-high eight touchdowns rushing last season and was second to Bush with 166 carries for 650 yards rushing for the Lions last year. Bell had a total of 105 receptions for 1,032 yards the last two years. The undrafted free agent from Wayne State in Detroit played in half of the games as a rookie in 2010 with the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. The Benton Harbor, Mich., native found a home with the Lions, who signed him off New Orleans practice squad late in the 2011 season after he bounced around with the Saints, Eagles, Colts and Bills. He has also become rich, getting a $9.3 million, three-year deal. "Its never been about the money, but I dont work for free," Bell said with a smile. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
CHICAGO -- Even without Patrick Kane -- and despite a run of sloppy plays and penalties -- the Chicago Blackhawks found a way to buckle down and beat the Carolina Hurricanes. Sergio Romero Jersey . Jonathan Toews short-handed breakaway goal early in the third period snapped a tie, and lifted the Blackhawks to a 3-2 victory on Friday night. Patrick Sharp scored his team-leading 30th goal and Kris Versteeg ended an eight-game drought to help the Blackhawks pull out a win without Kane, the teams leading scorer who was placed on long-term injured reserve after sustaining a lower-body injury in Chicagos victory over St. Louis on Wednesday. The Blackhawks were also without injured forwards Brandon Saad and Bryan Bickell, and defenceman Michal Rozsival. "Thats one of those things, we have to learn how to play without our best players," Toews said. "Weve done it without Hoss (Marian Hossa), and now Sadder and Kaner. "It doesnt matter. If someones nursing something, we have to find a way to fill that void." Sharp has scored at least 30 goals four times in his career. He has reached the mark in the past three full NHL seasons. Corey Crawford made 26 saves as defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago tightened up defensively and overcame mistakes late in the second period and early in the third that helped the Hurricanes fight back from a two goal deficit. "Thats a game we can look back on during the playoffs as being able to shut a team down in the last five minutes," Crawford said. "I dont think they got a shot in the last five minutes. Thats the way you want to play." Carolinas Alexander Semin scored his 20th and 21st goals 3:36 apart, but the Hurricanes lost to Chicago for the second time this season. The Blackhawks beat Carolina in a road shootout on Oct. 15 in their only other meeting this season. Semin tied it off a faceoff during a 5-on-3 power play at 2:58 of the third. Eric Staal won the draw and fed Semin, who fired in a screened shot from the top of the left circle. Semin had cut Chicagos lead to 2-1 with 37.7 seconds left in the second. He was open in the right circle, took Staals pass from the left boards and fired a quick shot past Crawfords glove. "We gave them some excitement to their game at the end of the second," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "We took six penalties in a row, a stretch of six penalties that got them right back in the game. "Then Johnny scored a huge goal for us, which was very timely." Toews third short-handed goal at 3:29 of the third put Chicago ahead for good. A shot by Staal rimmed all the way around the boards in the Chicago zone and came out to centre ice. Toews got the puck, skated in alone, and beat Anton Khudobin with a high backhander. "Obviously I missed the shot down the wing," Staal said. "I wanted to go high glove, and they got a good bounce and good player going the other way on a breakaway." Once Toews put Chicago in front, the Blackhawks sparkled defensively in the third period and held on to extend their point streak to four games (3-0-1). Khudobin stopped 22 shots after a career-best 46 saves in Carolinas win at Columbus on Tuesday. Kane, who could miss the rest of the regular season, was injured in a collision with St. Louis Brenden Morrow. He left the ice under his own power, favouring his left leg. Earlier Friday, Chicago recalled top prospect Teuvo Teravainen and forward Jeremy Morin from Rockford of the AHL. The 19-year-old Teravainen, Chicagos first-round selection in the 2012 draft, didnt play against Carolina. The Blackhawks came out flying in the scoreless first and outshot Carolina 11-4. The Hurricanes didnt record their first shot until Nathan Gerbe forced Crawford to make a glove save 11:21 in. Sharp opened the scoring on a breakaway at 3:09 of the second. He took a stretch pass up the middle from Andrew Shaw and accelerated past defencemen Justin Faulk and Ron Hainsey. He beat Khudobin with a high backhander on the stick side. Versteeg made it 2-0 with 3:34 left in the second during 4-on-4 play. Defenceman Nick Leddy carried the puck down to the left corner, then centred a pass to Versteeg, who beat Khudobin on the glove side. NOTES: Kane must sit out a minimum of 10 games and 24 days. Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said there is "no reason to think he wont" be ready for the playoffs. ... Morin has one goal and four assists in 15 games with Chicago this season. ... D David Rundblad played in his second game with the Blackhawks since being acquired from Phoenix. ... Carolina D John-Michael Liles returned after missing six games with a concussion, C Jiri Tlusty came back after sitting out two with a lower-body injury, and C Elias Lindholm and D Justin Faulk played after missing the previous game because of illnesses. Gonzalo Higuain Jersey .Johnny there, who knew he had that speed? teammate Tommy Wingels said.Scott and Matt Irwin were unlikely goal-scorers Tuesday night as the previously stingy San Jose Sharks finally sprung a leak or two, blowing a pair of three-goal leads before coming away with a 6-5 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals. Augusto Fernandez Argentina Jersey . New York secured second place in the Metropolitan Division when the Philadelphia Flyers lost at Tampa Bay later Thursday. The Rangers will face either the Flyers or Columbus in the opening round of the post-season. The Rangers struggled throughout against the lowly Sabres and goalie Matt Hackett, who played in just his seventh NHL game of the season.OTTAWA -- Bryan Murray wants to do right by Jason Spezza, but not at the expense of the Ottawa Senators. Ottawas general manager said hes had discussions about trading his captain but will not make a move unless he can get an acceptable return. "I dont think when you trade a player of Jasons calibre that you ever win," Murray said on Thursday. "I think we try to get the best return we can and then if its not satisfactory we cant do it and he has a year left on his contract." Spezza had 23 goals and 66 points in 75 games last season. He has 251 goals and 687 points in 686 career NHL games. Spezza has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of US$7 million. He has a limited no-trade clause, which allowed him to submit a list of ten teams where he would not want to play. Its believed he would prefer to move out of Canada and the glare of the spotlight that comes from playing north of the border. Ideally, its believed Murray would like to get a player who can come in and play on the teams top two lines, a highly-ranked prospect and perhaps a first-round pick at the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, seeing as the Senators dont have one this year. Murray said he has heard from teams, and speculation has Anaheim and St. Louis as the front-runners. "All we do in our business is investigate when theres a request by a player," said Murray. "You investigate possibilities and you talk about it and negotiate and when you negotiate it sometimes takes a week. Not very often its one phone call, sometimes many and in this case it appears that there will be many." The 31-year-old Spezza has spent 11 seasons with the Senators, the last as captain, but at the conclusion of this season it was clear he was unhappy and rumours of a trade request soon surfaced. From the moment Spezza arrived in Ottawa as a 19-year-old, he has been a lightning rod for criticism by both fans and media and it appears hes grown tired of it all. "The only explanation I have is that he would like to try something different," said Murray. "He thinks that the fingers are pointed at him quite often in Ottawa. Winning or losing he gets credit or he gets bblamed and I think he feels its time to do something else. Nicolas Otamendi Jersey. " When asked whether or not he felt that was a legitimate cause for a trade request Murray said, "thats not for me to judge." Its not the first time a star player has requested a move under Murrays watch. The Senators traded Dany Heatley to San Jose in 2009 after Heatley requested a move. "Im always disappointed that we havent been able to satisfy players, whether it be Jason or any other player that has ever asked for a trade," said Murray. "But its probably a little more common place now." With the departure of longtime captain Daniel Alfredsson last season, Spezza was the reins of the club. Expectations were that the added responsibility might translate to better play away from the puck. Over the course of the season it appeared head coach Paul MacLean grew frustrated with his captains play and that the two didnt always see eye-to-eye. "Jason told me this at the end, he understood what Paul was trying to do and thats not the reason (he wants a trade)," said Murray. "Thats basically what he told me." Despite the NHL entry draft being just over a week away Murray says he feels no sense of urgency to complete the trade. At this point all it entails is a little more work on his part. "Its just another number of phone calls you have to make on a daily basis almost to see if you can do something to satisfy the player and the team," said Murray. "Let me assure you were looking to satisfy our hockey team. Were looking to win here. Were trying to get return that will give us that chance. It just makes it a little bit busier thats all." Notes: The Senators have signed C Mike Hoffman to a one-year, two-way deal. C Stephane DaCosta turned down an offer by the Senators and appears poised to play in the KHL this coming season. Assistant general manager Pierre Dorion admitted the team has held discussions with G Robin Lehner regarding a contract extension for the restricted free agent. The Senators have made an offer to Milan Michalek and are confident a deal can be made with the veteran winger. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Kevin Durant scored 24 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 95-82 victory over Fenerbahce Ulker of Turkey on Saturday in the first game of the NBA exhibition season. Chicago Blackhawks Hoodie . Durant added eight rebounds in Istanbul, the city where he was MVP of the world basketball championship in 2010 when he led the U.S. to the gold medal. Serge Ibaka added 15 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots for the Thunder. Reggie Jackson, starting at point guard while All-Star Russell Westbrook recovers from knee surgery, had nine points and five assists. Bojan Bogdanovic, a former Nets draft pick, made four 3-points and scored 19 points for Fenerbahce Ulker. The Thunder move to Manchester, England, to play the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Brandon Mashinter Blackhawks Jersey Authentic . Carcillo was a little of both for New York in Game 3. Derek Stepan, Martin St. Louis, Dan Girardi and Carcillo scored goals, leading the Rangers to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. Custom Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys . Campbell, playing on loan with Greek club Olympiacos, found the net with a left-footed shot in the 44th minute off a pass from second-half substitute Jorge Rojas to open the scoring at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica. GLENVIEW, Ill. -- After struggling with his putting much of the round, Tom Lehman made a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to win the Champions Tours Encompass Championship. The 55-year-old Lehman closed with a 2-under 70 at North Shore and had a 15-under 201 total for his eighth senior title and first since 2012. He rebounded from bogeys on Nos. 13 and 14 -- his only dropped strokes of the week -- with birdies on Nos. 15 and 16, parred the par-3 17th and won on the par-4 18th. "It wasnt my very best performance today, but it was good enough," Lehman said. Michael Allen and Kirk Triplett tied for second, a stroke back. Allen shot 67, and Triplett had a 68. Lehman, the 1996 British Open winner, opened with rounds of 65 and 66 to take a three-stroke lead into the final round. He ended a 27-event victory drought and won $270,000. "The check is sweet, but the trophy is sweeter," Lehman said. His last win was the Schwab Cup Championship at the end of the 2012 season. Lehman, who was bogey-free and made 13 birdies in the first two rounds, parred the first 11 holes before birdieing No. 12. "I had a rough start and wasnt putting like I did the first two days," Lehman said. "It put me in a bit of a bind. After 14, I told my caddie, Lets have the best fouur holes of the week. Stan Mikita Blackhawks Jersey Authentic. ." Lehman sank an 18-footer on the 15th and a 6-footer on the 16th to get back to 14 under. Triplett birdied the first, sixth, 13th and 16th holes in his bogey-free round. His approach on the final hole stopped in the back fringe. He missed a 20-foot birdie attempt. "I said early in the week that 15 under would win and 15 under wins," Triplett said. "I had some chances, missed a couple and made a couple. I had a pretty tough putt on 18 coming down that hill to keep it on line. So, next week." Allen birdied three of the last four holes, with his approach on 18 hitting the flagstick and stopping 4 inches from the cup. Doug Garwood was fourth at 13 under after a 66. He played the first 10 holes in 4 under and briefly grabbed a share of the lead at 13 under with an eagle on the 16th hole, but three-putted for bogey on the 17th to fall back. Russ Cochran took advantage of a swing adjustment to shooting the best round of the tournament, an 8-under 64 that left him in a tie for sixth at 10 under. "I got up on my toes more," Cochran said. "Seems like a little thing, but it seemed like it did the trick." Colin Montgomerie was 10 under after a 70. Hale Irwin matched his age with a 69 to tie for 39th at 3 under. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
The Washington Wizards will try to win a playoff series for the first time in almost 10 years Tuesday night when they visit the Chicago Bulls for Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round matchup. Watch the game live on TSN2 and TSN GO at 8pm et/5pm pt. The Wizards last won a postseason round in 2005 when they dispatched the Bulls, 4-2. A win on Tuesday in Chicago, where they took Games 1 and 2, will end the series and give them their second successful playoff series since 1982. "Weve reached the point where we need one more and thats going to be the hardest one," Washington coach Randy Wittman said after practice Monday. "I think they get that. Its all going to be ramped up." The Wizards inched within a game of advancing thanks to a 98-89 home win on Sunday afternoon. Trevor Ariza poured in a playoff career-high 30 points and hit six of Washingtons eight 3-pointers in the triumph. John Wall tallied 15 points with 10 assists, while Bradley Beal and Marcin Gortat scored 18 and 17 points, respectively. "I think we just did a great job putting pressure on them defensively," said Wall. "Trevor did a great job of getting himself going, making shots early on." The Wizards led by as many as 23 points and never trailed. If Washington didnt have enough confidence, it gets veteran big man Nene back from suspension. He was banned from Game 4 after an altercation with Chicagos Jimmy Butler in Game 3. Taj Gibsons 32 points on 13-of-16 shooting werent enough for Chicago in Game 4. Joakim Noah scored 10 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the setback, while Butler scored 16. The Bulls are in serious trouble, although their coach still believes. "Ive been around our team," coach Tom Thibodeau said after practice on Monday afternoon. "This team has been up against it for two years. All were thinking about is tomorrow. Win the game. Take it step by step. Dont get wrapped up in doomsday or any of that stuff. Just think about what we have to do to win." One positive for the Bulls is that starting small forward Mike Dunleavy has been declared ready to go by Thibodeau. Dunleavy suffered a bruised left thumb in Sundays loss. Offense has been a major problem for the Bulls, not just in this series, but all season long, especially when former MVP Derrick Rose went down for the season again with a knee injury. Through four games of this quarterfinal matchup, the Bulls have scored 100 points once and averaged 95.25 ppg, which is actually slightly up for Chicago. Defense has been the real thorn in the Bulls paw. They led the NBA in opponents scoring during the regular season at 91.8 ppg, but during their series with the Wizards, Washington is averaging 99.5 ppg. Game 6, if necessary, will be Thursday night in Washington. Steve Bruce will have to wait for his first win as Aston Villa boss as he watched his new side play out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Midlands rivals Wolves. It took just 15 minutes for the Bruce era to get off to a perfect start as Jonathan Kodjia dispatched a spot-kick following a contentious decision by the referee over an incident involving Jack Grealish.But 20 minutes later, Helder Costa equalised with a penalty of his own after Aly Cissokho had acrobatically handled his original effort, somehow escaping a booking. Jonathan Kodjia of Aston Villa celebrates after scoring the opening goal Despite an overwhelmingly dominant second half, the visitors couldnt force a winner despite seven unanswered shots on target; Villa have now drawn six of their last seven and continue to flirt with the relegation places.A confident start from Villa was nearly compromised by a catalogue of fouls by Cissokho, who needlessly handed possession to the opposition on several occasions inside the opening 10 minutes.But Wolves failed to capitalise and it was Villa who took the lead through a set-piece situation - and a soft one at that. Steve Bruce starts life as Aston Villa manager with a point after holding local rivals Wolves at Villa Park As Grealish made his way into the area, he was crowded out and fell to the deck. It was interpreted by the referee as a trip by Dominic Iorfa, but replays suggest Grealish tripped without undue contact; Kodjia stepped up and hit a low penalty into the bottom-right corner. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ?￡6.99. No contract. Wolves settled the play down and were denied a penalty after the ball struck inadvertently struck James Chesters hand, but 15 minutes before the break, they were awarded one of their own after Costas shot was handled by Cissokho; man-of-the-match Costa made no mistake from 12 yards. Wolves manager Walter Zenga was furious that Wolves were denied a second penalty as his side were held to a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa Kodjia went close soon after the equaliser as he hit a sweet volley from Adomahs knockdown, but the dipping shot was pushed over by Ikeme at full stretch.ddddddddddddNever one to shy away from controversy, Grealish found himself at the centre of the action again as his kick on Conor Coady sparked a melee and Villa seemed lucky to still be at full strength with an hour gone as Chester tripped Costa on his way to goal. James Chester and Danny Batth give their reaction to Aston Villas draw with Wolves. Wolves dominated the second half from start to finish, with seven shots on target, but despite mistakes in the Villa defence, they were without real clear-cut chances.Alan Huttons mis-kick allowed substitute Cavaleiro a free shot at goal, but the mistake happened so fast, he had little time to adjust his footing and get a proper shot away.Nouha Dicko had a chance to win it in the final ten minutes as he sneaked in behind the Villa defence, but although he succeeded, the angle was far too acute for the returning frontman and his shot went over the bar.You can watch Liverpool v Man Utd, plus Englands tour of Bangladesh and the British Masters on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy six months at half price! Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
Not only was Bruno Caboclo a relative unknown to many NBA insiders, but according to Dwane Casey, the 18-year-old Brazilian was a player only a handful of teams knew anything about. Chris Terry Canadiens Jersey . The Raptors head coach joined TSN 1050 to shed some light on the teams surprise selection and defend the criticism of the pick by ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla who described Caboclo as being a player that was “two years away from being two years away.” “Which is totally untrue.” Casey said of the criticism. “He is a basketball player. He has NBA skills, but hes just raw. “This is a young man thats going to go through our program, develop and if this young man hits, weve got something special.” Admitting Masai Ujiri was initially set on taking Toronto-native Tyler Ennis, before Phoenix nabbed him two picks prior, Casey commented that the GM felt like his team couldnt wait on taking the teenager with their second round pick because they felt like the Jazz and Suns, who had the 23rd and 27th selections respectively, would have scooped him up. “Originally we wanted to take Tyler Ennis and that was going to be our first pick at 20,” Casey said. “We had heard rumours that either Utah or Phoenix down behind us was going to take Bruno, so thats just when we moved him up and took him at 20.” To scout the Brazilian, Casey headed down to Houston for a pre-draft workout with Ujiri, who went out of his way to keep the visit under the radar, not revealing to his coach which player he was set to scout until he got off the plane. Casey, along with Ujiri came away impressed with what they saw, with the head coach saying Caboclo reminded him of another teenager who came to the league straight out of high school and who would later develop into an all-star forward: Rashard Lewis. “Hes got the athletic talent, the wingspan – hes got the same wingspan as Javhale McGee – hes athletic, has defensive ability, defensive instincts, he can shoot the three ball.” Casey: Caboclo raw, but could be special Dickie Moore Canadiens Jersey Authentic . Hughes, 30, is a former Major Leaguer with the Baltimore Orioles, having played in 14 games with the Os in 2010. He played with Class AA Binghamton of the Eastern League in the New York Mets system last season. David Desharnais Canadiens Jersey Authentic . - Mark Sanchez found out the New York Jets had acquired Tim Tebow on a conference call with team management.BARCELONA, Spain - Tito Vilanova, the coach who succeeded Pep Guardiola at Barcelona and won the Spanish league title in his only season in charge, died Friday following a long battle with throat cancer. He was 45. Vilanova, who has battled a recurring tumour in a saliva gland, was admitted to a local hospital in Barcelona last week. He reportedly had emergency surgery on Thursday. "It is with sadness that Barcelona must announce that Francesc Tito Vilanova has died today at the age of 45," Barcelona said in a statement on its website. "The death of our former coach occurred this afternoon when he could not overcome this disease which he had battled since 2011." Vilanovas death prompted an outpouring of condolences from players and coaches across Europe. Barcelona star Lionel Messi posted a photograph of himself with Vilanova on his Facebook page with the message: "We will always remember you. All my sympathy goes to Titos family." Former Barcelona defender Eric Abidal, who recovered from liver cancer and a liver transplant to help hoist the 2012-13 league trophy with Vilanova, wrote on Twitter: "For everything we went through together, I will always remember you, my friend. Thanks for fighting." Spains royal family and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also sent telegrams to Vilanovas family and Barcelona, according to the Europa Press news agency. Vilanova first became ill in November 2011, while still an assistant to Guardiola, and took a leave of absence after undergoing surgery. The soft-spoken Vilanova returned and took over from Guardiola the next season, when he led Barcelona to the Spanish league title with a record-tying 100 points. Vilanova had a second tumour removed in December 2012 and travelled to New York several times during the season to receive further treatment before returning to the sidelines. In April 2013, Vilanova said he felt fine and "had never thought about quitting." He finished the season before suddenly being forced to resign following a relapse in July. As an assistant, Vilanova hellped Guardiola propel Barcelona into its most successful period and transform a team led by Messi into the worlds best. Dominic Moore Canadiens Jersey. . With a team that also included several of the players that led Spain to the World Cup title in 2010, Barcelona won 14 of a possible 19 major trophies from 2008-12 under Guardiola before adding the league title with Vilanova in 2013. Despite the impressive league display, Vilanova was unable to win another Champions League title last season. Barcelona lost to eventual champion Bayern Munich 7-0 on aggregate in the semifinals, one of its most humbling results of the last decade. As Guardiolas assistant, Vilanova provided the tactical know-how that helped the coach build one of the best teams in the history of the sport — winning two Champions League titles in its impressive haul. Vilanova will also be remembered for his role in a brawl in the 2010 Spanish Super Cup won by Barcelona, when Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho poked him in the eye. Mourinho, who is now at Chelsea, also sent his condolences "at this most difficult time." "Tito Vilanovas passing is a sad day for football, for Barcelona and most importantly for his family and friends," Mourinho said. Born in the Catalan village of Bellcaire dEmporda, Vilanova began his career as a player at Barcelonas training academy from 1984-89 but never made it to the first team. Instead, he went on to play for clubs such as Celta Vigo and Mallorca before his career was cut short by a serious knee injury. Vilanova then went into coaching and got a job in Barcelonas youth system, tutoring current players Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas and Messi. Vilanova left to work as sport director at third-division club Terrassa before returning to Barcelona to take over the clubs "Barca B" feeder team. His funeral will be on Monday at Barcelonas cathedral. Vilanova is survived by his wife, Montse Chaure, and two children. His son Adrian is currently in Barcelonas youth academy. AP Sports Writer Paul Logothetis contributed to this report from Madrid. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
Mike Smith Coyotes Jersey Authentic .Derrick Rose scored 23 points, and the Bulls pulled away from the Nets for a 105-80 victory on Wednesday night. Chicago held Brooklyn to 29 points on 26. Arizona Coyotes Jerseys . Halladays resume as a Blue Jay is among the elite in the franchises 36-year history. Over 12 seasons in Toronto, he was named an All-Star six times. He had arguably the finest campaign of his career in 2003 when he posted a 22-7 record, a 3.HOUSTON -- James Shields kept the Houston Astros off-balance all night. Anthony Duclair Coyotes Jersey Authentic . Then late in Thursdays 5-1 win, the Kansas City ace really heated up. He struck out the side in the sixth and did the same in the seventh before striking out the first batter in the eighth to make it seven in a row. Astro after Astro simply watched the pitches zip past them -- five players in that span struck out looking. Shields finished with 12 strikeouts in eight innings as the Royals completed a three-game sweep of the Astros. "He moved it around very effectively," manager Ned Yost said. "He was locking guys in, was locking up guys down and away, just had it all going." Shields (1-2) gave up one run and four hits, all singles. "We were pounding the strike zone and getting strike one and getting ahead of the hitters and thats an aggressive team over there and when you get ahead in the count and make your pitches youre successful," he said. His 12 strikeouts were his most as a Royal and the most by a Kansas City pitcher since Zack Greinke also struck out 12 on June 13, 2010, against Cincinnati. The seven straight Ks by Shields were one shy of the franchise record of eight in a row set by Blake Stein in 2001. The right-hander got back to his winning ways after seeing his nine-game road victory streak snapped in his last start at Minnesota when sloppy defence led to six unearned runs in a 7-1 loss. Scott Feldman (2-1) yielded four earned runs and nine hits in six innings. It was the first tough outing for the Astros newcomer after he had allowed just one run and seven hits combined in his first three starts. "It seems like they found a lot of holes," Feldman said. "Theyre a tough lineup, for sure." The Royals were up by two when Alcides Escobar hit a two-run double in the fourth to make it 4-0. Salvador Perez added an RBI double in the fifth. Kansas City scored 15 runs in this series after managing just five runs combined last weekend while getting swept by the Twins. The Royals got to Feldman early, with Nori Aoki hitting a leadoff double and later scoring on a groundout by Eric Hosmer. Alex Gordon, Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas hit consecutive singles to start the second to push the lead too 2-0. Jakob Chychrun Coyotes Jersey. There were runners at second and third with one out in the fourth when Escobar sent them both home with a double to centre field. Aoki singled to begin the fifth before a one-out single by Hosmer. Perez hit a ball that diving centre fielder Dexter Fowler missed for a double that scored Aoki and pushed the lead to 5-0. Hosmer was out at home on the play. Shields allowed a pair of singles in the first inning before retiring the next 10 Astros. Houston didnt have another baserunner until Chris Carter drew a leadoff walk in the fifth. Carter advanced to third on a single by Matt Dominguez, but Dominguez was out trying to stretch it into a double. Manager Bo Porter was clearly frustrated when asked if he wishes Dominguez would have been more cautious on the play, pausing 18 seconds before answering the question. "Its just not smart, obviously," Porter said. "And sorry for taking so long to answer the question. I went and asked Matt Dominguez: Do you think youre invisible? You are down 5-0 and the ball is right in front of you. So, to answer your question, no, I dont like it. There was nothing smart about it, and next question." Carter scored on a sacrifice fly by Alex Presley to cut the lead to 5-1 later in that inning. Presleys out was the first of nine straight Astros retired by Shields, including the seven strikeouts in a row. A single by Presley came with one out in the eighth and Jonathan Villar drew a walk, but Shields ended the threat by striking out Fowler before a fly out by George Springer. NOTES: The Royals challenged a call after Presley was called safe on a grounder in the second inning. The play was overturned for the third out of the inning. ... Royals LHP Bruce Chen, who was scratched from Thursdays start a day before with a sore back, said he was feeling better on Thursday and expects to be ready to start on Saturday. ... Kansas City OF Lorenzo Cain was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left groin strain and LHP Justin Marks was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his place on the roster. ... Houston selected the contract of LHP Raul Valdes from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned LHP Kevin Chapman there before Thursdays game. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
DETROIT -- Nathan MacKinnon had the puck in the final minute of overtime and each of the four opposing skaters stood passively and stared at the phenom. Robert Bortuzzo Blues Jersey . The sensational rookie took full advantage of the attention, breaking one of Wayne Gretzkys records while helping his team win. Andre Benoit, all alone, scored off an assist from MacKinnon with 31.4 seconds left in overtime to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night. MacKinnon has a point in 13 straight games, breaking Gretzkys mark for an 18-year-old NHL player that he set during the 1979-80 season. "Its pretty cool," MacKinnon acknowledged. "I want to be as consistent as possible. He probably doubled my point total in those games." Gretzky finished his rookie season with 51 goals and 137 points. MacKinnon has 22 goals and 50 points -- easily leading all rookies in the league this year -- in 63 games. His point streak is the longest by a rookie at any age since Colorados Paul Stastny went 20 straight in 2007. MacKinnon kept it going with quite a pass. He was behind the net to the right of Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard when the No. 1 overall pick from the 2013 NHL draft sent a diagonal pass to Benoit in the bottom of the left circle. "Nobody really took me," MacKinnon. "And, Benoit took the back door." Benoit made the most of the scoring opportunity for his fourth goal, sending a shot to the top shelf that Howard had no shot to stop. Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 35 saves for Colorado, which has won four straight. "Jiggy was big when we needed him," said Matt Duchene, who scored a game-tying goal midway through the second period. "He held us in there until we could get the winner." Colorados P.A. Parenteau made it a 2-all game 5:49 into the third period after the Red Wings took their second lead. Detroit went ahead on Niklas Kronwalls goal midway through the first period and Tomas Jurcos score with 7:50 left in the second. Howard stopped 22 shots for a team desperately trying to extend its post-season streak to 23. "Its important to remember that we still got a point," Howard said. "It keeps us in the race." The Red Wings retired Nicklas Lidstroms No. 5 jersey before the game. Lidstrom, one of the NHLs all-time best on the blue line, saw a fellow Swede have a rough night defensively. Franzen skated into the crease when Duchenes shot was going to slide to the right of the net and he knocked it into the goal with his right skate. The burly forward failed to do his job when the Avs tied the game for a second time. Duchene carried the puck behind Detroits net, easily keeping it while Franzen lightly pushed him. Franzen then accidently knocked Howards stick out of his hands, making it tough for him to stop Parenteaus game-tying shot. Franzen lost the puck in the opening minute of overtime and Duchene had a breakaway attempt stopped by a holding penalty on Kronwall while he wasnt holding his stick. Stastny negated the power play by getting called for tripping. That gave the Red Wings an extra skater for 1:03 in the extra period, but they didnt take advantage. Detroit has dropped two straight, losing third-period leads in both setbacks. "Through two periods, we could have already had the game put away, but we didnt," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock lamented. "Thats been the theme all year." NOTES: David Legwand made his Detroit debut, a day after he was acquired by his hometown team from the Nashville Predators. "My wife and kids and mom and dad were here, thats all I took care of," he said. "Thats all Im concentrating on." Legwand was on the ice when Detroit took a 2-1 lead and was briefly credited with an assist. ... Colorado scratched goalie Reto Berra a day after trading a second-round pick for him to provide depth behind Semyon Varlamov and Giguere. Brett Hull Blues Jersey . Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. Robby Fabbri Jersey . Following the Ford Womens World Curling Championship gold medal match that attracted record-breaking audiences to TSN, the networks exclusive live coverage of the tournament begins Saturday at 7am et/4am pt with Canadas opening draw against Denmark.VICTORIA -- The Victoria Royals took advantage of the Portland Winterhawks lack of discipline on Monday night to skate away with a 2-1 victory in Western Hockey League playoff action. Brandon Magee and Austin Carroll scored power-play goals in the first period for the Royals, who trail the second-round series 2-1. Victorias Patrik Polivka stopped 38 shots for the win and was 14 seconds away from a shutout when Taylor Leier put the Winterhawks on the board. Alex Pietrangelo Jersey. Brendan Burke turned aside 25-of-27 shots for Portland. The Royals went 2 for 8 on the power play while the Winterhawks failed to score on four chances with the man advantage.Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
NFL owners will be briefed Wednesday on potential changes to the leagues personal conduct policy. Seth Jones Blue Jackets Jersey Authentic .The owners are gathering in Irving, Texas, for their final scheduled meeting before the end of the season. The main subject on the agenda is the conduct policy, which is being revamped in the wake of the cases involving Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson.Among the considerations would be allowing for a neutral arbitrator to rule on player discipline, but for Commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he appoints to handle any appeals. That has been a sticking point with the players union, which wants Goodell removed entirely from the process.Goodells role in personal conduct discipline exists as part of the collective bargaining agreement reached between the league and union in 2011.The NFLPA wants any changes to the personal conduct policy to be bargained, and called any meetings between the union and the league a farce.Last month, an arbitrator threw out Rices indefinite suspension by the NFL for hitting his then-fiancee and now wife Janay in a hotel elevator, freeing him to play again.Former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones said Goodells decision in September to change Rices original suspension from two games to indefinite was arbitrary and an abuse of discretion.After noting the two-game suspension given to Rice was insufficient, Goodell had changed the minimum punishment under the personal conduct policy to six games. Then a video of the Baltimore Ravens running back punching Janay became public, Rice was released by the Ravens and Goodell suspended him indefinitely.Rice and the union contended he was essentially sentenced twice, and Jones agreed, saying Rice did not lie to or mislead the NFL.Petersons appeal of a league suspension lasting until next April 15 was heard by Harold Henderson last week. Henderson, a former NFL executive, was appointed by Goodell to rule on the appeal and is expected to do so soon.Peterson is seeking reinstatement, something Goodell told Peterson he will not be considering before April 15.The 2012 NFL MVP hasnt played for the Minnesota Vikings since Week 1 after he was charged with child abuse in Texas. He was placed on paid leave while the legal process played out, and he pleaded no contest Nov. 4 to misdemeanour reckless assault for injuring his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch.We reiterate it is a bad process and weve got to figure out a way to get out of a bad process, NFLPA President Eric Winston said on a conference call Tuesday.The league responded earlier this month to the unions demand for negotiations on the conduct policy with a letter from NFL general counsel Jeff Pash. He wrote that the NFL is prepared to discuss modifying the CBA section regarding discipline to provide that the initial disciplinary decision would be made by someone other than the commissioner or his designee. We would be prepared to consult with the NFLPA on the identity of such a disciplinary officer.But Winston said there is really nothing on the table; the proverbial table does not exist.___AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this story.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Nick Foligno Blue Jackets Jersey .com) - Delon Wright scored 17 points and No. Custom Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys .Y. -- Sore nose and all, Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists to help Pittsburgh beat Buffalo 5-3 on Friday night, snapping the Penguins mini-slump and slowing the Sabres late-season surge.The weather finally seems to be improving, at least to the point that there has been no snow, and the County Championship is just starting to get into full flow. It was draws galore, though, with Kent the only side in either division able to secure a win in week four but there have still been plenty high class performances and players from across the country staking their claim to be included in our County Championship team of the week.Do you agree with our XI? Leave a comment below or tweet us @SkyCricket... Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent) The Kent opener has started the season in fine form and played a key role in his sides comprehensive 10-wicket win over Glamorgan at Canterbury. A knock of 84 in the first innings as Kent racked up 488 and a lead of 228, was followed by an unbeaten 86 in the second. Bell-Drummond and Tom Lathams stand of 190 steering Kent over the line on day four.Alastair Cook (Essex) The England captain looks to be in fine fettle heading into Englands Test series with Sri Lanka next month, live on Sky Sports, and brought up his third century of the summer on day two of Essexs draw at Worcestershire. After losing opening partner Nick Browne early on, Cook put on 222 for the second wicket with Tom Westley and was eventually the sixth wicket to fall, having made 142.Competition for the opening spots was fierce with Brett DOliveira of Worcestershire, Northants Jake Libby, Leicestershires Paul Horton, Chris Nash of Sussex, Somersets Marcus Trescothick, Chesney Hughes of Derbyshire and Hampshire left-hander Michael Carberry all unfortunate to miss out having made centuries.Alex Lees (Yorkshire) He opened for Yorkshire but Alex Lees will have to make do with the No 3 spot in our team after an impressive showing for Yorkshire against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. After top-scoring with 92 for Jason Gillespies side in the first innings, the 23-year-old left-hander added his eighth first-class century in the second as Yorkshire made a late charge for victory. He eventually fell for 107 by which time he had shown, in front of the Sky Sports cameras, exactly what he is capable of.James Hildreth (Somerset) Batting at four for Somerset, Hildreth could only watch from the non-strikers end as James Anderson ripped through his sides middle order with three wickets in five balls. That left his side rocking at 102-5, just shy of 400 runs behind Lancashires first innings total. However, Hildreth (130) held the innings together and was eventually the last man out having guided his team to 313. A total that enabled Somerset to hold out for a draw on the final day.Jack Burnham (Durham) It was a game dominated by the batsmen for long periods at the Oval and one player who took advantage more than most was Burnham. The 19-year-old hit a career-best 135, his maiden first class century, and was involved in a 145-run partnership with Scott Borthwick (77). His runs helped Durham build up a sizeable first innings lead and, although the game ended in a draw, it allowed them to push on in search of victory on the final day.Liam Livingstone (Lancashire) Playing in just his second first class match, Livingstone recorded his first ton, makingg 108 not out as Lancashire made 493-9 declared in their first innings against Somerset. Sam Gagner Blue Jackets Jersey Authentic. Having scored 70 on his County Championship debut against Nottinghamshire, Livingstone again showed that he is capable of successfully implementing his aggressive batting style in the longer-format of the game, as he hit nine fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock.Chris Read (Nottinghamshire) The Nottinghamshire captain played his part in a dramatic final day at Trent Bridge, scoring a superb 101 as his side set Yorkshire 320 to win. Read made just five in the first innings but coming in with Notts struggling at 98-5 in the second innings, he dragged his side up to 348 before becoming the final wicket to fall. A partnership of 53 with Samit Patel had eased the hosts concerns before a century stand with Stuart Broad took them out of danger and put them on the front foot. The wicketkeeper also did his bit with the gloves, taking four catches.Ryan McLaren (Hampshire) The South African was on form with both bat and ball for Hampshire in their draw with Middlesex. He took 4-74 in his 24 overs in Middlesexs first innings and then backed it up with a valuable 46 not out in Hampshires second. His unbeaten 104 partnership with Adam Wheater helped the hosts build a large enough lead to declare and press for victory on day four at the Ageas Bowl.Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire) There was already talk of Ball being a future England bowler but after his showing against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge, live on Sky Sports, calls for the fast bowler to join up with Cooks side will only grow in volume and veracity. The Nottinghamshire bowler ripped through the much-vaunted Yorkshire top order, removing both Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance as well as Joe Root for a golden duck. He ended the first innings with figures of 4-57 and took another three wickets in the second - again dismissing Lyth and Root, with the crucial wicket of Jonny Bairstow his final scalp.Mitchell Claydon (Kent) Kent were in complete control from the very first over of the match against Glamorgan and Claydon ensured - with both bat and ball - that they never lost that advantage. The seamer was the pick of the Kent bowlers in Glamorgans first innings, taking 4-59, and then did his bit with the bat, scoring 55 from 54 balls as they built up a significant first innings lead. Claydon had slightly less success with the ball in the second innings but still picked up two wickets, including the important scalp of centurion David Lloyd who had successfully frustrated Kent for much of day three.Jack Brooks (Yorkshire) Of the bowlers on show at Trent Bridge, the up-and-coming Ball may have taken the majority of the plaudits after taking seven wickets in the match but Brooks, a more experienced campaigner, matched that total and was equally impressive. The Yorkshire seamer picked up the wickets of three of Nottinghamshires top four on the opening day, as well as that of second innings century-maker Chris Read. He added another three wickets in the second innings to end with match figures of 7-143. Also See: CC Div One table CC Div Two table Domestic fixtures/results Get Surrey tickets! Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
TORONTO - Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday its unfair to criticize guard Derrick Roses plan to manage his injury-ravaged body, promising that the former MVP is going to be special again as he returns from two serious knee surgeries. Mario Rui AS Roma Jersey .Hes navigating through coming back off of 2 1/2 years off, Thibodeau said before Rose and the Bulls faced the Toronto Raptors. Its a lot. I think everyone has to take a step back and be patient and let him go through this process. Hes going to be special again, just be patient.Rose, the 2011 NBA MVP, said Tuesday that his decision to sit out several games already this season is partially based on ensuring he has a healthy life ahead, explaining that he doesnt want to be sore when attending post-retirement meetings, or his young sons college graduation.Those comments led some to say that Roses focus ought to be on doing whatever is necessary to help the Bulls compete for an NBA title this season, rather than his long term future.Hes a lightning rod right now, Thibodeau said. The same people that were praising him in his MVP year are the ones that are criticizing him now and, when he starts playing great again, will be the same people praising him again.Rose was in the starting lineup against Toronto, just the second time this season hes played consecutive games.Hes healthy now, so hopefully he can string some games together, go out and play as hard as he can, Thibodeau said.Rose missed most of the past two seasons because of injuries to his knees, and was sidelined for two games after he sprained both ankles in a 114-108 overtime loss to Cleveland on Oct. 31. After a two-game absence, he aggravated the injuries in a Nov. 5 game at Milwaukee, and missed another two games before returning Monday against Detroit, scoring a season-high 24 points.Thibodeau said hes told Rose not to pay attention to either criticism or praise.The only person he really has to answer to is himself, he said.At shootaround Thursday, Rose said he was just being myself when he made the comments about his future, and said hes not bothered about the negative reaction.I could care less, Rose said. Alisson Jersey .ca. Kerry, In the closing minutes of the second period of Game 4 between Pittsburgh and Columbus there were the remnants of two broken sticks behind the Pittsburgh net. Kostas Manolas AS Roma Jersey . -- The Minnesota Vikings released reserve cornerback A.With an overall record of 22-26 (10-6 last week), TSN football analyst Chris Schultz is back with his Week 4 selections in the NFL in Risky Business. This weeks games include an NFC North battle between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears, the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles visiting the San Francisco 49ers and the rather ordinary-looking New England Patriots taking on the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. NY Giants at Washington (-3) The Giants had their best game of this year on offence beating Houston 30-17 and Eli Manning had a turnover-free game. On defence, New York held Houston to, two and 12 on third down. But a short week on the road is a tough challenge. Is Kirk Cousins a better quarterback than RG3? He is right now. Redskins at home to cover. Green Bay at Chicago (-1) The Bears have injuries in the secondary that could make a major difference in this game. Its one thing to survive a game against the Jets with Geno Smith and no dominate receivers. But taking on Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb is totally different. Running backs Eddie Lacy and Matt Forte are also struggling, each averaging a little over three yards a carry. Something is missing in the Packers passing game and to think they could be 1-3 by the end of the month is surprising. This one will be close and if it was in Green Bay, Packers all the way. But alas, its not. Take the Bears. Buffalo at Houston (-3.5) It was a really bad game for the Bills last week against San Diego. EJ Manuel went 7-for-21 and if he does that again I think the conversation about Kyle Orton will begin. With Houston, its a similar story. Ryan Fitzpatrick was 2-of-12 on third downs and threw three interceptions. But most distressing was the 176 yards rushing allowed to Giants running back Rashad Jennings. Its a tough one because both teams have to prove themselves all over again. The big unknown is the health of Arian Foster and his hamstring. It should be low scoring, but Houston at home is the edge. Texans cover, so take Houston. Tennessee (-7) at Indianapolis After an impressive win at KC, the Titans have lost two in a row being outscored 59-17. Also, history is on the side of the Colts as the Titans have lost 10-of-11 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Concerns about Jake Locker at quarterback may push head coach Ken Whisenhunt to consider Charlie Whitehurst or Zack Mettenberger. Andrew Luck should be able to put together a good game plan and will prevail. The only thing holding the Colts back from greatness is an exceptional pass rush. It still may not be an issue against the Titans. Colts cover the seven. Carolina at Baltimore (-3) Carolinas 37-19 loss to the Steelers was humbling. Theres no doubt Steve Smith wants to produce against his former employer and the Panthers know that too. Of even bigger concern is the run defence in Carolina which after three games has allowed over six yards a carry. If Baltimore can take advantage, this could be an easy win. I have to go with Baltimore because against similar competition, they beat Pittsburgh 26-6. Ravens at home. Detroit at NY Jets (Pick em) Both teams have a good defensive front seven, so if neither gets the running game going and it comes down to quarterbacks, Matt Stafford is the choice. Holding the Packers to seven says a lot defensively for Detroit and yes, it was a divisional game. But the Jets have secondary injury problems and if they try to blitz Stafford, he has enough experience - not to mention Megatron - to make them think twice. In a pick em, Ill pick Detroit. Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh (-7.5) The Bucs were completely embarrassed last Thursday night against Atlanta. They will have 10 days to figure out what happened but the fact of the matter is they played without three starters on defence. Lovie Smith wont accept another game like this and Tampa Bay will respond. Pittsburgh looked great on Sunday night with LeVeon Bell with Antonio Brown becoming very productive. The Steelers should win but with the Bucs a bit healthier and Pittsburgh missing two linebackerss it should be close. Daniele De Rossi AS Roma Jersey. Take the Bucs. Miami (-4.5) at Oakland I really thought the Dolphins were ready to roll in beating New England 33-20, but losing to Buffalo and KC and being outscored 63-25 certainly changed my mind. Both teams must improve on third downs. Against the Chiefs, Miami was 4-for-15 and allowed KC to convert at 50 per cent. With the Raiders in a 16-9 loss, their offence went 4-for-15 and New England was 50 per cent. And theres questions already surrounding Ryan Tannehill. Derek Carr is a starter until proven otherwise. So its a 1-2 team against an 0-3 team, but the 0-3 team is at home, so take the Raiders on points. Jacksonville at San Diego (-13.5) The Chargers are a very good time-of-possession team, dominant in the Week 2 win against Seattle and it was and a big part of their win over Buffalo last weekend, 22-10 . Will Blake Bortles make a difference? Yes, is the logical answer. Hes a good quarterback who can be great, if he can get some help from those around him. The Jaguars defence has simply not lived up to expectations with 34 , 41 and 44 points allowed in their three losses. Even without Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead, San Diego should win, but I dont like the points. Jacksonville on points. Philadelphia at San Francisco (-4.5) I dont know if this is a compliment or a concern, but the Eagles are the first team in NFL history to trail by 10 or more points in each of its first three games and still come from behind and win. I do know this is a major concern for the 49ers in that they lost not to Carson Palmer as quarterback with Arizona, but to back up Drew Stanton. While the Eagles are an exceptional second-half team, scoring 73 per cent of all their points, the 49esr have been shut out in the fourth, 31-0. Philadelphia. Atlanta (-3) at Minnesota Im surprised its only 3. Atlanta has 10 days to get ready, while this is the debut of Teddy Bridgewater. Matt Ryan to Julio Jones is the best quarterback-receiver combination in all of football right now. In his last eight games, Jones has 64 catches for 945 yards, a very Calvin Johnson-like number. If Atlanta can jump on Minnesota early, it could put young Bridgewater in a difficult come-from-behind situation, the worst-case scenario for any quarterback . This one no longer in the dome, but outdoors in TCF Bank Stadium, and Atlanta is not the same outdoors. Yet, I will take them off of the 24-10 loss in Cincinnati and take advantage of youth at quarterback in Minnesota. New Orleans (-3) at Dallas Remember that saying by Dennis Green, "They are what we thought they were" in reference to a loss by his Cardinals to the Bears a few years ago? Well, with Dallas you cant say that. They are not what we thought they are at all, but much better. And everything about the recent success has to do with DeMarco Murray. The Cowboys are committing to him on the run and he has produced three-straight 100 yard-rushing games. For the Saints, they are not who we thought they were, either . They are 1-2 and are just not the same on the road. They have lost seven of eight on the road and both losses this year, in Cincinnati and Cleveland, came on the last play. Still, Dallas was down by 21 to Austin Davis and St Louis. Exhilarating that they came back to win, but disturbing that it happened in the first place. Saints. New England (-4) vs. Kansas City The Patriots have been unimpressive, while the Chiefs are just beginning to show signs of improvement. If not for a penalty on the last possession by the Raiders, last Sundays game in New England could have been pushed into overtime. And, if not for a similar play against Denver, Kansas could have pushed their Week 2 game against the Broncos into an extra period. We have two completely different quarterbacks here. For Tom Brady, his 150th win only puts him behind only Brett Favre (186) and Peyton Manning (169) for most wins. Alex Smith was turnover-free in a 34-15 win over Miami. The Patriots miss Logan Mankins in the run game. KC is a home underdog. Take the Chiefs. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
GLASGOW -- All that Tamerlan Tagziev wanted to do was make his adopted homeland proud. http://www.baseballyankeesmlb.com/authentic-chase-headley-yankees-jersey/ . He succeeded in impressive fashion at the Commonwealth Games on Thursday. The Russian-born freestyle wrestler arrived in Canada five years ago, and won his first international gold medal for his new country with a dominant victory in the mens 86-kilogram division final. Still trying to catch his breath after the match, Tagziev pointed to the Maple Leaf on his chest as the reason for his 14-4 manhandling of Nigerias Andrew Dick. "Its a big deal to represent our country. Im proud of being Canadian," said the 32-year-old who lives in Toronto. "Im so happy that I can make all Canadians happy. "Im so proud. The national anthem (played) for me." Tagzievs gold came on the heels Danielle Lappages earlier victory in the womens 63-kilogram division and capped a great event on the mat for Canada on a day that also saw Brittanee Laverdure and Jevon Balfour win silver medals. Canadian wrestlers finished with 12 medals -- a Games-high seven gold along with two silver and three bronze -- in Glasgow, tied with Nigeria and behind only Indias 13 (five gold, six silver, two bronze). Dick jumped out to an early 4-2 lead in the first round against Tagziev, but the native of Beslan, Russia, quickly countered to score 12 straight points. "I knew I was going to beat him easy," said Tagziev. "He surprised me (early), but I was sure I was going to beat him." Indias Pawan Kumar and South Africas Armando Heitbrink split the bronze medals. Meanwhile, Lappage defeated Indias Geetika Jakhar 7-0 in the womens 63-kilogram final to also cap off her first Commonwealth Games in style. "It was awesome. The Games experience, the whole thing was just incredible," said the 23-year-old from Olds, Alta. "The crowd was amazing. Ive never wrestled in front of this many excited people before." Lappage and Jakhar got off to a tentative start in their bout before the Canadian scored six points in the second round to seal the victory. "I think that I was just really nervous and hesitant to make a mistake at the beginning," said Lappage. "As I warmed up I started to calm down a bit. "There was built up excitement and nervousness. I feel relieved. Im really excited." Cameroons Blandine Metala Epanga and Nigerias Blessing Oborududu won bronze. Earlier in the day, Laverdure suffered a nasty hand injury in the closing moments of her loss in the womens 55-kilogram division final to Indias Babita Kumari. "I looked down and the finger was poking out of the skin," said the 32-year-old Calgary lawyer, who shrugged off the pain to accept her silver along with bronze medallists Louisa Porogovska of England and Ifeoma Nwoye of Nigeria. Laverdure, who also hurt her shoulder last year and only got back competing in March, found herself down 5-0 halfway through the match before falling 9-2. "For me it was a slow start because I shouldnt give up the first four or six points because they take the points and shut down," she said, before adding: "Im happy with a silver." Canadas other podium finish in wrestling came by way of Balfour, who dropped the mens 65-kilogram final to defending Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt of India by a score of 10-0 in the first round. "I knew he was a good wrestler," said 19-year-old from Brampton, Ont. "I dont know if that got to me or not, but hes a good wrestler. Obviously he knew what he needed to do. "I know what I need to work on. I need to train harder." Sampson Clarkson of Nigeria and Scotlands Alex Gladkov settled for bronze. Balfour said that despite the disappointment of his final match in Scotland, he was pleased with his first Games. "My personal goal was to medal. If I didnt medal, I would be pretty upset at myself," he said. "I dont like going to a competition, coming all this way, and not getting on that podium." http://www.baseballyankeesmlb.com/authentic-joe-girardi-yankees-jersey/ .J. Barea during a three-game shooting slump that was getting him booed off his home court with regularity. http://www.baseballyankeesmlb.com/authentic-derek-jeter-yankees-jersey/ . Pillar is batting .305 with 17 extra-base hits, 19 RBI and five stolen bases in 34 games for Buffalo this season. The right-handed hitter had an International League high, 18-game hitting streak this season and currently owns an IL high 26-game on base streak. LOS ANGELES -- The ovations started after the Los Angeles Kings third goal in 16 minutes to open Game 4 of the Western Conference final, and the home crowd eventually serenaded its team off the ice for intermission. The low-scoring Kings have become the Stanley Cup playoffs highest-scoring team. This defensive powerhouse is shutting down the Chicago Blackhawks big stars while pushing the defending champions to the verge of elimination. Yep, the Kings deserved a hand -- even if they insist they still havent anything thats really worth cheering. Jake Muzzin, Marian Gaborik and captain Dustin Brown scored in a dominant first period, and Los Angeles beat Chicago 5-2 Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead. Muzzin and Drew Doughty each had a goal and an assist, and Jonathan Quick made 22 saves as the Kings moved to the brink of their second trip to the Stanley Cup Final in three seasons with their third straight win over the defending champion Blackhawks. Gaborik, who joined the Kings on March 5 and immediately catalyzed their offence, took a momentary break from the businesslike atmosphere of the Kings dressing room and just plain marveled what Los Angeles has accomplished this spring. "To come into every game with that confidence, to have that mojo that you can win every game, thats the difference," Gaborik said. "Its great to come to a team like this and be part of a winning culture." Tanner Pearson added an empty-net goal for the Kings, who have been to the NHL finals just twice in franchise history, winning their only title in 2012. One year after Los Angeles lost the conference finals in five games to Chicago, the Kings have their own chance to close it out in five. Game 5 is Wednesday in Chicago. "Were not looking ahead," Kings forward Justin Williams said. "Chicago, I believe theyve been down 3-1 before. Every team has been through experiences that have made them better. Stanley Cup championship teams like Chicago and us, weve been through a lot. Weve persevered through a lot, and theyre down 3-1, were trying to squash them, and theyre trying to get some life." Two days after the Kings gritted out a 4-3 victory over Chicago in Game 3, they won again at Staples Center by scoring three goals on their first six shots of Game 4, capping an incredible three-game offensive performance by the lowest-scoring NHL team to make the postt-season. http://www.baseballyankeesmlb.com/authentic-alex-rodriguez-yankees-jersey/. . After trailing 2-0 late in the second period of Game 2, Los Angeles scored 13 goals in less than 100 minutes, capped by a dominant first period in Game 4. Muzzin scored on a power play. Gaborik added his 10th goal of the post-season off Duncan Keiths turnover. Brown banged a puck into an open net for another power-play goal, his first score since Game 7 of the first round against San Jose. Cue the standing ovations. Brandon Saad and Bryan Bickell scored and Corey Crawford stopped 16 shots for the Blackhawks, who didnt get rolling until they trailed 4-0 late in the second period. "I dont think we played that poorly," Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said. "We made some mistakes, and their confidence snowballed on us. Next thing you know, it doesnt matter how hard you work or how many shifts you spend in their zone. If the bounces arent going your way, its tough to get back in a game like this. Were going to find a way to get those bounces again and get things rolling our way. Well work ourselves out of it." The Blackhawks escaped a 3-1 hole in the second round against Detroit last season, but thats the only time in franchise history Chicago has rallied from that deficit -- and the Kings are an entirely different post-season challenge. "Its not a good position to be in," said Patrick Kane, who assisted on Bickells goal for his first point in the series. "Coming into this series, wed be lying if we thought wed be in this position, but it happens. Got no one to blame but ourselves, so were the only ones that can get ourselves out of it." After their dominant opening period, the Kings kept pressing in the second, and Doughty put a long shot through traffic midway through the period. Doughty, the Kings leader in ice time, has goals in back-to-back games after scoring just once in the first 16 playoff games. Chicago finally beat Quick when Saad scored on a backhand. The Kings sat back on defence to start the third period, and Bickell got just his second goal in eight games when he jumped on a loose puck in the slot with 10:31 to play. NOTES: Chicagos power play went 0 for 3, dropping to 1 for 24 on the road in the post-season. ... The Blackhawks scratched F Brandon Bollig in favour of Peter Regin, who sat out Game 3 after Andrew Shaws return. ... Game 6 would be Friday at Staples Center. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '