zgr123's blog
OAKLAND, Calif. Cheap Packers Jerseys China . -- Athletics manager Bob Melvin is already starting to run out of superlatives to describe Scott Kazmir. The right-hander has been so effective in his first season with Oakland that Melvin might need to break out a thesaurus when talking about the veteran pitcher. Kazmir pitched seven innings to win his fourth straight start, Yoenis Cespedes hit his 14th home run and the As beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Thursday night. "Its a broken record talking about him because were seeing basically the same game out of him," Melvin said. "I had heard last year maybe this is a 100-pitch guy top, six innings maybe. Hes been anything but. Hes been absolutely terrific." Kazmir (9-2) went into the game with the second-lowest ERA among qualifiers in the AL and extended his streak to 18 1-3 innings without allowing an earned run before Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run home run in the sixth. He struck out eight and didnt walk a batter. Over his past five starts, Oaklands right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.27 ERA. "Probably one of the best (games) I felt this year, for sure," said Kazmir, who has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last five starts. "I was able to get ahead most of the time with my fastball and expand the strike zone with my breaking balls and my changeup. Didnt really use too many breaking balls. Just relied mainly on fastball location." Stephen Vogt had two hits and two RBIs, Jed Lowrie scored twice and John Jaso singled in an insurance run in the seventh to move the As a season-high 17 games over .500. Its the best record in the majors and continued Oaklands best start since 1990. Cespedes had not homered against the Red Sox until his two-out, solo shot off Jake Peavy in the third. Boston had played five straight one-run games heading into the series opener with Oakland. This one was tight as well. The As led 3-0 after Vogts single scored Lowrie in the fourth. Kazmir, who hasnt lost since May 23, took a shutout into the sixth that Pedroia ended with a two-out home run. It was the only mistake Kazmir made. "We faced a tough pitcher," Pedroia said. "To be honest, our at bats werent that bad. We have to find a way to have a big inning and get some momentum." Luke Gregerson pitched the eighth and Dan Otero worked the ninth for his first career save. Peavy (1-5) had a second straight strong outing but remained winless over his past 10 starts. Peavy allowed five hits over 6 1-3 innings, retired eight of the final nine batters he faced and struck out four with three walks. It wasnt enough to prevent the Red Sox from ending their three-game winning streak. Vogt hit an RBI groundout off Peavy in the second and singled in another run in the fourth. Lowrie, who walked and doubled, scored both times. Cespedes homered with two outs in the third. The Cuban slugger is batting .343 with four home runs and 12 RBIs through 17 games in June. Cespedes has driven in 49 runs already this season and could soon join teammates Brandon Moss (55) and Josh Donaldson (52) in the 50-RBI club. "When you look at the runs that weve put up this year, a lot of it has to do with those guys in the middle of the order," Melvin said. "Its pretty amazing." NOTES: Otero was in the closers role because Sean Doolittle had pitched in the previous two games. ... Cespedes has now homered against every team in the AL except Tampa Bay. ... RHP Clay Buchholz (hyperextended knee) pitched six scoreless innings during his second rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket. ... LHP Brad Mills starts Friday in his Oakland debut. Mills was acquired in a trade from Milwaukee earlier this week. LHP Felix Doubront (2-4) pitches for Boston. Cheap Packers Jerseys . Left back Armero opened the scoring in the fifth minute when his deflected shot rolled past Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis. Striker Teofilo Gutierrez poked in Colombias second goal from a deflected corner in the 58th and James Rodriguez capped it off with a low shot in stoppage time after a slick backheel flick from Juan Cuadrado. Cheap Aaron Rodgers Jersey . -- Jimmie Johnson has a sixth NASCAR championship in hand and two legends within reach.MILWAUKEE -- Up-tempo Oregon ran into a big red speed bump. Joseph Young scored 29 points but missed a potential game-tying 3 from the wing with 13 seconds left, and the Ducks watched their 12-point halftime lead crumble in an 85-77 loss Saturday night to gritty Wisconsin. Ben Brust hit a 3-pointer with 1:07 left for the second-seeded Badgers on a possession saved twice by offensive rebounds. It gave Wisconsin (28-7) the lead for good in a clash of styles played before a boisterous pro-Badgers crowd at the anything-but-neutral Bradley Center. "The momentum switched there pretty quick. It kind of boiled down to us not getting stops that we needed to, and then with the one-point lead late, the ability to get a big rebound," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. Traevon Jackson followed Brusts 3 with three free throws, but missed one with 21 seconds left to give the seventh-seeded Ducks (24-10) one more chance to tie trailing by three. Oregon gave it to Young, who had made big shots all night. Couldnt make one more, and the Badgers sealed it at the foul line. "That shot he took, no one questioned it," Oregons Richard Amardi said about Young. "It looked good. Unfortunately it just didnt go it in when we wanted it." The red-clad fans erupted into a deafening roar. Their beloved Badgers are back in the NCAA regional semifinals for the first time since 2012. They will play Baylor or Creighton in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday. "We knew they were going to come out and be emotional," Altman said. "We just didnt handle it very well. Gave up easy baskets and didnt get the stops we needed at all." Frank Kaminsky led the way for Wisconsin with 19 points, Jackson finished with 16 and Brust had 12. Left off-kilter by the Ducks transition game early, the Badgers hustled back in the second half to answer the Oregon charge. After 19 points on the break in the first half, Oregon had nothing in transition after halftime. "Do you know how many fast-break points they got in the second half? Zero," coach Bo Ryan said. Cheap Packers Jerseys Authentic. "Oregon, one of the quickest teams in the country, so youve got to give the players a heckuva lot of credit." That pace played more their liking. Buckets in the lane by Kaminsky, a jump-shooting 7-footer, and coach Bo Ryans gritty guards set the tone inside, and later helped open up the perimeter. As had often happened during the night, Young had an answer. His 3 from the wing with 2:50 left to give Oregon a 75-74 lead. The Badgers grabbed offensive rebounds on their next possession. Off a timeout, Ryan re-inserted Brust, who was saddled with four fouls. The senior delivered in a huge spot with a 3 following an offensive rebound by Sam Dekker. Young couldnt deliver one last time. "Do whatever it takes to not make it your final game," Brust said. Jason Calliste had 20 points for Oregon, which set the tone early with in-your-face defence and an aggressive offence. Wisconsin found its groove by attacking the basket, a plan that has worked all year long when the team has been having problems. Dekker added 12 points and eight rebounds in another typically balanced effort. In the first half, it was Oregon dictating tempo in setting a breakneck pace. The Ducks quieted the sea of fans in a hurry, attacking on offence at nearly every opportunity and flustering Wisconsin. The frustration peaked when the Badgers bench was whistled for a technical foul near the end of the first half after arguing a call. Oregon pounced in the first 20 minutes. Sometimes it was Calliste driving to the bucket to draw fouls. Other times it was Young hitting mid-range jumpers. Then Wisconsin found its way in the second half. "To be able to handle that smack in the face in the first half and come back and deliver one of our own says a lot about this group," Ryan said. Despite the disappointing ending, Oregon had regrouped quite well since a midseason stretch of eight losses in 10 games. 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 ' ' '
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Sandy Koufax Jersey . -- DeMarcus Ware boarded the plane for Denver on Wednesday morning, looked in the row across from him and saw a sleeping Aqib Talib. Yep, the Broncos mean business. Before Ware even had a chance to sit down with Broncos boss John Elway, he saw exactly how serious the team was about fixing its defence. Ware became Denvers latest defensive addition in free agency, agreeing to a three-year, $30 million deal. Thats $110 million -- $60 million guaranteed -- for Ware, safety T.J. Ward and Talib, the last two of whom signed Tuesday. "Theyre trying to make a statement -- a statement were a team to be reckoned with," the 31-year-old Ware said. "Their mentality is a now mentality. Not looking forward to next season or the season after that, the time is now." Out of work less than 24 hours, Ware wasnt fully intending to agree to a deal right away with Denver when he flew into town. But he was persuaded by Elway, the Hall of Fame quarterback turned executive who stressed to Ware the Broncos commitment to defence even with a prolific offence led by Peyton Manning. Elway got his man -- again. He did so two years ago with Manning and last off-season with Wes Welker. Its really no surprise the Broncos are concentrating on defence in the wake of a 43-8 loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl last month. Ward thinks the trio of new players brings not only leadership but a level of physicality to the field. Denvers defence surrendered nearly 25 points a game last season, which was 22nd in the league. "I think you see with Seattles defence last year -- definitely defence wins championships," Ward said. "(Ware and Talib) are two great players. Im eager to get to work with them. I dont know them personally yet, but I know what they do on the field. Those are two players I admire. I think well work well together." Talib flew in from Dallas on the same flight as Ware, not even realizing it until halfway through the trip. He was ecstatic to later hear that Elway enticed Ware to join the Broncos. "Every year you just want to better your team," Talib said. "Mr. Elway decided to better his team on defence this year, since the offence looks pretty good." Ware was let go Tuesday by Dallas in a salary-cap move. He had a franchise-record 117 sacks for the Cowboys since being drafted in the first round in 2005. He had a career-low six sacks last season and missed games for the first time in his career because of a thigh injury. He underwent off-season surgery to fix his elbow. Now that Wares fully healthy again, hes "going to be able to get after the passer," Elway said. No doubt, especially playing opposite Von Miller. This was a rough season for Miller, beginning with a six-game drug suspension and ending with a torn ACL on Dec. 22. Ware said he has a good relationship with Miller and hopes to get the 2011 rookie of the year back on track by serving as a mentor. "Von is one of those incredible athletes," Ware said. "If you can really hone in on what you do best, and make yourself not think as much when youre out there, hell be an even better athlete." Talib said theres no bad blood between him and the Broncos after he tweaked his knee early in the AFC championship game against Denver when he was bumped by Welker on a crossing route. Maybe at first, but not anymore. Not after watching the replay "1,000 times." "Wes is a good friend of mine," Talib said. "I can tell you he didnt do it on purpose." Talib appreciated Patriots coach Bill Belichick sticking up for him after the game. Belichick called it "one of the worst plays" hed seen in nearly four decades of coaching. The leagues officiating chief later ruled it a legal hit by Welker. "I told (Belichick) thank you and I respected what he did," Talib said. As for Talibs balky hip, well, thats not an issue. Hasnt been since his days with Tampa Bay. "The Patriots have their way of reporting stuff," Talib said. "The injury I had was actually a quad injury, reported as a hip injury. Thats how they do things." Talib said he received some interest from Washington, New Orleans, San Francisco and, of course, New England, but liked the fit with the Broncos. "I think we all are guys who play with attitude on the field," Talib said. Ware couldnt agree more, especially with the Super Bowl loss being a motivator. "Theyre saying, Were going to act right now and not let that happen again," Ware said. Enrique Hernandez Dodgers Jersey .com) - The Vancouver Canucks will try to win two straight games for the first time since mid-January on Monday night as they play host to the struggling New York Islanders. Scott Kazmir Jersey . Bring on Freddy Garcia. The well-travelled 36-year-old right-hander earned his second NL victory since 2007, and his first since he joined the Atlanta Braves last month, pitching six innings to help beat Miami 6-1 Thursday.NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Davis was on his way to what might have been a memorable -- and unusual -- statistical line before he came out for good with more than three minutes still left in the third quarter. Not that he was complaining. Davis had 13 points, nine rebounds and a career-high eight blocks, and the New Orleans Pelicans emphatically snapped a three-game skid with a 135-98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. "You always want to play no matter how much youre winning by, how much time is left ... but I dont ever question coachs decision," Davis said. "We won and thats all that matters." Had Davis grabbed one more rebound and blocked two more shots, he would have become the first player in the 26-year history of the franchise formerly called the Hornets to have blocks make up part of a triple-double. But theres a lot of season -- and career -- left for the 20-year-old star, and his teammates figure its only a matter of time before Davis has a similar performance in a game close enough to merit his presence down the stretch. "Hell get a quadruple double one of these days if you want to be honest," Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday said. "I kind of expect that from him. Thats where a lot of pressure is kind of being put on him, but he can handle it." Ryan Anderson scored 26 points-- hitting six 3-pointers -- in his return from a broken toe that sidelined him for New Orleans first nine games. He scored 14 points in his first 14 minutes, helping the Pelicans build a 30-point lead in the first half. "I told coach, Let me go, and if Im not feeling it or if Im feeling pretty gassed or something Ill let you know. But I felt great," Anderson said. Holiday had 14 points and 12 assists against the team that traded him for injured rookie big man Nerlens Noel during the first round of last summers draft. Tony Wroten led the Sixers with 19 points, but Philadelphia offered little resistance, allowing New Orleans to shoot 62 per cent through three quarters, when the Pelicans led 103-66. Sixers coach Brett Brown said Davis blocks set the tone early because the Pelicans were effective converting those stops into 26 faast-break points. Brandon McCarthy Dodgers Jersey. . "There were so many blocked shots ... it was similar to a volleyball game," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "They are all good athletes and whether it was drop-off passes or dunks, it was off they went. ... And you look at what Ryan Anderson does when he is back in the lineup." The Pelicans finished shooting 60.5 per cent and had eight players score in double figures. Eric Gordon scored 19 points, Tyreke Evans 15 and reserve point guard Brian Roberts added 14 and Austin Rivers 12. Darius Morris scored a career-high 20 for Philadelphia, most coming in the second half when the game was out of reach. Spencer Hawes had 14 points, but made only four of 11 shots. The Sixers, who lost their second straight, shot 37.5 per cent (24 of 64) through the first three quarters. Thaddeus Young, who had 11 points, said the Pelicans "just did whatever they wanted to tonight." Davis blocked five shots in the first quarter. One swat came from behind on Evan Turners layup attempt, and the smack of Davis hand on the ball could be heard across the court. "Wed been slacking in the defensive category the past couple games, so it was just trying to make a statement on defence and get my team riled up to play defence," Davis said. Anderson hit a pair of 3s and six of his first nine shots shortly after checking in. Evans made his first five shots, including a driving layup as he was fouled by Hawes. Hawes then argued the call and was called for a technical foul, resulting in a four-point possession that gave New Orleans a 52-26 lead. The Pelicans stretched their lead to 30 when Davis free throws made it 61-31, and the Sixers never got closer than 21 points after that. Notes: A delay of game warning was called on Sixers coach Brett Brown for grabbing a deflected pass as it went out of bound before New Orleans Jason Smith could try to save it. Smith and Pelicans coach Monty Williams both protested, by the Sixers were permitted to retain possession and Hawes hit a 3 moments later. ... Philadelphias Daniel Orton was called for a technical foul after throwing Pelicans centre Jason Smith to the floor in the second half. 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 ' ' '
GREENWOOD, S. Jackie Bradley Jr Jersey .C. -- Taiwans Wei-Ling Hsu won the Symetra Tours Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Womens Health Charity Classic on Sunday, closing with an eagle for a 4-under 68 and a five-stroke victory. The 19-year-old Hsu had an 8-under 280 total at The Links at Stoney Point and earned a tour-record $30,000 to jump from 81st to fourth on the money list with $31,810. The final top 10 will earn 2015 LPGA Tour cards. "Its very exciting to win this tournament," Wei-Ling Hsu said. "The big prize is very good. ... A four-day event is very tough and everybody knows how important the money list is on the Symetra Tour. We also have to travel a lot and spend a lot of money and the money is very important for me and my family." If she also wins the Friends of Mission Charity Classic next week in Asheville, North Carolina, and the Symetra Classic in Charlotte, North Carolina, in two weeks, she will receive $1 million. Hsu won the Credit Union Challenge last year in Albany, New York, and finished 15th on the money list. Spains Marta Silva, Frances Joanna Klatten and South Koreas Min Seo Kwak tied for second. Silva and Klatten shot 71, and Kwak had a 72. Kwak won the Patty Berg Memorial last week in Florida. Babe Ruth Red Sox Jersey . Not that Durant cared. The only streak he cares about is still intact. Babe Ruth Jersey . It was just time for him to make a big play. Nicolas Batum had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Wesley Matthews scored 18 points, and the Trail Blazers overcame poor-shooting nights by two of their best players in a 94-90 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.MELBOURNE, Australia - At an Australian Open marked by upsets and new story lines, Rafael Nadal will play Sundays final against a man often called the "other" Swiss tennis player. Now, after a stunning run in Melbourne, Stanislas Wawrinka has a new nickname: The Stanimal — a tribute to his gritty, fight-until-the end style of tennis. Fittingly, perhaps, the name was apparently coined by none other than Roger Federer, in a tweet of support for his friend which quickly caught on earlier in the tournament. Now that Federer is out of the running — he lost to Nadal in the semifinals — the 17-time Grand Slam winner and long-time ambassador for Swiss tennis has joined those cheering for Wawrinka to win his first Grand Slam final. It is a match that holds historical significance for all three players. If the No. 1-ranked Nadal wins, as the odds suggest he will, the 27-year-old Spaniard will become the first player to win each of the majors twice in the Open era. It would be his 14th Grand Slam trophy and bring him one step closer to Federers all-time record of 17. If No. 8-ranked Wawrinka beats Nadal to win his first major title, he catapults to a career high of No. 3 in the rankings. Just reaching the final assures Wawrinka of the No. 5 spot, meaning for the first time he will pass Federer, who is now ranked sixth. On the eve of the final, Wawrinka said he was still shocked by his success. "Its insane. Its incredible," the 28-year-old Wawrinka said Saturday, speaking to reporters in English and in his native French. "I never imagined that one day I would be here, playing in the final." After a breakthrough year in 2013, Wawrinka is playing the best tennis of his life in Melbourne. He knocked out three-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic inn the quarterfinals and beat No. Nomar Garciaparra Red Sox Jersey. 7 Tomas Berdych in the semifinals. He knows how tough it will be to beat Nadal — hes tried and failed 12 times. "Ive played him so many times, and lost so many times, but Im going to try again," Wawrinka said. "I know what I have to do. I know that I have to play aggressive, serve really well, and try to always push him." "Im playing my best tennis here," Wawrinka added. "Physically, Im ready.". Nadal says hes ready, too, for a breakthrough at what he calls his unluckiest Grand Slam. Nadal won in Melbourne in 2009 but in subsequent years struggled with injuries during or before the seasons first major. He missed the 2013 Australian Open during a seven-month layoff for illness and a knee injury. He returned to win the French and U.S. Open last year but reaching the final in Melbourne holds special significance. "After missing last year for me its really, really emotional to be back on this court, Rod Laver Arena, and to be able to play another final," said Nadal, who has known Wawrinka since they were teens, playing junior tournaments in Europe. "Hes a good friend, a great guy. Im so happy for him that hes in the final. He deserves it," Nadal said. "I know it will be a very, very tough match." Wawrinkas other longtime friend, Federer, had hoped Sundays story would be about an all-Swiss final. But after losing the latest installment of the Federer-Nadal rivalry, hes cheering for Wawrinka. "I hope he wins, and I hope he gives everything he has," Federer said. "Theres no reason not believe that he can beat Rafa." "Stans in his first Grand Slam final, so that makes Stan also unpredictable. Hes got to use that to his 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 ' ' '
ARE, Sweden -- Thomas Zangerl beat Austrian teammate Andreas Matt in a ski cross event Sunday for his first career freestyle World Cup victory, while Switzerlands Fanny Smith earned her second win in two days in the womens race. Roy Hibbert Jersey . It was Zangerls first podium finish in more than three years. Armin Niederer of Switzerland was third. Despite finishing ninth, Swedens Victor Oehling Norberg kept the lead in the ski cross standings with 474 points, 10 points ahead of Matt. Germanys Daniel Bohnacker is third with 370 points. With one event left in the season, Smith is now just five points behind Canadas Marielle Thompson, who came second in the womens race. Sandra Naeslund of Sweden finished third. Frances Ophelie David is third overall with 532 points. Steve Nash Lakers Jersey . The Brazil defender was substituted 13 minutes into Wednesdays 2-1 Copa del Rey win at Athletic Bilbao because of a right hamstring problem. Scans revealed a second grade tear which could keep him out for a reported four to six weeks. James Worthy Jersey . The 25-year-old McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, was eligible to play for either Ireland or Team GB when golf makes its return to the Olympics in Brazil for the first time since 1904.BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona says midfielder Cesc Fabregas and defender Gerard Pique have recovered from injuries and will be available for Saturdays game against Granada. While the pair of Spain internationals return, midfielder Xavi Hernandez will not be included in the squad after failing to recover from a muscle strain to his left leg. The club also says winger Criistian Tello will miss two more games because of ligament damage in his right ankle. Nick Young Lakers Jersey. Barcelona is already without forward Lionel Mess, goalkeeper Victor Valdes, defender Jordi Alba and defender Dani Alves. Barcelona holds a three-point lead over Atletico Madrid after 12 rounds, with Real Madrid trailing the defending champions by six points. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
Fayetteville, AR (SportsNetwork. Norichika Aoki Jersey .com) - Bobby Portis had 32 points and 11 rebounds to guide No. 23 Arkansas to an 82-70 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. Michael Qualls had 20 points and six rebounds and Jacorey Williams added 10 points for the Razorbacks (13-2, 2-0 SEC), who have won their past seven games. Im proud of the energy our guys brought tonight. We needed to match the energy the crowd had and we did that, Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson said. This is a good win against a well-coached basketball team. Damian Jones had 14 points and seven rebounds and Matthew Fisher-Davis added 14 points for the Commodores (11-4, 1-1), who had a four-game winning streak broken. Arkansas held a one-point lead after Jones slammed down a dunk to get Vandy within 53-52 with just over 10 minutes to play. Qualls, though, countered with two and a Williams steal was converted into a Portis tip-in. Rashad Madden followed with a 3-pointer and Arkansas held a 60-52 lead. The Razorbacks got five straight a bit later for a 71-60 lead after Portis slammed the ball home with just under six minutes to play, and Qualls scored six straight points a bit later to put the game out of reach. Arkansas built a 15-6 lead five minutes in after Portis put in a pair of free throws five minutes in. A pair of 3-pointers from Fisher-Davis got the Commodores within three at 24-21 with seven minutes to play in the first half, but the Razorbacks answered with a pair of buckets and eventually took a 36-28 lead into the break. Arkansas built a 10-point lead 6 1/2 minutes into the second half after Anthony Bell put in a 3-ball for a 49-39 lead, but Vanderbilt answered with a 13-4 run to get the game within one. Game Notes Arkansas plays at Tennessee on Tuesday ... Vanderbilt hosts Georgia on Wednesday ... Arkansas holds a 20-11 advantage in the series, including an 11-2 mark at home. Jose Altuve Astros Jersey .Kraft says Goodell realized before seeing a video showing Baltimore running back Ray Rice striking his then fiance that domestic violence was very serious for society in general. George Springer Astros Jersey . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont.CEDAR PARK, Texas -- Christopher Nilstorp made 24 saves and six skaters on Texas recorded a multi-point game as the Stars toppled the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 6-1 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. Patrik Nemeth, Hubert Labrie, Curtis McKenzie, Mike Hedden and Brendan Ranford each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (43-17-9), who are 7-0-1 in their last eighht outings. Andy Pettitte Jersey. . Travis Morin tacked on two assists. Matej Stransky added a single goal to round out the Texas offence. Christian Thomas scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs (29-33-5) and Dustin Tokarski turned away 31-of-36 shots in defeat. Texas went 1 for 3 on the power play while Hamilton failed to score on five 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 ' ' '
TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays used the big hitters to tie it with homers -- but all it took to win it was a single by one of their little guys. Paul ONeill Jersey . Jose Bautista homered for the fifth straight game in the sixth inning, following a two-out solo homer by Melky Cabrera. Edwin Encarnacion led off the seventh with a homer to tie the game 3-3 and, with two out in the seventh, Munenori Kawasaki came through with the two-out single to score pinch-runner Steve Tolleson with what proved to be the winning run. The 4-3 victory gave the Blue Jays the final two games of the three-game series against the Yankees. While little ball helped the Blue Jays score the decisive run, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was happy to see the return of the long ball that has been missing for most of August. "Definitely, they win," Gibbons said. "Its guaranteed runs. I think when you get into trouble though when you start swinging for them, youre trying to hit them. Its kind of what we do, though youve still got to get your other hits. But weve been missing that." Derek Jeter, who is retiring at the end of the season and was playing his final game at Rogers Centre, hit a soft line drive to second to end the game with pinch-runner Ichiro Suzuki at third base. It gave Casey Janssen his 20th save of the season and left-hander J.A. Happ (9-8) the win. Centre-fielder Brett Gardner homered, tripled and doubled to fall a single short of hitting for the cycle as he helped the Yankees build a 3-0 lead after five innings. Bautista is one shy of the club record of six consecutive games with a homer set in 2001 by Jose Cruz, Jr. "Thats so hard to do what hes doing," Gibbons said. "Hes in a nice little groove. I think he is waiting his at-bats out for a pitch to hit. Hes using that left-centre field gap pretty good that shows you hes on the ball, hes not spinning off it, thats where he runs into trouble. Hes a good hitter. Its tough to hit five in a row but hes a guy that can do that." Happ allowed nine hits and three runs in seven innings and Yankees right-hander Brandon McCarthy (8-14) allowed five hits and four runs in six-plus innings. He is 5-4 after joining the Yankees in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 6. "They grind," Happ said. "I feel like every team, especially in this division, does that. A day like today, McCarthy was throwing really well and Im just trying to stay in there and keep us in the ball game. We stayed on him and came back and that was huge." Gardner led off the first with his 16th homer of the season. It was the sixth homer of his career leading off a game and five have been this season. Jeter singled but was erased when Martin Prado hit into a double play. "It was nice to get out of there after the leadoff home run, try to find a groove," Happ said. The Yankees increased their lead to 2-0 in the fourth on a single to left by Francisco Cervelli. It scored Prado who led off with a single and took third on a two-out hit by Chase Headley. The Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the fifth when Gardner tripled to left centre with one out and was awarded home when the relay throw from shortstop Jose Reyes overshot third base. It was the 17th error of the season by Reyes. Cabrera and Bautista hit back-to-back home runs with two out in the sixth to cut the lead to 3-2. It was the 16th of the season for Cabrera and the 29th for Bautista. Encarnacion led off the seventh with his 28th homer of the season. He is still trying to find his hitting form since being out with a quadriceps injury from July 6 to Aug. 15. "If were going to do anything we definitely need him," Gibbons said. "So hopefully thats a start of something. I thought, when he first came back, his swings were better and I thought his timing was pretty good for the long layoff. Then he hit a stretch where he was a little bit out of whack and his timing was off. Hell tell you the key to his success is keeping both hands on the bat and he has been out front, a lot of times releasing that top hand and everything." Dioner Navarro walked and Tolleson ran for him. Right-hander Dellin Betances replaced McCarthy. Tolleson stole second and scored the go-ahead run on a two-out single by Kawasaki. Left-hander Brett Cecil replaced Happ for the eighth and Janssen came out for the ninth. Pinch-hitter Jacoby Ellsbury, who did not start because of a left ankle injury, hit a bloop double to right in the ninth with one out. "My adrenalin was pumping," Ellsbury said. "I typically dont pinch hit. . . In that situation, you want to get on base and get into scoring position. Once I saw that ball go up in the air I knew it was going to take a high hop. Theres only one thing I could do, go for two and hopefully get into scoring position." Ichiro ran for him and took third on Gardners groundout to first. That brought up Jeter and he hit a soft liner to second to end the game. "When it came off the bat I thought for a minute it would be over his head at second," Gibbons said. "I could see the little fairytale story being written," Janssen said. "But got that out of my head and knew I had to attack him." NOTES: Announced attendance was 45,678, the 12th sellout of the season at Rogers Centre. àBlue Jays RHP Brandon Morrow (torn tendon sheath in right index finger) pitched the eighth inning and allowed one hit for triple-A Buffalo on Saturday in the second outing of his rehabilitation assignment. . . The Blue Jays presented Jeter, who was designated hitter on Sunday, with a trip to Banff before his final game at Rogers Centre. . . The Blue Jays have Monday off before opening a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Tuesday with RHP R.A. Dickey (10-12, 4.00 ERA) starting against RHP Jeremy Hellickson (1-2, 2.98 ERA). Don Larsen Yankees Jersey . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. Custom New York Yankees Jersey . Ortiz hit a pair of two-run homers, including his 400th shot in a Red Sox uniform, and drove in a career high-tying six runs to power Boston past the Houston Astros 10-7 on Saturday night.Remi Garde could leave Aston Villa this week, according to widespread reports in Mondays national newspapers. Daily Telegraph: Remi Garde is set to be dismissed by Aston Villa this week as the Premier League strugglers continue their preparations for next season. Former Leicester manager Nigel Pearson has already emerged as the No.1 target to succeed him.The Independent: Aston Villa are poised to sack Remi Garde within the next 24 hours. Nigel Pearson and Steve Bruce are names in the frame.The Times: Remi Garde could leave Aston Villa this week in the latest stage of a ruthless cull of senior management by the new board.The Sun: Remi Garde may follow Tom Fox and Hendrik Almstadt out the door before they resume their doomed missionn against Chelsea after the international break. Yogi Berra Jersey. The Daily Mail: Remi Gardes doomed reign at Aston Villa is set to come to an end in the next 48 hours. The Telegraph believe Nigel Pearson is Villas preferred candidate to take over Also See: Villa near drop after defeat Garde: Loss sums season up Villa shocking and embarrassing WATCH: Villas catalogue of errors 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 ' ' '
As most teams hit the midway mark in their season this week, TSNs Jack Armstrong offers his thoughts on some of the players who have stood out to me in the first half. Nick Castellanos Tigers Jersey . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Hes delivered on every level. Sure, LeBron James is the best all-around player in the game today yet hes had stretches where he seems to have it on cruise control. Durant brings it for you all the time and for that, I give it to him at the midpoint. ROOKIE: (MICHAEL CARTER WILLIAMS-Sixers) - Simply put, brilliant. His team has been abysmal without him and yet have a decent (considering theyre in tank mode) 12-18 record when he plays. This guy is a better player than he was in college at Syracuse, much like Russell Westbrook at UCLA. He impacts the game on so many fronts its ridiculous. I love watching him play and if I cant catch his game, I make sure I check the boxscores from his games to see his eye-popping stats. I shook my head when they traded Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans on draft night but now I completely understand why they did. Theyve got a major impact guy to run their team for years to come. Special talent. COACH: (JEFF HORNACEK-Suns) - Could have gone with Terry Stotts of the Trail Blazers or Frank Vogel of the Pacers here but who figured the Suns would be this good this year? No one. They were one of the teams in the discussion as being in full tank mode yet a funny thing happened on the way to the lottery. This team plays really hard. Wonderful decision to team the two point guards together (Dragic and Bledsoe). They play with energy and a purpose. Outstanding role definition and they share the ball. To me, the coaching has been a major factor bringing it all together nicely. The injury to Eric Bledsoe is a major blow and Im not sure if they can hold on to a playoff spot but at this point, youve got to give major props to Hornacek and his staff for a job well done. DEFENCE: (ROY HIBBERT-Pacers) - All he does every night is block and alter shots and make you think twice and a third time about bringing your game into the lane. On top of that, he rebounds and is a physical force in the paint. The Pacers are the leagues best defensive team and a huge reason is the fact that they have outstanding rim protection and it all starts with this man. Offensively, hes become a much more polished player as well. He said his goal was to be the top defender in the league and in my book, hes it. MOST IMPROVED: (LANCE STEPHENSON-Pacers) - This second round pick has continued to get better and better. He had a lot of rough edges to his game and his personality coming out of Cincinnati but to his credit, hes slowly but surely emerged as a significant part of the attack of the leagues top team. He can score, rebound, pass and guard for you. Plays with great passion and intensity and has slowed his game down and now plays at a controlled speed with a purpose. Will get a nice raise this off-season. Well earned and well deserved. RAPTORS MVP: (KYLE LOWRY) - No doubt about this pick. Hes been a constant with his leadership, defence and clutch play. Has major league competitive spirit in his personality and zero back-down as well. Give him credit, hes in the best shape of his career (I love guys in their contract year, its amazing how it happens like this so often) and it shows in his game. His ability to get in the lane and create for teammates has grown nicely along with his consistency with the 3-point shot which makes him a greater force in the screen-and-roll game. Ultimately, you watch this team this year and his personality and will to win and pay the price has made this an enjoyable first half of the season for Raptors fans. Yes, there have been plenty of bumps in the road but when you think of Lowry, hes been a major bright spot. Good for him, hes paid the price and gives it to you consistently. Willie Horton Tigers Jersey . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Keeping The Captain? Brian Giontas agent Steve Bartlett told La Presse on Tuesday that the Montreal Canadiens want to keep their captain - an unrestricted free agent on July 1 - in the fold, while sources tell the paper that the two sides will start talks this week. Lance Parrish Jersey .Those stars, most notably the top line of James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel, struggled against the Montreal Canadiens and must be better as the Leafs look ahead to facing the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers this weekend.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Vancouver Canucks recovered from a fluke goal early last time out to knock off one of the top teams in the league. Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings made things easy on themselves by not giving up a goal at all. The two streaking clubs meet for the first time this season on Saturday night as the Canucks continue their road trip versus the Kings. After beginning a four-game swing with a shootout loss to Phoenix, Vancouver visited a San Jose club on Thursday that had yet to lose at home in regulation. Things didnt go the Canucks way early, but they stayed composed and earned a 4-2 victory to improve to 6-1-1 in their last eight. Roberto Luongo was a victim of an odd bounce on the Sharks first goal just 1:17 into the game. San Joses Joe Thornton dumped the puck wide and the rolling disc bounced off the back boards, up the net, over the crossbar and off Luongos shoulder before dropping in. However, Luongo recovered to make 22 saves and the offense got goals from Chris Higgins, Zack Kassian, Brad Richardson and Mike Santorelli. "No matter what happens in the game, weve been resilient as far as staying focused," Luongo said. "Just sticking to the game plan. Lots of things have happened already this year, but weve reesponded every time. Detroit Tigers Alex Avila Jersey. Thats a really good sign for our team." The only thing that ended up going wrong for Vancouver is that Henrik Sedin was held off the scoresheet, snapping his career-high 12-game point streak. Luongo is 14-9-4 with a 2.21 goals against average and three shutouts in 27 career games versus the Kings, who are coming off a 2-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. Quick celebrated his 300th NHL game with his 26th career shutout and first this season. He ended with 19 saves and the Kings got power-play goals from Mike Richards and Anze Kopitar in winning for the sixth time in nine games. "Well its the first time in a while that we did not give up a power-play goal or a penalty-kill goal, so thats a positive and something to build on," Quick said. "Were going to move on. Weve got Vancouver on Saturday and thats the focus now." Kopitar has a goal in three straight games while notching 11 points in his past eight contests. He helped Los Angeles prevail in a game that saw Jeff Carter, Jarret Stoll and Matt Greene all sit out with injuries. Quick has never recorded a shutout versus the Canucks, going 6-10-1 with a 2.04 GAA in 17 meetings. Vancouver is 6-1-2 in its last nine against Los Angeles.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 ' ' '
Friday marks 20 years since Kevin Keegans I will love it rant and two decades on, it remains one of the Premier Leagues most unforgettable moments. Tiago Splitter Hawks Jersey . Back on April 29, 1996, Keegans Newcastle side won 1-0 at Leeds to close to within three points of leaders Manchester United with a game in hand and two to play.Keith Gillespies goal gave them their third victory in a row and talk among supporters on their way home would likely have been about the exciting end to the campaign which lay ahead. That was, of course, until Keegan gave his post-match thoughts to Sky Sports.Before the game, Old Trafford manager Alex Ferguson had suggested the likes of Nottingham Forest might not try as hard against Keegans men as they did against his side.Newcastle were due at the City Ground three days later to play a team who, curiously, United had just beaten 5-0. Newcastle were also providing the opposition for Stuart Pearces Forest testimonial later the same year.Yet Keegan took the bait and if you ask football followers for their outstanding memory from that campaign, most will tell you of his remarkable reaction in the aftermath of that win at Elland Road.Referring to Fergusons comments, Keegan said: When you do that with footballers like he said about Leeds - and when you do things like that about a man like Stuart Pearce...Ive kept really quiet but Ill tell you something, he went down in my estimations when he said that. We have not resorted to that. Keegan made his comments after Keith Gillespies goal gave Newcastle a 1-0 win at Leeds You can tell him now, were still fighting for this title and hes got to go to Middlesbrough and get something - and Ill tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it.It really has got to me. Ive voiced it live, not in front of the press or anywhere. Im not even going to the press conference but the battle is still on and Man United have not won this yet. 20 years on from Kevin Keegans iconic rant, David Beckham discusses the impact it had on the Manchester Utd changing room Alas, that would soon change as, in the culmination of an apparently masterful bout of mind games, Newcastle were held to a 1-1 draw by Forest.They recorded the same score against Tottenham and with United duly going to Middlesbrough and winning 3-0, they took the title by four points after Newcastle had led by 12 at one stage. Manchester United went on to claim the Premier League title in 1996 As you can see in the video at the top of the page, Keegans rant is by no means the only one we have seen from English-based managers over the years.This Saturday marks a year since former Leicester manager Nigel Pearson called reporter Ian Baker an ostrich in response to a question asking him to specify what criticism his team had taken.Roy Keane was unamused when a journalists phone began ringing during a news conference while he was in charge of Ipswich in 2009.Ron Atkinson also wasnt happy when he was asked how Coventry could get out of relegation trouble in the same season as the Keegan flashpoint. Rafa Benitez launched a famous facts rant while at Liverpool Who could forget Rafa Benitezs facts rant - he only actually used the word fact six times over several minutes - in response to Fergusons claims Liverpool could choke in the 2008/09 season?And then there was Jose Mourinhos minute 30, 33, 43, 69 interview, when he refused to discuss moments he felt aggrieved by following Chelseas 1-1 draw with Burnley last season.Mourinhos relationship with Arsene Wenger is a strained one and the Frenchman objected to Sky Sports News HQ reporter Andy Burton suggesting he was under more pressure than his rival.Paolo Di Canios outburst at his own fans when he was Swindons manager was as extraordinary as anything.He said he would give them their season ticket money back and said they should go to watch neighbours Oxford if they were unhappy following his row with goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.Louis van Gaal, meanwhile, produced a dossier to dispel Sam Allardyces assertion his Manchester United team were a long-ball side following a 1-1 draw with West Ham in February last year.Click the video at the top of the page to relive all of these moments as some of the countrys most well-known managers lose their cool! Also See: Premier League video Fixtures Table Live on Sky Get Sky Sports Get a ￡10 free bet!Paul Millsap Hawks Jersey . And former Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson certainly knows his pain. "Its pretty hard to coach there without allowing some of these things to kind of affect you," Wilson told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in his ESPN. Dikembe Mutombo Jersey .Y. -- The "for sale" sign is up at the Buffalo Bills with the hiring of financial and legal advisers who may begin talking with prospective buyers within the next month.BOSTON - An anonymous Raptors player stepped into the elevator descending from the third floor following a Saturday afternoon practice at Air Canada Centre and with the mental and physical grind of a long season beginning to weigh on him he let out a long sigh. "I just want the playoffs to start," he said in a moment of refreshing truthfulness. Hes not alone. He cant be. They can see the light at the end of the tunnel, a tunnel that has led to darkness so many times before for the bulk of this Toronto roster. On Wednesday they moved one step closer. "That was a character test for us," Dwane Casey said after his teams bounce-back 99-90 win in Boston. "I think this team has a lot of character. I get upset with them but theyre mine, just like youre kids. They compete hard and they make mistakes but its not from a lack of fight or togetherness." It was their first victory in Beantown since 2008, the last season in which they qualified for the playoffs. Now, theyre on the cusp of returning to the postseason, and theyre in the drivers seat. The Raptors are just one win, or Knicks loss, away from clinching their first postseason berth in six years and can do so as early as Wednesday evening if the Kings defeat New York in Sacramento, a game Kyle Lowry says he wont watch but admits hell have to keep an eye on. "I said that before the game, I said look, we can take care of our business tonight," Lowry told the assembled media after the win. "We cant count on anyone else but we can take care of our part. I aint going to lie; I think tonight everybodys rooting for that Western Conference team over there." Going into the game, the Raptors were in danger of dropping their second straight and five of their last seven, following Tuesdays botched comeback attempt in Cleveland. Even after getting off to a better start - scoring 31 points in the opening 12 minutes after totaling 33 in their last two first quarters - they looked like a team going through the motions at points in the middle of the game, exchanging the lead with a lackluster Celtics club. Then the sense of urgency kicked in. Lowry scored nine of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the Raptors closed out a win they needed to have. "[Casey] challenged us," Lowry said. "He challenged us big time and I think we responded tonight." With a little help from the Bobcats, who defeated the surging Nets in overtime, the Raptors have a two-game cushion sitting stop the Atlantic Division, also moving into a virtual tie with the Bulls for the Easts third seed. Although theyre anxious, theres still work to be done and each game, regardless of opponent, is increasingly meaningful with playoff seeding at stake and things to shore up over the seasons final three weeks. "We cant afford to look ahead," Casey cautioned. "Weve got to take care of business. Weve got to continue to get better and improve and shape up some areas that we have thats leaking a little bit." Only five of the Raptors 15 players have appeared in a postseason game over the last three years. Only three on the roster have logged time in more than 20 playoff contests. The teams starters have a combined 24 games of playoff experience, all from Lowry and Amir Johnson, who havent been to the dance in five years. "Its tough just because guys havent been there before," Cassey told TSN. Adreian Payne Hawks Jersey. a. "Playoff runs are tough. Theres a mental toughness, a physical toughness you have to have. Fight through injuries, little nicks and bangs that we have. You cant feel sorry for yourself because its a marathon. Youve got to be able to do that. This is the first time for some of our guys so its a new frontier for them." Many of them are heading into unchartered waters. Its only natural to fixate on the final destination but theyve come too far to lose focus now. "I think its kind of human nature," said Landry Fields, who started eight playoff games for the Knicks in his first two NBA season. "We see the playoffs and theres a pretty high probability that well get in but at the end of the day you cant really focus on that. These last few games are important, not just for us growing and building and getting momentum for the playoffs but also seeding. Seeding is huge in the playoffs and I think as long as we keep that as a focal point rather than thinking these games are just filler games until we get into the playoffs than theyll become more meaningful for us." "Were going to finish it off strong," echoed DeMar DeRozan, who scored 20 on Wednesday and will be making his playoff debut next month. "Weve worked too hard to just to get complacent with where were at. Weve still got a long ways to go and everybody in this locker room loves the game too much to sit back and say, were going to wait until the playoffs." Big night for the sophomores Both Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas stepped up in Wednesdays win. Ross led Toronto with 24 points, hitting five of his nine attempts from three-point range, while Valanciunas registered his team-leading 20th double-double of the season with 15 points and 14 rebounds. "I thought Jonas had one of his better nights, not only scoring but he rebounded," Casey said. "[Ross] kept us afloat. He knocked down some shots. We needed it." Struggling second unit The Raptors second unit - still without injured forward Patrick Patterson - mustered only seven points, all from Greivis Vasquez, who made just three of his 10 shots. Meanwhile, the Celtics bench scored 51, led by Jared Sullingers 26, 19 of which came in the fourth. "Again, point production from our bench has been an issue," Casey said. "Thats something we have to rectify. Thats just putting too many minutes on our starters." Toronto bench has now been outscored by a total of 129 points in 11 games without Patterson, who was cleared for contact earlier this week. Although theres no timetable for the return of Patterson - out with an elbow injury - the team hopes to have him back later this week. The stat The Raptors snapped an 11-game losing streak in Boston, the fourth time theyve snapped a skid of eight road losses or more against an opponent this season. Earlier this year, Toronto ended a 10-game slide to the Lakers in Los Angeles, also snapping a nine-game skid against the Nuggets in Denver and an eight-game losing streak versus the Bucks in Milwaukee. The quote "We cant worry about those other teams," Lowry said. "We control our own destiny. When you start worrying about other teams is when you lose focus and I think tonight we did a good job of focusing in on our team and not worrying about nothing else."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 ' ' '
ORLANDO, Fla. Cheap Maurice Canady Jersey . - Magic coach Jacque Vaughn is blocking out any talk about his job security and remains focused on helping his team turnaround its recent string of losses.Vaughn said Friday morning before Orlandos practice that he is taking his third season as the Magics coach day-by-day and that his approach hasnt changed despite a season-high, seven-game losing streak. The Magic have lost 13 of their last 15 overall and given up 100 or more points in 11 straight games.The seven-game losing streak is Orlandos second such skid of at least five games since the start of 2015.Day by day, Vaughn said when asked about his approach to the remainder of the season. Thats what I do, Ive always done. I do my job the best I can that day. I went home, I watched film — nothing changed. I got up this morning, met with my group, ready for practice and ready for a game.Asked if reports that his job could be on the line affected the way he did his job, Vaughn said he is blocking everything out. That includes choruses of boos that could be heard during the Magics 115-100 home loss to Milwaukee on Thursday.Do my job every day, partner, he said. I dont abide by the tyranny of other peoples attitudes and moods. Im ready to rock and roll.Magic team officials picked up a fourth-year option on Vaughns contract this past off-season. That was followed up by a major off-season roster overhaul that brought in eight new faces, including first-round draft picks Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton, as well as free agent acquisition Channing Frye.But preseason injuries and a slow start have sunk the Magics hopes of improving upon the first two seasons under Vaughn, which produced just 20 and 23 wins, respectively.Second-year guard Victor Oladipo said Friday that he thinks his coach remains confident that things can improve. Oladipo said Vaughn hasnt mentioned anything about his job status or security with the team.No, I mean I dont think hes really worried about that, Oladipo said. I think his worried about us going out there an winning games, and worried about our team. Thats the biggest thing. We just gotta go out there and perform at a high level.We have no room for error right now. So we just gotta figure it out.Orlando hosts Dallas Saturday night.___Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower Wholesale Ravens Jerseys .That means, of course, that John Wall beat the Spurs for the first time ever — within weeks of his first wins in head-to-head games against nemeses Chris Paul and Derrick Rose. Cheap Lardarius Webb Jersey . Kevin Durant certainly played like there was on Sunday night, scoring 36 points and grabbing 10 rebounds as the Thunder made quick work of the visiting Pacers with a 118-94 win.The Carolina Panthers didnt win a football game for over eight weeks at one point this season and now they are set to host a wild- card playoff game as the favorite. Such is life in the war of attrition that is the NFL. The NFC South champions will open up the NFL postseason on Saturday against an 11-win Arizona team that will likely be relying on its third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley. Despite ping-ponging from Carson Palmer to Drew Stanton back to Palmer and back to Stanton before Lindley due to injuries the Cardinals tied a franchise record with the 11 victories and have won 21 total games in their first two seasons under the likely NFL Coach of the Year, Bruce Arians. Arizona has also won four of its past six postseason games, including a 33-13 win at Carolina on Jan. 10, 2009 in the divisional round, the only prior matchup between these teams in the playoffs. Its a whole new season now, Arians said. Were all 0-0 and were in the tournament. Were going to get ready for this playoff game. Were not planning on being one-and-done. Few ever plan to be one-and-done but the Cardinals have an uphill battle in trying to avoid that fate. Arizona comes in having lost two in a row, including a 20-17 Week 17 loss at the 49ers in what turned out to be Jim Harbaughs final game as San Franciscos head coach. Lindley did throw his first two career touchdown passes to Michael Floyd in the setback and completed 23-of-39 passes for a career-high 316 yards but he also was picked off three times. Floyd, meanwhile, made eight catches for 153 yards and Kerwynn Williams ran it 17 times for 67 yards. Its a loss and no one wants to lose in the NFL, but I think we gained some confidence, said Lindley. We ran the ball a lot better this week. We did a great job of pass protection ... Floyd had a great day. Despite their less-than-stellar record, the Panthers enter the tournament red hot, having won four straight while outscoring opponents 111-43 over that span. Under head coach Ron Rivera, Carolina became the first team to win back-to- back NFC South division titles after a dominating 34-3 winner-take-all road win at Atlanta last weekend. In the month of December, the Panthers formula for turning things around was running the football coupled with stingy defense, ranking second in the NFL in both rushing offense (199.3 yards per game) and points allowed (10.8 points per game) during the month. We put ourselves in this position by playing the way we did in December, Rivera said. Weve won the NFC South two years in a row and thats something to build on as we move forward as a football team. Against the Falcons, Carolina returned two Matt Ryan interceptions for touchdowns and scored a total of 21 points off three turnovers. The Panthers defense harassed Ryan all day, piling up six sacks and hurrying the veteran QB into uncharacteristic mistakes, resulting in an overthrown pass that was returned 31 yards for a touchdown by Roman Harper in the second quarter. Later in the third quarter, an underthrown pass was picked by Tre Boston and returned 84 yards to put the game out of reach. They played the way you need to play in these types of situations, said Ryan. They executed at a high level and we did not, across the board. Cam Newton didnt have to do much against the Falcons, and finished with 114 yards passing and a touchdown while adding 51 yards on the ground, including a 4-yard touchdown scramble after an Atlanta fumble in the first half. This game meant so much to, not only myself, but my teammates, said Newton. We were playing for so much. We did a lot that a lot of people didnt expect us to do. Jonathan Stewart carried the ball 13 times for 49 yards while starting again in place of DeAngelo Williams, who sat for the fourth straight game with a broken hand. Carolina leads its all-time series with the Cards by an 8-5 margin, including the prior postseason loss. In the playoffs as a whole the Panthers are 6-5 all-time while the Cardinals are under water at 6-7. The winner this week will advance to face either top-seeded Seattle or No. 2 Green Bay in the divisional round. If Dallas beats Detroit on Sunday, the winner will play at the Seahawks. If Detroit wins, the winner travels to Green Bay. WHAT TO WATCH FOR If you are wondering why Arians is the odds on favorite to win his second Coach of the Year award, consider this: Injuries have been an issue for Arizona dating all the way back to training camp when star defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was lost for the season to a knee injury. When you add it all up, the Cards have been without 21 different players at some point this season and that group has missed a collective 109 games. Add in suspended star linebacker Daryl Washington and those numbers jump to 22 and 125. The health at the quarterback position has been particularly troubling. Palmer has missed 10 games, first with a nerve issue in his shoulder before a season-ending ACL tear. His backup, Stanton, then went down with a knee injury of his own, which has been complicated by an infection. Palmer won all six of his starts this season and 133 of 15 dating back to 2013 so this is a completely different club with him under center, one that was on its way to earning the top seed in the conference. Cheap Baltimore Ravens Jerseys. Without Palmer or Stanton, Arizonas big-play defense will have to carry the day if the team hopes to leave the Tar Heel State with a win. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is getting a lot of bites as a head-coaching candidate because he has cobbled together a solid unit despite the absence of stalwarts like Washington, Dockett and John Abraham (concussion issues.) The group isnt that great on paper, ranked 24th in the NFL by allowing 368.2 yards per game, but it does force the issue as evidenced by the teams plus-8 turnover ratio, which is third in the NFC. Talented cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie are prone to taking chances but can shift momentum at any time with their impressive man- to-man coverage skills. The Cardinals defense had 18 total interceptions in the regular season with four players snaring three-or-more, safety Rashad Johnson (four) and Cromartie, Peterson and fellow corner Jerraus Powers with three apiece. The Panthers offense is the definition of mediocre, 16th in a 32-team league at 346.7 ypg but they have some real threats in rookie receiver Kelvin Benjamin as well as star tight end Greg Olsen, who both finished with over 1,000 receiving yards. Carolina could also get a boost in the backfield with the potential return of Williams from the broken hand. The veteran was actually probable last week but was deactivated because he was deemed a liability in pass protection. Stewart, meanwhile, has been solid in his absence, rushing for 486 yards since Williams was forced to the sideline. (Williams is a) part of why we are where we are today, Rivera said. When hes healthy and ready to go hell get his opportunities to get on the field. Arians, meanwhile, is very concerned with the dual threat Newton brings to the table, calling him tougher to defend than other QBs who have a similar skill set like Seattles Russell Wilson and the Niners Colin Kaepernick. He presents different problems than Colin and Russell, Arians said. Hes more of a combination of both those guys. He can really throw the football extremely well from the pocket. It presents a multitude of problems for us. The Panthers wont be having those same problems. There is no other way to say it than other than Arizona is behind the 8-ball on offense with Lindley, who simply isnt a competent starter at this level. Conversely the Panthers defense has been hitting its stride lately and finished the season 10th overall (339.8 ypg) after the strong December. Without the exiled Greg Hardy, linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis are the unquestioned difference makers. The All-Pro Kuechly led NFL with 153 tackles and also leads with 473 stops since entering the league in 2012. His running mate, Davis, is almost as productive, finishing second on the club in tackles with 100. In Hardys absence. Charles Johnson has taken over as the units best pass rusher with 8 1/2 sacks, his fifth consecutive season with eight-or-more QB takedowns. The consistent Johnson is the only NFC player with 50-or-more sacks (52 1/2) and 13-or-more forced fumbled (13) since 2010. The defensive backfield is headlined by Harper, who led the team with a career-high four interceptions, but really took off when rookies Boston, Harpers running mate at safety, and cornerback Bene Benwikere entered the lineup. We were trying to find answers as a coaching staff, the right combination of guys -- and we found it, Rivera said when discussing his rookies. With all three levels hitting on all cylinders in December the group has limited opposing quarterbacks to a 64.6 passer rating -- second only to the Seahawks dominant defense. Lindley, meanwhile, is 1-5 as a starter as a professional and had thrown an NFL-record 229 pass attempts without a touchdown before finding Floyd on a gimmick flea-flicker play last week. It was good to get the monkey off my back a little bit, Lindley said. The real hope, though, is that Stanton could make the miracle recovery and be under center by Saturday. Hes progressing and nothings really changed, Arians admitted when asked about Stanton. Weve got our fingers crossed that possibly he could go later in the week. OVERALL ANALYSIS Since 1936, no team has scored fewer points than Arizona over the final six games and still made the playoffs. The Cardinals have continually called Stantons knee injury a sprain. In reality, though, it was a partially torn ACL and a Grade 2 MCL sprain further exacerbated by an infection which had to be drained. Hes not walking through that door at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday to save Arizona. Carolina, though, is bringing what has been the second best defense in football over the past month. It tells you that no matter what you do during the regular season, it just doesnt matter, Stewart said of his teams renewed optimism. Things amp up to a whole different notch in the playoffs. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Panthers 21, Cardinals 17 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 ' ' '
HARTFORD, Conn. Raptors Jerseys . -- Connecticut went down to the wire with another opponent. This time there was no clutch shot by Shabazz Napier. UConns star guard, known for heroics such as a last-second shot that beat Florida earlier this month, missed three times in the final 40 seconds and the 10th-ranked Huskies lost for the first time this season, 53-51 to Stanford. "With Shabazz, you live with that, because hes put this team on his back a lot of times," UConn coach Kevin Ollie said. "But he could have taken it to the basket a couple of times, but he settled for the long 3-ball." Chasson Randle scored 22 points and the Cardinal (8-2) beat a Top 25 team away from Palo Alto for the first time since the 2008 NCAA tournament. The Cardinals previous seven wins this season came over teams that were a combined 32-41. "I think its an important win for our conference," Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins said, referring to the Pac-12. "A number of teams have had some real signature wins, and Im just happy that we were able to have one as well." Josh Huestis added 13 points and 10 rebounds and Dwight Powell had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Stanford which overcame a 10-point halftime deficit. DeAndre Daniels had 15 points for UConn (9-1), which was 6 of 10 from behind the arc in the first half and 0 for 12 in the second. Connecticut this season already had beaten Maryland, Indiana and Florida by a point and won by two against Boston College. But the Huskies could not get a clutch basket down the stretch against Stanford. Randles jump shot with 3 1/2 minutes left gave the Cardinal a 52-49 lead. The Huskies pulled within a point when Daniels tipped in a missed 3-point attempt by Niels Giffey. Napier, who finished with 12 points and eight assists, missed two 3-pointers on a key possession with the Huskies trailing 52-51. Stanford got the ball back with 28 seconds left after a scrum underneath the basket. Napier fouled Huestis on the inbounds play and he hit one of two free throws. Napier missed another shot with 8 seconds left, forcing UConn to foul again. He got the ball back on a rebound after Huestis missed another free throw; dribbled down the court, but instead of trying a contested shot, he passed to Omar Calhoun. His long jumber from the right wing bounced off the rim. "I felt like Omar was the most open guy at the time," Napier said. "I felt like it was going to go in, and I bet he did too." UConn led by 10 points at halftime and pushed the lead to 43-30, before consecutive 3-pointers by Anthony Brown and Randle. That started a 14-0 run by the Cardinal, who used a stifling zone defence to hold the Huskies without a field goal for more than 6 minutes. The Huskies were just 5 of 31 from the field in the second half. "It was just a matter of us being aggressive on the defensive end," Randle said. "Just being active, getting our hands moving, getting our feet moving and getting our feet moving and just hustling." A driving basket and free throw by Randle gave Stanford its first lead of the second half at 44-43. The Huskies closed the first half on a 14-3 run that ended when Napier stole the ball from Randle and found Lasan Kromah ahead of the field for an easy layup just before buzzer. UConn came in shooting better than 46 per cent from beyond the arc, with five players having made 10 or more 3-pointers. The loss snapped a 54-game home winning streak against nonconference opponents that dated to 2007. Connecticut was coming off its annual hiatus for final exams. The Huskies had not played in 12 days, since a 95-68 win over Maine, a game in which UConn hit 14 3-pointers. Stanford ended a 13-day break last Saturday with a 27-point win over UC Davis. UConn plays at Washington, another Pac-12 team, on Saturday. The Huskies had dominated that conference, coming into Wednesday they were 17-2 and had won 13 straight since falling to UCLA in the 1995 NCAA West Regional championship. "Well learn from this," Daniels said. "Were not going to have all the time when (Napiers) going to be the hero of the game and knock down a shot." Vince Carter Raptors Jersey . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Habs at 7:30pm et/8:30pm at. Jason Thompson Jersey . Hoefl-Rieschs exit — from the downhill course into safety nets, then airlifted from the slope by helicopter — left Anna Fenninger of Austria favourite to win her first giant crystal trophy one month after becoming an Olympic champion.VANCOUVER - A weak second period, marred by a soft goal on Eddie Lack, was all the Vancouver Canucks needed to extend their losing streak to five games.Kari Lehtonen stopped 27 shots for his second shutout of the season and the 29th of his career as the Dallas Stars defeated Vancouver 2-0 on Wednesday night.Lack, starting for the first time since Dec. 7 in place of No. 1 goalie Ryan Miller, said Dallas first goal — off a weak backhand shot from Colton Sceviour at 2:53 of the second — helped sway the momentum of the game.Its a weak goal, what else can I say? said Lack, who made 27 saves. I was kind of in between — should I get it with my stick or with my glove? — and it just screwed me.Sceviours goal deflected off the back of Lacks glove and in to give the Stars (12-13-5) the only offence they would need. Antoine Roussel added an empty-net goal with 26 seconds remaining in the third period.I was just trying to throw it out to the front to maybe get a rebound, Sceviour said of his goal. I was fortunate enough to get a bounce and it went in.After a slow first period, Dallas increased its pressure throughout the second, forcing 11 saves out of Lack, while Vancouver could only muster four shots — including a clear breakaway from Alexandre Burrows that Lehtonen denied.Vancouver (18-11-2), which hasnt scored a goal on the man advantage since a victory over the Capitals on Dec. 2, were blanked on the night as the Stars goalie made some key saves throughout the game.We got to at least get the momentum in our power-play, said Henrik Sedin. That didnt happen in the second, I think thats what turned the momentum around for them.The Canucks best chances came in the first and third periods as they peppered Lehtonens goal with shots.A Chris Higgins breakaway in the first period was denied by the Stars netminder.I thoought our third period was good, created stuff on the last power play but you know our second period wasnt a good period for us and it probably cost us the game, said head coach Willie Desjardins. Pascal Siakam Raptors Jersey. Jannik Hansen had a great chance for Vancouver seconds before the Stars opening goal, stripping Jyrki Jokipakka at the Dallas blue-line before Lehtonen stopped him with a glove save.The Canucks came out stronger in the third period with both Chris Tanev and Linden Vey aiming one-timers at Lehtonen.Lack had to make a couple of big saves to keep his team in it as the period wound down, including a breakaway shot from Curtis McKenzie, which Lack stopped with his pads.Vancouver pulled its goalie with 1:35 left as the Canucks piled on the pressure, but Roussel scored into the empty net with 26 seconds to go.Unlike Saturdays game when the Canucks found themselves down 3-0 after just 6:46 of the first period, they came out stronger Wednesday. Radim Vrbata had the first chance, forcing Lehtonen to make a glove save just 36 seconds into the game before Hansen hit the side of the net a few moments later.Lack was largely left alone for the first period as the Stars only managed five shots, but Tyler Seguin rang a shot off the crossbar before Jamie Benn had a good look from the slot that the Canucks goalie snagged with his glove.Theres still bumps in our road where we know if they get momentum it takes it away so we got to find ways to be better every shift, said Desjardins.Notes: The Canucks have two games left on a four-game homestand including Saturday against the Calgary Flames. ... Dallas has two remaining games on its three-game road trip, playing Friday against the Flames. ... Tom Sestito was a scratch for the Canucks. ... The Canucks last home win against Dallas came on March 30, 2012. 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 ' ' '