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HOUSTON - Bum Phillips, the folksy Texas football icon who coached the Houston Oilers during their Luv Ya Blue heyday and later led the New Orleans Saints, died Friday. Danny DeKeyser Red Wings Jersey . He was 90. "Bum is gone to Heaven," son Wade Phillips tweeted Friday night. "Loved and will be missed by all — great Dad, Coach, and Christian." Phillips died at his ranch in Goliad. Wade Phillips is the Houston Texans defensive co-ordinator. Born Oail Andrew Phillips Jr. in 1923 in Orange, Phillips was a Texas original in his blue jeans, boots and trademark white Stetson — except at the Astrodome or any other dome stadium because he was taught it was disrespectful to wear a hat indoors. "Mama always said that if it cant rain on you, youre indoors," Phillips said. Phillips loved the Oilers and when coaching the team in the 1970s, he famously said of the Cowboys: "They may be Americas Team, but were Texas team." He took over as coach of the Oilers in 1975 and led Houston to two AFC Championship games before he was fired in 1980. He was responsible for drafting Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell, the player who was largely credited with the success of the franchise. "He meant a great deal to this franchise, the NFL and the city of Houston, and he was instrumental to the Oilers during the Luv Ya Blue era," Titans owner Bud Adams said in a statement. "Growing up in Texas and working his way up through the Texas football ranks, he was a natural match for our team. Those were such magical years, and his leadership and personality helped our team rise to the top." His time with the team was marked by a frenzied fan base that filled the Astrodome to root for the Oilers and wave their blue and white pompons during games. Houston lost to Pittsburgh 34-5 in the AFC Championship game in Campbells rookie year. The Oilers returned to the game the following season only to be beaten again by the Steelers, this time 27-13. The Oilers went 11-5 in 1980 but lost to Oakland in the AFC wild-card round and Phillips was fired. He was 55-35 with the team in the regular season. Fans loved his no-nonsense demeanour and were entertained by his often blunt comments "Football is a game of failure," Phillips was quoted as saying. "You fail all the time, but you arent a failure until you start blaming someone else." Among his best Bumisms: "Theres two kinds of coaches, them thats fired and them thats gonna be fired." On Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula: "He can take hisn and beat yourn and take yourn and beat hisn." On Campbells inability to finish a mile run: "When its first-and-a-mile, I wont give it to him." On Campbell: "I dont know if hes in a class by himself, but I do know that when that class gets together, it sure dont take long to call the roll." He left Texas to coach the Saints in 1981, going 27-42 before retiring after the 1985 season. "We are saddened by the passing of Bum Phillips," Saints owner Tom Benson said in a statement released by the team. "I had the opportunity to work with him when I first purchased the team in 1985 and also enjoyed our friendship following his coaching career. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Debbie, Wade and the rest of his family." Phillips played football at Lamar Junior College before joining the Marines during World War II. After the war he went to Stephen F. Austin where he played two more football seasons before graduating with a degree in education in 1949. He spent about two decades coaching in high schools and colleges mostly in Texas — he assisted the likes of Bear Bryant at Texas A&M, Bill Yeoman at Houston, and Hayden Fry at SMU — before making the jump to the AFL in 1967 as an assistant under Sid Gillman with the San Diego Chargers. Phillips came to Houston in 1974 as Gillmans defensive co-ordinator and became coach and general manager when Gillman resigned after that season. Phillips picked up the nickname Bum as a child when his younger sister couldnt pronounce brother correctly and it sounded like bum. He embraced the nickname and was quoted as saying: "I dont mind being called Bum, just as long as you dont put a you in front of it." Phillips did some work as an analyst on television and radio football broadcasts for a bit before retiring to his ranch in Goliad. Although he left Houston, he always remained fond of the city. The Oilers moved to Tennessee and became the Titans in 1997 and Houston returned to the NFL in 2002 when the Texans began play. He was asked how he feels about the two teams in Texas in 2007 when son Wade was named coach of the Cowboys. "Your son is coaching one team and the other team is the town you love more than any other," he said. "Its kind of hard to pull. Theyre not on the schedule, so I dont have to make that decision this year." Wade Phillips said his father was still sharing tips with him this season. "He always gives me a little advice about why did you play this on that certain down and this stuff," Wade said. "Hes sharp on all the football stuff." Phillips is survived by his second wife, Debbie, and six children from his first marriage along with almost two dozen grandchildren. Jonathan Ericsson Red Wings Jersey . Today, he looks at the offensive line. 1. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (OT, McGill) You Should Know: Over the course of his university career, Duvernay-Tardifs commitments to medical school and the family business frequently limited him to one practice per week, yet he was still the Metras Trophy winner as the Top Lineman in CIS football in 2013. Petr Mrazek Red Wings Jersey . They probably ruined Tim Duncans hopes of a career change, though. Duncan wants to be a point guard, coach Gregg Popovich revealed Saturday, a wish that wont be granted. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Brad Miller stepped to the plate against one of baseballs best closers in the ninth inning of a tied game, a sellout crowd rooting for him to fail. Miller silenced them all with one swing of the bat. The Seattle shortstop pounded a pitch from the Royals Greg Holland just inside the right-field foul pole, his homer breaking a 5-all tie and helping the Mariners to a 7-5 victory Friday night. "That was honestly one of the best baseball games Ive been a part of," Miller said with a grin. "Theyre one of the hottest teams in baseball and I was pumped." Logan Morrison drove in another run later in the ninth to provide some breathing room. "What a swing by Miller. Oh my goodness," he said. "He crushed it." Charlie Furbush (1-4) inherited a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth, but the Mariners reliever calmly retired Mike Moustakas on a lazy popup to shallow right field. Furbush then struck out Alcides Escobar to silence a crowd of 38,475 and keep the game tied. After Holland (0-2) coughed up the lead, Fernando Rodney allowed two singles in the ninth for Seattle. But the veteran closer bounced back to retire pinch-hitter Nori Aoki on a groundout, and then he struck out Alex Gordon on three pitches to earn his 19th save. "They are big league baseball players. Big league ballplayers dont miss mistakes too often," Holland said. "I got up on (Miller) two strikes and didnt get the slider where I wanted. I made a mistake. Sometimes you pay for them and I did tonight." Morrison added a two-run homer for Seattle, which overcame a subpar start from Hisashi Iwakuma to end the Royals five-game winning streak at Kauffman Stadium. Mike Zunino added a solo shot and Robinson Cano drove in two runs, extending his hitting streak to 21 games. Moustakas hit a two-run shot to lead the Royals, who have dropped two in a row after winning 10 straight. Salvador Perez homered and drove in two runs for Kansas City. "Listen, we ran into a buzz saw. These guys are hot and everythiing is going for them," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. Alex Delvecchio Jersey. "When you run into teams like that you have to play extremely well." Iwakuma went eight shutout innings in each of his two starts against Kansas City this season, and the right-hander was headed that way again with four scoreless frames to start the game. Along the way, Iwakuma struck out the side in the first inning on just 12 pitches. Meanwhile, his offence was staking him to a 5-0 lead. Cano, who has dominated James Shields throughout his career, drove in a run off him in the first inning and another during a three-run fifth that was capped by Morrisons homer. Zuninos solo shot came in the fourth inning, a no-doubt rocket over the bullpen in left. The Royals finally broke through when Perez homered on a meaty 0-2 pitch in the fifth. They didnt stop there, either. Lorenzo Cain followed with a double, and Moustakas belted his eighth homer of the season over the wall in right to trim the Royals deficit to 5-3. Iwakuma escaped the inning, but he quickly ran into more trouble in the sixth. Consecutive singles by Billy Butler and Gordon knocked him from the game, and reliever Dominic Leone gave up the lead when Perez hit an RBI single and Moustakas an RBI groundout to make it 5-all. Iwakuma allowed nine hits and a walk in five-plus innings. It was his shortest start since July 9, 2013, when he allowed six runs and eight hits in three innings against the Red Sox. Shields went seven innings and still has not lost since May 2, a span of nine starts. "It was a great to see the crowd come out, obviously a sellout. We love it when the fans come out," Shields said of the rare packed house. "We didnt get a win for them tonight, but hopefully they keep coming out and well get some wins here." NOTES: Royals right-handed batters were 0 for 23 against Iwakuma this season before Butlers single in the second. Butler had three hits. ... Gordon returned after missing a game to illness. ... Mariners RHP Chris Young faces Royals LHP Jason Vargas on Saturday. 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 ' ' '
RIMOUSKI, Que. Gerson AS Roma Jersey . -- Nikita Jevpalovs forced extra time with a goal at 17:08 of the third period and then scored in overtime as the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada rallied past the Rimouski Oceanic 8-7 on Tuesday to advance to the third round in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs. Ryan Tesink also scored twice for the Armada, who trailed 4-0 after 20 minutes of play, while Samuel Hodhod, Marc-Olivier Roy, Christopher Clapperton and Danick Martel each scored once. Peter Trainor and William Couture had a pair of goals apiece for the Oceanic and Sebastien Sylvestre, Tyler Boland and Michael Joly added the others. Samuel Montembeault stopped 14-of-17 shots in 52 minutes of relief to earn the win for Blainville-Boisbriand. Etienne Marcoux allowed four goals on 11 shots and was replaced by Montembeault to start the second period. Philippe Desrosiers gave up six goals on 25 shots for Rimouski before giving way to Olivier Tremblay, who kicked out 9-of-11 shots in 26 minutes of relief. The Armada will face the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in Round 3. Kostas Manolas AS Roma Jersey . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Mohamed Salah Jersey . LeBron James believes hes a major reason for their early failures.EDMONTON -- When the Edmonton Oilers traded for Ben Scrivens on Jan. 16 they did so in hopes the Spruce Grove, Alta., native would solve their inconsistent goaltending problems. The 27-year-old showed on Wednesday he may just be the solution. Scrivens stopped all 59 shots he faced to backstop the Oilers to a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. The win matched Edmontons season-high three-game winning streak. "Hats off to the goaltender, he was tremendous," said San Jose coach Todd McLellan. "Probably first, second and third star. If he wasnt he deserved it. Heck of a performance. In all my years in the league I dont think Ive seen that. We attempted 100 shots on goal, that doesnt happen very often." The 59-save shutout is an NHL record. The 59 shots tied the mark for the most ever given up by Edmonton and Scrivens 59 saves were a team record. Previously Edmonton gave up 59 shots to the New York Rangers in 1993, winning that game 4-3. The Oilers were outshot 20-7, 22-9 and 17-11 by periods as the Sharks, 7-3-0 in their previous 10 games, dominated play, territorially and by shots. But they couldnt beat Scrivens, who made his fourth start for the Oilers and won his second game. He went into the game with an 8-7-4 record, a 2.03 goals-against average and .930 save percentage. He improved all three of those marks Wednesday. "I was seeing the puck well," he said afterwards. "We got extremely lucky with a couple of posts in the second. "I had an awful, awful warm-up, it was an inauspicious start to it," he added. "Its one of those things where you try not to look at the forest while youre in the trees. You try to focus on the process and give yourself a chance to make that save and when the puck drops again, you try to focus on the next one and dont try to get too far ahead of yourself." Other than Scrivens the team effort was spotty at best. "Thats how I thought our skaters were playing the game; they were watching Ben play," said Oilers coach Dallas Eakins who wasnt particularly happy despite the win. Edin Dzeko AS Roma Jersey. "It was an incredible thing to watch, Ive never seen that before. Im so happy for Ben and proud of him and then youre mad at the same time." The Oilers capitalized on San Jose mistakes to get the win they didnt really deserve. Defenceman Justin Schultz in the first period and Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle in the third scored the Edmonton goals. Schultz scored on a shot from the blue line that defected off a San Jose player in front of goaltender Antti Niemi. Hall buried a shot just under the crossbar to finish off a two-on-one break with Eberle six minutes into the third and he assisted on Eberles goal in the final two minutes. The story was all Scrivens, who got a well-deserved standing ovation late in the second period and several more in the third. While the Sharks rattled two shots off the goalpost in the second period, Scrivens had them shaking their heads with some of his spectacular saves. Among his best were point-blank stops off Patrick Marleau, Jason Demers twice, Bracken Kearns, Brent Burns and Tommy Wingels. "Usually when you put 20 shots on goal in the first period you get one goal," said Wingels. "So at that point we knew we would have to keep going. We were saying get 20 more shots, get 20 more shots and you think thats a recipe for success. Unfortunately tonight it wasnt." Hall said the Oilers skaters could sense towards the end of the first period that they were watching something special. "Obviously you dont want to give up 59 shots, but sometimes a goalie has to stand on his head and that has to be one of the best performances by a goalie, I have ever seen." The loss was San Joses first to Edmonton this year after winning 3-1 and 5-1 in their previous two games. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ChinaNFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. Jordan Morris USA Jersey . -- Zach Johnson is like most players at the World Challenge, not sure whether hes still playing in 2013 or if hes in the middle of the new wraparound season that officially started in October. All he knows is that hes leading. Johnson, who already has two official PGA Tour events under his belt in the "new season," came out a few days early to the unofficial World Challenge to work on new equipment with Titleist at its test centre in Carlsbad, and to meet with his team of coaches to outline goals for 2014 and to identify weakness. One priority is to score better on the par 5s, and Johnson wasted little time on that. Sherwood has five par 5s. He made birdie on four of them for a 5-under 67, giving him a one-shot lead over Matt Kuchar. Hunter Mahan and Bubba Watson were at 70, while tournament host Tiger Woods missed short putts at the beginning and end of his round and had to settle for a 71. "A highlight that were looking into next year is trying to play those holes a little bit better," Johnson said of the par 5s. "I dont know what I did that today. I hit it close. I had good shots in there with the proper spin, nothing more than that. But youve got to take advantage of them. Youve got five of them. The thing is ... one errant shot, youre staring a 6 right in the face, if not more. Theres a lot of penal areas." Johnson said he still considers Kapalua to be the start of the season. Woods, meanwhile, is still trying to get his head around the schedule change. He hasnt played an official tournament in the 2013-14 season. The only event he played was the Turkish Open, where he tied for third in the European Tour event. After this week, he wont play again until Torrey Pines at the end of January. Thats his usual starting point, except that the PGA Tour already has had six guys win tournaments. "To me, Im still on the old calendar, so to me this is the end of the year," Woods said. "I know that Im going to be pretty far behind on points by the time I tee up again, and thats just kind of the way its going to be. ... But you have the entire summer, you have the entire major championship season, you have the big events and then the playoffs. Anything can happen. But its going to be interesting to see how far behind some of us are when we start." This sure didnt feel like summer. The temperature was in the upper 20s before the sun came up in the foothills of the Santa Monica mountains. There was a one-hour frost delay. A combination of firm turf, chilly weather, some breeze and firm greens made for tough scoring, and it showed. Steve Stricker was among those under par until a bogey-bogey-double bogey finish put him at 75. Jordan Spieth, coming off a sensational rookie season and playing for the first time since the HSBC Champions in Shanghai a month ago, had a 77 and was last in the field. Jason Day, who won the individual and team title at the World Cup two weeks ago at Royal Melbourne, had a 76. Rory McIlroy, with girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki following him, was hopeful of building momentum from his first win of the year last week in the Australian Open. He missed a few short putts, found the water on the par-3 15th and had a 73. He played with defending champion Graeme McDowell, who had a 72. McDowell saw a note that his last eight rounds at Sherwood were in the 60s. That streak ended Thursday, though for good reason. "The course hasnt been this tough in a couple years," McDowell said. "The scoring reflects that. The greens are much firmer. The speed of them caught me by surprise a little bit today. My speed was a little clumsy, and it showed today on the greens." This is the final year the tournament is being played at Sherwood. It moves to Isleworth just outside Orlando, Fla., next year. Any rust Woods felt had to do with the greens, which he said showed on some of his putts. "I made a few mistakes today," Woods said. "I also hit a couple of good shots that ended up in some interesting spots. That can happen out there. I shot about the score ... maybe could have gotten one or two more out of it." Johnson had few complaints. He opened with two birdies, and then surged ahead on the back nine with five birdies in a seven-hole stretch, three of them on the par 5s. Johnson has a pair of runner-up finishes at this event, and with the tournament moving, this is his last shot at Sherwood. "I did everything decent," he said. "Just a real solid day all around. I was aggressive when I needed to be aggressive, and I was conservative when I needed to be conservative. Its nothing more than a decent start." on that. Kyle Beckerman USA Jersey . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. Fabian Johnson USA Jersey . Virtanen opened the scoring at 6:45 of the first period, then gave Canada a two-goal lead with a power-play goal 1:03 into the second. Sweden cut the lead in half when Daniel Muzito Bagenda scored a power-play goal at 10:57 of the second.The Carolina Hurricanes have signed veteran defenceman Ron Hainsey to a one-year, $2 million contract. The unrestricted free agent blueliner played last season for the Winnipeg Jets. The move came one day after the Hurricanes learned that defenceman Joni Pitkanen will be out for the season with a broken heel. Hainsey, 32, is a veteran of 10 NHL seasons. He was a first-round pick (12th overall) of the Montreal Canadiens in 2000 and appeared in 32 games for the Habs. DeAndre Yedlin USA Jersey. He went on to play three seasons for the Columbus Blue Jackets and five for the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets franchise. The native of Bolton, Connecticut had 13 assists in 47 games for the Jets last season. In 591 NHL contests Hainsey has 34 goals and 192 points. 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 ' ' '
PATTAYA, Thailand -- Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic reached her first WTA semifinal in almost a year after she came back from two match points down to beat third-seeded Sorana Cirstea 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0 in the Pattaya Open on Friday. Braden Holtby Canada Jersey . Pliskova came up with good serves when she needed them at 4-5, 15-40 in the second set to hold that game, and went on to dominate the tiebreak and third set thanks also to a barrage of unforced errors from Cirstea. "I didnt expect to win," Pliskova said. "She was playing amazing in the first set and I didnt have any chance to play my game. She was playing fast and she was killing all my second serves. In the second set I was just trying to hold my serves and hoped that in the tiebreak anything could happen." Pliskovas last appearance in a semifinal was in Kuala Lumpur last February, when she also went on to claim her first and only singles title. She faces Julia Georges of Germany, who beat fifth-seeded Elena Vesina of Russia 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. "Im happy that Ive won hard matches here," Pliskova said. "I played my last semifinal in Kuala Lumpur which is almost a year. So Im happy that Im not going to lose (ranking) points." In another quarterfinal, Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic upset eighth-seeded Peng Shuai of China 6-2, 7-5. Hlavackova, a doubles specialist who has two Grand Slam doubles titles, will have to go through fourth-seeded Ekaterina Makarova of Russia or Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm to reach her second singles final. Ray Bourque Team Canada Jersey . Saskatchewans Darian Durant is expected to miss the rest of the Roughriders season with a torn tendon in his right elbow. The 32-year-old, who will undergo surgery in the next couple days to repair the injury, was added to the teams six-game injury list Tuesday. Jeff Carter Canada Jersey . The win puts Arsenal four points clear of Everton in fourth place with two games to play in the Premier League, a position which would qualify the club for Europes top competition for the 17th straight year.WINNIPEG -- Alex Suber is hungry to start another CFL season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and wipe away the memory of 2013, one of the worst on record for the team. "Im excited just for a new start, just to see where things are going, to bring some kind of tradition back to the team and guys being excited about something new," the defensive back said during a conference call Monday after agreeing to stay with the Bombers rather than go to free agency next month. Suber is entering his fifth CFL season, all with Winnipeg. He played 18 games last season at halfback, recording 54 tackles, two interceptions and one fumble recovery, while adding six special-teams tackles. "He brings an attitude to the field and is a great athlete on both defence and special teams," GM Kyle Walters said in a statement about Suber. "He was a player on our free-agent list we targeted very early on as a guy we wanted back and the organization is very excited to have him wearing the Bomber uniform for the foreseeable future. Alex Galchenyuk Team Canada Jersey. quot; Suber says he has already started preparing for the new season, working in the gym in Tampa, where he noted the weather isnt great by Florida standards but its certainly a lot better than the Canadian prairies. He says he wants to show up in good shape after playing through some minor injuries last season. Suber says he isnt worried that new head coach Mike OShea has yet to name a new defensive co-ordinator. "I think theyre slowly working it out and figuring out exactly what they want, not rushing for the fans and the media . . . and I appreciate that," he said. Suber was happy to see announcements that Jason Vega and Bryant Turner are returning to the defence. With just three wins in 2013, the Bombers tied a modern record for the second-worst season in team history. It cost general manager Joe Mack and coach Tim Burke their jobs. 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 ' ' '
Huddersfields Aaron Mooy has returned from international duty unscathed and is expected to resume in midfield for Sundays Sky Bet Championship home game against Sheffield Wednesday, live on Sky Sports 2 HD from 11. Ivan Perisic Jersey .30am. Summer signing Mooy played in both of Australias World Cup qualifiers, against Saudi Arabia and Japan, although he was substituted in the second half as the Socceroos drew 1-1 with the Samurai Blue in Melbourne on Tuesday. Aaron Mooy is available for Huddersfield after international duty Defender Chris Schindler is in contention after recovering from the facial injury sustained in the recent win at Ipswich, while head coach David Wagner has no new injury or suspension problems. Forward Joe Lolley remains sidelined due to a foot injury as Town bid to make it nine wins from 12 in the Sky Bet Championship. Highlights of Huddersfields 1-0 win at Ipswich on October 1 Sheffield Wednesday defender Daniel Pudil has recovered from a thigh injury and will be included in the squad.Left-back Pudil was withdrawn early in the second half in the Owls recent home defeat against Brighton and missed the Czech Republics World Cup qualifiers with Germany and Azerbaijan. Highlights of Sheffield Wednesdays 2-1 home defeat by Brighton a fortnight ago Goalkeeper Cameron Dawson made his first senior appearance in the same match as Keiren Westwood was forced out due to a thigh problem, but the latter is expected to be fit.Sam Hutchinson (back) and striker Lucas Joao (groin) are both hoping to shake off injury in time to be included.Watch Huddersfield v Sheffield Wednesday live on Sky Sports 2 HD from 11.30am on Sunday. Get Sky Sports Alerts Breaking news, line ups and goal alerts from your football club - direct to your mobile Cristian Ansaldi Jersey . A top pitching prospect, one who the ball club is pinning some of its future hopes, takes the spot of a veteran who once was viewed as a future ace but who, to this point, hasnt realized his potential and may never. Eder Jersey . Phoenix got injured centre Emeka Okafor and a top-12-protected first-round draft pick in 2014 -- giving the rebuilding Suns potentially four choices in the opening round. The Suns also sent guards Kendall Marshall, Shannon Brown and Malcolm Lee to Washington so the deal will work financially.TORONTO - Nearly eight years ago, the Raptors took a low-risk chance on an intriguing prospect out of Texas when they used a second-round draft pick to select the position-less P.J. Tucker. Tucker, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound bull, had the build of a power forward trapped in the frame of a shooting guard. By all accounts he was a misfit, destined to end up in the leagues scrapheap with the vast majority of its second-rounders. During his rookie season, Tucker played 21 games for Toronto, bouncing back and forth from the D-League before he was waived by the team less than a year into his NBA journey. After playing in six countries over the next five years, Tucker returned to the league and put up career-highs as a 28-year-old starting for the Phoenix Suns last season. The league has changed and, as a result, so has the need for players that are able to easily adapt. Enter Iowa State senior and Toronto-native Melvin Ejim, who is hoping to hear his named called sometime during the second round in this months draft. Like Tucker and many talented prospects before him, Ejim has been labeled a "tweener" - a hybrid player stuck in between positions as a result of size, strength or skill set. For a long time, the term carried a negative connotation in NBA circles. Who will he defend? How does he fit in? Now its become the norm. Tweeners, combo guards, stretch fours. As teams continue to challenge the defence with smaller, quicker lineups, the NBA is evolving into a league void of prototypical positions. On Thursday, the Miami Heat will begin their pursuit of a third consecutive title led by LeBron James, perhaps the most unique basketball player weve ever seen, capable of playing and guarding four or five positions on the floor at a high level. Last week, Oklahoma City was eliminated in the Western Conference Finals with three point guards on the court together down the stretch of Game 6. The team that ousted them and Miamis opponent in the Finals, the Spurs possess the versatility to match up with almost any style of play, thanks in large part to their versatile wings - Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Boris Diaw. Ultimately, what position you play is less important than the underlying question - can you play? At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Ejim is confident that theres a place for him and his well-rounded game on an NBA team. "I think it depends on how you look at the word tweener," he said following Wednesday mornings pre-draft workout in the Raptors practice facility at the Air Canada Centre. "If you see it as a valuable thing, then I think that I bring a lot of stuff. I think that Im a small forward and I bring versatility to be able to defend bigger guys, I have a strong body that can do a lot of things defensively. Then offensively [Im] versatile, can shoot the ball aand play inside and out. Gary Medel Jersey. And if you dont consider those good things, then I guess tweeners a bad thing." Ejim, the Big 12 Conference player of the year, has fully embraced his basketball identity. "Its better than being called a glue guy," he said of the tweener label. "Ive yet to see anyone say, yo, youre a tweener, we dont really do tweeners over here," Ejim joked. "And honestly, its not even about being a tweener, its about being a player. If youre somebody that can go out and play basketball on different levels and play at different positions, then youre valuable, youre a good player." Following Tuesdays auditions, a pair of combo guards, Jordan Clarkson and Nick Johnson - also expected to go in the second round - echoed a similar sentiment. Versatility will also be a valuable commodity when the Raptors make their first-round selection at pick no. 20. UCLAs Kyle Anderson is a point guard in a 6-foot-9 body, athletic Clemson product K.J. McDaniels can defend multiple positions, while NC States T.J. Warren projects as a versatile and unconventional scorer. All three wing players are expected to workout in Toronto later this week. "Its almost a positive in todays game," said Dan Tolzman, director of scouting for the Raptors. "You want the flexibility that if a team goes big against you, you have the ability to just shift guys over a spot and keep your best players out there. I think the same goes the other way. If guys go small, youd like to have perimeter players that can bang down low and can rebound hard when youre in a small ball game. I think its just the progression of the game." Working out alongside fellow Canadian Khem Birch, a Montreal-native out of UNLV, Ejim impressed the Raptors, not only with his versatility and commitment to defence but with his approach, maturity and professionalism. "He came in [wearing] slacks and a nice button-down shirt," Tolzman said of Ejim. "He looked like he was coming to an interview and I think that clearly it resonates with us because this is a professional job interview for these guys." With a couple second-round picks at 37 and 59, the Raptors could consider selecting the hometown product, who would be a welcomed addition within Dwane Caseys system. Although his skill set continues to fly under the radar in a talented, wing-heavy draft class, its not hard to envision him catching on with a team and working his way into a rotation, not unlike Tucker in Phoenix. "His niche in my opinion will be as a defensive player," Tolzman said. "Hes a strong defender and I think the level of intensity he plays with bodes well for guys that focus on defence because when they give their all, they impact the game somehow, even if their shots not there." 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 ' ' '
Uniondale, NY (SportsNetwork. Miguel Angel Moya Jersey .com) - Nikolay Kulemin had two goals and an assist and the New York Islanders closed out a hugely successful pre-All-Star- break schedule with a 7-4 decision over the Philadelphia Flyers. John Tavares, Michael Grabner, Josh Bailey and Nick Leddy each scored once and assisted on another in a game the Islanders led from start to finish, with Jaroslav Halak adding 25 saves in the win. New York will enter the break atop the Metropolitan Division with 63 points and a 31-14-1 record. Im very pleased up until this point with our hockey club, Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said afterward. Weve done a lot of good things, not only winning hockey games, but how we are winning games. The Islanders put up four of their goals just past the midway mark of the second period, resulting in the Flyers pulling netminder Rob Zepp after he stopped just 16-of-20 shots. Mark Streit, Michael Del Zotto, Claude Giroux and Chris VandeVelde all had goals for the Flyers, while Ray Emery saved 18-of-20 attempts in relief of Zepp. Zepp, the 33-year-old rookie making only his fifth career NHL start, had his rough afternoon begin early. Grabner took in a pass from Kulemin and blew past Flyers defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo before firing a shot into the top right corner to put the Islanders ahead just 1:32 in. Kulemin made it a 2-0 game with a little over eight minutes elapsed, as a long drive from Johnny Boychuk was kicked out by Zepp right to the Russian forward for him to deposit into an opening. The Flyers had a chance to cut into the deficit with a power play early in the second period. However, Kulemin blocked a shot from Matt Read and embarked on a breakaway which he finished with a short-handed tally to put New York up 3-0. When you play as hard as he plays, youre going to get results, Capuano said of Kulemin. Hes a guy that away from the puck, plays exceptionally well defensively. We can use him in some crucial situations, not just the penalty kill, but 5-on-5. Halak couldnt prevent a blast from Streit from trickling through on a Flyers power play midway through the middle session, but Bailey restored the Isles three-goal advantage less than three minutes later by putting home the rebound of Travis Hamonics initial attempt and prompting Zepps exit. Weve got to do a better job in front of our goalies, Giroux said. Our best defense is our offense, so we have to go play offensively and keep the puck down there. Philadelphia answered with 4:48 left in the second when Del Zotto snuck a shot under Halaks pads off a centering feed from Jakub Voracek. However, New York entered the intermission owning a comfortable 5-2 lead on a Tavares goal with 7.6 seconds to go in the frame. After receiving a give from Frans Nielsen from the left boards, the Islanders captain moved in and lifted a backhander over Emerys left shoulder with New York on a 5-on-4 situation. The Flyers trimmed the margin to 5-3 when Giroux converted Halaks giveaway behind his own net into an easy tap-in 49 seconds into the third period. Philadelphia couldnt get any closer, however, with Leddy all but sealing the outcome by flinging a puck that got through a screened Emery with 14:15 left to play. Both teams registered goals in the final 2 1/2 minutes to complete the scoring. VandeVelde successfully redirected Luke Schenns point shot for the Flyers final marker, with Anders Lee tacking on an empty-netter for New York with 1:03 remaining. Game Notes The previous meeting between the clubs this season went scoreless through regulation and overtime, with the Isles claiming a 1-0 shootout win Nov. 24 at Nassau Coliseum ... Boychuk finished with two assists for the Islanders, with Voracek and Brayden Schenn posting a pair of helpers for Philadelphia ... Islanders forward Kyle Okposo was named the NHLs Third Star of the Week on Monday after scoring five goals in three games ... The Flyers had been 14-1-1 this season when scoring four or more goals prior to Mondays result ... Colaiacovo left the game with an apparent lower-body injury in the third period. Tiago Mendes Jersey . Signs of a turnaround have emerged in this series at Minnesota. Brian Roberts had three doubles and a triple for the first four-extra-base-hit game of his 14-year career, and the Yankees used their bullpen to preserve a 6-5 win over the Twins on Friday. Fernando Torres Atletico Madrid Jersey . Eller said the Oilers were a "junior team" that was "all over the place" before Edmontons 4-3 victory over Montreal on Tuesday night, Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins took offence to Ellers comments and used it to motivate his youthful team.LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland - World Cup overall champion Anna Fenninger added the giant slalom title on Sunday by winning the season-ending race. The Austrian racer had to finish ahead of pre-race standings leader Jessica Lindell-Vikarby of Sweden and duly won her fourth straight World Cup giant slalom. Fenningers two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 1.28 seconds was 0.25 faster than teammate Eva-Maria Brem. Lindell-Vikarby was third, trailing 0.33 behind Fenninger, whose 100 race points lifted her to victory by 26 over the eight-race GS season. Fenninger, the Olympic silver medallist in GS, got her first career World Cup discipline title. She completed an Austriian sweep of race wins and discipline titles on Sunday, after Marcel Hirscher won the mens slalom to clinch the season-long title. Jan Oblak Atletico Madrid Jersey. Fenninger and Hirscher have given Austria its first overall title double since 2002. Aged 24 and 25 respectively, they grew up in villages near Salzburg and raced each other as juniors. Mikaela Shiffrin was fourth-fastest in the morning but dropped to 12th in the second run, 0.95 behind Fenninger. The 19-year-old American finished the season sixth in the overall standings and seventh in the GS points race. On Saturday, Shiffrin won her fifth World Cup slalom this season to retain her discipline title. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
The Copa America Centenario is heading north. Justin Peters Coyotes Jersey . CONMEBOL and CONCACAF have scheduled a press conference for Thursday in Miami where it is expected that both federations will confirm that the 2016 edition of the Copa America will be held in the United States and CONCACAF will be represented. Along with the 10 South American members of CONMEBOL, the US and Mexican national teams and four other CONCACAF squads, are expected to participate in a 16-team tournament. The 2016 edition of the tournament is its centenary. The first edition, in 1916, was held in Uruguay. Uruguay are the current holders of the title, having defeated Paraguay in 2011. Uruguay has won the competition a record 15 times. Jarred Tinordi Jersey .com) - Jenny Boucek is the new head coach of the Seattle Storm. Arizona Coyotes Jersey .ca NBA Power Rankings. Winners of 15 straight, with a healthy roster, the Spurs have overtaken the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder for the number one ranking. CURITIBA, Brazil -- Defending champion Spain salvaged some World Cup pride on Monday with a convincing 3-0 victory over Australia in their last match at the tournament. After losing their previous matches in Group B to the Netherlands and Chile, both teams took to Arena da Baixada in the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba knowing they could not advance to the second round. David Villa, on his 97th and final appearance put Spain ahead in the 36th minute with his record 59th goal, guiding Juanfran Torres pass into the net with the inside of his right foot. Juanfran had been found by a typically incisive pass by Andres Iniesta. "We stepped up against Australia and won this match, and Im happy to have participated in the first goal," said the 32-year-old Villa, who has called time on his international career. "Its sad because we would have liked to have spent more time here, but thats how it is." Iniesta was at the heart of the second goal too, providing the pass for Fernando Torres to steer the ball past Australia goalkeeper Mat Ryan in the 69th minute. Juan Mata, who replaced an emotional Villa early in the second half, added the third in the 82nd from close range, stroking the ball under Ryan after he was found in space by fellow substitute Cesc Fabregas. David Silva, who also came on late, went close in the 89th but his shot from outside the area went just wide. Though nothing, in terms of World Cup progress, rested on the game, Spain showed some of the clever passing football that has seen it dominate the game over the past six years -- winning Euro 2008, its first World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and then Euro 2012. With that domination now at an end, the task facing Spain is to manage the transition from an aging squad that has won everything in the game to a new generation of players waiting to take centre stage. "We went out with dignity," Del Bosque said. &qquot;These have been six years of which we have been first in the FIFA ranking, a generation of players that have taught others, and have shown themselves," he added. Jarred Tinordi Coyotes Jersey. "We bow out with our head high knowing the future of the Spanish team has a good base regardless of who coaches it, with good veterans." In the early minutes of the match, Australia took the game to the champions, but it wasnt long before Spain asserted control and started dominating possession. "We started bright enough but you have to give credit to them, they are a quality team," Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said. "We looked jaded, tired, and gave away the ball too easily, so its disappointing." Australia, which lacked bite up front through the suspension of Tim Cahill, finished with zero points, its worst ever performance in a World Cup. On its 1974 debut, Australia garnered a point. However, the Socceroos were in an extremely tough group and pushed the Netherlands hard during its 3-2 defeat. For its part, Spain avoided the worst World Cup title defence in history. That label remains with the France team of 2002, which only secured one point in its goal-less campaign in the tournament co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. "What happened is in the past now," Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso said. "We tried to face our situation in the best manner possible. This is football, though, and we go home sad." ------ Lineups: Australia: Mat Ryan, Ryan McGowan, Jason Davidson, Matthew Spiranovic, Alex Wilkinson, Matt McKay, Mile Jedinak, Oliver Bozanic (Mark Bresciano, 72), Tommy Oar (James Troisi, 61), Matthew Leckie, Adam Taggart (Ben Halloran, 46). Spain: Pepe Reina, Sergio Ramos, Raul Albiol, Jordi Alba, Juanfran Torres, Koke, Xabi Alonso (David Silva, 83), Santi Cazorla (Cesc Fabregas, 68), Andres Iniesta, Fernando Torres, David Villa (Juan Mata, 56). 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 ' ' '
VIENNA, Va. David Backes USA Jersey . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Davis, 28, was stopped in Tysons Corner about 4 p.m. Thursday and arrested, Fairfax County Police said. Police spokeswoman Shelley Broderick declined to discuss why Davis was stopped. A court date has not been set. The NFL announced Wednesday that Davis was suspended indefinitely without pay. Davis, who will become a free agent next month, said in a statement Thursday that the suspension resulted from taking a supplement that contained a banned substance, not recreational drug use, which prompted his 2011 suspension. Court records show nearly three dozen traffic-related charges against Davis in recent years. Specifically, court records in Fairfax, Loudoun and Arlington counties and Fairfax City show 34 charges from 23 separate incidents going back to 2008, the year the Redskins drafted Davis in the second round. Twenty-one of the charges resulted in convictions, including a speeding charge for 82 mph in a 50 zone, driving on a suspended license, and numerous charges for improperly tinted windows. The count does not include dozens of charges for failing to pay tolls, and none of the previous charges includes any allegations of drunken driving. A lawyer who has represented Davis on some of his most recent charges, Mark Dycio, was not immediately available for comment Friday morning. Ben Bishop Jersey . "Well over 50 (per cent)," coach Claude Noel said Tuesday after practice, where the Jets were looking at ways to cut down the scoring chances theyve been giving away. Kevin Shattenkirk Jersey . He wants to seize that opportunity. The trouble is, Firus has had more bumps on the road to Sochi than most. Last year, Firus had the skate of a lifetime in the short program at the Canadian championships when he landed his first triple Axel in competition and finished third in a stacked field.Claudio Ranieri has ditched the tinkering and has been forced to become a ruthless manager at Leicester, according to his former player Graeme Le Saux. Ranieri stands on the brink of a remarkable Premier League crown with his side requiring three points from their last three matches to land the title and complete their astonishing transformation from relegation favourites to champions. Mahrez: Title race not over Leicesters Riyad Mahrez says Premier League title race not done yet The Foxes could capture the Premier League title against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 1pm. Graeme Le Saux insists Ranieris eccentric manner is merely a front The Italian gained his infamous Tinkerman nickname for his liking of squad rotation during a three-and-a-half year spell at Chelsea.And few took Ranieri seriously when he was appointed at the King Power Stadium last summer having been sacked as manager of Greece in 2014. Hes a very shrewd operator and he wouldnt shirk aa big decision. Mike Komisarek Jersey. Behind the smile theres a ruthless football manager, a guy who is happy to make big decisions. Graeme Le Saux on Claudio Ranieri But former Chelsea left-back Le Saux insists Ranieris eccentric manner is merely a front, behind which lies a shrewd and ruthless operator.Thats all veneer, dont be fooled, thats part design, said Le Saux. Hes a very shrewd operator and he wouldnt shirk a big decision. Behind the smile theres a ruthless football manager, a guy who is happy to make big decisions.At Leicester he hasnt had to, the team picks itself. Hes not had to deal with dropping big names and moving people on. Once hes established his team and his shape, hes been the polar opposite to what we were calling him, the Tinkerman. Souness: Foxes defy logic Leicester winning Premier League title defies logic, says Graeme Souness Did he tinker too much? Yes, and its frustrating as a player when you work on a system all week and on the day of the game he changes it. But thats not a criticism of who he is now.When he took over I wasnt prepared to bring those flaws out because it was 12 years since I worked with him, so I thought give him a chance. Also See: Mahrez: Title race not over The German Leicester Leipzig turned down Vardy Simpson: Well do it without Vardy 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 ' ' '
Hallandale Beach, FL (SportsNetwork. R. J. Umberger Flyers Jersey .com) - Pants On Fire has not finished out of the money this year and will try to keep that streak alive Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $100,000 Harlans Holiday Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. Owned by George and Lori Hall, Pants On Fire will take on eight rivals in the late season stakes and start from post 4 with his regular rider Paco Lopez in the saddle. The 6-year-old, trained by Kelly Breen, is coming off a solid third-place finish in this years Breeders Cup Dirt Mile at 9-1 behind repeat winner Goldencents. The veteran racehorse, winner of the 2011 Louisiana Derby, began 2014 with a third in the Monmouth Cup following a lengthy rest after racing in last Decembers Japan Cup Dirt Stakes. Pants On Fire got second in Monmouths Iselin Handicap in August with another runner-up finish in Belmont Parks Left Bank Stakes. He hit the wire first on Sept. 20 at Charles Town Races in the Wild and Wonderful Stakes. The 6-year-old has won nine of 29 lifetime starts with five seconds and six thirds for $1,427,635. Here is the field for Harlans Holiday from the rail out: Sr. Quisqueyano, Arny Fontanez; Csaba, Luis Saez; Rose To Gold, Jesus Rios; Pants On Fire, Paco Lopez; Hampstead Heath, Luis Contreras; Schivarelli, Javier Castellano; Valid, Orlando Bocachica; Liams Map, John Velazquez and Hy Kodiak Warrior, Manuel Melean. The Harlans Holiday has an approximate post time of 4:27 p.m. ET.Michael Del Zotto Flyers Jersey . "I only want to go through this one more time," Crosby said Friday. The 24-year-old captain hasnt played since the symptoms resurfaced following a loss to Boston on Dec. 5. Doctors allowed him to return to full practice on Tuesday and while Crosby is pleased with the way his body is responding he refuses to put on his return. Ron Hextall Flyers Jersey . His Chicago Blackhawks teammates werent shocked when he found it. Kanes career has been defined by his brilliance in the Blackhawks biggest moments, and his tiebreaking goal with 3:45 to play in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals will rank among the best.KEARNS, Utah -- American Brittany Bowe set a world record in the womens 1,000 metres Sunday in a World Cup speedskating race at the Utah Olympic Oval, finishing in 1:12.58. Bowe broke the mark of 1:12.68 set by Christine Nesbitt of London, Ont., in Calgary on Jan. 28, 2012. "I daydream about it," Bowe said. "Ive dreamed in my sleep about it. When it becomes a reality and finally hits you, its a dream come true." American Heather Richardson was second in 1:12.61, and the Netherlands Ireen Wust followed in 1:13.33. Bowe set her sights on winning the race after finishing second a day earlier. Setting a record didnt really cross her mind until the final lap. "I knew if I could just hang on, it would be a really fast time," Bowe said. In the womens team pursuit, Nesbitt, Winnipegs Brittany Schussler and Reginas Kali Christ won silver for Canada in 2:56.. Luke Schenn Flyers Jersey Authentic. 90. The Netherlands won gold in 2:56.02, while the United States was third in 2:57.09. "I guess we built a lot off last week (where we were fourth) and tried to come up with a bit of a new tactic," Schussler said. "It wasnt perfect but it was a definitely a step in the right direction. Were definitely excited to be back on the podium where we belong and looking forward to Berlin and taking another step up the podium." Japans Keiichiro Nagashima won the mens 500 in 34.24 seconds. The Netherlands Ronald Mulder was second in 34.25, and South Koreas Mo Tae-mum was third in 34.28. American Mitchell Whitmore was seventh in 34.52. The Netherlands swept the top three spots in the mens 5,000. Sven Kramer won in 6:04.59, Bob de Jong was second in 6:07.43, and Jorrit Bergsma third in 6:08.13. American Jonathan Kuck finished fifth in 6:09.73. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Vans Old Skool Sneakers . -- Jimmermania began in Sacramento with hundreds of fans gathered at the airport to cheer the arrival of a player most had only watched on television or read about during the NCAA tournament. Its headed for a much quieter conclusion. As the Kings and guard Jimmer Fredette worked toward reaching a buyout of his contract, the former BYU sensation was not in attendance for Tuesday nights 129-103 loss to the Houston Rockets. Kings coach Michael Malone said the team advised Fredette to stay home until a resolution is reached. Malone said he wished Fredette well and believes the third-year guard can carve out an NBA career somewhere -- just not in Sacramento. "For whatever reason, Jimmer was never able to find success, whether they were unrealistic expectations from his college career or whatever it was," Malone said. "But he just wasnt able to play to the level that everybody wanted him to play, which is somewhat maybe unrealistic. Maybe we have to temper our expectations for Jimmer and let him just become a solid NBA player. And theres nothing wrong with that." Fredette, who turned 25 years old Tuesday, is making about $2.4 million this season. He will be a free agent if -- and most likely when -- he clears waivers. Kings general manager Pete DAlessandro told reporters at the teams morning shootaround that he was approached by Fredettes representatives about a buyout. He said Fredette no longer fits into the teams plans but Kings owner Vivek Ranadive "loves Jimmer and wants to do the right thing by Jimmer. Were just talking about things at this point. Theres nothing done at this point." A person with knowledge of the discussions, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because negotiations were ongoing, said the sides hoped to finalize an agreement by the end of the week. Yahoo Sports first reported the buyout talks. Fredettes locker at the arena also was cleared out. Fredette was drafted 10th overall in 2011 after dazzling at BYU, where he won The Associated Press player of the year award his senior season. Fredette never lived up to the fanfare in Sacramento, though the franchises instability -- playing for three different coaches, two different ownership groups and constant relocation chatter -- didnt help his cause. Fredette is averaging 5.9 points and 11.3 minutes this season, shooting 47.5 per cent from the floor and 49.3 per cent from 3-point range. For his career, hes averaging seven points, 1.5 assists and 1.1 rebounds while shooting 41.6 per cent overall, including 40 per cent from beyond the arc. But the same concerns some scouts had about Fredette when he entered the league -- his defence, ball-handling skills and ability to score off the ball against bigger and more athletic defenders -- persist. "Every time he shot it, I thought the ball was going in. I will say that," Malone said. Fredettes time in Californias capital city has been nearing an end since the Kings decided not to pick up a team option before this season on his contract for the 2014-15 season. Sacramento also tried to move Fredette before last weeks trade deadline but couldnt get any suitable deals. Since Sacramento traded Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn for Jason Terry and Reggie Evans last week, Malone promised to use the remainder of the season to give rookie guards Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum more playing time. That move buried Fredette even further on the bench. Fredette led the nation in scoring at 28.5 points per game and guided BYU to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament as a senior. Big performances in big games had NBA stars tweeting his name, President Barack Obama mentioning him while filling out his bracket and college basketball fans in a frenzy. The Kings acquired him in a draft-day trade with Milwaukee as the 10th overall pick. Fans have remained incredibly vocal about Fredette, often screaming at games for him to play more -- and cheering louder for him than other reserves when he finally enters. . Paul Westphal was the only one of Fredettes three coaches committed to giving him extended minutes. Even that didnt last long. Westphal was fired after a 2-5 start in Fredettes rookie season. Keith Smart and Malone both opted to go away from Fredette in favour of other guards, most notably Isaiah Thomas, who has outplayed Fredette since their rookie season. "Jimmer knows how to play, hes a worker, hes a great kid," Malone said. "And I just hope that he goes to a team that allows him to play and put him in a position to have success and maybe he can catch on with somebody." Vans Toy Story Buzz Lightyear . Almost 40 years to the day, the two teams will meet again, this time at BC Place, to celebrate the past and try to earn important points for the present. Vans Sk8 Hi Nere Pelle . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 3pm et/Noon pt. The Thunder reclaimed the home-court advantage LA took with a Game 1 win on Friday night with a 118-112 road win in Game 3. FORTALEZA, Brazil -- Miroslav Klose rescued a point for Germany, and equaled the World Cup scoring record in the process. Germany was held to an entertaining 2-2 draw by Ghana on Saturday and needed Kloses second-half equalizer to avoid another second-game letdown that has plagued the team in recent tournaments. Klose now has 15 career World Cup goals, equaling the mark set by former Brazil star Ronaldo. He celebrated the goal with his trademark somersault. "It wasnt perfect, but I cant remember the last time I did it," Klose said. "Still, 15 goals in 20 matches, thats not bad." Just like in 2010, Germany won its opening game of the World Cup 4-0 but struggled in its second game. Four years ago, it was beaten 1-0 by Serbia, and the Germans were on the verge of losing again on Saturday. The draw was good news for the United States, however, as the Americans would advance from the group if they beats Portugal on Sunday. "Ghana really threw everything they had at us. It was a very animated match. Both teams had many chances, and many counterattacks," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "Thats not how the match was planned, but thats how it turned out." Klose scored the equalizer in the 71st minute, less than two minutes after coming on as a substitute, when a corner by Toni Kroos was flicked to the far post by Benedikt Hoewedes and the striker slid in to knock the ball into the roof of the net. Ronaldo reacted with a tweet: "Welcome to the club (hashtag)klose. I can imagine your happiness!!!! What a great Cup!!!?" Mario Goetze had put Germany ahead in the 51st, but Ghana equalized three minutes later through Andre Ayew. Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan then put the Africans ahead in the 63rd, only to see Klose cancel out his goal. The 36-year-old Klose is in his fourth World Cup and had been level with former Germany striker Gerd Mueller on 14 goals. Ronaldo also scored his 15th against Ghana, in a 3-0 win in 2006 in Germany. With coach Joachim Loew preferring to play with a "false nine" system without a striker, Klose sat out Germanys opening 4-0 rout of Portugal. But with Ghana threatening to put a damper on Germanys hope of winning the group, Loew turned to his veteran, who delivered again. "I am very happy for Klose. He was on the pitch for two minutes and he scored. Its sensational for his career," Loew said. "He is a player who can come on and have a decisive impact. Thats great for me, for the team, and for him." Still, the result revived Ghanas hopes of progressing aftter its opening 2-1 loss to the United States. Vans Old Skool Pelle. "It was a good competitive game. We did our best and we had many other chances that could have produced goals," Ghana coach James Appiah said. "Ghanaians have a strong mentality when it comes to football, to fight to the end to matter what is happening. Playing against Germany is difficult especially when you are a goal down. So you have to have the right players with the right mentality on the pitch." Germany took the lead when Thomas Mueller sent a dipping cross toward Goetze, who attempted a header but the ball bounced off his left knee into the net. Germanys lead lasted only three minutes. Ayew rose between Per Mertesacker and Shkodran Mustafi to head the equalizer inside the far post from a cross from Harrison Affu. With the non-German side of crowd loudly behind the Ghana team, the African side kept putting pressure on the favoured Germans. Gyan beat an offside trap by Mats Hummels and Mertesacker in the 63rd, ran into space and fired the ball past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into the far corner to raise Ghanas hopes of an upset. In between the first two goals, a fan ran onto the pitch waving his shirt. He did not threaten any players but shook hands with Ghanas Sully Muntari, who escorted him off the field before he was picked up by a security official. Ushers then moved to block stairwells leading to the pitch. Both teams had late chances to grab the winner but Neuer and his Ghana counterpart Fatawu Dauda produced good saves. Muntari picked up a late yellow card late in the match for his second booking and will miss his teams final group game against Portugal. Schalke forward Kevin-Prince Boateng played from the start for Ghana, pitting him against half-brother Jerome Boateng, a Germany defender. There was little contact between the two and Jerome was substituted at halftime with a hip injury. Mueller, who scored a hat trick against Portugal, had to be helped off the pitch after the match with a bloodied face after colliding with John Boye. -------- Lineups: Germany: Manuel Neuer; Jerome Boateng (Shkodran Mustafi, 46th), Per Mertesacker, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Howedes; Sami Khedira (Bastian Schweinsteiger, 70th), Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil; Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze (Miroslav Klose, 69th). Ghana: Fatau Dauda; Harrison Afful, John Boye, Jonathan Mensah; Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari, Mohammed Rabiu (Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, 78th), Christian Atsu (Mubarak Wakaso, 72nd), Andre Ayew; Kevin-Prince Boateng (Jordan Ayew, 52nd), Asamoah Gyan. 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 ' ' '