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SANTA CLARA, Calif. Michal Neuvirth Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has been suspended for nine games by the NFL after a series of off-field legal issues. A statement Friday from the league said Smith had violated the NFLs substance abuse and personal conduct policies. Smith wont be eligible to return until Nov. 10, the day after the 49ers game against the New Orleans Saints. "Our organization has known this decision would come and we have prepared for it as a team," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. "Aldon has taken responsibility for his actions and has continued to show growth personally and professionally. We will continue to support him, but it is time to put this matter behind us and focus on the season ahead." The 24-year-old Smith, one of the NFLs top pass rushers, missed five games last season to undergo treatment at an in-patient facility following his DUI arrest Sept. 20. Just before training camp began last month, the 24-year-old Smith was sentenced to serve three years of probation and to spend 11 days with a work crew after he pleaded no contest to drunken driving and weapons charges. He has repeatedly said he has been sober since his DUI arrest last September. Smith played in a 27-7 home loss to the Colts on Sept. 22, two days after he was arrested and jailed on suspicion of DUI and marijuana possession. After the game, he publicly apologized for his behaviour and later announced he would leave for treatment. While the Niners went on a five-game winning streak without him, Smiths menacing presence was sorely missed. The team still picked up his 2015 contract option this spring. In his latest run-in with the law, Smith was arrested April 13 at Los Angeles International Airport. Police said Smith was randomly selected for a secondary screening and became unco-operative with the process, telling a TSA agent that he had a bomb. No charges were filed. In November, he pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of illegal possession of an assault weapon, stemming from a June 2012 party at his home. Investigators said several shots were fired, two partygoers were injured and Smith was stabbed. In the subsequent investigation, prosecutors say detectives found five unregistered, illegal weapons in Smiths house. Last season, Smith finished with 8 1/2 sacks and 34 tackles in 11 games with eight starts. He was initially worked back in slowly, but demonstrated he had stayed in shape while away. Selected seventh overall in the 2011 draft out of Missouri, Smith had a franchise-record 19 1/2 sacks during the 2012 season for the 49ers, who lost to Baltimore in the Super Bowl after that season. Bill Barber Flyers Jersey .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Bill Barber Jersey . -- For one night, Nick Calathes provided a big reason to believe the Memphis Grizzlies might be able to withstand the loss of Mike Conley on a short-term basis. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back. The 26-year-old left-hander, coming off his second Cy Young Award in three years, already had been scratched from his scheduled start in San Diego on Sunday after an MRI revealed the problem. Kershaw was on a throwing progression program and was tossing the ball at different distances Saturday before the teams Freeway Series finale against the Angels when he experienced some discomfort on his 27th throw. "He felt it, and that was the last straw," manager Don Mattingly said. "So at that point, we knew we couldnt have gone any farther and that it was a DL situation. Its a situation -- not just for me, but for everyone -- that weve got to save Clayton from Clayton at this point and be cautious. We cant allow him to try to keep pushing and go forward. If it was up to him, Im sure hed want to go farther. But we cant allow him to do that right now." Kershaw, who signed a $215 million, seven-year contract on Jan. 15, won the Dodgers season opener 3-1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Australia last weekend. The three-time All-Star was hoping to get back in the rotation for Fridays home opener against San Francisco, but instead it will be Hyun-Jin Ryu, who also will get the assignment Sunday at San Diego against Andrew Cashner. Ryu started and won the second game of the Australia trip, but tore a toenaill while running the bases that day and wasnt sure hed be able to fill in for Kershaw until after his side session Friday. Brian Propp Flyers Jersey. "I think that once Clayton felt something, he knew that he wasnt going to make his start on Friday," Mattingly said. "With his throwing progression, the fact that he stopped right away is all weve asked of him from the beginning: If you feel it at all, youve got to stop. And he stopped right away." Kershaw has made 33 starts, struck out at least 229 batters and logged 227 2/3 innings or more in each of the last three seasons -- including a career-high 236 innings last year, when he finished 16-9 with an NL-best 232 strikeouts and a 1.83 ERA. Kershaw led the majors in ERA for the third straight year, becoming the first pitcher to accomplish that feat since newly elected Hall of Famer Greg Maddux did it from 1993-95. Now that Kershaws run at a fourth straight ERA title has been adjourned for the time being, Mattingly wasnt making any predictions on when he will return to the rotation. The Dodgers have five off days scheduled between now and April 15. "This is not something that we say, OK, we think hell be ready by this date -- and if he doesnt get there, then its like, Oh, Claytons had a setback," Mattingly said. "We should just let it do what its supposed to do and let the medical staff do their work let them tell us what he could do. "And because of all the days off we have and the schedule we have, its really not worth pushing him." 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 ' ' '
SAN DIEGO -- Tweeeeeeet! Gonzaga and Oklahoma State players, coaches and fans no doubt left Viejas Arena with the shrill sound of the referees whistles ringing in their ears Friday. Richie Ashburn Phillies Jersey . The refs called 61 fouls, which affected the pace and outcome of eighth-seeded Gonzagas 85-77 win against Marcus Smart and ninth-seeded Oklahoma State in the West region of the NCAA tournament. Kevin Pangos scored 26 points, including hitting 12 of 14 free throws, and Gary Bell Jr. added 17 for Gonzaga (29-6), which is in its 16th straight NCAA tournament and moves on to play top-seeded Arizona on Sunday. Pangos made 10 of 10 free throws in the last 1:31. The final 3 1/2 minutes took 24 minutes to play. The 61 fouls were seven off the record for fouls in a tournament game set by Iowa and Morehead State in a regional semifinal game in 1956. The Cowboys were called for 33 fouls, with LeBryan Nash, Kamari Murphy and Leyton Hammonds fouling out. The Zags made 26 of 41 free throws. The Zags were whistled 28 times, with Sam Dower Jr. and Kyle Dranginis fouling out. The Cowboys made only 22 of 37 from the stripe. "Especially at the end, it got a bit choppy," Pangos said. "But it was smart on their part. It prolonged the game, with empty possessions and a weird rhythm. But our team did a great job of pulling through and getting it done no matter how the tempo went." Smart had a big effort in his final college game, with 23 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and six steals for Oklahoma State (21-13). He was 12 of 19 from the line. All the fouling "changed it a bit," Smart said. "I mean, you know, I cant remember the foul count, how many free throws both teams shot, but it was a good amount. And it kind of slowed the game down, gave us a chance to get back in it, but we just fell short." Smart is projected to be a high NBA draft pick. He passed up the NBA draft last year, in large part because the Cowboys lost to Oregon in their NCAA tournament opener. The Cowboys won five of seven games coming in, a run that coincided with Smarts returning from a three-game suspension for shoving a Texas Tech fan. Gonzaga big man Przemek Karnowski hurt the Cowboys inside, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Dranginis scored 12. Markel Brown scored 20 for Oklahoma State and Phil Forte had 12. "We knew it wasnt going to be pretty," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "We knew we were going to have to fight and we talked about being the toughest team on the floor and you know, I think for stretches of it we were, because if you dont match OK States toughness, you dont have a chance." Karnowski agreed. "We knew they are a good offensive team, especially their guards. WE just tried to make their life not easy on offence and just tried to go at them offensively, especially inside." The Cowboys whittled a 10-point deficit down to three with 11:24 to go before Bell hit a 3-pointer for a 56-50 lead with 11:08 to go. Pangos had a steal and a layup, and Brown answered for the Cowboys. Karnowski hit the front end of a one-and-one and Pangos hit a 3-pointer for a 10-point lead with 7:46 left. "They answered every run we made with big plays," Cowboys coach Travis Ford said. "We threw a few punches in the second half and we said to our guys, Lets get aggressive, lets get after it. "Obviously we got in foul trouble which hurt us, especially with LB (Nash) not being in there and playing only 17 minutes," Ford added. "Thats not the greatest scenario for us." Gonzaga led 43-34 at halftime, getting consecutive 3-pointers from Drew Barham and Kevin Pangos in the closing minutes. Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford was whistled for a technical foul with 11.1 seconds left. Pangos missed the first free throw and made the second. Ford had been on the refs ever since the Cowboys were whistled for six fouls and a travelling call in a span of 1:40 midway through the half. "Obviously I was trying to get them going at the end of the first half, trying to get us a little fired up," Ford said. Gonzaga went on an 8-2 run to take a 33-24 lead, making five of six free throws and getting a 3-pointer from Dranginis. Oklahoma State then went on a 9-1 run to pull to 34-33. Smart had two free throws and a jumper. Gonzaga pulled away on an inside shot by Dower, the two 3-pointers and a free throw by Pangos on the technical. Bell made two 3-pointers in the first 50 seconds and hit two other shots to help Gonzaga take a 17-6 lead. Smart started and ended a 10-0 run that pulled the Cowboys within one point. He was fouled by Bell while making a 3-point shot and made the free throw. Murphy hit a jumper and Brown made two free throws before Smart had a tip-in. Pete Rose Jersey . -- Byron Scott is taking over the Los Angeles Lakers with the vocal support of his fellow Showtime greats. Dave Hollins Phillies Jersey .5 million contract with the right-handed reliever. Ziegler revealed the agreement via Twitter, saying hes "really excited to stay in Arizona for a couple more years, at least. TORONTO -- Kevin Pillar had a chat with slugger Jose Bautista as they practised their swings shortly before the Toronto Blue Jays took on the Minnesota Twins on Monday night. Bautista offered some words of encouragement for the backup outfielder and told him to be aggressive at the plate. It proved to be sage advice. Pillar hit a one-out flare to right field off Casey Fien that drove in pinch-runner Erik Kratz with the winning run to give the Blue Jays a 5-4 walkoff victory at Rogers Centre. "It was a slider off the plate and I was just able to nestle it in somewhere," Pillar said. "And it feels good." Earlier in the inning, Pillar made a miscue in left field by diving for Kurt Suzukis sinking liner. He couldnt come up with the ball and it rolled by him, allowing the Twins to move within a run. Eduardo Escobar followed with a blooper off closer Casey Janssen that landed just inside the left-field line and brought Suzuki home with the tying run. "Baseball is a weird game," Pillar said. "You get a chance to make up for a mistake that you made maybe in the previous inning or early in the game. I was fortunate enough to make that happen." Edwin Encarnacion had staked Toronto (39-26) to an early lead with a three-run homer in the first inning off Minnesota starter Ricky Nolasco. Jose Reyes added a solo homer in the fifth inning for the Blue Jays, who lead the major leagues with 91 home runs. With the win, the Blue Jays remained 5 1/2 games ahead of second-place Baltimore in the American League East division standings. The Orioles defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-0 Monday. It was Torontos 16th victory in its last 20 games. "Weve been playing good baseball but you still need to win some of those games like that," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "For the longest time, everything has been going our way. Tonight things didnt go our way but we still managed to come out and pull out a nice win." Minnesota (29-33) scored a pair of quick runs off Toronto starter R.A. Dickey before many fans had taken their seats on a glorious spring evening. Danny Santana hit his first career leadoff home run and Brian&nnbsp;Dozier followed with a rainbow shot just inside the foul pole in left field. Robin Roberts Jersey. Dickey settled down after that, retiring 11 straight batters at one point before Josh Willinghams triple in the sixth inning. The Twins loaded the bases but Dustin McGowan came on and got Trevor Plouffe to ground into a double play to end the threat. Janssen (1-0), who blew his second save of the season, gave up three hits in the ninth inning. With the crowd deflated after the Twins tied the game, Minnesota pitcher Matt Guerrier (0-1) walked Dioner Navarro to open the bottom of the ninth. Kratz came in to pinch-run, moved to second on a Reyes single and then scored with room to spare. "You walk the leadoff guy, you give yourself pretty much a mess and anything can happen after that," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. Pillar, who entered the game in the ninth as a defensive replacement for Melky Cabrera, said his defensive miscue was on his mind when he came to the plate. Thinking about his chat with Bautista, Pillar swung and missed the first two times before making contact. "Its a huge roller-coaster of emotions right there," he said. "I guess thats baseball. Theres a lot of ups and downs. You have to find a way to get back centred and deal with the task at hand." Notes: Encarnacion leads the Blue Jays with 20 homers this season. Reyes now has four homers this year. Dozier has 13 home runs while Santana has gone deep twice. ... Dickey allowed five hits, two earned runs, two walks and had three strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. ... Nolasco allowed seven hits, four earned runs and a pair of walks. He had six strikeouts. ... Morales signed a one-year, prorated contract Sunday. The Cuban slugger hit .277 with 23 homers and 80 RBIs with Seattle last season. ... The Twins have hit four leadoff home runs this season. ... Toronto southpaw J.A. Happ is scheduled to start Tuesday night against right-hander Kevin Correia. ... The teams will wrap up the series Wednesday with an early afternoon game. ... Bautista has reached base safely in 62 of 65 games this season. ... Announced attendance was 19,428. The game took two hours 53 minutes to play. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
PARIS - France and Switzerland have announced unchanged teams for the Davis Cup final next week at Lille. Jimmy Butler Bulls Jersey .Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, Julien Benneteau, and Richard Gasquet were re-selected by France, while Gilles Simon, Frances third highest-ranked player, was put on standby as a replacement.Switzerland captain Severin Luthi picked the same side for a fourth straight tie: Roger Federer, Stanislas Wawrinka, Marco Chiudinelli, and Michael Lammer.We know they have a few guys, but everything can change up until about Thursday before the tie, Federer said. From that standpoint, this announcement doesnt mean anything to me. Im more focused on whos going to play opening Friday against me. Thats the only focus I really have right now.When France beat defending champion the Czech Republic 4-1 in the semifinals in September, Gasquet and Tsonga won their singles and teamed up in doubles to give France an unassailable 3-0 lead.Simon lost to Federer in the Shanghai Masters final last month. His form was, arguably, good enough to warrant a start.Its always tricky. The players are well-matched in terms of their level and their results. I had to make a choice, said France captain Arnaud Clement, a former Davis Cup stalwart in doubles.But that doesnt mean Gilles wont be one of the four picks because I can change the team right up until the draw. If someone gets injured, I wont hesitate to send Gilles out on court.Clement hinted that Benneteau may be hard to leave out in doubles.Everyones in form and Juliens just won his second match (in doubles) at the Masters (ATP Finals), Clement said. I still need a bit more information before making my definitive choice.The final from Nov. 21-23 is on indoor clay at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.France is looking to win the trophy for the 10th time while Switzerland seeks a first triumph, having lost its only previous final, in 1992, against the United States.Even without taking into account Roger Federers career, Switzerland is nevertheless the favourite with the No. 2 in the world, but also the fourth (Wawrinka), Clement said. But we also have things in our favour, like our cohesion. Isaiah Canaan Bulls Jersey . On Saturday, the paths of Drew Tate and Kevin Glenn cross again as opposing quarterbacks. Bulls Hats . The 29-year-old German, the 2011 overall World Cup champion, says she has decided "to end my career now. S-HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands -- Third-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain emerged victorious from a marathon day at the grass-court Topshelf Open, advancing to the final with a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) win over Juergen Melzer of Austria. Both players played twice Friday, finishing quarterfinals that had been suspended because of rain and darkness. Bautista Agut will play for his second ATP title after losing to Janko Tipsarevic in Chennai in 2013. He faces Benjamin Becker of Germany in the final. Becker, the 2009 tournament champion, served up 13 aces and beat Joao Sousa 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the other mens semifinal. "I like to play on grass and I dont know why but I often play my best tennis at this tournament," Becker was quoted saying on the ATPs website. The 8th-seeded Melzer broke Bautista Aguts service game to open the match and coasted through the first set. But in the second set it was Bautista Aguts turn to dominate the rallies. In the decider Bautista Agut surrendered his serve in the fourth game and threw his racket to the grass in disgust. After regrouping, he broke Melzer back in the followingg game, and went on to take the tiebreaker. Bulls T-shirts. In the womens tournament, Zheng Jie of China reached her first WTA final in 2 1/2 years when she beat Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-1, 6-3. Zheng won in her last final appearance in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2012, for her fourth career title. She broke Rybarikova six times, and will meet qualifier Coco Vandeweghe of the United States in the final. Vandeweghe beat 2005 champion Klara Koukalova 6-4, 6-2 with nine aces. The American has a 1-1 record against Zheng and will play in only her second final, looking for her maiden title. Earlier Friday in the mens quarterfinals suspended overnight because of rain, Bautista Agut ended the title defence of seventh-seeded Nicolas Mahut of France 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Melzer outlasted second-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain. Their match had been suspended at one set all, and Melzer prevailed 7-6 (3), 6-7 (6), 7-6 (9) after more than three hours. Despite losing the semifinal, the outing was Melzers best result since he returned to the tour in mid-April from a seven-month layoff for a shoulder injury. 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 ' ' '
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. 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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. 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