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DALLAS -- Kari Lehtonen credits one save in the second period with making his 100th victory with the Dallas Stars possible.http://www.francenationalshop.com/Adil-Rami-France-Jersey/ . Jamie Benn and Colton Sceviour scored goals 15 seconds apart in the first period Thursday night, leading the Dallas Stars to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. "It was just one of those things at the right time. Sometimes you make a good save, sometimes you dont. That one gave me a lot of confidence," Lehtonen said. "It was a 2-1 at the time, and everything took off from there." Barely a minute into the second, Lehtonen stopped Jannik Hansen with a glove save. "The defining moment in the game was that save he made in the second," teammate Rich Peverley said. "It could have been a 2-2 game right there." Vancouver (20-11-6) lost on the road for the second time in three nights following a seven-game winning streak. They had earned at least a point in eight consecutive games. The Stars won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game winning streak Nov. 13-17. They also have won both games against the Canucks, with Lehtonen allowing only one goal in each game. Dallas (17-12-5) started fast, taking six of the first seven shots on goal, including Benns goal at 4:34 and Sceviours third in four NHL games this season at 4:49. Erik Cole had a goal and two assists, and Tyler Seguin and Peverley added two assists apiece for Dallas. But it was Lehtonen who made the biggest plays. He stopped short-range shots by Hansen on a 2-on-1 short-handed rush and by Brad Richardson 2 seconds after Ryan Keslers penalty expired midway through the first period. Canucks coach John Tortorella also noted the importance of Lehtonens saves. "Lehtonen made some great saves at key times. Weve seen that before against him. Yeah, we couldnt score and the third one hurt us." Cole scored Dallas third goal at 16:56 of the second. His shot trickled past goalie Roberto Luongos right side and across the goal line. "It was a wrister," Luongo said. "I think it might have fallen between my legs or something. But whatever it is, its inexcusable at that point in the game." In the third period, Coles backhand pass set up Valeri Nichushkin in the right faceoff circle, and his shot beat Luongo. "(Cole) put the puck on the net and somehow got a goal," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "And he made a heck of a play on Vals goal. (Cole) is a big man, and hes hard to control." Tortorella then replaced the goalie with Eddie Lack. Luongo stopped just 15 of 19 shots. Lehtonen made 26 saves and allowed only one goal, to Chris Higgins at 7:38 of the first. Dallas goalie had allowed 10 goals during his previous two starts and 23 in compiling a 2-3-1 record over the last six. "Ive had a rough go the last couple of weeks, so its nice to have a good game," Lehtonen said. "That made me more relaxed." Ruff said, "He got some big, timely saves." Lehtonen said of his 100th win, "I didnt know about it until just after the game when they announced it. Hopefully, Ill have a lot more." Vancouvers second shot of the game was Higgins goal from the right faceoff circle. The Stars had the games first power play midway through the period, but the Canucks had the best scoring chances, by Hansen and Richardson. Dallas finally broke through for a 3-1 lead on Coles goal. Cody Eakin beat Luongo with a shot 22 seconds before the period ended, but the goal was waved off because of an interference penalty against the Stars Ryan Garbutt. "I think we started really well. We were generating much of the offence," Lehtonen said. "They bounced back in the second period." But the Canucks failed to score in the second despite a 13-5 advantage in shots. "We knew they were going to come out with a push in the second," Ruff said. "I think in the last 10 minutes of the period, we got back on our game." NOTES: Canucks defenceman Ryan Stanton didnt play after injuring his ankle injury midway through Tuesdays shootout loss at Minnesota. He flew back to Vancouver from Minneapolis. . Dallas defenceman Sergei Gonchar entered Thursdays game with six assists in the three previous games and eight in the last seven contests. He didnt score a point, but did have two takeaways. . Cole and Nichushkin scored Dallas goals in the 2-1 victory at Vancouver Nov. 17.http://www.francenationalshop.com/Jeremy-Mathieu-France-Jersey/ .Russia, managed by Fabio Capello, kept first place in Group G with four points from two games.Level on points was Austria, which beat Moldova 2-1 away, and Montenegro, which was unable to beat tiny Liechtenstein in a goalless draw.http://www.francenationalshop.com/Blaise-Matuidi-France-Jersey/ . They sure powered their way past this latest deficit. Carlos Gomez hit a three-run homer against his former team to spark the comeback for the Brewers in an 8-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.Melbourne, Australia (SportsNetwork.com) - Maria Sharapova reached her 10th career grand slam final after beating Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets at the Australian Open on Thursday. Sharapova, seeded No. 2 behind Serena Williams, rolled to a 6-3, 6-2 win over the 10th-seeded Makarova in 87 minutes. The 2008 Australian Open champion double-faulted seven times but fired 23 winners and three aces in the win. She has won 22 of her last 23 matches against fellow Russians and improved to 6-0 lifetime agaiinst the Makarova, including 3-0 at the Australian Open following quarterfinals wins in 2012 and 2013. http://www.francenationalshop.com/Nabil-Fekir-France-Jersey/. Chasing her sixth grand slam title and 35th career win, the 27-year-old Sharapova moved on to face the winner of Thursdays all-American semifinal between Williams and Madison Keyes. Sharapova is 5-4 in grand slam finals, including 1-1 at the Australian Open. Makarova, 26, made her second consecutive grand slam semifinal. She lost to Williams at last years U.S. Open. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

g the cut because of a back injury

Mexico City, Mexico (SportsNetwork. Matt Cassel Jersey .com) - Christina Kim fired a second-round, 3-under 69 on Friday and she was able to hang on and maintain her 1-shot lead heading into the weekend at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Kim, who entered the day one shot ahead of Azahara Munoz, finished 36 holes at 10-under-par 134 at Club de Golf Mexico. Kim has not won on tour since taking home the Tournament of Champions title back in 2005. Paula Creamer was the biggest threat to Kim on Friday as she held the lead by herself at one point. Creamer finished the day with a 7-under 65 and she is alone in second at 9-under 135. Suzann Pettersen also had a strong day, shooting a 6-under 66 and jumping into a tie for third place with Pornanong Phatlum (68), 17-year-old LPGA Rookie of the Year Lydia Ko (69) and Munoz (71). World No. 1 Inbee Park is alone in 10th at 4-under 140 after a 70 on Friday, while world No. 2 Stacy Lewis (70) is tied for 27th at 2-over 146. Defending champion Lexi Thompson (72) is eight shots back at minus-2 and she is tied for 14th with four others. After going bogey free on day one, Kim tripped to a couple bogeys on Friday, but she was able to hold on to her lead. Kim started her day on fire, however, as she drained three birdies on her first four holes on one, two and four. Following a pair of pars on five and six, Kim dropped two shots in three holes with bogeys on seven and nine, putting her at 8-under as she made the turn. Kim was able to put her game in cruise control on the back nine. Following a trio of pars from 10, Kim made her fourth gain on the par-4 13th. Another pair of pars on 14 and 15 preceded Kims fifth and final birdie of the day on 16, which broke a tie with Creamer atop the leaderboard. Kim finished up with two pars to remain in the lead after 36 holes. Yesterday I was lucky enough to have two eagles so that immediately made the score a lot better. And I had no bogeys yesterday, Kim said. Today I had two bogeys. Its just difficult when youre in the lead and theres such a fantastic field and everyones coming after you. Its been a while since Ive been in this position. And just trying to get back into it. Just enjoying myself. Creamer finished day one with a 2-under 70, but she made up for it with a very strong day on Friday. Creamer also began her day well with three birdies in her first four holes on one, three and four, getting her well into red numbers early. Following three straight pars from five, Creamer rolled in her fourth gain on the par-4 eighth before closing out the front nine with a par on nine. It was more of the same on the back side for Creamer. After another par on 10, Creamer made three more birdies in four holes on 11, 13 and 14. The birdie on 14 gave Creamer a lead at 9-under before Kim later made a gain on 13 to tie. Creamer ended her round strong with four straight pars to end one shot behind the leader after Kims final birdie on 16. I just have a lot of confidence, Creamer said about her putting. Im really, my routine and what I do when Im over the ball is the same every time. Its more about speed instead of thinking about my stroke or thinking about this. I know that its solid and weve been working really hard on that. Its more of a confidence and seeing the ball go in the hole. NOTES: Creamer finished runner-up to Michelle Wie at this event back in 2009 ... Creamer has one win this season at the HSBC Womens Champions ... Wie (69) is eight shots behind the leader Kim at 2-under 142 through two rounds ... After making eagles on two and 17 Thursday, Kim played those two holes at 1- under with one birdie Friday. Tony Dorsett Jersey . Tony Parker had 18 points and eight assists and Duncan had 15 points and eight rebounds and San Antonio rolled to a 111-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, extending the Spurs franchise record winning streak to 19 games. Cole Beasley Cowboys Jersey . But when Fernando Rodney struggled in the ninth, it was Smoak who made another huge play to keep Seattle from blowing the lead. SAN ANTONIO -- Steven Bowditch opened a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Texas Open, while Phil Mickelson withdrew after 10 holes because of a pulled muscle in his right side. Bowditch, the 30-year-old Australian seeking his first PGA Tour title, shot a 4-under 68 to reach 12 under at TPC San Antonio. Matt Kuchar and Andrew Loupe were tied for second. Kuchar shot 65, and Loupe had a 70. "Ive won four or five times on between Australia and Web.com," said Bowditch, who would get into the Masters with a victory. "Ive got a little experience, but not a great deal, especially at this level. Ive never slept on a lead, so well see how we go." Mickelson withdrew after pulling the muscle teeing off on No. 1 -- his 10th hole of the round. He hopes to play next week in the Houston Open, the last event before the Masters. "I pulled a muscle on my downswing trying to hit it hard," Mickelson said a statement. "It just killed and it wouldnt subside for 10 or 12 seconds. Im going back to San Diego (for) a couple of days and have a doctor look at it, but theres really not much you can do for a pulled muscle. I hope Ill be OK to play the Shell in Houston, but I just dont know." Lefty was 1-over par in the round and 4 over overall when the three-time Masters champion was taken off the course in a cart. His caddie, Jim Mackay, said Mickelson felt a twinge on his tee shot on No. 1. "Its definitely not his back," Mackay said. "IIts his right side. Kyle Wilber Cowboys Jersey. The thing he had been talking about is how good his back had been feeling here. Hell definitely play Houston, if he can." Its the second time this year Mickelson has withdrawn in the middle of a tournament. He pulled out at Torrey Pines after making the cut because of a back injury. On Friday, Mickelson made the cut on the number, following an opening 77 with a 70. Bowditch, ranked 339th in the world, chipped in at the first two holes, for birdie at No. 1 and an eagle at the par-5 second. He drove to chipping distance at the 338-yard fifth hole and made a 4-foot birdie putt. "(The chip on the first hole) calmed my nerves a little bit," Bowditch said. "It was as easy a chip as youre going to have out here." He cooled after that when he missed the green at No. 9 and bogeyed, then strung together pars until he drove close to the at the 324-yard downwind 17th. He chipped inside a foot and tapped in for birdie and kept his two-stroke lead when Loupe matched the birdie. Loupe closed with a bogey. Kuchar, a six-time winner on the tour, had the best round of the week. He holed out the greenside bunker on No. 1. "Still surprised to be at 7 under today," Kuchar said. "Its not a score I would have thought was out there with these sort of (windy) conditions." Pat Perez was fourth at 8 under after a 69. Kevin Na, who had a 16 on the ninth hole three years ago, was 7 under after a 69. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

na Cardinals heading to Bank of America Stadium to clash with the...

MONTREAL -- Star defenceman P. Cheap Jerseys .K. Subban is keeping quiet about negotiations on a new contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Subban is scheduled to go to arbitration on Friday unless he can ink a new deal with the club before then. "Ill answer one question about the negotiation: Its been kept pretty quiet the whole time and its going to remain that way until a deals done," he said Saturday at the RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal. "As of right now, Im just trying to enjoy the day and not think of anything." No matter how often he was asked in a scrum with media, there was no news on how much money the 2013 Norris Trophy winner is seeking or whether he wants a short or long-term deal. It may end up being among the richest contracts in the league, considering that the NHL salary cap will rise substantially next season and perhaps again the year after that. "Theres a lot of things on my mind," he said. "First of all, I love golf. "My favourite now is Graeme McDowell. I hope he picks it up here and pulls out a win for me. We had a great dinner last night. Hes also represented by RBC. That has taken my focus off a lot of things, not just contractual or hockey things." He applauded the deal the Canadiens signed this week with centre Lars Eller a day before he was scheduled to go to arbitration. Eller, after an ordinary regular season and a strong playoffs, inked a four-year US$14 million contract. "He deserves it," said Subban. "Hes played well and hes a big part of our team." Subban, who helped Canada to hockey gold at the Sochi Games in February, took part in a chipping contest with fellow Olympic athletes Brad Jacobs, a curling gold medallist, and snowboarder Caroline Calve. "This is probably the shortest summer Ive ever had because of how far we went in the playoffs," said Subban, whose team reached the Eastern Conference final. "But its a good thing because you know the seasons close to starting. "I think its 74 days before puck drops. Im trying to enjoy the summer but the hard training has already started." Wholesale Jerseys . But they misjudged the strength of Marcell Ozunas arm. Ozuna threw out Kirk Nieuwenhuis at the plate to end the game to help the Miami Marlins beat the Mets 3-2 on Friday night. Cheap Jerseys From China . Hartley missed two field goals in Sundays 27-16 loss at St. Louis, dropping his conversion rate to a career-low 73.3 percent (22-for-30) this season. The 27-year-old joined the Saints in the middle of the 2008 campaign and his tenure with the club was highlighted by three kicks of more than 40 yards during Super Bowl XLIV, helping New Orleans beat the Indianapolis Colts.New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - The NFL announced its playoff schedule Sunday night. In the AFC, New England and Denver hold the byes. The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers are the top two seeds in the NFC. The postseason will kick off in Carolina on Saturday at 4:35 p.m. ET, with the fifth-seeded Arizona Cardinals heading to Bank of America Stadium to clash with the fourth-seeded Panthers. The Panthers clinched the NFC South for the second year in a row with a 34-3 rout of the Falcons on Sunday. The Saturday night game at 8:15 will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the sixth-seeded Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers won their first AFC North title since 2010 with a 27-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sundayy night. Cheap NFL Jerseys China. . The Ravens got into the playoffs thanks to a 20-10 win over the Cleveland Browns and Kansas Citys 19-7 victory against San Diego. Next Sunday at 1:05, the fifth-seeded Bengals will travel to Indianapolis to take on the AFC South-champion Colts. The wild-card round will conclude at 4:40 Sunday at AT&T Stadium as the third-seeded and NFC East-champion Cowboys host the No. 6 seed Detroit Lions. The Packers beat the Lions 30-20 Sunday to capture the NFC North title, but Detroit had already clinched a playoff berth. The divisional round will take place Jan. 10-11. The AFC and NFC championship Games take place on Sunday, Jan. 18. The Super Bowl is on Sunday, Feb. 1 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

mprove, two years from Hearn mig

Some of us are morning people while others are night owls. Donovan Smith Orange Jersey . In golf some are early season performers and others wait until the fall. So far in his career, David Hearn is most definitely not someone who enjoys the early part of the calendar. At least not when it comes to logging high finishes. "For whatever reason, Ive never had much success early in the year," said Hearn. "The West Coast  just hasnt been good for me." In the four tournaments hes played since the calendar changed years, Hearn as two missed cuts, a T58 and a T38. Its a slow but not unexpected beginning. A year ago, in five West Coast starts, he missed three cuts. A year prior to that, he posted a tie for 10th at the SONY in Hawaii before missing the next two cuts. "Id like to be in a better spot, obviously," said Hearn from Florida where he was getting in some practice before heading to Los Angeles for his next start. "Hopefully that will happen at Riviera." Hearn isnt worried about his spot on the money list just yet. In fact, hes quite optimistic about where things are headed. He says his game is coming together faster than in any previous years, adding theres no glaring holes in his performance - its just a matter of tightening everything up. There hasnt been much down time for the Brantford, Ont., product of late. He played four times before Christmas on the new wrap-around schedule and then teamed with Brad Fritsch to represent Canada in the World Cup in Australia in late November. There was a little time spent at the TaylorMade test centre dialing in his new gear as well as some family time back in the snow in Ontario. And he made the trek to Ann Arbor, Mich., to watch his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs play the Detroit Red Wings outdoors at the Big House. But shortly after, it was back to work. Hearn enjoyed his best year as a professional in 2013, earning more than $1.1 million. The highlight of his season came at the John Deere Classic where he lost in a playoff. That performance didnt surprise him in any way; he always believed he had the talent to play at that level. And it provided a taste of what hed like to experience more often. "Thats what Im trying to accomplish each and every week," he said. "You just want to put yourself in that position as much as you can." Rather than being known as a long driver or a pure ball-striker or a great putter, Hearns strength has always been his consistency with every club in his bag, his all-around game. Its something hes been focused on in the early part of this season. "My stats are not that great but if I can just improve the numbers a little bit Ill be happy," said Hearn, who will continue to use his long putter this season. "It really just boils down to being competitive. Im always trying to improve." Hearn has always been an ardent flag-waver and senses an up-tick in the play of Canadian professionals on various tours. He thinks some of that is awareness caused by his best friend out on tour. "I think Canadians are getting highlighted and inspired thanks to how well Graham [DeLaet] is playing," he stated. "Its fun to watch him play these days. It doesnt seem to matter what he does on Thursday and Friday, he just finds a way to get into contention on the weekend." For Canadian golf, Hearn said, that builds momentum. Its something thats been missing for a while, since the days Mike Weir was seemingly in the hunt to win every week. "When Mike was in his prime, I dont think people realized how good he was," Hearn stated. "It wasnt just the Masters win, it was major after major, week after week, he was in contention. "That definitely inspired me and I think thats happening again. We have a lot of good players right now." For the next couple of weeks, Hearn will be in the cheering section, watching Canadas athletes at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Obviously hockey will be at the forefront of his viewing schedule but he also said hell follow almost any sport and is amazed at such endeavours as biathlon. "It will be disappointing being in the U.S., though," he laughed. "Ill have to watch mostly U.S. athletes." If his play continues to improve, two years from Hearn might be representing Canada at the Olympics in Rio rather than watching from a distance. Ali Marpet Jersey . According to bodog.ca, the Roughriders are 3-1 favourites to hoist the Grey Cup again at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver next November. Jameis Winston Womens Jersey . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends.ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Joao Sousa advances to his first career ATP tour semifinal by beating fourth-seeded Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-3 Friday at the St. Petersburg Open. The 89th-ranked Portuguese, who had a 17-20 record on the tour before this tournament, broke Tursunov in the eighth game of the second set and closed out the match with a forehand down the line on his second match ppoint. Jameis Winston Buccaneers Jersey. In Saturdays semifinals, Sousa will face Guillermo Garcia-Lopes of Spain, who upset eighth-seeded Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 6-2, 6-4. Earlier, sixth-seeded Ernests Gulbis of Latvia defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-2. He will next play Michal Przysiezny of Poland, who ousted seventh-seeded Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7), 1-6, 6-3. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale JerseysWholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

especially the last couple weeks

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Lucas Vazquez Jersey . -- Tajh Boyd sent Sammy Watkins out wide to the right, and saw freshman Tim Harris sliding over in man-to-man coverage. Clemson faced a third-and-15 from its 4 yard-line, a situation that usually calls for a more conservative play call, but Boyd saw the home run potential of the matchup and went for it. Moments later, Watkins was easing into the end zone after a 96-yard touchdown catch that gave the ninth-ranked Tigers a 42-7 lead against Virginia, and Boyd and Watkins were done for the night in what became a 59-10 victory on Saturday. "When theyre out there," Boyd said of Watkins and fellow speedy receiver Martavius Bryant, "youve just got to throw your arm out, honestly, and theyll run and go get it." The Tigers did plenty of that in what Boyd and coach Dabo Swinney called their most complete performance of the season. It came two weeks after their worst, a 51-14 loss to No. 3 Florida State, and marked the start of a big finish, Boyd said. "November is when we want to play our best football," Boyd said. "Hopefully we put a stamp on it today and were just going to try to take off from here." The Hampton, Va., native played one half and one series, and became the Atlantic Coast Conferences career leader in touchdown-making with a 33-yard pass to Watkins to start the scoring for the Tigers (8-1, 6-1 ACC). It broke a tie at 112 TDs with North Carolina States Philip Rivers. Boyd later added TD throws of 10 yards to Roderick McDowell and the 96 yarder, the longest completion of his career, and the longest reception of Watkins career. Boyd also scored on a 1-yard run. "Tremendous performance by that young man," Swinney said. Virginia (2-7, 0-5) lost its sixth in a row and 15th in its last 19 tries. It also suffered its second 59-10 loss at home this season, having lost by the same score against No. 2 Oregon in the second week of the season. "We have no choice but to keep our confidence up," linebacker Henry Coley said after the Cavaliers were also eliminated from bowl contention for the second season in a row. "There are still three more games to play." Boyd finished 24 of 29 for 377 yards. Hes now been in on 116 career touchdowns, with 93 through the air and 23 running. Hes also 4-0 against teams from his home state, having won three prior meetings against Virginia Tech. Watkins caught eight passes for 169 yards and two scores. It was his sixth 100-yard game this season. The Tigers wasted little time asserting their dominance, taking the opening kickoff and driving 75 yards in six plays and taking just 1:27 off the clock. Boyd hit Watkins three times, the last for 33 yards. Virginia pulled even after an exchange of punts, Watford running it in from the 6 to cap a 54-yard drive, but the Tigers responded immediately with another 6-play, 75-yard march to C.J. Davidsons 2-yard run. Boyd hit Roderick McDowell for 27 yards on a third-and-4 play and hit Bryant for 37 yards on the next play. Anthony Harris sixth interception of the season ended a Tigers drive deep in Virginia territory, and Clemson punted twice and was stopped on fourth down on its next three possessions, but the Cavaliers could do nothing offensively. When Watford overthrew Darius Jennings late in the half and Jayron Kearse intercepted and returned it 37 yards to the Virginia 33, the Tigers began a late scoring frenzy. Boyds screen pass to McDowell made it 21-7, and when Kearse stripped the ball from Khalek Shepherd on the ensuing series, DeShawn Williams recovered at midfield. Five plays later, McDowell ran into the line on third-and-1, broke quickly into the clear and went 25 yards for a touchdown that made it 28-7. Boyd followed another three-and-out for Virginia by carving the defence up in a crisp eight-play, 86-yard drive. He was 6 for 6 on the drive for 84 yards, then ran it the final yard 0:13 before halftime. "Probably our best drive of the year," Boyd said, "just because we were just out there playing, not really thinking." Filipe Luis Atletico Madrid Jersey . The NBA began to issue punishments last season for flopping, the art of exaggerating contact to deceive referees into calling a foul, but only retroactively. If a player is determined to have flopped after a postgame review, he is given a warning for the first offence and a $5,000 fine for the second. Atletico Madrid Jersey . Zimmerman hit a 2-0 pitch off Mike Fiers (0-1) over the wall in left field to score Adam LaRoche for the Nationals fourth consecutive win. Tyler Clippard (5-2) pitched a scoreless 15th for the win. MILWAUKEE -- For Ryan Braun, winning an appeal of a 50-game suspension was only his first step toward redemption. Now the Milwaukee Brewers slugger is out to show fans that he can shake off what became a tumultuous off-season after a failed drug test that tarnished his reputation, and regain the form that made him the NLs MVP last season. Speaking Friday before the Brewers opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, Braun said hes looking forward to the chance to prove he can handle what transpired. "Of course," Braun said. "Its not so much about proving anybody wrong as it much as it is proving the people who all believed in me and supported me right. So Im definitely excited. Very motivated." Fans gave Braun a rousing ovation in pregame introductions and were even louder during his first few trips to the plate, cheering and chanting "M-V-P!" The support didnt necessarily help him at the plate, as Braun went 0 for 5 -- including a flyout to end the game -- and the Brewers lost 11-5. ""Braun hit a couple balls hard, so you dont discount that," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "He looks like his timing is pretty good. Theyve got guys that are going to hit the ball." After helping power the Brewers to the NL championship series and winning the leagues MVP award, Brauns achievements came under suspicion when ESPN reported that he failed a drug test with a high testosterone level. Braun went on to win his appeal and avoid a 50-game suspension. Then he made his case to the fans upon his arrival in spring training, saying that chain of custody issues with his urine sample cast doubt on the validity of the test. That didnt end the controversy; baseball officials were unhappy with the arbitrators decision, and a urine sample collector issued a statement saying he followed proper protocols and that there was no evidence of tampering. Braun also has hinted that theres more to the story than hes letting on, refusing to share those details. And Braun struggled for much of spring training. But with the regular season set to start, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke likes what he has seen and heard from Brauun.Toni Kroos Real Madrid Jersey. "Right now, hes in a really good place," Roenicke said. "First couple weeks of spring? A little difficult. Hes back to the guy he was, I saw last year. Hes very confident. He knows he had a tough off-season mentally, and I think hes in a place right now where his focus is on having another repeat year and even better -- which is hard to believe, but thats the way he talks. And its hard to say that he wouldnt." But Roenicke acknowledged that Braun is likely to face adversity from opposing fans when he goes on the road. "I think therell be challenges," Roenicke said. "I think its just not going to be comfortable going to some different places. But I dont think with his personality, I dont think thats going to affect the way that he goes about his job. It may not be quite as fun and relaxing as he usually is and when he goes to different cities and opposing (fans) that for whatever reason are going to get on him. What Ive seen, especially the last couple weeks, theres not any effects of what I thought ... could be there mentally with him. And so he really is in a good place now." Braun has the support of Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio. "Ill be giving him a standing ovation," Attanasio said before the game. "I hope others will stand and cheer for him. Its obviously huge for our club. Ryan does so many things well. Obviously, we really didnt want to talk about it, but it would have been a big loss to have him out for 50 games." Now that hes able to play a full season, Braun thinks the Brewers can contend again. Even without Prince Fielder, who signed a free agent deal with Detroit in the off-season, Braun said this years team is the best he has been a part of. "As an opposing pitcher, when you look at a lineup and you see the name Prince Fielder, its intimidating," Braun said. "You know thats a guy that can hit a home run at any point, that alters the way you approach the hitters before him and the hitters after him. So you dont replace him with a single guy, but I think collectively, as a unit, were honestly better than we were last year." Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

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BOSTON -- In the heyday of the New Big Three, when the Boston Celtics were winning the 2008 NBA title and going back to the finals two years later, there arose in the TD Garden a new tradition: Gino Time. Olivier Giroud Euro 2016 . When the Celtics were winning and the game was in hand by the final TV timeout, the arena would play a disco-era video of a shaggy man in a tight T-shirt that said "Gino." Players on the bench and fans in the stands would swivel their hips along with him to celebrate as the final seconds ticked off the clock. There hadnt been much Gino Time in Boston this season, now that Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are in Brooklyn and Doc Rivers is in Los Angeles. Until the Cleveland Cavaliers came to town. "Nobodys told me about that," first-year coach Brad Stevens said after the Celtics scored 18 of the games first 20 points and coasted to a 103-86 victory over Cleveland on Friday night. "Maybe they thought we wouldnt have a game out of reach." Jeff Green scored 31 points, the most by a Boston player this season, and Jordan Crawford had his third career triple-double to lead the Celtics to their third victory in four games. It was their biggest margin of victory of the season, and the first time they have won at home with such a comfortable margin that the fans could frolic with "Gino." "They dont know about Gino," injured point guard Rajon Rondo, the only holdover from the two-time Eastern Conference champions, said in the locker room after watching the game in street clothes as he recovers from reconstructive knee surgery. "Weve got to get a couple more wins." Crawford had 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for Boston, which at 7-11 has the most wins in the Atlantic Division and is a half-game out of first place. Avery Bradley scored eight of his 21 points in the first quarter, when the Celtics jumped to an 18-2 lead. They maintained a double-digit edge for the rest of the game. "We got great defensive stops to begin the game with. Thats how we got that lead," Green said. "We are finally putting everything together. Weve had our ups and downs throughout the season ... but it was good to put an all-around good game together." Crawford had four points, four rebounds and three assists after one quarter. He said he asked Stevens to stay in the game so he could complete the triple-double, reaching the milestone on a pair of free throws with 94 seconds to play. "Im whispering in his ear," he said. "I appreciate it, though." Stevens said he was surprised to hear that Crawford had reached the milestone and called his performance "shockingly effective." "He had a triple-double? Crawford did? Holy smokes, I had no idea," he told reporters afterward, looking at the stat sheet to confirm it. "He had 11 rebounds? Jordan Crawford had 11 rebounds? ... Its good that our guards rebound. Our guards need to rebound to win." Dion Waiters scored 21 points and Kyrie Irving had 17 for the Cavaliers, who lost their fifth straight game and fell to 1-9 on the road this season. Cleveland scored just 10 points in the first quarter, its worst output for any quarter this season, and lost for the eighth time in nine games. "To me, its a work in progress. Its going to be that way the entire year," coach Mike Brown said. "But the one thing we can do is we can defend better, and we did not do a good job of that at all, especially in the first quarter." The Celtics scored 18 of the games first 20 points, upped the lead to 20 early in the second quarter and extended it to 25 in the third. Cleveland trailed by at least 10 points for all but the first 3:59 of the game. "They threw the first punch tonight and I feel like we laid down. ... They controlled the whole game," Waiters said. "Weve got to be men. Weve got to grow up. We cant just turn it around and think its going to be easy. This is a mans league, so at the end of the day weve got to bring it." Clevelands only sustained run came in the middle of the second quarter, when it went on a 16-6 run to cut a 20-point deficit to 10. Anthony Bennett hit a 3-pointer, Waiters also had one, and then Waiters added a three-point play to make it 45-35. But the Celtics scored the next eight points, including a 3-pointer and layup by Green. Notes: Waiters took a hard foul from Brandon Bass late in the third quarter. ... Russian rookie Sergey Karasev made his first start of the season. It was the Cavs seventh different starting lineup. ... Celtics G Courtney Lee missed the game with a sore left knee. ... Bennett, the No. 1 overall draft pick, played 20 minutes and had four points, four rebounds and four fouls. Maillot De Football Euro 2016 . Ames was unanimously named for induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday, becoming the 74th member of the countrys golfs shrine. Dimitri Payet Pas Cher .com) - The Vancouver Canucks hope an upcoming stretch of home games will be enough to get the club into the postseason.Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - The Kansas City Royals on Monday announced they have signed pitcher Edinson Volquez to a two-year contract with a mutual option for 2017. According to CBSSports.com and MLB.com on Dec. 18, the deal is worth $20 million. Volquez spent 2014 with Pittsburgh and had one of the best seasons of his 10- year career with a record of 13-7 and a 3.04 ERA in 32 games, all but one as a starter. The 31-year-old right-hander was 9-12 with a 5.71 ERA for the Padres and Dodgeers in 2013. http://www.francemaillotdefoot.fr/kingsley-coman-maillot.html. He owns a career mark of 66-59 with a 4.44 ERA in 191 games, including 185 starts with Texas, Cincinnati, San Diego, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. Volquez had his best season with the Reds in 2008, posting a mark of 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA. The American League-champion Royals had been in need of another starting pitcher with the loss of James Shields to free agency. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Royals designated infielder Ryan Jackson for assignment. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale JerseysCheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

o even the score in the 32nd minute, Italian keepe

METZ, France -- Second-seeded Gilles Simon was invincible on serve as he beat French countryman Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 7-6 (2) Saturday to reach the Open de Moselle final and stay on course for his first title of the year. Kevin Pillar Blue Jays Jersey . For the second consecutive match Simon did not face a single break point. In the final Simon plays either two-time defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France or eighth-seeded Florian Mayer of Germany, who meet later Saturday. This is Tsongas first tournament since a knee injury forced him to drop out of his second-round match at Wimbledon Simon, who lost the Eastbourne final in June, broke Mahut in the fifth game and took the first set against serve when Mahut planted a weak shot into the net. Edwin Encarnacion Blue Jays Jersey .Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford broke their Canadian record to win the pairs competition Saturday at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Roger Clemens Jersey . The Canucks were expected to sign the 38-year-old winger to an American Hockey League tryout with the Canucks affiliate, the Utica Comets.TORONTO -- Italian soccer fans in Toronto didnt get to experience the "once in a lifetime" opportunity to see one of soccers greatest talents, Roberto Baggio. They were, however, treated to a 2-0 Italian victory over Portugal in Mondays legends match at BMO Field. Simone Barone scored late in the first half and Marco Del Vecchio scored early in the second securing the victory for Italy. The event was focused around the opportunity to see Baggio, who was relegated to participating in a pre-game ceremonial first kick due to a knee injury. "It was very disappointing because I wouldve liked to play here," Baggio said through a translator. "It has been 10 years since Ive played here, but unfortunately (last) Wednesday I suffered an injury in my knee." Barone got Italy on the board in the 32nd minute as he put his strike in the area up and over Portuguese keeper Paulo Santos. Then in the 52nd minute, Del Vecchio got past a challenging Paulo Santos in the area and put the loose ball into an empty net. Portugal would continue to press in the second half and Meira had an excellent chance in the 61st minute with a header in the area, but a diving Giovanni Galli managed to deflect it wide. "I was very happy to be here," continued Baggio. "The energy and the warm welcome was incredible. Especially in the Italian community, they gave a lot of emotion and the first thanks is going to them. It really was incredible to come here and feel at home." Baggio also addressed the on-going rumour that he will replace out-going Italian national coach, Cesare Prandelli. Baggio said it was just a rumour, but added changes need to be made at the top first. "Its important now to change the head of the federation because as you know, we have to chaange the president, first," he said. Ryan Goins Blue Jays Jersey. "After, well see what the new lay of the land is." Both sides exchanged numerous chances in the early going, but neither was able to find the back of the net. Portugal had an excellent chance to open the scoring in the eighth minute as Maniche put his strike from the right side of the goal wide right. Del Vecchio had two chances early. In the 10th minute he put his strike off the left side of the goal. Then in the 11th minute, alone in the area, Del Vecchio struggled with a pass before finally putting his shot just wide of the goal. Looking to even the score in the 32nd minute, Italian keeper Giovani Galli managed to stop a Fernando Meira header from just outside the area. "Its a big pleasure any time you get a chance to play for your national team, it was really cool to play in front of so many fans especially with such a big Portuguese community here in Toronto," said Portuguese striker, Pauleta. "The Italians played really well. They always have really good defenders. "For me, I think their goalie was the best player on the field. It wouldve been nice to score of course." Mondays event is part of a weeklong attempt to cure soccer fans World Cup withdrawal. In addition to the Italy-Portugal legends match, on Wednesday Toronto FC will play host to the English Premier Leagues Tottenham Hotspur. Current TFC striker Jermaine Defoe appeared in 274 games for the Spurs on two separate stops with the club. Then to close-out the week, Serie As AC Milan will kick off against Superleague Greeces Olympiacos on Thursday. Despite just returning from World Cup appearances, Italys Mario Balotelli, De Sciglio and Abate, Japans Honda and Ghanas Essien are all expected to participate. Cheap JerseysWholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

while Wells (13.6 ppg) also has a pen

Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano came out on Thursday, two days after he was named to the U. Nike Roshe Run Azules .S. delegation for Sochi along with openly gay athletes Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow. The 1988 gold medallist had always kept his personal life private, saying in a statement that "being gay is just one part of who I am." But President Barack Obamas decision to include openly gay athletes in the delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies -- and not send high-ranking officials -- was widely seen as a message to Russia about its treatment of gays and lesbians. "First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance," Boitano said in his statement. "As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations." Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws banning "gay propaganda," and some suggested the United States should boycott the Sochi Olympics in protest. Obama rejected that idea earlier this year, saying a stronger statement could be made by "gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze." But his choices for the U.S. delegation left little doubt about Obamas disapproval of the new Russian law. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. will not send a president, former president, first lady or vice-president to the Olympics. This years group is led by former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and others in the delegation include U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, deputy Secretary of State William Burns and presidential adviser Rob Nabors. Of the five athletes in the delegation, three -- Boitano, King and Cahow -- are openly gay. Boitano and King will attend the opening ceremony. Cahow, a two-time medallist in womens hockey, will attend the closing ceremony with Olympic speed skating champions Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden. "I have been fortunate to represent the United States of America in three different Olympics, and now I am honoured to be part of the presidential delegation to the Olympics in Sochi," Boitano, who is in Europe, said in his statement. "It has been my experience from competing around the world and in Russia that Olympic athletes can come together in friendship, peace and mutual respect regardless of their individual countrys practices." Earlier this month, IOC President Thomas Bach said Russia would set up public protest zones in Sochi for "people who want to express their opinion or want to demonstrate for or against something." Meanwhile, the IOC approved a letter going out to athletes reminding them to refrain from protests or political gestures during the Sochi Games -- reiterating Rule 50 of the Olympic charter, which forbids demonstrations on Olympic grounds. Bach previously said hed received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that gays will not be discriminated against in Sochi. But the Russian law has raised questions about what could happen to athletes who wear pins or badges or carry flags supporting gay rights. Air Jordan España Online . Now they know theyll have home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. Air Jordan Tienda Online . Brignac hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-0 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.Columbus, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Coming off an upset over a Top-25 foe, the Ohio State Buckeyes set their sights on a second consecutive ranked opponent, as they play host to the 16th-ranked Maryland Terrapins in a Big Ten matchup at Value City Arena on Thursday night. Thad Mattas Buckeyes were in the Top-25 this season, but a couple of league losses dropped the team from the ranks. Ohio State is on an upswing once again however, inching closer to admittance back into the polls, thanks to wins over Northwestern (69-67) and most recently, Indiana (82-70). The win over the Hoosiers this past weekend improved OSU to 16-5 overall and 5-3 in league play, good for a fourth-place tie with Indiana and Purdue. Mark Turgeons Terrapins have certainly acclimated themselves to their new conference, as they are in the midst of a strong campaign that has the team at 18-3 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten, good for sole possession of second place, behind only Wisconsin (7-1). Maryland has won four of its last five games and comes in off a narrow 68-67 home win over Northwestern last time out. Ohio State owns a 4-2 series advantage against Maryland, with this marking the first-ever meeting as Big Ten rivals. These two teams met last year in Columbus as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, a game won by Ohio State, 76-60. The Terrapins saved their best for last, as a Dez Wells tip-in with under two seconds left to play propelled Maryland to a one-point win over Northwestern. Maryland, which trailed the entire game until the last 21 seconds, received 27 points from freshman guard Melo Trimble, as the 6-3 youngster was 8-of-18 from the floor and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line in the viictory. Air Jordan 3 Retro Mujer. Wells added 17 points to the cause for Maryland, which won despite shooting a mere .407 from the floor overall. Strong defense has been the fuel that has driven the Maryland bus this season. The Terrapins are averaging a modest 72.5 ppg, but are allowing just 63.0 ppg, while holding foes under 40 percent shooting (.392). Trimble has been superb in his first season in College Park, leading the team in scoring (16.3 ppg), assists (61) and steals (32). Forward Jake Layman (14.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg) represents frontcourt balance, while Wells (13.6 ppg) also has a penchant for scoring. Ohio State has its own dynamic freshman in DAngelo Russell. After erupting for a career-high 33 points against Northwestern, Russell posted 22 points and 10 assists in the upset win over Indiana last time out. For his efforts, he was named the Big Ten Player of the Week. There was plenty of offense to go around in the win over the Hoosiers, as the team shot a sizzling .623 from the floor overall. JaeSean Tate went 9-of-10 from the floor and poured in 20 points, while Marc Loving and Shannon Scott added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Russell is bucking for all-conference honors this season as one of the Big Tens most complete players. The 6-5 youngster ranks second in the conference in scoring (19.4 ppg) thanks in large part to his impressive .444 efficiency from long range. He is also averaging 5.2 rpg and 5.1 apg. Loving is a distant second in the scoring column for Ohio State at 11.3 ppg, followed closely by Sam Thompsons 10.1 ppg. With Russell leading the charge, OSU is averaging a robust 80.0 ppg, on a highly efficient .509 shooting (third nationally). Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

ovations from the capacity crowd inside

Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork. http://www.footballcowboysstore.us/authentic-byron-jones-cowboys-jersey/ .com) - Joe Maddon will have his trusted sidekick back with him when the new Chicago Cubs manager begins his first season in the Windy City. The team announced Thursday that Dave Martinez, Maddons bench coach with the Tampa Bay Rays for the past seven seasons, will hold the same role with the Cubs as they completed filling out their coaching staff for the 2015 season. Martinez, a former Cubs player as well, was part of four playoff teams led by Maddon in Tampa Bay from 2008-2013. The 50-year-old had been one of the preliminary candidates to replace Maddon as the Rays skipper, but was not among the three finalists announced by Tampa Bay president of baseball operations Matt Silverman last month. Brandon Hyde, who served as Chicagos bench coach last season under Rick Renteria, will be shifted to first base coach following Martinezs hire. Doug Dascenzo, originally named the Cubs first base coach for 2015, will instead work as the organizations outfield and baserunning coordinator. The Cubs let Renteria go after just one season after being able to land Maddon, a two-time American League Manager of the Year in Tampa Bay who opted out of his contract with the Rays shortly after the 2014 campaign concluded. Martinez spent the first three seasons of his 16-year playing career in the majors with the Cubs from 1986-88, then spent part of the 2000 season with the club as well. The Cubs also announced that longtime major league catcher Henry Blanco will also join Maddons staff as a quality assurance coach.http://www.footballcowboysstore.us/authentic-alfred-morris-cowboys-jersey/ . Its the fourth meeting of the season between these teams with each game being decided by a single goal. http://www.footballcowboysstore.us/authentic-randy-white-cowboys-jersey/ . Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans ended up with the bigger problem.SAN ANTONIO -- Fans screamed "Go Spurs Go!" in unison at the slightest glimpse of a San Antonio Spurs player or coach floating down the River Walk. It was reminiscent of last season when the Spurs walked off their team charter to those chants, except the tone Wednesday night was much sweeter. The victory parade for Spurs fifth NBA title was part celebration and part exorcism. "It is soaking in, but Im still going to live it up for about the whole summer," NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard said. "(I havent slept) very much. Ive been trying to live the moment. Its been hard to sleep still. Thought I would get some sleep after we won the finals, but Im still celebrating. Go Spurs Go! San Antonio!" After falling 25 seconds shy of capturing the title last season only to fall in seven games to the Miami Heat, the Spurs made another run to the NBA Finals. Except this time, they closed out the Heat in five games for the teams first title since 2007. "I cried (last year). I think the rest of the city cried, too," Spurs fan Rosalinda Gonzalez said. "How they lost, that was bad. It made this years victory even more sweet, sweet. (And) the way we did it. All the games that we won were by a billion points. It was awesome. Great comeback." Given a chance to celebrate what they couldnt last year, Spurs fans endured 90-degree heat to line the River Walk and stand outside of the Alamodome up to five hours before the festivities began. The City of San Antonio estimated about 100,000 people attended the River Walk parade and 75,000 were at the Alamodome. "Weve got to thank the people of San Antonio," said Spurs guard Patty Mills, who served as the events master of ceremonies. "You really make this way more special than it already is. You guys are so genuine and really care about us. Youve embraced all of us as a family." And the fans soaked up the moment as if it was the citys first championship. Even usually cantankerous Spurs coach Gregg Popovich fully embraced the moment, smiling and waving at the crowd as the barge he rode on floated along the River Walk. Popovich raised one finger with a puzzled look before counting off two, three, four and nodding his head when he reached five, raising an outstretched hand to symbolize how many titles the franchise has won. It was Popovich who admitted thee Spurs were "hurting" after losing last seasons finals. http://www.footballcowboysstore.us/authentic-troy-aikman-cowboys-jersey/. Still, the team was greeted by thousands of cheering fans upon its arrival home following the Game 7 loss to the Heat. "Ill be honest with you, when you saw the crowd the first feeling I had was embarrassment," Popovich said last year. "Was just embarrassed that we didnt get it done and then as you look at them all and they just keep cheering you realize, my gosh, you really felt the love and the way they care for these guys and their team and then it did make it easier." It also was Popovich who implored the team to face the defeat head on and learn from it, and the Spurs certainly did that. The Spurs Big Three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili guided the team to the leagues best regular-season record and to a dominant post-season run after escaping a seven-game series with the Dallas Mavericks. San Antonios combined 70-point winning margin over Miami was the largest in NBA Finals history. "We owe it all to Pop," Ginobili said as his barge made a stop. "He had us playing great basketball at the right time." The Big Three twice received standing ovations from the capacity crowd inside the Alamodome as Duncan celebrated his fifth title and Parker and Ginobili their fourth. "Thats the best thing about them, you can hang with them, you can have jokes with them," Mills said about the Big Three. "They are better people than they are basketballers." Aside from the Big Three, the loudest ovations were for Leonard, who Popovich has called the future face of the Spurs since his arrival via a draft day trade with the Indiana Pacers in 2011. On the Alamodome stage, Mills shared a story of how he asked Leonard which superhero he was going to be for Parkers annual Halloween party. The quiet 22-year-old responded with, "Kawhi Leonard superhero." And Leonard was that in the finals. Leonard had 22 points and 10 rebounds in the series-ending victory Sunday night, becoming the youngest finals MVP since Duncan received the honour at the same age in 1999. The Spurs face an uncertain off-season with up to six possible free agents, but that wasnt even a consideration for the players or the fans Wednesday. After waiting a year, they all got to exhale and celebrate another title. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

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Any NFL team that drafts Michael Sam will be taking on much more than a rookie pass-rusher. Nike Huarache New Zealand . But experts say the smart approach for a team that signs the leagues first openly gay athlete -- from a marketing and public relations standpoint -- is to simply let Sams on-field play speak for him and his team. "While this is a significant announcement given the sport, the general hope is that hes just accepted as one of the other men on the roster, and therefore his marketability is still simply tied to his ability to play well on the field and ultimately make the team," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. Sam declared Sunday that he is gay in interviews with ESPN, The New York Times and Outsports. The Missouri All-American had already come out last August to his coaches and teammates, who respected his privacy. Now Sam is entering uncharted territory as he prepares for the NFL draft. The SECs co-defensive player of the year was projected to be a mid-round selection. At 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, Sam will likely have to transition to outside linebacker, which could impact where hes drafted. But announcing hes gay could also have an impact on his draft status. "Im not naive to think there arent potentially some owners or executives out there who will say, Eh, Im not so sure now." said Golden State Warriors President and Chief of Operations Rick Welts, who came out publicly in 2011. "But also, I hope, there are a lot who would say, Theres an opportunity to do something that I think our fans would actually embrace. And if were supposed to win football games, if this guy helps us win football games, thats somebody we should have on our roster." Sam, 24, joins a growing list of active athletes to publicly come out, including Robbie Rogers, a winger for Major League Soccers Los Angeles Galaxy, and Brittney Griner, who plays for the WNBAs Phoenix Mercury. Conner Mertens, a kicker for Division III Willamette University, came out as bisexual late last month, and is believed to have been the first active college football player to publicly announce his sexuality. Griner, as one of the WNBAs brightest stars, was the centerpiece of the Mercurys marketing campaign. She also made a point of supporting causes that are important to her. "There was nothing about her that was difficult in marketing. We supported what she wanted to do with bullying and the LGBT community. We made those connecting points," said Amber Cox, president of the Mercury before leaving to go to the Big East last fall. Nike has also thrown support to LGBT athletes, signing both Griner and Jason Collins, a former NBA player who came out last year, to sponsorship deals, and launching its "Be True" campaign. Profits from the .BeTrue collection are being donated to the LGBT Sports Coalition to support the goal of ending discrimination in sport. Mark Elderkin of the Gay Ad Network, an online media platform for national advertisers, said NFL teams need only look at Sams track record. "Theyre going to make their choices based on who the best college athletes are. And theyre going to choose Michael if they deem him the best pick. So, I think they need to focus on the facts, and his performance over the years, his All-America status and everything hes done for Missouri," Elderkin said. "Also his relationships with the fans, and with the positive energy he has around his teammates and their full support, shows that hes not going to be disruptive to the team in any way, but is going to add value." But its still a reality that gay athletes face a backlash. Derogatory comments were easily found among the positive posts on social media and other online commentary following Sams announcement. A Pew Research survey last year of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults in the U.S. found that just 4 per cent saw pro sports leagues as friendly toward LGBT people, while 59 per cent saw the leagues as unfriendly and 36 per cent saw them as neutral. Still, even over the past year there have been significant overall victories in gay and lesbian rights, most notably two U.S. Supreme Court decisions in June. One ruling cleared the way for ending a ban on same-sex marriages in California; the other struck down a 1996 law passed by Congress that banned federal recognition of same-sex marriages. It remains to be seen how growing tolerance extends to the NFL playing field. "I think the point thats being made in a lot of the discussion is, Lets just move on," Swangard said. "If the guy makes a team, then he makes the team. His sexual orientation shouldnt be the story." Adidas Superstar Nz . - The CJ2K era is over in Tennessee, just the latest step by the Titans in their franchise makeover. Nike Force Ones For Sale . "Im pushing our guys," Casey said after practice Friday, making the case for his backcourt duo, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, to get voted in as first-time All-Stars.Graham DeLaet was out on the practice range working on his game on Monday morning, preparing for his first U.S. Open. Its almost hard to believe that the player ranked 32nd in the world, who has earned more than $2 million this year, dazzled at last years Presidents Cup and has 16 top-10 finishes in the last three years, is just now completing the career slam - in terms of playing them, that is. Sometimes we forget that as good as he is, hes still relatively young in terms of being at the elite level. His talent exceeds his experience at this point of his career, which isnt necessarily a bad thing. Still, he does know a good course when he sees one. Having toured around the back nine at the famed No. 2 course here at Pinehurst, DeLaet quickly pronounced it to be a favourite. "It automatically went into my top 10 of all time," said the lone Canadian entrant in the American championship this year. "Its a great test, its an awesome old-style golf course and its going to be a lot of fun." Fun? The U.S. Open? Yep, this is definitely his maiden voyage in this tournament. While he hasnt been playing it, DeLaet, of course, has been an avid viewer of the American championship, and he knows that unlike most of the past, oh, 50 or 60, U.S. Opens, this year there is no long, punishing rough lining the fairways. Instead, Pinehurst has been returned to its original design, thanks to Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, with scruffy waste areas full of wiregrass bushes on the borders of the short grass. Its something that DeLaet says could prove to be a bit of a lottery for those who stray from the fairway. "This is my first U.S. Open but Ive watched in on TV for years," he said, "and its always been the deep rough and this year there is no rough at all. But the waste area or whatever you call it, sometimes you can get in there and have a pretty clear shot and get a lot of club on it and you can get in there and have a lot of bad breaks as well." DeLaet believes that hitting it into the scruffy section - officially, native areas - will give you about a 50 per cent chance of having a good lie. You might bee able to play the shot like a fairway bunker or you might end up behind a tuft of grass that will mean chipping out sideways. Nike Huarache Triple Black. The frustration levels could rise significantly if a player gets enough of the bad lies. DeLaet knows that too will be a big part of surviving the week, keeping his patience at an even level and trying to survive the mental test that is a big part of this event. Along with the predicted high temperatures, it will be a tough task for any player to keep their minds focused at all times. While DeLaet is working on his mental side, his physical appears to be in order. He was forced to miss the Memorial two weeks ago with a sore leg, something he now feels is on the mend. "I just kind of had a strained tendon on the outside of my right foot," he stated. "It wasnt extremely painful or anything like that but I just knew if I kept playing - and walking on uneven slopes is the worst for it. And Memorial unfortunately is up and down. I mean thats one of my favourite golf courses and I love that tournament and I have good vibes going in there. It killed me to miss that tournament but I knew for the rest of the year I had to be smart and I just didnt make it worse and over the last couple of weeks with some rest, it has gotten a lot better." While this has been a good year for the Saskatchewan native, he has been in search of more consistency on the greens. In the second round of the Players, he switched to a left-hand-low putting grip that he was practicing with on Monday, under the watchful eye of short game coach Gabriel Hjertstedt. Its just one more little thing he hopes will unlock the mystery that is putting. DeLaet is also hoping that he can bring his game around in a big event. While hes posted six top-10s this year, including consecutive runner-up finishes at Torrey Pines and Phoenix, he missed the cut in both the Masters and the Players. Its understandable as he adjusts to tougher set-ups and deeper fields, but this is where he wants to perform, this is where he wants to be contending. Hell get that opportunity starting at 1:36 on Thursday afternoon. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '
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