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DUNEDIN, Florida – The Blue Jays dropped to 3-2 in Grapefruit League action following an 8-2 loss to the Yankees at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium on Sunday.Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Giants Jersey . Right-hander Todd Redmond took the loss. Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the spring. Here are a handful of tidbits from around camp: Hutchison impressive The Blue Jays are being cautious when talking about their young arms but internally, excitement is building over the way Drew Hutchison is looking and performing this spring. Hutchison is among those looking to secure an available spot in the starting rotation. According to the official radar gun at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Drew Hutchisons four-seam fastball topped out at 94 miles per hour during Saturdays start against the Orioles. The Blue Jays have different, even more encouraging information. Scouts had readings as high as 96 miles per hour. Hutchison, as is his custom when hes on his game, was locating his pitches and working the corners of the plate. Hutchison threw two innings, didnt allow a run, gave up one hit and struck out four. He threw 38 pitches, 25 for strikes. Anthopoulos looking to deal The Blue Jays have an abundance of bullpen arms and general manager Alex Anthopoulos continues to dangle some of that pitching depth in an effort to upgrade the ballclub. Toronto is looking for starting pitching help, which may be found internally (see above on Hutchison,) and an established right-handed bat off the bench. Sergio Santos, who was almost traded during the offseason, is a name that continues to come up in discussions. Seitzer thrilled with early returns New hitting coach Kevin Seitzer isnt just encouraged by the Blue Jays offensive start to spring training, hes thrilled. "I get goosebumps right now thinking about it," said Seitzer. "Getting timing in games is very, very difficult for hitters to do, especially early in camp. The quality of at-bats, the takes, the lack of panic, the plan, the approach, I couldnt be more pleased. They have been professionals every single day in their early work, batting practice routines. I havent heard one person complain about anything at all from an offensive standpoint." While Brett Lawrie has missed the last two games due to hamstring tightness, hes impressed Seitzer early with his gap-to-gap approach. The two continue to work on limiting Lawries movement in the batters box, including lessening Lawries hand waggle. "Were eating this elephant one bite at a time and my focus is opening day to where hes dialing in," said Seitzer. "But where he continues to try and do it, quieting down, keep those hands still when hes loading, hes getting results. He took 96 mph the other way the other day on that lefty who had a good fastball and it was middle in. He didnt panic, he didnt force it, he didnt jerk, all he did was stay short and stay inside and he smoked a ball past first. The opposite field doubles hes hit driving the ball the other way, he told me right out of the gate that was his focus the last month and a half when he started to have some success." By the time he first met the media in January, during the winter caravan, second baseman Ryan Goins had taken Seitzer up on an open invitation to visit his home in Kansas City. It was an opportunity for the two to become acquainted and lay a foundation for the work theyre doing this spring. Seitzer believes Goins could be a .270 or .280 hitter in the big leagues, suggesting he has the mental acumen to develop into a .300 hitter. "I dont like dropping ceilings on guys because you just never know," said Seitzer. "You never know how hes going to be able to handle big-league pitching on a daily basis and be able to make the adjustments that he needs to make. But so far, everything Ive seen has been very good, very positive, that hes going to be able to make those adjustments that he needs to make. But that remains to be seen, theres been a lot of hitters that Ive worked with that are really good in the cage, in batting practice but then putting it into the game is the last big challenge. But I think mentally and emotionally, hes tough enough to have the discipline to be able to do that everyday." Janssen sore Casey Janssen is dealing with stiffness in his pitching shoulder, which has prevented him from maintaining a normal spring schedule, including regular bullpen sessions and appearances in Grapefruit League games. "I think its just the inflammation," said Janssen. "Its going to subside. Just take a couple of days off and get right back on and start throwing again." Janssen underwent an MRI, which revealed inflammation in the back of his shoulder, where the decelerator muscles are located. Last spring and for most of last season, Janssen was hampered by soreness in his rotator cuff, the result of surgery he had in the 2012-2013 offseason. "It always sucks but I think I know how to get ready," he said. "I was looking forward to a normal spring, coming with all the guys and thats what I was expecting but unfortunately, I havent been in a game yet and all the other stuff but Ill get there. Eyes are on opening day like they always were." Janssen wont pick up a baseball for at least two more days. Hell attempt to play long toss and if his shoulder reacts positively, hell progress to bullpen sessions and then work his way into games. Rasmus Scratched Colby Rasmus was in manager John Gibbons Sunday lineup but removed himself due to a stiff neck. "I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," said Rasmus. "Got a little crink in my neck. Just one of those things, after throwing and warming up, I just feel like I need to take myself out just as a precaution. In a couple of days, I should be fine." Clubs typically travel skeleton rosters to far away places and so its likely Rasmus wasnt going to play on Monday in Fort Myers, against the Twins, anyway. He hopes to return on Tuesday. "Normally you throw some hot sauce on there and go about your business," said Rasmus. "It just kind of locked up a little tighter." Yankees almost smoked out The Yankees briefly considered evacuating the visitors clubhouse before Sundays game at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium when smoke from an over-heated dryer began to waft into the locker room. The matter was quickly brought under control. Perez and Ohka reassigned Left-hander Juan Perez and right-hander Tomo Ohka, whos making a comeback attempt as a knuckleball pitcher, have been reassigned to minor league camp. The Blue Jays now have 58 players remaining in major league camp. Landon Collins Jersey .com) - The Ottawa Senators will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they face the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to secure their place in the post-season. Victor Cruz Jersey . -- Joe Mauers return to the Minnesota lineup has been set for Friday.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Philadelphia 76ers will reportedly acquire forward Andrei Kirilenko from the Brooklyn Nets. According to Yahoo Sports, the Sixers will also pick up a 2020 second-round draft pick, the right to trade second-round choices in 2018 and cash in exchange for forward Brandon Davies. Kirilenko has appeared in just seven games for the Nets this season, playing 36 minutes without making any of his five attempted shots. He averaged 5.0 points in 45 games llast season for Brooklyn. New York Giants Online Store. The 33-year-old Russian native has career averages of 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 797 games with Brooklyn, Minnesota and Utah. He spent 10 seasons with the Jazz, who made him a first-round pick in 1999. Davies, a 23-year-old BYU product, has appeared in 71 games for Philadelphia over the last two seasons and has averaged 3.8 points with 2.6 rebounds. He has averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20 games this season. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

VANCOUVER -- Milan Dragicevic is determined not to go down without a fight. Lance Alworth Jersey . Dragicevic, coach of the University of British Columbia varsity mens hockey team, is on a mission to keep his program going as its future remained in doubt Tuesday. The school announced 16 teams, from the current 29, that will play next season -- but mens hockey wasnt among those approved. "It was really disappointing, obviously -- disappointing for the players, disappointing for the program, disappointing for the alumni -- and all the hard work thats (been done) for this program for the last 100 years," said Dragicevic. "And for (university administrators) to even consider putting this program as a non-varsity (program), its a slap in the face, I think." UBC has played a key role in Canadas national hockey development. The late Father David Bauer and former UBC athletic director Bob Hindmarch established the first Canadian national team on campus in 1963. The universitys sport review advisory team is in the midst of examining the athletics department and determining which teams should stay at the varsity level. The fate of the 13 other teams will be decided at the end of February, giving Dragicevic and the programs supporters about six weeks to save the mens hockey program. Teams receiving a passing grade include: womens ice hockey and womens field hockey, mens and womens basketball, mens football, mens rugby and womens volleyball. "Mens hockey is gonna stay," said Dragicevic. "I have a feeling that its going to stay. Im very confident, and as I told all the players today, our alumni group is a very powerful group. They support our program. It doesnt matter about wins and losses. Its all about player development and development for life afterward." Administrators contend the varsity teams annual budget, which has been raised by $200,000 to $6.4 million, is insufficient for so many high-performance teams. "We simply could not have gone on with 29 varsity teams," said Louise Cowin, UBCs vice-president of students, during a news conference. "And, its not just a question of financial resources." Cowin added that UBCs athletics program was on "an unsustainable path" and other Canadian universities have been struggling with the same issues. She pointed to the University of Toronto, Queens, Carlton, University of New Brunswick, Trent and Brock as examples of post-secondary institutions where the number of varsity teams has been reduced. But Dragicevic called his teams omission from the approved list "shocking" given hockeys popularity and rich history in Canada. "Its Canadas national sport," said Dragicevic. "Weve been around for a long time. It kind of blows your mind that they would consider this, when you look at the tradition and the community involvement that we have. At the end of the day, I believe theyre gonna say hockey is a no-brainer to keep at the varsity level." The approvals came after teams submitted reasons why their programs should continue. The mens field hockey team is also determined to retain its varsity status after missing out in the first stage. "I thought we fit the criteria very well," said Arif Virjee, a player who with the team who also sits on UBCs athletes council. He cited players strong academics, national team representatives and the teams long history as factors in its favour. "Weve had national team players stretching back to the 1950s," he said. Virjee, who is in his last year at UBC, feels mostly for young players who hope to continue with the program. "This is my last year at the university," he said. "I think its more disappointing for first and second-year players. They made choices in coming here. They have to make some decisions going forward." Other notable omissions from the approved list include womens soccer, even though UBC is a national soccer training centre that Canadian womens team coach John Herdman has pledged to use for training and player development, mens and womens golf and mens baseball. The baseball team has supplied a number of players, including pitcher Jeff Francis, to the major leagues and Canadas Olympic team. Varsity teams are being graded on a number of criteria set out by the university, including success in competition, coaching strength, history, alumni support and even attendance, which is traditionally low for most sports on campus. Cowin and Ashley Howard, UBCs managing director of athletics and recreation, were surprised that 16 teams passed the first stage of the review. They had expected fewer teams to qualify. Howard said the approved teams made the based on their current situations and decisions were not based on new alumni funding support. But, she said, new funding programs will be considered for teams seeking to be approved as part of the second stage. The review process has generated strong opposition from some alumni and current donors with many concerned some teams are being unfairly targeted for their high cost and lack of recent success. Derek Swain, head of an alumni group who has been battling to keep programs alive, was not impressed with what he heard at the news conference, contending that administrators have not been as transparent as they claim to be. He said the administrations plan has been "highly flawed" while the review has "an unnecessary and divisive process." "Im hopeful though that they got the message that varsity athletics are very important and theyre very important to the community at large," said Swain, a former UBC basketball player. Swain said alumni groups are planning to withhold donations to the university if teams lose their varsity status. He said its important to recognize that former varsity athletes contribute more to the universitys general coffers than other graduates. But Swain, who criticized administrators for not including more people with varsity sports experience in the review process, said hes hopeful that some programs can be saved.   Antonio Gates Chargers Jersey . -- Joe Mauers return to the Minnesota lineup has been set for Friday. Stevie Johnson Chargers Jersey . -- Von Miller is back -- and bigger than ever.MADRID, Spain -- A Spanish judge has rejected a prosecutors request to drop charges of tax fraud against Lionel Messi and ordered the investigation into three cases of suspected unpaid taxes to proceed. A court statement says there is "sufficient evidence" to believe the Argentina player "could have known and consented" to the creation of a fictitious corporate structure to avoid payingg taxes on income made from Messis image rights. Kavell Conner Chargers Jersey. The statement was issued Monday by the court in Gava, Barcelona. In June, Messis public relations firm said a prosecutor had agreed to drop the tax fraud case against the player and his father. Messis father, Jorge Horacio Messi, is under investigation for an alleged 4 million euros ($5.3 million) in unpaid taxes from 2007-09. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

LONDON -- West Ham says it has signed Senegal international midfielder Cheikou Kouyate from Belgian champion Anderlecht on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Scott Tolzien Jersey . The 24-year-old Kouyate says on West Hams website, "I am very happy, because today West Ham has given me the chance to play in the Premier League." Kouyate played in the Champions League and Europa League with Anderlecht, and represented Senegal at the 2012 London Olympics. He is West Hams second off-season signing, following Argentine striker Mauro Zarate. Vontae Davis Jersey . Switzerland is an overwhelming favourite against Serbia, last years finalist and the 2010 Davis Cup champion, which will be without Novak Djokovic and two other of its top players. The second-ranked Djokovic decided to rest after losing to Wawrinka in the Australian Open quarterfinals, while Janko Tipsarevic is nursing a heel injury and Viktor Troicki is serving a 12-month doping suspension for failing to appear at a test. Pat McAfee Colts Jersey . And thats quite a turnaround from how things seemed less than a week ago. LeBron James fought through a sore back to score 32 points, Chris Bosh added 18 and the Heat used another strong defensive effort to beat the Toronto Raptors 93-83 on Monday night.There are likely two safe bets when it comes to the 2014 CFL Draft; offensive linemen will dominate the early selections, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will look to solidify one of their most glaring positional needs with the second-overall pick. According to the CFL Scouting Bureaus January rankings, four of the top five Canadian prospects line-up on the offensive side of the trenches, which is good news for Bombers general manager Kyle Walters. With only one selection in the first two rounds — Walters sent his second-round pick to Saskatchewan in the days ahead of the 2013 trade deadline — the No. 2 pick is an opportunity to grab one of three top O-line prospects who are expected to play professionally in Canada. The No. 1-rated athlete overall, offensive tackle Laurent Duvernay-Tardif out of McGill, is not attending this weekends CFL Combine in Toronto, opting instead to hold his own pro day in Montreal for both NFL and Canadian scouts. This leaves Laval University centre Pierre Lavertu as a very likely target for either the expansion Ottawa Redblacks who select first overall, or for the Blue Bombers. Lavertu would be an attractive choice for Winnipeg with the free agent departure of starting centre Justin Sorensen this past winter. "(I am a) centre, so it will help then if Im going to be a centre at the next level," said the 6-foot-3 300-pound All-Canadian. "But if I have to play guard or something like that, Im going to do it." Lavertu is both confident and aware of the two teams who may call his name on May 13. "I figure that will happen. Its going to be cool if Im drafted by one of those teams. I watch a lot of the websites of Winnipeg and Ottawa just to learn more about these teams." The offensive lineman that may have the most to prove during Combine weekend is 6-foot-4 294-pound Matthias Goossen out of the non-CIS school Simon Fraser. "I want to make sure that whatever I do here solidifies what Ive done in the season, and it can help show more athleticism — how I compare to guys in the CIS game, because obviously all these guys here I havent played against at all. So it would great to compare myself to these guys and sort of show myself and prove my worth, and obviously continue to make myself look better for the scouts." Goossen made a huge leap in the Bureaus rankinggs in just four months, moving from No. Ryan Kelly Jersey. 15 up to No. 5 once more scouts and CFL team reps could see what he was capable of. The Combine is an opportunity for him to cement those assessments. "I think the biggest thing, like everybody knows, is the one-on-ones and showing how to compete and showing how I actually play because when it comes down to it, theres no bench press on the field." Goossen played every position on the offensive line over the past four years at SFU, but feels his body-type is an ideal fit for the centre position at the pro level. A third potential option for the Blue Bombers, if they desire an O-lineman with their first pick may not fill their vacant centre spot, but he is quite hard to ignore. David Foucault stands 6-foot-8 and weighs in at 320 pounds. "I played tackle last year, but two years ago I played guard. I can play on both sides — guard and tackle — left and right… If a coach asks me what do you prefer? I prefer tackle. But I just want to play football. If you put me at guard, I will play guard. I just want to play professional football, and thats why Im here." While the CFL Combine measures many things, the versatile 24-year-old out of Montreal University feels language may be the most critical area for him to work on. "Thats why I went to Florida for training because all the stuff (at the Combine) is in English. When I came to Florida my first week, I was very bad in my English. I need to practice every day… If a scout or a coach wants to do an interview in French I will say no, I need to practice my English." Another concern for the No. 3-ranked prospect could be his physicality, as Foucault may stand prominent, but he has been known to play smaller than his stature and lack finish when engaging defenders. "(Im looking most forward to) the one-on-ones because in the combine in Tampa (Florida) I did all the tests and some drills. Some mirror drills and O-line drills. But maybe the one-on-ones I need to do well in that (this weekend). For all my tests I need to be consistent or do better." *N.B. Winnipeg traded their 2014 second-round selection along with import defensive end Alex Hall to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in exchange for non-import offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld and a 2015 fourth-round selection. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

The Canadian mens Olympic hockey team practiced once again on Tuesday ahead of their tournament opening matchup with Norway on Thursday. Chris Clark Texans Jersey . It was the teams second practice since arriving in Sochi and the line combinations used were the same as when the team took the ice for the first time on Monday. Here are Tuesdays practice lines with extra players in parenthesis: FORWARDS Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Jeff CarterPatrick Sharp - Jonathan Toews - Rick NashPatrick Marleau - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey PerryJamie Benn - John Tavares - Patrice Bergeron(Martin St. Louis, Matt Duchene) DEFENCE Duncan Keith - Shea WeberJay Bouwmeester - Alex PietrangeloMarc-Edouard Vlasic - Drew Doughty(P.K. Subban, Dan Hamhuis) Brian Cushing Jersey .CNN branding will appear on the front wing of the car that is powered by Honda, and will be driven by Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button this season. Jeff Allen Texans Jersey . Even for a team such as this, finishing off another title sweep is a feel-good accomplishment. Sam Dower Jr. had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Gonzaga held its ground during a second-half rally to beat BYU 75-64 Tuesday night for its 13th WCC championship.LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers are already locked into the No. 2 seed in the NL playoffs. Yet, they keep on winning on the road to the post-season. Scott Van Slyke scored the winning run on Franklin Morales wild pitch in the 12th inning, and the Dodgers edged the Colorado Rockies 6-5 on Saturday night. The Dodgers (93-68) have won four straight, including an NL West-clinching victory over San Francisco on Wednesday. Colorados bullpen retired 18 straight, a stretch that spanned from the sixth inning until the 12th, but couldnt turn that into a win. Van Slyke singled with one out, advanced to second when Tim Federowicz was hit by a pitch, stole third, and came home on Morales wild pitch. Scott Van Slyke single-handedly won the game for us right there, catcher A.J. Ellis said. That was a big base hit. We hadnt had a baserunner in quite some time. Then for him to show off not just his speed, but his baseball savvy. Give him a lot of credit for baseball IQ and knowing what was needed for us to get off that field. Rookie Carlos Frias (1-1) pitched three scoreless innings for Los Angeles for his first major league win. Carlos was amazing, Ellis said. Giving us three innings like that, he kept giving us chances to come back and make something happen. Morales (6-9) took the loss for Colorado (66-95), which has dropped three straight. The Rockies took a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning, but the Dodgers erased it with a four-run spurt that knocked starter Eddie Butler from the game. (Butler) looked pretty sharp early, but it got away from him in the fifth, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. I felt like he threw some good sinkers, but I think he started to catch a lot of the plate in the fifth inning and he got nicked up there. Los Angeles rapped out four hits in the inning, including Van Slykes tying RBI single and Matt Kemps go-ahead RBI double. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly subbed ofteen, and by the top of the sixth, eight of Los Angeles nine starters had been replaced -- including pitcher Dan Haren. Quintin Demps Texans Jersey. Theres still (post-season) roster spots open, Mattingly said. Were kind of throwing guys out in different spots and seeing what we get. The Rockies chipped away against the Dodgers bullpen. Charlie Culberson singled home Michael McKenry in the sixth, and McKenry cut the deficit to 5-4 with a solo homer in the eighth. Ben Paulsen tied it in the ninth, sending Paco Rodriguezs first pitch down the right field line, just inside the foul pole, and into the seats. Paulsen has made quite an impression, Weiss said. Good hitter. Really pretty swing. Hes done a nice job. Haren took a no-decision but continued a recent hot stretch with a solid outing. He pitched five innings, allowed two runs and six hits, walked none and struck out four. He has a 2.09 ERA over his last seven starts, dating to Aug. 26. Haren wasnt available after the game but left a sign on his locker for media that read: I felt good. Im ready for the playoffs. Butler, making his third career start, gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings for Colorado. TRAINERS ROOM: Dodgers: 2B Dee Gordon was removed in the second inning due to right hip irritation. His removal was characterized as a precaution by team staff and he is day to day. ... LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (left shoulder inflammation) didnt report any pain after throwing off a mound Friday. He will throw a full bullpen session Sunday. Rockies: 2B DJ LeMahieu (sprained left knee) will have an MRI on Monday. He was injured while diving for a ball in the series opener. UP NEXT: Dodgers: RHP Zack Greinke (16-8, 2.74) looks to remain unbeaten since Aug. 9. He is 4-0 with a 2.40 ERA in his last seven starts. Rockies: RHP Christian Bergman (3-4, 5.29) wraps up his rookie season. Bergman, 26, has won three of his last four decisions. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

PHILADELPHIA -- Reid Brignacs first start for the Philadelphia Phillies ended with him being mobbed by his teammates. Dez Bryant Cowboys Jersey . Brignacs RBI single in the bottom of the 14th inning gave the Phillies a 6-5 win over the New York Mets on Friday night. Domonic Brown hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs for the Phillies, who snapped the Mets six-game winning streak at Citizens Bank Park, dating to last season. Marlon Byrd reached second when right fielder Chris Young dropped his fly ball for an error leading off the 14th. Carlos Ruiz followed with a single to centre off Jenrry Mejia (4-2) that sent Byrd to third. After pinch-hitter Cesar Hernandez was intentionally walked, Brignac drove an opposite-field shot that one-hopped the wall in left. Brignac rounded first base and kept running into shallow right field before he was swarmed by teammates. "I was just messing around, trying to make them catch me," Brignac said. "It felt great coming through." Brignac started at third base for Cody Asche, who is on the disabled list. Hernandez had played third since Asche got hurt. "That was a big swing," manager Ryne Sandberg said. Young refused to blame the wind for his error, even though it was blowing in hard by the end of the game. "I was looking dead at it when it was coming down," Young said. "I cant explain it. I have no idea how I dropped a routine fly ball, but it happened." Justin De Fratus (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win. Phillies starter A.J. Burnett had a season-high 11 strikeouts, but allowed five runs and five hits in seven innings. He had to pitch out of trouble often because of six walks. "Im missing here and there, but six is a lot," Burnett said. "I have some work to do." Mets rookie Rafael Montero lasted just 3 2-3 innings, allowing four runs -- three earned -- and seven hits in the shortest of his four career starts. Coming off a 10-strikeout performance last Sunday against Arizona, Montero didnt fan any of Philadelphias strikeout-prone batters. The Phillies struck out 15 times in a 4-1 loss to the Mets on Thursday night. Bobby Abreu hit a two-run double to give the Mets a 5-4 lead in the fifth after David Wright and Curtis Granderson struck out with two runners on. But the Phillies answered in the bottom half against Daisuke Matsuzaka. Byrd walked, went to third on Ruizs double and scored on Browns groundout to tie it at 5. Byrd walked to start Philadelphias fourth and Ruiz singled. Brown then hit a high drive out to right to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead. Brown, an NL All-Star last year, was hitting .199 before connecting for his fourth homer this season. Brown hit 12 of his team-high 27 homers last May. Burnett helped himself with a leadoff single in the third. He went to third base when Abreu booted Jimmy Rollins single to right for an error. Chase Utley followed with an RBI groundout to cut it to 3-1. The Mets took a 3-0 lead in the second on Lucas Dudas RBI double, Travis dArnauds RBI groundout and Ruben Tejadas RBI single. NOTES: Abreu stole second base in the eighth for his 400th career steal. The call was upheld after a video review. ... Rollins had two hits, moving within 12 of passing Mike Schmidt for first on the Phillies career list. ... The Mets are playing five consecutive days in the same city on the road for the first time. ... Granderson was 0 for 3 with a walk. He is in an 0-for-19 slump. ... Burnett has walked five or more batters in four of his 12 starts. He had double-digit strikeouts for the 33rd time in his career. ... RHP Jacob deGrom (0-2, 1.83 ERA) pitches for the Mets on Saturday against Kyle Kendrick (1-5, 4.04). deGrom struck out as a pinch-hitter in the 14th. Maliek Collins Jersey .C. -- The Hornets have placed the teams future personnel decisions in the hands of Rich Cho after Rod Higgins has stepped down as the teams president of basketball operations on Friday. Charles Tapper Jersey . -- The Orlando Magic finally are showing the patience in critical moments that coach Jacque Vaughn has been waiting for all season.TAMPA, Fla. -- New York Yankees newcomer Masahiro Tanaka has finished up his first throwing session with the team. Tanaka worked out Wednesday at the minor league part of the Yankees spring training complex. Pitching coach Larry Rothschild said Tanaka "looked good" during a long toss session. Tanaka recently signed a $155 million, seven-year contract andd was introduced Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. Terrance Williams Jersey. . He was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year while leading the Rakuten Golden Eagles to the Japan Series title. It should be determined in the next couple days when the 25-year-old right-hander will throw off a mound. Yankees pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training Friday. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

IMATRA, Finland -- Jake Virtanen scored twice as Canada opened its defence of the under-18 mens hockey title with a 3-1 win over Sweden on Thursday. Richie Incognito Bills Jersey . Virtanen opened the scoring at 6:45 of the first period, then gave Canada a two-goal lead with a power-play goal 1:03 into the second. Sweden cut the lead in half when Daniel Muzito Bagenda scored a power-play goal at 10:57 of the second. Matt Barzal restored Canadas two-goal cushion with a goal 3:07 into the third period. Mason McDonald stopped 24 shots to help preserve the win. Canadas next game is Saturday against Germany. In other games on Thursday, Switzerland beat the United States 4-2, Russia edged Slovakia 3-2 in overtime, and host Finland trounced Denmark 6-1. Jim Dray Bills Jersey . The leagues board of governors accepted the five-year deal during a conference call Friday. The CFLPA voted in favour Thursday night. Corey Graham Jersey . -- With the season on the line once more in Oakland, Justin Verlander pitched another Game 5 gem.When Athletic Director Pat Haden handed Lane Kiffin his pink slip last week, the easiest part of the task was complete. After Arizona State hung 62 points on the Trojans, it was time for Kiffin to go.  He ended his tenure with seven losses in his final 11 games.  In 2012, his program was the first since 1964 to go from preseason number 1 in the polls to unranked.  The two-year post-season ban and 30 scholarship penalties had taken their toll.  The bad news is in the forefront at USC, but soon enough the college football off-season will be upon us and they boast one of the most attractive positions in all the NCAA.  Not only are they one of the top five coaching gigs in the country, but the next head coach will take over at the perfect time.  After all, you dont want to be the guy after the guy.  Lane Kiffin followed Pete Carroll, a daunting task even for the best of coaches.  In seven straight seasons, Carrolls USC team finished in the top four of the polls. The next bench boss to roam the sidelines of the Coliseum will have a much easier task bettering the Kiffins results. With that in mind, the following are five options USC should consider. It includes four that will most certainly be called and one that is a dark horse that would be a great option, but may not even receive a phone call. The favourite:  Jack Del Rio. The former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach and current offensive coordinator may have what it takes to turn the program around in Southern California.  He was a former All-American linebacker at the school and boasts the perfect blend of NFL and NCAA connections.  There is also speculation he really wants the job. The contenders: Steve Sarkisian. The head coach behind a re-tooled Washington program that is now competitive in the ultra-tough Pac-12.  He was an assistant at USC under Carroll and took over as offensive coordinator when Kiffin left for the Oakland Raiders head coaching gig.  Two things are working against Sarkisian - his connections to the university may be too recent for Haden if hes looking for a fresh face to lead the program - and he seemingly loves his job in Washington. Marcell Dareus Jersey. .  The new facilities there and the Huskies recent success would be tough to turn back on. Mike Riley - The 60-year-old mastermind at Oregon State has been linked to big school jobs in the past and will certainly get consideration by USC. The Beavers are an up-tempo exciting football program which is essentially the exact opposite of the 2013 Trojans. Riley is known as one of the best pure coaches in the NCAA. One downside is leading a program is much more than just teaching. Riley is not the strongest recruiter on the list, but given the advantages of being at USC, hed be able to get enough great athletes to return the program to prominence. Tom Herman - The offensive coordinator at Ohio State, Herman will be a head coach somewhere next year.  He would have been a prime candidate this year if not for a two-year commitment he made to Urban Meyer.  An offensive wizard might be exactly what Haden is looking for.  Watch for Herman to gain steam as a trendy option if the Buckeyes are able to keep their undefeated season going.  A national championship in Columbus may boost Herman to the top of this, and any other head coaching list. The dark horse: Kliff Kingsbury is doing a great job at Texas Tech.  The problem is he may be too much like Kiffin for Hadens liking. The 34-year-old is smart, successful and a smash hit with the young players hes chasing on the recruiting trails. Wearing his RayBan sunglasses as he roams the sidelines, Kingsbury is the new Kiffin. He may not be as established as some of the other names on USCs radar, but if they could look past some obvious similarities to Kiffin, they may have their new coach for years to come. In naming Ed Orgeron the interim coach for the remainder of the season, USC ensured well be able to debate who should be the new coach for the coming months.  Jeff Fisher of the St. Louis Rams, Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern and Chris Petersen of Boise State will also garner consideration.  If Haden is smart, hell take a long hard look at all of these names when making a decision that will shape the program for years to come. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Chicago scored in a variety of ways to produce the Cubs best offensive nights of the young season. Wilbert Montgomery Jersey . Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run homer before drawing a career-high four walks and Nate Schierholtz drove in three runs, rallying Chicago over the Cincinnati Reds 9-4 Wednesday night. Starlin Castro went 3 for 4 with two doubles for the Cubs, who matched their season-high in runs on the way to their second win in their last three games following a four-game losing streak. "We had good at-bats all night," Rizzo said. "Schierholtz had a huge at-bat in the ninth." Brayan Pena hit a solo homer for the Reds, who have lost four of five. Edwin Jackson (2-2) beat Cincinnati for the second time this year, allowing four runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. Brian Schlitter, Wesley Wright, Neil Ramirez and Hector Rondon combined for two-hit relief. "Its a good feeling," Jackson said about turning the game over to the bullpen. "We have confidence in those guys. Were confident that theyre going to come in and pick up the slack." With the score tied 3-3 in the fifth, the Cubs loaded the bases with no outs against reliever Nick Christiani (0-1). Mike Olt hit into an RBI forceout, and Schierholtz followed with a sacrifice fly. Manager Rick Renteria wasnt surprised to see his Cubs string together productive at-bats. "Weve been having a tough time trying to tack on runs and score runs," he said. "Today was an example of what we can do. "It was a good day all around," the first-year manager added. "(Jackson) kept us in the game and the relief pitching did a nice job." Schierholtz added a two-run single off Sean Marshall against a drawn-in infield in a four-run ninth. "It was good to see Nate get a hit there," Renteria said. Chicago needed just three batters to take a 2-0 lead in the first on Emilio Bonifacios leadoff single and the left-handed hitting Rizzos 426-foot, opposite-field homer to left-centre off of left-hander Tony Cingrani. "Its really early," Rizzo said. "Im just trying not to do too much, especially against left-handers. Im not trying to get three hits in one at-bat." Todd Frazier tied the score with a two-out, two-run double in the half. Pena, signed by the Reds as a free agent in November, gave the Reds a 3-2 lead when he homered leading off the second -- his first home run since Aug. 11. His previous NL homer was for Atlanta against the Marlins on April 13, 2007. Castros single tied the score in the third. Cincinnati starter Tony Cingrani gave up three runs and six hits in four innings. "Im just a little fatigued," said Cingrani, whose velocity noticeably dropped in his last inning. "I was labouring. I dont know what it is about the first inning. Ive just got to pitch." Cingrani denied that he was having back problems, which forced him to spend time on the disabled list last season. "My back is fine," he said. "Ill make some minor adjustments and see how it goes." Manager Bryan Price believes his left-hander is simply in a slump. "Cingrani wasnt real sharp," he said. "His velocity started to back down that last inning. I didnt think we should send him back out there and expect different results. Other than his first starts against St. Louis, hes been finding his way. We just want to make sure hes strong. He hasnt been sharp lately." Brandon Phillips had an RBI single in the fifth, his eighth hit in his last 46 at bats (.174). NOTES: Reds manager Bryan Price confirmed that LHP Aroldis Chapman will start and pitch one inning for Class A Dayton on Thursday in the first game of his minor league injury rehabilitation assignment. Price expects Chapman to make four appearances over seven to 10 days in the minors. Chapman had a plate inserted above his left eye to heal fractures from a line drive on March 19. ... The Cubs are scheduled to open a five-game homestand on Friday against St. Louis. The Reds are scheduled to open a four-game home series Thursday against Milwaukee, the team with the big leagues best record. Darren Sproles Jersey . Mario Balotellis 54th-minute penalty secured a 2-1 win for Italy over the Czech Republic to seal first place in Group B, while Robin van Persies second-half double in a 2-0 win at Andorra guaranteed the Dutch top spot in Group D. Vinny Curry Eagles Jersey . Today, Craig looks at some trends that emerged from the quarterfinals. HBI 1. What went wrong for USA? In the wake of another failure to reach the semifinals - the fourth time in seven years for the U.NEW YORK -- Free agent Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has arrived in the United States to meet with major league teams. Big league clubs have until 5 p.m. on Jan. 24 to sign the star 25-year-old right-hander. Tanaka was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year for the Japan Series champion Rakuten Golden Eagles, who made him available under the new postingg system. Marcus Smith Eagles Jersey. He is being represented by agent Casey Close and plans to have a physical in the U.S. that can be reviewed by major league teams. Under the new posting system, the fee payable to the Japanese club is capped at $20 million and the player can negotiate with all big league teams willing to pay the posting amount. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

Harrison, NJ (SportsNetwork. Orlando Scandrick Jersey .com) - Bradley Wright-Phillips bagged a hat trick on Saturday as the New York Red Bulls rolled to a 4-1 victory over Seattle Sounders FC at Red Bull Arena. Wright-Phillips opened the scoring after just 30 seconds, converted a penalty kick in the 54th minute and finished the treble with a spectacular individual effort. Tim Cahill added a fourth goal for New York, which jumped to 41 points on the season. Coming off their fourth U.S. Open Cup title win in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Seattle rested many regulars, but collected a goal from Clint Dempsey, who came on as a substitute. The result matters little to Seattle however, as the club has already clinched a playoff berth. Wright-Phillips opened the scoring after he jumped on a rebound from a blocked shot off the foot of Ambrose Oyongo and fired it home. Wright-Phillips netted his second goal nine minutes into the second half after Lloyd Sam used his speed to beat Seattle defender Dylan Remick to the end line before being dragged down in the area, resulting in a penalty kick. Wright-Phillips fired it past Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei with ease to give his side the 2-0 lead. Just two minutes later it was 3-0 for New York when Wright-Phillips got on the end of a fantastic through ball from Roy Miller and deposited it past Frei to complete his third treble of the season. Dempsey pulled one back for Seattle in the 62nd minute, but Cahill answered with a fourth tally three minutes later to wrap up the points for the home side in emphatic fashion. Demarcus Lawrence Jersey . He was 71. The Indians say Hegan had his family by his side when he died Wednesday morning in Hilton Head, S.C. No other details were provided by the team. Tony Romo Jersey .com) - Speed skating has belonged to the Netherlands at the Sochi Olympics and that did not change on Tuesday.TORONTO -- Toronto FC manager Ryan Nelsen fears Brazilian midfielder Jackson could face a ban for an off-the-ball incident on the weekend. "Theyre looking into it and well probably hear pretty soon," Nelsen said Tuesday, referencing the MLS. "I would say, as a guess, he probably might get a suspension." Jackson was yellow-carded in the 50th minute for an apparent elbow as players jostled in the buildup to a free kick in Saturdays 1-0 win over D.C. United. Nelsen said D.C. United midfielder Davy Arnaud was goading Jackson. "He shouldnt have retaliated but I can understand it," he said of the Brazilian. But Nelsen says he isnt about to shackle Jackson. "He just wants to win, the guy. Thats all he wants to do is he wants to win. Hell learn through experience, maybe theres better ways to do it. "But Id rather have guys who are wanting to win than little sheep out there. I understand weve got to tell him theres certain rules and regulations weve got to adhere to. "But theres a fire in Jackson that I really like and appreciate and he brings a lot of energy to this club." Toroonto travels to Utah this weekend to play Real Salt Lake. Brice Butler Cowboys Jersey. And Nelsen was quick to point to Real Salt Lake forwards Alvaro Saborios weekend foul on A.J. DeLaGarza of the Los Angeles Galaxy. Saborio got a yellow card for the late challenge, with Galaxy players suggesting it should have been red. With Real Salt Lake already suffering a glut of injuries at forward, Nelsen did some campaigning Tuesday to reduce the RSL strike force by one more. "That could have broken his leg," Nelsen said of the Saborio challenge. "So if Jackson gets suspended, then youd like to hope that a guy whos nearly broken a guys leg is probably going to get suspended as well. "But I dont know, you never know. I dont make those rules." Jackson himself said he did not think a suspension is warranted, calling the incident "something that happened in the moment." NOTES: Midfielder Jeremy Hall and striker Jordan Hamilton were both back in training Monday after recovering from injury ... Nelsen says signing Canadian international winger Issey Morgan Nakajima-Farran is just a matter of time Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

JUPITER, Fla. Otis Sistrunk Jersey . -- After spending years trying to find a quality shortstop, the St. Louis Cardinals now appear to have an excess. The Cardinals introduced their newest acquisition, Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz, on Monday. Within the organization, some have compared him to a young Derek Jeter. "He walks like him you can see some of that there," St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said. Diaz liked to heard that. "He thinks Derek Jeter is definitely the model ballplayer that everyone should look up to, that he looked up to in the opportunities that he had in Cuba to watch baseball games," said translator Moise Rodriguez, a team employee. "Hes a world-renowned baseball player that comes across as somebody thats a leader and somebody that everybody should try to be like." The Cardinals signed Diaz to a four-year deal over the weekend only months after signing current shortstop Jhonny Peralta, a two-time All-Star, to a free agent contract of the same length. Having Peralta will allow the Cardinals to take their time with the 23-year-old Diaz, who will begin this season in the minor leagues and likely be given a chance to learn multiple infield positions. "We plan on being patient with him," Mozeliak said. "He hasnt played baseball in, really, over a year and a half competitively. Its not something where were looking to have him put his fingerprints on the major league team tomorrow. We can give him time to develop and let him, from a talent standpoint, take his time to get back to where he was." Diaz defected from Cuba to Mexico in 2012. The Cardinals scouted Diaz in Mexico and worked him out earlier this spring at the Roger Dean Stadium complex. "I thought he did a lot of things well," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny, who attended the Jupiter workout. "You are just looking at tools at that point. You can see that hes had some repetitions out there. He knows what hes doing. Swinging the bat, the ball jumped off. Just a guy that you could tell hes been around the game a while." Diaz hit .315 with 12 home runs in 270 at-bats during the 2011-12 season in Cuba. Mozeliak expects Diaz to continue to hit for average with gap power as a major leaguer. "Were very confident that he can be an offensive middle infielder, specifically a shortstop," Mozeliak said. Diaz went through practice with his new team before Mondays game against Detroit, but it will be some time before he appears in a major league spring training exhibition. Later this week, he will return to Mexico to finalize his work visa. Until that issue is cleared, Diaz can work out with the big league club but can only play in games on the back fields. "Its always been his dream to try and compete at the highest level in the world," Rodriguez said. "Obviously this represents that. Yeah, there are some challenges and difficulties. But for him, being able to come here and try to compete with the best in the world in the industry is something that hes always looked forward to doing." Bo Jackson Jersey . Beginning this season, teams will be permitted to challenge an on-field call once during each half of the game, for a maximum total of two challenges. John Matuszak Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (5) – He had good saves on Giroux, Akeson, and Hartnell tonight.The New England Patriots have a history of falsifying injury reports. This according to former linebacker Brandon Spikes and cornerback Aqib Talib. In an interview with WGR Buffalo, Spikes, recently signed by the Bills, alleges that he was placed on injured reserve last season and didnt know why. "I heard they put me on IR and stuff like that," Spikes said. "That was just a false report. Thats just how things go there. Almost like what happened with Talib and his hip." After signing with the Denver Broncos, Talib claimed that he never had any sort of hip injury as was reported multiple times by the team last season. "The Patriots have their way of reporting stuff, but I havent had a hip problem since Tampa," Talib saiid last week. Neiko Thorpe Jersey. "The injury I had was actually a quad injury. It was reported as a hip injury, but thats how they do things." When Spikes ended the season last year on IR, the Patriots stated that it was a mutual decision between the player and the team, but Spikess agent denies this was the case. "The teams decision to place Brandon on injured reserve was not a mutual decision, nor need it be," said Gary Uberstine in a statement. "Brandon had every intention to keep playing throughout the playoffs, despite the pain he was experiencing throughout the season." The NFL expects teams to report their injuries accurately. It is unknown as of yet whether or not the league intends to investigate these allegations. 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MANCHESTER, England - Boasting the Premier Leagues most dangerous attacking units, Manchester City and Liverpool should provide a glut of goals when the title challengers play during Thursdays packed Boxing Day program. C.J. Mosley Jersey . Liverpool is at the top at Christmas for the first time since 2008 after scoring 42 goals. Only Manchester City has been more lethal in front of goal, with the team — a point behind Liverpool and Arsenal in third — scoring 51 goals in 17 games. With Europes leading leagues on their winter breaks, every Premier League team is in action on Boxing Day. Here are five things to know about Thursdays games: ___ TITLE FACEOFF The short trip to Manchester will be a test of the depth of Liverpools resources — as well as its title credentials — with only 17 players fit to travel across the northwest. "Our squad is very thin at the moment," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. "None of the guys who have been out have returned and there is still the timeline which was set for them." Among the casualties are captain Steven Gerrard, defender Jose Enrique and striker Daniel Sturridge. Crucially, though, striker Luis Suarez is fit and in form, scoring 10 times in four straight victories. "We will need to keep him quiet," City midfielder James Milner said. "But Liverpool are a top side having a good season and its not just about stopping him, because they have plenty of other players who can do damage as well." ___ BLUES BOUNCE BACK Chelsea was 11 points behind the leaders at this time last season under Rafa Benitez, but is now within two points of Liverpool going into Thursdays match against Swansea. "We dont go to Christmas as leaders, but we go with evolution because last season the championship was already lost by this point," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "Now, we are there ... we are completely alive." Chelsea and Arsenal drew 0-0 on Monday to leave the Gunners two points ahead in second. Arsenal has another derby on Thursday against West Ham. ___ MERRY MARTINEZ With only one loss in 17 league matches, Roberto Martinez has spent his first season at Everton trying to downplay expectations. The Merseyside club is only out of the top four due to Chelseas superior goal difference. "I feel we havent reached our full potential and that excites me," Martinez said ahead of Thursdays match against last-place Sunderland. Last year it was Martinez in charge of a struggling team, with Wigan going on to be relegated before he was handed the Everton job. A draw against Sunderland would put Everton on 37 points, surpassing Martinezs total haul of 36 points with Wigan last season. As for the man Martinez replaced? David Moyes and Manchester United travel to Hull in eighth place, six points behind Everton. ___ JOB HUNTING West Bromwich Albion travels to Tottenham still searching for a manager almost two weeks after firing Steve Clarke. Tottenham only dismissed its manager, Andre Villas-Boas, last week, but has already replaced him. Tim Sherwood was surprisingly entrusted with his first managerial job. "Were two sides who are a probably little bit unsettled at the moment," West Brom interim manager Keith Downing said. But Sherwood isnt exactly inheriting a Tottenham team in crisis, despite the club feeling the need to fire Villas-Boas last week. While in temporary charge on Sunday, Sherwood oversaw a 3-2 victory at Southampton that put Tottenham within four points of fourth-place Chelsea. While the 44-year-old Sherwoods appointment was a surprise, given his lack of managerial experience, he does know Tottenham, having been part of the coaching setup since 2008. "Ive known it from the grass roots right up to the first team, worked at every level of the football club and played here, so I know it better than most," Sherwood said. ___ CARDIFF STAND-OFF Malky Mackay remains in charge at Cardiff for Thursdays game against Southampton. Mackay was asked to quit by owner Vincent Tan — and looked set to be fired — before being handed a reprieve on Sunday. But with Mackays fractured relationship with Tan yet to be healed, chairman Mehmet Dalman concedes the south Wales club might still have to act swiftly to bring in a new manager to restore stability. Daryl Smith Ravens Jersey . -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are gathering information on an incident in which receiver Mike Williams allegedly was stabbed in the leg by his brother. Eugene Monroe Jersey . -- Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera has a broken bone below his right eye after being struck by a bad-hop grounder, sidelining the star slugger for at least a week with opening day on deck.ST. LOUIS -- Backup goalie Petr Mrazek kept the injury-riddled St. Louis Blues down heading into the playoffs with his second career shutout in a 3-0 victory for the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. The Blues had been in contention for the No. 1 overall seed but lost their last six and missed a chance at taking the Central Division with Colorado clinching on a tiebreaker before playing at Anaheim Sunday night. Minus three of their top five scorers, their top faceoff man and two top defencemen, they were shut out for the second straight game and third time during the slump. Justin Abdelkader scored twice, Riley Sheahan added a goal and Pavel Datsyuk had two assists for the Red Wings, who are locked into the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and will play Boston. The Blues set a franchise record with 52 wins but are the third seed in the Western Conference entering a first-round series against the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks. Theyre scuffling to say the least with the franchises longest losing streak since a seven-game skid from Dec. 26, 2009 to Jan. 7, 2010, and theyve mustered five goals the last six games. The Red Wings, who rested Jimmy Howard, Daniel Alfredsson and Johan&nbbsp;Franzen, were 3-1 against Boston.Morgan Cox Jersey. . The Blues were 3-2 against Chicago. Mrazek is 2-4 this season and has three career victories, one of them in his NHL debut in St. Louis on Feb. 7, 2013. He bested the Blues Ryan Miller, who has lost his last five decisions. T.J. Oshie (head), David Backes (foot) and Alex Pietrangelo (undisclosed) led a long list of scratches for the Blues. Oshie has 60 points, Backes 57 and Pietrangelo 51. The Red Wings were outshot 7-4 in the first period, but took the lead on Abdelkaders deflection at 13:30. Near the midpoint of the period, an apparent goal by Tomas Tatar was waved off by a goaltender interference on Joakim Andersson, who slashed Millers stick seconds earlier. Sheahan scored for the third straight game on the counter-attack with his ninth overall making it 2-0 at 16:19 of the second and Abdelkader made it 3-0 with another deflection in the third. Notes: Blues D Jay Bouwmeester played in his 717th consecutive game -- the longest streak in major pro sports -- and was the only St. Louis player to dress every game. ... Miller is 2-9-2 against Detroit. ... The Red Wings are preparing for their 23rd consecutive playoff appearance. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

TSNs Marc Crawford was named head coach of Canadas National Mens Team for the 2011 Spengler Cup on Thursday with Doug Shedden and Trent Yawney serving as assistant coaches. Damarious Randall Packers Jersey . The tournament runs Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland. Crawford has been behind the Team Canada bench on two previous occasions, serving as head coach at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games and as an assistant at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He has spent parts of 15 seasons as an NHL head coach with Quebec, Colorado, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Dallas, compiling a 549-421-100-77 record, becoming one of just 15 coaches in NHL history to win 500 games. Crawford won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 1996 and received the Jack Adams Award as the NHLs top coach with the Avalanche in 1994-95. He was also named AHL coach of the year with the St. Johns Maple Leafs in 1992-93. Crawford played parts of six NHL seasons with Vancouver from 1981-87, recording 50 points in 176 games. Shedden will make his third appearance as an assistant coach at the Spengler Cup with Canada, having served in the same role at the 2009 and 2010 tournaments. He also coached Finland to a bronze medal at the 2008 IIHF World Championship in Halifax, N.S. Shedden is currently the head coach of EV Zug in the Swiss A League. He has NHL playing experience, totaling 325 points over 416 games with Pittsburgh, Detroit and Toronto from 1981-91, and has previously coached in the Finnish Elite League, AHL, CHL, UHL and ECHL. Yawney returns to the Team Canada bench for the first time since leading Canadas National Mens Under-18 Team to a fourth-place finish at the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. He was also an assistant coach with Canada at the 2006 IIHF World Championship. Yawney spent parts of two seasons as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, and was head coach of the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals from 2000-05. He spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks from 2008-11 and currently serves as a scout for the Anaheim Ducks. As a player, Yawney played 208 international games for Canada, including the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, 1991 and 1992 IIHF World Championships and three seasons (1985-88) with Canadas National Mens Team, recording 68 points. He spent 12 seasons in the NHL, finishing with 129 points in 593 games with Chicago, Calgary and St. Louis. "The coaches we have named today have experience at all levels, from the NHL to the Spengler Cup and Olympics," said Brad Pascall, vice-president of hockey operations/national teams for Hockey Canada. "We are confident they have what it takes to bring the Spengler Cup back to Canada." Canadas team will be made up mostly of Canadians playing professional hockey in Europe and could also include American Hockey League players on loan from NHL teams. The roster will be announced in mid-December. Canada will play in the Cattini Group with HC Vitkovice Steel (CZE) and host HC Davos (SUI). Dinamo Riga (LAT), EHC Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams (GER) and Kloten Flyers (SUI) will play in the Torriani Group. Josh Sitton Jersey . He was 75. The Spanish football federation announced the death early Saturday, saying Aragones died at a Madrid hospital. He had been battling leukemia. Federation president Angel Maria Villar said Aragones would be remembered as "very special" -- both for his contributions to Spanish football and as a person. Green Bay Packers Store . On Jan. 30 Bryan Colangelo acquired Rudy Gay in a three-team trade, jettisoning Ed Davis and the expiring contract of starting point guard Jose Calderon. Since then, Torontos most consistent area of weakness has been moving the ball.It was the one question being asked over and over at Whitecaps training this past week. A question that was repeatedly posed last season, and the season before that and in the 2011 campaign before that. "Why do the Whitecaps struggle so badly on the road?" Ive asked many players and team officials and fellow pundits that same question over the last three years, yet no one can really give a definitive answer. Searing heat, humidity and altitude are often mentioned. Youd think crossing time zones would be really hard on players, except that the Whitecaps managed three wins and a draw from five eastern trips last year alone. Theyve actually exhibited more road futility in the West. Playing surfaces can be unique in makeup and dimension but not drastic. Penalty areas are the same size, as are the goals, and yet the visiting team always seems to start the game with a statistical disadvantage. Some Las Vegas oddsmakers give MLS home teams a half goal advantage which represents a 10% edge, higher than any other Major North American Sport. Coach Carl Robinson pointed out this week that teams who are great at home, usually get into tthe playoffs. Clay Matthews Jersey. But teams that collect points away are usually comfortably in the playoffs by the time autumn rolls around. Nigel Reo Coker suggested that team spirit and camaraderie are the keys to success no matter where you play, and that this 2014 squad is capable of replicating its thrilling 4-1 win over New York away from BC Place. Whitecaps supporters, who are showing up to more and more away games, just want a team that looks and plays similarly no matter the venue; something Martin Rennie couldnt come to grips with over his 2 seasons. No venue has been a bigger obstacle for the Whitecaps than the one they visit on Sunday, when they play Chivas USA; co-tenants of the Stub Hub Centre with the LA Galaxy. In nine contests there, the Whitecaps have but one win, and two draws. Theyve scored just five times in Carson, while allowing 15 goals. With four games in SoCal this season (representing 11.7% of their entire schedule) taking more of those available 12 points might help reverse a trend that has seen the club win just seven out of 52 games away from Vancouver. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Nam Nguyen of Canada struck gold in mens singles at the ISU world junior figure championships. Nate Sudfeld Redskins Jersey . The 15-year-old from Toronto landed two triple Axels to score 144.19 points for his clean long program -- a seasons best by almost eight points. "That was the best free skate I have ever had," Nguyen said. "It was the first time Ive ever done two triple Axels in one program and I hope to continue to do that." Nguyen led after the short program, and then skating to Bachs "Air on a G String" and Fantasia and Fugue" in the free program, Nguyen produced a triple Axel-double toe, then his second triple Axel, before reeling off six more triple jumps. "I took it as a new day. I didnt really think about what had happened in (Thursdays short program). I just told myself to take one element at a time," Nguyen said. "Just before I went into my starting position I told myself just to have fun. This was my third junior worlds so I really didnt have anything to lose. I enjoyed it very much." The Canadian scored 217.06 points overall. Russias Adian Pitkeev surged from seventh after the short program to claim the silver with 212.51 points. American Nathan Chen rose from sixth after the short to capture the bronze (212.03). Nguyen is coached by Canadas two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, who also works with Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan. "This was a good event with good skating, and Nam really skated for it to win this championship," Orser said. Nguyen wont get much of a breather after his gold-medal performance as hes a member of Canadas squad for the world senior championships that begin March 24 in Tokyo. "I have to get back to training on Tuesday and I leave for worlds on Saturday, so I just have to enjoy the moment as much as possible now and when I get back I focus only on the senior world championships," Nguyen said. When Nguyen was assigned to the senior world team, Orser cautioned his young skater "not to get ahead of himself." "I said we have to get through junior worlds and do a great job there, and then we would shift gears after that for worlds. He was really able to do that and I was proud of him for that," Orser said. "He is really on such a great emotional high to carry him through, so he is just going to ride this wave. He has had a really busy season with 12 or 13 competitions, and he has just gotten better and better at each one." Canadas three-time defending world champion Patrick Chan, who won silver at the Olympics last month, wont compete at the world championships. Kendall Fuller Redskins Jersey . For the second game in a row, the Athletics won despite squandering a 4-0 lead. They also overcame a blown save by Sean Doolittle, whose streak of 26 2-3 innings ended when Miami scored the tying run in the ninth. Derek Carrier Jersey . David Ortiz and Mike Napoli homered, John Lackey threw six sharp innings and Boston ruined the Baltimore debut of Ubaldo Jimenez with a 6-2 victory Wednesday night.TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The defences lived up to the billing in the latest Game of the Century. Neither No. 1 LSU nor No. 2 Alabama could reach the end zone Saturday night, not even with extra time. The Tigers arent complaining. They now have the inside track to the BCS title game. Drew Alleman kicked a 25-yard field goal in overtime to lead LSU to a 9-6 victory over Alabama, which missed four field goals and squandered another scoring chance by throwing a goal-line interception — simply too many mistakes to overcome in this fierce defensive struggle. "It didnt go by the script," LSU coach Les Miles said. "The key is to keep fighting, to find a way." Find a way, these Tigers did. With a lot of help from the Crimson Tide. "Its a difficult pill to swallow," said receiver Marquis Maze, who was hobbled by a leg injury and was at the centre of two key miscues in the fourth quarter. "If everybody executes in the red area, that wasnt even a close game. The defence played outstanding." Alabama missed four field goals, including Cade Fosters 52-yard attempt after the Tide got the ball first in the extra period. LSU appeared to win the game on Michael Fords run around left end after taking a pitch, but he stepped out of bounds at the 7. Two plays gained nothing, so LSU (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) sent on Alleman to attempt his third field goal of the game on third down. Alabama (8-1, 5-1) tried to freeze him by calling timeout, but he calmly knocked it through to set off a wild celebration by the visiting team. A small contingent in purple and gold chanted, "LSU! LSU! LSU!" The players ran to the far end of the field to celebrate with their band and the fans who made the trip from Louisiana. "Before I went to bed last night, I was preparing for it," Alleman said. "Its every kickers dream, and I got to live it." The crowd of more than 100,000 at Bryant-Denny Stadium — most of them dressed in crimson — sat in stunned silence as LSU celebrated its victory in only the 23rd regular-season matchup between the top two teams in The Associated Press rankings. LSU still must win its last three regular-season games — No. 8 Arkansas is the toughest test — and then would have to get through the SEC championship game. But the Tigers are the clear favourite after winning another huge game away from home, emerging with the victory in a matchup between the two teams generally considered the best in the land. And what if the BCS formula pits LSU against Alabama again in the national championship game? "Id be honoured to face that team again," Miles said. The Crimson Tide isnt giving up. "They only beat us by three," Maze said. "I hope we get that chance." If a rematch doesnt work out, Alabama will long be moaning about how this one got away. Foster missed two first-quarter field goals, and Jeremy Shelley had one blocked before Shelley finally made one from 34 yards. Alleman kicked a 19-yarder on the final play of the first half, leaving the teams tied at 3 even though the Crimson Tide clearly had the upper hand. Interceptions set up both field goals in the second half. Foster made one from 46 yards after Jarrett Lee threw his second pick of the game, then Alleman connected from 30 yards after AJ McCarrons ill-timed throw was picked off by Morris Claiborne. "Defence wins ball games," Claiborne said. "Thats all Ive got to say about that. You come out and you prepare hard and play like we did tonight, and you come out on top." Outside of the kicking woes, Maze was at the centre of two decisive plays in the fourth quarter that helped finish off the Crimson Tide. First, with Alabama threatening at the LSU 28, he took a snap in the wildcat formation and tried to surprise LSU with a pass. Tight end Michael Williams broke into the clear near the goal line, but Eric Reid hustled back to snatch it away as both players tumbled to the ground at the 1. Reid wound up with the ball, the officials ruled it an interception and a replay upheld the call. LSU failed to pick up a first down, and it looked as though Alabama would get it back in good field position to take another crack at the LSU end zone. But Maze, favouring his leg, couldnt catch the long line-drive punt. He turned away from it around his own 40 and the ball rolled all the way to the Alabama 19. Afterward, he said his injury had nothing to do with it — the ball struck a wire that allows a television camera to hover above the field. The Tiger got it out to around mmidfield on their final possession of regulation, then had to punt it away. Kory Lichtensteiger Jersey. Alabama took over with only 52 seconds left and settled for overtime. "Our season was at stake," Claiborne said. "We knew where we want to be at the end of the season." Unlike Notre Dames infamous 10-10 tie with Michigan State in another 1-2 matchup in 1966, when the Irish ran out the clock at the end of the fourth quarter, this one could not end that way. Though even with extra time it will go down as the second-lowest scoring No. 1 vs. No. 2 game in the 75-year history of the AP poll. The fewest points in a 1-2 game is zero, the famous Army-Notre Dame scoreless tie in 1946. "When you get blown out, youve got lots of issues and problems," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "I dont think anybody could watch that game and say Alabama doesnt have a really good team and didnt play a really good game. We just didnt win." The buildup to the game resembled a Super Bowl, especially with both teams getting a couple of weeks to prepare. More than 100,000 fans squeezed into Bryant-Denny Stadium. Tens of thousands more converged on Tuscaloosa without tickets, content to just tailgate, soak up the atmosphere and watch the game on televisions outside the stadium. Two ferocious defences lived up to their billing. Alabama came in allowing just 6.9 points and 44.9 yards rushing per game, leading the nation in both categories, and the second-fewest passing yards. LSU wasnt far behind in any of those categories. The Crimson Tide finished with 295 yards, while the Tigers won with just 239. The Game of the Century it wasnt, at least in the first half. Alabama missed three field goals. LSU was called for a pair of facemask penalties and Lee threw the first of his two interceptions. Both teams were flagged for silly penalties, such as substitution infractions and an offsides on Alabama that extended LSUs only decent drive of the first two quarters. With the defences dominating, it became clear the game would come down to which team could take advantage of its rare opportunities. Advantage, LSU. For all of Alabamas heralded recruiting classes under Saban, it was clear the Crimson Tide didnt devote a lot of time to finding a kicker. Foster was wide right from 44 and 50 yards before Saban switched up. The coach sent in Shelley, his short kicking specialist, for a 49-yard try, but that didnt work out so well, either. He drove it low — right into the outstretched hands of the LSU defender Bennie Logan. Finally, the Tide drove it close enough to actually make one. Trent Richardson slipped out of the background to haul in his second long pass completion of the first half, a 39-yarder down to the LSU 19. The next three plays produced only 2 yards, so Shelley trotted out again to a few nervous groans from the crowd. Those turned to cheers of relief when he knocked it through, giving Alabama the lead with just under 4 minutes left in the half. It didnt hold up. Jordan Jefferson, who wound up taking most of the snap instead of Lee, guided the Tigers down the field, most notably on a 34-yard completion to Russell Shepard when Alabama botched its deep coverage and left only one guy to cover two receivers. That gave LSU first-and-goal at the Alabama 8, its first serious scoring chance of the game. The Tides defence stiffened, even after being called for holding, and LSU came uncomfortably close to running off too much time. With 8 seconds left and one timeout remaining, the Tigers handed off to Spencer Ware from the 2. He powered into the middle of the line, tried to keep his legs going but was eventually whistled down while LSU frantically signalled for a timeout. The clock stopped with 1 second left, though the officials put an extra tick back on. Alleman knocked through the chip shot to send the teams to the locker room tied at 3. Richardson, a Heisman Trophy candidate, had a solid game with 23 carries for 89 yards and five catches for 80 yards. It wasnt enough. Jefferson did just enough, completing 6 of 10 passes for 67 yards and running 11 times for 43 yards. Alabama no longer controls its own fate in the race to get to the title game. LSU took care of that. "Whoever the folks are who make those decisions will make those decisions based on the full body of work of every team in the country and choose which teams are the best," Saban said. "I really cant speculate on a hypothetical situation and its really not our focus right now, anyway." ___ Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Nam Nguyen of Canada struck gold in mens singles at the ISU world junior figure championships. Nate Sudfeld Redskins Jersey . The 15-year-old from Toronto landed two triple Axels to score 144.19 points for his clean long program -- a seasons best by almost eight points. "That was the best free skate I have ever had," Nguyen said. "It was the first time Ive ever done two triple Axels in one program and I hope to continue to do that." Nguyen led after the short program, and then skating to Bachs "Air on a G String" and Fantasia and Fugue" in the free program, Nguyen produced a triple Axel-double toe, then his second triple Axel, before reeling off six more triple jumps. "I took it as a new day. I didnt really think about what had happened in (Thursdays short program). I just told myself to take one element at a time," Nguyen said. "Just before I went into my starting position I told myself just to have fun. This was my third junior worlds so I really didnt have anything to lose. I enjoyed it very much." The Canadian scored 217.06 points overall. Russias Adian Pitkeev surged from seventh after the short program to claim the silver with 212.51 points. American Nathan Chen rose from sixth after the short to capture the bronze (212.03). Nguyen is coached by Canadas two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, who also works with Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan. "This was a good event with good skating, and Nam really skated for it to win this championship," Orser said. Nguyen wont get much of a breather after his gold-medal performance as hes a member of Canadas squad for the world senior championships that begin March 24 in Tokyo. "I have to get back to training on Tuesday and I leave for worlds on Saturday, so I just have to enjoy the moment as much as possible now and when I get back I focus only on the senior world championships," Nguyen said. When Nguyen was assigned to the senior world team, Orser cautioned his young skater "not to get ahead of himself." "I said we have to get through junior worlds and do a great job there, and then we would shift gears after that for worlds. He was really able to do that and I was proud of him for that," Orser said. "He is really on such a great emotional high to carry him through, so he is just going to ride this wave. He has had a really busy season with 12 or 13 competitions, and he has just gotten better and better at each one." Canadas three-time defending world champion Patrick Chan, who won silver at the Olympics last month, wont compete at the world championships. Kendall Fuller Redskins Jersey . For the second game in a row, the Athletics won despite squandering a 4-0 lead. They also overcame a blown save by Sean Doolittle, whose streak of 26 2-3 innings ended when Miami scored the tying run in the ninth. Derek Carrier Jersey . David Ortiz and Mike Napoli homered, John Lackey threw six sharp innings and Boston ruined the Baltimore debut of Ubaldo Jimenez with a 6-2 victory Wednesday night.TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The defences lived up to the billing in the latest Game of the Century. Neither No. 1 LSU nor No. 2 Alabama could reach the end zone Saturday night, not even with extra time. The Tigers arent complaining. They now have the inside track to the BCS title game. Drew Alleman kicked a 25-yard field goal in overtime to lead LSU to a 9-6 victory over Alabama, which missed four field goals and squandered another scoring chance by throwing a goal-line interception — simply too many mistakes to overcome in this fierce defensive struggle. "It didnt go by the script," LSU coach Les Miles said. "The key is to keep fighting, to find a way." Find a way, these Tigers did. With a lot of help from the Crimson Tide. "Its a difficult pill to swallow," said receiver Marquis Maze, who was hobbled by a leg injury and was at the centre of two key miscues in the fourth quarter. "If everybody executes in the red area, that wasnt even a close game. The defence played outstanding." Alabama missed four field goals, including Cade Fosters 52-yard attempt after the Tide got the ball first in the extra period. LSU appeared to win the game on Michael Fords run around left end after taking a pitch, but he stepped out of bounds at the 7. Two plays gained nothing, so LSU (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) sent on Alleman to attempt his third field goal of the game on third down. Alabama (8-1, 5-1) tried to freeze him by calling timeout, but he calmly knocked it through to set off a wild celebration by the visiting team. A small contingent in purple and gold chanted, "LSU! LSU! LSU!" The players ran to the far end of the field to celebrate with their band and the fans who made the trip from Louisiana. "Before I went to bed last night, I was preparing for it," Alleman said. "Its every kickers dream, and I got to live it." The crowd of more than 100,000 at Bryant-Denny Stadium — most of them dressed in crimson — sat in stunned silence as LSU celebrated its victory in only the 23rd regular-season matchup between the top two teams in The Associated Press rankings. LSU still must win its last three regular-season games — No. 8 Arkansas is the toughest test — and then would have to get through the SEC championship game. But the Tigers are the clear favourite after winning another huge game away from home, emerging with the victory in a matchup between the two teams generally considered the best in the land. And what if the BCS formula pits LSU against Alabama again in the national championship game? "Id be honoured to face that team again," Miles said. The Crimson Tide isnt giving up. "They only beat us by three," Maze said. "I hope we get that chance." If a rematch doesnt work out, Alabama will long be moaning about how this one got away. Foster missed two first-quarter field goals, and Jeremy Shelley had one blocked before Shelley finally made one from 34 yards. Alleman kicked a 19-yarder on the final play of the first half, leaving the teams tied at 3 even though the Crimson Tide clearly had the upper hand. Interceptions set up both field goals in the second half. Foster made one from 46 yards after Jarrett Lee threw his second pick of the game, then Alleman connected from 30 yards after AJ McCarrons ill-timed throw was picked off by Morris Claiborne. "Defence wins ball games," Claiborne said. "Thats all Ive got to say about that. You come out and you prepare hard and play like we did tonight, and you come out on top." Outside of the kicking woes, Maze was at the centre of two decisive plays in the fourth quarter that helped finish off the Crimson Tide. First, with Alabama threatening at the LSU 28, he took a snap in the wildcat formation and tried to surprise LSU with a pass. Tight end Michael Williams broke into the clear near the goal line, but Eric Reid hustled back to snatch it away as both players tumbled to the ground at the 1. Reid wound up with the ball, the officials ruled it an interception and a replay upheld the call. LSU failed to pick up a first down, and it looked as though Alabama would get it back in good field position to take another crack at the LSU end zone. But Maze, favouring his leg, couldnt catch the long line-drive punt. He turned away from it around his own 40 and the ball rolled all the way to the Alabama 19. Afterward, he said his injury had nothing to do with it — the ball struck a wire that allows a television camera to hover above the field. The Tiger got it out to around mmidfield on their final possession of regulation, then had to punt it away. Kory Lichtensteiger Jersey. Alabama took over with only 52 seconds left and settled for overtime. "Our season was at stake," Claiborne said. "We knew where we want to be at the end of the season." Unlike Notre Dames infamous 10-10 tie with Michigan State in another 1-2 matchup in 1966, when the Irish ran out the clock at the end of the fourth quarter, this one could not end that way. Though even with extra time it will go down as the second-lowest scoring No. 1 vs. No. 2 game in the 75-year history of the AP poll. The fewest points in a 1-2 game is zero, the famous Army-Notre Dame scoreless tie in 1946. "When you get blown out, youve got lots of issues and problems," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "I dont think anybody could watch that game and say Alabama doesnt have a really good team and didnt play a really good game. We just didnt win." The buildup to the game resembled a Super Bowl, especially with both teams getting a couple of weeks to prepare. More than 100,000 fans squeezed into Bryant-Denny Stadium. Tens of thousands more converged on Tuscaloosa without tickets, content to just tailgate, soak up the atmosphere and watch the game on televisions outside the stadium. Two ferocious defences lived up to their billing. Alabama came in allowing just 6.9 points and 44.9 yards rushing per game, leading the nation in both categories, and the second-fewest passing yards. LSU wasnt far behind in any of those categories. The Crimson Tide finished with 295 yards, while the Tigers won with just 239. The Game of the Century it wasnt, at least in the first half. Alabama missed three field goals. LSU was called for a pair of facemask penalties and Lee threw the first of his two interceptions. Both teams were flagged for silly penalties, such as substitution infractions and an offsides on Alabama that extended LSUs only decent drive of the first two quarters. With the defences dominating, it became clear the game would come down to which team could take advantage of its rare opportunities. Advantage, LSU. For all of Alabamas heralded recruiting classes under Saban, it was clear the Crimson Tide didnt devote a lot of time to finding a kicker. Foster was wide right from 44 and 50 yards before Saban switched up. The coach sent in Shelley, his short kicking specialist, for a 49-yard try, but that didnt work out so well, either. He drove it low — right into the outstretched hands of the LSU defender Bennie Logan. Finally, the Tide drove it close enough to actually make one. Trent Richardson slipped out of the background to haul in his second long pass completion of the first half, a 39-yarder down to the LSU 19. The next three plays produced only 2 yards, so Shelley trotted out again to a few nervous groans from the crowd. Those turned to cheers of relief when he knocked it through, giving Alabama the lead with just under 4 minutes left in the half. It didnt hold up. Jordan Jefferson, who wound up taking most of the snap instead of Lee, guided the Tigers down the field, most notably on a 34-yard completion to Russell Shepard when Alabama botched its deep coverage and left only one guy to cover two receivers. That gave LSU first-and-goal at the Alabama 8, its first serious scoring chance of the game. The Tides defence stiffened, even after being called for holding, and LSU came uncomfortably close to running off too much time. With 8 seconds left and one timeout remaining, the Tigers handed off to Spencer Ware from the 2. He powered into the middle of the line, tried to keep his legs going but was eventually whistled down while LSU frantically signalled for a timeout. The clock stopped with 1 second left, though the officials put an extra tick back on. Alleman knocked through the chip shot to send the teams to the locker room tied at 3. Richardson, a Heisman Trophy candidate, had a solid game with 23 carries for 89 yards and five catches for 80 yards. It wasnt enough. Jefferson did just enough, completing 6 of 10 passes for 67 yards and running 11 times for 43 yards. Alabama no longer controls its own fate in the race to get to the title game. LSU took care of that. "Whoever the folks are who make those decisions will make those decisions based on the full body of work of every team in the country and choose which teams are the best," Saban said. "I really cant speculate on a hypothetical situation and its really not our focus right now, anyway." ___ Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

VIENNA - Czech players Radek Stepanek and Lukas Rosol earned straight-set wins in the opening round of the Erste Bank Open on Monday. Ryan Quigley Jersey . The fifth-seeded Stepanek beat Martin Fischer of Austria 7-5, 6-3, despite being broken three times in the opening set. He converted six of his own 13 break points in total. In the only other first-round match, eighth-seeded Rosol hit 13 aces on his way to a 6-3, 7-5 win over Jesse Huta Galung of the Netherlands. Also, the son of 1988 Olympic champion Miloslav Mecir came through three qualifying rounds to earn his first main draw entry. The 25-year-old Miloslav Mecir Jr. of Slovakia, who is ranked 240th, plays Pablo Andujar of Spain on Tuesday. David Harris Jets Jersey . - The Seattle Seahawks say their decision to limit ticket sales for the NFC championship game to certain states was due to concerns over ticket brokers. Zac Stacy Jersey . Now they know theyll have home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.MOSCOW -- Canadian ice dancer Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje qualified for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Japan with a second-place finish at the Rostelecom Cup on Saturday. Weaver and Poje, both from Waterloo, Ont., finished first in the ice dancing free skate with 101.64 points for a combined 163.14 points in the Russian event. The pair scored 61.50 points for their performance in the short program on Friday. Earlier, Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto took bronze in the pairs program to also qualify for the Japan final. Poje says he and Weaver used their disappointing short dance score as motivation heading into Saturdays event. "After not having the most positive score on the short dance we wanted to make sure we came back and showed that we have a strong free dance ... and I feel like we did that," he said. "We didnt achieve a seasons best score, but we achieved a season-best performance for us." Weaver and Poje missed out on qualifying for the ISU Grand Prix Final last year. Now that theyve secured their spot in this years event, Weaver says that means "everything." "Its the last time the judges are going to see us before the Olympics," she said. "We want to leave a lasting impression and show that we are every bit eligible for that Olympic podium. "The best teams in the world will be at that final and thats our shot to measure ourselves up against them and see where we stand two short months before the Games. It will give us a very good judgement as to what we need to work on and what has gotten better since the last time weve been up against these teams." Canadas Olympic gold medallists in ice dancing in 2010, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of London, Ont. Curtis Martin Jersey. ., have already qualified for the Grand Prix Final. Ekaterina Bobrova faltered during her free dance with Dmitri Soloviev, but the Russians held on for the ice dance gold with a total of 168.32 points. Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates took third place. Torontos Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier finished sixth with 133.66 points. In the pairs figure skating event, Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany won gold, followed by Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov of Russia and Moore-Towers and Moscovitch. Moore-Towers fell on her chest coming out of a lasso lift, which she casually characterized as one of "a couple of little weird things" in the routine. Despite the fall, the Canadians picked up 123.08 points, staying in third place overall with 188.73 points. They will join Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., who have already qualified for the final pairs program in Japan. "For the most part we were strong from the beginning to the end," Moore-Towers said. "Our skating skills are improving every time out. We are excited to have made the final where we will have better performances." Moscovitch said the pair came into the competition well prepared after some solid training since Skate Canada a month ago. "Well definitely be hungry at the Grand Prix Final," he said. "Its always special to make the final, especially in an Olympic year. Its an opportunity to be among the top-six in the world and competing there will set us up well for the second half of the season." Ottawas Patrick Chan will compete in the Grand Prix Final in the mens program. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

EAST RUTHERFORD, N. Antwon Blake Titans Jersey .J. - A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Monday night that New York Giants centre Chris Snee and punter Steve Weatherford restructured their contracts. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not formally announced the moves, said that centre David Baas also will be waived-injured on Tuesday, when teams can start signing free agents. The person did not have details Monday night of the deals for Snee and Weatherford. ESPN reported that Snee will cut his salary $7.2 million to $1.1 million. He also can earn $1 million in incentives. Snee missed most of last season after undergoing hip surgery. He will be entering his 11th season. Weatherford was to earn almost $2.2 million next season. Baas was signed as a free agent in 2011 and centred the line that helped Eli Manning and the Giants win their second Super Bowl in five seasons in 2012. The 32-year-old played three games last season because of knee and neck injuries. The Giants will save more than $1.75 million in salary cap space by cutting him. The move leaves the Giants without a centre since Kevin Boothe is a free agent and Jim Cordle is a restricted free agent who probably will not be tendered because of a knee injury. New York reportedly has interest in Saints centre Brian de la Puente and Packers centre Evan Dietrich-Smith. The moves leave the Giants roughly $24 million under the salary cap. Ben Jones Jersey . 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. Brice McCain Jersey . -- A smattering of boos cascaded down on the Green Bay Packers at the half, trailing by double digits on a bone-chilling afternoon at Lambeau Field.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Jordan Hill did it at both ends of the court Sunday night against the Orlando Magic, putting together his own personal highlight reel in a season during which there havent been many of those for himself or the Los Angeles Lakers. Hill had a career-high 28 points along with 13 rebounds in his first start in over nine weeks and the Lakers beat Orlando 103-94, sending the Magic to their ninth straight loss. "Youve got to be ready because you never know when your number will be called to step in there in the starting lineup," said Hill, who got the news that he would start from coach Mike DAntoni at the morning shootaround. "Just went out there and played hard, playing aggressively and played my game. I felt like nobody could stop me. "My mindset out there was that nobody could keep me off the offensive boards and nobody could keep me from the rim." Nick Young scored 26 points off the bench, helping the Lakers end a four-game skid. Pau Gasol had six points in 18 minutes, and sat out the second half after feeling nauseous and dizzy. A Lakers spokesperson said after the game that Gasol would spend the night in a hospital for observation. Steve Nash, who had 11 assists in 19 minutes off the bench Friday night against Washington after missing the previous 15 games because of chronic nerve damage in his back, did not play. The 40-year-old two-time MVP has been limited to just 11 games all season because of his condition. Xavier Henry, who was back in the lineup for just nine games after missing 28 because of a bone bruise on his right knee, was sidelined again after tearing a ligament in his left wrist in the loss to the Wizards. He will be re-examined Monday. The Lakers (23-46) have to go no worse than 8-5 the rest of the way to avoid tying the 1974-75 squad for the worst record since the franchise relocated from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960-61. But eight games on their remaining schedule are against teams that currently are over .500. "Were playing for pride," Hill said. "I mean, were still the Lakers. Were definitely one of the top organizations in the league, if not the best. So we have to take a stand for ourselves. We cant quit and weve got to keep fighting." Orlando point guard Victor Oladipo, the second overall pick in the draft, had 21 points and 10 assists in his eighth career start while Jameer Nelson missed his third straight game with a sore left knee. Aaron Afflalo scored 18 points for the Magic, one night after they lost 89-88 at Utah on a 3-pointer by Trey Burke with 1. Jack Conklin Titans Jersey. 6 seconds remaining. "They had some bigs that were playing extremely aggressive at the rim," Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn said. "I think Hill had an impact on the game with his energy and effort. It was through dunks, offensive rebounds, rolling to the rim and putting the ball back in. He gave his team some edge tonight." The Magic have lost 23 of their last 24 road games — the only exception a 101-90 win against Philadelphia on Feb. 26. "Were not building for next year yet," Vaughn said. "Weve still got some games to go, but what I do see is our guys getting better." The Lakers led throughout the second half, but never led by double digits. Orlando got as close as 83-80 on a 15-footer by Afflalo, but the Lakers converted 13 of 14 free throws over the final 5:18 to put it away. Youngs 3-pointer was their only field goal during the final 8 minutes. Hill, making his first start since Jan. 17, paced Los Angeles to a 55-48 halftime lead with 14 points and six rebounds. The Lakers converted seven Orlando turnovers into nine points during the first 5:03 and took a 25-17 lead on a four-point play by Young, his franchise-record fifth of the season and eighth by the team — also a franchise best. "Rest definitely helped a lot," said Hill, who missed six games earlier this month because of a sore right knee. "I felt like I could jump over the gym, jump over anything. I just felt more mobile and was able to move quicker. I was definitely able to get up and get rebounds and move my feet on defence." NOTES: Orlando faced Los Angeles in the NBA finals just five years ago, losing in five games. But the Magic are 39-113 since the start of last season after firing Stan Van Gundy and trading three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard to the Lakers — and are one of only four teams that have a worse record than the Lakers this season. ... A loss Tuesday night at home against Portland would give Orlando two double-digit losing streaks in the same season for the third time in the franchises 25-year history. It also happened last season and in 2003-04. The Magic have seven of those streaks altogether. ... The Lakers failed to sell out for the sixth time. ... The Magic fell to 0-30 on the road when trailing after three quarters. ... This was the Magics final road game against Western Conference opponents. They were 0-15. ... The Magic, who came in 0-33 when they get outrebounded, won the battle of the boards 46-34. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '

Iceland overcame the second-half sending-off of Olafur Skulason to hold on for a 0-0 draw against Croatia in the first leg of their World Cup playoff on Friday, keeping the tiny Nordic nation in contention for a place at a first major tournament. Brandon Marshall Jersey . After a tight first half, the Croatians took command in Reykjavik after Skulason was dismissed for a professional foul in the 51st minute, but couldnt find a way past Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson and his packed defence. Eduardo had a weak shot cleared away from near the goalline after barely a minute for Croatia, whose substitute Ivica Olic forced a fine reaction save from Halldorsson in the 55th. The second leg is in Zagreb on Tuesday, with Iceland -- with a population of around 320,000 -- looking to become the least populous country to play at a World Cup. Paxton Lynch Jersey . -- Patrick Holland scored the shootout winner and Robert Mayer made 30 saves, as the Hamilton Bulldogs defeated the Lake Erie Monsters 3-2 in the American Hockey League on Friday. Vance Walker Jersey . - Jeff Maggert admitted his decisive putt on No.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca! Kerry, First off, I love the Q&As that you do (even though I often wasnt your biggest fan when I was watching games growing up... just kidding... kind of). In the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning game Saturday night, I saw the official, referee Gord Dwyer, help Steven Stamkos to the bench after his skate blade broke. I have never seen this before in the NHL. Shortly after, Alex Killorn, the player who came on for Stamkos, scored the game-tying goal.  I can understand picking up a loose stick on the ice, but helping a player to the bench during play seems unfair and I have never seen another official do that. Is this commonplace and I just dont see it more often, or was an unfair advantage given to Stamkos and the Lightning in this situation? Best, Brock R.Cedar Falls, Iowa --- Hi Kerry,I am sure you have had numerous emails about this incident but go on and choose mine for the column and show the worldwide profile NHL l now enjoys, even in Ireland. I was watching the Penguins and Lightning game Saturday and was more than perplexed by an incident that occured late in the third period.  The incident resulted in a goal for the Lightning as a result of referee, Gord Dwyer, helping Steven Stamkos off the ice when he had an issue with his skate.  Indeed one could argue Stamkos interfered, albeit minimally, with Paul Martin as he left the ice.  My understanding was either Stamkos could make his own way off the ice, be assisted by line mates or failing that the referee would blow the play dead as he would for an injury and the resulting faceoff would take place outside the Pittsburgh defensive zone?  What is your view on this? Darragh McMahon, Ireland. --- Kerry, Im sure you got more than one email on this, but its a bizarre play.  How is the ref allowed to help a player (Stamkos) off the ice instead of blowing the play dead, and have that player bump into a player (Paul Martin) on the opposing team who is in the middle of the play?  People want to say the NHL doesnt give stars preferential treatment, but all you have to do is play that clip. Thanks for reading and keep up the great column. Nick --- Hi Kerry What is your opinion on an official pushing Stamkos over to the bench after one of his skates broke? Thanks for your input. John Dickie --- The other night Im watching Penguins/Lightning and Stamkos loses his skate blade and the referee gives him a push halfway across the ice...what do you think about this and do you think its okay? Thanks, Dylan Rogers --- Dear Fans (With special welcome to Darragh McMahon all the way from Ireland): This certainly is an unusual situation (check out the viz) and magnified by the fact that Tyler Johnson (Steven Stamkos replacement) set up the Lightning power play goal scored by Alex Killorn which tied the game with 3:10 remaining in regulation. Gord Dwyer is a good and conscientious Referee. Gord is also a really good person. The Refs humman instinct here was to assist a player that was placed in harms way once he witnessed Steven Stamkos slip, slide and stumble toward a potential groin injury (or worse) some 100 feet from his bench. Ty Sambrailo Jersey. This wasnt Star treatment that was being extended by Dwyer, but legitimate concern for a players well-being. The courtesy of providing two strides and a shove by the Ref was creative and would have been done for all the right reasons. With hindsight being 20-20 the end result supports the claim by some that, "No good deed goes unpunished!" You must first understand that theres no official policy on assisting a player that has sustained an injury or broken a skate and is attempting to make his way to the bench under his own power while handing a player that has lost his stick is a definite no-no. A policy might be instituted as a result of this intervention by Referee Dwyer but that remains to be seen. I will tell you that I have instinctively helped more than one injured player to his bench as play continued and even one with a broken skate that had no adverse effect. I know that many other Officials have done the same with regard to injured players. We not only want to ensure the player gets medical attention quickly but also to keep the play moving for game flow. Rule 8 advises us that play can be stopped immediately when a serious injury has been sustained; otherwise the Referee must wait for a change in puck possession unless his team is in a scoring position. While this was not an injury situation in the moment, Referee Dwyer might have decided to be proactive to prevent an injury from occurring. How can we fault him if that were the case? Had Steven Stamkos laid on the ice play could have been stopped or once the puck cleared the Pens zone an offside might result in a whistle with Stamkos still down. The Pens dumped the puck all the way down into the Lightning corner at the moment Steven Stamkos broke his skate blade. With the dump time and space was created for Stamkos to attempt his slide to the bench and for the Referee to allow his instincts to take over and assist. It certainly would have seemed innocent enough at the time for any Ref. Rule 63 (delay of game) states that play shall not be stopped nor the game delayed by reasons of adjustments to clothing, equipment, skates or sticks. This typically applies to situations when play has already been halted to avoid delays but the broad wording might also stretch to when play is actually in progress. At some point, common sense would take over and play would be stopped if a player could not make his way to the bench. Due to the ultimate scoring of the goal it is easy to suggest that an unfair advantage was offered by the Referee to the Tampa Bay Lightning. I believe that in this situation the Referee acted creatively and instinctively to assist a player that was in a difficult position without disrupting the flow of play. Unless Stephen Walkom issues a firm "hands off" policy to the Officials in situations such as this (hindsight aside), what Referee Gord Dwyer did speaks to the humanness of the Referees and Linesmen that place the well being of players first. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '