On Saturday, David Sterns 30-year tenure as the commissioner of the National Basketball Association comes to a close. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Diego-Costa-Jersey/ . No man in the modern era has held the top office in one of the ‘Big Four sports longer than Stern and the NBA that we know today was largely molded under Sterns watch and his impact on the league is indelible. TSN basketball analyst Jack Armstrong on the legacy of David Stern: David Stern was a visionary who took the league through many challenges with a firm leadership style. Bringing financial stability, great media coverage, global visibility and incredible promotion of both star players and teams alike were just a few of the ways he was as big an impact player as anybody who wore a uniform. The league was a mess when he took over, but not now. Adam Silver is inheriting a league in terrific shape - an NBA poised to continue to be proactive, decisive and a trendsetter on the pro sports landscape. Stern was the best commissioner the league has ever had and, arguably, the best in pro sports history. He leaves quite a legacy. Lets look back, then, on a generation of basketball under Sterns watch and where its come from and where its headed in large part due to the man calling time on a storied career. Sterns impact on league direction did not begin with his assumption of the commissioners office in 1984, but rather with two key policies enacted while the Columbia law graduate was still the leagues Executive Vice-President: drug testing and revenue-sharing, both of which provided the framework for the two guidelines in place to this day. A lawyer first, Sterns impact on the business side of operations is obvious, both domestically and abroad. Expansion and franchise movement are hallmarks of Sterns NBA. Under the New York City natives guidance, the league has added seven teams in his 30 years (the Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Vancouver Grizzlies and Charlotte Bobcats) and relocated six more (the San Diego Clippers headed to Los Angeles, the Kings left Kansas City for Sacramento, the Grizzlies went south to Memphis, the Seattle Supersonics became the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Charlotte Hornets eventually became the New Orleans Pelicans and the New Jersey Nets crossed state lines into Brooklyn). Recognizing the global nature of the game, Stern sought to raise the leagues profile in two key ways. Prior to Stern assuming office, the then Washington Bullets had competed in four games against international competition (one in Israel, two in China and another in the Philippines). These were the only four games that an NBA team had competed in outside of North America. Sensing the international appetite for basketball and the potential to gain exposure abroad, Stern set in motion an initiative that, 30 years later, saw expansion into Canada and games played throughout Europe (Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the then Soviet Union, Spain, Japan, France, Georgia, Russia, Lithuania and Turkey,) Asia (Japan, Taiwan and Macau,) Latin America (Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico) and the Caribbean (Bahamas). As of Sterns retirement, 147 games, both exhibition and regular season, have been played outside of continental North America. The second prong in Sterns international plan of attack was the deployment of NBA players to international events like the FIBA World Championships and Summer Olympics, starting with the Dream Team with the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird running roughshod in Barcelona in 1992. Did Sterns plan work? Well, over his 30-year tenure, players representing 69 different countries have appeared in the NBA, a stunning testament to the games growth and popularity abroad. Stern also moved the NBA into the world of the 24-hour news cycle and took advantage of the burgeoning demand for sports programming on television. Its simply impossible to believe in 2014, but prior to David Stern, the NBA Finals were aired on tape delay. Thats right, tape delay!Stern put an end to that, signing lucrative television deals over the past 30 seasons that have ensured live broadcasts in both national and local markets. Right now, the Association is in the seventh year of an eight-year pact with Turner Sports and ABC/ESPN worth $7.44 billion. Rest assured, competition for the next TV deal will be fierce and the league can expect an even more substantial pact. The impact the TV deal had on the financial health of the league is obvious. According to Forbes, the NBAs 23 teams in 1984 were worth a collective $400 million. In the magazines latest franchise valuations, the average NBA franchise is worth $634 million, up 25 per cent from last year alone and the leagues franchises on the whole are worth an estimated $19 billion. Revenue generated from the 1982-83 season, the last prior to Sterns assumption of control, was $118 million. Last season saw revenue generation of $4.6 billion. The Draft Lottery system is another advent under Sterns reign. Phasing out the archaic system of a coin toss between the leagues bottom-two teams to determine who would select first in the annual NBA Draft, Stern introduced a lottery in 1985 that would see any team who missed out on the postseason have an opportunity at the first overall selection in the draft. The process would undergo revisions over the years, but it became an effective tool to prevent out-and-out tanking by losing teams and would be adopted by Stern acolyte Gary Bettman for use in the NHL. The growth under Stern from a business perspective is absolutely stunning, but Sterns sea change was also felt on the court and the in the locker rooms. When Magic Johnson announced that he was HIV-positive in 1991 and stepping away from the game, Stern stood next to the Los Angeles Lakers superstar on the podium, literally and figuratively. Johnson would return to the league and play again in 1995, as Stern and the rest of the NBA showed a progressive stance when it came to a proper understanding of the transmission of the disease and those living with it. Former journeyman John Amaechi came out in 2007 at the conclusion of his NBA career and Stern asserted that a players sexuality wasnt of importance. "We have a very diverse league,” Stern said at the time. “The question at the NBA is always Have you got game? Thats it, end of inquiry.” He praised Jason Collinss courage when the forward revealed his homosexuality in April of 2013. “As Adam Silver and I said to Jason, we have known the Collins family since Jason and [twin brother] Jarron joined the NBA in 2001 and they have been exemplary members of the NBA family,” Stern said in a statement. “Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue.” The NBA also showed a progressive ideal that no other professional league did when, in 1997, it became the first major league to employ female officials with the hiring of Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner as referees. From a discipline perspective, Stern has never been one to shy away on tough decisions. In 1995, Dallas Mavericks star Roy Tarpley was permanently banned from the NBA for repeated substance abuse issues. Stern followed suit that same year with Richard Dumas of the Phoenix Suns. The Miami Heats Chris “Birdman” Andersen was out of the NBA from 2006-2008 due to drug violations. Though some argue that Sterns policies could be more lenient, they were praised by one of the more high profile recipients of a ban. Micheal Ray Richardson, a former fourth overall pick of the New York Knicks in 1978, had lengthy and well-documented substance abuse issues and found himself suspended multiple times over the course of his career. In 1986 as a member of the Nets, Richardson was banned for life for three positive tests. Two years later, his suspension was upheld, but Richardson tested positive for cocaine twice in 1991. At the time, the four-time All-Star vehemently disputed his positive results and vocally complained that the league was displaying a double standard in not disciplining Golden State Warriors star Chris Mullin for his battles with alcoholism. As the years have passed, Richardson, who coaches the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada, now credits Stern with helping turn his life around. He and Stern made amends at an exhibition game in Paris in 1997.“I went up to him at halftime just to say no hard feelings,” Richardson told Metro London in November 2013. “He doesnt know it, but he probably saved my life.” Sterns policy of ignoring a players stature when meting out discipline extended beyond drug bans. Bit players and All-Stars alike were brought to NBA justice under Stern. Latrell Sprewell, then of the Warriors, was suspended 68 games in 1997 for throttling then coach PJ Carlesimo. Metta World Peace, then Ron Artest, received a 73-game ban for his part in the infamous November 2004 “Malice at the Palace” brawl in Detroit and three other players were suspended for 25-games-plus. After Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards brought a gun into the locker room in January of 2010, the three-time All-Star was suspended for 50 games. The importance of cultivating a workable minor-league system was also recognized by Stern and implemented through the proper expansion of the National Basketball Development League, now the NBA D-League, in 2005 after its creation in 2001. For the first time, NBA teams, like their NHL and MLB counterparts, had a place where they could develop talent without taking up roster spots and use the D-League to spot talent not under NBA contract. From 2005, players with three years of service or fewer could be assigned to the D-League and in the 2011-2012 season, an agreement was reached that would allow veteran players to be assigned to the league if they chose to consent. The benefits of the D-League for the 30 franchises were obvious, but it also represented a tremendous avenue for passed over players to force teams into giving them another look. Jeremy Lin, JJ Barea and Marcin Gortat are among those who blossomed during their D-League tenures before being recalled to their parent teams, while the likes of Matt Barnes, Will Bynum and Chuck Hayes all earned NBA contracts after successful D-League stints. That same summer of 2005, Stern made another significant policy change when the league and NBAPA agreed that players would no longer be admitted into the league straight from high school. Superstars like Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady headed into the Association right after high school, but a player would now have to be 19 years of age to play in the NBA. One of the main reasons for this implementation was to encourage players to head to college and pursue an education. Many see this as naïve, referring to it as the “one-and-done rule,” as many players now will declare for the NBA Draft after their freshmen years, but it nonetheless forced an issue that few wanted to talk about. On the court, Sterns watch saw new rules introduced to both improve the game and add to its integrity. The 1998 season brought with it a ban on any sort of forearm and hand-checking anywhere above the free throw line. This allowed for more unobstructed scoring and some of the games more productive players took full advantage. In 2002, instant replay was introduced to determine whether or not shots got off prior to the expiration of game and shot clocks. Its usage was expanded in 2008, when replay could be used to discern if a basket should be worth two or three points. An epidemic in soccer and hockey, Sterns NBA took on flopping in 2012. Though rules were implemented in 1997 to try to curb it, the addition of fines (albeit, monetarily insignificant ones) were meant to add in the shaming of the practice in a further attempt to eliminate it from the game. Obviously, that process is an ongoing one. It would be completely disingenuous to suggest that the Stern commissionership was all sunshine and lollipops, because it certainly wasnt. The NBA experienced times of tumult under Sterns watch, as well. In his 30 years as commissioner, Sterns NBA has seen labour disruption four times. Thats more than any other head of any of the “Big Four” leagues. With lockouts in 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2011, seasons were shortened two of the four times and revenues suffered and acrimony lingered between the league and the NBAPA. While the Draft Lottery was a novel concept, it hasnt been without its controversy, either. To this day, some insist that the 1985 lottery, won by the Knicks who then selected Patrick Ewing with the first overall pick, was rigged in favour of the Knicks as a means to get the leagues biggest television market the best available player. However, it remains a conspiracy theory. Gambling as an issue has arisen on a couple of very prominent occasions on Sterns watch as well. When the Raptors were about to enter the league in 1995, the NBA ordered that gambling on basketball must be removed from Ontarios provincial sports lottery. The league went as far as to suggest that the expansion franchise would be upheld if there wasnt complete compliance. After three months of negotiation, the leagues wishes were adhered to and Pro-Line removed NBA basketball from its games. Fifteen years later, betting on the NBA was reintroduced to that lottery. An even heavier gambling episode occurred with the case of referee Tim Donaghy. In 2007, it was revealed that Donaghy, a 14-year veteran, was under FBI investigation for gambling on games in which he was officiating and his connections to organized crime. Donaghy was arrested and eventually pled guilty to two counts of felony conspiracy and ended up serving 15 months in a federal prison. Though Stern categorized Donaghys actions of those of a “rogue official,” North American sports largest gambling scandal since Pete Rose brought with it aspersions from the media and fans alike over the integrity of leagues officials. Stern brought about tougher background checks on potential referees, but the taint associated with the episode lingered and still does to a lesser extent today. While relocation has brought with it mostly positive results, it, too, has not been without its detractors. Obviously, there is lingering resentment in markets where franchises left, but the New Orleans Pelicans (then, the Hornets) brought a special challenge to the commissioners office when the league assumed ownership of the struggling team in late 2010. The following year, Hornets star guard Chris Paul asked to be traded and in December of 2011, a three-team deal was agreed upon that would have seen Paul move to the Lakers, Pau Gasol head to the Houston Rockets and Lamar Odom to the Hornets. Stern, however, vetoed the trade for what he called “basketball reasons.” The optics here looked bad. Here was the commissioners office intervening in a trade involving a team under league ownership. This appeared to be a blatant conflict of interest on Sterns part and one resulting from pressure from the leagues board of governors to cultivate parity (in not sending another star player to the Lakers,) but Stern stuck to his guns and the deal died. Still, Sterns detractors pale in comparison to the innovation and stability brought to the NBA under Sterns watch. After 30 years, Stern can walk away from his post proud of the forward-thinking and critical leadership he brought to a league that was crying out for somebody to grab the reins and guide. On Saturday, David Stern exits a bigger, better and more entertaining NBA than the one he entered and the teams, players and fans are all better off for it. David Stern was part-maverick, part-entrepreneur and North American sports had seen few like him before. Very likely, they wont again. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Lucas-Hernandez-Jersey/ . Top-seeded Djokovic, who is making only his second appearance this year after reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, was a 6-3, 6-3 winner over 54th-ranked Istomin of Uzbekistan. "It wasnt as easy as the scoreline indicates," said Djokovic, who has won in Dubai on four occasions. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Antonio-Adan-Jersey/ ." The tournament was set to be held Sept. 15-21 and would have been the first ATP tournament held in Israel since 1996. But amid Israels military campaign against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, ATP President Chris Kermode said "we do not feel we can proceed as planned given the situation in the region. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Diego-Godin-Jersey/ . -- Jerome Verrier scored once and set up two more as the Drummondville Voltigeurs downed the visiting Chicoutimi Sagueneens 5-1 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play.MILWAUKEE -- Kyle Lohse pumped his right first waiting in the on-deck circle as Jean Seguras three-run homer cleared the left-field fence in the second inning. It sure felt good for Milwaukees veteran right-hander to get some early run support in Miller Park from a lineup off to a middling start at the plate at home. Lohse allowed five hits and no walks in seven innings, Khris Davis added a solo shot in the fourth and the Brewers improved to a big league-best 16-6 with a 5-2 win Wednesday night over the San Diego Padres. "You get some runs on the board, it is big for us to go out and shut down the next inning to keep the other team down and keep the momentum going," Lohse said. Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth save, his 313th over 12 full big league seasons. Brewers batters backed up another good outing by the pitching staff with nine hits at home, where the team had been averaging just two runs and six hits entering the night. After four straight one-run games, going 3-1, the Brewers got a relative breather. "Its always nice coming in to the last inning with Frankie coming out there and he doesnt have to be perfect," manager Ron Roenicke said. "If youre two runs up with your closer coming in you feel really good about a ball game." Roenicke said before the game it was only a matter of time before his squad broke out of its hitting slump at home -- and his players backed him up with four runs and five hits in the first two innings. Tyson Ross (2-3) allowed a season-high five earned runs in six innings, regressing after striking out nine and shutting out the Giants over eight innings in his previous start last week. He had little to celebrate Wednesday, a day after he turned 27. Milwaukee was aggressive from the outset and made solid contact early in counts. Ryan Braun doubled home a run in the first on a 1-1 pitch, the same count on which eighth-place hitter Segura hit a 385-foot homer off the green facade over the left-field wall. "He just couldnt get ahead of hitters aand put them away," Padres manager Bud Black said of Ross. Custom Atletico Madrid Jerseys. . "They jumped out on some balls that were out of over the plate. The big blow was the home run." Getting the 24-year-old Segura going will help whats already a potent Brewers lineup. Segura, who was dropped from second to eighth in the order after starting the season hitting .232, hit his first homer since July 30, spanning 269 plate appearances. Segura said being dropped in the order was tough, but he feels hes making progress with the bat. Still, the Brewers are 10 games over .500 even with Segura still finding his way. "Were doing some great things on the field, pitching, bullpen," Segura said. "Were going in the right direction." San Diego took a 1-0 lead in the first off of Seth Smiths sacrifice fly, but was otherwise limited until pinch-hitter Nick Hundleys RBI single with two outs in the seventh. Lohse, in his 14th season in the majors, was changing speeds and mixing his curve effectively with a slider and fastball. "He used both sides of the plate extremely well. It was a veteran pitcher making pitches," Black said. "It was really Pitching 101." NOTES: A fan sitting in the front row next to the Brewers dugout left with an ice pack on her right wrist after apparently being hit by a bat that flew out of the hands of Padres pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal in the seventh on a strikeout. ... Black said RHP Josh Johnson is scheduled for elbow ligament-replacement surgery for the second time in his career and will miss the entire season. Johnson was placed on the DL before the season began. ... Brewers RHP Brandon Kintzler (rotator cuff) had a 40-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and appears on track to return from the DL on Friday. The setup man has been sidelined since April 9. ... The Padres will start LHP Eric Stults (1-2) when they begin a three-game series in Washington on Thursday. ... The Brewers are off Thursday and plan to start RHP Matt Garza (0-2) at home against the Cubs on Friday. Cheap Baltimore Orioles Gear Cheap Boston Red Sox Gear Cheap New York Yankees Gear Cheap Tampa Bay Rays Gear Cheap Toronto Blue Jays Gear Cheap Chicago Cubs Gear Cheap Milwaukee Brewers Gear Cheap Pittsburgh Pirates Gear Cheap Cincinnati Reds Gear Cheap St. Louis Cardinals Gear Cheap Arizona Diamondbacks Gear Cheap Colorado Rockies Gear Cheap Los Angeles Dodgers Gear Cheap San Diego Padres Gear Cheap San Francisco Giants Gear ' ' '