Golf is big business in Canada. Drew Brees Womens Jersey . That fact was reinforced, yet again, on Tuesday when the National Allied Golf Association released an economic impact study for the sport. The report, compiled by the Strategic Networks Group, showed that golf is worth $14.3 billion to the Canadian GDP, up from $11.3 billion ($12.2 billion, when adjusted to the consumer price index) in the last study done in 2009. Among the other findings in the report: • 300,100 direct, indirect and induced jobs (342,000 in 2009)• $8.3 billion in household income ($8.0 billion in 2009) • $1.4 billion in property and other indirect taxes ($1.3 billion in 2009)• $2.2 billion in income taxes ($2.6 billion in 2009) In the middle of the other notable findings was the charity aspect with golf raising $533 million for charitable causes. And golf tourism remains big in Canada with a value of $4.6 billion for Canadians traveling at home and abroad and foreigners spending another $1.6 billion. Not all the news was good, however. The study also showed a loss of 10 million rounds annually, from 70 million in 2009 to 60 million in 2014, although the revenues remain the same, and there were roughly 40,000 fewer jobs created by the golf industry with approximately 300,000 in 2014. Golf Canada also tweeted out that the average cost of a green fee in Canada is $42. Now the question is how will the industry use this information? One of the biggest pushes has been to lobby government for fairness in the tax code where rounds at golf courses can not be written off as a business expense as would hockey tickets or dinners. Armed with the latest study, leaders of the various golf associations that make up NAGA were in Ottawa to press the government for changes. But to limit the push to just tax code alterations would be to sell the game short. The industry also needs to push the awareness of the game as a significant business, one thats bigger than many to which Ottawa gives benefits. It needs to push for awareness among its players too, especially as the game gets negative headlines for the drop in participation. A study such as the one just released will go a long way to showing that. Morten Andersen Youth Jersey .ca. Hi Kerry, Thursday nights Bruins-Blackhawks game had a goal by Patrice Bergeron initially waved off by the referee, but video review clarified it was a good goal. Marcus Davenport Womens Jersey . With the suspension, Nigeria is unable to take part in any kind of international fixtures. FIFA had issued a warning to the NFF last week after the federation was served with court proceedings from the government that prevented the NFFs president from running the NFFs day-to-day affairs. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.com/saints-wil-lutz-gold-jersey/ .Y. -- First, Patrick Kane gave his family and friends something to cheer about by scoring a highlight-reel goal in a rare trip home to Buffalo on Sunday night.BRISTOL, Tenn. - Kevin Harvick has become the best qualifier in NASCARs top series, at least for this season. The veteran driver won the pole position for Saturday nights Sprint Cup Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday night. Its his series-high fifth top starting spot of the season, and just the 11th in 490 starts in his career. The secret? "Faster cars," Harvick said with a wide grin. "Thats it." Harvick, in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing, set a track record with a lap at 131.362 mph that knocked Jeff Gordon from the top spot. Gordon, the series points leader, will start second at 131.290. "Any time you beat the 24 right now, things are going ok," Harvick said. Gordon was equally pleased. "I thought I had a really good laps that first run out," he said. "I came on the radio and I said, That is all I got. When you go do that and the car is well balanced and you get a good lap, you know that its up to somebody else to just take a little more risk and maaybe get it, and Kevin did that. Erik McCoy Womens Jersey. " Carl Edwards, who won here in the spring, will start third, with Kyle Busch fourth. Busch has won five times in his career on the 0.533-mile oval, but said hes concerned the lone groove around the top of the track could be problematic. "I think the race is going to be frustrating — not a lot of passing," he said. "I think a lot of guys are going to be up around the top. Everybody is going to be up around the top." Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson are in the third row, with Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle in the fourth. Biffle is the only one of the top eight qualifiers who has not sealed a spot in the championship. He will start the race 16th in points, but with three drivers trailing him by 24 points or fewer as they try to climb into the top 16. "Well keep working on it," he said. "Bristol is hard to judge, but our car is driving good and I can run pretty consistent laps, so I feel like weve got a solid top 10 car." ' ' '

It appears the UFC will foot the bill for former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierres pending knee surgery to repair a torn ACL. Sean Couturier Jersey . President Dana White confirmed to MMAjunkie that despite St-Pierres "frozen" contract status, the surgery in Los Angeles this week will still be covered by the UFC because he is not fully retired. St-Pierres insurance policy has only been in existence since 2011, which raised a few concerns as to whether his injury and subsequent surgery would fall within the parameters of the policy. "We have health insurance for the guys," White said. "It should be covered even if the contract is frozen. Hes still under contract; hes still a UFC fighter." The former champion successfully defended his title for the ninth consecutive time against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in November. After the fight, St-Pierre announced he would be taking a leave of absence from the octagon to tend to personal issues. He would eventually vacate the title - now held by Hendricks - but continued to train in his time off in Montreal. Last week, he announced on Twitter that he tore the ACL in his right knee. St-Pierre underwent the same surgery on his left knee in 2011 and was sidelined nearly 19 months. Oskar Lindblom Jersey . Three days after falling to Hamilton, Abbotsford scored three goals in 53 seconds en route to a convincing 5-1 win over the Bulldogs Saturday in American Hockey League play. Jakub Voracek Jersey . -- Coyotes coach Dave Tippett thinks of one thing when he watches Eastern Conference teams struggle against Western opponents before they get to Phoenix: His team must keep pace. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/brian-elliott-hockey-jersey/ . For the Bombers it has been a combination of things coming together at the most inappropriate moments in time. Quarterback, injuries, Canadian talent or depth and leadership are all issues. Trust me when I say being a Bomber is no fun right now in a city that embraces football the way Winnipeg does. While Buck Pierce will be getting another shot, I think Max Hall does deserve another opportunity.GLASGOW -- Scotlands attacking options have been boosted by the return of fullback Stuart Hogg for the countrys opening Six Nations match against Ireland on Sunday. Hogg, who toured Australia with the British and Irish Lions last year, missed the autumn internationals because of injury but is back among four personnel changes to Scotlands starting XV for the match in Dublin. He was votedd as the third best player in last years Six Nations, when Scotland surprisingly finished in third place. Travis Konecny Flyers Jersey. Alex Dunbar has been preferred to Nick De Luca at centre, Tim Swinson is called up to the second row in place of Grant Gilchrist and Ryan Wilson usurps Johnnie Beattie at blindside flanker. Scotland hasnt won its opening match in the tournament since 2006. ' ' '

COPENHAGEN - It may very well be the most important position on the ice, but it is the one position where there is no competition to make the Canadian world junior team. Sheldon Rankins Womens Jersey . Only two goalies were invited to the countrys selection camp, meaning Saginaws Jake Paterson and Halifaxs Zach Fucale are guaranteed spots on the final 22-man roster. "In previous years they would be competing and right now wed have two other goalies and it would make their job a lot harder," explained Hockey Canadas goalie consultant Fred Brathwaite. "Now, theyre coming in here and were trying to make their game better day in, day out and get them ready for the tournament." The decision to take some of the pressure off of the netminders took Paterson by surprise. "I had no idea that it was just going to be the two goalies at camp," the Detroit Red Wings prospect admitted. "I thought it would be the usual four. Obviously, to get that news was a relief." Paterson took full advantage of the goalie competition at the 2012 selection camp. He entered the event as an under-dog to crack the roster, but stopped all 33 shots faced over three games to steal a job from Laurent Brossoit. Patersons edge in the competition to be starter this time around is his age and experience as Canadas third goalie at last years competition in Ufa, Russia, where Malcolm Subban started all but one game with Jordan Binnington getting the call for the bronze-medal game. The 19-year-old Paterson, a year older than Fucale, learned a lot despite not seeing a second of action. "Probably the biggest thing was how hard the tournament is to win with the one-game elimination in the medal round and, as well, how important it is to come together as a team. That stood out as well," he said. And while Hockey Canada has often times leaned toward older players when it comes to doling out responsibility at this event (Sutter, for example, went with two 19-year-olds in goal at the 2006 tournament cutting 18-year-old Carey Price at the selection camp), it is actually Fucale who owns the better big-game track record, including a gold medal at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and a Memorial Cup title last May. WATCH: Jamie McLennan breaks down Fucales game and explain why he should be Canadas starter "I think the Memorial Cup is very similar [to the world junior championship] with just five or six games so its very similar: you got to be at your best every night and theres no second chances, no turning back, you got to make sure youre well prepared and ready to play," said Fucale, who was the top goalie selected in Junes NHL draft getting scooped up by the Montreal Canadiens early in the second round. "You just want to be as prepared as you can come into the games. I think thats key. When theres a pressure situation, a lot at stake, you have to be well-prepared and whenever you are well-prepared you cant be scared of anything, because you did everything to be ready for that game." Fucale has an edge in the early-season numbers this season. Paterson has posted a 3.64 GAA and .900 save-percentage in 22 games in the OHL, while Fucale has a 2.51 GAA and .902 save-percentage in 28 games in the QMJHL. Paterson and Fucale are expected to split the starts in the first two pre-tournament games, on Friday against the Finns and Sunday against the Swedes. Who starts the final tune-up on Monday against the Swiss may provide a good indication of who will also get the honour of starting on Boxing Day when Canada opens the tournament against Germany. Sutter has made it clear he wants the battle to be the No. 1 goalie to wrap-up sooner rather than later. "I think you got to have somewhat of a clear mind about who your guy is going to be and start with it that way and if you have to change you can always change," said Sutter. "I dont think you can rotate in the tournament. I think you got to get someone really solid and hot going into it and thats our goal. But, at the same time, you got four round-robin games and the other guy has to play in at least one of them." Sutter leaned heavily on his starter in his two previous tenures behind Canadas world junior bench. In 2006, Justin Pogge started all six games en route to being named tournament MVP. Devan Dubnyk was the backup. In 2005, Jeff Glass got five starts, while Rejean Beauchemin got one. Sutter hinted that this time around the backup will probably get at least one game. Whoever plays will be facing sky-high pressure. When the world juniors are held overseas, Canada has never won gold without having the tournaments best goalie. Steve Mason was the last to do it backstopping Canada to gold in 2008 in the Czech Republic. Paterson and Fucale are well aware of all the hand-wringing about Canadas so-called crisis in the crease and have tuned it out. "Obviously, Ive heard a lot about that the last couple of years, but I think its out of our control," Paterson said. "Obviously, the results havent been there the last couple of years, but as far as me and Zachs concerned were just looking to have a good couple of practices here." "We heard a little bit of talk about it," said Fucale, "but, you know, the last four, five years, Im pretty sure theyve been doing their best to give the team a chance to win and all I want to do, me and Jake, we want to be prepared and coming into the first game want to be in top shape. "You got to make sure everyones ready to play. Me, the goalie, you have to make a difference. Im just looking forward to that first game." Marshon Lattimore Womens Jersey . 22 because of a bruised foot and have added forward Sean Collins to the roster on emergency recall from Springfield of the AHL. Erik McCoy Saints Jersey . Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.com/saints-wil-lutz-gold-jersey/ . The biggest collapse in franchise history was a long time ago, and he was too busy trying to make sure it didnt happen again. CEDAR PARK, Texas -- After allowing five goals in Game 1 of the American Hockey League final, Michael Hutchinson went back to the hotel Monday night and did his homework to prepare for Game 2 against the Texas Stars on Tuesday. That preparation was even more crucial as the Stars fired 50 shots against the goaltender, but Hutchinson stopped 49 of them in a 2-1 victory to even up the Calder Cup final at a game apiece as it heads back to St. Johns for Games 3 through 5. "We went over all their scoring chances and all my touches, and kind of got to see myself from a different angle," said Hutchinson. "I think that really helped me coming into the game tonight, knowing what to expect and I was more prepared." It was one of the best individual performances IceCaps coach Keith McCambridge had seen in more than two decades as a player and coach. "Without a doubt its up there in the top three with a lot of good goaltenders over the years," said McCambridge. "Hes really in a zone right now. Hes really focused on making sure we got that split on the road." Hutchinson made his biggest stops a minute apart in the third period while clinging to a 2-1 lead. With 13:05 remaining Kevin Henderson had a point-blank chance in the slot on a rebound, but Hutchinson sprawled to his right for what McCambridge called his best save of the night. "That was the obviously the key moment in the game for us," said McCambridge. A minute later Hutchinson made another spectacular stop, thiis time diving back to the left post with the blocker as Brendan Ranford attempted a wrap-around into an gaping net. Marshon Lattimore Youth Jersey. "I kind of just got into scramble mode," said Hutchinson. "I was fortunate I could reach far enough. For all those times you end up reaching just a little too short, I was fortunate I got my glove out there and able to get a piece of it." Hutchinsons lone mistake came 29 seconds into the second period when Ranford had tied the game at 1-1 for Texas. But 44 seconds later the IceCaps fourth line reinstated the lead. Blair Riley was left wide open in front of the net and easily beat Cristopher Nilstorp with a one-timed shot off a pass from Kyle MacKinnon. Earlier St. Johns scored on its first scoring chance 4:05 into the game. Eric ODell took a wrist shot that trickled between Nilstorps legs. Kael Mouillierat easily tapped the puck home, making sure it crossed the line to give St. Johns a 1-0 lead. Even with all the shots he faced, Hutchinson didnt have to make any stops on the power play. For the first time in 94 combined regular season and playoff games, the IceCaps didnt face an opposition penalty kill. St. Johns did commit a penalty-- a roughing minor against Jordan Hill-- but it was cancelled out by a matching minor against Stars defenceman Jamie Oleksiak. Nilstorp stopped 33 of 35 shots for Texas, and made several key stops in the second and third period to keep his team in the game. Game 3 is Wednesday at the Mile One Centre in St. Johns. ' ' '

(SportsNetwork. Tyler ONeill Cardinals Jersey .com) - The Philadelphia Flyers have gotten off to a great start on their epic eight-game trip and will try to keep that momentum going on Saturday night against their former coach. The Flyers eye a fourth straight victory as they visit Peter Laviolette and the Nashville Predators. Philadelphia scored 16 goals in defeating Toronto, Winnipeg and Minnesota to begin this road trip, which runs through Jan. 3. That has the Flyers on their first three-game winning streak since Nov. 4-8. Theyll try to win four in a row for the first time this season and do so against Laviolette, who was fired as the Flyers head coach following an 0-3 start to the 2013-14 campaign. Laviolette took over coaching duties in Philadelphia in December of 2009 and took the club to a surprising Stanley Cup Finals appearance that season, where they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. Laviolette became just the second coach in Predators history when he replaced Barry Trotz, who did not have his contract renewed prior to this season. The Predators come into this game just two points back of the Blackhawks for first place in the Central Division. Craig Berube, who replaced Laviolette when he was fired, saw five of his players score in Tuesdays 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Philadelphia got goals from Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, Vincent Lecavalier and Michael Raffl. That fourth goal obviously gave us a little breathing room, said Lecavalier, who has three goals in his past two games. After that we kind of chipped it in and played a simple game and made sure we got it out at the right time. Ray Emery made 22 saves to get the win as No. 1 goaltender Steve Mason missed his third game in a row with a back injury suffered in practice on Dec. 19. Mason was expected to start traveling with the team after the holiday br4eak, but has been ruled out for this game. That leaves Emery the probable starter and he is 2-2-0 with a 3.57 goals against average and .833 save percentage in six games (4 starts) versus the Preds. Flyers forward Jake Voracek had two assists versus the Wild and leads the NHL with 32 helpers and 46 points. He has five goals and 13 points in his last eight games. The Predators are hoping to rebound tonight after having a three-game win streak halted with Tuesdays 5-3 setback to Boston. Nashville tried to make a game of it late, notching 15 shots in the third period and pulling within one on Taylor Becks goal at the 6:48 mark of the third. We have a group that believes we can win every night even when were down two, we have the mentality that we are going to come out with a win, said Nashville forward Colin Wilson. Its unfortunate we didnt tie it up but we can definitely build off of that character that we showed in the third. Beck and Calle Jarnkrok each had one goal and an assist for Nashville, while Carter Hutton stopped 20-of-24 shots in his first start since Nov. 20. Pekka Rinne figures to return to the net tonight and is 2-1-0 versus the Flyers with a 2.92 GAA and .917 save percentage. These two clubs split a pair of meetings last season, with the Flyers 3-2 shootout win snapping a five-game winless span (0-1-2 with two ties) in Nashville. Carlos Martinez Jersey . Replay backed him up. Adeiny Hechavarria immediately followed the ruling with a go-ahead sacrifice fly for the Miami Marlins, who held on to beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Sunday completing a three-game sweep. Yadier Molina Cardinals Jersey . -- The Anaheim Ducks have signed left wing Dany Heatley to a one-year deal, returning the 33-year-old unrestricted free agent to the Pacific Division. http://www.authenticcardinalspro.com/cardinals-brett-cecil-jersey/ . -- Golden State Warriors reserve centre Ognjen Kuzmic is expected to miss at least six weeks after undergoing surgery on his fractured right hand.TORONTO - Inconsistency ended Randy Carlyles tenure as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to general manager Dave Nonis. Carlyle was fired Tuesday after the Maple Leafs lost five of seven games on their last road trip. The Leafs have a 21-16-3 record this season and currently hold one of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference. I think wed all agree weve had some good periods, good stretches, but I dont think I can stand here in front of you and say that weve been consistent, Nonis said at a news conference. We just felt at this point this was the right time to make the change and move ahead and try to get this team back playing like we have played for periods this season. Assistants Peter Horachek and Steve Spott will handle coaching duties for Wednesday nights home game against the Washington Capitals. Horachek ran the first practice of the post-Carlyle era. Nonis did not indicate if or when the Leafs might hire a full-time head coach. According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, a replacement process and candidates review will begin immediately, however, no timeline has been established for a new hire. Dreger adds that all Leaf players are now potential trade targets as the team moves forward. Its possible Horachek and/or Spott could handle the job for the rest of the season, though there are several external candidates available. They include Pete DeBoer, who was recently fired as coach of the New Jersey Devils. TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie reports that the most likely scenario is Horachek becoming the interim head coach, as there will likely be many big name coaching candidates available this summer. Carlyle, who was informed of managements decision Monday night, longed for answers back to last season, when the Leafs lost eight straight in regulation and 12 of their final 14 games to fall out of playoff contention. When Brendan Shanahan took over as president, he and Nonis reviewed aspects of the organization and opted to fire Carlyles assistants, Dave Farrish, Scott Gordon and Greg Cronin, and give him a two-year contract extension. Even with hindsight, Nonis said that was the right decision. Randy deserved to come back, Nonis said. I think hes an excellent coach. You dont coach over 700 games withhout being good at it. Marcell Ozuna Jersey. Good coaches get let go and unfortunately today we had to do that and it has nothing to do with the summer or whether or not he was the right guy. He was the right guy to bring back and unfortunately today this was the right decision for our team. The Leafs were blown out by the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators in consecutive losses in November, bringing up concerns that Carlyles job may be in danger. When asked if players were trying to get their coach fired, defenceman Cody Franson answered no and added an expletive. Following those losses and in the aftermath of a controversy about not saluting fans at Air Canada Centre following a win, the Leafs went 9-1-1 to rocket into a playoff spot. Recently, some old problems began to creep up, especially on this 2-5 road trip. Its been too much of a roller-coaster, Nonis said. Its not that (players are) not capable because they are, its not that they havent done it because they have. Thats probably the biggest reason, or one of the biggest reasons, for the change today. Carlyle went 91-78-19 in 188 games as Leafs coach over parts of four seasons. The native of Sudbury, Ont., replaced Ron Wilson with 18 games left in the 2011-12 season. Wilson was fired following the infamous 18-wheeler going right off a cliff losing streak named for then-GM Brian Burkes quote. Carlyle and the Leafs made the playoffs in the lockout-shortened 2013 season before falling behind three games to one in the first round against Boston. They came back to force a Game 7 and led 4-1 with 11 minutes left before losing in overtime. In 2013-14, the Leafs were easily in a playoff spot when goaltender Jonathan Bernier suffered an injury. They lost eight in a row in regulation and dropped 12 of their final 14 games. Carlyles job appeared in jeopardy then, but Shanahan decided he wanted some time to evaluate the team. The final decision came with his firing, the fourth NHL coach this season to get the axe. Paul MacLean of the Ottawa Senators was first, then Dallas Eakins of the Edmonton Oilers, followed by DeBoer. Carlyle won the Stanley Cup as coach of the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. Hes a good man, a good coach and hell be back in this game quickly, Nonis said. ' ' '

LONDON - Arsenal threw away a 3-0 lead and an early place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday after Anderlecht launched a stunning comeback to draw 3-3 with a last-minute equalizer. Charles Haley Cowboys Jersey .With only half an hour left, goals by captain Mikel Arteta from the penalty spot, Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had put Arsenal in complete control of the Group D match.With Borussia Dortmund beating Galatasaray, Arsene Wengers side appeared certain to join the Bundesliga club in the knockout stages with two games to spare.Instead, two goals from Anthony Vanden Borre, the second from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute, hauled Anderlecht right back into the match as Arsenals defence collapsed.Aleksandar Mitrovic then completed the comeback by heading in the equalizer in the 90th minute, before celebrating in front of the euphoric visiting fans.It was a stark reversal from the game in Anderlecht last month, when Arsenal scored two late goals to snatch a 2-1 win.Wenger blamed bad luck, tiredness and, most of all, bad defending for the collapse.You have to give them (Anderlecht) credit, they did fight until the end and we had a poor defensive performance from the first minute to the last today, Wenger said. We never felt comfortable and somewhere we got punished. A bit because of bad luck, the first (Anderlecht) goal was offside clearly, but defensively our performance was not good enough.Arteta, who was substituted due to a hamstring injury, was equally critical of the performance.We cant afford to make these mistakes, it is just not good enough, Arteta said. It was a massive night for us to ensure our qualification to the last 16. We threw everything away tonight and did not perform to the expected level of this football club. Luckily we have two more opportunities to amend this.Dortmunds 4-1 win over Galatsaray sealed its place in the knockout stages with second-place Arsenal on seven points, Anderlecht with two and the Turkish side on one.Anderlecht coach Besnik Hasi felt the turning point came with his sides first goal.We made a few changes and at 3-1 we gained in confidence, he said. I also have to thank our fans tonight — even at 3-0 down they gave us confidence, and then we started to play. At 3-2, Arsenal started to have a doubt. So we really pushed forward and we scored the goal.This game is going to stay in my memory for sure. ... Im very, very proud of my team. They were fantastic today.Two weeks after Arsenal was fortunate to snatch a late victory in Belgium, Tuesdays performance at Emirates Stadium looked highly convincing — at least for the first hour.The first goal came after Anderlecht centre half Chancel Mbemba felled Danny Welbeck with a clumsy challenge in the area in the 25th minute.Arteta coolly chipped his spot-kick down the middle as keeper Silvio Proto dived helplessly to his right, and the home side had taken a step toward the last 16.Another step followed just four minutes later, after Sanchez took a free kick that struck the Anderlecht wall. The ball looped high in the air and back to the Chile striker, who smashed home a volley that Proto got a glove to but couldnt keep out. It was Sanchezs fifth goal in his last three matches.Arsenal kept up the pressure after the re-start and was rewarded when Sanchez won back possession outside the Anderlecht area, releasing Oxlade-Chamberlain for a penetrating run and a curling shot past Proto into the far corner.However, defensive frailties have marked Wengers side this season and they again proved costly.Substitute Davy Roef broke down the right flank in the 61st minute and sent in a low cross that Vanden Borre turned in from point-blank range — with Arsenal appeals for offside waved away by the referee.Vanden Borre then narrowed the deficit even further from the penalty spot, giving Szczesny no chance after Nacho Monreal had pulled down Mitrovic in the area.At this stage, the home side was barely clinging on to a victory and a place in the knockout stages. That already loose grip was broken completely when Mitrovic brilliantly headed home Andy Najars cross into the corner of the Arsenal net in the last minute.Maybe we underestimated subconsciously Anderlecht and got punished, Wenger summed up. Thats the Champions League. You need to be at the mental level ... and certainly we were not. Michael Irvin Cowboys Jersey . - The Clippers have signed guard Dahntay Jones to a second 10-day contract. Robert Newhouse Jersey .J. -- Kevin Gilbride retired Thursday as offensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Troy-Aikman-Jersey/ . The Marlies surrendered two power-play goals and failed to score on six man-advantage opportunities en route to a 4-1 defeat in American Hockey League action on Saturday.BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Denny Hamlin ended two weeks of Team Penske dominance by winning the pole at Bristol Motor Speedway. Hamlin set a track record Friday with a lap at 129.991 mph to earn the top starting spot. It broke the mark of 129.535 set by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch a year ago, and ensured that neither Brad Keselowski or Joey Logano won the pole for the first time since NASCARs new knockout qualifying debuted three weeks ago. Hamlin ran only one lap in the first segment and it was good enough to lock him into the top 12 to advance into the second segment. He then ran one lap, took the pole for Sundays race, and got out of his car to see if anyone could beat him. "As a short track guy, I can feel when, OK, this is all Ive got. Or, This is a really good lap," Hamlin said. He aborted an attempt at a second lap in the first segment because, "If that wasnt a top-12 lap, we were in big trouble. So I knew that was going to be good. Then ultimately strategy comes into play, wanting to conserve your car and keeping everything as cool as you can for the second segment "I was going to run two laps in the second segment, but I bobbled it pretty bad into Turn 3 and didnt finish the lap. But I knew the first one was good." So good that he wasnt very worried when Keselowski and Logano both pulled back onto the track as the clock ticked down to attempt to bump Hamlin from the pole. The teammates swept the front row at Phoenix and Las Vegas, where the new format was first used this season, and they made one last run at Hamlin. Keselowski came up just short, settling for second at 129.965. Logano was fourth, behind Hamlins teammate Matt Kenseth. "I feel like wee did what we were supposed to do to be able to go out there and give it a shot for the pole," said Logano, the pole-winner last week at Las Vegas. Bob Lilly Cowboys Jersey. "Dennys strategy was pretty good. Just not good enough for us." The Penske drivers were only able to make those final attempts because of a new rule this week by NASCAR that permitted the use of cooling units on pit road for teams to cool their engines following their runs. NASCAR decided Tuesday to allow the devices following a conference call with crew chiefs because of safety concerns raised by drivers. Because the engines had been getting so hot following the qualifying runs and the cooling units were not allowed, drivers were running laps on the bottom of the track at slow speeds to cool down. It was going on at the same time as other drivers were sailing by at full speed, and many drivers complained they had near collisions. "I think that rule change has made qualifying even better," Keselowski said. "Its removed danger and replaced with opportunity. I think that was for the betterment of the sport and certainly if for no other reason than safety, it was definitely worth it. But I also feel like being able to go out there and make multiple runs is now a lot more plausible." The early season struggles continued for Stewart-Haas Racing and even hit Kevin Harvick, who had been the lone bright spot for the organization through the first three races. Kurt Busch was the highest SHR qualifier at 13th, but Harvick was 27th and Danica Patrick was the last driver to qualify on speed at 36th. Team co-owner Tony Stewart had to use a provisional to make it in the field and will start 37th. ' ' '

NEW YORK -- The NFL will discuss expanded playoffs at the owners meetings next month in Atlanta. Alexander Mogilny Sabres Jersey . Commissioner Roger Goodell told a gathering of Associated Press Sports Editors on Thursday that a vote is uncertain on the proposal to add two teams to the post-season. Should the owners vote on the increase in May, Goodell said the 14-team playoffs could be implemented for the upcoming season, or for 2015. If no vote is taken, then 2015 would be the target for expanded playoffs, with a vote possible in October or next March. The league also would need to consult with the players union on the matter, but it seems clear more playoff teams are on the way. "Were being very deliberate about it," Goodell said. "We want to make sure we do it in the right way." The NFL also will experiment with snapping the ball from the 15-yard line on extra points in the first two weeks of the preseason to make them more challenging. A kick from that distance would wind up being about 33 yards. Previously, the plan had been to experiment with moving kicks back to the 20. But in conversations with the leagues competition committee and various teams, officiating director Dean Blandino said it became apparent a 33-yard extra point was a wiser choice for the experiment. Blandino added that veteran referees Scott Green and Ron Winter have retired, and will be replaced by Craig Wrolstad and Ronald Torbert. Wrolstad had been a field judge and Torbert was a side judge; both have college refereeing experience. Two female officials will be working minicamps and preseason games: line judge Sarah Thomas and head linesman Maia Chaka. Both work in Conference USA. They are part of the leagues officiating development program. The NFL also hired the sons of two current officials: field judge Brad Freeman, the son of back judge Steve Freeman, a former player with Buffalo; and field judge Shawn Hochuli, son of referee Ed Hochuli. Goodell and various other NFL executives were asked about the repercussions from the bullying incidents with the Miami Dolphins involving Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. "You never want to see any story that reflects on that we dont have the right workplace environment," Goodell said. "Weve redoubled our efforts to make sure we provide the right environment ... for everybody in the NFL." Blandino added that in an effort to have on-field action in which the players are respectful, there will be a heavy emphasis on reducing taunting. From 2012 to 2013, the number of taunting incidents increased from nine to 34. "Its important having the right culture in place," added Robert Gulliver, the NFLs chief diversity officer. "A culture of respect for the game, for each other, for coaches, officials and fans. Well engage in positive training with the 32 clubs." Asked about the first openly gay player, Michael Sam of Missouri, soon entering the league, NFL football operations chief Troy Vincent said the league was looking forward to welcoming Sam into its ranks. Vincent, a star defensive back for 15 seasons and former president of the NFL Players Association, said he played with "six openly gay players inside the locker room" who did not publicly announce their sexual orientation. "It worked, we won many football games," Vincent said. "They were players, and we didnt see them any differently." NFL general counsel Jeff Pash said the league remains optimistic that a U.S. district judge will approve the $765 million concussion settlement with former players. The judge, Anita Brody, has expressed concerns the fund may not be large enough to cover up to 20,000 retired players for 65 years. "Were confident we will get it done," Pash said. "I think were getting close to the point where well have a package thats satisfactory. Our overriding goal is that both sides get this structure in place so we can begin providing compensation to people who need it." Rick Martin Jersey . -- C.J. Cron hit an RBI single on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues, doubled his second time up and hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth inning to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night. Pierre Turgeon Jersey . Jeff Green and Jordan Crawford each scored 19 points, Bass added 15 points and had a game-saving block in the closing seconds Saturday, and the Celtics held on for a 103-100 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. http://www.sabresteamstoreonline.com/authentic-kyle-okposo-sabres-jersey/ . -- The anointed starting quarterback for the Oakland Raiders is strengthening his hold on the position this training camp instead of losing it.TSN Baseball Insider Steve Phillips answers several questions each week. This week, topics cover the Blue Jays pitching plans for Dustin McGowan, the resurgence of Justin Morneau in Colorado, the crazy injuries that players endure, and the decisive actions of NBA commissioner Adam Silver. 1) Earlier in the week, the Jays shifted prospect Marcus Stromans start in Triple-A to match up with the struggling Dustin McGowan. Given McGowans early season issues and Stromans success so far in Triple-A (2-2, 1.69 ERA, 36 Ks in 26.2 IP), do you think the club should make the switch now? How long do you wait on both players? It should be no surprise that Dustin McGowan had an excellent outing on a day that Marcus Stromans start was moved to the same day at Triple-A. Competition can bring out the best in athletes but the question is, can it be sustained? McGowan should be moved immediately to the bullpen and replaced in the rotation by Marcus Stroman. McGowan has struggled with his curve ball this year. That is why the second and third time through the lineups he has struggled. He just doesnt have confidence in his arsenal to face hitters more than once. That is also why his walks and hit batters are so high this year (10/3). He has allowed a total of 40 base runners in 23 innings pitched. McGowan thrived in relief last season. The Jays bullpen is scuffling this year. It makes all the sense in the world to put McGowan back in a role where there is a need and he has had recent success. It is not like McGowan is a young guy who is going through growing pains. Plus he has said that he feels fatigued at the 60-pitch mark in most starts. Stroman is ready. He has 36 strikeouts and seven walks in 26.2 IP. He is a strike-throwing machine. He has not given up a home run either. I always wanted to call up a player to the majors when he was pitching his best, so he has extreme confidence in his stuff and approach. Stroman is primed and ready to go. He should start on Sunday for the Jays against the Pirates. Make the move Alex. 2) Justin Morneau (third in the NL with 22 RBI, a .343 batting average with six home runs) looks like a great player again. Its a small sample size, but do you see him continuing to be a big factor for the Rockies? Is the move to Colorado the easy explanation, or is there more to this story than just thin air? When a pitcher wants to resurrect his career he signs with the Padres so he can pitch in PETCO Park. The expansive outfield is conducive to a low ERA and the potential to getting a big free agent contract. When a hitter wants to resurrect his career the first team he calls is the Colorado Rockies. Who doesnt want to hit at Coors Field? I anticipated that Justin Morneau would be rejuvenated in Colorado but I had no idea that it would look this good. He hit 17 homers last year with the Twins but after his trade to Pittsburgh he didnt homer in 77 at bats. It looked like he was closer to the end of his career than the prime. I think Morneau has found his confidence again. What is impressive is that he is hitting both at home and on the road. There is no fall off in his numbers away from Coors Field. I dont think that he will sustain this level of production but he will still be a real value to the Rockies considering the two-year $12.5M contract. I am anticipating a .300 batting average with 25 homers and 100 RBI at the seasons end. He is back! 3) San Francisco Giants starter Matt Cain missed Tuesdays start after he cut his finger while making a sandwich in the clubhouse. What is the most unusual injury that you recall one of your players getting while you were a GM with the New York Mets? There have been some crazy injuries over the years in baseball. Cut fingers have happened when players have washed the dishes, gone fishing and punched electric fans. We have seen post-game celebrations lead to torn knees (Chris Coghlan, Marlins) and broken ankles (Kendrys Morales). Former pitcher Carl Pavano injured himself one off-season with the Yankees when he was shoveling and slipped on ice and jammed the shovel in his stomach lacerating his spleen. Jonathan Lucroy, a catcher for the Brewers, broke his right hand when reaching for a suitcase under the bed when on a road trip with his wife. Joba Chamberlain, now a reliever with the Tigers, dislocated his ankle while a member of the Yankees, while jumping on a trampoline with his five-year old son. Former Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya missed three games of the 2006 ALCS because he hurt his wrist from playing too much Guitar Hero. Over the years, I saw some bizarre injuries with my players. I once had a player who could not make a spring training start because he had laid out in the sun at the beach the day before and had such bad sunburn he could barely move. I once had a veteran pitcher who really struggled to recover between starts. He had so many aches and pains that it took everything he had to take the ball every fifth day. Other players on the team had been seeing a chiropractor away from the ballpark and swore by him. The players convinced me to let the guy work on them in the clubhouse. He did whatever it was that he did to this veteran pitcher the day before his start but the next day was a big problem. My pitcher came in and was so bruised and sore from the treatment that he was not able to take the mound. Rasmus Dahlin Jersey. The treatment that was supposed to help him pitch kept him from pitching. Finally, Mike Piazza, our superstar catcher had a thumb injury in the NLDS against the D-Backs in 1999. It was iffy as to whether he could play or not. Our team doctor said that with a cortisone injection Piazza would have a good shot to play. Unfortunately, Piazza had an allergic reaction to the injection and his thumb swelled up so much he couldnt fit his hand in his glove or grip a bat. He couldnt play. Again an injury stemming from treatment intended to help him. The good news is that his replacement Todd Pratt played extremely well and hit a game-deciding homer in Game 4 of the series propelling us to the NLCS. The one thing I have learned from baseball is just when you think you have seen it all something else bizarre happens. I cant wait to see what happens next. 4) Every commissioner in every sport has to tip his cap to Adam Silver of the NBA. In fact all of us should do the same. Silver has already defined his legacy in just four months on the job. He is the owners Commissioner as well as the players Commissioner. He is the fans Commissioner. In addition, he is the Commissioner of doing what is right. By banning LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life and fining him $2.5 million he left no doubt that the League will be protected from the hateful thinking that still exists in the world. By initiating the process to have the owners force Sterling out of the League completely he made it clearer that if you think that way you have no business in the business of basketball. There is no place for racism and discrimination in sports or in society. Adam Silver made it loud and clear that there is no racism in his and our NBA. I hope and pray that every commissioner in every sport would have taken the same action. Over a decade ago baseball rid itself of Marge Schott. The former owner of the Reds once said that she felt that Adolf Hitler was initially good for Germany and did not understand how the epithet "Jap" could be offensive. The NFL plans to enforce the rule which calls for a player to be penalized if an official hears the "N-word" in game. I would like to believe that Jackie Robinson is smiling today looking down upon all of us. But is he? It is easy to identify racists like Sterling and Schott. Their loud mouths and bravado make them stick out like a sore thumb. Yet it took years to take action upon them. Why? Because they paid a bunch of money for a team? Because they deserve fairness? Because people are afraid to confront hatred? I am not sure that there is less racism today or whether people are just better at hiding it. If Donald Sterling hadnt been recorded illegally I still wouldnt know he was a racist. This same sort of behavior and conversation takes place every day across our countries behind closed doors. Peoples make judgments of others based upon religion, skin color, political beliefs, financial wherewithal, etc. I do believe that if someone is a racist his or her beliefs will ooze out of their pores at some point. They will show their true selves in a more subtle way than back when Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier. They wont be as vocal as Sterling or Schott but those on the receiving end will know exactly where they stand in the persons mind. We have to stop covert racism just like we have to stop the obvious stuff. I believe racism is learned. Babies arent born with hatred. They are born accepting of all. At some point parents, relatives and neighbors impact a childs way of thinking. Kids are taught to see the differences in people and to make judgments about those differences. I firmly believe that Donald Sterling and Marge Schott learned racism from their parents. I know there are some people who will publicly or privately support and defend Sterling. Those people probably will never change. It is the people who arent dead set in their beliefs or who are willing to look at the world differently than their parents that can start to change. We may need to keep changing the world one family at a time. But we can. Where there is a crisis there is an opportunity. Adam Silver could have done a number of different things to Sterling, yet he chose to ban him for life and kick him out of the league. He saw this as an opportunity to who he is and what the NBA stands for. I hope we can all look at this week as an opportunity to identify what we have in common with one another. Baseball is as diverse a sport as there is now. It has become an international game. Whether players are from Asia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Australia, Europe or the U.S. they have far more in common than not. Baseball prevails over language barriers, socioeconomic background, education and political beliefs. It is a game for everyone. A game that should allow full and equal access for all no matter what. I believe this week was historic not only for the NBA but also for baseball and every other sport. It was historic for every society all over the world. Where there is a crisis there is an opportunity. We will all face a crisis around race at some point over the next few days, weeks, months or year. I hope we all have the courage to address it like Adam Silver did. I cant wait for my crisis. ' ' '

The Vancouver Canucks have dodged a serious injury to top prospect Bo Horvat, as Horvata€?s shoulder is not broken following a heavy hit from Edmontona€?s Tyler Pitlick. Jacob Bruun Larsen Jersey . a€?Ita€?s good news. We were worried for sure, I thought it could be worse than that, but I think ita€?s just a contusion.a€? said head coach Willie Desjardins. a€?But ita€?s big that ita€?s not broken. Ita€?ll be a couple days for sure and I wouldna€?t be surprised if ita€?s a little longer. It seemed pretty sure.a€? Horvat has impressed in the preseason and seems likely to have a spot on the Canucks opening-day roster. The 19-year-old is not eligible to be sent to the AHL, and a fourth year in the OHL may not be the best route for Horvat. Forward Hunter Shinkaruk is heading to the AHL, as the Canucks assigned the 19-year-old to Utica on Friday. Shinkaruk turns 20 on October 13th. Shinkaruk had a strong preseason, with two goals and two assists in four games, but Canucks brass felt the extra playing time and responsibilities in Utica would serve Shinkaruk well. a€?I think that ita€?s a young guy and hea€?s got to get more of an all-around game to come up here,a€? said Desjardins. a€?I thought he was good offensively. I thought there were times that he showed really well. And thata€?s what we want out of him. We want to be a guy who loves to score, whoa€?s quick on the attack a€“ and I think he showed us those things. But I think he needs more experience at the pro level. He sat out last year for quite a bit of the year, so hea€?s been out a while. So to get his game to the best it can be, he needs a little bit more time.a€? Desjardins admitted on Friday that Shinkaruk needed to improve his play away from the puck. a€?I think ita€?s hard for young guys. There were a couple things defensively that maybe hurt him a little bit. What you want as a young player, is when you get here you want to be able to stay. And you dona€?t want to come up and lose your confidence and that could really hurt your career. I think hea€?ll get more confidence next time hea€?s up by playing in the AHL.a€? Canucks close the preseason on Saturday night, against the Oilers. TSN1040 has the call at 7:00. Maximilian Philipp Dortmund Jersey . Mike Ribeiro had a goal and an assist as Phoenix held on to snap a two-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Paco Alcacer Dortmund Jersey . -- Andrew Wiggins is from Canada, Wayne Selden from Massachusetts and Joel Embiid from the African nation of Cameroon. http://www.footballdortmundpro.com/Kids-Paco-Alcacer-Jersey/ . This is not some token job for a prominent, popular former player. All of those areas need a lot of work, so Molitor is going to be busy. "Hes certainly got a history and knowledge and a high baseball IQ," general manager Terry Ryan said. Throwback Night Toronto Raptors XX By Blkoutln A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Nov 11, 2014 at 2:09pm PST Military Night Raptors XX By Blkoutln A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Nov 11, 2014 at 2:22pm PST Unreleased artwork - Rudy Gay - So relevant. My favorite player on my favorite team.... over. Cant believe it lasted less than a year. Bullshit. Good luck in Sacramento @husky4lyfe22 A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Dec 12, 2013 at 4:29pm PST @champagnepapi x @raptors x OVO jersey branding. ( just cause.. ) A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Nov 11, 2013 at 3:07pm PST @champagnepapi s helping with the rebranding of the Raaptors ? ovo x raptors A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Nov 11, 2013 at 2:59pm PST Raptors. Mario Gotze Jersey. 2014 / 2015 By Blkoutln A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Oct 10, 2014 at 3:23pm PDT TOVONTO A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Dec 12, 2014 at 6:57pm PST Raptors. 2014 / 2015 By Blkoutln A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Oct 10, 2014 at 3:23pm PDT And not Raptors, but a bonus one featuring the Bulls. RAGING BULL. Series to come. A photo posted by ???????????C?O?R?B?S (@blkoutln) on Jan 1, 2014 at 8:25pm PST Corbin doesnt just do Raptors and sports stuff though, as you can check out his wide range of artwork HERE. ' ' '

BERLIN -- Wladimir Klitschko will defend his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles against Australian challenger Alex Leapai in Oberhausen, Germany, on April 26. Shkodran Mustafi Arsenal Jersey . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. The 34-year-old, who was born in Samoa, has a 30-4-3 record with 24 knockouts since turning professional in 2004. Leapai says, "Ill beat Wladimir and it wont even be my toughest fight." The 37-year-old Klitschko, who comfortably defeated Alexander Povetkin of Russia in Moscow last October, is 61-3 with 52 KOs. Klitschkos older brother Vitali, the former WBC champion, stepped back from boxing to concentrate on politics in their native Ukraine. Rob Holding Jersey . With the players association in the midst of meetings in Las Vegas, a vote will be held on Friday to decide the CFLPAs presidency and other executive positions. Carl Jenkinson Arsenal Jersey . LOUIS -- Russell Martin wanted a better fate for his starting pitcher and helped deliver a happier ending. http://www.footballarsenalstore.com/Women-Granit-Xhaka-Arsenal-Fc-Jersey/ . With the Canadiens leading by one to start the third period, Price turned away 16 shots by the Panthers in the final frame to give Montreal a 2-1 victory over Florida on Monday night. The Panthers (16-21-6) outshot Montreal 16-10 in the final frame, but were repeatedly frustrated by Price, who made 26 saves on the night.Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Russell Westbrook had 27 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder led wire-to-wire in a 103-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. The Thunder were coming off a loss in New Orleans on Tuesday that spoiled Kevin Durants return from offseason foot surgery and ended the teams first winning streak of the season at two games. The reigning NBA MVP scored 27 points while playing nearly 30 minutes in his season debut. He played 29 minutes against the Sixers, scoring 10 on 3-of-11 shooting as Westbrook, in his third game back after missing 14 with a broken hand, led the way. Serge Ibaka added 19 points for the Thunder and Jeremy Lamb scored 15 off the bench, including a couple of 3-pointers that thwarted an attempted Sixers rally late in the fourth quarter. The Sixers fell to 1-18, landing right back in the losing column after getting their first win on the road against Minnesota on Wednesday night. The victory kept them from matching the 2009-10 Nets for the worst start to a season in NBA history, but they remain winless (0-11) at home. Robert Covington scored a career-high 21 points off the bench to lead the Sixers. Michael Carter-Williams had 16 points and 14 assists working against Westbrook all night and Nerlens Noel also posted a double-double, scoring 11 with 10 rebounds. Westbrook and Carter-Williams jawed often, including after Westbrook airballed a 3-pointer in the third quarter, when the second-year Sixers point guard had something to saay. Stephan Lichtsteiner Arsenal Jersey. . It came during a 7-0 Sixers run that trimmed Oklahoma Citys lead to 72-60. The Thunder went more than five minutes without a field goal, but stretched their lead to 18 with 1:25 left in the quarter. They carried an 82-67 advantage into the fourth and had another long field goal drought as the Sixers pulled within 10 points on Noels alley-oop dunk from Carter-Williams and later got as close as seven with three minutes left. There was no back down, said Sixers coach Brett Brown. We had one lull in the third quarter. ... But I thought after that, there was a lot of fight in that young group. But Lamb knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers around a Philadelphia turnover to cap an 8-0 Thunder flurry and put the game out of reach. Earlier, Westbrook had eight points and four of his seven assists in the first quarter and the Thunder shot better than 56 percent, leading by as many as nine. Reserve forward Covington kept the Thunder from pulling away, scoring seven points in the quarter for Philadelphia. Hollis Thompson hit a 3-pointer to cap a 9-0 Sixers run in the second that cut into a 16-point Oklahoma City lead, but the Thunder pushed it back to 14 and led 57-47 at halftime. Game Notes The Thunder have won 11 straight meetings since the last Sixers win in the series on Nov. 15, 2008 ... The Thunder will finish a three-game road trip in Detroit on Sunday ... The Sixers start a three-game road trip on Saturday in Detroit. ' ' '

LAGO DE SANABRIA, Spain -- Michael Matthews of Australia won the fifth stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Wednesday and Vincenzo Nibali retained the overall leaders jersey ahead of American rider Christopher Horner. Ecco Outlet España . The 23-year-old Matthews, riding for Orica-Greenedge, won in 4 hours, 28 minutes, 22 seconds, after finishing a sprint ahead of Maximiliano Richeze of Argentina and third-place Gianni Meersman of Belgium, who both had the same time as the Australian after riding 108 miles from Sober to Lago de Sanabria. "My goal was to arrive to the Vuelta in good form and everything leading up to this point has been a progression to get me to this level," said Matthews. Matthews, who won two stages in the Tour of Utah this month, dedicated his victory to teammate Wesley Sulzberger, who was ruled out of the race after fracturing his collarbone and elbow during Tuesdays fourth stage. "I wish him a fast recovery and, yeah, this win is for him," Matthews said. Although Sulzberger managed to finish the fourth stage, Orica-Greenedge withdrew him from Wednesdays stage that included two Category 3 climbs. The 26-year-old Sulzberger, also from Australia, was hurt in an accident at the foot of the steep Mirador de Ezaro climb but was able to get back on his bike and race the remaining 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) to the finish line. Astana rider Nibali is three seconds clear of RadioShack-Leopards Horner. "I was a bit nervous because it was windy today, but it has gone really well for me," said Nibali. "Things are going well for me and the conditions have been in my favour." Arnaud Courteille and Juergen Van De Walle broke away from the pack to lead by 25 seconds, but they were unable to stay ahead as they approached the end. The three-week race ends in Madrid on Sept. 15. Zapatos Ecco España . -- Augusta James of Bath, Ont. Comprar Zapatos Ecco Online .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. http://www.eccobaratas.es/ . -- Jack Del Rio only wanted to talk about the Cowboys, not the Trojans.TSNs Jack Armstrong offers his thoughts on the Spurs being back in the mix, the bench strength of the Raptors, the Pacers and Heat not being ready for prime time, the compete level of Kemba Walker and the Warriors coaching situation. 1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Have won 15 straight games and suddenly here they are again in the mix regarding the discussion of what teams can be in the Finals in June. Dont beat you ever with flash but man, oh man lots of substance when you talk about this team. Wednesday night against Denver, they had five players in double figures and had 30 assists on 43 field goals. Thats quite impressive. The commitment to the team and playing the game together is a principle that has served them well over the years and will make them a tough out in the playoffs. The sum is more important than the parts. 2. RAPTORS BENCH: Its pretty evident that in spite of the Raps being 6-5 in the absence of Patrick Patterson, they miss his presence big-time in a variety of ways. Hes a wonderful perimeter defender on screen and roll sequences, gets after it on the glass, defends in the post and can give you both scoring inside/out as well as intelligent team play on offence. He and Greivis Vasquez are the two major contributors off the bench and when you look at the Boston game Wednesday night with less than 10 points coming off the bench, its an area of concern to say the least as you prepare for the playoffs. Pattersons absence has clearly affected the defence as well with teams putting the Raptors in screen and roll scenarios and the nightly battles on the boards without one of your sturdier post guys. John Salmons has struggled of late and is a solid veteran player. When hes going good, this team has another gear. Getting Patterson back and healthy and an on-track Salmons will go a long way towards getting this team ready for the playoffs. Digging themselves early holes that they have to battle back from are an issue that has to be corrected along with tightening the screws again with the defence. They do that and Im confident that they can compete quite well in a first round series. 3. PACERS VS. HEAT: Watched the game Wednesday night and I must say I was underwhelmed with the quality of play. Yes, it had great playoff intensity but it appeared to me that both of these teams have needed a game like this for a while to get that next gear back in their playing style. Both looked like they need to work out some kinks in the final weeks with offensive flow/execution to be ready to roll in mid/late April. A long season combined with injuries, etc. have a way of messing up your chemistry and neither looked as fluid as when theyre at their best. The Raptors see both of them next week with the Houston Rockets sandwiched in between (what a week!) which will be a good test of their playoff readiness as the Heat have been able to knock off the Raptors this season three times while the Pacers are 2-1 and the Rockets won their game in Houston vs the Raps. The good teams start to takke that next step here in the final 10 games to get everything humming and in sync. Zapatos Ecco Baratos. Always fun to watch as teams gear up for the second season. 4. KEMBA WALKER (Bobcats): Al Jefferson (35 and 15) was awesome in the overtime win vs. the Nets Wednesday night. Coach Steve Clifford has done a terrific job with that team. Its about time the folks in Charlotte get behind their team and support them for a change; this is a team you can root for. Love Kemba - what a gamer, scoring 20 points and five rebounds along with 12 assists. There are certain guys that you just throw out the stats some night because they just play so hard and have amazing pride and competitive spirit and do whatever it takes to win. From his days at UConn to now, he personifies what it means to give it his all. Hes been in a tough situation there with a poor roster, shaky coaching and questionable management decisions and Im happy for him that some of the proper decisions have been made around him and things are coming together. This team has become fun to watch and Walker is the heart and soul of that. 5. BRIAN SCALABRINE (Warriors): Assistant coach gets demoted to the D-League by head coach Mark Jackson. This is right out of the book of Jason Kidd/Lawrence Frank differences that took place early in the season. Jackson was adamantly supportive of Kidds move in the fall with Frank and now he does the same thing. Ive been both an sssistant coach and a head coach and I always felt that loyalty to the boss was #1 and if you disagree, you do it behind closed doors and it never gets picked up by the players, media, etc. At the same time, its vital that the assistant coaches cant be Yes Men that have to supress their opinion as opposed to express their opinion. Healthy dialogue is important yet at the end of the day, the head coach makes the call and we all march together in unison. (Hes also got to be open to suggestions and not have all the answers.) Jason Kidd got past this controversy and has done a good job with the Nets and it will be significant for Jackson to get past this as well by the performance of the team. Expectations are high in the Bay Area and results will be needed. Never an easy situation for any coach to be in and I can relate to the feeling of both. Jackson has a healthy ego and high opinion of his coaching acumen which is good to a degree, yet its time to get this team to the next level and the playoffs will be a major stage for him and his team to show that they can do it. Hes got major potential to be an outstanding coach in this league for a long time and this is another of the many tests young coaches go through in their development. Youre paid to make the tough calls and many times you have to be ruthless in this results-oriented business because at the end of the day, it all falls back on you and your record. Jackson is nobodys fool and is as competitive as they come. Its his show - plain and simple. Never easy or fair. In one word, you have to produce. ' ' '

Aaron Smith has issued a tearful apology for the airport toilet encounter that has been condemned as embarrassing by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. Kent Hrbek Jersey . Smith, widely considered the games best player on current form, has been suspended for one match after entering a disabled bathroom at Christchurch Airport with a woman described as a lady friend. Smith sent home after toilet shame New Zealand scrum-half Aaron Smith has been suspended for one Test The incident took place after the 41-13 Rugby Championship victory over South Africa on September 17 and at the time Smith, who has a partner, was dressed in All Blacks travel attire. Speaking from a hotel in Durban where the squad is based ahead of Saturdays clash with the Springboks, an emotional Smith apologised for the incident before departing back to New Zealand.Ive made a huge mistake, a huge error in judgement, the Highlanders scrum-half said.Id firstly like to say a huge sorry to my partner Teagan, her family, my family. Im also sorry to my team-mates, NZRU and the New Zealand fans. My behaviour was unacceptable and if you could respect me and my partner in this situation. Im just trying to get home to deal with this. Thank you.In a sign of the gravity of the latest scandal to have unfolded in New Zealand rugby, Smiths behaviour was criticised by Key at a time when the sport in his country is facing accusations of misogyny.I think Aaron has clearly let himself and those that are close to him down, theres no question about that, Key said. Smith makes a break against South Africa in this years Rugby Championship Hell have to reflect on that and Im sure the New Zealand Rugby Football Union will have to reflect on that.All that I would say as a general rule in defence of the All Blacks, they have been for the most part very good role models for the last 10 or 20 years, under both Richie McCaws leadership and now more recently under Kieran Read.They do a lot to try and prove to young New Zealanders that theyre the sort of people to look up to but thats why I think Aaron will feel pretty disappointed in himself. Win the rugby trip of a lifetime Enter a prize draw when you buy tickets for Australia v Argentina at Twickenham on Oct 8 Head coach Steve Hansen was made aware of the incident upon arrival in South Africa this week and said that the one-match ban had been imposed by senior players because it was not of All Blacks standard.You can watch South Africa v New Zealand plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Also See: Smith suspended by All Blacks Roberts wants third Lions tour Two changes for Springboks Naholo returns for NZ Jose Berrios Jersey . The thinking at the time was Clowney could have already been promised he would be selected first overall by the Houston Texans, therefore negating any need to meet with any other teams. The plot took another twist this week. Glen Perkins Jersey . Louis Cardinals won the World Series last season, but after losing first baseman Albert Pujols to free agency and manager Tony LaRussa to retirement, they opened the 2012 season in 12th spot in the TSN. http://www.twinsrookiestore.com/Twins-Michael-Pineda-Kids-Jersey/ . Manager Ryan Nelsen has confirmed Brazilian No. 1 Julio Cesar will be rested for Wednesdays first leg of the semifinal. That opens the door for Bendik, who started 33 games for Toronto last season.TORONTO -- Jonas Valanciunas was five years old when Kevin Garnett earned his first of 15 NBA all-star selections. He was 11 when Garnett was named the league MVP. Valanciunas -- now 21 -- went toe to toe with the 37-year-old Garnett in Torontos loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their playoff series last Saturday. And if there was any sense of awe in the name on the back of the Brooklyn jersey he was guarding, the young Valanciunas didnt show it, laying down a monster game in his post-season debut. "He was not intimidated, he wasnt fazed by the physicality or guarding a legend like KG. Youre talking about a guy who is going to be in the Hall of Fame," said Raptors coach Dwane Casey. "I told our guys, Youve got to respect them because those guys have accomplished a lot in this league. But you cant fear them. KG would think less of him, knowing him, if it was anything less. Respect him, but you cant fear him. (Valanciunas) did that." The Raptors host Game 2 of the series on Tuesday, then it shifts to Brooklyn for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday. Valanciunas had 17 points and 18 rebounds in the opener of the seven-game series, while holding Garnett to five points. While many of the Raptors appeared overwhelmed by the enormity of their first playoff appearance in six seasons -- for some players, it was their first playoff appearance, period -- Valanciunas looked especially fired up from the opening tipoff. When asked Monday about guarding Garnett, Valanciunas merely shrugged. "Hes the same Garnett in regular season, so Im playing him the same way. Just maybe adding 10 per cent more effort," Valanciunas said, laughing. On Garnetts infamous trash talking: "I dont understand English. So Im OK." More laughter. On whether Garnett was a player he looked up to growing up in Utena, Lithuania: "His last name is really famous, so I heard about him when I was a kid." Respect, but no fear. What helped Valanciunas keep the nerves at bay, Casey believes, is thats hes accustomed to playing in front of noisy, passionate crowds. "Thats one thing with the Euroleague, hes played in some big games over there for his country," Casey said. "He was not fazed by the crowd, by the moment, by it being the playoffs. I thought he did a good job of fighting the physicality, getting inside, rebounding, using his length against KG and (Nets centre Mason) Plumlee." As the Raptors season continues, so does Valanciunass development. His rebounds Saturday were a Raptors post-season record. His double-double was only the second by a Raptor in their playoff debut (Tracy McGrady recorded the other in 2000). He scored a career-high 26 points earlier this month, less than three days after he was charged with drunk driving. "Its a positive. Him growing over the last month or so has really been a positive for our season," Casey said. "Hes our future. Hes our starting centre for a while to come so its great to see. Plus, hes a great kid. He works at it." Raptors guard Greivis Vasquez, meanwhile, grew up watching the Nets other NBA legend Paul Pierce. He even attended Pierces basketball camp when he was a kid.. Fernando Rodney Jersey. The 36-year-old Pierce was huge down the stretch in Game 1, scoring nine of his 15 points in the final three minutes. Asked if there was one thing he learned from Pierces camp, Vasquez replied, with a wide grin: "I did. How to be clutch." Vasquez played like he was similarly unfazed by the big names on the opposing team. Vasquez, one of four Raptors acquired in December in the trade that sent Rudy Gay to Sacramento, scored 18 points off the bench and doled out eight assists. "You know what, to me, its fun," Vasquez said. "Im an underdog guy, so Ive got to prove myself every day. I wake up with 220,000 pounds on my shoulder, so Ive got to be able to find a way to walk and get to my job. "Its fun when you face Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, KG. I mean, I grew up watching those guys, especially Paul Pierce. Now I got a chance to beat em? To me, I cant ask for anything better than that. Its fun. Its a basketball game, man, at the end of the day weve all got two hands. We all can shoot. Weve got one of the best point guards, too (in Kyle Lowry). Ill take our chances, man." For the players who did look affected by the nerves in Game 1 -- all-star DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross, to name two -- Casey and his players believe Game 2 will be an entirely different story. "Were disappointed but were anxious to get a second chance at it. I think the second time around well get the first game jitters away, out of us," Casey said. Game 2 could be a repeat of Game 1 when it comes to officiating. The Raptors werent on the favourable end of any calls in the fourth quarter on Saturday. They sounded resigned to the fact after Mondays practice. "Weve accepted that all year long as far as not getting recognition or getting respect or even getting calls we think we should get," said Raptors forward Patrick Patterson. "Thats happened all year long, so for us to think its going to change in the playoffs, were fooling ourselves. We have to go out there and not worry about the referees, not worry about the calls and just play basketball." The Raptors are hoping for a repeat performance by the Air Canada Centre crowd. A sellout crowd of 19,800 took in Game 1, clad in white T-shirts and waving white towels, thanks to a pre-game giveaway. Hundreds more fans watched the game on the big screen in Maple Leaf Square outside the arena. "Unbelievable. Unbelievable," Casey marvelled. "We were in Dallas for the (NBA) championship ... but this arena Saturday was unbelievable. I was proud of our fans. They showed the NBA what were about. The white-out, it was unbelievable. The enthusiasm. They not only cheered when we were up, they cheered when we were behind. It was constant. It was like a soccer crowd. "Our players appreciated it. We appreciate it now weve got to go out and reciprocate with our effort." Saturdays game was also a ratings hit for TSN. Overnight data from BBM Canada indicated an average audience of 539,000 viewers watched Game 1. It was the most-watched Raptors game on English television in Canada since 2002, the network said in a release. ' ' '