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LANGLEY, B. Kent Hrbek Authentic .C. -- As Glenn Howard gets ready to turn 50, he is showing that his curling skills have not diminished with age. The three-time world champion from Coldwater, Ont., is keeping Team North America in contention for its second straight World Financial Group Continental Cup title. In the process, he is preparing for another run at the Brier and world championships. "There should never be anyone over 50 playing at a high level," said defending world champion Jeff Stoughton, 48, of Winnipeg, who plans to stick around for about two more years and then go back to participating in club events. Howard was on the ice for two wins and a loss Saturday. His mixed rink thrashed rising Swedish star Niklas Edin 18-2 for a win in skins play, then his mens rink hammered Edin 25-5 in late skins action. Between the skins matches, Howards usual Ontario rink dropped a 17-15 decision to Thomas Ulsrud of Norway in a singles event identical to the Hot Shots competitions used elsewhere. Howard is shining with a North American squad that is battling a determined Team World, still smarting after a one-sided loss last year, from running away with the title. Team World led the North Americans 170-120 after Saturday nights skins action. "The skins seemed to work for us," said Howard, who will hit the half-century mark in July. "I have to commend (Anderson and Singler). They played great. That was a well-curled skins game -- pretty darn close to as good as it gets. I thought we had Niklas in trouble every end." Howards mixed-rink win over Edin was his second victory over the Swede in two days, albeit in a different format. Howard beat Edin 6-4 on Friday to go undefeated in mens play with a 1-0-1 record. He opened the competition with a difficult 4-4 draw against Norways Ulsrud. "Hes been outstanding," said Stoughton of Howard. "He makes some great shots just to get the tie in his first game and then he came back after being three down against Edin and ended up winning the game." In both of the mens matches, Howard battled back from early 3-0 deficits. to go undefeated in mens play. The Ontario skip opened the competition with a 4-4 draw against Norways Ulsrud on Thursday, when he overcame another 3-0 deficit. Despite Team North Americas struggles, this competition serves as preparation for Howard as gets ready to qualify for his 14th Brier appearance. He has won three national titles and finished second to Stoughton last year. As Howard gets ready to enter his fifth decade, he is rising into rarefied curling air. Few in the games modern era, if any, have excelled beyond 50. Randy Ferbey of Sherwood Park, Alta., 52, is an exception, but he did not advance beyond Edmonton city playdowns this year and will miss the Brier. Stoughton attributes Howards and his own success to improved play, a better training regimen and enhanced fitness among curlers over the past two decades. But Stoughton would rather see more young curlers challenge him and his peers. "Theres not really a whole lot of young mens teams between 20 and 35," said Stoughton. "We dont know why. Maybe they got tired of losing to myself, Glenn or Kevin Martin, or somethings wrong with the programs, because we dont have the young teams like the European teams do." He pointed out that European teams have more government funding available to develop young elite curlers. Although some countries have smaller talent pools, they have the resources to develop young stars. For example, Swedish curlers can get money from the curling federation or the countrys Olympic program. As a result, Edin, 26, is able to spend considerable time improving his skills. But Sweden operates under a different system, with national team coach Peja Lindholm selecting world championship and Olympic rinks rather than requiring squads to go through playdowns and qualification events as Canadians do. "You have so many good teams here in Canada, so it doesnt really matter how you do, because you know Canada will have an outstanding team playing in the championships," said Lindholm. "Its not exactly the same way in Europe and in Sweden. Therefore, we have to have good systems to make sure the best teams will go to the championships." Lindholm attributes Howards success to more than just good fitness. The curlers age is also about state of mind. "Its a question of motivation, I would say," said Lindholm. "Do you have the motivation for practice and stuff like that? If you have that, Im sure you can have a top quality and make sure youre going to be of top calibre as well." The rest of the Continental Cup will test Howards motivation even more. The remaining skins games Sunday are heavily weighted points-wise and strong results will allow Team North America to overcome its struggles thus far. "Itll be interesting from now on to see how this will be, because the first half is more like the preparations and the setup for the last two days," said Lindholm. "Canada is playing very nice and I expect the Canadian curlers, and also Glenns team, of course, to play very good." In other mens team action Saturday, Ulsrud drew 4-4 with Pete Fenson of the U.S., and Scotlands Tom Brewster edged Stoughton 7-6. In early womens skins play, Annette Norberg of Sweden beat Patti Lank, a Midale, Sask., native who lives in Lewiston, N.Y., native and competes for the U.S., by a 16-4 score. In early mens skins play, Scotlands Brewster Scotland also bettered Fenson 16-4. In late skins play, Scotlands Muirhead downed Amber Holland of Kroneau, Sask., 26-4 and Ulsrud drew Stoughton 15-15. Ervin Santana Authentic . The All-Star point guard, sidelined for the past six months with a knee injury, was set to return to the Oklahoma City Thunder lineup for Sunday nights home game against the Phoenix Suns, weeks earlier than expected. Bert Blyleven White Jersey . Kershaw allowed one run in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-1 victory over Arizona in the March 22 opener at Sydney. The two-time NL Cy Young Award In the process, the reigning NL Cy Young winner strained a back muscle and went on the DL for the first time in his major league career.PALM HARBOR, Fla. -- Robert�Garrigus missed two short par putts over the last seven holes Saturday, and just like that, his four-shot lead dwindled to one in the Valspar Championship. Thats about the only thing that went quickly. On a gorgeous afternoon at Innisbrook, pace of play on the PGA Tour reared its ugly head again. Garrigus had to settle for a 1-under 70 when he missed short par putts on the 12th and 18th holes, giving him a one-shot lead over Kevin�Na, who laboured and fidgeted his way around the Copperhead course to a 68. The final group turned into a threesome for most of the back nine -- Garrigus, Kevin�Na and a rules official with his hand on a stopwatch. Even though they finished in just under four hours, they were as many as two holes behind the group ahead of them. Both players were given a bad time -- a first for Garrigus, but not for Na -- and one more would have meant a one-shot penalty. "Im not used to being put on the clock," said Garrigus, one of the fastest players in golf. "Thats the first time in nine years -- actually the first time in 17 years as a professional -- Ive ever got a bad time on the golf course. I started laughing." They were on the clock when Garrigus had a nasty lie in the rough on the side of the hill on the par-5 14th. He walked some 30 yards up to the green to study his shot, and by the time he walked back to hit it, he was went beyond his allotted 40 seconds. Na was given a bad time on the par-3 13th hole when he was first to play. "Over water, tough to judge the wind and corner pin is obviously brutal, and probably just took some extra time because it was probably a hard golf shot," Na said. "Unfortunately, I was past the time. I know how to play. I dont know what people were saying, but I dont feel like I should be criticized for my play today because Im the first one to admit if I play slow. But I really didnt feel like I played slow today." A traffic jam is likely for the final round. Garrigus was at 8-under 205, and the final seven holes brought several players back into the mix -- most of them needing a win to get into the Masters. David�Hearn (70) of Brantford, Ont., is tied for 11th at 2-under par, Graham�DeLaet (71) of Weyburn, Sask., and Calgarys Stephen�Ames (72) were tied at 38th at 1 over. John�Senden of Australia made a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to cap off a 64, moving up 32 spots on the leaderboard into third place, just two shots behind. Justin�Rose, at No. 7 the highest-ranked player in the field, made bogey from a wild tee shot on the 18th for a 69 and was three shots behind. Retief�Goosen finisshed his bogey-free 64 some 2 1/2 hours before the leaders began the third round. Harmon Killebrew Authentic. He made the cut on the number, and suddenly finds himself within four shots of the lead on a course where he has won before. Goosen was at 4-under 209, along with Scott�Langley (69) and Charley�Hoffman (67). Luke�Donald, a winner at Innisbrook two years ago, was in the group five shots behind. Garrigus did plenty right. He hit two balls off the first tee, only to find his original tee shot had banged off a tree and back into play. He converted that into a birdie, made a 12-foot birdie on the next hole and stretched his lead to four shots with a nifty flop shot from the pine straw that set up a birdie on the par-5 fifth. That was his last birdie. Na remarkably has made only one bogey through 54 holes on a Copperhead course with plenty of bite. He turned a potential bogey into birdie when he chipped in from deep rough on the par-3 15th hole. The pressure came more from the clock held by rules official Gary Young. Na said he was discussing the line of his 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th with caddie Kenny Harms when he wanted one last look. "I was about to back off. Kenny goes, You better go," Na said. "I kind of peaked out in the fairway and theres Gary on the cart with a little clock." Even so, Na said he didnt feel a need to apologize. Pat�Perez, playing in the group ahead of them, hit a tee shot into the vegetation on the third hole. Taking a penalty drop would leave him in a palmetto bush, so he opted to go back to the tee. Perez was given a cart ride to the tee and back to his next ball in play, and then he was gone. Perez is one of the fastest players. "They took off," Garrigus said. "When Pat is playing bad, he takes four seconds to hit a shot." Na said Garrigus told him after the round that he would tell him if he were playing slow. He said other players have told him he has picked up the pace. He said he has improved "a ton" since The Players Championship in 2012, when he was changing his swing and had trouble taking the club back -- or changing his mind at the top and purposely missing the ball so he could start over. "Its not fair for me because I already have that stamp on me," Na said. He would much rather me known as a guy with multiple wins on the PGA Tour, and he has a chance to get his second title on Sunday. So does Garrigus, whose only other win was at Disney in 2010. At stake for both is a spot in the Masters. Of the seven players separated by four shots going into the final round, Rose is the only one eligible for the first major of the year. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

GSTAAD, Switzerland -- Juan Monaco of Argentina beat third-seeded Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in the Swiss Open second round on Wednesday.Chris Carter Steelers Jersey . Monaco took advantage of Garcia-Lopezs service problems in a match which had nine breaks of serve. Monaco, who was a top-10 player in 2012, has won seven of his eight career titles on outdoor clay courts. He plays Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil, a two-time Gstaad champion, in the quarterfinals. Bellucci won 6-4, 6-4 against fellow left-hander Federico Delbonis, the fifth-seeded Argentine. Completing the first-round matches, wild card Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland beat qualifier Gianni Mina of France, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3). Shayne Graham Jersey .J. -- Thierry Henry and Lloyd Sam scored second-half goals to give the New York Red Bulls their first win of the season, 2-1 over the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night. Ben Roethlisberger Steelers Jersey . Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., sent a letter Friday to the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce citing the derogatory nature of the word "redskins" and suggesting the committee use its influence to persuade team owner Dan Snyder and the NFL to change the name.SOELDEN, Austria -- Ted Ligety will be the overwhelming favourite when the Olympic ski season opens on Sunday with a World Cup giant slalom on Rettenbach glacier. The American has won this race for the past two years and finished on the podium for the past five. A year ago, Ligety didnt just win here, he dominated with a massive victory margin of 2.75 seconds. Taking advantage of extensive preparation on newly shaped skis introduced last season, he went on to win six of eight giant slaloms on the circuit. "I hope to come close to that," Ligety said on Thursday. "But people have figured out the skis by now and I cant really expect to win GS by those kind of margins." Ligety also won three gold medals at last seasons world championships -- a feat no man had accomplished since French great Jean-Claude Killy won four 45 years earlier. So how does he find motivation having already achieved so much? "Ted is internally motivated, has always been internally motivated and thats never been a question," U.S. mens head coach Sasha Rearick said. "The challenge now, after a year like that, is everyone wants a piece of him -- media, industry, commercials, the foundation, marketing. So hes been busy. But hes done a good job to make sure that hasnt interfered with his training and keeping focused on what is important. Hes working on getting better every day." While Ligety is hoping to peak for the Sochi Games in February, he also wants to win the overall World Cup. Ligety broke the 1,000-point barrier for the first time last season but he still finished third overall behind Marcel Hirscher of Austria and Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway. "The overall challenge is going to be able to execute week in and week out," Rearick said. "He was able to do that in GS consistently, now its about taking that same kind of consistency into the slalom and super-G. Last year we saw a real, big gain in his super-G and now we need to make that same jump in slalom." Ligety showed his super-G potential by winning that event at the worlds, and his main emphasis in preseason training has been on slalom. &quoot;Hopefully thats the formula to win the overall," he said. Jarvis Jones Steelers Jersey. "The overall is every World Cup skiers big goal and every year I round out my skiing. Its not easy though." To help Ligety achieve his overall goal, the U.S. squad has a special multi-event team of coaches to work exclusively with Ligety and fellow allrounder Bode Miller, who is back after taking a season off to let his surgically repaired left knee fully heal. "My knee is good. Its a little puffy but its been that way for a long time," Miller said. "Overall it feels better than it has since 01." Having sat out last season, the reshaped GS skis are completely new to Miller. "Its been difficult because I havent had a chance to ski at a very high level," he said. "So when I got on the race hill here it was a bit of a shock. ... Its less fun, more work, but it seems OK." Miller also has a solid record in Soelden. He won in 2003 and 2004 and has eight consecutive top-10 finishes. Still, having not raced for so long, Miller wasnt about to make any predictions for Sunday. "Its an intimidating race hill," he said. "I hope to be in touch and gain some points." Hirscher and Svindal are again the favourites for the overall title. Hirscher took the coveted crown the past two seasons and Svindal won it in 2007 and 2009. "Im ready," Svindal said. "Last year I made the overall exciting and I want to be a part of that excitement again. If its Ted or whoever I want to make it hard for them, too. I for sure want to win it." Another overall contender could be Alexis Pinturault, the Frenchman who was sixth overall last season with three victories in three different disciplines: Slalom, super-combined and giant slalom. The only racers to win in GS last season besides Ligety were Hirscher in Val dIsere, France, and Pinturault in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. After Soelden, the World Cup goes to Levi, Finland, for slaloms on Nov. 16-17, followed by stops in the United States and Canada before the traditional races in Europe. The Sochi Games run from Feb. 7-23. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Johnny Bench Authentic . - The Royals and outfielder Jarrod Dyson have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract for $1,225,000.Dyson, who is expected to be the Royals fourth outfielder, can also make $25,000 for reaching 350 plate appearances and $50,000 if hes chosen for the All-Star game.Dyson earned $530,000 last season, $30,000 over the major league minimum. He had asked for $1.6 million this season and the Royals had countered at $900,000.The former 50th-round amateur draft pick hit .269 with one homer and 24 RBIs in 290 plate appearances last season. But his real value came on the base paths, where he had a career-high 36 steals.The deal Tuesday leaves outfielder Lorenzo Cain, first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and pitchers Greg Holland, Kelvin Herrera and Danny Duffy as Kansas Citys remaining players in arbitration. Brandon Phillips Authentic . Stamkos suffered a broken leg 10 weeks ago and continues to rehab in hopes of returning to the Tampa Bay Lightning lineup before the Olympic break. As a result of the positive feedback from the X-ray, Stamkos will continue to ramp up both on- and off-ice workouts. Tony Perez Authentic . The solutions? Not so much. Given an extra week to stew over the worst start in 45 years, Tomlin is tweaking the lineup hoping to find a spark that will help his team begin the long road back to respectability.Guy Boucher is headed overseas to continue his career behind the bench, as SC Bern announced Monday that the Swiss League club has hired him as their new head coach. Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-11 record. Billy Hamilton Authentic. Boucher, 39, was a QMJHL coach with the Drummondville Voltigeurs for three years before taking over the American Hockey Leagues Hamilton Bulldogs, the Montreal Canadiens top minor league affiliate. He led Hamilton to the second-best record in the AHL then turned down a chance to coach the Columbus Blue Jackets before joining the Lightning.cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey�Price�was on the ice for a third straight day on Wednesday. LaDainian Tomlinson Blue Jersey . Price, who was in full equipment for the second day in a row, worked on lateral pushes in both directions and butterfly drops over his 30 minutes of ice-time. He continues his rehabilitation from�a knee injury that he suffered in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers. After�Price skated on Tuesday, Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien reiterated that Price will not return to action any time soon. "Thats just part of the process of making a comeback," said Therrien. "Hes not going to play in that series (against New York). Hes not going to play." The Canadiens avoided elimination on Tuesday with a 7-4 win over the Rangers, setting up Game 6 in New York on Thursday. LaDainian Tomlinson Womens Jersey . - Russell Wilson is getting on the diamond again.Junior Seau Chargers Jersey . - Hall of Fame centre Bill Russell was arrested this week at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after Transportation Security Administration officials found a loaded gun in his luggage.The Whitecaps extended their unbeaten run in Major League Soccer to five matches, but Saturdays 2-2 tie at home to Seattle Sounders finished in controversial fashion, denying Vancouver the three points their performance deserved. The penalty call by referee Ismail Elfath on Jay DeMerit late in the game was baffling, and it took the shine off an entertaining Cascadia Cup battle in which the Whitecaps created numerous chances with their impressive attacking style of play Credit to Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson for keeping his cool post-game. Had he launched a scathing attack on the referee, no one would have questioned him. But in public, Robinson reacted with dignity and humour rather than spending his time complaining about the officiating. It was a refreshing approach. Maybe Robinson just didnt want to lose any more money - earlier in the day, he lost a bet with Chilean midfielder Pedro Morales over which team would win the Champions League final and the coach will now have to take the whole squad out for dinner! As my colleague, Jason deVos said after the match, if that was a penalty, he would have been sent off four or five times in every game of his career! The decision let the Sounders back into a match in which they had rarely threatened, but they could have won it late in the game when Obafemi Martins went close, as could the Whitecaps, who had two or three excellent chances after Seattle had tied things up. Cascadia Cup matches very rarely disappoint. The atmosphere, the drama, the fast moving play were all evident on Saturday in front of the Whitecaps sixth successive sell-out in MLS this season. The performance shows just how far the Caps have come in a short space of time, considering how easily they were out-battled by the Sounders in a couple of early preseason meetings. Carl Robinson has created an identity for this team, and very quickly they have become one of the most entertaining in MLS to watch. The youthful exuberance was on show once again on Saturday with the pace and trickery of Kekuta Manneh and Sebastain Fernandez causing the Sounders problems, and Erik Hurtados new-found confidence in front of goal a joy to watch. Hurtados superbly taken goal tied things up just three minutes after a well-placed header from Chad Barrett had given Seattle a surprise first half lead. Hurtado is certainly enjoying his football now. Saturday was the first tiime in his pro career that he has made consecutive starts. Lance Alworth Blue Jersey. He scored in both of them, and with the goal against Toronto thrown in as well, it is three goals in three matches in all competitions for the man who has certainly taken the chance that has been provided to him following the hamstring injury to Darren Mattocks and the departure of Kenny Miller. Carl Robinson told me before the match that the difference with Hurtado now is that he isnt trying to over-think things. He certainly gave Seattles defenders plenty to think about when he turned them inside out on the goal. Gershon Koffie played his best match of the season - one of his best as a Whitecap. At only 22 years old, he has so much potential. He took his goal really well to give the team a 2-1 lead, capitalizing on a mistake by Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei but his all-round play was superb. Koffie and Matias Laba have been developing a good relationship in the Whitecaps midfield, and it is starting to pay off. Koffie was an attacking threat throughout and could have had more than the one goal. Once again, there were many positives for the Whitecaps to take away from the game, but the next step will be to win against the top Western Conference teams on a regular basis, especially at home. Caps president Bob Lenarduzzi said at half-time on our MLS on TSN broadcast that in his short time as head coach, Robinson has "done everything the club has asked of him and then some." The former Wales international is moulding a young, entertaining team playing a brand of football that people are excited to watch. The Caps could have won the game in the first 20 minutes. They were quick out of the blocks, but couldnt find a finishing touch. It has been a familiar theme over the last few games. Lots of chances are being created, but sometimes the killer instinct is missing in front of goal. Robinson has made no secret of his desire to add a top striker to his squad when the transfer window opens in July (a return for Camilo?) and that with all of the chances coming the Caps way, that would be a mouthwatering prospect. Next up is another Cascadia clash on the road at Portland Timbers next Sunday (live on TSN2 at 9pm et/6pm pt). Its another great chance for the Whitecaps to test themselves against a team that will be challenging them for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

MILAN - Brazilian defender Alex is on the verge of signing a two-year contract at AC Milan. Glen Perkins White Jersey . Alex is set to finalize his move from Paris Saint-Germain after undergoing a medical on Thursday. The 31-year-old says, "I am very happy to be at Milan, people have spoken very well of the club to me ... everythings been perfect." Alex spent two seasons at PSG after joining from Chelsea in 2012, winning the French league title both years. He also helped Chelsea to the English Premier League title and two FA Cup triumphs. Alex made 17 appearances for Brazil. Ervin Santana White Jersey . They just probably couldnt have imagined how much. Blake�Griffin had 26 points, 11 rebounds and six assists Sunday night as Los Angeles stormed out to a 31-point lead in the first quarter with its All-Star point guard back on the court and pummeled the Philadelphia 76ers 123-78. Jason Kubel White Jersey . Ulissi made his move inside the final 300 metres, bursting out of the peloton to edge Robert Kiserlovski for a second stage win in the race. Wilco Kelderman was third on the 179-kilometre (111-mile) leg from Foligno to Montecopiolo, which had two category one climbs, including the final ascent to the finish.John Gibbons and a curious bear.Jose Reyes and a ferocious lynx. Adam Lind with a wolf and an eagle.Theese should all be mounted on a cabin wall. Joe Mauer White Jersey. So majestic. (h/t @MacInTheB0x) cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks felt the repercussions of Brent�Seabrooks hit on David�Backes again on Sunday. Frank Herrmann Indians Jersey . How it affects the rest of their playoff series against the St. Louis Blues remains to be seen. Seabrook was suspended for three games by the NHL on his 29th birthday for his elbow to Backes head late in the third period of St. Louis 4-3 overtime win in Game 2. Now Chicago has to dig out of a 2-0 hole without one of its best defencemen in a rocky start to its Stanley Cup title defence. "You need his size, you need his presence and experience and his leadership," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said before Seabrooks suspension was announced. "Hes got the big shot on the point and hes on our power play as well. He kills penalties, so he plays all important minutes." Seabrook received a five-minute major and game misconduct penalty after he wiped out Backes at 15:09 of the third, and the Blues used the resulting power play to score the tying goal with 6.4 seconds left in regulation on Vladimir�Tarasenkos long wrist shot. Backes had to be helped off the ice and did not return. The captains status for Monday nights Game 3 is up in the air. "All I know is hes upright, and thats about it right now," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said Sunday. "We dont have any further information and probably wont have until late tomorrow." Backes and Seabrook were not made available to the media on the day off, but much of the talk centred on the hit anyway. The TV broadcast picked up someone taunting Backes in the aftermath of the big blow, but it was unclear if it was coming from the ice or the crowd in the corner where the play occurred. "I saw them talking to him. It makes it a little more gutless," Blues forward Ryan�Reaves said. "I dont think theres any need for that. He doesnt even know where he really is. I think if they want to start getting into that battle, we can play the same way. Well see where it takes us." Quenneville said he did not see or hear any players taunting Backes after he went down. In addition to the hit by Seabrook, Hitchcock also was upset by Bryan�Bickells knee-on-knee collision with Blues centre Vladimir�Sobotka in the third. He said the Blackhawks forward was involved in a similar play with defenceman Alex�Pietrangelo in the first. "That part bothers me more than the hit on David, a hit that went array," Hitchcock said. "The hit on Sobotka was a continuation of what happened to Petro in the first period." Here are five things to watch in Game 3 of this increasingly testy series: HOME SWEET HOME: The Blackhawks went 11-2 at home in the playoffs last year, outscoring the Wild, Red Wings, Kings and Bruins by a combined score of 41-23. They went 27-7-7 at the United Center this season, including a 2-0-1 mark against the Blues. "You just feed off of it," Quenneville said. "Itll be exciting to get back here, get some of the positive vibes off it and look to turn this thing around." VLADIMIR THE GREAT: Tarasenko missed the last 15 games of the regular season with a broken right thumb. But the 22-year-old Russian forward caused all sorts of headaches for the Blackhawks in the first two games of the series. The speedy Tarasenko had a first-period goal in the playoff opener, and then had the tying power-play score in Saturdays victory. With Seabrook out for the next three games and Backes status in question, Tarasenko could take on a more prominent role for the rest of the series. SO MANY PENALTIES: The Blues and Blackhawks combined for 17 penalties and 61 penalty minutes in Game 2. The defending Stanley Cup champions were responsible for 11 of those penalties and 41 penalty minutes, both season highs. It looked as if the Blackhawks wanted to match the physicality of the Blues, and it took them out of their puck possession game at times. "I think a little bit we might have played into their hands, but weve got to get back to our hockey, because when were playing that way we do a good job and thats how we win," Chicago forward Brandon�Saad said. BEEN HERE BEFORE: St. Louis began last years playoffs with a pair of 2-1 victories over Los Angeles at home, including an overtime win in the opener. The Blues then lost the next four games against the Kings. "We played the best game all year Game 3 in Los Angeles and lost," Hitchcock said. "This is going to be a very long series and were going to have to be better than weve been if we expect to win a game in Chicago." ABOUT THOSE GOALTENDERS: Blues goalie Ryan�Miller has been solid since Chicagos three-goal first period in Game 1. He had 25 saves in Saturdays win, and all three of the Blackhawks goals came with traffic in front of the net. Corey�Crawford made 48 saves for Chicago in the triple-overtime opener, but he was disappointed with his 27-save performance in Game 2. "He said he needs to be better, and he needs to be better," Quenneville said. ___ AP Sports Writer R.B. Fallstrom in St. Louis contributed to this report. ___ Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Michael Bourn Authentic Jersey . During the morning loop on TSN, SportsCentre presents Purple Hearts, a TSN Original feature on Daron Richardson, daughter of former NHL defenceman Luke Richardson, who took her own life at the age of 14. Justin Masterson Jersey . - Hall of Fame centre Bill Russell was arrested this week at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after Transportation Security Administration officials found a loaded gun in his luggage.MIAMI -- A replay reversal loaded the bases with nobody out and the score tied, which meant the Seattle Mariners had to pitch to Giancarlo�Stanton for a change. He made them pay. Stanton hit a grand slam to redeem himself for a costly error early in the game, and the Miami Marlins beat the Seattle Mariners 8-4 Friday night. "We tried to stay away from him all night, because he is the one guy in that lineup that can really hurt you," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "We had no choice there." The overturned call set the table for Stanton. Reed�Johnson was ruled out at third on a force play following a bunt, but the umpires reviewed the call and determined third baseman Kyle�Seager had juggled the ball. "Im a big fan of replay tonight," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "I was fired up when we won the challenge." "I knew it was going to be overturned right away," McClendon said. "That was the right call." The Mariners deployed five infielders for a potential forceout at the plate, and Stanton cleared them all with a towering homer to the left of the home-run sculpture. The 6-foot-6, 242-pound slugger took a pounding from jubilant teammates when he reached home plate, but he said he wasnt hurt. "Nah," he said. "I was throwing punches too." Stanton tied a career high with five RBIs to increase his total to 26, most in the majors. He also had an error in the second inning in right field that scored two unearned runs. Stanton was intentionally walked in consecutive at-bats, so he had to wait until the ninth to make amends for his defensive lapse. "I knew this game was going to be lost or won because of me," he said. "I was like, If I get a chance to hit, Id better take care of it, because of what I did earlier in the game. It was definitely in my mind as a duty." The Mariners lost their fourth game in a row, while the Marlins won for only the second time in the past 11 games. Johnson singled to start the ninth against Yoervis�Medina (0-1), and Christian�Yelich beat out a sacrifice bunt for his third hit. Marcell�Ozunas bbunt loaded the bases following the replay review, and Stanton hit a 1-2 slider for his sixth home run. Joe Carter Indians Jersey. Jarrod�Saltalamacchia hit his second homer for the Marlins, who won despite two errors that led to three unearned runs. The Marlins Nathan�Eovaldi pitched six innings and allowed three runs, one earned. He lowered his ERA in seven interleague starts to 1.70. Steve�Cishek (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth. The Mariners, beginning their first series in Miami since 2005 and their second ever, squandered repeated scoring chances. They went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position. Abraham�Almonte had a double and a triple and scored twice, but slumping Robinson�Cano went 1 for 5 and is 4 for 22 on the Mariners trip. The Mariners patchwork rotation again failed to go deep into a game. Chris�Young lasted only three innings while giving up seven hits and four runs. "I just never got in a rhythm," Young said. "I never felt comfortable. I wanted to go deep in the game, and I need to pitch better to do so." The Marlins overcame some bad baserunning, a problem since the season started. Yelich was an easy out trying to score from second on a two-out infield hit and Saltalamacchia was picked off first. The Marlins fielding was no better. They have allowed 14 unearned runs this season, and they came into the game tied for the most in the majors. "Weve been a little sloppy in areas," Redmond said. NOTES: Seattle OF James Jones made his big league debut when he came off the bench in the seventh inning, and he singled in the eighth. ... Yelich had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. ... Miamis Casey�McGehee improved to 8 for 15 (.533) with runners in scoring position. ... Eovaldi needed 13 pitches to retire Hart in the first inning. ... Redmond, a Seattle native, grew up a Mariners fan and said he probably attended their home opener 15 years in a row. ... LHP Roenis Elias (1-1, 2.16), who earned his first major league win in his most recent outing, is scheduled to start Saturday for Seattle against Henderson�Alvarez (0-2, 4.30). Alvarez turned 24 Friday. cheap jerseys from chinacheap jerseys ' ' '

GAINESVILLE, Fla. Jeff Locke Authentic . -- No. 3 Florida has won with defence most of the season. The Gators showed Saturday they can pull out games on the other end of the court, too. Scottie Wilbekin scored 16 points, leading all five starters in double figures, and Florida beat Alabama 78-69 for its 15th straight victory. The Gators handled the Tide for the second time in 16 days and extended a school record for consecutive home wins to 29. "If you play defence the way we did tonight, youre not going to win," coach Billy Donovan said. "Thank God we had some offence today that helped us." Florida (21-2, 10-0 Southeastern Conference) shot a blistering 62 per cent from the field and finished with a season-high 22 assists. The Gators trailed by seven late in the first half before taking over the game in the paint and in transition. That opened things up on the perimeter for Wilbekin and Michael Frazier II. Wilbekin was 3-for-5 shooting from behind the arc, making all three in the second half. Frazier was 3 for 8 from the 3-point range. Frazier finished with 14 points, joining Wilbekin, Casey Prather (15), Will Yeguete (12) and Patric Young (11) in double figures. It was the first time all five of Floridas starters topped 10 points since Nov. 21 against Middle Tennessee. "We have a balanced team, and anyone can beat you on any given night," Prather said. Prather, the teams leading scorer, failed to reach double figures the last two games while dealing with a sprained left ankle. He returned to form against Alabama even though Donovan wasnt sure he would play a few hours before the tip. Donovan gave Prather the option of playing or resting, and he chose to give it a go. "Its got nothing to do with him not being a tough kid or he cant play through pain," Donovan said. "It gets more into the fact that he doesnt feel confidence-wise that hes capable of doing the things he knows he can do. When he gets to that place, he really gets mentally taken out because he knows he cant do certain things. "When he knows he can do things physically, it adds to his confidence. When he cant move like he wants to move, I think he knows hes putting our team in jeopardy, and that eats him alive and kills him." Trevor Releford led the Tide (9-14, 3-7) with 25 points on 7-for-10 shooting. He was 4 for 6 from behind the 3-point line and perfect on seven free throws. Releford scored 16 points in the first half, carrying Alabama for much of the afternoon. His 3-pointer put the Tide up 28-21, silencing the sold-out OConnell Center. Alabama shot 61 per cent in the opening half and went 5 for 7 from behind the arc, giving the defensive-minded Donovan plenty to talk about at halftime. The Gators responded with an effective press, made 3-pointers and a heavy dose of post play that seemingly wore down the Tide. "Theyre at their best when theyre in transition," Tide coach Anthony Grant said. "From an offensive standpoint, they took us out of some things that we were able to get there in the first half." Florida went on a 25-8 run that turned a deficit into a double-digit lead. The Tide ended up losing its four straight and sixth in the last seven games. "This program cant do anything but go up," Releford said. "Its just a process. Right now were losing a game, but I feel as a team were getting better and Coach is helping us with that." Chris Walker, Floridas highly touted freshman who became eligible this week, played just 4 minutes in his second collegiate game. He finished with four points, two fouls and a rebound. Donovan said he hopes to get Walker more playing time. For as dominant as Florida has been recently, the teams toughest test comes next week. The Gators play at Tennessee on Tuesday night and then at No. 18 Kentucky on Saturday. Those games could go a long way to determining how Florida finishes in the conference and what kind of seed it gets in next months NCAA tournament. "I dont think we played great," Yeguete said. "We got it done, but we didnt play great. We know weve got to do a better job if we want to win in Knoxville on Tuesday." Andrew McCutchen Black Jersey . In the eyes of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, the two-time defending NBA champions pretty much botched the whole thing. Willie Stargell Authentic . Wright sat out games on Tuesday and Wednesday after learning he broke his finger diving back to a base Monday night. He was examined by a hand specialist for the second straight day Thursday. ROME -- New IOC president Thomas Bach is pleased with the Italian governments support for a 2024 Summer Olympics bid and said its "time for the United States to present a strong bid." Bach is in Rome for the European Olympic Committees general assembly and meetings with Pope Francis. He also visited with Italian Premier Enrico Letta. "The prime minister appeared to be interested in a bid from Italy for 24, because he has realized that the games can serve as a catalyst for development for a city and a country," Bach told The Associated Press on Saturday. While Rome has not yet been officially selected, the capital -- which hosted the 1960 Games -- likely would be Italys candidate. Other potential 2024 bids could come from Paris; Doha, Qatar; and cities in Africa and the United States. "I think its time for the United States to present a strong bid," Bach said. "And Im happy to hear that the USOC is undertaking everything to prepare such a bid." Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington are among the cities that could present a U.S. bid. USOC chairman Larry Probst attended the EOC meeting in Rome as the Americans attempt to boost their presence and influence in Olympic circles. Probst was chosen an IOC member in September. The USOC, which brings more money than anyone to the Olympic movement in the form of sponsorship and TV revenue, hasnt hosted an Olympics since the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The countrys last Summer Olympics were in Atlanta in 1996. Italys last Olympics were the 2006 Winter Games in Turin. Rome was the first city to declare its candidacy for the 2020 Games, but then-Premier Mario Monti refused to provide government financial backing and the bid was dropped. However, Letta voiced strong support for a 2024 bid in a speech at an Italian Olympic Committee meeting 10 days ago and again after meeting seeing Bach. "The Italian bid could become something definitive," Letta said after meeting with Bach on Friday. "Its not just a simple possibility." Bach also visited the pope both individually on Friday and again Saturday with a large delegation from the Olympic assembly. With numerous other high-profile IOC members also in Rome -- such as Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the influential Kuwaiti who heads the Association of National Olympic Committees -- Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago callled the two-day assembly "satisfying from every point of view. Pedro Alvarez Black Jersey. " "I really think we showed strong signs of credibility," Malago said. "For them to be here and touch things that we take for granted with their own hands was very special." While Italys financial situation has not improved since Montis rejection, with the countrys economy still in recession, senior Italian IOC member Mario Pescante said the Olympics would spur a turnaround. "Our country needs this," Pescante told the AP. "The principal problem for our country is to convince a defeatist public opinion -- and rightly so defeatist -- considering the way we react to any big event, whether its an earthquake or what not." Fears of rampant corruption play a big role. "People need to stop saying We cant do it, added Pescante, who stepped in as a special commissioner for the Turin Games. "If we continue not to build anything because were afraid of the Mafia, the country will commit suicide. ... We need to offer a strong signal that this story is finished, that were not a population of thieves. This is the biggest challenge and an Olympics could overcome that." Meanwhile, 10 weeks after his election, Bach is also pressing forward with his campaign to reform the bidding process -- starting with the detailed dossiers that bidders complete at the outset. "From most of them (its) always the same answer because they all answer the way they think we want to hear," Bach said. "I would like to invite the potential bidding cities to tell us how they think that the Olympic Games would fit best in their social and natural environment. It depends on diversity and creativity for them to say how they see it." Earlier this month, voters in Bachs home country of Germany rejected a proposed Munich bid for the 2022 Winter Games, citing financial and environmental concerns. For British Olympic Association chairman and 2012 London Games organizer Sebastian Coe, the two keys for the bidding process are making sure as many cities as possible want to join and engaging with the local communities. "The most demanding stakeholder that you have are the people that youre delivering these games for," Coe said. "Once youve focused on the needs of the athletes, the next most important group are the people in those communities that you are delivering the games for." cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

INDIANAPOLIS -- James Hinchcliffe will have to wait a little bit longer before he can return to the track. Manny Lawson Bills Jersey . The Oakville, Ont., driver was evaluated Tuesday and IndyCars medical team has yet to clear Hinchcliffe to begin Indianapolis 500 practice. He was progressing well and is now cleared to begin light training with a another evaluation set for Thursday. The 27-year old driver was diagnosed with a concussion Saturday when he was hit in the head by debris in the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis. He was taken on a stretcher to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway medical centre and was later transported to a hospital. Hinchcliffe hasnt been made available to the media since. "Pretty much the doctors said he should be a little bit disconnected," E.J. Viso said. "Just pretty much trying to stay in his room and rest." Filling in for Hinchcliffe for the third consecutive day, Viso shot straight to the top of the speed chart on the third day of practice. He reached 224.488 mph within the first 20 minutes of the start of practice. Kurt Busch was second fastest at 224.159 and Colombias Juan Pablo Montoya was third at 224.115. Just before a yellow flag for rain, Montoya pulled off the track and required a tow. The rookie reported an electrical problem with the car. "Thats why I stopped in the grass," Montoya said. "We ran a lot of laps yesterday in preparation for it, so its nothing major and it gives the guys time to catch up on the car." Meanwhile, Viso is spending each practice session with the intent to qualify and even race Hinchcliffes No. 27 car in this years Indy 500. That kind of focus, Viso believes, will have him best prepared should have be called on for the May 25 race. "I just put myself into the drivers role," he said. "I believe that its the best scenario that I could put myself in right now is with that mindset." Theres still a chance that Hinchcliffe could return in time for IndyCars signature race. Nothing has been offered to the Venezuelan, but if thats the case, Viso hasnt ruled out stepping into another car to race in the Indy 500. "If its a competitive ride, I will of course take it," he said. "Trust me, theres nothing worse than being lapped every two laps, so for that I truly dont know if its worth it. Its not like Im dying to do it, but Im dying to do well and to have a chance to win." Four other things to know from Tuesdays practice session: FAST HONDA: Honda engines recorded some of the top speeds, with seven of the top 10 fastest cars. The three fastest Chevy cars on Tuesday were Montoya, Scott Dixon (223.235), and rookie Sage Karam (222.635). PRACTICE CANCELLED: Teams wasted no time getting on the track for practice. Twenty-six cars made their way to the pits within the first 20 minutes of the start of practice before rain and thunderstorms ended track activity early. Teams have been pressed for time after a quick turnaround from Saturdays race. Rain is in the forecast for the remainder of the week. OPPORTUNITY TO RELAX: Josef Newgarden had no problem with Tuesdays practice being called early. The inclement weather that cut practice short gave the 23-year old and his crew a chance to relax after a busy stretch. By the third day of practice, Newgarden said many teams have made the full transformation of going from road course to oval racing in a short amount of time. "Most people by now are pretty sorted," Newgarden said. "Theres not a lot to do. Theres not big items you have to take off the list. Its all little things that youre looking for now." FIRST PRACTICE: Sebastian Saavedra returned to practice for the first time since wrecking at the start of the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. The pole-sitter for Saturdays race was clipped by Carlos Munoz before he was hit from behind by Mikhail Aleshin. Saavedra completed just seven laps and reached 208.985 mph on Tuesday. Cyrus Kouandjio Jersey . -- Kevin Pangos had 27 points and Drew Barham added 17 to lead No. Cyrus Kouandjio Blue Jersey . -- A year ago, Flavia Pennetta was close to retiring from tennis.WASHINGTON -- With an emphasis on defence, Paul�George, Roy�Hibbert and the rest of the Indiana Pacers are suddenly performing the way they did at the start of the season. And they dont care how ugly the product might look. Playing precisely the way they did to earn the No. 1 seed -- before a late-season swoon -- the Pacers held the Wizards to a franchise-low scoring total Friday night to win 85-63 and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series. "Listen, we dont worry about if were looking good for TV. The other teams can do that, can fill that void with fancy basketball. We dont worry about that," Indiana forward David�West said. "Were OK with this. We can win games in the 80s." Set aside Georges 23 points, and neither team looked good on offence. Not at all. It was 17-all after the first quarter, and the Pacers led 34-33 at halftime, only the 13th time teams combined for 67 or fewer points in a playoff game in the shot-clock era, according to STATS. After allowing 102 points in Washingtons Game 1 victory, Indiana has won two in a row, including holding the Wizards to 82 in Game 2. Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Sunday night in Washington. "This was probably the ugliest game of the post-season thus far. This is our style of basketball," said George, who helped limit Bradley�Beal to 6-for-19 shooting. "Thats what we do. Whether you like it or not, are a fan of watching our games or not, defence is what we hang our hats on." Washington made only 24 field goals, a team post-season worst, on 73 attempts, 32.9 per cent. That included 4 of 16 on 3s, and it didnt get much better on free throws, where the Wizards were 11 of 21. "A clunker," Wizards coach Randy Wittman called it. The Wizards never had scored fewer than 75 points in a playoff game -- the previous low came in a first-round series-ending victory against Chicago 1 1/2 weeks ago -- or fewer than 64 in a regular-season game. The 63 points also matched the fourth-lowest total by any club since 1954-55, according to STATS. "They took us out of our comfort zone offensively," Wizards forward Drew�Gooden said. "We were overly confident. ... This is a humbling expperience for us. Thurman Thomas Womens Jersey. " So much for the bandwagon-hopping in Washington. There were boos on occasion, and most of the fans started heading to the exits after Georges 3 with 3 1/2 minutes left made it 75-58. The 7-foot-2 Hibbert was again a factor for Indiana at both ends, coming up with three blocks and forcing Washingtons players to alter other shots. He also contributed 14 points and five rebounds. Before tip-off Friday, Pacers coach Frank Vogel was asked if he sensed which version of Hibbert would show up -- the zero-point, zero-rebound disaster of Game 1 or the 28-point, nine-rebound dominator of Game 2. Vogels reply, offered with a smile: "Probably somewhere in the middle of Game 1 and Game 2." Turned out to be exactly right. "In the past two games," George said about the All-Star centre, "hes been great at just defending our basket." Beals perspective? "Im 6-3, 6-4. Hes 7-2," Beal said. "So you do the math." John�Wall, Washingtons point guard, had five turnovers in his previous four games, but he had seven Friday, to go along with 15 points and six assists. Trevor�Ariza had 12 points, but zero in the second half. Marcin�Gortat scored four points one game after having 21. And Nene had eight points on 3-of-14 shooting and only three rebounds. "Johns got to go out and play aggressive," Wittman said. "I thought he had some indecision in transition -- Do I go? Do I dont go? -- which gets you caught up in the air and some turnovers that way." Washingtons woes shouldnt have been too surprising, given that the Pacers ranked No. 2 in the 30-team NBA in team defence during the regular season, allowing only 92.3 points per game. Not only that, but Washingtons two lowest-scoring games all season -- 66 points in one, 73 in the other -- came in losses to Indiana. And now that version of the Pacers might be back. "It feels like it," George said. "Gradually, were taking baby steps." NOTES: Pacers F Luis�Scola was called for a technical foul for shoving Martell�Webster in the back as the ball went out of bounds early in the second quarter. ... NBA Commissioner Adam Silver attended the game. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

GREEN BAY, Wis. Indians Jersey . -- The Green Bay Packers have released running back Orwin Smith. Smith signed with Green Bays practice squad in November. The 23-year-old Smith played college ball at Georgia Tech. The Packers announced the move on Monday. Bob Feller Indians Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. Jason Kipnis Jersey .J. -- Before his team took the ice to face the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday, New Jersey Devils forward Ilya�Kovalchuk spoke to head coach Peter DeBoer about the possibility of taking a penalty shot.LONDON - Arsenal and Chelsea showed more great form ahead of Champions League matches with thrashings of Norwich and Cardiff that left the London clubs first and second respectively in the Premier League on Saturday. Now unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions, Arsenal dismantled Norwich 4-1 at home while Samuel Etoo scored his first Chelsea goal and was involved in a controversial equalizer to spark a 4-1 win at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal has not lost a game since its opening Premier League 3-1 home loss to Aston Villa in August that angered the Gunners fans and might have played a role in German playmaker Mesut Ozils transfer to the club from Real Madrid. Ozil scored a brace against Norwich and has been key to Arsenals resurgence. "A few weeks ago we lost our first home game here and it was a difficult time, but we responded well and since then we have been consistent," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said ahead of Tuesdays Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund. "I like the solidarity in the team, of course we have quality, but its how much we maintain that and sustain that, that will decide our future." The Gunners are two points clear of Chelsea and Liverpool after the Reds had to settle for a point in a 2-2 draw against 10-man Newcastle. Adam Lallana grabbed a late equalizer for Southampton in a 1-1 draw at Manchester United, adding to the defending champions troubles in a lacklustre start to their title defence. Also on Saturday, Everton beat Hull 2-1, Stoke was held to a 0-0 draw by West Brom and Swansea defeated last-place Sunderland 4-0. At St James Park, Daniel Sturridges header salvaged a point for Liverpool against 10-man Newcastle, but the England striker also missed a great opportunity to give the Reds the win in the closing stages when he completely misjudged his volley after being brilliantly picked out in the area by Steven Gerrard. Yohan Cabayes long-range strike had put the Magpies ahead before Gerrard scored his 100th league goal for Liverpool, equalizing from the spot after defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa was sent-off for a foul on Luis Suarez in the 40th minute. Substitute Paul Dummet restored the home sides lead in the 57th with a shot at the far post against the run of the play but Sturridge headed home Suarezs precise cross in the 72nd. Liverpool monopolized the ball after halftime and created the best chances but Sturridge, wwho has scored in seven of Liverpools eight league matches this season, volleyed wide before Newcastle goalkeeper Krul denied Suarezs free kick in added time with an excellent save. Michael Bourn Jersey. "Its a chance missed for us today," Gerrard said. "I thought we did enough to win it but credit to Newcastle for hanging in there. After the sending off the game changed. They started strongly but we dominated the rest of game but couldnt get enough goals to win it." Ahead of its Champions League trip to Schalke, Chelsea extended its unbeaten Premier League run at home to 13 matches after recovering from a goal down and equalizing with a controversial goal which should have been disallowed. Jordon Mutch had put the visitors in front before Eden Hazard levelled in the 33rd, being set up by Etoo who caught out Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall while he was bouncing the ball, leading to Hazard scoring from close range. FIFA rules state the goalkeeper is still in possession at that point. Etoo made it 2-1 in the 66th before Oscar put the match to bed and Hazard scored his second of the afternoon. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands before the third and four goals for berating the officials as Chelsea fans chanted "Jose Mourinho, he sits where he wants." Mourinho climbed over the dugout and opted to sit next to a fan who tweeted: "OMG morinho is sitting next to me." Manchester Uniteds disappointing start to the season continued as Southampton scored a late equalizer at Old Trafford. United had taken the lead after 26 minutes when Robin Van Persie scored from the rebound after Wayne Rooneys shot was saved by Artur Boruc. Rooney then hit the crossbar with a volley moments later and Van Persie headed against the bar in the second half before Southampton levelled in the 89th as Lallana bundled in a corner from James Ward-Prowse. "We had the opportunities to go 2-0 up. They had been knocking on the door but I thought we would see it out," United manager David Moyes said. "But if you dont defend a corner well enough, theres always a chance they will score. We had a couple of good chances where we could have finished them off and if we had scored a second it wouldve put the game to bed, but 1-0 is always a dangerous scoreline." United is provisionally eighth in the standings, eight points behind Arsenal. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

Miami, FL (SportsNetwork. wholesale nfl jerseys .com) - The Miami Marlins made it official Friday, inking infielder Jeff�Baker to a two-year contract. No financial terms were disclosed, but previous reports from the Miami Herald had the deal worth $3.7 million. A nine-year veteran, Baker appeared in 74 games with the Texas Rangers last season, batting .279 with 11 homers and 21 RBI. "We are very excited to add such an experienced player in Jeff�Baker," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. "Offensively and defensively, we like the options that his versatility will provide (manager) Mike Redmond." Baker is a career .267 hitter with 48 homers and 199 RBI over 617 games with the Rockies, Cubs, Tigers, Braves and Rangers. The Marlins designated outfielder Jimmy�Paredes for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. wholesale jerseys ... thanks to every "buddy" that was involved. cheap jerseys from china . The pitchers agent, Bob Garber, confirmed the decision and said Oswalt would go to work for his agency, RMG Baseball. Oswalt will be vice-president of baseball operations.TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays will try to capture a second straight game versus the rival New York Yankees with Mark�Buehrle set to take the hill Tuesday in the middle portion of a three-game home series. With a win tonight, Buehrle will match Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka for the most wins in the majors with 11. Buehrle is 10-4 with a 2.32 earned run average, but has lost his last three starts, including a 7-3 setback at Yankee Stadium last Wednesday. Buehrle allowed three runs -- two earned -- and six hits in six innings. He has served up a home run in each of his previous three starts and hasnt fared too well in his career against New York, going 1-11 with a 5.84 ERA in 17 starts. Buehrle is 5-2 in seven starts at home this season. The Blue Jays returned home to start a nine-game stay and kicked off the residency with Mondays 8-3 victory over the Yanks. Adam�Lind hit a three-run homer during a six-run second inning and finished with four RBI, while Edwin�Encarnacion collected three hits. Marcus�Stroman pitched well to pick up the win and limited the Yankees to a run and three hits in eight innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. &quuot;Actually getting going was fine, its the slowing down," Stroman said. jerseys from china. Toronto is 1 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore and 2 1/2 in front on New York for the AL East lead and will also host the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers on this homestand. The Jays, who won for the second time in the last seven tries, are 21-17 as the host. The Yankees have lost three in a row since winning four straight and didnt get much help from Chase Whitley on the mound last night. Whitley was tagged for eight runs and 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings. "I couldnt command the ball at all," Whitley said. "I couldnt execute the pitches I wanted to throw." Mark�Teixeira homered for the Yankees. Taking the mound for New York Tuesday will be David�Phelps. Phelps is 3-4 with a 3.86 ERA and has won back-to-back outings after losing the previous four. In a 6-4 triumph over the Blue Jays last Thursday, Phelps delivered seven innings of two-run ball, struck out seven and walked two. Phelps, a right-hander, is 3-0 with a 3.96 ERA in nine career games (4 starts) against Toronto. The Yankees are 5-2 against the Blue Jays this season. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Pele says Lionel Messi isnt the best player in the world today -- much less of all time. Desmond Jennings Authentic . Pele said Wednesday that young Brazilian striker Neymar is better than the Argentina forward, and reiterated once again that he doesnt think Messi belongs in the conversation about who is the best player ever. That debate has long centred around Pele and Diego Maradona, but many have started including Messi after a series of outstanding performances with Barcelona. Pele, however, said at an event celebrating the centennial of Neymars club Santos that "theres always this Maradona comparison, saying that hes better than Pele. Now some are saying that Messi is better than Pele. Well, he has to be better than Neymar first, which he isnt yet. He has more experience." The 20-year-old Neymar is seen as Brazils greatest player at the moment. Ben Zobrist Authentic . The pitchers agent, Bob Garber, confirmed the decision and said Oswalt would go to work for his agency, RMG Baseball. Oswalt will be vice-president of baseball operations. Jake McGee Blue Jersey . The incident happened during Barcelonas 3-2 win at Villarreal on April 27th when Alves, who is black, picked up the banana thrown by 26-year-old David Campayo Lleo, bit off a piece and then discarded it.Acknowledging the struggles he had in Anaheim following the return of the seven players the Ducks sent to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Randy Carlyle said it will be a challenge for the Leafs to get Phil�Kessel and James van Riemsdyk geared back up for the teams stretch run. �When you dont have the success that youre expecting to have there is going to be some sort of a letdown, but thats our job as an organization and coaching staff to rebuild these guys back up,� Carlyle said on TSN Drive Tuesday night. Jake McGee Authentic. Carlyle: Stretch run, Kessel/JVR post-Sochi cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

NEWARK, N. Gregory Polanco Black Jersey .J. -- Two days after being a healthy scratch against Buffalo, Matt�Nieto had the perfect response for San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan. Nieto returned to the lineup and scored the game-winning goal at 6:20 of the third period and the Sharks defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Sunday. "Whenever you get a chance to be in the lineup, you have to have a positive impact and thats something I try to do whenever I am in," Nieto said. Nieto not only returned to the lineup, he replaced Brent�Burns on the top line with Joe�Thornton and Joe�Pavelski. It worked out just fine, with Nieto also getting a great chance in the first period, breaking in from the left boards. "Its so easy playing with those guys," said Nieto, who now has seven goals in 48 games and also played a key role as the Sharks killed off all four Devils power plays. "I just have to retrieve pucks for them, and when I get it to them, go to the net and get open." The winner came on a counterattack after goaltender Alex�Stalock made five of his 21 saves, including a two-on-none save against Patrik�Elias. Thornton made a pass from the left boards to Pavelski in the middle of the ice. He found Nieto coming down the right side and the forward ripped a shot into the top corner of the net. "I had a couple of chances in the first period and wasnt able to elevate the puck," Nieto said. "We knew in the pre-scout that we needed to get pucks high on this guy so I shot it high, and luckily it went by." McLellan said he was not sending Nieto a message by sitting him the previous game. He just wanted to get some other players in the lineup. The coach admitted, he got the message, if Nieto was sending him one. "We have to listen, too," he said. "He played well." Logan�Couture and Raffi�Torres also scored and U.S. Olympian Joe�Pavelski had the primary assists on the tying and winning goals as the Sharks won for the fifth time in six games. They were 2-1 on the road trip after the Olympics. Patrick�Marleau iced the game with a breakaway goal with 2:25 to play, his 25th of the season. Adam�Henrique and Patrik�Elias scored for the Devils, who had a two-game, post-Olympic break winning streak snapped. Cory�Schneider had 18 saves for New Jersey, which was playing its third game in four days. "We did a lot of good stuff," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. "We gave ourselves a chance under a tough circumstance to get points and it didnt happen." The Sharks and Devils took turns taking the lead in the second period that featured four goals. Couture and Torres, who returned to the Sharks lineup after the Olympic break, scored in the second period and each has three goals since returning. Henrique, who has four goals since the break, and Elias, who has two, tallied for the Devils. Couture snapped a scoreless tie at 3:26 of the period, putting in the rebound of a Marleau deflection into an open net. Schneider contributed to the goal by playing the puck poorly behind his own net to set up a point shot by Jason�Demers. Henrique tied the score a little more than a minute later, depositing a nice cross-ice pass from the right corner by Steve�Bernier into an open net for his career-best 18th goal. Elias put New Jersey ahead about 10 minutes later, deflecting a point shot by rookie defenceman Jon�Merrill past Stalock. The lead stood for 92 seconds as Torres and Pavelski worked a beautiful give-and-go on a 2-on-1 break that led to Torres third goal. He missed the Sharks first 59 games while recovering from knee surgery. He scored twice in his debut against Philadelphia on Thursday and sat out Fridays game against Buffalo. NOTES: This was Larry Robinsons first game back at the Prudential Center since the former Devils assistant and head coach left to join Todd McLellens staff in San Jose. ... This was LW Ryane�Clowes first game against the team that drafted him in 2001. ... Devils captain Bryce�Salvador (collarbone) and RW Damien�Brunner (leg) each missed their second straight game after being hurt on Thursday. Neil Walker Black Jersey . For Kyle�Lowry, its become an accepted reality. He will be traded. The question is, when and where? The Raptors point guard is widely believed to be next on general manager Masai Ujiris chopping block after the first domino - Rudy�Gay, Lowrys best friend - fell last week. Brandon Cumpton Black Jersey . Coverage kicks off from Philadelphia on Thursday as Hustler and Lawless tee up the action with a preview show. First round coverage starts on Friday at 3pm ct, as Hustler and Lawlesss and the Illegal Curve Hockey Show are live from the draft floor and continues on Saturday of rounds two through seven at 9am ct.ALBANY, N.Y. -- Defenceman Ben Chiarot scored on a shot from the right point with 23.1 seconds remaining in regulation time, lifting the St. Johns IceCaps to a 2-1 victory over the Albany Devils on Friday in American Hockey League playoff action. The IceCaps, who lead the best-of-five series 1-0, got on the board 4:29 into the game with both teams down one skater. Jerome Samson, who played three AHL seasons in Albany, stole the puck behind the net and fed Eric ODell, who beat Devils ggoalie Keith Kinkaid between his pads. Jose Tabata Authentic. Joe Whitney tied the score for Albany on a power play at 2:13 of the second period. He received a pass from defenceman Jon Merrill and ripped a wrist shot from the slot area past the stick of IceCaps goaltender Michael Hutchinson. Hutchinson made 25 saves for St. Johns while Kinkaid turned away 30-of-32 shots for Albany. The series resumes Saturday night in Albany before moving to St. Johns for the final three games. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

DENVER -- Though the Nashville Predators couldnt keep Colorado off the scoreboard, they did keep the Avalanche out of the record book. Asdrubal Cabrera Indians Jersey . Colin�Wilson had two goals and two assists, Viktor�Stalberg added a goal and an assist, and Nashville beat the Avalanche 6-4 on Wednesday night. Craig�Smith and Paul�Gaustad also scored for the Predators, who stopped Colorados six-game winning streak. Matt�Duchene had a goal and two assists for Colorado (12-2-0), which fell one win short of NHL history. The Avalanche were attempting to set a franchise record and match the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators for the best 14-game start in league history. "When you have a taste of winning -- to use a bad analogy -- its like a drug. You crave it more and more," Duchene said. "It feels terrible and weve felt this twice this year and it feels awful. It feels that much worse. When youre used to losing, its just another game, but when youre used to winning it hurts that much more." After finishing with the worst record in the Western Conference last season, the Avalanche are near the top this season. "As much as I wish to be 81-1, its a little tough," Colorado coach Patrick�Roy said. "Theyre a good team; its a nice way for us to learn." It took a career game from Wilson, who has worked his way back from a shoulder injury in March that ended his 2013 season. He had four points March 8, the game before he was hurt. "Obviously, it was great getting some numbers, getting the puck in the net, just to remember I can do it," Wilson said. "It was a while ago that I got injured, so it was good to get back at it." The Predators appeared to take control when Gaustad and Wilson scored early in the second to give them a 4-2 lead. Paul�Stastny got one back with a power-play goal with 6:27 left in the period, and Duchene tied it 4:23 into the third. Wilson answered with his second goal of the night when he beat Semyon�Varlamov at 7:34. "I felt the pressure on my back and I was going to slip it five-hole but decided to move it really quick to my backhand," Wilson said. Varlamov finished with 22 saves while allowing a season high in goals. "Its always tough to give up five goals," he said. "It was not my greatest game this year." The Avalanche pulled Varlamov for an extra skater with more than a minute left, and Gabriel�Bourque scored into the empty net. Nashville goalie Carter�Hutton made 11 of his 27 saves in the third to preserve the win. The teams, now in the same division, found a reason to ramp up the rivalry when Colorado forward Jamie�McGinn left his skates to check Nashville rookie defenceman Seth�Jones into the boards. Jones stayed on the ice for a moment before skating to the bench under his own power. He went to the locker room but returned late in the period. "My face kind of went into the boards, bit my teeth a little bit but my head was fine," Jones said. "I was (worried) but I kind of knew right away when it happened. I went directly to my teeth and I didnt have a headache." McGinn was given a charging minor and the Predators capitalized with Smiths third goal to give Nashville a 2-1 lead. "You could see Seth was putting the brakes on, hes got his back turned, hes exactly what we talk about being a vulnerable player," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "McGinn takes the two or three hard steps and then I thought he left his feet. "I just thought he hunted him out and he was a vulnerable player, and thats what were trying to take out of the game." Stalberg opened the scoring with his first goal of the season at 13:12 of the first, and P.A. Parenteau tied it with his fifth 2:11 later. Ryan�OReilly scored early in the second for Colorado. NOTES: Ryan�Ellis and David�Legwand had two assists each for Nashville. ... McGinn returned to the lineup after missing three games with a knee injury. ... Nashville C Matt�Hendricks missed his second game with an upper-body injury while C Mike�Fisher missed his first game with a lower-body injury. Both players are day to day. ... Avalanche LW Alex�Tanguay will miss two weeks with a knee injury sustained in Saturdays win over Montreal. Cleveland Indians Jerseys.J.�Miles are out for Tuesdays game against Sacramento because of injuries. Carlos Santana Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry,�I love the column, keep up the good work! It doesnt make me more sympathetic to bad calls by the refs, but it sure explains a lot!�On Tuesday, Zach�Bogosian and Lars�Eller just went off to the Sin Bin together - Bogosian for interference and Eller for embellishment.SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco 49ers have signed wide receiver Brandon�Lloyd to a one-year contract. The 49ers announced the deal Tuesday. San Francisco selected Lloyd in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. He was a member of the 49ers from 2003-05, when he caught 105 passes for 1,510 yards and 13 touchdowns. That includding leading the team with 48 receptions, 733 yards receiving and five TD catches in 2005. Michael Bourn Authentic Jersey. Lloyd has also played for the Washington Redskins (2006-07), Chicago Bears (2008), Denver Broncos (2009-11), St. Louis Rams (2011) and New England Patriots (2012) during his career before sitting out last season. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

DENVER -- Though the Nashville Predators couldnt keep Colorado off the scoreboard, they did keep the Avalanche out of the record book. Asdrubal Cabrera Indians Jersey . Colin�Wilson had two goals and two assists, Viktor�Stalberg added a goal and an assist, and Nashville beat the Avalanche 6-4 on Wednesday night. Craig�Smith and Paul�Gaustad also scored for the Predators, who stopped Colorados six-game winning streak. Matt�Duchene had a goal and two assists for Colorado (12-2-0), which fell one win short of NHL history. The Avalanche were attempting to set a franchise record and match the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators for the best 14-game start in league history. "When you have a taste of winning -- to use a bad analogy -- its like a drug. You crave it more and more," Duchene said. "It feels terrible and weve felt this twice this year and it feels awful. It feels that much worse. When youre used to losing, its just another game, but when youre used to winning it hurts that much more." After finishing with the worst record in the Western Conference last season, the Avalanche are near the top this season. "As much as I wish to be 81-1, its a little tough," Colorado coach Patrick�Roy said. "Theyre a good team; its a nice way for us to learn." It took a career game from Wilson, who has worked his way back from a shoulder injury in March that ended his 2013 season. He had four points March 8, the game before he was hurt. "Obviously, it was great getting some numbers, getting the puck in the net, just to remember I can do it," Wilson said. "It was a while ago that I got injured, so it was good to get back at it." The Predators appeared to take control when Gaustad and Wilson scored early in the second to give them a 4-2 lead. Paul�Stastny got one back with a power-play goal with 6:27 left in the period, and Duchene tied it 4:23 into the third. Wilson answered with his second goal of the night when he beat Semyon�Varlamov at 7:34. "I felt the pressure on my back and I was going to slip it five-hole but decided to move it really quick to my backhand," Wilson said. Varlamov finished with 22 saves while allowing a season high in goals. "Its always tough to give up five goals," he said. "It was not my greatest game this year." The Avalanche pulled Varlamov for an extra skater with more than a minute left, and Gabriel�Bourque scored into the empty net. Nashville goalie Carter�Hutton made 11 of his 27 saves in the third to preserve the win. The teams, now in the same division, found a reason to ramp up the rivalry when Colorado forward Jamie�McGinn left his skates to check Nashville rookie defenceman Seth�Jones into the boards. Jones stayed on the ice for a moment before skating to the bench under his own power. He went to the locker room but returned late in the period. "My face kind of went into the boards, bit my teeth a little bit but my head was fine," Jones said. "I was (worried) but I kind of knew right away when it happened. I went directly to my teeth and I didnt have a headache." McGinn was given a charging minor and the Predators capitalized with Smiths third goal to give Nashville a 2-1 lead. "You could see Seth was putting the brakes on, hes got his back turned, hes exactly what we talk about being a vulnerable player," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "McGinn takes the two or three hard steps and then I thought he left his feet. "I just thought he hunted him out and he was a vulnerable player, and thats what were trying to take out of the game." Stalberg opened the scoring with his first goal of the season at 13:12 of the first, and P.A. Parenteau tied it with his fifth 2:11 later. Ryan�OReilly scored early in the second for Colorado. NOTES: Ryan�Ellis and David�Legwand had two assists each for Nashville. ... McGinn returned to the lineup after missing three games with a knee injury. ... Nashville C Matt�Hendricks missed his second game with an upper-body injury while C Mike�Fisher missed his first game with a lower-body injury. Both players are day to day. ... Avalanche LW Alex�Tanguay will miss two weeks with a knee injury sustained in Saturdays win over Montreal. Cleveland Indians Jerseys.J.�Miles are out for Tuesdays game against Sacramento because of injuries. Carlos Santana Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry,�I love the column, keep up the good work! It doesnt make me more sympathetic to bad calls by the refs, but it sure explains a lot!�On Tuesday, Zach�Bogosian and Lars�Eller just went off to the Sin Bin together - Bogosian for interference and Eller for embellishment.SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco 49ers have signed wide receiver Brandon�Lloyd to a one-year contract. The 49ers announced the deal Tuesday. San Francisco selected Lloyd in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. He was a member of the 49ers from 2003-05, when he caught 105 passes for 1,510 yards and 13 touchdowns. That includding leading the team with 48 receptions, 733 yards receiving and five TD catches in 2005. Michael Bourn Authentic Jersey. Lloyd has also played for the Washington Redskins (2006-07), Chicago Bears (2008), Denver Broncos (2009-11), St. Louis Rams (2011) and New England Patriots (2012) during his career before sitting out last season. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

DENVER -- Though the Nashville Predators couldnt keep Colorado off the scoreboard, they did keep the Avalanche out of the record book. Asdrubal Cabrera Indians Jersey . Colin�Wilson had two goals and two assists, Viktor�Stalberg added a goal and an assist, and Nashville beat the Avalanche 6-4 on Wednesday night. Craig�Smith and Paul�Gaustad also scored for the Predators, who stopped Colorados six-game winning streak. Matt�Duchene had a goal and two assists for Colorado (12-2-0), which fell one win short of NHL history. The Avalanche were attempting to set a franchise record and match the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators for the best 14-game start in league history. "When you have a taste of winning -- to use a bad analogy -- its like a drug. You crave it more and more," Duchene said. "It feels terrible and weve felt this twice this year and it feels awful. It feels that much worse. When youre used to losing, its just another game, but when youre used to winning it hurts that much more." After finishing with the worst record in the Western Conference last season, the Avalanche are near the top this season. "As much as I wish to be 81-1, its a little tough," Colorado coach Patrick�Roy said. "Theyre a good team; its a nice way for us to learn." It took a career game from Wilson, who has worked his way back from a shoulder injury in March that ended his 2013 season. He had four points March 8, the game before he was hurt. "Obviously, it was great getting some numbers, getting the puck in the net, just to remember I can do it," Wilson said. "It was a while ago that I got injured, so it was good to get back at it." The Predators appeared to take control when Gaustad and Wilson scored early in the second to give them a 4-2 lead. Paul�Stastny got one back with a power-play goal with 6:27 left in the period, and Duchene tied it 4:23 into the third. Wilson answered with his second goal of the night when he beat Semyon�Varlamov at 7:34. "I felt the pressure on my back and I was going to slip it five-hole but decided to move it really quick to my backhand," Wilson said. Varlamov finished with 22 saves while allowing a season high in goals. "Its always tough to give up five goals," he said. "It was not my greatest game this year." The Avalanche pulled Varlamov for an extra skater with more than a minute left, and Gabriel�Bourque scored into the empty net. Nashville goalie Carter�Hutton made 11 of his 27 saves in the third to preserve the win. The teams, now in the same division, found a reason to ramp up the rivalry when Colorado forward Jamie�McGinn left his skates to check Nashville rookie defenceman Seth�Jones into the boards. Jones stayed on the ice for a moment before skating to the bench under his own power. He went to the locker room but returned late in the period. "My face kind of went into the boards, bit my teeth a little bit but my head was fine," Jones said. "I was (worried) but I kind of knew right away when it happened. I went directly to my teeth and I didnt have a headache." McGinn was given a charging minor and the Predators capitalized with Smiths third goal to give Nashville a 2-1 lead. "You could see Seth was putting the brakes on, hes got his back turned, hes exactly what we talk about being a vulnerable player," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "McGinn takes the two or three hard steps and then I thought he left his feet. "I just thought he hunted him out and he was a vulnerable player, and thats what were trying to take out of the game." Stalberg opened the scoring with his first goal of the season at 13:12 of the first, and P.A. Parenteau tied it with his fifth 2:11 later. Ryan�OReilly scored early in the second for Colorado. NOTES: Ryan�Ellis and David�Legwand had two assists each for Nashville. ... McGinn returned to the lineup after missing three games with a knee injury. ... Nashville C Matt�Hendricks missed his second game with an upper-body injury while C Mike�Fisher missed his first game with a lower-body injury. Both players are day to day. ... Avalanche LW Alex�Tanguay will miss two weeks with a knee injury sustained in Saturdays win over Montreal. Cleveland Indians Jerseys.J.�Miles are out for Tuesdays game against Sacramento because of injuries. Carlos Santana Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry,�I love the column, keep up the good work! It doesnt make me more sympathetic to bad calls by the refs, but it sure explains a lot!�On Tuesday, Zach�Bogosian and Lars�Eller just went off to the Sin Bin together - Bogosian for interference and Eller for embellishment.SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco 49ers have signed wide receiver Brandon�Lloyd to a one-year contract. The 49ers announced the deal Tuesday. San Francisco selected Lloyd in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. He was a member of the 49ers from 2003-05, when he caught 105 passes for 1,510 yards and 13 touchdowns. That includding leading the team with 48 receptions, 733 yards receiving and five TD catches in 2005. Michael Bourn Authentic Jersey. Lloyd has also played for the Washington Redskins (2006-07), Chicago Bears (2008), Denver Broncos (2009-11), St. Louis Rams (2011) and New England Patriots (2012) during his career before sitting out last season. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

9) Chris Bosh dunks Juwan Howard in a dunk tank9) Chris Bosh Photo Bombs (3-way tie)8) Chris Boshs plea to become an NBA All-Star7) Chris Bosh joins the Miami Heat, who host a over the top welcoming celebration6) Chris Bosh takes us through his preparation for a game day5) Chris Bosh shows us his cooking face4) Chris Bosh sings "Its Not Unusual" by Tom Jones3) Chris Bosh stars in "Tall Justice"2) Chris Bosh celebrates winning the 2013 NBA Championship1) Chris Bosh celebrates winning the 2012 NBA Championship Brian Dozier White Jersey . 8 exhibition game marking the leaders birthday. Rodman said the game is on track despite the recent execution of Kims uncle in a dramatic political purge. Rodmans visit comes less than a week after North Korea announced the execution of Jang Song Thaek, an unprecedented fall from grace for one of the most powerful figures in the country. Joe Mauer White Jersey . Ramirez signed a minor league deal with the Cubs on Sunday and will be a player-coach at Triple-A Iowa after he gets some at-bats in extended spring training at the teams facility in Mesa, Arizona. The 41-year-old Ramirez is a .NAPLES, Italy -- Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani again dampened English hopes by leading Napoli to a 3-1 win over Chelsea in an entertaining first leg of their Champions League last-16 matchup. Joe Mauer Authentic . Cavani, who struck a brace against Manchester City to eliminate the Premier League leaders in the group stage, was again in inspirational form as he gave Napoli the lead at halftime, before setting up Lavezzis second in the 65th minute. Lavezzi had earlier scored with a curling shot to equalize after Juan Mata gave Chelsea a surprise lead following a mistake by Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro. It is Chelseas fifth match without a win and means there is likely to be no English team in the quarterfinals after Arsenal lost 4-0 at AC Milan last week. Only three teams have come back from two goals down in a second leg. "I want to be the fourth," Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas said. "Were sure we can turn it around at the Bridge because of the chances we had tonight. Being clinical in front of the goal was the difference between the two teams. Napoli was efficient in front of goal and we werent. We made a couple of mistakes and Napoli took advantage of those opportunities." Chelsea was without captain John Terry, and the club announced before kickoff that the defender needs knee surgery and will be out for up to six weeks. Terrys absence told as Napoli breached the Chelsea defence time and time again. "We have to focus on reorganizing the relationship between the back four," Villas-Boas said. "We have to solve these issues at the back so we can profit more from the opportunities we have. ... The first two goals we had more numbers back, and if we were more organized they wouldnt have scored." It could have been even worse for Chelsea as Napoli wasted several opportunities to extend its advantage, most notably when Ashley Cole cleared Christian Maggios close-range shot off the line. "It is a pity that we didnt get the fourth, with Maggios chance," Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri said. "That would have helped us and we would have been more calm going to London. Chelsea was strong, as we knew theyd be. We were great, especially up front and in reacting to Chelsea going ahead. We had a difficult 15 minutes but then we equalized and grew from there. "Napoli had great chances tonight but it wont be easy in London. Chelsea are capable of scoring two goals at home so we have to take our opportunities. Theres the great disappointment not to have scored a fourth, we had so many chances to and we deserved to." Napoli got off to a bright start and could have taken an early lead but Lavezzi miscontrolled a good through ball from Gokhan Inler and Petr Cech gaathered the danger.Harmon Killebrew White Jersey. As Napoli pressed, a mistake allowed Florent Malouda to rob the ball and race toward goal, but Cannavaro made a perfectly timed tackle just as the Chelsea striker was about to shoot. The home side almost went in front in the ninth minute when Marek Hamsik picked out a completely unmarked Cavani on the left of the area. Cavani has scored three goals in his last two Serie A games to take his tally to 15, but the Uruguayan was denied by a great leg save from Cech. Napoli was looking more and more dangerous and seemed certain to take the lead but Chelsea gave an early warning it was not to be ignored when a long throw from Cech to Malouda caught the Napoli defence napping and goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis did well to clear. However, it was mainly one-way traffic and Maggio saw a fierce cross-goal shot kept out by another impressive Cech dive. Chelsea stunned the Stadio San Paolo crowd in the 27th minute when Cannavaro gifted the visitors the lead by diverting a cross straight into Matas path, and the Spaniard calmly slotted the ball into the left corner. The Premier League side almost doubled its lead but Davide Luiz headed Matas corner narrowly over. Napoli drew level in the 38th when Lavezzi collected the ball on the edge of the area before curling it into the bottom right corner past Cechs outstretched hand. Ramires had a great chance to restore Chelseas advantage moments later but he blazed his effort well over. Chelsea was to regret that missed opportunity as Cavani put Napoli in front on the stroke of halftime, bundling home Inlers cross from almost on the goalline for his fifth goal in seven Champions League appearances this season. The visitors almost drew level immediately after the break but Hamsik cleared off the line following a scramble in the Napoli area. Napoli should have extended its advantage when the ever-dangerous Cavani raced down the right flank before releasing Walter Gargano for what looked to be a certain third goal but, one on one with the goalkeeper, he fired narrowly wide of the right upright. Chelsea improved as the match went on and came close to the equalizer on several occasions, notably when Didier Drogba muscled his way through on goal but Salvatore Aronica and De Sanctis combined to clear the danger as the Ivory Coast international bore ominously close to goal. Instead, Napoli extended its advantage five minutes later. Cavani turned his marker well and passed across the outside of the area, past an outrushing Cech, for Lavezzi to slot into an empty net. Napoli almost scored again as Cech flapped at a cross but, with the goal gaping, Cavani slipped and Maggio then saw his effort cleared off the line by Ashley Cole. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

Bronx, NY - The New York Yankees acquired left-handed pitcher Jeff�Francis in a trade with the Oakland Athletics on Friday. Chris Heisey Red Jersey . The deal sent Francis and cash considerations to New York for a player to be named later. The Yankees needed to add depth to their rotation with ace Masahiro Tanaka out indefinitely. Tanaka has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and with successful rehab could return in approximately six weeks. Francis, a first-round draft pick by the Colorado Rockies in 2002, was recently designated for assignment by the Athletics after recording a 6.08 ERA in nine relief appearances over 13 1/3 innings. The veteran has a 5.89 ERA in 10 games with Oakland and the Cincinnati Reds this season. For his career, the 33-year-old has a record of 70-80 with a 4.95 ERA and 847 strikeouts in 238 games. The Yankees also designated right-hander Jim�Miller for assignment and recalled right-hander Matt�Daley from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Todd Frazier Red Jersey . Tanaka has certainly lived up to the hype this season, going 10-1 with an American League-best 2.02 ERA. The Japanese right-hander went the distance to win his fourth straight start on Wednesday in Seattle, as he held the Mariners to a pair of runs and six hits. Brandon Phillips Red Jersey . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tiger�Woods made it through two days of a golf exhibition without any trouble with his left Achilles tendon. Woods withdrew from the final round at Doral on March 11 with tightness in his left Achilles tendon, the same one that forced him to miss two majors last year. Woods later said he was being smart about his injury, and that it turned out to be a minor strain. IIf he makes the cut this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, it will be seven straight days of golf in his final competition before the Masters. Joey Votto Red Jersey. In the Tavistock Cup, a two-day exhibition among four private golf clubs, Woods shot an even-par 72. Ian�Poulter, his teammate from Albany, was the only player who had a higher score. Lake Nona won the event. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini says striker Sergio Aguero could be back in action next week after being out for almost a month with a calf injury. Wholesale Jerseys . The 25-year-old Argentine is Citys top scorer this season with 19 goals but has not played since the 6-3 win over Arsenal on Dec. 14. Aguero, however, is back in training and could be available for Citys Premier League game against Cardiff on Jan. 18. Pellegrini says "Aguero continues working and maybe next week he can be fit." City has won six of its seven games in Agueros absence and is currently second in the Premier League, one point behind Arsenal. Cheap NFL Jerseys . Turns out, the alternative wasnt any fun for Malone, either. Durant scored 30 points and embraced a role as a facilitator by finishing with nine assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder past Sacramento 108-93 on Sunday night. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . The Italian came from behind to overtake Jarlinson Pantano in the final 50 metres and edge out Dario Cataldo on the line after a climb to the sanctuary of Oropa, the scene of Marco Pantanis memorable victory in 1999.New York Islanders defenceman Travis�Hamonic has been suspended for one game for instigating a fight during the final five minutes of Saturdays game against the New Jersey Devils. Islanders coach Jack Capuano was also fined $10,000 for his role in the incident. The National Hockey Leagues Department of Player Safety announced the penalties on Saturday. Hamonic was given a minorr penalty for instigating, a major penalty for fighting and a game misconduct on the play, which occurred at the 15:23 mark of the third period. Cheap Jerseys From China. Hamonic was attempting to fight Devils forward Ryan�Carter, who did not respond to Hamonics actions. In 49 games this season, Hamonic has one goal and nine assists. He had no previous NHL suspension history. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

NEW YORK -- Brian�Roberts and the New York Yankees have completed their $2 million, one-year contract, a deal that allows the second baseman to earn $4.Sebastian Vollmer Authentic Jersey .6 million if he becomes a regular starter. The contract was agreed to on Dec. 17 and finalized Tuesday, three days after a spot on the 40-man roster opened when Alex�Rodriguez was suspended for the season for violations of baseballs drug agreement and labour contract. The 36-year-old Roberts, an All-Star in 2005 and 2007, is an option to replace Robinson�Cano, who signed with Seattle. Roberts, who had spent his entire 13-year major league career with Baltimore, has not played a full season since 2009 because of injuries. He hit .249 with eight homers and 39 RBIs in 77 games last year. In addition to his base salary, Roberts can earn $2.6 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $175,000 each for 250 and 300; $250,000 apiece for 350 and 400; $300,000 each for 450 and 500; $350,000 for 550; and $400,000 apiece for 600 and 650. Roberts raises the Yankees luxury-tax payroll to about $165 million, including benefits -- the exact amount is uncertain pending a determination on how Rodriguez will be accounted for. A-Rod originally was listed at $27.5 million, but arbitrator Fredric Horowitz ruled the suspension will cost him 162/183rds of his $25 million salary this year, which comes to $22,131,148. The Yankees hope to be under the $189 million tax threshold this year. Nate Solder Patriots Jersey . Edwin�Encarnacion hit two of Torontos season-high five home runs as the Blue Jays capped a two-game mini-sweep of Philadelphia by outscoring the Phillies 12-6 on Thursday at Rogers Centre. John Hannah Authentic Jersey . Headlining the 27 players were first-round NHL draftees Rasmus Ristolainen and Teuvo Teravainen. Both players are returnees from the 2013 Finnish World Junior team.MILWAUKEE - Brandon�Jennings wouldnt let the Milwaukee Bucks blow another big lead. Jennings scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the Bucks to a 102-81 victory over the winless Washington Wizards on Friday night. "Right now we should really be 3-0," Jennings said. "We were up at halftime against Charlotte, and we lost a lead. And tonight we were up (24) at half and let a team come back. That is something we really need to focus on, especially going on a West Coast road trip. On the road in hostile environments you have got to be able to contain the lead and take over." Jordan�Crawford, benched in favour of Nick�Young after scoring one point in a loss at Atlanta on Wednesday, led Washington (0-3) with 24 points. John�Wall had six points on 1-of-9 shooting and four turnovers. Ersan�Ilyasova had 16 points, and Carlos�Delfino, who missed the first two games of the season with a sprained right wrist, added 15 off the bench for Milwaukee (2-1). Andrew�Bogut had 13 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Jennings has scored 22, 24 and 22 points in three games this season. "He has been very efficient," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "He is doing a good job in the first half of the games of moving the ball around and seeing people and kind of taking his scoring opportunities as they come. And then as the game has gone on hes gotten a little more aggressive, especially when weve struggled a little bit in those stretches. "Thats what the good players do." The first half went about as badly as it could go for the Wizards - starting with a technical foul called when Roger Mason Jr., who was not on the active list, checked into the game. Mason had come in for Crawford with 3:27 left in the first quarter and scored on a baseline jumper seven seconds later. However, during a timeout at the 2:53 mark, the Wizards were whistled for the technical. The basket was later taken away from Mason and credited to Rashard�Lewis. Jennings made the technical free throw to make it 25-18 Milwaukee, and Ronny�Turiafs dunk made it 25-20 before the Bucks poured it on. Wizards coach Flip Saunders took responsibility for Mason being disqualified from the game. The Wizards public relations staff also took the blame. The NBA provides a roster to teams to circle who will be inactive for each game. The list excluded Masons name, and neither Saunders nor the PR staff caught the mistake before sending the final active roster to the league office. The Bucks statistical staff noticed the mistake when they tried to enter Masons basket. "Its my fault," Saunders said. "I didnt notice it. I take responsibility for that. I thought he would have given us some help." Said Mason: "It was just human error. Just a mistake. It happens." Milwaukee outscored the Wizards 40-21 the rest of the half to take a 65-41 lead. The Bucks, 222nd in the league in field goal percentage coming in, shot 61. Matthew Slater Authentic Jersey. per cent in the half to Washingtons 34 per cent. Young and Wall combined to go 1 for 11 in the first half. Washington opened the second half on a 15-4 run, holding Milwaukee without a field goal for more than five minutes. The Wizards outscored the Bucks 26-13 in the period and trailed 78-67 after three quarters. Crawford had 12 points in the third. "We are all young and we try to force it," Crawford said. "We all try to do it on our own, which I try to do all the time. Sometimes I want to come back as quick as possible." Washington cut it to nine on a dunk by JaVale�McGee to open the fourth, but the Wizards got no closer the rest of the way. They cut it to 88-77 with less than six minutes remaining, but the Bucks -- who had blown double-digit, second-half leads in each of their first two games -- used an 8-0 run to seal it. Bogut said the late comebacks are not concerning, as the team looks ahead to games at Denver, Utah, Sacramento, the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix in the next nine days. "We have no excuse for it, but at the same time were not really pushing the panic button," Bogut said. "Were 2-1, and weve got room to improve on that." Meanwhile, the Wizards, and Wall, are just looking for a win. "Very disappointed," Wall said. "I think we could have won these two ones against the Nets and definitely the Bucks. We just didnt bring the energy. There is no way you could make the playoffs when you are not winning the close games and tough games against teams like this." Said Saunders: "Bottom line is we got to figure it out and figure it out quick. We cant have it where we have some guys go out and compete, or if some guys are not playing well offensively it takes away our energy defensively." And he said Wall is one of the problems. "Wasnt good," Saunders said. "John has a tendency to get down on himself when he is not making plays. We got down big, he got down." Notes: Wizards forward Andray�Blatche again took to his Twitter page after a loss, this time apologizing to fans for his funk, saying he would focus on his defence and rebounding, and asking them not to give up on the team. . Bucks forward Luc�Mbah�a�Moute missed his third straight game with right knee tendinitis. Mbah a Moute took part in the shootaround. "No idea," Skiles said, when asked how long he will be out. "We thought he was going tonight." Bucks forward Tobias�Harris, the teams first-round pick in 2011, also has yet to play for Milwaukee with dehydration issues. . The Bucks assigned rookie guard Darington�Hobson to the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Mad Ants of the NBA Development League. Hobson was the 37th overall pick in the 2010 draft out of New Mexico but missed the 2010-11 season after undergoing hip surgery. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '

HOUSTON -- Houston coach Kevin McHale worried that his team might come out flat Monday night against the struggling Utah Jazz after dropping a close game to the Heat in Miami a day before. Sonny Gray Gold Jersey . His fears were completely unwarranted. Terrence�Jones scored 30 points and the Rockets ended a three-game skid with their most lopsided victory of the season, a 124-86 win over the Jazz. "Theres got to be an emphasis on how we play and improving," McHale said. "Its really important that we keep improving and getting better." Dwight�Howard was out with an ankle strain, leaving the Rockets without him for the first time this season. But they still had no problem handling the Jazz, who have lost five in a row and have one of the worst records in the Western Conference. Houston was up by 19 at halftime and 13 points by Jones in the third quarter helped push the lead to 92-69 entering the fourth. "We just wanted to be aggressive," Jones said. "Coming off three tough ones we wanted to come out and have a lot of energy and just get back to playing ... the way we had been playing." The big lead allowed an overworked James�Harden, who had played more than 43 minutes in three of the previous four games, to rest a bit as he watched the fourth quarter from the bench. Harden finished with 15 points. Houston used a 15-0 run starting midway through the fourth quarter with all their starters on the bench except for Jones to push the already lopsided game to a 40-point advantage. Jordan�Hamilton had seven points for Houston during the run. Derrick Favours had 15 points for the Jazz a night after scoring a career-high 28. "This is a lesson for the young guys," Jazz coach Ty Corbin said. "They have to learn to get ready every night. Tonight, we just couldnt get it going. It was like we were running in mud and couldnt get ourselves out of it." It was unclear when Howard was injured, but the team announced the mild strain to his left ankle about 40 minutes before tipoff. He had been the only Rockets player to start every game this season before missing Mondays game. Omer�Asik started in his place and finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Houston got back on track after an 0-3 road trip for its first three-game losing streak of the season. The losses came at Oklahoma City, Chicago and Miami and followed a great stretch in which the Rockets won five straight over some of the Eastern Conferences best teams. "Weve been playing well and were confident in each and how weve been playing," Harden said. "The last three games have been a slip up, but overall I think were in a good place." Patrick�Beverley scored 19 and Jeremy�Lin had 17 for the Rockets, who are second to San Antonio in the Southwest Division. Jones opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer and scored the first nine points of the second half for Houston to extend the lead to 69-47. Asik had a dunk for the Rockets before Jones added four more points to leave Houston up 75-51. Favours made two free throws for the Jazz midway through the quarter before Beverley scored four points for the Rockets to stretch the lead to 26 points. Utah finally found some offence after, scoring eight straight points with the first six from Alec�Burks to cut the lead to 79-61. The Jazz cut the lead to seven on a 3-pointer by Richard�Jefferson with about 9 1/2 minutes left in the first half. Houston used a 13-2 spurt to stretch the lead to 47-29 about 3 1/2 minutes later. Lin and Beverley scored all of Houstons points in that span with Beverley scoring eight and Lin adding the rest. Utah went almost four minutes without scoring before a layup by Favours with four minutes left in the second quarter. Houston led 60-41 at halftime. The Rockets were up by two points with three minutes left in the first quarter before using an 8-2 run to close out the period and extend their lead to 28-20. NOTES: Houston F Omri�Casspi missed the game with the flu. ... The Jazz won 109-103 in the last meeting with Houston this season. ... Houstons Francisco�Garcia and Utahs John�Lucas got into a scuffle as the game ended and pushed each other before they were separated and both led off the court. ... The Rockets shot 58.2 per cent and had 30 fast-break points, which were both season highs. Brandon Moss Authentic .S. international midfielder Michael Bradley. The club has already announced the signing of Defoe, with the 31-year-old Spurs star set to be unveiled at a news conference Monday morning at the huge high-tech sports bar owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment across the street from the Air Canada Centre. Terry Steinbach Authentic . The team says Paul is day to day and is questionable for Mondays game against New Jersey. Paul is averaging 18.0 points, 8.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 37.3 minutes in nine games for the Clippers, who beat Miami and the Lakers in their last two games.Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Yankees placed first baseman Mark�Teixeira on the 15-day disabled list prior to Saturdays game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Teixeira left Fridays game against the Blue Jays in the second inning with a right hamstring strain. He suffered the injury while fielding a bouncing foul ball and left the field before being replaced by Kelly�Johnson, whho moved over from his spot at third. Catfish Hunter Authentic. Johnson will take over as the everyday first baseman in Teixeiras absence. Teixeira is batting .250 (3-for-12) with two RBI in four games this year. He was limited to just 15 games last season due to a wrist injury that required surgery. Catcher Austin�Romine was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to fill the roster spot. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '