Bode Miller is leaner these days, about 20 pounds lighter than hes been in quite a while. His left knee no longer aches, either, which hasnt been the case in nearly 12 years. This is a new version of Miller training for the Sochi Olympics, one who will no longer simply attack downhill courses with a reckless abandon sure to either win him a race or send him flying. No, Miller vows to be more strategic and tactical this season, especially with his surgically repaired knee -- the one that sidelined him all of 2012-13 -- finally fixed. Sure, he will still take risks -- thats simply part of his DNA -- but those gambles will be much more calculated. Hes also skiing in the memory of his younger brother, Chelone, a charismatic snowboarder who died of what was believed to be a seizure in April. "I absorbed a lot of his energy when all that happened," Miller said Wednesday in phone interview with The Associated Press after a training session in New Zealand with the U.S. squad. "Its tough. Real tough. It doesnt ever go away. Everybody who knew him dedicates a part of the rest of their life to him." Just 18 months after microfracture surgery that couldve ended his career, Miller is back on the slopes and feeling as fit as ever. He fully expects to be ready for the World Cup season opener in Soelden, Austria, in October and definitely back in customary Bode Miller form by the time Sochi rolls around in February. "My skiing came back really quick," said Miller, who has 33 World Cup wins, two overall titles and five Olympic medals on his resume. "Things have been great. The equipment feels good. My knee feels good. Im feeling really, really good." The year away from skiing has almost been therapeutic for Miller. Once he came to terms with it, that is. Then, he made the most of the break, spending time fishing off the back of his houseboat with his daughter, travelling with his wife, pro volleyball player Morgan Miller, and working on his golf game. Miller believes he needed to slow down in order to rush down the mountain again. "Felt great to have a break," Miller said. "It was an excellent time. I definitely am ready to be back on snow." And anytime he steps into the starting gate, hes among the favourites, even if he will turn 36 this season. "He still has it," said U.S. coach Forest Carey, whos working directly with Miller and Ted Ligety. "Bode is old enough and done enough in the sport, he doesnt have to prove anything to anyone." As for Miller altering his hard-charging style, well, Carey has one bit of advice -- keep being Bode Miller. "Hes really pulled some rabbits out of the hat before and the way he skis, yeah, if he makes it down, hes going to be fast," Carey said. "He just brings mad intensity and charges so hard. Its early, of course, just testing the knee out and seeing how its feeling. But so far, its all right." One thing Miller changed in the off-season was his workout routine. He will enter the season a shade over 200 pounds, a weight that will allow him to glide into turns instead of bullying his way through a course. "I have a lot less strain on my knee," he said. "It allows me to ski a different tactic, a different style. Im really psyched to give it a try, to reset some things and win some races." The subject of his brother remains a tender one for Miller. The two were tight. In recent years, Chelone Miller-- or "Chilly" as he was known -- was focusing on snowboardcross to earn a spot in Sochi. The 29-year-old died in the area of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. "I dedicate the rest of my life to him," Miller said. Miller is putting his knee through a rigorous workout this month as he trains in New Zealand alongside Ligety, the worlds top giant slalom skier. "I get to see what I need to be at," Miller said. So far, hes pretty much keeping up, too. No swelling or pain in the knee, either. Miller had surgery on his constantly troublesome knee in February 2012. He returned to skiing this spring as he squeezed in some light super-G training in Austria. "That was bumpy and fast and gnarly and felt great," Miller said. "I wasnt pushing 100 per cent, but that was great. Now, Im ready to rip." Hes certainly ahead of schedule compared to where he was going into the 2010 Vancouver Games. Back then, he was off all summer because, "I was kind of retired." Miller returned to training late that fall and went on to win Olympic gold in the super-combined, silver in the super-G and bronze in the downhill. "This time, Im starting at a more appropriate time, with the full time to get myself in shape and prepared for the World Cup season," Miller said. "Im comfortable and confident that I will be ready to race. "Im ready to go for it." Brian Westbrook Eagles Jersey . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Dallas Goedert Eagles Jersey . Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on the indoor hard-court at Belgrade Arena. The victory improved the Czech pairs impressive cup doubles record to 14-1. http://www.eaglesrookiestore.com/Eagles-Shareef-Miller-Jersey/ . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Reggie White Womens Jersey . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. Harold Carmichael Eagles Jersey .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Dzsenifer Marozsan scored early in the second half Friday and Germany went on to give coach Silvia Neid a 2-1 victory over Sweden in her final match for the nations first Olympic gold in womens soccer.Neid, a two-time FIFA Womens Coach of the Year, is stepping down following the Olympics. The win at the iconic Maracana Stadium gave her one more title to cap her 11-year career as Germany coach.At the final whistle, Neid ran with her assistants onto the field and she briefly jumped onto the players dogpile.Sweden, which upset the three-time defending champion United States in the quarterfinals, earned the silver medal for its best finish in the Olympic tournament since the sport joined the program in 1996.Earlier in the day, Canada defeated host Brazil 2-1 for the bronze medal in Sao Paulo.Germany and Sweden were playing in the gold-medal match for the first time. It was also the Olympics first all-European final.The German mens team is also playing in the gold-medal match at the Maracana, facing host Brazil on Saturday. It is the first time one nation has had both its teams in the final.The German women went into Fridays match with a tournament-leading 11 goals, paced by Melanie Behringer with five.Germany had the better chances in the first half, including Anja Mittags rebound in the 25th minute that went just wide of the net. Lotta Schelins blast three minutes later sailed over the goal and the match was scoreless at the break.Marozsans goal in the 48th sailed between two defenders and into the top-right coorner, just beyond the outstretched fingertips of Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl.dddddddddddd.Marozsans free kick in the 62nd minute hit the post and rebounded off Swedens Linda Sembrant for an own-goal, giving Germany a 2-0 advantage. But the Swedes narrowed it in the 67th on Stina Blackstenius sliding goal in front of Germany goalkeeper Alumuth Schelt.Neid announced last year that she would leave following the Rio de Janeiro Games, making way for current assistant Steffi Jones to take over as coach. Neid will take on a new role as a scout.Neid scored 48 goals in 111 games as a player for the German national team from 1982-96. She was an assistant on Germanys team that won the 2003 World Cup, then took over as coach of the senior women in 2005, leading the team to another World Cup title in 2007. She was named FIFA Womens Coach of the Year for 2010 and 2013.Sweden coach Pia Sundhages contract is up on Dec. 31, and she has not given an indication of what she might do. Shes had an equally illustrious coaching career, winning gold medals with U.S. national team at both the Beijing and London Games. She led the Americans to the final match of the 2011 World Cup, but the team fell on penalties to Japan. She returned home to coach Sweden in 2013.Germany also defeated Sweden 2-1 on a golden goal to win the 2003 Womens World Cup, which was held in the United States because of the SARS outbreak in China. ' ' '