CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Philip Rivers gloved hands found the right touch in the January cold. The Bengals? Still cant do anything right when its playoff time. San Diego took advantage of Andy Daltons three turnovers in the second half on Sunday, pulling away to a 27-10 victory that extended the Bengals stretch of playoff misery to 23 years and counting. With Rivers making accurate throws in the chilling rain, the Chargers (10-7) won their fifth in a row, beating the last team that had knocked them off. Theyll play next Sunday in Denver, which has the AFCs top seed. It was a shocking finish for the Bengals (11-6), who won the AFC North, went unbeaten at home and had their top-ranked defence for the playoffs. With everything in their favour, they fell apart, getting outscored 20-0 in the second half. "We asked a lot of our defence today and they came up with three big turnovers," said Rivers, who was 12 of 16 for 128 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. "We didnt turn it over, which is always big in the playoffs." The Bengals now have the sixth-longest streak of playoff futility in NFL history, stretching all the way back to the 1990 season. Theyve lost their playoff opener three straight years, matching a league record as well, according to STATS LLC. Coach Marvin Lewis fell to 0-5 in the playoffs during his 11 seasons as head coach, but is expected to stick around and get another chance to try again. A lot of it fell on Dalton, who has a trilogy of bad playoff games. He fumbled and threw two interceptions in the second half that set up San Diegos win. Dalton finished 29 of 51 for 334 yards with a below-average passer rating of 67. Combined with the Saints victory over the Eagles on Saturday night, the two No. 6 playoff seeds won for the first time since 2010, when the Packers won the Super Bowl. And the Chargers are thinking: Why not us? "We talked all week about this being the fifth round," Rivers said, referring to their five-game winning streak. "So the sixth round will be in Denver next week." This one was a reversal from the last time they met. The Bengals forced three turnovers for a 17-10 win in San Diego on Dec. 1, which became the Chargers turning point. The Bengals got the rematch at home, where they had scored 49, 41, 41, 42 and 34 points in their last five regular season games. They were blanked in the second half on Sunday, when Dalton went 17 of 34 for 170 yards with two interceptions, a fumble and three sacks. In first-round playoff losses each of the past three seasons, Dalton has thrown one touchdown pass and six interceptions. Rivers completed a team-record and NFL-best 69.5 per cent of his passes this season for 4,478 yards. He was only 5 of 6 in the first half for 48 yards with San Diego frequently backed inside its 20-yard line to start drives. He completed all of his six passes during a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter that put the Chargers ahead to stay, with his 4-yard pass to Ladarius Green giving San Diego a 14-10 lead. Dalton then made the mistakes that turned the game, allowing the Chargers to pull ahead. Ronnie Brown finished it off with a 58-yard touchdown run, the longest TD run against the Bengals in their playoff history. Custom Detroit Red Wings Jerseys . -- The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed cornerback Perrish Cox to a one-year contract. Brendan Shanahan Jersey . The 25-year-old McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, was eligible to play for either Ireland or Team GB when golf makes its return to the Olympics in Brazil for the first time since 1904. http://www.redwingshockeyauthentic.com/frans-nielsen-jersey/ . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here. Gordie Howe Jersey .ca. Hi Kerry, Thursday nights Bruins-Blackhawks game had a goal by Patrice Bergeron initially waved off by the referee, but video review clarified it was a good goal. Dylan Larkin Jersey .The South African had three birdies on the front nine and another four after the turn at Leopard Creek Country Club to move to 16-under 128 overall.Grace, who won all four of his European Tour titles in 2012, dropped his only shot of the competition on the par-3 fifth.3. The Rainbow FlickNext up is the Rainbow Flick, or as you probably know it, the trick that everybody at soccer camp thought they knew how to do. In theory its not quite as technical as some of the other tricks on this list, but pull it off in a game like Neymar does in the video above and you see just how difficult of a maneuver it really is.4. The Sombrero FlickIts only fitting that Neymar carry the torch on a trick made popular by Brazilian legend Ronaldinho. Watch as Neymar flicks the hat off this defender not once, but twice.dddddddddddd 5. Everything That Vasek Klouda DoesEverything you thought you knew about body coordination will change after you witness these 60 seconds of World Freestyle Champion Vasek Klouda. Yes, really. Hes that good.Now go out there and have some fun emulating some of these freestyle tricks, but maybe dont record the results in your room if your dad is as weird as this guys. ' ' '
SAN ANTONIO -- Even though it was an ugly victory, the banged-up San Antonio Spurs were just happy to end a three-game losing streak given their troubling rash of recent injuries. Tim Duncan had 23 points and 17 rebounds, Tony Parker added 18 points and 10 assists, and San Antonio rallied past the skidding Sacramento Kings 95-93 on Saturday night. The win came in San Antonios final home game before departing for its annual "Rodeo Road Trip" that lasts nearly a month. "Its huge to start the road trip like that," Parker said. "We needed a win. Obviously we were in a little slump with those three losses. We wanted to get back on the right track." Patty Mills scored 15 points and Boris Diaw added 14 for San Antonio, which wont play at home again until Feb. 26 against Detroit. Despite playing Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento almost spoiled the going-away party for the Spurs. Isaiah Thomas had 26 points, Rudy Gay scored 23 and Derrick Williams added 14 for the Kings, who have lost seven straight. "Were playing the San Antonio Spurs; theyre going to make their runs," Gay said. "Theyre going to make tough plays. They do that time and time again. Its not were surprised that they did that. But we still had a chance to win and I still wish I had the shot back." After scoring 22 points primarily against Marco Belinelli, Gay was limited to one in the fourth with the 6-foot-8 Diaw guarding him. Gay missed a potential game-winning, 15-foot jumper over Diaw with 0.5 seconds remaining. "The rim. The rim," Gay said when asked what he saw on the final shot. "I mean, honestly, I wish I had that one back; I dont think I miss that too many other times." After being outplayed by Gay and Thomas for much of the game, the veteran Spurs took over down the stretch to end their longest losing streak of the season. Parker and Duncan scored San Antonios final eight points, but they also gave Sacramento hope by going 1 for 3 on free throws in the final 12 seconds. Duncan missed both his attempts with the Spurs clinging to a 94-93 lead. "Very, very, very (frustrating)," Duncan said. "Not many times I get that situation. Just disappointed I couldnt step up and knock them out." The Spurs were sluggish on offence with newly signed Shannon Brown starting and Tiago Splitter returning from injury, giving them their third different starting lineup in three games. Brown, signed to a 10-day contract, had two points and two rebounds in 14 minutes. "We need minutes," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "We have to use those minutes so that guys that know the system can be out there at the end of the game. Otherwise, theyre going to be too tired at the end. He gave us good minutes so that we could get everybody else in." San Antonio shot 6 for 20 in the third quarter while falling behind by as many as 10 points. Gay and Thomas matched that production themselves, going a combined 6 for 13 in the third. Williams first 3-pointer gave Sacramento a 76-66 lead with 2 minutes left in the third. Matt Bonner hit a 3 for the Spurs and a jumper that tied the game at 85 with 6 minutes remaining. Then he drove the lane for a runner off the glass after Thomas went flying past him at the 3-point line. That gave San Antonio an 87-85 lead, its first since early in the third quarter. "(Bonner) was great," Duncan said. "He stepped up and scored a bunch of points in a row for us. Made some plays for us. Its going to be big for guys to step up as we have people out." The Spurs are still without Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, but Splitters return lifted their spirits. Splitter scored only two points but grabbed four rebounds and helped solidify the teams interior defence. "It was great to be back on the court with the guys," Splitter said. "I wasnt that aggressive on offence, but I just tried to help the guys on defence with the coverage and helps. Most importantly, we won, so Im happy." The Kings were missing leading scorer DeMarcus Cousins, who sat out his sixth straight game due to a sprained left ankle. Gay and Thomas made up for his loss offensively, accounting for half of the teams 53 first-half points. NOTES: Splitter got his loudest ovation of the season when he was announced in the starting lineup after missing 12 games with a sprained right shoulder. He came off the bench in the second half. ... Cousins suited up but did not play. He is day to day. ... Ginobili (strained left hamstring), Leonard (broken hand) and Green (broken left index finger) all sat behind the Spurs bench. Jaromir Jagr Jersey . Both sides came closest to scoring in the first half, when Roma had a goal from Mattia Destro waved off for offside and Inters Rodrigo Palacio headed high. "A draw was a fair result. Neither squad had many chances," Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic said. Bobby Smith Jersey . The Wizards announced Friday that Webster had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back. The operation was performed Thursday in Los Angeles. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/customized/ . Perhaps as important, shes sending a message to 17-year-old gold medal favourite Sara Takanashi of Japan. Iraschko-Stolz relegated Takanashi, who has 10 World Cup victories this season, to second place in two of three training jumps Saturday. Dallas Stars Jerseys . He will be practicing with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL) on a conditioning assignment. - @AnaheimDucks Corey Perry has a knee sprain and will miss the next three to four weeks. Gump Worsley Jersey . The Rays hope to stay alive for the postseason and salvage the finale of this series Sunday at Rogers Centre, where they dropped a 7-2 decision Saturday. Chris Archer lasted 2 1/3 innings in the no-decision, charged with a run and five hits, and Alex Torres suffered the loss in relief.The stars of the European Tour feature in a superbly-executed version of the social media craze The Mannequin Challenge in Dubai. A number of players, caddies and staff all took time out from their preparations for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship to take part in the large-scale production, which begins in the changing rooms and ends up focusing on Henrik Stenson on the practice putting green.The Claret Jug makes an appearance, although its nowhere near this years Open champion, while Chris Wood is delightfully self-mocking as he has his troublesome neck bandaged. Live European Tour Golf November 17, 2016, 8:00am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Theres a three-time major winner attempting a dab on the steps of the Jumeirah Golf Estates clubhouse, while Ryder Cup stars Danny Willett, Martin Kaymer and Sergio Garcia are all captured in various poses.ddddddddddddHow many players can you name in the European Tours version of The Mannequin Challenge? Watch the video above to see the full version, and dont miss live coverage of the DP World Tour Championship on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Also See: Stenson honoured Top shots in Dubai Golf live on Sky Sports 4 European Tour Schedule ' ' '
Two Blasts Rip Through Baghdad, Killing 21 Two car bombs ripped through crowded Baghdad streets on Monday, killing at least 21 people and wounding 96, as insurgents step up their campaign to undermine the countrys U.S.-backed interim government and drive the United States and its allies out of Iraq. (AP) After 3-Day Fight, U.S. and Iraqi Forces Retake Samarra American and Iraqi forces in Samarra finished retaking the last insurgent-controlled neighborhood early Sunday, completing a relentless three-day push through this ancient city in a first step toward wresting control of important central Iraqi areas held by Sunni guerrillas. (NY Times) Rice: Iraqi Nuclear Plans Unclear National security adviser Condoleezza Rice said yesterday it is still unclear whether Iraq attempted to procure tens of thousands of aluminum tubes for a nuclear weapons program or a conventional rocket program, despite conclusions by the Senate intelligence committee and U.N. investigators that the tubes could not be used in any nuclear program. (Washington Post) How the White House Embraced Disputed Arms Intelligence Speaking to a group of Wyoming Republicans in September, Vice President Dick Cheney said the United States now had irrefutable evidence — thousands of tubes made of high-strength aluminum. Those tubes became a critical exhibit in the administrations brief against Iraq. (NY Times) Bigley May Be In Hands of New Group The British hostage Kenneth Bigley may have been handed over to another group of captors who are prepared to release him for money, his brother said today. (Guardian) 10 Insurgent Groups Unite A statement issued by 10 armed groups in Iraq announced that the groups were united under what they called the Mujaheddins Unified Command. The groups issued a warning for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraqi cities within one week, threatening to wage wide range attacks, close the countrys northern and western borders and destroy pipelines, bridges and railroads. (Elaph) Partial Vote Would Lack Full Credibility, Iraqis Contend A sampling of people across the nation rejects some officials notion of excluding violent areas. (LA Times) Post-Invasion Chaos Blamed for Drug Surge U.N. and U.S. officials are increasingly worried by signs of a nascent drug trade developing in Iraq, where smugglers are taking advantage of the continuing chaos and unguarded borders. (LA Times) U.S. Struggles For Hold On Iraq Highway Highway 8 between Baghdad and Najaf has become a gantlet of criminal and insurgent violence. (Boston Globe) Iraqi Kurds Fight for Independence At present, four Iraqi Kurds are members of the interim Iraqi Governing Council (IGC). Recently Iraqi Kurds have accelerated their efforts to fulfil their political objectives in Iraq. (Al-Jazeera) Iran to Attend Iraq Poll Meeting Iran says it will take part in a US-sponsored conference on election plans for Iraq due to be held in Cairo. But Tehran would have to study the details of how to take part and at what level, Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said. (BBC) Polish Troops To Quit Iraq By End 2005: Kwasniewski Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said after talks in Paris that Warsaw wants to withdraw all its 2,500 troops from Iraq during the course of next year. (AFP) Anger, Confusion Mount In Paris Over Failed Mission To Free Journalists In Iraq Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 View Single Page Shayne Corson Jersey .Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week. Joe Mullen Jersey .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player. http://www.cheapbluesjerseys.info/authentic-pavol-demitra-blues-jersey/ . But history aside, theyre still happy to participate in the Par 3 contest, traditionally held on the day prior to the first round of the Masters. Al Macinnis Jersey .com) - Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett is active for Sundays matchup with the Miami Dolphins. Ryan OReilly Jersey . The 7-foot-1 Hawes, who is in the final year of his contract, is averaging 13 points and 8.5 rebounds, both career highs, and shoots 40 per cent from 3-point range. The 25-year-old Hawes is in his seventh NBA season.Vancouver Kevin Reynolds struggled with skate problems that forced him to miss most of the figure skating season. Yet he had little trouble in securing an Olympic medal for Canada Sunday at the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi. As it currently stands, Russia leads the overall team event with 57 points. Canada is second with 50 points, extending its lead over the U.S., which is third with 441 points.dddddddddddd According to CBC Sports figure skating host Brenda Irving, Canada has mathematically won a silver medal, with the ladies free skate and ice dancing program still to come. Reynolds finished second in the mens long program, posting a score of 167.92. Former Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko won the competition for Russia with a score of 168.20. ' ' '
NEW YORK, N.Y. - The NFL may be on the hook for more money than it expected if a federal judge cant be convinced that its $765 million concussion settlement with more than 4,500 former players will be adequate to pay out benefits over the 65-year life of the agreement. The deal hit a snag Tuesday when a federal judge asked both parties to back up their assertions that the agreement negotiated over several months is appropriate. U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody denied a motion that was meant to serve as a preliminary approval for the settlement, seeking more information from the parties. She wrote that she was "primarily concerned that not all retired NFL football players who ultimately receive a qualifying diagnosis or their (families) ... will be paid," and that the lawyers for both parties have not addressed those concerns. Given the judges ruling, the two sides will need to offer more evidence the fund will be sufficient or possibly have the NFL add money to the pot. Otherwise, they may be left to start over. "We are confident that the settlement is fair and adequate, and look forward to demonstrating that to the court," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. Meanwhile, former players looking to receive assistance for the injuries they sustained while playing in the league will have to wait to be compensated. The two sides agreed in late August, just before the season kicked off and the issue largely went to the back burner, awaiting Brodys decision. The weekly accounting of brain injuries on the field, despite efforts to reduce them, continued to make headlines. Brody pointed out that the class of approximately 20,000 could overwhelm the fund, even if only 10 per cent of its members file claims against the $675 million set aside to pay claims, working out to $337,500 per player. The maximum payments in the settlement include $5 million for a younger retiree with Lou Gehrigs disease, $3 million for serious dementia, and $25,000 for an 80-year-old with early dementia. Sol Weiss, a lead lawyer for the ex-players, remained confident the class-action settlement will ultimately be approved. "I am very confident that the (actuarial) people we used are right, and that there will be enough money to cover these claims for 65 years," Weiss said. The remainder of the $765 settlement is being earmarked for neurological testing and education. Lawyers will be paid on top of that by the NFL, meaning the suit would cost the league $900 million — or about 10 per cent of one years annual revenues. Brody also took issue with another part of the original agreement, writing in a footnote that she was concerned that the agreement prevents participants from suing the NCAA and other amateur football organizations. "Im not sure why the NFL would insist on that," said Gabe Feldman, a law professor who directs the sports law program at the Tulane University Law School. More than 4,500 former players filed the suit, some accusing the league of fraud for its handling of concussions. They include former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jim McMahon, who suffers from dementia. Brodys hand-picked mediator, former federal judge Layn R. Phillips, led several months of negotiations last year and has called the deal fair to both sides. If and when the parties can satisfy all of Brodys concerns, she would then give preliminary approval to the settlement. Following that would be a hearing at which people with objections can speak and have their issues addressed before final settlement and payments. ___ Follow Rick Freeman at http://twitter.com/RWFreeman ___ Associated Press writers Barry Wilner and Maryclaire Dale contributed to this report. Mike Modano Jersey . On Monday night, many fans in this city placed the blame squarely on the captain for his role in the James Neal overtime winner against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tyler Seguin Jersey . Jackson Houck added a goal and two assists for the Giants (28-23-10), who halted a five-game slide, while Tyler Morrison, Mason Geertsen and Dominik Volek each scored once. Matt Bellerive scored both goals for the Blazers (12-43-5), who are 1-9-0 in their last 10 outings. http://www.authenticstarspro.com/Brian-bellows-stars-jersey/ . -- Howie Kendrick had a two-run single in his first game batting leadoff this season, Chris Iannetta hit a pair of RBI singles and the Los Angeles Angels beat Cleveland 6-4 Tuesday night, sending the Indians to their fifth straight defeat. Devin Shore Jersey . Lack replaced an injured Roberto Luongo late in the first period then watched defenceman Chris Tanev score the winning goal midway through the third as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Jets 2-1 in a tight NHL game. Jaromir Jagr Jersey . Dwyane Wade followed a few days later.LOS ANGELES -- Share and share alike. That appears to be the Los Angeles Clippers mantra now that theyll be facing extended time without All-Star point guard Chris Paul. Darren Collison scored 19 of his 21 points in the first half and had seven assists in his second start at the point since Pauls injury, leading the Clippers to a 101-81 rout of the Orlando Magic on Monday night. "You cant replace Chris Paul. Hes a great player in this league. Im just going to play my game and do what I do best," Collison said. "If I go out there and make a mistake, then I make a mistake. But the one thing you can always count on is that Im always going to play hard and try to help my team. When youre aggressive, then you start to see the openings for your teammates and get them the ball." Paul, who separated his right shoulder in Fridays win at Dallas and is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks, sat behind the Clippers bench in a suit and tie while Collison unselfishly orchestrated things without a hitch against the last-place team in the Southeast Division. "I think the biggest change D.C. made today was that there were three or four times where he could have shot the ball and instead gave it to one of his teammates," coach Doc Rivers said. "When a point guard gives up shots that he could take, its almost like the other guys want to pay it back and get it back to him. Blake did it several times tonight, and Jamal did it a couple of times. So that was good to see." The Clippers enjoyed one of their best defensive efforts of the season, after surrendering 70 first-half points in each of their previous two games against Dallas and San Antonio -- both on the road. "You couldnt really ask for a better game from a lot of guys tonight," Blake Griffin said. "I mean, guys were hitting shots, guys were defending, guys were getting steals, we were running people off the 3-point line -- we did all the things that we wanted to do. And thats always encouraging. Its good to have a game like that after having such a poor first half in San Antonio." Crawford chipped in with 13 points and eight of the teams 30 assists. Griffin -- bogged down by early foul trouble -- had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists. DeAndre Jordan had 17 rebounds and 14 points. "I thought our ball movementt was excellent," Collison said.dddddddddddd"Without a guy like Chris Paul, I think we tend to take the pressure off ourselves when everybodys moving the ball like that. I thought we played phenomenal, as far as the offensive end and how we moved the ball. But I think the biggest reason we had so many good attempts at the opposite end was because of our defence. We really locked down." Reserves Maurice Harkless and Victor Oladipo each scored 22 points for the Magic, who have lost four straight and 11 of their last 15 games. Centre Nikola Vucevic, who had 30 points and 21 rebounds against the Clippers in Orlandos 98-90 home loss on Nov. 6, had just two points and eight boards in 20 minutes after missing the previous two games because of sprained left ankle. He left the game after fouling Griffin near the Clippers basket and taking a hard spill with 8:18 left in the third quarter. "He had a pretty bad fall," coach Jacque Vaughn said. "Hes already been diagnosed with a concussion, so hell enter the concussion protocol and Ill leave it in the hands of the doctors now." Rivers had all of his starters on the bench at the beginning of the fourth quarter with an 85-55 lead, but he had to put them all back in after Jason Maxiells dunk capped a 16-2 run that narrowed the gap to 87-71 with 7:01 remaining. Griffin had two fouls in the first 4:05 of the game and went to the bench after the Clippers opened the game with a 12-3 run. But Jordan extended the margin to 20-3 less than 2 1-2 minutes later with a demonstrative slam dunk, after Crawford set up an alley-oop dunk by Jordan and a 22-footer by Collison. NOTES: Paul, a six-time All-Star, is averaging 18.5 points and 9.8 assists during his three seasons with the Clippers. Since he joined them, they are 11-10 when he doesnt play and 109-55 when he does. ... Vucevic missed five games last March because of a concussion after starting each of Orlandos first 68 contests. ... The Magic made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons when Rivers coached them, but they lost in the first round each time. ... No Orlando player has scored more than 26 points in any of the last 16 games since Afflalos 43-point effort in double overtime in a one-point loss to Philadelphia on Nov. 27. ... Orlando had won 11 of its previous 13 meetings with the Clippers. ' ' '
SEATTLE -- Mariners closer Fernando Rodney usually gets the job done. He never makes it look easy, though. Rodney allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base in the ninth inning as Seattle clung to a one-run lead over the Detroit Tigers. Rodney walked Alex Avila to lead off the inning and Don Kelly reached on a broken bat flyball to left field. But Rodney struck out Andrew Romine and Rajai Davis before getting Ian Kinsler to ground out to the shortstop to for a 3-2 win over the Tigers Saturday night, wrapping up his 14th save in 16 chances. "I wasnt nervous. I wasnt watching," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon joked. Willie Bloomquist delivered a pair of two-out RBI singles off Detroit starter Drew Smyly to help lift the Mariners. Chris Young allowed two runs and three hits over six innings to improve to 5-2, but Seattle had to hold their breath with Rodney in the ninth. After Avila and Kelly reached in the ninth, manager Lloyd McClendon knew Romine would likely be bunting. He marched to the mound to meet with Rodney and stressed the importance of getting any out they could against Romine. "A lot of times we take that for granted, but thats real important," McClendon said. "You know theyre bunting. Lets not try to do anything spectacular. Lets just make sure we get an out. That was my message." Romine failed to get the bunt down and ultimately struck out on a changeup. Rodney and Davis then had a 10-pitch battle before Rodney finally got a swinging strikeout over a 95 mph fastball on the inside corner. "(Davis) was looking for something soft he can drive to right field," Rodney said. "I see that and I continue to mix it up. The last pitch I said Im going to die with my best pitch in my fastball." A groundball to short by Kinsler allowed Rodney to get out of the jam as the Mariners held on for the win. Stefen Romero and John Buck each singled to put runners on the corners with one out against Smyly (2-4) in the second inning. Cole Gillespie hit a dribbler off the end of the bat just past the mound to score Romero and give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. Bloomquist added another run with a two-out RBI single that scored Buck from second. Smyly allowed seven hits and threw 105 pitches in just four innings of work before being ousted by the Mariners. "He had a little trouble with his command again," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "He had trouble getting ahead and when he did get ahead, it seemed like they would work their way back into 3-2 counts." Young, meanwhile, was in cruise control for the Mariners. He retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced through the first three innings. Miguel Cabrera hit a solo homer to left field with one out in the fourth inning to get the Tigers on the board. It was Cabreras second home run in two games this series against Seattle and his 10th home run of the season. Seattle answered in the bottom half. Gillespie singled and stole second base to move into scoring position. Bloomquist came through again with two outs, hitting a single to left to score Gillespie and give Seattle a 3-1 cushion. Austin Jackson doubled to lead off the seventh inning and chase Young. Jackson scored on a wild pitch by Dominic Leone to pull back with a run. A walk to Kelly and single from Davis put a pair of runners on but Gillespie ran down a line drive from Kinsler at the wall to preserve Seattles lead. NOTES: Seattle 2B Robinson Cano missed his third straight game with a sore hand. McClendon said that Cano is improving but is still day to day. ... Seattle SS Nick Franklin is 0 for 14 with nine strikeouts over his last four games. His average for the season fell to .128. ... Young improved to 6-0 with a 2.84 ERA in nine career starts at Safeco Field. He is 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA in five starts in Seattle this season. He has limited opponents to a .202 batting average against in 10 starts. ... Tigers 2B Kinsler went 0 for 5 on the night and left seven runners stranded on base, with three in scoring position. ... RHP Max Scherzer (6-1, 3.00 ERA) takes to the mound to face LHP Roenis Elias (3-4, 4.02 ERA) in the finale of the three-game series on Sunday. Thomas Vanek Jersey . A Swiss Federal Tribunal ruling published Friday said that FIFAs disputes panel and the Court of Arbitration for Sport correctly imposed the sanction for Nantes enticing Guinea forward Ismael Bangoura to break his contract with Dubai club Al Nasr in January 2012. Gilbert Perreault Jersey . 31-Feb. 2. While organizers havent decided if itll be red or green clay, they feel their choice of surface will give the Americans an advantage over Britain, which is expected to be led by defending Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. http://www.officialsabresfanstore.com/authentic-rasmus-ristolainen-sabres-jersey/ .com) - A chant of Zeke reverberated around AT&T Stadium before Ezekiel Elliott powered into the end zone for his fourth and final touchdown. Jack Eichel Jersey . Its the second of three meetings between these teams this season. Vancouver was a 2-1 winner on home ice December 22nd. Danny Gare Jersey .C. -- The Carolina Panthers announced Thursday theyve signed free agent wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery to a two-year contract, helping rebuild a depleted wide receiving corps.NEW YORK -- Three of the NHLs top five most valuable teams are based in Canada for the first time since Forbes started tracking the value of teams in the league 15 years ago. The Toronto Maple Leafs are worth an NHL-high $1.15 billion, followed by the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks and the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks, according to Forbes annual valuations announced on Monday.dddddddddddd. Forbes says Canadian teams usually have higher attendance, helping them generate more revenue from their arenas as compared to U.S.-based franchises. NHL teams are valued at an average of $413 million, Forbes estimates. The Boston Bruins rank sixth on the list followed by the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. ' ' '
SEATTLE -- Los Angeles Angels reliever Sean Burnett is expected to miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his pitching elbow. Burnett was diagnosed with having a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow on Wednesday, a day after being removed from the game in the seventh inning after throwing a pitch to Seattles Michael Saunders. Burnett had just made his debut with the Angels last weekend after having elbow surgery last August. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Burnett would have a second opinion by Dr. James Andrews next week. Andrews performed the surgery on Burnetts elbow last year. With Burnett going on the disabled list, the Angels recalled right-hander Matt Shoemaker to start Thursdays series finale against Seattle. Wade LeBlanc, the Angels expected starter on Thursday, will now work out of the bullpen. Tony Twist Jersey . No, really, his head. Late in the game, the St. Louis goalie craned his neck into the air to block a shot, taking a puck square in the mask. Ryan OReilly Jersey . According to a report from ESPN, Lynch wants a new contract from the Seahawks, and will likely skip all off-season workouts until he can renegotiate his deal with the Seahawks. http://www.cheapbluesjerseys.info/authentic-jaden-schwartz-blues-jersey/ .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Brett Hull Jersey . Cabrera is hitting .218 with three homers and 16 RBI in 80 games this season. The Padres recalled second baseman Brooks Conrad from Triple-A El Paso to replace Cabrera on the roster. St.Louis Blues Jerseys . "I only want to go through this one more time," Crosby said Friday. The 24-year-old captain hasnt played since the symptoms resurfaced following a loss to Boston on Dec. 5. Doctors allowed him to return to full practice on Tuesday and while Crosby is pleased with the way his body is responding he refuses to put on his return.New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 11. Encarnacion tied for the major league lead in home runs (fourr) and RBI (10) while batting .dddddddddddd321 in seven games last week. Other players in consideration for the honor were Detroits Miguel Cabrera, Seattles Dustin Ackley and Clevelands Michael Brantley. ' ' '
LONDON -- Wigan Athletic has been fined 40,000 pounds ($67,500) for breaking Football Association rules on the use of agents. The second-tier Championship club admitted it had broken FA rules by signing French striker Marc-Antoine Fortune in July with the involvement of agent Willie McKay. The FA said Wednesday the charge related to a regulation which restricts clubs from employing an agent in connection with a signing if that agent has recently represented another club in dealings with the same player. McKay "has been warned as to his future conduct and had his Overseas Agent Registration suspended for nine months" subject to appeal, the FA said in a statement. Wigan said it is "awaiting the full findings" of the disciplinary commission. Nolan Patrick Jersey . Marian Gaborik had two goals and an assist and Martin Jones made just 17 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season as the Kings snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-0 victory over the lowly Oilers on Thursday. Jaromir Jagr Jersey . With Bernard hurt, the second-round pick has emerged.Hill ran for 152 yards during a 27-10 win at New Orleans on Sunday, his second big game. He also ran for 154 yards against Jacksonville earlier this season. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/bernie-parent-hockey-jersey/ . "Yeah, [I heard them]," he said. "They made me miss the free throw." A year ago, Lowrys post-game antics may not have been so well received but what was snide and snarky is now endearing quick wit. Custom Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys .Y. -- First, Ryan Miller. Brian Propp Jersey . The Earthquakes (6-9-7) were coming off a 5-0 loss at home last Saturday to FC Dallas. Even with the draw, the Sounders (13-7-3) climbed back into a tie for both the Western Conference and overall top spot in MLS. Seattle, West co-leader Real Salt Lake and East leader Sporting Kansas City all have 42 points.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Phoenix forward P.J. Tucker was charged with extreme drunken driving two months before he signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract — $12.7 million guaranteed — with the Suns. Scottsdale police say Tucker had a blood alcohol level of .222 per cent nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 for operating a vehicle in Arizona. Tuckers Mercedes Benz was pulled over by a Scottsddale police officer on May 10.dddddddddddd The police report says Tuckers speech was slurred and eyes were bloodshot, and he nearly fell over during the sobriety test. Tuckers attorney Melanie Beauchamp declined on Tuesday to comment on the arrest. The Suns said they were aware of the incident but had no comment while the case remains in court. Tucker signed his contract with the Suns last week. ' ' '
NEW YORK -- Dallas Stars forward Ryan Garbutt was fined $1,474 -- the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement -- by the NHL on Saturday for spearing Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry in the groin Friday night. Garbutt was given a major penalty for spearing and a game misconduct midway through the first period in the Stars 6-2 loss at Anaheim. "I was just coming back to the bench and got careless with my stick," Garbutt said. "It was deliberate," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau countered. "It wasnt an accident. It was pretty dirty." The Ducks lead the first-round playoff series 3-2. Vincent Lecavalier Jersey . Orlando is to begin play in the MLS for the 2015 season. Kaka, who currently plays with AC Milan, is expected to be loaned out to his home club Sao Paulo for the upcoming season before joining Orlando for next season. Martin St. Louis Jersey . -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back. http://www.hockeylightning.com/authentic-ryan-mcdonagh-lightning-jersey/ .A caravan greeted the former Boston Red Sox pitcher at the airport and took him to a public park in Santo Domingo, where a crowd lined a 19-mile stretch of highway to catch a glimpse of him.Once at the park, Martinez went on stage accompanied by players David Ortiz and Robinson Cano as merengue music played and fireworks lit up the sky. Custom Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys . Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer. Steven Stamkos Jersey .J. -- Travis Zajac of the New Jersey Devils took a lot of grief considering his scored the first of his career-best three goals just 12 seconds into a crucial game against the Florida Panthers.Kevin Glenn should be the horse the Stamps ride hard down the stretch! Heres the thing, I dont even think Glenn is playing his best football at this point of the season; hes capable of more. Over the course of his career Glenn is 79-71-1 in 151 starts for a .526 career winning percentage. Since becoming a Stampeder, he has elevated his play and raised his stock around the league. And he continues to climb the ranks in the CFL record books. He needs just 89 more yards to surpass Tom Clements for 10th on the all-time CFL passing yards list. Case in point, he has the best winning percentage over the last 2 seasons among all quarterbacks in the CFL (minimum, 10 starts) CFL Quarterbacks Winning Percentage QB Record Winning Percentage Kevin Glenn 18-7 .720 Travis Lulay 19-8 .704 Darian Durant 17-13 .567 I believe he can take it even higher, maybe even a notch or two, with one simple step. Ill get to that in a bit. Theres been a unique synergy with the stable of quarterbacks in Calgary the last couple of seasons. All three - Glenn, Drew Tate and Bo Levi Mitchell - are certainly capable, and when given the chance have produced and won. Stampeders QBs by start, last two seasons QB Starts Record Kevin Glenn 25 (76 percent) 18-7 Drew Tate 5 (15 percent) 3-2 Bo Levi Mitchell 3 (nine percent) 3-0 Much of that success and harmony can be attributed to Glenns attitude and approach to his role as backup to Tate. Hes shown humility and composure in what could have been an extremely tense environment if he hadnt. By not being selfish or making the situation about himself, he enabled the locker room to remain harmonious and freed up his teammates to just go play footballl, not having to worry about internal controversy.dddddddddddd And with Tate working through several injuries the last two years, it has given Glenn the opportunity to show case his skill set and leadership capabilities. All of Glenns experiences up to this point have allowed him to take that next step. I believe that his success and that of his teams has solidified his beliefs in this approach and morphed Kevin into an elite quarterback. We have seen Glenn light it up with the best in the business over his 13-year career, whether it be in Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, Hamilton or Calgary, but never consistently. We have seen a quarterback transition from average to superior over the last two seasons and I believe his ability to light it up even more can be enhanced by one simple acknowledgment: The acknowledgment from his head coach John Hufnagel that hes the No. 1 guy the rest of the season and into the playoffs. Although Glenn is not seeking or would ever ask for this type of appointment, I believe through the natural course of events it has just come down to this. Hufnagel has got to - if he hasnt already done so - anoint Glenn as the stallion of choice the rest of the season! Hes earned it. The open support and backing from his head coach will free up the veteran QB to explode down the stretch. Imagine Glenn taking the Stamps the distance and winning his first ever Grey Cup. Great situation to be in if you are a Stampeder or a fan. But a precarious one for the coaches, particularly if you are Hufnagel, thinking where that would put his team during the expansion draft. Hufnagel could potentially leave unprotected the Grey Cup winning quarterback and the winningest CFL signal caller over the last two seasons. Now this brings me back to the present and why Hufnagel may be balking at making such an open statement of support for Glenn; hoping things just stay amicable between his quarterbacks and the locker room stays as is. Understandable? Yes. Best case scenario? In my opinion, no. Glenns earned the title; give it to him! With that said Stampeders fans, wear your shades to the remaining games, because things could get crazy bright for your team! Ready Break! ' ' '
PHOENIX -- The San Francisco Giants were kicking the ball around so badly Monday night that manager Bruce Bochy wanted to start spring training over again. Then the Giants bats came alive, Arizonas bullpen wilted, and San Francisco rallied from four runs down to beat the Diamondbacks 9-8 on Buster Poseys two-run home run off new closer Addison Reed in the ninth inning. "I think we want to be a team that keeps grinding and keeps pushing," Posey said. "It was nice to be able to do that tonight right out of the chute to give us that confidence that when we get down we know we have the ability to come back." Poseys star turn didnt surprise Giants starter Madison Bumgarner, who left after giving up four unearned runs in four innings. "Hes on a different level, man," Bumgarner said. "Hes so good and hes been that good since day one. Its fun to watch him play every day." Posey had no experience against Reed, who came to the Diamondbacks in an off-season trade from the Chicago White Sox. "Ive never faced him before, spring training or anything," Posey said. "I was really just trying to get a pitch I can handle." He got it on a fastball that he sent over the left field wall. "For us to come back and win a game like that, it just shows you, you go hard for nine innings ," Bochy said. "These guys did and got some big hits later in the game. It seemed like it got contagious, then Buster came through for us in a big way. It was the season opener for San Francisco and the first true home game for the Diamondbacks, who started the season with two losses as the home team against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Australia. Miguel Montero, who had three hits and reached base five times, homered to lead off the Arizona ninth and make it a one-run game. Brandon Belt had three hits, including a solo home run, and singled ahead of Poseys homer. Arizona scored four unearned runs off Bumgarner in the fourth and led 7-3 after six. San Francisco got four runs with two outs in the seventh, with reliever Brad Ziegler walking in the tying run. Jean Machi (1-0) pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief to get the victory. Reed (0-1), acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the off-season, got the loss. Sergio Romo, who gave up the home run to Montero, earned the save. After Monteros shot to left, Chris Owings reached on a bunt single and was sacrificed to second by Gerardo Parra. Pinch-hitter Eric Chavez struck out and A.J. Pollock, who has started the season 0 for 13, popped out to end it. Pollock was 0 for 6 with four strikeouts. In the Giants big seventh, pinch-hitter Ehire Adrianza doubled in a run, ending Arizona starter Brandon McCarthys night. McCarthy was livid about home plate umpire Tom Hallions call of a ball on a 2-2 pitch just before the double. "There was a call in the seventh that changed the entire outlook of the game," McCarthy said. "We all have to execute after that point but ... it kind of leaves a bitter taste." Oliver Perez came in and gave up three hits without an out, including an RBI double by Angel Pagans RBI double and Pablo Sandovals run-scoring single. Ziegler relieved Perez and gave up a single to Posey to load the bases, then walked Hunter Pence for the tying run. Arizonas four-run fourth inning opened with a fielding error by second baseman Joaquin Arias on Mark Trumbos groundball. Montero hit a bouncer to the third baseman Sandoval, who bobbled it just long enough for Trumbo to make it to second. The Diamondbacks greeted reliever Yusmeiro Petit with four consecutive hits in the fifth, including a leadoff double by Martin Prado, followed by Trumbos RBI single. Parra got his third RBI of the night with a ground out and Arizona led 6-2. The Diamondbacks got their seventh run after the Giants botched a rundown play between first and second. NOTES: Arizonas Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to 22 games, dating to last season. ... McCarthy struck out the side in the first. He did that once last season, April 16 against the Yankees. ... The Giants opened on the road for the fifth straight year. ... On Tuesday night, Wade Miley (0-1) pitches for Arizona, Matt Cain goes for the San Francisco. Esa Tikkanen Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. Leon Draisaitl Jersey . Steve has built a solid reputation throughout the years - first as a hockey player, then as an NHL general manager and now as a scout. http://www.hockeyoilersshop.com/jean-francois-jacques-jersey/ . The Jays responded to the three-spot Detroit placed on Casey Janssen the evening before with an attack on the Tigers Achilles Heel, its bullpen, tying the game in the ninth and winning the game in the 10th. The result absolved Marcus Stroman, brilliant once again, of a tough luck loss while at the same time robbing Max Scherzer, brilliant once again, of a deserved win. Bill Ranford Jersey . -- Canadian Erik Bedard pitched into the fifth inning in his bid to win a spot in Tampa Bays rotation, helping the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Saturday. Mark Fayne Jersey . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Canadiens at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The game can also be heard on TSN Radio Montreal 690. The Calgary Flames will see if they can take their recent hot streak on the road when they shoot for a sixth consecutive win Monday night in Montreal.TAMPA, Fla. -- Steven Stamkos scored his first goal since returning from a major injury, Ryan Callahan had his first goal with Tampa Bay, and the Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 5-4 on Thursday night. Stamkos gave Tampa Bay a 5-2 lead from the low left circle during a power play at 10:47 of the third. The Lightning star, playing in his fourth game since missing 45 games after breaking his right shin Nov. 11, also had an assist after three pointless games. Callahan scored from in-close to put the Lightning up 3-2 at 12:04 of the second. The Lightning obtained the right wing from the New York Rangers for former captain Martin St. Louis at the trade deadline. Tampa Bay, which had lost five straight (0-3-2) also got goals from Sami Salo, Michael Kostka and Tyler Johnson. Goalie Ben Bishop won his 30th game this season. Tomas Fleischmann, Quinton Howden, Scottie Upshall and Brandon Pirri scored for the Panthers, who have lost 11 of 14. Upshall and Pirri scored in the final 1:05 to get Florida to 5-4. Johhnson made it 4-2 with 1:07 left in the second when he sent the puck into the slot and it deflected off Florida defenceman Ed Jovanovski and past goalie Dan Ellis.dddddddddddd Stamkos assisted on Johnsons goal. The teams both scored twice in the first 8:18 of the game. Florida, which entered last in road power play at 6.5 per cent (8 for 124) converted its first chance on Fleischmanns goal at 1:44. After Salo tied it at 5:38, Howden put the Panthers up 2-1 on his first NHL goal, coming from the low left circle just 12 second later. Kostka tied it at 2 at 8:18. NOTES: It was Stamkos first goal since Nov. 9 against Detroit. ... Lightning C Valtteri Filppula had three assists. ... Ellis, acquired from Dallas for Tim Thomas on March 5, made his Panthers debut. ... It was Howdens first NHL game this season and 19th overall. He was recalled from San Antonio of the AHL Wednesday. ... Florida LW Sean Bergenheim didnt play due to a lower body injury. ... Salo (lower body) and teammate Radko Gudas (left leg) both played. ' ' '
MALELANE, South Africa - Branden Grace had his lead cut to just one stroke at the Alfred Dunhill Championship after shooting a level-par 72 in the third round Saturday, allowing several challengers to close the gap behind him.Grace had a five-stroke cushion after the second round, but a late surge by Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark erased most of the advantage. Bjerregaard had an eagle on the 13th and then birdied his last three holes for a 66 to climb to second place.Grace has a 16-under total of 200, with Danny Willett of England two shots behind after a 67 and Francesco Molinari another stroke back following a 70.A couple of the easy holes I managed to make mistakes on, said Grace, who mixed four birdies with four bogeys. But Im in the position I want to be in and looking forward to tomorrow.The wind picked up considerably during the third round, but it didnt seem to bother Bjerregaard, who played his back nine in 6 under.Weve had no wind pretty much all week and it was tough, especially on the first couple of holes, to adjust to that all of a sudden, Bjerregaard said. It will be fun tomorrow. Its not a position that Ive been in that many times. Im really looking forward to it and hopefully I can find a couple more fairways and give him a challenge.Willett is chasing back-to-back European Tour victories after his win at the Nedbank Golf Challenge last week. Evgeny Kuznetsov Jersey .Y. - Geno Smith shouted a couple of mighty expensive expletives. Rod Langway Jersey . -- Damian Lillard couldnt believe when he got a clear look at the rim. http://www.officialcapitalspro.com/Customized/ . Then he got back at the team that released him five days before the start of last season, hitting a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning of the first game at Fenway Park since Boston won the World Series last October. Jakub Vrana Jersey .2 million in 2012, according to tax returns the league has submitted. Alex Ovechkin Jersey . The 24-year-old Raley was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA for Chicago in his first two career starts after being called up from Iowa on Aug. 7. He was optioned to Iowa on Monday after losing 3-0 to Cincinnati in Chicago on Sunday.KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Benny Feilhaber and Lawrence Olum both had goals and Sporting Kansas City defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Saturday. Sporting (10-5-5) extended its unbeaten streak to six games, while Galaxys eight-game unbeaten streak was broken. In the 11th minute, Feilhaber opened the scoring, drilling a free kick from just outside the box into the upper left corner past Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo. Sporting made it 2-0 in the 60th minute. Graham Zusis cross was headed by Jacob Peterson -- which was blocked by Penedo -- but the reboundd came straight to Olum who headed it past a sprawled Penedo.dddddddddddd Zusi and Matt Besler signed long-term designated player contracts to remain with K.C. earlier in the day. Both players had received interest from abroad after their strong performances in Brazil. Robbie Keane cut the Galaxy (7-4-6) deficit in the 79th minute with his 10th goal of the season off a corner kick. Andy Gruenebaum filled in for Sportings starting goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, who is out with a fractured bone in his left hand suffered Wednesday at practice ' ' '
TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays won ugly Tuesday night, overcoming sloppy play and a blown six-run lead in a 7-6 walkoff victory over the New York Yankees. Jose Reyes made two throwing errors -- including a key miscue in New Yorks five-run seventh inning -- but made up for it by scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. New York made the final mistake as Yangervis Solarte threw wide to first base after Melky Cabrera laid a bunt down the third-base line. That allowed Reyes, who led off with a double, to trot home with the winning run to the delight of the 34,206 fans at Rogers Centre. "It wasnt a real well-played game, but the name of the game is winning," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. Dioner Navarro hit a three-run shot for Toronto (44-35), which moved 2 1/2 games up on second-place Baltimore in the American League East. The Orioles dropped a 4-2 decision to the Chicago White Sox. The Yankees fourth loss in a row moved them 3 1/2 games behind Toronto. Reliever Adam Warren (1-4) shouldered the loss for New York (39-37). "It was sloppy on both sides," said Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira. "That was an ugly game to watch. If youre a fan, you should get your money back." The Blue Jays will go for a sweep of the three-game series Wednesday night. Navarro put the Blue Jays on the board in the fourth inning with his blast off New York starter David Phelps. Toronto tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning when Colby Rasmus laced a shot that hit the top of the wall in right field. Two runs came across on the play and Edwin Encarnacion rounded third when Rasmus broke for second base. The cutoff man threw to Derek Jeter at second, who had Rasmus caught in a rundown. With Encarnacion leaning for home, Jeter decided to hang on to the ball and go for the tag on Rasmus. However, he couldnt catch up to the Toronto centre-fielder, who dived back to the bag at first base as Encarnacion scored. Jeter rebounded with a solo homer in the sixth inning and the Yankees took advantage of two Toronto errors in the seventh to tie the game. Brian Roberts got things started by hitting a two-run homer off Toronto starter Mark Buehrle to cut the Blue Jays lead to 6-3. With Brett Gardner at second base and Jeter at first, Jacoby Ellsbury drove a single to left field off Dustin McGowan. Cabrera tried to get Gardner at the plate but the throw went to the backstop allowing the run to score on the error as both runners advanced. McGowan got Teixeira to hit a chopper to second base but Reyes was short with his throw to Encarnacion at first and two more runs crossed the plate. It gave Reyes even more incentive when he came up to bat in the ninth. "I tried to make something happen after that mistake,"Reyes said. "They tied the game there in that situation. I have to make a better throw than that. It is what it is. Like I said, when I came up in the ninth inning I just tried to make something happen. "I put a good swing on the ball and hit a double with nobody out." Reyes also gave credit to Cabrera for making a great play that forced the errant throw. "He laid down a perfect bunt," he said. "In that situation we need that." It was the 13th multi-hit game of the season for Reyes, who ended an 0-for-19 skid with a single in the fifth inning. "Joses a driven individual," Gibbons said. "Plus hes overdue, his bat has cooled off. So it was just a matter of time. He dunked that one in earlier in the game, but hes been missing his pitches. "Hes been a little too aggressive. But perfect timing for it, you know." Encarnacion was accidentally elbowed in the back of the head by Teixeira in the seventh inning. The Toronto slugger was face down on the dirt for several seconds as a hush came over the crowd. Gibbons and a team trainer came out onto the field to check on him and Encarnacion eventually shook it off and stayed in the game. He had a fat lip afterwards but said there were no other issues. "Right now I feel good, I feel great -- 100 per cent," he said. Aaron Loup relieved McGowan in the seventh and got Carlos Beltran to hit a comebacker for the third out. The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the eighth inning but reliever Dellin Betances struck out Munenori Kawasaki to end the threat. Casey Janssen (2-0) came on in the ninth inning and gave up a single to Gardner, who eventually moved to third base with two out. With the crowd on its feet, Janssen fanned Teixiera with a 72 mile-per-hour curveball. "Thats big to win that game," Gibbons said. "We dont win that one last year, I know that." Notes: Lind fouled a ball off his sore right foot in the seventh inning but stayed in the game. He was wearing a protective cover over his cleats but was noticeably slow while running to first on a ground ball. ... Injured Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow, who had been rehabilitating his hand injury in Arizona, returned to the team Tuesday. He tore a tendon sheath in his throwing hand on May 2. Morrow played catch for 10 minutes before the game but no timeline is set for his return. ... Toronto third baseman Juan Francisco turned 27 on Tuesday. ... The Blue Jays have held sole possession of first place in the A.L. East for 33 straight days. The teams previous longest stretch came in 1993, the last year Toronto won the World Series. ... Buehrle received a standing ovation as he walked to the dugout after being pulled in the seventh inning. He worked 6 2/3 innings and allowed eight hits and four earned runs while striking out three. It was his 445th consecutive start without a stint on the disabled list -- the longest active streak in the major leagues. ... Buehrle also leads all major-league pitchers in pace, taking an average of 17.0 seconds between pitches. ... Phelps worked five innings, allowing eight hits, six earned runs and a walk while striking out seven. ... Drew Hutchison (5-5, 3.86) is scheduled to start Wednesdays series finale against New Yorks Hiroki Kuroda (4-5, 4.23). John Carlson Jersey . Crawford hit his slam off Pirates starter Edinson Volquez to give San Francisco a four run lead in the fourth and they never looked back. Brandon Belt had three runs batted in as well. Bumgarner pitched all nine innings and allowed just four hits. Custom Team USA Hockey Jersey . -- Scottie Wilbekin sat on the bench for the final minute, holding a bag of ice against his left knee. http://www.hockeyauthenticusaonline.us/Dustin-Byfuglien-Jersey/ . His stated reason for abruptly resigning as head coach of Canadas Olympic womens hockey team was he felt there were doubts about his ability to coach the team to Olympic gold in February. Max Pacioretty Team USA Hockey Jersey . -- Pelicans coach Monty Williams does not expect guard Eric Gordon to play in any of New Orleans final five games this season. Joe Pavelski Jersey . Simon (10-3) allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in 6 1-3 innings to break a tie with the Dodgers Zack Greinke and Cardinals Adam Wainwright for the NL lead in victories. Simon went to spring training as a relief pitcher and moved into the starting rotation when Mat Latos was recovering from elbow and knee surgeries.COLUMBIA, S.C. - Marcus Lattimore feels close to 100 per cent and is counting down the days until he can run free and easy for the San Francisco 49ers. The former South Carolina tailback is back in his home state speaking to church groups and running youth clinics and camps. And through it all, hes got April 21st circled in red — thats when the 49ers open workouts and Lattimore has the green light to run as he did in 2012 before the second of two devastating knee injuries during college. "The left knee, it feels like nothing ever happened," Lattimore told The Associated Press by phone. "The right knee, it feels great. Both feel balanced. Ive got my speed and I rarely get any soreness" after workouts. For Lattimore, thats major progress after facing questions following his injuries while at South Carolina. He was one of the Southeastern Conferences rushing leaders in 2011 when he tore ligaments in his right knee in a game at Mississippi State and missed the Gamecocks final six games. After surgery and a furious rehab regimen and saw him return to the practice field a month ahead of schedule, Lattimore was ready for his junior season. That ended in October against Tennessee when he got hit on his left knee, again needing surgery to repair ligament damage. Lattimore again worked to rehab, not only to get back on the field but to prove to NFL teams he was worth drafting. The 49ers agreed and selected Lattimore in the fourth round last spring and told him not worry about rushing back to play last season. It wasnt easy, but Lattimore understood the patient approach would prove fruitful down the road. "I was just so grateful they believed in what I could do," Lattimore said. Lattimore held a youth football clinic in Charleston this past Saturday and has similar sessions planned for Greenville and Columbia the next few months. Lattimores kept a high profile in South Carolina since heading to the West Coast as a spokesman for several organizations, including a commercial for the South Carolina Education Lottery about playing responsibly. Thesse days, hes promoting South Carolinas First Choice Fit Adolescent Well Visit campaign, which stresses the importance of proper nutrition, exercise and building a relationship with a primary care physician among adolescent first choice Medicaid plan members statewide.dddddddddddd Lattimore said he learned through his injuries about not cutting corners with your health and believes young people who follow that advice will see the benefits throughout their lives. Dr. Marion Burton, medical director for the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, says the group couldnt have a more well-respected representative than Lattimore. Many health professionals and administrators dont have a way to communicate with adolescents, but "Marcus sure does," Dr. Burton said. Lattimore said it wasnt easy watching from the sidelines while his San Francisco teammates were playing. He bonded the strongest, he says, with other injured players in similar rehab situations. Lattimore says he poured himself into learning coach Jim Harbaughs playbook so hed be as prepared as possible for workouts. "Man, its thick," he joked. Hes spent time with 49ers running back Frank Gore, who returned from college injury to become a five-time Pro Bowl selection in San Francisco. Lattimore says Gore has provided a strong example of how to handle oneself as a pro. Lattimore was nervous about moving so far away from home and small-town life, but his family came out frequently and he learned that San Francisco had its positives, too. "This is a very healthy place," Lattimore says. "People like to eat right and do lots of things to keep fit." Lattimore believes for him thats going full speed so he can contribute to the 49ers quest of getting back to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens after the 2012 season. He says he tells himself all the time to remain patient when hes back in action. "I cant go out there and be Superman the first day," he says. "Once I get back in the groove and take a few hits, Ill be OK." ' ' '
(SportsNetwork.com) - Surveillance video shows a New England Patriots locker room attendant moving game footballs from the officials locker room into another room at Gillette Stadium before bringing them out to the field for the AFC Championship Game, according to a report. The NFL has been investigating whether or not the Patriots used underinflated footballs in the AFC title game against Indianapolis. New England won the game 45-7 to earn a berth in this weeks Super Bowl against Seattle. According to FoxSports.com on Monday, the NFL has already interviewed the locker room attendant and is trying to determine if the individual has done anything wrong. Patriots coach Bill Belichick said during an impromptu news conference on Saturday that hes confident the Patriots did everything by the letter of the law. Belichick and New England quarterback Tom Brady both denied last week any knowledge of deflated balls being used during the Jan. 18 game, which was played in the rain at the Patriots home stadium. ESPN.com reported last week that the NFL found 11 of the 12 balls used by the Patriots were deflated. The league announced that its early findings suggest the Patriots used underinflated balls in the first half before they were replaced by properly inflated balls, which were used in the second half and retained their air pressure. The ESPN.com report said the NFL found that 11 of the 12 balls used by the Patriots during the game were underinflated by two pounds of air pressure per square inch (PSI). NFL rules mandate game balls, which are inspected by the referee hours before kickoff, be inflated between 12 1/2 to 13 1/2 PSI. Underinflated balls are said to help a player better grip the ball in inclement weather. The league said Friday the investigation is being led jointly by NFL executive vice president Jeff Pash and Ted Wells of the law firm of Paul Weiss. Wells was the leagues investigator into last seasons bullying scandal involving the Miami Dolphins. If the NFL finds the Patriots deflated footballs intentionally, they could be subject to penalties similar to ones levied after the team was found to have videotaped defensive signals used by the New York Jets during a game in September 2007. Those penalties included a $500,000 fine for Belichick, a $250,000 fine for the team and the loss of a draft pick. Howie Morenz Jersey . The Tournament of Champions, which starts Friday, is his first event since a freak accident in Shanghai two months ago. Snedeker was on a Segway scooter during a corporate outing at Sheshan International when he took a tumble and injured his left knee. Pierre Turgeon Jersey . 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SAINT JOHN, N.B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan had ideal preparation for the playoffs at the Ford World Curling Championships with a pair of hard-fought wins over tenacious opponents Thursday. The Canadians defeated Sweden 9-6 and China 6-4 to finish atop the preliminary-round standings at 10-1. Their execution Thursday was the sharpest of the tournament so far. The games were tight with Homan and her Ottawa Curling Club teammates scoring three in the eighth ends of both. "We were really pushed today," Homan said. "It was great we were able to control the game and stay confident with this team and really nail the lines and make the big shots when we needed them. "We had to fight for our points." Homan will face Switzerlands Binia Feltscher, whose record was 9-2, in Fridays playoff game between the top two seeds. The two countries meet in the 1 vs. 2 Page playoff game between the top two seeds. (TSN, 6:30pm et/3:30pm pt) The winner books a ticket to Sundays gold-medal game. The loser drops to Saturdays semifinal. Canadas lone loss of the preliminary round was to the Swiss. It went so badly for the host country in ends five through eight that they shook hands early Sunday. "That was a little bit of a lopsided game," Homan acknowledged. "We had some misfortune, but I think were a little bit different now. Were going to know the rocks and its going to be on a different sheet and everything so I think it should be a great game." The top four teams advance to the Page playoff. Russias Anna Sidorova, Swedens Margaretha Sigfridsson and South Koreas Ji-sun Kim all finished tied at 8-3. Sidorova will play in Saturday mornings playoff between the third and fourth seeds with the winner advancing to the semifinal. Russias opponent will be the victor of Fridays tiebreaker between the Swedes and South Koreans. Sidorovas missed final shot of a game against the Czech Republic -- a draw -- prevented Russia from finishing 9-2 and playing Canada on Friday. China and Allison Pottinger of the U.S., were just outside playoff contention at 6-5 with Germanys Imogen Oona Lehmann and Anna Kubeskova of the Czech Republic ending their tournaments 3-8. Scotlands Kerry Barr and Denmarks Madeleine Dupont had 2-9 records ahead of Latvias Evita Regza at 1-10. Homan had to win a tiebreaker to get into the final four at last yyears world championship in Riga, Latvia.ddddddddddddCanada won their subsequent playoff game before losing the semifinal and then winning the bronze medal. The beauty of finishing in the top two is the loser of Fridays game can still get to the championship game, albeit via a longer route. "We love the one-two game," Homan said. "Theres not much pressure. "Either way weve got a chance at the gold-medal game. Thats what were gunning for now." The Canadians struck a balance between patience and aggression to achieve their No. 1 ranking. The average age of Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle is just shy of 26, but theyre a Canadian womens curling team ahead of the curve when it comes to the big-game experience and the lessons learned in those games. Homan, Miskew and Kreviazuk have been teammates for over a decade. Since graduating from the junior ranks four years ago, they and Weagle have played in three national womens championships -- finishing fourth and winning twice -- two world championships and an Olympic trials. "This team may be young, but weve had so much experience," said Weagle, the oldest at 28. "We realize were a young team and have really ambitious goals. We really want to accomplish them, but at the same token, if you look at a lot of the great curlers in our sport, theyre in their 30s or even their 40s when theyre at the peak of their game." Weagles talent for clearing a road to the rings and Miskews ability to execute big-weight, multi-stone takeouts allows Canada to gamble and takes some pressure off Homan. Kreviazuk banged her broom after a few misses during the preliminary round, but the four curlers have an otherwise business-like demeanour on the ice. "Were patient and were learning all the time and were allowing ourselves to learn," Weagle said. "Were not expecting to be perfect every single shot, but when were not, we want to learn from it. "Often Ill go down and talk to Rachel about my shots and how Im throwing them, if she want me to make an adjustment or if shes going to make the adjustment with the broom. I think thats worked really well for us. We want to make the most shots possible and whatever way we need to do it, its good to take the emotion out and just treat it like business." ' ' '
DOHA, Qatar -- George Coetzee of South Africa needed just 21 putts to shoot an 8-under-par 64 for a one-shot lead on the opening day of the Qatar Masters on Wednesday. Coetzee eagled the par-5 10th hole and birdied his closing three holes in a round that was just two shots more than his best on the European Tour, a 62 which equalled the Old Course record at St. Andrews in Scotland 15 months ago. "I was quite lucky to get away with a few shots," he said. "Theres a lot of luck involved in this game, especially the way I play, and I had 21 putts with a three-putt, so that goes to show." On 7 under were Dawie Van Der Walt, among five South Africans in the top 13, and Steve Webster of England, who began in spectacular manner by holing a 254-yard, 5-wood second shot for an albatross at his opening hole, the 548-yard, par-5 10th. There were only two spectators around the green, and one of them was jumping up and down and pointing in a downward motion. "I didnt know whether he was inferring it had gone over the back of the green and onto rocks, but then when I got up there he starts clapping," Webster said. "Ive never been 3 under after one hole before, so it was all a bit strange after that. You start thinking is this my day, or have I had all my luck on the first?" It was the second albatross in three events this year, whereas there was just one on the tour in 2013. Webster, who celebrated his 39th birthday last Friday, picked up five birdies over his next 12 holes to lead on 8 under, then dropped a shot at his 15th. Four players were in fourth place on 6 under, while the former British Open-winning trio of Ernie Els, John Daly and Scotlands Paul Lawrie were among a group at 5 under. Els ended the first round in his 25th anniversary pro career season holing a 35-yard bunker shot on 18 for eagle. "That was a dream finish, thats always going to put a smile on your face," said Els, the 2005 Qatar winner. "I played quite nicely all day but didnt quite get my share of putts, so that bunker shot at the last really made up for everything." Lawrie also had an eagle, on the 16th, while Daly birdied his first three holes and two of his closing three. "Ive started off this year putting really, really well, and just made three bombs to start with today," Daly said. "But I just got into trouble a couple of times with the driver, so it was my putting that kept me in there." Henrik Stenson bounced back from missing the halfway cut last week in Abu Dhabi with a 68. U.S. PGA champion Jason Dufner, competing in Qatar for the second year running, carded 70. A 30-minute delay due to fog at the start of the day meant three players were unable to complete the round due to darkness. Mike Gartner Jersey .com) - Even on the day his New Hampshire football team became the nations top-ranked team two weeks ago, coach Sean McDonnell conceded something about the team they replaced at No. T. J. Oshie Jersey . Over the course of his career Glenn is 79-71-1 in 151 starts for a .526 career winning percentage. Since becoming a Stampeder, he has elevated his play and raised his stock around the league. http://www.officialcapitalsfanstore.com/authentic-jaromir-jagr-capitals-jersey/ .com) - Thursday marks the official debut of a new dirt racing surface at Meydan Racecourse. John Carlson Jersey . The English Football Association had charged the German right back with violent conduct after retrospectively reviewing video evidence of an incident that was missed by match officials at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Lars Eller Jersey . New York City FC introduced Frank Lampard in Brooklyn on Thursday after signing the 36-year-old former Chelsea midfielder to a two-year contract.Handing Johnny Football a clipboard and baseball cap has worked out nicely for the Cleveland Browns.Rookie coach Mike Pettines decision to start Brian Hoyer instead of first-round pick Johnny Manziel wasnt popular among fans, but the Browns are 5-3 and in the mix in the AFC North.Hoyer has rebounded from knee surgery to put his hometown team in position to make a run at its first playoff appearance since 2002 and post only its second winning season in the last 12 years.Were doing a good job of finding ways to win, Browns four-time All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas said. Part of that is having a quarterback whos making the clutch throws.For picking Hoyer over Manziel, Pettine gets our vote for best coaching decision in the first half.Here are more unofficial, offbeat awards at midseason.WORST COACHING DECISIONRex Ryan sticking with Geno Smith after benching him at halftime of the New York Jets 31-0 loss to San Diego in Week 5. The Jets were 1-4 and Ryan couldve given Michael Vick a chance to rescue the season at that point. Instead, he gave Smith three more starts before pulling him against Buffalo on Oct. 26.BEST FREE-AGENT SIGNINGDenver signing four-time All-Pro DeMarcus Ware after he was cut by Dallas. Ware already has eight sacks, and has improved the run defence along with the pass rush.HonourablE MENTIONS: Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. (Baltimore); cornerback Brandon Flowers (San Diego); wide receiver Brandon LaFell (New England); safety Malcolm Jenkins (Philadelphia).WORST FREE-AGENT SIGNINGDetroit signing kicker Alex Henery to replace rookie Nate Freese, who missed four of seven attempts in three games. Henery lasted two games, missing all three of his field-goal attempts in a 17-14 loss to Buffalo on Oct. 5. Freese, Henery and new Lions kicker Matt Prater are 3 for 13 from beyond 40 yards. David Akers was 7 for 10 from that distance for Detroit in 2013 but didnt get a contract offer.HonourablE MENTIONS: Offensive tackle Michael Oher (Tennessee); running back Maurice Jones-Drew and defensive end LaMarr Woodley (Oakland); running back Toby Gerhart (Jacksonville).BEST TRADEPhiladelphia acquiring running back Darren Sproles from New Orleans for a fifth-round pick. Sproles has 472 yards rushing and receiving and three TDs. He also has a punt return for a TD.WORST TRADESeattle received only a conditional pick from the Jets for wide receivver Percy Harvin after trading a 2013 first-round and seventh-round draft choices and a 2014 third-rounder to get him two years ago.ddddddddddddBEST PLAYCALLSt. Louis coach Jeff Fisher called a fake punt on a 4th-and-3 from the Rams 18 with a 28-26 lead and 2:55 left in the game. Punter Johnny Hekker tossed an 18-yard pass to Benny Cunningham and the Rams upset Seattle.WORST PLAYCALLPhiladelphia coach Chip Kelly calling a run out of the shotgun formation on 3rd-and-inches from the Cardinals 2 in a tie game late in the fourth quarter. LeSean McCoy was stopped for no gain and the Eagles kicked a go-ahead field goal. Arizona answered with a 75-yard TD pass to win it.BEST PLAYSt. Louis returner Stedman Bailey had a 90-yard touchdown on a trick punt return that had the Seahawks thinking another player was going to field the punt. Tavon Austin drew most defenders to the opposite side of the field by staggering under the imaginary ball. That allowed Bailey a clear path down the sideline after fielding the punt across the field.WORST PLAYSan Franciscos Colin Kaepernick fumbling on a quarterback sneak at the goal line on the final play in a 13-10 loss to the Rams.BEST GAMEIn a Super Bowl rematch, the Seahawks again beat the Broncos but needed overtime to do it. Marshawn Lynchs 6-yard run gave Seattle a 26-20 win and prevented Peyton Manning from touching the ball in OT.WORST GAMETampa Bay trailed Atlanta 56-0 going into the fourth quarter of a 56-14 loss. The Buccaneers have five losses by less than a touchdown but two losses by a 104-31 margin.BEST PERFORMANCEPittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had 522 yards passing, 40 completions, and six touchdowns to help the Steelers beat Indianapolis 51-34.WORST PERFORMANCESmith tossing three interceptions on three straight series before getting yanked against the Bills.BEST COMEBACK PERFORMANCEJeremy Maclin returning from ACL surgery to lead the Eagles with 45 catches, 790 yards receiving and eight TDs.WORST COMEBACK PERFORMANCEMatt Schaub hasnt rejuvenated his career in Oakland. He couldnt beat out rookie Derek Carr in training camp and has thrown one pass for the winless Raiders.___AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.___AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi ' ' '
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Detroit Tigers had Kevin Correia on the ropes in the second inning but missed their first chance to knock him out. They didnt miss their second. Torii Hunter had two hits and two RBIs in the Tigers seven-run third inning that propelled them to a 10-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. "We just got pitches that we could drive," said Hunter, who doubled twice among his three hits. "He left some balls up where we could capitalize on them. This guy pitches really well against us. We dont score many runs off him. But tonight we felt good at the plate and I think we were a little patient today and got some pitches we could handle." Nick Castellanos had a home run and three RBIs to back Rick Porcello (3-1), who gave up four runs and six hits with four strikeouts in five-plus innings for the Tigers. Rajai Davis added three hits to raise his average to .354. Correia (0-3) gave up eight runs -- seven earned -- and eight hits in 2 1-3 innings for Minnesota. It was his shortest outing since going just two innings last Aug. 5 against the Royals. Chris Colabello drove in his 27th run for the Twins, setting a franchise record for RBIs in April. Jason Kubel had two doubles among his three hits for the Twins. Brian Dozier hit his seventh homer of the season and Kurt Suzuki drove in two runs, giving him 19 RBIs on the year, which leads all catchers. Correia served up a two-run homer to Castellanos in the second -- and probably only got through that inning thanks to a poor decision by third base coach Dave Clark to send slow-footed Alex Avila from first base on a double by Andrew Romine. Avila was thrown out at home and Ian Kinsler grounded out to short-circuit the rally. "I was missing from the get-go," Correia said. "Balls were just kind of running back over the middle. I got away with it for an inning or so and then it caught up to me." But the Tigers had more in store for Correia. Hunter led off the third with a double and, after Miguel Cabreras groundout, the next five batters reached base with three hits and two walks, the last one from Romine with the bases loaded to make it 5-1. Hunter added a two-run single off Anthony Swarzak later in the inning that pushed the lead to 9-1. "They teach that in baseball: The most important inning is the inning after your team scores," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We were able to bounce back and score not just a few but seven." There are no statements delivered in April, but the Tigers did throw a little cold water on what has been a surprising start to the season for the Twins. Minnesota has lost at least 96 games in each of the past three years, but rode the second-highest scoring offence in the American League to an 11-10 start that put the Twins right on heavily favoured Detroits heels in the AL Central. "Its something positive you can build off of and thats what were going to do, try to carry it over to the next day," Hunter said. "Usually when you get a loss, as a human being you kind of think about that negative and it can carry over and linger. But since we won and its positive, just try to build off it." After breezing through the first five innings, Porcello didnt get an out in the sixth before being lifted for Justin Miller. Ausmus had to use five more pitchers to finish the game, but that big third inning gave his team plenty of cushion to absorb a four-run sixth by the Twins. NOTES: Twins GM Terry Ryan finished his last round of radiation treatment for cancer, assistant GM Rob Antony said. Ryan is expected to return to Target Field this weekend. ... Avila left the game with a bruised left shin and is day to day. ... Twins OF Oswaldo Arcia was scheduled to fly to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday to start a rehab assignment. Arcia has been on the disabled list since April 5 with a wrist injury. ... RHP Anibal Sanchez (0-2, 3.54 ERA) pitches for Detroit on Saturday against RHP Phil Hughes (1-1, 6.43). CM Punk Jersey . Winners of two straight, the Flames will try to become the first team in 25 years to go three consecutive games without taking a penalty Saturday night in San Jose. Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys .com) - The Denver Nuggets snapped a losing streak last time out and will try to carry that momentum Saturday night when they welcome the Indiana Pacers to the Pepsi Center. http://www.officialblackhawksauthority.com/martin-havlat-blackhawks-jersey-c-18/ .ca. Mr. Fraser, It looks like Martin Brodeur is coming back to play for the Blues. I was wondering if you have any great stories or fond memories of your time on the ice with Brodeur - in the NHL, or maybe even the Olympics. Steve Larmer Jersey . This has become the Raptors mantra as they embark on a new era with a new regime and, in the not-so-distant future, a new image. Chris Chelios Jersey .This one was bigger than most.Ben Roethlisberger and LeVeon Bell came up big in a game that Pittsburgh had to win Sunday, leading the Steelers to a 42-21 drubbing of the Cincinnati Bengals that left the AFC North race wide open.Top-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia beat last years runner-up Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain 7-5, 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Grand Prix SAR. Hantuchova won five straight games to take the first set and lead 2-0 in the second. Garbine Muguruza of Spain, Peng Shuai of China and Shahar Peer of Israel also won their second-round matches. The fifth-seeded Muguruza broke serve six times in her 6-3, 6-2 win over Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland. Muguruza will face Peer, who overcame Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (3) in a match that lasted more than three hours. Peer took a 4-0 lead in the final tiebreaker after Mayr failed to serve out the match at 5-4 and 6-5 in the last set.dddddddddddd The sixth-seeded Peng defeated Ukrainian qualifier Maryna Zanevska 6-4, 7-6 (5) to next play Hantuchova. Zanevska made five double-faults and dropped serve at 5-4 in the first set. Peng rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the final set and led 5-1 in the tiebreaker. In her return from injury, Polona Hercog of Slovenia cruised past seventh-seeded Zhang Shuai of China 6-2, 6-2 to move into the second round. Hercog broke Zhang twice in the first set and three times in the second. She has been sidelined by a right rib injury since the Australian Open where she retired in the first round because of a right shoulder injury. ' ' '
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. 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. Andre Reed Jersey . Yup, he definitely needed this one. Craig homered twice and had three RBIs Wednesday night to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Craig went 4 for 5 and Yadier Molina added three hits for the Cardinals, who salvaged the final game of a three-game set in hopes of staying within shouting distance of front-running Milwaukee in the NL Central. Thurman Thomas Jersey . -- Rookie Victor Oladipo came off the bench to score 20 points and Glen Davis had 18, leading the Orlando Magic to a 112-98 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. http://www.shoptheofficialbills.com/Elite-Jim-Kelly-Bills-Jersey/ . -- Jimmie Johnson has a sixth NASCAR championship in hand and two legends within reach. Custom Buffalo Bills Jerseys . So heres what I do when I want to get into the baseball mood—I delve into "The Baseball Project". O. J. Simpson Jersey . Rooneys latest piece of football genius lost in the furore which now stalks David Moyes, and the man who gave the Manchester United striker his start as a 16-year old at Goodison Park back in 2002.Of all four games played in in Week 1, the most impressive were the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on two levels. First, Investors Group Field is as special as a football stadium and home field for the Bombers . I didnt have the opportunity to visit the facility last year, so this year when I found out we were going to be there in person, I was eager to take a look. And it lived up to my expectations and more. Outside, the visual concept and construction is exceptional. The sheer size, the lower bowl, the overhang of protection - all looks and feels professional and impressive. The only criticism is they could have developed a more advanced scoreboard for the patrons, but thats the only negative I can express. Other than that, Investors Group Field is a gem of a football field inside and out. And its inside where its even more enlightening. The visitors locker room is better than most home locker rooms in North America. The weight room, meeting rooms and medical facilities are excellent and all in close proximity to one another. The architects and financiers involved did great work - a magnificent upgrade from the old stadium. As far as the game went, I enjoyed the dominate win with cautious optimism. No argument from me that Winnipeg was the better team, but as with any football game theres a reason why a team wins and a team loses. Winnipeg won because Toronto was not ready to play. The best indicator of that were the opening drives, seven plays, 62 yards and a touchdown to start the first half and then six plays, 62 yards and a touchdown to start the second half. They were not ready to play and to the credit of the Bombers they took advantage. Toronto lost because of Drew Willy. Not an overwhelming statistical day, but he looked very comfortable as a quarterback. He was calm, precise and prepared. In football, when one person has success there are always others assisting. Offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille had his quarterback very well prepared and you have to think Buck Pierce had a calming influence too. Willy looked great. Now I say cautious optimism, because I seriously doubt that the Bombers next opponent - the Ottawa Redblacks on Thursday night - will provide 16 penalties just in the first half for a second week in a row. For the Argos, next week is an intense test again. Saskatchewan Roughriders in their home opener with questions about pass rush, pass coverage and on field playing discipline. No time is on their side with a weekend away from football and five full preparation days. But after Saturday afternoon, Toronto has to know if they have good players that did not play well, or players that cannot play at a CFL pro level. Tough question to answer. Game No. 2 of Week 1 was Montreal at Calgary - Bo Levi Mitchell vs. Troy Smith. Mitchell played well especially when you consider it was his fourth start and his fourth win. He has a good deep ball which all receivers love to see and like Drew Willy, was calm as a pro. Troy Smith had to be polite, being a tough day and all. Yes -theres a new offensive coordinator, new offence, only one game of action in the second exhibition and of course, the wind. But I saw a quarterback who could not throw effectively at all. I counted 10 overthrows with receivers wide open. Whats surprising is that I did not see this massive inaccuracy last year at all. Somethings missing. I am sure as a pro, Troy Smith will find the problem and get it fixed by Friday nights game against BC. At least I think so. The drama in this game was from a vicious hit by Kyries Hebert on Jon Cornish . Was it retaliation of the Nik Lewis hit on Marc-Olivier Brouilliette? I dont think so. The Lewis hit was legal, the Hebert hit was not. If legal, players dont get enraged to defend another player, if illegal they do. I think Kyries just "lost it" in a game that was already determined. I have seen it many times - when one team is dominating another team and it is only the beginning of the fourth quarter, it can get ugly fast and it did in Calgary.dddddddddddd. To the players credit, Kyries Heberts apologetic comments and Jon Cornishs calm and thought out explaining why was impressive. As much as a Calgary home win could be predicted and a dominant Bomber win is a unique surprise, Im not sure how to evaluate the 27-20 win by Edmonton in BC. Early on, this looked like the Lions were ready and Edmonton was anything but. Three plays and six points to start a game for B.C. is an ultimate start. Yet you really have to give the Eskimos compliments because as the game moved went on, you could sense that Edmonton was getting stronger and B.C. was fading. A question and an issue going into the game and the season is: can Mike Reilly be protected through the season? Although its early and there were some individual pass rush breakdowns, it does not look like it will be a 60-sack season in Edmonton and it looks as if Reilly spent some time on a baseball diamond perfecting a second base slide. Once in the first and once in the third, Reilly could have played the hero and dove for extra yards putting his brain in jeopardy. Instead, he did the intelligent response and slid into second to stay in the game. No one touched him, there was no brain injury risk and it was a nice, mature play. One thing Reilly must do is tell his new running back Tyler Thomas to learn how to pass block and who to pass block. Thomas took the job from Hue Charles and looked as fast and quick as anticipated. But he was beaten physically for a hit on the quarterback and again mentally for a hit on his quarterback. Thats one aspect of his game that must improve ASAP as someones help depends on it. Another player that caught my eye was Dexter McCoil – a linebacker who was a previous safety. Sometimes a player just looks too athletically good not to think there is a spot for him somewhere. McCoil runs like a 511" guy and has long arms to compliment the speed. Edmonton went into the game without J.C. Sherritt - their best middle linebacker. Now Im not saying McCoil is the next Sherritt, but depending on ratio there has to be a place for him on game day. For BC, this was a tough loss. Next week theyre in Montreal to play an Als team that also needs to bounce back. BC allowed a fake field goal for a first down and a fake kick-off to lose possession. That should never happen.Finally, Ticats and Riders. The 31-10 final flatters the Ticats, as I have not seen a more dominant performance by one team in an opener in a long time. Running back Anthony Allen looked confident in his first game as a Rider. Im not sure if the Riders will find the next Weston Dressler but just may have found the next Kory Sheets. Allan is a big back and has the patience and explosive ability when the opportunity presents itself. Now one game doesnt create a confident reality, but it seems with 27 carries for 158 yards in difficult weather, Allen is off to a great start. To say this will be a difficult week for Kent Austin and his Ticats is stating the obvious. There next two games are at Edmonton and at Calgary and then the home opener at Tim Hortons Field. What do you do? How do you approach the work week after being physically abused on both offensive and defensive lines? Because its only Game 1, I do think you have confront yourself and learn from your mistakes. I would not want to be in the video meetings with the Ticats. Just like the Argonauts, this next week will say a lot not only about Hamiltons talent and character. The single biggest issue is quarterback protection. Now its not as simple as blocking better. Protection is a combination of quarterback skill, pass blocking design, route running and running back toughness. All four elements come into play for a pass play to produce perfection. The next two games will say a lot. Finally, Ill enjoy watching the Ottawa Redblacks play come Thursday night in Winnipeg. I believe for this league to make it, Ottawa must thrive as a CFL city (and a 10th city must be found out East). As the nations capital, you must have a good team and as a country you must include one of the hidden gems of our country along the East Coast. Looking forward to Thursday night. ' ' '
ST. JOHNS, N.L. -- Michael Hutchinson posted a 24-save shutout and Kael Mouillierat scored to earn the St. Johns IceCaps a 1-0 victory over the Albany Devils on Wednesday night in American Hockey League playoff action. Mouillierat scored the lone goal of the game for the IceCaps when he surged forward to catch an outlet pass from Zach Redmond on a breakaway. The victory gives St. Johns a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Mouillierat faked to move the puck forehand and then quickly brought it backhand before releasing high at the 17:50 mark of the first period. IceCaps goalie Michael Hutchinson made a huge, high glove save on a wide-open opportunity in front for Reid Boucher with six minutes left to play. Keith Kinkaid stopped 34 pucks for the Devils. Both teams ended with perfect penalty kills -- the IceCaps were 0 for 6 and the Devils went 0 for 3. Cheap Penguins Jerseys Authentic . Catch all the action on TSN2 and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. San Antonio took the series lead Monday night with a 122-105 home victory in Game 1. The Spurs used a balanced scoring attack and clamped down defensively late in the third quarter to claim the win. Cheap Penguins Jerseys . Ho-Sang is a highly regarded prospect, as seen in TSNs Midseason Rankings. This was Game 3 of their playoff series and that wasnt the only strange incident in Londons 10-2 win over Windsor. http://www.adidaspenguinsjerseys.com/ . - Regan Smith had the checkered flag in sight at Daytona a year ago and a freight train of cars in his rearview mirror. Cheap Adidas Penguins Jerseys . Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., were third with 210.84 points. Teammates Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto were fourth. Duhamel and Radford, who were seventh at the Sochi Olympics, also won bronze at last years world championships in London, Ont. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys .C. -- Duke sophomore Rodney Hood is entering the NBA draft. PHILADELPHIA -- Nikolaj Ehlers is a two-sport star who credits his time on the soccer pitch with helping his game on the ice. Ehlers, who played for Denmarks national team until he was 14 before concentrating on hockey, was selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the ninth overall pick in the NHL draft on Friday night. The five-foot-10, 176-pounder was fourth in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 104 points (49-55) in 63 games with the Halifax Mooseheads this past season. He feels that his soccer skills have helped him develop more speed on the ice, one of the key elements of his game. "I think Im a fast forward," he said. "I think I have a lot of speed I can use on the wing. I like to set up some nice plays and I like to score some goals." Ehlers was the first player from the QMJHL to be selected in the 2014 draft. The 18-year-old took the leagues rookie of the year and offensive rookie of the year honours. Ehlers also had 28 points (11-17) in 16 post-season games for the Mooseheads. "I found myself becoming more of a fan when I watched him play," said Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. "Any time he got the puck, you felt like something was going to happen. "Hes not the biggest guy when it comes to sizze, but he plays with such good hockey sense that he knows when to take an opportunity to go, and not really put himself in harms way to try to make a play.dddddddddddd" Ehlers speed helps compensate for his relatively slight build. "He doesnt have a lot of weight on him so youre going to want him to continue to grow, but hes a pretty strong player," said Cheveldayoff. "The way he plays the game and the way he moves out there, he has some hidden strength that a lot of players maybe his size dont." Ehlers said he planned to hit the gym over the summer. "Obviously, Ive got to get a little bit bigger and stronger," he said. "I can use my speed to get out of the rough time on the ice, but Im not afraid to get hit or hit somebody." Cheveldayoff said the youngster is a well-rounded individual. "His hockey sense is right up there," he said. "And his characters not far behind. This is a player that every time we had an opportunity to meet with him, we didnt want the interview to end. Hes going to be an exciting player for a long time." Ehlers father, Heinz, was drafted 30 years ago by the New York Rangers (No. 188 overall). He spent his 16-season pro career in Europe. ' ' '
Bets and bridles aside, the backstretch at Woodbine is the place to be these days. At least for several horse racing fans, who were given a behind the scenes glimpse into the daily track operations as part of Woodbines Backstretch Tour. The backstretch is home to nearly 200 trainers and 2,000 horses throughout the eight month meet at Woodbine. Various trainers have set up shop on Northern Dancer Avenue, while many stable hands and grooms have made a home for themselves in the apartment complexes overlooking the barns. Led by Hall of Fame jockey Sandy Hawley and Turf writer Keith McCalmont, the Backstretch Tour gave visitors a rare opportunity to meet Nipissing - one of the top contenders for next weeks Queens Plate. In June, Nipissing won the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks with veteran jockey Steven Bahen aboard. Trained by Rachel Halden, Nipissing will run four furlongs tomorrow in preparation for the one mile and one-quarter long Queens Plate next Sunday. According to Halden, Nipissings biggest competition will be Up With The Birds. The longest continuously run stakes race in North America, the Queens Plate is open to three year-olds foaled in Canada. The 154 running of the Plate takes place July 7 at Woodbine Racetrack. Air Max 270 Wholesale Uk .C. - The Panthers will be without starting defensive tackle Star Lotulelei for Saturday nights NFC divisional playoff game against Seattle after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a broken bone in his foot. Air Max 270 Sale Uk . The Los Angeles Clippers showed them just how ugly that life could be. Jared Dudley scored a season-high 21 points, Chris Paul added 16 points and 17 assists, and the Clippers jumped all over the Bulls in Roses absence for a 121-82 victory Sunday. http://www.airmax270cheapuk.com/ . The biggest shock of this seasons competition was on when Watford took a 2-0 lead after 30 minutes at Etihad Stadium, only for a remarkable Aguero-led comeback by City in the final half-hour. The Argentina striker produced clinical finishes in the 60th and 79th minutes to level the score before Aleksandar Kolarov put City in front in the 87th. Air Max 270 Cheap Online . The team made the announcement after Saturdays 6-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. RHP Kenny Giles will be called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill Adams spot on the roster. Air Max 270 Cheap Wholesale . -- James Harden scored 31 points, including 25 in the second half, and the Houston Rockets dug out of a double-digit, first-half hole to beat the Orlando Magic 101-89 on Wednesday night.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Orlando Magic went small — and came up big.Struggling to find their way on offence, Magic coach Jacque Vaughn turned to a four-guard lineup late in the second half, sparking a huge comeback.Evan Fournier scored 21 points, Tobias Harris had 17 points and 16 rebounds and the Magic erased a 23-point second-half deficit to hand the Charlotte Hornets their fourth straight loss 105-100 on Friday night.At one point, the Magic had Fournier matched up on Charlottes 7-foot power forward Cody Zeller.When they went small it changed the momentum of the game, Hornets guard Gary Neal said. They drove the ball. When you have a lead and guys are coming down the floor and attacking, attacking and attacking, thats one of the hardest things to guard. And it seemed like they didnt miss any shots.The Magic shot a blazing 71.4 per cent (15 of 21) in the fourth quarter and outscored the Hornets 41-21.It tied the third largest comeback in Orlando history.It was pure magic, Harris said with a laugh.The Magic trailed by 15 entering the fourth quarter, but Willie Green jumpstarted the offence by scoring all nine of his points at a crucial juncture in the final period. Fellow reserves Elfrid Payton had eight of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and Ben Gordon had all nine of his points in the final period.Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Orlando (6-8).There was no panic and we talked about that at halftime, Vaughn said. I told them we would get a chance to get back into the game. This was a great lesson for a lot of guys in the locker room.Its the second time in 11 days the Hornets have surrendered a 23-point lead andd lost.ddddddddddddl Jefferson had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Kemba Walker added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the struggling Hornets (4-9), who have lost six of their last seven games.The Hornets pushed the lead to 23 points midway through the third quarter.But Green ignited a key run.The 11-year NBA veteran hit back-to-back jumpers, Gordon connected on a 19-foot jump shot before Green swished another 19-foot jumper to tie the game at 93. Payton finally put the Magic ahead with 1:30 left when he hit a pull-up jump shot.But the big play came with the game tied 97-97. Payton missed two free throws but the Hornets forgot to box out and Green grabbed an offensive rebound for an all-too-easy put back with 57 seconds left in the game to give Orlando the lead for good.Walker said it was his job to box out Green and he didnt.Its inexcusable, Hornets coach Steve Clifford said.___TIP-INSMagic: Rookie forward Aaron Gordon underwent successful surgery on the fractured bone in his left foot on Friday. He is out indefinitely.Hornets: Neal returned after he missed the last two games with a concussion. ... Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (stress reaction) and P.J. Hairston (ankle sprain) remain out of actionLONG DISTANCE STRUGGLE: The Magic came in shooting better than 45 per cent from 3-point range over the last eight games, but failed to connect from beyond the arc in the first half. They finished 4 of 16.ROY IN THE HOUSE: North Carolina coach Roy Williams took in the game from the front row. Williamss Tar Heels will play here on Saturday afternoon.UP NEXTMagic: Host Miami on Saturday night.Hornets: Play at Miami on Sunday night. ' ' '
Troubled Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is in hot water with the NFL once again after reportedly failing a test for alcohol, which could trigger a suspension for the entire 2015 season. According to NFL.com, Gordon violated the conditions of his probation terms by testing positive for alcohol. The 2013 league leader in receiving yards is in Stage Three of the NFLs substance abuse program, which requires periodic tests over a minimum span of two years. Gordon was previously suspended for the first 10 games of last season after pleading guilty for a DUI charge that occurred in North Carolina in July. The Browns later held the talented wideout out of their finale against Baltimore for breaking a team rule. The Browns released a statement obtained by NFL.com in response to the report. Clearly we are very disappointed to hear the latest report regarding Josh, said the team. At this point, due to the confidential nature of the NFLs substance abuse policy, we have not been made aware by the league of a failed test. We are in the process of gathering more information and will provide further comment at the appropriate time. If Gordon is indeed banned for all of next season, his contract will toll and he will not be eligible for restricted free agency until after the 2016 campaign. Gordon also served a two-game suspension to begin the 2013 season for a substance-abuse infraction, then proceeded to put up sensational numbers upon his return. The 23-year-old topped the NFL with 1,646 yards on 87 catches and scored nine touchdowns in 14 games. In five games this past season, Gordon compiled 24 receptions for 303 yards without a touchdown. Cyber Monday Jerseys .J. -- Kyle Palmieri thrilled his personal rooting section with an overtime winner that sent the Anaheim Ducks to their seventh straight win. NHL Jerseys From China .com) - The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with running back Jackie Battle on a one-year contract Friday. http://www.cheapnfljerseyshome.com/ . Consider it received. Attacking on offence early and often, the Penguins topped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Saturday night as Jussi Jokinen scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to help give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference playoff series. NFL Jerseys Cyber Monday . Lack replaced an injured Roberto Luongo late in the first period then watched defenceman Chris Tanev score the winning goal midway through the third as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Jets 2-1 in a tight NHL game. Cheap Jerseys Cyber Monday . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive.MANCHESTER, England - Chelsea can open up an eight-point lead over Manchester City for the second time this season by beating its Premier League title rival on Saturday in the most pivotal match of the campaign so far. Having worked so hard in December to get back on level terms with Chelsea, City has allowed Jose Mourinhos team to pull clear again after drawing at Everton and losing at home to Arsenal in its last two league games. For City manager Manuel Pellegrini, nothing less than a victory will do at Stamford Bridge. We must close the gap to two points, Pellegrini said. Throw in a home loss to second-tier Middlesbrough in the FA Cup last weekend and Citys form has plummeted — despite star striker Sergio Aguero being back in the side after injury. Chelsea was also humbled in the FA Cup on Saturday — by third-tier Bradford — but recovered quickly by beating Liverpool on Tuesday to reach the League Cup final. That win was marred, however, by Chelsea striker Diego Costa stamping on an opponents leg, leaving the Spain international facing a three-game ban that would rule him out of the City fixture. With question marks also hanging over the fitness of key centre midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who came off with a hamstring injury against Liverpool, Chelsea could be without arguably its two best players this season. Another sub-plot is the return of City midfielder Frank Lampard to Chelsea, for whom he played for 13 years and where he is the clubs record scorer with 211 goals. Lampard came off the bench to score Citys equalizer against his former club in a 1-1 draw in September, and didnt celebrate his goal. Here are some other things to know about the 23rd round of matches in the Premier League: ___ NO IVORIANS FOR CITY Ivory Coasts progress to the knockout stage of the African Cup of Nations on Wednesday was bad news for City. It dashed any faint hopes the champions had of having star midfielder Yaya Toure and new signing Wilfried Bony available for the game against Chelsea. City hasnt won since Toure, the teams driving force in midfield and a regular source of goals, left for international duty. With Aguero searching for full fitness after more than a month out injured, goals have suddenly become a problem for City, which has scored only once in three games.dddddddddddd ___ FORMATION FORMULA Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal must decide whether to stick to his preferred 3-5-2 formation or go with a 4-4-2 set-up demanded by the clubs increasingly frustrated fans when the 20-time champions host Leicester on Saturday. Van Gaal says he finds it uncomfortable to watch United when it plays four at the back, but results show the team is more effective when it lines up in that formation. He changed to a 4-4-2 midway through Uniteds last league game when the score was 0-0 against Queens Park Rangers — and the move paid off in a 2-0 win. United has won only two of its last six games in all competitions, and is reeling from being held 0-0 by fourth-tier Cambridge in the FA Cup on Friday. ___ ARSENALS ATTACKING RICHES A torrent of injuries has deprived Arsenal of so many of its best players this season. Now, though, manager Arsene Wenger has a very different kind of selection dilemma. With Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey back after long-term problems and playmaker Tomas Rosicky in brilliant form, Wenger has a wealth of attacking riches at his disposal as his fifth-place team looks to climb back into the Champions League positions. Arsenal — with four straight wins in all competitions — is one point behind United going into the weekend, when it hosts struggling Aston Villa on Sunday. ___ THE PULIS EFFECT Want a sure way of avoiding relegation from the Premier League? Hire Tony Pulis. West Bromwich Albion had slumped to within a point and a place of the relegation zone and was on a run of just one win in 10 matches when it appointed Pulis as a replacement for Alan Irvine at the start of January. Pulis has never been relegated in his 23 years as a manager, and kept Crystal Palace up last season after taking over a team bottom of the Premier League. And he is already working wonders at The Hawthorns, with West Brom winning three and drawing the other in his four games in charge, conceding one goal. On Saturday, West Brom hosts Tottenham, which is fresh off reaching the League Cup final. ' ' '
SEPANG, Malaysia -- Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the Malaysian Grand Prix on Saturday to tie the record for most qualifying wins by a British driver in Formula One. Tropical rains delayed the start of qualifying for 50 minutes, but even the wet track at the Sepang International Circuit could not prevent Mercedes continuing the dominance it had shown all weekend as Hamilton made it back-to-back poles to start the new season. Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel came close, but finished five hundredths of a second behind Hamilton and just in front of Mercedes Nico Rosberg, who qualified third. Hamiltons pole was the 33rd of his career, bringing him level with former world champion Jim Clark for the most by any British driver. It also puts him in an ideal position to make up for his early retirement from the season opener in Australia due to an engine misfire. "It was very, very tricky out there, particularly at the end -- it was almost impossible to see on the last lap," Hamilton said. Ferraris Fernando Alonso recovered from a crash that broke his front suspension in the second session of qualifying and will start from fourth on the grid. His teammate Kimi Raikkonen qualified sixth, behind Red Bulls Daniel Ricciardo. Force Indias Nico Hulkenberg, McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen, Toro Rossos Jean-Eric Vergne and McLarens Jenson Button rounded out the top 10. There was standing water on the track from a pre-qualifying downpour, and lighter rain continued throughout the sessions to make things difficult for all drivers, who switched back and forth between the intermediate and full-wet tires as they tried to find the right setup for the conditions. The first session of qualifying was held up after Caterhams Marcus Ericsson went off the track, into a wall, through a brake marker and back onto the track where he was almost hit by Saubers Esteban Gutierrez. There was also a red flag in the second qualifying session, when Toro Rosso rookie Daniil Kvyat tried to pass Alonso on the inside of a corner but collided with the Ferrari, leaving debris on the track. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . So it was understandable if he was a little shaky early in his return to the Texas Rangers rotation. He spent most of the outing searching for his best stuff, but still managed to shut down the struggling Minnesota Twins offence. Soccer Jerseys China .com) - Graeme McDowell opened up with a first- round, 5-under 67 on Thursday and he holds a 2-shot lead at the WGC - HSBC Champions. http://www.cheapsoccerjerseysauthentic.net/ . Cox started the season with San Francisco, but was released by the team on Nov. 12 before being signed by Seattle, where he appeared in two games and tallied three tackles before being released on Dec. Cheap NFL Jerseys .Brazil midfielder Ricardo Goulart scored the winner in the 50th minute to give the defending champion a four-point advantage in the standings over second-place Sao Paulo, which beat rival Palmeiras 2-0. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping .ca. In addition to the game being aired in its entirety on CTV Two Vancouver Island and TSN.ca, TSN2 will also have coverage of Whitecaps FC immediately following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Toyota Owners 400.The England Sevens team are determined to give their home fans something to cheer about at the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series finale in London. With GB Sevens appearance at the Olympic Games later this year a priority, England have rested some of their senior players and given their promising youngsters some much needed experience.They may not be in contention for the overall title, but believe the home support can help them deliver something special. Re-branded as a Feast of Rugby and live on Sky Sports, the London Sevens promises to be a fantastic event and Phil Burgess, who hopes to return to the squad for this weekends tournament, says the squad are relishing the occasion.London is really special for us, its our home venue, Burgess told englandrugby.comPlaying at Twickenham is incredible and as a group of players knowing our friends and family are here is more important. Everyone wants to put a marker down in front of a home crowd.You want to do them proud, you want to do your country proud. When you are out there playing for England you want to put some pride in the jersey and I think its really important.Fiji head into the tournament as HSBC World Sevens Series leaders, with South Africa and New Zealand in second and third respectively. England, in ninth place, have been drawn in a tough Pool B that includes table leaders Fiji, Australia and Wales. Samoa completed a stunning second-half comeback to beat World Series leaders Fiji 29-26 in the final of the Paris Sevens Unfortunately this year we are not in a position to compete for the World Series trophy, Fiji are out in front, but for all teams in Sevens to come to the home of rugby is fantastic for them, added Burgess.ddddddddddddThe games will be brilliant, there will be some upsets for sure which will be very exciting for the fans. This season for us was a development year and was all about putting out the team we can and getting the performances we can as individuals so that at the end of the series we can push on to other things.So for us as individuals weve got to go out and perform and then whatever comes after that comes. Everyone wants to put a marker down in front of a home crowd.Watch the London Sevens, Sat May 21, from 9am, Sky Sports 1 HD and Sunday May 22, 9am, Sky Sports 1 HD and Sky Sports 3 HD Also See: WATCH: Greatest catch ever? Greenwoods Favourite 5 Hayne welcomed by Cheika Follow @SkySportsRugby ' ' '
NEW YORK -- After a demoralizing start to the season where nothing seemed to go their way, the New York Mets are making all the right calls. Pinch-hitter Ike Davis hit a walkoff grand slam one batter after manager Terry Collins won his first replay challenge, and the Mets rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 Saturday. "That was tremendous ending especially for Ike going thru what hes going through," Collins said. "To come in in a big situation and come through, thats great stuff." Brandon Phillips gave the Reds a 3-2 lead with a two-run homer off Dillon Gee in the eighth, two innings after Curtis Granderson connected for a two-run drive off Johnny Cueto, his first homer with the Mets. Trailing by a run in the ninth, Juan Lagares walked leading off against fill-in closer J.J. Hoover. Anthony Recker got a bunt down on a ball that was above his eyes, and first baseman Joey Votto threw to shortstop Zack Cozart covering second. Second base umpire James Hoye called Lagares out. Running down the first base line, Recker knew the Mets had an opportunity. "As soon as he called him out I was thinking to myself how we should challenge it," Recker said. So was Collins. After a review of 2 minutes, 14 seconds, the call was overturned by crew chief John Hirschbeck. "Youve got to go out," Collins said. "Took a chance. But youve got to. Its just a close play anyway. Weve got that opportunity to challenge that, so I had to take a shot at it." Reds first-year manager Bryan Price agreed with the call. "They got it right and as frustrating as it was, we anticipated we were going to get the switch," Price said. Hoover (1-1), pitching the ninth for Aroldis Chapman who is out after being hit in the face by a line drive during spring training, then walked Ruben Tejada to load the bases. "That leadoff walk, didnt give myself any chance really," Hoover said. Davis lost his starting first base job to Lucas Duda a day earlier, but was called on to hit in the pitchers spot and lined a 0-1 curveball off the facing of the right field porch, setting off a gleeful celebration at Citi Field that included a whipped cream pie in Davis face. Collins said Davis will start Sunday against Alfredo Simon, a decision made before the game. "As long as Duda keeps hitting thats going to be my role," Davis said. Duda hit two homers Friday night in the Mets 4-3 win over the Reds. The Mets won their second straight after being swept by Washington in three games to open the season. Cincinnati dropped to 1-4 for the first time since 2003, when it finished 69-93. The Mets beleaguered bullpen came through, too. Scott Rice got two outs and Carlos Torres (1-0) worked a scoreless ninth to give the Mets a chance. In a blustery wind with gusts up to 35 mph that sent papers swirling around Citi Field, Cueto and Gee were dominant early against two of the leagues worst hitting teams thus far. Cueto didnt allow a hit until Tejada doubled with one out in the fifth inning and Gee was perfect until Tucker Barnhart, subbing for injured catcher Devin Mesoraco (oblique strain), lined his first big league hit to right field with one out in the third. Cueto gave up five hits and two runs, lifting any lingering worry about his health after he made only 11 starts last season. He struck out nine and walked three -- one intentionally. Gee allowed six hits and a walk. He struck out four. NOTES: Reds CF Billy Hamilton was scratched from the lineup because of a jammed left middle finger. He was injured sliding head-first into second base Friday night when he was caught stealing. He played centre field in the ninth. ... The only other walkoff, pinch-hit grand slam for the Mets came in 1986, when Tim Teufel beat the Phillies. ... Phillips has a hit in all 28 games hes played against the Mets in New York. ... Mets LHP Jonathon Niese is scheduled to make his first start of the season Sunday in the series finale. Cheap Jordan 5 Retro .Y. - Urijah Faber walked out on a Madison Square Garden stage in a Wes Welker jersey, the UFCs fun nod to that other "super" show this weekend. Air Jordan 5 UK Sale . Off-Season Game Plan examines a team facing some challenging times as GM Bryan Murray tries to put together a roster for next season. Perhaps the first challenge facing Murray is that its expected he will be moving out Jason Spezza, a premier point producer who is about to enter the final year of his contract. http://www.airjordan5uk.com/ . Howard had 17 points and a career-high-tying 26 rebounds in his Houston debut, James Harden added 21 points and the Rockets cruised to a 96-83 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night. Jordan 5 Cheap For Sale .Y. -- First, Ryan Miller. Air Jordan 5 Wholesale . The Henry Burris-led squad finished second in the East Division before advancing to the Grey Cup where they ultimately fell to the home field advantage wielding Saskatchewan Roughriders.In the moments before a Toronto FC supporters event with Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley kicked off on Monday afternoon, MLSE President Tim Leiweke wandered onto the stage. His plan was to announce to the fans that the club would be buying the first drink for everyone in the building as a thank you for their support. But before Leiweke could say anything, the 500 fans in the room burst into spontaneous song. He couldnt shut them up. Leiweke sat on a stool on the corner of the stage soaking it all in as Toronto FCs supporters showered him with plaudits. At that moment, it appeared as if the magic was back. For seven years, Toronto FCs fans have had the life squeezed out of them as they witnessed failure after failure, but there was a buzz of excitement in the room Ive not seen associated with the club for a long time - and the fans knew exactly who was responsible. Its amazing to see the impact that one man can have on an organization. Leiweke would be the first to acknowledge that hes had incredible support from the MLSE board and the staff he has around him - including general manager Tim Bezbatchenko - but Monday was a result of one mans vision and his ability to get things done. Earlier in the day, Toronto FC made one of the biggest splashes in Major League Soccer history, introducing not one, but two Designated Players arriving in the league from Europe. The signings of Jermain Defoe from Tottenham and Michael Bradley from Roma marked a day in the clubs history that can only be matched in importance by the day the franchise was launched. "A very simple saying we will steal from the Kennedys is appropriate today," Leiweke said when opening the press conference on Monday morning in downtown Toronto. "Some people see things as they are and say why. Others dream of what can be and they say why not. Today is why not. Why cant we be great?" It was a day that made a big impact within the city of Toronto, but also potentially changed the landscape across Major League Soccer.dddddddddddd Sports Illustrated senior writer Grant Wahl tweeted on Monday evening: "Some MLS execs telling me they think Toronto overpaid for Bradley/Defoe and will cause other teams to have to overpay in new market." Its fair to say that these deals have set a new standard, and that will likely be taken into account when future contracts are negotiated for these types of players in MLS, but in my opinion Toronto FC did not overpay. These moves have saved the club from obscurity and for that reason these two players are worth every last cent. Yes, Toronto had to commit what Leiweke called "financial suicide" to make the signings, but it was the only option. In Leiwekes own words, "the patient was dying." The club was on "life support." You cant put a price on saving a club. Having Defoe and Bradley available will not be the only benefits for Toronto FC from the recent transactions. The Reds have also formed two partnerships with big clubs in Europe. A four year sales and marketing deal between MLSE and Tottenham was part of Defoes transfer, while the Roma deal for Bradley includes a player development program for Toronto FC players at Romas training facility. More shrewd business by Leiweke who, since bringing David Beckham to LA from Real Madrid in 2007, has shown he has the ability to operate superbly in the global football environment. Monday was a feel-good day for soccer in Toronto, but Leiweke was clear in his message that they have achieved nothing yet. All they have done is to give themselves "an opportunity to be successful." He also told me on more than one occasion: "were not finished yet. There is more to come." He wants to build a super-club - and with what Leiweke has already achieved in a short space of time in Toronto, its hard to bet against him. ' ' '