OOTBALLCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Panthers quarterback Cam Newtons concerns about illegal hits have been heard by the NFL -- and action has been t

Newcastle Jets Croatian connection has strengthened with the A-League club securing talented young defender Ivan Vujica from Dinamo Zagreb.The 19-year-old Sydney-born left back moved from Australia to play in Croatia in 2011, linking with the top-tier clubs under-19 squad and representing the country at youth level.Vujica says hes ready to graduate to first-team football.I havent come here only to develop, he said.I have come to play my part for the first team in the A-League as soon as possible.The signing boosts an already strong Croatian representation at the Jets, with recent signing Mateo Poljak and midfielder Steven Ugarkovic on the roster.They (Poljak and Ugarkovic) have told me good things about the club, team and city, so I am looking forward to meeting my new teammates this morning, Vujica said.Newcastle coach Scott Miller said Vujicas Croatian education will serve him well in the A-League.Ivan has been well educated technically in Croatia and has an aggressive, dynamic style which we believe will help our group both physically and tactically, he said.He rates very favourably statistically compared to his peers in games. Jacques Plante Jersey . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Maurice Richard Canadiens Jersey . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. http://www.canadienssale.com/ . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. Serge Savard Canadiens Jersey . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. Victor Mete Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. BASEBALLCHICAGO -- Next year is here.At 11:47 local time, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series that has eluded them for 108 years, beating the Indians 8-7 at Cleveland in 10 innings. Fans who packed bars to watch the game on television near Wrigley Field -- neither of which existed back in 1908 -- erupted in cheers before swarming onto the streets just before midnight Wednesday to celebrate in the shadows of the statues of Cubs greats Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo and legendary announcer Harry Caray.As the game ended, the roar from inside the bars and the throng of fans on the street was deafening, before the crowds both inside and out sang go Cubs go at the top of their lungs.As the celebration progressed, thousands of fans poured into the streets leading away from Wrigley, many of them singing We Are The Champions.PRO FOOTBALLCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Panthers quarterback Cam Newtons concerns about illegal hits have been heard by the NFL -- and action has been taken.A person familiar with the situation says Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell has been fined $18,000 for his hit on Newton in Sundays game. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league does not publicly announce fines.Newton had a phone conversation with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday about his perspective on the hits he takes from defensive players while in the pocket.Newton said after Sundays game he didnt feel protected in the pocket after no flag was thrown when Campbell crashed into his legs as he was releasing the football.NEW ORLEANS -- Prosecutors and attorneys for the man accused of killing New Orleans Saints star Will Smith say theyre ready for trial next month on charges including second-degree murder.Lawyers said after a hearing that they expect about 100 potential jurors to be called to court Dec. 1 for the trial of Cardell Hayes, who shot Smith during a traffic altercation on April 9.Prosecutors say Hayes provoked the confrontation by ramming his Hummer into Smiths SUV.Defense lawyers say Smith was the aggressor and Hayes fired in self-defense as Smith went to get his own gun. They note that Hayes did not flee, and waited for police to arrive after the shooting.NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Wide receiver Andre Johnson says his mother taught him when a person decides to take their leave they should exit the same way they enterred, explaining why he quietly retired midway through his 14th NFL season.ddddddddddddJohnson thanked everyone for their texts, post and calls in a statement on Instagram, two days after telling Tennessee Titans coach Mike Mularkey he was retiring.He also thanked his mother, an uncle, former Houston general manager Charley Casserly, the city of Miami and both the Colts and Titans.Johnson wrote he is returning home to Houston where he will always be a Texan.He still is the leading receiver in Texans history with 1,012 catches for 13,597 yards and 64 touchdowns.EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is recovering from surgery to repair a torn retina in one of his eyes.Wearing sunglasses to limit the outside light at his news conference next to the teams practice fields, Zimmer said hed had vision trouble for a couple of days before scratching his eye during the game Monday in Chicago. He was sent for further examination and a procedure done Tuesday by doctors who warned him he risked blindness if he didnt address the problem.Zimmer said hes been watching film with his good eye, using reading glasses so he can write down notes.The Vikings play Sunday at home against Detroit.BASEBALLLOS ANGELES -- The U.S. Department of Justice is suing AT&T because its DirecTV unit allegedly orchestrated a backroom deal with competitors to not carry the sole channel that broadcasts Dodgers baseball in Los Angeles.The civil antitrust lawsuit filed in Los Angeles federal court accuses DirecTV of swapping information with cable companies Cox Communications Inc., Charter Communications Inc. and AT&T -- before it acquired DirecTV -- during negotiations to carry SportsNet LA, the network owned by the Dodgers.The complaint says the companies made the agreements to prevent competitors from offering the channel to lure customers. Dodger fans were bitter they could only watch games through Time Warner Cable -- now owned by Charter -- the past three seasons.The government says DirecTV was the ringleader because it was the only company that unlawfully talked to multiple rivals, and says that DirecTV executives acknowledged that the satellite-TV company would be in a stronger position if competing TV providers also did not carry the Dodgers channel. ' ' '