n, eight hits at one time. Ive done that before in my career, he laughed ruefully, and it doesnt work.You just keep going through the process, he adde

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- The first test of Brazils ability to host the World Cup and Olympic Games over the next three years begins on Saturday when the eight-nation Confederations Cup tournament kicks off. The new or renovated stadiums around Brazil are ready, give or take a lick of paint and a final sweep. And violent protests on the streets of two of the biggest cities, Rio and Sao Paulo, have tested authorities ability to deal with civil unrest. The tournament starts in the capital Brasilia with a game between the host and Asian champion Japan. It ends in Rio de Janeiros Maracana Stadium two weeks later. The tournament is held every four years - always one year before the World Cup - between the champions of each football confederation. Workmen were still applying cement onto walls, attaching glass panels and painting at several stadiums as the clock ticked down to kick-off, but FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he was not worried about the last-minute preparations. "Theres a lot of work that will be done in the last minute," he said. "So for me it is not a surprise that two days to go there is still work somewhere. It means that something is not finished so we should just say, okay, and finish it." While the paint and cement dry, tournament officials have been keeping an eye on the street protests, handling team complaints, and hoping Nigeria turn up on time. In the capital Brasilia, about 200 people burned tires and blocked the main road in front of the Brasilia stadium which will host the Confederations Cup opener. The protest was organized by local groups complaining about the excessive cost of the Confederations Cup and World Cup. A black cloud of smoke was seen near the stadium Friday morning as protesters held banners complaining about the local government. Thousands of protesters marched in Rio and Sao Paulo on Thursday to rage against increases in bus and subway fares, and some clashed with police. Officials said roughly 5,000 protesters were in Sao Paulos central area, where they clashed with police who fired tear gas to try to disperse the crowd. Police said 40 people were detained, some with knives and gasoline bombs. Police in Rio said about 2,000 people protested there. FIFA expressed "full confidence" that Brazilian police can cope with disorder in the streets after the violent protests. Asked about the protests, FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola said that "we are monitoring the situation and we are in touch with the local authorities." But he insisted that FIFA has "full confidence and trust in the local authorities" to cope with "any circumstance." In Recife, Uruguay was forced to go looking for a new practice pitch because the stadium chosen by the squad was not in good condition following heavy rains. "For the World Cup, we have to be on alert so the same mistakes dont happen again, especially the delays, the increased costs and the use of public funds," congressman and former Brazil striker Romario said. Latin America is represented here by Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico, Europe by Spain and Italy, Africa by Nigeria, Asia by Japan and the tiny footballing nation of Tahiti, which had an easy passage to the tournament against weak opposition in the Oceania group. Italys star forward Mario Balotelli exited the training pitch with a right leg muscle problem, two days before the Azzurri play their first game against Mexico. The Italian football federation said that Balotelli walked off a closed training session with team physician Enrico Castellacci but that it was only for precautionary reasons and related to a previous physical problem. Nigeria gave world football authority FIFA a shock on Thursday when its players threatened to go on strike and not travel to Brazil because the countrys football association suddenly cut players bonus payments. Nigerias players, in Namibia for a game, missed their connection to Brazil and will arrive late on Saturday or Sunday, leaving them very little time to prepare for their first game on Monday. Their first game is against the part-time players of Tahiti, who should present little threat. The competition is split into two groups, with Brazil, Japan, Mexico and Italy in Group A and Spain, Uruguay, Nigeria and Tahiti in Group B. Brazil, Italy, Spain and Uruguay or Nigeria are favoured to reach the semifinals, with many football fans hoping for a Brazil vs.Spain final at the iconic Maracana on June 30. Brazil has dominated global football for years, but has slipped in the last decade, with Spain rising to become the top global team, holding the world and European titles. Brazils football-mad supporters have been embarrassed to be relegated to 22nd in FIFAs latest rankings, sandwiched between Ghana and Mali, and are looking for salvation from the latest goal-scoring sensation Neymar, who signed for Barcelona last month. Neymar will be wearing the No. 10 shirt for Brazil, a weighty burden considering it was worn by Pele, arguably the best player ever. Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Brazil coach who led the countrys national team to its fifth World Cup title in 2002 and is back for a second spell in charge, is playing down Neymars influence. "Hes not going to play with 11 jerseys on his back. He plays with one jersey," Scolari said Friday. "I have nothing to demand from him." On Sunday, Mexico play Italy in Rio and Spain play Uruguay in the rain-soaked northern city of Recife. Tahiti meets Nigeria in Belo Horizonte on Monday, ending the first round of games. Brazil, a rising global economic power which still suffers from some of the headaches of a developing nation, should be able to handle the Confederations Cup with ease because it faces two massive challenges over the next three years. Next year it hosts the World Cup in 12 cities across a country which is similar in size to Europe, and then in 2016 Rio will host the Olympic Games. Swell Flaske Marble . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Swell Flaske Butikk . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. http://www.swellflaskenorge.com/ . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Swell Flaske Hvit Marmor . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. Swell Flaske Blå Marmor . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. CHICAGO -- Star slugger Anthony Rizzo hit a soft liner for the Chicago Cubs final out, which only seemed fitting.While the rest of Chicagos lineup can take consolation knowing Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is about to get a few days off, Rizzo and shortstop Addison Russell wont share in that small solace. The duo that totaled 204 RBI in the regular season is a combined 2 for 45 through six games in the postseason.Kershaw only underscored their struggles during Los Angeles 1-0 win Sunday night that tied the NL Championship Series at a game apiece.Kershaw held Chicago to two hits over seven innings and Kenley Jansen finished with two perfect innings, but that 1-2 punch could quiet Murderers Row.The other Cubs have done plenty of damage, with six players getting a hit in an 8-4 Game 1 victory. Rizzo and Russell, however, were a combined 0 for 9 Saturday night before going hitless in six at-bats in Game 2.Rizzo said changing his plate approach at this point in the series would be foolish. While it sounds counterintuitive, hes learned that patience is the quickest way to end a slump.I dont think its fair to everyone trying to get six, seven, eight hits at one time. Ive done that before in my career, he laughed ruefully, and it doesnt work.You just keep going through the process, he added. Keep battling, keep grinding.Rizzo and Russell were key contributors for baseballs best regular season team, but both have made every pitcher look unhittable in October, even as Chicago rolled past San Francisco in four games during an NL Division Series.Weve been taking some good hacks, said Russell, whose tailspin actually began at the end of the regular season. Theyre just not falling.Rizzo batted .292 with 32 homee runs and 109 RBI during the regular season.dddddddddddd Hes gone 1 for 23 in the playoffs with just a single and three walks, including the only one Kershaw issued in seven innings.When Rizzo got to 3-0 in that at-bat, he was bristling for a pitch to hit.No doubt, he said. Its a 1-0 game at that point. One swing changes that.He nearly did that in the fourth inning, turning a 1-1 fastball from Kershaw into a towering shot that cleared the outfield wall in right by plenty -- it landed on Sheffield Avenue, behind Wrigley Field -- but hooked just outside the foul pole. Kershaw threw high and tight on the next pitch, then coaxed Rizzo into grounding out.Rizzo was hoping for a second bite at the long ball in the seventh. But Kershaw walked him on the next pitch.Anytime you can get on, Rizzo said, his voice trailing off.Russell hit only .238 in the regular season, but contributed plenty of power, with 21 homers and 95 RBI. Yet, like Rizzo, hes got only a single in his 22 at-bats. He sat out the Cubs playoff run last year due to an injury, but he said that lack of experience wasnt an excuse.He got ahead early and he throws strikes, Russell said. He had his stuff tonight. ... Ive got to learn to grind out the at-bats better, extend the pitchers more.Kershaw yielded only two hits in seven innings. Tough as he was on Rizzo, the left-hander dominated Russell, who grounded out in his first at-bat then produced a pair of routine flyouts.Rizzo said neither he nor Russell had a reason to hang their heads, at least on this night.We just faced the best pitcher on the planet, he said. ' ' '