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CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Josh Hart scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half as No. 3 Villanova stared down UCF and 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall to win the Charleston Classic with a 67-57 victory Sunday night.The Wildcats opened 5-0 for a fourth straight season, using their experience to pass around the middle and their tenacity to chase down loose balls that Fall couldnt corral.The result was the fourth in-season tournament title for Villanova in as many seasons, the defending national champions running their November record the past four years to 24-0.Fall did his part for the Knights (3-1) with 20 points on 10-of-10 shooting and 13 rebounds -- he was 26 of 31 with 34 rebounds in three games at TD Arena. The rest of his teammates shot less than 33 percent as Villanova took a 12-point lead at halftime and kept a comfortable margin the rest of the way.UCF closed to 37-32 on Matt Williams basket with 16 minutes left. Then the Wildcats took off on a 12-3 run to extend the lead. Hart had a jumper and his only 3-pointer in the surge. The Knights never got within single digits after that.Villanova freshman Donte DiVincenzo had 13 points. Jalen Brunson and Kris Jenkins added 12 apiece.Williams had 17 points for UCF.BIG PICTUREVillanova: The Wildcats showed their resiliency and skill in battering three opponents in Charleston, all by double digits. If youre nitpicking for a deficiency, it might be a lack of height. At 6-foot-9, Darryl Reynolds played the center spot most of the weekend and fronted Fall in this one, fouling out after 26 minutes of action.UCF: The Knights picture is always big with Fall, the tallest player in the game. The school says he is among the 40 tallest people in the world, too. But UCFs offense at times doesnt run through Fall, maybe because hes still developing his passing skills down low. If that happens, look for the Knights and Fall to take off as he becomes a more versatile player.UP NEXTVillanova heads home to play the College of Charleston. After the teams spent the past four days crisscrossing each other at TD Arena, they head to Philadelphia to play Wednesday night.UCF begins a two-game homestand against Seattle on Saturday night.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org Blake Snell Rays Jersey . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday. Evan Longoria Rays Jersey . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/1006i-guillermo-heredia-jersey-rays.html . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. Jose Alvarado Jersey .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. Blake Snell Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- When Big Ben doesnt have his `A Game, the Pittsburgh Steelers showed they have a more than capable Plan B in continuing their late-season playoff push.Thats `B as in Bell.With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger struggling once again with his accuracy on the road, the Steelers resorted to handing the ball off to LeVeon Bell in sparking a 27-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.Despite a slick, snow-covered field, Bell had no trouble with his footing to score three times and set a franchise record with 236 yards rushing.The Steelers (8-5) won their fourth in a row to keep pace in the AFC playoff hunt.How much can I appreciate it? About as much as any Steeler fan. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome, Roethlisberger said of Bells performance. When youre running the ball as well as you do, might as well stick to it.After Roethlisberger threw two of his three interceptions in the first half, the Steelers opened the third quarter fully committed to feed Bell.He delivered by rushing nine times for 72 yards and cap an 82-yard drive by waltzing into the end zone untouched from 5 yards out to put the Steelers ahead 21-7 . Add in 62 yards receiving, Bell accounted for 298 of Pittsburghs 460 yards, and he single-handedly outgained Buffalos 275 yards.The loss left Buffalo (6-7) on the fringes of contention and placed the team in jeopardy of extending the NFLs longest playoff drought to 17 seasons.The Bills faltered on both sides of the ball, raising questions about the futures of both coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Tyrod Taylor beyond this season.Ryan was noncommittal in saying, well see, when asked whether Taylor will remain his starter.Ryan was defiant when asked about whether he deserved a shot to continue on the job beyond his second season.What do you think Im going to say? Youre dang right I do, Ryan said. It hasnt gone exactly the way I wanted it to go, thats obvious. But we have three games left and well try to win every one of them.BAD BENThough Roethlisberger improved to 4-3 on the road this season, he continues to struggle away from the friendly confines of Heinz Field.Roethlisberger went 17 for 31 for 220 yards against Buffalo, and is 147 of 247 for 1,618 yarrds with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions on the road.dddddddddddd Hes 4-1 at home, where he is 136 of 193 for 1,636 with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions.HITTING 100Steelers coach Mike Tomlins regular-season record improved to 100-57, making him the 40th NFL coach and third with Pittsburgh to reach 100 wins.I congratulated him. I gave him the game ball, Roethlisberger said. Theres a lot of coaches that have coached this game and probably wish they had 100 wins, for him to get it, its awesome.The no-nonsense Tomlin didnt think much of the milestone, saying: It means Ive been here awhile.NO OFFENSEThe Bills had minus-1 yard through two series in the first quarter, becoming the NFLs first team this season to have negative yards through the first 15 minutes.Buffalo didnt get into positive yardage until its first snap of the second quarter, when LeSean McCoy had a 9-yard run.Buffalo combined for seven first downs and 87 yards net offense on its first nine possessions. That included Sammy Watkins 8-yard touchdown catch set up by Stephon Gilmore returning Roethlisbergers second interception to the Pittsburgh 7 midway through the second quarter.Taylor finished 15 of 25 for 228 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.Definitely didnt play my best, Taylor said. I let the team down a couple of plays, but gotta move forward.NO DEFENSEThough the Bills had three interceptions, not much else went right on defense.Bells 236 yards rushing were the most allowed by Buffalo in team history. That eclipsed the 224 yards set by Miamis Ricky Williams on Dec. 1, 2002. The Bills also allowed 200 yards rushing twice this season, after Miamis Jay Ajayi had 214 in the Dolphins 28-25 win in October.Its very hard to swallow, cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman said. I dont know how to take this right now. But its going to take some time.SACK ATTACKLinebacker Bud Dupree had two of Pittsburghs five sacks. The Steelers have 31 sacks this season, with 18 coming in their past four games.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '

Sri Lanka A 299 (Udawatte 64, Hasan 4-63) and 131 ( Azizullah 4-21, Nawaz 4-31) beat Pakistan A 277 (Nawaz 68) and 120 (Asitha 5-33, Pathirana 3-27) by 33 runs Scorecard Asitha Fernando, who was Sri Lankas leading wicket-taker in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, claimed seven wickets on first-class debut, including five in the last innings, to secure a slim victory for Sri Lanka A in Leicester. The result meant Sri Lanka A went 1-0 up in the two-match series against Pakistan A in England.Seamer Asitha returned 2 for 42 in the first innings to help bowl Pakistan A out for 277 and gain Sri Lanka A a first-innings lead of 22 runs. Spin-bowling allrounders Ashan Priyanjan and Sachith Pathirana also took two wickets each, after a 104-run partnership for the third wicket between Mahela Udawatte (64) and Roshen Silva (48) had underpinned Sri Lanka As total of 299.Captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Nawaz made half-centuries for Pakistan A, but the rest of the batsmen fell away. From 190 for 4, Pakistan A were dismissed for 277 in 88 overs.Nawaz then starred with the ball as well, as he and seamer Azizullah picked up four wickets each to skittle Sri Lanka A for 131 and set Pakistan A a target of 154.Asitha combined with the other Fernando - Vishwa - and wiped out Pakistan As top order quickly, leaving them 35 for 5 at one stage. Ultimately they were bowled out for 120 in 46.5 overs. Asitha ended with figures of 5 for 33 in 9.5 overs. Barring opener Jaahid Ali (38) and wicketkeeper Mohammad Hasan (24), who came in at No. 9, no Pakistan A batsman managed to pass 20.The two teams will meet again in the second four-day match at Worcester, starting July 10. JJ Arcega-Whiteside Eagles Jersey . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. Shareef Miller Eagles Jersey . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. https://www.eaglessportsgoods.com/Womens-Fletcher-Cox-Inverted-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. Carson Wentz Womens Jersey . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. Shareef Miller Womens Jersey . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. LOS ANGELES -- Alec Ogletree and Case Keenum figure theyll always remember the passion and excitement of the Rams first home game back in Los Angeles.Sure, the details of the Rams 9-3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday might fade with time.Thats probably fine for both teams, too.Highlights were scarce while both teams failed to reach the end zones of the Coliseum, which welcomed back the NFL after a 21-season absence. Instead, the Rams defense decided it with an effort that showed Los Angeles (1-1) can win this season even without much of an offense.Ogletree sealed it with 45 seconds to play, falling on a fumble by Christine Michael. The Rams new middle linebacker then took the ball to the far end of the Coliseum sideline, handing it to his family in the stands.It was an amazing feeling to be out there today, said Ogletree, the replacement for franchise tackling leader James Laurinaitis. It was a historical moment. Glad to be a part of it.A massive crowd of 91,046 officially welcomed the Rams back to Los Angeles, their home from 1946-94. The pregame festivities included a show by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the lighting of the Coliseum torch by six Rams Hall of Famers.The Seahawks (1-1) turned out to be ideal guests for this party -- but not because they wanted to be.Hobbling quarterback Russell Wilson passed for 254 yards, but the Seahawks reached the red zone once all day. Seattles defense was stout, but still gave up five drives longer than 45 yards leading to Greg Zuerleins three field goals.To come out and ptdplay like that, not give us a real shot to get ahead, was tough, said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who returned to the stadium where he spent nearly a decade as USCs head coach. Tough day. I never thought wed go the first couple weeks having scored one touchdown. Im surprised at that.POINT DROUGHT: Both teams are having trouble on offense, but the Seahawks had their lowest-scoring performance since October 2011 while getting shut out for the final 44 minutes. Their problems seem clearly linked to a suspect offensive line with a slew of new starters, but noboody was proud of his effort afterward.dddddddddddd We still had a chance there at the end, said Wilson, who hit Tyler Lockett with a 53-yard pass shortly before Michaels fumble. Thats all Im looking for is a chance to win the game.MAKING A CASE: After a disastrous season opener at San Francisco, Keenum improved in his second start of the season, going 18 of 30 for 239 yards without an interception. With No. 1 pick Jared Goff watching from the sideline as his backup, Keenum made only a handful of mistakes and did nothing to conflict with his previous reputation as a game manager who gives his team a chance to win. I think a lot of people will remember this day, Keenum said.RIVALRY RULES: The Rams havent made the playoffs since 2004, but theyve beaten title-contending Seattle in four of the NFC West rivals last five meetings, including three straight. Wilson is just 4-5 against the Rams, while Carroll has no idea why the Rams have his number. If I did, it wouldnt have happened, he said with a grimace. The next meeting isnt until Dec. 16 in Seattle.GURLEY GRIND: Todd Gurley managed just 51 yards for the Rams, averaging 2.7 yards per carry against another defense determined to stop him. The Rams showed play-action proficiency while moving the ball well, but coach Jeff Fisher still wants to get his star running back into the end zone soon. We just have to get him some more touches, Fisher said. He ran well when he had the ball. ... Hell be fine. Hell just be fresh at the end of the season.FOND FAREWELL?: Just when the Rams have established a bit of momentum with this big party in their hometown, theyre back on the road almost exclusively until November. Los Angeles plays away from the Coliseum for four of its next five games, including a home game against the New York Giants on a cricket ground in England. The Rams host Buffalo on Oct. 9 -- and then dont play at the Coliseum again until Nov. 6.---AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '

The Mercedes-Benz management in Stuttgart ought to be thankful for the game of golf this morning as the Ryder Cup dominates the UK sports pages. Without the post mortem into Europes defeat at the hands of a rampant American team, Lewis Hamiltons hasty comments would have created even greater headlines than they already have.From the moment a microphone was stuck under his nose almost before the smoke had cleared from the stricken Mercedes, it was obvious that Hamiltons comments would be even more volatile than the failed V6.Regardless of whether or not his heart-on-the-sleeve thoughts were ill advised, what mattered next was the manner in which the media would deal with the apparent implication that Lewis was receiving unfair treatment from the engine supplier. As soon as one reporter from a British national newspaper couldnt wait to tweet the quotes verbatim in the same knee-jerk manner, you had to fear the worst. Fortunately, a more measured response has been evident across most of the national media.The Daily Mail found a reasonable balance by headlining and leading with Mercedes refuting stupid sabotage claims before going into detail of the race. The Daily Telegraph took the reverse option by headlining Hamiltons attack on his team and using the line stoking theories his own team have been conspiring against him when, by incorporating such a seemingly innocent phrase in the opening paragraph, the newspaper is actually propagating this absurd notion. Thankfully, a strongly worded and informed column by David Coulthard puts the opposing view.The Times talked of hint of sabotage in the headline but used a softer tone when reporting Hamiltons outburst, albeit stoking the fire with: The noise from the conspiracy theorists believing that Mercedes are deliberately sabotaging Hamilton to favour a German driver in a car with a German badge will be difficult to silence now. Having made a comment that is virtually self-fulfilling, an analysis of the situation represented a fair attempt to redress the balance while intriguingly leaving that element of doubt hanging in the air.It was necessary to read through the report in the The Star to understand that, in the end, Hamilton was not actually being super-critical of Mercedes, despite the suggestion in the opening paragraph that he all but pointed the finger of blame at his own Mercedes team.At least that eventually achieved an even-handed view, unlike The Mirror which jumped in with Lewis Hamilton hints at Mercedes conspiracy in the headline and carried on in that vein without recourse to the world champions calmer thoughts later in the day. And its not as if either the immediacy of the papers website, or the time difference with Malaysia, presented a problem with UK deadlines. Tone and style are the publications prerogative, of course. But the problem with online reportage is the effect this can have on the readers subsequent ill-informed and sometimes inflammatory commentary.The Daily Express made the important message clear in the headline Hamilton backtracks on Mercedes conspiracy theory comments, the report then detailing the original theory before adding a response from both Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda.The headline in The Guardian had similar balance: Lewis Hamilton blames higher power not Mercedes for F1 engine failures. Having detailed the original damning words from Hamilton, the paper then gave the drivers more considered thoughts before adding: Any suggestion Mercedes are nobbling the engine of their star driver is, of course, ludicrous.Amen to that. Isiah Thomas Pistons Jersey .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. Henry Ellenson Jersey . 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EUGENE, Ore. -- An embarrassing road loss to Baylor may prove to be a valuable lesson for Oregon.If the fourth-ranked Ducks want to meet their own lofty expectations, theyll have to earn it on the boards.Two days after losing by 17 points to the unranked Bears, Chris Boucher had 25 points and nine rebounds to lead Oregon to its 27th consecutive home victory, 76-54 over Valparaiso on Thursday night.Boucher was coming off a 12-point, two-rebound performance against Baylor.His activity allowed him to him to have the 25 points, Oregon coach Dana Altman said. He had no defensive rebounds the other night and we lost the rebounding battle by 11.Tonight we won it by 13, and that was the difference in the game.Jordan Bell added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Ducks (2-1), who took control early in the second half with an 11-4 run fueled by Bells eight points to open a 52-38 lead. Bell scored 12 points in the second half as Oregon shot 15 of 27 from the field.That was our goal, just to go inside, Bell said. Against Baylor we went 3 for 21 at the 3-point line, so we just wanted to go inside.Alec Peters led the Crusaders (3-1) with 24 points to become the schools second-leading career scorer. Tevonn Walker added 12 points.Valparaiso shot just 23.3 percent in the second half as Peters was its only starter to make more than half of his attempts. The Crusaders finished 4 of 21 from 3-point range.I think its pretty evident that we are not shooting the ball very well, Valparaiso coach Matt Lottich said, and to beat a team like Oregon youre going to have to hit shots from the outside.Backup freshman point guard Payton Pritchard had nine points and five assists for the Ducks, who led by as many as 25 points in the second half.Oregon had a 40-27 rebounding edge and blocked six shots.Altman said his teams size and rebounding ability should be what sets the Ducks apart.If youre not beating people on the boards, youre not taaking advantage of your athleticism, he said.dddddddddddd Our goal should be a plus-eight or -nine on those boards for the season, and if we do that, itll be really positive for our team.The Ducks played again without preseason All-America Dillon Brooks, who continues to recover from offseason foot surgery. Altman was noncommittal about the junior forwards availability for the Maui Jim Maui Invitational when Oregon opens play Monday against Georgetown.I dont know if hell play in Maui, Altman said, and if he does, it wont be very much.BIG PICTUREValparaiso: Coming off a 30-win season and deep run in the NIT, the Crusaders were held 28 points below their season average while shooting just 32.1 percent from the field against the Ducks.Oregon: The Ducks likely will slip in Mondays poll off their 66-49 loss at Baylor, but they may regain Brooks services while in Hawaii.POLL IMPLICATIONSDespite Thursday nights win, Oregons best-ever No. 4 ranking likely will take a hit after its 66-49 road loss to unranked Baylor on Tuesday.STAT OF THE NIGHTBoucher, who has scored in all 38 games hes played at Oregon, had 18 points by halftime and missed his career high by one.HIGHLIGHT REELThough not known for his ball-handling, the 6-foot-10 Boucher flashed some nifty moves when he picked off a cross-court pass, dodged a Crusader at mid-court, dipped inside another off the dribble and smoothly threw down a one-handed dunk in the first half to cap a 9-0 run.UP NEXTValparaiso plays Alabama on Monday in Las Vegas at the four-team MGM Grand Main Event. The Crusaders will face either BYU or Saint Louis on Wednesday before heading home.Oregon heads to Hawaii to play Georgetown on Monday in the first round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. The Ducks will face either No. 9 Wisconsin or Tennessee on Tuesday. ' ' '

Its a tradition practically as old as the sport itself: a hockey team led onto the ice by a goaltender wearing No. 1. From Jacques Plante to Glenn Hall to Johnny Bower, goalies wearing the simple number were the starting point of rosters for decades.If you were a goalie, you wore No. 1. Thats just how it was.Operative word here being was.Todays goalies have gone in a different direction when it comes to the digits on their back. And the result has almost eliminated the No. 1 altogether.As a kid, I always had 1, said former goaltender and current broadcaster Brian Hayward, who wore the number for almost his entire 11-year NHL career. Every time the goalie was 1, so I just stuck with it. It almost became like an expectation for me.The No. 1 goalie wore 1. Another reason why you wanted that number. You wanted to say, Im the No. 1. Thats the way I looked at it.Its believed that goalies were given the No. 1 because they were the first player on a rink when looking from the net outward. When a goalie was injured, for instance, the replacement goalie would also wear No. 1.The numbering system changed when roster expansion required teams to field two goaltenders. The most notable change occurred in 1964, when legendary goaltender Terry Sawchuk joined the Toronto Maple Leafs. With Bower already wearing No. 1, Sawchuk went with No. 24 before taking on No. 30 and forever changing the numbers associated with goalies.The Chicago Blackhawks Tony Esposito wore No. 35, and goaltenders began gravitating increasingly toward the 30s thanks to Patrick Roy, whose usual No. 30 was worn by Chris Nilan when he joined the Montreal Canadiens as a rookie, forcing Roy to go with No. 33. Roys legendary exploits in Montreal and with the Colorado Avalanche truly began a wave of iconic goalies wearing numbers that were uniquely theirs.When you saw a guy wearing 33 youd go, Wow, hes wearing 33, Hayward said. Im sure a lot of kids wear 33 because of Pat. Ken Dryden was 29. A lot of guys, if they had a favorite [goalie], would go in that direction.Today, the No. 1 has mostly gone the way of the two-pad stack. At the beginning of December, only seven goalies were wearing the number. Its a dramatic shift from just 25 years ago, when more goalies wore the number during the 1991-92 season, despite the NHLs fielding only 22 teams. Six teams have retired the No. 1 (not including the?Minnesota Wild, who retired the number in honor of their fans), which also pushed goalies to be creative when it came to picking a number.After being forced to abandon the number last season with the Canadiens, who retired the number in honor of Plante, Mike Condon was thrilled to get it back this season. He took back the number with the Pittsburgh Penguins and retained it after being traded to the Ottawa Senators.Its just the number I wore in high school and the number I wore in college, he said. Any chance I get to wear it, Im going to grab it. I think its old-school. I just like it.The number is certainly a throwback, especially with the Florida Panthers Roberto Luongo, who at 37 is the leagues oldest goaltender, wearing it. In fact, there are almost as many goalies in the league wearing No. 40 and No. 41 (four each) as there are wearing the number that historically defines the position. Others wearing the No. 1:?Jonathan Bernier of the Los Angeles Kings, Brian Elliott of the Calgary Flames, Semyon Varlamov of the Colorado Avalanche, Keith Kinkaid of the New Jersey Devils and Thomas Greiss of the New York Islanders.But some goalies forced to take on the single digit have come to love the loneliest number.Ive loved No. 1 since Ive gotten it, said Kinkaid. I like the single digit. Its grown on me quite a bit. Its simple. My last name is only seven [letters], so I think if I had two numbers, it would go outside the seven.Kinkaid wore No. 1 when he starred at Sachem High School East in Farmingville, New York. The school even retired the number in his honor. But he switched to No. 30 when he enrolled at Union College, a number he couldnt wear with the Devils thanks to a certain goalie named Martin Brodeur. Kinkaid switched to No. 35, which was eventually taken by current starter Cory Schneider after he was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks. With the Devils still among the few teams restricting which numbers players can wear, Kinkaid was given his old high school number.But not every goalie forced by the Devils to wear the number took so kindly to the change.I didnt like it. I think its a boring number, said former NHL goaltender and current broadcaster Kevin Weekes. Its just a boring-looking number, but I respect the history of the guys who have worn it, of course.Weekes was first assigned No. 1 by the Panthers when he came to the NHL in 1997-98, but he had worn double zero in junior hockey and the minors. The NHL doesnt allow the single or double doughnut because they cannot be registered in the leagues database. So, when he came to the New York Islanders in 1999, Weekes switched to No. 80, which he figured was as close to double zero as he could get.When it comes to traditional numbers, the Devils and Kinkaid have proved to be the exception. Whereas goalies typically expressed themselves through the art on their mask, some of the NHLs best have taken to doing that through their number.Maybe its not cool anymore to wear No. 1. For me, I always look for it, Hayward said.Many star goalies have gone off the conventional radar when it comes to their number, including the Blackhawks Corey Crawford (No. 50), the Columbus Blue Jackets Sergei Bobrovsky (No. 72), the Tampa Bay Lightnings Andrei Vasilevskiy (No. 88) and the Washington Capitals Braden Holtby (No. 70). Their influence could ultimately make the traditional No. 1 even less popular with todays up-and-coming goaltenders.I think a lot of guys with big numbers have them for a reason, Condon said. They have a story behind it.I dont really have anything like that. I just want the simplest number out there. Simple, to the point, succinct. No wasted energy there.Of course, Condon said there is one other number he would consider.Im just old-school, but Id do double zero if I could. Cheap Rays Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. Brent Honeywell Jersey . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/256i-joey-wendle-jersey-rays.html .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Anthony Banda Jersey . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. Willy Adames Jersey . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Carltons winter has arrived, with only growth among talented youngsters likely to provide slices of light in their rapidly deflating AFL season.The Blues were soundly beaten by Adelaide, the latest of four straight defeats that have taken the wind from their campaigns sails.Carltons victories over Geelong and Collingwood seemed a lifetime ago at the MCG on Sunday, where Brendon Boltons error-plagued side shipping 10 of the last 11 goals to lose to the Crows by 60 points.Worse, a brutal three weeks comes next with against the last three grand finalists - West Coast, Sydney and Hawthorn.Boltons nurturing nature is prevailing, with the first-year boss accepting mistakes will occur.Its how his young side responds that interests Bolton.Its important that players learn not to be deflated by those turnovers. Its part of growth, of (a) growth mindset, he said.It can deflate you if you let it. Professional sportsmen need to learn that mistakes happpen and to work through that.ddddddddddddIt is a common pattern ... we can make the incredibly easy look incredibly difficult.Boltons readiness for his players to make mistakes means the door is open for new additions to join Charlie Curnow, Jacob Weitering and Jack Silvagni as 2016 debutees.The door is open for Harry McKay and David Cuningham and other young rookies if two criteria are met.Well bring them in when, one, we think theyre not at risk of injury, two, their form is sound enough, he said.Thats the art of coaching. Making sure you do it at the right time.Bolton vowed not to be intimidated by the fixture ahead.This competition says if youre off with mindset slightly or you dont do it for longer than the opposition you get hurt, he said.Well go into every game saying heres a strategy we think can work. ' ' '

BOSTON -- Patrice Bergeron has a punctured lung and is at a Boston-area hospital for observation. The Bruins forward was admitted Monday night, after Boston lost to Chicago, 3-2, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden -- a defeat which ended the season. Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli and coach Claude Julien addressed Bergerons status Wednesday, the same day they held exit interviews with the players. "He played through all of this, and he was a warrior," Chiarelli said. "I cant say enough about his performance and what he did while being injured." Bergeron was already slowed by injuries headed into Game 6. He was a question mark to even play due to a broken rib and torn cartilage. After not participating in the morning skate Monday, he appeared during warmups and played in the loss. In the first period, though, he suffered a separated shoulder. "After the game, obviously, he was in pain from his ribs and stuff like that, which is an automatic thing. The doctors said lets send him to the hospital for observation, so he went there," Julien said. "I think they did the right thing and the right job by sending him there. "And then he just stayed." Bergeron had 10 goals and 32 points in the shortened regular season, as well as nine and 15, respectively, in the post-season. Combined, he had a plus-26 rating this year as the Bruins finished second in the Northeast Division, and defeated the Maple Leafs, Rangers and Penguins to secure a second Eastern Conference title in three seasons. "It was a challenge," Julien said. "I think the biggest one, as we mentioned there, we had some guys, some key guys, that were injured along the way, and on a lot of occasions, we werent able to finish with the same number we started." And so an off-season of question marks is off and running in Boston, as the Bruins look to keep their solid nucleus in town while also plot for the future. Forward Nathan Horton will become a free agent next month, and in a class thats regarded as weak and doesnt feature a lot of star power, he is easily one of the most marketable, skilled players available. "I have enjoyed my time here obviously. Two out of three years, Ive been here weve been in the Stanley Cup and weve won one time and I said a million times, the guys in the room are amazing," Horton said. "Its been a lot of fun and I really enjoy everyone and every player on the team." One potential drawback to Horton, is he will require off-season shoulder surgery. "When you make a decision to try and bring back guys that are on the eve of free agency, youd like to think that you can make the right decision before the last possible moment. Usually, thats what I try and do," Chiarelli said. "I try to be proactive and try to get ahead of stuff, and this year it was too hard. Specifically on Nathan, I put him in with the rest of the group. Theyve been moving targets and Im going to try to push through it now. "Its not the ideal way, but Im going to try to push through it now." One part of the team that became even stronger in the post-season was defensive depth. With injuries to several defencemen, Chiarelli was able to flex some organizational numbers on the blue line that will allow the Bruins to let some higher-priced, older players walk away. Defenceman Andrew Ference, for instance, will not be re-signed, and his place will likely be filled by Dougie Hamilton, Matt Bartkowski and Torey Krug, who all played in the playoffs. "Were losing not just a good player, but also a leader in the dressing room and everything else," Julien said of Ference. "Hes always gone above and beyond with the little things in the dressing room and everything that comes with it. Hes been a good teammate, smart." Ference played in just 14 of 22 playoff games with two assists. "Hes been part of this, what weve built here. (He brings that) warrior-type of attitude and playing style for his size," Chiarelli said. "You cant say enough about his leadership and what hes brought to our organization. It was a tough conversation to have." Forward Jaromir Jagr, the games leading active scorer who was acquired at the trading deadline from Dallas, did not score in the post-season, and will also not be back. The 41-year-old native of the Czech Republic, who has been on three teams the last two seasons, hopes to find another in the NHL this summer. "I thought he spread out our power play, which helped our power play," Chiarelli said. "I was real happy with Jaromir. I thought he really helped that cause." The Bruins have played in nine post-season series the last three years, winning seven of them. They have two division crowns in that time, as well. "I think for us, the more time we spend together the better we become," forward Daniel Paille said. "We definitely have some ups and downs. But through the playoffs, I believe that we definitely come together and play for each other. I think it goes a long way and it helps us as a group." ------ NOTES: Chiarelli would like to re-sign backup goalie Anton Khudobin, but wants to lock up the starter, Tuukka Rask, first. Rask is looking for a long-term deal. "That would be an ideal situation, I think, to play here forever," he said. "I hope we can make that happen." ... Chiarelli has not made a decision yet on veteran defenceman Wade Redden, though its likely that Hamilton, Krug or Bartkowski could take his position as well. Redden will become a free agent next month. "I want to play and I want to be on a good team," Redden said. "I guess well see what options are going to happen for me this summer." ... Veteran forward Jay Pandolfo, a native of Winchester, Mass., who signed with the club during the season as an extra forward, will not be re-signed. Buy Air Max Australia .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. Nike Air Max Fury Australia . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. http://www.outletairmaxaustralia.com/air-max-270-buy-australia/max-270-mens.html . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Cheap Real Off White Nike Shoes . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Air Max Outlet Australia .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. BEAUMONT, Texas -- Dorland Fields ran for two touchdowns in the final 6:04 to rally Incarnate Word past Lamar for a 35-28 victory on Saturday night.Fields scored on a 9-yard run to tie it at 28 and capped a four-play, 81-yard drive from 15 yards out to cap the scoring with 2:48 left. Incarnate Word held Lamar from crossing midfield to secure the win.Trent Brittain was 14 of 33 for 273 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions to help Incarnate Word (2-8, 2-6 Southland) snap a seven-gamme losing streak.ddddddddddddFields finished with 10 carries for 63 yards.Zae Giles returned the opening kickoff 98 yards to give Lamar (3-7, 3-5) the early lead and Brendan Langley returned a punt 90 yards to make it 14-7. Langley had a second punt return for a touchdown from 75 yards that made it 28-21 with 10:08 left.Giles also had 10 catches for 51 yards. ' ' '

LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant has received a one-of-a-kind retirement gift from rapper Snoop Dogg: a Los Angeles Lakers-themed convertible.Bryant retired from the Lakers in April after 20 seasons in L.A. He posted a picture on Twitter of him and Snoop standing by the purple and gold car Wednesday.Snoop Dogg put up some shots of the car on Instagram . Its hood features pictures of Bryant alongside other Lakers greats like Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But the biggest picture is one of Snoop himself in a Lakers jersey.The rapper is a well-known Lakers fanatic. He once showed off his personal Lakers-themed basketball court during a tour of his home on MTV Cribs. Frank Jackson Jersey . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Zylan Cheatham Jersey .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Brandon-Ingram-City-Edition-Jersey/ .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. JJ Redick Pelicans Jersey . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Zion Williamson Jersey . JOHNS, N. Athens, Ga. -- Georgia soccer played its best game of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels Thursday night at the Turner Soccer Complex. With the win, Georgia improves to 5-10-1 on season with a 2-7 mark in Southeastern Conference play. Ole Miss falls to 9-8, 4-5 SEC.Marion Crowder scored her seventh goal of the season, marking the 28th of her career, which ties her for third in Georgia history for career goals.This is the fourth shutout victory of the season for Georgia goalkeeper, Louise Hogrell, putting her at fifth in the Georgia record books for career shutouts with 14.Weve been doing a lot of things pretty well up to now but we havent gotten the results, and today it seemed like all the pieces came together, Georgia head coach Billy Lesesne said. Im really proud of the seniors over the past couple of days because in training theyve talked about not wanting their season to end and today in this game they put their words into actions.Georgia came out on the attack, controlling the ball and owning possession for a majority of the game.The Bulldogs scored in the 12th minute of play after Kelsey Killean broke free in a 1-v-1 with the goalkeeper and found the back of the net, marking her fourth goal of the season.Georgia keppt Ole Miss off the shot chart through the first 27 minutes of play and carried the 1-0 lead through the first half.ddddddddddddGeorgia had quality looks on goal to extend its lead, including a great play in the 64th minute by Killean who fed the ball to Crowder and booted the ball just wide of the net on the finish.Georgia dominated on corner kicks having eight to Ole Miss three. The Bulldogs were able to capitalize on the corners enabling them to get into scoring position.Crowder capitalized on her attempt in the 74th minute as she fired the ball from the top of the box off of a corner kick from Lauren Tanner to make Georgias lead 2-0.Ten minutes later, with six minutes remaining in the contest, Caroline Waters found Alexa Antetomasos head to seal a 3-0 victory for the Bulldogs.Georgia held Ole Miss to eight shots on the night, including four on goal, while the Bulldogs fired 21 shots, with ten on target.Georgia returns to action on Sunday in the home finale against Missouri. The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network with a start time of 4 p.m. Georgia will honor its eight seniors prior to the match. ' ' '

MINNEAPOLIS -- One of the fascinating things about sports is that a franchise can seem to be at an oasis, and then find itself wandering in the desert. Such was the case for the Los Angeles Sparks, who got back to the oasis Thursday when they won the 2016 WNBA championship.It came 14 years after their last WNBA title, and nearly three years after the team was kept in Los Angeles by an ownership group including hoops legend Magic Johnson.Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike hit the game winner with 3.1 seconds left as L.A. beat the defending champion Minnesota Lynx 77-76 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals at Minnesotas Target Center. L.A. star Candace Parker had 28 points and 12 rebounds and was named WNBA Finals MVP. Los Angeles had a chance to win the title at Staples Center -- where the Sparks won their previous two titles -- on Sunday, but fell in Game 4.Its likely that no one was expecting so much time to pass between Sparks championships. And while its perhaps too stark to term that decade-plus a desert -- the Sparks missed the playoffs only twice in that stretch -- it seemed pretty barren at times for the team and its fans.On Sept. 1, 2001, the Sparks won their first title in a 2-0 sweep -- the WNBA Finals were best-of-three then -- with an 82-54 blowout of Charlotte. A year later, on Aug. 31, 2002, L.A. clinched another sweep on a 3-pointer by guard Nikki Teasley with 2.1 seconds left that gave the Sparks a 69-66 victory over New York.At that point, the Sparks had replaced Houston as the WNBAs standard-bearer. The Comets won the leagues first four titles from 1997-2000. But from 2000-2004, the Sparks had the leagues best record in four of five seasons and were in the WNBA Finals three times. And they had one of the leagues star players in center Lisa Leslie.The Sparks, in fact, were within a hair of winning three consecutive titles. But a 62-61 loss to Detroit in Game 2 of the 2003 WNBA Finals kept them from another sweep. Instead, Detroit took the third game and the title.Disappointing as the ending to 2003 was, the Sparks had no reason to think they would not be back to the WNBA Finals soon. But there would be frustrating losses, last-second heartbreaks, several coaching changes, three transitions of ownership, and the fear of departure from Los Angeles before the Sparks returned to championship form.The Sparks odysseyHeres the thing with the Sparks: It wasnt as if the bottom fell out after 2003. Nor were they without good fortune. In fact, they had the latter twice in the WNBA draft, with Candace Parker as the No. 1 selection in 2008 and Nneka Ogwumike as the top pick in 2012.Yet year after year, the Sparks hopes were derailed. Get ready, because theres a lot to digest.? Coach Michael Cooper, whod overseen the Sparks surge to the top of the league since 2000, left during the 2004 season to become an assistant with the NBAs Denver Nuggets. It was very upsetting to the Sparks players, though they still ended up with the leagues best record, with previous assistants Karleen Thompson and Ryan Weisenberg guiding the team. But the Sparks lost to Sacramento in the conference semifinals.That was just the start of the coaching merry-go-round for the Sparks.? Henry Bibby coached most of the 2005 season, but Joe Bryant finished it. The Sparks went 17-17 and lost again to Sacramento in the conference semifinals.? Bryant had a good 2006 season: The Sparks were first in the West, but lost to Sacramento for the third consecutive year in the postseason, this time in the conference finals.? Then Cooper returned to the WNBA in 2007-09 with the Sparks. The 2007 season was the worst in Sparks history: They went 10-24 without Leslie, who was on maternity leave and didnt play that year. But there was a bright side: The Sparks won the draft lottery for 2008, which brought them Parker.? In 2008 and 09, the Sparks lost in the conference finals, painfully both times. In 2008, they were 1.3 seconds from advancing to the WNBA Finals, but San Antonio got a buzzer-beater from Sophia Young to win Game 2 and extend the series. San Antonio then won Game 3. In 2009, Leslies last season, the Sparks had a tough conference finals with eventual champion Phoenix, losing in three games.? Cooper left again, this time to take over the Southern Cal womens program, and former WNBA player Jennifer Gillom was hired as coach for 2010. The Sparks went to the playoffs (falling in the conference semifinals) despite a losing record. Gillom was replaced by Bryant -- in his second stint with the team -- during the 2011 season, and the Sparks didnt make the playoffs.? Appearing to stabilize again, or so it seemed, the Sparks hired Carol Ross, who went 24-10 in both 2012 and 13. In her first season, L.A. lost in the conference finals to Minnesota. Her second ended with another of those gut-punch defeats that really stung the Sparks: Then-rookie Brittney Griner hit a jumper for Phoenix with 4.9 seconds left, and Parker missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, as the Mercury won Game 3 of their conference semifinal series. Ross wouldnt have another chance at the playoffs.? Thats because after a slow start in 2014, Ross was fired in late July. Longtime general manager Penny Toler took over on the sidelines. The season again ended in the conference semifinals with a loss to Phoenix.? Last season, Brian Agler -- who previously coached at Minnesota and Seattle -- became the Sparks sixth coach in seven years. One couldnt be surprised that Parker sat out the first part of the 2015 season to rest, and perhaps also because she wanted a break from the coaching carousel.But once she returned in late July, she and Agler clicked and the Sparks made the playoffs. They put a scare into Minnesota in the conference semifinals, falling just short in Game 1 and then extending the series to three games. The Lynx won that series and eventually the championship, but the Sparks, it appeared, were ready for a big 2016 season.Whos in charge?And if you think thats a lot of drama, there also was upheaval among ownership. The Sparks were one of the WNBAs original eight franchises when the league launched in 1997, and were owned by the Lakers Jerry Buss until 2006.Then the team was sold to non-NBA owners, longtime fans Carla Christofferson and Kathy Goodman. Their Gemini Basketball LLC owned the team from 2007-2011. Williams Holdings Group, headed by Paula Madison, with Christofferson and Goodman among minority owners, took over from 2011-13.But a bombshell dropped on New Years Eve 2013: Williams Holdings Group was pulling out of its ownership interest. It took everyone by surprise, including then-WNBA president Laurel Richie and Ross, who had signed a contract extension to stay on as coach just weeks earlier.The month of January 2014 was the bleakest and most unsettled of the Sparks history. No one seemed to be sure what the teams status was, including the players and coaches. Season-ticket holders who already put money down for 2014 got no response from the organization, which technically had no employees. The most prominent rumor was that the NBAs Golden State Warriors might take over the Sparks and move them to the Bay area.But February brought relief for the Sparks and their fans: Mark Walter and Magic Johnson, who headed the ownership group that bought the Dodgers, formed a group to buy the Sparks. Johnson, who had been a womens basketball advocate and a presence at Sparks games, officially became a key part of the organization.Johnson said then that he believed the Sparks could soon recapture their championship ways. And he worked with Toler -- the lone survivor of all the changes since she took over as GM in 2000 -- to make that happen.The Sparks had the second-best record in the WNBA this season at 26-8 behind Minnesotas 28-6. The league changed its playoff format this year, getting rid of conference affiliation for the postseason and instead taking the top eight teams and seeding them by record.Also, the top two teams got early-round byes and advanced to the semifinals. The Sparks did not have to play the teams that too often had been their nemesis in the postseason -- Minnesota and Phoenix -- just to make it to the WNBA Finals.The Lynx were the Sparks Finals opponent, but by then Los Angeles was a team with the confidence, the passion and the consistency to win a championship. And the fortitude -- it took a lot of that for the Sparks to fight back after Sundays 85-79 disappointment in Game 4.Its the first WNBA title for all the current Sparks, who range in experience from 13-year veteran Alana Beard to second-year player Chelsea Gray.And even for all the players who spent time in Los Angeles but didnt get a title with the Sparks -- including retired WNBA standouts like Tina Thompson, Ticha Penicheiro and Chamique Holdsclaw -- there is probably a feeling of celebration.Its taken a long time, and there have been some very rough roads. But the Los Angeles Sparks are WNBA champions again. Adidas NMD Kopen . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. Adidas Superstar Nederland . LOUIS -- St. http://www.nmdtekoop.com/ultra-boost-sneakers.html . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Adidas Stan Smith Goedkoop . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. Adidas Superstar Heren Goedkoop . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. Gavin Cooper knows the Queensland jersey hell wear on his State of Origin debut belongs to his brother as much as to him.Coopers dream of a rugby league career appeared over as a teenager when his older brother Dustin - an ex-Melbourne, Newcastle and Cronulla player - convinced him to come to training at Queensland Cup team Redcliffe.Cooper never looked back, earning NRL stints at North Queensland, Gold Coast and Penrith before returning to the Cowboys in 2011.Since then Cooper has found a home, started a family and won a premiership.Now, at 30, hell earn a Maroons debut that seemed the last thing possible over a decade ago.It was him that got me back into footy when I moved to Redcliffe, Cooper said.Not that Id fully hung up the boots. I wasnt playing footy or doing much on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons when he was training.He approached the colts coach and got me to come along and have a run.The brothers spoke briefly as Coooper was making his flight down to Brisbane on Thursday to link up with the Queensland camp.ddddddddddddDustin is living in the United States as he continues a rugby league career that has taken him to Japan, France and now Boston since he left the NRL in 2008.Cooper said hes hopeful his older brother will be among the family who make it to ANZ Stadium to cheer him on as he tries to help Queensland secure a series clean sweep.Like any little brother would say about their big brother, hes someone you look up to whether its on the footy field or off the footy field, Cooper said.Hes been here, there and everywhere playing all different sports so hes lived the life but I know he is envious of what I do and that I get to play NRL every week.If he is able to make it I will really look forward to seeing him. ' ' '

BRASILIA, Brazil -- The top-ranked team in the world will likely be the undercard in womens Olympic soccer on Friday.The United States, the three-time defending champions, will take on Sweden in Brasilia. But the late game in Belo Horizonte between Australia and host Brazil may be the more intriguing match.The Aussies and Brazilians met at the Womens World Cup last year, and it was Australia that advanced by beating Marta and Co. 1-0 in the round of 16.As Olympic hosts this time, Brazil is getting a boost from its soccer-loving public. Although womens soccer does not enjoy the popularity that the sport has in the United States, for instance, the Brazilians drew a sellout crowd to their last match, a scoreless draw against South Africa in the Amazon city of Manaus.Fans, as usual, shouted Marta! Marta! for the five-time FIFA World Player of the year.The Brazilians are ranked No. 8 in the world and went 2-0-1 to finish at the top of their group. The fifth-ranked Australians went 1-1-1 to finish third in their group but still managed to make it into the quarterfinals.Like in Manaus, the fans are expected to pack in to the Mineirao Stadium, with 60,000 expected for the match.Before the Brazilians take the field, however, the United States will be facing old rival Sweden.The Americans won their first two matches in Brazil before a surprising 2-2 draw against Colombia, which had already been eliminated.That hasnt put a damper on the teams expectations.I think were feeling good. You know, I wouldnt want a perfect journey to the top, U.S. co-captain Carli Lloyd said. I think everyone just needs to take a deep breath and relax. We tied against Colombia but its all good. It will motivate us even more.The match reunites the United States with former coach Pia Sundhage, who led the Americans to gold at both the Beijing and London Olympics. Sweden, ranked sixth, struggled in the group stage with a 5-1 loss to host Brazil and finished 1-1-1.Were going to play the best team in the world, Olympic champions and the World Cup champions, and that is challenging and inspiring, Sundhage said Thursday. All the pressure is on the Americans.Were not playing well in the attack, but weve done some good things defending, and if you can put those things together, we have a chance to win.Tenth-ranked Canada won all of its group matches -- including a pair against top-five teams -- but drew a tough quarterfinal opponent in No. 3 France. They will meet in Sao Paulo.The Canadians, who won the bronze medal in London, have been paced by Janine Beckies three goals.This is a Canadian team thats very gritty, thats got a good spirit. And at this point, theyre not overconfident, Canada coach John Herdman told The Canadian Press. Theres a quiet confidence about them.Second-ranked Germany, which was upset in the group final by Canada, faces No. 12 China in Salvador. The Germans are playing in their final tournament under coach Silvia Neid.The Olympic soccer tournament is being held across Brazil, with the gold medal match set for Aug. 19 in Rio de Janeiro. Wholesale Orioles Jerseys . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. Orioles Jerseys 2019 . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. https://www.cheaporioles.com/ . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Orioles Jerseys China .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry. Orioles Jerseys 2020 . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. WASHINGTON -- For all of LeBron James achievements, from MVP awards to NBA championships, the hootin and hollerin coming from the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room Friday night -- and the water dumped on No. 23 by teammates -- was to mark a relatively obscure milestone: youngest NBA player to reach 27,000 career points.They lied to me. They said that Coach (Tyronn) Lue had accomplished something, and they were going to douse him. And I was kind of surprised, like, `What happened? You guys are going to mess up his suit, James said with a smile. And then ... they rushed me and got all my clothes wet and everything.The impromptu celebration capped a perfect trip to the nations capital for the Cavs, who added a win to their White House visit by beating the Washington Wizards 105-94 as James had 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. He made three of Clevelands 14 3-pointers.At 31, James is about 1 1/2 years younger than Kobe Bryant was when he became the previous youngest to 27,000 points.Thats NBA history, man. Its truly an honor to be part of the journey like that, said teammate Kyrie Irving, who scored 29 for Cleveland and helped hold Washingtons John Wall to only five of his 28 points after halftime. And hes really just humble about it.Adding a bit of humor to the proceedings, Irving noted: It also tells you that hes been in the league for a while.A day after being feted as NBA champions by President Barack Obama, the Cavaliers improved to 7-1 this season, recovering quickly from their only loss, which came against Atlanta on Tuesday.Kevin Love contributed 14 points and 16 rebounds, while J.R. Smiths 17 points included five 3s. One gave Cleveland its biggest margin of the game, at 84-72 with a minute remaining in the third quarter.Wall noted the stats from 3-point range: The Cavs were 14 of 33; the Wizards were 3 of 15, barely attempting more thann their opponents made.dddddddddddd.Thats basically the game, Wall said, right there.TIP-INSCavaliers: James clutched at his lower right back after getting fouled with 7 1/2 minutes left, but remained in the game. ... Smith was called for a Flagrant-1 foul in third quarter.Wizards: Fell to 2-6. ... SG Bradley Beal sat out with a tight right hamstring. He was replaced in the lineup by Marcus Thornton, who scored two points in 21 minutes. ... F Otto Porter Jr., who had a 34-point, 14-rebound effort against Boston on Wednesday, had 11 points and eight rebounds Friday.OUBRES OFFENSEWizards substitute Kelly Oubre Jr. scored the teams last eight points of the first quarter, which ended with the hosts ahead 31-26.Its my job to be ready whenever my name is called, Oubre said. I cant worry about minutes. I cant worry about nothing else.FREE CHICKEN!A sellout crowd of 20,356 saved its loudest cheers for when two free throws missed by Love meant spectators would be able to get a free fast-food chicken sandwich.WHITE HOUSEWhen you get a chance to meet the President of the United States -- and he knows your first name and last name, and knows your stats and how you play and who you are as a person -- it just means a lot, Lue said.UP NEXTCavaliers: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. Cleveland won three of four against Charlotte last season.Wizards: At the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Wall will sit out for the second time in the second game of a back-to-back set this season, part of Washingtons effort to manage his minutes after offseason operations on both knees. Coach Scott Brooks wasnt sure who would start in Walls place -- or whether Beal would be available.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich ' ' '

Our experts weigh in on four of the biggest questions in NASCAR:Turn 1: Should Dale Earnhardt Jr. retire?Ricky Craven, ESPN NASCAR analyst: Dale Jr. is the most qualified person to answer this question and he says no, that he would like to continue competing. What concerns me is the concussion symptoms have persisted, he will be 42 next season and another wreck is inevitable in this business. Unless he has a burning desire to accomplish more than he already has, he should retire. The risk appears to outweigh the reward.Ryan McGee, ESPN.com: No. Not yet. I think the best possible scenario is the one hes taken, which is having a half a year to see what kind of ground he can make up. I think we all know him well enough to know hes not going to go out there if he thinks hes a danger to himself and others. So if he needs to take another year, fine. But right now getting back behind the wheel should rank way further down his priority list than any fan would ever want to admit.?John Oreovicz, ESPN.com: Maybe its his call, maybe its his doctors. Id say yes. In the shadow of his father, one of stock car racings all-time most imposing figures, he has accomplished an awful lot on the track and developed into one of the sports best personalities in his own right. Junior has many avenues open to him to remain involved in NASCAR and, once the shock has worn off, he might find the reduced stress level from not being a driver is to his liking. If hes forced to quit due to medical reasons, he has nothing to be ashamed of and a great platform moving forward to advance awareness of head injuries and the prolonged damage they can cause.Bob Pockrass, ESPN.com: Earnhardt shouldnt race anymore, just like I shouldnt have this third cup of coffee while writing this. It potentially could be bad for his long-term health. But if Earnhardt -- and his fiancée and his car owner -- is willing to take the risk and believes he could mentally handle the consequences if he suffers another concussion from a routine accident, then he should race again.Turn 2: Should Rick Hendrick be working on a plan for a driver for the No. 88 car for 2017? Who should it be if Earnhardt isnt ready by the start of next season?Craven: I would say wait a few months; there is plenty of time. Allow this process with Dale Jr. to take its course and support his efforts. Alex Bowman has done a very nice job and has enough experience to be a solid alternative.McGee: Yes. And it should be Alex Bowman. Or perhaps a Bowman/William Byron mix. Whatever they do, it needs to be someone other than Jeff Gordon.Oreovicz: You can be certain Mr. H has already been working on a Plan B for the 88 for some time now and with William Byron waiting in the wings, it might be a one-year issue. Alex Bowman already has experience with the team and if he performs well in his remaining eight races this year, he probably has the inside track. As a short-term stopgap, Id also take a look at Sam Hornish Jr.;?after his part-time success the last couple years in the Xfinity Series, it would be interesting to see how he would do given another shot at the Cup Series in a quality ride.Pockrass: Yes. There is no timetable for Earnhardts recovery. Hendrick should hire Greg Biffle. Biffles last year of his Roush Fenway deal is 2017, and Biffle leaving Roush Fenway allows the team to save on salary and for Chris Buescher to move into a full-fledged Roush ride. Hendrick gets a veteran for one year who could handle a situation if Earnhardt returns during 2017.Turn 3: Should NASCAR have taken the truck win away from John Hunter Nemechek for rough driving?Craven: Probably not. I believe this will play out among the fraternity of drivers. Let it be a driver-code issue. It did happen to Ricky Rudd many years ago at Sonoma, after spinning Davey Allison on the final turn, but it left a bad taste.McGee: Not just no, hail no. This was the Truck Series-level version of the 79 Daytona 500. They led SportsCenter! They won the Internet! The Trucks! They should send him and Cole Custer a gift basket.Oreovicz: NASCAR has always subscribed to the philosophy that the winner is who the fans saw cross the line first. But theres reason here to believe NASCAR could (or should) be rather heavy-handed in postrace sanctions because Nemecheks driving on the last lap clearly deserves to be penalized. Id suspend him for the first race of the Truck Series Chase, a genuine penalty that would make his path to a championship more difficult.Pockrass: No. The first bump was fine but the length of the shove of the second one was dirty. And then Nemechek lost control, resulting in the body slam that sent them to the wall. Nemechek could have lifted as they came to the checkered since it was his fault, but its also hard to fault someone going for the win. Nemechek will have to live with the consequences (payback). But Nemechek gets the benefit of the doubt that he tried to only bump-bump-and-run and not intentionally crash Custer -- therefore, no penalty.Turn 4: Did Kevin Harvick go overboard with postrace comments about his pit crew?Craven: Its not a healthy practice, but Kevin Harvick is among the few capable of pulling it off. The risk would be that team members lose confidence in their leader for humiliating them publicly. The flip side is, Kevin is among the best drivers in the business, he carries much authority at Stewart-Haas and can force change. Kevin will continue to be fast and consistent. His pit crew needs to be the same to win another title.McGee: Nope. He wasnt wrong. And hes taken this tack before at both Stewart-Haas and RCR to a pretty positive result. This is no different than a quarterback chewing everyones butts in the huddle on Monday Night Football or a coach questioning a guys play during a press conference. You cant do it all the time because then you become Chicken Little and you lose the impact. But when you do speak up, it creates action.?Oreovicz: No. Despite changes over the past couple of years, the No. 4 team regularly has more problems in the pits than any other crew. By his own standards, Harvick has been pretty diplomatic with his frustration to this point. But when he watches the Gibbs and Penske teams -- not to mention the other crews within Stewart-Haas Racing -- consistently execute flawless stops, hes got to be doing his best Jeremy Clarkson impression of saying, How hard can it be?Pockrass: Sure he did. But Harvick has been that way for years. You dont go play basketball for Bob Knight and then get mad that he yells at you. If a crew member responds poorly to public outrage by the driver, then its time for the team to fit the right crew members with the driver. Bert Campaneris Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Jason Giambi Athletics Jersey . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/ . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. Jorge Mateo Jersey . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4. Daniel Gossett Jersey . -- Linebacker Myles Jack ran for four touchdowns, defensive end Cassius Marsh caught a scoring pass, and No. TORONTO -- Blue Jays reliever Joaquin Benoit will miss the rest of the regular season after tearing his left calf muscle when he tripped and fell while running in from the bullpen the second time benches cleared during Mondays 7-5 loss to the New York Yankees.Benoit expects to be out for at least two to three weeks, meaning he likely wont pitch again unless the Blue Jays make deep playoff run.Second baseman Devon Travis will not play the opener of Tuesdays pivotal series against Baltimore after he jammed his surgically repaired left shoulder in the same shoving match with the Yankees. Travis left Monday after aggravating the injury during his next at-bat.The Blue Jays added right-hander Chris Smith and infielder Andy Burns to its roster. Both finished the minor league season with Triple-A Buffalo.Toronto leads the wild-card race, one game ahead of Baltimore.Benoit has been a reliable setup man since a July 26 trade with Seattle, going 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings.Its a big loss, no doubt about it, manager John Gibbons said. Hes been so good.Benoit left the stadium on crutches Monday and was still using them Tuesday, along with a walking boot. He said he felt a pop as he ran onto the field after New Yorks Luis Severino was ejected for hitting Torontos Justin Smoak with a pitch.It felt like something hit me, he said. I wont be able to get on the mound anytime soon, so personally this is really disappointing.Left-hander Brett Cecil and right-handed rookie Joe Biagini will see time in Benoits seventh inning role, Gibbons said.Travis had an X-ray Tuesday to confirm that screws in his shoulder were not displaceed during the brawl.ddddddddddddI believe Ill be OK, said Travis, who is batting .299 with 10 homers and 49 RBI. I feel better today than yesterday and I can move my arm. Ill be in there. Somehow, some way, Ill be in there.Mondays tit-for-tat with the Yankees saw Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ retaliate after MVP Josh Donaldson was hit, throwing twice at Chase Headley. That led to Severino throwing at Smoak.Gibbons said the incident, which came in the final regular-season meeting between the teams, wasnt a knee jerk reaction.Teams pitch us inside, no doubt about that, Gibbons said. Weve had some close calls. Sometimes youve got to deal with things. One thing thats key to the success of a team is that they stick together. Thats all Im going to say on that.Toronto pitcher Marcus Stroman was more vocal than his manager, firing back at Headley over accusations that Stroman had yelled obscenities at Yankees batters after striking them out in Saturdays Toronto victory.I couldnt care less what other teams think of me or my team, Stroman said. We play with a lot of passion. We play with a lot of heart and were not boring. Boring people have problems with that.Unlike his two injured players, Gibbons made sure to stay out of trouble during both melees with the Yankees.To tell you the truth, I just had half my toenail cut out, an ingrown toenail, and guys were starting to step on it, Gibbons said. That was my biggest concern.Right-hander Brady Dagmire was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Smith. ' ' '

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Two-time Olympic cycling gold medalist Anna Meares will carry the Australian flag at the opening ceremony for the Rio de Janeiro Games on Aug. 5 but has asked her family not to travel to Brazil due to concerns over security and the Zika virus.Meares was announced Wednesday as the flag bearer and captain of Australias expected 410-member team. The ceremony was attended by former Seattle WNBA basketball player and now-retired Lauren Jackson, who carried the Australian flag at the 2012 London Games.Meares father, Tony, later told Australian Associated Press that the cyclist asked him and his wife, Marilyn, who watched her compete at Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012, not to make the trip to Rio.She has a little bit of a concern about the security for visitors, which is what we would be, Tony Meares said. Whats the best outcome? She was saying `Id prefer you not to come and thats just one worry thats eliminated immediately.Rio de Janeiros high levels of crime and unemployment have been exacerbated by the countrys recent political and economic concerns. Australian officials, and those of several other countries, have instructed their athletes to stay away from the citys slums, known as favelas.Meares says she has also been in contact with team doctors about the mosquito-borne Zika virus which can cause birth defects. The virus has been cited as a reason for many top athletes to pull out of the games, including golfers Jason Day and Rory McIlroy.Its really hard to decipher between hype and reality and Im just trying to take the information (from) the AOCs (Australian Olympic Committees) medical team, she said. Being female ... its been really difficult and Im constantly on the phone to my team doctor. I decided to ... `diss the hype around it.Honestly, it may actually be more beneficial to the people of Brazil, to put a spotlight on something theyre living with daily.The 32-year-old Meares won gold medals at the 2004 and 2012 Games. She will defend her title in the individual sprint and also compete in the team sprint and keirin at Rio.For me, a country girl, a coal miners daughter, to become the flag bearer for this country leaves me very emotional and proud, said Meares, who was born in the western Queensland outback town of Blackwater. Stitched Jerseys . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Cheap Jerseys From China . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. https://www.fakejerseyswholesale.com/ . DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action. Black Friday Jerseys . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Fake Jerseys Online .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. Big games for sure. But must-wins? Far from it.If No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Ohio State are going to lose this season, this would be an excellent week to do so.During the brief history of the College Football Playoff, only two teams -- one each season -- have entered the semifinals unbeaten. So chances are, all the teams that look primed to make a playoff run, like the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes, will take a loss at some point.But heres the key for those contenders: Dont lose to a division rival, which could cost a chance to win the conference.Thats why this week is not a terrible to time for Alabama and Ohio State to stumble. Both are playing cross-division rivals on the road. The Tide go to No. 9 Tennessee and the Buckeyes are at No. 8 Wisconsin. Neither favorite would relinquish control of their division if they lost.The Tide could still roll through the SEC West and to Atlanta for the conference championship game. The Buckeyes could still go through Michigan to win the Big Ten East and move on to Indianapolis to play for a title.Last season, Ohio States only loss -- to East Division rival Michigan State -- kept the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten championship and the playoff. Alabama almost got itself into the same position by losing to Mississippi early in the season, but Florida and Arkansas gave the Tide the help it needed to win the conference by defeating the Rebels.So, Tide and Buckeyes fans, dont sweat Saturday.The picks:FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTSDuke (plus 35+) at No. 7 LouisvilleAnother Friday night of Lamar Action Jackson and the Cardinals ... LOUISVILLE 48-20.MARQUEE MATCHUPSNo. 1 Alabama (minus 13) at No. 9 TennesseeThe last time the Volunteers beat the Tide was 2006, the year before Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa ... ALABAMA 35-17.No. 2 Ohio State (minus 10) at No. 8 WisconsinThe Buckeyes have won seven of the last eight meetings, and the Badgers are going to try to pull an upset with one of the least productive offenses in the Big Ten ... OHIO STATE 28-16.No. 12 Mississippi (minus 8) at No. 22 ArkansasTwo of the best quarterbacks in the SEC in Chad Kelly and Austin Allen and two suspect defenses. Expect another wild one between the Rebels and Razorbacks ... MISSISSIPPI 42-38.CONFERENCE CALLSNorth Carolina State (plus 17+) at No. 3 ClemsonThe Wolfpack defense could use another rain storm ... CLEMSON 45-17, BEST BET.No. 10 Nebraska (minus 3+) at IndianaFirst meeting since the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten. Last time they played was 1978, the final game of a four-year series that Nebraska swept by an average score of 47-10. This should be closer ... NEBRASKA 27-24.Kansas (plus 34) at No. 11 BaylorThe Jayhawkss are getting better.dddddddddddd Still a long way to go ... BAYLOR 55-17.Tulsa (plus 21+) at No. 13 HoustonGreg Ward Jr. and the Cougars bounce back at home ... HOUSTON 48-24.Wake Forest (plus 21) at No. 14 Florida StateAt 5-1, the Demon Deacons are already one of the biggest surprise teams in the country. Beating the `Noles would push it to another level ... FLORIDA STATE 38-13.Colorado State (plus 31+) at No. 15 Boise StateThe Broncos have won all five meetings by an average of 45-18 ... BOISE STATE 45-18.North Carolina (plus 9) at No. 16 MiamiThe ACC Coastal could shake out in the next few weeks with Miami facing the Tar Heels and then Virginia Tech ... MIAMI 35-31.No. 17 Virginia Tech (minus 19+) at SyracuseHokies QB Jerod Evans has thrown 15 touchdown passes and just one interception ... VIRGINIA TECH 38-21.Missouri (plus 14) at No. 18 FloridaThe Gators will have QB Luke Del Rio back from injury ... FLORIDA 31-13.Kansas State (plus 10+) at No. 19 OklahomaSooners WR Dede Westbrook has 390 yards receiving and five touchdowns in his last two games ... OKLAHOMA 42-17.No. 20 West Virginia (minus 1) at Texas TechThe Mountaineers are maybe the most overlooked unbeaten team in the country ... TEXAS TECH 45-41.No. 21 Utah (minus 9) at Oregon StateInjuries could leave the Utes leaning on a walk-on tailback this week ... UTAH 27-20.No. 24 Western Michigan (minus 11) at AkronThe Broncos have zero turnovers, which almost seems impossible through six games ... WESTERN MICHIGAN 35-28.TWITTER REQUESTSMississippi State (plus 7) at BYU, Friday -- (at)brianhadadThe Bulldogs string of six straight winning seasons, the most since the 1940s, is in jeopardy ... BYU 30-24.Stanford (plus 3) at Notre Dame -- (at)dvolpi88Two preseason top 10 teams trying to salvage what are quickly becoming lost seasons; possibly no Christian McCaffrey for Stanford ... NOTRE DAME 33-28.UCLA (plus 4+) at Washington State -- (at)dansjensenBruins QB Josh Rosen (wrist) is uncertain to play ... WASHINGTON STATE 28-24.Arizona State (plus 13) at Colorado (at)EvanMillsteinA pivotal game in the Pac-12 South, but arent they all in this muddled division? ... ARIZONA STATE 42-38, UPSET SPECIAL.Illinois (minus 6) at Rutgers -- (at)HodgeUMahThe loser gets the Big Ten basement all to itself ... RUTGERS 21-17.---Record: Last week 14-4 straight; 9-8-1 vs. points.Season: 89-29; 56-58-2.Upset specials: 2-4.Best bets: 1-5.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP---More college football coverage at www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '