PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc will renew his contract when the French league title has been secured. At a news conference ahead of Wednesdays game against Rennes, Blanc said he will sign a new contract "when were champions," adding "its a matter of principle" not to sign anything before the title has been won. PSG can seal a second straight French title by beating Rennes at home, although if Monaco fails to beat Guingamp in Wednesdays earlier match then PSG will automatically be champion. The former France defender joined in the off-season on a one-year deal with an option for a second year, but has reportedly been offered a longer deal. Discount Shoes China . The Spanish champions decision not to sign a defender during the January transfer window may have backfired after Valencia took advantage of a lethargic, uninspired effort by its hosts at the Camp Nou, where former Spain coach Luis Aragones -- who previously coached the Catalan side -- was honoured after his death on Saturday. Cheap Shoes From China Fast Shipping . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. http://www.cheapshoeschinaonline.com/che...-253a.html. Then Klay Thompson put his foot on the gas. Thompson scored 19 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and Harrison Barnes scored 14 points in his season debut to help the Golden State Warriors to a 106-93 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. Cheap Shoes China . Today, well look at five frontcourt players today, here from the Bay Area. 1. AMIR JOHNSON (Raptors): I cant figure out what the issue or problem is, but based upon what Im seeing, hes not right. Cheap Nike Shoes China . The team announced the defensive coordinator will not be offered a contract extension.ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Andrey Makarov made 27 saves as the Rochester Americans moved into a playoff position by defeating the visiting Toronto Marlies 3-1 on Friday in American Hockey League action. Kevin Porter, Luke Adam and Jerome Gauthier-Leduc supplied the scoring for the Americans (34-27-10), who came into the game one point behind the Oklahoma City Barons and idle Charlotte Checkers for the final post-season spot in the Western Conference. Rochester has won four straight games after dropping nine in a row. Josh Leivo scored the lone goal for the Marlies (42-23-6) while Christopher Gibson stopped 18-of-21 shots in defeat. Porter opened the scoring at 13:22 of the first period for the Americans.dddddddddddd Leivo, however, responded just 27 seconds later for Toronto. After a scoreless second period, Rochester regained the lead 3:23 into the third when Luke Adam scored on the power play while Peter Holland served a minor for goaltender interference. Torontos Kevin Marshall was sent off for hooking, which led to Gauthier-Leduc adding another power-play goal for the Americans at 7:04. Rochester went 2 for 6 on the power play while the Marlies failed to score on six chances with the man advantage. The Americans currently sit seventh in the West, but could finish the night in eighth if the Barons defeat the Abbotsford Heat. ' ' '
CHICAGO -- Once again, the Cardinals relied on Matt Adams clutch bat. Adams drove in four runs, A.J. Pierzynski had three hits in his St. Louis debut and the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Saturday to stop a four-game skid. Adams doubled sharply in the first inning, a one-hopper that bounced past first baseman Anthony Rizzo and into right field to score two runs. Adams two-run triple with two outs in the seventh made it 5-2. "He was our guy today," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "If you look at when we started to gain some traction in our division, its when Matt started to go. Not to put the pressure on him, but he was the guy at the time and hes continued to do that, to step up big for us." Helping out Adams was the 37-year-old Pierzynski, who signed with the Cardinals on Saturday, 10 days after he was released by Boston. St. Louis had been looking for a steady presence behind the plate since All-Star catcher Yadier Molina tore a ligament in his right thumb July 9. Molina had surgery two days later and is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks. "That was pretty much a cram session for A.J. there," Matheny said. "He did a nice job coming in, obviously making an impact with the bat, but I felt like he had a nice feel for what Shelby (Miller) was doing." Miller returned to the Cardinals rotation and pitched effectively into the sixth inning. The young right-hander began the game with three perfect innings and retired 16 of his first 18 batters. In his first start since being removed from the rotation July 10, Miller allowed two runs and three hits in 5 2-3 innings. He had given up at least three runs in his previous five starts. Randy Choate (2-2) got the last out of the sixth. Trevor Rosenthal worked around two hits in a scoreless ninth, earning his 31st save in 35 tries. "When you get in a groove and youre feeling pretty good, in a rhythm, you just keep going," Miller said. "Thats kind of what I felt like I did today." Nate Schierholtz hit a solo shot for the Cubs in the sixth, tying it at 2. It was Schierholtzs fourth career pinch-hit homer. Rizzo drove in a run with a groundout in the fourth. Cubs starter Jake Arrieta settled in after the two-run first inning, allowing just three baserunners the rest of the way. He thwarted Cardinals threats in the fourth and fifth, and a diving catch by left fielder Chris Coughlan helped Arrieta escape the sixth. "He did it with not his best stuff, but he was still pretty effective," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "That performance was probably indicative of how much hes grown." With Arrieta out of the game, the Cardinals pulled back ahead in the seventh, scoring four runs against reliever James Russell (0-2). Jon Jay hit a leadoff single, advanced on a sacrifice and stole third before scoring the tiebreaking run on Matt Carpenters grounder. Russells four earned runs allowed marked his worst outing since July 21, 2012, when he gave up six, also against the Cardinals. Ryan Sweeney hit a leadoff homer against Pat Neshek in the eighth, his third home run of the season and second this series. NOTES: Adams had only four RBIs in his previous 23 games against the Cubs. ... Pierzynski, who batted sixth for the Cardinals, was booed loudly by the Wrigley Field crowd during his first at-bat. Pierzynski played seven seasons on the south side of Chicago for the White Sox. ... The Cubs optioned RHP Neil Ramirez to Triple-A Iowa and recalled RHP Blake Parker. The 25-year-old Ramirez has a 0.96 ERA in 33 appearances this season. Renteria indicated the move was made to give Ramirez a rest and was not based on performance. ... Rizzo went 0 for 4, ending his 10-game hitting streak. ... Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright (12-5, 2.02 ERA) pitches the series finale Sunday against Kyle Hendricks (1-0, 2.77), who will make his third big league start. Greedy Williams Jersey . Osmond, of Marystown, N.L., fell in the middle of her routine and placed fifth in the ladies free skate at Iceberg Skating Palace (110.73 points), but that was all the Canadians needed after a strong performance by Kevin Reynolds in the mens free earlier Sunday. Austin Seibert Browns Jerseyhttp://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com...te-Jersey/. The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. Sheldrick Redwine Womens Jersey . - The infectious smile was missing from Nam Nguyen last week. Joe Thomas Jersey . Didnt need any help this time. Wood beat Cincinnati for the first time in his career, repeatedly pitching out of threats for seven innings, and Chicago stalled the Reds week-long surge with a 2-0 victory Monday night.Four-time Olympic gold medallist Lisa Leslie headlines the 2015 womens basketball Hall of Fame induction class announced Saturday. She is joined by former Houston Comets star Janeth Arcain, University of Georgia standout Janet Harris, former Duke coach Gail Goestenkors, longtime Oregon high school coach Brad Smith and Oklahoma State coach Kurt Budke, who was killed in a plane crash in 2011. The Immaculata teams that won championships from 1972-74 will receive the Halls trailblazer award. Leslie also won two WNBA titles with the Los Angeles Sparks and was the leagues MVP three times. She helped the U.S. win gold medals at the 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics. The group will be inducted next June at the Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee. Arcain had a stellar career playing for Brazil. She guided the team to a gold medal at the 1994 world championship as well as a silver and bronze at the Olympics. She came to the WNBA in 1997 and was the 13th pick in the draft. She helped lead the Comets to WNBA championships in the leagues first four years. Harris starred at Georgia from 1981-85, earning All-SEC honours all four seasons. Shes the schools all-tiime leading scorer with 2,641 points and rebounder (1,394).dddddddddddd. She helped the Lady Bulldogs win the SEC crown in 1983 and 1984 and reach the Final Four twice. Goestenkors guided Duke and Texas to the NCAA tournament 18 straight years, including four trips to the Final Four and two national championship game appearances. She was The Associated Press coach of the year in 2007 and is ninth among all-time Division I coaches in winning percentage. Goestenkors is now an assistant with the Los Angeles Sparks. Smith has won 629 games and 26 league championships while coaching at Oregon City High School over 27 years. In 2012 he received the Morgan Wooten Award for lifetime achievement in coaching high school from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Budke was a successful coach at Louisiana Tech before arriving at Oklahoma State in 2005. He was 80-16 while in charge of the Lady Techsters, leading them to three consecutive NCAA tournaments. In his five years at Oklahoma State, Budke appeared in three NCAA tournaments, including a trip to the regional semifinals in 2008. He died on Nov. 17, 2011, when he was out recruiting. ' ' '
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dont rule out Niagara Falls as a potential future home of the Buffalo Bills. Several officials told The Associated Press that a newly formed Bills stadium task force of public and private leaders seeking to bolster the teams long-term viability is considering sites that would put it closer to the teams burgeoning Ontario fan base. "Were looking at Niagara County," Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy told the AP this week. "Were open to looking at a number of venues." Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster confirmed Niagara County was discussed as an option during the inaugural meeting last week of the newly formed New Stadium Working Group committee. Duffy made clear "that all options should be on the table," Dyster said, adding that includes Niagara County and even Batavia, about halfway between Buffalo and Rochester. That goes beyond the groups initial directive, which was first limited to seeking potential stadium sites in Erie County, where Buffalo is located. Another idea is having the Bills relocate their headquarters to the University at Buffalo campus in the Erie County town of Amherst, where a new practice facility would be built and shared with the schools football team. That proposal would satisfy a long-term need for a Mid-American Conference program seeking to broaden its profile. Though not a member of the working group, New York state Sen. Tim Kennedy told the AP he is aware of the preliminary discussions tying the Bills and the school. A person familiar with the discussions confirmed the Bills/UB plan has been raised. That person wasnt authorized to publicly discuss the subjects raised in the private meeting and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Duffy and Dyster are among 20 members of the stadium group, which was established to make recommendations on whether the Bills require a new facility or should continue playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium, their 41-year-old home in Orchard Park. The group was formed as part of a 10-year, $271-million lease agreement the team reached with the state and Erie County in December 2012. The groups role in helping determine the Bills future took on more significance after Ralph Wilson, the teams owner and founder, died on March 25. Wilsons widow, Mary Wilson, is now overseeing the team until the franchise is sold, which raises the possibility of the Bills relocating under a new owner. The Bills are essentially locked into playing at their current home through the 2019 season, because the lease features a $400 million penalty in the event the team broke it. In 2020, the Bills have a one-time opportunity to opt out of the lease for about $28 million. Toronto and Los Angeles are regarded potential suitors. The new owner will have final say on any stadium proposal. Its incumbent upon the working group, which includes U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, to present a framework of viable options that provide the best chance of keeping the team in western New York. "We have many very good tools to help that happen," Schumer told the AP. "I think there is a view that us showing early interest and the potential of a new home for the Bills is very helpful, because we want to show an owner that we want to do what it take to keep the Bills in Buffalo." Ralph Wilson Stadium is currently undergoing $130 million in upgrades. The work includes structural upgrades and adding fan amenities to bring the facility up to modern-day NFL standards. The Bills presence has been regarded as key in helping an economically hard-hit region maintain a national identity. As the NFLs only New York-based franchise, the team generates about $20 million in direct annual tax revenue for the state. Niagara Falls is 30 minutes closer by car than Orchard Park to a growing southern Ontario fan base. The Bills estimate Canadians make up about 18 per cent of their season-ticket base. Kennedy favours the proposal of linking the Bills and the university but is against a stadium site outside of Erie County. "The Buffalo Bills were born in Buffalo and should stay in Buffalo," Kennedy said. "At least in Erie County. If were talking about a new stadium Id like to see it built in Buffalo proper." Kennedy said a new stadium with a dome or a retractable roof could be part of a larger development, including a new convention centre. The new facility would boost efforts to re-energize downtown Buffalo, he said, and could even make the city a contender for hosting the Super Bowl, he said. Former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra said the southern Ontario market is critical to the Bills future. Giambra said Wilson discussed with him the possibility of the team playing home games in St. Catharines, Ontario, while maintaining its headquarters in New York. "They were aggressively trying to figure out how to tap that Canadian marketplace because of the economics," Giambra said. Dyster is aware of discussions regarding the advantages of Niagara Falls location, but said its premature to suggest what recommendations might emerge. "The critical thing here is that we all have to come together as a region to make certain that we keep the Bills here," Dyster said. "If we lose the Bills, were all losers." Steve Mandanda Jersey . Hamilton signed offensive linemen Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill. Custom France Jerseys . Hoefl-Rieschs exit — from the downhill course into safety nets, then airlifted from the slope by helicopter — left Anna Fenninger of Austria favourite to win her first giant crystal trophy one month after becoming an Olympic champion. http://www.nationalfrancesoccer.com/nabi...ce-jersey/. The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Mets to a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Raphael Varane Jersey .Y. -- Defenceman Ryan Murphy had a goal and an assist and Drew MacIntyre made 24 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 4-2 in an exhibition game Wednesday night. Samuel Umtiti Jersey . Better still, its in the same team and there are 13 races left for it to develop.PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Scott Brown shot a 4-under 68 at Spyglass Hill on Friday and leads the Pebble Beach Invitational by one stroke over Jason Kokrak after two rounds. Brown had two bogeys and six birdies, all within 10 feet. He is at 10-under 134 for the tournament. "It was nothing too crazy," said Brown, who earned first PGA Tour win last season at the Puerto Rico Open. "I hit a few shots and made a few putts. It was just a good vibe day." Kokrak, who opened with a 67 at Pebble Beach, had a 68 at Del Monte. Kokrak also had six birdies and two bogeys. Morgan Hoffmann, who opened with a bogey-free 65 at Spyglass for a one-shot lead over four players, shot a 71 at Pebble Beach. Hoffmann had four bogeys and five birdies and is third at 136. Starting on the back nine at Spyglass, Brown opened with two birdies and followed with two bogeys. He then had four birdies and no bogeys the rest of the round. "I am really not doing anything differently," said Brown, now early inn his third PGA Tour season.dddddddddddd "I just feel a lot more comfortable out there then I did a few years ago. Not doing anything too crazy is good." Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who has played in the event several times since her LPGA retirement in 2008, had a 71 at Del Monte en route to a 141 total. Defending champion Tommy Gainey, Chesson Hadley, Ted Potter, Jr. and Brown trailed by one after 18 holes. But Gainey stumbled to a 13-stroke swing with a 78 at Spyglass Hill. Gainey is grouped among seven players at par 144. Hadley carded a 73 at Spyglass and is grouped with seven players at 139. Potter, Jr., shot 71 and is tied with four other players at 137. John Cook, who had a 70 at Del Monte, and Kirk Triplett are among five players at 139 and the low scorers among nine Champions Tour players. The 42nd event includes 80 professionals from the PGA, LPGA, Champions and Web.com Tours competing for the same prize money. The winner earns $60,000 of the $300,000 purse. ' ' '
SYDNEY, Australia -- The manager of Olympic swimming great Ian Thorpe says the five-time gold medallist is in rehab after being found disoriented on a Sydney street early Monday morning by police responding to a call from residents. James Erskine told the Australian Associated Press that Thorpe was affected by a combination of antidepressants and the painkillers he was taking for a shoulder injury. Police spoke to Thorpe after residents near his parents home in Panania in Sydneys southwest reported a man allegedly breaking into a van. He was taken to Sydneys Bankstown Hospital for assessment and was later transferred to a rehab facility. "He is in rehab for depression," AAP quoted Erskine as saying. Erskine said Thorpe had thought he was sitting in his friends car. "The owner of the car basically called the police and the police came," he said. "They realized it was Ian Thorpe. They realized he was disoriented." Erskine said Thorpe, 31, had been taking antidepressants and medication for his shoulder but had not been drinking alcohol. "He hadnt had a drink," he said. "He had zero alcohol in him." Police said no official complaint has been made and no further police action is anticipated. Thorpe, who is currently living in Switzerland, has been staying with his parents over Christmas. Erskines admission that Thorpe is in rehab comes only days after Thorpes management company denied reports he checked into a rehab facility while battling depression and alcohol abuse. News Corporation, quoting friends of Thorpe, said he had been injured in a fall at his parents home and was taken to hospital. Reports said Thorpe checked into a rehab facility, but later checked out and returned to his parents home. Thorpes management company, SEL, later issued a statement denying the reports. "Ian is not in rehab," a SEL representative said Friday. "Ian was in hospital for an operation on his shoulder and is pleased to let his friends and fans know that he is now out of hospital and on the mend." In his autobiography, published last year, Thorpe said "not even my family is aware that Ive spent a lot of my life battling what I can only describe as crippling depression." Thorpe, known to fans as Thorpedo, was a freestyle specialist and one of the greatest swimmers of his generation. He won three gold and two silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics -- the most medals won by any individual competitor at those games -- and two more golds at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He also won 11 world championships gold medals, including six at the 2001 championships at Fukuoka, Japan. When he won his first world championships gold at the age of 14 in Perth in 1998, he was the youngest-ever individual male world champion. At various times Thorpe held 13 individual world records and shared five others in relay events. The 400m freestyle was his signature event which he dominated at Olympics and World championships over more than six years. Thorpe retired from swimming in November, 2006, but attempted a comeback in 2012. His attempt to win a place on the Australian team for the London Olympics was unsuccessful and his thoughts of competing at the 2013 World Championships or 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games were thwarted by a shoulder injury. Friends said he struggled to adjust to life after swimming. John Tavares Jersey . Ben Street scored twice for the Heat (17-5-1), who won their fourth game in a row and 13th in their last 14 outings. Brett Bulmer scored the lone goal for the Wild (6-11-0), who dropped their sixth straight contest. Dave Keon Maple Leafs Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. http://www.officialmapleleafsfanstore.co...fs-jersey/. It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Michael Hutchinson Jersey . Beckham finished 2 for 4, adding a double in the first inning. Chicago has won eight of 12 to get back to .500 (27-27). The White Sox are 6-3 against Cleveland this season after losing 17 of 19 to their American League Central rival in 2013. Mike Aviles went 1 for 2 with a walk and drove in Clevelands run. Borje Salming Maple Leafs Jersey . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Duck Calling With several marquee centres available via trade and expected to be available via free agency, the Anaheim Ducks could be primed to be big players in the coming days.PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Eagles will likely be without veteran outside linebacker Trent Cole when they face a must-win game against the Redskins on Saturday.Cole suffered a broken hand in the Eagles 38-27 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday night. Defensive co-ordinator Bill Davis said it doesnt look good for the veteran to play Saturday.Theres some things he has to decide, Davis said.Cole has not decided yet if he is will have surgery on the hand, which would likely end his season. As far as playing this week, the 10-year veteran said he still has time to decide.Its all up in the air, he said. Well see. We still have time to decide.Brandon Graham, who will start in place of Cole, will make his first start since the 2012 season when he was a defensive end in a 4-3 alignment.Last year, under Davis, the Eagles switched to a 3-4 and Graham became the teams backup outside linebacker to Cole and Connor Barwin.Graham said Tuesday hes ready to play with the same intensity as Cole.Weve been together for five years now — I cant believe its been five years already — but Ive learned a lot from him in those years and Im ready, Graham said.Graham averages between 25 to 30 plays a game in a rotation with both Cole and Barwin. Now, hell be out there for almost every snap.Seldom-used first-round pick Marcus Smith becomes tthe No.dddddddddddd3 linebacker.It helps a lot that Ive been playing the amount Ive been playing, Graham said. If I wasnt playing at all, that would be tough.Graham has played in 38 per cent of the teams defensive plays this season, compared to 75 per cent for Cole and Barwins 86 per cent. Hes managed 5 1/2 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries and a team-high four forced fumbles.Theres no doubt what Trent means to our pass rush, Davis said. He moves the quarterback off the spot. A lot of the sacks we get are because of Trent. But we have a lot of confidence in B.G.Cole, who is second to Reggie White on the Eagles all-time sack list with 85 1/2, has started and played 56 straight games. The last game he missed was at Washington in 2011 when he had a calf injury. Eight of his 85 1/2 sacks have also come against the Redskins.Moving Graham in for Cole isnt as huge of a drop off as the next step, which is Smith moving up to the No. 3 spot.In the teams 14 games, Smith has been inactive twice and missed five others despite suiting up. Moving back and forth between inside and outside linebacker, hes played a total of 68 plays all season. His game high 16 came in the Eagles first game against Washington.By moving him around, we kind of hurt his progress, Davis said of Smith. Well have him back outside this week. ' ' '
LAKE LOUISE, Alta. - A training run for the season-opening World Cup downhill in Lake Louise, Alta., has been cancelled because of too much snow.The first race of the season is scheduled for Saturday at the Alberta ski resort with a super-G to follow Sunday.Another training run is scheduled for Friday.About 25 centimetres of snow fell overnight in the mountain parks with more expected Friday, so workers need extra time to groom the course.Norways Kjetil Jansrud posted the fastest time and Canadian Manny Osborne-Paradis was second in the first training run Wednesday. Max Domi Canadiens Jersey . Now the Minnesota Vikings have set their sights on soccer. Jeff Petry Canadiens Jersey .The Ottawa Senators winger was relegated to a corner seat in the locker-room to allow Daniel Alfredsson to return to his regular stall one last time. http://www.canadienssale.com/authentic-m...ns-jersey/. The 27-year-old hit .209 in 86 at-bats last year after missing the 2010 season following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Karl Alzner Jersey . Hall joined Bengals teammates for a voluntary workout on Monday. Hes got his mobility back and is on schedule to be ready for the season. CINCINNATI - Bengals cornerback Leon Hall is happy with his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon and expects to be ready for the start of training camp in July. Brendan Gallagher Canadiens Jersey . 1. AMIR JOHNSON: Nice to see him back in the lineup Tuesday night in Washington DC. Played with great energy and purpose. Its amazing when a guy gets those few precious days to recover what it does to the bounce in their step and overall game/confidence. CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Venus Williams couldnt dig herself out of a hole this time and lost to Montreals Eugenie Bouchard 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-4 at the Family Circle Cup on Thursday. The 33-year-old Williams had fought back in each of her first two matches to advance. She seemed to follow the same game-plan in this one, rallying from a set down to win the second set and lead 2-1 in the third. Thats when the 20-year-old Canadian, took over, breaking Williams serve twice down the stretch including the final game. "I think Ive shown to myself how mentally strong I can be," said Bouchard, seeded sixth at the Family Circle. "Today was really a mental battle. It was a bit ugly at times and tough on the court, but I fought through it." Bouchard finished things off by reaching Williams drop shot and pushing it into the open court for her first victory over the seven-time Grand Slam champion. "She played a lot more consistently than I did," Williams said. "I think my errors really hurt me a lot today. Just a lot of up and down, a lot of errors." Especially in two key stretches when it looked as if the 33-year-old Williams was ready to take control. Bouchard was ahead 5-3 in the opening set when Williams rallied and held two set points in the tiebreaker. But Bouchard won the next four points, including a crisp backhand for a winner to secure the set. When Williams moved on top in the third set, Bouchard did not panic but dug in to move on to her third quarter-final round this year. "Ive just kind of raised my game a little bit and was extra solid on those important points," Bouchard said. Bouchard will next face second-seed Jelena Jankovic, the 2007 Family Circle champion who at No. 8 in world is the highest-ranked player remaining in the tournament. Jankovic defeated Croatias Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5, 6-1. Jankovic has reached the Family Circle quarter-finals in six of the past seven seasons. Shes been beaten by a Williams sister each oof the last two years, falling to Venus in 2012 and to Serena in last years championship finals.dddddddddddd Jankovic struggled early as the 20-year-old Tomljanovic fought off a set point to tie the opening set at 5-all. Jankovic then won eight of the next nine games to move forward. "I missed that overhead on my set point, which was kind of frustrating, and we levelled it at 5 5," Jankovic said. "But I was able to stay calm and regroup and finish that set. So that was very important." The loss ends a run of success for the Williams family on the courts here. Sister Serena was the two-time defending tournament champion before losing Tuesday night. Venus played with the Washington Kastles on the green clay to win the 2012 World Team Tennis title. Venus Williams had been bothered by an illness that she said limited her endurance this week. She had to come from behind in her first two matches here to face Bouchard and did not have enough stamina to wait out her opponents solid, flat ground strokes. "That kind of made it more challenging. I mean I think normally I would probably be able to challenge the points a little bit longer and just make her play more shots and just be more willing to play longer points," Williams said. Williams was the 2004 Family Circle champion. She reached the semifinals here last year where she lost to sister Serena, the eventual champion. Others advancing to the round of eight included third-seed Sara Errani, who outlasted Peng Shuai, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5); No. 14 seed Andrea Petkovic,who topped fourth-seeded Sabine Lisicki 6-1, 6-0; unseeded Jana Cepelova, who defeated 13th-seed Elena Visnina 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3; and 12th-seed Daniela Hantuchova, who beat Teliana Pereira 6-2, 6-3. Errani rallied in each of her sets to eliminate Peng, the worlds top-ranked doubles player. For Cepelova, it was her second big victory of this event after knocking off world No. 1 Serena Williams in a stunner Tuesday night. ' ' '
Sochi, Russia - Russias Adelina Sotnikova won womens figure skating gold at the Sochi Olympics, edging South Koreas Kim Yuna for the title on Thursday night. Sotnikova trailed the 2010 Olympic champion by just .28 points after the short program on Wednesday, but had a brilliant free skate on Thursday. She earned a top score of 149.95 for a two-day total of 224.59. Kim, skating last on Thursday, earned a free skate score of 144.19 for a total of 219.11 to claim a silver medal. She was trying to become the first womens figure skater to win consecutive Olympic gold medals since Katarina Witt in 1984 and 1988. Italys Carolina Kostner placed third to earn a bronze medal in her third Olympics. She was ninth in the 2006 Games and 16th four years ago in Vancouver. Sione Takitaki Womens Jersey .Brothers B.J. and Justin Upton each homered and had an outfield assist, and the Braves held on for a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night. Sheldrick Redwine Jersey . Mars announced Saturday that the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will join him as part of his halftime show. Super Bowl halftime performers often have collaborators. http://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com...ersey/.com) - His team lost in the round of 16 of the FCS playoffs, yet Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says his team has made a strong case to be voted to the top 5 in the final rankings. Greedy Williams Womens Jersey . INJURIES - Cardinals 1B Matt Adams has been put on the DL with calf tightness, resulting in some lineup shifting, with Allen Craig moving from right field to first base, so that the Cardinals could bring up top prospect Oscar Taveras, who was the No. Bernie Kosar Jersey . Pikul Khueanpet scored early in the second half and Kanjana Sungngoen made it 2-0 in the 65th minute of the playoff. Tuyet Dong narrowed the margin with goal four minutes from time. The win gave Thailand fifth place at the Asian Cup and the last of the continents qualifying spots for the 2015 Womens World Cup in Canada.Riyad Mahrez is 50-50 to leave champions Leicester this summer, according to his agent. The Algeria winger was named PFA Player of the Year earlier this month and now has a Premier League winners medal to add to his haul after the Foxes title win was confirmed on Monday.The clubs wealthy owners say they have no plans to cash in on any of their stars during the close season, but Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has predicted Mahrez will be a big-name departure. Merse: Mahrez, Kante to leave Riyad Mahrez and NGolo Kante tipped to leave Leicester City by Paul Merson And now agent Kamel Bengougam has admitted he and Mahrez are duty-bound to consider offers from elsewhere in England and abroad. Speaking on Sky Sports News HQ, Chris Powell and Alan Smith compliment Riyad Mahrez on his performances Of course there is a possibility [he will leave], said Bengougam in the Guardian.dddddddddddd When you have been playing the way Riyad has this season it is bound to attract attention.He is very happy with Leicester and of course it has been a fantastic season. They will play in the Champions League next year as well so he would be happy to stay. Mahrez was named PFA Player of the Year earlier this month But at his age, if the opportunity comes to play for a big team then we would have to think about it. Id say its 50/50 at the moment whether he stays or goes.We have interest from the UK and overseas. We will have to see what develops over the next few weeks. Also See: WATCH: Claudios champagne moment My son Claudio is King WATCH: Can Americans say Leicester? Quiz: Leicester stats ' ' '
England Under-21s have qualified for next summers European Championship in Poland after a 1-0 win in Kazakhstan on Thursday. Demarai Gray finished from close range early in the first half to give England the three points, and was denied a second late on by a fine Stanislav Pavlov save.England needed the win to qualify for next summers competition, and started Leicester forward Gray up front on his own in Aktobe. And he put England ahead after just seven minutes, sweeping home from eight yards after Nathan Redmonds deflected cross from the right wing. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just £6.99. No contract. England dominated the first half, but failed to create many clear-cut chances, and were nearly made to pay just before half-time. England Under-21s have qualified for next summers European Championship in Poland after a 1-0 win Getting on the end of a cut-back across the penalty area, Yerkebulan Tunggyshbayevs effort from 12 yards was blocked superbly by Brendan Galloway as the ball looked to be heading for the bottom corner.Everton defender Mason Holgate hit the bar in the second half with an over-hit cross from the right wing, before Ruben Loftus-Cheek missed a glorious opportunity to give England their second, failing to lift the ball over Pavlov from close range after Grays superb through ball.The hosts pushed for an equaliser late on, but Boothroyds side held on to finish the job Gareth Southgate started, and qualify for the tournament in Poland, which kicks off on June 16.You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Wholesale China Jerseys . Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is in his prime and back for a third season in double blue. The 34-year old was magnificent in 2013, throwing for just under 2,900 yards despite missing eight games, tossing an impressive 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions, completing 66 per cent of his passes in the process. Cheap China Jerseys . 1 player in the world. So Duval gutted it out Thursday at the Byron Nelson Championship despite the pain from a muscle issue in his right elbow, a day after his stepson had to drive him because he couldnt even use that arm. http://www.cheapauthenticnfljerseys.net/. In a series of tweets, it is explained by the Department of Player Safety that Niederreiter makes full body contact with Burrows and although there is head contact, he does not "pick" the head in the course of making the hit. NFL Jerseys Cheap . -- The Minnesota Twins have granted relief pitcher Matt Guerrier his unconditional release, making the 35-year-old right-hander a free agent. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . New York secured second place in the Metropolitan Division when the Philadelphia Flyers lost at Tampa Bay later Thursday. The Rangers will face either the Flyers or Columbus in the opening round of the post-season. The Rangers struggled throughout against the lowly Sabres and goalie Matt Hackett, who played in just his seventh NHL game of the season.WINNIPEG - The B.C. Lions are playoff bound and dodged a big bullet Saturday night, after quarterback Kevin Glenn went down in the fourth quarter and didnt return in a 28-23 come-from-behind win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.Just a little headache, Glenn said later said of the issue that kept him from completing the game.Backup Jason Beck filled in admirably, with touchdown throws to Ernest Jackson and former Bomber Kito Poblah.The protocol is to watch when you have a headache. . . No symptoms, no blurriness, just a little headache, said Glenn, suggesting it wasnt a concussion.You just tell yourself be ready if something happens, said Beck, a CFL rookie whose first thought was concern for Glenn, when he saw him laying on the field holding his head.Kevin and I spend a lot of time together. Hes a really good friend and when you see somebody down on the field with their head, I mean weve seen too many things in pro football, my first thought was for him and my second thought was OK, just go out and play ball.The Lions (9-7) are now guaranteed at least a crossover playoff spot.The Bombers (6-11) were ahead 17-13 at the start of the fourth quarter but their effectiveness was crippled all night by quarterback sacks — 10 of them by the end of the game.Ten sacks is just a tribute to the whole defence and obviously the coaches, said B.C. head coach Mike Benevides, who gave the game ball to Khreem Smith, who had four of them.Im really proud of our defence. Our defence was playing really well all year long. Today it was rewarded to get the quarterback a few times.Winnipeg quarterback Drew Willy said he knew he was responsible for a few of those sacks.I definitely wasnt decisive enough in getting the ball out of my hands, he said. I take full responsibility for that.It was their eighth loss in a row and this is the third season in a row theyve missed the playoffs, after making a losing appearance in the 2011 Grey Cup. It has taken a toll on attendance which was just 24,223 Saturday night, with almost 9,000 empty sseats.ddddddddddddThe Bombers were crushed at the way their season has collapsed since July when they were 5-1.Honestly, I thought this was our year, said veteran offensive lineman Steve Morley. I thought OK, this is the year were going to go over the mountain . . . and now were not.Coach Mike OShea said despite their collapse, he had never lost faith.We had nothing prepared for this because I believed we were going to make the playoffs, he said.Rookie Winnipeg running back Paris Cotton rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown but said it doesnt mean much when you lose.Were just going to figure it out together and keep going, he said.A return to a more balanced offence seemed to offer some sack protection for Willy in their last game but this time it didnt even slow down the Lions, who had their own issues with 22 penalties. Cotton couldnt say why there was such a difference.I cant tell you until I watch the film but all I know is we fell short, we didnt get the win.Veteran receiver Clarence Denmark topped 1,000 yards in a season for the first time in his CFL career with 56 yards Saturday and a touchdown. He laid the blame for the loss squarely on the offence.I feel like the defence played good, he said. They made stops when they needed to. I feel like when it came our time to make plays we didnt make them.Winnipeg has now dropped eight straight games and will miss the post-season.The Bombers also got three field goals plus a single from rookie kicker Liram Hajrullahu.B.C.s other touchdown came from Keola Antolin and Paul McCallum added two field goals and a single.It was also a night of milestones as veteran B.C. kicker McCallum became just the second CFL player to top the 3,000-point mark.NOTES: The Bombers lost defensive lineman Greg Peach in the second half to injury and defensive back Don Unamba also had to leave the field but he returned. The Bombers benefited from the return from injury of Troy Stoudermire. Their kick returner had 72 yards in the first half, including one run of 35. ' ' '
Ottawa, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Despite having only four wins through the first 12 games, the Montreal Alouettes are still in the hunt for the East Division title as they pay a visit to the slumping Ottawa RedBlacks at TD Place on Friday night. Watch the game live on TSN1, 3, 4, 5 and TSN GO at 7pm et/4pm pt. Montreal is currently tied with Hamilton and Toronto for first place in the division standings, with regard to points earned heading into Week 14 action, although the Tiger-Cats still have a game in-hand. Perhaps even more remarkable than Montreals status is that of the RedBlacks who, despite having won just one game in 11 tries, are still in the hunt mathematically as well. Since winning only one of the first seven games on the schedule, the Als have shown signs of life in recent weeks with three triumphs in four outings. Against a Calgary team which was without its starting quarterback, Bo Levi Mitchell, the Alouettes put together a solid game plan and scored an upset at home as they more than doubled-up on the Stampeders with a 31-15 victory last weekend. Jonathan Crompton, the latest quarterback of record for the Als, converted 20- of-28 passes for 220 yards and two scores, while backup signal caller Tanner Marsh landed in the end zone on a one-yard run for the first points of the meeting in the second quarter. Controlling the ball for nearly 37 minutes, Montreal held the visitors to just 272 yards, picking off one pass and recovering a pair of fumbles. As for Ottawa, the latest addition to the CFL, it has bowed in eight consecutive outings since defeating Toronto by a scant 18-17 score at home back in Week 4. Against the Saskatchewan defense, the RedBlacks found plenty of holes to exploit, allowing them to generate a hefty 32 points and get the meeting into overtime. Unfortunately, the offense mostly dried up for Ottawa following the third quarter, leaving the squad with the hard-fought 35-32 double-overtime loss on the road last weekend. Henry Burris put up solid numbers as he converted 23-of-38 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns, against just a single interception. The signal caller also used his legs to expose the Roughriders as he gained 22 yards and tallied a major on four carries. Wallace Miles caught just four passes for 35 yards, but he was able to turn those efforts into a pair of TDs for the visitors. Defensively, the RedBlacks held the Riders to a modest 345 yards of offense and kept the hosts off the board in the first overtime period before kicker Chris Milo connected on the game-winning field goal in the second OT, a 22- yard effort. Outside of last weekends display, the offense for the RedBlacks has been rather anaemic and is still last in the league with a mere 15.7 ppg. The program has scored a mere four rushing touchdowns, which means all of the pressure continues to fall on Burris and the slumping passing attack. Burris has managed to complete close to 60 percent of his attempts for almost 2,500 yards, but he has thrown almost as many interceptions (eight) as touchdowns (nine), and that is no way to build a successful squad. As if having a faulty defense were not enough, Ottawa is also last in the CFL in terms of yards allowed, giving up 388.4 ypg, which is almost 50 ypg more than the second-worst squad, Montreal (342.7 ypg). Opponents have connected on a league-high 65.8 percent of their pass attempts versus the RedBlacks and that has led to 26.6 ppg being scored by those foes, the second-highest average in the league behind only idle Toronto (27.1 ppg). Although the RedBlacks are new to the CFL this season, there is still an extensive history between Montreal and a program from Ottawa in the league, with the latter owning an 87-71-4 advantage, considering only regular-season meetings dating back to 1946. Late last month Montreal hosted the RedBlacks and came away with a 20-10 victory as Crompton threw for 245 yards and Marsh logged a rushing touchdown. Burris also threw for 245 yards for the RedBlacks, but the team generated a mere 60 rushing yards, compared to 183 for the hosts, and also committed 16 turnovers for a loss of 135 yards. The Als have now won three straight and eight of the last nine games played against a representative from Ottawa. Bobby Orr Jersey . -- Officials have approved a deal to build a new $672 million stadium for the Atlanta Braves away from the downtown Atlanta area that has traditionally been its home. David Krejci Jersey . Reyes, 26, was traded from Atlanta to Toronto in July 2010 and spent the remainder of the season in the minors. He began 2011 in the majors and made 20 starts with the Blue Jays, going 5-8 with a 5.40 earned run average before he was waived on Aug. http://www.thebostonbruinshockey.com/jar...ey-jersey/. Pedroia reached the milestone with a little panache, hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning and propelling the Boston Red Sox to a 7-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. Ray Bourque Bruins Jersey . The ninth-seeded Safarova doused Swede Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-3 on the green clay at Family Circle Tennis Center. The Czech player was a finalist here two years ago and captured back-to-back doubles titles in 2012 and last year. Gerry Cheevers Bruins Jersey .com) - The Ottawa Senators will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they face the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to secure their place in the post-season.COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- Marvin Chavez scored two goals against his former team and Chivas USA ended an eight-game winless streak with a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Sunday. Erick Torres opened the scoring with his eighth goal of the season in the 56th minute for Chivas, which had gone 0-5-3 since beating the Chicago Fire in its season opener. Torres header beat goalkeeper Clint Irwin after Chivas didnt put a shot on goal in the first half. Chavez, who made two appearances for Colorado last season, broke free on a breakaway to beat Irwin in the 67th minute and again off a cross in the 76th minute..dddddddddddd "I liked that team very much and they always treated me very well," Chavez said. "I am a professional and just do my job." Deshorn Brown scored in stoppage time for Colorado, the Rapids third goal in five games. The Rapids were without leading scorer Vicente Sanchez. who missed a second straight game with a sprained left knee. "We obviously had problems in the back of our defence that we need to address," Colorado coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "They lulled us to sleep, they waited for their opportunities and took full advantage of them." ' ' '
In other sports fashion related news, two people who go by the name of “Ben and Ken” have finally settled the age long debate on the correct pronunciation of Nike. All it took was a simple letterh/t redditThere was also some interesting news regarding new Tennesse Titans quarterback Charlie Whitehurst who has worn the number 6 for the past 12 years. Punter Brett Kern of the Titans has also worn the number 6 so the two settled who would dawn the number this season with a good old fashioned arm wrestle. Kern ended up winning the arm wrestleh/t For The Win) T.J. Hockenson Womens Jersey . -- The Minnesota Vikings have signed Jerome Simpson, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver recently convicted on a felony drug charge. Marvin Jones Jr Lions Jersey . Jeter doubled high off the left-field wall and scored on Jacoby Ellsburys first hit in pinstripes in the fifth. Hiroki Kuroda (1-1) pitched 6 1-3 sharp innings in the Yankees 112th opener in New York. In what manager Joe Girardi said would be a season-long lovefest for Jeter, the shortstop was cheered every step of the way by an adoring crowd of 48, 142 -- even when his double-play grounder back to Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2) scored Solarte in the third inning for the first run. http://www.shopdetroitlionsnfl.com/lions...ck-jersey/. -- The Chicago Bears say they have agreed to a one-year contract with centre Roberto Garza. Marvin Jones Jr Youth Jersey . Right-hander Todd Redmond took the loss. Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the spring. Here are a handful of tidbits from around camp: Hutchison impressive The Blue Jays are being cautious when talking about their young arms but internally, excitement is building over the way Drew Hutchison is looking and performing this spring. Calvin Johnson Jersey . After making his All-Star debut in Fridays Rising Stars Challenge, the Raptors sophomore centre wont be sticking around for the duration of the weekends festivities, thinking about the big picture instead.Scott Cullen takes a look at the stories from November 15th through November 21st in the NHL, including financial troubles for Jack Johnson, health issues for Pascal Dupuis, the Canadiens getting cap space, a wild week in Toronto and more. JACK JOHNSON BANKRUPTCY The Columbus Dispatchs Aaron Portzline reported on the financial difficulties facing 27-year-old Blue Jackets defenceman Jack Johnson. According to Cap Geek, Johnson has made more than $20-million to this point in his career, and still has three more years and $15-million remaining on his current contract, yet is filing for bankruptcy protection, facing $10-to-$15-million in debt, after his money was mismanaged. What makes the story worse is that Johnsons parents were reportedly responsible for his financial demise. There are countless stories of professional athletes being swindled or mismanaging their money -- Johnsons not the first -- but its not as common to have the trouble traced back to the family tree. As embarrassing as it might be for Johnson to have this story made public, it serves as a good warning for young players to know what is happening with their money. In a career that can be as lucrative as professional hockey, athletes that arent necessarily savvy in their financial decision-making can be prime targets. Even so, its an extra kick in the teeth when family trust gets broken in the process. VOYNOV CHARGED Los Angeles Kings defenceman Slava Voynov has been on paid leave from the team since October 20, while he was the subject of a domestic violence investigation. A month later, Voynov has been charged with one count of felony domestic violence and as the legal process plays out, there may be some end in sight to the salary cap complications that the Kings have been dealing with in Voynovs absence. When asked this week about the problems this situation has presented to the Kings, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was adamant that the Kings arent getting bailed out of this situation. All teams have to manage their salary cap, was Bettmans refrain, but it turns out that the league is willing to allow the Kings to include Voynov on the Long-Term Injury Exception for salary cap purposes. Voynov has an arraignment scheduled for December 1 and Voynovs wife expressed dismay at the charges. The Kings, for their part in this, should at least have the cap room needed to ice a full roster on a regular basis. Twice this season, they have been forced to play with only 19 players dressed. DUPUIS SIDELINED A blue-collar winger who has enjoyed some success on Sidney Crosby’s right wing in recent seasons, Dupuis battled back from a torn ACL suffered last season, and had recently rejoined Crosby on the Penguins top line, but he’s now been diagnosed with a blood clot in his lungs and that will keep him out for the next six months. Dupuis is 35-years-old, and under contract for two more seasons beyond this, but the stakes involved certainly require a cautious approach. While its not standard to lose players to blood clots, the Penguins have had more than their share of unusually serious health situations in recent years. Teams have guys suffer knee, shoulder and ankle injuries all the time but, in addition to Dupuis, the Penguins have had defenceman Olli Maatta just return from surgery to remove a cancerous tumour in his thyroid, had defenceman Kris Letang suffer a stroke last season and goaltender Tomas Vokoun missed all of the 2013-14 season with blood clots. Its a strange run of serious health issues for one franchise. In Dupuis absence, the Penguins will need to dig into their forward depth and they start with Blake Comeau moving up the depth chart but, given the long-term nature of Dupuis absence, Pittsburgh should be in the trade market for a scoring winger. VORACEK TAKES OVER SCORING LEAD Philadelphia Flyers 25-year-old right winger Jakub Voracek is off to a great start to his seventh season in the league, and hes moved into the scoring lead with 27 points in 18 games, one ahead of (in one more game) a healthy Sidney Crosby. Voracek and Claude Giroux drive the Flyers attack and theyre dominating territorial play at an elite level, so even if (when?) Voracek falls off from his current 123-point pace, hes looking at a dramatic upgrade from last seasons career-high 62 points. HABS CREATING CAP SPACE The Montreal Canadiens dealt inconsistent winger Rene Bourque to the Anaheim Ducks for veteran mind-the-store defenceman Bryan Allen. Neither is likely to be a difference-maker. Allen is a passable depth defenceman and Bourque is a winger with good size who can be a force, but all too often is invisible. But the story of the deal is that Montreal gets additional cap space. Allens on an expiring deal and Bourque has an extra year remaining, so the Habs get cap room sooner andd while the unrestricted free agent market hasnt offered many great solutions in recent years, having the extra room leaves Montreal in better position to negotiate extensions with restricted free agents Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher.dddddddddddd LETS PLAY TWO On Tuesday, Florida Panthers prospect Rocco Grimaldi played a rare 10:30 am game for San Antonio in the American Hockey League, a special start time for school children, then left that game after the second period when he was called up to the NHL to fill in for an ill Aleksander Barkov in the Florida lineup at Los Angeles that night. Grimaldi, who is a California native, was a second-round pick in 2011 and has yet to record a point in six NHL games as a first-year pro. He does have six points in 13 AHL games. CONCUSSION LAWSUIT The National Hockey League has responded to a concussion lawsuit with assertions that NHL players should have used publicly-available information and put two and two together when it comes to the effects of concussions. While this isnt a comment on whether the league is liable for the damage inflicted to players throughout their careers, suggesting that the onus rested on the players to know the long-term neurological effects doesnt come across as a realistic alternative. The issue facing the National Hockey League when it comes to the concussion lawsuit is that this has already been playing out in the NFL and and NFLs handling of it tends to make the public distrustful of the legal maneuvering that a sports league can go through to get the best possible settlement. LECLAIR, LINDROS HONOURED The Philadelphia Flyers inducted John LeClair and Eric Lindros -- two-third of the Legion of Doom line -- into the Flyers Hall of Fame Thursday night. They, along with Mikael Renberg, formed one of the best lines in hockey in the 1990s, with Lindros and LeClair combining to score 623 goals for the Flyers. From 1995-96 through 1999-2000, LeClair recorded five straight seasons with at least 40 goals, while Lindros was a force of nature when healthy for the Flyers. From the time he entered the league, in 1992-93 through 1999-2000, Lindros scored 290 goals in 486 games, his 0.60 goals per game ranking third behind Pavel Bure and Teemu Selanne, and his 1.45 points per game (659 points in 486 games) ranked second only to Jaromir Jagr. A WILD WEEK IN THE BIG SMOKE The week for the Toronto Maple Leafs started on the wrong foot, with a 2-1 loss at home to Pittsburgh, but that wasnt the end of the world -- it was a competitive game against a really good team. It got dramatically worse the next night, when the Leafs lost 6-2 in Buffalo, getting blown out by the worst team in the league. That cloud hovered over the team until their next game, at home against Nashville Tuesday, when the Leafs dropped a 9-2 decision. At that point, the wolves were howling at the door, wondering whether a coaching change was coming for a team that looked listless in back-to-back embarrassing defeats. Then, Toronto went out and beat a quality Tampa Bay team 5-2 Thursday night, which should have calmed everything down but, for whatever reason, the Leafs decided that was the time to veer from their previous tradition of saluting the fans after a win on home ice so, suddenly, that became the story. If the idea was to shake up routine, it didnt make much sense after the fact. The game was over and result already known, so thats doing superstition backwards. Maybe it was more about establishing an us-against-the-world mentality, which is not unusual for a team coming under fire, but the Leafs were coming under fire for results that could only be viewed in a negative light. There was no positive way to spin the Buffalo and Nashville debacles, but somehow the narrative over the week got to be about the pressure of playing in Toronto, with the media taking a bunch of blame for the teams troubles. HALL OF FAME CHANGE Following the induction of this years outstanding Hall of Fame class, Pierre LeBrun reported that the Board of Directors of the Hall of Fame was altering its eligibility rules, making it possible for a player who had not played for three years to be eligible. Previously, a player had to be retired for three years, but some players, most notably Chris Pronger, are stuck on long-term injured reserve year after year while their contracts wind down. The change in criteria should put Pronger in the Hall sooner than previously expected. He last skated for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011-12 and his on-ice credentials warrant it. He won a Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007, played in the 2006 Final with Edmonton and 2010 Final with Philadelphia, won the Norris Trophy and Hart Trophy in 1999-2000. Hes also the best player I ever played against, which isnt quite as big an honour for him. ' ' '
DETROIT - Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez left Saturday nights start against Detroit after five innings, ending a major league record success streak. Hernandez had gone at least seven innings and allowed no more than two runs in his previous 16 starts. Tom Seaver set the previous mark of 13 in 1971. Hernandez appeared to be in some discomfort after being hit in the leg by Ian Kinslers sharp grounder to end the fourth, but he pitched one more inning. The All-Star right-hander gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings. No announcement on his condition was immediately made by the Mariners. Hakeem Olajuwon Jersey . Johnson shared an update after his surgery Tuesday on Twitter. He also wrote, "now lets get on the grind." The running back told The Tennessean he was having surgery in Pensacola, Fla. Charles Barkley Jersey . It was my fifth straight year attending and, as always, there are many interesting matters discussed as it pertains to the use of statistics in sports. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authen...ts-Jersey/. The 30-year-old Moore played in 13 games for the Saints last season, catching 37 balls for 457 yards and two touchdowns. PJ Tucker Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Hakeem Olajuwon Rockets Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Wednesdays 3pm et trade deadline for all the updates. Blue line help for Red Wings? In addition to what he reported in Insider Trading, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote on ESPN.Hot Springs, AR (SportsNetwork.com) - Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Take Charge Brandi is probable for an earlier than expected start to her 3- year-old season with a start in the $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 31 at Oaklawn Park. I think the mile is a logical choice, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said, referring to the Martha Washington distance. Monday morning at Oaklawn the filly worked a half-mile in 51 seconds. Shes so sharp I cant hardly do anything with her. Shes just tearing the barn down, so I might as well run her, Lukas indicated. Owned by Willis Horton, Take Charge Brandi won the Starlet Stakes at Loss Alamitos on Dec.dddddddddddd 13 to finish her 2014 season. That victory came just three weeks after capturing the Delta Downs Princess Stakes on Nov. 22. Take Charge Brandi broke her maiden in her debut at Churchill Downs last June. She was second at Saratoga in the Schuylerville and fifth in the Adirondack Stakes. The filly followed with a fifth in the Pocahontas at Churchill and was eighth in Keenelands Alcibiades. She won the Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita as a 61-1 longshot. Lukas has Take Charge Brandi pointed toward the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill on Friday, May 1. The filly has won four of eight starts for $1,620,126. ' ' '